Italy's prime minister and his wife have clashed publicly after reports his party planned to field attractive young women as European election candidates.
Veronica Lario said the plan amounted to "shameless rubbish" being put on "for the entertainment of the emperor".
Silvio Berlusconi said she had been misled by left-wing media reports that TV stars, actresses and an ex-beauty queen were among potential candidates.
But only one of the so-called "show girl" candidates made the party list.
Ms Lario vented her feelings in an email to the Italian news agency Ansa, which was then picked up by the national newspapers.
She said it was "to entertain the emperor" that beautiful young women were fielded to stand as candidates for Mr Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PdL) party in June's European Parliament election
"But behind the facade of curvaceous feminine beauty, what is even more serious is (Mr Berlusconi's) impudence and lack of reserve" she continued, it offends "the credibility of all women".
Mr Berlusconi later told reporters that he was sorry his wife had apparently believed "what she read in the papers".
He said his party was aiming to select female candidates because "we want to renew our political class with people who are cultivated and well prepared".
Candidates standing for the PdL would be unlike the "malodorous and badly dressed people who represent certain parties in parliament", Mr Berlusconi added.
Ms Lario, who is Mr Berlusconi's second wife and herself a former actress, said she wanted to make clear that "my children and I are victims and not accomplices in this situation".
"We must endure it and it causes us to suffer," she added.
It was later announced that Barbara Matera - an actress, TV announcer and former Miss Italy contestant - was the only one of the "showgirl candidates" as the Italian media dubbed them to have made the final list.
src:bbc news

SARAH Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick are expecting twin girls through a surrogate, the pair have confirmed.
People magazine quoted a representative as saying the couple were "happily anticipating the birth of their twin daughters later this summer with the generous help of a surrogate".
Parker, 44, and Broderick, 47, have a six-year-old son together. It has been reported the couple have tried to have more children but not had any luck.
Last year the couple refused to comment on reports Broderick had an affair with another woman. - AFP

Haifa Wehbe tied the knot on Friday and has entered The Golden Cage with Ahmad Abu Hashimeh.The wedding was a star-studded one with attendees from around the Arab music & movie world.Famous people were there to share the happiness with Haifa like Ahlam, Ragheb Alamah, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Shireen Abdel Wahab & Najwa Karam.Assalah couldn't be there, because she had previous engagements and Amr Diab was MIA for an unknown reason!
It was reported that the wedding ceremony, which was held at the prestigious BIEL Center in Beirut, will be broadcast LIVE, but that turned out to be just one of those rumors!Unfortunately, there were no press access was given to any media outlet to take photos of the wedding and the bride and groom, but Haifa will be considering selling the photos to one magazine exclusively.The race for publishing rights is on and the price will surely be high!Which lucky magazine will win the right of publishing the photos? We still don't know!So, the only photo of Haifa and her hubby Ahmad is the one above and we'll be on our toes awaiting the actual wedding photos.

Back to the wedding details, Haifa entered and exited the wedding hall through a secret way, in order to dodge the hoards of paparazzi who were drooling over a glimpse of the bride!Haifa and Ahmad entered the wedding hall accompanied by the famous music of 'Mission Impossible' ! Strange choice!The it was a traditional 'Zaffeh' accompanied by the song 'Ya Salat Ezzine'.Haifa strutted her curvy figure in two wedding dresses, one from Dolce & Gabbana and the other from Lebanese designer, Fouad Sarkis.
After the bash, which lasted until the wee hours of the morning, Haifa and her groom jetted off to the Italian island of Capri for their honeymoon.
Congratulation Haifa and Ahmad!

The medical examiner Kay Scarpetta will soon be operating on the big screen with the beautiful Angelina Jolie wielding the scalpel.
The division Fox 2000, of the studios at Twentieth Century Fox, has in fact acquired the screen rights, or more precisely the new version, of the best seller by author Patricia Cornwell "Untitled Kay Scarpetta Project".
Despite efforts by Columbia to acquire the rights, Fox 2000 have finally obtained the agreement of the writer.
It proved necessary for the actress and the film's producer Geyer Kosinski to meet the author in order to seal the deal.
In anticipation, we will be able to see Angelina Jolie in the thriller "Salt", adding her voice to the animation movie "Kung Fu Panda 2" and maybe once again appearing alongside James McAvoy in the sequel to "Wanted".

Hollywood star Angeline Jolie, currently in India shooting with Brad Pitt, has reportedly started the proceedings to adopt a baby from India. And whether it is a boy or a girl, the name is most likely to be India.Angelina has two adopted children – Cambodian Maddox and Zahara from Ethiopia. Jolie gave birth to Brad Pitts daughter Shiloh Novel Jolie Pitt this year.Shiloh Novel Jolie Pitt has already found a place in Madame Tussauds, the famous wax replica museum.Brad Pitt reportedly wants to adopt a boy, but Angelina has not made up her mind on that.Brangelina hope to celebrate this Christmas with the new baby.Jolie and Pitt have reportedly visited Priya Darshini orphanage near Pune and filed for an application for adoption.The Hollywood celebrity couple is currently shooting for A Mighty Heart, based on slain Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl’s life. The movie is being produced by Brad Pitt.Jolie reportedly wants to create a multi-cultural family with kids from all over the world.But there are also reports that there are some disagreements between Bad Pitt and Angelina Jolie over pursuing more adoptions as Brad prefers concentrating on the kids they have, while Jolie is all set to usher in what she calls Rainbow family. Meanwhile, the world waits for India.

The President of the United States and his bare chest grace the May cover of Washingtonian magazine in an issue featuring a list of "Reasons We Love Washington."
The Commander-in-Briefs ranks No. 2 on the tally. His position is explained with the accompanying phrase, "Our neighbor is hot."
The cover photo was shot by paparazzi while the then-President-elect was on vacation in his native Hawaii in late December. Washingtonian made a few edits to the original photo -- changing Barack Obama's bathing suit from black to red and editing out the background.
Some critics are calling the cover disrespectful, asking if the magazine would put similar shirtless photos of Presidents Clinton, Bush or Reagan on a cover. But Washingtonian editor at large defends his latest decision.
"You have a buff president and the paparazzi like taking shirtless photos of him," Garret Graff told ABC News. Obama in D.C. is "really hot," she added. The magazine tried to "capture the energy and excitement" over the Obamas and "have a little fun."

Here's the new cover girl in FHM - Cheryl Tweedy. She's the breakout star from Girls Aloud and Britain’s hottest female group since the Spice Girls. No doubt why FHM had chosen her.Are we forget about the Spice Girls?....Yes?! Lets feel the sensation from the youngster after the jump
Cheryl Tweedy is the breakout star from Girls Aloud, Britain’s hottest female group since the Spice Girls. "We would love to have the same success as the Spice Girls, they really made it,” she says. “They paved the way for girl groups and we’d love to think this is our time now."
Cheryl Tweedy TriviaWon a Sun Online poll in January 2006 to find the celebrity people would most like to see topless on Page 3. Was involved in an altercation with a nightclub toilet attendant, Sophie Amogbokpa, in the Drink nightclub in Guildford, UK. Tweedy was subsequently charged with racially aggravated assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. (January 11, 2003) Member of the group Girls Aloud. Nickname: Chez Ranked #2 in FHM 100 Sexiest Women 2005 Was working as a waitress when she entered the UK talent-search show Popstars The Rivals. In Popstars The Rivals she received the most votes in the poll to choose the girls for the all-female group Girls Aloud, and was thus the first to be picked for the group. Won the following competitions as a child: Boots bonniest baby, Mothercare Happy Faces Portrait competition, Best looking girl of Newcastle, The Evening Chronicle 'little miss & mister' and Most attractive girl at the Metro Centre. Appeared in two British Gas adverts, an SCS advert, and an Eldon Square Christmas advert with younger brother Garry. Favorite Film: GHOST Favorite Actor: George Clooney Favorite Actress: Jennifer Lopez Favorite Place: In front of the fire Favorite Destination: Caribbean Favorite Book: The Twits Favorite Food: Chinese Worst Food: Peanut butter or olives Likes: Clothes and make-up Dislikes: Nasty people Hobbies: Dancing Bad habit: Leaving the bath water in Most embarrassing moment: When a train door shut on my head Most impressive person you've ever met: Tom Jones First record bought: Rick Astley (Never Gonna Give You Up) First concert: Steps Describe yourself in 3 words: Funny, caring and emotional Rule of life: Never have regrets, just learn from your mistakes

Hollywood’s Leading Ladies Give The Red Carpet The Bare Shoulder Treatment

A woman left covered in bruises after apparently being slapped in the face by a police sergeant at the vigil of Ian Tomlinson says she is shocked by the incident.
The Metropolitan police last night suspended the sergeant involved, a member of the Territorial Support Group. He had concealed his badge number before lashing out at the woman with his baton at the memorial protest on 2 April, the day after newspaper seller Tomlinson collapsed and died after apparently being assaulted by police.
The woman, Nicky, who is from Brighton, said: "I'm shocked at the way the police treated me."
She also expressed thanks to Tristan Woodwards, the 25-year-old IT assistant who filmed the incident and passed his evidence to the Guardian after uploading it onto Youtube. "I just want to thank the guy who took that video," she said.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission announced it would investigate the alleged attack, although the woman has said she has yet to make a formal complaint.
However, after returning from the vigil at the Bank of England, her family took photographs of her injuries and she is believed to have a medical report.
The footage and series of photographs appear to show the sergeant hitting Nicky across the face with the back of his hand, and saying: "Go away."
Nicky, clutching a carton of orange juice and digital camera, remonstrates with the officer and can be heard swearing. The sergeant is then seen drawing a baton from his pocket and striking her on her legs.
The footage is not clear, but Nicky appears to fall to the ground. The crowd erupts angrily with chants of "shame on you".
Her sister, Natalie Thomson, said: "We've been watching the news and it has turned into such a big story now. I was shocked when all the bruising came up. She was struck at least twice with his baton. She went there as a peaceful protester. She has no criminal record and she has been assaulted."

U.S. pop star Britney Spears is allegedly so in love with her new Muslim man she's considering converting to Islam to marry him, British press reports revealed.

Spears, 26, and paparazzi boss Adnan Ghalib, 35, have been together for around two-weeks, sparking huge media attention about her questionable mental health and his real intentions.

The couple claim to be very much in love and the troubled star's friends have reportedly said that she is so in love with him that she plans to marry him and convert to Islam, the UK's News of The World (NOTW) reported.

In a phone call to Ghalib's relatives, who live in the UK city of Birmingham, Spears is reported to have told them, "I love him" and "we're taking care of each other. He's the only one who understands me. It's serious," NOTW revealed.

British press speculated about Ghalib's intentions with The Sun reporting that he has been bragging about how he plotted, for two years, to get close to the star in order to sell his story and make a fortune.

According to NOTW, Ghalib has already offered industry heads topless photos of Spears for a hefty price of an estimated US $ 5 million.

NOTW also revealed that Ghalib's Sunni Muslim family in Birmingham are so horrified by his antics they have disowned him.

One family member told the paper: "His parents are devastated. This week his dad gave him an ultimatum, ‘Give up Britney, or you are dead to me,' which Adnan ignored."

Spears, who was previously believed to be part of the mystic Jewish faith Kabbalah, is said to be talking about plans to fake her own death and move to Pakistan with her new lover, according to The Sun newspaper.

A German TV presenter is under fire after he grabbed his colleague’s breast on a live prime time show.
Hans Blomberg, 31, was announcing the results of a public vote for a song contest when he fondled his colleague, 28-year-old Susanka Bersin
An affront: Hans Blomberg grabs Susanka Bersin’s chest during the broadcast
As the results came in, Blomberg joked: ‘But the two most beautiful points remain with me’ – before he grabbed at Bersin’s cleavage.
Bersin was shocked and immediately slapped him in the face.

United States President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday, saying the next 18 months could be "critical" for the war-torn country, which would soon have to look after itself.

Obama, who has called for an end to U.S. combat operations in Iraq by August next year, also pledged he would stick to a timetable for all American troops to leave the country by the end of 2011.
"It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis. They need to take responsibility for their country ... in order to do that they need to make political accommodations," Obama told some 1,500 troops at a base outside Baghdad.

"They need to take responsibility for their country," he said, noting that the next 18 months "could be critical" for the nation invaded by a U.S.-led coalition in March 2003.

The U.S. president's trip came just two days before the sixth anniversary of the toppling of Saddam Hussein and amid a spate of recent attacks that have killed dozens and wounded hundreds more.

Upon lannding Obama was immediately rushed off to meet Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. army commander in Iraq at the start of his short trip, and met Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki at a U.S. airbase outside Baghdad.

"You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement, and for that you have the thanks of the American people," Obama told the troops.

As well as the planned U.S. withdrawal, Obama and Odierno talked about diplomatic and political challenges, the need to build strong Iraqi institutions and the importance of future general elections.
Bad weather prevented Obama from flying to the Green Zone, the heavily guarded compound that houses the Iraqi government in central Baghdad. But both Prime Minister Maliki and President Jala Talabani travelled to Camp Victory, the sprawling U.S. base near the airport, to see the president.

During his meeting with Maliki at the U.S. base Camp Victory, Obama promised that he would pull American troops out of the country as planned, the Iraqi prime minister said.

General Odierno told Obama that violence in Iraq reached its lowest levels since the invasion and Prime Minister Maliki added that the improvement of security conditions meant that his country in now “stable” enough for foreign firms to return and invest in Iraq.

"Iraq now is based on increased security, for peace and stability, and looks forward to international companies .... participating and investing in the country," he said through a translator after talks with President Obama.

Obama, who opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq ordered by his predecessor George W. Bush, has used his debut overseas tour to reach out to the Islamic world and attempt to restore America's battered image abroad.

Although it was his first trip to Iraq as president, Obama visited the country last year during the presidential campaign.