Charlize Theron Joins Fast And Furious Cast

Charlize Theron has been announced as a new cast member for the eighth instalment of the Fast And Furious franchise.

The casting was revealed by Universal Pictures in a tweet on Thursday.

Theron, who also showed off her car skills in remake of The Italian Job, will join stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and Michelle Rodriguez in Fast 8.

The announcement teased that Theron's character will be the "crew's greatest adversary ever," although no plot has been officially announced.

Paul Walker and Vin Diesel

The seven films in the series have grossed around $3.9bn globally since the series was launched in 2001.

Furious 7 became the fastest film to gross $1bn at the box office after its release in 2015, taking just 17 days to get to that figure.

Paul Walker still had scenes to shoot for the film when he was killed in a car crash in California in November 2013.

Theron has most recently been seen alongside Chris Hemsworth and Emily Blunt in The Huntsman: Winter's War.

Fast 8 is set for release on 14 April, 2017, with Straight Outta Compton director F Gary Gray at the helm.

Twitter Is Obsessed With Jessica Sanchez’s American Idol Finale Performance

Four years ago, the then-16-year-old vocalist Jessica Sanchez finished as a runner-up in the final round of the eleventh season of American Idol, losing (to the persisting chagrin of many) to Phillip Phillips. But on Thursday night, she was back on the Idol stage to commemorate the end of the series, and to call it a comeback would be an understatement.
Trent Harmon was voted the winner of the final season Thursday, but if you hadn’t seen the episode and relied on Twitter for updates, you might believe that Sanchez had somehow been belatedly crowned. After her performance of “The Prayer,” Twitter erupted with unanimously fervent praise for the 20-year-old singer.

Report: N Korean submarine attempts missile test launch

North Korea tried to test-launch a ballistic missile from a submarine, a website that monitors the reclusive state reported, as Chinese state media said defiant actions by Pyongyang have become a threat to regional security.

The website said the submarine sailed towards the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, prompting South Korean intelligence to track the vessel's movement. But it turned back without firing the missile.

"It seems that the submarine dealt with a malfunction during the process of their fourth SLBM [submarine ballistic missile] test launch and decided to return," an unidentified former South Korean admiral told the site.

The incident on Wednesday was first reported by the South Korean cable television Maeil Broadcasting Network. South Korea's defence ministry did not comment on the report.  

News of Pyongyang's latest military manouevre comes as its closest ally, Beijing, has become more pointed in its criticism of North Korea.

"Peace-brokering should never be at the price of appeasing Pyongyang's nuclear ambition," the English-language site said, adding that North Korea has a "credibility problem" when it comes to denuclearisation.

"Peace-brokering should never be at the price of appeasing Pyongyang's nuclear ambition," the English-language site said, adding that North Korea has a "credibility problem" when it comes to denuclearisation.

On Wednesday, China banned most imports of North Korean coal and iron ore in response to ongoing missile tests.

Beijing is North Korea's only major ally and aid donor but says its influence over Kim Jong Un's government is limited.

EU Leaflet Row: Petition Passes 100K Signatures

A petition calling for David Cameron to scrap a pro-EU leaflet that will cost taxpayers more than £9m has gained more than 100,000 signatures.

It means ministers could have to appear in Parliament to defend spending public money on the pro-EU document, which will be posted to 27 million households across the country from next week.

Amid a row between the in and out campaigns, the Prime Minister has said he makes "no apology" for the mail-out.

Campaigners in favour of a British exit from the EU have criticised the Government's use of taxpayers' cash to fund the glossy 16-page document, and have urged voters to send theirs back to Downing Street.

:: What's In The EU Leaflet And Is It True?

Now that the petition has reached 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

Downing Street said the leaflet was a response to polling which showed 85% of the public wanted more information from the Government to help them make an informed choice in vote on 23 June.

Speaking to an audience of students in Exeter on Thursday, Mr Cameron brandished the leaflet and said: "The UK Government, with our experience, our understanding, our knowledge, we think we should stay in this organisation.

So I make no apology for the fact that we are sending to every household in the country this leaflet, which sets out what the Government's view is and why we come to that view - we're not neutral in this."

The leaflet will cost £458,500 to create, with £5.9m being spent printing and delivering it across the UK in two waves.

Another £2.9m will go on producing the website and promoting it via social media and other online platforms - a total cost of around 34p per household.

The leaflet, titled "Why the Government believes that voting to remain in the European Union is the best decision for the UK", will start to arrive through letterboxes in England next week - before "purdah" restrictions come into force ahead of May's local elections - and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the week after the 5 May elections.

Vote Leave campaigners have complained the cost of the promotional push is greater than the £7m each the formal Leave and Remain camps will be allowed to spend by law in total during the campaign's last 10 weeks.

Donald Trump's Star Will Stay Despite Vandalism

Officials in Hollywood have denied rumours they are planning to remove Donald Trump's star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mr Trump's star has been repeatedly targeted by vandals since his rise to prominence in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

The landmark, which sits next to that of actor Kevin Spacey on Hollywood Boulevard, has been daubed with swastikas, mute symbols, crosses and even dog excrement.

But the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which runs the Walk of Fame, has dismissed speculation it is contemplating removing the controversial tycoon's star to avoid vandalism.

President Leron Gubler said: "The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a registered historic landmark.

"Once a star has been added to the Walk, it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"Because of this, we have never removed a star from the Walk."

Cleaning crews have become a regular feature at the star and the self-styled Ambassador of Hollywood has hit out at the vandals.

Gregg Donovan said: "I think it is wrong. If they want to show their anger, they should show it someplace else."

He also raised the safety issues associated with someone spitting or dropping an ice cream cone on the slippery pavement.

Mr Donovan says Mr Trump's star has become the most sought-after on the Walk in recent months with tourists from around the world hunting it down.

He admits some people are surprised that the real estate mogul has a star at all - and that some are embarrassed to ask for a photo with the landmark.

"This could be our next president," he tells a French family, as they carefully sidestep Mr Trump's currently unblemished honour. "Yes, I've heard," replied the mother.

It was placed there in 2007 to recognise Mr Trump's work as host of The Apprentice.

Tony Zazzi, visiting Hollywood on holiday from Florida, said he has been a fan of his campaign but now wanted to hear more policy plans.

On the vandalism, he said: "There's no need for that. That's not necessary, it accomplished nothing, just makes somebody clean them off.

"That's the good part of America though, there's freedom of speech. A lot of freedom."

And Robert Abe paused to tread on Trump's star and give it "the finger".

He said the vandalism was "not good" but that "he's got that coming to him. That's what he deserves".

Nearby, the Superman and Batman impersonators looked a little miffed at all the attention for The Donald.

But then, if not a superhero, it is possible he could be the real leader of the free world by next year.

Cameron offshore trust row: PM accused of 'hypocrisy'

Labour has accused David Cameron of "hypocrisy" after he revealed he had owned shares in an offshore trust set up by his late father.

On Thursday, the PM said he sold the shares before he entered Number 10 in 2010 and had paid all UK taxes due on profits from the £30,000 sale.

He said the firm, Blairmore Holdings, had not been set up to avoid tax.

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said the PM had called people who invested in similar schemes "morally wrong".

'More answers'

There have been days of headlines about Blairmore Holdings - a fund for investors which until 2006 used "bearer shares" to protect its clients' privacy - following the leak of 11 million documents held by Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca.

They show that Mr Cameron's father, Ian, was one of five UK directors who flew to board meetings in the Bahamas or Switzerland.

Downing Street and Mr Cameron had issued four statements on whether Mr Cameron had any financial involvement with Blairmore Holdings before the PM told ITV News on Thursday about the shares he had owned.

• Panama Papers: All you need to know
• 10 things we've learned from the papers
• Reaction to the Panama Papers leaks

Mr Watson said Mr Cameron could not be blamed for his father's actions but added: "He can for hypocrisy. He said that sunlight is the best disinfectant and wasn't entirely straight with the British people about what his own financial arrangements were. 

"That wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't also been lecturing very prominent people about their own tax arrangements, some he called morally wrong for being invested in similar schemes.

"People don't like that and they want a lot more answers from David Cameron before this scandal goes away."

---

What Cameron said when

• Asked on Monday whether she could confirm that no family money was still invested in the fund, Mr Cameron's spokeswoman said: "That is a private matter"
• Then in an interview on Tuesday, Mr Cameron said: " I have no shares, no offshore trusts, no offshore funds, nothing like that. And, so that, I think, is a very clear description"
• Downing Street issued a statement later that day: "To be clear, the prime minister, his wife and their children do not benefit from any offshore funds. The prime minister owns no shares. As has been previously reported, Mrs Cameron owns a small number of shares connected to her father's land, which she declares on her tax return"
• No 10 then released a further clarifying statement on Wednesday, saying: "There are no offshore funds/trusts which the prime minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future"
• On Thursday the PM told ITV News:"We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010"

---

Shadow Treasury minister Richard Burgon called on Mr Cameron to make a statement on his tax affairs to Parliament on Monday.

"He must now further clarify whether or not he or his family were benefiting directly or indirectly in 2013 when he was lobbying to prevent EU measures to better regulate trusts as a way to clamp down on tax avoidance," he said.

And SNP economy spokesman Stewart Hosie MP described it as "an astounding revelation by a prime minister who has questioned the morality of using such tax-avoiding schemes".

But James Quarmby, a specialist in tax planning and wealth structuring at law firm Stephenson Harwood, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was a "massive misunderstanding" about what Mr Cameron had invested in.

He said it was a hedge fund that was "about as boring as it gets for investments", adding that it would not be used for avoiding tax.

"It's no different from Mr Cameron investing in a UK stock," he said.

Thursday, Mr Cameron told ITV News: "I don't have anything to hide. I'm proud of my dad and what he did and the business he established... I can't bear to see his name being dragged through the mud."

Mr Cameron said much criticism was based on a "fundamental misconception" that Blairmore Investment was set up to avoid tax. 

"It wasn't. It was set up after exchange controls went, so that people who wanted to invest in dollar denominated shares and companies could do so, and there are many other, thousands of other unit trusts set up in this way," he said.

Downing Street said Mr and Mrs Cameron bought their holding in April 1997 for £12,497 and sold it in January 2010 for £31,500.

That year the personal allowance before capital gains tax was paid was £10,100 per person.

---

What are the Panama Papers?

A leak of 11.5 million documents has lifted the lid on how the rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth.

The files were leaked from one of the world's most secretive companies, a Panamanian law firm called Mossack Fonseca.

Among the files are details about: 

• The late father of UK Prime Minister David Cameron
• The brother-in-law of China's President Xi Jinping
• Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko, and Argentina's President Mauricio Macri
• Three of the four children of Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
• The documents show that Iceland's Prime Minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, had an undeclared interest linked to his wife's wealth. He has now resigned

The scandal also touches football's world governing body, Fifa.

Mossack Fonseca says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and never been accused or charged with criminal wrong-doing.

Cameron offshore trust row: PM accused of 'hypocrisy'

Labour has accused David Cameron of "hypocrisy" after he revealed he had owned shares in an offshore trust set up by his late father.

On Thursday, the PM said he sold the shares before he entered Number 10 in 2010 and had paid all UK taxes due on profits from the £30,000 sale.

He said the firm, Blairmore Holdings, had not been set up to avoid tax.

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said the PM had called people who invested in similar schemes "morally wrong".

'More answers'

There have been days of headlines about Blairmore Holdings - a fund for investors which until 2006 used "bearer shares" to protect its clients' privacy - following the leak of 11 million documents held by Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca.

They show that Mr Cameron's father, Ian, was one of five UK directors who flew to board meetings in the Bahamas or Switzerland.

Downing Street and Mr Cameron had issued four statements on whether Mr Cameron had any financial involvement with Blairmore Holdings before the PM told ITV News on Thursday about the shares he had owned.

• Panama Papers: All you need to know
• 10 things we've learned from the papers
• Reaction to the Panama Papers leaks

Mr Watson said Mr Cameron could not be blamed for his father's actions but added: "He can for hypocrisy. He said that sunlight is the best disinfectant and wasn't entirely straight with the British people about what his own financial arrangements were. 

"That wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't also been lecturing very prominent people about their own tax arrangements, some he called morally wrong for being invested in similar schemes.

"People don't like that and they want a lot more answers from David Cameron before this scandal goes away."

---

What Cameron said when

• Asked on Monday whether she could confirm that no family money was still invested in the fund, Mr Cameron's spokeswoman said: "That is a private matter"
• Then in an interview on Tuesday, Mr Cameron said: " I have no shares, no offshore trusts, no offshore funds, nothing like that. And, so that, I think, is a very clear description"
• Downing Street issued a statement later that day: "To be clear, the prime minister, his wife and their children do not benefit from any offshore funds. The prime minister owns no shares. As has been previously reported, Mrs Cameron owns a small number of shares connected to her father's land, which she declares on her tax return"
• No 10 then released a further clarifying statement on Wednesday, saying: "There are no offshore funds/trusts which the prime minister, Mrs Cameron or their children will benefit from in future"
• On Thursday the PM told ITV News:"We owned 5,000 units in Blairmore Investment Trust, which we sold in January 2010"

---

Shadow Treasury minister Richard Burgon called on Mr Cameron to make a statement on his tax affairs to Parliament on Monday.

"He must now further clarify whether or not he or his family were benefiting directly or indirectly in 2013 when he was lobbying to prevent EU measures to better regulate trusts as a way to clamp down on tax avoidance," he said.

And SNP economy spokesman Stewart Hosie MP described it as "an astounding revelation by a prime minister who has questioned the morality of using such tax-avoiding schemes".

But James Quarmby, a specialist in tax planning and wealth structuring at law firm Stephenson Harwood, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there was a "massive misunderstanding" about what Mr Cameron had invested in.

He said it was a hedge fund that was "about as boring as it gets for investments", adding that it would not be used for avoiding tax.

"It's no different from Mr Cameron investing in a UK stock," he said.

Thursday, Mr Cameron told ITV News: "I don't have anything to hide. I'm proud of my dad and what he did and the business he established... I can't bear to see his name being dragged through the mud."

Mr Cameron said much criticism was based on a "fundamental misconception" that Blairmore Investment was set up to avoid tax. 

"It wasn't. It was set up after exchange controls went, so that people who wanted to invest in dollar denominated shares and companies could do so, and there are many other, thousands of other unit trusts set up in this way," he said.

Downing Street said Mr and Mrs Cameron bought their holding in April 1997 for £12,497 and sold it in January 2010 for £31,500.

That year the personal allowance before capital gains tax was paid was £10,100 per person.

---

What are the Panama Papers?

A leak of 11.5 million documents has lifted the lid on how the rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth.

The files were leaked from one of the world's most secretive companies, a Panamanian law firm called Mossack Fonseca.

Among the files are details about: 

• The late father of UK Prime Minister David Cameron
• The brother-in-law of China's President Xi Jinping
• Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko, and Argentina's President Mauricio Macri
• Three of the four children of Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
• The documents show that Iceland's Prime Minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, had an undeclared interest linked to his wife's wealth. He has now resigned

The scandal also touches football's world governing body, Fifa.

Mossack Fonseca says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and never been accused or charged with criminal wrong-doing.