Quentin Tarantino: No plans for Kill Bill 3

Quentin Tarantino says he has no plans for 'Kill Bill 3'.
The Academy Award-winning director claims he has no intention of revisiting the violent kung fu thriller starring Uma Thurman, which follows a former assassin seeking revenge on the ex-colleagues who massacred members of her wedding party and tried to kill her.
Tarantino told Ireland's Independent newspaper: 'There are no genres I absolutely want to do any more, like ticking boxes - 'This, done.' I don't think about 'Kill Bill 3' that much as we already visited them.'
The 50-year-old director claims he is happy with the work he has produced throughout his 20-year career and would be keen to rework Japanese films or try his hand at producing a scary film.
He mused: 'To me, the last 20 years have gone well; I'm happy with my career, I'm happy to be where I am now, I'm happy with the way my work has been received, inside the cinema industry and outside.
'If there was something I would like to work on again, it would be Honshu's movies, maybe. Or a horror movie, perhaps.'
Tarantino has seemingly had a change of heart after hinting that there would be a 'Kill Bill' follow-up by suggesting he would revisit the series in celebration of its tenth anniversary.
During a 2010 interview, he teased: 'After 'Kill Bill 2' I said I would do 'Kill Bill 3' 10 years from now. And we're not there yet!'

Ribery: I don’t care whether Ronaldo attends Ballon d’Or gala

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has insisted that he does not care whether or not Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo will attend next month's Fifa Ballon d'Or gala in Zurich.

Much has been made of the Portugal star's potential absence from the event following a conflict with Fifa president Sepp Blatter, but Ribery has made it clear that Ronaldo's final decision on whether to travel to Switzerland or not is not of any interest to him.

'I have not been in touch with Ronaldo and I have not discussed him with any colleagues either. Why should I? I don't care whether he attends the gala,' Ribery told Sport Bild.

'I feel honoured to be among the final three candidates and that's why it's only logical for me that I will travel to Zurich.'

Ribery did admit, though, that the decision by Fifa and France Football to extend the voting deadline for the prestigious award could well hurt his chance of collecting the main prize.

'I think it's the first time since the introduction of the award that they have extended the voting deadline. It's obviously a shame for me and could be a disadvantage. 

'I do not have any fear, though. I am calm about the outcome.'

The winner of the Fifa Ballon d'Or will be announced on January 13.

Manchester City striker Aguero out for ‘at least a month’

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero will be out of action for 'at least one month', Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed.

The Argentina international opened the scoring in City's 6-3 win against Arsenal on Saturday, but limped out of the clash just five minutes into the second half.

'Sergio has a calf injury,' Pellegrini told reporters. 'The doctor can say how many weeks he will be out. I don't know at the moment. I think he will be out for at least one month.'

The busy Christmas period means Aguero could miss as many as eight games, including Liverpool on Boxing Day and their FA Cup third-round clash with Blackburn at the beginning of January.

City were drawn against Barcelona in the Champions League last 16 on Monday, but Pellegrini is not too concerned by the prospect of facing the four-time winners: 'I think Barcelona will be very concerned that they have drawn us. They are not the team of two years ago.'

City face Leicester in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night, and Pellegrini has also confirmed that Micah Richards and Matija Nastasic will miss out, though Stevan Jovetic is back from injury.

Goal reported on Saturday that City had rejected enquiries from Juventus, AC Milan and Inter for Jovetic, who had been back in full training since the beginning of last week

Liverpool 3-1 Cardiff City: Suarez caps perfect week by sending Reds top

Luis Suarez celebrated his new contract by firing Liverpool to the top of the Premier League as a first-half blitz saw off Cardiff City at Anfield.

Suarez volleyed in Jordan Henderson's dinked cross to put the home side ahead on 25 minutes, then unselfishly squared when put clean through for Raheem Sterling to double their advantage.

The Uruguayan latched onto Henderson's backheel to curl a superb third past David Marshall just before half-time and, though Jordon Mutch pulled one back for the visitors after the break, the damage was done.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Brendan Rodgers made no changes to the Liverpool side that beat Tottenham 5-0 on Sunday. Suarez retained the captaincy after scoring eight goals in his previous three games.The visitors made just one change from their 1-0 success over West Brom, with Aron Gunnarsson replacing Fraizer Campbell, who dropped to the bench.Suarez was first to threaten with a shot that clipped David Marshall's side netting after two minutes as the hosts applied early pressure.Craig Noone had Cardiff's first effort, forcing a save from Simon Mignolet following a quick counter after 16 minutes.However, Suarez eventually broke Cardiff's resolve when he produced a superb volleyed finish to Henderson's cross, capping off a magnificent team goal.Liverpool came close to doubling their advantage seven minutes before the interval when John Flanagan almost turned a Glen Johnson cross past Marshall from a tight angle.Sterling added the second with his third goal in four games, tapping Suarez's pass into an open net, before the Uruguay international again struck to put the game beyond Cardiff.After a neat backheel from Henderson, Suarez curled an effort past Marshall and into the right-hand corner of the net for his 19th goal in 12 matches.Following a low-key start to the second half, Mutch pulled a goal back for the visitors - heading home unmarked from Peter Whittingham's delivery after 58 minutes.It ended a run of 498 minutes without an away Premier League goal for Cardiff, who were much improved after the interval.But a comeback never looked likely and Suarez was only denied a hat-trick by the width of a post as the hosts climbed to the top of the Premier League.

Musharraf lawyers complain to UN over ‘show trial’

LONDON: Lawyers for Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf said on Friday a treason charge levied against him was politically motivated and that he would face a “show trial”, urging the United Nations to intervene.

The legal team also called on the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia to denounce Musharraf's trial to “repay their debt” for his support in the US-led “war on terror” in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Musharraf overthrew the government of current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless military coup in 1999 and ruled until 2008. His lawyers claim Sharif is using the treason case to get revenge.

The 70-year-old ex-commando, who is due to appear before a special court on December 24, is the first former military dictator in Pakistan's history to face trial for treason.

Musharraf's barrister Steven Kay told a press conference in London the hearing would be a “stage-managed show trial” with the judges picked by political opponents who are now in power.

“What we have here is a case that has started with the hand-picking of judges by the politicians, or a politician, the prime minister, in defiance of any person's right to a trial that is fair,” Kay told reporters.

The trial is an “egregious example of political interference,” he said.

Musharraf returned to Pakistan from self-imposed exile in March and was placed under house arrest.

The treason accusation relates to his decision in 2007 to impose emergency rule shortly before the Supreme Court was due to decide on the legality of his re-election as president a month earlier, while he was still army chief.

Kay said the judges selected for the trial would be unable to act impartially, particularly since one of them, Faisal Arab, was sacked by Musharraf's government.

“If you've been affected by what took place and then you judge it, there is a conflict of interest because you have an interest in getting retribution,”Kay told reporters.

The legal team has written to UN human rights chief Navi Pillay and UN special rapporteurs calling for the international body to “urgently intervene and ensure that the former president is not subjected to politically motivated charges”.

Barrister Toby Cadman called on Musharraf's allies in the “war on terror”to support him, insisting this did not amount to interference in Pakistani justice.

“What is important is to ensure that voices of concern are expressed in terms of the charges which the former president faces, and recognition of his contribution to the 'war on terror',” Cadman said. (AFP)

Tunes reveal New Artists 2014 list

iTunes have released their New Artists 2014 list, including Mø and Chlöe Howl.
The largest online music store in the world has picked out its young artists to look out for from the UK and Ireland for next year, with the Danish star and the 'No Strings' hitmaker delighted to be included.
Mø said of the news: 'I'm amazed and shocked by joy that I have been included in the list of iTunes New Artists 2014. This means a lot to me!
'I'm sleepless and anxious but most of all SUPER excited about releasing my debut album, and can't wait for it to finally happen.'
Other artists tipped for success in 2014 include Luke Sital-Singh, Dan Croll, Sam Smith and Laura Welsh.
The latter gushed: 'It feels great to be picked as an iTunes New Artists for 2014. Thank you iTunes!
'2013 has gone so quickly, a whole wave of new musical experiences with playing iTunes Festival in September being a massive highlight.
'I am looking forward to the year ahead and everything it has to hold. Whatever that may be.'
George Ezra is also on the list and sees it as 'a huge compliment' to get such recognition.
He added: 'Being supported by iTunes and knowing that they believe in what it is that I'm creating is a huge compliment. I appreciate it so much and can't wait to share my first album with everyone.'
More information on all the artists picked by can be found on iTunes' New Artists 2014 page itunes.com/newartists.

Italy FM starts Iran visit on rare EU mission

Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino arrived in Tehran Saturday for two days of talks, on a rare visit by a senior European official to the Islamic republic, Iranian media said.

Leading a high-ranking delegation, Bonino is to meet her Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday, the official IRNA news agency said.

This is the first time in nearly 10 years that an Italian foreign minister travels to Iran and follows a trip by Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli in August, shortly after Rouhani's inauguration.

The visit comes nearly a month after a landmark agreement between Iran and world powers over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme, with Iran rolling back and freezing part of its drive in return for limited sanctions relief.

Italy has supported the diplomatic progress, and Zarif met Bonino in Rome last month.

Bonino's visit also comes after a meeting in Vienna this month between Paolo Scaroni, the head of Italian energy major ENI, and Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh.

The two discussed "potential new activities" in Iran subject to the lifting of sanctions -- something that can only happen under a comprehensive nuclear deal yet to be negotiated.

Years of US and EU sanctions have more than halved Iran's oil sales and crippled its economy.