Paparazzi fined for invasion of Di's privacy  (Go To Top)

    London: Three photographers who took pictures of Princess Diana as she lay seriously injured on the night of her fatal car crash have been found guilty of invasion of privacy. A Paris appeals court fined the three one euro (68 pence) each for taking the pictures of the Princess and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed in a Paris tunnel in August 1997. Jacques Langevin, Christian Martinez and Fabrice Chassery were acquitted of the invasion of privacy charge in 2003 after judges said a crashed vehicle on a public highway is not a private area. But France's highest court disagreed in a ruling last April and sent the case to the Paris appeals court for review, which fined them the symbolic one euro sum, reports the DailyMail. Meanwhile Harrods tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed has welcomed the fining of three French photographers for invading the privacy of Diana, Princess of Wales, and his son Dodi on the night they died. Mr Al Fayed said in a statement: "I have always said that Judge Stephan was wrong. His investigation was deeply flawed and his findings perverse. "It is deeply disappointing that I am having to fight for so long and on so many fronts in order to get to the truth, but I am encouraged by the fact that each battle I fight takes me a step nearer to the truth, despite all the opposition and hostility that I encounter from those in power."

Blond Bond haters create CraigNotBond.com (Go To Top)

     Washington: A group of angry James Bond fans have joined hands to protest against Daniel Craig playing the suave super spy. The 007 diehards have launched the Website CraigNotBond.com to voice their discontent over the first blond Bond, who will make his debut in the role of the iconic spy in the upcoming Casino Royale. According to the site's founders, EON Productions made a poor and decision when they chose Craig to take over Pierce Brosnan's license to kill. "How can a short, blond actor with the rough face of a professional boxer and a penchant for playing killers, cranks, cads and gigolos pull off the role of a tall, dark, handsome and suave secret agent?" the site asks. The anti-Craig activists have vowed to boycott Casino Royale and any subsequent films starring the "unknown and unattractive" actor as Bond and have created a petition for like-minded individuals to forward on to higher-ups at Sony Pictures and MGM, reports Eonline.

Harry Potter does like reading JK Rowling's books (Go To Top)

     London: Seems young actor Daniel Radcliffe is not just interested in enacting in all the Harry Potter series, based on novels written by JK Rowling, but his eyes are also set on the writer's other creations. The Harry Potter star recently paid 30,000 pounds at a charity auction for a family tree sketched by author JK Rowling, who donated the document to the sale by Book Aid International, which provides books for schools in Africa. "We raised more than 63,000 pounds - more than we had hoped in our wildest dreams," BBC quoted the charity's director Sara Harrity , as saying. Sixteen year old Radcliffe, who plays the schoolboy wizard on screen, bought a handwritten history of the family of Sirius Black, his character's godfather. The actor also successfully bid for handwritten works by writers Iain Banks and Tom Stoppard, totalling 4,680 pounds. Radcliffe's mother Marcia Gresham, who bid on his behalf at the central London auction, said "This should put paid to anyone who says that Daniel doesn't like reading. Daniel hasn't stopped since he read the first Harry Potter book and he loves Iain Banks and Tom Stoppard." Other literary figures to donate works included crime author PD James, children's writer Jacqueline Wilson and actress Joanna Lumley, who published her autobiography in 2004.

Jessica draws $1,240 for every word she utters (Go To Top)

     Washington: For singers it's the lyrics that matter most, as a song is only a hit if it's composed of meaningful words, and is also sung well. Realising their importance, pop star turned actress Jessica Simson, has reportedly signed a deal with the makers of "Employee Of The Month", where she would be paid not for her acting skills or the duration of her role, but for every word she utters. Simpson is expected to earn a whopping 1,240 dollars-per-word in director Greg Coolidge's upcoming film, as a result of which she will pick up a cool 1 million dollar for merely saying 806 words throughout the comedy, says Ratethemusic quoting the reports of American publication In Touch.

James 'Blonde' can't drive his own car (Go To Top)

     Washington: James Bond star Daniel Craig has stunned movie bosses on the sets of the new 007 movie, by revealing he can't drive the secret agent's hi-tech car. Craig, who was signed to replace former Bond Pierce Brosnan last October (05), is only qualified to drive an automatic transmission vehicle, so was useless behind the wheel of Bond's manual Aston Martin DB5. According to Contactmusic.com, filming has been halted while the actor learns to drive the car, which had been specially shipped to the Bahamas set.

Eminem is on a Diet (Go To Top)

     Washington: Rap singer Eminem was so disappointed with his overweight appearance in this year's Grammy Awards that he has decided to hire a fitness trainer. He will take help of the same fitness trainer who is currently helping Janet Jackson to get back in shape and reduce some extra calories. The rapper would be paying him $17,000 a month as his salary. "I can't f**king believe how I looked. I mean, I look nothing like me man!" Contact music quoted him telling his friend.

Jurassic Park 4 may hit screens in 2008 (Go To Top)

    Washington: Fans of the dino franchise Jurassic Park can expect a fourth instalment in 2008 because a script is ready. Producer Frank Marshall ("The Bourne Supremacy") said that they have finally got a script they like for the film, which will again tell a Man Vs Dinosaur yarn, and it should be before the cameras next year sometime. "It has a good script now, so we should have that one up and running next year for release in 2008", Moviehole.net quoted him as saying to the London free Press. Though Jurassic Park 3 managed to rake in approximately $180 million, people were not happy with the script. There are also chances that the JR4 might be the last in the series. However, according to the report, there is still no confirmation wheather the character of Lexie, the granddaughter of the character played by Sir Richard Attenborough, will be played by Keira Knightley. Other Spielberg series in the pipeline include "Indiana Jones" and "The Bourne Ultimatum".

Katie turns to Scientology to banish aliens spirits (Go To Top)

     London: Break-up rumours with actor Tom Cruise has seemingly affected actress Katie Holmes so much that she is seeking solace in the Scientology religion, to free herself from the omens surrounding her. Actor Tom Cruise's pregnant fiancee is reportedly visiting a cult's Hollywood "church" three times a day, and is spending eight hours per day, after being told she is surrounded by the "traumatised spirits of aliens". However, the actress's friends and families are worried that Tom Cruise's controlling ways may endanger their baby and destroy their relationship. "Her family are becoming very worried. They don't know what she is being taught. She is becoming more distant and seems to worship Scientology as much as she worships Tom," The Sun quoted a friend, as saying. Katie, 27, who will give birth in the spring, was brought up a strict Catholic, but swiftly converted to Scientology after falling for Cruise, 43.

When Val Kilmer groped Paris Hilton (Go To Top)

      Washington: An Australian magazine has exposed Paris Hilton and Val Kilmer 'liasion', by publishing photographs of the actor allegedly groping and kissing the hotel heiress. Weekly publication NW claims that they have exclusively obtained the images, which show the 46-year-old actor getting intimate with the 25-year-old socialite several years ago. The snaps are believed to have been taken in the actor's rented West Hollywood mansion in 2002, when Kilmer was filming Wonderland, in which Hilton had a cameo role, joining Kilmer's character on a yacht, reports Contactmusic.

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