Actress Helen Flanagan (formerly of Coronation Street, where she played Rosie Webster) is the top-placed Briton on FHM’s Sexiest 100 Women list, thanks to reader votes. Mila Kunis topped the poll, voted via fhm.com, followed by Rihanna. Flanagan found herself in third place in the list of international celebrities.
   Rounding off the top ten—and showing how FHM’s largely British reader base often voted in their own—were Michelle Keegan, Kelly Brook, Kaley Cuoco, Pixie Lott, Kate Upton, Cheryl Cole and Georgia Salpa. Tulisa Contostavlos just missed out on a top-10 placing, in 11th.
   Our colleagues at ITN caught up with her in a very low-cut black gown at the party announcing the list, but presumably the volume prevented Flanagan from hearing the first questions posed to her.
   Once tuned in to the interviewer, the 22-year-old Mancunian actress got through her questions more quickly.
   Flanagan says that she has an obsession with Angelina Jolie and also regards eighth-placed Kate Upton as being sexy.
   She also notes that she is ‘socially shy’ and would prefer a gentleman with manners to a ‘bad boy’.
   Flanagan leapt from 47th place in last year’s poll.
   The full list can be found at www.fhm.com/girls/100-sexiest-women.
   Our second video features Emily Atack, Keeley Hazell, Jorgie Porter and Laura Whitmore.

Click here if you want to read the short version: a Q&A summary of what happened.

Those of you using Chrome, and I understand some of you using Firefox, were unable to access this website because of Google misidentifying it as distributing malware.
   As those who know this publication realize, Lucire would never do that and that readers should ignore such warnings.
   What I can tell you is that on Saturday morning, New Zealand time, we were hacked. Hackers put code in to our ad server and, curiously, the code has Google’s name all over it. I haven’t had confirmation of this, but it could be Google Adsense code. I’ve posted the code at this page and you can view it in a screen shot here. That code linked to another site that they hacked, which did distribute malware unknowingly.
   We found this, and deleted all the injected code as soon as possible—in our case, this took place within hours. We did this manually, literally going through every ad entry on our server. After a few more hours, our web experts had deleted every change the hackers made to our advertising server back-end, and locked it down. And, rightly, Google cleared our ad server of any problems.
   Strangely, however, Google refused to clear any site that used our ad server, even though none of them were distributing any malware, or linked to any site distributing malware. Google labelled all of them ‘attack sites’. This is, of course, highly damaging to our reputation. For days, Google continued to misidentify clean code linking to a clean ad server as malicious. The great irony is that a lot of this clean code links to Google’s own Doubleclick banners.
   It’s sad to say, but this is typical of our experience of Google. Once I helped a friend get his blog back but instead of the 48 hours Google promised, it took six months of a lot of arguing and the intervention of Blogger’s product manager. We’ve uncovered privacy blunders with its advertising network on behalf of netizens. If you were an Iphone user who opted out of Safari’s tracking, Google found a way around it, so we know it has some really strange ideas of what constitutes malware (if they engage in it, it’s OK). Their detection systems should be better, and people expect them to be excellent because it’s a multi-million-dollar firm. Unfortunately, this experience reminds us that they aren’t perfect, and somewhat hypocritical—and that honest folks can get hurt sometimes.
   We even went to Google Plus to tell readers, but we discovered today that that status vanished from people’s feeds and from our Google Plus page (though we can still see it). It appears that you aren’t allowed to criticize Google on Google Plus.
   I wouldn’t be publishing a statement about this if I didn’t have my facts straight. Today, out of frustration, I went to a forum dealing with badware, called Badware Busters. An expert in the area, Dr Anirban Banerjee, told me that Google can make these mistakes. Even though you have done everything and cleaned up your sites, Google can keep identifying a clean site as malicious. He suggests we remove all our ad server code from our websites for a few days, get the all-clear, and then put things back to normal. We followed that advice today, and I hope that the block will be lifted shortly. [PS.: After a manual review, StopBadware.org cleared Lucire after this post was originally published.]
   Or, as I said on my blog today: ‘there may be a drunk driver swerving left and right at the wheel of the Google truck, so it’s your job to make sure that you build a nice road in front for them, rather than insist that they clean up their act and stay on the road.’
   We apologize to readers for any inconvenience, especially if you were put off by the false warnings. Rest assured that apart from a brief moment on Saturday morning, this site is secure and your surfing would not have resulted in any harm to your computers. We surf it, too, and we see the same version of the site as you do, so we want things to work properly. We might not be as big as Google, but we do have good systems, and our readers’ best interests at heart.—Jack Yan, Publisher

You can follow a bit more about this saga as it unfolded on Jack Yan’s blog.

Notch has scored another high-profile cover girl with actress Priyanka Chopra. Chopra talks about why she hates singing live and her concern for her father’s health, and gives advice to her younger sister Parineeti Chopra. The magazine can be found via www.notchmag.com, or through its presences on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
   We’re absolutely loving One Luv’s latest jewellery collection, Through the Eyes of Yves Saint Laurent, comprising miniature glasses. They are a tribute to the late designer’s trade-mark eyewear, and actually open and close like real specs. The designs are available in 18 ct gold-plated, or can be had with rose gold, silver or black. They retail for A$70, come with a long belcher chain, and measure 45 by 40 mm when open. If you’re a discerning fashionista, or you know of one, then we think these are the cleverest jewellery item for discerning fashionistas that we’ve seen in ages. There’s more at www.oneluv.com.au.
   In travel news, the Cranleigh Boutique has launched a distinctive boutique house in Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District, with appointments and gadgets galore. The décor is not what most of our non-UK readers might associate with Britishness—it’s more over the top of what you’d typically find in our pages.
   However, the three-storey house, called the Hideout, impresses on the toys and amenities. It features a cocktail bar, a super-sized air spa bath for two with underwater lighting, a 65-inch hidden cinema screen, a three-dimensional smart TV with internet and Apple TV access, Sono’s music, and Netflix movies (with 150 DVDs). The first floor has a king-size four-poster bed and luxury bedding, while the third floor has an open-plan cinema lounge, fully equipped kitchen, a 55-inch Sony smart 3D TV with a Blu-Ray DVD player, Bose surround-sound system, mood lighting and balcony.
   Cranleigh Boutique owner Stephen Hargreaves’ aim was to create the best accommodation experience for two people in the UK. It retails at between £400 and £500 per night, with a two-night minimum stay. It can be booked by the night all year except for weekends. Additional services including continental breakfast and daily maid are available, as well as free use of luxury leisure facilities. More can be found at www.thecranleigh.com/property/111/the-hideout.aspx.
   Finally, in the main part of the site, we’ve gone Parisian: Lola Saab looks back at the prêt-à-porter collections for autumn–winter 2013–14, while Stanley Moss checks out two very different boutique hotels. Jack Yan writes about the BMW 3-series Touring launch between Auckland and Paihia, while Sopheak Seng checks out Wellington label Mondegreen’s latest collection. Elyse Glickman headed to the pre-Oscar suites, while Eva Mendes launched a collection for Vogue Eyewear in Los Angeles.

Babies ’R’ Us UK has announced a collaboration with Heidi Klum, which sees a range of baby products exclusive to the chain.
   The Truly Scrumptious by Heidi Klum range has arrived at stores as well as the Babiesrus.co.uk website.
   The range has already launched in the US and Canada, and has been well received there. It is particularly colourful and includes floral prints. Clothing items include bodysuits, two-piece sets, and accessories such as socks and hats. A stroller joins the range in May, retailing at under £130.
   In a release, Klum, who has four children. calls the project ‘one of the most exciting and fulfilling’ that she has worked on.
   Meanwhile, while publisher Jack Yan was covering ID Dunedin Fashion Week, US west coast editor Elyse Glickman was at Vogue Eyewear’s launch, at which Eva Mendes was guest of honour, promoting the latest line with her as spokesmodel. You can read that story here, and Elyse’s pre-Oscar suites’ write-up here (with her earlier Grammy one here).
   In London, Elina Lukas has checked out Anna Popovich’s spring 2013 collection and notes some additional shows at London Fashion Week; we return to Sundance after nine years, thanks to Lola Saab; and Stanley Moss is in Vicenza, in the Veneto, in our latest travel special.

With our server shift (great service from Xplosiv.ly) and all the fashion weeks happening through February, a few news items on our radar have been delayed—but we believe they are of interest to our readers, regardless.
   The first is Jameson Irish Whiskey’s new limited-edition bottle for St Patrick’s Day 2013 (right). Jameson had already sponsored the Film Independent Spirit Awards which Lucire reported on last week—it seems fitting that this proudly Irish brand celebrates a quintessentially Irish day with a bottle designed by glass artist David Smith.
   The bottle design was inspired by the glass etching and gilding that one might find in the great Dublin pubs.
   In a release, Smith said, ‘Being both a whiskey drinker, and a Jameson fan, it was an immense opportunity which I couldn’t refuse. It was a natural fit as we both preserve craft and tradition in a contemporary way. Having the opportunity to design an iconic bottle which has hardly changed in two hundred years was one that I’m not presented with often, so I am extremely proud to have stamped my signature style onto the bottle.’
   The limited-edition bottle is available in New Zealand from March 1 with a retail price of NZ$63·99.


   Boegli, meanwhile, has created a new Grand Opera watch, which is the first model with a round dial from the Swiss company. It is limited to 99 pieces, and features a musical mechanism that plays 17 notes from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, K. 620 (The Magic Flute). The watch has an alligator leather strap with a butterfly buckle.
   Nespresso has introduced a stainless steel-panelled version of its Pixie machine (bottom), meaning that the machine suits even more décors. In terms of engineering, the latest model is identical to the previous one: it still makes a cup of Nespresso coffee in 25 to 30 seconds, has an alert for low water levels, and consumes 40 per cent less power than the best-in-class energy category of A-class machines.
   It comes bundled with an Aeroccino, and is released in April at the Nespresso Boutique in Newmarket, Auckland, selected retailers, through www.nespresso.com or the Nespresso Club in New Zealand on 0800 234-579. Nespresso also offers a cash-back reward for New Zealand customers of NZ$50 on the Pixie range from March 25 to May 19; retail price for the Pixie is NZ$499.
   Our friends at Chanel inform us that there will be an exhibition in Milano dedicated to Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld’s new book, The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited.
   The exhibition, held at the Rotonda di via Besana (at the via Enrico Besana, 12), opens April 4, with entry free to the public from April 6 to 20. Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.
   While the exhibition has been shown at other cities, the latest has new works featuring Keira Knightley, Diane Kruger, Carla Bruni and Carole Bouquet. At the same time, displays at Chanel’s via Sant’Andrea boutique will show jackets from the spring–summer 2013 ready-to-wear collection.
   In the main part of the website, Elyse Glickman checks out the pre-Grammy suites for this year, while Lola Saab reports from the Sundance Film Festival, our first report from there since 2004.

Kate Upton returns to the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, unveiled Monday evening.
   Upton, who made her first appearance in 2011, and took the cover in 2012, has become one of the most recognized faces in modelling since her cover. Most recently, she appeared in a Superbowl TV commercial for the Mercedes-Benz CLA in the US. She has also appeared in advertising for Skullcandy and Abbot & Main in the last 12 months.
   Upton, 20, follows in the footsteps of SI models, including Kathy Ireland, Elle Macpherson, and Christie Brinkley.
   The Swimsuit Issue’s shoots took place on all seven continents, with Upton’s cover photo taken in the Antarctic summer.
   Upton only learned of the editors’ choice for the cover on Friday.
   Inside, however, it may be former Miss Alabama Katherine Webb who will take much of the limelight. The girlfriend of Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback A. J. McCarron, Webb is known to many American football fans.
   Webb was relatively unknown till one month ago, until she merited a mention by an ESPN sportscaster during the BCS Championship game. Recent reports indicate Webb is moving to New York to pursue a modelling career, propelled by her sudden fame.
   She joined Upton in unveiling the cover during CBS’s The Late Show with David Letterman.

Actress Sonam Kapoor is the cover girl for the fifth issue of Notch, a free lifestyle and entertainment magazine that can be downloaded via Kindle, Ipad, Android and its own website at www.notchmag.com.
   Kapoor was reportedly happy to be a cover girl for a digital publication: ‘The world has shrunk because of the internet and social media. Everything goes viral these days,’ she said in a release from Notch.
   On her industry: ‘I think the boundaries of international or national cinema doesn’t exist anymore. Everybody is working everywhere—technicians come from abroad, technicians go overseas from India. It is the age of world cinema now and if there’s an opportunity with a good script and good role, I don’t mind doing any role in any language.’
   She is right about those boundaries disappearing: Kapoor was in New Zealand for the Abbas–Mustan brothers’ Players, which we reported on during its first day of filming, and at Cannes for the Film Festival in 2011.
   Joining her in the fifth issue are Sridevi, Amitabh Bachchan on working in The Great Gatsby remake, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta on making Midnight’s Children, Sabyasachi on his collaboration with L Capital, two-time Academy Award winner A. R. Rahman, and Olympian Milkha Singh.

Citroën/Getty Images

The Citroën DS3’s not exactly new any more, and, like cars that have been around for a while, a few limited editions might help to get some showroom interest.
   And since Citroën has always regarded its DS3 as a fashion item, with the media comparing it to the Mini and the Fiat 500 (we’re not exactly sure why—the regular C3 is far more Citroënesque and cute to us), why not subject it to the fashion magazine treatment?
   A few years back, we covered the Citroën DS3 by Orla Kiely, and this time, it’s our colleagues at L’Uomo Vogue who have had a chance to tinker with the model.
   Not just any DS3, but a new cabriolet, which made its début in Milano earlier today, as part of the menswear fashion week.
   The prototype shown here will be sold at auction to benefit Women Create Life, a project developed under the World Health Organization.
   It will also be seen at the Studio Visconti, via Mozart 14, Milano, along with a photo exhibition featuring 100 photographs on fashion, lifestyle and celebrity, including images of Michael Jackson by Bruce Weber, Cindy Sherman by Mark Seliger, Elton John and David Furnish by Steven Klein, Oliver Stone by Francis Carrozzini, Maurizio Cattelan by Greg Kadel, Penelope Cruz and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs by Peter Lindbergh, and Dustin Hoffman by Tom Munro.
   Thierry Metroz, Style Director of the Citroën’s DS Line in Paris, describes the project’s concept in a release: ‘This one-of-a-kind piece was created through the collaboration between L’Uomo Vogue magazine and the Citroën Style team. It’s a unique version using specific colours and materials both internally and externally, which incorporates the DS line and L’Uomo Vogue’s distinctive elements, inspired by their respective worlds and the latest trends in men’s fashion. The well crafted interior is reminiscent of sports cars from the past, painstakingly made by the Atelier Vanhulle, master craftsmen. Our technicians, specialized in concept cars, lent their experience and time for each component in the interior.’