Thursday 20 December 2012

Bipasha Basu is Salman Khan's new girl

The actor has roped in the actress as the brand ambassador for brother Sohail Khan’s Mumbai cricket team for Celebrity Cricket League.

Move over Kangana Ranaut, Sonakshi Sinha and Zarine Khan, Bipasha Basu is Salman Khan's new girl in B-town.

The actor has roped in the actress as the brand ambassador for brother Sohail Khan's Mumbai cricket team for Celebrity Cricket League.

The announcement is significant since Bipasha Basu and Salman Khan were known to share cold vibes until last year.

A source said, "It is a known fact that Salman and John Abraham were not exactly on the best of terms. No one knows what irked Salman but rumours suggest that they had issues during a world tour that they did many years back. Since Bipasha was dating John around that time, she was automatically blacklisted from the Salman Khan camp."

However during an overseas awards ceremony last year, Bipasha Basu was seen partying with Salman Khan and his group, indicating that after John Abraham's break up, Salman Khan and the actress were friends again.

"The olive branch extended by Bipasha has not gone unnoticed by Salman," adds the source.

Salman Khan is known to give 'special recommendations' for his close friends and allies in the industry. The source said, "It is all the more surprising as Bipasha has picked ahead of Salman's favourite women Kangana Ranaut, Sonakshi Sinha and Zarine Khan."

Bigg surprise:

Meanwhile, we hear that Bipasha Basu will also feature on Salman Khan's reality show Bigg Boss. The actress will launch her fitness DVD on the show and will also be shown engaging in a tete-a-tete with Salman Khan.

Bipasha Basu will also enter the Bigg Boss house and share fitness tips with the housemates. She will also conduct a fitness based task and the winner will receive a special gift from the actress.

Shah Rukh Khan awarded with two trophies for Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Superstar Shahrukh Khan has bagged two trophies at the Big Star Entertainment awards, where Priyanka Chopra and Abhishek Bachchan also emerged winners.

SRK was handed the Entertainer Of The Year award for his performance in Yash Chopra's Jab Tak Hai Jaan and he shared the Best Romantic On-Screen Couple gong with his co-star Katrina Kaif.
"Jab Tak Hai Jaan will always be a special film for me. I will always be thankful to Yashji. I get really excited with awards. No matter how many I have got, they have the same affect on me, like they did when I was new in the industry. I almost become like a kid in the candy store," Shahrukh said in a statement.

No Mogambo in Mr. India sequel: Boney Kapoor

Sridevi played Anil Kapoor's love interest in Mr. India and will also be seen in the sequel..

Filmmaker Boney Kapoor clarified that he is planning a sequel and not a remake to the 1987 hit Mr. India and added that he would introduce a new villain in the film.

In the original, Amrish Puri played the famous villain Mogambo and his performance was one of the high points of the sci-fi comedy.

"Obviously, there won't be a Mogambo unless we are remaking the same film. As of now, we don't have plans of remaking the same film. We are working on a sequel. If there is a sequel, Mogambo won't be there, there would be a new villain," Boney Kapoor said while unveiling the cover of People magazine featuring his wife and actress Sridevi.

There were reports that Salman Khan will be roped in to play the villain in the sequel.

"If I had my way, I would plan every film with Salman Khan. But this is not in my hands, it will be according to the script," Boney Kapoor told reporters.

Sridevi played Anil Kapoor's love interest in Mr. India and will also be seen in the sequel.

"Well, of course she (Sridevi) will be a part of Mr. India 2 along with Anil for sure. We are yet to finalise a script," he said.

"My journey with her began with Mr. India, so obviously the journey has to continue," he added.

However, Boney Kapoor, 57, is currently focusing on No Entry Mein Entry.

"But before I get down to Mr. India, we have just finished the script for No Entry Mein Entry," he said and added that first it would be No Entry Mein Entry followed by Mr. India and various other films.

Katrina Kaif's Rs 10 crore fee for performing at award shows

Katrina will dance to her hit numbers Chikni Chameli and Ishq Shava...

For Katrina Kaif, 2012 has been a pretty impressive year with back-to-back hits Ek Tha Tiger with Salman Khan and Jab Tak Hai Jaan with Shah Rukh Khan and is now shooting Dhoom 3 with Aamir Khan. Looks like Katrina wants to start 2013 too with a bang.

The actress is now slated to perform at four award shows in January and will reportedly be taking home a whopping Rs 10 crore from the shows alone.

According to a source: "These hit films have added not only to Katrina's market value, but have also given her a huge list of songs to perform on at shows including Chikni Chameli and Ishq Shava."

"Katrina's been very lucky. It seems she is minting pots of gold as the country heralds the New Year."

So who's winning the Best Actress award at all the four shows is anyone's guess!

Apple's 'pinch-to-zoom' patent rejected by US agency

The US Patent and Trademark Office has rejected Apple's 'pinch-to-zoom' patent in a preliminary ruling that Samsung Electronicsargues supports its request for a new trial in the patent war against its rival.

Apple scored a sweeping legal victory over its South Korean competitor in August when a US jury found Samsung had copied critical features of the hugely popular iPhone and iPad and awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages.

The 'pinch-to-zoom' patent, US patent no. 7,844,915, was one of the patents contested at that trial. The jury ruled that Samsung had infringed six of seven Apple patents.

When the US patent office rules against a patent, the full process involves multiple steps and can take years. It can also often be appealed in court, further tying up the process.

The ruling by the US patent office after Samsung requested an examination of the patent was included in documents filed by Samsung in a federal court in San Jose, California.

Pak for permanent solution of Kashmir issue: Zardari

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari speaks to the media during a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Turkish President Abdullah Gul after their talks in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012..

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants a "sustained and result-oriented" engagement with India to find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue that could usher in peace and stability in the region, President Asif Ali Zardari told a visiting Hurriyat delegation today.

"Pakistan firmly believes in a meaningful, sustained and result-oriented process of engagement with India that could lead to a permanent solution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with aspirations of its people," Zardari said during a meeting with the leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Karachi.

Finding an "amicable and just solution" to alloutstanding issues, including Kashmir, is "important for Pakistan and India to ensure lasting peace, stability and development in the region", Zardari said.

Zardari has been camping in Karachi to oversee preparations by the ruling Pakistan People's Party to mark the upcoming death anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto and the Hurriyat delegation led by Miwaiz Umar Farooq travelled to the southern port city after a series of meetings with top political leaders in Islamabad.

During the meeting, Zardari reiterated Pakistan's resolve to "continue extending all political, moral and diplomatic support" to Kashmiris' demand for their "legitimate right".

Zardari recalled his meeting with Farooq on sidelines of UN General Assembly in New York in September and termed Pakistan's engagement with Hurriyat as a positive development.

He urged the world community to "focus its attention towards the troubles of Kashmiri people".

Zardari's son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is expected to lead PPP's campaign for next general election, was present during the meeting, also attended by Kashmir Affairs Minister Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo and Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani.

Late last night, the Hurriyat delegation called on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who assured the separatist leaders of "Pakistan's unflinching and unwavering support to the Kashmir cause", said a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

Khar said there was "complete unanimity in Pakistan on the Kashmir issue" and the country remains committed to a just and peaceful resolution of the issue in accordance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiris.

"Pakistan had always emphasised that the Kashmiris should be associated with the dialogue process," she said.

The Hurriyat delegation has said its interactions in Pakistan are aimed at finding ways to boost the dialogue on the Kashmir issue. Farooq has insisted that the Kashmiris should be included in the dialogue between India and Pakistan.

During the meeting with Khar last night, the Hurriyat team expressed its support for the India-Pakistan dialogue process and stressed the need for involving Kashmiris in it.

Outrage over Delhi gang-rape swells across India

Indian students and activists shout slogans as they carry torches at India Gate during a protest following the gang-rape of a student in New Delhi, Dec 19, 2012.

NEW DELHI: Riot police fired water cannon Wednesday at a protest in New Delhi over the gang-rape of a 23-year-old student who was left fighting for her life as outrage against the brutal attack grew across India.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh joined his ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi in condemning Sunday night’s “heinous” assault by six drunken man who were joyriding on a bus when they picked up the woman and a male companion.

After taking turns to rape the woman, the attackers then threw the pair off the vehicle.

Four people, including the bus driver, have so far been arrested, while a hunt is ongoing for two other suspects.

As the government tried to address the anger with series of steps, protests spread to other major cities including Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

Police used water cannon on one group of demonstrators as they tried to tear down steel barricades outside the official residence of Delhi’s Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Before the violence broke out, protesters carrying banners chanted: “We want equal rights for women.”

“Women don’t feel safe in the city, this is appalling,” said 18-year-old student protester Jayesha Koushik.

“The blame is always put on the women. ‘She was not wearing the right dress, she was out at the wrong time, she must have provoked it’. How can you blame the women for rape?”

Bus Company Involved in Recent Rape Banned From Delhi’s Roads

A government owned Delhi Transport Corporation bus in New Delhi, in this May 31, 2010, file photo.

Yadav Travels, the company that owned the bus in which a woman was raped Sunday evening in Delhi, has been banned from operating in India’s capital region, transportation officials have told India Ink.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Pakistan Blind Cricket team arrives in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Blind Cricket team arrived here on late Saturday night after giving a marvelous performance in T20 world cup held in India.

The team qualified for final in International T20 cup and grab the trophy of runner up in the tournament.

Talking to media at airport, captain blind cricket Zeeshah Abbasi said team performed well in the tournament but unfortunately was defeated in the final. He apologized the nation for not bringing world cup to Pakistan.

19 killed in Khyber Agency blast

Peshawar: At least nineteen people have been killed and fifty others injured in a blast in Khyber Agency on Monday...

The blast took place in the Jamrud Bazaar next to the soldier market.
The explosives were planted in a vehicle parked next to the market area.
10-12 vehicles parked near the market along with nearby shops and offices were also destroyed as a result of the blast.
Following the explosion, the area was cordoned off by security forces.

Tattoos form of identification among terrorists: Mian Iftikhar

PESHAWAR: Provincial Information Minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mian Iftikhar said the terrorists were aiming to take over the Air Base and then the surrounding area, Geo News reported.

Speaking to the media he further added, that tattoos are a form of identification amongst terrorist organizations. He was referring to the Skull and Horn tattoo on the back of one of the terrorists killed during the attack.

Mian Iftikhar said that the security agencies timely and actively responded and not only halted the terrorists before reaching their targets but also killed all of them.

Lauding the efforts of security agencies infighting the terrorist, he said that due to the timely efforts of the agencies a number of terrorist activities have been prevented during the last few months.

He said that terrorists are only terrorists neither they are Muslims nor Pakistani, they donot deserve to be named as human being and they are pursuing their evil agenda of barbarism. They target public places and kill innocent people in order to frighten the masses, he added.

Responding to a question, the Provincial Minister said that terrorist activities will not come to an end until and unless the terrorist elements existed, and in order to restore peace in the region all the three countries USA, Pakistan and Afghanistan should be united either to talk to the terrorist elements or fight a decisive war against them.

Later on, the Provincial Minister visited the Hayatabad Medical Complex to enquire about the health of the injured people admitted in the hospital.

He directed the authorities of the hospital to provide all possible medical treatment to the victims. He expressed his feelings of sympathy with the bereaved families of the bomb blast victims and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace.

Pentagon to reimburse $688 million to Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon quietly notified Congress this month that it would reimburse Pakistan nearly $700 million for the cost of stationing 140,000 troops on the border with Afghanistan, an effort to normalise support for the Pakistani military after nearly two years of crises and mutual retaliation, The New York Times reported.

According to the report, the United States also provides about $2 billion in annual security assistance, roughly half of which goes to reimburse Pakistan for conducting military operations to fight terrorism.

Until now, many of these reimbursements, called coalition support funds, have been held up, in part because of disputes with Pakistan over the Bin Laden raid, the operations of the CIA, and its decision to block supply lines into Afghanistan last year.

The $688 million payment - the first since this summer, covering food, ammunition and other expenses from June through November 2011 - has caused barely a ripple of protest since it was sent to Capitol Hill on Dec 7.

The absence of a reaction, American and Pakistani officials say, underscores how relations between the two countries have been gradually thawing since Pakistan reopened the NATO supply routes in July after an apology from the Obama administration for an errant American airstrike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November 2011.