Pakistan Information & News

Amitabh Bachan

Superstar Amitabh Bachan has cancelled an invitation of former US president Bill Clinton to participate in his Clinton Global Initiative after the terror strikes in Mumbai, saying he wanted to be in the country during this time of crisis.  

“I cancelled. I am NOT going to leave my country in this troubled hour to travel to a foreign land to lend cause to a foreign initiative, patronized and guided by a foreigner, for his benefit!! I need to see initiative here in my country,” he wrote in his blog. The actor has also cancelled his participation in Live Earth concert, which was scheduled for 6th and 7th December in Mumbai.

“I am NOT going to sing and dance at a time when my country and city bleeds, even though the funds collected were going to be for charity. They can keep their initiative to themselves,” said Bachchan.

Taking a dig at the political system, Bachchan said, “Cynical and provocative text come in describing the ridiculous utterances of the system and those that run it. And actions to placate themselves of dire circumstances, prevail among ruling governance.”

The actor said he shared the anger and frustration of the countrymen over the situation. “Never ever have I observed the extent of extreme anger in each and every individual of this country towards those that sit in the seat of authority and system and power,” he wrote.

“This is a determined and definite citizen. A citizen that has decided that everyone of them needs to become his own vigilante. For his sake and for the sake of his country. I endorse that sentiment,” he said.

Hong Kong

HONG KONG: Earlier President Bill Clinton kicked off his first generous conference overseas in Hong Kong on Tuesday after his wife, U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, was named secretary of state by President-elect Barack Obama.

The two-day Clinton worldwide plan in Hong Kong marks the first time the former U.S. leader has held his yearly generous conference overseas, but it also will be the previous while his wife holds her new job.

Bill Clinton’s worldwide business connections posed possible conflicts of interest for his wife’s post, and as part of the deal for her meeting, he agreed to stop holding the meetings overseas and to decline donations from overseas governments.

He also agreed to reveal every contributor to his foundation since its beginning in 1997, step away from the everyday running of the foundation, and allow Obama’s management to appraisal his verbal communication agenda and new sources of income.

President Barack Obama

WASHINGTON: U.S. president-elect Barack Obama has named longtime lawyer Eric Holder as lawyer general, making him the first African-American ever in the post, U.S. media reported Tuesday.

Holder, who served as second-in-command attorney general under earlier president Bill Clinton, will head the impartiality Department, Newsweek magazine said, citing lawful sources close to the presidential transition.

Obama’s transition team did not immediately comment on the report.

“Obama offered Holder the job and he accepted,” the magazine said on its website, adding that “the declaration is not likely until after Obama announces his choices to lead the coffers and State departments.”

Holder was co-chief along with Caroline Kennedy of Obama’s vice-presidential selection process and, like Obama, is a fellow alumnus of Columbia University in New York, the report said.