Warner Bros. to Remake 'The Bodyguard'

Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer have been hired to pen the script.

Warner Bros. is in the midst of remake fever, with the 1992 hit The Bodyguardthe latest to get a retread.

The studio has hired Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer to write the script. Studio-based Dan Lin will produce.

The original starred Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston and spawned one of the biggest ballads of all time, "I Will Always Love You." It entered on a former Secret Service agent hired to protect a world famous pop singer. While initially uncomfortable in her glitzy world, the man eventually falls for her, compromising his ability to protect her.

The original was written by Lawrence Kasdan and was the first script written by the scribe, best known for penning Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Big Chill. It was meant as a vehicle for Steve McQueen and Diana Ross.

In the remake, the story would be updated so that the man would be a former Iraqi war vet.

Sarah Schecter is overseeing.

Friedman and Palmer wrote the action-comedy script Family Getaway, which is set up at the studio and made the 2010 Black List. The duo is repped by UTA and Mosaic.

Source:-http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-remake-bodyguard-160859

Maoists put up fresh demands for collector's release

The Maoists put forward fresh demands after releasing the junior engineer Pabitra Majhi on Wednesday, putting a question mark over Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna's return. Theinterlocutors negotiating with the state government confirmed that the Maoists have put forward new conditions for the release of the collector.

"This can complicate things," G. Hargopal, one of the three interlocutors, said. He appealed to the Maoists to release the collector latest by Thursday. "We had given assurance to the Orissa government that he will be released within 48 hours. We request them to release the collector tomorrow," Hargopal said. Sources said the new conditions, details of which were not available, could be on account of differences between top Maoist leaders of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

However, chief secretary, Bijay Patnaik said, "We still don't know when he will be released." Home secretary U.N.Behera expressed hope that Krishna would be released soon as the rebels had promised to set both the officials free within 48 hours.Amid the latest demands, the junior engineer reached Chitrakonda on Wednesday afternoon following his release. But the uncertainty over Krishna continued. Majhi said the Maoists had released him with the assurance that the collector would also be set free soon. "They told me that collector will be released in 48 hours. They treated us well," Majhi added.

On Tuesday, Maoist ideologue Varvara Rao had said the rebels had released both the officials. However, since they were being held in a difficult terrain their actual arrival home was going to take time. Majhi was released around 11 a.m. by the Maoists at Doliamba, a forested area in Malkangiri's cut-off belt from where he reached Jantapai village on a motorcycle with two people. After crossing the reservoir, he was taken to the Chitrakonda government guest house in an official vehicle.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, "The mediators on behalf of the Maoists have given a firm commitment on the safe return of Krishna and Majhi within the next 48 hours."

Sources said an ambulance and a government vehicle had been kept ready on the other side Chitrakonda reservoir in anticipation of the collector's release. While the state government has already acceded to the 14 demands placed by the Maoists, the two sides held further talks on Wednesday on how to ensure that both sides kept their commitment.

On the other hand, in a significant development, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday granted bail to top Maoist leader Ganti Prasad. He was among the five Maoist leaders whose release was demanded by the abductors.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130747/top-stories/maoists-put-up-fresh-demands-for-release-of-malkangiri-collector-r.-vineel-krishna-abduction.html

Pakistan wind power resources potential at 350,000 MW

Pakistan can generate over 350,000 MW electricity through only wind energy against the countrys total demand of about 21,000 MW peak summer, necessitating solid steps to explore the potential.

Official sources in Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) told reporter that the countrys has numerous resources to get energy and over 50,000 MW energy could be generated only in Gharo-Keti Bandar corridor where average wind speed is more than seven meter per second. 

They said the corridor has potential twice of India and other sites in Balochistan, Punjab, and Northern Area which are being identified for power generation. The sources said Pakistan has amongst the world highest and fastest rising urbanization and electricity is available to only 57 per cent of the population while natural gas to 21 per cent. Only 45 per cent of rural population have access to grid electricity and there is extreme shortage of electricity and gas leading to load shedding. 

The countrys economic growth is also suffering due to load shedding of gas and power, leading to closures of industries, they added. They said the total installed and dependable capacity of the countrys power sector is 20,231 MW. Giving breakup, they said 11,735 MW could be get from public sector while 8,496 MW from private sector. 

By switching to alternative energy means, we can reduce dependence on imported oil, running into billions dollars and undermining economic development, they observed. It is pertinent to mention that USA has wind power installed capacity of 25,170 MW, Japan 1,880 MW, India 9,645 MW, Greece 985 MW, Egypt 365 MW, Iran 85 and Pakistan 6 MW. The government had set up AEDB in 2003 for implementing policies programmes and projects through private sector in the field of alternative energy.

Source:-http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=10355

Revenge is foremost on India's mind

It's revenge time for India. The unexpected defeat at the hands of Bangladesh during the 2007 World Cup is still fresh in the minds of most Indian players and avenging that loss will be on top of their must-do agenda as they clash with the co-hosts in the opening match of the World Cup in Dhaka on Saturday.

That defeat was instrumental in sending India out of the tournament in the first round itself and the hurt can still be felt in the Indian camp. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni just doesn't want to talk about it. "Never even thought about it because we don't want to repeat what happened in 2007," he said on the eve of the big game that millions of people are looking forward to. In several ways, the result of the day-night encounter at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium could set the tone for the 14-nation, 45-day tournament. If it turns out to be a closely fought encounter, it will be a good advertisement for the 50-over format - which some people feel is under threat from Twenty20 - and will make investors/advertisers and some others smile.

Already, an anonymous punter has put a bet of £82,000 bet - the biggest ever laid on a one-day game - with a London bookmaker on India winning the World Cup. But Dhoni would again not like to think about it, otherwise it would add to the pressure on him. Bangladesh have managed to eke out only two wins in 22 matches against India in more than 22 years of bilateral ODI history, but the one they managed on March 17, 2007, was the most telling. And when Dhoni, who failed to score in that game but took three catches, goes out for the toss, his mind would surely go back to that defeat.

He may have given a new name to pressure, "added responsibility", but he can't just shrug it away from his mind. One consolation for India is that pacer Mashrafe Mortaza, who bagged four wickets and was man of the match in that game, is not in the team. Seven of the 11 players who lost that game are still in the Indian team and would be itching to avenge that embarrassment.

Interestingly, India and Bangladesh could be in different mindsets as they returned contrasting results just before the World Cup. While India lost the five-match ODI series 2-3 in South Africa last month, Bangladesh blanked New Zealand 4-0 at home and then thrashed Zimbabwe 3-1 in December and would be high on confidence.

For India, pace spearhead Zaheer Khan is suspected to be a doubtful starter due to an injury. But Dhoni was confident he would play. "Zaheer is fit as of now. I have not spoken to the physio. If there is something, I will let you know," he said. Left-armer Zaheer bowled at the nets on Friday evening, but did not go full throttle. Maybe, Dhoni wants to preserve him for the more important matches coming ahead. Maybe, the bowler is still not 100 per cent match fit. The answers will be known on Saturday afternoon when Dhoni exchanges the team sheets with his Bangladesh counterpart Shakib Al Hasan at the toss.

Dhoni said spinners could play a big role in the tournament as pitches in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka largely support slow bowlers. Bangladesh too would depend largely on spinners, who happen to be their strength, especially on home turf.

The India skipper too acknowledged this. "All three Bangladesh spinners are good. They have got two good part-timers who can bowl off-spin and leg-spin. It's a good side. In the sub-continent, they rely a lot on their spinners because here they get more assistance than anywhere else," he said.

Shakib was gung ho about Bangladesh's prospects. "Our bowlers are in good form, the batsmen have been doing their job and our fielding has improved a lot," he said, looking confident.

"This tournament is not only about playing India. We have six league matches to play and we have to perform in all of them. If we get our basics right, we will do well."

Bangladesh will no doubt receive wholehearted support from vociferous home fans. But the experienced Indian players are not new to playing and winning in adverse conditions. And they are expected to do the same on Saturday.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130298/top-stories/world-cup-team-india-seeks-revenge-for-2007-defeat.html