Forex Trading - Moving Average

What is Moving Average?

Moving average is one of the most popular and easy to use tools available for doing technical analysis. It means the average price of a currency over a specified time period (the most common being 20, 30, 50, 100 and 200 days), used in order to spot pricing trends by flattening out large fluctuations. Moving average data is used to create charts that show whether a currency’s price is trending up or down. They can be used to track daily, weekly, or monthly patterns. Each new day's (or week's or month's) numbers are added to the average and the oldest numbers are dropped, thus, the average "moves" over time. In general, the shorter the time frame used, the more volatile the prices will appear, so, for example, 20 day moving average lines tend to move up and down more than 200 day moving average lines. There are four different types of moving averages: Simple (also referred to as Arithmetic), Exponential, Smoothed and Linear Weighted. Moving averages may be calculated for any sequential data set, including opening and closing prices, highest and lowest prices, trading volume or any other indicators. It is often the case when double moving averages are used.


The only thing where moving averages of different types diverge considerably from each other is when weight coefficients, which are assigned to the latest data, are different. In case we are talking of simple moving average, all prices of the time period in question are equal in value. Exponential and Linear Weighted Moving Averages attach more value to the latest prices. The most common way to interpreting the price moving average is to compare its dynamics to the price action. When the instrument price rises above its moving average, a buy signal appears, if the price falls below its moving average, what we have is a sell signal. This trading system, which is based on the moving average, is not designed to provide entrance into the market right in its lowest point, and its exit right on the peak. It allows acting according to the following trend: to buy soon after the prices reach the bottom, and to sell soon after the prices have reached their peak. Moving averages may also be applied to indicators. That is where the interpretation of indicator moving averages is similar to the interpretation of price moving averages: if the indicator rises above its moving average, that means that the ascending indicator movement is likely to continue: if the indicator falls below its moving average, this means that it is likely to continue going downward.

Simple Moving Average (SMA)

Simple Moving Average is the simplest type of moving averages. Basically, SMA is calculated by adding the last number in the period from the closing price, and then dividing that number with a period. Let me explain in example, if you select SMA 5 on a 1 hour graph, add the closing prices for the last 5 hours, and then divide that number by 5. If you select SMA 5 on a 30 minute graph, you will add the closing prices for the past 150 minutes (30*5), and then divide that number by 5. In the same way you can calculate SMA for any time period.

Most of the trading platforms will make all these calculations for you. The reason why I am bothering you with this component of technical analysis is because it is extremely important to understand how to calculate the moving average. If you understand how every moving average is calculated, you can make your own decision, which type is the best for you.

Like any other indicator, SMA works with a delay. Because you observe the average price, you are actually looking at the "forecast" of future prices, not the concrete future. Here's an example of how moving averages reduce the price activity:



On the previous chart you can see 3 different SMA. As you can see, the bigger period SMA you take, the more it stays behind the more prices. You probably noticed that the 62 SMA is much further away from current prices then 30 and 5 SMA. This is because with 62 SMA you are adding closing prices from the last 62 periods and dividing it with 62. The higher the number of periods that you are using, the slower is reaction to the movement of prices. SMA on this graph shows the overall sentiment in the market in a given period. Instead of just looking at the current price on the market, moving averages provide a broader view, and give us the general prediction of prices in the future.

SMA = SUM (CLOSE, N)/N ; Where:
N = number of calculation periods

Exponential Moving Average (EMA)

Although SMA is an excellent tool, one major problem is associated with it: SMA is very sensitive to sudden jumps (spikes). By looking at the next example you will better understand what I mean:
Suppose that we draw a 5 SMA on the daily chart of EUR / USD and the closing prices for the last 5 days are as follows: 1st day - 1.2345, 2nd day - 1.2350, 3rd day - 1.2360, 4th day - 1.2365, 5th day - 1.2370. SMA would be calculated as: (1.2345+1.2350+1.2360+1.2365+1.2370)/5 = 1.2358. But what if the 2nd day price was 1.2300? SMA result would be much lower and you get the impression that the price is going down, when in reality, 2nd day may perhaps have been only one remote event (for example, reduction of the interest rate).

What I am trying to indicate is that the SMA may sometimes be too simple. If there was only a way to filter the jumps so that we do not get the wrong picture and make the most out of moving averages. It exists and is called the Exponential Moving Average (EMA).

EMA is a type of moving average that is similar to Simple Moving Average, except that more weight is given to the latest data. The Exponential Moving Average is also known as "Exponentially Weighted Moving Average". This type of moving average reacts faster to recent price changes than a Simple Moving Average. In our example above, EMA would put more weight on the 3rd-5th day, which means that jump on the 2nd would have a lesser value and would not influence so much on the moving average. It would put more emphasis on what traders are doing right now. While trading, it is more important to see what merchants are doing right now, not what they were doing last week or last month.



EMA = (CLOSE(i)*P)+(EMA(i-1)*(100-P)) ; Where:
CLOSE(i) = the price of the current period closure
EMA(i-1) = Exponentially Moving Average of the previous period closure
P = the percentage of using the price value

Smoothed Moving Average (SMMA)

A Smoothed Moving Average is sort of a cross between a Simple Moving Average and an Exponential Moving Average, only with a longer period applied. The Smoothed Moving Average gives the recent prices an equal weighting to the historic ones. The calculation does not refer to a fixed period, but rather takes all available data series into account. This is achieved by subtracting yesterday’s Smoothed Moving Average from today’s price. Adding this result to yesterday’s Smoothed Moving Average, results in today’s moving average.

In a Simple Moving Average, the price data have an equal weight in the computation of the average. Also, in a Simple Moving Average, the oldest price data are removed from the moving average as a new price is added to the computation. The Smoothed Moving Average uses a longer period to determine the average, assigning a weight to the price data as the average is calculated. Thus, the oldest price data points in the Smoothed Moving Average are never removed, but they have only a minimal impact on the moving average, which is similar to how an Exponential Moving Average places more weight on the more recent data.

The first value of this smoothed moving average is calculated as the simple moving average (SMA):
SUM1 = SUM(CLOSE, N)
SMMA1 = SUM1/N

The second and succeeding moving averages are calculated according to this formula:
SMMA(i) = (SUM1-SMMA1+CLOSE(i))/N ; Where:
SUM1 = the total sum of closing prices for N periods
SMMA1 = the smoothed moving average of the first bar
SMMA(i) = the smoothed moving average of the current bar (except for the first one)
CLOSE(i) = the current closing price
N = the smoothing period



SMA versus EMA

If you want a moving average which will match the movement of prices quite quickly, then the EMA with a short period (eg. 3, 5, 8) is the best choice for you. This may help to ''hunt down'' the trend in the early stage, which will result in higher profits. Specifically, the earlier you have caught the trend, the more you can ''ride'' through it, and you can make more money. The pitfall is that while using this type of moving average you can get a false signal which you won’t recognize and lose your investment. Since the moving average quickly matches the price, you can even think that a new trend is forming, but in fact it is just an abrupt jump, which returns to the starting position (spike).

With SMA the situation is completely opposite. If you want the moving average to respond more precisely and slowly to the price changes, then the longer period SMA is the best choice for you. Although slow responding to the price changes will save you from many possible pitfalls, the smaller SMA may also result in too much delay and missing of a good trade.



Uses for Moving Averages

There are many uses for moving averages, but three basic uses stand out:
1. Trend identification/confirmation
2. Support and Resistance level identification/confirmation
3. Trading Systems

Which is better?

Which moving average you use will depend on your trading and investing style and preferences. The Simple Moving Average obviously has a lag, but the Exponential Moving Average may be prone to quicker breaks. Some traders prefer to use Exponential Moving Averages for shorter time periods to capture changes quicker, while others prefer Simple Moving Averages over long time periods to identify long-term trend changes. In addition, much will depend on the individual security in question. Moving average type and length of time will depend greatly on the individual security and how it has reacted in the past.

The initial thought for some is that greater sensitivity and quicker signals are bound to be beneficial. This is not always true and brings up a great dilemma for the technical analyst: the tradeoff between sensitivity and reliability. The more sensitive an indicator is, the more signals that will be given. These signals may prove timely, but with increased sensitivity comes an increase in false signals. The less sensitive an indicator is, the fewer signals that will be given. However, less sensitivity leads to fewer and more reliable signals. Sometimes these signals can be late as well.

For moving averages, the same dilemma applies. Shorter moving averages will be more sensitive and generate more signals. The EMA, which is generally more sensitive than the SMA, will also be likely to generate more signals. However, there will also be an increase in the number of false signals and whipsaws. Longer moving averages will move slower and generate fewer signals. These signals will likely prove more reliable, but they also may come late. Each investor or trader should experiment with different moving average lengths and types to examine the trade-off between sensitivity and signal reliability.

Trend-Following Indicator

Moving averages smooth out a data series and make it easier to identify the direction of the trend. Because past price data is used to form moving averages, they are considered lagging, or trend following, indicators. Moving averages will not predict a change in trend, but rather follow behind the current trend. Therefore, they are best suited for trend identification and trend following purposes, not for prediction.

When to Use

Because moving averages follow the trend, they work best when a currency is trending and are ineffective when a currency moves in a trading range. With this in mind, investors and traders should first identify currencies that display some trending characteristics before attempting to analyze with moving averages. This process does not have to be a scientific examination. Usually, a simple visual assessment of the price chart can determine if a security exhibits characteristics of trend.

In its simplest form, a currency’s price can be doing only one of three things: trending up, trending down or trading in a range. An uptrend is established when a currency forms a series of higher highs and higher lows. A downtrend is established when a currency forms a series of lower lows and lower highs. A trading range is established if a currency cannot establish an uptrend or downtrend. If a security is in a trading range, an uptrend is started when the upper boundary of the range is broken and a downtrend begins when the lower boundary is broken.

Once a currency has been deemed to have enough characteristics of trend, the next task will be to select the number of moving average periods and type of moving average. The number of periods used in a moving average will vary according to the currency's volatility, trendiness and personal preferences. The more volatility there is, the more smoothing that will be required and hence the longer the moving average. There is no one set length, but some of the more popular lengths include 21, 50, 89, 150 and 200 days as well as 10, 30 and 40 weeks. Short-term traders may look for evidence of 2-3 week trends with a 21-day moving average, while longer-term investors may look for evidence of 3-4 month trends with a 40-week moving average. Trial and error is usually the best means for finding the best length. If there are too many breaks, lengthen the moving average to decrease its sensitivity. If the moving average is slow to react, shorten the moving average to increase its sensitivity. In addition, you may want to try using both Simple and Exponential Moving Averages. Exponential Moving Averages are usually best for short-term situations that require a responsive moving average. Simple Moving Averages work well for longer-term situations that do not require a lot of sensitivity.

Conclusions

Moving averages can be effective tools to identify and confirm trend, identify support and resistance levels, and develop trading systems. However, traders and investors should learn to identify currencies that are suitable for analysis with moving averages and how this analysis should be applied. Usually, an assessment can be made with a visual examination of the price chart, but sometimes it will require a more detailed approach.

The advantages of using moving averages need to be weighed against the disadvantages. Moving averages are trend following, or lagging, indicators that will always be a step behind. This is not necessarily a bad thing though. After all, the trend is your friend and it is best to trade in the direction of the trend. Moving averages will help ensure that a trader is in line with the current trend. However, markets, currencies spend a great deal of time in trading ranges, which render moving averages ineffective. Once in a trend, moving averages will keep you in, but also give late signals. Don't expect to get out at the top and in at the bottom using moving averages. As with most tools of technical analysis, moving averages should not be used on their own, but in conjunction with other tools that complement them. Using moving averages to confirm other indicators and analysis can greatly enhance technical analysis.

Forex Trading - Moving Average

What is Moving Average?

Moving average is one of the most popular and easy to use tools available for doing technical analysis. It means the average price of a currency over a specified time period (the most common being 20, 30, 50, 100 and 200 days), used in order to spot pricing trends by flattening out large fluctuations. Moving average data is used to create charts that show whether a currency’s price is trending up or down. They can be used to track daily, weekly, or monthly patterns. Each new day's (or week's or month's) numbers are added to the average and the oldest numbers are dropped, thus, the average "moves" over time. In general, the shorter the time frame used, the more volatile the prices will appear, so, for example, 20 day moving average lines tend to move up and down more than 200 day moving average lines. There are four different types of moving averages: Simple (also referred to as Arithmetic), Exponential, Smoothed and Linear Weighted. Moving averages may be calculated for any sequential data set, including opening and closing prices, highest and lowest prices, trading volume or any other indicators. It is often the case when double moving averages are used.


The only thing where moving averages of different types diverge considerably from each other is when weight coefficients, which are assigned to the latest data, are different. In case we are talking of simple moving average, all prices of the time period in question are equal in value. Exponential and Linear Weighted Moving Averages attach more value to the latest prices. The most common way to interpreting the price moving average is to compare its dynamics to the price action. When the instrument price rises above its moving average, a buy signal appears, if the price falls below its moving average, what we have is a sell signal. This trading system, which is based on the moving average, is not designed to provide entrance into the market right in its lowest point, and its exit right on the peak. It allows acting according to the following trend: to buy soon after the prices reach the bottom, and to sell soon after the prices have reached their peak. Moving averages may also be applied to indicators. That is where the interpretation of indicator moving averages is similar to the interpretation of price moving averages: if the indicator rises above its moving average, that means that the ascending indicator movement is likely to continue: if the indicator falls below its moving average, this means that it is likely to continue going downward.

Simple Moving Average (SMA)

Simple Moving Average is the simplest type of moving averages. Basically, SMA is calculated by adding the last number in the period from the closing price, and then dividing that number with a period. Let me explain in example, if you select SMA 5 on a 1 hour graph, add the closing prices for the last 5 hours, and then divide that number by 5. If you select SMA 5 on a 30 minute graph, you will add the closing prices for the past 150 minutes (30*5), and then divide that number by 5. In the same way you can calculate SMA for any time period.

Most of the trading platforms will make all these calculations for you. The reason why I am bothering you with this component of technical analysis is because it is extremely important to understand how to calculate the moving average. If you understand how every moving average is calculated, you can make your own decision, which type is the best for you.

Like any other indicator, SMA works with a delay. Because you observe the average price, you are actually looking at the "forecast" of future prices, not the concrete future. Here's an example of how moving averages reduce the price activity:



On the previous chart you can see 3 different SMA. As you can see, the bigger period SMA you take, the more it stays behind the more prices. You probably noticed that the 62 SMA is much further away from current prices then 30 and 5 SMA. This is because with 62 SMA you are adding closing prices from the last 62 periods and dividing it with 62. The higher the number of periods that you are using, the slower is reaction to the movement of prices. SMA on this graph shows the overall sentiment in the market in a given period. Instead of just looking at the current price on the market, moving averages provide a broader view, and give us the general prediction of prices in the future.

SMA = SUM (CLOSE, N)/N ; Where:
N = number of calculation periods

Exponential Moving Average (EMA)

Although SMA is an excellent tool, one major problem is associated with it: SMA is very sensitive to sudden jumps (spikes). By looking at the next example you will better understand what I mean:
Suppose that we draw a 5 SMA on the daily chart of EUR / USD and the closing prices for the last 5 days are as follows: 1st day - 1.2345, 2nd day - 1.2350, 3rd day - 1.2360, 4th day - 1.2365, 5th day - 1.2370. SMA would be calculated as: (1.2345+1.2350+1.2360+1.2365+1.2370)/5 = 1.2358. But what if the 2nd day price was 1.2300? SMA result would be much lower and you get the impression that the price is going down, when in reality, 2nd day may perhaps have been only one remote event (for example, reduction of the interest rate).

What I am trying to indicate is that the SMA may sometimes be too simple. If there was only a way to filter the jumps so that we do not get the wrong picture and make the most out of moving averages. It exists and is called the Exponential Moving Average (EMA).

EMA is a type of moving average that is similar to Simple Moving Average, except that more weight is given to the latest data. The Exponential Moving Average is also known as "Exponentially Weighted Moving Average". This type of moving average reacts faster to recent price changes than a Simple Moving Average. In our example above, EMA would put more weight on the 3rd-5th day, which means that jump on the 2nd would have a lesser value and would not influence so much on the moving average. It would put more emphasis on what traders are doing right now. While trading, it is more important to see what merchants are doing right now, not what they were doing last week or last month.



EMA = (CLOSE(i)*P)+(EMA(i-1)*(100-P)) ; Where:
CLOSE(i) = the price of the current period closure
EMA(i-1) = Exponentially Moving Average of the previous period closure
P = the percentage of using the price value

Smoothed Moving Average (SMMA)

A Smoothed Moving Average is sort of a cross between a Simple Moving Average and an Exponential Moving Average, only with a longer period applied. The Smoothed Moving Average gives the recent prices an equal weighting to the historic ones. The calculation does not refer to a fixed period, but rather takes all available data series into account. This is achieved by subtracting yesterday’s Smoothed Moving Average from today’s price. Adding this result to yesterday’s Smoothed Moving Average, results in today’s moving average.

In a Simple Moving Average, the price data have an equal weight in the computation of the average. Also, in a Simple Moving Average, the oldest price data are removed from the moving average as a new price is added to the computation. The Smoothed Moving Average uses a longer period to determine the average, assigning a weight to the price data as the average is calculated. Thus, the oldest price data points in the Smoothed Moving Average are never removed, but they have only a minimal impact on the moving average, which is similar to how an Exponential Moving Average places more weight on the more recent data.

The first value of this smoothed moving average is calculated as the simple moving average (SMA):
SUM1 = SUM(CLOSE, N)
SMMA1 = SUM1/N

The second and succeeding moving averages are calculated according to this formula:
SMMA(i) = (SUM1-SMMA1+CLOSE(i))/N ; Where:
SUM1 = the total sum of closing prices for N periods
SMMA1 = the smoothed moving average of the first bar
SMMA(i) = the smoothed moving average of the current bar (except for the first one)
CLOSE(i) = the current closing price
N = the smoothing period



SMA versus EMA

If you want a moving average which will match the movement of prices quite quickly, then the EMA with a short period (eg. 3, 5, 8) is the best choice for you. This may help to ''hunt down'' the trend in the early stage, which will result in higher profits. Specifically, the earlier you have caught the trend, the more you can ''ride'' through it, and you can make more money. The pitfall is that while using this type of moving average you can get a false signal which you won’t recognize and lose your investment. Since the moving average quickly matches the price, you can even think that a new trend is forming, but in fact it is just an abrupt jump, which returns to the starting position (spike).

With SMA the situation is completely opposite. If you want the moving average to respond more precisely and slowly to the price changes, then the longer period SMA is the best choice for you. Although slow responding to the price changes will save you from many possible pitfalls, the smaller SMA may also result in too much delay and missing of a good trade.



Uses for Moving Averages

There are many uses for moving averages, but three basic uses stand out:
1. Trend identification/confirmation
2. Support and Resistance level identification/confirmation
3. Trading Systems

Which is better?

Which moving average you use will depend on your trading and investing style and preferences. The Simple Moving Average obviously has a lag, but the Exponential Moving Average may be prone to quicker breaks. Some traders prefer to use Exponential Moving Averages for shorter time periods to capture changes quicker, while others prefer Simple Moving Averages over long time periods to identify long-term trend changes. In addition, much will depend on the individual security in question. Moving average type and length of time will depend greatly on the individual security and how it has reacted in the past.

The initial thought for some is that greater sensitivity and quicker signals are bound to be beneficial. This is not always true and brings up a great dilemma for the technical analyst: the tradeoff between sensitivity and reliability. The more sensitive an indicator is, the more signals that will be given. These signals may prove timely, but with increased sensitivity comes an increase in false signals. The less sensitive an indicator is, the fewer signals that will be given. However, less sensitivity leads to fewer and more reliable signals. Sometimes these signals can be late as well.

For moving averages, the same dilemma applies. Shorter moving averages will be more sensitive and generate more signals. The EMA, which is generally more sensitive than the SMA, will also be likely to generate more signals. However, there will also be an increase in the number of false signals and whipsaws. Longer moving averages will move slower and generate fewer signals. These signals will likely prove more reliable, but they also may come late. Each investor or trader should experiment with different moving average lengths and types to examine the trade-off between sensitivity and signal reliability.

Trend-Following Indicator

Moving averages smooth out a data series and make it easier to identify the direction of the trend. Because past price data is used to form moving averages, they are considered lagging, or trend following, indicators. Moving averages will not predict a change in trend, but rather follow behind the current trend. Therefore, they are best suited for trend identification and trend following purposes, not for prediction.

When to Use

Because moving averages follow the trend, they work best when a currency is trending and are ineffective when a currency moves in a trading range. With this in mind, investors and traders should first identify currencies that display some trending characteristics before attempting to analyze with moving averages. This process does not have to be a scientific examination. Usually, a simple visual assessment of the price chart can determine if a security exhibits characteristics of trend.

In its simplest form, a currency’s price can be doing only one of three things: trending up, trending down or trading in a range. An uptrend is established when a currency forms a series of higher highs and higher lows. A downtrend is established when a currency forms a series of lower lows and lower highs. A trading range is established if a currency cannot establish an uptrend or downtrend. If a security is in a trading range, an uptrend is started when the upper boundary of the range is broken and a downtrend begins when the lower boundary is broken.

Once a currency has been deemed to have enough characteristics of trend, the next task will be to select the number of moving average periods and type of moving average. The number of periods used in a moving average will vary according to the currency's volatility, trendiness and personal preferences. The more volatility there is, the more smoothing that will be required and hence the longer the moving average. There is no one set length, but some of the more popular lengths include 21, 50, 89, 150 and 200 days as well as 10, 30 and 40 weeks. Short-term traders may look for evidence of 2-3 week trends with a 21-day moving average, while longer-term investors may look for evidence of 3-4 month trends with a 40-week moving average. Trial and error is usually the best means for finding the best length. If there are too many breaks, lengthen the moving average to decrease its sensitivity. If the moving average is slow to react, shorten the moving average to increase its sensitivity. In addition, you may want to try using both Simple and Exponential Moving Averages. Exponential Moving Averages are usually best for short-term situations that require a responsive moving average. Simple Moving Averages work well for longer-term situations that do not require a lot of sensitivity.

Conclusions

Moving averages can be effective tools to identify and confirm trend, identify support and resistance levels, and develop trading systems. However, traders and investors should learn to identify currencies that are suitable for analysis with moving averages and how this analysis should be applied. Usually, an assessment can be made with a visual examination of the price chart, but sometimes it will require a more detailed approach.

The advantages of using moving averages need to be weighed against the disadvantages. Moving averages are trend following, or lagging, indicators that will always be a step behind. This is not necessarily a bad thing though. After all, the trend is your friend and it is best to trade in the direction of the trend. Moving averages will help ensure that a trader is in line with the current trend. However, markets, currencies spend a great deal of time in trading ranges, which render moving averages ineffective. Once in a trend, moving averages will keep you in, but also give late signals. Don't expect to get out at the top and in at the bottom using moving averages. As with most tools of technical analysis, moving averages should not be used on their own, but in conjunction with other tools that complement them. Using moving averages to confirm other indicators and analysis can greatly enhance technical analysis.

Why appoint PhDs as administrators?

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif recently lamented the lack of research at institutes of higher learning, expressing dissatisfaction over the low number of PhD teachers at the Punjab University.

Giving a proof as to how importanta PhD teacher was for the government, he even announced "If the PU succeeds in getting PhD faculty members' ratio from 35 to 100 percent in coming five-years, the government will provide Rs 100 millions annually to the varsity."

Seen in this context, the appointment of PhD degree holders on various administrative posts by the Punjab government is certainly no less than enigma.

At present, various administrative posts, including those at different educational boards, other autonomous bodies and different wings of education department have been occupied by PhD degree holders. The colleges are no exception as most of these are being headed by PhD teachers.

A few examples of PhD degree holders serving on administrative posts include Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISE) Lahore Chairman Prof Dr Akram Kashmiri, Additional DPI College Dr Tariq Jaleel, Director Colleges Faisalabad Division Dr Farkhand Shakeel, Dr Asghar Chaudhry, the principal of the Government College of Science Wahdat Road, Dr Zulfiqar Ali Rana, the principal of the Government College for Boys Gulberg and Dr Kaleem Ahmed Sipra, the principal of Government Dyal Singh College and many more.

The stakeholders are of the view that PhD degree holders serving on administrative posts are 'wasting' the resources the government had spent on them in term of provision of opportunities of higher learning. "The situation becomes worse if a foreign qualified teacher is posted against an administrative position," they remark.

A college teacher requesting anonymity said: "Administration is undoubtedly different from teaching and one having administrative responsibilities cannot return to teaching in the true sense." He said besides PhD allowance, one appointed on administrative post also received a lucrative salary package. "In this situation, everyone prefers to be part of administration and avoid his/her real job of teaching and research," he said.

There is also another argument in favour of posting PhD college teacher on administrative posts. A group believes that owing to lack of facilities almost no research work is being done at colleges. "Our colleges are devoid of research culture," remarked another teacher. He, however, said PhD faculty members at colleges could be of great help for students by training them about research. "What is use of PhD degree holders if such people are neither teaching nor engaged in research related activities," he questioned.

Academic circles are of the view that the government should form a policy in this regard so that maximum benefit could be achieved from PhD degree holders.

The Higher Education Commission has declared that Dr Farah Malik of Psychology Department, Government College University (GCU) Lahore would receive the Award for the Best University Teacher of year 2008.
She will be presented a certificate and cash prize of Rs 100,000 on the occasion. GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Aftab has commended Dr Farah Malik for achieving the award and has hoped that she would continue enhancing her academic and research activities in the realm of Psychology in future as well. -lachvee@gmail.com (The News)

Punjab University BA/BSc registration 2010

BA/BSc registration
Lahore, July 20: The Punjab University (PU) on Sunday said July 31 was the last date for registration of private candidates for the BA/BSc Annual Examination, 2010, with double fee, Rs 3,200. In a press statement, a PU spokesman said the candidates must write their addresses on the forms instead of addresses of their private colleges, academies or any friend/relative, otherwise, the forms would be rejected.

Dr A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE), Karachi

Karachi: In a clean and tidy room in spacious Dr A. Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE), Karachi, sits Prof. Dr Abid Azhar, a distinguished Pakistani scientist, prominent educationist and Co-Director General of the Institute.

His grayish hair and intelligent eyes behind his glasses give an impressive look as her proceeds to explain the nature of his institute's work. "This institute was established in 2003 with an aim to produce quality research which would be at par with research output of any laboratory of similar nature in a developed country," he said.

"Like any other institution KIBGE too has teething problems. It has to acquire equipments, manpower and infrastructure before it can realize its potential," he said.

"I believe we have achieved it partially. We do have state-of-art equipments. We are in the process of acquiring human resource which is not an easy job and perhaps we have a clear direction of purpose," he said.

Born on March 15, 1955, in Karachi, Dr Azhar did his HSC from City College, Karachi in 1970, B.Sc (Honours) from the University of Karachi in 1973 and M.Sc in Biochemistry in 1974. He has the distinction of bagging second position in M.Sc examinations.

He was offered a scholarship from the prestigious National University, Canberra, Australia from where he did his doctorate in 1994. He also holds a post graduate diploma in Statistics.

As a student Azhar was quite active in progressive student politics and was one of the founding members of Young Writers Forum that was established by left-wing youth in the early 1970s. "You can see a marked difference between today's students and the students of the 1970s. We were not only aware that Chilean President Salvador Allende was assassinated by the CIA because he nationalized copper mines but we also organized public meetings in Karachi to show solidarity with President Allende and Pablo Naroda. Today you will hardly find a student who knows what's going on in Nicaragua," he said.

Referring to the education system as it

existed in early 1970s and today, he said the greatest source of information in yesteryears was the library while today almost all information is available online. "But despite that the education system in Pakistan has registered marked signs of deterioration," he said.

"Previously the best students came from government schools; now only those students enroll themselves in government schools who fail to get admission anywhere," he said.

"You will witness another development: Students simply don't go to colleges and heavily rely on tuitions. The culture has shifted from acquiring education at institutions to tuition centres," he lamented.

He said during the last 30 years the nurseries that provided basic education have seen a marked downward slide and primary education has been totally ignored by the planners.

"You see the problem is not that our students have low IQ; the problem is that they are being taught in such a way that their creativity is never channelised. Neither do they get any career guidance nor are they allowed to question and show their curiosity. Rote learning is the order of the day in Pakistan that is extremely injurious for young minds," he said.

"At KBGE we are focusing on research in agricultural biotechnology, medical biotechnology and industrial biotechnology and are focusing our research on import substitution and enabling the country to earn valuable foreign exchange through export and have made substantial headway," he said.

"We have also started training manpower. Some of our students have gone abroad for higher studies while others are being trained at the Institute. We have regular intakes for MS and PhD programmes. We have over 20 students for MS/PhD programmes and three students have already earned their doctorate," he concluded. The News

Karachi University Testing Service

KU to start testing service
Karachi, July 20: The University of Karachi's academic council in a meeting held on Saturday unanimously decided that a fully-fledged testing service would be set up, which would cater for the needs of other educational institutions and would also provide them with assistance.

The decision was taken against the backdrop of an admission test fiasco witnessed last year in the university. The poorly organised exercise caused a lot of problems for applicants – many of whom ended up paying double fees. The university had hired a private organisation to conduct admission tests for the MS/PhD programmes.

According to a KU academic council decision, a committee, headed by Prof (Dr) Aqil Burney, chairman of the computer science department, has been formed to look into the matter and explore possibilities for the new testing service.

The meeting also rejected the cases of two students of the Government College of Home Economics and declared the students ineligible for admission.

The meeting also decided that online degrees would only be accepted in cases where they have been issued by public sector institutions which meet the criteria set by KU.

According to sources, members of the academic council also criticised the former pro-vice chancellor, Prof Dr Ikhlaq Ahmed, who had condoned the two students' cases in his capacity as acting vice-chancellor at a time when the VC was on leave. The cases had been rejected by the vice-chancellor before he left abroad some time ago.

The council members said the pro-vice chancellor, now retired, had no authority to make such a decision on behalf of the statutory body.

It may be mentioned here that the College of Home Economics runs a four-year Bachelor of Studies (BS) programme.

According to the criteria set by the college's board and approved by the academic council of the university, students who have done their Intermediate with home economics subjects are required to have at least 50 per cent marks while students from other educational backgrounds need to have at least 60 per cent marks to get admission to the college.

This year, however, two students, who allegedly did not meet the admission criteria, were given admission to the college.

Their cases were first sent to the vice-chancellor, who rejected them. Later, the dean, faculty of science, was approached, who referred their cases to the affiliation committee.

The committee in its report stated that the criteria was set by the college itself and if any change in the rules was needed, then amendments must be approved through a proper channel and could only be implemented next year.

The academic council, in its unanimous resolution, stated that the two students did not meet the eligibility criteria and, therefore, their admissions stood cancelled. A warning letter would be sent to the principal of the college for violating the rules and regulations, the meeting decided. The minutes of the last meeting of the Board of Faculty of Islamic Learning were also approved after a long debate.

Prof Jalaluddin Noori, who has been suspended for alleged plagiarism, had chaired the last board meeting.

The meeting of the academic council was attended by Vice-Chancellor Prof Pirzada Qasim, chairpersons of the departments and directors of the institutes. Dawn

'I am not a rock star' - Shruti Haasan

Though her debut movie Luck wasn't so lucky for her, Shruti Haasan [ Images ] didn't go unnoticed. The actress who also sang in Soham Shah's movie looked striking though she could have opted for a better launch vehicle.

She spoke to Nithya Ramani about her rock band, her take on love and relationships, and who she thinks is the most dishiest actor in Bollywood. Excerpts: How has life changed since Luck? It hasn't changed. I am as excited and happy as I was the first day I decided to be an artist. I get to meet new people and do fun stuff.

This is your debut. How was the experience from first day to last of shooting Luck? Awesome and nerve-wrecking at times. I was debuting and wondered what I was doing here, if I could pull this off, shooting with creatures that were at any point ready to bite off a limb. It was all in all very exciting to have had that opportunity.

You are a rock star. How did acting come your way? I am not a rock star. I am averse to that word. I am a musician, I play the piano and have learnt all kinds of music. Right now the band is in a transitionary phase and I am looking out for new musicians. I am very excited about the new music that is going to come out.

Being an entertainer, any form of entertainment has always my calling. I was studying music in Los Angeles. I also acted in a few shows and enjoyed it. I realised it was something I could do. I then started thinking about it seriously, started looking at scripts and meeting people.

What are you favourite songs? There have been so many songs in the history of Indian cinema that it will be unfair to choose just a few. What is your take on love and relationships? Love is important and it does make the world go round. And why it is so great is because there are so many different kinds of love. It is a very unique and powerful emotion.

Who are your favourite actors? There are so many. People think I am being diplomatic but I truly cannot pick one. Who do you think are the dishiest actors in Bollywood? I think Shah Rukh Khan [ Images ]. He is magnificent.

It is Sanjay Dutt's [ Images ] birthday today. Do you have anything to say? How was your experience of working with him? I am not the kind who can wish someone on camera. As far as working with him is concerned, it was amazing.

He has been working in this industry for so long and has such a powerful persona that I learnt a lot just from watching him. He is very polite and quiet on the sets. He is very easy to work with. He doesn't look like he is 50. The monsoon is finally here. What is your favourite memory of the rains? I like the rains. I like to sit indoors and read a book. You can also watch The Godfather because it is just a fabulous film ever made.

Rimii Sen to play a 160kg woman in Showman?

Rimii Sen will now soon be seen playing an obese woman in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s upcoming next, Showman. The film also stars Govinda, Celina Jaitley and South star Harish.

Rimii tells us that she has been asked to put on an astounding 160 kg for the role. But well most of her weight shall be added up by padding it seems.

About the film, Rimii says, "It will be too early to reveal anything more but I can assure you that the role is very interesting. Most of my time went in just putting on and removing the make-up."

Showman is directed Tigmanshu Dhulia who has to his credit the critically acclaimed Haasil and also Charas. Rimii’s next release will be Sankat City which stars Kay Kay Menon, Anupam Kher and Chunky Pandey. Its comedy written and directed by Pankaj Advani who has written Shah Rukh Khan starrer Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa.

Incidentally Showman was earlier titled King Con and was the same film which was in news for Govinda’s whimsical ways on the film’s sets. Govinda plays a smooth talking con man in the film and both Celina and Rimii play his love interests.

Sherlyn Chopra chooses to tell the Truth

Sherlyn writes about the importance of speaking the truth and facing the heat that follows.. in her latest blog. Here's what she has to say: Sach ka Saamna is not just a great concept for reality TV but also a great motto to follow in reality. Truth hurts. And truth also sets one free from the bondage of guilt, shame and reproach. I find truth very fascinating and intriguing.

I love the idea of embracing truth not just occasionally but on a regular basis. It helps me avoid unnecessary entanglements and gives me a clearer perspective of life ahead. Also, I truly truly believe that the best way to deal with the skeletons in our closets is to bring them out into the open (need not necessarily mean national television). When they are brought into the light, the adverse effects on us begin to nullify. That is the beauty of unveiling pent up emotions and reaching out to one’s inner most core. The pseudo intellectuals of our society strongly believe that a reality show like this is not meant for Indian society which is perceived to have conventional beliefs.

I give a double thumbs up to the production team for bringing this ‘out of the box’ concept to India. After the first show, there were multiple reactions from various individuals from different walks of life.

Some criticized the idea of speaking the truth on national television, as they feared the truth might jeopardize human relationships and disturb the peace and harmony within society. Some raised questions on the authenticity of the polygraph tests. Some said it was just another attempt to raise TRP ratings. Nothing more.

I truly applaud the concept of the show. It is more entertaining than other reality shows where individuals are required to perform tasks. And when they fail to sustain the viewers’ interests, they resort to catfights and mediocre attempts of titillation.

Wherever truth goes, controversy follows. I understand the repercussions of speaking the truth on national television. The consequences might be totally devastating. Nevertheless, I prefer speaking the truth and facing the heat that follows to living in a web of lies.

I’m not suggesting we speak the truth at all times and with everyone. Life would then become humourless and quite complicated. We as adults should have the discernment to distinguish between and conviction and condemnation.

Truth that helps a person acknowledge his faults, weaknesses, shortcomings, character flaws is conviction. Truth that makes a person feels worthless causing deep shame, thereby leading to a very poor self-image is condemnation.

I strongly believe we all need to be convicted on a day to day basis so that we become better and more loving human beings.

At the same time, one must avoid condemnation in every possible way as it spreads negativity.

The bottom line is that I can choose to be truthful to my inner self or choose to lead a delusional life where there is deceit, lies, fabrication and eternal misery. Dar ke aage sachh hai aur sachh ke aage Jeet !

Vidya Balan signed up for Yash Chopras next?

There is a strong buzz in the industry circles that Vidya Balan has been signed by Yash Chopra for his directorial next. It is the same project which was supposed to star Aamir Khan along with Preity Zinta. But while, Aamir is still being non-committal about being approached for the project, other news making the rounds is that Preity has been replaced by Vidya Balan.

Sources are claiming that it is a love story spanning ages, but is completely different to what Chopra’s last directorial effort Veer Zara was. Incidentally, Veer Zara also had its lead pair Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta playing characters both young and old.

Sources further claim that Yash Chopra intends to begin this film by early 2010 and make it a grand Diwali 2010 release. He will be finally directing a film after 6 years since he directed Veer Zara (2004).

While there has been no confirmation from both Vidya Balan or Yash Raj Films yet, we can only imagine right now what crackling chemistry it would be of Aamir and Vidya, and to top it all with romance king Yash Chopra directing it.

Salman is ready for marriage, I'm not - Katrina Kaif

After being termed as the lucky mascot of Bollywood, after having become the face of every possible big brand.

After having been voted as the Sexiest Woman for umpteen times, after having graced a million magazine covers, the gorgeous Katrina is the latest cover-girl in this edition of 'People'.

Call this as a 'confession edition' or whatever you may like, but this issue of 'People' is definitely something that can be preserved for ages to come.

As it's in this issue, Katrina clears off all the airs and controversies (read gossip and rumors) that constantly surround her!

To start with, she clarifies her take on Salman being ready for marriage, while she isn't! Other clarifications include the much alleged spark between her and Ranbir.

On the sets of Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahaani, Salman's latest muse Claudia Ciesla etc. This edition is indeed one of must buy for Katrina fans. Go for it, People!

I am romancing Yuvraj is a rumour says Preity Zinta

After been dumped by Ness Wadia, the Bollywood actress Preity Zinta denied her affair with Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh.

Preity mentioned that the media is hyping my relations with Yuvraj but this is fake news and her pictures with Yuvraj have been presented in wrong the senses. Preity also stated that after wining the match Preity and Yuvraj hugged each other which a common thing, he was the captain of her team so, she was with Yuvraj that doesn't mean that she is in affair with him.

She also said that she has been seen with a lot of actors in different movies that doesn't mean she is doing romance with them. Yuvraj Singh is just her friend.

According to the sources, Preity Zinta went for a holiday to overcome her grief after her break up with Ness Wadia. Now she is back from the holidays and busy in raising her career.

Hotties who went under knife to Look Sexy

More than talent, it is the overall oomph factor of an actress that is responsible to make it big in Indian cinema. And to win this personality contests, Bollywood wannabe babes just need to pass 3 criteria- looks, looks and yes, looks!

No wonder, our tinsel town divas take painstaking measures to keep themselves ever beautiful and oh-so-perfect, so what if that means they have to go under the surgeon’s knife to get that perfection. After all, masterpieces have to be chiseled and carved to perfection!

Let’s take a quicklook on the Bollywood beauties, who underwent drastic plastic surgeries, and came out looking like a dream that could give Greek goddess Aphrodite a run for her money.

Ahem and to that, may we also add a few disastrous plastic surgery goof-ups, babes who came out of the surgery looking like nightmares!

Let’s start the countdown- from the best to the worse. Easy to say that Rekha rules the roost as the evergreen beauty of Bollywood, with a little bit of help from Dr. Plastic! Rekha- The true epitome of the word Diva; Rekha at the age of 54, can still give Bollywood PYTs (Pretty Young Things) a run for their money.

Well, pretty face doesn’t come easy; Rekha’s age defying beauty cost her an exorbitant cosmetic surgeon bill, but hey who’s complaining! Rekha got her nose reshaped, which gave a different dimension to her. She undraped the plump look and took an avatar of the sexiest Indian beauty till date.

Interestingly, not many know that Rekha was disliked by her friends post surgery, for her somehow stinking nose! Nevertheless, Rekha became irresistibly hot favorite among men. So, it was worth giving a chance, looking at the super career graph of Rekha.

Karisma Kapoor- Prem Qaidi and Raja Hindustani. Darling, do we need to say more? Karishma turned from yikes to yum after a short visit to beauty parlor and a long one to her plastic surgeon. Although she was written off B-town in the early years of her career due to overtly mannish appearance, still Karishma managed to swing to the top with a total makeover in Raja Hindustani.

From being a proverbial ugly duckling, she became an overnight sensation and neither fans nor Bollywood could have enough of her. With the tremendous oomph factor she unquestionably became the most stylish female-actor in the film fraternity ever.

Sri Devi- A perfect combination of sensuality and talent is what shapes Sri Devi. Her everlasting beauty has always been the talk of the town. Her seductive bedroom eyes trigger wild fantasies and are undoubtedly her most attractive feature. So, what made her go under the knife? Apparently Sri Devi was not too happy with her lips! She too underwent a cosmetic surgery on her upper-lip.

The surgery brought a drastic change in her looks for good, though now there was a bit less to kiss; still every filmmaker yearned to work with her. Taking a cue from these beauties, Bollywood babes Shilpa Shetty and Priyanka Chopra also underwent surgeries and had nose-jobs done; now do we need to mention what a straight nose can do for you!

Piggy Chops is at the top of her game in Bollywood and Shilpa, well an IPL team, a posh London apartment is no small feat for a nose. Although, the Box-Office magic is yet to work for Kangana Ranaut and Shruti Hassan who post surgery have been listed in the category of spellbinding beauty.

Like always, what goes up comes down, and how! A list of Bollywood bevies who went from bad to worse under the knife and came out looking like nightmares! A countdown of Bollywood babes who got off the wrong side of a surgeon’s scalpel, and ended up looking like a wrongly assembled jigsaw puzzle!

Koena Mitra- Plastic surgery nightmare Koena lost her average looks when she underwent a cosmetic surgery to enhance her breasts, nose and face. Her gamble did not pay-off as this bong beauty ended up with scar on her nose and thus, closed herself for an year.

Now she has her nose corrected again, but alas! She did not play her cards well in this gamble.
Koena had an adverse effect leaving her in the category of moderate looking gals in B-town despite great vital stats.

Rakhi Sawant- Sardonically, oops adoringly known as the item-queen of Bollywood, Rakhi Sawant too underwent a cosmetic surgery. Item-Drama queen Rakhi got a set of bigger boobs to match her big mouth.
Still breast augmentation did not proved fruitful for her career or life. Currently Rakhi is putting her big assets to test, and is on a look-out for her Mr. Perfect.

Though looking at the recent developments in Rakhi’s swayamvar we might stand wrong, as Rakhi’s enhancement are working wonders for her personal life or shall we say publicity-oriented life. Too bad you can’t get a surgery for wagging tongue!

Mallika Sherawat- With oodles of sex appeal Mallika Sherawat has no doubt created her niche as the sexiest actress ever...Mostly due to her humungous set of twins, which grab all the limelight, and that’s better as they take away all the attention from her pinched nose, which somehow make us wonder whom did she go to for that nose job, Dr. Victor Frankenstein?

Aishwarya to crack down on the false stories

Upset over "fabricated" media stories about her private life, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has threatened legal action against those responsible, a statement issued by her publicist said Thursday.

"Certain sections of the press have been behaving in a callous manner and have been putting together articles or pieces without any semblance of truth and furthermore they have been attributing quotes to the actor which are baseless and false.

Previously our client preferred to remain silent to let better sense prevail be it the news when she was married off to a tree or otherwise. This silence should not be misconstrued as a weakness, " the statement read.

The statement was issued to counter an article titled "Career more important than family" by a website where one of the quotes attributed to the actress read:

"If I want to remain in the film industry then I need to stay fit", that implied that she will not have children. The article also stated that her actor-husband Abhishek Bachchan was in agreement with her stand.

"She is one actress who never made any statements that her marriage can wait and she will focus on her career. When she did, she got her family's blessings and got married in the middle of a film and has been a thorough professional even after her wedding, " the statement said.

"We must not forget that besides being a star in every right Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is about a daughter, a wife, and a daughter in law, a symbol of our tradition and she has always believed and practiced values that govern our society. Irresponsible statements about her private life will not be left to grow without a strong rebuttal, " it added.

The statement also warned of strict legal action against those behind such stories about the 35-year-old. "This may be read and understood in no uncertain terms that hence forth we would be forced to take legal recourse in any such event of a piece or article appearing without any credibility or which is an absolute fabrication of one's imagination... We must respect Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for her stand to remain silent on such baseless rumors but it would be wrong to use her name to further a personal cause or career, " it read.

Mallika Sherawat avoids nude shot again?

When we first saw the promos of Mallika Sherawat starrer Hissss, we got the impression that she has indeed given a nude shot in the film.

There were sequences seen in the extended promo that showed a nude butt shot of Mallika sliding in the mud and turning into a deadly snake.

We were in fact the first ones to have reported about it back then. While it suggested it was her.

We have now found out that it is actually a body double used instead of Mallika. So what actually happened to this dare bare attitude girl who once shed all her inhibitions on screen?

It is learnt that when the shoot for the shot was going to take place, she requested to the film's director, Jennifer Lynch that.

She would not be able to do the scene and it would be better to use a body double. Jennifer perhaps understood her predicament and canned the shot with a body double.

But this hasn't been the first instance when Mallika has chickened out of giving a nude shot. Apparently, she was earlier supposed to do a nude scene in Mahesh Bhatt's Murder (2004) but when she reached the sets she developed cold feet.

Get geared up for the desi version of ‘Hangover’

The recent Hollywood flick ‘Hangover’ was a bit hit and the story of the film involved four guys who attend a 24 hour stag party in LA. When they wake up they realize that the groom has gone missing and this happens to be the worst hangover of their life.

Now, the flick will be made in Hindi by Firoz Nadiadwala who has bought the rights of the movie for its desi version. The movie will be directed by Anees Bazmee. Abhishek Bachchan will play the role played by Bradley Cooper and Paresh Rawal will enact the character played by Zach Galifianakis. Katrina Kaif will play the role of the fiancée. The film will start early next year in the locales of South Africa.

Riteish Deshmukh and Sanjay Dutt are also being considered for the roles. Firoz will start on the script as soon as he wraps up ‘No Problem’.

Kaminey is an adult flick

Vishal Bharadwaj is a worried man this days ‘coz his movie Kaminey has been given an A certificate by the censor committee inspite of lobbying for a U/A certificate.

A source says from the censor board says,“The examining committee saw the film on Tuesday afternoon and thought that the film had too much violence. They suggested major cuts. However, Vishal is not keen on brutally chopping the film and neither does he want an A certificate. So, the film was sent to the revising committee where Sharmila Tagore, the Chairperson, watched it with a panel of members in Delhi yesterday afternoon. However, after watching the film, it has been decided that the film will indeed have an A certificate. Vishal’s request for a U/A certificate has fallen on deaf ears. Vishal now has to decide if he wants to go ahead and challenge the censor board’s decision, or be happy with the A certificate.”

A source from the production house said, “There are some cuts in the film. The abusive language is nothing to be worried about as it is marginal. Even the cuts have been made to be politically correct in certain places. However, the darkness of the film and the inherent violence, even though not onscreen, is felt powerfully due to the theme. The film is based on the underworld and the very nature of violence in the film is what the censors objected to.”

When Salman embarassed Farah

Farah Khan is the next guest on Salman Khan’s Dus Ka Dum show and she recalled an experience with Sallu from the past which had left her embarassed.

Farah on the show said, “He (Salman) took me along so that I could show him a few steps to do before director Sooraj Barjatya. But when Salman did the steps, it was so appalling that I simply picked up by footwear, hailed a cab and took off home.”

Salman blushed and confirmed Farah’s experience revealing that he indeed had two left feet when he started out in the world of Bollywood.

Happy Birthday Sanju Baba

Sanjay Dutt recently celebrated his golden birthday i.e 50th birthday along with his wife Manyata in Cape Town,South Africa.

A source who attended the party says, “It was an extremely private affair with select invitees. Dutt’s close friends like Imran from South Africa, Paresh from Chicago, Mac from LA, Sudesh of Wizcraft and cricketer Graham Smith were present. Among the filmi crowd were Akshaye Khanna and Paresh Rawal, who were shooting in Durban and flew down for the party.”

“Everybody was welcomed by a local band after which, they drove down in a black limousine from the hotel to one of the most beautiful lounges, Karma, at Camps Bay.”

“Apart from dancing to typical Bollywood songs, there were belly dancers too to entertain the guests. Alcohol flowed in plenty while the select menu included a choice of sea food specialties and Sushi. At midnight, Sanjay cut the cake and they partied till Wednesday morning.”

Himesh to sing in two voices

As though one voice was not enough, Himesh underwent a vocal surgery to add anothe voice to his singing kitty.

A source close to Himesh says, “Himesh wanted to do something different and after numerous experiments with his looks and his hair, he recently had an operation for his vocal chords. Apart from his nasal voice, he has now added a different voice which is a base middle octave. This way, he will have two distinct voices and anybody who indentifies him with his style will never be able to say that the other voice is also his. The surgery happened in South Africa when he was shooting for Kajraare and it took close to two hours. It is a closely guarded secret and Himesh doesn’t want anyone to know about it.”

“This new voice will be heard in all his forthcoming films – Ishk Unplugged, Radio, Kajraare and A New Love Isshtory. The strategy is that Himesh will perform live at the music release of Radio a few weeks down the line where he will sing in his new voice. The voice is extremely good and the songs that he has recorded are sure to work with his fans.”

Shahid smiles for CineBlitz

Check out this scan from CineBlitz magazine featuring Shahid Kapoor. Shahid Kapoor appeared on the front cover of this month’s CineBlitz magazine with Priyanka Chopra.

Shilpa Shetty seeks blessings on Nag Panchmi

Shilpa Shetty has seen a lot of ups and downs in her life. She has tasted success, stardom, a row of flops, failure in love with Akshay Kumar and many other setbacks in the initial days of her career. Things took a turn for the better and she came into international limelight when she won the UK-based reality show ‘Big Brother’.

Since then she seems to be going places. Launch of big brands, TV shows, presence at international events, big projects, she seems to be everywhere. Even her love life is on a high with her marriage plans with businessman Raj Kundra with whom she has also bought stakes in the IPL team Rajasthan Royals. Shilpa Shetty is all set to join the award winning English soap ‘EastEnders’.

Shilpa was in a mood to thank God for his grace and seek His blessings. So, she was seen visiting the temple on the occasion of Nag Panchmi. Check out Shilpa offering her prayers.

Celina Jaitley goes vampy this season

Celina Jaitley has already been much in news for her take lesbians. Now, she is all set to show some of her acting skills and also shock everyone with her entirely new negative look. In her next movie ‘Accident on Hill Road’ she’ll be playing a negative character and she reportedly took 15 days to decide on the right style for the character and chose a very vampy appearance. She also joined a 10 day acting workshop to brush up on her acting skills.

Celina has donned a new hairdo with much shorter hair in this thriller produced by Nari Hira of Magna Films. The new hairdo has changed Celina’s appearance so much that one takes a couple of seconds of closer look before one realizes the fact that it is indeed Celina on the frame.

“The new look has been created by Hakim Aalim. It was required to cut 10 inches of hair for the look. However, what he ended up doing was save locks of ten inches for me”, laughs Celina.

Directed by debutant Mahesh Nair, the film also stars Farooq Sheikh and Abhimanyu Shekhar Singh. The film shows how Farooq and Celina cross paths when Celina’s car hits Farooq in a freak road accident. What happens thereafter forms the crux of the film.

Mugdha Godse celebrates her 27th birthday

Mugdha Godse had won rave reviews for ‘Fahsion’ and she had also won a warm and close friendship with her ‘Fashion’ co-star Priyanka Chopra on the sets of the movie. So, it did not come as a surprise when Priyanka was seen giggling and enjoying her self on Sunday on the celebration of Mugdha’s 27th birthday.

Also present were her ‘Jail’ co-star Neil Nitin Muskesh and director Madhur Bhandarkar. Neil and Mugdha were seen enjoying each other’s company. Mugdha Godse really got drunk at the party.

The Sen sisters are full of praises for each other

The Sen sisters have always been admired in Bollywood, for different reasons though. The elder one, Riya Sen, is known for her glamorous and sexy image, where as the younger sis, Raima Sen is known for some very serious and challenging performances. Now, the two sisters are coming together for the first time in Rituparno Ghosh’s ‘Noukadubi’ and both will be playing roles which are apparently just the opposite of their images. Where Riya plays a de-glam village housewife, Raima will be playing a sophisticated woman.

Insiders say that initially Riya felt that Raima’s character had greater strength, prominence, and scope as compared to hers, but then she went ahead as her role was challenging too.

Both the sisters are full of praises and admiration for each other. Speaking about her experience of working with Riya, Raima said, “It was nice to watch her do such a complex character. She was so easy and comfortable on the sets and with the director. Everyone pampered her silly! This is the first time I’ve played such a mature character in Rituda’s film. I play the character of a learned and sophisticated woman who holds her own in any situation. It’s quite a contrast from Riya’s character who plays a naïve village belle.”

Riya stated, “Raima pampered me silly on the sets. Right from organizing the best make up vans and acquainting me with the staff in Kolkata, she was always a phone call away and kept everything prepared for me! Sometimes I felt I was treated like a baby, it felt like my first film.”

Recommended Forex Brokers

FXOpen — one of the most popular MetaTrader Forex brokers with an easy entry limit and a really fast execution (they constantly invest into new trading servers):

* Welcome bonus system
* $1 to start trading
* WebMoney, LibertyReserve, CashU, E-Bullion and other payment options
* Traders’ contests with real bonuses
* 1-2 pips spreads on majors
InstaForex — known for their aggressive bonus and competition promotions, this broker offers extremely flexible leverage and has a very dedicated support:

* MetaTrader trading platform
* Flexible leverage — from 1:1 to 1:500
* WebMoney, Moneybookers, e-Bullion and other payment methods
* Starter’s bonus — from $30
* Open account with only $1


FXcast — Forex broker that is famous for its multi-national and multi-lingual team with a support available in almost any language spoken:

* MT4 trading platform
* Leverage up to 1:400
* No slippage during high volatility periods
* Start trading with $10
* WebMoney, c-gold, LibertyReserve, StrictPay and many other e-currencies


Forex4you — ultimate decision for small-scale traders. With Forex4you you can trade even with cents:

* Deposit with WebMoney, LibertyReserve and other ways
* Ultra-micro lots — 0.0001 of a standard lot
* MetaTrader platform for trading
* Get paid an interest on your account balance

NetSol, Chinese bank sign contract

LAHORE: NetSol Technologies Ltd and China Minsheng Bank Corp Ltd have signed a contract for NetSol Technologies Financial Suite of leasing and finance products. The implementation will include NetSol Financial Suite s (NFS) Credit Application Processing (CAP) and Contract Management System (CMS) for retail business operations. The NetSol implementation with MSFL incorporates product licenses as well as customization, implementation, and data migration services. According to a statement issued here, Executive Vice President of Minsheng Financial Leasing, Ms Wong said they made the choice after careful evaluation of globally leading IT services vendors providing software in the finance and leasing space. We selected NetSol based on their impressive product strength and presence in the Chinese market. As we embark on this long-term partnership, MSFL is advancing its objective of becoming the largest finance and leasing company in China, she said, adding that NetSol s Financial Suite of products stand as a critical supporting factor in reaching this goal.

United Bank celebrates golden jubilee

KARACHI: United Bank Limited (UBL) has produced an audio CD, comprising songs and narratives, based on selected works of Pakistan s revered national poet-philosopher Dr Mohammad Iqbal, to mark the bank s Golden Jubilee this year, it said in a press release. Incorporated on July 27, 1959, UBL started operations in November the same year. Its operations now extend to 11 countries outside Pakistan, through 17 branches, representative offices, subsidiaries and joint ventures apart from over 1100 domestic branches. Emphasizing the relationship between UBL s vision and Iqbal s ideals, President and CEO of UBL, Atif R Bokhari states: As fa progressive banking organization, UBL is aptly suited to embrace a national icon such as Iqbal, whose ideals embody the spirit of this institution. The CD contains original compositions of songs and narrations by some of the most outstanding composers, singers and artistes in the country. Introduced in UBL s Golden Jubilee year, this audio CD is a humble contribution towards propagating the message of Iqbal, particularly at a time when the nation needs his inspiration the most, and may be seen as a fitting tribute to the spirit of progressiveness, it added.

Yen Drops as Asian Stocks Rally

The yen entered its eleventh day of losses versus most of the 16 main traded currencies as a rally in Asian stocks suggests that evidences indicating the end of the global slump are pushing investors to riskier assets, damping demand regionally for the Japanese currency.

Canadian Dollar Hits 10-Month High on Improved Confidence

The loonie reached the highest level since October as stocks and commodities rose, improving attractiveness for the Canadian currency.

U.S. Dollar Down Before Home Sales Report

The U.S. dollar started another week losing against currencies like the euro, as a report today is expected to show that home sales in the United States rose significantly, suggesting that the global slump is facing its final days, consequently attracting investors to riskier assets in stocks.

Australian Dollar Hits Year-High after Central Bank Statement

The Australian dollar reached the highest level versus its U.S. counterpart today after the national central bank Governor affirmed that the current crisis in the country may not be as serious as considered previously.

Brazilian Real Continues Rally on Trade Surplus

The Brazilian real continued to gain versus the greenback today as renewed demand for Brazilian products helped the national stocks to gain, adding confidence to the real’s outlook.

Dollar Remains Bearish as Stocks Rally

The U.S. dollar entered another day of losses versus most of the 16 main traded currencies as stocks worldwide continued to rally, raising investors’ confidence to purchase assets in emergent-markets and other higher-yielding options.

Crude Oil Decline Interrupts Canadian Dollar’s Rally

The Canadian dollar lost today for the first time in more than a week as stocks and the crude oil had their first decline as risk aversion reappeared in financial markets worldwide.

Yen Rebound After U.S. Confidence Report

The yen post the first significant gains in more than a week versus currencies like the pound and the euro after risk aversion returned to markets today, pushing investors towards the safety of the Japanese currency.

Dollar Rebounds Versus Euro on Reports Speculations

The dollar reverted its trend of already two weeks losing versus several main traded currencies, after speculations that this week’s reports will post rather pessimistic figures, raising attractiveness for the safety of the greenback.

Euro Down as Risk Aversion Returns

The euro is losing since yesterday versus currencies like the yen and the dollar, as a report yesterday showed a decline in consumer confidence in the United States, spurring demand for refuge currencies like the Swiss franc and the yen.

Fashion & Textile students display exquisite artwork

Islamabad: Dazzling outfits and house decor accessories presenting a unique amalgamation of traditional craft and trendy cuts attracted a large number of visitors to a fashion and textile exhibition held here on Saturday.

Iqra University's Department of Art & Design conducted a two-day exhibition that displayed modern as well as trendy handmade decorative items in exotic colour combinations along with amazing embellishments, prepared by more than 100 students of Textile and Fashion, individually and in groups.

Mariam Zafar, a student of Textile Designing who had on display her superb screen painting work, said that the exhibition is one of the best opportunities to project the students' artwork.

Mariam said people generally are not aware of the sophistication offered in shape of exquisite hand work in this era of machines but such exhibitions help create awareness among the masses to appreciate hand work.

Mariam Mehdi, a student of the University's Fashion Department, while referring to the trendy dresses put on show, said the students take inspiration from different themes in order to come up with formal, semi formal and cocktail dresses. "Each and every step including pattern making, sewing and illustrations are conducted by the students themselves," she said.

Faculty member of the Fashion and Textile Department Muneeza Ahmed apprised that conducting such exhibitions is a regular feature of their department to appreciate and encourage the students. "Every year, we arrange this exhibition where students in groups or individually work on some exclusive project, which is displayed for sale at the exhibition," she said.

AAUR student Murder case at university cafeteria

AAUR student 'murdered, not killed by muggers'
Rawalpindi, July 19: The episode of mobile snatching incident in which a student of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agricultural University, Rawalpindi, was killed on Friday night turned out to be a case of murder, when a number of students revealed that some students gunned the BSc (Honours) student minutes after a scuffle at the university cafeteria.

On Saturday morning, a group of university students, with the impression that Mohammad Shahzad shot dead when he offered resistance to the muggers snatching his mobile phone near Shamsabad Chowk staged a protest demonstration outside the university premises.

Muhammad Javed Iqbal, son of Abdul Hafiz, a resident of Iftikhar Colony, Ward-6, Nankana Road, Shah Kot, Nankana, lodged a complaint with the New Town Police Station saying that his younger brother Muhammad Shahzad was a student of BSc (Honours) at the Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agricultural University. He said that Rana Safdar, son of Rana Amir, a fellow student of Mohammad Shahzad, told him that he had dinner with Shahzad and Usman on Friday night and later Usman took Shahzad out of the cafeteria at about 10 p.m. "I was told that two bike-riding men gunned Shahzad down in the presence of Usman and fled away."

However, City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Rao Iqbal said, "It is a clear-cut murder case and not a mobile snatching incident that took the life of Mohammad Shahzad." He said that the investigators have collected the evidences and recorded the statements of eyewitnesses, describing it as murder. He said that the police have registered the case against the assailants on the complaint of victim's brother.

The CPO said that Usman and one of the other students were missing and the police were trying to trace them out, adding that Usman was the prime accused who disappeared soon after the occurrence.

Responding to a question, Rao Iqbal said that dozens of former students of Quaid-i-Azam University and Arid Agriculture University, who were rusticated from their institutions for their involvements in illegal activities, gathered in front of the university on Saturday and created law and order situation.

He said that the police resorted to baton-charge and hurled teargas shells to disperse the protesters, but the angry protestors suspended the traffic by burning tyres. The police, later, arrested 20 agitators and booked them under sections 427/186/353/149/148/341 and 337-H2.

Meanwhile, heavy contingents of police have cordoned off the university premises after searching the hostels while different police parties have been sent to hunt down the prime accused, Usman and his friend. The News

AAUR reopens tomorrow
Rawalpindi: Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) will reopen on Monday after remaining closed following murder of a student in a mobile snatching attempt on Friday, said the university spokesperson. The murder ignited a protest by students, prompting the university administration to cancel examinations. He said the situation had come to normalcy and examinations would be resumed on Monday. He appealed to the students to stay calm. Daily Times