Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Faye Being “Seriously Considered” For RHOBH

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Faye Resnick stirred up drama with Camille Grammer last season on Real Housewives of Bevely Hills when she joined Kyle Richards at Camille’s dinner party. Now, a source tells Hollywood Life. that she has spoken with producers about joining the new season as an official housewife!

“Faye has met with producers and there is a lot of interest from the show’s fans to have her on,” says a source close to the show. “I don’t have word yet on whether she has officially signed on, but I do know that she was being seriously considered.”

Faye is known for testifying against O.J. Simpson in his trial, she was close friends with Nicole Brown. In episode 9 of the first season of RHOBH, Camille called Faye out for using her friend’s murder for fame. A catfight involving Kyle ensued.

A spokesperson for Bravo refused to comment on whether Faye was signing on, saying, “We haven’t announced anything regarding season two yet.”

Credit: Hollywood Life (Lorena O’Neil, Russ Weakland)

The Beverly Hills Housewives Arriving To BOA

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Faye Resnick, Kyle Richards and Taylor Armstrong, from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, strolled up to Boa Steakhouse in Beverly Hills for dinner on March 15, 2011.

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Happily married: After her dinner at Boa in West Hollywood with her friends last night, Kyle met up with husband Mauricio Umansky for a late night dateHappily married: After her dinner at Boa in West Hollywood with her friends last night, Kyle met up with husband Mauricio Umansky for a late night date

Credit: Zimbio

Photos by PacificCoastNews.com and INF Daily

justin bieber new





Marysol Patton: First Look At Her Aspen Wedding

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Yes, Real Housewives of Miami fans, Marysol Patton went through with her Winter Wonderland wedding and Zap2it has the first look at the blushing bride's exclusive wedding photos in Life & Style.

"I was freaking out!" the 44-year-old tells the magazine about planning the wedding in only five days. "But on our wedding day, a sense of peace came over me."

The PR gal, wearing a gown by designer Angel Sanchez, and Frenchman Philippe Pautesta-Herder, 34, eloped in Aspen, Colo. on March 25, 2010. And, the housewife says it was a dream come true.

"We rushed so we wouldn't miss the snow," Marysol says. "I always wanted a winter wedding!"

The housewife had to wait to release the photos until her Bravo show premiered. For more exclusive photos from Marysol's wedding, pick up the current issue of Life & Style!

Credit: Zap2It (Jethro Nededog)

Cat Ommanney Launches New Book Inbox Full

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Friday night, Cat Ommanney, one of the Real Housewives of D.C. launched her new book Inbox Full to a packed house at Eden. 

Looking resplendent in an aqua dress, the UK native delighted guests of the event by not only her appearance, but her candor. 

She describes her book as "a cross between Eat, Pray Love and Bridget Jones’ Diary." Sounds iike a ‘must read’ to me. As you might have guessed, the title refers to emails and text messages received throughout her earlier years. 

Credit: The Georgetown Dish (Wendy Gordon)

Kelly Bensimon Talks Bethenny & Cindy Barshop

http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20090407/293.frankel.bensimon.lc.040709.jpgKelly Bensimon didn't exactly miss Bethenny Frankel while filming the new season of the Real Housewives of New York City.

You'd think it was because Bensimon was so over all their catfighting, but no...

"I only filmed with her a couple of times," Bensimon insisted to me earlier today. "I don't know her at all. I met her a couple of times. We create awesome television. But I wish her well. I don't know what else there is to say because I don't know her enough to say anything."

Frankel's replacement, hair removal queen Cindy Barshop, is a completely different story.

"Cindy's a rock star," Kelly gushed. "She really put the Housewives brand out of balance. She used to work at IBM. She's got 10 Completely Bare [hair removal spas] in New York alone. She's in her forties. She's got two unbelievable babies. She has an unbelievable family. She has set the bar so high."

Guess Bensimon really likes her.

"Who doesn't like a girl's girl who has it all, works her butt off and wears Martin Margiela?" she said. "She's hot, she's cool and she's easygoing."

Credit: E! Online (Marc Malkin)

Taylor Armstrong Has Lunch At The Coupa Cafe

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Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong and some of her friends were spotted while out for lunch yesterday (March 15) at the Coupa Cafe in Beverly Hills, CA.

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Credit: Zimbio

Photos by Photo Agency

RHONJ Cast Members Detained On Vacation

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Teresa Giudice, who famously flipped her lid (and a banquet table) on her Real Housewives of New Jersey co-star Danielle Staub in a heated argument about Staub's criminal past, is having some legal troubles of her own, thanks to her husband's participation in a bar fight.

Radar Online reports that Teresa's husband, Joe, was detained by police in the Dominican Republic along with cast mate Caroline's sons, Albie Manzo and Chris Manzo, and the boys' roommate, Gregory Bennett.

After his clan accidentally spilled champagne on fellow bar patrons, a confrontation began, during which Joe Giudice allegedly hit one customer with a glass and beat another. The two men on the receiving end of the beatdown received minor lacerations in addition to one man's arm being fractured and the other man receiving a fractured leg. Chris, Albie and Gregory were allegedly protecting the women in the bar from the fight when they were detained.

A police representative said of the incident, "Usually when there's a fight we take one guy, but this time we took everybody."

While no charges were filed against the involved parties, who came to a verbal agreement, Radar sources say that Teresa and Joe Giudice remained in the Dominican Republic under supervision by their hotel for three days after the rest of their clan flew back to the Garden State.

Credit: Pop Eater (Sarah Crow)

Who's that meant to be? Justin Bieber unveils his Madame Tussauds waxwork... but it looks NOTHING like him

By Sarah Bull


Who's that meant to be? Justin Bieber looks delighted with his waxwork at Madame Tussauds in London, despite the fact the model only bears a slight resemblance to the teen idol


They got his famous 'Bieber bob' haircut right, but that's about it.

When Justin Bieber's waxwork was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in London today, fans were left stunned by just how unrealistic the model was.

But 17-year-old Bieber didn't seem to mind, grinning widely as he posed next to the waxwork alongside his mother Pattie and labelling it 'awesome'.

Spot the difference: Bieber labelled the waxwork 'awesome' and admitted it was funny to see how much he has grown in eight months


He said: 'It’s pretty incredible to see. I’m taller but this was a point in time. It looks awesome, thanks very much.'

The pop star asked his mother to come up on stage, saying to her: 'It [the sculpture] doesn't have any facial hair.'

He then gave the wax work a hug, but refused to kiss it in front of photographers.
He later added: 'I'm just taking him home with me!'

Bieber worked closely with the team who created his waxwork, giving sittings in New York last year. And stylists teamed up with Bieber's personal hair stylist to ensure his once legendary hairstyle was the exact replica of the original cut.

But after turning 17 two weeks ago, the star - much to the dismay of fans - now wears a shorter, more textured cut.

Which one's which? But Bieber's mother Pattie didn't seem to have any trouble differentiating between her son and his waxwork

Your eyes are similar: Pattie picks out the areas the model makers got right during the making of the waxwork


He chopped off his signature swoop last month and it was reported that the pop star lost thousands of followers on Twitter.

However, the hordes of fans who had queued for hours in the hope of catching a glimpse of the teen idol weren't disappointed, belting out earsplitting screams when Bieber took to the stage.

Grace Magraff, 14, from Surrey, squealed: 'I cannot believe I am in the same room as Justin and his figure is amazing. I don’t want to leave; I just want to stay by his figure forever!

'It’s brilliant, just like him. I love it!'

It's widely acknowledged that when a celebrity is given the honour of having a waxwork made, it is a sign that they have 'made it'.

I'm a Belieber! Hordes of fans gathered to see the waxwork of Bieber which was unveiled in New York today

Which one's better? Bieber waxworks were unveiled in London (left), New York and Amsterdam today. While the London and Amsterdam models are exact replicas, the New York model (right) wears an outfit personally donated by Bieber


And Liz Edwards, PR Manager at the London attraction said there had been frequent requests for a Bieber model to be added to the collection of famous faces.

She said: 'The interest in Justin’s figure has been truly phenomenal. We were absolutely inundated with requests from young fans to include him and since we announced that we were indeed making his figure we’ve been besieged by beliebers wanting to know when they can come and see him here.

'We’re sure they will be as pleased with the final results as Justin seems to be today.'

The great escape: Bieber makes a quick dash to his car after signing some autographs for fans outside his London hotel

Where is he? Groups of girls waited eagerly outside the hotel to catch a glimpse of the Never Say Never star


The unveiling was broadcast live for the first time in the museum's history on a special website revealed by Bieber on the Twitter website earlier in the day.

Replicas of the teenager were simultaneously unveiled at Tussauds attractions in Amsterdam and New York.

The London and Amsterdam models are identical but the New York wax work wears an outfit donated by the star.

The sculpture of the singer will join the likes of Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse and Justin Timberlake in the interactive music zone at Madame Tussauds in London.

Justin Bieber - Wax Figure in Museum Madame Tussauds



Source:dailymail

When will they learn? Victoria's Secret accused of ANOTHER Photoshop fail on model with bizarrely-shaped thighs

By Tamara Abraham


Photoshop fail? This Victoria's Secret model appears to have lost part of her thighs, which have been given an unnatural shape


It's not the first time Victoria's Secret has been caught out. But the lingerie company is the subject of ridicule yet again, after it appeared to have airbrushed out large parts of a model's thighs.

The beauty, who wore a bright blue linen beach romper, was pictured with unnaturally thin legs in a picture posted on the company's website. She had also been given a bizarre concave shape to her inner thighs.

Today fashion blogs slammed the company, comparing the photograph to one taken last year of Marisa Miller, whose arm was removed in the digital retouching process.


Styleite wrote: 'We’re totally creeped out by the way this model’s airbrushed
thighs don’t appear to connect to the rest of her body. The lack of shadow where her leg meets the romper is also indicative of an awful cut-and-paste job.'

The Gloss compared it to aggressive campaign airbrushing by other major brands, including Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor.

'When will big brands like Victoria’s Secret (and Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor and H&M) learn that no one finds this appealing?' it said.

Victoria's Secret had used the same image to show a black version of the garment, but the model wearing the cream colourway seemed to have a more realistic leg shape, with the shadows and shine that the others lack.

Spot the difference: The model in the cream romper had more natural leg shape, with shadows and shine that the other colourways, including black (right) lack

Aggressive airbrushing: Victoria's Secret came under fire last year after model Marisa Miller's arm was removed in the digital retouching process


The lingerie company is the latest in a series of high-profile brands that have been accused of overzealous retouching

Ralph Lauren came under fire two years ago after a series of campaign images in which its models were Photoshopped to look impossibly skinny.

Model Filippa Hamilton's waist was made so small, it was narrower in width than her head

Unrealistic: Heavy-handed art direction made models Valentina Zelyaeva (left) and Filippa Hamilton (right) impossibly thin in Ralph Lauren campaigns in 2009


Just a week later, another image emerged of Valentina Zelyaeva in which her hips and thighs had been whittled down to an almost skeletal degree. An original, unretouched version served as evidence of the label's heavy-handed art direction .

And last year Ann Taylor revealed its Photoshop faux pas in a thumbnail version of an image on its website, showing how a model's waist had been narrowed by several inches.

A spokesman for Victoria's Secret did not return MailOnline's request for a comment this morning.


Source:dailymail

Emma Watson goes for androgynous chic in blazer and shorts on Lancôme shoot in Paris... but she can't hide her healthy curves

By Simon Cable and Georgina Littlejohn


Androgynous chic: Emma Watson looked stunning in a pair of white lace shorts, shirt, tie, blazer and bowler hat as she shot the new Lancome advert in Paris


She certainly doesn’t conform to the stereotype of the emaciated catwalk model.

Indeed, Emma Watson appears to have much more in common with the curvier actresses who have preceded her in her latest modelling campaign.

The 20-year-old Harry Potter star, who has been signed up as the face of cosmetics company Lancome, was seen filming scenes for a new advert in Paris.

Leggy lady: Emma showed off her healthy curves in the advert as she shot with Mario Testino


And her healthy figure echoes that of the screen stars including Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz and Isabella Rossellini, all of whom have fronted advertising campaigns for the French beauty brand in the past.

Watson slipped into a pair of white lace shorts, peach blazer, tie and bowler hat with nude court shoes for the upcoming campaign, which is being shot by photographer Mario Testino.

It is unclear whether the campaign was for the brand’s make-up or perfume, but with a huge legion of fans it is bound to fly off the shelves when released.

How do I look? Emma looks at some of the test shots on the set on the banks of the River Seine in Paris

Careful: The Harry Potter star gets a helping hand up to a step as she prepares to start the shoot


The night before, Watson was seen wearing a strapless peach chiffon dress, which she teamed with a black biker jacket and towering peep-toed shoe boots on the shoot.

Her short hair was slicked back as she strolled through the romantically-lit streets.

Emma, who has previously fronted campaigns for Burberry, has been leaving cryptic clues for her fans that she had been signed by Lancôme on her Twitter page all week.

Last Friday she first tweeted: 'A new venture is starting - what can it be? Follow my clues and you will see...'

Lady in leather: Emma strolled through the streets of Paris the night before on the first evening of the shoot

On my cue: Emma looked a bit cold in her pretty strapless chiffon dress as she waited to be directed, before she skipped off down the street


This was followed with: 'I'll pierce your skin if you hold me wrong but I'll love you forever if you pass me on,' which referred to Lancôme's logo - a rose.

Watson, who is most famous for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, has worked with Testino, 56, before on fashion shoots for Burberry and Vogue.

Last week the star announced that she was postponing her studies at Brown University in the U.S. to re-focus on her career.

Artist and his muse: Emma stand with photographer Mario Testino as he tells her where he wants her to stand and pose

Under the spotlight: Emma skips along the cobbled street under the softly-lit street lamps


The actress was less than two years into a degree in women’s history and drama at the prestigious Rhode Island university. However, she told fans that juggling the two had become ‘a little impossible’.

She was regularly forced to fly back and forth between London and the U.S. while the final two Harry Potter films were being made as well as undertaking regular fashion shoots in the UK.

She is also currently shooting her upcoming film, My Week With Marilyn, in London alongside Kenneth Branagh and is also about to begin a heavy promotion schedule for the final Harry Potter film, The Deathly Hallows, part two, which is released this summer.

Emma Watson Causes Stir In Paris For Lancôme Shoot




Source:dailymail

Red hot covergirl: Rihanna shows off her fine form on the cover of U.S. Vogue

By Daily Mail Reporter


Red hot: Rihanna sizzles on the front cover of the April edition of U.S Vogue showing off her fabulous shape


She is a proud purveyor of womanly curves and undoubtedly has one of the best bodies in the business.

So it is not surprising that U.S. Vogue chose Rihanna as their cover girl for the 10th anniversary of its shape issue.

The Bajan beauty is pictured in a sheer floral dress which clings to her enviable curves covering artfully covering her modesty with the green blue and red flowers.


Her bright red hair, which is partially covering her face, is complemented by bright red lips against the blue sunset background shot by Annie Leibovitz.

The front cover claims Rihanna opens up about ‘fame, family and how she really feels about her curves’ for the April issue of the U.S. magazine.

The singer also reveals how she has been getting into shape for her role in film Battleship.

Rihanna has been touring Australia in recent weeks re-tweeted a post on Twitter that said: ‘@Rihanna is the youngest black woman to cover VOGUE magazine US."’

After being out of the U.S. for a number of weeks Rihanna seemed eager to get back on the party scene just a few hours after jetting back home.

The confident singer put her cleavage on full display when she went for dinner in Los Angeles on Sunday night wearing an attention-grabbing low-cut mini dress.

And she almost appeared to be spilling out of the tiny dress as she arrived at the city's Giorgio Baldi restaurant, just hours after she had touched down at Los Angeles International Airport.

Flamboyant star: Rihanna wanted all eyes on her last night when she stepped out in the red afro wig and tiny low-cut mini dress


The Bajan singer drew further attention to her look by transforming her hair - which had been long and straight when she stepped off the plane - into a fiery red afro.

Rihanna is renowned for her outlandish wig collection and her ‘hair architect’ recently divulged his ideas behind the star’s ever-changing hair pieces.

Ursula Stephen likes to use wigs on the 23-year-old because they are better to style with rollers and hot irons, while preserving the health of her natural hair.

Wig tips: Rihanna's hair stylist said wigs are better to style with rollers and hot irons, while preserving the health of her natural hair


Mr Stephen said that Rihanna loves making a statement with her hair and wouldn’t let him tame one of his most outlandish frizzy lioness-like manes.

‘I was like, ‘Bring me that wig and let me cut it down for you to wear out’. But she wouldn’t let me touch it!’ He told StyleList.

Her wigs can cost anything from almost £400 to £1,500 but Mr Stephen said: ‘It’s not about the cost, or even if it’s synthetic or real hair.

Quick change: Rihanna arrived at LAX with long sleek locks (right) but by evening had changed into her massive afro


‘It’s about the style you want first. You have to have your vision, then you go and find the piece.

'The only thing I’d say is a better choice to go with synthetic hair if you want a real curly style. It holds much better', he said.

The hair expert said Rihanna chooses her styles depending on what mood she’s in or what image she wants to portray on stage or just out and about with friends.

Attention-grabbing: The singer sported some similarly racy outfits when she recently performed in Australia


The S&M singer arrived at Los Angeles International Airport earlier in the day dressed down in a tracksuit and demure make-up.

She was still sporting a red wig, but instead of the frizzy mane, she stepped off her plane with long straight locks.

But last night she wanted all eyes on her as she strolled around in a barely-there dress, high heels and the flamboyant wig.


Source:dailymail

'Every time I talk about it, I want to cry': Eva Longoria gets emotional as she opens up about divorce from Tony Parker

By Daily Mail Reporter


Ready for her close up: Eva Longoria shows her seductive side in a new shoot for Allure magazine


Eva Longoria has opened up about her split from basketball player Tony Parker for the first time.

The Desperate Housewives star filed for divorce from the San Antonio Spurs player last November following claims he had exchanged inappropriate texts with another woman, rumoured to be his team-mate's wife Erin Barry.

'I'm kind of having to find new patterns because I'm not used to having - I'm used to always being on a plane and flying to a basketball game,' the actress, who turns 36 today, tells Allure magazine.

Still struggling: The Desperate Housewives star admits she feels like crying whenever she talks about her divorce


'It's been - every time I talk about it, I want to cry.'

She adds: 'It's been hard. Very hard.

'I'm just trying to get through it as gracefully as possible without any drama.'
Eva, who counts former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and reality TV star Kim Kardashian as friends, says she has turned those close to her for support.

'You know, some people collect plates and stamps and coins. I collect people, I collect amazing, smart, interesting women,' she says.

However, she stopped short of talking about her new romance with Eduardo Cruz, Penelope Cruz's brother.

She would only say: 'I'm in a transition stage, settling into a new routine, and I welcome it.'

The pair have tried to keep their fledgling romance out of the spotlight, however they were seen enjoying a romantic cruise together last month.

More recently, she was seen sharing a heated kiss with the 25-year-old Spanish singer/songwriter at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood.

Parker and Longoria were married in a lavish star-studded ceremony in Italy in July 2007.

Moving on: Eva with her ex husband Tony Parker and right, with Penelope Cruz's brother Eduardo


Source:dailymail

'They've lost control': French claim Japan is hiding full scale of nuclear disaster as emergency teams desperately fire water cannon at reactors from

By David Derbyshire


-Workers battling nuclear meltdown evacuated today after radiation levels increased
-Police water cannon commandeered to spray complex
-Attempts to dump water on reactors by helicopter fail
-6.0 magnitude aftershock off Chiba, east of Tokyo, causes further tremors today
-In Europe, 500 bone marrow transplant centres put on standby to treat victims from Japan
-The plant rocked by second fire in No 4 unit and two more explosions, bringing the total to four
-France’s Nuclear Safety Authority ranks crisis second only in gravity to Chernobyl in 1986

Damaged: This dramatic pictures shows for the first time the damage wreaked upon the Fukushima plant which was today shrouded in smoke and steam bellowing from the damaged third and fourth reactors


Japan's stricken nuclear power plant was abandoned today, as soaring radiation forced emergency workers to flee for their lives and authorities were reduced to spraying reactors with water cannon from afar.

All 50 emergency workers who had been fighting to keep overheating reactors cool were pulled back 500 yards from the complex as radiation levels became too dangerous.

And in an extraordinary attack, the French government accused the Japanese of losing control of the situation and hiding the full scale of the disaster.

Military helicopters made a failed attempt to drop water on the reactors from above, amid desperate efforts to cool nuclear fuel. Police water cannons usually used in riot control were even requested to spray the site from long range.

The emergency teams had been pumping sea water into reactors using fire engines, but those efforts are thought to have stopped as the workers were pulled out.

Fears of 'an apocalypse' were raised by European officials as radiation levels soared . In another attack, French Industry Minister Eric Besson said:'Let's not beat about the bush. They have visibly lost the essential of control (of the situation). That is our analysis, in any case, it's not what they are saying.'

In a sign of mounting panic, Cabinet Secretary Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano has already warned that the long-range cooling efforts may not work.

He said: 'It's not so simple that everything will be resolved by pouring in water. We are trying to avoid creating other problems.' The emergency workers are reportedly preparing to return to the complex.

Destroyed: Damage after an earthquake and tsunami at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, is seen in this satellite image taken 9:35 am local time (0035 GMT)

Crisis: A cloud of white smoke can be seen rising from the nuclear power plant today as workers battling to control the chaos were evacuated after soaring radiation levels

Desperate measures: A Japanese military helicopter scoops water from the Pacific, which it later attempted to drop on overheating reactors


More than 140,000 residents within 19 miles of the plant were ordered to stay indoors - in addition to the 180,000 already evacuated from the immediate area. Terrified families clogged roads as they tried to flee.

And The French government urged its nationals living in Tokyo to leave the country or head to southern Japan due to the risk of radiation from an earthquake-crippled nuclear power plant to the north of the capital.

The French embassy in Tokyo said in a statement that its advisory applied with immediate effect to those French nationals who were not obliged to remain in the city. It added that it had asked Air France to mobilise planes currently in Asia to evacuate French citizens, and two were already on their way.

On Tuesday, a fire broke out in the same reactor's fuel storage pond - an area where used nuclear fuel is kept cool - causing radioactivity to be released into the atmosphere. TEPCO said the new blaze erupted because the initial fire had not been fully extinguished.

The turn of events caused European energy commissioner Guenther Oettinger to warn that Tokyo had almost lost control of events. ‘There is talk of an apocalypse and I think the word is particularly well chosen,’ he told the European Parliament.

But just before 4am this morning the Japanese government said that the fire which had raged for around seven hours had been brought under control.

The Japanese government later ordered emergency workers to withdraw from its stricken nuclear power complex today amid a surge in radiation.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the workers, who have been dousing the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant with seawater in a frantic effort to stabilise their temperatures, had no choice but to pull back from the most dangerous areas.

Screening: A woman is checked with a Geiger counter at a public welfare centre in Hitachi City, Ibaraki

Extreme measures: There are temporaryradiation cleaning shelter, set up by across the affected area including Nihonmatsu city in Fukushima

Potentially exposed: Women, one holding her dog, are scanned for radiation at a temporary evacuation centre for residents living near the Fukushima plant


'The workers cannot carry out even minimal work at the plant now,' Mr Edano said, as smoke billowed above the crippled complex. 'Because of the radiation risk we are on stand-by.'

Mr Edano warned that helicopters drafted in to tackle the nuclear spills may not work. He said: 'It's not so simple that everything will be resolved by pouring in water. We are trying to avoid creating other problems,' he said.

'We are actually supplying water from the ground, but supplying water from above involves pumping lots of water and that involves risk. We also have to consider the safety of the helicopters above,' he said.


Testing: Workers in protective white suits screen worried evacuees at a radiation contamination centre yesterday


Life and death: A woman reacts to news that a relative has died, left, and a baby is checked for signs of radiation, right


The alarm spread worldwide. In Europe, some 500 bone marrow transplant centres were put on standby to treat any victims from Japan. And in India, officials demanded that imported Japanese goods be screened for radiation contamination.

The plant was yesterday rocked by a fire and two more explosions - bringing the total to four. One damaged the concrete and steel walls protecting reactor 2 – as concerns grew that the casing could split and potentially send out a cloud of dangerous radiation.

Aftershocks continue to hit the country, and a 6.0 magnitude tremor struck in the Pacific just off Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, today, raised concerns that further damage would be caused to the already-weakened container walls of four reactors at the Fukushima plant.

Hajimi Motujuku, a spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), said the outer housing of the containment vessel at the No 4 unit at the complex caught fire.

Bustle: Passengers wait to leave at the Tokyo International Airport, some on any plane they can

Chaos: Smoke and steam billows from the damaged third and fourth reactors at the Fukushima plant, while right, hundreds of drivers desperate to flee the region pile on to the roads

At risk: Evacuees from the 18-mile radius around the plant are screened for radiation exposure at a testing centre yesterday


Efforts to cool overheating reactors were temporarily suspended after the levels were deemed dangerous to human health.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the workers, who were dousing the reactors with seawater in a frantic effort to stabilize their temperatures, had no choice except to withdraw.

'The workers cannot carry out even minimal work at the plant now,' Edano said. 'Because of the radiation risk we are on standby.' Radiation levels had gone down later in the day but it was not immediately clear if the workers had been allowed back in.

Meanwhile, France’s Nuclear Safety Authority said the disaster now equated to a six on the seven-point international scale for nuclear accidents, ranking the crisis second only in gravity to Chernobyl in 1986.


The authority’s chief Andre-Claude Lacoste said: ‘It is very clear that we are at a level six. We are clearly in a catastrophe.’

In desperation, Tokyo Electric Power, which is responsible for the Fukushima plant, asked U.S. helicopters to drop water on to the building in an attempt to cool a reactor, as radiation levels are too high for people to approach it.

Levels at the site peaked at a dangerous 400 millisieverts yesterday – four times the level that can trigger cancer. However, they had fallen again by the end of the day. Japan ordered a 30-mile no fly zone over the exclusion zone to stop the spread of radiation.


Source:dailymail