kajal agarwal

wki news 1

13 November 2013, WikiLeaks released the secret negotiated draft text for the entire TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) Intellectual Property Rights Chapter. The TPP is the largest-ever economic treaty, encompassing nations representing more than 40 per cent of the world’s GDP. The WikiLeaks release of the text comes ahead of the decisive TPP Chief Negotiators summit in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 19-24 November 2013. The chapter published by WikiLeaks is perhaps the most controversial chapter of the TPP due to its wide-ranging effects on medicines, publishers, internet services, civil liberties and biological patents. Significantly, the released text includes the negotiation positions and disagreements between all 12 prospective member states.

The TPP is the forerunner to the equally secret US-EU pact TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership), for which President Obama initiated US-EU negotiations in January 2013. Together, the TPP and TTIP will cover more than 60 per cent of global GDP. Both pacts exclude China.

Since the beginning of the TPP negotiations, the process of drafting and negotiating the treaty’s chapters has been shrouded in an unprecedented level of secrecy. Access to drafts of the TPP chapters is shielded from the general public. Members of the US Congress are only able to view selected portions of treaty-related documents in highly restrictive conditions and under strict supervision. It has been previously revealed that only three individuals in each TPP nation have access to the full text of the agreement, while 600 ’trade advisers’ – lobbyists guarding the interests of large US corporations such as Chevron, Halliburton, Monsanto and Walmart – are granted privileged access to crucial sections of the treaty text.

The TPP negotiations are currently at a critical stage. The Obama administration is preparing to fast-track the TPP treaty in a manner that will prevent the US Congress from discussing or amending any parts of the treaty. Numerous TPP heads of state and senior government figures, including President Obama, have declared their intention to sign and ratify the TPP before the end of 2013.

WikiLeaks’ Editor-in-Chief Julian Assange stated: “The US administration is aggressively pushing the TPP through the US legislative process on the sly.” The advanced draft of the Intellectual Property Rights Chapter, published by WikiLeaks on 13 November 2013, provides the public with the fullest opportunity so far to familiarise themselves with the details and implications of the TPP.

The 95-page, 30,000-word IP Chapter lays out provisions for instituting a far-reaching, transnational legal and enforcement regime, modifying or replacing existing laws in TPP member states. The Chapter’s subsections include agreements relating to patents (who may produce goods or drugs), copyright (who may transmit information), trademarks (who may describe information or goods as authentic) and industrial design.

The longest section of the Chapter – ’Enforcement’ – is devoted to detailing new policing measures, with far-reaching implications for individual rights, civil liberties, publishers, internet service providers and internet privacy, as well as for the creative, intellectual, biological and environmental commons. Particular measures proposed include supranational litigation tribunals to which sovereign national courts are expected to defer, but which have no human rights safeguards. The TPP IP Chapter states that these courts can conduct hearings with secret evidence. The IP Chapter also replicates many of the surveillance and enforcement provisions from the shelved SOPA and ACTA treaties.

The consolidated text obtained by WikiLeaks after the 26-30 August 2013 TPP meeting in Brunei – unlike any other TPP-related documents previously released to the public – contains annotations detailing each country’s positions on the issues under negotiation. Julian Assange emphasises that a “cringingly obsequious” Australia is the nation most likely to support the hardline position of US negotiators against other countries, while states including Vietnam, Chile and Malaysia are more likely to be in opposition. Numerous key Pacific Rim and nearby nations – including Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and, most significantly, Russia and China – have not been involved in the drafting of the treaty.

In the words of WikiLeaks’ Editor-in-Chief Julian Assange, “If instituted, the TPP’s IP regime would trample over individual rights and free expression, as well as ride roughshod over the intellectual and creative commons. If you read, write, publish, think, listen, dance, sing or invent; if you farm or consume food; if you’re ill now or might one day be ill, the TPP has you in its crosshairs.”

Current TPP negotiation member states are the United States, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, New Zealand and Brunei.

Tom Cruise cancels Mission Impossible 4 trip to Pune?

Tom Cruise, who was expected to charm movie goers in Pune in a bid to promote his latest film Mission Impossible: The Ghost Protocol has apparently cancelled his plan.

Fans of Hollywood heartthrob Tom Cruise, back in India are likely to be disappointed since Tom Cruise has apparently cancelled his plan to visit Pune to promote his film Mission Impossible 4, which will release all over India on December 16th.

Pune Mariott Hotel and Convention Centre, where Tom Cruise was expected to stay in Pune issued a statement to the press that said, “The organizers with whom the hotel had signed the contract for Tom Cruise's visit, informed the hotel that due to change in Tom Cruise's schedule his trip to Pune stands cancelled. The hotel was the hospitality partner for the star's stay and had organized a party at its nightclub for the star, commemorating his latest movie. In the light of the present circumstances all the scheduled activities stand cancelled.”

Amitabh Bachchan scares Deepika Padukone?

It is definitely not an easy job to work with the big names of Bollywood like the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Bollywood's gorgeous and lanky beauty Deepika Padukone revealed how nervous she was while she faced the camera alongside Amitabh Bachchan in the movie Aarakshan.

Celebrating Indian Cinema- 2011

“He (Amitabh Bachchan) made me very, very comfortable. However, even as the camera is rolling and you are mouthing your dialogues, you are constantly wondering if he is judging your performance. Really, it is indeed a big deal to be actually looking into his eyes and mouthing your dialogues. Trust me, it isn’t easy,” Deepika told the media.

Ajith wraps up Billa 2 shoot

Ajith Kumar has wrapped the the final schedule of his upcoming Tamil movie Billa 2. The filming of the movie has been completed in less than 100 days.

Sources say that the film unit has returned from Georgia after shooting the climax portion of Billa 2. It is said that the last part has been filmed in a rich manner. The forthcoming flick has been shot in Goa, Pondicherry and several foreign countries.

The post-production works have been started and the movie bosses want to release the movie at the earliest. Directed by Chakrti Toleti, Billa 2 also stars Parvathy Omanakuttan and Bruna Abdullah in the lead roles.

Vikram lighting up 400 plus screens with Rajapattai

Vikram's quickie Rajapattai will be one of the biggest releases of 2011. Well, the upcoming Tamil movie is hitting the screens this Friday (December 23) in more than 400 screens.
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Trade reports say that Rajapattai is not facing any competition from other movies. Though, Mayakkam Enna and Osthi are doing good business, it will not affect the Vikram's movie to much extent. Adding to that Chiyaan has done a mass-masala film after two years, which has attracted the cine-goers. Keeping these things in mind, Gemini Film Circuit, who has acquired the distribution rights, is releasing the flick in 400 plus screens in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The Aniyaan star will be seen in the role of a gym instructor. Deeksha Seth is playing the character of his love interest and Shreya Saran-Reema Sen have done special appearances in an item track.

Rajapattai is directed by Susindran and produced by PVP cinema.

Aishwarya Dhanush's 3 album to release at St George’s school grounds

The most-anticipated Tamil album of the year, 3, will hit the stands on December 21. According to reports, the music will be released at St George’s school grounds, Chennai.

There were speculations that Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan would launch the album, as their daughters teamed up for the first time. Contrary to report , a source claims that the superstars of Tamil cinema are not gracing the occasion rather it would launched with heavy fanfare.
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The makers of the film have planned a grand event to attract the Chennai youths and the preparation for it are on full swing. Aishwarya Dhanush recently posted, “Such a busy day at work, trying to give u a different kind of an audio launch. The date is confirmed 23rd of this month it is!”

Newcomer Anirudh Ravichander's compositional caught the nation's attention after the single track, 'Kolaveri di' became a sleeper hit. The film stars Dhanush and Shruti Hassan in the leads.