SLAMABAD: The U.S. is launching a new $40 million Gender Equity Grants Program in Pakistan to advance women's human rights and support Government of Pakistan's policies against gender inequities.
The U.S. and Pakistan are focused on empowering women and advancing women's rights an issue of great importance to both our countries, "Ambassador Anne W. Patterson said. Women and girls need access to education, full participation in political, economic and civic life, and access to the justice system to ensure the future stability andprosperity of Pakistan.
The U.S. will work with the Aurat Foundation, in partnership with the Asia Foundation, to provide 400 to 500 grants to local organizations. The grants will range in size from $25,000 to $100,000. The grantees will include non-governmental organizations(NGOs), policy think tanks, academic research and training institutions, professional and business associations, media, as well as relevant government or quasi-government entities that address women's equality and empowerment challenges.
The grants will be used to expand women's access to justice and human rights and strengthen the capacity of organizations in Pakistan that advocate for gender equity, women's empowerment and the elimination of gender-based violence.
read more:http://geo.tv/8-30-2010/70719.htm
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army has rescued over 2000 flood affected people at Goth Faqeer and Sajwal to safer places. A Saudi team along with Army took part in rescue operation at Faqeer Goth.
According to ISPR, during last 24 hrs Army provided cooked food to 57,000 people and distributed 53 tons of rations in Sindh, So far. Army has dropped 15,000 kgs ration through helicopter in flood affected areas in last 24 hours in Sindh.
Army Engineers have plugged the breaches the Bund at Goth Faqeer at Tori in Sindh. Army Engineers are trying to make the roads in Thatta, Sajwal, and Badin functional.
read more:http://geo.tv/8-30-2010/70716.htm According to ISPR, during last 24 hrs Army provided cooked food to 57,000 people and distributed 53 tons of rations in Sindh, So far. Army has dropped 15,000 kgs ration through helicopter in flood affected areas in last 24 hours in Sindh.
Army Engineers have plugged the breaches the Bund at Goth Faqeer at Tori in Sindh. Army Engineers are trying to make the roads in Thatta, Sajwal, and Badin functional.
LAHORE: Chairman Tehreek-e-Insaaf Imran Khan termed that seeking army’s assistance to run the political affairs in country as foolish, adding that many a times army has failed badly to address crisis.
This he said talking to newsmen in Lahore on Monday. “Democratic government should perform well to strengthen its place and to win continuity.”
read more:http://geo.tv/8-31-2010/70728.htm
Now that Lindsay Lohan has returned ... so have some of the opportunistic leeches masquerading as her friends ... and according to sources close to the actress, the "bad people" are once again up to their old tricks.
We're told the same people who helped steer Lindsay's life into a downward spiral smell new opportunities to take advantage ... and are desperately trying to "snake their way back into her life."
According to sources, "They have been calling Lindsay non-stop ... and she's been talking to them." One source adds, "It's scary ... they could take her off the right path."
As we previously reported, the price of Lindsay's treatment at the UCLA facility ran around $130,000 -- we'll see if the investment pays off.
American socialite Paris Hilton has been arrested in the US for alleged possession of cocaine, police say.
Ms Hilton was arrested by Las Vegas police when they stopped a car in which she was a passenger.Officers found some suspicious powder in the car, which later proved to be cocaine.
She was booked into the county jail before being charged and released, police said.
Police spokesman Marcus Martin said Ms Hilton was being driven by a friend when they were stopped by police at 2330 local time (0630 GMT).
"Officers noticed a vehicle leaving smoke trail of a controlled substance [and] made a stop based on that," he said.
She was taken to Clark County Detention Center and charged before being released "on her own recognizance "- meaning she has promised to appear in court but has not had to pay bail.
Watch commander Lt Wayne Holman said the driver of the car had been charged with driving under the influence of drugs, the Associated Press reported.
read more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11119830
The hit US series Mad Men was among the big winners at this year's Emmy awards, taking the title for best drama series.
Glee star Jane Lynch won an acting award, but the musical show was beaten in the best comedy category by Modern Family.
George Clooney was presented with a humanitarian Emmy for organising a telethon in aid of Haiti.
House star Hugh Laurie, who was among the top British hopes, came away empty-handed after Sunday's ceremony.
The former Blackadder star had been the only Briton in an outstanding actor category.
British hopes dashed
One British actor to win an Emmy was London-born Archie Panjabi.
Panjabi, who made her name in British hit films East is East and Bend It Like Beckham, picked up best supporting actress for her role as a law firm's private investigator in the The Good Wife.
Continue reading the main story
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* 'Mad Men' storm Emmy Awards
* Glee challenges 30 Rock Emmy run
British-born actress Julia Ormond also scooped a best supporting actress gong for her role in mini-series Temple Grandin.
The programme, which had a British director and producer, was named outstanding made for television movie at the ceremony.
But there was disappointment for many British stars.
Sir Ian McKellen and Michael Sheen had been in the running for an acting award for their work in The Prisoner and The Special Relationship respectively.
Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith were also nominated for acting, for Cranford and Capturing Mary.
Laurie's Emmy nomination was his fourth for his role as curmudgeonly doctor Gregory House.
readmore :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11125419
Residents of Krakow, Poland attempted to break the record for the world's longest pizza by making one that's more than 1000 meters in length. The Guinness Book of World Records hasn't yet announced if their effort was successful.
The current record for the largest pizza is 407m (445 yds), but the Poles are trying to break it with one reaching more than 1,000m (1093 yds).
It has not yet been officially announced whether the record has been broken.
Cameron talks LOS ANGELES: "Aliens." "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." James Cameron knows how to make a sequel, revisiting fully created fictional worlds, taking what's already established and trying to outflank what came before.
That's been the director's plan since embarking on his technology-revolutionizing quest to being "Avatar" to the big screen, and with the film's mammoth first weekend behind it, an alien love story sequel we almost certainly shall get.
In a pre-opening discussion with MTV News, Cameron spoke at length about his plans for his burgeoning sci-fi franchise and where the story will pick up following the first film's game-changer of an ending: Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) successfully and permanently transfers his consciousness to his big blue Na'vi avatar after falling in love with Princess Neytiri (Zoe Saldana).
Cameron made clear that the next film won't be a prequel, recounting previous backstory, but will begin after the events of the initial movie. "We'll follow Jake and Neytiri," he confirmed.
In fact, Cameron intends to follow the couple for another two films. "I have a trilogy-scaled arc of story right now, but I haven't really put any serious work into writing a script," he said.
The next two films, however, won't necessitate the four years of production time that "Avatar" took to perfect its motion-capture technology and computer-generated environments and beings.
"Part of what we set out to do is create a world and create these characters," Cameron said. "From the time we capture and finish the capture, it's literally nine to 10 months to get the CG characters working, to get their facial musculature working. ... So now we have Jake, we have Neytiri. Sam can step right back into it, the characters will fit them like a glove, and we'll just go on. So a lot of the start-up torque that had to be done for one movie really makes more sense if you play it out across several films."
So where will the challenge be for a director who so famously craves one, from the intensity of shooting underwater for months for 1989's "The Abyss" to the mega-budgeted, initially ridiculed "Titanic" in 1997?
"My next goal is to refine the technique, make it easier so it doesn't take as long," Cameron said. "We were doing a lot of pioneering work on 'Avatar.' It wouldn't have taken as long if we already knew exactly how to do it."
The ghosts of match-fixing returned to haunt the Pakistan cricket as the Scotland Yard arrested an alleged fixer after sordid details about corruption in the Pakistan cricket team currently facing defeat in the Lord's Test emerged in a British tabloid.
In a recent development in the case, conflicting reports suggest that the passports of Pakistani players have been seized impending inquiry into the fixing scandal.
'The News of the World' tabloid splashed details of a sting operation it conducted on a London-based individual, Mazhar Majeed.
Scorecard | Head 2 Head | Player Records
The tabloid said it gave 150,000 pounds to him after he promised to arrange for Pakistan bowlers to bowl no-balls during the match.
Forum: Why do you think Pakistan cricket gets frequently embroiled in match-fixing rows?
Majeed, 35, was arrested on late Saturday night by the Scotland Yard.
The ICC too has now risen to the issue. They have come out with a release after the sting was telecast, saying investigations are on and also clarifying that no player has been arrested. (Also Read: Pakistan cricket's past misadventures)
In a statement the ICC said, "No players nor team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident...Test match will continue as scheduled on Sunday."
However, seven Pakistani cricketers are now under investigation for match-fixing.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has also confirmed that some of the players are under investigation.
"Scotland Yard detectives had visited the team hotel where they had taken statements of captain Salman Butt, fast bowlers Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamir, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal," Pakistan team manager, Yawar Saeed said from London.
The two Pakistan cricketers who allegedly bowled no-balls under directions from Majeed were Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif.
Both bowlers delivered three no-balls in the ongoing Test against England on Thursday and Friday at the historic Lord's.
The two bowlers delivered the no-balls at precisely the moments promised to our reporter', the tabloid said.
"Our undercover team was posing as front men for a Far East gambling cartel. In return for their suitcase of money Majeed then calmly detailed what would happen - and when - on the field of play next day, as a taster of all the lucrative information he could supply in future," it reported.
Majeed reportedly said: "I'm going to give you three no-balls to prove to you firstly that this is what's happening. They've all been organised, okay? This is 'exactly' what's going to happen, you're going to 'see' these three things happen. I'm telling you, if you play this right you're
going to make a lot of money, believe me!"
Majeed identified Pakistan captain Salman Butt as the 'ringleader of the band of cheats'. He also reportedly named wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal and boasted that he had a total of seven corrupt cricketers in his pocket, the report said.
Majeed is identified as a property tycoon with a house in Surrey worth 1.8 million pounds.
The tabloid reporter's meetings with Majeed were held in the Bombay Brasserie Indian restaurant here, and Majeed reportedly went on to allege an Indian connection as well.
He is quoted as saying: "I deal with an Indian party. They pay me for the information."
Pakistan though are facing another humiliating defeat against England. They had reduced England to 47 for five and then 102 for seven on the second day of the fourth Test at Lords but then allowed Trott and Stuart Broad to score centuries and share a new record eight wicket partnership of 332 runs.
Pakistan was bowled out for 74 on Saturday and made to follow-on were they reduced to 46 for four at stumps facing certain defeat and a big series loss.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
LONDON/KARACHI: Bookie Mazhar Majeed, who is now reportedly under arrest, said Pakistan captain Salman Butt was involved in the match-fixing and was the ringleader of the scandal in the ongoing fourth Test against England at Lord's.
In a dramatic development the Scotland Yard detectives visited the Pakistan dressing room immediately after the third day's play to question the players after a British tabloid's sting operation exposed the alleged nexus between players and the bookies.
"Scotland Yard detectives had visited the team hotel where they had taken statements of captain Salman Butt, fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal," Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed said.
The 'News of the World' tabloid alleged that a Pakistani man Mazhar Majeed, who is now under arrest, had paid bribes to the players to bowl no-balls and wides in the series and the Lord's Test.
The tabloid claims it has video evidence confirming involvement of seven players which it had shared with Scotland Yard triggering off the investigation into the spot-fixing racket.
The International Cricket Council said it was aware of all the developments and made it clear that the fourth day's play of the ongoing Test will continue as scheduled.
"No players nor team officials have been arrested in relation to this incident and the fourth Test match will continue as scheduled on Sunday.
"As this is now subject to a police investigation neither ICC, ECB, PCB nor the ground authority, the MCC, will make any further comment," an ICC statement said.
Yawar said that the investigators also talked to him but denied that they raided the rooms of the players and recovered money and seized their laptops and phones.
"The police have also spoken to me and we are trying to cooperate with them in every way possible and we are giving them what information they want," Yawar said.
But sources said the Scotland Yard detectives gathered some evidence from the hotel after raiding the player's room.
Geo Television has also reported that Scotland Yard have visited the Pakistan team hotel and inspected players rooms and the police is said to have recovered large amounts of money from rooms of some players and also seized their mobile phones.
Confirming that he had contacted the Pakistan High Commission in London for assistance, Yawar said, "the High Commissioner is also in touch with the Scotland Yard in this issue. We are cooperating with them."
Police in London have picked up Majeed and his accomplice in connection with the scandal. Majeed, 35, was arrested late on Saturday night after the tabloid handed over details of its sting operation to the Scotland Yard.
Sources close to the Pakistan team also have confirmed that the police went into Pakistan dressing room in connection with the arrests as Majeed claims to have paid off some players in excess of 150,000 pounds to fix the Test match.
"The police have carried out preliminary questioning of some players. Majeed is an old associate and friend of many Pakistani players and is settled in London. He has been seen regularly with the players on the tour," one source said.
"The sad part for the Pakistan cricket is that several leading players are said to be involved in this new scandal which could cause untold damage to Pakistan cricket," he said.
Pakistani TV channels reported that the players had been sounded off about the inquiry when the third day's play ended.
"That is why the players left early for the hotel without anyone attending the mandatory day's post-play press conference," a source said.
Pakistan had reduced England to 47 for five and then 102 for seven on second day at Lord's but then allowed Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad to score centuries and share a new record eighth-wicket partnership of 332 runs.
The two Pakistanis who allegedly bowled no-balls under directions from Majeed were Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif. Both bowlers delivered three no-balls on Thursday and Friday.
The two bowlers delivered the no-balls "at precisely the moments promised to our reporter," the tabloid said.
"Our undercover team was posing as front men for a Far East gambling cartel. In return for their suitcase of money Majeed then calmly detailed what would happen - and when - on the field of play next day, as a taster of all the lucrative information he could supply in future," it reported.
Pakistan was bowled out for 74 on Saturday and made to follow-on where they reduced to 41 for four at stumps facing certain defeat and a big series loss.
While match-fixing is fixing the result of the whole match, the spot-fixing is fixing events within a match, may be on ball-by-ball basis.
This is not the first time that Akmal's name has come up in a match fixing allegation.
After Australian tour earlier this year, former Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and assistant coach Aaqib Javed (who is still with the team) had expressed suspicions about Kamran's involvement with bookies after assessing his performance in the Sydney Test.
Meanwhile, Iqbal Mohammad Ali who heads National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports blamed the PCB and its Chairman Ijaz Butt for the humiliation Pakistan cricket was facing.
"We and the Senate sports committee had warned that if some players were suspected of having ties with bookies they should be dropped from the team and disciplined.
"But no one paid heed. If these players are now guilty we want to see them behind the bars because this conduct is unacceptable," Ali said.
Kelly Preston Pregnant with Baby Boy: Did you hear the Kelly Preston news? Kelly Preston is pregnant with a baby boy, as she and John Travolta celebrated the upcoming birth with a baby shower earlier this month
A friend of Kelly Preston and John Travolta said of the baby news, “This baby is such a healing baby,” referring to the family’s healing after the loss of their son Jett, 16, last January.
Kelly Preston and John Travolta look so happy in this picture, as they celebrated at a baby shower that included a baby blue cake with a bird’s nest set on top.
Lady Gaga caused a stir when she admitted to Vanity Fair that she occasionally does cocaine, and now she defends her drug use to Q magazine (via Contact Music) on the basis that it helped her creatively
Lady Gaga caused a stir when she admitted to Vanity Fair that she occasionally does cocaine, and now she defends her drug use to Q magazine (via Contact Music) on the basis that it helped her creatively.
"[Using drugs] I really figured out the art I wanted to make and was inspired," she said. "Some people find inspiration in dark places. I guess I'm one of them. What always made me different is that if I was doing drugs I was also making music. I wasn't just doing drugs."
Though drugs helped her get her start, now Gaga only does cocaine "a couple of times a year," she told Vanity Fair.
"Once you open those doors they're open for ever," she said in the Q interview. "People who say they need [drugs] to be creative are full of s**t. I'm not some chick on the road getting high and f***ed up every night. I wake up, drink coffee and get on the phone to talk about the creative direction of the next video."
Janice Dickinson has slammed Gaga for glamorizing drugs to her young fans.
"As a recovering addict who knows how dangerous occasional use is, I can think of no reason for Gaga to reveal this to her young audience," she told Life & Style. "She is a f**king idiot. The way she mentioned cocaine, I think she should really get spanked. You can damage and hurt kids. I'm appalled."