Tsunami may wash over Pacific islands: Red Cross

GENEVA: The tsunami set off by Japan’s major earthquake is currently higher than some Pacific islands which it could wash over, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Friday.

“Our biggest concern is the Asia and Pacific region, where developing countries are far more vulnerable to this type of unfolding disaster. The tsunami is a major threat,” Paul Conneally, spokesman for the Federation, the world”s biggest disaster relief network, said in Geneva.

“At the moment, it is higher than some islands and could go right over them,” he said.

The biggest earthquake to hit Japan in 140 years struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, cars and farm buildings on fire.

Diplomatic immunity law: notice issued to federal govt

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court issued the notice to the federal government over Diplomatic and Consular Privileges Act 1972, TrendPK.com reported.

A petition has been filed against the law. The CJ LHC Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry refused to summon former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi saying its too early to call him at the moment.

The petitioner Azhar Siddiqui pleaded that no law gives diplomats license to kill. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till 14th March.

Live Chat: Ranveer Singh (Band Baaja Baaraat) on Dec 17 at 1500 hrs IST

The year 2010 saw a host of newcomers make their debut on the silver screen but if there’s one name who has managed to stand out its Ranveer Singh, the young lad who debuted in Yash Raj Films’ latest release Band Baaja Baaraat.

Ever since the film released last Friday, the buzz on this newcomer has been extremely positive with a lot of people calling him the ‘Next Big Thing’ in Bollywood. As Ranveer enjoys each and every bit of adulation coming his way, we at Bollywood Hungama give you a chance to have a Live Video Chat with the man of the moment – Ranveer Singh – on Friday, December 17, at 1500 hrs IST. Don’t miss!

WikiLeaks rival Openleaks "coming soon": website

LONDON: The former deputy to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is vowing to launch a rival site soon that he says will be more transparent than the original.

Dubbed “Openleaks” (www.openleaks.org) and run by Assange’s former number two at WikiLeaks Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the site has no content on it at the moment apart from a logo and the message “Coming soon!”

In an interview with the OWNI technology website, Domscheit-Berg declined to go into the details of his dispute with Wikileaks but suggested it had strayed from its mission.

“In these last months, the organization has not been open any more, it lost its open-source promise,” he said, adding that Openleaks plans to provide the means for leaked information to be published, without itself being a publisher.

U.S. and other authorities have cracked down on WikiLeaks and Assange.

Director Pankaj Advani passes away

It was an unfortunate day for the Advani family as the 45 year old director Pankaj Advani, an FTII graduate and a passionate film buff, breathed his last after experiencing a heart attack.

Advani started his career as a screenplay writer with films like Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Cape Karma. His directorial debut Sankat City starring Kay Kay Menon and Anupam Kher released last year.

Bollywood Hungama extents its heart felt condolences to the Advani family and closed ones in this moment of grief.

Kareena Kapoor to star opposite Aamir in Reema Kagti’s next?

A hunt is on for a leading lady for Aamir Khan’s next to be directed by in Reema Kagti. If the buzz is to be believed, Kareena Kapoor has been finalized.

A source close to the project says, “Kareena is extremely keen to work with Aamir again. While shooting with Aamir for Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, she got along very well with him. And the part in Reema Kagti’s film suits Kareena.”

At the moment, Reema Kagti is not willing to reveal details about the cast. “The film has strong parts for two leading ladies. And we’re in talks with quite a few girls.” However, a source reveals that Kareena has been confirmed.

Kareena Kapoor to star opposite Aamir in Reema Kagti’s next?

A hunt is on for a leading lady for Aamir Khan’s next to be directed by in Reema Kagti. If the buzz is to be believed, Kareena Kapoor has been finalized.

A source close to the project says, “Kareena is extremely keen to work with Aamir again. While shooting with Aamir for Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, she got along very well with him. And the part in Reema Kagti’s film suits Kareena.”

At the moment, Reema Kagti is not willing to reveal details about the cast. “The film has strong parts for two leading ladies. And we’re in talks with quite a few girls.” However, a source reveals that Kareena has been confirmed.

US Company introduces i-pod sized computer

A US based computer manufacturing company has introduced a computer of the size of an i-pod.
According to the American media, the tablet-shaped computer is equipped with touch-screen technology. The screen of Sysstat 500 is 18.9 inches wide with two built-in cameras, including a still camera and a video camera. According to the manufacturing company Sysstat 500 would be liked in the market. This computer could also be attached with internet however at the moment it could not be attached with any mobile.

Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap to co-produce Vikram Motwane’s next?

So, here’s what the news reads. And beware…it might just turn out that it’s ‘true’. At the moment, it’s just in talks. Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap are co-producing Vikram Motwane’s next untitled film. A few close sources from the director’s company told us that the two creative heads are in talks with each other on locking something concrete for Vikram’s next film.

Well, if it has Karan Johar interested, it must be a script that has touched his liking and if it has Anurag Kashyap to back it all up, we might just witness a never before seen spectacle to hit the big screens soon. Now that’s what I call commercial news more than just breaking.

Big B to play gangster-politician in Ram Gopal Varma’s Department

Get this. Ram Gopal Varma embarks on what he calls the most populist Bachchan film he has ever shot.
In Department, which starts shooting early next year, Amitabh Bachchan plays a gangster turned politician whose exploits are the stuff Chulbul Pandey would enjoy getting high on.
At the moment the film, said to be the ambitious Ramu’s most expensive project to date, is being feverishly scripted. Details are being kept desperately under wraps since it involves some volatile characters.
When confronted, Ramu says, “All I can tell you at the moment is that Mr. Bachchan plays a gangster turned politician in Department. Whom he’s modelled on is open to conjecture and I am certainly not telling. There’re too many misconceptions floating around about the project. Mr. Bachchan is not playing a cop in Department. It is not a sequel to Company (I wonder where that came from) nor a prequel to Ab Tak Chappan.”
Ramu wants the Big B’s character to be a kind of grass root-level super-hero. “I’ve always seen Mr. Bachchan as a hero of the masses. I want him to be cast as larger-than-life hero in Department.”
Interestingly, Ramu who has cast the father son Bachchan in their real-life roles twice will not cast them as father-son in Department.
Reveals Ramu reluctantly, “No, Mr. Bachchan and Abhishek are not father and son in Department. Abhishek and Sanjay Dutt are cops. They share a pupil-mentor relationship.”
In real-life too Abhishek looks up to Dutt. Says Ramu, “That’s why I cast them as mentor and pupil.”
When asked about playing a gangster -turned-politician in Department, Mr. Bachchan said, “Oh is that what Ramu has cast me as in Department? I’ve not yet discussed the antecedents of my role with him.”

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