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Sunday, July 5, 2009

Report: Ahmadinejad says he wants public talks with Obama

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he wants to engage President Obama in "negotiations" before international media, a semi-official Iranian news outlet reported on Saturday.Speaking at a meeting of medical school deans, Ahmadinejad said Iran "will soon pursue a new round of diplomatic activity" amid a new position of strength for the Iranian government, the Iranian Student News Agency quotes him as saying."I will go to the United Nations and will invite Obama to negotiations," Ahmadinejad said, adding that such talks would be "in front of the international media, not a sit-down behind closed doors in order to talk about matters."The Obama administration has sought dialogue with Iran but also criticized the government for its handling of unrest after disputed presidential elections.Last week, Obama said Iran's government must justify itself not in the eyes of the United States, but in the opinion of its own people."A sizable percentage of the Iranian people themselves ... consider this election illegitimate," he said at a White House news conference. "It is not too late for the Iranian government to recognize that there is a peaceful path that will lead to stability and prosperity."Initially, Obama was criticized by Republicans such as Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina for taking a "timid and passive" tone in speaking out against the growing wave of arrests, violence and deaths of pro-democracy activists.Ahmadinejad said he wants others to stop "meddling" in the internal affairs of Iran.

1.6 million register for 8,750 Jackson memorial tickets

About 1.6 million fans registered for a chance at fewer than 9,000 tickets to Michael Jackson's memorial service next week, organizers said.Registration ended at 6 p.m. Saturday.Officials will now "scrub" all entries to eliminate duplicates and those they suspect may have been registered using software that tickets scalpers use to generate multiple hits.A random drawing will follow. The winning 8,750 registrants will receive an e-mail Sunday after 11 a.m. (2 p.m. ET), AEG Live said."I know I'll be hitting the 'refresh' button on my inbox over and over again," said Jackie Flower, an arts student in San Diego, California.The e-mail will assign the selected registrants a unique code and direct them to a designated distribution center away from the Staples Center.There, they will each receive two tickets to either the memorial service at the Staples Center arena or a simulcast of the event at the adjacent Nokia Theater LA Live, AEG said.Jackson's family has still not announced the singer's burial arrangements, saying only that it will hold a private ceremony ahead of the massive public memorial service Tuesday.Journalists staked out several possible burial locations. A long line of television satellite trucks remained parked outside the Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn Cemetery in case it was chosen by the family, but there has been no word from cemetery officials.Police set up metal barricades around the front lawn, creating spaces for media and fans. Two state trooper cruisers idled at the Hall of Liberty inside the grounds, which contains a 1,200-seat auditorium.