At a glance

Picasso sells for over 49 m
NEW YORK: Pablo Picasso8217;s Portrait of Dora Maar in a garden fetched over 49 million 8212; a record for any Picasso work 8212; here late Wednesday at a Sotheby8217;s auction. Sotheby8217;s had estimated the value of the 1938 portrait of Picasso8217;s mistress 8212; sold for 49,502,000 dollars 8212; at about 40 million.The canvas, as well as 46 other works of art auctioned, come from the collection of New York gallery owners Eleanore and Daniel Saidenberg.

Hume awarded Legion d8217;Honneur
PARIS: Nobel peace laureate John Hume, head of Northern Ireland8217;s main Roman Catholic party, was presented with the French Legion d8217;Honneur here on Wednesday. Hume, 62, who leads the Social Democratic and Labour Party SDLP, was presented with France8217;s top civilian honour in a ceremony at the foreign ministry.

Hume won the Nobel peace prize jointly with the leader of Northern Ireland8217;s Protestant Unionist party, David Trimble, in 1998 for their contribution to the signing of the April 1998peace agreement for the province.

Jackie Chan admits to fling
HONG KONG:
Hollywood action star Jackie Chan has admitted having an affair with a former Miss Asia, Elaine Wu, who is now eight months pregnant. But he refused to confirm whether he was the father of Wu8217;s child, only saying he would take responsibility if the baby turned out to be his.

8220;I8217;m not a saint. I8217;ve done something wrong. I8217;ve done something that many men in this world have done wrong, too,8221; Chan told reporters.