Obama’s ‘Dreams From My Father’ triumphs at British Book Awards

July 11th, 2009 LONDON - An American al-Qaeda member, who is serving a 30-year sentence for conspiring to commit various terrorist acts including the murder of then President George W Bush, was banned from reading two books written by Barack Obama, as they were "potentially detrimental to national security." Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, an inmate at America's most secure federal prison, was informed that specific pages were objectionable, singling out a page in 'Dreams from My Father' and page 22 in 'The Audacity of Hope '. Abu Ali requested last year before Obama's election to read his biographical 'Dreams from My Father' and the more policy-oriented 'The Audacity of Hope'.

July 10th, 2009 Supermax prison: Obama's books objectionableMcLEAN, Va. — The federal government's most secure prison has determined that two books written by President Barack Obama contain material "potentially detrimental to national security" and rejected an inmate's request to read them.

June 2nd, 2009 NEW YORK - New York's billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg has claimed that a dinner and Broadway undertaken by Barack Obama and his wife Michelle is a celebration of New York's affordable night life.I can't think of anything that is better as an advertisement for our tourism industry, for Broadway, for our restaurants, for saying that this is a safe city and an affordable city," Bloomberg said Monday. "The President doesn't get paid that much.

April 17th, 2009 LONDON - Just two days after entering the White House, the First Dog, Bo, has been given a book deal. A deal has already been done to publish "Bo America's Commander In Leash", a children's book.

April 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle together made $2.7 million, largely from the sale of his book, in 2008 and paid $855,323 in federal income tax. Releasing copies of Obama's state and federal tax returns Wednesday, the White House said the vast majority of the family's income is from the sale of the president's books.

April 9th, 2009 LONDON - The British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles will honour Tracey Ullman with a lifetime achievement prize. The British comedienne will be given first-ever BAFTA/LA Charlie Chaplin Lifetime Achievement Award for Comedy, said trade paper Variety.

March 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama secured a 500, 000 dollar advance for a children's book project five days before taking office, a disclosure report shows. The terms of the book deal were disclosed in a Senate financial disclosure report filed Tuesday, reports the Washington Times.

March 12th, 2009 LONDON - US president Barack Obama has landed himself in the top spot of the nominations for this year's British Book Awards after he was shortlisted for both author and biography of the year. Obama's political book, The Audacity of Hope, and his life story, Dreams from My Father, became UK bestsellers while he was running for office in 2008, reports the BBC.

February 9th, 2009 LONDON - Model-turned-actor Freida Pinto has continued the winning streak for her debut movie 'Slumdog Millionaire' by bagging the best actress prize at the Elle Style Awards. Pinto was awarded Monday night that followed the seven British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards given to the film Sunday, reports contactmusic.com.

February 7th, 2009 LONDON - British-Irish filmmaker Danny Boyle's rags to richs underdog drama 'Slumdog Millionaire' won another feather in its cap by walking away with the most prestigious awards at The Writers Guild of America awards Saturday. Cotnactmusic.com reports, the film's writer Simon Beaufoy won the gong for best-adapted screenplay for his reworking of Vikas Swarup's novel 'Q & A'.

January 29th, 2009 LONDON - British-Irish filmmaker Danny Boyle's globally-acclaimed underdog drama 'Slumdog Millionaire' has added more trophies to its haul by winning four prizes at the Richard Attenborough Film Awards. The film, which won four Golden Globes earlier this month, was named film of the year, with Boyle winning the director's prize and British-Indian teenage actor Dev Patel claiming the rising star award, reports contactmusic.com.

January 21st, 2009 LONDON - British pop star Lily Allen admits that she regularly has lesbian fantasies. Allen also said that she had once enjoyed a three-way lesbian escapade and that too with twins, reports the thesun.co.uk.

January 20th, 2009 LONDON - New British singing sensation Leona Lewis has been snubbed by the Brit Awards. 'It's a complete travesty, Lewis has been overlooked in her own country.

January 18th, 2009 LONDON - Australian pop singer-songwriter and occasional actress Kylie Minogue is to co-host the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards, also known as Brit Awards. Minogue will take to the stage alongside English actors James Corden and Mathew Horne at London's Earl's Court Feb 18, reports contactmusic.com.

January 14th, 2009 LONDON - Mumbai rags-to-riches saga 'Slumdog Millionaire' earned a pre-Oscars boost Thursday by bagging 11 nominations for the Baftas, the British awards. Following up on its successes at the Golden Globes awards this week, the film was tied at the top of the nominations list with 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', starring Brad Pitt.