MUMBAI: One of world?s premier football competitions is set to witness a Spanish dominated semi final when Sevilla take on Osasuna and Espanyol host the lone German team, Werder Bremen. The matches will be live on Ten Sports and Zee Sports.

While the defending champions Sevilla seem confident of retaining the Cup, the young Osasuna?s are keeping their hopes alive after a hard fought 3-0 victory against Germany?s Leverkusen. This is the first time for Osasuna in the European Competition?s semi- finals and is expected to have a tough fight against Sevilla.

Werder Bremen is the only non-Spanish team in the Competition. Overall Bremen has played in four European ties against Spanish sides and has won 5 out of 14 matches played against them.

Espanyol will be boosted against Bremen by the presence of Walter Pandiani, the competition‘s top scorer this season with 10 goals, but they will be without three of the stars for the first leg, Francisco Chica, Luis Garc?a and Pablo Zabaleta are all out suspended as they try for their first ever UEFA Cup title.

German hopefuls Werder Bremen will rely on the goalscoring abilities of world cup hero Miroslav Klose, as well as the play making of young Brazilian star Diego.

Ten Sports- UEFA Cup- Semi Final Schedule:-

Day	Date	Time (IST)	Event	Telecast
Friday	27/4/07	00:10 a.m.	UEFA Cup: Werder Bremen v Espanyol	Live

 

MUMBAI: ... Founder of Rock Street Journal‘s Amit Saigal, Helga‘s Funk Castle‘s Gino Banks and Channel [v]‘s Luke Kenny. 3 passionate musicians. 3 men of rock, are looking for the country‘s hottest rock band in a nationwide search. This April, be prepared to have your world rocked as Channel [v] brings you another edition [v] Launch Pad, Channel [v]‘s tribute to rock. This is part of the channel‘s effort to promote rock music in the country, bringing music lovers the most promising talent in this genre.

This year, 16 talented bands have been shortlisted from across the country. These bands with distinct personalities will battle it out over 8 weeks for their ticket to fame. And at the end, the winner gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform at Hard Rock Caf?, New York and also record a music video with Channel [v].

Announcing the battle, Amar K. Deb, Head Honcho, Channel [v] said, "[v] remains committed to promote and discover musical talent. Most rock bands never get a stage and end up on the sidelines. With [v] Launch Pad, we will hotwire this process and trace the best rock bands of the country!"

The competition begins on April 21st every Saturday between 4 - 7pm @ Hard Rock Caf?, (Mumbai). At the end of 8 weeks, based on the weekly cumulative ratings, 4 bands will be chosen to perform at the mega finals. Hosted by VJ Juhi, [v] Launch Pad will also feature stars and rock legends like Uday Benegal, Ravi Iyer, D‘Wood, Dhruv Ghanekar, Naresh & Paresh, Mahesh Tinaikar, Nitin Malik and Farhad Wadia as guest jury during the auditions.

In continuation of its ‘Made by You‘ initiative, Channel [v] will also give 16 bloggers a chance to shoot their own [v] Launch Pad. This will eventually feature as user generated content on www.channelv2.com and will also be aired on Channel [v] as mini episodes.

Adding on, Luke Kenny, Head of Programming Channel [v] and permanent jury member for [v] Launch Pad said, "God, these things never happened at my time! Now I feel I should have a band of my own, as I would have loved to audition for the show. But yes, this is the biggest platform for rock enthusiasts and I am glad Channel [v] is contributing to turn their dreams into reality."

Commenting on the association, Jay Singh, CEO Hard Rock Cafe said, "It gives us great pleasure to promote new and upcoming talent in the Indian Rock industry. Given the rich musical legacy Hard Rock Caf?, the venue is perfectly in sync with the intent and purpose of Channel [v]‘s Launch Pad. Post the 8 weeks of auditioning, the band that emerges as the winner, will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform at Hard Rock Caf?, right in the centre of Times Square, New York. It‘s the perfect point of initiation for a rock bands sojourn through the world of music."

The previous season on [v] Launch Pad saw electrifying performances, an unprecedented quality of competition on any talent show, amazing new songs written by the contestants and an outstanding range of rock music, culminating in a hugely successful concert. Mumbai based band ‘ZERO‘ walked away with top honors in last year‘s competition, setting them on their path to rock greatness.

The entire journey from auditions to eliminations to their final performance will be encapsulated in unique 11episode series on Channel [v] starting Friday May 11 at 10.00pm.

MUMBAI: This month‘s THE SCREENING ROOM travels to New York for the Tribeca Film Festival. The annual festival celebrates film, music and culture and was co-founded by acting legend Robert De Niro in response to the World Trade Center attacks on September 11th and the consequent loss of vitality in the Tribeca neighbourhood of Lower Manhattan .

De Niro speaks to host Myleene Klass about his passion for New York as a film city, about the attraction of the Tribeca Festival and about directing himself and Matt Damon in "The Good Shepherd".

Myleene also hears from Quentin Tarantino, Eva Mendes, Rosario Dawson and visits the set of the new Josh Hartnett independent film "August".

The screening room then looks at how a small budget British film, ‘The Killing of John Lennon‘, which explores key moments in the lead up to the assassination of the ex-Beatle, has achieved success with inclusion at Tribeca in 2007.

THE SCREENING ROOM is CNN‘s new half-hour monthly movie show that offers a compelling international perspective on the world of film, travelling around the globe to bring viewers the inside track on all aspects of the movie business.

MUMBAI: Jeete Hain Jiske Liiye is all set to take a 20 year leap which will see Anjali in a new avatar.Starting April 23 one will witness a fresh new generation in the show with Rahul (Yuvraj Malhotra) playing Anjali‘s son and Ayesha (Priya Wal) playing Anjali‘s daughter. The story will see Anjali adorning a new avatar and coming back from imprisonment to reclaim her children who believe she is dead, hunt for the real murderer and regain her life.

The story so far: Renuka is in the jail, framed for the Avani‘s murder and betrayed by her family and husband Aman. While in the jail, Renuka is pregnant and thus her death sentenced is cancelled to life-imprisonment. But Aadira doesn‘t give up, she convinces Aman into divorcing Anjali and in leaving his past behind. Anjali‘s happiness knew no bounds when she gives birth to twins, but unfortunately this happiness was short-lived. In no time, Aadira separates Anjali from her children and gets them to the Dhanrajgir household to bring them up in her way. Anjali is devastated.

The new generation track: 20 years have passed. Anjali has completed her term of imprisonment and is a free woman now. Her grown up children Ayesha and Rahul are given to believe that their mother is no more. Anjali‘s prime motive in life is to reunite with her children and to find the real murderer.

Will Anjali manage to meet her kids? Why did Aman and the Dhanrajgir household wash away Anjali‘s identity? Will Anjali reunite with Aman? Who is Avani‘s real murderer?

NEW DELHI: Nearly 60 per cent of the Electoral College, which elects the President of India, wants President A P J Abdul Kalam for a second term at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, according to the Electoral College Poll, a comprehensive survey conducted by NDTV and GfK Mode.

The NDTV PEOPLE?s POLL based on more than 300,000 online votes and SMSes also want A P J Abdul Kalam to continue as the President of India. With 84 per cent voting in for a second term for A P J Abdul Kalam, the next two front runners are Narayanmurthy with 49.6 per cent and Amartya Sen with 48.3 per cent respectively.

The Electoral College survey has interviewed more than 500 MPs and MLAs. A relatively "scientific" poll, it is throwing up 57.9 per cent wanting a second term for President Kalam. More than five per cent of the respondents felt it should be a Party Decision (5.4 per cent), 2.5 per cent of the respondents offered no opinion. Nearly 35 per cent of the respondents did not want Kalam to continue as President.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat emerged as front runners for President if not APJ Abdul Kalam. The other names included in the survey for the President‘s post include A.K.Antony (6.2 per cent), Karan Singh (8.1 per cent), Somnath Chatterjee (28.7 per cent), Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (26.3 per cent), Amartya Sen (4.6 per cent) and software industry icon N.R. Narayanmurthy (5.2 per cent). From a sample size of 520, 8.8 per cent of the respondents felt the decision should left to the ruling party while 12.1 per cent did not choose any of the names suggested in the Electoral College Poll.

Q1. Who should be the next President? (If not A P J Kalam)

A K Antony	6.2 per cent
Karan Singh	8.1 per cent
Somnath Chatterjee	28.7 per cent
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat	26.3 per cent
Amartya Sen	4.6 per cent
Narayanmurthy	5.2 per cent
Party Decision	8.8 per cent
None of the above	12.1 per cent

Q2. Should Kalam continue/have second term?

Yes	57.4 per cent
No	34.2 per cent
Party Decision	5.4 per cent
Can?t Say/No opinion	2.5 per cent

Watch the entire discussion on NDTV?s hallmark show ? The Big Fight at 10.00 am on 22 April, 2007 only on NDTV 24X7.

MUMBAI: Indians all over the world can now vote for their favorites in the Popular Awards category of the IIFA Awards 2007 on www.in.msn.com .

Taking Indian Cinema to the world, bridging cultural and communal divides, creating a world that appreciates art for its existence, experience and beauty - The eighth annual International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards will be held in Yorkshire, England from June 7th to June 9th and will recognize the best of Indian Cinema for the past year.

VOTE for your favorite nominees in the Popular Awards category and win a chance to fly to Yorkshire on http://www.msnspecials.in/IIFAAwards2007/

And the nominees are:

Best Picture

Dhoom 2
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Krrish
Lage Raho Munnabhai
Rang De Basanti
Vivaah

Best Direction

Karan Johar - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Rakesh Roshan - Krrish
Rajkumar Hirani - LageRaho Munnabhai
Vishal Bharadwaj - Omkara
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra - Rang De Basanti

Performance in a Leading Role (Male)

Shah Rukh Khan - Don
Hrithik Roshan - Krrish
Sanjay Dutt - Lage Raho Munnabhai
Ajay Devgan - Omkara
Aamir Khan - Rang De Basanti

Performance in a Leading Role (Female)

Aishwarya Rai - Dhoom 2
Kajol - Fanaa
Kangana Ranaut - Gangster
Rani Mukherji - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Vidya Balan - Lage Raho Munnabhai
Kareena Kapoor - Omkara

Performance in a Supporting Role (Male)

Amitabh Bachchan - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Abhishek Bachchan - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Arshad Warsi - Lage Raho Munnabhai
Kunal Kapoor - Rang De Basanti
Atul Kulkarni - Rang De Basanti

Performance in a Supporting Role (Female)

Bipasha Basu

Dhoom 2

Rekha

Krrish

Konkona Sensharma

Omkara

Kirron Kher

Rang De Basanti

Soha Ali Khan Pataudi

Rang De Basanti

Performance in a Comic Role

Chunkey Pandey

Apna Sapna Money Money

Uday Chopra

Dhoom 2

Tusshar Kapoor

Golmaal - Fun Unlimited

Paresh Rawal

Phir Hera Pheri

Sharman Joshi

Rang De Basanti

Performance in a Negative Role

Hrithik Roshan

Dhoom 2

Emraan Hashmi

Gangster

Boman Irani

Lage Raho Munnabhai

Saif Ali Khan

Omkara

John Abraham

Zinda

Music Direction

Pritam

Dhoom 2 - Crazy Kiya Re

Shankar Ehsaan Loy

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Rajesh Roshan

Krrish - Dhoop Nikalti hai Jahan Se

Vishal Bharadwaj

Omkara - Beedi

A.R. Rehman

Rang De Basanti - Ru Baroo

Best Story

Aditya Chopra

Dhoom 2

Rakesh Roshan

Krrish

Rajkumar Hirani

Lage Raho Munnabhai

Vishal Bharadwaj

Omkara

Kamlesh Pandey

Rang De Basanti

Lyrics

Sameer

Dhoom 2 - Crazy Kiya Re

Prasoon Joshi

Fanaa - Chand Sifarish

Javed Akhtar

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Gulzar

Omkara - Beedi

Prasoon Joshi

Rang De Basanti - Ru Baroo

Dialogue

Girish Dhamija

Gangster

Sanjay Masoom

Krrish

Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Josh

Lage Raho Munnabhai

Vishal Bharadwaj

Omkara

Prasoon Joshi & Rensil Dsilva

Rang De Basanti

Playback Singer (Male)

Shaan

Fanaa - Chand Sifarish

K K

Gangster - Tu Hi Meri shab

Zubeen

Gangster - Ya Ali

Sonu Nigam

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

A.R. Rehman & Naresh Iyer

Rang De Basanti - Ru Baroo

Playback Singer (Female)

Sunidhi Chauhan

Dhoom 2 - Crazy Kiya Re

Alka Yagnik

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Shreya Ghosal

Lage Raho Munnabhai ?

Pal Pal

Sunidhi Chauhan

Omkara - Beedi jalaile

Lata Mangeshkar

Rang De Basanti - Luka Chhupi

Screenplay

Vijay Krishna Acharya

Dhoom 2

Anurag Basu

Gangster

Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi, Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Lage Raho Munnabhai

Vishal Bharadwaj, Robin Bhatt, Abhishek Chaubey

Omkara

Rensil Dsilva & Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Rang De Basanti

MSN India has a long-standing association with Indian Cinema and is the most popular destination for entertainment in the country. MSN India believes movies and music to be the major drivers of internet traffic in the country and has focused on these channels extensively. In the recent past the company has been associated with movies like Nishabd, Guru, Lage Raho Munnabhai, Rang De Basanti, Mangal Pandey, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna? etc.