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Ian Abercrombie Dead: Remembering The 'Seinfeld' Star

2012-01-28T19:12:37Z

Ian Abercrombie helped bring to life one of TV's most persnickety bosses as "Seinfeld's" Mr. Pitt. From his accidental Hitler speech to the Snickers bar schtick, Mr. Pitt, Elaine's boss on the series, was responsible for many laughs.

When news of his death broke, fans took to Twitter to remember the veteran TV star. In addition to his work on "Seinfeld," Abercrombie lent his voice to "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and appeared in The WB's short-lived series "Birds of Prey" and Disney's "Wizards of Waverly Place."

'Reckless' Leaks Threaten Rape Probe Of New York Police Commissioner's Son

2012-01-28T18:59:53Z

NEW YORK -- Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said Friday he had "no idea" who leaked information to the media suggesting that prosecutors investigating a rape complaint against the New York City police commissioner's son doubt the credibility of the allegations.

A front-page story Friday in the New York Post, citing anonymous sources, described Manhattan prosecutors as skeptical of the rape complaint against Greg Kelly, 43, a local newscaster and son of Ray Kelly, the city police commissioner. The alleged sexual assault occurred in October, after the woman and Kelly had drinks, she reportedly told police this week.

No charges have been filed against Kelly, who maintains his innocence.

Etta James' Funeral: Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera Sing

2012-01-28T18:56:19Z

LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of Etta James' friends, fans and family gathered Saturday at a Los Angeles-area church to remember the legendary rhythm and blues singer who died this month.

Mourners at James' funeral are expected to include entertainment luminaries, with both Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera scheduled to perform. Aguilera will sing the song that James made famous, "At Last," while Wonder will perform with the church's choir. The Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy.

James Zogby: Bridging the Divide

2012-01-28T18:54:31Z

ABU DHABI, UAE: I've just finished teaching a three week January term course at New York University's Abu Dhabi campus (NYUAD). I've had the great fortune to teach before at some wonderful schools across the U.S. But this, for me, was a special experience, the result of the unique mix of students who had been brought together in this one place.

The course I had been invited to teach was called "Bridging the Divide between the Arab World and the West". It was to be an examination of how the West and Arabs have interacted with each other in the past century, their mutual misperceptions, and the resultant and often tragic problems that have ensued, putting both sides at risk.

In the lead up to the start of the course, I had planned my lectures and prepared class exercises. The students would create, conduct, and analyze their own polls of U.S. and Arab attitudes and would develop their own class blog about the divide and the ways they experience it. On day one, I was set to begin and to proceed according to my plan, and then I met my students.

Republican Candidates Keep Up Leadership Pitches To Voters

2012-01-28T18:54:27Z

WASHINGTON -- The pitch from the Republican presidential contenders to voters sounds a lot like the children's game of follow the leader.

When Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich aren't puffing up their own leadership credentials, they're running down the leadership skills of one another and of President Barack Obama.

Sean Carman: The Lizard King

2012-01-28T18:52:39Z

In the year 2012/The much assailed electorate/Decided that it wanted/A charlatan for president.
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Tunisia Protests Denounce Violence By Ultraconservative Islamists

2012-01-28T18:51:03Z

TUNIS, Tunisia -- More than 8,000 Tunisians marched Saturday through the capital denouncing violence committed by ultraconservative Islamist groups in recent months.

Since the fall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's secular dictatorship in a popular uprising a year ago, small groups of ultraconservative Muslims known as Salafists have risen in Tunisia calling for greater piety, attacking unveiled women and secular intellectuals and occupying universities.

Peru Rehabilitation Center Fire Kills At Least 26

2012-01-28T18:43:48Z

LIMA, Peru -- A fire swept through a private rehabilitation center for addicts in Peru's capital on Saturday, killing at least 26 people and injuring 10 as firefighters punched holes through walls to rescue residents trapped inside.

One resident of the "Christ is Love" center for drug and alcohol addicts in Lima's eastern Zarate district said he was eating breakfast at 9 a.m. local time on the center's second floor when he saw flames coming from the first floor, where the blaze apparently originated.

Vivian Norris: Here Comes the Sun : Tunisia to Energize Europe

2012-01-28T18:42:14Z

In the desert of Southern Tunisia, a group of renewable energy entrepreneurs, NUR Energie Ltd, (www.nurenergie.com) and their Tunisian joint venture partner (www.topoilfieldservices.com), Top Oilfield Services, are creating what may just be the most ambitious solar power renewable energy project to date. Along with the endorsement of the Desertec Foundation (www.desertec.com), NUR Energie has launched the TuNur project to export solar energy from North Africa to Europe, linking Tunisia to Italy via a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Cable and into the Italian electricity grid in order to supply a constant 2,000 MW of electricity. When completed, TuNur is set to be the world's largest solar energy project. And with the menacing reality of climate change, limited traditional energy reserves and memories of recent nuclear and oil disasters, renewable energy is no longer the choice of idealists, but a simple necessity. We as a human race cannot afford to not go full speed ahead with projects such as this.

What is so unique about this project is that it is a true South-North collaboration which is taking a profound look at not only the socio-economic benefits the collaboration can bring (The Tunur projects that the project will create an estimated 20,000 much needed jobs in Tunisia) but also taking into consideration environmental impacts which have affected the technology chosen (CSP solar) and the overall design of the project. In order to not add to the desertification process, TuNUR will make use of very little water and will recycle in a closed system the steam produced by the process of the array of mirrors reflecting sunlight to a tower storage unit (http://bit.ly/ysNbzQ) thereby turning the Sahara into a resource which can drive both the local economies as well as satisfy growing demand for low carbon electricity.

Newt Gingrich Soared In South Carolina, But Now Former House Speaker Could Sour

2012-01-28T18:40:21Z

Itâs no longer a race between Mitt Romney and Not Romney. Newt Gingrichâs resurgence is rooted in the candidate he is, rather than the candidate he is not.

Gingrich has proven able to win with a broader coalition than Romney. That coalition eviscerated Romneyâs double-digit lead in national polls. The GOP race is now a dead heat between the two men. Romney remains the favorite. But Gingrich is a serious contender for the nomination. And itâs a mistake to limit Gingrichâs GOP appeal to what Romney is not.

Will, Jaden Smith: Buzzed Head Buddies (PHOTOS)

2012-01-28T18:36:32Z

We always knew that LIL MAN looked like his pops. But now he's Will's SPITTING IMAGE!!!

Newt Gingrich 2012: Republican Insiders Rise Up To Cut Candidate Down To Size

2012-01-28T18:32:34Z

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Republican insiders are rising up to cut Newt Gingrich down to size, testament to the GOP establishment's fear that the mercurial candidate could lead the party to disaster this fall.

The gathering criticisms are bitingly sharp, as if edged by a touch of panic, a remarkable development considering the target once was speaker of the House and will go down in history as leader of the Republicans' 1994 return to power in Congress. The intended beneficiary is Mitt Romney, a once-moderate Massachusetts governor whom many rank-and-file Republicans view with suspicion.

Nora Zelevansky: Project Runway All Stars Recap: The Fatest, Most Tasteful Challenge Ever

2012-01-28T18:28:15Z

Jerell is into Mondo's dress. Wait? A designer has something positive to say about another? How nice and novel! He thinks it really embodies the fruit, but in a "modern abstract way."
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IAEA Iran Visit: UN Nuclear Officials Want Iranian Cooperation

2012-01-28T18:26:31Z

VIENNA -- The head of a U.N. nuclear team traveling to Iran on Saturday urged the country to work with his mission on probing Tehran's alleged attempts to develop an atomic arms program, adding such cooperation is long overdue.

The unusually blunt comments by International Atomic Energy Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts reflected the importance the IAEA is attaching to the chief focus of the trip – ending more than three years of Iranian refusal to answer questions about such suspicions.

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Rihanna Rocks Skintight Leather Pants

2012-01-28T18:19:34Z

Rihanna is not one who's shy about her body, and her outfit from Friday night's Michael Jackson: THE IMMORTAL World Tour premiere in Los Angeles certainly proved that point. The "S&M"songstress went rocker-chic with a leather jacket and showed off her curves in a skin-tight pants. She capped off her ensemble with cat-eye sunglasses and red hot lipstick.