kimblr.com

The April 22 broadcast of the FOX singing competition “American Idol” offered the show’s final six contestants the chance to perform songs by Tony and Olivier Award-winning composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The songs performed included “Think of Me” (sung by David Archuleta), “Memory” (Jason Castro), “One Rock & Roll Too Many” (Syesha Mercado), “Jesus Christ Superstar” (Carly Smithson), “You Must Love Me” (Brooke White) and “The Music of the Night,” the Phantom of the Opera anthem, which was sung by David Cook.
Howard McGillin, the Broadway actor who currently plays the title role in Lloyd Webber’s Phantom at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre, spoke with TV’s “Extra” about Cook’s rendition of “Music of the Night.” Said McGillin, “He nailed it . . . It’s such a difficult song to sing . . . He sings with such purity and such a beautiful sound, but he did great.” McGillin also told the TV program, “I love [’American Idol’ but] I don’t get to watch it much.”
The April 23 “Idol” results show will feature Lloyd Webber performing live with the contestants. The results show airs at 9 PM ET; check local listings.
Howard McGillin holds the record for the longest-running Phantom in the show’s history. A Tony Award nominee for his performances in Anything Goes and The Mystery of Edwin Drood, McGillin has also appeared on Broadway in Kiss of the Spider Woman, She Loves Me, The Secret Garden and Sunday in the Park with George. On the London stage he starred in Mack and Mabel, and his solo recording is titled “Howard McGillin: Where Time Stands Still.” McGillin also starred in the Chicago and D.C. productions of Sondheim and John Weidman’s Bounce.
McGillin’s “American Idol” critique will air on the April 23 broadcast of “Extra.” For more information visit www.extratv.com.

playbill.com

MUMBAI, April 21 (Reuters) - Indian newspapers carried the following stories in their print or Web editions on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
ECONOMIC TIMES (www.economictimes.com)
* The government is considering a proposal to allow merchant sale of 10 percent of coal produced by captive mine owners. The Ratan Tata-led Investment Commission has favoured limited opening of the coal sector in a bid to attract investment from overseas companies.
BUSINESS LINE (www.businessline.in)
There could be an additional burden of over 46 billion rupees in the form of export duty on iron ore in case the government adopts the steel ministry’s proposed “revenue neutral” model to bring down prices of steel.
FINANCIAL EXPRESS (www.financialexpress.com)
* Exports of leather and leather products rose 11.3 percent to $2.21 billion in the first eight months of the year ending March 2008, according to latest trade ministry report.
Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has 25 sources. For details about our products, please call your local help desk. To find out more about Reuters visit www.reuters.com. (Compiled by Abhishek Shanker and Sourav Mishra; editing by Sunil Nair)

in.reuters.com

NEW YORK, April 16 /PRNewswire/ — British sensation Leona Lewis has continued her record-breaking success as she conquers the U.S., with her album Spirit (J Records/SyCo Music) entering the Billboard album charts at #1 today with 204, 841 albums sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. This is the first time in music history that a British female artist debuts at #1 on the Billboard Top 200, and it’s the first time ever that a British artist overall has debuted on the chart at #1 with a first album. It is also the biggest female artist first album debut since Carrie Underwood in 2005, and had the biggest digital album sales week ever for a new artist. No stranger to record-breaking success, just two weeks ago, Leona broke the Hot 100 Chart record, becoming the first British female solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart in over 21 years with her single "Bleeding Love," which to date, has sold over 1 million tracks stateside and returns to the #1 spot this week on the Billboard Digital Songs Chart.
For the first time, Clive Davis and Simon Cowell teamed up to sign Lewis to J Records/ SyCo Music (Cowell’s joint venture with Sony BMG), and together produced Spirit. Comments Clive Davis: "Leona Lewis will not be an overnight sensation. She is the real deal and this is just the beginning of a long and illustrious career." Comments Simon Cowell: "What Leona has achieved is simply incredible. This is the hardest market to crack and for her debut album to go in at number 1 is unbelievable."
Leona’s introduction to the U.S. market began when she performed at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Party in the new artist slot in February. Previously, Davis has presented artists such as Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Jennifer Hudson, and Carrie Underwood in this role, identifying them as the next important new voice in music. Leona performed her worldwide smash hit "Bleeding Love" on the The Oprah Winfrey Show Monday, March 17th and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday, March 24th. The video for "Bleeding Love," was selected for the coveted video channel programs MTV’s "Discover and Download" and VH1’s "You Oughta Know," and the track is the most played and most requested single at Top 40 and Rhythm Radio. Additionally, "Bleeding Love" was #1 most added and greatest gainer at Hot AC with the second highest single debut in Hot AC history, and was #1 most added at Mainstream AC stations its first week out. Online, Leona is the #1 most viewed artist of all time on Clear Channel’s "New!" program. Leona performed on Good Morning America, Live with Regis and Kelly, CBS Early Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, MTV’s "TRL", all the week of release and made multiple appearances on Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Access Hollywood, Extra!, CNN, and E!. Leona is scheduled to perform "Bleeding Love" on The Tyra Banks Show on April 17th and American Idol on April 23rd.

earthtimes.org

To help spread awareness, the Esperanza Youth & Family Center Inc. will host a news conference at 10:30 a.m. today at 1536 Seventh St.
The event is open to the public and will feature Ottis Sterling, a Riverside County prosecuting attorney, and Debbie Anderson, with the Riverside County victims rights division, as guest speakers. Information: 398-0711
COACHELLA VALLEY — The California Fair Political Practices Commission confirmed Monday that someone filed a complaint against 80th Assembly District Democratic candidate Manuel Perez, accusing him of failing to disclose who paid for campaign advertising.
The complaint was filed against the Coachella school board trustee on April 4.
“It’s obvious some people want to manipulate rules and don’t want to follow them,” said Greg Rodriguez, who filed the complaint. “I think everybody needs to be scrutinized by the rules.”
Rodriguez is a Greg Pettis supporter. Pettis, a Cathedral City councilman, is one of four Democratic contenders for the 80th Assembly District.
Perez says he’s complied with the law.
“It’s one thing or another,” he said. “We’ve got more important things to do like walk the streets and talk to voters.”
The commission will notify Rodriguez within 14 days about whether the department will investigate, said department spokesman Roman Porter.
The California code requires disclosure on campaign advertising and stipulates the language and font size candidates should use.
The other Democrats who will face off in the Democratic primary in June are Ricardo Gonzales, former Vice President Al Gore’s deputy director of legislative affairs, and Richard Gutierrez, a Calexico dentist. Former Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
The seat is open because Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City, is ineligible for another term.
CATHEDRAL CITY — The Cathedral City Planning Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 68-700 Avenida Lalo Guerrero.

mydesert.com

Sinn Fein West Tyrone MLA Barry McElduff - acting in cahoots with Nolan’s production team - phoned the radio show to say that the boul’ Stephen had won an award for services to the people of Northern Ireland.
But just as the 34-year-old broadcaster was thanking the politician for the prize - which was to be presented at a special ceremony next week - McElduff admitted that it was a joke.
The following interchange between the Assemblyman and Nolan, which was aired yesterday morning, totally fooled the presenter, as he later admitted.
"It was discussed at the Committee that we could perhaps have an inaugural ceremony next week to mark the 2008 year that we would nominate yourself and the Nolan Show as the show that champions the rights of people," Mr McElduff said.
Nolan replied: "This would be a first, wouldn’t it? Is it not you lot and me fight every day of the week? You lot are trying to compliment me for once, are you?
"That’s very kind of you Barry McElduff. Thank you very much."
Mr McElduff told Nolan he had fallen for an April Fool ruse.
"April Fool, Stephen, April Fool," he said.
"I just wanted to say that to you. April Fool because we wouldn’t let you over the doorstep. There’d need to be a very good reason for you to come up here."
Mr McElduff chastised Nolan, who laughed off his comments, for being duped.
"You actually believed that. Your ego is getting a wee bit carried away" , said Mr McElduff.
The radio show host said he felt "so like swearing" - adding, " I will swear straight after this programme very loudly indeed" and promised to "get him back for the prank."
"I dare say that if there was the opportunity of some kind of prison sentence you lot would be throwing me in forever, wouldn’t you?"

belfasttelegraph.co.uk