Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
More than one in 10 UK children have had sexually explicit conversations online, according to a report.
The annual Mobile Life survey looks at the internet and technology habits of youths aged 11 to 18 and adults.
The poll of 6,000 adults and children in the UK and the US found that there is often a large disparity between what children are accessing online and what parents think they are accessing.
One in four youngsters surveyed admitted to accessing adult websites, while 27% said they had interacted with strangers online.
In addition, one in 10 confessed to going on and meeting someone in person that they had met on the internet.
But more than 85% of UK parents believed they were fully aware of what their children were viewing online.
A similar number said they were confident their children were not accessing material they would disapprove of.
However, the study also revealed that some 50% of children lie to their parents about what they are doing online.
The admitted to often telling their parents that they were doing homework, but instead were surfing the net or using social networking sites.
Psychologist Dr Tanya Byron, who contributed to the report, said parents should discuss the internet with their children.
"I think the key is for parents to treat the issue of online safety in the same way that they would approach other potential danger areas," she said.
"Would you let your children learn how to cross the road via trial and error?
"No, you teach them the green cross code. Now, with the increasing importance of wireless technology and the role it plays in our children's lives, we must all learn and teach the online safety code."
English Premiere League is one of my favourite football league. Almost every weekend, I'll make sure that I catch up live matches particularly whenever Liverpool is playing. Football might be boring to certain people, but not me. I got addicted to football 15 years back when it was first introduce to me by Tony. From there onwards, my life begin to change. Recently, thanks to Carlsberg, they have launch a Web-TV channel at http://www.bloggerwave.com/blog_ClickTrack.php?OpportunityId=86&BlogId=6974&LinkId=0. There are moments captured where you can't get it anywhere else. To all football fanatics, start check it out today!
Prostitutes in Brazil should be prepared to perform fantasies and seduce with affectionate nicknames, according government advice.
The Labour Ministry website issued tips for workers in the sex trade, which is legal in Brazil.
It also advised prostitutes they should be able to "demonstrate a capacity to communicate in a foreign language".
The ministry said it aimed to promote the human rights of prostitutes.
But critics said the site went too far, and its contents are due to be toned down.
A spokeswoman for the ministry said: "The information was created with the help of non-government organisations and the prostitutes themselves."
But she confirmed that the language and some of the explicit tips on the site would be re-written before the year is out.
The site, which started up in 2002, also gives prostitutes advice on how to negotiate condom use with customers, information on HIV and encourages women to denounce violence.
Opponents said the site encouraged prostitution.
Law professor Luiz Flavio Gomes told the O Globo newspaper: "What is on the site gives the impression of an apology for sexual exploitation."
The 'Leopard Man of Skye' has ditched his bizarre life in the wild for a cosy retirement home.
Tom Leppard - whose entire body is covered in leopard-spot tattoos - lived in a ruined bothy on the Scottish island of Skye for 20 years.
He had a roof made from plastic sheeting, no electricity, no furniture and had to canoe three miles for his weekly shopping.
The Leopard Man shot to fame after becoming the world's most tattooed man - a crown he held until recently.
But now at 73, the hardy eccentric who spent £5,500 on tattoos, has been forced to abandon the wild side and has recently moved into a one-bedroom terraced home in Broadford, on Skye.
He told reporters he is coping with using electricity and sleeping in a bed for the first time in years.
Relaxing in his new leather sofa, the Leopard pensioner said: "I'm getting used to sleeping in a bed at night - it's certainly more comfortable than I'm used to and electricity is very convenient."
In his crumbling previous home near Kyleakin, the ex-special forces soldier cooked on a gas stove and slept on a bed made from blocks of polystyrene and foam.
He added: "I was perfectly happy in the bothy but I'm like everyone else - I'm getting too old for that kind of life.
"About six weeks ago a friend with a boat offered to take me off and I just decided there and then to go."
But he insisted: "I've never had a TV or radio and I'm not going to start now - it's all rubbish anyway."
London-born Mr Leppard, whose crown as the world's most tattooed man has been claimed by Australian Lucky Diamond Rich, added: "I became a bit of a tourist attraction on Skye."
You’re in a bar, chatting to your mates when you get approached by an admirer. They say: “If I could rearrange the alphabet I would put you and I together.” Does it make you swoon with delight, or cringe and walk away?
Social networking website Talk2Reg carried out a survey to uncover the top six best and worst pick-up lines.They asked 600 flirty 17 to 40-year-olds their favourite pick-up lines and here’s what they came up with.
THE TOP SIX BEST CHAT-LINES
If you are looking to pull, why not try one of these?
1. You are like a compass, without you I am lost.
2. Are you a parking ticket coz you got fine written all over you?
3. Do you have any raisins? No? How about a date?
4. Do you believe in love at first sight or do I have to walk past you again.
5. I may not be Fred Flintstone, but I can make your bed rock!
6. Are those space pants your wearing coz your ass is out of this world?
THE TOP SIX WORST CHAT-UP LINES
If you want to get lucky, then avoid the following chat-up lines at all costs!
1. Here's 20p, ring your Mum and tell her you won't be home tonight.
2. How do you like your eggs in the morning?
3. I like your dress it would look great on my bedroom floor.
4. Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?
5. Your dad must have been a thief, coz he stole the stars and put them in your eyes!
An American TV news presenter who was found beaten up in her bed has died from her injuries.
KATV anchor and reporter Anne Pressly, who was 26, sustained severe injuries to her head and upper body when she was attacked at her home in Little Rock, Arkansas, last Monday.
Her condition was thought to be improving earlier in the week when a spokesman for Ms Pressly's medical team said that the swelling in her brain had improved and doctors were slowly reducing her sedatives.
But late on Saturday night Little Rock's KATV channel announced that its morning anchorwoman had died.
Ms Pressly's parents said in a statement that they were with their daughter in "her last moments" and pleaded with the press for "the privacy we need at this very difficult time".
The TV anchorwoman is thought to have been a "random" victim of a burglary, say police. No arrests have yet been made in connection with the fatal assault.
Salary experts have put the pay increment forecast for end—2008 at anything between zero and 3 per cent, on the back of a weakening economy. However, bonuses should still be on the cards for most companies.
Human resource consultants said companies may slash their year—end pay increments or even cut salaries.
Paul Heng, managing director, Next Career Consulting Group Asia, said: "The companies are at liberty to either freeze the monthly variable component (MVC) or they can actually reduce the quantum that is put in the MVC to keep the company afloat."
But even at an optimistic 3 per cent pay hike, real wages are expected to shrink, with inflation coming in at between 6 and 7 per cent this year.
"I think a budget has already been set for 2008, so companies may still go ahead with the 13th month. Many companies peg their variable components to performance targets.
"If performance targets are met, I think it’s difficult for companies not to pay off bonuses. But for any kind of bonuses in terms of profitability, I think companies may be wise to actually hold back to see how things may pan out in 2009," said Heng.
But experts have warned that if the global economy slides further south, then 2009 is going to look much worse.
The current situation is very different from the SARS period in 2003 and the 97/98 Asian financial crisis. This time round, analysts said it is a global challenge and both businesses and governments are not quite sure how to react.
The government is expected to implement the third phase of salary adjustment for civil servants, including ministers, at year’s end to close the gap between public and private sector pay.
The target, for example, is to move the pay of staff under the MR4 grade to 88 per cent of the benchmark by the end this year. MR4 grade officers include permanent secretaries and ministers.
The Staff Grade 1 (MR4) benchmark is pegged to two—thirds of the income of the 24th highest earner, among a group comprising the top eight earners from six professions — bankers, lawyers, engineers, accountants, local manufacturers and MNCs. The benchmark is currently S$2.2 million.
But given the current economic climate, human resource experts said the government may just hold off any pay revision for now.
Derek Berry, Mercer’s business leader, Human Capital (ASEAN), said: "The need to adjust salaries comes in attracting and retaining talent, and how much competition there is to do that. If there’s a softening in the economy, that will go down and therefore, there will be less need.
"I think the Singapore government... would likely, from a messaging point of view, either reduce it or defer it. And given that we’ve got a very bumpy economy at the moment, I’d probably want to see it more stable before I’d want to push through with something like that."
The Public Service Division has said it would need some time to study the private sector data and salary trends before coming to a decision on any pay increment.
Fifty-two cows have been killed by a single lightning strike in a freak accident at a ranch in Uruguay.
Newspaper El Pais reported that the cows had pressed themselves against a wire fence during a storm when the lightning bolt struck in the northern Uruguayan state of San Jose.
A photograph released by the San Jose Police Department shows the black and brown cows lying dead in a row.
The newspaper said that vets at the scene confirmed the cause of the deaths, which happened on Wednesday.
The experts also said that cows often crowd around fences to seek protection during bad weather.
Meteorologist Fernando Torena said he was not surprised that a single lightning bolt killed so many cows.
UFO enthusiasts at a conference in the UK have described newly released footage as the most convincing evidence of aliens ever filmed.
The video, captured by a security guard in Turkey, appears to show various alien craft in the sky above Istanbul at different times throughout this year.
At one point two apparently alien beings can be seen in what seems to be the cockpit of a UFO.
Another sequence captures an arc of light along the edge of what could be described as a sleek airborne object.
Although the images are indistinct, Haktan Arkdogan of Turkey's UFO research centre, claims that they have been scientifically analysed and verified.
"This is no hoax," he told Sky News. "The footage represents an important development in our understanding of UFOs and alien life beyond our planet."
Mr Arkdogan is on a world lecture tour trying to convince both believers and sceptics that the material should be taken seriously.
His attempts have been received enthusiastically at the UFO DATA magazine conference being held in Pontefract.
One of the organisers, Philip Mantle, said that the footage is rightly attracting a lot of attention.
He said: "I have been involved in UFO research for thirty years and I have never seen anything quite like this.
"Normally we get pictures that amount to no more than blobs in the distance. This is the clearest evidence I have ever come across."
Bolting down food trebles the risk of being overweight.
A study suggests a combination of eating quickly and eating until full can really pile on the pounds.
Scientists gave more than 3,000 Japanese men and women aged 30 to 69 diet history questionnaires asking them about their eating habits.
Around half of the men and almost 60% of the women said they ate until they were full.
Just under half (45.6%) of men and 36% of women confessed to eating in a hurry.
Participants who did both had a higher body mass index (BMI) - a measurement relating height and weight - and total calorie intake than those who did neither.
Both men and women who were guilty of "eating until full and eating quickly" were three times more likely to be overweight than people outside this group.
The scientists, led by Professor Hiroyasu Iso, from Osaka University in Japan, made a warning in the online edition of the British Medical Journal.
"Eating until full and eating quickly were associated with being overweight in Japanese men and women, and the combination of the two eating behaviours may have a substantial impact on being overweight," he said.
Iceland will probably need "several billion" dollars more in financial assistance even after a proposed $2bn loan from the IMF, its prime minister has admitted.
But Geir Haarde added that the troubled nation's government had not precisely quantified total funding needs.
Iceland called on the International Monetary Fund on Friday for $2bn.
The country needs aid to help fix a broken banking system, restart currency trading and soften the blow from a withering economic downturn.
Its financial system is teetering on the brink and its government has been forced to take over three of its biggest banks.
The IMFboard will vote on the proposed aid package early next week.
Iceland's government says it needs $6bn - just under $20,000 per head of the population - in total.
The nation, which has widened its search for assistance, began two days of talks on a potential deal with Norway on Thursday.
Negotiations with Russia on a four billion euro loan have so far come to nothing, with further talks planned.
Iceland has already drawn 200 million euros on a swap facility with Norway's central bank and an equal amount from the Danish central bank.
It has swapped agreements with the central banks of Norway and Denmark for up to 500 million euros each.
It has a similar deal with Sweden's central bank but so far this has not been used.
Many banks across the world have turned to their governments to help bail them out as interbank lending dries up.
But the size of Iceland's financial firms relative to its economy has meant the government has been unable to help out, forcing it to look abroad.
The banks' foreign debts are more than $60bn while the country's gross domestic product in 2007 was a mere $14bn.
A student from Moldova has shot up the country's rich list after inheriting nearly a billion euros from a long-lost relative.
Sergey Sudev was left the 950 million euro fortune by an uncle he had not seen for 10 years.
But he must have made a good impression at their last meeting a decade ago, according to Russia Today.
It prompted the uncle, who lived in Germany, to write Sudev into his will straight away.
The student had no idea he stood to inherit a fortune and got on with his course in journalism.
Then one day there was a knock at his door in the town of Komrat - his uncle's agents had tracked him down to pass on the incredible news.
A shocked Sudev is reported to have said to them: "Is this a joke?"
The inheritance means he has become one of the richest men in Moldova, where the average monthly salary is around 270 euros.
Despite his new wealthy status, Sudev intends to complete his journalism studies.
But he's already spending much of his time fending off people asking for loans.
Thousands of horses in the Philippines are being maimed and wounded in illegal fights run by a crime syndicate betting ring.
"These tournaments are truly barbaric," said Andrew Plumbly, of the Canadian-based welfare group Network for Animals that has been campaigning to end the savage contests.
"Our vets have seen horses being kicked in the head so hard that their eyes have popped out of their sockets," he said.
Thousands turned up for a three-day fight festival at a market town deep in the jungles of Mindanao Island.
The government banned this spectacle 10 years ago but it is still widespread.
The horse fighting season lasts all year. Thousands of animals are maimed. Some die from their injuries.
Throughout the fight, a mare in season is tethered in the ring. Her presence encourages the sexual rivalry between the fighting stallions.
Crowds watch as the frenzied stallion rears up and sinks his teeth into the neck of his opponent. He drags the other horse down, pinning him to the ground.
A massive roar erupts from the audience as the stallions roll in the mud, each trying to tear the testicles off the other.
The loser finally manages to escape the ring. This is 'Fight Club' for horses. The injuries to the animals are appalling.
These tournaments of blood have now become big business. In these desperately poor communities, thousands of pounds are wagered on the fights.
Crime syndicates have taken over the gambling and rake in huge profits.
A corrupt local police force is openly involved in organising the events and receives a cut from the syndicates.
In the crowd, at ringside, veterinary surgeon Dino Yebron has campaigned for an end to these tournaments.
He said: "This is obscene. The horses are trained to fight, trained to bite and trained to kick. All this is manipulated by the trainers so they can win."
Scouts are to be given sex advice to help youngsters 'Be Prepared'.
Explorer scouts aged 14 to 18 may even be taken on trips to sexual health clinics in new advice suggested by The Scouting Association.
Chief Scout Peter Duncan said: "We must be realistic and accept that around a third of young people are sexually active before 16 and many more start relationships at 16 and 17.
"Adults in Scouting have a duty to promote safe and responsible relationships and, as an organisation, we have the responsibility to provide sound advice about how to do that."
The new guidance says scout leaders can give out condoms but "only if they believe the young person is very likely to begin or continue having intercourse with or without contraception".
Contraception can only be offered if without it "their physical or mental health are likely to suffer".
The guidance says leaders should "encourage young people to resist pressure to have early sex" and to talk to their parents or carers but "should be prepared to offer appropriate information" if it is needed.
The Scouting Association said young people may feel more comfortable discussing sexual issues in the informal setting of a Scouts group.
Other suggested activities for explorer scouts include discussions about how different religions view sex and roleplays on learning to say 'no'.
Minister for young people, Beverley Hughes, welcomed the new guidance.
She said: "This guidance underlines the consensus among young people, parents and professionals on the importance of providing accurate information and advice on sex and relationships."
Explorer scout Amy Brunsdon, 17, said: "We do get some information at college, but too often it focuses on the biology, not issues like emotional pressure.
"It is so much more meaningful to discuss these issues with people of our own age and in a context we know we can trust."
The smart fortwo has no peers when it comes to showing that minimalist cars do not have to possess minimal performance, comfort, and convenience. Even as the smart remains the poster child for eco-efficiency, though, its exclusivity in this arena is slipping away. Now, the smart has a competitor that is as innovative as the smart was when it debuted in Europe over a decade ago. This car – Toyota’s iQ – will go on sale in Europe in January 2009. Rumor has it that Toyota could market the iQ under the Scion brand name in the U.S.
The iQ’s styling is quite like the Smart. But the challenge remains: What can you do with of an overall length of under 117.7 inches (three meters) without looking funky? Unlike the two-seat Smart fortwo, Toyota calls the iQ the world’s smallest four-seater, although it is really a 3+1 since the position behind the driver is best suited for a child or luggage. The iQ’s 0.299 drag coefficient is quite good.
This packaging took some innovation. First, the front-mounted differential is integrated with the transmission to create a very short front overhang. This allows large diameter 15-inch wheels to be placed at the corners, resulting in a 78.7 inch wheelbase for maximum interior space as well as enhanced stability. Rather than placing the fuel tank under the rear seats, flat tanks are located beneath the floor. Additional space in the rear is achieved by angling the rear shock absorbers backward.
A center take-off steering gear, placed higher in the engine bay, allows better positioning of the transmission, engine, and differential so engine compartment length could be traded for more passenger space. As is the case with many tiny cars, slim back and lightweight seats are used. By using extruded pipe materials rather than high tensile sheet steel, ride comfort or safety is not sacrificed. Also helping is a smaller, centrally located heater and air conditioning unit coupled with the iQ’s innovative asymmetric dashboard, which provide more passenger legroom and allow the 3+1 seating arrangement.
Two powerplants will be offered, a 1.0-liter VVT-i gasoline engine and a 1.4-liter D-4D diesel. The 3-cylinder, 12-valve DOHC gasoline engine is rated 67 horsepower, while the 4-cylinder, 8-valve OHC common rail turbocharged diesel produces 88 horsepower. A new 1.3-liter dual VVT-i gasoline engine with stop-and-start technology will be available later in 2009.
The 1.0-liter engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with a Multidrive continuously variable transmission optional, while the diesel engine is mated to a 6-speed manual. The 1.0-liter VVT-i manual version gets an estimated 56 mpg fuel economy overall, while the diesel variant has an overall fuel economy of 57 mpg.
Toyota believes that small cars don’t have to sacrifice safety compared to larger ones, thus the iQ comes with many active and passive safety features as standard equipment. The iQ's multi-load path construction effectively absorbs and disperses impact forces away from the cabin, plus the iQ has no less than nine airbags. These include front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, curtain shield airbags to guard the head and upper body of all four occupants, a driver's knee airbag, and an airbag built into the front of the passenger seat cushion. The iQ also has the world’s first rear window airbag. This airbag is deployed from the roof lining behind the rear headrests to reduce impact to rear passengers.
Active safety features include ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC+) with Traction Control (TRC). The hood’s shape and height, plus the car’s collapsible cowl construction, are designed to deform in the event of an impact with a pedestrian.
The driver is also presented with information to allow driving more efficiently. A Gear Shift Indicator on manual transmission models indicates when to shift up or down for best fuel economy. Multidrive models have an ‘ECO’ driving indicator lamp on the multi-information display that encourages more economical driving by signaling when fuel is being saved. Current and average fuel consumption is also continuously shown.
What makes men cheat? Marriage counselor M. Gary Neuman dug through past research on male infidelity and found that most answers came from the wife's point of view. "Wouldn't it make more sense to ask the guys?" he thought. So for his new book, "The Truth About Cheating," Neuman surveyed 200 cheating and noncheating husbands to get at the real reasons behind men's infidelity -- including what cheating men say could have prevented them from straying. Here, some of his findings:
48% of men rated emotional dissatisfaction as the primary reason they cheated.
So much for the myth that for men, cheating is all about physical intimacy: Only 8 percent of men said that physical dissatisfaction was the main factor in their infidelity. "Our culture tells us that all men need to be happy is to have physical intimacy with someone," Neuman says. "But men are emotionally driven beings too. They want their wives to show them that they're appreciated, and they want women to understand how hard they're trying to get things right." The problem is that men are less likely than women to express these feelings, so you won't always know when your guy is in need of a little affirmation. "Most men consider it unmanly to ask for a pat on the back, which is why their emotional needs are often overlooked," Neuman says. "But you can create a marital culture of appreciation and thoughtfulness -- and once you set the tone, he's likely to match it."
66% of cheating men report feeling guilt during the affair.
The implications are a little scary: It isn't just uncaring jerks who cheat. In fact, 68 percent of cheaters never dreamed they'd be unfaithful, and almost all of them wished they hadn't done it, Neuman says. Clearly, guilt isn't enough to stop a man from cheating. "Men are good at compartmentalizing feelings," Neuman explains. "They can hold on to their emotions and deal with them later." So even if your partner swears he would never cheat, don't assume it can't happen. It's important for both of you to take steps toward creating the relationship you want.
77% of cheating men have a good friend who cheated.
Hanging around friends who stray makes cheating seem normal and legitimizes it as a possibility. The message he's subconsciously telling himself: "My friend is a good guy who happens to be cheating on his wife. I guess even the best of us do it." You can't simply ban your husband from hanging out with Mr. Wandering Eyes, Neuman says, but you can request that they spend their time together in an environment that offers less temptation, like at a sporting event or a restaurant for lunch rather than at a bar or club. Another strategy: Build your social circle around happily married couples that share your values -- it'll create an environment that supports marriage.
40% of cheating men met the other woman at work.
"Oftentimes the woman he cheats with at the office is someone who praises him, looks up to him, and compliments his efforts," Neuman says. "That's another reason why it's so critical that he feel valued at home." Luckily, there's a clear warning sign that your husband is getting a little too cozy with a colleague: If he praises or mentions the name of a female coworker more than he would a male counterpart, your antennae should go up -- and it's time for the two of you to set boundaries about what is and isn't okay at work, Neuman says. Is it acceptable for him to work late if it's only him and her? Can they travel together to conferences? Have dinners out to discuss a project? Ask him what he'd feel comfortable with you doing with a male colleague.
Only 12% of cheating men said their mistress was more physically attractive than their wife.
In other words, a man doesn't stray because he thinks he'll get lucky with a better-looking body. "In most cases, he's cheating to fill an emotional void," Neuman says. "He feels a connection with the other woman, and physical intimacy comes along for the ride." If you're worried about infidelity, focus on making your relationship more loving and connected, not on getting your body just right or mastering how to please him physically. (But know that physical intimacy does matter -- it's one of the key ways your guy expresses his love and feels close to you, so be sure to keep it a priority.)
Only 6% of cheating men had physical intimacy with a woman after meeting her that same day or night.
Actually, 73 percent of men got to know the other woman for more than a month before they cheated. This means that you may have time to see the warning signs before infidelity occurs -- you might even see it coming before he does. Keep an eye out for these common signals: He spends more time away from home, stops asking for physical intimacy, picks fights more frequently, or avoids your calls. Your gut reaction may be to confront him, but most men will deny even thinking about cheating, especially if nothing physical has occurred yet. Instead, Neuman suggests, take charge of what you can control -- your own behavior -- and take the lead in bringing your relationship to a better place. Don't hesitate to show your appreciation for him, prioritize time together, and initiate affection more. Give him a reason to keep you at the front of his mind, Neuman says. And be open about how you feel about what's going on between the two of you (again, without mentioning any third parties). Try "I think we've started to lose something important in our relationship, and I don't want it to disappear." In the meantime, commit to keeping tabs on your relationship and doing what it takes to keep it working for you.
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People will go to any lengths nowadays to retain their youthful good looks - including smearing their face with snake venom.
Pots of cream containing a synthetic version of the poison of the Temple Viper are going for £60 each.
The anti-ageing moisturiser contains venom to "stun" the skin in the same way a real snake bite would, helping to keep it smooth, according to manufacturer Planet Skincare.
The company says it gives "Botox-like results" without needles.
Department store Selfridges began stocking the moisturiser last week and said it was selling 50 pots a day.
The Temple Viper is a distant cousin to the rattle snake found in Southeast Asia.
Amino acids in the venom block nerve signals telling muscles to contract, which helps to stop wrinkles forming.
Products containing snake venom have been used for a few months now in the US," Selfridges' Christine Benson said.
"Actresses especially love the effect.
"Unlike Botox it allows the face movement and emotion, but lessens wrinkles and paralyses muscles which cause creases."
Dr Aamer Khan, medical director of the Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic, said:"This could work for somebody who doesn't want injections.
"The effects are not going to be as dramatic as with Botox. It will also need to be reapplied as the body gets rid of it quickly."
An Egyptian billionaire has denied paying a hitman to murder a Lebanese pop singer he once dated.
Hisham Talaat Moustafa, who is one of Egypt’s most powerful men, is now on trial in a case that could see him sentenced to death.
He is accused of contracting retired policeman Mohsen al Sukkari $2m (£1.15m) to kill singer and actress Suzanne Tamim.
As the trial began in a packed Cairo courtroom, Moustafa pleaded not guilty, telling the judge: "It didn't happen.
"I presented all evidence to prove that it didn't. I ask for God's protection for he is my best advocate."
Meanwhile his alleged accomplice Sukkari said: "I didn't kill Suzanne. I didn't do it."
However, prosecutors say Sukari earlier confessed to carrying out the contract killing on behalf of the accused businessman.
The two men were separated from each other by a partition to prevent any possible scuffles as each is expected to blame the other for the murder.
Ms Tamim was found dead in her luxury beachfront apartment in Dubai in July shortly after moving there from London.
The 30-year-old singer had been stabbed multiple times and had a 20-centimeter slash across her throat.
The indictment in the case claims the motive was revenge.
Moustafa reportedly had an affair with Ms Tamim which ended sourly earlier this year.
The murdered star shot to fame after winning a Lebanese Pop Idol-style television talent contest.
Her beauty and fairy tale life story guaranteed her fame in the Arab world where Lebanese pop music is enormously popular.
But friends say her success did not bring her happiness in her private life.
They say she endured a series of stormy relationships with men who tried to control her and towards the end of her life was increasingly concerned about threats to her life.
The case has gripped the Middle East and beyond.
Moustafa is not only fabulously wealthy but also very well connected - being a personal friend of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak.
People from his rank in Egyptian society are rarely held to account for their misdemeanours and newspapers in Egypt were initially banned from reporting the case.
But that traditional power of influence over the law has not held sway in this case, partly, it is believed, because of enormous pressure brought by Dubai authorities on the Egyptian government to bring Moustafa to trial.
Along with the accused, Egyptian justice will also be tested in this trial in a spectacle that will be closely watched across the region.
South Korea will give local banks guarantees on foreign-exchange borrowings from abroad worth a reported $100bn to try and stabilise financial markets.
Senior government and ruling partyofficials agreed that the guarantees would apply to borrowings taken out by end-June 2009, YTN cable news channel said.YTN quoted a source as saying the government expects about $100bn of borrowings would be covered by the guarantees.The channel also said the government would inject 1 trillion won ($750m) into Industrial Bank of Korea so that the state-invested bank could expand lending to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Reports came hours before the heads of the country's top three financial authorities were due to unveil details of the measures.
South Korea, whose financial institutions have already faced two crises in the past decade, has looked especially vulnerable to the current global credit squeeze because of the high level of foreign debt held by its banks.
Government officials and international credit ratings agencies have repeatedly said the country's $240bn in foreign reserves were sufficient for Asia's fourth-largest economy to avert another crisis.
But the spreading global financial crisis has dried up short-term dollar funds available to emerging-market economies and sapped confidence in South Korean financial institutions which are suffering as they roll over maturing debt.
Growing doubts about South Korea's ability to secure enough dollars to service maturing foreign debt have sent the stock market to its lowest level in three years and the won to the weakest in 11 years.
YTN also said the central bank, which has already injected billions of dollars into the local dollar/won swaps market, plans to pump more dollars into the money markets.
The credit crunch is taking its toll on the nation's finances. Energy bills have seen multiple hikes, the cost of mortgages has soared, and inflation at 5.2% is the highest in 16 years. Yet you don't have to go without. Keep control of your cashflow with our 20 easy money-saving tips.
Although the price of petrol has seen a fall - the price of life's essentials is rising across the board - and homeowners have been hit with double-digit price hikes for gas and electricity bills since the turn of the year.
Credit has become hard to come by - with banks lending only to those with the best credit ratings. And credit card bills have seen a record rise as the average Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) on credit card purchases has also increased from 16.77% in March 2007 to 17.46% now.
The sharp rise in inflation is sending Savers fretting as their deposits stand to earn negative interest. As basic-rate taxpayers would need to earn an interest of 6.5% before tax, and higher-rate taxpayers a rate of 8.67% - but few savings accounts offer higher interest than the current inflation rate.
Fortunately, there is action you can take. With prices rising everywhere, we give you 20 ways you can cut your monthly outgoings.
1: Learn to cook
Pre-prepared, packaged foods are far more expensive than raw, seasonal ingredients bought from a local market. For example, a large free-range chicken costing £7 or £8 can feed a family of four for at least two days - if you use the leftovers to make soup or a chicken curry. Planning meals can also help reduce food waste.
2: Make your own packed lunch
Even a simple sandwich and a drink can set you back £5 these days, so make your own packed lunch - you'll save a useful £10 a week.
3: Grown your own veg
It's easy to live the good life. For an outlay of just £50, you can create a small plot (1.5m x 1.5m) to keep you in veg for most of the year.
4: Opt for 'own brand'
Supermarket 'own brand' products tend to be cheaper than more glitzy items. For example, a Sainsbury's two litre carton of freshly-squeezed organic apple juice is £1.99, whereas a branded equivalent is £2.49. Also look for reduced-to-clear products with imminent sell-by dates.
5: Shop smarter
Before shopping for food, use a website like mysupermarket.com, which compares prices charged by Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Ocado and suggests better-value options for your shopping trolley. You can then buy online. The site also collates the top 100 special offers.
6: Walk, don't drive
Although the average price of a litre of petrol has finally fallen below the £1 mark, it can still pay to cut out those non-essential local car journeys. Walking or cycling will not only save you money - it's good for your health as well.
7: Only half fill your car
Heavier cars achieve fewer miles to the gallon and are more expensive to run as a result. So don't fill the tank to the brim each time you visit the garage - you'll see your miles-per-gallon improve as a result.
8: Get off the right foot
Heavy use of the accelerator pedal radically reduces your miles-per-gallon ratio and wears down your tyres faster. What's more, if you get caught speeding not only will you pay a fine but your car insurance premium will rise too - so drive more sedately and save.
9: Cut down on booze
This year's Budget added around £1 to the cost of a bottle of wine - so why not cut your intake and help your liver by using vacuum stoppers? These will help you resist the temptation finish off the bottle. This simple step could help you you at least £5 a week.
10: Stick to tap water
Umpteen studies have shown that there is no real difference between tap and mineral waters, whether fizzy or still. So, why pay several pounds in a restaurant for bottled water when tap water is equally good - and more environmentally friendly?
11: Travel off-peak
Why not try to persuade your employer to let you work flexible hours so you can travel at cheaper off-peak times?
12: Buy a rail card
Just £24 will get you a Friends and Family Railcard - which gives adults a third off rail travel and kids 60%. Up to four adults and four children can travel together using one card.
13: Insulate and draught-proof your home
Wholesale gas prices are forecast to rise 80% by the winter. While this won't be passed entirely on to consumers, average annual household energy bills could rise by another £150 to around £1,150.
Insulating and draught-proofing your home costs just a few hundred pounds - but it could help reduce your bill by more than 20%. Even turning the thermostat down by one degree could shave 10% off your heating bill.
14: Switch energy providers Use price comparison websites to help you find the most competitive deals on gas and electricity.
15: Use energy-saving light bulbs
Energy-saving light bulbs can save you £60 over the lifetime of each bulb because they last up to 10 times longer.
16: Make your home safer
A few simple home security measures - such as fitting key-operated locks to your windows and better mortice locks to your front and back doors - could reduce your home insurance premiums considerably. Accepting a larger voluntary excess and doing away with accidental damage cover could also save you hundreds of pounds.
17: Make your money work harder
Many current accounts pay less than 1% interest - but if you can put at least £1,000 a month into your account, you should be able to get between 4% and 8% interest on the first £2,500 if you shop around. This would make you an extra £100 to £200 in gross (before-tax) interest over a year.
18: Shelter your cash from tax
You can now invest £3,600 into a cash ISA and shelter the interest you earn from tax. This could save you over £40 in the first year if you deposited the maximum amount in a 'best buy' cash ISA paying around 6% interest. HSBC is offering a high 6.25% with a minimum investment of £1.
19: Tame your mortgage
If you are going in for a remortgage choose a deal with a base rate on its way down. With further cuts predicted in the Bank of England interest rates - a tracker mortgage that mirrors would seem the most obvious option for homeowners. But beware that some lenders have wiped out this benefit before it has even had a chance to kick in. Banks have reined in lending – and mortgages are costing a bundle more – with the most competitive rates only being offered to customers with deposits of up to 40%. So go in for a deal when you have the savings for a large deposit - although it is possible that the best deals will start to be offered to those with 20% deposits in the future.
20: Change your card
If you don't pay off your credit card bill at the end of each month you could save a bundle by switching to a cheaper lender. Capital One BT Platinum Card is offering a 0% interest-free period for 15 months with a typical APR 15.9% APR until February 2010.
Tom Cruise is alive and well and is not dead, contrary to reports.
Rumours had started circulating on the internet that the Hollywood star had died after falling off the Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand while filming.
But his publicist Jeff Raymond said: "This is completely not true. Tom is not in New Zealand nor has he been there recently.
"This is erroneous and unreliable internet garbage."
A similar report two years ago claimed that actor Tom Hanks had died after falling from the same cliffs.
That also turned out to be fiction.
It has been reported that the story emanated from fakeawish.com, a website which allows people to input the name of a celebrity and generate a fake story about them.
Cruise was photographed this week in New York with his wife Katie Holmes and their daughter Suri.
Holmes is appearing on Broadway in the play All My Sons, which has just had its official opening to mixed reviews.
Loud and frequent snoring can be more than just a nuisance to your partner. Snoring may indicate a serious health condition, and it can disrupt your household.
Snoring is common. Almost half of adults snore at least occasionally. Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate as you breathe, creating hoarse or harsh sounds.
Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol close to bedtime or sleeping on your side, can help stop snoring.
In addition, surgery is available that may reduce disruptive snoring. However, surgery isn't suitable or necessary for everyone who snores.
Causes
As you doze off and progress from a lighter sleep to a deep sleep, the muscles in the roof of your mouth (soft palate), tongue and throat relax. The tissues in your throat can relax enough that they vibrate and may partially obstruct your airway.
The more narrowed your airway, the more forceful the airflow becomes. Tissue vibration increases, and your snoring grows louder. Snoring may be an occasional problem, or it may be habitual.
What contributes to snoring
A variety of factors can lead to snoring, including:
Your mouth anatomy. Having a low, thick soft palate or enlarged tonsils or tissues in the back of your throat (adenoids) can narrow your airway. Likewise, if the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate (uvula) is elongated, airflow can be obstructed and vibration increased. Being overweight contributes to narrowing of your airway.
Alcohol consumption. Snoring can also be brought on by consuming too much alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway obstruction.
Nasal problems. Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may be to blame.
Sleep apnea. Snoring may also be associated with obstructive sleep apnea. In this serious condition, your throat tissues obstruct your airway, preventing you from breathing. Sleep apnea is often characterized by loud snoring followed by periods of silence that can last 10 seconds or more. Sometimes, complete obstruction does not occur, but rather, while still snoring, the airway becomes so small that the airflow is inadequate for your needs. Eventually, the lack of oxygen and an increase in carbon dioxide signal you to wake up, forcing your airway open with a loud snort or gasping sound. This pattern may be repeated many times during the night.
Snoring occurs when air flows past relaxed tissues, such as your tongue, soft palate and airway, as you breathe. The sagging tissues narrow your airway, causing these tissues to vibrate.
When to seek medical advice
You may not be aware that you snore, but your bed partner likely is. Seeing your doctor about your snoring can help both you and your partner. For you, snoring may indicate another health concern, such as obstructive sleep apnea, nasal obstruction or obesity. For your partner, your seeking medical advice about your snoring may result in being able to get a restful sleep.
If your child snores, ask your pediatrician about it. Children, too, can have obstructive sleep apnea, though most don't. Nose and throat problems, such as enlarged tonsils, and obesity often underlie habitual snoring in children. Treating these conditions could help your child sleep better.
Tests and diagnosis
Your doctor likely will perform a physical examination and take a medical history. Your partner may need to answer some questions about when and how you snore to help your doctor assess the severity of the problem. Parents are asked about the severity of a child's snoring.
Your doctor may then refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor (otolaryngologist) or sleep specialist for additional studies and evaluation. This may require that you stay overnight at a sleep center to undergo an in-depth analysis of your sleep habits by a team of specialists.
Complications
Habitual snoring may be more than just a nuisance and a cause of daytime sleepiness. Untreated, persistent snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea may raise your lifetime risk of developing such health problems as high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke. In children, obstructive sleep apnea may increase the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Treatments and drugs
Your doctor will likely first recommend lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol close to bedtime and changing sleeping positions. If lifestyle changes don't eliminate snoring, your doctor may suggest:
Oral appliances. Oral appliances are form-fitting dental mouthpieces that help advance the position of your tongue and soft palate to keep your air passage open. If you choose to use an oral appliance, visit your dental specialist at least once every six months during the first year, and then at least annually after that, to have the fit checked and to make sure that your condition isn't worsening.
Traditional surgery. In a procedure called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), you're given general anesthesia and your surgeon tightens and trims excess tissues — a type of face-lift for your throat.
Laser surgery. In an outpatient surgery for snoring called laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP), your doctor uses a small hand-held laser beam to shorten the soft palate and remove your uvula. Removing excess tissue enlarges your airway and reduces vibration. You may need more than one session to get your snoring under control. Laser surgery isn't advised for occasional or light snoring, but it's an option if your snoring is loud and disruptive. Laser surgery generally isn't recommended for sleep apnea.
Radiofrequency tissue ablation (somnoplasty). In this type of surgery, doctors use a low-intensity radiofrequency signal to remove part of the soft palate to reduce snoring. It's an outpatient procedure performed using local anesthesia. The technique causes slight scarring of the soft palate, which may help to reduce snoring. The effectiveness of this newer procedure needs further study.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This approach involves wearing a pressurized mask over your nose while you sleep. The mask is attached to a small pump that forces air through your airway, which keeps it open. CPAP (SEE-pap) eliminates snoring and prevents sleep apnea. Although CPAP is the preferred method of treating obstructive sleep apnea, some people find it uncomfortable.
Your doctor may recommend continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to eliminate snoring and prevent sleep apnea. A CPAP machine delivers just enough air pressure to a mask to keep your upper airway passages open.
Lifestyle and home remedies
To prevent or quiet snoring, try these tips:
If you're overweight, lose weight. Being overweight is a common cause of snoring. Loose throat tissues are more likely to vibrate as you breathe, and extra bulkiness in the throat narrows your airway.
Sleep on your side. Lying on your back allows your tongue to fall backward into your throat, narrowing your airway and partially obstructing airflow. To prevent sleeping on your back, try sewing a tennis ball in the back of your pajama top.
Nasal strips. Adhesive strips applied to your nose help many people increase the area of their nasal passage, enhancing their breathing.
Treat nasal congestion or obstruction. Having allergies or a deviated septum can limit airflow through your nose. This forces you to breathe through your mouth, increasing the likelihood of snoring. Don't use an oral or spray decongestant for more than three days in a row for acute congestion unless directed to do so by your doctor. Ask your doctor about a prescription steroid spray if you have chronic congestion. To correct a deviated septum, you may need surgery.
Limit or avoid alcohol and sedatives. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at least four hours before bedtime, and let your doctor know about your snoring before taking sedatives or hypnotics. Sedatives and hypnotics (sleeping pills) and alcohol depress your central nervous system, causing excessive relaxation of muscles, including the tissues in your throat. In addition, if you stop breathing due to obstructive sleep apnea, it may take longer for you to begin breathing again because alcohol, sedatives and hypnotics blunt the brain's ability to arouse from sleep.
Alternative medicine
Didgeridoo. Playing the didgeridoo, a musical instrument that produces a droning sound, may help train muscles of the upper airway. A February 2006 British Medical Journal study evaluated use of the instrument by those with sleep apnea who complained about snoring. The research showed that those who played the instrument for about 25 minutes a day most days of the week experienced less daytime sleepiness — a complication of sleep apnea and snoring . However, this research is preliminary and needs more study.
Hypnosis. Some have suggested that hypnosis may help improve snoring. For example, a hypnotherapist can suggest to you under hypnosis that you turn on your side if you begin snoring.
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane). MSM is marketed in a nose drop formula to treat snoring, but there's no evidence it has any effect on snoring.
Singing. Singing can help improve muscle control of the soft palate and upper throat. One preliminary study found some decrease in snoring in participants who sang prescribed singing exercises for 20 minutes a day for three months. These participants all began snoring as adults, had no nasal problems and were not overweight. More study of this technique is needed.
Three billion pounds of toxic debt - that's what FA chairman Lord Triesman fears is the true picture of Premier League clubs' financial affairs, despite success on the pitch and huge interest off it.
The Premier League has long been seen as football's land of milk and honey.
Enormous television revenues and big stars keep it at the top of the table when it comes to money.
But behind the worldwide success is an economic picture that is causing concern.
The quest for trophies, huge wage bills and new stadiums has required funds that simply aren't there.
Lord Triesman recently warned that "debts in English football as a whole have probably edged to the £3bn mark", before claiming that such "toxic debt" could cause massive damage to the game.
Big clubs in the red include Manchester United, which is £600m in debt, Liverpool at £350m and West Ham, who are £230m in debt.
West Ham in particular will be fearful of a financial black hole after the club's owner, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, was forced by the Icelandic Government to resign from Landsbanki, where he held a 40% share.
They club have also lost their shirt sponsor XL airways after it went bust.
For the Hammers' new boss Gianfranco Zola the reality of finances is very different from when he joined.
The Italian succeeded Alan Curbishley as manager last month and said he expected to be backed in the January transfer window.
"If we need to improve certain things I'm sure the board will back me," he explained.
But the club are likely to sell players in January to balance the books.
Former Football League chairman Keith Harris now heads Seymour Pierce, a business that finds buyers for Premier League clubs.
He has the daunting task of finding a buyer for Mike Ashley's Newcastle United and thinks that investing in football clubs may not be at the top of prospective buyers' current agenda.
As toxic debt and market mayhem leave us all sick and scared stiff, what medicine does the world's richest man prescribe? Buy, buy, buy.
Legendary investor Warren Buffett used an opinion piece in the New York Times newspaper to tell readers to follow his lead and start snapping up shares.
The chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway has been buying US stocks for his personal account, saying the market is likely to move higher before the outlook or the economy changes.
Mr Buffett wrote: "A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.
"To be sure, investors are right to be wary of highly leveraged entities or businesses in weak competitive positions. But fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation's many sound companies make no sense.
"These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10 and 20 years from now."
Mr Buffett admitted he had no idea what the markets would do in the short-term, but drew on the experience of previous market lows to illustrate his long-term faith.
In the Great Depression and during the Second World War, the market hit rock bottom long before fortunes were reversed and people started to think more positively.
In the recession of the early 1980s, the best time to buy shares was when inflation was raging and the economy was not growing.
"In short, bad news is an investor's best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America's future at a marked-down price," Mr Buffett concluded.
And he had a word of warning for those seeking the comfort of cash and happy headlines.
Buying shares when the news is good means buying high, while off-loading them when the gloom sets in means selling low.
And cash is "a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value".
All in all, Mr Buffett subscribes to the forward-thinking philosophy of ice hockey great Wayne Gretzky: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been."
The global economy may be on thin ice, but Mr Buffet appears to believe there is an open goal for anyone brave enough to go for it.
But time is of the essence; bullish investors had better get their skates on.
Police have been urged to study 'specialist' sex websites to find out what is going in their local parks and public toilets.
The call came as new guidelines recommended that police turn a blind eye to couples having sex in public.
The police chief in charge of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender issues said the force's attitudes towards cottaging and dogging alienated the gay community.
Deputy Chief Constable Michael Cunningham, of Lancashire Police, said police should not become a "moral arbiter" by arresting those with a penchant for outdoor sex.
He said police needed to have a better understanding of the issues and should surf the web to get an insight.
"In any event it is not for the police to take the role of moral arbiter, the police role is to ensure that any complaints are dealt with fairly and professionally and that where individuals are engaged in lawful activity they may do so safely," he said.
His comments were contained in a 21-page report, titled "Guidance on Policing Public Sex Environments", leaked to Police Review.
It focuses on dogging, where previously unknown partners meet in public for sex, as well as cruising and cottaging, when gay men meet in parks and toilets.
Mr Cunningham said it is not illegal to visit a dogging or cottaging site, but people's behaviour may be criminal.
The guidance will now go forward to be agreed by a committee of senior police officers before it is put in place across England and Wales.
He said officers should respond to complaints of sexual activity in public spaces in context and avoid a "knee jerk" reaction.
He suggested police forces consider other measures, such as closing the area, putting up lighting or CCTV, or regular uniformed patrols, before making arrests.
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