Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead –The Wizard of Oz song at the centre of an anti-Margaret Thatcher campaign – will not be played in full on the Official Chart Show.
Instead a clip of the 51-second song will be aired as part of a Newsbeat report, BBC Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper has said.
Sales of Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead have soared since Margaret Thatcher’s death on Monday, aged 87.
Ben Cooper called the decision “a difficult compromise”.
The song is set to take No 3 spot in Sunday’s countdown, according to the Official Charts Company.
Ding Dong The Witch is Dead, The Wizard of Oz song at the centre of an anti-Margaret Thatcher campaign, will not be played in full on the Official Chart Show
Speaking to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, Ben Cooper said: “The decision I have made is I am not going to play it in full but that I will play a clip of it in a news environment.
“When I say a news environment, that is a newsreader telling you about the fact that this record has reached a certain place in the chart and here is a clip of that track.
“It is a compromise and it is a difficult compromise to come to. You have very difficult and emotional arguments on both sides of the fence.
“Let’s not forget you also have a family that is grieving for a loved one who is yet to be buried.”
The announcement was followed by a statement from the corporation, reading: “The BBC finds this campaign distasteful but does not believe the record should be banned.”
“On Sunday, the Radio 1 Chart Show will contain a news item explaining why the song is in the charts during which a short clip will be played as it has been in some of our news programmes.”
The original song was performed in the 1939 Judy Garland film by characters celebrating the demise of the much-hated Wicked Witch of the East.
The campaign has been called “tasteless” by the BBC’s director general Tony Hall, Deputy PM Nick Clegg and others, though few have called for the song to be banned outright.
DJ Paul Gambaccini and former director general Greg Dyke are among those who have taken the opposite position, arguing that the chart is a statistical reality that should not be editorialized.
Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead, attributed to Judy Garland and the cast of the movie, is also expected to feature in the Capital Chart’s Big Top 40.
A spokesman for Capital FM said the station was currently “reviewing the situation”.
Rival campaigns are under way to get a song considered to be more favorable to Margaret Thatcher into this week’s countdown as well.
One Facebook group is seeking to boost sales of (I’m In Love With) Margaret Thatcher, a 1980 track by the punk band Notsensible.
An auction of masks originating from Native American Hopi tribe in Arizona has begun in Paris, after a legal challenge to stop the sale failed.
Lawyers for the Hopi tribe had asked for the auction to be cancelled on the grounds that the 70 masks must have been stolen from the tribe.
It considers them sacred and blessed with divine spirits.
Auctioneers, however, say the masks had been bought and sold in the past and were legally acquired.
“The sale is going ahead,” lawyer Pierre Servan-Schreiber, who represents the Hopi tribe, told news agency AFP after a Paris court rejected the bid.
Lawyers for the Hopi tribe had asked for Paris auction to be cancelled on the grounds that the 70 masks must have been stolen from the tribe
Robert Redford has been supporting the Hopi and describes himself as their “close friend”.
Before the court ruling, Robert Redford wrote that the masks “belong to the Hopi and the Hopi alone”.
“To auction these would be, in my opinion, a sacrilege – a criminal gesture that contains grave moral repercussions,” the actor said.
“I would hope that these sacred items can be returned to the Hopi tribe where they belong. They are not for auction.”
The legal proceedings were brought by the organization Survival International, which defends the rights of tribal peoples.
The US ambassador to France, Charles Rivkin, has also said he is “very concerned” about the sale.
However, auctioneer Gilles Neret-Minet of auction house Neret-Minet Tessier & Sarrou had warned that a ruling to stop the sale could potentially force French museums to empty out their collections.
“If we lose this case, there will be no more sales of objects of indigenous art in France,” he said before the court ruling.
Rice imported into the US from some countries in Asia, Europe, and South America contains enough lead to cause health problems, according to a research presented this week at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting in New Orleans.
American adults eating just one 200-gram serving (about a cup) of this rice could consume 10 times the amount of lead deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a day.
Infants and children consuming child-size portions could swallow 30 to 60 times more than their recommended daily limit.
Eating this rice even occasionally could contribute to such chronic conditions as cancer, osteoporosis, nerve damage, and developmental and brain problems in children, says study author Tsanangurayi Tongesayi, PhD, of Monmouth University in New Jersey.
Rice imported into the US from some countries in Asia, Europe, and South America contains enough lead to cause health problems
Researchers detected lead levels between 6 and 12 mg/kg in all the samples they tested of commercially available rice imported into the US from Taiwan, China, the Czech Republic, Bhutan, Italy, India, and Thailand. In many of these countries, farmers grow rice in areas close to factories and cities. Lead from these sources likely contaminates nearby soil and water and then leaches into the rice, Tsanangurayi Tongesayi says.
Only about 7% of the rice Americans eat is imported, but that number is increasing, and labels don’t always indicate a food’s original source. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi recommends choosing a US brand when you can. However, since his lab is still testing the American rice to confirm its safety and recent reports have raised concerns about arsenic in domestic products, it may be best to eat rice less frequently, serve smaller portions, or double-boil it and dump the water in between to lower toxin levels.
Sources of lead outside your pantry – including the soil near highways and paint used in houses built before 1974 – remain the biggest source of American exposure to the metal.
“Lead has no biological value, so there’s no reason to have any lead in your food or in your diet,” says John Spangler, MD, professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
Other potentially lead contaminated foods include:
Produce grown in city gardens or near old homes or apartment complexes, because lead from paint may permeate the ground. Wash your homegrown fruits and veggies before eating them to remove lead-tainted dirt from the surface, Dr. John Spangler recommends. And consider asking local public health officials to test the soil.
Imported canned goods. American manufacturers can’t use lead in food packaging, but some other countries still do. Look out for cans made from three pieces with visible seams soldered together using a silver-gray material.
Candy made in Mexico, especially if it contains chili powder or tamarind.
Lindsay Lohan’s long awaited Anger Management episode with Charlie Sheen finally aired on Thursday.
While there were references to drugs, court dates and theft, with canned laughter as their soundtrack the pair’s walk down memory lane was one peppered with sedate jokes.
The episode revolved around Lindsay Lohan, playing herself, employing Charlie Sheen’s character Charlie Goodson, to be her anger management coach while she acted in a cheesy Japanese commercial.
“I’m Lindsay Lohan and I love the taste of alcohol but sometimes bars close, so how am I going to get that taste until they open again?” Lindsay Lohan says in the fictional advert for kitsch product Number One Happy Whiskey Chew.
Lindsay Lohan’s long awaited Anger Management episode with Charlie Sheen finally aired on Thursday
“There’s no alcohol in it but I still might wake up with a stranger,” recites the actress flanked by a giant bear, who is thrusting his pelvis in her direction.
The bear causes Lindsay Lohan to throw a tantrum and stomp off the set.
“What the f*** so I’m having s** with a bear now?” she yells, throwing the gum to the floor.
“All I agreed to was dressing up as a sexy Japanese schoolgirl, now I’m some drunk who has s** with bears for gum?” she moans.
It is Charlie Goodson’s job to pacify Lindsay Lohan but the couple end up in bed together and series of misunderstandings lead to Lindsay getting arrested.
Another scene nods to Lindsay Lohan’s arrests for probation violation and failing to complete her community service.
“All the jails know me,” she says as she shirks out of attending the whole of an anger management meeting in a jail.
“Oh, and by the way, if anybody asks, I was here for the full hour,” Lindsay Lohan says as she leaves.
Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen also end up in bed together – telling similar jokes – in their new film Scary Movie 5, which is in theatres this weekend.
Lindsay Lohan will not have much time to enjoy the success of Anger Management episode or Scary Movie 5 as she will soon start her court ordered inpatient treatment programme.
According to TMZ, Lindsay Lohan will have to resist her fair share of temptations including the liquor store near the Seafield Centre.
The owner of Six Corners Liquors told TMZ: “If Lindsay came in we would treat her like a normal customer. If she wants to buy something of course we will allow her to buy something. I would never say no to her.
“[I’m] rooting for [Lindsay Lohan] to succeed and drink in moderation.”
Psy is introducing his new single, Gentleman, after he sparked an international dance craze with the release of his hit Gangnam Style last year.
Gentleman, with a techno beat, was full of puns in Korean and contained the lines “I am a party mafia!” and the refrain, “I am a mother father gentleman”.
The 35-year-old South Korean rapper hinted in an interview last week that Gentleman also features a dance routine – hinting that it is based on traditional Korean moves.
Speaking on South Korean television last week, Psy said: “All Koreans know this dance but other countries haven’t seen it.”
Psy will perform Gentleman in public for the first time on Saturday at a concert at Seoul’s World Cup stadium.
Psy hinted in an interview last week that Gentleman also features a dance routine based on traditional Korean moves
The rapper has asked fans to wear white to Saturday’s event and his stylist told Reuters last month that the concept for the new song would again be a formal suit with “an unexpected twist of fun”.
In Gangnam Style, written as a commentary on materialism in the wealthy Seoul suburb of Gangnam, Psy was decked out in sunglasses, a white dress shirt, bow tie and tuxedo jackets.
Gangnam Style racked up 3.59 million digital sales last year in the US and Canada, according to Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BDS, putting it ninth in the best-selling list.
The video for Gangnam Style also became the most watched item on YouTube with more than 1.5 billion hits.
Gangnam Style catapulted Psy to global fame after a rocky career in the music business over the past decade.
Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, graduated from the Berklee College of Music in the US and made his debut in 2001 with the album PSY from the Psycho World.
The rapper ran into trouble with the authorities for “inappropriate” content in the lead song on that album, which was seen as sexually suggestive. He was also charged with possession of marijuana in 2002. Since then he has released five more albums.
Psy’s brash style – at a concert last year he parodied Lady Gaga, complete with fake breasts that he set on fire – stands in stark contrast to the squeaky clean singers that dominate K-pop which is finding an increasingly large international audience.
Amanda Bynes was spotted headed to a market in New York City where she was apparently on the lookout for a cap to cover her head.
The move came just days after Amanda Bynes stepped out with blonde tresses following some experimentation with an auburn hue and various wigs prior to that.
It is surprising that she even managed to have the beauty process done as she claimed to have shaved her head recently.
After a publication posted snaps which Amanda Bynes deemed less than her best image, she went on a rant online defending her appearance and even pointed out that she was aware of her hardly polished look.
Amanda Bynes wrote on Twitter: “please post my pics anytime! I had to shave my head because of hair damage from someone @ John Barrett so I’m not loving my paparazzi pics for a few years! I have extensions but you can see.”
Amanda Bynes claims she shaved her head because of hair damage at John Barrett
On Wednesday she took to Twitter to write that some reports about her were not true.
Amanda Bynes wrote: “I don’t speak to my parents anymore, they don’t talk to reporters on my behalf. Don’t believe anything you read about me unless I tweet it.”
A few hours later she added her pals were not acting as a channel for her to speak to the public either.
“My friends don’t speak on my behalf either. Please don’t read anything about me needing help. That offends me. Follow me on twitter!”
Staff at a hairdressing salon Amanda Bynes visited on Tuesday admitted that she looked to be “under the influence of something”.
“I feel sorry for her,” the stylist told Radaronline.com.
“I don’t know what she was on exactly, but she was definitely on something.”
Amanda Bynes’ actions are reminiscent of pop star Britney Spears’ 2007 breakdown where she shockingly shaved her head at a salon.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has announced he will appeal for extra assistance from the EU after it emerged yesterday that the country would need to raise an extra 6 billion euros ($7.8bn) to secure a 10 billion euro bailout from Brussels and the IMF.
Nicos Anastasiades is urging EU leaders to change their policy towards Cyprus, but he is not asking for more money.
The president made the announcement ahead of a eurozone finance ministers meeting in Dublin.
According to a draft document prepared by the country’s creditors, the cost of the rescue has risen to 23 billion euros from 17.5 billion euros, with Cyprus now having to find 13 billion euros of this.
The Dublin meeting will review how Cyprus can raise its contribution to the bailout being put together by the EU and IMF.
A Cypriot official in Dublin said Cyprus is not seeking more bailout money, but is rather seeking help from EU to reduce the burden of the conditions to make the bailout possible.
Cyprus says it is not seeking more bailout money, but is rather seeking help from EU to reduce the burden of the conditions to make the bailout possible
Meanwhile, the German government has confirmed that the size of a eurozone bailout would not rise.
“The contribution from international creditors will not change,” said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert, noting that 10 billion euro package was “already very large”.
Nicos Anastasiades said he had already spoken to EU Economy and Euro Commissioner Olli Rehn ahead of the Dublin meeting.
The president also said he would also be writing to European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and to EU President Herman Van Rompuy.
“The letter to Mr. Barroso and Mr. Rompuy will refer to the need for EU policy to change towards Cyprus by giving it extra assistance, given the critical times we are going through as a result of the economic crisis and the measures imposed on us,” Nicos Anastasiades said.
Analysts said the increase in the cost of the bailout meant Cyprus faced huge new challenges.
Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics, said that the “biggest burden of the increase in the bailout will fall on depositors and bank bond-holders, whose combined contribution will rise from an expected 5.8 billion euros to 10.6 billion euros.”
Under bailout terms agreed in March, depositors with more than 100,000 euros in savings will bear part of the cost of the rescue.
The bank sector on which much of the Cypriot economy was dependent is shrinking, and thousands of jobs are being lost.
Laiki Bank is being wound up and its healthy assets transferred to the Bank of Cyprus.
Late on Thursday, Cyprus relaxed restrictions that were imposed last month on access to accounts in order to head off a run on banks.
The capital controls, the first that any eurozone country has applied, were put in place when banks reopened on March 28 after they were closed almost two weeks until a bailout agreement.
A new decree, which will remain in place for seven days, lifts all restrictions on transactions under 300,000 euros, a move aimed at helping cash-starved domestic businesses which had difficulty paying suppliers and employees.
Also, the daily limit on transactions outside of Cyprus not requiring prior approval is raised from 5,000 to 20,000 euros.
However, the daily cash withdrawal limit of 300 euros stays in place.
Malawi’s President Joyce Banda was reportedly “incandescent with anger” over her office statement labeling Madonna a bully.
Joyce Banda said she was unaware of the critical statement that was issued by her office following Madonna’s recent visit to Malawi, senior officials have said.
The statement accused Madonna of exaggerating her contribution to Malawi and demanding VIP treatment.
Madonna, who was visiting her charity in Malawi, hit back at the criticisms.
The singer described them as lies and said she began her involvement in Malawi seven years ago “with honorable intentions”.
Malawi’s President Joyce Banda was reportedly incandescent with anger over her office statement labeling Madonna a bully
The statement, issued on Wednesday, accused Madonna of wanting Malawi “to be forever chained to the obligation of gratitude”.
It claimed Madonna believed the government should have “rolled out a red carpet and blast the 21-gun salute” upon her arrival in Malawi.
The statement also accused the star telling “the whole world that she is building schools in Malawi when she has actually only contributed to the construction of classrooms”.
Emily Banda, head of Malawi’s NGO board, said that although President Joyce Banda “did not approve” or indeed know about the statement, there would be no apology for the mistake.
Some of the criticism of Madonna’s charity work was justified, she said.
In response to the statement, Madonna’s charity Raising Malawi said that she “did not ever ask or demand special treatment at the airport or elsewhere” during her visit and would not “be distracted or discouraged by other people’s political agendas”.
Madonna said in the statement that she saw “with my own eyes the 10 new primary schools in Kasungu province that Raising Malawi… completed this year,” during her recent visit.
Actress Junie Hoang, who sued Amazon.com after her date of birth was posted on its Internet Movie Database (IMDb), has had her claim rejected by a jury in Seattle.
Huong Hoang, who goes by the stage name Junie Hoang, alleged that offers dried up after the database revealed her age.
IMDb argued it had the right to publish accurate data and that Junie Hoang, 41, could not prove she lost out because of it.
According to the website, Junie Hoang credits include the 2011 title Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver.
IMDb, which was launched in 1990 and purchased by Amazon in 1998, continues to post Junie Hoang’s date of birth on her profile page.
Junie Hoang, who sued Amazon after her date of birth was posted on its IMDb, has had her claim rejected by a jury in Seattle
In court documents filed anonymously in 2011, Amazon and its movie database subsidiary were accused of breach of contract, fraud, violation of privacy and consumer protection laws.
Parent company Amazon was dismissed as a defendant before the two-day trial, which concluded on Thursday.
The database’s stance drew criticism in 2011 from two acting unions, who accused the site of “facilitating age discrimination”.
During the trial, though, the site’s attorneys said IMDb was not responsible for the actions taken by people who read their profiles.
Junie Hoang, who had been seeking $1 million in damages, had initially provided IMDb with a false birth year that reduced her stated age by seven years.
When the actress asked for that information to be removed, IMDb used a public records search to discover her true date of birth and published it against her objections.
Speaking after the trial, Junie Hoang said she had hoped to make the database change its policy.
“I knew it was a problem not just for me but for anyone else who had their age on their profile,” she told the Associated Press.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in South Korean capital Seoul for talks on the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula.
John Kerry is discussing the crisis with President Park Geun-hye and his South Korean counterpart as well as US military commanders in the country.
US officials have said the secretary of state will use his Asian tour to urge China to use its influence to rein in Pyongyang.
John Kerry’s visit comes as a US report said North Korea could be capable of launching a nuclear-armed missile.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Seoul for talks on the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report, a declassified section of which was disclosed by a US Congressman, said there was “moderate” confidence that Pyongyang had developed the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile, though noted that its “reliability will be low”.
However, the Pentagon has since said it would be “inaccurate” to suggest North Korea has fully developed and tested such weapons.
In a statement, it said the US continued to monitor the situation, and called on North Korea to “honor its international obligations”.
John Kerry’s visit to South Korea begins his first trip to Asia since becoming secretary of state. On Saturday he will travel to Beijing and on Sunday, go on to Tokyo.
His tour comes as South Korea is on a high state of alert amid indications that North Korea is preparing for a missile test.
Pyongyang has moved two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast. Estimates of their range vary, but some suggest the missiles could travel 2,500 miles.
That would put US bases on Guam within range, although it is not believed that the Musudan has been tested before.
John Kerry’s trip has been planned for several weeks but the rising tensions have given it a new sense of urgency.
The US diplomacy is of limited use in dealing with North Korea itself, but that his visit is intended to reassure Washington’s allies in Seoul and Tokyo about American support.
US officials have said John Kerry will use his time in Beijing to put pressure on China – Pyongyang’s last remaining ally – to use its influence over North Korea to calm the tensions.
“Fundamentally we would want them to use some of that leverage because otherwise it is very destabilizing and it threatens the whole region,” an official told reporters on board John Kerry’s plane.
However, in the past few days North Korea’s media appear to be in more of a holiday mood, due to the approach of Monday’s celebrations marking the birth of national founder Kim Il-sung – a potential launch date for a new missile test.
Big Pat, Chris Brown’s bodyguard, has accused Drake of sending an offensive note before their brawl at Soho’s W.i.P nightclub in a new lawsuit.
Big Pat, 43, real name Patrick Strickland, is suing Drake and the W.i.P nightclub over the nasty head cut he suffered when the melee kicked off in New York last June.
He claims the nightspot is responsible for his injury because it sat chris Brown and Drake’s entourages near each other, even though workers there knew they were feuding over Rihanna.
According to the New York Daily News, Big Pat refers to Drake as “a popular and successful, albeit critically derided, entertainer” in legal papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Big Pat, who is suing for unspecified damages, claims the club’s seating arrangements created “a substantial and unjustifiable risk that a mass altercation would occur between the two camps”.
Chris Brown’s bodyguard also alleges the club over-served Drake and his cohorrts, and had an employee hand Brown a note from Drake that read: “I’m f*****g the love of your life.”
Big Pat, Chris Brown’s bodyguard, has accused Drake of sending an offensive note before their brawl at Soho’s W.i.P nightclub in a new lawsuit
This allegedly led to a “verbal altercation” which escalated into a “massive bar brawl that involved bottle throwing, possible gunshots and a general state of riot and disorder”.
Contemporary reports said Big Pat was hit in the head and required stitches, and the suit says he endured “severe and disfiguring injuries to his face, head and eyes”.
The suit, which also names W.i.P.’s sister club Greenhouse and various parties associated with the party spots, is the latest in a string of legal actions relating to the incident.
The saga is becoming every more complicated, and last month it emerged the owners of the nightclub are arguing Chris Brown and Drake should be the ones to pay any damages to NBA player Tony Parker, another person who was caught in the crossfire.
Eva Longoria’s ex-husband is one of several people claiming they were injured in the brawl and filed a $20 million lawsuit against the club soon after.
Tony Parker claims he suffered a corneal laceration to his left eye among other injuries, and is seeking $20 million in damages.
The W.i.P’s owners, who are facing several suits, filed documents last week in New York saying Tony Parker should be pursing Chris Brown and Drake instead because they “contributed to, instigated, participated and/or engaged” in the brawl.
They want any and all damages awarded to the San Antonio Spurs player to come from Chris Brown and Drake, though it is still be decided what they should be as the case is still pending.
This is despite Tony Parker not naming Drake or Chris Brown in court documents hedged against owners of W.i.P.
It was previously reported Chris Brown and Drake are now suing each other over the incident.
Previous court documents indicate neither party is claiming responsibility for the fracas on June 14 last year, in the event a third party wins a suit filed against both men for damages suffered as a result over the fracas.
It has also been revealed French model Romain Julien filed suit against both Chris Brown and Drake, real name Aubrey Drake Graham, in August 2012 after sustaining injuries in the fight, which saw bottles flying between entourages at the club.
Romain Julien claims he suffered a severed tendon in his right hand, lacerations, a cosmetic deformity and mental distress as a result of the incident.
Newly-obtained filings show both Drake, 26, and Chris Brown, 23, are asking a judge to blame the event on each other to avoid having to deliver on a potentially large payday should Romain Julien win the suit.
It would mark the first time Chris Brown and Drake have sued one another.
Last November police revealed they had no plans to file criminal charges over the incident after concluding their investigation.
It is believed Chris Brown – who is still on probation for assaulting Rihanna in 2009 – sent a bottle of champagne to Drake’s table as a peace offering but it was returned with a note reading: “I’m f*****g the love of your life, deal with it.”
The gesture is then thought to have angered Chris Brown and resulted in him confronting Drake, who allegedly threw a punch at his rival, leading to a brawl breaking out.
Two other women who claim they were injured in the incident have filed suit.
Club owners at W.i.P also have pending litigation against Drake and Chris Brown.
Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan reunited on the red carpet at the premiere of Scary Movie 5 at ArcLight’s Cinerama Dome in Hollywood on Thursday night.
Charlie Sheen, 47, who bailed the 26-year-old out of tax debt to the tune of $100,000, grabbed hold of Lindsay Lohan a little too enthusiastically as he went in for a friendly kiss.
Lindsay Lohan, who is rehab bound within weeks, didn’t appear to mind – and laughed as Charlie Sheen pawed her in front of the cameras.
Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan reunited on the red carpet at the premiere of Scary Movie 5 at ArcLight’s Cinerama Dome in Hollywood
The red carpet was a who’s who of celebrities gone bad, as Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan and co-star Andy Dick between them have clocked up numerous arrests and trips to rehab.
The troubled trio have plenty in common, frequently making headlines for their past arrests and weakness for drugs and alcohol.
The after-party for Scary Movie 5 premiere was surely a lively one what with other wild personalities such as Mike Tyson and Eddie Griffin around.
Also at the premiere was actress Heather Locklear toting her 15-year-old daughter Ava Sambora.
Heather Locklear got together with her ex-BFF Denise Richards, who was married to Charlie Sheen for three years.
Scary Movie 5 star Ashley Tisdale, 27, displayed her dark side with an ombré hairstyle and a vampy cut-out, sparkly gown.
She was smooched on the red carpet by her boyfriend, Annie Automatic musician Christopher French.
Kate Walsh, 45, looked classy in her spring frock and Erica Ash looked rosy in her pink dress with a plunging neckline.
Charlie Sheen goofed around with heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, who pretended to bite off his ear like he did to Evander Holyfield in 1997.
Kendall Jenner posed like a pro as she got a glimpse at her portrait in the Nomad Two Worlds exhibit at the Guy Hepner art gallery in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday.
As her big brown eyes gazed at the Russell James portrait that captured her in another light, Kendall Jenner, 17, grasped onto a vibrant embossed, fold-over red clutch.
The teen model had on a full face of makeup, toning down her lips with a sheer pink shade to even out her dramatic eyes and cheeks.
Kendall Jenner posed like a pro as she got a glimpse at her portrait in the Nomad Two Worlds exhibit at the Guy Hepner art gallery in Los Angeles
One of the pictures captured Kendall Jenner with braided hair as she bared her shoulders and right arm, the rest of her body disappearing into an illusion of ribbon-like strands.
The mysterious black-and-white setting also shows a bird flying above Kendall Jenner as two others sit behind her and one resting on her fingertips.
Kris Jenner joined her daughter for the art appreciation outing, tweeting: “Sneak peek with @KendallJenner of the amazing @nomadrj exhibit at @guyhepner in LA!” along with a snapshot of the two smiling in front of another photo.
The mother was certainly proud of her daughter, snapping pictures of the artwork throughout their gallery visit, which was also being filmed for an episode of their reality series Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Kendall Jenner was pleased too, instagramming her favorite photo with the caption: “seriously, some incredible work I saw today in @nomadjr’s exhibit at @guyhepner in LA! #dasmee (sic).”
The US has urged China to use all its leverage to help rein in North Korea’s “destabilizing” actions.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is in South Korea, where he is expected to call on China to evoke “a sense of urgency” in its talks with North Korea.
Pyongyang has ratcheted up tensions in the region, threatening nuclear strikes against South Korea and the US.
A leaked US intelligence report has said North Korea may now be capable of mounting nuclear warheads on a missile.
On Thursday, a US Congressman read out what he said was an unclassified section of a Defense Intelligence Agency study. He said it assessed “with moderate confidence” that North Korea could fire a nuclear-armed missile, though with “low reliability”.
North Korea has tested both nuclear weapons and missiles, but it had been thought it had not yet developed a device small enough to be a viable and deliverable weapon.
But the Pentagon later denied the report, with spokesman George Little saying it would be “inaccurate to suggest that the North Korean regime has fully tested, developed or demonstrated the kinds of nuclear capabilities referenced in the passage”.
North Korea has increased its warlike rhetoric following fresh UN sanctions imposed after its third nuclear test in February
South Korea is currently on a high state of alert amid indications that North Korea is preparing for a missile test.
Pyongyang has moved two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast. Estimates of their range vary, but some suggest the missiles could travel 2,500 miles.
That would put US bases on Guam within range, although it is not believed that the Musudan has been tested before.
John Kerry is making his first trip to Asia since becoming secretary of state. He will spend time in Seoul and Tokyo as well as in Beijing, North Korea’s last remaining ally and its major trading partner.
A senior administration official told reporters on board John Kerry’s plane: “It is no secret that China has most leverage, most influence, with North Korea and I think fundamentally we would want them to use some of that leverage because otherwise it is very destabilizing and it threatens the whole region.”
The official added that, although Washington was not privy to conversations between China and North Korea, “we would want China to bring a sense of urgency, the need to stop this escalation, into that debate”.
“China has a huge stake in stability and the continued North Korean pursuit of a nuclear armed missile capability is the enemy of stability. That gives us and the Chinese a very powerful objective in common, namely denuclearization,” the official said.
President Barack Obama has urged Pyongyang to end its “belligerent approach… and to try to lower temperatures”.
But he warned that while he preferred to see tensions resolved through diplomatic means, “the United States will take all necessary steps to protect its people”.
China, meanwhile, has denied reports that it is deploying troops along the North Korean border.
A defense ministry official said Beijing was “paying close attention to the development of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and has always been committed to safeguarding peace and stability in Northeast Asia,” the state Xinhua news agency reports.
North Korea has increased its warlike rhetoric following fresh UN sanctions imposed after its third nuclear test in February and joint military manoeuvres by the US and South Korea.
Pyongyang says it will restart a mothballed nuclear reactor, has shut an emergency military hotline to the South and has urged countries to withdraw diplomatic staff, saying it cannot now guarantee their safety.
However, in the past few days North Korea’s media appear to be in more of a holiday mood, due to the approach of Monday’s celebrations marking the birth of national founder Kim Il-sung – a potential launch date for a new missile test.
On Thursday, foreign ministers from the G8 group of nations condemned in the “strongest possible terms” North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
Eurozone finance ministers meet in Dublin on Friday to finalize Cyprus bailout amid news that the country needs much more money than previously thought.
The meeting will review how Cyprus can raise its contribution to the bailout being put together by the EU and IMF.
The cost of the rescue has risen to 23 billion euros ($30 billion) from 17.5 billion euros, according to Cyprus’ creditors.
Meanwhile, Cyprus has loosened the capital controls it imposed last month.
Eurozone finance ministers meet in Dublin to finalize Cyprus bailout amid news that it needs much more money than first thought
In order to secure 10 billion euros from the EU and IMF, Cyprus will have to find the remaining 13 billion euros, 5.5 billion euros more than previously thought.
The finance minister of Luxembourg, Luc Frieden, said on Friday that Europe and the IMF could not increase their 10 billion euro share of the bailout.
“I believe the policy will be that the volume will remain at 10 billion [euros],” he told a German radio station.
Late on Thursday, a Cypriot government spokesman confirmed that one fundraising option being considered was the sale of some of the country’s gold reserves.
“The Cypriot government put various options forward, including this,” Christos Stylianides told a news conference.
Christos Stylianides blamed the gulf between the original bailout total and the new 23 billion figure on the previous administration and the time it took to negotiate a bailout, delays which pushed the cost of recapitalizing its banks much higher.
He accused former President Dimitris Christofias of failing to “take responsibility, and complete indecisiveness” in promptly negotiating a bailout.
Analysts said the increase in the cost of the bailout meant Cyprus faced huge new challenges.
Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics, said that the “biggest burden of the increase in the bailout will fall on depositors and bank bond-holders, whose combined contribution will rise from an expected 5.8 billion euros to 10.6 billion euros.”
Under bailout terms agreed in March, depositors with more than 100,000 euros in savings will bear part of the cost of the rescue.
The bank sector on which much of the Cypriot economy was dependent is shrinking, and thousands of jobs are being lost.
Laiki Bank is being wound up and its healthy assets transferred to the Bank of Cyprus.
Late on Thursday, Cyprus relaxed restrictions that were imposed last month on access to accounts in order to head off a run on banks.
The capital controls, the first that any eurozone country has applied, were put in place when banks reopened on March 28 after they were closed until a bailout agreement.
A new decree, which will remain in place for seven days, lifts all restrictions on transactions under 300,000 euros, a move aimed at helping cash-starved domestic businesses which had difficulty paying suppliers and employees.
Also, the daily limit on transactions outside of Cyprus not requiring prior approval is raised from 5,000 to 20,000 euros.
However, the daily cash withdrawal limit of 300 euros stays in place.
Meanwhile, eurozone officials at the meeting are also due to review Slovenia’s growing problems.
There will be no discussion at the meeting of finance ministers, and the country will not make an application for bailout funds.
But Slovenia’s finance minister, Uros Cufer, is expected to present to EU and European Central Bank officials his plan to shore up the country’s finances.
Slovenia, which adopted the euro single currency in 2007, has been forced to recapitalize its main banks and the economy is struggling.
While the US and South Korea were on high alert for a missile launch on Thursday, North Korea was celebrating its ruling Kim dynasty and appeared to tone down rhetoric of impending war.
Despite threats it will attack US bases and the South in response to any hostile acts, North Korea started to welcome a stream of visitors for Monday’s birthday celebrations of its founding father, Kim Il-sung.
Performers carry a flag at the opening of the April Spring People’s Art Festival at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater on April 11.
The festival opened Thursday to mark late president Kim Il-sung’s birthday on April 15, known in North Korea as the Day of the Sun. In the background are portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and his son, Kim Jong-il.
Meanwhile Pyongyang issued a statement that appeared to be tinged with regret over the closure of the joint Kaesong industrial zone that was shuttered when it ordered its workers out this week, terming the North-South Korean venture “the pinnacle of General Kim Jong-il’s limitless love for his people and brothers”.
The statement on North Korea’s KCNA news agency blamed South Korean President Park Geun-hye for bringing the money-spinning venture to “the brink of shutting down.”
North Korea celebrates Kim dynasty with song and dance as world watches for missile launch
Kim Jong-il, Kim Il-sung’s son, ruled North Korea until his death in December 2011. He was succeeded by Kim Jong-un, the third of his line to preside over one of the world’s poorest and most heavily militarized countries.
Since taking office, Kim Jong-un, 30, has staged two long-range rocket launches and a nuclear weapons test. The nuclear test in February triggered UN sanctions that Pyongyang has termed a hostile act and a precursor to invasion.
For over a month, North Korea has issued an almost daily series of threats to the US and South Korea, most recently warning foreigners to leave the South due to an impending “thermonuclear” war.
Apart from the swipe at South Korea’s new president, verbal threats appeared to fall off as KCNA listed arrivals for the upcoming birthday celebrations, naming an eclectic mix ranging from Chinese businessmen to Cold War-era enthusiasts of its socialist monarchy and official ideology of “Juche,” or self-reliance.
Reinforcing the rule of the Kim dynasty and the legitimacy of Kim Jong-un to hold power in Pyongyang is a key tenet of North Korea’s ideology.
It was the first anniversary on Thursday of Kim Jong-un’s official ascent to power, although he became de-facto leader immediately after his father’s death.
Key North Korean anniversaries:
11 April – Kim Jong-un elected first secretary of the Workers’ Party, and late father Kim Jong-il named General Secretary for Eternity in 2012
13 April – Kim Jong-un appointed first chairman of the National Defence Commission in 2012
15 April – Birthday of state founder Kim Il-sung (15 April 1912- 8 July 1994)
Images of four North Korean female soldiers in heels and Soviet-style hats were released in the latest act of bravado from dictator Kim Jong- un.
The images were accompanied by a fresh round of North Korean rhetoric claiming the communist state had “powerful striking means” on standby for a launch.
Images of four North Korean female soldiers in heels and Soviet-style hats were released in the latest act of bravado from dictator Kim Jong- un
The official statement is the latest in a torrent of warlike threats seen outside Pyongyang as an effort to raise fears and pressure Seoul and Washington into changing their North Korea policy.
The eyes of the world remain focused on North Korea after South Korea warned that the prospect of a missile attack was “considerably high”.
The US is on standby to intercept any missile fired and warned North Korea it was “skating very close to a dangerous line” after it emerged the secretive state’s weapons system was “fuelled and ready to launch”.
Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica has apologized for apparently referring to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an “old hag”.
In a radio interview Jose Mujica offered “heartfelt apologies” and blamed the quip on his “rough language skills”.
Last week, Jose Mujica was overheard saying: “This old hag is even worse than the cross-eyed man.”
It was claimed that the Uruguayan president referred to Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her late husband, whom she succeeded as president.
Cristina Fernandez’s husband, Nestor Kirchner, had a lazy eye. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 2010.
Uruguay’s President Jose Mujica has apologized for apparently referring to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as an old hag
The comments, meant to be private, were accidentally caught and recorded by a nearby open microphone.
Jose Mujica’s words caused outrage in Argentina and led to an official protest.
In an interview to radio M24 on Thursday, Jose Mujica put the comments down to his “rough” past life in an armed group.
“We can’t avoid that our daily and intimate manner of speaking is sometimes rough,” the president said, adding that it has been shaped by spending many years in prison cells and detention.
“This kind of language is miles away from public speeches, from the press. It has only to do with intimate relationships between very few.”
Jose Mujica made the controversial comments at the start of a news conference while speaking quietly to another official.
El Observador newspaper posted the audio on its website, claiming that the president did not realize that the microphones were on.
The newspaper said that its website had crashed because of historically high levels of traffic generated by its coverage of the incident. It also gained the attention of social media.
Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman summoned the Uruguayan ambassador in Buenos Aires, Guillermo Pomi, to protest about the comments.
Correspondents say that President Jose Mujica, 77, who took office in 2010, has clashed in the past both with Cristina Fernandez and Nestor Kirchner.
Relations between Uruguay and Argentina have recently been strained because of concern in Montevideo over what it sees as protectionist measures enforced by Buenos Aires.
Nestor Kirchner was Argentina’s president from 2003 to 2007. His wife, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner succeeded him and won re-election in 2011.
Lindsay Lohan is expected to attend the premiere of Scary Movie 5 tonight in Los Angeles, but she will walk alone on the red carpet.
While the studio has tried to get Lindsay Lohan, 26, to walk the carpet with Charlie Sheen, who she shares her cameo scene with, the two will reportedly arrive separately, according to E! News.
Lindsay Lohan is expected to attend the premiere of Scary Movie 5 in Los Angeles, but she will walk alone on the red carpet
Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen became friends over the course of Scary Movie 5 project. Charlie Sheen even lent her $100,000 so that she could pay off a tax debt.
Scary Movie 5, directed by Malcolm D. Lee and written by David Zucker, is scheduled for theatrical release on April 12, 2013.
Kim Kardashian’s latest wardrobe malfunction was on Wednesday when she appeared to go braless while wearing a flowing black mullet dress and Grecian sandals.
Kim Kardashian’s thin T-shirt fabric wasn’t quite thick enough to conceal the reality star’s burgeoning bustline.
Kim Kardashian appeared to go braless while wearing a flowing black mullet dress
Her ample chest – which has ballooned in size – was clearly visible through the dress – and while it may seem ill-advised in her condition – the reality star appeared to have gone braless as her nipples were clearly visible.
Kim Kardashian, 32, appeared non-plussed by her sartorial issues and managed a smile as she made her way to her car with a protective hand on her stomach.
She finished off her outfit by wearing her hair half tied away from her face in two loose plaits, and sported a cardigan to ensure she didn’t get chilly.
Gwyneth Paltrow promotes a healthy lifestyle but she admits having her vices, like smoking one cigarette per week.
Gwyneth Paltrow, 40, also admitted she has tried Botox injections in the May issue of Harper’s Bazaar.
When asked about her guilty pleasures, Gwyneth Paltrow, who recently penned healthy eating cookbook It’s All Good, said: “My one light American Spirit that I smoke once a week, on Saturday night.”
As for surgery, the star said she would be “scared to go under the knife”, although she admitted that may change as she gets older.
Gwyneth Paltrow promotes a healthy lifestyle but she admits having her vices, like smoking one cigarette per week
“I’ll try anything. Except I won’t do Botox again, because I looked crazy,” Gwyneth Paltrow said.
“I looked like Joan Rivers!”
The actress also admitted to stepping up her beauty routine in recent years.
“I really used to be bad with products, but I exfoliate every night and use a lot of organic oils,” she said, confiding that she is a Sonya Dakar fan.
Gwyneth Paltrow said she recently had the Thermage laser treatment, which she described as “quite painful”.
“It feels like someone’s smacking your face with a rubber band that has an electric shock in it,” she said.
“But I would do it again, because I feel like it took five years off my face.”
Gwyneth Paltrow also spoke about the apparent contradictions in promoting a healthy lifestyle and organic products while at the same time indulging in high-end beauty treatments.
“I think it’s a mix,” she said.
“You know, I use organic products, but I get lasers. It’s what makes life, finding the balance between cigarettes and tofu.”
Gwyneth Paltrow opened about her 10-year marriage to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, stating that they are “growing into very similar people”.
The star, who is already a mother to Apple, 8, and Moses, 6, said she is considering trying for a third child, despite the big adjustment that would entail.
“But then you see a baby and you smell a baby!” she said.
“And you’re like, <<Yep, I do>>. I don’t know. It’s a very big decision, so we’ll see. Anyway, I’m not doing it this month!”
The US Senate has begun debate on a proposal to expand criminal background checks on gun buyers.
The bipartisan move marks the most serious consideration of gun control legislation in 19 years, though many hurdles remain before final passage.
Meanwhile, gun control advocates have gathered in Washington DC to make an emotional push for new restrictions.
The powerful gun lobby vows to oppose new gun control measures, arguing the US Constitution forbids them.
Thursday’s procedural vote to begin debate passed 68-31, with a handful of Republicans joining all but two Democrats, who have the majority in the chamber.
The US Senate has begun debate on a proposal to expand criminal background checks on gun buyers
It is the furthest into the legislative process any gun control bill has moved since 1994, when an assault weapons ban passed.
Senators could take weeks to thrash out all the likely amendments and there’s absolutely no guarantee that any of this will actually become law.
Gun control advocates planned several events on Thursday to draw attention to what is described as a national gun violence epidemic.
Religious leaders from Newtown, Connecticut began a 24-hour vigil at 11:30 local time on the National Mall near the White House and Capitol building.
More than 3,300 grave markers placed there will represent those killed by guns since a gunman killed 26 people at a primary school in Newtown in December.
Another group has been reading aloud the names, places and ages of these gun violence victims.
The lobbying push by both gun control and gun rights groups comes as a Democratic and a Republican senator have announced an agreement on a bill to expand background checks.
On Wednesday, Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania unveiled a deal that would expand criminal background checks to all online and all gun show sales, establish a commission on mass violence, and ease some restrictions on transporting guns across state lines.
Their proposal is being hailed as the best chance for new gun control legislation, though it falls short of the far stricter measures backed by the White House.
Currently, so-called private gun sales by dealers who are not licensed, including some at gun shows, are not subject to criminal background checks on the purchaser.
Vice-President Joe Biden, a strong supporter of new gun control legislation, told MSNBC’s Morning Joe programme on Thursday that gun control was “one of the cases where the public is so far ahead of the elected officials”.
Joe Biden also accused the nation’s top gun rights lobbying group, the National Rifle Association (NRA), of spreading disinformation, and promised expanded background checks would not lead to a national gun registry.
But the NRA opposes the Manchin-Toomey deal, arguing background checks do nothing to prevent gun violence.
In a letter to senators on Wednesday, NRA lobbyist Chris Cox warned that the organization would score lawmakers based on their votes on the Manchin-Toomey deal and other measures it opposes.
President Barack Obama’s other proposals, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, have not gained traction in Congress.
In a statement Barack Obama said he wished the agreement were stronger but praised the move as progress.
“We don’t have to agree on everything to know that we’ve got to do something to stem the tide of gun violence,” the president said.
Senators will vote on a series of amendments to the legislation and then once more to close debate before voting on the bill itself.
Prospects for legislation in the House are unclear, with Republican House Speaker John Boehner saying he will wait until the Senate has a definite outcome before deciding whether to bring the bill to the House floor.
“It’s one thing for two members to come to some agreement,” he said.
“It doesn’t substitute the will for the other 98 members.”
Angelina Jolie’s scraped back hairdo revealed her abundance of grey hairs as she made an appearance at the G8 Foreign Ministers Summit in London on Thursday.
Angelina Jolie, the UN’s special envoy for refugees, was dressed in all black, with a simple dress and overcoat to attend the high level summit at where she spoke out against sexual violence against women and children in war zones.
The star accessorized her conservative look with a simple strand of pearls and matching earrings.
Angelina Jolie’s presence at the conference no doubt shined a much needed spotlight on the cause.
Angelina Jolie’s scraped back hairdo revealed her abundance of grey hairs as she made an appearance at the G8 Foreign Ministers Summit in London
The Human Rights and Communications team at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office tweeted part of the actress’s speech.
Angelina Jolie said: “Hundreds of thousands of women and children have been sexually assaulted in the wars of our generation. But wartime rape is not inevitable.
“This violence can be prevented, and it must be confronted. I have heard survivors of rape from Bosnia to (the Congo) say that the world simply does not care about them.
“But today I believe that their voices have been heard, and that we finally have some hope to offer them.”
The actress continued: “It is encouraging to see men in leadership positions speaking out against rape. Rape is not a women’s issue, or a humanitarian issue, it is a global issue.”
Angelina Jolie and the UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict, Zanab Bangora, met with G8 foreign ministers as part of the two-day talks among eight world powers that are expected to focus on North Korea and the civil war in Syria.
Invitations to the funeral of former British PM Margaret Thatcher at St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday 17 April are being sent out.
The guest list has been decided by Margaret Thatcher’s family and representatives, along with the government and the Conservative Party.
It is expected that more than 2,000 invitations will be delivered.
About 200 states, territories and international organizations have been invited to send an official representative.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has not been invited but the country’s ambassador to Britain has – Downing Street says this is in keeping with diplomatic protocol for such occasions.
The guest list for the funeral ceremony has been decided by Margaret Thatcher’s family and representatives, along with the government and the Conservative Party
Queen Elizabeth II will lead the mourners with the Duke of Edinburgh.
St Paul’s Cathedral has a capacity of 2,300 and is expected to be full on the day.
Margaret Thatcher’s funeral invitees include:
All surviving former UK prime ministers
All surviving former US presidents
A representative of the family of former US President Ronald Reagan
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
All surviving members of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinets
The current British cabinet
Opposition leader Ed Miliband
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso
Margaret Thatcher’s former press secretary Sir Bernard Ingham and Lady Ingham
Author Frederick Forsyth
Former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad
A representative of Nelson Mandela
The first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond
The first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones
The first minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson
Falklands War veterans
Director of The British Forces Foundation Mark Cann
Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend John Sentamu
Broadcaster Sir David Frost
Broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald
Lyricist Sir Timothy Rice
Actress June Whitfield
Actress Joan Collins
Fashion designer Anya Hindmarch
Some of those attending Margaret Thatcher’s funeral include:
Tony and Cherie Blair
Former South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk
Singer Dame Shirley Bassey
Broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Clarkson
Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber
Lord and Lady Archer
Lord Powell of Bayswater
Lord Carrington
Canadian PM Stephen Harper
Former Canadian PM Brian Mulroney
Michael and Carolyn Portillo
Broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan and Lady Helen Wogan
Among those not attending Margaret Thatcher’s funeral ceremony:
Ronald Reagan’s widow Nancy is understood to be too frail to travel
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev will not be attending due to health problems
Downing Street has confirmed that Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will not be invited
Lord Kinnock – former Labour Leader of the Opposition – will not be present because of a commitment to attend the funeral of a former local councillor in Wales
Comedian Jim Davidson, a prominent Tory supporter during the 1980s, is understood not to have been invited
An initial list of invitations to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral on April 17 has been released by Downing Street.
All surviving US presidents and British prime ministers are on the guest list, as well as a representative of the Reagan family.
Ronald Reagan’s widow Nancy is understood to be too frail to travel.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev will also not be attending owing to health problems, his spokesman has said.
The guest list for the event was drawn up by Margaret Thatcher’s family with the assistance of the government and the Conservative Party.
More than 2,000 invitations will be sent out, with most set to be dispatched on Friday.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are already confirmed for the ceremony, which will take place in St Paul’s Cathedral, London.
It will be the first funeral of a British politician the Queen has attended since that of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.
The cathedral has a capacity of 2,300 and is expected to be full on the day.
All surviving members of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinets will be invited, as will the current cabinet and Labour leader Ed Miliband.
Other invited guests from around the globe include former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and a representative of Nelson Mandela.
Guests from the world of entertainment who have already confirmed their attendance include Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, Welsh singer Dame Shirley Bassey, broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan, Lord Lloyd Webber and Sir Timothy Rice.
Margaret Thatcher’s funeral ceremony will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral in London
Author Frederick Forsyth, a longstanding supporter of the Conservative Party, has also been invited, as have actresses Joan Collins and June Whitfield.
Veteran journalists Sir David Frost and Sir Trevor McDonald will be attending, alongside British fashion accessories designer Anya Hindmarch and the Archbishop of York Dr. John Sentamu.
Labour former PM’s Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have confirmed their attendance, as has Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland, and Frederik Willem de Klerk, the last president of apartheid South Africa.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has not been invited, but the country’s ambassador to Britain has. Downing Street says this is in keeping with diplomatic protocol for such occasions.
Lord Kinnock, who was Labour leader for most of Margaret Thatcher’s time in Downing Street and was defeated by her at the 1987 election, will not be present because of a commitment to attend the funeral of a former local councilor in Wales.
More than 700 armed forces personnel will line the route of the procession from Westminster to St Paul’s, including three bands whose drums will be covered in black cloth.
A gun salute will be fired from the Tower of London and the coffin will be carried into St Paul’s by service personnel from regiments and ships closely associated with the Falklands campaign.
PM David Cameron said he believed it was right that Baroness Thatcher was being given a ceremonial funeral with full military honors.
“I think people would find us a pretty extraordinary country if we didn’t properly commemorate with dignity, with seriousness, but with also some fanfare … the passing of this extraordinary woman,” he said.
“I think not only in Britain would people say, <<You are not doing this properly>>, but I think the rest of the world would think we were completely wrong.”
David Cameron has previously welcomed suggestions as to how Margaret Thatcher could be commemorated.
The Mayor of London’s office, Westminster Council and the government are understood to be looking at a variety of central London sites, including Parliament Square, as a potential site for a new statue.
The Metropolitan Police said they were working to ensure the day of the funeral passed off safely, amid concerns that some people may use it as an opportunity to protest.
On the day of Margaret Thatcher’s death, there were small gatherings in various parts of the UK, notably in Glasgow, Bristol and London, with those taking part saying they were celebrating her death.
Met commander Christine Jones urged anyone wishing to demonstrate at the funeral to talk to the police.
“The right to protest is one that must be upheld,” she said.
“However, we will work to do that whilst balancing the rights of those who wish to pay their respects and those who wish to travel about London as usual.”
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has said “an administrative error” led to inaccurate guidance being issued to diplomatic staff in embassies around the world after it was reported they had been told to wear mourning clothes on the day of the funeral.
They were later told it was unnecessary.
Lady Margaret Thatcher, who won three successive general elections, died “peacefully” on Monday after suffering a stroke while staying at the Ritz hotel in central London.
Notable invitees at Margaret Thatcher’s funeral:
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
All surviving ex-prime ministers
All surviving US presidents
All surviving members of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinets
Current cabinet
Labour leader Ed Miliband
First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
