• Vienna Opera Tenor Waldemar Kmentt Dead at 85

    Famed Austrian tenor Waldemar Kmentt has died in Vienna at the age of 85. Famed Austrian tenor Waldemar Kmentt, known for his legendary Vienna Opera's and beautiful vocal recording work, has died in Austria at the age of 85, according to ABC News.

  • Secretary of State John Kerry Defends Not Traveling to France Until Later This Week

    The U.S. has found itself under heavy criticism for not sending any senior officials to Paris for its Unity March and Rally that had more than 1 million supporters Sunday, Jan. 11. The relationship between French and U.S. officials is thought to be solid, so it came as a surprise to many that while 40 world leaders were on hand to support the French people after last week's terrorist attack, no one was there to represent the States.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry happens to speak fluent French and visits the country often — in fact he will be heading there later this week to meet with leaders and pay tribute to the 17 victims of last week's attacks. When asked why the U.S. did not send a senior official as a show of support, Kerry insisted that our country has been in constant contact with the French government from the moment it became clear it was under attack. Kerry himself has also been criticized for delaying his trip to France, and he addressed the issue this morning."As everybody knows, I have been here in India for a prior planned event. I would have personally very much wanted to have been there but couldn't do so because of the commitment that I had here and it is important to keep these kinds of commitments. That is why I am going there on the way home and to make it crystal clear how passionately we feel about the events that have taken place there. I don't think the people of France have any doubt about America's understanding about what happened, about our personal sense of loss and our deep commitment to the people of France in this moment of trial. I want to emphasize that the relationship with France is not about one day or one particular moment. It is an ongoing, longtime relationship that is deeply, deeply based in the shared values, and particularly the commitment that we share to freedom of expression," explained Kerry.

  • Joan Rivers Surgeon Believed That Anesthesiologists During Endoscopic Procedures Are a Waste of Money

    Four months after Joan Rivers died after going into cardiac arrest during what should have been a simple endoscopic procedure, we are slowly but surely learning bits and pieces about the people who were in that procedure room with her. Dr. Lawrence Cohen was the surgeon on duty and also the medical director at the Yorkville Endoscopy Clinic where Rivers was a patient. In 2012, Cohen wrote an article bemoaning the cost of having an anesthesiologist on duty for simply endoscopic procedures.According to TMZ, which dug up the piece written by Cohen, the good doctor was seemingly more worried about cost-effectiveness than anything else.Cohen writes, "Although we can all agree that [monitored anesthesia care] is a highly effective and safe method of sedation, the question is whether it is worth the extra cost to our health care system."Cohen then answers his question: "The answer is clearly no."Cohen crunches the number in his article, saying the average cost for an anesthesiologist is $400 per procedure, but the risk of death is 1 out of 100,000. Cohen therefore concludes that it costs $40 million to save one life, adding that cost "far exceeds ... an acceptable level of cost-effectiveness."

  • The Late Diem Brown Wanted to Win Final MTV 'Challenge' for Money to Start a Family Via a Surrogate

    The death of Diem Brown in November seemed to really strike a nerve with a lot of people. She had risen to fame on MTV's "The Challenge" series and competed in several seasons. Almost from the moment Brown was introduced to viewers we knew she had cancer. She seemed to successfully beat it twice before getting sick all over again last August while filming "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2." Last night's premiere of the show, Jan. 6, was sad because Brown and her costar Ryan Knight have died since filming.What is really bittersweet was the motivation behind why Brown wanted to not only compete on the show again, but win the cash prize, she wanted to finally start a family at age 34."If I won this money, it would be my fairy tale dream. I know people are sick of me talking about cancer, trust me, I was sick of living with cancer. But it did change my life. They had to remove my ovaries, and if I'm going to have kids, I need a surrogate. I have to pay anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 per kid, so winning this prize, I could have four kids in the oven at the same time and get back on track and start my life," explained Brown.

  • 12 People Dead in Terrorist Attack at Satirical Newspaper 'Charlie Hebdo' Offices in Paris

    What an awful story to begin the day, as we have learned that two gunmen stormed the offices of "Charlie Hebdo," a French satirical newspaper, and opened fire during an editorial meeting. As of now, 12 people are confirmed dead and at least 10 more are injured. The shooting reportedly went on for five minutes and, in spite of having a shootout with police, both gunmen are still on the loose. The publication has been vilified for years because of its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad and its offices were actually fire bombed once before.The publication had been seen as so much of a target that up until recently there was a strong police presence outside of the offices. Sources have said that it was only recently that the building became less protected. According to Chris Parsons of Yahoo News UK, French President Francois Hollande visited the site of the attack and has since called an emergency meeting."Charlie Hebdo" has a history of causing controversy with cartoons of Islam's prophet Muhammad. Speaking to the BBC after its office was firebombed in November 2011, the paper's editor-in-chief, Stephane Charbonnier — who is said to be among the dead today — said the incident had only confirmed that it was right to take the stance it did.

  • Marilyn Monroe Named the New Face of Max Factor

    Well, this is interesting: Usually when a cosmetics company is looking for its next celebrity spokesperson, it chooses someone current who is already grabbing headlines. Today, Max Factor announced that it is going to abandon the latest talent in favor of going in a more iconic direction. Marilyn Monroe has been named the newest face of Max Factor cosmetics. The fact that she has been dead for 53 years did not matter when her own beauty was always in a class by itself.Monroe will star in this year's advertising campaigns and the focus will be on how make-up helped to transform her from mousy Norma Jeane Mortenson to the red-lipped, platinum-haired bombshell, which cemented her reputation as one of the world's most infamous bombshells. Monroe was reportedly a client of Max Factor's in the 1940s and indulged in the brand until her unexpected death in 1963."Marilyn made the sultry red lip, creamy skin and dramatically lined eyes the most famous beauty look of the Forties, and it's a look that continues to dominate the beauty and fashion industry. It is the ultimate look that defines glamour — nothing else compares," says Pat McGrath of Max Factor to "The Daily Telegraph."

  • 7-Year-Old Girl Lone Survivor in Kentucky Plane Crash That Killed Her Family

    Late last night a story broke that hits every emotional note imaginable. A 7-year-old is the soul survivor in a Kentucky plane crash that took the lives of both of her parents, her older sister and her cousin as well. Kentucky State Police identified the dead early Saturday as Marty Gutzler, 48, Kimberly Gutzler, 46, and 9-year-old Piper Gutzler. Also killed was 14-year-old Sierra Wilder, the survivor's cousin. All were from Nashville, Illinois.

  • Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo Is Dead at 82

    Legendary New York political figure Mario Cuomo died Thursday, Jan. 1, of heart failure. Cuomo served three terms as the governor of New York and died not long after his son, Andrew Cuomo, was sworn in for a second term as governor. According to a statement released by his family, Cuomo died surrounded by family.The "New York Post" was one of the first outlets to announce the sad news, saying:"Cuomo, who had been ill for months, was 82, and his death came just hours after his son, Andrew, was inaugurated for a second term in his father's old job. Daughter Madeline Cuomo said her dad died in his Manhattan home at 5:15 p.m., and noted that those were 'his lucky numbers.'"I think he waited until after Andrew's swearing-in," she added."He had been receiving hospice care in his Sutton Place apartment, and the cause appeared related to recent heart troubles, sources said."Cuomo, during his heyday, was popular for his eloquence and ability to use his humble beginnings as a way to connect with people and then drive home his points in order to facilitate change. He was also dubbed the "Hamlet on the Hudson" because of his internal struggle over whether or not to run for president in the 1988 and '92 races. He backed out at the last minute in 1991, paving the way for a fairly unknown candidate named Bill Clinton to sneak in and grab the Democratic nomination.

  • Casey Kasem Has Finally Been Buried in Norway Six Months After His Death

    The only thing sadder than the fact that it took six months for Casey Kasem to be buried is the fact that it happened last Tuesday, Dec. 16, in Norway and his kids had no idea about it until today. The radio icon died in June and in the months that followed his wife Jean Kasem was locked in a battle with his grown children who believed he had been a victim of elder abuse. The LAPD had been actively investigating the circumstances surrounding Kasem's death and his burial pretty much puts a swift ending to any chance of charges being filed against Jean.According to a report by TMZ, Kasem was finally laid to rest last Tuesday in Vestre Gravlund, one of Norway's biggest cemeteries. Jean had claimed that she wanted her husband buried in Norway because of his heritage, but his children have suspected all along that she was withholding his remains so no tests could be done to further pinpoint what contributed to his death. They have firmly believed that bed sores led to the fatal infection that ultimately killed Kasem, but now there is really no chance of proving that even if it was the case.

  • MTV Drops New Trailer and Announces It Is Dedicating Upcoming Season of 'The Challenge: Battle of the Exes II' to Diem Brown and Ryan Knight

    The last several weeks have been pretty sad for the MTV family, as they have lost two members far too young. Diem Brown was as well-known for her struggles with cancer as she was for her fearlessness on several seasons of "The Challenge," and she was actually filming when she found out that cancer had spread to her colon. Brown put up a fight right to the end before finally dying in November. Just one short week later her cast mate, Ryan Knight, was found dead after a night of hard partying. MTV has decided to dedicate the upcoming season of "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes ll" to Brown and Knight, who make their final appearances in the series.The network has also dropped a new trailer for the upcoming season, which begins with CT Tambourello lifting Brown up off the couch and carrying her in his arms. Fans of Brown already know she collapsed not too long after filming for this series began and she was ultimately flown to New York, where she received the news that her cancer had spread. The rest of the clip looks like typical "Challenge" fare: lots of high-flying moments and the risky, daredevil moments that keep fans ultimately coming back for more.

  • More Than 130 School Children Murdered in Taliban Revenge Attack on Pakistani, Military-Run School

    The families of students attending the Army Public School and Degree College in Peshawar, Pakistan, have been devastated by an attack on the facility earlier today, Dec. 16. Members of the Pakistani Taliban scaled the school's walls this morning and, once inside, their orders were to kill rather than take hostages. The hours-long battle left more than 130 dead so far, with the majority being children. Nine teachers at the school were also killed, some by being set on fire in front of their students. Sources say this suicide mission was carried out by at least seven militants and revenge was the motivation.The siege at the school and purposeful taking of innocent lives is said to be revenge for the killing of hundreds of innocent tribesmen and their children during a recent offensive by the Pakistani military. Two brazen attacks near Pakistan's largest airport in Karachi in June brought tentative peace talks to a screeching halt. Pakistan's military has since opted to shift its focus toward clearing out militants in tribal areas of northwestern Pakistan that do not have a strong government presence in place. Tens of thousands of people have reportedly been displaced, adding to the already existing strained tensions between the two.

  • Peaceful Protests Erupt All Over NYC After the Grand Jury Decides Not to Indict Daniel Pantaleo in Eric Garner Chokehold Death Case

    Almost immediately after it was announced yesterday that NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo would not be indicted for the chokehold death of Eric Garner in July on a Staten Island street, the backlash and disbelief began. If you tuned in to any of the news stations, then what you saw was inevitably heated debates between journalists and legal analysts over whether or not an indictment for any charge at all seemed like a no-brainer. Then last night, the peaceful protests began.Smaller groups in Harlem and Staten Island and at Grand Central Terminal were later followed by a march 5,000 people strong down Broadway through Times Square. Protesters are still rallying for some type of justice for Garner, who, just minutes before his death, broke up a fight between a few other people and then found himself surrounded by NYPD. A video of the entire altercation was caught on a cellphone and Garner's hands were clearly up as he backed away from officers who were determined to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes — a summary offense.Pantaleo wrestled Garner to the ground in what appeared to be a type of chokehold, something that has been banned by the NYPD. Even as Garner expressed his inability to breathe and another officer directed Pantaleo to release him, he continued the maneuver until Garner eventually died on that sidewalk. Ironically enough, after it was announced that the grand jury would not be charging Pantaleo with a single crime, he issued an apology to Garner's family, something his widow, Esaw Garner refused to accept.
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