AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

*VIRGIN AMERICA has become the 1st Airline to order the re-engined A320neo, after committing to 30 of the type. The agreement was disclosed in Toulouse, France, today. The order covers 60 A320 aircraft in total, 30 of which are the A320neo. "Virgin America will become the launch customer," said Airbus, although it said no engine selection has been made.

*Boeing will restart the 787 certification operations today. Currently based in Yuma, Arizona, 787 test aircraft ZA004 will re-launch FAA certification operations for the type with a validation of the fuel jettison system. This will be the first flight test for certification credit since ZA002's November 9 fire that placed the regulatory validation of Boeing's new flagship on hold. Today will also feature the 1st flight of a production 787, ZA102, the 9th 787, which wears a white fuselage and an ANA tail. Boeing has yet to announce a revised schedule for the 1st 787 to ANA.

*Mexican low-cost carrier INTERJET has placed an order for 15 Superjet aircraft, plus 5 options, choosing the long-range version of the aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2nd half of 2012. The carrier will operate them in a 98 seat configuration.

*AER LINGUS has canceled at least 2 flights today after cabin crew refused to operate with controversial new rosters that went into effect today. A spokesman said that a number of other staff had refused to operate other flights today under the new program, which was put in place to cut costs. However, the spokesman said the carrier managed to operate the flights concerned with the assistance of other cabin crew personnel. Aer Lingus warned cabin crew staff last week that failure to comply with the new rosters would be a breach of their contract of employment. It said that a continued refusal would result in them being put off duty and removed from the payroll.

*KOREAN AIRLINES will begin its Airbus A380 services with a flight between Seoul's Incheon Airport and Tokyo's Narita Airport on June 1. The same aircraft will then operate a flight from Seoul to Hong Kong on the same day after returning from Narita. KAL said it will expand A380 services to Bangkok once its 2nd aircraft arrives. Flights to New York will have an A380 option from August once a 3rd aircraft arrives, while KAL passengers can fly on the A380 to Los Angeles from October after a 4th aircraft arrives. The carrier ordered 10 A380s, with the 1st 5 to be delivered by the end of 2011 and an additional 5 by 2014. It's A380s will have only 407 seats: 12 first class and 301 economy class seats on the first level, and the 94 business class "Prestige" seats on the upper deck.

*AIR FRANCE Flight 22, a Boeing 777, had to make an emergency diversion to Keflavik, Iceland, today, January 17. While inflight overhead the Atlantic, about 400 miles SW of Iceland, the Co-Pilot declared an emergency, reporting that the Captain had fallen seriously ill. The 777 was diverted to Keflavik and landed there 75 minutes. Emergency Services met the aircraft and transported the Captain to hospital. There is no word on the nature of the illness or the Captain's condition.

*BRUSSELS AIRLINES Flight 2045, an Avro RJ100, had to return to Brussels, Belgium, yesterday, January 16, after the crew could not retract the landing gear.

*ESTONIAN AIR Flight 143, a Boeing 737, had to make an emergency return to Tallin, Estonia, yesterday, January 16. According to media reports, a drinking water pipe burst, sending water into the passenger cabin. The water caused a number of electrial systems to also fail. The 737 landed safely back at Tallin about 50 minutes after its initial departure and was removed from service for repairs.

*KINGFISHER Flight 4817, an ATR72, had to make an emergency return to Bangalore, India, yesterday, January 16, after the crew reported a right hand engine fire. The crew shut the engine down and landed back in Bangalore, about 10 minutes later with Emergency Services responding. According to Kingfisher, there was no fire in the right hand engine. However, media reports say that Emergency Services did douse a fire and in interviews with the press, several passengers also report that the engine was on fire. The ATR was removed from service and the incident is under investigation.

*AIR FINLAND Flight 661, a Boeing 757, had to divert to Paris, France, on Saturday, January 15, due to a right hand fuel indication that was not within expectations. The aircraft was removed from service.

*MIDWEST AIRLINES Flight 6180, a Boeing 737, had to make an emergency return to Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, on Saturday, January 15, due to cabin pressurization problems. The 737 was repaired and returned to service later the same day.

*EGYPT AIR Flight 61, an A321, had to reject takeoff from Luxor, Egypt, on Monday, January 10, after suffering a bird strike. There was no word on whether the A321 was damaged in the incident.

SNAPSHOTS

THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON DC AS CAPTURED ON THIS COLD JANUARY WEEKEND.

SK MEN

SK MEN/ AMATEUR MEN (#95)

5 SHOTS OF AMATEUR MEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD. TODAYS THEME: HIT THE BEACH!

ENTERTANMENT NEWS

FILM/ HALLE BERRY MAY PLAY ARETHA: Having won a Golden Globe for her turn as Dorothy Dandridge, Halle Berry isn't a stranger to stepping into another person's life. And according to Aretha Franklin, the actress is willing to do it again. While recovering from her recent health scare, the legendary singer called into the Wendy Williams show and discussed plans for an upcoming film about her life titled "Aretha: From These Roots". "For the last 4 years, we've been talking about that and I have had a number of offers but unfortunately, they were not good offers," she said. "Now, we have something on the table. They have all of the financing on one project and the second project, he's in the process of writing things for me to approve on the tele-film." When asked who would be playing her, Frankin responded: "Halle Berry is my pick for the older Aretha. There's a young Aretha that has yet to be named".  Berry was joined by Denzel Washington as Franklin's father and Terrence Howard as Smokey Robinson. It is not known if any of the actors have actually signed on to the film.  

FILM/ REESE TALKS "ELEPHANTS": On the last day of shooting "Water for Elephants," Reese Witherspoon was so upset that she broke down in tears. She hadn't been that saddened by a movie wrapping in years, the actress said in an interview today, but she had become particularly attached to one costar: an 8800 pound elephant named Tai. "The day I had to say goodbye to her, I wept all day," Witherspoon said. "It was one of the most extraordinary filmmaking experiences of my life. You work with actors and directors, but to have this nonverbal complete relationship with an animal that we were all very connected to was very magical". Based on a bestselling historical novel released in 2006, the film, due out April 22, centers on a former veterinary school student named Jacob ( Robert Pattinson), who falls for circus performer Marlena (Witherspoon). Because of the characters' shared affinity for the big top, both actors had to be comfortable interacting with a variety of animals: horses, camels, and, of course, elephants. Before production began, director Francis Lawrence planned a meeting with the stars and Tai at the 10 acre California elephant ranch where she lives. "I'll be honest. I did use a trip down to see the elephants as a bit of bait for the actors," Lawrence said It worked. Witherspoon felt so at ease with Tai, both pictured with Pattinson, hat she quickly attempted an elaborate mount, in which the elephant lifted the actress with only its trunk. "They had her pick me up, and I just screamed," she said. "She could crush you, but she knows the exact amount of pressure to put on you".

FILM/ SUSANNAH YORK DIES AT 72: British actress Susannah York has died at the age of 72 after suffering from cancer. She appeared in film, TV and theatre during a career which began in the 1960s. She was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for her role in the 1969 film "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" and won a Bafta for the same role. York graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1958, winning the Ronson Award for most promising student. Directed by Sydney Pollack, "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" followed the contestants in a gruelling dance marathon and also starred Jane Fonda. According to media reports at the time,  York was apparently angry at having been nominated for the Oscar without being asked, but did attend the ceremony. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Alice in the film. UK film magazine Empire said York "came to fame" in "Tom Jones," opposite Albert Finney, in 1963, and was "amazing" in "The Killing of Sister George" in 1968. York also starred in "A Man For All Seasons," "X, Y, and Zee" and was featured as Superman's mother in 3 "Superman" films. More recently, she appeared in the BBC TV dramas "Holby City" and "Casualty". York is survived by her family.

TV/ DELLA REESE REMEMBERS HER "ANGEL BOY": Della Reese said today in an interview that she, Roma Downey and John Dye were very much "a family unit" during CBS' long-running series "Touched by an Angel". But that family suffered a heavy loss with Dye's death at age 47 this week. "Roma, John and I were a family unit. We worked together every day for seven years," Reese told THR. "We acted like a family. We lived like a family. I felt what he felt. He was my Angel Boy, that's what I called him". The actor died from a heart attack Monday at his home in San Francisco. Reese says she spoke to Dye's parents to comfort them in this difficult time. In 2002, Reese's own 42-year-old daughter, Deloreese Daniels Owens, died. "You're not supposed to bury your children, your children are supposed to bury you," she said. "My daughter made her transition. I told them you don't get over it, you adjust to live with it. This is not a time when anyone can help you". Despite the loss, Reese believes Dye is in "a place where whatever was not right for him is now right for him." "I am disappointed greatly that he didn't have a chance to finish a marvelous life," said Reese. "He certainly deserved it".

MUSIC/ BRUNO MARS & RIHANNA TOP UK CHARTS: Hawaiian born Bruno Mars tops the UK singles chart with his US #1 "Grenade". The single enters the chart in the pole position. There is only 1 other debut in the top 20 and that belongs to "Eyes Wide Shut" by JLS and Tinie Tempah. Jessie J's "Do It Like a Dude" rises up 3 positions to #2. "What's My Name," last weeks #1 by Rihanna and Drake, falls to #3. On the album chart, Rihanna posts a 2nd week at #1 with "Loud". There are only 2 new entries in the album top 20 and they belong to "Stand Still" by Emma's Imagination at #14 and "Mayhem" by Imelda May at #20. Last year's #1 seller in the UK, "The Flood" by Take That falls 7 spots down to #10.

THEATRE/ "NORMAL" CLOSES TODAY: The Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning "Next to Normal", the acclaimed rock musical about an American family on the brink ends its almost 2 year Broadway run today at the Booth Theatre. The intimate story about a mother battling depression and bi-polar disorder, which also delves into prescription drug abuse, suicide, grief and the breakdown of an American family, seemed an unlikely candidate for a stage musical, let alone a commercial Broadway production. Yet, "Next to Normal" went on to earn 11 2009 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, and took honors for Best Score, Best Orchestrations and Best Actress. Despite losing the Best Musical Tony to "Billy Elliot," "Next to Normal" was remembered by the Pulitzer committee in 2010 when it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The musical began previews on March 27, 2009, and officially opened April 15, 2009, at the Booth Theatre following an Off-Broadway run at Second Stage and a regional engagement at the Arena Stage in Washington, DD. "Next to Normal" played 21 previews and 733 performances on Broadway.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

WORLD/ TOLL AND MISERY RISE IN BRAZIL: The death toll from devastating flooding in Brazil continued to rise today. Officials say there were at least 626 deaths reported in a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, NE of the city of Rio. Most of the deaths were reported in the cities of Nova Friburgo and Teresopolis, with 283 and 268 fatalities, respectively. In the nearby town of Petropolis there were 56 dead, and 19 in Sumidouro. Rescuers have not been able to reach some hard-hit areas and many more people are feared dead. The rain is predicted to continue for several days in areas already submerged in water or slathered with mud. Brazilians are said to be reeling from the scope of the disaster. One 27 year old man lost 23 members of his family, including his father, wife and child. Workers have dug mass graves near the hardest hit towns. Pictured above is a dog named Leao. According to local media reports, the dog has been sitting for the past 2 days, next to the grave of her owner, who perished in the floods.

WORLD/ DEADLY FLOODS HIT THE PHILIPPINES: Heavy flooding has hit The Philippines, killing at least 47 people. Parts of the Philippines have been dealing with the effects of heavy rainfall for weeks. A monsoon triggered rains, flooding and landslides affecting 25 provinces. More than 1.5 million people have been affected. Among 10 impacted regions, Caraga, on the eastern island of Mindanao, has the greatest number of people affected at more than 600,000.

WORLD/ AUSSIE FLOODS NOW HIT VICTORIA: Thousands of people have fled their homes in Victoria as major flooding hits the southern Australian state. The floods have already swamped some of the state's northern towns and are threatening 1400 homes in 43 others. At least 18 people have lost their lives in Australia's flood disaster so far, with many more still missing, All the deaths were in the northern state of Queensland, where water levels have now largely receded and a major clean-up operation is now underway. Victoria state officials said the flood is set to be one of the worst ever seen in the state.

WORLD/ GUN BATTLES ERUPT IN TUNIS: Tunisian military forces are exchanging fire near the presidential palace with members of deposed President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's guard. Witnesses reported heavy gunfire in Carthage, north of the capital Tunis, where the palace is located. Tunis police are also patrolling the city, as pictured above. It comes after the ex-head of presidential security was arrested and accused of threatening state security by fomenting violence. Meanwhile, political leaders are holding talks about a new government and expect to make an announcement tomorrow. A State of Emergency remains in effect.

US/ MISSISSIPPI WINN DIES AT 113: Mississippi Winn, a Louisiana woman believed to have been the oldest living African American, has died at 113. Winn, an upbeat former domestic worker known as “Sweetie,” died Friday afternoon at a Nursing Home in Shreveport, Louisiana. Winn was believed to be the oldest living African American in the United States and the 7th oldest living person in the world. Winn was 1 of 2 known people left in the United States whose parents both were almost certainly born into slavery.

AVIATION/ CONCEPT AIRCRAFT FOR 2025 UNVEILED

NASA has revealed 3 concept designs for quiet, energy efficient aircraft that potentially could be ready for flight by 2025. 3 companies-Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin came up with designs and all 3 won a contract from NASA to research, develop and test their concepts. All 3 designs were required to have green credentials. Pictured from the top are the concepts from Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.