Judge rejects release of info on Bin Laden by movie makers

WASHINGTON  (AFP) - A US judge has refused to allow the public release of information divulged by the CIA to the producers of the film "Zero Dark Thirty," a judicial source told AFP on Wednesday.

The Hollywood movie about the hunt for 9/11 mastermind terrorist Obama bin Laden relied on information disclosed to its director Katherine Bigelow and the movie's screenwriter Mark Boal by the US Central Intelligence Agency.

The names of key figures involved in the planning of the top secret mission were sought by the non-governmental group Judicial Watch, which had argued in a court filing that since they had been revealed by US intelligence, they no longer could be classified as secret.

[caption id="attachment_154056" align="alignleft" width="280"] Bin Laden[/caption]

Judicial Watch in its suit in US District Court criticized the Barack Obama administration, which it said "gave the Hollywood filmmakers unusual access to classified intelligence information, including the names of CIA operatives involved in the Bin Laden raid."

US District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras, however, dismissed the petition in an August 28 ruling which found that names of four CIA officials and a member of the Navy Seal team involved in planning the raid were not included in the movie, and therefore could remain secret.

"In short, Judicial Watch does not know -- and outside of this suit, apparently has no way of learning -- the names of these individuals," Contreras said in his ruling.

"That fact is strong evidence that those names are not in the public domain."

The US Justice Department had argued that making the names public would create an "unnecessary security and counterintelligence risk."

Contreras issued his decision as defendants accused in the September 11, 2001 attacks await a military ruling in a similar request, expected in a hearing later this month at the Guantanamo Bay military base.

James Connell, an attorney for one of the defendants -- Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, also known as Ammar al-Baluchi -- is seeking to learn as much as the Hollywood directors got in preparation of the movie.

"The ruling that the CIA is able to hide information from the public about Zero Dark Thirty does not mean that the prosecution can hide the same information from Mr al-Baluchi's lawyers," said Connell, whose Pakistani client is identified in the movie as the prisoner subjected to torture in a secret CIA prison.

Al-Baluchi's uncle, alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, also is to be tried at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The other defendants are Mustapha al-Hawsawi of Saudi Arabia and Yemenis Ramzi Binalshibh and Walid bin Attash.

The five face the death penalty if convicted for their roles in the 2001 attacks by Al-Qaeda militants in which hijacked planes were used to strike New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing 2,976 people.

The defendants have been held at the US "war on terror" detention center since 2006.

Documentary on electricity out

By Dotun Ibiwoye
A documentary film titled: ‘Electricity Power Situation in Nigeria:The true story’, which is first of its kind, has been produced by Project Light Up Nigeria.

National Co-ordinator of the project, Mr. Frank Aja Ukpabi, disclosed this in a statement made available to HVP. He explained  that the objective of producing the documentary was to recognise and encourage those contributing towards steady electricity power supply in the country.

[caption id="attachment_342547" align="alignnone" width="412"] File photo:
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (2nd left) with other state officials during the switching on of the Festival of Lights, last Thursday night, in Lagos.[/caption]

Ukpabi said the documentary will serve as a wake-up call for those lagging behind in executing electricity power projects in the public and private sectors, while functioning as an informative tool for Nigerians at home,in the Diaspora and international community.

According to him: “The film analyses Nigeria’s electricity power situation with different views from different people and celebrates those contributing towards a Nigeria of steady electricity power supply.

“Nigeria's 1st Light up Awards 2012 in view of the timeline within which the electricity power projects that won them various awards at the LIGHT UP AWARDS 2012 were executed and in consideration of other factors too.

Ukpabi affirmed that Project Light Up Nigeria will keep watching Nigeria's power sector as a civil ombudsman by availing Nigerians at home and in the diaspora the platform to appraise the electricity power performance of elected public officials and private sector players.

He further stated that the documentary named some people Heroes of Nigeria's 1st Light up Awards 2012 in view of the timeline within which the electricity power projects that won them various awards at the LIGHT UP AWARDS 2012 were executed and in consideration of other factors too.

“This 45 minutes documentary film analysed Nigeria's electricity power situation with different views

from different people and celebrates those contributing towards a Nigeria of steady electricity power supply and well lit up streets at night as confirmed by the results of Nigeria's 1st Light Up awards organised by the group late last year.

“The documentary which will soon be on foreign and local television stations, various social media networks, and on the group's website is in consonance with the sole objective of the group which is to

recognise, appreciate and encourage those contributing to a Nigeria of steady electricity power supply and well lit up streets at night based on the age long proven norm that encouragement leads to more achievement,” he said

 

 

 

Toronto Film Festival to focus on WikiLeaks, Mandela & slavery

OTTAWA (AFP) - The Toronto International Film Festival, which opens in September, will showcase movies about the origins of WikiLeaks, the rise of Nelson Mandela, and slavery in America, organizers announced Tuesday.

North America's largest film festival opens in six weeks, with fiction taking a backseat to movies about actual events.

Bill Condon's "The Fifth Estate," starring Benedict Cumberbatch as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will kick off the 38th edition of the festival.

"This dramatic thriller based on real events reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century's most fiercely debated organization," a statement said.

The film chronicles the beginnings of WikiLeaks and asks "the defining question of modern time: what are the costs of keeping secrets in a free society - and what are the costs of exposing them?"

The film also stars David Thewlis, Stanley Tucci, Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie and Dan Stevens.

"It's a film about what we believe is one of the most important issues of the day: information and who controls it," festival artistic director Cameron Bailey told a press conference.

The film festival, which gets underway on September 5 and runs through September 15, showcases hundreds of feature and short films.

It is the biggest film festival in North America and has traditionally been a key event for Oscar-conscious studios and distributors.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of its MidnightMadness scary movies series, and organizers will be celebrating "shock, horror and madness" with a free screening of the slasher "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane."

Bailey also announced screenings for some 40 films by directors from South Africa, France, Canada, South Korea, Australia, Germany, the United States and Britain that he said "capture the mood of the times."

These include Justin Chadwick's "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," based on the former South African president's autobiography chronicling his early life, coming of age, education, and 27 years in prison before working to rebuild his country's once-segregated society.

The film stars Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela, and Naomie Harris as his wife Winnie Mandela.

Jonathan Teplitzky meanwhile retells the epic true story of British Army officer Eric Lomax's confronting of a Japanese interpreter he holds responsible for his torture in a Japanese labor camp during World War II, in "The Railway Man."

It stars Academy Award winners Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman.

Director Steve McQueen's "12 Years A Slave," with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti and Brad Pitt, looks back at the struggles of a free black man from upstate New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841.

Meanwhile, Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep team up for John Wells' American Midwestern family drama "August: Osage County."

The movie, hailed by the festival as "dark, hilarious and deeply touching," is based on Tracy Letts's Pulitzer Prize-winning 2007 play of the same name.

Update: Kenneth Okolie, Ejiro Okurame exit Sexiest in Nollywood

Now, it looks like the real contenders are separating themselves from the pretenders. Last week, we saw Damilola Adegbite and Bobby Obodo exiting the quest to join Nuella Njubigbo, Uche Iwuji, Michael Okon and Gideon Okeke who were the first set of contenders to leave the quest after failing to meet the bill.



Maybe it is not so surprising that Ejiro Okurame and Kenneth Okolie are bowing out this week because of their poor run for a while  Kenneth Okolie particularly ought to have been ousted long before now but his cumulative votes kept him hanging on until this week when his luck completely ran out. Ejiro, on the other hand, had it coming for her week in, week out, in trickles but not good enough to keep her in this week.

The number of people who have exited the quest is now four men and four women, leaving 21 apiece of the original 25 that were nominated for this year's edition of Sexiest in Nollywood.

For better understanding of progress in the quest, the contenders were quartered in two divisions; the safe zone and the drop zone. The people in the safe zone consist of people who are having healthy run in the quest while the drop zone is the red alert zone, comprising people having shaky run with huge possibility of dropping from the quest.

Now the 10 people sitting in the drop zone are the eight survivors from previous week. They are Angela Okorie, Chita Agwu, Queen Nwokoye and Tope Osoba, for the female category; and Chigozie Atuanya, Kalu Ikeagwu, Emeka Enyiocha and O.C. Ukeje, for the male category. Now completing the number are Biodun Okeowo and Gbenro Ajibade.

However, it is important to note that whether you are on the drop zone or on the safe zone, the eviction hammer could go any way depending on the outcome of the week's voting and previous accumulation of votes. Keep voting.

How to vote
Simply text the name of your choice:
Sexiest Man and Woman to 08052201215
You may vote as many times as you want.
Voting shall be published every Saturday in Saturday Vanguard

BBA 8: Five housemates up for eviction

Lagos -With a looming merge and the impending introduction of the fake Emerald housemates, it’s set to be a dazzling week on Big Brother: The Chase! The housemates are unaware of the drama that’s set to unfold on Friday – but they’re doing a good job of creating their own after a tough day of nominations.

With the nominations in and the Heads of House having both influenced proceedings, Angelo, Annabel, Bassey, Dillish and Pokello are the housemates in the eviction firing line this week.

While it was the end of the road for serial nominee Natasha and Selly as they were evicted from Big Brother: The Chase during Sunday night’s live eviction show. Natasha failed to survive yet another week in the nomination firing line, while Selly found herself heading home after being swapped with Elikem in Oneal’s ‘save & replace’ decision last Monday.

IK delivered a stunning double blow after receiving the verified voting results from the SizweNtsalubaGobodo auditor, calling out Selly and Natasha from the Diamond house in quick succession.

After joining IK on stage, Natasha told the continent how much she’d enjoyed running  ‘The Natasha Show’, during which she had interviewed her fellow housemates. Selly said that she hadn’t struggled with being constantly switched between the Diamond and Ruby houses, as she loves being around people. She told viewers that life in the house is different to the way it seems on TV, while Natasha revealed that her favourite moment from The Chase had been receiving her letter from home this weekend.

IK revealed that the Diamond and Ruby houses will merge this Friday, with six fake Emerald housemates joining The Chase during the Airtel Arena Showdown and staying on for a few days to spice up the game even more.

They are not competing for the USD 300 000 prize and viewers will not be voting for them. Their only objective is to confuse the other housemates and convince them that the Emerald house is real. IK introduced them to the continent during the show – they are: Sophie (Uganda); JJ (Zimbabwe); Jazz (Kenya); Busi (South Africa); Eveva (Zambia) and Alusa (Kenya).

Last week’s evictees, Fatima and Hakeem, seem to have been enjoying their time away from The Chase. Fatima told viewers that being in the house had been a life-changing experience for her and that she had learnt things about herself she didn’t know she had in her. Hakeem said he’d had an overwhelming response from fans and has been loving the attention so far.          He said that despite wanting to be with Cleo, there was no part of him that wanted to see her evicted any time soon.

Nigerian diva, Seyi Shay got the show off to a sizzling start with ‘Loving Your Way’ – and then closed it with a dazzling rendition of ‘Irawo’.

The Diamonds won this week’s Airtel Arena Showdown and Head of House Melvin brought Selly & Natsha across from the Ruby house, sending Feza & Cleo in the opposite direction.


In the Ruby house, Pokello and Elikem picked up the most nominations (4 and 3, respectively). Feza and Pokello nominated each other, despite calling a truce this weekend. Feza also nominated Elikem – as did her beau Oneal – so the truce appears to be a little one-sided!

Pokello and Cleo both nominated each other for the same reason – they wanted to see how strong a contender the other is. Ruby HoH Sulu elected to save his friend Elikem and put Angelo up in his place – the second time the South African has found himself on the list after being replaced by his Head of House.

The bulk of nominations in the Diamond house went to HoH Bimp and feisty Annabel. Bimp seems to be in danger simply because he can save himself – but as always, there’s a question about who will find themselves up for eviction if he does so.

Annabel has proven to be a strong contender after surviving multiple nominations – will Africa save her again this week? Dillish also picked up two nominations, from Bimp and Nando. Bimp chose not to test the continent’s resolve as Melvin did last week, opting to remove himself from harm’s way and put fellow Diamond Bassey up for eviction in his place. The Sierra Leonian has only been up for eviction once before.

There’s only one way to keep your favourite housemate in the game – by voting! Voting opened immediately after Monday night’s nomination show and closes at 06:00 CAT on Sunday morning.

There are three ways to vote to keep your favourite housemate in Big Brother: The Chase - via web, SMS or mobile site – and you can win amazing prizes in the process, like DStv HD PVR’s and DStv Walkas.

Nollywood to mark 20th anniversary, construct village

Lagos - The President, Association of Movie Producers, Zik Okafor, said that plans were on by the film industry to build a Nollywood Village.

Okafor said in Lagos on Tuesday that the gesture was to mark Nollywood’s forthcoming 20 years anniversary celebration.

``We want to set up the Nollywood house, build a magnificent edifice with the inscription `Nollywood’ on it as they have in other climes.

``So that when anybody comes to Nigeria, there is a place they can go and say this is Nollywood village and can get what they want in one place.

``We have been operating from our homes, so we should have a base where we can be located,’’ Okafor said.

According to him, we want a place that can contain television actors, different guild associations, creative designers and so many others in the same environment.

The president said the place, where the village would be sited, would be announced during the anniversary.

Okafor said a Nollywood foundation would also be set up to cater for veterans in the industry.

``We can’t keep on running to government for everything, even when the older ones are sick or any one of us; we have to do a lot by ourselves, but if help comes, no problem.

``The foundation will still be in the same village, so that coordination would be easier,” he said.

Okafor stated that with the establishment of a Nollywood Village, the film sector would be bonded, thereby making it easier for artists and stakeholders in the industry to meet and take quick decisions.

``It is about reconstructing the destiny of our industry for the youth to benefit from it, people talk about Nollywood but you can’t see it anywhere” he said.

According to him, 20 years in the life of an industry is short, but it has made giant strides within the years.

``We shot from VHS to digital cameras. Nollywood’s first home video was ``Living in Bondage” which told the African story that nobody told.

``And now, the world is celebrating us because of our story told by us, it is an achievement.’’

Okafor claimed that successive governments in Nigeria had spent billions of naira trying to launder the country’s image ``unsuccessfully”.

He expressed joy that Nollywood had been able to change the Nigerian image for the better.

``They are not talking about 419 or Nigeria oil issues, everywhere you go, it is Nollywood, in various countries we go to, they greet you; ``Igwe” or ``da alue” thank you,’’ he said.

He, however, said that there was still much to be done to move the industry forward.

The 18-day event would hold between Aug. 9 and Aug. 26, adding that it would feature seminars, workshops, lectures, carnivals, clinics and training clinics.

He stated that the association would also visit the less privileged in the society. (NAN)

Damilola Adegbite, Bobby Obodo bow out of Sexiest in Nollywood

The countdown hots up:
After another week of intense voting, Damilola Adegbite and Bobby Obodo are the latest stars to exit the quest after failing to gather enough votes to stay in the quest

The duo now complete a list of six stars: 3 men and 3 women who have dropped from the quest after Nuella Njubigbo, Uche Iwuji, Michael Okon and Gideon Okeke also failed to make the bill a week before.


The quest is now left with 22 men and 22 women from the original 25 apiece who started the race.

Interestingly, of the 10 stars put on the drop zone last week, 2 have been able to make it out to the safe zone after putting up an impressive outing last week in the polls. The duo of Alex Ekubo and Yvonne Okoro who were drawn up for eviction have not only survived twice but have shot up their lots in the quest to be counted among those looking good to go the distance.

Now, those in the drop zone are Chita Agwu, Ejiro Okurame, Angela Okorie, Queen Nwokoye and Tope Osoba, in the female category.

The male category have Emeka Enyiocha, Kalu Ikeagwu, Chigozie Atuanya, Kenneth Okolie and O.C. Ukeje sitting on the precipice of the drop zone.

However, it is important to note that whether you are on the drop zone or on the safe zone, the eviction hammer could go any way depending on the outcome of the week's voting and previous accumulation of votes. Keep voting.

How to vote
Simply text the name of your choice:
Sexiest Man and Woman to 08052201215
You may vote as many times as you want.
Voting shall be published every Saturday in Saturday Vanguard

Increased internet access prevents revenue generation - Copyright Society

Abuja -  Mr Tony Okoroji, the Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), says increase in Internet capability for live streaming and download of movies has reduced revenues earned from works of artists.

Okoroji, on Tuesday in Abuja, said that it also prevented producers from monitoring the proliferating use of their works and licencing such use.

He said that establishing a Collective Management Organisation (CMO) for the industry was therefore important in addressing the issues to achieve its sustainable growth.

He said that a CMO would give the industry stronger force to negotiate better terms and protect the interests of the stakeholders.

Okoroji said that the CMO would enable actors, producers and movie makers in the industry receive royalties for use of their works but advised that caution be taken in its establishment.

He said that cooperation and mutual understanding was necessary in establishing a CMO in order to prevent selfish interests and personal gains.

`` Collective management cannot solve all the problems of the movie industry, but it can help the industry speak more and more with one voice and create a lot more wealth for the practitioners," he said.

He emphasised the need for practitioners, guilds and associations in the industry to work together and be patient in the evolution of a model that adequately addressed the unique Nigerian situation.

Okoroji said that without a strong CMO in the industry, practitioners might not benefit from the levy scheme which was to take off in 2013.

`` One of the significant streams of income expected in the creative industries in Nigeria soon is the private copying levy.

``This was provided for in Section 40 of the Nigerian Copyright Act which implementation is expected to start in 2013,” he said. (NAN)

Sexiest in Nollywood: The countdown hots up, 2 down more to go!

It seems the going is getting tougher and tougher with people only hanging on the fringes having to be left off the moving train in the Sexiest in Nollywood.

Since the 'Quest' started a couple of months ago, several Nollywood stars have been drawn up to dry their luck with just 25 men and 25 women making it to the starting line.



Now that the race has begun, some are finding it hard to keep with the pace of others. 3 men and 3 women were drawn up for eviction last week in the hope that the week's voting could come up to salvage the continuing presence in the 'Quest'.

However, only Yvonne Okoro and Alex Ekubo made it back into the 'Quest' with the duo of Nuella Njubigbo and Uche Iwuji bowing out in the female category. Michael Okon and Gideon Okeke put up a good fight but yet failed to make it back.

While Yvonne Okoro and Alex Ekubo are back, their stand isn't looking like anything built of cast iron. Their only consolation is that there are several others standing on the precipice just as they are.

The stars on the brink include: Alex Ekubo, Bobby Obodo, Kalu Ikeagwu, Chigozie Atuanya and Emeka Enyiocha for men. The women are Yvonne Okoro, Damilola Adegbite, Ejiro Okurame, Chita Agwu and Angela Okorie.

The remaining others are looking good but not enough as one week voting can tip the balance of the scale, with those on the brink pushing in to edge out those supposedly in the comfort zones. Keep voting!

Keep voting to save any of these stars. Who goes down? Nuella, Okoro, Iwuji, Gideon, Ekubo or Okon?

How to vote
Simply text the name of your choice:
Sexiest Man and Woman to 08052201215
You may vote as many times as you want.
Voting shall be published every Saturday in Saturday Vanguard. -

Nollywood star wants peaceful co-existence

Lagos - A Nigerian Nollywood actor,

[caption id="attachment_232331" align="alignright" width="278"] Emeka Ike[/caption]

, on Saturday called for peaceful co-existence in the entertainment industry for the development of the sector.

Ike in Lagos that said  there must be a prevailing peaceful atmosphere for the industry to develop.

``For development to take place in the industry, Nigerian actors need to work together to promote the sector.

``Most of the Nollywood actors do their film production without involving professionals in the industry. Such attitude affects the qualities of film produced,'' Ike said.

He urged the Federal Government to work with the guild to identify the right people in the industry.

``The government needs to work with the Nigerian Guild of Actors to sanction the illegal practitioners in the industry," he said.

He urged actors, irrespective of their tribes and ethnicity, to work together to promote the entertainment industry.

Ike also urged the Federal Government to follow up the fund recently disbursed to film makers to ensure its proper usage.(NAN)