Salman’s agenda for 2012
Salman Khan is the flavor of the season and rightly so. With BODYGUARD emerging a major money-spinner at the ticket window, the media is focusing on Salman and only Salman since the past few days. Be it the mind-boggling start undertaken by his new film BODYGUARD at the box-office or his surgery in the U.S., not a day passes when you don’t read or watch a news bulletin about the developments in the actor’s personal and professional life.
Now here’s something about the actor not many know. Salman, who underwent surgery last week in the U.S., has started promoting BODYGUARD while recuperating in the U.S. he has been advised a week’s rest by the doctors. Fully aware that he’s required to reach out to his fans when his movie releases, the actor has started connecting with Indian moviegoers via television, radio and print interviews.
Meanwhile, the actor will commence filming EK THA TIGER at a foreign destination. And like this year, which witnessed two releases READY and BODYGUARD, Salman will have two releases next year as well — Yash Raj’s EK THA TIGER which will release soon after the IPL cricket matches and Sohail Khan’s SHER KHAN Eid release.
Players strike tarnishes Spanish game’s reputation
The first players strike in nearly three decades could damage Spain s status as world champions and risked alienating fans who lost the first La Liga round on Saturday (August 20).
Atletico Madrid fan, Jesus, said that he supports the strike called by the Spanish Football Players Union (AFE).
“It seems good to me that the players go on strike because they are workers, they have their contracts and they have to be fulfilled and if they are not paid they have to claim and well, they have to earn as the rest of the workers,” he said.
“Okay, there are privileges because they earn more than other workers but they have rights as any other worker. They have the right to go to the strike.”
Real Madrid fan Miguel travelled from Sevilla, in the South of Spain, to Madrid to watch his side first league match against Atletico Bilbao.
“I used to go to Real Madrid s first match of the league. I already booked the hotel and the train and everything but the strike has ruined it,” he said.
Talks between the players union (AFE), which last week called the strike for the first two rounds of matches in the top two divisions, and the professional football league (LFP), which represents the 42 clubs affected, failed to prevent the action.
European champions Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two richest clubs by revenue in the world, had been due to start their campaigns on Sunday night.
Talks are now centred on preventing the second round of matches being halted which would create serious problems in the sporting calendar.
At the heart of the dispute is the union s demand that an emergency fund be set up to cover wages that have not been paid to players at clubs that have gone into financial administration.
The union says around 50 million euros ($72 million) is owed to 200 footballers from the end of last season, and the league s proposed 40 million euro fund is not enough to cover a growing problem.
Joaquin, owner of a picturesque Real Madrid fan bar, said that the strike is harming his business.
Clarke appointed Australian captain
SYDNEY: Michael Clarke was appointed Australia”s Test and one-day captain on Wednesday, a day after Ricky Ponting bowed to pressure and quit after the country”s World Cup exit.
Long seen as heir-apparent, the stylish batsman, who turns 30 on Saturday, will jump into the role immediately, leaving this week for a tour of Bangladesh.
Ponting will also be on the plane, taking orders from his former deputy, after being named in the squad to play three one-dayers.
Shane Watson will be Clarke”s vice-captain with Cameron White remaining the Twenty20 skipper.
“First of all can I say what an honour it is to be named captain and also a huge surprise to see Ricky stand down,” Clarke said at a press conference.
“I was very much unaware of where he was at and didn”t know he was going to stand down. It was a huge surprise to me.
“I know Ricky will allow me to do my job to the best of my ability,” he added. “We want to be the best team in all forms and that is going to take time.”
His Test reign will start in August when he skippers a tour of Sri Lanka.
Clarke, though, is not popular with Australian fans, and polls published Wednesday showed how cool the public are to him.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, only 26 percent of 21,000 respondents in an online poll favoured him to be the new captain.
In the Sydney Daily Telegraph, a survey of 8,500 readers placed him a distant third behind Shane Watson and Michael Hussey.
Ponting insisted Clarke was the right man for the job, and vowed to give him all the support he needed.
“He has done nothing wrong when has stood in for me over the past few years and his record in T20 cricket speaks for itself,” he said in a column for The Australian newspaper.
“I will be there in the background for him if he needs me, but from today the Test and one-day teams will be his and I will be one of many players who follow him onto cricket grounds all over the world.”
Asked how he will feel taking orders from a man who used to be his deputy, Ponting replied: “I”ve taken orders most of my life, I”m pretty used to it.”
Clarke was also endorsed by cricket legend Richie Benaud.
“I”d have Clarke, he”s vice-captain, he”s done well the times he”s been captain,” Benaud told the Nine Network.
Clarke made his professional debut for New South Wales as an 18-year-old in the 1999-2000 Australian domestic season.
He made the jump to the national one-day team in January 2003 against England at Adelaide and was chosen to make his Test debut against India at Bangalore in October 2004.
He thumped 151, helping Australia to victory, invoking comparisons to past Australian greats Doug Walters and Mark Waugh.
Since then, he has gone on to play 69 Tests, scoring 4,742 runs, including 14 centuries, with an average of 46.49. A slow left-arm orthodox bowler, Clarke has captured 21 wickets.
In the one-day game, he has collected 188 caps and 5,928 runs at an average of 43.58, with 52 wickets to his name.
A part-time underwear model and a regular in the social pages, Clarke was formerly engaged to model Lara Bingle and controversially returned to Sydney during Australia”s tour of New Zealand in March 2010 for “personal reasons”.
It followed Bingle deciding to sue her former lover Brendan Fevola for disseminating naked pictures of her, which ended up in a women”s magazine.
Clarke later called off his wedding plans. (AFP)
Sonam falls ill again; suffers relapse of typhoid
Last month we had informed you about actress Sonam Kapoor suffering from typhoid. The actress unfortunately has now once again suffered a relapse and is again in ill-health.
Sonam’s health started deteriorating while shooting for Anees Bazmee’s Thank You in Canada. However, being the professional that she is, she didn’t want to put the unit in any sort of problem and continued shooting despite not keeping too well. After returning to India, she underwent some tests and it was diagnosed as typhoid. Even though she undertook treatment, it seems to have relapsed.
Sonam’s parents Anil and Sunita Kapoor are also very concerned about her health and have asked her to take it easy for a few days.
We wish the chirpy actress a speedy recovery.
Chitrangda Singh features with SRK in Airtel commercial
After having signed leading FMCG brands like Aviva, Taj Mahal tea and likes, Chitrangda Singh has now been chosen as the brand ambassador for the telecom major Airtel. Speaking about this association exclusively to Bollywood Hungama, she said “The ad is going to be dubbed in 11 languages, but have been shot in two languages, Hindi and Tamil. While in Hindi ad, I’ll be seen with Shah Rukh Khan, in Tamil, there’s the southern superstar Karthik. The association with the Airtel brand has been really great, as it extends that kind of credibility to me as well.”
Talking about her co-star SRK, a super excited Chitrangda says, “It was just fabulous. I was totally in awe of him. During the shoot, I was just mum initially, then, it was all cool. SRK is an extremely nice, modest and cool person.” The said ad has been directed by Uzer Khan.
On the professional front, this PYT is super excited about her forthcoming film Yeh Saali Zindagi. Way to go, girl!
Ironman Wisconsin 2010
Sunday will see more than 2,500 athletes in Madison, Wisconsin, to run the ninth Wisconsin Ironman. We do not see defending champion Raynard Tissink and Amy Marsh, who assumes in the field of training for the Ironman race next world championships in Kuna in the next month, but this is not a problem because this race is always a big race on each side of the professional age grouper.
As always, this race also marked the first Ironman World Championship qualifying race in the following year. What is new is this year’s race is the first event in the Ironman World Championship new series of the playoffs, which offers advantages in the first opportunity to earn valuable points in the search for Kuna qualifying slot in 2011.
Update the list of pros and not race race on Sunday. Sold and race in the period from Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in downtown Madison and starts with early morning swim in Lake Monona.
The features of this race in the ramp and parking the famous “snail” that athletes use to up and down for access to the area in transition on the balcony of Monona, totally unique in the sense that the changing rooms and tents, but not the conference rooms in the building.
Has attracted a series of new qualifying slot for the race next year’s championship a powerful group of professionals to Madison. The field at this time is 49 in total with 34 men and 15 women. On the side of women, including former champions Ironman Wisconsin Hillary Biscay (2008) and Jenna Crawford (2007) and Mike Twelsiek (2007) on the side of men with a variety of timers for the first race. We will have to see who can conquer the hills during a presentation with the approach of these hard to win.
PM extends Army Chief’s term for 3 years from Nov 29
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday extended the term of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Ashfaq Paervez Kayani for three years starting from November 29, 2010.
In a televised announcement, the Prime Minister said the decision to extend the term of COAS has been in consultation with the President Asif Ali Zardari ‘to ensure successful culmination of the ongoing war against terrorism’.
“The government is presently engaged in war against terrorism which is now in a critical stage,” the Premier pointed out, adding, this requires continuity of military leadership under the present Army Chief who led successful operations in Swat, Malakand and South Waziristan.
He said the Army Chief, due to his professional capabilities and leadership qualities, is looked upon with respect and honor both domestically and internationally.
The Prime Minister said the operations initiated against Army Chief remained engaged in the planning, execution and supervision of military operations, making possible success of the offensives launched against the militants.
General Kayani who succeeded Gen Musharraf as Pakistan’s 14th army chief on November 29, 2007, is a recipient of Hilal-i-Imtiaz and Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) for his meritorious services.
He served at various levels of command including his stint as Director General Inter Services Intelligence.
Besides being Chief of Staff Corps, General Kayani has also held the coveted post of Director General Military Operations.
General Kayani is a graduate of Fort Benning (USA), Command and Staff College Quetta, Command and General Staff College Fort Leavenworth (USA), Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, Hawaii (USA), and National Defence College Islamabad.
He possesses wide ranging experience in Command, Instructional and staff appointments and has commanded an infantry Battalion, Infantry Brigade, Infantry Division and a Corps.
Gilani seeks evidence of Osama’s presence from US
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday categorically stated that neither Mulla Omar nor Osama Bin Laden are in Pakistan and if any one has any credible and verifiable information it should be shared with us.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday she believed Osama bin Laden was still in Pakistan, in a television interview between high-level talks in Islamabad.
Talking to a delegation of All Pakistan News Agencies Council led by Mohsin Beig here at the Prime Minister Secretariat, he said, the role of news agencies is very significant in disseminating information and influencing the public opinion.
He directed the Ministry of Information to develop close liaison with the All Pakistan News Agencies Council in order to strengthen the professional linkages.
He asked the news agencies representatives to discuss their proposals with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to work out details of government assistance.
Replying to a question regarding the issue of fake degrees, the Prime Minister said that to every wrong, there is a remedy. He stated that whenever a seat is declared vacant, the Election Commission would hold elections within the prescribed time schedule.
Clarifying confusion in media reports about Afghan Transit Trade, the prime minister said that a broad based understanding was reached at to initiate discussions for possible agreement. An agreement can only be signed after ratification by the Cabinet, he said.
The prime minister said that according to the Rules of Business, an Advisor can advise the prime minister but cannot take decisions on his behalf.
About coverage of Pakistan”s participation in the US Nuclear Summit, the prime minister said that it was for the first time that the world accepted Pakistan”s nuclear status.
The prime minister further said that he had told the Indian Prime Minister in Bhutan that the present government enjoys broad based support of all political parties, institutions and stakeholders, therefore, it is in a much better position to negotiate outstanding issues with India.
He said that Kashmir is a core issue between India and Pakistan and we have raised Kashmir issue at every level and meetings with the foreign delegations.
ISI Chief briefs Senate Standing Committee on Defence
ISLAMABAD: Director General Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha has briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Defence on the performance of the agency.
An in-camera meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence was held here at Parliament House with its Chairman Javed Ashraf Qazi in the chair.
The Committee members put many questions on ISI’s performance which the DG ISI assured to answer in the next meeting.
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha apprised the meeting about the professional matters and accomplishments of ISI.
Later, Javed Ashraf Qazi shied away from giving details of the meeting. Some of the Committee members, however, described the meeting as conventional, saying only those things came under discussion which have already been highlighted by the media.
President Pakistan Muslim League-Q Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Maulana Muhamamd Khan Shirani besides other members of the Committee attended the meeting.
Journalists boycott PA proceedings
LAHORE: The entire media (print and electronic) boycotted Punjab Assembly proceedings on Monday with no journalist enter the Press Gallery for coverage.
While, no camera was installed in the TV channels” enclosure outside the Assembly chamber and the reporters abstained from holding any press talk with MPAs/ministers there.
However, a large number of journalists gathered on the premises of the Punjab Assembly to record their protest and remained there for over two hours till the session resumed sitting at 5pm instead of its scheduled time of 3pm.
The President Punjab Assembly Press Gallery”s President Zaheer Shahzad and General Secretary Shumaila Jafri, and Lahore Press Club”s President Sarmad Basheer, Vice President Aamir Waqas Chaudhry, General Secretary Zia Ullah Khan Niazi, Punjab Union of Journalits” President Rai Tahir Hasnain addressed the protesting journalists and advised them to remain peaceful, while protesting against the anti-media resolution unanimously passed by the provincial assembly on Friday last.
On this occasion, the Punjab Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan and Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed also tried to talk with media representatives to sympathize them. But the journalists vowed that they would not hold talk with any MPAs/ministers until withdrawal of the anti-media resolution.
The media organisations also rejected the committee formed by the Punjab government to settle down the issue, and demand for a body must be headed by Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif. They also called upon the chief minister to clarify his position regarding the passage of anti-media resolution at the time he was present in his office in the Assembly building.
At 5:00 pm, the journalists dispersed after lodging their peaceful protest and will gather again in the Assembly premises tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11:00am in continuation of their peaceful protest.
