Karachi forces in an operation arrest Uzbeks, Tajiks in dozens

KARACHI: Police and sensitive organisations launched an operation in different parts of the city and arrested over two dozen foreigners of Uzbek and Tajik descent, Geo News reported Sunday morning.

Sources said that following the attack on the Karachi airport, police and sensitive organisations went on a crackdown in different parts of the city and hauled up over two dozen foreigners who had no valid documents for their stay in the country.

All the arrested foreigners have been shifted to an unknown location for further investigation.

Karachi forces in an operation arrest Uzbeks, Tajiks in dozens

KARACHI: Police and sensitive organisations launched an operation in different parts of the city and arrested over two dozen foreigners of Uzbek and Tajik descent, Geo News reported Sunday morning.

Sources said that following the attack on the Karachi airport, police and sensitive organisations went on a crackdown in different parts of the city and hauled up over two dozen foreigners who had no valid documents for their stay in the country.

All the arrested foreigners have been shifted to an unknown location for further investigation.

Madras Café: An Unusual Thriller

If Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer ‘Chennai Express’ (released on Aug 8, 2013) has utterly disappointed you than the unconventional ‘Madras Café’ (released on Aug 23, 2013) will surely provide you with some quality and reasonable cinema.

Director Shoojit Sircar, famous for films like Yahaan and Vicky Donor, endeavored to revolutionize the Indian cinematic world with an unusual political, spy, suspense thriller. He selected an entirely different and unique subject – the assassination of a former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

Without disturbing the essence of the subject, Sircar has intertwined a little bit fiction into the historical incidents, and creatively avoided to be biased or over-sensitive. This sort of fusion made his film an enjoyable experience.

Although it is apparent that vast research was undertaken by the director Sircar and producer John Abraham, much of the plot is fiction and inspired by actual historical events, for instance, the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka under the consent of Indo-Sri Lankan Accord (1987) to neutralize the Tamil nationalists. Following Rajiv Gandhi’s defeat in 1989’s elections; new PM V. P. Singh ordered the pullout of IPKF, which was completed in 1990. Ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi, who signed the accord to send IPKF, was assassinated by a woman suicide bomber during an election campaign in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991.

Set against this backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war and Indian political upheaval of late 80s and early 90s, Madras Café outlines the histories of the two neighbours and actions of Indian intelligence agency R&AW from the perspective of an Indian army officer Major Vikram (John Abraham) who was conducting covert operations in Jaffna after the withdrawal of IPKF. There he meets a foreign war journalist Jaya (Nargis Fakhri) who was finding the reality of the civil war. Vikram also exposes a conspiracy to assassinate Ex-PM of India.

The nicely-connected incidents as well as swirling puzzles will not permit you to loose concentration from the tenacious, gloomy and subdued tone of the movie. The script played a vital role in holding the gigantic and challenging representation without noticeable blemishes. Major events and all names have been changed in order to avoid hullabaloo, which is of no use as spectators can recognize the real occurrences. The first half moves in a detailed manner while the second half in a typical thrilling style, moves very quickly.

Kamaljeet Negi’s cinematography, special effects and art direction is skillfully portrayed; however, numerous scenes will remind you the camera work and warfare scenarios of various Hollywood movies. Nonetheless, Sircar seemed at his best to control the fast pace and quick jumps of the film from one site in Sri Lank to another one in India and to other foreign locations.

As far as the performance is concerned, the big cast is handled brilliantly by Sircar. John Abraham tried to portray a disturbed, gloomy and helpless angry-man with some maturity, but it could have been done with a lot of better emotional expressions and body language. Nargis Fakhri looks subtle in a small role and appears as fresh breath in the midst of high-pitched drama. Rashi Khanna’s role as John’s wife, doesn’t add any significant dimension except it was a slight shadow of melodrama.

Madras Cafe has an unconventional soundtrack which is appropriate with the rhythm of the movie. Composer Shantanu Moitra followed the main theme in accordance with the script.

The film lacks in certain areas. Such as, at the start, a grand conspiracy was introduced as the focal point, but as the movie progresses, the focal point shifts to other events. Eventually the thrilling story diverts to something else leaving behind the conspiracy. Likewise, there is no explanation for “the main events that changed the political history of India”. There are too many flashbacks that spoil the continuity, moreover the film lacks sensational tinge towards the ending.

Similarly, Fakhri’s English dialogues in response to John’s Hindi dialogues are quite perplexing for me. Why she is responding in English when she can understand Hindi? – only Sircar can tell us the mystery behind it.

Overall, the politics, rebellion, espionage, human-tragedy, suspense and nicely handled narrative are examples of commendable exertion and a sincere effort by Shoojit Sircar. If you neglect minor flaws, Madras Café is a must-watch.

It stands distant from the run-of-the-mill Bollywood underground gangs/bhai-log thrillers. John Abraham’s Madras Cafe is not suitable for Masala film fans, as it provides an exceptionally serious drama with political twists.

Looters of public money to be made an example: Shahbaz

MUZAFFARGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday vowed to eliminate corruption root and branch and said those busy looting hard-earned public money will be made an example.
The chief minister said this while inaugurating a 50-bed state-of-the-art hospital at Rakh Khanpur situated in the flood-hit area of Muzaffargarh.

The Rs2 billion hospital has been constructed from the funds donated by the Turkish people. The hospital will be run by a trust. Dr Abdul Bari Khan of the Indus Hospital and the Punjab Government will sign an MoU in Lahore next week.

Shahbaz said he would abandon politics if he failed to wipe out corruption. He warned that corruption and negligence in healthcare would not be tolerated and stern action was being taken against those who had purchased rusted machinery for Lodhran Hospital.

He said the Turkish people had given sufficient donations for the construction of housing colonies, schools and hospitals for the flood-hit people of Dera Ghazi Khan. He said Turkey had become a role model for cities from Casablanca to Kuala Lumpur under the guidance of PM Tayyip Erdogan.

Shahbaz saluted the Turkish PM and said Turkey and Pakistan would walk shoulder to shoulder in every walk of life to get optimum benefit from each others’ potential.He said the Metro Bus Project assisted by Turkey had transformed Lahore into a modern and developed city. Shahbaz vowed to strengthen bilateral, trade, cultural, political and economic relations with Turkey.

“Pakistanis and the Turkish people enjoy historic brotherly relations. I am proud of this relationship,” the CM said.The chief minister took serious notice of the abduction of a newborn from the Muzaffargarh DHQ Hospital during a power shutdown.

Khawaja Salman Rafique, adviser to the CM, said the hospital was equipped with the latest healthcare facilities.Punjab Health Secretary Dr Ijaz Munir, Dean KE Medical University Prof Dr Arshad Cheema, Secretary Irfan Elahi, City Press Club President Dr Khalid Mehmood, Turkish representative Mehmoud Ahmed, Mian Ahsan of Lahore, Sohaib-bin-Amir, Minister Social Welfare Makhdoom Haroon Sultan and MPA Qaswar Kareem Langrial, Hammad Nawaz Tipu and MPA Mian Imran Qureshi were present on the occasion.

Multan man trapped in trench in an effort to recover ‘treasure’

MULTAN: The Rescue 1122 has yet to retrieve a man who became trapped under the trench that he had been working in to recover a ‘hidden treasure’.

According to reports, Zeeshan, a resident of Bagh Beera, dug a part of his house in a bid to retrieve a hidden treasure on the advice of a fake Peer.

Rescue officials said that they had discovered a long tunnel in the house. They said that the man apparently got trapped as tons of soil collapsed in on him.

They said that they had been making efforts to recover the man for six hours and search was still on.

Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Emraan Hashmi or Jackky Bhagnani: Who is an inspiring leader?

The general elections are just around the corner. Young India is in search of dynamic leaders who can pull the country out of the relentless social and economic gloom with their awe-inspiring leadership skills. Cinematically speaking, many B-town heroes have given us hope with their incredible endeavours. Take a look at these stalwarts from reel life and tell us who can become a role model in real life too when it comes to inspiring young minds and bring about a much-needed change

With election being the buzz word, our B-town movie makers are eager to cash in on anything that can bring about a social change, for the better. From the baap of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan using his supernatural prowess in his forthcoming movie Bhoothnath Returns to contest an election to bring some order in the politically and morally corrupt society, young lad Jackky Bhagnani is eager to introduce a movement of sorts to place India on the global map and give the country its rightful due. And then there are two rookies- charged with tremendous confidence and incredible passion-who are all set to do a pardaahfash and to set the country in order with their might as journalists. Yes, Atul Agnihotri’s forthcoming movie O Teri will see duo Bilal Amrohi and Pulkit Samrat unearthing some shocking scams.

Take a look at these onscreen leaders who gave us a cinematic hope with their heroism and tell us who inspired you the most?

Amitabh Bachchan in Bhoothnath Returns: With his towering personality, megastar Amitabh Bachchan will unleash his funny as well as intimidating streak in the sequel to 2008 horror-comedy Bhoothnath. As the friendly neighbourhood ghost, Big B’s Bhoothnath will be seen fighting the elections. His helpful presence will be seen only by children while adults remain blind to his magnanimous personality. Mr Bachchan will employ his rich baritone, his tall frame and the generosity of his ‘spirit’ to best effect to deliver justice.

Jackky Bhagnani in Youngistaan: The young dude brings the energy and perspective of the youth with his personality for positive changes India has been craving for long now. A young and dynamic leader with a vision to build India is what the country needs and Jackky is playing a strong character in his forthcoming release Youngistaan. The lad wants to put India on the map with his zest and meticulous planning.

Amitabh Bachchan in Satyagraha: The veteran played a Gandhian in Prakash Jha’’s political drama Satyagraha. Big B might have played a traditionalist who walks the path of truth and honesty, but he is equally modern with his approach when it comes to fighting against the system to clean up the mess. He uses the power of social media to spur a political movement that snowballs into a corruption hatao aandolan. But the path to a clean and corruption-free state is straddled with many challenges, dirty politics and blood-bath. And yet the veteran actor chooses to fight till he takes the battle to its logical conclusion.

Salman Khan in Jai Ho: The Being Human actor upholds some really inspiring qualities in real life. We all know that Salman is kind, generous and compassionate. The 48-year-old took a leaf out of the book on his own life, so to say, to portray an ex-army officer in Jai Ho who is on a mission to create a chain of goodness for the betterment of humanity.

Emraan Hashmi in Shanghai: Dibaker Banerjee’s Shanghai traced corruption in India at its regressive best, masquerading in the garb of economic progress. Emraan Hashmi played the pot-bellied, 30-year-old Rajput struggling to make a life, resorting to the easy way out as a porn videographer. But the sudden transformation in his grey character-when Hashmi decides to take on the system with all his worth was jaw-dropping. It simply showed the might of a commoner who can turn things around if something within him gets stirred.

Crimea takeover a theft on an international scale: Ukraine PM

People rally in support of Crimea joining Russia, with banners and portraits of Russian President Vladimir Putin, reading "We are together," in Red Square in Moscow, Tuesday

Ukraine’s leadership simmered with a mix of hopelessness and anger at losing Crimea, tempering an influx of eager young men signing up as reservists with the growing certainty that no savior would deliver them from the Russian takeover.

For Ukraine’s government in Kiev, it is a crime — one the inexperienced leaders can do little do address in the face of an overwhelmingly superior military force. But for at least one of the group of people in the new leadership, it is a reality that must be dealt with on practical terms.
“This is theft on an international scale, when under the cover of troops, one country has just come and robbed a part of an independent state,” Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said.
Yatsenyuk’s government now has to contend with the immediate complications of an armed confrontation that flared up Tuesday. A Ukrainian military spokesman said a serviceman was killed and another injured when a military facility in Crimea was stormed by armed men. The official said a truck bearing a Russian flag was used in the operation.
Yatsenyuk said the storming showed the dispute “has gone from the political stage to the military through the fault of the Russians.”
But if his rhetoric was combative, there was little to back it up. That is in part down to Ukraine’s relative helplessness and its stated desire to refrain from aggression, but is also a reflection of what authorities see as Moscow’s inflated demands. Rejecting international condemnation, Russian President Vladimir Putin cast his government’s actions as the righting of historic injustices.
“They are demanding to change the constitution, to change the system, to give up Crimea. This is the language of an aggressor … this is the language of Josef Stalin,” said Oleksiy Haran, a politics professor at the University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. “Ukraine has done everything which it can. We resisted from violence, which again the West demanded from us. We didn’t kill any Russian soldiers.”
While not recognising the referendum, Ukrainian authorities’ preparations for the practicalities of the situation hint at a mood of resignation.
The justice minister offered emergency accommodation in vacation centers for any Ukrainian citizens who want to leave Crimea, where the ethnic Russian population is a majority.
“My advice to compatriots who live in Crimea is not to give up your Ukrainian passports. You are citizens of Ukraine and you are in effect hostages of the occupiers,” Justice Minister Pavel Petrenko told Channel 5 television. “People should make their own decision about revoking citizenship and nobody has the right to force them.”
Ukraine’s one major lever of power — the electricity and water that comes from the mainland — is complicated by the new Kiev government’s reluctance to alienate the residents, a majority of them ethnic Russians, but with large Ukrainian and Tatar communities.
With the outcome of the Crimean predicament still nominally in the balance, the government is confronting a growing clamor in eastern Ukraine, another heavily Russian-speaking part of the country, for secession or greater federalization. The claims of the ethnic Russian population ignited soon after the parliament that took center stage after last month’s ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych provoked outrage — from the Kremlin most notably — by moving to downgrade the role of the Russian language.
That plan has since been dropped and Yatsenyuk on Tuesday insisted that Russian would retain its official status in areas where it is spoken by the majority.
“Nobody is encroaching on your right to freely use the Russian language. My wife Tereziya speaks primarily in Russian. And she, like millions of other Russian speakers, does not require protection from the Kremlin,” he said.
To deal with Moscow, Ukraine will need to restore channels of dialogue, which Russia is reluctant to do with a post-revolutionary government that it describes in the most disparaging terms.
Sergei Taruta, a billionaire businessman appointed by interim authorities to govern the heavily industrial Donetsk region, told The Associated Press that he has proposed the creation of a “national unity forum” as a possible solution to that problem.
“We should choose delegates that could lead diplomatic dialogue with Russia. Because as I understand it, there is no negotiator now that has a legitimate mandate,” he said. “It is only through a negotiation that we can solve the fraught problems that affect both Crimea and eastern Ukraine. And I think that this negotiating group should also work with a group of Western guarantors that could vouch for the territorial integrity of our country.”
The government announced this week that it will over the coming 45 days mobilize tens of thousands of reservists. Recruitment officers stationed along a main street in the capital, Kiev, were signing up volunteers on Tuesday.
At least one of the self-defense groups that came to prominence during the protests, Spilna Sprava, has intimated that it intends to ready for a fight as a partisan force.
“In the conditions of war with Russia, the regular army has shown itself to be insufficiently effective, which is something Ukraine’s army command has admitted,” Interfax news agency cited Spilna Sprava coordinator Alexander Danilyuk as saying.
On and around the Kiev square from which the protest movement sprung up, crude barricades remain in place and within them, groups of men young and old in store-bought fatigues mill around, sharing jokes and warming themselves by barrel fires.
The plan is for people on the Maidan, as the square is known, to stay until a new and elected government is formed and to ensure that it lives up to its promises.
Vasily Volchenko, a 51-year old retired career military officer manning a stall of knick-knacks memorializing the bloody protests that culminated in Yanukovych’s overthrow, said the loss of Crimea is not going down well.
“We had hoped the government, even though it is only provisional, would react quickly, but they have done practically nothing,” he said. “If they think they can give up Crimea that easily, then they are quite mistaken. We will just self-organize, because we are not giving up our Ukraine to anybody.”

Manila calls China action in disputed waters an “urgent threat”

Philippines and China have been locked in a dispute over South China Sea resources. (Reuters)

The Philippines protested on Tuesday actions by the Chinese coast guard that prevented delivery of supplies to a small group of Filipino soldiers guarding a shoal in a disputed area in the South China Sea.Manila calls China action in disputed waters an “urgent threat”
Manila protested on Tuesday against Beijing’s blockade of civilian supply ships in disputed waters of the South China Sea, saying China’s latest actions “constitute a clear and urgent threat to the rights and interests of the Philippines”. China’s coast guard ships had driven away two Philippine vessels, which had tried to approach a shoal in the South China Sea on Sunday, sparking the latest flare-up in a long-running territorial dispute.
The Department of Foreign Affairs summoned China’s charge d’ affaires Sun Xiangyang on Tuesday to hand over a strongly worded protest over the incident in the waters around the Second Thomas Shoal, which the Philippines refers to as the Ayungin Shoal.
In a statement, the foreign ministry “urged China to desist from any further interference with the efforts of the Philippines to undertake rotation and resupply operations at the Ayungin Shoal.”
“Ayungin Shoal is part of the continental shelf of the Philippines and (it) is therefore entitled to exercise sovereignty rights and jurisdiction in the area without the permission of other states,” the foreign ministry said.
The shoal, known in China as the Ren’ai reef. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the Chinese patrol ships warned the Philippine vessels, carrying construction materials, not to intrude further into the waters around the reef and they left the area. China’s claim over islands, reefs and atolls that form the Spratlys, a group of 250 uninhabitable islets spread over 165,000 square miles, has set it directly against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to parts.
The South China Sea provides 10 percent of the global fish catch, carries $5 trillion in ship borne trade a year and its seabed is believed to be rich with energy reserves. Manila ran aground an old transport ship on the reef in 1999 to mark its territory, and has stationed marines in abject conditions on the rusting ship. The Philippines also occupies eight other features in the disputed Spratlys.
The Second Thomas Shoal, a strategic gateway to Reed Bank, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas, is one of several possible flashpoints in the South China Sea that could prompt the United States to intervene in defence of its Southeast Asian allies.
In 2010, Manila awarded an Anglo-Filipino consortium a licence to explore for gas on Reed Bank, but drilling stalled in 2012, because of the presence of Chinese ships. Manila says Reed Bank, about 80 nautical miles west of Palawan island at the southwestern end of the Philippine archipelago, is within the country’s 200-nautical mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone.

Ukraine’s Crimea seeks to become an independent state

crowd chanting "Rossiya! Rossiya!" and waving the Russian tricolour.

The Crimean parliament voted on Tuesday that the Black Sea peninsula will declare itself an independent state if its residents agree to split off from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum. Crimea’s regional legislature today adopted a “declaration of independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.” The document specified that Crimea will become an independent state if its residents vote on Sunday in favour of joining Russia in the referendum.
Western nations have said they will not recognise the vote as legitimate. But the move might be used as an attempt to ease tensions with Crimea existing as a self-proclaimed state without Russia moving quickly to incorporate it into its territory.
After a brief war between Russia and Georgia in 2008, some leaders sin Georgia’s breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia also asked to join Russia, but their request was never granted. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s acting president today called for the formation of a national guard and for the mobilisation of reserves and volunteers into the country’s armed forces.
Oleksandr Turchynov asked the national parliament to approve turning the country’s Interior Ministry troops into a National Guard “to defend the country and citizens against any criminals, against external and internal aggression.” Turchynov said that the mobilisation will include those who have previously served in the army and volunteers. Russian forces have strengthened their control over Ukraine’s Crimea region in the run-up to a referendum set for Sunday on whether to split off and become part of Russia.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who will fly to Washington to meet with Barack Obama tomorrow, called on Western nations to defend Ukraine against a nation “that is armed to the teeth and that has nuclear weapons.”

300: Rise of an Empire - Blood is thicker on CGI

300: Rise of an Empire

This is a visually-stunning film. With the power, energy, warmth and light of a Caravaggio and the nightmarish vision of Hieronymus Bosch echoing the horror of Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa, 300: Rise of an Empire grabs eyeballs and keeps it. Lest you think the film is all high art and surrealism, all the men are bare-chested and flaunt six packs. They also use a lot of modern swear words. There is a god king wearing some involved golden underwear, piercings, eyeliner and not much more. There is a super-hot babe with smoky eyes. Homo-erotic flourishes are not meant to be ignored. And there is portentous, pretentious voiceover for a patina of pseudo historicity.

300: Rise of an Empire is a kind of sequel to Zack Snyder’s 300 (2007), which was based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel on the battle of Thermopylae, the Spartan king Leonides’ famous last stand against Xerxes 1 of Persia.

Rise of an Empire is a kind of sequel because the events of both the movies happen concurrently. The battle of Thermopylae and Artemisium were fought during the second Persian invasion between 480 and 479 BC. Rise of an Empire is based on Miller’s as yet incomplete graphic novel, Xerxes.

The movie begins with the battle of Marathon. Before it was a run, Marathon was a battlefield — there is a story behind the run and place, which we shall not go into now. During the battle, Greek warrior Themistocles kills the Persian king Darius. That act makes Themistocles a legend. Ten years later, Darius’ commander, the beautiful and vengeful Artemisia organises the transformation of Xerxes into a god — enter gold underwear and some heavy duty bondage accessories — no one said anything about historical accuracy now, did they?

Though Artemisia is Greek she has sworn vengeance as some horrid Greeks slaughtered her village, raping and murdering her family. After years of abuse on a Greek slave ship Artemisia was left for dead in Persia where she was rescued and trained by the best soldiers to rise to become Darius’ most trusted commander.

She tells Xerxes he should avenge his father’s death. Xerxes goes to fight Leonides in Thermopylae, while she fights Themistocles in a naval battle in Artemisium. The battle sequences are gory, with blood staining the frames a thick, viscous red. Since Gerard Butler didn’t want to reprise his role as Leonides (he said it was not his thing apparently), his character was written out. More is the pity.

There are two things that work in the movie. Eva Green is gobsmacking as Artemisia. She is sexy and smouldering and more than a little crazy as the hot blooded Artemisia thirsting for vengeance. The other thing that works is Ozzy screaming “Evil minds that plot destruction/Sorcerers of death's construction” from Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ as the credits rolled.

Those two and the spectacular look made the 103-minute orgy of blood and carnage worthwhile.

Genre: Historical/war

Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson, Rodrigo Santoro

Director: Noam Murro

Storyline: Themistocles and Artemisia face off in the battle of Artemisium

Bottomline: Glory in gore

I was merely an actor who got lucky: Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan credited his success to the script writers for helping him rule the industry.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan credited his success to the script writers for helping him rule the industry for more than four decades.
Amitabh Bachchan, 71, who got the ‘Angry Young Man’ image in the industry after his brave portrayal of inspector Vijay in ‘Zanjeer’, said he is thankful to Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar for moulding his image as an actor.
“The credit goes to (‘Zanjeer’) writers Salim- Javed for capturing the prevailing mood of the society. I was just the voice. It was Salim-Javed who thought of it and put in
cinematic emotion. I was merely an actor who got lucky,” Amitabh Bachchan said on the sidelines of India Today conclave 2014 while discussing on the issue ‘Cinema as the mirror of society’.
“The discontent and anger during the Emergency brought about Zanjeer and the ‘ Angry Young Man’,” he added.
While Amitabh Bachchan reflected the image of men in the society of that era but he described filmmaking during that time as “haphazard”.
“It was an individual profession and more of a mom-and- pop organisation, where people would borrow money and make a film. The song and fight sequences would be shot over a week and shown to a financer. Till then, we would sit twiddling our thumbs. Thus, in between, we worked in several films,” he said.
The ‘Sholay’ star also has a successful stint in small screen as a quizmaster. He confessed that he took up ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ (KBC) to clear his debts by Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd, an entertainment company.
“We were the first to start corporation of Bollywood in 1995. We did not know how to operate the business and we ran into losses. KBC helped me earn money to pay off the debt.”