N Korean official in charge of ties with South dies

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un’s “most trustworthy” aide who oversaw ties with the South has died in a traffic accident, Pyongyang’s state media said Wednesday, a loss seen as a blow to efforts at reconciliation between the two rivals.
Kim has earned a reputation for ruthlessness after eliminating previous high-ranking officials including his uncle but the announcement of a state funeral for Kim Yang-Gon appears to indicate his death was not part of a fresh purge.
Kim Yang-Gon, who was a secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party, “died in a traffic accident at 6:15 am Tuesday at age 73,” the Korean Central News Agency said, without giving further details of the incident.
He served three generations of the Kim dynasty which has ruled the North for more than six decades with an iron fist and no tolerance for dissent.
KCNA hailed him as “the dearest and the most trustworthy comrade-in-arms” of current leader Kim Jong-Un, who will head a state funeral for the official on Thursday.
His death was a “great loss” for the party and the people, KCNA said, praising him for his “admirable loyalty and competence”.
A career diplomat, Kim Yang-Gon played a leading role in realising the 2007 summit between Kim Jong-Il and South Korean president Roh Moo-Hyun and was the only North Korean official present at their meeting in Pyongyang.
After the sudden death of Kim Jong-Il in 2011, Kim Yang-Gon was known as a key confidante to his son, the young leader Kim Jong-Un, advising him on inter-Korean and international relations.
‘Negative impact on relations’
Most recently, he took part in talks in August to defuse tensions with South Korea over a border land mine bast blamed on the North which brought the two sides to the brink of war.
The two sides also vowed to make efforts to promote inter-Korean civilian exchanges.
But subsequent talks this month ended with little progress in resolving issues such as that of families separated by the division of the Korean peninsula and the 1950-53 Korean War and the resumption of cross-border tours to the North’s scenic Mount Kumgang.
Kim’s death is widely seen as a blow to efforts at dialogue and reconciliation.
“This is going to deliver negative impacts on inter-Korean relations”, professor Yang Moo-Jin of the University of North Korean Studies told AFP.
“In light of the North’s nature, I don’t see anyone who can replace him in his role in daring offer policy ideas and advice to the leader in these fields”, he said.
Professor Kim Yong-Hyun of Dongguk University said Kim Yang-Gon had an image as a “moderate”.
“His death may cause difficulties to keeping up the momentum for dialogue” between the two Koreas, he said.
News of Kim Yang-Gon’s death sparked speculation that his sudden demise might be the result of political foul play, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said.
Some of the North’s most promising party leaders have died in traffic accidents.
Kim Yang-Gon’s predecessor Kim Yong-Sun, who helped arrange the landmark summit between South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung and Kim Jong-Il, also perished in a traffic accident in 2003.
Ri Je-Gang, a top party official in charge of assigning official posts to party members, died in a car crash in 2010 when he was rumoured to be involved in a power struggle with Jang Song-Thaek, the brother-in-law of Kim Jong-Il.
Jang himself survived a car accident in 2006 but was executed in 2013 by his nephew, new leader Kim Jong-Un after being condemned as a “traitor” to the nation.
Yonhap said the partying habits of North Korean elites were also to blame for their disproportionately high rate of fatal traffic accidents, often driving home drunk after exclusive parties.
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Paris attacks ‘mastermind’ killed in Syria

An Islamic State leader with “direct” ties to the alleged mastermind of the Paris attacks was among 10 of the group’s higher-ups killed in Syria and Iraq this month, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

The US military says such strikes are helping to weaken the jihadist group, which captured large parts of Iraq and Syria last year but has recently seen significant setbacks including this week’s loss of Ramadi in Iraq.

Baghdad-based US military spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said French national Charaffe el Mouadan was killed in a US-led coalition strike on December 24. He had been plotting further attacks against the West, Warren said.

“He was a Syrian-based ISIL member with a direct link to Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Paris attacks cell leader,” Warren said in a video call, using an alternative acronym for the IS group.

Abaaoud was killed in a police raid in Paris five days after the November 13 attacks that left 130 people dead and hundreds more wounded in a series of coordinated attacks across the French capital.

A French source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP there was no immediate evidence showing Mouadan was involved in the Paris attacks.

But the official said Mouadan had been close to Samy Amimour, one of the suicide bombers who attacked the Bataclan music venue.
Grew up in Paris suburbs
Mouadan, 26, grew up in a grimy Paris suburb and was the son of Morocco-born parents and one of eight siblings.
He was arrested in October 2012 while preparing to travel with Amimour and a third man, Samir Bouabout, to fight in either Yemen or Afghanistan, a source close to the investigation told AFP.
Though the men faced charges, they were nonetheless released, and had within a year found their way to Syria.
Mouadan’s path to radicalization appears to have been through the Internet, just as investigators believe was the case for Amimour and Bouabout.
The source said a witness at the Bataclan heard an attacker ask whether a fellow assailant was going to call a certain “Souleymane.”
Souleymane was the name Mouadan used on Twitter and in Syria, but it’s a common nickname and French investigators aren’t sure the attacker was referring to Mouadan.
The United States has since August 2014 led an international coalition attacking the IS group in Iraq and Syria.
France started bombing Syria in the wake of the Paris attacks, but Warren would not say if Paris was involved in the strike against Mouadan.
‘Striking the head of this snake’
Among the other leaders killed this month was Abdel Kader Hakim, an “external operations facilitator” who was killed in Mosul, Iraq on December 26.
Warren said Hakim was a veteran fighter and forgery specialist who had links to the Paris attack network, but he did not give additional details.
“His death removes an important facilitator with many connections in Europe,” Warren said.
And on December 10, Siful Haque Sujan, a Bangladeshi man who was educated in Britain and was allegedly an IS hacker, was killed near the IS stronghold of Raqa in Syria.
After months of preparations, the Iraqi military declared the city of Ramadi liberated from the IS group on Monday after clinching a landmark victory against the jihadists.
Warren said that part of the success in Ramadi and other areas was due to the killing of IS leaders.
“We’re striking at the head of this snake,” he said, while cautioning that “it’s still got fangs.”
The Pentagon listed the other slain IS leaders as:
• Rawand Dilsher Taher, an “external operations facilitator,” who was killed near Raqa
• Khalil Ahmad Ali al-Wais, the IS “emir of Kirkuk province” in Iraq
• Abu Anas, a roadside bomb expert who was killed near Kirkuk
• Yunis Khalash, IS’s “deputy financial emir” in Mosul
• Mithaq Najim, IS’s “deputy emir” in Kirkuk Province
• Akram Muhammad Sa’ad Faris, an IS “commander and executioner,” in Tal Afar, Iraq
• Tashin al-Hayali, an “external operations facilitator,” who was killed near Mosul in Iraq.
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Bahrain fighter jet crashes in Saudi

A Bahraini fighter jet taking part in the Saudi-led coalition battling rebel forces in Yemen crashed Wednesday in Saudi Arabia due to a “technical error,” the alliance said.

The F-16 jet crashed in the kingdom’s southwestern region of Jazan near the border with Yemen, the coalition said in a statement on the official SPA news agency.
The Bahrain Defence Force general command confirmed that the jet crashed “while carrying out its national duty in defending the southern borders” of Saudi Arabia.
The pilot was “saved and is in good health,” it said, adding that the plane’s wreckage had been found and that an investigation had been launched.
The crash comes a day after Bahrain said that three of its soldiers had died “in an incident” along the Saudi border with Yemen.
It did not say how or when they had died.
Eight Bahraini troops have been killed as part of the coalition, which was launched by Saudi Arabia in March to tackle Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen.
The Bahraini jet is the second coalition F-16 to crash after a Moroccan plane went down during a mission over Yemen in May.
Its pilot was later found dead and his body was returned home.
The coalition said that crash had been caused by a technical fault or human error, and it denied rebel claims that they downed the plane.
The alliance has been backing forces loyal to Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi’s internationally recognised government with air strikes, ground troops, and weaponry, in addition to training.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which play key roles in the coalition, have lost the most troops in the campaign. One Qatari soldier has also died.
More than 80 people, including civilians, have been killed on Saudi Arabia’s southern front with Yemen since March.
Sudan has also deployed troops in Yemen while Kuwaiti media reported this week that the emirate has decided to send ground forces.
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US alerts citizens in Bangladesh

The Unites States on Tuesday asked its citizens in Bangladesh to remain careful about security threats, following an earlier travel alert applicable for them.
The US Embassy in Dhaka warned US citizens of possible attacks against hotels and clubs in Dhaka in late December 2015, potentially in connection with celebrations on the New Year’s Eve.
The US mentioned that Dhaka Metropolitan Police announced enhanced security measures, to prevent any untoward incident on 31 December, including a prohibition on outdoor parties after 8pm.
The police also increased checkpoints in Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and the University of Dhaka, the US embassy said in its new message.
According to it, US citizens are reminded that there is an active “Travel Alert” for Bangladesh issued on 10 November and also a worldwide travel alert issued on 23 November.
The embassy reminded those US citizens considering travel to maintain vigilant situational awareness and to avoid large crowds and crowded places.
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Katrina, Ranbir Kapoor to celebrate New Year in Mexico?

After celebrating the Christmas with the Kapoor khandaan, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are reportedly all set to ring in the New Year in Mexico. Amid the rumours of a possible rift between the two, the two lovebirds will flock to the tropical holiday destination to spend some quality time together. Katrina is currently shooting for her film, 'Fitoor', and will wrap up her dance number before leaving for the holidays, as reported by Spotboye.com. Well, we will love to have a glimpse of some New Year selfies of the couple, according to Times of India.
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China detains two persons for spreading rumour

Two men were detained in a southern Chinese city for spreading a rumor that hundreds of terrorists have arrived in the city, police said, just days before a new law banning false terror information goes into effect, says an AP report.
Police in the Shenzhen city district of Guangming said Monday that two executives of an unspecified local company were detained after they posted the rumor-containing notice at their firm.
A photo posted by the police shows the notice warning company employees that 300 people from the far northwestern region of Xinjiang who were trained by the Islamic State group had arrived in the city.
Another report adds: A Chinese man condemned to death three times for murder and who spent 11 years on death row before being cleared was awarded 1.27 million yuan ($200,000) compensation, reports said Tuesday.
Zeng Aiyun, once a graduate student at Xiangtan University in the central province of Hunan, was convicted in 2004 of murdering a fellow student and sentenced to die.
The verdict was set aside three times on appeal and new trials ordered, but on the first two retrials in 2005 and 2010 Zeng was again condemned to death.
Finally the Xiangtan Intermediate People’s Court exonerated him for lack of evidence at his fourth trial in July.
It awarded him 1.27 million yuan in compensation on Monday, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
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Miss Universe, Miss Colombia ‘bonded together forever’

Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach from the Philippines has expressed kind words for Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutiérrez.
Wurtzbach commended the runner-up on Instagram on Friday, nearly a week after Miss Universe host Steve Harvey’s on-air mistake in naming Miss Colombia the winner of the coveted crown, when Miss Philippines was the victor.
“To Ariadna, you are an amazing woman and we are now bonded together forever by a unique experience,” the Filipina-German actress wrote, reports people.com.
“In the last three weeks we were together, I saw how strong and beautiful you are inside and out. You represented your country with honour and I know how proud everyone must be of you. Fate has a plan for you, and I’m excited to see what’s ahead.”
And the Miss Universe title holder had a few words to say to those enraged by the pageant blunder.
“To all the fans who are still fighting about this… Please let’s all stop now,” Wurtzbach said in an attempt to move past the controversy.
She added, “The Miss Universe Organization is about uniting empowered women from all over the world. Arguing and sending hateful messages to each other defeats the whole purpose.”
Gutiérrez is focusing on the positive as well. The Colombian TV host and fashion model shared a post on her Instagram writing, “Your destiny is written for you. And my destiny was this. I was able to bring happiness to my country after becoming Miss Universe for only a couple of minutes.”
Harvey has also been a good sport about his talked-about gaffe. After apologizing to both ladies, the comedian poked fun at himself with a new mix-up, switching up his Christmas greeting with “Merry Easter”.
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Affleck, Garner live together for children

Actor Ben Affleck and his former wife and actress Jennifer Garner reportedly find it “annoying” that they still live together despite parting ways, but are doing it for the sake of their three children.

“It’s obvious many times that they both find it annoying to deal with each other. Understandably so. It’s a strange situation to live together and yet be separated,” a source told people.com.

“They both seem to find the situation frustrating, but for now at least, they also seem to think it’s best. They are doing what is working for the kids,” the source added.
Affleck and Garner announced they were divorcing on June 30, 2015.
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Tom Cruise puts 4.95m pound property up for sale

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise is reportedly looking to sell his 4.95 million pound estate in West Sussex.

According to Daily Mirror, a country estate situated around 30 miles south of London has been placed on the market, and it is believed the property belongs to the “Top Gun” legend.

The sources said, the home is being offered for almost 5 million pound, and boasts five to six bedrooms along with eight bathrooms – five full and three half-size.

Quoting the Daily Mail, Indian Express said, it’s said Cruise and Katie Holmes bought the property in 2006 for considerably less, but now it seems the Hollywood star is ready to sell the 14.2-acre estate.
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Bollywood provides life support to Pak film industry

Despite border skirmishes and neighbourly acrimony, Bollywood films continue to provide a lifeline to Pakistan’s film industry, says leading filmmaker Jamshed Mahmood Raza.


 “It’s very simple: we are cousins,” says Raza. “We share the same language. We share the same songs. We had cinemas, but we were not making films. New cinema spaces emerged because of Bollywood. Once this happened, the filmmakers were ready. We can’t make films if there are no cinemas to screen them. Bollywood is still giving CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] to our industry.” Raza, whose new film Moor has been selected as Pakistan’s official entry for the Academy Awards, was screened at the 46th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in November. Moor, which means mother in Pashtun, is set in the terror-ridden region of northern Balochistan in Pakistan, where some families are run by women who single-handedly stand up to the mafia and fight ¬corruption. “My film might feel slightly abstract for the Pakistani audience. Critically, it’s one of the best, but financially it’s probably the worst right now. Moor was not seen as a film for the masses – and so we were allotted 11am matinée timings. I mean, nobody ever comes to a cinema on a weekday at 11am. We were sidelined and marked as an art film,” said Raza. Witty to a fault, Raza said this probably was why the film was selected as Pakistan’s entry for the Oscars. “Well, if you look at all the last Oscar entries, only Whiplash and a few others made money. It’s interesting – if you don’t make money, it is pretty much of a guarantee that you will make the Oscar entry,” he says. Dressed in jeans and a black kurta, the tall, bearded and balding Raza looks a lot like Rohit Shetty, the Indian director with a flair for over-the-top films. But the comparison between the two directors ends when Raza mentions the influence legendary American director Stanley Kubrick has had on his work. “My story is not the kind you hear from Bollywood or Lollywood. I was trained in an American film school. I loved Kubrick and in Pakistan not many people understood him,” says Raza. It also explains why he chose to film part of the movie in the war-torn region of Balochistan, where the film is set.-Asfar “Balochistan is sensitive. We have Taliban insurgencies going on there, too. It was tough working there, but it was secure in a way because we went through many security agencies. “The army and the government were really protecting us because we had an American with us, a Pakistani-American, and they don’t want any kidnapping cases,” he says. Raza, who is a fan of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, is strongly critical of Pakistan’s policy to ban Indian films, pointing out that in 1971, when Pakistan introduced a ban on Bollywood films from being shown in local cinemas, it sounded the death knell for the Pakistani film industry. “In 1971 we banned Indian films [it was lifted in 2006], and our industry was destroyed – but not the Indian industry,” he says. But hope is still there, says Raza: there are signs of a cultural revival all over the Pakistan. “So many bands are coming back, so many films are being made, so many cinema halls are coming up. There is definitely a change on cards,” says the filmmaker.
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'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' headed for $1.0b mark in ticket sales

The Force remains strong with the new "Star Wars" movie, which is on track to top $1 billion in global ticket sales this weekend, making it the fastest-ever film to reach that level.


 Walt Disney Co said in a statement on Saturday that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" had generated box office receipts of $890.3 million globally through Dec. 25 and would pass $1 billion this weekend, according to Reuters. The movie, the seventh installment in the newly-rebooted Star Wars franchise, opened in some international markets on Dec. 16 before rolling out in North America the following day. It is set to hit the $1 billion mark no later than Sunday, its 12th day in theaters, according to industry research firm Rentrak. The current record holder for being the fastest to gross $1 billion is Comcast Corp -owned Universal Pictures' "Jurassic World," which took 13 days after its release earlier this year, Rentrak said. The new "Star Wars" movie had already topped "Jurassic World" for the biggest opening weekend ever with $529 million globally. Disney said "Star Wars" has rung up $440.4 million in U.S. and Canada ticket sales and $449.9 million internationally, and it is set to open in China, the world's No. 2 movie market, on Jan. 9. China is crucial if Disney's first foray into the world of Jedi knights is to earn a spot among the top-grossing films of all time.
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Irina Shayk ‘lazy’ to take off make-up

Supermodel Irina Shayk mostly wears lipstick when she isn’t working because she is “too lazy” to take off her make-up.
“I rarely wear make-up in my ‘normal’ life - especially mascara, I’m too lazy to take it off at night. I’ll just put cover up under my eyes and a swipe of dark red lipstick. I like Givenchy’s Le Rouge Lipsticks,” Shayk said.
The model says she’s not as glamorous in her day-to-day life as she is while working as a model, and admitted her workout gear is her wardrobe essential, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Asked about the item of clothing she couldn’t live without, she said: “Replay’s Hyperskin denim yoga pants look like regular jeans, but they’re designed for working out, so they’re made from this incredibly comfortable, stretchy fabric - they’re like a second skin. They’re great to wear when I’m travelling, too.”
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Justin Bieber could have died due to stress

American talent manager Scooter Braun has revealed that singer Justin Bieber could have died due to stress and touring in 2013.
The “Baby” hitmaker’s reputation took a hit following a series of damaging stories shortly after he became a worldwide star.
Bieber’s talent manager Braun shared how he refused to let the former perform in 2013 after he released his “Journals” album, reports mirror.co.uk.
“I was not going to let him work. He wanted to tour, and I honestly at that time felt, if he toured, he could die,” New York Times quoted Braun as saying.
“The outsiders don’t really know what was happening. It was far worse than people realize. and when he is ready, he will tell what he was going through. But it’s a hard thing to watch someone you care and genuinely love go through that. I’m really, really happy that’s over,” he added.
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Actresses who refuse to drop their clothes

Bollywood is getting bolder by the day. Actors and actresses are willing to shed their inhibitions and throw caution to the winds when it comes to dropping their clothes for love-making scenes.

However, some celebs are still uncomfortable with the idea of getting intimate on-screen. Some actors-actresses even include a ‘no kissing’ clause in their contract. Times of India brings two of the actresses forward, who have refused to do love-making scenes or kiss their co-stars in films.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has made his mark in Bollywood with his roles in films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Kick, Badlapur and Gangs Of Wasseypur.

However, there is an actress who apparently refused to do a love-making scene with the actor. She is none other than Pakistani actress, Mahira Khan, who is making her big Bollywood debut with Raees opposite Shah Rukh Khan. Actresses who refuse to drop their clothes

According to a report on Bollywoodlife.com, the actress apparently got the jitters while shooting for an intimate scene with Nawaz. Quoting a source, the report stated that the sex scene is pretty edgy, dark and somewhat brutal which has Nawaz forcing himself on her. The report further stated that the sequence was unsettling for Mahira and she refused to do it.

According to a Mumbai Mirror report, Sonakshi Sinha has a 'no kissing,’ ‘no bikini scenes' clause in her contract.

Sonakshi has confirmed the news and said, " Yes, I am not comfortable kissing or exposing and I believe in laying open my cards well in advance so that no one is inconvenienced. Till date, I have been very specific about certain things and my directors have always understood my concerns and played along. I don't think this should pose a problem in the future as well. And if a director wants something like that, he is open to casting other actresses."
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Sunny Leone is stunning: Priyanka

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, who will next be seen in Prakash Jha's forthcoming film "Jai Gangaajal", says that standing next to the former Indo-Canadian adult film star Sunny Leone makes her look "bad" as the latter is "stunning".

"I love how things are sensationalised out of context! Standing and taking pics with Sunny Leone makes me look bad cause she is stunning! Lol!" Priyanka tweeted on Friday night, Zeenews reported.

Earlier this week it was reported that the "Quantico" star did not wish to be photographed with the "Jism 2" actress.

Sunny, who is prepping up for director Milap Zaveri's upcoming sex-comedy "Mastizaade", where she will perform a double role, said she "feels the same" about Priyanka.

"I feel the same about you darling," Sunny told Priyanka in a tweet, the Zeenews added.
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Taylor Swift’s new music video out on New Year’s Eve

Singer Taylor Swift has given her fans another reason to look forward to New Year’s Eve with the announcement that she will premiere the official music video for her latest single “Out of the Woods” during an annual event on December 31.
The TV special “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve”, which will once again feature TV personality Ryan Seacrest as a host, is scheduled to air live on ABC on New Year’s Eve, reports aceshowbiz.com.
However, it’s unclear what time the video will premiere on the show or if Swift will appear in person to introduce it.
“Out of the woods” serves as the sixth single off Swift’s “1989” album, following “Shake it off”, “Blank space”, “Style,” “Bad blood” and “Wildest dreams” all of which peaked inside the top 10 of Billboard Hot 100.
The 26-year-old singer is said to have filmed the video in between shows on her Australia/New Zealand tour last month.
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Kakoli joins Third Eye Film Festival jury

Filmmaker Shahnewaz Kakoli has joined the jury board of the 14th edition of the Third Eye Asian Film Festival, being held in India city Mumbai from Thursday to 31 December, 2015.
This will be her first participation to any film festival as jury, Kakoli told Prothom Alo.
Organised by the Asian Film Foundation, the festival will screen Kakoli two Bangladeshi films including Kakoli’s ‘Nadijan’ and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki ‘Piprabidya’ on the fourth day of the festival, reads the website of the festival.
Talking about the Third Eye Asian Film Festival, Shahnewaz Kakoli said, “Earlier, I participated in the film fest as a participant. My film, ‘Uttarer Sur’ was screened here in 2012. I am happy that I am this time taking part in the fest as a jury board member.”
Sharing her current projects, she said, “I am now working on a new film. The script is ready and shooting will start soon.”
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‘Dilwale’ crosses Rs.100 crore mark worldwide; ‘Bajirao Mastani’ ‘unstoppable’
“Dilwale” remains ahead of “Bajirao Mastani” in the box office race. While the Shah Rukh Khan starrer crossed the Rs.100 crore mark worldwide in its opening weekend, the historical drama, featuring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, minted Rs.46.77 crore in India in three days.

“Dilwale”, Rohit Shetty’s romantic action-comedy, has collected Rs.121 crore in its opening weekend worldwide. It’s India business stands at Rs.65.09 crore, and it made $8.5 million (approximately Rs.56 crore) from the overseas market. Both the films released on Friday.

Starring Shah Rukh, Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon in pivotal roles, “Dilwale” is receiving a hearty response abroad, says trade analyst Komal Nahta.

“Dilwale Overseas: Gulf - biggest ever opening for a Bollywood film, and the number one film this weekend, higher than ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ and other films,” Nahta posted on Twitter.

“Britain - highest opening for a Bollywood film in 2015. Australia - biggest opening of 2015, biggest ever for SRK. Malaysia - biggest opening for a Bollywood film. New Zealand - number two on box office charts. US - number nine in top 10 chart,” he added.

The collection of “Bajirao Mastani” witnessed a good hike over the weekend and the film is going strong in theatres with positive word of mouth, according to trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

“#BajiraoMastani is unstoppable. Super word of mouth translates into super biz. Friday Rs.12.80 crore, Saturday Rs.15.52 crore, Sunday Rs.18.45 crore. Total: Rs.46.77 crore,” Adarsh tweeted.

“Bajirao Mastani” made Rs.12.80 crore on its opening day after releasing in 3,050 screens in India, while it is reported that “Dilwale” made its way into as many as 2,700 screens.

As both films are made on a budget of over Rs.100 crore, the coming days would be crucial for them in theatres.

There would be no competition for “Dilwale” and “Bajirao Mastani” on Christmas and January 1, so they will have sufficient time to prove their mettle.
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Facebook most popular in South Korea

Facebook is the most popular social networking service in South Korea this year, out-doing other global and local platforms, a poll released on Tuesday showed.
According to a survey by market researcher DMC Media on 780 users aged between 19 and 59, Facebook emerged far ahead of others with 59.8 percent picking it out as their most-used social networking tool, The Korea Herald reported.
KakaoStory, a photo-sharing service, followed with 17.1 percent.
Instagram came next with 10.3 percent, followed by group-interaction service BAND operated by Naver Corp. with 8.2 percent.
Naver operates South Korea's most-visited web portal and also has free messenger LINE under its wing.
Twitter accounted for 2.4 percent.
By age group, those in their 40s and 50s preferred KakaoStory and BAND services which can be shared with only authorised acquaintances, while younger users in their teens and 20s chose global brands, such as Facebook and Twitter, the survey showed.
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Under-14 girls win the soccer title

They’ve kept their word and brought back the soccer title. These girls from the plains and the small hills of Bangladesh beat Nepal, land of the lofty Himalayas. Marzia, the girl from the village Kalsindur at the foot of Mymensingh’s Garo hills, kept her promise. It was her goal that led Bangladesh to the 1-0 win against Nepal. We congratulate the under-14 girls’ football team for bringing home the title.

Behind this victory lies an amazing tale. Ten of the 18 players of the team are girls from poor families in a remote village of Mymensingh. It was the enthusiasm of a certain teacher that led to the formation of this team, despite poverty, disapproval and apprehension. The girls came from Kalsindur, as well as from Tangail, Rajshahi, Satkhira, Rangamati and Rangpur. These girls proudly brought home the Central and South Asia under-14 football champions cup.

The endeavour of the teacher from Kalsindur and his students was first revealed by Prothom Alo in a special report on 22 August. Prothom Alo made a documentary film on these girls and screened this at the daily’s 17th anniversary. It caught the people’s attention.

Now after cricket, it looks like there are good times for football ahead too. All the countrymen share the joy and inspiration generated by sports. The strength and determination of the young ones in the field of sports creates confidence within us as a nation.

We hope this victory also serves to uphold women’s respect and ensure their security.
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Miss Universe mistake crowns Colombia before Philippines

The Miss Universe contestant from the Philippines is this year's winner, but for one brief moment Sunday evening, it appeared as if it might be a repeat win for Colombia.


Colombia contestant Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo was already wearing the crown as this year's Miss Universe winner when host Steve Harvey returned to apologize, reports ABC News.


Harvey said it was his mistake and that he would take responsibility for not correctly reading the card, which said that contestant Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines was this year's winner and Colombia was actually the first runner-up.


He held up the card for Fox network cameras to see up close afterward. Talking with reporters afterward, Harvey and an executive for pageant owner WME-IMG called it human error.
"Nobody feels worse about this than me," he said.


A mystified Wurtzbach appeared stunned as she walked to the front of the stage alongside the crown-wearing Arevalo before last year's Miss Universe from Colombia removed the crown and placed it on Wurtzbach's head.


Wurtzbach later said she felt conflicting emotions as the mistake happened: joy when she was told she had indeed won, concern for Colombia contestant Ariadna Gutierrez Aravelo and confusion at the whole situation.


Wurtzbach said she tried to approach Aravelo onstage afterward but the Colombian was crying and surrounded by a crowd of women. She said she realized it was, "probably bad timing."


"I did not take the crown from her," Wurtzbach told reporters after the pageant concluded, saying she wished the contestant from Colombia well and hoped the Latin American community understands that "none of this was my fault."


"None of this was done on purpose. It was an honest mistake," she said, apologizing on behalf of the organization she now represents. She said Harvey told her afterward that she "should just enjoy the moment."


Harvey also apologized on Twitter, but at first misspelled the home countries of both contestants before also fixing that.
"I'd like to apologize wholeheartedly to Miss Colombia & Miss Philippines for my huge mistake," he wrote. "I feel terrible."


Harvey, who was hosting the contest for the first time, said he re-read the card and noticed it said "first runner-up" next to the Colombia contestant's name before he asked producers if he had made a mistake.


"I feel horrible for this young woman," he said after the pageant.
Samakal

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Spanish beauty queen claims crown at Miss World pageant

Spanish model Mireia Lalaguna was crowned Miss World 2015 after beating out 113 contestants from across the globe on Saturday night at a coastal resort city in south China’s Hainan Province.
The pharmacy student from Barcelona claimed the illustrious crown after winning over the contest’s judges during the 65th edition of the world famous pageant in China’s Sanya.
“Without the love I have received from all of the people I have met here, and from all of the people wishing me well and supporting me at home, I would never have gotten to this point,” said the beauty queen, according to a statement released by the event’s organisers.
“I want to show them and the world that I am deserving of the Miss World title and I hope to do everyone proud.”
The pageant’s second place was awarded to Russia’s Sofia Nikitchuk, while third place went to Indonesia’s Maria Harfanti.
However, the ceremony was not without controversy. Officials in Hong Kong last month stopped Miss Canada, Anastasia Lin, from boarding a plane bound for Sanya, telling her she would not receive a visa.
The 25-year old actress claimed the decision was due to her stance on China’s human rights record, including its persecution of Falun Gong, a Chinese spiritual group of which she is a practitioner.
Prothom Alo

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Jessica Simpson eyeing sitcom

Songstress Jessica Simpson reportedly wants to feature in a sitcom that she plans to produce herself.
The 35-year-old who has daughter Maxwell, three, son Ace, 2, with husband Eric Johnson is keen to appear in a comedy show, loosely based on her life, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“Jess really wants to get back into acting. She’s been taking lessons for more than a year, and though she’s been meeting with producers, no offers have come in. So she’s taking matters into her own hands,” National Enquirer quoted a source as saying.
The “Private Valentine: Blonde and Dangerous” actress is planning to produce the sitcom and might even rope in her former National Football League player-husband.
“She’ll put him to work. Jess wants to capitalise on her dumb blonde image rather than play against it,” the source added.
Prothom Alo

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Kendall earns big for single Instagram post

Model Kendall Jenner earns “up to $300,000” for a single Instagram post, a former casting director has revealed.
The reality TV star can earn between $125,000 and $300,000 for a single social media post to her collective 65 million followers, Frank Spadafora-who is a former casting director, and founder and CEO of D’Marie Archive-told CR Fashion Book, reports mirror.co.uk.
Kendall is followed by Cara Delevingne and Gigi Hadid in the list. All three stars are “currently valued between $125,000 and $300,000 for a single post across their portfolio.”
“If you want to reach a model’s audience, you’re going to have to pay a hefty additional fee for that,” Spadafora added.
In the next tier below the three models, there is still a lot of money to be made for the likes of Karlie Kloss, Behati Prinsloo and Miranda Kerr, who can bring in between $25,000 and $50,000 per post across their social media platforms.
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French, Hungarian films shortlisted for foreign Oscar

France's "Mustang" and Hungary's "Son of Saul" are among nine films that have made it onto a shortlist in the contest for the foreign-language Oscar, Academy Awards organizers said late Thursday.
The nine films -- seven of them from Europe, one from Colombia and one from Jordan -- were selected from 81 submissions.
"Mustang" is the first feature film by Franco-Turkish director Deniz Gamze Erguven.
Focused on five sisters living in a village in northern Turkey who are kept at home by their family when they are deemed too rebellious, it was screened at the Director's Fortnight at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, and has received international critical acclaim.
It is the first time in decades that France is being represented by a non French-language film.
The last time was in 1960, when its Portuguese-language submission, "Black Orpheus," won the Oscar. France last won an Oscar in 1993 with "Indochine," starring Catherine Deneuve.
The harrowing Holocaust drama "Son of Saul", which offers unflinching depictions of the gas chambers of Auschwitz, claimed the runner-up Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Hungarian director Laszlo Nemes has been widely acclaimed for taking audiences into a Nazi concentration camp and showing the Holocaust in a different way.
Others in the running are Belgium's "The Brand New Testament," Colombia's "Embrace of the Serpent" and Denmark's "A War."
Finland's "The Fencer" also made the cut, as well as Germany's "Labyrinth of Lies," Ireland's "Viva" and Jordan's "Theeb."
The shortlist will now be whittled down to five finalists who will be announced together with all other Oscar nominations on 14 January.
The 88th Academy Awards will take place in Hollywood on 28 February.
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Gomez teases fans with bikini selfie

Singer Selena Gomez has teased her 56.2 million Instagram followers with a sneak peek from her racy new photoshoot.
While her fans continue to wait for the release of her “Hands to Myself” music video - in which she also sports a racy look - the 23-year-old has something else up her sleeve, reports people.com.
“Comin soon hehe,” she captioned an image of her confidently posing in a little black bikini.
Gomez did give a bit of a clue. The “Same old love” hitmaker tagged photographer Steven Klein, the same artist responsible for reality TV star Kylie Jenner’s controversial wheelchair cover shoot for Interview magazine.
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‘Dilwale’ vs ‘Bajirao Mastani’: Box office mess or win-win game?

Big budgets. Big directors. Big stars. With “Dilwale” and “Bajirao Mastani”, both much-awaited Bollywood cinematic extravaganzas, releasing together on Friday, industry experts believe the clash will have a strong impact on the overall collections of the year. However, it’s best not to expect a new record!
“Clashes are obviously not great,” superstar Shah Rukh Khan, actor-producer of “Dilwale”, told IANS.
SRK’s movies usually have record-breaking number of screens, but for “Dilwale”, he says he has only about 50 percent of them. He knows that his new movie “cannot” break records.
“There is another film releasing with our film, so we are not expecting an opening weekend record. But it’s a working weekday businesswise. Had it released on December 25, it would have been different as it would have been a holiday and there would have been 20-30 percent more business,” he said.
“But December 18 is a normal working day with two films releasing. I don’t think any of the films will have an opening record as such.”
“But I think there is a lot of breathing space for both the films as there are no big movies releasing for the next few weeks,” Shah Rukh said, adding that he is happy with the “fantastic advance bookings” for “Dilwale”, which is directed by Rohit Shetty.
The movie has all elements of an “in-the-face” commercial Bollywood entertainer laced with action, rib-tickling comedy, fresh pairing of Kriti Sanon and Varun Dhawan, the loved ‘jodi’ of Kajol-SRK, and scenic landscapes of Bulgaria, Iceland and Goa.
This is pitted against “Bajirao Mastani”. A quintessentially Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, this one promises to be an intense visual cinematic treat showcasing snippets from the past, with battle scenes, costumes exuding a historical feel, and palatial sets.
The hype around the film is more because of the pairing of Ranveer and Deepika-Bollywood’s rumoured couple-who created ripples with their chemistry in “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela”.
The film also stars ‘desi’ girl Priyanka Chopra, who believes both “Dilwale” and “Bajirao Mastani” are “beautiful and different kind of films” made by “two prolific filmmakers”.
The business of both films is sure to be affected, says Delhi-based film distributor Joginder Mahajan.
“Both the films will undoubtedly have a great impact on the overall box office of 2015. However, as they are releasing together, screens would be divided and their business will get affected,” Mahajan told IANS.
“The profit of both the films will get divided. There was no big film released on December 11. Also, there is no film releasing on Christmas Day and January 1, 2016. So, this is a losing situation for both the films. Clashes at box office have always produced loss,” Mahajan said.
The budget of both films is also well over Rs.100 crore. Both the films have strong content and heavy distribution costs.
But as Mahajan pointed out, “’Bajirao Mastani’ will have more screens than ‘Dilwale’ as Eros registered the date in March last year only. Right now we can only hope that both the films should cover their budget costs as they have been made with Rs.100 crore-plus budgets.”
The distributors are hopeful of striking gold somehow.
Prashant Tiwari, chairman, Prateek Group, which is distributing “Dilwale” in Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, told IANS: “When you choose a territory for releasing a film, the major criterion for consideration is the business potential of a film in that region.”
“We were confident that ‘Dilwale’ will do well in north India, especially since we have the prime territory of national capital with us. We are likewise expecting record breaking collections at the box office.”
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Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor to star in Imtiaz Ali's next

Jab We Met famed director Imtiaz Ali is casting Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor in his next directorial venture. Ranbir Kapoor, who had a fairly disastrous year in 2015, has been seriously advised by those close to him to steer clear of his comfort zone. He is unlikely to do any more films with Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma, with whom he has a done a majority of his films in recent times.


 Though Ranbir's latest release Tamasha has done well enough for its director Imtiaz Ali to come together with his leading man Ranbir Kapoor for a third film, the film won't feature Deepika again. Says a source, "Ranbir with Katrina-Deepika has become a predictable pair. He never cared who his heroine was. In Rockstar, Imtiaz cast a completely out-of-depth Nargis Fakhri with Ranbir. Imtiaz's next will feature Ranbir with Alia for the first time”, according to Bollywood Hungama.
FE

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Alia Bhatt thanks her fans for wishes after enduring burn injury

Young actress Alia Bhatt had suffered burn injury on her hands while performing at an award function recently. The actress has been receiving get well soon messages since then. Alia Bhatt, who is very active on social networking sites, took to Twitter to thank her fans for their wishes and said that her face is fine.



Alia Bhatt had suffered burn marks while she was performing and the crackers burst on stage. The freak fire from the crackers ended up scalding Alia Bhatt on her hands. The actress was immediately attended to hospital and given medical aid.

Alia Bhatt has always thrilled her audience with her stunning performances but lets hope this incident doesn’t put a halt to it.

Last seen in ‘Shaandaar’ opposite Shahid Kapoor, Alia is gearing up for ‘Udta Punjab’ and ‘Kapoor and Sons’.
FE

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Americans do not have better teeth than the British, study concludes

The British have been mocked about their poor teeth for decades, but it's entirely unfounded, a study has concluded.For years the British have been mocked by Americans for their wonky smiles and discoloured crooked teeth.
In one episode of The Simpsons, a dentist scares a young patient into better oral hygiene by opening ‘The Big Book of British Smiles’ featuring the misaligned molars of the Prince of Wales and Sherlock Holmes.In Mexico bad teeth are referred to as ‘dientes Ingles.’
But a new study suggests the Brits have been unfairly maligned. According to University College London and Harvard University, Britons have no worse dental health than the Americans, and in fact, we have fewer missing teeth.
The study showed that the average number of missing teeth was significantly higher in the US – with the average person missing 7.31 teeth compared to 6.97 in Britain.
"There is a longstanding belief in the United States that the British have terrible teeth, much worse than US citizens, ," said lead author Dr Richard Watt, Professor in Dental Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, at UCL.
"This view dates back at least 100 years, with toothpaste adverts extolling the virtues of American smiles.
"Contemporary examples of this belief in popular US culture range from The Simpsons to the Hollywood character Austin Powers and his repugnant smile.
"Contrary to popular belief, our study showed that the oral health of US citizens is not better than the English, with Americans having significantly more missing teeth."The US and UK researchers looked at data from thousands of people from the English English Adult Dental Health Survey and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
They looked for examples of missing teeth, adults' perceptions of their oral health and the effect of poor teeth on daily life such as pain, difficulty eating, avoiding smiling and social effects. Levels of education and household income were also examined.
The National Health Service provides free orthodontics to under-18s "who need it". But the braces provided are metal and children are often unwilling to have them fitted during their teenage years. Parents who want less obvious ceramic or plastic versions, often clear or even invisible, have to go private.
telegraph

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Live telecast from Indian dance bars to nearest police station

The state government seems to have made up its mind to make running a dance bar almost an impossible proposition. A draft of new rules and regulations for dance bars reviewed by a newspaper says that every dance bar must now have CCTVs with the feed beamed live to the nearest police station. Since dance bars were always a guilty pleasure, they are unlikely to attract any customers with cops watching the proceedings all the time. Also, live pictures beamed into a police station could be open to abuse. The Supreme Court in October struck down a state government imposed ban on dance bars as it violated bar dancers' right to earn a livelihood. But the state government seems determined to not let dance bars stage a comeback. Among other regulations in the draft is a ceiling on the number of dancers on the floor at any given point of time and a minimum distance to be maintained between the performers and the audience. The draft says that there cannot be more than four dancers on the floor at any given point and a minimum distance of two meters must be maintained between performers and the customers. No woman below the age of 18 will be allowed to perform in a dance bar, according to Times of India. Rafique
FE

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Paris climate deal is 'best chance to save planet'

President Barack Obama on Saturday praised the "strong" and historic" accord hammered out in Paris, which he said could mark "a turning point for the world" on climate change.

"The Paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis," the US leader said at the White House, reports AFP.

"It creates the mechanism, the architecture, for us to continually tackle this problem in an effective way."
Obama added: "We came together around the strong agreement the world needed. We met the moment."

The US president praised the deal as "an enduring agreement that reduces global carbon pollution and sets the world on a course to a low carbon future."

He thanked his counterpart, French President Francois Hollande for hosting the talks "with patience and resolve," as well as the nearly 200 other nations that took parts.

"Together we've shown what's possible when the world stands as one," he said, cautioning, however, that the accord is just a first step toward taming climate change which if unchecked could eventually lead to global devastation.

"Even if all the initial targets set in Paris are met, we'll only be part of the way there when it comes to reducing carbon from the atmosphere, so we cannot be complacent because of today's agreement," said Obama.

"The problem's not solved because of this accord, but make no mistake, the Paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis."
Samakal

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Salman kept Alia waiting for 5 hours

Salman Khan and many other superstars are known for their not so punctual stints. Many actors have been blamed for not appearing at a certain event or function on time. This time too something on those lines has taken place.

Salman Khan as we all know is always in a rush due to his busy and packed schedule, the superstar doesn’t even have a minute to spare currently due to his ongoing shoots and work commitments.

During the recent Big Star Entertainment Awards 2015, Alia Bhatt had to bear to the brunt of Salman Khan’s time hassles. Reports suggest that, Alia Bhatt’s performance for the event was scheduled at a particular time but Dabangg Khan took her slot and Alia’s performance was pushed to the end of the show.

Pretty diva Alia Bhatt had arrived at the venue according to the time given to her but Salman took her slot and this caused the delay, reports Business of Cinema.

Alia’s performance got delayed for another 5 hours and the actress had no choice but to wait. Salman who is known for his sudden change of plans hurriedly rushed to the act. The award night was not a very pleasant one for Alia’s health either. The mind blowing actress Alia Bhatt suffered from burns while she was performing on the stage.

The actress was all into the performance but the sudden burst of crackers on the stage caused her burns on the hand; Alia was then rushed for immediate medication. Well, seems like the most humble star of the Bollywood industry, Salman Khan gave quite a bitter memory of himself to Alia Bhatt.

Samakal

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Beyonce to star in Bradley Cooper’s directorial

Actor Bradley Cooper is set to make his directorial debut with a remake of the classic “A Star Is Born”, and singer Beyonce Knowles is on board to star with him.
A source told pagesix.com that Beyonce has agreed to join Cooper in the leading role previously played on screen by Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand.
“Beyoncé is a go,” said the source of Cooper’s remake of “A Star Is Born”, which originated in 1937, was remade in 1954 and again in 1976.
“A Star Is Born” narrates a story of how a young aspirant actress and singer finds love in an actor, only to be marred by alcoholism and ambition.
The source added that Cooper is still looking out for the the rest of the cast.
“He’s out to find the rest of the cast, but he may take another acting role (in the meantime). He’s furiously making everything he can,” the source said.
It’s likely that the “American Sniper” star will do another acting role before going into production on his remake, which will be ready by end of next year or 2017.
Prothom Alo

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Kylie Minogue wants to start family with beau

Singer Kylie Minogue says it would be “incredible” if she started a family with boyfriend and actor Joshua Sasse.
The “Spinning around” hitmaker opened up about her desire to start a family with her 27-year-old beau during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, reports dailymail.co.uk.
The 47-year-old singer said: “I have a love in my life, which is a beautiful thing. I’m on cloud nine most of the time because of Joshua Sasse, my beau. I want to go a bit slower and look at the view.
“I want more out life. Who knows if family is one of my horizons. But if that were to happen that would be incredible. I don’t want to get stuck on the treadmill of doing the same thing. I’d like to experience other things in life, which means I have to adapt.”
The singer also spoke about her struggle with breast cancer, saying that it was “intense”.
“Some of it is a bit of blur. We were all stunned. I thought I’m not done yet, I’m not finished, this is not where I want to say goodbye,” she added.
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Julia Roberts calls Nicole Kidman ‘great actress’

Actress Julia Roberts says her “Secret in Their Eyes” co-star Nicole Kidman is a great actress and wonderful human being.
“I’ve known her for a long time. She’s such a great actress, and we all know that, and she’s so breathtakingly beautiful, and we all know that, and she’s a wonderful, dynamic human being,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted Roberts as saying.
“I truly adore her. I think we have very similar sensibilities and she’s just incredible. She’s a genuine person, I love her. I’m in love with her,” she added.
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Sonam happy for Salman

Actress Sonam Kapoor says she is happy that Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has been acquitted of all charges in the 2002 accident case.

Sonam, 30, who worked with Salman in Sooraj Bharjatya’s “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo”, said the 49-year-old can behave anyway he wants to but is good to everyone and she never wants him to suffer.

“I am happy for him (on the Bombay High Court verdict). He is a friend and I don’t want any of my friends to suffer. Salman is a great human being... The respect he gives to people does not depend
on the social status of the person,” she said at a session at Agenda Aaj Tak on Friday.

“He is incredibly successful. He can behave anyway he wants to. But, he always stays good to everyone,” she added.

Salman was acquitted of all charges in a verdict by the Bombay High Court on Thursday.

“Prem Ratan Dhan Payo”, which released around the auspicious occasion of Diwali, received an overwhelming response at the box office.

However, Sonam said all credit for the film’s success goes to Salman.

“’Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’s success is not because of me. It’s because of Salman. His luck is so good that whatever he does becomes huge and successful. I will take credit for only the title track. We made it go viral on social media,” she said.

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I want my children to watch ‘Dilwale’: Kajol

Bollywood actress Kajol wishes to make her children Nysa and Yug watch her forthcoming film “Dilwale”.

“I will definitely take them to watch the movie. Yug is too small to sit in a place for a long time. He will surely get bored, but will try to make them watch ‘Dilwale’,” Kajol said.

The “My Name Is Khan” actress, who will share screen space with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan in “Dilwale”, revealed that she was initially reluctant to do the film because of long outdoor shoots, but her daughter Nysa convinced her otherwise.

“I told my daughter it is going to be a tough time for them, as I am not going to be around for a long time. Nysa replied nicely, saying that just because I love her that doesn’t mean I can’t love anything else,” she said.

“I was so emotional with her reply. I was in tears just like a typical mother, but so pleased that my children made me feel to do those things that I love to do,” she added.

Talking about her preparation for “Dilwale”, Kajol said that she didn’t have to “work much” for the film.

“I didn’t have to work much for doing ‘Dilwale’, but yes, I stressed on a healthy lifestyle for 6 months before starting to work in the movie. I am very health conscious and disciplined. I like to go to the gym, like to have proper diet. Now I am happy with the way I am looking,” she added.

Besides Kajol and SRK, “Dilwale” features an ensemble cast of stars like Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Varun Sharma, Johnny Lever, Boman Irani and Sanjay Mishra.

The film is set to hit the screens on December 18.

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