A checklist of must-do treatments and the products you’ll need to combat total beauty breakdown over the chilly season:
1. HYDRATE
At this time of year your face has the triple-whammy of freezing winds, central heating and lots of alcohol to contend with. As you know, the cold weather will really dry out your face, while central heating and booze are both terribly dehydrating, so you skin is in danger of becoming totally parched. So, make sure your stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water every day, but you can also give your skin a helping hand when you’re indoors by spritzing regularly with a hydrating spray like Vichy Purete Thermale Spa Water.
2. EXFOLIATE
Thirsty, central-heating-parched skin can quickly start looking dull and dreary thanks to the build-up of dry dead skin cells, so exfoliating regularly is a must. Use Nuxe Gentle Exfoliating Gel with Rose Petals, a refreshing gel that buffs dead skin away while eliminating impurities. Some scrubs can be a little harsh, especially on sore winter skin, but this one has a gentle formula so even the most sensitive skin is kept feeling soft and supple.
3. REVIVE
If your skin is really suffering the effects of cold weather, you have to revive it with a deep-hydrating mask such as Caudalie Moisturising Cream-Mask, which gives a wonderful quenching boost to stressed out and dehydrated skin.
The cold weather will really dry out your face, while central heating and booze are both terribly dehydrating, so you skin is in danger of becoming totally parched
4. MOISTURIZE
As you know, there are all sorts of moisturizers available and you should be using different moisturizing products depending on the time of year. In the winter months, you can use facial oils to really care for my complexion.
They’re not at all as greasy and heavy as you might expect and they really do enrich and revive your dried out skin. Try Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+, a potent plant blend that restores the lost radiance of a moisture-depleted complexion.
5. CALM
If you occasionally get heightened coloring thanks to the cold or central heating, it’s worth investing in a corrective moisturizer to combat redness. Avène Antirougeurs Jour Redness Relief Moisturising Protective Emulsion is a caring and correcting daily moisturizer that really helps calm flushed skin.
6. PROTECT
Just because it’s freezing outside, doesn’t mean you can forget about protecting your face from harmful UV rays – they’re always there, sneakily causing damage, even on cloudy days.
So before you head out, remember to smooth on a protective layer of moisturizer. Avene Hydrance Optimale Rich Protective UV SPF20 is a wonderfully creamy hydrating formulation.
7. CARE
The skin around your eyes and on your lips is delicate and particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather. It’s well worth investing in a special eye treatment cream such as Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Instant Rescue Eye Treatment to soothe and smooth the gentle skin around your peepers.
Likewise a decent lip treatment will really help rescue a parched kisser. Try La Roche-Posay Ceralip Lip Repair Cream. And the last thing before heading out is to slick on a coat of Dior Addict Lip Glow Colour Awakening Lipbalm SPF 10, to keep your pout properly protected all day.
Selma Blair’s had a difficult year following her split from fashion designer, and the father of her child, Jason Bleick.
And it seems that Selma Blair is feeling the strain following a tough few months, the results of which has led to drastic weight loss.
Selma Blair, 40, displayed her shockingly thin, almost-skeletal figure as she took her son Arthur to the park in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles.
As she ran along pushing her little boy in his toy car, Selma Blair’s baggy knitted cardigan fell open – displaying her incredibly bony chestplate.
The Anger Management actress, who went bra-less and narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction on the energetic morning out, also looked extremely tired – her make-up free complexion only serving to draw attention to the heavy bags under her eyes.
Despite Selma Blair’s clear stress, the actress did her best to concentrate on spending time with her 16-month-old son.
Selma Blair displayed her shockingly thin, almost-skeletal figure as she took her son Arthur to the park in Laurel Canyon
Arthur looked adorable in a striped all-in-one, with a gilet and hat over the top to keep him warm.
And the little boy certainly appeared to be enjoying himself, beaming and giggling with delight as he explored the local area.
Selma Blair gave her son a hand as he waded through the sticks and twigs in the local area, keeping a close eye on Arthur as he toddled off exploring.
The actress is doing her best to move on, following her split from Jason Bleick in August – just 14 months after they welcomed Arthur into the world.
Selma Blair and Jason Bleick, who had been dating since 2010, were alleged to have parted ways because they couldn’t stop arguing.
A source told Us Weekly magazine: “They were fighting non-stop.”
Selma Blair rather vaguely commented on her relationship status in September on Twitter, writing: “I never announced anything. They choose to write whatever they feel. I do not have a new boyfriend. My son is it.”
Kate Middleton made her first formal public appearance since her pregnancy was announced at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony in London, where she presented two awards.
The Duchess of Cambridge walked out in an Alexander McQueen green dress matched with a striking smile as she presented chairman of the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games Sebastian Coe with the Lifetime Achievement award.
She stayed on the stage throughout Sebastian Coe’s speech and was then on hand to present the Sports Personality of the Year award on to Bradley Wiggins.
Runner-up was Team GB heptathlete Jessica Ennis, who won gold in the 2012 Games, and in third place was tennis star Andy Murray, who also won gold at the London Olympics.
Kate Middleton’s decision to honor the engagement after being forced to cancel her last four public appearances is a sign that the 30-year-old is slowly recovering after spending several days in hospital with hyperemesis gravidarum earlier this month.
Aides said the duchess, a Team GB Ambassador, was keen to attend to pay tribute to the achievements of British sportsmen and women in a remarkable year for British sport.
Kate Middleton made her first formal public appearance since her pregnancy was announced at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony in London, where she presented two awards
A fortnight after she fell ill with a crippling form of morning sickness, the Duchess finally made her first formal public appearance.
But sources close to Kate Middleton, less than 12 weeks pregnant, stressed that she would only attend the evening-long event at London’s ExCel for around 45 minutes before returning home to Kensington Palace, where she continues to recuperate.
Doctors have warned her that the condition can recur at any time in the first few months of pregnancy – and sometimes even beyond.
“While the Duchess does not feel ready to attend a four-hour engagement, she is keen to show her support to the UK’s sportsmen and women at this prestigious event which caps a momentous year for British sport,” said a senior royal source.
Kate Middleton attended the event alone as her husband, Prince William, has been forced to return to their rented farmhouse in Anglesey, North Wales, as he is due on duty as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot.
But the fact that the prince felt confident enough to leave her suggests that he, too, is encouraged by her recovery.
Prince William will return to London in time for Christmas but aides have yet to announce whether they plan to join the Royal Family at Sandringham, in line with tradition.
While it would be extremely unusual for the future king and his wife to miss the annual celebrations on the Queen’s Norfolk estate – including the traditional visit to church on Christmas morning – sources have indicated that Kate Middleton is “seriously” considering remaining in Berkshire with her family so she can recover in peace and be closer to hospital if she takes a turn for the worse.
Her decision will be announced in the next day or so.
The British attempt to search for life in ancient Lake Ellsworth beneath the Antarctic ice-sheet has run into trouble.
The team has reported “a serious problem” with the main boiler used to heat the water that powers a drill.
Work was halted on Saturday in what could prove to be a major blow to the project to investigate sub-glacial Lake Ellsworth.
The aim is to use 90C water to blast a hole through the two-mile-thick ice-sheet to reach the lake waters below.
The research goal is to gather samples of water and sediment to search for signs of life and clues about the region’s climatic history.
The project relies on the successful operation of the hot-water drill which in turn depends on the boiler.
The British attempt to search for life in ancient Lake Ellsworth beneath the Antarctic ice-sheet has run into trouble
Last Thursday the team reported that a key circuit on the boiler – controlling the primary burner – had failed to start.
A back-up burner was fitted which ran successfully for 4-5 days – enough to melt the water needed to start drilling.
The first task was to melt a cavity 300m below the ice to act as a water store to help balance water pressure once the main drilling to the lake started.
In a statement released this morning, the team announced: “Unfortunately, the burner failed at approximately 3:00 p.m. local time on Saturday.”
A replacement component has been ordered and is expected to reach the team in a few days’ time.
“In the meantime, the engineering team is in contact with the manufacturers of the units who are helping them to determine the cause of the malfunction.
“Both units demonstrated the same problem. When the replacement circuit arrives the engineers will work with the manufacturer to go through the set up procedure. The team is hopeful that this will solve the problem,” the statement says.
“If not, a further option is to attempt to bypass the circuit and manually <<drive>> the burner. The team is discussing operating protocols with the manufacturer before exploring this option further.”
A major concern is that the system was designed to be operated on one attempt – to heat the water and melt open the bore-hole without pause to avoid the risk of ice forming inside the drill-pipe.
However, sources at the British Antarctic Survey say there is no issue of any water having frozen in the pipes. They say the system is still “ticking over” with warm water.
In temperatures as low as minus 30C, and in a region notorious for its winds and remoteness, any technical problems of this scale are a huge challenge.
The team always recognized that the project involved high risks – with sophisticated technology in a hostile environment.
It is unlikely that the team will resume drilling before Friday December 21st.
The funeral of Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who apparently killed herself following a royal hoax call in London, is taking place in her Indian hometown, Shirva.
Jacintha Saldanha, 46, will be buried after the service at a church in Shirva, just outside Mangalore on the south-west Indian coast.
Her family arrived at the church earlier with her coffin.
Jacintha Saldanha had taken a prank call about Kate Middleton who was being treated for acute morning sickness.
Two presenters on a Sydney-based radio station convinced staff they were the Queen and Prince Charles, and were connected to the duchess’s private nurse and given an update on her condition.
Jacintha Saldanha, who transferred the call, was found dead days later, in nursing accommodation attached to the King Edward VII hospital.
Her funeral was preceded by a memorial service and she is to be buried at a cemetery on the church grounds in Shirva.
The funeral of Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who apparently killed herself following a royal hoax call in London, is taking place in her Indian hometown, Shirva
Jacintha Saldanha’s husband, Benedict Barboza, visited the cemetery on Monday morning to look at the grave where she will be laid to rest.
Thousands of people were expected to attend the service, and the authorities had made extensive arrangements, including deploying additional security.
Earlier, local police set up barricades because large numbers were expected at the funeral.
There had been “massive media coverage” in India following Jacintha Saldanha’s death.
The death had saddened many in the country, especially in her hometown, with some people saying it was a tragedy that simply should not have happened.
Others have called for a fresh investigation to determine what led to her death.
Jacintha Saldanha left three suicide notes, her inquest last week revealed.
Adele has been named Billboard’s top artist of 2012, while her hit record 21 was named top album of the year in the music magazine’s annual review.
Adele, 24, is the first to receive both accolades two years in a row.
The singer was also named top female artist, with hip hop star Drake named top male artist.
Former X Factor contestants One Direction rounded off a successful year of US invasion after being named top new artist and Maroon 5 were top group.
Adele has been named Billboard’s top artist of 2012, while her hit record 21 was named top album of the year in the music magazine’s annual review
The honors for Adele come in a year which saw her win six Grammy awards and dominate the US charts.
Her second album 21 went straight to number one when it was released in March 2011 and did not leave the top 10 until the beginning of September this year. During that time, it spent 24 weeks at the top spot.
The year’s top three songs were Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know, Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe and Fun’s We Are Young respectively.
The magazine’s review is based on chart performance, as well as streaming and social data.
Gerard Depardieu announces he is handing back his French passport after Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault criticized him for moving to Belgium to avoid taxes.
In a letter to a newspaper, Gerard Depardieu, 63, lambasted the French government for punishing “success, creation and talent”.
Last week Gerard Depardieu announced he was moving to the small Belgian town of Nechin just over the French border.
French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault described the decision as “shabby”.
Next year, the top rate of income tax in France is due to become 75% on earnings above 1m euros. It is currently 50% in Belgium.
“I am not asking to be approved of, but I could at least be respected. All of those who have left France have not been insulted as I have been,” Gerard Depardieu said in the weekly Le Journal du Dimanche.
Gerard Depardieu announces he is handing back his French passport after Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault criticized him for moving to Belgium to avoid taxes
Gerard Depardieu accused the government of Socialist President Francois Hollande of driving France’s most talented figures out of the country.
“I am leaving because you consider that success, creation, talent, anything different, must be punished,” he said.
Depardieu said that during his long career he had paid 145 million euros to the French taxman.
“At no time have I failed in my duties. The historic films in which I took part bear witness to my love of France and its history,” he said.
Referring to Jean-Marc Ayrault, Gerard Depardieu asked: “Who are you to judge me in this way?”
The prime minister had suggested that Gerard Depardieu’s move to the town of Nechin, just over the border from the French city of Lille, was unpatriotic at a time of cutbacks.
“I find this quite shabby. All that just to avoid paying tax,” he said on France 2 TV channel.
“Paying a tax is an act of solidarity, a patriotic act.”
Belgium is an attractive option for wealthy French people.
Three months ago France’s richest man, Bernard Arnault, announced plans to relocate to Belgium although he denied it was for tax reasons.
North Korea marks one year since the death of Kim Jong-il in a huge ceremony, days after the country’s successful rocket launch.
New leader Kim Jong-un and his wife paid their respects at the memorial hall in Pyongyang which houses the late leader’s body.
Scientists who worked on last week’s long-range rocket launch also attended, state television said.
Kim Jong-il died on December 17, 2011; his death was announced two days later.
Leadership of the communist state – which remains unable to feed its people – passed to his third son Kim Jong-un.
Under his leadership North Korea has conducted two long-range rocket launches – actions condemned by the US and Pyongyang’s neighbors as banned tests of missile technology.
The launch in April failed, but last week’s attempt appears to have been a success, placing a satellite into orbit.
The US, Japan and South Korea are seeking a response in the UN Security Council, which banned North Korea from missile tests after nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
North Korea marks one year since the death of Kim Jong-il in a huge ceremony, days after the country’s successful rocket launch
North Korea held a mass rally on Friday to mark the rocket’s success and another on Sunday to commemorate Kim Jong-il.
On Monday, the country’s top leaders gathered at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of both Kim Jong-il and his father, national founder Kim Il-sung, lie.
The ceremony, broadcast live on state television, showed a series of officials bowing before statues of the two late leaders.
On Sunday ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam praised Kim Jong-il’s role in the rocket launch at the giant rally in a Pyongyang sports stadium.
“The successful launch of our Kwangmyongsong-2 satellite is also another victory achieved by our military and people, by faithfully following the teachings of the great leader [Kim Jong-il],” he said.
The UN Security Council last week condemned the launch and said it would continue consultations on an appropriate response.
Speaking at an inter-faith vigil in Newtown, President Barack Obama has said the US must do more to protect its children in the wake of Friday’s shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Connecticut.
Barack Obama said he would use the powers of his office to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.
He told residents that the nation shared their grief.
Twenty children and six women died in the assault on Sandy Hook school by a lone man who then took his own life.
The first funerals for victims will be held on Monday.
The gunman has been identified by police as Adam Lanza, 20.
He shot dead his mother before driving to the school in her car.
Officials say he was armed with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and used a semi-automatic rifle as his main weapon. He was also carrying two handguns, and a shotgun was recovered from a car.
“I come to offer the love and prayers of a nation,” Barack Obama said, speaking after religious leaders and the state governor.
“You are not alone in your grief. All across this land of ours we have wept with you.”
Barack Obama repeated a call for action against gun crime, saying that in coming weeks he would use “whatever powers” his office held “in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this”.
“We can’t tolerate this anymore,” he said.
“These tragedies must end and to end them we must change.”
The complex causes of gun crime “can’t be an excuse for inaction”, he said.
Speaking at an inter-faith vigil in Newtown, President Barack Obama has said the US must do more to protect its children in the wake of Friday’s shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School
Barack Obama was also meeting victims’ families and emergency service workers.
All 20 children who died in the shootings – eight boys and 12 girls – were aged between six and seven, according to an official list of the dead. The school’s head teacher, Dawn Hochsprung, was among those killed.
All victims were shot several times, some of them at close range.
Police say the process of releasing the victims’ bodies to their families is under way.
Barack Obama made an appeal for “meaningful action” against gun crime in the US shortly after the attack on Friday.
Sunday saw two senior US Democrats call for stricter gun control.
Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy said his state had an existing ban on assault weapons, but the lack of a similar law at federal level made it difficult to keep them out of the state.
“These are assault weapons. You don’t hunt deer with these things,” he told CNN.
“One can only hope that we’ll find a way to limit these weapons that really only have one purpose.”
Governor Dannel Malloy had to break the news to most of the victim’s families on Friday.
“You can never be prepared for that – to tell 18 to 20 families that their loved one would not be returning to them that day or in the future,” he said.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, who represents California in the upper house of Congress and is a long-term supporter of stricter gun control, told US TV network NBC: “I’m going to introduce in the Senate, and the same bill will be introduced in the House [of Representatives], a bill to ban assault weapons.”
Asked if President Barack Obama would support her measure, she said: “I believe he will.”
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, another strong gun control advocate, has urged President Barack Obama to act.
“We have heard all the rhetoric before,” he said.
“What we have not seen is leadership – not from the White House and not from Congress. That must end today.”
A nationwide ban on certain semi-automatic rifles in the US expired in 2004.
1 x 4.5-5.5 kg (10-12 lb) oven-ready goose, with giblets reserved for stock
Handful of apple peel, lemon rind and sage
For the giblet stock
1 onion, unpeeled and quartered
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
Parsley stalks
6 black peppercorns
For the gravy
25 g (1oz) plain flour
600 ml (1pt) giblet stock
Roast goose with sage
METHOD
Make the stock up to a day ahead: put the giblets in a pan, add 1ltr (1¾pt) water and bring to a boil, skimming off any scum. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Strain the liquid, cool, cover and keep in the fridge. To roast the goose, preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Remove any feather stubs with tweezers and place the peelings, lemon rind and sage in the cavity. Season inside and out, and place breast-side down, on a rack in a large tin and roast about 30 minutes until brown. Turn breast-side up, and cook a further 20 minutes until the skin is brown. Pour the fat in the tin into a bowl and save for roasting potatoes. Reduce the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4, and roast for a further 1½-2 hours or until cooked – the juices should run clear. Lift the bird onto a board, cover with foil and leave to rest for about 20 minutes. Make the gravy by pouring off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the tin. Put the tin on a medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to scrape sediment from the tin, then pour in the stock, whisking. Bring to the boil then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season, strain, and serve with the goose and apple sauce.
With The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey just released you can decide for yourself comparing that film to these hysterical images of celebrities turned into Gollums albiet with the magic of computer graphics as opposed to a corrupting magic ring.
Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Rihanna may be sex symbols but the look of a feral hobbit doesn’t suit them.
Hollywood.com created the images of celebrities with Gollum Eye in celebration of The Hobbit’s release.
Director Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning series of epic films based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien were huge critical and financial successes.
The new film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, is already a smash having broken two US records at the box office to become the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time.
Peter Jackson’s adaption of JRR Tolkien’s classic novel kicked off with takings of $37.5 million – the biggest December Friday opener in domestic history.
The film then took $28.1 million on Saturday to claim the record of the largest December weekend at the American ticket office, even without Sunday’s takings being calculated. Warner Brothers are predicting the movie could earn over $85 million in the U.S. for the whole weekend.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has broken two records at the US box office to become the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time.
Peter Jackson’s adaption of JRR Tolkien’s classic novel kicked off with takings of $37.5 million – the biggest December Friday opener in domestic history.
The film then took $28.1 million on Saturday to claim the record of the largest December weekend at the American ticket office, even without Sunday’s takings being calculated. Warner Brothers are predicting the movie could earn over $85 million in the U.S. for the whole weekend.
As reported by Deadline.com, the movie version of the 1937 book is playing in 4,045 North American theaters, also a record number for December.
Friday’s huge opening haul included $13 million from midnight showings on Thursday night, which included $1.6 million on IMAX screens.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was digitally remastered for IMAX 3D and filmed using new technology.
The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey has broken two records at the US box office to become the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time
A select number of theaters are presenting the picture at double the standard frame rate, showing the movie at 48 frames per second rather than the standard 24 frames per second.
This technology claims to show the film in a way that is closer to how the human eye actually sees images.
Despite mixed reviews from critics, the movie is also doing incredibly well internationally.
An Unexpected Journey is also the number one film overseas and already taken $57 million from 56 international markets (in 18,200 screens).
Deadline.com reports that the film may end the weekend with takings of around $200 million worldwide.
During Strictly Come Dancing semi-final on Saturday evening Lisa Riley and her professional dance partner Robin Windsor had the audience laughing for all the wrong reasons.
As the duo performed a Salsa centre stage to Best Years Of Our Lives by Modern Romance, an awkward attempt from Robin Windsor, 33, to lift Lisa Riley, 36, was not well received by fans of the BBC show.
During their uptempo routine Lisa Riley failed to gracefully glide across the floor and had many viewers believing she had taken a tumble.
Robin Windsor then swooped in to pick her up for the next segment of their dance but struggled to lift her.
The occurrence which lasted a total of seven seconds truly made for cringe-worthy viewing.
Fans of the dance show wasted no time taking to their Twitter accounts to discuss what they witnessed.
On person wrote: “That poor fella trying to lift Lisa Riley off the floor.”
While another tweeted: “Poor Lisa and robin!! Was Lisa sweeping the floor!!! #cringe #timetogo.”
During Strictly Come Dancing semi-final on Saturday evening Lisa Riley and her professional dance partner Robin Windsor had the audience laughing for all the wrong reasons
However, despite Lisa Riley and Robin Windsor’s blunders the pair were awarded 31 points by the judges.
Speaking to The Sun Robin Windsor admitted that he believed Lisa Riley was at a disadvantage in the competition because of her weight.
He said: “Last week, the tango was the best Lisa has done. It’s still not how I’d like it to be but because of her size she’s quite limited. I hope the public realize how difficult that is for her.”
The British dancer also revealed that he was a bit apprehensive ahead of the Salsa as he feared it could “end in absolute disaster”.
“I’ve taken lots of chances by throwing myself at Lisa – so we’ll see what happens.”
Kate Middleton will tonight attend the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards – the first sign that she is slowly recovering from the severe morning sickness that has plagued her first few weeks of pregnancy.
The Duchess of Cambridge is only likely to be at the event in London for around 45 minutes and she is keen to pay tribute to the nation’s sportsmen and women in what has been an incredible year.
Sources say Kate Middleton will be going on her own as husband Prince William is back at work as an RAF search and rescue pilot on Anglesey.
A St James’s Palace spokesman said: “The Duchess of Cambridge will tonight attend the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards at the ExCeL London, where Her Royal Highness will present the Lifetime Achievement and the main Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
“The Duchess will attend the event in response to a longstanding invitation from the BBC.”
Along with her husband and brother in law Prince Harry, Kate Middleton was a Team GB Ambassador at the Olympics this summer.
The hockey player is known to love sport and was pictured at London 2012, hugging Prince William at the Velodrome in August as Sir Chris Hoy, Philip Hindes and Jason Kenny stormed to success.
Tonight will be the first time Kate Middleton has been seen in public since she left hospital.
Kate Middleton will tonight attend the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards
Reports had suggested she could miss Christmas at Sandringham and instead choose to spend the festive period with her own family in a bid to recover.
Kate Middleton’s prolonged vomiting could continue for much of her pregnancy and she may need to take anti-sickness medication for months to come.
She was regularly visited by Prince William and younger siblings Pippa and James Middleton during her stay in hospital.
A royal source said: “While the Duchess does not feel ready to attend a four hour engagement, she is keen to show her support to the UK’s sportsmen and women at this prestigious event which caps a momentous year for British sport.”
The Duchess has been resting at Nottingham Cottage, the London home she shares with Prince William in the grounds of Kensington Palace.
Kate Middleton, 30, who is around nine weeks pregnant, has been told by doctors to rest and, as a result, had cancelled all her upcoming engagements.
She was taken to hospital earlier this month by her concerned husband after falling ill at her parents’ house in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
Doctors at King Edward VII Hospital in London diagnosed her with hyperemesis gravidarum, an acute form of morning sickness that causes the patient to vomit uncontrollably and become dehydrated.
She was immediately put on a drip to introduce fluids and nutrients into her body and spent three nights in hospital.
Nancy Lanza, mother of Newtown school massacre gunman Adam Lanza, was a survivalist who was stockpiling food because she thought the world economy was on the verge of collapse.
Nancy Lanza, 52, began hoarding food and water because she feared that the ongoing financial crisis was going to bring about the end of civilized society.
She reportedly became “obsessed” with guns and taught Adam how to shoot, but on Friday in a grim twist he blasted her to death while she laid in her own bed.
Law enforcement sources told the Hartford Courant that Nancy Lanza had not gotten up – and could have even been asleep – when her son killed her.
The disclosure raises the prospect that Adam Lanza could have had the same apocalyptic views as his mother, and that she could have even encouraged them in him.
The Mayan Apocalypse, which the ancient Mayan people thought would mark the end of the world, will supposedly take place on December 21, although it is not clear if Adam Lanza thought that was the case.
In an interview the killer’s aunt said Nancy Lanza was “self-reliant” and indicated she was a “prepper”, or a person who prepares for Doomsday by learning essential survival skills – like how to shoot a gun.
Set on the brow of a gently sloping hill, surrounded by two acres of woodland and well-tended lawns, Nancy Lanza’s spacious property looked like any American family’s dream home.
A wide veranda had views across the gardens. A swimming pool, flanked by a white pool house, was round the back of the two-storey building.
Yet behind the front door in the affluent Connecticut community of Newtown, all was not well at 36 Yogananda Street.
Three years previously, in 2009, Nancy and Peter Lanza had divorced after 28 years of marriage. The break up was traumatic, leaving the couple’s sons devastated. Ryan Lanza was living away at university, meaning that his brother Adam, four years younger, was left at home alone with their mother at their $500,000 house.
He was not well known to neighbors, who describe him as being reclusive and troubled.
And when the news broke on Friday of the murder of 26 people at a primary school in the town, and Ryan Lanza was hastily identified as the killer, people who knew the family knew they had named the wrong brother.
“Adam Lanza has been a weird kid since we were five years old,” said Tim Dalton, a neighbor and former classmate, on Twitter.
“As horrible as this was, I can’t say I am surprised.”
“This was a deeply disturbed kid,” a family insider said.
“He certainly had major issues. He was subject to outbursts from what I recall.”
A further family friend said he had acted as though he was immune to pain.
“A few years ago when he was on the baseball team, everyone had to be careful that he didn’t fall because he could get hurt and not feel it,” said the friend.
“Adam had a lot of mental problems.”
Nancy Lanza was obsessed with guns and preparing for the collapse of the world economy
Adam Lanza’s brother Ryan reportedly told police that his sibling had autism or Asperger’s syndrome, and a personality disorder.
He gave no details, but anti-social disorder – also known as sociopathy – is the type most closely linked with violence and criminal behavior.
Studies have suggested that 50% of the prison population meet the criteria for the diagnosis.
Those with such disorders are more likely to embark on impulsive, risk-seeking behavior, in an attempt to escape feeling empty or emotionally void.
In such cases, they are likely to have little regard for the consequences of their actions, and are unlikely to experience fear.
Ryan Lanza also said that he had not seen him since 2010.
As the news was breaking, Ryan Lanza was at work in accountancy firm Ernst and Young, sitting at his desk in Times Square.
To his horror, the 24-year-old found that his name was flashing up on the television news networks, wrongly accused of the massacre. He fled the office, jumping on a bus to return home to the house he shared in New Jersey. Shaken, he told his neighbor in an online message that he thought his mother was dead and he knew who was responsible for the multiple murder.
“It was my brother,” he said.
Those on the autistic spectrum have a more limited emotional range and can miss social cues, making it more difficult for them to communicate and feel empathy with others. Difficulties communicating can cause frustration, which can spill over into aggression.
Several studies have found that violence and criminal behavior are no more common in those diagnosed with autism than they are in the general population.
Asperger’s syndrome is a type of autism which is more commonly diagnosed in those with higher than average intelligence.
Adam Lanza was said by classmates to be fiercely intelligent.
He’d correct people’s Latin homework, when they were aged around 14, and at 16 was among the list of top students in his English class, studying Of Mice and Men and Catcher In The Rye – the classic tale of troubled youth.
“It was almost painful to have a conversation with him, because he felt so uncomfortable,” said Olivia DeVivo, who sat behind him in English.
“I spent so much time in my English class wondering what he was thinking.”
“He didn’t have any friends, but he was a nice kid if you got to know him,” said Kyle Kromberg, now studying business administration at Endicott College in Massachusetts. He studied Latin with Adam Lanza.
“He didn’t fit in with the other kids,” he said.
“He was very, very shy. He wouldn’t look you in the eyes when he talked. He didn’t really want to lock eyes with you for very long.”
He was also a technical whizz kid, keen on computers and video games, and part of a group who would meet up for computer programming get-togethers.
“My brother has always been a nerd,” Ryan Lanza said, according to Gloria Milas, whose son was a club member along with Adam Lanza.
Catherine Urso, who was attending a vigil on Friday evening in Newtown, said her college-age son knew the killer and remembered him for his alternative style.
“He just said he was very thin, very remote and was one of the goths,” she said.
The siblings certainly carved out different paths in life.
Ryan Lanza went to university; followed his father into finance; was living with friends in an attractive red-brick property in New Jersey. By contrast, Adam Lanza had few friends and, as a child, went to great trouble not to mix with his fellow students at his state school. A Newtown resident also suggested he was home-schooled for some time.
“I always saw him walking alone, sitting on his own at a table or on the bus. Most of the time I saw him he was alone,” said Alex Israel, who was at school with him as a young girl.
“He was really quiet. A little fidgety, uneasy. I think socially he was just going out (into the world) and not making friends with everyone.”
Her mother Beth Israel, who lived nearby, said: “I know he had issues. He was a really troubled kid … a very quiet kid, a shy kid, maybe socially awkward.”
He was not on Facebook, unusually for any Westerner of his generation, and did not appear in his 2010 High School Yearbook. Instead were written the words: “Camera shy”.
Forty miles away from Newtown, in the well-heeled Connecticut city of Stamford, Lanza’s father Peter was returning home on Friday afternoon. A highly-qualified academic who a year ago was appointed vice president of taxes for energy investment firm GE Energy Financial Services, Peter Lanza wound down the window on his blue Mini Cooper and asked the person outside his home how he could help her.
“I explained that I’d been told someone at his address had been linked to the shootings in Newtown,” said Maggie Gordon, a reporter from the local newspaper.
“His expression twisted from patient, to surprise, to horror.”
Peter Lanza had moved out in 2009, remarrying a University of Connecticut librarian in January 2011. He was said to have last seen his son Adam in June. But the painfully shy young man had taken the divorce badly.
“The kids seemed really depressed” by the break-up, said Ryan Kraft, 25, who stayed with Adam when Nancy Lanza went out.
“He would have tantrums,” Ryan Kraft said.
“They were much more than the average kid [had].”
Peter Lanza’s lawyer Gary Oberst said: “He was very upset that he was getting divorced, but he didn’t want to take it out on anybody.
“He did more than he had to with the divorce. When he came in to consult with me, I said ‘This is what your obligation is.’ And he said: <<That’s not enough. I want to do more>>.”
Peter Lanza agreed to pay $240,000 annually to his ex-wife, and Nancy Lanza appeared to live in comfort with Adam. There was also suggestions that she was unable to work.
“She needed to be home with Adam,” one family insider said.
Marsha Lanza, aunt to the boys, described Nancy Lanza as a good mother and kind-hearted.
Nancy Lanza would host games of dice, or else venture out to visit her neighbors for a glass of wine. The home was immaculate; the swimming pool behind the house well maintained.
But Nancy Lanza was also, according to friends, an avid gun collector.
Dan Holmes, owner of a Connecticut landscaping firm, said Nancy Lanza once showed him a “high-end rifle” that she had purchased, adding: “She said she would often go target shooting with her kids.”
The gun used to shoot Nancy Lanza was her own.
Yet, perhaps predictably, the owner of the local rifle range was defiant.
Richard Dravis, who gives shooting training at Wooster Mountain rifle range, 15 miles away from the school, said: “We don’t train crazy people. I think that if we would address the mental health issue here we could possibly do something in the future. But we can’t count the number of rounds in the magazine of a nut head.”
His grandmother was too distraught to speak when reached by phone at her home in Florida, Associated Press reported.
“I just don’t know, and I can’t make a comment right now,” Dorothy Hanson, 78, said in a shaky voice as she started to cry.
Senior US Democrats Dan Malloy and Dianne Feinstein have called for stricter gun control following Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut.
Twenty children and six teachers died in Friday’s assault on Sandy Hook school by a lone gunman who then turned his weapon on himself.
Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy said he wanted stronger national limits.
And Senator Dianne Feinstein said she would introduce a bill to ban assault weapons as soon as Congress convened.
A nationwide ban on certain semi-automatic rifles in the US expired in 2004.
President Barack Obama – who shortly after the school attack urged “meaningful action” against gun crime in the US – is to visit Newtown on Sunday.
Barack Obama will meet families and emergency service workers, and speak at an interfaith vigil at the town’s high school.
Ahead of his visit, reports from Newtown say a service for the victims at St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church has been abandoned and the church evacuated because of an unspecified threat.
The gunman behind Friday’s shootings has been named in media reports as Adam Lanza, who is said to have killed his mother before driving to the school, opening fire and then killing himself.
The state’s chief medical examiner said the gunman used a semi-automatic rifle as his main weapon, and all the victims appeared to have been shot several times, some of them at close range.
Speaking on Sunday, Governor Dan Malloy said Connecticut had an existing ban on assault weapons, but the lack of a similar law at federal level made it difficult to keep them out of the state.
“These are assault weapons. You don’t hunt deer with these things,” he told CNN.
“One can only hope that we’ll find a way to limit these weapons that really only have one purpose.”
Governor Dan Malloy had to break the news to most of the victim’s families on Friday.
“You can never be prepared for that – to tell 18 to 20 families that their loved one would not be returning to them that day or in the future,” he said.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, who represents California in the upper house of Congress and is a long-term supporter of stricter gun control, told US TV network NBC: “I’m going to introduce in the Senate, and the same bill will be introduced in the House (of Representatives), a bill to ban assault weapons.”
Asked if President Barack Obama would support her measure, she said: “I believe he will.”
Senior US Democrats Dan Malloy and Dianne Feinstein have called for stricter gun control following Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, another strong gun control advocate, has urged President Obama to act.
“We have heard all the rhetoric before,” he said.
“What we have not seen is leadership – not from the White House and not from Congress. That must end today.”
All 20 children who died in the shootings – eight boys and 12 girls – were aged between six and seven, according to an official list of the dead were killed. The youngest, Noah Pozner, had celebrated his birthday only last month.
The head teacher at Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Dawn Hochsprung, was among the dead, along with adults Rachel DaVino, Anne Marie Murphy, Lauren Russo, Mary Sherlach and Victoria Soto.
A woman who worked at the school was the only person to be shot and survive.
Scores of people have left tributes at a memorial outside the school, while a minute’s silence is being held before National Football League games across the US on Sunday.
Connecticut State Police say the process of releasing the victims’ bodies to their families is under way, and have condemned what they term “misinformation” being published on social media about the tragedy – including people wrongly claiming to be the gunman.
The authorities now say the gunman forced his way into the school, contradicting first reports that he was been let in voluntarily.
Investigators say they have gathered “good evidence” in the search for a motive, but have not given any details.
The gunman is said to have shot dead his mother at their home before driving to the school in her car and opening fire on the victims. Reports say the guns found at the scene were registered to her.
Education officials say they have found no link between the gunman’s mother and the school, contrary to earlier reports that said she was a teacher there, the Associated Press news agency reports.
Investigators said they believe Adam Lanza attended Sandy Hook many years ago.
The killings took place in two rooms and a hallway within a single section of the school, police have said. The shooting lasted just a few minutes.
As they heard the shots, teachers in other parts of the building tried to protect children by locking doors and ushering them into closets.
Police say that children are unlikely to return to the classrooms where the shootings took place. Surviving pupils will be taught at other schools in the area while a final decision about the Sandy Hook’s future is made, though one official said it was unlikely to re-open.
The suspected gunman’s father, Peter Lanza, said his family was “struggling to make sense of what has transpired”.
“Our family is grieving along with all those who have been affected by this enormous tragedy,” he said in a statement.
Pope Benedict XVI paid tribute to the victims and their families in his weekly address at the Vatican, saying he was “deeply saddened by Friday’s senseless violence”.
The attack at Newtown is the second deadliest shooting attack at a US school or university, after the Virginia Tech killings of 2007, which left 32 people dead and many injured.
Westboro Baptist Church’s Shirley Phelps-Roper, along with several other prominent members, announced on Twitter Sunday that they would be “singing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgment” at the funerals of the Sandy Hook shooting victims.
It is unclear if they will actually be present, as the hate group is known for planning pickets and then not showing up, as they did after the Aurora, Colorado shooting, the Inquisitr reported.
Westboro Baptist Church is known for picketing soldiers’ funerals in protest of gay marriages, which they believe is the source of the world’s evils.
Hackers collective Anonymous responded swiftly to the picketing rumor, posting church members’ information online, including phone numbers and e-mail addresses, msnNOW reported.
There are also efforts being pulled together for counter protests to create “walls of love” around the funeral-goers, including one by Angel Action, a group that has volunteers dress in 10-foot wings to surround and shield the WBC’s targets.
Westboro Baptist Church plans praise gathering outside Sandy Hook Elementary school to celebrate God executing his judgement
“Westboro Baptist Church is planning another attack of hateful words, protesting the funerals of the 20 children and 7 adults who died yesterday at Sandy Hook elementary school,” Taylor Starr and Kelly Shannon, the group’s Sandy Hook organizers, wrote in a posting, according to the Daily Mail. “You can not fight hate with hate, so continuing in Romaine Patterson’s footsteps, if they do come here and try to protest we are going to put forth Angel Action.”
“Let’s not let more hate and sadness attack the already devastated family and friends of those who were lost,” they added.
The Supreme Court ruled that the Church’s picketing of funerals is legal, according to the Examiner, but some cities have passed laws that require protesters to stay a certain distance away from funerals.
South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) is holding its party congress at which members will vote for its next leader.
President Jacob Zuma is being challenged for the top job by his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe.
ANC congress, held every five years, is taking place in Manguang, where the party was formed a century ago.
Correspondents say the party is battling to regain the moral high ground, amid accusations of corruption.
Some 5,000 delegates are eligible to vote at the 53rd National Conference, which will last for five days.
Jacob Zuma will open proceedings with an address to the delegates on the current political landscape in South Africa.
The president is confident he can win a second term, despite media coverage of his personal life and allegations that he misused public funds to renovate his private home.
South Africa’s governing African National Congress is holding its party congress at which members will vote for its next leader
But Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was nominated by at least three of South Africa’s nine provinces and is hoping for a surprise victory. He only confirmed his candidacy last week.
If Kgalema Motlanthe is appointed, the ANC’s control of parliament means he will almost certainly become South Africa’s next president in elections in 2014.
The results of the leadership contest are expected later this week.
The ANC will use the congress to try to shake off persistent accusations of corruption and infighting.
It is also lagging in delivering meaningful change for millions of poor South Africans, as it promised when it came into power at the end of apartheid in 1994.
R&B star Trey Songz, whose real name is Tremaine Neverson, was arrested for assault after he allegedly threw some money which caught a woman in the left eye causing “substantial pain”.
The incident happened on August 22nd at the club in Queens, New York, although the story is just now going public.
According to the New York Daily News, Trey Songz was at the gentleman’s club hosting an album release party for his new CD Studio V.
“Tremaine Neverson, did throw a sum of United States currency at the complainant and said sum of United States currency struck the complainant’s left eye causing substantial pain to her left eye,” police officers wrote in the criminal complaint.
Trey Songz was arrested for assault after he allegedly threw some money which caught a woman in the left eye causing substantial pain
Trey Songz was taken into custody a month later for misdemeanor assault.
He faced a judge in November regarding the matter and is scheduled to appear in court again in February.
Trey Songz’s album Studio V debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart when it was released in August, and has spawned a series of hits including Two Reasons in which he brags about partying with ladies in clubs.
President Barack Obama is scheduled to travel to Newtown, Connecticut tonight to meet the families of victims killed in Friday’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the White House announced.
Barack Obama is expected to meet with families and first responders at a 7:00 p.m. interfaith vigil.
According to the Hartford Courant, Barack Obama will not make any public appearances during his visit.
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton tweeted helicopters could be over nearby Danbury, Connecticut, today were an advance team setting up for his visit.
Barack Obama will also appear on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, and tweeted out links to a website named Demand a Plan, which launched after the July shooting in Colorado and asks voters to pressure Congress and the White House into changing the law.
In his weekly radio and Internet address earlier on Saturday, Barack Obama said it was time to “take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this”.
Barack Obama stopped short of calling for tighter gun-control laws.
In the wake of the deadly shooting the pressure’s on the president, who promised during a debate two months ago that he would “keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill”.
Families in the small community of Newtown, Connecticut, were shattered by the loss of 18 children as young as five years old when gunman Adam Lanza burst into the school and began firing at random.
President Barack Obama is scheduled to travel to Newtown, Connecticut tonight to meet the families of victims killed in Friday’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School
Some lawmakers have targeted President Barack Obama to do something about gun control, which is exactly what the president pledged to do on the campaign trail.
Barack Obama’s remarks came at the second presidential debate against Republican rival Mitt Romney at New York’s Hofstra University on October 16, when he invoked the memory of the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater massacre from several months earlier.
He said: “So my belief is that… we have to enforce the laws we’ve already got, make sure that we’re keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, those who are mentally ill.
“We’ve done a much better job in terms of background checks, but we’ve got more to do when it comes to enforcement.”
Wiping away tears as he spoke on Friday, President Barack Obama today signaled he would push for tight gun control in the wake of the massacre of 26 at an elementary school in Connecticut, saying there had been “too many” mass shootings in America.
During a moving appearance, he said the time had come to “take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics”.
Barack Obama struggled for words, pausing several times as he wept and described the “beautiful little kids between the ages of five and ten years old” slaughtered in the school massacre in Connecticut.
Seldom has a head of state expressed greater public emotion in modern times, White House aides held hands and also wept as they sat in the briefing room named after James Brady, the press aide wounded in 1981 when President Ronald Reagan was shot and who later became the nation’s leading gun control advocate.
Barack Obama was not the only one who showed deep emotion over the shooting. Parents lined up at schools across the country to pick up their children and make sure they made it home safely.
School administrators from Washington D.C. to Boston and Iowa issued statements assuring parents that they had stepped up security and that their schools were still safe.
Anne Hathaway’s dedication to realism in the film Les Miserables was hair-raising, according to co-star Hugh Jackman.
Anne Hathaway plays Fantine in the movie adaptation of the hit musical and brought in her own hairdresser for the emotional scene where her character becomes destitute and has her long hair chopped off.
Hugh Jackman, who takes the part of Jean Valjean, said: “They were in the make-up trailer discussing how they were going to do it because they had to cut it live on camera and she said, <<If you cut my head while you are doing it that would be great – to get the blood in the scene>>.”
He revealed the hairdresser is also featured.
“He had to wear a dress to pretend to be a woman.
“You don’t see his face, but if you look closely you can see these man hands holding the scissors.”
Anne Hathaway, who plays Fantine in Les Miserables, brought in her own hairdresser for the emotional scene where her character becomes destitute and has her long hair chopped off
Meanwhile ten-year-old Les Miserables star Isabelle Allen is treasuring a special gift from Hugh Jackman.
“He sent me a glass plaque – it was yellow to match my room,’ said an excited Isabelle, who plays young Cosette.
“It had my face engraved on it and three lines from Suddenly, the film’s original song. I’m going to keep it for ever.”
Isabelle Allen has now attracted interest in Hollywood, although her father Nigel admits: “It’s still early days.”
Kim Kardashian ex-husband Kris Humphries can do a lot of things, but comedy is not one of them.
Kris Humphries appears in a “secret” new Funny or Die video clip that shows him tackling some of the world’s biggest issues.
The video, which is meant to reveal the “genius” side of Kris Humphries, shows him appearing as a chess wizard, a master at Battleship, and a spelling guru, among other things.
He also takes on some bigger issues including the Greek debt crisis and the world’s massive global warming problem, but none of it is exactly funny.
“I hope no one sees this and realizes I’m more than just a basketball player,” Kris Humphries boasts during the unfortunate clip.
Unfortunately, the video was posted on-line for the world to see and it doesn’t do him any favors.
Kris Humphries appears in a secret new Funny or Die video clip that shows him tackling some of the world’s biggest issues
Kris Humphries, who was married to Kim Kardashian for 72 days, is no stranger to Funny or Die.
In May he appeared in another clip that mocked Kim Kardashian’s latest love, Kanye West.
The profanity-laden skit showed Kris Humphries wearing shutter shades identical to the ones Kanye West has sported on stage.
It also showed Kris Humphries listening to marketers pitch ideas to help monetize his unpopular image.
They throw ideas at him like selling toilet paper with his face on it, urinal cakes, punching bags and cheesy clothing.
Dita Von Teese arrived late at her new fragrance Rouge launch event at Fred Segal.
When she was about to put on her vintage Thierry Mugler suit-dress on Saturday, Dita Von Teese found her cat Aleister contentedly napping on the designer dress.
“Slightly late to my perfume event at Fred Segal because this happened to my freshly pressed vintage Mugler suit,” the gorgeous 40-year-old tweeted to her 1.2 million followers.
The candid snap revealed the fashion culprit – her seven-year-old feline – but thankfully Devon Rexes are known for shedding less of their Poodle-style fur than regular cats.
The real-life pin-up, born Heather Renée Sweet, turned up to Fred Segal looking polished and did not appear to show any sign of the furry incident.
Dita Von Teese was her usual flawless self, impeccably dressed in the retro LBD with sheer Victorian-style ruffled neckline.
Her black-dotted sheer bodice matched perfectly with her pantyhose and she accessorized her perfume launch look with a small clutch and matching Louboutins.
Dita Von Teese’s raven hair was side-parted with big barrel curls and she sported the usual cat-eye make-up and scarlet lips on her pale complexion.
Dita Von Teese arrived late at her new fragrance Rouge launch event at Fred Segal
Rouge is her second fragrance after her self-titled debut, and it includes “accords of orange, bergamot, pink pepper, smoked Lapsang Souchong tea, magnolia, woody tones, and raw amber”.
The Queen of Burlesque, who once performed wearing nothing but $5 million worth of diamonds, kept her famous curves were kept under wrap.
However, Dita Von Teese tweeted her plans for performing more of her Strip Strip Hooray Shows in New York and Los Angeles soon.
In order to stay in shape, the gorgeous brunette reportedly uses her vegetarian diet and daily sessions of Pilates and sex.
The daring designer also recently launched a vintage-inspired dress and a lingerie collection called Von Follies in Australia and America.
The dancer told Refinery 29: “The dress collection is comprised of pieces that are all based on the things in my vintage collection that I believe are timeless.
“Some of the dresses are based on favorite vintage pieces that I’ve worn over and over for 12 years, and that’s a testament to a dress that transcends trends.”
Dita Von Teese, who used to be married to singer Marilyn Manson, has also dated actor Peter Sarsgaard and Mike Ness of the punk band Social Distortion.
Not seen Saturday was her last known boyfriend of three years, Count Louis-Marie De Castelbajac, a French actor and fashion designer.
Stepping out from her New York hotel on Saturday, Lady Gaga donned a cage like headpiece that was reminiscent of the one worn by famous Hollywood cannibal Hannibal Lecter.
Lady Gaga is known for her outlandish costumes but even this one seemed to be pushing her own boundaries.
The black cage enclosed the whole of the singer’s newly blonded head and was accessorized by a golden cherub and chains.
Lady Gaga seemed sheepish at first as she walked out of the hotel but then quickly got into character and flashed a peace sign at fans and photographers.
The singer’s creative director Nicola Formichetti said this week he “regrets some of Gaga’s looks. But she works it… mostly”.
Surprising, the rest of her outfit was tame by her standards.
Lady Gaga, 26, wore a black leather jacket over a lace frilled-sleeve shirt and clack horse riding-inspired pants.
Stepping out from her New York hotel on Saturday, Lady Gaga donned a cage like headpiece that was reminiscent of the one worn by famous Hollywood cannibal Hannibal Lecter
Staying true to her impossible art meets fashion form, the Mother Monster donned a pair of her favorite platform velvet lace-up boots, meaning for a slow walk to her waiting car.
Despite her ridiculous headwear, Lady Gaga managed to lean out of her car to sign an autograph for one lucky fan.
She was leaving New York temporarily to head to New Jersey where she is performing with the Rolling Stones at their 50th anniversary concert.
Lady Gaga practiced with the Rolling Stones on Friday and while what she will sing is supposed to be a secret, the Poker Face songstress let it slip that the powerful duet Gimme Shelter is the most likely.
“Gimme Shelter. It just two nights away!! 🙂 Can’t wait to sing with the Rolling Stones on Saturday Night. In 2007 I was stripping to them,” Lady Gaga tweeted on Thursday, making reference to the period she was a go-go dancer.
Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who committed suicide after the royal hoax phone call, left a note telling the two Australian DJs behind the prank they were responsible for her death, according to sources close to the family.
In one of three apparent suicide notes, Jacintha Saldanha wrote a short letter in which she expressed her deep anger at radio presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian and blamed them for her tragic death.
Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found hanged with a scarf at her accommodation at the King Edward VII’s Hospital in London, where Kate Middleton was being treated for severe morning sickness.
It was revealed that one of the DJs telephoned the hospital back within an hour of the call and spoke to Jacintha Saldanha again, telling her they had played a prank which they were about to broadcast.
The revelation is believed to have left Jacintha Saldanha, who had no experience of dealing with the media, feeling confused and agitated.
DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian – who are believed to be at safe addresses following death threats – have apologized for the tragic repercussions of their prank. They pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles seeking information about Kate Middleton’s condition.
In another, one-page letter, Jacintha Saldanha criticized “aspects of the hospital staff”, and singled out two individuals for blame.
Although the hospital has repeatedly said no senior member of staff blamed Jacintha Saldanha for falling victim to the prank and provided her with support, it is understood she may have been reprimanded by colleagues by email.
Asked if Jacintha Saldanha received a “ticking-off” by senior colleagues, a family friend yesterday replied: “What do you think?”
The hospital has declined to comment on the notes, saying senior staff have not seen copies. It is believed the original notes are now in the possession of Scotland Yard, which has produced transcripts for the family.
Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who committed suicide after the royal hoax phone call, left a note telling the two Australian DJs behind the prank they were responsible for her death
Sources close to the family said their relationship with the hospital was strained as senior managers had not provided “facts” they have requested.
The hospital has so far not replied to several written questions the family handed to chief executive John Lofthouse at a meeting last Tuesday organized by senior Labour MP Keith Vaz. As a prominent Asian parliamentarian, Keith Vaz was approached by the family for help.
John Lofthouse was given the questions by Jacintha Saldanha’s husband Benedict Barboza, 49, an NHS accountant, their son Junal, 17, and daughter Lisha, 14. Yesterday, John Lofthouse attended a mass at Westminster Cathedral where prayers were said for Jacintha Saldanha. He was accompanied by other members of the hospital’s staff, many of whom were in tears.
One attendee said he overheard a hospital staff member tell the family: “I hope you get to the truth.”
Meanwhile, another friend of the family has revealed that Jacintha Saldanha may have tried to commit suicide more than once in the 72 hours between the prank and the moment her body was discovered by a colleague.
She may have attempted to slash her wrists before she died as a result of hanging herself with a scarf. The friend said: “She may have tried to kill herself more than once – that’s why there are three notes.”
An inquest on Friday was told police found marks on Jacintha Saldanha’s wrists.
Jacintha Saldanha usually called her family in Bristol every evening. But on the Thursday night following the hoax call in the early hours of Tuesday morning, she did not call or text her husband, leaving him concerned.
Benedict Barboza called the hospital early on Friday morning and asked a colleague to check on her. But apparently, the nurse failed to do that. Another colleague went to her room at 9:30 a.m. and found her body.
The news was broken to Benedict Barboza by police. At no point that day or subsequently did any member of the hospital staff visit the family to express their condolences, according to a family friend.
“They could have gone to break the news to the family but they didn’t do it,” the source added.
In her final letter, Jacintha Saldanha is believed to have asked to be buried in her home village of Shirwa, near Mangalore, in southern India.
The funeral will be held there on Monday. In a statement, the hospital said: “No one at the hospital has seen these notes so we cannot comment. However, we reiterate that Jacintha was an outstanding nurse… Hospital management offered her their support and told her they considered her the victim of a cruel hoax.
“They stood by her actions and made it clear there was no criticism of her and that there would be no disciplinary action of any kind.”
