Week of April 28, 2009
The swine flu epidemic crossed new borders Tuesday with the first cases
confirmed in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region, as world health officials
said they suspect American patients may have transmitted the virus to others in
the U.S.Most people confirmed with the new swine flu were infected in Mexico,
where the number of deaths blamed on the virus has surpassed 150.
President Obama
has an
approval rating of 68 percent, a
higher figure than his
predecessor had at his 100-day
mark in office, a poll found.
The New York Times/CBS
News poll also showed that
two- thirds of Americans say
race relations in the country are
generally good, with the
percentage of black
respondents who say so
doubling since last July. Half of
black Americans still believe that white people have more opportunity to get
ahead in society, according to the survey.
After officials confirmed the death of a 23-month-old child in Texas from the new
strain of swine flu on Wednesday, President Obama said schools should
consider closing if the spread worsens. The toddler is the first fatality from the
condition reported outside Mexico.
A top Taliban commander warned Wednesday that militants would unleash a
wave of ambushes, roadside bombs and suicide attacks in a new spring
offensive. In a possible foreshadowing of coming violence, coalition and Afghan
troops killed 42 militants in three operations, officials said. Mullah Berader, a top
deputy to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, said the Taliban plan to launch a new
offensive Thursday against international and Afghan troops, government officials
and "whoever is supporting invaders in our country."
The number of newly laid-off workers signing up for unemployment benefits
dropped unexpectedly last week, but the number of people continuing to draw
jobless aid rose to nearly 6.3 million, setting a record high for the 13th straight
week.
Week of April 28, 2009
Two Obama administration officials say Chrysler will file for bankruptcy protection
after talks broke down with a small group of the company's creditors.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the filing plan has not
been formally announced. The government had long hoped to stave off
bankruptcy for Chrysler, but negotiations with hedge funds that hold its
outstanding debt crumbled overnight.
Dancing With the Stars"
produced one of its most
drama-filled episodes on
Monday night, and at the end of
it all
Lil Kim
proved she and
professional partner,
Derek
Hough
, are big contenders for
the mirrorball trophy. The pint-
sized hip-hop star topped the
leaderboard after a dramatic
paso doble with Derek and
great team work in the first
group dance of the season. The
pair was awarded 28 out of 30
points for the dance, the highest
individual score of the evening.
Singer Britney Spears has
extended her "Circus" concert
tour to include a dozen European shows taking her from London to Russia, the
pop star's representatives said on her Web site on Wednesday. Spears kicks off
the European leg of her tour with a June 19 show in Dublin, Ireland, with later
stops in France, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Poland and a final
European stop July 26 in Berlin. She began her "Circus" tour March 3 in her
home state of Louisiana, and the tour features 39 North American dates.
Mutual of Omaha, which TV fans might remember from their sponsorship of
Wild
Kingdom
oh so many years ago, is suing Oprah Winfrey because she is using
the "A-ha moment" phase. Or maybe it's just "Aha." Anyway, the company says
that it has been using the "Aha Moment" phrase since February and they want
Oprah to stop using it too. To be honest, I wasn't aware that Mutual of Omaha
was using it at all, and I only have a vague recollection that Oprah Winfrey was
using it. Hasn't she been using it for a lot longer than the past couple of months?
Time Magazine has released its list of "The Most Influential People In The
World," and among the 100 making the cut are more obvious choices like
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and the surprising like
Week of April 28, 2009
indie hip-hop star, M.I.A. Bono, Oprah Winfrey , Tiger Woods, Bratt Pitt, George
Clooney, Jay Leno and Zac Efron also made the list, which was unveiled earlier
this week. As for why Clooney was worthy of such a place, Bono said:
"What he brings to the discussion on Darfur is not just star power," the U2 rocker
told the mag. "It's the power of conviction, and a growing impatience, and an
undiminished sense that what's still - still! - happening in Darfur is an affront to
what we say we believe. Our response, as yet, is unworthy of us."
American Idol" had its most shocking results show of the season on Wednesday
night when frontrunner Adam Lambert and teen-favorite Kris Allen ended up in
the bottom three alongside Matt Giraud. Matt was eventually sent on his way, but
not before the show's panel of judges expressed total shock over Adam's
appearance in the bottom three, and later, his reduction to the bottom two.
Weatherman
Al Roker
will be getting his
own show on The Weather Channel.
Wake
Up With Al
will air at 6 a.m. on weekday
mornings and will be co-hosted by
Stephanie Abrams. Al will be also
continuing his duties on
The Today Show
.
NBC renews “Celebrity Apprentice” for
another years. Look for Donald and all the
fun - again!
Hip TV Wednesday night (TVS)
At 8, the major networks (except FOX) and
news outlets have the
Presidential News
Conference
.
FOX has a new
Lie to Me
at 8, followed by
a new
American Idol
.
The CW has a new
America's Next Top
Model
at 8.
Discovery has a new
Time Warp
at 8, followed by new episodes of
Mythbusters
and
Pitchmen
.
TNT has the
Heat/Hawks
game at 8, then the
Nuggets/Hornets
game.
At 9, ABC has a new
Lost
, then a new episode of
The Unusuals
.
CBS has a new
Criminal Minds
at 9, followed by a new
CSI: NY
.
Sci-Fi has a new
Ghost Hunters
at 9.
At 10, NBC has a new
Law and Order
.
TBS has two new episodes of
Tyler Perry's House of Payne
at 10.
There's a new episode of
The Cougar
on TV Land at 10.
Also at 10: Food Network has a new
Dinner: Impossible
.
Week of April 28, 2009
At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new
Reno 911!
Christina Applegate
graces the cover of
People magazine's "Most Beautiful" issue.
The 37-year-old actress, who recently
battled breast cancer, certainly has much
to celebrate: She says she's finally found
her "perfect type" in her new beau, Dutch
musician Martyn Lenoble (Mar-TAN Luh-
NOBLE). Applegate had a double
mastectomy last July and reconstructive
surgery months later. The star of ABC's
"Samantha Who?" calls Lenoble an "angel"
who loves her "from head to toe."
According to Applegate, Lenoble has been
her "rock" and gave her reason to live and
smile. The annual "Most Beautiful" issue
features 100 famous faces, including
Michelle Obama, Zac Efron and Cindy
Crawford, posing without makeup.
The "HANNAH MONTANA Movie Soundtrack," featuring songs by TAYLOR
SWIFT, RASCAL FLATTS and BILLY RAY and MILEY CYRUS, was the #1
selling album in Country music this week.
SOUNDSCAN reports that the album sold 104,264 copies in its first week of
release.
SHOW DOG star
TOBY KEITH
has announced
plans to open a new "I LOVE THIS BAR &
GRILL" restaurant/entertainment center at the
GREAT LAKES CROSSING in AUBURN HILLS,
MI. This will be his sixth "I LOVE THIS BAR &
GRILL" restaurant nationwide, with others located
in OKLAHOMA CITY, LAS VEGAS, KANSAS
CITY, MESA, AZ and CATOOSA, OK.
