Berlusconi's harem of 14 women revealed - Europe, World - The Independent

Berlusconi's harem of 14 women revealed - Europe, World - The Independent: "Silvio Berlusconi maintained at least 14 glamorous young women in apartments in a gated complex outside Milan, leaks from prosecutors in the city revealed yesterday. They lived rent-free in the estate and were given large sums of cash by the billionaire politician in return for sex.

Milano Due was one of the first gated housing estates in Italy, a sprawling complex of flats set in landscaped gardens, built by Mr Berlusconi himself in the 1970s when he was a thrusting young property developer. With underground parking, a supermarket, bars and other facilities, it is one of the most fashionable addresses in the Milan hinterland. When he moved into television, Mr Berlusconi located the headquarters of Mediaset, his television company, here.

But in his declining years the estate has also become the headquarters of what is, in effect, his harem, it is alleged. Its presence was revealed by Corriere della Sera newspaper yesterday in yet another blow to the battered image of the Prime Minister as he prepares to defend himself against what could be the gravest crisis of his political career. Prosecutors in Milan are demanding that he be put on trial immediately for having sex with an underage prostitute."

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Madonna takes her new boyfriend Brahim Zaibat to her new club

MADONNA’S toyboy lover found himself dumped in the street by the queen of pop.

In what may well be a taste of things to come for Brahim Zaibat, Madge sped off without him after a night in London.

But luckily for him, it wasn’t a humiliating put-down – it was a “misunderstanding”.

During the hoo-hah to get her into their Jag after a night at Aura, Brahim desperately tried to get in and park his cute little tush beside Madge’s.

But security slammed the door and drove off, leaving the poor ickle 24-year-old break dancer shivering in the cold.

Fortunately, after about 15 yards – probably the longest 15 yards of Brahim’s life – Madonna realised she’d forgotten something.

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The brakes were duly slammed and Brahim gratefully retrieved.

My favourite codger (after Katie Waissel’s nan) had hosted the night, where pro dancers auditioned to catch her eye in the middle of the dance floor. But I was more interested in the moves going on in VIP, where Madge sat her fella down and performed her own creaky lapdance for him.

To the strains of her song La Isla Bonita – played by her own DJ, naturally – she flexed her muscly arms and squatted her 52-year-old body up and down in front of the blushing young Frenchman. Dragging him up to dance for Nelly’s Ride Wit Me, she threw him against the wall and grinded against his body.

Fortunately, she didn’t crack a hip, and later shuffled over to tell us all about him, saying: “It’s going really well!”

He’s certainly well trained. At one point, he nipped behind the bar to rustle her up a replacement Martini after her original wasn’t strong enough.

Madonna picked up the £12,000 bar tab, and she plans to pump even more money into the place by buying a stake in the Aura chain, with plans to launch globally.:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.

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New VAT rate condemned as tax on cost of fun in London | News

New VAT rate condemned as tax on cost of fun in London | News: "The VAT increase has been called a “tax on London luxury” as the cost of having fun in the capital — from a cocktail to a night in a hotel — rises as a result of the tax rise.

The jump from 17.5 per cent to a record 20 per cent is expected to raise George Osborne about £2.3 billion in extra tax revenue from the capital, more than from any other region of the country.

But the burden falls disproportionately on London because so much of the nation's business and high value consumer spending is concentrated here.

Londoners will notice the difference in their cost of living from the moment they order their first latte of the day to a late night drink before bed.

Although many prices have simply been adjusted by the 2.1 per cent needed to keep pace with the VAT rise, others have gone up way beyond that. For clothes shoppers, high street fashion prices are expected to be up to eight per cent higher than last year once the sale stock is replaced by the new spring ranges."

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For Princess Kate Middleton, imagining a wedding gown | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/05/2011

For Princess Kate Middleton, imagining a wedding gown | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/05/2011: "So far, we know the royal newlyweds will not have servants in their house, at least for the first three years of their marriage. We've been told that Kate Middleton's life-size wax image won't join the rest of the royal brood at Madame Tussauds until the end of this year. And it was reported that the No Problem Orchestra, a group of Austrian disabled musicians, are to perform at the April 29 affair.

But one question remains: What - and maybe more important, who - will Kate wear when she walks down the aisle of Westminster Abbey to marry Prince William?

For fashionistas worldwide, this information is of the utmost importance.

Speculation has been intense"

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Visit London attractions in Volvo's free chauffer service - London Tourist Attraction News

Visit London attractions in Volvo's free chauffer service - London Tourist Attraction News: "Those visiting London attractions could get around the capital in style with Volvo's free chauffer service.

The car maker is celebrating the launch of the new Greener Vehicle Discount for London's Congestion Charge Zone with a free DRIVe low-emission chauffer service which visitors and residents are invited to use to get around the city.

New rules state that drivers of any Euro 5 compliant car with CO2 emissions under 100g/km will not have to pay the congestion tax.

Peter Rask, regional president of Volvo Car UK said: 'Through our ongoing Emissions Equality campaign, Volvo has been instrumental in persuading the Mayor to change the Congestion Charge rules and create a level playing field for all vehicles regardless of powertrain.'"

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Beckham's coming home? - Eleven UK

Beckham's coming home? - Eleven UK: "Can it be true? Are David Beckham, footballing hero, and his family returning to the UK?

Well possibly, but at the moment it's just for a few months. According to The Sun, the Beckham boys have been booked into a posh school near Beckingham Palace for three months.

A source close to the pricey private school told The Sun: 'All the staff are talking about it - everyone in the school knows.

'All three boys are coming. Everyone is looking forward to seeing them.'

Rumours that Becks may sign to Tottenham Hotspur while on loan from LA Galaxy have been all over the back pages and this is likely to fuel speculation.

However, it's more likely that Victoria Beckham is at the root of the move - apparently, she wants to be in the UK touting her wares in the run-up to London Fashion Week next month.

Even so, we're guessing parents' evening will be busier than usual."

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David Beckham's Tottenham deal draws closer

David Beckham's Tottenham deal draws closer: "DAVID BECKHAM'S move to Tottenham looks more likely with the news that the England footballer and wife Victoria have arranged for their three kids to attend a private school near a house they own in Hertfordshire.

David's possible temporary move would fit in well with Victoria's plans to be in town for London Fashion Week, which starts in the middle of February.

'All the staff are talking about it; everyone in the school knows,' a source told The Sun.

'All three boys are coming. Everyone is looking forward to seeing them.'

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has made no secret of his desire to bring Beckham to north London in a loan-deal with the player's main club, Los Angeles Galaxy, whose season has now ended."

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David Beckham will be home alone in London as Posh stays in LA - mirror.co.uk

David Beckham will be home alone in London as Posh stays in LA - mirror.co.uk: "DAVID Beckham will be home alone in London if he signs for Spurs – with Victoria refusing to uproot their kids from LA.

Victoria, 36, does not want to take Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, eight, and Cruz, five, out of school for David’s three-month loan spell – or disrupt her own fashion design business.

A pal said: “It would interrupt the kids’ studies and celebrities will be clamouring to wear her clothes at the upcoming Oscars, so it’s a key time for her business.”"

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Affordable luxury hotels in London

Affordable luxury hotels in London: "Luxury hotels in London conjure up images of the very grandest hotels. Ones that are famous the world over,like the Dorchester and Claridges. Where celebrities and movers and shakers from the world of business rub shoulders. The closest most of us get to hotels of this calibre is by booking afternoon tea for a special occasion. How the other half live!
If you walk down Park Lane you'll see one fabulous hotel after another. Luxury hotels in London really are off the scale when it comes to high class and elegance. Imagine staying here and looking out over Hyde Park each morning.
For us mere mortals, hotels in London don't just have to mean the glitz of Mayfair. There's far more to the city than this one district. A very swanky district admittedly. If you're looking for somewhere a little bit special to stay, the city has many hidden gems that will make your visit to the city a truly memorable one. Whether you want to surprise a loved one or want to  treat  a friend or family member, there's plenty of affordable luxury on offer in the capital."

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Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel is voted on of the world's best hotels - {Travel Daily News}

Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel is voted on of the world's best hotels - {Travel Daily News}: "Jumeirah Carlton Tower, the luxury Knightsbridge hotel, has been voted as one of the world's best hotels in Conde Nast Traveller magazine's seventh annual Gold List - one of only three UK hotels to be recognised for outstanding service.
The panel of judges cited the hotel's above and beyond service as the outstanding feature that propelled the hotel onto the Gold List. Feedback from the panel noted the Knightsbridge hotel staff are willing to go that extra mile, from preparing a private meal for two in the gardens of Cadogan Square to setting up cooking lessons with the chef.

Chosen by the magazine's editors and travel experts, the Gold List is a definitive guide to the top hotels worldwide, with properties judged on six criteria - ambience and design, location, food, rooms, leisure facilities and service.

Commenting on the accolade, Derek Picot, regional vice president in Europe for Jumeirah said: 'This is an exceptional achievement and I'm incredibly proud of my entire team who all deserve congratulations for the part they have played. It is testimony to our ongoing commitment to offer the very best in luxury hospitality and a great way to prepare for the hotel's 50th anniversary in 2011.'"

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Chicago Will Get a Langham Hotel in 2012, Right Next to Trump! || HotelChatter

Chicago Will Get a Langham Hotel in 2012, Right Next to Trump! || HotelChatter: "The Langham Hotels brand is well-loved in Hong Kong and London but stateside we haven't had that many opportunities to experience the brand as it only as two locations--one in Pasadena and another in Boston. But that will change in 2012.

The Langham Hotel Chicago will open inside the 52-story mixed-used building designed by Mies van der Rohe at 330 North Wabash. You may know it already as the IBM Building. The hotel portion will be on floors 2-13 with with a portion of the first floor and riverfront plaza.

The hotel is expected to house approximately 330 guestrooms and suites ranging from 525 square feet to well over 2,000 square feet, some of the largest rooms in Chicago, and all will feature large 5-fixture bathrooms. Guestrooms will have 9.5 foot ceilings with floor-to-ceiling windows providing dramatic views of the Chicago River, Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline.

The hotel will have a 'chef-driven' restaurant (of course), a wine room (ooo!), a fitness center, indoor pool, the Langham's signature Palm Court and Chuan Spa."

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Mr Marbella former urban-planning advisor Juan Antonio Roca, offered his much-awaited version of the saga

alleged mastermind of the money-for-votes system, the

last week.

Cool and composed, the stout man with greying sideburns known at the town hall as "the Boss" or "JR", after the character on the television show Dallas, denied accusations that he amassed his €2.4bn fortune in kickbacks and shady property deals. He carried out his case projecting documents from his laptop to a courthouse screen.

On Thursday, he denied police and media depictions of his ostentatious wealth, which allegedly included vintage cars, 275 paintings, a bull ranch, 100 purebred Andalusian horses and a mansion decorated with stuffed lions, giraffes and other wild game. Mr Roca reportedly sold much of his estate to pay legal fees and debts. "They've portrayed me as an eccentric guy without scruples who kills animals, cuts their heads off and hangs them out to dry," Mr Roca said. He even addressed the butt of many jokes in Spain: a supposed painting by Miró that police found hanging above his steamy spa bath. It was only a copy, he told the court.

The trial is the most visible sign of the crackdown against corruption in the country's freewheeling coastal towns; common wisdom is that political corruption in the Costa del Sol is as inevitable as sunburn or a pesky insect that the justice system swats half-heartedly but mostly ignores.

One of the defendants is the former Marbella police chief and another is a judge found guilty in 2008 of taking bribes from Mr Roca. Since the Marbella arrests in 2006, police have launched smaller-scale corruption investigations in the resort towns of Mallorca and Valencia and in the Canary Islands.

Local environmentalists, among the lone voices against Marbella's unchecked building spree, hope the trial deters future graft, but they do not expect much to change. Nearly all of the 18,500 homes built with illegal permits have been "normalised" in exchange fees or donated land from their developers, said Javier de Luis, president of the Marbella branch of the national environmental group, Ecologists in Action. He does not expect to see most of the prominent defendants behind bars. "They've hired the best law firms in Spain – they'll eat the prosecution with potatoes," he said. "The damage that they caused with this development barbarity wouldn't be cured with a trial." The case continues.:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.

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And So it Begins……China Bails Out Spain

And So it Begins……China Bails Out Spain: "China has stepped in to rescue Spain by purchasing that European country’s public debt, despite fears of an Irish-style bailout."

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The brand new superyacht Air in Gibraltar - Photo of the Day - SuperyachtTimes.com

The brand new superyacht Air in Gibraltar - Photo of the Day - SuperyachtTimes.com: "Last week we informed you about the recent delivery of Air, a brand new 47 metre Heesen. Photographer Giovanni Romero captured her on Christmas morning, as she entered the port of Gibraltar. Air is the sixth vessel in the 47-Metre displacement class. Air’s interior has been designed by Frank Laupman from Omega Architects, who created a classic contemporary style that makes use of ultra-modern loose furniture to create a cosy environment."

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Spanish aristocrats row over rights of succession | World news | The Guardian

Spanish aristocrats row over rights of succession | World news | The Guardian: "For centuries Spain's senior aristocrats, the grandees, ruled in feudal glory but a recent split in their governing body reveals they can no longer run even themselves.

A faction of grandees and nobles have walked out of the Deputation of the Grandees, the body that has represented them for the past two centuries, as tempers fray over changes to the rules governing the way titles are handed down.

'There is a split. Some of the oldest families are involved,' said one of their leaders, the count of Bilbao, who did not want to give names.

At the root of the rebels' decision to abandon the governing body lies a 2006 law that abolished male primogeniture. Titles must now be passed down the eldest child, regardless of sex.

'I don't think it is fair that my son, who grew up expecting the title, should not get it,' said the count. 'My daughters don't want the title, but there are three of them and they are all older.'"

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Spain's Famed Tapas Bars Go Smoke-Free

Spain's Famed Tapas Bars Go Smoke-Free: "Spanish sidewalks are crowded with smokers forced to light up outdoors for the first time today, after their government imposed one of the toughest smoking bans in all of Europe, bidding farewell to the smoky haze that used to envelop Spain's famed tapas bars.

The ban went into effect Sunday, at the end of the New Year holiday weekend when most cafes and businesses were closed. Today is the first real day of business under the new ban, which prohibits smoking in all restaurants, bars, cafes, airports and discos -- and even some outdoor spaces like park playgrounds and near the entrances to hospitals and schools. Hotels are still allowed to reserve about a third of their rooms for smokers."

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Beckham 'refuses Spice Girls reunion' - Digital Spy

Music - News - Beckham 'refuses Spice Girls reunion' - Digital Spy: "Victoria Beckham has reportedly declined an offer to perform with the Spice Girls at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

According to the News of the World, the singer wants to focus on motherhood and her fashion label and has given her blessing for the other girls to replace her. Husband David and band boss Simon Fuller are said to have been trying to persuade her to take part.

A source said: 'There is no way Victoria will perform with the Spice Girls ever again. She's not a spoilsport but she doesn't feel she's a good enough performer to go back there again all these years on. The others are keen to do the performance but it's just not for Victoria anymore.

'She has established herself so well in the fashion world now that she would feel it was a huge step backwards. She's also well aware she is not the strongest singer in the world so doesn't want to put herself in a position to be criticised again.'"

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Kate Middleton and Prince William £15 guided tour of royal couple's romantic London? | Mail Online

Kate Middleton and Prince William £15 guided tour of royal couple's romantic London? | Mail Online: "Roll up, roll up for the Royal Wedding Circus. There are still 117 days to go until April 29, but in the heart of London the Kate and Wills marketing and merchandising machine is already gearing up.

Do you wanna see where Kate’s great-grandfather (whose legacy paid for her expensive education) worked? You wanna see where Charles bought That Ring for Di? You wanna see where Wills climbed on to a nightclub table and yelled ‘I’m free’ after he dumped Kate in 2007? You wanna see their luxury love nest– sorry, the Royal couple’s historic London apartments?

Well, for the princely sum of £15, now you can. Kate and Wills might be forgiven for blushing at the oh-so-weird image of them engraved on the Royal Mint’s £5 engagement coin but with their hearty commitment to the great outdoors, even they might approve of this latest wheeze: a Kate and Wills walking tour of the capital."

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Luxury Langham Hotel to Anchor 330 North Wabash Redevelopment on Chicago's Riverfront -- CHICAGO, Dec. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

Luxury Langham Hotel to Anchor 330 North Wabash Redevelopment on Chicago's Riverfront -- CHICAGO, Dec. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --: "Oxford Capital Group, LLC and Langham Hotels and Resorts announced plans to relaunch the development of a luxury hotel at Mies van der Rohe's 330 North Wabash, one of the most architecturally significant buildings on Chicago's Riverfront.  The new Langham Chicago Hotel, expected to open in 2012, will join The Langham Huntington, Pasadena and The Langham Hotel Boston as the third US location for Langham.  Including the flagship Langham Hotel London, which opened its doors in 1865, the Langham collection of hotels includes 22 locations open or under construction in eight countries, comprising nearly 7,000 rooms.
'We love the waterfront location and iconic building. We couldn't be more excited about planting the Langham brand in the heart of downtown Chicago and working with such a great local team,' said David Hennefer, president of Pacific Eagle Holdings, a U.S.-based affiliate of Langham."

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Sahara buys London hotel for Rs 3,290 cr

Sahara buys London hotel for Rs 3,290 cr: "In the largest overseas acquisition by an Indian company in the hospitality sector, Sahara India Pariwar of Subrata Roy has acquired iconic Governor House, a 5-star luxury hotel run by JW Marriott in Central London from The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc for around £470 million (around Rs 3,290 crore).

“The valuation of the hotel, three years back was more than £1 billion. The valuation, even today is quite high but due to highly satisfactory due diligence by the Royal Bank of Scotland which owned the property and after long and strict negotiations, we have purchased it for £470 million,” said Subrata Roy Sahara, Managing Worker & Chairman, Sahara Group. Royal Bank of Scotland took control of the property — which was once home to the Duke of Westminster — in 2001 when it paid £1.2 billion for 12 Le Meridien hotels as part of a sale- and-leaseback deal."

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