Opting for Zac Efron, Paramount has inked a deal with the star of High School Musical 3, to reprise Kevin Bacon’s iconic role in its remake of the classic dance romance ‘Footloose’.  Tough, Efron was rumoured to star in the movie, the whopping $42-million dollars his ‘High School Musical 3’ raked in last weekend, pushed Paramount to fast-track production, with filming starting next spring.  According to the deal, Efron gets a very adult deal, several million dollars and script approval for the film, which targets an older teen audience and adults.

Katrina Kaif, one of the top actress of B-town, is reportedly feeling homesick these days. The actress who is in the U.S. at present is shooting for Yash Raj Films that have actors John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh in the lead and is directed by Kabir Khan(the Kabul Express fame).

Singapore - The US Federal Reserve, the Banco Central do Brasil, the Banco de Mexico, the Bank of Korea, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Thursday announced the establishment of temporary reciprocal currency arrangements (swap lines).

Hong Kong - Hong Kong has been named many things: Asia's world city, former British colony, the place where East meets West, and Special Administrative Region of China. 

Now it can lay claim to a new title - Asia's Halloween capital. 

For the first time, Hong Kong is being promoted as the place to celebrate Halloween in Asia. 

In the months leading up to Halloween night, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has ploughed much effort into luring in short-haul tourists form Asia with the promise of Hong Kong-style Halloween tricks and treats. 

Lusaka - Zambians went to the polls Thursday to elect a successor to deceased president Levy Mwanawasa in a tense contest between a government veteran promising stability and a charismatic populist. 

Although there are four candidates vying to replace Mwanawasa, who died in August after suffering a stroke, however, ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) candidate, acting president Rupiah Banda, and opposition Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata are deemed to be the only serious contenders. 

Bangkok - A bomb, thrown early Thursday among anti-government protestors gathered at Makkahawan Bridge in Bangkok, injured at least nine people, one of them seriously, radio reports said.

The bomb was thrown at members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have been staging anti-government protests at Makkahawan Bridge since May, this year.

PAD core leader Chamlong Srimuang blamed the attack on the government.

He said that the attack would not stop the PAD from marching on the British Embassy in Bangkok Thursday to demand the extradition of former premier Thaksin Shinwatara.

The PAD is a loose coalition of conservative groups fanatically opposed to a return to power by Thaksin and his political allies.