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WHO regional director Shin Young-soo says the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Kiribati are three of 37 countries in the region that have failed to meet the target of lowering cases to less than one per 10,000 people — the health body's definition of leprosy elimination.

He cited the example of the Philippines, which was declared largely free of leprosy in 1998 yet some 2,000 new cases are still being recorded yearly.

He told reporters Monday that China has around the same number of new cases each year.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1096051--who-calls-for-final-push-against-leprosy Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:27:00 -0400 The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1096051--who-calls-for-final-push-against-leprosy
Street corners across Baghdad are blanketed with the synthetic red fur of teddy bears, while silken nighties and lip-shaped satin pillows hang in store fronts.

It's a vivid counterpoint to a place that's still a far cry from warm and fuzzy — with bombings remaining a fact of life since the withdrawal of U.S. forces two months ago.

"Valentine's Day is for everybody — not only for lovers," said Lina, a school administrator who would only identify herself by her first name. She was among the throngs browsing through an array of plush kittens, scented candles, red lamps and heart-shaped purses outside a store this weekend in the Baghdad downtown shopping district of Karradah.

"It's for you and I, for me and my brother, even for someone on the street. It's not just about me and my fiance," Lina said. "Iraqis need happy moments to make them forget what they have been through — we have had enough sadness."

After decades of war and dictator rule, and with improving security, Iraqis say they are able to relax and enjoy Valentine's this year. Others believe the recent burst of text messages, mobile phones and use of the Internet among Iraqi youth has helped foster romance like never before.

But Valentine's Day may come with its own baggage.

Conservative Muslims, from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia, have strongly frowned on the holiday's growing popularity around the world as an encouragement of perceived Western decadence and premarital sex.

Last year, Iran banned cards, gifts and other tokens of the day, which tradition says is named after one of several early Christian martyrs. Saudi Arabia's feared religious police launched patrols each year to stamp out any stores displaying too much red or selling heart-shaped products this time of year.

So far, however, Iraq appears to be drifting the way of other Middle East centres such as Dubai or Beirut that stock shelves high with chocolates, flowers and other trappings of the day.

Some Iraqis are using the day to proclaim that love conquers all — including studying.

At the Technology Institute in Baghdad's southeastern Zafaraniyah area, students will hold a months-delayed meet-and-greet for university freshmen on Tuesday. Usually the gathering is held in December when the semester began, but 21-year-old Muataz Mohammed said scheduling it for Valentine's Day might more easily stoke friendships.

"It is a very special day," said Mohammed, who plans to wear a red shirt and carry red roses to the party. Women students are planning to wear red shirts and headscarves.

From his Karradah storefront, Abdul-Wahab Abdul-Rahaman has watched toddler-sized red teddy bears and plush hearts in high demand this year. He speculates it's because young lovers now meet and talk more frequently with the help of their mobile phones.

Mobile phones, satellite TV and the Internet were virtually banned during Saddam's regime, and the war and rampant violence after his ouster discouraged tech companies from marketing Iraq until the last few years.

"The new communication means help making relationships between the sexes faster than before," Abdul-Wahab said. "I think I will sell all my Valentine's Day products as the occasion is becoming more popular among Iraqis year after year."

Iraq remains a relatively conservative society, and only recently have many unmarried couples dared to be without a chaperone in public.

Picking out gifts for each other in Karradah, Simaa Riyadh, 27, said she believes more lovers are open with their affections. Her fiance, Ammar Riyadh, said he feels security is good enough now to show a little tenderness.

"It's a wonderful day," Riyadh said, smiling.

___

Associated Press Writer Lara Jakes contributed to this report.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1096048--baghdad-s-romance-grows-with-valentine-s-day Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:02:00 -0400 Bushra Juhi, The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1096048--baghdad-s-romance-grows-with-valentine-s-day
The remains and other items were found 45 feet (13 metres) deep in the well on an abandoned cattle ranch, San Joaquin County sheriff's spokesman Deputy Les Garcia said in a statement.

After two days of searching the site, investigators, public works employees and volunteers have found more than 300 human bones, Garcia said. The search would resume Monday if weather allowed.

Sunday marked the fourth straight day that remains have been found with the help of a map prepared by death row inmate Wesley Shermantine. He and childhood friend Loren Herzog became known as the "Speed Freak Killers" for a methamphetamine-fueled killing spree that had as many as 15 victims.

A piece of a human skull and bones found Saturday at the ranch will be sent to the Department of Justice in the hopes of identifying them through DNA testing, Garcia said. Dental records identified remains found Thursday in Calaveras County as those of 25-year-old Cyndi Vanderheiden, who disappeared in 1988.

Another set of remains were found Friday in the same area, and the parents of a missing 16-year-old girl have said authorities told them that Shermantine said their daughter was buried in that spot decades ago.

Shermantine was convicted of four murders and sentenced to death. Herzog was convicted of three murders and sentenced to 77 years to life in prison, though that was later reduced to 14 years. An appeals court tossed his first-degree murder convictions after ruling his confession was illegally obtained.

Herzog was paroled in 2010 to a trailer outside the High Desert State Prison in Susanville. He committed suicide outside that trailer last month after Sacramento bounty hunter Leonard Padilla told him Shermantine was disclosing the location of the well along with two other locations.

Crews are expected to be searching the ranch in Linden for several days, at what Garcia has said would be a "slow and tedious" pace. The property, south of Sacramento, was once owned by Shermantine's family.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1096031--more-human-remains-found-at-us-ranch Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:09:00 -0400 The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1096031--more-human-remains-found-at-us-ranch
Santorum went on the attack Sunday, calling the former Massachusetts governor and wealthy businessman "desperate" while promising to compete aggressively to win the upcoming primary in the state where Romney grew up. Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, said he could do "exceptionally well" in another industrial state: Michigan, where Romney's father served as governor. Michigan and Arizona host the next nominating contests in the state-by-state race on Feb. 28.

With the next primaries more than two weeks away, the break seems unusually long in the rapid-fire race that's featured six contests in the last 14 days. Romney and his rivals now have 17 days to raise cash and bolster their organizations for what's shaping up to be a slog to the Republican nomination and the right to face President Barack Obama in November.

Romney has been painting Santorum as a longtime Washington insider who pursued home-state projects. Santorum on Sunday described Romney's recent criticism as "desperate."

"You reach a point where desperate people do desperate things," said Santorum.

Maine Republican officials declared Romney the winner of Saturday's caucuses. The results ended a three-state losing streak to Santorum, who swept contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri on Tuesday.

Santorum wasn't a factor in Maine, where Romney captured 39 per cent of the vote, narrowly defeating Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 36 per cent, state Republican chairman Charlie Webster said. Santorum and Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, won 18 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively.

Santorum shrugged off his third-place finish Saturday in Maine, where he didn't actively compete, as well as his second-place finish to Romney in a straw poll of conservative activists meeting in Washington. Instead, Santorum said he was looking ahead to the next round of primaries.

As Santorum eyes Michigan and Arizona, Romney was turning his attention to extending his huge cash advantage over his rivals.

Romney is expected to spend much of next week courting donors, while sprinkling in a handful of campaign events. He'll be in Arizona Monday evening. His team is preparing an aggressive push against Santorum inMichigan, where Romney is a household name — and where his advisers had hoped for an easy victory. Romney'sfather, George, was chairman of now-defunct American Motor Corp. and was governor before mounting a failed bid for president in 1968.

Romney won a plurality of the Maine vote just hours after winning the presidential straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference in Washington.

But questions about Romney's durability as his party's presumed front-runner persist. In Maine, 61 per cent of voters selected a candidate other than Romney in state practically in his backyard. And Romney's showing was down considerably from 2008, when he won 51 per cent of the vote in Maine.

Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, a prominent voice among some conservatives, said Romney has work to do to convince Republican voters he's moved beyond his "pretty moderate past ... even in some cases a liberal past."

With Americans concerned about high unemployment, Romney has emphasized his business background to try to convince voters that he's best prepared to turn the economy around. Obama has been considered vulnerable in his bid for a second term in the White House because of his handling of the economic downturn spawned by the near collapse of the U.S. financial system in the final months of the presidency of George W. Bush.

That disadvantage with voters seems, however, to be easing with increasing but tentative signs of a slight acceleration of the economic rebound. As a result, Republican candidates have started emphasizing social issues more, which plays to Santorum's strength as staunch cultural conservative opposed to abortion and gay marriage.

To counter his challenge, Romney has also pivoted to social issues in recent days. Romney has been particularly aggressive in criticizing Obama's recent decision regarding contraception which has become a hot-button issue for conservatives.

On Friday, after three weeks of controversy that pitted U.S. Catholic bishops against the White House, Obama revised his policy. Instead of requiring church-affiliated non-profit employers to cover free contraception with the health insurance they offer workers, the policy now requires insurance companies to provide free birth control coverage in separate agreements with workers who want it.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095281--santorum-plans-aggressive-strategy-against-romney Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:47:00 -0400 The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095281--santorum-plans-aggressive-strategy-against-romney
Humala, a former army lieutenant colonel, flew to the remote coca-growing Upper Huallaga Valley of central Peru to congratulate the police and soldiers who had snared the 50-year-old rebel, Comrade Artemio, and two of his confederates.

Artemio, whose given name is Florindo "Jose" Flores, was later flown to Lima where doctors at a police hospital operated on him to remove two bullets from his torso, said Raul Sanchez, spokesman for the chief prosecutor's office. Artemio also had shrapnel wounds in both hands, he said.

As he arrived in Lima and was wheeled from a plane, journalists saw Artemio raise his right arm and shout something indiscernible.

"The Shining Path is no longer a threat to the country. It's capacity is limited," Humala said from the counternarcotics base Artemio was initially airlifted. A photo released by the presidency showed him standing beside Artemio, both of the rebel's hands bandaged along with his chest.

Humala said that with the capture of Artemio and several of his top lieutenants in recent weeks the Upper Huallaga had been pacified, making agribusiness, cattle ranching and tourism now possible. The valley is currently the only region of Peru where U.S.-financed coca eradication is occurring.

Analysts consider Artemio's capture a crippling blow to a roughly 150-strong band that represented about half of what remains of the Shining Path, which killed thousands during the 1980s and 1990s.

He was apprehended at 3 a.m., said Sanchez, near where he was wounded three days earlier under circumstances neither Humala nor other officials explained.

Defence Minister Alberto Otarola said Friday that Artemio was wounded in combat with government forces early Thursday in the village of Puerto Pizana. But local journalists have reported that at least one of his own men may have turned on him.

The other remaining Shining Path faction, also involved in the drug trade, is centred further south in the valley of the Apurimac and Ene rivers.

Humala said security forces would now focus efforts on fighting that group, which was blamed for an attack on a remote police station last Monday in which two police officers were wounded.

Humala expressed pride in announcing the capture of the guerrilla who was the Shining Path's regional chief in the early 1990s when Humala commanded an army garrison in the Upper Huallaga.

He said security forces had been "closely following" Artemio in recent weeks and had acted at an opportune moment when civilians wouldn't be in harm's way.

The mayor of the La Polvora district encompassing the village, Nanci Zamora, told The Associated Press that Artemio was brought before dawn Thursday to an emergency medical technician in the nearby town of Santa Rosa de Mishoyo.

She said that after he was treated subordinates took him down the Mishoyo river, a tributary of the Huallaga. It was not immediately clear how troops located him.

The United States had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Such rewards have proven highly effective in neighbouring Colombia in persuading some rebels to turn against their leaders.

The Shining Path largely collapsed after the 1992 capture of its leader, Abimael Guzman, who is serving a life term for waging a brutal war that slaughtered peasants and city-dwellers alike.

Today, it is a tiny vestige of the movement that in its 1980s heyday controlled large swaths of the Peruvian countryside.

In December, Artemio told visiting journalists that his cause was lost and he was seeking a truce with the government.

The self-described Marxist said he wrote Humala twice but received no response.

Previous Peruvian governments had also refused to negotiate a truce, he said.

Artemio said the only way to change the capitalist system was through a socialist government, "but at this moment that is not possible."

The chief prosecutor's office said via Twitter that Artemio could face a life sentence for crimes including terrorism and drug trafficking.

Peru is the world's No. 2 producer after Colombia of coca, the basis for cocaine, although the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says it has now surpassed its Andean neighbour in potential cocaine production.

DEA officials say that's because comparatively little coca crop eradication occurs in Peru, where plantations tend to be more mature and higher-yieldling.

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Associated Press writer Frank Briceno contributed to this report.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095335--peru-leftist-rebel-leader-captured-wounded Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0400 Frank Bajak, The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095335--peru-leftist-rebel-leader-captured-wounded
Capriles, the 39-year-old governor of Miranda state, faces a tough task in ousting Chavez, a charismatic campaigner with a loyal following and the full powers of the state to back his candidacy in Oct. 7 elections.

Opposition election chief Teresa Albanes announced the preliminary results, saying that Capriles won about 62 per cent of the vote, beating Zulia state Gov. Pablo Perez by a margin of more than 30 percentage points.

Chavez's opponents lined up to vote in many areas, surpassing most expectations with a turnout of about 2.9 million ballots cast out of Venezuela's 18 million registered voters.

Capriles had been the front-runner in pre-election polls among five contenders, presenting a younger, energetic alternative to the 57-year-old Chavez, who has recently battled cancer.

"He's going to be the candidate who can get us out of this giant hole we're stuck in," said Carmen Gloria Padilla, a 66-year-old telephone company employee who voted for him.

Thousands of supporters celebrated the win outside Capriles' campaign headquarters, some holding small flags emblazoned with the slogan "There is a way." Fireworks exploded in the sky above the crowd.

Some of Capriles' supporters said they think he has a good chance of winning over Venezuelans who otherwise might lean pro-Chavez because he has taken a largely non-confrontational approach while promising solutions to problems including 26-per cent inflation and one of the highest murder rates in Latin America.

Diego Prada, a 23-year-old marketing manager, said he thinks Capriles' inclusive approach offers a much better shot against Chavez than other competitors who have taken a hard line against the president.

"People are tired of so much confrontation," Prada said. As for Capriles, he said, "he has a message of unity."

The once-divided opposition has gained popularity in recent years, and the race could end up being the toughest re-election bid of Chavez's career.

The lefist president easily won re-election with 63 per cent of the vote in 2006, but since then his popularity has declined, in part due to ills including crime and economic troubles.

Chavez's approval ratings have topped 50 per cent in recent polls, and his struggle with cancer doesn't appear to have hurt his popularity. The president says he's cancer-free after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy last year, and has been energetic in his hours-long television appearances, apparently trying to show he can still keep up with a younger challenger.

Chavez remains a hero to many of his supporters and maintains a visceral connection to a significant segment of the poor in Venezuela. He also will use the full powers of his government and a bonanza of public spending to try to ensure a victory in the Oct. 7 election.

Chavez has already kicked his campaign machinery into gear. He has increased government spending by launching new social programs that offer cash benefits for the poor and invested heavily in new railways, public housing and cable car systems in Venezuela's sprawling hillside slums. As the election nears, he will inaugurate other big-ticket projects that grab attention, including the planned launch of Venezuela's second Chinese-made satellite shortly before the October vote.

But Chavez has warned voters that if they don't re-elect him, his social programs called "missions" would vanish. That threat, though disputed by Capriles, could have an influence on some in the run-up to the vote.

For the opposition, the primary showed its ability to mobilize voters, a key asset in its efforts to compete with Chavez. Lines formed on Sunday at polling stations in some poor neighbourhoods that have traditionally been pro-Chavez strongholds.

"I decided to come to vote to express my complete unhappiness. In these 12 years, the country has gone downhill," said Ruben Rodriguez, a 59-year-old construction worker who was waiting in line to vote.

In order to compete, Capriles probably will need to win over voters who leaned pro-Chavez in the past, who have grown disillusioned with the government and who don't strongly identify with either side.

"Confrontation and fear are going to be part of that past," Capriles said after voting. "Hope can deal with any obstacle they put in our way. Today is a day of hope."

Candidacies for other posts including state governors were also being decided in the primaries. Venezuelans living abroad were able to cast ballots in cities from Miami to Madrid.

Venezuela has grown heavily polarized, with most either admiring or despising Chavez. About one-fourth of voters are in neither political camp, and in that group about 10 to 15 per cent are likely to cast ballots, said pollster Luis Vicente Leon. Many of the swing voters are young people who have grown up during Chavez's presidency, Leon said.

Recent polls before the primary vote showed Capriles with about 40 per cent support among opposition voters.

Mercedes Aponte, a 60-year-old high school teacher, said she's convinced Capriles would bring improvements in education, health care and anti-crime efforts.

"Through him, there's hope. It's a new day dawning for Venezuela," Aponte said, waiting to vote in a line that snaked around the block in downtown Caracas.

Capriles might not be able to compete with Chavez's government money nor the president's ability to take over the airwaves of all TV and radio stations when he deems appropriate. But Capriles can count on ample campaign funding from anti-Chavez donors, as well as high visibility in opposition-aligned media including the television channel Globovision, private radio stations and newspapers.

The country's opposition coalition, which united to hold a presidential primary vote for the first time, has become better organized and will be an important ally in mobilizing voters for Capriles against Chavez's campaign machine. His leading rivals promptly united behind Capriles, saying they will join his campaign.

Perez congratulated Capriles, saying: "You're going to be the next president."

The results were announced with 95 per cent of ballots counted, and Capriles dominated the field with more than 1.8 million votes. Several of the opposition contenders called the higher-than-expected turnout a victory.

Opposition presidential contender Maria Corina Machado, a congresswoman who takes a hard line against Chavez, conceded defeat before the results were announced, saying she also will actively back Capriles.

"We will stay united," she said. "Tomorrow, the struggle intensifies."

____

Associated Press writers Christopher Toothaker and Jorge Rueda contributed to this report.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095371--venezuela-s-opposition-picks-chavez-s-challenger Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:35:00 -0400 Fabiola Sanchez,Ian James, The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095371--venezuela-s-opposition-picks-chavez-s-challenger
The historic vote paves the way for Greece's European partners and the International Monetary Fund to release $170 billion (€130 billion) in new rescue loans, without which Greece would default on its mountain of debt next month and likely leave the eurozone — a scenario that would further roil global markets.

Lawmakers voted 199-74 in favour of the cutbacks, despite strong dissent among the two main coalition members. A total of 37 lawmakers from the majority Socialists and conservative New Democracy party either voted against the party line, abstained or voted present.

Sunday's clashes erupted after more than 100,000 protesters marched to the parliament to rally against the drastic cuts, which will axe one in five civil service jobs and slash the minimum wage by more than a fifth.

At least 45 businesses were damaged by fire, including several historic buildings, movie theatres, banks and a cafeteria, in the worst riot damage in Athens in years. Fifty police officers were injured and at least 55 protesters were hospitalized. Forty-five suspected rioters were arrested and a further 40 detained.

As the vote got under way early Monday, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos urged calm, pointing to the country's dire financial straits.

"Vandalism and destruction have no place in a democracy and will not be tolerated," Papademos told Parliament. "I call on the public to show calm. At these crucial times, we do not have the luxury of this type of protest. I think everyone is aware of how serious the situation is."

Since May 2010, Greece has survived on a $145 billion (€110 billion) bailout from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund. When that proved insufficient, the new rescue package was approved. The deal, which has not yet been finalized, will be combined with a massive bond swap deal to write off half the country's privately held debt.

But for both deals to materialize, Greece had to persuade its deeply skeptical creditors that it has the will to implement spending cuts and public sector reforms that will end years of fiscal profligacy and tame gaping budget deficits.

As protests raged Sunday, demonstrators set bonfires in front of parliament and dozens of riot police formed lines to keep them from making a run on the building. Security forces fired dozens of tear gas volleys at rioters, who attacked them with firebombs and chunks of marble broken off the fronts of luxury hotels, banks and department stores.

Clouds of tear gas drifted across the square, and many in the crowd wore gas masks or had their faces covered, while others carried Greek flags and banners. Masked rioters also attacked a police station with petrol bombs and stones.

A three-story building was completely consumed by flames as firefighters struggled to douse the blaze. Streets were strewn with stones, smashed glass and burnt wreckage, while terrified passers-by sought refuge in hotel lounges and cafeterias.

"I've had it! I can't take it any more. There's no point in living in this country any more," said a distraught shop owner walking through his smashed and looted optician store.

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis said rioters tried to storm the City Hall building, but were repelled. "Once again, the city is being used as a lever to try to destabilize the country," he said.

Conservative New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said the rioting "hurts the entire country."

"We are seeing scenes from a future that we must do our utmost to avert," he said.

Papademos' government — an unlikely coalition of the majority Socialists and their main foes, New Democracy — had been expected to carry the austerity vote. Combined, they control 236 of Parliament's 300 seats.

Still, they faced strong dissent: Besides the 37 lawmakers who voted against the bill or abstained, a further six voted against sections of the proposed measures. After the vote, the coalition government announced those 43 lawmakers had been expelled.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the measures were vital to the country's very economic survival.

"The question is not whether some salaries and pensions will be curtailed, but whether we will be able to pay even these reduced wages and pensions," he told lawmakers before the vote. "When you have to choose between bad and worse, you will pick what is bad to avoid what is worse."

The new cutbacks, which follow two years of harsh income losses and tax hikes amid a deep recession and record high unemployment, have been demanded by Greece's bailout creditors in return for a new batch of vital rescue loans.

Greece's eurozone partners, meanwhile, kept up the pressure for real reform.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was quoted as telling the Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday that Greece "cannot be a bottomless pit."

Highlighting previous pledges he said weren't kept, Schaeuble said "that is why Greece's promises aren't enough for us any more."

Asked whether Greece has a long-term future in the eurozone, Germany's Vice Chancellor Philip Roesler said "that is now in the hands of the Greeks alone."

"It is not enough just to give financial aid — they must tackle the second cause of the crisis, the lack of economic competitiveness," he told ARD television. "For that, they need ... massive structural reforms. Otherwise Greece will not get out of the crisis."

Introducing the legislation Sunday, Socialist lawmaker Sofia Yiannaka said the intense pressure from Greece's EU partners to pass the measures was the result of delays in implementing already agreed reforms.

"The delays have our imprint. We should not blame foreigners for them," she said. "We have finally found out that you have to pay back what you have borrowed."

___

Demetris Nellas in Athens and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095666--greece-passes-new-austerity-deal-amid-rioting Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:40:00 -0400 Derek Gatopoulos,Nicholas Paphitis, The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095666--greece-passes-new-austerity-deal-amid-rioting
Britain's equivalent of the Oscars rewarded the French homage to old Hollywood over a homegrown favourite, espionage thriller "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy."

"The Artist," a black-and-white picture that has charmed audiences around the world since its Cannes debut in May, was named best film, and its rubber-limbed star Jean Dujardin took the male acting prize. Its filmmaker, Michel Hazanavicius, won prizes for directing and his original screenplay.

Dujardin said it was "incroyable" — incredible — to win a prize in the homeland of acting titan Laurence Olivier, William Webb Ellis — the inventor of rugby — "and Benny Hill."

Hazanavicius thanked presenter Brad Pitt for pronouncing his name correctly — and academy voters for recognizing that his silent film even had a screenplay.

"So many people thought there was no script because there was no dialogue," he said.

Another homage to early cinema, Martin Scorsese's Parisian fantasy "Hugo," took prizes for sound and production design.

John le Carre adaptation "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" went into the ceremony with 11 nominations compared to 12 for "The Artist," but won just two prizes, for British film and for adapted screenplay.

Writer Peter Straughan dedicated the screenplay award to his wife and co-writer Bridget O'Connor, who died of cancer before the film was completed.

"She wrote all the good bits and I made this coffee," Straughan said. "So, Bridget — I love you, I miss you. This is for you."

The British prizes, known as BAFTAs, are considered a strong indicator of likely success at Hollywood's Academy Awards, to be held on Feb. 26.

The trophies give more momentum to "The Artist," which has already won three Golden Globes, and has 10 Oscar nominations.

Dujardin, who plays a silent screen icon eclipsed by the talkies, said the appeal of "The Artist" lay in its accessibility.

"It's a simple story," he said. "It's a love story. It's universal. And there's a cute dog" — Jack Russell terrier Uggie, who almost steals the film from his two-legged co-stars.

"The Artist" also won prizes for cinematography, costume design and for Ludovic Bource's sprightly musical score.

As predicted, Meryl Streep was named best actress for her depiction of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female prime minister, in "The Iron Lady." The film also won a well-deserved prize for hair and makeup.

"The ambition of this film was to look at the life of the Iron Lady from the inside out, and to locate something real — maybe hidden but truthful — in the life of someone we've all decided we know everything about already," Streep said.

The supporting actor prize went to Christopher Plummer, as an academic who makes a new start late in life in "Beginners." Octavia Spencer was named best supporting actress for her turn as a fiery maid in Deep South drama "The Help"

Spencer said "The Help" had been called "an American movie about American problems and American history."

"I am so grateful to you for seeing past that," she said. "Because surely oppression knows no gender, no sexual orientation, no country."

George Clooney, Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Colin Firth and Judi Dench were among the stars who braved the London cold and bouts of sleet to walk the red carpet before a televised ceremony, hosted by comedian, writer and actor Stephen Fry, at the Royal Opera House.

Many of the frocks were in muted or pastel tones, though "The Help" star Viola Davis, a best-actress nominee, arrived in a pink Valentino "eco gown" made from recycled plastic bottles.

Presenting the award for special effects, Cuba Gooding Jr. paid tribute to singer Whitney Houston, who was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel on Saturday.

"Whitney, I will always love you," he said — a reference to one of her best-known songs.

The effects prize went to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2," the final film in the magical franchise and the top-grossing British movie of the year.

Actor-turned-director Paddy Considine and producer Diarmid Scrimshaw took the best British debut prize for the wrenching domestic drama "Tyrannosaur."

"Kidulthood" actor Adam Deacon won the rising star prize, the only category selected by public vote.

"Senna," a portrait of the short, sensational life of race car driver Ayrton Senna, was named best documentary and also won the editing prize.

Scorsese received the BAFTA Fellowship, a lifetime achievement prize, for his "outstanding and exceptional" contribution to cinema in films including "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull."

Veteran British actor John Hurt was given an honour for outstanding British contribution to cinema for a career that includes memorable roles in "Elephant Man," ''The Naked Civil Servant" and "Alien."

Hurt said his advice to young people would be the same as Noel Coward gave to him when he was an aspiring actor: "Press on."

"Press on, and don't let anybody get in the way of your instincts," Hurt said.

In recent years, the British awards have helped underdog films gain momentum for Hollywood success.

In 2010, Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" won seven BAFTAs, including best film; it went on to take eight Oscars. Last year "The King's Speech" won seven BAFTAs and four Oscars, including best picture.

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Online: http://www.bafta.org/film/awards

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Jill Lawless can be reached at: http://twitter.com/JillLawless

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095192--the-artist-named-best-picture-at-uk-film-awards Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:37:00 -0400 Jill Lawless, The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095192--the-artist-named-best-picture-at-uk-film-awards
Conservatives have been demanding the introduction of strict Islamic laws in the Indian Ocean nation that relies on high-end tourism.

Demonstrations over the past year calling for more religiously conservative policies as well as widespread protests over soaring prices had put pressure on the former leader, Mohamed Nasheed. He resigned last week after his order to arrest a senior judge sparked continuous protests. He later said he had been ousted in a coup, leading to a political crisis.

New President Mohammed Waheed Hassan said he was forming a coalition government to help restore stability in the Muslim country ahead of presidential elections due next year. Six members from four political parties were sworn in Sunday as ministers.

They include the Progressive Party of the Maldives, headed by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the former autocratic leader who ruled for 30 years until Nasheed defeated him in the country's first multiparty election in 2008.

Adhaalat, or Justice Party, which wants to see the introduction of Shariah law, and several other moderate parties will also receive ministerial positions, according to presidential spokesman Masood Imad.

Some slots in the Cabinet were being kept open in case Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party changed its mind about joining the coalition government, he said.

The constitution prohibits any religion other than Islam from being practiced or preached in the Maldives and specifies that it be governed according to Islamic principles. But authorities have generally been flexible, mainly to preserve the country's tourism industry.

However, Islamic activists led by Adhaalat have protested against the former government's ties with Israel and demanded alcohol not be sold outside resorts. The party also led a protest in December against United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay after she asked the Maldives to stop flogging women found to have had sex outside marriage.

Since losing power, Gayoom has kept away from active politics. Although it is unclear whether he will return to public life, he is likely to influence government policies.

In a speech after the swearing-in ceremony, Hassan said his government would carry forward the programs initiated by the previous government. He did not specify the programs.

"That is what we have to do to recover from the problems we've had in the last couple of weeks," Hassan said.

His government will work to create a conducive environment in which free and fair elections could be held, Hassan said.

New ministers for health, education, economic development, transport, youth affairs and sports and tourism took the oath of office in a short ceremony at the president's office in the capital, Male.

A new attorney general for the island nation was also sworn in. Hassan had appointed ministers for defence and home affairs last week.

The Maldives has been rocked by political turmoil since Nasheed resigned Tuesday and was replaced by Hassan, who had been his vice-president. Nasheed claims he was ousted in a coup, a charge the new president denies.

A senior U.S. diplomat who met with Maldivian leaders on Saturday said the country wasn't ready for early elections as a way out of its political crisis.

Political unrest, simmering for the last few months, escalated after a senior judge was arrested by the government on charges of political bias. Nasheed resigned when police and army soldiers joined the protests against his rule.

The new government insists Nasheed stepped down voluntarily, and although police have issued an arrest warrant against the former leader, there has been no move to arrest Nasheed.

Tourism is the main industry in the Maldives, a chain of nearly 1,200 islands off southern India blessed with sandy beaches and coral. Most resorts are located near the beaches and remained mostly untouched by the protests in Male and the southernmost atoll, Addu.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095216--new-president-of-the-maldives-expands-his-cabinet Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:13:00 -0400 Krishan Francis, The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095216--new-president-of-the-maldives-expands-his-cabinet
The historic vote paves the way for Greece's European partners and the International Monetary Fund to release $170 billion (€130 billion) in new rescue loans, without which Greece would default on its debt mountain next month and likely leave the eurozone — a scenario that would further roil global markets.

Sunday's clashes erupted after more than 100,000 protesters marched to the parliament to rally against the drastic cuts, which will axe one in five civil service jobs and slash the minimum wage by more than a fifth.

At least 10 buildings were on fire, including a movie theatre, bank and cafeteria, and looters smashed dozens of shops in the worst riot damage in years. Dozens of police officers and at least 37 protesters were injured, 23 suspected rioters were arrested and a further 25 detained.

As the vote got under way early Monday, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos urged calm, pointing to the country's dire financial straits.

"Vandalism and destruction have no place in a democracy and will not be tolerated," Papademos told Parliament. "I call on the public to show calm. At these crucial times, we do not have the luxury of this type of protest. I think everyone is aware of how serious the situation is."

Since May 2010, Greece has survived on a $145 billion (€110 billion) bailout from its European partners and the International Monetary Fund. When that proved insufficient, the new rescue package was approved. The deal, which has not yet been finalized, will be combined with a massive bond swap deal to write off half the country's privately held debt.

But for both deals to materialize, Greece has to persuade its deeply skeptical creditors that it has the will to implement spending cuts and public sector reforms that will end years of fiscal profligacy and tame gaping budget deficits.

As protests raged Sunday, demonstrators set bonfires in front of parliament and dozens of riot police formed lines to keep them from making a run on the building. Security forces fired dozens of tear gas volleys at rioters, who attacked them with firebombs and chunks of marble broken off the fronts of luxury hotels, banks and department stores.

Clouds of tear gas drifted across the square, and many in the crowd wore gas masks or had their faces covered, while others carried Greek flags and banners.

A three-story building was completely consumed by flames as firefighters struggled to douse the blaze. Streets were strewn with stones, smashed glass and burnt wreckage, while terrified passers-by sought refuge in hotel lounges and cafeterias.

"I've had it! I can't take it any more. There's no point in living in this country any more," said a distraught shop owner walking through his smashed and looted optician store.

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis said rioters tried to storm the City Hall building, but were repelled. "Once again, the city is being used as a lever to try to destabilize the country," he said.

Conservative New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said the rioting "hurts the entire country."

"We are seeing scenes from a future that we must do our utmost to avert," he said.

Papademos' government — an unlikely coalition of the majority Socialists and their main foes, New Democracy — had been expected to carry the austerity vote, even if by a narrow margin.

Combined, they control 236 of Parliament's 300 seats, although at least 20 lawmakers from both main parties said they would not back the private sector wage cuts, pension reductions and civil service layoffs dictated by the draft austerity program.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said the measures were vital to the country's very economic survival.

"The question is not whether some salaries and pensions will be curtailed, but whether we will be able to pay even these reduced wages and pensions," he said. "When you have to choose between bad and worse, you will pick what is bad to avoid what is worse."

The new cutbacks, which follow two years of harsh income losses and tax hikes amid a deep recession and record high unemployment have been demanded by Greece's bailout creditors in return for a new batch of vital rescue loans.

"By Wednesday, finance ministers from eurozone countries must finally approve the financing and support program for Greece," Venizelos said. "If that doesn't happen, the country will go bankrupt."

Greece's eurozone partners, meanwhile, kept up the pressure for real reform.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was quoted as telling the Welt am Sonntag newspaper Sunday that Greece "cannot be a bottomless pit."

Highlighting previous promises he said weren't kept, Schaeuble said "that is why Greece's promises aren't enough for us any more."

Asked whether Greece has a long-term future in the eurozone, Germany's Vice Chancellor Philip Roesler said "that is now in the hands of the Greeks alone."

"It is not enough just to give financial aid — they must tackle the second cause of the crisis, the lack of economic competitiveness," told said ARD television. "For that, they need ... massive structural reforms. Otherwise Greece will not get out of the crisis."

Introducing the legislation Sunday, Socialist lawmaker Sofia Yiannaka said the intense pressure from Greece's EU partners to pass the measures was the result of delays in implementing already agreed reforms.

"The delays have our imprint. We should not blame foreigners for them," she said. "We have finally found out that you have to pay back what you have borrowed."

Leftist parties and the small rightist LAOS — a former junior coalition partner — had vowed to vote against the new austerity.

"You are not trying to save Greece, but a handful of industrialists," Communist Party spokesman Thanassis Pafilis said. "And you disgracefully blame the struggling people who created the wealth we have. You are trying to send them back to the Middle Ages. We will not allow it."

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Demetris Nellas in Athens and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

]]> http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095484--video-greece-passes-new-austerity-deal-amid-rioting Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:30:00 -0400 Derek Gatopoulos,Nicholas Paphitis, The Associated Press http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/world/article/1095484--video-greece-passes-new-austerity-deal-amid-rioting