Gerald Anderson courting Jewel Mische?

ANILA, Philippines – After confirming that his breakup with fellow young star Kim Chiu has seen a closure, has Gerald Anderson finally moved on with a new girl?

Despite rumors spreading regarding his courtship of former "Bagwis" leading lady Jewel Mische, Anderson was quick to deny the issue.

“Hindi kami nagkikita eh. Nakaka-miss siya actually,” Anderson said in an interview with "Showbiz News Ngayon."

He said he is not running after another girl at the moment.

“Wala akong liniligawan ngayon,” he said, stressing that he is concentrating on an upcoming ABS-CBN project.

“Sa ngayon, I’m just gonna be focused sa work,” Anderson said.

“Sa sino mang liligawan ko, kawawa din kasi ‘di ko mabibigyan ng oras,” he added.

Withholding some details, Anderson said his next project will be a soap opera, which he called “kakaiba.”

“Ang daming aabangan sa show na ito,” he teased.

Fans mob 'In The Name of Love' premiere

MANILA, Philippines – The cast of Star Cinema’s 18th anniversary offering “In The Name of Love” was at a loss for words as hundreds of fans and showbiz personalities flocked at SM Mega Mall in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday for their movie’s grand premiere.

Talking to “Showbiz News Ngayon,” lead stars Angel Locsin, Aga Muhlach and Jake Cuenca said they were grateful that they were given the chance to make the project possible.

“If you want something nice, you really have to work for it. Noong nangyayari na kasi, minsan reklamo ka ng reklamo sa hirap, yun pala ganun talaga dapat... Yung pelikula, wag niyo nang pansinin ako, si Angel, si Jake. Pansinin niyo rito yung storya, kung paano ginawa ni Olivia Lamasan yung storya,” said Muhlach.

“I’m lost for words after seeing the movie. Like what I said over and over again, to be in a frame with Aga Muhlach, to be directed by Olive Lamasan and to have Angel Locsin as your leading lady, siguro may nagawa akong tama. Napakasuwert ko na nailagay ako sa pelikulang ‘to,” Cuenca said.

Locsin, on the other hand, confessed that it is an honor to have worked with Muhlach.

“Yung mga pelikulang ginagawa niya talaga, walang patapon. Yung makasama ka sa mga magagaling na listahan ng kanyang leading ladies, isang malaking karangalan yun. Hindi lang yung honor na makasama mo sa isang poster yung pangalan niya, yung makilala mo siya in person yung mas masarap,” she said.

Spotted in the red carpet premiere were Bubbles and Paolo Paraiso, Jericho Rosales, Gab Valenciano, Carla Humphries, Ruffa Gutierrez, and Gary Valenciano who sang the movie’s theme song.

Locsin’s “Imortal” co-stars, Senator Miguel Zubiri, his wife Audrey, Lea Salonga and her husband Robert Tien, were also there.

Muhlach’s wife Charlene Gonzalez and Muhlach’s son with Janice de Belen also attended the premiere.

The movie’s cast, including Carmi Martin, Kat Alano, Emilio Garcia, Ryan Eigenmann, Smokey Manoloto, Michael Flores, Joshua Zamora and Maliksi Morales were also seen.

Also present to grace the event were Star Cinema executives led by Star Cinema managing director Malou Santos.

Meanwhile, in behalf of the cast, Muhlach urged the public to see what their movie has to offer.

“May 11, bukas, not only tomorrow, in the days to come, in the weeks to come, please give time. Panoorin niyo ang pelikulang ‘to. Sayang for you guys to miss this event. It’s not just a movie, it’s an event. It’s Star Cinema’s 18th anniversary presentation, so just expect for the best,” he said.

“In The Name of Love” is directed by Olivia M. Lamasan and was graded B by the Cinema Evaluation Board.

Princess Diana dresses sell for $276,000 at auction

LOS ANGELES, United States - A pair of dresses worn by Princess Diana sold at a pop culture auction in Beverly Hills for a total of $276,000, a spokesman for the auction house said on Sunday.

The two dresses, which have been held in climate-controlled storage since her death in August 1997, were auctioned to a prominent museum for $144,000 and $132,000, respectively, said Darren Julien, president and CEO of Julien's Auctions.

"We did have bidders from all over the world participating, and it's great to have them go to a museum where they are going to be on display and appreciated by the public," Julien said.

Julien said he could not name the museum without permission from officials there.

The dress that sold for $144,000 was described by the auction house as a black crepe evening gown that Diana wore during a state visit in 1992.

The princess wore the second dress, which is silk chiffon and strapless, to the Cannes Film Festival in 1987 as well as in a portrait sitting that year and to a 1989 performance of "Miss Saigon" at Theater Royal in London.

The two dresses had been auctioned by Diana for charity three months before her death, Julien said.

The owners, WeTV and Wedding Central, decided the time was right to auction them again to coincide with the April 29 wedding of Britain's Prince William to Kate Middleton.

He said a portion of the proceeds would be donated to one of Diana's charities.

Diana, who married Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, died after a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.

Coke celebrates 125 years of being the real thing

WASHINGTON, United States - Exactly 125 years ago an Atlanta pharmacist mixed up a cure for headache and fatigue and stumbled upon the recipe for what has become one of the world's most recognizable drinks and brand names.

Coca Cola is celebrating the moment when on May 8, 1886 John Pemberton made his way into American culture, creating a soft drink now sold in more than 200 countries and earning the company a place among the world's top 100 firms.

Regular Coke, as opposed to its numerous offshoots such as Diet Coke, remains the world's favorite soda with a whopping 17% market share, trouncing its rival Pepsi.

The recipe is a closely guarded secret passed down through the generations, and according to legend safely stashed away in a company vault.

"The Coca Cola saga has been reverentially preserved and nurtured over the years," writes author Mark Pendergrast in his book "For God, Country and Coca-Cola" which relates the history of the drink.

The official version of events in this rags-to-riches story "has all the earmarks of the class American success myth."

According to the legend which has grown up around Coke the poor but kindly Pemberton was transformed from a dishwasher into a millionaire.

But in reality Pemberton was no grumpy, herbal doctor who unwittingly brewed up his magic potion in his backyard, Pendergrast maintains.

Coca-Cola was a typical by-product of "the golden age of quackery" at the end of the 1800s when many doctors were trying to patent all kinds of cures and medicines for a variety of ailments.

Pharmacists and quacks offered their wares for sale on every street corner amid a growing clamor in the developing industrial age for effective cure-alls at the infancy of modern medicine.

The original Coca Cola most likely tasted different from the liquid today, Pendergrast notes. "It was like many such other nostrums, a patent medicine with a distinct cocaine kick."

Pemberton is thought to have discovered his new "miracle" medicine on May 8, 1886, and dubbed it Coca-Cola. But at the start the public eschewed his marvelous new elixir and in the first year he only sold on average nine glasses a day.

It was in 1888 that business began to bubble when entrepreneur Asa Chandler bought the rights and began to mass produce this "medicine" as a refreshing soft drink.

Within just a few years, Coca-Cola was a favorite beverage around the United States. The brew only made it across the Atlantic and into Europe in 1919 where it first appeared on shelves in France, before arriving in Germany in 1929.

But apart from its business success, Coca-Cola is above all a cultural phenomenon.

It remains one of the world's favorite drinks despite concerns over its sugar content, amid rising obesity levels especially among children.

Last year the company had a net revenue of about $35 billion, leading to profits of almost $12 billion.

Selling more of the soft drink to children would be a "public health disaster," says Michael F. Jacobson from the Center for Science in the Public Interest lobby group.

But it's hard to defeat such nimble marketing and overturn a brand image which has turned Coke, which its distinctive red and white label, from a mere consumer product into an object of desire, argues Constance Hays in her book "The Real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company."

"Through relentless advertising, clever marketing and sometimes plain old luck, Coke came to stand for the glamorous, prosperous, flag-waving side of America, the part that always looked forward, not back," she writes.

Coca-Cola is celebrating its birthday with a huge concert on Saturday in Atlanta streamed live on the Internet.

And the secret recipe? That remains firmly under lock and key even if some people claim to have already discovered the right ingredients.

Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive, said in February that Coca-Cola was entering 2011, its 125th year in business, "with solid momentum."

"While we recognize that challenges remain in our worldwide marketplace, we are confident that we are advancing our global momentum to deliver long-term sustainable growth and value for our shareowners," he said.

Are gay men more at risk for cancer?

NEW YORK, United States - More gay men reported being cancer survivors than straight men in a new study from California.

That suggests they may need targeted interventions to prevent cancer, the researchers said, but more studies are needed to answer lingering questions. For example, are gay men more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than straight men? Or, are they just more likely to survive if they do get cancer?

"A lack of hard data" on how sexual orientation affects the risk of cancer is "one of the biggest problems we have," said Liz Margolies, executive director of The National LGBT Cancer Network. Margolies, who was not involved in the research, told Reuters Health, "It's critical that we know that for funding and for program planning."

As a step toward addressing the lack of data, researchers looked at three years of responses to the California Health Interview survey, which included more than 120,000 adults living in the state.

Among other health-related questions, participants were asked if they had ever been diagnosed with cancer and whether they identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight.

The findings are published in the journal Cancer.

Out of 51,000 men, about 3,700 said they had been diagnosed with cancer as an adult. While just over 8% of gay men reported a history of cancer, that figure was only 5% in straight men. The disparity could not be attributed to differences in race, age, or income between gay and straight men.

About 7,300 out of 71,000 women in the study had been diagnosed with cancer, but overall cancer rates did not differ among lesbian, bisexual, and straight women.

However, among women who were cancer survivors, lesbian and bisexual women were more likely to report fair or poor health than straight women.

Ulrike Boehmer, the study's lead author from the Boston University School of Public Health, said higher rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be related to the increased risk of cancer in gay men, but the study couldn't address that question specifically.

Margolies thinks there is more going on. "Gay men as a group have a bunch of risk factors for cancer," she said.

For instance, gay men and lesbian women are more likely to smoke and abuse alcohol than straight men and women. They're also more likely to avoid going to see their doctor for routine physicals or cancer screening, Margolies added - since healthcare providers may not all be tolerant and accepting of their identity.

"I don't think that we're going to get people to have early screening or see doctors except in emergencies ... until they can be guaranteed a safe and welcoming experience" at the doctor's office, she said.

Margolies said that while the new findings are "very important," she cautions about generalizing them too far beyond this individual study. Partially that's because she suspects lesbian women may also have an increased risk of cancer compared to straight women, because they have some of the same risk factors as gay men.

But Margolies and Boehmer agree that there is still an important message to take away from the findings: gay, lesbian and bisexual people need more attention from the healthcare community, specifically when it comes to their cancer risks.

"Because more gay men report as cancer survivors, we need foremost programs for gay men that focus on primary cancer prevention and early cancer detection," Boehmer told Reuters Health in an email.

And, "Because more lesbian and bisexual women than heterosexual women with cancer report that they are in poor health, we need foremost programs and services that improve the well-being of lesbian and bisexual cancer survivors," she added.

"Health care facilities and social service agencies -- any organization that addresses the needs of cancer survivors -- must understand the extra challenges that lesbian and bisexual cancer survivors and gay men have," Margolies concluded.

Superman threatens to renounce US citizenship

LOS ANGELES, United States - Superman, citizen of the world?

The Man of Steel, in the latest issue of Action Comics which hit newsstands on Wednesday, said he intends to renounce his US citizenship in a speech before the United Nations.

"I'm tired of having my actions construed as instruments of US policy," Superman said in a short story in the issue, Action Comics No. 900 from the Time Warner Inc unit DC Comics.

In the comic, Superman never actually renounces his citizenship, he only talks about his plans to do that.

But conservative commentators reacted with disgust to the new storyline, given that the fictional superhero has long proclaimed he stood for "Truth, Justice and the American way."

In a blog post at The Weekly Standard, senior writer Jonathan Last questioned Superman's beliefs, now that he seems to have rejected the United States.

"Does he believe in British interventionism or Swiss neutrality?" Last wrote. "You see where I'm going with this: If Superman doesn't believe in America, then he doesn't believe in anything."

The new plot twist for Superman comes as the superhero visitor from a distant planet, who was raised by a Kansas farmer and his wife, looks to take on a more global mission for his battle against evil.

"The world's too small. Too connected," Superman said in the comic book.

Superman, who was first introduced in the 1938, has a long association with the United States. But Joe Shuster, the artist who helped create the character with writer Jerry Siegel, was born in Canada.

And critics have described Superman's life story as a metaphor for the immigrant experience, because he is an alien.

DC Comics co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio seemed to downplay their landmark superhero character's latest declaration, in a joint statement.

"In a short story in Action Comics 900, Superman announces his intention to put a global focus on his never ending battle, but he remains, as always, committed to his adopted home and his roots as a Kansas farm boy from Smallville," they said.

Profiles: Prince William and Kate Middleton

MANILA, Philippines - The long wait is over.

In a few hours, Prince William will marry Kate Middleton at the Westminster Abbey in London, England in a grand ceremony to be watched by millions all over the globe.

Here is a quick look at their lives before they become husband and wife.

Prince William

Prince William is the first son of one of the world's most famous parents -- Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana -- and the second in line to the British throne. He has a younger brother named Harry.

Born on June 21, 1982, he was given the title "His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis," but went by the nickname "Wills" to a curious public.

He studied at Eton College, a prestigious boarding school near London. Here, he excelled not only in academics but also in sports, playing football and polo and becoming captain of the school's swimming team.

The prince then took a year off and went to Chile and Africa where he taught children and did household chores. He returned to the United Kingdom for his college education at University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

After graduation, William decided to pursue a military career as a search and rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force. He also began his royal duties, going on overseas trips on behalf of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Following in his mother's footsteps, he is patron to several charities, helping the homeless and preserving the African wildlife.

Kate Middleton

Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, nicknamed Kate, was born on January 9, 1982. She is the eldest child of then airline officer Michael and Carole, a flight attendant. Her ancestors on her mother's side were coal miners.

Kate's parents eventually became millionaires by setting up Party Pieces, an online party supplies business. So, although born a commoner, she grew up privileged.

She studied art history at the prestigious University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she met and fell in love with Prince William.

After college, Kate had a stint as an accessories buyer for fashion chain Jigsaw, but mostly helped her parents run their business.

Much rests on her shoulders as she becomes part of the British monarchy. She is expected to support her husband in his royal duties, focus on charity work, and more importantly, give birth to an heir.

3D porn film beats Avatar at Hong Kong box office

HONG KONG - A Hong Kong movie billed as the world's first 3D porn film has broken the city's first-day box office record previously set by Hollywood blockbuster Avatar.

"3-D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" took in HK$2.8 million ($360,000) on its first day last week, outpacing director James Cameron's science fiction epic which drew HK$2.6 million, the porn movie's publicist told AFP Thursday.

The film has taken more than HK$15 million since its release, she added.

Curious movie-goers from all walks of life -- office workers, retirees and students -- stood in long queues outside Hong Kong cinemas on the film's first day last week, eager to catch an eyeful of the steamy 3D action.

Loosely based on a piece of classical Chinese erotic literature, the $3.2-million Cantonese-language movie features orgies, swinging and some very graphic sex scenes.

Set in the Ming dynasty, the film chronicles the story of a young man who, after being introduced to the erotic world of an aristocrat, realizes his ex-wife is the love of his life.

The film stars Japanese adult actresses Yukiko Suo and Saori Hara.

The movie, which opened in Taiwan last Friday, and has sparked strong interest in many Asian markets, including Japan and South Korea, as well as Europe and the United States, according to the producer.

Travel operators were reportedly organizing movie-going excursions to Hong Kong and Taiwan for tourists from mainland China, where strict censorship rules prevent any screening of the film.

"3-D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" opened ahead of reported plans by other filmmakers to produce similar 3D porn movies.

Italian director Tinto Brass has announced he is to produce a 3D remake of his 1979 erotic film Caligula, while Hustler plans to release a pornographic spoof of Avatar, the top-grossing movie of all time.

Dior taking its time to replace Galliano

PARIS - French fashion house Christian Dior is in no hurry to replace disgraced designer John Galliano as it relies on existing teams for new collections, its head said on Thursday.

Dior, one of the biggest brands within luxury goods group LVMH, sacked Galliano earlier this month following publicity over a video of him shouting abuse in a Paris bar and saying he loved Hitler.

Dior Chairman and Chief Executive Sidney Toledano said the company was studying possible replacements and the brand's creative development had not been interrupted.

Fashion magazine Elle reported this week that Dior might not announce Galliano's replacement before the autumn.

"(The announcement) could come at any time, after (the autumn) or before," Toledano told Reuters after LVMH's annual shareholder meeting in Paris.

"It requires a period of study of various projects. As our internal teams are working perfectly well, we have time."

Toledano said the brand's teams were working on a new cruise collection and that there would be a Dior haute couture show in early July as planned.

"There is no interruption at all," he said. "No blanks in the calendar of creations."

It is not clear, however, what will happen to the John Galliano brand of which Dior owns 92%. Toledano said it was for Dior to decide its future but he declined to elaborate.

Fashion critics said Galliano, known for his theatrical and dramatic styles, had grown out of touch with minimalist, sober and conservative designs favored after the financial crisis.

Possible contenders to replace Galliano include Peter Copping at Nina Ricci and, within the LVMH group, Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy and Phoebe Philo at Celine.

Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, now promoting Miss Dior Cherie perfume, publicly condemned Galliano for his comments and said she no longer wanted anything to do with him.

LVMH, the world's biggest luxury group, this month agreed to buy Roman jeweller Bulgari for 3.7 billion euros, its biggest acquisition in a decade.

The group, which makes 9% of its sales in Japan, on Thursday said the nuclear crisis in the country had only affected trading in the east and north of the country.

But overall, LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault said: "The impact should be quite limited, despite everything."

Arnault said the group had made a donation of 500 million yen ($6.03 million) to help rebuild Japan.

3 Pinay supermodels join Levi's NY fashion show

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - When these Filipina supermodels in New York went to a go-see casting call for Levi's, they had no idea all 3 of them would make it.

To their surprise, Charo Ronquillo, Charlene Alvarez, and Danica Magpantay were 3 out of the 24 models who made it to the Levi's Fall/Winter Fashion Collection Preview in New York's Soho District yesterday.

It's an exclusive and private preview that showcases different Levi's lines worn by live models presented in various installations.

"Sobrang na-surprise po kaming tatlo, as in, 'Na-gets mo? Na-gets mo? Na-gets mo?' 'Yeah, na-gets ko! Go!' Then nagkita-kita po kami ng call time as in ang saya-saya namin. Hug kami," said Ronquillo, 2nd runner-up in the Ford Supermodel of the World contest in 2005.

Magpantay made Filipinos proud when she was crowned Ford Supermodel of the World 2011 in New York last January.

Since then she has been working nonstop but she's happy to find out that more and more Filipinos are getting into the New York fashion scene.

The Levi's show is extra special for her because she got to work with 2 of her Pinay supermodel friends.

"Ito 'yung first time naming tatlong mag-work. Si Chat I’ve been with her in some presentations and some shows which is fun kasi makikita mo talaga na certain designers really like our look and hindi mahirap na makapasok ang Filipino ngayon. Ngayon tatlo kami. It’s Levi’s, it's big!' Magpantay said.

Levi's Jeans publicist Melissa Ladines said they want models from different kinds of ethnicities.

"I think most brands are going global. We sell Levi’s all over the world, so we wanna cast all models from different kinds of ethnicities just so we have a lot of representation," Ladines said.

While many people see the glitz and glamor side of the fashion industry, these Pinay supermodels say it's all hard work, sweat, and tears, especially during Fashion Week where many of them have to attend 15 castings a day scattered in different parts of the Big Apple.

"Takbo ka ng takbo all over the city. Tapos pagkatapos nung araw, may paltos paltos ka. Tapos hindi mo alam kung makukuha mo 'yung job or ano. Mahirap. Mahirap bago mo makuha ang isang trabaho," said Alvarez, 1st runner-up in the Ford Supermodel of the World 2010.

Looking fabulous and glamorous is key to making supermodels look even more stunning on and off the catwalk.

Albee Franson, the head makeup artist for the Levi's preview who made these girls ready for their close-ups, happens to be Filipino-American.

"My gosh, I was in awe when I found out there were 3 Filipino models out of the 20 models that we have here. I actually had to come up and ask them, 'What are you?' because I didn’t believe they were Filipinos. I love that they bring a different kind of look to the set. So pretty," said Franson.

The achievements of these Filipinos in New York's fashion scene is only making it easier for future Filipino supermodels to make their dreams come true in the Big Apple.