Tiwi minerals set to be exported to China

A deal has been struck to export mineral sands from the Tiwi Islands to China.

Operations ceased at Melville Islands’ zircon mine in 2008 when Matilda Minerals went into administration.

Matilda Zircon bought up the assets and says the mine will be up and running again in a month.

It has signed an agreement with a Hong Kong-based company and the Territory Government to export 40,000 tonnes of zircon to China.

The mineral is used in porcelain and ceramic products.

The first shipment is set to leave in two months.

Matilda Zircon says it is relocating the workers camp and kicked-off construction on upgrading roads last month.

The company says the mine’s reopening will create up to 30 jobs.

Gardening helped Michelle Williams cope with Heath Ledger’s death

London, September 17 (ANI): Michelle Williams has revealed that gardening helped her cope with the death of her former fiance Heath Ledger.

The actress gave birth to the late star’s daughter Matilda, who was just 2 years old when Ledger died last year of an accidental drug overdose.

The Brokeback Mountain star, who had parted ways from Ledger months before his death, said planting new life in her garden at home helped her gain strength to deal with the grief.

“My friends never really left me alone when we came up here. One got me gardening in the spring and that’s when it all turned around,” the Daily Express quoted her as telling Vogue magazine.

“I remember being on my hands and knees. The ground was cold and muddy. I pushed back the dead leaves and saw green shoots of spring.

“Under all this decay something was growing. Caring for the garden reminded me to care for myself,” she added. (ANI)

Michelle Williams says falling in love again didn’t soothe grief

Washington, September 16 (ANI): Michelle Williams has said that falling in love again did not save her from the pain of losing her late former beau Heath Ledger.

The actress gave birth to the late star’s daughter Matilda, who was just 2 years old when Ledger died last year of an accidental drug overdose.

“After the first year, the pain is less intense; it’s less immediate,” People magazine quoted her telling Vogue.

“But the magical thinking goes away too. And that’s a whole new reckoning. But every time I really miss him and wonder where he’s gone, I just look at her,” she added.

The Dawson’s Creek star, who had parted ways from Ledger months before his death, said returning to the dating scene has done little to help her get over the grief.

She continued: “I thought falling in love again was the only thing that was going to save me from the pain. This erroneous idea: It just makes things more complicated.” (ANI)

Ledger’s split from Michelle Williams ‘made him snap’, says Terry Gilliam

Melbourne, July 1 (ANI): Heath Ledger’s split from Michelle Williams and legal dispute over his daughter Matilda contributed to his unstable and sleepless state in the weeks before he died of an accidental prescription-drug overdose, according to the actor’s pal and mentor Terry Gilliam.

Gilliam was directing Ledger in ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’.

The filmmaker told Vanity Fair that the wrangles over financial settlement and custody of his daughter “really made Heath snap.”

“He really thought he could do the right thing. He was trying to be decent and graceful, give her (Williams) whatever she wanted – the house, every f**king thing. But once it started going south, it went very quickly. He was overwhelmed by lawyers, and there were more and more of them, as if they were breeding,” the Australian quoted Gilliam as saying.

Gilliam said that the ordeal drove Ledger to work harder, to distract himself from his personal worries.

‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ cinematographer Nicola Pecorini said that Ledger was a regular pot smoker.

However, when it became a problem he “went clean as a whistle,” Pecorini told Vanity. He also stopped drinking.

The Oscar-winning actor’s voice coach Gerry Grennell told the magazine: “Heath would happily go to the bar, buy a round of drinks for friends, and come back and have a soda or juice, never once drinking alcohol.”

“Everyone has a different view of how he passed away. From my perspective, and knowing him as well as I did, and being around him as much as I was, it was a combination of exhaustion, sleeping medication … and perhaps the after effects of the flu. I guess his body just stopped breathing,” Grennell added. (ANI)

Is Michelle Williams getting married?

p
Melbourne, April 27 (ANI): Michelle Williams, former partner of late actor Heath Ledger and mother of his daughter Matilda, is reportedly getting married to director Spike Jonze./pp
They’re in love and absolutely thrilled with each other, the Daily Telegraph quoted a source as telling US magazine Star./pp
They don’t see why they should wait much longer, the source added./pp
Jonze, ex husband of Hollywood royalty Sofia Coppola, is said to have charmed Matilda./pp
Spike loves being with Matilda. He’s teaching her to skateboard and to ride a bike, the source said./pp
He never makes Michelle feel like taking care of her is a burden, because he truly thinks of them all as a family, the source added. (ANI)/p

New Zealand twins celebrate 100th birthday

New Zealand twins celebrate 100th birthday Wellington – New Zealanders Beryl Baguley and Matilda “Tilly” Hanlon celebrated their 100th birthday Thursday, claiming to be the world’s oldest living identical twins.

The pair, who live separately in towns near Auckland on North Island, celebrated with about 60 family members and friends at a party in a club.

They received letters of congratulation from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who is also queen of New Zealand, and Prime Minister John Key.

“It’s a very exciting time. I got five letters from parliament and the letter from the queen is lovely,” Beryl Baguley told the Franklin County News.

The paper said the mathematical chance of identical twins reaching the age of 100 was one in 700 million. (dpa)

Matilda named beneficiary of Ledger’s life insurance money

Sydney, Mar 14 (ANI): Matilda, Heath Ledger’s three-year-old daughter, has been officially named the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy.

Following a Los Angeles court hearing, her custodian John Laviolette and lawyer William Shernoff emerged from Superior Court Judge Luis Lavin’s chambers wearing smiles.

“It is finalised and everybody is mutually happy,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Laviolette, as saying.

When asked if the money would go to Matilda, Shernoff said: “Yes. veryone is happy”.

The Dark Knight star took out the life insurance policy seven months before his naked body was found on January 22, 2008, in a Manhattan loft apartment he was renting.

He named Matilda as the benefactor.

An autopsy by the New York Medical Examiner’s Office found the Perth-born 28-year-old Oscar winner died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, including painkillers and sleeping pills.

Matilda lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her mother and Ledger’s former fiancee, actress Michelle Williams. (ANI)

Michelle Williams planning France move

Washington, Mar 9 (ANI): Hollywood actress Michelle Williams is planning to move to France to escape the hounding paparazzi.

The 28-year-old actress and her three-year-old daughter Matilda have been under constant media attention since the death of her ex fiancie Heath Ledger.

Williams is planning to work on smaller-scale movies in a bid to quell interest in her private life – and, if that doesn’t work, she’s contemplating to go abroad where there are stricter privacy laws.

“If it makes a difference, if doing smaller movies means less of that stuff, then I’ll adjust my life so that we can still have a life in the city and not totally disappear,” Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

“If not, I think they have laws in France – I’ll go there,” she added. (ANI)

Michelle Williams will take care of Heath’s Oscar until Matilda turns 18

Melbourne, Mar 06 (ANI): Hollywood actress and late Heath Ledger’s former lover Michelle Williams will take of his Oscar award, which will go to his daughter Matilda, until the girl turns 18.

Matilda will be the owner of the Oscar, which will always remind her of her talented father, but The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided that Matilda’s mother Michelle will take of it until Matilda turns 18.

Heath Ledger’s parents Kim and Sally, who accepted the Academy award on his behalf, said that the Oscar might go back to Australia.

“She can’t sign for it until she’s 18, so it stays in trust here or in Australia,” News.com.au quoted Kim as saying.

However, Academy spokesperson Leslie Unger confirmed that Williams, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, with Matilda would receive it and it would stay with them in Brooklyn, New York.

“We expect a representative of the Ledger estate to bring the statuette in tomorrow so that the engraved plate can be affixed,” Unger told the L.A. Times newspaper.

“Soon after that, we expect the statuette to be delivered to Michelle Williams,” Unger added.

Heath, who died of drug overdose, met Michelle while filming Brokeback Mountain. (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter granted privacy

London, Feb 25 (ANI): A U.S. judge has granted late actor Heath Ledger and actress Michelle Williams’ young daughter Matilda privacy.

Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin told the court that the late Ledger’s 3-year-old daughter should be protected from public scrutiny.

“She is not a celebrity. She is a minor child,” the Daily Express quoted Judge Lavin, as saying.

Judge Lavin’s ruling was made after attorneys for her trust and insurance company Reliastar announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a 6.9 million dollar lawsuit.

It involved a life insurance policy Ledger took out for Matilda seven months before his death from an accidental prescription drug overdose last year (Jan08).n attorney for the tragic star sued the company, claiming the firm’s bosses refused to pay out pending an investigation on whether his death was a suicide.

Details of the settlement will not be disclosed to the public. Judge Lavin added that Matilda had ‘a right to privacy.’ (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter granted privacy

London, Feb 25 (ANI): A U.S. judge has granted late actor Heath Ledger and actress Michelle Williams’ young daughter Matilda privacy.

Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin told the court that the late Ledger’s 3-year-old daughter should be protected from public scrutiny.

“She is not a celebrity. She is a minor child,” the Daily Express quoted Judge Lavin, as saying.

Judge Lavin’s ruling was made after attorneys for her trust and insurance company Reliastar announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a 6.9 million dollar lawsuit.

It involved a life insurance policy Ledger took out for Matilda seven months before his death from an accidental prescription drug overdose last year (Jan08).n attorney for the tragic star sued the company, claiming the firm’s bosses refused to pay out pending an investigation on whether his death was a suicide.

Details of the settlement will not be disclosed to the public. Judge Lavin added that Matilda had ‘a right to privacy.’ (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter granted privacy

London, Feb 25 (ANI): A U.S. judge has granted late actor Heath Ledger and actress Michelle Williams’ young daughter Matilda privacy.

Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin told the court that the late Ledger’s 3-year-old daughter should be protected from public scrutiny.

“She is not a celebrity. She is a minor child,” the Daily Express quoted Judge Lavin, as saying.

Judge Lavin’s ruling was made after attorneys for her trust and insurance company Reliastar announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a 6.9 million dollar lawsuit.

It involved a life insurance policy Ledger took out for Matilda seven months before his death from an accidental prescription drug overdose last year (Jan08).n attorney for the tragic star sued the company, claiming the firm’s bosses refused to pay out pending an investigation on whether his death was a suicide.

Details of the settlement will not be disclosed to the public. Judge Lavin added that Matilda had ‘a right to privacy.’ (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter granted privacy

London, Feb 25 (ANI): A U.S. judge has granted late actor Heath Ledger and actress Michelle Williams’ young daughter Matilda privacy.

Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin told the court that the late Ledger’s 3-year-old daughter should be protected from public scrutiny.

“She is not a celebrity. She is a minor child,” the Daily Express quoted Judge Lavin, as saying.

Judge Lavin’s ruling was made after attorneys for her trust and insurance company Reliastar announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a 6.9 million dollar lawsuit.

It involved a life insurance policy Ledger took out for Matilda seven months before his death from an accidental prescription drug overdose last year (Jan08).n attorney for the tragic star sued the company, claiming the firm’s bosses refused to pay out pending an investigation on whether his death was a suicide.

Details of the settlement will not be disclosed to the public. Judge Lavin added that Matilda had ‘a right to privacy.’ (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter granted privacy

London, Feb 25 (ANI): A U.S. judge has granted late actor Heath Ledger and actress Michelle Williams’ young daughter Matilda privacy.

Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin told the court that the late Ledger’s 3-year-old daughter should be protected from public scrutiny.

“She is not a celebrity. She is a minor child,” the Daily Express quoted Judge Lavin, as saying.

Judge Lavin’s ruling was made after attorneys for her trust and insurance company Reliastar announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a 6.9 million dollar lawsuit.

It involved a life insurance policy Ledger took out for Matilda seven months before his death from an accidental prescription drug overdose last year (Jan08).n attorney for the tragic star sued the company, claiming the firm’s bosses refused to pay out pending an investigation on whether his death was a suicide.

Details of the settlement will not be disclosed to the public. Judge Lavin added that Matilda had ‘a right to privacy.’ (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter granted privacy

London, Feb 25 (ANI): A U.S. judge has granted late actor Heath Ledger and actress Michelle Williams’ young daughter Matilda privacy.

Superior Court Judge Luis A. Lavin told the court that the late Ledger’s 3-year-old daughter should be protected from public scrutiny.

“She is not a celebrity. She is a minor child,” the Daily Express quoted Judge Lavin, as saying.

Judge Lavin’s ruling was made after attorneys for her trust and insurance company Reliastar announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a 6.9 million dollar lawsuit.

It involved a life insurance policy Ledger took out for Matilda seven months before his death from an accidental prescription drug overdose last year (Jan08).n attorney for the tragic star sued the company, claiming the firm’s bosses refused to pay out pending an investigation on whether his death was a suicide.

Details of the settlement will not be disclosed to the public. Judge Lavin added that Matilda had ‘a right to privacy.’ (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter wants to become a cowgirl

New York, Feb 24 (ANI): Health Ledger and Michelle Williams’ daughter wants to become a cowgirl.

In an interview to Daily Telegraph, Williams’ revealed she’d like her 3-year-old daughter Matilda to become a doctor, although she is currently more interested in being a cowgirl.

Williams for the first time opened up about her life since Ledger’s passing, and revealed that she won’t relocate to Los Angeles, “for all the obvious reasons … being an actor’s daughter.

“It’s a town that’s about one thing, and I want her to have options,” The New York Daily News quoted her as saying.

The 28-year-old actress hasn’t pursued any film roles since Ledger’s death following an overdose of prescription drugs, and says she now spends her time “cooking, baking, cleaning and sewing.”

“I felt burned out (after Ledger’s death), I still feel that, but I’m coming back to my wits, little by little. But ultimately I am not yet ready to work. I’ve actually really been enjoying not working,” she said.

She also added that being a part of the Hollywood machine “has lost its appeal for me. It used to be a refuge and now it’s a hassle.”

But she has no plans to quit action.

“I’ll be happy making movies for 300,000 dollars for the rest of my life,” she says, “if the roles are interesting,” she added. (ANI)

Michelle Williams still unable to return to work after Heath Ledger’s death

London, Feb 23 (ANI): American actress Michelle Williams has revealed that she is still not able to return to work following the upheaval that the accidental death of her ex-fiance, late Aussie actor Heath Ledger, left behind.

The two met while filming Brokeback Mountain together, and went on to have a daughter, Matilda, in 2005.

But in 2007, after three years, they split up.

When Ledger passed away on January 22 last year due to an accidental overdose of prescription drugs at his New York apartment, Williams was left shattered.

The Dark Night star’s death brought Williams into the media limelight, and with having to care for her daughter, she was left drained and not ready as yet to start work.

“I felt burnt out. I still feel that, but I’m coming back to my wits, little by little,” the Daily Star quoted her as telling the Telegraph.

“But ultimately I am not yet ready to work. I’ve actually really been enjoying not working. I guess everybody enjoys that,” she added. (ANI)

Williams won’t bring daughter up in LA to avoid media circus

London, Feb 23 (ANI): Actress Michelle Williams says that she will never bring her daughter Matilda up in Los Angeles because of the media attention surrounding her ex-fiance, late actor Heath Ledger.

Williams, who has shunned the spotlight by choosing to live in Brooklyn, New York, with her three-year-old daughter, said that she would never consider moving to Hollywood.

“I wouldn’t raise Matilda there. For all the obvious reasons – being the daughter of Heath,” the Daily Star quoted her as telling the Telegraph.

“Being an actor’s daughter. It’s a town that’s about one thing and I want her to have options,” she added.

Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs at his New York apartment on January 22 last year. (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda may get dad’s Oscar statuette

London, Feb 20 (ANI): Late Hollywood actor Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda will eventually get the Academy statuette, if his role in ‘Dark Knight’ manages to win the posthumous award.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to hand over the trophy Matilda if Heath wins.

The Academy will hold the statuette until Matilda’s 18th birthday, when she will be able to sign the contract required of all winners.

The document bars award recipients from reselling the statuette without first offering it back to the Academy for 1 dollar.

Matilda’s mother Michelle William will serve as the legal custodian of the Oscar for the next 15 years.

“It’s complicated, because there are two different questions that have to be answered. First, we have to decide who gets the job of accepting the award onstage on the night of the ceremony. And then there’s the question of the eventual disposition of the posthumous statuette, which may not stay with the person who accepts it,” the Daily Express quoted the Executive Director of the Academy, Bruce Davis, as saying.

“At that point, she may execute what we call an heir’s agreement and keep the statuette forever – or, if she chooses not to do that, it will return to us,” he added.

Meanwhile, Heath has been honoured with the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the Golden Globes and at the BAFTA awards. (ANI)

Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda may get dad’s Oscar statuette

London, Feb 20 (ANI): Late Hollywood actor Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda will eventually get the Academy statuette, if his role in ‘Dark Knight’ manages to win the posthumous award.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to hand over the trophy Matilda if Heath wins.

The Academy will hold the statuette until Matilda’s 18th birthday, when she will be able to sign the contract required of all winners.

The document bars award recipients from reselling the statuette without first offering it back to the Academy for 1 dollar.

Matilda’s mother Michelle William will serve as the legal custodian of the Oscar for the next 15 years.

“It’s complicated, because there are two different questions that have to be answered. First, we have to decide who gets the job of accepting the award onstage on the night of the ceremony. And then there’s the question of the eventual disposition of the posthumous statuette, which may not stay with the person who accepts it,” the Daily Express quoted the Executive Director of the Academy, Bruce Davis, as saying.

“At that point, she may execute what we call an heir’s agreement and keep the statuette forever – or, if she chooses not to do that, it will return to us,” he added.

Meanwhile, Heath has been honoured with the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the Golden Globes and at the BAFTA awards. (ANI)