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New Delhi, Feb 27 (Ians) NASA and SpaceX crew-6 mission is now scheduled to blast off to the International Space Station on March 2, said the space agencies on Monday, after the mission was scrubbed due to a ground systems issue.

A few minutes before the slated liftoff on Monday, the mission teams decided to stand down following an issue with the ignition system. They looked to investigate an issue preventing data from confirming a full load of the ignition source for the Falcon 9 first stage Merlin engines, triethylaluminum triethylboron (or Tea-teb).

“I’m proud of the NASA and SpaceX teams’ focus and dedication to keeping Crew-6 safe,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, in a statement.

“Human spaceflight is an inherently risky endeavour and, as always, we will fly when we are ready.”

SpaceX has removed propellant from the Falcon 9 rocket and the astronauts have exited the Dragon spacecraft for astronaut crew quarters.

Washington, Feb 11 (Ians) After the massive earthquakes that struck southern Turkey and western Syria on February 6 and killed thousands, NASA on Saturday said it is working to share its aerial views and data from space to aid relief and recovery workers, as well as improve its ability to model and predict such events.

Scenes collected before and after the earthquake were used by a team of scientists from the Earth Observatory of Singapore and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to create something called a damage proxy map for Turkey.

These maps compare before and after radar images of a given event to see how the landscape has changed.

“NASA’s hearts and minds are with those impacted by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

“NASA is our eyes in the sky, and our teams of experts are working hard to provide valuable...

At the eighth meeting of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group (Csjwg) meeting on Monday and Tuesday, discussions also covered collaboration in earth and space science as well as global navigation satellite systems, spaceflight safety and space situational awareness, and policies for commercial space activities, the Department said.

The meeting was co-chaired by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jennifer R. Littlejohn and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Associate Administrator Karen Feldstein on the US side and by Shantanu Bhatawdekar, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Scientific Secretary on the Indian side.

A highlight of the NASA-isro cooperation is the Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) mission, planned for next year.

It is expected to systematically map earth, using two different radar frequencies to monitor resources such as water, forests and agriculture.

It will provide information about ecosystems, the earth’s surface, natural hazards, sea level rise and the cryosphere,...

Strengthening cooperation in human space flight through an exchange that includes advanced training for an Indian astronaut at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, was among the initiatives launched at the inaugural meeting of the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in Washington on Tuesday, the White House said.

National Security Advisers (Nsa) Ajit Doval of India and Jake Sullivan of the US led the iCET meeting at which space, scientific, defence and commerce officials participated.

Another initiative at the iCET meeting was to include planetary defence in the agenda of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group (Csjwg), according to the White House.

The US planetary defence programme monitors asteroids and comets to identify those that can potentially cause harm to the earth and issue warnings and develop actions to mitigate their effect.

Cooperation with the US on manned space flight would be a departure for India,...

Los Angeles, Jan 25 (Ians) NASA and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) have announced a collaboration to demonstrate a nuclear thermal rocket engine in space, the key steps for sending the first crewed missions to Mars.

NASA and Darpa will partner on the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (Draco) programme, Xinhua news agency reported.

Using a nuclear thermal rocket allows for faster transit time, reducing risk for astronauts, according to NASA.

Reducing transit time is a key component for human missions to Mars, as longer trips require more supplies and more robust systems.

“NASA will work with our long-term partner, Darpa, to develop and demonstrate advanced nuclear thermal propulsion technology as soon as 2027. With the help of this new technology, astronauts could journey to and from deep space faster than ever – a major capability to prepare for crewed missions to Mars,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

–Ians...

San Francisco, Jan 22 (Ians) NASA and SpaceX have set February 26 as the launch date for the Crew-6 mission, which will send four astronauts to the International Space Station (Iss) for a six-month stay.

The mission is NASA’s sixth crew rotation flight.

Crew-6 will send the SpaceX Dragon capsule Endeavour aloft atop a Falcon 9 rocket, which will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the US, according to a NASA blogpost.

The mission will carry NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, as well as UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

The launch will air live on NASA Television, its app, and the agency’s website, mentioned the blogpost.

In December last year, NASA launched the first-ever global satellite mission that will observe nearly all water on Earth’s surface, measuring the height of water in the planet’s lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and the ocean.

San Francisco, Jan 19 (Ians) NASA has announced that it is working on a more fuel-efficient aircraft design with aircraft industry company Boeing.

Under a Funded Space Act agreement, Boeing will work with NASA to create, test and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at lowering emissions, the space agency said in a blogpost on Wednesday.

“Over seven years, NASA will invest 425 million, while the company and its partners will contribute the remainder of the agreement funding, estimated at about 725 million.”

Moreover, as part of the agreement, the agency will also contribute technical expertise and facilities.

“It’s our goal that NASA’s partnership with Boeing to produce and test a full-scale demonstrator will help lead to future commercial airliners that are more fuel efficient, with benefits to the environment, the commercial aviation industry and to passengers worldwide,” said Bill Nelson, NASA administrator.

“If we are successful, we...

Yukihiro Takahashi, the drummer and lead vocalist for electronic music trailblazers Yellow Magic Orchestra, has died at the age of 70.

Takahashi’s office released a statement to the The Japan Times and Nhk confirming Takahashi’s death on Jan. 11, citing aspiration pneumonia as the cause. Takahashi previously revealed that he underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in 2020.

Takahashi, who was born in Tokyo, launched his career in the early Seventies, performing with his brother, Nobuyuki Takahashi, in the band Buzz and glam-rock group Sadistic Mika Band, which he joined after their original drummer departed.

Washington, Jan 14 (Ians) Earth’s average surface temperature in 2022 tied with 2015 as the fifth warmest year on record, according to an analysis by US space agency NASA, which termed the situation as “alarming”.

The global temperatures in 2022 were 1.6-degree Fahrenheit (0.89-degree Celsius) above the average for NASA’s baseline period (1951-1980), scientists from NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (Giss) in New York reported.

“This warming trend is alarming. Our warming climate is already making a mark: Forest fires are intensifying; hurricanes are getting stronger; droughts are wreaking havoc and sea levels are rising,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

The past nine years have been the warmest since modern record-keeping began in 1880.

This means that Earth in 2022 was about 2-degree Fahrenheit (or about 1.11-degree Celsius) warmer than the late 19th century average.

“NASA is deepening our commitment to do our part in addressing climate change. Our Earth System Observatory...

Washington, Jan 14 (Ians) The US space agency and Japan have signed an agreement that builds on a long history of collaboration in space exploration between the two nations.

From low-Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond, Japan is one of NASA’s most significant international partners.

“This latest framework agreement will allow us to further collaborate across our agencies’ broad portfolios in exploration, science, and research,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said late on Friday.

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa signed the agreement at the NASA headquarters here.

“The future of space is collaborative. Through this agreement, our nations have strengthened our partnership in space and here on Earth. We will go farther and learn even more together,” said Blinken.

The signing is a highlight of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Washington, his first since taking office in...

New York, Dec 29 (Ians) Indian-American Rajeev Badyal is among 30 members selected by US Vice President Kamala Harris to serve on the National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group (Uag).

Badyal presently leads Amazon’s Project Kuiper — an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites to provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

As a selected member of the Uag, Badyal will serve to enable the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to maintain a robust and responsible US space enterprise and preserve space for current and future generations, according to a White House statement.

The Uag will provide the National Space Council advice and recommendations on matters related to space policy and strategy, including but not limited to, government policies, laws, regulations, treaties, international instruments, programmes, and practices across the civil, commercial, international, and national security space sectors, the statement further read.

The candidates selected by Harris,...

Washington, Dec 17 (Ians) NASA has launched the first-ever global satellite mission that will observe nearly all water on Earth’s surface, measuring the height of water in the planet’s lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and the ocean.

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (Swot) spacecraft atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday.

“Warming seas, extreme weather, more severe wildfires — these are only some of the consequences humanity is facing due to climate change,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

“The climate crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and Swot is the realisation of a long-standing international partnership that will ultimately better equip communities so that they can face these challenges,” Nelson added.

The satellite was built by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d’Atudes Spatiales (Cnes). The Swot spacecraft also has contributions from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the UK Space Agency.

Washington, Dec 6 (Ians) After a historic flyby just 128 km from the surface of the Moon, NASA’s Orion spacecraft is on course for its return to Earth on December 11.

The spacecraft made its second and final close approach to the Moon, just before its return powered flyby burn, passing about 128 kms above the lunar surface on Monday.

“Orion is heading home! Today the team achieved another momentous accomplishment, flying Orion just 128 kms from the surface of the Moon. The lunar flyby enabled the spacecraft to harness the Moon’s gravity and slingshot it back toward Earth for splashdown,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

“When Orion re-enters Earth’s atmosphere in just a few days, it will come back hotter and faster than ever before — the ultimate test before we put astronauts on board. Next up, re-entry,” he added.

As soon as Orion splashes down, a team of divers, engineers, and...

Washington, Nov 29 (Ians) NASA’s uncrewed Orion spacecraft has surpassed the record set in 1970 by the crew on Apollo 13’s aborted mission to land on the Moon.

NASA’s uncrewed Orion spacecraft reached the farthest distance from Earth during the Artemis I mission — 268,563 miles from our home planet.

The earlier record was set during the Apollo 13 mission at 248,655 miles from Earth.

“The spacecraft also captured imagery of Earth and the Moon together throughout the day, including of the Moon appearing to eclipse Earth,” NASA said in a statement late on Monday.

The US space agency said that the spacecraft remains in healthy condition as it continues its journey in distant retrograde orbit, an approximately six-day leg of its larger mission thousands of miles beyond the Moon.

“Because of the unbelievable can-do spirit, Artemis I has had extraordinary success and has completed a series of history making events,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

Washington, Nov 16 (Ians) NASA has awarded a contract modification to Elon Musk-run SpaceX to further develop its Starship human landing system to meet agency requirements for long-term human exploration of the Moon under Artemis.

With this addition, SpaceX will provide a second crewed landing demonstration mission in 2027 as part of NASA’s Artemis IV mission.

The award is a modification to an existing Human Landing System (Hls) contract between the US space agency and SpaceX.

The original contract was awarded for 2.9 billion. The contract modification has a value of about 1.15 billion.

“With multiple planned landers, from SpaceX and future partners, NASA will be better positioned to accomplish the missions of tomorrow: conducting more science on the surface of the Moon than ever before and preparing for crewed missions to Mars,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

The aim of this new work under Option B is to develop and demonstrate...

Washington, Nov 12 (Ians) A TV documentary crew seeking the wreckage of a World War II-era aircraft has discovered an artefact from the destroyed space shuttle Challenger that killed seven astronauts aboard, including a school teacher, in 1986.

Divers noticed a large ‘human made’ object covered partially by sand on the seafloor.

The proximity to the Florida Space Coast in the US, along with the item’s modern construction and presence of 8-inch square tiles, led the documentary team to contact NASA, which confirmed the finding.

“While it has been nearly 37 years since seven daring and brave explorers lost their lives aboard Challenger, this tragedy will forever be seared in the collective memory of our country. For millions around the globe, myself included, January 28, 1986, still feels like yesterday,a said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

“This discovery gives us an opportunity to pause once again, to uplift the legacies of the seven pioneers we lost,...

Divers for a History Channel documentary on World War II-era ocean wrecks have instead found a large, long-missing piece of the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded and fell into the Atlantic Ocean 73 seconds after liftoff at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 28, 1986.

NASA confirmed the authenticity of the find today after viewing footage of the dive.

“While it has been nearly 37 years since seven daring and brave explorers lost their lives aboard Challenger, this tragedy will forever be seared in the collective memory of our country,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement. “For millions around the globe, myself included, Jan. 28, 1986, still feels like yesterday.

“This discovery,” he continued, “gives us an opportunity to pause once again, to uplift the legacies of the seven pioneers we lost, and to reflect on how this tragedy changed us. At NASA, the core value of safety is – and must forever remain – our top priority,...

Washington, Oct 15 (Ians) NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, early on Saturday, completing the agency’s fourth commercial crew mission to the International Space Station.

The international crew of four NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and Esa (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti spent 170 days in orbit.

Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and astronauts.

After returning to shore, all astronauts will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Cristoforetti then will board a plane to Europe.

“Welcome home Crew-4! This international crew has spent nearly six months on the International Space Station conducting science for the benefit of all. Their work aboard the orbiting laboratory will help prepare future explorers for future space missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

The Crew-4 mission was launched on April...

Washington, Oct 15 (Ians) NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, early on Saturday, completing the agency’s fourth commercial crew mission to the International Space Station.

The international crew of four NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and Esa (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti spent 170 days in orbit.

Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and astronauts.

After returning to shore, all astronauts will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Cristoforetti then will board a plane to Europe.

“Welcome home Crew-4! This international crew has spent nearly six months on the International Space Station conducting science for the benefit of all. Their work aboard the orbiting laboratory will help prepare future explorers for future space missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

The Crew-4 mission was launched on April...

Washington, Oct 15 (Ians) NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, early on Saturday, completing the agency’s fourth commercial crew mission to the International Space Station.

The international crew of four NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and Esa (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti spent 170 days in orbit.

Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and astronauts.

After returning to shore, all astronauts will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Cristoforetti then will board a plane to Europe.

“Welcome home Crew-4! This international crew has spent nearly six months on the International Space Station conducting science for the benefit of all. Their work aboard the orbiting laboratory will help prepare future explorers for future space missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

The Crew-4 mission was launched on April...

Washington, Oct 15 (Ians) NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, early on Saturday, completing the agency’s fourth commercial crew mission to the International Space Station.

The international crew of four NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and Esa (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti spent 170 days in orbit.

Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and astronauts.

After returning to shore, all astronauts will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Cristoforetti then will board a plane to Europe.

“Welcome home Crew-4! This international crew has spent nearly six months on the International Space Station conducting science for the benefit of all. Their work aboard the orbiting laboratory will help prepare future explorers for future space missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

The Crew-4 mission was launched on April...

Washington, Oct 15 (Ians) NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, early on Saturday, completing the agency’s fourth commercial crew mission to the International Space Station.

The international crew of four NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins and Esa (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti spent 170 days in orbit.

Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and astronauts.

After returning to shore, all astronauts will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Cristoforetti then will board a plane to Europe.

“Welcome home Crew-4! This international crew has spent nearly six months on the International Space Station conducting science for the benefit of all. Their work aboard the orbiting laboratory will help prepare future explorers for future space missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

The Crew-4 mission was launched on April...

Washington, Oct 12 (Ians) The US space agency has confirmed that when its spacecraft smashed into an asteroid last month, it altered its orbit by 32 minutes, calling it a “watershed moment” for planetary defense.

This marks humanity’s first time purposely changing the motion of a celestial object and the first full-scale demonstration of asteroid deflection technology.

After 10 months of flying in space, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (Dart) — the world’s first planetary defence technology demonstration — successfully impacted its asteroid target called Dimorphos last month, the agency’s first attempt to move an asteroid in space.

“This mission shows that NASA is trying to be ready for whatever the universe throws at us. NASA has proven we are serious as a defender of the planet,” said agency Administrator Bill Nelson.

“This is a watershed moment for planetary defense and all of humanity, demonstrating commitment from NASA’s exceptional team...

NASA’s straight-out-of-a-sci-fi-flick mission to alter the trajectory of an asteroid by smashing a rocket into it really did work.

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, NASA shared some data from its recent Double Asteroid Redirection Test (Dart), showing that the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos was successfully altered after a spacecraft purposely crashed into it a couple of weeks ago. The agency noted that this was not only the first successful test of asteroid deflection technology but the first time in history that humans had successfully altered the motion of a celestial object.

Washington, Oct 6 (Ians) A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Dragon spacecraft was on its way to the International Space Station (Iss) with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard.

They will spend up to six months aboard the Iss. Wakata is the sole spaceflight veteran among the astronauts, having spent more than 11 months in space.

“Missions like Crew-5 are proof we are living through a golden era of commercial space exploration. It’s a new era powered by the spirit of partnership, fueled by scientific ingenuity, and inspired by the quest for new discoveries,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

During their stay, Crew-5 will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations, including studies on printing human organs in space and better understanding heart disease.

“While our eyes are focused upward on the heavens, let us never...

New York, Sep 27 (Ians) After 10 months of flying in space, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (Dart) — the world’s first planetary defence technology demonstration — successfully impacted its asteroid target, the agency’s first attempt to move an asteroid in space.

Mission control at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (Apl) in Laurel, Maryland, announced the successful impact at 7.14 p.m. Edt on Monday.

“At its core, Dart represents an unprecedented success for planetary defence, but it is also a mission of unity with a real benefit for all humanity,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, said in a statement.

“As NASA studies the cosmos and our home planet, we are also working to protect that home, and this international collaboration turned science fiction into science fact, demonstrating one way to protect Earth,” Nelson added.

As a part of NASA’s overall planetary defence strategy, Dart’s impact with the asteroid Dimorphos...

Washington, Sep 10 (Ians) Space remains a place of undiscovered and unrealised opportunity and it is our responsibility to work together to guide humanity forward into this new frontier and to realise the incredible potential of space for all people, US Vice President Kamala Harris said at a NASA event.

She was speaking at the National Space Council meeting held at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Friday.

“Space can and must be protected for the benefit of all people. There is so much we still don’t know and so much we still haven’t done,” said Harris.

The Vice President also underscored the important research conducted on the International Space Station that will enable long duration stays on the Moon and future human missions to Mars, in addition to benefits to life here on Earth.

For more than 50 years, NASA satellites have provided open-source and publicly available data on Earth’s land,...

Celestis, Inc., a memorial space flights company, announced Thursday that it will send some of Nichelle Nichols’ ashes to space — a fitting resting place among the stars for the iconic and history-making “Star Trek” actress.

The tribute will involve “launching a symbolic portion of her cremated remains and a DNA sample into deep space” onboard the company’s upcoming historic Enterprise Flight, according to a release.

Nichols, who played Lieutenant Uhura on “Star Trek,” died in July at the age of 89. She was the first Black woman in a leading role in a network television series to portray a character that was not shackled by the stereotypes of Hollywood’s past, breaking barriers for Black women in Hollywood for the years, indeed centuries, to come.

Also Read:

Nichelle Nichols, Lt. Uhura on ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 89

“We are truly honored to add a legendary actress, activist, and educator to the Enterprise Flight manifest,...

Washington, July 3 (Ians) China might be contemplating a “takeover” of the Moon as part of its military space program, NASA’s administrator Bill Nelson has told newspaper Bild. In an interview, Nelson claimed that the United States is now involved in a new race to space, with China this time. He emphasized that in 2035, […]...

On the first day of October, YouTube introduced several changes to its YouTube Kids app, which it had initially launched in February 2015. Among other new features, YouTube announced its plan to instruct parents, as soon as they turn on the app, about the process for flagging inappropriate videos.

At the time, we hailed this as a positive change for YouTube Kids, but a Senator who previously questioned the app believes more needs to be done. Bill Nelson (D-fl) recently took the Senate floor to discuss YouTube Kids, and he called YouTube’s recent updates “steps in the right direction, but it’s not enough.”

Nelson and the children’s advocacy groups allied with him are primarily concerned with two issues related to YouTube Kids. One is the availability of branded videos on the app, which the advocacy groups believe are “deceptive and unfair.” YouTube’s new update didn’t address this point specifically,...

In four months, the YouTube Kids app has already been installed millions of times from the App Store and Google Play. At the same time, though, the family-friendly app has drawn criticism from children’s advocacy groups, which have lodged two major complaints against it: First, in April, they wrote to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about branded content on the app, which they believe is “deceptive and unfair” for young viewers. Then, in May, a second letter cited inappropriate content the groups claim to have found on the app.

The FTC has received these complaints, and now, one of the Senators in charge of the government agency is taking action. Bill Nelson (D-fl), who serves on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (which has jurisdiction over the FTC), has sent a letter to Google CEO Larry Page inquiring about the ways YouTube gathers and screens videos for its kids’ app.

The 20th Bradford International Film Festival reveals full programme including seven world premieres.

The 20th Bradford International Film Festival (March 27-April 6) will screen 127 films, including seven world premieres and 25 UK premieres.

The opening night film will be India’s The Lunchbox directed by Ritesh Batra produced by and also starring Irrfan Khan.

Steven Knight’s Locke starring Tom Hardy will close the festival.

Other films include a world premiere of Velorama from the UK director Daisy Asquith. She will introduce her new documentary along with musician Bill Nelson. This feature was created from BFI archive material to celebrate a century of the bicycle as part of the Sheffield Doc/Fest Tour De Cinema in Yorkshire Festival.

The other world premieres include:

Bnsf, James Benning (Us) Banya (short) (Russia)Lada (short) (Russia)The Kiss, Charlie Swinbourne (UK)Secrets of Nature (new score by Metamono)Hells Hinges (new score by The Dodge Brothers)

Other selections include John Curran’s [link...

The 20th Bradford International Film Festival reveals full programme including 7 world premieres.

The 20th Bradford International Film Festival (March 27-April 6) will screen 127 films, including 7 world premieres and 25 UK premieres.

The opening night film will be India’s The Lunchbox directed by Ritesh Batra produced by and also starring Irrfan Khan.

Steven Knight’s Locke starring Tom Hardy will close the festival.

Other films include a world premiere of Velorama [pictured] from the UK director Daisy Asquith. She will introduce her new documentary along with musician Bill Nelson. This feature was created from BFI archive material to celebrate a century of the bicycle as part of the Sheffield Doc/Fest Tour De Cinema in Yorkshire Festival.

Other selections include John Curran’s Tracks, Hong Khaou’s Lilting, Conrad Clark’s A Fallible Girl, Leanne Pooley’s Beyond the Edge, and Spanish director Pablo Llorca’s film A Bouquet of Cactus, which is in competition in the Unesco City of...

Failure is inevitable. Success is elusive.

Steven Spielberg

As HBO’s CEO, Michael Fuchs, who’d come up through the company’s programming side, had spent 11 years working to transform the service from a movie channel with some pleasant original filler into a true programming platform. Ironically, Fuchs’ vision wouldn’t come to full fruit until after he’d left the company in May 1995, and it would happen under a guy who had no programming experience at all: Jeff Bewkes, who took over the CEO’s slot after Fuchs’ departure.

A friend of mine in the company who’d worked with Bewkes once explained his programming philosophy while we were talking about some of the company’s big dollar extravaganzas, like Band of Brothers. Bewkes didn’t interfere with the creative side. “If you can make it make business sense to him, Jeff’ll say, ‘Go ahead.’ If you can...

After 27 years with the company, HBO's Chief Operating Officer Eric Kessler is out. "After careful consideration we have decided that the COO position does not best serve the most effective management process at HBO," CEO Richard Plepler wrote an internal memo announcing the news Friday. He added: "His accomplishments have helped shape the company throughout its modern history." The move will leave Plepler, who was upped to CEO following Bill Nelson's departure a year earlier, as the sole top executive at the network. All of the execs who previously reported to Kessler will now do so to

read more...

Updated: HBO‘s president and COO Eric Kessler is leaving the company after 27 years. HBO CEO Richard Plepler just made the announcement in a company memo (read it below), highlighting Kessler’s accomplishments that include launching the network’s signature “It’s Not TV. It’s HBO” marketing campaign. The COO position will not be filled as part of executive streamlining. For the time being, Kessler’s reports Rob Roth, Otto Berkes, Shelley Brindle, Pam Levine and Simon Sutton will report to Plepler, with Kessler staying on to help with the transition. The departure leaves Plepler as the sole executive atop HBO with Michael Lombardo as his top lieutenant, capping a six-year transitional period after the 2007 departure of chairman/CEO Chris Albrecht. The initial HBO management structure featured a quintet of top executives: Bill Nelson succeeding Albrecht as HBO chairman/CEO, with Harold Akselrad, Kessler and Plepler as co-presidents, and Lombardo as West Coast president.

Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) unpopularity in his home state might leave him susceptible to a 2014 challenge, including a potential Senate bid by actress Ashley Judd, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling.

Although Kentucky remains deeply Republican, McConnell's low approval ratings -- the worst of any senator nationally, according to Ppp -- could make him vulnerable. Just 37 percent of Kentucky voters approve of his performance, while 55 percent disapprove.

McConnell, who eked out a slim victory in 2008, has already begun preparing to fight for reelection. He hired former Ron Paul strategist Jesse Benton to run a "presidential-level campaign in Kentucky," McConnell said in a statement in September.

While some speculated the move was meant to ward off potential Tea Party rivals, Ppp found that half of Gop voters would like to see McConnell as their party's nominee, while just 35 percent would favor someone more conservative.

In celebration of the October 2nd Blu-ray release of the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, veteran horror historian Scott Essman has prepared a truly monstrous trip back through time for you classic horror fans!

It’s a quiet dusty morning in the summer of 1916 and all but a small eastern region of the San Fernando Valley is largely undeveloped, to say nothing of unpopulated. For the past year, inside of an unassuming front gate just over the hill from Los Angeles proper, two men are trying to forge their path in the fledgling motion picture business: Lon Chaney and Jack Pierce. Nascent actors Chaney, 33, and Pierce, 27, were completely unknown, but each had an angle; they could both work magic out of a simple makeup case, fully transforming their faces and even parts of their bodies to put themselves into a better position to be cast in a role.

"Government programs," Ronald Regan once said, "once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!"

Amiright?! That Reagan guy was a riot. Now, somebody go dig him up and introduce him to the Bush tax cuts, which, as we approach election day, are appearing as close to eternal life as government bureaucracy.

The cuts were supposed to expire in 2010, but Obama leveraged them for a slew of legislative victories, including the end to Dadt. Liberals were pissed, until they realized this move was actually prescient long-ball political strategy: Obama kicked the expiration of the Bush tax cuts into an election year, under the idea that the Gop would be forced to defend tax breaks for millionaires while also trying to run for their jobs in the aftermath of a recession. Dance, suckers.

Welp, here we are, election year...

MTV News takes a closer look at legislation passed last year in the state that has voter-registration groups up in arms.

By Gil Kaufman

Mitt Romney campaigns in Dunedin, Florida on Monday

Photo: Emmanuel Dunand/ Afp/ Getty Images

Tampa, Florida — It's a teenage rite of passage up there with learning to drive and attending prom: your first time voting. But according to some longtime voter-registration organizations, that right could be threatened this year in a number of states due to new laws that make signing up new voters more difficult.

The issue has come into sharp relief this week in Florida, which holds its presidential primary Tuesday. A bill passed last year in the state includes a number of new rules for how civic organizations can register new voters, as well as ones that reduce the number of early voting days from 14 to eight and prohibit early voting on the Sunday before an election.

We just received word that The Man of a Thousand Faces: The Art of Bill Nelson has hit print and is only available at Creature Features. Here's the lowdown for you lovers of classic horror out there:

In 1970, internationally renowned artist Nelson created "The Lon Chaney Portfolio," an exquisitely rendered series of black and white illustrations devoted to Hollywood’s beloved “Man of a Thousand Faces.” The collection showcased portraits from many of Chaney’s most memorable films, including The Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, London After Midnight, The Penalty and Laugh, Clown, Laugh.

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As the retirements of Jon Kyl and Jim Webb make plain, the era of Senator-for-Life Strom Thurmond is over. David A. Graham reports on what's pushing senators out early-and more possible retirees, from John Ensign to Ben Nelson.

When Arizona Republican Jon Kyl announced that he wouldn't run for a fourth term in the Senate, it wasn't exactly a surprise-he'd been rumored to be considering the move for months. But in the past, the very idea that a senator in his position wouldn't run would have been shocking. Kyl's the second-ranking Republican in a body the Gop has a good chance to recapture in 2012, and with a reputation as an influential and skillful politico with sharp elbows, his prospects for moving up were good.

Related story on The Daily Beast: The Gop's Race Backslide

Kyl follows Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-tx), Joe Lieberman (I-ct), Jim Webb (D-va), and Kent Conrad (D-nd...

For all TV folk enjoying the three-day holiday weekend and the few curious film people: a look back in pictures at the executive arrivals for the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Nokia Theatre La Live in Downtown Los Angeles. There are top network and studio executives and, of course, the occasional agents. NBC Uni's Jeff Zucker & wife Caryn        Disney's Anne Sweeney & husband Phil The night's big winners: 20th TV's Dana Walden & Gary Newman with Walden's husband Matt and Newman's wife, attorney Jeanne Newman Fox Film Jim Gianopulos & wife Ann     Lionsgate's Jon Feltheimer & wife LaurieHBO's Eric Kessler, Bill Nelson & Richard Plepler NBC Uni's Bonnie Hammer & David Howe      Showtime's Matt Blank & wife Susan NBC Universal's Jeff Gaspin                        Wbtv's Peter Roth & ... Read More »...