Actor Mel Gibson has confirmed rumours that he is expecting a child with his Russian girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva.

"This is true," the 53-year-old star told US chat show host Jay Leno on the Monday edition of The Tonight Show. "We're gonna have a child."

Last month Gibson's wife Robyn filed for divorce after 28 years of marriage citing irreconcilable differences.

The actor was subsequently seen at a Hollywood premiere with Grigorieva, a 39-year-old musician, on his arm.

Pressed by Leno, Gibson described the situation as "unfortunate" and that Robyn, with whom he has seven children, was "an admirable woman".

'Hatchet job'

"Our marriage ended three yearschi hair straighteners Ladies Shop ago and we've been separated ever since then," he is quoted as saying.

Gibson was seen with Grigorieva at a Hollywood premiere last month

"When it's all said and done, I did a pretty good hatchet job on my marriage myself," he added.

"I'm to blame. If you're inclined to judge, put it here."

Remarking that the child he is currently expecting would be his eighth, the star jokingly referred to himself as "Octo-Mel" - a play on so-called "Octo-Mom" Nadya Suleman.

Robyn Gibson is said to be seeking a share of the money and assets the Braveheart actor has Replica rolex watchesearned during his career.

As it is thought no prenuptial deal was signed, Robyn could receive half of the star's reported $640m (£402m) wealth under Californian law.

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The actress, in her first lead role for five years, is facing a blizzard of blunt questions about why she has been away for so long, whether she's too old for this showbiz lark and how she balances family life with work.

As an Oscar winner and the first woman to receive $20 million for a film - both for Erin Brockovich in 2000 - Roberts is a genuine Hollywood A-lister.

But lately she has been sticking to cameos and voiceovers, concentrating on raising her three young children.

Now the actress seems happy to be back centre stage, laughing and joking with her Duplicity co-star Clive Owen and writer-director Tony Gilroy.

Rapid banter

The new film is a fast-paced mix of romantic comedy and spy thriller.

Roberts and Owen are agents Claire Stenwick and Ray Koval, working for the CIA and MI6 respectively.

The opening scene shows Ray seducing Claire at a party only to have her drug him and steal secrets out of his hotel room. The battle is on. buy ffxi gil

As both spies turn to private industry, working in the 'corporate intelligence' departments of competing multinationals, the drama hangs on whether the two are now partners or enemies.

Roberts and Owen previously played a couple in the 2004 film Closer.

Owen, already on board to star in Duplicity, named Roberts as his first choice for co-star.

"With this kind of material I don't think there's anybody better" he says.

"It's very much a banter-based movie, quick-witted, sharp. It needs a deftness, an intelligence, a lightness of touch which she's got in abundance.

'Double chin'

Roberts revealed a more transparent reason for working with Owen again: "He's nice and tall. I never have a double chin. Who doesn't love that? In every scene, I'm a swan." ffxi gil

But she too enjoyed the rapid-fire dialogue. "It's my favourite way of giving information, that rhythm, and he's the master at it" she says, with a nod towards Owen.

"No, she's the queen" he comes back. "Alright," Roberts concedes, with a laugh.

The film relies on convincing chemistry between the two leads for its success. Roberts has always refused to do nude scenes and the sex scene Gilroy originally wrote into the script was toned down for her.

"What do I know about sexy?" she says disingenuously, when asked whether it is a sexy role

Owen says the bedroom scenes, as always on film sets, were awkward. "It's never going to be comfortable but it helps if you keep things light."

"We laugh at the same things" adds Roberts.

Duplicity takes a satirical pop at the huge amounts of money and time thrown at trivial causes, which means Owen continues his run of films in tune with the zeitgeist - following the release of his banking thriller The International in February.

Yet despite the contemporary theme, Duplicity is shot with a classic 1960s look, from the use of split-screen devices to the impeccably tailored costumes.

There are also echoes of Hollywood's classic screwball comedies, with Owen comparing the film to His Girl Friday. final fantasy xi gil

So in the style of repeated 1940s onscreen pairings like Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy or Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, will there be a continuing screen relationship for Owen and Roberts?

"We've both said to each other we'd do it again." says Owen. "It's just about finding a script as good as this one"

Nuts, mirrors, Red Bull and fruit are the only things girlband the Saturdays require to keep them happy backstage at a gig.

"I think Red Bull is the most rock and roll thing on there [the band's rider]," laughs Frankie.

"We only just started asking for mirrors," Rochelle giggles.

"And that wasn't even us, that was our tour manager."

The five-piece group, who are reduced to a foursome during the interview because Vanessa is not well, are full of enthusiasm for their next single, for two reasons.

First, it is only their fourth single and secondly, the track is for Comic Relief.

"We were honoured to be asked so early on in our career," says Molly.

"We're so happy to do it, and do everything we can to help it. It's amazing we can."

There is the fact that for seven years running every Comic Relief single's been number one. So, obviously that's what we want Rochelle

Frankie adds: "We're working the hardest we've ever worked to promote a single because it's so important to us that people go out there and buy it because it's for such an important cause."

In fact, they are so enthusiastic to promote their cover version of Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough, they launch into singing it just before the interview starts.

However, after further questioning, it is not just the charity that is on their minds.

"Everyone keeps asking us, 'Do you feel pressure to get to number one?'" says Rochelle.

"There is pressure but we put it on ourselves, as we know the money's needed.

"We don't want to let anyone down - that's the main thing. But there is the fact that for seven years running every Comic Relief single's been number one. So, obviously that's what we want."

'Compliment'

So, there could have been a bit of disappointment all round for the girls when the single only reached number two on Sunday.

However, once the single promotion is over, the group, who only released their debut album, Chasing Lights, last year, are on to bigger things.

"We're going to the US, that's always been the plan," says Frankie.

"But we want to set our place in stone here first, before we go over there, so no one forgets us."

Predictably, the group is often compared with fellow girlband and label-mates Girls Aloud, but the Saturdays insist there is no real competition.

The Saturdays reached number two with their charity single

"It's inevitable that we will be compared and it's a compliment," Uma says.

"They've been around for a long time, both those bands have been so successful and we're just at the start.

"We don't know how big we're going to be. The fact that people are already starting to make comparisons is really nice for us."

Despite that, Rochelle is keen to point out that although both bands record pop music, their sounds are very different.

"If you listen to our album, I think it kind of speaks for itself," she says.

'Amazingly successful'

"I think people see five girls singing and they automatically think we're going to be the same. But that is part of the job.

"We've just been on tour with Girls Aloud and they've been nothing but nice to us and they're amazingly successful, we always say if we could have a bit of their success we'll be flying so we hope it keeps going well for us."

When asked what it is like to be famous, all four girls start talking at once, insisting they do not yet count themselves as celebrities.

Rochelle, who says she "hates" the word fame, admits she finds being recognised in the street strange.

"I was out with my mum the other day and there was a girl staring at me and I was getting really paranoid.

"She was looking at me and talking about me and I felt really bad, thinking I had something on my face."

Nuts, mirrors, Red Bull and fruit are the only things girlband the Saturdays require to keep them happy backstage at a gig.

"I think Red Bull is the most rock and roll thing on there," laughs Frankie.

"We only just started asking for mirrors," Rochelle giggles.

"And that wasn't even us, that was our tour manager."

The five-piece group, who are reduced to a foursome during the interview because Vanessa is not well, are full of enthusiasm for their next single, for two reasons.

First, it is only their fourth single and secondly, the track is for Comic Relief.

"We were honoured to be asked so early on in our career," says Molly.

"We're so happy to do it, and do everything we can to help it. It's amazing we can."

Frankie adds: "We're working the hardest we've ever worked to promote a single because it's so important to us that people go out there and buy it because it's for such an important cause."

In fact, they are so enthusiastic to promote their cover version of Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough, they launch into singing it just before the interview starts.

However, after further questioning, it is not just the charity that is on their minds.

"Everyone keeps asking us, 'Do you feel pressure to get to number one?' says Rochelle.

"There is pressure but we put it on ourselves, as we know the money's needed.

"We don't want to let anyone down - that's the main thing. But there is the fact that for seven years running every Comic Relief single's been number one. So, obviously that's what we want."

'Compliment'

So, there could have been a bit of disappointment all round for the girls when the single only reached number two on Sunday.

However, once the single promotion is over, the group, who only released their debut album, Chasing Lights, last year, are on to bigger things.

"We're going to the US, that's always been the plan," says Frankie.

"But we want to set our place in stone here first, before we go over there, so no one forgets us."

Inevitably the group is often being compared with fellow girlband Girls Aloud, the Saturdays insist there is no real competitiveness between the groups.

The Saturdays reached number two with their charity single

"It's evitable that we will be compared and it's a compliment," Uma says.

"They've been around for a long time, both those bands have been so successful and we're just at the start.

"We don't know how big we're going to be. The fact that people are already starting to make comparisons is really nice for us."

Despite that, Rochelle is keen to point out that although both bands record pop music, their sounds are very different.

"If you listen to our album, I think it kind of speaks for itself," she says.

'Amazingly successful'

"I think people see five girls singing and they automatically think we're going to be the same. But that is part of the job.

"We've just been on tour with Girls Aloud and they've been nothing but nice to us and they're amazingly successful, we always say if we could have a bit of their success we'll be flying so we hope it keeps going well for us."

When asked what it is like to be famous, all four girls start talking at once, insisting they do not yet count themselves as celebrities.

Rochelle, who says she "hates" the word fame admits she finds being recognised in the street strange.

"I was out with my mum the other day and there was a girl staring at me and I was getting really paranoid.

"She was looking at me and talking about me and I felt really bad, thinking I had something on my face."

The age at which men and women are having children is increasing in the developed world.

But while the effect of increasing maternal age on reduced fertility is widely known, the impact of increased paternal age is not as well established.

However, older fathers have been linked to a range of health problems, including an increased risk of birth deformities, autism and neuropsychiatric conditions,  buy wow goldsuch as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The Queensland team analysed data on 33,437 children born between 1959 and 1965 in the US.

Each child was given a range of tests of cognitive function at eight months, four years, and seven years.

The researchers adjusted their study to take account of socio-economic factors, such as family income and parental education.

They found that the older the father, the more likely the child was to have lower scores on the various tests.

In contrast, the older the mother the higher the scores of the child in the cognitive tests.

Nurturing environment

Previous researchers have suggested children of older mothers may perform better because they experience a more nurturing home environment.

But the latest study suggests this might not be the case in relation to fathers.

Genetic factors are likely to be key, as there is evidence that genetic mutations become more widespread in a man's sperm as he ages.

But the Queensland team said the impact of social factors could also not be ruled out, although they said a child would usually benefit socioeconomically from having an older father, with better access to health and educational services. wow powerleveling

The researchers, led by Dr John McGrath, wrote: "Given the trend towards older maternal and paternal ages in the developing world, policy-makers may want to consider promoting an awareness of the risks to children that this study associates with delayed fatherhood."

Dr Allan Pacey, an expert in fertility at the University of Sheffield, said: "We have known for some time that the children born from older fathers are at increased risk of a number of medical problems and this is almost certainly because as men get older the sperm production gets less efficient and their sperm have a higher number of genetic defects.

"The author's observation that most neurocognitive outcomes is also reduced in the children of older fathers provides a further piece of evidence to remind us that nature intended us to have our children earlier in our lives than we currently are."

Saint Etienne's hits include Join Our Club and He's On The Phone

Pop group Saint Etienne say they have ambitions to write a song for the Olympic Games when they come to London in 2012.

The band previously made a film about east London's Lower Lea Valley, where the Olympic Stadium is being built.

"We would be the ideal band to do a soundtrack for the Olympics," singer Sarah Cracknell told the BBC.

"I'd love to do it," added songwriter Bob Stanley. "I'll drop Seb Coe a line, I'll send him an e-mail today."

Saint Etienne, who scored their first hit in 1991, have become known for their affinity for London - with lyrics documenting the cafes, Tube stations and streets of the capital.

Their film about the Lower Lea Valley - What Have You Done Today, Mervyn Day? - had its premiere in 2005 at the Barbican.

It documented the dilapidation of the area, focusing on the burnt-out cars and discarded fridges that have now been cleared away to make space for the Olympic Games.

Trafalgar Square plan

Stanley said the band had been approached about screening the film in Trafalgar Square during the run-up to the Olympic Games.

But he said the plans had been dropped since London Mayor Boris Johnson replaced Ken Livingstone in the position last year.

The Lower Lea Valley will be the site of the Olympic Stadium

"It's a shame we've got a different mayor now, because the previous incumbent wanted to screen Mervyn Day, but now that's gone by the by," he said.

The group, who release a greatest hits album, London Conversations, on 16 February, added they would still be "honoured to write something that represents the country" if they were asked by the Olympic organisers.

"It would be quite pressurised, but I'd love to," noted Stanley.

The official theme for the 2008 Beijing Olympics was You and Me, by Chinese composer Qigang Chen.

It was performed at the opening ceremony by Liu Huan and British singer Sarah Brightman.

Dolph Lungdren starred as He-Man in a 1987 version of the film

Kung Fu Panda director John Stevenson is to direct Masters of the Universe, a live-action version of the hit 1980s cartoon He-Man, according to reports.

Action film producer Joel Silver will work on the film with Warner Brothers and toy company Mattel, Variety said. archlord powerleveling

The hero was previously turned into a film in 1987 with Dolph Lungdren as He-Man and Frost/Nixon star Frank Langella as the villainous Skeletor.

He-Man tells of a prince who transforms into a warrior to defend his planet.

The cartoon, also made in partnership with Mattel, was known for the image of blond-haired Prince Adam on top of a mountain uttering the magic words, "by the power of Grayskull, I have the power," and turning into the heroic He-Man.

He-Man and his allies, Battle Cat, Man-at-Arms and Orko defended their planet Eternia from the evil forces of Skeletor, who tried week after week to conquer Castle Grayskull, which gave He-Man his powers.

It is thought the script to the new film will feature more gritty fantasy and re-imagines Adam as a soldier who sets off to find his destiny, happening upon magical world called Eternia.

There, a being called Skeletor raises a technological army and is bent on eradicating all traces of magic.

The 1987 film flopped at the box office and was nominated for a Razzie, the mock awards given to the worst movies of the year. ArchLord gold 

It is the latest toy to have been given a big-screen outing, following the success of Transformers.

A Transformers sequel is due for release this summer and GI Joe and Hot Wheels films are also to hit cinemas.

Stevenson received an Oscar nomination for Kung Fu Panda, archlord items which he co-directed with Mark Osborne.

Egypt has asked Sweden for the return of 212 artefacts taken out of the country in the 1920s.

Egypt's chief archaeologist Zahi Hawass said they were taken in an "illegal manner" by Swedish collector Otto Smith from locations like Saqqara and Luxor.

He said lawyers for the country's Council of Antiquities have contacted Sweden's Ostergotlands County Museum.

The museum confirmed Egypt was seeking to recover about 200 items, but was awaiting a formal request.

Museum director Maria Jansen said she had been contacted by the Egyptian Embassy in Stockholm about the matter, but could not comment further.

She said the items were one of the museum's most "important" collections.

Neglect

Mr Smith took the objects home to Sweden with him, and after his death his family gave the pieces to the Ostergotlands Museum, asking the museum to look after them, according to Mr Hawass.

Mr Hawass claimed the museum displayed some of the artefacts in its restaurant, which caused damage and neglect.

He added that the Smith family has now accused the museum of breach of contract and also wanted the pieces returned to Egypt.

The family could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mr Hawass said the objects include items from the pharaonic era and ancient Egyptian Coptic pieces.

Double Golden Globe winner Kate Winslet has two nominations for best actress at the British Academy Film Awards.

The 33-year-old star, a previous Bafta winner for Sense and Sensibility, has been nominated for her performances in Revolutionary Road and The Reader.

Slumdog Millionaire is also up for several prizes, including best film, best British film and best director.

"After so much time away it's wonderful to be recognised at home," said Danny Boyle, who shot the movie in India.

Jonathan Ross will host this year's ceremony, to be held at the Royal Opera House in London on 8 February.

The main nominations were announced by The Duchess star Hayley Atwell and Bond girl Gemma Arterton at a morning ceremony at Bafta's London headquarters.

This is the second time Winslet has received two best actress Bafta nods in the same year, having been shortlisted in 2005 for Finding Neverland and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

The actress was also nominated in 2002 for Iris and in 2007 for Little Children.

Winslet's competition, besides herself, includes fellow Briton Kristin Scott Thomas - nominated for the French film I've Loved You So Long - and Changeling star Angelina Jolie.

Meryl Streep is also shortlisted for her role in Doubt, which has also picked up supporting actor nominations for Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams.

The late Heath Ledger joins Hoffman in the best supporting actor category, where Brad Pitt is also recognised for his comic turn in Burn After Reading.

Pitt is also up for best actor for his role as a man ageing backwards in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Newcomer Dev Patel is a surprise inclusion in this category for his part in Slumdog Millionaire.

The 18-year-old said he was "absolutely overwhelmed and delighted" by the nomination.

"To be nominated alongside Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke, Frank Langella and Sean Penn is unbelievably exciting and such a huge honour," he added.

Danny Boyle's film - about a young slum dweller who becomes a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? - has 11 nominations in total, as does Benjamin Button.

Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight - in which Ledger played the villainous Joker - follows with nine nominations, while Changeling, directed by Clint Eastwood, is up for eight awards.

Frost/Nixon has received six nominations in all, while The Reader has five.

Acclaimed

Slumdog Millionaire's other nominations include a best supporting actress nod for Indian actress Freida Pinto.

Tilda Swinton, who won this award last year for Michael Clayton, is again included for her work in Burn After Reading.

Winslet picked up two Golden Globes on Sunday

Hit Abba musical Mamma Mia! and Bobby Sands biopic Hunger are among the five titles up for the best British film award.

Dark comedy In Bruges is also shortlisted, as is Man on Wire - James Marsh's acclaimed film about the Frenchman who wire-walked between the Twin Towers in New York. Cheap warhammer gold

Animated documentaries Persepolis and Waltz with Bashir are shortlisted for both the foreign film and animated film awards.

They will compete in the latter category against Pixar hit Wall-E, which is also recognised for its music and sound.

"We've got three nominations so we're very excited and proud," said Pixar's John Lasseter on BBC Breakfast.

Latest Bond film Quantum of Solace gets two nominations, for its sound and visual effects.

Wallace and Gromit are in contention too, having been recognised in the short animation category for their latest adventure A Matter of Loaf and Death.

'Fantastic'

Elsewhere Mamma Mia! receives a nomination in the best music category for Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson's songs.

Eric Fellner of Working Title - producer of both Frost/Nixon and Burn After Reading - welcomed the nine nominations that the two films received.

"It's fantastic for the filmmakers to be recognised by their peers," he told the BBC News website.

"Bafta recognition is very important in the UK and can help a film enormously," he continued.

Frost/Nixon is up for best film, with additional nominations for director Ron Howard, writer Peter Morgan and actor Frank Langella.

However, Fellner admitted he was "surprised" that Langella's co-star Michael Sheen missed out on a best actor citation.

The Bafta nominations will be followed next week by the announcement of this year's Academy Award shortlists.

Fellner, though, remains cautious about his films' chances. "We're hopeful, but you never know what's going to happen," he said. swg credits

Anne Hathaway is nominated for Rachel Getting Married

Golden Globe organisers have apologised for a blunder on the awards website which suggested that Anne Hathaway had won a best actress gong.

An asterisk appeared on the site next to Hathaway's name in a list of nominees - even though the Golden Globes do not take place until Sunday.

A nominee was "randomly marked as a winner" by mistake, a statement on the Golden Globes website said. cheap wow gold

Hathaway is up for best actress in a drama for Rachel Getting Married.

"In the process of preparing for Sunday's Golden Globe Awards, a technician working on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's (HFPA) website made a mistake and a name of a nominee was randomly marked as a winner," the statement said.

"The mistake was immediately corrected."

It said it did not mean that Hathaway had won the award for her role as a recovering drug addict in the Jonathan Demme film.

66th year

Other nominees in the same category are Angelina Jolie for Changeling, Meryl Streep for Doubt, Kristin Scott Thomas for I've Loved You So Long and Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road.

On Thursday night, Hathaway tied with Meryl Streep for the best actress gong at the Critics' Choice Awards in California.

"To win with my idol - who I was nominated against - is amazing," Hathaway said backstage.

"I'm so thrilled for her and I'm very thrilled for myself, too."

Danny Boyle's film Slumdog Millionaire dominated at the awards, winning five prizes including best film and director.

On Friday, it was announced that British singer Sting and US rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs would be among celebrities presenting awards at Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony, at the Beverley Hilton Hotel in Beverley Hills, California.

The awards, which honour both film and television, are in their 66th year.

Turkey says it is to restore the citizenship of one of its most illustrious poets and playwrights.

Nazim Hikmet was stripped of his citizenship for his Ma**ist beliefs in the 1950s after he fled the country, having spent years in Turkish prisons.

Hikmet, who died in exile in Moscow in 1963, revolutionised Turkish poetry during the 1930s and has had his work translated into some 50 languages.

Deputy PM Cemil Cicek said it was time for the government to change its mind.

"The crimes which forced the government to strip him of his citizenship at that time are no longer considered a crime," he said.

Mr Cicek said it was up to Hikmet's relatives to decide if they wanted to bring his remains back from Moscow, in accordance with a wish in his will to be buried under a tree in an Anatolian cemetery.

After losing his Turkish nationality, the poet became a Polish citizen.

Hikmet's work was banned in Turkey until 1965. Even as recently as 2005, authorities detained and questioned a teenager who read one of his poems at school for suspected activities against the state.

Despite this, there has been a widespread public campaign in recent years by Hikmet's many admirers - including the Nobel Prize-winning writer Orhan Pamuk - calling for his rehabilitation.

Dogu Ergil, a political analyst at Ankara University, said the government's decision to restore the late poet's citizenship was a symbolic step meant to show the country was now prepared to embrace a limited amount of criticism.

"It is a step toward accepting differences in opinions, languages and ethnicity, which is necessary to become a member in the EU," he told the Associated Press.

Goody flew back to the UK from India as soon as she learned she had cancer

Reality TV star Jade Goody has been forced to cut short her pantomime run in Lincoln to recover from surgery for a blocked kidney.

The 27-year-old, who is also undergoing treatment for cancer, was released from the production of Snow White over "concerns for her health and recovery".

The city's Theatre Royal said she had been "a real asset to the production" and possessed "guts and determination". buy warhammer gold

Goody had a hysterectomy in September following a cervical cancer diagnosis.

'Speedy recovery'

The mother of two was taking part in the Indian version of Big Brother in August when she was told she had the disease.

The subsequent eight-hour operation was said to have been a success, and was followed by a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Tests revealed that the disease had not spread to other parts of her body.

Goody, who was playing the Wicked Queen in the show, "will be missed by the whole company", said a statement from the Theatre Royal. buy flyff gold

"We wish her a speedy and long-lasting recovery and would hope that some time in the future we may have her back on stage in another production," it continued.

The pantomime is due to run until 24 January. flyff penya

Marley and Me features a dog who causes chaos wherever he goes

The highest-grossing film in North America on Christmas Day was Marley and Me, which features Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson, reports suggest.

The movie, about a puppy acquired by newlyweds, took an estimated $14.8m (£10.2m), 20th Century Fox claimed.

It was followed by The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Aniston's ex-husband Brad Pitt, which earned $11.8m (£8.1m), trade title Variety said.  buy flyff gold

In third place was Disney's family film Bedtime Stories, with Adam Sandler.

Tom Cruise's Nazi thriller Valkyrie generated an estimated $8.5m (£5.8m) on Thursday to enter the chart at number four.

And last week's most popular film - Yes Man, starring Jim Carrey - was in fifth place, according to early indications, with $6m (£4.1m). eve isk

Bruce Snyder, distribution president at 20th Century Fox, said the takings for Marley and Me were "phenomenal holiday numbers". flyff money

He described the film, inspired by a memoir by US journalist John Grogan, as "the definition of a 'feel-good movie'".

If its estimated revenue of $14.8m were to be confirmed, it would beat the previous Christmas Day record of $10.2m (£7m).

This was set by Ali, a biographical film about boxer Muhammad Ali, in 2001. flyff penya

It has two of the world's biggest film stars in its lead roles, uses the vast and stunning backdrop of that country's landscape - and weighs in at an impressive two-and-a-half hours.

Four years in the making, film-maker Baz Luhrmann's "cinematic banquet", starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, combines a sweeping romance, the chaos of war and a social problem which he says still "stains" Australian history.

"The bombing of Darwin was a good action scene, but the stolen generation stopped me in its tracks," says Luhrmann, whose other films include Moulin Rouge and Strictly Ballroom.

At the heart of the 1940s-set movie is a mixed race European-Aboriginal child, Nullah.

For decades, the so-called "creamies" were forcibly removed from their families and raised in institutions as part of official government policy.

"It had never been told... and I was in a position to do that," Luhrmann explains.

Jackman - looking more urbane and Hollywood than his rough-hewn character - adds: "There are parts of this movie that play on stereotypes of Australia.

"But the centre of the story is something I never heard about at school - there wasn't one Aboriginal kid there.

'Dying' craft

"This film deepened the whole experience - my son was on set and would do lessons with Aboriginal children."

Luhrmann says this "bitter pill" of an issue is "put inside a great big entertainment" of a film which boldly crosses several cinematic genres.

If there is an incredible thing in this movie, it is that boy Baz Luhrmann on Australia star Brandon Walters (pictured)

The director chose to shoot in the landscape with vast crews, which he regards as a "dying" craft as special effects and sound studios take over.

"For a variety of reasons it will never happen in this manner again," he says.

Fellow Australian Jackman, who was recently announced as the host of next year's Oscars, paid tribute to Luhrmann, despite fainting in the searing heat on location.

"It was an absolute privilege to be in a film set in Australia with Australian everything including the title, it was inconceivable 20 years ago," he says. buy lineage 2 adena 

Jackman calls the finished product "bold in every way".

Bond moment

"We were called to do in one film what we might do in five… to play on such a big scale an ultra-masculine character who becomes more and more vulnerable was thrilling," adds Jackman.

And for a man who recently picked up the title of "sexiest man alive", Australia hands him a moment akin to Daniel Craig emerging from the sea as James Bond in ****** Royale.

The second part of Australia is effectively a war movie

But according to Luhrmann, the biggest star of the production is 13-year-old Brandon Walters.

He is making his screen debut as Nullah, who is effectively at the centre of the movie and also its narrator.

"If there is an incredible thing in this movie, it is that boy," says the film-maker, who explains that the casting process was a "nightmare" until Walters was spotted.

"That's not acting. He does not blanch in front of the camera, he is so open. No Brandon - no movie," he adds.

Luhrmann, who says he "combined a personal journey and search for home with the sweeping historical epic", has paid a hefty price for Australia.

It is the most expensive film made in the country's cinema history, at an estimated $130 million (£85 million).

The film made $14.8 million (£9.9 million) during its opening weekend in the US but is in many countries, including the UK, set for the lucrative Christmas release slot. final fantasy gil 

Box office returns and critical reception aside, Luhrmann has already decided his next move.

"Don't be surprised if it's something fun and quick before I get on to do the next major work," he says.

Australia is released in a number of countries around Christmas. It comes out in the UK on 26 December. Ugg Boots 

Michael Jackson has suffered financial problems in the past

Singer Michael Jackson is arranging an auction at which he plans to sell his personal memorabilia.

Some of the 2000 items include the wrought iron gates from his Neverland Ranch and one of the white gloves he wore in his 1983 Billie Jean video.

Auctioneer Darren Julien said Jackson had been sorting through his personal memorabilia and art collection and had "complete control" over the sale.

The five-day auction is set to take place in Beverly Hills in April.

Sprawling property

"We have been working closely with him for five months and he is in complete control of this," Mr Julien said.

He added that a similar white glove once owned by Jackson fetched $35,000 (£23,452) at an auction in 2006.

A year before that the singer's white socks went for $15,000 (£10,000).

In November, the 50-year-old star lost ownership of the Neverland ranch in California.

He filed legal papers which made the Sycamore Valley Ranch Company the new owner.

The company is linked to investment firm Colony Capital, which bailed the singer out in March when he owed $24.5m (£16m) on the property.

The refinancing deal meant Jackson could keep the sprawling property, but he is still planning to sell off the ranch gates.

Julien has refused to estimate how much they could go for.

"We have not put an estimate on the gates yet. There is a lot of history there," he said.

The 2,700-acre ranch once included a zoo, a lake and an amusement park.

It was also the place where prosecutors claimed Jackson had molested young boys during sleepovers.

Jackson has not lived there since his acquittal on child molestation charges in 2005.

'Free will'

The auction catalogue will sell for $100 (£67), with a limited signed edition available for $500 (£335).

A portion of the sale proceeds will go to the charity Musicares.

Last month, Jackson was taken to court by an Arab sheik, who claimed the singer owed him millions for reneging on a music contract.

They eventually settled out of court.

However, Mr Julien insisted the star was not being forced into selling off his items.

"This is something that Michael is doing of his own free will. He is not being forced into it," he said.

Highlights of the collection will go on a tour expected to include London, Tokyo, New York, Dubai and Santiago.

Pixar's Wall-E tells of a humble robot who falls in love

Wall-E has been named best film of the year by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association as Hollywood gears up for Thursday's Golden Globe nominations.

The Pixar film was chosen ahead of The Dark Knight by the body, which gave its best actor prize to Sean Penn for Milk.

British talent fared well, with Happy-Go-Lucky's Sally Hawkins winning best actress and Danny Boyle named best director for Slumdog Millionaire.

The late Heath Ledger was named best supporting actor for The Dark Knight.

Penelope Cruz, meanwhile, remains on course for an Oscar nomination after being named best supporting actress for her roles in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Elegy.

The body was one of several critics' associations to announce winners or nominations this week as Hollywood's lengthy awards season clicked into gear.

War crimes

The shortlist for the Critics' Choice Awards was also unveiled, with both Milk - a biopic of gay US politician Harvey Milk - and Brad Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button getting eight nominations each.

Kate Beckinsale and Kate Winslet are both up for awards, with the former recognised for her role as a persecuted reporter in Nothing But the Truth.

Both Beckinsale and Winslet are up for Critics' Choice Awards

Winslet received a supporting actress citation for The Reader, in which she plays a former Nazi guard accused of war crimes.

Handed out each year by the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BCFA), the Critics' Choice Awards will be held in Santa Monica, California, on 8 January.

Slumdog Millionaire, one of 10 titles up for the BCFA's best film prize, has also been recognised by the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association.

The Mumbai-set drama was named best film on Sunday by the East Coast body, with additional awards for its director Danny Boyle and young star Dev Patel.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announces the nominations for its annual Golden Globe Awards on Thursday.

Its shortlist is one of the key indicators as to which films, actors and directors will feature in the Oscar nominations, to be announced on 22 January. everquest 2 gold eq2 plat final fantasy 11 cheap gil

Portrait of a lady as Flora was rediscovered a few years ago

An Italian masterpiece which was hidden in the attic of a French chateau since the 19th Century has been sold for £2.84m at auction in London.

Giambattista Tiepolo's Portrait of a lady as Flora had been expected to fetch £900,000 at the Christie's sale.

It is thought the painting was hidden by the seller's grandparents because it shows a woman baring her naked breast.

Canaletto's masterpiece The Grand Canal, Venice sold for £3.85m at the same auction.

But a second Canaletto failed to sell. It was hoped the two masterpieces, both views of Venice, would fetch a combined £11m.

'Exceptional' pictures

Richard Knight, international director of Christie's Old Master Department, said the sales were proof that while the credit crunch may be hitting some art auctions, there was still a demand for rare works.

Canaletto's The Grand Canal, Venice, set the highest price of the evening

"We are pleased with the results of the auction which attracted strong and committed bidding for rare and exceptional pictures, and which illustrated a continuing demand for works of art which are privately sourced and fresh to the market," he said.

Mr Knight added: "Tiepolo's rediscovered masterpiece drew significant international interest from collectors and admirers alike, and attracted determined bidding this evening before selling to a client in the room for £2.84m, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate.

"We are also pleased with the result of Canaletto's view of the Grand Canal which was offered for sale for the first time having passed by family descent since it was commissioned in 1738."

Further sale highlights included Portrait of Conradus Viëtor by Frans Hals which sold for £1.16m, and a rarely seen early 14th Century depiction of the Madonna and Child by Siennese artist Segna di Bunaventura which sold for £937,250. buy wow gold cheap ffxi gil

It's a city with a big heart that's been wounded this week, but it will recover," said Danny Boyle.

"It is weird to win this at the end of what's been a terrible week," added the Slumdog Millionaire director, referring to the attacks that killed 172 there.

"But the human spirit is dominant. They will overcome, you can bet on it."

Slumdog Millionaire, which will be released in the UK in January, also won best director and best newcomer for its 18-year-old star Dev Patel.

Sir Ben Kingsley, who famously played Indian spiritual leader Gandhi on film, also offered his condolences to Mumbai and its citizens.

"India will survive and move forward," said the actor. "They are a very resilient nation.

Optimism

"I really hope India can shake this off, because so many people want to be there and invest there and enjoy their industry and economy."

Political drama Hunger also took three prizes at the London event, with Michael Fassbender named best actor for playing IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.

David Thewlis - Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter franchise - picked up a prize for his outstanding contribution prize to British film.

Vera Fermiga, the 45-year-old's co-star in concentration camp drama The Boy In The Striped Pyjamasa, took home the best actress award from the ceremony.

Hitman comedy In Bruges had received seven nominations but only picked up one trophy - for best screenplay - on the night.

Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, the tale of a North London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her, scooped two acting prizes.

Eddie Marsan took best supporting actor for his role as a driving instructor with rage issues, while Alexis Zegerman was named best supporting actress for her role as the heroine's long-suffering flatmate.

Michael Sheen, who plays David Frost in the film adaptation of Frost/Nixon, was honoured with the Variety Award for bringing global recognition to the British film industry.

Best foreign film went to political animation Waltz With Bashir, while Man on Wire - about the tightrope walker who wire-walked between the Twin Towers in New York - was named best documentary.

However, two of the ceremony's highest-profile nominees, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller, failed to win awards.

Knightley had received a best actress nod for her role in The Duchess, while Miller had been up for the best supporting actress prize for The Edge of Love.

This year's jury included Atonement director Joe Wright, photographer Rankin and actress Anne-Marie Duff.

Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson, co-directors of the awards, said it had been a "stellar year" for independent film in Britain.

Slumdog Millionaire's success will boost the Oscar buzz surrounding the film, which has already won the influential People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival. lord of the ring gold

"I thought with awards season we'd only ever be at the back of the room waving," joked Boyle, whose other films include Trainspotting and The Beach.

"It's very nice to be at the front." lotro gold lotr gold