Two opposition politicians have been killed in Venezuela during a campaign rally, a week before the country’s presidential election.
Geison Valero belonged to the opposition party First Justice and Omar Fernandez was an independent.
The First Justice party said they were campaigning for opposition leader Henrique Capriles in Barinas state when gunmen shot them dead.
Witnesses said the vehicle belonged to the state oil company PDVSA.
But there has been no confirmation of this from the Venezuelan authorities.
A statement by the party said a rally had been planned in Barinas, President Hugo Chavez’s home state, but the road was blocked by government supporters.
When the two men left their car to try to gain access, they were fired on by gunmen inside a van, it said.
Hugo Chavez and Henrique Capriles are wrapping up their campaigns over the next few days ahead of the 7 October elections.
There have been other incidents of violence on the campaign trail. Supporters of both candidates threw stones at each other earlier this month when Henrique Capriles attempted to march through the city of Puerto Cabello.
And four people were injured in a shooting that erupted during a voting rehearsal at the beginning of September.
With violent crime a key concern for voters, there are fears that further violence could erupt in what has become Venezuela’s closest fought election in over a decade.
Hugo Chavez has been in power since 1999, but was diagnosed with cancer last year.
More than 30 opposition parties have backed a single candidate, Henrique Capriles, to challenge the leftist president.
Brigitte Nielsen revealed that she and Arnold Schwarzenegger had an affair in her own memoir, last year.
And now Arnold Schwarzenegger has confirmed that he cheated on his then girlfriend and now ex-wife Maria Shriver with actress Brigitte Nielsen.
The Terminator star has made the explosive revelation in his own new autobiography, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, 65, says that he and Brigitte Nielsen shared a passionate tryst whilst filming their sword and sorcery/action film Red Sonja in 1985.
At the time, Arnold Schwarzenegger was dating and living with Maria Shriver, who he went on to marry a year later.
Meanwhile, in 1985, Brigitte Nielsen was married to fellow action star and one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s pals, Sylvester Stallone.
In her own book You Only Get One Life, Brigitte Nielsen, who for years has struggled with alcohol addiction, claims she didn’t know Arnold Schwarzenegger was involved with another woman during their affair.
His book has become one of the most talked about celebrity autobiography in recent memory.
But the action star is said to be keeping all the profits of the book to himself.
Earlier this week it was revealed that Arnold Schwarzenegger did not send his estranged wife a copy of his book, as he does not want her to claim a share of the money that it is making.
The Terminator star is reportedly hell-bent on keeping all of the proceeds from the tome for himself, even though his relationship with Maria Shriver is a key strand of his story.
Sources close to the couple made the shocking claims to TMZ.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver were together for 34 years and married for 25, and their times together are exhaustively dealt with in the forthcoming book.
They married in April 1986, and have four children together – Katherine, 22, Christina, 21, Patrick, 19, and 15-year-old Christopher.
However, Arnold Schwarzenegger has allegedly made it clear to her that the book is his property, and she will not be getting her hands on any part of his multi-million dollar advance or the bumper royalties.
It has also been claimed the love cheat has been trying to give Maria Shriver a raw deal during financial settlement negotiations.
An insider said: “Arnold has been really stingy with Maria and the kids, which is amazing considering what he did.”
Apparently Arnold Schwarzenegger is treating the divorce like just another business deal, rather than seeing the cash sum as a symbol of the parting of the relationship he had with the mother of his children.
This is despite the sources also claiming he begged for her to return to him as recently as last week.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 56-year-old author and activist turned down the request.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s representative reportedly told TMZ divorce settlement negotiations are ongoing so no agreement has been struck.
Anne Hathaway has married Adam Shulman in Big Sur, California, after a one year engagement.
Following reports on Friday that she was set to wed this weekend, the actress is understood to have tied the knot.
It comes following news that Anne Hathaway, 29, had hired Natalie Portman’s wedding planner to help her hash out her perfect nuptials.
The bride wore a dress designed by Valentino, after the designer recently confirmed he would be in charge of creating her gown, while the groom dressed in a dapper tuxedo.
Anne Hathaway certainly made for a beautiful bride in her off-the-shoulder, vintage inspired creation, which she teamed with white shoes and an elaborate but gorgeous veil.
Speaking recently, Valentino Garavani confirmed he had designed the gown that would be worn by Anne Hathaway.
According to People.com, the actress said “I do” with her actor beau in a ceremony attended by 100 guests.
Friday night saw the rehearsal dinner which took place at the Ventana Inn and Spa, which was followed by the star walking up the aisle on a private estate.
A minibus was seen collecting the guests from the luxury hotel to take them to the ceremony.
The décor of the big day was reportedly inspired by nature and featured lots of branches at both the ceremony and reception.
Ahead of the nuptials it was reported that the wedding would be a traditional Jewish affair – just like Natalie Portman’s wedding to Benjamin Millipied – which also took place in Big Sur.
Running alongside the Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, famous for its links to the Beat poets, is a sparsely populated town where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise from the Pacific Ocean.
Anne Hathaway had originally claimed the wedding would not take place until 2013 because of her work commitments.
She told Hello magazine: “We’re getting married, probably sometime next year-ish. Not this year, it’s too big with two films coming out.
“I haven’t started planning yet. I was filming Les Mis when we decided to do it, and there was no way I could think about anything wedding-related with my head in the space it was in then.
“I’ve been so busy since then, I’ve not even decided what sort of ceremony I want.”
A blaze has swept though ancient markets in Aleppo, activists say, as rebels and government forces seek to gain control of Syria’s largest city.
Reports say hundreds of shops in the souk, one of the best preserved in the Middle East, have been destroyed.
Unesco, which recognizes Aleppo’s Old City as a world heritage site, described the damage as a tragedy.
On the third day of a rebel offensive, battles broke out in the Old City and the Arkub district, reports said.
The fire, believed to have been triggered by shelling and gunfire, began on Friday but was still burning on Saturday, reports said.
“It’s a big loss and a tragedy that the old city has now been affected,” Kishore Rao, director of Unesco’s World Heritage Centre, told the Associated Press.
The market stalls lie beneath the city’s towering 13th Century citadel, where activists say regime troops and snipers have taken up positions.
Activists quoted by Reuters news agency said that the presence of snipers was making it difficult to approach the Souk al-Madina, once a major tourist attraction.
Reports estimate that between 700 and 1,000 shops have been destroyed so far.
“It’s a disaster. The fire is threatening to spread to remaining shops,” one activist, Ahmad al-Halabi, told AP.
He said the Syrian authorities had cut off the water supply, making attempts to control the fire more difficult.
Rebels and civilians were working together to limit the fire with a few fire extinguishers, he added.
The fire took hold with speed, fuelled by the many shops’ wooden doors and the clothes, fabrics and leather goods sold inside.
Heavy clashes erupted at several military sites in the city on Saturday evening, Reuters reports.
Fighting was reported at the Neirab military base as well as Bab Antakya, a stone gateway to the Old City.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group, said the focal point for fighting was Salaheddin, a rebel stronghold on the south-west side of the city.
State television reported attacks on what it called “terrorist centres” in 10 different locations on Saturday, saying heavy losses had been inflicted.
Though both sides have reported clashes in different parts of the city, the signs are that the rebels simply lack the firepower and the manpower to score a significant breakthrough.
“No-one is actually making gains here, it is just fighting and more fighting, and terrified people are fleeing,” one activist told Reuters.
Activists estimate more than 27,000 people have died in the violence since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began last year.
Vatican judges have refused to admit key evidence in the trial of Paolo Gabriele, Pope Benedict’s former butler, charged with stealing sensitive documents.
Paolo Gabriele’s lawyers had asked to include evidence gathered by cardinals who carried out an inquiry into the “Vatileaks” scandal for Pope Benedict.
But judges at the high-profile trial said they would rely only on evidence from the Vatican police and prosecutor.
They adjourned the case until Tuesday, when Paolo Gabriele will be questioned.
The 46-year-old admitted to investigators that he had leaked confidential documents to expose “evil and corruption”.
He was identified as the source of leaked documents that were published in a book by an Italian journalist in May.
The documents included private correspondence between senior Vatican figures, and appeared to reveal bitter power struggles and corruption.
Pope Benedict XVI ordered cardinals to carry out an inquiry separate to the probe by Vatican police after the scandal broke.
The results of their investigation have not been made public.
Paolo Gabriele faces up to four years in prison if convicted of aggravated theft, but he could be pardoned by the Pope.
The court decided that his fellow defendant, Vatican computer technician Claudio Sciarpelletti, will be tried separately for aiding and abetting a crime. He had exerted his right to stay away from the hearing.
Paolo Gabriele was the Pope’s trusted servant for years and held the keys to the papal apartments.
It has been one of the most difficult crises of Pope Benedict’s seven-year papacy.
No TV cameras or recorders are being allowed inside the courtroom for the most high-profile case to be held in the Vatican since it was established as a sovereign state in 1929.
Paolo Gabriele, dressed in a pale grey suit, showed little reaction as judges rejected almost all of his lawyers’ requests.
He will be interrogated in court by the president of the Vatican City tribunal on Tuesday.
The chief judge said the court hoped to reach a verdict by the end of next week.
Among witnesses due to give evidence next week is Pope Benedict’s private secretary, Georg Gaenswein, and one of the six German and Italian nuns who work in the pope’s private household.
The Vatican butler was arrested in May, accused of passing papal correspondence to journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, whose book His Holiness: The secret papers of Pope Benedict XVI was published that month.
Correspondents say the revelations seem aimed primarily at discrediting the Vatican’s powerful Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who has been in his post since 2006.
Prosecutors quoted Paolo Gabriele as saying during his interrogation that he knew taking the documents was wrong but he felt the Holy Spirit was inspiring him to shed light on the problems he saw around him.
He said he felt the Pope was being kept in the dark or misinformed by his collaborators.
Pope Benedict said after his former butler’s arrest that the news had “brought sadness in my heart”.
Try this simple dish baked in a single tray that will feed the whole family this weekend.
INGREDIENTS
375 g packet ready-rolled puff pastry
10 ripe figs
3 tbsp runny honey with a squeeze of lemon added
125 g (4½oz) flaked almonds
200 ml (7fl oz) crème fraîche
2 tsp essence of rose water
Fig, honey and almond tart
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6 and heat a baking sheet. Unroll the pastry, cut out a 30 cm (12in) circle and place onto another, cold baking sheet. Prick the pastry circle with a fork. Trim any woody stalks from the figs, then cut into quarters and arrange in concentric circles over the pastry. Drizzle over the honey and scatter over 2 tbsp flaked almonds. Push the outer edge of the pastry around the edge of the figs. Place the baking sheet onto the preheated baking sheet (this ensures a crispy base) and bake for 20 minutes until crisp. Finely chop the remaining almonds, stir into the crème fraîche with the rose water and serve with the tart.
Omar Khadr, the youngest prisoner to be held at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre, has been returned to his native Canada.
Omar Khadr had been held at the US base in Cuba since 2002, after being detained in Afghanistan aged 15.
A military plane flew Omar Khadr, the last Westerner at Guantanamo, to Canada early on Saturday.
He will serve the rest of his eight-year jail term in Canada. He pleaded guilty to killing a US soldier in Afghanistan.
Omar Khadr left the prison on a US military plane and arrived at a Canadian air base in Trenton in Ontario province, from where he was transferred to the Millhaven maximum prison, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews told a news conference.
The US Department of Defense said in a statement: “The United States government has returned Khadr to Canada where he will serve out his remaining sentence. The United States co-ordinated with the government of Canada regarding appropriate security and humane treatment measures.”
Omar Khadr was sentenced to 40 years in prison by a US military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay in 2010 on war crimes charges.
The charges against him were: murder in violation of the law of war; attempted murder in violation of the law of war; conspiracy; providing material support for terrorism; and spying.
But as part of his plea deal, his sentence was limited to eight years.
Under the deal, he became eligible to return to Canada last October.
Canada declined to intervene in Omar Khadr’s trial, despite federal court rulings in Ottawa that his rights were violated when Canadian agents interrogated him at Guantanamo Bay.
The majority of Canadians supported the campaign to repatriate Omar Khadr, now 26, though the country remains split over the case.
“Omar Khadr is a known supporter of the al-Qaeda terrorist network and a convicted terrorist,” Vic Toews said on Saturday.
Many still consider him and some members of his family a threat, while others see him as a child victim of both an extreme Islamist ideology and cruel and unusual treatment at the hands of the US authorities.
The Khadrs have been called Canada’s “first family of terror”.
Omar Khadr’s father, an associate of Osama Bin Laden, took the family to Peshawar, in Pakistan, to support the Afghan mujahideen in their war against the Soviets when Khadr was a child. The father died in a firefight with Pakistani troops near the Afghan border in 2003.
One brother is paralyzed from the waist down after being wounded in that same battle. Another has just been released from jail in Toronto after successfully fighting extradition to the US on terror charges.
Omar Khadr’s sister Zaynab and mother Maha are well-known in Canada for their extremist views.
Some 166 detainees remain in detention at Guantanamo Bay.
California drivers had been long warned and now Carmageddon, the sequel, is hours underway.
Ten miles of the world’s busiest freeways have been shut down in Los Angeles since midnight launching a frenzied weekend construction zone transportation officials hope will end as successfully as last year’s first edition.
For weeks drivers have been warned to stay away from the segment of Interstate 405 that will be shuttered through the Sepulveda Pass on LA’s west side for a bridge’s completion planned before Monday morning’s traffic crunch.
If drivers don’t avoid the area, officials warn, a city-wide traffic jam could result prompting city officials to encourage Southern Californians to get out and enjoy their own neighborhoods on foot, on bikes or via short drives on surface streets instead.
During a similar closure last year commuters stayed away from the freeway in droves, the shutdown was considered a success, and crews finished the first phase of the work early.
This time, the contractor faces a hefty penalty if the work isn’t done in 53 hours: $6,000 per lane of freeway every 10 minutes that goes beyond its completion time.
“The penalty is $6,000 per lane of freeway, per 10 minutes. Let’s assume the entire freeway isn’t reopened, that’s $60,000 every 10 minutes,” Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Dave Sotero told KCBS-TV.
Meanwhile, TV news crews have a plan to avoid a traffic jam in the sky as they cover the shutdown.
Residents complained of low-flying, noisy helicopters hovering nonstop over the region last year.
“It was constant,” Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, whose members live in many of the homes closest to the freeway, recently told The Associated Press.
“It was a combination of the news media paparazzi and tour operators taking people who wanted to get a picture of the 405.”
Although the area gets its share of paparazzi helicopters because of Charlie Sheen and other celebrities who live in the area, Richard Close said they usually go away when the sun sets.
During Carmageddon, however, the area is brightly illuminated overnight so construction workers can safely do their jobs.
This time, local television news directors have plans to pool coverage by using video from a single helicopter making limited flights over the freeway, according to Rick Terrell, executive director of the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California.
The participating stations include major broadcasters including KABC-TV, KCBS-TV and KTTV-TV.
Interviewers make all sorts of snap judgments about a candidate’s character based solely on their grooming regime, according to a survey of British bosses.
One in four said that chipped nail varnish quickly takes the shine off an applicant’s chances, as it makes them appear nervous or unprepared.
A fifth of managers see split ends as a sign of laziness, and one in six said smudged mascara made them fear hiring a “party animal” who would be quick to escape the office for the bar.
A deep tan leads bosses to the conclusion that a candidate would gladly abandon their duties for the pleasures of a beach break, while bright red lipstick, heavily pencilled eyebrows and overpowering perfume are considered indicative of an overconfident and cocky personality.
The common scenario of lipstick smudged on to teeth apparently suggests carelessness, while foundation that hasn’t been blended properly is seen to highlight a lack of attention to detail.
Even going for a natural look isn’t without risks, as certain bosses believe an absence of mascara indicates an emotional wreck who worries that it would all be cried off within hours.
But it seems women cannot win – with an immaculately made-up face making some recruiters fear this candidate means business and will be snapping at their heels for the next promotion.
Sara Stern of Debenhams, which carried out the survey of 2,000 executives, said: “Clearly the application of make-up and fragrance is just as important as making sure your outfit is clean and ironed ahead of an interview.
“It seems a more natural-looking middle ground is the way to go for sure-fire success.”
Fox News has apologized for showing a man fatally shooting himself in the head on live television.
Fox News on Friday was covering a high-speed chase that began in Phoenix, Arizona, using a live helicopter shot.
After driving for dozens of miles into the desert, the motorist stopped and ran on to a dirt road. He then put a handgun to his head and fired.
TV anchor Shepard Smith later apologized to viewers for not cutting away.
“We really messed up,” he said.
Phoenix police say the chase may have started with a car-jacking.
Fox News on Friday was covering a high-speed chase that began in Phoenix, Arizona, using a live helicopter shot
Police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson said the man was alleged to have stolen the car from a couple at gunpoint outside a restaurant just before 11:00 local time.
Police tracked down the car and began pursuit. The driver fired several shots at the police car, but no officers were hurt.
The car travelled west on Interstate highway 10, before turning on to a dirt road about 70 miles (113 km) to 80 miles from the state border with California.
“He got out of the car and shot himself,” Sgt. Tommy Thompson said.
“Efforts to revive him were not successful and he was dead at the scene. We don’t have an ID yet.”
“We’re all very sorry,” said Shepard Smith after the incident.
“That didn’t belong on TV.”
Michael Clemente, executive vice-president of news editorial at Fox News, said the channel had taken pains to avoid distressing viewers but had failed.
“We took every precaution to avoid any such live incident by putting the helicopter pictures on a five-second delay,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this mistake was the result of a severe human error and we apologize for what viewers ultimately saw on the screen.”
Fox News Channel has a reputation for picking up car chases from its local affiliates and airing them live.
Making for gripping television, such footage often provides a short-term ratings boost as viewers tune in to see how they end, the Associated Press news agency notes.
It is not the first time that a suicide has been inadvertently broadcast live on American television.
Christine Chubbuck shot herself dead on Florida’s WXLT-TV channel (now WWSB) in 1974 while presenting a news programme.
It is common practice for broadcasters to delay live material by a few seconds as a control mechanism.
US President Barack Obama and his family cost the taxpayer $1.4 billion per year, according to a recently published book.
By contrast, the British Royal Family costs less than $60 million each year.
Two of the principal costs of the Obama presidency – and any other presidency – are staffing and security, according to Robert Keith Gray’s book Presidential Perks Gone Royal.
When it comes to keeping the First Family safe, few would dispute that it is worth paying a high price to keep the President safe from harm.
This means paying for hundreds of Secret Service agents, travel in the secure space of Air Force and funding a team of doctors to follow Barack Obama around.
But even this essential expense can be exploited to political ends, according to Robert Keith Gray, a former staffer for Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
President Barack Obama and his family cost the taxpayer $1.4 billion per year
When the President travels around the country on campaign, he is obliged to take Air Force One.
His party reimburses the taxpayer with the cost of a first-class air ticket per passenger – but this is far from the full cost to taxpayers.
It also provides a President running for re-election with a national transport network which is unavailable to his challenger.
Moreover, much of the money spent on Barack Obama’s family goes to perks such as entertainment and household expenses.
For example, the White House contains a movie theatre which is manned by projectionists 24 hours a day in case one of the family feels like a trip to the cinema.
And even the Obamas’ dog Bo costs the taxpayer thousands of dollars – his handler is reportedly paid over $100,000 a year.
Another huge presidential outgoing, according to Robert Keith Gray, comes in the form of staff members who can be appointed by the commander-in-chief at his own personal discretion.
226 members of Barack Obama’s staff are apparently paid over $100,000 – and the President can increase their salaries at any time.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed he regrets having an affair with his maid Mildred Beana, declaring it as “the stupidest thing” and admitting he “inflicted tremendous pain” onto his wife and children.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, 65, opened up in a pre-recorded chat with 60 Minutes – his first televised interview since the scandal broke in May 2011 – to broadcast on Sunday.
The actor married television journalist Maria Shriver in April 1986, going on to have four children together – Katherine, 22, Christina, 21, Patrick, 19, and 15-year-old Christopher.
However, in May of last year, the couple separated after 25 years due to his infidelities.
Had it simply been an extra-marital affair, there may have been a chance to save the marriage, but Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child with maid Mildred Beana, who gave birth to their son Joseph 14 years ago.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed he regrets having an affair with his maid Mildred Beana
During the interview, Arnold Schwarzenegger said: “I think it was the stupidest thing I’ve done in the whole relationship. It was terrible. I inflicted tremendous pain on Maria and unbelievable pain on the kids.”
The Terminator icon is currently promoting his autobiography, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story, and though he says Maria Shriver hasn’t read the tell-all tale, she does wish him the best.
The former Governor of California added: “I think that Maria is wishing me well in everything I do.”
Interestingly, despite his acknowledgment of the affair, Arnold Schwarzenegger fails to actually say sorry.
When interviewer Lesley Stahl probes him, asking: “She gave up her television career for you. I mean, wow, was this the most unbelievable act of betrayal to Maria?”
Arnold Schwarzenegger deflects the answer, simply elaborating about it being the “stupidest” thing he did.
Despite the scandal that threatened to topple him from his He-Man cave, Arnie continues to work.
He went on to reprise his role as Trench in The Expendables 2, and signed up to a further five titles.
Action film The Last Stand and thriller The Tomb are currently in post-production, while he is about to embark on fantasy Unknown Soldier and DEA drama Breacher.
It has also recently been announced he will reunite with Danny DeVito to star in Triplets – a sequel to Twins, where the unlikely brothers discover they have a third sibling.
Poached, scrambled, boiled or fried. We all have our preference for how to cook an egg.
But the choice reveals more than just our culinary tastes – it also highlights our personalities and reveals secrets about social class and even sex drive.
Scientists quizzed 1,010 adults and found that poached egg eaters are outgoing, boiled egg lovers are disorganized, fried egg fans have a high sex drive, scrambled egg aficionados are guarded and omelette eaters are self-disciplined.
The study for the British Egg Industry Council was carried out by Mindlab International, which researches the psychology of consumer choice.
Fried egg fans have a high sex drive and are usually from the skilled working class
It found that the average poached egg-eater is likely to be happier than most.
Boiled egg-eaters run the greatest risk of getting divorced.
Fried egg fans are usually from the skilled working class and scrambled eggs are favored by those without children.
Andrew Joret, of the British Egg Industry Council, said: “It’s amazing to think that just by knowing someone’s favorite way of eating eggs, it’s possible to gauge a large amount about who they are and what they are like. But it doesn’t matter how you eat your eggs – they’re still nutritious, versatile and great value.”
Doubts had been raised over whether Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher had ever really been man and wife, but a legal document has emerged that proves they were in fact legally married.
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore had sparked speculation they never truly tied the know after failing to lodge divorce documents almost a year after splitting.
But they are named as spouses in a new uncovered quitclaim deed, which is a legal instrument by which the owner of a piece of real property, called the grantor, transfers his or her interest to a recipient, called the grantee.
The paper, obtained by InTouch, shows that Demi Moore, 49, gave up her claim to a piece of property in Los Angeles, a move that no doubt put a smile on wealthy Ashton Kutcher’s face.
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore had sparked speculation they never truly tied the know after failing to lodge divorce documents almost a year after splitting
Demi Moore signed the document in March, suggesting the pair may be finding their own way of divvying up their rich portfolio of assets.
She announced she was ending their marriage in November amid a slew of cheating claims, and Ashton Kutcher has now moved onto younger pastures with new love Mila Kunis.
Sources had told Radar Online that the former couple’s Kabbalah wedding was merely a ‘symbolic ceremony and not a legal marriage’.
The couple wed in September 2005 in a ceremony attended by 150 guests, including Demi Moore’s ex-husband Bruce Willis.
Danish magazine Se Og Hor has published photographs of Kate Middleton changing her bikini bottom, reigniting the privacy scandal surrounding the Royal couple.
Celebrity magazine Se Og Hor (See And Hear) has gone further than any other publication and printed a 16-page special of photographs, including three of the Duchess of Cambridge changing her bikini bottoms – taken from the front.
The photos appear to be from the same set of shots originally taken while Prince William and his wife were holidaying in the South of France.
There are thought to be up to 200 photos taken of Kate and William when they were sunbathing at a secluded chateau.
The most revealing photograph in Se Og Hor, which appears on the front page of the magazine, shows the Duchess changing into a pair of blue bikini bottoms.
Danish magazine Se Og Hor has published photographs of Kate Middleton changing her bikini bottom
Kim Henningsen, Se Og Hor’s editor in chief, was unabashed by the threat of legal action and declined to say who sold the photographs or how much was paid for them.
He said: “It’s a set of unique photos from an A-class celebrity. It is my job to publish them.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William won a landmark injunction in France to stop further publication of the images by Closer magazine, under the threat of a €100,000 fine.
They have also handed over all files containing the images to representatives of the couple on the orders of the judge, after they were ruled a “brutal” invasion of privacy.
The court made no ruling for the magazine to name the photographer, however, and it has the right to protect his or identity under France’s laws on protection of journalistic sources.
But the release of the unseen pictures of Kate confirms fears that the injunction will do little to halt the worldwide spread of the pictures.
The revealing photographs of the Royal couple relaxing on a private balcony were first published in French magazine Closer, before a 26-page special was published in Italy’s Chi and Ireland’s Irish Daily Star.
At least seven people have died after heavy rains triggered flash floods in southern Spain, officials have said.
Among the victims were an elderly woman and a young girl.
The strength of the floods overturned cars, closed roads, damaged homes and forced hundreds to leave their properties.
The hardest hit areas were the provinces of Malaga and Almeria, and Murcia region.
At least seven people have died after heavy rains triggered flash floods in southern Spain
At least 600 people had to be evacuated from their homes in Andalucia region, which contains Malaga and Almeria, officials said.
Spain’s weather agency said that up to 245 litres (65 gallons) of water per square metre had fallen on Friday morning alone.
An elderly woman died when a river broke its banks and floodwater hit her home in Alora, north of Malaga, AFP reports.
Two other adults died in Andalucia, while three others, including a 10-year old girl were killed in neighboring Murcia.
“In Malaga province there are 800 staff working to return things to normal as quickly as possible. The rains are decreasing and seem to be shifting towards Granada and Almeria,” a regional government spokesperson told AFP.
However, torrential rain and violent thunderstorms are predicted to continue in the south of the country during the weekend.
The heavy rains in parts of the south follow months of drought and high temperatures across Spain which triggered dozens of wildfires.
Paolo Gabriele, Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler, is set to go on trial in the Vatican on charges of aggravated theft.
Paolo Gabriele, 46, has admitted taking confidential documents and leaking them to the Italian media – although no guilty plea has been entered.
He has told investigators that he was hoping to expose “evil and corruption” within the Church.
While technically he faces up to four years in prison if found guilty, Paolo Gabriele could be pardoned by the Pope.
If he is jailed, he will serve his sentence in an Italian prison as Vatican City has no long-term detention facilities on its territory.
Paolo Gabriele, Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler, is set to go on trial in the Vatican on charges of aggravated theft
Paolo Gabriele is standing trial along with Vatican computer technician Claudio Sciarpelletti, who is accused of aiding and abetting a crime.
He was the Pope’s trusted servant for years and held the keys to the papal apartments.
Many of the letters and other documents he took from the pontiff’s desk were published in a book by an Italian investigative journalist in May.
The so-called “Vatileaks” scandal has sparked allegations of corruption and internal conflicts at the Holy See.
It has been one of the most difficult crises of Pope Benedict’s seven-year papacy.
No TV cameras or recorders are being allowed inside the courtroom for the most high-profile case to be held in the Vatican since the Holy See was established as a sovereign state in 1929.
The Vatican was arrested in May, accused of passing papal correspondence to journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, whose book His Holiness: The secret papers of Pope Benedict XVI was published that month.
Some of the most sensational letters were written to the Pope by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, currently the Vatican’s ambassador to Washington, who was deputy governor of Vatican City at the time.
In one letter, Archbishop Vigano complains that when he took office in 2009, he discovered corruption, nepotism and cronyism linked to the awarding of contracts to outside companies at inflated prices.
He later writes about a smear campaign against him by other Vatican officials upset at his actions to clean up purchasing procedures.
The archbishop begs in vain not to be moved away from the Vatican as a punishment for exposing the alleged corruption.
Correspondents say the revelations seem aimed primarily at discrediting the Vatican’s powerful Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who has been in his post since 2006.
Prosecutors quoted Paolo Gabriele as saying during his interrogation that he knew taking the documents was wrong but he felt the Holy Spirit was inspiring him to shed light on the problems he saw around him.
He said he felt the Pope was being kept in the dark or misinformed by his collaborators.
“Seeing evil and corruption everywhere in the Church… I was sure that a shock, even a media one, would have been healthy to bring the church back on the right track,” he was quoted as saying in June.
Pope Benedict said after his former butler’s arrest that the news had “brought sadness in my heart”.
Psychologists were summoned by the Vatican to determine whether Paolo Gabriele could be held responsible for his actions.
The results were conflicting.
One report concluded that while he could be held accountable for his actions, he was socially dangerous, easily influenced and could “commit acts that could endanger himself or others”.
This report described Paolo Gabriele as subject to ideas of “grandiosity”, as attention-seeking and as a simple man with a “fragile personality with paranoid tendencies covering profound personal insecurity”.
Another report cited in the indictment concluded that the defendant, a 46-year-old father of three, had shown no signs of major psychological disorder or of being dangerous.
American Hans Galassi lost several fingers in a wakeboarding accident several months ago. Now one of them has been found in a trout – and identified as Hans Galassi’s from its fingerprints.
So how long do fingerprints last?
The vast majority of people are born with a unique set of fingerprints which remain the same for life.
These patterns, known as friction ridges by experts, are found not only on our finger-tips but also on the flanges of our fingers, on our palms, our toes and on the soles of our feet.
The patterns are permanent, but can wear down. Builders who lay bricks and people who frequently wash dishes by hand lose some of the detail. Once they stop these activities, the ridges will grow back.
As fans of crime movies will know, from time to time people have tried to change their fingerprints patterns artificially.
A deep cut through the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, and down to the dermis leaves a scar that will change a fingerprint, but not make it any less unique.
People have also sought to erase their fingerprints by burning the finger-tips with fire and acid, as the notorious 1930s American gangster John Dillinger did. It works for a while but the skin grows back.
The vast majority of people are born with a unique set of fingerprints which remain the same for life
Another criminal, Robert Phillips, famously grafted skin from his chest on to his fingers to erase his fingerprints – but he was identified from the prints of his palms. Others have tried smoothing their finger-tips with glue and nail varnish. Again they were caught from palm prints.
Friction ridges are remarkably long lasting even after death, says fingerprint expert Allen Bayle, author of the UK’s standard police manual on dead hands.
“If a hand is found in water you will see that the epidermis starts to come away from the dermis like a glove. This sounds gruesome but if a hand has been badly damaged, I cut the epidermis off and put my own hand inside that glove and try to fingerprint it like that,” says Allen Bayle.
“Some boys we get out of the water, the fish have been at them already and the fish will have pecked at the epidermis. But you can still get ridge detail from the underside of the epidermis. And if that has gone, then you can do the dermis. For every ridge you have on the epidermis, you have two on the dermis – we call it a tramline effect.”
The speed at which a hand disintegrates in water depends on many things, not least the temperature of the water itself.
“If the water is very cold, it could stay for a long time,” says Allen Bayle. And the body of a trout, the fish that swallowed Hans Galassi’s finger, is just as cold as the water it swims in.
Hans Galassi’s finger was found in the trout’s digestive tract – why hadn’t it been digested? We shall never know how long after the accident the fish ate the finger, but Allen Bayle thinks even if the thick layer of epidermis had been digested, Hans Galassi’s finger could still have been identified from its dermis.
“We can cast [the finger], for example in latex, and then we can ink the cast. Or we can ink the dermis and roll it on a fingerprint form. When we have got some ridge detail then we can put it on the computer.”
In the case of Hans Galassi, Idaho police took a day searching case files and reports to narrow down where the finger could have come from. They then fingerprinted the stray digit and sent it to the state police forensic lab where technicians were able to identify its owner.
“One of the last things to disappear when you die are your fingerprints,” says Allen Bayle.
“They’re very durable.”
How fingerprints are made?
• Begin to form in womb in seventh week
• Product of both genes and embryo’s movements in womb
• So identical twins don’t have same fingerprints
• As hands and feet grow, details of friction ridges stay constant
The answer:
• Fingerprints last a lifetime and grow back if they become worn down
• They can survive long periods in water, as long as it’s cold
• On a corpse, both topside and downside of the epidermis (outer skin) can provide a fingerprint
• On hands and feet the dermis (inner skin layer) is also ridged and can be used to create a negative of the pattern on the epidermis
A man armed with a replica pistol has fired at Czech President Vaclav Klaus at close range while he was opening a bridge in the north of the country.
Footage of the incident from Czech channel TV Prima shows Vaclav Klaus recoiling slightly but carrying on with the visit apparently unhurt.
Vaclav Klaus was taken to hospital but suffered only minor bruising.
His security detail has come in for harsh criticism for allowing the man to get so close to Vaclav Klaus.
It is also unclear why Vaclav Klaus’ bodyguards failed to react when a gun was pulled on him.
A man armed with a replica pistol has fired at Czech President Vaclav Klaus at close range while he was opening a bridge in the north of the country
Vaclav Klaus himself rebuked them for failing to handle the situation well, according to the Nova TV station.
He later said the incident happened so quickly he did not have time to be afraid, our correspondent adds.
The attacker, who was dressed in camouflage clothing, pushed his way through a crowd in the town of Chrastava before firing the weapon at Vaclav Klaus.
The weapon was of the sort that is used in “airsoft” gaming.
The man was briefly interviewed by Czech media and said he was a 26-year-old communist sympathizer.
He said he had carried out the attack because the government was deaf to the concerns of ordinary people.
The man was arrested by police shortly afterwards.
Vaclav Klaus has been in the largely ceremonial post of president since 2003 and previously served as prime minister in the 1990s.
He is known for pushing through reforms to the Czech Republic’s economy after the fall of Communism and is a staunch opponent of EU integration.
Brooke Shields once boasted that her mother’s open-minded attitude had kept her away from drugs.
So it seemed an unlikely story when someone claimed they had an image of Brooke Shields smoking a “marijuana pipe” and leaked on the internet.
Brooke Shields, now 47, was purportedly snapped several decades ago inhaling from the implement while sitting on a couch with H.R, vocalist of hardcore punk band Bad Brains.
The image was leaked when a Twitter user shared the picture on Wednesday, and it immediately made headlines in news outlets including on RadarOnline.com.
Alongside the image David Hill wrote: “Here is a photo of Brooke Shields smoking pot with H.R.”
However, a spokesperson for the actress has vehemently denied that it is her.
Brooke Shields was purportedly snapped several decades ago inhaling from the implement while sitting on a couch with HR
Brooke Shields would have been in her late teens or early twenties in the photo, with the singer sitting with his arm around her and his head thrown back in laughter as she takes a draw.
H.R, who is now 56-years-old, is a Rastafarian, and many who follow the religion sees the smoking of cannabis as a sacred rite.
The image would have flown in the face of claims she made in 2000, where she said her mother Teri’s permissive attitude actually put her off the idea of using drugs.
Brooke Shields said: “I don’t know if it’s reverse psychology, but my mom would say, <<You wanna do drugs? Fine. Do them. Just do me a favor. Let me do ’em with you>>.
“<<I’ll get you the best stuff. This way I know you’re not going to die. And the whole thing was so unappealing to me>>.”
Brooke Shields said: “A mom who offers you drugs? <<I’m lucky I didn’t grow up crazy./
“I don’t know how I didn’t become a statistic, because… at times you do feel like you’re going a little nuts. And my mom was the Bohemian kind of wild child.”
The leak is more bad news for Brooke Shields, who was photographed looking a lurid orange when she attended an event at New York Fashion Week.
Brooke Shields exhibited what looked like a tan gone wrong at the premiere of the documentary, Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel.
The orangey tan may have come out of a bottle, but Brooke Shields’ outfit was stunning.
She wore a black dress with cut out on one shoulder and a wide black bow on the other, pairing it with classic black heels and bracelets.
Brooke Shields’ long brown hair was loose and untidy, as if she hadn’t had time to brush before rushing off to the airport.
The Blue Lagoon star will next appear in The Hot Flashes, which is still in post production and has no release date set yet.
The film also stars Daryl Hannah and Virginia Madsen, and it’s about a group of middle-aged Texas women and former high-school champions in an all-female basketball team.
Skinny jeans, leggings and blazers have replaced denim jackets, polo necks and thick black tights as wardrobe staples over the last 25 years, a study has revealed.
From leather leggings to denim hot pants, trends come and go as fashion evolves every season.
But it seems that some trends are here to stay.
Nude tights, ballet pumps, a maxi dress and a black or nude clutch bag are also among the modern must-haves every women should own.
But while they might have been staple items in the 1980s, straight-leg jeans and simply knee length skirts are no longer considered as classic clothes.
It wasn’t all change though, as black trousers, cardigans, a simple white blouse or shirt and the little black dress have remained constant must-haves through the decades.
Skinny jeans have replaced thick black tights as wardrobe staples over the last 25 years
Black or brown boots, black court shoes, a pencil skirt and a smart black coat have also stood the test of time and are still considered staple items.
A spokesman for F&F at Tesco in UK, which commissioned the research said: “Everyone has a section of their wardrobe which is reserved for staple items.
“And while many have remained the same, there are some that have changed as the trends and fashion has evolved over the past twenty years or so.
“Good-quality staple items can really help to save costs when it comes to a new season or trend.
“If you’ve got a few trusty items of clothing that you can rely on, all you need is one or two pieces from a new trend and you have an up-to-date and fashionable outfit for a fraction of the cost.
“So it’s worth making sure the staple items you do buy are good quality so you can be sure they will stand the test of time for years to come.”
The study found that 81% make sure their wardrobe is always full of staple or classic items, with another 83% believing there are items that every woman should own.
And the average woman estimates that almost half of their closet is taken up with classic clothes which they can wear year after year – compared to just a quarter which is reserved for trend items each season.
Almost three quarters of the women polled also said they are happy to splash more money than usual on staple items knowing they will get plenty of wear from it.
A third of women even own items of clothing that has been such a wardrobe staple, it has been passed on to them from older friends and relatives.
More than one in ten even have some timeless clothes which they have been wearing for 20 years or more now.
Researchers also found that 57% of people say the majority of the staple items in their wardrobe is black, followed by beige, brown, white and grey.
According to the study, in an average month, women spend £22.01 ($34.55) adding to their staple items, with quality and the look or appearance the most important factors when shopping for wardrobe essentials.
But the study found that it’s not all about staple items with 46% of women saying they like to go shopping and stock up on some fashion items to complement their basics.
Seventy-seven per cent even admitted they have kept certain items of clothing in the hope they will someday become trendy and fashionable again.
A spokesman for F&F at Tesco, added: “The secret to a good wardrobe is mixing your staple items with a few key fashion pieces each season.
“Buying good quality staple items alongside some more trendy, one-off clothes means you get to keep up with the latest fashion, without breaking the bank.”
According an independent audit, Spain’s banks will need an injection of 59.3 billion euros ($76.3 billion) to survive a serious downturn.
The amount is broadly in line with market expectations of 60 billion euros, and follows so-called stress tests of 14 Spanish lenders.
Much of the money is expected to come from the eurozone rescue funds, the current EFSF and the future ESM.
Spain said in July that it would request eurozone support for its banks.
The Spanish banking sector has been in difficulty since the global financial crisis of 2008, and the subsequent bursting of the country’s property bubble and deep recession.
Spain’s banks will need an injection of 59.3 billion euros to survive a serious downturn
The European Commission welcomed the announcement, saying in a statement that it “is a major step in implementing the financial-assistance programme and towards strengthening the viability of, and confidence in, the Spanish banking sector”.
It added: “The necessary state aid provided to Spanish banks will be determined in the coming months.”
The Commission also said that it expected the first Spanish banks to start receiving the loans “by November.”
Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, praised the independent valuation of Spain’s banks, saying it had been “thorough and transparent”.
She added: “Public funding of the banks’ actual capital needs, which are expected to be lower than the amounts identified in the stress tests, can be financed comfortably under the recapitalization programme supported by Spain’s European partners.”
The audit calculation that Spain’s banks will need 59.3 billion euros is a worst-case scenario, and does not take into account any future plans by the lenders themselves to raise their own capital.
The country’s economy minister Fernando Jimenez Latorre indicated that it may need to borrow about 40 billion from the eurozone rescue funds.
Bankia was found to be the bank most in need of additional capital, requiring 24.7 billion euros. It was followed by Catalunya Bank (10.8 billion euros), Novagalicia (7.2 billion euros), Banco de Valencia (3.5 billion euros), Banco Popular (3.2 billion euros), Banco Mare Nostrum (2.2 billion euros), and Ibercaja-Liberbank-Caja (2.1 billion euros).
Seven Spanish banks have no need for extra capital – Santander, BBVA, Caixabank, Kutxabank, Sabadell, Bankinter, and Unicaja.
The audit was also based on a number of assumptions, including that Spain’s economy will contract by 6.5% between 2012 and 2014.
The Open Europe think tank suggested many of these were overly optimistic, however.
“These tests do look to be more intense than the previous ones but ultimately the optimistic assumptions do instantly raise questions over their credibility,” the group said.
“The prediction that unemployment will peak at 27.2% seems optimistic given that there is plenty more austerity and internal devaluation to come while the structural labor market reforms are yet to take effect.”
It added that a worsening economic situation would also increase the number of loans which are defaulted on and hit the value of the foreclosed properties which banks own.
The bigger question remains whether the Spanish government will have to follow Greece, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland and request a full international bailout, involving loans that have to be paid off by the state, as well as close monitoring of its economy by its international creditors.
While Madrid continues to publicly deny this, the markets consider it only a matter of time.
On Thursday, the Spanish government announced its latest austerity budget. Against a backdrop of violent protests, it outlined new spending cuts, but protected pensions.
Spain is struggling with a shrinking economy and 25% unemployment.
Comments from its central bank earlier this week indicated that the country’s recession deepened in the past three months.
As tax revenues fall and benefits payments rise in a recession, this will make it even harder for Spain to get its finances under control.
Joanne Trattoria, the Italian restaurant owned by the parents of Lady Gaga, has been slammed once again, this time by the New York Daily News, which called it “worse than herpes”.
But after Lady Gaga blamed her family’s Upper West Side restaurant for her recent 25 lbs weight gain, can the simple family establishment, owned by Joseph and Cynthia Germanotta, be that bad?
Lady Gaga told radio host Elvis Duran: “I’m dieting right now, because I gained, like, 25 pounds… My father opened a restaurant. It’s so amazing… it’s so freaking delicious, but I’m telling you I gain five pounds every time I go in there.”
While paying diners appear to agree with Lady Gaga since the spot opened its doors in February, it has received only scathing verdicts – the latest published on Wednesday in the New York Daily News.
After the New York Post’s surly Steve Cuozzo popped in for what he called “a 2 1/2-hour meal that seemed like as many days”, and described the interior as a “brick-walled affair of the sort considered cozy in certain Brooklyn neighborhoods, but which in these parts registers as plain cramped (and loud as an avalanche)”, it seemed the only way the restaurant could go is up.
But despite the trattoria’s celebrity connection (Lady Gaga isn’t involved in the restaurant), and the kitchen boasting Art Smith, who for years was Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef, reviews continued to take a nose dive.
Joanne Trattoria, the Italian restaurant owned by the parents of Lady Gaga, has been slammed once again
The New Yorker, which waited five months to put its own palette to the test, was similarly unimpressed.
Leo Carey, the magazine’s senior editor, described a homemade focaccia as “good in the same way that the garlic bread at Domino’s is good”.
He continued in the July write-up: “The squid in the grilled-calamari salad, though bearing the browned marks of grilling, has none of the charcoal richness you might expect – indeed, it has almost no flavor at all.”
While he throws the restaurant a bone, calling a few staples “creditable”, like the lasagna, “an overwhelming paving-stone slab of meat and ricotta with micro-greens on top”, he labels the more “ambitious dishes” as going “uniformly awry”.
“Osso buco is more or less just osso, and such bone marrow as there seems to be is oddly chewy,” he notes.
Finally, Michael Kaminer, one of two dining-out critics at the New York Daily News, called the Italian spot now frequented by Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise, “an incomprehensible imitation of a restaurant”.
“I came with an open mind, despite the fact that most of my colleagues have portrayed Joanne as the worst thing since herpes,” he admits.
Mostly taking offense at the restaurant’s fine dining prices, which lack the fine dining experience, he says: “A dry lemon chicken [$28] did have a discernible taste, but only in its zesty skin.
“The meat itself came closer to those supermarket birds in foil bags. And people: That $28 doesn’t include sides. The only adornment is a shriveled lemon segment perched atop the meat. Sauteed spinach or rosemary fingerling potatoes will set you back $9.”
Michael Kaminer calls the servers “sweet, solicitous and patient”, however, adding that “they genuinely seem to enjoy sharing the stories behind Joanne’s recipes, like the Sunday gravy Joe cooks for family”.
This goodwill is short-lived however. He continues: “[The] <<Expresso>> – yes, with an <<x>> – for $5 on Joanne’s menu… is more like concentrated Sanka, but you’ll need it to avoid choking on a tiramisu cake [$14] whose desiccated base holds gelatinous cream tasting vaguely of plastic.”
Diners appear to have formed a very different opinion however.
One local, who works in the food industry, said: “I have eaten in the restaurant and I know for a fact that the portrayal in the Daily News was inaccurate and seemed to be more about selling a sensational story than giving an unbiased restaurant review.
“What they have failed to mention is the warm, inviting atmosphere the staff happens to create for all of their customers, regular and otherwise…
“They also failed to taste the best item on the menu, the meatballs.”
Restaurant critic Gael Greene also had reservations about the pricing, however, writing for The Insatiable Critic: “Aside from the fine focaccia, a lush lasagna (too small, too pricey) and my $38 veal osso bucco, much needs to be reconsidered. Okay, the meatballs and spaghetti were fine – but $23?”
Yet rave reviews on Yelp! and Zagat praise the food, the servers’ attention to detail and the cozy atmosphere.
One Zagat reviewer wrote: “Met the owner, Cynthia, who was lovely and engaged. Food is amazing. Service is quick. Decor is very friendly. Traditional Italian fare with a twist. Comfortable ambiance. If you can get in..worth it.”
And a Yelp! visitor, possibly one the many groups of young girls chaperoned by their mothers, excitedly tweeting about Lady Gaga, commented: “Came here for lunch and this place is adorable!”
However, these seemingly misguided appraisals are scattered in between even more disturbing quips from unhappy customers.
One restaurant go-er wrote: “ATROCIOUS! An insult to Italian cooking. This place makes Olive Garden a viable option.”
While a neighborhood local said: “Okay. They are passionate. They are trying. They are re-staffing. BUT…they are just not doing it to it…yet. I’ll give them a few more tries (because I live next door…and that’s the only reason).”
Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of late music legend Elvis Presley, has been hiding a secret former job… selling fish and chips from a mobile van in East Sussex, UK.
Since Lisa Marie Presley, 44, moved into a $14 million home in the village of Rotherfield back in 2010, it’s fair to say she has fully immersed herself into local life.
And she was so keen to learn about the British way of life that she swapped Hollywood for haddock and spent a day serving up fish and chips to locals.
Kim Scales, owner of Mr. Chippy and landlady of village pub The King’s Arms, said: “It was when she first moved to the village about two years ago. She is really interested in who people are and wanted to know all about our lives and how we live.
“We own the pub and a mobile fish and chip van, but she said she’d never heard of anything like it, and said she wanted to work on it.
“She got on there with her son, but we were all laughing because not one of the locals realized who it was. She served one local double fishcake and chips and he didn’t have a clue that she was Elvis Presley’s daughter.”
Lisa Marie Presley has been hiding a secret former job selling fish and chips from a mobile van in East Sussex
Lisa Marie Presley is said to be a huge fan of traditional English food, and loves nothing more than fish and chips and a pint of Guinness in The King’s Arms.
Kim Scales added: “She loves fish and chips and drinks and eats in the pub all the time. She’s partial to a pint of Guinness, too!
“It was nice for her to have that normal experience. She’d have never been able to do that in LA. She doesn’t come down here all glammed up, she’s just herself and always mingles with the locals in the pub.”
Bo Xilai has been expelled from the Communist Party and will face justice, Chinese state media say.
Bo Xilai, the ex-Communist Party leader in the city of Chongqing, is accused of abuse of power and corruption.
His wife, Gu Kailai, was given a suspended death sentence in August for murdering British businessman Neil Heywood.
The scandal has overshadowed the party congress that will oversee China’s change of leadership. It will begin on 8 November, state media have announced.
Bo Xilai has been expelled from the Communist Party and will face justice
The Bo Xilai announcement ends months of speculation over the fate of a man who was once one of China’s most powerful politicians.
It is clear China’s leaders wanted to try to end the damaging revelations, with the once-in-a-decade leadership change looming.
Bo Xilai’s career is over and he will almost certainly spend time in jail.
He has not been seen in public since mid-March, shortly after the scandal erupted and it was announced he was under investigation. He was suspended from his party posts in April.
Reporting an official statement from a party leaders’ meeting, the state news agency, Xinhua, said Bo Xilai stood accused of corruption, abuse of power, bribe-taking and improper relations with women.
The statement carried by Xinhua said Bo Xilai “took advantage of his office to seek profits for others and received huge bribes personally and through his family”.
It added: “Bo’s behavior brought serious consequences, badly undermined the reputation of the party and the country, created very negative impact at home and abroad and significantly damaged the cause of the party and people.”
The statement urged “party organizations at all levels” to take heed of the “negative example” of the Bo Xilai case.
Xinhua said the violations included Bo Xilai’s time as an official in Dalian and Liaoning provinces, and as minister of commerce.
“Bo had affairs and maintained improper sexual relationships with a number of women,” the statement added.
Xinhua said Bo Xilai had been expelled from the party and the elite decision-making Politburo and Central Committee as he had “abused his power, made severe mistakes and bore major responsibility in the Wang Lijun incident and the intentional homicide case of [Gu Kailai]”.
Wang Lijun was Chongqing’s former police chief who was sentenced to 15 years in jail for ”bending the law, defection, abuse of power and bribetaking” in the Neil Heywood case.
The severity of the accusations against Bo Xilai surprised some observers, who had thought he might escape criminal prosecution.
“The party is very anxious to settle this contentious issue before the opening of the party congress,” Prof. Willy Lam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong told the Associated Press.
“So I think even though there are still powerful supporters and patrons of Bo Xilai, they have agreed to this stiff penalty to be meted out against Bo. And having settled this contentious issue, the party leadership is in a position to start the party congress with a facade of unity.”
There had been no formal word on the congress date until now, but many observers expected it in October. Prof. Willy Lam suggested that any delay had been because of “intensive competition among the various factions”.
There was speedy reaction to the latest news on China’s social media sites.
On Sina Weibo, Shenjing Jihua posted that Bo Xilai had “finally met his end”, adding: “So justice will prevail, and there is still hope for China.”
Although there were some postings in support of Bo Xilai, others broadened the affair into a critique of Chinese corruption.
Huaju Yanyuan on QQ.com said: “The case of Bo Xilai tells us that one overlooked event led to a series of troubles, and that there isn’t any clean official in China.”
The news came on the eve of a national holiday, raising suspicions the authorities wanted to bury the announcement, some observers note.
Xinhua has also announced that the party congress, which will herald the change of China’s leadership, will begin on 8 November.
The Bo Xilai scandal has been China’s biggest in decades and has cast a long shadow over the run-up to the congress, which is expected to see Xi Jinping replace Hu Jintao as president.
Bo Xilai, 63, had been a prime candidate for a top post before the scandal broke.
It started when Wang Lijun fled to a US consulate in February, alleging that Gu Kailai had poisoned Neil Heywood to death in November 2011.
Gu Kailai was convicted of killing Neil Heywood after a multi-million dollar business deal turned sour. Bo Xilai’s supporters have claimed from the start that he is being framed by his political enemies, correspondents say.
