While the South Asian nation scored (or perhaps “ended up with” is a better way to put it) a last-minute invite to the summit in Chicago this weekend, there have been reports at the same time that Pakistan may reopen NATO supply routes into Afghanistan very soon.

The invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari, whose country is not a member, to the NATO summit is an unusual one. Some officials believe the move supports a belief in the strategic importance of including Pakistan in international security talks. Despite Pakistan’s struggles to combat and suppress insurgent activity within its borders, its geographic location makes it an essential part of the equation when it comes to the Afghanistan withdrawal plan.

This is why Pakistan’s decision to close NATO supply routes to Afghanistan after a November border attack left 26 Pakistani soldiers dead was so strategically stifling. Once again allowing the flow of war supplies north into Afghanistan may serve to ease tensions between Washington and Islamabad, but the Pakistanis don’t intend to provide access too easily. If things work out as planned, “Pakistan would reap higher tariffs and a payout of at least $1.3 billion in withheld ‘coalition support funds’ for its contribution to the fight against Islamist militants,” according to the Washington Post.

Though NATO has fallen short of offering a full apology for the deaths of those Pakistani soldiers, the financial benefit from the success of this deal could affect everyone from top Pakistani leaders to common merchants. But they’re not the only ones. Tribal militants who offer convoys protection in exchange for compensation will also cash in. You know what they say: All’s fair in love and war.

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Amina Elahi is Divanee.com’s Managing Editor. Check out her blog, where she posts words and images that make her think.

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With over 40,000 women dying of breast cancer each year, Pakistan is said to have the highest ratio of breast cancer patients in Asia. To increase education surrounding this curable affliction, the New York-based nonprofit launched “Pink Ribbon…a national breast cancer awareness campaign” in the country and designated 2012 as a starting point. With a goal of reaching 500,000 women across the country, the goal of the program is “to make [the Pakistani public] aware of precautionary measures” for the curable disease, said Omer Aftab, the nonprofit’s CEO, at a launch event in Peshawar.

Given Pakistan’s considerable poverty and the influx of Afghan refugees, as well as the poor’s lack of access to basic health care, the HEC chief explained that female health workers will be trained to work within the wide social dynamic in the developing nation. In an effort to launch and maintain a successful campaign, he told reporters the commission will “send doctors and mammography buses to areas where there is [a] high prevalence of breast cancer…[and] will hold free medical camps there.”

Introducing the Pink Ribbon Camaign, Aftab emphasized the importance of educating the women of Pakistan: “Usually patients consult doctors after the disease reaches its last stage. [Breast Cancer] may occur at any age, but it is curable, provided that it is detected and diagnosed in its early stages.”

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Sabeen H. Ahmad is the Social Media Editor at Divanee.com.

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Opening Night: 5/23/12 Kick off the festival and celebrate opening night with a screening of “Chittagong”. After the screening, get all dressed up for a night featuring Nirupama Rao, Indian ambassador to the U.S., and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.

Movies for a Younger Audience: This year there are three movies targeted towards a younger demographic.

1) “Big in Bollywood”, Omi Vaidya’s Official 3 Idiot’s documentary
2) Yash Raj Films’ very own Facebook-oriented romantic comedy “Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge”
3) Sanjivan Lal’s “Bubble Gum” starring none other than Delzad Sanjay Hiwale.

Pakistani Films: Yes, we know it’s the New York Indian Film Festival, but we were excited to see that two Pakistani films, both by Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, made the list this year.

1) Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret

2) Saving Face, Chinoy’s Oscar-winning documentary about a doctor who reconstructs the faces of acid burn victims.

Oldies: Who doesn’t love an old classic, that too when dealing with a lineup by Shyam Bengal?

Tamil Films: Remember YouTube sensation ‘Why This Kolaveri Di?” It’s actually from a movie title playing at NYIFF.

Closing Night: The festival ends with a red carpet screening of Anurag Kashyap’s “Gangs of Wasseypur”, followed by the award ceremony.

The entire schedule looks pretty great. If you’re going, tweet us your thoughts @divanee and @NYIndianFF, and we’ll be sure to RT you!

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Miral Sattar is the founder and publisher of Divanee.com.

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The pilot, which was picked up by Fox, features Kaling as OB/GYN Mindy Lahiri–an admirer of romantic comedies who doesn’t fare particularly well in her own love life. The trailer sees her character asking God for her date to be the perfect man–with “the wealth of Mayor Bloomberg, the personality of Jon Stewart, and face of Michael Fassbender…[and] the penis of Michael Fassbender.”

It’s been a big year for Kaling–her book “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns)” was a bestseller and received rave reviews, while she also continued to write for, direct and star in episodes of NBC’s “The Office”. Her departure from Scranton will be another big one for the show, which saw Steve Carell leave last year and is rumored to be losing Rainn Wilson, Paul Lieberstein and James Spader.

But Kaling will find a new family at Fox–other cast members include Ed Weeks, Chris Messina, Anna Camp and her Dunder Mifflin buddy Ed Helms. The Mindy Project will air on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m., following Zooey Deschanel’s hit sitcom “New Girl”.

Watch the trailer below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Sabrina Siddiqui is the editor-in-chief of Divanee.com.

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North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, is home to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda’s most well-known refuge in Pakistan. It is also a frequent victim to U.S. drone strikes aimed at Islamic militants.

“We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons,” said doctor Mohammad Ali Shah, chief of the main hospital in Miranshah–the area’s biggest town. While he estimated an average of five to 10 measles cases per day among children, another doctor said there are up to 70 unconfirmed cases of the disease in the hospital at present.

According to an AFP report, United Nations agency UNICEF said there were 143 measles alerts for Pakistan’s tribal belt this year. With poverty and military unrest playing a key role, it is not uncommon that villagers are unable to get to a hospital or obtain access to basic vaccines.

The World Health Organization said measles accounted for 140,000 deaths worldwide in 2010–95 percent of these deaths occurred in developing countries.

It is nothing new that there are medicinal properties in many of the spices in our diets, but seeing the range of benefits can change the way you choose to incorporate the masala into your daily meals. Turmeric is one of those spices that have been proven to be beneficial in treatment of various health conditions from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer.

1. Cancer: Turmeric has been been featured in promising studies showcasing its positive effects on cancer, having also resulted in the prevention of certain cancers (i.e. melanoma) and the metastasis of different cancers (i.e. breast and lung cancer). Moreover, for those taking the chemotherapy drug, Paclitaxel, it can enhance the effects, while reducing side effects. Tip: If you are a guy who loves his cauliflower, add some turmeric–your prostate will thank you later. Turmeric has been shown to prevent prostate cancer as well as mitigate the growth of an existing case.

2. Disinfectant/Detoxifier: A natural antibacterial and antiseptic agent, it can be used for cuts and burns and to repair damaged skin quickly. Had a rough night out and worried about the damage to your liver? Tumeric can also be the detoxifier you need. Got a zit? The potent anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric can help with that. Need that whole body detox? Tumeric can help with the internal turmoil of depression, while also helping with weight management and fat metabolism.

3. Multiple diseases: Pain is one of the worst parts of having a disease. Because turmeric is a natural painkiller and has anti-inflammtory properties, it can serve as a natural treatment of different types of arthritis, as well as different inflammatory skin conditions (i.e. psoriasis). Turmeric can also prevent and slow the progression of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

Making turmeric part of a healthy diet is important and, while it can be taken in powder or pill form, it is best consumed when mixed in a healthy meal.

Medical warning: Tumeric should not be consumed by people who have gallstones or have any kind of bile obstruction. As always, pregnant women should consult a doctor before consuming turmeric, as it can be a uterine stimulant.

Craving a tasty turmeric-infused dish? Try this easy recipe for turmeric rice:

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Munia Islam is a contributing food writer at Divanee.com.

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Too funny. Comedian Aziz Ansari will return to Comedy Central for the world television premiere of his stand-up special, “Dangerously Delicious”. In the show, filmed at The Warner Theater in Washington D.C.,  Ansari touches on his struggles with women, fears of adulthood, and even helps his chubby cousin Harris write his college essay. “Dangerously Delicious” airs on Sunday, May 20, at 10 p.m. ET. (MarketWatch)

Paging Dr. Kaling. Mindy Kaling’s comedy pilot–originally titled “It’s Messy” but recently changed to “The Mindy Project”–was officially picked up by FOX. Kaling will play a Bridget Jones-esque OB-GYN trying to figure out her life. Ed Weeks, Chris Messina, Anna Camp, Zoe Jarmon, Dana DeLorenzo, Bill Hader and Ed Helms will all co-star in the single-camera comedy. (Hollywood Reporter)

Taking a stand. Actor Kal Penn was one of dozens of celebrities speaking out via Twitter over North Carolina’s gay marriage ban. Penn tweeted, “Sad 2C North Carolina double-ban #equality. If it was truly about the “sanctity of marriage,” you’d have made divorce illegal too.” (Access Hollywood)

For the girls. Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will join the UN’s Ban Ki-Moon initiative to support young girls and bring awareness to the high rates of female infanticide. Bachchan, who gave birth to her own baby girl last November, chatted with Ki-Moon at a dinner hosted by Mukesh and Nita Ambani. (International Business Times)

Roll out the red carpet. Actress Kareena Kapoor and director Madhur Bhandarkar are just some of the familiar faces you’ll see at the 12th annual New York Indian Film Festival. The festival will host the world premiere of Rituparno Ghosh’s “Chitrangada” and pay tribute to the late Dev Anand. (Hindustan Times)

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Janelle Li-A-Ping is an editorial intern at Divanee.com.

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As they wave their hands in the air, rotating them like windmills or attempting a rooster-like move, these fools sometimes dance under the guise of a desi mom, wearing the oh-so-familiar shalwar kameez, topped with a black wig and dupatta.

But their video isn’t limited to just dancing–it includes the humorous reactions from the victims of their dance crimes. The DhoomBros dance hard to the music playing from their earphones as their victims either aimlessly look up towards the sky or concentrate on drinking their chai. Can we say oblivious?

We chuckle at the awkward pauses as they get caught by their dance victims or barked at by a dog. The pleasant surprise comes when some of the New Yorkers dance along with them, creating a familiar scene in our minds as we recall our bhangra-loving uncles back home.

Watch below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Missile wars. Following in the footsteps of North Korea and India, Pakistan test-fired a missile of its own Thursday. The short-range missile, capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, marked the country’s second test in two weeks. The global community is said to be keeping a close eye on Pakistan’s nuclear efforts. (TIME)

Supreme Court vs. Hajj. India’s Supreme Court ordered the government to end a program the provides subsidies to Muslims for Hajj, the holy pilgrimage. But Muslims are reportedly fine with the ruling, having not been in favor of the subsidy to begin with. The program began in 1973 when India abolished sea travel as a means of making Hajj. (Voice of America)

Osama who? Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani maintained his stance that authorities were complicit in sheltering Osama bin Laden in his Abottabad compound. Speaking after the one-year anniversary of bin Laden’s death, Gilani attributed Pakistan’s oversight on the issue to a universal “intelligence failure”. (NY Daily News)

Haywire over Hillary. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s comments about globally acclaimed microlender Grameen Bank while visiting Bangladesh have been met with adversity. A senior Bangladeshi minister called her remarks “unwarranted”, referring to Clinton’s charge that the work of both Grameen and its former head Muhammad Yunus should not be undermined by government actions. (CNN)

A trial’s denouement. A trial that captivated India for four years came to court on Friday, as a couple in Delhi stand trial for the murder of their teenager daughter and domestic servant. Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, both successful dentists, have maintained their innocence since the 2008 incident. But speculation has been rife that the couple killed 13-year-old daughter Aarushi for potential sexual relations with the household’s Nepalese servant. (AFP)

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Sabrina Siddiqui is the editor-in-chief of Divanee.com.

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The Disney sports drama will chronicle the story of Bernstein, whose discovery of cricket led him to India where he created a reality TV show seeking a person who could throw the fastest baseball pitch. After auditioning 40,000 hopefuls, Bernstein found 19-year-old teenagers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel–they went on to become the first Indian pro baseball players upon signing contracts with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Hamm, who keeps busy on AMC’s award-winning series “Mad Men”, was recently seen in films such as “Friends with Benefits”, “Bridesmaids” and “The Town”. Though no director is currently attached to the project, the film will be produced by Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray of Mayhem Pictures. Production is expected to begin this fall.

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Sabrina Siddiqui is the editor-in-chief of Divanee.com.

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