Month: February 2015

Six screenplays for ‘Twilight’ short movies revealed

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The winning screenplays for the upcoming ‘Twilight’ short films have been announced.

The six works were chosen from 1200 submissions by the book’s author Stephenie Meyer, Lionsgate, Women in Film, Facebook and Volvo as a part of the project which is called ‘The Storytellers: New Voices of Twilight Saga’.

Among the six works, three of them focus on Edward’s sister Alice, played by Ashley Greene in the movies, reported Aceshowbiz.

Titled ‘The Groundskeeper’, one of the works sees events which led Alice to become a vampire.

Jennifer Hudson, Rita Ora to guest star on ‘Empire’

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Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson and singer Rita Ora will be seen on hit drama ‘Empire’ before the first season ends.

The two music stars are tapped as guest stars on the new series, which centres around a hip hop music and entertainment company, Empire Enterprises. Their roles have not been revealed yet, reported E! Online.

New song from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ soundtrack released

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A new song ‘I Know You’ from the album of upcoming erotic-romance ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ has been unveiled along with its lyric video.

The slow-tempo piano-driven ballad by Skylar Grey follows The Weeknd’s ‘Earned It’ and Ellie Goulding’s ‘Love Me Like You Do’ from the soundtrack, set for release on February 10, reported Aceshowbiz.

Grey, 28, sings about loving a man, who puts up barriers on his heart. “Don’t complicate it/ Don’t let the past dictate/ I have been patient but slowly/ I’m losing faith,” she sings.

I am a Beyonce fan: Katy Perry

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Singer Katy Perry has admitted to being a huge fan of Destiny’s Child star Beyonce.

Perry, 30, shared her admiration for the 33-year-old ‘Crazy in Love’ hitmaker in an interview with Elle magazine.

“Oh my God. I’m such a big Beyonce fan. Beyonce just put out a video! You’ve got to see this video! I was like, Finallllly. Finally I see you. I don’t see some propaganda version of you. I see you. I relate to who you are,” she said.

Kim Kardashian attends private screening of ’50 Shades…’

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Reality TV star Kim Kardashian has given a thumbs up to the upcoming film ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ after attending its private advance screening.

The film, which stars Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson in lead roles, is due in theatres on February 13.

Kardashian, 34, who attended the screening with a group of friends, raved about the film on Twitter, reported Us magazine.

“Girls night watching a private screening of Fifty Shades of Grey!! OMG it’s sooooo good!!” she wrote.

Sarah Hyland seeing actor Dominic Sherwood?

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‘Modern Family’ actress Sarah Hyland has sparked rumours of dating her ‘Vampire Academy’ co-star Dominic Sherwood after she was spotted kissing him.

Hyland, 24, split from ex-boyfriend actor Matt Prokop last year. She was granted a temporary restraining order against Prokop after he allegedly assaulted and threatened her, reported People magazine.

Hyland and Sherwood, 24, were photographed sharing the intimate moment outside of Hollywood hot spot Warwick on Saturday.

Representatives for the stars are yet to comment on the development.

EL James was difficult to work with: ’50 Shades…’ director

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‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ director Sam Taylor-Johnson reveals she had creative differences with EL James, author of the erotic novel on which the movie is based, during the film’s making.

Taylor-Johnson, 47, has adapted EL James’ namesake 2011 love story that traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey.

Actor Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson play the lead roles in the film, which is slated to release on February 13, reported Us magazine.

Future stability of Pakistan not a settled matter: Davis

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The future stability of Pakistan is not yet a settled matter as the nuclear-armed country continues to adopt a selective approach to combat the internal extremist threats, an influential US lawmaker has said.

“The future stability of Pakistan is not a settled matter,” said Congresswoman Susan Davis, the Acting Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing this week.

Obsidian eyes Indian market

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A Canada-based manufacturing company, which has the technology to transfer data faster than anyone else, is planning to establish super-computer business network in Asian markets including India.

There are discussions underway with suitable groups that have the capabilities and technologies, said Bill Halina, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Obsidian Strategics.

“As our company begins to grow in markets like India, China and Australia, we see opportunities to manufacture wherever our product is being used,” Halina told PTI.

UN Security Council condemns killing of Spanish peacekeeper

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The UN Security Council has condemned “in the strongest terms” last week’s killing of a Spanish peacekeeper in southern Lebanon.

Yesterday’s statement comes a week after Cpl Francisco Javier Soria Toledo was killed during the Israeli military’s exchange of fire with the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group in a disputed border area.

Spain’s UN ambassador quickly blamed Israel, and a UN diplomat has said Israel apologised through several sources, including an apology from its ambassador in Madrid to Spain’s foreign minister.

Argentine president risks China row after Twitter gibes

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Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner has risked offending her Chinese hosts, appearing to poke fun on Twitter at their difficulty pronouncing the letters “L” and “R” in Spanish.

Kirchner, already under the spotlight at home after the suspicious death of a prosecutor and on a mission to China to expand trade and political ties, tweeted in Spanish: “Are they all with La Campola?”

She was referring to La Campora, her party’s youth organisation, led by her son.

“Or, are they only there for the lice (rice) and petroleum (petroleum)?” she tweeted.

US Treasury Secretary to visit India next week

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US Treasury Secretary Jacob L Lew will visit India next week to participate in the US-India Economic and Financial Partnership and to further strengthen bilateral cooperation on important economic issues.

It will be the first Cabinet level visit after the successful visit of US President Barack Obama to India last month.

“Following-up on President Obama’s recent visit to India, the Secretary will visit Mumbai and Delhi to further our cooperation on economic issues of importance to both nations,” the Treasury said in a statement yesterday.

North Korea to UN: Human rights resolution is illegal

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North Korea’s foreign minister is demanding that the UN secretary-general tell member states that a resolution targeting the country’s bleak human rights record is illegal and based on lies.

The letter from Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong, obtained by The Associated Press, says North Korea will be willing to “actively engage ourselves in talks and cooperation in the field of human rights” if the resolution is withdrawn.

Chemical weapons watchdog condemns chlorine use in Syria

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The global chemical weapons watchdog has condemned the use of chlorine as a weapon in Syria as a breach of international law and said those responsible should be brought to justice.

The executive council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons expressed “serious concern” yesterday at a fact-finding mission’s recent report that concluded “with a high degree of confidence” that chlorine was unleashed on three villages in northern Syria from April to August last year, killing 13 people.

Eighteen dead after boat capsizes in Ivory Coast

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Eighteen people were killed after an overloaded boat capsized in western Ivory Coast, a local official have said.

Twenty-five people survived the accident that took place on Monday afternoon on the Sassandra river near the town of Guessabo, Florentine Banto told AFP yesterday.

The river is one of the main water routes in the country.

The small motorboat, carrying 40 people and several bags of coffee, was “just too full”, according to Elvis Achi, the police officer in charge of the area.

Boko Haram kills dozens in rampage after Chad offensive

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Nigerian Boko Haram fighters went on the rampage in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol today, massacring dozens of civilians and torching a mosque before being repelled by regional forces.

The onslaught came a day after Chad sent troops across the border to flush the jihadists out of the Nigerian town of Gamboru, which lies some 500 metres (yards) from Fotokol on the other side of a bridge.

US official proposes regulating Internet like phone service

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Declaring that the Internet must not be taken over by big business interests, a top US regulator today proposed dramatically expanding the government’s power to oversee Internet service providers and establishing new rules that would prohibit companies from blocking or slowing data.

Dems give Israeli ambassador earful over Netanyahu speech

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Israel’s ambassador to the United States has gotten an earful from a half-dozen House Democrats angered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s acceptance of a Republican invitation to address Congress next month.

Ron Dermer met privately with seven Jewish Democrats today to discuss Netanyahu’s plans for a March 3 speech on Iran.

A senior congressional aide says the lawmakers complained about the escalating partisanship surrounding the speech.

Rapidly-growing Asian airlines race to find qualified pilots

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The deadly crash of a TransAsia plane into a river in Taiwan is again focusing the world’s attention on the safety challenges facing fast-growing Asian airlines.

TransAsia has been adding new routes rapidly since the Taiwanese carrier went public in 2011. TransAsia and others like it are rushing to keep up with a travel boom driven by the region’s growing middle class.

Doctor cleared in UK’s first female genital mutilation trial

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A London court today acquitted a doctor of carrying out female genital mutilation (FGM), the first such case to be prosecuted in Britain.

Dhanuson Dharmasena, 32, said he was “extremely relieved” after a jury at Southwark Crown court found him not guilty after only 30 minutes of deliberations.

He was accused of performing an FGM procedure on a woman who gave birth at his hospital in 2012 following damage caused by labour.

The woman, who was 24 at the time, first underwent FGM at the age of six in Somalia.

5 foreigners among 13 killed in Libya oil field attack: guard

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An attack on a Libyan oil field partially owned by France’s Total killed 13 people, including five foreign workers, a chief security officer said today.

“Eight Libyans, three Filipinos and two Ghanians were killed in the attack” overnight at the Al-Mabruk field some 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of the coastal city of Sirte, said officer Hakim Maazzab.

“All of them had their throats slit apart from one Libyan, who was shot dead.

China trying to intimidate its neighbours: Carter

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China is trying to intimidate its neighbours, Carter told lawmakers, President Barack Obama’s nominee for Defence Secretary Ashton Carter today said today as he expressed concern over the Asian giant’s increasing military might.

“Certainly trying to,” Carter told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing.

He was responding to a question from Senator Lindsey Graham who asked, “Do you think China is intimidating their neighbours?”

“Can you explain that to me, because I can’t explain it to myself?” Graham followed up with another question.

Oil tanker hijacked off Nigeria, one dead: Greek coastguard

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Pirates have hijacked a crude oil tanker off the Nigerian coast, taking three hostages and killing the vessel’s Greek deputy commander, the Greek coastguard said today.

The Malta-flagged Kalamos was anchored and awaiting fresh cargo from Qua Iboe, an oil terminal in Nigeria’s southeastern region operated by ExxonMobil, when it was boarded yesterday.

Two of the three hostages are Greek, and Greeks make up 10 out of the total 23 crew, a spokeswoman for the coastguard told AFP.

Pakistan military says 25 militants killed in air strikes

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Pakistan’s military said it killed 25 militants in air strikes on tribal regions near the Afghan border today as part of a major offensive against the Taliban and other insurgents.

The strikes took place in the Sanzila area of South Waziristan and Tirah in Khyber, the military said in a statement.

“In precise aerial strikes, 25 terrorists were killed and seven hideouts were destroyed,” the statement added.

The conflict zone is off-limits to journalists, so there is no way to independently verify the number and identity of those killed.

Ex-medical researcher gets life term in wife’s cyanide death

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A former University of Pittsburgh Medical Center researcher has been sentenced to a mandatory term of life in prison without possibility of parole in the cyanide poisoning death of his neurologist wife.

Sixty-six-year-old Robert Ferrante was convicted in November of first-degree murder in the April 2013 death of 41-year-old Dr Autumn Klein. Prosecutors said he laced her energy drink with cyanide.

The victim’s mother, Lois Klein, said in a statement read in court today by an assistant prosecutor that the murder had robbed her and her husband of their only child.