Khloe Kardashian Will Support Kim Kardashian’s Birth Despite Jealousy

Khloe has been dying to have a baby of her own, and it doesn’t help that her sister Kim is about to welcome her first child. Although Khloe is envious that both of her sisters will be moms before her, a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY that Khloe will be by Kim’s side in the delivery room to support her.

Poor Khloe Kardashian! While she desperately wants a child of her own, she’s had to sit by and watch both of her sisters become mothers before her. Kim Kardashian will welcome her first child in July, and a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY that Khloe plans to put her emotions aside in order to be supportive of Kim during the birth.

How Khloe’s Planning To Support Kim Through Pregnancy

“All of the family will be somewhere around Kim when she’s ready to deliver, Khloe especially,” a source connected to the reality TV family explains. ”Even though there’s probably a little jealously on Khloe’s part — you know, that Kim’s having a baby before her — she will still be there to support Kim through it all.”

Khloe Kardashian Struggles To Begin Family With Lamar Odom

While Khloe will stay by Kim’s side for support during the birth, it certainly won’t be easy. Our source reveals that 2013 hasn’t been great year for Khloe.
“She had a rough year,” says the source. “She got fired from her hosting show, complications getting pregnant, Lamar‘s [Odom] basketball game was sloppy. Meanwhile, everyone else in the family is thriving!”

Khloe Kardashian Puts Baby Plans On Hold

Currently, Khloe’s main focus is being a devoted sister to Kim and making sure everything goes well with her baby. After Kim gets settled into motherhood, our source says Khloe will once again work on starting a family of her own.
“She wants to have children and start a family with Lamar,” the source says. “In good time all will work itself out.”
Now it’s your turn to sound off, HollywoodLifers. Do you think Kim’s new baby will make auntie Khloe happier?

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Kim Kardashian’s Glowing Look — Get Her Stunning Summer Makeup

Kim loves to Instagram her beauty look every day and on June 6, she was positively glowing! We’ll help you get Kim’s look below.

Kim Kardashian, 32, posted two photos of her makeup look, first saying, “Interviews today” and then “Necklace sparkling on my face #LoveDannijoJewelry.” Kim’s face was literally shining — we’ll help you get the look without looking like a little girl below.

Kim Kardashian’s Highlighter – Get Her Look With Too Faced Candlelight Glow

Kim showed off her stunning contouring and highlighting techniques, with highlighter clearly visible on her cheekbones and bridge of her nose.
To get Kim’s look, we love Too Faced Candlelight Glow Highlighting Powder Duo.
The powder gives you a luminous glow, and looks perfect when applied to cheeks, above the brow bone, and décolleté. It looks amazing on all skin tones — brightening, lightening and warming.
The powder is free of nasties — no parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances or synthetic dyes. Love it!

Kim Kardashian’s Baby Shower

The Kardashian/Jenner family recently threw Kim’s baby shower, held on June 2 in Beverly Hills. Kim looked angelic in a white Lanvin floor-length dress with her hair long and straight.
Kim’s gal pals Kimberly Stewart, NeNe Leakes, Maria Menounos and personal trainer Tracey Anderson all attended. The Kardashian sister’s men also attending — Lamar Odom, Scott Disick and baby Daddy Kanye West. 
Mom Kris Jenner wore a pink outfit — super appropriate since Kim is having a girl, HollywoodLife.com first reported back in January.

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Statue of nude, pregnant Kim Kardashian unveiled by same guy who sculpted Britney Spears

Kim loves to Instagram her beauty look every day and on June 6, she was positively glowing! We’ll help you get Kim’s look below.

Kim Kardashian, 32, posted two photos of her makeup look, first saying, “Interviews today” and then “Necklace sparkling on my face #LoveDannijoJewelry.” Kim’s face was literally shining — we’ll help you get the look without looking like a little girl below.

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Kim Kardashian Dresses Baby Bump in Button Down Shirt, Slams Photographers

Pregnant Kim Kardashian is in the home stretch! The expectant reality star, 32, headed to a doctor's appointment in Beverly Hills on Thursday, June 6, looking polished and serene in a white, bump-hugging button-down shirt, which she paired with silver jewelry, black leggings and flip-flops. Kanye West's love -- feted at a baby shower in Beverly Hills last weekend -- wore her brunette locks in glamorous retro waves.
PHOTOS: Kim's baby bump style
Due in July, the first-time mom-to-be wasn't feeling quite so Zen earlier on Thursday after overly zealous photographers allegedly threatened her. "I wouldn't let the paps get a pic of me today & they threatened my life & said if I continue to block shots then they will make my world dangerous to live in!" the E! star tweeted. "How dare they threaten my life & my unborn child! This has gotten way out of control!"
PHOTOS: Kim flashes pregnant bikini bod on family trip to Greece
Continued Kardashian, who has famously endured more than a few taunts and criticism during her pregnancy: "Let me enjoy this last month of pregnancy please without threats & being scared to leave my home due to what dangerous thing they just threatened to do to me."
PHOTOS: Kim's pregnancy compared to Kate Middleton's
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star acknowledged that she's a celebrity -- but needs some downtime, especially now. "I get I live a public life," she said. "I live my life on a reality show for the world to see. I love my life, but when the cameras stop, that doesn't mean I don't want a break too. I'm 32 yrs old now, about to be a mom. I'm not 25 clubbing around LA anymore."

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What were Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif praying for at Ajmer Sharif

Sharif or Ajmer Sharif is a sufi shrine of sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti located at Ajmer in Rajasthan. The shrine has the grave (Maqbara) of the revered saint, Moinuddin Chisti.

 

The pilgrimage site receives thousands of devotees every day. Irrespective of faith, people visit the shrine to seek blessings from the revered saint.

 

The shrine is not only visited by the common masses but celebs too. Many Bollywood celebrities have visited Ajmer Sharif in the past to offer their prayers.

 

We bring to you the Bollywood celebs who visited Ajmer Sharif, for personal and professional reasons.

 

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Shahrukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Poonam Pandey: Did they fail to keep their word

They can fight a deadly villain, jump off a flying car without a scratch and even kill a robot! Bollywood stars can do whatever they want onscreen. But in real life, there are few celebs who fail even to keep one tiny promise they make. There is a proverbial cliché, ‘Promises are meant to be broken’. And some of these B-town celebs literally live by those words.
Ranbir Kapoor and Shahrukh Khan promised to quit smoking, Poonam Pandey promised to strip, Shekhar Kapur promised a cinematic extravaganza with his magnum opus, Paani and Bipasha Basu promised to learn driving. But did they actually fulfill their promise? Read on to find out…

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Salman Khan becomes agony aunt

Ever since Salman Khan started shooting his upcoming film, there has been a strong buzz about his special friendship with his heroine Daisy Shah. And looks like the newbie doesn’t mind enjoying the special privileges that come with being pally with a star. So much so that apparently unit members on the sets even avoid speaking their minds in front of Daisy, lest she reports matters to the actor.

Even while the film’s team was shooting in Lavasa, there were rumours about the on screen pair apparently taking intimate walks post work and even going on bicycle rides together.

A source says, “Daisy runs to Salman for every small thing. If someone tells her something on the sets, it is certain that he will get to know about it. People have become careful before talking aloud in front of her. Salman seems to be very fond of Daisy.”
Salman has always been known to take care of his on screen love interests. He goes an extra mile to make sure they are comfortable and all their requirements are taken care of. The informer adds, “Salman Bhai is very approachable and is very protective about the girls on the sets. No surprises that he sorts out Daisy’s problems too.”
While adding that she looks up to Salman for guidance in the industry, Daisy says, “I go to Salman for help because I know him well. I am just starting out and I need proper guidance to find my way.”
She denies knowledge about her unit folk avoiding her and states, “I share a friendly relationship with everyone. We all bond on the sets.”

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Salman Khan to do cameo in O Teri

After their last venture Bodyguard, Salman and brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri will work together again. Considering that Atul thinks Salman to be his lucky charm, this time Salman will do a cameo in his upcoming venture O Teri.

Confirming the news, Atul says, "He is doing a cameo. He has a

song and few scenes to do in the film."

Atul says that Salman has always been supportive of his ventures and is an important part of his life.

O Teri stars Pulkit Samrat and Sarah Jane Dias in the lead. In the past too, Salman had done a cameo in Atul's directorial venture Hello.

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Salman Khan supplied water storage tanks lying unused in Beed

Around 200 water storage tanks meant for drought relief, which were given by Bollywood actor Salman Khan are still lying unused at the irrigation department's executive sub-engineer's office in the city.

Salman Khan's Being Human Foundation had provided water storage tanks across drought affected Beed district from May 6 onwards, but not all tanks have been distributed to drought affected villages yet.
Aam Aadmi Party too had given 10 water storage tanks to Beed district's drought-affected area.
"We informed block development officers of three tehsils but they did not take water storage tanks," an officer said.
Another official said that, "Beed tehsil panchayat should have taken water storage tanks but they did not. Rainy season has arrived but block development officers have not found the time to take these water tanks to drought hit villages".
Residential district collector (RDC) B M Kamble said that the rural water distribution department is responsible for distributing water storage tanks.
"I will give strict instructions to the executive sub-engineer to distribute water storage tanks to villages. Today, I have talked to some officers," he said.

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Salman Khan will host Bigg Boss 7 not Shahrukh

Dabangg Salman Khan is once again all set to host one of the most popular TV reality show Bigg Boss season 7 also known as house of scandals.

As per the sources, makers of the show have rubbished the rumors that they have approached Shahrukh Khan for the seventh season. They have cleared the air that Salman has always been their first choice as a host for the show.

If sources are to be believed, Salman will take out some time from his busy schedule to make the promo next month. Bigg Boss 7 is likely to go on air in September 2013.

Salman has successfully host Bigg Boss from the 4th season and his presence raised the TRP of the show in all the seasons.

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Salman Khan to shoot Bigg Boss 7 promo next month

Salman Khan is confirmed again for the next season of Color's Bigg Boss series - Bigg Boss Season 7. The rumours about King Khan, Shahrukh Khan hosting the show has been laid to rest, now that the producers of the show have clarified saying that they had never approached Shahrukh Khan for this show. They mentioned that it has always been Salman Khan for Bigg Boss. Salman Khan has been signed to host the coming season of Bigg Boss and he will be making some time off from his Kick shooting schedule to make the promo next month. The show is said to air in September 2013. Salman Khan, the 47 year old superstar actor, has hosted the show Bigg Boss, one of the most famous reality shows on television in India, from the 4th Season. The show which was a hit initially itself was taken to pinnacle heights with Salman Khan's presence. Salman Khan to shoot Bigg Boss 7 promo

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Salman Khan to shoot Bigg Boss 7 promo next month

Salman Khan’s popularity and his fan following is certainly unmistakable. Just when speculations were rife that Sallu’s archrival Shahrukh Khan will replace him as the host of Colors’ popular reality show Bigg Boss, we hear that
the channel just can’t do away with Sallu. A source close to bhai says, “Shahrukh was never considered for Bigg Boss. It is only Salman who could get the show amazing TRPs. Salman is also happy with the production team and has signed to do the next season.”
We agree ‘coz the way bhai has taken to the show is really remarkable. The 47-year-old superstar connects with the audience in a style that is uniquely his own. The Being Human actor has signed on the dotted line to host the seventh season of the reality show, Bigg Boss 7. In fact, the generous actor will take some time out of the London schedule of Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kick to shoot the promo next month. The reality show is slated to go on air in September.

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Aishwarya Rai’s daughter Aaradhya is getting cuter by the day

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s 18-month-old daughter Aaradhya Bachchan is just the cutest baby in the tinsel town. And with every appearance we see all the more cherubic Aaradhya cuddling up to her mom Aishwarya.

The Bachchan family was spotted at the airport and baby Aaradhya was a complete treat to the eyes in the pink top and blue jeans. The photogs managed to click some utterly cherubic pictures of Aaradhya and she looked oh-so angelic.

Aaradhya’s mom Aishwarya has already made her a fashionista and she is  sure to make her mommy Ash proud as she grows.

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Aishwarya Rai’s baby Aaradhya looks similar to mom

Before the release of Aaradhya’s pics in media and social media networks, it was a hot topic that how she looks. Whether she looks like beautiful Aishwarya or dad Abhishek.

Recently, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bacchan with her daughter Aaradhya at the airport after returning from Cannes Film Festival in Mumbai on Thursday.
The pics shows, grown up Aaradhya is getting very similar look to her mama Aishwarya.

Watch pics here.

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Cannes Aishwarya Rai Bachchan picks daughter Aaradhya over meeting Al Pacino

No body can keep her away from her daughter Aaradhya, not even the world's most famous 'Godfather' Al Pacino, and actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan proved just the same when she skipped meeting the legendary Hollywood actor for her daughter.

While her husband, actor Abhishek Bachchan was ecstatic to meet Pacino during their stay in London early this week on June 2, Aishwarya chose to skip the envious rendezvous because there was no one around to look after their Aaradhya.

Aishwarya's mother Vrinda, who was also with the couple in London was also leaving back for India the same day, leaving the actress on her own to look after her toddler.

The Bachchan couple was in London to attend the charity event "Chime for Change".

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Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Sussanne Roshan: Stunners of the week

Dailybhaskar.com comes out with the list of the best dressed divas this week.  And shining on the top of the list is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her voguish look at the chime for change concert. The 39-year-old dazzled in the black jacket and skin-tight leather trousers.  But more than anything else it was Aishwarya’s beautiful face that created the required magic. The choice of accessories was amazing and she was able to pull off the look.

 The second fashionista making to our best dressed list is Madhuri Dixit. The actress was recently seen a green high-low top at the press meet of Gulaab Gang. The Nikhil Thampi top made her look stunning and she stole the spotlight from Juhi.

And the third rank on the best dressed list goes to Sussanne Roshan. The wife of Hrithik Roshan was recently clicked at a birthday bash. She proved her fashion credentials in  a leopard print top. The casual top flattered her body shape and she looked fabulous.

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Aishwarya Rai takes the Bachchan legacy forward

Aishwarya Rai is still one of the most searched celebrities on internet. The actress, who recently performed at an award show, is busy in lending support to social causes including the upliftment of girl child and children's education.

Aishwarya Rai is also the Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS, and she recently celebrated World AIDS Day at Art Centre of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Hospital in Mumbai. Of late, she was also seen coming in support of a campaign conducted by a news channel to promote education.

The Bachchan family is known for supporting social causes. We can say that Aishwarya Rai is taking the legacy forward.

Click to see pictures of Aishwarya Rai from various events organised in support of social causes.

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Abhishek Bachchan Meets ‘The Godfather’ Al Pacino; Aishwarya Rai Stays Back to Look After Aaradhya

Recently, Abishek Bachchan met legendary Hollywood actor Al Pacino in London during an event, but he was not accompanied by his wife Aishwarya Rai and daughter Aaradhya.

The couple along with their 16-month-old daughter Aaradhya is in London to attend events. But surprisingly, the actress did not accompany her husband when he was at the London Palladium on 2 June.
Aishwarya instead chose to stay back at the hotel room and spend some time with her daughter and mother, Vrinda Rai. According to reports, the actress stayed back as nobody was there to take care of Aaradhya. Vrinda Rai gives company to Aish to many locations to look after the toddler when Aish is busy.
Vrinda travelled with Aish during the Cannes film festival and from there they went to London for the "Chime for Change" event, where Abhishek also joined them. The 'Chime for Change" event was on 1 June and the next day Vrinda had to leave for India.

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"Her mother (Vrinda) was leaving for India on the same day. And since there was no one else to look after Aaradhya, Aishwarya decided to back out of the meeting," Hindustan Times quoted an insider as saying.
Since the past few weeks, Aishwarya has been continuously travelling for events because of which she couldn't spend some quality time with her mother. So to spend some time with her and Aaradhya, the former beauty queen chose to skip the meeting with "The Godfather" actor Al Pacino.
"Over the past few weeks, Aishwarya has been constantly travelling across the globe. So, she wanted to spend as much time as possible with her mom. But the biggest reason was that she didn't want to leave Aaradhya," the insider said.

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan snapped with Aaradhya, Abhishek at Airport

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was spotted with daughter Aaradhya Bachchan and hubby Abhishek Bachchan at Mumbai airport recently. At the airport, Aishwarya was dressed in black, as usual, and baby Aaradhya was seen dressed up in a cute pink dress. On the other hand, Abhishek chose to wear casual clothes. The Bachchans were returning from London. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan went to London to attend 'Chime For Change' concert on June 1st. Also Abhishek Bachchan met the legendary actor Al-Pacino in London. Though Ash chose to skip the rendezvous with Al Pacino, since no one was there to look after her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. Abhishek Bachchan specially went to see Al Pacino's 'An Evening With Pacino', a one man show in London. Where he met the Oscar winning actor. Few days back, Abhishek had also posted a photo of him with Al Pacino on Instagram.

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan picks daughter Aaradhya over meeting Al Pacino

No body can keep her away from her daughter Aaradhya, not even the world's most famous 'Godfather' Al Pacino, and actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan proved just the same when she skipped meeting the legendary Hollywood actor for her daughter.

While her husband, actor Abhishek Bachchan was ecstatic to meet Pacino during their stay in London early this week on June 2, Aishwarya chose to skip the envious rendezvous because there was no one around to look after their Aaradhya.

Aishwarya's mother Vrinda, who was also with the couple in London was also leaving back for India the same day, leaving the actress on her own to look after her toddler.

The Bachchan couple was in London to attend the charity event "Chime for Change

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Maria Sharapova to face Serena Williams in French Open final

Serena Williams remains on course to win a second French Open title after powering through to the final, where she will face defending champion Maria Sharapova.

The world number one and the second seed will meet on Saturday after coming through their semi-finals in very different manners.
Williams thrashed Italy's Sara Errani 6-0 6-1 to reach her first Roland Garros final since she won the tournament back in 2002.
Sharapova had earlier coped with a rash of double faults to beat Victoria Azarenka 6-1 2-6 6-4.
"To come back as the defending champion, it's extremely special to get back on that stage where it comes down to the last two players of the tournament," said the Russian.

Match stats

Sharapova		Azarenka
12	Aces	3
62%	1st serves	72%
11	Double faults	0
42	Winners	15
39	Errors	22
72%	1st serve win %	54%
29%	2nd serve win %	40%
6/10	Break points	5/10

Sharapova prevailed in a semi-final that swung wildly in momentum, dropping serve in the opening game with a double fault and sealing victory with an ace more than two hours later.

In between, the ferocity and depth of Sharapova's hitting, particularly off the return, was often too much for Azarenka, and 14 winners flew past the Belarusian as the first set raced by.
Azarenka managed to get a foothold at the start of the second, and a brilliant forehand winner off a high-bouncing Sharapova shot set her up to break for 4-2.
With rain starting to fall, Azarenka broke once again to level the match before play was suspended, and when the action resumed a little over half an hour later it was Sharapova who pressed first.
A cross-court winner gave her the break at 2-1 but the double faults that have plagued her in recent years began to tell.
Her ninth, to none from Azarenka, gifted the advantage straight back in game four, and after blasting her way to a 5-2 lead as her returns continued to pepper the baseline, Sharapova faltered dramatically when serving for the match.
Four match points came and went before she lost the game, inevitably, with her 11th double fault of the day.
Azarenka might have thought she had put the pressure on with a quick hold to trail 5-4, but the unpredictable Sharapova serve then clicked and she sealed victory at the second attempt with ace number 12.
"Despite having those match points and not taking advantage of them, I was happy with the way I came out at 5-4 and served it out," said Sharapova.
"That was really important."
Williams could not have won in more contrasting, or convincing, style.

Match stats

Williams		Errani
5	Aces	0
52%	1st serves	80%
0	Double faults	0
40	Winners	2
12	Errors	3
82%	1st serve win %	36%
88%	2nd serve win %	14%
5/7	Break points	0/0

Errani might have been last year's runner-up but Agnieszka Radwanska is the only top-five player she has ever beaten, and she was overwhelmed by Williams.

The American broke to love in the opening game and fired 19 winners, dropping just two points on serve, as she won the opening set in 21 minutes.
Williams took the winners count to 26 by swatting away a forehand return to break in the second, and Errani could not get a racquet near a 199km-per-hour ace that flew by her for 3-0.
The Italian raised her arms in triumph when she finally won a game after 37 minutes, and the crowd chanted "Sara! Sara!" in the hope of seeing a real contest, but Williams was having none of it.
A backhand return winner earned Williams her fifth break of the match, and she capped a superb performance in just 46 minutes with another totally dominant service game.
"Those stats are really good, and very consistent," said Williams, who took her winning run to 30 matches.
"I didn't necessarily go out there feeling great. For me, it was more like let's just see what happens and try to do the best I could."
Errani admitted: "She played unbelievable, that's it. When she plays like this for me it's difficult to play. She's very strong, so there's nothing I can do."

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French Open women's semi-finals: Two matches that sent Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams to the final

The world number one and the second seed will meet on Saturday after coming through their semi-finals in very different manners.
Williams thrashed Italy's Sara Errani 6-0 6-1 to reach her first Roland Garros final since she won the tournament back in 2002.
Sharapova had earlier coped with a rash of double faults to beat Victoria Azarenka 6-1 2-6 6-4.

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French Open: Maria Sharapova survives first-set meltdown to reach semi-final

Sharapova had entered the contest with a 7-1 win-loss record over her old sparring partner from the Bollettieri Academy but no one would have guessed following her first-set meltdown when 20 unforced errors flew off her racket.

Maria Sharapova - Getty Images

A hail of unforced errors could not melt away Maria Sharapova's French Open dreams as the Russian kept alive hopes of retaining the title with a 0-6 6-4 6-3 win over Jelena Jankovic in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Sharapova had entered the contest with a 7-1 win-loss record over her old sparring partner from the Bollettieri Academy but no one would have guessed following her first-set meltdown when 20 unforced errors flew off her racket.
A slight tactical mistake from Jankovic in the opening game of the second set, when she opted to hit the ball at Sharapova rather than go for an outright winner, threw the Serbian off balance and she went on to drop her serve and the set.
That left the 18th-seeded Jankovic to resort to her usual habit of muttering away to herself as second seed Sharapova kept her eye on the ball to break in the seventh game of the third.
A forehand into the tramlines from Jankovic handed Sharapova a place in the semi-finals for the third year running and a date with third-seeded Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka who beat Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (3) 6-2.

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Maria Sharapova wipes slate clean to down Jelena Jankovic

In America, a 6-0 scoreline is a bagel. In France, it is une roue de bicyclette - or bicycle wheel.
Whatever you call it, this is not the way to start a grand slam quarter-final. But the great thing about clay-court tennis, as Maria Sharapova might reflect after her 0-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory against Jelena Jankovic, is that the surface is wiped clean after every set.
What was the problem with Sharapova? She can hardly be accused of getting out of bed on the wrong side, for her match was scheduled for 2pm.
You would have to point to the flawless tennis being played by her Jankovic and the fact that her own screamers - for want of a better word - kept landing a couple of inches outside the line.
Yet while Sharapova can claim to be the No1 pin-up in global sport, she has never been bothered about looking, sounding or winning pretty. Where a less ferocious competitor would have shrivelled, feeling the pressure of the 15,000 spectators and that embarrassing zero against her name, she performed a mental reboot and broke serve in the next game. "I wanted to put that behind me," Sharapova said, when asked about the dramatic turnaround. "No matter how many errors I made or how disappointed I was with the way I started, I knew I still could create chances." Although the contest remained tight, Sharapova was able to make that three- or four-inch adjustment and start landing her low, scudding groundstrokes inside the lines.
It was enough to earn her a semi-final today (Thursday) against Victoria Azarenka, who was too solid for Maria Kirilenko on Court Suzanne Lenglen, coming through by a 7-6, 6-2 margin. While men's tennis has its 'big four', three women are moving clear of the field: Sharapova, Azarenka and Serena Williams, who have wrapped up the last five grand slams between them. We can now predict, with some confidence, that this French Open will make a sixth.
For all Sharapova's resilience, Williams - who was described in the French press this week as l'ogresse - remains the most intimidating figure in the women's draw. And it could be Williams who benefits if her two leading rivals play each other to a standstill today.

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Maria Sharapova on war footing after conquering Victoria Azarenka

The French Open will not get the men's final it wanted but there can be no complaints when Maria Sharapova defends the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen against Serena Williams here on Saturday.
Williams, not only the best player in the world now and for most of the past decade but among the greatest of all time, is, at 31, in the sort of form that would intimidate a tank, while Sharapova has committed herself to all-out war.
"I have never really thought about going out on the court and just trying to be consistent, not playing my game and just getting the ball back," she said after beating Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 in the first semi-final on Thursday.
Sharapova concedes nothing to her American rival in willpower, and that is as good a mix as any fan of the women's game could wish for, because, with the exception of Azarenka, there probably was no one else here the past fortnight equipped to give Williams a decent fight.
Certainly, the little Italian Sara Errani, despite excellent form in bursting into the top five this month, could not inconvenience Williams, who hit her fourth ace to win 6-0, 6-1 in 46 minutes, probably the most embarrassingly one-sided win at the business end of this tournament since Steffi Graf beat Natasha Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 in 32 minutes to win the title in 1988. So not a lot more needs to be said about this debacle, save that the crowd gave Errani a giant cheer when she won her only game.
Going on her six performances here and form reaching back to the start of the year, Williams, with 15 majors to her name (including the 2002 French title), will start favourite in her 270th match in a slam but it should still be a final to savour. Russia v USA would have been a dream match in the Cold War but, even though Sharapova has become all but an American since her arrival in Florida at the age of six, she brings a lot of old-world grit to her tennis.
The clay 15 feet either side of the net in any match between Sharapova and Azarenka will always remain largely undisturbed, certainly more pristine than the air, which again on Court Philippe Chatrier was alive with the banshee wailing of their commitment. Shackled, willingly, to the baseline, they belted the ball between them as if it were a mutually cheating boyfriend, and subtlety was rendered a poor second cousin to power. Drop shots might as well have been illegal.
Although she has 10 million Facebook followers and is worshipped around the world as the flawless queen of tennis, Sharapova is not universally adored in the locker room, which concerns her not at all. When she steps on court, she is feared as a ruthless competitor. (Elena Baltacha tells the story, affectionately, of how Sharapova would swear at her in Russian between points, the cooing audience oblivious to the exchanges). And, just as she needed her toughness to come back after losing the first set to love in the quarter-finals against Jelena Jankovic, so she found resolve against Azarenka.
After 20 minutes the defending champion, who double-faulted to drop serve at the start, came brilliantly to life, thunder in her every shot, as Azarenka wilted, and she served out for 6-1 with an ace. The crowd had the heroine they had come to see.
The Belarusian is no sweet-lipped debutante, although the Azarenka who intimidated young Sloane Stephens in Melbourne earlier this year turned up a little late in this game. For a while it looked as if she would bend completely to Sharapova's will. She survived a serious bombardment of her serve to hold for 2-1 with an ace after two deuce points, and went on to take the set in curious circumstances.
Sharapova, down 2-5, ignored the light rain as umbrellas sprouted around the arena and was more put out by a line call against her at 15-30. She saved the first break point with an ace, then double-faulted to hand Azarenka parity before they went off for half an hour. The pendulum had swung back wildly to the uncertainty she betrayed at the start of the match.
When they resumed on the damp, heavy dirt, there was little in it until Sharapova broke twice for 5-2. Then, serving for an appointment with Williams, she lost her poise alarmingly, slipping and nearly tumbling in one awkward return and hitting her 10th and 11th double faults of the match (and 26th of the tournament) to blow four match points and give Azarenka a final look.
Sharapova was never going to waste another three match points and she wound it up after two hours and 10 minutes with her 12th ace, straight down the middle – stylish and dramatic to the end.

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Maria Sharapova senses she is ready to end her Serena Williams hoodoo

Maria Sharapova celebrates her French Open semi-final win against Victoria Azarenka. Photograph: Yoan Valat/EPA

Vitas Gerulaitis famously said after beating Jimmy Connors in 1980 to end a run of 16 defeats against the American: "Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row."
It was oft-quoted here on Friday, as we contemplated the fate of Maria Sharapova against Serena Williams in the final of the French Open on Saturday. But the Russian's mien rarely encourages levity, so she goes to the scene of her daunting examination not with a light step but more like a stubborn Marie Antoinette, determined rather than buoyant about her chances of prevailing against the odds. She wants not only to keep her crown but to end a sequence of 12 losses against the world No1. It is the most unenviable assignment in tennis.
Sharapova was guarded on Friday but did admit she is trying not to think about her history against the most formidable presence in the women's game.
Her debut slam win as a teenager over Williams at Wimbledon in 2004 seems a long time ago. "If I was thinking about it, that wouldn't be a great mindset, to go into a match like that," said Sharapova. "But, yeah, despite that record and despite me being unsuccessful against her, I believe that I'm happy to be setting up chances to be going out and facing her, someone who's been playing and dominating tennis for almost a year now.
"Her success has been incredible. But going into a French Open final, that doesn't matter. It all starts from zero. You've got to play until the last point, and believe in yourself."
Williams maintained the practised response, too. Was she not encouraged by having not lost to Sharapova in nine years and allowing her just three sets from 27 in all that time? "Not really," she said, "because it's a different time, a different era, a different match."
It's hard to accept either of them believe exactly what they're saying. There has to be trepidation, or at least doubt, mingling with determination in Sharapova's mind, and considerable confidence welling up in Williams. Yet they must honour the ritual – understandably, perhaps. "It doesn't matter," Sharapova added, "because you're at the French Open final. No matter how good she's playing, you also have to give yourself a bit of credit for getting to that point and doing a few things right to be at that stage and giving yourself an opportunity. Whether you take it, that's another story."
It could be a tale of woe in two acts, or it could be drama on a grand scale. The kindest fate for Sharapova would be the latter, and she will unquestionably give it everything she has got, even after an exhausting campaign. Sharapova has never lacked for self-belief. She is a walking paradox, calm and insular in interviews, a tigress on the court – and that is clearly where she intends to best use her energy. She feels better able to back up after hard matches now, as well, as she pointed out after her three-set struggle to see off Victoria Azarenka in the semi-finals.
While Williams was gunning her down – from the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2005 all the way through a dozen matches up to Madrid this year – Sharapova did not flinch once. And she has grown stronger.
"I don't think maybe five, six, seven years ago I would have felt as fresh," she said – although nobody in any of the myriad draws at these championships can be fresher than Williams. Before dismissing poor Sara Errani in 46 minutes on Thursday, she had spent a minute over six hours on court in five matches. Sharapova's court time reaching the semis was nearly eight and a half hours before Azarenka detained her a further two hours and 10 minutes. So the champion has spent nearly four hours more getting to the final than the challenger over the past fortnight.
Sharapova has a lot of time to ponder her fate, work out a strategy, gather her resolve. "Right now I'm pretty hungry," she said, a quick smile playing on her lips. "Might go take a walk. I don't think I'll be doing any shopping."
What we never remember about Gerulaitis is how many times he went into a match with Connors laughing at his fate, with the resignation of a condemned man. It got him through the ordeal and his eventual victory can hardly have been sweeter. If she defies the odds, Sharapova could hardly be happier than Vitas was that night at Madison Square Garden.

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Trishala speaks out, explains why she never visited Sanjay Dutt before jail term

As actor Sanjay Dutt prepared to spend a little over three years in jail, while his family was constantly around him to support him, conspicuous by her absence was his daughter Trishala, who has now broken her silence on why she never came to visit him.

Sanjay Dutt is presently in Yerwada jail. PTI

Now that Dutt is serving his time at Yerwada jail in Pune, Trishala has  broken her silence on the issue and shared her feelings about her father on her blog.
Trishala said she was ‘sick of being asked why she has not visited India yet’.
“Did it ever occur to some of your ‘curious’ minds that maybe my father told me NOT to come?? My family is going thru (sic) an extremely difficult time right now and I haven’t been seen in Mumbai since Jan 2007.” she wrote.
“It was said my father and I were not getting along and a lot of untrue nonsense was going on.” wrote Trishala.
Trishala, born in 1987, is the daughter of Sanjay Dutt and his first spouse, Richa Sharma who passed away.
She said that given the coverage of the relationship between her and her father it was deemed best that she stayed in New York and did not come to India and garner the wrong kind of attention for he family.
Talking about her relationship with Dutt, Trishala wrote, “I love my father to death and I will always be his blood, his first born, his everything.”
She accused the Indian media for misrepresenting her relationship with her father.
“My father and I have been in the tabloids since 2007 when that whole fiasco with Maanyata happened which wasn’t even true!” wrote Trishala.
She also said that as the elder sister of her twin siblings Iqra and Sharaan, it is up to her to be strong and set a good example for them.

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Emraan predicts 'Ghanchakkar' will be 'game changer'

Actor Emraan Hashmi believes his forthcoming quirky comedy 'Ghanchakkar' is a "unique" project in his filmography, and says it will emerge as a "game changer" for the industry.

He is confident that the audience will be entertained with the movie to the "hilt". Slated for release on June 28, the film also stars Vidya Balan.

"The space of the film is very different. It is very unique as far as my films go. I think it's a huge game changer as far as cinema in general goes," Emraan said here on the movie's set while shooting for one of its songs.

"The way we have seen comedies... Ghanchakkar is going to change that around and it is going to entertain you to the hilt," added the actor, once stereotyped as "Bollywood's serial kisser"

He promises the audience will be "rolling on the floor laughing" while watching it.

Emraan plays a Maharashtrian in the movie, while Vidya plays his loud Punjabi housewife.

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Like 'The Dirty Picture', even 'Ghanchakkar' is bold, says Vidya Balan

"I am enjoying being married," says Vidya Balan, adding that marriage neither put the brakes on her prize winning acting career nor does it have any bearing on the kind of roles she would choose in future.
Work-life balance is possible for the actress because the 'Parineeta' girl has found a supportive husband in Siddharth Roy Kapur, managing director of Studios, Disney UTV, with whom she tied the knot at a private ceremony in December last year.
"I am enjoying being married. The good thing is that at the end of the day you get to see each other," she told IANS in an exclusive interview.

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Vidya Balan doesn\'t feel marriage will alter the kind of roles she would take up.

Praising Siddharth, she added: "He is very supportive. In fact, I did 'The Dirty Picture' (2011) after we got together."
The 35-year-old doesn't feel marriage will alter the kind of roles she would take up.
"I don't think marriage really has a bearing on that. Both of us respect what the other does. I may choose a role which I feel very strongly about, and he may decide to produce a film which he feels very strongly about. You just respect each other's profession," she said.
And she is willing to do another 'Dirty Picture'.
"The definition of boldness may not be 'The Dirty Picture'. Even 'Ghanchakkar' is a bold role. I believe that there is an extraordinary in the ordinary and I feel that is what films are exploring these days vis-a-vis different characters."
"Having said that, it could be another 'Dirty Picture' also and if I feel strongly about it, I will go and do it," she said.
Post-marriage 'Ghanchakkar' shooting and promotions have been keeping her busy. And she said that she is "enjoying straddling these two worlds".
"At the same time I don't have unreal expectations from myself. There are times when there will be slip ups..."
Also busy with 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects', she admits work sometimes does not allow her and her husband to spend enough time with each other.
"The amazing thing is that in the six months that we have been married, we have both been travelling a lot. Despite the fact that we live in the same house, we have ended spending lesser time together."
Having said that, the actress admits a certain amount of responsibility comes after marriage.
"I guess both of us are hard working professionals. Around a release or when I am in the middle of shooting, he understands what my pressures are and I understand what his pressures are."
"But, yes, there is a certain responsibility. I am also running a house. I can no longer leave it to my mother to decide what to cook at home," she said.
Come what may, she won't quit acting.
"I would love to act till I am 83... Thank god, it worked out for me as an actor because I see myself as an actor, primarily. I think there are enough opportunities," said the actress.
Post-'Parineeta' success, her career took a slump, but she bounced back with films like 'Paa' and 'No One Killed Jessica' before hitting the jackpot with 'The Dirty Picture' and 'Kahaani'.
"I have reasons to believe that there will be exciting roles for me at every stage of my life and I am willing to embrace different roles at different stages of my life. I don't see myself taking a break," Vidya said.

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Aishwarya, Abhishek and Aaradhya spotted at airport and more

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan were recently spotted at the Mumbai airport with their daughter Aaradhya.

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IPL spot-fixing: Rajasthan Royals to suspend co-owner Raj Kundra

Rajasthan Royals issued a statement on Friday saying that if proven guilty of betting, co-owner Raj Kundra will be suspended, as per reports.

The statement said that Kundra will be suspended and his shares will be forfeited if he is proven guilty. The statement was given after the Delhi Police claimed that the Kundra had confessed to betting.

Notably Raj Kundra is a minority shareholder in Rajasthan Royals with a 11.7% stake.

Earlier in the day, Raj Kundra appointed eminent lawyer Majeed Memon as his counsel in connection with the IPL spot-fixing case.

Kundra wrote on his Twitter account, “I have now appointed Mr Majeed Memon as my council my official statements coming soon through Memon sir. Truth will prevail! (sic)”

Meanwhile, in support of her husband, Shilpa Shetty on Thursday wrote on the micro-blogging site: “Really upset with the media fr casting aspersions without any proof, making derogatory statements..Uncalled for and not to be tolerated(sic).”

She also tweeted: “Just to reiterate, will do it all it takes to reach to the bottom of this “spot-fixing case” and be of complete help till that happens!(sic).”

The reactions came after media reports claimed that the Delhi Police have seized Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra`s passport and asked him not to leave the country till the spot-fixing probe is over.

It was also reported that Kundra might be arrested as Delhi Police have not ruled out the possibility of his arrest.

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Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 will give you a migraine

One of the most worrying things in Mumbai this week is the billboard cluster of six (or is it eight?)Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 posters on Bandra’s Turner Road. Double the madness, it insists. Double the hotness, double the action, double the fun.
Considering they’re drawing comparisons with the first Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011), this is not saying very much. To say I don’t remember YPD would be misleading. The truth is that I walked out seven minutes into the film. It was unbearable. Almost equally unbearable was having to later discover that it was something of a hit at the box office.

Courtesy: Facebook

But I’d barely given the first film a chance. Maybe I’d missed something? So I forced myself to keep an open mind as I eenie-meenie-mynie-moh’ed myself into a seat at the empty cinema hall for the sequel to the “Deol funfest”.
Blade and wrist? Brain and hammer? Fire and skin? Pen and eyeball? Rat poison and aaloo samosa? Whichever combination seems to your mind the quickest and least painful way to go, take it. And go. Not to the cinema, but out of it.
Directed by Sangeeth Sivan, YPD2 brings back all the Deols — Dharam (Dharmendra), Paramveer (Sunny Deol) and Gajodhar (Bobby Deol). Why is anybody’s guess.
This time the money-hungry Dharam and his conman son Gajodhar leave Benares for the UK, to visit their straight-as-an-arrow son and brother Paramveer, who is a highly annoying, turbaned do-gooder. He is so earnest and try-hard that it makes your brain bleed out of your nose.
There is another agenda, of course. For Gajodhar – of the fictitious Oberoi Oberoi and Oberoi Industries fame – to marry Suman (Neha Sharma), daughter of assumed billionaire Sir Yograj (Annu Kapoor) for money. Except, it turns out she’s not his daughter, but *like* his daughter. Semantics, semantics. His real daughter is Reet (Kristina Akheeva), who very quickly becomes the apple of Param’s needy eyes.
Trying very hard (but mostly failing) to add comedy to the film is good old Johnny Lever, first talking like Shah Rukh K-k-k-Khan, then ‘disguised’ as a sardar (Bunty Singh), then a Chinese man named Bunty Chong, then a Japanese fellow named Bunty Hiroshima. One scene has him introducing himself as Bunty Hiroshima and his partner Babli Nagasaki, and they’ve come “to report ke plan bomb ho gaya”.
Oh wait. The movie also stars Anupam Kher in a long-haired blond wig and astronaut costume. His name is Joginder Armstrong (if I didn’t hear it wrong, people call him Dude-ji). At one point he declares that his life’s mission is to erect the eighth wonder of the world: a gravity-defying mall. But I have no idea what he’s doing in the film in the first place. This could be because I walked out at the interval, though I seriously doubt he finds any defining purpose in the second half of the film.
Actually, this is one of the major flaws of YPD2: too many unnecessary characters. They don’t add to the comedy, just your migraine. What is the need to force-fit a woman who talks like a cat, or a flatulent Sumo wrestler, or an orang-utan who gets as much screen time as the three Deols? Ok, the orang-utan makes sense: he fits so seamlessly into the Deol family. But whoever thought it would be hilarious if Bobby Deol’s character mistook MF Husain for Zakir Hussain, and Leonardo da Vinci for Leonardo DiCaprio, go back to whence you came.
Through the 140-minute runtime, not one character is allowed to miss their chance to spoof another Bollywood film or actor. From Salman Khan’s most famous dialogues, to the world famous Shah Rukh K-k-k-Khan stammer (WHY ARE WE NOT DONE WITH THIS ALREADY?), to the ’70s formula of saving a girl from goons and winning her heart.
They’ve got 100 tricks up their sleeves, but not one works. In fact, all they do is distract you from an already-messy storyline, so by the end of it, you have absolutely no idea what’s going on. My suggestion is that if you’re at the movies and YPD2 is one of the options, take it off the list. Head straight to the next theatre. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

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Kanye West: What He Wants From Kim Kardashian On His Birthday

Kanye’s 36th birthday is coming up on June 8, and a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY what Kanye wants his pregnant girlfriend to give him on his special day! Read on the find out.

Although Kim Kardashian, 32, is already giving Kanye West, 35, a pretty special belated birthday present (a baby girl!), a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY that Kanye has something else in mind for what he’d like to have on his 36th birthday!

What Kanye West Wants From Kim Kardashian For His Birthday

“He doesn’t want Kim to think about trying to do something big for [him] on his birthday when she’s pregnant,” the source explains. “He’s not that f**king selfish! All he really wants for his birthday is peace of mind for himself and Kim.”
Aww that’s so sweet that Kanye doesn’t expect anything from Kim while she’s pregnant! The source also notes that Kanye would love to be able to spend his special day with his pregnant girlfriend, but unfortunately they’ll be apart because of his schedule. ”[H]e got shows to do in NYC and that’s that. Business first and Kim knows that and she’s cool with that.”
The source adds that although he’ll be away in NYC, Kanye may have something up his sleeve so the couple can spend his birthday together. [H]e might just pull something off so he can be with her on his birthday. Yeah, he wants to have that on his birthday, so knowing him he’ll try to make some s**t happen.”

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Kim Kardashian's pregnant figure immortalised in sculpture

06 JUNE 2013 Kim Kardashian's pregnant figure has been immortalised by artist Daniel Edwards. Celebrity sculptor Daniel has created a life-size version of the pregnant reality TV star, said to symbolise good luck, in a collection entitled 'L.A Fertility'.

Unveiled on Wednesday at LAB ART Gallery in L.A, the sculpture displays Kim's nude body without any arms and visitors are being encouraged to rub the statue's pregnant belly for good luck.

"I'm stripping it of the details people get stuck on," said Daniel added in reference to unpleasant comments Kim has been dealing with over the course of her pregnancy. "So they can see the beauty."

CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR FULL GALLERY

"I was inspired by the beauty of Kim Kardashian and felt quite put-off by the media's criticism of her weight gain during pregnancy," Daniel added. "Such criticism should be off limits."

"People tend to look at the parts, like the creases in her armpits," Daniel criticised. "Or how she wore a dress that makes her look like a killer whale".

In addition to the Kim's life-size figurine, Daniel also created a sculpture of hers and Kanye West's unborn child. The baby, who was recently revealed to be a baby girl, joins a  prenatal representation of Kate Middleton and Prince William's child in the collection.

Kim Kardashian

Kim's sculpture is now part of Daniel's large catalogue of celebrity-based works. In 2006 the Indiana-born artist caused a stir when he unveiled 'Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston', which depicted Britney Spears giving birth.

Daniel has also immortalised Scarlett Johansson, Angelina Jolie and Paris Hilton, amongst several other famous names.

The sculpture's unveiling comes just a Kim's divorce from Kris Humphries was finalised on Monday. After months of negotiation a judgment was entered on Monday night in Los Angeles Superior Court and their divorce was finalised.

The former couple, who were married for 72 days, reached a settlement agreement in April, but were waiting for the final step that would officially end the marriage.

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Crews search for survivors day after Philadelphia building collapse

Rescue crews clawed through rubble today searching for more survivors the day after a building collapsed in downtown Philadelphia, killing six people and injuring 14 others.
Investigators, meanwhile, tried to determine what caused a four-story building that was being demolished to collapse onto a neighboring Salvation Army Thrift Store at 10:45 a.m. EDT (1445 GMT) on Wednesday, burying shoppers in concrete and debris.

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In a round-the-clock search, rotating fire companies picked through the heaps of concrete chunks and splintered wood at the scene on Philadelphia's busy Market Street, partially blocked off since the disaster, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia Fire Department said on Thursday.
Mayor Michael Nutter suggested at a late night news conference on Wednesday that the number of casualties could rise.
"We still do not know how many people were inside the thrift store or possibly on the sidewalk" at the time of the collapse, Nutter said. "If someone else is in that building, they will find them."
Shortly after the mayor concluded his press briefing, a 61-year-old woman was pulled from the rubble alive, more than 12 hours after the collapse, and taken to a hospital in critical condition.
"They were digging, they felt her, and then she was able to respond and squeeze their hand," Michael Resnick, Philadelphia's public safety director, told Reuters.
"She was talking to the firefighters who were pulling her out," Resnick said. "It feels outstanding to pull out somebody who is alive."
The overnight search by dozens of police and firefighters was lit by large spotlights as residents watched. Several streets remained blocked off.
Authorities declined to identify the dead other than to say that they included one man and five women who had all been inside the thrift store when the building next door came down.
"GROUND SHAKING"
Most of the injured were also thought to have been inside the store or on the sidewalk in front of it at the time. Aside from the last woman rescued, most were said to be in stable condition.
Authorities say the cause of the sudden collapse, which occurred at 22nd and Market streets in the heart of Philadelphia's busy Center City district, was still under investigation.
One witness, 31-year-old Dan Gillis of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, a construction worker on a job across the street, said he saw a crane remove a supporting beam from the front of the building and then the wall next to the thrift store started to sway.
Jeffrey Fehnel, 48, of Philadelphia, said a backhoe hit the rear side of the building at about the same time.
"The building came down. It was like a big blast," Fehnel told Reuters.
A witness told Reuters the building collapse shook the ground and knocked a man off his feet on the sidewalk outside the thrift store.
"It was ground-shaking. The shaking of the ground made the man fall down," said Jordan McLaughlin, 18, of Philadelphia.
Authorities said the building that was being demolished had housed an X-rated book and video store.
They said it was owned by Richard Basciano, a well-known owner of adult entertainment properties including Philadelphia's last X-rated movie house, which closed in 2012, and a New York Times Square pornography emporium known as Show World, which closed in 2004.
Basciano could not be reached for a comment.

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Michelle Obama confronts protester

Michelle Obama won't abide demonstrations during her speeches.
"One of the things that I don't do well is this," the first lady said as a protester began yelling during her speech Tuesday night at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.
Leaving the lectern, Obama moved toward the shouter and told the crowd they could "listen to me or you can take the (microphone), but I'm leaving. You all decide. You have one choice."
The crowd made clear they wanted the first lady to stay and for the protester to go, which is what happened.
The gay and lesbian rights organization Get EQUAL identified the protester as one of its members, Ellen Sturtz. She was calling for an executive order to bar discrimination by federal contractors based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Obama went on with her speech.
"So let me make the point that I was making before," she said. "We are here for our kids. So we must recapture that passion. That same urgency and energy that we felt back in 2008, 2012. Understand this — this is what I want you all to understand. This is not about us. No one back here. It's not about you or you or your issue or your thing. This is about our children."
A group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans issued a statement saying, "LGBT people in North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio and all over the country are dehumanized in our jobs, and we are forced into the closet in order to participate in the American dream."
The statement said, "We value the first lady's leadership and invite her to lead the charge within the Democratic Party to end employment discrimination. President Obama has an executive order sitting on his desk that can protect a quarter of the labor force in the U.S. from workplace discrimination. We will continue engaging leaders in the administration and the Democratic Party until President Obama fulfills a promise to our community made five years ago."

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Samantha Power, White House's UN ambassador nominee, has 'seen evil at its worst'

By Elizabeth Chuck, Staff Writer, NBC News

A self-described "genocide chick" could be this nation's next U.N. ambassador.
Samantha Power — an unrelenting human rights advocate who isn't afraid to speak her mind, sometimes to a fault —was nominated for the position Wednesday afternoon by President Obama.
If approved by the Senate, Power would replace Susan Rice, who after a controversial tenure at the U.N., has been chosen to replace Tom Donilon as national security adviser.
As an intrepid young journalist, Power witnessed horrors in Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia, winning a Pulitzer Prize for a book on genocide. Later, she worked on Obama's presidential campaign, but abruptly resigned after calling Hillary Clinton a "monster." She bounced back to run the White House's human rights office.

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One thing Power has not done is hold a diplomatic post — and now, the woman who has "seen evil at its worst" has her first shot at one.

Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Fortune

Samantha Power is seen at a FORTUNE Most Powerful Women Dinner at the U.S Department Of State's Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Room on April 30, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Obama’s pick was lauded by human rights activists.
"She's an excellent choice," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "She's seen evil at its worst in the time she was in Bosnia. She's very aware of the violent threats to humanity that are posed by certain nefarious forces around the world. These are precisely the kind of threats that she will need to address and encourage the Security Council to address as U.S. ambassador."
Power, 42, was born in Dublin, Ireland, but raised in the United States. After graduating from Yale and Harvard Law School, she spent her early career as a correspondent for Time Magazine and later The New Yorker, reporting from anywhere crises were happening: Kosovo, Rwanda, Sudan.
Laura Pitter has known Power since 1992 and was a journalist with her in Bosnia during the Balkan war.
"She is brilliant," Pitter, who is now a lawyer and counterterrorism adviser for Human Rights Watch, said. "I can't think of a better candidate for the position she's been nominated for."
That opinion isn't shared by writers at conservative web magazine American Thinker, who have been writing harsh critiques of Power since 2008, arguing that Power is a "notorious critic of Israel."
"She's problematic. She's made some some very questionable statements regarding Israel," said Ed Lasky, co-founder of American Thinker. "She seems to have a strong allegiance towards United Nations and international bodies, and those have not been organizations that have been favorable towards America or toward Israel."
'Genocide chick'Power's time as a Balkan war correspondent prompted her to later write a book on genocide. In 2002’s "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide," Power explored why U.S. policies have repeatedly failed to stop genocide from re-occurring abroad over the last century. The book won Power a Pulitzer Prize the following year, and catapulted her name into political stardom.
"Her greatest claim to fame, which I think she even says, is she's a 'genocide chick.' God help us, but that's Samantha," said Graham Allison, a professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government who has known Power for over a decade and co-authored a book with her.
“A Problem from Hell” argues that in many countries, specifically Bosnia and Rwanda, the U.S. could have prevented the murder of at least tens of thousands of people, but politicians' judgment got clouded by geopolitical considerations and worries over domestic support that stopped them from acting. Former U.N. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke once said of the book, "It's very painful reading, but it has to be read."
Power's knowledge of genocide will be applicable to any humanitarian crisis, whether it is officially classified as genocide or not, Allison said. She proved this in 2011 with the crisis in Libya, he said, and he believes she'll be an asset for the ongoing Syrian crisis.
"In many instances, we can do something that actually has a huge effect. It's not like we're spending too much blood or treasure," he said.

Power has known Obama since he was a senator; she joined his office in 2005 as a foreign policy fellow, taking a year off from teaching at Harvard to work for him. He had sought her out after reading her book.
Six years later, in March of 2011, as the Libyan human rights disaster was escalating, Power was serving on the Obama's National Security Council as special assistant to the president and senior director running the office of multilateral affairs and human rights.
She encouraged Obama to use military force in Libya, and a no-fly zone was established. Failure to set up a no-fly zone would have been “extremely chilling, deadly and indeed a stain on our collective conscience,” Power told a crowd at Columbia University in New York in March 2011, reported The New York Times.
"Libya's a great case, where we wouldn't intervene on the ground and bleed and kill people," Allison said. "Samantha's job at the NSC was to try to get those dimensions integrated at the high table when people were trying to figure out what to do."

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Power, who generally keeps a low profile — neither she nor her husband, legal scholar Cass Sunstein, returned request for comment for this story — had a moment of infamy on Obama's 2008 campaign trail.
The Hillary moment
Serving as a foreign policy aide to Obama's campaign at the time, Power called Hillary Clinton a "monster" while under the impression that she was speaking off the record to a Scottish newspaper.
"We f***ed up in Ohio," she told The Scotsman newspaper. "In Ohio, they are obsessed and Hillary is going to town on it, because she knows Ohio's the only place they can win.
"She is a monster, too – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything," she said.
She resigned from the Obama campaign shortly after the remarks were printed.
I extend my deepest apologies to Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and the remarkable team I have worked with over these long 14 months," Power said in a statement.
Power lives with her husband, legal scholar Cass Sunstein, and their son Declan in Washington, D.C. Neither Power nor Sunstein returned request for comment for this story.
"She's never held a diplomatic post, so this is a big step up for her. But she has the personal skills. That's a real contribution that she'll make. She will put the time and effort in to maintain the friendly relations with the other ambassadors, which in a moment of crisis will make a difference and can be very important for getting things done," Roth, the Human Rights Watch executive director, said.
“Even if she doesn't have the formal background, she has the important skills that will let her succeed."
Following her nomination on Wednesday, Power got a nod of support from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
"I believe she is well-qualified for this important position and hope the Senate will move forward on her nomination as soon as possible," he said in a statement.
Roth said he's not worried about slips-of-the-tongue like the "monster" comment after four years in the White House, which have made Power a seasoned professional.
In her role as U.N. ambassador, Rice generated controversy days after an attack at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, 2012, killed four Americans. Appearing on NBC's "Meet The Press," she said the attack had begun as a spontaneous protest against an anti-Islam film, rather than a terrorist attack

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