Gas tariff to be increased before Eid

In applications given to OGRA, Sui Northern demanded an increase of Rs 22. 48 per MMBTU, while Sui Southern demanded Rs 22.35 per MMBUT.

The companies are of the view to increase the revenues; the increase in tariff is inevitable. Sui Northern says an additional revenue of Rs 13.65 billion is needed while Sui Northern demanded Rs 0.93 billion.

The companies also demanded the expenditures of elected representatives’ schemes. The OGRA has already increased the gas tariff by 13.55 percent.

Charme upset with rumours of her being dropped from Zilla Ghaziabad

The Southern Invasion has started all over again. After Vyjanthimala, Padmini, Hema Malini, Sridevi and Jaya Prada there was a lull of sorts as far as South Indian heroines in Bollywood went… until Asin. Her debut opposite Aamir Khan in Ghajini was followed by stories of how arrogantly dismissive she was of most Hindi projects. Now with another blockbuster Ready to her credit, she is back in the reckoning…the first among several Southern heroines who are on their way.

The talented Trisha fell short of expectations in Priyadarshan’s Khatta Meetha. Maybe not her fault as she was completely miscast as a district collector trying to bring Akshay Kumar to task. Priya Mani in Raavan was noticed. But not enough to make a place next to her cousin Vidya Balan in Bollywood.

Kajal Aggarwal lately made her high-profile debut in Singham. But like many of the other Southern swapna sundaris, she has big banners and heroes backing her in Bollywood. Ditto Ileana D’Cruz who has bagged a plum assignment opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Anurag Basu’s Barfee.

Next in line is Tamil actress Tapasee, who makes her Hindi debut in David Dhawan’s Chashme Buddoor. Anushka Shetty from the Telugu blockbuster Arundhati, would have been seen opposite Ajay Devgn in Singham if she hadn’t been beaten to the role by Kajal Aggarwal.

Oh yes, these South Indian girls are fiercely competitive.

A strange story suggesting that Telugu actress Charme Kaur who made her debut ni Big B’s Bbuddah… Hoga Terra Baap was ousted from her second Hindi film Zilla Ghaziabad because her co-star Vivek Oberoi didn’t want to work with her, had the girl and Vivek fuming, he for yet another attempt to malign his name.

Says a source close to Vivek, “He has never interfered in the casting. Why should he do so now? He is in fact shooting with Charme in Phaltan outside Mumbai. And he is completely comfortable with her.”

So where did the stories of Charme’s rude expulsion from her second Hindi film come from? Apparently, the sabotage rumours were part of a whole new Southern wave of competition that has swept down on Bollywood.

Says a source, “Another Southern invasion has started. There’s a whole new brood of Southern glamour girls descending on Bollywood. Kajal Aggarwal, Ileana D’Cruz, Taapsee, Anushka Shetty…These are all glamour girls from the South who are all set to find a place in Mumbai. I wouldn’t like to say much about their ambitions except that they are fiercely competitive and know they’re fighting for the same roles with the same A-lister heroes.”

Apparently, the rumour that Vivek was unwilling to work with Charme was started by one of the new lot of South Indian glam-dolls looking to leap into a pan-India attention with a big Hindi blockbuster.

Confirms the film’s producer Vinod Bachchan, “Charme is here shooting with Vivek in Phaltan. She was recommended to me by Sonu Sood who worked with her in Bbuddah and found her very spontaneous and professional. We don’t know who started the rumour that Charme was out of our movie. She plays Vivek’s girlfriend and later his wife.”

Charme seems pretty annoyed by these attempts to shorten her screen life even before it’s started. “It was all a fabrication. I was always doing the part. Now that we’re shooting, trust me we’re having a great time on location. Vivek, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawalji and the whole crew is so sweet.”

Regarding the new Southern invasion, Charme shoots, “I’m not here because the other girls from the South are here. I am here because I want to be here. There is a difference between the Tamil-Telugu actresses and me. I am a Punjabi girl from Mumbai.”

Protesters condemn Quran burning by US pastor

KABUL: Protesters in Afghanistan held a peaceful demonstration on Thursday in the capital Kabul, to further condemn the burning of a Quran at a small Florida church last month.

The desecration of Islam’s holy book has inflamed days of protests across Afghanistan.

There have been almost daily protests across Afghanistan against the act last month at a small church in Gainesville, Florida.

Most have not turned violent, but 10 people were killed in two days of protests in the southern city of Kandahar.

Protesters on Thursday held banners reading “We strongly condemn the act of burning Quran”. AGENCIES

Assad adviser warns of sectarian strife in Syria

AMMAN: Syria is the target of a “project to sow sectarian strife”, an adviser to President Bashar al-Assad said on Saturday.

“It is obvious Syria is the target of a project to sow sectarian strife to compromise Syria and the unique co-existence model that distinguishes it,” Bouthaina Shaaban was quoted as saying by SANA, the state’s official news agency.

Majority Sunni Muslim Syria is ruled by the Assad family of the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam. The Alawites are facing the biggest challenge to their rule after protests spread beyond the southern city of Deraa.

The protests have mostly stuck to nationalist slogans.

Protesters in Deraa on Saturday were chanting slogans calling for the overthrow of the regime, the same chant heard in uprisings in other Arab countries.

Analysts have said much now depended on whether the Sunni elite continues to back the Alawite-led military-security apparatus or whether they switch their support to the protests. AGENCIES

All Pakistan CNG Association to go to courts against gas outage

LAHORE: The All Pakistan CNG Association has decided to go to court against gas companies for gas outage.

Ghayas Paracha, chairman of All Pakistan CNG Association, while talking with TrendPK, said that Sui Northern and Sui Southern Gas companies are bound to supply gas throughout the year, according to the pact.

He termed the gas outage as illegal, saying they would go to courts if the gas supply is ensured to all CNG stations. TrendPK

Sarkozy arrives in India

BANGALORE: French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in India Saturday, the latest in a line of global leaders beating a trade-focused path to the door of the world’s second fastest growing economy.

Sarkozy, who will lobby on behalf of French companies chasing multi-billion-dollar Indian contracts for fighter jets and nuclear technology, is accompanied on the four-day trip by his pop star wife Carla Bruni.

He flew in to the southern city of Banglaore, India’s high-tech capital, where he will tour the headquarters of the Indian Space Research Organisation.

The French leader will hold talks on Monday with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, after a private visit Sunday with First Lady Carla Bruni to the Taj Mahal, the famed white marble monument to love in Agra.

NATO captures insurgent leader in east Afghanistan

KABUL: NATO says it has captured a leader of a Pakistan-based Taliban faction closely tied to al-Qaida.

The military coalition said Sunday the militant, from the Haqqani network, was picked up on Nov. 25 in the eastern Afghan province of Khost. He was accused of carrying out remote-controlled roadside bombings targeting coalition bases and convoys.

The capture brings the number of senior Haqqani leaders captured this month to 20.

Although NATO forces have poured troops into the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand and have been making progress in rolling back the Taliban, fighting has continued in the eastern provinces where the Haqqani network holds sway. AGENCIES

Guangzhou security tightens ahead of opening ceremony

GUANGZHOU: Guangzhou residents living near the site for Friday’s Asian Games opening ceremony could be watching the visual spectacular with a policeman in their living room as security measures tighten around the venue.

In a departure from the usual march of delegations into a packed stadium, athletes will be ferried in boats along the southern Chinese city’s Pearl River before being dropped off at an island for their official welcome.

Authorities’ efforts to safeguard the ambitious ceremony have seen residential districts on both banks of the river sealed off to traffic and pedestrians, leaving some residents grumbling behind high fences.

“It’s a shame of course,” said an elderly lady surnamed Chen near a 2.5 metre-high electrified fence. “We can’t get closer to the river to enjoy the ceremony tonight.”

Residents with views of the river have already

Foreign military deaths in Afghanistan in 2010 hit 626

KABUL: The deaths of three NATO soldiers — two on Sunday — in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban-led insurgency have taken the toll for this year to 626.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said the soldiers, whose nationalities were not revealed, died following insurgent attacks in eastern Afghanistan.

One of the soldiers died on Saturday and two died on Sunday, ISAF said in separate statements.

The AFP toll is based on a tally kept by the independent icasualties.org website. The total number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the war began in late 2001 is 2,196.

Last year, 521 foreign troops died in the war.

NATO and the United States have more than 150,000 troops in the country fighting the Taliban-led insurgency.

The insurgency is concentrated in the southern provinces of Kandahar and neighbouring

Foreign military deaths in Afghanistan in 2010 hit 626

KABUL: The deaths of three NATO soldiers — two on Sunday — in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban-led insurgency have taken the toll for this year to 626.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said the soldiers, whose nationalities were not revealed, died following insurgent attacks in eastern Afghanistan.

One of the soldiers died on Saturday and two died on Sunday, ISAF said in separate statements.

The AFP toll is based on a tally kept by the independent icasualties.org website. The total number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the war began in late 2001 is 2,196.

Last year, 521 foreign troops died in the war.

NATO and the United States have more than 150,000 troops in the country fighting the Taliban-led insurgency.

The insurgency is concentrated in the southern provinces of Kandahar and neighbouring

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