raw result

TOLEDO, Ohio – While special guest host Jon Lovitz enjoys success as a comedian, a movie star and a former member of Saturday Night Live, the brutal qualifying matches and one shocking departure that went down inside Toledo's Huntington Center were no laughing matter.

Edge def. WWE Champion John Cena and Chris Jericho in a Non-Title Fatal 4-Way Qualifying Match
It was a do-or-die moment for both Edge and Chris Jericho. In their Triple Threat Fatal 4-Way Qualifying Match with John Cena, if either Edge or Jericho were to win, they would move on to the WWE Championship Fatal 4-Way Match next month. If The Champ were to prevail, however, neither Superstar would be eligible.

Knowing how much hung in the balance, The Ultimate Opportunist seized an opening. When Sheamus, who had qualified earlier in the evening, interfered in the bout, Edge quickly attacked Jericho and pinned him for the win.

As he celebrated, the night’s other qualifier, Orton, slithered into the proceedings to make his presence felt, leaving all four Fatal 4-Way competitors staring down one another in a preview of mayhem to come.

Ashton Kutcher to act as special guest host next week
Ashton Kutcher, star of the romantic comedy Killers, also starring Katherine Heigl, will drop by next week to tackle the role of Raw’s special guest host. A longtime member of the WWE Universe, Kutcher promises to bring the funny to Monday night.

Unified Tag Team Champions The Hart Dynasty def. William Regal & Vladimir Kozlov; mystery team attacked
One night after successfully defending their Unified Tag Team Titles, The Hart Dynasty continued their momentum by defeating the team of William Regal & Vladimir Kozlov. After pinning the Englishman for the win, Tyson Kidd, David Hart Smith & Natalya found themselves ambushed by a mystery trio, including two men and one woman.

Special guest host Jon Lovitz conducted “WWE Superstar Search”
The movie star and Saturday Night Live alum hosted a “WWE Superstar Search.” The search began when The Great Khali was joined by Ranjin Singh for a milk-curdling rendition of Taco’s classic hit, “Putting on the Ritz.” Next up, before Jillian Hall could even begin her cat-trapped-in-a-kettle singing, Lovitz cut her off. For the final act, a contestant stepped forward from the crowd with a bizarre talent that involved dislodging his eyeball.

Afterward, Ted DiBiase, accompanied by Virgil, angled to purchase the “eye-popping” orb. When Santino interfered, however, DiBiase nailed him with Dream Street and left the Italian nursing his wounds.

R-Truth def. The Miz in a United States Championship Match
Poor, Miz. He probably thought his precious United States Title had found its way home. After all, new Raw GM Bret Hart had abdicated the championship to take on his new role and offered The Miz an opportunity to reclaim the honor by pitting him against R-Truth in a U.S. Title Match. Sadly for “The Cleveland Screamer,” Truth was what was up when he bested Miz to become the new U.S. Champion.

Maryse & Alicia Fox def. Divas Champion Eve & Gail Kim (WATCH)
Maryse was in no mood. After failing to capture the Divas Title from Eve at Over the Limit, the bigheaded blond was steamed. She teamed with Alicia Fox against Eve & Gail Kim. Just as the Divas Champion was poised to pin Maryse, Alicia pounced and nailed Eve while the referee was distracted. The punishment allowed the French Canadian to hit a DDT and cover Eve for the victory.

Raw GM Bret Hart arranged John Cena vs. Edge vs. Chris Jericho in a Fatal 4-Way Qualifying Match
For the third and final Fatal 4-Way Qualifying Match of the night, Raw’s new General Manager, Bret Hart, announced that the Superstars competing would be WWE Champ John Cena, Chris Jericho and Edge in a Triple Threat Match. If either Edge or Jericho win, they will qualify, but, if Cena emerges victorious, neither The Rated-R Superstar or Mr. Vocabulary will make the cut.

Sheamus def. Mark Henry in a Fatal 4-Way Qualifying Match (WATCH)
In the second Fatal 4-Way Qualifying Match of the evening, Mark Henry proved why he’s earned the muscular moniker, The World’s Strongest Man. Henry appeared to be dominating his opponent, Sheamus. But, as if preparing a hearty Irish stew, The Celtic Warrior slowly stirred the pot and eventually offering some kick at the end to pull off the win and qualify for the WWE Championship Fatal 4-Way Match.

Bret Hart took over as new Raw GM; Fatal 4-Way qualifying matches announced; Batista quit WWE (PHOTOS | WATCH)
One night after losing an “I Quit” Match to WWE Champion John Cena at Over the Limit, Batista wasn’t in shape to do much of anything – except whine. The Superstar was helped to the ring to complain about his loss the night before and to demand another rematch. His rant was cut short, however, by Raw’s new General Manager Bret Hart.

The WWE Hall of Famer announced a series of qualifying matches for next month’s brand new Fatal 4-Way pay-per-view, at which Cena will defend his title in a Fatal 4-Way Match. The first qualifier announced was Batista against Randy Orton, but when The Animal refused, he automatically forfeited the match.

An enraged Batista went ballistic, screaming at Hart before finally telling the WWE Universe, “I quit!” The Animal was then assisted from the ring and eventually from the arena

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6035/14560202.jpg

http://us.wwe.com/shows/raw/

BP Kept Using Toxic Chemical in Gulf After E.P.A. Deadline

The effort to stanch the vast oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was mired by setbacks on Monday as state and federal officials feuded with BP over its failure to meet deadlines and its refusal to stop spraying a chemical dispersant.

The oil company had indicated that it could stem the flow of oil on Tuesday by trying a procedure known as a top kill, in which heavy fluid would be pumped into the well. But on Monday morning the company’s chief operating officer said the procedure would be delayed until Wednesday. At the same time, BP was locked in a tense standoff with the Environmental Protection Agency, which had ordered the company to stop using a chemical dispersant called Corexit by Sunday. But BP continued spraying the chemical on Monday despite the E.P.A.’s demand that it use a less toxic dispersant to break up the oil. The company told the agency that no better alternative was available.

At a news conference Monday in Louisiana, state and federal officials continued to hammer BP over its response to the spill.

“BP in my mind no longer stands for British Petroleum — it stands for Beyond Patience,” said Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. “People have been waiting 34 days for British Petroleum to cap this well and stop the damage that’s happening across the Gulf of Mexico.”

“What we need to tell BP,” he added, “is excuses don’t count anymore. You caused this mess, now stop the damage and clean up the mess. It’s your responsibility.”

Mr. Durbin was joined by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who were sent to the region Monday by President Obama in response to increasing criticism that the White House was not acting aggressively enough on the spill.

“BP is the responsible party, but we need the federal government to make sure they’re held accountable,” Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, a Republican, said Monday.

Mr. Salazar insisted that the federal government was not “sitting on the sidelines and letting BP do what BP wants to do.” He pointed out that the government had deployed more than 1,000 vessels to the region and more than 20,000 workers, burned oil off the surface of the Gulf and deployed miles of protective boom to protect and clean up the shorelines.

“The federal government has mounted the largest response to fight this oil in all of the history of this country,” Mr. Salazar said. Speaking of BP, he reiterated the phrase that the government would “keep our boot on their neck until the job gets done.”

Ms. Napolitano said the government had formed a group of “the best scientists available within the federal government” to calculate new estimates of how much oil has been released into the Gulf, suggesting that the government was not satisfied with BP’s estimates, which have attracted widespread criticism as too low. The group is expected to have its assessment ready by early next week.

Seeking to reassure all those whose livelihoods had been threatened by the spill, Sen. Mary Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, repeated that BP would be held responsible for damages. She also said the state would do a better job of processing claims in the future. “If you made $50,000 last year, and you can’t work this year,” she said, “BP is going to write you a check for $50,000.”

The top-kill method that BP had said it would try on Tuesday is one of several proposed methods of stanching the flow of at least 210,000 gallons of oil a day that has been threatening marine life and sensitive coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. BP officials have emphasized that none of the methods have been tried before at the depth of this leak, and the company’s chief operating officer, Doug Suttles, noted the difficulties of working at such depths in explaining why the attempt was being delayed until Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in a letter over the weekend, the oil company defended its use of Corexit and took issue with the methods that the E.P.A. had used to estimate its toxicity.

Last Wednesday, the federal agency ordered BP to propose one or more alternative dispersants to regulators within 24 hours. Then it gave the company 72 hours after that deadline to stop using Corexit and make a switch. Officials and scientists from the E.P.A. and the oil company met Sunday night and were apparently unable to reach a compromise before the deadline passed.

“We are continuing to use Corexit while we look at other alternatives,” Mark Salt, a spokesman for the oil company, said by telephone from Texas on Monday.

Since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded a month ago and began spewing oil a mile under surface, BP has applied about 700,000 gallons of the dispersants on the Gulf’s surface and in experimental undersea applications directly on the leaking well head. That is the largest quantity of dispersant deployed to date to break up an oil spill in United States waters.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/science/earth/25spill.html?hp

Murray's Discipline Helps Him Survive

PARIS — It wasn’t quite self-loathing. It never went as far on Monday as it used to go for Andy Murray, a perfectionist in a game where perfection is simply not an option.

Let’s call it self-disliking then, and it peaked when Murray — already down two sets to none in the first round of the French Open — tried and failed to serve out the third set against Richard Gasquet.

There were mutterings, then more mutterings, then another long, slightly menacing look in the direction of his camp after he rose from his chair and shuffled to the other side of the Suzanne Lenglen court.

“Terrible,” Murray said when he arrived within earshot.

“Terrible,” he repeated.

“Terrible!” he concluded.

And so it had been, but clay-court tennis at Roland Garros is a marathon, not a sprint, and Murray, who once had a big junk food habit has gradually transformed himself into a serious professional athlete in the past three seasons. That transformation played a big role in the comeback to come on Monday as Murray rallied to win, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-2, 6-1, on this warm and sunny Monday. “He changed his world,” said Gil Reyes, the American fitness trainer, during a recent interview.

Reyes helped change Andre Agassi’s world and has done the same with Fernando Verdasco and admires the fitness work that Murray has done. “When I knew that Murray had changed was when he started doing this in matches,” Reyes said, flexing his right bicep.

Murray, who has struggled since reaching the Australian Open final in January, saved his flexing until after he served an ace on match point on Monday, but then this was more Davis Cup encounter than Grand Slam encounter with Gasquet, a very flashy Frenchman trying to fight his way back to relevance on the other side of the net after missing the last two French Opens.

The British might outnumber the French in some parts of Provence, Brittany and the Dordogne, but that was not the case on the Suzanne Lenglen court. Murray was sage enough to avoid letting his body language get too bellicose, though he did complain to the chair umpire about the pace of play.

But beating Gasquet was proving difficult enough without the crowd getting nasty. It was tough on Murray’s home turf at Wimbledon two years ago, too, when Murray also rallied from two sets down to beat Gasquet in five sets in the fading light on Centre Court in the round of 16. That, as it turned out, was a pivotal match for both men: part of Gasquet’s tumble from the top 10 and part of Murray’s rise into the top five.

When these two 23-year-olds walked on court Monday, Murray was seeded 4th and Gasquet was ranked 68th and not seeded at all, but the Frenchman, once his country’s great tennis hope, was flying higher after winning back-to-back tournaments: a challenger in Bordeaux and a regular tour event in Nice last week. He has a new coach this year: the former Argentine player Gabriel Markus, who liked clay courts the best during his career.

Gasquet is also attempting to rebuild his image after last year’s long-running drama in which he was suspended after testing positive for cocaine: a test result he persuaded sport authorities was due to a kiss at a Miami night club.

It was and remains an intriguing defense, and for close to three diverting sets Gasquet played plenty of fine defense and offense on the Paris clay. His one-handed backhand remains one of the shots worth the price of admission in men’s tennis. But competing too much too close to Roland Garros is a gamble: there is a reason men like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Murray avoid it. And though Gasquet requested a Tuesday start, he got Monday instead.

Murray was the fresher, fitter man, despite two visits from the medical staff to Gasquet’s chair after the third and fourth sets.

“I just felt a huge loss of energy and couldn’t do it anymore,” Gasquet said. “I had a problem with recovery after Nice. I would have liked to have an extra day. I think it could have made a difference, but it’s a Grand Slam. I’m just happy to have played again at Roland Garros.; I really missed it last year.”

But this year only Murray gets to keep playing and though he is not hitting the ball with the same belief or consistent accuracy as he was last season or in Australia before Roger Federer popped his balloon, beating Gasquet in five sets is a time-tested way of helping his career.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/sports/tennis/25iht-ARENA.html?hp

JIM ROSS COMMENTS ON ROSTER CUTS, DAVID OTUNGA, OPEN AIR STADIUMS FOR WRESTLEMANIA AND MORE

WWE did 10,000 fans in Cincy Saturday night. Running live events the night before a PPV is somewhat risky but there were no injuries to report. Hopefully, the talents got a sample of Skyline Chili or some Montgomery Inn BBQ while they were in town.

No...I seriously doubt if McMahon has invested the first nickel in TNA and can't really understand why this question was asked. That one was a little bit too much 'Oliver Stone.'

Yes...making cuts on any roster are necessary on a somewhat systematic basis to keep the roster fresh, create new match ups, provide a buzz for the fans, to facilitate opportunities to new talents, and to maximize budgets, to name a few of the many reasons. These decisions are never easy ones to make but they are essential if a business wants to improve and grow. Even in the territory days when promoters/decision makers were reluctant to move talent they often times regretted it. Fans want to see 'new' and it is incumbent upon the establishment to provide 'new.'

No...David Otunga is not 'guaranteed' to be a main event level, WWE Superstar but he seemingly possesses many of the tools that one looks for when wanting to develop a star. Much like the Mir question, how well Otunga melds into the fabric of the system, how hard he pushes himself, can he catch a break or two along the way, can he stay healthy, and will he work overtime to improve every level of his game are a few of the questions that can only be answered in time. I do like the potential of Otunga nonetheless and hope that for his sake and the benefit of WWE that he makes it. Plus, I'm a big Jennifer Hudson fan.

No...I am not a fan of open air stadiums for Wrestlemania events. The reason is simple, Mother Nature. She answers to no one and rain, lightning, etc can potentially destroy the biggest WWE event of the year. My question is, why take the chance? Plus, I can tell you from experience, WM9 and WM24, that the noise level often times evades the stadiums that have no roof.

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/47768/jim-ross-comments-on-roster-cuts-david-otunga-open-air-stadiums-for-wrestlemania-and-more.html?p=1

CM PUNK INJURY UPDATE

CM Punk received over a dozen staples to close the wound in his head suffered when he hit the guard rail headfirst. Punk was walking around backstage sporting a bald head after he was treated, so they shaved him completely once he returned to the back.

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/47767/cm-punk-injury-update.html?p=1

WWE ANNOUNCES NEW FILM PROJECT

WWE GETS CHAPERONE

LOS ANGELES May 24 -- WWE Studios has acquired "THE CHAPERONE," by playwright turned screenwriter S. J. Roth. This is the first screenplay sale for Roth who is mostly known for his work on stage, including his off-Broadway and West Coast productions of "SUTTON," the story of legendary bank robber, Willie Sutton, and comedies "BEN THE PRINTER," and "BONNIE'S WANTED MAN."

"THE CHAPERONE" is a kids action comedy about a just released, ex-con dad who unwittingly becomes a chaperone for his teen daughter's class trip to New Orleans, while he is on the run from his old cronies who are trying to kill him.

Alan Shafer of Careyes Entertainment and attorney Michael Overn represented Roth in the sale. Steve Barnett, Senior Vice President, Development of WWE Studios handled the deal for studio. Shoot is tentatively scheduled for Summer 2010, in New Orleans.

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/47774/wwe-announces-new-film-project.html?p=1

OFF AIR NOTES FROM THE OVER THE LIMIT PPV

I attended the Over The Limit PPV at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit so I thought I would send in some show notes and observations. I am only going by what I saw live because I haven’t seen the PPV version.

I was able to get into the arena faster than others did but there were huge lines getting into the place because of the way the building lets people in.

I thought the set looked cool and was different and they went back to using the red ropes instead of white. There were two cars, one red and one black, on the stage and it seems like every time WWE comes to Detroit for PPVs they have to use a car theme for the set or using it as part of the show. They had spotlights where the Zamboni entrance is at Joe Louis Arena if they were having a hockey game and they synched up with the music to go along with the Titan tron. The set had an " Over The Limit" sign with a light on it so people could see it. It was not a digital sign. I thought the Titantron set up with the lights and everything was something different in a good way.

They opened with a cool Wrestlemania 26 video.

Bonus March: Chavo Guerrero vs. MVP – MVP won with his Play of the Day new finisher, which is similar to Shelton Benjamin’s Pay Dirt. The crowd was really behind MVP and Chavo received some good heat from the crowd doing the three amigos.

The announcers then came out, Michael Cole came out to the WWE Superstars Theme and people were booing him badly. Matt Striker came out next and it was much the same as Cole. Jerry “The King” Lawler came out to good reaction from the fans. Next came the Spanish announce team of Hugo Savinovich and Carlos Cabrera and they got some cheers from the crowd, but nothing like The King.

Before the PPV they showed the 2009 Iraq Tour highlight video, which got a good response from the crowd. A lot of people in the video are no longer with the company but it is a great video package by WWE. There was no National Anthem before the PPV.

Pyro goes off to start and it is a pretty cool display going from the meter thing to the floor near the cars. During the first match, due to the opening Pyro and Kofi Kingston’s fireworks, it got a little smoky. The opening match received a good response from the crowd, who were pretty vocal. Kofi Kingston got a good pop for winning the Intercontinental Championship. McIntrye got some good heat before and after, especially after losing when he demanded that Teddy Long give him back the title and the crowd got loud when Matt Hardy came down and gave McIntrye a Twist of Fate.

The CM Punk backstage promo got tremendous heel heat.

R-Truth came out next and the crowd was really behind him as majority of the crowd did the " What’s Up" stuff. Ted DiBiase got an ok heel response but nothing great. I was pretty surprised that R-Truth got the win here. Nothing happened afterwards other that Virgil gave the Million Dollar belt back to DiBiase and checked on him after the match, then the ring lights went dark and the crew came down to work on something.

Fans booed McIntrye’s backstage tirade in Teddy Long’s office.

CM Punk received a ton of heat when he came down for the match . Rey Mysterio got his usual cheers that he always gets when he comes to Detroit. When Punk got busted open, the fans at first didn’t know what was happening. Then a “We Want Blood chant” started and because the match was delayed a bit, a “Boring chant” followed while the doctors attended to Punk. After that, Punk seemed very upset and really slammed Mysterio around on the outside. Crowd popped huge for Mysterio winning and Punk was in disbelief that he lost. Kane coming out with his pyro blasting was a surprise I didn’t see coming, and he brawled with Gallows to the back. Punk took a 619 while handcuffed to the ropes and it looked brutal because he was defenseless. After the shaving of the head, Serena and the masked guy came back and got a towel for Punk to cover his head and they walked to the back. I really enjoyed this match and was surprised at the result.

Ring crew changed the mat due to CM Punk’s blood from the cut he received in his match.

Chris Jericho/Big Show backstage bit got some laughs from the crowd. It seemed here the crowd was into Big Show as a face.

Hart Dynasty got a nice pop, Miz got booed and Jericho was booed and cheered- no pyro for Jericho. During the match there was a “Y2J” chant and some people chanted he sucked but they were more that were pro- Jericho, which they usually are in Detroit. Crowd was very into this match, with the near falls and the finish drew a good pop. Fans liked David Hart Smith’s delayed vertical suplex. The running power slam he did along with the Hart Attack finisher was over with the crowd.

Some popped for Edge and booed him when he came out. When Randy Orton came out, the place went nuts with a lot of RKO chants. The crowd was very into this match until the finish.. Orton and Edge did the yay/ boo punching spot where the fans were really behind Orton and Edge got the boos similar to what you would see in John Cena match. I was little confused as to the finish because I thought Edge was hurt when he went to the outside, but then I saw Orton carrying his shoulder weird so I figured he might be just doing a really good job selling it or he was really hurt. It turned out to be the latter. Fans didn’t really like the double count out because a lot of us didn’t know what was going on but after finding out about it when I got home, I understand why they ended the match. There were a lot of referees sprinting out there to check on Orton. I hope he isn't out of action because the fans are really behind him right now.

Jack Swagger got some good heat from the crowd. Big Show got cheered decently. I thought it was weird that they didn’t do the normal ring introductions like they usually do for a WWE or World Title match but they just announced the guys as they came to the ring.

Fans were really behind Big Show especially when Show had Swagger in the corner and he did the “shhhhhhhhhh” and everyone in the arena got quiet and then did the frying pan hand slap across the chest and you could hear how loud it was. Fans really didn’t care for the finish with Swagger using the belt to get DQ'd.. The chair shots echoed when Swagger hit show in the back and then when Big Show got the Chair you could really hear how loud it was when he hit Swagger across the back. Nice pop for the choke slam on the chair and then the knockout punch. Swagger was down for a while after the knockout punch and needed the help of the refs to get to the back.

Divas Title- lots of people headed to the concession stands or bathroom during this match. Crowd chanted Jerry Lawler's favorite line “We want puppies” and really didn’t seem like they cared about the match. Eve really tried and Maryse got decent heat with her hair flip she does but that's pretty much it.

I believe the ring crew changed the ring canvas again before the WWE Title match.

Batista got a lot of heel heat backstage and when he came out to the spotlight. When Cena came out, he got a thunderous reaction and usually it is mixed in Detroit, but more pro Cena early and then it turned into the “Let’s go Cena” “Cena Sucks” duel chants. I have to say live this match wasn’t that bad but at times hard to follow because they went into the stands and it made it hard to see if you weren’t watching the Titan tron or you weren’t near where they were brawling. People loved the powerslam spot Batista did to Cena on the announce table and it really quieted the Cena fans near me when he went through the table. Anytime Batista said no when asked if he quit people were laughing.

Another spot was when they brawled up the stands and Batista went over the rail onto security. Batista then slid down the railing a little bit and those rails are not the sturdiest of rails. Fans were really into this match especially the work on the stage where Cena did the attitude adjustment onto the car and the big spot where Cena did it again on top of car onto the stage got a huge pop as it looked where I was sitting that Batista took a bad spill to the stage. Fans erupted when Cena won and then Sheamus came out and did the pump kick and the air went out of the balloon in a hurry as a small “Sheamus sucks” chant started. Not sure where the PPV cut out but Cena got to his feet and the crowd mostly started leaving to beat traffic after Batista said "I Quit". Crowd cheered Cena as he went to the back. They had a stretcher for Batista but I never saw them wheel him out.

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/47779/off-air-notes-from-the-over-the-limit-ppv.html?p=1

Upcoming Raw guest hosts

From comedians to politicians to musical performers to professional athletes, Monday Night Raw’s weekly guest hosts are some of past and present’s finest entertainers. The WWE Universe, therefore, can expect this trend to continue as more and more of the most popular celebrities are hopping aboard to serve as Raw special host.

May 24, 2010: Jon Lovitz
Only 24 hours after WWE Over the Limit, comedy legend Jon Lovitz brings the party to Monday Night Raw live from Toledo, Ohio. Lovitz, a former Saturday Night Live cast member in the 1990s, has appeared in numerous films and popular television shows throughout his career. Currently, he runs The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club located on the Universal Citywalk in Hollywood.

For more information on The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club, please visit

For more information on Jon Lovitz, please visit

May 31, 2010: Ashton Kutcher
Film and television star Ashton Kutcher takes the reins of Monday Night Raw, where one of the most-followed celebrities on Twitter will likely have a few surprises in store for the WWE Universe.

In his upcoming action-comedy film Killers, Kutcher plays a government assassin named Spencer Aimes who, three years after settling down with the woman of his dreams (Katherine Heigl), discovers that someone’s put a hefty price on his head. Pursued by hired killers, Spencer must simultaneously deal with irritating in-laws, maintain neighborly appearances and, most importantly, keep his wife out of the crosshairs.

Killers hits theaters June 4. To learn more, please visit

To learn more about Ashton Kutcher, please visit

June 7, 2010: Cast of The A-Team
Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? A-Team stars Bradley Cooper, Quinton Jackson and Sharlto Copley will ensure that Monday night is as explosive and action packed as their upcoming movie when they host Raw, live from Miami.

A big-screen adaptation of the popular 1980s television series, The A-Team tells the story of a group of former Special Forces soldiers who are accused of a crime they didn’t commit. Going “rogue,” these highly-trained military specialists use their talents to clear their names and find out who set them up.

The A-Team opens June 11. For more information, visit

June 14, 2010: Mark Feuerstein
Is there a doctor in the house? The star of USA’s hit medical drama Royal Pains, Mark Feuerstein, drops by Monday Night Raw in Charlotte, North Carolina for what promises to be an unforgettable night for the WWE Universe.

On Royal Pains, Feuerstein plays a doctor named Hank Lawson who, after being blacklisted by the medical community, reluctantly becomes a “doctor for hire,” catering to the rich and famous. But when he begins treating less fortunate people, Hank often finds himself walking the line between what is good for his career and what is good for others.

http://us.wwe.com/shows/raw/special/allspecialguesthosts/upcomingguesthosts

Chicago Blackhawks qualify for Stanley Cup final

Patrick Sharp,10, and Troy Brouwer, 22, of the Chicago Blackhawks check Douglas Murray of the San Jose Sharks in the first period. Jamie Squire / Getty Images

CHICAGO // The Chicago Blackhawks booked their place in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 18 years after completing a 4-0 clean sweep of their Western Conference final with the San Jose Sharks yesterday.

The Blackhawks finished off a one-sided series against the Sharks with a 4-2 win in Game 4 and will now face either the Philadelphia Flyers or the Montreal Canadiens in the best-of-seven final.

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100524/SPORT/705249994/1004

Despite Obama’s Moratorium, Drilling Projects Move Ahead

WASHINGTON — In the days since President Obama announced a moratorium on permits for drilling new offshore oil wells and a halt to a controversial type of environmental waiver that was given to the Deepwater Horizon rig, at least seven new permits for various types of drilling and five environmental waivers have been granted, according to records.

The records also indicate that since the April 20 explosion on the rig, federal regulators have granted at least 19 environmental waivers for gulf drilling projects and at least 17 drilling permits, most of which were for types of work like that on the Deepwater Horizon shortly before it exploded, pouring a ceaseless current of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Asked about the permits and waivers, officials at the Department of the Interior and the Minerals Management Service, which regulates drilling, pointed to public statements by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, reiterating that the agency had no intention of stopping all new oil and gas production in the gulf.

Department of the Interior officials said in a statement that the moratorium was meant only to halt permits for the drilling of new wells. It was not meant to stop permits for new work on existing drilling projects like the Deepwater Horizon.

But critics say the moratorium has been violated or too narrowly defined to prevent another disaster.

With crude oil still pouring into the gulf and washing up on beaches and in wetlands, President Obama is sending Mr. Salazar and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano back to the region on Monday.

In a toughly worded warning to BP on Sunday, Mr. Salazar said at a news conference outside the company’s headquarters in Houston, “If we find they’re not doing what they’re supposed to be doing, we’ll push them out of the way appropriately.”

Mr. Salazar’s position conflicted with one laid out several hours earlier, by the commandant of the United States Coast Guard, Adm. Thad W. Allen, who said that the oil conglomerate’s access to the mile-deep well site meant that the government could not take over the lead in efforts to stop the leak.

“They have the eyes and ears that are down there,” the admiral said on CNN’s “State of the Union” program. “They are necessarily the modality by which this is going to get solved.”

Since the explosion, federal regulators have been harshly criticized for giving BP’s Deepwater Horizon and hundreds of other drilling projects waivers from full environmental review and for failing to provide rigorous oversight of these projects.

In voicing his frustration with these regulators and vowing to change how they operate, Mr. Obama announced on May 14 a moratorium on drilling new wells and the granting of environmental waivers.

“It seems as if permits were too often issued based on little more than assurances of safety from the oil companies,” Mr. Obama said. “That cannot and will not happen anymore.”

“We’re also closing the loophole that has allowed some oil companies to bypass some critical environmental reviews,” he added in reference to the environmental waivers.

But records indicated that regulators continued granting the environmental waivers and permits for types of work like that occurring on the Deepwater Horizon.

In testifying before Congress on May 18, Mr. Salazar and officials from his agency said they recognized the problems with the waivers and they intended to try to rein them in. But Mr. Salazar also said that he was limited by a statutory requirement that he said obligated his agency to process drilling requests within 30 days after they have been submitted.

“That is what has driven a number of the categorical exclusions that have been given over time in the gulf,” he said.

But critics remained unsatisfied.

Shown the data indicating that waivers and permits were still being granted, Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Democrat of Maryland, said he was “deeply troubled.”

“We were given the clear impression that these waivers and permits were not being granted,” said Mr. Cardin, who is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where Mr. Salazar testified last week. “I think the presumption should be that there should be stronger environmental reviews, not weaker.”

None of the projects that have recently been granted environmental waivers have started drilling.

However, these waivers have been especially troublesome to environmentalists because they were granted through a special legal provision that is supposed to be limited to projects that present minimal or no risk to the environment.

At least six of the drilling projects that have been given waivers in the past four weeks are for waters that are deeper — and therefore more difficult and dangerous — than where Deepwater Horizon was operating. While that rig, which was drilling at a depth just shy of 5,000 feet, was classified as a deep-water operation, many of the wells in the six projects are classified as “ultra” deep water, including four new wells at over 9,100 feet.

In explaining why they were still granting new permits for certain types of drilling on existing wells, Department of the Interior officials said some of the procedures being allowed are necessary for the safety of the existing wellbore.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/us/24moratorium.html?ref=us

South Africa Pushes to Make the World Cup Its Own

JOHANNESBURG — The official mascot of Africa’s first World Cup — a stuffed leopard with spiked green hair — was made in China. The official World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” was written by the Colombian pop star Shakira. The official restaurant? McDonald’s.

From comedians to politicians to musical performers to professional athletes, Monday Night Raw’s weekly guest hosts are some of past and present’s finest entertainers. The WWE Universe, therefore, can expect this trend to continue as more and more of the most popular celebrities are hopping aboard to serve as Raw special host.

May 24, 2010: Jon Lovitz
Only 24 hours after WWE Over the Limit, comedy legend Jon Lovitz brings the party to Monday Night Raw live from Toledo, Ohio. Lovitz, a former Saturday Night Live cast member in the 1990s, has appeared in numerous films and popular television shows throughout his career. Currently, he runs The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club located on the Universal Citywalk in Hollywood.

For more information on The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club, please visit http://www.thejonlovitzcomedyclub.com/

For more information on Jon Lovitz, please visit http://twitter.com/JonLovitzClub

May 31, 2010: Ashton Kutcher
Film and television star Ashton Kutcher takes the reins of Monday Night Raw, where one of the most-followed celebrities on Twitter will likely have a few surprises in store for the WWE Universe.

In his upcoming action-comedy film Killers, Kutcher plays a government assassin named Spencer Aimes who, three years after settling down with the woman of his dreams (Katherine Heigl), discovers that someone’s put a hefty price on his head. Pursued by hired killers, Spencer must simultaneously deal with irritating in-laws, maintain neighborly appearances and, most importantly, keep his wife out of the crosshairs.

Killers hits theaters June 4. To learn more, please visit http://www.killersfilm.com

To learn more about Ashton Kutcher, please visit http://www.twitter.com/aplusk

June 7, 2010: Cast of The A-Team
Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? A-Team stars Bradley Cooper, Quinton Jackson and Sharlto Copley will ensure that Monday night is as explosive and action packed as their upcoming movie when they host Raw, live from Miami.

A big-screen adaptation of the popular 1980s television series, The A-Team tells the story of a group of former Special Forces soldiers who are accused of a crime they didn’t commit. Going “rogue,” these highly-trained military specialists use their talents to clear their names and find out who set them up.

The A-Team opens June 11. For more information, visit http://www.ateam-movie.com

June 14, 2010: Mark Feuerstein
Is there a doctor in the house? The star of USA’s hit medical drama Royal Pains, Mark Feuerstein, drops by Monday Night Raw in Charlotte, North Carolina for what promises to be an unforgettable night for the WWE Universe.

On Royal Pains, Feuerstein plays a doctor named Hank Lawson who, after being blacklisted by the medical community, reluctantly becomes a “doctor for hire,” catering to the rich and famous. But when he begins treating less fortunate people, Hank often finds himself walking the line between what is good for his career and what is good for others.

To learn more about Royal Pains, please visit http://www.usanetwork.com/series/royalpains/

Be sure to tune in every Monday night when the biggest stars from all over the world take over as Raw’s special guest host.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/sports/soccer/24safrica.html?hp

U.S. Backs South Korea in Cutting Trade With the North

SEOUL, South Korea — Tensions escalated sharply Monday on the Korean Peninsula as the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak, said that his nation would sever nearly all trade with North Korea, deny North Korean merchant ships use of South Korean sea lanes and ask the United Nations Security Council to punish the North for what he called the deliberate sinking of a South Korean warship two months ago.

And with less than three weeks before the world’s most watched sporting event, only 36,000 of the almost three million tickets have been sold in Africa outside of South Africa itself, the host. On a continent whose people mostly live on the wrong side of the digital divide, tickets were mainly marketed online.

“This is not our World Cup,” explained Greg Fredericks, a senior manager for South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee. He noted the dominant role of FIFA, soccer’s Zurich-based world governing body. “It is FIFA’s World Cup. We are just the organizers. We are the stage.”

That might have been the end of the story, except that this is South Africa, the country that ended a vicious system of racial segregation 16 years ago to create a noisy, fractious, vibrant democracy. Poking a finger in the eye of authority is part of the national DNA.

And so South Africans have pushed back — to get easier access to tickets, to see their wealth of musicians included in the FIFA concert and to ensure that more World Cup souvenirs were made in South Africa. Along the way, they have won modest victories that will give the slickly marketed, corporate-branded, monthlong sports spectacular splashes of African authenticity.

“You’ve got citizens here who don’t sit back; they know their rights very well, and they fight for them,” said Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa, who was himself a canny defensive player on a political prisoners’ soccer team during a decade of imprisonment on Robben Island.

The various levels of government here have spent about $5 billion on stunning stadiums and other World Cup investments, and holding the games is what Peter Alegi — a historian and author of “African Soccerscapes: How a Continent Changed the World’s Game” — called “the climax of this long journey to globalize and democratize the games.”

Soccer is the fanatically followed sport of the black majority, and for almost three decades during the apartheid era South Africa under white minority rule was effectively kicked out of FIFA and barred from tournaments. Now that South Africa is about to find itself in the center of world soccer, patriotic spirit is rising, with South African flags fluttering from people’s homes, stretched like stockings around rear-view mirrors and emblazoned on shirts.

So it was not surprising that many poor and working-class South Africans were outraged by how hard it was for them to buy World Cup tickets. Aggrieved fans who lacked credit cards and Internet access called in to radio talk shows to vociferously complain to Danny Jordaan, who leads South Africa’s local organizing committee, and he raised the issue with FIFA, Mr. Fredericks said. To use cash, fans had to apply for tickets by submitting a written application at a bank, a process many found costly and needlessly complicated.

Cosatu, the mighty trade union federation, warned that the audience for this historic African event could be mainly Americans, Europeans and white South Africans.

Some white employers agreed that the reliance on the Internet was a nearly insurmountable barrier for many. “I have seven domestic staff on my farm and at home and not a single one thought of buying a ticket online, though they’re avid soccer fans,” said Gillian Saunders, who researched the World Cup’s economic impact on South Africa as head of consulting services here for the accounting firm Grant Thornton.

The cheapest World Cup tickets here in South Africa cost $18, and the lowest price in the rest of the world is $71 — large sums in Africa, the world’s poorest continent. In addition, South Africa’s tourism minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, told members of Parliament on Tuesday that FIFA had made “a huge mistake” in relying so heavily on Internet sales.

The number of foreign tourists buying World Cup tickets will be down about a fifth from Grant Thornton’s original forecast, to 228,500, because of the recession; the perception that tickets, travel and accommodations were costly; and security concerns. But the firm’s estimate of how many Africans from outside South Africa will buy tickets plunged 77 percent, to 11,300 people, with each visitor generally buying several tickets.

Jérôme Valcke, FIFA’s secretary general, said Thursday at a news conference in Johannesburg that ticket sales in Africa had been “a bit disappointing.”

“The system we put in place was not perfect for South Africa and for Africa,” he said. But he also said the high cost of flights between African countries had discouraged visitors.

FIFA ultimately recognized the problems, and tickets finally went on sale here over the counter on April 15. Lines were so long that some likened them to those for South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994. Since then, 230,000 tickets have been sold over the counter — pushing total sales here to over a million, more than in any other country. The United States is second, at 130,000 tickets sold.

Likewise, South Africans, proud of the region’s rich musical heritage, were furious about what they saw as a shortage of homegrown talent for FIFA’s opening musical extravaganza and Shakira’s selection for the FIFA anthem, hardly mollified that she was being accompanied by a South African band, Freshlyground.

“It’s like waking up in the morning and finding people in your backyard saying, ‘This is what we’re doing,’ without talking to the owner of the house,” said Oupa Lebogo, general secretary of the Creative Workers Union of South Africa.

SABC, the state-owned radio broadcaster, recently played Shakira singing lead vocals on the World Cup anthem and invited people to call in.

“I want to express my disgust that FIFA has so much arrogance in how they trample on our dignity as Africans and insulting the talent and artistry of our music,” said a caller named Ernest from Goodwood. “What is wrong with our leaders that they allow this bullying by Europeans?”

FIFA officials replied that the tournament was a global event and that the music should feature “international artists with local South African elements.” But South African musicians and their union were not appeased and threatened FIFA with a huge rival concert to protest the event. They met with Mr. Jordaan, the head of the local organizing committee.

“He sat for hours and hours and hours with them, morning till late at night,” Mr. Fredericks said.

On May 4, when FIFA announced a final lineup of musicians, those newly added were predominantly South African. Hugh Masekela, the venerable trumpeter, the Mzansi Youth Choir, the Soweto Gospel Choir and Freshlyground will all take the stage at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on June 10 for a concert to be broadcast live worldwide.

But it is the vuvuzela, a cheap plastic horn, that may be the lasting South African symbol of the 2010 games, said Mr. Alegi, a scholar of soccer at Michigan State University. A stadium full of them make a racket so ear-splitting that the usual cheers and groans of the crowd are lost. And South African fans will undoubtedly be blowing their vuvuzelas, which are ubiquitous at South African soccer games, proudly, joyously, defiantly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/world/asia/25korea.html?hp