It certainly will be a beautiful day for Harvard’s graduating class of 2001 when U2 frontman and clown prince of rock and roll, Bono, takes the stage to send tomorrow’s leaders off with a smile.According to MTV reporter and former Iowa State Daily A&E editor, Corey Moss, the June 6 Class Day ceremony has had its share of interesting speakers in the past few years including comedian Conan O’Brien, last year’s unconventional choice, Quincy Jones, baseball star Hank Aaron and NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw.The Senior Class Committee made its big score without silver and gold, however. Bono will be appearing with pride in the name of love because of Jeffrey D. Sachs, a professor of international trade at the university who worked with the singer on a debt-relief campaign for Third World countries.”[Bono’s] persuasive charm, talents and moral commitment helped to convince presidents and prime ministers and key legislators around the world to support debt cancellation, a process which is now under way for a couple dozen of the world’s poorest countries,” Sachs told the Harvard Crimson. “He’s also an amazing musical talent.”Bono has met with world leaders from Pope John Paul II and former president Bill Clinton to discuss debt-relief issues affecting small, poor nations.‘Gladiator’ dominates with 12 nominations at Academy Awards While the glory days of Rome may be in the past, gladiatorial combat may yet make a triumphant comeback at this year’s Oscars.Last summer’s epic hit, “Gladiator,” garnered 12 nominations Tuesday including nods for best picture, best actor for Russell Crowe and best director for Ridley Scott, according to a Reuters/Variety.Ang Lee’s Mandarin martial arts romance “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” came in at a close second with 10 nominations including best picture and best foreign-language film making it the third film in Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences history to receive nominations for best picture and best foreign film in 73 years.”Erin Brockovich” and “Traffic” also earned best picture nominations for director Steven Soderbergh making him the first director to receive the honor from both the Academy and the Golden Globe Awards since Michael Curtiz in 1938.The final best picture nominee includes “Chocolat,” a surprise to many since the well-liked film had been overlooked by previous awards.Academy President Robert Rehme said the films nominated Tuesday constitute one of the most eclectic years in recent history.”This is a great selection of films, very diverse,” Rehme said. “In fact, it’s the year of diversity.”Ennis Cosby murder confession comes as a surprise for family Four years after Ennis Cosby’s murder stunned America, his killer has confessed. Mikhail Markhasev, 22, convicted of murdering the 27-year-old son of Bill Cosby, sent a letter to authorities confessing to the crime and apologizing to the Cosby family, according to E! Online.Markhasev said he wanted to apologize even though he knows it is too late to do any good. He also plans to drop the appeal of his life sentence because his efforts were “based on falsehood and deceit.””I am guilty and I want to do the right thing,” said the note, which was released Friday by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer. “More than anything, I want to apologize to the victim’s family. It is my duty as a Christian, and it’s the least I can do after the great wickedness for which I’m responsible. This is way overdue, and although my apology is too late, it’s still the right thing to do.”The Cosby family has so far refused to comment on Markhasev’s admission or apology.Ennis Cosby was gunned down while changing a flat on his father’s Mercedes on a dark and infrequently used stretch of L.A. roadway. Police described the murder as a “robbery gone bad” when Markhasev, a Ukrainian immigrant with gang ties, attempted to rob the Columbia graduate student. Markhasev was arrested months later when an acquaintance phoned in a tip to the National Enquirer.After only six hours of deliberation on July 7, 1998, the jury found the 19-year-old guilty of murder. The following day Markhasev was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 10 years. He is currently interred at California’s Corcoran State Prison.Markhasev’s lawyers appealed the sentence on the basis that jurors came to their decision quickly because they were eager to leave. The appeal was also based on the fact that prosecutors repeatedly referred to Markhasev as a “gangbanger” contrary to the judge’s instructions.Australia considers adults-only rating for ‘Hannibal’ Apparently men really do thunder Down Under — when particularly violent and graphic films can be viewed by Australian children. In Canberra Tuesday, Australian Attorney-General Daryl Williams ordered a review of the film classification for “Hannibal” when parents became outraged that children would be able to gain access to the violent film.”Hannibal,” the sequel to “The Silence of the Lambs,” centers on Hannibal the cannibal, a serial killer with a taste for human flesh. The film is currently rated MA in Australia, which means children under 15 would be allowed to see the film as long as they are accompanied by an adult. The film is due to be released in Australia today. “In light of the national release of the film, I have asked the Classification Review Board to consider this application as a matter of urgency,” Williams said in a statement. Williams ordered the ratings review at the request of the censorship minister in the state of Queensland.The MA rating was met with alarm by Australian film critics, one of whom called for an R rating (Restricted to adults only rating comparable to the American NC-17). This in turn caused an uproar among concerned parents who called for censors to be tougher on film violence.The Australian censorship board is defending its rating and has said the violence in “Hannibal” is not gratuitous enough to earn a harsher rating.