Mariah Carey pregnant with first child

LONDON: Her desire to have a child has been no secret.

But despite her joy at finally being able to share her pregnancy news, Mariah Carey has been surprisingly open about the realities of having a baby.

'Right now I feel nauseous, I'm exhausted,' the singer admitted to husband Nick Cannon on his radio show this morning.

And the 41-year-old says she has stayed 'insulated' from the outside world since breaking the pregnancy news.

'I didn't even look and see who contacted me,' said Mariah.

But Nick, 30, is determined that this Christmas is going to be the best one yet for the happy couple.

He says that this year's festivities will be even 'bigger' than before because the couple has 'lots to celebrate', something his wife agrees with wholeheartedly.

'Yes, we do,' says Mariah. 'We definitely, most certainly do.'

Mariah is busy promoting her new Merry Christmas II You album but says she will soon take a break.

'I guess after New Year's,' she said.

Nick writes on his website: 'My wife and I keep our personal business very private. Being under a microscope 24/7 is not easy, so it is very important to keep certain things between just us.

'Mariah revealed the news about her miscarriage and the long road of healing it took to try and move forward.'

The second part of Mariah's three part interview with access Hollywood is airing tonight at 7.30pm.

The couple have already spoken about the 'dark time' they went through in 2008.

They revealed they were about to fly out to meet family and friends in Colorado when a last-minute doctors appointment found Mariah had suffered a miscarriage.

The actor says his wife managed a brave face in front of friends and family.

Nick says: 'Even though it was emotional for both of us, that's when I really saw the strength in this woman right here. She just handled it so well.

'And then to get on a plane and have to spend Christmas with friends and family, and no one knew. I felt like everybody was kind of speculating.'

Earlier, Mariah ended months of speculation by saying: 'Yes, we are pregnant. This is true.

'It’s been a long journey. It’s been tough because I’ve been trying to hold on to a shred of privacy.'

Mariah Carey pregnant with first child

LONDON: Her desire to have a child has been no secret.

But despite her joy at finally being able to share her pregnancy news, Mariah Carey has been surprisingly open about the realities of having a baby.

'Right now I feel nauseous, I'm exhausted,' the singer admitted to husband Nick Cannon on his radio show this morning.

And the 41-year-old says she has stayed 'insulated' from the outside world since breaking the pregnancy news.

'I didn't even look and see who contacted me,' said Mariah.

But Nick, 30, is determined that this Christmas is going to be the best one yet for the happy couple.

He says that this year's festivities will be even 'bigger' than before because the couple has 'lots to celebrate', something his wife agrees with wholeheartedly.

'Yes, we do,' says Mariah. 'We definitely, most certainly do.'

Mariah is busy promoting her new Merry Christmas II You album but says she will soon take a break.

'I guess after New Year's,' she said.

Nick writes on his website: 'My wife and I keep our personal business very private. Being under a microscope 24/7 is not easy, so it is very important to keep certain things between just us.

'Mariah revealed the news about her miscarriage and the long road of healing it took to try and move forward.'

The second part of Mariah's three part interview with access Hollywood is airing tonight at 7.30pm.

The couple have already spoken about the 'dark time' they went through in 2008.

They revealed they were about to fly out to meet family and friends in Colorado when a last-minute doctors appointment found Mariah had suffered a miscarriage.

The actor says his wife managed a brave face in front of friends and family.

Nick says: 'Even though it was emotional for both of us, that's when I really saw the strength in this woman right here. She just handled it so well.

'And then to get on a plane and have to spend Christmas with friends and family, and no one knew. I felt like everybody was kind of speculating.'

Earlier, Mariah ended months of speculation by saying: 'Yes, we are pregnant. This is true.

'It’s been a long journey. It’s been tough because I’ve been trying to hold on to a shred of privacy.'

Preity Zinta gets honorary doctorate by UK varsity

MUMBAI: Bollywood female star Preity Zinta, known for her performances in films like 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' and 'Veer Zaara' was conferred with the honorary doctorate by a leading UK university for her outstanding contributions to the film industry and her tireless work as an humanitarian.

Along with Zinta, two leading NRI peers, Lord Bhikhu Parekh, considered one of the great political philosophers of the 20th century and Lord Navnit Dholakia OBE, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, were conferred with the honorary Doctorate of Law by Patrick McGhee, the Vice Chancellor of the University of East London, at a special convocation at the sprawling campus at Docklands.

Receiving the honorary Doctorate of Arts, 35-year-old Preity said: "I am extremely humbled to receive this award amid such distinguished gathering."

Underlining the importance of empowerment of women and educating girls, she said "the only way you can do that is by ensuring that you are educated.

Preity Zinta gets honorary doctorate by UK varsity

MUMBAI: Bollywood female star Preity Zinta, known for her performances in films like 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' and 'Veer Zaara' was conferred with the honorary doctorate by a leading UK university for her outstanding contributions to the film industry and her tireless work as an humanitarian.

Along with Zinta, two leading NRI peers, Lord Bhikhu Parekh, considered one of the great political philosophers of the 20th century and Lord Navnit Dholakia OBE, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, were conferred with the honorary Doctorate of Law by Patrick McGhee, the Vice Chancellor of the University of East London, at a special convocation at the sprawling campus at Docklands.

Receiving the honorary Doctorate of Arts, 35-year-old Preity said: "I am extremely humbled to receive this award amid such distinguished gathering."

Underlining the importance of empowerment of women and educating girls, she said "the only way you can do that is by ensuring that you are educated.

Miss US declared Miss World 2010

SANYA: Blonde, blue-eyed American teenager Alexandria Mills won the Miss World crown for 2010 on Saturday, defeating more than 100 other hopefuls at a glittering ceremony in southern China.

Mills, an 18-year-old from the southern US state of Kentucky, wept as outgoing Miss World Kaiane Aldorino of Gibraltar placed the tiara on her head and led her to a diamond-shaped throne marking the pageant's 60th anniversary.

The 1.75-metre (5'9") beauty in white -- a professional model listed with the Elite Models agency -- waved to the cheering crowd at the 2,000-capacity Beauty Crown Theatre in the resort town of Sanya on Hainan island.

During the two-hour competition, which annually draws a global television audience of about one billion, Mills said her month spent touring China with the other 114 Miss World hopefuls had made a "big impact" on her life.

Botswana's Emma Wareus was second, and Venezuela's Adriana Vasini placed third in the pageant, which was first held in 1951.

The pageant got off to a colourful start with a performance by dancers and drummers from China's Li ethnic minority group, who mainly live on Hainan island, which was hosting the event for the fifth time in eight years.

Before the contestants whirled in national costume for the "Dances of the World" segment, viewers were treated to a video montage of the women's whirlwind tour of China -- from the Great Wall to the shopping malls.

Early favourite Mariann Birkedal of Norway, listed by British bookmaker William Hill as the woman to beat ahead of Mills, finished in the top seven.

A win for Norway could have caused a stir in Beijing, where the government is furious that the Oslo-based Nobel committee awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

Aldorino, 24, said she had enjoyed her year as Miss World, saying that in all the countries she had visited, one thing had remained the same: "The smile on a child's face, and that's what has captured the moment".

The competition emphasises the importance of charity work.

Miss "Beauty with a Purpose" -- Kenya's Natasha Metto, who has worked on combatting an epidemic of parasitic Jigger fleas in her country -- earned a "fast-track" spot in the final group of 25, but was then eliminated.

Ireland's violin-playing Emma Waldron, who won the talent contest and finished in the top five, wowed the audience by greeting them in Chinese, while Miss China, Xiao Tang, spoke mostly in English.

The event rivals the Miss Universe pageant owned by US tycoon Donald Trump, which was won by Mexico's Jimena Navarrete in August.

In 1951, Sweden's Kiki Hakansson became the first Miss World. Oscar-winning American actress Halle Berry was a finalist in 1986.

Venezuela and India have produced the most Miss Worlds, with five titleholders each. Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai took the crown in 1994.

In 2002, the pageant was moved from Nigeria to Britain after more than 200 people died in clashes sparked when a newspaper suggested the Muslim prophet Mohammed would have chosen a wife from among the contestants had he been alive.

Miss US declared Miss World 2010

SANYA: Blonde, blue-eyed American teenager Alexandria Mills won the Miss World crown for 2010 on Saturday, defeating more than 100 other hopefuls at a glittering ceremony in southern China.

Mills, an 18-year-old from the southern US state of Kentucky, wept as outgoing Miss World Kaiane Aldorino of Gibraltar placed the tiara on her head and led her to a diamond-shaped throne marking the pageant's 60th anniversary.

The 1.75-metre (5'9") beauty in white -- a professional model listed with the Elite Models agency -- waved to the cheering crowd at the 2,000-capacity Beauty Crown Theatre in the resort town of Sanya on Hainan island.

During the two-hour competition, which annually draws a global television audience of about one billion, Mills said her month spent touring China with the other 114 Miss World hopefuls had made a "big impact" on her life.

Botswana's Emma Wareus was second, and Venezuela's Adriana Vasini placed third in the pageant, which was first held in 1951.

The pageant got off to a colourful start with a performance by dancers and drummers from China's Li ethnic minority group, who mainly live on Hainan island, which was hosting the event for the fifth time in eight years.

Before the contestants whirled in national costume for the "Dances of the World" segment, viewers were treated to a video montage of the women's whirlwind tour of China -- from the Great Wall to the shopping malls.

Early favourite Mariann Birkedal of Norway, listed by British bookmaker William Hill as the woman to beat ahead of Mills, finished in the top seven.

A win for Norway could have caused a stir in Beijing, where the government is furious that the Oslo-based Nobel committee awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

Aldorino, 24, said she had enjoyed her year as Miss World, saying that in all the countries she had visited, one thing had remained the same: "The smile on a child's face, and that's what has captured the moment".

The competition emphasises the importance of charity work.

Miss "Beauty with a Purpose" -- Kenya's Natasha Metto, who has worked on combatting an epidemic of parasitic Jigger fleas in her country -- earned a "fast-track" spot in the final group of 25, but was then eliminated.

Ireland's violin-playing Emma Waldron, who won the talent contest and finished in the top five, wowed the audience by greeting them in Chinese, while Miss China, Xiao Tang, spoke mostly in English.

The event rivals the Miss Universe pageant owned by US tycoon Donald Trump, which was won by Mexico's Jimena Navarrete in August.

In 1951, Sweden's Kiki Hakansson became the first Miss World. Oscar-winning American actress Halle Berry was a finalist in 1986.

Venezuela and India have produced the most Miss Worlds, with five titleholders each. Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai took the crown in 1994.

In 2002, the pageant was moved from Nigeria to Britain after more than 200 people died in clashes sparked when a newspaper suggested the Muslim prophet Mohammed would have chosen a wife from among the contestants had he been alive.

Miss World to be crowned in China

SANYA: More than 100 beautiful women from across the globe will vie for the Miss World crown in the Chinese resort of Sanya on Saturday in a pageant sure to deliver sex appeal and glamour.

British bookmaker William Hill listed Norway's Mariann Birkedal (pictured), a 23-year-old blue-eyed brunette who earned an automatic spot in the final by clinching the preliminary Top Model title, as the hot favourite for the crown.

With only a few hours to go before the competition, William Hill listed Birkedal's odds of winning at 6/5, followed by Alexandria Mills of the United States and Yara Santiago of Puerto Rico, both at 7/1.

Serbia's Milica Jelic is fourth in the running, according to the bookmaker.

"I really can't believe I've been chosen best model out of so many wonderful girls here," said Birkedal. "It's a great honour for me and, of course, I'm delighted to be in the top 25. Now I can look forward to the final."

After a month-long tour of China, from visiting the striking Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing to shopping in Shanghai, the 115 contestants have now invaded Hainan island's pristine beaches for the main event.

The competition, which was first held in 1951 and is being staged in Sanya for the fifth time in eight years, annually rakes in a global television audience of about a billion viewers. It begins at 8:00 pm (1200 GMT).

"Miss World has a special relationship with Sanya and there is no better place to begin our 60th year celebrations," the pageant's co-chairwoman Julia Morley said on the official website.

The glittering final competition, to be judged by seven former Miss Worlds including 1953 winner Denise Perrier Lanfranchi of France, will see the reigning glamour queen, Kaiane Aldorino of Gibraltar, relinquish her throne.

The event rivals the Miss Universe pageant owned by US tycoon Donald Trump, which was won by Mexico's Jimena Navarrete in August.

The Miss World competition emphasises the importance of charity work.

Miss 'Beauty with a Purpose' -- Kenya's Natasha Metto, who has worked on combating an epidemic of parasitic Jigger fleas in her country -- is one of several contestants who have earned "fast-track" spots to the finals by winning mini-titles.

Along with "Top Model" Birkedal, Santiago booked her place with the Beach Beauty title, and Ireland's violin-playing Emma Waldron won the talent contest.

Lori Moore of Northern Ireland, a 20-year-old hockey and netball enthusiast, also secured her spot by taking the Sportswoman crown.

In 1951, Sweden's Kiki Hakansson became the first Miss World. Oscar-winning American actress Halle Berry was a finalist in 1986.

Venezuela and India have produced the most Miss Worlds, with five titleholders each. Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai took the crown in 1994