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
According to a draft document prepared by Cyprus’ creditors, the cost of the bailout for the country has increased to 23 billion euros ($30 billion).
The original cost of Cyprus bailout was put at 17.5 billion euros.
The new total, disclosed in a document seen by news agencies, means Cyprus will have to find 13 billion euros to secure 10 billion euros from the EU and the IMF.
Previously it was thought that Cyprus would have to raise 7.5 billion euros.
A draft document prepared by Cyprus’ creditors shows that the country’s bailout cost has increased to 23 billion euros
Government spokesman Christos Stylianides said: “It’s a fact the memorandum of November talked about 17.5 billion [euros] in financing needs. And it has emerged this figure has become 23 billion.”
“Who is responsible for this? How did we get here? It was the fear of responsibility and indecision of the previous government,” he added.
Analysts are now questioning if Cyprus can raise such a sum.
The winding up of one Cypriot bank, Laiki (Popular), and the writing-off of a large portion of secured debt and uninsured deposits in the largest bank, Bank of Cyprus, should raise a total of 10.6 billion euros.
Cyprus is also set to sell off a large portion of its gold reserves, in a move that will raise another 400 million euros.
“The sheer size of the increase has underlined the extent of the enormous challenges facing Cyprus itself,” said Jonathan Loynes of Capital Economics in an analyst note.
The Cypriot economy is only worth about 18 billion euros and accounts for less than 0.2% of the eurozone total. Several analysts now think the Cypriot economy may shrink by more than 10% this year alone.
“If everything goes according to plan, the growth figures might at least be in a realistic range, if too optimistic,” said Christoph Weil of Germany’s Commerzbank.
“If there are any problems, and there are significant downside risks, then it could be much worse, and a combined contraction of 20% is within the range of the possible.”
Kenny Rogers has announced fans he is “very excited” to learn he is to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
“I think it’s so cool,” Kenny Rogers said in a personal message posted on video sharing site YouTube.
“I’m glad it happened before I died.”
“Everything pales in comparison to this,” the veteran country singer told reporters later.
Singer Bobby Bare and producer “Cowboy” Jack Clement will also be inducted at a ceremony later this year.
Kenny Rogers is to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville
The new inductees will bring the membership of the Country Music Hall of Fame, founded in 1961, to 121.
Already among that number is singer Dolly Parton, with whom Kenny Rogers, now 74, performed on the 1983 duet Islands in the Stream.
Houston-born Kenny Rogers is also known for such country standards as The Gambler and Ruby,Don’t Take Your Love To Town.
Last month it was announced he would perform on the main Pyramid stage at this year’s Glastonbury festival.
Bobby Bare, 78, said it was “real huge” to be recognized for a career that has spanned six decades, calling his induction “the culmination of a 19-year-old boy’s dream”.
Jack Clement, 82, played a key role in the careers of Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis and later produced tracks for U2’s Rattle and Hum album.
John Lydon, famously known as Johnny Rotten when he was the singer in Punk icons The Sex Pistols back in the 1970s, says those now celebrating Margaret Thatcher’s death are “loathsome”.
Jonny Rotten, who knew the fame when Margaret Thatcher was rising to power, added: “I’m not going to dance on her grave.”
The former Sex Pistol said: “I was her enemy in her life but I will not be her enemy in her death.”
John Lydon, famously known as Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten, says those now celebrating Margaret Thatcher’s death are loathsome
Johnny Rotten also denied being a misogynist and a Nazi following a controversial appearance this week on Australian TV show, The Project.
During the interview John Lydon told presenter Carrie Bickmore: “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Now listen, when a man is talking do not interrupt.”
The singer also gave a wave during the interview, which has been misinterpreted by some in the Australian media as a Nazi salute.
John Lydon, 57, spoke about Margaret Thatcher’s death when he arrived at Sydney’s domestic airport on Wednesday from Brisbane ahead of his band Public Image Limited’s performance in the city that night.
He said: “I’m not happy about the boo boo parties. “When someone dies, give them respect. Enemy or not. I can’t be listening to folk who do that.
“What kind of politics are they offering me? You dance on another person’s grave? That’s loathsome.”
Brandi Glanville has shared a shocking photo to her Twitter fans revealing her red raw face.
Brandi Glanville, 40, posted the image on Wednesday, explaining that she underwent laser treatment to treat Melasma, a discoloration of the skin.
Brandi Glanville has shared a shocking photo to her Twitter fans revealing her red raw face
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star explained that she opted for the procedure to treat the condition, but didn’t realize how harsh it would be on her skin.
“Doctor said he could get rid of my melasma,” Brandi Glanville explained.
“It was too hard for my skin. Still healing, it’s been depressing #skinobsessed.”
The tweet, which has since been deleted from her account, came after Brandi Glanville was caught with no make-up while heading out with her sons Mason, 9, and Jake, 5, in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
During the outing, Brandi Glanville appeared to be still recovering from the treatment and was slightly red in the face.
Brandi Glanville, who is single, has admitted to having Botox and fillers in her face along with a boob job and $12,000 vagina rejuvenation surgery.
North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes have been condemned by the G8 foreign ministers in the “strongest possible terms”.
Tensions have risen on the Korean peninsula in recent weeks.
In a communiqué, the ministers also expressed their “deep concern” at the toll of the conflict in Syria.
They also endorsed what they called a historic pledge on preventing sexual violence in conflict.
The G8 nations comprises the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia.
North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes have been condemned by the G8 foreign ministers
Britain currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the G8 and the talks in London are a prelude to the annual G8 summit later this year in Northern Ireland.
Correspondents say Japan, present at the talks, had been looking for a strong statement of solidarity over Korea.
North Korea has been making bellicose threats against South Korea, Japan and US bases in the region.
The G8 ministers reportedly pledged to work to end violence in conflict, calling for urgent action to address “comprehensively” the “culture of impunity” in conflict zones.
“There is no disagreement with the United States over North Korea,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in London on Wednesday.
South Korea has raised its alert level amid indications that the North is preparing for a missile test.
Pyongyang has moved two Musudan missiles to its east coast. Estimates of the ballistic missile’s range vary, but some suggest it could be as high as 2,500 miles.
A missile therefore has the potential of hitting US bases on Guam, although it is not known whether the Musudan has been tested before.
There is also no evidence North Korea has miniaturized a nuclear weapon sufficiently to be used on a ballistic missile.
Correspondents point to Monday – the birthday of North Korea’s founder Kim Il-sung – as a potential launch date.
North Korea has increased its fiery rhetoric following fresh UN sanctions imposed after its third nuclear test and joint military manoeuvres by the US and South Korea.
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 (1912-1994)
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning movie, has been cancelled in cinemas across China on its opening day due to “technical reasons”.
A suspension order by importer China Film Group Corporation was confirmed by cinema employees.
It has led to speculation Django Unchained had not met the censorship regulations required by Chinese cultural authorities.
Distributor Sony Pictures said Quentin Tarantino had agreed to “slight adjustments” to reduce the violence.
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning movie, has been cancelled in cinemas across China on its opening day
Cinema manager Tian Zaixing said he could not recall any other imported film being halted on the opening day.
TianZaixing said the cinema had received a call at 10:00 local time to cancel the film.
“We had high expectations for this film’s box office,” he added.
“They didn’t tell us when the film would be shown again,” an official at a Shanghai cinema told Reuters.
Sony Pictures executive Zhang Miao said the changes to the film included “tuning the blood to a darker color” and “lowering the height of the splatter of blood” in an interview with China’s Southern Metropolis Daily.
Quentin Tarantino viewed the changes as “progress rather than a compromise” according to Zhang Miao.
Sony Pictures and China’s State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT), which is responsible for movie censorship, have not commented on the cancellation.
“After watching it for about a minute, it stopped!” said microblogger Xue Yi Dao on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo website.
“Staff then came in and said SARFT…had called to say it had to be delayed!! Can someone tell me what’s happening!!” he added.
Django Unchained is Quentin Tarantino’s first film to be released in China, where cultural authorities restrict the number of foreign films in cinemas each year.
Chinese regulators often request changes to films to remove explicit scenes, violence and other topics deemed inappropriate for the audience in China – which is now the second-biggest movie market in the world.
Oscar-winning Skyfall, Cloud Atlas and the remake of Red Dawn, have all recently made changes to appease the regulators.
Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has reported a 5% rise in sales for the first quarter of 2013, boosted by strong demand for its flu treatment, Tamiflu.
Total sales hit 11.6 billionn Swiss francs ($12.4 billion) in the first three months of 2013.
Roche has reported a 5 percent rise in sales for the first quarter of 2013, boosted by strong demand for Tamiflu
Tamiflu sales rose during a heavy flu season in the US, and there was also strong demand for Roche’s cancer drugs.
“We got off to a very good start in 2013 due to strong organic growth,” said Roche chief executive Severin Schwan.
During the first quarter of 2013, the Basel-based company launched two new drugs to fight breast cancer, Kadcyla in the US and Perjeta in Europe.
Roche expects its full-year total sales to grow at much the same rate as 2012, when they rose by 7%. Roche also said it expected to increase its share dividend this year.
“Based on the first quarter results, I am confident we will meet our full-year targets,” Severin Schwan said.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Mega – the biggest smartphone to date – which features a 6.3 in (16 cm) screen.
Samsung suggested Galaxy Mega’s size made it ideal for watching videos or running two apps alongside each other.
The South Korean company helped popularize the so-called “phablet” category – in which phones approach tablet dimensions – with its original 5.3 in Galaxy Note in 2011.
That proved more popular than many expected, but one analyst suggested the latest device might be a step too far.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Mega, the biggest smartphone to date, which features a 6.3 in screen
Samsung is marketing the Android-powered handset as having a high-definition screen – however, a spokesman was unable to confirm whether it supported 720p or the “full HD” 1080p resolution.
Another South Korean firm, Pantech, currently lays claim to offering the biggest “full HD” smartphone with its 5.9 in Vega No 6 which was announced in January.
China’s Huawei had previously boasted having the biggest largest-screened 720p smartphone with its 6.1 in Ascend Mate.
Samsung suggested that, despite its dimensions, the Galaxy Mega was still small and light enough – at 199 g (0.44 lb) – to fit into users’ pockets and be used with one hand.
However, Samsung is hedging its bets by offering a smaller 5.8 in-screened version as an alternative.
Both will go on sale in May, with Europe and Russia the first regions to be offered the devices.
Tech consultancy Davies Murphy Group said that within the Android market there had been a notable shift towards people wanting to buy a single device rather than both a smartphone and tablet.
However, its principal technology analyst, Chris Green, suggested that at 6.3 in it would be a “folly” for most users to swap their current handsets for the larger of the two Galaxy Megas.
“There is genuine demand for larger smartphones – the problem is at what point does a smartphone turn into a tablet,” he said.
“When you’ve got this up against your head you’d have to argue you’re using a tablet and not a smartphone – it’s definitely going to compromise its functionality because it’s simply too big and too cumbersome to use as a traditional telephone device.
“But ignoring the phone functionality, as far as the rest of the smart device goes it looks quite phenomenal.”
Samsung was the most popular smartphone maker in 2012 accounting for 30.3% of all shipments, according to analysts at IDC.
Its rival Apple – whose largest handset has a 4 in screen – came in second with a 19.1% market share.
Cyprus has decided to sell off much of its gold reserves to help finance part of its bailout.
An assessment by the European Commission says Cyprus must sell about 400 million euros worth of gold.
Cyprus has already been forced to wind down one of its largest banks in order to qualify for a 10 billion euro lifeline from international lenders.
Even with that bailout, it is predicted that the Cypriot economy will shrink by 8.7% this year.
Cyprus’s total bullion reserves stood at 13.9 tonnes at the end of February, according to data from the World Gold Council.
Cyprus has decided to sell off much of its gold reserves to help finance part of its bailout
At current prices, 400 million euros’ worth of gold amounts to about 10.36 tonnes of metal.
The sale will be the biggest bullion sale by a eurozone central bank since France sold 17.4 tonnes in the first half of 2009.
European finance ministers meet in Dublin on Friday to discuss the Cyprus bailout.
Analysts say it is very unlikely that other EU states will become big sellers of the precious metal.
Portugal holds 382.5 tonnes of gold, worth some 14.76 billion euros at current prices, in its reserves, while Spain’s holdings stand at 281.6 tonnes, worth 10.8 billion euros.
Italy is the world’s fourth-largest gold holder, with 2,451.8 tonnes, worth 94.6 billion euros.
Harmful levels of lead, far higher than regulations suggest are safe, have been revealed following an analysis of the commercially available rice imported into the US.
Some samples exceeded the “provisional total tolerable intake” (PTTI) set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by a factor of 120.
The report at the American Chemical Society Meeting adds to the already well-known issue of arsenic in rice.
Lead is known to be harmful to many organs and the central nervous system.
It is a particular risk for young children, who suffer significant developmental problems if exposed to elevated lead levels.
Because rice is grown in heavily irrigated conditions, it is more susceptible than other staple crops to environmental pollutants in irrigation water.
Harmful levels of lead have been revealed following an analysis of commercially available rice imported into the US
Recent studies have highlighted the presence of arsenic in rice – prompting consumption advice from the UK’s Food Standards Agency and more recently from the FDA.
However, other heavy metals represent a risk as well.
Dr. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi of Monmouth University in New Jersey, and his team have tested a number of imported brands of rice bought from local shops.
The US imports about 7% of its rice, and the team sampled packaged rice from Bhutan, Italy, China, Taiwan, India, Israel, the Czech Republic and Thailand – which accounts for 65% of US imports.
The team measured the lead levels in each country-category and calculated the lead intake on the basis of daily consumption. The results will be published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health (Part B).
“When we compared them, we realised that the daily exposure levels are much higher than those PTTIs,” said Dr. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi.
“According to the FDA, they have to be more than 10 times the PTTI levels [to cause a health concern], and our values were two to 12 times higher than those 10 times,” he said.
“So we can only conclude that they can potentially cause harmful effects.”
That factor of 120 is for Asian children, who are most susceptible by virtue of age and comparatively high rice intake on average.
For non-Asian adults the excesses above the PTTI ranged from 20 to 40.
Rice from China and Taiwan had the highest lead levels, but Dr. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi stressed that all of the samples significantly exceeded the PTTIs.
He has also worked on quantifying arsenic contamination – and is in effect working his way through the heavy metals one by one to determine their prevalence.
The problem, he said, is the range of agricultural practices around the world.
“If you look through the scientific literature, especially on India and China, they irrigate their crops with raw sewage effluent and untreated industrial effluent,” he explained.
“Research has been done in those countries, and concerns have been raised because of those practices, but it’s still ongoing.”
Dr. Tsanangurayi Tongesayi also said that the increasing practice of sending electronic waste to developing countries – and the pollution it leads to – exacerbates the problem.
“With a globalised food market, we eat food from every corner of the world, but pollution conditions are… different from region to region, agricultural practices are different from region to region, but we ignore that.
“Maybe we need international regulations that will govern production and distribution of food.”
So far, such international oversight exists informally in the form of the Codex Alimentarius, a collection of food-safety standards first set out by the UN.
FDA spokesman Noah Bartolucci said the “FDA plans to review the new research on lead levels in imported rice released today”.
“As part of an ongoing and proactive effort to monitor and address contaminants in food traded internationally, FDA chairs an international working group to review current international standards for lead in selected commodities, including rice, and to revise, if necessary, maximum lead levels under the… Codex Alimentarius,” he said.
Margaret Thatcher’s funeral will not be attended by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev due to health problems, his spokesman has announced.
Mikhail Gorbachev, 82, with whom the former British prime minister worked closely at the end of the Cold War, was expected to be one of a number of global figures attending.
Downing Street said consultation over the funeral guest list was continuing.
It has confirmed that Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will not be invited.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are already confirmed for next Wednesday’s ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral, London.
Margaret Thatcher’s funeral will not be attended by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev due to health problems
During her time in power Margaret Thatcher struck up an unlikely alliance with Mikhail Gorbachev, the reforming Soviet president who oversaw the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Following her death on Monday, Mikhail Gorbachev paid tribute to Baroness Thatcher as a “heavyweight politician and a striking person”.
On Wednesday, British MPs were recalled from their Easter break for a seven-hour Commons debate about Lady Thatcher.
British PM David Cameron said Margaret Thatcher “overcame the great challenges of her age”. Labour’s Ed Miliband paid tribute but said he disagreed “with much of what she did”.
Conservative MPs queued up in the Commons to pay their respects to Margaret Thatcher, who was prime minister from 1979 to 1990, but about half of Labour’s 256 MPs stayed away.
The Lords also held a debate on the former prime minister, with her former Cabinet ministers Lord Fowler and Lord Tebbit among those paying tribute.
The Guardian has reported that Commons Speaker John Bercow was taken aback by David Cameron’s request to recall Parliament because he thought tributes could be paid on Monday, when MPs were due to return.
The paper reports that a lengthy wrangle ensued, with David Cameron enlisting the support of Ed Miliband to overcome opposition to the move.
Responding to the report, a Downing Street spokesman said: “Only government ministers can request the recall of the House, which the Speaker then decides on.
“The prime minister felt given the strength of feeling following Lady Thatcher’s death it was appropriate to give the House an early opportunity to pay its respects.”
Discussions between PM David Cameron and the Speaker are ongoing about whether Prime Minister’s Questions, usually held at midday, will be cancelled next Wednesday to allow MPs to attend the funeral.
Speaker John Bercow could require MPs to attend the session later in the afternoon, rather than cancel it.
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.
Guests who have said they will be attending Margaret Thatcher’s funeral include ex-Labour PM’s Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, as well as FW de Klerk, the last president of apartheid South Africa.
The Queen has not attended the funeral of a British politician since that of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.
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.
The Metropolitan Police said it was working to ensure the day 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 to 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.”
Margaret Thatcher’s family is meeting an unspecified amount of the expense of the funeral, thought to cover transport, flowers and the cremation, with the government funding the rest, including security.
Downing Street said the cost of the funeral would not be released until after the event.
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.
Malawi is accusing Madonna of “bullying state officials” after the singer reportedly complained about her treatment on a recent visit to the country.
Madonna – who has adopted two Malawian-born children – recently visited 10 primary schools funded by her charity.
Malawi’s government accused Madonna of exaggerating her contribution to the country and demanding VIP treatment.
Malawi is accusing Madonna of bullying state officials after she complained about her treatment on a recent visit to the country
The singer’s manager accused Malawi’s government of having a “grudge” against her charity, Raising Malawi.
Trevor Neilson also accused the government of financial mismanagement of school project funds, and of “harassing organizations that Raising Malawi has donated to”.
Madonna was said to have been angered that she and her entourage were stripped of their VIP status on their way out of the country, the Daily Telegraphreported.
They had to line up with other passengers at the airport and were frisked by security officials, the report said.
The change in status was said to be the result of a public spat about her charitable work in Malawi.
A harshly-worded statement issued by the office of President Joyce Banda on Wednesday accused Madonna of wanting Malawi “to be forever chained to the obligation of gratitude”.
“Granted, Madonna is a famed international musician. But that does not impose an injunction of obligation on any government under whose territory Madonna finds herself, including Malawi, to give her state treatment. Such treatment, even if she deserved it, is discretionary not obligatory,” said the statement.
The statement accused Madonna of being “a musician who desperately thinks she must generate recognition by bullying state officials instead of playing decent music on the stage”.
It added: “Among the many things that Madonna needs to learn as a matter of urgency is the decency of telling the truth.
“For her to tell the whole world that she is building schools in Malawi when she has actually only contributed to the construction of classrooms is not compatible with manners of someone who thinks she deserves to be revered with state grandeur.”
Trevor Neilson said buildOn, the non-profit group that partnered with Raising Malawi to construct the schools, was “mystified” by the claims about school buildings.
“They went through every step of every process required to build a school in Malawi, and the schools were built in the model of schools all across the country,” he said.
Adding: “Madonna is the largest individual philanthropist in Malawi. We will continue to fund programmes that support children in Malawi.”
