Jackson to be buried in a $25,000 coffin

London, July 4 (IANS) King of Pop Michael Jackson is likely to be buried in a $25,000 solid bronze casket, just like soul legend James Brown.
Known as the Promethean, the coffin has a hand-polished 14-carat gold-plate finish and blue velvet-lined interior, reported thesun.co.uk.

It is the same model chosen by relatives of James Brown for the Godfather of Soul’s burial. The coffin is made by the Indiana-based Batesville Casket Company.

After Brown died at 73 on Christmas Day 2006, Jackson visited the Georgia funeral home where he was in repose and studied the various caskets available.

Are Timberlake and Biel headed for splitsville?

New York, July 04(ANI): If sources are to be believed, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel’s relationship is on the rocks.

“Things don’t look good for them right now - they’ve hit a really rocky spot,” the New York Daily News quoted a source as saying.

While rumours are abuzz that the singer cheated at NYC nightclub Avenue late last month, pals say that the problems between the couple started much before in February.

The source said: “Justin had to leave dinner once because Jessica was calling him incessantly. They got into a huge screaming match over the phone about how she’s always ‘checking up’ on him. She’s extremely needy and is always keeping tabs on him.”

The Illusionist star is, apparently, infamous among her friends too.

The insider said: “All his friends think she’s really annoying, she’s always trying to be one of the guys. She and Justin have no chemistry.”

The source added: “Justin is partying in London right now, Jessica wanted to go with him, but he wasn’t having it. He just wanted to get away with the guys. He needed his space from her.”

However, one of Justin’s friend and former ‘N Sync cohort, Lance Bass, disagrees.

He says: “Jessica is really fun to be around. I haven’t spoken to Justin in a while, but the last I knew, he really loved her.”

However, Timberlake seems to be having a blast in London.

He was seen at Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara Ball before going to a concert with Prince Harry and Chace Crawford in Hyde Park.

He also launched his clothing line William Rast - all before going out for a night on the town with Madonna’s ex-husband Guy Ritchie. (ANI

China has 176.5 million motor vehicles, 188.8 million drivers

Beijing, July 4 (ANI): With more than 176.5 million motor vehicles in the country, a whopping 14 percent of Chinese nationals have obtained a driving licence, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security has revealed.

According to the ministry, over 188.8 million Chinese have learnt driving by the end of June.

More than eight million people learned to drive in the past six months, a 9.51 percent increase over the same period last year, China Daily reports.

Among the country’’s drivers, more than 129 million, or nearly 70 percent of the total, are motor car drivers, the ministry said on Friday.

The number of motor vehicles in the country increased by 3.92 percent in the last six months compared with the end of 2008, and the percentage is slightly higher than that of the same period of last year.

Stimulated by the country’’s tax reduction policy for small-displacement cars and favorable motor vehicle purchasing policy for rural residents, the sale of small passenger cars and cargo vehicles saw an increase of more than12 percent and more than 7.5 percent, respectively, the ministry said.

Private motor vehicles accounted for nearly 77 percent of the total, a 4.65 percent increase over 2008, it added.  (ANI)