How Posh! Beckhams 'invited to William and Kate's wedding'

By FAY SCHLESINGER

Off to the Abbey: David and Victoria Beckham look set to get a nice golden-embossed invitation on their doormat


David and Victoria Beckham have been invited to the royal wedding, sources indicated last night.

In a decision approved by the Queen and Prince Charles, the footballer and his wife are likely to be among the most high-profile celebrities on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s guest list of 1,900.

When the prince, who is president of the Football Association, and Beckham met in South Africa during last year’s World Cup they were said by insiders to ‘get on like a house on fire, professionally and personally’.

They also led England’s failed bid for the 2018 World Cup, while fashion designer Mrs Beckham revealed this month that she is sending a selection of dresses to the bride-to-be.

Courtiers said yesterday that the pews at Westminster Abbey will contain a ‘small number’ of A-list stars and a ‘good proportion’ of soldiers and pilots, as well as more than 1,000 friends and family and 80 charity workers to reflect the prince’s ‘fairly ordinary life’ living in North Wales and serving with the RAF.

William, 28, drew inspiration from Prince Andrew’s 1986 wedding, when he was a serving naval officer, a senior royal aide revealed – despite William failing to invite his uncle’s ex-wife and close friend Sarah Ferguson.


Getting ready for the big day: Prince William and Kate Middleton


Elegant: The Royal wedding invitation


Sticking with royal protocol, about 200 political figures – including Prime Minister David Cameron, his deputy Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband – and 100 foreign royals and dignitaries have been asked.

But American President Barack Obama and French president Nicolas Sarkozy are thought to have been omitted because the wedding is not classed as a full state occasion as William is not yet heir to the throne.

Corgi crass: 'downright silly'
Corgis wearing crowns and union jacks with the slogan 'let them eat cake' are among the mementoes being sold by Kate Middleton's parents to mark the wedding.

Carole and Mike Middleton's mail order firm Party Pieces has launched a range of products apparently designed to cash in on the street parties expected to be held on April 29.

Beckham and the prince showed their closeness in Johannesburg last summer when William joked that an intruder who had got into the England players’ dressing room was actually him in a football shirt.

He then made Beckham, 35, burst out laughing by adding: ‘(Prince) Harry and I left the door open, that’s why it happened. It was our fault.’

Mrs Beckham, who is five months pregnant with the couple’s fourth child, heaped praise on Kate, 29, during a preview of her autumn/winter 2011 line at New York Fashion Week.

The former Spice Girl, 36, said: ‘Apparently, she likes my clothes and has asked to see a selection. I admire her tremendously. She’s a beautiful young girl, she has a wonderful figure and I think she wears clothes beautifully.’

The couple are thought to have been invited to the ceremony on April 29 and may also have been asked to a lunchtime buffet for 600 people hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.


Busy lady: A member of the Lord Chamberlain's Office inserts Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding invitations into envelopes at Buckingham Palace


A senior courtier said of William and Kate: ‘The couple have made their own decisions about who to invite, with input from the Queen and Prince of Wales.

Kate's no style queen, says Viv
We don’t know who will create Kate’s wedding dress – but after some cutting words yesterday, it’s not likely to be Dame Vivienne Westwood.

The controversial 69-year-old designer appeared to suggest that the bride-to-be was not stylish enough to wear one of her outfits.

‘I would have loved to have dressed Kate Middleton but I have to wait until she kind of catches up a bit somewhere with style,’ she said.





source: dailymail

Chipolatas and mini pizzas! Step-mum-in-law to be Camilla advises bride-to-be Kate ahead of royal wedding (well, she would know...)

By RICHARD KAY

Lunch date: Prince William's fiancée went for lunch with the woman who will soon be her step mother-in law, the Duchess of Cornwall, for a primer on marrying into the Royal Family yesterday


Leaning in close to each other across the lunch table, the two women were deep in conversation.

Then the word ‘advice’ rang out across the busy restaurant.

The listener was Kate Middleton and the woman offering words of wisdom was none other than the former Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles.


This was the extraordinary scene yesterday as Prince William’s fiancée went for lunch with the woman who will soon be her step mother-in law, the Duchess of Cornwall, for a primer on marrying into the Royal Family.

Camilla, of course, knows all about advising princesses in waiting. Thirty years ago she sat down with a teenage Lady Diana Spencer in the run-up to her marriage to the Prince of Wales.

These days Camilla is part of the family and a vital sounding board for 29-year-old Kate as she counts down the days to her own wedding at Westminster Abbey in April.

And it was the wedding that was very much on their minds as they were joined by Kate’s sister Pippa and Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopez in Koffman’s, the new restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, opened last year by three Michelin-starred chef Pierre Koffman.


Future queens: Camilla and Kate were joined by Kate's sister Pippa and Camilla's daughter Laura Lopez in Koffman's, the new restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge


That they chose to meet in such a high-profile venue in one of London’s top hotels - in clear view of other diners - was intriguing when they could have dined discreetly at Clarence House or any other royal address.

Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring sparkled on Kate’s finger as excited chatter about the wedding filled the air.

A fellow diner, sitting just two tables away, tells me: ‘All four women were talking away like mad and none of the waiters could get a word in edgeways to serve their lunch. Kate looked fantastic in a very short black skirt, black opaque tights, a short jacket and boots.

‘I heard Camilla saying... “if I can give you one bit of advice...” Kate was really enjoying the moment.

‘I did hear talk of trumpets and someone said “we can’t have trumpets, the ceiling is too high’’, which may have been a reference to Westminster Abbey.’


Me and my shadow: Kate and her police protection officer. Camilla and Kate's security sat at an adjacent table while the ladies talked about the much anticipated wedding


The duchess, in a purple tweed suit and with a glass of red wine in hand, was in charge during the three-hour lunch.

In fact, I understand that Camilla, who has dined at Koffman’s before, made the reservation.

Her food writer son, Tom Parker Bowles, is a friend of the master chef.

‘They were all getting on very well and they clearly hadn’t asked for an out-of-the-way table and nor did they attempt to lower their voices,’ the diner said.

‘It was high spirits all round. Kate and Pippa were sitting on banquettes with their backs to the wall opposite Camilla and Laura.


Effortless glamour: Kate is mastering the art of simple chic. Her style is already being copied all over the world with shoppers clamouring to get their hands on copycat dresses


‘There was one moment which was clearly meant to be amusing when Kate said “what happens if William doesn’t turn up?’’ Someone else then asked “is it going to be a sit-down lunch?’’

‘They followed that with talk of menus. I heard chipolatas, sausages on sticks and mini pizzas, but I don’t know whether it was ironic or not.’

The lunch party was completed by Kate and Camilla’s police protection officers.
The two gun-carrying women bodyguards sat at an adjoining table as the four women gossiped away.

Kate and William are still fine-tuning the wedding guest list.
More than 1,800 invitations are due to be sent out later this month.


source: dailymail

Kung Hei Fat Choi! The Chinese Year of the Rabbit gets off to a spectacular start with awesome firework displays across the glo

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Happy New Year! The Beijing skyline is lit up by thousands of firework displays across the city as festivities get off to a cracking start


The Chinese New Year of the Rabbit got off to a fire-cracking start on Wednesday as these spectacular images from festivities all over the Chinese-speaking world show.

And not content with one day of celebrations, the Chinese New Year lasts for more than two weeks, coinciding with new moon on the first day and culminating with the full moon 15 days later with the Lantern Festival.

New Year is a national holiday in China and it is by far the biggest, brightest and most important celebration in their annual calender.


All together now: Thousands of worshippers gather to light joss sticks at the Xingtian Temple in Taipei as the Year of the Tiger comes to an end


The Year of the Rabbit promises to be a placid year of calm reflection following the ferocious year of the Tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac which attributes animal characteristics for each year.

According to tradition, it is also destined to be a year characterised by good taste and refinement, when people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force.

International relations and diplomacy will be conducted with congeniality - which will be music to the ears of Western nations currently trying to cash-in on China's booming trade and increasing prominence as a super-power.

Chinese communities across the UK are set to continue the celebrations tonight. Although party-poopers in Scotland are trying to prevent revelers from releasing traditional lanterns.


Party time: Performers were celebrating with amazing displays of Kung Fu in Longtan Park in Beijing. But revelers in the UK have been asked not to light the popular Chinese lanterns are they can cause harm to livestock



Light up light up! The Singapore skyline blazed with fantastic firework displays as they ushered in the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit on the banks of the River Hongbao last night


Farming organisations say the lanterns, which are made from very fine pieces of paper held in a balloon shape by a thin metal wire or piece of bamboo, can cause serious harm to livestock if they are ingested or become entangled.

They also present a risk to dry standing crops, trees and farm buildings if they land while still alight and are calling for a blanket ban on the use of sky lanterns, as is the case in German and Lithuania.

Meanwhile, coastguards in Scotland have warned that the lanterns can be mistaken for distress flares.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said there had been a 25 per cent increase in Scotland of incidents where rescuers have been called out after the public have mistaken the colourful lanterns for distress flares.


Celebration: Performers dance for the huge crowds that gathered to see in the Chinese New year in Singapore where almost 75 per cent of the population are Chinese


Blaze of glory: Revelers on the streets cover their ears as fire crackers are set off throughout Singapore as part of the New Year celebrations


Traditions: The Chinese Year of the Rabbit signifies are year of sophistication and sensitivity. The Chinese believe that people born in the year of the rabbit are sociable and cultural people who are also reserved by nature


The colourful party lights - which hang in the air - can be almost identical to red emergency flares.

'We would appeal to people not to let off these lanterns without telling us in advance. We don't want to spoil people's fun but these lanterns can cause us a big problem,' said a spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The Chinese lantern bill for just launching the lifeboats last year has been put by the RNLI at nearly £150,000. The organisation estimates that it costs £5800 each time an all-weather lifeboat is launched and £2,200 for an inshore craft.
Some worried callers have also mistaken the lights for UFOs.


Many happy returns: The celebrations lasted well into the night and was very much a family occasion as Singapore put on a spectacular display to usher in the new year


Going global: Chinese residents in the Indian city of Koklata celebrated in typically colourful style, performing a dragon dance at the 'city gates'


Chinese new year @ Beijing


Hangzhou Chinese New Year fireworks 2011


Chinese New Year 2011 in Beijing


source: dailymail

Death toll in Australia floods reaches 22 as water in Brisbane continues to 'rise and swallow up' the city

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Brisbane Street in Ipswich city centre has been partially submerged with deep flood water, meaning local residents have to use boats to get about


Death toll of 22 already worse than 1974 tragedy

Disaster could cut 1 per cent off GDP

Queensland Premier says situation is 'deeply serious'


Deadly floodwaters that have cut a swath across northeast Australia shut down the centre of Brisbane, the nation's third-largest city, today, sending thousands fleeing from their homes.

Unconfirmed reports say that at least 22 people have so far died in Australia's north-eastern state of Queensland and a further 67 remain missing from tsunami-like flash floods that tore through townships west of the city this week.

Almost 20,000 homes in Brisbane were expected to be swamped in the city of about two million by the time the Brisbane River reaches its expected peak tomorrow, Mayor Campbell Newman said.

Brisbane residents today pushed food-laden shopping carts through drowned streets, others waded in shoulder-high water to rescue possessions, while boats and pontoons were ripped from moorings in the Brisbane River and smashed into bridges as the muddy brown tide gathered strength.

At flooded intersections people paddled surfboards through floodwaters, balancing their possessions on the deck of the boards, while boats ferried evacuees to dry ground.

'I am feeling a sense of horror and awe at the power of the river. Sadly in coming hours we will see bits of people's homes float down the river,' Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman said, warning the torrent could take three to four days to subside.


Submerged: Homes near Ipswich are swallowed up by rising water. The town's mayor described the scenes as 'heartbreaking'


Rescue crews took advantage of some rare sunshine to look for the dozens still missing, feared dead in the flood waters.

'We can take no comfort from that blue sky,' Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh told reporters.

'The water and the rain have already done their damage. This is a deeply serious natural disaster.'

The peak will arrive within the next few hours in Ipswich, a satellite town to the west.

'The water is rising and swallowing up the city. It's really heartbreaking,' said Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale.


Diversion: The Ipswich motorway, west of Brisbane, is cut off by flood water. At least 22 people have so far died in the Queensland floods


Businesses in the Brisbane suburb of Milton sit under several feet of water after the devastating floods


The trouble started after drenching rains in Australia's north-eastern state of Queensland that began in November sent swollen rivers spilling over their banks, inundating an area larger than France and Germany combined.

The crisis escalated when a violent storm sent a 26-foot, fast-moving torrent - described as an 'inland instant tsunami' - crashing through the city of Toowoomba and smaller towns to the west of Brisbane on Monday.

Some 200,000 people have already been affected by the disaster, which has caused billions of pounds of damage and is already worse than the floods that hit Brisbane in 1974, killing 14.

The biggest floods in a century have crippled the coking coal industry in the mining state, destroying infrastructure, putting a brake on the economy and sending the local currency to four-week lows.



A man rescues a kangaroo that was helplessly drifting in floodwaters near the bridge at One Mile in Ipswich


Police in the Brisbane inner city suburb of West End wade through water as they check for stranded residents


Teenagers make their way through a flooded street in the Brisbane suburb of Breakfast Creek. Thousands of residents of Australia's third-largest city have been evacuated from their homes


The overall economic impact will be devastating, with one central bank board member saying today that the disaster could cut 1 per cent off growth - equal to almost $13 billion, double the previous highest estimate.

The Australian dollar sank to a fresh four-week low of $0.9803 on the comments from Warwick McKibbin, an academic and a member of the central bank's policy-making board.

Treasurer Wayne Swan in November forecast GDP growth of 3.25 per cent in fiscal 2010-11, up from a 3.0 per cent projection, but said spending would be cut to ensure a surplus of A$3.1 billion or 0.2 per cent of GDP in 2012/13.

Food prices are surging around the country as the floods ruin Queensland crops and distribution networks. Prices for tomatoes have leapt about 200 per cent in two weeks, while beef is up 11 per cent and wheat has risen 4 per cent in four months.


Watch this space: Floodwaters stretch towards the skyscrapers of Brisbane, seen in the distance, from the outer south-western suburbs


Breaking point: The swollen Brisbane River, which is struggling to contain excess water released from local dams, is ready to burst its banks onto the central business district


Some of the scenes today in Brisbane were surreal, with early-morning joggers trying to carry on as normal, even though parts of their routes were underwater. Others were distraught.

'This is my whole life, everything is gone. I never thought it would get this bad,' said Kim Hung, manager of the Salt 'n' Pepper catering business, as two friends floated a coffee machine toward higher ground.

Raw sewage began spilling into the river and creeks, prompting authorities to warn of a heightened disease risk as damaged water treatment works polluted the floodwaters.

It has been estimated that up to 45,000 people will be affected by the floods. The military is running relief flights with helicopters and C-130 transports.


Shelter: Flood victims evacuated to the RNA Showgrounds lie down on makeshift beds. Evacuations are underway in several towns and suburbs in and around Brisbane


Dams built to protect Brisbane and outlying towns were spilling floodwaters into swollen rivers. The Port of Brisbane was closed, shutting down Australia's third-busiest container port and a 5-million-tonnes-a-year coal-loading facility.

Australia is the world's biggest exporter of coking coal, which is used in steel manufacturing and accounts for more than half of global exports, and is also the second-biggest exporter of thermal coal used for power generation.

Power company Energex shut power to some low-lying areas of Brisbane, including parts of the financial district, for fear that live power lines could electrify floodwaters. Some 78,000 homes in the southeast of Queensland were without electricity.


Queensland's Deadly Floods



Australian Floods 2011 - Queensland is Crying



The Australia Floods - Toowoomba Flood



Brisbane Flooding: 20,000 Homes At Risk


source: dailymail

We know we're lucky to have our four miracles - but we'll never forget the two we lost

By HELEN WEATHERS

Little miracles: Vicky and Andy with their four surviving sextuplets, from left, Ellen, Eric, Layla and Rose


Sextuplets mother Vicky Lamb shares the joy - and anguish - of a tumultuous first year...

At the stroke of midnight, Vicky and Andy Lamb saw in the New Year with four bottles — not champagne, but the small plastic variety topped up with infant formula for their quartet of young babies.

Every evening the Lambs set the alarm for midnight to wake them from their bleary-eyed slumber — usually on the sofa in the living room — to give seven-and-a-half month old Layla, Eric, Ellen and Rose their ‘dream feed’, and New Year’s Eve was no exception.


Fab four: The Lamb babies when they were a few days old...


It takes a full hour to feed all four infants before these proud, but exhausted, parents can finally climb the stairs and collapse into bed before the whole feeding, burping, changing, cuddling, playing, napping and washing routine starts afresh — and Vicky and Andy wouldn’t have it any other way.


.. and happy and healthy a year on


‘When we look at them all sleeping peacefully, sometimes we just can’t believe they are finally here, home with us,’ says Vicky, 32, a former ­nursery manager from Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

‘For us, 2010 was such an emotional, life-changing, traumatic year. So what we are hoping for in 2011 is health and happiness for our children.’


Precious delivery: Vicky with newborn Ellen, at one time it was feared none of the sextuplets would survive


‘There were tears of sadness for Matthew and Pippa, tears because I felt so tired and disappointed that Christmas wasn’t how I’d hoped, but also tears of happiness and thanks that we still have Layla, Eric, Ellen and Rose.

‘But when they smile, all the pain and heartbreak has been worth it. Sometimes I just can’t believe that these four lovely babies are really ours.’


source: dailymail

Met Office knew big freeze was coming but hushed it up

By RACHEL QUIGLEY

Cars try to make their way through the centre of York in the snow at the start of December. Councils could have been better prepared for the cold snap if they had been pre-warned by the Met Office


The Met Office warned ministers to expect an ‘exceptionally cold winter’ but then kept the prediction secret from the public.

The forecaster decided not to reveal the information because it was embarrassed after wrongly predicting a ‘barbecue summer’ in 2009, BBC analyst Roger Harrabin said.

Instead of a seasonal forecast, it offered only monthly snapshots.


Snow ploughs struggle to clear the taxi ways at Heathrow Airport after heavy snowfall in late December. Thousands were stranded at the airport as flights were cancelled and the airport struggled to clear the backlog


The disclosure raises questions over whether transport authorities and councils could have been better prepared for the cold snap which brought chaos before Christmas.

As temperatures fell to a record low, train services were badly disrupted, roads were covered by snow and thousands were stranded at Heathrow as flights were cancelled and the airport struggled to clear the backlog.

Last night Mr Harrabin said: ‘With Britain shivering through a third winter in a row, shouldn’t the weather forecasters have warned us well in advance? Why didn’t the Met Office tell us?

‘The truth is it did suspect we were in for an exceptionally cold early winter, and told the Cabinet Office so in October.


A train skulks through the snow in Horley, Surrey. Train services were badly disrupted last month after transport authorities failed to prepare properly for the immense snowfall


A water fountain was frozen solid in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, after freezing temperatures in December last year


Campaigners have claimed it has become too interested in calling for action to cut carbon emissions.

They say it is in thrall to a belief that temperatures will rise in the long term, and so has neglected its focus on accurate short and medium term forecasts.

The BBC announced last year that it was considering dropping the Met Office as its official forecaster after 87 years. But in July it decided to extend the contract for a further five years.


Ducks waddle across a completely frozen River Ouse in York on Christmas Day


The Cabinet Office said that Met Office forecasts are shared ‘as appropriate’ but could not say if roads authorities, airports and water companies had been passed the explicit deep freeze alert.

A spokesman said: ‘The Met Office provides the Government with regular updates throughout the year to inform short, medium and longer term planning. This information is shared as appropriate between departments and with local responders.

‘Government departments have, since winter 2009, continued to enhance preparedness and build resilience, informed by Met Office advice as well as the recommendations from David Quarmby’s review into last winter’s disruption and Dame Deirdre Hine’s review of the 2009 swine flu pandemic.’


source: dailymail

Meet the real Happy Feet! Baby penguin can't contain his excitement as snow starts to fall

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Full of the joys: The penguin dances around the compound, much to the bemusement of his friends


It's normally little children that get excited at the sight of their first snowflake.

As permanent residents of the chilly, snow-covered South Pole, you'd think for penquins it would all be a bit, well, mundane.

Not so for this little chap who clearly couldn't control his excitement as the white stuff started to fall.

Looking like the real-life star of animated film Happy Feet, the baby penguin tears up and down while his bemused friends look on.

Or maybe he's a fan of penguin-suited dance legend Fred Astaire, who often went through his paces wearing a top hat and tails.

The clip was posted on YouTube two days ago and has already attracted thousands of views.


Inspiration: Is our dancing penguin a film fan? If so he might have seen Happy Feet or one of Fred Astaire's many films


In the Happy feet film, Mumble the penguin is cast as an outsider because he has a terrible singing voice. But he soon becomes the star of the show when he discovers he has talent for something none of his friends has seen before - tap dancing.







source: dailymail

New Year celebrations in Times Square

Revellers cheer as confetti falls during New Year celebrations in Times Square in New York January 1, 2011.



Confetti is dropped on revellers at midnight during New Year celebrations in Times Square in New York, January 1, 2011.




NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 01: Fireworks go off at the strike of midnight in Times Square January 01, 2011 in New York City. This year a 11,875-pound Waterford crystal ball descended a 141-foot tall flagpole to mark the beginning of 2011.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singers Taio Cruz and Ke$ha celebrate New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: A general view of atmosphere during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Ke$ha performs during New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.




NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Miss USA Rima Fakih celebrates New Year's Eve 2011 in Times Square on December 31, 2010 in New York City.


Midnight - New Years Eve 2010 / New Years Day 2011



Times Square New Years Eve 2011 ( New York)



source : Daylife
photo: Gettyimages