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Indian tycoon becomes world's richest man
INDIA'S BILLIONAIRE industrialist Mukesh Ambani, 50, became the world's richest man yesterday, overtaking Microsoft's Bill Gates and Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helu.
As the benchmark Mumbai Sensex stock index topped 20,000 points for the first time ever, the stocks of Ambani's Reliance Industries rallied smartly to take Ambani's net worth to $63.2bn. Helu and Gates are a little behind at around $62.29bn each.
Ambani's father, Dhirubhai, laid the seeds of the Reliance 
empire by melting Yemini rials for their silver and selling it to the London Bullion Exchange in the early 1950s. Today the group's interests span oil, textiles and biochemicals.
Overtaking Gates and Helu is another feather in Mukesh Ambani's cap. Last month, he overtook steel czar Lakshmi Mittal to become the richest Indian in the world.
Ambani is not shy about his wealth: he's currently building a £500m skyscraper-home in Mumbai with a floor space greater than the Palace of Versailles - room for his wife and three children and 600 full-time staff.
How long he can hold onto the title of 'richest man in the world' remains to be seen: soon after the Mumbai stock exchange began trading this morning, the Sensex fell slightly below 20,000 points.
'Satan's advocate' to represent royal blackmail accused
AS IF the Royal blackmail story needed any further intrigue to liven it up, the lawyer representing one of the defendants turns out to be Giovanni di Stefano.
The lawyer (above), whose previous clients include Saddam Hussein, Slobodan Milosevic, Harold Shipman and Gary Glitter, was appointed by the mother of property developer, socialite and 'clubber' Ian Strachan two days before the alleged sting that landed him in custody.
"My client denies that he asked for any money. It was in fact the office of the [royal] individual who first offered money," insisted di Stefano, fresh from representing Saddam's former deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz in Iraq.
Di Stefano also poured cold water on the allegedly hot sex tape in question, claiming the footage was of an assistant to a member of the royal family boasting of how "the person" received a sex act.
Strachan, who lives in a £700-a-week flat in Chelsea Harbour and claims to know Princes William and Harry, will be hoping di Stefano can break his duck with high-profile cases.
Buck House can't accommodate King Abdullah's entourage
EVEN THOUGH King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has brought none of his wives on his State visit to Britain, he has such a large entourage that it took five jumbo jets to get them here, and only a handful of his party are able to stay at Buckingham Palace as guests of the Queen.
Like most visiting heads of state, (continued below ad)
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(continued from above ad) the King has been given the Belgian Suite. Ten of his party are also staying at the Palace, but the rest are being put up in London hotels. "There are 10,000 princes in Saudi, each with wealth and influence," a British diplomatic source said. "When they travel, they travel big."
Among the princes in the King's party is Prince Bandar, the National Security Adviser, who was at the centre of the BAe Systems inquiry.
Of course, this is a working trip for the 83-year-old King - part of a five-nation tour he's making. When he holidays, he's much more frugal. For his two-month summer holiday in Marbella, he took only two jumbos and, despite a daily bill of $2,000 for fresh orchids, managed to keep spending down to $10m.
Tonight, at the state banquet, the King and his party will stick to soft drinks while non-Arab guests will be served wine. The Queen, while respecting the customs of her guest, regards it as inhospitable not to offer alcohol to those who are accustomed to it.
News in Pictures: Saudi entourage descends on London 
Who was the mystery brunette in the Bentley with Boris?
HERE IS a challenge to readers of The First Post: Do you know who this Bentley belongs to?
A week ago today, Boris Johnson, Conservative MP for Henley and mayoral candidate for London, climbed out of the front seat and disappeared through the wooden door to the left - a back entrance to the Houses of Parliament.
In tow were a youthful aide and - far more interesting - a glamorous stilleto-ed brunette who may or may not have been the car's driver.
Why did Boris, who could have used his MP's pass to enter via the main gates on Parliament Square, choose to use a side entrance? Normally, we might have assumed that the car was being delivered for one of Boris's famous test drives for GQ magazine. But the personalised number plate - CH4RLE - suggests otherwise. Answers on a postcard - or email - to editorial@thefirstpost.co.uk
Sainsbury leaves priceless art bequest to nation
A COLLECTION of paintings belonging to the late Simon Sainsbury has been left to the Tate and the National Gallery. The bequest, worth £100m, has been called "one of the most important to come to the nation in the past 100 years".
The philanthropist - grandson of John Sainsbury, and brother of Lord John and Sir Tim - died in 2006. Recognised as a generous patron of the art world throughout his life, he was one of the first people to give money to the Tate Modern.
Works left to the Tate include three portraits by Lucien Freud (including Girl with a Kitten, 1947, pictured above) and a rare early work by Francis Bacon, of which Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota said "there is no equivalent in the Tate's collection".
Two pieces by Pierre Bonnard, the turn-of-the-century French painter, will make the Tate "one of the principle places to see Bonnard outside Paris". The Tate will exhibit the bequest next June.
SKY NEWS has apologised after presenter Julie Etchingham joked that David Cameron's policy on immigration was 'extermination'. In a speech broadcast by the rolling news channel, the Conservative leader said, "Some of the increase in population size results from natural change... Here our policy should be obvious..." At this point. Etchingham was heard to say over her microphone, "extermination". Etchingham is leaving Sky to present ITV's News at Ten with Trevor McDonald.
Meanwhile, David Cameron has been accused of offending Lithuania. The Baltic state's ambassador to London, Vygaudas Usackas, complained after the Tory leader joked to members of the Arts Council, "I hope you won't be giving grants to too many one-legged Lithuanian lesbians." Cameron denies he mentioned 'lesbians', but admits to saying 'one-legged Lithuanian dance troupes', adding that he has the highest regard for Lithuania.
Within 24 hours of his home town, Stevenage, declaring it would name a new street after him, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton has announced he is leaving Britain to live in Switzerland. He said he wanted privacy. "I can't go to the cinema. I go to the bathroom in a petrol station and people come in there for autographs."
Gordon Brown, who spent ten years as Chancellor refusing to dress up for banquets, has spent £3,000 of taxpayers' money ordering a white tie and tails from Savile Row to wear to tonight's state banquet for King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Oprah school in abuse furore
CHAT SHOW queen Oprah Winfrey has tearfully apologised to parents of girls attending the academy she established earlier this year in South Africa following recent allegations of physical and sexual abuse there.
Last week, one of the matrons was accused of fondling at least one girl; one student also claimed the same woman grabbed her by the throat and threw her against a wall.
In an effort to control the situation, Winfrey has cancelled appointments and flown to South Africa twice in the past few weeks and reportedly filed charges herself against the matron.
South African police, the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit as well as US investigators hired by Winfrey are looking into the allegations, which surfaced after one of the pupils ran away.
"I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Winfrey told families in an emergency meeting at the academy in Henley-on-Klip, south of Johannesburg.
Winfrey gave the girls, whom she calls her 'daughters', her personal telephone number, e-mail address and postal address so that they could contact her around the clock.
