Bring That Week Back: Week of Aug. 23
Could Mariah be pregnant? Plus Ochocino is punished and Timbaland tackles rumors. Get more!
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L.A. Judge Praises Chris Brown - A California judge commended Chris Brown during a probation hearing Thursday. The singer is currently on probation for assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna last February. “You’re doing very well on probation,” Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told Brown. She also noted his positive reports from a domestic violence counseling program. Brown was sentenced last year to five years probation and six months of community service.
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Anniversary of Aaliyah’s Death - Nine years ago Wednesday, 22-year-old singer Aaliyah died in a plane crash in the Bahamas following a video shoot in 2001. The singer, who released her first album at age 15, went on to sell over 8 million albums during her career. Celebs, including Drake, Nicki Minaj, Diddy and Ciara praised her via Twitter on the anniversary.
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Kendrick Meek Wins Primary - Florida lawmaker Kendrick Meek won the Democratic primary Tuesday, and will represent the party when voters go to the polls in November to elect a senator. Meek, who’s currently a member of the House of Representatives, beat out billionaire Jeff Greene by a 26-point margin to get the nod. Greene reportedly spent $30 million on the campaign, but Meek had endorsements from President Obama and former President Clinton.
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Miss Mexico Wins Miss Universe - Miss Mexico, Jimena Navarrete, was crowned Miss Universe during Monday night’s pageant in Las Vegas. Miss Jamaica, Yendi Phillipps was first runner-up and Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell was second runner-up. Soon after her win, the 22-year-old was congratulated on Twitter by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala. Miss USA, Rima Fakih, did not make the top 15 finalists.
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Tiger Woods’ Divorce is Final - Nine months after his numerous adulterous affairs were revealed, Tiger Woods and wife Elin Nordegren officially divorced on Monday. The golfer has expressed sadness over the situation telling media, “You don't ever go into a marriage looking to get divorced." Golf, he says, is secondary as he tries to get his children to cope with having divorced parents.
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Wyclef Isn’t Giving Up Yet - Despite last week’s ruling by Haiti’s electoral commission that barred him from running for president of the nation, Wyclef Jean said he’s not giving up. The commission gave no reason for its decision. On Tuesday, a lawyer for the musician said that he plans to appeal the ruling, but it’s unclear whether that is possible under Haitian law. On Thursday, Wyclef released a song on his blog called “Prison for the CEP” that blasted officials in the country – including President Rene Preval.
7 / 26
Heated Mosque Rally - On Sunday, hundreds of protestors hit the proposed site of the mosque near Ground Zero. Police made sure to separate the two groups – one supporting the $100 million construction project two blocks from the World Trade center site, and one against it – but the confrontation still got heated with both sides chanting and some protestors screaming at each other. There were no reports of physical violence though.
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$578 Million School to Open in L.A. - The most expensive school in the nation, Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools, is set to open next month in Los Angeles. The school, which will house 4,200 students, cost $578 million. The institution sits on the same spot as the Ambassador Hotel where Kennedy, a Democratic presidential contender, was assassinated in 1968. Critics say the school is a waste of tax-payer money.
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Timbaland Denies Suicide Attempt - Producer Timbaland denies he tried to commit suicide after reportedly having a $2 million watch stolen from his home last weekend. "I don't know what happened, to be honest with you, I don't even know what people are talking about," he said. "Why would I commit suicide? I could buy what was stolen," he added. On Tuesday, TMZ reported that family members called the police after he left his home, upset about the theft. L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. sent out a “possible suicide attempt" alert.
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Usain Bolt Inks Huge Deal with Puma - Jamaican star sprinter Usain Bolt signed a three-year contract extension with Puma on Tuesday that is reportedly the biggest ever for a track and field athlete. Specifics of the deal haven’t been released, but Bolt pretty much confirmed its stature by telling the Associated Press, “It's good, man. I'm happy. I'm very happy with the figure." In 2008, he set world records in the 100 and 200 at the Beijing Olympics.
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11 / 26
Ochocinco Fined for Tweeting - On Tuesday, the NFL fined Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco $25,000 for Tweeting during a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The NFL prohibits posting to social media sites shortly before, during and shortly after games. And not long after the fine was handed down, Ochocinco took to Twitter to Tweet an apology to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for breaking the rule.
12 / 26
Another Obama School Opens - On Monday, Barack Obama Elementary School opened its doors to students in Upper Marlboro, Md. The environmentally-friendly “green” school is the seventh school in the nation to be named after the president, but the first in the Washington, DC.
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Faith Evans Arrested for Drunk Driving - Singer Faith Evans was arrested last Saturday night in L.A. on suspicion of driving drunk. She was held for a few hours before being released on bail the next morning. On Monday, she took to Twitter to thank concerned fans. “I’m sure by now most of you heard that I was detained on suspicion of a DUI,” she tweeted. “I’m fine and well, and thank you for your prayers, kind word and concerns.”
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Paula Cook to Appear on "Oprah"? - Reps for talk show host Oprah Winfrey have reportedly reached out to Paula Cook, the estranged wife of Fantasia Barrino’s boyfriend Antwaun Cook, to ask that she appear on the show, according to RadarOnline. BET host Mo’Nique also reportedly reached out to Mrs. Cook. According to the site, she is considering her options, which also include a reality show and a book, while on leave from teaching.
15 / 26
Shaq and Hoopz Dating? - Former VH1 reality star Hoopz was recently spotted with NBA star Shaquille O’Neal at the Waffle House, adding fuel to the rumor that the two are romantically involved. While at the restaurant, Hoopz pranked O’Neal by dumping salt into his orange juice when he got up to use the bathroom, sources told TMZ. When he came back and took a sip of the drink, everyone, including Shaq laughed.
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16 / 26
Study: Anxiety High for Katrina Kids - Many child survivors of Hurricane Katrina still suffer from serious emotional or behavioral problems five years after the storm hit the Gulf coast area, according to a new study released Monday in the journal of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. More than 30 percent of kids displaced due to the storm have since been diagnosed with mental health problems and almost 50 percent of families still report an instable household, the study said.
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Is Mariah Carey Pregnant? - After recent photos that showed Mariah Carey a few pounds heavier were released, many are speculating that she and hubby Nick Cannon might be expecting a little one. The couple has not officially confirmed pregnancy reports though. During a radio interview, Cannon didn’t validate or deny rumors, stating, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it time and time again— when my wife feels like talking about whatever she wants to talk about, you will hear it directly from her.”
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Kimora Leaves Baby Phat - Kimora Lee Simmons recently announced that she’s leaving her popular fashion line Baby Phat to pursue other interests. “After 14 years of conceiving and nurturing Baby Phat, it’s time for me to move on and further expand my other businesses and create a new phenomenon. I adore all those who have faithfully been with me since the beginning. I’m forever dedicated to my family, fans and customers,” she said in a statement.
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Obamas on Vacation - The Obamas continued their vacation in Martha’s Vineyard this week. Here, the president and first lady are shown at a local restaurant on Monday. They are due to return to D.C. this weekend.
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NYC Mayor Meets with Attacked Cabbie - Ahmed H. Sharif, a New York cab driver whose face and throat were slashed by a passenger after he revealed he was a Muslim, met with Mayor Michael Bloomberg Thursday. The passenger, Michael Enright, remains in jail on charges of attempted murder and assault as hate crimes, and weapons possession. Strangely enough, Enright, a 21-year-old college student, once volunteered with a group that promotes interfaith tolerance and supported a proposal for the mosque near Ground Zero.
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21 / 26
Blacks, Women Talk and Text More, Study Says - According to a recent analysis of phone bills by Nielsen Co., Blacks talk on their cell phones more than any other race, averaging 1,331 minutes per month. Whites averaged the least at 647 minutes per month, Hispanics talked 826 minutes monthly and Asians and Pacific Islanders talked 692 minutes per month. The analysis also showed that Blacks also text more than other groups at 780 messages per month compared to 566 per month for Whites.
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Jamaica Opposition Calls for Dudus Case Probe - On Sunday, Jamaican opposition called for an independent investigation into who hired lobbyists to try to convince U.S. government officials not to extradite alleged drug kingpin Christopher “Dudus” Coke. According to the People’s National Party, the government didn’t provide a “full and truthful” account of who contacted the U.S. firm. Though he denied any role in the lobbying contract at first, Prime Minister Bruce Golding later admitted to approving the decision to hire the firm.
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Is An 18-Game NFL Season Coming Soon? - During a meeting on Wednesday, NFL owners were excited about talk of extending the seasons from 16 games to 18. Under this proposal, the season would still be 20 weeks, but the number of preseason games would be cut down from four to two. Players aren’t too pleased with this set-up, though, fearing it could lead to an increase in injuries. And, they feel they should be paid more for the longer season. Owners are holding off on voting for a proposal to be presented to the players union.
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Rally on “Dream” Speech Anniversary Draws Protests - Conservative TV host Glenn Beck – who has called President Obama a racist in the past - is holding a rally Saturday on the anniversary and at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech.” The planned event at the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. will also feature an appearance from former Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin. The rally is drawing criticism and will likely draw counter-protests from many who believe the event is disrespectful to King’s legacy.
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Kanye, Suge Knight Dispute Continues - Reps for rapper Kanye West and Marion “Suge” Knight met Thursday in Miami to try to resolve a lawsuit Suge filed against the rapper, but the two sides failed to see eye to eye. Suge is suing Kanye and his companies for more than $1 million in damages for failing to provide adequate security at a 2005 Miami Beach party he hosted. Suge was shot in the leg at the event, and the perpetrator is still on the run. Because they didn’t reach an agreement, the case will likely go to trial.