Los Angeles - Britney Spears is being investigated for possible child abuse, gossip site TMZ is reporting. The L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services is conducting an active investigation, but details of the allegations are vague.
This comes hot on the heels of a heated custody battle between Spears and ex hubby Kevin Federline for the couple’s two children. An unscheduled hearing was held today with lawyers for Brit and KFed present. A hearing in the custody case has been scheduled for September 4.
We wish we could say that we’re shocked, but with Britney’s recent erratic behaviour, nothing would surprise us.
Boston (dBTechno)- Americans just seem to be getting fatter and fatter.
The obesity rate has climbed in 31 stats last year — no states showed a decline, found a new study from the Trust for America’s Health
Colorado is once again the leanest state with an obesity rate of 17.6 percent.
Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate at more than 30.5 percent.
The Trust for America’s Health say that the government needs to take a more active roll in fighting obesity.
Obesity has been linked to diabetes, heart problems and other chronic diseases that contribute to greater health care costs. (more…)
Boston (EON) - Micheal Vick, the former NFL star turned dog fighting guru entered his guilty plea to a judge on Monday.
Vick stood alone and asked for forgiveness. He spoke without any notes and seemed like a humbled man who has been through a lot over the last year.
His guilty plea leaves himtopen to serve anywhere from 1 to 5 years in jail. “I offer my deepest apologies to everybody out there in the world who was affected by this whole situation, and if I’m more disappointed with myself than anything it’s because of all the young people, young kids that I let down, who look at Michael Vick as a role mode.”
He stated that he needed to “better Micheal Vick the person, not the football player.”‘
He stated and conceded that “I need to grow up. I will redeem myself.”
Vick has been indefinitely suspended by the NFL and wil be sentenced on December 10th.
Boston (EON) - The 43-year-old Keanu Reeves has signed on to star in the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still from Fox.
Fox is doing the remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic. Keanu Reeves is going to play the role of Klaatu. The Robert Wise classic is apparently going to be re-done from the ground up.
Klaatu is an alien who has many human traits. He has with him a robot named Kort who is indestructible.
Fox and Keanu Reeves want to push the message of the original 1951 classic with the remake as well, that if humans as a race continue down their aggressive path, they will demolish themselves.
The director will be Scott Derrickson. The possibility is there for this to have a major blockbuster release in winter 2008 is not definitely by summer 2009 as Fox wants to get this one out as quickly as possible.
Hollywood (EON) - Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie hosted a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in Hamptons, New York on Saturday.
The couple took some time off from their four kids Maddox, Pax Thien, Shiloh Nouvel, and Zahara in order to run the fundraiser event.
The Pitt’s Make It Right project was what the entire fundraising promotion revolved around. The idea before this project is to rebuild New Orleans, LA.
Many were in attendance at the fundraiser including Jimmy Buffet, Ellen Barkin, Christie Brinkley, and many more.
The four kids were left with nannies at their New York City hotel.
Boston (EON) - The lead lawyer in the murder case of music producer Phil Spector has stepped down from the case before the closing arguments of the trial.
Bruce Cutler made the announcement on Monday that he would be leaving the case. Thsi was over a disagreement about the closing statements made to the jury.
The trial is revolving around the 2003 death of actress Lana Clarkson whom Spector is charged with the murder of. The final day of testimony was set for Monday.
Cutler stated “I do not agree with the strategy which will be employed in presenting the defence in this case to the jury on summation. I can no longer effectively represent my client under those conditions.”
Cutler is a high profile lawyer who was brought in from New York to try and defende Spector. He may have just sealed Spector’s fate.
Hollywood (EON) - Owen Wilson is looking for something which he may now not get a lot of after his suicide attempt, privacy.
The comic actor has stated that “I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time.”
Owen Wilson put out the statement through his publicist on Monday. He tried to cut his wrist and take unknown pills before a family member caught him prior to finishing the suicide and taking him to the hospital.
He was treated at the Cedars Sinai Medical Center in the Beverly Hills area.
The 38-year-old is apparently now in “good condition” at the hospital center as of Tuesday.
He was set to promote the new film Tropic Thunder next week at the Venice Film Festival. It is likely that this will be called off.
Wilson is best known for the film Wedding Crashers.
Boston (EON) - Acer of Taiwan has announced the purchase of the American company Gateway for $710 million.
Acer is going to offer all outstanding shares of Gateway for $1.90 per share which comes out to $710 million. This is a 57% premium to the share price of Gateway.
The deal includes the right of first refusal on the part of Gateway to acquire Packard Bell in Europe.
Gateway’s operating loss for 2006 was $18.9 million, up from $0.6 million in 2005.
Acer’s 2006 revenue was $11.32 billion compared to $3.98 for Gateway.
Chairman of Acer JT Wang stated that “This will be an excellent addition to Acer’s positions in Europe and Asia. Upon acquiring Gateway, we will further solidify our position as number three PC vendor globally.”
Boston (EON) - President Nicolas Sarkozy of France stated that a timetable must be set to take foreign troops out of Iraq.
Sarkozy did not stop there though as he also stated that Iran having any type of nuclear arms would simply be “unacceptable.”
Sarkozy also stated without actually saying it that he supports the United States and the effort in Iraq. He stated that the nuclear program troubles with Iran is the “most serious crisis before us today.”
He spoke to 180 French ambassadors in his speech which caught a lot of attention around the world. France is currently trying to get back on good terms with the United States and become a mediator in Iraq. This would allow them to possibly not get involved in a military sense but at least get involved enough to make a difference.
Sarkozy ordered foreign minister Bernard Kouchner to apologize for interfering with affairs in Iraq. This involved him stating that the Iraqi prime minister Maliki should be removed from power.
Moscow (EON) - Russia’s chief prosecutor has announced that 10 suspects have been arrested and linked to the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
One of the suspects arrestd is a Chechen crime boss as well as 5 law officers.
The prosecutor on the case is Yuri Chaika. The journalist Politkovskaya was shot on October 7th. The prosecutor has state dthat the only person which would have a lot of interest in killing the journalist would be someone living outside of Russia. This would be an attempt to take power away from President Vladimir Putin.
Chaika stated “people who are hiding from Russian law enforcement have been hatching plans to sacrifice someone and create an anti-Russian wave in the world.”
Reporters Without Borders though stated that “Contrary to what the prosecutor general says, there were people inside the country interested in silencing her and the investigation should be looking into this.”