A female leopard seemed to want to make friends with a newborn steenbok (part of the antelope family) for 45 minutes and the small creature was so unafraid of the predator it even tried to suckle milk from it.
The apparently playful encounter between the leopard and the calf was captured by a safari guide in the Sabi Sand Game reserve, in South Africa.
But then nature opened up its powerful claw and the leopard decided playing with the Bambi lookalike was probably not as much fun as eating it.
In a flash, the leopard killed the newborn, which had foolishly ventured out into the brush after being hidden in a nearby bush by its terrified mother, who was powerless to intervene.
Safari guide, Marius Croetzee, 30, from Durban, was travelling by Land Rover he and his clients witnessed nature at its most heart-wrenching from only six yards away.
The apparently playful encounter between the leopard and the calf was captured by a safari guide in the Sabi Sand Game reserve
Marius Croetzee said: “I got a call over the radio that a female leopard were located close to the lodge and that she was busy stalking.
“The mother stashed the lamb in thick scrub while feeding nearby, when it was caught she ran away for her own safety.
“It is not uncommon for a leopard to make more than one kills if the opportunity presents itself.
“Upon arriving at the scene I witnessed the leopard sitting with the steenbok in her paws. The lamb was new born and completely oblivious to the danger it was in.
“It had no fear, and at one stage even tried to suckle from the female leopard. This was a first for me in and in more than 12 years of safari guiding I have not seen it again
“People were absolutely amazed and felt sad, but they realized that this is nature in its rawest form.”
At 83, Daphne Selfe, the world’s oldest supermodel, appears in Vogue and struts along the Paris catwalks.
Daphne Selfe likes sugar in her tea, cake with it, biscuits, Downton Abbey and raising money for her local church. She has a son, two daughters and four grandchildren. Daphne Selfe doesn’t like playing bridge, or sitting around. She also wears a black leather jacket without looking ridiculous, and has been working as a model for 63 years. In the past two years she has been on assignments in Paris, Prague, Berlin, Beijing, Ibiza, South Africa and more. She is, to be fair, a little bemused: “What’s going on? Perhaps this is my swan song.” It seems unlikely, although she does have “certain limitations”, such as being unable to wear high heels now, unlike, as she acknowledges, the Queen.
“She’s amazing,” says Daphne Selfe. “She looks even better than when she was younger.” Which might also be said of Daphne Selfe, who got her big break when she was working at a Reading department store in 1950 after her ambition to work with horses had suffered a setback, and “Mummy said <<you just can’t sit around>>.” First it was a local magazine cover, and then she was off to London: “Mummy thought that was a lot better than horses…less dangerous, to some extent, or perhaps dangerous in a different way.”
At 83, Daphne Selfe, the world’s oldest supermodel, appears in Vogue and struts along the Paris catwalks
Daphne Selfe has a twinkle and an accent of a type – somewhere between Fenella Fielding and Joanna Lumley – heard less often now than then (her father was a schoolmaster who read Greek in bed for fun). London and modelling in the early Fifties, though, “wasn’t anything special. There were no supermodels, it wasn’t talked about much at all…I wasn’t nearly as successful in my 20s, I didn’t get anything really exciting.”
Daphne Selfe married Jim, a television stage manager, produced three children, and returned to modelling in the Sixties.
“But they didn’t like me. I wasn’t the right type: Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton had the blonde fringe, I was dark with wavy hair, much more classic, really. I didn’t fit in at all. But I did do a lot of what they call store modelling, wearing somebody’s clothes and walking round the restaurant.”
Daphne Selfe has been working as a model for 63 years
And so her career continued, supplemented by any number of appearances as a television and film extra, and arriving, in a stately way, in the early Nineties, at an advertisement for Stannah Stairlifts – “first floor, please, Stan!” Work became more difficult, as she was caring for Jim after he’d had a stroke. Then, in 1998, the year after Jim’s death, came her great rediscovery, at the age of 70, when she was hired by Red or Dead for a London Fashion Week show.
Suddenly, Daphne Selfe was in Vogue, “which I’d given up dreaming about years ago…I was very surprised, extraordinarily surprised…70 was very unusual for a model…I’ve been very lucky, the camera likes me.”
She was 5ft 7 and 10 stone (“a big strapping horsey girl!”) when she started; she is 5ft 6 and 8 stone now. She exercises “most days”. She has always had energy, doesn’t get jetlag and loves doing new things, a trait she clearly shares with her son, who has been, inter alia, a banker and an explorer, and now teaches yoga in India. One of her daughters sculpts; the other has been a ferociously keen sky-diver.
Daphne Selfe has modelled for Mario Testino, Mary McCartney and Rankin, who told her that the difference between her and younger models was that they had nothing behind their eyes because they had no experience. Or, as Daphne puts it, “The reason why I’ve lasted so long is because I’m not quite as thick as some…you have to bring an element of intelligence to any job, that’s what sustains you and the people you work with.”
And, “You’ve got to take rejection. I go to lots of auditions, and you only get one out of several, that’s how it is. It’s not necessarily your fault, it’s what they’re looking for, and if you don’t fit the bill, it’s nothing to do with how good or bad you are. That’s quite difficult for young girls to get used to. But I’m old and sensible – or insensible now – so I don’t worry about it, and on to the next one.” With that, she was off home to watch Sir David Attenborough, 85.
Discovery, NASA’s oldest and most travelled space shuttle, has made a dramatic flypast over the centre of Washington D.C. on the way to its final resting place at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Virginia.
Discovery flew over the monuments along the National Mall in Washington DC at about 10:00 EST.
Piggy-backing on a modified Boeing 747, the retired space shuttle was flying at an altitude of about 1,500ft (457 m), NASA said.
The shuttle programme ended in 2011. Discovery will be on show at the Air and Space Museum in Virginia.
After circling four times over the Washington Monument, and passing the National Mall over Capitol Hill, the shuttle landed at Dulles Airport, a few miles outside Washington DC.
From there it will be towed to the nearby Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, where it will be on permanent display.
During the flypast, onlookers lined the roofs of the capital’s buildings and the route to the airport, wanting to catch a glimpse of the shuttle.
Earlier, crowds of onlookers gathered along the Florida shoreline as dawn broke on Tuesday to see the shuttle take off from Kennedy Space Center.
Cheers broke out from the estimated 2,000-strong crowd as the aircraft left the runway, the Associated Press reported.
Discovery made a dramatic flypast over Washington DC on the way to its final resting place at Smithsonian
Dozens of former shuttle workers and NASA veterans were reported to be among the onlookers.
Discovery then passed low over a packed beach and made one final turn back over the runway at the space complex before climbing towards a cruising altitude.
The aircraft’s fuselage was illuminated by the early Florida sunshine for moments before it headed out of sight on its journey up the East Coast.
In Washington, would-be shuttle-watchers gathered on the National Mall, the two-mile-long public park running through the heart of the city, for a prime view of the mid-morning flyover.
Discovery descended to 1,500ft and was visible over the city’s Waterfront area, the Mall, and near the Jefferson Memorial.
The flypast was also expected to delight onlookers at a regular plane-spotting haunt, Gravelly Point Park, just outside the city limits in Virginia.
Discovery’s final destination is an annex of the Smithsonian Institute’s National Air and Space Museum, situated in Virginia, close to Dulles, the main international airport serving Washington DC.
Discovery was the most-used of the shuttle fleet, flying 39 missions, and was designated the fleet leader.
It is the first of three remaining shuttles to head to a museum. Enterprise – the prototype shuttle – and Endeavour will make their final journeys later this year.
The shuttle fleet was decommissioned and the programme wound up in 2011, after 30 years in action, when construction was completed on the International Space Station.
Retirement of NASA’s iconic shuttle fleet was ordered by the US government, in part due to the high cost of maintaining the ships.
The decision leaves the country with no means of putting astronauts in orbit.
• Discovery was NASA’s third operational shuttle, launched on 30 August 1984
• Carried Hubble Telescope into space in 1990
• Flew 39 missions – more than any other ship in NASA’s fleet
• Participated in both the “Return to Flight” missions, after the Challenger and Columbia disasters
• Named after boats that undertook historic voyages of exploration, such as the vessel that discovered Hawaii and searched for the Northwest Passage
Microsoft has announced that its next operating system Windows 8 will come in just three different flavors.
For those with Intel-compatible machines, the OS will be available in two versions – Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro.
And for those with devices, largely tablets, powered by ARM-designed chips there will be a Windows RT version.
Microsoft wants to simplify how it markets Windows 8, which is expected to launch in autumn 2012.
The complex flavors of past Windows – from basic to home, premium to ultimate – have become something of a joke among tech experts.
Microsoft has called Windows 8 the most significant redesign of the Windows interface since its groundbreaking Windows 95 OS.
Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro will be available for Intel-compatible machines and Windows RT for tablets
The ARM version of the OS is the newest edition and reflects Microsoft’s desire to unify the engine known for running desktop computers with that for tablets and smartphones. Windows RT will sit alongside Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems.
It announced the new flavors on its Windows blog.
Many of those reacting to the announcement were unimpressed by the name for its ARM version.
“You guys are doing a phenomenal job with Windows Phone, Windows 8, etc, which makes the naming of <<Windows RT>> all the more maddening. You’re trying to simplify the rest of the <<Windows Live>> properties, which I applaud, but then you go with Windows RT? Does. not. compute,” said Michael Jenke, summing up the views of many responses to the blog.
In an earlier 8,600-plus word blog post Windows president Steven Sinofsky detailed the “energizing and daunting” challenges in developing Windows on ARM.
A preview version of Windows 8 launched late last year and more than 100,000 changes had been made since the developer version went public.
For the first time since its inception, the trademark Windows “Start” button will no longer appear – instead being replaced by a sliding panel-based menu.
In a footnote in its blog, Microsoft said that there would be an adapted version of Windows 8 Pro for businesses.
The original cheque used to buy the Superman comic character from its creators Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster has been sold in an online auction for $160,000.
Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster from Cleveland were paid $130 for all the rights to Superman by Detective Comics, later known as DC Comics.
The pair later tried to win back the rights to Superman in court, as it became part of a global industry.
The ComicConnect website has not revealed who won the auction.
“The concept of the superhero was born with Superman,” Vincent Zurzolo, the co-founder of ComicConnect, told Reuters.
“That $130 cheque essentially created a billion-dollar industry,” he added, with other characters such as Batman, Spider-Man and X-Men following in the footsteps of the Man of Steel.
Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster from Cleveland were paid $130 for all the rights to Superman by Detective Comics
ComicConnect told Reuters that when the first Superman movie came out in 1978, Joe Shuster was so poor he was working for a delivery company.
It was a box-office success followed by four more Superman films and a Supergirl version. Another is due for release in June 2013.
Although $130 is around $2,300 in today’s money, it is a tiny fraction of what the character has earned since then.
The heirs of the creators Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster are still involved in court battles with DC Comics as they try to reclaim their rights to the character.
The original cheque also paid the pair for earnings from other characters they were also working on for the company.
ComicConnect says the cheque was used in a court case in the 1970s, the last time Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster themselves tried to get the rights to Superman.
After their victory a DC Comics employee was told to throw away the court papers, but he held on to the cheque, recognizing its significance.
When you start planting your first garden you will probably only want to use your bare hands to do the work. It won’t take long at all for you to realize how helpful gardening tools will be. You might be tempted to go out and buy every gardening tool at your local plant store. Try to quell these urges! You might wind up owning a bunch of stuff that you don’t really need! Start simply with what you need right now, like watering hoses by Gilmour, and then, over time, add more tools as they become useful to you. You might learn that you only have use for a few every day tools and don’t actually need the fancier and more expensive tools that are available.
Here are a few gardening tools that you can use to start your tool collection:
Garden Gloves
Every gardener needs a good and sturdy pair of gardening gloves. Gardening gloves help protect your hands as you work in the dirt and with the plants. Most gardeners like working the earth with their bare hands but sometimes gloves are necessary for protection. For example, when you are pruning rosebushes or other plants with thorns, you will want to wear gloves to protect yourself against scratches and being stuck.
Gloves also provide protection for your hands when you work with substances that will leave residue behind like fertilizer and compost. Wearing gloves also protects you against the various creatures (like bugs) that might inhabit your garden.
Garden spade
The garden spade is a very useful tool especially when you are growing smaller plants in your garden. You can easily uproot weeds with a garden spade. You can also use them to help clear debris and dirt away from your garden plants without your having to worry about accidentally damaging the plant’s base. You can also use them to help you plant seeds. It isn’t likely that you will use the garden spade every day but it is good to have on hand for those times when you want to do delicate work around your plants. Your spade will save you lots of time and effort with a bunch of different gardening tasks and projects.
Garden Hoes
You will need hoes for your garden. Many people think that using a garden hoe is a big pain. Most new gardeners think that using a hoe is optional and something they can avoid. If you have a large garden, however, you will need to hoe your garden on a regular basis. Hoes are useful because they help the gardener create neat rows for planting. Making garden rows is much easier to do from a standing position than a kneeling one. Hoes are very useful for outlining planting rows and keeping them separated from each other. For this reason you will want to get a long handled hoe.
You might not believe this but using your hoe will save you more time than you can imagine while you are building your garden.
Garden Hovels
Hovels are very important tools for gardeners. A hovel can either have a short handle or a long handle. Typically a hovel is a shovel that has a rounded point. A short handled hovel will help your balance while a long handled hovel does not do this. The primary purpose of the hovel is to dig holes. When you want to transport a plant, dig it up using your hovel: the rounded tip keeps it from getting tangled in root systems or accidentally damaging the root bulb of the plant. They can also be used to pat down the earth as you relocate your seedlings or plant your seeds.
Gardening shears and gardening pruners
Gardening shears as well as gardening pruners are something that just about every gardener, regardless of experience level, will need. Like with other gardening tools, pruners and shears can come in a bunch of different sizes. If your plants are showing signs of death or damage you can use the shears and pruners to get rid of the parts showing the worst of these conditions. Doing this type of cutting can help keep your plants healthy. For gardeners who plan to grow extensive flower patches, keeping clippers and pruners handy will be helpful when they want to create clippings. Clippings are how many gardeners start new plants. You can decorate your house with the flower cuttings and clippings if they are taken after the flowers have bloomed.
Garden Pitchforks
Pitchforks can be an incredibly useful tool for gardeners-even gardeners who are planting small gardens. The work a pitchfork does can also be done by a trowel or a spade but the pitchfork does it on a much larger scale. They are awesome for aerating your garden soil, moving around your compost and turning the earth in your garden. As compost breaks down it will need to be turned-this is something that only a pitchfork can do easily and quickly. Compost that doesn’t get turned simply forms a big hard shell that cannot be used for anything.
Garden Rakes
You should definitely have a big rake. Your garden rake will work well in small garden patches. For bigger plots of land, however, a rake is a great gardening tool to have on hand. Rakes are used for a lot more than the simple gathering of leaves. Use your big rake to help smooth the soil and increase the oxygen flow to the places you want to plant your seeds. The flat side of your rake can be used to smooth down the dirt on the topside of your garden plot. A rake for leaves is usually plastic. Garden rakes-even full sized rakes-are usually made of metal (usually steel).
Things to remember when purchasing garden tools: steel blades will last longest. Handle choice is a matter of personal preference. Soft rubber handles are easier on the grip. There are also ergonomic designs that take the stress off of your wrist. A narrow blade is good for digging in solid soil. Wide, rounded blades remove soil faster. Also, you will probably wind up with a couple of different sized trowels in your tool shed.
Gardening can be an incredibly rewarding hobby as well as a fantastic profession. The more you learn about gardening the more you will want to purchase the tools being sold at your local plant store or gardening department. Instead of spending too much money on tools you may never use begin with the basics. The more time you spend working with your plants the more you will start to learn the difference between the tools you use and the tools you wish you needed to use.
Brad McCarty at The Next Web got lucky and received a draft release from a partner of Google’s upcoming Google Drive service which discloses lots of information about how Google plans to take on the incumbent Dropbox. The story: 5 GB of storage, and it launches next week, most likely on Tuesday at http://drive.google.com
Brad McCarty commented:
Now let’s talk details. It’s no surprise that it will roll out for free. What’s interesting though is that Google is planning to start everyone with 5 GB of storage. Of course you can buy more, but that trumps Dropbox’s 2 GB that is included with every account. Dropbox does make it easy to get more space, including 23 GB of potential upgrades for HTC users.
What’s also interesting is the wording related to how the system will work. It’s been long-thought that Windows integration will come easy, but that getting the Google Drive icon into the Mac a la Dropbox would be a bit harder. From what we’re reading, Google Drive will work “in desktop folders” on both Mac and Windows machines, which still leaves the operation question unanswered.
Google Drive leaked at TechCrunch
TechCrunch has been able to download and run the app and it is currently idle, sitting quietly in the corner, unable to connect to the service at Google.
The version they were given is 1.0.2891 and seems to run without issue. They were able to log in using the Gmail account. It currently throws an error stating that “Google Drive is not yet enabled for your account.”
Though not definitive proof that the service will launch next week, it’s clear that this is a full, working app. There is native support for Google filetypes like files produced in Gdraw and Google Docs.
At this point the app is pretty much useless. It seems Google needs to activate the service from their end in order to enable the functionality.
Google is not commenting on Google Drive at yet. “We do not comment on rumor or speculation,” a spokesman told msnbc.com Monday.
A new revelation from the unauthorized biography of Simon Cowell, Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life Of Simon Cowell, has showed that the life of the music mogul can be more than a little perilous.
Author Tom Bower claims in the book that Simon Cowell found himself the victim of theft after having a drunken one-night stand with a woman back in October 2011.
Simon Cowell is said to have met the girl in Hollywood nightclub Drai’s and taken her back to his hotel, according to The Sun.
He awoke to find his wallet and laptop missing. Simon Cowell called the police to track down the device, which contained secret information about his TV shows.
The woman allegedly agreed to return the computer, but kept money from the supremo’s wallet.
The claims surrounding the theft are just a few of the revelations stemming from Tom Bower’s new book, due to hit shelves on Friday.
A separate story in the Daily Star newspaper today alleges that Simon Cowell was secretly engaged to Page Three girl Louise Payne, after she split from husband and Right Said Fred star Fred Fairbrass.
But their three-year relationship ended when the buxom blonde said she wanted to start a family with Simon Cowell, but he was too busy.
Simon Cowell’s unauthorized biography claims that he was secretly engaged to Page Three girl Louise Payne after she split from Fred Fairbrass
Simon Cowell apparently popped the question to the now-43-year-old in a lift during a business trip to New York, reported the Daily Star.
A source told the newspaper: “Simon was heartbroken. They tried to make it work but it all went wrong.”
Simon Cowell and Louise Payne met at a function in London in 1995, after the end of Louise’s marriage to guitarist Fred, now 55.
They allegedly first exchanged numbers at the party which Simon Cowell was attended with his brother Nicholas.
But during their first date, Simon Cowell had the flu and thought he had blown his chances. A year later they bumped into each other and began a romance.
The source added: “The relationship had its ups and downs. They split twice but he was so in love with her he kept trying to make it work.
“After the third attempt, they split for good. It was just before he started on Pop Idol. Louise wanted kids and he knew he wasn’t ready.
“He never stopped loving her, though. He was heartbroken.”
The revelation comes as Tom Bower reveals a string of claims about Simon Cowell’s previous escapades, including a short fling with fellow X Factor judge Dannii Minogue.
Simon Cowell’s string of girlfriends also include former Page Three girl Jackie St. Clair, 48, model and lap-dancer Georgina Law, 31, model Jasmine Lennard, 26, 1980s pop star Sinitta, 48, and TV presenter Terri Seymour, 38.
He has never been married but in 2010 he proposed to make-up artist Mezghan Hussainy, 38.
But their relationship ended in September last year.
Spain has warned it will defend its interests as a row with Argentina over the nationalization of oil company YPF Repsol.
Promising a “clear and overwhelming” response, the Spanish government summoned the Argentine ambassador to Madrid to express its concern.
The majority stake in YPF is owned by Spanish oil firm Repsol.
Repsol shares fell by 8% in early trading in Madrid and the firm has vowed to demand compensation.
It said it would seek international arbitration over its 57% stake in YPF if necessary.
“These acts will not remain unpunished,” Repsol executive chairman Antonio Brufau told reporters.
According to AFP news agency, Repsol will seek compensation of at least $10 billion (7.7 billion Euros).
Spain has warned it will defend its interests as a row with Argentina over the nationalization of oil company YPF Repsol
Argentina’s ambassador to Madrid, Carlo Antonio Bettini, is due to arrive at the foreign ministry at midday.
Earlier, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said the “climate of friendship” between the two countries had been broken.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is due to visit Mexico and Colombia, where he is expected to seek support for Madrid’s position.
The nationalization was announced to applause on Monday at a meeting between Argentine President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner, her cabinet and provincial governors.
Reading out a statement at the meeting, an official said YPF had been “declared a public utility and subject to expropriation of 51% of its assets”.
Argentina wants to reduce its expensive energy imports from elsewhere.
Before rumors surfaced several weeks ago that Argentina might take YPF from Repsol, Spain and Argentina generally enjoyed good political ties, and important economic ones.
Spain does a significant amount of trade in the country, so there is likely to be an economic fallout to this dispute too.
Antonio Brufau accused President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner of resorting to nationalization “as a way of hiding the economic and social crisis which Argentina is suffering”.
Argentina’s crisis, he argued, was rooted in “a mistaken energy policy”.
He accused Argentina of running a campaign of “harassment” in recent weeks in order to push down the price of YPF shares and get a bargain price for the expropriation.
“It is not appropriate for a modern country, Argentina does not deserve this,” he said.
Repsol’s Argentine partner, the Eskenazi family’s Grupo Petersen, has a 25.5% stake in YPF which will not be affected by the nationalization.
However, Reuters notes that it is unclear how Petersen will be able to repay a $1.9 billion loan provided by Repsol.
Angelina Jolie debuted her engagement ring in a subtle fashion after stepping out at a museum event and now it appears that she is getting used to wearing her huge engagement diamond as she headed to a meeting yesterday.
Angelina Jolie, 36, headed out in Hollywood sporting the $250,000 band.
The actress was dressed in a khaki dress, which did little to hide her painfully thin frame.
Her arms and legs looked incredibly skinny as she made her way into a building.
Angelina Jolie teamed her outfit with a pair of beige peep-toe wedges and carried a beige YSL handbag.
While the details of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s nuptials remain a mystery – one celebrity spectator has implored the pair to marry as soon as possible.
Angelina Jolie is getting used to wearing her huge engagement diamond as she headed to a meeting yesterday
Speaking on chat show The View, Barbara Walters pleaded: “Why are you engaged? You’ve been living together! You’ve got children! Get married already!”
She added: “This is a couple with six children; they’ve been together for at least six years! The whole idea of getting engaged is you get to know each other and you decide if you really want to get married.”
According to People magazine Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt got engaged at home and the publication notes: “The duo spent the day at home together in LA savoring the moment until their kids returned home from school.”
Brad Pitt’s stunning choice of engagement ring appears to perfectly reflect his feelings for Angelina Jolie.
The trial of Anders Behring Breivik, the man accused of killing 77 people in bomb and gun attacks in Norway last July, has been adjourned while the court decides if a lay judge should be dismissed for bias.
The court heard that one of the lay judges in the case wrote last July that Anders Behring Breivik should face the death penalty.
When the trial resumes, Anders Breivik will read out a prepared statement.
He admits a car bombing in Oslo and attacking a youth camp.
However, Anders Breivik has pleaded not guilty to acts of terror and mass murder, claiming he had acted to protect Norway from multi-culturalism and Islam.
Anders Breivik, 33, has also said that he does not recognize the court.
Lawyers in the case have asked for the judge to be dismissed and the court was adjourned for 30 minutes to decide what action to take.
A lay judge is an ordinary member of the public who forms part of the judgement panel. If the judge is dismissed, there are two possible replacements who were observing proceedings yesterday and who could step in to allow the trial to continue as scheduled.
As he entered the courtroom, Anders Breivik smiled and, as he did on Monday, gave a far-right closed-fist salute before he sat down. This is the first time that Anders Breivik will be able to present his case in person.
The trial of Anders Behring Breivik has been adjourned while the court decides if a lay judge should be dismissed for bias
Anders Breivik’s defense team has already warned that many Norwegians will find his testimony upsetting.
Instead of expressing remorse, Anders Breivik is expected to say he regrets not having killed more people.
On Monday, prosecutors played harrowing recordings of the events and described the fate of each victim in detail.
Throughout the evidence Anders Breivik remained emotionless, although he broke down weeping when the court played a 12-minute anti-Islam video which he had posted online on the day of the carnage.
Anders Breivik’s lawyer, Geir Lippestad, later said that his client appeared to have cried over feelings that his attacks were “cruel but necessary… to save Europe from an ongoing war”.
Geir Lippestad said he understood that victims’ families were worried Anders Breivik would use his trial as a pulpit.
“On the other hand – and this is important – he has a right to explain himself, a fundamental right under Norwegian law and a human right,” he added.
Parts of the trial are being broadcast on television, although the court will not allow Anders Breivik’s testimony or that of his witnesses to be broadcast.
Anders Breivik detonated a bomb in a van parked outside government offices in Oslo on 22 July, killing eight people.
He then travelled to Utoeya where, dressed as a police officer, he shot dead a further 69 people who were attending a youth camp run by the governing Labour party.
Survivors and relatives of the victims gasped as previously unreleased footage was shown in court of people walking towards Anders Breivik’s parked van as it exploded outside the government block.
The court also heard Anders Breivik’s calls to police offering to give himself up.
“I have completed my operation and I want to surrender,” Anders Breivik said.
One of the questions at the heart of this trial, which is expected to last for 10 weeks, is Anders Breivik’s mental state.
He was found insane in one examination, while a second assessment made public last week found him mentally competent.
If the court decides he is criminally insane, Anders Breivik will be committed to psychiatric care; if he is judged to be mentally stable, he will be jailed if found guilty.
If jailed, he faces a sentence of 21 years which could be extended to keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.
The courtroom has been specially built for the trial to accommodate more than 200 people.
Glass partitions have been put up to separate the victims and their families from Anders Breivik.
A new research suggests that many people underestimate the amount of sugar in drinks which are perceived to be “healthy”.
A Glasgow University study asked more than 2,000 people in the UK to estimate how much sugar was in a range of drinks.
While many overestimated the amount in fizzy beverages, they underestimated levels in smoothies and fruit juices.
The research also found soft drinks could be accounting for a large chunk of their recommended calorie intake.
The team asked participants to assess their weekly drinking habits.
Their answers suggested 450 calories a day were being consumed – a quarter of the daily limit for women and a fifth for men.
But it was the lack of awareness about the sugar content of drinks that caused concern.
The participants were asked to guess the number of teaspoons of sugar in a range of popular drinks.
They underestimated it for pure apple juice and orange juice, a caffeinated energy drink and a smoothie by between two and four teaspoons.
And for a pomegranate-based drink, they underestimated the sugar content by nearly 18 teaspoons.
A new research suggests that many people underestimate the amount of sugar in drinks which are perceived to be "healthy".
Unsurprisingly, many participants were not taking the calorie content of their soft drinks into account when thinking about their diet.
The team warned that the over-consumption of soft drinks was contributing to obesity and was a major risk factor for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
Lead researcher Professor Naveed Sattar said: “What you drink can be as damaging to the body as what you eat.
“There is no question that consuming too many sugar-sweetened drinks can greatly contribute to obesity.
“Some varieties of drinks such as pure fruit juices and smoothies, which are perceived as <<healthy>> options, are also very high in sugar.
“For many people struggling with their weight, reducing their intake of such drinks and replacing with water or diet drinks would be a sensible first target to help them lessen their calorie intake.”
Maggie, a loyal Labrador retriever who was videotaped as she guarded the body of a yellow Lab hit and killed by a car in Los Angeles, has been reunited with her family.
Maggie’s family claimed her Monday from a Los Angeles Shelter, after she’d been spayed and microchipped and dozens had offered to adopt her.
A good Samaritan saw the incident in La Puente last Wednesday, called officers, put traffic cones around the dogs and took the video that touched hearts across the country.
Animal Care and Control Captain Aaron Reyes says officers were getting the dogs out of the street at the same time Maggie’s family was at the shelter looking for her.
He says Maggie can go home on Tuesday after shelter workers inspect her home.
Maggie was videotaped as she guarded the body of a yellow Lab hit and killed by a car in Los Angeles
The footage released on Saturday showed the female Labrador lying next to a motionless, yellow Labrador as vehicles pass dangerously close to them.
Blood can be seen around the injured dog’s head while the Labrador waits by its side
Animal control officials responded to the scene and took the frightened but unharmed dog to a shelter.
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) said the two-year-old dog, who animal shelter staff and volunteers have named Grace, appears to have been well cared for.
But as no one came forward to claim her, and she did not have a tag or microchip implant, she went up for adoption.
DACC said in a statement: “[Grace was] laying in the street next to another dog, which was motionless and had suffered obvious head trauma,” according the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
“When I saw the video clip taken from a passerby’s cellphone, it made me emotional,” the shelter’s director Marcia Mayeda said.
Internet users were also moved by the sad footage which was posted on to YouTube. One person, who posted under the name mmamv83, said: “That’s sad as hell. Hope the dog finds a good home.”
While another named mjlbdad said: “I wish I could adopt this dog.”
British scientists have discovered that ultrasounds could treat early prostate cancer and may have far fewer side-effects than existing therapies.
A 41-patient study in the journal Lancet Oncology suggests targeted ultrasound treatment could reduce the risk of impotence and incontinence.
Researchers say it could transform future treatment if the findings are repeated in larger studies.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) in UK, which funded the study, welcomed the results, which it said were promising.
Each year 37,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Many face a difficult dilemma: the disease kills about 10,000 men every year, but for some it may not get worse if left untreated.
Standard treatment with surgery or radiotherapy involves treating the whole prostate gland, and can harm surrounding tissue, with a serious risk of side-effects, including urinary incontinence and impotence.
British scientists have discovered that ultrasounds could treat early prostate cancer and may have far fewer side-effects than existing therapies
Doctors at University College Hospital in London have carried out the first trial using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) aimed at small patches of cancer cells on the prostate.
This was a “proof of concept” study involving 41 patients.
They used a probe, placed close to the prostate, which emits sound waves that heat the targeted cells to 80C, while causing minimal damage to surrounding nerves and muscles.
Hashim Ahmed, a urological surgeon at the trust who led the study, says the results, 12 months after treatment, are very encouraging.
“We’ve shown in this study that focal therapy – by targeting the individual areas of cancer – can avoid the collateral damage. We’ve shown that nine in 10 men had no impotence and none of the men in the study had incontinence of urine.”
Hashim Ahmed says the early evidence on cancer control is also very good. But he says this needs to be evaluated in much larger studies.
“This could offer a transformation of the way we treat prostate cancer. It could offer a cost-effective treatment for the NHS, and offer men with early prostate cancer an opportunity to treat their disease, but with very few side-effects.”
A patient on the trial, 72-year-old Robert Page, from Croydon, says his treatment, two years ago, was a great success.
“The outcome was very good,” he said.
“I was very pleased with the treatment and very happy with the lack of side-effects, particularly when I contrast that with what might have been the case if I’d had one of the other, alternative, treatments.”
The study was funded by the Medical Research Council, the Pelican Cancer Foundation and St Peter’s Trust.
Professor Gillies McKenna, director of the Gray Institute for Radiation Oncology and Biology, a joint collaboration between the MRC and Cancer Research UK, welcomed the findings.
“If these promising results can be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial, focal therapy could soon become a reasonable treatment choice for prostate cancer alongside other proven effective therapies.”
The chief executive of the Prostate Cancer Charity, Owen Sharp, also emphasized the importance of further research.
“We welcome the development of any prostate-cancer treatment which limits the possibility of damaging side-effects, such as incontinence and impotence. These early results certainly indicate that focal HIFU has the potential to achieve this in the future.
“However, we need to remember that this treatment was given to fewer than 50 men, without follow-up over a sustained period of time.
“We look forward to the results of further trials, which we hope will provide a clearer idea of whether this treatment can control cancer in the long term whilst ridding men of the fear that treating their cancer might mean losing their quality of life.”
Euro MP David Martin has said the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) should be rejected by the European Parliament.
David Martin, the British MEP responsible for its report on ACTA, said the treaty threatened civil liberties.
His comments came less than three months after the previous rapporteur, Kader Arif, resigned from his post in protest at the plans.
To date, 22 EU member states have signed the agreement.
However, the treaty will need to be ratified by the European Parliament before it can be enacted.
David Martin has strongly advised that this ratification should not happen.
“The intended benefits of this international agreement are far outweighed by the potential threats to civil liberties,” he said in a written recommendation to the European Parliament.
“Given the vagueness of certain aspects of the text and the uncertainty over its interpretation, the European Parliament cannot guarantee adequate protection for citizens’ rights in the future under ACTA.”
Euro MP David Martin said ACTA should be rejected by the European Parliament
An early discussion paper for ACTA was made public by Wikileaks in 2008, and the treaty has caused considerable controversy since.
Earlier this year, thousands of protesters demonstrated in cities including Berlin and Warsaw to share their objection to the agreement, which critics say will stifle freedom on the internet.
The “real world” action was in addition to several co-ordinated online attacks on the websites of various governments across Europe.
Concern over the treaty was heightened further when the European Commission asked the European Court of Justice to rule on its legality. The decision is still pending.
Kader Arif, who resigned as the EU’s rapporteur for ACTA on 27 January, described the negotiations as a “masquerade”.
He said: “I condemn the whole process which led to the signature of this agreement: no consultation of the civil society, lack of transparency since the beginning of negotiations, repeated delays of the signature of the text without any explanation given, reject of Parliament’s recommendations as given in several resolutions of our assembly.”
Despite these concerns, the agreement has been backed by the majority of EU member states.
A debate on the EU’s adoption of ACTA is expected to take place in June.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were spotted out on what appeared to be a day-long date in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The two were spotted furniture shopping in the afternoon before heading for sushi at Asanebo at night.
Though Ashton Kutcher, 34, and Mila Kunis, 28, been friends for almost 15 years, onlookers said the pair were very cosy.
X17online reported: “Ashton was touching Mila’s hand and Mila was all dressed up.”
They then reportedly headed to Ashton Kutcher’s newly purchased Hollywood Hills mansion after dinner.
Mila Kunis wore an off-the-shoulder striped top, skinny jeans and nude heels for the outing, wearing her hair in a sexy ballerina bun.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were spotted out on what appeared to be a day-long date in Los Angeles on Sunday
Ashton Kutcher looked dressy as well in a blue sweater over a button-down shirt, though his ball cap dressed the outfit down.
Mila Kunis, for one, didn’t appear to want to be seen, as she shielded her face from prying eyes and even sat in the backseat while Ashton Kutcher drove.
The site additionally reports that the two have been seen out together more than a handful of times in recent weeks, and have even had several sleepovers.
It wouldn’t be a shock should the two actually be taking their friendship to the next level.
Mila Kunis has been dating Macaulay Culkin for the past eight years; they split in January.
Meanwhile, Demi Moore announced that she had ended her six-year marriage to Ashton Kutcher last November after he was reportedly caught cheating.
Ashton Kutcher has been linked to pop star Rihanna as well as screenwriter Lorene Scafaria since splitting from Demi Moore.
Ironically, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis both starred in 2011 blockbusters about friends that become lovers.
Ashton Kutcher appeared in the romantic comedy No Strings Attached while Mila Kunis starred in the similar feature Friends With Benefits.
It would be a Hollywood ending for the two, who played a couple on the Fox sitcom That ’70s Show from 1998 to 2006.
Nick Cannon was seen dressed in an outfit much younger than his years as he stepped out with Mariah Carey and their children yesterday.
Nick Cannon, 31, had donned a pair of baggy shorts, a printed T-shirt and had his cap placed on the side of his head.
In addition he was seen with a pair of bright cream high-top trainers as he carried his twins around.
Nick Cannon flexed his muscles as he toted around Monroe and Moroccan in their separate carriers.
Mariah Carey, 42, appeared to offer some help by holding on to one of the car seats, but it was Nick Cannon who carried the brunt of the load.
The singer looked in great shape in a pair of tight red jeans and a cream and red cardigan.
Nick Cannon was seen dressed in an outfit much younger than his years as he stepped out with Mariah Carey and their children
Mariah Carey was teetering along in a pair of bright red high heels as the family made their way to visit their showbiz friends Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.
At the end of this month the family will be celebrating Roc and Roe’s first birthday and Nick Cannon revealed that they are planning a lavish bash to honor the occasion at the Kids Choice Awards.
But just quite what the couple has in store is yet to be revealed.
The 11-month old babies were seen sitting comfortably in their car seats, surrounded by some stuffed toys.
And the little angels were just doted on by their parents, passers-by couldn’t resist stopping to coo over “dem babies”.
One woman was seen beaming widely as she tried to catch one of the twin’s attention.
Nick Cannon appears to have recovered from his recent health problems and looked happy and healthy during the family day out.
Earlier this month the rapper shared a video of himself getting treatment after suffering from kidney failure.
Fans saw Nick Cannon, who has also been diagnosed with a lupus-like disease, leaving hospital following treatment and his road to recovery after collapsing in January.
A set of Marilyn Monroe’s photographs taken in 1952 has been published for the first time some 50 years after her death.
These newly-released shots feature in a new book, Marilyn By Magnum, that has been published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the film icon’s tragic death.
Shot in her apartment in 1952, the personal frames were taken by renowned photographer Philippe Halsman.
In the pictures Marilyn Monroe’s fragility is clearly evident as she poses in a sheer chiffon pink suit.
The newly-released shots feature in a new book, Marilyn By Magnum, that has been published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's tragic death
Also prominent is the late actress’ natural beauty and her famous blonde curls and curvy figure.
As she stares into the camera in one of the shots she gives off an air of vulnerability.
While in another she sits on the floor, staring wistfully into the distance.
The photoshoot took place in 1952, the same year she filmed Niagara with Joseph Cotten and picked up the lead role in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – she was 26 at the time, a full ten years before her death.
The new book collates many of the pictures that were taken by members of the Magnum photographic cooperative, the world famous agency formed by four photographers – Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David “Chim” Seymour in 1947.
Other contributors to the book (which contains 80 photos in total) include Elliott Erwitt, Eve Arnold, Inge Morath, Philippe Halsman, Bruce Davidson, Dennis Stock, Bob Henriques and Erich Hartmann.
Bobby Brown has pleaded not guilty to DUI and other charges stemming from his arrest last month in Los Angeles.
City News Service says an attorney entered pleas Monday on Bobby Brown’s behalf to misdemeanor counts of DUI, driving with an illegal blood-alcohol content and driving on a suspended license. He could face up to six months in jail if convicted.
Bobby Brown has pleaded not guilty to DUI and other charges stemming from his arrest last month in Los Angeles
Bobby Brown, 43, didn’t attend the Superior Court arraignment in Van Nuys.
Whitney Houston’s former husband was arrested by the California Highway Patrol on March 26.
US nominee Jim Yong Kim has been chosen as the new president of the World Bank.
Jim Yong Kim, 52, a Korean-American health expert, is currently the president of Dartmouth University.
He faced a strong challenge for the post, which has traditionally gone to an American, from Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Dr. Jim Yong Kim will succeed Robert Zoellick, serving a five-year term beginning on 1 July, the World Bank said in a statement.
Jim Jong Kim is a doctor lauded for his pioneering role in treating HIV/Aids and reducing the impact of tuberculosis in the developing world.
US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the new president’s background would be valuable in the role.
“His deep development background coupled with his dedication to forging consensus will help breathe new life into the World Bank’s efforts to secure fast economic growth that is widely shared,” Timothy Geithner said in a statement.
Outgoing president Robert Zoellick added: “Jim has seen poverty and vulnerability first-hand, through his impressive work in developing countries.
“His rigorous, science-based drive for results will be invaluable for the World Bank Group as it modernizes to better serve client countries in overcoming poverty.”
US nominee Jim Yong Kim has been chosen as the new president of the World Bank
Andrew Mitchell, UK international development secretary and a governor of the World Bank Group, said that “as the first development professional to head the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim’s considerable experience will be vital as he leads it through its ambitious reform and modernization programme”.
Meanwhile, the bank hailed the selection process as competitive, saying that the challenge posed by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as well as by Colombian candidate Jose Antonio Ocampi, would benefit the institution in the long run.
The three candidacies had “enriched the discussion of the role of the president and of the World Bank Group’s future direction”, the World Bank said.
By convention, the US has always held the top job at the World Bank since it was founded in 1944.
The top job of its sister organization, the International Monetary Fund, has also always gone to a European but there has been much pressure from emerging economies to open the processes of both organizations to competition.
This year’s vote was the first time the World Bank had to choose between candidates since its creation more than 60 years ago.
Dr. Jim Yong Kim will oversee a staff of 9,000 economists and development experts, and a loan portfolio that hit $258 billion last year.
Mark Weisbrot of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington suggested Dr. Jim Yong Kim would make a very different kind of leader.
“There’s just no comparison between him and any of the prior World Bank presidents,” he said.
“The others were political insiders. They spent most of their lives getting rich or becoming politically powerful, or worse. Kim, by contrast, has spent most of his life trying to improve the lives of poor people.”
Model Imane Fadil, a witness at the trial of Silvio Berlusconi, has said strippers dressed as nuns performed for the former Italian prime minister at one of his “bunga bunga” parties.
Imane Fadil said she had been given 2,000 euros ($2,614) by Silvio Berlusconi the first time she attended a “bunga bunga” party.
She was one of several women who arrived at a Milan courthouse on Monday to testify in Silvio Berlusconi’s trial.
The former Italian prime minister is accused of paying for sex with an underage nightclub dancer.
The woman, Moroccan-born Karima el-Mahroug, was 17 when she allegedly had sex with the prime minister.
Model Imane Fadil said strippers dressed as nuns performed for Silvio Berlusconi at one of his “bunga bunga” parties
Silvio Berlusconi is also accused of abusing his powers by getting police to release Karima el- Mahroug – better known by her stage name Ruby The Heart Stealer – from jail when she was arrested for stealing.
Imane Fadil told the court she had attended several parties at Silvio Berlusconi’s villa outside Milan.
She alleges that the first night she went, she saw two young women in nun costumes stripping for the prime minister. One, she said, was Nicole Minetti, now a regional councilor for Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party in Milan.
Imane Fadil claimed that Nicole Minetti and the other woman dressed as a nun stayed the night at the villa, and that women who attended bunga bunga parties were paid more for sex.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported last week that Silvio Berlusconi had paid a total of 127,000 Euros to three female witnesses, including Nicole Minetti, since the trial began last year.
Silvio Berlusconi’s lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, denied the payments were an attempt to influence the women’s testimony, saying they were legal and reflected the former prime minister’s “usual generosity”, AFP news agency reports.
This is one of three trials that the businessman and former prime minister is currently a defendant in. The other two relate to tax fraud and violating official secrets, while earlier this year an Italian court threw out a fourth case relating to bribery claims.
Silvio Berlusconi stepped down in November 2011 over concerns about Italy’s economy.
Anders Behring Breivik, the man who carried out bomb and gun attacks in Norway last year which left 77 people dead, has pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial in Oslo.
Anders Breivik, 33 attacked a youth camp organized by the governing Labour party on the island of Utoeya, after setting off a car bomb in the capital.
He told the court he “acknowledged” the acts committed, but said he did not accept criminal responsibility.
The prosecution earlier gave a detailed account of how each person was killed.
If the court decides he is criminally insane, he will be committed to psychiatric care; if he is judged to be mentally stable, he will be jailed.
In the latter case, Anders Breivik faces a sentence of 21 years, which could be extended to keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.
He was found insane in one examination, while a second assessment made public last week found him mentally competent.
Dressed in a dark suit, Anders Breivik smiled as he entered the courtroom and a guard removed his handcuffs. He then gave a closed-fist salute.
He later told the lead judge, Wenche Elisabeth Arntzen: “I do not recognize the Norwegian courts. You have received your mandate from political parties which support multiculturalism.”
He also said he did not recognize the authority of Judge Arntzen, claiming she was friends with the sister of former Prime Minister and Labour party leader Gro Harlem Brundtland.
Anders Behring Breivik has pleaded not guilty at the start of his trial in Oslo
The judge noted the objections, which Anders Breivik’s lawyer said were not official, and said the defense could follow up on them in their opening arguments.
Anders Breivik described his occupation as a “writer”, currently working from prison.
Prosecutor Inga Bejer Engh read out the charges against him and gave an extensively detailed account of how each person was killed or injured in last year’s attacks.
The prosecutor said the attacks “created fear in the Norwegian population”, adding: “The defendant has committed very serious crimes, on a scale which hasn’t been experienced in our country in modern times.”
Anders Breivik showed no emotion, looking down at the table in front of him.
At the end of the indictment, he told the court: “I acknowledge the acts, but not criminal guilt – I claim I was doing it in self-defense.”
Anders Breivik has already confessed to the attacks on 22 July. In the car bombing outside government buildings in Oslo, eight people were killed and 209 wounded.
He killed 67 people and wounded 33 – most of them teenagers – in his shooting spree at the youth camp on Utoeya. A further two people died by falling or drowning.
At a court hearing in February, Anders Breivik said his killing spree was “a preventative attack against state traitors”, who were guilty of “ethnic cleansing” because they supported a multicultural society.
His lawyer has said his only regret is that “he did not go further”.
“It is difficult to understand, but I am telling you this to prepare people for his testimony,” Geir Lippestad told reporters before the trial.
Investigators have found no evidence to support Anders Breivik’s claims that he belonged to a secret “resistance” movement, the “Knights Templar”, named after a military and religious order founded during the Crusades to fight the enemies of Christendom.
“In our opinion such a network does not exist,” prosecutor Svein Holden told the court on Monday.
A 12-minute-long film about the evils of “multiculturalism” and “Islamic demographic warfare”, which Breivik posted online on the day of the attacks, was shown in court before the trial was adjourned for lunch. As it concluded, he could be seen wiping tears from his eyes.
Later, previously unreleased surveillance footage of the Oslo bombing was shown.
Some of the survivors and relatives of those killed reportedly gasped after footage was played of Anders Breivik’s explosives-packed vehicle exploding, followed by scenes of panic as people fled and pieces of metal fell to the ground. But the defendant was impassive, and at times even smirked.
The court later adjourned for the day.
At a news conference following the adjournment, Geir Lippestad said Anders Breivik considered he was at war and therefore felt he should be tried by “a war tribunal”.
Asked about Anders Breivik’s tears during the first day, he said “part of the explanation” might be that his client considered his actions “necessary to prevent a war in Europe”.
Parts of the trial will be shown on television, but the court will not allow Anders Breivik’s testimony or that of his witnesses to be broadcast. Anders Breivik is scheduled to take the stand for about a week, starting on Tuesday.
With Anders Breivik not expected to express any remorse for his actions, his trial promises to be an ordeal for the families of those killed and for those who survived.
Jorid Nordmelan, a survivor of the Utoeya massacre, said she would be in court to hear Anders Breivik testify.
“It’s a historical date for Norwegians,” she said.
“We never had a trial like this, so we don’t know what’s going to happen.
“Prosecutors told me they were going to make the opening statements awful, so that people can just feel what he did right there.”
Police have sealed off streets around the courtroom, which was specially built for the trial to accommodate more than 200 people. Glass partitions have been put up to separate the victims and their families from Anders Breivik.
Argentina has decided to nationalize a controlling interest in country’s biggest oil company YPF owned by Spanish firm Repsol.
President Cristina Fernandez said a bill be presented to the Senate allowing the government to expropriate 51% of YPF shares.
The move, announced on national television, was welcomed by her cabinet and Argentine governors.
Spain and the EU have already expressed concern at such a state takeover of YPF, in which Repsol has a 57.4% stake.
Shares in YPF fell some 18% on Wall Street following the announcement.
YPF has come under sustained criticism from the Argentine government, which accuses it of failing to invest enough in local oil fields.
Argentina has decided to nationalize a controlling interest in country’s biggest oil company YPF owned by Spanish firm Repsol
The Argentina authorities have accused YPF of not investing enough to increase its output and so lessen the need for imports, an accusation it rejects.
The company has been stripped of a number of leases, including in some of the biggest oil fields in the country.
In recent weeks, speculation has grown that the Argentine government was planning to force through a bigger state role in the firm.
Spain has previously warned Buenos Aires that a takeover of YPF could have consequences for Argentina’s international image.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has made it clear it backs Spain’s position.
In November last year, YPF, which was privatized in 1993, announced a major find of 1 billion barrels of shale oil.
Argentina has some of the world’s largest reserves of shale oil and gas, hydrocarbons trapped deep underground.
Argentina is ranked number three in the world in terms of recoverable resources, behind China and the US, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Angelina Jolie was spotted wearing the ring on her wedding finger at the Chinese Art collection at the Los Angeles County Museum earlier this month, where she was pictured with Brad Pitt and their son Pax.
Brad Pitt, 48, designed the ring for the mother of his six children in collaboration with jeweller Robert Procop who broke the news of the engagement in a statement last Friday.
Robert Procop’s team said in a statement: “Brad had a specific vision for this ring, which he realized over a year-long collaboration with Robert.”
“He wanted every aspect of it to be perfect.”
Angelina Jolie, 36, and Brad Pitt confirmed their engagement last week in a statement – and their six children were said to be especially happy about the news.
Their spokeswoman said: “It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There’s no date set at this time.”
Brad Pitt designed the ring for Angelina Jolie in collaboration with jeweller Robert Procop who broke the news of their engagement
Robert Procop said: “I was able to locate a diamond of the finest quality and cut it to an exact custom size and shape to suite Angelina’s hand. Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution.
“The side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality.”
Experts estimate the ring cost around $250,000.
Angelina Jolie’s father Jon Voight was among the first to publicly congratulate the pair, telling Us Weekly: “I’m very happy for them.”
The actress has been married twice before – to British actor Jonny Lee Miller between 1996 and 1999 and then Billy Bob Thornton, from 2000 to 2003.
Dannii Minogue’s former boss Simon Cowell has come out with an extraordinary account of a fleeting affair between the two.
Simon Cowell, 52, who loves nothing more than to polish his image as a ladykiller, has confirmed rumors of a fling in an “unauthorized” biography.
Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life Of Simon Cowell has been written by respected author Tom Bower.
Tom Bower has not allowed Simon Cowell to read the final manuscript, but during hours of interviews it seems the two men became friends.
It is clear Simon Cowell is loving the attention of being presented as the pasha at the head of a talent show TV harem. “Yikes!” he tweeted triumphantly after seeing the newspaper headlines proclaiming “Cowell’s Affair With Dannii”. Smug barely covers it.
Simon Cowell has long suffered jibes and speculation about his sexuality. Just recently, the Village Voice in New York ran an article titled: Simon Cowell: Gay Or Just British?
The X Factor judge Louis Walsh has long enjoyed catty observations about Simon Cowell’s camp demeanor.
“He is camp, he is theatrical,” says Louis Walsh.
“He tilts his head just like a woman.”
Simon Cowell told Tom Bower he fell for Dannii Minogue after she joined The X Factor’s judging panel in 2007.
“It was genuine love,” Simon Cowell claims.
However, a long-standing friend of his said: “Whenever Simon uses the phrase genuine, you know it’s not true.”
His account of the romance is as follows: “I had a crush on her. It was her hair, the sexy clothes and the ***s. She was foxy. She was a real man’s girl. Very feminine.”
Simon Cowell says they got together in August 2007. An affair was rumored at the time. They were pictured holding hands in a car leaving BBC TV Centre, and Simon Cowell said repeatedly on the record that he “fancied” Dannii Minogue, though at the time they both denied anything had gone on.
“Every guy in the world fancies Dannii,” he said in an interview at the time. “She’s become a sex symbol since joining the show.”
Why did it end? Apparently, Simon Cowell told a friend: “There were a few bonks and then it petered out while I was in America.”
Not quite the stuff of grand romance, then.
Simon Cowell has never married and none of his many relationships has lasted. There have also been numerous flings and liaisons, which he has been lucky to keep out of the newspapers.
One relative of a Simon Cowell conquest said: “He is very intense and controlling, and then when he cools off he simply couldn’t care less. I don’t really know if he has ever been in love. He will say he is, but it’s not in his make-up, in my opinion.”
Another long-standing colleague says: “Simon is only fully committed to work, making money and to himself. It’s all about him.
“The only person he cares about other than himself – who he has ever cared about – is his mum, Julie.
“He likes pretty girls and being in a relationship, but they end up just being useful arrangements. He will never get married. That’s the way it is – it’s not the wrong girl or the wrong time, it’s just Simon.”
Dannii Minogue’s former boss Simon Cowell has come out with an extraordinary account of a fleeting affair between the two
In the book, Tom Bower says, perhaps more tactfully, that Simon Cowell felt he was not ready for a relationship with Dannii Minogue, having just split with long-term girlfriend Terri Seymour.
It’s all rather odd, though, as Simon Cowell and Terri Seymour split officially only in November 2008 – more than a year after the fling with Dannii Minogue. And, in April 2008, as rumors circulated that the relationship with Terri Seymour was over, Simon Cowell’s spokesman Max Clifford insisted that they were still a couple.
Now Max Clifford has changed his tune and claims they were, in fact, separated.
“Simon was single and Dannii was single and there was an attraction between them, so that’s life,” he said.
A friend adds: “He and Terri had split up a long time before they made the official announcement. They both knew what the situation was then and there was no problem with it on either side.”
Others, though, say that he has been an unfaithful partner.
Eighties pop star Sinitta, who dated him for a number of years and remains a close friend, has called Simon Cowell a “master of denial”. She caught him out several times with other women and described him as a “horny, salty dog”, saying he likes women of every color, culture and size.
Despite his affair with Dannii Minogue, when it later suited him to drop her as a judge from The X Factor, Simon Cowell did so without a backward glance.
Dannii Minogue, now 40, has just split from her partner Kris Smith and issued not a word on the subject yesterday. Her PR Simon Jones said: “I’m sorry, but I’m not making any comment on this story, on the record or off it.”
As she is dealing with her own romantic heartbreak and has been hung out to dry in order to make Simon Cowell look good, she could be forgiven for feeling pretty bitter about it all.
But then, as the many people whom he has picked up and shed along the way can tell you, Simon Cowell is an egomaniac of ocean-going dimensions. If it suits him to drop you, he will – even Louis Walsh was sacked from The X Factor panel and later reinstated.
If he thinks it helps his TV show to humiliate you, he will – witness The X Factor’s cannon fodder auditionees.
If he thinks it is good publicity to cast you alongside someone who hates your guts, he will.
Indeed, the revelation of an affair with Dannii Minogue sheds a fascinating light on the feud between her and fellow former X Factor judge, Sharon Osbourne.
Sharon Osbourne declared war within a few weeks of Dannii Minogue joining the judging panel and developed an almost pathological dislike of the younger woman.
She said only last year that Dannii Minogue was “****ing useless” and described her as “not so much a dim bulb as a power cut”.
Now we know she was jealous of Simon Cowell’s flirtatious preference for Dannii Minogue. He just sat back and watched them snipe at each other, thinking it amusing and good for the TV ratings.
Sharon Osbourne quit her job over it and Dannii Minogue was repeatedly reduced to tears, yet he never rode to her rescue. So much for “genuine love”. And if you thought the topic of his private life could not be any grubbier, then consider his “crush” on singer Natalie Imbruglia, another gorgeous Australian.
In his book, Tom Bower reveals that she was invited on the yacht Simon Cowell hired last New Year.
Allegedly, he hoped they could rekindle a former affair – but he got nothing more than a kiss and cuddle. After four days, the embarrassed singer left the ship.
It is worth remembering that at the time Simon Cowell was still with his fiancée Mezhgan Hussainy, known as Mish.
Mish Hussainy, once his make-up artist, told her family at the time that she and Simon Cowell were together, even as he was allegedly attempting to seduce Natalie Imbruglia.
She also had to put up with Simon Cowell’s pursuit of Cheryl Cole, which he confirmed to Tom Bower.
It was obvious to everyone watching The X Factor that he adored Cheryl Cole.
Simon Cowell used to put his arms around her during the show. Colleagues noticed they shared cigarette breaks and Cheryl Cole would often visit his dressing room.
With a tactlessness which is his trademark, Simon Cowell told an interviewer that it would be “a fantasy come true” to kiss her.
“When I’m sitting next to her, I forget everyone else,” he said.
Cheryl Cole said that he was so charismatic she felt he had put her in a trance. In the book, he admits: “I would have liked an affair with Cheryl, but I felt like a mouse being played with by a beautiful cat.”
In the end, Simon Cowell fired her from The X Factor USA after warning her to raise her game.
Did it ever occur to Simon Cowell that his pursuit of Cheryl Cole must have been uncomfortable for Dannii Minogue – and humiliating for his fiancée?
Perhaps it just didn’t. For Simon Cowell has a rhinoceros hide when it comes to such niceties.
There have long been rumors that he dates women on both sides of the Atlantic at the same time and the book would seem to add credence to them.
Simon Cowell had a romance with model Jasmine Lennard in 2006, during his relationship with Terri Seymour. She was seen arriving at his London house in a fur coat and high heels, and he took her to Ascot. And when it was all over, Jasmine Lennard disappeared – never to discuss the subject in public. Might she be one of the women whom he admits he has paid off?
He was certainly generous to Terri Seymour, buying her a house and paying for it to be refurbished by the celebrity interior designer Kelly Hoppen. There were also reports of a $5 million cash settlement for her – small change for Simon Cowell, who is worth more than $300 million.
His PR spokesman Max Clifford said: “Simon is naturally a very generous person.
“If he has spent a long time with someone and the magic has gone, but they have got used to a certain standard of living, then he feels they should have some money.”
What a curiously stunted emotional life Simon Cowell seems to have. He may be 52, but it’s all crushes and flings, like a teenager.
He says he is in love, but there doesn’t seem to be any room in his life for anything resembling it.
