Nintendo Wii Virtual Console Lineup Is A Mighty Bomb
April 28, 2007
Mighty Bomb Jack, that is.
This week the Wii Virtual Console allows you to take on the street thugs of Metro City. Based in the same universe as the Street Fighter games, Final Fight is a much loved side-scrolling beat-em up, originally released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Following the exploits of the Mayor of Metro City, as he takes the law into his own hands to rescue his kidnapped daughter, Final Fight features all the elements of a great fighting title, including sinister bosses to devastating special attacks. Final Fight smashes its way onto the Virtual Console for 800 Points.
Next up among this week’s retro offerings is 1992 action title Mighty Bomb Jack, originally available on the Nintendo Entertainment System. When the entire royal family is kidnapped and imprisoned within a pyramid by evil demon Belzebut, it is up to Jack to use his powers and set them free. With sixteen levels full of nasty enemies and perilous traps to overcome, Mighty Bomb Jack will keep even the most seasoned gamer perched on the edge of their seat for hours on end. Mighty Bomb Jack is available to own now for 500 Points.
Rounding off this week’s offering is Turbografx title Battle Lode Runner. This classic game features both a ‘Puzzle Mode’, where players must collect gold bars while avoiding enemies and a ‘Battle Mode’, which can be played by up to five players. With the addition of a level editor, Battle Lode Runner is available for 600 Wii Points.
These great games will join the list of 78 classic titles already available for the Virtual Console in Europe.
Source: Nintendo
Famed Russian Cellist Mstislav Rostropovich Dies At 80
April 28, 2007
World-renowned Russian classical musician and Soviet-era dissident Mstislav Rostropovich has died.
A family spokeswoman says Rostropovich - a conductor and composer who also was considered one of the best cellists of all time - died early Friday in Moscow after a long battle with cancer. He was 80-years-old.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the death a terrible loss for Russian culture.
Rostropovich is to be buried in Moscow’s historic Novodevichy Cemetery on Sunday near other prominent Russian cultural figures. His former teacher, composer Dmitry Shostakovich, and his late friend, President Boris Yeltsin, also are buried there.
Rostropovich’s many acts of political defiance included helping Mr. Yeltsin, in 1991, face down an attempted hard-line coup.
Rostropovich first became an anti-communist civil rights activist during Soviet rule. His defense of dissident author and Nobel laureate Alexander Solzhenitsyn earned him the government’s displeasure. The author called Rostropovich’s death a “bitter blow” to Russian culture.
He left the Soviet Union with his family in 1974 and communist authorities later stripped him of his citizenship. Rostropovich served as the music director of Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra from 1977 to 1994.
His citizenship was restored as the Soviet Union came to an end.
Source: VOA
Bush: Timetable For Withdrawal Will Be Vetoed
April 28, 2007
President Bush warned Congress Friday that he will continue vetoing war spending bills as long as they contain a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. From Washington, Margaret Besheer has more.
Speaking at Camp David, the Maryland presidential retreat, a day after Congress approved legislation that calls for U.S. troops to begin leaving Iraq by October 1, Mr. Bush repeated that he will veto the measure as soon as it lands on his desk.
“The reason why I’m going to is because the members of Congress have made military decisions on behalf of the military. They are telling our generals what to do. They are withdrawing before we’ve even finished reinforcing our troops in Baghdad. They are sending, in my judgment, a bad message to the Iraqis, to an enemy, and most importantly to our military folks,” said Mr. Bush.
The bill includes about $95 billion to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through September 30. It also calls for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq beginning in October, or earlier, if President Bush determines the Iraqis have not met certain benchmarks, including disarming militias and taking steps toward political reconciliation among the government’s factions.
The bill sets a non-binding goal of completing a withdrawal of combat troops by April 1 of next year. President Bush is firmly against setting troop withdrawal timetables.
“If the Congress wants to test my will as to whether or not I’ll accept a timetable for withdrawal, I won’t accept one. I just don’t think it’s in the interest of our troops,” he said.
Mr. Bush made the remarks at a news conference alongside visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is on his first visit to the United States.
In Baghdad, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Thursday that October 1 is too soon to begin a U.S. withdrawal. In Washington, Iraq’s ambassador, Samir Sumaida’ie, told VOA that setting a withdrawal date sends the wrong message.
“Of course we respect the debate that takes place in the United States, this is part of the democratic process, and we don’t really want to interfere in the process as such. But we believe that any setting of dates for withdrawal is going to give the wrong signal to the terrorists and to the Iraqis,” he said.
Once President Bush has carried through on his veto threat, Democratic leaders say they will send him a new bill, most likely one without a withdrawal timetable. But it would contain other consequences if the Iraqi government does not meet certain benchmarks.
Source: VOA