After a week of deadly, international protests against an anti-Islam film, a French satirical magazine is fueling the debate between freedom of expression and offensive provocation.

The magazine Charlie Hebdo published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Mohammed in an issue that hit newsstands Wednesday.

Magazine director Stephane Charbonnier said his staff is "not really fueling the fire," but rather using its freedom of expression "to comment (on) the news in a satirical way."

"It happens that the news this week is Mohammed and this lousy film, so we are drawing cartoons about this subject," Charbonnier told CNN affiliate BFM-TV on Wednesday. "It's more turning in derision this grotesque film than to make fun of Mohammed."

The "lousy film" he's referring to is "Innocence of Muslims," an amateurish, 14-minute video that mocks the Prophet Mohammed as a womanizer, child molester and killer. The video drew international attention last week and spawned heated protests

Any depiction of Islam's prophet is considered blasphemy by many Muslims.

Charlie Hebdo journalist Laurent Leger said the magazine's cartoons show Muslim men and Muslim extremists, but the magazine does not explicitly state that the cartoons are depictions of the Prophet Mohammed.

Rather, he said, the cartoons are open to interpretation.

"The aim is to laugh. We want to laugh at the extremists -- every extremist. They can be Muslim, Jewish, Catholic. Everyone can be religious, but extremist thoughts and acts we cannot accept," Leger said.

"In France, we always have the right to write and draw. And if some people are not happy with this, they can sue us and we can defend ourselves. That's democracy. You don't throw bombs, you discuss, you debate. But you don't act violently. We have to stand and resist pressure from extremism."

The cartoons are already drawing strong condemnation by the French Muslim community.

Mohammed Moussaoui, president of the French Council of Muslim Faith, described a feeling of "indignation against this new Islamophobic act" to BFM-TV.

He said the cartoons are "insulting for the prophet of Islam," and described their publication as a "new provocation."

French authorities have already taken precautionary measures, with police vehicles parked outside the offices of Charlie Hebdo late Tuesday.

The offices were the scene of an attack last November, when they were burned on the day the magazine was due to publish an issue with a cover appearing to make fun of Islamic law.

The cover featured a bearded and turbaned cartoon figure of the Prophet Mohammed saying, "100 lashes if you're not dying of laughter."

 The 26-year-old singer told her fans she had cut down on drinking alcohol because she prefers smoking the drug and revealed it had been hugely beneficial to her music.

According to The Sun newspaper, she said: “I want you to know it has totally changed my life and I’ve really cut down on drinking. It has been a totally spiritual experience for me with my music.

“It’s like saying everybody needs to take a breath and it’s going to be OK.”

She also joked she was going to talk to US President Barack Obama in a bid to make marijuana legal in America.

The eccentric singer recently had a tattoo inked into her newly-shaved head in front of a live audience as part of the launch for her new perfume Fame.

Gaga had an image of a cherub wearing a crown etched into the back of her head at New York's Solomon R Guggenheim Museum and tattooist Mark Mahoney said the design is a nod to her Italian roots.

Mark, who was helped by his assistant Wes Brown, explained: "It's kind of a Renaissance era cherub, a nod to her Italian heritage."

The singer, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, put on a number of live art installation features during the evening to launch the scent, which included the singer arriving at the venue inside a replica of her perfume bottle, inside which she was asleep on a bed.

Missy Elliott and Timbaland are finally willing to talk Drake. Specifically, Drake's producing a posthumous Aaliyah album without contacting either of the hip-hop artists.

Elliott and Timbaland stopped by Hot 97 to sit down with host Angie Martinez. The duo first debuted two new songs, "9th Inning" and "Triple Threat," reported Complex magazine, then started talking Aaliyah.

The two hip-hop heavyweights were professionally and personally close with the late singer, who died tragically in a plane crash in 2001. When news first spread of Drake releasing a posthumous Aaliyah album, fans thought Elliott and Timbaland would be in. However, neither has been contacted about or involved in the process.

When asked about Drake's Aaliyah album, Timbaland said, "I don’t even know if it’s an album, I don’t think that’s in the works. I don’t know, I think it’s blown out of proportion. I haven’t spoken to Drake yet. I have a hard time just hearing her music."

Adding Elliot, "No call has been made to me. I have to respect her family, and until they come and say they’re ready to do an Aaliyah album then I don’t really want to get into that because it’s very sensitive. It’s not records that already done came out, we’re talking about unfinished music. And we don’t know what her reasoning for not putting those records out. Maybe she didn’t feel like they were her best work. We just don’t want to tap into that, just spiritually something else you know ... very very touchy. Unless her parents came in and conducted that."

In August, the first single off the expected-album, "Enough Said," billed as Aaliyah featuring Drake, was released.

Timbaland told Martinez that he had not heard the song in full and, when the Hot 97 host offered to play it for him, he declined.

Drake first hinted at an upcoming Aaliyah project during an interview with Tim Westwood in March. “I have some great Aaliyah news coming soon,” Drake told Westwood, adding, “You know it’s hard for me to ride around to a female singer because at the end of the day, you’re a man, but she always kept it so G with the writing and the melodies. It was something to ride to, especially when it was chopped and screwed. That’s when I used to love.”

It's one thing to live for years undetected with a fortune of $12.7 billion. It's another to do it as the 77-year old daughter-in-law of the late, pneumatic, reality-TV phenomenon Anna Nicole Smith.

As to how a 77-year-old could be the "daughter" of someone who, if she were alive today, would be 44, is a question we'll get to in a minute.

As for how the 4th richest woman in the United States—whose $12.7 billion puts her behind only three other women--could have escaped detection until now by billionaire-hunters, Peter Newcomb, editor in charge of the Americas for Bloomberg News's Billionaire Index, has an explanation.

"She's extremely low-key," he says.

Elaine Tettemer Marshall is not the kind of woman given to dancing on tables, buying Hawaiian islands or throwing her underwear out of cars. Both before and after the 2006 death of her husband, E. Pierce Marshall, she apparently has led a circumspect and quiet life.

Newcomb tells ABC News he and his Bloomberg colleague Matthew Miller stumbled on her fortune only after they got to wondering one day who owned the minority stake in Wichita's Koch Industries, second-largest closely-held company in the U.S.

The majority owners are the Koch brothers, Charles and David, famous (or infamous, depending on your politics) for bankrolling conservative causes. Though the brothers own most of the fabulously profitable company (whose sales Bloomberg puts at $110 billion a year), they do not own it all. Some 15 percent belonged to E. Pierce Marshall. And this share, after his death, passed to Elaine.

Her estimated worth of $12.7 billion, says Newcomb, puts Elaine behind two Walmart heiresses, Alice and Christy Walton; and candy company beneficiary Jacqueline Mars.

Bloomberg says that the ability of Elaine and Piece Marshall to avoid publicity contrasted sharply with the ability of Pierce's father, J. Howard Marshall, to attract it. He never did that better than in 1994, when, at the age of 89, he wed former stripper and Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith, 26, at the time. As J. Howard's wife, she became Elaine's mother-in-law.

Years of legal wrangling between Smith and the Marshall family followed J. Howard's death in 1995, the upshot of which was that Smith never inherited a cent of the family fortune, says Bloomberg.

A representative for Elaine Marshall, who lives in Dallas, declined to comment on Bloomberg's revelation of her wealth, beyond saying that Mrs. Marshall does not own any Koch stock in her own name.

Bloomberg started its Billionaire Index in March with a ranking of 20 wealthy individuals. Updated daily, it since has grown to include 100. Make that 100-and-one.

Mitt Romney on Tuesday didn't back away from remarks he made in a secretly recorded video casting supporters of President Barack Obama as dependent on welfare, and instead said the comments that generated more problems for him in a tight race were an honest reflection of his campaign's message.

"This is a message I'm carrying day and day out and will carry over the coming months," Romney said on Fox News. "This is a decision about the course of America, where we're going to head. We've seen the president's policies play out over the last four years."

Romney cited an opposition research video that Republicans began circulating on Tuesday afternoon that shows Obama speaking at Loyola University in 1998 about making government more effective.

"I think the trick is how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution, because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level, to make sure that everybody's got a shot," Obama is heard saying.
Obama responds to Romney's 47% comment
Strickland on Romney leak: 'Deep chasm'
Who are the 47%?
Romney camp responds to fundraiser video

In his interview Tuesday, Romney framed Obama's remarks as an endorsement of redistributing private wealth, rather than on making sure government agencies were well supported.

"The president's view is one of larger government," Romney said. "There's a tape that came out today where the president's saying he likes redistribution. I disagree. I think a society based upon a government centered nation where government plays a larger and larger role, redistributes money, that's the wrong course for America, that will not build a stronger America, or help people out of poverty."

Republicans have used the issue against Obama in the past.

Romney's charged comments at a May fund-raising event were recorded with a hidden camera. The video shows him telling his donors that nearly half of Americans back Obama because they rely on government support.

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney says in one clip first posted on Monday afternoon. "There are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing."

The fund-raiser video was the latest in what has been a shaky stretch for the Romney campaign following last month's political conventions and as the candidates hurtle toward three presidential debates next month.

Summer's cooling off, but Kanye West's passion project has finally arrived. Cruel Summer, the G.O.O.D. Music compilation album, hit stores Tuesday.

There are 22 artists featured on the disc -- a veritable "something for everyone." Hip-hop heads were amped when Wu-Tang giants Raekwon and Ghostface first appeared on the Cruel Summer tracklists floating around the internet, and Top-40 fans are sure to be pleased by the inclusion of buzzy young stars like Big Sean and genre mainstays like Jay-Z.

It's inspiring to see West continue to highlight those who supported him: Grammy-winning songwriter Malik Yusef (one of the folks behind "All of the Lights") and young vocalist Teyana Taylor (you've unknowingly heard her on "Dark Fantasy" and "Hell of a Life") are also featured on Cruel Summer. It's a narrative not often seen in the media -- where lazy tales of Kanye's sometimes erratic behavior dominate headlines for weeks -- but it's clear to anyone paying attention to music that West not only cares deeply about production quality, but about those around him.

In many ways, Cruel Summer is a departure from both My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's latest solo effort, and Watch the Throne, the album he shared with Jay-Z. MBDTF was all emotion -- tales of aching loneliness and frustration with one's self. The Throne was at once the announcement of and an investigation into a new black elite, of what it means to be successful when you started out like Jay-Z or act like Kanye West. However, the singles released in the build-up to Cruel Summer release teased a wild, irreverent Kanye; the inclusion of Southern trap rapper 2 Chainz and the constant mention of Kim Kardashian's exes -- when mixed with equally brash production from the likes of Hit-Boy -- heralded a party album. Early tracks off Cruel Summer were the stuff of nightclub sing-alongs.

As it turns out, that's certainly what we're presented with here. Many parts of Cruel Summer can be described as violent shrugs. The album begins with R. Kelly crooning about presenting the world with one's middle finger.

Still, Kanye's interest in relationships reveals itself. It's no wonder that Jay-Z, the most famous big brother in West's life, appears on "Clique" -- a song about friendship. Nor is it surprising that on that same track, West reveals perhaps his most intimate secret: that he had suicidal thoughts when his mother, Donda West, passed.

Christina Aguilera shows off her body in the music video for her new song "Your Body."

The singer debuted a teaser clip of the music video for "Your Body" on her official VEVO channel. In the video, Aguilera transforms into a sexy hitchhiker bedecked in candy colors.

Aguilera can be seen donning skin-tight dresses, fishnet tights, corset tops and sky-high stiletto heels in the music video trailer as she croons, "All I wanna do is love your body / Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh /Tonight’s your lucky night, I know you want it /Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh."

She seduces a convenience store clerk and blows up a car, all in day's work.

“I got to keep things a little exciting, enticing, fun, and got to get you guessing," Aguilera told Ryan Seacrest about the music video during an interview on KIIS FM. "I’m so excited to release it. I’m actually in the finishing touches of the editing process right now. It’s very tongue-in-cheek, very playful, it’s very fun. It’s kind of comedic in a way…I’m kind of playing this character it’s very much like a character outside of myself. It’s just fun, it’s like a little mini movie. I don’t want to give too much away!”

The 31-year-old singer shot the "Your Body" video with director Melina Matsoukas in August, according to MTV News.

If Aguilera's "Your Body" artwork was any indication, everyone should've seen a sexy music video coming. Aguilera poses nearly nude, with her body wrapped in only a sheer pink fabric.

She has offered up some information for fans about her upcoming album, Lotus, due out in November.

"Album title: Lotus. Representing an unbreakable flower that survives under the hardest conditions and still thrives," Aguilera tweeted to fans last week, "There will be a 'Lotus' intro to set the tone for the whole record. Conceptually I didn't target one particular sound/genre. Self expression and freedom [are album themes]. The album represents a rebirth for me."

This is the pop singer's first album release since 2010's Bionic. "Everything has personal meaning [on the album]," she told Seacrest. "There's a song specifically dedicated to my fans called 'Sing For Me' that I know they're going to appreciate," she said. "There's a few great ballads. Collaborating with Sia again on a song called 'Blank Page'."

Aguilera will have more time to dedicate to her own music after announcing that she will take a hiatus from her job as a coach on NBC's "The Voice" in the spring. Aguilera and Cee-Lo Green will be taking a break and will be replaced by Usher and Shakira.

"Being a coach on The Voice is a wonderful experience and the relationship amongst us all is like an extended family," Aguilera said, according to USA Today. "As I have expressed since day one of the show, that I am a singer and performer first and I am so excited to get back to that love. Since this year NBC and The Voice have decided to tape back-to-back seasons, requiring a full-year commitment, it is important for me to take Season 4 off, allowing me to support my music that my fans have been waiting for."

- Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner was jailed on charges of drunken driving and speeding early Tuesday, just hours after he scored a touchdown in the team's win over the Denver Broncos.

Turner
Turner

Turner, 30, of Suwanee, Ga., was booked into the Gwinnett County jail in metro Atlanta just after 5 a.m. Turner spent barely two hours behind bars before he was released on $2,179 bond, jail records show.

A Gwinnett County police officer pulled over Turner's black Audi R8 on Interstate 85 northeast of Atlanta after clocking the car's speed at 97 mph -- 32 mph over the speed limit, said Cpl. Edwin Ritter, a police spokesman.

"The officer made contact with the driver who identified himself as 30-year-old Michael Turner of the Atlanta Falcons," Ritter said in a news release. "The officer could smell an odor of alcoholic beverage coming from the driver and proceeded to conduct a DUI investigation."

Ritter said the officer arrested Turner after a field sobriety test. The police incident report was not immediately available.

Hours before his arrest, Turner and the Falcons celebrated a 27-21 home victory over Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

Turner scored the Falcons' first touchdown after jumping over a pileup of Atlanta and Denver linemen in the first quarter. It was Turner's franchise-record 51st touchdown for the Falcons, a team he joined in 2008 after four seasons with the San Diego Chargers. Last year, Turner rushed for 1,340 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Falcons said in a statement that they are "aware of the situation" and are "gathering more information" on the incident.

"Because this is now a legal matter, the club will have no further comment at this time," the team said.

A 19-year-old New Jersey man will appear in court Monday after being charged with shaking his girlfriend's baby to death, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.

Daquan Davis is charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.

Police say Davis was caring for the 6-month-old infant Friday morning at School House Apartments on North Martin Luther King Boulevard in Atlantic City, N.J., while the child’s mother was at work.

Police say when she returned home around 4 a.m., she found her son unresponsive and called police. The baby was pronounced dead. Investigators believe Davis shook the baby, causing his death.

In an NBC10 exclusive interview, the child’s mother, Ebony Stewart, described the horrific discovery she made when she returned home.

“I noticed my son wasn’t breathing. I looked closer and he wasn’t breathing. His face was purple and frozen cold.”

Stewart said Davis acted as if nothing had happened.

“He sat there saying, 'Everything will be alright …We’re in this together … I know you’re hurting. I am here for you,'" Stewart said.

One of the woman's neighbors appeared rattled by the news: "I live in this building, and that same little baby, just two weeks ago, I told the mom how cute the baby was. And just to hear this, right now, I don't know what to think, I really don't,” Lloyd Phillips told NBC's Atlantic City affiliate.

Seven people have been arrested and warrants were issued for two others in a lottery scam that targeted elderly people across the United States, NBCConnecticut.com reported.

Police in Stamford, Conn., have so far identified 31 victims from across the United States, mostly between 80 and 90 years old. Police have documented losses in excess of $165,000.

Police said the ring, based in Fairfield County, contacted victims by telephone or letter, telling them that they had won a prize, police said.

Before collecting any supposed winnings, the victims were told that they would have to pay taxes or fees and send money through Western Union or U.S. Postal Service money orders.

The money was then transferred to Costa Rica.

Victims who did send the money received additional phone calls telling them there was an issue and that they would need to send even more money before they could receive their prize.

The calls continue until the victim ran out of money or realized that he or she had been scammed, police said.


Police said they have obtained nine arrest warrants.

Police have arrested Tiffany Midgette, 32, of Stamford, Kinika Harvey, 28, of Bridgeport, and Stephanie Handy, 35, of Stamford.

They were charged with racketeering, money laundering in the third degree, larceny in the first degree, second-degree larceny, conspiracy at larceny in the first degree, conspiracy at larceny in the second degree and criminal attempt at larceny in the second degree.

Bond for Midgette and Harvey was set at $150,000, while bond for Handy was set at $125,000.

Kimberly Midgette, 31, of Stamford, Rannisha Fullmore, 27, of Stamford, Keneeta Washington, 30, of Stamford, and Aisha Jones, 27, of Stamford, were charged with larceny in the first degree, larceny in the second degree, money laundering in the third degree, conspiracy at larceny in the first degree and conspiracy at larceny in the second degree.