MUMBAI:The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) has announced nominees in nine award categories with 37 films representing 16 countries and areas. They are: Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Palestinian Territories, People?s Republic of China (Mainland China/Hong Kong), Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey.

Winners of the region?s highest accolade in film will be announced on 26 November at the third annual APSA Ceremony on Australia?s Gold Coast.

The nominated actors are: Masahiro Motoki for his tender performance as a cellist/mortician in Okuribito (Departures), Yang Ik-june for his portrayal of a low-life gangster in his directorial debut, Ddongpari (Breathless), Mohamed Bakri as a judge earning a living as a taxi driver in Eid Milad Laila (Laila?s Birthday), Ge You as a lonely bachelor looking for love in Fei Cheng Wu Rao (If You Are the One) and legendary Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah (Monsoon Wedding) as ?the common man? in A Wednesday.

Several nominees in 2009 have previously been nominated in the APSAs and are therefore Members of the Academy of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. They are: Tulpan producer Karl Baumgartner nominated this year for Strength of Water, Mongol producer Sergey Selyanov nominated this year for Pro Fedota-Streltsa, Udalogo Molodtsa (The Tale of Soldier Fedot, the Daring Fellow) and 2007 Best Feature Film Winner, Lee Chang-dong, nominated this year for Ye Haeng Ja (A Brand New Life).

The outstanding works of filmmakers across the Asia-Pacific region will feature in television programs titled ?Scene by Scene? to be broadcast globally on CNN International during 2009. The award ceremony will also be featured on CNN?s ?The Screening Room Xtra? airing December 3rd at 1500hrs, December 4th at 1000hrs, December 5th at 1430hrs and 2100hrs, December 6th at 0500hrs and 2100hrs, December 7th at 0900hrs (IST).

MUMBAI: The undisputed leader of election news in India, the MCCS network comprising STAR News in Hindi, STAR Majha in Marathi and STAR Ananda in Bangla, is riding on its strength in political coverage. ?Kaun Banega Mukhyamantri?, which ruled the charts and hearts of the heartland is running successfully with the best and the most respected team of political journalists in the country, led by the redoubtable Deepak Chaurasia. Deepak will be joined by a group of some of the most experienced political reporters in broadcast journalism, as well as correspondents and reporters from all the three states facing elections, Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh. Joining him in Mumbai will be Senior Editors Jitendra Dixit and Umesh Kumawat?some more names. Jagwinder Patial would provide the coverage and analysis from Haryana?STAR News Political Analyst Vijay Vidrohi will also join Deepak from STAR News Centre.

The most fiery election debates seen on Indian television ?Kahiye Netaji? again became the interface between the ?Aam Admi? and the contestants in the respective constituency. The caravan of ?Kahiye Netaji? traveled across Maharashtra and Haryana this time and pits the politicians against each other as only ?Kahiye Netaji? can.

On the technology side, the MCCS team has been using interactive touch screens to bring viewers the most updated results and information in the most user friendly format. This election also the group used the interactive touch screen panel to do indepth analysis of the Maharashtra and Haryana opinion and Exit poll data from the STAR News Opinion and Exit Poll Desk conducted by the premier research agency of the planet, AC Nielsen. Using state-of-the-art technology to display the trends, swings, demographic data and most importantly, the number of seats each party is expected to win in the two key states, helped viewers understand numbers easily. STAR News correspondents and analysts provided context for the data in an effort to explain how and why people voted the way they did. "What happens in elections is always important and along with presenting the ‘what‘ of the elections, we at STAR News has dug deep into voter trends and behaviour to analyse why it happened so. The ‘why‘ of elections is the clear differentiator that viewers have come to expect from STAR News and we aim to live up to their expectations yet again", adds Shazi Zaman, Editor of STAR News.

STAR Majha, the leading Marathi news channel is also covering the election extensively and have launched many new innovative programs during this period. Top most political commentators from the state like Kumar Ketkar, Girish Kuber, Pratap Asabe and Dr Uday Nirgudkar is doing in depth analysis of the election during this period. STAR Majha launched two mega shows ?Mahayatra ? Vari Vidhansabhechi? and ?Ransangram Maharashtracha? on September 10.

?Mahayatra? is a unique show, wherein many prominent political leaders traveled in State transport buses, discussed with the fellow passengers their day to day problems. Welknown Marathi actors Sameer Patil and Abhijit Chavan anchored the show. ?Ransangram? a mega debate show got telecasted live from 30 major towns of the state. Well known TV personality Dr. Sameeran Walavekar hosted this show. Apart from these shows STAR Majha brought live debates and interviews with the key candidates from the political battleground of Maharashtra. Some more election features on STAR Majha were- ?Majha Jahirnama?- common man?s manifesto, ?Navi Gharani? ? featured the kingmakers of Maharashtra.

?STAR Majha is the leader in Marathi news market because of its balanced coverage, bold reportage and in depth analysis. Nobody knows better pulse of the state than us. We have proved it again and again in short span of two years. We have and will continue to live up to the expectations of our viewers in this election too, like we did in Lok Sabha elections?, said Rajiv Khandekar, Executive Editor of STAR Majha.

On the day of the results, as was seen in the assembly elections last year and Lok Sabha elections this year, MCCS will provide the fastest, most reliable, most user-friendly election results available anywhere. Just 2 days to go, 22nd Oct 09 will decide the fate of all the candidates in these three states. Live results for all the three states will be available down to every constituency of every state through our strong reporting network. Special reports and updates would be featured throughout the election season. MCCS will have correspondents and reporters with the candidates stationed throughout the critical constituencies.

MUMBAI: Living up to its brand ethos, Lokmat has introduced a unique concept - the Freedom Wall, a virtual graffiti wall for the people to express their views on any topic close to their heart. See www.lokmatwall.com.

Conceptualized as an expression board, the digital Freedom Wall gives voice to views on a public forum. The method is very simple, log on to www.lokmatwall.com, write your expression in Hindi, Marathi or English, and see it posted on the wall. Every message becomes a brick on the wall. You could then get involved in an ongoing discussion or create a new thread, download the wall and also choose your neighbors.

The Freedom Wall could have opinions as varied as the state of affairs in the country, to discussions on social affairs to matters of national importance as well as historical quotes from Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. There will be celebrity quotes too and the site will be linked to social networking sites to encourage a wider audience to use this forum to air their views and proactively participate in the ‘movement of change‘.

Bharat Kapadia, Director, Lokmat Group said, ?This Freedom Wall is probably the only wall that does not create a barricade but unites people. We have just begun the journey of a movement that will voice what people really feel strongly about. This will be the pulse of people?s expression."

The wall will also have a section called ?Build India?, where different monuments can be built with different number of postings becoming bricks of the monument. The Freedom Wall also comes alive through Brickman, the straight talking, hard hitting (literally!) mascot, who encourages you to share your views whether it receives bouquets or brickbats. You will see more of him in times to come.

Mumbai 16th October 2009:The world?s most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo could make a shock comeback for Real Madrid?s crucial Uefa Champions League ties against AC Milan, which will be shown live on Ten Sports on October 21

Ronaldo suffered an ankle injury in the Champions League win over Marseille on September 30 and the problem flared up again during Portugal?s recent World Cup qualifier against Hungary.

It was feared he would be sidelined for up to a month but the 24-year-old, who has scored nine goals in seven games for his new club, has been undergoing intensive treatment in a desperate bid to be fit for the Champions League.

Ten Sports football presenter Joe Morrison is certain the match against AC Milan will be a blockbuster even if the talented winger does not play.

?Real has a big squad of top players and they shouldn?t be too reliant on Ronaldo,? he said. ?But the player now referred to as CR9 has proven yet again that his presence can make a big difference and I hope he does play.

?These two football giants go head to head at a really interesting time. The first signs of fall outs between the ‘Galacticos‘ and their manager Manuel Pellegrini appeared a couple of weeks ago and they were beaten by a feisty Sevilla prior to the International break.

?As for AC Milan, well Leonardo might not even be in charge by the time of kick-off at the Bernabeau so it really is a high stakes match. Will it be Pellegrini or Leonardo to blink first? Let?s see.??

Ten Sports will broadcast a total of six super group stage games on Tuesday, October 20, and Wednesday, October 21, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and the top four English clubs.

Matchday three live action on Tuesday night features Liverpool v Lyon, followed by Barcelona v Rubin Kazan and then AZ Alkmaar v Arsenal.

It?s back-to-back live action on Wednesday night on Ten with CSKA Moscow v Manchester United, followed by Real Madrid v AC Milan and then Chelsea v Atletico Madrid.

All the action will be analysed in the studio by well-respected former footballers Denis Irwin, John Beresford and Carlton Palmer.

Outspoken guest Palmer wants Liverpool to do well at Anfield when they take on early pacesetters Lyon for the first time.

"I‘ve seen that some of my comments have upset some viewers out there,? he said. ?But I try to give an honest assessment of all the matches. You have to understand that I am an Englishman and I want to see the English clubs do well but I get frustrated when a great club like Liverpool puts in a performance like they did on matchday two when they lost in Florence. Liverpool fans deserve better than that and hopefully this week we will see that from the team on home soil."

Despite leading Group B, former Manchester United star Denis Irwin reckons the Red Devils could be left out in the cold in Russia in the early kick off on Wednesday night.

?This is going to be a tough match for United,? he said ?It‘s never easy going to Russia, especially with the temperature so low over there. CSKA have some decent players who can cause problems and I think United will have to put in a better performance than they did against Wolfsburg if they are going to come away with three points. The good thing so far with the campaign is that they have not been at their best yet but are still top of their group with a 100% record."

Group D leaders Chelsea and Group H leaders Arsenal should continue their impressive domestic form in Europe next week, says former England defender John Beresford.

?Both the Blues and the Gunners? face teams? bottom of their respective groups but they can‘t be complacent at this stage, ?he said.

?We have not seen the best of Atletico Madrid but they are a very good side and will know that a loss to Chelsea would make it extremely difficult for them to qualify. The same goes for Alkmaar. They will want to put in a good performance in front of their home fans. I think both games will be tough but Chelsea at home should get the win while Arsenal should get at least a point. They?ve been playing well lately," he added.

MUMBAI: As the nation comes together to celebrate the festival of lights, the country‘s most watched new channel TIMES NOW lines-up the best shows that reflect the true spirit of Diwali.

ENow Special
ENow celebrates a festive and fun Diwali with the "All the Best" couple Ajay Devgan and the scintillating Bipasha Basu as they recount their best Diwalis and hopes from the comedy slated to hit cinemas this weekend

Saturday: 03.30 pm & 06.30 pm
Sunday: 09.30 am & 03.30 pm

The Foodie Diwali Special
Funnyman and serial eater Kunal Vijaykar teams up with the cast members of his latest movie Fruit & Nut, Cyrus Broacha and Boman Irani to sample some traditional Diwali fare. Kunal and pal Cyrus also try their hand in cooking a fruit & nut pudding.

Saturday: 01.30 pm & 07.30 pm
Sunday: 11.30 am & 12.30 am

Total Recall
Diwali signifies the triumph of good over evil and Total Recall celebrates this victory by revisiting the epic saga of Ramayana. Ramanand Sagar‘s Ramayana revolutionized Indian television and Doordarshan reigned supreme on Indian television sets. Watch the actors, producers, directors and technicians relive the times of the program.

Saturday: 12.30 pm & 09.30 pm
Sunday: 01.30, pm, 05.30 pm & 08.30 pm

Times Drive
Diwali is considered an auspicious occasion for making purchases and Times Drive helps viewers in making that important decision while acquiring their vehicles.
Times Drives pitches four of India‘s best hatches in the ultimate mileage test, The Hyundai i20, Fiat Grande Punto, Maruti Suzuki Swift and Honda Jazz slug it out to win top spot. All The Best star Ajay Devgan takes Times Drive on a tour of the city in his Maserati, whilst sharing his passion for sports cars. Times Drive unveils the three big entrants into the four wheeler market this year namely the BMW Z4, Chevrolet Cruze and Indigo Manza besides doling out the best deals in the market this Diwali season.

Saturday: 11.30 am & 12.30 am
Sunday: 10.30 am

Let TIMES NOW brighten up your Diwali celebrations this year.

MUMBAI: Soon to be the most stylish show on television, ?Nuon MTV Making the Cut? struts on to screens this Saturday 17th October at 6pm in an attempt to find the next best male & female model and the best designer in Indian fashion fraternity. This 8-part reality show will showcase 8 most stylish designers and 16 upcoming models, teaming up in an attempt to become the new Glamour Trio to reckon with!

Ruling the runway and casting his eyes over the fashion hopefuls, esteemed fashion designer Narendra Kumar heads up a team of industry luminaries including judges, Editor-In-Chief of ELLE India Nonita Kalra and top supermodel Dipannita Sharma, as they decide who?s ?in? and who?s ?out?. In what will be a first for an Indian reality show, the panel will be joined in the 1st episode by none other than Lara Dutta! In the weeks to come, the contestants and their models will be scrutinized from every angle by guest judges like Neha Dhupia, Mahesh Bhupathi, Celina Jaitley, Kunal Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Madhur Bhandarkar amongst many others!

A show that features the best like cast on TV ever, each week ?Making the Cut?s? discerning group of experts will hand out tasks with new themes and new teams in a selection of challenges that will test the skills and imagination of the contestants to their limits! From Bollywood to street styles, from glitter to paper and from swimwear to formal wear, watch as the battle of needlework commences and our designers rush to dress their show stoppers to perfection before they hit the runway. To add to the glitz, 3 of the episodes are shot in the Gold Coast, Australia with the finale at the Versace Palazzo!

As our collection of young hopefuls is slowly whittled down, ?Making the Cut? takes a look behind the scenes to watch the beauty, the styles, the tantrums and tears as the drama increases and the stakes are raised even higher! After an exhausting and emotional 8 weeks of competition the winning designer will be awarded the chance to showcase his/her own collection at a Fashion week and an opportunity to design a retail line for new top label NUON. The winning models will be signed on by Globosport, [who manage prestigious names like Lara Dutta, Sania Mirza], will be the new faces of the Nuon & a will also win a feature with Elle Magazine!

Says Ashish Patil, GM MTV India & Senior VP Creative & Content, ?Grooming is booming. With MTV going beyond music and television, Nuon MTV Making the Cut will deliver style & fashion, both key passions for our audience, with signature MTV unpredictability and generous doses of adventure & Bollywood. It?s going to be one of the slickest shows to sashay down the ramp on TV this year!?

Ms. Smeeta Neogi, Head ? Marketing, Trent, says, ?Nuon is the youthwear brand of Westside which exemplifies the attitude and fashion style of today?s youth. Associating with "Making the Cut" provides us the perfect platform to bring Nuon closer to the fashion savvy, young MTV audience.

?It has been my lifelong ambition to see the company grow. ?Making the Cut? is one of the many projects that we will be launching over the next year. We have the resources, experience and now the team to make it work.? said Mahesh Bhupati, MD, Globosport.

Produced by Aditya Hitkari, Creative Director, Globosport, the show is an excellent platform for talented designers to break into the fashion world and for models to prove their worth. ?Globosport is expanding its entertainment division into TV and films. Drawing on the diversified celebrity portfolio, all our projects will have a very strong celebrity presence. We are committed to delivering high quality entertainment,?? said Aditya Hitkari.

?It is not your typical reality show; it Is a high glam, high fashion show, which focuses on the talent of the contestants. We didn?t indulge in making fools of people ? rather celebrated their individuality! This is what made it such a fabulous experience!?? said Divya Palat, Director of ?Nuon MTV Making the Cut?.

So as the contestants get out their scissors and their stilettos, and as the judges get out their claws, all that remains is for viewers to get out their remotes and tune in to the show that has finally come to answer the prayers of all India?s budding fashionistas!

Prestigious partners on ?Nuon MTV Making The Cut? include: Title sponsor ? NUON, Associate Sponsor ? Coca-Cola, Powered by IDEA, Make-up Partner ? MAC, Driven By ? Swift, Watches by Guess, Premium Destination Partner ? Queensland Australia & Goldcoast Tourism, Airline Partner - Singapore Airlines, Magazine Partner ? Elle, Design Partner ? Raffles Design International, News Partner ? CNN-IBN, Ground Partner ? Mocha, Multiplex partner ? PVR cinemas, Luxury Hospitality Partner ? Sahara Star and Venue Partner ? Firangi Paani.