A while ago, several reports suggested that Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh‘s daughter Sara Ali Khan was all set to make her debut opposite Ranveer Singh in Zoya Akhtar‘s Gully Boy. But according to the current talks, it seems she will be seen with Hrithik Roshan in her first Bollywood film. However, we cannot be completely sure about any of these floating pieces of info until an official announcement is made.

But here’s something that we got our hands on right now. Ranveer and Sara met at a high profile wedding in Hyderabad recently. And the two stunners struck a pose together. Must say, they complement each other very well. Check this out.

Well, these two should definitely do a movie together. Don’t you think?

A 24-year-old woman from Paris won the Miss Universe crown on Monday, in a three-hour show in the Philippine capital that focused on diversity and overcoming life struggles, beating 85 hopefuls from all over the world.

Iris Mittenaere, who is pursuing a degree in dental surgery, won the 65th edition of the annual competition hosted for the third time by the Philippines.

"I was very surprised I won, I feel blessed," said Mittenaere, who had been described on the Miss Universe website as hoping "to advocate for dental and oral hygiene" if she won.

"Miss Universe was a dream, every girl wants to be Miss Universe...the stage is amazing, everything is amazing."

She added, "I want to help people, I want to understand people, I want to meet people, that's why this is a dream for me."

Raquel Pelissier of Haiti is the first runner-up, while Andrea Tovar of Colombia placed second runner-up.

Thirteen contestants were picked for the swimsuit round of the finals after a preliminary competition last week, before being pruned to nine for the evening gown segment, and then to six.

Rounding out the top six were Maxene Medina of the Philippines, Chalita Suansane of Thailand and Mary Esther Were of Kenya.

Steve Harvey returned as show host after a gaffe in the 2015 competition, when he mistakenly announced the wrong winner

The Supreme Court on Monday discarded the interior ministry's appeal to keep model Ayyan Ali's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) and upheld the Sindh High Court's verdict to remove her name from the same.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, who headed the three-member bench that heard the appeal, said it seemed as if the government wanted to keep the model in the country by hook or by crook.

Deputy Attorney General Sajid Ilyas Bhatti, who represented the ministry argued that the model's name was added to the ECL on a request of the Punjab home department (in the murder case of Customs Officer Ejaz Mehmood), and that is why the SHC should have listened to their arguments as to why the name was added to the list before handing out the verdict.

Ayyan was nominated in a case relating to the customs officer's murder, who was killed in 2015 while he was allegedly investigating the money laundering case involving the model.

At this, the bench asked the government lawyer how many murder suspects' names had been put on the ECL previously.

The interior ministry had challenged in the Supreme Court the SHC decision to strike Ayyan's name off the ECL on Saturday.

In a petition received by the SC, the interior ministry maintained that the model's name was put on the list on Punjab's request and thus it could not be removed by the SHC.

Earlier on Jan 19, the SHC ordered authorities to strike Ayyan's name off ECL but later suspended its order for 10 days on the request of the federal government, which sought time to challenge the high court's judgment in the SC.

Justice Phulpoto was appointed as a referee judge by SHC Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah last month to decide Ayyan's petition after one of the judges on a division bench approved the model’s plea, while the other rejected it.

The Ayyan saga

The interior ministry on a court directive had removed her name from the ECL, but it was again included in the list after a few hours.

The model later filed a contempt of court application against the federal government for not allowing her to travel abroad despite the court's directive to strike her name off ECL.

The model had approached the court initially in Dec 2015 requesting the removal of her name from the exit control list. Her counsel had maintained that having her name on the ECL was illegal as authorities had returned her passport.

During a hearing of her case last year, the model said she was required to travel abroad for professional assignments and medical treatment, and since she had been released from jail on bail, her name should be struck off the ECL.

She said the authorities’ decision to disallow her from travelling abroad was a violation of her fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 18 of the Constitution.

A customs court in Nov 2015 indicted Ayyan for attempting to smuggle more than half a million dollars in cash out of the country, to which she has pleaded not guilty.

The model was arrested on March 14, 2015, on charges of money laundering after customs officials recovered $506,000 from her luggage at Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport before she could reportedly board a flight to Dubai.

She was granted bail in July last year after spending around four months in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail — and after her judicial remand was extended at least 16 times.

The case against the model took a political turn when the airport entry pass of the personal assistant to a former president was cancelled for allegedly trying to facilitate Ayyan’s suspected attempt to smuggle money.

Later in June 2015, a customs official who was allegedly investigating the money laundering case involving the model was shot dead.

Courtesy: Dawn News

Kareena Kapoor Khan was recently snapped with Sophie Chaudhary getting out of Manish Malhotra‘s house. At the first glance, Bebo’s ensemble looks standard. Black tracks paired with a printed puller are basic essentials that almost everyone has in their wardrobe. But because she’s such a stunner and looks good in EVERYTHING she dons, we’re seeing her ensemble in a whole new light. She also selected contrasting, red converse shoes to go with this look.

But her classic black Birkin took her basic style to a whole new level. With her tresses left loose in their natural habitat, she had no makeup on except some colour on her lips.
We love her basic but brilliant style move. Doesn’t she look lovely? Comment below if you agree with us.

Alia Bhatt was recently on the cover of Vogue for their February 2017 issue. She obviously made for a stunning cover girl, but what really charmed us was her casual wit and demeanour in the her interview with the same magazine.

Alia was asked a string of questions, all of which she answered with her statement ease. When asked her favourite sex position, according to Mid-day, she replied saying, “The classic missionary”, as she is a simple person.

Further, when Vogue quizzed her about the first thing she will check if her boyfriend leaves his phone unlocked, she said:

I know the password to my boyfriend’s phone.

She was also asked what she’ll do if she met US president, Donald Trump and yet again she had a tongue-in-cheek response:

I’d build a wall so I don’t have to talk to him.

Gotcha! There is a reason why this girl is a favourite with millions.

LAHORE: Pakistan chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq on Friday indirectly advised Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to leave captaincy for a man who can lead the team in all three formats.

Talking to reporters at a local function in the wake of the national team’s disastrous tours of Australia and New Zealand, Inzamam said Misbah was in the “best position” to decide his future.

“I haven’t given any advice to the PCB over the captaincy issue but I think the perfect man for the job is one who can lead in all three formats,” the former batting great said.

“Misbah is a very intelligent man and he is in the best position to take a decision about his future.”

Misbah’s advancing years have seen a lot of criticism heaped on him.

However, apart for the tours of New Zealand and Australia — where Pakistan were whitewashed 2-0 and 3-0 in Tests respectively — the 42-year-old has been Pakistan’s shining star since being appointed captain six years ago.

He inspired Paki­stan to the top of the ICC Test team rankings for the first time in history last year.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) — following a common practice in the cricketing world — has appointed different captains for all three formats of the game.

Pakistan didn’t fare any better in the ODI series Down Under, losing 4-1.

“We took several steps before sending the team to New Zealand and Australia and sent the best bunch of players,” Inzamam said, defending his selection.

“Fitness remains a problem for the team and we’re taking steps to improve it.”

Inzamam added that while he was independent as a chief selector, he does consult the team management before picking players.

The chief selector also defended sending all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez prior to the start of the ODI series against the Aussies.

“He was the best player of the national one-day tournament,” Inzamam said, adding they needed to make big changes to rraise a formidable team in all three formats.

He was also looking forward to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which runs from February 9 to March 5.

“It will give us the opportunity to check out the best players and select a good team for the tour of the West Indies,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2017

Four days after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, mental health counsellors hosted a webinar on how their fellow American Muslims could cope.

They surveyed the political landscape: a White House framing Islam itself as a threat, a surge in anti-Muslim hostility and suspicion of immigrants in general.

The counselors offered tips such as limiting time on social media.

And they cautioned against withdrawing in discouragement, worried about losing whatever foothold Muslims have gained in public life since the crucible of Sept 11.

“It's very easy to tell a story of victimisation, fear, feeling ... not welcome in our own home,” said Ben Herzig, a Massachusetts therapist with a speciality in Muslim mental health.

“But the narrative of Islam in American can be a positive one.” While many express alarm at Trump's statements, Muslim leaders are pushing back.

They are organising protests, hosting elected officials at their mosques, building ties with other faith groups and encouraging Muslims to run for elected office.

Many of these initiatives had been planned before the general election, but have taken on a new urgency since then.

Trump signed an executive order Friday setting “new vetting measures” to keep “radical Islamic terrorists” out of the United States.

The order indefinitely stopped Syrian refugee and immigrant entry into the US, suspended all refugee entry for four months and suspended refugee admissions for three months from countries with terror concerns, naming majority-Muslim nations including Iraq, Syria and Iran.

The new president and his supporters say his measures are needed to strengthen national security.

Farhana Khera, head of the civil rights group Muslim Advocates, said the order “relies on grotesque and bigoted stereotypes of Islam.”

In Texas, a state lawmaker recently sent a provocative survey to local Muslim leaders asking, among other things, their views of Islamic law and whether they would pledge not to harm Muslims who left the faith.

On Wednesday, a businessman attacked a Muslim airline employee at New York's Kennedy Airport, kicking her, shouting obscenities at her and saying that Trump “will get rid of all of you,” authorities said.

“The discourse has shifted from good Muslims and bad Muslims to 'how bad is the Muslim you're talking about?'” said attorney Hassan Ahmad, an immigration law specialist in Virginia with many clients from Muslim countries.

Muslim leaders acknowledge they are in a relatively weak position from which to advocate, amid the nation's inflamed mood over immigration, religion and terrorism.

The US is home to only about 3.3 million Muslims, which means just a small number of Americans actually know a member of the faith. Many US Muslims come from families that only arrived a generation ago.

But they have more organisations, charities and cultural clout than ever, built by a post-9/11 generation eager to assert their American identity.

Companies like Amazon, Nabisco and CoverGirl have recently featured Muslims in their advertisements.

The night after Trump's inauguration, comic Aziz Ansari, speaking from one of the most influential platforms in pop culture, as host of “Saturday Night Live,” called out anti-Muslim prejudice, white supremacy and other bias that has come to the forefront.

“It's very clear that one of the goals of bigoted language is to make the victims feel isolated and make them feel that they have no allies and they have no power to get them to be silent and intimidate them and make them give up,” said Dalia Mogahed, director of research for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, an American Muslim think-tank.

Last month, about 2,600 people filled the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, for an interfaith event expressing support for the community. Among the speakers were US Sen Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

This month, Wardah Khalid, a 30-year-old graduate of Texas A&M University, started a Washington organization called Poligon to train American Muslims how to lobby Congress.

She got the idea from working as an analyst for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a Quaker public policy organisation.

“There are other groups visiting (congressional offices) every single day of the year and it makes a difference in terms of policy asks,” Khalid said.

She said she's received a strong response to the launch on Facebook and through her website. “It got a lot of momentum,” Khalid said. “People are finally waking up.”

Muslims for American Progress, a project just launched by Mogahed's institute, aims to highlight American Muslim contributions to the country in medicine, science, sports, business and other fields.

The profiles are based in part on data the institute has collected about Muslim professionals.

“For 15 years American Muslims have been asked to tell the world what they condemn versus what they contribute, and the conversation in this presidential campaign was with one candidate who thought Muslims were a cancer and the other who basically thought that Muslims were benign and useful as an instrument of counter-terrorism.

But neither of them understood the value of the American Muslim community to our country outside of counter-terror,” Mogahed said.

Jerusha Lamptey, a professor of Islam and ministry at Union Theological Seminary, a liberal Christian school in New York, had just wrapped up the school's first leadership training program for Muslim women when details emerged over the last week of Trump's plan to sharply restrict refugee flow.

“The scheduling turned out to be very important because it created something for us to do that was constructive and somewhat hopeful,” Lamptey said.

“This anxiety for the American Muslim community is not new. But this last year, it's been wildly out of control,” she added.

That angst is causing deep fatigue, especially among Muslim college students and parents desperate to protect their children, said Kameelah Rashad, founder of the Philadelphia-based Muslim Wellness Foundation, which educates Muslims on mental health issues.

Rashad's son, who is in sixth grade, heard one of his teachers say people upset by Trump's election “should just get over it.”

Rashad said “We are such a small minority in the country overall, so it will really just take more than us standing up and saying, 'This is inexcusable,'” Rashad said.

“We're very resilient, but we also have to comfort our children. We have to figure out if my place of worship is safe on Friday. How will I be treated at work? There's an emotional exhaustion,”she added

Surveying Trump's first week in office, she said: “I think it will get worse before it gets better," she concluded.

Courtesy: Dawn News

Actress Sonakshi Sinha, who was last seen on screen in Force 2, says making a mark as an actor is more important for her than making a style statement.

Asked how important making a style statement is for her, Sonakshi said over phone from Mumbai: "I think the field that I am in, it is important. But it's not on the top of the list for me. There's lot more...Like making a mark as an actor in my profession, being a good person, helping other people - those are definitely above making a fashion statement."

The 29-year-old actress was seen walking as a showstopper for designer Monisha Jaising at the opening show of Lakme Fashion Week 2017 Summer/Resort.

On the acting front, Sonakshi will next be seen on screen in the upcoming film Noor, where she will be seen playing a journalist.

Directed by Sunhil Sippy, Noor is an adaptation of Saba Imtiaz's novel "Karachi, I Love You". It is slated to release on April 21.

Courtesy: news18

Pakistanis, meet your very own Ranveer Singh.

We almost had a Ram-Leela moment after stumbling across 20-year-old Hammad Shoaib from Faisalabad (kidding, he's way too young).

Images got in touch with the internet sensation and he told us he just got done with his A Levels and is looking at options for further education. Here's what Ranveer look-alike Hammad had to say:

1) He doesn't think he looks like Ranveer Singh.

"I don't imitate Ranveer Singh but I like his personality. I don't compare myself with him but people do. I still don't believe that I look like him, but according to other people, the resemblance is a lot."

"The resemblance is God-gifted," he adds. 

2) He's surprised by the furore around his looks.

"I used to post videos and pictures on Instagram and Facebook. People used to compare me with Ranveer but I never had an idea that people will start comparing me with him this much."

3) He has fans all over the world.

"Yes, my Instagram and Facebook followers are increasing every minute. I'm glad to see the love and response of people around the world."

4) His mom and phupo think he's better looking than Ranveer.

Mom: "As the saying goes, 'Ma ko apne bachay sab se pyaare lagte hain' (moms think their kids are the sweetest), my mother agrees that I look like Ranveer but also says that I'm way better looking than him. Maa maa hoti hai na phir (That's mom for you)."

Phupo: "My favourite phupo always says that I'm a better version of Ranveer Singh. She thinks I have a good pointed nose. And she believes that I have the perfect looks and talent to become a part of the Pakistani [entertainment] industry."

5) People thought his face was plastered all over Head & Shoulders billboards.

"Haha, [I've been mistaken for Ranveer] many times. Once I went to my friend's firm and a person who works there came up to me and asked, 'Bhai aap hi woh dandruff nahi chalega wale ad mein aye ho'?"

6) He loves the female attention (duh!)

"I get compliments from men too, but as you know, it feels really good when you receive compliments from beautiful ladies."

7) Surprise, surprise... he's single!

"I don't have a girlfriend! Haha," he says.

8) And he's ready to break into the entertainment industry.

"I always wanted to be a part of Pakistan's entertainment industry and showbiz. I've got some amazing offers from the TV industry and I'm looking forward to working on some good projects. Let's hope for the best."

9) He's lovin' the love.

"I respond positively to the people who love me and give love back to those who love and appreciate my talent."

10) And there's possibly a Pakistani Deepika for him too.

Because, you know, the jodi must be complete.

Courtesy: Dawn Newa

Maula Jatt 2 is one film which has kept everyone on their toes.

Perhaps it's because our favourite Pakistani actors are in it or because Bilal Lashari is directing it. We can't decide. Either way, now that Maula Jatt 2 has begun shooting, the excitement has just doubled.

But hold up!

Lashari wants to clarify something. The Waar director posted Facebook to announce that his upcoming feature is not Maula Jatt 2, not a sequel of the cult classic, nor a remake of it either.

Erm.. then what is it, we wonder.

Guess we'll just have to wait for the official title. But there's no reason to be upset. The cast still includes our faves: Fawad Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mahira Khan and a promise to release this year.

So there, we still have something to look forward to in 2017. Psst, we hear the stars are training hard for a their roles.

Courtesy: Dawn News

Mere Karan Arjun Aayenge – I just knew it! Bollywood’s biggest superstars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are all set to grace the silver screen together. As a big surprise for the duos fans, Shah Rukh will be making a cameo in Kabir Khan‘s film Tubelight, which stars Salman in the lead. The stars wanted to keep this under wraps but producer Amar Butala finally spilled the beans.

According to Bollywood Life, SRK will play the role of a magician in the film – which is largely based on the Hollywood flick Little Boy.

This news has already got us VERY excited!

Former army chief General (retd) Raheel Sharif said 2016 witnessed a significant decrease in terrorism and that "intelligence sharing is a very important component of strategy to combat terrorism."

Addressing a session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) titled 'Terrorism in the digital age', he said: "Terrorism is a global issue and the global community will have to get united if it wants to defeat terrorism."

Talking in reference to the achievements of Pakistan Army in fighting terrorism, he said the military cleared 8,000 square kilometres area after recapturing it from militant control. He apprised the gathering that tens of thousands of affected people were rehabilitated in the area.

Raheel Sharif went on to say that terrorism has become a "gangrene for the world". He added that terrorists attack in a well planned manner and intelligence sharing is a very important component of strategy to combat terrorism.

Pakistan bears tragedies such as the Army Public School (APS) because of terrorism, he added. "However, we can not take such negative measures against terrorists like they do."

Courtesy: Dawn News

NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has pitched for creating a trade corridor between South Asia and Central Asia involving both India-held Kashmir and Azad Kashmir as its “nucleus”, reports said on Tuesday.

They said that Ms Mufti proposed the idea on the lines of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Speaking in the disputed state’s Legislative Council, she said such a corridor between the two emerging economic hotspots would help forge a new regional cooperation, energy transformation, trade and transit.

The subcontinent was historically linked to Central Asia through Kashmir and “taking advantage of its geographical location, Jammu and Kashmir could become a nucleus towards forging a new economic alliance in the region”, Ms Mufti was quoted as saying while winding up the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on Governor’s Address.

“The oil and gas resources of Central Asia are the nearest and most economical answers to South Asian energy needs and J&K can help foster energy cooperation in the region,” she said.

“This will create favourable conditions for Jammu and Kashmir to play its natural role of connecting the two emerging economic zones and lift itself out of political and economic fragility.”

She said: “Such an arrangement will supplement the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor through this part of Kashmir.”

The trans-Kashmir corridor, with diverse sub-corridors, Ms Mufti said, “was symbolic of relative peace, prosperity, cross-cultural and ideological fertilisation and human security until late 1940s”.

India’s overland connections with its northern neighbourhood got ruptured due to partition in 1947, she said.

“However, the current reopening of traditional trans-Jammu and Kashmir and trans-[Azad Kashmir] routes is strongly felt in view of the transforming geo-economic and geo-political scenarios at the regional and global levels.”

She said that not only the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot Roads that have already been opened for movement of people and goods, all the traditional road links including Suchetgarh-Sialkot road, Kargil-Skardu road, Bandipora-Gurez-Gilgit road and Nowshera-Mirpur road can be and should be opened for free movement of people and goods in the region.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2017

It is no news that Sridevi’s eldest daughter Janhvi Kapoor already looks like one cool diva, following her mom’s footsteps. But what we are getting to know is that her closet is filled with pretty cool outfits. Celebrity stylist Esha Amiin has picked out one hella number from RS By Rippii Sethi that will go in her closet (we suppose!). We spotted Janhvi Kapoor donning this colorful gown last night. From the looks of it, the gown features symmetrical prints with bright hues and a sheer skirt with motifs. So gone are the days when a gown has to be one-tonned beauty, this gown makes us wish there were more colourful and fun gowns we spotted on our divas. Right?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPKzhUhjR6e/?taken-by=eshaamiin1

BTW are we the only one who feels this gown is awfully similar to the outfit Katy Perry wore in the Dark Horse video?

We all know how that Priyanka Chopra has a thick black mane we all would die for. And I’m sure maintaining those tresses could be a real task. Constant heat from straightening and blow-drying, along with other chemicals can damage that the quality of her hair. But hey! it’s a part of the job, amirite?

Say hello to Pantene’s new launch! With it’s improved Pro-V formula and goodness of oils, it claims to be MORE than just a shampoo. PC has even openly declared getting thicker, stronger hair in just 14 Days with it! But the real question is— why is she not going to JUST wash her again?

We love Piggy Chops and can’t wait to find out why! So stay tuned…

This post is in partnership with Pantene

The opening sequence of XXX: Return of Xander Cage makes it clear that DJ Caruso’s movie will stop short of nothing less than world domination.

Brazilian football star Neymar sits across the table from secret agent Gibbons (Samuel L Jackson) and hears a recruitment pitch that will be familiar to fans of the franchise. In short order, people of many other nations raise their hands and flags to lend the hectically paced action movie the air of a United Nations convention. Donnie Yen (Hong Kong) smashes through glass, Tony Jaa (Thailand) outruns bullets, and our very own Deepika Padukone provides stern-faced back-up.

A thingummyjig that is blowing up communication satellites that survey the earth is stolen, and it’s time for Xander Cage (Vin Diesel), the American working class outlier and occasional patriot, to emerge out of hiding in the Dominican Republic and assemble a team of mavericks from Scotland, Canada, China and Australia. Cage’s global outlook ensures that wherever in the world you may be, you will feel the joy of watching a movie star from your country saving the planet from annihilation.

Extending the multi-racial mix that made the original 2002 film popular, Return of Xander Cage acknowledges that at the very least, Hollywood has to change its insular thinking if it wants to make the kind of films that rake in enough money to feed a small country. The superbly choreographed stunts and jaw-dropping action give every major cast member something to showcase for his or her nation of origin.

Yen, the Hong Kong martial arts star, gets his share of fistfights; Jaa has his Muay Thai moments; Canadian-Chinese actor Kris Wu takes care of two markets in one package; openly lesbian Australian actor Ruby Rose is a shout out to queer audiences as well as women with her ace marksmanship; getaway driver Rory McCann (Sandor Clegane from the Games of Thrones show) reels in television and Scottish fans with the same hook.

Padukone also does India proud by displaying deftness with weapons and catching the eye of Xander while aiming a gun at his hip-bone. After Diesel and Yen, Padukone has the meatiest of roles in the ensemble cast. She isn’t as agile or cool as Rose’s sniper Adele or as funny as technical support operative Becky (Canadian import Nina Dobrev), but she has enough screen time and close-ups to hold her own in a movie that is about the stunts above everything else.

The serviceable and lazily written plot is a rehash of the 2002 film. The fearless extreme sports fanatic Xander Cage is still putting his neck on the line without provocation, using skis on rocky surfaces, riding bikes underwater, and leaping off planes without a parachute. Helpful information cards pop up, as though in a cartoon strip, to introduce each of the key characters to viewers who might be new to the franchise, but Diesel’s antics and insouciance will be familiar to fans of the Fast and Furious films, the most recent of which was a massive hit in India.

The parade of stunts, one more eye-popping than the next, emphasises the ability of the human body to undergo all manner of punishment. A visual joke about Hollywood superhero films, which rely on gadgetry and visual effects to achieve the same effect, is present in the mean-looking pneumatic gloves that an American Army soldier wears to try and punch some sense into Xander. For Xander, his naked fists and wits are all he needs.

Adrenaline junkies with Red Bull in their veins have plenty to chew on in Return of Xander Cage, which never lets logic get in the way of spectacle. As the thingummyjig is located in the industrially depressed town Detroit and the action shifts into the American Red Belt, there is enough time to stop and wonder about just what XXX: Return of Xander Cage is trying to say.

Is this movie aimed at thrill-seekers also taking digs at Donald Trump, secret government surveillance, and anti-immigrant sentiment? Is Toni Collete’s manipulative National Security Agency chief the dour face of all that is wrong with American domestic policy? Are the remarks about true patriots versus government stooges and the statement that “the Central Intelligence Agency will destroy the world” more than just white noise inserted in between the endless stunts?

As pitches for conquering world markets and disgruntled domestic audiences go, Return of Xander Cage does one better than Gibbons’s glib and always successful sales talk.

This article, originally published at Scroll.in, has been reproduced with permission.

Natalie Portman is the latest Hollywood actor to call out the film industry for gender discrimination. Post film awards season, the Oscar-winning actor slammed the gender pay gap as 'crazy' – calling it even worse in Hollywood than in other jobs.

In an interview with Marie Claire, Portman revealed that she was paid three times less than her male co-star Ashton Kutcher for her role in the 2011 romantic comedy No Strings Attached.

"Compared to men, in most professions, women make 80 cents to the dollar," Portman told the publication. "In Hollywood we are making 30 cents to the dollar."

The 35-year-old star, who won a best actress Oscar in 2011 for her role in Black Swan and plays Jackie Kennedy in a forthcoming biopic about the former U.S. First Lady - said the pay disparity was 'crazy'.

The World Economic Forum, a non-profit foundation, predicts the global gender pay disparity may take up to 170 years to close. The average global gap stood at 59 per cent in 2016, it said in a report released last October.

Hollywood's gender pay gap was highlighted in 2015, when hacked documents from film studio Sony Pictures revealed major pay disparities between top actors.

They showed that U.S. actress Jennifer Lawrence was paid less than her male co-stars Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper in the 2013 black comedy American Hustle.

Hacked emails showed that Bale and Cooper earned nine per cent of the film's total profits, whilst Lawrence was only paid seven per cent.

Lawrence later said she was "mad at herself" after learning about the pay gap because she had "failed as a negotiator".

Other movie stars – such as Sandra Bullock and Jessica Chastain – have also hit out at pay discrimination.

The 2017 awards season began on Sunday with the Golden Globes dinner in Beverly Hills, kicking off two months of red carpets and black tie events, culminating in the Academy Awards ceremony on Feb. 26.

Courtesy: Dawn News

French police arrested 16 people in raids Monday over the armed robbery of US reality TV star Kim Kardashian in Paris last year based on DNA found at the crime scene, police sources said.

Police swooped in the Paris region and the south of France following forensic work at the luxury Paris residence where Kardashian was tied up and robbed of jewellery worth around nine million euros ($9.5 million) in October, one of the sources told AFP.

"One of the DNA samples matched an individual known to police for robbery and criminal offences, who is considered a major thug," the source said.

Using the evidence found at the scene, investigators were able to put in place a surveillance operation and build up a picture of the criminal network behind the robbery, he said, adding that it stretched to Belgium.

Money and documents were also seized in Monday's raids.

A gang of armed and masked men wearing police uniforms had burst into the residence in the chic Madeleine area of the capital where 36-year-old Kardashian and her entourage were staying during Paris Fashion Week.

The gang tied up Kardashian, locked her in the bathroom and fled with jewellery including a ring worth around four million euros and a case of jewellery with a value of five million euros.

The Kardashian family's French bodyguard Pascal Duvier was not at the scene at the time because he was providing security for Kim's sister Kourtney at a Paris nightclub.

'Shoot me in the back'

Kardashian, who is married to rap mogul Kanye West, finally broke her silence about the incident this weekend, saying she feared she was going to be killed by the robbers.

"They're going to shoot me in the back," she sobbed to her sisters while recounting the ordeal in a promotional clip for the new season of her TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

"There's no way out. It makes me so upset to think about it," she added.

It is believed the men escaped on bicycles but one of the gang dropped a diamond pendant worth around 30,000 euros in the street outside.

It was found by a passer-by and handed in to police several hours after the robbery.

Kardashian lodged a formal complaint in France after she was filmed fiddling with her mobile phone at the residence immediately after the robbery.

Her lawyers said in October the video was made "without her consent or the police's and while the police were investigating the crime scene".

It emerged afterwards that Kardashian had raised the alarm after untying herself and calling her bodyguard.

Kardashian has harnessed the power of social media to rise to fame, with nearly 50 million followers on Twitter and 90 million on Instagram.

A month after the Kardashian robbery, two Qatari women were held up on a motorway outside Paris and robbed of valuables worth more than five million euros.

The women, in their sixties, had just left Le Bourget airport northeast of the capital when their chauffeur-driven Bentley was held up by two masked men who sprayed them with tear gas.

Pakistan will see its first film of 2017 with the release of Rafay Rashidi's Thora Jee Le on January 20.

The film is the story of college friends experiencing the ups and downs of real life. The friends, played by a cast of first-time film actors including model Rizwan Ali Jaffri and TV actor Bilal Abbas, grow closer and fall apart — but the end message is one that "the youth of Pakistan needs to hear as we move towards a positive, progressive Pakistan," says Rafay.

Here's 5 things you should know about Thora Jee Le:

1) The film is inspired by the concept of six degrees of separation.

In a chat with Images, Rafay shared, "I had shot a promo two years ago titled Six, which dealt with the idea of '7 years of friendship lasting a lifetime' and the concept of six degrees of separation. I merged the two together, and created seven characters and their journey of life."

In the film, we'll see the friends reconnect when one of them is met with "a 'certain' incident".

2) It's a film for young people, but that doesn't mean the characters are all the same.

Rafay Rashidi (right) thought carefully about the characters he wrote in Thora Jee Le

About the characters he wrote, Rafay said, "The friends all come from different backgrounds with their very own insecurities, complexities and issues. Conflicts will be witnessed between the rich and poor, the middle class and upper class, the party crowd and the fashion crowd, a loving yet possessive husband."

"I've tried to break certain stereotypes with these characters," he added.

3) TV personality Mahtab Akbar Rashidi steps into cinema with this film.

Mahtab Akbar Rashidi (centre) with Rafay and his cast at the Thora Jee Le press conference

Director Rafay Rashidi makes his feature film debut with Thora Jee Le — and he has his mother, famed TV personality Mahtab Akbar Rashidi to thank for that.

After a degree in IT, Rafay decided to chase his childhood dream of making movies, he shared in an interview on Dawn News. When he sent this first script to his mother for feedback, she liked it but was curious about where he'd get the funding for the film.

'Ammi Baba hain na' ('There's always mom and dad') was the expectation. And so, Mahtab stepped into the film industry as Executive Producer of Thora Jee Le.

4) Rafay deliberately chose to not cast a prominent star.

Director Rafay Rashidi wanted some fresh talent to come to the fore in Thora Jee Le

"Lots of people recommended that I go for senior actors," shared Rafay, "But I didn't want one famous face, and the rest all fresh. The entire focus of the film would have fallen on one particular actor. Thora Jee Le is a film that focuses on youngsters, so I decided to go for fresh faces."

5) The film is a true test of Rafay's directorial abilities.

Rafay also didn't want to the ride on the coattails of his actors' star-power.

Talking about his choice of a fresh cast, Rafay further said, "A directorial debut meant proving my worth as a storyteller and filmmaker. For that, I wanted my audience to witness and give feedback about whether I was able to succeed as a director whose job is not only to shoot scenes but also to bring out good performances from actors with a good plot."

Courtesy: Dawn News