Month: July 2009

Billy, Go Back! Says Bipasha Basu

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Mumbai, July 30: Why is the Bollywood-Hollywood merger perpetually in deep waters? Monica Bellucci was supposed to join Sanjay Suri for Jagmohan Mundhra’s now aborted bio-pic on Sonia Gandhi.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan couldn’t find dates to co-star with Will Smith and Michael Douglas in 9 Pounds and Racing With The Moon, respectively.

John Abraham’s wish to pair with Rachel Weisz in Deepa Mehta’s Luna never went beyond a wish. Now it’s Bipasha Basu and Billy Zane’s togetherness that seems star-crossed.

‘Iraqi raid on Iranian exile camp killed 7’

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Baghdad, July 30: An Iraqi raid on an Iranian opposition group’s camp north of Baghdad killed seven people, according to a police officer and members of the exile group.

A standoff at the camp continued for a second day on Wednesday.

However, some Iraqi government officials denied any deaths in the operation at Camp Ashraf and the casualty reports could not immediately be independently verified.

The camp housing members of the People’s Mujahedeen Organisation of Iran is located in a dangerous area and Iraqi authorities prevented reporters from gaining access on Wednesday.

India’s inflation falls marginally

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New Delhi, July 30: India’s annual rate of inflation fell marginally to minus 1.54 percent for the week ending July 18 from minus 1.17 the week before, according to official data released here Thursday.
The rate turned negative for the week ended June 6 for the first time since the new wholesale price index (WPI) series started in 1995.

The inflation rate had last turned negative in 1977. Negative inflation implies that the average wholesale price level was lower during a given week, than it was in the corresponding week a year ago. It does not necessarily reflect retail prices.

Anti-doping code lands BCCI in a fix

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New Delhi, July 30: India’s top cricketers are reluctant to sign a controversial anti-doping clause which, they claim, infringes on their privacy, leaving the Cricket Board in a fix.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked all its affiliated members to get their players to sign the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) form by August 1 which leaves a rattled BCCI with little time to negotiate with the reluctant players.

Bond in NZ preliminary squad for CT

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Wellington, July 30: New Zealand Cricket has released its preliminary squad of 30 players for the ICC Champions Trophy, to be held in South Africa in September-October.

All members of the squad have current or recent international experience with the national side or New Zealand A sides.

Head of the selection panel, Glenn Turner, said the preliminary squad provided depth for the selection of the final team.

No botox for me: Saif

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Mumbai, July 30: He isn’t unlike his Bollywood colleagues when it comes to punctuality.And the cause of Saif’s late arrival at this event was his massage and workout sessions in the hotel, we were told. But he insists his flight was delayed and apologises profusely. “I know it’s acceptable in Mumbai, but not in this part of the world,” he says sheepishly. That’s where his impeccable manners kick in. Saif’s also effortlessly funny, which leaves us wondering why he hasn’t done an out-and-out comedy yet. “No one’s offered me one. I don’t know why.

Iran approves $280 mn loan for Bolivia

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La Paz, July 30: Iran’s top diplomat in Bolivia says the Islamic republic has approved a USD 280 million low-interest loan for President Evo Morales’ government to use as it sees fit. Gas and oil exploration are possibilities.

Masoud Edrisi said that loan’s terms have not yet been set.

Iran established diplomatic ties with Bolivia in late 2007 and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited last year.

The country has sold Bolivia Venezuelan-made tractors, built dairy plants and offered to help finance a state-owned cement factory.

John gets Jacko’s bodyguard!

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Mumbai, July 30: If you thought John Abraham was big, check out the dude behind him, that’s Lee Flisher — till not so long the personal bodyguard of Michael Jackson.

With the King of Pop no longer requiring his services, Lee is flexing his muscles on the sets of Madhu Mantena’s 1-800 Love in London, minding John’s back. It’s not that the Bollywood hunk cannot take care of himself.

Pakistan ask Sri Lanka to bat in first one-dayer

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Karachi, July 30: Pakistan captain Younus Khan won the toss and sent Sri Lanka in to bat in the first one-day international of the five-match series here on Thursday:

Pakistan: Younus Khan (capt), Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul Haq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamer, Abdul Razzaq, Fawad Alam.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thilan Thushara.

Murali returns, Pakistan field

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Dambulla, July 30: Bolstered by the return of Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka were sent in to bat on a green-tinged pitch in Dambulla.

Younis Khan’s decision to unleash his bowlers had much to do with history – teams batting first have seldom done well at the venue – but there was also a few surprises in the team selection, with neither Nasir Jamshed or Imran Nazir picked to open.

There was, however, a one-day debut for the promising Mohammad Aamer, while Sri Lanka went back to Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga, who had played no part in the Test series.

Emraan Hashmi gets upset

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Mumbai, July 30: It seems actor Emraan Hashmi is not happy with the way his film shoot for RAFTAAR is going on. The actor feels that the makers are trying to undermine this project and give priority to other films at hand.

Look who’s going gaga over Emraan Hashmi!

Though the serial kisser is known to do films mostly for his home banner VISHESH FILMS, the actor seems to be regretting his decision of doing a movie for an outside banner this time around.

Martin named in Champions Trophy probables

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Wellington, July 30: Chris Martin, the New Zealand fast bowler, has been named in the Champions Trophy list of probables despite not having played a limited-overs game since February 2008.

Martin was dropped from New Zealand’s one-day side after a poor performance in the home series against England last year when he took just five wickets at 40.8. But he did reasonably in the one-dayers for Auckland last season, taking 12 wickets in 10 matches at 33.33. Martin has been regularly in the Test side and is part of the squad to play Tests in Sri Lanka next month.

Himesh goes under the knife

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Mumbai, July 30: His nasal twang created furor among the industrywallahs. Though success still came his way, but Himesh Reshammiya wanted to put an end to the embarrassment of carrying a nasal voice.

Himesh makes Satish Kaushik extra-cautious

Now, reports are that the singer-actor has undergone a surgery of his vocal chords to improve his voice quality. It’s learnt that Himesh went under the knife recently during his shoot of KAJRAARE in South Africa.

Newbie Sheena leaves behind Katrina & Bipasha

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Mumbai, July 30: Her first film is yet to be released but debutant Sheena Shahabadi is already feeling extremely confident. And there is a reason for that. After all she has managed to dub for her own lines in the film, a feat that is rarely accomplished by actresses who are just starting out and especially those who are barely out of their teens.

Hughes dropped to make way for Watson

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Melbourne, July 30: Australia’s selectors have pulled a major selection surprise by axing Phillip Hughes from the starting XI for the Edgbaston Test. The move, as revealed in The Australian newspaper, will see Hughes make way for Shane Watson after a string of modest totals prompted by a susceptibility to short-pitched bowling.

Shahid reveals his dream girl!

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Mumbai, July 30: Shahid Kapur, the heartthrob of million young females gets candid in a chat about his ideal girl. Though he may have been linked up with many beauties from tinsel town like Sania Mirza, Vidya Balan, Priyanka Chopra and now Anushka Sharma, but the star maintains that he is yet to find his dream woman.

Shahid is dating RAB NE girl Anushka Sharma

Tusshar Kapoor: LIFE PARTNER isn’t like David Dhawan cinema

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Mumbai, July 30: Director Rumi Jaffery has written quite a few David Dhawan films in the past. This is why it is being widely speculated that his second directorial venture LIFE PARTNER (he had come up with GOD TUSSI GREAT HO last year) too would be treading the same path that has been laid out by David Dhawan in last couple of decades.

Priyanka, Shahid get comfortable!

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Mumbai, July 30: Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, who were recently shooting for a film promotion, brought the house down with their jokes.

The shoot started around 11 pm, which is when both Shahid and Priyanka could take time out from their schedules. Director Vishal Bhardwaj shot his bit and stayed around to watch Shahid and Priyanka do their bit.

What started as a general feel good show turned into a laughter fest as both Shahid and Priyanka let their guard down. The veejay worked hard to keep up with the unscripted and spontaneous humour that the stars displayed.

AGYAAT gets straight-to-DVD release in overseas

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Mumbai, July 30: To combat piracy, the makers of AGYAAT have decided to launch the DVDs of AGYAAT on the same day as the film’s theatrical release. This would be only in overseas market though while in India, the DVDs would arrive much later. This step has been taken to combat piracy that is a big threat to movies like AGYAAT that take time to grow in overseas territories, if released in theaters.

West Indies opts to bat first

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London, July 30: West Indies has won the toss and elected to bat first against Bangladesh in second ODI match .West Indies will be looking to level the series and regain confidence after losing first OI match on Sunday.

West Indies has dropped Nikita Miller and Nelon Pascal and batsman Andre Fletcher and specialist wicketkeeper Devon Thomas have replaced them in the squad for second ODI match.

While Bangladesh has kept the winning squads of the first ODI match for this match also.

Lee ruled out of Edgbaston test

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Melbourne, July 30: Australia Vice-captain Michael Clarke has confirmed the fast bowler Brett Lee has been ruled out of the third Ashes Test against England, which will be played at Edgbaston, as he failed to recover from the injury due to which he missed first two test matches of the ongoing Ashes series.

Clarke said that Lee has done a lot of exercises to get himself ready for the third test match but he was unable to regain his fitness as he bowled only three or four steps during the practice session in the nets.

Musharraf can be tried in London, ICJ: UK lawmaker

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Islamabad, July 30: A British lawmaker of Pakistani origin has talked of the possibility of former President Pervez Musharraf being put on trial in the UK as he failed to respond to summons from the top court in Islamabad over his controversial decisions to impose emergency and fire judges two years ago.

Musharraf, who is now in London as part of his extensive lecture tour, snubbed summons to appear before a 14-member bench headed by Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhary, who had himself been a victim of the military dictator.

MCC to preserve Afridi’s World T20 final jersey

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Melbourne, July 30: Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Museum has decided to honor Pakistan’s aggressive all-rounder Shahid Afridi for his brilliant knock in the final of the ICC T20 World Cup by placing his jersey, which was worn by him during that match, in the world-famed cricket museum at Lord’s.

Afridi played a match winning inning of 54 in just 40 balls and also took one wicket for 20 runs in the final match of T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka and Pakistan won the match by six wickets to lift the title of T20 championship.

After AAJA NACHLE, KAMINEY gets ‘UP ka jhatka’!

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Mumbai, July 30: Just a few weeks before its release, Vishal Bhardwaj’s KAMINEY is in trouble, and ironically the problem stems from his own state of Uttar Pradesh. A Samajwadi Party MP, Ramanarian Sahu, president of the Rashtriya Teli Rathore Chetna Mahasangh has objected to a line -”Kahan Raja Bhoj, Kahan Gangu Teli” in Gulzar’s lyrics.