A 1954 masterpiece from Pablo Picasso broke auction records in Australia when it sold for $6. 9 million. "Sylvette 1954" was auctioned off at Deutscher-Menzies Galleries in Kensington on Wednesday. Gallery art head Tim Abdullah had predicted the painting would fetch between $5 and $ 7 million.

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons is embroiled in a public divorce, complete with his estranged wife, Dawn, requested the court to open the sealed divorce filing. Dawn Gibbons has accused the governor of carrying an affair with another woman often seen with Jim Gibbon. The governor denied the accusation and maintained the unnamed woman is just his friend.

Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier continues to be hot copy. After his diplomatic faux pas in Afghanistan and questions over his former girlfriend's links with biker gang members, there is now a question over his excessive airfare. According to the Toronto Star, Bernier charged to federal funds $22,573 to cover his airfare to Laos, where he attended a two-day conference in November. The trip included a stopover in Paris. Bernier's travel details were in the Foreign Affair Department's website.

A famous author offered her $1. 25 million mansion in Ocala, Florida as top prize for a pet essay writing contest. The generous donor is Clementina Marie Giovannetti, who has several bestsellers including "Clementina's Love Story: Diary of a Healer", "Caesar: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told By A Dog," "Oh Fair Maiden" and "The Best-Selling Guide To Dream Interpretation. "

survey by Abbey banking revealed that 70 percent of most British parents believe that choosing the right name for their children could influence their future success or failure. The survey showed that 32 percent or a eight million parents think that the right name can give a child confidence, while a further two million think it will help their children's career prospects.