Party girl denies pimping for Berlusconi

Milan, Italy (CNN) -- One of the women who partied with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has told CNN how she became a key figure in the scandal that is enveloping Italy.

In her first television interview, Nicole Minetti paints a different picture of the parties she attended with Berlusconi, his associates and a bevy of pretty women to the lurid tales in the Italian media.

Berlusconi has been indicted for paying for sex with an under-age prostitute, 17-year-old Karima el Mahroug -- nicknamed "Ruby the heart-stealer." The liaison allegedly happened last spring, during parties at his villa -- something both she and he deny.

Prosecutors also allege Berlusconi abused his power by calling police to try to get "Ruby" released after she was arrested for theft last May. He says he thought she was related to the since-deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and he was acting in Italy's interest by trying to avoid a diplomatic incident.

Who is 'Ruby Heartbreaker'?

Minetti, a former TV show-girl and dental hygienist who is a now a local politician with Berlusconi's Forza party, is also being investigated for allegedly procuring prostitutes for Berlusconi. She also denies any wrongdoing.

Minetti, 25, told CNN she knew "Ruby" through dinners at Berlusconi's villa in Arcore, near Milan, and that she did not realize she was only 17 until the night of "Ruby's" arrest on May 27, 2010.

When asked to explain that night's events, Minetti said: "I was called by a friend of hers ... and then I was called by the president who asked me to go to the questura (police station) because there was this problem with this girl.
Who is 'Ruby' in Berlusconi scandal?
Judge orders Berlusconi to face trial
RELATED TOPICS

    * Silvio Berlusconi
    * Italian Politics
    * Italy

"... When I went to questura, I remember there was this Brazilian girl who told me "Ruby" had been stopped because she didn't have any documents with her. She didn't have any ID. Then it came out that she was under 18, so we stopped in the questura until 2 a.m. because obviously she didn't have any ID and the police were trying to find the ID at her parent's home in Sicily.

"It was a very long procedure. And in the end at 2 a.m. the police let her go. But I had to sign for her." Minetti, who sat besides her lawyer for the CNN interview, admitted Berlusconi called her while she was at the police station.

"Yes. A couple of times. I think I called him as well to let him know how the things were going and obviously he was quite worried as well because, I mean, we were young girls in the questura so I called him to let him know that everything was OK. That we were OK, that the girl was OK and how things were going."

Minetti, who appeared confident and self-assured talking with CNN was only evasive on two subjects -- any money she received from Berlusconi and whether her relationship with him was improper or sexual.

She denied completely that she had procured any prostitute for Berlusconi.

Minetti said there were "sometimes pretty girls" at Berlusconi's parties, but that the dinners were not the wild scenes of debauchery depicted in Italian media reports.

"He sings. He tells stories, any type of stories, I mean even personal stories, of his experience of politics, humorous stories, that is a little bit of how the evenings were," she said. "I mean, nothing lurid in any way."

Berlusconi is scheduled to stand trial in April on charges he paid an underage girl, Ruby, for sex and abused his position as Prime Minster by trying to get her out of police custody - charges he denies.

Berlusconi has been tried on at least 17 charges since his first time as prime minister in 1994, but none of the cases have resulted in lasting convictions. Several were overturned on appeal.

Thousands of Italians took to the streets in some 200 cities across the country Sunday to protest Berlusconi's alleged behavior toward women. The largest gathering was in Rome, where organizers said 100,000 people gathered.

Police detained over Bahrain protest deaths

       The policemen have been detained over the deaths of  two anti-government protesters   in   Bahrain. (AFP: stringer )

Policemen behind the killing of two Shiites in Bahrain have been arrested, as protesters continued their demonstration in the centre of the capital, Manama.

"Those behind the two death cases have been detained and we have begun preliminary investigations," interior minister Sheikh Rashed bin Abdullah al-Khalifa said in a televised address.

The minister apologised for the killing of the two demonstrators in clashes with police on Monday and Tuesday, saying police should exercise restraint.

"We regret that the recent events have caused casualties and apologise to the nation, especially to the families of those who died or [were] wounded," he said.

"Over the past years I have always insisted that security personnel should exercise self-restraint to avoid such regrettable events, and we have succeeded in doing so," he said.

Thousands of Shiite demonstrators have poured into the capital on Wednesday to mourn the second protester killed in the clashes.

The man was shot dead when police and mourners clashed at a funeral procession for another protester.

"We are requesting our rights in a peaceful way," said Bakr Akil, a 20-year-old university student, wearing a sheet stained with red ink that he said was a symbol of his willingness to sacrifice his life for freedom.

"I am optimistic that our big presence will achieve our demands."

Women dressed in black abaya cloaks followed the procession with their own chants calling for peace and Bahraini unity.

Elsewhere in central Manama, witnesses said about 2,000 protesters had spent the night in tents at Bahrain's Pearl Roundabout, similar to the number marching on the streets a day earlier.

The protests, aimed at changing the regime, were called for by cyber activists.

The demonstrators from Bahrain's Shiite majority say the ruling Sunni minority shuts them out of housing, healthcare and government jobs.

Inspired by the uprisings of Egypt and Tunisia which led to the ousting of their respective Western-backed leaders, some Bahraini demonstrators said they will stay in the square until they topple the monarchy.

Bahrain, which is ruled by the Sunni al-Khalifa dynasty, is a staunch ally of the United States and home to the US Navy Fifth fleet.

Sheikh Khalifa, the king's uncle, has governed the country since its independence in 1971 and is seen as being mostly concerned with keeping the ruling family's grip on politics and the economy.

- AFP/Reuters

Video : Protests spread to Bahrain

Record Fee Sends Torres to Chelsea

 

 

The Spanish forward Fernando Torres joined Chelsea on Monday for a British-record fee said to be 50 million pounds, or $79.5 million, as big-spending English clubs concluded a record-breaking spending spree during the January transfer window.
More than 215 million pounds, or $345 million, was spent in the month by Premier League teams, breaking the previous high of 181 million pounds ($290 million) in 2009.

Chelsea was also ready to spend a reported 25 million pounds ($40 million) to sign the Brazilian defender David Luiz from Benfica of Portugal.

Chelsea’s outlay of about 75 million pounds Monday came on the same day it announced losses of 70.9 million pounds last season, despite winning the Premier League and the F.A. Cup.

Torres’s move from Liverpool is the third-most expensive transfer in the soccer history, bettered only by Real Madrid’s 2009 purchases of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for 80 million pounds ($131 million) and Kaká from A.C. Milan for 65 million euros ($92 million). It is similar to the fee received by Inter Milan when it sold Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona in 2009, a deal that sent Samuel Eto’o to Inter.

Liverpool replaced Torres by breaking the club’s transfer record twice within a few hours to acquire Andy Carroll from Newcastle and Luis Suarez from Ajax for a combined fee of 58 million pounds.

Previous transfers this month sent Edin Dzeko to Manchester City from Wolfsburg for about 27 million pounds ($42 million) and Darren Bent to Aston Villa from Sunderland for a fee that could rise to 24 million pounds ($38.5 million).

Among Americans, midfielder Michael Bradley was lent to Aston Villa from Germany’s Borussia Moenchengladbach until the end of the season; forward Robbie Findley received international clearance to sign with the second-tier English club Nottingham Forest; and forward Jozy Altidore was lent from Villarreal in Spain to the defending Turkish champion, Bursaspor, for the rest of the season.

“Michael is a very hard-working midfielder who can score goals and is versatile,” Villa Manager Gerard Houllier said of Bradley. “I saw him play four times at the World Cup in South Africa. I saw him once on TV, but four times at the games for the national team, so in terms of scouting you cannot say the work has not been done.”

U.S. GAME IN CAIRO CANCELED The United States national team canceled its Feb. 9 exhibition against Egypt in Cairo because of the political turmoil there. The United States team’s next games will be March 26 against Argentina at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., and March 29 against Paraguay in Nashville.

Mozy Drops Unlimited Backups, Introduces New Pricing

Mozy—our previously favorite tool for setting up foolproof, off-site backups—has changed it's pricing, most notably dropping their unlimited backup plans. Bummer for Mozy users. Here are the details:

Under the new plan, you can back up 50GB on one computer for $6/month, or 125GB on up to three computers for $9.99/month. Current Mozy unlimited can keep their unlimited backup through their last payment term (for example, I'm pretty sure I paid for a year last month, so I should be good through December 2011). For all other existing customers, the new plans will take effect on March 1. As a loyal Mozy unlimited user, I admit I didn't really know how much I was backing up, so I checked the computer I back up the least from: Turns out, it's 226GB. Uh oh.

You can add an additional 20GB of storage to the 125GB account for $2/month per 20GB, so we're talking an extra $10/month for an additional 100GB. In my case, for example, I'd need to pay $20/month to back up this one computer—up from my previous $5/month for the unlimited plan.

I love Mozy, and have been using them loyally for years, but this is a pretty huge price jump. Mozy explains the increase by discussing how much more data users are making these days—which I suppose is true, but then storage gets cheaper every year, too, right?

From a business perspective, we can sympathize, but from a user perspective, this is potentially a big problem. Mozy seems to think all backup services that offer unlimited plans will be heading in this direction, and that may be true. Either way, it looks like we may be on the hunt for alternatives.

While we do our hunting, you may want to check out our Hive Five best online backup tools. And if you've got an online backup alternative with unlimited plans that you're happy with (I know a lot of people like Carbonite), we'd love to hear about it in the comments.

Halle launches custody battle 

       Sour: Halle Berry is filing for custody of her daughter with ex-boyfriend,  Gabriel Aubry. Source: The Daily Telegraph

ACTRESS Halle Berry is launching a custody battle against her ex-boyfriend model Gabriel Aubry.//

A few weeks back we reported on Gabriel Aubry filing documents at an LA court that officially declare him as the daddy of two-year old daughter, Nahla.

And today, it turns out that our initial suspicions were correct - things have definitely turned sour between the formerly loved-up couple.

Berry - who split from the 35-year-old model last April after almost five years together - is now definitely taking a 'gloves are off' approach as she prepares to go to court to fight for custody.

A statement released by Halle's representative said: "Halle has serious concerns for her daughter's wellbeing while in the care of her father for any extended period of time and is prepared to take all necessary steps to protect her.

"She has attempted to resolve these custody issues amicably with her daughter's father, Gabriel Aubry, directly, but given his lack of cooperation, Halle has no choice but to seek swift judicial intervention."

"Halle has always made the needs and safety of her daughter her first priority and, both while Halle and Gabriel were a couple and since their break-up, Halle has only acted in her daughter's best interest."

The Oscar-winning actress was also forced to pull out of her new movie, New Year's Eve, which was due to start shooting this week thanks to the pending custody battle. She has since been replaced by Katherine Heigl.

Royal Rumble is Real Road to Wrestlemania

 

 

Royal Rumble is Real Road to Wrestlemania

The Royal Rumble kicks off Road to Wrestlemania. Last night’s WWE Royal Rumble Pay Per View was once again very entertaining. This year’s Rumble took the number of wrestlers from 30 to 40. I have to say, it went unnoticed. The 10 extra men did little to ratchet up the excitement and shock of previous Rumbles. In the end, Albert Del Rio was left standing. We will see him at Wrestlemania.

While not adding anything in the way of great surprises, the 2011 Royal Rumble was exactly what it claimed to be. It was a good night of entertainment, just not much more. The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The event was created in 1988 with the inaugural event held on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. The event however was not a pay-per-view but was originally shown as a television special on USA Network.

The following year’s event was the first Royal Rumble pay-per-view event. The first Royal Rumble match was won by Jim Duggan. The event’s main feature is a Battle Royal-type match, entitled the Royal Rumble. The pay-per-view is a part of WWE’s “Big Four”, along with Wrestlemania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series. The Royal Rumble has been classified as being one of WWE’s most popular pay-per-view events.

Yesterday’s Royal Rumble saw the Return of Booker T and Big Sexy Kevin Nash, known in WWE circles as Diesel. Both had short stints in the Rumble but manage to get WWE fans pretty excited about their return. Look for both of them to have significant story Lines leading up to Wrestlemania

Australia evacuates coastal cities in path of cyclone

 

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia evacuated northeast coastal cities on Tuesday as a cyclone rivalling the strength of Hurricane Katrina bore down on tourism, sugar and coal mining areas and threatened areas already devastated by floods far inland.

Cyclone Yasi is expected to generate winds of up to 280 kph (175 mph) when it hits the Queensland state coast early on Thursday (2pm Wednesday, GMT), matching the strength of Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005.

With a strong monsoon feeding Yasi's 650 km-wide front, the storm was also expected to maintain its intensity long after crossing the coast and could sweep inland as far as the outback mining city of Mt Isa.

"This storm is huge and life threatening," Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told reporters, warning the storm was intensifying and picking up speed on its path from the Coral Sea, and destructive gales would begin from Wednesday morning.

Queensland, which accounts for about a fifth of Australia's economy and 90 percent of steelmaking coal exports worth about $20.4 billion, has had a cruel summer, with floods having swept the eastern seaboard over the past month, killing 35 people.

"There's no time for complacency," said Mike Brunker, mayor of the Whitsunday area which is known for its islands resorts close to the Great Barrier Reef.

"People in low-lying areas are evacuating to friends and family or, if they have to, leave town," he told local media.

The popular tourist state, home also to the country's main sugar industry, bore the brunt of the floods and now risks being battered by Yasi, which authorities said could be the most powerful tropical storm to ever strike the area.

The cyclone could threaten around a third of the state's sugar cane crop, an industry official said on Tuesday.

Island resorts in the Whitsundays and parts of the tourism hub of Cairns and military town of Townsville were being evacuated along with other areas in the danger zone, between Cooktown in the north and near Mackay, a port, further south.

Military C-130 transport aircraft also evacuated the main hospital in Cairns. Extra commercial flights were scheduled to cope with an expected exodus of holidaymakers and residents.

Police were also empowered to forcibly move people from danger zones in an area that is home to around 250,000 people.

"This is not a system that's going to cross the coast and rapidly weaken out," Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Gordon Banks said, warning winds could reach up to 280 kph and the storm could reach Mt Isa, 900 km inland.

"We could see this system pushing well in across northern Queensland as a significant tropical cyclone with damaging winds and very heavy rainfall," Banks said.

COAL INDUSTRY ON ALERT -- AGAIN

Kim Kardashian Silver Paint 'Art' Photos, Soon to Be Another Regret?
January 31, 2011 04:51 PM

Kim Kardashian appeared on the cover of "W" magazine nude back in November, 2010. Inside the magazine Kardashian was covered in silver paint. The photos are once again a top Google trend because they were featured on "Kourtney and Kim Take New York" on E.

According to a post at Babble, Kardashian showed off her butt and boobs in the "Art Issue" of W magazine. Interestingly enough, Kim had just recently been upset about Playboy photo's that were released from 2007.  She expressed regret for having done the Playboy photos.  Will Kim Kardashian Silver Paint photos soon be an additional regret for the 30-year-old socialite?

While the photos do appear rather risque, there have been photos depicting much more graphic content in the name of art. If she were really so bothered about having nude photos of her floating around -- why allow more to be taken, even if they are within the context of "art."

Thoughts?

Remember Alex Brown: Emma Roberts and Justin Bieber join 'Extreme Makeover Home Edition' in support of safe driving

Starlet Emma Roberts ditched the awards show glam and joined Justin Bieber and NASCAR stars Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle to appear on ABC Sunday's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" in honor of the Remember Alex Brown Foundation, a nonprofit organized after 17-year-old Alexandra Brown rolled her pickup truck and died on her way to school. She was texting and driving.

After being alerted that her daughter hadn't made it to school, Alex's mother Jeannie drove out to find the wreck of the truck. "Although no other vehicles were involved, Alex was not alone," she writes on the Foundation's official website. "The cell phone on which she had sent and receive over 10,000 text messages in the weeks preceding her accident was with her."

Volunteers arrived at the Brown home in Lubbock, TX to rebuild their home - now occupied by the remaining three family members, Jeanne, Johnny Mac, and Alex's 12-year-old sister Katrina a year after Alex's death.

"If Alex was here and seeing all this she would be so excited for us," Katrina told reporters. "She'd be like, 'I'm so glad y'all are getting this! Y'all are doing good. Keep going.'"

The Browns decided to start the Remember Alex Brown Foundation the day she died. "I chose to do it that day at the hospital," her father says. "We have to put the [wrecked] truck on a trailer and we have to go to schools and tell people about the dangers of texting and driving."

"Extreme Makeover" asked Roberts to join in for two reasons. "She's an incredible young actress," said Ty Pennington, "and she's a teen so she understands how big of an epidemic texting and driving is."

"After hearing Alex's story I just think texting and driving is really a problem," Roberts says. "To hear that this happened to someone so young -- that really kind of was a little bit of a wake-up call. I have a nine year old sister and to think of her losing me, or me losing her -- I can't even comprehend that."

Is Whitney Houston Pregnant: Why Did This Rumor Start?

Seriously people, do you really think Whitney Houston is having another baby?

There are new rumors that Whitney Houston could be pregnant. But the odds that she is are doubtful. She is forty-seven, has reportedly battled with substance abuse issues, and she is a mother to her sixteen year old daughter Bobbi.  So why did these rumors start?

Recent photos of Whitney Houston have shown a more full-figured Whitney. But there may be a reason why she is bigger, and it doesn’t have anything to do with being pregnant.

One rumor that is swirling about is that she had a sudden weight gain from steroid injections for a respiratory infection. The other is that the after effects of becoming clean and sober attributed to the weight gain.

Do you think there is a chance she could be pregnant or is it just another silly fake baby bump rumor?

 Mark Zuckerberg Elected TIME Person of the Year 

 

 Rohan Naravane, Dec 16, 2010 1325 hrs IST

 Also, Facebook is named as the "best place to work"

Yesterday, the prestigious TIME magazine released its choice for the TIME Person of the Year accolade - Mark Zuckerberg. You better know the name of this man, as there's a one-twelfth chance that you might be using his product. We're of course talking about Facebook - the social networking mega-site that seeks to connect people over the internet. The article talks about Zuckerburg's journey from being a 19 year old college student at the Harvard University, where he started it as a pet-project, to the current success of Facebook. The recently released movie 'The Social Network' captures the same story of Mark Zuckerberg.

As of today, Facebook has 550 million registered users. One out of every twelve people on the planet has a Facebook account. It's a double-whammy moment for Mark, who not only has a personal recognition but it is also reported side-by-side that Facebook is named as the "best place to work". A part of this is encompassed in the TIME's write-up where it states that there aren't any special offices for people higher-up in the company; there aren't any cubicles as well.  

This is probably one of the rare times when Facebook is actually in news for good. It otherwise has been thrashed on many a regular occasion - from unlawful user data usage to deleted photos still being accessible among a lot more. According to a survey, people don't trust Facebook but cannot help themselves in avoiding its usage.

Way to go Mark, you have created one heck of an addictive substance. 

Kenya tightens security as ICC names chaos suspects


Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere has said security is tight hours before key suspects in the 2007 post election violence are named by the International Criminal Court December 15, 2010. FILE

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere has said security is tight hours before key suspects in the 2007 post election violence are named by the International Criminal Court December 15, 2010. FILE 
By FRED MUKINDAPosted Wednesday, December 15 2010 at 13:08

Police have tightened security hours before key suspects in the 2007 post election violence are named by the International Criminal Court.

While urging the public to remain calm after the names are revealed at The Hague, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said heavy deployment had been made in areas that were worst affected by the chaos.

“Concerns have been made from several quarters that this event will ignite violence in some parts. We assure the public that we have made adequate security arrangements in all areas of the country to forestall any eventuality,” he said.

The police chief alluded to intelligence reports saying “criminal elements planned to take the opportunity to break the law".

He warned that his officers would deal with perpetrators “firmly and swiftly".

Politicians were also asked to handle the outcome of The Hague announcement in the interest of security, stability and rule of law in the country.

Notices warning of planned demonstrations was sent to provincial police commands and other formations of the police last week.

The reports mention the Rift Valley as a hot spot, but commanders across the country had been ordered to be on the lookout.

The briefs further warn in the event demonstrators turn rowdy, officers should be restrained from confronting them with live ammunition.

Intelligence officers, police sources said, have for months been gathering information covertly in areas that were hit by the violence with the aim of establishing if there are threats of fresh violence.

At the same time, Provincial Security and Intelligence Committees were asked to seek politicians, who would turn reach out to their supporters and advise them against causing chaos.

The Nation learnt that besides the regular duty police officers, contingents of the administration police and the General Service Unit have been put on notice for the task.

In a pointer that eruption of chaos was not anticipated, massive deployments that include other armed government agencies to boost the police force, have been avoided this time round.

Prisons boss Isaiah Osugo said his department is always ready to supply the extra force but the police had not placed the request.

The law mandates the police commissioner to gazette any person to assume police powers and duties, especially to meet a shortfall.

President Kibaki  directed police and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to deal firmly with  individuals engaging in hate speech while addressing Kenyan during Jamhuri Day celebrations.

UNDERCOVER BOSS “ABM” Season 2 Episode 10


Watch a sneak peek and browse photos of the upcoming episode of UNDERCOVER BOSS UNDERCOVER BOSS “ABM” which airs on Sunday, December 5 at 10pm on CBS.

Episode Synopsis: UNDERCOVER BOSS UNDERCOVER BOSS “ABM” – The President and CEO of ABM Industries (Henrik Slipsager), one of the nation’s largest facilities services contractors, offering janitorial, engineering, parking and security services for thousands of clients, takes a journey within his own corporation, on UNDERCOVER BOSS, Sunday, Dec. 5 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

The Santa Clause 3: True Sign That the Holiday Season is Here

The Santa Clause Movies On Sale at Amazon

The Santa Clause 3 kicks off the Holiday Season on TV. The holiday season is in full effect with all the Christmas favorites filling up our TV listings to watch with our kids! Tonight you can catch the original” The Santa Clause” with Tim Allen filling out his Santa costume for the very first time on ABC Family. If you missed tonight’s showing, it’s playing again on Friday, December 10 along with the sequel”The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause”.

The holiday season really does bring some lovely movies back to the small box in our living rooms. The question is to decide which one to watch. Tonight there is not only ‘The Santa Clause 3 – The Escape Clause’ but also ‘Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer’, ‘Shrek the Halls’ and ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’. Keep in mind it only the 2nd day of December.

Tim Allen stars in “The Santa Clause,” a huge 1994 box office hit airing at 7 on ABC Family (cable Channel 49). Allen plays an advertising man who unwittingly takes over for the bearded, big-bellied fellow after a rooftop mishap on Christmas Eve.

Enjoy them while you can, because before we know it Xmas will have come and gone.

Get The Santa Clause from $8.49 at Amazon

Cavs vs. Heat: LeBron James returns: James scores 24 points in third quarter, Heat leads, 95-65
December 2, 2010 |  7:17 pm

It's getting hard to tell if the Cleveland fans are booing LeBron James or their own team.

Miami leads the Cavaliers, 95-65, at the end of the third quarter in front of an increasingly subdued crowd at Quicken Loans Arena.

James continues to play as if he's unfazed by all the negative attention -- he has a game-high 38 points so far, 24 of which came in the third quarter.

Still, it's unfortunate Cleveland hasn't been able to put up more of a fight. The fans probably would have a little more anti-LeBron pep left in them if their team hadn't given up that 16-0 run in the first half.

But if the fans have anything left to express, they better do it soon because LeBron could be on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.

If you want to join a live chat about the game, go to our Lakers blog, where you can find one hosted by our Lakers blogger, Mark Medina, here.

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Police call for end of volunteer searches for missing Michigan
boys

By the CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Police are asking that the volunteer searches for three missing Michigan brothers be stopped by Friday night.

Local authorities and federal investigators have been trying to find 9-year-old Andrew Skelton, 7-year-old Alexander William Skelton and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton last seen on Thanksgiving.

The end of the volunteer searches will allow authorities the opportunity to process what has been done and collected and to "re-evaluate our direction for the following week," said Larry Weeks, police chief of Morenci, Michigan.

John Skelton, the boys' father who has been charged with parental kidnapping, is fighting his extradition from Ohio, authorities said Wednesday. A hearing is set for December 14.

Skelton was arrested Tuesday upon his release from a mental health facility where he was being treated after a suicide attempt, Weeks said.
Although investigators have found "a number of items," they still do not know the children's whereabouts, Weeks said.

Asked whether he believes that the boys are dead, Weeks said Wednesday, "I refuse to believe that at this point," saying he wanted to maintain hope. He did, however, repeat his Tuesday statement that a positive outcome is not anticipated.


Investigators have not spoken with Skelton "in some time," he said, or developed any additional information. He previously said authorities are skeptical of the information Skelton has provided.

Skelton said he left the three boys with a woman, whom he identified as Joann Taylor, the morning before he tried to take his own life -- in part to ensure that they did not witness his suicide attempt.

Skelton said Taylor was supposed to take the boys to their home in Morenci, a southern Michigan town of about 2,400 people about 40 miles west-northwest of Toledo, Ohio, Friday afternoon, Weeks said. But the boys never arrived.

Earlier, authorities determined that Skelton had no "established relationship" with the person he named as Taylor, and they aren't certain that she even exists.

Authorities continue to ask for the public's help, hoping someone saw Skelton's blue 2000 Dodge Caravan, in which he was believed to be carrying the boys along a 25-mile stretch of road between Morenci and Holiday City, Ohio.

The last time someone other than a family member saw the boys was at 5 p.m. on November 25, according to the chief.

Police say Tanner is 3 feet, 6 inches tall with strawberry blond hair and blue eyes, and weighs about 40 pounds. Alexander is 3 feet, 9 inches tall, has brown hair and eyes, weighs about 45 pounds and has scars on his hairline and chin. The oldest brother, Andrew, is 4 feet, 1 inch tall, has brown hair and eyes and weighs roughly 57 pounds.

You may have watched the "Grammy Nominations Concert Live!" on CBS, but here's what you didn't see after the show at the Conga Room in Los Angeles, where numerous stars spoke to the press about their nominations.

 Eminem, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga Lead Grammy Nominations

 1. With seven Grammy nominations this year, Bruno Mars didn't hesitate to pat himself on the back in the press room following the announcement show. On several occasions, the artist made reporters ask him several times how it felt to be nominated in so many categories. Each time, he would smile and brush his shoulder with smug satisfaction. Jokes aside, Bruno Mars isn't taking the honors for granted. "It's a little surreal," he said with sincerity. "We're thankful." On working with Cee Lo Green on the Grammy-nominated track "F**k You," Mars recalled the soul singer's passion in the studio. "He just sang the shit out of it, basically. Man, that guy deserves that one." Who would Mars like to collaborate with in the future? Alicia Keys, Prince and Kings of Leon.



2. Four years ago, Paramore singer Hayley Williams never would've pictured herself being featured on a hip-hop song. (She's featured on B.o.B.'s "Airplanes, Part II," nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals). "I love hip-hop, but I never would've imagined it," she said. "But you can never say never." And what is Williams' favorite song of 2010? "Just the Way You Are," by Bruno Mars. Could a possible collaboration be in the works?



3. R&B singer Monica said she hasn't been nominated for a Grammy Award since 1999. So being nominated this year for Best R&B Album for her latest set, "Still Standing," was a bit of a shocker. "I was not expecting anything. I have not been a part of the Grammys, as far as being nominated, since 1999," she said. "So at 16 years old, I didn't understand what it means. Now at 30, I'm in shock that I'm considered being nominated."



2010 Grammys Central



4. Rapper B.o.B. may have five Grammy nods under his belt, but what was the highlight for him in 2010? "Probably performing for Barack Obama at the National Gen44 Summit, and opening up for Jay-Z and Eminem at stadiums," he said. And he couldn't forget to mention the release of his debut album, "B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray." "It was something way past due, so I'm glad it happened," the rapper said.



5. Looking dapper in a shiny gray suit, a white v-neck and a diamond-covered cross necklace, Cee Lo Green, nominated for four Grammys, including Record of the Year for "F**k You," said he'll likely tour behind new album "The Lady Killer" in 2011. The first stop will be Australia. Cee Lo also revealed that he'd be collaborating with Danger Mouse on the third Gnarls Barkely album in the coming year. He admitted that he never expected "F**k You" to become such a hit, let alone a song that would receive a Grammy nod. ""wasn't meant to be a radio song, initially," he said. "It really took on a life of its own."



6. TV viewers probably didn't notice that Miranda Lambert's dress was covered with tiny mirrors, which blinded many of the press room folks when the obnoxiously bright lights reflected them. Aside from that, Lambert, whose "The House that Built Me" is nominated for Song of the Year, said that she emotionally lost it the first time she heard the tune. "I started bawling," she said. "It takes a lot to get me to a crying point when I listen to music."



7. If Cee Lo Green performs "F**k You" at this year's Grammy Awards show, how will it be handled? "When it comes to broadcast television, there are rules and regulations," Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow said. "It really has nothing to do with the Academy. It's mandated by the government. We'll deal with that the way we have to. But we believe in free speech and First Amendment rights. We support the rights of artists who create and speak their minds. We'll deal with it so that we're in the law, but also within the framework of the music and presenting the essence of what was really an amazing song."



8. What is LL Cool J's favorite song with Auto-Tune? "You have to ask T-Pain that question," he said. "You'll probably get a more credible answer.



9. Jimmy Jam revealed a little-known fact about Justin Bieber following the evening's Grammy nominations announcement. The teen pop sensation is amazing at "Guitar Hero." Jimmy Jam also revealed that all the original members of the Time plan release a new album in February.



10. Late-night TV host Craig Ferguson's highlight of 2010 would've been his Grammy nomination in the Best Spoken Word Album for "American on Purpose." But he couldn't tell the press room that. "Do you want me to say Grammy my nomination? 'Cause I can't, because my wife is pregnant." When told he was up against such greats as Carol Burnett and Woody Allen, Ferguson responded, "I'm the crappiest person on this thing."

Natalie Portman's Look at the NY 'Black Swan' Premiere

 

Natalie Portman has never qualified as an ugly duckling. So there's no fairytale to her transformation for the Black Swan premiere Tuesday night in New York City.

The petite beauty looked ravishing nonetheless. In head-to-toe Dior, Portman looked reminiscent of a floating dancer, which she plays in her latest title role.

Makeup artist Jeanine Lobell created the look, focusing on the mouth: "I lined her lips with a nude pencil and filled them in with a burgundy shade," said Lobell. "Then I went over the first layer with a true blue-red in the center to give the color more dimension."

She used Rouge Dior Lipcolor in Zinnia Red layered over Fantastic Plum. The eyes were left simple: Dior Beige Point eyeshadow, black liquid liner and Diorshow Extase Mascara. The glamorous, romantic vibe extended to her hair, which was curled from ear level to the ends and left down and haphazardly parted in the middle.

Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh touts Andrew Luck as best Heisman choice

Stanford's regular season ended five days ago, but there is no shortage of news involving the Cardinal.

Coach Jim Harbaugh made an impassioned case Wednesday for quarterback Andrew Luck as the most deserving candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

Luck is expected to be one of four finalists invited to New York City next week for the awards ceremony. The favorite is Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who has been ruled eligible for the SEC championship game even though his father was investigated by the NCAA in a pay-for-play scheme.

The NCAA determined that Newton did not know his father was seeking as much as $180,000 for Newton's services.

"In terms of what the Heisman is about, it's the person who strives for excellence with the utmost integrity," said Harbaugh, who never mentioned Newton by name.

"Andrew is pure excellence on the field. You see the same excellence in the classroom, and he has the utmost integrity. If I had to put my life in another man's hands, in terms of integrity, it would be Andrew."

Harbaugh wasn't nearly as loquacious when asked about his plans for today. He won't be attending the Michigan football banquet honoring the 1985 team, one of the best in school history. Harbaugh was the Wolverines' starting quarterback.

"I am here," he said matter-of-factly. "My schedule prevents me from being there."

Harbaugh has a practice to run, but he is no doubt aware of the chaos that his appearance would cause
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in Ann Arbor. He is the favorite among Michigan fans to replace unpopular coach Rich Rodriguez, who will be attending the banquet.

# Luck is a finalist for three major awards: The Davey O'Brien, given to the nation's best quarterback, and the Maxwell and Walter Camp, which honor the nation's top player.

Newton is a finalist for all three awards, as well.

Stanford associate head coach Greg Roman is one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant. Roman is in charge of the tight ends and offensive tackles.

# Harbaugh was asked about the poor attendance at home games -- Stanford Stadium was rarely more than 75 percent full -- and the marketing push required to attract new fans.

"Somebody has got to spearhead that," he said. "It's got to come from the president of the university saying somebody is in charge. It can't be everybody pointing around a table saying, 'It's your job. It's your job.' "

# Harbaugh expressed frustration with the bowl selection system, in particular the prospect of Stanford's destination being affected by its small fan base (relative to teams from the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12).

"How Stanford travels to games keeps coming up," he said. "I didn't notice that in the criteria for the BCS rankings. (If it's part of the selection process), then count me in favor of a playoff."

Harbaugh is half-right: Ticket sales have nothing to do with the BCS rankings. The system is designed to match the No. 1 and 2 teams in the national championship game.

The Rose, Sugar, Fiesta and Orange bowls operate differently. They base team selections on a number of factors, including geography, conference affiliation and economics (ticket sales, hotel bookings, etc.).

If Stanford holds its current position in the BCS standings -- it is No. 4, just ahead of Wisconsin -- it is guaranteed a spot in one of the major bowls.

But in the unlikely event it slips to No. 5, the Cardinal could get squeezed out because of its small fan base.

If that's the case, Harbaugh said, "You might have one hot guy at next week's press conference."