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Kim Kardashian lost 30 lbs after giving birth to baby North West

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian lost 30 lbs after giving birth to baby North West

Kim Kardashian claimed that she was unable to attend little sister Kendall Jenner’s sweet sixteen over the weekend because she couldn’t find a babysitter for her baby daughter North West.

However, a new report in Us Weekly suggests that Kim Kardashian, whose famous figure has helped build her a multi-million dollar empire, is still too self conscious to reveal her post-pregnancy figure.

Sources close to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West say the 32-year-old, who is already said to have lost 30 lbs, is still attempting to lose another 30 off her frame.

And until she reaches that goal, fans of buxom beauty will not be seeing Kim Kardashian anytime soon.

The new mother has reportedly refused to step out in public until she looks “hot”.

“She’s extremely self-conscious about her current body,” a source told Us Weekly.

“She said when she comes out and gets photographed for the first time, she wants to look hot, hot, hot.”

While Kim Kardashian has already shed an impressive 30 lbs from her post-pregnancy frame, it is said that her weight loss has now slowed down and she is now “obsessed” to get to the final stretch.

Kim Kardashian refuses to go back into the spotlight until she reaches 115 lbs goal weight
Kim Kardashian refuses to go back into the spotlight until she reaches 115 lbs goal weight

“The weight is not coming off as quickly. She plateaued. This is the hard part now,” another Kardashian source told Us Weekly.

“She’s always complaining about her size. She says she hates looking this way and won’t go out again until she is skinnier,” a pal of Kanye West added to the magazine.

In order to get camera ready, Kim Kardashian has reportedly enlisted the aid of a trainer who visits her at her mother Kris Jenner’s home five times a week.

She is also said to be on an extremely strict diet.

While she cooks “homemade fried chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese” for Kanye West, a chef is apparently cooking Kim Kardashian low-calorie dishes such as grilled lemon chicken.

One source told the magazine that Kim Kardashian believes it will be several more weeks before she reaches her goal weight of 115 lbs and it is only then when she will make her big reveal to the world.

“She thinks it will take her at least another month and a half to get to where she wants to be,” a source told the magazine.

“Only when she’s there will she start thinking about showing her body to the world.”

In the interim, one of her biggest supporters, rapper Kanye West, continues to try and boost her body confidence by heaping praise on the reality star.

“Kanye tells her she’s beautiful. He wants to boost her confidence and goes out of his way so she doesn’t have to ask. But it wears Kanye out to hear her being down on herself.’”

One thing that is keeping her mind off her post-pregnancy figure is her precious baby North West.

Kim Kardashian, who friends and family say has taken to motherhood like a duck to water, is relishing in her new role.

According to Us Weekly, Kim Kardashian is already having a ball dressing her little girl up in designer clothing.

“[North] already had an incredible wardrobe,” a Kardashian insider told the magazine.

“She wears Roberto Cavalli and also has such beautiful jewelry – rubies, pearls, diamonds, everything.”

Patrick Dowling: Mysterious Missouri priest who anointed car crash victim identified

Nancy Clayson
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Patrick Dowling: Mysterious Missouri priest who anointed car crash victim identified

The mysterious priest who anointed a car crash victim and then vanished before rescue workers could thank him has been identified as Reverend Patrick Dowling who works with the Diocese of Jefferson County, Missouri.

Patrick Dowling revealed he was the religious figure who appeared at the side of Katie Lentz, 19, after she was injured in a head-on collision on August 4, in a comment under a story on a Catholic news website on Friday evening, but his confession went largely unnoticed until Monday.

The incredible story went viral as some assumed the mystery priest was an angel or deceased Catholic saint Padre Pio, had persuasive powers of conversion and could heal the sick.

But Patrick Dowling, under the article on the National Catholic Register site, explained he was in fact responsible for the apparent divine intervention.

He said he had been filling in for a sick priest at Mass and was on his way home when he came upon the crash scene.

Authorities had closed off the area and were re-routing traffic but Dowling waited until he could get closer.

“I parked behind a large vehicle about 150 yards from the scene. I asked the Sheriff’s permission and approached the scene of the accident,” Patrick Dowling said.

“I absolved and anointed Katie, and, at her request, prayed that her leg would not hurt. Then I stepped aside to where some rescue personnel and the pilot were waiting, and prayed the rosary silently.”

He said he left the wreckage just as the helicopter was about to leave to take Katie Lentz to hospital.

Interestingly, he said he told someone on the scene his name but it must not have been passed on.

He then thanked the hard work of the first responders.

Reverend Patrick Dowling revealed he was the religious figure who appeared at the side of Katie Lentz after she was injured in a head-on collision
Reverend Patrick Dowling revealed he was the religious figure who appeared at the side of Katie Lentz after she was injured in a head-on collision

“God has blessed your work. I hope the credit goes where it is due,” Patrick Dowling explained.

In a statement to The Blaze, a spokesman for the diocese, Deacon Dan Joyce, confirmed Patrick Dowling was indeed the faith healer responsible.

“Fr. Dowling said that he is pleased that he was able to help by performing his ministry and noted that that he was just one of many who responded to assist the victim at the accident,” the statement reads.

“He and the Diocese wish to acknowledge and thank the first responders, medical team and law enforcement personnel for their efforts that morning in aid of the young woman injured in the accident.”

Fr. Patrick Dowling, a native of Kilkenny, Ireland, was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Jefferson City in 1982 and has served at parishes in Moberly, Monroe City, Indian Creek, Milan, Unionville and Eldon, Missouri, and in the diocese’s mission parishes in Marcona and Nasca, Peru.

He is currently serving in prison ministry and in parish ministry to Spanish-speaking Catholics.

Emergency workers had been battling for an hour and a half to free Katie Lentz after the head on collision, but to no avail.

But as they joined hands the priest appeared, even though there were no bystanders and the road was blocked, who offered a prayer and an instruction to the rescuers that they would now be able to free her.

Suddenly, heavy equipment needed to cut through the metal arrived from a nearby town and Katie Lentz was pulled from the wreck in time to be saved – but when they turned to thank Patrick Dowling, he was gone.

“He came up and approached the patient, and offered a prayer,” Chief Raymond Reed said of the then-mystery priest to KHQA-TV.
“It was a Catholic priest who had anointing oil with him. A sense of calmness came over her, and it did us as well. 

“I can’t be for certain how it was said, but myself and another firefighter, we very plainly heard that we should remain calm, that our tools would now work and that we would get her out of that vehicle.”

That is when officers from the neighboring Hannibal Fire Department arrived with their jaws-of-life and Katie Lentz was pulled to safety and put into an air ambulance to hospital.

Turning to thank the guardian angel who had arrived from nowhere at their lowest ebb, the emergency crews could not find him.

The highway had been blocked for a quarter of a mile each end during the hour and a half rescue and no bystanders and parked cars were anywhere near the crash site on Highway 19 near Center.

“We would like to find this gentleman and be able to thank him,” Raymond Reed said before Patrick Dowling identified himself.

“As a first responder, you don’t know what you’re going to run into. We have a lot of tools, and we have intensive training. In this particular case, it is my feeling that it was nothing more than sheer faith and nothing short of a miracle.”

Katie Lentz suffered several broken bones to repair her legs, but her friends and family say that her spirit has been boosted by the somewhat divine intervention.

“Both of her legs are very damaged,” Katie Lentz’s friend Amanda Wiseman said.

“Her wrist is broken, several broken ribs, so she’s had a lot of broken bones to deal with.”

Chief Raymond Reed said rescue crews were struggling to cut through the strong metal of Katie Lentz’s Mercedes.

“It was a very well-built car, and when you compact materials like that one, they become even stronger because you’re cutting through multiple things instead of one layer,” Raymond Reed said.

Raymond Reed says Katie Lentz was pinned in between the steering wheel and the seat and the prayer was offered just as he was told by the paramedics that Lentz was failing.

“Where did this guy come from?” Katie Lentz’s friend Travis Wiseman asked.

The driver of the other car in that accident, Aaron Smith, has been charged with a DWI, second degree assault and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway.

Egypt declares a month-long state of emergency

Roy Siemens
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Egypt declares a month-long state of emergency

Egypt has declared state of emergency after scores of people were killed when security forces stormed pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo.

The camps had been occupied by supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi, who was deposed in early July.

The health ministry says 149 people have been killed. But the Muslim Brotherhood, which was behind the protests, says more than 2,000 died.

The state of emergency is scheduled to last for a month.

It imposes a curfew in Cairo and several other provinces between 19:00 local time and 06:00.

The measure was taken because the “security and order of the nation face danger due to deliberate sabotage, and attacks on public and private buildings and the loss of life by extremist groups,” the presidency said in a statement.

In the wake of the violence, Vice-President Mohammed El Baradei has announced his resignation from the interim government.

Armored bulldozers moved deep into the main protest camp outside Cairo’s Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque shortly after dawn on Wednesday morning.

Officials say another protest camp, at Nahda Square, has been cleared and a mopping-up operation in the surrounding streets was under way.

Reporters described wounded protesters being treated next to the dead in makeshift field hospitals.

The 17-year-old daughter of leading Muslim Brotherhood figure Mohamed el-Beltagy was among the dead, reports say. Asmaa el-Beltagy was shot in the back and chest, her brother said.

A cameraman working for Sky News, Mick Deane, has also been killed – as has a reporter for Gulf News, Habiba Ahmed Abd Elaziz.

Egypt has declared state of emergency after scores of people were killed when security forces stormed pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo
Egypt has declared state of emergency after scores of people were killed when security forces stormed pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo

The White House condemned the bloodshed, saying it “runs directly counter to the pledges by the interim government to pursue reconciliation”.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged “all Egyptians to concentrate their efforts on promoting genuinely inclusive reconciliation”, his spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

There are also reports of unrest elsewhere in Egypt.

  • About 35 people have died in clashes in the province of Fayoum, south of Cairo, Reuters news agency says.
  • At least five people have been killed in the province of Suez, according to the health ministry.
  • Clashes have also been reported in the northern provinces of Alexandria and Beheira, and the central provinces of Assiut and Menya
  • Hundreds are said to have gathered outside the governor’s office in Aswan in the south
  • State news agency Mena says three churches were attacked, one in the city of Sohag with a large number of Coptic Christian residents

It is still unclear how many casualties were caught up in the two Cairo operations. Figures differ widely and have been impossible to verify independently.

The health ministry has issued an official death toll of 95.

The interior ministry earlier denied any deaths were caused by its forces firing live ammunition.

“Security forces used only tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters though it was heavily fired at by armed elements from inside the two protest camps, causing the death of an officer and a conscript and the injury of four policemen and two conscripts,” the ministry said in a statement.

The government had congratulated the security forces on their operation.

In a televised statement, a government spokesman praised their “self-restraint” and spoke of the “smaller number” of injuries among protesters.

The government would decisively confront attempts to attack state buildings and police stations, he said.

Supporters of Mohamed Morsi have been occupying Nahda Square and the Rabaa al-Adawiya site since he was ousted on July 3. They want him reinstated.

Large plumes of smoke rose over parts of the city as the operation to clear the camps began, with tear gas canisters fired and helicopters hovering above.

Muslim Brotherhood TV called for people to send cars to the sit-ins to take casualties to hospital.

Several Muslim Brotherhood figures have been arrested, security sources said.

There has been strong international reaction to the storming of the camps.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a news conference that the administration had repeatedly urged the Egyptian military and security forces to show restraint, and strongly opposed the declaration of a state of emergency.

The European Union called the reports of deaths and injuries “extremely worrying”.

A statement issued on behalf of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said: “We reiterate that violence won’t lead to any solution and we urge the Egyptian authorities to proceed with utmost restraint.”

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the result of the camp clearances as a massacre, accused other countries of paving the way for the violence by staying silent, and called for the UN and the Arab League to act immediately.

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Eurozone emerges from recession after 18 months of economic contraction

Clyde K. Valle
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Eurozone emerges from recession after 18 months of economic contraction

Eurozone has emerged from recession after a record 18 months of economic contraction.

According to the Eurostat agency, eurozone’s GDP grew by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2013, slightly ahead of forecasts.

The growth was widely expected after the German economy rose 0.7% between April and June.

However, the overall figure masks the mixed economic fortunes among the countries that make up the 17-country eurozone area.

Germany and France both posted stronger-than-expected growth, expanding 0.7% and 0.5% respectively.

Portugal, among the smallest and the weakest eurozone economies, showed the fastest growth, at 1.1%.

Eurozone has emerged from recession after a record 18 months of economic contraction
Eurozone has emerged from recession after a record 18 months of economic contraction

The country was one of three that had to take a multi-billion-euro bailout.

But Spain, which had to seek outside support for its struggling banking sector, saw its economic output fall by 0.1% on the quarter.

Italy and the Netherlands both saw output drop by 0.2%.

European Commission Vice-President Olli Rehn said the figures suggested the European economy was gradually gaining momentum, but added there was no room for complacency.

“There are still substantial obstacles to overcome: the growth figures remain low and the tentative signs of growth are still fragile,” he said.

“A number of member states still have unacceptably high unemployment rates; the implementation of essential, but difficult reforms across the EU is still in its early stages. So there is still a very long way to go.”

Analysts from Capital Economics said: “The return to modest rates of economic growth in the eurozone as a whole won’t address the deep-seated economic and fiscal problems of the peripheral countries.”

The figures reaffirm Germany’s position as the powerhouse behind the eurozone.

Germany narrowly avoided recession earlier this year, but GDP in the second quarter of 2013 was driven up by demand from both consumers and businesses.

The improvement comes just weeks before a federal election that will see Chancellor Angela Merkel stand for a third term in office.

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Medecins Sans Frontieres to pull out of Somalia after 22 years

Diane A. Wade
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Medecins Sans Frontieres to pull out of Somalia after 22 years

Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) is closing all its programmes in Somalia after 22 years working in the war-torn country.

MSF said in a statement that the decision had been taken because of “extreme attacks on its staff”.

The charity said armed groups and civilian leaders increasingly “support, tolerate or condone the killing, assaulting, and abducting of humanitarian aid workers”.

More than 1,500 staff have provided a range of services across Somalia.

MSF is closing all its programmes in Somalia after 22 years working in the war-torn country
MSF is closing all its programmes in Somalia after 22 years working in the war-torn country

Unni Karunakara, MSF’s international president, said it has been one of the hardest decisions the charity has ever had to make.

Since 1991, when Somalia descended into civil war, 16 MSF workers have been killed and there had been dozens of attacks on its staff, ambulances and medical facilities, the charity said.

Last month, two of its Spanish members of staff who were kidnapped nearly two years ago and held in Somalia were freed.

“Ultimately, civilians in Somalia will pay the highest cost,” Dr. Unni Karunakara said in a statement.

“Much of the Somali population has never known the country without war or famine.

“Already receiving far less assistance than is needed, the armed groups’ targeting of humanitarian aid, and civilians leaders’ tolerance of these abuses, has effectively taken away what little access to medical care is available to the Somali people.”

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North Korea and South Korea reach agreement on re-opening Kaesong industrial zone

Clyde K. Valle
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North Korea and South Korea reach agreement on re-opening Kaesong industrial zone

North Korea and South Korea have reached an agreement about re-opening the Kaesong joint industrial zone, officials from Seoul say.

Operations there have been suspended since April when North Korea withdrew its workers amid rising political tensions.

On Wednesday the South’s Unification Ministry said a five-point accord had been agreed, but it remains unclear when operations might resume.

It comes after Seoul called for “final talks” following six previous rounds.

The agreement was signed by the chief delegates from the two Koreas, reports the Yonhap news agency. There are few details about the accord, but Yonhap says the deal is believed to ensure that a similar suspension of operations could not be repeated.

North Korea and South Korea have reached an agreement about re-opening the Kaesong joint industrial zone
North Korea and South Korea have reached an agreement about re-opening the Kaesong joint industrial zone

“The South and the North will prevent the current suspension of the Kaesong industrial complex caused by the workers’ withdrawal from being repeated again,” the Agence France-Presse news agency also quoted from the agreement.

A joint committee will also be set up to discuss compensation for economic losses, AFP reports.

The Kaesong Industrial Complex, which lies just inside North Korea, is home to 123 South Korean factories which employ more than 50,000 North Korean workers.

It is the last functioning inter-Korean joint project and a key source of revenue for Pyongyang.

North Korea withdrew its workers in April, angered by the expansion of UN sanctions afters its 12 February nuclear test and annual US-South Korea military drills.

Tensions have eased somewhat since then.

Pyongyang agreed to Wednesday’s talks hours after Seoul said it would start distributing compensation payments to South Korean firms hit by the stoppage – a move seen as a precursor to formal closure of the zone.

On Tuesday, the owners of South Korean businesses at the zone called for a deal.

North Korea said last week that reopening Kaesong was in both nations’ interests.

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Duck Dynasty success story

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty success story

Back in 2012, a proposal for a TV show about a conservative Louisiana family that makes duck calls didn’t have to go far to find doubters.

The Robertsons were seated at the dinner table.

“I said, <<This will never work. Nobody’s going to watch that>>,” remembers Jase Robertson, who works for the family business.

“My dad [Phil Robertson] echoed that. I think he said something along the lines of <<A redneck family, they’re not going to run that>>.”

Well, they did run it, and people watched. Lots of people. A&E’s Duck Dynasty, which opens its fourth season today, August 14, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, has become a ratings phenomenon, ranking behind only AMC’s zombie hit The Walking Dead last season among cable series.

The reality series that follows the bearded Robertson clan and their Monroe, Louisiana, outdoor sporting-goods business grew 95% in viewers last season, averaging 8.4 million viewers.

Duck Dynasty is designed as a modern-day sitcom with a rich cast of characters including patriarch and duck-call creator Phil Robertson, his wife Kay and their sons – Willie, the CEO; Jase, who makes the duck calls but would rather be hunting or fishing; and Jep – and Phil’s offbeat brother, Si.

Phil and Miss Kay’s oldest son, Alan – uniquely clean-shaven – joins the show in the fourth-season premiere.

Duck Dynasty Season 4’s first episode will feature a surprise wedding-vow renewal ceremony for Phil and Kay Robertson on their 49th anniversary.

“He’s kind of the troubled one in my family. He’s good looking, he’s clean shaven, he bathes regularly and he wears nice clothes. We’ve always tried to figure out what exactly is wrong with him,” Jase Robertson says.

Duck Dynasty has become a ratings phenomenon, ranking behind only The Walking Dead last season among cable series
Duck Dynasty has become a ratings phenomenon, ranking behind only The Walking Dead last season among cable series

The show’s success has much to do with how engaging the Robertsons are, says Andy Dehnart, editor of realityblurred.com, a blog about unscripted TV shows.

“The No. 1 thing is just that the cast members are really appealing, nice, funny, warm, awesome people to spend some time with on TV. I think that’s what makes all the difference,” he says.

“We get that a lot on social media, <<How I wish this was my family>>, which is the best compliment we can get,” says A&E’s reality-programming chief Lily Neumeyer, also an executive producer on the series.

Jase Robertson says he believes sincerity is the key.

“I think the smartest thing we did was stay true to ourselves.”

Producers get episode ideas from the family members, but the episodes resemble sitcom plots: Willie Robertson wants to lose weight before a reunion. Jase thinks Willie is going through a midlife crisis.

“We all sat down around a table and had them tell stories and we just listen. They always have the most amazing, funny stories and moments,” she says.

Producers often re-create situations for the show, so like most such series it isn’t entirely unscripted. Once the cameras are rolling, the Robertsons take it from there, Lily Neumeyer says.

Still, when producers try to film or re-create events from their lives, family members don’t necessarily go along with their plans. Jase Robertson says he’s not told what to say and that he has balked at requests, refusing to wear knickers in an episode where he and Willie go golfing.

“A lot of the ideas that they have, they always take a turn somewhere because that’s just not what we would do,” he says.

“I think it’s difficult for them to trust us enough to know that they’re going to get something they can use, and that’s been the biggest battle. They want to control it, but we’re uncontrollable. So, finding that balance is the genius part of the show.”

Duck Dynasty‘s success already is leading to imitators, Andy Dehnart says, but it will be hard to reproduce the on-camera genuineness of the Robertsons. Discovery Channel on Tuesday unveiled Porter Ridge, a comedic series from Duck Dynasty‘s producers that centers on an auto salvage yard business in the hills of Indiana.

“I fear for the day when a bunch of Duck Dynasty clones come on the air, in part, because it’s lightning in a bottle,” says Andy Dehnart.

The family just got a big raise, Deadline.com reported Tuesday, enabling A&E to promise “several” more seasons of the show, but Jase Robertson dismisses reports of acrimony.

“We were having normal negotiations and people blew it out of proportion just for a story,” he says.

“A&E has been good to us. It says a lot of them to allow us to do what we do on the show, which is not normal television. They took a risk on us and we’ve been happy with them, and I think they’ve been happy with us.”

The high profile has helped the family business, too, with many people who aren’t hunters buying the duck calls and other items. A&E says an extensive line of merchandise is a big seller at WalMart and other big retailers. The family members are in demand at various events, and Willie and Si Robertson will appear, as other characters, on the season premiere of ABC’s Last Man Standing on September 20, 8 p.m. ET/PT.

“It’s changed our lives, because I can’t go to the grocery store without people gathering (around), but I think the difference in us and most people on TV is this was not something we set out as a goal,” he says.

“So, it didn’t really taint the important things, our faith and our family and our perspective on life.”

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Honey Boo Boo: June Shannon irons out details for her commitment ceremony to Sugar Bear

Lisa.Felice
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Honey Boo Boo: June Shannon irons out details for her commitment ceremony to Sugar Bear

Honey Boo Boo’s parents, June Shannon and Mike Thompson, held an over-the-top commitment ceremony back in May complete with a camouflage theme.

In a sneak peak of Wednesday night’s episode of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Mama June is still hammering out the plans for her big day with Sugar Bear – down to every last Porta Potty.

June Shannon, 33, is seen getting quite worked up over the size and load capacity of a portable toilet she’s ordering for the event.

In the preview clip, Mama June is busy at her work desk composing a handwritten invite to her “celebration of love”.

The 272 lbs mother of four painstakingly writes out her missive with a felt tip pen as she struggles to find the right words to gather her loved ones together for her big day.

The bit of scribbling was surely an effort for legally blind June Shannon – whose condition is tragically the result of childhood cataracts that were not properly treated.

But before she can finish, Mama June is hit with a sneezing fit, signalling the general stress of the coming event, as she states: “See I’m already getting nervous.”

The larger than life June Shannon went on to explain: “There’s only a month left to go before the commitment ceremony and I got a s***load of things to do.

Mama June is still hammering out the plans for her big day with Sugar Bear, down to every last Porta Potty
Mama June is still hammering out the plans for her big day with Sugar Bear, down to every last Porta Potty

“So, why not today, start checking things off my list one at a time.”

She admitted: “The budget for the commitment ceremony is going pretty well… I’m tryin’ not let it get away from me.”

Some of her money saving tricks include reusing Thank You cards as invites for the love ceremony.

But her biggest fear involves toilets.

Mama June explained: “Like any other event I’ve ever put together as long as you have food, people will come. You know when people eat they gotta s***.”

The observation prompts a phone call to a local Porta Potty rental company.

During the rental inquiry June Shannon explained: “Oh, yes, Ma’am. I was trying to enquire on some things about Porta Johns.

“Cause I don’t let a lot of people coming in my house and, um, mess my facilities up. I actually need one of those oversized ones. So, they have, like, a weight limit?

“Because, really, I mean the Porta Potties ain’t nothing but a five-gallon bucket with a lid on it.”

It was just a few weeks ago that Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson proposed to June on an episode of their hit television series.

It was the third time in nine years that love struck “Sugie” proposed, having been turned down twice before.

“I consider myself a chubby chaser,” Sugar Bear revealed on an episode two weeks ago.

Nonetheless, it took some persuading to get Mama June to agree to a commitment ceremony.

Just prior to accepting his proposition, June Shannon explained: “The M word scares me because he’s been through two marriages and it hasn’t worked. Marriages are easy to get into and hard to get out of.”

She may have said “no” to his marriage proposal, but the lack of paperwork attracted June Shannon to the idea of a commitment ceremony.

“I don’t believe in forever but I do believe in Sugar Bear,” she confessed.

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Lady Gaga steps out with face painted as ARTPOP album cover

Lisa.Felice
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Lady Gaga steps out with face painted as ARTPOP album cover

Once again Lady Gaga was out to shock as she stepped out wearing almost identical face paint to what she wears on the cover of her new album ARTPOP.

With a white background splashed with several different colors, Lady Gaga, 27, cut a rather ghostly figure with the aid of her make-up.

Once again Lady Gaga was out to shock as she stepped out wearing almost identical face paint to what she wears on the cover of her new album ARTPOP
Once again Lady Gaga was out to shock as she stepped out wearing almost identical face paint to what she wears on the cover of her new album ARTPOP

The look was further accentuated by Lady Gaga’s very dark brown hair and Gothic all-black attire consisting of a black pleated skirt, matching blouse, blazer and sky high lace-up ankle boots.

The shock tactic was for an appearance on E! as Ryan Seacrest tweeted a picture of himself with Lady Gaga, also wearing similar face paint.

Oddly strolling along sans-entourage, she was no doubt heading back to the Chateau Marmont where she was seen leaving earlier in the day.

For the cover of ARTPOP, Lady Gaga appears as a work of art in the image, taken by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, with her face painted white with splashes of color smeared around her eyes and mouth and her hair covered in a black wrap, as she emerges through a white billowing coat by designer Gareth Pugh.

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Cher Twitter rant after song Lady Gaga wrote for her leaks online

Lisa.Felice
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Cher Twitter rant after song Lady Gaga wrote for her leaks online

Cher was very angry and launched a foul-mouthed rant on Twitter on Tuesday night after a song Lady Gaga wrote for her new album was leaked online.

Cher, 67, was left incensed when new track The Greatest Thing, which Lady Gaga wrote and RedOne produced for the veteran singer’s new album, found its way online.

After discovering the leak, Cher wrote on Twitter: “Just heard TGT ! F**K ! IT’S NOT EVEN THE RIGHT F***ING VERSION!!!

“WHY DO PPL THINK THIS KINDA LEAKING S**T IS OK ! I’m so Fg DISSAPOINTED.”

Cher later added: “Disappointed ( Ive Sat on fkng song 4 over a yr )NOW SOME A**HOLE LEAKS WRONG VERSION ! GaGa’s SINGLE IS GREAT, & THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS.”

Cher was very angry and launched a foul-mouthed rant on Twitter after a song Lady Gaga wrote for her new album was leaked online
Cher was very angry and launched a foul-mouthed rant on Twitter after a song Lady Gaga wrote for her new album was leaked online

While Lady Gaga was also undoubtedly unimpressed by the early leak, she did take to Twitter later in the day to thank Cher for having her back.

In a message re-tweeted by Cher, Lady Gaga wrote: “I love you @cher ! Thank you for the support, you’re the greatest thing!”

Speaking recently about her upcoming album, Cher compared it to one of her biggest hit records – 1998’s Believe.

She said: “It’s about being fabulous. Truthfully, I’m not a huge Cher fan and I’ve said this many times, but I think this is the best album I’ve ever done.

“The songs are so brilliant. I got so lucky. The closest thing to this album I think is the Believe album.”

Meanwhile, it’s been a less than successful week for Lady Gaga when it comes to her tracks being leaked.

On Monday she was forced to release her new single Applause a whole week before its intended premiere after it was leaked online.

Declaring a “POP MUSIC EMERGENCY”, Lady Gaga decided to beat the leakers and release the track to fans early.

And Cher was on hand to offer Lady Gaga some much-needed support as she struggled to contain her frustration over the leak.

Cher said: “She Doesn’t Like It! Shes an ARTIST… Its Her Song, Her Voice, Her Choice.”

Lauren Silverman affair was the reason behind Simon Cowell and Carmen Electra’s break-up

Lisa.Felice
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Simon Cowell and Carmen Electra enjoyed a brief romance but when the pair split, Lauren Silverman was in fact the reason behind the break-up.

A source has claimed that Carmen Electra called it quits with Simon Cowell after finding him in a compromising position with Lauren Silverman, who is now pregnant with his child.

“Carmen was at Simon’s house in L.A. when she literally busted him with Lauren,” an insider told E! News.

“Simon called her a friend, but there was nothing platonic about what was going on, if you know what I mean.”

The source added that Carmen Electra “high-tailed it out of there. There was no way she was going to stick around and be a third wheel”.

Carmen Electra called it quits with Simon Cowell after finding him in a compromising position with Lauren Silverman
Carmen Electra called it quits with Simon Cowell after finding him in a compromising position with Lauren Silverman

Carmen Electra and Simon Cowell acted as judges alongside each other on Britain’s Got Talent and began dating in December 2012, although Cowell revealed in February that they had broken up.

Simon Cowell, 53, is famously good at staying friends with his ex-girlfriends and it seems it was no different with Carmen Electra, who gushed that she was delighted for her former flame at an event late last month.

“I’m so happy for him!” Carmen Electra said.

“What I witnessed working with him on Britain’s Got Talent and coming to see him during X Factor is that the people he truly believes in, he stands up for them and supports them. So I obviously think that his child will be very well taken care and very, very loved.”

She added: “I’m going to call him as soon as I get in the car after the event. I want to know if it’s a boy or a girl. It’s awesome, I’m super happy for him.”

Despite the scandal, Simon Cowell seems rather unfazed and is currently cruising around the Mediterranean on a luxury yacht.

A source told People Simon Cowell “has been in contact with Lauren since her divorce turned messy”, but the insider said he is encouraging her to quickly figure things out with Andrew Silverman so they can move forward with their divorce.

Simon Cowell has been checking up on Lauren Silverman, 36, as her pregnancy progresses but the source says: “Simon still has no plans to move in with Lauren.”

The insider explained that Simon Cowell, who owns several properties in Beverly Hills “can put up Lauren in one of [them when he’s working in L.A.] so he can spend time with his baby”.

Egypt: At least 15 people killed as security forces clear pro-Morsi protest camps

Roy Siemens
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0
Egypt: At least 15 people killed as security forces clear pro-Morsi protest camps

Egyptian security forces moved in to clear two protest camps occupied by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo killing at least 15 people.

But the Muslim Brotherhood, which backs the protests, put the number of casualties much higher.

Bursts of gunfire were heard and armored bulldozers moved in. Security forces fired tear gas.

Authorities say the Nahda Square camp in western Cairo has been cleared.

The interior ministry said a mopping up operation in the surrounding streets was under way. Pro-Morsi activists were chased into the nearby zoo and Cairo University, Nile TV said.

Witnesses spoke of seeing at least 15 bodies on the ground, but the Muslim Brotherhood, describing the security forces’ intervention as a massacre, put the number of those killed at more than 100.

At least two member of the security forces were among the dead and nine were injured, officials say.

Egyptian security forces moved in to clear two protest camps occupied by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo
Egyptian security forces moved in to clear two protest camps occupied by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo

Supporters of Mohamed Morsi have been occupying Nahda Square and the site outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the north-east of the city since he was ousted on 3 July. They want him reinstated.

Earlier, the interior ministry issued a statement saying security forces were taking “necessary measures” against the protest camps.

The statement said a safe exit would be provided for protesters and they would not be pursued, “except those who are wanted by the prosecution”.

The interior ministry is keen “not to shed any Egyptian blood”, the statement went on.

Large plumes of smoke rose over parts of the city as the operation to clear the camps began.

Muslim Brotherhood TV called for people to send cars to the sit-ins to take casualties to hospital.

An armored bulldozer was used to breach brick walls erected by the protesters outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque.

Live firing was heard as the security forces moved in, our correspondent says, and police are now patrolling the nearby streets.

More than 250 people have been killed in clashes with the security forces in the six weeks since Mohamed Morsi’s overthrow.

On Tuesday, one person was killed in a confrontation between supporters and opponents of Mohamed Morsi in Giza after people marched from Nahda Square to a nearby complex of government buildings to protest against the appointment of several military officers as provincial governors.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said the sit-ins could not continue “endlessly”.

He said the authorities had been trying to seek an agreement through dialogue.

“If the police force take their procedures, they will do that in accordance with the law by court order and in accordance to the basic norms on which these things are done.”

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Indian submarine explodes in Mumbai

Diane A. Wade
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Indian submarine explodes in Mumbai

An Indian submarine caught fire after an explosion in a Mumbai dockyard killing the navy personnel, India’s defense minister has said.

The submarine caught fire after an explosion in a Mumbai dockyard
The submarine caught fire after an explosion in a Mumbai dockyard

AK Antony said he felt “sad about those navy personnel who lost their lives”. Earlier reports said at least 18 sailors were feared trapped.

The blast on the INS Sindhurakshak took place after midnight and firefighters spent four hours putting out the fire.

Officials said the diesel-powered vessel was badly damaged.

It remains partly submerged at its berth.

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Kanye West wants baby North to appear in Vogue

Lisa.Felice
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0
Kanye West wants baby North to appear in Vogue

New reports claim Kanye West thinks Vogue could benefit from putting baby North in its prestigious fashion pages.

Much like Suri Cruise’s famous Vanity Fair cover, the music icon wants his two-month old daughter to meet world on his terms – something he reportedly believes could be mutually beneficial to Anna Wintour.

“It’s no secret that Kanye is a huge fan of fashion, Vogue and especially Anna Wintour,” a source close to Kanye West told RadarOnline.

“But it’s also pretty well-known that Anna is no fan of Kim, or any reality star appearing in the pages of the magazine.”

The source continued: “Kanye is determined to make sure baby North isn’t photographed by paparazzi then splashed across the world.

“He knows what he wants — a professional photographer and the cover of Vogue – nothing else. But clearly, trying to persuade Anna is going to be an uphill battle.”

While Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expected to release the first photos of North West via Twitter, the rapper apparently wants her first ever photo shoot to be in Vogue – and it seems the Grammy-winning artist isn’t taking no for an answer, despite receiving a “less than enthusiastic” response from Anna Wintour.

Kim Kardashian scored high-fashion points when she graced the cover of the L’Uomo Vogue
Kim Kardashian scored high-fashion points when she graced the cover of the L’Uomo Vogue

Ensuring that he has every aspect of his argument covered, Kanye West has reportedly compiled new fashion magazine statistics that show reality stars on the cover can make sales soar.

According to the New York Times, the April issue of Cosmopolitan magazine featuring Kim Kardashian was its best-selling, with 1.2 million copies being plucked from newsstands.

And last year, Kim Kardashian scored high-fashion points when she graced the cover of the L’Uomo Vogue, the magazine’s Italian men’s edition.

But that issue’s success might not be enough to sway Anna Wintour to give the West-Kardashain family an American Vogue cover.

Three months ago Vogue editors famously cropped Kim Kardashain out of its Met Ball Best Dressed gallery when she appeared next to a Sauvé looking Kanye West wearing a universally mocked floral print Givenchy gown.

Nevertheless, it seems “Kanye is convinced that he’s going to make this happen”, said the source.

A Vogue spokesperson denied the claims.

Meanwhile it seems Kim Kardashian, who has only posted a few tweets and made one taped appearance on Kris Jenner’s show since giving birth on June 15, has sent her hardworking public relations representative on a hiatus.

The New York Post reported that Kim Kardashian has no need for publicist, Jill Fritzo, now that she is busy with North.

Liam Gallagher tries to silence Liza Ghorbani with confidentiality agreement

Lisa.Felice
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Liam Gallagher tries to silence Liza Ghorbani with confidentiality agreement

According to new reports, Liam Gallagher is trying to get the mother of his alleged love child, Liza Ghorbani, to sign an iron clad legal agreement which would prevent her revealing any personal details of their relationship.

Liam Gallagher is said to have instructed his lawyers to add a clause to a new legal agreement which would stop the New York journalist from speaking out on their romance.

Liza Ghorbani is said to be “irate” at the clause, which has put a halt to their ongoing battle over child support.

Liam Gallagher is alleged to have fathered a daughter with Liza Ghorbani during an intense affair, which was unveiled last month.

The news of the romance led to Liam Gallagher splitting from his wife Nicole Appleton.

The New York Post report that DNA tests have confirmed that Liam Gallagher is the father of Liza Ghorbani’s 8-month-old daughter, Gemma, but the rocker has yet to publicly acknowledge the fact.

Liam Gallagher is trying to get Liza Ghorbani to sign an iron clad legal agreement which would prevent her revealing any personal details of their relationship
Liam Gallagher is trying to get Liza Ghorbani to sign an iron clad legal agreement which would prevent her revealing any personal details of their relationship

A friend of Liza Ghorbani, who met Liam Gallagher in 2010, has claimed to the Post that Liza is upset with a clause in the confidentiality agreement she has been asked to sign, which prevents her speaking out on their affair:

“Liza had no problem signing a confidentiality agreement regarding Liam’s finances, but Liam’s lawyers discreetly tried to add on an agreement that Liza never disclose any personal details of their relationship. This has made Liza irate.”

“His lawyers have insulted her one too many times,” the source continued.

“Liza sat quietly for Liam through her pregnancy and months after, while caring for their child with no help from him monetarily or otherwise, even trying to keep their identities secret in the court case.”

According to the insider, Liam Gallagher and Liza Ghorbani were very close during their relationship, with claims that the pair even picked out baby names together:

“She won’t sign the confidentiality agreement, she feels it is offensive because they did have an intense relationship. The negotiations are deadlocked,” the source adds.

Liam Gallagher’s team have refused to comment on the current legal proceedings.

His new legal problems follow the claims that the Oasis star has been secretly dating former aide Debbie Gwyther “for months”.

According to The Sun, Debbie Gwyther, who stopped working for his management company when pictures of them emerged together in Ibiza, believes he is the “love of her life”.

Liam Galagher and Debbie Gwyther are reported to have been enjoying a relationship before news broke of his affair with Liza Ghorbani.

A friend told the paper: “Some of us think she’s gone mad and have pointed out Liam appears to have four kids with four different women. But Debbie is besotted and convinced they have a future together.”

Debbie Gwyther, 31, who worked for Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye management company, has reportedly split from her boyfriend and put their home in East London up for sale.

The source continued: “He’s been introduced to her friends as her new boyfriend. They love partying together and he was attracted to how honest he could be with her. Liam saw her as his right hand woman – the one person he could trust with everything.”

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Israel releases 26 Palestinian prisoners

Roy Siemens
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0
Israel releases 26 Palestinian prisoners

Israel has started to free a group of Palestinian prisoners, whose release was agreed as part of the deal that allowed peace talks to resume.

A group of 26 prisoners, all convicted of attacks that happened before 1993, were driven out of a jail in minibuses with tinted windows.

Some are being taken straight to Gaza, others are going to the West Bank.

Israelis outraged over Palestinian prisoner release
Israelis outraged over Palestinian prisoner release

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators began direct talks two weeks ago for the first time in three years.

Another round of talks is due to begin in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Israel agreed to release the 26 long-term prisoners as the first of 104 Palestinian and Israeli Arab inmates to be freed over the next few months.

Relatives and friends of the freed prisoners have gathered on the frontier with Gaza.

The inmates were named by Israel’s prison service shortly after midnight on Sunday, giving victims’ families 48 hours to submit legal challenges to the High Court.

Earlier on Tuesday, the court rejected an appeal by a victims’ rights group that objected to the release of all of the prisoners.

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Brazil: Public prosecutors begin legal action against Samsung over labor laws violation

Clyde K. Valle
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Brazil: Public prosecutors begin legal action against Samsung over labor laws violation

Public prosecutors in Brazil have begun legal action against Samsung, alleging that it has been violating labor laws at its factory in the Amazon region.

Prosecutors accuse Samsung of making its employees work long, tiring shifts without sufficient breaks.

Brazilian prosecutors accuse Samsung of making its employees work long, tiring shifts without sufficient breaks
Brazilian prosecutors accuse Samsung of making its employees work long, tiring shifts without sufficient breaks

The prosecutors’ office in the city of Manaus said one worker reported packing nearly 3,000 phones a day.

Samsung plant, located at the Manaus Free Trade zone, employs some 6,000 people.

A worker at the Amazonas state factory has only 32 seconds to fully assemble a mobile phone and 65 seconds to put together a television set, prosecutors allege.

In evidence given to prosecutors, employees say shifts can last 15 hours and some say they suffer from back ache and cramps as they are forced to stand for up to 10 hours a day.

The prosecutors’ office is claiming more than 250 million reais ($108 million) in damages from Samsung for serious violations of labor legislation.

The legal suit was filed on Friday, but has only now been made public.

American Airlines and US Airways challenged by Department of Justice

Clyde K. Valle
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0
American Airlines and US Airways challenged by Department of Justice

The Department of Justice has filed an anti-trust case to block the merger of American Airlines and US Airways.

The $11 billion deal, which would form the world’s largest airline, was backed by a federal judge in March and has been approved by the European Union.

The complaint says customers would see a price rise as the merger would “substantially lessen competition” in the domestic market.

US Airways boss Doug Parker said the company would fight the injunction.

“We are extremely disappointed in this action and believe the DOJ [Department of Justice] is wrong in its assessment,” Doug Parker said in a letter to employees.

The District of Columbia and six US states and have joined the legal action: Texas, where American Airlines is headquartered, Arizona, where US Airways is based, Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.

American Airlines and US Airways said that in light of the justice department’s action they no longer expected the merger to close by the end of 2013, but that they remained “hopeful” litigation would be over by year’s end.

The Department of Justice has filed an anti-trust case to block the merger of American Airlines and US Airways
The Department of Justice has filed an anti-trust case to block the merger of American Airlines and US Airways

Shares in both companies fell, along with the stock prices of other airlines, as news of the anti-trust case hit the markets on Tuesday.

“By challenging this merger, the Department of Justice is saying that the American people deserve better,” US Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.

“This transaction would result in consumers paying the price – in higher air fares, higher fees and fewer choices.”

The lawsuit also cites direct competition between the airlines on nonstop routes worth about $2 billion in annual revenues.

In one example, the complaint says the newly merged company would take up 69% of flights out of Washington’s Reagan National Airport and 63% of nonstop routes out of the airport.

The airlines had previously conceded take-off and landing slots at airports in Philadelphia and London in order to win EU approval last week.

When the deal was announced in February, Senate Commerce Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller also expressed concern that consumers would lose.

American Airlines has been in bankruptcy protection since November 2011, but US Airways has been profitable in recent years.

The two combined airlines would have 6,700 daily flights and annual revenue of roughly $40 billion.

The justice department complaint argues the two companies do not need to merge to continue to be competitive, and that American Airlines is likely to exit bankruptcy as a “vigorous competitor”.

The department also cited American Airlines’ purchase two years ago of 460 new planes, said to be the largest such order in industry history.

If the merger continues, there will be only three major US airlines, which the justice department alleges “increasingly prefer tacit coordination over full-throated competition”.

Some industry analysts suggest that American Airlines and US Airways’ ability to compete without a merger is not as strong as the department argues.

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Porter Ridge premieres on Discovery Channel

Sonia Pantiss
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Porter Ridge premieres on Discovery Channel

Porter Ridge, which makes its debut on the Discovery Channel on Tuesday night, is a reality show from the makers of Duck Dynasty, A&E’s daffy, delightful ratings juggernaut, which begins its fourth season on Wednesday.

Docu-series Porter Ridge, set in a remote area of Indiana, follows an isolated community which, according to the network, follows three rules: respect the Lord, love your family and watch each other’s backs.

In the premiere episode of Porter Ridge we meet Terry Porter and the gang as they take on a repo mission confronting their rivals, the Dog Killer Ridge crew.

Porter Ridge has the same problem most shows in this genre have: Everyone’s trying too hard. The show looks in on a backwoods microcosm in Indiana. Terry Porter, who seems to own no shirts, runs an auto junkyard.

Porter Ridge makes its debut on the Discovery Channel
Porter Ridge makes its debut on the Discovery Channel

Jeff Watson, whose beard is somewhat better trimmed than the well-known ones on Duck Dynasty, keeps bears as pets, though, in the premiere, it is not clear why. Assorted other characters with supposed-to-be-idiosyncratic names are also drifting about: Dirty Andy, another big-bearded fellow; Elvis Larry, who has the Elvis sideburns. There’s a rival junkyard on a rival ridge – Dog Killer Ridge, to be exact.

Wacky names and deep-woods dialect (subtitles are occasionally used in Porter Ridge) are all over reality television, and they’re amusing for about 15 minutes. That’s how long it takes to realize that life in a junkyard universe isn’t all that interesting if the people aren’t interesting themselves.

There is occasional wit in Porter Ridge, as when Terry Porter’s wife, Carrie, expresses a desire for a vacation.

“How long has it been since you’ve taken me on a trip?” Carrie asks Terry.

“Didn’t I take you to the Iron Skillet a week ago?” he says.

But those modest flourishes are few and far between; mostly, you’re just supposed to gawk at the rusticness of it all and be amused by antics like trying to open an old safe by dynamiting it.

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Duck Dynasty returns tomorrow night for Season 4

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Duck Dynasty returns tomorrow night for Season 4

The conservative Louisiana family returns tomorrow night for Season 4 of their mega-hit A&E reality show Duck Dynasty.

The last time we the Robertsons was in April, when their Season 3 finale broke records for A&E, pulling in 9.6 million viewers to become the most-watched show in its history.

“It’s amazing how appealing these people are all over the country,” says Elaine Fontain Bryant, A&E’s senior vice president of nonfiction and alternative programming.

“We really haven’t come across many people who don’t love them.”

The Robertson family, which became millionaires selling duck calls – the whistles blown to flush out ducks – has proven to be popular even outside of reality TV.

Duck Dynasty returns tomorrow night for Season 4
Duck Dynasty returns tomorrow night for Season 4

They currently have two books on the New York Times bestseller list – Phil Robertson’s memoir Happy, Happy, Happy and Willie and Korie Robertson’s The Duck Commander Family – and three more books due out this fall, including another memoir, a devotional book and a cookbook.

The Duck Dynasty stars have got a Christmas album coming out in October, a theme cruise setting sail next summer (which is already sold out) and a line of prom dresses inspired by Sadie Robertson.

As if TV, books, music, travel and fashion weren’t enough, some Republicans are itching for Willie Robertson, the star of the show and CEO of the family business, to run for political office. An outside advisor to House GOP leadership told the Washington Examiner yesterday they hope for Willie Robertson to run for the 5th District Congressional seat left open by the exit of Louisiana Republican Rodney Alexander.

Of the tidal wave of fame, straight-shooting patriarch Phil Robertson tells The New York Post: “Our greatest fear is that we come out on the other side of this thing acting like Charlie Sheen.”

Duck Dynasty Season 4 premieres on Wednesday, August 14, at 10/9C on A & E.

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Sadie Robertson teams up with Sherri Hill to create prom dresses

Lisa.Felice
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Sadie Robertson teams up with Sherri Hill to create prom dresses

Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson is teaming up with designer Sherri Hill to create a line of prom dresses.

Willie Robertson’s daughter is finding herself in the spotlight once again after American Idol winner Scotty McCreery serenaded Sadie at her Sweet Sixteen party last month.

The Sadie Robertson Live Original collection, available next spring, will feature retro-inspired dresses with hem lengths that are “Willie approved”.

The Sadie Robertson Live Original collection, available next spring, will feature retro-inspired dresses with hem lengths that are “Willie approved”
The Sadie Robertson Live Original collection, available next spring, will feature retro-inspired dresses with hem lengths that are “Willie approved”

That’s very important, as Sadie Robertson’s protective father has vetoed her prom dress choices in the past.

In last season’s Duck Be a Lady episode, the 16-year-old struggled to find a gown that both she and the stern Willie Robertson liked.

Now, Sadie Robertson and girls like her across the country won’t have to worry about finding appropriate evening wear.

Not only that, but Sadie Robertson will model her designs on the runway at Sherri Hill’s New York Fashion Week on September 9.

Duck Dynasty Season 4 premieres Wednesday, August 14, at 10 PM on A&E.

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How Duck Dynasty stars spread Christian message

Sonia Pantiss
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How Duck Dynasty stars spread Christian message

Duck Dynasty stars have spent much of the summer doing the rounds on the speaking circuit, rubbing shoulders with everyone from Tim Tebow to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to Sarah Palin.

They conservative Louisiana family was just celebrated at Rick Warren’s church for a congregation-wide Duck Dynasty day – spreading a message founded on their Christian faith, promoting family values and, of course, the right to bear arms.

Phil Robertson, the family patriarch who is the family’s camo decked evangelist, joined forces with his oldest son, Alan, a Church of Christ minister to headline Warren’s event on July 21.

Warning members against “political correctness trumping Biblical correctness”, Phil Robertson preached multiple messages to the thousands who turned out for the festivities – which included a beard-growing contest.

The stars of the popular show, among cable’s most watched programs, still run their multi-million dollar hunting goods company and have expanded their empire to produce everything from camo-emblazoned Christian devotionals, cigars, onesies bearing the Duck Commander logo and duck calls that retail from $9.95 to $179.95.

Phil Robertson, who began the duck call manufacturing operation from meager beginnings in 1972, appears on Duck Dynasty with his wife, Miss Kay, and his hilarious brother with a sweet tea addiction, Uncle Si.

Three of Phil Robertson’s four sons – the straight talking Jase, Willie (who followed his father as CEO of the company) and the youngest, and indulged, Jep – have all appeared on the show since Season 1.

Duck Dynasty stars have spent much of the summer spreading a message founded on their Christian faith
Duck Dynasty stars have spent much of the summer spreading a message founded on their Christian faith

The eldest Robertson, Alan, is the only non-bearded one in the mix and has just left his work at the local church to help his family manage their new fame.

Describing himself as the “normal one,” Alan Robertson will be joining Duck Dynasty Season 4 that premieres August 14.

The self-proclaimed rednecks, with a lovable loathing for yuppies, have not allowed their stardom get to their heads but have become some of the most sought after stars for engagements far and away from their homebase of Monroe, Louisiana.

This May, Willie Robertson – the family’s third born who runs the Duck Commander company – rubbed shoulders with GOP darlings at the NRA convention, and was even rumored to be under consideration to join the gun group’s board.

Then in July, Willie Robertson was the star at LifeWay’s Main Event, a men’s conference sponsored by the Southern Baptist convention.

Father of five Willie Robertson, 41, will return to Nashville in August to deliver an address at the Cornerstone church, where an estimated 10,000 are expected to turn out.

Though Willie Robertson gets a lot of attention on the show, the other Roberston family members can still bring out a crowd.

Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, invited Phil, Kay and Si Robertson to speak at their annual Don Meyer Evening of Excellence fundraiser in April.

In 2010, Tim Tebow had spoken at the event and the school was doubtful they could ever “top the buzz of Tebow” but the Robertsons did.

The event sold out so quickly, they added another talk and then a third talk in order to accommodate the demand.

People from 17 states purchased tickets and flew in from across the country to join the 15,000 who turned out to hear the Robertson trio banter on stage.

It was the biggest event ever in the school’s 125 year history.

Though much of the event focused on the hilarious antics of the family business, the talk closed with a spiritual message from Phil Robertson – where he presented the Gospel and invited attendees to accept Christ.

High says that the family’s Christian beliefs are a non-negotiable when they agree to speak.

“I’ve never seen them speak anywhere where there is not a specific, Christian faith element,” Phil Robertson said.

Back in April, Si Robertson told The Tennessean that though the show runs on A&E, the cable network isn’t the one in charge of the future.

“The Almighty is running this thing and he’s gonna take it where he wants it to go,” Si Robertson told The Tennessean, in between sips of iced tea.

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Willie Robertson encouraged to run for Congress in Louisiana

Sonia Pantiss
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Willie Robertson encouraged to run for Congress in Louisiana

Several Republican strategists are pushing Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Rodney Alexander in September, according to a new report.

A well-liked conservative Willie Robertson may be the next pop culture icon to jump into politics, a new report claims.

Willie Robertson is receiving intense interest from several Washington operatives as a potential future Congressman, the Washington Examiner reported.

Republican strategists are pushing Willie Robertson to run for the seat currently held by Republican Rodney Alexander, who is slated to retire in September to take a job in Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s cabinet.

A special election will be held to fill the open seat in September.

Several Republican strategists are pushing Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Rodney Alexander in September
Several Republican strategists are pushing Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Rodney Alexander in September

“My boys want to run Willie Robertson for the seat,” a key advisor to House GOP leadership told the Examiner.

The seat represents the state’s fifth district, which includes Willie Robertson’s home city of Monroe, where he and his brothers own and run popular hunting companies Duck Commander and Buck Commander, which are at the center of Duck Dynasty reality show.

But the stars of the show, among cable’s most watched programs, also devote time to a message of Christian faith, family values and the right to bear arms — all themes that would fit in well with a possible Republican campaign.

Willie Robertson, along with his brothers, has expanded his national profile in recent months, spending part of the summer on the Christian lecture circuit at events with Rick Warren, Tim Tebow and Sarah Palin. Earlier this year, he was even drafted to be included on the ballot for the NRA’s board of directors

But despite Willie Robertson’s rising star, some GOP insiders remain skeptical over his ability to cross over into politics.

“Why would a multimillionaire TV sensation give up that work to run for a congressional seat,” another prominent GOP strategist told the Examiner.

“I think it is a D.C. thing right now.”

Jon Brookes dead: The Charlatans drummer dies of brain cancer at 44

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Jon Brookes dead: The Charlatans drummer dies of brain cancer at 44

The Charlatans drummer Jon Brookes has died aged 44.

Jon Brookes had suffered a seizure on tour with the band in 2010 and had been receiving treatment for a brain tumor.

He had undergone several operations, but had still been working on new material with the band over the summer.

Jon Brookes died in hospital on Tuesday morning with his family at his bedside.

The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess tweeted that the band was “torn apart” at the news and sent love to Jon Brookes’s family.

“Jon Brookes, my friend, our drummer and inspiration to so many, passed away this morning. We are torn apart. Love & thoughts to Jon’s family,” he said.

Tim Burgess also thanked “everyone for their messages and memories of Jon Brookes. So much love on such a sad day”.

Jon Brookes had suffered a seizure on tour with the band in 2010 and had been receiving treatment for a brain tumor
Jon Brookes had suffered a seizure on tour with the band in 2010 and had been receiving treatment for a brain tumor

A further statement from the band read: “Jon was a brilliant drummer, an inspiration, a founding member of The Charlatans, part of our family and a friend to everyone in and around the band.

“Losing someone who was always so full of life is a tragedy that will be shared by so many. Our thoughts are with Debbie and all of Jon’s family.”

Jon Brookes was diagnosed with a brain tumor after collapsing during a Charlatans gig in Philadelphia, in the United States in 2010.

He briefly stopped breathing and was helped by a doctor attending the show, before being taken to hospital for emergency treatment.

The rest of their US tour was cancelled as Jon Brookes was flown to the UK for treatment.

Speaking afterwards Jon Brookes described how he “saw lights” in the corner of his eyes before collapsing at the concert and said he was at the “start of the long road of treatment for cancer” but was “feeling fit and positive”.

In July this year the band revealed that Jon Brookes had undergone further surgery for the brain tumor.

They said he had recovered well from the operation but would remain in hospital for additional treatment.

Jon Brookes, of Burntwood, Staffordshire, was a founding member of the band that formed in the West Midlands in 1989.

Another original band member, keyboardist Rob Collins, died in a car accident in 1996.

The Charlatans have had 22 UK top 40 hits, including The Only One I Know, Can’t Get Out Of Bed and One To Another.

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LG G2 balloon stunt leaves 20 people injured in Seoul

Nancy Clayson
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LG G2 balloon stunt leaves 20 people injured in Seoul

Twenty people were injured, with seven being hospitalized, when a promotional stunt in Seoul for LG’s G2 smartphone went wrong, the company has said.

LG has cancelled a series of events promoting the handset as a result of the incident in Seoul on Friday.

People arrived with BB guns and knives on sticks for a race to grab smartphone vouchers hanging from helium balloons.

LG has taken responsibility for the situation and said it would cover related medical costs.

“LG Electronics deeply regrets that a number of Korean participants were injured during an outdoor promotional event in Seoul, Korea,” a statement from the company said.

“We can confirm that seven participants were hospitalized and, although none of the injuries were serious, LG takes full responsibility for the unfortunate situation and has offered to cover all related medical expenses.

People arrived with BB guns and knives on sticks for a race to grab LG G2 smartphone vouchers hanging from helium balloons
People arrived with BB guns and knives on sticks for a race to grab LG G2 smartphone vouchers hanging from helium balloons

“LG is investigating the incident to ensure that such an occurrence can be avoided in the future.”

The company added that other planned events had been called off because of safety concerns.

LG released 100 helium balloons, each with a free smartphone voucher, at the so-called G in the Cloud event, which took place in an outdoor park in the South Korean capital city.

The phones, which sell for KRW 950,000 in South Korea ($851), would be given to people in possession of the voucher, the company said.

Customers arrived with BB guns to shoot down the balloons and surged forward when they were released.

One person carried a pointed staff to the event.

One regional TV channel has dubbed the scrum “World War G” – a comparison to the film World War Z in which zombies scramble over each other to climb over a wall.

The handset was released in New York last week, after weeks of build-up on social media.

It is expected to be available globally with more than 130 carriers within several weeks.

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