BERLIN: Volkswagen AG's Audi is poised to purchase Italian motorcycle maker Ducati Motor Holding from owner Investindustrial for about 860 million ($1.1 billion) including debt, a person familiar with the matter said.

Audi has reached an agreement with Investindustrial to buy the Bologna, Italy-based maker of luxury motorbikes, with VW's supervisory board set to approve the deal on Wednesday, said the person, who declined to be identified. Audi and Investindustrial declined to comment.

The deal, minus debt, would value Ducati at about seven times last year's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation. Ducati's total liabilities are less than 200 million, buyout firm Investindustrial said last month.

Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who turned 75 today, has long coveted the brand, publicly expressing interest in buying Ducati in April 2008 before eventually losing out to Investindustrial. The purchase will make Ducati the 11th brand in VW's portfolio, alongside super-car marques Lamborghini and Bugatti and heavy-duty truck manufacturers Scania AB and MAN SE.

"Ducati is one of the finest machines you can buy but strategically it's insignificant for Volkswagen," said Christoph Stuermer, a Frankfurt-based analyst with IHS Automotive. "Its revenue is more than Lamborghini's and Bugatti's combined, but to the automotive operations, it's a mere accessory."

BMW Competition

Ducati would complement Audi's luxury-car lineup with products such as the $28,000 Superbike 1199 Panigale S Tricolore and expand the brand's competition with Bayerische Motoren Werke, which makes BMW and Husqvarna motorcycles. Ducati, which last year sold about 42,000 motor bikes, had revenue for 2011 of 480 million.

For Volkswagen, the deal would mean an entry into the motorcycle business and gaining another asset in Italy after buying Lamborghini and Italdesign Giugiaro SpA. Piech has also expressed interest in the past in Fiat's Alfa Romeo brand.

Hero MotoCorp had also expressed interest in Ducati after Investindustrial made it known in February that it planned to sell the company.

Grozny - Geologists in Russia's volatile Chechnya region have discovered what they believe to be fossilised dinosaur eggs laid by one of the huge extinct reptiles that roamed the Earth more than 60 million years ago. 

"We've found about 40 eggs so far, the exact number has not been established," said Said-Emin D zhabrailov, a geologist at the Chechen State University. 

"There could be many more laying under the ground." 

The find was uncovered when a construction crew was blasting through a hillside to build a road near the region's border with former Soviet Georgia in the Caucasus Mountains. 

A team of geologists stumbled across the smooth, oval rock-like forms, which range from 25cm to 1m coincidentally on a recent trip to the area, said Dz habrailov. 

He said palaeontologists were needed to determine which species of dinosaur had laid them. 

Dzhabrailov said that the regional Chechen government, which is eager to shed the region's reputation for violence, is considering turning the area into a nature preserve and seeking to attract tourists. 

Federal forces fought two separatists wars between 1994-2001 in Chechnya, and an Islamist insurgency persists in the mostly Muslim region an d surrounding provinces of Russia's North Caucasus. 

However, violence has declined under the strong-arm rule of Ramzan Kadyrov, whose multi-million dollar construction projects are aimed at raising the region's profile and boosting the tourism potential of the troubled area.

1. Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent macular degeneration due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.

2. In another study, researchers found that people who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.

3. One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.

4. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.

5. They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

6. They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.

7. New research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person's lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it. Research suggests that it is saturated fat that raises cholesterol rather than dietary cholesterol.

8. Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.

9. Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.

10.Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.

As with any season, summer can present particular challenges to maintaining your appearance. Here are a few tips to help keep you looking your best.

The high humidity of summer can really affect a hair style, but instead of fighting it, try embracing it. Wavy or curly styles are a great fit for the summer season. You can also keep frizz down with a variety of products.

Saltwater can actually serve as a great styling tool because of its ability to give fine or thin hair more volume. Salt sticks to hair and gives it more texture. Just don’t overexpose it, as salt can eventually dry hair out.

Colored hair, even if it’s just highlights, can change in the bright sun. Make sure to find a product that protects it. If you study to become a cosmetologist you can find out what kind of products work best.

To keep your neck cool, tie you hair back with headbands, ponytails, or in a loose bun. All these styles look great for the summer.

During the summer, foundation can feel cakey and seem like it's melting off your face in the heat. Instead, try a tinted moisturizer, which is lighter while still covering flaws.

For those that still want to use foundation, go for a shade darker than what you would normally wear in the winter. You can also find foundations with SPF as well.

Warm weather can also be the cause of eyeshadow melting into the eyelid crease. Use a primer or an eyeshadow base which keeps your eye makeup from smudging.

Bad self tanners are notorious for giving awful, streaky orange looks to skin. Thankfully there are a lot of great tanners to choose from these days. If you’re not sure about the tanner you have, test it out on a small area inside your elbow or the top of your foot. If it leaves an orangey color or causes you to break out, move on to another product.

Most women are diligent when it comes to applying sunscreen to their face, but neglect the rest of their body. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen liberally to your neck, shoulders, chest, and hands. Also be sure to apply more than once a day; most sunscreens only last a few hours.

A bright, summery matching color for your nails is a great touch. Bright oranges and pinks are popular for this year. Also, take into account the color of your sandals when choosing a color.

For those that are interested in learning something new over the summer check out these online bachelor degrees.

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