Broadway marks 9/11 anniversary with iconic song (AP)

NEW YORK – Joel Grey, Kara DioGuardi, Bebe Neuwirth, Ben Vereen and Brian Stokes Mitchell — along with sailors, nuns, drag queens, ballerinas and a Spider-Man — helped mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks with a full-throated reprise of the song "New York, New York."

The stars and cast members from musicals like "The Book of Mormon," "Anything Goes" and "Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the Musical" gathered in Times Square on Friday to belt out the John Kander and Fred Ebb song made famous by Frank Sinatra.

The event was put on to support the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance's I Will Campaign, which asks people to observe the anniversary by performing good deeds, supporting charitable causes, volunteering and engaging in acts of compassion.

"Each of us has a gift. Each of us has something that we have been given. Each of us has something that we can share with others. That's part of what today is about: using the gifts that we were given to make the world a better place," Mitchell said.

The event drew together puppeteers from "War Horse," singing nuns from "Sister Act," sailors from "Anything Goes," crooners from "Jersey Boys," colorfully-dressed drag queens from "Priscilla Queen of the Desert," dancing children from "Billy Elliot: The Musical," Reeve Carney of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" and the four main actors in "The Book of Mormon" — Andrew Rannells, Josh Gad, Nikki M. James and Rory O'Malley.

Firefighters from a nearby firehouse were saluted and NYPD Officer Daniel Rodriguez also sang an operatic "God Bless America." As the sun moved away and left the square in darkness, the Broadway singers lifted their voices and arms as they sang the city's anthem.

The mini-concert was a replay of what the Broadway community sang 10 years ago to promote theater in New York City following 9/11. One newcomer this time was DioGuardi, the songwriter and ex-"American Idol" judge who has begun performances in "Chicago."

"I think it's really important that everyone on the day remember to take some time out to remember the people we lost and hopefully help someone in need," she said.

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Online: http://www.ilovenytheater.com/broadwayunites

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Assange marks six months on 'dehumanising' bail (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange clocked up six months on bail Thursday, with the whistleblowing website slamming his "unfair" restrictions as he fights extradition from Britain.

The 39-year-old is living at a friend's mansion in eastern England, must wear an electronic ankle tag and observe a curfew as he appeals against his extradition to Sweden to face rape and sexual assault allegations.

In a statement released to some media including The Daily Telegraph newspaper, WikiLeaks bemoaned Assange's position.

"He has not been charged with a crime in any country. The conditions of his detention are excessive and dehumanising," the organisation said.

"Whilst fighting this battle, and trying to continue with his important work for freedom of information, he is being forced to remain in unfair and undignified conditions."

Assange maintains that the claims against him by two women he met during a seminar in Sweden last August are politically motivated because of his work.

The Australian former computer hacker rocked the diplomatic world and infuriated Washington last year when his website began releasing hundreds of thousands of secret US State Department and military documents.

WikiLeaks began publishing around 250,000 cables in which US diplomats give their often candid views on world leaders, to Washington's acute embarrassment.

He was detained in London under the European arrest system in December.

Assange has claimed his greatest fear is eventual extradition to the United States, where his lawyers argued he could be sent to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility or face the death penalty.

"The allegations as they are made do not amount to crimes in the UK. If he were to go to Sweden he would be kept in detention indefinitely and incommunicado," WikiLeaks said in the statement.

"If charged, he will be subjected to a trial held in secret. He will not be allowed to see all the evidence against him.

"Outside observers will not be able to scrutinise the merits of the case.

"The Swedish government has refused to state that it will not hand over Mr Assange to the United States. This is why he is fighting this disproportionate and unfair extradition order."

His appeal hearing at the High Court in London will take place on July 12-13.

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