| Sideshow | Madonna ends 6-day Malawi visit
Madonna jetted out of Malawi yesterday after a six-day visit to the impoverished homeland of the toddler she wants to adopt, David Banda. Madonna and her husband, Guy Ritchie, took custody of Banda last October after finding him in an orphanage. Critics said the star used her celebrity status to circumvent Malawian adoption laws - allegations she denies. The 20-month-old toddler waved to the bodyguards and driver who had escorted him during the visit. Madonna, wearing a straw hat, did not look back as she disappeared into the jet with her daughter Lourdes, 9. The star and her entourage spent their time visiting orphanages, projects for street children, and agricultural development programs, as well as opening a day-care center financed by her charity, Raising Malawi.
Proxibid Breaks Live-Auction Records in March
Proxibid announced it broadcast 350 live auctions during the month of March, a new record for the company, and signed on an unprecedented number of new clients. Proxibid Inc. is a pioneer of live Internet bidding technology with a client list of more than 800 auctioneer house customers. The company said the number of online bidders on Proxibid in March also reached a record high. Proxibid's live bidding service is connected to an auction portal where auction companies can post their catalog for bidders to browse and search. The technology integrates seamlessly with the live auctions, allowing bidders to see, hear and participate in the auctions from the comfort of their home or office via the Internet. Proxibid client Ken Jackson, CAI, of The Auction Marketplace said, "We have realized an additional 40% gross revenue when we conduct live auctions with Proxibid versus revenues realized during a traditional auction." Proxibid client categories include antiques and collectibles, farm equipment, heavy machinery and real estate.
Emotional Aishwarya Rai bids farewell to parents
It was an emotional moment for Aishwarya Rai today as she bid farewell to her parents and relatives to embark on her new life as a member of one of India's most iconic families.
Clad in a cream-coloured lehenga, Ash cried as she hugged mother Brinda Rai during the 'bidaai' (traditional farewell) from her residence La Merin in suburban Bandra. Ash and Abhishek Bachchan had tied the nuptial knot in Mumbai Friday.
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Lehman Bros confident it will prevail
Lehman Brothers is confident that it will be exonerated from charges of colluding to evade tax by citing official guidelines allowing it to set up Global Thai Property Fund. The US financial house yesterday met with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to submit documentary evidence, a source said. The package included the directive from the Financial Sector Restructuring Authority (FRA) giving winners of auctions for the assets of the now-defunct 56 finance companies a month to establish a property fund to manage the assets, he said. The DSI will contact Lehman Brothers about its decision at the beginning of June, he said. Lehman Brothers had signed a purchase agreement with the FRA within seven days of winning the bidding, as required by the FRA, the source added.
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