Splinter Cell Conviction Demo, Ubisoft’s put live the demo for Splinter Cell: Conviction on Xbox Live Marketplace .

The demo weighs in at just about 1Gb. Go get that download on here.

As for you PC kids, go cry and hug each other: no demo for you.

Splinter Cell: Conviction is due out on Xbox 360 and PC on April 13 in the US, April 14 in mainland Europe and April 16 in the UK.

BEIJING: China showed no sign Tuesday of throwing its support behind new sanctions against Iran following talks with Britain’s foreign minister, who had hoped to persuade Beijing to join a growing international consensus for more stringent measures.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi maintained that sanctions weren’t the solution to disagreements over Iran’s nuclear program and that more talks were the way forward.

“Sanctions do not provide a fundamental solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. Ultimately, this issue has to be appropriately resolved through peaceful negotiations,” Yang said at a joint news conference with Britain’s David Miliband following their discussions in Beijing.

With Russia appearing to move closer to supporting new sanctions, China — which depends on Iran for much of its energy needs — would be the only one of five veto-wielding permanent U.N. Security Council members opposed to the measures.

Further punishment of Iran is among a host of issues dividing the nations, whose relations deteriorated badly last December after China ignored personal appeals from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown not to execute 53-year-old Akmal Shaikh for drug smuggling.

Shaikh’s family said he was mentally unstable and was lured to China from a life on the street in Poland by men playing on his dreams to record a pop song for world peace.

Brown said he was “appalled” by the execution — China’s first of a European citizen in nearly 60 years — prompting a warning from Beijing that such comments threatened to damage ties.

Even before that exchange, the two had clashed over who was to blame for the failure to reach a binding agreement on emissions reductions at December’s U.N.-sponsored Copenhagen climate talks.

Neither Yang or Miliband offered indications of a clear improvement in ties following the discussions.

However, a state television report about Miliband’s courtesy call on Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was somewhat more upbeat.

China “highly values” relations with Britain and invites British companies to explore opportunities in the booming Chinese economy, CCTV quoted Wen as telling Miliband.

Miliband said rights dialogue was a part of Britain’s “strategic partnership” with China and indicated Beijing’s diplomatic disputes with Europe were not seen as part of a larger rivalry.

“I don’t believe China is a political competitor of the European Union,” he said.

On Iran, Miliband said international concern was rising over its nuclear intentions, citing Iran’s refusal to agree to stop processing uranium and instead accept shipments of nuclear fuel processed overseas and the U.N.’s inability to exclude the possibility of military dimensions to the Iranian nuclear program.

Without mentioning sanctions directly, Miliband said China and other nations remained united behind the goal of ensuring Iran does not become a nuclear weapons state.

“The fact that we have a shared goal leads me to believe that we can find the tactics to achieve it,” Miliband said.

Scott Macintyre American Ido, Scott MacIntyre is one of the 13 finalists on FOX’s “American Idol 8.” Scott MacIntyre auditioned in Phoenix, Arizona. Scott MacIntyre sang “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel for his audition. All four judges voted yes to send Scott MacIntyre to Hollywood. Scott MacIntyre was in the third group of 12 contestants to perform out of the top 36 and was one of the highest vote getters, guaranteeing him a spot among the finalists.

Scott MacIntyre is almost blind and plays several instruments including the piano. Classically trained, Scott MacIntyre has been internationally profiled on CNN, Headline News, Sky News Europe, Global Television Network, USA Today, and national and local news, radio, and print media as pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. Scott MacIntyre has independently produced, engineered, and released 6 full-length CD’s and has written in genres spanning pop, rock, punk, jazz, and classical.

Scott MacIntyre started college at 14 years old and earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University at age 19. Scott MacIntyre then attended graduate school in London, England. Scott MacIntyre also plays piano, guitar and drums. Scott MacIntyre is from Scottsdale, Arizona. Scott MacIntyre is 23 years old.

American Idol top 12 Season 9, The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009 and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show’s contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol panel.[1]  It was also Abdul’s final season as a judge.[2]  Kris Allen was announced the winner of the competition on May 20, 2009, defeating runner-up Adam Lambert after nearly 100 million votes, the highest recorded vote total in the history of the show. Kris Allen is the only married winner of the competition at the time of his victory.

The eighth season saw numerous changes to the format of the show. There were 36 semi-finalists instead of 24, and thirteen finalists instead of twelve, nine contestants chosen by the public and four by the judges. Another addition was the “save,” which was used on the top seven results show to veto Matt Giraud’s elimination.

LOS ANGELES: Robert Pattinson’s real life is not much different from that of the vampire he plays in the hit Twilight series, for the actor rarely steps out in daylight in fear of being mobbed by over enthusiastic fans.

The 23-year-old star, who portrays Edward Cullen in the film adaptation of the novel by the same name, revealed he dodged trailing paparazzi and screaming followers and managed to be one his own while driving through LA.

“I’d been working all year pretty much without a break, then I’d gone back to LA and I’d been followed around all the time,” the Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“I finally escaped from people and I drove past this guitar shop and I was just like ”I need to remind myself why I’m doing this”,” he added.

The Brit further said the reception is different everywhere he goes, saying: “Every time I come back to London I’m always thinking it’s going to be the same as America but it never is. People don’t look for the same stuff.

Kanny Theng Picture, Model Kanny Theng first caught my attention at  where she was one of the many Singapore girls featured. (Michelle Phan, also featured there, is one of the few from the U.S.) Even though that site hasn’t been updated in several months.

In addition to modeling at car shows, trade shows, and occasionally doing fashion and print work, she tells me she’s also done a bit of acting, having appeared in a few local TV shows.

Having been featured there the previous year, the readers of the Singapore entertainment website, Stomp, subsequently voted Kanny its STOMP MAXIMum Babe last June.

NEW DELHI:Hockey World Cup Trophy Unveiled in New Delhi, The trophy for the ensuing World Cup hockey tournament-2010 was unveiled here.

Designed by Bashir Moojid of Pakistani Army, the trophy consists of a silver cup with an intricate floral design, surmounted by a globe of the world in silver and gold, placed on a high blade base inlaid with ivory.

Atop these are replicas of hockey stick and a ball.

Hero Honda Motors, India’s two-wheeler major which hosted this event also confirmed its corporate sponsorship of the World Cup 2010 tourney that is all set to bully-off on February 28 at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi.

Watch Champions League Online Free Live Streaming, Will broadcast every game frome UEFA Champions League live. Stuck at work and looking to watch Manchester United play Real Madrid? Maybe you’re favorite team is Bayern Munich or Barcelona? Regardless of your favorite team, for the first time, football/soccer fans can follow all of the UEFA Champions League drama live online with pay-per-view Internet TV as Sky Sports streams every game from Europe’s premier club competition.

LONDON: Asian states led by China and India are surging ahead with military spending as they recover strongly from the global slowdown, while Europe and the US feel the pinch, a study said Wednesday.

The US military remains “under severe strain” due to ongoing Iraq operations and its 30,000-strong surge in Afghanistan, said the respected annual “Military Balance.

Britain, the United States’ main ally in both Iraq and Afghanistan, faces a particular challenge as it grapples to pay for its military and draw down a massive budget deficit.

“In light of severe funding constraints, the emphasis on partnerships, divisions of labour and alliances will certainly become important,” said IISS chief John Chipman, launching the report.

In the United States, after defence spending almost doubled under the administration of former president George W. Bush, a budget deficit of 12.5 per cent in 2009 “marked the end of this phase of rising defence spending.

“Both (President Barack) Obama and (Defence Secretary Robert) Gates have signalled that fiscal realities will necessitate a dramatic re-prioritisation within defence spending.

“The US military is still under severe strain,” the 490-page report noted.

The report comes a day after Obama defied China by standing firm on plans to meet the Dalai Lama, firmly rejecting Chinese pressure to snub him as rows escalate between Washington and Beijing.

The IISS chief also noted recent tensions between the US and Chinese navies.

“Defining ways in which the two navies might acceptably operate in areas near to China would be a good subject for the military-to-military talks that unfortunately can easily be placed in jeopardy when the countries find themselves in a political dispute, especially over Taiwan,” he said.

Russia’s military ambitions have been hit hard by a 7.5 per cent GDP contraction in 2009, said the report, adding that a 2007-2015 reprioritisation programme “will be replaced with a new 10-year plan starting in 2011.”

IISS Russia expert Oksana Antonenko said Russia’s military began “profound reform” last year, giving up its “mass mobilisation” army and becoming more inter-operable, ready to become a political partner of the West.

Asia’s giants will, however, power ahead militarily. “In contrast to developments in advanced economies, both India and China have maintained their recent trend of double-digit increases in defence spending,” it said.

India boosted defence spending by 21 per cent in 2009 following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, it noted, adding: “Other Asian states, such as Australia, Indonesia and Singapore have also posted increases.”

In Europe, massive stimulus packages contributed to an increase in budget deficits. “When the time comes to redress these fiscal imbalances, discretionary spending will come under considerable pressure and defence is likely to suffer.

Among European Nato member states, only Norway and Denmark are likely to increase defence spending in 2010, and most other countries will do well to increase budgets in line with inflation or match existing budget levels.

Bomber Said CIA Attack was Revenge: Video, A Jordanian who blew himself up in Afghanistan, killing seven CIA agents and his Jordanian handler, said in a video broadcast on Saturday the act he was planning was for revenge.
“We tell our emir Baitullah Mehsud we will never forget his blood. It is up to us to avenge him in and outside America,” Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi said about a Taliban leader killed in a US attack in August. “This is a message to the enemies of the (Muslim) nation — the CIA and Jordanian intelligence services,” said the bearded man in military uniform, identified by Al-Jazeera television as Balawi.
A relative later confirmed in Jordan that the man shown in the video was indeed Balawi — a Jordanian of Palestinian origin who moved with his family to Jordan after Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
According to the monitoring group IntelCenter the man sitting next to Balawi is Hakimullah Mehsud, who succeeded Beitulah Mehsud as head of the Pakistan Taliban.
Balawi blew himself up at a US military base in Khost, near the Pakistani border on December 30, killing seven CIA agents and his Jordanian handler, a top intelligence officer and member of the royal family.
Jihadist websites have identified Balawi as a double agent who duped Western intelligence services for months before turning on his handlers.
But a senior Jordanian official told on Wednesday that “Jordan has benefited since a year ago from anti-terrorist information provided by Humam Khalil al-Balawi and shared them with other (intelligence) services as part of the fight against terrorism.
“We will never forget that he (Mehsud) said Sheikh Osama bin Laden was not on our soil (Pakistan) but that if he should come we would protect him,” the man said.
“He kept his promise and paid for it with his life,” he added about Mehsud, the Pakistan Taliban chief killed in US drone attacks last August.
Al-Jazeera reported that the video shows Balawi training at a shooting range, but did not broadcast that part of the footage.
On Thursday, Islamist websites quoted the head of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, as saying the bomber left a will saying the Khost attack was revenge for “our righteous martyrs” and named several top militants killed in drone attacks in Pakistan.
The slain militant masterminds named in the will included Mehsud, who was blamed for a wave of deadly attacks, notably the December 2007 killing of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Also named was Abu Saleh al-Somali, described as part of Al-Qaeda’s core leadership and responsible for plotting attacks in Europe and the United States. He was killed in a drone strike near the Afghan border last month.
The suicide attack at a US military base near the Pakistani border on December 30 was the deadliest attack against the Central Intelligence Agency since 1983.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh acknowledged that Amman had a counter-terrorism role in Afghanistan, during a news conference in Washington on Friday with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.