PM Gilani hints he’ll step down if convicted

 

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who is scheduled to appear before the Supreme Court to face contempt of court charges tomorrow, hinted that he will step down if the court found him guilty.

 

The Supreme Court on February 10 rejected PM Gilani’s appeal, seeking to withdraw contempt of court charges, which the apex court leveled against him.

 

During an interview with Al Jazeera, Gilani said government is following the constitution and he will no longer be the member of the parliament if the court convicted him.

 

The prime minister and his ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have so far refused to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption case against President Asif Zardari in spite of several court orders.

 

On Monday, the Supreme Court is poised to frame contempt of court charges against Gilani. If convicted, he may face disqualification from his office and a jail sentence.

 

Giving his remarks to a question regarding relations with Pakistan army, PM Gilani reiterated that there is no rift between military and the government.

 

The prime minister also clarified that government had no information regarding Osama Bin Laden’s whereabouts.

 

“Many high-value targets have been achieved with collaboration between the ISI and CIA, but US conducted unilateral action against Osama Bin Laden, which was against the sovereignty of the country.”

 

Also giving his views regarding reopening of NATO supply route, parliament would soon give its decision over the issue.

 

He also added that Pakistan is ready to support any Afghan-led reconciliation in peace process as both countries have suffered most in the war against terrorism.

Gina Carano to be honored at ActionFest

By Sean O’Connell
TrendPK.com: ActionFest has grown in size and stature over the years, attracting action-movie junkies to Asheville, N.C. to celebrate cinema’s general bad-assedness. This year’s event is scheduled for April 12-15, and they’ve just announced a very special guest that will help lure new attendees.

“Haywire” star Gina Carano will be the recipient of the inaugural Chick Norris Award at the 2012 festival. The prize, according to a release, honors the Best Female Action Star of the year, in a play off the attitude, spirit, athleticism and grit of Hollywood legend Chuck Norris, who was awarded ActionFest’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.



“It is an incredible honor to be included in this event,” said Carano, a fixture of the MMA world who made a successful transition to action movies earlier this year.

“Chuck Norris has always been someone I respect and look up to. Being able to represent martial arts as a woman has been a blessing in my life and I am so intensely grateful to the people who have supported and shared this passion with me,” she continued. 


Said ActionFest co-founder Aaron Norris: “An award to honor the work of women in action films is long overdue, and we’re honored to present the first Chick Norris Award to the astonishing Gina Carano, who I am a huge fan of. She has exploded on the movie scene with the magnificent Haywire. We know from very bruised and reliable sources that she’s as tough as they come—making her the perfect honoree for ActionFest.”
 


Even Chuck Norris weighed in, saying, “I am honored to have Gina Carano receive this award. My entire career has been blessed because martial arts allowed me to do what I love — make action movies. I cannot think of a better person than Gina for this honor, and I am proud that she is the first to receive this award. I highly respect her martial arts ability and she deserves all her accolades for Haywire. Watch out world, a star is born. A proven fighter and very tough action star is here to stay.”
 


The 2012 film line up, information about celebrity attendees, and badge sales are upcoming at www.actionfest.com.

And here’s a link to our interview with Carano, which we conducted back when “Haywire” opened in theaters. Norris is right. She’s an action star on the rise, and ActionFest is very smart to honor her and her unique skills.

Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.

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No Israel decision on Iran attack: Obama

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said he did not think Israel had made a decision on whether to launch a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear installations, a threat that has rattled the region.

Obama — seeking to reassure Americans over the danger posed by Tehran’s suspect nuclear program, and any negative side-effects for the United States — said Washington was working “in lockstep” with Israel to bring Iran to heel.

“I don’t think Israel has made a decision” to strike Iranian facilities, Obama said in a pre-Super Bowl interview with NBC.

When asked if Washington would be consulted first should Israel move ahead with those plans, he said he could not go into specifics but added that the two allies had “closer intelligence and military consultations” than ever before.

“My number one priority continues to be the security of the United States. But also, the security of Israel. And we’re going to make sure that we work in lockstep, as we proceed to try to solve this — hopefully diplomatically.”

Obama said the Islamic republic was “feeling the pinch” of ever tougher sanctions imposed by the international community, and dismissed concerns that Tehran could retaliate by striking US soil, saying such a strike was unlikely.

“I’ve been very clear — we’re going to do everything we can to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and creating a nuclear arms race in a volatile region,” he said.

“We have mobilized the international community, in a way that is unprecedented. They are feeling the pinch. They are feeling the pressure,” he said.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for strictly peaceful purposes.

On whether Tehran could possibly strike US targets, Obama said: “We don’t see any evidence they have those intentions or capabilities.”

He added: “Again, our goal is to resolve this diplomatically. That would be preferable. We’re not going to take options off the table, though.”

Last week, a Washington Post opinion column said US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta believes there is a “strong likelihood” that Israel will strike Iran’s nuclear installations this spring.

When asked about the newspaper’s article by reporters traveling with him to a NATO meeting in Brussels, Panetta brushed it aside.

“I’m not going to comment on that. (…) Israel indicated they’re considering this (a strike), we’ve indicated our concerns,” he said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was due in Washington on Monday, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the United States in early March, though a meeting between Netanyahu and Obama was not yet confirmed.

In the interview with NBC, Obama cautioned that “any kind of additional military activity inside the Gulf is disruptive. And has a big effect on us. It can affect oil prices.” AGENCIES

Apple, Google poaching case will go forward

 

Google, Apple and five other technology companies must face a lawsuit claiming they violated antitrust laws by entering into agreements not to recruit each other s employees, a federal judge said.

 

US District Judge Lucy H. Koh in San Jose, California, Thursday said that even if she dismisses some claims, she will give the plaintiffs a chance to amend their complaint and re-file it.

 

Intel, Adobe Systems, Walt Disney s Pixar animation unit, Intuit and Lucasfilm are also named as defendants.

 

“They still have an antitrust claim that s going forward so I don t want to see any obstruction on discovery,” she told lawyers during a hearing.

 

The case is a private lawsuit brought on behalf of employees that mirrors claims the companies settled with the US Justice Department in 2010 following a probe. The companies agreed to refrain from placing “cold calls” to lure workers from competitors, the government said at the time.

 

Koh didn t take issue with the allegations about the agreements between individual companies, Joseph Saveri, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an interview after the hearing. Instead, Koh has questions about “how it ties together,” or claims of an over-arching conspiracy between all the companies, he said.

 

Possible damages

 

The ruling requires the defendants to produce documents describing the agreements and permits lawyers to take depositions, Saveri said.

 

“We get to see what really happened,” he said, adding that damages in the case could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

 

While the accord “may have exposed defendants  illegal antitrust violations and put an end to them,” the agreements “did not provide any compensation to the employees defendants harmed,” lawyers for the plaintiffs said in a court filing.

 

Google said in a statement that is has “always actively and aggressively recruited top talent,” declining to comment further.
George Riley, a lawyer for Apple, and Robert Mittelstaedt, an attorney for Adobe, declined to comment immediately after the hearing. Zenia Mucha, a Disney spokeswoman, wasn t immediately available for comment after regular business hours.

 

Intel spokeswoman Laura Anderson, Intuit spokeswoman Sandra Corradetti, and a representative at Lucasfilm didn t immediately return calls seeking comment on Koh s ruling after regular business hours.

‘Pakistan faced irreparable losses on being US ally’

TrendPK.com

DAVOS: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Saturday said Pakistan had to pocket irreparable losses for becoming a close ally to the US on war on terrorism, reports TrendPK.

In an interview with a British television here, the premier said, keeping in view the importance of the US in global landscape, Pakistan is desirous of fast improving ties with the latter. “It is time for the US now to come to the term that Pakistan is the only country which has laid down many more sacrifices in war on terror than any other country,” Gilani notified.

To a question, the premier said all the institutions of the country mind their constitutional parameters, elaborating further, he said, he did not want any institution to be working under his control.

Earlier, in another interview with a US television, PM had said the former President who was a military dictator who overruled the constitution of Pakistan by declaring coup against the democratic setup would have to face arrest if he returned to Pakistan.

“Musharraf will be arrested surely because he is wanted in many cases of the grave nature including murder and the court has already declared him ‘proclaimed offender’,” the premier vowed. TrendPK

Muslims call for NYPD chief to resign over movie

 

Muslim groups are calling for New York s police commissioner to step down because of his appearance in a film they say puts their religion and its adherents in a bad light.

 

About 20 activists held a news conference on the steps of City Hall on Thursday and criticized Ray Kelly for giving an interview to the producers of the movie “The Third Jihad.”

 

The movie uses dramatic footage to warn against the dangers of radical Islam and shariah, or Islamic law. Muslim groups say it encourages Americans to be suspicious of all Muslims.

 

“Terrorism is an evil that must be eliminated, but one cannot fight wrong with wrong,” said Talib Abdur-Rashid, a Muslim cleric.

 

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday he stood by Kelly and the commissioner s spokesman, Paul Browne. Activists had also demanded Browne s resignation.

 

However, the mayor said Kelly would have to redouble his outreach efforts to Muslims.

 

“Anything like this doesn t help credibility, so Ray s got to work at establishing, re-establishing or reinforcing the credibility that he does have,” Bloomberg said.

 

Kelly appears for about 30 seconds of the 72-minute movie, which was made by the conservative Clarion Fund. He originally said he was not involved but on Wednesday acknowledged he had given a 90-minute interview to the filmmakers in 2007.

 

Browne had initially forgotten details of Kelly s involvement in the film until asked about it again this week.

 

“This goes back five years,” he said. “There s some suggestion that,  Gee, I suddenly remembered.  I didn t suddenly remember I went through five years of emails to try and figure out did I get request by this guy who s connected with the foundation.”

 

The movie was later shown to police trainees. The police department said it was played in a continuous loop in the sign-in area of counterterrorism training sessions between October and December 2010. As many as 1,489 trainees may have seen the movie, according to documents released under New York s public records law.

 

Kelly apologized Wednesday for his appearance and for the playing of the movie.
 

No objection to prison if court desires: PM Gilani

 

In an interview with CNN Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday said that he has no objection to being sent to prison if the Supreme Court desires in contempt of court case.

 

He said that Pakistan s former leader Pervez Musharraf will “certainly” be arrested if he returns to Pakistan.

 

“In fact there had been murder charges against him, and there had even been some very grave charges against him, and the Supreme Court had already given a verdict against him,” Gilani told CNN from the Global Economic Forum in Davos.

 

“Certainly when he ll come back, he has to face those charges and certainly be arrested,” he said.

 

Musharraf announced plans to return from exile in late January and to run in upcoming elections, but his party said he was reassessing those plans when Pakistan s elected government warned that if he returned, he faced arrest.

 

Pakistan s upper house of Parliament passed a non-binding resolution earlier this week demanding Musharraf be arrested and tried for treason for unconstitutional acts during his regime, Sen. Muhammad Ibrahim Khan said.

 

The charges against Musharraf are in connection with the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

 

A UN report in 2010 accused Musharraf s government of failing to protect Bhutto, who had returned to Pakistan from her own exile to run for office.

 

Musharraf, who has been living in London and Dubai since resigning in 2008, has denied the allegations, arguing that Bhutto had police protection and took unnecessary risks, but a Pakistani court still issued a warrant for his arrest.
 

Seal – "never say never" on reunion with Heidi Klum

LOS ANGELES: Seal said in a television interview set to air this Friday that a reunion with his estranged wife, supermodel and “Project Runway” host Heidi Klum, could still be in the cards.

In an appearance on CNN program “Piers Morgan Tonight,” Seal also said he still loves Klum. A video of a portion of the interview was posted online by CNN on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, the two stars announced that they were separating, but Seal has continued to be seen in public wearing his wedding ring. In response to questions from Morgan, he left open the possibility of a reconciliation with Klum.

“You can never say never, obviously I can’t speak for my wife,” Seal told Morgan.

Morgan later asked Seal, who has been married to the German-born Klum since 2005 and has four children with her, if he would like to salvage the relationship.

“I don’t know, I don’t know at this point to be honest, Piers,” Seal said. “I think, again, if it were that easy, if there weren’t problems, we would still be together, that is the reality.”

In another TV appearance earlier this week on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Seal explained the break-up by saying “you just grow apart after awhile.” But he also called Klum “the most wonderful woman in the world.”

Seal and Klum at one time renewed their marriage vows every year and he titled his sixth album “Commitment” which came out in 2010. AGENCIES

Aleem Dar, only umpire who made 100% accurate decisions in WC 2011

Aleem Dar made 100% accurate decisions in WC 2011

Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar is the only umpire in this World Cup who hasn’t had a single decision upheld when review. Due to his marvelous decisions, he also got the regard of supervising the World Cup Final played between India and Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Aleem Dar’s Interview

42-year-old Aleem Dar is in favor of using UDRS in the international cricket because with this the umpiring became more relax. Some days ago while interviewing to a Pakistani newspaper, Aleem said:
“Only one wrong decision changes the result of match, I am in the favor of usage of UDSR technology.”

He said that once in a seminar, during giving a lecture, I said to my meats that if that don’t think about UDRS, if there is doubt on a decision, then give advantage to batsman, because the bowler can take the wicket again but batsman have only one chance. He further said that in all matches the technology usage should be same.

Aleem Dar won two consecutive ICC Umpire of the year Awards

Aleem made his international umpiring debut in the One-Day International between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Gujranwala on February 16, 2000. In 2002 he became a member of ICC’s International Panel of umpires. In April 2004, he became the first Pakistani to be part of the ICC Elite Umpire Panel. Aleem Dar won two consecutive ICC Umpire of the Year awards 2009 and 2010.

Billy Ray Cyrus Drops the Divorce

The Cyrus Family have been in the headlines a lot lately, both together and individually. Especially Billy Ray Cyrus when he spoke out about his divorce and his daughter in his now infamous interview with GQ magazine. He caused a real stir in the media by saying “Hannah Montana” had “destroyed my family”.

Billy Ray has done somewhat of a turnaround by announcing on the talk show, “The View”, that he has dropped the divorce. He had filed for divorce in October 2010 after 17 years of marriage.

“I’ve dropped the divorce. I want to put my family back together… Things are the best they’ve ever been.”

Billy Ray also took the opportunity during the interview to do some damage control for comments he’s previously made about his daughter Miley. During the interview he went on to say;

“I feel like I got my Miley back. I feel like we’re the daddy and daughter we were before Hannah Montana.”

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