China has become the world’s second-biggest movie market, after Japan lost the place, underscoring its importance as a key market for Hollywood’s moviemakers.
China’s box office revenues surged 36% to $2.7 billion in 2012, the Motion Picture Association of America said.
The surge came after China eased some restrictions on the number of foreign films allowed to be screened.
In 2012, China agreed to allow an additional 14 Imax or 3D films over and above the quota of 20 foreign films.
China has become the world’s second-biggest movie market in 2012
Beijing also increased the amount of revenue foreign movies are allowed to collect from distribution in China to 25% of overall ticket sales from the earlier limit of 13%.
Industry players said box office sales in China had the potential to grow even more if Beijing eased the restrictions further.
“China is building about ten screens a day” said Chris Dodd, chairman and chief executive of the association.
“There is a voracious appetite for product. Our films have done consistently well there.”
The US movie industry has long complained that the limit fuelled demand for pirated copies of films, which are widely available in China.
Asian markets and the euro have risen after EU officials agreed a bailout deal for Cyprus, easing fears that the country’s banking system problems may spread.
Cyprus will now get a 10-billion euro ($13 billion) cash injection to keep its banking system running and prevent it from crashing out of the eurozone.
Investors had feared that its exit from the bloc may escalate the region’s debt crisis and derail a global recovery.
Shares in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Australia rose on the news.
“The news was what markets were waiting for, some kind of an agreement,” said Yuji Saito, director of foreign exchange at Credit Agricole in Tokyo.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 1.7%, South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.5%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.6% and Australia’s ASX200 was up 0.5%.
A failure to reach a deal may have seen the European Central Bank (ECB) cut emergency funding to Cyprus’s two biggest banks, leading to an effective bankruptcy of Cyprus’s government.
The fears were that such a move may prompt the country’s exit from the bloc.
Many analysts had been concerned that Cyprus’s exit may cause a loss of confidence across the eurozone and prompt investors to withdraw from other troubled economies of the bloc, such as Greece.
These concerns had seen investors ditch the euro over the past few days in favor of other assets, such as the Japanese yen and US dollar, seen as comparatively safer.
Asian markets have risen after EU officials agreed a bailout deal for Cyprus
However, news of the Cyprus deal boosted the euro.
The single currency gained 0.8% against the US dollar. It was trading at $1.3044 in early Asian trade.
It rose 1.3% against the Japanese yen to trade at 123.81 yen.
“This will likely limit the euro’s downside, with those who shorted the euro covering their positions, and improve general risk sentiment,” said Hiroshi Maeba, head of foreign exchange trading for UBS in Tokyo.
Ben le Brun, an analyst at OptionsXpress in Sydney, added that the deal was likely to have a positive impact on the oil markets as well.
“We should see some positive sentiment reverberate through energy markets overall for at least the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said.
Brent Crude rose 0.3% to $108.34 per barrel in Asian trade, while US Light Crude gained 0.4% to $94.1 per barrel.
Cyprus had agreed a bailout deal with the EU and the IMF last week.
However, the EU and IMF had asked Cyprus to raise 5.8 billion euros in order to secure the funds.
They had proposed that Cyprus impose a one-off levy on bank deposits in order to raise the cash, a move that triggered protests in Cyprus and resulted in savers rushing to ATM machines to withdraw their money – a move that brought fears of a run on the banks.
The Cyprus parliament rejected the proposal last week, delaying an agreement to secure the bailout funds.
According to the latest deal, all deposits under 100,000 euros will be “fully guaranteed”.
However, Laiki (Popular) Bank, the country’s second-biggest, will be wound down and holders of deposits of more than 100,000 euros will face big losses.
The levy on accounts in Laiki Bank could be as high as 40%, correspondents say.
Large deposits in the Bank of Cyprus, the country’s biggest bank, will also face a levy.
Jeroen Dijsselbloem, president of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, told a press conference in Brussels that the percentage to be levied on large deposits in the Bank of Cyprus will be decided in the coming weeks.
Analysts said that while the draft deal had helped ease market jitters, uncertainties surrounding its implementation were likely to hurt sentiment in the coming days.
Kim Kardashian appears to be carrying on painful extremes trend, this time with acupuncture.
Although the traditional Chinese practice isn’t meant to feel physically uncomfortable, it certainly looked it in a picture that Kim Kardashian, 32, tweeted of herself on Saturday.
Pregnant Kim Kardashian is seen closeup in the photo with multiple needles dotted all over her face, neck and ears.
The reality star’s face is, as always, fully made up, this time with thick black eyeliner and lashings of mascara coupled with a glossy rose lip color.
Kim Kardashian appears to be carrying on painful extremes trend, this time with acupuncture
Kim Kardashian accompanied the photo with the caption: “Oh so relaxing…”
Acupuncture is recommended for pregnant women wishing to avoid traditional drugs to help ease symptoms such as morning sickness and stress.
Perhaps Kim Kardashian, who is about five months into her pregnancy, was using the alternative medicine to treat any symptoms she may be experiencing.
Kim Kardashian, who has vowed “never to get a facelift”, was more than likely using it to maintain her youthful glow as the needles were positioned all over her face, including her cheeks.
Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal has ruled that domestic workers are not eligible to apply for permanent residency, ending a two-year battle that has split opinion.
The case had centred on Evangeline Banao Vallejos, a maid from the Philippines who has worked in Hong Kong for more than 17 years.
Domestic workers had argued that denying them permanent residency was unconstitutional.
The ruling has implications for Hong Kong’s 300,000 domestic workers.
These workers come mainly from the Philippines and Indonesia, often spending years in the territory.
Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal has ruled that domestic workers are not eligible to apply for permanent residency
“The FDH [foreign domestic helper] is obliged to return to the country of origin at the end of the contract and is told from the outset that admission is not for the purposes of settlement and that dependants cannot be brought to reside in Hong Kong,” the Court of Final Appeal said in a written judgement.
Evangeline Banao Vallejos was “speechless but calmly resigned”, her lawyer, Mark Daly said.
“While we respect the judgment we disagree with it,” Mark Daly said.
“[The ruling is] not a good reflection of the values we should be teaching youngsters and people in our society.”
Evangeline Banao Vallejos had filed the appeal jointly with Daniel Domingo, another Filipino domestic helper, who had lived in Hong Kong for 28 years.
The issue of right of abode is a sensitive subject in Hong Kong, with campaigners arguing that not allowing foreign domestic workers to settle in Hong Kong amounts to discrimination.
Eman Villanueva, spokesman for the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body, said that the ruling “gave its judicial seal to unfair treatment and the social exclusion of foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong”.
An initial ruling from the High Court in 2011 said that domestic workers should not be excluded from a rule that allows foreigners to settle in the city after seven years of uninterrupted residency.
Foreigners in other jobs can apply for permanent residency after seven years, which enables them to work and vote in Hong Kong without a visa.
The 2011 ruling led to protests in Hong Kong, with some anxious that allowing the maids to apply for residency would lead to an influx of domestic workers and place a strain on public services.
In March 2012, the government won an appeal against the High Court ruling.
The government had estimated that 125,000 helpers would be eligible to apply for abode, and if each had a spouse and two children, that number of potential new residents could reach 500,000 – although campaigners said that only a fraction of those eligible were likely to apply.
Monday’s judgement by Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal puts an end to the two year legal battle.
Hong Kong’s domestic workers receive a guaranteed minimum wage, statutory holidays and annual paid leave.
But their lack of residency rights means that if they leave an employer, they have only two weeks to find a new job before being required to leave the country.
In Monday’s ruling, the top court also
rejected a request from the Hong Kong government to seek advice from the Chinese government on the matter. It said that the court was able to reach the ruling through reading Hong Kong’s Basic Law alone.
Seeking a legal interpretation from Beijing could potentially have sparked public criticism that the Hong Kong government was undermining its judicial independence.
Hong Kong is governed under the principle of “one country, two systems”, under which China has agreed to give the region a high degree of autonomy and to preserve its economic and social systems for 50 years from the date of the handover.
Mississippi authorities are investigating the death of State Representative Jessica Upshaw, who was found dead in a suspected suicide at the home of former lawmaker Clint Rotenberry, according to local officials.
The death of Republican Rep Jessica Upshaw, 53, of the 95th District in Diamondhead, was confirmed by Simpson County Coroner Terry Tutor.
The cause of her death is believed to be suicide.
Simpson County Sheriff Kenneth Lewis told WLOX that Jessica Upshaw appeared to have shot herself in the head at a home in Mendenhall, located about 30 miles southeast of Jackson, the state capital.
The home is owned by former state Rep Clint Rotenberry, according to The Clarion-Ledger newspaper.
Mississippi authorities are investigating the death of State Representative Jessica Upshaw, who was found dead in a suspected suicide at the home of former lawmaker Clint Rotenberry
The investigation has been handed over to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
No one has been arrested in the case.
Jessica Upshaw was an attorney who was first elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 2004.
She was a Republican from Diamondhead along the state’s coast. Mendenhall is about 110 miles away from her hometown.
Jessica Upshaw was not married, but did have an adult daughter who is married with a child of her own and lives in South Korea, according to the Clarion-Ledger.
Clint Rotenberry, also a Republican, served in the 77th district as a state representative from 1992 to 2007.
Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant told the paper: “[My wife] Deborah and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Rep Jessica Upshaw. I have known Jessica for many years as an unselfish and dedicated public servant.
“This is a tragic loss for her family and all Mississippians, and our thoughts and prayers go out to her family during this difficult time.”
Jessica Upshaw is the fifth Mississippi lawmaker in to die in the last few months.
Joe Gardner of Batesville, died last month of a heart attack at the age of 68. Democratic Rep. David Gibbs, of West Point, died January 13.
Two Democratic state senators, Bennie Turner, of West Point, and Alice Harden, of Jackson, died in late 2012.
Clint Rotenberry did not answer his phone, and his answering machine was full.
House Minority Leader Bobby Moak describes Jessica Upshaw as a passionate champion of causes for her district and the state.
South Korea and the United States have signed a new military plan to counter what officials call North Korean “provocations”.
The plan provides for a joint response between South Korea and the US in the event of an incursion or a limited attack from North Korea, officials say.
Help from the US – which has 28,000 troops in South Korea – during minor skirmishes was previously optional.
Regional tension remains high after the North’s third nuclear test last month.
The US already offers South Korea a “nuclear umbrella”, but Cold War experts have pointed out that while nuclear deterrence may address the possibility of all-out war, it does not deter low-level incidents.
South Korea and the US have signed a new military plan to counter what officials call North Korean provocations
Under the new plan, South Korea will be able to call on US assistance should Pyongyang follow through with its recent threats, for example to attack remote South Korean islands.
“This allows both nations to jointly respond to the North’s local provocations, with the South taking the lead and the US in support,” South Korean defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said on Monday.
“It will have the effect of preventing the North from daring to provoke us,” he added of the deal, which was signed on Friday.
The “provocative” acts that the plan seeks to address include incursions on the border and by low-flying aircraft, and attacks on border islands.
The new plan was conceived in 2010, after North Korea shelled a border island. A South Korean warship also sank that year, leaving 46 sailors dead. South Korea said North Korea torpedoed the ship, but Pyongyang denied this.
Last month the UN imposed fresh sanctions against North Korea following its nuclear test on February 12.
Pyongyang has responded with escalating rhetoric both to this and US-South Korea joint military drills which it bitterly opposes.
North Korea says it has scrapped the Korean War armistice and ended non-aggression pacts with Seoul.
South Korea says North Korea cannot unilaterally dissolve the armistice and has called on Pyongyang to tone down its language.
Eurogroup have agreed a deal on a 10 billion-euro bailout for Cyprus to prevent its banking system collapsing and keep the country in the eurozone.
Laiki (Popular) Bank – Cyprus’ second-biggest – will be wound down and holders of deposits of more than 100,000 euros will face big losses.
However, all deposits under 100,000 euros will be “fully guaranteed”.
The European Central Bank (ECB) had set a deadline of Monday for a deal.
Laiki will be split into “good” and “bad” banks, with its good assets eventually merged into Bank of Cyprus.
The president of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, told a press conference in Brussels the deal had “put an end to the uncertainty” around Cyprus’s economy.
Jeroen Dijsselbloem added he was “convinced” the new deal was better for the Cypriot people than the broader measure rejected by the Cypriot parliament last week, as it focused on two problem banks rather than the entire sector.
Laiki Bank, Cyprus’ second-biggest, will be wound down and holders of deposits of more than 100,000 euros will face big losses after Eurogroup agreed on bailout
The deal is good news for Cyprus’s small account holders.
All deposits under 100,000 euros will be secured. But for those with deposits of more than that amount in the country’s two biggest banks – Laiki and Bank of Cyprus – the deal will come as a bitter blow.
The percentage to be levied on large deposits in the Bank of Cyprus will be resolved in the coming weeks, Jeroen Dijsselbloem said.
One key element of the deposit tax, demanded by the IMF, is that it not require a parliamentary vote.
EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs Olli Rehn said that the “depth of the financial crisis in Cyprus means that the near future will be difficult for the country and its people”.
Asian financial markets rose in early trading on news of the deal.
The deal came after hours of tense negotiations between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and the “troika” of EU, ECB and IMF leaders.
Nicos Anastasiades had reportedly asked the heads of the troika if they wanted him to quit.
“Do you want to force me to resign?” Cyprus News Agency quoted him as saying, citing sources at the presidential palace.
“I am giving you one proposal, and you do not accept it. I give you another and it’s the same. What else do you want me to do?” Nicos Anastasiades was quoted as saying.
In another development on Sunday, Bank of Cyprus – the island’s biggest lender – further limited cash machine withdrawals to 120 euros a day.
With queues growing outside cash machines across the island, the second biggest lender, Laiki, also lowered its daily limit to 100 euros, Cyprus News Agency reported. The bank’s previous limit had been 260 euros per day.
Banks have been closed since Monday and many businesses are only taking payment in cash.
Jeroen Dijsselbloem said that the details of the re-opening of Cyprus’ banks would be discussed on Monday by the Cypriot government and the troika.
There is concern on Cyprus that a levy on large-scale foreign investors, many of whom are Russian, will damage its financial sector.
The 20/20 Experience, Justin Timberlake’s first album for seven years, has gone straight to the top of the UK chart, dethroning David Bowie’s comeback LP off the summit.
The 20/20 Experience is Justin Timberlake’s third solo album. It has deposed The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album for a decade, which spent one week on top.
However, Justin Timberlake’s song Mirrors has lost the top spot in the singles chart.
It has been replaced by The Saturdays’ What About Us, the girl group’s first number one after five years of trying.
They had previously scored 11 UK top 10 singles without hutting the top spot. But the new single, which features reggae star Sean Paul, has become the fastest-selling single of the year so far with 114,000 copies sold.
Justin Timberlake’s first album for seven years, has gone straight to the top of the UK chart, dethroning David Bowie’s comeback LP off the summit
Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors dropped to number two. Meanwhile, his album sold almost 106,000 copies – more than the rest of the top five combined.
Elsewhere on the album chart, Emeli Sande is still at number three with Our Version of Events, while the soundtrack to Les Miserables has gone back up to number four.
Other new entries include British indie survivors Suede at 10 with Bloodsports and singer-songwriter Billy Bragg at 13 with Tooth and Nail, according to the Official Charts Company.
British police say there is no evidence so far that a “third party” was involved in the death of exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky in London.
Earlier today, Boris Berezovsky ‘s house in Berkshire was given the all-clear after it was searched by police for chemical, biological and nuclear material.
Thames Police said Boris Berezovsky, 67, was found by an employee dead on his bathroom floor on Saturday afternoon. The door was locked from the inside.
A Home Office post-mortem examination is to be carried out.
Boris Berezovsky emigrated to the UK in 2000 after falling out with Russia’s president, and was granted asylum in 2003.
Police are treating the death as unexplained, while scenes-of-crime officers are currently inside the property carrying out a full forensic examination of the scene.
Police say there is no evidence so far that a “third party” was involved in the death of Boris Berezovsky
“It would be wrong to speculate on the cause of death until the post-mortem has been carried out. We do not have any evidence at this stage to suggest third party involvement,” Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Brown of Thames Valley Police said.
“The investigation team are building a picture of the last days of Mr. Berezovsky’s life, speaking to close friends and family to gain a better understanding of his state of mind.
“We are acutely aware of the level of interest into his death and are focused on conducting a thorough investigation as we would with any unexplained death.”
Boris Berezovsky’s body was reportedly found by an employee, who called an ambulance at 15:18 GMT on Saturday.
He had not been seen since around 22.30 GMT the previous evening.
His body remained at the property while the search – described by police as a precaution – for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear material was carried out.
The search was sparked after a paramedic’s personal electronic dosimeter (PED) – a health and safety device – was triggered.
Boris Berezovsky amassed a fortune in the 1990s after the privatization of Russia’s assets following the collapse of Soviet communism.
He survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur.
In 2003 Boris Berezovsky was granted political asylum in Britain on the grounds that his life would be in danger in Russia.
He was married twice and had six children – two with each of his wives and two with a long-term partner.
Boris Berezovsky ‘s wealth is thought to have considerably diminished in recent years, leaving him struggling to pay debts in the wake of costly court cases.
In 2011, Boris Berezovsky reportedly lost more than £100 million in a divorce settlement. And, last year, he lost a £3 billion ($4.7 billion) damages claim against Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.
Russian media have described Boris Berezovsky’s death as “the end of an era”.
On its website, the pro-Kremlin paper Komsomolskaya Pravda describes Boris Berezovsky as having been “clever, cunning, resourceful… a master of chaos”.
Meanwhile, Novaya Gazeta – which is normally critical of the Kremlin – described him as someone who “viewed Russia as a chess board”, albeit one on which “only he would be allowed to move the pieces”.
Former British ambassador to Russia Sir Andrew Wood, who knew Boris Berezovsky, said he had been a man of vigor who had tended to “over-egg his importance”, was at heart “not a bad man” and had been helpful to Britain in the past.
Honey Boo Boo was seen doing a meet and greet with her fans over the weekend where she also sold boxes of Girl Scout Cookies.
Honey Boo Boo, 8, could not help but tuck into the treats herself, and was seen with what appeared to be chocolate smeared around her face.
Setting up shop in the front yard of her McIntyre, Georgia home, Honey Boo Boo was working the crowd by holding up signs and selling boxes for people to take photos with her and her family.
Honey Boo Boo was certainly prepared for the media opportunity, also bringing along some signed photographs of herself and her family members.
Honey Boo Boo was seen doing a meet and greet with her fans over the weekend where she also sold boxes of Girl Scout Cookies
The charitable youngster worked hard at the makeshift event, standing out in the sun and holding up placards to advertise the famous cookies.
Honey Boo Boo was selling the treats for $3.50 a box, and even drew cute pictures of chocolate chip cookies in pink on her signs in an effort to promote the drive.
As always, Honey Boo Boo was supported by her family members, including her Mama June, father Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson and sister Lauryn Shannon, who was holding one of the family’s pet chickens.
Rare pictures of The Beatles’ 1965 Shea Stadium concert, taken by amateur photographer Marc Weinstein, who bluffed his way backstage, have sold for £30,000 ($47,000).
Marc Weinstein used a fake press pass to get next to the stage for the historic New York show.
The only other photographer present ran out of film during the gig.
Marc Weinstein’s 61 black and white images with copyright fetched £30,680, compared with a pre-sale estimate of £15,000-£20,000, Omega Auctions said.
Rare pictures of The Beatles’ 1965 Shea Stadium concert, taken by amateur photographer Marc Weinstein, who bluffed his way backstage, have sold for £30,000
Shea Stadium was The Beatles’ biggest concert – and the biggest ever pop concert by any group up to that date.
It came at the height of Beatlemania and the band’s music was famously drowned out by the screams of the 55,000-strong crowd.
Marc Weinstein later recalled how he used a home-made press pass to con a policeman into escorting him to the stage area.
“I just blended with everybody there,” he said.
“I had a method of operation; I just acted like I belonged. Anybody in authority, I would look the other way.”
Auctioneer Paul Fairweather said the successful bidder was “a South American gentleman currently living in Washington [who] is a huge collector of Beatles memorabilia”.
A further collection of 65 unpublished color slides of The Beatles taken by physicist Dr. Robert “Bob” Beck in 1964 sold for £27,140 ($42,000). They had an estimate of £10,000-£15,000.
A key meeting of Eurogroup (eurozone finance ministers) to finalize a crucial bailout for Cyprus has been delayed as talks to hammer out an agreement overran.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is locked in bailout talks with EU, European Central Bank and IMF leaders in Brussels.
The finance ministers must decide on Sunday whether or not to approve the bailout.
Cyprus needs to raise 5.8 billion euros to qualify for a 10 billion euro EU bailout and avoid bankruptcy.
A eurozone official said the Eurogroup meeting had been rescheduled for about 20:00 local time from 18:00 because talks with Cypriot officials ahead of those discussions had overrun.
In another development on Sunday, Bank of Cyprus – the island’s biggest lender – further limited cash machine withdrawals to 120 euros a day.
With queues growing outside cash machines across the island, the second biggest lender, Laiki (Popular) Bank, also lowered its daily limit to 100 euros, Cyprus News Agency reported. The bank’s previous limit had been 260 euros per day.
Banks have been closed since Monday and many businesses are only taking payment in cash.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is locked in bailout talks with EU, European Central Bank and IMF leaders in Brussels
In the run-up to the crunch talks in Brussels, the EU’s commissioner for economic affairs Olli Rehn said Cyprus had only “hard choices left” and must agree terms on Sunday.
According to a source close to the negotiations, the rescue plans – as they stand – involve splitting Laiki Bank into “good” and “bad” banks.
Good assets would be merged with Bank of Cyprus and the toxic assets will stay in Laiki. Administrators will then be appointed to liquidate those assets. The bank will not be closed but will be hugely reduced in size.
The source said a 20% levy would be imposed on deposits over 100,000 euros in Bank of Cyprus in exchange for shares in the bank.
A 4% levy would then be imposed on deposits of more than 100,000 euros in other banks. This would need to be approved by parliament but enough MPs have already given their backing to ensure it would pass.
The changes would cut Cyprus’s banking sector by between a third and a half.
Cyprus’ parliament rejected a bank levy on small and large deposits earlier this week, but a levy limited to large deposits is said to be back in consideration following pressure from Brussels and Berlin.
The levy that was rejected would have taken 6.75% from small savers and 9.9% from larger investors. It caused widespread anger among ordinary savers in Cyprus.
Cyprus needs the approval of the “troika” – the IMF, ECB and European Commission – in order to present a rescue plan to eurozone ministers.
If a deal on an alternative agreement fails, the ECB says it will cut off funds to the banks, meaning they would collapse, possibly pushing the country out of the eurozone.
“The negotiations are at a very delicate stage,” said Cypriot government spokesman Christos Stylianides.
“The situation is very difficult and the time limits are very tight.”
Olli Rehn said: “It is essential that an agreement is reached by the Eurogroup on Sunday evening. This agreement then needs to be swiftly implemented by Cyprus and its eurozone partners.”
“Unfortunately the events of recent days have led to a situation where there are no longer any optimal solutions available,” he added.
He said it was clear that the near future for Cyprus would be “very difficult” but that the EU stood ready to help.
There is concern on the island that a levy on large-scale foreign investors, many of whom are Russian, would damage its financial sector.
But leading Cypriot bankers have urged parliament to accept a levy, with small savers exempted.
Correspondents say Germany has pushed hard for a levy on investors who have benefited from high interest rates in recent years, rejecting a Cypriot plan to use money from pension funds.
Cypriot Finance Minister Michael Sarris recently travelled to Moscow in an unsuccessful attempt to get Russian help.
Banks in Cyprus have been closed since Monday and many businesses are only taking payment in cash.
On Saturday afternoon more than 1,000 bank employees marched to the Cypriot finance ministry, stopping briefly at the presidential palace.
Heidi Agan, a former waitress from Corby, Northamptonshire, UK, who swapped her £6-per-hour job to become a £650-per-appearance Kate Middleton lookalike, has “become pregnant” to maintain accuracy.
Heidi Agan, a 32 year-old single mother-of-two, now has a “bump made in various sizes”.
She quit her job at a Kettering restaurant last May after customers repeatedly said she looked like Kate Middleton.
Heidi Agan now travels across the UK and around the world to make appearances as a royal doppelganger.
“To have done 12 years of something you know and then to leap into an industry that gives with one hand and takes with another is difficult, but I’m just really happy and feel blessed that I did,” Heidi Agan said.
Since the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William announced their forthcoming baby, lookalike Heidi Agan has now prepared to appear with child.
“As Kate grows I will too – to be authentic I thought it was important,” she said.
“It’s difficult at the moment as she’s not big enough yet to change her entire wardrobe so it’s difficult to see how she’s’ going to dress it.”
Kate Middleton lookalike Heidi Agan has “become pregnant” to maintain accuracy
Since taking the showbiz plunge Heidi Agan has made regular television, radio, corporate and newspaper appearances as the duchess.
“I did the Alan Titchmarsh Show and everywhere you turned there was another celebrity,” Heidi said.
“You just have to pinch yourself as I can’t believe it’s happened.
“It was the same in New York. I went to Times Square with Good Morning America and was ferried around with security.
“It’s just something I never thought would happen to me, but has turned out to be the most wonderful thing ever.”
Heidi Agan follows social media news about Kate Middleton to ensure her own wardrobe matches the duchess’, and practices “her look” daily.
“The most expensive shoes I’ve bought as Kate were about £200, the dress was about £300 – which I don’t think is that bad considering her original evening wedding dress by Alexander McQueen would have cost tens of thousands of pounds.
“I have to get the clothes, the mannerisms, the way she stands and interacts with William right. Things like that are all very important if I want to be the best.”
Heidi Agan said her children, aged 11 and 4, are “proud” of what she’s doing.
“It’s just been incredible and I feel so blessed with it and without the support of my family I just couldn’t do it,” she said.
“Appearing as Kate has given me the opportunity to spend more time with my own children than if I was doing my waitressing job and that’s priceless.”
Heidi Agan refused to be drawn on who she found most attractive between the royal brothers.
“I don’t think either William or Harry are my type, they are too tall… is that diplomatic enough?” she said.
People in Corby were treated to a “royal appearance” on Saturday when Heidi Agan appeared for an event in the town’s Corporation Street.
Pope Francis has announced in his Palm Sunday homily he will visit Brazil in July for the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
The Pope will attend the Catholic youth gathering in Rio de Janeiro, saying Mass on Copacabana beach and praying at the Christ the Redeemer statue.
Pope Francis spoke in St Peter’s Square as Holy Week, the most important period in the Christian calendar, began.
Thousands of people waved olive branches and palm fronds in the crowd.
The gesture commemorates palm branches which, according to the Bible, were laid in the path of Jesus Christ when he made his entry on a donkey into Jerusalem before his crucifixion.
Pope Francis has announced in his Palm Sunday homily he will visit Brazil in July for the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro
Pope Francis departed frequently from the prepared text of his homily.
His style is informal, direct and, in contrast to his predecessors, he tells stories off the cuff to illustrate the points he wants to make, our correspondent says.
The Catholic youth festival is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims from around the world.
Towards the end of his homily, Pope Francis said: “I look forward joyfully to next July in Rio de Janeiro.
“I will see you in that great city in Brazil.”
The gathering in Rio would, Pope Francis said, be a “sign of faith for the whole world”.
Pope Benedict XVI attended the last such festival, in Madrid, in August 2011.
Rebels in the Central African Republic have taken the capital, Bangui, after President Francois Bozize fled.
Witnesses reported gunfire as the Seleka rebel coalition took the presidential palace, followed by chaos and looting in the city centre.
Francois Bozize arrived with his family in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a Congolese official said.
The rebels, involved in an on-off rebellion since December, say President Francois Bozize failed to honor a peace deal.
On Sunday, witnesses and government officials confirmed that they had taken control of Bangui.
South African peacekeepers in CAR to support government troops suffered casualties but failed to stop the rebel advance.
Justin Kombo Moustapha, secretary-general of Seleka, appealed for calm and called on citizens to “welcome the revolutionary forces of Seleka”.
“Central African Republic has just opened a new page in its history,” he said in a statement.
Nelson Ndjadder of Seleka’s CPSK faction said the country should now move into a transition towards democratic elections.
“With the taking of Bangui and the departure of Bozize, the main objective of our struggle has been realized,” he said.
“Central Africans must meet around a table to decide the path for their common future.”
Rebels in the Central African Republic have taken the capital, Bangui, after President Francois Bozize fled
A Paris-based rebel spokesman Eric Massi told AFP news agency that the rebels had secured Bangui and military camps and were deploying across the capital “to launch security operations and prevent looting”.
However, Amy Martin of the UN’s humanitarian agency, OCHA, said looting was happening.
“The situation in town is chaotic in the sense than communities are looting properties, private properties, even a paediatric hospital we understand has been looted,” she said.
“Our main concern right now is at the community level, with the looting and the possible tensions between various ethnic groups.”
South African troops retreated to their barracks and were seeking safe passage to the airport, Amy Martin said.
She added that Bangui been without power since Saturday, and that this meant water had also been cut.
Amy Martin also said the situation in the interior thought to be worse than in the capital, more than 170,000 estimated to have been displaced within the country and others fleeing to Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
DR Congo government spokesman Lambert Mende said Francois Bozize’s wife, children and other relatives had fled to the Congolese town of Zongo.
Francois Bozize also travelled to Zongo, from where he was expected to be moved with his family to the district capital of Gemena, said a Congolese official.
UN officials said 26,000 people had arrived in Zongo from CAR, and the numbers were rapidly increasing.
Former colonial power France has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
It has sent 350 soldiers to ensure the security of its citizens, a senior official told AFP, bringing the total number of French troops in CAR to nearly 600.
“I call upon all sides to show the greatest restraint,” said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, urging French nationals to stay at home.
The UN Security Council voiced concern about the rebel advance on Friday, amid reports of killings, rapes and torture.
The rebels joined a power-sharing government in January after talks brokered by regional leaders to end a rebellion they launched last year.
But the deal quickly collapsed, with the rebels saying their demands, including the release of political prisoners, had not been met.
Observers say Francois Bozize kept the army weak because he was afraid of a military coup.
He came to power himself in a coup in 2003.
CAR, which has a population of about 4.5 million, has been hit by a series of rebellions since independence from France in 1960.
CAR is one of the poorest countries in Africa, despite its considerable mineral resources.
Tilda Swinton is sleeping in a fitted glass box at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) this month.
Museum goers are able to peer in on Tilda Swinton while standing just feet from her padded glass chamber as she appears to lightly turn in slumber.
The Oscar-winning actress’ month-long performance art of public napping titled, The Maybe, is said to run the museum’s entire day – last seen totaling seven hours – but on days randomly chosen and said to be unknown even to the museum’s staff.
“Museum staff doesn’t know she’s coming until the day of, but she’s here today. She’ll be there the whole day,” a MoMA employee told Gothamist.
Tilda Swinton’s raised glass box will also move around the museum, rarely if ever appearing in the same location according to the source.
Tilda Swinton is sleeping in a fitted glass box at New York’s MoMA this month
On her first day Tilda Swinton was seen lying fully clothed while wearing jeans, sneakers and a buttoned up shirt.
Various photographs of her display showed her in just a few changing positions, leaving open questions on her full state of consciousness.
“I feel bad for her. It’s physically demanding. Is she just nocturnal for a month?” 17-year-old Than Fuirst of Manhattan told the New York Post.
A white card adorning a wall near Tilda Swinton’s aquarium labels her like any other piece of artwork in the building, showing the work’s title, artist, dates, and materials used.
In her case it reads: “Living artist, glass, steel, mattress, pillow, linen, water, and spectacles.”
This isn’t the first time the world has been offered a very public eye to Tilda Swinton’s sleeping, however.
Her art installation, The Maybe, first débuted in 1995 at London’s Serpentine Gallery.
Tilda Swinton later took her one-act to Rome’s Museuo Barraco the following year.
Paul Bearer died of a heart attack caused by an untreated rapid heart rate, according to his son, Michael Moody.
Michael Moody told TMZ on Saturday that his father’s death certificate lists the cause of the heart attack as supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT.
SVT is an extremely rapid heart rhythm that occurs at the part of the heart’s control system which keeps the top of the organ properly functioning.
Wrestling legend Paul Bearer, real name William Alvin Moody, the pasty-faced, urn-carrying manager for performers The Undertaker and Kane, died on Tuesday, March 5. He was 58.
SVT is typically not life threatening, though it can decrease one’s heart functionality if prolonged without treatment, according to medical sources.
Paul Bearer died of a heart attack caused by an untreated rapid heart rate
SVT’s symptoms are similar to anxiety and heartburn, so it is not uncommon for people to wait out the discomfort instead of seeing a doctor.
Those who get treated for the fairly common heart condition without waiting too long more often than not survive, one cardiologist told TMZ.
Michael Moody said doctors believe Paul Bearer had been struggling with SVT for several weeks.
Three days before Paul Bearer died, he had reportedly complained to friends and family that he was suffering a blood clot.
The WWE released a statement at the time of his death saying: “WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of William Moody, aka Paul Bearer.
“Moody made his WWE debut in 1991 as the manager of The Undertaker and went on to become a memorable part of WWE over the course of the next 20 years. Our deepest condolences go out to Moody’s family, friends and fans.”
A New Jersey winner has got the winning ticket to the $338 million Powerball fortune that was up for grabs last night.
The numbers are: 17, 29, 31, 52, 53 and Powerball 31.
No ticket matched all the numbers in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing.
The jackpot had been estimated at $320 million but a late ticket sales surge pushed it to $388 million.
A New Jersey winner has got the winning ticket to the $338 million Powerball fortune that was up for grabs last night
The lump-sum cash option is $211 million.
Lottery officials say the current jackpot is the sixth highest in history. No one has won the Powerball jackpot since early February.
The largest Powerball jackpot in history was in November 2012, and the holders of two winning tickets – one purchased in Arizona and the other in Missouri – shared $587.5 million.
Pitbull and Christina Aguilera kicked off the 26th annual Kids’ Choice Awards at the USC Galen Center in Los Angeles and slime fest with their duet Feel This Moment.
And at the end of the performance, Christina Aguilera pushed a button, covering Pitbull and the dancers in the show’s signature green gunge.
Selena Gomez returned to her roots to be crowned Favourite TV Actress at this year’s Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.
And she was in good company, as winning big beside her were two modern day celebrity heroines, Kristen Stewart and Katy Perry.
Kristen Stewart looked happy and full of fun on Saturday when she accepted the award for Favourite Movie Actress, vindication indeed that she’s still a fan favourite.
“Twilight fans have been the best ever. So thanks guys for honoring me in this way,” said Kristen Stewart.
Kristen Stewart – who is often accused of being pofaced and miserable – even jumped into a sliming with Sandra Bullock and Neil Patrick Harris – when she wasn’t required to face in the indignity, her cute short suit never quite recovered.
Kristen Stewart looked happy and full of fun on Saturday when she accepted the award for Favourite Movie Actress
“I love the kids,” Katy Perry told the audience after accepting her gong for Favourite Female singer.
“I think it’s the coolest award. I love you kids. Stay in school and stay safe.”
Ke$ha was also among the performers, changing out of her blue suit and hat into a fur coat, tiny black shorts and yellow top as she sang her song C’Mon.
Other winners at the viewer-voted ceremony honoring kids’ favorites in film, music, sports and TV included Adam Sandler as Favourite Voice from an Animated Movie for Hotel Transylvania, race car driver Danica Patrick as Favourite Female Athlete and The Hunger Games as Favourite Movie and Book.
Johnny Depp made a surprise performance after scooping the Favourite Movie actor gong for his role in Dark Shadows.
“I’m truly honored and humbled to get this award,” he told the audience.
“You’re the future.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also got the chance to push the slime button, managing to cover Nick Cannon and Josh Duhumel in goop after accepting his award for Best Male Buttkicker.
Despite Miami Heat star LeBron James accepting the Favourite Male Athlete award via video link, fan favorite Justin Bieber did not appear to even record a filmed “thank you” for the Favourite Male Singer award.
Presenters on the show included Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale, Jessica Alba, Kevin Hart.
Josh Duhamel said a record-breaking 350 million votes had been cast for the show.
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has decided to end his self-imposed exile in Dubai and defying death threats he heads back to Karachi.
Pervez Musharraf said the Taliban had tried and failed to kill him, adding that he was taking precautions because his safety could not always be guaranteed.
General Pervez Musharraf plans to lead his party in the May general election.
Meanwhile, 17 soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber in north-west Pakistan overnight.
They were attacked at a security checkpoint in the tribal region of North Waziristan, close to the Afghan border and a known stronghold of the Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants.
A recent Taliban video threatened Pervez Musharraf with snipers and suicide bombers.
Pervez Musharraf has left Dubai on a plane to Karachi, ending his self-imposed exile and defying death threats
The former president faces a string of charges including conspiracy to murder, but on Friday the Pakistani authorities granted him protective bail in several outstanding cases, freeing him from immediate arrest once he steps foot in Pakistan.
Pervez Musharraf tweeted a photo of himself aboard the plane, writing: “Settled in my seat on the plane to begin my journey home. Pakistan First!”
A group of about 200 supporters and journalists are travelling with the former military ruler – including party members from the UK, Canada, Switzerland and the US.
Before take-off chants of “Long live Pervez Musharraf” broke out on board.
Some of the general’s supporters wore white armbands saying they were ready to give their lives for him.
But aides confirmed a planned mass rally had been called off because authorities withdrew permission. Instead, they said, a rally would be held at the airport in Karachi upon arrival.
Pervez Musharraf has lived in London and Dubai since stepping down five years ago.
He has vowed to return several times in the past, but those previous attempts have been abandoned.
Honey Boo Boo and her mother June Shannon bumped into celebrity fan La Toya Jackson recently, who couldn’t help but rave about her love of the child.
While working in Chicago, La Toya Jackson posted a picture online of her pleasant meeting with Honey Boo Boo.
La Toya Jackson tweeted a snap of them, joined by June Shannon, with the message: “Me and #Honeybooboo at the #upfronts! She is Simply Adorable!!! And her mother June, loving them!”
In the picture La Toya Jackson gazes adoringly into the youngster’s face while Honey Boo Boo is unsurprisingly focused on looking her best for the camera.
June Shannon, who opted to wear a floral print like her daughter, stands in the background waving but keeping a watchful eye over her little one as she hobnobbed with the star.
Honey Boo Boo and her mother June Shannon bumped into celebrity fan La Toya Jackson recently, who couldn’t help but rave about her love of the child
British police with expertise in environments contaminated with chemical, biological and nuclear material are searching the house of the late exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky.
Boris Berezovsky, 67, was found dead on Saturday, and a Thames Valley police cordon remains in place as police investigate his unexplained death.
His body remains at the Berkshire house while the search – described as a precaution – takes place, police said.
They say local people are not at risk.
The ambulance service was called to the Ascot house of Boris Berezovsky at 15:18 GMT on Saturday. His body was reportedly found in a bath.
A Thames Valley police update said: “Specially trained officers are currently at the scene, including CBRN [chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear] trained officers, who are conducting a number of searches as a precaution.
“This is to enable officers to carry out an investigation into the man’s death.”
British police with expertise in environments contaminated with chemical, biological and nuclear material are searching the house of the late exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky
Supt Stuart Greenfield said: “We are aware the cordon is causing disruption to local residents and we apologize for any inconvenience, but it is important we take all necessary measures to ensure a full and thorough investigation can be carried out.
“I would like to reassure residents that we are confident there is no risk to the wider community.”
He said the property was part of a large estate, so a number of roads were closed “and will remain so for the time being”.
Boris Berezovsky was a wanted man in Russia, an opponent of President Vladimir Putin, and had survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur. He emigrated to the UK in 2000.
The Russian tycoon was a close friend of murdered Russian émigré and former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who died in 2006 after he was poisoned with the radioactive material polonium-210 while drinking tea at a London meeting.
Without naming Boris Berezovsky, the Kremlin has accused its foreign-based opponents of organizing the assassination – a claim Boris Berezovsky denied. He accused Vladimir Putin of being behind the death.
In the interview with a journalist from Forbes magazine on Friday, Boris Berezovsky said that he had changed his mind on many things, his life no longer made sense and he wished he could return to Russia.
Last night a Kremlin spokesman said that Boris Berezovsky had recently written to Vladimir Putin, saying he wanted to go home.
Boris Berezovsky’s wealth is thought to have considerably diminished in recent years, leaving him struggling to pay debts in the wake of costly court cases.
Last year, Boris Berezovsky lost a £3 billion ($4.7 billion) damages claim against Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.
Joe Weider, the man who launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Hollywood career, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 93.
Joe Weider, who was known for creating the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contest, built a magazine empire that included publications like Muscle and Fitness, Shape and Men’s Fitness.
The bodybuilding guru died of heart failure, his publicist announced.
Arnold Schwarzenegger paid tribute to the man he called “the godfather of fitness.”
“He taught us that through hard work and training we could all be champions,” he said in a statement on his website.
“When I was a young boy in Austria, his muscle magazines provided me with the inspiration and the blueprint to push myself beyond my limits and imagine a much bigger future.”
Joe Weider, the man who launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Hollywood career, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 93
Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia said Joe Weider had encouraged him to come to the US and helped launch his acting career, securing his first role in a TV film called Hercules Goes Bananas.
Producers had asked Joe Weider if he knew of “a muscleman who could act a little”, said Arnold Schwarzenegger, adding that Weider had told them: “I got the perfect guy, he’s done Shakespearean plays in Germany, he’s a great actor, but his English isn’t too good.”
In his statement, Arnold Schwarzenegger said Joe Weider had supported him throughout his career – with illustrious film credits including Hercules in New York, Kindergarten Cop and Dr. Dolittle II – and even when he made the move into politics.
“He was there for me constantly throughout my life… and I will miss him dearly.”
