Shahid Kapoor to don on the action image once again

Shahid Kapoor’s ‘Kaminey’ earned him all accolades for his flick ‘Kaminey’ where he was seen in an action role which was quite far from his earlier chocolate boy roles. Once again, the actor will throw punches at bad boys, this time in an action film directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Ramesh Taurani of Tips. If sources are to be believed, the film draws inspiration from Hollywood hit Knight and Day, starring Tom Cruise, and the makers are even considering the idea of purchasing the rights to the original.

The film will start its production very soon.

Presently, Shahid has a number of films lined up right from Mausam directed by Pankaj Kapoor with co-stars Aditi Sharma, Anupam Kher, Sonam Kapoor and Supriya Pathak, to Kunal Kohli’s Next directed by Kunal Kohli with co-star Priyanka Chopra and Sajid Nadiadwala’s Heer Aur Ranjha to be directed by Sabir Khan with co-star Deepika Padukone.

Pak tests hi-tech surface-to-surface missile

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Tuesday successfully conducted the first flight test of the newly developed short-range surface-to-surface Multi Tube Ballistic Missile, Geo News reported.

According to ISPR sources, it has been developed to add deterrence value to Pakistan’s Strategic Weapons Development Programme at shorter ranges. The Multi Tube Ballistic Missile, NASR, with a Range of 60 km, carries nuclear warheads of appropriate yield with high accuracy. This quick response system addresses the need to deter evolving threats, the sources said. 

Guess who is Abhi’s favorite co star???

Abhishek Bachchan, while promoting his upcoming flick Dum Maro Dum, in an interview, candidly talked about his favourite co-stars.

He said, “Rani is the best co-star I have ever worked with. She’s beautiful and is a brilliant actor.”When asked if he would like to work with her again, Abhi promptly replied, “Of course, I would love to work with her.”

It can be recalled that Abhishek and Rani, had been linked up with each other before Abhi-Ash’s marriage. There were also rumours that the two are planning to tie the knot.The on screen couple have worked in films like Yuva, Bunty Aur Babli, Laga Chunri Mein Daag and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.

Abhishek having confessed his desire to work with Rani, we look forward to see the duo sizzle together on screen, very soon.

More than 100 dead in west Libya district

BENGHAZI: More than 100 people have been killed in 24 hours in Libya's rebel-held Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi district west of Tripoli after it was pounded by Kadhafi forces, residents said on Monday. 

"Kadhafi battalions have not stopped pounding the region, particularly Yafran and Nalut, with Grad rockets," one Yafran resident said. "There have been 110 dead (since Sunday), civilians and rebels, in both cities."

A resident of Nalut, near the border with Tunisia, accused forces loyal to Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi of "carrying out a massacre" in the mountainous region.

"There have been at least 100 dead in two days," the resident said. "They are firing Grad rockets on homes and hospitals. Several families had to flee towards Tunisia."

Yafran is 130 kilometres (80 miles) southwest of Tripoli, while Nalut, a town of 66,000 people, is 235 kilometres (145 miles) west of the capital.

Oil down in Asian trade

SINGAPORE: Oil fell in Asian trade Tuesday after a bearish Standard and Poor's report on the United States, but geopolitical risks in the Arab world will continue to drive prices higher, analysts said.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in May dipped 17 cents to $106.95 a barrel, while Brent North Sea crude for June eased one cent to $121.60.

Victor Shum, a Singapore-based analyst at Purvin and Gertz international energy consultancy, said oil prices were weighed down by ratings agency Standard and Poor's decision to cut its outlook on US sovereign debt to "negative".

The ratings downgrade on Monday raised doubts about Washington's ability to tackle its huge debt and fiscal deficits.

KSE-100 index slips 77.55 points

KARACHI: Shares at local capital market ended lower on Tuesday, taking cues from regional markets as local investors stayed on the sidelines because of foreign selling, dealers said.

The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) benchmark 100-share index fell 0.65 percent, or 75.55 points, to end at 11,599.28.

Volume rose to 56.3 million shares, compared with 36.32 million shares traded on Monday.

"There seems to be foreign selling especially in the oil and banking companies," said Sajid Bhanji, director at brokers Arif Habib Ltd.

Foreign investors sold shares worth a net $4.42 million on Monday. Data for Tuesday will be released later in the day.

In the currency market, the rupee closed at 84.52/62 to the dollar, compared with Monday's close of 84.27, because of higher demand for the dollar for import payments.

The rupee touched an 11-month high last week because of a record inflow of remittances in March, strong foreign exchange reserves, healthy exports and a current account surplus, according to analysts and officials.

Remittances by overseas Pakistani increased by 22.37 percent to more than $8 billion in the first nine months of the 2010/11 fiscal year, and in March a record $1.05 billion was received, according to data from the State Bank of Pakistan.

In the money market, overnight rates ended flat at 13 percent, unchanged from the previous day's close, and dealers said they were awaiting the treasury bill auction scheduled for Wednesday.

The next scheduled inflows are on Thursday amounting to 293 billion rupees ($3.4 billion).

Fidel Castro quits Communist Party

HAVANA: Fidel Castro confirmed his exit from the Communist Party leadership on Tuesday, ceding power to his brother Raul as delegates prepare to vote on changes that could bring term limits to key posts.

The move came after the sixth Communist Party Congress approved a flurry of measures on Monday aimed at keeping Cuba's centrally planned economy from collapse but without any broad embrace of market-oriented change.

"Raul knew that I would not accept a formal role in the party today," Fidel wrote in an article on the Cubadebate.cu portal, referring to his absence from the party's new Central Committee, elected on Monday.

Castro, 84, had served as first secretary in the Central Committee of the party -- which underpins the country's Communist government -- since the party's creation in 1965.

Fidel said he had handed over the functions of the party head to Raul when he ceded power to his brother because of his own declining health in 2006, though he retained the first secretary title.

"(Raul) has always been who I described as First Secretary and Commander in Chief," Fidel wrote in the article.

"He never failed to convey to me the ideas that were planned," he added.

Castro said he supported the stepping aside of some of the older luminaries in the party, adding that "the most important thing was that I did not appear on that list.

"I have received too many honors. I never thought I would live so long."

The 1,000 delegates gathered in Havana for the four-day party congress have meanwhile approved some 300 economic proposals.

The reforms promise to inject a modicum of the free market into the island's economy ahead of a vote Tuesday expected to officially relieve Castro of his position as party head.

Reforms include the eventual trimming of a million state jobs and the decentralization of the agricultural sector.

Many of the measures have already been adopted over the past year, with the Congress now formally approving them.

Results of the voting on leadership term limits will be presented Tuesday, when Fidel would be finally officially replaced as party chief.

Raul, who turns 80 on June 3, was expected to take over as the party's new first secretary.

Raul said on Saturday that he backed term limits of 10 years for the top leadership spots, in a country he and his brother have led for more than five decades.

Fidel said he "liked the idea. I thought long and hard about the subject."

Cuba watchers were meanwhile focused on who would ascend to the party's number two position, which could signal the direction of an eventual transfer of power in the coming years.

Raul has rejected broader market-minded reforms like those adopted by China, saying they would be "in open contradiction to the essence of socialism... because they were calling for allowing the concentration of property."

Cubans have reacted to the reforms with cautious optimism, hoping that the government follows through with its pledges without harming those who depend on the public sector for employment and other basic needs.

ICC to reconsider World Cup format changes

LONDON: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday that they have been asked by their president, Sharad Pawar, to reconsider proposals to streamline the cricket World Cup.

Under plans announced during an ICC summit in Mumbai earlier this month, participation at the 2015 and 2019 World Cups will be restricted to just the 10 full ICC member teams.

This year's World Cup, won by India, featured 14 teams, and the decision to exclude non Test-playing nations such as Ireland and Kenya from future editions prompted angry protests from the countries set to be left out.

In a press release from the ICC, Pawar said: "I have given this matter further serious thought and will request the Board to consider this topic once more.

"I can understand the views of the Associates and Affiliates and ICC will seek to deal with this issue in the best way possible.

Woman freed from jaws of python

KANSAS CITY: A Kansas woman faces a charge of harboring a vicious animal after her pet python grabbed onto her neck and would not let go until a police officer intervened.

Chrystal Wilson of Lyons, Kan., took the eight-foot-long albino snake from its cage for feeding Tuesday when it clasped its jaws on the side of her neck, Police Chief Chris Detmer said Friday. Luckily, the snake has small teeth rather than sharp fangs, he said.

A child in the house called police. Officer Max Bryant forced the jaws of the snake apart with his hands. Bryant will get a citation for bravery from the Lyons City Council, Detmer said.

"There's not too many guys or women who would grab it by the end of the mouth like that," Detmer said. The snake was not wrapped around Wilson but she was reportedly visibly upset because she could not get it off her neck, Detmer said.

Wilson is in her mid 20s and moved to Lyons about a year ago, Detmer said. She was ordered to remove the snake from the home because it poses a risk to children there, he said. She received a misdemeanor citation for harboring the snake.

PML-Q agrees to join national govt

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was trying to form a "national reconciliation government" to steer the country out of crises and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) has agreed to the proposed power sharing formula. According to the sources, PML-Q has been offered a Senior Minister, four federal ministers, eight ministers of state and UN ambassadorship. The PPP was also in talks with old allies Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) to join the government. A proposal of seat adjustment in elections with the new partners was also on the cards. Analysts were of the view that the real issue behind this exercise was to get the next budget through the Parliament. Too woo the PML-Q, the investigation officer of the NICL scam was removed. Additional Director General FIA Zafar Qureshi was made Managing Director National Police Foundation.

Deepika's hot skirt to benefit Salman! Why did Ash allow it?

Abhishek Bachchan starrer picks Salman Khan's NGO as beneficiary of auction of film costume. PS: Why didn't Ash axe the connection?

Deepika Padukone's skirt goes under the hammer online. Proceeds from the auction will benefit Salman Khan's NGO Being Human.

Coincidentally, in the film she wears the garment in, is Abhishek Bachchan starrer, Dum Maaro Dum. And AB Jr is married to Sallu's ex Aishwarya Rai.

Says a source, "Producer-director Rohan Sippy came up with the idea of auctioning the skirt online, through the film's official website with support being provided by a portal that auctions film memorabilia.

The beneficiary was discussed and the choice was unanimous -- Being Human. They feel it has been involved in some exceptional charity work. "

Why Deepika's skirt? "While on a nationwide tour, the DMD team is discovering that while the track itself is being criticised, there is great excitement over the costume that Deepika wears in the music video.

There is a huge demand for it, " reveals the source.

Rohan Sippy says, "We are all surprised by the reaction to Deepika's look in the track. We decided to auction it for charity. "

Anushka Manchanda has crooned for the DMD title track Mit Jaaye Gham song that Pritam Chakraborthy composed.

Today's Gal!

Says designer Anahita Shroff Adjania, who was responsible for Deepika's look in the film, "We wanted today's girl at a rave -- barefoot, dancing on the sand, wearing anklets and a white dress.

Deepika's blouse made of stretch lycra, looks like a choli and is cut in such a way that the back looks bare. The skirt moves like a subtle shimmer as there are pieces of metal sheeting in it along with chiffon and is attached to a leather band.

Inside, she's wearing a tiny sequined hotpants cut very high. She has a tattoo and feathers in her hair to give her a beach-grunge look. "