Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his long-time girlfriend Priscilla Chan tied the knot at a small ceremony at his home in Palo Alto, California, a day after $104 billion IPO.
Priscilla Chan, 27, also had a busy week, graduating from medical school on Monday, as Zuckerberg marked his 28th birthday.
The guests believed they were going to celebrate Priscilla Chan’s graduation – but found they were at a wedding instead.
The wedding ring, a “very simple ruby”, was designed by Mark Zuckerberg.
Mark Zuckerberg weds Priscilla Chan in secret ceremony after $104 bn IPO
Nine years ago the pair met at Harvard, where Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004.
They later moved to California, where Facebook has its headquarters, and Priscilla Chan studied at the medical school of the University of California, San Francisco.
Facebook’s valuation after its flotation on Friday means the social network site is worth about the same as internet shopping giant Amazon, and more than the value of stalwarts such as Disney.
Even after the flotation, Mark Zuckerberg continues to control just under 56% of the voting power of the company.
G8 leaders of the world’s most powerful economies say they want debt-stricken Greece to remain in the eurozone.
In their summit communique, G8 leaders also committed themselves to promoting growth alongside fiscal responsibility.
However, the leaders acknowledged “the right measures are not the same for each of us”.
Greece’s possible exit from the eurozone was high on the agenda, following inconclusive elections there.
The leaders of France, Germany, the US, the UK, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia have been meeting at Camp David in the US state of Maryland.
“We agree on the importance of a strong and cohesive eurozone for global stability and recovery, and we affirm our interest in Greece remaining in the eurozone while respecting its commitments,” the statement said.
The global economic recovery was showing signs of progress, they said, but “significant headwinds persist”.
G8 leaders are divided on whether to continue with austerity or back stimulus measures instead.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel favors austerity, while newly elected French President Francois Hollande wants to pursue policies for greater growth, as does President Barack Obama.
G8 leaders of the world's most powerful economies say they want debt-stricken Greece to remain in the eurozone
There are caveats but the first line of the communique – about promoting growth and jobs – means Presidents Obama and Hollande have won the day.
However, it is not clear that Angela Merkel has got their message and is prepared to act on it, our correspondent adds.
US officials said Angela Merkel would hold a one-on-one meeting with Barack Obama later on Saturday.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said there would be another key meeting in June in Rome, where he would host Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel.
Earlier, UK Prime Minister David Cameron called for deficit reduction.
“There is a growing sense of urgency that action needs to be taken, contingency plans need to be put in place and the strengthening of banks, governments, firewalls and all of those things need to take place very fast,” he told reporters at Camp David.
The likelihood of Greece leaving the euro is growing.
The office of the Greek interim prime minister said on Friday that Angela Merkel had suggested the country hold a referendum on euro membership on election day, but the German chancellor’s cabinet dismissed this as “false”.
Greek voters will again go to the polls on 17 June after earlier elections failed to produce a viable coalition to run the country.
A caretaker government was sworn in this week after elections.
Investors fear any refusal by Athens to impose deep spending cuts agreed under a bailout deal could result in the country quitting the bloc of 17 countries that use the euro.
Two opinion polls published on Saturday showed the anti-bailout left-wing Syriza bloc neck and neck with centre-right New Democracy, both on about 25%.
Larger countries such as Spain or Italy struggling to ease their debt loads might then become vulnerable, potentially triggering wider eurozone upheaval and even a global financial crisis to rival the one of 2008.
The G8 summit has now moved on to other issues, including food security, energy and climate, partnerships in North Africa and the Middle East and the war in Afghanistan.
After the G8 summit ends on Saturday evening, most of the leaders will decamp to Chicago to join a larger group of international officials for a NATO summit on Sunday and Monday, at which Afghanistan is expected to be the main item on the agenda.
Three men arrested in Chicago on suspicion of planning to throw petrol bombs at the NATO summit have been charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism and possession of an explosive or incendiary device.
Prosecutor Anita Alvarez said the campaign headquarters of President Barack Obama and the home of mayor Rahm Emanuel were among the targets.
Tajikistan has decided not to screen Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest offering, The Dictator, after authorities ruled that the movie was incompatible with the nation’s “mentality”.
The Dictator, which features Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen, depicts a fictional Middle Eastern dictator risking his life to crush signs of democracy, has been refused a distribution license.
“It’s wrong to compare us with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and with other countries,” said Daler Davlatov of the Tatan distribution company in Tajikistan.
“It’s incorrect because we have a different mentality. We’re not going to give Dictator a premiere because of these considerations,” he told the Kyrgyz news website kloop.kg.
Tajikistan’s distributor of international movies, Tantana, said it would instead encourage people to watch Will Smith’s Men in Black 3, the Central Asian News Service reported yesterday.
The Dictator, which features Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen, depicts a fictional Middle Eastern dictator risking his life to crush signs of democracy, has been refused a distribution license in Tajikistan
Sacha Baron Cohen has already denied the role was an attack on Arabs and said the only people who would be offended by it would be “dictators and fans of dictatorship”.
It’s not the first time Sacha Baron Cohen has had his work censored – in 2006 Russia banned his hit comedy film, Borat, which had been accused of poking fun at Moscow’s neighbor and close ally Kazakhstan.
Tajikistan is an ex-Soviet state ruled by President Emomalii Rahmon since 1992.
A rugged, mountainous country, Tajikistan is Central Asia’s poorest nation.
One Tajik political scientist, Muso Asozoda, forecast the ban would be similarly counterproductive as the Borat ban.
The fact that two cinema’s in Dushanbe , the capital and largest city of Tajikistan, were not screening the film would add viewer interest, he told the Guardian newspaper.
This week Sacha Baron Cohen claimed he was banned from shooting scenes for his new film The Dictator at the United Nations because it might upset real-life despots.
He said: “The interesting thing is, when we asked to shoot inside the United Nations, they actually refused.
“We said <<this is a pro-democracy movie>>. They said <<that’s the problem – we represent a lot of dictators, and they are going to be very angry by this portrayal of them so you can’t shoot in there>>.”
This week Sacha Baron Cohen, 40, continued his array of stunts to promote the film by arriving at the 65th Cannes Film Festival in a bright orange Lamborghini.
The actor was in full character as General Aladeen and was once again surrounded by an array of beautiful women who were dressed as his bodyguards.
Wearing a blue denim-looking jumpsuit that was covered in badges and images of the character, Sacha Baron Cohen kept a cigar hanging from his mouth at all times and played up to the camera as he kept a close eye on his female friends – in particular model Sasha Volkova who wore a black dress.
He completed his look with a pair of snakeskin boots and some blue-tinted sunglasses as he strolled around outside the French venue.
Sacha Baron Cohen then made his way over to another lady and enjoyed a quick kiss as he filmed a slot for the Le Grand Journal TV show.
Scientists have discovered that an active ingredient from brown seaweed found only off the coast of Brittany, France, can banish the bugs that trigger acne and cut spots by nearly two thirds.
A new clinical trial of treatments containing active compound called Phycosaccharide ACP showed the number of spots fell by 64% and blackheads by 60% after just eight weeks.
The trial is the first cosmetics clinical study in acne to be published in an official dermatology journal.
The study investigated products from a range of OXY treatments using Phycosaccharide ACP.
They are mainly aimed at teenage boys and young men, with nine out of 10 suffering problem skin triggered by the male hormone testosterone.
In a trial of 60 young men aged 14 to 21 years with mild acne, half used seaweed-based skin wash and balm, while the others used dummy products that did not contain the active ingredient.
The study investigated products from a range of OXY treatments using brown seaweed ingredient Phycosaccharide ACP
The trial found OXY products were significantly more effective than a dummy face wash, scrub or gel.
They cut the number of spots and problems areas as well as curbing inflammation and redness with improvement showing with 14 days.
At the end of the trial, after eight weeks, both groups of teenagers showed a reduction in inflammatory spots and comedones (blackheads and whiteheads). But the effects were more statistically significant in the OXY group at two weeks, four weeks and eight weeks.
After just two weeks, blackheads and spots had reduced by 29% and after a month blackheads were cut by 42% and spots by half.
At the end of the study, OXY users had nearly twice the reduction of blackheads as the placebo group (60% compared to 35%) and significantly fewer spots (64% reduction compared to 53%).
The findings were published in called Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, an official journal of the British Association of Dermatologists.
Previous tests show a combination of zinc sulphate and Phycosaccharide ACP used in OXY products has a triple action against the three root causes of spots.
It has powerful antibacterial activity, controls oil by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for production and reduces redness by restricting the release of interleukin 1 alpha, a marker of inflammation.
The acne bacterium was killed within one to 15 minutes depending on the type of product used.
The active ingredient is extracted out of the brown seaweed Laminaria digitata, which grows in dense patches on rocky sea floors at the tip of Brittany and is protected from pollution.
Spots can affect people at any age. Many cases are mild, but for 15% of the population – about nine million people – acne can be more severe.
One in four acne sufferers get some permanent scarring from the condition, yet surveys show almost half of those with problem skin do nothing to treat it, especially teenage boys.
One time 007 Sean Connery is now enjoying himself away from the spotlight as he laps up his time off.
Sean Connery, 81, stepped out in New York yesterday as he wore his trousers high up.
The actor blended into the crowds as he went for a stroll, but at 81 he looked well as he fully embraces the ageing process.
Sean Connery, who took on the iconic role in movies including From Russia With Love and Goldfinger, opted for a checked shirt and a sun hat as he made his way around New York.
He teamed his outfit up with some beige trousers and some brown leather shoes.
Long gone are his slick suits and dapper style, as Sean Connery seemed happy to dress down.
Sean Connery carried a plastic bag as he ran errands around Manhattan
The actor carried a plastic bag as he ran errands around Manhattan, while he displayed a grey moustache.
It’s been 50 years since Sean Connery first appeared as the handsome agent James Bond this year, when he debuted in 1962’s Dr. No.
He then went on to film other Bond movies including You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever.
But he hung up his spy shoes in 1973, when Sir Roger Moore took over to portray the role in Live And Let Die.
Sean Connery recently praised director Terrence Young, who launched the franchise with him as the lead, portraying the role made famous in Ian Fleming’s books.
He told Variety: “He got me a rack of clothes and, as they say, could get me to look convincingly dangerous in the act of playing it.
“And the humor was one element that was missing from the books of Fleming himself.”
Daniel Craig is currently filming his third movie as the super spy, as he shoots upcoming picture Sky Fall.
Brunel’s ss Great Britain moored in Bristol has been “floated” in a sea of neon-green jelly as part of a cultural festival.
The ship, which is now a visitor attraction, is one of 10 sites to be matched with artists as part of the Museums at Night season.
The ss Great Britain’s glass “sea” has been covered with 55,000 litres of jelly which will be lit from below after sunset.
A spokesman for the tourist attraction said the jellymongers’ work would make a “stunning” piece of modern art.
A team of 10 people started mixing the jelly in barrels and using industrial paint mixers early on Friday morning.
The ss Great Britain's glass "sea" has been covered with 55,000 litres of jelly which will be lit from below after sunset
Artist Harry Parr, from jellymongers Bompas and Parr, said the mixture used sodium alginate derived from seaweed, industrial dye and a lime flavoring.
“It smells incredible, we’re setting the ship afloat on a sea of lime green jelly,” he said.
“I’ve never done anything like this before… the team’s going to push the jelly around the boat which will take about six hours.
“It will look beautiful during the day with its fluorescent green glow but as the light falls later it will be lit from below and will be really spectacular.”
Rhian Tritton, who is the ship’s director of conservation, came up with the idea.
“I thought the conjunction of jelly, which is a perfect 19th Century food, worked well with the ss Great Britain, which is a perfect 19th Century ship.”
“The obvious thing was to have jelly on the glass plate,” she added.
Robert De Niro and his wife Grace Hightower made a rare red carpet appearance together at Cannes Film Festival on Friday.
It was an occasion of great sentimental value for Robert De Niro, a screening of his 1984 classic Once Upon A Time In America.
The cast, including Jennifer Connelly and James Woods, came together at the Film Festival to watch a re-cut and restored version of the film by Sergio Leone.
Grace Hightower looked proud at Robert De Niro’ side, and the pair kept their arms around each other for much of the evening.
Robert De Niro and his wife Grace Hightower made a rare red carpet appearance together at Cannes Film Festival on Friday
The couple welcomed a new baby girl Helen Grace via a surrogate in December.
Robert De Niro has four other children – daughter Drena, 40, and son Raphael, 35, with former wife Diahnne Abbott, as well as 16-year-old twin sons Julian and Aaron, born via surrogate with ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith.
The actor and Grace Hightowerhave been married for almost 14 years but are rarely photographed together, choosing to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.
Robert De Niro hosted the screening, and said at the event: “This brings back the incomparable memories of working with the great Sergio Leone.”
“I remember it as one of the longest movies I ever worked on – I don’t think Sergio ever wanted to finish it,” Robert De Niro joked.
Ennio Morricone’s original score played as Robert De Niro climbed the steps of the festival palace to introduce the movie, restored by Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation.
Robert De Niro introduced his co-stars James Woods and Elizabeth McGovern as well as 83-year-old Ennio Morricone, who earned a standing ovation.
The launch of the American SpaceX’s Dragon re-supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed by at least three days.
The company was forced to abort the flight just as its Falcon rocket was about to leave the pad at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Early data indicated unusual pressure readings in one of the nine engine combustion chambers under the vehicle.
The company says it hopes to try again on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“We had a nominal countdown, right until about T-minus point-five-seconds,” explained SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell.
“The engine controller noted high chamber pressure in engine five; software did what it was supposed to do – aborted engine five, and then we went through the remaining engine shut-down,” she told reporters.
“We need to lift off with all nine [engines], which is why we aborted. You can lose up to two engines and still make your mission, just not at lift-off.”
The launch of the American SpaceX's Dragon re-supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed by at least three days
The next earliest launch opportunity is 03:44 EDT on Tuesday.
SpaceX is attempting to become the first private company to send a cargo craft to the ISS; and its Dragon ship, which sits atop the Falcon rocket, has been loaded with half a ton of food and spares for the purpose.
Such unmanned freighter missions have traditionally been performed by government-owned vehicles. But by buying in this service, NASA aims to save money that can then be spent on exploration missions far beyond Earth, to asteroids and Mars.
Both SpaceX and another private firm, Orbital Sciences Corp, have been given billion-dollar contracts by NASA to keep the space station stocked with supplies. Orbital expects to make its first visit to the international outpost with its Antares rocket and Cygnus capsule system later this year.
SpaceX’s mission – when it does eventually get under way – will be the final demonstration of its freight service. If all the mission goals are met to NASA’s satisfaction, the company’s $1.6 billion re-supply contract with the agency will kick in.
SpaceX wants eventually also to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS.
To that end, Dragon has been designed from the outset to carry people; and under another NASA programme, the company is working to develop the onboard life-support and safety systems that would make manned flights feasible.
Following the retirement of the shuttles last year, America has had no means of launching its own astronauts into space – rides must be bought for them on Russian Soyuz rockets at more than $60 million per seat. SpaceX says Dragon could be ready to carry people in 2015 at a seat price of $20 million.
“In order for NASA to be able to afford any programme of exploration in the future given the fiscal realities of the government, it has to transition away from high-cost services that are procured by and for the government into shared-use services that are competitively sourced,” observed Jeff Greason, the president of XCOR Aerospace and a leading proponent of commercial space activity.
US health officials have advised baby boomers for the first time to get tested for the liver-destroying virus hepatitis C.
Those born between 1945 and 1965 are most likely to be infected but it is thought only a quarter of this generation has been tested for the virus.
The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believes its campaign could save more than 120,000 lives.
The CDC estimates some 17,000 hepatitis C infections currently occur each year.
Health officials believe hundreds of thousands of infections occurred each year in the 1970s and ’80s, when baby boomers would have been young adults.
Those born between 1945 and 1965 are most likely to be infected but it is thought only a quarter of this generation has been tested for hepatitis C virus
The disease, which was first identified in 1989, can take decades to cause liver damage. Many of those infected may not even be aware of their condition.
One reason for the CDC advice is that from 1999-2007 the number of Americans dying from hepatitis C-related diseases nearly doubled.
Two million of the 3.2 million Americans known to be infected with the blood-borne virus are baby boomers.
CDC officials believe new testing could lead to 800,000 more baby boomers seeking treatment.
Many infections of hepatitis C come from sharing needles to inject drugs. Before widespread screening began in 1992, it was also transmitted through blood transfusions.
“The CDC views hepatitis C as an unrecognized health crisis for the country, and we believe the time is now for a bold response,” said Dr. John Ward, the CDC’s hepatitis chief.
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who was at the centre of a diplomatic crisis with Washington, is on his way to the United States.
The blind activist and his family boarded a flight to Newark, near New York, after being taken from a Beijing hospital to the capital’s airport.
Chen Guangcheng recently spent six days in the US embassy in Beijing after escaping house arrest in north-east China.
He has been offered a fellowship at New York University.
Chen Guangcheng, a self-taught lawyer who campaigned against forced abortions under China’s one-child policy, was jailed for four years in 2006 for disrupting traffic and damaging property, and placed under house arrest after his release in 2010.
Earlier on Saturday, Chen Guangcheng was picked up from the hospital where he was being treated for a foot injury and taken to Beijing airport, along with his wife and two children.
At the airport they were handed passports and allowed to leave. He boarded flight UA88 to Newark, New Jersey, which departed at 17:50, more than two hours late.
“Thousands of thoughts are surging to my mind,” Chen Guangcheng told the Associated Press news agency from the terminal.
Referring to his supporters, he said: “I am requesting a leave of absence, and I hope that they will understand.”
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who was at the centre of a diplomatic crisis with Washington, is on his way to the United States
The state-run Xinhua news agency said Chen Guangcheng had applied to study abroad “via normal channels in line with the law”.
US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the administration was looking forward to welcoming Chen Guangcheng to the US, and expressed “appreciation for the manner in which we were able to resolve this matter”.
Bob Fu, president of the US activist group China Aid and a key supporter of Chen Guangcheng, said the dissident was planning to stay in New York for two to three years.
“Of course he wants to spend some time to rest after seven years of brutal treatments at the hands of the Chinese local authorities,” Bob Fu said.
With the activist on his way, both China and the US will want to put this extraordinary diplomatic dispute behind them.
Last month Chen Guangcheng fled from house arrest in Shandong province.
According to media accounts, the blind activist climbed over the wall of the property with the help of his wife late at night.
When he landed on the other side he broke his foot. He is then said to have felt his way in the dark, stumbling and falling, to a nearby village when a friend took him into his home.
He was then driven hundreds of kilometres away to the American embassy. He took refuge there during a visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was in Beijing for high-level talks.
On 2 May, after six days at the embassy, Chen Guangcheng agreed to leave the compound, initially saying he wanted to stay in China.
He was taken to hospital for treatment. During his stay there he called the US Congress twice.
On 3 May Chen Guangcheng pleaded for help to leave China with his family, saying he feared for his safety, and on 16 May he called again, accusing Shandong authorities of harassing his family.
Chen Guangcheng was offered a place to study law at New York University after Beijing said he would be allowed to apply to study abroad.
The US has said visas for Chen Guangcheng and his family are ready.
However the activist has repeatedly warned that his friends and relatives could face reprisals once he has left.
Will Smith angrily slapped camp comic Vitalii Sediuk on the face after he tried to kiss him on the lips on the red carpet in Russia yesterday.
Will Smith, 43, was walking the press line in Moscow to promote Men In Black 3 when Ukrainian TV prankster Vitalii Sediuk stopped him to give him a hug and attempted to kiss him.
He managed to dodge two lunges, with each kiss landing on his cheek, before he pushed the professional fool away and gave him a limp tap on the face.
Blockbuster footage from the Russian LifeNews station showed the angry actor and rapper telling him: “Hey man, what the hell is your problem?”
Will Smith angrily slapped camp comic Vitalii Sediuk on the face after he tried to kiss him on the lips on the red carpet in Russia yesterday
Will Smith later laughed about the incident, telling another reporter down the line: “He tried to kiss me on the mouth.
“He’s lucky I didn’t try to sucker punch him. … Sorry, I said that on camera.”
Wind up merchant Vitalii Sediuk is best known for playing a prank on Madonna by presenting the singer with Hydrangeas, her most loathed flower.
Madonna rolled her eyes after graciously accepting the present from the joker before a press conference at the Venice Film Festival last year.
The gullible Holiday star thought he had simply made a mistake, telling an assistant: “I absolutely loath Hydrangeas. He obviously doesn’t know that.”
The prankster is also for known for his love of kissing celebrities when they least expect it.
Will Smith has been touring the globe to promote the latest installment of the Men In Black franchise.
One person who will not be amused by Vitalii Sediuk’s approach is his sexy wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
Jada Pinkett Smith was not with her husband as she is currently at the Cannes Film Festival promoting her new film, Madagascar 3.
German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who was once described as “the most influential singer of the 20th Century”, has died, aged 86.
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, was famed for his performances of Winter’s Journey (Winterreise) by Schubert.
Born in Berlin in May 1925, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, emerged as a performer after World War II and was swiftly recognized as one of his generation’s finest lyrical vocalists.
Benjamin Britten personally asked him to perform in the first performance of his War Requiem in May 1962.
The premiere famously took place in the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral, which had been destroyed in a bombing raid in 1940.
German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who was once described as the most influential singer of the 20th Century, has died, aged 86
“To my generation, he was something so special that one was always awestruck,” the English mezzo-soprano Dame Janet Baker told Sean Rafferty on Radio 3’s In Tune programme.
“One just bows before the artistry and the sheer beauty of the sound he made.”
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was most famous for his interpretations of lieder – German art songs written for solo voice and piano.
He performed them around the world, rescued many from obscurity, and made scores of recordings that became the benchmark against which other singers’ interpretations were judged.
Klaus Staeck, president of the German Academy of Arts, said his contribution to the German art song was “phenomenal”.
“His performances of some of the great roles in opera history shaped the culture of singing,” he went on.
Though critics raved about his beautiful voice and musical artistry, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau said his aim was simply to get close to the essence of the song.
His intention, he said, was to suppress nothing and make no concessions – either to vocal limitations or popular taste.
A former soldier who spent nearly two years as an American prisoner of war, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was a regular fixture at opera houses in Berlin, Vienna and London and at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
The singer, music teacher and playwright played a significant role in invigorating the Salzburg Festival before retiring in 1992.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has had telephone contact with Greece’s President Karolos Papoulias, amid continuing speculation that his country may have to leave the eurozone.
Greek officials said Chancellor Angela Merkel had suggested Greece could hold a referendum on the euro when it votes in national elections next month.
However, their German counterparts denied she had made such a proposal.
The crisis in the eurozone is expected to dominate G8 talks in the US this weekend.
The reports of the German-Greek contacts came as US and French leaders ended talks in Washington focusing on the economy.
In a telephone call with President Karolos Papoulias, Angela Merkel “conveyed thoughts about a vote parallel to the election with the question to what extent do the Greek citizens wish to remain within the eurozone,” said a statement from the office of Greece’s interim prime minister.
Greek officials said Chancellor Angela Merkel had suggested Greece could hold a referendum on the euro when it votes in national elections next month
“However, it is clear that the matter is beyond the competence of the caretaker government,” the statement went on.
But a spokeswoman in Berlin said: “The information reported that the chancellor had suggested a referendum to the Greek President Karolos Papoulias is wrong.”
The caretaker government was sworn in this week after elections failed to produce a viable coalition to run the country.
New elections have been scheduled for 17 June.
The vote could result in a government that would refuse to implement the austerity measures that Greece’s last remaining international creditors are insisting on.
Speculation is increasing that Greece may have to leave the eurozone.
Meeting in Washington just before news broke of the German proposal, the US and French leaders said Greece should stay.
“We have the same conviction that Greece must remain in the eurozone,” France’s new President, Francois Hollande, said.
President Barack Obama said the situation in the eurozone was of great importance to the people of Europe and the whole world.
He said he looked forward to “fruitful” discussions with other G8 leaders, with a strong focus on economic growth.
Francois Hollande, who was elected president on 6 May, is also to have talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron.
David Cameron said that Greece must decide if it wants to remain in the euro.
“We need decisive action from eurozone countries in terms of strengthening eurozone banks, in terms of a strong eurozone firewall and decisive action over Greece. That has to be done.
“Clearly the Greeks have to make their minds up, they have to make their decision.”
Earlier, European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said he European Central Bank and the European Commission are working on emergency scenarios in case Greece had to leave the single currency.
Several hours later, fellow commissioner Olli Rehn issued a statement saying that he is responsible for financial and economic affairs and relations with the ECB.
“We are not working on the scenario of a Greek exit,” he said.
New embarrassing details have emerged of the controversial Botswana elephant hunting trip Spain’s King Juan Carlos took with mysterious Princess Corinna.
Twice-divorced Corinna zu Sayn Wittgenstein, 46, appeared on the cover of the June edition of Spain’s Vanity Fair magazine released today.
The article claimed Princess Corinna has been the King’s unofficial companion on numerous private trips abroad.
They included the safari trip to Botswana in April which caused outrage in Spain.
Princess Corinna, who was born in Germany and claims her title through her second husband, has reportedly fled Spain intense speculation over the nature of her role within the Spanish monarchy.
Her first husband, Philip J. Adkin, an American shipping magnate who confirmed he had also been a member of the hunting party in Botswana, was quoted in The Daily Telegraph as saying: “She has told me that the King is her friend and a great guy whom she admires.
“Nothing more, because if anything characterizes her, it is discretion and loyalty.”
Princess Corinna, who was born in Germany and claims her title through her second husband, has reportedly fled Spain intense speculation over the nature of her role within the Spanish monarchy
The hunting trip became public knowledge after King Juan Carlos, 74, fractured his hip in a fall in camp and was rushed back to Madrid for surgery.
Reports of the King’s luxurious lifestyle shooting endangered animals while ordinary Spaniards suffered deep economic strife was met with public outcry and led to calls for his abdication.
The episode has been marked by an end to the taboo on publishing royal secrets in a nation that has traditionally afforded the Royal family the utmost privacy and respect.
The unclear nature of the role of Princess Corinna will cast yet more scrutiny on Royal matters.
King Juan Carlos and Princess Corinna reportedly first met when she was organizing shooting expeditions for Boss & Co, Britain’s oldest gunshop based in Mayfair where she worked until 2006, and were on the same safari together in Mozambique in 2004.
Several more hunting trips together followed over the years, as well as a trip to Saudi Arabia, and the pair have been photographed on the red carpet together several times.
Sources at the Royal Household insist she has no official role in relation to King Juan Carlos but Vanity Fair reported that friends talk of her being either his “financial adviser” and “organizing everything from A-Z” on behalf of the King on his trips abroad.
Philip J. Adkin admitted in the piece that his ex-wife had gone into hiding since her connection with King Juan Carlos became public knowledge.
She has instructed lawyers to take legal action after several European tabloids made claims about her private life.
The allegations are the latest development in what is turning out to be a difficult year for Spain’s Royal family.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia failed to mark their 50th wedding anniversary earlier this week fuelling speculation that their marriage was over.
The King’s son-in-law is accused of embezzling public funds and in February became the first Spanish royal in modern history to be questioned in court.
Yesterday it was revealed the Spanish government has insisted Queen Sofia pull out of a lunch in Windsor Castle because of the continuing row over Gibraltar.
Even though Sharon Stone is now in her mid fifties, she is still flaunting her figure.
Sharon stone, 54, showed off an impressive physique for her age as she popped on a string bikini yesterday.
The actress lapped up the sun in Venice, California with a female friend.
And she’s obviously still got her body confidence as she stripped down to a sting two-piece in a zig-zag pattern.
Sharon Stone looked refreshed and happy as she enjoyed the sunny weather while she lay on a beach towel and caught some rays.
She was carefree as she tied her blonde locks up into a ponytail, while she put on sunglasses to shield her from the bright sunshine.
Even though Sharon Stone is now in her mid fifties, she is still flaunting her figure
Sharon Stone later indulged in some tarot card reading as a man approached her on the beach and read her future.
She looked engrossed as the man in the pink T-shirt spent time with her in the shade and told her his readings.
Her healthy regime is obviously paying off as she stood up and revealed her more honed physique when she was up straight.
And she ensured she was well hydrated as she drank from a bottle throughout the lazy afternoon.
Sharon Stone smiled at fellow beachgoers and appeared relaxed as she chilled out. She later covered up a tiny bit more as she put on some tight hot pants over her bikini bottoms.
More than two hundred years ago in parts of North America, a strange event, named Dark Day, turned morning to night.
It remains wreathed in mystery – so what caused the Dark Day?
Halfway through the morning the sky turns yellow. Animals run for cover and darkness descends, causing people to light candles and start to pray. By lunchtime night has fallen. Is it the end of the world?
The Dark Day, as it’s become known, took place on May 19, 1780 in New England and Canada. For the past 232 years historians and scientists have argued over the origins of this strange event.
Today there are many theories. Was it the result of volcanic eruption, fire, meteor strike – or something more sinister?
When the makers of Doctor Who this week asked fans of the show to send in their suggestions, they received a wide range of theories both plausible and Tardis-related.
With little scientific knowledge amongst the populace in 1780, people would have been afraid. Some lawmakers in Connecticut believed it was the day of judgement. The sense that a decisive moment was afoot would have been bolstered by the fact that during the preceding days, the sun and moon glowed red.
Historian Mike Dash says the north-east corner of the US was a deeply Protestant society with a profound interest in “guilt, sin and redemption”. Mike Dash, who wrote about the paranormal in his book Borderlands, says that faced with sudden darkness, people would look for biblical precedents.
“There are some verses in Matthew that might have led them to believe that this is the second coming of Christ. At the time, natural events – even birds fighting in the sky – were a sign of God’s intentions. The Dark Day would have seemed like a warning to Man.”
The Dark Day, as it's become known, took place on May 19, 1780 in New England and Canada
So what might explain 1780’s Dark Day?
The Met Office points out that thick cloud can drop low enough to turn on automatic street lights and require cars to use their lights. But it’s unlikely this alone would be enough to cause a Dark Day.
A solar eclipse can be ruled out as there is a record of when these occur – and they only last for a matter of minutes.
The eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajokull in 2010 caused enough ash to enter the atmosphere to ground flights across northern Europe.
Thomas Choularton, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Manchester, says volcanic ash clouds often cause “yellow days”. Eruptions at Mount St Helens in Washington State have lowered light levels in recent decades, he adds.
And yet there is no record of volcanic activity in 1780, he says, making a huge ash cloud an unlikely explanation. A meteorite is equally unlikely, although “you can’t rule it out completely”, Prof. Thomas Choularton says.
The answer to the puzzle can be found in the trees, many scientists believe.
Academics at the University of Missouri’s Department of Forestry analyzed tree trunks inland from New England, where westerly prevailing winds would originate. They found signs of fire-scarred rings in tree trunks dating back to that period.
It is also known that there was a drought there in 1780 making fire more likely, says Dr. Will Blake, associate professor of geography at Plymouth University.
But could a forest fire cause such a change in light? “I’ve witnessed minor fires in Australia where you get a very eerie light. The bigger the fire, the darker it’s going to get.” Fog is common on the east coast. The mix of fog and soot from the forest fire would combine to make darkness descend, Dr. Will Blake argues.
Eyewitness accounts in New England support the forest fire hypothesis. Soot was spotted in the rivers. And Jeremy Belknap of Boston wrote in a letter that the air had the “smell of a malt-house or a coal-kiln”.
William Corliss, the physicist and chronicler of unexplained events, found 46 accounts of dark days around the world between 1091 and 1971.
Nowadays people can call upon scientific knowledge, satellite pictures and the media for reassurance. But Dark Days have continued to unsettle people until surprisingly recently.
A Dark Day in a similar part of North America to 1780’s occurred in 1950. It was caused by forest fires in Alberta and prompted alarm and confusion, says David Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada.
“If you’d woken up at noon you’d have believed it was midnight. People thought it was nuclear attack or a solar eclipse.”
Whatever the cause in 1780, the geography must have exacerbated the fear, says Mike Dash. Settlements tended to go little more than 200 miles inland. In essence, European settlers were living on the edge of a vast unknown continent.
“When it goes dark for them, there’s no guarantee it is ever going to get light again. In those days it would be quite natural to think it was the Second Coming,” Mike Dash says. When dawn arrived, it is likely that prayers of thanks were said across the previously benighted land.
The first pictures have been released showing the inside of Antilia, which is believed to be the world’s most expensive house.
Built by India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, the 27-storey building towers over swanky Altamount Road in Mumbai.
Named Antilia, after a mythical island, it cost more than $1 billion, reports say.
Those who have visited it speak of helipads, a vast library, extravagant dining areas, opulent marble floors and even a snow room. Until now the family has remained silent on the residence.
“This is the first time I am talking about my home,” says Mukesh Ambani’s wife, Nita, in an interview published in the June issue of Vanity Fair magazine.
“There have been exaggerated reports in the media about it, I must say,” she adds.
Built by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, 27-storey Antilia building towers over swanky Altamount Road in Mumbai
Much of the media speculation has centred on whether the family was actually living in the property.
Some newspaper reports suggested they had decided not to move in because the vastu shastra (an Indian form of architecture, akin to feng shui) on the building was not spiritually correct.
In the interview, conducted in November, Nita Ambani confirms they took up residence last September.
“We moved in two months ago… and then it was going round that we haven’t moved in,” she told reporter James Reginato, who gained unprecedented access inside the building.
A photo published of one of the rooms shows floor-to-ceiling windows, and a seating arrangement which resembles a five-star hotel lobby.
“It’s a modern home with an Indian heart,” says Nita Ambani of her house.
Antilia is 27 storeys high, but as Mukesh Reginato writes, many of the floors are double or triple height, so the building rises to 570 feet, equivalent to a 40-storey building.
It also has a mutli-storey garage, a ballroom, a spa, a theatre, guest suites and a number of terraced gardens, he writes.
“We made our home right at the top because we wanted the sunlight… so it’s an elevated house on top of a garden,” said Nita Ambani.
The design, she says, is based on the lotus and the sun, and is decorated using rare wood, marble, mother-of-pearl and crystal, crafted by Indian artisans.
As with many Indian households, it also has a Hindu prayer room, “getting my temple right was so important,” she said.
Reports suggest the house is worth more than $1 billion, small change for Mukesh Ambani, who is worth more than $22 billion according to Forbes magazine.
But despite this, the house’s construction has attracted some criticism from some who say it is far too grand for a city like Mumbai, where millions of people live in slums, and hundreds of thousands don’t have a roof over their head.
The NASDAQ exchange saw Facebook shares jumping more than 10% within minutes of making their stock market debut.
Facebook shares rose to $42, having been initially priced at $38 each, before falling back to trade flat.
Mark Zuckerberg, 28, who started Facebook while at university, remotely opened trading on the Nasdaq earlier.
He appeared via a video link from a celebration at the firm’s headquarters in California.
There had been a delay of about half an hour in the start of trading in Facebook shares, which analysts say reflected the huge demand for the stock.
The $38 initial share price values the eight-year-old social network site at $104 billion.
Strong demand had led the company to increase both the price and the number of shares available for sale.
Facebook’s owners are releasing just under a fifth of the company’s total shares, about 421 million, which could raise about $18 billion.
The site is largely used for social updates, and although Facebook has said its use on mobile devices are the key to new profits, analysts question how much room there is for advertising on such platforms.
The NASDAQ exchange saw Facebook shares jumping more than 10 percent within minutes of making their stock market debut
Car giant General Motors added to those doubts by saying on Tuesday that it would no longer pay to advertise on the site.
Online strategy consultant Atul Chitnis said the question was whether Facebook had a strategy to bring advertisers in.
“My belief is that Facebook does have a strategy, they are ready with something they have not yet talked about,” he said.
“How effective it is we will have to watch and see.”
He also said he expected to see a “brief burst” of the share price going up and then “sinking again” in a couple of days.
Facebook’s valuation means the social network site is worth about the same as internet shopping giant Amazon, and more than the value of stalwarts such as Disney.
The initial public offering (IPO) of the shares is the third-largest in US history, after the financial giant Visa and General Motors.
Facebook employees had been up all night ahead of the event, taking part in a “hackathon” at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
It is an event in which programmers work on projects and come up with new ideas.
Facebook’s profits are tiny in relation to its size – it makes about $5 a year for each of its 900 million users – and its plans to increase profitability are unclear.
Oliver Pursche, president of Gary Goldberg Financial Services, said ahead of the flotation: “We’re telling our investors to hold off.
“Number one, we don’t know what the guts and the balance sheet of the company looks like yet so that’s a big red flag for us. We want to understand the business before we tell people to invest.”
Facebook also faces concerns over privacy.
Indeed, on Friday a class action suit was brought against the company in the US for “improperly tracking the internet use of its members even after they logged out of their accounts”.
Facebook itself has previously warned about the possible impact of evolving legal protections across the world on consumer privacy, and specifically a revision to the European Union’s privacy laws.
Other internet companies have had mixed experiences when they have started selling shares.
Online games maker Zynga’s shares fell 5% on their first day of trading in December 2011.
But shares in business networking site LinkedIn more than doubled on their debut in May last year and are still trading well above that level, while Groupon shares jumped 30% on their debut in November.
However, they have since fallen back, particularly after the daily deals firm admitted in April that it had overstated its previous revenues and earnings.
Facebook’s flotation had an immediate impact on the value of these companies, as their share prices fell at the same time as Facebook’s fell back from its initial spike.
Groupon dropped 5.6%, LinkedIn fell 1.2%, while shares in Zynga were suspended after plunging more than 13% in a matter of minutes.
The new Facebook shareholders will not have much say in how the business is run.
The shares on offer are “A” shares, which carry one vote per share, as is normal, but the current owners’ shares are “B” shares, which carry 10 votes each.
They will control more than 96% of the votes after the flotation, with founder Mark Zuckerberg holding just under 56% of the voting power of the company.
Mark Zuckerberg, who owns about 25% of the company, stands to gain the most from taking Facebook public. Fellow founders Dustin Moskovitz and Eduardo Saverin will also become paper-billionaires overnight, as will Napster founder and former employee Sean Parker.
US venture capital firm Accel Partners and Russian internet investment group Digital Sky Technologies also hold significant stakes in Facebook, while software giant Microsoft and U2 frontman Bono also stand to make a huge profit on their investment in the company.
Whitney Houston’s ex-husband Bobby Brown has released a new song titled Don’t Let Me Die, a tribute to his former wife.
Debuting the track on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Bobby Brown, 43, appeared emotional as he sang through the lyrics, all whilst wearing a pair of sunglasses onstage.
In the track Bobby Brown seemingly admits some kind of wrong doing, singing how he “messed up pretty bad”.
“I guess I messed up pretty bad … I didn’t know who you were … I didn’t know what we had. Now I’m stuck living in the past …trying to get the pieces back … but I guess now you’re gone,” he sang.
“I didn’t realize that every breath I took was from you … You were my air.”
Bobby Brown has released a new song titled Don't Let Me Die, a tribute to Whitney Houston
The new track will be featured on Bobby Brown’s new album The Masterpiece, which will be released on June 5.
It is the first album he has recorded since his 1997 LP Forever.
It comes after Bobby Brown hit back at claims last month that he was responsible for introducing his former wife to the drugs, which played a part in her untimely death.
“I didn’t get high [on narcotics] before I met Whitney,” Bobby Brown told The Today Show’s Matt Lauer.
“I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn’t the one that got Whitney on drugs at all.”
He said drugs were a part of the singer’s life “way way before” they got together. Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown married in 1993 and had daughter Bobbi Kristina, now 19-years-old, before divorcing in 2007.
Bobby Brown added: “It’s just unexplainable how one could, [say that I] got her addicted to drugs. I’m not the reason she’s gone.”
The King of Bahrain and Swaziland’s King Mswati III are among controversial monarchs expected at a Windsor Castle lunch being hosted by the Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.
Critics accuse Bahrain of human rights abuses and say Swazi king Mswati lives in luxury while his people go hungry.
Campaigner Peter Tatchell criticized the Queen for inviting “royal tyrants to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee”.
The Foreign Office said it was having “a full and frank discussion on a range of issues” with Bahrain’s government.
Buckingham Palace said it would not comment on the lunch.
It will be followed by an evening banquet, hosted by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Not all the monarchs will be at both events.
Peter Tatchell said the invitations were “a shocking misjudgement” that showed the Queen was “out of touch with the humanitarian values of most British people”.
“Inviting blood-stained despots brings shame to our monarchy and tarnishes the Diamond Jubilee celebrations,” he said.
“It is a kick in the teeth to pro-democracy campaigners and political prisoners in these totalitarian royal regimes.”
The King of Bahrain and Swaziland's King Mswati III are among controversial monarchs expected at a Windsor Castle lunch being hosted by the Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee
Bahrain officials said King Hamad al-Khalifa – whose country is in a state of civil unrest following crackdowns on protests last year – was expected to attend.
Last month, Bahrain Grand Prix organizers were urged to cancel the race amid public unrest in the country and accusations of human rights abuses.
And in April 2011, Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa pulled out of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding amid controversy over human rights.
A Foreign Office spokesman said Britain was a “long-standing friend and ally of Bahrain”.
He added: “On human rights we support the reforms already under way in Bahrain and we want to help promote that reform.
“We have consistently encouraged the Bahraini government to take further urgent steps to implement in full the recommendations of the Independent Commission of Inquiry as His Majesty the King has committed to doing.
“This includes bringing to account those individuals responsible for human rights abuses.”
On Thursday, former Foreign Office Minister Denis MacShane criticized Bahrain for doing “such terrible things to its own people since the Arab awakening a year ago”.
He said Arab nations “must let their citizens vote in free elections and let them speak without fear of arrest, torture or death”.
“The Foreign Office should protect the British Queen rather than expose her to having to dine with a despot.”
Anti-monarchist campaign group Republic believes the Queen and her aides have made a “catastrophic error of judgement” in inviting the Bahrani King.
Group chief executive Graham Smith said the Queen “has sent a very strong signal that the British royal family’s number one priority is other royals, even if they… oppress their own people”.
He added: “The Queen owes a personal apology to all those fighting for freedom in those countries – and to the families of those who have died doing so.”
On Wednesday, meanwhile, a group of UK-based Swazis protested outside the Savoy hotel, in London, where King Mswati – who is widely accused of profligate spending – is thought to be staying, with a delegation of 30 officials.
“The money he is using to feed these people could go a long way back home,” said Flora Dlamini from the Swaziland Vigil group.
King Mswati is rated by Forbes magazine as the world’s 15th richest monarch with a personal fortune of $100 million – while many of his 1.2 million subjects live in poverty.
Democracy campaigners also want Africa’s last absolute monarch to allow political parties and elections.
“If he is allowed to come, the British government is supporting his dictatorship,” Flora Dlamini said.
Saudi and Kuwaiti royals are also attending the banquet.
Amnesty international has recently highlighted repression in Saudi Arabia, as the authorities there crack down on protesters and reformists.
And Human Rights Watch has criticized Kuwait for the suspension of a daily newspaper and the conviction of its editor for incitement.
Meanwhile, Queen Sofia of Spain will not be attending because of a dispute over fishing rights off Gibraltar, a UK territory that Spain also claims.
Chinese media reports that Lai Changxing has been jailed for life for running a multi-billion dollar smuggling ring.
Xinhua news agency said Lai Changxing, 53, extradited from Canada, was convicted and sentenced by a Fujian court.
Lai Changxing was accused of bribing officials and smuggling goods including cars, cigarettes and oil in one of China’s biggest political scandals.
He fled to Canada in 1999 and avoided extradition for 12 years by arguing he faced torture and execution in China.
Beijing promised Canada he would not be executed and he was deported in 2011.
Lai Changxing was accused of bribing officials and smuggling goods including cars, cigarettes and oil in one of China's biggest political scandals
Canada usually forbids the extradition of suspects to countries where they might face the death penalty, and the case severely tested diplomatic relations between the two.
The sentence was handed down by the Intermediate People’s Court of Xiamen – the city at the heart of Lai’s operations – after a trial which began in early April.
The court said Lai Changxing’s income that was obtained illegally would be confiscated, Xinhua reports.
Lai Changxing was accused of running a huge smuggling operation from 1991 to 1999.
He established a complex network to cheat import tariffs of 13.99 billion yuan ($2.21 billion) on goods worth 27.39 billion yuan, the court said.
The goods included cigarettes, cars, heating and cooking oil, textiles and chemicals.
It also said Lai Chanxing and his associates bribed 64 government officials with amounts totaling 39.13 million yuan.
Some 300 people were punished for their involvement in the operation.
“The sums involved are unusually large, and the details are extraordinarily serious,” the court said, according to the Xinhua report.
It is not clear whether Lai Changxing is planning to appeal.
European stock markets had a shaky start on Friday as concern continued over Greece and Spain.
Spain’s main share index fell more than 2% before recovering, while shares in London fell by as much as 1%.
Confidence in European banks was undermined by ratings agency Moody’s, which cut the credit ratings of 16 Spanish banks late on Thursday.
It also cut the debt rating on Santander UK, a subsidiary of the Spanish banking giant.
However, shares in Santander reversed early losses to trade 3% higher, and Bankia shares jumped 9% following Thursday’s 14% slump.
Moody’s said there were several reasons behind the downgrade, including Spain’s slide back into recession, the financial challenges facing the Spanish government and bad loans in the property industry.
But Moody’s also recognized that banks had made progress in improving their financial situation, and noted the European Central Bank was providing support.
The proportion of loans that have gone bad at Spanish banks hit a record 8.37% in March.
That was according to figures from the Bank of Spain on Friday.
European stock markets had a shaky start on Friday as concern continued over Greece and Spain
Despite rising bad debts and downgrades, and reports of large withdrawals from troubled banking group Bankia, the Spanish government does not expect a run on the country’s banks.
Spanish Treasury Minister, Inigo Fernadez de Mesa, said: “This is a scenario I do not contemplate. The Spanish banks have plenty of liquidity. They have been funded through the central government for the next two years, so there is no problem of liquidity at all in Spain.”
Nevertheless, some investors moved money into German bonds, which are seen as low-risk investments. That drove the yield on 10-year German bonds down to 1.399% on Friday, a record low.
Confidence has also been knocked by the political crisis in Greece, where politicians are preparing for the second election in six weeks.
It is possible that the election on 17 June will result in a government that would refuse to implement the austerity measures that Greece’s last remaining international creditors are insisting on.
Speculation is increasing that Greece may have to leave the eurozone
The challenges facing Greece and Spain will be under discussion this weekend at the Group of Eight (G8) summit at the US Presidential retreat Camp David in Maryland.
President Barack Obama will host leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, Canada, and the European Union.
“The G8 meeting in Camp David today and tomorrow will be used to pressure Eurozone politicians to take immediate and decisive action to stop contagion ripping the region apart,” said the Dutch bank Rabobank in a research note on Friday.
“Whether the meeting will bring any signs that eurozone politicians may be willing to allow Greek to exit the system remains to be seen, but this type of rhetoric would likely have to be pre-empted by policies designed to limit contagion tightening its grip on Spain,” the note said.
In Asia, stock markets registered heavy losses. Tokyo’s Nikkei average fell 3%, the biggest one day fall since last August.
Asian markets were also hit by losses in New York, where the Dow Jones closed more than 1% lower.
Investors were discouraged by two weak reports on the US economy.
“There is no resolution to the [European] problem yet, and we also we had very disappointing US data, so overall, it’s negative and further denting market sentiment,” said Frances Cheung, a senior strategist, at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong.
In Asia, banking shares were hurt after the chief executive of ANZ said volatile market conditions meant that Australian banks were not lending to each other.
The wholesale lending markets are an important source of funds for banks.
“Right now, markets are closed again, and this is what happens in this sort of situation,” said ANZ chief executive Mike Smith.
On Tuesday night, Kate Moss’ feet appeared to be disfigured as her toes were bent and claw-like curling around her shoes – perhaps the effects of wearing sky-high heels too often.
Herr second toe appeared to be the worst offender bending in at a very awkward angle.
To make matters worse Kate Moss’ nails were not in the best shape either and she has clearly not bothered to have a pedicure recently.
Kate Moss, 38, and her husband Jamie Hince stepped out to attend the Marie Curie Fundraiser in London.
She had donned a floor-length black dress, which covered her unsightly feet.
Kate Moss' feet appeared to be disfigured as her toes were bent and claw-like curling around her shoes
Kate Moss teamed the maxi dress with a feathered shawl and carried a clutch bag.
The happy couple joined the likes of Geri Halliwell, Holly Valance and her fiancé Nick Candy along with Ronnie Wood, Sarah Ferguson and Princess Beatrice.
Kate Moss played a full part in the proceedings and was seen taking on the role of paparazzo snapping away throughout the evening.
She also took to the stage to help auction off a painting of old musician pal Rod Stewart painted by Ronnie.
Not only was the event to help raise funds for the cancer charity but it also served as an opportunity for celebrities to meet with the nurses and find out more about the important work that they do.
The political row over President Barack Obama’s heritage was dramatically reignited today as a 1991 booklet boldly announced that he was “born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii”.
In the cover for a 1991 promotional booklet by Barack Obama’s then-publisher Acton & Dystel, he is as “the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, [who] was born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii”.
The information, which could be used as more ammunition against the incumbent, comes months before what will likely be a close campaign between Barack Obama and likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
The 36-page promotional booklet was exclusively obtained by Breitbart, and was sent out to colleagues within the publishing industry in the early 1990s.
A later biography, which can still be found on Acton & Dystel’s archives, reads: “Barack Obama is the junior Democratic senator from Illinois and was the dynamic keynote speaker at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
“He was also the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. He was born in Kenya to an American anthropologist and a Kenyan finance minister and was raised in Indonesia, Hawaii, and Chicago. His first book, <<Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance>>, has been a long time New York Times bestseller.”
The blue, teal, and silver booklet was printed in part to celebrate Acton & Dystel’s 15th anniversary, and also to display the breadth and depth of authors the imprint published.
Other authors featured include Ralph Nader, former Speaker of the House Thomas P. O’Neill, and pop group New Kids on the Block.
Miriam Goderich, who now works at partner company Dystel & Goderich, is listed as the pamphlet’s editor.
The political row over President Barack Obama’s heritage was dramatically reignited today as a 1991 booklet boldly announced that he was born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii
Acton spoke with Breitbart about the cover, saying that “almost nobody” wrote their own biography, though non-athletes were “probably” approached to confirm the veracity of it.
Barack Obama later left Acton & Dystel, submitting a book proposal to Simon & Schuster imprint Poseidon Press worth more than six figures.
The book, tentatively called Journeys In Black And White, was later abandoned for the autobiography Dreams From My Father.
A note from Breitbart’s senior management at the top of the article offers the following disclaimer: “It is evidence – not of the President’s foreign origin, but that Barack Obama’s public persona has perhaps been presented differently at different times.”
President Barack Obama released his birth certificate to the public last April. He said during a press briefing at the time that he was “puzzled at the degree to which this thing just keeps going on”.
He said: “We’ve had every official in Hawaii, Democrat and Republican, every news outlet that has investigated this, confirm that, yes, in fact, I was born in Hawaii, August 4, 1961, in Kapiolani Hospital.”
The president concluded his speech by acknowledging that some people – despite the evidence – would not let go of the issue.
“I know that there’s going to be a segment of people for which, no matter what we put out, this issue will not be put to rest,” he said.
“But I’m speaking to the vast majority of the American people, as well as to the press. We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do. I’ve got better stuff to do.”
Though the White House was certainly hoping to silence the “birther” movement by releasing the president’s birth certificate, grumbles and murmurs have been commonplace since the April 27, 2011 release.
On May 12, Colorado Republican Congressman Mike Coffman brought up the issue at a fundraiser, saying: “I don’t know whether Barack Obama was born in the United States of America.
“I don’t know that. But I do know this – that in his heart, he’s not an American.
“He’s just not an American.”
According to 9 News, Mike Coffman was first met with silence, but after several moments, fundraiser attendees offered tentative applause.
However, the congressman issued an apology later in the week, writing: “I have confidence in President Obama’s citizenship and legitimacy as President of the United States.”
He further qualified his statement by saying: “I don’t believe the president shares my belief in American Exceptionalism. His policies reflect a philosophy that America is but one nation of many equals.
“As a Marine, I believe America is unique and based on a core set of principles that makes it superior to other nations.”
