LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Kanye West and reality TV star Kim Kardashian are expecting a child, Kardashian said on Monday shortly after West announced the pregnancy to fans at a concert.
'It's true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby,' Kardashian, 32, wrote on her personal blog.
'Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family,' she added.
Kardashian began dating West in April, some six months after filing for divorce from basketball player Kris Humphries. The two were married for 72 days following a lavish, made-for-TV wedding. Their divorce has yet to be finalized.
Kardashian is about 12 weeks pregnant, according to U.S. media reports.
Fans and family took to Twitter to congratulate the celebrity power couple, and to speculate whether the new baby's name would begin with a K, in line with Kardashian family tradition.
'Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can!' wrote Kardashian's sister Kourtney. 'Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!'
Kardashian's brother-in-law, basketball player Lamar Odom, who has been open about struggling to have a baby with wife and 'The X Factor' host Khloe Kardashian also tweeted his congratulations.
'I'm excited for Kanye and my sister!' said Odom. 'There's nothing like bringing life into this world! Let's keep God's blessings coming!'
West, 35, was first to announce the news from the stage at a concert in Atlantic City on Sunday, singing, 'God brought us a whole new plan, baby. 'Cause now you're having my baby.'
Kardashian, who rose to fame five years ago for her appearances in reality TV show 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians,' was the most-searched person on the Yahoo! website in 2012.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Cynthia Osterman)
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Monday, December 31, 2012
Kanye West, Kim Kardashian expecting baby: reports
(Reuters) - Rapper Kanye West and reality TV star Kim Kardashian are expecting their first child, celebrity media outlets reported on Monday.
Fans and family took to Twitter to congratulate the celebrity power couple.
'Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can!' wrote Kardashian's sister Kourtney. 'Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!'
According to E! News, West, 35, announced the news from the stage at a concert in Atlantic City on Sunday.
Kardashian, 32, who rose to fame five years ago for her appearances in reality TV show 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians', was the most-searched person on the Yahoo! website in 2012.
She married basketball player Kris Humphries in August, 2011, in a lavish, made-for-TV wedding, but the couple divorced just 72 days later.
(Editing by Paul Casciato)
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Fans and family took to Twitter to congratulate the celebrity power couple.
'Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can!' wrote Kardashian's sister Kourtney. 'Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!'
According to E! News, West, 35, announced the news from the stage at a concert in Atlantic City on Sunday.
Kardashian, 32, who rose to fame five years ago for her appearances in reality TV show 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians', was the most-searched person on the Yahoo! website in 2012.
She married basketball player Kris Humphries in August, 2011, in a lavish, made-for-TV wedding, but the couple divorced just 72 days later.
(Editing by Paul Casciato)
This article is brought to you by RELATIONSHIPS ADVICE.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Matt Damon tackles "fracking" issue in the "Promised Land"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The hot-button topic of 'fracking' has finally made its way to Hollywood in the new movie 'Promised Land,' out in U.S. theaters on Friday, with actors Matt Damon and John Krasinski teaming up to further the debate on the energy drilling technique.
The film explores the social impact of hydraulic fracturing drilling technique, or 'fracking,' which has sparked nation-wide environmental and political battles over its impact on drinking water, U.S. energy use, seismic activity and other areas.
'Promised Land' will see Damon, 42, reunite with director Gus Van Sant for the third time, following their success with 1997 film 'Good Will Hunting and 2002's 'Gerry.'
In their latest film, Damon plays a corporate salesman who goes to a rural U.S. town to buy or lease land on behalf of a gas company looking to drill for oil. He soon faces opposition from a slick environmentalist, played by Krasinski.
In real life, Damon hasn't shied away from getting involved in political and social issues, working with charities and organizations to eradicate AIDS in developing countries, bringing attention to atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region, providing safe drinking water and stopping trees from being chopped and used for junk mail.
Yet 'Promised Land,' which Damon also co-wrote and produced, doesn't take a noticeable stance on 'fracking.' The actor would not publicly state his own views, telling Reuters that he didn't think his opinion had 'any bearing' on the film.
'The point is that the movie should start a conversation. It's certainly not a pro-fracking movie, but we didn't want to tell people what to think,' Damon said.
The actor said he and Krasinski never set out to make a socially conscious film, and 'fracking' was added in later, as a backdrop to the story.
'It wasn't that we said we wanted to make a movie about 'fracking' as much as we wanted to make a movie about American identity, about real people. We wanted to make a movie about the country today, where we came from, where we are and where we are headed,' Damon said.
''Fracking' was perfect because the stakes are so incredibly high and people are so divided. It asks all the questions about short-term thinking versus long-term thinking.'
Hydraulic fracturing entails pumping water laced with chemicals and sand at high pressure into shale rock formations to break them up and unleash hydrocarbons. Critics worry that 'fracking' fluids or hydrocarbons can still leak into water tables from wells, or above ground.
FROM 'ADJUSTMENT BUREAU' TO 'PROMISED LAND'
At first glance, the pairing of Damon with Krasinski may not come across as the perfect fit, as Damon has primarily been associated with longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck, both of whom won Oscars for writing 'Good Will Hunting.'
Damon later become a colleague and friend to a number of key Hollywood players, including George Clooney and Brad Pitt, with whom he co-starred in the 'Ocean's Eleven' franchise.
Krasinski, 33, is best known for playing sardonic Jim Halpert on NBC's long-running television series, 'The Office,' and has had occasional supporting roles in films such as 2008's 'Leatherheads.'
Damon and Krasinski came together after meeting through Krasinski's wife, Emily Blunt, who co-starred with Damon in the 2011 film 'The Adjustment Bureau.' Damon said he and his wife started double-dating with Krasinski and Blunt, through which their collaboration on 'Promised Land' came about.
The duo's busy work schedules forced them to moonlight on weekends to make 'Promised Land.'
'John showed up at my house every Saturday at breakfast and we would write all day until dinner,' Damon said. 'Then we'd do it again on Sunday. I have four kids so he would come to me.'
But Damon's determination to make the film his feature directorial debut fell through when his acting schedule changed, making it impossible to direct 'Promised Land,' so he turned to Van Sant.
'My first inclination was to send the script to somebody I'd worked with before,' he said. 'Gus seemed like the most obvious choice and I realized later that I'd never written anything that anyone else had directed, except Gus. I have a real comfort level with him.'
Damon said he has not given up on his dream of directing movies and has his eye on a project at movie studio Warner Bros., which has a deal with Damon and Affleck's joint production company, Pearl Street Films.
With Affleck's third directorial effort 'Argo' becoming an awards contender, Damon joked that the film's success can only be a good thing for his own budding directing career.
'I now happen to be partnered with the hottest director in Hollywood!' he said, laughing.
(Reporting By Zorianna Kit, Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Paul Simao)
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The film explores the social impact of hydraulic fracturing drilling technique, or 'fracking,' which has sparked nation-wide environmental and political battles over its impact on drinking water, U.S. energy use, seismic activity and other areas.
'Promised Land' will see Damon, 42, reunite with director Gus Van Sant for the third time, following their success with 1997 film 'Good Will Hunting and 2002's 'Gerry.'
In their latest film, Damon plays a corporate salesman who goes to a rural U.S. town to buy or lease land on behalf of a gas company looking to drill for oil. He soon faces opposition from a slick environmentalist, played by Krasinski.
In real life, Damon hasn't shied away from getting involved in political and social issues, working with charities and organizations to eradicate AIDS in developing countries, bringing attention to atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region, providing safe drinking water and stopping trees from being chopped and used for junk mail.
Yet 'Promised Land,' which Damon also co-wrote and produced, doesn't take a noticeable stance on 'fracking.' The actor would not publicly state his own views, telling Reuters that he didn't think his opinion had 'any bearing' on the film.
'The point is that the movie should start a conversation. It's certainly not a pro-fracking movie, but we didn't want to tell people what to think,' Damon said.
The actor said he and Krasinski never set out to make a socially conscious film, and 'fracking' was added in later, as a backdrop to the story.
'It wasn't that we said we wanted to make a movie about 'fracking' as much as we wanted to make a movie about American identity, about real people. We wanted to make a movie about the country today, where we came from, where we are and where we are headed,' Damon said.
''Fracking' was perfect because the stakes are so incredibly high and people are so divided. It asks all the questions about short-term thinking versus long-term thinking.'
Hydraulic fracturing entails pumping water laced with chemicals and sand at high pressure into shale rock formations to break them up and unleash hydrocarbons. Critics worry that 'fracking' fluids or hydrocarbons can still leak into water tables from wells, or above ground.
FROM 'ADJUSTMENT BUREAU' TO 'PROMISED LAND'
At first glance, the pairing of Damon with Krasinski may not come across as the perfect fit, as Damon has primarily been associated with longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck, both of whom won Oscars for writing 'Good Will Hunting.'
Damon later become a colleague and friend to a number of key Hollywood players, including George Clooney and Brad Pitt, with whom he co-starred in the 'Ocean's Eleven' franchise.
Krasinski, 33, is best known for playing sardonic Jim Halpert on NBC's long-running television series, 'The Office,' and has had occasional supporting roles in films such as 2008's 'Leatherheads.'
Damon and Krasinski came together after meeting through Krasinski's wife, Emily Blunt, who co-starred with Damon in the 2011 film 'The Adjustment Bureau.' Damon said he and his wife started double-dating with Krasinski and Blunt, through which their collaboration on 'Promised Land' came about.
The duo's busy work schedules forced them to moonlight on weekends to make 'Promised Land.'
'John showed up at my house every Saturday at breakfast and we would write all day until dinner,' Damon said. 'Then we'd do it again on Sunday. I have four kids so he would come to me.'
But Damon's determination to make the film his feature directorial debut fell through when his acting schedule changed, making it impossible to direct 'Promised Land,' so he turned to Van Sant.
'My first inclination was to send the script to somebody I'd worked with before,' he said. 'Gus seemed like the most obvious choice and I realized later that I'd never written anything that anyone else had directed, except Gus. I have a real comfort level with him.'
Damon said he has not given up on his dream of directing movies and has his eye on a project at movie studio Warner Bros., which has a deal with Damon and Affleck's joint production company, Pearl Street Films.
With Affleck's third directorial effort 'Argo' becoming an awards contender, Damon joked that the film's success can only be a good thing for his own budding directing career.
'I now happen to be partnered with the hottest director in Hollywood!' he said, laughing.
(Reporting By Zorianna Kit, Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Paul Simao)
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Billy Crystal channels real-life role in "Parental Guidance"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After a decade away from the big screen, funnyman Billy Crystal has mined his real-life experiences as a grandfather and is back in the holiday season movie 'Parental Guidance.'
The film, which opened in U.S. theaters on Christmas, stars Crystal as a recently fired baseball announcer, who agrees to watch his three grandchildren with his wife (Bette Midler), while his daughter and her husband go on a business trip.
Crystal, 64, sat down with Reuters to talk about the film, being a grandparent and why he won't host the Oscars ceremony anymore.
Q: You have not been on the big screen in a starring role since 2002's 'Analyze That.' Did you miss making movies?
A: 'I spent over four years doing my one-man Broadway show, '700 Sundays' and didn't care about doing movies. I just so love being in front of live audiences. The play is more satisfying than anything. I'm not interrupted by planes flying overhead, waiting for them to light and all those gruesome slow things on a movie. But really, the last five years were spent getting this movie made.'
Q: How did 'Parental Guidance' become your return to film?
A: 'When I wrote the first story for this movie, my wife Janice and I babysat for our daughter Jenny while she went away with her husband. We had six days with their girls, all alone. It was an eye-opener. When you're not used to that energy, it's tough. On the 7th day I rested and came in to the office and said, 'Here's the idea for the movie.''
Q: What was eye-opening about those six days?
A: 'The eye-opener was the bible that we were given before they left town about what to say (to the kids), what to do, all the rules, don't do this, don't do that, this child has to be taken here. They have my respect of how they programmed their days and weeks. It's insane what they have to do nowadays for schooling and parenting. It's wild.'
Q: Quite a difference between your childhood and the grandkids' childhood, right?
A: 'When I was a kid growing up, it was basically 'Go outside and play and I'll see you at dinner.' There was no thought that there were bad people out there. There was such a carefree wonderful trust which forced you to use your imagination, which also bonded you with the best of you, and your friends. We didn't have that 'inside' thing like videogames. My only 'inside' thing was watching the Yankees. Otherwise everything was outside.'
Q: Speaking of the Yankees, your well-documented lifelong love of baseball is incorporated in to the film with your character being a ball-game announcer. That must have been fun to do.
A: 'I love the game and I thought it was a really interesting occupation we hadn't seen before. And a good one for me to play because I love it. I wanted my character to have something he loved doing where I didn't have to fake it.'
Q: In being absent from the silver screen for a while, did you find that the movie-making business has changed much?
A: 'The studios are so concerned with quadrants (capturing four major demographic groups of moviegoers - men, woman and those over and under 25). I'd never heard of these things when I was in my early years of making movies. You just did them. There was no interference. Now it's a whole different ball game. They're so worried: 'Who's going to come?' Well, there's 77 million American who are babyboomers. That's a huge audience who wants to laugh and have a story told to them that doesn't have bombs and spies and killing.'
Q: Does 'Parental Guidance' reflect where are you now at this stage of your life?
A: 'I was fortunate to be in a great romantic comedy about falling in love (1989's 'When Harry Met Sally'). I wrote the original story for my turning 40, 'City Slickers' (in 1991), which became a huge hit and a very liked movie. And now 'Parental Guidance' happened at this point in my life. I relate to it as a parent and a grandparent.'
Q: You will be a grandfather for the fourth time in March. What do you like best about that role?
A: 'It's so hard to understand how you can love someone so much that's not yours, but extensions of you. I'm always so moved seeing my girls pregnant, and seeing them move on in their lives. I'm going to turn 65 on March 14. My wife's birthday is the 16th. The baby's due the 18th. So we've got maybe a straight flush happening here. That would be the greatest present of all - a healthy new baby.'
Q: Last year you hosted the Oscar ceremony for the ninth time, making you the second most-used host after the late Bob Hope. Are you gunning for his title?
A: 'I'm not even close. I've done 9, he's done 19 and neither one of us are doing it again. It's hard to say, 'Can't wait to do it again,' but I can wait.'
(Reporting By Zorianna Kit, Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Cynthia Osterman)
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The film, which opened in U.S. theaters on Christmas, stars Crystal as a recently fired baseball announcer, who agrees to watch his three grandchildren with his wife (Bette Midler), while his daughter and her husband go on a business trip.
Crystal, 64, sat down with Reuters to talk about the film, being a grandparent and why he won't host the Oscars ceremony anymore.
Q: You have not been on the big screen in a starring role since 2002's 'Analyze That.' Did you miss making movies?
A: 'I spent over four years doing my one-man Broadway show, '700 Sundays' and didn't care about doing movies. I just so love being in front of live audiences. The play is more satisfying than anything. I'm not interrupted by planes flying overhead, waiting for them to light and all those gruesome slow things on a movie. But really, the last five years were spent getting this movie made.'
Q: How did 'Parental Guidance' become your return to film?
A: 'When I wrote the first story for this movie, my wife Janice and I babysat for our daughter Jenny while she went away with her husband. We had six days with their girls, all alone. It was an eye-opener. When you're not used to that energy, it's tough. On the 7th day I rested and came in to the office and said, 'Here's the idea for the movie.''
Q: What was eye-opening about those six days?
A: 'The eye-opener was the bible that we were given before they left town about what to say (to the kids), what to do, all the rules, don't do this, don't do that, this child has to be taken here. They have my respect of how they programmed their days and weeks. It's insane what they have to do nowadays for schooling and parenting. It's wild.'
Q: Quite a difference between your childhood and the grandkids' childhood, right?
A: 'When I was a kid growing up, it was basically 'Go outside and play and I'll see you at dinner.' There was no thought that there were bad people out there. There was such a carefree wonderful trust which forced you to use your imagination, which also bonded you with the best of you, and your friends. We didn't have that 'inside' thing like videogames. My only 'inside' thing was watching the Yankees. Otherwise everything was outside.'
Q: Speaking of the Yankees, your well-documented lifelong love of baseball is incorporated in to the film with your character being a ball-game announcer. That must have been fun to do.
A: 'I love the game and I thought it was a really interesting occupation we hadn't seen before. And a good one for me to play because I love it. I wanted my character to have something he loved doing where I didn't have to fake it.'
Q: In being absent from the silver screen for a while, did you find that the movie-making business has changed much?
A: 'The studios are so concerned with quadrants (capturing four major demographic groups of moviegoers - men, woman and those over and under 25). I'd never heard of these things when I was in my early years of making movies. You just did them. There was no interference. Now it's a whole different ball game. They're so worried: 'Who's going to come?' Well, there's 77 million American who are babyboomers. That's a huge audience who wants to laugh and have a story told to them that doesn't have bombs and spies and killing.'
Q: Does 'Parental Guidance' reflect where are you now at this stage of your life?
A: 'I was fortunate to be in a great romantic comedy about falling in love (1989's 'When Harry Met Sally'). I wrote the original story for my turning 40, 'City Slickers' (in 1991), which became a huge hit and a very liked movie. And now 'Parental Guidance' happened at this point in my life. I relate to it as a parent and a grandparent.'
Q: You will be a grandfather for the fourth time in March. What do you like best about that role?
A: 'It's so hard to understand how you can love someone so much that's not yours, but extensions of you. I'm always so moved seeing my girls pregnant, and seeing them move on in their lives. I'm going to turn 65 on March 14. My wife's birthday is the 16th. The baby's due the 18th. So we've got maybe a straight flush happening here. That would be the greatest present of all - a healthy new baby.'
Q: Last year you hosted the Oscar ceremony for the ninth time, making you the second most-used host after the late Bob Hope. Are you gunning for his title?
A: 'I'm not even close. I've done 9, he's done 19 and neither one of us are doing it again. It's hard to say, 'Can't wait to do it again,' but I can wait.'
(Reporting By Zorianna Kit, Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Cynthia Osterman)
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Ex-U.S. President George H.W. Bush in intensive care
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Former President George H.W. Bush is in the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital and is in 'guarded condition,' family spokesman Jim McGrath said Wednesday.
'The president is alert and conversing with medical staff, and is surrounded by family,' McGrath said in a statement.
'Following a series of setbacks including a persistent fever, President Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital on Sunday where he remains in guarded condition,' McGrath said. 'Doctors at Methodist continue to be cautiously optimistic about the current course of treatment.'
The 88-year-old was admitted to the hospital November 23 for bronchitis.
A hospital spokesman said in mid-December that the former president was expected to be home from the hospital in time for Christmas, but that spokesman later said doctors felt that the former president should build up his energy before going home.
Bush has lower body parkinsonism, which causes a loss of balance, and has used wheelchairs for more than a year, McGrath said in an email on Wednesday.
Bush, the 41st U.S. president and a Republican, took office in 1989 and served one term in the White House. The father of former President George W. Bush, he also served as a congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, envoy to China, CIA director and vice president for two terms under Ronald Reagan.
(Reporting by Corrie MacLaggan; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Phil Berlowitz)
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'The president is alert and conversing with medical staff, and is surrounded by family,' McGrath said in a statement.
'Following a series of setbacks including a persistent fever, President Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital on Sunday where he remains in guarded condition,' McGrath said. 'Doctors at Methodist continue to be cautiously optimistic about the current course of treatment.'
The 88-year-old was admitted to the hospital November 23 for bronchitis.
A hospital spokesman said in mid-December that the former president was expected to be home from the hospital in time for Christmas, but that spokesman later said doctors felt that the former president should build up his energy before going home.
Bush has lower body parkinsonism, which causes a loss of balance, and has used wheelchairs for more than a year, McGrath said in an email on Wednesday.
Bush, the 41st U.S. president and a Republican, took office in 1989 and served one term in the White House. The father of former President George W. Bush, he also served as a congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, envoy to China, CIA director and vice president for two terms under Ronald Reagan.
(Reporting by Corrie MacLaggan; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Phil Berlowitz)
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Former President George H.W. Bush in intensive care: spokesman
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Former President George H.W. Bush is in the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital and is in 'guarded condition,' family spokesman Jim McGrath said Wednesday.
'The President is alert and conversing with medical staff, and is surrounded by family,' McGrath said in a statement.
Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit on Sunday, McGrath said.
(Reporting By Corrie MacLaggan; Editing by Paul Thomasch)
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'The President is alert and conversing with medical staff, and is surrounded by family,' McGrath said in a statement.
Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit on Sunday, McGrath said.
(Reporting By Corrie MacLaggan; Editing by Paul Thomasch)
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Natalie Portman, Kristen Stewart most bankable Hollywood stars
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Actresses Natalie Portman and Kristen Stewart are Hollywood's most bankable stars and provide studios with the highest average returns for their films, according to Forbes.com.
Academy award winner Portman topped the list of best actors for the buck, providing about $42.70 for every dollar she earns.
'Black Swan,' for which she won her best actress Oscar, was produced for an estimated $13 million and earned $329 million in global box office sales.
'We estimate that for every dollar Portman is paid by the studios, she returns $42.70. Compare that to Eddie Murphy, our most overpaid star, who returns $2.30 for every dollar he gets paid,' Forbes.com said.
'Twilight' star Stewart was not far behind, bringing in $40.60. She also topped the Forbes list of highest-earning actresses with an estimated $34.5 million in salary in 2012.
'Stewart was able to earn a ton over the last three years and offer a healthy return thanks to 'Twilight,'' according to Forbes.com. 'Even though she was paid $25 million to star in the last two films, she was clearly worth the money.'
Forbes.com analyzed salaries, estimated box office grosses from the actor's last three films over the previous three years to calculate the studio's return on investment. The most bankable stars tended to be featured in the most profitable films.
Stewart's two co-stars in the 'Twilight' films were also good investments for the studio. Robert Pattinson came in fourth with a return of $31.70 and Taylor Lautner was No. 6, making $29.50 for the studio for every dollar he was paid.
(This story was refiled to correct spelling of Kristen)
(Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
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Academy award winner Portman topped the list of best actors for the buck, providing about $42.70 for every dollar she earns.
'Black Swan,' for which she won her best actress Oscar, was produced for an estimated $13 million and earned $329 million in global box office sales.
'We estimate that for every dollar Portman is paid by the studios, she returns $42.70. Compare that to Eddie Murphy, our most overpaid star, who returns $2.30 for every dollar he gets paid,' Forbes.com said.
'Twilight' star Stewart was not far behind, bringing in $40.60. She also topped the Forbes list of highest-earning actresses with an estimated $34.5 million in salary in 2012.
'Stewart was able to earn a ton over the last three years and offer a healthy return thanks to 'Twilight,'' according to Forbes.com. 'Even though she was paid $25 million to star in the last two films, she was clearly worth the money.'
Forbes.com analyzed salaries, estimated box office grosses from the actor's last three films over the previous three years to calculate the studio's return on investment. The most bankable stars tended to be featured in the most profitable films.
Stewart's two co-stars in the 'Twilight' films were also good investments for the studio. Robert Pattinson came in fourth with a return of $31.70 and Taylor Lautner was No. 6, making $29.50 for the studio for every dollar he was paid.
(This story was refiled to correct spelling of Kristen)
(Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
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Jessica Simpson's Christmas tweet seems to confirm pregnancy rumor
(Reuters) - Actress, singer and fashion designer Jessica Simpson sent a Christmas Twitter message that apparently confirms media rumors that she is pregnant - showing a photo of her daughter Maxwell with the words 'Big Sis' spelled out in sand.
The picture's caption reads 'Merry Christmas from my family to yours.'
Simpson had her first child, Maxwell Drew Johnson, in May. She has since become a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers.
A representative for Simpson was not immediately available for comment.
Simpson rose to fame as a teen pop star and became a household name after starring in a TV reality show with her then-husband Nick Lachey, a member of the boy band 98 Degrees. The pair divorced after three years of marriage.
She went on to star in the 2005 film version of 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and re-invented herself as a country singer in 2008. She currently designs apparel, accessories and other fashion products and is a mentor on the TV contest 'Fashion Star.'
Simpson's fiance, Eric Johnson, is a former U.S. professional football player whose career spanned seven seasons for both the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints.
(Reporting By Mary Wisniewski and Paul Simao)
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The picture's caption reads 'Merry Christmas from my family to yours.'
Simpson had her first child, Maxwell Drew Johnson, in May. She has since become a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers.
A representative for Simpson was not immediately available for comment.
Simpson rose to fame as a teen pop star and became a household name after starring in a TV reality show with her then-husband Nick Lachey, a member of the boy band 98 Degrees. The pair divorced after three years of marriage.
She went on to star in the 2005 film version of 'The Dukes of Hazzard' and re-invented herself as a country singer in 2008. She currently designs apparel, accessories and other fashion products and is a mentor on the TV contest 'Fashion Star.'
Simpson's fiance, Eric Johnson, is a former U.S. professional football player whose career spanned seven seasons for both the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints.
(Reporting By Mary Wisniewski and Paul Simao)
This news article is brought to you by FREE ROMANTIC DATING SITE BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Quentin Tarantino unchains America's tormented past in "Django"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Twenty years after Quentin Tarantino unveiled his first film 'Reservoir Dogs,' the director has turned his eye to America's slavery history, spinning a blood-filled retribution tale in his trademark style for 'Django Unchained.'
Tarantino, 49, has become synonymous with violence and dark humor, taking on the Nazis in 'Inglourious Basterds' and mobsters in 'Pulp Fiction.'
In 'Django Unchained,' to be released in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day, he fuses a spaghetti Western cowboy action adventure with a racially charged revenge tale set in the 19th century, before the abolition of slavery in the United States.
Jamie Foxx stars as a slave whose freedom is bought by a former dentist, played by Christoph Waltz. The two set off as bounty hunters, rounding up robbers and cattle rustlers before turning their attention to brutal plantation owners in America's Deep South.
Tarantino is well-versed in delivering violence. But the director said he faced 'a lot of trepidation' about filming the slavery scenes. He has already come under fire from some critics for the frequent use in the film of the 'N-word' - a racial slur directed at blacks.
The director said he was initially hesitant to ask black actors to play slaves who are shackled and whipped, and even considered filming outside of the United States.
But a dinner with veteran Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier, whom Tarantino called a 'father figure,' changed his mind after Poitier urged him to not 'be afraid' of his film.
'This movie is a deep, deep, deep American story, and it needed to be made by an American, and it needed to star Americans. ... Lots of the movies dealing with this issue have usually had Brits playing Southerners and it creates this arm's-distance quality,' Tarantino said.
Much of the film's more graphic slavery scenes, such as gladiator-style fights to the death and being encased naked in a metal hot box in the heat of the Southern sun, are drawn from real accounts.
'We were shooting on hallowed ground. This was the ground of our ancestors. ... Their blood was in the grass, there's still bits of flesh embedded in the bark,' Tarantino said.
The film has received good reviews from critics and is expected to add Oscar nominations in January to its five Golden Globe nods.
With the exception of Waltz, who plays eccentric German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz, the majority of the main players are not only American but from the South.
'It seemed sacred to us, and we couldn't help but channel those emotions, everybody on the crew and on the set. ... Those were very moving days,' Tarantino said.
'DESPICABLE' CHARACTERS
Tarantino reunited with Waltz, who won an Oscar in 2010 for his role as a menacing Nazi officer in 'Inglourious Basterds,' and long-time collaborator Samuel L. Jackson, who plays slave housekeeper Stephen, a character who Tarantino described as 'the most despicable black (character)' in movie history.
'Stephen might be frankly the most fascinating character in the whole piece, and it was important to deal with that whole upstairs-downstairs aspect of the Antebellum South,' he said.
The role that has people talking is Leonardo DiCaprio's first villainous turn as a racist plantation owner - a stark contrast from his Hollywood heartthrob 'Titanic' days and roles as eccentric Americans in 'The Aviator' and 'J. Edgar.'
Asked how he felt to be the first director to make DiCaprio a villain, Tarantino laughed, saying he felt 'pretty darn good about it.' He commended DiCaprio for turning into a 'Southern-fried Caligula,' referring to the tyrannical ancient Roman emperor.
'I saw him as a petulant boy emperor. ... He has nothing but hedonistic hobbies and vices to indulge him, and it's almost as if he's rotting from the inside,' Tarantino said.
The film's female lead, Django's wife Broomhilda played by Kerry Washington, moves away from Tarantino's fierce screen women such as Uma Thurman in 'Kill Bill' and Diane Kruger in 'Inglourious Basterds.'
Tarantino said Broomhilda was meant to be the 'princess in exile.' He said he was 'annoyed' when he was asked by a friend why Broomhilda did not exact revenge on her abusers in the same way as Thurman's 'Kill Bill' character. The film, he said, is 'Django's story.'
'It invokes ... that odyssey that Django goes on and gives the black slave narrative the romantic dimensions of great opera or great folklore tales,' Tarantino said.
(Editing by Jill Serjeant, Patricia Reaney and Will Dunham)
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Tarantino, 49, has become synonymous with violence and dark humor, taking on the Nazis in 'Inglourious Basterds' and mobsters in 'Pulp Fiction.'
In 'Django Unchained,' to be released in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day, he fuses a spaghetti Western cowboy action adventure with a racially charged revenge tale set in the 19th century, before the abolition of slavery in the United States.
Jamie Foxx stars as a slave whose freedom is bought by a former dentist, played by Christoph Waltz. The two set off as bounty hunters, rounding up robbers and cattle rustlers before turning their attention to brutal plantation owners in America's Deep South.
Tarantino is well-versed in delivering violence. But the director said he faced 'a lot of trepidation' about filming the slavery scenes. He has already come under fire from some critics for the frequent use in the film of the 'N-word' - a racial slur directed at blacks.
The director said he was initially hesitant to ask black actors to play slaves who are shackled and whipped, and even considered filming outside of the United States.
But a dinner with veteran Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier, whom Tarantino called a 'father figure,' changed his mind after Poitier urged him to not 'be afraid' of his film.
'This movie is a deep, deep, deep American story, and it needed to be made by an American, and it needed to star Americans. ... Lots of the movies dealing with this issue have usually had Brits playing Southerners and it creates this arm's-distance quality,' Tarantino said.
Much of the film's more graphic slavery scenes, such as gladiator-style fights to the death and being encased naked in a metal hot box in the heat of the Southern sun, are drawn from real accounts.
'We were shooting on hallowed ground. This was the ground of our ancestors. ... Their blood was in the grass, there's still bits of flesh embedded in the bark,' Tarantino said.
The film has received good reviews from critics and is expected to add Oscar nominations in January to its five Golden Globe nods.
With the exception of Waltz, who plays eccentric German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz, the majority of the main players are not only American but from the South.
'It seemed sacred to us, and we couldn't help but channel those emotions, everybody on the crew and on the set. ... Those were very moving days,' Tarantino said.
'DESPICABLE' CHARACTERS
Tarantino reunited with Waltz, who won an Oscar in 2010 for his role as a menacing Nazi officer in 'Inglourious Basterds,' and long-time collaborator Samuel L. Jackson, who plays slave housekeeper Stephen, a character who Tarantino described as 'the most despicable black (character)' in movie history.
'Stephen might be frankly the most fascinating character in the whole piece, and it was important to deal with that whole upstairs-downstairs aspect of the Antebellum South,' he said.
The role that has people talking is Leonardo DiCaprio's first villainous turn as a racist plantation owner - a stark contrast from his Hollywood heartthrob 'Titanic' days and roles as eccentric Americans in 'The Aviator' and 'J. Edgar.'
Asked how he felt to be the first director to make DiCaprio a villain, Tarantino laughed, saying he felt 'pretty darn good about it.' He commended DiCaprio for turning into a 'Southern-fried Caligula,' referring to the tyrannical ancient Roman emperor.
'I saw him as a petulant boy emperor. ... He has nothing but hedonistic hobbies and vices to indulge him, and it's almost as if he's rotting from the inside,' Tarantino said.
The film's female lead, Django's wife Broomhilda played by Kerry Washington, moves away from Tarantino's fierce screen women such as Uma Thurman in 'Kill Bill' and Diane Kruger in 'Inglourious Basterds.'
Tarantino said Broomhilda was meant to be the 'princess in exile.' He said he was 'annoyed' when he was asked by a friend why Broomhilda did not exact revenge on her abusers in the same way as Thurman's 'Kill Bill' character. The film, he said, is 'Django's story.'
'It invokes ... that odyssey that Django goes on and gives the black slave narrative the romantic dimensions of great opera or great folklore tales,' Tarantino said.
(Editing by Jill Serjeant, Patricia Reaney and Will Dunham)
This news article is brought to you by ANIMALS AND PETS - where latest news are our top priority.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Former President George H.W. Bush remains hospitalized
(Reuters) - Former President George H.W. Bush, who has been hospitalized for a month undergoing treatment for bronchitis, may not be released from a Houston hospital in time to celebrate Christmas at home as doctors had hoped.
Bush, 88, remained in stable condition and doctors were optimistic he would make a full recovery, George Kovacik, a spokesman at Methodist Hospital, said in an emailed statement on Sunday.
But doctors were being 'extra cautious' with his care and no discharge date had been set, the statement said. Earlier this month, Kovacik said doctors expected Bush would be able to spend Christmas at home with his family.
'His doctors feel he should build up his energy before going home,' the statement said.
Bush, the 41st president and a Republican, took office in 1989 and served one term in the White House. The father of former President George W. Bush, he also is a former congressman, U.N. ambassador, CIA director and vice president for two terms under Ronald Reagan.
(Reporting by Kevin Gray; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Vicki Allen)
Bush, 88, remained in stable condition and doctors were optimistic he would make a full recovery, George Kovacik, a spokesman at Methodist Hospital, said in an emailed statement on Sunday.
But doctors were being 'extra cautious' with his care and no discharge date had been set, the statement said. Earlier this month, Kovacik said doctors expected Bush would be able to spend Christmas at home with his family.
'His doctors feel he should build up his energy before going home,' the statement said.
Bush, the 41st president and a Republican, took office in 1989 and served one term in the White House. The father of former President George W. Bush, he also is a former congressman, U.N. ambassador, CIA director and vice president for two terms under Ronald Reagan.
(Reporting by Kevin Gray; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Vicki Allen)
Saturday, December 22, 2012
UK's Kate and William to spend Christmas Day with her parents
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prince William and his pregnant wife Kate will spend Christmas Day with her parents, their office said on Saturday, in a break with the tradition of royals joining Queen Elizabeth at her country estate at Sandringham.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate in private with Carole and Michael Middleton at their home in the village of Bucklebury, about 50 miles west of London.
'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will spend Christmas Day privately with the Middleton family,' a St James's Palace spokesman said.
The couple's decision was taken with the approval of the Queen. They are expected to visit Sandringham, in eastern England, for part of the Christmas holiday.
Kate, 30, who married the second-in-line to the throne in April 2011, spent four days in hospital this month with an acute form of morning sickness.
Members of the British royal family usually spend Christmas at Sandringham and stay until February, following a custom set by Queen Elizabeth's father and grandfather. Kate and William spent Christmas there last year, meeting scores of wellwishers.
The Middletons are likely to join millions of Britons in watching Queen Elizabeth's annual Christmas broadcast, a tradition that her grandfather George V started in 1932.
For the first time, the monarch has recorded her television broadcast in 3D. It will be shown at 1500 GMT on December 25.
(Reporting by Peter Griffiths; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate in private with Carole and Michael Middleton at their home in the village of Bucklebury, about 50 miles west of London.
'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will spend Christmas Day privately with the Middleton family,' a St James's Palace spokesman said.
The couple's decision was taken with the approval of the Queen. They are expected to visit Sandringham, in eastern England, for part of the Christmas holiday.
Kate, 30, who married the second-in-line to the throne in April 2011, spent four days in hospital this month with an acute form of morning sickness.
Members of the British royal family usually spend Christmas at Sandringham and stay until February, following a custom set by Queen Elizabeth's father and grandfather. Kate and William spent Christmas there last year, meeting scores of wellwishers.
The Middletons are likely to join millions of Britons in watching Queen Elizabeth's annual Christmas broadcast, a tradition that her grandfather George V started in 1932.
For the first time, the monarch has recorded her television broadcast in 3D. It will be shown at 1500 GMT on December 25.
(Reporting by Peter Griffiths; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
This news article is brought to you by LINUXOS.PRO - where latest news are our top priority.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Putin offers French tax row actor Depardieu a Russian passport
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin offered French actor Gerard Depardieu a Russian passport on Thursday, saying he would welcome the 63-year-old celebrity who is embroiled in a bitter tax row with France's socialist government.
Weighing into a dispute over a hike in taxes, Putin heaped praise on Depardieu, making the offer of citizenship in response to a question during his annual televised press conference.
'If Gerard really wants to have either a residency permit in Russia or a Russian passport, we will assume that this matter is settled and settled positively,' Putin said.
French daily Le Monde reported on Tuesday that Depardieu had told his close friends he was considering three options to escape France's new tax regime: moving to Belgium, where he owns a home, relocating to Montenegro, where he has a business, or fleeing to Russia.
'Putin has already sent me a passport,' Le Monde quoted the actor as jokingly saying.
Depardieu is well-known in Russia where he has appeared in many advertising campaigns, and in 2012 he was one of several Western celebrities invited to celebrate the birthday of Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's Kremlin-backed leader.
He also worked in Russia last year on a film about the life and times of the eccentric Russian monk Grigory Rasputin.
He has already inquired about how to obtain Belgian residency rights and said he plans to hand in his French passport and social security card.
In what has become an ugly public dispute, France's Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault criticized Depardieu's announcement as 'pathetic' and unpatriotic. The actor hit back, accusing France of punishing success and talent.
But Putin said he thought the feud was the result of a 'misunderstanding'.
The 60-year-old former KGB spy said he was very friendly with Depardieu, saying he thought the actor considered himself a Frenchman who loved the culture and history of his homeland.
Belgian residents do not pay a wealth tax, which in France is now levied on those with assets over 1.3 million euros ($1.7 million). Nor do they pay capital gains tax on share sales.
Hollande is also pressing ahead with plans to impose a 75-percent super tax on income over 1 million euros.
Russia has a flat income tax rate of 13 percent.
(Reporting by Alexei Anishchuk; Additional reporting by John Irish in Paris; Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Alissa de Carbonnel and Andrew Osborn)
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Weighing into a dispute over a hike in taxes, Putin heaped praise on Depardieu, making the offer of citizenship in response to a question during his annual televised press conference.
'If Gerard really wants to have either a residency permit in Russia or a Russian passport, we will assume that this matter is settled and settled positively,' Putin said.
French daily Le Monde reported on Tuesday that Depardieu had told his close friends he was considering three options to escape France's new tax regime: moving to Belgium, where he owns a home, relocating to Montenegro, where he has a business, or fleeing to Russia.
'Putin has already sent me a passport,' Le Monde quoted the actor as jokingly saying.
Depardieu is well-known in Russia where he has appeared in many advertising campaigns, and in 2012 he was one of several Western celebrities invited to celebrate the birthday of Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's Kremlin-backed leader.
He also worked in Russia last year on a film about the life and times of the eccentric Russian monk Grigory Rasputin.
He has already inquired about how to obtain Belgian residency rights and said he plans to hand in his French passport and social security card.
In what has become an ugly public dispute, France's Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault criticized Depardieu's announcement as 'pathetic' and unpatriotic. The actor hit back, accusing France of punishing success and talent.
But Putin said he thought the feud was the result of a 'misunderstanding'.
The 60-year-old former KGB spy said he was very friendly with Depardieu, saying he thought the actor considered himself a Frenchman who loved the culture and history of his homeland.
Belgian residents do not pay a wealth tax, which in France is now levied on those with assets over 1.3 million euros ($1.7 million). Nor do they pay capital gains tax on share sales.
Hollande is also pressing ahead with plans to impose a 75-percent super tax on income over 1 million euros.
Russia has a flat income tax rate of 13 percent.
(Reporting by Alexei Anishchuk; Additional reporting by John Irish in Paris; Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Alissa de Carbonnel and Andrew Osborn)
This news article is brought to you by ECONOMY BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Gabby Douglas, Adele among brightest young stars -Forbes magazine
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fashion designer Carly Cushnie, actress Kate McKinnon and videogame creator Kim Swift may not be household names yet, but they are destined to do great things and will be tomorrow's young stars, Forbes magazine said on Monday.
Along with Olympic Gold medalist gymnast Gabby Douglas, rapper Wiz Khalifa and researcher Josh Sommer, they have been chosen by the magazine for its '30 Under 30' list of top achievers under 30 years old in their fields.
They are considered the top 30 achievers in 15 categories ranging from education, energy, music, science and healthcare to sports, technology games and apps and marketing.
'This is a celebration of youthful ambition and success. These are really amazing people and they are doing amazing things. It makes you very hopeful about the world,' Michael Noer, the executive editor of Forbes, said in an interview.
Many on the list, including singers Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber, as well as actresses Ashley and May Kate Olsen and fashion designer Alexander Wang, the newly appointed creative director at the French fashion house Balenciaga, are already well known.
Some are returnees to the list that was launched last year - like British singer and new mother Adele, the 24-year-old multiple Grammy Award winner, and American entrepreneur Kevin Systrom.
Noer said there has been a 60 percent turnover since 2011, so there are plenty of new faces on the list drawn up by Forbes staff and industry experts.
'I think there are a lot of interesting names on the list,' he said.
In energy, it is 28-year-old Leslie Dewan, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate and co-founder and chief science officer of Transatomic Power.
'They are developing a new type of nuclear reactor that uses nuclear waste,' said Noer.
In music, Pittsburgh-bred Khalifa, 25, topped the list. Swift, the 29-year-old creative director at Airtight Games, was noted for creating hit videogame Portal.
'Kate McKinnon, the actress from 'Saturday Night Live' who just joined in April is our Hollywood selection. She is being hailed as the next Tina Fey,' Noer said.
Sommer, the executive director of the Chordoma Foundation which raises funds for research into chordoma, a rare, slow-growing bone cancer most commonly found in the spine, is another young achiever, according to Forbes.
Sommer created the foundation with his mother after being diagnosed with the disease while a student at Duke University in North Carolina.
'He was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer, dropped out of school to find a cure and he has made some progress,' said Noer.
The full list will be published in the January 21 issue of Forbes and can also be found at www.forbes.com/under 30 .
(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; editing by Paul Casciato and Mohammad Zargham)
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Along with Olympic Gold medalist gymnast Gabby Douglas, rapper Wiz Khalifa and researcher Josh Sommer, they have been chosen by the magazine for its '30 Under 30' list of top achievers under 30 years old in their fields.
They are considered the top 30 achievers in 15 categories ranging from education, energy, music, science and healthcare to sports, technology games and apps and marketing.
'This is a celebration of youthful ambition and success. These are really amazing people and they are doing amazing things. It makes you very hopeful about the world,' Michael Noer, the executive editor of Forbes, said in an interview.
Many on the list, including singers Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber, as well as actresses Ashley and May Kate Olsen and fashion designer Alexander Wang, the newly appointed creative director at the French fashion house Balenciaga, are already well known.
Some are returnees to the list that was launched last year - like British singer and new mother Adele, the 24-year-old multiple Grammy Award winner, and American entrepreneur Kevin Systrom.
Noer said there has been a 60 percent turnover since 2011, so there are plenty of new faces on the list drawn up by Forbes staff and industry experts.
'I think there are a lot of interesting names on the list,' he said.
In energy, it is 28-year-old Leslie Dewan, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate and co-founder and chief science officer of Transatomic Power.
'They are developing a new type of nuclear reactor that uses nuclear waste,' said Noer.
In music, Pittsburgh-bred Khalifa, 25, topped the list. Swift, the 29-year-old creative director at Airtight Games, was noted for creating hit videogame Portal.
'Kate McKinnon, the actress from 'Saturday Night Live' who just joined in April is our Hollywood selection. She is being hailed as the next Tina Fey,' Noer said.
Sommer, the executive director of the Chordoma Foundation which raises funds for research into chordoma, a rare, slow-growing bone cancer most commonly found in the spine, is another young achiever, according to Forbes.
Sommer created the foundation with his mother after being diagnosed with the disease while a student at Duke University in North Carolina.
'He was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer, dropped out of school to find a cure and he has made some progress,' said Noer.
The full list will be published in the January 21 issue of Forbes and can also be found at www.forbes.com/under 30 .
(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; editing by Paul Casciato and Mohammad Zargham)
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Sunday, December 16, 2012
Pop star Kelly Clarkson announces engagement
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kelly Clarkson, who became the first contestant to win 'American Idol' a decade ago and went on to several chart-topping successes, has gotten engaged to her boyfriend, the singer said in a Twitter message on Saturday.
Clarkson, 30, previously revealed she had been dating talent manager Brandon Blackstock since early this year. Blackstock is the stepson of country singer Reba McEntire.
'I'M ENGAGED!' Clarkson said on Twitter. 'I wanted y'all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night!'
She then followed that by posting a link to a photo of her canary yellow diamond engagement ring on a website. She wrote that her boyfriend helped design it and that she 'can't wait to make Brandon's ring.'
Clarkson's album 'Stronger' hit No. 2 last year on the Billboard 200 sales chart, and she in previous years topped pop charts with her songs 'My Life Would Suck Without You' and 'A Moment Like This.'
The Texas-born singer won the Fox television singing contest 'American Idol' in the show's debut year in 2002, and has had more success than many of the show's stars from following years.
Clarkson has burnished an image as an artist willing to speak her mind, even confessing to feelings of loneliness.
Last month, in an appearance on the 'Ellen DeGeneres Show,' Clarkson said she had been dating Blackstock since earlier this year and was thankful to have him.
'I am not alone for the first time for Thanksgiving and Christmas and I'm very happy,' she said on the show.
In the same November appearance, Clarkson said she expected to get engaged to Blackstock. 'We will totally, probably elope,' she told DeGeneres.
(Reporting By Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by David Bailey)
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Clarkson, 30, previously revealed she had been dating talent manager Brandon Blackstock since early this year. Blackstock is the stepson of country singer Reba McEntire.
'I'M ENGAGED!' Clarkson said on Twitter. 'I wanted y'all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night!'
She then followed that by posting a link to a photo of her canary yellow diamond engagement ring on a website. She wrote that her boyfriend helped design it and that she 'can't wait to make Brandon's ring.'
Clarkson's album 'Stronger' hit No. 2 last year on the Billboard 200 sales chart, and she in previous years topped pop charts with her songs 'My Life Would Suck Without You' and 'A Moment Like This.'
The Texas-born singer won the Fox television singing contest 'American Idol' in the show's debut year in 2002, and has had more success than many of the show's stars from following years.
Clarkson has burnished an image as an artist willing to speak her mind, even confessing to feelings of loneliness.
Last month, in an appearance on the 'Ellen DeGeneres Show,' Clarkson said she had been dating Blackstock since earlier this year and was thankful to have him.
'I am not alone for the first time for Thanksgiving and Christmas and I'm very happy,' she said on the show.
In the same November appearance, Clarkson said she expected to get engaged to Blackstock. 'We will totally, probably elope,' she told DeGeneres.
(Reporting By Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by David Bailey)
This news article is brought to you by DATING ADVICE 201 - where latest news are our top priority.
Friday, December 14, 2012
"Bennifer" buried as Ben Affleck's star soars
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - It has taken 10 years of hard work and indie movies, but Ben Affleck finally has moved past his 'Bennifer' nightmare.
Affleck, 40, once a tabloid staple who risked becoming a laughingstock during his romance with Jennifer Lopez and their movie flop 'Gigli,' is back on top in Hollywood, winning accolades for his work both in front of and behind the camera.
Fifteen years after Affleck shared an Oscar with Matt Damon for their first screenplay, 'Good Will Hunting,' buzz is building over a likely second Academy Award nomination next month. It would be Affleck's first since 1997.
'Finally, people now are ready to go, 'Wow! He's at the very top of the food chain,'' Damon told Reuters.
Affleck's latest film 'Argo,' a part-thriller, part-comedic tale of the real-life rescue of six American diplomats from Iran in 1980, this week picked up five Golden Globe nominations and a nod from the Screen Actors Guild for its top prize of best ensemble cast.
The film, which Affleck directed, produced and stars in, has also delighted critics and brought in some $160 million at the worldwide box office.
In 'Argo,' Affleck's clean-cut looks are hidden under a long, shaggy 1970s hair cut and beard as he plays CIA officer Tony Mendez, who devised a fake film project to spirit six hostages out of Tehran after the Islamic revolution.
The kudos Affleck is now receiving follows the embarrassing headlines he attracted over his 2002-2004 romance with Lopez.
'It was tough to watch him get kicked in the teeth for all those years because the perception of him was so not who he actually was,' Damon said.
'It was upsetting for a lot of his friends because he's the smartest, funnest, nicest, kindest, incredibly talented guy. ... So that was tough. Now I'm just thrilled. ... He deserves everything that he's going to get,' he added.
With a huge, pink diamond engagement ring for Lopez and gossip about matching Rolls Royces, the pair dubbed 'Bennifer' starred in the 2003 comedy romance 'Gigli,' which earned multiple Razzie awards for the worst comedy of the year.
SELLING MAGAZINES NOT MOVIES
Damon, by contrast, was seeing his career surge with 'The Bourne Identity,' 'Syriana' and 'The Departed.' But he recalls Affleck's pain.
'He said (to me), 'I am in the absolute worst place you can be. I sell magazines, not movie tickets.' I remember our agent called up the editor of Us Weekly, begging her not to put him on the cover any more. Please stop. Just stop,' Damon said.
About a year after splitting with Lopez, Affleck married actress Jennifer Garner, had the first of three children with her, and started writing and directing small but admired movies like 'Gone Baby Gone' in 2007 and 2010's gritty crime film 'The Town.'
Last month, Affleck was named Entertainment Weekly's entertainer of the year, largely on the back of 'Argo.'
The actor-turned-director said that managing the various tones of the film was his hardest challenge.
'I had to synthesize comedic elements and the political stuff and this true-life drama thriller story. ... It was scary and it was daunting,' Affleck told Reuters, saying he powered through by 'overworking it by a multiple of ten.'
A trip to the Oscars ceremony in February is now considered a shoo-in by awards pundits, but Affleck is not convinced that success is sweeter the second time around.
'It's harder. On the one hand, coming from obscurity, you have a neutral starting place. Because of the tabloid press and over exposure, I was starting from a deficit,' he said.
'It can be very unpleasant to be in the midst of a lot of ugliness. But I just put my head down and decided ... I was going to work as hard as I could, and I never let the possibility enter my mind that I might fail - at least consciously. Subconsciously, I knew I could fail and I was really scared, so it made me work harder.'
(Additional reporting by Zorianna Kit; Editing by Will Dunham)
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Affleck, 40, once a tabloid staple who risked becoming a laughingstock during his romance with Jennifer Lopez and their movie flop 'Gigli,' is back on top in Hollywood, winning accolades for his work both in front of and behind the camera.
Fifteen years after Affleck shared an Oscar with Matt Damon for their first screenplay, 'Good Will Hunting,' buzz is building over a likely second Academy Award nomination next month. It would be Affleck's first since 1997.
'Finally, people now are ready to go, 'Wow! He's at the very top of the food chain,'' Damon told Reuters.
Affleck's latest film 'Argo,' a part-thriller, part-comedic tale of the real-life rescue of six American diplomats from Iran in 1980, this week picked up five Golden Globe nominations and a nod from the Screen Actors Guild for its top prize of best ensemble cast.
The film, which Affleck directed, produced and stars in, has also delighted critics and brought in some $160 million at the worldwide box office.
In 'Argo,' Affleck's clean-cut looks are hidden under a long, shaggy 1970s hair cut and beard as he plays CIA officer Tony Mendez, who devised a fake film project to spirit six hostages out of Tehran after the Islamic revolution.
The kudos Affleck is now receiving follows the embarrassing headlines he attracted over his 2002-2004 romance with Lopez.
'It was tough to watch him get kicked in the teeth for all those years because the perception of him was so not who he actually was,' Damon said.
'It was upsetting for a lot of his friends because he's the smartest, funnest, nicest, kindest, incredibly talented guy. ... So that was tough. Now I'm just thrilled. ... He deserves everything that he's going to get,' he added.
With a huge, pink diamond engagement ring for Lopez and gossip about matching Rolls Royces, the pair dubbed 'Bennifer' starred in the 2003 comedy romance 'Gigli,' which earned multiple Razzie awards for the worst comedy of the year.
SELLING MAGAZINES NOT MOVIES
Damon, by contrast, was seeing his career surge with 'The Bourne Identity,' 'Syriana' and 'The Departed.' But he recalls Affleck's pain.
'He said (to me), 'I am in the absolute worst place you can be. I sell magazines, not movie tickets.' I remember our agent called up the editor of Us Weekly, begging her not to put him on the cover any more. Please stop. Just stop,' Damon said.
About a year after splitting with Lopez, Affleck married actress Jennifer Garner, had the first of three children with her, and started writing and directing small but admired movies like 'Gone Baby Gone' in 2007 and 2010's gritty crime film 'The Town.'
Last month, Affleck was named Entertainment Weekly's entertainer of the year, largely on the back of 'Argo.'
The actor-turned-director said that managing the various tones of the film was his hardest challenge.
'I had to synthesize comedic elements and the political stuff and this true-life drama thriller story. ... It was scary and it was daunting,' Affleck told Reuters, saying he powered through by 'overworking it by a multiple of ten.'
A trip to the Oscars ceremony in February is now considered a shoo-in by awards pundits, but Affleck is not convinced that success is sweeter the second time around.
'It's harder. On the one hand, coming from obscurity, you have a neutral starting place. Because of the tabloid press and over exposure, I was starting from a deficit,' he said.
'It can be very unpleasant to be in the midst of a lot of ugliness. But I just put my head down and decided ... I was going to work as hard as I could, and I never let the possibility enter my mind that I might fail - at least consciously. Subconsciously, I knew I could fail and I was really scared, so it made me work harder.'
(Additional reporting by Zorianna Kit; Editing by Will Dunham)
This news article is brought to you by SEXUAL HEALTH NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
McAfee arrives in U.S. from Guatemala
MIAMI (Reuters) - Computer software pioneer John McAfee, who is wanted for questioning in Belize over the murder of a fellow American, arrived in Miami on Wednesday evening after he was deported by Guatemala, according to fellow passengers on an American Airlines flight.
After landing, McAfee, 67, was escorted from the plane by airport security officers, passengers said. Shortly afterward, he tweeted, 'I am in South Beach,' referring to the popular tourist area on Miami Beach.
'Some people felt uncomfortable that he was on our flight. ... We all knew the story,' said Maria Claridge, 36, a South Florida photographer who was on the Silicon Valley entrepreneur's flight to Miami.
McAfee, who was seated in the coach section and had a whole row to himself, was wearing a suit and was 'very calm' during the flight, she added.
'He looked very tired, he looked like a man who hadn't slept in days. I'd say he even looked depressed,' said another passenger, Roberto Gilbert, a Guatemalan who lives in Miami.
McAfee had been held for a week in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading police in Belize for nearly a month following the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
Police in Belize want to quiz McAfee as a 'person of interest' in Faull's death, although the technology guru's lawyers blocked an attempt by Guatemala to send him back there.
Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation. McAfee has denied any role in Faull's killing.
The goateed McAfee has led the world's media on a game of online hide-and-seek in Belize and Guatemala since he fled after Faull's death, peppering the Internet with pithy quotes and colorful revelations about his unpredictable life.
'I'm happy to be going home,' McAfee, dressed in a black suit, told reporters shortly before his departure from Guatemala City airport on Wednesday afternoon. 'I've been running through jungles and rivers and oceans and I think I need to rest for a while. And I've been in jail for seven days.'
Guatemala's immigration authorities had been holding McAfee since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
He said he had no immediate plans after reaching Florida.
'I'm just going to hang in Miami for a while. I like Miami,' he told Reuters by telephone just before his plane left. 'There is a great sushi place there and I really like sushi.'
BELIZE STILL WAITING
Residents of the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, said McAfee and Faull, 52, had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs.
McAfee says Belize authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has said he was being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected the allegations, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
Belize police spokesman Raphael Martinez said the country still wanted to question McAfee about the Faull case.
'He will be just under the goodwill of the United States of America. He is still a person of interest, but a U.S. national has been killed and he has been somewhat implicated in that murder. People want him to answer some questions,' he said.
Martinez noted that Belize's extradition treaty with the United States extended only to suspected criminals, a designation that did not currently apply to McAfee.
'Right now, we don't have enough information to change his status from person of interest to suspect,' he said.
Residents and neighbors on Ambergris Caye said McAfee was unusual and at times unstable. He was seen to travel with armed bodyguards, sporting a pistol tucked into his belt.
The predicament of McAfee, a former Lockheed systems consultant, is a far cry from his heyday in the late 1980s, when he started McAfee Associates. McAfee has no relationship now with the company, which was sold to Intel Corp.
McAfee was previously charged in Belize with possession of illegal firearms, and police had raided his property on suspicions that he was running a lab to produce illegal synthetic narcotics. He said he had not taken drugs since 1983.
'I took drugs constantly, 24 hours of the day. I took them for years and years. I was the worst drug abuser on the planet,' he told Reuters before his arrest in Guatemala. 'Then I finally went to Alcoholics Anonymous, and that was the end of it.'
(Writing by Dave Graham, Michael O'Boyle and David Adams. Reporting by Sofia Menchu and Mike McDonald.; Editing by Peter Cooney)
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY MUSIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
After landing, McAfee, 67, was escorted from the plane by airport security officers, passengers said. Shortly afterward, he tweeted, 'I am in South Beach,' referring to the popular tourist area on Miami Beach.
'Some people felt uncomfortable that he was on our flight. ... We all knew the story,' said Maria Claridge, 36, a South Florida photographer who was on the Silicon Valley entrepreneur's flight to Miami.
McAfee, who was seated in the coach section and had a whole row to himself, was wearing a suit and was 'very calm' during the flight, she added.
'He looked very tired, he looked like a man who hadn't slept in days. I'd say he even looked depressed,' said another passenger, Roberto Gilbert, a Guatemalan who lives in Miami.
McAfee had been held for a week in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading police in Belize for nearly a month following the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
Police in Belize want to quiz McAfee as a 'person of interest' in Faull's death, although the technology guru's lawyers blocked an attempt by Guatemala to send him back there.
Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation. McAfee has denied any role in Faull's killing.
The goateed McAfee has led the world's media on a game of online hide-and-seek in Belize and Guatemala since he fled after Faull's death, peppering the Internet with pithy quotes and colorful revelations about his unpredictable life.
'I'm happy to be going home,' McAfee, dressed in a black suit, told reporters shortly before his departure from Guatemala City airport on Wednesday afternoon. 'I've been running through jungles and rivers and oceans and I think I need to rest for a while. And I've been in jail for seven days.'
Guatemala's immigration authorities had been holding McAfee since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
He said he had no immediate plans after reaching Florida.
'I'm just going to hang in Miami for a while. I like Miami,' he told Reuters by telephone just before his plane left. 'There is a great sushi place there and I really like sushi.'
BELIZE STILL WAITING
Residents of the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, said McAfee and Faull, 52, had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs.
McAfee says Belize authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has said he was being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected the allegations, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
Belize police spokesman Raphael Martinez said the country still wanted to question McAfee about the Faull case.
'He will be just under the goodwill of the United States of America. He is still a person of interest, but a U.S. national has been killed and he has been somewhat implicated in that murder. People want him to answer some questions,' he said.
Martinez noted that Belize's extradition treaty with the United States extended only to suspected criminals, a designation that did not currently apply to McAfee.
'Right now, we don't have enough information to change his status from person of interest to suspect,' he said.
Residents and neighbors on Ambergris Caye said McAfee was unusual and at times unstable. He was seen to travel with armed bodyguards, sporting a pistol tucked into his belt.
The predicament of McAfee, a former Lockheed systems consultant, is a far cry from his heyday in the late 1980s, when he started McAfee Associates. McAfee has no relationship now with the company, which was sold to Intel Corp.
McAfee was previously charged in Belize with possession of illegal firearms, and police had raided his property on suspicions that he was running a lab to produce illegal synthetic narcotics. He said he had not taken drugs since 1983.
'I took drugs constantly, 24 hours of the day. I took them for years and years. I was the worst drug abuser on the planet,' he told Reuters before his arrest in Guatemala. 'Then I finally went to Alcoholics Anonymous, and that was the end of it.'
(Writing by Dave Graham, Michael O'Boyle and David Adams. Reporting by Sofia Menchu and Mike McDonald.; Editing by Peter Cooney)
This news article is brought to you by CELEBRITY MUSIC NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Guatemala deports software pioneer McAfee to U.S.
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - John McAfee's odyssey on the run opened a new chapter on Wednesday after Guatemala deported to the United States the former Silicon Valley entrepreneur wanted for questioning in Belize over the murder of a fellow American.
McAfee, 67, had been held for a week in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading police in Belize for nearly a month following the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
A Reuters witness saw McAfee's plane bound for Miami leaving Guatemala City just before 3:40 p.m. (2140 GMT). The flight is scheduled to arrive in Miami at 7:10 p.m. (0010 GMT Thursday).
The goateed McAfee has led the world's media on a game of online hide-and-seek in Belize and Guatemala since he fled after Faull's death, peppering the Internet with pithy quotes and colorful revelations about his unpredictable life.
'I'm happy to be going home,' McAfee, dressed in a black suit, told reporters shortly before his departure from Guatemala City airport on Wednesday afternoon. 'I've been running through jungles and rivers and oceans and I think I need to rest for a while. And I've been in jail for seven days.'
Police in Belize want to quiz McAfee as a 'person of interest' in Faull's death, although the technology guru's lawyers blocked an attempt by Guatemala to send him back there.
Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation. McAfee has denied any role in Faull's killing.
Guatemala's immigration authorities had been holding McAfee since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
He said he had no immediate plans after reaching Florida.
'I'm just going to hang in Miami for a while. I like Miami,' he told Reuters by telephone just before his plane left. 'There is a great sushi place there and I really like sushi.'
BELIZE STILL WAITING
Residents of the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, said McAfee and Faull, 52, had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs.
McAfee says Belize authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has said he was being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected the allegations, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
Belize police spokesman Raphael Martinez said the country still wanted to question McAfee about the Faull case.
'He will be just under the goodwill of the United States of America. He is still a person of interest, but a U.S. national has been killed and he has been somewhat implicated in that murder. People want him to answer some questions,' he said.
Martinez noted that Belize's extradition treaty with the United States extended only to suspected criminals, a designation that did not currently apply to McAfee.
'Right now, we don't have enough information to change his status from person of interest to suspect,' he said.
Residents and neighbors on Ambergris Caye said McAfee was unusual and at times unstable. He was seen to travel with armed bodyguards, sporting a pistol tucked into his belt.
The predicament of McAfee, a former Lockheed systems consultant, is a far cry from his heyday in the late 1980s, when he started McAfee Associates. McAfee has no relationship now with the company, which was sold to Intel Corp.
McAfee was previously charged in Belize with possession of illegal firearms, and police had raided his property on suspicions that he was running a lab to produce illegal synthetic narcotics. He said he had not taken drugs since 1983.
'I took drugs constantly, 24 hours of the day. I took them for years and years. I was the worst drug abuser on the planet,' he told Reuters before his arrest in Guatemala. 'Then I finally went to Alcoholics Anonymous, and that was the end of it.'
(Writing by Dave Graham and Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Peter Cooney)
This news article is brought to you by GLAMOROUS FASHION NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
McAfee, 67, had been held for a week in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading police in Belize for nearly a month following the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
A Reuters witness saw McAfee's plane bound for Miami leaving Guatemala City just before 3:40 p.m. (2140 GMT). The flight is scheduled to arrive in Miami at 7:10 p.m. (0010 GMT Thursday).
The goateed McAfee has led the world's media on a game of online hide-and-seek in Belize and Guatemala since he fled after Faull's death, peppering the Internet with pithy quotes and colorful revelations about his unpredictable life.
'I'm happy to be going home,' McAfee, dressed in a black suit, told reporters shortly before his departure from Guatemala City airport on Wednesday afternoon. 'I've been running through jungles and rivers and oceans and I think I need to rest for a while. And I've been in jail for seven days.'
Police in Belize want to quiz McAfee as a 'person of interest' in Faull's death, although the technology guru's lawyers blocked an attempt by Guatemala to send him back there.
Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation. McAfee has denied any role in Faull's killing.
Guatemala's immigration authorities had been holding McAfee since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
He said he had no immediate plans after reaching Florida.
'I'm just going to hang in Miami for a while. I like Miami,' he told Reuters by telephone just before his plane left. 'There is a great sushi place there and I really like sushi.'
BELIZE STILL WAITING
Residents of the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, said McAfee and Faull, 52, had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs.
McAfee says Belize authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has said he was being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected the allegations, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
Belize police spokesman Raphael Martinez said the country still wanted to question McAfee about the Faull case.
'He will be just under the goodwill of the United States of America. He is still a person of interest, but a U.S. national has been killed and he has been somewhat implicated in that murder. People want him to answer some questions,' he said.
Martinez noted that Belize's extradition treaty with the United States extended only to suspected criminals, a designation that did not currently apply to McAfee.
'Right now, we don't have enough information to change his status from person of interest to suspect,' he said.
Residents and neighbors on Ambergris Caye said McAfee was unusual and at times unstable. He was seen to travel with armed bodyguards, sporting a pistol tucked into his belt.
The predicament of McAfee, a former Lockheed systems consultant, is a far cry from his heyday in the late 1980s, when he started McAfee Associates. McAfee has no relationship now with the company, which was sold to Intel Corp.
McAfee was previously charged in Belize with possession of illegal firearms, and police had raided his property on suspicions that he was running a lab to produce illegal synthetic narcotics. He said he had not taken drugs since 1983.
'I took drugs constantly, 24 hours of the day. I took them for years and years. I was the worst drug abuser on the planet,' he told Reuters before his arrest in Guatemala. 'Then I finally went to Alcoholics Anonymous, and that was the end of it.'
(Writing by Dave Graham and Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Peter Cooney)
This news article is brought to you by GLAMOROUS FASHION NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Guatemala deports software pioneer McAfee to U.S
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - John McAfee's odyssey on the run opened a new chapter after Guatemala deported to the United States the former Silicon Valley millionaire wanted for questioning in Belize over the murder of a fellow American.
McAfee, 67, had been held for a week in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading officials in Belize for nearly a month following the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
A Reuters witness saw McAfee's plane bound for Miami leaving Guatemala City just before 3:40 p.m. (2140 GMT). The flight is scheduled to arrive in Miami at 7:10 p.m. (0010 GMT Thursday).
McAfee has led the world's media on a game of online hide-and-seek in Belize and Guatemala since he fled after Faull's death, peppering the Internet with pithy quotes and colorful revelations about his unpredictable life.
'I'm happy to be going home,' McAfee told reporters dressed in a black suit shortly before his departure from Guatemala City airport on Wednesday afternoon. 'I've been running through jungles and rivers and oceans and I think I need to rest for a while. And I've been in jail for seven days.'
Police in Belize want to quiz McAfee as a 'person of interest' in Faull's death, though the tech guru's lawyers managed to block an attempt by Guatemala to send him back there.
Guatemala's immigration authorities had been holding McAfee since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
(Writing by Dave Graham and Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Will Dunham and David Brunnstrom)
This news article is brought to you by SPACE AND ASTRONOMY NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
McAfee, 67, had been held for a week in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading officials in Belize for nearly a month following the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
A Reuters witness saw McAfee's plane bound for Miami leaving Guatemala City just before 3:40 p.m. (2140 GMT). The flight is scheduled to arrive in Miami at 7:10 p.m. (0010 GMT Thursday).
McAfee has led the world's media on a game of online hide-and-seek in Belize and Guatemala since he fled after Faull's death, peppering the Internet with pithy quotes and colorful revelations about his unpredictable life.
'I'm happy to be going home,' McAfee told reporters dressed in a black suit shortly before his departure from Guatemala City airport on Wednesday afternoon. 'I've been running through jungles and rivers and oceans and I think I need to rest for a while. And I've been in jail for seven days.'
Police in Belize want to quiz McAfee as a 'person of interest' in Faull's death, though the tech guru's lawyers managed to block an attempt by Guatemala to send him back there.
Guatemala's immigration authorities had been holding McAfee since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
(Writing by Dave Graham and Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Will Dunham and David Brunnstrom)
This news article is brought to you by SPACE AND ASTRONOMY NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Guatemala deporting software pioneer McAfee to U.S
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Guatemala said on Wednesday it would deport to the United States software pioneer John McAfee, a former Silicon Valley millionaire who is wanted for questioning in Belize over the murder of a fellow American.
McAfee has been held for a week by immigration officials in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading officials in Belize for nearly a month. McAfee's lawyers managed to block an attempt to deport him back to Belize.
'Complying with migration law, Mr. John McAfee is to be deported to his country of origin,' said Fernando Lucero, a spokesman for Guatemala's immigration office.
Guatemala has been holding McAfee, 67, since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
McAfee said he would be heading to Florida.
'I'll be leaving at 3:30 (p.m.) to Miami,' he told Reuters by telephone, after which he left for the airport. 'That was the only option I had. I can't take a flight that stops in any other country and there are only two flights going to America today.'
Police in Belize want to question McAfee as a 'person of interest' in the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
The two had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs. Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
McAfee claims Belize authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has denied any role in Faull's killing and said he is being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected the allegations, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
Belize police spokesman Raphael Martinez said Belize would still want to question McAfee if he reached the United States.
'He will be just under the good will of the United States of America. He is still is a person of interest, but a U.S. national has been killed and he has been somewhat implicated in that murder. People want him to answer some questions,' he said.
'We have good relations with the United States of America and I am sure that we will get to the bottom of it.'
(Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Editing by Will Dunham and Philip Barbara)
This news article is brought to you by GADGETS NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
McAfee has been held for a week by immigration officials in Guatemala, where he surfaced after evading officials in Belize for nearly a month. McAfee's lawyers managed to block an attempt to deport him back to Belize.
'Complying with migration law, Mr. John McAfee is to be deported to his country of origin,' said Fernando Lucero, a spokesman for Guatemala's immigration office.
Guatemala has been holding McAfee, 67, since he was arrested last Wednesday for illegally entering the country with his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend.
McAfee said he would be heading to Florida.
'I'll be leaving at 3:30 (p.m.) to Miami,' he told Reuters by telephone, after which he left for the airport. 'That was the only option I had. I can't take a flight that stops in any other country and there are only two flights going to America today.'
Police in Belize want to question McAfee as a 'person of interest' in the killing of American Gregory Faull, his neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
The two had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs. Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
McAfee claims Belize authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has denied any role in Faull's killing and said he is being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected the allegations, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
Belize police spokesman Raphael Martinez said Belize would still want to question McAfee if he reached the United States.
'He will be just under the good will of the United States of America. He is still is a person of interest, but a U.S. national has been killed and he has been somewhat implicated in that murder. People want him to answer some questions,' he said.
'We have good relations with the United States of America and I am sure that we will get to the bottom of it.'
(Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Editing by Will Dunham and Philip Barbara)
This news article is brought to you by GADGETS NEWS - where latest news are our top priority.
Guatemala to deport software pioneer McAfee to U.S.: official
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Guatemala will deport to the United States software pioneer John McAfee, who is wanted for questioning in Belize over the murder of a neighbor, a Guatemalan immigration official said on Wednesday.
McAfee has been held for a week by immigration officials in Guatemala, where the 67-year-old American surfaced after evading officials in Belize for nearly a month. McAfee's lawyers managed to block an attempt to deport him back to Belize.
'Complying with migration law, Mr. John McAfee is to be deported to his country of origin,' said Fernando Lucero, a spokesman for Guatemala's immigration office.
Officials said they expected the deportation to begin right away, although McAfee was still at an immigration shelter where he has been held.
Two police patrol cars arrived at the shelter, but it was not immediately clear to what location he will be deported in the United States.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
(Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Editing by Will Dunham)
This news article is brought to you by SAVING MONEY BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
McAfee has been held for a week by immigration officials in Guatemala, where the 67-year-old American surfaced after evading officials in Belize for nearly a month. McAfee's lawyers managed to block an attempt to deport him back to Belize.
'Complying with migration law, Mr. John McAfee is to be deported to his country of origin,' said Fernando Lucero, a spokesman for Guatemala's immigration office.
Officials said they expected the deportation to begin right away, although McAfee was still at an immigration shelter where he has been held.
Two police patrol cars arrived at the shelter, but it was not immediately clear to what location he will be deported in the United States.
The eccentric tech pioneer, who made his fortune from the anti-virus software bearing his name, has been chronicling life on the run in a blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
(Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Editing by Will Dunham)
This news article is brought to you by SAVING MONEY BLOG - where latest news are our top priority.
A Minute With: Director Peter Jackson on shooting "The Hobbit"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy to life, filmmaker Peter Jackson is back in the world of Middle Earth with the author's prequel, 'The Hobbit.'
The three-film series is due to open in U.S. theaters on Friday with 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.'
The Oscar-winning director, 51, told Reuters about the 3D film, including the 48 frames per second (fps) format he used, which was widely debated by fans and critics.
Q: You originally intended 'The Hobbit' to only be two parts. Why stretch it out to three?
A: 'Back in July, we were near the end of our shoot and we started to talk about the things that we had to leave out of the movies. There's material at the end of 'The Return of the King' (the final part of 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy) in the appendices that takes place around the time of 'The Hobbit.'
'We were thinking, this is our last chance because it's very unlikely we're ever going to come back to Middle Earth as filmmakers. So we talked to the studio and next year we're going to be doing another 10 to 12 weeks of shooting because we're now adapting more of Tolkien's material.'
Q: At what point did you decide you would direct the film yourself after originally handing it to Guillermo del Toro?
A: 'At the time (we wrote the script), I was worried about repeating myself and worried that I was competing with myself. I thought it would be interesting to have another director with a fresh eye coming in and telling the story. But after Guillermo left, having worked on script and the production for well over a year at that stage, I was very emotionally attached to it. I just thought, this is an opportunity I'm not going to say no to.'
Q: You hired Gollum actor Andy Serkis to do second unit directing on the film, something he has never done before. What made you hand the task to a novice?
A: 'I know how strongly Andy has been wanting to direct. One of the problems with second unit is that you tend to have conservative footage given to you by the director. They play it safe. I knew that I wouldn't get that from Andy because he's got such a ferocious energy. He goes for it and doesn't hold back. I knew that if Andy was the director I would be getting some interesting material, that it would have a life and energy to it.'
Q: What inspired you to make a film in 48 fps?
A: 'Four years ago I shot a six or seven minute King Kong ride for Universal Studios' tram ride in California. The reason we used the high frame rate was that we didn't want people to think it's a movie. You want that sense of reality, which you get from a high frame rate, of looking in to the real world. At the time, I thought it would be so cool to make a feature film with this process.'
Q: Not everyone has embraced 'The Hobbit' in 48 fps.
A: 'For the last year and a half there's been speculation, largely negative, about it and I'm so relieved to have gotten to this point. I've been waiting for this moment when people can actually see it for themselves. Cinephiles and serious film critics who regard 24 fps as sacred are very negative and absolutely hate it. Anybody I've spoken to under the age of 20 thinks it's fantastic. I haven't heard a single negative thing from the young people, and these are the kids that are watching films on their iPads. These are the people I want to get back in the cinema.'
Q: Why all the hoopla over a frame rate?
A: 'Somehow as humans, we have a reaction to change that's partly fear driven. But there are so many ways to look at movies now and it's a choice that a filmmaker has. To me as a filmmaker, you've got to take the technology that's available in 2012, not the technology we've lived with since 1927, and say how can we enhance the experience in the cinema? How can we make it more immersive, more spectacular?'
Q: George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion. Do you think you will sell your New Zealand facility Weta someday?
A: 'I would if I want to retire at some stage and want to have a nice easy life, which will hopefully happen one day. But in the foreseeable future, the fact that I'm an owner of my own digital effects facility is a fantastic advantage for me.'
Q: How so?
A: 'When we asked the studio if we could shoot 'The Hobbit' at 48 fps, we promised the budget would be the same. But it actually does have a cost implication because you've got to render twice as many frames and the rendering takes more time. The fact that we owned Weta and could absorb that in-house was actually part of the reason we were able to do the 48 frames.'
(Editing by Patricia Reaney)
This article is brought to you by ONLINE DATING.
The three-film series is due to open in U.S. theaters on Friday with 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.'
The Oscar-winning director, 51, told Reuters about the 3D film, including the 48 frames per second (fps) format he used, which was widely debated by fans and critics.
Q: You originally intended 'The Hobbit' to only be two parts. Why stretch it out to three?
A: 'Back in July, we were near the end of our shoot and we started to talk about the things that we had to leave out of the movies. There's material at the end of 'The Return of the King' (the final part of 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy) in the appendices that takes place around the time of 'The Hobbit.'
'We were thinking, this is our last chance because it's very unlikely we're ever going to come back to Middle Earth as filmmakers. So we talked to the studio and next year we're going to be doing another 10 to 12 weeks of shooting because we're now adapting more of Tolkien's material.'
Q: At what point did you decide you would direct the film yourself after originally handing it to Guillermo del Toro?
A: 'At the time (we wrote the script), I was worried about repeating myself and worried that I was competing with myself. I thought it would be interesting to have another director with a fresh eye coming in and telling the story. But after Guillermo left, having worked on script and the production for well over a year at that stage, I was very emotionally attached to it. I just thought, this is an opportunity I'm not going to say no to.'
Q: You hired Gollum actor Andy Serkis to do second unit directing on the film, something he has never done before. What made you hand the task to a novice?
A: 'I know how strongly Andy has been wanting to direct. One of the problems with second unit is that you tend to have conservative footage given to you by the director. They play it safe. I knew that I wouldn't get that from Andy because he's got such a ferocious energy. He goes for it and doesn't hold back. I knew that if Andy was the director I would be getting some interesting material, that it would have a life and energy to it.'
Q: What inspired you to make a film in 48 fps?
A: 'Four years ago I shot a six or seven minute King Kong ride for Universal Studios' tram ride in California. The reason we used the high frame rate was that we didn't want people to think it's a movie. You want that sense of reality, which you get from a high frame rate, of looking in to the real world. At the time, I thought it would be so cool to make a feature film with this process.'
Q: Not everyone has embraced 'The Hobbit' in 48 fps.
A: 'For the last year and a half there's been speculation, largely negative, about it and I'm so relieved to have gotten to this point. I've been waiting for this moment when people can actually see it for themselves. Cinephiles and serious film critics who regard 24 fps as sacred are very negative and absolutely hate it. Anybody I've spoken to under the age of 20 thinks it's fantastic. I haven't heard a single negative thing from the young people, and these are the kids that are watching films on their iPads. These are the people I want to get back in the cinema.'
Q: Why all the hoopla over a frame rate?
A: 'Somehow as humans, we have a reaction to change that's partly fear driven. But there are so many ways to look at movies now and it's a choice that a filmmaker has. To me as a filmmaker, you've got to take the technology that's available in 2012, not the technology we've lived with since 1927, and say how can we enhance the experience in the cinema? How can we make it more immersive, more spectacular?'
Q: George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion. Do you think you will sell your New Zealand facility Weta someday?
A: 'I would if I want to retire at some stage and want to have a nice easy life, which will hopefully happen one day. But in the foreseeable future, the fact that I'm an owner of my own digital effects facility is a fantastic advantage for me.'
Q: How so?
A: 'When we asked the studio if we could shoot 'The Hobbit' at 48 fps, we promised the budget would be the same. But it actually does have a cost implication because you've got to render twice as many frames and the rendering takes more time. The fact that we owned Weta and could absorb that in-house was actually part of the reason we were able to do the 48 frames.'
(Editing by Patricia Reaney)
This article is brought to you by ONLINE DATING.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
World Chefs: Keller shares memories, spotlight in latest book
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thomas Keller, one of America's most respected chefs, shares the food memories of his childhood and his time in France in his new book 'Bouchon Bakery,' which is also the name of his chain of pastry shops in the United States.
Keller is the only American chef who owns two three-Michelin-star restaurants - Per Se in New York City and The French Laundry in the Napa Valley wine region in California.
Earlier this year, Britain's Restaurant Magazine named Per Se, which opened in 2004, the world's sixth best restaurant. Keller also earned the magazine's lifetime achievement award.
Like his four other books, his latest effort is a collaboration. He co-wrote it with his top pastry chefs Sebastien Rouxel and Matthew McDonald along with food writers Susie Heller, Michael Ruhlman and Amy Vogler.
The 57-year-old spoke to Reuters about the book, his pastry chefs and his place in the culinary world.
Q: Why did you collaborate with the leaders of your pastry team with this book?
A: 'If you look at my other cookbooks, it's always been a point with me to share these opportunities with those who share their skills and expertise with the general public. That was the reason why I did the book. Sebastien is one of the best pastry chefs in America. His techniques are unparalleled. I'm not trying to pretend that I'm a pastry chef by writing a book about baking and pastries. Nor am I trying to be a bread baker. I have Matthew McDonald, who is one of the best bakers in America. To be able to highlight his skills in the bread section was very important as well.'
Q: How did your time in France change your view about pastry and bread-making?
A: 'When you are in France, especially in Paris, there were three or four boulangeries of different significance just on the block where I lived because they had pastry chefs with different levels of skills. You went to different ones for different things. To have a fresh baked baguette everyday was extraordinary. Anyone who lived in Paris for any length of time would say eating a fresh baguette is pretty special. Bread plays a real important part in the experience of the diners. To make sure we have the opportunity to significantly impact the experience by controlling the production and style of the bread was very important to me.'
Q: Do you have a favorite dessert?
A: 'It depends on the day ... There are so many things I love. I think anything that's done really, really well. For me, that's really something I really appreciate. I think one of the things that really resonate with the individual is that idea that eating, and eating through that experience, they have a memory. We are always trying to do something that's good. Why put something on the menu that's not very good?'
Q: The book emphasizes weighing ingredients over measuring with cups and spoons. Could that be difficult for home cooks?
A: 'One of the things about pastry ... it's such an exact process. The most exact thing you practice is with weighing. There is an exactness to the execution, which gives you every opportunity to be successful.'
Q: French Laundry and Per Se are among two of the best restaurants in the country. Bouchon Bakery is a success. What more would you like to accomplish in the culinary world?
A: 'I have accomplished today everything I wanted to accomplish, more than I ever dreamed was possible. Right now, I'm just focused on the restaurants we have and the book I just wrote. Let me enjoy this moment before you ask me what I'll be doing tomorrow.'
Pecan Sandies for my mom (Makes 1-1/2 dozen cookies)
1 ¾ cups + 1 ½ teaspoons all-purpose flour (250 grams)
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans (80 grams)
4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature (170 grams)
¾ cup + 1 ¾ teaspoons powdered sugar (90 grams)
Additional powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
1. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (convection) or 350°F (standard). Line two sheet pans with Silpats or parchment paper.
2. Toss the flour and pecans together in a medium bowl.
3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium-low speed until smooth. Add the 90 grams/¾ cup plus 1¾ teaspoons powdered sugar and mix for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled there.
4. Divide the dough into 30-gram/1½-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and arrange on the sheet pans, leaving about 1½ inches between them. Press the cookies into 2-inch disks.
5. Bake until pale golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes if using a convection oven, 22 to 25 minutes if using a standard oven, reversing the positions of the pans halfway through. (Sandies baked in a convection oven will not spread as much as those baked in a standard oven and will have a more even color.)
6. Set the pans on a cooling rack and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely. If desired, dust with powdered sugar.
Note: The cookies can be stored in a covered container for up to 3 days.
(Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Patricia Reaney and James Dalgleish)
This article is brought to you by MATCH.
Keller is the only American chef who owns two three-Michelin-star restaurants - Per Se in New York City and The French Laundry in the Napa Valley wine region in California.
Earlier this year, Britain's Restaurant Magazine named Per Se, which opened in 2004, the world's sixth best restaurant. Keller also earned the magazine's lifetime achievement award.
Like his four other books, his latest effort is a collaboration. He co-wrote it with his top pastry chefs Sebastien Rouxel and Matthew McDonald along with food writers Susie Heller, Michael Ruhlman and Amy Vogler.
The 57-year-old spoke to Reuters about the book, his pastry chefs and his place in the culinary world.
Q: Why did you collaborate with the leaders of your pastry team with this book?
A: 'If you look at my other cookbooks, it's always been a point with me to share these opportunities with those who share their skills and expertise with the general public. That was the reason why I did the book. Sebastien is one of the best pastry chefs in America. His techniques are unparalleled. I'm not trying to pretend that I'm a pastry chef by writing a book about baking and pastries. Nor am I trying to be a bread baker. I have Matthew McDonald, who is one of the best bakers in America. To be able to highlight his skills in the bread section was very important as well.'
Q: How did your time in France change your view about pastry and bread-making?
A: 'When you are in France, especially in Paris, there were three or four boulangeries of different significance just on the block where I lived because they had pastry chefs with different levels of skills. You went to different ones for different things. To have a fresh baked baguette everyday was extraordinary. Anyone who lived in Paris for any length of time would say eating a fresh baguette is pretty special. Bread plays a real important part in the experience of the diners. To make sure we have the opportunity to significantly impact the experience by controlling the production and style of the bread was very important to me.'
Q: Do you have a favorite dessert?
A: 'It depends on the day ... There are so many things I love. I think anything that's done really, really well. For me, that's really something I really appreciate. I think one of the things that really resonate with the individual is that idea that eating, and eating through that experience, they have a memory. We are always trying to do something that's good. Why put something on the menu that's not very good?'
Q: The book emphasizes weighing ingredients over measuring with cups and spoons. Could that be difficult for home cooks?
A: 'One of the things about pastry ... it's such an exact process. The most exact thing you practice is with weighing. There is an exactness to the execution, which gives you every opportunity to be successful.'
Q: French Laundry and Per Se are among two of the best restaurants in the country. Bouchon Bakery is a success. What more would you like to accomplish in the culinary world?
A: 'I have accomplished today everything I wanted to accomplish, more than I ever dreamed was possible. Right now, I'm just focused on the restaurants we have and the book I just wrote. Let me enjoy this moment before you ask me what I'll be doing tomorrow.'
Pecan Sandies for my mom (Makes 1-1/2 dozen cookies)
1 ¾ cups + 1 ½ teaspoons all-purpose flour (250 grams)
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans (80 grams)
4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature (170 grams)
¾ cup + 1 ¾ teaspoons powdered sugar (90 grams)
Additional powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
1. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (convection) or 350°F (standard). Line two sheet pans with Silpats or parchment paper.
2. Toss the flour and pecans together in a medium bowl.
3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium-low speed until smooth. Add the 90 grams/¾ cup plus 1¾ teaspoons powdered sugar and mix for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that have settled there.
4. Divide the dough into 30-gram/1½-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and arrange on the sheet pans, leaving about 1½ inches between them. Press the cookies into 2-inch disks.
5. Bake until pale golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes if using a convection oven, 22 to 25 minutes if using a standard oven, reversing the positions of the pans halfway through. (Sandies baked in a convection oven will not spread as much as those baked in a standard oven and will have a more even color.)
6. Set the pans on a cooling rack and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely. If desired, dust with powdered sugar.
Note: The cookies can be stored in a covered container for up to 3 days.
(Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Patricia Reaney and James Dalgleish)
This article is brought to you by MATCH.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Court hearing could mark end of Strauss-Kahn civil lawsuit
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lawyers for Dominique Strauss-Kahn and a hotel maid who accused the former International Monetary Fund chief of sexually assaulting her are set to appear in a New York state court on Monday and may announce a settlement to her civil lawsuit against him.
The court date comes less than two weeks after a source familiar with the matter said the two sides had reached a preliminary agreement to settle the case.
The source said details of the settlement are not likely to be made public at the hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) in New York State Supreme Court in the New York City borough of The Bronx.
The agreement would end a legal saga that began when Nafissatou Diallo, 33, told police that Strauss-Kahn attacked her in his suite at the Sofitel Hotel in Manhattan on May 14, 2011.
The scandal forced Strauss-Kahn to resign his post as head of one of the world's most influential international finance organizations and wrecked his hopes of running for president in his native France.
Prosecutors initially expressed confidence in the evidence, including DNA that showed a sexual encounter. But they dropped the case in August 2011 after developing concerns about Diallo's credibility, including what they said were inconsistencies in her account of what happened immediately following the incident.
She filed the lawsuit just weeks before the charges were dismissed, claiming he forced her to perform oral sex and caused her physical and emotional damage.
Strauss-Kahn, 63, filed a countersuit earlier this year against Diallo for defamation. He has said the sexual encounter was consensual but has admitted it was a 'moral error.'
The resolution of the civil case brings Strauss-Kahn closer to ending his legal troubles, which have persisted since his return to France.
Strauss-Kahn is awaiting a decision by a French court on his request to halt an inquiry to determine whether he should stand trial on pimping charges related to sex parties attended by him and by prostitutes.
Strauss-Kahn has quietly begun to resume his career in recent months, delivering speeches at private conferences and setting up a consulting firm in Paris.
(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Dan Burns and Philip Barbara)
This news article is brought to you by SHOCKING DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
The court date comes less than two weeks after a source familiar with the matter said the two sides had reached a preliminary agreement to settle the case.
The source said details of the settlement are not likely to be made public at the hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) in New York State Supreme Court in the New York City borough of The Bronx.
The agreement would end a legal saga that began when Nafissatou Diallo, 33, told police that Strauss-Kahn attacked her in his suite at the Sofitel Hotel in Manhattan on May 14, 2011.
The scandal forced Strauss-Kahn to resign his post as head of one of the world's most influential international finance organizations and wrecked his hopes of running for president in his native France.
Prosecutors initially expressed confidence in the evidence, including DNA that showed a sexual encounter. But they dropped the case in August 2011 after developing concerns about Diallo's credibility, including what they said were inconsistencies in her account of what happened immediately following the incident.
She filed the lawsuit just weeks before the charges were dismissed, claiming he forced her to perform oral sex and caused her physical and emotional damage.
Strauss-Kahn, 63, filed a countersuit earlier this year against Diallo for defamation. He has said the sexual encounter was consensual but has admitted it was a 'moral error.'
The resolution of the civil case brings Strauss-Kahn closer to ending his legal troubles, which have persisted since his return to France.
Strauss-Kahn is awaiting a decision by a French court on his request to halt an inquiry to determine whether he should stand trial on pimping charges related to sex parties attended by him and by prostitutes.
Strauss-Kahn has quietly begun to resume his career in recent months, delivering speeches at private conferences and setting up a consulting firm in Paris.
(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Dan Burns and Philip Barbara)
This news article is brought to you by SHOCKING DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
Australian DJs break silence over UK royal prank tragedy
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Two Australian radio announcers who made a prank call to a British hospital treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate broke a three-day silence on Monday to speak of their distress at the apparent suicide of the nurse who took their call.
The 2DayFM Sydney-based announcers, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, said the tragedy had left them 'shattered, gutted, heartbroken'.
Greig and fellow presenter and prank mastermind Christian have been in hiding since nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death and the subsequent social media outrage at their prank.
Greig told Australian television her first thought when told of Saldanha's death was for her family.
'Unfortunately I remember that moment very well, because I haven't stopped thinking about it since it happened,' she said, amid tears and her voice quavering with emotion. 'I remember my first question was 'was she a mother?'.'
'I've wanted to just reach out to them and just give them a big hug and say sorry. I hope they're okay, I really do. I hope they get through this,' said a black-clad Greig when asked about mother of two Saldanha's children, left grieving their mother's death with their father Ben Barboza.
Saldanha, 46, was found dead in staff accommodation near London's King Edward VII hospital on Friday after putting the hoax call through to a colleague who unwittingly disclosed details of Kate's morning sickness to 2DayFM's presenters.
A recording of the call, broadcast repeatedly by the station, rapidly became an internet hit and was reprinted as a transcript in many newspapers.
But news of Saldanha's death sparked the Internet firestorm, with vitriolic comments towards the DJs on Facebook and Twitter.
Christian said his only wish was that Saldanha's grief-stricken family received proper support.
'I hope that they get the love, the support, the care that they need, you know,' said Christian, who like Greig struggled to talk about the tragedy.
Both Greig, 30, and Christian were relatively new to the station, with Greig joining in March and Christian having been in the job only a few days before the prank call after a career in regional radio.
Greig said she did not think their prank would work.
'We thought a hundred people before us would've tried it. We thought it was such a silly idea and the accents were terrible and not for a second did we expect to speak to Kate, let alone have a conversation with anyone at the hospital. We wanted to be hung up on,' she said.
Christian drew headlines only two weeks before the royal prank call by angering fellow passengers with a harmonica playing stunt aboard pop star Rihanna's private jet.
The 2Day parent company Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has received more than 1,000 complaints from Australians over the actions of the popular presenters, who have both been taken off air during an broadcasting watchdog investigation.
Shares in SCA fell 5 percent on Monday after two major Australian companies pulled their advertising with the radio station in protest and other advertising was suspended.
The station said it had tried to contact hospital staff five times over the recordings.
'It is absolutely true to say that we actually did attempt to contact those people on multiple occasions,' said SCA chief executive Rhys Holleran.
'No one could have reasonably foreseen what has happened. I can only say the prank call is not unusual around the world,' he said.
The fallout from the radio stunt has brought back memories in Britain of the death of William's mother Diana in a Paris car crash in 1997 and threatens to cast a pall over the birth of his and Kate's first child.
Australia's Communications Minister Stephen Conroy sought to deflect calls for more media regulation, telling journalists that a looming investigation by Australia's independent regulator should be allowed to happen without political interference.
(Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Michael Perry)
This news article is brought to you by DATING ADVICE 201 - where latest news are our top priority.
The 2DayFM Sydney-based announcers, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, said the tragedy had left them 'shattered, gutted, heartbroken'.
Greig and fellow presenter and prank mastermind Christian have been in hiding since nurse Jacintha Saldanha's death and the subsequent social media outrage at their prank.
Greig told Australian television her first thought when told of Saldanha's death was for her family.
'Unfortunately I remember that moment very well, because I haven't stopped thinking about it since it happened,' she said, amid tears and her voice quavering with emotion. 'I remember my first question was 'was she a mother?'.'
'I've wanted to just reach out to them and just give them a big hug and say sorry. I hope they're okay, I really do. I hope they get through this,' said a black-clad Greig when asked about mother of two Saldanha's children, left grieving their mother's death with their father Ben Barboza.
Saldanha, 46, was found dead in staff accommodation near London's King Edward VII hospital on Friday after putting the hoax call through to a colleague who unwittingly disclosed details of Kate's morning sickness to 2DayFM's presenters.
A recording of the call, broadcast repeatedly by the station, rapidly became an internet hit and was reprinted as a transcript in many newspapers.
But news of Saldanha's death sparked the Internet firestorm, with vitriolic comments towards the DJs on Facebook and Twitter.
Christian said his only wish was that Saldanha's grief-stricken family received proper support.
'I hope that they get the love, the support, the care that they need, you know,' said Christian, who like Greig struggled to talk about the tragedy.
Both Greig, 30, and Christian were relatively new to the station, with Greig joining in March and Christian having been in the job only a few days before the prank call after a career in regional radio.
Greig said she did not think their prank would work.
'We thought a hundred people before us would've tried it. We thought it was such a silly idea and the accents were terrible and not for a second did we expect to speak to Kate, let alone have a conversation with anyone at the hospital. We wanted to be hung up on,' she said.
Christian drew headlines only two weeks before the royal prank call by angering fellow passengers with a harmonica playing stunt aboard pop star Rihanna's private jet.
The 2Day parent company Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has received more than 1,000 complaints from Australians over the actions of the popular presenters, who have both been taken off air during an broadcasting watchdog investigation.
Shares in SCA fell 5 percent on Monday after two major Australian companies pulled their advertising with the radio station in protest and other advertising was suspended.
The station said it had tried to contact hospital staff five times over the recordings.
'It is absolutely true to say that we actually did attempt to contact those people on multiple occasions,' said SCA chief executive Rhys Holleran.
'No one could have reasonably foreseen what has happened. I can only say the prank call is not unusual around the world,' he said.
The fallout from the radio stunt has brought back memories in Britain of the death of William's mother Diana in a Paris car crash in 1997 and threatens to cast a pall over the birth of his and Kate's first child.
Australia's Communications Minister Stephen Conroy sought to deflect calls for more media regulation, telling journalists that a looming investigation by Australia's independent regulator should be allowed to happen without political interference.
(Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Michael Perry)
This news article is brought to you by DATING ADVICE 201 - where latest news are our top priority.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Software guru McAfee wants to return to United States
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Software guru John McAfee, fighting deportation from Guatemala to Belize to face questions about the slaying of a neighbor, said on Saturday he wants to return to the United States.
'My goal is to get back to America as soon as possible,' McAfee, 67, said in a phone call to Reuters from the immigration facility where he is being held for illegally crossing the border to Guatemala with his 20-year-old girlfriend.
'I wish I could just pack my bags and go to Miami,' McAfee said. 'I don't think I fully understood the political situation. I'm an embarrassment to the Guatemalan government and I'm jeopardizing their relationship with Belize.'
The two neighboring countries in Central America are locked in a decades-long territorial dispute and voters in 2013 will decide in a referendum how to proceed.
Responding to McAfee's remarks, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said U.S. citizens in foreign countries are subject to local laws. Officials can only ensure they are 'treated properly within this framework,' she said.
On Wednesday, Guatemalan authorities arrested McAfee in a hotel in Guatemala City where he was holed up with his Belizean girlfriend.
The former Silicon Valley millionaire is wanted for questioning by Belizean authorities, who say he is a 'person of interest' in the killing of fellow American Gregory Faull, McAfee's neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
The two had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs. Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation.
Guatemala rejected McAfee's request for asylum on Thursday. His lawyers then filed several appeals to block his deportation. They say it could take months to resolve the matter.
The software developer has been evading Belize authorities for nearly four weeks and has chronicled his life on the run in his blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
McAfee claims authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has denied any role in Faull's killing and said he is being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected this, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
BEATING HEAD AGAINST WALL
After making millions with the anti-virus software bearing his name, McAfee later lost much of his fortune. For the past four years he has lived in semi-reclusion in Belize.
He started McAfee Associates in the late 1980s but left soon after taking it public. McAfee now has no relationship with the company, which was later sold to Intel Corp.
Hours after his arrest, McAfee was rushed to a hospital for what his lawyer said were two mild heart attacks. Later he said the problem was stress. McAfee said he fainted after days of heavy smoking, poor eating and knocking his head against a wall.
He told Reuters he no longer has access to the Internet and has turned over the management of his blog to friends in Seattle, Washington. On Saturday, they began posting a series of files claiming to detail Belize's corruption.
Residents and neighbors in Belize have said the eccentric tech entrepreneur, who is covered in tribal tattoos and kept an entourage of bodyguards and young women on the island, had appeared unstable in recent months.
Police in April raided his property in Belize on suspicion he was running a lab to make illegal narcotics. There already was a case against him for possession of illegal firearms.
McAfee says the charges are an attempt to frame him.
'People are saying I'm paranoid and crazy but it's difficult for people to comprehend what has been happening to me,' he said. 'It's so unusual, so out of the mainstream.'
(Editing by Dave Graham and Bill Trott)
This article is brought to you by SINGLES.
'My goal is to get back to America as soon as possible,' McAfee, 67, said in a phone call to Reuters from the immigration facility where he is being held for illegally crossing the border to Guatemala with his 20-year-old girlfriend.
'I wish I could just pack my bags and go to Miami,' McAfee said. 'I don't think I fully understood the political situation. I'm an embarrassment to the Guatemalan government and I'm jeopardizing their relationship with Belize.'
The two neighboring countries in Central America are locked in a decades-long territorial dispute and voters in 2013 will decide in a referendum how to proceed.
Responding to McAfee's remarks, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said U.S. citizens in foreign countries are subject to local laws. Officials can only ensure they are 'treated properly within this framework,' she said.
On Wednesday, Guatemalan authorities arrested McAfee in a hotel in Guatemala City where he was holed up with his Belizean girlfriend.
The former Silicon Valley millionaire is wanted for questioning by Belizean authorities, who say he is a 'person of interest' in the killing of fellow American Gregory Faull, McAfee's neighbor on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye.
The two had quarreled at times, including over McAfee's unruly dogs. Authorities in Belize say he is not a prime suspect in the investigation.
Guatemala rejected McAfee's request for asylum on Thursday. His lawyers then filed several appeals to block his deportation. They say it could take months to resolve the matter.
The software developer has been evading Belize authorities for nearly four weeks and has chronicled his life on the run in his blog, www.whoismcafee.com.
McAfee claims authorities will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. He has denied any role in Faull's killing and said he is being persecuted by Belize's ruling party for refusing to pay some $2 million in bribes.
Belize's prime minister has rejected this, calling McAfee paranoid and 'bonkers.
BEATING HEAD AGAINST WALL
After making millions with the anti-virus software bearing his name, McAfee later lost much of his fortune. For the past four years he has lived in semi-reclusion in Belize.
He started McAfee Associates in the late 1980s but left soon after taking it public. McAfee now has no relationship with the company, which was later sold to Intel Corp.
Hours after his arrest, McAfee was rushed to a hospital for what his lawyer said were two mild heart attacks. Later he said the problem was stress. McAfee said he fainted after days of heavy smoking, poor eating and knocking his head against a wall.
He told Reuters he no longer has access to the Internet and has turned over the management of his blog to friends in Seattle, Washington. On Saturday, they began posting a series of files claiming to detail Belize's corruption.
Residents and neighbors in Belize have said the eccentric tech entrepreneur, who is covered in tribal tattoos and kept an entourage of bodyguards and young women on the island, had appeared unstable in recent months.
Police in April raided his property in Belize on suspicion he was running a lab to make illegal narcotics. There already was a case against him for possession of illegal firearms.
McAfee says the charges are an attempt to frame him.
'People are saying I'm paranoid and crazy but it's difficult for people to comprehend what has been happening to me,' he said. 'It's so unusual, so out of the mainstream.'
(Editing by Dave Graham and Bill Trott)
This article is brought to you by SINGLES.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
UK hospital says royal prank call appalling after nurse death
LONDON/PERTH, Australia (Reuters) - The London hospital that treated Prince William's pregnant wife Kate condemned on Saturday an Australian radio station that made a prank call seeking information about the duchess, after the apparent suicide of a nurse who answered the phone.
There has been renewed soul-searching over media ethics after Jacintha Saldanha, 46, the nurse who was duped by the station's call to the King Edward VII hospital, was found dead in staff accommodation nearby on Friday.
The owners of Sydney's 2DayFM said it had done nothing wrong and no one could have foreseen the tragic outcome of the stunt, but two leading Australian firms suspended their advertising.
The hoax, in which the radio hosts - posing as Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles despite Australian accents - successfully inquired after Kate's medical condition, has made worldwide headlines.
The hospital's chairman Lord Glenarthur urged the station's owners to ensure that such an incident could never happen again.
'It was extremely foolish of your presenters even to consider trying to lie their way through to one of our patients, let alone actually make the call,' he said in a letter to Southern Cross Austereo Chairman Max Moore-Wilton.
'Then to discover that, not only had this happened, but that the call had been pre-recorded and the decision to transmit approved by your station's management, was truly appalling.'
The immediate consequence had been the humiliation of two 'dedicated and caring' nurses, he said. 'The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is, frankly, tragic beyond words,' Glenarthur added.
Australians from Prime Minister Julia Gillard to people in the street expressed their sorrow and cringed at how the hoax had crossed the line of acceptability.
Two large companies suspended their advertising from the popular Sydney-based station and a media watchdog said it would speak with 2DayFM's owners. Users of social media sites such as Twitter expressed outrage.
The hoax also raised concerns about the ethical standards of Australian media, as Britain's own media scramble to agree a new system of self regulation and avoid state intervention following a damning inquiry into reporting practices.
Southern Cross Austereo Chief Executive Rhys Holleran told a news conference in Melbourne on Saturday that the company would work with authorities in any investigation, but that it was too early to draw conclusions. He said he was 'very confident' that the radio station had done nothing illegal.
'This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we are deeply saddened by it. Our primary concern at this stage is for the family of Nurse Saldanha.'
Holleran added that 2DayFM radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian were 'completely shattered' by Saldanha's death. The pair will stay off the air indefinitely, he said.
Two high profile Australian firms, the Coles supermarket group and phone company Telstra, said on Saturday that they were suspending advertising with the station. Others were expected to follow suit.
Austereo said all advertising on 2DayFM had been shelved until at least Monday in a mark of respect to advertisers whose Facebook pages were inundated with thousands of hate messages.
The Twitter accounts of Greig and Christian were removed shortly after news of the tragedy in London broke.
SOCIAL MEDIA OUTRAGE
Social media were inundated with angry messages to the radio station and its hosts in what has become the latest shock radio story to rile the Australian public.
Earlier this year 2DayFM was reprimanded by Australia's independent communications regulator after a radio host talked a 14-year-old girl into revealing on air that she had been raped, prompting community outrage and an advertiser backlash.
So-called 'shock jock' radio announcers are frequently denounced in Australia for their deeply personal and often derogatory attacks on politicians and ordinary citizens.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said that the independent broadcast regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), had received complaints about the royal hoax.
Saldanha lived with her husband and two children in the western English city of Bristol. She moved to Britain from India around 10 years ago, British media reports said.
Her husband's family, who live in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, told news agency Asian News International they would miss their 'good-natured and beautiful' relative.
'At eight o'clock in the morning, he (Saldanha's husband) rang up to say that she is no more, more than that we do not know about what actually happened. She is dead, that's all,' said Camril Barboza, Saldanha's mother-in-law.
The British royal family has long had an uneasy relationship with the media, which sank to its lowest after the 1997 death of Prince William's mother Diana in a Paris car crash.
Palace officials acted swiftly this summer when a French magazine printed topless photos of Kate on holiday, taking legal action to curb republication for fear of a repeat of the relentless media pursuit of Diana.
Saldanha's death threatens to cast a pall over the enthusiastic public welcome given to Kate's pregnancy, which dominated newspaper front pages this week from her admission to hospital on Monday to her departure on Thursday.
The royal family has emerged from years of criticism that it was a dated and out of touch institution and is enjoying a surge in popularity in Britain following Kate and William's wedding last year. The impending royal baby will only boost public affection.
Elaborate celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the queen coming to the throne and her appearance at the opening of the London Olympics this summer - where a stunt double parachuted into the stadium - have all contributed to a more positive royal relationship with Britons.
(Writing by Tim Castle and Jeremy Laurence; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
This news article is brought to you by SHOCKING DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
There has been renewed soul-searching over media ethics after Jacintha Saldanha, 46, the nurse who was duped by the station's call to the King Edward VII hospital, was found dead in staff accommodation nearby on Friday.
The owners of Sydney's 2DayFM said it had done nothing wrong and no one could have foreseen the tragic outcome of the stunt, but two leading Australian firms suspended their advertising.
The hoax, in which the radio hosts - posing as Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles despite Australian accents - successfully inquired after Kate's medical condition, has made worldwide headlines.
The hospital's chairman Lord Glenarthur urged the station's owners to ensure that such an incident could never happen again.
'It was extremely foolish of your presenters even to consider trying to lie their way through to one of our patients, let alone actually make the call,' he said in a letter to Southern Cross Austereo Chairman Max Moore-Wilton.
'Then to discover that, not only had this happened, but that the call had been pre-recorded and the decision to transmit approved by your station's management, was truly appalling.'
The immediate consequence had been the humiliation of two 'dedicated and caring' nurses, he said. 'The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is, frankly, tragic beyond words,' Glenarthur added.
Australians from Prime Minister Julia Gillard to people in the street expressed their sorrow and cringed at how the hoax had crossed the line of acceptability.
Two large companies suspended their advertising from the popular Sydney-based station and a media watchdog said it would speak with 2DayFM's owners. Users of social media sites such as Twitter expressed outrage.
The hoax also raised concerns about the ethical standards of Australian media, as Britain's own media scramble to agree a new system of self regulation and avoid state intervention following a damning inquiry into reporting practices.
Southern Cross Austereo Chief Executive Rhys Holleran told a news conference in Melbourne on Saturday that the company would work with authorities in any investigation, but that it was too early to draw conclusions. He said he was 'very confident' that the radio station had done nothing illegal.
'This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we are deeply saddened by it. Our primary concern at this stage is for the family of Nurse Saldanha.'
Holleran added that 2DayFM radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian were 'completely shattered' by Saldanha's death. The pair will stay off the air indefinitely, he said.
Two high profile Australian firms, the Coles supermarket group and phone company Telstra, said on Saturday that they were suspending advertising with the station. Others were expected to follow suit.
Austereo said all advertising on 2DayFM had been shelved until at least Monday in a mark of respect to advertisers whose Facebook pages were inundated with thousands of hate messages.
The Twitter accounts of Greig and Christian were removed shortly after news of the tragedy in London broke.
SOCIAL MEDIA OUTRAGE
Social media were inundated with angry messages to the radio station and its hosts in what has become the latest shock radio story to rile the Australian public.
Earlier this year 2DayFM was reprimanded by Australia's independent communications regulator after a radio host talked a 14-year-old girl into revealing on air that she had been raped, prompting community outrage and an advertiser backlash.
So-called 'shock jock' radio announcers are frequently denounced in Australia for their deeply personal and often derogatory attacks on politicians and ordinary citizens.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said that the independent broadcast regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), had received complaints about the royal hoax.
Saldanha lived with her husband and two children in the western English city of Bristol. She moved to Britain from India around 10 years ago, British media reports said.
Her husband's family, who live in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, told news agency Asian News International they would miss their 'good-natured and beautiful' relative.
'At eight o'clock in the morning, he (Saldanha's husband) rang up to say that she is no more, more than that we do not know about what actually happened. She is dead, that's all,' said Camril Barboza, Saldanha's mother-in-law.
The British royal family has long had an uneasy relationship with the media, which sank to its lowest after the 1997 death of Prince William's mother Diana in a Paris car crash.
Palace officials acted swiftly this summer when a French magazine printed topless photos of Kate on holiday, taking legal action to curb republication for fear of a repeat of the relentless media pursuit of Diana.
Saldanha's death threatens to cast a pall over the enthusiastic public welcome given to Kate's pregnancy, which dominated newspaper front pages this week from her admission to hospital on Monday to her departure on Thursday.
The royal family has emerged from years of criticism that it was a dated and out of touch institution and is enjoying a surge in popularity in Britain following Kate and William's wedding last year. The impending royal baby will only boost public affection.
Elaborate celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the queen coming to the throne and her appearance at the opening of the London Olympics this summer - where a stunt double parachuted into the stadium - have all contributed to a more positive royal relationship with Britons.
(Writing by Tim Castle and Jeremy Laurence; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
This news article is brought to you by SHOCKING DATING ADVICE - where latest news are our top priority.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Nurse who took prank call about royal Kate found dead
LONDON (Reuters) - A nurse who answered a prank call at the London hospital that was treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate for morning sickness has been found dead, the hospital said on Friday, in a suspected suicide.
The death comes days after the King Edward VII hospital apologized for being duped by an Australian radio station and relaying details about Kate's condition which made headlines around the globe.
'It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha,' John Lofthouse, the King Edward's chief executive told reporters outside the central London hospital.
'We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time.'
Police said they had been called at 9:35 a.m. (4:35 a.m. EDT) about a woman found unconscious at an address near the hospital. The woman was pronounced dead after ambulance staff arrived.
Police said the death was being treated as unexplained but they we're not looking for anyone else, indicating the nurse had taken her own life.
William and Kate, who left the hospital on Thursday, said they were 'deeply saddened' by the death of the nurse, who was married with two children.
'Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time,' a statement from William's office said.
CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS
The radio station launched its stunt in the wake of a frenzy of media attention in Britain and worldwide after officials announced Kate was pregnant with a future British king or queen.
Two presenters from Australia's 2Day radio station called the hospital early on Tuesday British time, pretending to be William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth and his father, the heir-to-the throne Prince Charles.
Despite unconvincing accents, presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig were put through to the ward where Kate was being treated and were given details about how she was faring.
Saldanha had answered the call as it was early morning and there were no receptionists on duty, and had passed it to a nurse on the ward. Saldanha, who had worked at the hospital for four years, had not been facing any disciplinary action, a source said.
'She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues,' Lofthouse said.
William's office said there had been no royal complaint about the breach of confidentiality, although the hospital said it was reviewing its 'telephone protocols'.
'On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times,' a royal spokesman said.
William's father, Prince Charles, had made light of the intrusion, joking to reporters after the incident: 'How do you know I'm not a radio station?'
The private hospital is one of Britain's most exclusive and has a history of treating members of the royal family, including the Queen's husband Philip who was admitted in June for a bladder infection after taking part in a jubilee pageant on the Thames river.
PRESENTERS 'SHOCKED'
The prank call and its tragic aftermath comes as Britain's own media scrambles to agree a new system of self regulation and avoid state intervention following a damning inquiry into reporting practices.
A recording of the call was widely available on the Internet and many newspapers printed a transcript of the call.
The Australian radio station and its owner Southern Cross Austereo said the presenters were shocked and would stay off their show until further notice out of respect for Saldanha's death.
'Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family.
'Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances,' an SCA statement said.
The two presenters deleted their Twitter accounts shortly after the news broke and there was widespread condemnation of their actions on the social media website.
'Remember that #RoyalPrank ...? Yeah, the girl you humiliated is dead. You must feel great,' one wrote.
Facebook tribute pages swiftly set up after the nurse's death attracted messages of sympathy, some echoing calls for the radio station to pay compensation to her family and for the presenters to resign.
Saldanha's body was removed from the red brick, five-storey building where it was found, and transferred to a small private ambulance, shortly after the hospital confirmed her death, a Reuters reporter at the scene said.
She had been staying in staff accommodation in the building, away from her family in the city of Bristol, western England, a source said.
Her family said they were deeply saddened and asked for media to respect their privacy 'at this difficult time', in a statement released by police.
(Additional reporting by Peter Schwartzstein and Michael Holden; Editing by Louise Ireland)
This news article is brought to you by PARENTING KIDS - where latest news are our top priority.
The death comes days after the King Edward VII hospital apologized for being duped by an Australian radio station and relaying details about Kate's condition which made headlines around the globe.
'It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha,' John Lofthouse, the King Edward's chief executive told reporters outside the central London hospital.
'We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time.'
Police said they had been called at 9:35 a.m. (4:35 a.m. EDT) about a woman found unconscious at an address near the hospital. The woman was pronounced dead after ambulance staff arrived.
Police said the death was being treated as unexplained but they we're not looking for anyone else, indicating the nurse had taken her own life.
William and Kate, who left the hospital on Thursday, said they were 'deeply saddened' by the death of the nurse, who was married with two children.
'Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time,' a statement from William's office said.
CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS
The radio station launched its stunt in the wake of a frenzy of media attention in Britain and worldwide after officials announced Kate was pregnant with a future British king or queen.
Two presenters from Australia's 2Day radio station called the hospital early on Tuesday British time, pretending to be William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth and his father, the heir-to-the throne Prince Charles.
Despite unconvincing accents, presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig were put through to the ward where Kate was being treated and were given details about how she was faring.
Saldanha had answered the call as it was early morning and there were no receptionists on duty, and had passed it to a nurse on the ward. Saldanha, who had worked at the hospital for four years, had not been facing any disciplinary action, a source said.
'She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues,' Lofthouse said.
William's office said there had been no royal complaint about the breach of confidentiality, although the hospital said it was reviewing its 'telephone protocols'.
'On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times,' a royal spokesman said.
William's father, Prince Charles, had made light of the intrusion, joking to reporters after the incident: 'How do you know I'm not a radio station?'
The private hospital is one of Britain's most exclusive and has a history of treating members of the royal family, including the Queen's husband Philip who was admitted in June for a bladder infection after taking part in a jubilee pageant on the Thames river.
PRESENTERS 'SHOCKED'
The prank call and its tragic aftermath comes as Britain's own media scrambles to agree a new system of self regulation and avoid state intervention following a damning inquiry into reporting practices.
A recording of the call was widely available on the Internet and many newspapers printed a transcript of the call.
The Australian radio station and its owner Southern Cross Austereo said the presenters were shocked and would stay off their show until further notice out of respect for Saldanha's death.
'Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family.
'Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances,' an SCA statement said.
The two presenters deleted their Twitter accounts shortly after the news broke and there was widespread condemnation of their actions on the social media website.
'Remember that #RoyalPrank ...? Yeah, the girl you humiliated is dead. You must feel great,' one wrote.
Facebook tribute pages swiftly set up after the nurse's death attracted messages of sympathy, some echoing calls for the radio station to pay compensation to her family and for the presenters to resign.
Saldanha's body was removed from the red brick, five-storey building where it was found, and transferred to a small private ambulance, shortly after the hospital confirmed her death, a Reuters reporter at the scene said.
She had been staying in staff accommodation in the building, away from her family in the city of Bristol, western England, a source said.
Her family said they were deeply saddened and asked for media to respect their privacy 'at this difficult time', in a statement released by police.
(Additional reporting by Peter Schwartzstein and Michael Holden; Editing by Louise Ireland)
This news article is brought to you by PARENTING KIDS - where latest news are our top priority.
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