MUMBAI: If rumours are anything to go by, desi girl Priyanka Chopra might soon be essaying the role of India’s first women Prime Minister - Indira Gandhi, in a biopic.
Director Krishna Shah opted for Priyanka after Madhuri Dixit declined the offer due to her mother in law’s illness.
We hear that the makers have grand plans for the film and have roped in Hollywood technicians and make-up artists like Jenny Shircore (‘Elizabeth’). The movie titled Mother: The Indira Gandhi Story will also incorporate facts from the personal tapes of former US president Richard Nixon on the 1971 Bangladesh War.
An industry insider said, “Krishna zeroed in on the lead actress after Jenny pointed out that Priyanka has a face that can be matched with Indira’s after a bit of prosthetic work.”
However, director Krishna Shah confirmed that the casting is still on and though Jenny feels Priyanka will be an apt choice, they haven’t approached the actress as yet.
The film will also explore the politician’s personal life. Now the question is if Priyanka accepts the role, will the audience be able to relate to her as Indira Gandhi, as both the women have highly distinct personalities. If Piggy Chops comes on board, playing the character will certainly be very challenging for her.
Sonakshi to replace Kat in The Italian Job Updated at: 1544 PST, Friday, August 20, 2010
Sonakshi to replace Kat in The Italian Job
MUMBAI: The game of replacement in Bollywood is common. It is not a surprise to see an actor replacing the other in a project. The latest replacement game is on play between Katrina Kaif and the newcomer Sonakshi Sinha.
Sonakshi, veteran actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter, is a new face in the gleaming and glittering world of Bollywood. The face is yet to be seen in Dabangg, an upcoming action flick starring Salman Khan. No sooner than she stepped into the tinsel town did she start playing the replacement game.
As per reports from the industry that is red in tooth and claw, Sonakshi may replace the present ruling beauty of Bollywood Katrina Kaif in The Italian Job that Abbas Mustan will be directing. Prior to the release of her first movie and the spread of her magic, the Dabangg heroine is already being offered roles in more movies.
After Katrina quit the project, as Aditya Chopra thought her role in Italian Job to be not meaty enough, Abbas Mustan is in talks with Sonam Kapoor to essay the role of the leading female character.
If Sonam refuses to go with the offer, Sonakshi has chances to be approached for the role. Italian Job will also star three Bollywood hunks – Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol, and Neil Nitin Mukesh.
BEIJING: Hollywood martial arts star Jackie Chan has called for wushu, better known outside China as kung fu, to be recognised as an official Olympic sport, state media reported Sunday.
"I love wushu a lot and I would love to see it included in future Olympic Games," Chan, who was in Beijing to record a theme song for an upcoming combat event, was quoted as saying by the official China Daily newspaper.
The International Olympic Committee recognises wushu as a sport but has not included it as an official event in the Games, unlike other Asian martial arts such as taekwondo and judo that are now part of the global sports gathering.
LOS ANGELES: The Betty White phenomenon keeps getting bigger.
White won an Emmy Award for best guest actress in a comedy series for her turn as "Saturday Night Live" host. The honor came Saturday at the creative arts ceremony that is precursor to the main Aug. 29 Emmy show.
The trophy is the fifth prime-time Emmy received by the 88-year-old White, according to the TV academy. Her previous honors came for classic sitcoms including "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Golden Girls."
So far this year, besides the "SNL" gig, White made a splash with the new TV Land sitcom "Hot in Cleveland," scored with a clever Super Bowl commercial and played a mad librarian on ABC's sitcom "The Middle."
She did not attend Saturday's ceremony, which included presenters Jane Lynch of "Glee," Elizabeth Mitchell of "Lost" and Christina Hendricks of "Mad Men."
Neil Patrick Harris was a presenter and winner, taking the trophy for best guest actor in a comedy series for his appearance on "Glee." The guest acting trophies for drama series went to John Lithgow for "Dexter" and Ann-Margret for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," which has won Emmy acting honors for six consecutive years.
Harris, who stars in "How I Met Your Mother," shared in another award. The Tony Awards show, which he hosted to critical acclaim, was recognized as best special class program.
The top network winner was HBO with 17 trophies, followed by ABC with 15 and Fox with nine. CBS, NBC and PBS each claimed seven. "The Pacific," HBO's World War II miniseries, captured a leading seven creative arts awards.
Four trophies went to "Disney Prep & Landing," an animated Christmas special. Other big winners, with three trophies each, were freshman sitcom "Modern Family," "Saturday Night Live" and "The 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Concert."
Randy Newman won a trophy for original music and lyrics for "When I'm Gone," written for the departed series "Monk."
John Leverence, senior vice president of awards, received the Syd Cassyd Founders Award for his service to the TV academy.
The creative arts ceremony will air Friday on the E! channel. Next Sunday's 62nd annual prime-time Emmy ceremony, with Jimmy Fallon as host, will air live on NBC.
Other winners at the creative arts Emmys, which honor technical and other achievements, included:
Host, reality or reality-competition series: Jeff Probst, "Survivor," CBS.
Voice-over performance: Anne Hathaway, "The Simpsons: Once Upon a Time in Springfield," Fox.
Commercial: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like: Old Spice Body Wash."
Animated Program: "Disney Prep & Landing," ABC.
Nonfiction series: "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," PBS.
Writing for a variety, music or comedy series: "The Colbert Report: 5076 (in Iraq)," Comedy Central.
Music composition for a series (original dramatic score): "24: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.," Fox.
Music composition for a miniseries, movie or special: "Temple Grandin," HBO.
Choreography: "So You Think You Can Dance," Fox.
Casting for a drama series: "Mad Men," AMC.
Casting for a miniseries, movie or a special: "The Pacific," HBO.
Casting for a comedy series: "Modern Family," ABC.
Costumes for a miniseries, movie or a special: "Return to Cranford (Masterpiece), Part 2," PBS.
Costumes for a variety-music program or a musical (more than one award possible): "Jimmy Kimmel Live: Episode 09-1266)," ABC; "So You Think You Can Dance (Top 12 perform)," Fox; "Titan Maximum: Went to Party, Got Crabs," Cartoon Network.
Costumes for a series: "The Tudors: Episode No. 408," Showtime.
Sonakshi climbing filmdom stairs, thanks to Salman
Updated at: 1115 PST, Sunday, August 22, 2010
MUMBAI: People are just waiting to taste the acting talent of Shatrugan Sinha’s beloved daughter Sonakshi.
But the darling is already going great guns in the industry, bagging offers and making impressions around – all thanks to her mentor who gave her debut movie ‘Dabangg’.
Yeah, industry’s gossip mills are raving about this all the while… The ‘Dabangg’ beauty is getting all-round attention from the ‘star with big heart’, who is making her feel special and taking care of her career needs.
Among these rumours it’s heard that Sonakshi has bagged the lead role in Sajid Nadiadwala’s film, which in fact was meant for Deepika Padukone. It’s all because of Salman, of course. And in this movie as well, Sinha will be paired opposite to Khan.
Besides, the fresh one is also being considered for Abbas Mastan’s remake of ‘The Italian Job’ (starring Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol and Neil Nitin Mukesh). Well, after Katrina Kaif left the project, Sonam Kapoor was replaced for her role. But it seems the tables have turned now and Sonakshi will take her place instead.
Hmmm, looks like Salman has got yet another chance to play a godfather to a newcomer.
Jolie to star in romantic film set in Bosnian war: UNHCR
Updated at: 1208 PST, Sunday, August 22, 2010
SARAJEVO: Hollywood star Angelina Jolie has announced she is to star in a romantic film to be shot in the Balkans, as she made a surprise visit to Sarajevo.
"Upon leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday, Angelina Jolie stated that she will be in the region working on a film this fall," said the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, for whom Jolie works as a goodwill ambassador.
"The film is a love story set during the Bosnian war of 1992-1995, focusing on a couple who meet on the eve of the war and the effect the war has on their relationship," it said.
Jolie stressed that the film would not carry any political messages and added that the cast would be drawn from the different ethnic groups of the former Yugoslavia.
According to national radio, Jolie will act in the film and direct it as well.
Earlier the star called on Bosnian leaders to speed up the return of thousands of refugees from the brutal 1990s civil war.
"I hope that there’ll soon be practical steps to improve these people’s lives," Jolie was quoted as saying in the UNHCR statement.
Jolie -- whose visit coincides with the release in Europe of her new spy thriller "Salt" -- last visited Bosnia Hercegovina in April with her husband, movie heartthrob Brad Pitt.
She hailed the adoption by the Bosnian parliament in June of a new strategy for returning all internally displaced people in the country by 2014, the UNHCR said.
"The political leaders have shown a spirit of compromise in getting this far. Now it needs a little more urgency," added Jolie.
Jolie also met the Muslim and Croat representatives of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, Haris Silajdzic and Zeljko Komsic, to discuss the refugee issue, Silajdzic's cabinet said in a statement.
The 1992-1995 war left 100,000 people dead and 2.2 million refugees and displaced persons in Bosnia. Some 113,000 people are still displaced or unable to return to their homes, according to the UNHCR.
LOS ANGELES: Actress Nicole Kidman goes out of her way to ensure her two-year-old daughter's health, and so she spends hours looking after her garden so that she can feed her family home-grown vegetables.
The Oscar-winning actress, who lives with her singer husband, Keith Urban, and their daughter Sunday Rose, likes to serve organic and healthy food, reported a music website.
'She likes to have fresh organic produce for their daughter Sunday. She doesn't mind getting her hands dirty to make sure that the lettuce and corn come out perfectly,' the report said.
LOS ANGELES: Sylvester Stallone's action tale "The Expendables" led the box-office for a second-straight weekend with $17 million.
A rush of newcomers had so-so debuts, led by the "Twilight" spoof "Vampires Suck," which opened at No. 2 with $12.2 million.
The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com are:
1. "The Expendables," Lionsgate, $16,968,032, 3,270 locations, $5,189 average, $65,357,117, two weeks.
PARIS: A dozen hefty security guards held back the crowd gathered on a Paris street Tuesday to glimpse US director Martin Scorsese jump into a limo at lunch break during the shoot of his latest film, a 3-D fantasy releasing late next year.
But the Oscar-winning 67-year-old, shooting in the City of Light for only the second time in 17 years, was too quick for the fans, skirting the crowd incognito on foot to be picked up a few hundred yards away by a luxury limousine.
"Keep moving, we're shooting," said harried security guards.
Also on hand but also shunning the paparazzi was British actor Ben Kingsley, who played in Scorsese's recent hit, "Shutter Island". Co-stars Jude Law, Asa Butterfield, Christopher Lee and Sacha Baron Cohen had the day off.
Tuesday was the penultimate day of shooting in Paris for Scorsese's "Hugo Cabret", a tale based on a 2007 graphic novel by Brian Selznick about a boy who secretly lives in the walls of a 1930s Paris train station.
To restore the ambience of those times, a squad of carpenters, painters and sundry handymen were on hand early morning transforming the facade of the Athenee theatre in central Paris, where some of the action takes place, as well as the Opera-Louis Jouvet square the theatre stands on.
Artificial snow covered the ground and in place of its current shop fronts, the scenery wizards installed a 1930s hat-shop, watchmaker, haberdashery, pharmacy, as well as a news-stands stacked with 1931 editions.
With Paris almost empty as per usual every summery August of its couple of million inhabitants and their cars, local and international film crews have flocked into town inspired both by the city's beauty as well as new tax breaks.
The French capital recently had a major cinematic outing with the worldwide release of the partly Paris-set sci-fi blockbuster "Inception" and is now set for more celluloid exposure with 20 feature films being shot here this year.
This summer alone saw three major US projects.
Before Scorsese hit town, Woody Allen began shooting his latest work, "Midnight in Paris", with French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in her first major film role in the movie which is set in the 1920s.
And pop star Madonna spent three days here in August to shoot part of her film "W.E.", about Britain's King Edward VIII and the American divorcee Wallis Simpson for whom he abdicated in 1936.
Favourite spots for US shoots in Paris were picture-postcard Left Bank districts with Woody Allen favouring grocery-shops and eateries in the popular Latin Quarter, while Scorsese kicked off with scenes filmed inside the Sorbonne University in the same area.
Madonna helmed in historic up-market Saint-Germain-des-Pres.
Obama to deliver Iraq speech from Oval Office Updated at: 0442 PST, Thursday, August 26, 2010
Obama to deliver Iraq speech from Oval Office
VINEYARD HAVEN: President Barack Obama's August 31 address marking the end of US combat operations in Iraq will be delivered from the Oval Office, a senior official said Wednesday.
The official said the speech in the Oval office, the most solemn setting for a presidential address, was to take place Tuesday at 8:00 pm (0000 GMT).
Obama has used the august setting just once so far during his presidency, on June 15, during a nationally-broadcast speech on the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.
Obama's Iraq speech was to mark the exit of combat troops, a key milestone after more than 4,400 American troops killed and many billions of dollars spent ousting Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and quelling the ensuing sectarian and Al-Qaeda violence that ripped the country apart.
There are currently 52,000 American soldiers in Iraq and the army is close to completing a major withdrawal of troops by the end of August -- when numbers will fall to 50,000 -- as it declares an end to its combat mission here.
US troop levels are now less than a third of the peak figure of around 170,000 during the US military "surge" of 2007, when Iraq was in the midst of a brutal Shiite-Sunni sectarian war that cost tens of thousands of Iraqi lives.
Six MPs among 32 killed in Mogadishu hotel rampage
Updated at: 1532 PST, Tuesday, August 24, 2010
MOGADISHU: Shebab fighters shot dead 30 people, including six members of parliament, in a suicide attack on a Mogadishu hotel Tuesday, Somalia's deputy prime minister said.
The two militants disguised as government security forces then blew themselves up to avoid arrest after the attack on the hotel, which was crowded with Somali officials.
"Thirty people died in this ambush. Six of them are members of the Somali parliament and four are Somali government civil servants," Abdirahman Haji Adab Ibbi told reporters after the deadly rampage at Hotel Mona.
"The 20 others are innocent civilians who died in this horrible incident," he added.
SRINAGAR: Indefinite curfew has again been imposed in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of eleven police stations and police posts in Srinagar , occupied Kashmir on Wednesday.
Curfew will remain in force in Batamloo, Bemina, Qamarwari, Kralkhud, Nowhatta, Khanyar, M.R. Gunj, Safakadal, Maisuma, Shaheedgunj and Abi-guzar area of Kothibagh Police Station, today (Wednesday) from morning 6:00am till further orders.
Rolling Stone's top 10 Beatles songs of all time August 25, 2010 -- Updated 2241 GMT (0641 HKT) (Rolling Stone) -- In Rolling Stone's new Special Collectors Edition issue, we count down the 100 greatest songs from the greatest band of all time: The Beatles. Check out the top 10 songs now, before the issue hits stands:
#10: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" The lyrics for George Harrison's first truly great Beatles song began as a deliberate accident -- and it wasn't until Harrison pulled Eric Clapton in to play guitar that the arrangement was finished.
#9: "Come Together" Originally intended by Lennon as a campaign song for LSD guru Timothy Leary's campaign for California's governor in 1970, this became the last song all four Beatles cut in the studio together.
#8: "Let It Be" McCartney channeled Aretha Franklin's soul in "Let It Be," recorded during the peak of the Beatles' troubled times. A month after its 1970 release, McCartney announced the band had broken up.
#7: "Hey Jude" McCartney's lyrics for "Hey Jude" were inspired by John and Cynthia Lennon's five-year-old son, Julian -- but Lennon first thought McCartney was singing to him about his relationship with Yoko Ono.
#6: "Something" Before it became the second-most-covered Beatles song behind "Yesterday," Lennon said this unexpected Harrison track was "the best track on [Abbey Road]" and McCartney called it "the best song [Harrison has] written."
#5: "In My Life" "In My Life," featuring Lennon's most personal lyrics up to the song's release, is one of only a handful of Lennon-McCartney songs where the two strongly disagreed over who wrote what.
#4: "Yesterday" The most covered song in history began as something called "Scrambled Eggs." It also began as a dream.
#3: "Strawberry Fields Forever" Lennon once said growing up "was scary because there was nobody to relate to." Strawberry Field the place (a Liverpool children's home near where Lennon grew up) represented those haunting childhood visions. With this song, Lennon conquered them forever.
#2: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was most American's first exposure to the songwriting magic of Lennon and McCartney, setting off Beatlemania. It represented what producer George Martin calls "the apex of Phase One of the Beatles' development."
#1: "A Day in the Life" The ultimate Lennon-McCartney collaboration, "A Day in the Life" wasn't recognized as the band's masterwork until the 80s, after Lennon's death. It pairs lyrics inspired by the newspapers and Lennon's own life with McCartney's idea to have classical musicians perform what producer George Martin called an "orchestral orgasm."
Grandfather's ghost story leads to mysterious mass grave By Meghan Rafferty, CNN August 24, 2010 -- Updated 2128 GMT (0528 HKT)
Mass murder in 1832? Maybe
Malvern, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- "This is a mass grave," Bill Watson said as he led the way through the thick Pennsylvania woods in a suburb about 30 miles from Philadelphia.
"Duffy's Cut," as it's now called, is a short walk from a suburban cul-de-sac in Malvern, an affluent town off the fabled Main Line. Twin brothers Bill and Frank Watson believe 57 Irish immigrants met violent deaths there after a cholera epidemic struck in 1832.
They suspect foul play.
"This is a murder mystery from 178 years ago, and it's finally coming to the light of day," Frank Watson said.
The brothers first heard about Duffy's Cut from their grandfather, a railroad worker, who told the ghost story to his family every Thanksgiving. According to local legend, memorialized in a file kept by the Pennsylvania Railroad, a man walking home from a tavern reported seeing blue and green ghosts dancing in the mist on a warm September night in 1909.
"I saw with my own eyes, the ghosts of the Irishmen who died with the cholera a month ago, a-dancing around the big trench where they were buried; it's true, mister, it was awful," the documents quote the unnamed man as saying. "Why, they looked as if they were a kind of green and blue fire and they were a-hopping and bobbing on their graves... I had heard the Irishmen were haunting the place because they were buried without the benefit of clergy."
When Frank inherited the file of his grandfather's old railroad papers, the brothers began to believe the ghost stories were real. They suspected that the files contained clues to the location of a mass grave.
"One of the pieces of correspondence in this file told us 'X marks the spot,'" said Frank. He added that the document suggested that the men "were buried where they were making the fill, which is the original railroad bridge."
In 2002, the brothers began digging and searching. They found forks and remnants of a shanty and, in 2005, what Bill Watson calls the "Holy Grail" -- a pipe with an Irish flag on it.
They knew they were close, but Bill said they knew they needed "hard science" to get them to the next step.
The science came from Tim Bechtel, a geophysicist, who learned about the project from a colleague at the University of Pennsylvania who had heard the Watson brothers speak. The friend knew Bechtel could provide the missing link in the brothers' excavation efforts.
Bechtel's work included earth scans, which can help detect what's underground without digging or drilling.
By shooting electrical current through the slope, Bechtel said he learned there were "oddball areas" or places where the current wouldn't pass through. "We saw areas in the slope that were very electrically resistant," Bechtel recalled.
This was an initial indicator something might lie beneath the surface. After further digging, Bechtel and the Watsons detected "air bubbles above the coffins," he said.
Bechtel helped pinpoint key areas to dig and on March 20, 2009, Bill Watson said the team made a startling discovery.
"One of my students came running over at about 2 in the afternoon with something that was a clearly discernable human bone," Bechtel said.
It was just the beginning of the many puzzle pieces to surface at Duffy's Cut. The pieces led them to suspect that something other than cholera was responsible for the deaths.
A teeny weenie little fragment like that is so chock full of information. --Janet Monge, anthropologist
"A teeny weenie little fragment like that is so chock full of information," said Janet Monge, holding up a jawbone and teeth found at the Duffy's Cut site. She believes the teeth, because of their irregularities, could someday be linked through DNA to living descendents of the men unearthed at the dig site.
Monge, an anthropologist at the University of Pennsylvania, joined the forensics team when Bechtel looked her up in the campus directory and asked for help separating the human bones from any animal bones.
Since then, Monge has collected bones from seven skeletons unearthed at Duffy's Cut, including four skulls. The trays and containers of bones occupy a long, wide table in the back of a lecture room at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia.
Poring over the bones with her green spectacles sitting low on her nose, Monge said she has focused her attention on the skulls, adding that they have provided crucial clues to what might have killed the Irishmen at Duffy's Cut.
"This skull has a little divot on what would have been the side bone of the skull," she said, holding it up. "That little divot is something that didn't happen when they excavated it out of the ground."
With just one divot on one skull, she was reluctant to jump to conclusions. But as more skulls surfaced, a pattern started to form. Holding the second skull, Monge said with confidence: "This person was clunked on the head at around the time of death."
Two weeks ago, a new piece of evidence came up from the ground at Duffy's Cut: A skull with a perforation that could be a bullet hole. "In fact, we can see some nice cracked edges that do look very much like a bullet hole," Monge observed.
Monge and the team will soon test the skull for the presence of lead. The source could be a bullet or an ax. Either way, she said, "If they had cholera, it didn't kill them. I would say something else killed them, but they might have had cholera, too."
Why is the mystery so important to the team?
These guys came over here with nothing, looking for the American dream. --Bill Watson
"It could have been us," Bill Watson said. "These guys came over here with nothing, looking for the American dream like countless people have done. They thought they were going to make it and within six weeks of arrival they're literally buried in the fill here."
Although they have unearthed seven individual's remains, the Duffy's Cut team labors on to find the 50 more they believe are still underneath the surface.
The brothers said their goal is to preserve the memory of the Irish workers and to put the story in textbooks, to be remembered for years to come.
"It's a story that transcends nations, transcends history in a sense. It's the story you hear of workers that were exploited anywhere in the world," Frank Watson said.
"How do we treat our employees? How do we treat people who immigrate for a new life? Every human being deserves to be remembered."
Hong Kong angry, sad at handling of Manila siege By Greg Hughes and Kevin Voigt, CNNAugust 24, 2010 -- Updated 1007 GMT (1807 HKT)
Hong Kong, China (CNN) -- The hostage crisis in Manila that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead has generated sorrow and anger as well as raised many questions over the handling of the situation by the Filipino authorities.
"This is a serious blow to Hong Kong people. We all feel very devastated," Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang told a press conference Tuesday, saying that the government would soon announce community mourning events.
In local media, under the headline "Tsang slams siege tactics," the South China Morning Post highlighted Donald Tsang's "disappointment" over the handling of the crisis, reporting that he was close to tears during a press conference.
The Standard reported that "hundreds of Hong Kong residents expressed disbelief and disappointment in discussion forums and on Facebook, saying the police officers were overcautious, if not slow, to storm the bus."
"Is there only one ax in the Philippines?" "Why didn't the police shoot the gunman earlier?" said one comment posted in a forum, The Standard reported.
Another Facebook page asked people to wear black on Tuesday to mourn the dead.
An editorial in The Standard also questioned the approach of the rescue operation, noting that an "entire hour" passed from the time the police tried to break into the bus to the time the gunman was declared dead.
Joesph Tung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, said: "Watching on the live broadcast, a lot of people here in Hong Kong are very much furious about the action from the Philippine police."
With Hong Kong residents watching the events unfold live with the rest of the world, its bloody conclusion has ratcheted frustrations with the Philippine government.
"As we were watching this, in the beginning it seemed his demands were very simple and everything was very easy going ... you never thought it would come out like this," Tung said.
The Hong Kong government put up a black signal warning to "avoid all travel" to the Philippines, its most severe warning.
The last time Hong Kong issued a black alert was for travel to Bangkok during violent protests there earlier this year, Tung said.
There are currently three other tour groups from Hong Kong traveling in the Philippines with about 60 people, Tung said. All are expected to return home Tuesday.
Tung thinks the bloodshed will undoubtedly hurt Hong Kong travel to the Philippines, where the beaches of Cebu are especially popular for local travelers.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Jesus A Verzosa said a committee looking into the handling of the hostage incident will seek to determine if there were lapses on the part of the police unit or the crisis committee involved.
"We offer our deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased even as we extend a helping hand to the wounded victims and other survivors of this ordeal. But at this point, we do not want to pass sweeping judgment or make early conclusions except to say that our intention to peacefully end this hostage drama was spoiled when the hostage-taker suddenly exhibited violent behavior and began shooting the hostages," Verzosa said.
However, a PNP spokesman has already outlined some observations on the management of the crisis, including poor handling of the hostage negotiation; the assault team's inadequate skills, equipment and planning; and poor crowd control.
On Tuesday, members of the local Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) political party held a protest at the Consulate General of the Philippines, chanting: "We protest against the police. There rescue efforts were incompetent."
There were fears among the Filipino community in Hong Kong that anger at Manila's handling of the hostage drama could cause a backlash against those living in Hong Kong.
"We have to make clear our position on the issue; that this is not something about Filipinos against Chinese or Chinese against Filipinos," said Eman Villanueva, executive director of United Filipinos in Hong Kong, an umbrella group that represents migrants working in the southern Chinese enclave.
About 150,000 Filipinos live and work in Hong Kong, the majority of which are employed as domestic helpers, said Villanueva.
"The United Filipinos in Hong Kong condoles with the families in Hong Kong of those who died and sympathizes with the other victims who got out safely but were surely traumatized by the tragic event of the past hours," the group said in a statement.
"Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong are appalled by this crime and greatly saddened by its ending."
Some employers have told Filipino workers to stay at home today to avoid any potential conflicts, Villanueva said, but his group has not received any reports of actions against Philippine nationals working in Hong Kong.
Chilean miners to create shrine inside mine By the CNN Wire StaffAugust 26, 2010 -- Updated 0030 GMT (0830 HKT)
(CNN) -- Communications and supplies were flowing efficiently between rescuers and 33 trapped miners in Chile, authorities said Wednesday.
The miners have been trapped for a total of 20 days with minimal food. A probe sent by rescuers found the men alive on Sunday, but it could be three to four months before a hole can be drilled that will reach the men, 2,300 feet below the earth's surface.
In the meantime, the miners are asking for certain objects to be sent down to make surviving in the cave easier for them.
Officials have sent down playing cards, and the miners have asked for religious figures, such as statuettes of saints, to be delivered to them, Health Minister Jaime Manalich said.
A crucifix has also been sent down. The miners intend to designate an area in their shelter as a shrine, Manalich said.
For their part, authorities are focusing on the mental and physical health of the miners.
Chile is asking NASA to send a team of two or three experts on nutritional and psychological issues, Manalich said.
Based on a survey of the miners, three or four of them are showing signs of depression, such as not sleeping and feeling mentally uncomfortable, he said.
Also, according to medical records, there are at least nine miners who would be too overweight to fit through the proposed shaft to rescue them, Manalich said.
The miners are believed to have lost about 8 kg (17 pounds) so far during their time in the mine, and officials expect that the overweight miners will be able to be rescued by the time the shaft is completed.
"Believe me, they will lose weight," Manalich said.
What the miners eat and how much will be monitored by officials.
Rescuers hoped to have tubes in place later Wednesday to constantly pump oxygen and drinking water into the shelter where the miners are.
To create a routine, officials are having the 33 split into two shifts, one which will sleep while the other works or has leisure time.
One thing that officials have not explicitly told the miners is how long they may be trapped before a rescue. On Wednesday, however, President Sebastian Pinera gave them some clues in a conversation.
Pinera told the 33 that they would have to celebrate Chile's independence day -- September 18 -- inside the mine. He also told one of the miners, who is Bolivian, about a meeting between the presidents of both countries in late November. Pinera said he would invite the Bolivian miner to accompany him.
The miners have been trapped inside the San Jose copper and gold mine since an August 5 cave-in.
Family members had cheered Sunday when Pinera held up a handwritten note pulled from the mine. The note was tied to a probe authorities had lowered earlier Sunday.
Written in Spanish in red ink, it said simply: "We are fine in the shelter, the 33 of us."
Comment: Strike is devastating own goal for South Africa By CNN's Robyn Curnow and Peter Wilkinson August 25, 2010 -- Updated 2047 GMT (0447 HKT)
Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) -- Six weeks ago South Africa was basking in the afterglow of hosting a successful soccer World Cup that lawmakers boasted would add millions of dollars to the national economy.
Now that good will is evaporating as striking public sector workers shut down services across the country, premature babies die in empty neonatal wards and nurses even attack patients on picket lines.
Add to this schools being closed at the most crucial time of the academic year, as students prepare to take their most important examinations, and it is clear the country is facing a major crisis.
And neither side shows any sign of backing down. The government says it cannot afford to meet workers' demands for an 8-plus percent pay rise, and has ordered military doctors and nurses into dozens of hospitals to protect vulnerable members of society. At the same time the trades unions' umbrella group Cosatu urged workers to intensify the strike, saying "we need a total shutdown of the public sector until the government comes to its senses."
South Africa is no stranger to disputes of course. Workers have a constitutional right to strike, and this time of year is "strikes season" when public sector unions normally negotiate with the government over pay and conditions. But what distinguishes this strike from previous ones is the levels of violence and intimidation shown by strikers.
Nurses and hospital workers are threatening and, in some cases, beating non-striking colleagues and even patients who dare to cross the picket lines. CNN has even seen some strikers outside hospitals carrying large sticks known in South Africa as the "knobkerrie."
Also unusual is the widespread desertion by nurses of their posts: in many cases babies born premature have been left in neonatal wards, and there have been media reports of babies dying as a result. Women in labor have been turned away from hospital.
Most hospitals are pretty empty as a result. Unless you're on your death bed, most patients are being discharged. The strikers are also preventing people from going into hospitals. In one hospital in KwaZulu-Natal province, health authorities said hospital workers have locked the doors.
Many South Africans are naturally appalled by the violence and consequences of the strike, but still much of the media supports workers' right to strike, if not their methods. Workers see corruption at the highest levels of government and Cosatu's general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has criticized the "caviar lifestyle" of government ministers.
So why is this strike so bitter? For an insight, one need look no further than the forces that propelled South African President Jacob Zuma to power. With the support of left-wing unions Zuma forced out former president Thabo Mbeki to secure the leadership of the ruling party, the African National Congress in 2007, and the presidency of the country two years later.
The problem for Zuma is that his government, which comprises an antagonistic alliance of the ANC, the unions, and the Communist Party, are now demanding payback. Ministers are struggling to balance the country's finances, but at the same Zuma is politically dependent on the unions, the power of which has grown greatly during his presidency.
The unions and the Communists now want more worker-friendly policies, and rather less of the free market economy that requires investors from overseas. It's too early to tell yet what the implications of this crisis are for South Africa and the region: the real outcome will probably not be known for years to come. This is a politically uncertain time for Zuma and it remains to be seen whether workers will win their demands.
One thing is certain though, and that is the confident, vibrant image projected by South Africa during the World Cup is being squandered. Unions are threatening "total anarchy" and to "bring the country to its knees" and these are not words that foreign investors want to hear. And the longer this strike continues the greater is the devastation it causes to the country's reputation as a place to do business.
Google offers free voice calls via Gmail By Maggie Shiels Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley
Google's Craig Walker said the product promotes "cheap easy communication"
Google is taking on internet telephone companies like Skype by allowing users to call from its free web-based email service.
For the moment only users in the US will be able to make calls from inside their Gmail account.
Phoning anywhere in the US and Canada will be free until the end of the year, while calls to the UK, France, China and Germany will cost 2 cents a minute.
Until now Google offered computer-to-computer voice and video chat services.
"This is a real big deal because now hundreds of millions of Gmail users can make phone calls right from their Gmail page," Craig Walker, product manager for real-time communications told BBC News.
"They don't need to download an additional application or anything to start making really high-quality low-cost calls. For the user it means much more efficient and low-cost communications."
The product link will appear on the left hand of the Gmail page within the "chat" window. A "call phone" option will pop up along with a number pad to let you dial the number of the person you want to talk to.
Google said money raised from international calls will pay for the free US and Canadian calls.
"What surprised me was that they actually said they hope to make money off the calls," said Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of technology blog SearchEngineLand.
"Normally Google is like 'We don't know how we are going to make the money' or 'We will make money down the way, don't worry about it' and this stands out as a big benefit that they get actual revenue early on."
Competition
Skype, which is the most successful internet phone offering, claims to have over 560 million registered users. The firm said 124 million used the service at least one a month while 8.1 million were paying customers.
The company is planning to offer shares to the public later this year. But should it be worried that Google is putting a stake in the same ground as Skype?
Google hopes to roll the product out to users around the world soon
"Skype is a well known company in this place and they are almost like a verb in the internet calling world in the way Google is with search. You Skype someone. So I think there is some inertia there to get over and I am interested to see how Gmail users respond," said Tom Krazit, senior writer with technology news site CNET.com.
"But you always have to worry when Google comes after what you do. They don't do things half way and bring a lot of resources to any problem they try to tackle. It doesn't mean you are doomed.
"Google's product won't work on your mobile browser so Skype has an advantage there but I don't think it is a stretch to assume Google will come out with a mobile version pretty soon," said Mr Krazit.
The company plans an eye catching way to get non-Gmail users to give the product a go. It is in negotiations with a number of university campuses and airports to install red telephone boxes around the country to give users the chance to dial and try.
Young Boys v Tottenham Hotspur Online Free Live Streaming Video 25 August 2010 UEFA Champions League
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But that is easier said than done, Young Boys are quite a team in home condition ad they will surely give very tough time to the Spurs in the home background with huge home support behind them. From all the matches on today this is the stand out fixture as after real hard work and getting to the 4th position.
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Match Schedule Competition: English Carling Cup Round: Round 2 Date : Wednesday, August 25, 2010 Kick Off Time : 18:45 GMT Venue : The Fraser Eagle Stadium
Soha Ali Khan in waxing MMS | Soha Ali Khan Waxing MMS Download | Watch Soha Ali Khan in waxing MMS scandal Video | Soha Ali Khan in waxing MMS scandal Photos
Bollywood actress and sister of actor Saif, Soha Ali khan seems to be the latest victim of an MMS scandal. Soha Ali Khan Waxing MMS is the most popular searches going on in the internet.
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According to a source Soha had gone to a beauty salon for a bikini waxing session. But a hidden camera attached to the salon caught her without her clothes on. Reportedly the video shows a salon attendant waxing her body and reveals the actress’ naked body. The source also reveals that the video was shot without her knowledge as she is seen completely at ease during the waxing session. The video has been shot in two parts – ‘before’ and ‘after’ waxing sessions. Rumor is that the MMS clip is in great demand and available for anywhere between $20 to $30.
43 dead in China plane crash Updated at: 0038 PST, Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Beijing, China (CNN) -- Investigators are decoding the "black boxes" from a shredded plane Wednesday in an attempt to determine what caused China's first fatal passenger airline crash in almost six years, state media said.
A Henan Airlines flight with 96 people on board overshot a runway and crashed Tuesday night in the Yichun area of northern China, state media said. The plane broke into two pieces and burst into flames.
The "black boxes" comprise of a flight data recorder, which contains flight information, and a cockpit voice recorder, which contains the dialogue of the crew.
On Wednesday, the Yichun government downgraded the death toll from the crash from 43 to 42 after a body that was torn apart was previously counted twice, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. Fifty-four people survived. Video: China probes plane crash Video: Debris of plane still smoking
The Brazilian-made Embraer 190 jet to crashed in heavy fog on a patch of grass about 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) from the runway.
Some passengers were thrown from the plane upon impact, according Xinhua, which cited the head of the publicity department of the Yichun city committee of the Communist Party of China.
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang led a team of transportation, health, work safety, and security officials to Yichun after the crash, state media said.
Two survivors told local television that the plane shook violently before it crashed and that thick smoke entered the cabin soon after impact. They said passengers were unable to open emergency exits after the wreck; survivors escaped through cracks in the fuselage.
The plane was carrying 91 passengers, including five children, and five crew members when it crashed at 9:36 p.m. (9:36 a.m. ET), according to Xinhua, which cited a source with the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
The Henan Airlines flight had taken off from Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province, on the 360-kilometer (225-mile) flight to Lindu Airport, about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from downtown Yichun, a city of about 1 million residents near the Russian border, Xinhua said.
A Yichun vice-mayor told Xinhua that most of those taken to hospitals did not have life-threatening injuries.
China's last fatal passenger airline accident occurred in November 2004, when a China Eastern commuter jet took off in frigid Inner Mongolia without de-icing and crashed shortly afterward into a nearby park, killing 55 people.
Crocodile Dundee Paul Hogan grounded over tax bill
25 August 2010Last updated at 15:22 GMT
Hogan found international fame as Mick 'Crocodile' Dundee
Crocodile Dundee actor Paul Hogan has been barred from leaving Australia over an unpaid multi-million dollar tax bill, his lawyer has said.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) served the US-based actor with the order when he returned to Sydney recently for his mother's funeral.
The 70-year-old is alleged to have put AUS$37.6m (£21.4m) of film royalties in offshore tax havens.
Hogan denies the claim, saying he had "paid plenty of tax" in Australia.
The order prevents the actor from leaving Australia until any alleged tax debts are paid or arrangements made for the tax liability to be discharged.
Lawyer Andrew Robinson said Hogan was "stunned and very disappointed the government could treat him as a flight risk".
"He denies the liability asserted by the ATO and has filed objections which have not been the subject of any response.
"The process of detaining Paul in Australia away from his wife and child has devastated him and he hopes that discussions between us and the ATO will lead to a prompt resolution allowing him to return to his family," Mr Robinson added.
The tax office reportedly served Hogan with the tax bill for undeclared income last month after a five-year long wrangle.
A spokesman from the ATO told the Reuters news agency: "As he is an individual taxpayer, we can make no comment."
A popular Australian TV comedian, Hogan hit international fame as Mick "Crocodile" Dundee in the 1986 film, which went on to become Australia's most successful film ever.
The actor now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Crocodile Dundee co-star Linda Kozlowski.
German HIV popstar 'should not be jailed' 25 August 2010Last updated at 17:49 GMT
Nadja Benaissa said she was "sorry" for hiding her HIV status
An HIV-positive German popstar accused of infecting a former partner should not be jailed, prosecutors have said.
In closing arguments, prosecutors suggested Nadja Benaissa, 28, should be given a two-year suspended sentence.
Ms Benaissa, from girl band No Angels, admits having unprotected sex, but denies deliberately infecting anyone.
The court, in the central German city of Darmstadt, is expected to give its verdict on Thursday. If found guilty, she could be jailed for 10 years.
'Cowardly act'
At the start of her trial last week, she said she was "sorry from the bottom of my heart" for not warning her ex-boyfriend she was HIV-positive.
He says he was infected by her, and she is accused of causing bodily harm.
Ms Benaissa is also accused of attempted bodily harm for having sex with two other men, who were not subsequently infected.
She said she had not told anybody about her disease because she was afraid of the consequences for her career - which she conceded was a "cowardly act".
She claimed she had been told by doctors that the risk of passing on the virus had been "practically zero".
Ms Benaissa was arrested in Frankfurt last year, shortly before she was due to perform a solo concert, and spent 10 days in custody.
No Angels were formed in 2000 on the international TV show Popstars, before recording a series of hits and emerging as Germany's most successful girl band.
They re-formed in 2007 and competed in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing 23rd.
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16th Asian Games: 100 Days Left to Begin in China 'Pakistan Times' Sports Desk Wednesday, August 25, 2010 Ramazan 14, 1431 AH
GUANGZHOU (China): The 16th Asian Games , part of the worldwide Olympic movement and governed by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has reached the 100 day mark before the Games begin November 12.
(www.gz2010.cn/en)
The Asian Games are the second largest sports event in the world after the Summer Olympic Games, said a message received by 'Pakistan Times' [Daily e-Newspaper] from Jeff Ruffolo, Executive Advisor - Chief Communications Officer of The 16th Asian Games on Wednesday.
A major televised event from Tianhe Gymnasium to mark the 100-day Countdown Ceremony entitled “Dream About This Moment” featured four parts and lasted for 100 minutes beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Speaking of the forthcoming Games, Mr. Xu Ruisheng, Executive Deputy Secretary General of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC) and Vice Mayor of Guangzhou said, “The 16th Asian Games will leave rich legacies and benefit local residents.”
At the 100-day mark before the Games begin, Vice Mayor Xu thanked Guangzhou citizens for their constant support of and involvement in the preparations for The 16th Asian Games, saying, “the Games will prove to be a highly engaging sport and cultural gala.”
He added that Guangzhou has built substantial venues for the Games, including the futuristic Asian Games Gymnasium located at Asian Games Town.
Built at a cost of nearly US $118 Million (RMB800 million), the ultramodern Asian Games Gymnasium comprises stadiums for gymnasium, billiard sports and squash and an exhibition hall featuring the history of the Asian Games in Guangzhou. The gymnasium stadium offers 6,000 seats, with 2,000 more to be added after the Games and has a gross floor area of 31,482 square meters.
Seven years ago, the land which today comprises Asian Games Town was filled with rice paddies and water buffalo. After the Games, it will be a brand new residential area for more than 35,000 people.
Vice Mayor Xu also pointed to the post-Games uses of venues reflecting lasting benefits for all Guangzhou citizens:
Venues in the Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre including the new Velodrome and Cricket Stadium will greatly enhance the universities' infrastructure for physical education; The Zengcheng Dragon Boat Lake will be a public park; The Guangzhou Equestrian Venue in Conghua will be used as a training base for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and is expected boost Conghua's tourism and The Asian Games Town Gymnasium will be available to host basketball, volleyball and badminton competition as well as exhibitions and concerts.
The 16th Asian Games
The 16th Asian Games is approved and governed by the Olympic Council of Asia and will be held in “Flower City” of Guangzhou from November 12 - 27, 2010.
More than 14,000 athletes, trainers and coaches from 45 countries and regions will compete in 42 sports. More than 10,000 accredited worldwide media are anticipated to cover the Games with more than three million spectators expected to attend.
Mohmand Agency Blast Death toll reaches 104 in Pakistan 'Pakistan Times' Bureau Report August 25, 2010 Ramazan 14, 1431 AH
PESHAWAR: More dead bodies were recovered from the site of twin bombings in Pakistan, increasing the death toll to 104, a foreign news agency reported on Saturday.
It sais; the death toll of Friday's twin bombings in Pakistan's Mohmand agency has reached 104, making it the deadliest attack this year in the country.
Over 100 injured have been admitted to different hospitals and most are in critical condition. The officials say more bodies have been recovered from the debris of collapsed buildings in the town of Yakaghund and some of the injured died overnight. The bombs went off near a large crowd lining up at a government office for new national identity cards .
Police have launched an investigation into the bombings as there is confusion among the officials about the nature of the Friday attack. Some authorities say a small bomb went off outside the main gate of the office of the town's civil administrator.
As reported earlier by ‘Pakistan Times’ [Daily e-Newspaper] in its edition of Saturday; at least over 70 people were killed and over 115 injured as two suicide bombers ripped through the political offices in quick succession in tehsil Yakka Ghund in northwestern Mohmand Agency Friday.
Political Agent Amjad Ali Khan has, however put the death toll at 65 with the number of the injured as 110. Yet, the exact digit of the causalities was be counted. Khan said that the dead included five Khasadars, two political Moharrars [office clerks] and five persons of a family while over 100 shops and more than two dozens vehicles were totally destroyed in the explosions.
Though best possible available treatment was being extended to the injured for their speedy recovery, medics say that the death toll could increase as some of the wounded persons were in serious condition. A media report says that Tehrik e Taliban Mohmand chapter has accepted responsibility for the devastating blasts.
The first bomber riding a motor bike hit the main boundary wall of the political offices of Tehsil Yakka Ghund while the second bomber driving an explosive laden flying coach targeted the main offices which also included a sub jail in the premises. Resultantly the entire buildings collapsed, killing 65 people and injuring 110 others. Thirty five prisoners fled from the jail of whom four returned.
The injured were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital and those critically wounded shifted to Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. The massive structures of the buildings located in the political offices razed to ground due to the deadly blast.
Another report says that the TTP Mohmand spokesman Ikramullah Mohmand told media persons on phone from undisclosed location that their target was offices of the political administration and the local Ambar peace committee which had arranged an anti taliban jirga there.
He confessed that flying coach loaded with explosives was used in the second suicide blast which played havoc in the area. Our intentions were to stop holding of the anti Taliban jirga. An earlier report had said that a suicide bomber ripped through a government office in tehsil Yakka Ghund in Mohmand agency killing 15 people and injuring 80 others,said Incharge Civil Hospital.
The bomber exploded himself up in front of political offfice in Yakka Ghund killing 15 people and injuring 80 others. There was great rush of the people in the political office at the time of blast.
Assistant Political agent and Tehsildar Yakka Ghund sit in the political office for disposal of the cases. The injured were rushed to neaby hospital and LRH Peshwar. Three dead bodies and fifteen injured have been shifted to LRH Peshawar including women and children.
Security forces cordoned off the area and started rescue operation. The building of the political office collapsed and it is feared many people buried under its rubble.
President, PM Condemn
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday strongly condemned the blast in Mohmand Agency and expressed deep grief and sorrow over the heavy loss of lives.
The President and the Prime Minister in separate messages reiterated their resolve not to bow to the terrorists and to continue the operation against militants, till their elimination.They also sought a report on the incident and directed that best possible medical care be provided to the injured.
Altaf Condemns
And a report from London says; The leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain has expressed sorrow over killings in Mohmand Agency suicide blast and termed it as a cowardly act and open terrorism.
In a statement, Altaf expressed deep sorrow over killing of dozens of people and said terrorists involved in this act won’t deserve any leniency. They are enemies of humanity.
Altaf Hussain demanded President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik to take immediate notice of this tragic incident and bring the culprits to justice. He offered condolence to the bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery of injured.
Zara Sheikh: Model-cum-Actress ‘Pakistan Times’ Societal Desk Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Zara Sheikh – born June 1, 1982 in Lahore, the picturesque metropolis of the Punjab province – is a famous Pakistani model-turn- actress and singer too. She began her career through an ad campaign for Pakistan’s top cellular phone network Mobilink working as a full-time model before making her debut on the cinema-screen.
Sheikh's big break came while working with photography 'genius' Khawar Riaz, who promised to make her the next big thing and she has since gone on to act in films such as Tere Pyar Mein, Salakhain and Laaj. In 2003, she branched into singing, playback singing for her film Chalo Ishq Larain and releasing an album with pop-singer, Ali Haider.
Sheikh made her debut on billboards across Pakistan as the 'JAZZ Girl' for one of Pakistan's most popular and leading cellular service providers, Mobilink GSM. The ad campaign was an instant hit and took Sheikh to television and print ads for the brand.
Zara built on the success by appearing in photoshoots in teen and fashion magazines but initially, was not very successful. Her big break came when fashion photography 'genius' Khawar Riaz spotted her, thinking
Sheikh "would be a great platform for him to portray his work. "Sheikh was at first hesitant, but Riaz – who told her that he could turn her into the next Amna Haq, Pakistan's gorgeous leading model and Lux lady – was not deterred, and his efforts to persuade her have been described as "a Tom and Jerry chase which lasted for a year and a half and took him all over Lahore, from late night parties to afternoon trips to the shopping malls until eventually he managed to pin down the young lady."
Working with Riaz was "grueling," but Sheikh now calls her acceptance of his offer "a blessed decision." Sheikh has modeled for a large number of fashion designers including leading Pakistani designers Deepak Perwani, Nomi Answar and Rizwan Beg, and her looks have been described as "attractive," "fiery" and "ravishing." An article, focusing on Sheikh calls her onscreen presence "spectacular":
"One has to admit that Zara Sheikh has talent. With attractive looks and elegant style she can win the hearts of many. Her chemistry with the camera is spectacular." Sheikh has also worked with Asia-Saail, Selina Warda, designer duo Nickie Nina and popular brands like Crossroads, Levi's, Lajwanti and Nee Purtial.
Kareena: Wants Swiss Love Nest 'Pakistan Times' Societal Desk Wednesday, August 25, 2010
And they are grand, naturally. What might seem great for lesser mortals is not good enough for Bollywood’s reining diva.
Kareena Kapoor wrinkles her shapely nose and says, “By the year-end, I hope I can buy my own house in Switzerland." The actress is distressed that Mumbai offers little privacy to beau Saif Ali Khan and her.
“We find it hard to go out clubbing or even for dinner because there is hardly any place that is truly private," she regrets.
She says on most evenings, when they aren’t shooting, the couple stays indoors and watches television or soaks into a movie of their choice. "It’s getting kind of claustrophobic," Kareena explains. She’s determined to work harder than ever now and make sure the extra bucks that she makes will go towards her dream home in the Alps.
As to how she will manage flying across continents to juggle work and pleasure, Kareena says, “I have been giving it serious thought. If Johnny Depp can stay in Paris and work in Los Angeles, then surely I can stay in Switzerland for three months a year and work in Mumbai or wherever it is that I am required to be."
Kareena is wrapping up Karan Johar’s Qurban with Saif at a suburban Mumbai studio, and then flying to America for a short vacation. In keeping with her position of the No 1 Bollywood heroine, she has her diary chalked out for the next six months. September has been reserved for working on those ‘abs’ and some heavy-duty physical training so she can flaunt it all in Agent Vinod.
“Lots of exciting work is happening," she beams. “In October Karan’s Stepmom with Kajol will begin providing me the emotional sustenance I’m looking for in a role, then Agent Vinod starts. Here I have the opportunity to do some kickass stunts, like Angelina Jolie in Mr & Mrs Smith.”
December will mark the release of Raju Hirani’s Three Idiots with Aamir Khan, the most hyped film of the year. Shuddering, Kareena says, “Somewhere I’m a little girl who is still afraid of the expectations from each of my films. But I’m also very excited." Films apart, the grapevine gup is that she’s launching her own label in January.
“I have only just begun talks with an international team on introducing my personal clothes line like Victoria Beckham. My look in Kambakkht Ishq has gone down well with the fashionistas and hence this talk of launching my own label. There is little else I can say about this now because it’s in the formative stage."
Katrina Kaif: Goes the Yoga Way 'Pakistan Times' Societal Desk Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Katrina Kaif is inclined towards spirituality these days. Either because she wants more success or because she has learnt how other Bollywood stars try to show off their spiritual side.
The actress is not just learning Hindi to get her dialogues right but is also trying to understand the nuances of Indian astrology, yoga and meditation.
She says astrology excites her and is trying to read books related to the subject.
Whenever Kat bumps into an expert who is good at palmistry, star gazing or numerology, she doesn’t miss an opportunity to ask what’s in store for her in the future. Kat reportedly has fun this way and finds it fascinating when another person predicts her future.
The New York-actress has also got hooked onto gems, yoga after meeting people who have sworn how certain gems have helped them improve their lives.
Kat believes the energies that many of these gems contain can change a person’s life for the better. Well, Katrina’s life changed the day she ‘boomed’ into Bollywood!
The actress is eagerly looking an expert to learn more about palmistry, gemology, yoga, meditation and numerology.
MUMBAI: If rumours are anything to go by, desi girl Priyanka Chopra might soon be essaying the role of India’s first women Prime Minister - Indira Gandhi, in a biopic.
Zara built on the success by appearing in photoshoots in teen and fashion magazines but initially, was not very successful. Her big break came when fashion photography 'genius' Khawar Riaz spotted her, thinking
And they are grand, naturally. What might seem great for lesser mortals is not good enough for Bollywood’s reining diva. 
She says on most evenings, when they aren’t shooting, the couple stays indoors and watches television or soaks into a movie of their choice. "It’s getting kind of claustrophobic," Kareena explains. She’s determined to work harder than ever now and make sure the extra bucks that she makes will go towards her dream home in the Alps. 
Katrina Kaif is inclined towards spirituality these days. Either because she wants more success or because she has learnt how other Bollywood stars try to show off their spiritual side. 
Whenever Kat bumps into an expert who is good at palmistry, star gazing or numerology, she doesn’t miss an opportunity to ask what’s in store for her in the future. Kat reportedly has fun this way and finds it fascinating when another person predicts her future.