Twenty people escape fire at Branson's holiday home

Twenty people have escaped unhurt from a fire that broke out at Sir Richard Branson's luxury home in the Caribbean.British actress Kate Winslet was among those staying on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands when a tropical storm broke out and lightning hit the house, said Sir Richard.The Virgin Group boss, who was staying at a nearby property, said the fire had "completely destroyed" the building.He said all 20 people in the house managed to escape without injury.Sir Richard's 90-year-old mother Eve and his 29-year-old daughter Holly were also staying at the property, named the Great House, when the blaze broke out in the early hours...

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James Murdoch has admitted that News International paid “hush money” to a phone hacking victim, despite telling MPs that they didn't try to buy his silence.

Mr Murdoch conceded that Gordon Taylor, chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association, was paid around £700,000 in 2008 in return for signing a confidentiality agreement.However, the chairman of News International continued to deny he authorised the payment after being warned the case could expose further phone hacking at the News of The World if it became public.The admission that money was paid to ensure Mr Taylor’s silence is likely to exacerbate claims that News International tried to cover up the scale of phone hacking at the News of the World. Mr Murdoch also admitted that News International paid a convicted criminal almost £250,000 after his employment was terminated.Clive Goodman was given £90,503 in April 2007, three months after he was jailed for his part in tapping the phones...

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Gerard Depardieu, has enraged fellow plane passengers after relieving himself in the middle of the aisle on an Air France flight.

One of France's best-known actors, Gerard Depardieu, has enraged fellow plane passengers after relieving himself in the middle of the aisle on an Air France flight.A passenger on the flight told French radio station Europe 1: "You could see that he had been drinking, but there were no comments. The hostess was shocked but there was no argument, nothing."The plane was preparing for take-off when Depardieu (star of ‘Green Card’ and the Asterix series) reportedly tried to get out of his seat to go to the toilet. When he was refused access to the bathroom and told to sit down, he urinated in the aisle in front of shocked passenge...

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Jeremy Clarkson has hit back at claims that "80%" of BBC Two's Top Gear is 'faked.

There are claims - made by a former Top Gear driver - that most of the driving on the BBC Two show is actually done by professional drivers and not the presenters of the show. The driver claimed that a sequence in 2008 showing Clarkson test driving a Lamborghini Murielago in the rain was actually the work of someone else. The former employee also accused the BBC of knowing deceiving viewers by editing together footage of professional drivers alongside that of the hosts.The BBC confirmed that professional drivers are used on Top Gear but only for "pick up shots". Jeremy Clarkson has hit back at the claims that "80%" of Top Gear is faked and is...

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Shane takes beauty regime too far

Elizabeth Hurley is finding Shane Warne's preened new image "a little tiresome".The 46-year-old model-and-actress - whose cricketer lover has stepped out looking wrinkle-free and considerably slimmer in recent weeks - is reportedly concerned the Australian sportsman has taken his new beauty regime a little far.An insider told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: "It's not Elizabeth who has been telling him to diet and look after himself more - it's all down to Shane. Shane's been asking Liz about age-defying procedures like fillers and Botox and she's found it all rather bizarre."She loves the fact he's dropped some pounds but now it's all getting a little crazy and she's wondering what he's going to do next."Liz doesn't want to lose the man she's fallen in love with but all the girly chat is getting...

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Heston Blumenthal, the Michelin-starred chef, has split from his wife and is now dating a glamourous American cookery book author.

The Blumenthals appeared to have all the key ingredients for the perfect marriage.They met when they were young and built a successful business together.She described him as her soul mate and he described her as the reason for his successBut after 20 years of marriage, Heston Blumenthal has left his wife and is now reported to be dating Suzanne Pirret, an American cookery book author, who says her favourite things are “food and sex”.The chef, who has three Michelin stars, has three teenage children with Zanna, and had previously paid tribute to for the sacrifices she made while he worked on building his multi-million pound restaurant business.But,...

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Senior Tories have voiced fears that Boris Johnson may have damaged his campaign to be re-elected London mayor next year after delaying his return to Britain from a family holiday in North America.

Tory MPs criticised Johnson after he was heckled in Battersea on Tuesday by local residents who shouted that he should have come back sooner.A woman told Johnson he should resign because he is racist. The mayor responded by turning to a man who had challenged him on Mark Duggan to say: "It is time that people who are engaged in looting and violence stopped hearing economic and sociological justifications for what they..."As the man asked whether his remarks were aimed at him, Johnson walked away from the crowd. "Why are you here now?" another man shouted. The man added: "Three days too late." Tory MPs were scathing. "Boris should have come back...

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Boris Johnson heckled in Clapham Junction over London riots

Boris has now returned, and addressed people on the streets of Clapham. But he struggled. Almost drowned out by heckling, he defended his own response and that of the police to Monday night’s riots.Amid calls of “Why are you here now? Why weren’t you here earlier?” and “You talk about robust policing. What does that actually mean?” Boris didn’t really have a clear message, saying at one point:I think it is time that people engaged in violence and looting stopped using economic and sociological justifications.“Economic and sociological justifications”? Hardly the kind of reassuring words many Londoners were hoping to hear.At the moment, however,...

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Sofia Vergara's Drug Addict Brother Deported

Just goes to show you that even the rich, famous and stunningly beautiful have problems like the rest of us. Sofia Vergara, the Colombian beauty who plays Ed O'Neil's trophy wife Gloria, on ABC's hit comedy Modern Family, has had to deal with some very painful episodes involving her younger brother Julio.According to Star magazine, Julio Vergara has been arrested 30 times over the last 10 years -- primarily on drug related offenses. Of her younger brother's drug affliction, Vergara, who moved to Florida from her native Colombia in 1994, recently told Parada magazine that "to see somebody dying, little by little, over 10 years -- that is the worst punishment."The Emmy-winning Pepsi spokesmodel thinks that her other brother, Rafael's shooting death on the streets of Bogata is what precipitated...

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Singer Kem ‘Shares His Life’ And Past Struggles With Addiction

With a pair of gold albums and a list of Grammy nominations under his belt, it’s surely safe to say that R&B crooner Kem has found success. Kemistry, his debut album on Motown Records, earned tremendous praise with its single “Love Calls.” His sophomore effort, Album II, sold over 500,000 copies nationwide and hit the top of Billboard’s R&B charts in 2005. In 2010, Kem released Intimacy: Album III. After selling 74,000 copies in its first week in the United States, it debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts. But prior to his ascent, the Detroit native’s life was plagued by hardships. In addition to being homeless, he also faced drug and alcohol addiction. Fortunately, he made an escape. Kem shared his story at the opening ceremony of the 17th annual National Association...

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Scottish first minister has met with media mogul or his News International executives 25 times since taking office

Alex Salmond has been accused of trying to "seduce" Rupert Murdoch and News International after it emerged that he offered the media baron a series of gifts and has met him or his executives 25 times since becoming Scotland's first minister.Labour's Scottish leader, Iain Gray, said Salmond was guilty of "highly questionable behaviour", adding: "What is now clear is Alex Salmond has waged a four-year campaign since he became first minister to seduce Rupert Murdoch and News International, which has included gifts."It has been a top priority and he has spent more of his media time in the last year with News International than any other party leader...

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Piers Morgan is facing calls to return to the UK to answer questions about phone hacking

Piers Morgan is facing calls to return to the UK to answer questions about phone hacking as the controversy over how much he knew about the practice showed no signs of abating.John Whittingdale, the Conservative MP who chairs the Commons culture, media and sport committee, said it was right that the former Daily Mirror editor should return from the United States, where he hosts a CNN chatshow.Whittingdale said: "Therese Coffey [a Tory member of the committee] said he should come back to this country to answer questions and I think that is absolutely right. He certainly should."Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader, said Morgan had questions...

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