TELUGU MOVIE REVIEWS : ARUNDHATI MOVIE REVIEW

The proposed Sankranthi release happened after the festival days. The expectations on the film are on top and let us see how it tuned. The clash between good and evil has been the law of the universe but what happens when an obsession turns dangerous and the will to seek revenge brings out the demons. Something like that happens here and who wins in the end, we will know more details.

Story
Arundhati (Anushka) is engaged to Rahul (Deepak) and is on her way to get married in Hyderabad but far away in Gadwal in an abandoned and ruined castle lies a scary and fearsome voice waiting to come out and take revenge on her.

It is endowed with evil powers and is successful in getting Arundhati to Gadwal, the truth is Arundhati is a descendant of a royal family and her ancestor is Jejamma (Anushka again) who strikes a death blow to her brother in law (Sonu Sood) who is an avid womanizer, rapist and murderer. He survives with the will to seek revenge and learns all the dark magics under Aghora Sadhus, he comes back to take revenge on Arundhati and his lust for her makes him even more dangerous. However, Arundhati is not willing to believe that she is Jejamma but she has no choice since the villain is set free finally and he comes to enjoy her.

In her attempt to thwart him, Arundhati is assisted strongly by the Muslim fakir Anwar (Sayaji Shinde) but then her fear inside gives way. Who gets successful, Arundhati or the villain? Watch the movie to find out.

Performance
Anushka is a total revelation in this one, she has shown once for all to all the critics that it is not just a voluptuous body that she has but a whole range of emotions and expressions to call her a true actress. Few angles of her are wonderful and spellbound. It's a great image make over for her.

Sayaji Shinde was a rocket booster and he has been full of zest and energy in this movie. His scenes are all powerful.

Sonu Sood was dark and evil and his performance was delectable as the evil sorcerer and the black magician.

Manorama provided the matured presence along with Satyanarayana while Ahuti Prasad, Chalapathi Rao, Annapoorna and others have justified their roles.

Deepak did not have much to do in this one, Subhashini was absolutely scary.

The graphics team needs a very special commendation here since they have come out with a really Hollywood style of creation. The script was very well under the grip, screenplay was brilliantly executed. Music really added up to the moods and the cinematography was the life and soul for the film with its angles and captures. Costumes were excellent and editing was sharp.

The other departments contributed effectively to create the required difference. Director has shown his brilliance and experience in handling a one line story into a total two hour plus treat without much idle moments.

Analysis
While the film is a complete socio fantasy genre and it revolves completely around evil spirits and scary saints, one needs to look at it as a film only and not try and reason with the logic.

The content part is less but then it is the presentation and the performance that really made up for any shortcomings. The team has come up with a much enhanced and more impressive graphical treat after 'Ammoru' and this time; the horror aspect was quite high.

The amount of blood shown on the screen could have been reduced but then the seriousness and intensity is so high that everything looks convincing for that frame. The film lacks comedy or any mass elements but then, it has a rich presentation and the grandeur of its style and speed is worthy to be called a super hit. It appears that the Sankranti drought has finally been fulfilled with an exceptional visual treat. Don't miss it!!!

And it's a suggestion for weak hearts to keep away from horror shocks.

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PTU.AC.IN DISTANCE EDUCATION RESULTS

Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar

SEPTEMBER-2008

Punjab Technical University, Jalandharwas established in January 1997 for advancement of technical education & development. The University has under its affiliation 40 Engineering colleges,56Management, 17 Pharmacy colleges ,6 Architecture 2 Hotel Management and 13 colleges imparting courses in Medical Lab Technolgy& IT disciplines. The University has an intake of more than 12700 and total strength of more than 60,000 approx. University has established 12 Regional Centres for M-Tech courses and has establishedschool of Enterprennership 2 TQM asMohali.

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john muir - Print Email Font Resize Former Muir teacher to stand trial in murder case

PASADENA - A former John Muir High School English teacher should be tried on charges of murdering his ex-wife's boyfriend in Arcadia last March, a judge ruled Thursday.

Pasadena Superior Court Judge Laura F. Priver found "sufficient cause" to hold Brandon Michael Landreth, 30, of Pasadena to answer to charges of first degree murder and set an arraignment for Jan. 30.

Citing testimony that Landreth had made threats against another of his ex-wife's lovers, Priver also set Landreth's bail at $5 million.

Landreth pleaded not guilty at his first arraignment in April in the shooting of 25-year-old Justo Cesar Morales at Morales' parents' Canyon Road home in northern Arcadia.

In initial police reports of the crime, a gunman knocked on Morales' front door, then opened fire immediately after Morales opened the door. The gunman then rode off on a skateboard, witnesses told detectives.

Prosecutors outlined the case against Landreth at a preliminary hearing Thursday. A friend of Landreth, Gerald Gracian, and Landreth's ex-wife, Tania, both claimed he had confessed to shooting and killing Morales.

Tania Landreth testified that the defendant had met her on her front lawn in the days after Morales' death and confessed to killing Morales.

"I asked, `Was he in pain?"' she recounted tearfully. "He told me, `He died quickly."'

She also said that Landreth had made threats against Morales' life close to 100 times over the
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course of two years.

Landreth's attorney pointed out that police were unsuccessful in their attempts to tape Landreth's confession by wiring Tania.

He also asked her why she had not gone to the police upon hearing the threats against Morales' life, to which she replied that Landreth had threatened her too.

At a hearing in April, investigators cited items police found inside Landreth's car when officers stopped it in Pasadena on April 2, three days after Morales was shot.

Inside his silver Volkswagen police found camping gear, a backpack full of clothing and other articles, and $9,000 in cash Landreth had withdrawn from his bank, investigators said.

In a search of Landreth's home, authorities recovered a handgun and ammunition. They also found a piece of paper with the address of another possible victim. That man, like Morales, also had dated Landreth's ex-wife, police said.

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How Igneous Rock Is Formed

Igneous rocks are called fire rocks and are formed either underground or above ground. Underground, they are formed when the melted rock, called magma, deep within the earth becomes trapped in small pockets. As these pockets of magma cool slowly underground, the magma becomes igneous rocks.

Igneous rocks are also formed when volcanoes erupt, causing the magma to rise above the earth's surface. When magma appears above the earth, it is called lava. Igneous rocks are formed as the lava cools above ground.

For examples of igneous rocks, take a look at these:

Granite Rocks


Granite rocks are igneous rocks which were formed by slowly cooling pockets of magma that were trapped beneath the earth's surface. Granite is used for long lasting monuments and for trim and decoration on buildings.

See how igneous rocks are formed atIgneous Animation page.

Scoria Rocks

Scoria rocks are igneous rocks which were formed when lava cooled quickly above ground. You can see where little pockets of air had been. Scoria is actually a kind of glass and not a mixture of minerals.
See how igneous rocks are formed at Igneous Animation page.

Pumice Rocks

Pumice rocks are igneous rocks which were formed when lava cooled quickly above ground. You can see where little pockets of air had been. This rock is so light, that many pumice rocks will actually float in water. Pumice is actually a kind of glass and not a mixture of minerals. Because this rock is so light, it is used quite often as a decorative landscape stone. Ground to a powder, it is used as an abrasive in polish compounds and in Lava© soap.

See how igneous rocks are formed at Igneous Animation page.

Obsidian Rocks

Obsidian rocks are igneous rocks that form when lava cools quickly above ground. Obsidian is actually glass and not a mixture of minerals. The edges of this rock are very sharp.

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SATYA SAI BABA

I have come to light the lamp of Love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added luster. I have not come on behalf of any exclusive religion. I have not come on a mission of publicity for a sect or creed or cause, nor have I come to collect followers for a doctrine. I have no plan to attract disciples or devotees into my fold or any fold. I have come to tell you of this unitary faith, this spiritual principle, this path of Love, this virtue of Love, this duty of Love, this obligation of Love. 4 July 1968, Baba



www.sathyasai.org

Sathya Sai Speaks:Discourses by Sri Sathya Sai Baba[Link]

(http://www.sssbpt.info/english/sss.htm)

Who is Sri Sathya Sai Baba?
“I am God. And you too are God. The only difference between you and Me is that while I am aware of it, you are completely unaware.” This is the answer Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba gives to people who query Him about His identity and divinity. This fundamental truth of man’s divine nature is at the heart of His message and mission. Indeed, in His discourses to devotees, He addresses them as “Embodiments of the Divine Atma”. All who experience His pure and selfless love, and benefit from His illuminating counsel, and witness His miraculous nature get a glimpse of the glory and majesty of God, and therefore of what one potentially and inherently is.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born as Sathyanarayana Raju on November 23, 1926 in the village of Puttaparthi, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India. Even as a child, His spiritual inclination and contemplative nature set Him apart from other children of His age, and He was known as ‘Guru’ and “Brahmajnani’ (knower of Brahman or Godhead) among His peers and others in the village. However, it was not until October 20, 1940, the day He made the historic declaration of His Avatarhood, (Avatar - Divinity Incarnate) that the world at large learnt of this divine phenomenon. Today, millions of devotees from all over the world, professing various faiths, and hailing from various walks of life worship Him as an ‘Avatar’, and an incarnation of the Sai Baba of Shirdi. Thousands gather every day at Prasanthi Nilayam, His ashram established beside the village of Puttaparthi, for His Darshan, when He moves among devotees blessing them and providing spiritual succour and solace.
Revealing the purpose of His Advent, Sai Baba has said that He has come to re-establish the rhythm of righteousness in the world and repair the ancient highway to God, which over the years has systematically deteriorated. In His own words, “This Sai has come in order to achieve the supreme task of uniting the entire mankind as one family through the bond of brotherhood, of affirming and illuminating the Atmic Reality (Atma – The Self) of each being, to reveal the Divine which is the basis on which the entire cosmos rests, and of instructing all to recognise the common Divine Heritage that binds man to man, so that man can rid himself of the animal and rise up to the Divine, which is the goal.”
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is an integral manifestation who combines two very significant roles. Firstly, He is a great spiritual Master, famed for His simple and sweet exposition of the greatest and most intricate of spiritual truths which form the fundamental teachings of all the religions of the world. Elucidating on His mission, Bhagawan declares “I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith, so that the Christian becomes a better Christian, the Muslim a better Muslim and the Hindu a better Hindu.” His formula for man to lead a meaningful life is the five-fold path of Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanthi (Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (Non-Violence). Love for God, fear of sin and morality in society – these are His prescriptions for our ailing world.
Secondly, He is an inexhaustible reservoir of pure love. His numerous service projects, be it free hospitals, free schools and colleges, free drinking water supply or free housing projects, all stand testimony to His selfless love and compassion for the needy and less privileged. True to His declaration - “My Life is My Message”, He has inspired and continues to inspire millions of His devotees worldwide by His personal example to live the ideal that service to man is service to God. The Sri Sathya Sai Organization today has a presence in over 167 countries in the world and members undertake group service activities that benefit their immediate community.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is thus a beacon of hope in a world that is desperately seeking an end to the unrest and sorrow prevalent today. His message of “Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God” is a spiritual salve that will lead mankind from the darkness of ignorance to the light of immortality. Indeed, very rarely does such a divine power walk the earth. As one devotee said, “Bhagawan Baba is nothing but Love walking on two feet”. Mankind must use this golden opportunity to follow in His footsteps. That is the way to its redemption and its salvation.
The Concept of Avatarhood
Who is an ‘Avatar’ and why does He incarnate?
Who is an Avatar?
An ‘Avatar’ is defined as an incarnation (physical manifestation) of the Supreme Being. The word ‘Avatar’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Avataranam’ which means ‘descent’, and usually implies a deliberate descent of the Divine into the mortal realms to reveal the Absolute Truth to humanity and remind them of their true divine nature. Though Avatars may appear in different forms at different times, places and circumstances, yet they are all the manifestations of the One Supreme Lord.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Avatar of the Age, has succinctly explained the meaning and the reason for the descent of the Avatar in the following Telugu verse:
“Avatarinchuta yanutalo Arthamemi?
Janulapai Preethi Vaatsalya Paratha thoda
Vaari Sthaayaiki Daivambu Vachchu Bhuviki
Jeeva Prajnatho baatuga Daiva prajna”
He says that Formless God takes a form and descends upon the Earth as an expression of His boundless love and affection towards humanity. The Avatar is an enigmatic, yet delightful blend of individual consciousness and the Divine Consciousness. The Avatar behaves in a human way so that mankind can feel kinship with Him, but rises to His super-human heights so that mankind can aspire to reach those heights.
In Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Sri Krishna, the Avatar of the Dwapara Age, declares thus:
"Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya Glanirbhavathi Bharatha
Abhyukthanam adharmasya Thadathmanam Srujamyaham.”
“Parithranaya Sadhunam Vinashaya cha Dhushkrutham
Dharma samsthapanarthaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge"
Whenever there is a decline of Righteousness and rise of evil, the Lord incarnates from time to time to uphold Righteousness, to protect the Virtuous and to uproot the evil.
The Avatar appears whenever the world is passing through a spiritual and moral crisis. The Avatar comes in order to uphold Dharma (Righteousness) and raise the universal consciousness.
Why does He incarnate?
One may ask - why should the Lord Himself incarnate? Why should He not set about the task of restoring Dharma through the many minor gods and angels that He has at His command? The Mughal Emperor Akbar once posed the same question before the courtiers, for he scoffed at the Hindu idea of the Formless adopting a Form and descending into the world as an Avatar to save Dharma. Birbal (the celebrated courtier in Akbar’s court, known for his wit and wisdom) asked for a week's time to answer the question. A few days later, when he was in the pleasure boat of the emperor, sailing across the lake with his family, Birbal threw overboard a doll made to look like the emperor's little son, crying at the same time, "O, the prince has fallen into the water!" Hearing this, immediately the emperor jumped into the lake to rescue his son. Birbal then disclosed that it was only a doll and that the prince was safe. He allayed the anger of Akbar by explaining that he had to perforce enact this drama in order to demonstrate the truth of the Hindu belief that God takes human form to save Dharma without commissioning some other entity to carry out that task. Akbar could have ordered one among the many personnel he had on board to jump in and rescue his son. But his affection was so great and the urgency so acute that the emperor himself plunged into the lake to save his son from drowning. The decline in Dharma is so acute a tragedy and the intensity of affection that the Lord has for good men is so great that He Himself comes to the rescue.
The Triune Sai Avatar
The Divine mysteries cannot be fathomed by the human mind, unless God himself chooses to unlock them out of His immense love and compassion. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, in a landmark discourse on 6th July, 1963, the Guru Poornima Day, declared the secret behind His advent. He revealed that the Sai Avatar is a triple incarnation of the Shiva-Shakthi Principle – Shiva as Shirdi Sai Baba, Shiva and Parvathi embodied as Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the Shakthi Principle that will incarnate as Prema Sai in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka. Click here for the complete text of the Guru Poornima Discourse of 6th July 1963.
Even in His childhood days, Swami used to refer to ‘The Saint of Shirdi’ in the songs that He taught His companions. Very few in that region had ever seen or heard about Shirdi or Sai Baba. Little did they realize that the child in their midst, singing and dancing so captivatingly would, in a few years, make their village another Shirdi to which hundreds and thousands would come seeking the same Baba!
Sai Baba of Shirdi was born in a remote village called Pathri in Maharashtra on September 28, 1835 to the couple, Gangabhavadiya and Devagiriamma. Gangabhavadiya, overcome with a feeling of intense renunciation immediately after the child’s birth, decided to retire into a forest. With Devagiriamma religiously following her husband, the newborn was left in nature’s care. A pious Muslim and his wife took care of the abandoned child till He was four years of age. Then they handed Him over to a spiritual master by name Gopalrao Deshmukh (also known as Venkusa). For 12 years, till 1851, Baba stayed in Sri Venkusa's ashram. One night in 1851, for the first time, Baba came to Shirdi. However, He left after a two month stay. He returned to Shirdi again in 1858 and stayed there for 60 long years. Just prior to His shedding the mortal coil in 1918, Shirdi Baba told some of His devotees that He would reappear in the Madras Presidency in 8 years time. Sri Sathya Sai Baba, born in 1926, declared that He was Shirdi Baba come again.
Sathya Sai Baba invariably refers to Shirdi Baba as 'my previous body' whenever He speaks about Him. He often describes to His devotees, how He in His previous body dealt with people and situations, what illustrations He gave to clarify certain points, what questions were asked, etc. Many devotees of Shirdi Baba have had experiences confirming the unity of the two Sais.

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Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island

SYDNEY (AFP) – An Australian state is offering internationally what it calls "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.
The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.
"They'll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they're doing so they can't be too shy and they'll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors," said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.
"The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world."
Lucas said the campaign was part of a drive to protect the state's 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during the tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown.
"Traditional tourism advertising just doesn't cut it sometimes and we are thinking outside the box by launching this campaign."
Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said some people might question whether it was risky to let an unknown person become an unofficial tourism spokesperson for the state.
"I think the biggest risk will be that the successful candidate won't want to go home at the end of the six months," she said.
"This is a legitimate job which is open to anyone and everyone."
Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1.
Job-seekers can apply on .

Islandreefjob.com

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NKorea says it won't give up nuclear weapons

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea said Tuesday it will hold onto its nuclear arsenal until it is satisfied the U.S. is not hiding atomic weapons in South Korea and Washington establishes diplomatic relations with the regime.
The North has long accused Washington of stationing nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula for a possible attack on the communist nation. Both the South and the U.S. deny having nuclear weapons in South Korea.

Regional powers have been trying for years to rid North Korea of its nuclear program, but negotiations have recently stalled. The Foreign Ministry indicated it would consider giving up its nuclear weapons if the U.S. threat is removed and diplomatic relations between the two nations are established.
"We won't need atomic weapons when U.S. nuclear threats are removed, and the U.S. nuclear umbrella over South Korea is gone," the statement said.
The statement comes a week before President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration amid signs that the regime wants good relations with the next U.S. administration. Washington does not have diplomatic ties with the North, but Obama has said he would be willing to meet with leader Kim Jong Il if it helps resolve the nuclear standoff.
The two Koreas, with the South backed by U.S.-led international troops, fought a bitter war from 1950-53 that ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. The rivals technically remain at war and are divided by a heavily fortified border.
After testing a nuclear bomb in 2006, the North agreed to a six-nation pact promising aid in exchange for disarmament. However, the process has been stalled for months over how to verify Pyongyang's past nuclear activities, with the North rejecting Washington's proposed protocol.
The North reiterated its commitment Tuesday to a nuclear weapon-free Korean peninsula. But it said verification must take place at the last stage of the disarmament process — not the second of three phases as the U.S. wants.
"It is necessary to simultaneously verify the whole Korean peninsula," the ministry statement said, indicating that the nuclear talks may continue to be stalled.
The ministry statement came as South Korea prepared to send a team of nuclear experts to the North in Seoul's highest-level visit in nearly a year.
A six-member team of experts led by Seoul's No. 2 envoy to North Korea disarmament talks, Hwang Joon-kook, will examine unused fuel rods at the North's main reprocessing plant, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said.
North Korea has some 14,000 unused fuel rods, and Seoul has said it would consider buying them if they can be adapted for use in South Korea's power-generating nuclear reactors. The North also has some 8,000 spent fuel rods, which could be used to harvest weapons-grade plutonium for nuclear bombs if reprocessed.
Pyongyang agreed during international disarmament talks in December to export its unused fuel rods.

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Palm Pre smartphone with new webOS announced

CES 2009 - Maybe the biggest surprise at the 2009 CES is the announcement made by Palm. After the failed attempt to launch a laptop companion thing for your smartphone (yes, the Foleo), Palm attempts to get back into the game with their newly announced smartphone called the Palm Pre.
Likey any other phone announced in the last year or so, it highly resembles the iPhone design, except that unlike the iPhone, its 3.1-inch (480x320 pixel) touchscreen slides up to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. It is also ergonomically curved, just like the Sony Ericsson Xperia to give you extra comfort while writing.






Other features include a 3 megapixel camera with LED Flash, micro USB, 3.5mm headphone jack, EVDO, WiFi, 8GB of internal storage, GPS, Bluetooth and the feature I've been craving for a very long time, a wireless charger! Awesome.
The Palm Pre runs on a newly created platform called webOS, an operating system designed to be used with a touchscreen-baed graphical UI. It comes equipped with a number of apps and it uses technologies such as XHTML, CSS and JavaScript, so that's all you need in order to created applications for this device. The Pre will be the first smartphone to use the webOS.
The Palm Pre will be launched in the first half of 2009 on the Sprint network. Pricing was not revealed, but don't expect this thing to be cheap.

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World markets sink on US earnings concerns

LONDON – World markets sank Tuesday amid ongoing fears about the financial health of leading U.S. businesses after aluminum company Alcoa Inc. kicked off the fourth quarter earnings season in disappointing fashion.
Alcoa reported after Wall Street closed Monday a quarterly loss of $1.19 billion. The bigger than expected loss came only days after the aluminum giant announced job and production cuts due to sinking prices and weaker demand.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 91.51 points, or 2.1 percent, at 4,334.68, even though shares of the country's biggest supermarket chain Tesco PLC rose more than 3 percent after it revealed in-line sales growth during the crucial Christmas trading period and indicated it would recruit some 10,000 people this year.
Meanwhile Germany's DAX fell 98.21 points, or 2.1 percent, to 4,621.41. Metro AG shares were down around 1.5 percent after the German retailer reported lower-than-expected sales and profits.
France's CAC-40 was 66.80 points, or 2.1 percent, lower at 3,179.32, with BNP Paribas SA down more than 5 percent amid reports the bank will not buy all of troubled Fortis's insurance operations. PSA Peugeot Citroen, France's biggest carmaker, fell 4 percent after it reported a near 9 percent fall in 2008 sales.
The losses in Europe followed equivalent retreats in the U.S. and Asia.
"Earnings and economic disappointments are the main contributors to the rise in risk aversion both of which are likely to act as a persistent drag on markets over coming weeks," said Mitul Kotecha, an analyst at Calyon Credit Agricole.
"The earnings season kicked off with disappointment from Alcoa after the company reported earnings that missed forecasts," he added.
Investors will have a raft of earnings to assess over the coming days and weeks as they assess whether the market is discounting the decline in profits correctly.
A key focus of attention in markets will be the passage of President-elect Barack Obama's fiscal package through Congress — expected to amount to around $800 billion in tax cuts and increased government spending.
Stock markets around the world enjoyed a relatively strong rally at the start of 2009 but that came to an abrupt halt last week amid grim economic and corporate news from the U.S., most notably the rise in the unemployment rate to a 16-year high of 7.2 percent.
Earlier, most leading Asian markets retreated, with Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average tumbling 422.89 points, or 4.8 percent, to 8,413.91, as it caught up with Asia's losses on Monday after being closed for a holiday.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slid 2.2 percent to 13,668.05, Australia's index slipped 0.8 percent and Shanghai's market traded 2 percent lower amid news that China's trade slump worsened in December as exports fell at their fastest rate in a decade. South Korea bucked the trend with the Kospi up 1 percent to 1,167.71.
The losses around the world are expected to continue when Wall Street opens later.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 125.21 points, or 1.5 percent, to end at 8,473.97. Broader stock indicators also declined, with the Standard & Poor's 500 index shedding 20.09, or 2.3 percent, to 870.26.
Futures pointed to a weaker open on Wall Street with Dow futures down 70 points, or 0.8 percent, to 8,374 and S&P 500 futures off 8 points, or 0.9 percent, at 860.10.
The dollar slipped 0.1 percent to 89.03 yen, while the euro was 0.5 percent weaker at $1.3292.
Light, sweet crude for February delivery was down 97 cents at $36.62 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange on expectations crude demand will weaken amid a severe global economic slowdown. Crude prices have fallen more than 25 percent since reaching just above $50 a barrel last week.

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Russia, Ukraine trade blame as Europe sees no gas

MOSCOW – Russia and Ukraine hotly traded accusations of blame Tuesday as Russia restarted natural gas supplies but little or no gas flowed toward Europe. EU officials watched in dismay and criticized both nations for their intransigence.
Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom said it began pumping gas to Europe at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT, 2 a.m. EST), ending a six-day cutoff, but four hours later Gazprom's Deputy Chairman Alexander Medvedev said Ukraine's pipeline system had failed to carry it on to Europe.
"Ukraine didn't open any export pipelines," Medvedev told reporters. "They just shut down the entry of the pipeline in the direction of the Balkans. We don't have the physical opportunity to pump the gas to European customers."

However, Ukrainian energy adviser Bohdan Sokolovsky said Russia deliberately shipped the gas along a technically arduous route that requires Ukraine to cut domestic consumers out before it can deliver gas to the Balkans.
He said a gas entry point on the Russian border and a gas pumping station near the Romanian border where Gazprom wants its gas delivered are not linked by an export pipeline.
"They are continuing their campaign to discredit Ukraine," Sokolovsky told The Associated Press.
EU spokesman Ferran Tarradellas Espuny, meanwhile, said both Russia and Ukraine had deprived EU monitors full access to the control rooms operating the gas pipeline network.
"Access to the dispatching rooms is essential to know what is actually happening," he said, adding it's "too early to draw such conclusions" on who to blame.
EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to express "disappointment" over the lack of gas flow to Europe and Russia's failure to let monitors to the control room.
Barroso's aide said Putin promised to look into both matters. Putin's office said he told Barroso that Ukraine is to blame for the problem and advised him to contact Ukrainian officials.
Russia supplies about one-quarter of the EU's natural gas, 80 percent of it shipped through Ukraine's vast pipeline network. Amid a pricing dispute with Ukraine, Russia cut off gas supplies to Europe on Jan. 7 just as the continent was gripped by freezing temperatures.
Russia has accused Ukraine of stealing gas intended for Europe and only restarted supplies after a EU-led monitoring mission was deployed to gas metering and compressor stations across Ukrainian territory. Ukraine has denied the charges, claiming that Russia has not sent enough gas to pump the rest of it west to Europe.
The observer mission includes EU, Russian and Ukrainian officials and representatives of European energy companies.
"The information that we have from our monitors in Russia is that little or no gas is currently flowing and we are not at this stage jumping to conclusions as to why this is the case," said another EU spokeswoman, Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen. "This situation is obviously very serious and needs to improve rapidly."
Russia and Ukraine also continued bickering over who should pay for the so-called "technical gas" Ukraine needs to power the compressors that push Europe-bound gas through its pipelines. Ukraine warned Tuesday it will have to use some gas from Russia for that purpose but Russia said it would consider that theft.
The gas cutoff has affected more than 15 countries, with Bosnia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia among the worst hit. Sales of electric heaters have soared and thousands of businesses in eastern Europe have been forced to cut production or even shut down. Millions of people have been affected by the heating crisis or involuntary layoffs.
Russia stopped gas supplies to Ukraine itself on Jan. 1 amid a 2009 gas contract dispute.
Russia has used the gas dispute to push for prospective gas pipelines under the Baltic and the Black Sea that would bypass Ukraine. But EU officials say the crisis should encourage a search for independent energy sources and supply routes, such as the U.S.-backed Nabucco pipeline via Turkey that would carry Caspian energy to Europe and circumvent Russia.
Relations between the two ex-Soviet neighbors have been strained since the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine led to the election of a pro-Western government in Kiev. Ukraine's efforts to join NATO and its support for the former Soviet republic of Georgia in its war with Russia in August has angered the Kremlin.
Gazprom's Medvedev claimed the United States has encouraged Ukraine's defiance in the gas dispute.
"It looks like they are dancing under the music that is orchestrated not in Ukraine," he said Tuesday.
Russia still will not send natural gas to Ukraine for domestic consumption until the deadlock is resolved over what Ukraine should pay for Russian gas in 2009 and what Russia should pay for using Ukraine's pipelines.
Ukraine last year paid $179.50 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. Russia wants Ukraine to pay market price for gas, about the $450 that European customers pay. The latest round of price talks ended Sunday without result.

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