News

• Bezos Joins List Of Billionaires Backing Gay Marriage

The founder of Amazon.com and his wife are donating $2.5m (£1.6m) to defend a gay marriage law passed in the US state of Washington.

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos are the latest wealthy backers, joining Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates, who each gave $100,000.

Washington is one of four states facing a November referendum on gay marriage.

The law, due to come into effect on 7 June, was put on hold after a petition to vote on Referendum 74 succeeded.

Opponents gathered more than 240,000 signatures in a bid to overturn the law signed in February by Governor Chris Gregoire.

Same-sex marriage is legal in eight US states and the District of Columbia.

The laws are being challenged in Washington and Maryland. The state of Maine is voting to reinstate gay marriage laws that were passed but later overturned, and Minnesota is considering a constitutional ban on gay marriage.

Previous gay marriage laws or constitutional amendments have been defeated in 32 state elections across the US.

But President Obama lent his support earlier this year, saying he was now in favour of same-sex weddings.


A campaign manager for Washington United for Marriage called the Bezos donation a "game-changer" in their fight to keep the law in place.

"They understand what's at stake for Washington families and what's at stake for the country," Zach Silk told the Associated Press.

"We're at a tipping point, and they really understand this is an historic moment, and they want to be on the right side of history and want to make history."

The law is opposed by Preserve Marriage Washington, a group which says on its website that "marriage is a unique institution that is profoundly in the common good", their website says.

Washington voters will be asked to vote "yes" to uphold the law or "not" to overturn it.

Mr Bezos, 48, is ranked by Forbes magazine as the 15th wealthiest person in the US, with a personal fortune of $18.4bn as of March 2012.

Meanwhile, a group of pro-Republican hedge fund managers have also given money to the campaigns supporting same-sex laws in the four states that are to vote in November, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

Among them are Dan Loeb, a major shareholder of Yahoo; and Paul Singer, founder of Elliott Management and a notable Republican Party donor. They are reported to have supported Freedom to Marry, a group in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, the newspaper says.

They are also said to have contributed to American Unity, a political committee founded by Mr Singer, that gives financial backing to Republicans running for Congress who support same-sex marriage.

• Ronaldinho loses £500000 coca-cola deal for drinking pepsi

Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho has lost his £500,000 a year contract as an ambassador for Coca-Cola after he was caught drinking Pepsi at a press conference.

Speaking to journalists at his new club, Atletico Mineiro – which is sponsored by Pepsi -, he was seen drinking from one of two cans in front of him.

Coca-Cola said in a statement: “Coca-Cola recognises the career and value of Ronaldinho.

“However due to recent developments it has become impossible to continue the partnership.”

Marcelo Pontes, Coca-Cola marketing chief, told Brazilian newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo: “The fact that the player has appeared with a can of Pepsi was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“The sponsorship had become embarrassing.”

Marketing Sponsorship International Food & Drink Coca-Cola Pepsi Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho just couldn't resist the Pepsi Challenge.

On Monday, soft-drink kingpin Coca-Cola terminated its lucrative sponsorship deal with the man who was once considered the best soccer player in the world. The soda giant was enraged that the 32-year-old Brazilian took a sip from a can of archrival Pepsi at a recent news conference hyping a game with Atletico Mineiro, a club in Ronaldinho's homeland which he joined in early June.

Two cans of Pepsi were right in front of the midfielder at the news conference, and the former Barcelona superstar couldn't wait to quench his thirst.

Lil Wayne is no stranger to controversy.
And his latest music video is throwing him back into the ring. The video for "My Homies Still" (featuring rapper Big Sean) mostly takes place in the most bizarre suburbia ever—pink elephants, dancing pandas and makeout sessions with mannequins included—all Wayne's usual brand of chaos.
But, in light of the recent The Dark Knight Rises tragedy, the ending takes a much darker turn.

Rihanna Visits Late Grandmother in Funeral Home

This past Saturday (June 30) Ri-Ri tweeted, “Goodbye grangranDOLLY get your beauty rest until I see you,” along with multiple photos.

And it sounds like Rihanna is having a tough time career-wise as well- she filed a lawsuit yesterday against her former accountants, claiming they lost her tens of millions of dollars over the past few years.

Selena Gomez: Encino Fuel Stop

Taking care not to run out of gas, Selena Gomez stopped off at an Encino, California fuel station earlier today (July 6).

The “Ramona and Beezus” babe carefully dispensed petrol into her silver Ford Escape SUV, looking summertime sexy in a sleeveless white top with short black shorts and black flats.

Miley Cyrus' Post-Independance Day Patriotism

Sporting a nose ring with her make-up free face, Miley Cyrus was spotted going for a walk around her neighborhood in Toluca Lake, California on Thursday (July 5).

Strutting in a pair of black Converse shoes, the "Party In The U.S.A." songstress showed off her legs in a patriotic $220 Wildfox sweater which hung off her shoulders and had several holes, and kept busy playing with her phone while trotting around her home.

“The Dark Knight Rises”: New Poster & International TV Spot

Moviegoers are chomping at the bit for “The Dark Knight Rises” to hit theaters, and the studio has just released a new IMAX poster and International TV trailer.

The new superhero flick, slated for a July 20th theatrical release, has had plenty of hype up to this point and has now given audiences one last appetizer before the main course.

Evan Rachel Wood & Jamie Bell's Curbside Makeout Session

She’s never been one for modesty, and earlier today (July 5) Evan Rachel Wood reunited with her main squeeze Jamie Bell with a very public make out session.

The “Wrestler” actress planted a passionate kiss on her lover’s lips after being apart due to work commitments in recent weeks.

Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez: Trouble In Paradise?

Seemingly not going as well as hoped, the end could be near for Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.

According to TMZ, the "Boyfriend" singer and his "Love You Like A Love Song" girlfriend have "broken up multiple times in the last few months."

• Halle Berry & Pony-Riding Nahla's Fourth of July Fun

Making the most of the patriotic holiday, Halle Berry took her daughter Nahla to Griffith Park to celebrate Independence Day yesterday (July 4).

And it seemed the “Monster’s Ball” babe couldn’t stop taking cell phone pictures of her adorable little girl as she rode around on a docile horse while shutterbugs loomed in the distance.

• Nia Long Covers Essence August 2012

Joined by her handsome sons, Nia Long garnered herself a little added exposure by covering the August 2012 issue of Essence magazine.

The 41-year-old actress looked as happy as ever as she hammed it up alongside 19-month-old Massai Zhivago and and 9-month-old Kez Sundayin while telling the publication that she "has never felt more fulfilled" than she does in the present.