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Coming soon: Bruce Lee biopic

May 12, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 12 (ANI): A biopic about late action hero Bruce Lee is to be made to mark his birth on November 27 of this year.

Shooting of ‘Bruce Lee’ is expected to begin at the end of June and the film is scheduled for release before November 27, reports M1905.com.

The biopic will revolve around Bruce Lee’ pre-stardom story.

A young Hong Kong born singer-turned-actor is expected to play young Bruce.

Manfred Wong, producer of ‘Bruce Lee’, says Aarif”s appearance in ‘Echoes of the Rainbow’ reminded him of Bruce, and he believes Aarif is the ideal choice to portray the role, reports english.news.cn.

“Bodyguards and Assassins” assistant director Wai-Man Yip will helm the film and actors Karen Mok and Tony Leung Ka-Fai will play Bruce’s parents. (ANI)

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Tempers flare ahead of Terre’blanche murder trial

April 7, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Tempers flared outside a South African court on Tuesday ahead of the appearance of two black farm workers accused of killing white supremacist leader Eugene Terre’blanche.

Police erected a barbed wire barricade to separate a crowd of 200 supporters of Terre’blanche’s Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB) from a group of black workers outside the court in Ventersdorp, 100 km (60 miles) west of Johannesburg.

AWB loyalists had been singing South Africa’s apartheid-era national anthem, prompting the opposing side to respond with Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrica, (God Bless Africa) the anthem introduced after the country’s first multi-racial elections in 1994.

South African leaders, including President Jacob Zuma, have urged calm since Saturday’s killing, and police reacted quickly to separate the two groups when a white woman threw a bottle of water, a Reuters reporter at the scene said.

The “Rainbow Nation”, saddled with a reputation for crime and violence, will be in the international spotlight in a little over two months when it hosts the soccer World Cup.

Police believe Terre’blanche, who had pushed to preserve white minority rule in the 1990s, was killed over a pay dispute.

(Reporting by Peroshni Govender, Writing by Ed Cropley, Editing by Janet Lawrence)

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Tom Cruise ‘desperate to make Charlotte Church big in Hollywood’

March 29, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, March 29 (ANI): Tom cruise is said to be eager to make Charlotte Church big in Hollywood.

The 24-year-old actress has apparently caught Cruise’s attention and that actor wants to turn ‘Over The Rainbow’ into a film goddess.

“Tom and Katie think Charlotte would be great in a Broadway show and reckon she has a blossoming career ahead in the film world too if she wanted,” the Daily Star quoted a film industry insider as saying. (ANI)

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Fuel reduction burn escapes

March 20, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

A fuel reduction burn on public land has escaped from control lines and is burning out of control in Victoria’s Mallee.

Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) fire crews lit the burn north of Rainbow in the Wyperfeld National Park yesterday morning.

It was to have burnt 1,200 hectares, but escaped late yesterday and has so far burnt about 2,000 hectares.

The DSE says the fire is burning south towards the Birdcage Flora and Fauna Reserve and parallel with a 100 metre fire break between public and private farmland.

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John Mayer Tweets: “I’ve never high fived Kristin Cavalari with my penis”

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, September 11 (ANI): Singer John Mayer posted some ridiculously funny Tweets to establish the point that he isn’t dating Hills hottie Kristin Cavallari.

The ‘Your Body is a Wonderland’ hitmaker’s first post read: Rumor control: How do I put this like a gentleman…I have never high fived Kristin Cavalari with my penis,” Us magazine reports.

Another went: “I’m sure she’s a wonderful gal but we have never tasted the Skittles Rainbow together.”

He added: “My Milli has never slam danced with her Vanilli.”

And Mayer ended with: “I have never Bensoned her Hedges, nor have I attempted to Bartle her James.”

The posts come after rumors spread on the net of his link-up with Kristin. (ANI)

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Assam football club creates swine flu awareness

September 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Guwahati, Sep 5(ANI): With numerous cases of swine flu being detected in different parts of northeast, a local football club in Assam’s Guwahati city has taken up an initiative to create mass awareness about the deadly H1N1 virus through a football tournament.

In a tournament sponsored by Udyan Kristi Sangha, the Rainbow XI Club played the game wearing facemasks with an aim to create awareness about Swine Flu among the villagers, who have little knowledge about the disease.

“We are wearing mask and playing football to create awareness about swine flu among the villagers, so that they can be vigil and take necessary precautionary measures,” said Monoj Basumatary, a Rainbow Club player.

While, T. Medhi, a member of the organising committee, said: “Swine Flu is spreading and in this regard, the club from Odalbakra has done a fine job in creating awareness about the swine flu.”

In the first case of swine flu reported from the northeastern states, a 19-year-old Manipuri woman fencer who returned from a competition in Singapore tested positive for the disease.

While in Meghalaya, five persons have already tested positive for the H1N1 virus and in Assam, a law student who recently came to Guwahati also tested positive.

Authorities in the northeastern region have taken precautionary measures against the spread of swine flu. By Peter Alex Todd(ANI)

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Wednesday, not Monday, is the worst day of the week

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Aug 23 (ANI): Monday was always assumed to be the day we are most miserable, but as it turns out, Wednesday is the worst day of the week.

That’s the claim of two American applied mathematicians, who analysed words used in 2.4 million internet blogs such as Twitter, giving a score out of nine depending on how positive they were.

Professors Christopher Danforth and Peter Dodds, of Vermont University, gave words like free, fun, rainbow and sex 8+ score, while words such as betray, cruel, hatred and suffocate all scored less than two.

Saturday and Sunday rated predictably well but, most shockingly, Monday came out as the second happiest day of the week, partly because people were still reminiscing about the weekend, reports The Telegraph.

However by Wednesday, these feelings had subsided.

Professor Danforth said: “People’s daily experience is being reflected somewhat in what they’re saying. And this is more of a story, we think, for Twitter messages, which we’ve just started to pay attention to, about a year ago.

“They think they are communicating with friends, but since blogs are public we’re just looking over their shoulders.

“The weekends tend to be fairly happy and Wednesday turned out to be the saddest day.”

The expert added: “What we’re attempting to do is measure collective happiness on a much larger scale, similar to measuring the temperature outside.

“The energy of a few molecules bouncing around doesn’t give a good indication of heat, you need billions or more.” (ANI)

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Gay community stages rally in Bhubaneswar

June 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Bhubaneswar, June 28 (ANI): People belonging to sexual minorities staged a rally in Bhubaneswar demanding their rights.

Gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexuals put up plays and also took to streets to participate in the ‘Rainbow Pride Walk’ to make people aware about their plight.

“The reason for organising this rally is that people look down upon us in the society. There is a stigma attached to sexual minorities in our society. We want to live with respect,” said Tulu.

Members of the sexual minority community said they wanted the society to treat them with respect and wanted equal rights like any other citizen.

“The purpose is to make people aware that the society in India, in Orissa, in Bhubaneswar, – wherever lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender are, – every where, they have equal rights like any other citizen of this country. India is a democratic country. We have the right to express our problems, our concerns to larger society and we expect the civil society, the private sector and even the NGO sector to understand our problems better,” said Pawan Dhall, organiser of the march.

The ‘Rainbow Pride Walk’ held annually aims to draw sexual orientation, gender identity and associated sexual health issues into the larger human rights movement in the country.

It draws its inspiration from the Stonewall Riots held in New York, USA in June 1969.

The riots occurred as a mark of protest by sexual minorities in the US against police harassment that was a daily feature of their lives in those days and sparked off what can be said to be the modern movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the West. (ANI)

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Scientists suggest new animal model to test carcinogen risk

June 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, June 19 (ANI): Researchers at Oregon State University have suggested a new and improved method to test carcinogen risk.

They said that trout can be a superior animal model than laboratory rats, and other traditional methods of assessing the risk of carcinogens.

“The whole foundation of modern toxicology is that the dose makes the poison,” said George Bailey, an OSU distinguished professor emeritus of molecular and environmental toxicology.

“You can die from eating a few tablespoons of ordinary table salt at one time, but that doesn’t mean that table salt is a poison at the doses that humans normally consume.

“With compounds that we know can cause cancer, the real question is how much is too much.

“What we have found is that traditional approaches to making that evaluation, which are almost always based on studies done at very high doses with laboratory rodents, may not always give us answers that are reasonably accurate,” he added.

Researchers are usually trying to determine what can cause cancer at levels considered unacceptable.

However, the age-old problem they have faced is the cost and laboratory logistics making it virtually impossible to test millions of rats.

“When using rodents, it simply was not possible to study larger numbers of animals, the cost was too prohibitive,” said Linus Pauling Institute at OSU.

The Oregon State University researchers have revealed that rainbow trout may for many purposes be as or more accurate in determining what compounds, at what levels, can pose a risk of human cancer.

They have pioneered the use of trout for studies of this type for 40 years, and researchers believe that it may now be time to greatly expand the use of that research.

“We can do experiments with trout in large numbers at very low cost, about 5 percent of what a rodent study would cost,” she said.

“For most studies of carcinogens, exposing 2,000 rodents would be a huge project. For us, working with 2,000 trout is a pilot study,” she added.

The OSU scientists recently completed the largest study ever done with animals in toxicology, exposing 40,800 trout to what’s considered an “ultra-low” dose of dibenzo-a,l-pyrene, a chemical that can cause liver cancer and is part of a broad field of toxic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.

The study determined that a tolerable threshold for human exposure to this toxic chemical would be 500 to 1,500 times higher than is outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency.(ANI)

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Cricket South Africa CEO lauds success of IPL-Two

May 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Johannesburg, May 26 (ANI): Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola has declared the DLF Indian Premier League a resounding success, saying all parties should feel proud of the collective effort that saw the IPL moved from India to South Africa at short notice.

Speaking after the Deccan Chargers beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore by six runs in the final at the Liberty Life Wanderers Stadium on Sunday night, Majola said: “CSA’s main reason for taking on the challenge of hosting the IPL was to assist an ICC member country who had problems hosting a major tournament for reasons beyond its control.

“We knew that CSA had the climate, facilities, know-how and a cricket-loving public to back up the successful hosting of this second IPL tournament even at this short notice. To see it all come together with a full house at the Liberty Life Wanderers Stadium for the final was incredible.”

“Before our national elections last month, South Africa was experiencing a lot of doom and gloom politically and economically, and the IPL tournament lifted spirits enormously. Our tourist industry also got an extra bite of the cherry against the negative world travel trend. CSA must add its warmest gratitude to the South African Government which gave its wholehearted support to CSA hosting this prestigious tournament right from the start.”

“This endorsement made a big difference between us getting the final nod from the BCCI and the IPL organisers to host the tournament. The Government effort throughout was superb, right from the Presidency to every level of support service that was needed to make this such a huge success.

“It also showed the world that South Africa was ready and able to do a great job in hosting FIFA’s two most important events: the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“We also think it had a positive impact on the holding of India’s month-long and peaceful elections on a sub-continent fraught with internecine strife.

“The tournament also heightened interest in cricket worldwide. Certainly, at home it added even more value to cricket following the Proteas’ most successful season and the eventful tours in and out of Australia.

“It has given a number of young South African cricketers a chance to play top level cricket against, and with, many of the world’s greatest stars. This will give them huge confidence going into the forthcoming ICC World Twenty20 in England.

“Finally, the 2009 IPL has re-confirmed South Africa as a wonderful host to major sporting events, and a home for the world’s rainbow cultures. It has also brought in unexpected and very welcome funds for the further development of South African cricket, mainly in previously disadvantaged communities.

“Internationally, it has changed the landscape of world cricket.

Properly handled, the IPL concept will bring about the real globalization of the sport for the first time. This should enable the longer forms of cricket to prosper, but only if they are made to be publicly attractive in the 21st century and beyond, Majola concluded.” (ANI)

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Parton thinks Witherspoon needs a “big ol’ boob job” to play her

May 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 7 (ANI): Voluptuous singer Dolly Parton thinks Reese Witherspoon needs a “big ol’ boob job” to play her in a new biopic.

While expressing her surprise on reports suggesting that the petite actress is being linked with playing her in a planned movie, Parton jokingly said: “We’d have to get her a big ol’ boob job.”

A biographical film is one of a string of new projects for the 63-year-old, reports The Daily Express.

Dolly has written all the songs for new musical 9 To 5, based on her 1980 film and has just written her first children’s book, I Am A Rainbow.

“Writing for kids is a great way to stay young,” added Parton. (ANI)

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Gorbachev agreed to help Reagan fight off an attack from aliens

April 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 25 (ANI): Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to help his then American counterpart Ronald Reagan in case the United States was attacked from outer space.

Gorbachoev was appearing on Tuesday’s Charlie Rose show on PBS along with George Shultz, Reagan’s Secretary of State during the Gorbachev era.

The show was taped back on March 26 at the Rainbow Room in New York for a luncheon of the American Jewish Historical Society. Quite a bit of the discussion centered on the first meeting between the two leaders in Geneva, which drew this science-fictional aside:

Gorbachev got a laugh when he said he wasn’t all that impressed with Reagan’s historic challenge to “tear down Berlin Wall”. But went on to say that he believed Reagan “was a great president.”

Shultz was talking about the Lake Geneva summit and mentioned the two leaders ducked out of a meeting to take a walk to a nearby cabin.

“I wasn’t there…,” Shultz said before Gorbachev cut him off.

“From the fireside house, President Reagan suddenly said to me, ‘What would you do if the United States were suddenly attacked by someone from outer space? Would you help us?’I said, ‘No doubt about it.’”

“He said, ‘We too.’”

“So that’s interesting,” Gorbachev said to much laughter.

He then said to Shultz, “I’m sorry for having interrupted you, but it was an interesting moment,” The Christian Science Monitor reported. (ANI)

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Mariah Carey ‘suffering from insomnia’

April 23, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 23 (ANI): Singer Mariah Carey is struggling to get to sleep at night.

And in order to pass her time, the stunner has taken to watching her husband Nick Cannon doze peacefully while she is wide awake, reports The China Daily.

She wrote on her Twitter page: “I just finished working out. Whooo! Quite naturally, ‘its 5am and I still can’t sleep’(sung like ‘crybaby’ from ‘Rainbow’ 99)lol Who’s up?

“Nick is too cute when he’s sleep! I wish he didn’t have to work tomorrow so he could help me sleep all day and I could sing all nite (sic)!”

Mariah is not the only celebrity to have sleepless nights. Robbie Williams often finds it difficult to drop off.

A source said: “Rob has a problem sleeping and it’s very hard for him to know what to do after he has performed.”

Earlier, beauty Salma Hayek had also revealed that after having daughter Valentina Paloma, she didn’t sleep for six months.

She said: “I don’t even remember what my life was like before. I can tell you that I don’t sleep. This is a cliche but it’s true. I haven’t slept in the last six months.

“The blessing of having a healthy child, I think is the best thing that can happen to anyone.” (ANI)

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Nicole Richie donates kid’s clothes to charity

April 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, April 8 (ANI): Socialite Nicole Richie has placed her 14-month-old daughter’s items for auction to raise money for charity.

The adopted daughter of R and B-pop singer Lionel Richie has a little girl named Harlow with Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden.

Nicole has donated her daughter’s articles to HandMeDowns.com, which will put them under the hammer, reports Contactmusic.

Baby Harlow’s Ralph Lauren romper, an autographed MAClaren Lacoste stroller, infant moccasins and a rainbow striped cashmere sweater have been included for sale on April 17.

Funds raised from the auction will be handed out to the couple’s Richie-Madden Foundation, which lends aid to disadvantaged kids. (ANI)

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Nobody ready to pay for Mugabe’s birthday bash

February 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Harare, Feb.21 (ANI): Nobody wants to pay for Zimbabwe President, Robert Mugabe’s 85th birthday bash. So far, fundraisers have been unable to raise the 17,500 pounds needed to stage a party in central Chinhoyi next week.

Supporters of Mugabe, who turns 85 today, have arranged a dinner dance at Harare’s plush Rainbow Towers hotel to try to make up for the 10, 500 pound shortfall.

A report in the Scotsman says that a pick-up truck is also to be raffled to raise funds, with state-run ZBC radio running prime-time adverts urging the public to buy raffle tickets before next Friday.

Angry members of the 21st February Movement, which exists solely to raise funds each year for Mugabe’s party, have complained that businessmen and farmers who pledged cash and livestock to feed party-goers haven’t kept their promises.

They want an inventory made of all those who pledged cash and 80 cattle, 70 goats, pigs, grain and loaves of bread to the party so they can check up on defaulters, according to a radio report.

With Zimbabwe bankrupt, Mugabe’s supporters have already been forced to scale down their fundraising targets for this year’s celebrations. Last year, they raised the equivalent of 175,000 pounds for the party that was held in the southern town of Beitbridge.

Mugabe and his family have got used to lavish presidential birthday parties while the rest of the nation starves, stoking tension in this once-prosperous country.

Seven million Zimbabweans need food aid this month, according to the UN’s World Food Programme. Zimbabwe’s total population numbers around 11 million, although that figure is being eroded by cholera, Aids, malnutrition and the steady flight of tens of thousands of desperate Zimbabweans, mostly into neighboring South Africa. (ANI)

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Hopes ready to engage Proteas

February 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Feb 18 (ANI): All rounder James Hopes is not perturbed by Australia skipper Ricky Ponting’s blow-up during the washed out Chappell-Hadlee series decider in Brisbane, and is ready to engage South Africa.

“We are all grown men and never take anything personally. I think Ricky was just letting off some steam,” said Hopes.

Conversely, Hopes will use a glowing endorsement from Ponting as motivation if picked for Australia’s limited-overs tour of South Africa next month, FOX Sports reported.

“Ever since he came into the side two years ago he has hardly had a bad game,” said Ponting, after Hopes claimed 2/37 from 10 overs during game four against New Zealand in Adelaide last week.

Hopes, 30, is busting to be part of a quest for revenge in South Africa that would see Australia hit back against the Proteas in the Test series then avenge a 4-1 one-day series loss.

“I have found Ricky really supportive for me as a captain, as he is for all the guys, which is good,” said Hopes, who has made 47 one-day appearances for Australia.

“He always has some positive words for the boys. I am itching to get over there. The whole Australian cricket community is behind the team. We want to do well and get even over there.”

Some critics believe Hopes should have filled the Test all rounder’s berth ahead of Victoria’s Andrew McDonald in South Africa, FOX Sports reported.

But Hopes says his 172 runs at 15.6 in six first-class games cost him, compared with McDonald’s 356 at 44.5.

Hopes urged fans to appreciate that Australia’s Test and one-day teams were rebuilding as fast as possible and were desperate to succeed in the Rainbow Nation. (ANI)

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50 Cent to team up with Robbie Williams on new record

January 20, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

Washington, Jan 20 (ANI): Rapper 50 Cent is apparently planning to team up with British singer Robbie Williams on a new record.

The 33-year-old singer was hoping to collaborate with Williams to record a track for his 2007 album Curtis, but the Angels hitmaker rehab stint forced him to scrap his plans.

But 50 Cent hopes they will be able to sort out some recording time together in the near future, reports Contactmusic.

Meanwhile the American rapper a.k.a Curtis James Jackson III slammed his singing rival Kanye West in a new song by poking fun at him.

Jackson was a little peeved with West, who released 808s and Heartbreak last year, and then came out with a new sound that did not follow his rap tune.

In the song 50 Cent sings: “It’s the return of the heartless monster/I should give you n***ers a whole R+B record/808s and my heart’s broken/I hate all these f**kers with the rainbow colours on.” (ANI)

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Trouts, a lucrative proposition in Kashmir

January 20, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

Rajouri, Jan 20 (ANI): Trout fish cultivation has gained fillip in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri District as the State Fisheries Department is successfully harnessing the potential to produce trout, a valuable commercial fish.

Trout, both brown and the rainbow species, is a coldwater fish found aplenty in the Beas, Sutlej and Ravi rivers flowing in from the upper reaches of the Himalayan range.

In 1984, a trout fish-farming project was set up at Kokernag, 79 kilometres south of Srinagar with assistance of the European Economic Community (EEC).

The project was successful and emerged as Asia’s largest trout farm.

The Kokernag farm has now restocked trout fishes in the valley’s streams and the trout production has increased manifold.

Consequently, quality trout is available at State’s fishery centres at much cheaper rates as compared to other trout producing nations of Asia.

The Fisheries Department is propagating trout farming in the cold-water rivers for the promotion of sport fishing to attract more tourists from abroad.

“We cultivate fish in the still waters. In fish farming, the investment is less as compared to the profits we generate. We have more than 100 units engaged in the farming in the Rajouri District alone. And we earn minimum 20 to 30 thousand through one Kanal,” said Qasim Lone, Assistant Director,isheries Department, Jammu and Kashmir.

Commanding massive demand within India and abroad, 10,000 to 150,000 of trout fish are being exported. This is apart from the amateur anglers and tourists netting this fish.

“We export nearly ten thousand to fifteen thousand a fish every year.We want more of our trout fish to be exported. We also get support from the Jammu and Kashmir Government,” said Mohammed Iqbal, a private fish firm owner.

Trout is highly nutritious. It is said that an average-sized trout contains about 1.8 grams of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that is needed for the development of brain and retina in infants.

This fish also contains 20 percent protein, Vitamin A, B, B1, C2 and D and forms the basis of healthy, low fat and fibre-rich diet.

The saga of trout in Kashmir valley dates back to the era of British colonial rule.

It is believed that trout was introduced here for angling by an Englishman named Frank Mitchell in 1899.

He reared the trout in premises of his private carpet factory at Bagh-e-Dilawar Khan (Garden of Dilawar Khan) located in old city Srinagar.

Later,he established the first trout hatchery at Harwan, situated on the outskirts of Srinagar in 1901,which today has become a prospective proposition. By Tahir Nadeem Khan (ANI)

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