Modigliani's controversial 'Nu couché' painting breaks auction record

masterpiece that was once censored on the grounds of obscenity has now set a new auction record.
Sotheby's has announced that "Nu couché (sur le côté gauche)" (1917) by the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, which depicts a naked French woman in repose, will lead its Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale on May 14 with an pre-sale estimate in excess of $150 million -- the highest estimate placed on an artwork at auction.
The new generation of Chinese collectors shaking up the art world
Until now, this record was held by Pablo Picasso's "Les femmes d'Alger (Version 'O')" (1955), which had an estimate of $140 million and went on to sell for $179 million. Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi," which became the world's most expensive artwork when it sold for $450 million in 2017, had a (relatively) modest estimate of $100 million.

Allison Mack attempted to recruit Emma Watson to join New York 'sex cult'

An American actress accused of being a member of a New York “sex cult” attempted to recruit Emma Watson, it has been claimed.

Allison Mack, 35, was arrested on Friday and pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking. She will on Tuesday appear again before a New York judge, for her bail hearing.

Ahead of the hearing Business Insider reported that the Smallville star attempted multiple times to recruit Watson to join NXIVM – an invite-only group of women who were allegedly pressured into starving themselves and having sex with Keith Raniere, the group’s leader.

Mack repeatedly attempted to approach the British actress via Twitter in 2016, asking her to consider joining a "women's movement."

She did not manage to make contact with Watson, however, as she used a wrong Twitter account.

In January 2016, she tweeted: “@EmWatson I'm a fellow actress like yourself & involved in an amazing women's movement I think you'd dig. I'd love to chat if you're open.”

The account appears not to exist - unlike the @EmmaWatson account, which has almost 30 million followers.

Verne Troyer cause of death being investigated

Verne Troyer’s cause of death is being investigated, the Los Angeles Coroner’s office confirms to Us Weekly.

“Verne Troyer was admitted into the hospital with a high level of alcohol in his system, where he passed out and became unconscious and he passed away. His body was turned over to the Coroner office,” a spokesperson for the Coroner’s office tells Us. “They did an autopsy on Verne and determined they needed additional testing, which is why the case has been deferred pending toxicology.”

Senator Dino Melaye rushed to Abuja hospital after jumping from Police vehicle

 

Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi west senatorial District has been rushed to an Abuja hospital after sustaining injuries when he allegedly jumped off a moving Police vehicle.


Melaye was arrested Tuesday morning by operatives of the Nigeria Police drawn from its Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS. It was gathered that the senator allegedly jumped out of the moving vehicle while he was being taken to Lokojoja.
He was said to have injured himself in the process and was taken to Zanklin Hospital in Abuja. Sources told Daily Trust that Melaye was being conveyed to Lokoja to be paraded alongside other criminal suspects by the police.

Missing Mexican students were killed, dissolved in acid, officials says

Three missing Mexican students were killed last month in the western state of Jalisco and their bodies dissolved in acid after criminals confused them with members of a rival gang, authorities said Monday.

The three film students were last seen in the municipality of Tonala after their car broke down and they were later kidnapped by at least six people, who tortured and killed them, according to Jalisco state prosecutors.

"Subsequently their bodies were dissolved in acid so that no trace of them remained," the state prosecutors office said.

State prosecutor Raul Sanchez said that two people had been arrested so far in the investigation.

Real Madrid squad arrive in Germany for Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich

The Real Madrid squad have arrived Germany ahead of the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich.

Cristiano Ronaldo and co will be looking to secure a dominant result on the road, just as they did in their away game at Juventus in the last round.

Real stormed into a 3-0 lead with an emphatic performance in Turin.

But they were made to work for qualification, as the tie was levelled by Juve before Ronaldo's last-gasp penalty sent them through.

Real are bidding for their third straight Champions League title and the squad arrived in Munich on Tuesday dressed in tailored suits.
"We can think there will be other players as well as Cristiano who could make the difference in Munich," he said.

“We have to stay focused because it’s a Champions League semi-final and we’re defending our title.”

Van hits pedestrians in Toronto, driver in custody: police

A white van struck multiple people at a major intersection inToronto's northern suburbs on Monday and police have taken the driver into custody, police said on Twitter.

Police in Canada's largest city initially said eight to 10 people had been injured but later said it was unclear exactly how many had been hurt or the extent of their injuries.

It was not immediately clear if the incident was a deliberate act by the driver or a traffic mishap.

Woman fined $500 for saving free Delta snack

A "free" airline snack turned into a $500 headache for one woman.

She was just returning to the United States from France and was fined $500 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for bringing an apple into the country that was given to her by Delta Airlines while she was on the plane.

It was a free snack, and according to Fox News, was handed out in a plastic bag with a Delta logo.

Crystal Tadlock, who lives near Denver, told local channel Fox 31 News that when she went through customs, her bag was randomly searched.

Dilly motors boss, Okwudili Umenyiora, arrested for attempted murder of singer Runtown

Record label owner and boss of Dilly motors, Okwudili Umenyiora, was this evening arrested by the police from Force CID, Alagbon, at the gym and taken to the station.



He was arrested for threat of life of his former label artist, singer Runtown, with a gun. He has also been charged with attempted murder.

Record label owner and boss of Dilly motors, Okwudili Umenyiora, who was arrested this evening by the police from Force CID, Alagbon for the attempted murder of singer, Runtown has been released on bail and is to report to the police on Monday.

He released a video of himself in his house 'relaxing

Europa League trophy stolen in Mexico after being swiped from a vehicle before being returned safely, UEFA confirm

Arsene Wenger's hopes of winning the Europa League with Arsenal before bowing out at the end of the season very nearly took a huge blow when the trophy was stolen in Mexico.

According to reports, the glittery prize was swiped from a vehicle during an event in the city of Leon, before it was safely returned, UEFA confirmed.

The state prosecutor's office took to Twitter to upload an image of the trophy to prove it had indeed been recovered by police.

UEFA's official website claims the trophy: "Remains in UEFA's keeping at all times," and that clubs receive replica ones. However, the efforts to recover the trophy suggest that the one that was swiped was the real McCoy.

Avicii's death was PREDICTED by fellow DJ in 2015 after boozy partying left him looking 'terrible

His sudden death has shocked fans and critics alike.

But the unexpected demise of chart-topper Avicii hasn't surprised one person - his fellow DJ friend, Laidback Luke, real name Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen.

Eerily, the Dutch-Filipino performer predicted the musician's death back in 2015 after claiming the demands of touring and excessive boozing left him looking "terrible".

Speaking to Billboard magazine, he warned the star - personally known as Tim Bergling - would die in his late twenties from the ravages of a rock-n-roll lifestyle.

He said: "The first few years of heavy touring can have a major impact on a person's life, health and sanity.

BREAKING: Unidentified Persons Invade Senate, Snatch Mace.

BREAKING: Unidentified Persons Invade Senate, Snatch Mace. more updates coming soon

One dead, woman almost sucked out of a plane window after engine exploded at 32,000ft (Photos)

  

According to the National Transport Safety Bureau Chairman, Robert Sumwalt one person is dead after an engine exploded on a Southwest Airlines flight today, sending a piece of shrapnel flying back into a window which caused the woman sitting next to it to be nearly sucked out of the aircraft.

The injured woman has since been taken to the hospital immediately after the flight from New York to Dallas made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport at 11.27am.

There were unconfirmed reports from other passengers that someone else suffered a heart attack on the plane and died. Twelve others were assessed and seven of them had minor injuries.

Australian surf event cancelled after shark attacks

A major surfing tournament in Australia has been called off following two shark attacks in the area.

The World Surf League (WSL) said the final days of the Margaret River Pro event in Western Australia would be cancelled due to safety concerns.

On Monday, two recreational surfers survived separate attacks in Gracetown, about 6km (3.8 miles) from the event.

The first man was treated for serious leg injuries. The second man suffered a minor bite to his thigh.

The event had been suspended for an hour after the first attack on Monday.

Remembering The tragic story of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese Panama Papers journalist assassinated in a car bombing

Reuters, in association with other media outlets, has produced an in-depth report about Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Maltese journalist who was killed in a car bomb in October 2017.
Caruana Galizia had been using the Panama Papers to investigate corruption on the tiny island nation, and her blog would sometimes get hundreds of thousands of views per day.
For years leading up to her death, she had been threatened and harassed, and three of her dogs had been killed.
He ran towards the burning car barefoot across the field, oblivious to the mud and stones. The explosion had blown the grey Peugeot 108 clear off the road. Now the twisted remains sat ablaze about five meters into the field, a metal pyre of flame and smoke.

Matthew Caruana Galizia could feel the heat on his face and eyes. The fire was making a roaring sound and the car's horn was blaring. Through the flames he caught sight of a mother and child by the roadside crying and screaming: "What can we do, what can we do?"

He couldn't see his own mother, Daphne, whose car it was.

"I looked into the car and there was nothing," said Matthew. "It was just fire. I expected to see something like the shadow of a person or something, but there was nothing."

Then he saw her. Parts of her. A leg and other bits of body lay scattered around him in the field. Daphne Caruana Galizia, journalist, blogger and crusader against corruption and cronyism on the island of Malta, had finally been silenced.