Whitney Houston has died at 48 years old

TrendPK.com: Whitney Houston has been confirmed as passing away at the age of 48 years old.

The singer has reportedly died today although the cause and place of death are unknown at this time. Houston’s rep, Kristen Foster, allegedly just reported the tragic news that is surely hitting fans hard, states CNN.

In her majorly successful career, Houston sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos.

Houston was supposed to soon be appearing in the film ‘Sparkle,’ which was allegedly loosely based on The Supremes.

Houston has struggled with drugs and alcohol over the years.

With the Grammys tomorrow, the legendary singer will likely be on everyone’s mind.

Our thoughts go out to her friends and family.

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US committee discusses Balochistan issue

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WASHINGTON: The United States (US) Committee on Foreign Affairs convened a congressional meeting for an exclusive discussion on Balochistan.

Addressing a news briefing here, US State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said her country is not in support of independent Balochistan.

It should be mentioned here the Congressional Committee on Foreign Affairs was briefed on situation in Balochistan and some of the members put forward some proposals, too.

A Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who recently co-authored an article with Congressman Louie Gohmert expressing support for an independent Balochistan, held the province a strategically vital but, turbulence and insurgency-hit area.

Nuland confirmed the meeting on Balochistan; but, said the US position on Balochistan has not changed, adding her country encourages all the factions involved in the province to tackle all their differences peacefully and under political process. TrendPK

UN chief Ban seeks action on Syria

UNITED NATIONS: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday the Arab League chief told him he intends to revive an Arab League monitoring mission in Syria, which has collapsed amid continuing violence there.

Nabil Elaraby asked for U.N. help with the project during a telephone conversation on Tuesday, Ban told reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council on a visit he just paid to the Middle East.

Elaraby had further proposed a joint U.N.-Arab League observer mission, including a joint special envoy, for Syria, where a harsh crackdown on an 11-month-old uprising has left thousands dead, according to U.N. figures. Ban said the United Nations was ready to help, but indicated no decision had been taken.

Elaraby “informed me that he intends to send the Arab League observer mission back to Syria and asked for U.N. help,” the U.N. chief said.

The mission first went to Syria in December, reaching a strength of 165 members, but the Arab League suspended it on January 28 because of worsening violence, although it did not wind it up. Six Gulf Arab states, Jordan and Morocco have pulled out their teams, but other members are still in Syria.

Elaraby told Reuters in an interview in Cairo on Monday that a new mission could be sent but under different terms and with more members.

“If we are going to send another mission, and we are contemplating that, it has to be stronger in numbers and in equipment. The mandate has to be different,” he said, adding it would need international not just Arab backing this time.

Arab foreign ministers have been planning to meet on Sunday to discuss the fate of the monitoring mission. It was not immediately clear whether the plan to revive the mission would go ahead anyway.

Ban said that “in the coming days we will further consult the (Security) Council before fleshing out details. We stand ready to assist in any way that will contribute towards improvement on the ground and to the overall situation.”

“No detailed discussions have taken place yet. We will have to discuss with the Arab League on detailed matters,” he said later in reply to questions.

Ban did not say what help the United Nations might give. U.N. diplomats and officials have spoken in the past of possible training of monitors.

Elaraby said this week any new monitoring mission would require Syria’s approval.

A Security Council diplomat said discussion of any U.N. involvement was at an early stage. “I think what we would want to see would be a mission that was really making a difference, not just standing by and watching people being killed,” said the diplomat, who asked not to be identified. AGENCIES

Arnold, Rambo team up for action thriller "The Tomb"

LOS ANGELES: Arnold Schwarzenegger will join fellow muscle man Sylvester Stallone starring in Summit’s action thriller “The Tomb,” Summit said Wednesday.

Schwarzenegger will play Church, a prison inmate who fights to keep other prisoners from losing their humanity. Stallone plays Ray Breslin, the world’s foremost expert on security — who, framed for a murder he didn’t commit — has to escape from a prison he designed.

Swedish filmmaker Mikael Hafstrom, who directed New Line’s 2011 “The Rite” and The Weinstein Company’s 2010 “Shanghai,” is directing.

Miles Chapman wrote the script, which was rewritten by Jason Keller. Brenner originally set up “The Tomb” as a spec script at Summit. The movie is scheduled to begin filming in Louisiana this spring.

The movie is an Emmett-Furla Films/Mark Canton production. Mark Canton, Randall Emmett, George Furla, Robbie Brenner and Kevin King-Templeton are producing. Emmett/Furla Films is financing.

Summit has worldwide distribution rights.

Schwarzenegger and Stallone’s next movie, “The Expendables 2,” is now in post-production and will be released this summer by Lionsgate.

Schwarzenegger, the movie star-turned California governor-turned movie actor, just wrapped “The Last Stand,” produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

CNN suspends commentator over anti-gay tweets

LOS ANGELES: Cable TV network CNN said on Wednesday it has suspended commentator Roland Martin over a series of Twitter remarks during the Super Bowl game that offended America’s gay community.

“Roland Martin’s tweets were regrettable and offensive. Language that demeans is inconsistent with the values and culture of our organization, and is not tolerated. We have been giving careful consideration to this matter, and Roland will not be appearing on our air for the time being,” the TV news network said in a statement.

Martin on Sunday made a series of Twitter remarks that poked fun at British soccer player David Beckham’s new underwear ad for fashion retailer H&M and at a New England Patriot football player for wearing a pink suit.

Martin tweeted: “If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham’s H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl”, as well as, “Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass”

His remarks provoked protests by gay and lesbian activist group GLAAD, which said Martin was advocating violence against gay people.

“CNN today took a strong stand against anti-LGBT violence and language that demeans any community,” GLAAD spokesman Rich Ferraro said in a statement following CNN’s decision to suspend Martin.

Kate Middleton, sister push Lady Gaga off fashion map

LOS ANGELES: Britain’s Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa have bumped Lady Gaga off the international fashion map.

The wife of Prince William, now formally known as the Duchess of Cambridge, topped a fashion buzzword list for a second year running while outrageous pop star Lady Gaga disappeared from sight.

The Global Language Monitor (GLM), which tracks print, electronic and social media for top words and phrases, said on Wednesday that “The Duchess Effect” was its top fashion word for 2012. The proclamation comes as New York begins its Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week of runway shows and celebrity parties.

Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton — who made waves as a bridesmaid at the Duchess’ London wedding last year — also made the list. “Pippa’s Bum” came in at No.5, reflecting what the GLM said was the “absurdly large media interest in the Duchess’s sister in general and her bum in particular.”

The Duchess can sell out a fashion line in 24 hours just by wearing a dress or sweater from a retail store at a public event. Indeed, her style choices have influenced a more feminine look all round in fashion.

“The Duchess Effect appears to extend much further than the economic impact of Kate’s fashion choices; this year the fashion landscape seems to be a brighter, more accessible place with the styles more colorful, feminine and graceful than we’ve observed in many years,” said the Global Language Monitor’s fashion expert Bekka Payack.

It’s the first time the same person has come atop the GLM’s annual fashion buzzword list for two years running.

Lady Gaga, whose outfits have ranged from a raw meat dress to one of black gaffer tape, was in second place last year and topped the list in 2010.

But she failed to make the current lineup, which included words like peplums, braids, pajamas and paisleys among the Top 10.

“The novelty (and shock value) of Lady Gaga’s outrageousness has worn off. Entertainers such as Nicki Minaj, Kanye West and Katy Perry are also creating new personas with creative fashion choices — and setting new trends,” Payack said.

Babar Awan contempt case: Hearing adjourns till Feb.20

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ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) adjourned the contempt case hearing against former Federal Law Minister Babar Awan till February 20.

Babar Awan said his statement was not intended to subject the court to ridicule, pleading the court to adjourn the case hearing as his counsel Ali Zafar is abroad.

The three-judge SC bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, granting Babar’s plea, adjourned the hearing till February 20.

During the previous hearing, Ramzan Chaudhry, an associate of Babar Awan, appearing before the court on Awan’s part, said that the PPP leader is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and would return on February 3.

Awan’s counsel Chaudhry requested the court to give Babar Awan further time to submit his reply against the notice. The court accepting the plea, adjourned the hearing until February 9 (today).

It should be mentioned here Babar Awan Babar addressed a press conference against the court’s December 1, 2011, order on the memogate case. TrendPK

Karachi doctors continue protesting against non-payment

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KARACHI: Doctors and paramedical staff of Karachi’s Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Thursday continued their protest against non-payment of salaries for the seventh consecutive day, TrendPK reports.

A large number of doctors and medics from Institute of Heart Diseases, carrying placards and banners, rallied from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital to Nazimabad-7 roundabout and staged a sit-in there, causing severe traffic jam in the area for many hours.

The hospital crew members, who closed down OPD in Abbasi Shaheed hospital earlier, demanded of the provincial government to immediately release their salary of five months.
 
The OPD closure has caused serious problems for patients arriving for the treatment as no government authority have so far assured release of the doctors’ payments. TrendPK

Mitt Romney wins Nevada caucus: US media

 

Mitt Romney convincingly won the Nevada caucus, US media projected, solidifying his position as frontrunner in the race to be the party s 2012 presidential nomination.

 

With nearly all polls in the western US state closed and about 10 percent of caucuses reporting, Romney had a decisive lead with 48 percent of the vote, CNN reported, leaving his main rival Newt Gingrich in a tight battle for second place with Texas Representative Ron Paul.
 

“Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” will open early in IMAX

TrendPK.com: In the category of ‘here’s an interesting idea’, Paramount and director Brad Bird announced today that Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol (see trailer) will be opening five days early in select IMAX theaters. So while the film’s wide release will stay occur on Wednesday, December 21st, the film will have its IMAX debut on Friday December 16th, 2011. This is more-or-less a first of its kind. Paramount did hold sneak previews the day before the wide release of Super 8 which occurred in most of its IMAX locations, but this selective sneak opening basically gives the fourth Mission: Impossible film a pre-release opening weekend of sorts. Point being, it looks like M:I4 will be going head-to-head against Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (see trailer) after all, as December 16th is the wide-release opening day for the Robert Downey Jr/Jude Law sequel.

Brad Bird, in his live-action debut, has shot twenty-five minutes of the film in IMAX film, and he claims the sneak-opening “is to bring back a ‘level of showmanship’”. IE – Bird and company are trying to bring back the concept of seeing a true ‘first run movie’ in a first-rate theater. I distinctly remember going to see Dreamgirls on opening night of its limited release at the Arclight Hollywood back in December of 2006. It was $25 a ticket, with a booklet/program and other token goodies which created an aura of actually attending opening night of a Broadway show. As I put it at the time, it was a four-star presentation of a three-star movie. Anyway, I spent much ‘ink’ in 2008 and 2009 discussing what I felt were going to be the coming IMAX wars, when studios realized the appeal and value of IMAX theaters and started opening all of their big films in the large-screen format. However, Avatar’s massive 3D success changed the subject for two years. But in the end, the key to the future of theatrical exhibition, in my opinion, was always IMAX.

3D is slowly becoming commonplace on the newer HDTV sets, so it will soon no longer require a trip to the theater. But the so-called ‘IMAX Experience’, seeing a new movie on a 100-foot screen with wall-to-wall speakers, is arguably the last theatrical experience that cannot, for the near future, be replicated in a home theater set-up. This move also represents a token pull-away from the obsession over opening weekend. Even if it fills up nearly every single IMAX seat the 200-300 IMAX auditoriums available, it would open around $30-40 million, which is still likely less than what Sherlock Holmes 2 (or Alvin and the Chipmunks 3) will open with that weekend. Or, if you want to be a pessimist, you can speculate that the move is purely about building word of mouth in advance of its wide release, to perhaps offset some of the damage that has been done to Tom Cruise’s drawing power since 2006. Either way, this move has the potential to be a game changer for mega-budget movies that are also debuting in IMAX.

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