Readwrotes Blog

Ary Hermawan , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 07/02/2009 11:12 PM | Worldn what seems to be a last minute decision, television news network Al-Jazeera English decided not to premiere on Thursday a highly-sensitive documentary highlighting the plight of Papuans. It also removed the film’s synopsis from the list of feature films it will broadcast, which is published on its website. It remains unclear, however, whether the Qatar-based TV-channel had postponed or completely called off the screening of the controversial documentary that will likely disturb the government in Jakarta. The Jakarta Post tried to reach Al-Jazeera officials for confirmation Thursday but to no avail. The film’s screening is extremely sensitive as Indonesia will hold its second presidential election on July 8. Titled Pride of Warriors, the documentary was directed by Australian filmmaker Jono van Hest, who claimed to have smuggled six video cameras into the troubled West Papu...

By Kelley L. Carter and Arienne Thompson , USA TODAY A free public memorial for Michael Jackson will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, but the date has not been finalized. Randy Phillips, CEO of AEG Live, which will produce the memorial, said the family is considering holding the event Tuesday. Phillips said Jackson's mother Katherine will make the final decision. Jackson's brother Randy is coordinating all memorial plans. PR firm Sunshine Sachs & Associates, hired to speak on behalf of the family, is expected to make the formal memorial announcement sometime tonight or tomorrow, Phillips said. AEG Live was in the process of producing and promoting Michael Jackson's This Is It tour at the time of his death. The company is considering producing a Michael Jackson tribute concert at London's O2 Arena, the venue in which Jackson was scheduled to perform. Phillips also said AEG has 100 hours of HD Jackson video footage for a possible documentary film and...

By VOA News 03 July 2009 US troops in Afghanistan's Helmand province, 2 Jul 2009 U.S. Marines have suffered their first casualties of a new major offensive in Taliban-controlled parts of southern Afghanistan. The U.S. military says one Marine was killed and several others wounded as they were taking up positions in Taliban strongholds in Helmand province. Thousands of U.S. Marines and hundreds of Afghan soldiers and police are taking part in the operation, which began with a pre-dawn air and ground assault Thursday. Military officials said troops only encountered sporadic resistance from militants, and were continuing "clearing operations" in the Helmand River valley region. The offensive marks the first major operation under U.S. President Barack Obama's revamped strategy to defeat an increasingly violent Taliban insurgency. Thursday's operation caused concern in neighboring Pakistan. T...