Swiss crash girls 'out of danger'

20 March 2012 Last updated at 18:28 GMT  The first funeral was held in Lommel on Tuesday Three girls who were in an induced coma after a coach crash in Switzerland in which 28 people died have regained consciousness, doctors in Lausanne say.

Their health has "markedly improved" and they have been able to talk to their parents.

Twenty-two children and six adults from two schools in Belgium died when their coach crashed last week in a road tunnel near the Swiss town of Sierre.

Funerals for some of the victims will take place in Belgium on Wednesday.

Members of the Belgian and Dutch royal families are expected to attend.

A major ceremony will take place in the village of Lommel, close to the Dutch border, for 14 of the children from the Stekske primary school and a teacher. Six of the children had Dutch nationality.

A funeral was held for Veerle Vanheukelom, a 37-year-old mother of two children, in Lommel on Tuesday, the first of the Sierre crash victims to be buried. She was an administrative worker at the school.

A church service will be held on Thursday for some of the victims from the second school involved, in the town of Heverlee.

'Out of danger'

After the crash, three of the most seriously injured were taken for treatment in Lausanne while a fourth was transferred to a hospital in the capital, Berne, before being repatriated to Belgium for treatment.

The Lausanne University Hospital - where the three girls are being treated - says they are "out of immediate danger".

Two are suffering from serious head injuries and the hospital says "their neurological condition is developing favourably".

It says the third girl, who suffered spinal injuries in the crash, has been able to move her fingers and toes.

View the original article here

Read More

Learn Rugby 101 with the Philippine Volcanoes in ‘Us Girls’

Dubbed as the Volcanoes, the Philippine national rugby team is popularizing rugby football in the country as it continues to get international attention by crushing other countries’ squads.

Guest host Cesca Litton and the highly touted Volcanoes will give a crash course on rugby tomorrow (Sep 29) in “Us Girls.” Get to know the players and learn why the sport is starting to engage our athletic Kabarkadas.

Iya Villania, Angel Aquino, and Chesca Garcia-Kramer, on the other hand, will take you to an extraordinary restaurant that boasts a creative menu of celebrity-named dishes such as Pokwang Baboy, Rice Ganda, and Sam Milky.

Also, get to watch the exclusive unveiling of mom-to-be Chesca’s clothing line and get a sneak peek of beauty queen turned TV host Bianca Manalo’s “home away from home” or her very own car.

All these and more tomorrow (Sep 29) in “Us Girls,” 9:30 PM on Studio 23, or watch it online on http://www.studio23.tv.

View the original article here

Read More

Anne Curtis Wins Icon of the Year in ‘Us Girls August Awards’

Actress and now recording artist Anne Curtis brought home the prestigious Icon of the Year award in the “Us Girls August Awards 2011” held last Thursday (August 18) for her outstanding accomplishments in her personal life and career.

The “Showtime” host was chosen by the “Us Girls” staff, hosts and the Studio 23 management for excelling in her craft and her influence as a fashion icon. Besides dominating the local showbiz scene, Anne is also known for her numerous commercial endorsements and charitable works.

Headlined by Iya Villania, Chesca Garcia-Kramer and Angel Aquino, the country’s premier lifestyle magazine show on TV also honored the local industry’s most influential personalities in fashion, entertainment, and beauty.

Recognized as Faces of the Year were television princesses Maja Salvador, Julia Montes, Jennylyn Mercado, and Marian Rivera.

Stylist Liz Uy, models Isabelle Daza and Georgina Wilson, actress Kim Chiu and host Bianca Gonzales received the Most Fashionable Female award while actors Sam Milby, John Lloyd Cruz, Gerald Anderson, Dingdong Dantes and entrepreneur Hayden Kho were named as Most Fashionable Males.

“Us Girls August Awards” also introduced the Sexiest Male and Female categories this year where model-actors Daniel Matsunaga, Derek Ramsay, Xian Lim, Matteo Guidicelli, and Azkal player Phil Younghusband topped the list for sexiest males in the biz. Broadcaster Gretchen Fullido, host Bianca Manalo, actresses Cristine Reyes and Regine Angeles, and singer-actress Solenn Heusaff, on the other hand, were among the sexiest female personalities who received the said award.

Not to be outshined are the people who glam up our favorite celebrities namely Steven Doloso, RB Chanco, Ricci Chan and Albert Kurniawan who emerged as Make Up Artists of the Year, and Bang Pineda, Bianca Cordero, Patty Yap, Kim and Boop Yap and Geolette Esguerra for Stylists of the Year.

The star-studded “Us Girls August Awards” held at Amber Ultra Lounge, the Fort in Taguig City, was also graced by performances from Gloc 9, Marie Digby, General Luna, Franco, Rocksteddy, Pedicab, 3 AM and Princess Velasco.

Don’t miss the glamorous event, which will be televised in a two-part airing on August 25 and September 1 at 9:30 PM on Studio 23.

– MORE PHOTOS HERE –

View the original article here

Read More

‘Way Back Home’ Stars Shares Fashion and Fitness Secrets on ‘Us Girls’

Get to know more about the “Way Back Home” lead stars–Kathryn, Julia, Sam and Enrique–on Us Girls.

Get intimate with the lead stars of “Way Back Home” Julia Montes, Kathryn Bernardo, Sam Concepcion and Enrique Gil as they share their secrets on fashion, diet, beauty and fitness in “Us Girls” this Thursday (August 18).

Iya Villania, Chesca Garcia-Kramer, and Angel Aquino will hunt for hangout spots and inexpensive dining places with good food and great value, while radio’s popular DJs like Jasmin of Tambayan 101.9 and Papa Jack will offer their warm advice for our Kabarkadas’ romance and relationship problems.

All these and more in “Us Girls” this Thursday (August 17), 9:30pm on Studio 23. If you miss it, you can watch it online on Studio 23's Catch Up TV via www.studio23.tv.

View the original article here

Read More

‘Us Girls’ Hails Style and Beauty Royalties in August Awards

The country’s premier lifestyle magazine show on TV, “Us Girls,” will recognize the local scene’s most influential personalities in fashion, entertainment and beauty in “Us Girls August Awards 2011.”

Now on its third year, join Iya Villania, Chesca Garcia-Kramer and Angel Aquino as “Us Girls” hails the country’s most gorgeous and stylish icons tonight, August 18 at Amber, the Fort in Taguig City.

Anne Curtis will accept the prestigious Icon of the Year award, which was brought home last year by Angel Locsin.

Vying for the Face of the Year award are television princesses Maja Salvador, Julia Montes, Jennylyn Mercado, and Marian Rivera, while stylist Liz Uy, models Isabelle Daza and Georgina Wilson, and TV stars Kim Chiu and Bianca Gonzales will compete for the Most Fashionable Female title.

Broadcaster Gretchen Fullido, host Bianca Manalo and model-actresses Cristine Reyes, Regine Angeles and Solenn Heusaff are up for the Sexiest Female title.

Meanwhile, actors Sam Milby, John Lloyd Cruz, Gerald Anderson, Dingdong Dantes and entrepreneur Hayden Kho will compete for the Most Fashionable Male award, while the Sexiest Male nominees are Daniel Matsunaga, Derek Ramsay, Xian Lim, Phil Younghusband, and Matteo Guidicelli.

Not to be outshined are the people who glam up our favorite celebrities, including Steven Doloso, RB Chanco, Ricci Chan and Albert Kuriniawan – contenders for the Make Up Artist of the Year. Fashion royalties Bang Pineda, Patty Yap, Kim and Boop Yap and Geolette Esguerra are the nominees for the Stylist of the Year.

The “Us Girls”’ staff and Studio 23 management’s choice will determine the winners, as well as the viewers’ votes.

The glamorous event will be televised in a two-part airing on August 25 and September 1 at 9:30 PM on Studio 23.

Here are the nominees for “Us Girls August Awards 2011”:

Make Up Artist of the Year

Steven Doloso
RB Chanco
Ricci Chan
Albert Kuriniawan

Stylist of the Year

Bang Pineda
Patty Yap
Kim and Boop Yap
Geolette Esguerra

Most Fashionable Female

Liz Uy
Georgina Wilson
Bianca Gonzales
Kim Chiu
Isabelle daza

Most Fashionable Male

Sam Milby
John Lloyd Cruz
Hayden Kho
Gerald Anderson
Dingdong Dantes

Sexiest Male

Daniel Matsunaga
Derek Ramsay
Xian Lim
Phil Younghusband
Matteo Guidicelli

Sexiest Female

Gretchen Fullido
Cristine Reyes
Bianca Manalo
Regine Angeles
Solenn Heusaff

Face of the Year

Maja Salvador
Julia Montes
Jennylyn Mercado
Marian Rivera

Icon of the Year

Anne Curtis

View the original article here

Read More

No sexy girls please, China tells online game fair

SHANGHAI | Thu Jul 28, 2011 11:53pm EDT

SHANGHAI (Reuters Life!) - Hemlines are a little longer at this year's annual online gaming fair in Shanghai, as companies take to heart a government directive against "vulgarity," a Chinese newspaper reported on Friday.

The ChinaJoy Expo, an annual online game showcase, is well-known for its "spicy girls" who dress up in hot pants and bras to dance and pose at company booths.

But a recent government crackdown on "vulgarity" in the online games sector is forcing the girls to cover up, the Shanghai Daily said.

"The length of my dress is longer than before," said Zhou, a model who has been a ChinaJoy showgirl twice.

The new policy prohibits costumes that show more than two-thirds of a showgirl's back and bans the girls from sticking printed logos on "sensitive positions" like over their breasts, the paper reported.

Some online games companies feared the change would lessen the attractiveness of the expo given that the girls are as much a draw for men as are the games on display, reported the paper.

"To be honest, I came here largely for spicy girls," said Xaiver Du, a college student and online gaming fan.

"I'm satisfied with the female models for this year's ChinaJoy ... I care more about them rather than only sexy clothing," Du said.

The government frequently launches campaigns against what it sees as obscene and base behavior -- including once banning "sexually provocative sounds" on television -- but to little apparent effect.

Scantily-clad women promoting drinks are a feature of many bars in cosmopolitan Shanghai and capital city Beijing, and pornography is widely available online and on pirated DVDs.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Ben Blanchard and Daniel Magnowski)

View the original article here

Read More