Rani excited about her reunion with Aamir & Kareena Posted by naila , Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:10 AM, in Labels: Entertainment

Life has come full circle for Bollywood's feisty actress, Rani Mujherjee'>Rani Mukherjee with her upcoming film (tentatively titled THE ACT OF MURDER) being directed by Reema Kagti. The film is being touted as reunion of sorts as it not only marks the return of Rani with Aamir Khan, with whom she gave her first major hit in the form of GHULAM but also the coming together of Rani and Kareena, who last worked in MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE (2002).

Rani gets nostalgic about her association with the superstar. 'It's always wonderful working with Aamir because I get to learn a lot from him. Aamir is one person who is a very close friend, with whom I began my career. I am looking forward to this film. Kareena and me both learn from him,' says Rani.

	view RANI MUKHERJEE SUPPORTS INDIAN STROKE ASSOCIATION picture gallery

With respect to Kareena she says, 'It's great working with her! Kareena and I worked in the film MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE about eight years back. And now we are back together so it is very exciting. We met recently and are really happy about the fact that we both are in the film'

It's quite surprising to know that the three highly talented actors of Bollywood Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor, who are known as powerhouse performers, who have acting in their blood, from whom people take their acting lessons, are attending acting workshops for their forthcoming film. 'We actors also keep studying. We have to keep going to our own finishing schools to refine our skills,' says the 32-year-old actor candidly.

When probed about the film title (THE ACT OF MURDER) Rani in her trademark style answered, 'Really is that the one? I am sorry I was not aware of the title.' 'I don't think this is true,' quips Rani.

With the merging of three stalwarts, Rani, Kareena and Aamir surely expect fireworks at the Box-office when the film releases!

Who will step into Katrina's shoes? Posted by naila , at 10:08 AM, in Labels: Entertainment

Actress Katrina Kaif has stepped down as the brand ambassador of Indian Premier League team Royal Challengers Bangalore because she feels she will not be able to do justice to her responsibilities towards the team due to the IPL-4 matches clashing with her shooting schedule.
The Banglaore IPL team had extended her appointment as the brand ambassador for seasons three and four, but she is unable to continue as she would be shooting for Yash Raj Film'sMere Brother Ki Dulhan during IPL-4 beginning April 8.

The film's shooting is in Agra and, therefore, it won't be possible for her to make appearances to support the team and hence the decision to step down as brand ambassador, a press statement said.

'Katrina Kaif is a thorough professional and believes in giving her 100 percent to all her commitments. She is an avid sport's enthusiast and wanted to be present for all of the team's matches to cheer them on,' said a source.

'However, since she will be shooting during IPL-4, she has decided to opt out of the Royal Challengers since she wouldn't be doing justice to them,' the source added.

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan is Ali Abbas Zafar's directorial debut and Katrina has teamed up with actor Imran Khan and Pakistani singer-actor Ali Zafar in the movie.

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan is scheduled to release worldwide in July.

Pakistan drones 'kill militants Posted by naila , at 10:06 AM, in Labels: Pakistan

A US drone attack has killed seven alleged militants, including some thought to be of Arab origin, in a Pakistani tribal region along the Afghan border, Pakistani intelligence officials said.

The strike was the first since the arrest of Raymond Davis, a US embassy employee who shot two Pakistanis in late January. There had been speculation that Washington had suspended the use of drones as it wrestled with Pakistan over whether the American has diplomatic immunity and should be freed.

According to the Pakistani intelligence officials, three missiles hit a house overnight in the village of Kaza Panga in the South Waziristan tribal region. Arabs and Turkmen were believed to be among the dead, they said.

Pakistan's tribal regions are key hideouts for Taliban and al-Qaida fighters, including many from other countries. While Pakistan's military has waged offensives in various parts of the north-west, the US has also used drone-fired missiles to target insurgents there.

The frequency of the missile strikes – often more than one a week – dropped to zero after Davis was detained for shooting two Pakistanis in the eastern city of Lahore on 27 January. The US has demanded his release, arguing Davis was acting in self-defence against robbers and has diplomatic immunity from prosecution because he works for the US embassy.

Zardari's Japan visit brings tangible benefits for Pakistan Posted by naila , at 10:04 AM, in Labels: Pakistan

TOKYO: Japanese Emperor Akihito has praised Pakistan’s role in the war on terror and acknowledged the sacrifices rendered by its security forces and people.
Talking to President Asif Ali Zardari here on Wednesday, he said Japan accorded great importance to its ties with Pakistan.
The emperor came out of his palace to receive President Zardari.
The president lauded Japan’s role in Pakistan’s development and its investment in various sectors and said his visit would boost bilateral ties.
This was President Zardari’s second meeting with the emperor. They had met in April 2009, when the president visited Japan to lead Pakistan’s delegation at a meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan.
Emperor Akihito said he fondly remembered his visit to Pakistan in early 1960s as crown prince.
The president felicitated Crown Prince Naruhito on his birthday and invited him to visit Pakistan.
MOTORBIKE PLANT: Yamaha Motors, Pakistan, will spend $150 million on setting up a plant on 50 acres in Bin Qasim area near Karachi.
President Zardari was informed by Yamaha Motors chief Hiroyuki Yanagi at a meeting that the company would bring advanced technology to Pakistan and about 45,000 people would get jobs in the project.
The president said Pakistan welcomed Japanese investment in various sectors and would provide adequate facilities and security to foreign investors.
Talking to the chief of the Mitsubishi Corporation, Mr Kenkasa Yashi, President Zardari said investments in Pakistan had been given comprehensive legal protection with an attractive package of tax incentives.
He said Pakistan was facing shortage of energy and the sector provided an opportunity for foreign investment.
Pakistan has coal deposits of 180 billion tons in the southeastern area and the southern coast provides tremendous potential of wind energy.
Other key sectors offering profitable ventures are agriculture, infrastructure development and mining.—APP

Shahbaz meets Gilani to discuss reforms agenda Posted by naila , at 10:02 AM, in Labels: Pakistan

Former premier Nawaz Sharif's PML-N party has decided in principle to part ways with the Pakistan People's Party in the politically crucial province of Punjab, where the two parties have been uneasy partners in a coalition government for nearly three years.

The PML-N, which is the main opposition party at the centre, is expected to announce its decision to part with the PPP in Punjab and to expel PPP ministers from the provincial government on February 25, when a deadline set by Sharif to implement a 10-point reforms agenda will expire.

The PML-N is expected to form a new alliance in Punjab, the country's most populous province, with the group of 47 dissident PML-Q lawmakers that was recently given legitimate status by the Speaker of the provincial assembly by allocating them separate seats in the House.

The PML-N has reportedly assured the dissidents that they will be given four ministries.

Shahrukh, Salman At Loggerheads Yet Again In Imran's Wedding Posted by naila , Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 1:25 PM, in Labels: Entertainment

The starry wars do not seem to end. Imran Khan's wedding bash is indeed a testimony to this fact. Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan haven't been in talking terms since Katrina's birthday party in 2008. Its interesting to note that no actor has sounded apologetic about his behaviour and are firm on their stance of not talking to each other.

Aamir Khan's invitation to both the warring Khans meant atleast a mere chance for the actors to bond yet again. But the actors were stubborn and defiant that it's hard to spot any chance of them reuniting. Salman Khan entered the bash at around 11:45 to bless the wedding couple Imran and Avantika with brother Sohail Khan. Alas, his exit was as sudden and quick as his entry. Infact he was nowhere to be seen when SRK entered the premises.

The industry is murmuring about another loss of opportunity in burying the hatchet between the two. So, it remains to be seen whether the Khans would be together yet again in the future. The present though doesn't promise much of a hope.

Imran takes Kareena out for dinner Posted by naila , at 1:23 PM, in Labels: Entertainment

Imran Khan

Did you know that Imran Khan tookKareena Kapoor out for dinner while shooting in Las Vegas some time ago? Now, there is a perfectly innocent explanation for it and the newlymarried hero's wife and Saif have nothing to worry about.

When they were shooting in Vegas, Imran, who knew the city's hot spots, took Kareena for out for dinner. Kareena was totally bowled over by his charm and on their return, invited him to dine with her and Saif.

Apparently, even Saif was curious to know what was it about Aamir Khan's nephew that had Bebo go gaga every time they met. But after meeting him and now that he is married to Avantika, Saif is not expecting any competition from Aamir Khan's nephew.

Akshay bonds with Dimple over Sudoku Posted by naila , at 1:22 PM, in Labels: Entertainment

Usually, we would hear actors and filmmakers claiming that their film reflected on their personal life. Being an intense drama of father-son relationship, Akshay Kumar confesses that Patiala House has no references to his real life as he says, “I had a loving and affectionate father, who sacrificed a lot for me. He used to work double shifts to pay for my martial arts training. My parents were completely supportive of fulfilling my dreams.”
In contrast, Patiala House deals with a father, who wants his son to give up his dreams and so does his son for the love he has for his dad.
Akshay Kumar reports that he wanted to take a break from comedy flicks and perform something serious. Last time, we saw him in such a role was Namaste London that turned to be a remarkable movie in his career. 

Saudi reformers start Facebook group Posted by naila , at 1:19 PM, in Labels: WORLD

There were only a few dozen Saudi women at a protest to demand the release of prisoners they claim are unfairly linked to militants. Yet the small act of defiance in Riyadh is part of a wider question for autocratic rulers in the Gulf who wonder if the ripples from Egypt could head their way.

It's too early to predict what - if any - street demonstrations could rise across a region symbolized by its skyscraper-studded wealth, super-powerful sheiks and monarchs and some of Washington's most important military footholds.

The failure to draw crowds at planned rallies in Syria last week also underscores that the protest fire from Tunisia and Egypt apparently can be stamped out by hard-line state security, which is also a hallmark of Gulf states.

But there's no shortage of hints that reform-seeking groups in the Gulf are trying to seize the moment.

The rare protest rally on Saturday in Saudi's capital came a week after Saudi activists launched a Facebook page demanding more jobs and political accountability in the world's biggest oil exporter. Calls on social media sites also have gone out for protests next week in Bahrain and next month in Kuwait - the two Gulf nations with the most active and organized political opposition.

Even the United Arab Emirates - with almost no public voice in decision-making - is urging for new faces on a 40-member government advisory panel in a bid to show a response to the upheavals that began in December in Tunisia and now grip Egypt.

"There will be pressures coming to the Gulf for reforms on things like corruption, abuses of power and a greater voice for civil society," said Mustafa Alani, a regional analyst at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "What happened in Tunis may make these ruling families somewhat more flexible to bend with the wind."

But Alani believes any calls for change will not include demands to topple the tribal-centric regimes.

"This is a red line because, simply, there are no alternatives," he said.

Still, even the smallest cracks in the Gulf status quo would be closely watched in the West, which has deep economic and military ties across the region. Washington also depends on its Arab allies in the Gulf as a front-line buffer against Iranian influence and as host for key Pentagon outposts, including major air bases and the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.

It was a safe choice because the risk of political uncertainty is so low. Some of the Gulf dynasties stretch back to the region's hardscrabble past before oil was king. And their attitudes about sharing power remains generally rooted in desert tradition: keep the real decision-making in just a few hands.

Some nations, led by Kuwait, have brought in parliaments that can challenge ruling authorities. Others have advisory groups with limited clout such as the UAE and Qatar - whose state-founded Al-Jazeera network has been accused by some Arab leaders of fomenting protests with its blanket coverage of Tunisia and Egypt.

"This is the Achilles' heel of the Gulf," said Christopher Davidson, a Gulf expert at the University of Durham in Britain. "There might be belief in change in other parts of the Arab world, but they don't want it to get too close."

In some ways, it's already at their doorstep.

A Kuwaiti group calling itself Fifth Fence is using Twitter messages for calls to rise up against "undemocratic practices" by the government, which has been under increasing pressure from opposition lawmakers over allegations of fiscal abuse and attempts to roll back political freedoms.

On Sunday, Kuwait's rulers accepted the resignation of the scandal-battered interior minister in an apparent attempt to undercut the protest plans. It seems to have bought them some time.

The protest group had called for a rally outside parliament for Tuesday, but postponed it until March 8 "in response" to the interior minister stepping down. The statement, however, repeated its goal of forcing out the entire government.

In Bahrain, meanwhile, a Facebook page and other websites carry appeals for an anti-government demonstration on Feb. 14, the anniversary of the country's 2002 constitution that brought in an elected legislature and reforms such as allowing women to vote and run for office.

The tiny island kingdom has been the most volatile in the Gulf. Majority Shiites have long alleged discrimination and other abuses by Sunni rulers. A wave of arrests of Shiite activists last year touched off weeks of protests and clashes - and a highly sensitive trial of 25 Shiites accused of plotting against the state. The next trial session was initially set for Thursday, but has been postponed for Feb. 24.

"The Gulf states are not that far removed from what has happened in Tunisia and Egypt," said Ali Fakhro, a political analyst and commentator in Bahrain. "Why? Because all Arab youth have similar demands: jobs, freedom, a feeling they are not oppressed by their leaders. The Tunisian revolution, as well as Egypt, is spreading new principles and a new definition for Arab youth."

The impression of a political hunger in the Gulf can seem at odds with the widely held perception of a passive citizenry content with generous state handouts and cushy public sector jobs. Kuwait, for example, is giving every citizen the equivalent of about $3,600 and free food coupons this month to mark 50 years of independence and other anniversaries.

But Gulf governments are trying to shrink their bloated payrolls. They also face the lopsided demographics that fueled their stunning growth: a glut of foreign companies and workers that squeeze out opportunities for young locals.

The UAE and others are pressing to enforce quotas for businesses to hire nationals in an effort to avoid a backlash from university graduates with limited job options.

Last month, the New York-based group Human Rights Watch accused Gulf states of stepping up pressure on political activists, including blocking blogs and web forums.

The attention on human rights is "very, very new for the region," said Ahmed Mansour, a human rights activist and a blogger in the UAE. "But they are starting to express themselves."

Pervez Musharraf to be brought to Pakistan: Babar Awan Posted by naila , at 1:17 PM, in Labels: Pakistan

RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency submitted on Monday a fresh 57-page report in the Anti-Terrorism Court-III, declaring former president Pervez Musharraf as an accused in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.
FIA’s Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali said in the court that investigators, while reinvestigating the case, had tried time and again to contact the former president for questioning him but he did not respond.
He said that the FIA had mentioned him as an absconder in the fifth interim investigation report.
When Special Judge ATC-III Rana Nisar Ahmed asked the prosecutor whether the investigators had declared him a proclaimed offender, Chaudhry Zulfiqar said the former president had been mentioned as an accused and as an absconder, adding that the court could be requested to declare him as a proclaimed of-fender if Musharraf did not submit himself before the law.
The investigators have cited the name of Musharraf in column-II of the fresh investigation report under section 173 of criminal procedure code. They have put the former army chief at the disposal of the trial court, saying they had found no direct evidence against the former president so far. They said the former president could not be completely cleared at this stage.
Official sources close to the investigations said a Joint Investigation Team of FIA had tagged statements of former intelligence bureau chief Ijaz Shah and former director general of the crisis management cell of the Ministry of Interior Brig (retd) Javaid Iqbal Cheema with the report.
Sources said that the former IB chief had stated that Musharraf was annoyed with Ms Benazir Bhutto because she was inclined towards a political reconciliation.
Brig (retd) Cheema informed the investigators that former president had directed him to arrange a press conference only three hours after the assassination of Ms Bhutto.
They said the investigators had also attached an email sent by Musharraf to Ms Bhutto saying that her security depended on the nature of her relations with him.
The email is being considered as a threat hurled by Musharraf.
The investigators have also submitted a letter written by Ms Benazir to Mark Siegel, a foreign journalist, saying she felt threatened from Mr Musharraf, former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Ellahi and Ijaz Shah.
The joint investigation team has added three new charges in its fresh interim report.
It has included section 21-I (abetment in terrorism) of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, section 119 (public servant concealing design to commit offence which is his duty to prevent) of Pakistan Penal Code and section 120.B (criminal conspiracy).
Interestingly, another Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar has avoided speaking about the investigation report submitted in the trial court and even said that no fresh report had been submitted.
Separately, the trial court dismissed bail applications of two arrested police officers Saud Aziz, former Rawalpindi CPO, and Khurram Shahzad, the then SP of Rawal Town division.
The police officers arrested in December last year had denied allegations of hosing down the crime scene and stopping the post-mortem of Ms Bhutto, saying her personal security was responsible for the breach of security.
They said that investiga-tors should give details of the circumstances which forced the former prime minister to emerge out of the sunroof of her bullet-proof vehicle after addressing the public meeting in Liaquat Bagh.

US cuts Pakistan ties over held envo Posted by naila , at 1:15 PM, in Labels: TOP STORIES

ISLAMABAD — The U.S. ambassador to Pakistan pressed the country's president Monday to release an American official who Washington says was illegally detained after he shot and killed two men trying to rob him in the eastern city of Lahore.

Ambassador Cameron Munter's meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad followed repeated public demands for the American's freedom and underlined Washington's growing frustration with an ally that receives billions of dollars in U.S. aid.

The U.S. has said the American, who has been identified by Pakistanis as Raymond Allen Davis, acted in self-defense when he shot the two men on Jan. 27 and must be released because he has diplomatic immunity.

Munter told Zardari that "Pakistan must comply with its obligations under international law and immediately release the American diplomat illegally detained in Lahore," according to U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Courtney Beale.

Pakistani presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar confirmed the meeting took place but refused to comment on details of the discussion.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who spoke with Zardari by phone last week about the diplomat's case, also raised it with Pakistan army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on the sidelines of an international security conference in Germany at the weekend, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said.

"We continue to make it clear to the government of Pakistan that our diplomat has diplomatic immunity and in our view was acting in self-defense and should be released," Crowley told a news conference in Washington on Monday.

The case has put the Pakistani government in a difficult position given the level of anti-American sentiment in the country, which is partly driven by U.S. drone missile attacks against militants near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government could face charges of being an American lackey if it hands Davis over to the U.S. But refusing to do so risks harming a relationship with a key ally.

As a result, Pakistani officials have avoided definitive statements on whether Davis has diplomatic immunity. Federal officials have said the decision on his fate is up to courts in Punjab province, where the shootings occurred. But provincial officials have said the federal government must inform them whether Davis has immunity and has not yet done so. The two governments are controlled by rival political parties, which has further complicated the case.

Besides the two men who were shot dead, a bystander was killed when he was struck by an American car rushing to the scene to help Davis. Police have said they want to question the Americans suspected in that death as well.

Protesters have held a handful of demonstrations in Pakistan calling on the government to refuse U.S. demands to hand over Davis. About 150 people took to the streets in the central city of Multan on Monday, some of whom carried signs that said "Justice should be done — Davis should be hanged."

"On the one hand, innocent citizens are being killed in drone attacks, and on the other, U.S. agents have license to kill citizens in the streets," said one of the protest leaders, Tariq Naeemullah. "The law should take its course so that justice can be done and Pakistan can be proven a sovereign and independent state."

The wife of one of the men who Davis shot committed suicide on Sunday, explaining beforehand that she feared her husband's killer would be freed without trial. Her death could further inflame anti-American sentiment.