The European Union’s plans to cut transaction fees on debit and credit cards have been published – but there is disagreement over the potential impact.
The European Commission estimates that the EU payment market is worth 130 billion euros but is “fragmented and expensive”.
It wants to cap “interchange fees” to a maximum of 0.3% of a transaction.
The fees involved are paid by shops and businesses to banks, every time a consumer uses his or her card.
Retailers say customers could ultimately benefit from lower prices in the shops as a result of the proposals, which could take years to implement.
But banks argue that consumers will instead end up paying higher charges to use debit and credit cards.
Shops and businesses pay different interchange rates to the banks, depending on the size of the retailer, and whether the customer has used a debit card or a credit card.
On average, debit card transactions cost the retailer 0.2% of the bill.
The EU’s plans to cut transaction fees on debit and credit cards have been published
Credit card transactions typically cost much more, at around 0.9%.
Under the plans, debit card interchange fees would be capped at 0.2%, and credit card fees at 0.3%.
In other words, many debit card fees would not be affected by the changes, but charges for credit cards would, on average, be reduced by two-thirds.
In the first instance, these caps would only be applied to cross-border transactions.
But the caps could later be applied within each of the member states.
“The proposed changes to interchange fees will remove an important barrier between national payment markets and finally put an end to the unjustified high level of these fees,” said EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier.
European Commission competition chief Joaquin Almunia said: “The interchange fees paid by retailers end up on consumers’ bills. Not only are consumers generally unaware of this, they are even encouraged through reward systems to use the cards that provide their banks with the highest revenues.”
The banks argue that the present fees accurately reflect the costs of processing the transactions involved.
If the plans are approved, they warn that consumers will end up paying more for the cards themselves.
The proposals are part of a series of measures aimed at tightening up the payments market across the EU.
Queen Elizabeth II has paid a visit to her new great-grandson, the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The half-hour visit to Kensington Palace came after Prince William, Kate Middleton and the royal baby spent their first night at home.
They left St Mary’s Hospital in west London on Tuesday evening, where Prince William told reporters they were yet to name the third in line to the throne.
The Queen visited without her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as he continues to recover from abdominal surgery.
She made the short journey from Buckingham Palace in a dark green Bentley.
The private meeting comes as the monarch prepares to leave for Balmoral in Scotland on Friday, where she has her traditional summer break.
The Queen had said she was “thrilled” at the arrival of her third great-grandchild during a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening.
Louise Butt, a guest at the event for the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, said the monarch had also described the baby as a “big boy” and had said that “the first born is very special”.
There has been no word yet from the duke, who is expected to take about two months to convalesce following exploratory abdominal surgery last month.
The Queen was not the first to meet the royal baby prince.
Queen Elizabeth II has paid a visit to her new great-grandson, the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton
Prince Charles and Camilla, and Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, paid visits to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
Later that day, Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton, accompanied by boyfriend Nico Jackson, went to Kensington Palace to meet her day-old nephew.
Prince Charles said the baby was “marvelous” while Carole Middleton said he was “absolutely beautiful”.
Prince William was at the hospital for the birth at 16:24 BST on Monday, and stayed with his wife and son, who weighed 8lb 6oz (3.8kg), overnight.
They left at 19:15 BST on Tuesday – just under 27 hours after the baby’s arrival.
Kate Middleton and Prince William described becoming parents as “very emotional”.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said on Wednesday it was “now private and quiet time for them to get to know their son”.
Although the couple have yet to decide on a name it is known that the newest royal will be known as HRH Prince (name) of Cambridge.
George is the bookmakers’ favorite for the first name of the prince, who is destined to be king one day. James and Alexander are among other names on a short price.
Royal fans waited seven days before the name of a newborn Prince William was announced in 1982, and there was a wait of a month following the Prince Charles’s birth in 1948.
All births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, regardless of parentage, must be registered within 42 days at the hospital or a local register office.
Brody Jenner and his strained relationship with stepmother Kris Jenner may have reached a new low point as he wants his father Bruce Jenner to divorce the momager of the Kardashian clan, according to new reports.
The tenuous relationship between Brody Jenner, 29, and Kris Jenner, 57, was apparent during a recent episode of Keeping Up With Kardashians in which the whole family went on a Greek vacation.
Now insiders claim relations between Brody Jenner and his stepmother have soured to the extent he want his father to divorce her, RadarOnlinereports.
In Sunday’s episode, the Kardashian matriarch initially upset her stepson by failing to invite him on the Mykonos trip – saying he never responded to invitations – but later booked him a flight at Bruce Jenner’s request.
Brody Jenner has a strained relationship with stepmother Kris Jenner
A source told RadarOnline that Brody Jenner has grown used to being snubbed.
“Brody has had a lifetime of this and he holds Kris responsible for Bruce not being a bigger part of his life when he was a child,” a source toldin an article published on Tuesday.
Brody Jenner “wishes his dad would just divorce Kris. Bruce and Kris are leading separate lives and don’t even share a bedroom together anymore”, the insider said.
“He has been spending a lot of time at his Malibu rental without Kris. Brody wants to be closer to his dad, but it’s very hard with Kris in the picture, because she always has to make everything about her,” the source added.
Elsewhere during Sunday’s episode, Kris Jenner told Brody during an awkward dinner at their ocean-view villa: “I’ve been trying to reach out to you and you don’t even respond.”
“I’ve got to give you my right info then,” Brody Jenner replied, claiming she must have the wrong number.
“I wouldn’t blatantly ignore you.”
Brody Jenner also expressed concerns over his father’s living arrangements as brother Brandon told him they no longer slept in the same room.
Pondering the sleeping arrangements at their Greek villa, Brandon Jenner said: “I wonder if Dad and Kris are going to share a room. They don’t share a room at home anymore.”
Brandon Jenner and his wife Leah explained that Bruce got a separate place to have his own space because he only had limited space at the family mansion.
“That sounds like a nightmare. Poor guy,” Brody Jenner replied.
Brody and Brandon are Bruce Jenner’s two sons from his former relationship with Linda Thompson.
For her first public appearance as a mother, Kate Middleton chose an elegant pale blue polka dot dress made specially for her by Jenny Packham, one of her favorite designers.
Last night the Jenny Packham website appeared to have crashed after the word got out that Kate Middleton had worn the empire-line crepe de chine design.
Demand for Kate Middleton’s blue polka dot dress crashed Jenny Packham’s website
Initial reports on Twitter had suggested the dress was from Jenny Packham’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection, leading many shoppers to believe it might available to buy online.
Last night a spokesman for the British designer confirmed that the dress was a one-off creation for Kate Middleton’s long-awaited appearance on the steps of the Lindo Wing.
Asked whether there had also been a pink version made in case the royal baby turned out to be a girl Jenny Packham said: “I couldn’t possibly comment.”
The White House is urging Congress to reject an attempt to stop the NSA collecting Americans’ phone records.
With a key vote coming up, President Barack Obama’s spokesman said curbs on the NSA would “hastily dismantle” a vital counter-terrorism tool.
NSA chief General Keith Alexander spent Tuesday lobbying Congressmen to vote against the proposed measure.
Critics say NSA phone data collection is an unwarranted invasion of privacy.
The details of the programme were made public by Edward Snowden, who had worked for the NSA and is now a fugitive, awaiting a decision on his asylum application in Moscow.
House of Representatives Republican Congressman Justin Amash has introduced an amendment to a defense spending bill, which would block funding for the NSA’s programme to collect details of every call made by or to a US phone.
Justin Amash said: “My amendment blocks funding of NSA’s collection of personal data if that data does not pertain to a person under investigation.”
A vote on the amendment will take place on Wednesday.
Republican Congressman Justin Amash has introduced an amendment to a defense spending bill, which would block funding for the NSA’s programme to collect details of every call made by or to a US phone
Even if it passes the House, the measure is seen as unlikely to become law, as Barack Obama’s Democratic Party controls the Senate.
House Democrats John Conyers and Jared Polis supported the move, which they said “makes sure that innocent Americans’ information isn’t needlessly swept up into a government database”.
However, the White House said the measure would deprive the intelligence agencies of a key tool in preventing terror attacks.
“This blunt approach is not the product of an informed, open or deliberative process,” said spokesman Jay Carney.
“We urge the House to reject the Amash amendment, and instead move forward with an approach that appropriately takes into account the need for a reasoned review of what tools can best secure the nation.”
NSA head Gen. Keith Alexander held separate, closed-door sessions with Republicans and Democrats on the eve of the vote in an attempt to persuade them to vote against.
Afterwards he told CNN: “What you can see is that everybody wants to ensure we protect civil liberties and privacy and defend this country.
“We have that responsibility, and the issue is, how do we do that? How do we take care of our people and protect our civil liberties and privacy? This is a tough issue.”
The issue has split the main parties, with Democrats and Republicans lining up on both sides of the debate.
Meanwhile it is thought possible that Russia will announce whether Edward Snowden has been successful in his application for temporary asylum in the country.
Edward Snowden has been in limbo in a Moscow airport for weeks, but his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena says Wednesday is the deadline for the Federal Migration Service to rule on his request.
A number of Latin American states say they are willing to offer the former intelligence systems analyst asylum, but the lawyer says Edward Snowden first needs Russian asylum in order to be able to travel, since the US has cancelled his passport.
The US has charged Edward Snowden with leaking classified information.
President Vladimir Putin has refused to hand him to US authorities, but says he can only stay in Russia if he stops leaking secrets about US surveillance schemes.
For the mothers watching around the world as Kate Middleton walked out on to the steps of the Lindo Wing to present the royal baby yesterday, the real delight was her “mummy tummy”.
That neat bump was the only thing which gave away the fact Kate Middleton had given birth to an 8lb 6oz boy just a day earlier.
And the glowing duchess clearly felt no need to hide it, a decision praised immediately by mothers’ groups.
Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard said Kate Middleton had dispelled the “myth that all mothers should be perfect postpartum”.
“In a couple of minutes on the steps of the Lindo Wing Kate has done more for new mums’ self-esteem than any other role model,” she said.
“Sadly, too many celebrities often have ultra-fast tummy tucks or strap themselves down to emerge in tiny size six jeans, leaving everyone else feeling inadequate.
“Kate shows what a real mum looks like – and natural is beautiful.”
She continued: “Undoubtedly over the coming weeks the duchess will work hard to regain her figure, but tonight she’s proved herself a healthy role model for real mums around the world.”
Many mothers took to Mumsnet to share their delight, describing Kate Middleton as a “role model” for showing off her mummy tummy.
One user wrote: “Oh just so lovely … I think she is fantastically brave to not hide her post birth shape. What a great role model she is.”
That neat bump was the only thing which gave away the fact Kate Middleton had given birth to an 8lb 6oz boy just a day earlier
A second wrote: “I loved that Kate didn’t hide her remaining bump. That is what a postnatal woman looks like folks!”
Another added: “They both looked fab, and I was also impressed that she didn’t hide the belly, good for her!”
Twitter was also dominated by women praising Kate Middleton for refusing to hide her figure.
Stacey Cook said: “Nice to see Kate still has a mummy tummy! Not like these skinny celebs who come out stick thin.”
Ju Lincoln wrote: “Beautiful royal baby and lovely to see that Kate still has a mummy tummy like all us normal women … I’m still trying to lose mine!”
Kate Middleton, whose style over the last nine months has already become a by-word for pregnancy chic, did not disappoint with her choice of dress. Her bespoke blue polka-dot Jenny Packham frock looked cool and chic, its empire line cut perfectly displaying her “mummy tummy”.
Her choice of print seemed to be a nod to the dress worn by Princess Diana on the day she left hospital with Prince William in 1982.
Diana posed on the same steps with her first-born son, wearing a green polka dot dress.
But where Princess Diana appeared nervous and bewildered by the attention – and was said to have burst into tears as soon as she got in the car – the radiant duchess smiled broadly and spoke assuredly to the ranks of camera crews.
While Prince Charles wore a formal pinstripe suit and tie, Prince William opted for a casual shirt, the blue perfectly matching his wife’s dress.
And, naturally for this very hands-on new father, the sleeves were rolled up.
Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has appealed for calm after weeks-long protests escalated into a blockade of parliament and clashes with police.
Rosen Plevneliev urged both protesters and police to remain “peaceful and civilized”.
More than 100 politicians, journalists and staff were trapped inside the building overnight, until escorted out by police at about 05:00.
PM Plamen Oresharski has so far resisted protesters’ calls to resign.
The unrest fell on the 40th straight day of anti-government protests against corruption and mismanagement in the capital, Sofia.
Crowds surrounded the Bulgarian parliament building on Tuesday evening as MPs took part in an unusual late sitting to discuss a controversial budget update
Crowds surrounded the parliament building on Tuesday evening as MPs took part in an unusual late sitting to discuss a controversial budget update that would increase the budget deficit and government borrowing limit.
The protesters shouted “Mafia!” and “Resign!”
At around 22:00 local time, riot police attempted to move some of the MPs, including three government ministers, out of parliament on a heavily guarded bus.
But protesters prevented the bus from leaving. Skirmishes broke out in which at least seven protesters and two officers were injured.
The crowd reinforced their blockade with rubbish bins, street signs and paving stones.
Eventually, riot police reinforcements helped clear a path and the building was evacuated by 05:00 on Wednesday morning.
A reporter for the AFP news agency said the barricades were completely dismantled and the crowd dispersed.
Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev said: “There are lightly injured people and policemen and there have been arrests… No lawmakers have been hurt.”
President Rosen Plevneliev said: “For the first time since the start of the protests we have now witnessed tension and attempts for provocation.”
“We all live here, this is our country and we are responsible towards it. I urge for calm and order,” he said.
Parliamentary speaker Mihail Mikov condemned the violence, calling for a cancellation of Wednesday’s parliamentary session.
“Order must be guaranteed. Lawmakers cannot be turned into targets; their life and health cannot be put in danger,” he told state BNT TV.
Bulgaria – the poorest EU member state – has been in political turmoil for months.
The current coalition government took office after a snap election in May, which followed extended protests.
Renewed protests began nearly six weeks ago, over the controversial appointment of a young media mogul, Delyan Peevski, as head of the national security agency.
Protesters saw it as example of the influence of powerful “oligarchs” and the corruption of politicians.
The appointment has been reversed, but the crowds have not been appeased and other controversial decisions have fuelled their anger.
PM Plamen Oresharski, who heads the Socialist-led coalition, has refused to resign, saying it would only deepen the crisis.
Earlier on Tuesday, the EU’s visiting Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said she backed the protesters.
Viviane Reding, who was in the country for a live question and answer session, said on Twitter: “Here in Sofia today, my sympathy is with the Bulgarian citizens who are protesting against corruption.”
“We can’t replace your government, but we have a responsibility to see that things are going well,” Viviane Reding told the forum.
Anthony Weiner, the Democrat New York mayoral candidate, has admitted sending messages to a woman, two years after he left Congress over a similar affair.
An unnamed woman told website The Dirty she had an online relationship with Anthony Weiner last year.
Anthony Weiner, 48, who has been leading polls of Democratic mayoral candidates, said he was “very sorry”.
In 2011, Anthony Weiner said his Twitter account was hacked, but then admitted sending photos to young women.
Flanked by his wife, Huma Abedin, at a press conference on Tuesday in New York, Anthony Weiner apologized while reading from a prepared statement.
He also said he would not drop out of the city’s mayoral race, which will be decided by voters in November. Three of his rivals immediately called on him to stand aside.
Anthony Weiner told reporters: “This behavior is behind me. I’ve apologized to my wife, Huma, and I’m grateful that she has worked through these issues with me and that I’ve had her forgiveness.
“I want to again say how very sorry I am to anyone who was on the receiving end of these messages and the disruption that this has caused.”
He said some of the latest reports were inaccurate, but refused to go into detail.
Anthony Weiner has admitted sending messages to a woman, two years after he left Congress over a similar affair
Huma Abedin then took to the podium and said: “Our marriage, like many others, has had its ups and its downs. It took a lot of work and a whole lot of therapy to get to a place where I could forgive Anthony.”
She continued: “Anthony’s made some horrible mistakes, both before he resigned from Congress and after. But I do very strongly believe that it’s between us and our marriage.”
“I love him, I have forgiven him, I believe in him,” she added.
Briefly taking questions after the statements, Anthony Weiner admitted that some of the online activity in question had taken place as late as summer last year.
The woman at the centre of the latest allegations has said they began exchanging messages in July 2012 and continued for six months.
She said she was 22 years old when they made contact on the social networking website Formspring.
The woman claimed Anthony Weiner had used the alias “Carlos Danger” for their exchanges.
“I was young and dumb,”The Dirty quoted her as saying.
“I just want people to really know he’s lying when he acts like he has changed.”
Anthony Weiner has previously said he should not have denied posting photos on Twitter in 2011.
He said he only did so because he wanted to keep the truth from his then-pregnant wife, who is a former adviser to Hillary Clinton.
She gave birth to the couple’s son, Jordan, later that year.
Anthony Weiner will find out how damaging his latest conduct has been in September’s primary elections, when Democratic voters decide if he or one of his rivals should represent their party in the mayoral race.
Lady Gaga looks unrecognizable in a make-up free snap she posted to a fan website.
Along with the dramatic picture Lady Gaga wrote: “ARTPOP as they pry the single from my bleeding fingers. it’s a scary thing to revisit those things underneath, the pain in your past. but all I found was raw passion. I thought I was destroyed inside. I’m just ready to fight. start the music.”
Lady Gaga looks unrecognizable in a make-up free snap she posted to a fan website
In the picture Lady Gaga sports a pale complexion and her eyebrows are barely there.
Lady Gaga, who is no stranger to changing her appearance, posted the snap to a fan site Littlemonsters.com.
She looks trimmer than she has in recent months, with a pronounced collar bone on display.
Lady Gaga, who has failed to comment on reports that she has had a nose job in recent weeks, was named as the top earning celebrity under 30 years old by Forbes magazine.
The singer made an estimated $80 million in the last 12 months, despite being forced to cancel part of her tour after having hip surgery.
Last year Lady Gaga was ranked at number four, while Taylor Swift, who topped the poll in 2012, has dropped to third place with $55 million.
Kate Middleton made her first appearance as a mother as she presented the royal baby to the waiting crowds on the steps of the Lindo Wing today.
As one of the most scrutinized women in the world – and at this most high profile of moments with all the world watching – Kate Middleton would have labored over her outfit choice today.
Kate Middleton made her first appearance as a mother as she presented the royal baby to the waiting crowds on the steps of the Lindo Wing
In the event, Kate Middleton chose a crepe de chine polka dot dress by Jenny Packham – a designer she has turned to on multiple occasions for public events – which was made bespoke for her.
The cornflower blue was a nod, no doubt, to her baby’s gender – the same gesture made by her mother during her own visit earlier in the day.
Kate Middleton cradled the baby as she stood alongside Prince William, her husband wrapping a protective arm around her waist before taking the infant into his own arms.
“We’re still working on a name,” Prince William told the assembled Press.
Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have gathered at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the opening of the World Youth Day festival.
The highlight of the festival will be a visit on Thursday by Pope Francis.
Pope Francis arrived on Monday for his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The pontiff’s visit is taking place under tight security, after weeks of protests against the government and corruption.
Tuesday’s evening mass at Copacabana Beach will be led by Rio’s Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta.
Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have gathered at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the opening of the World Youth Day festival
Pope Francis will welcome pilgrims to the five-day festival, which is expected to draw about 1.5 million people from around the world.
The Pope, who is from neighboring Argentina, has no public events scheduled for Tuesday and was spending time at a private residence.
Correspondents say Brazil is reviewing security around the 76-year-old pontiff after he was mobbed by adoring crowds following his arrival in Brazil on Monday.
Many were able to stop the Pope’s motorcade as it travelled through Rio and reach their hands inside his car’s open window.
“The Pope’s secretary told me he was terrified, but the Pope kept smiling,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told reporters.
Pope Francis was officially welcomed at the state governor’s palace by President Dilma Rousseff. However, police outside later fired tear gas to disperse people who were protesting against the government, but also against the cost of the papal visit.
On Wednesday Pope Francis will visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Sao Paulo state, where a homemade explosive device was discovered on Sunday.
The authorities said the device was “of low power” and nowhere near the area where the Pope and pilgrims will visit.
China has decided to ban the construction of government buildings for the next five years, according to state media.
The move comes as part of a campaign by President Xi Jinping to show that the ruling Communist Party (CPC) is cracking down on corruption and waste.
Glitzy new government buildings, sometimes in impoverished areas, have been a source of public outrage.
The directive forbids luxury makeovers and expansions done under the guise of repair work, Xinhua newspaper said.
The notice says some departments and local authorities have built huge government office compounds against regulations, tainting the image of the CPC.
Chinese state-owned drug company building decorated to mimic France’s Versailles palace, complete with gold-tinted walls and chandeliers
Among the buildings that have attracted widespread disapproval in recent years is the western-style government office building in the city of Fuyang in Anhui province, in eastern China.
It reportedly cost 30 million yuan ($4.89 million) to build and is referred to as the “White House” by residents.
A state-owned drug company also caused outrage after photographs emerged apparently showing a building decorated to mimic France’s Versailles palace, complete with gold-tinted walls and chandeliers.
Some government agencies have reportedly built luxury offices in seaside resorts where officials can stay for free or at deeply discounted prices.
The ban – described as an “across-the-board halt” – includes training centres, hotels or government motels, Xinhua said.
It also says government organizations should not receive sponsorship or donations towards construction projects, or collaborate with private companies.
“Banning the building of new government buildings is important for building a clean government and also a requirement for boosting CPC-people ties and maintaining the image of the CPC and the government,” Xinhua quoted the directive as saying.
Tackling corruption has been President Xi Jinping’s most high-profile policy since he became China’s leader earlier this year.
Xi Jinping has warned that “corruption and bribe-taking by some party members and cadres” pose “severe challenges” to the Communist Party’s rule.
Penelope Cruz has welcomed her second child – a baby daughter – on the same day as the Royal baby.
Penelope Cruz, 39, already has a two-year-old son, Leonardo, with husband Javier Bardem.
Penelope Cruz has welcomed her second child, a baby daughter
While the Royals are expected to let the public know about their child, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem are notoriously private and kept the details of their first child under wraps as long as possible.
Penelope Cruz recently said of her children: “I want my son and my kids – if I have more – to grow up in a way that is as anonymous as possible. The fact that his father and I have chosen to do the work we do doesn’t give anybody the right to invade our privacy.”
The actress was last seen just a couple of days ago when she looked ready to pop.
On Saturday she even attended a concert in Madrid despite looking heavily pregnant and so close to her due date.
Ahead of the gig Penelope Cruz was seen walking along with Javier Bardem as they headed for a bite to eat while her huge bump hung over her jeans.
The actress, who was thought to be due to give birth back in June, then looked as if she was ready to welcome her second child at any moment as her stomach swelled against her T-shirt at the Los Veranos de la Villa Music Festival.
Penelope Cruz and husband Javier Bardem – who had been friends for years – started dating in 2007 and married in early July 2010 in an intimate ceremony at a friend’s home in the Bahamas.
According to new reports, Amanda Bynes has been placed on involuntary psychiatric hold after allegedly starting a fire on Monday night in a residential driveway.
Amanda Bynes, 27, was found about 9 p.m. standing near the fire burning at a house in Thousand Oaks, California, according to reports.
She was questioned by Ventura County Sheriff’s Department deputies who determined she needed to be hospitalized on a so-called 5150 hold, TMZ reports.
Amanda Bynes has been placed on 5150 hold after starting fire in residential driveway
The 5150 hold is named after the California state code that allows for involuntary hospitalization for a mental health evaluation.
A person can be held against their will for up to 72 hours under such a hold.
The elderly woman who lives at the home said she had no idea what was happening until authorities knocked on her door.
Deputies asked if she knew Amanda Bynes or if someone had a vendetta against her and the woman replied no to both queries, according to TMZ.
Authorities told the woman that a young lady carrying a “little red gas tank” had lit a fire in her driveway.
The homeowner said the deputies told her Amanda Bynes had burned a part of her own clothing.
A male caller to 911 reported a piece of cloth burning on a gasoline tank on a driveway and a second female caller confirmed a gasoline tank and fire, according to a report in TMZ.
Amanda Bynes’ parents, Rick and Lynn, are considering going to a judge to seek conservatorship of Amanda, but must act take legal control quickly before she is released from her psychiatric hold, a source told RadarOnline.
The former actress was born and raised in affluent Thousand Oaks, which is about 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Amanda Bynes also had a run-in with police on Sunday after she was turned away from a Thousand Oaks retirement home because she appeared drunk.
Staff at the retirement home accused her of trespassing and called a taxi for her, but the situation deteriorated, according to TMZ.
After getting in the cab, Amanda Bynes reportedly said: “Get me the f*** out of here. … I don’t have any money.”
The driver promptly evicted her from the cab and Amanda Bynes walked back toward the retirement community, which prompted a call to the police.
There was no record of an arrest, but Amanda Bynes may have received a trespassing ticket.
The taxi driver told TMZ that Amanda Bynes was at the retirement village to visit a relative.
Amanda Bynes underwent a psychiatric evaluation in May after being arrested in New York City for investigation of drug possession and alleged evidence tampering for throwing a b**g out of her high-rise window.
Britney Spears was infamously placed on a 5150 hold in 2008 after a public mental breakdown.
The move to hospitalize Britney Spears came after months of erratic behavior, including a head-shaving incident, speaking in a British accent and other bizarre incidents.
Amanda Bynes has her own lengthy list of odd behavior.
According to Forbes magazine, Lady Gaga is the top earning celebrity under 30 years old.
Lady Gaga made an estimated $80 million in the last 12 months, despite cancelling part of her tour to have hip surgery.
Last year she was ranked at number four, while Taylor Swift, who topped the poll in 2012, has dropped to third place with $55 million.
Justin Bieber is in second place again this year with $58 million.
The Forbes website claims that Lady Gaga would have earned even more had she not had to cancel part of her world tour in February.
She recently announced her next album, Artpop, would be released in November with a single due out on August 19.
To make the list, Forbes magazine estimated the entertainment-related income of celebrities between June 2012 and June 2013 by talking to agents, managers, producers and executives.
Lady Gaga is the top earning celebrity under 30 years old
The other artists in the top five are Calvin Harris with $46 million and Rihanna, who earned $43 million.
Adele, who made the list for the first time last year, was ranked number eight making an estimated $25 million.
Earlier this year Adele won an Oscar for the James Bond theme Skyfall.
Star of The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, is the highest entry on the list not to work in the music industry.
Jennifer Lawrence placed at number seven, with earnings of $26 million.
Completing the top 10 are Twilight co-stars Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner who both made $22 million.
The royal baby left hospital with his parents, who revealed they had not yet chosen him a name.
Prince William and Kate Middleton waved and smiled broadly to the waiting cameras as they held their prince on the steps of the private Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in London, 26 hours after he was delivered, weighing 8lbs 6oz.
Kate Middleton said: “It’s been very emotional. Any parent will know what this feeling is like.”
Prince William had followed the steps his parents Charles and Diana took with him 31 years ago, when he was born there on June 21, 1982.
“He’s a big boy, quite heavy. We’re still working on a name,” he told reporters.
“Well he has a good pair of lungs on him, that’s for sure.”
Confirming that the prince was overdue, the Duke said: “I will remind him of his tardiness when he is older.”
With a huge smile Prince William then added: “He’s got her looks thankfully.” to which Kate Middleton responded: “No, no, no I’m not sure about that.”
The royal baby left hospital with his parents, who revealed they had not yet chosen him a name
The royal baby is now third in the line of succession, displacing Prince Harry to fourth and the Duke of York to fifth, although he may not become sovereign for half a century or more.
Prince William, Kate Middleton and Baby Cambridge will travel home to Kensington Palace tonight, spending two weeks there while the Duke is on paternity leave.
Huge crowds of well-wishers and journalists from all over the world have been waiting outside the west London hospital ward for weeks, first to be there when Kate Middleton went into labor and now as the couple left with her firstborn child.
Meanwhile, this evening the Queen told guests at a Buckingham Palace reception she was “thrilled” at the birth of her great-grandson.
Earlier the royal baby’s grandparents met him for the first time, and soon afterwards Kensington Palace confirmed the Duke, Duchess and baby would leave this evening.
Kate Middleton’s sister Pippa is said to be there waiting for her.
Soon afterwards Kensington Palace confirmed: “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge will be discharged this evening.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their son will travel home to Kensington Palace.
“Their Royal Highnesses would like to reiterate their thanks to the hospital for the care and treatment they have all received.”
Earlier Carole Middleton described her grandson, the future king, as ‘absolutely beautiful’ after she and her husband visited him.
The Duchess of Cambridge’s parents said their first grandchild is “absolutely beautiful” and his parents are coping “fabulously”.
Beyoncé’s hair got caught in a fan during her performance in Montreal on Monday night.
Beyoncé, 31, didn’t even bat an eyelid when her mane of curls became tangled in a giant fan in the middle of her rendition of Halo.
In a video posted onto her Instagram page, Beyoncé was taken by surprise when she got a little too close to the device, leaving her locks suddenly trapped in the blades.
Although a look of shock momentarily registered on her face, Beyoncé continued her flawless performance regardless, while her aides rushed to her side in a desperate attempt to free her.
Looking utterly flabbergasted and at a loss of what to do, the baffled security guards crowded around the singer, before one of them eventually managed to cut her loose.
Luckily, Beyoncé managed to see the funny side of the incident, and later posted a handwritten note on her Instagram page, hilariously re-writing the lyrics to Halo to fit in with the fan calamity.
Beyoncé’s hair got caught in a fan during her performance in Montreal
The singer wrote: “Gravity can’t begin, to pull me out of the fan again/ I felt my hair was yankin/ From the fan that’s always hatin.”
A source later revealed toUsmagazine.com that the incident occurred because Beyoncé had made her way off the stage to greet a young fan in the front row.
The source said: “There was a girl in the front who was holding up a sign with a bucket list on it of all the things she wanted to do with her life. It was things like <<graduate from college>> and all the boxes were checked except the last one, which was <<Sing With Beyonce!>>.
“Beyoncé was so moved she went down into the pit to sing Halo with the girl to give her final wish. She wasn’t even thinking of the fan – she was focused on the girl she was trying to do something nice for and it was unprompted. It really came from a good place.”
Beyoncé is in the middle of the North American leg of her Mrs. Carter Show world tour.
Marks & Spencer have launched Sculpt and Lift jeansthat allows you to cheat your way to the perfect perky bottom.
For those hoping to transform the untoned bottom into something Kim Kardashian would be proud of, the Sculpt and Lift jeans could be the answer.
M&S Sculpt and Lift jeans use back stitching and new fabric to lift the bottom for a sculpted silhouette
The design features back stitching which claims to enhance the bottom for a better shape, while clever pocket placement gives the illusion of more pertness.
They also promise not to lose their magical lifting power after being thrown in the washing machine as a so-called ‘high power stretch fabric’ claims to retain its ‘great shape’ no matter how many times it is washed.
The jeans are available in three styles, skinny, straight leg and boot leg.
Al-Qaeda has claimed two mass jailbreaks in Iraq, which freed hundreds of prisoners including senior leaders of the Islamist militant group.
In an online statement, al-Qaeda said Sunday’s attack was the final one in a campaign aimed at freeing inmates.
At least 20 security guards died when gunmen stormed the Abu Ghraib and Taji jails near Baghdad.
Abu Ghraib gained global notoriety in 2004 when images were released showing US guards abusing Iraqi detainees.
Iraqi officials had previously tortured regime opponents in Abu Ghraib during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
On Tuesday, an al-Qaeda affiliate calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant said it carried out the attacks on the prisons.
At least 20 security guards died when gunmen stormed the Abu Ghraib and Taji jails near Baghdad
The group, which was formed of al-Qaeda groups in Iraq and Syria, said it had spent “months planning” the attacks on Abu Ghraib to the west of the capital and Taji to the north.
The group also claimed some 500 militants were among the hundreds of prisoners who had escaped.
Iraqi authorities initially denied any prisoners had escaped in the assaults, but later acknowledged “some” prisoners escaped.
The Iraqi interior ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the gunmen had received help from some of the prison guards.
Fighting raged for several hours after the jails came under attack on Sunday night.
Gunmen fired mortar rounds at the prisons, and then used car bombs at the entrances.
The situation was eventually brought back under control on Monday morning, with the use of military helicopters.
Justice ministry spokesman Wissam al-Firaiji earlier said the attackers, whom he called terrorists, had been well-armed.
“The attack against Taji jail alone was carried out by nine suicide bombers and three car bombs driven by suicide bombers,” he told reporters.
“The attackers also lobbed more than 100 mortar shells,” he said, adding that the inmates were “under control” again.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Honourable Artillery Company carried out the ceremonial of gun salutes to mark the birth of the royal baby.
Gun salutes are fired for the birth of every prince or princess, no matter where their place is in the line of succession. The last royal salute for a birth was for Princess Eugenie in 1990.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, wearing full dress uniform, paraded past Buckingham Palace on the way to Green Park, where they staged a 41-gun royal salute.
They went from their forward mounting base in Wellington Barracks into Green Park, where 71 horses pulled six First World War-era 13-pounder field guns into position for the royal salute at 2 p.m.
Each of the six guns fired blank artillery rounds at 10-second intervals until a total of 41 shots were fired. The horses and riders then collected the guns and escorted them back to Wellington Barracks.
Major Mark Edward, commanding officer of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, said: “The opportunity to mark the birth of the child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge by firing a 41-gun royal salute, comes as a huge honor for the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.”
The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), the City of London’s Army Reserve Regiment, also fired a 62-gun salute from Gun Wharf at the Tower of London at 2 p.m.
Whilst a royal gun salute normally comprises 21 guns, this is increased to 41 if fired from a royal park or residence.
Uniquely, at the Tower of London, which is a royal residence, 62 rounds are fired as this also includes an additional 21 guns for the citizens of the City of London to show their loyalty to the monarch.
Bells also sounded at Westminster Abbey in celebration of the royal birth, with the three ringers having performed the same task for the new Prince’s father more than 30 years ago.
Royal Artillery sound series of gun salutes to mark the birth of the royal baby
When Prince William was born in June 1982, Clarke Walters helped ring a peal at the iconic church in central London in honor of the newest member of the royal family.
Clarke Walters said it was ‘wonderful’ to now be performing the peal for Prince William’s own baby son.
He also rang the celebratory bells for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding at the Abbey two years ago.
A team of 10 from the Westminster Abbey Company of Ringers rang a full peal on the Abbey’s 10 bells from 2pm to coincide with the gun salute in Green Park.
The complex peal is made of 5,000 changes, and known as the Cambridge Surprise Royal and lasts for over three hours.
Clarke Walters said: “It’s always a great honor to ring at the Abbey especially for a big occasion like this one. It’s a bit of a thrill even though I’ve been ringing for more than 30 years. “I do love the connection that three of us rang the peal for William’s birth, the same three were in the wedding peal and the same three are here today. That’s a nice link back to William.”
Celebrations are not confined to London, as all of Her Majesty’s ships – in home or international waters – are flying the Royal Navy Ensign flag from their mast to mark the birth of the prince.
HMS Lancaster, deployed on a patrol task in the Caribbean, added its own congratulatory message to the Duke and Duchess, spelling out “It’s A Boy!” on the deck of the ship.
Staff from RAF Valley, where Prince William serves as a search and rescue pilot, were among the first to offer their congratulations.
Station commander Group Captain Adrian Hill sent a congratulatory message to the couple on behalf of the RAF Valley. “We’re all delighted to learn that Flight Lieutenant Wales and the Duchess of Cambridge are now proud parents of a new-born son,” he said. “We wish them all the very best for the future. From everyone at RAF Valley, congratulations.”
The Ministry of Defence said other units connected to Prince William also marked the birth, including the Army regiment he was commissioned into from Sandhurst, the Household Cavalry, which is partly deployed in Afghanistan.
The Irish Guards, of which Prince William is the colonel, toasted the birth with a traditional glass of Irish stout at their barracks in Aldershot and at bases in London.
Kate Middleton visited the battalion this year and last year to present shamrocks to all ranks on St Patrick’s Day, a role carried out for many years by a female member of the Royal Family.
Trafalgar Square’s famous fountains were lit with blue lights last night and London mayor Boris Johnson said they will be lit for the next six days in celebration of the royal birth.
Westminster City Council celebrated the announcement of the baby boy’s birth with blue lighting in the fountains in Marble Arch and the Golden Jubilee Bridge. They will remain lit up until midnight tonight.
Carole and Michael Middleton are the first visitors to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after the birth of their son.
Kate Middleton and Prince William earlier thanked hospital staff for their “tremendous” care.
It is understood the family will leave hospital on Tuesday evening or on Wednesday morning.
Gun salutes in Green Park and the Tower of London and the ringing of bells at Westminster Abbey have marked the birth of the third in line to the throne.
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park at 14:00 BST, after riding past Buckingham Palace.
At the same time, the Honourable Artillery Company – the City of London’s army reserve regiment – fired a 62-gun salute from Gun Wharf at the Tower of London.
Carole and Michael Middleton are the first visitors to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after the birth of their son
Meanwhile, the church bells of Westminster Abbey, where William and Catherine were married in April 2011, began ringing out – a celebration set to last for three hours.
Carole and Michael Middleton arrived at private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, in Paddington, west London, by taxi shortly after 15:00 BST.
They were greeted by its lead clinician, Jonathan Ramsay, and paused briefly on the steps for the mass of photographers gathered outside before going inside.
Prince William was at the hospital for the birth at 16:24 BST on Monday, and stayed with his wife and son overnight.
Kensington Palace said in a statement: “Mother, son and father are all doing well.”
The couple said: “We would like to thank the staff at the Lindo Wing and the whole hospital for the tremendous care the three of us have received. “We know it has been a very busy period for the hospital and we would like to thank everyone – staff, patients and visitors – for their understanding during this time.”
Prince William had earlier said the couple “could not be happier” following the birth of the 8lb 6oz boy.
There has been no word yet on what Kate Middleton and Prince William plan to name the royal baby.
Kelly Osbourne and her father Ozzy stepped out last week for a slap-up meal with Kelly’s fiancé, chef Matthew Mosshart.
They enjoyed a bite to eat at Beverly Hills restaurant Chin Chin on Thursday evening, just days after Kelly Osbourne, 28, announced her engagement to professional chef Matthew Mosshart – the younger brother of The Kills’ singer Alison Mosshart.
Matthew Mosshart and Kelly Osbourne got engaged while holidaying on the Caribbean island Anguilla, two years after they met at the wedding of supermodel Kate Moss to musician Jamie Hince
While her long-haired fiancé looked typically casual in a creased white T-shirt, skinny jeans and boots, Kelly Osbourne made sure she caught the eye courtesy of her garish lilac colored hair as she exited the eatery hand-in-hand with Ozzy.
Kelly Osbourne – currently a judge on hit show Fashion Police – wore a trendy black and white varsity jacket, an off the shoulder black top and matching trousers for her evening out with the two men in her life.
Her look was completed by a pair of gold hoop earrings and a large black bag that served as a continuation of her understated neutral theme.
Matthew Mosshart and Kelly Osbourne got engaged while holidaying on the Caribbean island Anguilla, two years after they met at the wedding of supermodel Kate Moss to musician Jamie Hince, Alison Mosshart’s band-mate in The Kills.
Matthew Mosshart had previously relocated from his home in New York to be closer to Kelly Osbourne, who lives close to her family in Los Angeles.
Pope Francis has been greeted by tens of thousands of Brazilian pilgrims as he toured Rio de Janeiro in an open car and then met President Dilma Rousseff at the state governor’s palace.
After the pontiff left, police fired tear gas to disperse protests against both the government and the cost of the visit.
Pope Francis is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival.
In a speech soon after his arrival, the Pope urged young Catholics to “make disciples of all nations”.
“I came to meet young people coming from all over the world, drawn to the open arms of Christ the Redeemer,” he said at the governor’s palace, referring to Rio’s famous vast statue of Jesus.
“They want to find a refuge in his embrace, right near his heart to hear his call clearly and powerfully.”
About an hour after the welcoming ceremony, police fired stun grenades and tear gas against the demonstrators outside the palace.
It was the latest rally against what the protesters described as endemic government corruption across the country.
But some were also unhappy about $53 million in public fund being spent for the pontiff’s visit.
There was little damage and few arrests, but it was a reminder that there is still a real possibility the pontiff’s high-profile visit to a huge Catholic festival in Rio could be overshadowed by political events.
Crowds mobbed Pope Francis’ car in Rio de Janeiro as it made its way from the airport
In a separate development, the military said a homemade explosive device had been discovered at a shrine between Rio and Sao Paulo that the Pope is due to visit on Wednesday.
The device at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida was described as being “of low power” and was destroyed.
As Pope Francis disembarked from the Alitalia plane in Rio’s airport earlier on Monday, he was welcomed by President Dilma Rousseff to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. A choir sang an anthem linked to Youth Day and he was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
The Pope waved before being taken by motorcade to the centre of Rio, where thousands of pilgrims have gathered.
Pope Francis looked relaxed and jovial as he was driven into Rio de Janeiro in a modest family car, with the window wound down and security officials struggling to keep back the crowds.
There were chaotic scenes as his car became stuck in one of the city’s infamous traffic jams, after the pope’s driver reportedly took the wrong turn and missed lanes that had been cleared by the security services.
Crowds immediately gathered round the vehicle hoping to catch a glimpse or touch Pope Francis. One woman passed her baby through the window for a kiss from the Holy Father.
Once in the city centre, the Pope switched to an open-air Popemobile, waving at the tens of thousands who lined the streets he travelled through.
The authorities have increased security during the Pope’s seven-day visit, following weeks of nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.
Pope Francis refused to use an armored Popemobile, despite requests from Brazilian officials. Some 30,000 security staff – army and police are on duty throughout his visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
The Argentina-born Pope – who became head of the Catholic Church in March – is due to lead a prayer service on Copacabana beach on Thursday. He will also visit one of Rio’s shanty towns.
Speaking to reporters on his flight from Rome, the Pope said young people were “at this moment are in crisis,” in an apparent reference to the continuing economic crisis across Europe.
“We run the risk of having a generation that hasn’t worked,” he said, even though work confers dignity.
Pope Francis also criticized what he said was a “culture” of socially rejecting the elderly who were “thrown away” as if they had nothing to offer.
