"Barack Obama has granted the CIA permission to continue carrying out the controversial Bush-era practice of extraordinary rendition, it has emerged.
And he did so just two days after becoming president and vowing to dismantle his predecessor's war on terror.
As the new U.S. President issued orders shutting down the American military prison at Guantanamo Bay and fought to show the Muslim world that 'America is not your enemy', it was revealed that the renditions programme may even be expanded.
Under executive orders signed by Mr Obama on January 22, two days after his inauguration, the CIA still has the authority to carry out renditions - secret abductions and transfers of prisoners to countries that cooperate with the United States. It even became the subject of a Hollywood film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon.But despite the controversy surrounding the secretive practice, Mr Obama appears to have decided it was the one component of Mr Bush's war on terror that it must keep.
'Obviously you need to preserve some tools - you still have to go after the bad guys,' an Obama administration official told the LA Times.
'The legal advisors working on this looked at rendition. It is controversial in some circles and kicked up a big storm in Europe. But if done within certain parameters, it is an acceptable practice.'Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
"Rendition and temporary detention are tools in that effort - tools that now need to be as closely monitored and assessed as they were once recklessly abused". Source: andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com
"Jennifer Aniston has snubbed a record-breaking $4 million offer–including a percentage deal that could have brought the price to $10 million–to recreate her nude January 2009 GQ cover photo for men’s mag giant Playboy.Playboy approached the former Friends star after the recent photoshoot, in which she posed in her birthday suit except for an appropriately placed necktie". Source: www.popcrunch.com
"In response to complaints that she has gotten for her increasingly frumpy appearance, Kirsten Dunst confessed that she actually "couldn't care less" about the way she looks.
"I don't have the energy to care if people criticize the way I look", the 26 year-old actress tells Britain's OK!. "I'm over getting dressed up, although it's fun sometimes -- like when my younger brother Christian and I got ready together to go to the Oscars. But other than that, though, I couldn't care less. Being fun is way better than being beautiful. I would rather entertain people." Dunst is expected to reprise her role as Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man 4.Source: www.radaronline.com
“So many people are making stories about heroes, I make the stories about perverts,” he commented. When asked by Hammond how does he feel after viewing his body of work, Fincher said, “I wonder if I should be in therapy more.”
A humble, bright, and funny guy, Fincher charmed the Santa Barbara audience with his wit and humor. In final remarks by actor Jake Gyllenhaal, he said, “I want to tell you a secret about David Fincher. He has a big brain and a big heart.” (we could tell!) Kudos to another outstanding artist to feature at the Film Festival! Source: www.edhat.com
"Yesterday we got our first look at the new SuperBowl movie trailer for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and today we get to see what Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who plays master villain Cobra Commander) will look like in the film … kinda. Until now, the secret about Cobra Commander in this film has been on lock down but this weekend, new bio cards for some of the G.I. Joe characters have made their way to the Internets, including Cobra characters Storm Shadow, Zartan and The Doctor:One of these characters is JGL, I understand, as he will be seen thruout much of the film … but by the end of the movie he becomes Cobra Commander. As I recall, the man who eventually becomes Cobra Commander was a scientist who suffered a freak accident that destroyed his face, which left him mad, bitter and was required to wear a mask to cover his entire head".
'GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra' SuperBowl Commercial According to information about the film both official and unofficial, The Doctor will eventually become Cobra Commander … who is played by Joesph Gordon-Levitt. In the comics, tho, The Doctor becomes Dr. Mindbender — the mad scientist who created Serpentor, the emperor of Cobra who replaces Cobra Commander as leader after he is deposed … but I’m getting way off topic. In any event, it appears that The Doctor and Cobra Commander are one and the same, at least in this new movie. Zartan, as you may or may not know, had chameleon-like abilities to change color in sunlight (his action figure did the same) and was a formidable master of disguise".Source: pinkisthenewblog.com
"If Slumdog does in fact stumble between now and February 17 (the last day for Oscar voters to turn in their ballots), Milk looks like it's best positioned to capitalize on the stumble. In addition to it being incredibly well-respected within the community of voters who make up the Academy, there are two main factors that could help propel the film to glory on Oscar night.
1) Milk Is Still Building Momentum - As Anne Thompson sagely reports, over at Variety, Focus Features has taken the slow-and-steady approach to building their Oscar campaign for Milk. Whereas their campaign for Brokeback Mountain in 2005 crested too early, Milk is only now going into wide release. If the movie can perform strongly this weekend, it will be top-of-mind for Academy voters as they begin casting their ballots. 2) A Win for Milk Helps Ease the Sting of the Brokeback Snub - As we mention above, Crash was able to overtake Brokeback Mountain in the Best Picture race in 2005. Some attribute this upset to the belief that some of the older ranks of the Academy held strong anti-gay beliefs, an assertion that Rope of Silicon brings up in a post that breaks down this year's Oscar race. In their eyes, a vote for Milk could help to reestablish the Academy as a place where tolerance prevails above all else". Source: nymag.com
"Jake Gyllenhaal keeps warm in a fedora and scarf at the 24th Annual Santa Barbara Film Festival held at The Arlington Theatre on Friday (January 30) in Santa Barbara, Calif.
The 28-year-old actor joined came out to support David Fincher, who was honored as the “Director In Residence”. He directed Jake in the 2007 crime drama Zodiac. Taraji P. Henson was also in attendance, who was directed by Fincher in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".Source: Justjared.buzznet.com Jake at "A Celebration Of David Fincher (2009 SB Film Festival)". Pictures courtesy of Iheartjakemedia.com
It even became the subject of a Hollywood film starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon.
But despite the controversy surrounding the secretive practice, Mr Obama appears to have decided it was the one component of Mr Bush's war on terror that it must keep.
