Smokestacks of the Hershey Foods Corp. facility pictured in a neighborhood in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, in 2003. US chocolate maker Hershey and Ferrero of Italy said on Wednesday they were mulling a potential counter-bid for British confectioner Cadbury, the object of a hostile offer from Kraft Foods.

Chocolate groups Hershey, Ferrero eye Cadbury

AFP - US chocolate maker Hershey and Ferrero of Italy said on Wednesday they were mulling a potential counter-bid for British confectioner Cadbury, the object of a hostile offer from Kraft Foods.

The news could remould the chocolate-making sector with a takeover costing more than 10.0 billion pounds (11.2 billion euros, 16.8 billion dollars).

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, had reported on Tuesday that Ferrero was in talks with Hershey over a potential joint bid.

The pair said in separate statements to the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday that they were considering options regarding Cadbury

माओवादीमा छिरेको छैन

14 November 2009-Saturday

शुक्रबार रेखा थापाको परिचर्चा अधिक भयो । यस्तो लाग्थ्यो कि उनले त्यतिको चर्चा परिचर्चा त्यसअघि कहिल्यै पाएकी थिइनन् । शुक्रबार बिहानका दैनिक अखबारहरुमा नेपाली सिनेमाकी हिरोइन रेखा थापा माओवादीका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल 'प्रचण्ड' सँग नाचेको खबर तथा फोटोहरुले रंगीन भएका थिए । दिनभरी रेखा जता पनि गइन्, धेरैले उनलाई सोधे - माओवादीमा प्रवेश गरेको हो ?

नसोधुन् पनि किन? केही महिना मात्र त भयो, नेपाली सिनेमाका दर्जनौं कलाकार औपचारिक तवरबाट माओवादीमा प्रवेश गरेको । त्यस्तोमा रेखा थापाले पनि 'हो' भने पनि कसैलाई मतलब लाग्दैन थियो होला । तथापि रेखा 'प्रवेश गरेको होइन' भनिरहेकी छिन् । म एउटा राजनैतिक दलको कलाकार होइन, म सबैकी रेखा थापा हो । उनले भन्न थालेकी छिन् । शुक्रबार राती तर्राई टेलिभिजनको रिलञ्च कार्यक्रममा पुगेकी रेखालाई धेरैले त्यसैरी सोधिरहे । एकजनाले माओवादीको विरोध कार्यक्रममा सहभागी हुनुलाई उसको र्समर्थन गरेकोसम्म भन्न भ्याए । त्यसपछि रेखाले मुख खोलिन् - माओवादी मात्र किन - काँग्रेस, एमाले, राप्रपा, फोरम जसले बोलाए भने पनि जान्छु । कलाकारको सम्मान जहाँ हुन्छ म त्यहाँ भ्याएसम्म पुग्छु । मलाई उहाँहरुले अति सम्मान दिएर बोलाउनु भयो । त्यसैले म गएकी थिएँ । त्यसैगरी एउटा कलाकारको सम्मान गर्दै राष्ट्रका अरु राजनैतिक दलहरुले पनि मलाई आफ्ना कार्यक्रमहरुमा बोलाउँछन् भने म जान्छु ।

बिहिबार सबेरै रेखालाई सँगीतकार चेतन सापकोटाले टेलिफोन गरी माओवादीको सिंहदरबार घेराउ कार्यक्रममा बोलाएको र अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डले सम्झेको सुनाए । रेखालाई लिन एउटा गाडी उनको घर आयो । सम्मान गर्दै आएकाले रेखा पनि माओवादीको सिंहदरबार घेराऊ कार्यक्रममा पुगिन्, लोकगीत गाएर प्रचण्डसँग नाचेर फर्किन् । 'त्यहाँ भएका सबै माओवादी कार्यकर्ता भएपनि मेरो दृष्टिकोणमा उनीहरु मेरा दर्शक तथा प्रसंसक पनि त हुन् । सोझो हिसाबले म मेरा दर्शक तथा प्रसंसकका सामुन्ने गएकी हुँ, उनीहरुको मनोरञ्जन गरेर आएकी हुँ । किनकी मेरो पेसा सबैलाई मनोरञ्जन गराउनु हो । कसैले त्यसको गलत मतलब निकाल्छन् भने मलाई केही मतलब छैन? रेखाको यो भनाईको तार्त्पर्य के हुनसक्छ ? मिडियामा छाउने अर्को जुक्ति ?

Priety Zinta

Date of Birth: 31 January 1975, Simla, India

Nickname: Preetam Singh
Height: 5' 4" (1.63 m)

Biography:

Preity Zinta shot to fame as the refreshing, cool, wet model in the Liril ad. She also modeled for Perk and her dimpled smile won the hearts of million. Preity never thought she would be an actress. Kapoor saw her in the Liril ad and liked her so much that he instantly decided that the next film he would announce would have her in the lead. However 'Tara Rum Pum' never got made and is still pending since the director got very busy with his other projects.

But another offer soon came by, Kundan Shah's 'Kya Kehna.' Though the film was the first, Preity had actually begun shooting for her first release which was Mani Ratnam's Dil Se. The film was a hit which won Preity accolades. Later Abbas-Mustan's Soldier that too was a hit at the box-office confirmed she was here to stay. Though 'Kya Kehna' was her first film, but it released in 2000 and was the surprise hit of 2000.

Her role in 'Dil Chahta Hai' and 'Dil Hai Tumhara' was appreciated and liked by all and that has made her an actress to reckon with in Bollywood. Her screen presence, charm and down to earth nature has made her the favorite actress of almost all the directors and producers. With banners and films like Rakesh Roshan's 'Koi Mil Gaya' with Hrithik Roshan, Nikhil Advani's 'Kal Ho Na Ho' starring superstar Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Jaya Bachan, Farhan Akthar's 'Lakshya' with Hrithik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan, Atul Agnihotri's 'Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha' starring Salman Khan and Bhoomika Chawla, Yash Chopra's 'Veer Zaara' with superstar Shahrukhh Khan and Rani Mukherjee, Siddhart Anand's 'Salaam Namaste' with Saif Ali Khan, and Karan Johar's 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna' with superstar Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachan, Abhishek Bachan, Rani Mukherjee, and John Abraham, Preity has already made her place in the hearts of the public and also in Bollywood.

Deepika Padukon

Date of Birth: 5 January 1986, Copenhagen, Denmark
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)

Biography

Deepika Padukone, born 5 January 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark, is an Indian model & Actress. She is the daughter of former badminton Champion Prakash Padukone. Her mother tongue is Konkani.

She has been modeling appearances in print and television advertising campaigns for Liril, Close-Up toothpaste and Limca, receiving many prestigious modeling offers, including brand ambassadorship of the Jewels of India, an annual jewelery exhibition. She hit the international scene when Maybelline made her their new international cover-girl face.

At the fifth annual Kingfisher Fashion Awards, for Indian models and designers, she was awarded the title of Model of the Year. Shortly after wards, she was chosen as one of the models for the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar for 2006, thus cementing her reputation as a supermodel. She also bagged two trophies at the Idea Zee F Awards in 2006 - female Model of the year (Commercial Assignments) and Fresh Face of the year.

Deepika has a younger sister named Anisha.Daughter of badminton legend Prakash Padukone.Her five favorite movies are Kabhi Kabhie - Love Is Life (1976), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Rang-e khoda (1999), Cinderella Man (2005), and Mary Poppins (1964).Favorite actresses are Hema Malini, Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen, and Juhi Chawla.Favorite actors are Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Johnny Depp, Richard Gere, Brad Pitt, and Amitabh Bachchan.Loves music, eating, sleeping, and watching movies.Plays a little bit of basketball, tennis, throw ball and baseball.She played state level badminton till the 10th standard. Then she had to study for her ICSE board exams, so she stopped playing for three months. She never considered taking it up as a career because she was never interested in a professional sport. She took up modeling as a hobby, but later realized she wanted to do it professionally.Attended Sophia High School in Bangalore and later did her undergraduate studies from Mount Carmel College.

Bring out the actor inside you

Here's your chance to act in a path breaking Nepali film 'Acharya'. The film which is based on the life story of Bhajan Siromani Bhakta Raj Acharya is being directed by Prashant Rasaily, the winner of film talent show 'Gateway to Hollywood' in Sony Pix. Prashant has assisted Anurag Basu on a upcoming Bollywood film 'Kites' with Hrithik Roshan on the lead; he has also coproduced and written screenplay for the film 'Kagbeni'.

As the movie 'Acharya' demands large number of cast, around 80, the production house Silk Route is looking for people interested in acting. For this an audition is being held tomorrow (Nov 17). Both new (without acting background) and established actors, including the theatre artists are encouraged to take part.

Venue: Hotel Ambassador, Lazimpat
Time: 10 AM onwards
Age Range: Child to Old

Patan Durbar Square - Kathmandu Valley

Patan Durbar Square is the old kings square of Patan, south of Kathmandu. The World Heritage monument zone of Patan Durbar Square is one of the seven monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley. Durbar Square show some of the best ancient Newar architecture has to offer.