James Gandolfini’s private viewing is underway in Westwood, a small northern New Jersey town near where the actor grew up.
Mourners began arriving late on Wednesday afternoon at an invitation-only wake for family and friends at the Robert Spearing Funeral Home in Park Ridge, near Westwood where the 51-year-old grew up.
Meanwhile, Broadway theatres in New York City dimmed their marquee lights on Wednesday night in memory of the late Sopranos star, who earned a Tony Award nomination in 2009 for his role in the award-winning God of Carnage.
James Gandolfini died suddenly last week from a heart attack while on holiday with his family in Italy.
Both James Gandolfini’s widow Deborah Lin and his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski were among the mourners at Wednesday’s wake.
His funeral will be held Thursday at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City.
James Gandolfini’s widow Deborah Lin and his ex-wife Marcy Wudarski were among the mourners at his wake in New Jersey
Meanwhile, James Gandolfini’s former Sopranos costar Lillo Brancato Jr. spoke about his shock at the actor’s passing.
Lillo Brancato is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence at Hudson Correctional Facility in New York for his role in a robbery that left a police officer dead.
“I couldn’t believe my ears,” Lillo Brancato told The New York Daily News.
“I thought it was a mistake.”
James Gandolfini and Marcy Wudarski divorced in December 2002, and their 13-year-old son Michael allegedly found his father’s body after having a massive heart attack in hotel bathroom in Rome.
Marcy Wudarski and James Gandolfini endured a turbulent separation and divorce but are thought to have grown closer over shared custody of their boy during recent years.
On August 30, 2008, after two years of dating, James Gandolfini married former model Deborah Lin in her hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii.
They baby daughter Liliana Ruth Gandolfini, was born in October 2012 in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, the first showing of James Gandolfini’s work in crime-drama Animal Rescue was greeted with a reverential silence and respectful applause.
A top Searchlight executive introducing Animal Rescue tells international theater owners, “we are all very deeply saddened and feel very honored to have worked with him”.
Animal Rescue is the last film James Gandolfoni shot before his death on June 19 in Italy.
James Gandolfini, who plays a bar owner in the crime drama, stars with Tom Hardy and Noomi Repace.
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to Mozambique on Thursday after visiting former leader Nelson Mandela, 94, who remains critically ill in a Pretoria hospital.
Jacob Zuma’s spokesman Mac Maharaj said his condition had deteriorated “in the past 48 hours”.
South Africa’s first black president has been in hospital since June 8 with a recurring lung infection.
Doctors were doing everything to ensure his well-being, a statement said.
Emotional crowds continue to gather outside the hospital, adding messages of support for Nelson Mandela.
Correspondents say South Africans now seem resigned to the prospect of his death.
“We are all going to feel bad when he passes [away], but at the same time we will be celebrating his life. He has done so many great things for this country,” said 25-year-old John Ndlovu, quoted by Reuters news agency.
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to Mozambique on Thursday after visiting former leader Nelson Mandela
Jacob Zuma was due to attend a regional summit in the Mozambican capital Maputo on Thursday, but decided to cancel his trip.
The statement from his office said he “reiterated his gratitude on behalf of government, to all South Africans who continue to support the Madiba family”.
President Jacob Zuma’s decision to cancel the visit to Mozambique where he was to attend a regional infrastructure investment conference will only reinforce the impression that Nelson Mandela’s life is slipping away.
But later Jacob Zuma’s office warned against speculation about Nelson Mandela’s health, saying that announcements about his condition would come from the president himself or Mac Maharaj.
Mac Maharaj criticized some media outlets for broadcasting unverified information, as rumors spread on social media sites.
Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was elected president the following year. He left office in 1999 after a single term.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
Police have used tear gas to stop protesters from approaching a football stadium during a Brazil-Uruguay Confederations Cup match.
About 50,000 protesters marched to the stadium in Belo Horizonte.
A small number of them tried to push past police lines. About 20 people were detained.
The crowds repeated the demands they have made since the protests began – more spending on education and health, and a crackdown on corruption.
They also complained about the high cost of the 2014 World Cup, for which the Confederations Cup is a dress rehearsal.
Police have used tear gas to stop protesters from approaching a football stadium during a Brazil-Uruguay Confederations Cup match
The match has now finished; Brazil beat Uruguay 2-1, and qualified for the final of the tournament.
Since the demonstrations escalated last week, President Dilma Rousseff has introduced a series of measures to answer some of those demands.
In the capital, Brasilia, campaigners against social inequality have placed 594 footballs in front of the parliament building to show that the “ball is in the court of the Congress to pass the reforms demanded by those on the streets”.
A key grievance of protesters was a proposed constitutional amendment, PEC 37, which would have limited the power of federal prosecutors to investigate crimes – which demonstrators claim could have opened the way for more corruption.
But on Tuesday, the proposed measure was defeated by 430 votes to nine.
Congress also voted to use all the royalties from newly discovered oil fields for education and health.
Some of the largest oil finds in recent years have been discovered off the Brazilian coast, and the country is expected to be able to produce tens of billions of barrels of crude oil over the coming decades.
In another attempt to pacify protesters, the government promised to speed up the pace of reform.
It said it would simplify a referendum to establish a constituent assembly – proposed on Monday by President Dilma Rousseff – to allow for a vote as early as 7 September.
The president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, has proposed free transport for all students.
The rising cost of public transport was the main catalyst for the protests, and various city authorities have already decided to reverse fare increases.
Paris Jackson was reportedly the victim of cruel cyber-bullying, it has been claimed today.
Paris Jackson, 15, is reported to have suffered so many vile taunts on-line that she was eventually pushed to breaking point.
TMZ reports that Paris Jackson – who attempted to take her own life earlier this month – was almost “destroyed” by the vicious insults.
“Some of the comments involve the various molestation allegations … others involve the odd life Paris lived while Michael was alive,” the site claims.
The source adds: “They destroyed her.”
Paris Jackson has suffered so many vile taunts on-line that she was eventually pushed to breaking point
It is understood that Paris Jackson, who is recovering at UCLA Medica Center, does not currently have access to the social networking site Facebook.
However, her family are reportedly worried for Michael Jackson’s daughter when she eventually returns to the site.
The reports suggests that family members have even tried to shut down the account, but Facebook’s policy states that no family members have the right to shut down an account if the user is 13 years of age or older.
Adding to Paris Jackson’s troubles before her suicide attempt earlier this month, was her part in her family’s wrongful death suit, regarding her father Michael Jackson, against concert promoters AEG.
Paris Jackson was recently seen giving a video testimonial, recorded in March this year, which was replayed during the trial last week.
The videos were used after lawyers for the Jackson family told the judge that Paris, who is suing concert giant AEG along with her grandmother Katherine, 83, and siblings, would be unable to testify in person due to the fact that she is still recovering in hospital.
During a testimony in the Jackson family’s wrongful death suit against AEG Live regarding Michael Jackson’s death, personal chef Kai Chase revealed Paris is “devastated and lost”.
Microsoft has officially released Windows 8.1 – an update to its Windows 8 operating system – during a keynote speech at its annual developers conference in San Francisco.
The free test version of the update is available to download now and the full version will be released to Windows 8 users later this year.
The lock screen is being turned into a “cloud-powered photo frame” that will shows photos stored on the device and in SkyDrive.
Microsoft has officially released Windows 8.1
Windows 8.1 also includes a vastly improved “search” function, which allows a user to search for documents, apps, or items on the Internet from a single search bar.
It also allows users to see all their applications immediately in a grid by swiping down or pressing a button on-screen.
There are new personalization options for tiles including colors and fonts.
Users can also customize the start screen much more easily; changing sizes of app icons or controlling which apps appear.
For the first time, it will be possible to open two windows simultaneously in the new-look interface.
Windows 8.1 includes Microsoft’s latest browser, Internet Explorer 11, and lets the user restore the address bar and tabs to the screen view.
Microsoft has released Windows 8.1 – an update to its Windows 8 operating system – during a keynote speech at its annual developers conference in San Francisco.
The free test version of the update is available to download now and the full version will be released to Windows 8 users later this year.
Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer also confirmed that the start button has been reinstated in Windows 8.1 after it was controversially removed from Windows 8 last October.
“Let’s make it easier to start applications in the way we are used to,” said Steve Ballmer, to cheers from the audience.
“We will bring back the start button, and you can boot straight to the desktop if you want to.
“We have refined the blend of our desktop experience and our modern app experience.”
Microsoft came under fire for its controversial “start screen” in Windows 8, which gave users a series of tiles instead of a traditional desktop PC menu with a start button.
This left many confused, and caused a slower than expected uptake of the new software – which also faced increasing competition from Apple and the tablet market.
However, Steve Ballmer said Microsoft was not abandoning its start menu and said it was slowly beginning to attract app developers to Windows 8.
“Within this month we’ll pass the 100,000 app mark in the Windows store,” said Steve Ballmer.
Flipboard, Facebook and the NFL all revealed new apps.
The new Windows 8.1 includes a vastly improved “search” function, which lets users search for documents, apps, or items on the Internet from a single search bar.
The feature resembles Apple’s Spotlight feature.
Microsoft has released Windows 8.1 during a keynote speech at its annual developers conference in San Francisco
Another new feature in Windows 8.1 also allows users to easily see a list of all their apps simply by swiping up on the screen.
“This update shows how much more responsive our engineering has become,” said Julie Larson-Green, head of Windows at Microsoft.
“We’ve had over 800 updates to Windows 8 since we launched it.”
Julie Larson-Green showed off a new Acer 8.1inch tablet running Windows 8.1 – designed to take on the iPad mini.
It uses new gestures such as being able to slide along the screen’s space bar to select menu items.
Julie Larson-Green also showed off a range of touchscreen PCs running Windows 8.1.
“Pretty much every screen you own is going to be touch,” she said.
She demonstrated a convertible Windows 8 laptop that also works as tablet, and large touchscreen machines.
There were also laptops with touchscreens plus an 18inch tablet from Dell that doubles as a desktop computer when docked.
Microsoft has additionally built direct support for 3D printers and even Lego robotic kits into Windows 8.1.
During her speech, Julie Larson-Green unveiled a redesigned the Xbox Music app, a music-streaming service, integrated into all versions of Windows 8, too.
The Spotify-killer app lets owners stream and buy music from anywhere in Windows.
Elsewhere, users can customize the start screen much more easily, changing sizes of app icon “tiles” or controlling which apps appear.
For the first time, it will be possible to open two windows simultaneously in the new-look interface.
Steve Ballmer promised the firm would continue tweaking the software to make it easier to use.
“Rapid release is the new norm for everything we do, from Windows to hardware,” he said.
Windows 8.1 includes Microsoft’s latest browser, Internet Explorer 11, and lets the user restore the address bar and tabs to the screen view.
Earlier this month Microsoft released a preview video showcasing all these new features.
Microsoft removed the button from the Windows 8 operating system when it was released last year but many customers complained and demanded it was put back.
Screenshots leaked in May suggested that Microsoft would be reinstating the button and an official preview video at the start of June confirmed it – albeit not directly.
During the preview demonstration, Harris swipes between screens and lands on the Desktop view.
A Windows logo is shown in the bottom left-hand corner.
Although it will not be labelled “start”, the leaked screenshots suggested that Windows logo would takes the user straight to a grid of applications.
To catch a glimpse of the button, skip to 2.11 in the video above.
That feature was missing in the initial version of Windows 8, which was designed to make the most of limited screen space on a tablet but tended to disorient traditional mouse and keyboard users.
Executives say the plan is now to update Windows periodically, rather than waiting three years or so between big releases.
The world’s largest software company is hoping to kickstart sales of its latest Windows version, which has not made the splash with computer users it was hoping for.
Although Microsoft has sold more than 100 million Windows 8 licenses since October, broadly in line with Windows 7 three years ago, the company must tackle a dwindling PC user base and its inability to make a mark in the exploding tablet market.
Shipments of traditional PCs – the most reliable gauge of Windows’ popularity – are expected to fall almost 8 percent this year, while Microsoft’s Surface has taken less than 2% of the tablet market.
Windows 8 was designed to be used both on touch-screen tablets and traditional PCs.
But while touch-screen users tend to like the new “tile”-based interface, many mouse and keyboard users complained that the new design was confusing.
Glastonbury, the UK’s biggest music festival, is due to get under way in two days’ time, but for thousands of music fans the race to pitch their tents is now in full flow.
This year’s headliners at Glastonbury are the Arctic Monkeys, The Rolling Stones and Mumford & Sons.
Revelers have been hauling boxes of alcohol and camping gear as they trundle to their chosen camping spots.
Police made their first arrest of the festival when suspected drugs were found inside fruit pastille sweets.
Some 175,000 people will attend the festival in Somerset with an estimated 20,000 of them expected to arrive by coach or train.
Earlier, former Oasis frontman, Liam Gallagher was seen arriving at Castle Cary – the nearest railway station to Pilton.
Liam Gallagher is rumored to be playing a set with his band Beady Eye.
Glastonbury festival is due to get under way in two days’ time, but for thousands of music fans the race to pitch their tents is now in full flow
Unlike previous years, the weather for the next few days is expected to remain fairly settled – although some drizzle is forecast for Friday.
Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis said he believed the weather, combined with the line-up, means this year’s festival will be “unusually good”.
“The whole thing is fantastic,” the 77-year-old farmer said.
“There are 1,000 acres of creativity on a massive scale and to a very, very high standard.
“You won’t see anything else like this in the whole world.”
Other highlights this year will be appearances by Primal Scream, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Professor Green and Dizzee Rascal.
Although the Wombles will not be returning to the stage, some of the more unusual acts over the next few days include Sir Bruce Forsyth, country star Kenny Rogers and the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Monks.
Traffic has been flowing steadily along the main roads into the 900-acre festival site, at Worthy Farm, near Pilton.
Chief Inspector John Holt from Avon and Somerset Police said: “The event organizers are doing all they can to get people into the festival as quickly and as safely as possible.”
He added people should also consider routes other than the A361.
John Holt said: “The majority of people have been using satellite navigation and coming off the M5 – we would stress that there are other routes down.
“The A37 is actually pretty clear and the A39 – so there are other options.”
The police have estimated traffic will remain busy for the rest of the day and into Thursday. Monday will also be another busy day as people make their way home.
Glastonbury is returning after a one-year hiatus in the Olympic summer of 2012. During the one-year break, Michael Eavis grew wheat on the festival fields.
Pope Francis has set up a commission of inquiry to review the activities of the Vatican bank, following recent scandals.
Earlier this month, Pope Francis named a trusted cleric to oversee the management of the bank, which is known officially as the Institute for Religious Works.
The institution, one of the world’s most secretive banks, has been beset by allegations of money-laundering.
Vatican bank has 114 employees and $7.1 billion (5.4 billion euros) of assets.
Pope Francis has set up a commission of inquiry to review the activities of the Vatican bank
The new commission is tasked with ensuring the bank operates in “harmony” with the mission of the Church.
It is made up of Mary Ann Glendon, a Harvard law professor, and four senior clerics: Italian cardinal Raffaele Farina, French cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, Spanish bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru and US cleric Monsignor Peter Bryan Wells.
On June 15, Pope Francis appointed Monsignor Battista Mario Salvatore Ricca as the bank’s interim prelate – effectively his representative at the institution.
In February, German lawyer Ernst von Freyberg was named the bank’s new chairman, eight months after his predecessor was ousted amid a money-laundering inquiry.
His appointment was one of the last acts of Pope Francis’s predecessor, Benedict XVI.
Ernst von Freyberg set about instituting checks on the bank’s 19,000 accounts, which are mostly held by Vatican employees, charities, priests and nuns.
Ecuador officials say it could take months to rule on an asylum bid by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said it had taken Ecuador two months to grant asylum to Julian Assange, the founder of whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.
The website has been lending legal support to Edward Snowden, who is in a transit zone at a Moscow airport.
A WikiLeaks tweet said the American was “well” and being accompanied by one of its legal advisers “at all times”.
The website has not further elaborated on Edward Snowden’s whereabouts.
Both WikiLeaks and Russia have denied reports that the Russian secret police have questioned the American.
Edward Snowden first fled to Hong Kong before flying to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday.
He was expected to board a flight to the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Monday but his seat remained vacant.
Edward Snowden, 30, has had his US passport revoked and applied for Ecuadorean asylum.
Ecuador officials say it could take months to rule on an asylum bid by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden
On Wednesday, Ricardo Patino compared the case to that of Julian Assange, who has been living inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London for more than a year.
Julian Assange walked into the embassy when his appeal against extradition to Sweden for questioning on accusations of sex crimes was turned down last June.
“It took us more than two months to make a decision in the case of Assange, so do not expect us to make a decision sooner this time,” Ricardo Patino told reporters.
Ricardo Patino said Ecuador had not yet decided whether to offer protection to Edward Snowden in the meantime.
“If he goes to an embassy, then we will make a decision,” the foreign minister said.
Ecuador said it would consider the American’s application “responsibly” and would weigh “human rights obligations”.
It added that the US would have to submit its position in writing regarding Edward Snowden.
Venezuela has also said it will consider an asylum application from Edward Snowden.
Edward Snowden’s case has caused a diplomatic spat, with the US accusing Russia and China of assisting the fugitive. Both nations have rejected the charges.
Russia earlier confirmed that Edward Snowden was still in a transit zone at the Moscow airport.
Although the country has no extradition treaty with the US, Washington said it wanted Moscow to extradite Edward Snowden without delay.
But Russia said that the American was technically not yet under its jurisdiction because he had not passed through immigration.
Meanwhile China described accusations that it allowed Edward Snowden to leave Hong Kong despite an arrest warrant as “groundless and unacceptable”.
The Chinese government has expressed deep concern about the leaker’s allegations that the US had hacked into networks in China.
Edward Snowden is wanted by the US for leaking highly sensitive information to the media about a secret government surveillance programme, which he obtained while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).
He is charged with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence.
Edward Snowden’s leaks have led to revelations that the US is systematically seizing vast amounts of phone and web data under an NSA programme known as Prism.
US officials have defended the practice of gathering telephone and internet data from private users around the world.
They say PRISM cannot be used to target intentionally any Americans or anyone in the US, and stress that it is supervised by judges.
British Airways is to become the first European airline to let passengers switch on their mobile phones and other devices just after landing.
From 1st of July, once an aircraft has got off the runway people can power up their electronics, rather than having to wait until it has stopped.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said it is satisfied there are no safety implications.
Airlines from other countries have allowed similar rules for some time.
Passengers have generally been forbidden from using their electronic devices on planes owing to fears of interference, especially when taking off and landing.
BA’s new rules will allow mobiles to be switched on and used as soon as the aircraft is off the runway.
“Customers will no longer have the frustration of having to wait until their plane has arrived at the terminal building before being able to use their mobile phones and other handheld electronic devices,” said Ian Pringle, BA flight training manager.
British Airways is to become the first European airline to let passengers switch on their mobile phones and other devices just after landing
“Now they’ll have that extra time to phone ahead for that important business meeting, check their emails, or make sure someone is there to meet them at the airport.”
The rules will not affect restrictions during take-off, however, where devices will still have to be switched off until the plane reaches 10,000 ft (3,050 m).
The change, which will apply to BA flights landing anywhere in the world, is in response to feedback from customers, the airline said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the equivalent of the CAA in the United States, has also been looking at allowing wider use of personal electronics on flights.
A draft proposal published last week said existing rules, first drawn up in 1966, had become “untenable” in an age of modern technology and communication.
Several studies later, the FAA has agreed to change guidelines, but is still debating to what degree.
The FAA agreed with experts that advances in technology, both in aviation and consumer electronics, mean any threat of interference is either minimal or non-existent.
But there is greater concern about take-off and landing, with authorities keen both to ensure aircraft equipment is not interfered with and that passengers are not overly distracted at “critical” moments.
It is likely that pressure on aviation authorities worldwide to relax rules has been driven by a major revenue opportunity for airlines.
Technology exists, and is in limited use, for passengers to use Wi-Fi internet and to make calls at high altitude, usually at premium rates.
Any change in policy would be welcome news for actor Alec Baldwin. In December 2011, he was kicked off an American Airlines flight before take-off after refusing to stop playing the popular Scrabble-like game Words With Friends.
Australia’s PM Julia Gillard has been ousted by Kevin Rudd as leader of Labor Party.
Kevin Rudd won by 57 votes to 45, in a leadership ballot of Labor lawmakers.
The change comes ahead of a general election due in September, which polls suggest Labor is set to lose.
This is the latest twist in a long and bitter rivalry between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd – but it could be the last as the prime minister has said she will now leave politics.
“I will not re-contest the federal electorate… at the forthcoming election,” said Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female prime minister.
“What I am absolutely confident of is it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that, and I’m proud of that,” she added.
Despite their bitter rivalry, Kevin Rudd praised his predecessor, describing her as a woman of extraordinary intelligence, with great strength and energy.
“Julia, as prime minister and prior to that as deputy prime minister, has achieved much under the difficult circumstances of a minority government,” Kevin Rudd told a news conference after his victory.
Australia’s PM Julia Gillard has been ousted by Kevin Rudd as leader of Labor Party
Kevin Rudd is more popular with voters than Julia Gillard, and many believe Labor will perform better in the election under him.
Wednesday’s leadership test was the third faced by Julia Gillard since she took office in 2010. She herself ousted Kevin Rudd as prime minister in 2010.
Kevin Rudd has exacted his revenge, after three years of him and his supporters mounting a destabilization campaign targeted very much at her.
The ballot followed months of speculation over the party’s leadership, and came after a day of drama that saw Kevin Rudd’s supporters push for a vote.
Shortly before the vote, a key power-broker, Bill Shorten, switched his support to Kevin Rudd, saying Labor stood a better chance in the polls with him.
Many people do not think Kevin Rudd will win the election but he may mitigate the losses and shorten the time Labor could spend in opposition if the party loses.
A poll published earlier this month suggested that three cabinet ministers would lose their seats at the poll under Julia Gillard’s leadership, but would retain their seats if Kevin Rudd was leading the party.
The vote makes Kevin Rudd the leader of the Labor Party, but not prime minister.
Julia Gillard must write to Governor General Quentin Bryce stating that she is resigning as prime minister before Kevin Rudd can be sworn in.
A shake-up in the cabinet is expected following the leadership change.
Deputy PM Wayne Swan has already quit because of Kevin Rudd’s victory. He has been replaced by Kevin Rudd ally and transport minister Anthony Albanese.
Kim Kardashian sent a few friends fake pictures of her baby daughter North West to see who would try to sell them to the press – and now they’ve shown up on gossip website TMZ.
One of Kim Kardashian’s so-called pals attempted to sell the bogus photo of a newborn to a publication.
Kim Kardashian sent a few friends fake pictures of her baby daughter North West to see who would try to sell them to the press
The baby, who is seen wrapped in a blanket, could easily pass for being the child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who was born June 15.
But sources have confirmed that the photo Kim Kardashian sent around was a fake with two images of a baby that is not Kim and Kanye West’s now appearing online.
It seems Kim Kardashian wanted to test the principals of several of her friends as the world waits for a first glimpse of her child.
A second picture of a different baby, which is also believed not to be North West, has been doing the rounds, TMZ claims.
Kim Kardashian left hospital on Thursday and is currently getting used to being a new mother.
She is believed to have moved into mother Kris Jenner’s home, along with little North and Kanye West, until renovations on their $9 million Bel Air home are complete.
Paula Deen appeared on the Today show this morning in a last-ditch attempt to save her career in the wake of her racism scandal.
Disgraced chef Paula Deen sobbed as she claimed “very hurtful lies” had destroyed her reputation and insisted that she had only used the n-word once – something she deeply regretted.
Paula Deen added that she believed she should not have been dropped as a representative for Food Network and Smithfield and that other partners “who know who I am” have stood beside her.
“The main reason I am here today is that it’s important to me that I tell you and everyone out there what I believe and how I live my life,” Paula Dee began.
“I believe that every creature on this earth was created equal.
“I want people to know who I am and people that have worked beside me know what kind of person I am. I am so distressed that people I’ve never heard of are suddenly experts on who I am.
“What you see is what you get. I’m not an actress. I’m heartbroken. I’ve had to hold friends in my arms as they’ve sobbed because they know what’s been sobbed about me that’s not true.”
She said that she had used a racist slur on one occasion in a stressful robbery situation, but said that “it was a world ago” and something she regretted.
“If there’s anyone out there that has never said something that they wish they could take back, please pick up a rock and throw it so hard at my head that it kills me,” Paula Deen sobbed.
“I want to meet you. I want to meet you.”
Paula Deen admitted to using the n-word in a deposition that was released last week. On the Today show she said that, even knowing the upset is has caused her career, she would admit the truth if given the choice again.
“There’s a couple of kinds of people that I don’t like – that I am prejudiced against – and that’s thiefs and liars,” she said.
Paula Deen appeared on the Today show this morning in a last-ditch attempt to save her career in the wake of her racism scandal
Paula Deen appeared on the Today show less than a week after she cancelled an interview amid the scandal over her use of racial slurs.
Following her dismissal from the Food Network, meat producer Smithfield announced at the weekend that they will be dropping Paula Deen as their company spokeswoman and will be ending their partnership. The company also sells a line of Paula Deen-branded hams.
The company released a statement saying it “condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind. Therefore, we are terminating our partnership with Paula Deen”.
Another blow came when it was announced over the weekend that she will not be appearing on home shopping network QVC as litigation continues in the discrimination lawsuit.
Paula Deen, 66, became embroiled in the racial controversy when a former employee testified that she heard Deen repeatedly use the n-word and talk of how she wanted to have a plantation themed wedding for her brother with an all-black serving staff to emulate slaves.
After the testimony was released publicly, both Paula Deen and her career have spiraled out of control in a public relations nightmare.
First she released a heavily-edited video on Friday where she spoke directly to her fans, asking for their forgiveness.
Paula Deen was due to follow that up with an appearance on the Today showthat same morning, but cancelled at the last minute leaving co-anchor Matt Lauer to explain on air.
After the initial video was released another, longer one was then posted on YouTube and was taken down soon after.
In this one she explains her absence from the Today show and apologizes “to those that I have hurt”.
Paula Deen says: “I was invited to speak to Matt Lauer about a subject that has been very hurtful for a lot of people.
“Matt I was physically not able this morning, the pain has been tremendous that I have caused to myself and to others so I am taking this opportunity, now that i have pulled myself together and am able to speak, to offer an apology for those I’ve hurt.”
Over the weekend, her loyal fans showed their support bylining up in droves to eat at her Savannah, Georgia restaurant, and bash the Food Network on social media.
“Everyone in this nation has used a racist comment at one time or another. She grew up in the South,” Facebook user Maria O’Donnell wrote on the channel’s page.
Over the weekend, more stories about the chef’s alleged racism as a former employee alleged that Paula Deen and her brother regularly called him “my little monkey”.
Another told how as an oyster cook at one of her restaurants the black wait staff were regularly forced to work at her private parties held at her Savannah, Georgia estate without pay.
“Paula and Bubba just gave us beer and alcohol and I don’t even drink. It was insulting and unfair. I was like, <<Pay me!>>,” Sheldon J. Ervin told Radar.
While the Network cut ties to the chef, who headlined three shows on the channel that she has worked with for the past 11 years, QVC has waited to make any final moves.
“QVC shares the concerns being raised around the unfortunate Paula Deen situation. QVC does not tolerate discriminatory behavior,” vice president Paul Capelli said in a statement.
“We are closely monitoring these events and the ongoing litigation. We are reviewing our business relationship with Ms Deen, and in the meantime, we have no immediate plans to have her appear on QVC.”
Brazil’s Congress has rejected proposed constitutional amendment PEC 37 that was a key grievance of protesters who took to streets across the country.
Demonstrators had argued PEC 37, which would have limited the power of federal prosecutors to investigate crimes, might open the way for more corruption.
On Tuesday, the measure was defeated by 430 votes to nine.
Congress also voted to use all the royalties from newly discovered oil fields for education and health.
Some of the largest oil finds in recent years have been discovered off the Brazilian coast and the country is expected to be able to produce tens of billions of barrels of crude oil over the coming decades.
However, many of the finds are “pre-sal” (“beneath the salt”) reserves, located deep in the ocean floor.
The process of extracting oil from such depths carries huge risks and requires new technologies, and will take time.
Congress voted to allocate 75% of the royalties of those newly-found pre-sal sites to education and 25% to health, but it is not clear when those royalties would start coming in.
The PEC 37 constitutional amendment rejected on Tuesday had been a thorn in the side of many protesters and its defeat has been described by one national newspaper as a direct result of “pressure from the streets”.
Brazil’s Congress has rejected proposed constitutional amendment PEC 37 that was a key grievance of protesters
The amendment would have assigned the power to conduct criminal investigations exclusively to the police, thus removing the role of federal prosecution service from the evaluation of criminal charges.
Its critics said it would have affected the ability of prosecutors to conduct effective, fair and impartial criminal investigations, including those into organized crime and corruption.
In another move to try and pacify protesters angry at a broad range of issues, including poor public services, high levels of corruption and the high cost of hosting major sporting events such as the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, the government also promised to speed up the pace of reform.
The government said it would simplify a referendum to establish a constituent assembly – proposed on Monday by President Dilma Rousseff – in order to allow for a vote as early as September 7.
Ministers suggested they would focus on a more straightforward referendum proposing political reform.
It could address “concrete questions”, such as campaign financing and political representation, they said.
Education Minister Aloisio Mercadante said the government wanted political reform with “wide public participation”.
“We want [the referendum] to happen as soon as possible,” he said.
A controversial measure to recruit more foreign doctors to address a shortfall in the health system is also going ahead despite the objections of organizations representing Brazilian medical practitioners.
The president of the senate, Renan Calheiros, has proposed free transport for all students.
Various city authorities have reversed increases in public transport fares that were a source of widespread public anger.
The flurry of political activity is taking place ahead of a series of demonstrations in various Brazilian cities on Wednesday.
One of the largest is due to take place in the city of Belo Horizonte where Brazil’s football team will play Uruguay in the semi-final of the Confederations Cup.
There is a public holiday in the city, and tens of thousands of protesters are expected. A protest group has promised to start the day demonstrating in front of the national team’s hotel.
The cost of the World Cup, for which the Confederations Cup is a dress rehearsal, has been a key issue in recent protests.
Security will be tight with thousands of police on duty and other special forces on standby.
There were violent clashes in Belo Horizonte on Saturday during another protest.
The nature of the demonstration is likely to be seen as an early test of whether the rash of political concessions is having an impact, our correspondent adds.
The wave of rallies in more than 100 cities began in Sao Paulo, where residents were unhappy at planned rises in public-transport fares.
Those increases have since been shelved, but the protests spread across Brazil, and the protesters’ demands have become more wide-ranging.
Leading South African cleric Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for ex-President Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba visited Nelson Mandela, 94, in hospital in Pretoria, praying with his wife Graca Machel.
Elders from Nelson Mandela’s Tembu clan are due to visit him on Wednesday, local media say.
Nelson Mandela’s condition became critical on Sunday, following his admission on June 8 with a recurring lung infection.
The scene at the hospital, where well-wishers have decorated a wall with flowers and supportive messages, is described as quiet, save for waiting journalists.
It is Nelson Mandela’s third stay in hospital this year with lung problems.
Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years. He left power after five years as the country’s first black president.
Cape Town Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s prayer, delivered during a visit to the private hospital late on Tuesday, seemed to echo the growing feeling in South Africa that Nelson Mandela is reaching the end of his life, correspondents say.
“May [we] be filled with gratitude for all the good that he has done for us and for our nation, and may [we] honor his legacy through our lives…” reads the prayer, which was posted on Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s Facebook page.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital
“Grant Madiba eternal healing and relief from pain and suffering. Grant him, we pray, a quiet night and a peaceful, perfect, end.”
Meanwhile, a friend of Nelson Mandela and the leader of the opposition United Democratic Movement (UDM) party, Bantu Holomisa, denied that a row had broken out in the ex-president’s family over funeral arrangements.
Bantu Holomisa, along with Nelson Mandela’s children, grandchildren, traditional leaders and government ministers, met on Tuesday in Qunu, the village where Mandela grew up and spent of his time after he stepped down as president in 1999, South Africa’s Star newspaper reports.
“The purpose of the meeting was to brief the elders about Mandela’s condition…. One does not want to leave the elders behind,” Bantu Holomisa told the local Mail and Guardian newspaper.
The Star reports that it has learned from three sources that Nelson Mandela’s grandson and his traditional heir, Mandla, wants the former president to be buried in the nearby village of Mvezo where he was born.
However, other family members want the burial to take place in Qunu and they also want the bodies of three of Nelson Mandela’s children, including his eldest son, Makgatho, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005, to be exhumed from Mvezo and moved back to Qunu, the paper reports.
According to South Africa’s Times newspaper, clan elders are due to travel to Pretoria on Wednesday to visit Nelson Mandela.
The former South African president has children from his two previous wives, Evelyn Mase and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, both of whom he divorced.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
Liberace’s old Las Vegas mansion has been put up for sale for $529,900.
The expansive main living area contains two of Liberace’s favorite chandelier, with mirrored walls and fitted wardrobes.
Another room features a raised stage style area with bright red carpet and a small mirrored ceiling.
One room boasts tile piano keys decorating the floor, while a mirror bar is etched with Liberace’s signature and an image of a piano.
The home sits on almost half an acre of land, includes five fireplaces and “several large areas for entertaining” according to Las Vegas Inc.
A new owner can look forward to a bedroom ceiling adorned with a $1.6 million reproduction of Michelangelo’s painting at the Sistine Chapel, according to the publication.
Liberace’s former Las Vegas Mansion is owned by the JPMorgan Chase bank that seized the home from its last owner through foreclosure and is asking for cash-only offers
There is also one of Liberace’s signature “L” logos left on one of the outside gates of the home, which has changed hands twice since his foundation sold it in 1989.
Another outside shot shows an ornate front door decorated with gold and what looked to be brightly colored stained glass windows at either side of the house.
The two-storey, 14,939 square foot house is on sale for more than $3 million less than in its heyday.
The two bedroom, ten bathroom home, which was built in 1962, is owned by the JPMorgan Chase bank that seized the home from its last owner through foreclosure and is asking for cash-only offers.
Liberace, born Władziu Valentino Liberace, bought the house in 1974.
Liberace, who died of an AIDS related illness in 1987, has enjoyed some posthumous fame recently after Michael Douglas played him in HBO biopic Behind the Candelabra.
Starring Matt Damon as Liberace’s secret boyfriend Scott Thorson, the film follows the last ten years of Liberace’s life based on Thorson’s memoir, Behind the Candelabra: My Life With Liberace.
Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris, is reportedly keen to come to the UK and visit Mark Lester following revelations this week claiming he’s her biological father.
On Tuesday Jason Pfeiffer, a friend of Michael Jackson, claimed he is able to confirm rumors that both his children, Paris and Prince, were fathered by British actor Mark Lester.
Jason Pfeiffer, said to be a close friend of Michael Jackson, has claimed that the singer made the startling confession just a few months before he died on June 25, 2009.
Now Paris Jackson is reportedly hoping to visit Mark Lester when she is discharged from hospital following her recent suicide bid.
A source told the Mirror: “Paris is deeply interested in learning about her father’s friendship with Mark and what happened.
“In no way would she ever see him as a replacement for Michael but she’s curious…
“Michael always described Mark as his <<special friend>>. Now it has even greater significance.”
Paris Jackson is interested to visit Mark Lester after revelations he is her biological father
The paper goes on to say that Paris Jackson’s brother Prince isn’t interested about the apparent revelations and “can’t be bothered” as he is happy to continue being under the guardianship of Michael’s mother Katherine, 83.
Mark Lester, who made his name in the 1969 film version of Oliver! has long been rumored to be the father of Michael Jackson’s children.
Jason Pfeiffer has also claimed that Michael Jackson wanted Prince and Paris’ mother Debbie Rowe to have no part in their lives, saying he was “mom and dad” to his children.
Jason Pfeiffer, 39, told the Sunday Mirror: “One day as we walked about his children and Debbie Rowe, he just came out and said that his children were actually fathered by Mark.”
He added: “Michael felt Mark was one of his closest friends. He said he was a great actor and very good man. He mentioned that he had taken several people’s sperm and decided on Mark.”
Michael Jackson had his two eldest children with Debbie Rowe while his son Blanket was born to an anonymous surrogate mother.
Jason Pfeiffer has claimed how Michael Jackson confided in him during a visit to Arnold Klein’s medical clinic in Beverly Hills in 2009.
His friend believes that Michael Jackson made the confession for a reason, as four months later he died, aged 50, after his doctor Conrad Murray reportedly gave him a fatal dose of anesthetic propofol.
Jason Pfeiffer has hinted that Michael Jackson would welcome Mark Lester to be more involved with his children’s lives.
Mark Lester, 54, has also spoken about the possibility of him being the father to Michael Jackson’s kids, revealing that he was asked to donate sperm by the late singer.
However, in an interview on ITV show Lorraine on Tuesday morning, Mark Lester insisted that even if he was their biological father, it wouldn’t change anything.
He said: “As far as I’m concerned the children are in the best possible place for them, Michael was their father, Michael brought those children up, whether or not he was the biological father, he was their father from day one. I can’t see why that situation would change.”
Mark Lester added in the wake of Paris Jackson’s suicide attempt: “Okay we’ve had this slight hiccup with Paris, but I’m sure that is a hiccup and things will get back on track.”
He also revealed that he would love for Paris Jackson and her siblings to come to the UK and stay with him.
Mark Lester said: “If they [the children] ever need to come over to the UK they can come and visit, be lovely to see them, the door is always open for them to come.”
Sony has launched Xperia Z Ultra waterproof Android smartphone with a 6.4 in screen (16.3 cm).
Sony is pitching the Xperia Z Ultra as being the slimmest large-screened handset on the market.
The Xperia Z Ultra can also accept sketches or notes written using a standard pencil or metal-tipped pen in addition to an optional stylus.
Sony says it intends for the device to challenge Samsung’s dominance of the jumbo-sized handset sector.
According to a study by consultants Transparency Market Research, Samsung accounted for 70% of the overall “superphone and phablet” market in 2012 thanks to the popularity of models including the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.
Earlier this year, it added the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Mega – a 6.3 in-screened handset – to its line-up.
Sony already offers a 5 in handset of its own, the original Xperia Z, which it unveiled in January.
The Ultra follow-up was unveiled at the Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai. The new device will go on sale in China, Indonesia and Singapore in July and then in Europe in September.
“Southeast Asia is the key market for the product because the trend towards large-screened smartphone devices is stronger there,” said Calum MacDougall, director of Xperia marketing.
“But we also see the trend in Europe as well.
“In the large-screen segment at the moment most consumers are looking at the Galaxy Note. Now we can offer something that is really distinct: a stronger screen, greater portability, waterproofing and something different around the stylus and the pen.”
Sony has launched Xperia Z Ultra waterproof Android smartphone with a 6.4 in screen
Sony is not alone in seeking to erode Samsung’s lead.
Over recent months Huawei has announced the 6.1in Ascend Mate; ZTE the 5.7 in Grand Memo; Acer the 5.7 in Liquid S1; Asus the 6 in FonePad Note; and Lenovo the 5.5 in Ideaphone K900.
Calum MacDougall said Sony intended to compete against these by promoting the Xperia Z Ultra’s “premium” features rather than trying to match or undercut the Chinese and Taiwanese firms’ prices.
Sony reported its first annual profit in five years in May, but some analysts said its figures were skewed by asset sales and did not reflect a turnaround for its electronics divisions.
The Xperia Z Ultra is 6.5 mm (0.26 in) thick – only slightly deeper than the thinnest device on the market, Huawei’s Ascend P6.
Unlike the original Xperia Z the new phone does not need a flap over its headphone socket to protect it from water damage, addressing complaints the feature was fiddly to use.
It can also be submerged to a deeper limit – 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in freshwater for up to half an hour.
The device also features:
A 1080p resolution screen with in-built software to upgrade lower definition videos and photos
16 gigabytes of internal storage with support for 64 GB microSD cards
An 8 megapixel rear camera
A battery offering up to 11 hours talk time or 120 hours of audio playback – a figure which Sony claims is a record
Those concerned about using such a big device for quick tasks are also offered an optional bluetooth add-on which can be paired to the handset using NFC (near field communication) to make calls, view text messages or stream music.
The accessory is similar to the HTC’s Mini accessory announced in January for its 5 in Butterfly handset.
Transparency Market Research said that over 150 million Android super-sized phones were sold in 2012 and predicted the market would grow to 400 million by 2018.
Another consultancy firm, Frost & Sullivan, agrees that demand for such devices appears to be robust despite the fact many users would struggle to use them unless they had both hands free.
“For many people in developing parts the phablet is their first communications and computing device and allows them to have a single machine rather than multiple ones,” said the firm’s managing director Manoj Menon.
“But going forward companies are going to find it increasingly hard to differentiate between their products on size – it will have to be on software and other features. So, Sony seems to have the right strategy at this time.”
Three Chinese astronauts on Shenzhou-10 spacecraft have returned to Earth in a capsule that has landed safely after a 15-day mission in space.
The astronauts travelled on the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft to China’s space laboratory, the Tiangong-1.
They completed manual docking exercises and astronaut Wang Yaping gave a video lecture to students back on Earth.
The Shenzhou-10 is China’s fifth manned space mission and came 10 years after China first sent an astronaut into space.
Three Chinese astronauts on Shenzhou-10 spacecraft have returned to Earth in a capsule that has landed safely after a 15-day mission in space
State TV showed the capsule touching down in grassland in the Inner Mongolia region at around 08:07 local time.
The mission control centre burst into applause after the crew were reported to be safe and well, reports said.
Mission commander Nie Haisheng was the first to exit the capsule at 09:31, followed by colleagues Wang Yaping and Zhang Xiaoguang.
The astronauts needed time to allow their bodies to adjust to Earth’s gravity before emerging from the space capsule, Chinese media said.
Nie Haisheng, who has been on one previous space mission, has now spent more hours in space than any other Chinese astronaut, having clocked up over 470 hours across his two missions, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Wang Yaping, China’s second woman in space, delivered the country’s first space lecture from the Tiangong-1.
China plans to eventually put a permanently manned space station above the Earth.
Losing cellulite may be difficult because you subscribe to the tall tales attributed to it.
Here are some of them. 1. Only overweight people can get cellulite
This is very untrue. To understand why, you need to identify the nature of cellulite. It is not normal fat, but a mixture of fat, water and toxic substances that should have been expelled from your body. Instead, it forms into a fatty tissue that gets trapped in spaces between your septa – or connective tissues. Because of this, cellulite is harder to remove. Some women have a genetic predisposition to be more susceptible to cellulite, so even if you’re fit and slender, you might still end up with cellulite.
Losing cellulite may be difficult because you subscribe to the tall tales attributed to it
2. Cellulite is only found on your buttocks and thighs
It is also found on your stomach, arms and neck. Cellulite is characterized by the lumping and dimpling of your skin, very similar to an orange’s skin.
3. Dairy and fried foods create cellulite
As mentioned, cellulite is attributed to your genetic makeup and not necessarily to your weight. Studies have shown that cellulite relates more to your body fat percentage than to anything else. Although diet is a contributory factor in cellulite generation, they do not necessarily create cellulite. Instead, they add huge amounts of cellulite into the body, making it more prone to cellulite.
4. Cellulite creams can eliminate cellulite
Some creams claim to eliminate the cellulite by burning the fat underneath your skin. But the thing is, there are no medical studies that confirm this. The best that cellulite creams can do is to improve the appearance of the skin, making it less dimply and creating a smoother appearance. However, the cellulite is still there, lurking underneath.
5. Liposuction can remove cellulite.
Cellulite, being subcutaneous fat, would be hard to remove with liposuction. Some people even complain that the liposuction increased the dimples and made the creases more severe-looking. Liposuction is at best, only a quick fix but will not provide a long-term solution to cellulite.
A collection of items once owned or gifted by Monica Lewinsky, including a black negligee and a letter signed by former President Bill Clinton, is being auctioned online, Nate D. Sanders Auctions announced Monday.
The 32-item collection was submitted by Monica Lewinsky’s one-time lover Andy Bleiler to special prosecutor Kenneth Starr during his investigation of the former White House intern’s relationship with Bill Clinton, said Laura Yntema, the auction manager.
Details of Monica Lewinsky’s affair with Andy Bleiler surfaced amid the probe that led to Bill Clinton’s 1998 impeachment by the House of Representatives on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.
The 32-item collection was submitted by Monica Lewinsky’s one-time lover Andy Bleiler to special prosecutor Kenneth Starr
President Bill Clinton was later acquitted by the U.S. Senate.
Andy Bleiler, Monica Lewinsky’s former high school drama teacher, was married at the time of his five-year affair with the San Francisco native, Laura Yntema said.
It is believed Monica Lewinsky was friendly with the Bleilers in the 1990s, Laura Yntema added.
three sealed and slightly crushed boxes of presidential M&Ms
handwritten notes and greeting cards signed by Monica Lewinsky
a letter typed on White House stationary signed by Bill Clinton
several articles of casual clothing Monica Lewinsky gave to Andy Bleiler’s wife, Kate Nason
Monica Lewinsky’s infamous “blue dress” is not among the items listed for sale.
The lot is expected to nab between $25,000 and $50,000 when bidding concludes Thursday, Laura Yntema said.
Laura Yntema said she was not sure why the items were used as evidence during Kenneth Starr’s investigation into Bill Clinton’s misconduct.
Monica Lewinsky, 39, has largely avoided the media limelight after dominating tabloid headlines and late-night talk show jokes throughout the late 1990s.
Dylis Croman has been identified as the mystery woman posing with Miley Cyrus in a cryptic Twitter post in which the singer gives her father Billy Ray a very public ultimatum.
Dylis Croman starred alongside Billy Ray Cyrus during his late 2012 run in Broadway show Chicago.
Billy Ray Cyrus – who recently split from wife Tish again – is seen here posing with Dylis Croman in a photograph taken last November in New York at an after party following his debut in the hit musical.
On Monday night Miley Cyrus tweeted her father, after he continued to ignore her texts: “@billyraycyrus since you won’t reply to my texts I’m giving you an hour to tell the truth or ill tell it for you (sic)” and attached an image of her with an attractive mystery woman.
Miley Cyrus, 20, was seemingly frustrated with her father’s lack of communication over the last few days, but it appears she quickly had a change of heart.
Dylis Croman has been identified as the mystery woman posing with Miley Cyrus in a cryptic Twitter post in which the singer gives her father Billy Ray a very public ultimatum
Four minutes later, all evidence of the picture and message were removed, and a new tweet from Miley Cyrus appeared claiming: “Wtf? My twitter was just actin all types of cray!”
Miley Cyrus’ later tweet seems to conveniently suggest her Twitter account was hacked. But this isn’t the first time that Miley Cyrus has used the social networking site to berate father Billy Ray.
The day after her mother started divorce proceedings she tweeted: “Since your texts and email obviously aren’t working would you like to talk like this?”
Billy Ray Cyrus didn’t reply.
However, despite being taken down, the picture of Miley Cyrus and Dylis Croman and her accompanying message have certainly raised questions about what the singer is insinuating about her father and his former Broadway co-star.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley’s mother are currently going through divorce proceedings again after Tish filed due to “irreconcilable differences”.
Chris Brown is allegedly being charged with hit and run.
According to TMZ, Chris Brown, 24, has been hit with two criminal charges by the L.A. City Attorney.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred last month when Chris Brown allegedly rear-ended another driver but reportedly refused to give her his driver’s license or pass over correct insurance details.
The singer’s Range Rover reportedly inflicted “medium damage” on the Mercedes in Toluca Lake in May, according to a report from TMZ.
Chris Brown, who didn’t try and flee the scene, has more to lose than most as he’s still on probation for beating on and off girlfriend Rihanna back in 2009.
As well as reportedly being charged with hit and run, he has also been charged with driving without a license, claim TMZ.
Each charge carries a maximum of six months in jail, however the City Attorney is said to be intent on raising the incidents with the L.A. County D.A.
Chris Brown is allegedly being charged with hit and run
Chris Brown could be in violation of his parole and if he is found guilty he could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.
The singer on Tuesday spoke out about the reports on his Twitter account, calling the incident “ridiculous” and denying that he gave the other driver false details.
“It’s not a hit and run if u get out the car, exchange information (who has NO DAMAGE to either cars).This is really ridiculous,” Chris Brown wrote.
“I have a valid drivers license and I gave the woman the right info. She saw cameras and wanted to make a scene.”
Chris Brown then accused the woman of trying to make money out of the incident.
“She contacted the cops thinking of a payday from Chris Brown when I followed the proper procedures,” he wrote.
“My lawyers will be contacting you. I will not stand for this bullying and yellow journalism!”
Chris Brown also updated his avatar on the social networking site, changing it to a picture of the Mercedes in question in an effort to prove that there was no damage done to the other car.
“Based on My profile pic is the pic I took of the persons car after <<the hit and run>>. NO damage. Just a dirty car.once again, I gotta clear my name,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, on Monday it was claimed that Chris Brown did not harm a woman who accused him of assault at a nightclub, according to the establishment’s owner.
Deanna Gines, 24, alleges that Chris Brown pushed her to the ground while partying at Heat Ultra Lounge in Anaheim, California, on Saturday.
However, the club’s owners said they have reviewed security footage and insist Chris Brown has been wrongly accused.
“Based on the information which we have gathered from our security company, mall security, and other party goers which were at HEAT on Saturday night; It is apparent that the alleged incident regarding Chris Brown is false,” they said.
Kim Kardashian gave birth ten days ago and she has already shown her stripes as a fiercely protective mother.
Kim Kardashian, 32, hatched a plan to weed out who she can trust after welcoming her daughter into the world.
It appears that Kim Kardashian sent a few friends a fake picture of her baby, who is called North West, to see who would try to sell them to the press.
One of Kim Kardashian’s so-called pals attempted to sell the bogus photo of a newborn to a publication.
Kim Kardashian sent a few friends a fake picture of her baby North West to see who would try to sell them to the press
The baby, who is seen wrapped in a blanket, could easily pass for being the child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who was born June 15.
But sources have confirmed that the photo Kim Kardashian sent around was a fake.
It seems Kim Kardashian wanted to test the principals of several of her friends as the world waits for a first glimpse of her child.
A second picture of a different baby, which is also believed not to be North West, has been doing the rounds, TMZ claims.
It has also been alleged that Kanye West, 36, proposed to Kim Kardashian days after their first child was born.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are said to be planning a September wedding in Paris, The Sun reports.
Kim Kardashian left hospital on Thursday and is currently getting used to being a new mother.
She is believed to have moved into mother Kris Jenner’s home, along with little North and Kanye West, until renovations on their $9 million Bel Air home are complete.
Kim Kardashian only finalized her divorce from Kris Humphries earlier this month and the pair were married for just 72 days before splitting up in October 2011.
Prior to that Kim Kardashian was married to music producer Damon Thomas from 2000 until 2004.
Selena Gomez gushed to her fans about her excitement after welcoming her baby sister Gracie Elliot Teefey into the world earlier this month.
Selena Gomez, 20, couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she enjoyed a visit from her mother Mandy, step-dad Brian Teefey and her new baby sister during a lunch break in Malibu, California.
Evidently overjoyed to be enjoying some quality time with her little sibling, Selena Gomez appeared to be in her absolute element as she took some time out from a photo shoot for her Dream Out Loud clothing line.
Selena Gomez was giggling away with delight as she cuddled up to Gracie, and looked absolutely besotted as she stared into her eyes lovingly.
Selena Gomez couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she enjoyed a visit from her mother Mandy, step-dad Brian Teefey and her new baby sister
As Mandy and her husband Brian Teefey looked on with pride, Selena Gomez decided to capture the special moment with a cute picture, leaning in to her sibling as she snapped away on her iPhone.
And after a tender few hours with her sister, Selena Gomez seemed in no mood at all to head back to work, stopping for one last cuddle before dragging herself away.
Selena Gomez was thrilled to announce her baby sister arrival via her Twitter page earlier this month, writing: “Momma, Brian, and me are all so grateful for all your well wishes. My lil sissy Gracie Elliot Teefey was born on June 12th. Luv you all XO.”
Mandy Teefey gave birth at a hospital in Northridge, Los Angeles, with her husband Brian and other family members by her side.
Selena Gomez’s mother – who divorced Ricardo Gomez when Selena was just five-years-old – got re-married in 2006, but was devastated when she tragically miscarried during her last pregnancy in December 2011.
At the time, doting Selena Gomez cancelled her scheduled concerts in Chicago and Seattle to fly home to be with her grieving mother.
Selena Gomez announced happier news to her fans on Mother’s Day: “Momma and Brian are finally letting me share the news… My mommy’s carrying my baby brother or sister 🙂 I’m the happiest girl in the world!”
She shares a special bond with her mother, who raised her as a working single parent in difficult circumstances after falling pregnant at the age of 16.
The star has previously said: “I remember my mom would run out of gas all of the time and we’d sit there and have to go through the car and get quarters and help her get gas because she never liked to ask my grandparents for money.
“She was really strong around me. Having me at 16 had to have been a big responsibility. My mom gave up everything for me, had three jobs, supported me sacrificed her life for me.”
