President Barack Obama’s plan to train and arm the moderate Syrian opposition fighting on Islamic State (ISIS) has been approved by the US House of Representatives.
The vote passed by a large majority in the Republican-controlled House and is expected to be adopted in the Senate.
The endorsement came after President Barack Obama repeated that he would not be committing American combat troops to ground operations in Iraq.
The US has undertaken 174 air strikes against ISIS in Iraq since mid-August.
The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq.
In the most recent air strikes on September 16 and 17, US forces destroyed two ISIS armed vehicles north-west of Irbil and several units south-west of Baghdad, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
Barack Obama’s new strategy plans similar attacks in Syria and calls on a coalition of 40 countries to confront the militant group.
President Barack Obama repeated that he would not be committing American combat troops to ground operations in Iraq
This vote was expected to pass easily. Republicans, who control the House, generally support Barack Obama’s strategy to defeat and degrade Islamic State.
But the more hawkish among them feel the plan falls short. They argue that the president should consider sending US combat troops to Syria and Iraq – something he has said he is not prepared to do.
Some lawmakers from both parties feel skeptical that the Syrian rebels are up to the job.
At a Senate committee hearing, they pressed Secretary of State John Kerry for assurances that the Syrian fighters would be properly vetted so that, in future, American weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands.
On September 17, the House of Representatives approved his $500 million request by 273 votes to 156 to help arm and train moderate rebels in Syria.
The provision has been added to spending legislation aimed at extending federal government operations beyond the end of September.
Earlier, Barack Obama said he would not commit “to fighting another ground war in Iraq”, while visiting a military base in Florida.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s highly-anticipated wedding in Venice, Italy, will be paid by Amal’s family, Us Weekly reported.
Amal Alamuddin’s parents also had a say in when the wedding would take place. Like George Clooney, Ramzi and Baria Alamuddin were anxious to have the nuptials this fall. An insider told Us Weekly shortly after the couple’s engagement that the Lebanon-born beauty’s mom and dad were “old-fashioned when it comes to these things”.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s highly-anticipated wedding will take place in Venice
Amal Alamuddin’s mother, Baria, is an editor at Lebanese newspaper Al Hayat. She’s previously interviewed foreign leaders on TV, including Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. Amal Alamuddin’s father, Ramzi, is a retired business professor who taught at the Beirut branch campus of American University.
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin are currently putting the final touches on their upcoming September 27 wedding in Venice.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has been involved in a car crash on September 17, but is not hurt, the royal palace says.
The king was being driven to an airport in Stockholm when the collision took place, palace spokeswoman Annika Sonnerberg said.
The car was badly damaged but King Carl Gustaf was uninjured and continued his journey in another car, local media said. There have been no reports of other injuries.
The role of king in Sweden is purely ceremonial.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has been involved in a car crash in Stockholm, but is not hurt
Margaretha Thorgren, a press officer at the royal palace, told local media that King Carl Gustaf was “doing well” under the circumstances.
Photos published in local media showed damage to the front of the car, a dark blue Mercedes, with one air bag deployed.
King Carl Gustaf, 68, has now continued his journey to northern Sweden, where he is on a planned visit, palace officials say.
The king ascended the throne in 1973. He is best known abroad for presenting the annual Nobel Prizes.
Constitutional changes in 1974 deprived the king of all but ceremonial duties, such as opening parliament and representing Sweden at the diplomatic level.
The US troops their fighting Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Iraq will not have a combat mission, President Barack Obama has told an audience on September 17.
Barack Obama said he would not commit “to fighting another ground war in Iraq”.
The president said the US had the “unique abilities” to respond to ISIS, including air support for Iraqi and Kurdish fighters on the ground.
The US has already undertaken 162 air strikes against IS in Iraq since mid-August.
Barack Obama’s new strategy allows similar attacks in Syria, and calls on a coalition of 40 countries to confront the militant group.
The president’s reassurance to soldiers at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, came a day after a top US general suggested he would recommend US ground troops in the fight against ISIS if the international campaign of air strikes failed.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey confirmed that under the current plan, US military advisers would help the Iraqi army to plan attacks against ISIS, also known as ISIL.
President Barack Obama has told an audience of US troops their comrades fighting ISIS militants in Iraq will not have a combat mission
The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq. It has between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, according to CIA estimates.
Barack Obama arrived overnight in Tampa, Florida, where Central Command (CENTCOM) – responsible for the Middle East and Central Asia – is based.
After briefings with top military officials, Barack Obama told an assembly of troops that “the American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission”.
The US would see that the group was eventually defeated, Barack Obama said: “If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”
“We cannot do for the Iraqis what they must do for themselves,” he said, adding other countries would help with both air support and training.
“After a decade of massive ground deployments it is more effective to use our unique capabilities in support of our partners on the ground so they can secure their own countries’ futures,” Barack Obama said.
Barack Obama highlighted partner countries like France and the UK, which were already flying reconnaissance flights in Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, which has agreed to host a US-led training program for Syrian rebel groups fighting ISIS.
“Our armed forces are unparalleled and unique,” Barack Obama said.
“So when we’ve got a big problem somewhere around the world, it falls on our shoulders.”
Meanwhile, Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi rejected as “out of the question” the possibility that foreign ground troops would be allowed to fight in his country.
In an interview with Good Day NY, Jenny McCarthy explained why she really left ABC’s The View.
Jenny McCarthy, 41, said she is no longer on it: “Because they wanted to make sure the table was diverse. So they consider when Rosie was coming back it was too liberal and they wanted a conservative and they wanted a Latina, so they got Rosie Perez and their Elisabeth if you will, so that way it was a balanced table with more diversity.”
In an interview with Good Day NY, Jenny McCarthy explained why she really left ABC’s The View
She said that she has no hard feelings though and has a new gig lined up as she will be hosting her own radio show for SiriusXM Radio starting in October.
Jenny McCarthy teased that the show will have no limits by saying: “The freedom to say what you want is wonderful.”
At least 13 people have been killed after gunmen have attacked a teacher training college in the Nigerian city of Kano, officials said.
Students were seen fleeing from the city’s Federal College of Education and at least one explosion was heard.
Another 34 people were injured.
It is not clear who was responsible, although suspicion will fall on militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which has been waging an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009.
In July 2014, Kano suffered a spate of five attacks in four days, one of which also targeted a college and killed six people.
In July 2014, Kano suffered a spate of five attacks in four days, one of which also targeted a college and killed six people (photo Reuters)
In May 2013, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency in the northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, vowing to crush the insurgency.
However, the militants have stepped up attacks, killing more than 2,000 civilians this year, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Boko Haram’s name translates as “Western education is forbidden”, and it has carried out several attacks on schools and colleges, seeing them as a symbol of Western culture.
In April, Boko Haram raided a boarding school in Chibok town in the northern state of Borno, and is holding more than 200 girls that its gunmen abducted during that attack.
An angry mob in Ukraine threw politician Vitaly Zhuravsky into a rubbish bin.
Vitaly Zhuravsky can been seen being jostled by the group in Kiev before being picked up and dropped in the metal container.
The mob is then seen throwing a tire and some liquid on top of him, pushing him back down roughly when he tries to get up.
Vitaly Zhuravsky is a former member of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions
“Boys, let me kick him at least once,” a woman at the scene can be heard saying.
Vitaly Zhuravsky is a former member of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions and was criticized in January for writing a bill aimed at suppressing anti-government protesters.
It is believed the mob was angered when Vitaly Zhuravsky and other politicians granted an amnesty to pro-Russia rebels.
About one million civil servants will be screened in Ukraine to root out corrupt practices from the past, PM Arseniy Yatseniuk has announced.
Ukraine’s parliament passed the lustration law on September 16, allowing the removal of government officials from their posts.
All those who worked under ousted President Viktor Yanukovych and also former senior Communist and KGB members will be affected.
Ukraine has had months of unrest since Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in February 2014.
Government troops had been fighting pro-Russia separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions for months, until a truce was signed on September 5.
Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of sending its troops and heavy weaponry to help the rebels – a claim denied by the Kremlin.
“About one million civil servants of different kinds will come under this law, including the whole cabinet of ministers, the interior ministry, the intelligence services, the prosecutor’s office,” Arseniy Yatseniuk said in a televised cabinet meeting.
Ukraine’s parliament passed the lustration law on September 16, allowing the removal of government officials from their posts (photo Reuters)
Correspondents say the issues of vetting and corruption are emotional subjects for many in Ukraine, who want to cleanse the government of Viktor Yanukovych’s influence.
The law on “lustration” – the cleansing of the ranks of power – was approved under huge pressure from activists, who took part in mass protests against Viktor Yanukovych.
The bill was finally passed after several failed attempts when speaker Okexandr Turchynov warned lawmakers he would not allow them to leave parliament without a successful result.
Outside the building, Vitaly Zhuravsky, who belongs to a party described as pro-Russian, was thrown by angry crowds into a rubbish bin.
The bill was approved on the same day as a new law granting self-rule to parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
It was part of the truce agreed between separatists and the Ukrainian government, although rebel leaders say they will continue to demand independence, and some Ukrainian lawmakers have described the move as “capitulation”.
At least 3,000 people have been killed in the conflict and more than 310,000 internally displaced in Ukraine, the UN says.
Also on September 16, the Ukrainian and European parliaments voted to ratify a major EU-Ukraine association agreement that aims to bring the ex-Soviet republic closer to the EU.
Sistema shares plunged at the Moscow Exchange after Russian billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov has been placed under house arrest on suspicion of money-laundering.
The Moscow Exchange temporarily restricted trading in Vladimir Yevtushenkov’s Sistema group as shares in the oil and telecom group fell 37%.
The head of a top business group has questioned the reason behind the arrest of Vladimir Yevtushenkov, 65.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman denied any political motive.
Vladimir Yevtushenkov has an estimated fortune of $4.4 billion (3.4 billion euros), according to Forbes magazine.
His AFK Sistema group owns Russia’s biggest mobile operator MTS as well as oil company Bashneft.
Russian billionaire Vladimir Yevtushenkov has been placed under house arrest on suspicion of money-laundering (photo Forbes)
Bashneft shares also fell by more than 20% on September and trading was temporarily restricted.
Russia’s Federal Investigative Committee said he had been accused of money laundering that involved the illegal acquisition of oil assets in the BashTek group in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan. In 2009, Sistema bought six BashTek companies, which were then taken over by Bashneft.
If found guilty Vladimir Yevtushenkov could face up to 10 years in jail, reports say. Sistema said in a statement that the acquisition of BashTek was “legal and transparent”.
The arrest was immediately compared by Alexander Shokhin, head of Russia’s Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, with the detention of another billionaire, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in 2003.
The former owner of oil giant Yukos spent 10 years in jail before being pardoned and leaving Russia last December.
“Without doubt this looks very like Yukos 2.0, because the charges apply to the head of a company that paid $2.5 billion for assets and is now accused of stealing shares and money-laundering,” Alexander Shokhin told Ria Novosti.
Yukos was at one point Russia’s biggest oil company but its assets were eventually broken up, many of them bought by Rosneft, now the world’s largest oil producer.
Rosneft was earlier this year reported to be keen to buy Bashneft.
The state-run oil and gas company is controlled by Igor Sechin, who for years has been a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.
Igor Sechin has been targeted by US sanctions in response to the crisis in Ukraine.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in an interview with Russian business daily Vedomosti, said the Sistema chairman’s arrest involved “purely commercial interests” rather than political motives. It also showed that President Vladimir Putin had lost control and was not aware of what was happening, he said.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said it was “absolutely untrue and absurd to try to paint this story with any political colors”, RIA Novosti reported.
According to new scientific research, Richard III was most likely to have been killed by two blows to the head and one to his pelvis.
The English king was killed at the Battle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485.
Forensic teams at the University of Leicester have now revealed Richard III suffered 11 injuries before his death, three of which may have been fatal.
Modern techniques were used on his 500-year-old skeleton to determine his injuries and the medieval weapons used.
His remains were found under a car park in Leicester in 2012.
The results of forensic analysis, published in The Lancet, have now shown he sustained nine wounds to the skull and two to the postcranial skeleton.
Researchers said three of these “had the potential to cause death quickly”.
Forensic teams at the University of Leicester have now revealed Richard III suffered 11 injuries before his death, three of which may have been fatal
Sarah Hainsworth, study author and professor of materials engineering, said: “Richard’s injuries represent a sustained attack or an attack by several assailants with weapons from the later medieval period.
“Wounds to the skull suggest he was not wearing a helmet, and the absence of defensive wounds on his arms and hands indicate he was still armored at the time of his death.”
Investigators said they believed the postcranial injuries, including one to the pelvis, might have been inflicted after Richard’s death, as his armor would have protected him had he been alive.
Guy Rutty, from the East Midlands pathology unit, said the two fatal injuries to the skull were likely to have been caused by a sword, a staff weapon such as halberd or bill, or the tip of an edged weapon.
He said: “Richard’s head injuries are consistent with some near-contemporary accounts of the battle, which suggest Richard abandoned his horse after it became stuck in a mire and was killed while fighting his enemies.”
King Richard’s skeleton is due to be reinterred at Leicester Cathedral in March.
Richard III was born in 1452 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. His coronation took place in Westminster Abbey in 1483.
He had one of the shortest reigns in British history – 26 months.
Richard III was the last English king to die in battle, killed at Bosworth in 1485.
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling welcomed a baby girl on September 12, Us Weekly reported.
Eva Mendes, 40, and Ryan Gosling, 33, confirmed they were expecting a baby together when actress was already seven months pregnant.
Earlier this year, Eva Mendes laughed off pregnancy rumors during an appearance on The Ellen Show.
“It’s so ridiculous,” she said back in February 2014.
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling welcomed a baby girl on September 12
“It all started because I didn’t want to go through the scanners at the airport. You know those X-ray scanners, which are really creepy? … And not only that, but there’s a radiation aspect to it, so I always opt out.”
Eva Mendes kept a low profile during her pregnancy, making her last red carpet appearance at a Violet Grey dinner honoring the late Elizabeth Taylor in L.A. on February 26. After news broke, she went to considerable lengths to cover up her baby bump with several pieces of clothing and a large bag while leaving a parking structure in L.A. on June 10.
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling first began dating in 2011 after costarring in The Place Beyond the Pines.
The Minnesota Vikings’ owners announced in a statement to the media that they are following the recommendation of the NFL and placing Adrian Peterson on the exempt / commissioner’s permission list, which bars him from all team activities.
The statement said:
This has been an ongoing and deliberate process since last Friday’s news. In conversations with the NFL over the last two days, the Vikings advised the League of the team’s decision to revisit the situation regarding Adrian Peterson. In response, the League informed the team of the option to place Adrian on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission list, which will require that Adrian remain away from all team activities while allowing him to take care of his personal situation until the legal proceedings are resolved. After giving the situation additional thought, we have decided this is the appropriate course of action for the organization and for Adrian.
We are always focused on trying to make the right decision as an organization. We embrace our role – and the responsibilities that go with it — as a leader in the community, as a business partner and as an organization that can build bridges with our fans and positively impact this great region. We appreciate and value the input we have received from our fans, our partners and the community.
The Minnesota Vikings’ owners placed Adrian Peterson on the exempt list, which bars him from all team activities (photo Wikipedia)
While we were trying to make a balanced decision yesterday, after further reflection we have concluded that this resolution is best for the Vikings and for Adrian. We want to be clear: we have a strong stance regarding the protection and welfare of children, and we want to be sure we get this right. At the same time we want to express our support for Adrian and acknowledge his seven-plus years of outstanding commitment to this organization and this community. Adrian emphasized his desire to avoid further distraction to his teammates and coaches while focusing on his current situation; this resolution accomplishes these objectives as well.
We will support Adrian during this legal and personal process, but we firmly believe and realize this is the right decision. We hope that all of our fans can respect the process that we have gone through to reach this final decision.
“This is the best possible outcome given the circumstances,” Adrian Peterson’s agent, Ben Dogra, told The Associated Press.
“Adrian understands the gravity of the situation and this enables him to take care of his personal situation. We fully support Adrian and he looks forward to watching his teammates and coaches being successful during his absence.”
Shortly after the announcement, Adrian Peterson for the second time in a week responded by tweeting a biblical verse.
Adrian Peterson was charged on September 12 with causing injury to a child age 14 or younger. He allegedly hit one of his sons with a wooden switch while disciplining the boy on or around May 18.
Khloe Kardashian took a selfie and admitted to recently gaining weight as she went to the gym.
The 30-year-old reality star wrote on Instagram on September 15: “Monday with @gunnarfitness!!! I am determined to get my pre-hamptons, pre- sympathy kourtney pregnancy weight off. Nothing good comes easy. Why do I blame Kourt though?!? Lol.”
Khloe isn’t the only Kardashian looking to lose weight.
Khloe Kardashian took a selfie and admitted to recently gaining weight as she went to the gym (photo Instagram)
Her little brother, Rob Kardashian, 27, addressed his now fuller figure in May, which shocked fans when he was photographed at the airport on the way to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding.
Rob Kardashian tweeted on May 20:“First, I don’t believe in rehab or therapy or anything of that sort and second I’m a grown man and will work on myself when I choose.
“I’m aware that I’m fat that def aint a surprise to me lol and my only therapy will be in the gym anyways had to say somethingggggggggg.”
The Scottish referendum debate enters the final day of campaigning with both sides making their final pitch to voters.
It comes as the latest polls suggested the result remained too close to call, with a slender lead for a “No” vote.
Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond has written to voters appealing to them to vote “Yes”, saying “let’s do this”.
Key figures from the pro-Union Better Together campaign were out meeting nightworkers into Wednesday, ahead of a Love Scotland, Vote No rally.
Three new polls, one by Opinium for the Daily Telegraph, another by ICM for the Scotsman and a third by Survation for the Daily Mail, were published on September 16.
With undecided voters excluded, they all suggested a lead for “No” of 52% to 48%.
Former US President Bill Clinton stepped into the debate urging Scots to vote No. He said: “Unity with maximum self-determination sends a powerful message to a world torn by identity conflicts that it is possible to respect our differences while living and working together.”
Last night, about 1,500 Yes supporters bearing Saltire flags, badges and blue campaign T-shirts gathered for a rally in Glasgow’s George Square.
On the final day of campaigning, in a letter to the people of Scotland, Alex Salmond told them they will hold power in their hands as they vote to determine their country’s future on September 18.
He asked voters to step back from the political arguments and statistics that have defined the two-year campaign and trust in themselves as they go into the polling booth.
Alex Salmond said: “The talking is nearly done. The campaigns will have had their say. What’s left is just us – the people who live and work here. The only people with a vote. The people who matter.
The Scottish referendum debate enters the final day of campaigning with both sides making their final pitch to voters
“The people who for a few precious hours during polling day hold sovereignty, power, authority in their hands. It’s the greatest most empowering moment any of us will ever have. Scotland’s future – our country in our hands.
“What to do? Only each of us knows that. For my part, I ask only this. Make this decision with a clear head and a clear conscience.”
Better Together leader Alistair Darling and former PM Gordon Brown will front a Love Scotland, Vote No rally in Glasgow later.
Ahead of that event, Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont and leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson have been out campaigning overnight.
Blair McDougall, campaign director of Better Together, said: “Unlike Alex Salmond who is on a helicopter victory tour, Better Together is campaigning through the night for a No vote.
“Better Together campaigners are working tirelessly to spread the message that there will be better, faster, safer change with a No vote for a stronger Scotland, while Alex Salmond’s political project for separation risks jobs, pensions and the NHS.”
Responding to the latest polls, Blair McDougall, from Better Together, added: “This vote will go right down to the wire. There is no room for a protest vote. If we vote to leave the UK there would be no going back, no matter what it costs us in terms of bigger cuts, higher prices and fewer jobs.
“The last week has exposed how much of a risk going it alone would be for Scotland. Jobs would move to England, funding for pensions would be cut and our NHS would be at risk.
“These are risks we just don’t need to take. We can have faster, better, stronger change for Scotland within the UK.”
Yes Scotland welcomed the latest poll findings describing them as “hugely encouraging”.
Chief executive Blair Jenkins said: “People know that a Yes vote is Scotland’s one opportunity to achieve job-creating powers, protect our NHS from the damaging impact of Westminster cuts and privatisation, and ensure that never again do we get Tory governments imposed on Scotland that we have roundly rejected.
“These polls – like all the recent polls – show that we are in touching distance of success on Thursday.
“The referendum is on a knife edge, and this will spur on everybody who wants and is working hard for a Yes to redouble their efforts.”
According to recent reports, Joan Rivers’ ENT doctor allegedly took a selfie with the comedienne while she was under general anesthesia for her throat procedure.
A Yorkville Endoscopy staff member told investigators the photo was taken while Joan Rivers was in the procedure room, CNN reported.
Joan Rivers, 81, was there to undergo a scheduled endoscopy by gastroenterologist and the Yorkville Endoscopy’s medical director Dr. Lawrence Cohen, according to reports.
After that procedure, Joan Rivers also underwent an unauthorized vocal cord biopsy performed by the personal physician, who hasn’t been identified, CNN reported.
Joan Rivers’ ENT doctor allegedly took a selfie with the comedienne while she was under general anesthesia for her throat procedure
On September 12, Yorkville Endoscopy announced Dr. Lawrence Cohen was no longer its medical director. Reports are conflicting as to whether Dr. Lawrence Cohen voluntarily stepped down or was fired.
“Dr. Cohen is not currently performing procedures at Yorkville Endoscopy, nor is he currently serving as medical director,” said a spokesperson from the clinic in a statement.
The autopsy of Joan Rivers’ body did not yield a firm cause or manner of death, and that further studies would be conducted to determine how she died. Reports were that she stopped breathing while undergoing the throat surgery on August 28.
Joan Rivers was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, but the comedienne did not recover. She was put in a medically-induced coma and on life support.
Rapper Tim Dog was dead when a warrant was issued for his arrest in 2013, according to a death certificate filed in Georgia.
The rapper – whose real name was Timothy Blair – was accused of swindling women out of thousands of dollars.
He was best known for the 1990s song F— Compton that criticized West Coast rappers.
Tim Dog was sentenced in August 2011 to serve 14 days in jail and five years on probation for swindling $32,000 from a woman who met him on an online dating site four years earlier. He was ordered to pay about $19,000 in restitution.
Numerous media organizations last year reported or referred to his death from diabetes complications, many citing the hip-hop magazine The Source. That story later disappeared from the magazine’s website.
Sparse obituary information, lack of a burial site and no known death certificate led to talk in hip-hop circles that the rapper had faked his death in February 2013.
Tim Dog was dead when a warrant was issued for his arrest in 2013
One swindling victim from Mississippi told prosecutors she stopped receiving restitution payments around the same time Timothy Blair was reported dead.
In May 2013, DeSoto County prosecutor Steven Jubera said that since he had no proof Timothy Blair was dead, he had to assume the rapper was alive. Steven Jubera sought an arrest warrant, and a judge approved it.
Tim Dog was from New York but had been living in the Atlanta area.
A death certificate from DeKalb County, Georgia, shows that a Timothy Blair with the same birth date and Social Security number listed in the Mississippi court documents died on February 14, 2013. The document, first reported by Dateline NBC and obtained by The Associated Press on September 16, 2014,, shows the 46-year-old died at a hospice center but does not list a cause of death.
The Mississippi woman who accused Timothy Blair of scamming her was featured in 2012 on Dateline NBC, along with other women he had persuaded to give him money.
Esther Pilgrim, of Southaven, Mississippi, told the program she opened credit cards to get money to invest in Tim Dog albums that Timothy Blair said he was producing.
After meeting online, the two spent time together in person at Timothy Blair’s home in Atlanta.
In the Dateline program, Timothy Blair said Esther Pilgrim wrecked the record deal and cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Chelsea Clinton has been spotted with a growing baby bump as she is due to give birth to her first child in few weeks.
Her mother, former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, has repeatedly stated that becoming a grandmother was a priority for her and she wouldn’t announce whether or not she would seek the presidency until her first grandchild arrived.
Chelsea Clinton was recently photographed with a growing baby bump (photo Facebook)
Hillary Clinton has reportedly vowed to postpone her announcement that she’s running for the Democratic nomination President until Chelsea gives birth.
Chelsea Clinton, who is married to Marc Mezvinsky, announced that she was expecting earlier this year and the new arrival is due sometime this fall.
She recently quit her high-paying position as a special correspondent for NBC.
Chelsea Clinton, who most probably is due to give birth in late October, and Marc Mezevinsky have not announced if they know the gender of their child.
President Barack Obama has announced the US measures to combat the Ebola virus as he called the outbreak in West Africa “a threat to global security”.
“The world is looking to the United States,” Barack Obama said, but added the outbreak required a “global response”.
The measures announced included ordering 3,000 US troops to the region and building new healthcare facilities.
Ebola has killed 2,461 people this year, about half of those infected, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
The announcement comes as UN officials have called the outbreak a health crisis “unparalleled in modern times”.
Among the measures announced by Barack Obama on September 16:
Building 17 healthcare facilities, each with 100 beds and isolation spaces, in Liberia
Training as many as 500 health care workers a week
Developing an air bridge to get supplies into affected countries faster
Provide home health care kits to hundreds of thousands of households, including 50,000 that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will deliver to Liberia this week
Ebola only spreads in close contact but there is no cure and no vaccine. The outbreak began in Guinea before spreading to its neighbors Sierra Leone and Liberia.
President Barack Obama has announced the US measures to combat the Ebola virus as he called the outbreak in West Africa a threat to global security
Barack Obama said the outbreak had reached epidemic proportions in West Africa, as the disease “completely overwhelmed” hospitals and clinics and people were “literally dying on the streets”.
He called on other countries to step up their response, as a worsening outbreak would lead to “profound political, economic and security” issues.
There’s a “potential threat to global security if these countries break down”, he said, which would impact on everyone.
“The world knows how to fight this disease. We know if we take the proper steps we can save lives. But we have to work fast,” Barack Obama said.
Earlier, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the 3,000 troops would not provide direct care to Ebola patients. Some soldiers would be stationed at an intermediate base in Senegal, while others will provide logistical, training and engineering support at locations in Liberia.
Also on September 16, a US congressional panel heard testimony from Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the national Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and Dr. Kent Brently, who recovered from an Ebola infection after receiving an experimental treatment for the disease.
Dr. Anthony Fauci told the committee 10 volunteers in a separate vaccine study had shown no ill effects from an early stage trial.
LAPD is conducting an internal investigation over accusations officers violated Daniele Watts’ rights by handcuffing and detaining her.
The Django Unchained actress refused to show identification and walked away from officers responding to a report of lewd conduct.
Daniele Watts posted a photo showing her in tears with her hands behind her back.
Her boyfriend, chef Brian James Lucas, was not placed in handcuffs.
In a statement released over the weekend, LAPD said its officers had responded to a report from a passer-by that a couple was indecently exposed inside a silver Mercedes.
LAPD is conducting an internal investigation over accusations officers violated Daniele Watts’ rights by handcuffing and detaining her (photo Facebook)
In an interview with CNN on September 15, Daniele Watts said she and Brian James Lucas had been “making out” in the car, were fully clothed and that nothing improper had been taking place.
In audio footage of the encounter obtained by the TMZ, Daniele Watts appears to allege the police were called because she was black and her boyfriend was white.
The officer is then heard questioning why she had played “the race card” and insisting he had the authority to request she provide identification.
An LAPD spokesman said US citizens are required to identify themselves if requested to do so by an officer who has reasonable suspicion to believe an offence may have been committed.
Daniele Watts played a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 Django Unchained and had a recurring role in the TV series Weeds.
“I can understand how people would say that I’m being a drama queen,” Daniele Watts was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
“[But] I don’t believe I committed any crime where I deserved to be in handcuffs.”
Rob Ford told the Toronto Sun that he is feeling “pretty sick” in hospital as he undergoes testing for tumors in his abdomen and lungs.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who withdrew from his re-election campaign last week, told the Toronto Sun doctors went “into my lungs” to take “another biopsy”.
Rob Ford has been diagnosed with an abdominal tumor.
His brother, Councilor Doug Ford, has replaced him on the October 27 ballot.
Doug Ford has not yet held an official campaign event, saying he wants to spend time with family while his brother is in hospital.
At the same time as he withdrew from the mayoral election, Rob Ford’s name was added to the ballot papers to run for councilor in his old constituency of Ward 2 in Toronto’s Etobicoke North area, signaling his desire to remain a political force in the city.
Rob Ford’s sudden announcement of his illness and subsequent withdrawal from the race presented a remarkable turn in a tumultuous tenure in the city hall of Canada’s largest city.
Toronto Councilor Doug Ford has replaced brother Rob Ford on the October 27 ballot
Over the past year, Rob Ford admitted to smoking crack cocaine while in office, then did a month-long stint in rehab. He resisted pressure to resign even as the city council stripped him of most of his budget and authority.
Rob Ford continued to run for re-election until last week, when he was brought to hospital after complaining of pain in his abdomen.
He has been in hospital since and is reportedly waiting on results from a biopsy test.
“I’m feeling pretty sick,” Rob Ford told the Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington, who reported the mayor sounded “horrible” and was “coughing and hacking and talking with a heavy breath”.
The mayor said he was trying to get some work done, ringing constituents.
“It’s pretty tricky right now,” Rob Ford said regarding his health, saying he hoped to recover and go back to “helping people” as councilor.
It remains to be seen whether Doug Ford can pick up his brother’s support.
Other top contenders in the race are former NDP MP Olivia Chow and businessman and former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party John Tory.
George Clooney is to receive Cecil B. DeMille honorary award at Golden Globes 2015.
Organizers said the actor, director and producer would be given its Cecil B. DeMille award for “his outstanding contributions both in front of and behind the camera”.
George Clooney, 53, was being recognized “as much for his global humanitarian efforts as he is for his accomplishments in the entertainment industry,” the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) said.
George Clooney will receive Cecil B. DeMille honorary award at Golden Globes 2015
The Golden Globes awards ceremony take place on January 11, 2015.
Recent recipients of the DeMille award, named after the famed producer of The Ten Commandments, include Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Jodie Foster and late actor Robin Williams.
Woody Allen was honored at this year’s event, though the actor and director did not travel to Los Angeles to collect his accolade.
George Clooney is no stranger to the Golden Globes, having been previously honored by the HFPA for his performances in The Descendants, O Brother Where Art Thou and Syriana.
George Clooney is expected to tie the knot shortly with human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.
Katy Perry is leading the nominations for this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) with seven nods, including Best Female, Best Pop Act, Best Video and Best Live act.
Katy Perry will be going head to head in most categories with Ariana Grande, who has six nominations for the awards being held in Glasgow in November.
5 Seconds of Summer and Pharrell Williams have five each, one more than One Direction.
Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, Eminem, Sam Smith and Kiesza have all received four nominations each.
Katy Perry is leading the nominations for this year’s MTV EMAs with seven nods (photo Twitter)
The biggest battleground may well be between 5Seconds of Summer and One Direction as they go head-to-head in the Biggest Fans category.
Cheryl Cole won the wildcard vote to be in the running for Best UK & Ireland Act, the winner of which will enter the Best Worldwide category.
Voting has begun now on the official MTV EMA site, and will remain open until November 8.
The MTV EMAs ceremony will take place at Glasgow’s Hydro venue on Sunday, November 9.
Beyonce and Jay-Z star in three short films made by photographer and filmmaker Dikayl Rimmasch, who revealed the rapper’s vision for these artsy-looking pieces.
Dikayl Rimmasch said: “In my first conversation on the telephone with Jay-Z he explained his concept of On the Run. He said: <<We’re not trying to do this literally, it’s not that we’re Bonnie and Clyde. We’re on the run from everything. On the run from becoming a cliché. On the run from doing the same thing again>>.”
The description for first film, titled Bang Bang: Part 1, reads: “Two American outlaws speed through the Californian desert in a dusty 1960s Pontiac GTO with a manifest poise and stylish swagger that could only be embodied by the world’s foremost musical couple: Beyonce and Jay-Z.”
Dikayl Rimmasch recalled of Jay-Z’s vision: “Everything he mentioned was a level of consciousness he has for staying alive as an entertainer and as a human being.”
“He wanted to keep it more abstract because for him it was very abstract. How do you stay new, not just to your audience but also yourself?”
Beyonce and Jay-Z star in three short films made by photographer and filmmaker Dikayl Rimmasch
Dikayl Rimmasch said of the duo: “Beyonce and Jay Z are two very intelligent, insightful and thoughtful people, in an almost low-key way.”
“Which is how they got to where they are. They are very aware of people’s attitudes and what energy they are bringing. Once you fully realize that, then the pressure comes off and you just have to do what you’re good at.”
Bang Bang: Part 2 will be released on September 16 ahead of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s HBO special airing on September 20.
Beyonce and Jay-Z wrapped up their On the Run tour in Paris with an emotional performance. During the show, the power couple professed their love for one another and silenced any divorce rumors.
Beyonce told Jay-Z: “I’m your biggest fan. I love you.”
Jay-Z replied: “Greatest entertainer in the world. I love her. She’s my wife.”
