UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.26.08

NY Philharmonic gives concert in North Korea.

The New York Philharmonic is now the first major American cultural group to have performed in North Korea. The orchestra began the performance earlier today with North Korea's national anthem and continued with The Star-Spangled Banner. Both reportedly received standing ovations. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il apparently wasn't in attendance. The U.S. government agreed on the Philharmonic's visit when there was major progress to end the country's nuclear weapons program.

Thousands of Palestinian protesters are calling for an end to an Israeli blockade on Gaza. They're burning tires and forming a human chain with nearly 40 thousand people along the strip's 25-mile length. Israel has threatened to use deadly force if the march became an attempt to surge across the border into Israeli territory. Israel imposed the blockade after Hamas violently took control of Gaza in June.

The number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan is projected to grow as more soldiers leave Iraq. That's according to the Defense Department that says 4 thousand more soldiers will be deployed there by last summer. The move would bring U.S. troops levels in Afghanistan to an all-time high...about 32 thousand forces. Government officials say forces in Iraq will start to leave this summer because the temporary troop buildup is over there in July. About 140 thousand troops are predicted after the drawdown happens.

Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens could learn by the end of the week whether he'll be referred to the Justice Department for a perjury investigation. Clemens has testified before a House committee saying he never used steroids or human growth hormone. But his words contradict the testimony of his former trainer Brian McNamee. It's unclear whether the Justice Department would be asked to investigate only Clemens or also McNamee.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 01.28.08

"No Country for Old Men" wins big at SAG Awards.

Glitz and glamor were back in Hollywood at last night's Screen actor's guild awards. Despite the ongoing writer's guild strike, the ceremony went on and stars were out in full force. "No Country For Old Men," directed by Joel and Ethan Coen won big, grabbing the top honor for best ensemble cast. Javier Bardem took best supporting actor for that film as well. Other winners included Daniel Day-Lewis who took best actor for "There Will be Blood" and Julie Christie won acting honors for her role in "Away From Her."

In the TV category "Sopranos" dominated the honors. Best actor and actress in a drama went to the show's stars James Gandolfini and Edie Falco. The HBO drama, which finished it's run in June, also took best cast in a TV drama. Comedic acting honors were awarded to Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock." But it was "The Office" that took the trophy for best cast in a TV comedy. The SAG Awards are the only honors chosen by the actors themselves.

The comedic spoof "Meet the Spartans" was a big hit at U.S. theaters over the weekend. The film, starring Carmen Electra debuted at number one at the box offices, bringing in more than 18 million dollars in ticket sales. Sylvester Stallone's "Rambo" followed closely behind, landing in the second spot in its opening weekend. In third is the romantic comedy "27 Dresses" starring Katherine Heigl. That's all according to Box Office Mojo.

"Heroes" actress Hayden Panettiere is using her star power for a good cause. The actress was in Washington DC yesterday for a conservation rally...calling for an end to whale hunting. Panettiere is a self-proclaimed animal lover and the spokesperson for the "Save the Whales Again!" campaign. She's reportedly planning to visit several different embassies in DC today, to address fight for the whales once more.

New Kids on the Block are reportedly reuniting. One source tells People magazine says tall five members; Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood, and brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight will take the stage together once again. The group was a huge hit in the late 80's and early 90's, selling more than 50 million albums. The band broke up in 1994 and several members went on to pursue solo careers. There' no word yet on when we'll see the Kids back together.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.10.08

Bush expects Mideast peace treaty by next year.

President Bush is predicting that a Middle East peace treaty would be signed by the time he leaves office in 2009. This comes as Bush visits Israel and the Palestinian territories this week and meets with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The President said both men realize the importance of democratic states living together in peace.

New Mexico governor Bill Richardson is reportedly quitting the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. The governor finished fourth place in both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. A Democratic strategist says the lack of votes and money Richardson received during his campaign are forcing him to drop out.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is apparently beginning to research whether to jump into the presidential race. Sources say data is being gathered but the mayor hasn't begun analyzing it. Bloomberg has reportedly decided on early March as a timetable for making a decision. It's been widely speculated that the mayor is interested in running for the White House as an independent.

Six U.S. soldiers are dead following a house explosion in Iraq. They were killed yesterday when a bomb exploded in a booby-trapped house while on patrol north of Baghdad. Four soldiers were also wounded in the attack. The incident was the first involving multiple deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq since September.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 01.02.08

Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds tie the knot.

Actor Eddie Murphy and film executive Tracey Edmonds have tied the knot. People magazine says the pair said their vows on New Years day on an island off Bora Bora. It was apparently a very intimate ceremony, with only 25 friends and family members in attendance. The wedding took place at sunset, with Edmonds walking down the aisle on the beach barefoot. The two have been dating since fall of 2006.

Actors Eric Winter and Roselyn Sanchez are engaged. Sanchez's rep says they made it official during a recent vacation to an island east of Puerto Rico. The actors have been dating for two years now. Sanchez stars in the CBS show "Without a Trace" and Winter has appeared in several TV shows.

Madonna reportedly rang in the New Year in a small village in India. The pop star and her husband Guy Ritchie, chartered a plane with a group of friends to Rajasthan. The area is known for its historic palaces. Sources say the pop star will be there for 5 or 6 days. There's reportedly tight security at all the hotels where the singer is staying.

Meanwhile, more than one million people gathered at New York's Times Square on New Years Eve to watch the ball drop. It was the 100 anniversary of the event. The celebration was hosted by Dick Clark and "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest. Revelers were treated to performances by big stars like Carrie Underwood and Miley Cyrus. This years' crystal ball reportedly weighed more than 1400 pounds.

British rock band Led Zepplin reportedly plans to play at the music festival Bonnaroo. A British newspaper says they're talking about joining the lineup at the Tennessee festival in June. The band performed together in London earlier this month...marking the first time they've played a full set together since 1980. Fans are hoping Led Zepplin will get back together and consider a full tour.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.11.07

Colorado shooter intended to kill many more.

A gunman who stormed a missionary training center and a church in Colorado Sunday apparently intended to shoot many more victims before he was gunned down himself. Twenty-four year old Matthew Murray killed four people, two at the training center and two at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. At the church, Murray carried an assault rifle, two handguns and as many as a thousand rounds of ammunition. The gunman was fatally shot by a church security guard.

Former NFL superstar Michael Vick is behind bars, serving time for financing a dogfighting ring and helping to kill pit bulls that didn't fight well. Yesterday, he was sentenced to 23 months in prison in federal court in Richmond, Virginia. Federal sentencing guidelines recommended a sentence of 12 to 18 months. In court yesterday, Vick said he's willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for his actions.

Meanwhile, former media mogul Conrad Black is serving time for his role in defrauding shareholders and skimming cash from his Hollinger International newspaper conglomerate. A federal judge sentenced Black yesterday to six and a half years in prison. He was also ordered to pay back 6 million dollars. Black has vowed to appeal his conviction and has ten days to begin the process.

Two car bombings in Algeria have left at least 45 dead. The attacks happened earlier today, hitting a residential area and the U.N. offices in Algiers. There's been no immediate claim of responsibility for the incident and no initial report on the number of people injured. Scores of people have already been killed in Algeria this year. Many of the bombings have been attributed to Al-Qaida militants.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.10.07

Colorado police investigating links between shooting sprees.

Police are searching for clues in two deadly shooting sprees at Christian religious centers in Colorado yesterday. Five people, including a gunman, are dead. The violence began early Sunday morning when a man opened fire at the Youth with a Mission office in a Denver suburb after being denied a request to spend the night there. More than 12 hours later, a gunman entered the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and opened fire. Investigators reportedly believe the incidents are related, but have no evidence yet to back that up.

The party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will participate in Pakistan's parliamentary elections next month. The party made the announcement yesterday after it failed to convince rival Benazir Bhutto to join a boycott. These had been talk of general opposition boycott after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule on the country last month and dismissed independent judges. But the prospect of that has collapsed since the two largest opposition groups will now field candidates. Greater participation will make the balloting look more open, but having the opposition in the field will take away votes and seats from Musharraf's party. Musharraf has promised the elections will be "free and fair."

Nobel peace prize winner Al Gore says the U.S. presidential election campaign isn't paying attention to climate change and the environment. The former vice president made the comment when he accepted his prize earlier today. He added that if he had been president, he would have pushed climate change to the top of the agenda. Gore also called on China, who stands with the U.S. as the world's biggest carbon emitters, to make changes or stand accountable before history for failure to act.

Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has jumped from fifth place to the front of the pack in South Carolina. He comes in at 20 percent, which puts him slightly ahead of former New York Rudy Giuliani, who's at 17 percent. At a jam-packed rally in the state this weekend, Huckabee urged his audience to vote in the January 19 GOP primary, saying they need to nail something down after coming out of Iowa and New Hampshire.