Pakistan has appointed Lt Gen Raheel Sharif as its new army head after weeks of speculation, a move correspondents say could define PM Nawaz Sharif's third term in office.

Lt Gen Sharif replaces Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, who retires on Thursday.

The government has also named Lt Gen Rashid Mahmood as the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

The appointments are seen as vital in fighting the Taliban and in determining the army's role in politics.

Correspondents say Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will have carefully considered his crucial appointment of Lt Gen Sharif - who is not related to him - because the prime minister has twice had run-ins with the military during previous terms in office.

In 1999 Mr Sharif was forced from office in a military take-over led by Gen Pervez Musharraf.

In 1993 army chief Abdul Waheed Kakar led a push to get Mr Sharif to resign and hold elections following a long-running political stand-off between the prime minister and President Ghulam Ishaq.
Overt interference

Little is so far known about Gen Sharif, correspondents say, apart from the fact that his brother was one of the army's most decorated soldiers and was killed in the 1971 war with India.

The new army chief, a career infantry soldier, is expected to continue Gen Kayani's policies and to avoid overt interference in politics.

Lt Gen Sharif is thought to have been third on the army's seniority list.

He is not known as an ambitious general, the BBC's Shahzeb Jillani in Islamabad says.

Before his promotion, he headed the army's training and evaluation department and has previously served in senior roles as a corps commander and head of the country's premier training institution, the Military Academy in Abbottabad.

The change of command comes as Pakistan faces a daunting array of challenges - including a home-grown Taliban insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives, strained relations with India over the Kashmir dispute and the winding-down in 2014 of the 12-year Nato mission in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Pakistan has experienced three military coups since independence in 1947 and has been run by the army for half of its 66-year history.

Gen Kayani's stance of not overtly interfering in politics allowed the country to experience its first successful transition between democratically elected governments earlier this year.

Magneto was behind the assassination of John F. Kennedy, at least in the "X-Men: Days of Future Past" timeline. A new viral video titled "The Bent Bullet" makes the case for Erik "Magneto" Lehnsherr's involvement in JFK's assassination in 1963.

"Half a century ago, Magneto was implicated in the mutant plot to assassinate President John F. Kennedy," the video description reads. "The events of that fateful day in November have been a point of contention between humans and the mutants ever since."

Seems Magneto used his powers to push Lee Harvey Oswald's second bullet to fatally wound the president. Marvel and Fox have also launched a Bent Bullet website that provides more details about the film and Magneto's fate. JFK was involved with Project: WideAwake and every X-Men comic fan knows that means Sentinels.

Check out the video below and head over to the Bent Bullet website to dive into the full experience. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" hits theaters May 23, 2014.

"Hey, Ke$ha, what if we collaborated on a song that combines country music with pop rock and rap, and then made a video that's kind of like 'Coyote Ugly' but with less clothing and more dancing?" "Sounds good, Pitbull! Will there be room for a scene where you try to touch a swimming shark?" "Yep!" "We should call this one 'Timber.'"

Pitbull hosted the American Music Awards on Sunday and performed his new hit single Timber featuring Ke$ha live onstage before releasing the video on his Facebook page.

The 32-year-old rapper posted the video as an exclusive treat to fans of his page that has more than 40 million Likes on Facebook.

The video featured 26-year-old Ke$ha, who full name is Kesha Rose Sebert, showing her saucy side in scenes with an Old West theme.

Ke$ha burst through the swinging doors of an old-styled saloon wearing a black bra and black bikini bottom with multiple cutouts.

The singer had her painted blue and pink and donned a sheer yellow coverup.

Pitbull also danced on the sand and in the water with an exotic brunette beauty.

The video alternated between Pitbull and his lovely island and Ke$ha in country settings, including a farm scene where she leaned against an old truck and sang to horses.

The duo also performed the song on Sunday at the American Music Awards where Ke$ha wore a similarly sexy Western outfit.

The verdict was is out. According to Ghaziabad High Court, the parents were convicted guilty and were sentenced to life imprisonment today.


A special CBI Court is likely to announce the quantum of punishment for Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, who were held guilty for the murder of their teenaged daughter Aarushi and their domestic help Hemraj at their home on the intervening night of May 16-17, 2008.

The court will hear the arguments on the quantum of punishment today. Read full report here

Nupur Talwar suffered high blood pressure and anxiety after she and her husband Rajesh were brought to the Dasna jail last evening. Read here

As soon as the verdict was announced, the duo and the family broke down and were clearly upset with the decision.

The parents convicted under sections 302 and 201, while Rajesh Talwar also convicted on additional charge under Section 203 for filing a false FIR. They have been taken into custody after the verdict. "We are deeply disappointed, hurt and anguished over conviction," they said in a statment. "We refuse to feel defeated and will continue to fight for justice," they said.

"There was no evidence, dissapointed with the verdict. It's wrong," stated Talwars' lawyer Satyaketu Singh.

On the other hand, the CBI lawyer on Aarushi case, RK Saini, stated, "Court said according to the circumstances there is no one else who could commit the crime."

Updates:

* Defence counsel Tanvir Mir countered CBI's argument and said the evidence against his clients were weak and sought leniency for Talwars. The arguments lasted just five minutes before the judge adjourned proceedings and pronounced he quantum of sentence at 4.30 PM. The Talwar couple remained composed.

The Talwar couple were also sentenced for five years for destruction of evidence and Rajesh for another one year for filing wrong FIR with police.

* Talwars' lawyers will appeal to a higher court against the decision. The duo will be taken to jail.
* The crowd outside the court is huge. There is a stampede sort of situation outside the court, reports our journalist Kanu Sarda from the scene.

* Ghaziabad Court sentences Rajesh and Nupur Talwar to life imprisonment t in Aarushi-Hemraj murder case.

* The arguments on sentencing in Aarushi-Hemraj murder case is over, order after 4.30 pm.

* CBI Tuesday sought death penalty for dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar on charges of murdering their daughter and domestic help five years ago.

* Public prosecutor R.K. Saini said the case comes under the "rarest of rare" category as daughter Aarushi and Hemraj were found dead with their throats slit at the Talwar residence in Noida in May 2008

* Defence counsel pleaded for leniency in sentencing citing Talwars background

* CBI argues for Death Penalty in Aarushi Talwar case. Sentencing to be announced at 3pm

* Talwar couple inconsolable, refuse dinner: Jail officials .

* Dinesh Talwar, brother of Rajesh, told reporters outside the court that they would appeal against the verdict in the Allahabad High Court.

* The Talwar couple has been kept in separate special cells in the jail, which will be out of reach for other inmates. Due to security reasons, they will be kept separate from other inmates for some days," Dasna Jail Superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma told IANS.

Sharma said Nupur has been kept inside the women's barrack but her cell is separate from other inmates while Rajesh has been kept in a separate cell in a special barrack.

"After their medical examination, both of them were taken to their respective cells. Each of them have been given a blanket, a rug, a mug and a plate to eat," Sharma said.

* , Satyaketu Singh, on Monday said, “There is no evidence. We are disappointed with the verdict. This order is wrong and illegal.”

* Meanwhile, senior advocate Abha Singh said, “This was a gruesome incident. It was an open and shut case,

* Aarushi's friend  Fiza Jha, described the verdict as disappointing on Monday. “This has gone from bad to worse. It will be tragic if the parents don't get justice in the higher courts,” she said.

* The Talwars are now in police custody and have been taken to Ghaziabad's Dasna jail.

* The two were taken into custody immediately after the verdict.The court will hear the arguments on the quantum of sentence on Tuesday.

* In a statement issued after the verdict, the dentist couple said, “We are deeply disappointed, hurt and anguished for being convicted for a crime that we have not committed. We refuse to feel defeated and will continue to fight for justice.”

* The couple will appeal to higher courts, according to the lawyer.

* Defence lawyer Satyaketu Singh said the judgement was wrong in law and would be appealed against in the High Court.

Nearly five-and-a-half years after the sensational killings of teenager Aarushi Talwar and domestic help Hemraj, a special CBI court pronounced its verdict.

Special Judge S Lal, who is retiring soon, gave his decision after a 15-month-long trial of dentist couple, both out on bail at present, on charges of murder and destruction of evidence in the killing of their 14-year-old daughter and servant on the intervening night of May 15-16, 2008 at their Jalvayu Vihar residence in Noida.

Miranda Lambert recently made headlines when she arrived at the Country Music Awards with a noticeably slimmer physique. While the 30-year-old revealed she dropped the pounds through exercise and portion control, there are others claiming she went under the knife to shed the weight.

It's a claim the country star just won't tolerate, so she has turned to her personal website to set the record straight:

"I wanted to address this certain story they are running this week and set the record straight. I DID NOT have surgery to lose weight," Lambert wrote. "That is ridiculous. I lost my weight the healthy and good old fashioned way. Watching what I eat and working out with my trainer Bill Crutchfield."

Lambert went on to say that while she may have lost a dress size, she isn't even sure how much weight she's dropped. "As for the assumed number of pounds lost…? I don’t even know! Like I have always said, it’s not about a scale, it’s about how you feel and how your jeans fit."

And the singer isn't the only one who won't stand for such rumors. Just last week Kim Kardashian fought back after it was reported that she spent thousands of dollars on cosmetic procedures to slim down.

"I am very frustrated today seeing reports that I got surgery to lose my baby weight! This is FALSE. I worked so hard to train myself to eat right & healthy, I work out so hard & this was such a challenge for me but I did it!!! I'm so proud of my accomplishment & NO ONE will take this away from me with fake reports!" the 33-year-old new mom wrote in an extended tweet on Nov. 20. "Say what u want about me but I work hard & am the most disciplined person u will ever meet!"

Ariana Grande's performance of "Tattooed Heart" at the 2013 American Music Awards on Sunday night managed to shock the likes of Lady Gaga, who gave the young songstress a standing ovation.

Grande performed the single off her album, "Yours Truly," leading with an a cappella rendition of "Baby I," on the AMAs stage at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Nov. 24. She sang her heart out in a performance MTV News has compared to the Motown vibe of Gladys Knight and the Pips, in front of an audience packed with music greats like Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift.

The 20-year-old was one of the most talked about acts of the night, E! News noted, and the performance earned her applause from the "Do What U Want" signer, as well as Ciara.

She also took home the New Artist of the Year Award.

"Oh my God! I'm so nervous," she said when she took to the stage to accept the honor. "Thank you so much. This is for my fans. I have the most loving and supportive fans in the world, and I love them so much. I'm so nervous ... This is crazy. I love you. Thank you."

Ariana Grande nearly brought the house down at the 2013 American Music Awards!

The young starlet performed an almost acoustic version of her single off of Yours Truly called "Tattooed Heart."

 Armed with just a mic and slinky red sequined gown, Grande channeled Motown in what quickly became the most talked about AMAs moment.

 Grande's powerhouse voice even wowed Lady Gaga and Ciara, who both applauded the singer and gave a standing ovation.

And that wasn't the only highlight of the 20-year-old's evening.

A special CBI court on Monday convicted dentist Rajesh Tawlar and his wife Nupur Talwar for killing their daughter Aarushi and servant Hemraj.

Special CBI judge Shyam Lal held the couple guilty of murder and destruction of evidence under section 302 and 201 of Indian Penal code (IPC) respectively. Rajesh Talwar was also separately held guilty, under section 203, of registering a false FIR. Soon after the judgment, Talwars issued a statement saying they were deeply disappointed and hurt by the verdict.

The two were taken into custody immediately after the verdict.The court will hear the arguments on the quantum of sentence on Tuesday.

The verdict comes almost five-and-a-half years after the sensational double murder was committed.

The CBI had accused the parents — Rajesh and Nupur Talwar — of being the killers, going by circumstantial evidence, testimony of witnesses and forensic reports.

The Talwars had all along claimed that "they have been framed" on the basis of conjectures and tutored witnesses.

When the Noida police first came to know on May 16, 2008 that the 14-year-old daughter of prominent dentist Dr Rajesh Talwar had been murdered at their residence in Jalvayu Vihar allegedly by their servant, Hemraj Banjade, it appeared as a regular murder case.

But things changed dramatically the very next day when Hemraj's body was found on the terrace of the house. The Noida police and two CBI teams investigated the case, which saw many twists and turns.

From Dr Rajesh and Nupur Talwar going to jail and allegations of tampering of evidence to witnesses turning hostile, police officers getting shifted, closure report being filed, parents coming out on bail and then a trial - the case has kept both the media and people transfixed.

The latest trial got over on November 12 after almost 19 months during which CBI used testimony of close to 90 witnesses in order to prove that it was only the parents who could have committed the murders and there was no possibility of an outsider entering the house.

The motive: Dr Talwar found his daughter in an objectionable state with Hemraj after which he killed them with a golf club and slit their throats using a surgical scalpel or knife. CBI's investigating officer A G L Kaul stated that he wanted to make Dr Rajesh Talwar's brother, Dinesh Talwar, a suspect as well.

During cross-examination and their final arguments, the counsel for Talwars - Satyaketu Singh and Tanveer Ahmed Mir - slammed every aspect of CBI's investigations. They alleged that its important witnesses like Dr Sunil Dohre, Naresh Raj and M S Dahiya had improved their statements while many witnesses like maid Bharti and CDFD (Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics) experts had been tutored by the agency. Talwars' lawyers alleged that CBI had tampered with, fabricated and changed the evidence to frame the parents and that its case against them was full of "alternate hypothesis" and had no merit.

The case had been first investigated by the Noida police and Dr Rajesh Talwar had been arrested. Then IG Gurdarshan Singh had addressed a press conference where he announced the honour killing theory leading to severe criticism and his eventual transfer. The police were blamed for not properly pre-serving the crime scene and going easy on the probe. The then chief minister, Mayawati, transferred the probe to CBI.
REED MORE CLICK HERE

 Dennis Rodman is at the top of a list no one wants to be on. He's been named GQ's No. 1 least influential celebrity of 2013.

The 52-year-old former basketball player who has visited Kim Jong Un in North Korea was selected as the top pick in the magazine's third annual list of the least influential celebrities, which also includes twerking pop star Miley Cyrus, President Barack Obama, and celebrity chef Paula Deen. GQ called Rodman a "Q-list celebrity willing to commit borderline treason just to hang out with a dictator who himself aspires to be a Q-list celebrity."

Rodman said this week he's preparing to return to North Korea late next month for an exhibition basketball tour.

Deen, whose cooking empire imploded this year after she admitted to having used the N-word to describe black employees, came in at No. 2 on the list behind Rodman, while former sexting U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner took the No. 3 spot.

"He's the saddest lecher in American politics, and that's saying something, because they're all lechers," the magazine said.

Cyrus, who garnered attention at this year's MTV Video Music Awards for her provocative performance with a foam finger, won the No. 6 position for "basically trying every inane strategy she could think of to rile up America's few remaining pearl clutchers." The magazine noted "what's sad is that it totally worked."

It's sometimes easy to forget that Courtney Stodden is only 19 years old and, as such, is bound to bounce back quickly from a breakup.

The reality star and her husband Doug Hutchison split less than three weeks ago but Stodden has wasted no time in cozying up to another man -- coincidently, a 53-year-old, just like Doug.

On Thursday night (Nov. 21), Stodden was spotted at a Los Angeles event with Edward Lozzi, Anna Nicole Smith's ex-boyfriend and Press Secretary for the U.S. Representative to the UN General Assembly in the late '90s, per Daily Mail. Lozzi also served as a White House Press Advance Office aide for the George H.W. Bush administration, adds Daily Mail, and has his own PR firm for some three decades now.

But before jumping into hasty conclusions, Stodden's manager told E! News that the two are not dating. "It's just innocent fun. It seems like lots of guys have a hard time keeping their hands off of her. She is enjoying being 19. She deserves it."