London, Nov.21 (ANI): Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone's wife has confirmed that she will be divorcing her husband after 24 years of marriage. Slavica Ecclestone, 50, moved out of their home in Chelsea, West London, three weeks ago, while Ecclestone attended the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Divorce lawyers said that their settlement could break all records as the former model and mother of the motor racing chief's two daughters sought her share of the family billions.

Much of the family wealth is believed to be held by Slavica Ecclestone in a trust that also owns just under 10 per cent of Formula One.

This has prompted speculation that Bernie Ecclestone, 78, who has run the sport since the early 1980s and has managed repeatedly to sell off parts of his stake without ceding operational control, could find himself fighting his wife for his share of his own money.

Friends of Mrs. Ecclestone said she believed that her husband would be keen to avoid a legal battle in which his affairs would be pored over in open court.

Mrs. Ecclestone is known to have had trouble with her husband's workaholic lifestyle. She had wanted him to ease off in recent years, particularly after his triple heart bypass nine years ago. (ANI)

London, November 21 (ANI): Madonna and Guy Ritchie's quickie divorce is to be announced today.

Neither the pop queen nor Ritchie will be present when the court will officially declare the end of their seven-year marriage.

The 'Material Girl' is currently in Philadelphia for her Sticky and Sweet world tour.

Guy, on the other hand, is shooting the film 'Sherlock Holmes' in Liverpool. The couple's eight-year-old son Rocco is also staying with him there at the moment.

Madonna and Guy have already struck a deal on property, money, and access to their kids.

"It dragged on much too long and that had nothing to do with me. But it was never ever about money," British tabloid The Sun quoted Guy as saying.

The couple's decree nisi is to be announced in Court 10 of the Principal Registry of the High Court's Family Division in High Holborn, central London.

Sources have say that the couple's son Rocco and three-year-old adopted son David Banda will split their time between America and Britain, while Madonna's daughter from an earlier relationship, Lourdes, with her full-time. (ANI)

London, November 21 (ANI): Neuroscientists in Arizona, U.S., say that it is because of constant tiny movements of the eyes that concentric circles in Isia Leviant's painting 'Enigma' appears to be flowing before onlookers.

Susana Martinez-Conde, who led the study at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, came to this conclusion after testing the effect of the involuntary jerks of the eyes, scientifically known as microsaccades.

Though the purpose of such jerks is not fully understood, the rate of such movements is known to vary naturally.

During the study, three subjects viewed Enigma, and cameras were simultaneously used to record their eye movements 500 times every second.

The participants had to press a button when the speed of the optical "trickle" of the illusion appeared to slow down or stop, and release it when the trickle seemed faster.

Accounting for the reaction time required to press the button, the researchers found that the illusion became more pronounced when microsaccades were happening at a faster rate.

The illusion vanished when the rate slowed to a stop, the team said.

Martinez-Conde says that her team's findings run counter to previous suggestions that eye movements were not responsible for the effect.

In a previous study, the participants were given contact lenses with tiny stalks attached that held a version of the illusion, ensuring, the team thought, that it was always stationary relative to the eye.

The volunteers still experienced the illusion, suggesting that the brain actually caused the phenomenon.

However, that study did not take into account the effect of microsaccades because the contact lenses do not keep pace with the eye during such rapid, jerky movements.

"We can now rule out the idea that the illusion originates solely in the brain," New Scientist magazine quoted Martinez-Conde as saying.

She further said that the research might help understand other similar illusions, such as Bridget Riley's Fall, or the Ouchi illusion.

"It would be unexpected if Enigma is the only illusion affected by eye movements," she said.

The researcher, however, admitted that her team was still unclear as to what brain processes link the eye movements and the perception of an illusion, something for which they were planning to conduct new experiments.

The study has been published in the journal PNAS. (ANI)

London, Nov 21 (ANI): Michael Jackson has converted to Islam - and has changed his name to Mikaeel, according to reports.

According to the Sun, the 50-year-old singer wore traditional Islamic dress as he pledged his allegiance to the Koran at a friend's home in Los Angeles.

Mikaeel is the name of one of Allah's angels.

Jackson, who was raised a Jehovah's Witness, reportedly decided to convert after discussing religion with a music producer and songwriter on his new album - both of whom were converts to Islam, says reports.

"They began talking to him about their beliefs, and how they thought they had become better people after they converted. Michael soon began warming to the idea," a source said.

"An Imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief. Jacko rejected an alternative name, Mustafa - meaning "the chosen one," the source added.

Brit singer Yousef Islam, 60 - who was called Cat Stevens until he famously converted - turned up to help Jacko celebrate.

Meanwhile, Jackson is due to give evidence in court next week after being sued by Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, second son of the King of Bahrain.

Sheikh Abdulla, who is seeking 7 million dollars, claims he helped support the cash-strapped Jackson in the aftermath of his child molestation trial.

Abdulla claims Jackson promised to pay back the money, while Jackson says he thought it was a gift. Jackson is expected to give evidence to a London court via video link from LA. (ANI)