Sex in space inevitable, say scientists

WASHINGTON, July 14: Cosmic sex is inevitable, believe experts. It is difficult to accept that astronauts cannot have sexual feelings while on a three-year mission to Mars, said Jason Kring of Florida’s Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, who has been studying the psychological effects of long-duration space missions.

With US agency Nasa and other countries planning more and more space missions, a debate has started on the possibility of cosmic sex.

Though nobody claims to know whether it has already happened, some experts believe that sex in space is inevitable. “To say that astronauts are superior beings who cannot have interests in any kind of sexual feelings for three years... I just don’t buy it,” Kring said.

The report also highlighted the fact that space agencies were gradually inclining towards sending more mixed gender crews in space, with studies suggesting that they are better at performing assigned tasks.

“They are mission-oriented... very focused on the task at hand,” said Nasa spokesperson Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters.

Kring, however, said sexual frustration could ensue. “Human sexuality is a basic need and you’re telling people, ‘Hey, for three years, you can’t do that.’ They’re going to figure out a way to do it.”

Lawrence Palinkas, professor of social work, anthropology and preventive medicine at UCLA, said: “No research has been done to know whether it (sex in space) would be a good thing or a bad thing, but it probably is inevitable.”

Journalist Laura Woodmansee, who wrote Sex in Space in 2006, predicted “honeymoons in space and out-of-this-world sex will be a reality within a decade”.

The book describes several positions that might work during cosmic copulation, ranging from the modified missionary position to sitting with “interlocking Y-legs”. She writes that props could also be used, like a shared elastic waistband to hold one partner to a stable structure.

Nicole Kidman is moving to London

LONDON, July 14: The ‘Moulin Rouge!’ actress – who gave birth to daughter Sunday Rose on July 7 – will be in the UK capital for several months to rehearse for her new film ‘Nine’ and has asked film executives to find a house for herself, husband Keith Urban and the couple’s newborn baby.

The film is based on the musical ‘Nine’ and also stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench, Sophia Loren and Kate Hudson. Singing and dancing rehearsals have been delayed for several weeks to give Nicole, 41, time to spend with her daughter.

Filming for the $90 million movie is due to commence in September.

Director Rob Marshall recently revealed Nicole is relieved there are other big names in the cast, so all attention won’t be focussed solely on the Australian in her first role since giving birth.

Rob - who won an Oscar for directing 'Chicago' - said: "She loves the idea of doing this. It's kind of nice that she doesn't have to carry the entire movie on her shoulders."

Meanwhile, the couple have released a statement saying their new daughter is a “delight”.

The statement says: “We feel immensely blessed and grateful to be given this beautiful baby girl. She’s an absolute delight.”

Naomi Campbell dating Russian businessman

LONDON, July 5: Naomi Campbell is reportedly dating Russian businessman Vladimir Doronin.

The supermodel - who has previously been romantically linked to Formula One racing tycoon Flavio Briatore and P. Diddy - has been spotted cavorting with Vladimir, who is nicknamed the 'Donald Trump of Russia' in his home country.

The pair - who first met at France's Cannes Film Festival earlier this year - are said to be "smitten" with each other, and have been photographed hugging and sharing intimate gazes by Brazilian newspaper O Dia.

A source said: "Vlad, as he is called by his friends, is one of the richest property developers of his country."

Vladimir is reportedly extremely taken with the 38-year-old beauty, and even threw a party for her when she was sentenced to 200 hours community service on charges of assaulting two police officers on a British Airways flight in April.

The source added to Britain's Daily Express newspaper: "Vladimir is so fond of Naomi he even threw a dinner on his boat in St. Tropez after the outcome of her court case."

Earlier this month, Naomi was seen kissing Brazilian entrepreneur Marcus Elias during a romantic cruise around the Italian island of Capri. The couple - who had reportedly been dating since February - held hands, hugged, kissed and laughed together during the cruise.

Teen 'pregnancy pact' shocks US city

BOSTON, June 20: A Massachusetts city is investigating an apparent teenage “pregnancy pact” that has at least 17 high-school girls expecting babies, four times more than last year, including many aged 16 or younger.

A high school health clinic in the city of Gloucester became suspicious after seeing a surge in girls seeking pregnancy tests. Local officials said nearly half of those who became pregnant appear to have entered into a pact to have their babies together over the year.

“Some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were,” Gloucester High School principal Joseph Sullivan told Time magazine, which broke news of the pact.

Some of the men involved in the pregnancies were in their mid-20s, including one man who was homeless. Others were boys in the school.

Carolyn Kirk, mayor of the port city said authorities are looking at whether to pursue statutory rape charges. “We're at the very early stages of wrestling with the complexities of this problem,” she said.

“But we also have to think about the boys. Some of these boys could have their lives changed. They could be in serious, serious trouble even if it was consensual because of their age — not from what the city could do but from what the girls' families could do,” she said.

Under Massachusetts law, it is a crime to have sex with anyone under the age of 16.

“At the very least these men should be held responsible for financial support, if not put in jail for statutory rape as the mayor has suggested,” Greg Verga, chairman of the Gloucester school committee said.

Nationwide, teen pregnancies are rising after steadily declining from 1991 to 2005. Birth rates for teenagers aged 15 to 17 rose by 3% in 2006 according to data of the National Center for Health Statistics.

Hilton drives away all my worries: beau

NEW YORK, June 18:Rocker Benji Madden is happy with his girlfriend Paris Hilton and says she has driven away all his worries.

Madden appeared on a radio show and gushed about Hilton, perezhilton.com reports.

He said: "I'm so beyond happy. When you are that happy, you think about everything. She is my best friend. I've never been so happy. Nothing worries me in life anymore. When you find that best friend, that love, all your worries kind of go away.

"Your work gets better and everything you do, you have someone supporting you, and she's that for me. I've never been supported so much. I'm a lucky guy. Her family is so nice to me. And now the four of us, we all... it's great, you know."

I'm not a dumb blonde: Paris

LONDON, June 10: Paris Hilton insists that there’s more to her than meets the eye, and that she’s no dumb blonde. In an interview with Fabulous magazine, the actress revealed about her work out regime and the hoopla surrounding her image.

“I don’t like working out. I occasionally do Pilates, but the most exercise I get is when I’m out shopping. The amount I do probably burns 2,000 calories a day!” News Of The world quoted Hilton, as saying.

The 27-year-old insists that she is not a dumb blonde; in fact, she has actually a good sense of humour.

She said: “People don’t know the real me. I have a good sense of humour and I’m always making my friends laugh. In The Simple Life, I played a dumb blonde, but it’s not really me.

“I get really shy when I make public speeches and my cheeks go red, which I hate. I wish I was more confrontational but I can never challenge someone, even if I’m really upset.

“I believe in karma and try to treat people the way I want to be treated. I think that what you put into the world will come back to you.”

Jordan auctioning her implants on net

LONDON, June 10: Glamour model Katie Price a.k.a is set to sell her implants on the Internet. Talking to Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins on their Sunday Night Project the busty model revealed that she is selling her boobs on eBay for 1 million pounds, reports the Mirror.

Meanwhile, Jordan has decided to sell off her mansion for 3 million pounds for something bigger.

The current house, which is being shared with her husband Peter Andre and children Harvey, Junior and Princess Tiamii in Ockley, Surrey, will be on the market this week.

“Katie and Peter have been in Surrey for a few years now but want more space,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

“She has her eye on a couple of properties that make her current gaff look tiny,” the source added.

Another Monica in Bill Clinton's life?

NEW YORK, June 5: Even as democratic rival Barack Obama clinched the presidential nomination, there is more negative publicity for Hillary. There are rumours that her husband Bill Clinton is allegedly having an affair with an American actress.

A Hollywood rumour claims Bill Clinton is out at it again. He is having an affair with Gina Gershon. News of the new affair is splashed across tabloids and is a favourite dinner-party gossip these days.

But Bill Clinton who is no stranger to scandal has completely denied reports of the alleged affair. He was exposed for having an affair with Monica Lewinsky while she worked at the White House. But these allegations will do no favours for Hillary Clinton who is currently trying hard to reconcile with a major set back in her political career.

Cameron goes bald for new flick

NEW YORK, May 26: Cameron Diaz shocked onlookers when she stepped out with a bald head in Santa Monica, California.

However, fans can breathe a sigh of relief, for unlike Demi Moore and Natalie Portman, the perky actress has not shaved her head, but was only wearing a bald cap.

The 35-year old star plays a mother who shaves her head to support her deathly-ill daughter in the film, My Sister's Keeper, reports the New York Daily News.

Unknown actress Sofia Vassilieva plays Diaz's on-screen daughter who battles leukaemia, while "Little Miss Sunshine" star Abigail Breslin plays her other daughter.

The film is based on Jodi Picoult's best-selling 2004 novel of the same name.