RK Puram Lake: PCB confirms froth due to domestic waste

There is indeed, no need to get alarmed. However, at the same time, we can’t ignore the problem and allow it to get worse — Satyanarayana Reddy, PCB member-secretary

Putting apprehensions to rest, Pollution Control Board (PCB) member-secretary Satyanarayana Reddy said water samples from R K Puram lake tested by the board confirmed that it was domestic waste that triggered the froth and not industrial wastes.

Reddy was speaking at ‘Save RK Puram Lake’ organized here on Sunday. He said, “It started in Bangalore and has now come to Hyderabad. We must prepare a detailed action plan to protect the lake and prosecute violators under the Environment Protection Act.”

“There is indeed, no need to get alarmed. However, at the same time, we can’t ignore the problem and allow it to get worse. We should take steps to clean it,” he added.

The program was organized by Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (FERWAS), Malkajgiri.

T Venkata Praseeda, Deputy Engineer from the Irrigation Department said the lake had shrunk due to encroachments over the years. He pointed out that the government was framing a comprehensive development plan to restore the lake to its past glory.

GHMC Deputy Commissioner, Malkajgiri Circle, Venugopal blamed release of untreated water into the lake as the leading cause of pollution.

Officials were always monitoring the lake, he said and assured the public that frothing was not a reason for alarm. “We have studied the lake and formed a plan that will cost Rs 85 lakh. We will ensure maintenance and upkeep of the lake for three years,” said Venugopal.

Environmentalists appealed to the officials not to merely treat the symptom of frothing but to also look at the cause of sewage flowing into the lake.

There is indeed, no need to get alarmed. However, at the same time, we can’t ignore the problem and allow it to get worse — Satyanarayana Reddy, PCB member-secretary

Putting apprehensions to rest, Pollution Control Board (PCB) member-secretary Satyanarayana Reddy said water samples from R K Puram lake tested by the board confirmed that it was domestic waste that triggered the froth and not industrial wastes.

Reddy was speaking at ‘Save RK Puram Lake’ organized here on Sunday. He said, “It started in Bangalore and has now come to Hyderabad. We must prepare a detailed action plan to protect the lake and prosecute violators under the Environment Protection Act.”

“There is indeed, no need to get alarmed. However, at the same time, we can’t ignore the problem and allow it to get worse. We should take steps to clean it,” he added.

The program was organized by Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (FERWAS), Malkajgiri.

T Venkata Praseeda, Deputy Engineer from the Irrigation Department said the lake had shrunk due to encroachments over the years. He pointed out that the government was framing a comprehensive development plan to restore the lake to its past glory.

GHMC Deputy Commissioner, Malkajgiri Circle, Venugopal blamed release of untreated water into the lake as the leading cause of pollution.

Officials were always monitoring the lake, he said and assured the public that frothing was not a reason for alarm. “We have studied the lake and formed a plan that will cost Rs 85 lakh. We will ensure maintenance and upkeep of the lake for three years,” said Venugopal.

Environmentalists appealed to the officials not to merely treat the symptom of frothing but to also look at the cause of sewage flowing into the lake.

Pokemon Go finally launches in Japan

Nintendo's Pokemon Go has finally launched in Japan, the birthplace of the little virtual monsters.

Amid a flurry of social media excitement, Niantic Labs, the software company behind the game, announced it was "finally broadcasting" in Japan.
First released in the US, Australia and New Zealand on 6 July and now available in more than 30 countries, the game has been a global phenomenon.
The Japanese launch comes with a McDonalds sponsorship deal.

Fast food restaurants were expected to be advertised as places where people were guaranteed to find Pokemon, or as "gyms" where players can train up their captured monsters for virtual fights.

But a McDonald's spokesman said restaurants would "call on players not to become a bother to customers who are eating".
Where might Pokemon be hiding in Japan?
How Pokemon Go took over the web
Trailblazer that could redefine mobile games
On Friday morning, excited Japanese fans began tweeting that they had been able to start playing.

The moment I found out the servers were up I jumped right out of bed, got dressed and ran outside with my iPhone and two extra battery packs," Samuel Lucas, an Australian YouTuber based in Japan told the BBC.
"So far I've been to the Japan post office which was my first poke stop, and now I'm on my way to a big park near my house."
Other Pokemon Go users didn't have to look far, with 21-year-old fan Tomoharu Kudo finding a Charmander in his bed

However, he soon ventured out in search of more Pokemon.
"I left my house to seek a new journey that will change my life," said Mr Kudo.

After weeks of stories about people in other countries running into trouble playing the game, Japanese authorities have taken precautions and issued a nine-point safety guide, in cartoon form.
The warnings, by the National Centre of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity, included asking users to register with "cool names that are different from real names" and cautioning them against heatstroke as they walk around in the sun.
"I want people to abide by the warning so that people can play it on smartphones safely," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Thursday. 

Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game on smartphones which already has millions of people worldwide obsessively capture small creatures in public spaces.
It works by showing you a picture of your real surroundings as caught by the phone's camera on your screen, then uses GPS to place virtual little monsters within that picture on your screen.
The mix of virtual and real worlds allows players to, for instance, fight a dragon circling Big Ben or chase a spaceship moving down their street.
The monsters in it were first popular in the 1990s when they started on the Nintendo Game Boy. Back then, trading cards were a huge hit in school playgrounds and the new game manages to build on that legacy. 

Lets Read This Story In Japanese Font: 

任天堂のポケモンGoが最終的に、日本ではほとんどの仮想モンスターの発祥の地を開始しました。


ソーシャルメディアの興奮の突風の中、ナイアンティック研究所、ゲームの背後にあるソフトウェア会社は、それが日本では「ついに放送」と発表しました。
まず、7月6日に米国、オーストラリア、ニュージーランドでリリースされ、30カ国以上で利用できるようになりました、ゲームは世界的な現象となっています。
日本の打ち上げは、マクドナルドのスポンサー契約が付属しています。



ファーストフードレストランは、人々がポケモンを見つけることが保証された場所として、またはプレイヤーが仮想の戦いのために自分の撮影したモンスターを訓練することができ、「ジム」として宣伝されることが期待されました。


しかし、マクドナルドのスポークスマンは、レストラン「食べているお客様に気になることはない選手を呼ぶ」と述べました。
どこポケモンは、日本の中に隠れでしょうか？
どのポケモンGoがウェブを引き継ぎました
モバイルゲームを再定義することができトレイルブレイザー
金曜日の朝に、興奮し日本のファンは、彼らが再生を開始することができたことをつぶやいて始めました。


サーバーがアップした私が見つけた瞬間は、私は、右のベッドから飛び出した服を着てしまったと私のiPhoneと2つの余分なバッテリーパックで外へ走って出て行った、「サミュエル・ルーカス、日本に拠点を置くオーストラリアyoutubeにはBBCに語りました。
「これまでのところ、私は私の最初のポーク停止した日本の郵便局に行った、そして今私は自分の家の近くの大きな公園に私の方法で。」
他のポケモンゴーユーザーは、21歳のファン智晴工藤は彼のベッドでヒトカゲを見つけると、遠くに見える必要はありませんでした


しかし、彼はすぐにそれ以上のポケモンの検索で出て思い切っ。
「私は私の人生を変更する新しい旅を模索する私の家を残し、 "ミスター工藤は言いました。


ゲームをプレイしてトラブルに実行されている他の国の人々の話の週間後、日本の当局は、予防措置をとっていると漫画の形で、9点の安全ガイドを発行しました。
警告は、インシデントの準備とサイバーセキュリティ戦略のナショナルセンターによって、彼らは太陽の下で歩き回るよう熱中症に対してそれらを警告し、「本当の名前は異なっているクールな名前」に登録するユーザーを求めて含まれています。
「私は、人々が安全にスマートフォン上で再生できるように、人々が警告に従うことにしたい、「官房長官菅義偉が明らかにしました。


ポケモンGoが既に世界中の何百万人もの人々が執拗公共空間の小さな生き物を捕獲したスマートフォン上の拡張現実ゲームです。
その後、画面にその画像内の仮想少しモンスターを配置するためにGPSを使用して、画面上に携帯電話のカメラでキャッチとして、あなたの本当の周囲の画像を示すことによって動作します。
仮想世界と現実世界のミックスは、プレイヤーが、例えば、ビッグベンを旋回ドラゴンと戦うか、自分の道を移動する宇宙船を追跡することができます。
彼らは任天堂ゲームボーイ上で起動したときに、その中にモンスターは1990年代に最初に人気がありました。当時、トレーディングカードは、学校の運動場で大ヒットした、新しいゲームがその遺産を構築するために管理しています。

Actress Naila Azad Nupur exclusive festival

Embracing the Root:
Festival of Folk Songs & Drama

Golaidanga is a small village in Shingair Upazilla of Manikganj District. Since 2006, every year, the locals, with the support from Hakim Ali Gayen, Bunon and Niraboron theatre have been organizing 'Lokonat o Lokogiti Utsab' (folk drama and songs). From a quick look, it may not feel like the most likely place to have a folk festival. On an open field, from the first day of 2013 till the 5th, the festival was not only an arrangement of several plays and songs it also consisted of a fair. The five-day long festival warmed the atmosphere of the cold winter. It consisted of several renowned folk singers and drama troupes. Some of the plays that were presented to the villagers have been performed in various parts of the city, and also in India. The festival brings the villagers closer to their roots – it introduces the younger generation to our very own culture that is in danger of being forgotten because of satellite Tv. And there were always the threat of fundamentalists.
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The first five days of the English New Year are always extremely cold and dry. Therefore, winter, specially the month of January has always been the perfect month to organize festivals and fairs all over the country. But, the first days of the year 2013, seemed a bit colder than the previous few years. Like a warming party, at a village called Golaidanga in Shingair Upazilla of Manikganj district has been hosting folk drama and dance festival since 2006.

Golaidanga is a village which is not too far from the capital, yet not too near. Many of the villagers have at least one of their relatives working in a foreign country. Therefore, for many, entertainment comes in the form of satellite Tv. The root of their culture and is ignored and often unknown to many. Such festivals introduce the younger generation what they are missing. 

The festival is an initiative by Anan Zaman, assistant professor of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University. With the support from various theatre groups and willing locals, the festival is a sigh of relief for the Golaidanga. The village sees very little entertainment throughout the year, let alone a sophisticated one – like the one organized by the enthusiastic young professor.

The open wide field near was perfect location for all to gather and enjoy the enthralling performances by renowned artistes of folk culture. The field, near the local Bazar, was center of attention for not only to the villagers of Golaidanga, but also many adjacent villages.

The boundary of the festival field was decorated with scarecrows standing guard. The main entrance gate had handicraft hanging on top. It welcomed the guests with a torch and a tower, which was always lit after the sun went down. The intricate design of the boundary was enough to attract many curious minds to have a peek. It was free for all to enjoy – no tickets were sold. On both sides of the field there were stalls selling jewelry and delicacies. At the end of the field, exactly in the middle stood the stage where the main attraction was. 

The inauguration day was highlighted by Dhak Badon and Lathi Khela (a performance of Drums and stick-fight), performed by Fakir Chan and his troupe. It was followed by a pala (dance-drama) called Behula Lakhkhinder, performed by Belal Boyati and his troupe. Last act of the evening was a drama Aurangzeb. An intriguing drama based on the life of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, the drama in a way was a reflection of the mindset of few fundamentalists who opposed the festival. 

Unfortunately, the festival was not without troubles. There were a few in the village who tried to dowse the enthusiasm of the festival by creating issues of religiosity. According to Professor Zaman, on its year of inception, there were similar objections. That year, around 200 fundamentalists appeared on the festival ground and tried to put a stop to it. Although nothing so drastic happened this year, but it was surprising that, again some tried to ruin the festival. He also mentioned how a nearby madrassa often discourages its students to attend such event. But that was only for the first day. The rest of the four days went on without any trouble. This was only possible because a very contrast scenario exists in the village. More than half of the villagers who went on to higher studies are studying Drama at various universities. 

The rest of the four days hosted musical performances from Baul Gaan by Pagli Shilpi, Bichar Gaan Guru Shisher Pala by Jalal Sarker and his troupe, Shongpala by Hakim Ali Gayen theatre and Bicched Gaan by Chaan Mia Boyati. Plays included Selim Al Deen's famous Chaka performed by Bunon theatre, Jatra Pala Laili Mojnu performed by Champa opera and Nishimon Bishorjon performed by Mohakal Natto Shomproday.

Some of the plays were directed and written by the organizer Anan Zaman. Nishimon Bishorjon is based on Rabindranath Tagore's "Bisharjan", is a tribute to the poet. The play is a statement against religious extremism in a contemporary setting. Like Auregzeb, Nishimon Bishorjon was a perfect setting for the fundamentalism faced in the Golaidanga. Some plays are regularly performed at Dhaka.

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Actress Naila Azad Nupur was present in this festival. She has been working as an actor, director, choreographer and costume designer in Los Angeles since 1997. She did her bachelors from Antioch University, Ohio in Theatre and did her Masters from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Theatre, Film and Television. She has acted in famous Hollywood movies (such as 'Crossing Over'), Television Series (like 'Lie to me', 'CSI' etc) and theatre with A list Hollywood actors. Currently she is acting in Bangladesh and teaching at IUB and ULAB. In an exclusive interview with Star Insight, she shared her experience and views about this festival.

Interviewed by Sadia Khalid

Sadia Khalid: How did you come to know about this festival?
Naila Azad Nupur: Anan Zaman, the organizer of this festival is a friend of mine. I came to know about the festival from him. I was really excited about seeing Hastor Gaan, Bichchhed Gaan, Shong Pala and other attractions of the festivals, which are our treasured folk heritages.

SK: How do you feel about such an initiative?

NAN: We really need such initiatives throughout the year. These festivals are essential for the sustainability of our cultural legacy. But unfortunately, there are many obstacles that refrain us from taking such initiatives more often. The fundamentalists tend to obstruct us by arguing that our folk culture does not go hand in hand with our religion, as if it is a platform for them to show off what power they have over the community. I would like to tell these fundamentalists that we are not Arabs, we are Bengalis. We have a different set of culture than them. Following the path of Islam doesn't mean we have to deny our identity as Bengalis. If they feel so strongly against our traditions, they can come out in the open and declare that they are not Bengalis. How the fundamentalists act to hinder such festivals is very impractical and immature.

SK: How was the environment of the village? Were the locals appreciative of folk festivals?

NAN: The environment was good. The locals were very welcoming. They were very happy to have such a festival arranged for them. For instance, when Behula was performed, they sat there eagerly. As they already know these folk stories, they were very happy to have these stories performed just for their entertainment. When 'Aurangzeb' was performed, they were so silent that the performers did not need a microphone to perform in front of hundreds of audience. When the generator failed for a brief moment, the audience aimed the torches in their hands at the stage, so that the show could continue seamlessly. This is how much the locals really appreciate these festivals. 

SK: What do you feel was the outcome of this festival?
NAN: Such initiatives help us get our cultural heritage across to the remote villages. These locals do not have a regular source of entertainment that showcases our folk treasures as well. So these festivals not only provide entertainment, but also help to make people more culturally aware.

SK: Can you share some final thoughts that can help such initiatives in the future more successful?
NAN: We need strong and influential people to organize such festivals. These need to be more organized. We need to include the locals in the decision making process, so that they don't feel left out. Instead, then they will feel like they are a part of it and not just the audience of some spectacle. It will also help the organizers to understand and meet the expectations of the target audience.

The Silicon Valley Suicides

The air shrieks, and life stops. First, from far away, comes a high whine like angry insects swarming, and then a trampling, like a herd moving through. The kids on their bikes who pass by the Caltrain crossing are eager to get home from school, but they know the drill. Brake. Wait for the train to pass. Five cars, double-decker, tearing past at 50 miles an hour. Too fast to see the faces of the Silicon Valley commuters on board, only a long silver thing with black teeth. A Caltrain coming into a station slows, invites you in. But a Caltrain at a crossing registers more like an ambulance, warning you fiercely out of its way.

The kids wait until the passing train forces a gust you can feel on your skin. The alarms ring and the red lights flash for a few seconds more, just in case. Then the gate lifts up, signaling that it’s safe to cross. All at once life revives: a rush of bikes, skateboards, helmets, backpacks, basketball shorts, boisterous conversation. “Ew, how old is that gum?” “The quiz is next week, dipshit.” On the road, a minivan makes a left a little too fast—nothing ominous, just a mom late for pickup. The air is again still, like it usually is in spring in Palo Alto. A woodpecker does its work nearby. A bee goes in search of jasmine, stinging no one. 

In many parts of town, you can hear the warning of a passing train just about everywhere: the quad at Palo Alto High School; the tables at Piazza’s grocery store, where kids from Gunn High School hang out after school; the kids’ bedrooms after midnight. 

A few students had gotten in early to take some photos dressed as Scooby-Doo characters, part of an annual volleyball-team tradition. Now one of them, Alyssa See-Tho, was waiting outside the choir room for first period to start. Slowly, classmates began to join her. Through the windows, they could spy the teachers packed in there. In the other classrooms of Henry M. Gunn High School, about 1,900 kids waited. After a few minutes the teachers filed out, each holding a sheet of paper, none talking. Alyssa took her seat inside. It was November 4, 2014, a few days after homecoming and maybe a month before college applications would start making everyone crazy. The teacher read a statement containing the words took his own life last night, and then a name, Cameron Lee. Alyssa’s first thought: Is there another Cameron Lee at our school?, because the one she knew was popular and athletic and seemingly unbothered by schoolwork, an avid practitioner of the annoying prank of turning people’s backpacks inside out.

Alex Gil got to school a little late that day and saw people crying in the hallways. The principal, Denise Herrmann, stopped him and told him, because she knew he was one of Cameron’s best friends, and he fell to his knees. He thought about a text Cameron had sent him the day before. Cameron had gone to tryouts for varsity basketball but hadn’t yet gotten his required physical, so he had asked whether Alex thought he could get in to see the doctor the next day. He must have sent the text only a few hours before he died.

In her creative-writing class later that day, Tarn Wilson asked how many people were friends with Cameron, and a third of the students raised a hand. She then asked how many had been in a class with him, and everyone’s hand went up. The kids were usually “silly and joyful,” she later said, but that period, they were “utterly and completely silent.”

That morning the school district’s superintendent, Glenn “Max” McGee, called Kim Diorio, the principal of the system’s other public high school, Palo Alto High, to warn her, “This is going to hit everyone really hard.” McGee was new to the district that year, but he’d known the history when he took the job. The 10-year suicide rate for the two high schools is between four and five times the national average. Starting in the spring of 2009 and stretching over nine months, three Gunn students, one incoming freshman, and one recent graduate had put themselves in front of an oncoming Caltrain. Another recent graduate had hung himself. While the intervening years had been quieter, they had not been comforting. School counselors remained “overwhelmed and overloaded” with an influx of kids considered high risk, says Roni Gillenson, who has helped oversee Gunn’s mental-health program since 2006. Twelve percent of Palo Alto high-school students surveyed in the 2013–14 school year reported having seriously contemplated suicide in the past 12 months.

Pray For Paris: How you can support the people of Paris

The world has come together to #prayforparis, including celebrities. Additionally, famous landmarks across the world have been lit in the colors of the French national flag to pay respect to the victims of the Paris tragedy.

The Brandenburg Gate stands illuminated in the colors of the French flag as people arrive to lay candles and flowers at the gate of the nearby French Embassy following the terror attacks in Paris.

A couple stands in the rain as the blue, white and red colors of France's national flag are projected onto the sails of Sydney's Opera House in Australia.

San Francisco City Hall is lit up with blue, white and red, the colors of the French flag, following the Paris terror attacks.

The One World Trade Center in New York, USA, was lit in blue, white and red colors of the French flag in honor of the victims of the attacks in Paris, in the Manhattan borough.



Now the world is waking up to the terror attacks because it has happened in one of the European's National capital called Paris. There are more than 150 dead and 300 and above have been wounded. We Indians are facing the terror attacks for the last 40 decades and we lost more than a lakh of innocent people and that time non of these so called countries have stood by us nor they bothered to express their consensuses expecting a few. We repeatedly show the international committees the proof of these elements but still these people have never bothered to accept our proofs, but they indirectly funded these very elements who are producing the terrorists day in and day out.

Middle East is sitting on time bomb. Not defending extremist and fundamentalist M people in Middle East. Russians were about to expose USA link with ISIS which got USA panicked. USA countered argument that Russians intervention helped ISIS and Russian targeted only against al bashar group and rebels and strengthened ISIS. With this incident USA will say Russia intervention strengthened ISIS and push them back. There is no support to M extremist group in middle east. But Middle east is different ball game together. Very high level dirty politics is played there.

Where are the people tolerant people now. Not a word since morning. Where are the human rights and other international bodies who talked on intolerance now. may be they were busy supporting them.
The world will now understand the pain through which India went at the time of Mumbai attacks and will atleast stop preaching India on intolerance.

Feel sorry for the poor people in Paris attack they suffered for others crime.

RIP.

Make Bullying Illegal In All Schools

This gorgeous 14 yr old little girl was another victim of bullying. The article explains it all. Sherokee lived 2 houses from me. As a mother of two, It is ripping my heart apart to see the anguish and pain this family is going through. In honor of Sherokee and the countless children who are bullied everyday I would like to get the required signatures to make "Sherokee's Law" pass making it illegal to bully anyone in School or off school grounds. Zero tolerance policies are in place, but, they are not correctly utilized. As parents in our communities we feel enough is enough, and we are ready for big changes f. Children who are relentlessly tormented and who are to scared to say a word should not have to live in fear. Passing this law will give bullied children the relief they need and extra protection from bullies. Retaliation and be ganged upon by the bullies friends will also be included. This Law will also help clarify and set the rules and consequences in plain sight and on paper. Let children who bully know this behavior is not and will not be tolerated. This will create a more stable and non-violent environment for ALL school children across the country. If a child does not have to worry about who is going to attack them on a daily basis in a place that should be safe they are able to focus and do much better in school academically and socially. We as a Parents/Guardians/Aunts/Uncles/Advocates have the opportunity to set a precedence for everyone. It is time to put "what if's" aside, put this together and protect our children, grandchildren, nieces & nephews. We as adults have the power to fix this and no one else.

Establish a Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Relationship Violence Crisis Center on Campus

According to The Sexual Victimization of College Women report by the US Department of Justice, approximately 5 percent of college women experience a completed or attempted rape in a calendar year, while 20 percent experience a completed or attempted rape during a five year college career. According to Purdue’s website, only 3 rapes were reported to the Purdue police within the last calendar cycle. While some may view this as clear evidence for why these services are not needed on campus, in fact, this is clear evidence that these services are needed. If it is known that approximately five percent of college women experience a completed or attempted rape in a calendar year, and there are approximately 16,700 female students enrolled at Purdue University, then it can be expected that approximately 830 women on Purdue’s campus are affected by a rape or attempted rape each calendar year. Of course, this number neglects to include men, transgender and non-binary individuals, and any individuals affected by stalking or relationship violence.  

While Purdue University leads the way among Big Ten universities in developing new technologies and producing modern engineering feats, the University falls woefully behind other universities in addressing a basic need of their constituents. Other Big Ten universities, like the University of Minnesota, the University of Iowa, and the University of Wisconsin, offer myriad services to sexual assault survivors including, but not limited to, a dedicated space for receiving safe and confidential support, helplines, legal advocates, support groups, community awareness raising events, and assistance with filing complaints to the proper university authorities. In contrast, victim services at Purdue are decentralized—students are directed to contact the Title IX coordinator (located in Young Hall), the Student Assistance Center (located across campus in Schleman Hall), or the Crisis Center at Mental Health America, which is not even located on-campus. The University directs victims to use the crisis hotline (765-495-HELP) for immediate support. This hotline, however, is not a Purdue hotline but is, instead, connected to the Crisis Center, about 3 miles away from most on-campus residences. While we recognize and value the work of the Crisis Center, we contend that a centralized, on-campus location for survivors’ services and support arising from a partnership with the Crisis Center and existing services would better serve the Purdue community.
In short, we are calling on Purdue University to establish an institutional center at Purdue University that is equipped with well-trained staff and appropriate resources to assist Purdue community members with issues of sexual assault, stalking, relationship violence, and related issues.

87 countries to participate in Dubai government summit

Dubai// The Organising Committee of the Government Summit has announced that 87 countries will be participating this year in the event.

During the summit, vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will open The Museum of Future Government Services, which includes an exhibition on new technologies that can provide future government services as well as applications that will shape future services.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, will deliver the keynote speech.
Organised under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’, the summit will also be addressed by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai.
More than 100 speakers from outside the UAE, including Ban Ki-moon, United Nations secretary-general; Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum; Queen Rania of Jordan; the deputy prime minister of South Korea; President & CEO of Samsung Electronics Co and speakers from international universities and organisations are all expected to attend.
Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, minister of cabinet affairs and chairman of the organising committee of the Government Summit, said: “Government Summit 2015 will be different, innovative and outstanding. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is following the work of the organising committee closely. The Summit will benefit immensely from the participation of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the first time this year as the main speaker, offering a unique opportunity for the global gathering to gain insights on the successful experience of urban development, government management and community development policies.”

Al Gergawi said the Organising Committee had to stop accepting requests for registration after the number of participants increased from 2000 last year to more than 3000 last week.

Europe’s refugee crisis: Addressing the root causes of the mass migration is the only solution

Recently people woke up to heart-breaking images of a lifeless Syrian toddler who had drowned along with 11 others as the group tried to make its way to Greece. The images were a stark reminder of the massive tragedy that is unfolding on the shores of Europe as thousands of Syrians, Iraqis, Afghans and Africans undertake an extremely hazardous journey to seek asylum in the West. The mass migration has been described as the largest refugee crisis since World War II. What has compounded matters further is that Europe itself is dealing with an economic downturn and high levels of unemployment.
In such a scenario, Europe is facing a huge dilemma. The civil war in Syria and Iraq, the increasing violence in Afghanistan and the chaos in African nations like Libya have created millions of refugees who are trying to escape theatres of war and conflict. However, at the same time thousands of economic migrants are also tagging along in search of a better life.
Take the refugees from the African nation of Eritrea. Eritreans form the second largest group of refugees seeking asylum in Europe after Syrians. However, at present there’s no conflict in Eritrea. Yet people are leaving this small African nation because of a highly repressive government that has created a totalitarian regime. This presents a tricky situation for European countries. It’s one thing to accept asylum seekers fleeing conflict zones on humanitarian grounds. But accepting economic migrants at a time when many European countries are grappling with their own economic problems may be simply unfeasible.
This is precisely why many European countries such as Greece and Italy that have seen waves of refugees land on their shores are either waving them through to Germany and other northern European countries or blocking their journey further into Europe. What has added to the confusion is that under the Dublin Regulation refugees should be screened and their asylum applications processed in the countries where they arrive first. However, given the mass of humanity arriving on European shores many countries have stopped following the rules. Add to this the fact that countries like Germany and Sweden have opened their doors to refugees, especially from Syria, even though they aren’t the migrants’ first port of call.
In the midst of this chaos, many countries are even considering re-imposing border controls, reversing the open borders policy under the Schengen system for travel among 22 European Union countries. Plus, the ongoing influx of refugees is bound to provide a fillip to anti-immigration right-wing political groups in different parts of Europe. After all, assimilating such large numbers of people from diverse ethno-religious backgrounds, all at one go, is extremely difficult. Besides, there’s also the security risk of Islamic State terrorists/ sympathisers smuggling themselves into Europe among the refugees to carry out terrorist attacks.
All of this has given rise to calls for a common asylum policy for Europe to better manage and distribute the burden of incoming refugees. How Europe does this remains to be seen. Surely, it has to address the root of the problem – the ongoing civil war in Syria and Iraq as well as the genuine aspirations of the people in the Middle East and Africa. In fact, the two aren’t entirely unrelated. Fighting poverty in Africa, for example, would not only stem the outflow of economic migrants but also ensure that extremist groups like the Islamic State and its affiliates are unable to make inroads into vulnerable countries.
The North African nation of Morocco was able to grasp this reality quite early. As a result, it has initiated a series of economic cooperation programmes to boost development in the African countries of the Sahara and Sahel. Plus, Morocco has been actively pushing for international cooperation in fighting trans-national terrorism with special focus on the issue of foreign fighters. Against this backdrop, there’s a strong case for European nations to boost their cooperation with Morocco and jointly work on development programmes that seek to mitigate the economic, political and developmental distortions that are fuelling both conflicts and the mass migration to Europe.

Chile journalist Jhendelyn Nunez shows her bra after Alexis Sanchez goal against Brazil

Chilean stunner Jhendelyn Nunez showed her colours when star forward Alexis Sanchez scored the equaliser against Brazil - by flashing her bra.

The journalist was clearly delighted when Sanchez fired home to cancel out David Luiz's opener
 
Stunner: Jhendelyn Nunez shows her support for the Chile national team
Single show: Unfortunately Chile were only able to find the net once, and lost on penalties
Inspiration: Alexis slots home the goal that led to Nunez's topless celebration in Belo Horizonte

Nunez lifted her shirt to show a bra emblazoned with the Chile flag.

Brazil went on to win the game on penalties after the visitors hit the crossbar in the last minute of extra time - who knows how Nunez would have celebrated if her side had won!

Apple Stores offering free 'Hour of Code' development classes this Wednesday

Apple this week will participate in a worldwide campaign from Code.org, offering children and teenagers a one-hour introduction to computer science class at its retail locations throughout the U.S.

Apple's "Hour of Code Youth Workshops" are designed to "demystify code," the company said, showing that anyone can learn the basics of computer programming. Interested parties can find their nearest Apple Store on the company's website, where they can also sign up in advance.

The Hour of Code is an effort to have 10 million people participate during Computer Science Education Week, which runs from Dec. 9 through 15.

Those who want to teach their own Hour of Code can find tips and instructions on the official Code.org site. There, a number of tutorials are provided in as many as 20 languages to allow students to participate.

According to Code.org, nearly 2 million people have learned an Hour of Code so far, with nearly 55 million lines of code having been written by students.

Support for the Hour of Code goes well beyond Apple, with President Barack Obama and Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor endorsing the event. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has also pitched in to promote the event, as well as entertainers ranging from Ashton Kutcher to Shakira.

Code.org said on Monday that this year's Computer Science Education Week will include 5 million students in 35,000 schools from 167 countries participating in their first Hour of Code. 

New generation of Arab singers

Nancy Ajram

Arab music has a long tradition of Oud — a local variety of lute — and soulful longing. It is the foundation of classical Arab music. Umm Kulthum of Egypt was phenomenally popular throughout the Arab world. Many regard Al-Atlal (The Ruins) as her best song. She died in 1975.
Nouhad Wadi Haddad a Lebanese female singer popularly known as Fairuz or Turquoise closely followed her in eminence. While classical songs were Umm Kulthum’s forte Fairuz excelled in modern Arabic songs also projecting the Lebanese heritage. Her all time popular song A’tini al-Nay is cherished by every Arab.
They are followed by new bunch of talented and popular young singers, both male and female. They are Amr Diab, Nancy Ajram, Tamer Hosny, Mohammed Hamaki, Elissar Zakaria Khouri, Sherine Ahmed Abdul Wahab, Kadim Al Sahir, Cairokee a band group and Wael Kfoury.
Among the lot, Amr Abdel Basset Abdel Azeez Diab (Amr Diab) of Egypt is a versatile performer; Diab is both a singer and composer. He has received many awards as the best-selling Arab recording artist. Music connoisseurs commend Diab for blending a Mediterranean Music style combining Arab sound and diction with Western cadence and instruments.
Amr Diab’s 1996 album “Nour El Ain” (Light of the Eye-Sight) became a sensation in the music world. “Habibi” from the album drew music lovers like infatuation worldwide in countries like Pakistan, India (performed by Nachiketa in Bengali with lyrics of his own), Afghanistan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The album sold 3 million copies! In 1998, he received the World Music Award from the Prince of Monaco. Diab became a living legend. His album “Amarain” (Two Moons) of 1999 is rated as his best. Amarain featured Diab in a duet “Qalbi” with Algeria’s “Didi” famed Khaled based in France.
Nancy Nabil Ajram (Nancy Ajram) of Lebanon is an immensely popular pop star in Arab music. Nancy came into the limelight in 2003 with the big success of her lead single “Akhasmak Ah”. With her fourth album “Ah w Noss” (Yes, and a half)) she became the pop icon of Arab world. Coca Cola made Nancy their official celebrity spokesperson. The commercial was a hit — “Oul Tany Kida?” (Say that again?). The success continued and her fifth album “Ya Tabtab Wa Dalla” is believed to be her best. Ajram’s crowning moment came when her best-selling album “Betfakkar Fi Eih” won the first World Music Award .as the best-selling Middle Eastern Artist.
Tamer Hosny Abbas Farghaly (Tamer Hosny) of Egypt is idolized as the Star of Generation. He is a highly endowed talent – singer, actor, composer, director and songwriter. In 2004 his second album “Hob” (Love) a romantic one featured a catchy solo “Arrab Habibi”. Its success earned him the nickname “King of Generation”. The solo song kept on running in music channels. The 8th album “Elly Gai Ahla” (2011) found great popularity and he found his bride in his fellow Moroccan singer Bassma Boussil.
Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed El-Hamaki (Mohammed Hamaki) of Egypt is known as the Master of Pop Music. He is in his thirties. His virtuosity extends to musical instruments; he can play both guitar and piano. He shot into fame with his album “Kheles El Kalam” (All The Words Have Finished!). The song “Wahda Wahda” (One by One) became very popular.
Elissar Zakaria Khouri (Elissa) is a Lebanese pop singer. Elissa became a phenomenon with her W’akherta Ma’ak. It included a popular duet “Betghib Betrouh”. The video clip of her equally successful album “Ayshalak” was done in France by French Director Fabrice Begotti.
The popularity of this new generation of singers shows that Arab world has great love for music and has a wealth of talents to keep it alive. The legacy of Umm Kulthum and Fairuz continues.

WAR TRIAL - Mojaheed to hang

Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed waves while being taken to International Crimes Tribunal-2 Wednesday morning for pronouncement of verdict in war crimes case. Photo: Focus Bangla

A special court in Dhaka has awarded death penalty to Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed for offences during Bangladesh’s war of independence 42 years back.
Five out of seven charges have been proved beyond doubt, Justice Obaidul Hassan, head judge of International Crimes Tribunal-2, announced in a jam-packed courtroom Wednesday afternoon.
The Jamaat linchpin, who led the infamous Al-Badr force in killing intellectuals of the land at the fag end of the 1971 Liberation War, received death penalty for three charges, and life sentence and five-year imprisonment for two others.
Standing in the dock wearing a Panjabi, the 65-year-old shook his head in disapproval of the judgement.
This is the sixth verdict in the sensational war crimes trial that was initiated 40 years into the country’s birth, which the Jamaat was strongly against and instrumental to negate.
His party has enforced a countrywide daylong hartal (shutdown) to protest the verdict.
Mojaheed’s verdict came couple of days after another war crimes tribunal, ICT-1, awarded former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam 90 years jail.
Tight security was arranged in and around the ICT-2 building as the court prepared to deliver judgement on Mojaheed Wednesday.
A contingent of securitymen guarded the Jamaat top leader as he was taken to the prison cell of the court at 9:42am in a white microbus.
He was taken to the tribunal dock just one hour later.
The court started its proceedings at 10:48am.
After a brief description of the case, Justice Md Shahinur Islam, a judge on the three-member panel, started reading out from the 209-page verdict.
A 37-page excerpt was read out.
BACKGROUND
Mojaheed, a former technocrat minister of the last BNP-led alliance government, was arrested on June 29, 2010, in connection with hurting religious sentiments of Muslims.
The investigation agency, designated to probe war crimes, started investigation his alleged crimes during the war on July 21, 2010, and completed its probe in October, 2011.
Mojaheed was shown arrested in the war crimes case on August 2, 2010.
On January 16, 2012, the prosecution submitted 34 charges against him and the tribunal took the charges into cognisance on January 26.
The case was transferred to Tribunal-2 on April 25, 2012.
On June 21, 2012, Mojaheed, who was a top leader of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student wing of Jamaat in 1971, was indicted on seven charges.
As per the indictment order, Mojaheed in October 1971 was elected provincial president of Chhatra Sangha and became the chief of Al-Badr, an auxiliary force of the Pakistan army that was especially responsible for the planned killings of the intellectuals at the fag-end of the nine-month-long war.
Al-Badr was an “action section” and “armed wing” of Jamaat and was formed mainly with the members of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the Tribunal-2 observed during the proceeding of another war crime suspect Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman’s verdict.
As many as 17 prosecution witnesses including the investigation officer of the case testified against Mojaheed, while his younger son gave testimony as the lone defence witness.
The prosecution and the defence placed closing arguments between May 7 and June 5.
Earlier on June 5, the tribunal kept the Mojaheed case CAV (Curia Advisari Vult, a Latin legal term meaning verdict would be delivered anytime).
WAR TRIAL PROGRESS REPORT
The two tribunals dealing with the war crimes cases have so far delivered verdicts in five cases.
The Tribunal-1 on July 15 awarded 90-year jail to former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam for his war time offences.
The Tribunal-2 awarded expelled Jamaat leader Abul Kalam Azad and Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman death sentence and another Assistant Secretary General Abdul Quader Mollah life sentence, while the Tribunal-1 awarded Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee capital punishment.

Source : DailyStart

Apple Loop: Cook Unveils Mission Statement, iOS 7 Gets Colorful, New iPhone In The Fall

Keeping you in the loop about some of the things that happened around Apple this week.

Watch it from YouTube.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZmIiIXuZ0&feature=player_embedded 
Designed by Apple in Cupertino. For those of us who attended the Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this week, it wasn’t the new operating systems, updated MacBook Air or Mac Pro preview that stood out. It was the mission statement and TV ad unveiled by CEO Tim Cook. Why? Well, for much of the past 16 years, Apple has been about show, not tell. They showed new products — candy-colored iMacs, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad — and we could see immediately how different, how elegant, how innovative they were. And even though showman Steve Jobs was a master at making users covet Apple’s technology, his superlatives – Amazing! Cool! Magical! – were really unnecessary because the products spoke for themselves. That’s why the new messaging is kind of curious. In both videos, Apple talks about what it takes for a product to bear the “Made by Apple in California” label rather than show its tech in action. Here’s the text from the 90-second mission statement, called “Intention.” Video above.

if everyone/ is busy making everything/how can anyone perfect anything?/we start to confuse convenience/with joy/abundance with choice./designing something requires/focus/the first thing we ask is/what do people want to feel?/delight/surprise/love/connection/then we begin to craft around our intention/it takes time…/there are thousand no’s/for every yes./we simplify/we perfect/we start over/until everything we touch/enhances each life/it touches./only then do we sign our work./Designed by Apple in California

I asked some marketing experts what they thought about Apple’s approach. Former Apple ad man Ken Segall says the ad, called “Our Signature,” is “filler” messaging until Apple delivers new products later this year. “If they had great products to talk about, we wouldn’t be seeing those ads. It is a bit defensive because they’re under attack, not just from Samsung, but also from all the critics out there because there are no new products. I think it is defensive – ‘We may not have new products, but we really work hard on these things. We don’t put our signature on it until it’s right.’” Hayes Roth of Landor Associates gives Apple kudos for the ad because it “supports how integrated Apple products are in one’s life. They really do enhance people’s lives, connecting across borders, cultures, languages, and experiences – whether in your personal or professional life – Apple has found a way to be a part of it. It truly is a lifestyle brand for the digital age, and while they may have a hiccup here and there, Apple remains a cult brand, and its consumers are some of the most loyal in the world. This ad does a great job of underscoring that, and bringing it to life in a real, tangible way.” Roth also says the ad and mission statement show that “it’s a new era” under Tim Cook. “It is really a signal of a very different attitude. Steve Jobs would have choked on that. He would probably have fired someone. It doesn’t make Tim Cook’s approach wrong. It just means it’s a new era.”

Color palette redux? Apple’s new version of the iOS mobile operating system – iOS 7 – features a new colors, a new font and new icons. It’s the first time the OS was created under the direction of design chief Jony Ive, who was named head of human interface last year. Rather than take the stage at WWDC, Ive explained the design goals behind iOS 7 in a seven-and-a-half-minute video (below). There are lots of opinions on the new OS – Senator John McCain is a fan already and thanked Apple for being so quick to incorporate the feature (automatic iPhone app updates) he asked Cook for during that Senate subcommittee hearing on taxes back in May. But most reviewers will wait until the fall when it’s released to offer their final verdict. I couldn’t help feeling that the new color palette seemed somehow familiar. When I got home, I dug out a bag I got back in May 1991 from Apple to celebrate the release of its System 7 operating system for the Mac. I knew I’d seen those reds and pinks before.

The iPhone countdown begins. The release of iOS 7 in “the fall” means that the new version of the iPhone will also be released then, since Apple typically ties the release of its newest smartphone to the latest OS. For the past year or more, there’s been speculation that Apple is working on higher-end iPhones with bigger screens as well as lower-priced models as part of a strategy to expand the audience for the device — just as it did with the iPod. So expect to see many stories in the coming months speculating on what those bigger and less-expensive models will look like. This week’s rumor: Apple may release the iPhone in different colors. Just remember the takeaway: new iPhone in the fall.
Did too. Did not. The Department of Justice’s case against Apple over e-book price fixing continued this week in New York federal court. The DOJ introduced an e-mail written by Steve Jobs and addressed to iTunes chief Eddy Cue, which the government said proves its case that Apple was colluding with publishers to force Amazon to adopt a new pricing scheme for e-books. The only thing is that Apple got up and said what the DOJ presented was a “draft” e-mail that Jobs never sent. The company then introduced the e-mail that Jobs actually did send to Cue, which lacks the reference to forcing Amazon to switch its pricing. Cnet has both emails here, and you can find all the government’s exhibits here. Cue, a key figure in the alleged price-fixing scheme, was in the courtroom yesterday to testify, and he said Jobs was reluctant to offer e-books on the iPad at all before agreeing to the idea a few months before the tablet was introduced. The trial before U .S. District Judge Denise Cote, who will decide the case without a jury, continues next week. The other interesting piece out of the courtroom this week: Apple says it has about a 20 percent share of the e-book market.
Steve Jobs stuff. JOBS, the Steve Jobs biopic starring Ashton Kutcher, is set to be released on Aug. 16. ….Musician Kanye West described himself this week as the Steve Jobs of the Internet. “I think what Kanye West is going to mean is something similar to what Steve Jobs means,” West told the New York Times. “ I am undoubtedly, you know, Steve of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture. Period. By a long jump. I honestly feel that because Steve has passed, you know, it’s like when Biggie passed and Jay-Z was allowed to become Jay-Z.” Uh huh…And lastly, Apple fan sites were quick to note that Apple seems to be paying subtle tribute to Jobs in iOS 7: The heavy rectangular frames used for the “Add to Reading List” icon has been replaced with Jobs’ rimless spectacles.

Doublespeak Denials Of PRISM Hid The Truth About Participation

“Direct Access” didn’t mean no access. “Back door” didn’t mean no door. “Only in accordance with the law” didn’t mean PRISM is illegal. And you didn’t need to have heard of a codename to have participated. Larry, Zuck, you didn’t spell out your denials of the NSA’s data spying program in plain english, and now we know why. You were obligated to help the government in its spying, but were muzzled.
[Update: This article and its headline have been edited,]

The New York Times says you knowingly participated in the NSA’s data monitoring program. In some cases, you were asked to create ”a locked mailbox and give the government the key”, to allow it to peer into private communications and web activity. Even if the exact words of your denials were accurate, they seemed to obscure the scope of your involvement with PRISM. Outlining as clearly as possible exactly what kind of data the government could attain would have gone a long way.
But you were probably cornered by Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act restrictions about what you could say about PRISM. And in fact, you might have beeen subtly trying to fight back by asking the government for more transparency. When you decode Mark’s statement “We strongly encourage all governments to be much more transparent about all programs aimed at keeping the public safe”, I hear “Our hands are cuffed. Only the government can reveal that we participated. We wish they would.”
Sadly, you really were working with the NSA to give it access to our private data, so your supposedly candid statements full of technicalities just broke our hearts, as the truth has come to light.
The terms you used disguised what was going on. Direct access means unrestricted access with no intermediary, but the government didn’t need to be standing in the server rooms to get what it wanted. A back door means access to data without its host’s knowledge or consent, but you were well aware of the NSA’s snooping. The NSA’s actions are likely protected by law, so saying you’re only honoring prying that’s legal didn’t mean no prying. And why would the government tell you the juicy codename or details of its data spying program? All it had to say is it needed your data.
Now these excuses ring hollow. The average citizen doesn’t know the difference. They heard “we didn’t help the NSA”, and you did, so their trust in you has disintegrated.
That’s a threat to your business, and our way of life. I like that all my friends use Google Docs. I like that I can invite any of my friends to a Facebook Event. Seeing them ditch the building blocks of the web you’ve developed because they don’t believe anything you say anymore will be a great inconvenience. And that inconvenience pales in importance to the actual liberty PRISM strips away from us.
Then again, your silence would have been taken as an admission of guilt. What an awful position our government put you in.
[Update 12:45am PST 6/8/13: This article and its headline have been edited as I think the title "Doublespeak Denials Of Prism Participation Were Careful Lies" went a bit far. The execs weren't lying, but by denying specifics rather than discussing their participation in PRISM on a high level, I think they obscured their involvement. However, their companies are legally required to provide private information requested by the government, and were legally restricted in how they could explain the process, so I feel the blame rests more on the NSA than the tech giants. For more information, read my follow-up "Tech Giants Built Segrated Systems For NSA Instead Of Firehoses To Protect Innocent Users From PRISM"]

5 dead, including gunman, in shooting rampage near Santa Monica College

A man with a semi-automatic rifle killed at least four people and wounded several others Friday as he carried out a deadly rampage across several blocks of a normally idyllic beachfront city before police shot him dead in the Santa Monica College Library.
Police said earlier that seven people were killed, including the gunman.
The violence began when the gunman, dressed in all black and wearing what appeared to be a ballistic jacket, opened fire on a house where the bodies of the gunman's father and brother were found, authorities said.
As the house burst into flames, the man wounded a woman in a car before moving toward the campus, spraying bullets as he went. Police said he opened fire on a city bus, a police car and other vehicles, as well as bystanders and pedestrians.
He killed three people on the street before shooting at an SUV leaving a campus parking lot. That vehicle's driver was killed and two passengers were wounded as the car crashed through a block wall.
From there, the gunman entered the campus, shooting a woman as he made his way toward the college's library, where students were studying for final exams.
"It appears that those who were encountered on the street were random victims," Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said.
"We saw a woman get shot in the head," said administrative assistant Trena Johnson, who looked out the window of the dean's office, where she works, when she heard gunfire. "I haven't been able to stop shaking," she said.
Inside the library, students reported hearing gunfire and screams.
"I was totally scared to death and I can't believe it happened so fast," said Vincent Zhang, a 20-year-old economics major who said he heard a woman pleading, "No, no. Please, no."
The gunman continued to shoot at people in the library, Seabrooks said, but apparently didn't hit anybody there as dozens ran for the exits.
"The officers came in and directly engaged the suspect and he was shot and killed on the scene," she said.
Just 3 miles away, President Barack Obama was attending a fundraising luncheon. Secret Service spokesman Max Milien said the agency was aware of the shooting, which began just before noon, but it had no impact on the president's event.
The president was scheduled to take Marine One to the airport, but traveled by motorcade to avoid any impact on the ongoing local response to the shooting.
After the gunman was killed, police wearing helmets and armed with shotguns and rifles searched the campus for a second shooter. A man dressed entirely in black, the words "Life is a Gamble" on the back of his sweatshirt, was seen being led away in handcuffs.
Sgt. Richard Lewis, a Santa Monica police spokesman, said at a news conference Friday night that investigators had released a man who had been detained and questioned as a "person of interest."
The identities of the man detained and those who were killed were not immediately released.
Two officials briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press the two victims in the burned house were the gunman's father and brother.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the case.
Two women were admitted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said Dr. Marshall Morgan, the chief of emergency medicine. One was listed in critical condition after undergoing surgery. The other arrived in serious condition but was upgraded to fair condition Friday night.
Three other women went to UCLA Medical Center Santa Monica with relatively minor injuries, Morgan said. One had shrapnel-type injuries and the two others had injuries not related to gunfire, he said. All were treated and released.
Jerry Cunningham Rathner, who lives near the house that caught fire, said she heard gunshots and came out onto her porch to see a man shooting at the residence. Soon, the building erupted in flames and was billowing smoke.
The gunman, dressed in black and wearing an ammunition belt, pointed a rifle at a woman in a car and told her to pull over, Cunningham Rathner said. He then signaled to a second car, also driven by a woman, to slow down and began firing into the vehicle.
"He fired three to four shots into the car -- boom, boom, boom, right at her," said Cunningham Rathner, who went to the woman's aid and saw she was wounded in the shoulder.
She said the gunman then abducted the woman in the first car and drove away.
From there, the chaos shifted to Santa Monica College, located among homes and strip malls more than a mile inland from the city's famous Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade and its expansive, sandy beaches.
The two-year college, spread out across 38 acres, has about 34,000 students.
Jimes Gillespie, 20, told The Associated Press he was in the library studying when he heard gunfire, and he and dozens of other students began fleeing the three-story building.
"As I was running down the stairs I saw one of the gunmen," said Gillespie, who described the shooter as a white man in his 20s, wearing cornrows in his hair and black overalls.
As he ran across campus, he said he saw a car in front of the English building that was riddled with bullet holes, had shattered windows and a baby's car seat in the back.
Student Noke Taumalolo told Fox News that he saw a female worker sorting recycling cans lying bloody on the ground with the gunman standing over her.  According to the student, the gunman was wearing black tactical gear including a vest, SWAT-like fatigues and a riot helmet.
In a staff parking lot, college employee Joe Orcutt said he saw the gunman standing calmly with his weapon, looking as though he was trying to determine which people to shoot at.
"I turn around and that's when he's just standing there, like he's modeling for some ammo magazine," Orcutt said. "He was very calm just standing there, panning around, seeing who he could shoot, one bullet at a time, like target practice.

McQuaid's Goal Sends Bruins to Stanley Cup Finals

Tuukka Rask knew how potent the Penguins offense was. He also knew he could shut them out.
"Every game starts with zero," the Bruins poised goalie said, "so you have a chance."
And two games ended with a zero for Pittsburgh as Boston completed a sweep with a 1-0 win on Friday night that sent it to its second Stanley Cup final, and maybe its second championship, in three years with a 4-0 series victory.
The Bruins will play the winner of the Western Conference finals. The Chicago Blackhawks lead the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 and can wrap it up Saturday night.
Rask's second shutout of the Eastern Conference finals continued his domination of the highest scoring team in the NHL. The Penguins big offensive threats — Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jarome Iginla and James Neal — didn't score a single point and Boston outscored Pittsburgh 12-2.
"We knew we had to be at our best to beat this team," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "That's exactly what happened."
Rask stopped 134 of 136 shots by a team that averaged 4.27 goals a game in its first two playoff series.
"I don't feel like they totally shut us down," Crosby said. "I feel like we got chances, but Rask made some big saves."
The few rebounds Rask allowed throughout the series were quickly cleared away by a defenseman or a forward getting back into the play. On offense and defense, the Bruins always seemed to be in the right spot at the right time. They made precise passes and got their sticks in the way of many passes the Penguins tried.

In the clincher, all the Bruins needed was one goal and defenseman Adam McQuaid provided it with a 45-foot slap shot from the right that went over goalie Tomas Vokoun's right arm at 5:01 of the third period.
Of Boston's 50 playoff goals, 15 have been scored by defensemen.
"I think first and foremost, we're obviously trying to be solid defensively," said McQuaid, who had one goal in 32 regular-season games but two in the playoffs. "It obviously feels good. It feels good to be able to contribute that way when you don't normally."
Rask provided the final flourish when he gloved Iginla's hard 40-foot shot as the final buzzer sounded.
Iginla had turned down a trade from Calgary to Boston before being dealt to Pittsburgh because he thought the Penguins had a better chance to win the Cup, but that turned out to be wrong.
The Penguins never led in the series.
"I just didn't play very well," he said. "That's when you want to play your best for the team."
McQuaid's goal sparked a chant of "We want the Cup!" from the capacity crowd. At the end of the game, the Bruins were one step closer to another title.
They were outplayed for much of regulation in Game 3. But they improved after that and won 2-1 on Patrice Bergeron's goal at 15:19 of the second overtime.
On Friday night, Boston's Milan Lucic admitted, "We were a little sluggish the first two periods ... and we said, 'We have to win a period to win a series.'"
They did just that.
The top-seeded Penguins were trying to overcome both the disciplined defense of the fourth-seeded Bruins and history. Only three teams had lost a series after winning the first three games. The last was the Bruins in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Penguins felt they were "put together to win the Stanley Cup. That's our expectation from Day One," coach Dan Bylsma said. "You're going to look at this as a missed opportunity."

Man killed in FBI custody

An FBI agent shot and killed a Florida man who turned violent while being questioned about the Boston Marathon bombings early on Wednesday, the bureau said.

A friend of the dead man told the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando television stations that he was 27-year-old Ibragim Todashev of Orlando, a Chechen who had previously lived in Boston. Two brothers identified by the FBI as suspects in the April 15 bombings were also ethnic Chechens with roots in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region.

The FBI said in a statement that a special agent, "acting on the imminent threat posed by the individual, responded with deadly force. The individual was killed and the special agent was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries."

It said the shooting occurred in Orlando, Florida, while the special agent and other law enforcement agents were interviewing the man about the blasts that killed three people and injured 264 others at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

"A violent confrontation was initiated by the individual," the FBI said, without providing further details.

Todashev's friend, Khusn Taramiv, said Todashev knew bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev because both were mixed martial-arts fighters but had no connection to the bombing.

"Back when he used to live in Boston, right, they used to hang out," Taramiv told Central Florida News 13. "He met them few times 'cause he was MMA fighter the other guy was boxer, right. They just knew each other that's it."

The shooting occurred at an Orlando apartment complex where several people of Chechen descent lived. Taramiv said Todashev and others in the complex had been questioned several times by law enforcement agents since the day the Tsarnaev brothers were identified as the bombing suspects.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died in a gunfight with police. His brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was found hiding in a boat in Watertown, Massachusetts, four days after the bombings. He was charged with crimes that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev had been on a US government database of potential terrorism suspects and the United States had twice been warned by Russia that he might be an Islamic militant, according to US security officials.

In Florida, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said Todashev had been arrested on May 4 and charged with aggravated battery with great bodily harm. Details about the circumstances of the arrest were not immediately available.

Academy Award for Best Director - Best Director

The Academy Award for Best Directing (Best Director), usually known as the Best Director Oscar, is one of the Awards of Merit presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to directors working in the motion picture industry. While nominations for Best Director are made by members in the Academy's Directing branch, the award winners are selected by the Academy membership as a whole.
History

Throughout the past 85 years, AMPAS has presented a total of 86 Best Director awards to 65 different directors. At the 1st Academy Awards (1927/1928), there were two directing awards—one for "Dramatic Direction" and one for "Comedy Direction". The Comedy Direction award was eliminated the next year and, indeed, the awards have overwhelmingly favored dramatic films ever since. At both the 34th Academy Awards (1961) and the 80th Academy Awards (2007), Best Director was presented to a co-directing team, rather than to an individual director.

The earliest years of the award were marked by inconsistency and confusion. In the Academy Awards' first year, actors and others such as cinematographers were nominated for all of their films produced during the qualifying period. However, since the directing award was for "directing" rather than "best director", it honored the director in association with only a single film—thus Janet Gaynor has two Frank Borzage films listed after her Best Actress nomination, but only one of them earned Borzage a directing nomination. The second year, the directing award followed the others in listing all of a director's work during the qualifying period, resulting in Frank Lloyd being nominated for three of his films—but, even more confusingly, only one of them was listed on the final award as the film for which he won. Finally, for the 1931 awards, this confusing system was replaced by the current system in which a director is nominated for a single film.

The Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture have been very closely linked throughout their history. Of the 85 films that have been awarded Best Picture, 62 have also been awarded Best Director.[1] Only four films have won Best Picture without their directors being nominated: Wings (1927/28), Grand Hotel (1931/32), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), and Argo (2012). The only two Best Director winners to win for films which did not receive a Best Picture nomination are notably during the early years; Lewis Milestone for Two Arabian Knights (1927/28) and Frank Lloyd for The Divine Lady (1928/29).

Only four women have ever been nominated for Best Director: Lina Wertmüller for Seven Beauties (1976), Jane Campion for The Piano (1993), Sofia Coppola for Lost in Translation (2003), and Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2009). Bigelow was the first, and to date the only, female director to win the Academy Award for Best Director.
Rules

Due to strict rules declared by the Directors Guild of America (DGA), only one individual may claim screen credit as a film's director. (This rule is designed to prevent rights and ownership issues and to eliminate lobbying for director credit by producers and actors.) However, the DGA may create an exception to this "one director per film" rule if two co-directors seeking to share director credit for a film qualify as an "established duo". In the history of the Academy Awards, established duos have been nominated for Best Director only four times: Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (who won for West Side Story in 1961); Warren Beatty and Buck Henry (who were nominated for Heaven Can Wait in 1978), and Ethan & Joel Coen (who won for No Country for Old Men in 2007 and were nominated again in 2010 for True Grit).
Multiple nominations

The following 91 directors have received multiple Best Director nominations. The list is sorted by the number of total awards (with the number of total nominations listed in parentheses).

    4  : John Ford (5)
    3  : William Wyler (12)
    3  : Frank Capra (6)
    2  : Billy Wilder (8)
    2  : David Lean (7)
    2  : Fred Zinnemann (7)
    2  : Steven Spielberg (7)
    2  : Elia Kazan (5)
    2  : George Stevens (5)
    2  : Clint Eastwood (4)
    2  : Frank Lloyd (4)
    2  : Joseph L. Mankiewicz (4)
    2  : Miloš Forman (3)
    2  : Ang Lee (3)
    2  : Leo McCarey (3)
    2  : Lewis Milestone (3)
    2  : Oliver Stone (3)
    2  : Robert Wise (3)
    2  : Frank Borzage (2)
    1  : Woody Allen (7)
    1  : Martin Scorsese (7)
    1  : George Cukor (5)
    1  : Michael Curtiz (5)
    1  : John Huston (5)
    1  : Francis Ford Coppola (4)
    1  : Mike Nichols (4)
    1  : Joel Coen (3)
    1  : Bob Fosse (3)
    1  : Roman Polanski (3)
    1  : Sydney Pollack (3)
    1  : Carol Reed (3)

   

    1  : John Schlesinger (3)
    1  : Warren Beatty (2)
    1  : Robert Benton (2)
    1  : Bernardo Bertolucci (2)
    1  : James Cameron (2)
    1  : Ethan Coen (2)
    1  : William Friedkin (2)
    1  : Ron Howard (2)
    1  : Peter Jackson (2)
    1  : Barry Levinson (2)
    1  : Vincente Minnelli (2)
    1  : Robert Redford (2)
    1  : George Roy Hill (2)
    1  : Steven Soderbergh (2)
    1  : Norman Taurog (2)
    0  : Robert Altman (5)
    0  : Clarence Brown (5)
    0  : Alfred Hitchcock (5)
    0  : King Vidor (5)
    0  : Federico Fellini (4)
    0  : Stanley Kubrick (4)
    0  : Sidney Lumet (4)
    0  : Peter Weir (4)
    0  : Ingmar Bergman (3)
    0  : Richard Brooks (3)
    0  : Stephen Daldry (3)
    0  : James Ivory (3)
    0  : Norman Jewison (3)
    0  : Stanley Kramer (3)

   

    0  : Ernst Lubitsch (3)
    0  : David Lynch (3)
    0  : Arthur Penn (3)
    0  : Ridley Scott (3)
    0  : William A. Wellman (3)
    0  : Sam Wood (3)
    0  : John Boorman (2)
    0  : David Fincher (2)
    0  : Stephen Frears (2)
    0  : Lasse Hallström (2)
    0  : Roland Joffé (2)
    0  : Henry King (2)
    0  : Gregory La Cava (2)
    0  : Mike Leigh (2)
    0  : Robert Z. Leonard (2)
    0  : Joshua Logan (2)
    0  : George Lucas (2)
    0  : Terrence Malick (2)
    0  : Alan Parker (2)
    0  : Alexander Payne (2)
    0  : Otto Preminger (2)
    0  : Jason Reitman (2)
    0  : Mark Robson (2)
    0  : Robert Rossen (2)
    0  : David O. Russell (2)
    0  : Jim Sheridan (2)
    0  : Josef von Sternberg (2)
    0  : Quentin Tarantino (2)
    0  : W. S. Van Dyke (2)
    0  : Gus Van Sant (2)
    0  : Peter Yates (2)

Winners and nominees

Each Academy Award ceremony is listed chronologically below along with the winner of the Academy Award for Directing and the film associated with the award. In the column next to the winner of each award are the other nominees for best director. Following the Academy's practice, the films below are listed by the years of their Los Angeles qualifying run, which is usually (but not always) in the year of release; for example, the Oscar for Best Director of 1999 was announced during the award ceremony held in 2000.

For the first six ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned two calendar years. For example, the 2nd Academy Awards presented on April 3, 1930, recognized films that were released between August 1, 1928 and July 31, 1929. Starting with the 7th Academy Awards, held in 1935, the period of eligibility became the full previous calendar year from January 1 to December 31.
1920s

In the first year only, the award was separated into Dramatic Direction and Comedy Direction.
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1927/28 (Dramatic)     Frank Borzage
 – Seventh Heaven     Herbert Brenon – Sorrell and Son
King Vidor – The Crowd
1927/28 (Comedy)     Lewis Milestone
 – Two Arabian Knights     Ted Wilde – Speedy
1928/29     Frank Lloyd
 – The Divine Lady     Lionel Barrymore – Madame X
Harry Beaumont – The Broadway Melody
Irving Cummings – In Old Arizona
Frank Lloyd - Drag and Weary River
Ernst Lubitsch – The Patriot
1929/30     Lewis Milestone
 – All Quiet on the Western Front     Clarence Brown – Anna Christie and Romance
Robert Z. Leonard – The Divorcée
Ernst Lubitsch – The Love Parade
King Vidor – Hallelujah
1930s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1930/31     Norman Taurog
 – Skippy     Clarence Brown – A Free Soul
Lewis Milestone – The Front Page
Wesley Ruggles – Cimarron
Josef von Sternberg – Morocco
1931/32     Frank Borzage
 – Bad Girl     King Vidor – The Champ
Josef von Sternberg – Shanghai Express
1932/33     Frank Lloyd
 – Cavalcade     Frank Capra – Lady for a Day
George Cukor – Little Women

(The Academy also announced that Capra came in second, and Cukor last.)
1934     Frank Capra
 – It Happened One Night     Victor Schertzinger – One Night of Love
W. S. Van Dyke – The Thin Man

(The Academy also announced that Van Dyke came in second, and Schertzinger last.)
1935     John Ford
 – The Informer     Henry Hathaway – The Lives of a Bengal Lancer
Frank Lloyd – Mutiny on the Bounty

(The Academy also announced that write-in candidate Michael Curtiz, for Captain Blood, came in second, and Hathaway third.)
1936     Frank Capra
 – Mr. Deeds Goes to Town     Gregory La Cava – My Man Godfrey
Robert Z. Leonard – The Great Ziegfeld
W. S. Van Dyke – San Francisco
William Wyler – Dodsworth
1937     Leo McCarey
 – The Awful Truth     William Dieterle – The Life of Emile Zola
Sidney Franklin – The Good Earth
Gregory La Cava – Stage Door
William A. Wellman – A Star Is Born
1938     Frank Capra
 – You Can't Take It with You     Michael Curtiz – Angels with Dirty Faces
Michael Curtiz – Four Daughters
Norman Taurog – Boys Town
King Vidor – The Citadel
1939     Victor Fleming
 – Gone with the Wind     Frank Capra – Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
John Ford – Stagecoach
Sam Wood – Goodbye, Mr. Chips
William Wyler – Wuthering Heights
1940s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1940     John Ford
 – The Grapes of Wrath     George Cukor – The Philadelphia Story
Alfred Hitchcock – Rebecca
Sam Wood – Kitty Foyle
William Wyler – The Letter
1941     John Ford
 – How Green Was My Valley     Alexander Hall – Here Comes Mr. Jordan
Howard Hawks – Sergeant York
Orson Welles – Citizen Kane
William Wyler – The Little Foxes
1942     William Wyler
 – Mrs. Miniver     Michael Curtiz – Yankee Doodle Dandy
John Farrow – Wake Island
Mervyn LeRoy – Random Harvest
Sam Wood – Kings Row
1943     Michael Curtiz
 – Casablanca     Clarence Brown – The Human Comedy
Henry King – The Song of Bernadette
Ernst Lubitsch – Heaven Can Wait
George Stevens – The More the Merrier
1944     Leo McCarey
 – Going My Way     Alfred Hitchcock – Lifeboat
Henry King – Wilson
Otto Preminger – Laura
Billy Wilder – Double Indemnity
1945     Billy Wilder
 – The Lost Weekend     Clarence Brown – National Velvet
Alfred Hitchcock – Spellbound
Leo McCarey – The Bells of St. Mary's
Jean Renoir – The Southerner
1946     William Wyler
 – The Best Years of Our Lives     Clarence Brown – The Yearling
Frank Capra – It's a Wonderful Life
David Lean – Brief Encounter
Robert Siodmak – The Killers
1947     Elia Kazan
 – Gentleman's Agreement     George Cukor – A Double Life
Edward Dmytryk – Crossfire
Henry Koster – The Bishop's Wife
David Lean – Great Expectations
1948     John Huston
 – The Treasure of the Sierra Madre     Anatole Litvak – The Snake Pit
Jean Negulesco – Johnny Belinda
Laurence Olivier – Hamlet
Fred Zinnemann – The Search
1949     Joseph L. Mankiewicz
 – A Letter to Three Wives     Carol Reed – The Fallen Idol
Robert Rossen – All the King's Men
William A. Wellman – Battleground
William Wyler – The Heiress
1950s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1950     Joseph L. Mankiewicz
 – All About Eve     George Cukor – Born Yesterday
John Huston – The Asphalt Jungle
Carol Reed – The Third Man
Billy Wilder – Sunset Boulevard
1951     George Stevens
 – A Place in the Sun     John Huston – The African Queen
Elia Kazan – A Streetcar Named Desire
Vincente Minnelli – An American in Paris
William Wyler – Detective Story
1952     John Ford
 – The Quiet Man     Cecil B. DeMille – The Greatest Show on Earth
John Huston – Moulin Rouge
Joseph L. Mankiewicz – 5 Fingers
Fred Zinnemann – High Noon
1953     Fred Zinnemann
 – From Here to Eternity     George Stevens – Shane
Charles Walters – Lili
Billy Wilder – Stalag 17
William Wyler – Roman Holiday
1954     Elia Kazan
 – On the Waterfront     Alfred Hitchcock – Rear Window
George Seaton – The Country Girl
William A. Wellman – The High and the Mighty
Billy Wilder – Sabrina
1955     Delbert Mann
 – Marty     Elia Kazan – East of Eden
David Lean – Summertime
Joshua Logan – Picnic
John Sturges – Bad Day at Black Rock
1956     George Stevens
 – Giant     Michael Anderson – Around the World in 80 Days
Walter Lang – The King and I
King Vidor – War and Peace
William Wyler – Friendly Persuasion
1957     David Lean
 – The Bridge on the River Kwai     Joshua Logan – Sayonara
Sidney Lumet – 12 Angry Men
Mark Robson – Peyton Place
Billy Wilder – Witness for the Prosecution
1958     Vincente Minnelli
 – Gigi     Richard Brooks – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Stanley Kramer – The Defiant Ones
Mark Robson – The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Robert Wise – I Want to Live!
1959     William Wyler
 – Ben-Hur     Jack Clayton – Room at the Top
George Stevens – The Diary of Anne Frank
Billy Wilder – Some Like It Hot
Fred Zinnemann – The Nun's Story
1960s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1960     Billy Wilder
 – The Apartment     Jack Cardiff – Sons and Lovers
Jules Dassin – Never on Sunday
Alfred Hitchcock – Psycho
Fred Zinnemann – The Sundowners
1961     Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins
 – West Side Story     Federico Fellini – La Dolce Vita
Stanley Kramer – Judgment at Nuremberg
Robert Rossen – The Hustler
J. Lee Thompson – The Guns of Navarone
1962     David Lean
 – Lawrence of Arabia     Pietro Germi – Divorce, Italian Style
Robert Mulligan – To Kill a Mockingbird
Arthur Penn – The Miracle Worker
Frank Perry – David and Lisa
1963     Tony Richardson
 – Tom Jones     Federico Fellini – 8½
Elia Kazan – America, America
Otto Preminger – The Cardinal
Martin Ritt – Hud
1964     George Cukor
 – My Fair Lady     Michael Cacoyannis – Zorba the Greek
Peter Glenville – Becket
Stanley Kubrick – Dr. Strangelove
Robert Stevenson – Mary Poppins
1965     Robert Wise
 – The Sound of Music     David Lean – Doctor Zhivago
John Schlesinger – Darling
Hiroshi Teshigahara – The Woman in the Dunes
William Wyler – The Collector
1966     Fred Zinnemann
 – A Man for All Seasons     Michelangelo Antonioni – Blowup
Richard Brooks – The Professionals
Claude Lelouch – A Man and a Woman
Mike Nichols – Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
1967     Mike Nichols
 – The Graduate     Richard Brooks – In Cold Blood
Norman Jewison – In the Heat of the Night
Stanley Kramer – Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Arthur Penn – Bonnie and Clyde
1968     Carol Reed
 – Oliver!     Anthony Harvey – The Lion in Winter
Stanley Kubrick – 2001: A Space Odyssey
Gillo Pontecorvo – The Battle of Algiers
Franco Zeffirelli – Romeo and Juliet
1969     John Schlesinger
 – Midnight Cowboy     Costa Gavras – Z
George Roy Hill – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Arthur Penn – Alice's Restaurant
Sydney Pollack – They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
1970s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1970     Franklin J. Schaffner
 – Patton     Robert Altman – MASH
Federico Fellini – Satyricon
Arthur Hiller – Love Story
Ken Russell – Women in Love
1971     William Friedkin
 – The French Connection     Peter Bogdanovich – The Last Picture Show
Norman Jewison – Fiddler on the Roof
Stanley Kubrick – A Clockwork Orange
John Schlesinger – Sunday Bloody Sunday
1972     Bob Fosse
 – Cabaret     John Boorman – Deliverance
Francis Ford Coppola – The Godfather
Joseph L. Mankiewicz – Sleuth
Jan Troell – The Emigrants
1973     George Roy Hill
 – The Sting     Ingmar Bergman – Cries and Whispers
Bernardo Bertolucci - Last Tango in Paris
William Friedkin - The Exorcist
George Lucas – American Graffiti
1974     Francis Ford Coppola
 – The Godfather Part II     John Cassavetes – A Woman Under the Influence
Bob Fosse – Lenny
Roman Polanski – Chinatown
François Truffaut – Day for Night
1975     Miloš Forman
 – One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest     Robert Altman – Nashville
Federico Fellini – Amarcord
Stanley Kubrick – Barry Lyndon
Sidney Lumet – Dog Day Afternoon
1976     John G. Avildsen
 – Rocky     Ingmar Bergman – Face to Face
Sidney Lumet – Network
Alan J. Pakula – All the President's Men
Lina Wertmüller – Seven Beauties
1977     Woody Allen
 – Annie Hall     George Lucas – Star Wars
Herbert Ross – The Turning Point
Steven Spielberg – Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Fred Zinnemann – Julia
1978     Michael Cimino
 – The Deer Hunter     Woody Allen – Interiors
Hal Ashby – Coming Home
Warren Beatty & Buck Henry – Heaven Can Wait
Alan Parker – Midnight Express
1979     Robert Benton
 – Kramer vs. Kramer     Francis Ford Coppola – Apocalypse Now
Bob Fosse – All That Jazz
Édouard Molinaro – La Cage aux Folles
Peter Yates – Breaking Away
1980s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1980     Robert Redford
 – Ordinary People     David Lynch – The Elephant Man
Roman Polanski – Tess
Richard Rush – The Stunt Man
Martin Scorsese – Raging Bull
1981     Warren Beatty
 – Reds     Hugh Hudson – Chariots of Fire
Louis Malle – Atlantic City
Mark Rydell – On Golden Pond
Steven Spielberg – Raiders of the Lost Ark
1982     Richard Attenborough
 – Gandhi     Sidney Lumet – The Verdict
Wolfgang Petersen – Das Boot
Sydney Pollack – Tootsie
Steven Spielberg – E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1983     James L. Brooks
 – Terms of Endearment     Bruce Beresford – Tender Mercies
Ingmar Bergman – Fanny and Alexander
Mike Nichols – Silkwood
Peter Yates – The Dresser
1984     Miloš Forman
 – Amadeus     Woody Allen – Broadway Danny Rose
Robert Benton – Places in the Heart
Roland Joffé – The Killing Fields
David Lean – A Passage to India
1985     Sydney Pollack
 – Out of Africa     Héctor Babenco – Kiss of the Spider Woman
John Huston – Prizzi's Honor
Akira Kurosawa – Ran
Peter Weir – Witness
1986     Oliver Stone
 – Platoon     Woody Allen – Hannah and Her Sisters
James Ivory – A Room with a View
Roland Joffé – The Mission
David Lynch – Blue Velvet
1987     Bernardo Bertolucci
 – The Last Emperor     John Boorman – Hope and Glory
Lasse Hallström – My Life as a Dog
Norman Jewison – Moonstruck
Adrian Lyne – Fatal Attraction
1988     Barry Levinson
 – Rain Man     Charles Crichton – A Fish Called Wanda
Mike Nichols – Working Girl
Alan Parker – Mississippi Burning
Martin Scorsese – The Last Temptation of Christ
1989     Oliver Stone
 – Born on the Fourth of July     Woody Allen – Crimes and Misdemeanors
Kenneth Branagh – Henry V
Jim Sheridan – My Left Foot
Peter Weir – Dead Poets Society
1990s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
1990     Kevin Costner
 – Dances with Wolves     Francis Ford Coppola – The Godfather Part III
Stephen Frears – The Grifters
Barbet Schroeder – Reversal of Fortune
Martin Scorsese – Goodfellas
1991     Jonathan Demme
 – The Silence of the Lambs     Barry Levinson – Bugsy
Ridley Scott – Thelma & Louise
John Singleton – Boyz n the Hood
Oliver Stone – JFK
1992     Clint Eastwood
 – Unforgiven     Robert Altman – The Player
Martin Brest – Scent of a Woman
James Ivory – Howards End
Neil Jordan – The Crying Game
1993     Steven Spielberg
 – Schindler's List     Robert Altman – Short Cuts
Jane Campion – The Piano
James Ivory – The Remains of the Day
Jim Sheridan – In the Name of the Father
1994     Robert Zemeckis
 – Forrest Gump     Woody Allen – Bullets Over Broadway
Krzysztof Kieślowski – Three Colors: Red
Robert Redford – Quiz Show
Quentin Tarantino – Pulp Fiction
1995     Mel Gibson
 – Braveheart     Mike Figgis – Leaving Las Vegas
Chris Noonan – Babe
Michael Radford – Il Postino
Tim Robbins – Dead Man Walking
1996     Anthony Minghella
 – The English Patient     Joel Coen – Fargo
Miloš Forman – The People vs. Larry Flynt
Scott Hicks – Shine
Mike Leigh – Secrets & Lies
1997     James Cameron
 – Titanic     Peter Cattaneo – The Full Monty
Atom Egoyan – The Sweet Hereafter
Curtis Hanson – L.A. Confidential
Gus Van Sant – Good Will Hunting
1998     Steven Spielberg
 – Saving Private Ryan     Roberto Benigni – Life Is Beautiful
John Madden – Shakespeare in Love
Terrence Malick – The Thin Red Line
Peter Weir – The Truman Show
1999     Sam Mendes
 – American Beauty     Lasse Hallström – The Cider House Rules
Spike Jonze – Being John Malkovich
Michael Mann – The Insider
M. Night Shyamalan – The Sixth Sense
2000s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
2000     Steven Soderbergh
 – Traffic     Stephen Daldry – Billy Elliot
Ang Lee – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ridley Scott – Gladiator
Steven Soderbergh – Erin Brockovich
2001     Ron Howard
 – A Beautiful Mind     Robert Altman – Gosford Park
Peter Jackson – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
David Lynch – Mulholland Drive
Ridley Scott – Black Hawk Down
2002     Roman Polanski
 – The Pianist     Pedro Almodóvar – Talk to Her
Stephen Daldry – The Hours
Rob Marshall – Chicago
Martin Scorsese – Gangs of New York
2003     Peter Jackson
 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King     Sofia Coppola – Lost in Translation
Clint Eastwood – Mystic River
Fernando Meirelles – City of God
Peter Weir – Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
2004     Clint Eastwood
 – Million Dollar Baby     Taylor Hackford – Ray
Mike Leigh – Vera Drake
Alexander Payne – Sideways
Martin Scorsese – The Aviator
2005     Ang Lee
 – Brokeback Mountain     George Clooney – Good Night, and Good Luck.
Paul Haggis – Crash
Bennett Miller – Capote
Steven Spielberg – Munich
2006     Martin Scorsese
 – The Departed     Clint Eastwood – Letters from Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears – The Queen
Alejandro González Iñárritu – Babel
Paul Greengrass – United 93
2007     Ethan & Joel Coen
 – No Country for Old Men     Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood
Tony Gilroy – Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman – Juno
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
2008     Danny Boyle
 – Slumdog Millionaire     Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk
2009     Kathryn Bigelow
 – The Hurt Locker     James Cameron – Avatar
Lee Daniels – Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds
2010s
Year     Winner
film     Nominated
2010     Tom Hooper
 – The King's Speech     Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan
Ethan & Joel Coen – True Grit
David Fincher – The Social Network
David O. Russell – The Fighter
2011     Michel Hazanavicius
 – The Artist     Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life
Alexander Payne – The Descendants
Martin Scorsese – Hugo
2012     Ang Lee
 – Life of Pi     Michael Haneke – Amour
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Steven Spielberg – Lincoln
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild
International presence

As the Academy Awards are based in the United States and are centered on the Hollywood film industry, the majority of Academy Award winners have been Americans. Nonetheless, there is significant international presence at the awards, as evidenced by the following list of winners of the Academy Award for Best Director.

    Australia: Mel Gibson, Tom Hooper (Gibson, a U.S. citizen, moved with his family to Australia at the age of 12. Hooper, born in the U.K., is a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom as his mother was born in Australia.)
    Austria: Billy Wilder, Fred Zinnemann (Both Wilder and Zinnemann moved to America in their twenties and became naturalized U.S. citizens.)
    Canada: James Cameron (Cameron was applying to become a U.S. citizen.[1])
    Czech Republic: Miloš Forman (naturalized U.S. citizen since 1977)
    France: Michel Hazanavicius
    Germany: William Wyler, Mike Nichols (after moving to America in 1921, Wyler became a naturalized U.S. citizen in his twenties. Wyler was born in Alsace which was part of the German Empire then, but now is part of France. Nichols' family moved from Germany when he was eight-years old to the United States, and he became a naturalized U.S. citizen five years later in 1944.)
    Italy: Bernardo Bertolucci
    New Zealand: Peter Jackson
    Poland: Roman Polanski (also French citizenship)
    Taiwan: Ang Lee (naturalized U.S. citizen who has lived in America since 1979.)
    United Kingdom: Richard Attenborough, Danny Boyle, David Lean, Sam Mendes, Anthony Minghella, Carol Reed, Tony Richardson, John Schlesinger, and Tom Hooper

However, no director has won for a film that is entirely in a foreign language.

There have been 21 directors nominated for films entirely or significantly in a foreign (non-English) language.

    Federico Fellini (nominated for 4 films, which were all in Italian)
    Ingmar Bergman (nominated for 3 films, which were all in Swedish)
    Pietro Germi (Italian)
    Hiroshi Teshigahara (Japanese)
    Claude Lelouch (French)
    Gillo Pontecorvo (Italian-born director nominated for The Battle of Algiers, which was in French and Arabic)
    Costa Gavras (Greek-born director nominated for French-language film Z.)
    Jan Troell (Swedish)
    François Truffaut (French)
    Lina Wertmuller (Italian)
    Edouard Molinaro (French)
    Wolfgang Petersen (German)
    Akira Kurosawa (Japanese)
    Lasse Hallström (Swedish. He was also nominated for the English-language film The Cider House Rules.)
    Krzysztof Kieslowski (Polish-born director nominated for French-language film Three Colours: Red)
    Michael Radford (an English-born director nominated for the Italian-language film Il Postino.)
    Roberto Benigni (Italian)
    Ang Lee (Taiwanese-born director nominated for the Mandarin-language film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He would later win for the English-language films Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi.)
    Pedro Almodóvar (Spanish)
    Fernando Meirelles (Brazilian Portuguese)
    Clint Eastwood (an American director nominated for the Japanese-language film Letters from Iwo Jima, which has a few brief scenes in English).
    Julian Schnabel (an American director nominated for the French-language film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.)
    Michael Haneke (French)

Nominations for films primarily in English with some scenes (of a notable length) in another language include:

    Jules Dassin for Never on Sunday (Greek)
    Bernardo Bertolucci for Last Tango in Paris (French)
    Francis Coppola for The Godfather Part II (Italian) (Winner)
    Kevin Costner for Dances with Wolves (Lakota and Pawnee) (Winner)
    Steven Soderbergh for Traffic (Spanish) (Winner)
    Peter Jackson for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (fictional Elven) (winner)
    Alejandro González Iñárritu for Babel (Spanish, Arabic, French, Japanese, Japanese Sign Language, Berber)
    Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (Hindi) (Winner)
    Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (French, German and Italian)
    James Cameron for Avatar (fictional Na'vi language)

Several international nominees (regardless of the language used in their respective films) include:

    Australia: Bruce Beresford, Scott Hicks, Chris Noonan and Peter Weir
    Austria: Otto Preminger, Josef von Sternberg and Michael Haneke
    Brazil: Héctor Babenco, Fernando Meirelles
    Canada: Atom Egoyan, Arthur Hiller, Norman Jewison and Jason Reitman
    Cyprus: Michael Cacoyannis
    France: Michel Hazanavicius, Claude Lelouch, Louis Malle and François Truffaut
    Germany: William Dieterle, Ernst Lubitsch, Wolfgang Petersen
    Greece: Costa Gavras
    Ireland: Jim Sheridan, Neil Jordan and Kenneth Branagh
    Italy: Roberto Benigni, Federico Fellini, Pietro Germi, Gillo Pontecorvo, Lina Wertmüller, Franco Zeffirelli and Michelangelo Antonioni
    Japan: Akira Kurosawa and Hiroshi Teshigahara
    Mexico: Alejandro González Iñárritu
    New Zealand: Jane Campion
    Poland: Krzysztof Kieślowski
    Spain: Pedro Almodóvar
    Sweden: Ingmar Bergman, Lasse Hallström and Jan Troell
    United Kingdom: Alfred Hitchcock, John Boorman, Peter Cattaneo, Charles Crichton, Stephen Daldry, Stephen Frears, Laurence Olivier, Paul Greengrass, Roland Joffé, Mike Leigh, Adrian Lyne, Hugh Hudson, Alan Parker and Ridley Scott