Wednesday, 30 May 2012

A millionaire art dealer, Ivor Braka, is embroiled in a bitter row with his neighbours after he placed two sculptures worth tens of thousands of pounds in a communal garden without planning permission.

A millionaire art dealer, Ivor Braka, is embroiled in a bitter row with his neighbours after he placed two sculptures worth tens of thousands of pounds in a communal garden without planning permission.
On Monday night, it emerged that a complaint has been lodged with Kensington and Chelsea council, forcing Mr Braka to apply for retrospective planning permission Photo: REX FEATURES
The 57 year-old had placed the valuable artworks by two leading British artists in the garden behind his Grade II-listed Victorian house in Knightsbridge, central London as apart of an upgrade.

But neighbours of the art dealer, who includes David and Samantha Cameron among his friends, have been left unimpressed by the sculptures by Antony Gormley and Tracey Emin, which were put in the £100,000 garden.

On Monday night, it emerged that a complaint has been lodged with Kensington and Chelsea council, forcing Mr Braka to apply for retrospective planning permission.

If the council rejects his application, lodged late last month, he will be forced to take down Gormley's standing "Figure", which measures almost six feet tall. A similar sculpture sold last year at Christie's for almost £200,000.

Mr Braka, who specialises in selling the work of Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon and displays pieces for sale at his home, could also be forced to dismantle the Emin sculpture, titled "Bird on Pole", comprising of a 15ft pole topped by a tiny bird.

It is estimated to cost about £60,000.

Two "sculptural tree supports" beside a mulberry tree in the communal gardens, which are shared by about eight houses, would also have to be removed.

Neighbours said they objected to not being kept informed about the sculptures, which are said by the garden’s designer to “represent an integral part of the landscape design".

Resident Esperanza Koren said neighbours objected because they were not told of his decision.

“I love art but when you have a communal garden you shouldn't take advantage,” said the art dealer and television producer.

Another neighbour, who declined to be named, added: “I can imagine some people would think we're lucky to have these sculptures.

“But the problem is that he treats the communal garden as his own personal garden and we never know what is going on until it's too late."

Mr Braka, who with his artist wife Sarah Graham has reportedly hosted parties for Conservative party donors, declined to comment.

He has made donations of about £200,000 to the Tory Party in recent years, as well as a £10,000 donation to assist Boris Johnson during his Mayor of London re-election bid.

Last year he was also involved in a dispute with his neighbours when he began paving over the communal garden.

One female neighour complained and the police subsequently issued him with a harassment warning. He applied for retrospective permission on the steps from his house to the gardens and the council let him keep them.

A decision on the sculptures is expected later this summer.

WikiLeaks boss Assange set for UK day of reckoning

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange finds out on Wednesday if he can be extradited from Britain to Sweden over alleged sex crimes as the Supreme Court passes judgment after a marathon legal battle. The Internet whistleblower, who enraged Washington by releasing a flood of state and military secrets on his website, has been fighting deportation since his arrest in London in December 2010 on a European arrest warrant. Britain's top court is his final avenue of appeal under UK law, after two lower courts ruled he should be sent to Sweden for questioning over allegations of rape and sexual assault made by two WikiLeaks volunteers. But Assange, who has been living under tight restrictions on his movement for 540 days, will have the option of a last-ditch appeal to the European Court of Human Rights if he loses. His case rests on a single point -- that the Swedish prosecutor who issued the warrant for his arrest was not a valid judicial authority. The 40-year-old Australian is expected to attend what will be a short ruling at the court in central London. The decision will be handed down at 0815 GMT, streamed live and published online. "It's a 24-hour nightmare because we know he is not safe and the biggest governments in the world are gunning for him," his mother Christine Assange, who has jetted to London for the hearing, told Australian television. She said the charges against her son were unfounded but feared that if he was sent to Sweden he could be held "incommunicado, in solitary confinement, before he is even questioned or charged". The Supreme Court president will give a summary of the point of law raised by the appeal, the decision of the seven-judge court, and a brief explanation of its rationale. Journalists and supporters attending the hearing in the building opposite the Houses of Parliament have been warned of airport-style security. Swedish authorities argue that if his appeal is granted it could throw the fast-track European arrest warrant system into turmoil, with implications across the continent. "It is prosecutors who issue arrest warrants (in Sweden). End of story," Karin Rosander of the Swedish prosecuting authority told AFP. The white-haired former hacker has said he fears his extradition would eventually lead to his transfer to the United States, where US soldier Bradley Manning is facing a court-martial over accusations that he handed documents to WikiLeaks. One week ago, Assange attended a film screening in London wearing a Kevlar Guy Fawkes mask. "This may be my last time in public, so I thought I should start with a situation where you won't be able to see me anymore," said Assange, who since December 2010 has been forced to report to police daily and wear an electronic ankle tag. A lower court in Britain initially approved Assange's extradition to Sweden in February 2011. An appeal to the High Court was rejected in November, but Assange subsequently won permission to appeal to the Supreme Court, which heard two days of complex arguments in February. If he falls at the last hurdle in Britain, Assange has the final option of going to the European Court of Human Rights, which would have to decide within 14 days whether it would take on the case. "He must certainly make the appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, but more importantly for him, he must persuade them to issue an interim relief to issue an instruction to the United Kingdom to stop his extradition to Sweden," Anand Doobay of London law firm Peters & Peters told AFP. Swedish authorities said Assange would still be subject to arrest and extradition by other European countries, even if he wins in Britain. The legal saga began in Sweden in August 2010 when Assange was accused of raping one woman by having sex with her while she was asleep, and of sexually assaulting another woman. He insists the sex was consensual and says the charges are politically motivated. Assange's controversial new talk show "The World Tomorrow" on Russia's state-funded RT cable broadcaster should not be affected whatever the court's decision, as he has pre-recorded 12 episodes. WikiLeaks' exclusives have largely dried up, however, since the days when it won worldwide notoriety by releasing tens of thousands of diplomatic cables about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It came under fire last September for potentially endangering the lives of government informants by publishing an unredacted version of its archive of 251,000 secret US diplomatic cables.

Having two boob jobs by the age of 22 may seem extreme to most, but not if you’re an Essex girl like Amy Childs.

According to Amy Childs, lots of girls there have had two lots of surgery before they’ve hit their mid-twenties – and she’s about to join them.
Our columnist has decided to have a second boob job soon after her birthday in July, to take her from a “saggy” 32C to a “more perky” 32DD.

When we asked her why she wanted them done, she revealed: "Because they’ve dropped.

"When I first got them done, they were up here [points to underneath her chin]. They were so nice and pert.

"Now they’re just really saggy and heavy. They give me backache too.

In terms of size, she said: "I’ve had all my consultations now and decided on a 32DD."

Away from boobs, we grilled Amy about her love life - was it Kirk Norcross or Take Me OUt hunk David Peters who was floating her boat?

Apparently, it's neither!

Speaking about Kirk, Amy told us: "It’s true we’ve recently spent time together. But only as friends."

She said she hadn't been intimate with him, but added: "We’ve always had this chemistry and we know each other well so it would be easy to just get back into a relationship, but it’s not something either of us want right now.

"If we did it would have to be something we were 100 per cent sure about."

And as for David - nothing has happened...yet.

She revealed: "Are you asking me if I would keep my light on for him? Yeah, I would! He’s fit"

Cheryl Cole's ultimate revenge on Ashley Cole

She’s back with a bang – and she’s got Ashley in her sights

Cheryl Cole | Cannes Film Festival 2012 | Pictures | Photos | New | Celebrity News
Cheryl Cole has a cameo role in What To Expect When You're Expecting

 

It's been a traumatic 12 months forCheryl Cole.

Exactly a year ago she was publicly humiliated when she was sacked from the US X Factor.

She all but vanished, spending her time holed up in 
US recording studios and barely putting a foot on a red carpet.

But Cheryl, 28, was planning 
a comeback that would blow us away.

And boy, has she done it with a hot new single, a cameo in a Hollywood film, plus her performance on The Voice at the weekend.

And it seems she's got another battle plan: getting the perfect revenge on the 
people who've contributed to 
the toughest time of her life.

When asked what advice she'd give herself if she could turn back the clock,Cheryl says: 'Just be strong and stick up for yourself. Don't allow them to drag you down.'

And that's just what our favourite pop princess is doing...

Her love rat ex Ashley Cole, 31, has always been desperate to win her back butCheryl's decided that ship has long since sailed.

Despite recently agreeing to meet up with him and his mum Sue Cole at thenorth London house she rents 
from his pal Jermaine Jenas, Cheryl's moved on.

Ashley's far from happy - especially 
as she's been enjoying a flirtathon with a host of hotties.

Now Cheryl's struck up a new friendship with bad boy Chris Brown, 23, calling for people 
to 'move on' after he beat 
up her pal Rihanna in 2009. Chris Tweeted his thanks.

Ashley's said to be fuming about her flirtations and we're told he even calledCheryl last week but she joked: 'Now you know how it feels', in reference to the way he flaunted his conquests after their split in February 2010.

A source says: 'Ashley knows he can't have her. She's ready 
to find love again with someone who'll treat 
her better.'

Russell Brand 'wants to be cut from Perry movie'

Russell Brand has reportedly asked Katy Perry to cut any footage about their relationship out of her upcoming documentary. The actor is apparently unhappy about their marriage breakdown featuring in the fly-on-the-wall film Part of Me, which follows Katy during her 2011 California Dreams tour. Katy has been open about the fact that the highly-anticipated movie will show "everything" but Russell wants to keep this delicate period of their life under wraps. "When she first decided to make the movie in 2010, Russell agreed to be filmed on the condition he got to see the final edit. Being a fly-on-the-wall documentary, he knew full well that it was going to be warts and all - and wasn't best comfortable with that. But Katy persuaded him to do it," a source told British newspaper The Sun. "Now they have broken up, she can keep whatever she wants in the film." The comedian is said to have called the singer to ask which scenes have made it into the movie. Russell and Katy got married in October 2010 after a whirlwind romance but announced their split after just 14 months of marriage. It is believed that their busy schedules as well as 27-year-old Katy's refusal to tone down her party lifestyle and have children were factors in the break-up.

Kim Kardashian slams BA for luggage farce and admits she’s missing Kanye

Kim Kardashian has taken to Twitter to hit out at British Airways for rummaging through her luggage after a recent trip to London. 

Kim KardashianKim slammed 'disappointing' British Airways staff over Twitter for interfering with her luggage (Picture: Getty)

The socialite tweeted her dissatisfaction with the service she received at the hands of the airport staff who dared to touch her luggage in the course of ensuring the safety of the general public. 

The starlet claimed that some items that had sentimental value had been removed from her luggage. 

She wrote: 'Very disappointed in British Airways for opening my luggage & taking some special items of mine!Some things are sentimental &not replaceable.

Kim Kardashian, Kanye WestKim tweeted this snap of boyfriend Kanye West on stage, saying she missed him (Picture: Instagram/Kim Kardashian)

'What happened to the days when you could lock your bags! We need to get back to that. There's no sense of security & no trust! Shame on you'

A British Airways spokesperson said they were looking into the claims.

Her recent outburst must have made the reality TV star a little lovesick, as she later tweeted a picture of her current beau Kanye West performing on stage with the mushy caption 'I miss him'.

Kanye and Kim have been dating for some time now after being friends for many years, and have used their moments in the spotlight to remind everyone just how in love they are.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye WestKim Kardashian and Kanye West couldn't keep their hands off each other as they headed out to an ice-cream parlour in Cannes (Picture: Splash)

The couple were spotted together during the Cannes Film Festival hugging and holding hands as they took a relaxing break in the French Riviera.

Kim was recently in London with West while he completed the UK leg of his Watch The Throne tour alongside Jay Z.




Was The 'Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' Advert Racist?

The Advertising Standards Authority have performed a U-turn on their decision not to investigate Channel 4's adverts for their 'Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' programme. Channel 4 advertised the series around the country with huge billboard adverts, emblazoned with the huge slogan "Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier." At the time, the Asa received over 370 complaints that the slogan was racist. They decided against an investigation, however, claiming that it "would not cause widespread offence." The Metro report today (May 29, 2012), however, that Asa claim they did not know that one of those many complainants was the Irish Traveller Movement of Britain. They are now saying that this was a "material fact to which they should have had regard" and have confirmed that they will now be conducting an investigation into the advert. The investigation was launched on Friday (May 25, 2012) and the Asa will now seek to determine whether or not Channel 4 have in fact breached their regulations with regards to causing widespread offence. The London Gypsy and Traveller Movement wrote a letter to Channel 4 asking whether or not they would have so readily incorporated other ethnic groups into such as a slogan; for instance "Jewisher" "more Asian" and "Blacker." The response from Channel 4 stated "The word refers to the fact that this series offers even greater access and insight to the communities featured and the terms 'gipsy' or 'gypsier' are not being used in a negative context."

Sunday, 20 May 2012

JON JONES Arrested for DUI


EXCLUSIVE
Jon Bones Jones Arrested for DUI
UFC Light Heavyweight champ Jon "Bones" Jones was arrested early this morning for DUI after he totaled his Bentley in upstate New York ... TMZ has learned. 

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Jones was involved in an accident at around 5:00 AM in Binghamton, NY. We're told the car -- which Jones crashed into a pole -- was totaled and cops arrested Jones on the scene for DUI. 

According to our sources, Jones was taken into custody by Broome County Sheriff and bailed out a few hours later ... by his mom. Jones is from nearby Ithaca. 

Identity of Travolta's Second Accuser Revealed

John Travolta's first masseur accuser may still be John Doe, but Masseur #2 now has a name. Meet John Truesdale, a 40-year-old 250-pound masseur with a black belt and legal representation by Gloria Allred. Truesdale was ambushed by paparazzi near his home in Smyrna, Georgia after the New York Daily News revealed his identity. He wouldn't speak about the case — in which he accuses Travolta of trying to make Truesdale touch the actor's anus — but he did pose for some photos. Allred, who represents the first two masseurs, released a statement to People that confirmed Truesdale's name and not much else. I can confirm that we do represent Mr. Truesdale, and that we have great confidence in him. We are conferring with him regarding the next course of action in this matter. Neither our client nor our law firm have any other comment at this time.

Nick Stahl Reaches Out to Friends

Terminator 3 star Nick Stahl, who was reported missing on Monday, reached out to friends late Friday to say he's okay and entering rehab, his wife tells PEOPLE. "I'm relieved," says Rose Stahl, 30, who told PEOPLE earlier on Friday that she was worried her husband might die from an overdose. "But I'm also skeptical that he really in rehab," she adds. Rose Stahl, who on Monday reported her husband missing to the LAPD, says Nick sent an "unemotional and unapologetic e-mail" at about 10 p.m. on Friday, saying he's okay, that he was entering a 30-day rehab program that night, and that he planned to make some arrangements to get his clothes. Rose says she didn't get the e-mail herself, but saw it because she has logon access to his e-mail account. She says the e-mail offered no explanation as to why he disappeared on May 9, and did not say whether he was on Skid Row using drugs as she suspected.

HOLLYWOOD star Will Smith slapped a male television reporter who he said tried to kiss him on the lips as he walked down the red carpet for the Moscow premiere of Men in Black III.

Will Smith slap

Ouch! Will Smith's slap stung like a bee on the face of a journalist who tried to kiss him on the mouth. Picture: Life TV Source: Supplied


The reporter from the Ukrainian television channel 1+1, Vitalii Serdiuk, made headlines at the Venice Film Festival in September when he presented a bouquet of clearly unappreciated purple hydrangeas to Madonna and called her "my princess".

Smith was even less charmed by the reporter, who approached him on the carpet outside the movie theatre on Friday night and tried to kiss him.



CHYNA Hospitalized After Collapsing Again at Porn Convention

0519_chyna_wheelchair_tmz
Former WWE superster Chyna collapsed at a porn convention in Miami today and taken to a nearby hospital ... TMZ has learned ... her third such episode in as many days. 

Chyna was appearing at the 2012 Exxxotica Expo to help promote Vivid Entertainment's porn parody of "Avengers" -- she plays She-Hulk (yes, really). A rep for Vivid tells TMZ the company was worried about her after yesterday's medical scare ... but Chyna insisted she was ok. 

We're told Chyna made it to the convention center today, but passed out in the lobby and was taken to Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach.

As TMZ first reported, in addition to passing out yesterday at the convention ... she was kicked out of a party on Thursday night for her unruly behavior, which included passing out in a pool. 

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Rebbeca Brooks learned this morning that she will be taken to court over accusations of perverting the course of justice in relation to the phone hacking scandal.

The former editor of the News of the World and the Sun is to be charged with five others, including her husband Charlie Brooks.

Alison Levitt QC, principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions, announced the decision at 10am, days after Mrs Brooks appeared at the Leveson inquiry into press ethics.

Mr and Mrs Brooks said: "We deplore this weak and unjust decision. After the further unprecedented posturing of the CPS we will respond later today after our return from the police station."

Rebekah Brooks arriving at the Leveson Inquiry

Friday, 11 May 2012

David Cameron sent commiserations to Rebekah Brooks after she resigned as News International chief executive over the phone hacking scandal

David Cameron sent commiserations to Rebekah Brooks after she resigned as News International chief executive over the phone hacking scandal, the Leveson Inquiry has heard. Ms Brooks said the indirect messages from the Prime Minister were "along the lines" of "keep your head up" and had also expressed regret that he could not be more loyal in public. She also received sympathetic messages from other senior figures in 10 and 11 Downing Street, the Home Office, the Foreign Office and some Labour politicians, including Tony Blair. The glimpse of Ms Brooks's network of high-powered friends and contacts came as she took to the witness box, despite being under investigation by police. Ms Brooks said she only had access to around six weeks of texts and emails from her time as NI chief executive, from the beginning of June to July 17 last year. Only one of those emails was relevant to the inquiry, according to her evidence. One of the text messages had been from Mr Cameron, but the content was compressed and unreadable, she said. Robert Jay QC, counsel for the inquiry, asked Ms Brooks about reports that she had received sympathetic messages after her resignation last July. "I had some indirect messages from some politicians but nothing direct," she replied. "A variety - some Tories, a couple of Labour politicians. Very few Labour politicians. I received some indirect messages from Number 10, Number 11, the Home Office, the Foreign Office..." She said Tony Blair had been among them but Gordon Brown had not. "He was probably getting the bunting out," she added, provoking laughter in the courtroom. Questioned on whether reports were correct that Mr Cameron's message had urged her to "keep your head up", Ms Brooks responded: "Along those lines." Pressed on whether the premier had also conveyed regret that political circumstances meant he could not be more "loyal", Ms Brooks replied: "Similar, but very indirect."

Rebekah Brooks to lift lid on David Cameron friendship

Former Sun and News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks is expected to lift the lid on her close relationship with the Prime Minister in evidence to the Leveson Inquiry. David Cameron is said to have texted Mrs Brooks, telling her to "keep her head up" after she resigned from News International last July. It has also been claimed that the 43-year-old former editor sent Mr Cameron more than 12 text messages a day. After her editorships Mrs Brooks went on to become chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's UK newspapers division News International in September 2009 until she resigned in the wake of the hacking scandal last July. She and racehorse trainer husband Charlie are key members of the influential Chipping Norton set, which also includes Mr Cameron and his wife Samantha, Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, and Mr Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth and her PR guru husband Matthew Freud. The inquiry has already heard that Mrs Brooks regularly met Mr Cameron and other top politicians along with Rupert and James Murdoch. She hosted a Christmas dinner on December 23 2010, just two days after Business Secretary Vince Cable was stripped of his responsibility for media takeovers for saying he had "declared war" on the Murdochs' News Corporation empire. Mrs Brooks's wedding on June 13 2009 was attended by Mr Cameron and former prime minister Gordon Brown, and in March Mr Cameron was forced to admit that he rode a retired police horse loaned to Mrs Brooks by Scotland Yard from 2008 to 2010. An updated biography of Cameron: Practically A Conservative, claims he told Mrs Brooks she would get through her difficulties just days before she stood down over the phone hacking scandal. There has speculation that the Leveson Inquiry could release emails and text messages sent between Mr Cameron and the former News International chief executive. According to Daily Telegraph columnist Peter Oborne, Mrs Brooks has kept all the texts she received from the Prime Minister. Mrs Brooks has twice been arrested by Scotland Yard detectives investigating allegations of phone hacking, corrupt payments to public officials, and an attempt to pervert the course of justice. She was bailed and has not been charged. She will not be questioned about anything that could prejudice the continuing police investigation into phone hacking or any potential future trials. Mr Cameron set up the Leveson Inquiry last July in response to revelations that the now-defunct News of the World hacked murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone after she disappeared in 2002. The first part of the inquiry, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, is looking at the culture, practices and ethics of the Press in general and is due to produce a report by October.

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