10 Amazing Love Quotes from Movies

Love is a many splendor thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love. The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. - Moulin Rouge. 

#10 Along Came Polly

Don't Expect Perfection from a Relationship

Have you ever heard of or maybe have been in an absolutely perfect relationship? It seems they just can't happen on our planet. Everybody has flaws; every relationship has flaws. Our love is being tested every day and we should prove our feelings every day to keep our relationships alive.

#9 Anna Karenina

Why do We Love
This question seems to have no answer. And do we actually need one? We should just accept this fantastic gift, this great ability to give our care to someone and feel that we are deeply loved back.

#8 A Walk To Remember

Can Love Last for an Entire Lifetime? 
Have you often seen the old couples that look happy and still have the sparks of love in their eyes? Love is a truly powerful feeling that can truly fill all your life. But this will only happen if you meet the right person who will help you understand the real meaning of this magical word.

#7 Before Midnight

Do you believe in destiny?
Has it ever happened to you that you saw a person for the first time and felt that they were your destiny? Do you believe that such mystical moments happen not only in romantic movies?

#6 Blue Valentine

What's the Difference between Men's and Women's Vision of Marriage?
Dean was right. There really are many women who choose their future husbands the way he thought. But not only women do this. There are actually many men who look for rich brides and don't care much about their other aspects

#5 The Flowers of War

We Can't Decide When to Fall in and out of Love
Love is unpredictable. You never know when it will come to you. But what about falling out of love? It is likely that we can control this. We can work on our relationships. We may ask ourselves if we give enough love to our partners to make them feel satisfied with the relationship

 #4 Jerry McGuire

Sometimes, We Have Feelings for Fictional People

Love often makes us blind. We fantasize about our crushes so much that sometimes we lose the connection with the reality. The people we love may seem perfect. But the fact is that such people don't exist. We just should accept this truth

#3 - Love Actually

Be Patient

Sometimes, love requires really great patience. And if we wait, in most cases, we are rewarded with truly wonderful relationships. The result will be worthy of your efforts; just believe in this.

#2 The Lucky One

We Should Be with Our Soul Mates, Together Forever

We all dream about happy relationships that will last for our whole lives. But, unfortunately, not all of us meet that one person who we want to share life with. If you ever meet someone who makes you realize what love actually means, just be with them

#1 The Great Gatsby

We Want to Spend Our Whole Lives with Our Soul Mates

When we meet "the right person," we start to want to share every moment of life with them. And it's natural because time we spend with people who we truly love is the most pleasant time. One minute of looking into your sweetheart's eyes may be more precious than a day spent without them.

NEWS - Cairo rocked by explosions on eve of 2011 uprising anniversary

At least five dead in three attacks that mark apparent escalation of insurgency waged by Islamist extremists
Cairo was rocked by three explosions within four hours on Friday that killed at least five people, injured 80 and severely damaged artefacts inside a major Egyptian museum.
The first and largest explosion was a suicide bomb that struck Cairo's police headquarters early on Friday morning – the eve of the third anniversary of the 2011 uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.
Two smaller blasts occurred near a metro station and a police station in west Cairo. The first killed one person and injured four after a passing driver threw a grenade at police vehicles, officials said. No casualties were reported from the second blast.
The explosions mark an apparent escalation of an insurgency waged by Islamist extremists since the ousting of Mohamed Morsi last July, which has killed more than 100 police officers and soldiers. It follows an audio warning released overnight by Egypt's most prominent extremist group, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which previously claimed responsibility for a failed attack on Egypt's interior minister, and last month's bomb at a northern police headquarters which killed 16 officers.
The group has repeatedly condemned the police, who were the target of all three of F
The suicide bomb occurred shortly after 6.30am, about half an hour after the closure of a nearby security checkpoint, according to Mahmoud Abdel Sattar, a 27-year-old sergeant on duty on the third floor of the building.
"A big truck exploded outside the fence – it didn't get inside the [forecourt of the] security headquarters itself," Sattar said, while being treated for a head wound at a nearby hospital. "After the explosion, a white private car with four passengers started shooting on the buildings as well."
Sattar was hit by falling masonry. "There was gunfire between the two sides. Everyone started running and there were a lot of injuries."
riday's explosions, for the post-Morsi crackdown on Islamists.

Other survivors reported hearing gunfire after the explosion. "I heard the explosion, then the ceiling fell in, and after that I heard shooting," said police conscript Ahmed Hussein, who was injured by the debris. "My colleague went outside to see what was happening, but ran back inside because of the gunfire."
The blast caused a large crater outside the building that quickly filled with water. An official at the scene said it was four metres deep.
The immediate aftermath was chaotic, said Abdelrahman Mohsen, a 27-year-old furniture maker who arrived on the scene shortly after the explosion, and helped to carry away the casualties.
"I saw at least four bodies on the floor, and then we carried four more," said Mohsen, who could not confirm if the victims were dead. "There were a lot of police conscripts going inside and trying to find their friends, and there was masonry falling down on them in front of the building."
Emergency workers gather at the Egyptian police headquarters after the blast in central Cairo. Photograph: Khalil Hamra/AP The explosion, heard from several miles away, smashed windows, collapsed house walls and warped the shutters of shopfronts. It severely damaged the collection of the Islamic Museum, which stands opposite the targeted building, after debris crushed much of the museum's glass and ceramic artefacts.
The attacks may strengthen the hand of Egypt's current government, which has justified its ongoing crackdown on dissent as an essential means of combatting terrorism. More than 1,000 Morsi supporters have been killed in the crackdown, and thousands more arrested since July.
Officials and almost all media outlets say Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist group that is behind all attacks on the Egyptian state – but have thus far provided no evidence of their involvement.
Onlookers at the site of the first blast loudly backed the government's narrative, immediately blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for the attack.
"The people demand the execution of the Brotherhood," chanted a crowd of bystanders, some of whom carried pictures of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief who ousted Morsi.
Two mobs attacked a van suspected by some of containing members of the Brotherhood. Further down the road, police officers advised drivers with beards – a sign of religious piety – to turn around to avoid being attacked.
A Muslim Brotherhood-led coalition has planned nationwide protests after Friday prayers as part of their near-daily demonstrations against the overthrow of Morsi and the recent vote on the country's rewritten constitution.
Morsi supporters, Sisi supporters, and pro-democracy activists opposed to both men's authoritarianism all plan to mark Saturday's third anniversary of the 2011 uprising with rival demonstrations.

LIFESTYLES - Gay couple threaten to sue UK government over same-sex marriage

A cake for a gay wedding. Michael and Paul Atwal-Brice had chosen their suits and ordered a wedding cake when they were told they had to effectively get a divorce before being allowed to marry. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

A gay couple from Barnsley are threatening legal action against the government after discovering they will not be able to marry on 29 March, when the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act comes into force, because they are already in a civil partnership.
Michael and Paul Atwal-Brice entered into civil partnership in 2008 as marriage was not an option available to same-sex couples at the time.
They planned to become one of the first couples to convert to marriage when the legislation came into force and had chosen their suits and ordered a wedding cake when they were hit with what Paul calls a "legal bombshell".
When they went to book a registrar for their wedding, they were told they could not marry unless they first formally dissolved their civil partnership – effectively getting a divorce.
The government has not yet decided how same-sex couples can convert their civil partnership to marriage. The process will not be finalised before the end of 2014, a spokeswoman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) admitted.
It was an "unfortunate anomaly", said a spokesman from the gay rights group Stonewall, who said the organisation had been lobbying hard on the issue.
Paul, 34, who has twin seven-year-old sons with partner Michael, 29, said: "We're being penalised because we're already in a civil partnership. No couple should be asked to divorce or dissolve to be able to get married. To dissolve a civil partnership, you have to go to court, and you have to have a valid reason. Wanting to get married is hardly a valid reason to dissolve a civil partnership, so we would effectively have had to commit perjury."
Dissolution of a civil partnership is only possible on grounds of unreasonable behaviour, two years' desertion, two year's separation (with the respondent's consent), or five years' separation (without consent).
"For us this is about equality," said Paul. "But it's not just the principle of the situation – there are legal and practical difficulties if we were forced to divorce. If our civil partnership were dissolved there would be a period of time when we would not be each other's next of kin, for example."
The men want to raise awareness of the problem, believing that many other couples may unknowingly be in the same situation.
Now the couple have instructed lawyers after being told that because of delays in implementing parts of the act, they would have to get a formal dissolution before they can marry.
Their solicitors Irwin Mitchell have now written to the culture secretary, Maria Miller, warning of potential judicial review action if the issue is not resolved satisfactorily.
Irwin Mitchell believes there are breaches of British equality and human rights law, and that the government has failed to take into account all relevant considerations when creating the equal marriage laws.
Zoe Round, a specialist family lawyer at Irwin Mitchell solicitors in Sheffield, said: "Our clients are naturally devastated at the prospect of having to go through a formal dissolution before they can get married. They had been waiting for this legislation to be agreed for years and now, at the final hurdle, are finding that the process just doesn't seem to have been thought through.
"All necessary considerations should have been taken into account by the government before the announcement was made that the first same-sex marriages could happen from 29 March 2014.
"We have written to the government to ask them to implement the process of conversion from a civil partnership to a same-sex marriage as was intended by parliament in section 9 of the act, so that couples that want to marry don't have to go through a dissolution of their civil partnership before their ceremony.
"Why should they be forced to get a dissolution just to remarry? It seems absurd and we are supporting them in their fight to remedy the situation. If the issue cannot be resolved then we may have no choice but to seek a judicial review in the high court."
A DCMS spokeswoman said: "We are continuing to work hard to ensure that couples wanting to convert their civil partnerships into marriages are able to do so as soon as possible. We aim to do this before the end of 2014.
"It will take a little longer because we need to introduce completely new procedures and processes. This contrasts with the work to make new marriages for same-sex couples possible, where we have been able to build on existing processes so implementation is more straightforward.
"The conversion process will ensure that couples in civil partnerships do not have a break in their legal relationship, which could have implications for matters such as their pension entitlements."

WORLD - U.N. says Syria regime, opposition SNC reps won't meet as hoped in Switzerland

The U.N. said a face-to-face encounter between Syria's government and the Western-backed opposition hoping to overthrow it was not going to happen Friday as planned, as President Bashar Assad's representatives threatened to walk away from the meetings on Saturday if progress isn't made.

Low expectations for Syria peace summit

 Friday was intended to be the first time since the uprising against Bashar Assad began that the two sides would sit down for direct negotiations -- peace talks that have been on the verge of falling apart since they were first floated in 2012. U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi was meeting Friday morning with representatives of Assad’s government and was to meet later in the afternoon with a delegation from the Syrian National Coalition, said Alessandra Vellucci, a U.N. spokeswoman. She did not rule out direct talks at a later time.
However, CBS News' George Baghdadi reported that in his meeting with Brahimi, Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem warned the "Syrian delegation is going to leave Geneva tomorrow if there was no seriousness in the talks."
Assad adviser Bouthaina Shaaban blamed the opposition for the breakdown, saying her delegation was willing to negotiate.
A delegate from the opposition said Friday they would not meet with the government delegation, led by Muallem, until it endorses the Geneva communique of June 30, 2012, which was meant to be the premise for the current meetings in Switzerland. The communique calls for a transitional governing body to be established.
"We have asked the U.N. envoy for the regime to sign on to Geneva 1 and we will not meet them until they do so," the opposition delegate told Reuters.
The implementation of a plan that would see Assad step down from power -- including to hand executive powers over to a transitional government -- has remained the key divide between the sides since the initial meetings in Geneva almost two years ago, and the remarks made Friday made it clear the gap was yet far from bridged.
Arabic television channels Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera quoted Syrian Information Minister Umran al-Zoubi as saying Damascus would never agree to the formation of a transitional government.
Baghdadi reported that Vice-Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad had told reporters the Syrian government was "ready to discuss a ceasefire, but those who are thinking of any prospects of discussing President Assad's removal are dreaming

WORLD NEWS - Egypt police targeted in series of bomb attacks across Cairo

A crude device exploded near a police station in a Cairo suburb on Friday, security sources said, hours after a car bomb killed at least four people near the Egyptian police headquarters in the center of the Egyptian capital, and a second blast in the city killed a police officer. 
A loud blast was heard in the Talbeya neighborhood in Giza, a large district on the outskirts of Cairo, witnesses told Reuters. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The first and deadliest blast of the day was the car bomb at the police headquarters in the heart of Cairo -- a hugely symbolic attack on the eve of the third anniversary of the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak.
It was one of the most high-profile attacks on the state in months.
The blast shook and damaged nearby buildings, including serious structural damage to the walls of the 19th century Museum of Islamic Art. A nearby courthouse was also damaged in the attack and thick black smoke rose above the Egyptian capital as a large number of ambulances rushed to the scene.

Egyptian police officers and firefighters gather at the Egyptian police headquarters after a blast in downtown Cairo, Jan. 24, 2014.

State TV said the second blast killed at least one person. An eyewitness to that explosion told CBS News' Alex Ortiz a device was placed under a police truck in the Cairo neighborhood of Dokki.
At the police headquarters, an Associated Press photographer said about six police officers sat on the sidewalk outside the building and wept. Small parts of a vehicle could be seen scattered around on the road and a corpse -- which officers said was a suicide bomber -- lay in a pool of blood under a blanket near a scorched car engine.
Several floors of the high-rise security building were wrecked, air conditioning units dangled from broken windows, and the pavement outside was covered with piles of shattered glass, pieces of bricks and rocks. The facade of the adjacent Islamic Art Museum and a court house were also damaged, along with shops and cars in the area.
The Interior Ministry cordoned off the building, which is located in a busy district, as rescue teams worked to extract victims trapped in the rubble. Security forces went on high alert, and closed the central Tahrir Square and main roads, including the one leading to the Interior Ministry.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the 6:30 a.m. blast at the police headquarters, but Egypt has seen a sharp rise in Islamic militant attacks targeting police and the military in the aftermath of the July 3 coup that ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Immediately after the blast, local residents gathered and chanted against Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood.
The Health Ministry said in a statement that four people were killed and nearly 50 wounded. The dead included three policemen, security sources told Reuters.
Interior Ministry spokesman Spokesman Gen. Hani Abdel-Latif said the blast was caused by a car bomb that struck cement blocks placed five yards from the outside gates of the building. He declined to comment on earlier reports of subsequent gunfire or that the guards opened fire on a suicide car bomber.
State television quoted witnesses as saying gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on buildings after the explosion.
The bombing came on the eve of the anniversary of the start of the 18-day mass uprising that toppled Mubarak. It also came hours after a celebration held by the country's military to honor Police Day.
Egypt plunged in bouts of violence after the July 3 military coup against Morsi and a heavy-handed security crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood that left hundreds dead and thousands arrested.
A Muslim Brotherhood-led coalition had planned protests after Friday prayers across the country as part of their near-daily demonstrations against Morsi's overthrow and the recent vote on the country's rewritten constitution.
Car bombings are common in some areas of Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula, but they are rare in the capital.
 The most prominent attack was a failed assassination attempt on the interior minister in Cairo in September and the December suicide car bombing that targeted a security headquarters in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura, leaving nearly 16 dead, most of them policemen.
The military-backed government has blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for the attacks and designated it as a terrorist organization. The group has denied the accusations as baseless.
An al-Qaeda-inspired group called Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, or the Champions of Jerusalem, has claimed responsibility for most of the recent attacks, saying they aimed to avenge the killings of Morsi's supporters in the months-long heavy security crackdown on protesters demanding his reinstatement and denouncing the coup

ENT - Justin Bieber exits jail, bail set at $2,500 after arrest ,

Justin Bieber walked out of jail Thursday following his arrest earlier in the day in Miami Beach, Fla. He was escorted by correctional officers and waved to fans during his exit.
A judge set Justin Bieber's bail at $2,500 Thursday after police say he drag-raced down a Miami Beach street while under the influence of alcohol. He was charged with DUI, driving with an expired license and resisting arrest.

Justin Bieber

Bieber was arrested after police said they saw him speeding down a residential street in Miami Beach in a yellow Lamborghini. Officers say he had an expired license, was initially not cooperative when he was pulled over and smelled of alcohol.
Police say Bieber later admitted that he had been drinking, smoking marijuana and taking prescription medication.
R&B singer Khalil Amir Sharieff was arrested in the same incident. He is charged with driving under the influence, and his bond was set at $1,000. Police said Sharieff was driving a Ferrari.
Bieber and Sharieff, wearing bright red jail fatigues, appeared in court via a video link from jail. They remained silent while defense attorney Roy Black negotiated bond .

Black, a high-profile lawyer whose clients have included Rush Limbaugh and William Kennedy Smith, said he thought the case would proceed "hopefully as any other case would" in light of Bieber's celebrity status.
Authorities say Bieber was arrested after police saw him and Sharieff racing two luxury vehicles down the street at 4:09 a.m., with two other vehicles apparently being used to block off the area. Police say Bieber was clocked at 55 to 60 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Celebrity mug shots

 Earlier Thursday, police chief Ray Martinez said at a news conference that the singer was initially not cooperative when the officer pulled him over. Martinez said the singer also had an invalid Georgia driver's license and admitted to smoking marijuana, taking prescription medication and drinking.According to the arrest report, Bieber "had slow deliberate movements" and a look of stupor on his face when the officer ordered him to exit his vehicle. Bieber, 19, was placed under arrest after repeatedly refusing to put his hands on his vehicle so the officer could pat him down to look for weapons, the report said. It says he cursed several times at the officer and demanded to know why he was being arrested.
Bieber failed a field sobriety test and was taken to the Miami Beach police station for a Breathalyzer, police said. Results haven't been released.

Bieber arrest eyewitness: "Oh my God, Justin just got pulled over!"

 His publicist, Melissa Victor, did not offer an immediate comment.The street where police say Bieber was racing in mid-Miami Beach is a four-lane residential street divided by a grass median dotted with palm trees. Along one side of the street are small apartment buildings, and on the other side are a high school, a youth center, a golf course and a city firehouse.
It's a short drive from the area to trendy South Beach, where celebrities are known to let loose. George Avilas, who lives nearby said he didn't hear anything, but was not surprised to hear that people might be drag-racing.
"There's so much partying in Miami Beach, it's been known to happen," he said. "It's 4 o'clock in the morning, everybody is just getting out of the bars."
Canadian-born Bieber was only 15 when his platinum-selling debut "My World" was released. The singer from Ontario had placed second in a local singing contest two years earlier and began posting performances on YouTube, according to his official website. The videos caught the attention of a talent agent and eventually led to a recording contract.
He was positioned as clean-cut and charming -- even singing for President Barack Obama and his family at Christmas -- but problems began to multiply as he got older; Thursday's arrest is just the latest in a series of troubling incidents.
Bieber has been accused of wrongdoing in California, but has never been arrested or charged. He is currently under investigation in a felony vandalism case after a neighbor reported the pop star threw eggs at his house and caused thousands of dollars of damage.
A neighbor had previously accused Bieber of spitting in his face, and a paparazzo called deputies after he said Bieber kicked him, but prosecutors declined to file charges in either instance. He was also accused of reckless driving in his neighborhood, but in October prosecutors refused to seek charges because it was unclear whether Bieber was driving.
His arrest in Miami is unlikely to affect the current investigation, which included nearly a dozen detectives searching Bieber's home last week searching for video surveillance and other evidence that could be used to pursue a vandalism charge.
Bieber is also being sued by a former bodyguard who says the singer repeatedly berated him, hit him in the chest and owes him more than $420,000 in overtime and other wages. The case is scheduled to go to trial in Los Angeles next month.
Under Florida law, people under the age of 21 are considered driving under the influence if they have a blood-alcohol content of .02 percent or more -- a level Bieber could reach with one drink.
For a first DUI offense, there is no minimum sentence and a maximum of six months, a fine of $250 to $500, and 50 hours of community service. For anyone under 21, there is an automatic six-month license suspension.
A first conviction for drag racing carries a sentence of up to six months, a fine of $500 to $1,000 and a one-year license suspension.
Bieber's arrival in Florida earlier this week also is under investigation. Authorities in the suburban Miami city of Opa-locka are investigating whether the singer was given a police escort when he landed Monday at the Opa-locka Executive Airport.
"The escort was unauthorized by police administration," Assistant City Manager David Chiverton said.
Police escorts from the airport are not uncommon, but they must follow procedure because they involve city vehicles, Chiverton said.
"There's a procedure," Chiverton said. "These things must be approved, there's a process."
The Florida arrest likely won't affect Bieber's immigration status.
According to U.S. immigration law, authorities do not revoke an individual's visa unless the person has been convicted of a violent crime or been sentenced to more than one year imprisonment.
Immigration attorney Ira Kurzban says neither driving under the influence nor driving without a license can make an individual eligible for deportation. Nor would either of those offenses keep Bieber from being readmitted into the U.S.
"He's not subject to deportation because of a DUI offense," said Kurzban, "nor is driving with an expired license a deportable offense."
Bieber was on tour for a good part of 2013, but he faced many bumps along the way.In December, the singer tweeted that he was "officially retiring" but then told fans he's "here forever." The previous month, he was reportedly caught at a brothel in Brazil. During that same say, Bieber left the stage at Arena Anhembi in Sao Paulo after an audience member threw a bottle at him; he never returned.
He recent told radio host Ryan Seacrest, "People don't get to see me living as a 19-year-old boy…I'm still finding myself and when I have the media attacking me every day it's no [different] than bullying that happens in school."
Last month, he visited young victims of Typhoon Haiyan, traveling to the Philippines after launching a worldwide campaign to help those affected by the deadly storm

ENT - Mary J. Blige's Father in Critical Condition After Being Stabbed by Ex-Girlfriend

Mary J. Blige's father, Thomas Blige, reportedly is in critical condition at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich. According to Battle Creek Enquirer, Thomas was stabbed three times including one to his neck by his former girlfriend during an altercation which took place on early Thursday morning, January 23.

Police went to Arbors of Battle Creek, an apartment complex at Rambling Road and Capital Avenue Southwest, at 6:58 A.M. after receiving a call and found Thomas with stab wounds. He was transported to Bronson Battle Creek and then to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He underwent a surgery to treat his injuries.

Detective Sgt. Jim Martens explained that they believed the dispute started after Thomas saw the woman deflating his tires. The woman has been put into custody and was charged with assault with intent to murder. She is expected to be arraigned at Calhoun County District Court on Friday.

According to the officers, there have been seven domestic violence complaints since August which involve the former lovers. The 50-year-old woman reportedly was sentenced to 6-month probation on January 10 after entering a no-contest plea on aggravated domestic violence charge ,

ENT - Bachelor' Alum Shayne Lamas Expecting Second child

Former star of "The Bachelor" Shayne Lamas is pregnant again. The 28-year-old star and her husband Nik Richie, who welcomed their first child in 2011, confirmed that they would welcome another baby to the family.

"Shayne's twelve weeks pregnant," Richie said, as quoted by Us Weekly. "Like the great husband I am, I knocked her up during her birthday trip in Maui, Hawaii last November. Definitely a LOVE baby." He also shared his excitement in a blog post, writing, "Both Shayne and I are super excited for our second child. I've grown so much as a father and Shayne is an amazing mother. Together we are a great team and love each other very much."

The expectant mother additionally took to Instagram to share some words related to pregnancy. A photo which she uploaded on Wednesday, January 22 read, "Being pregnant is an occupational hazard of being a wife." The winner of season 12 of the dating show captioned the pic, "When you are under construction it's ideal to put on the hard-hat kids."

Lamas and Richie got married in 2010. The reality star gave birth to their first child, a daughter, in November 2011. The couple named their bundle of joy Press Dahl Lamas-Richie.

ENT - Seth Rogen, Lance Bass and More Stars React to Justin Bieber DUI Arrest

Following Justin Bieber DUI arrest on Thursday, January 23 in Miami Beach, Fla., fellow celebrities take to Twitter to talk about the headline-making incident. While some popular names are sympathetic toward the Canadian heartthrob, others are less kind.

Seth Rogen, for example, wrote, "All jokes aside, Justin Bieber is a piece of s**t." Josh Groban and Zach Braff, meanwhile, mocked the 19-year-old star's run-in with the law. "Who amongst us hasn't drag-raced a Lambo in Miami on pills? #FreeBieber," Braff wrote.

Former NFL stars Keyshawn Johnson and Eric Dickerson, who complained about the singer's reckless driving last year, also commented on the news. "They finally caught HIM! Glad no one was hurt, no kids in the street. Everyone grows up at some point. Hopefully he learns from it," Johnson wrote. "It's about time! Nobody's above the law!" Dickerson added.

In an interview with E! News, Lance Bass admitted that he was not surprised that Bieber got arrested. "I was not surprised at all," the former NSYNC member said during Delta Airlines pre-Grammys party in West Hollywood. "I host my own talk show on Sirius XM so we've been following the Biebs for quite a few months. The spiral down. So no, we called it a long time ago. Like I said, he just needs a little chill time to snap him into reality."

"I feel for him because I know exactly what he is going through," he added. "I've seen it with [Britney Spears], with [Lindsay Lohan], with all the other teen stars out there. It was easier for me because I was in a group, I had four of my best friends knocking me down when I needed it and a great family. But with solo artists, it's hard because you got a lot of yes people around you and there like, 'Yeah, that's great.' They'll never tell you no. When no one tells you no, your reality is so out the door."

Ellen DeGeneres added in a Twitter post that she hoped Bieber would have a smooth journey into adulthood. "It's hard to hear all this news about @JustinBieber. I hope he makes his way to adulthood without him or anyone else getting hurt," she tweeted.

Read more: http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00067782.html#ixzz2rJTDGoOu

ENT : Jennifer Lopez and French Montana Pictured Hitting the Studio Together "

Jennifer Lopez and French Montana may have planned a collaboration. Over the weekend, the rapper posted an Instagram picture of him posing with the "American Idol" judge when hitting a studio in New York together.

In the photo, she rocks a top bun and sneakers. Both Lopez and Montana are seen wearing fur-trimmed coats. "#samegirl @jlo #staytuned #southbronx #working," the Morocco-born MC captioned the pic.

Lopez then posted the same photo and captioned it, "#staytuned #repost @frenchmontana." The photo prompts rumor that the two stars are teaming up for the remix to Lopez's upcoming single "Same Girl".

Last week, the "Jenny From the Block" hitmaker previewed the music video for the song written by Chris Brown. The clip, which was directed by Steven Gomillion and Dennis Leupold, is expected to arrive in its entirety soon. "Same Girl" will appear in Lopez's tenth studio album that's scheduled to arrive sometime this year.

As for Montana, the 29-year-old entertainer is currently readying his new album, "Mac & Cheese 4".

ENT : Katy Perry: I Prayed for Big Boobs and Got Them Now "

katy Perry prayed for big chests and she got them. Wishing to God to have big boobs when she was only 11 is one of the amusing topics that the "Roar" singer talked about in the February 2014 issue of GQ.

Talking about her famous assets, Perry said, "I lay on my back one night and looked down at my feet, and I prayed to God. I said, 'God, will you please let me have boobs so big that I can't see my feet when I'm lying down?' God answered my prayers. I had no clue they would fall into my armpits eventually."

But she swore off that none of her body parts is fake. "I've never had any plastic surgery," she told the magazine. "Not a nose, not a chin, not a cheek, not a tit. So my messages of self-empowerment are truly coming from an au natural product."

Another thing that she would like to discuss was losing her virginity at 16 in the front seat of a Volvo sedan while listening to Jeff Buckley's album "Grace". Perry said without going into details, "Love that record so much."

To the magazine, Perry also shared her view on President Obama, boyfriend John Mayer and aliens "

ENT : Selena Gomez on Reports About Justin Bieber Calling Her 'Talentless P***y': 'Not Real"

Selena Gomez has denied that Justin Bieber called her "talentless p***y" and sent her his nude photo in a series of nasty text messages which recently leaked. Jill Fritzo, a representative for the 21-year-old songstress, has told MailOnline that the reports are "not real."

The alleged text messages between Bieber and Gomez surfaced just days after the Canadian star's house was raided by cops following his egg-throwing incident. In the text exchange, Bieber tried to convince his on-again, off-again girlfriend that he still loved her.

Gomez replied, "I don't buy that bulls**t anymore. I was honest with you and I gave you a second chance. All my friends were right, You're such an a**hole." Bieber then sent her a nude picture of him.

The "Come and Get It" singer then called Bieber "a drug addict" and urged him to listen to his manager Scooter Braun to go to rehab. She also told him to "grow up" and hoped he would get jailed for the egg attack.

"F**K YOU!!!!! I need to grow up?! HA ok! Enjoy life with OUT ME B***H!!! F**k you. F**k Scooter. F**k all y'all. IAM DONE!" he responded. "You're only famous cuz of me. You know it. I know. Everybody knows. Bye. ... Go f**k someone else. Keep that talentless p***y away from me!"

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NEWS : New trial sought for SC boy, 14, executed in 1944 ''

A 14-year-old black boy executed nearly 70 years ago is finally getting another day in court, and his lawyers plan to argue Tuesday for a new trial, saying his conviction was tainted by the segregationist-era justice system and scant evidence.

George Stinney was found guilty in 1944 of killing two white girls, ages 7 and 11. The trial lasted less than a day in the tiny Southern mill town of Alcolu, separated, as most were in those days, by race.

Nearly all the evidence, including a confession that was central to the case against Stinney, has disappeared, along with the transcript of the trial. Lawyers working on behalf of Stinney's family have gathered new evidence, including sworn statements from his relatives accounting for his whereabouts the day the girls were killed and from a pathologist disputing the autopsy findings.

The novel decision of whether to give someone executed a new trial will be in the hands of Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen. Experts say it is a longshot. South Carolina law has a high bar to grant new trials. Also, the legal system in the state before segregation often found defendants guilty with evidence that would be considered scant today. If Mullen finds in favor of Stinney, it could open the door for hundreds of other appeals.

But the Stinney case is unique. At 14, he's the youngest person executed in the United States in the past 100 years. Even in 1944, there was an outcry over putting someone so young in the electric chair. Newspaper accounts said the straps in the chair didn't fit around his 95-pound body and an electrode was too big for his leg.

Stinney's supporters said racism, common in the Jim Crow era South, meant deputies in Clarendon County did little investigation after they decided Stinney was the prime suspect. They said he was pulled from his parents and interrogated without a lawyer.

School board member George Frierson heard stories about Stinney growing up in the same mill town he did, and he has spent a decade fighting to get him exonerated. He swallowed hard as he said he hardly slept Monday night.

"Somebody that didn't kill someone is finally getting his day in court," Frierson said.

In 1944, Stinney was likely the only black in the courtroom. On Tuesday, the prosecutor arguing against him will be Ernest "Chip" Finney III, the son of South Carolina's first black chief justice. Finney said last month he won't present any evidence against Stinney at the hearing, but if a new trial is granted, he will ask for time to conduct a new investigation.

What that might find is not known. South Carolina did not have a statewide law enforcement unit to help

• 

smaller jurisdictions until 1947. Newspaper stories about Stinney's trial offer little clue whether any evidence was introduced beyond the teen's confession and an autopsy report. Some people around Alcolu said bloody clothes were taken from Stinney's home, but never introduced at trial because of his confession. No record of those clothes exists.

Relatives of one of the girls killed, 11-year-old Betty Binnicker, have recently spoke out as well, saying Stinney was known around town as a bully who threatened to fight or kill people who came too close to the grass where he grazed the family cow.

It isn't known if the judge will rule Tuesday, or take time to come to her decision. Stinney's supporters said if the motion for a new trial fails, they will ask the state to pardon him '

NIGERIA - APGA crisis Court sacks Umeh, Shinkafi

A Federal High Court has ordered the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh and the Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi  to vacate their offices on the ground that their continued stay in office is beyond the provision of the pary’s constitution.
The judgement followed a suit instituted by a chieftain of the party, Chief Maxi Okwu and factional  members of the National Working Committee (NWC) against Umeh, Shinkafi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), challenging their continued stay in office beyond what the constitution of the party provided for.
Justice Abdul Kafarati in his judgment, specifically made reference to Article 18(2) of the constitution of the party, which provided that any official of the party could only stay in office for a maximum of two terms of four years.
But in a swift reaction, the affected officers have filed a notice of appeal challenging the judgment as well as a motion for stay of execution of the judgment.
In his judgement, Justice Abdul Kafarati held that the plaintiff had a locus standi, going by the affidavit in support of the originating summons to institute the suit as against the objection brought by the defendants challenging the legal interest of Okwu in instituting the suit.
The court further held that every member had a duty to abide by the constitution of the party and that in any instance where the constitution was breached, the court would have jurisdiction to come in.
Justice Kafarati however made a declaration that the 2nd respondent who had been in office for over 10 years could not validly continue in office 10 years after he was first elected.
The court further held that the 1st and 2nd respondents having been voted into office by voice votes rather than secret ballots as stipulated by Article 18(3) of the constitution of APGA were not validly elected.
In the circumstance, the court ordered both Umeh and Shinkafi to vacate their respective offices of national chairman and secretary.
Meanwhile, the sacked secretary, has said the judgement was a fraud and that it would be challenged in a higher court.
Sanni, who was reacting to the judgement, said it was judicial rascality, adding that the Court of Appeal had earlier upheld the election of Umeh as the chairman.
“The judgment of Justice Abdul Kafarati amounts to a judicial rascality because when a superior court of record had given a judgment on the leadership of APGA, the judgment of the Awka High court on this matter as the Court of Appeal Enugu in Division had already nullified the Maxi Okwu convention, APGA was not cited as a party in this suit, the party cannot be judged in its absence. The judge has no jurisdiction to have heard the matter. The non-joinder of APGA in this suit has rendered the suit incompetent, the judgment on the APGA leadership is still pending before the Supreme Court. That is why we are calling for a total overhaul of the nation’s judiciary. The Supreme Court had in many cases, held that the courts lack jurisdiction to dabble into the internal affairs of political parties. We have gone ahead to appeal to the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision of the court. We are going to petition the NJC on this matter. Maxi Okwu is an expelled member of APGA and there was no where he was re-admitted.

NIGERIA - konjo-Iweala in 100-Page Reply to House On Economy

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has provided a detailed 100-page documented response to the 50 questions posed by the House of Representatives Committee on Finance on the state of the economy.
In a statement issued by her Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, the minister said the document provides, in extensive detail, including tables and graphs, answers to the committee's well-publicised questions.
The minister confirmed to THISDAY that the document was delivered to each of the members of the finance committee Wednesday evening.
In her response, Okonjo-Iweala stressed that in spite of the many challenges which government had acknowledged, the Nigerian economy is showing real and measurable progress in many areas, adding, "This can be seen in the fact that more jobs are being created; roads, rail and other infrastructure are being improved; the country is saving for the future and planning better for the present."
According to her, "The Jonathan administration, contrary to the impression given by some critics, is making an impact in the areas that, according to credible opinion polls, Nigerians are most passionate about.
"For instance, on job creation which is a central focus of the administration, a total of 1.6 million jobs were created last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of which 250,000 were seasonal jobs created in dry season farming in 10 northern states.
"In manufacturing, the Onne Oil and Gas Free zone created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. The government special intervention programme YouWin supported young entrepreneurs, creating over 18,000 jobs. The SURE-P Community Services programme has also created 120,000 job opportunities."
The statement added that Okonjo-Iweala also pointed to the improvement in federal highways, which she said had been confirmed by many Nigerians who travelled during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
"Key highways which have witnessed significant progress include Kano-Maiduguri Road, the Abuja-Lokoja Road, the Apapa-Oshodi Road, the Onitsha-Enugu-Port-Harcourt Road and the Benin-Ore-Shagamu Road. Preliminary work has commenced on Lagos-Ibadan road and the Second Niger Bridge.
"The Railway Modernization Programme involving the construction of standard gauge lines is underway. The 1,124 km Western line linking Lagos and Kano is now functional, while work on the Eastern line linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is about 36 per cent complete.
"The Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge line has attained 68 per cent completion, and the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Line which is presently 77 per cent completed, will be completed next year.
"The annual passenger traffic on our railways has increased steadily, rising from 1 million in 2011 to 5 million in 2013," the minister's spokesman said.
One of the issues Okonjo-Iweala dealt with was the charge made by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Hon. Abdulmumin Jubrin, in the media that the country is racking up debts under her watch as finance minister. On this issue, the statement said Okonjo-Iweala dismissed the allegation, stating there was no substance to the charge.
"In fact, the opposite is true. Right from her Senate confirmation hearing in 2011, the minister had identified rising debt as a major challenge, which the country needs to confront.

More on This

Okonjo-Iweala Responds to House Committee's 50 Questions
Finance Minister, Okonjo-Iweala, has now responded to the 50-question homework given her by the House committee ,

AFRICA - Ex-Nigerian President Withdraws From Ruling Party

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has written another letter, few weeks after his letter to President Goodluck Jonathan caused an uproar in the polity.
In a one-page letter dated 7 January, 2014 to the chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Obasanjo said he would, temporarily, cease to be a member of the party by withdrawing from its activities at the local, state and federal levels.
The letter reads:
"While I believe that a good and truly national political party must be a microcosm of the nation in its membership, made up of all sorts of characters from near-saints to near-satan, I also believe that on no account should a known habitual criminal that is wanted abroad to face criminal charges levelled against him be extolled as a political leader in a respectable and wholesome nation-building political party.
"... has been so extolled in PDP in South-West geo-political zone which I personally find unsavoury. Politics played by any national political party must have morality, decency, discipline, principles and leadership examples as cardinal practices of the party. I have attached here recent documents that clearly indicate that your extolled PDP Zonal Leader in the South-West zone of Nigeria and an indigene of Ogun State is, to say the least, not a credit to the party as a member, let alone being a zonal leader.
"Since I stick in my practice of party politics to the hallowed and cherished principles enunciated above, I take this opportunity to let you know that while I continue to remain a card-carrying member of PDP, I cannot and I will not subscribe to a wanted habitual criminal being installed as my zonal leader in the party; a criminal for whom extradition has been requested by the US government. In the meantime, I will consider withdrawing my activity with PDP at local, state, zonal and national levels until the anomalous and shameful situation is corrected.

WORLD - Car bomb goes off in Lebanon’s Hermel, killing 4

At least four people have been killed and over 30 others injured in a car bomb explosion in Lebanon’s northeastern town of Hermel, 

The bombing was carried out at the town’s main square in front of a state building on Thursday.
According to medical sources, the number of casualties is likely to rise.
The town, which is located 10 kilometers from the Syrian border, has a pro-Hezbollah majority population and has witnessed numerous rocket attacks by foreign-backed militants in Syria.
No group has claimed responsibility for the Thursday attack, which came almost two weeks after another explosion hit a southern neighborhood of the capital, Beirut.
The powerful car bomb explosion hit Haret Hreik neighborhood in Beirut on January 2, killing several people and injuring dozens of others.
The al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack two days later.
The Lebanese capital has been repeatedly hit by similar terrorist attacks in recent months. The fatal incidents have left a large number of casualties.
In November, more than two dozen people were killed and over 150 others injured in two explosions near the Iranian Embassy in southern Beirut.

WORLD - State Marijuana Legalization 'Reckless And Irresponsible'

The decision of Washington state and Colorado to legalize a plant directly responsible for the deaths of zero people is "reckless and irresponsible," a top Drug Enforcement Administration official said Wednesday.
“It scares us,” James L. Capra, the DEA chief of operations, said at a Senate hearing on drug cultivation in Afghanistan, according to The Washington Post. “Every part of the world where this has been tried, it has failed time and time again.”
The DEA -- which has a museum at its headquarters building that features a mock medical marijuana distribution center placed directly next to a fake crack house -- falls under the Justice Department, which decided last year to allow state laws that legalize and regulate recreational marijuana in Washington and Colorado to move forward. There has been an internal war within President Barack Obama's administration throughout his presidency on marijuana issues. While the administration seems to be easing its enforcement of federal drug laws in states that have passed legalization, hard-liners remain at the DEA.
Last month, DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart blamed legalization efforts on the fact that an increasing number of high school seniors don't see regular pot use as harmful.
On Wednesday, Capra said DEA agents -- at least those who haven't left for jobs in the marijuana industry -- have been dismayed to watch legalization go forward.
“There are more dispensaries in Denver than there are Starbucks,” Capra said, according to The Washington Post. “The idea somehow people in our country have that this is somehow good for us as a nation is wrong. It’s a bad thing.

WORLD - Obama Urges Senate Democrats To Oppose Iran Sanctions In Closed-Door Meeting

President Barack Obama met with Senate Democrats at the White House on Wednesday, urging senators to oppose new sanctions against Iran, according to people at the meeting.
Four Senate aides said the president warned that new sanctions could derail the fragile nuclear talks. Obama "made a really strong case for his position on Iran" in the hopes of giving "pause to anyone who wanted a vote while negotiations were ongoing," one of the aides said. After Obama made the case against sanctions, not a single supporter argued the opposite case, sources said.
Sanctions, included in a bill pushed by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), would go into effect if Iran fails to meet certain conditions related to its nuclear program. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said the president insisted that senators "seize this opportunity" to continue negotiations with Iran, before resorting to sanctions.
"If Iran isn't willing in the end to make the decisions that are necessary to make it work, he'll be ready to sign the bill to tighten those sanctions," Merkley told The Associated Press. "But we've got to give this six months."
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) met with House Republicans at the White House on Tuesday with a similar goal. A firm proponent of previous sanctions against Iran, Schultz insisted any new restrictions may jeopardize the fragile nuclear negotiations between the U.S., Iran and other nations.
"As her record reflects, she has always been and remains a staunch proponent of stricter sanctions against Iran as a deterrent to their nuclear weapons ambitions," Mara Sloan, Wasserman Schultz's spokeswoman, said in a statement following Tuesday's meeting. "Wasserman Schultz will continue working with her colleagues and the Administration to ensure that Iran will never achieve that goal."
During the Wednesday meeting with Senate Democrats, Obama also discussed his agenda for the year.

ENT - Score-Settling" in C. African Republic Kills 13

Violence in the capital has killed 13 people since Friday.

The Red Cross in Central African Republic has confirmed 13 deaths in the capital Bangui following the second consecutive night of intense gunfire since ex-President Michel Djotodia announced his resignation.

Local Red Cross President Antoine Mbao-Bogo said Sunday the victims were mostly targeted in isolated incidents of "score-settling" and that the number would likely rise.
Many streets were deserted Sunday with residents of some neighborhoods holed up fearing further violence.
Djotodia seized power in March backed by his mostly Muslim Seleka rebel alliance. On Friday, he agreed to step aside along with his prime minister at a regional summit in Chad amid mounting pressure over his failure to stem widespread violence pitting Muslims and Christians against each other.
He sought exile Saturday in the West African nation of Benin.

AFRICA -Nigeria Enacts Strong Law Against Same-Sex Marriage

In a move that has ignited international outrage, Nigeria’s president signed into law a measure that outlaws same-sex marriage as well as public displays of gay relationships.

President Goodluck Jonathan said that that decision to sign the bill came after recognizing that it reflected the attitudes of Nigerians on homosexuality.

"More than 90 percent of Nigerians are opposed to same-sex marriage. So, the law is in line with our cultural and religious beliefs as a people," said Reuben Abatim, a spokesman for the president.

"I think that this law is made for a people and what [the] government has done is consistent with the preference of its environment,” he said.

The law also makes it a crime for Nigerians to belong to gay organizations or to participate in activities in gay clubs, with a penalty of up to 14 years in jail.

"Only a marriage contract between a man and a woman shall be recognized as valid in Nigeria," the law states.

Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian president to reconsider the action and reject the order, saying it could lead to “catastrophic” consequences for the country’s gay citizens.

Nigeria, which has a population of 170 million people and is Africa’s most populous country, is a deeply religious society with strong Christian and Muslim citizens.

The action on the part of Nigeria and its president is not uncommon among African nations. Last year, the Senate in Liberia passed a bill strengthening the law against homosexuality. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has expressed her opposition to same-sex marriage, saying that she would not sign a bill supporting it.

Nigeria’s action comes after a similar law was enacted in Uganda. That law was condemned by President Obama, who called it “odious.” It was also criticized by South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who compared it with his country’s one-time apartheid laws.

ENT - Anne Hathaway and Mark Wahlberg Originally Set for 'Silver Linings Playbook'

Turns out Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were not the first choices to star in "Silver Linings Playbook" two years ago. Harvey Weinstein recently revealed that Anne Hathaway and Mark Wahlberg were originally booked for the movie.

"We had Annie and then we had Mark ... then whatever happened, happened," the producer opened up in an interview with Howard Stern. "Well, David [O. Russell] and Anne had some creative differences. They didn't see eye-to-eye."

"I've always believed if we can't get somebody established, we'll find somebody new," he explained. "Jennifer Lawrence and two or three other actress came in, and the minute we saw Jennifer Lawrence's tape . . . Because I said, 'How the hell are we gonna replace Annie?' "

"And then this amazing creature walked in who is a brilliant actress, and so much fun, and she won an Oscar," he said of Lawrence. Her performance as mentally unstable widow Tiffany Matthews earned her Best Actress titles at both Oscars and Golden Globe Awards.

Although letting go of "Linings Playbook", Hathaway still had a triumphant year, thanks to her portrayal of prostitute Fantine in musical drama "Les Miserables". She won Best Supporting Actress both at the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes that year.

Wahlberg himself enjoyed the success of his raunchy comedy "Ted" in 2012. Directed by Seth MacFarlane and supported by Mila Kunis, the film went on to become the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time. It's also vying for Best Original Song at the Oscars.

Read more: http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00067552.html#ixzz2qYiSibaX

ENT - Amber Heard Sports Diamond Ring, Sparks Engagement Rumor to Johnny Depp,

Is Amber Heard engaged to Johnny Depp? The blonde beauty sparked the engagement rumor as she was spotted wearing a huge diamond ring on her left hand when she was leaving AGO Italian restaurant on Monday night, January 13 in Los Angeles.

The 27-year-old star donned an androgynous outfit during the night outing in West Hollywood, California. She made a good effort to cover her left hand, but paparazzi managed to steal a snapshot of the ring when she raised her hand to cover her face from the camera lights.

Heard and Depp both attended the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards the previous night. She, along with Taylor Kinney and Jesse Spencer, presented "Ray Donovan" star Jon Voight with Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film, while he introduced "12 Years a Slave" as Best Motion Picture - Drama.

Heard and Depp, 50, first met when on the set of their 2011 movie "The Rum Diary". They were romantically linked in 2012 after he called off his 14-year relationship with Vanessa Paradis, with whom he has two children Lily Rose, 14, and Jack, 11.

If the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor did pop the question to his girlfriend, it will be his first marriage

ENT - Hilary Duff Tells Fans Not to Believe Rumors From 'Trash Magazines'

Hilary Duff has asked fans not to believe rumors about her which emerged following her split from husband Mike Comrie. The actress who played alongside Steve Martin and Tom Welling in "Cheaper by the Dozen" took to Twitter to tell fans not to easily believe the reports. "Don't believe the s**t you read!&don't buy trash magazines! They are so gross and so negative:( they Literally make my skin crawl. #Beaboveit," she wrote on Wednesday, January 15.

Duff and her husband announced their split on Friday, January 10. In a statement to PEOPLE, her representative said, "Hilary Duff and husband Mike Comrie have mutually decided to an amicable separation. They remain best friends and will continue to be in each other's lives. They are dedicated to loving and parenting their amazing son, and ask for privacy at this time." The couple has a 22-month-old son Luca.

Following the announcement, rumors about the cause of split emerged. Star magazine claimed that the couple went separate ways because Duff did not want to expand their family. "He wanted another baby, but Hilary is determined to be a Hollywood actress. She feels like she's just hitting her stride and that committing to a second child would thwart her chances of making it to the A-list," the magazine reported, quoting a so-called source.

Another source, meanwhile, said that the pair had tried everything including counseling before deciding to call it quits. "She felt he didn't put enough effort into the relationship," a source told Us Weekly, adding that they tried counseling for 18 months, "but recently he wasn't doing any of the things they'd worked on." Another source claimed that the pair realized "the spark was no longer there" and "they are better as friends."

10 Most Photographed buildings

Researcher from Cornell University had made some amazing discoveries mining data from 35M Flickr photos. Not only did the world's most photographed cities (and the most captured landmark in each) emerge, but also so did the most common angles for shooting each place. So what do the results say about us as travelers? Can you guest which landmarks are most photographed?

10. Sydney Opera House

No image of Australia is complete without a picture of its world-famous opera house, which was conceived and built by a Danish architect in 1973

9. Brooklyn Bridge New York

One of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, which was completed in 1883, and spans the East River.

8. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

Another famous monument of the Paris skyline, and widely considered as one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.

7. Taj Mahal, India 

The finest example of Mughal architecture, the Taj Mahal became a World Heritage Site in 1983.  India is growing as an accessible destination and the structure of the buildings and composition of the landscape is a godsend to photographers.

6. Great Wall of China

One of the most striking sections of the Ming Great Wall is where it climbs extremely steep slopes. It runs 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) long, ranges from 5 to 8 meters (16–26 ft) in height

5. Statue of Liberty

images of this monument standing tall where the East and Hudson rivers converge, with the famous New York skyline as its backdrop.

4. London Eye

 The London Eye opened in 1999, but already its image is embedded in the London skyline.

3. Empire State Building, New York

The world's second most visited city's famous building, stands at 1454ft. Getting a close up just isn't possible!

2.Big Ben, London

From the world's most visited city, Big Ben is sure to appear on nearly every London tourist postcard

1. Eiffel Tower, Paris

No visit to Paris is complete without a trip to the world-famous Eiffel Tower and every visual of France is likely to include an image of the monument. The Eiffel Tower also has romantic connotations – from proposals to romantic weekends away.