James Gandolfini, Sopranos star, dies in Italy aged 51

Thursday, June 20, 2013

James Gandolfini, Sopranos star, dies in Italy aged 51

James Gandolfini, the US actor best known for his role as a therapy-seeking mob boss in The Sopranos, has died at the age of 51.

Gandolfini suffered a possible heart attack while on holiday in Rome, the US HBO TV network told the BBC.

The New Jersey-born star had been in Italy to attend the Taormina film festival in Sicily.

He won three Emmy awards for his role as Tony Soprano, a mafia boss juggling his criminal career and family life.

"It is with immense sorrow that we report our client James Gandolfini passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy," said his managers, Mark Armstrong and Nancy Sanders, in a statement on Wednesday night.

"Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply."

HBO also said the star of The Sopranos, which ran for six series on the cable channel from 1999-2007, would be "deeply missed".

From bartender to Broadway

James Gandolfini: 1961-2013

1961: Born in Westwood, New Jersey to school dinner lady and a bricklayer, both of Italian descent
Gained BA in Communications from Rutgers University
1993: Played woman-beating mafia enforcer Virgil in Tony Scott's True Romance
1995: Performed in Broadway's On the Waterfront.
1999: Debut appearance as New Jersey Mafia boss Tony Soprano, for which he won three Emmys and a Golden Globe during its eight-year-run
2007: Produced HBO documentary on injured Iraq War veterans and their devotion to America
2012: Executive producer of HBO film Hemingway & Gellhorn, starring Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman

"He was a special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect," said its statement.

"He touched so many of us over the years with his humour, his warmth and his humility."

Gandolfini was born in 1961 in Westwood, New Jersey, to a school dinner lady and a bricklayer-turned-school caretaker, both of Italian background.

He graduated with a degree in communications from New Jersey's Rutgers University.

Then he moved to New York, finding work as a bartender and a club manager.

Gandolfini's acting career took off in 1992 when he landed a part in a Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire.

His breakthrough role came a year later playing a mobster in the movie True Romance.

Gandolfini's more recent film credits included In The Loop, Zero Dark Thirty and Killing Them Softly.

He was nominated for a Tony theatre award in 2009 for his role in the Broadway hit God of Carnage.

'Genius'

Gandolfini is survived by his second wife, Deborah Lin, a former model from Hawaii, whom he married in 2008, and their daughter, Liliana, born last year.

He also leaves a teenage son, Michael, from his first marriage to Marcy Wudarski, his former personal assistant. They wed in 1999 and split three years later.

Sopranos creator David Chase said Gandolfini was a "genius".

"He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time," he said. "A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes."

James Gandolfini and wife Deborah Lin in Los Angeles on 11 April 2011

Gandolfini with his second wife, Deborah Lin

Lorraine Bracco, who played Tony Soprano's psychiatrist, Dr Jennifer Melfi, in the TV drama, said: "We lost a giant today. I am utterly heartbroken."

Jeff Daniels, who starred with Gandolfini in God of Carnage, said: "If Broadway has a version of a guy you want in your foxhole, Jim Gandolfini was mine."

In a December 2012 interview with the Associated Press news agency, Gandolfini said he had become an actor to overcome his anger.

"I don't know what exactly I was angry about," he said.

"I try to avoid certain things and certain kinds of violence at this point," he added. "I'm getting older, too. I don't want to be beating people up as much."

Afghans reject Taliban talks moves

The Taliban statement as the office was established has angered the Afghan authorities

Taliban Conflict

Afghan officials have said the removal of the flag and nameplate from the Taliban's Qatar office is not enough.

Afghan peace negotiators say the office is meant only for peace talks and they are unhappy with Taliban statements.

"It is a kind of Taliban establishment which we don't want," Muhammad Ismael Qasemyar, a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, told the BBC.

The comments come after US Secretary of State John Kerry rang President Hamid Karzai to defuse tensions.

He told the president the Taliban's office in Qatar was removing the flag, and that the sign designating the building as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would be replaced by one saying Bureau of Peace Talks.

On Wednesday Mr Karzai said Afghan negotiators would boycott the Qatar talks until "foreign powers" allowed the process to be run by Afghans. He also suspended security talks with the US on the American presence in Afghanistan after Nato leaves in 2014.

In a separate development, a Taliban spokesman in Doha has told the Associated press news agency that the militants are ready to hand over a US soldier held captive since 2009 in exchange for five senior Taliban members held at the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Fraught process

Mr Qasemyar said negotiators objected to the statement made by the Taliban when the office was established, which had indicated they would have relations with external bodies such as the UN.

"Unless our demands are accepted, we are not going to take part in Qatar talks," he said.

“Start Quote

Some Western officials, with barely concealed frustration, often dismiss what they see as a prickly paranoia. But in this latest upset, the president's anger seemed justified.”

Lyse DoucetChief international correspondent

Correspondents say that the Qatar office, which was opened on Tuesday, means the Taliban are no longer only a fighting group, but have a political arm too.

However this current dispute centres on the precise nature and powers of this office, and is just one indication of how fraught with difficulty this fledgling talks process will be.

The first formal meeting between US and Taliban representatives is expected to take place in the coming days but it is now unclear what role Afghan officials will play in this.

The opening of the Taliban office happened on the same day that Nato handed over security for the whole of Afghanistan to the Afghan government for the first time since the Taliban were ousted in 2001.

This was something analysts said was necessary before talks could become a realistic possibility. But the Taliban have long insisted on the complete withdrawal of foreign forces as a pre-condition to becoming part of a political settlement.

Nato's combat troops are due to leave the country by the end of 2014, but the US plans to station a few thousand forces after that as part of a bilateral security agreement.

Details about this are still to be agreed by Kabul and Washington.

Afghan peace attempts

The US met the Taliban secretly in 2011 in Qatar, but these would be the first open talks between them.

The White House has demanded - and the Taliban accepted - two preconditions for the talks: that the Taliban make a statement supporting a peace process, and that it oppose the use of Afghan soil to threaten other countries.

The BBC's Jonathan Beale, in Kabul, has said that the Afghan government clearly thinks one precondition should have been a commitment to talk to the Afghan government and to acknowledge the country's constitution.

For his part President Karzai opposes bilateral peace talks between the Taliban and the US and has long called on the Taliban to join an Afghan-led peace process.

In late 2008 he even offered to provide security for the Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Omar, if he agreed to peace talks - but this was not incentive enough for the militants.

In 2010 the Afghan High Peace Council was established and tasked with contacting the Taliban and convincing them to join the peace process.

Singapore smog from Indonesia fire 'could last weeks'

At 13:00 local time (05:00 GMT) Singapore's pollution standards index reached 371, breaking previous records and well above hazardous levels.

The haze is caused by illegal forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra island.

The issue has sparked accusations between the two neighbours over who is responsible for the smog.

Environment officials from the two nations are holding an emergency meeting in Jakarta on Thursday.

Rico Hizon: Haze envelops Singapore

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister, wrote on his Facebook wall that he would demand "definitive action" from Jakarta.

"No country or corporation has the right to pollute the air at the expense of Singaporeans' health and wellbeing," he said.

However, Indonesian Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said that Singapore was "behaving like a child".

"This is not what the Indonesian nation wants, it is because of nature," he said.

A couple take a picture of the smog-filled skyline in Singapore on 19 June 2013

Haze caused by forest fires in Indonesia is continuing to choke Singapore, shrouding the city-state.

1/5

'Cloud seeding'

Regional press review

Straits Times, Singapore: "The truth, sadly, is that rogue firms thrive in permissive regimes where commercial interests overshadow environmental concerns. That situation can be changed only by an act of political will and faithful implementation of laws with sufficient bite."
The Star, Malaysia: "We need solutions. It is worth remembering that a ground-breaking Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution was signed here in Kuala Lumpur more than 10 years ago, in 2002... But Indonesia, despite stating many times that it will ratify the agreement, has yet to do so."
The Online Citizen, Singapore: "The haze situation has revived an old thorn in Singapore-Indonesia relations. The government's response so far has been strongly worded, and rightly so. But Singapore's response needs to go further. We believe that a unified national response is necessary as the haze is an issue that affects and concerns all Singaporeans."
Utusan Melayu, Malaysia: "Co-operation between neighbouring countries has to be more vigorous. It is meaningless to be able to control open burning in one country if it is widespread in another. The strengthening of relevant laws is also very necessary so we don't have to keep breathing in a hazy space in years to come."

Since the haze arrived, Singapore's buildings have been obscured by the polluted air and the smell of burnt wood has permeated the city-state.

A PSI reading above 200 indicates "very unhealthy" air, while a PSI score above 300 is "hazardous". Readings are being posted on the website of the National Environment Agency.

At a press conference, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the haze could "easily last for several weeks and quite possibly longer until the dry season ends in Sumatra".

Mr Lee asked Singaporeans to "stay indoors where possible and avoid heavy outdoor activities".

He also announced that the Singaporean government will hold daily press conferences on the haze situation.

Air traffic controllers in Singapore have been told to work with extra caution given the poor visibility, while McDonald's has temporarily cancelled its delivery service.

The Singaporean military has also reportedly suspended all outdoor training.

The poor air quality has prompted widespread buying of disposable face masks, leading shops to run out of stock.

Parts of Malaysia have also recorded "hazardous" pollution levels, with over 200 schools in the country's south ordered to shut.

Malaysia's Department of Environment has also banned open burning in some states.

Transboundary pollution

At the scene

Philippa FogartyBBC News, Singapore

The haze blew into Singapore late last week and pollution levels started to soar on Monday. Skyscrapers disappeared into a dense white gloom and a smell of burning enveloped the city.

On Thursday, as haze levels hit a new record peak, visibility was even further reduced. From our office downtown, we cannot make out the shoreline less than a kilometre away. At the port, big container ships emerge ghost-like out of the haze to berth.

People are complaining of dry throats, itchy eyes and a bad taste in their mouths. Laundry hung outside to dry smells like it was left next to a bonfire.

Joggers have disappeared from the waterfront routes and outdoor restaurants appear emptier. Children and the elderly are being advised to stay indoors until conditions improve - but it is not clear how soon that will be.

Indonesia's forestry ministry said it intended to use cloud seeding to try to induce rain on Sumatra, AFP news agency reported.

The fires are started to clear land for plantations and generate smoke, particularly in the dry season.

Indonesian officials have suggested that foreign palm oil investors, including Singaporean companies, may bear some responsibility for the fires.

However, several major Singapore-based palm oil companies have denied any involvement.

Singapore's prime minister said the city-state had provided satellite data to Indonesia to help identify who was responsible for the fires.

He added that if any Singaporean companies, or companies with a presence in Singapore played a part in the fires, they would be held responsible.

In 1997 and 1998, many countries in the region were affected by the South East Asian haze, which was caused by smog from Indonesian fires.

Road and air traffic was disrupted, and reports said the smog made around 20 million people ill.

The haze led to an agreement on transboundary haze pollution being approved by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2002.

However, Indonesia has yet to ratify the agreement.

Are you in Singapore? Have you been affected by the smog? Send us your comments using the form below.

Obama in Berlin calls for US-Russia nuclear weapons cuts

US President Barack Obama has called for greater efforts to be made to reduce US and Russian nuclear arsenals.

Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate during a visit to the German capital, Berlin, he said he was confident the US could maintain its security while reducing its nuclear capacity by a third.

He also called for reductions in the number of tactical warheads in Europe.

However Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Moscow "cannot take these assurances seriously".

The US and Russian signed a joint agreement in 2010 to mutually reduce their stockpiles of nuclear weapons to a maximum of 1,550 warheads and no more than 700 deployed launchers.

Analysis

Jonathan MarcusBBC diplomatic correspondent

President Barack Obama is seeking to revive the process of nuclear disarmament which figured prominently during his first term, but which has largely disappeared from the agenda since then.

Reducing the stockpiles of strategic or long-range nuclear weapons further is one thing - though without a resolution of US-Russian differences over missile defence it may be difficult to make headway.

Are the Russians willing to play ball - perhaps by accepting parallel reciprocal cuts thus avoiding some of the lengthy timetable of a detailed new treaty?

If not, is Mr Obama ready to push forward with cuts anyway ?

Bringing shorter-range - so-called tactical nuclear weapons - into the picture could also be problematic.

Russia has an overwhelming preponderance of these weapons in Europe and has often seen them as tied to imbalances in conventional weaponry.

Opening up that whole can of worms could be difficult.

Mr Obama said the US was "on track" to cutting its warheads to pre-Cold War levels, but "we have more work to do".

He said he had determined that the US could ensure its own and its allies security and maintain a credible deterrent "while reducing our deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to one third".

"I intend to seek negotiated cuts with Russia to move beyond Cold War nuclear postures," he said.

"We may no longer live in fear of global annihilation but so long as nuclear weapons exist, we are not truly safe."

Mr Obama added that the US would also work alongside Nato allies to seek "bold reductions" in the use of tactical weapons in Europe, and would also seek to forge a new international framework for the use of peaceful nuclear power.

He also said the US rejected the nuclearisation of countries like North Korea and Iran.

But Mr Rogozin, a former Russian ambassador to Nato, said Moscow "cannot take these assurances seriously" while the US is taking steps to build up its missile defence systems.

"The offence arms race leads to a defence arms race and vice versa," he said in comments quoted in Russia's state-owned Itar-Tass

Shortly before Mr Obama spoke, Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying that Moscow "cannot allow the balance of the system of strategic deterrence to be disturbed or the effectiveness of our nuclear force to be decreased".

A senior foreign policy adviser to Mr Putin said other nuclear-armed countries would have also have to reduce their stockpiles for such a plan to work.

New Start treaty

US and Russia allowed 1,550 nuclear warheads each, maximum
No more than 700 launchers each (including submarines and heavy bombers)
Each side able to make on-site inspections to verify how many warheads a missile is carrying

Q&A: New Start

"The situation now is not like in the 1960s and 1970s when only the United States and the Soviet Union held talks on reducing nuclear arms," Yury Ushakov told a briefing in Moscow.

"Now we need to look more broadly... and increase the circle of participants in possible contacts on this matter."

'Proportionality'

Mr Obama's visit to Berlin is his first as American president.

His address to students and government officials at the Brandenburg Gate, which once divided East and West Germany, comes almost 50 years after President John F Kennedy's celebrated "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech.

Mr Obama said that for the US, moving beyond the Cold War "mindset of perpetual war" also meant redoubling efforts to close the US prison camp at Guantanamo, tightly controlling the use of new technology like drones and "balancing the pursuit of security with the protection of privacy".

In her morning meetings with Mr Obama, Mrs Merkel had criticised Prism, the recently exposed US phone and internet surveillance programmes, saying: "We do see the need for gathering information, but there is a need for due diligence and proportionality."

The chancellor grew up in Communist East Germany, where police surveillance was widespread.

She acknowledged that the internet "enables enemies of a free liberal order to use and abuse and bring threats to all of us", but "an equitable balance must be struck".

Mr Obama said the monitoring applied within narrow limits to do with national security. It had detected 50 potential threats and saved many lives, he emphasised.

"This is not a situation where we simply go into the internet and begin searching any way we want," he told a news conference in Berlin.

Mr Obama's visit comes after G8 leaders backed calls for holding Syrian peace talks in Geneva "as soon as possible".

Speaking earlier, Mr Obama said the US was confident that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons during the 26-month-old conflict, but refused to spell out what aid might go the rebels.

"I cannot and will not comment on specifics on our programmes related to the Syrian opposition," he said, stressing his support for a political transition.

NEWS - 24H News

a