Whitney Houston dead at the Age of 48

Whitney Houston
August 9 1963 - February 11 2012

Legendary pop icon Whitney Houston passed away on 11 February 2012.

The singer, whose battles with alcohol, drugs and her husband Bobby Brown slowly took away her star shine and she give up at 48 years old. Houston's publicist confirmed the news to reporters from ABC News. The cause of the accident is still unknown.

Six police cars were spotted in front of Beverly Hilton Hotel today where Houston was staying. Reporters from TMZ reported that paramedics were called and found the lifeless body of the singer in her hotel room.

According to TMZ, paramedics tried electrical stimulation of the heart, with no success. Houston died at 15:55 pm local time.

Over the past two weeks Whitney Houston has appeared several times on social events in apparently "strange" condition. Witnesses described the star as "disoriented."

In May, the singer has been admitted to treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

The news on Whitney's death came on the eve of the biggest night in music - the Grammy Awards.

Whitney Houston

Stars began to mourn Whitney Houston on the social network Twitter.
Mariah Carey said she was shocked by the death of her friend, the incomparable Whitney. Mariah tweeted: "She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to grace the earth."
Lady Gaga confessed that when she composed "Born This Way" she imagined the song sang by Whitney, that was such a great inspiration for her.
Jennifer Lopez said that the world has lost one of its greatest voices. "Such a loss. One of the greatest voices of our time. Sending out prayers to her family... #R.I.P.Whitney." - she tweeted.
Christina Aguilera called Houston a legend. X-Tina wrote on Twiter: "We have lost another legend. Love and prayers to Whitney's family. She will be missed."
Rihanna has admitted that it feels so strange and sad to attend a rehearsal for the Grammy Awards ceremony shortly after she learned about the great loss. Rihanna tweeted: "No words! Just tears #DearWhitney"
Diddy and Justin Bieber said they were shocked by the news.
Alicia Keys: "I feel sick.... Life is precious, we are fragile souls. Let's love each other! I miss you beautiful Whitney, the whole world misses you!!"
Katy Perry: "So devastating. We will always love you Whitney, R.I.P."
Enrique Iglesias: "My thoughts and prayers go out to Whitney and her entire family. Working with her is an experience that I will cherish forever."
Queen Latifah wrote on Twitter: "Oh Dear Lord! Huritng so Bad!!! MY Sister Whitney!!!!!!! Newark please Pray!!! World Please Pray!"
Missy Elliott: "Thank u 4 the times we worked 2gether your Voice touched the World! N this rough time I pray for The Houston Family..."
Tony Braxton: "My heart is weeping...RIP to the Legendary Diva & Icon Whitney Houston!!!!! Such an incredible influence over music as a whole!"

Whitney Houston in 1988

Twitter is full of comments about Whitney.
Other stars like Dolly Parton, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Usher, Talib Kweli, Adam Lambert, Billy and Miley Cyrus, Ne-Yo, Marc Anthony, Faith Evans, Pitbull, Kelly Rowland, Will.I.Am, Kelly Osbourne, Fergie, Jessica Simpson, Ricky Martin, Lenny Kravitz, Raekwon, Busta Rhymes, Ellen DeGeneres, Courtney Cox (and more, and more, shall I keep going on?) mourned Whitney Houston.


Earlier reports say that the ex-husband of Whitney Houston - Bobby Brown - was also shocked by the news. He was taking part in his group "New Edition"s concert in Memphis, when he started crying and said: "I love you Whitney." 

"Grammy Awards" organizers said that the rehearsal is going on like usual.
There are rumors that tonight may be given "unexpected" award for Whitney Houston.

Houston was the golden girl of music. Since the mid-80s to late 90s, she was one of the most selling artists in the world. She wowed the crowd with her incredibly sensual and powerful voice.

Whitney  Houston has achieved great success not only in music, but as an actress with films like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale".

Whitney Houston - Rest in peace!

I want to give my sincere condolences to Whitney Houston's family.
Rest in peace, Whitney! You are a legend!

Let's hear something from Whitney once again.
Let's give her the respect she deserves.
Video: Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You ("The Bodyguard" soundtrack)

Libyan Dictator Moammar Gadhafi is Dead

Moammar Gadhafi

Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, the most wanted man in the world, has been killed on Thursday, 20 October 2011.


Muammar Gaddafi – the dictator who ruled Libya with an iron fist for nearly 42 years before being driven from power in a bloody uprising.
Gaddafi has been killed as he tried to flee his hometown of Sirte. He was ousted by rebels in a bloody civil war.


The flamboyant tyrant who terrorized his country and much of the world during his 42 years of despotic rule was reportedly cornered by insurgents in the town of Sirte, where Gadhafi had been born and a stronghold of his supporters.


There were conflicting reports of how he was killed – there were initial reports that he was killed in a gun battle, but NATO has since confirmed it hit a convoy of Gaddafi loyalists fleeing Sirte on Thursday. It could not say whether the former Libyan leader was in the convoy.


Al Jazeera television showed footage of a man resembling the 69-year-old leader lying dead or severely wounded, bleeding from the head and stripped to the waist as fighters rolled him over on the pavement. Witnesses said his body was put on display in the nearby city of Misrata.


Initial reports from fighters said Gaddafi had been holed up with the last of his fighters in a furious battle with revolutionary forces. At one point, a convoy tried to flee the area and was blasted by NATO airstrikes, though it was not clear if Col Gaddafi was in the vehicle.


His body, bloodied, half naked, Gaddafi's trademark long curls hanging limp around a rarely seen bald spot, was delivered, a prize of war, to Misrata, the city west of Sirte whose siege and months of suffering at the hands of Gaddafi's artillery and sniper made it a symbol of the rebel cause.


A quick and secret burial was due later on Friday.

Libyan rebels

Libyans rejoiced as news of his death spread. Car horns blared in Tripoli as residents poured into the streets to celebrate. In Sirte, revolutionary forces fired endless rounds into the sky and sang the national anthem.


"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Moammar Gadhafi has been killed" Jibril said at a news conference in Tripoli.


"It's time to start a new Libya, a united Libya" Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril declared. "One people, one future."


Word of Gadhafi's death triggered celebrations in the streets of Tripoli with insurgent fighters waving their weapons and dancing jubilantly.


The White House and NATO said they were unable to confirm reports of his death.


U.S. President Barack Obama, in a veiled dig at the Syrian and other leaders resisting the democrats of the Arab Spring, declared "the rule of an iron fist inevitably comes to an end."


Al Jazeera aired video of what appeared to be the dead leader, which showed Gadhafi lying in a pool of blood in the street, shirtless, and surrounded by people.


Gadhafi had been on the run for weeks after being chased out of the capital Tripoli by NATO bombers and rebel troops.


He had been believed to be hiding in the vast Libyan desert while calling on his supporters to rise up and sweep the rebel "dogs" away, but his once fearsome power was scoffed at by Libyans who had ransacked his palace compound and hounded him into hiding.

Gadhafi - the man who ruled Libya for 42 years.

Gadhafi, 69, ruled Libya with an iron fist for almost 42 years. He seized control of Libya in Sept., 1969 in a bloodless coup when he was just 27 years old. The then young and dashing army captain and his small band of military officers overthrew the monarch King Idris, setting up a new Libyan Arab Republic that over the years became increasingly isolated from the rest of the world.


Gadhafi took over the top spot as the world's most wanted man after Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. troops in Pakistan.


At the height of his ability to threaten terrorism, President Ronald Reagan dubbed Gadhafi the "mad dog of the Middle East."


He was accused of backing the 1986 bombing of a Berlin disco popular with American soldiers, reportedly funding the hijacking of the cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985, and the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which resulted in the U.N. and United States imposing sanctions on Libya.


For years, Gadhafi refused to take responsibility for the bombing, but that changed in 2003 when he acknowledged his role and tried to make amends.


The eccentric leader, who amassed power and wealth by controlling the nation's oil industry, held the title of being the longest-serving leader in Africa and the Arab world.


Over the years, Gadhafi earned an international reputation for his outlandish apparel and much-ridiculed phobias and proclivities.


His killing, which came swiftly after his capture near Sirte, is the most dramatic single development in the Arab Spring revolts that have unseated rulers in Egypt and Tunisia and threatened the grip on power of the leaders of Syria and Yemen.


Following his death, Libya's new leaders are expected to declare the country's "liberation". They face the challenge of healing divisions and holding credible elections in a country wracked by months of fighting.

23 Killed in Egypt Clashes

The Protest in Egypt

At least 23 people were killed and 193 injured Sunday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, when a protest by Coptic Christians over the recent burning of a church escalated into rioting against military rule.


Twenty three people were killed in Cairo on Sunday, the health ministry said, when Christians, some carrying crosses and pictures of Jesus, clashed with military police in the latest sectarian flare-up in a country in political turmoil.


Christians protesting against an attack on a church say they were marching peacefully when thugs attacked them, drawing in military police who used what activists described as unnecessary force.


Protesters used firebombs, set army vehicles alight and battled with security forces in Egypt's most violent clashes since the February uprising that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak.


More than four vehicles were set ablaze and television footage showed army personnel carriers driving full speed towards crowds of protesters.

Flag of Egypt

Christian demonstrators said a peaceful rally in the mostly Coptic neighborhood of Shubra turned deadly when the group marched to Egypt's Radio and Television Building where plainclothes police attacked them. The protests later spread to Tahrir Square, the focal point of the February revolution.


Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs and set cars on fire, as thick smoke wafted through the streets in some of the most violent scenes since the uprising that ousted Mubarak.


In the past few weeks, riots have broken out at two churches in southern Egypt, prompted by Muslim crowds angry about church construction.


One clash took place near the city of Aswan after church officials agreed to a demand by local ultra-conservative Muslims, known as Salafis, that a cross and bells be removed from the church building.


The protesters want the government to fire the governor of Aswan Province, Mostafa al-Sayed, after the partial demolition of the church on Friday. Egyptian media said Muslims were accused of attacking the church after talk spread in the town that the building did not have legal authorisation.


Egyptian officials said they would investigate the causes of Sunday's violence, calling for calm.

Map of Egypt

Christians make up about one-tenth of Egypt's 80 million people and often face attacks from Islamic extremists. Copts joined with Muslims during the protests that ousted Mr. Mubarak, but sectarian troubles have since intensified.


Egypt has been considering new laws designed to stem sectarian violence, including banning protests at places of worship and the use of religious slogans to incite hatred.


In May, 12 people were killed in sectarian clashes between Christians and Muslims after rumors spread that Christians were holding a woman who had converted to Islam.

Steve Jobs Died at the Age of 56. Steve Paul Jobs 1955 - 2011

Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011

Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac and iTunes, has died, Apple said. Jobs was 56.


Yesterday, we announced Apple's new smartphone - iPhone 4S.
But today, we are announcing something very sad and tragic.


Steven P. Jobs, the Apple Inc. chairman and co-founder who pioneered the personal-computer industry and changed the way people think about technology, died Wednesday at the age of 56.


Jobs was the mastermind behind the iPad, the iPod, the iPhone, the iMac and iTunes. He transformed personal use of technology, and his contributions have been compared to those of Henry Ford and Walt Disney.


Jobs suffered a number of serious health issues over the years. In 2004, he announced he had a rare - but treatable - form of pancreatic cancer. He had a tumor successfully removed from his pancreas later that year.
In 2009, Jobs received a liver transplant after announcing his "health-related issues were more complex than I thought."

Steve Jobs' picture that is posted on Apple's website

Wednesday evening, the Apple homepage featured a black and white photo of the technology icon wearing a black turtleneck with simply the words, "Steve Jobs 1955-2011."


Apple, also realeased a statement on their website: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genious, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a comapny that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."


Jobs died "peacefully" surrounded by family members, his family said in a statement.


Neither Jobs' family nor Apple revealed where Jobs died or from what cause, though in recent years he had fought a form of pancreatic cancer and had a liver transplant. In August, Mr. Jobs stepped down as chief executive, handing the reins to longtime deputy Tim Cook.


Nevertheless, he remained as chairman of the corporation, a new position created just for him.


"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today," read a statement by Apple's board of directors. "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."


Industry watchers called Jobs a master innovator - perhaps on a par with Thomas Edison - changing the worlds of computing, recorded music and communications.

Jobs younger

Jobs' rivals in the development of personal computers, Microsoft co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen, immediately reacted to his death and highlighted his importance to their industry.


Allen called him "a unique tech pioneer and auteur who knew how to make amazingly great products."


Gates extended his condolences and noted in a written statement that he and Jobs "have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives."


"The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come" Gates added. "For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely."


A more recent rival, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, also weighed in with a statement on Jobs.


"Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend" it read. "Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you."


One of the world's most famous CEOs, Jobs remained stubbornly private about his personal life, refusing interviews and shielding his wife and their children from public view.


Upon Jobs' death, Apple said it was not planning any public events, though Cook's memo to Apple employees said the company was "planning a celebration of Steve's extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon."

Steve Jobs

At Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, yesterday night, people were hugging and crying. Candles were being lit around an iPad with a picture of Jobs on the screen, and people very quietly stood and looked at the memorial.


The highlights of Jobs's career trajectory are well-known: a prodigy who dropped out of Reed College in Oregon and, at 21, started Apple with Wozniak in his parents' garage. He was a multimillionaire by 25, appeared on the cover of Time magazine at 26, and was ousted at Apple at age 30, in 1984.


In the years that followed, he went into other businesses, founding NeXT computers and, in 1986, buying the computer graphics arm of Lucasfilm, Ltd., which became Pixar Animation Studios.


He was described as an exacting and sometimes fearsome leader, ordering up and rejecting multiple versions of new products until the final version was just right. He said the design and aesthetics of a device were as important as the hardware and software inside.


Steve Jobs turned Apple into the largest retailer of music and helped popularize computer-animated films as the financier and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, which he later sold to Walt Disney Co. He was a key figure in changing the way people used the Internet and how they listened to music, watched TV shows and movies, and read books, disrupting industries in the process.




I'm devastated and terrified. 
I would like to bring my sincere condolences to Steve Jobs' family.
He will always be with us.


Steve Jobs, thank you for creating a revolution in the communication and computer technology. You will be always remembered.
Rest in peace!




If you want to share your condolences and thoughts with Apple, write them at rememberingsteve@apple.com

Aaliyah Remembering - Ten Years Since She's Gone

Aaliyah

It's been ten years since a very talented and beautiful young lady has left us.
Ten years have been gone since the R&B singer, actress, model and dancer Aaliyah died in plane crash.


A decade after Aaliyah Dana Haughton's death her family, friends and fans still remeber, honor and respect the great person she was.


The princess of R&B was just 22 years old at the time of her death.
In August 2001 she was in the Bahamas, shooting the video for her song "Rock the boat". On her way back to the USA Aaliyah has been killed in a plane crash.


Watch "Rock the boat" video:



Aaliyah Dana Haughton was a successful singer and actress with a thriving career. In 2001, she'd just released her third, self-titled album and was preparing for a role in "The Matrix" sequels when everything came to a screeching halt.


After shooting a music video in the Bahamas for her single "Rock the Boat" Aaliyah got on a plane and tragedy struck. According to RollingStone, "...she boarded a ten-seat twin-engine Cessna 402B bound for Opa-Locka, Florida, with the pilot, Luis Morales III, and seven members of her crew." Less than a minute after take off, the plane crashed (due to 700 pounds of excess weight) a few hundred feet from the runway and Aaliyah along with several others, died on impact. It was then that she joined the sad group of young stars gone too soon.


By 22, Aaliyah had achieved more success in her career than most singers twice her age. She made her music debut in 1994 at 15 as the protege of hitmaker R. Kelly. Her first album "Age Aint Nothin' but a Number" sold three million copies and solidified her presence as an urban artist. But it was her 1997 follow up that put her and her vocal stylings on the map.


Aaliyah teamed up with producers Missy Elliot and Timbaland to create her chart topping classic "One in a Million". The album sold over eight million copies worldwide and produced hits such as "If Your Girl Only Knew" and "Hot like Fire". She used her new fame to parlay into acting with a lead role in "Romeo Must Die" opposite martial artist Jet-Li. The film was a cult success and featured a hit soundtrack led by the single "Try Again" which Aaliyah performed.


"Queen of the Damned", Aaliyah's final film was released February 22, 2002 - six months after her death. It marked the official end of her blossoming career. Unlike most twenty-somethings that populate the industry today, Aaliyah didn't depend on sex to sell. She had hypnotic beats, catchy lyrics and great dance moves that engaged audiences.


Parrish Johnson, an executive at her former record label Blackground, revealed, "She's the first artist I worked with who would not compromise her values to be famous. In this business, church girls become prostitutes because they want to be stars, but she would never let stardom interfere with who she was."


A month before her untimely death, Aaliyah granted MTV's show "Diary" behind-the-scenes access to her fast-paced life and said, "I am truly blessed to wake up every morning to do something that I love; there is nothing better than that."


She continued, "Everything is worth it -- the hard work, the times when you're tired, the times when you are a bit sad. In the end, it's all worth it because it really makes me happy. I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world. I've got good friends, a beautiful family and I've got a career. I thank God for his blessings every single chance I get."


So, on August 25, blast Aaliyah's timeless music loud and remember her for being a trendsetting force in fashion and for helping to redefine and take R&B music to another level.


Watch a tribute video:

How Celebrities Reacted to Amy Winehouse's Death

Kelly Osbourne and Amy Winehouse

Fellow musicians, friends and fans have paid tribute to gifted british singer Amy Winehouse on Twitter, following her tragic death on Saturday, 23 July.


You can read our article dedicated to Amy Winehouse.


Celebrities flocked to Twitter Saturday, after news broke that Grammy award-winning singer Amy Winehouse has been found dead in her London house.
Famouse people, including her close friend Kelly Osbourne, Demi Moore, Ricky Martin, Lily Allen, Rihanna, Keri Hilson and many more mourned the late signer on the social network site.
Here are some of the tweet tributes to Amy.


Amy's close friend Kelly Osbourne tweeted: "i cant even breath right now im crying so hard i just lost 1 of my best friends. i love you forever Amy & will never forget the real you!"


Demi Lovato: "Amy Winehouse.. So sad. Unfortunately the world lost an incredibly talented woman to such a powerful disease... addiction #RIP"


Winehouse's friend and fan Lily Allen tweeted: "It's just beyond sad, there's nothing else to say. She was such a lost soul, may she rest in peace."


Singer Ricky Martin said: "I just found out. I feel pain. I feel anger. Rest beautiful girl rest. You are free! RIP Amy."


Actress Jessica Alba tweeted: "So sad about Amy Winehouse -she was so talented. Really tragic."


Demi Moore said: "Truly sad news about Amy Winehouse. My heart goes out to her family. May her troubled soul find peace."


Singer Boy George tweeted: "I cannot contain my saddness and my anger about Amy Winehouse. Rest in peace child, it's a deeply sad day for many reasons!"


Hitmaker-singer Rihanna tweeted: "Dear God have mercy!!! I am SICK about this right now! #DearAmy"


British singer Jessie J said: "The way tears are streaming down my face. Such a loss. RIP Amy. Man... Something tells me that we'll be talking about Amy in 30 yrs time in the same way we tlk about other music legends who's lives ended early."


Singer Keri Hilson posted: "Amy Winehouse... SO tragic. I loved her. She inspired me! I kept hoping she'd find a happier place than her self destructive state...damn."


Eccentric singer Nicki Minaj also expressed her shock, saying: "Please tell me Amy Winehouse didn't die. Is this some sick joke?"


Amy Winehouse's spokesman Chris Goodman released a statement, saying: "Everyone who is involved with Amy is shocked and devastated. Our thoughts are with her family and friends. The family will issue a statement when ready."


Tributes countinue to pour in as news of Amy Winehouse's death spreads around the world, when she reached international fame and recognition as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of our time.


As Nicki Minaj, we also could not believe the tragic accident...
We sent our sincere condolences to her family! May Amy's soul rest in peace!




Let's watch a tribute video:

Singer Amy Winehouse Dead at Age of 27

Amy Winehouse

Tragic news... Talented british singer Amy Winehouse was found dead on Saturday (23 July), at her North London house.


Troubled, Grammy-winner signer Amy Winehouse has been found dead in her North London home. She was 27 years old. The award-winning artist, famous for hit like "Rehab" from the critically acclaimed album "Back to Black" was discovered by the emergency services in the late arternoon, around 15:54pm. Her death was being treated as "unexplained", but sources said she had died of a drug overdose. 


Metropolitan police confirmed the death of the singer, notorious as her off-stage excesses as her music.
In a statement, the London Metropolitan police said: "Police were called by London Ambulance Service to an address in Camden Square NW1 shortly before 16.05hrs today, Saturday 23 July, following reports of a woman found deceased. On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene. Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the death. At this early stage it is being treated as unexplained."


A statement from Amy Winehouse's U.S. record label said: "We are deeply saddened at the sudden loss of such a gifted musician, artist and performer. Our prayers go out to Amy's family, friends and fans at this difficult time."


Last mounth, Amy canceled her European tour after a performance in Serbia where she seemed completely out of it.


The singer was born Amy Jade Winehouse on 14th September 1983 in Southgate, London.
Winehouse has had a troubled life which has included various stints in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction.
She's battaled drug addiciotn for years, having most recently checked back into rehabilitation in May.


Winehouse was last seen with her goddaughter, Dionne Bromfield, earlier last week when the teenager performed at the iTunes festival.


Unfortunately, another great artist is gone... Rest in peace Amy Winehouse.
Our condolences to her family.


Watch Amy Winehouse's "Back To Black" video.

Things You Should Do In Your Lifetime

Most people have a list of at least few things that they wish to experience or see in their life. People always make plans about something they find really exciting and they want to experience it at some point in their life. That might be a place they want to travel to, something extreme they've always wanted to do, or something else they want to achieve.

They may know someone who has done it, they may have seen it on the television or read about it. And if they liked it, that may become something like a dream, something that they want to do in their lifetime.
These things usually include a few activities that are amazing and extra enjoyable, a few places that they want to visit and something that they consider really extreme or dangerous but they want to experience it before they die.

This list has ideas that are different, also personal in nature.

If you're trying to create a variety of lifetime goals you want to achieve, of experience you want to have - look around, ther are plenty of opportunities out there.

A lot of people place skydiving among their most wanted activities. Parachuting is major adventure that will make your adrenaline level go up. It's very extreme, so it takes someone really brave to overbear his fears and jump from a plane.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are very popular adventures that people want to experience.
Maybe snorkeling is a little less adventorous than scuba diving. Because you simply breathe throught snorkel while you're exploring underwater.
Scuba diving takes you deeply into the water, so you can see what lies beneath the surface. That's why it requires some practise and training, so you may want to take a class or go with someone who has done this before.

Swimming with dolphins is another amazingly fun water activity. Dolphins are very clever creatures that relate to humans really well. They are very friendly, adorable and affectionate and they can easily communicate with people.

Grand Canyon is the place that you should visit at least one time in your life. You may think that Grand Canyon is just a giant hole in the earth, but actually it's a natural wonder with breathtaking view. It's located in the Southwestern part of the U.S. If you want to experience something spiritual, Grand Canyon is the place you should go to.

Last, but not least - a hot air ballon ride is a peaceful and serene activity. Seeing the sunrise from the sky is amazing and remarkable lifetime experience that everyone should have.

At Least 61 Dead in Iraq Bombings

A wave of bombings targeting Shiites, a market in Baghdad and a neighborhood in Anbar province killed at least 61 people and wounded more than 100 others Friday, police said.

The strikes conjured memories of the bloodshed that once engulfed both the capital city and the vast province every day.

No one has claimed responsibility for the string of attacks, but authorities believe that such coordinated bombings bear the hallmarks of al Qaeda in Iraq.

The bombings come days after Iraqi and U.S. officials announced that they had killed the two most wanted al Qaeda leaders in the country. Although the deaths hurt the insurgents, military officials don't discount insurgents' continued ability to carry out attacks.

This week, Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for the Baghdad Military Operations Command, boasted about the killings of insurgent leaders Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi.

He said security forces must capitalize on this "great victory" but cautioned about the possibility of reprisals.

Of the Iraqi-U.S. joint operation Sunday that killed the two leaders, Atta said, "We had information that they were planning attacks that would target churches, Shiite mosques and bridges, and the security forces took precautions and prepared security plans specifically for this."

Former Deputy Minister of Health and Sadrist politician Hakim al-Zamili said he thinks Friday's bombings could be retaliation for the killing of the al Qaeda in Iraq leaders.

"This political and government vacuum led to such bombings and will lead to many disasters for the Iraqi people" he said.

The strikes occur during the delay in the formation of a government, and many observers fear that a political vacuum could portend an increase in violence, such as the sectarian bloodshed that took place in early 2006 while the government was being formed.

Among the string of attacks:
• Two car bombs targeted worshipers in Sadr City in eastern Baghdad, killing 39 and wounding 56 people. Also, a car bomb exploded outside one of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's offices there, wounding five people.

The attacks enraged Sadr City residents, who say the government is turning a blind eye to militants. Al-Sadr's office distributed a statement Friday afternoon calling for his followers to show restraint and called for three days of mourning. Al-Sadr has a political movement and a large grass-roots following.

• In southeastern Baghdad, eight people died and 23 were wounded when a car bomb and a roadside bomb detonated outside Muhsin al-Hakim mosque.

• In the northwestern Baghdad neighborhood of Hurriya, a car bomb explosion outside Hadi al-Chalabi mosque killed five people and wounded 10.

• A roadside bomb outside the Sadreen mosque in the Zafaraniya neighborhood in southeastern Baghdad killed two people and wounded seven.

• One person was killed and six people were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in an outdoor market in the southern Baghdad district of Dora.

• A car bomb exploded outside a Shiite mosque in the Ameen neighborhood in southeastern Baghdad, wounding two people.

• West of Baghdad, in the Anbar province town of Khaldiya, six people were killed and 10 were wounded when six roadside bombs exploded in a residential area where a police officer and a judge lived. Authorities imposed a curfew.