News

IndianExpress: It seems Karachi and Islamabad’s loss is Pune’s gain. So how much of Karachi and Islamabad actually exists in Pune? Do the cities really have much in common enough at least for Hollywood’s most important couple to choose it over a hundred other cities they could have easily opted for, to film A Mighty Heart?

‘‘If they couldn’t shoot in Pakistan, I think Pune is really the best other option,’’ says fitness instructor Almaz Tapia, a Pakistani by birth, married to an Indian and settled in Pune now. Tapia, however, makes frequent trips to Karachi every year since all her relatives stay there.

IndianExpress: It seems Karachi and Islamabad’s loss is Pune’s gain. So how much of Karachi and Islamabad actually exists in Pune? Do the cities really have much in common enough at least for Hollywood’s most important couple to choose it over a hundred other cities they could have easily opted for, to film A Mighty Heart?

‘‘If they couldn’t shoot in Pakistan, I think Pune is really the best other option,’’ says fitness instructor Almaz Tapia, a Pakistani by birth, married to an Indian and settled in Pune now. Tapia, however, makes frequent trips to Karachi every year since all her relatives stay there.

IndianExpresss: Sindh Society at Aundh that will see the filming of A Mighty Heart saw hectic activity on Sunday as the shoot begins from Monday. Work has almost finished at Bungalow No. 223 — Nayansukh — the main location, while two signboards that read Zamzama 4th Street CBC have been put up opposite the bungalow and at a small crossroad a few blocks away, recreating Karachi from where Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was abducted by terrorists. Later in the evening, Dan Futterman, who plays Daniel in the movie, spent nearly an hour with Angelina Jolie, who is acting as Daniel’s wife Mariane, at Le Meridien Hotel’s fifth floor lounge. They were seen rehearsing the script from around 8 pm till 9 pm, after which Futterman left for his hotel, while Angelina retired to her room.

IndianExpress:  With just two years to go for the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) to kick off, the funds to develop and renovate the sports infrastructure in the city seems finally to be coming in. Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi in a statement here on Sunday said the Planning Commission, after an inspection of the city and its sporting facilities, has sanctioned Rs 100 crore to develop the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi, the main venue of the Games.

IndianExpress:  In another daylight robbery, a gang of six robbers armed with firearms and choppers looted a jewellery shop in full public view in Raviwar Peth on Sunday afternoon. They fired three rounds on the ground to escape.

According to the police, a gang of six robbers entered a jewellery shop — Sonigraha Jewellers Pvt Ltd — owned by Amrut Kesarimal Sonigraha (39), located in 858, Raviwar Peth near Shitala Devi Mandir around noon. They threatened Sonigraha, his relative Dhanraj, and looted gold ornaments worth Rs 4.2 lakh.

IndianExpress: The internal squabbling of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd engineers may have a fall out on the nearly 2 lakh power consumers falling under the Pimpri and Bhosari divisions. The reason: The engineers from these divisions have threatened to bring power distribution to a halt if executive engineer Suresh Dhanrale is not transferred immediately.

As an immediate measure, at least 30 engineers from these two divisions have decided to carry out agitations on Monday and press for their demand. ‘‘If the protests don’t work, we will stop work,’’ they said.

IndianExpress: To facilitate the work of slip roads on the Ganeshkhind Road and Rangehill Corner flyover, the stretch between Mafatlal Chowk to University Chowk will remain closed for vehicles heading towards University Chowk from October 10. The diversion will be implemented till completion of the flyover.

Traffic will be diverted from Mafatlal Chowk to Deep Bungalow Chowk, which will take a right from Shivaji Housing Society Chowk to reach S B Road. The traffic can proceed to Vaikunth Mehta Chowk and reach University Chowk