OBAMA TO DONATE INAUGURAL BALL GOWN TO SMITHSONIAN

THE ONE-SHOULDERED, WHITE CHIFFON GOWN FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA WORE TO THE INAUGURAL BALLS WILL SOON BE GOING ON DISPLAY IN WASHINGTON DC. OBAMA IS DONATING THE STUNNING GOWN TO THE FIRST LADIES COLLECTION AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY. DOTTED WITH BEADS AND COVERED IN FABRIC PETALS, THE GOWN, BY DESIGNER JASON WU OF NEW YORK, WAS A STAR ATTRACTION AT 10 INAUGURAL BALLS HELD IN JANUARY 2009 TO CELEBRATE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S SWEARING-IN. THE NEW ADDITION WILL SERVE AS A SHOWCASE FOR FIRST LADIES FROM MAMIE EISENHOWER, WHO SERVED FROM 1953 TO 1961, TO OBAMA, IN ONE OF THE MUSEUM'S MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS. ALL THE FIRST LADIES SINCE 1912 HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE VAST AND UNIQUE COLLECTION. THE SMITHSONIAN ASKS EACH ONE TO DONATE SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTS HER. WHILE DONATING THE INAUGURAL BALL GOWN HAS BECOME A LASTING TRADITION, IT IS NOT REQUIRED. THE COLLECTION ALSO HAS WHITE HOUSE CHINA AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS FROM PAST PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATIONS. THE EXHIBIT WILL SHOWCASE 24 FIRST LADIES' DRESSES, INCLUDING 12 INAUGURAL GOWNS.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II 'MAY VISIT IRELAND'

QUEEN ELIZABETH II MAY SOON RECEIVE AN OFFICIAL INVITATION TO VISIT IRELAND FOR THE FIRST TIME, ACCORDING TO RENEWED SPECULATION ABOUT THE CONTROVERSIAL BUT HIGHLY LONG-EXPECTED TRIP. IRISH PRESIDENT MARY MCALEESE IS REPORTED TO BE HOPEFUL THE FIRST STATE VISIT WOULD TAKE PLACE DURING HER TERM IN OFFICE, WHICH ENDS NEST YEAR. IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME A BRITISH MONARCH HAS SET FOOT IN THE IRISH REPUBLIC. A VISIT HAS BEEN MOOTED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS THE ULSTER PEACE PROCESS BRINGS CLOSER TIES BETWEEN LONDON AND DUBLIN, LOWERING THE HURDLES. SUCH AN EVENT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCONCEIVABLE PRIOR TO THE IRA PLEDGING TO HAND OVER ITS VAST CATALOG OF WEAPONS; THE ORGANIZATION WHICH STANDS FOR A FREE IRELAND IS ACCUSED OF MURDERING THE QUEEN'S UNCLE, EARL MOUNTBATTEN, AND 18 BRITISH SOLDIERS IN TWO SEPARATE ATTACKS ON THE SAME DAY IN AUGUST 1979. BUCKINGHAM PALACE SAID IT 'NEVER COMMENTED ON POSSIBLE FUTURE STATE VISITS', AND A SOURCE ADDED THAT THE PALACE WAS NOT AWARE OF PLANS FOR A TRIP TO IRELAND. HOWEVER, A RECENT REPORT IN THE DAILY MAIL QUOTED AUTHOR MARY KENNY,WHO RECENTLY MET MCALEESE AT AN IRISH EMBASSY RECEPTION, SAYING: 'THEY BELIEVE PRIVATELY IT WILL HAPPEN NEXT YEAR. THE POLITICAL SITUATION HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED AND THE MOOD IS RIGHT.' 2011 WILL MARK THE CENTENARY OF THE VISIT BY THE QUEEN'S GRANDFATHER, KING GEORGE V, TO WHAT WAS THEN SOUTHERN IRELAND. IN DECEMBER, MCALEESE SPOKE OF HER HOPE THE QUEEN WILL FINALLY MAKE HER HISTORIC VISIT TO IRELAND NEXT YEAR, SHE SAID: 'I'D LIKE TO THINK IT COULD HAPPEN. I'VE LONG SINCE BEEN ON THE RECORD AS SAYING I THINK IT COULD BE ONE OF THE GREATEST SYMBOLS OF WHERE WE HAVE MOVED TO AS A COUNTRY IF WE HAD THAT GREAT RECONCILIATION WITH OUR NEIGHBOR'

THE MUSEE DE L'ELYSEE TO PRESENT SALLY MANN EXHIBITION

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SWITZERLAND, A MUSEUM, THE MUSEE DE L'ELYSEE, WILL PRESENT AN EXHIBITION DEVOTED TO THE EXCEPTIONAL OEUVRE OF SALLY MANN. OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS HER BODY OF WORK HAS EARNED HER A DESERVEDLY INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION. SINCE THE 1970s THIS AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER HAS BEN DEALING WITH THE TROUBLING THEMES OF INTIMACY AND THE INEXORABLE PASSAGE OF TIME. SALLY MANN'S WORK IS CENTERED ON PORTRAITS OF HER CHILDREN, AS SHE OBSERVED THEM CLOSELY AND WITH GREAT HONESTY AS THEY GREW INTO YOUNG ADULTS. THE PORTRAITS ARE COMPLEMENTED BY LANDSCAPES, REVEALING STRANGELY TIMELESS PLACES CHARACTERIZED BY AN EXUBERANT NATURE SEEMINGLY CHARGED WITH SYMBOLISM.

MANN'S WORK IS CONCERNED WITH THE EXPLORATION OF THEMES THAT ARE BOTH PERSONAL AND UNIVERSAL: CHILDHOOD, MEMORY, MORTALITY. THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF HER THREE CHILDREN, GATHERED TOGETHER IN 1992 FOR THE BOOK IMMEDIATE FAMILY, SPARKED IMMEDIATE CONTROVERSY, WHILE PROPELLING THE ARTIST TO THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY SCENE. THE MOST RECENT WORKS, WHICH IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE EXHIBITION, THOSE MADE FROM 2000, DEAL POIGNANTLY WITH VULNERABILITY, OLD AGE, DEATH AND DECAY. FRAGILITY IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE TIGHTLY CROPPED PORTRAITS OF THE CHILDREN, EMMETT, JESSIE AND VIRGINIA, NOW YOUNG ADULTS, AND THE LARGE FORMAT INVITES CONTEMPLATIVE SCRUTINY. THROUGH GLASS NEGATIVES AND WET COLLODION METHODS, MANN ONCE AGAIN QUESTIONS MEMORY AND THE EPHEMERALITY OF LIFE OR AS SHE HERSELF PUTS IT IN A PHRASE THAT COULD BE EITHER A DECLARATION OR A QUESTION: 'WHAT REMAINS'.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.elysee.ch

THAMES TUNNEL REOPENS AFTER 145 YEARS BEFORE IT CLOSES FOREVER

THANKS TO FUNDING FROM RENAISSANCE LONDON, VISITORS TO ROTHERHITHE HAVE A FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE VICTORIAN AGE BEFORE IT CLOSES FOREVER. ONE OF MARC AND ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL'S ENGINEERING TRIUMPHS, CONTEMPORARIES OF THE AGE CALLED IT THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD. THE THAMES TUNNEL HAS BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR 145 YEARS AND WILL NOW REOPEN AS THE IMPRESSIVE FINALE OF LONDON'S EAST FESTIVAL. TOURS THROUGH THE TUNNEL, FROM ROTHERHITHE TO WAPPING AND THEN BACK AGAIN, WILL GIVE WALKERS THE CHANCE TO MARVEL AT THE ASTONISHING ACHIEVEMENT, INCLUDING THE GRAND ENTRANCE HALL. THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE TUNNEL WAS BUILT ABOVE WATER AND THEN SUBMERGED BELOW GROUND UNDER ITS ON WEIGHT. THE SPACE IS HALF THE SIZE OF THE GLOBE THEATER AND WAS A PLACE FOR ACTORS AND PERFORMERS TO ENTERTAIN THE THRONGING CROWDS. THE 1867 ARCH AT THE ROTHERHITHE ENTRANCE TO THE TUNNEL IS ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT OF THE TOUR. TO MARK THE INCREDIBLE OCCASION AND THE BRUNELS' REMARKABLE FEAT, THE BRUNEL MUSEUM IN ROTHERHITHE WILL HOST A RECREATION OF A FANCY FAIR, ORIGINALLY HELD IN THE BOWELS OF THE TUNNEL DEEP BENEATH THE THAMES IN 1852. AUDIENCES WILL ENCOUNTER STRANGE AND WONDERFUL VICTORIAN CHARACTERS, HEAR STRAINS OF THE 1840 COMMISSIONED THAMES TUNNEL WALTZ, ENJOY HISTORIC FOOD AND DRINK AND SHOP AT STALLS PROMISING 'MULTIFARIOUS TRUMERY, CHEROOT, SPINNING TOPS AND OTHER PARAPHERNALIA'.

OPENED IN 1852, THE TUNNEL GRIPPED THE NATION'S IMAGINATION, NOTHING HAD BEEN SEEN LIKE IT BEFORE AND IT CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE OF EXCITEMENT, WONDER AND JOY, IT WAS THE FIRST OF AN UNDERGROUND NETWORK THAT TRANSFORMED THE LIFE OF LONDON. ILLUMINATED BY A STRING OF LIGHTS RUNNING ITS 1,300 FOOT LENGTH, BY THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ITS OPENING OVER HALF THE POPULATION OF LONDON HAD PAID TO WALK 'THE SHINING AVENUE OF LIGHT OF WAPPING'. THE TUNNEL SOON TOOK ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN WITH A SHOPPING ARCADE, THEATER AND A REPUTATION FOR THE BAWDY CARNIVALESQUE SIDESHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENTS THE VICTORIANS HAVE BECOME KNOWN FOR. THE TUNNEL WAS EVEN GRACED WITH A VISIT FROM QUEEN VICTORIA AND PRINCE ALBERT WITH LORD BYRON IN TOW. IT IS CLASSIFIED AS AN INTERNATIONAL LANDMARK SITE, ONE OF SIX IN THE UK.

DIANE VON FURSTENBURG TO DESIGN INTERIORS FOR CLARIDGE'S

ICONIC FASHION DESIGNER DIANE VON FURSTENBURG WILL BE UNVEILING HER FIRST INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT THIS SUMMER FOR THE LUXURY ART DECO HOTEL CLARIDGE'S, LONDON. VON FURSTENBURG, A FREQUENT GUEST AND ADMIRER OF THE HISTORIC HOTEL, WILL BRING HER CLASSIC PRINTS AND BOLD COLOURS AS WELL AS ORIGINAL PIECES OF FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES TO A SERIES OF ROOMS AND SUITES. CLARIDGE'S AND VON FURSTENBURG HAVE ENJOYED AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP SINCE THE 1970s AND SOME OF HER PAST COLLECTIONS HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE RENOWNED HOTEL. 'ONE OF MY FONDEST MEMORIES WAS WHEN I WAS IN LONDON AS A YOUNG, INDEPENDENT BUSINESSWOMAN AND STAYED AT CLARIDGE'S', THE DESIGNER RECALLS. 'I KNEW I HAD MADE IT. TO ME, CLARIDGE'S IS THE MOST GLAMOROUS HOTEL IN THE WORLD; I REGARD IT AS MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME.'

AMERICAN AMBASSADOR RETURNS STOLEN CZAR MEDALLION TO RUSSIA

THE US AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA RETURNED A STOLEN SILVER MEDALLION THAT BELONGED TO THE LAST RUSSIAN CZAR TO MOSCOW THURSDAY AFTER IT WAS RECOVERED FROM AN ONLINE AUCTION BY US INVESTIGATORS. AMBASSADOR JOHN BEYRLE SAID THAT THE RECOVERY OF THE RARE ARTIFACT SIGNALED INCREASING TRUST BETWEEN MOSCOW AND WASHINGTON. 'THIS DETECTIVE STORY IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION, WHICH ALLOWS US TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES', BEYRLE SAID DURING A CEREMONY AT HIS OFFICIAL RESIDENCE. THE MEDALLION, WHICH BEARS A PORTRAIT OF CZAR PETER THE GREAT, ONCE BELONGED TO THE FAMILY OF RUSSIA'S LAST CZAR, NICHOLAS II. IT WAS STOLEN FROM THE STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM IN ST PETERSBURG. A 2006 CHECK SHOWED THAT SOME 200 EXHIBITS, INCLUDING JEWELRY AND ICONS WORTH OVER $5 MILLION, WERE STOLEN FROM RUSSIA'S LARGEST AND MOST PROMINENT MUSEUM. ONLY 35 PIECES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED.

LAPD APOLOGIZE TO KENNEDY FAMILY FOR CONFERENCE EXHIBIT

THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RECENTLY APOLOGIZED TO THE FAMILY OF ROBERT F KENNEDY FOR EXHIBITING THE TIE, WHITE SHIRT AND BLACK JACKET THE SENATOR WAS WEARING WHEN HE WAS ASSASSINATED IN 1968. AFTER A COMPLAINT FROM THE FAMILY, THE LAPD REMOVED THE ITEMS FROM A DISPLAY AT A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS CONFERENCE IN LAS VEGAS. 'THIS IS SUPPOSED TO A BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE', POLICE CHIEF CHARLIE BECK TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. 'IT WASN'T INTENDED TO CAUSE ANYONE GRIEF OR TO BE PRURIENT OR SALACIOUS IN ANY WAY.' KENNEDY WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD BY SIRHAN SIRHAN AT THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL IN LOS ANGELES. BECK SAID IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CLOTHING HAD BEEN ON DISPLAY. SANDI GIBBONS, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, HAS VIEWED THE CLOTHING MANY TIMES AND SAID IT CONTAINS SPOTS THAT ARE LIKELY BLOOD. POLICE SPOKESPERSON MARY GRADY SAID THE KENNEDY FAMILY MADE THE ONLY COMPLAINT SHE WAS AWARE OF. SHE SAID THE EVIDENCE ON DISPLAY HAD ALL BEEN PRESENTED IN COURT AND WAS PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. PHOTOS OF MANY OF THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN POSTED ON WEB SITES, SHE SAID. OTHER ITEMS IN THE EXHIBIT ENTITLES 'BEHIND THE SCENES' INCLUDED GLOVES AND A KNIT CAP FROM THE OJ SIMPSON MURDER TRIAL AND ROPE THAT WAS TIED AROUND THE NECK OF SHARON TATE AND OTHER WEAPONS USED WHEN SEVEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY THE MANSON FAMILY 40 YEARS AGO. DEBRA TATE, THE SISTER OF SHARON TATE, SAID SHE AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE OTHER VICTIMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE THAT EVIDENCE WAS GOING TO BE SHOWN. TATE PLANS TO COMPLAIN TO THE LAPD, HOWEVER, SHE SAID SHE UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF THE EXHIBIT. 'I UNDERSTAND USING IT AS A TEACHING TOOL AND KEEPING THE PUBLIC AWARE OF HOW HEINOUS THESE MURDERS WERE', SHE SAID. 'FROM THAT ASPECT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.' THE KENNEDY ITEMS WERE REMOVED TUESDAY BEFORE THE EXHIBIT OPENED TO THE PUBLIC. THE DISPLAY WAS PREPARED BY THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE 2010 CALIFORNIA HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS CONFERENCE AT THE PALMS HOTEL AND CASINO RESORT IN LAS VEGAS. IT ALSO INCLUDED PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEO FOOTAGE AND VINTAGE VEHICLES FROM LOS ANGELES HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS SPANNING OVER 100 YEARS.