007 ‘to take on Afghanistan’

October 8th, 2009 Spielberg receives Liberty Medal award in PhillyPHILADELPHIA — Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been honored in Philadelphia with the 2009 Liberty Medal for his artistic and humanitarian achievements. Former President Bill Clinton presented the medal to Spielberg at the National Constitution Center on Thursday evening.

October 6th, 2009 LONDON - Supermodel Claudia Schiffer has quit the catwalk after 22 years. The 39-year-old said: "I'm finished with the runway.

October 4th, 2009 LONDON - Both Harry Potter star Rupert Grint and "Twilight" actor Robert Pattinson are being tipped to play Prince Harry in a movie about the British monarch's life. Director Peter Kosminsky is set to begin casting for the biopic, titled "The Spare".

September 27th, 2009 LONDON - Peter Andre may soon jet off for the conflict-ridden Afghanistan to raise the spirits of the war weary British soldiers in the country. Andre also has plans to meet the injured soldiers who have returned to Britain.

September 21st, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australian actress and TV personality Tania Zaetta has made an out-of-court settlement with a newspaper that claimed that the Defence Department was investigating her alleged romps with soldiers in Afghanistan. "All I can say is the Defence Department has apologised to me and made a public statement that the allegations were totally false," Zaetta was quoted by theage.com.au, as saying.

September 19th, 2009 LONDON - Oscar winning actor George Clooney wants to direct Matt Damon in a new movie called Hamdan v Rumsfeld, about Osama bin Laden's former chauffeur. The actor has singled out Matt, with whom he previously starred in Syriana, to star in the film, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

September 4th, 2009 LONDON - Gordon Brown is faced with another crisis after an aide to Defence Secretary Bob Anisworth, Eric Joyce, resigned over his handling of the war in Afghanistan. The timing of Joyce's resignation has reportedly infuriated Downing Street, as it came on the eve of Brown's speech on Afghanistan.

August 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - American Idol's season four runner-up Bo Bice has revealed his views on why the show could suffer if Paula Abdul was not one of the judges. Bice, 33, who got the chance to entertain troops in Afghanistan, said that the show would not make it if Abdul were not on it.

August 4th, 2009 Spielberg to be awarded Philadelphia Liberty MedalPHILADELPHIA — Filmmaker Steven Spielberg will be awarded Philadelphia's 2009 Liberty Medal for his artistic and humanitarian achievements on Oct. 8. The National Constitution Center made the announcement Tuesday.

July 27th, 2009 LONDON - Music mogul Simon Cowell has dismissed rumours he is dating American Idol make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy - following a string of rumours linking the star to Afghan beauty. Cowell has been single since splitting from long-term girlfriend Terri Seymour, but he was rumoured to have stepped back on the dating scene with Afghanistan-born Hussainy, who he met behind-the-scenes of the hit US show, reports the Mirror.

July 24th, 2009 LONDON - Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has termed Pakistan as the 'biggest collateral damage' of the US-led Afghan war, and said the Pakistan Army is fighting against its own countrymen. Talking to journalists at a Meet-the-Press event here, Khan said governance in Pakistan has collapsed completely and foreign investment has suffered a severe set back due to the 'war on terror'.

June 27th, 2009 Quotations of the day"Where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces." — Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson on a major operation involving 4,000 U.S.

June 18th, 2009 UK's Prince William hints at ambitions for combatSHAWBURY, England — Britain's Prince William has hinted he would like to follow in the army-booted footsteps of his younger brother and fight on the front line. But, as the future king, it's unlikely William would be exposed to the dangers faced by Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan.

June 14th, 2009 LONDON - Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has warned that Pakistan is headed on a suicidal course as the offensive against the Taliban and other extremist organizations could prove counterproductive and fuel more extremism. "I have never been so depressed in my life.

June 14th, 2009 LONDON - The 23rd edition of the James Bond franchise will see the super spy taking on the Taliban and heroin barons in Afghanistan. Newsoftheworld.co.uk reports that scriptwriters have been quizzing British Embassy staff in Kabul about life in the war-torn country for the next Bond instalment.