Hormone-disrupting chemicals linked to cancer, infertility and a slew of other health problems have been found in water samples collected at and near hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," sites in Colorado, according to a new study published in the journal Endocrinology this week.

Researchers say they found elevated levels of these chemicals -- known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) -- in surface water and groundwater samples collected in the state's Garfield County, a fracking hotspot with more than 10,000 natural gas wells.

Water samples taken from the Colorado River, a drainage basin for the region, were also found to have significantly higher-than-normal levels of EDCs, the researchers said.

EDCs, which have the ability to interfere with normal hormone action, have been linked to a number of health issues. Last year, the World Health Organization issued a report highlighting the health risks associated with the chemicals, including cancer, infertility and impaired neural and immune function. Previous studies have also suggested that EDCs may have adverse effects on the reproductive system in both women and men.

"With fracking on the rise, populations may face greater health risks from increased endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure," Susan Nagel, a veteran endocrinologist at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, told the Los Angeles Times. Nagel was the lead author of the recent study on fracking and EDCs.

In 2010 and again in 2012, Nagel and a team of researchers collected several water samples at five natural gas sites in Garfield County, where fracking wastewater spills are known to have occurred in the last few years. The researchers then tested the samples for four different classes of EDCs. "Of the 39 unique water samples, 89 percent, 41 percent, 12 percent, and 46 percent exhibited estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, androgenic, and anti-androgenic activities, respectively," the report says. The team also gathered water samples from the Colorado river, as well as from areas in Garfield County that are located a significant distance away from natural gas wells. Other samples came from an area in Missouri where there is no fracking.

The researchers said water samples collected from the spill sites and the Colorado river had significantly higher levels of EDCs than those gathered from the control sites in Garden County and Missouri.

Water can contain small amounts of estrogenic substances naturally. However, "Nagel said that although estrogenic substances can be found naturally occurring in water, she did not know of similar sources of anti-estrogenic or anti-androgenic chemicals," the Times reports.

 Undaunted hobbits trumped princess power at the multiplex.

Per studio estimates Sunday, Warner Bros. "Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" was No. 1 at the weekend box office with $73.7 million, besting last weekend's No. 1 film, Disney's animated fable "Frozen."

Melting down to the No. 2 position, "Frozen" earned $22.2 in its third weekend, bringing its impressive overall domestic ticket total to nearly $164.4 million.

Despite its first place position, "Hobbit" fell short of topping its prequel's debut. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," which opened this same weekend last year, gained $84.6 million.

"'Hobbit' rules this date and Warner Bros. has linked this brand to this time of year very effectively," said box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Rentrak.

"We had an excellent weekend," said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. "Of course, it could have been a little better, but the weather back East was really tough last night and probably took a couple million dollars out of my pocket. But our box office will survive. We are right on target to do very similar numbers to the last 'Hobbit,' which grossed a $1 billion worldwide (overall)."

Lionsgate's holiday-themed "Tyler Perry's a Madea Christmas" came in third place with $16.2 million.

"All of the Tyler Perry movies have done in that $20 million plus range, but the weather was a factor in some of the performances of these films," said Dergarabedian.

Another Lionsgate film, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," earned $13.2 million for the fourth place slot. To date "Catching Fire" has grossed $739.9 million, surpassing the worldwide box office total for "The Hunger Games," which brought in $691 million.

If you felt like Beyoncé's surprise album release was Christmas coming early, you're not alone. Celebrities have been expressing their excitement on Twitter and spreading the word about Queen Bey's latest triumph.

As the West Coast was tucking into bed Thursday night, the singer rolled out one of the best-kept secrets in recent music history: The album she had spent the last year teasing was now available for purchase on iTunes.

The self-titled set comes as a “visual album” featuring 14 new tracks and 17 music videos.

currently available as an iTunes exclusive. Manufacturing of physical albums begins Thursday and a double disc CD/DVD will be available before the holidays, according to her label.

Working with Jay Z, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Drake, the Dream, Sia, Ryan Tedder, Miguel, Frank Ocean and Hit Boy, the singer churned out her most ambitious project to date, without ever actually saying she was putting out an album any time soon.

"I didn't want to release my music the way I've done it. I am bored with that. I feel like I am able to speak..

Tension prevailed at Andhra Pradesh state secretariat Friday as the employees of Seemandhra and Telangana nearly came to blows over the bill sent by the centre for formation of separate Telangana state.

Employees of Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra) took out a rally when officials were transporting the bill to the state assembly amid tight security. After the convoy of vehicles left for the assembly, Seemandhra employees intensified their protest.

Raising slogans in support of the united state, the employees marched in the high security zone and even set afire an effigy of Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh to protest his visit to Hyderabad.

Employees from Telangana began a counter protest. The secretariat was rocked by the slogans from both the sides. The two groups even tried to push each other.

Police had a tough time in controlling the two groups, who almost clashed in front of 'C' block which houses the office of the chief minister.

Both sides blamed each other for the situation. Leaders of Seemandhra employees said they had been peacefully protesting against the centre's decision for bifurcation of the state. They alleged that the rival group created the trouble.

Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) leader V. Srinivas Goud said they would not tolerate Seemandhra employees creating hurdles in formation of Telangana state. He said as a large number of people from Seemandhra are living in Hyderabad, the Seemandhra employees should not do anything which vitiate the peaceful atmosphere.

Srinivas Goud also asked police to be impartial while handling the situation. He wondered how Seemandhra employees were allowed to use loudspeaker, take out rally and burn effigy in a restricted area.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday announced it will not form a government in Delhi and will reject the Lieutenant Governor's offer when party leaders meet him on Saturday.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Yogendra Yadav made the announcement after a party meeting. "We don't have majority (support) nor have we finished first," said Yadav. He said AAP founder leader Arvind Kejriwal would meet Jung Saturday in response to a formal invitation from the Lt. Governor regarding government formation in Delhi.

 The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which got 32 seats as part of an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, has already told Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung that it cannot form a government in Delhi as it lacked majority support in the 70-seat assembly.

AAP took the second spot with 28 seats in a dream electoral debut.

The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years, was crushed and ended up with only eight seats. With the two leading parties refusing to form a government, Delhi stares at re-elecions.

If you've ever said to yourself, My underwear is just covering TOO MUCH of my junk -- well, you're in luck.

Petit Q, a French brand, has released a line of underwear that is, honestly, barely there when it comes to covering your nether-regions. A line that seeks to "create a really sexy and edgy brand but still in a playful way," Petit Q is certainly playing up their appeal to the gay male consumer.

Check out the sexy video of the above to check out all of the different styles -- would you wear these skimpy undies?

And if you're looking for some other underwear this season specifically marketed for gay men? Check out these "Identity Briefs," which let your sexual partner know your preferred sexual position before you're even completely naked!

'Kate had ‘Baby Boy Winslet’ on Saturday at an NHS Hospital,' the spokeswoman said.

A source close to Kate added the couple are 'thrilled to bits.'

The newborn is a third child for Kate, but a first for her husband. The baby joins Mia, 13, and Joe, nine, from Kate's first two marriages.

Winslet met Rocknroll while holidaying at his uncle Richard Branson's privately owned Necker Island, where they wed in secret last December after a whirlwind romance.

The 35-year-old works on the space-travel branch of the Virgin empire.

Rocknroll was born Ned Abel Smith, but changed his name to his unusual monkier by deed poll.

Winslet kept her last name on her marriage, telling Usmagazine: 'I was never going to change my name to Rocknroll. I've never changed my name to anything so I didn’t see a reason to start now.'

It is not known which surname the proud parents will give their newborn son, although by referring to 'Baby Boy Winslet' her spokeswoman implied it would be his mother's.

Speaking recently about her pregnancy, Kate told People magazine: 'I feel completely great. Being a parent turns you inside out.

A spokeswoman confirmed the news, saying: “Kate had ‘Baby Boy Winslet’ on Saturday in Sussex. Mother and baby are doing great.”

Kate already has two children - 13-year-old daughter, Mia, with first husband Jim Threapleton and nine-year-old son, Joe, with 'Bond' director, Sam Mendes.

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is quite possibly the least talked about sure-to-be-blockbuster movie of all time.

I do wonder what life would be like in a world where director Peter Jackson had stuck to the original plan and only released two "Hobbit" movies instead of three. Would the reaction to the first movie, “An Unexpected Journey,” have been better? Would we all be more excited for “The Desolation of Smaug”? Would I have heard at least one person say the words, “I cannot wait to see ‘The Desolation of Smaug’” by now?

It’s remarkable that a series that started out as popular as “The Lord of the Rings” has become something of an afterthought. (An afterthought that still makes a lot of money, I will add.) But I feel that “The Hobbit” is basically the “How I Met Your Mother” of movies right now; we all continue to watch because we’ve invested too many hours to give up now, even though we’d probably rather be doing something else. Actually, the difference between “The Desolation of Smaug” and this final season of “How I Met Your Mother” is that “The Desolation of Smaug” is serviceable entertainment.

It’s certainly an upgrade from last year’s “An Unexpected Journey,” in that there are no seemingly endless musical montages. So, yes, the journey of a group of dwarves to reclaim their homeland from the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) continues. But the dwarves really are the biggest problem with the “Hobbit” movies compared to the “Lord of the Rings” movies. There are just so many of them that we don’t really know much about them as individuals, save for Thorin (Richard Armitage). I suspect this is why Jackson decided to bring back Legolas (Orlando Bloom) from “Lord of the Rings” and just completely make up a new character, Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), to add at least the semblance of variety.

And it seems that the only thing the dwarves are good at doing is getting captured, then waiting around for Bilbo (Martin Freeman) to save them. This happens in the first movie, and the dwarves manage to get themselves captured an astounding three times during “The Desolation of Smaug.” (A case can be made that they actually get themselves captured four times.) Watching people go from place to place, getting captured each time along the way, doesn’t make for the most interesting of heroes.

But think if “The Hobbit” had been made into just two movies instead of three. Most of the bloat of the first movie would have had to be cut, giving the first movie a much more urgent pace. We’d be talking about the grand conclusion to a remarkable five-part movie series. All of this makes me a little sad because when “The Lord of the Rings” movies were released, each one was an event. “The Hobbit” movies feel more like a commitment we wish we hadn’t made, but it would be rude at this point not to show up.

It's that time of year when the weather gets a bit cooler and you've got to pull out your winter gear--big coat, gloves, hat and scarf--there's nothing out of the ordinary about that. But one artist is raising eyebrows with his choice of 'scarves' that aren't wool or even silk, they're white women.

Nate Hill, a New York-based performance artist, is grabbing a lot of attention with his latest work entitled "Trophy Scarves" in which the 36-year-old travels to the homes of different white women and drapes them over his shoulders. Some women are scantily clad and others completely naked.

According to the official website, Hill describes the project in one succinct sentence:

"I wear white women for status and power."

Take a quick glance at the "Trophy Scarves" Instagram page and you'll see Hill dressed in a tuxedo with various women, wearing barely anything, over his shoulders.

During an interview with Vice, Hill said the project is commenting on people's ideas of race and status.

"Well, there are people who see certain races as status symbols, and someone had to comment on that," he said. "I wanted to find another way to come at that. I guess it’s the same kind of satirical, tongue-in-cheek approach that I like to take with things. I like to talk about something serious but do it in a lighter, kind of a goofy way. "

Hill has a history of grabbing attention with his comments on race. In November 2011, he caused a stir on the Harlem streets when he donned whiteface and posed as "The White Ambassador."

Following her "stop acting like wh*res" Twitter rant, the Parks & Recreation star has penned an essay for Glamour detailing her frustrations with the "pornification of pop" these days, singling out the likes of Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj for saturating mainstream music with graphic sexual imagery.

"This fall I was hanging out with my sisters, catching up on pop-culture stuff. We watched some music videos, looked at a few Instagram accounts, and checked out blogs. And amid the usual duck-lipped selfies and staged paparazzi photos, a theme emerged: Stripper poles, G-strings, boobs, and a lot of tongue action were all now normal accessories for mainstream pop stars," she writes. "That was at the end of October, a month that had already brought us the Miley Cyrus cross-continental twerk-a-thon and Nicki Minaj's Halloween pasties."

"With the addition of Rihanna writhing on a pole in her 'Pour It Up' video, and Lady Gaga's butt-crack cover art for the song that goes 'Do what you want with my body,' I was just done. I'd had enough."
Adding that she's "not a prude" and "grew up on a healthy balance of sexuality in pop stars," Jones explains that sexy doesn't mean "having to take an ultrasound tour of some pop star's privates."

"Yes, we had Madonna testing the boundaries of appropriateness, but then we also had Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Cyndi Lauper, women who played with sexuality but didn't make it their calling card," she continues. "Twenty years later, all the images seem homogenous. Every star interprets "sexy" the same way: lots of skin, lots of licking of teeth, lots of bending over. I find this oddly...boring."

The actress also explains her use of the word "wh*re" in her previous rant, writing, "The fact that I was accused of 'slut-shaming,' being anti-woman, and judging women's sex lives crushed me. I consider myself a feminist. I would never point a finger at a woman for her actual sexual behavior, and I think all women have the right to express their desires. But I will look at women with influence—millionaire women who use their 'sexiness' to make money—and ask some questions. There is a difference, a key one, between 'shaming' and 'holding someone accountable.'"

Jen Arnold, the star of TLC's "The Little Couple," has revealed she is battling a rare form of cancer.

"I have recently been diagnosed with a rare type of cancer and am currently undergoing treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy," Arnold, 39, said in a statement emailed to The Huffington Post. "I am very fortunate as the prognosis is good. While there is never a good time to get news like this, getting it just as we are building our new family is tough in many ways. ... But being surrounded by the love of my husband and our two beautiful children is actually in many ways giving me the strength to fight it even stronger."

The neonatologist and her husband, Bill Klein, have had their lives documented on TLC since the show premiered in 2009. The series has followed them living with skeletal dysplasia, settling down in Texas and trying to have a child. They now have two adopted children: Will, 3, and Zoey, 2.

TLC cameras will also capture Arnold's fight against cancer, according to People.

In October, Klein and Arnold told Glamour they would drop the series if it ever got "too cumbersome," but so far they have been able to manage their schedules. They've also gotten great joys out of doing the show, particularly when they've been able to share personal struggles with viewers.

"The biggest joy from the show is those moments where somebody sends a message or tells us that the show has helped them in some personal way, whether it’s going through the physical challenges or the medical challenges of being little people or the fertility changes and adoption challenges of starting a family," she said. "They share their own personal challenges and the fact that watching the show helps them keep moving forward, honestly that’s what makes the show worthwhile. It’s a really cool thing and makes me feel happy and proud when that happens."

In fact, she’s sending out positive thoughts to those who’ve openly criticized her Sound of Music Live! performance.

“Plain and simple: Mean people need Jesus,” she wrote on Twitter. “They will be in my prayers tonight…”

She even cited a Bible verse for the naysayers to study -- Peter 2:1-25, to be exact, which reads: “So rid yourselves of all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.”

Underwood very well may be directing those prayers to 55-year-old actress Kym Karath, who played Gretl von Trapp in the much-beloved 1965 movie musical, who wasn’t quite taken with the country pop star in the lead role of Maria von Trapp in NBC’s three-hour live performance Dec. 5.

And she didn’t hold back her disappointment.

“Mystified & disappointed so far by SOM special. So far only happy with Stephen Moyer,” tweeted Karath, who watched the special alongside her former on-screen siblings Charmian Carr (Liesl von Trapp) and Angela Cartwright (Brigitta von Trapp.)

(Karath with Chariman Carr. Photo: Twitter)

“Love Carrie Underwood but this role is just not right for her,” she said, adding that some scenes were “painful to watch.” “She is lovely her voice is beautiful but acting is wrong.”

But she tried to soften the blow: “To be clear I love Carrie Underwood. Just not as Maria,” Karath continued. “She was brave to take it on. And this doesn't lessen my respect for her talent.”

Even the TV critics’ reviews weren’t as scathing, most praising her unbelievable vocal talents, yet pointing out her acting chops just weren’t quite there.

But like a true performer, the only review that mattered to the 30-year-old superstar was her own:

What is "attractiveness"? Artist Gracie Hagen devised one way of addressing the question. In an effort to explore distance between media-propagated imagery -- the ones that star photoshopped men and women with impossibly pristine bodies -- and the genuine reality of our own flesh, she embarked on a project titled "Illusions of the Body."

Recruiting mostly women and a few men of various sizes and shapes, Hagen photographed her models in two separate poses. In the first frame, her subjects stand in conventionally sexy positions, usually accentuating the curves they themselves deem acceptable while covering up the "unattractive" sections they wish to hide. In the second frame, the same models were asked to strike an unflattering pose; to let their bodies fall into postures we don't usually see in the glossy pages of magazines, regardless of how unsexy it might seem.

"'Illusions of the Body' was made to tackle the supposed norms of what we think our bodies are supposed to look like," Hagen pointed out in an email exchange with The Huffington Post. "Most of us realize that the media displays only the prettiest photos of people, yet we compare ourselves to those images. We never get to see those photos juxtaposed against a picture of that same person looking unflattering."

The result of Hagen's experiment is a striking collection of visual contradictions. The male and female bodies on display go from one extreme to another, showing just how malleable our forms can be, while challenging the rigid beauty ideals we've constructed at the same time.

"The media shows us the most attractive photos of people," Hagen explained. "Don't compare yourselves to those images. They aren't realistic. Everyone is a different shape and size. There is no 'normal.' Celebrate your shapes, sizes and the odd contortions your body can get itself into. The human body is a weird and beautiful thing."

Beyonce posted a series of bikini shots from her recent holiday in Jamaica and brought some heat to this chilly December.

The superstar songstress recently went away with her family for some R&R on the Caribbean island. She posted snapshots of the picturesque scenery, the local cuisine and their paddle-boarding adventures. She also posted photos of herself in some bikinis.
In the photos, Beyonce can be seen wearing a purple printed bikini with high-waisted bottoms while lounging on the beach. In others, she rocks a metallic one-shouldered two-piece while she climbs a tree.

The 32-year-old stayed at the Trident Port Antonio Hotel, a luxury property featuring oceanfront villas, according to the Jamaica Observer. She was also spotted checking out the recording studios in Geejam.

It was just announced that she and husband Jay Z will be going vegan for 22 days. The rapper explained it's a spiritual and physical challenge.

He was remembered as a freedom fighter, a political prisoner, a moral icon impervious to hate, and a reconciler of seemingly irreconcilable camps. He was recalled as the crucial figure in the struggle that ended apartheid in South Africa, and as the president who then put aside retribution in favor of building a lasting democracy.

But as the world mourned the death of Nelson Mandela, who died at his home in Johannesburg on Thursday night, words of loss resonated less as historical underscoring than as a collective yearning for a future in which his signature virtues would persevere: Through a human life as complex and vulnerable to contradiction as any other, Mandela consistently evinced an unwavering commitment to improving his nation and the state of human society.

In Britain, David Cameron praised Mandela as "a towering figure in our time; a legend in life and now in death - a true global hero," adding that "a great light has gone out in the world." Former prime minister Tony Blair celebrated Mandela as a transformational figure whose impacts on the events of his era went beyond his own nation.

"He came to represent something that was much more than just about the resolution of the issues of apartheid and of South Africa," Blair said. "He came to represent something quite inspirational for the future of the world and for peace and reconciliation in the 21st century."

In Washington, President Barack Obama called Mandela "one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with," adding: "He no longer belongs to us, he belongs to the ages."

Obama spoke about Mandela's importance in strikingly personal terms, a recognition of the historical distinction they share as the first black men elected to their nation's highest offices.

"I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela's life," Obama said. "I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example set by Nelson Mandela."

Those words effectively closed the book on previous American conceptions of Mandela who, until 2008, remained on the nation's terrorist watch list given his support for armed resistance.

In a sign that this sort of sentiment has yet to be dispatched to history, Malala Yousafzai, the teenage Pakastani activist who has earned global acclaim for championing the cause of girls' education, issued a statement in which she called Mandela "my leader."

"He belongs to the whole world because he is an icon of equality, freedom and love, the values we need all the time everywhere," Malala said. "His long, long struggle is a great demonstration of humanity."

In Italy, Minister of Integration Cecile Kyenge -- the first black woman to serve at that level of Italian government -- also described Mandela as a historical current whose force lives on even after his death.

"He leaves the whole world a message of civil society that has accompanied us throughout the twentieth century and that will accompany future generations for centuries to come," Kyenge said. "The man himself has passed away but he left his light on, a flame that we will continue to feed in conveying his being, his teachings."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Mandela "a giant of history," whose focus on peaceful change over historical revenge made him a "statesman with a message that is valid in every country and at every time."

In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed sorrow for the loss of "a beacon of hope for the future," while emphasizing how Mandela had focused on bridging the racial chasm dividing his country in the years after apartheid.

"Not only was former President Mandela a tireless fighter, he was also a promoter of reconciliation," Abe said. "Indeed, after bringing about the abolition of apartheid at the end of long years of suffering, he devoted himself to the pursuit of national unity rather than seeking vengeance."

Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino expressed admiration for Mandela's willingness to acknowledge the role of F.W. de Klerk, the last South African president under apartheid, in working to eradicate the racist system. "It was not an easy thing to say, and to say it in those years to his people," Bonino said. "Yet Mandela had the intellectual honesty to proclaim it and to start his policy of reconciliation."

After the Victoria’s Secret show last month, Jessica Hart was asked whether Taylor Swift had what it takes to be a VS model. The answer was an emphatic “no” in which she explained.

“I think, you know what, god bless her heart. I think she’s great,” she said. “But, I don’t know, to me, she didn’t fit. I don’t know if I should say that. I think what you find is that for a lot of us, we’ve been working for 14, 15 years; what it takes to make it here comes from experience and confidence and knowing how to be confident with yourself. I think it comes with age. It’s definitely the benchmark of all jobs.”

Today, rumors started floating around that Victoria’s Secret ripped off Hart’s wings over the comment and cast her out of Victoria’s Secret heaven.

Turns out this simply wasn’t true. VS president of marketing Ed Razek tells Confidenti@l that her wings are safe from being clipped.

    “There is no truth to the rumors that Jessica Hart has been fired or that she will no longer work with the brand,” said Ed Razek, President and Chief Marketing Officer of VS. “As you will see, she was a great part of our show and we look forward to continuing to work with her. As previously reported, we at Victoria’s Secret and all those involved, including Jessica Hart, were thrilled to have Taylor be a part of the show. We look forward to sharing her performances next week during the television special.”

Of course Hart won’t be fired. You can’t argue with the truth. What you can do is write a whiny single about a girl telling you you can never be a model and have it hit #1 on the Billboard charts.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, visiting China as a dispute over a new Chinese air defence zone rattles nerves around the region, said on Wednesday that relations between Washington and Beijing had to be based on trust.

Beijing’s decision to declare an air defence identification zone in an area that includes disputed islands has triggered protests from the United States, Japan and South Korea and dominated Biden’s talks in Tokyo on Tuesday.


The United States has made clear it will stand by treaty obligations that require it to defend the Japanese-controlled islands, but it is also reluctant to get dragged into any military clash between rivals Japan and China.

Biden told Chinese President Xi Jinping he believed Xi was a candid and constructive person.

“In developing this new relationship, both qualities are sorely needed,” Biden said during a meeting in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

“Candor generates trust. Trust is the basis on which real change, constructive change, is made.”

Xi said the international situation and regional landscape were “undergoing profound and complex changes”.

“Regional issues keep cropping up and there are more pronounced global challenges such as climate change and energy security. The world is not tranquil,” he added.

Neither made any mention of the air defence zone in remarks before reporters. Biden flies to Seoul on Thursday.

As Biden arrived, the official English-language China Daily said in a strongly worded editorial that he “should not expect any substantial headway if he comes simply to repeat his government’s previous erroneous and one-sided remarks”.

“If the U.S. is truly committed to lowering tensions in the region, it must first stop acquiescing to Tokyo’s dangerous brinkmanship. It must stop emboldening belligerent Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to constantly push the envelope of Japan’s encroachments and provocations.”

Under the zone’s rules, all aircraft have to report flight plans to Chinese authorities, maintain radio contact and reply promptly to identification inquiries.

U.S., Japanese and South Korean military aircraft have breached the zone without informing Beijing since it was announced on Nov. 23.

Up against the number one side in ODIs, South African coach Russell Domingo today said that facing India in the three-match one-day series starting here tomorrow will be a "tough assignment" for the Proteas.

"It's a big gauge for us. Look, we've won five of our last eight one-dayers, so we're heading in right direction, there is no doubt about it. But we know that India are going to be a tough assignment for us," Domingo said.

"They are coming off outstanding performances, albeit in India and under Indian conditions, but we are really looking forward to it. We need to see where we are going," the coach was quoted as saying in the South African media.

India are on a high having beaten Australia and the West Indies in their last two ODI series.

"India are a quality side and a big attraction, and we would have liked to test ourselves against them, but that's the way it is and there's nothing we can do about it," he said.

The South Africans' weakness against spin was exposed by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in their last ODI series against Pakistan but Domingo thought otherwise.

"I don't think it's spin bowlers, I think it's one or two spin bowlers. Saeed Ajmal is the number-one ranked (ODI) bowler right now. He's a world-class spinner, he has been for a period of time, and particularly when you play him under conditions like we had in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth as well. He's always going to be tough.

"A lot of batters have struggled against him and a lot will still struggle against him. I don't think we've got a weakness against spin bowling, just that Saeed Ajmal is a world-class bowler and I'm glad he's back in Pakistan.

The Indian rupee recovered from early losses and gained 31 paise to close at a one-month high of 62.05 against the US dollar today on fresh selling by exporters and banks, amid foreign capital inflows into local stocks.

The Indian rupee opened lower at 62.40 per Us dollar against the previous close of 62.36 at the interbank foreign exchange market and dropped further to 62.55 on US dollar demand from banks and importers.

It recovered to 62.04 per dollar before ending at 62.05, a gain of 31 paise or 0.50 per cent. The Indian rupee is at the highest level since it ended at 61.62 on November 5.

The Indian rupee traded strong against the US dollar due to inflows from foreign banks, which may be partially tied to Power Grid share sale inflows, said Pramit Brahmbhatt, CEO of Alpari Financial Services (India).

The follow-on-public offer of Power Grid Corporation was fully subscribed on the second day today. The issue is open till tomorrow for institutional buyers and it will close a day later for retail investors.

The Indian rupee gained even as the US dollar rose against major currencies today on expectations that key economic data from the US this week could increase pressure on the Federal Reserve to taper its bond-buying programme.

The November labour report from the US, due on Friday, is a key indicator to gauge the recovery in the US economy. A stronger economy may lead to the Federal Reserve tapering its USD 85 billion a month economic stimulus.

The benchmark 30-share Sensex tumbled 146.21 points or 0.7 per cent to 20,708.71. Overseas investors bought a net Rs 516.59 crore of shares yesterday, according to provisional figures from the stock exchanges.

Forward dollar premiums recovered on fresh payments from banks and corporates.

The benchmark six-month forward dollar premium payable in May edged up to 246-1/2 to 248-1/2 paise from 246 to 248 paise previously and far-forward contracts maturing in November moved up to 480-1/2 to 482-1/2 paise from 478-1/2 to 480-1/2 paise.

Being Bollywood's 'Mr Perfectionist' comes with its own problems, as superstar Aamir Khan feels guilty for not being able to spend enough time with his family.

The meticulous star, who prepares extensively before taking up any project and thus ends up doing only one film a year, says he found it difficult to juggle shooting for Dhoom 3, Peekay, and doing research for his TV show Satyamev Jayate 2.

Aamir's son, Azad, turned a year-old recently. The actor said he would take his son along for shootings so that he could spend more time with him.

"I have always felt that I am not spending enough time with my children and family. I spent 25 years with this guilt.

The problem is that I get so lost in my work that I don't realise it. I feel guilty that I am so self-centred. But, I think I am a good father and a good husband," Aamir said.

The father-of-three said his youngest, Azad, born through surrogacy, has started going to play school now.

"We feel blessed to have Azad in our lives. His face lights up our life. Now he has started going to play school but earlier he would not let me leave for work and I would end up taking him on my shoots," he added.

Aamir, who is now gearing up for the release of Dhoom 3, said producer Aditya Chopra had to delay the film for a year as he wanted to prepare extensively.

"The physical training was really difficult. I had to have a lean but flexible body for my character of gymnast. I had only nine per cent of body fat while doing the film but got relaxed after I finished shooting.

 A Delhi court Wednesday granted Gujarat Police a one-day transit remand of spiritual guru Asaram Bapu's son Narayan Sai, accused in a rape case in Surat.

Metropolitan Magistrate Dheeraj Mor granted the transit remand for Narayan Sai and two other accused, Kaushal Thakur alias Hanuman and driver Ramesh Malhotra.

Gujarat Police sought the transit remand, saying that Narayan Sai was required to be presented before a local court, which has issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

Narayan Sai was on run after a complaint was filed by a 30-year-old woman that he raped her between 2001 and 2005. He was arrested along with four accomplices from Pipli village near Kurukshetra in Haryana Tuesday night.

Gujarat Police told the court that Sai was trying to escape from the law.

"There is a specific allegation against Sai in the case. A warrant has been issued against him by a Surat court," a police officer said.

Police said Sai and Hanuman were already mentioned in the complaint while during investigation it was revealed that Malhotra was sending girls to Sai.

Police alleged that the three were equal participants in the criminal misconduct.

Sai's counsel Pradeep Rana told the court that Sai was going to surrender before a court in Gujarat but police arrested him on a tip-off.

He opposed the police's plea and said Sai will cooperate in the investigation.

Rana said Sai was innocent in the case.

On being asked by the court as to why Sai was not responding to the court's summons, counsel said Sai was apprehensive that the court will not grant him bail or any relief due to hype created by the media in the case.

He said Sai and Asaram have both been accused in rape cases.

Another defence counsel, A.P. Singh said the case was politically motivated and was registered in a bid to malign the image of Hindu seers.

One of the worst kept secrets in recent Hollywood memory was that Benedict Cumberbatch had been cast as Khan in J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek Into Darkness." Not only was Cumberbatch listed as Khan on the film's IMDb page before "Star Trek Into Darkness" was even released, but the notion that Khan was the "Star Trek" villain pre-dated the actor's involvement: Both Vulture and Latino Review reported that the famed "Star Trek" baddie was the sequel's antagonist back in December of 2011, a full 17 months before "Star Trek Into Darkness" opened in theaters.

Despite all of that existing information, Abrams and Paramount, the studio behind the film's release, hid Cumberbatch's identity. Speaking to MTV's Josh Horowitz in a recent interview, Abrams admitted that may have been an error.

"The truth is I think it probably would have been smarter just to say upfront 'This is who it is.' It was only trying to preserve the fun of it, and it might have given more time to acclimate and accept that’s what the thing was," Abrams said. "The truth is because it was so important to the studio that we not angle this thing for existing fans. If we said it was Khan, it would feel like you’ve really got to know what ‘Star Trek’ is about to see this movie. That would have been limiting. I can understand their argument to try to keep that quiet, but I do wonder if it would have seemed a little bit less like an attempt at deception if we had just come out with it."

Abrams admission contradicts at least one report about the "Star Trek Into Darkness" marketing campaign. Back in May, before the "Into Darkness" release, Badass Digest's Devin Faraci wrote that "there was a move to reveal [Khan] during March Madness, but that never happened." How close that was to being a reality, however, is unclear: Faraci made no mention of the scrapped Khan campaign in writing about Abrams' recent comments to MTV.

Combining two of the Internet's favorite things -- NBC's upcoming live remake of "The Sound of Music" and the holiday season -- Mary J. Blige released her own version of "My Favorite Things," the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic about silver white winters that melt into spring. The track comes from Blige's newest holiday album, "A Mary Christmas" (yes), which also features holiday staples such as "Little Drummer Boy" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Catch Blige's "Favorite Things" below and pick up her "Mary Christmas" in stores now.

 Congress MP Nitesh Rane has been arrested for smashing a Goa transport department-operated border toll booth near here, police said on Tuesday.

An official said that Rane, Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra's Sindhudurg constituency which borders the state, was on his way to Goa when his entourage was stopped at a toll booth in Dhargal, 30 km from here, for payment as a part of a new entry system put in place by the state for vehicles registered outside Goa.

The enraged Rane along with his supporters tried to assault the occupants of the booth and smash the boom barrier and the toll operator cabin as well.

He was later picked up by police from a hotel in Calangute which is operated by a company owned by the Rane family.

A senior police official confirmed Rane's arrest.

"A first information report has been registered at the Pernem police station," the official said.

I have a couple of girl friends whom I really envy. They know exactly what they want — or rather, what they don’t want.  They don’t want to have children.  Two of my girl friends are childless by choice, which means that while they enjoy being involved in the lives other people’s children, they have no interest at all in becoming parents of their own. There isn’t a doubt in either of their minds that kids are not a possibility.

My own feelings on the subject are much more hazy.

In childhood, I assumed I would have lots of children when I grew up, probably because that would have been a continuation of what I already knew. I’m the youngest of five kids and the chaos and coziness seemed like the definition of “family” to me. I also played with baby dolls and was probably socialized, on some level, into believing it was a foregone conclusion that I’d have children.

I felt serious about becoming a mother all the way up and through my first serious adult relationship. I could envision our lives together and fantasized about what our children would look like (cute); we had serious conversations about the sort of career and finance-related decisions we needed to make in order to become parents.

When that relationship ended, the attendant fantasies died with it. At this point something must have switched. Maybe it was that I worried my certitude about having children someday partially scared him away. Maybe it was that I simply recalibrated my own “must have” list for future happiness. But the next serious relationship that I entered was with a man who didn’t want children. He envisioned a life for himself that involved traveling and going out to dinner whenever he wanted and having no responsibility to others, save the ones he already had with his family. He made that lifestyle look really, really appealing (although he, ultimately, was not such an appealing person). For the first time in my life, I seriously considered that I might be happy without children if I had the right partner to spend it with. The next serious relationship — with a divorced guy who had two children from his previous marriage and didn’t want any more kids — only solidified that decision. I could very happily be a stepmom, too.

Now I can see lots of options about parenthood that might appeal to me. Without any sense of certainty anymore about such a big decision, I feel rudderless at age 29. That feels like a perilous age to be adrift on these big subjects like whether I really want to procreate or whether I’ll regret not doing so. My husband seems to feel similarly ambivalent — or perhaps characteristically happy-go-lucky is a better way to put it. When we talk about it, he says “not now but maybe someday” a lot; that’s about the same way I feel, although I’m the one with the ticking biological clock who knows “someday” is realistically some point within the next decade. For now, both of us like being an aunt and uncle to my siblings’ kids and waving hi to cute babies on the street. But we recognize there’s a lot more than that to becoming a parent. Becoming a parent completely changes your life.

It's been a busy year for music, as evidenced by the eclectic tracks that have proven most popular on Spotify. While 2013 saw Miley Cyrus dominate the news cycle and Kanye West stir up more controversy than his soon-to-be wife could even begin to calculate, the 10 most frequently streamed tracks on the online music service include neither artist.

That doesn't mean the Top 10, however, is too obscure. Two of this year's songs of the summer -- Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" -- are slotted among the tracks, right above 17-year-old phenom Lorde's "Royals." Taking the top spots are Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive" and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop."

These are the most commonly streamed songs on Spotify in the U.S. The global version features most of the same hits.

Among the most-streamed albums of the year:
1. "Night Visions" – Imagine Dragons
2. "The Heist" – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
3. "The Lumineers" – The Lumineers
4. "Unorthodox Jukebox" – Bruno Mars
5. "Magna Carta…Holy Grail" – Jay Z
6. "Nothing Was The Same" – Drake
7. "Born To Die – The Paradise Edition" – Lana Del Rey
8. "18 Months" – Calvin Harris
9. "Good kid, m.A.A.d city" – Kendrick Lamar
10. "Random Access Memories" – Daft Punk

Former Coronation Street babe Helen Flanagan has returned to the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! jungle one year after she was a contestant.

The buxom blonde went on the ITV2 spin-off show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Now! and was seen stroking a crocodile that lay on Roving Reporter Joe Swash’s chest.

The actress rose to a new level of fame after her stint in the Australian jungle last year, but seemed keen to get back to under the canopy this series to support the current contestants.

With her hair in angelic pigtails, the busty actress showed off her cleavage in a pink and black bikini.

Her red lipstick accentuated her plump lips, but, as ever, the star’s fake tan let down her look.

Although she had streaky hands, the actress did look like she’d picked up a golden glow during her time in Australia.

Standing to one side, waiting for her cue, Helen was spotted filing her nails. 

The actress allegedly said that she would not be interested in dating Joey Essex as he is too 'thick' to be her boyfriend. Although charming Joey has proved to be popular with the ladies, the ex-Coronation Street actress, who is famous for her ditzy remarks, has reportedly said she was prefer a 'smarter man'. According to The Sun, the 23-year-old said the TOWIE star was 'too thick' to be her boyfriend and added: 'Opposites attract so I wouldn't go for Joey.' Helen, who came seventh in the last series and faced a torrent of public abuse after being mocked as the ultimate airhead, has stuck up for beauty queen Amy Willerton after contestants have been critical of her.

Kate Moss practically walks around naked everyday so it was a no-brainer to feature her in a pictorial for the 60th Anniversary edition of Playboy. The photos, courtesy Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for Playboy, show Kate in various states of bunny-dom. Not sure if that’s a real word or thing even, but bear with me.

Kate is also interviewed by Sir Tom Jones and is asked to play fuck, marry, kill with Marc Jacobs, Naomi Campbell and Piers Morgan. It’s not even an interesting group of people. The answer is obvious to anyone with half a brain. Kill Piers Morgan, marry Marc Jacobs and fuck Naomi Campbell. This is the most softball question ever. He might as well have asked her what flavor ice cream she likes.

"Inside Llewyn Davis" and Brie Larson were two surprise winners at Monday night's Gotham Awards in New York, the ostensible kick-off of awards season. (It even says so on the Gotham Awards website: "The Gotham Independent Film Awards, selected by distinguished juries and presented in New York City, the home of independent film, are the first honors of the film awards season.")

"Inside Llewyn Davis" was named Best Feature at the ceremony, putting the Joel and Ethan Coen film at the top of a category that included presumed Oscar favorite "12 Years A Slave" as well as "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," "Before Midnight" and "Upstream Color." ("Inside Llewyn Davis" is out in limited release on Dec. 6.)

"It's a movie made in New York about New Yorkers, filled with New Yorkers," title star Oscar Isaac said to the Gotham Awards crowd while accepting the trophy.

Larson, who stars in "Short Term 12," won Best Actress, defeating Cate Blanchett (for "Blue Jasmine"), Scarlett Johansson (for "Don Jon"), Amy Seimetz (for "Upstream Color") and Shailene Woodley (for "The Spectacular Now"). Blanchett was the expected choice for the award heading into the night, if only because of her standing as an early Oscar front-runner for Best Actress.

Other winners on Monday night included Matthew McConaughey, who won Best Actor for "Dallas Buyers Club," and Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan, the director and star, respectively, of "Fruitvale Station." Coogler won the Gotham Awards Breakthrough Director honor, while Jordan took home Breakthrough Actor.

Malin Akerman knows she's not an actual trophy wife, though she plays one on her ABC show of the same name.

Instead, she stars as Kate, a party-girl-turned-doting-stepmom married to Pete (Bradley Whitford). "Trophy Wife" could easily become another yawn-inducing family sitcom, but Akerman and her strong supporting cast (Marcia Gay-Harden and Michaela Watkins co-star as Pete's first and second wives, respectively) have made it one of fall's best new shows.

We caught Akerman on the phone for a quick conversation about Kate's made-up backstory, the love lives of Pete's first and second femme and why she's pretty sure she'll be his last wife.

NOTE: This interview contains minor spoilers for the Dec. 3 episode of "Trophy Wife."

It seems like there’s absolutely no jealousy between you and the other wives, Jackie (Watkins) and Diane (Gay-Harden).
There aren't any jealousy issues. I think Jackie is just so quirky and out there, but I do think Kate feels a little inferior to Diane’s character. That may be a struggle for Kate because she doesn’t feel good enough when she’s around Diane. But with Jackie, it’s sort of like they were never even married because she can’t quite comprehend how they were ever together. But I do think Pete and Kate have the base of any good relationship. That's why "Trophy Wife" is a little tongue-in-cheek, because this truly is a really good and healthy relationship.
I think this is one of the stronger relationships you see between a husband and a wife on TV these days and I was wondering why you think that is?
Pete has tried on a few different hats. So, he’s figured out what works for him. For Kate, my own personal backstory of her life is that she comes from a screwed up family and finds this sort of instant family where she’s finally part of something that really is more important than boys and partying she’s been doing. Aside from that, they have the same sense of humor, they can joke about things and they don’t take life too seriously.

It’s such a diverse cast. How did you feel when you first started working with these TV legends for the first time?
I was intimidated all right. I’m sorry, Marcia Gay-Harden? Oscar winner. Bradley Whitford? Emmy winner. Michaela Watkins? improv extraordinaire. I’m the weakest. There’s always that nervous-ness of putting together a cast and not knowing if someone’s going to be a diva. But, the very first day we just clicked. It was incredible. It was one of those things, this was one that I really hoped would work because it’s such a great group of people.

In the Dec. 3 episode, we meet Diane's lover (Dennis Haysbert). Do you know if we're going to see more of him?
Isn't it great?! Dennis is so fantastic. Listen, we all hope these characters come back and visit us and that becomes a regular thing, like Jackie's relationship with Sad Steve (Nat Faxon). It creates an extra dynamic and expands the family to be even bigger.

The Delhi High Court Tuesday remanded Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav to 10 days police custody for concealing facts about a Rs5 crore recovery suit filed against him and his wife by a Delhi-based entrepreneur.

Justice S Murlidhar also asked Yadav's wife to remain present in the
registrar general's office till the rising of the court.

The judge also issued a contempt of court notice against two lawyers representing the couple.

Rajpal has appeared in films such as Hungama, Waqt: The Race Against Time, Chup Chup Ke, Garam Masala, Phir Hera Pheri, Dhol to name a few.

The entrepreneur, MG Agarwal, filed a cheating case against the actor a few years ago, in which he alleged that Yadav, who turned producer with his movie Ata Pata Laapata failed to pay back a loan of Rs. 5 crore.

Agarwal's lawyer had alleged that Yadav had given his client eight cheques, all of which bounced. He added that they signed two contracts with Yadav, which gave Murli Projects the rights to the music and overall production of the movie.

However, Agarwal has alleged that Yadav went behind his back and released the music independently and also declared the release date of the movie.

 India on Tuesday successfully test-fired indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile with a strike range of 350 km from a test range at Chandipur in Odisha as part of a user trial by defence forces.

The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired at around 10:05 a.m. from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range, about 15 km from Balasore, defence sources said.

Describing the launch of the sophisticated missile as a complete success, ITR Director M.V.K.V. Prasad said all the mission parameters were met during the trial.

“The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock and the launch activities were carried out by the specially formed Strategic Force Command (SFC) and monitored by scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of training exercise,” the sources said.

“The missile trajectory was tracked by DRDO radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located along the coast of Odisha,” they said.

“The downrange teams onboard a ship deployed near the designated impact point in Bay of Bengal monitored the terminal events and splashdown,” they said.

Inducted into India’s Strategic Forces Command in 2003, Prithvi, the first missile developed by DRDO under India’s prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program), is now a proven technology, said a defence official.

“The launch was part of a regular training exercise of SFC and was monitored by DRDO scientists,” he said.

Such training launches clearly indicate India’s operational readiness to meet any eventuality and also establishes the reliability of this deterrent component of India’s strategic arsenal, the official said.

Prithvi is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory.

The last user trial of Prithvi-II missile was successfully carried out from the same base on October 7.

The move followed clashes over the weekend and on Monday, with tear gas and rubber bullets used.

The mood in the capital Bangkok appeared calmer after the police move, which officials said was aimed at avoiding further confrontation.

The Thai prime minister has rejected protesters' demands that she step down.

Yingluck Shinawatra said she was open to negotiations but that calls for the government to be replaced by an appointed council were illegal and unconstitutional.

The protests, which began on 24 November, had been largely peaceful until Saturday, when they became violent.

Over the weekend and on Monday demonstrators tried to break apart police barricades and storm the prime minister's office, Government House, with police using tear gas and water cannon to repel them.
Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday that the protesters would "take over the Metropolitan Police Bureau and make it the people's".

On Tuesday morning - in a surprise and possibly shrewd move - the police took down barriers and razor wire outside their building and it was announced that the protesters were welcome inside, the BBC's Jonah Fisher reports from Bangkok.

Protesters are also being allowed through the barricades outside Government House, the scene of violence on Monday.

The move is seen as an attempt to prevent further clashes.

"In every area where there has been confrontation, we have now ordered all police to withdraw. It is government policy to avoid confrontation," police chief Kamronvit Thoopkrachang told Reuters.

"Today, we won't use tear gas, no confrontation, we will let them in if they want," he said.

With the obstacles removed the demonstrators have so far declined to enter any of the buildings, our correspondent says.

Protesters have described the latest developments as a victory for the people.

Tendulkar and his school friend Vinod Kambli burst onto the scene together but then went separate ways, writes Steve James.
Sachin Tendulkar to the extreme left and Vinod Kambli to the extreme right with their childhood coach in the centre at an event in 2009.

You would, wouldn't you? The best batsmen just want to bat and bat. And schoolboys are hardly known for their obedience. These two schoolboy batsmen were going rather well. So well in fact that they had both passed their double centuries. On the boundary's edge their assistant coach was waving his arms furiously. He was demanding their attention. It was time to declare. The team total had surpassed 500 after all.

But the batsmen were having none of it. This was too much fun. They carried on batting. And batting a bit more. By lunch of what was the second day of this three-day Harris Shield semi-final in Mumbai in 1988, one had 349 not out and his friend 326 not out. But they knew they had disobeyed instructions.

Their coach, Ramakant Achrekar, a man they both respected hugely, was not present, as he had to work that day. Instead it was his assistant, Laxman Chavan, whose instructions had been disregarded. At the interval Chavan told the pair of youngsters that they should phone Achrekar. Their coach asked the score. Over 700 came the reply. "Declare!" screamed Achrekar, according to Vaibhav Purandare, an Indian author.

"Sir, I'm batting on 349," said the one young man by the name of Vinod Kambli, before the phone was passed to the other, the captain. Sachin Tendulkar was his name. You may have heard of him. "Sir, Vinod needs one run to complete his 350, we'll declare as soon as he gets out," he said. "Declare!" shouted Achrekar, and for once Tendulkar was in trouble. But he and Kambli had already put on an unbeaten 664 for the third wicket for Shardashram School against St Xavier's College, and two stars of Indian cricket had been born.

A year later Tendulkar was playing Test cricket for India. "He took the elevator to the top," said Kambli, "whilst I took the stairs". But by 1993 they were on the top floor together in the Indian Test team, with Kambli at three and Tendulkar at four in a series at home to England. In the third Test in Mumbai, Kambli made 224, still the highest Test score by an Indian against England.

In his next Test against Zimbabwe, the left-handed Kambli made 227. Tendulkar was not to score his first Test double-hundred for another six years. In his next two Tests against Sri Lanka Kambli made two centuries. But after another 10 Tests he was dropped. That was in 1995, and he was aged just 23.

Despite averaging 54.2, he never played another Test. How different were the paths then taken by those schoolboy mates. Recently Tendulkar announced his retirement amid an avalanche of paeans; last week Kambli at the age of just 41 was rushed to hospital in Mumbai having suffered a heart attack. He is said to be in a stable condition. Tendulkar was always the model professional; Kambli was always the classic larrikin, with his golden earrings, funky haircuts (although the pate is now bald) and extravagant lifestyle. Maybe Kambli was before his time because he might have fitted in nicely in the indulgent excesses of the Indian Premier League now.

But even though he was still playing international one-day cricket in 2000, and indeed Indian first-class cricket until 2004, it was his lax attitude, not a susceptibility to the short ball, that scuppered his career. So it is little surprise really that his friendship with Tendulkar did not remain strong. "I haven't heard Sachin's sound for a long time and it hurts me," said Kambli recently. "It's been seven long years and we haven't met with each other. In between we just shared a few text messages and that's all. It seems as if we have become enemies now."

"Matilda" star Mara Wilson's "breakup" with Hollywood was a mutual one.

"It was sort of a slow realization," the 26-year-old told HuffPost Live's Caitlyn Becker Monday (Dec. 2) about her transition away from Hollywood after reaching child stardom. "I think it was the realization that I didn't have to do it anymore. It felt like a constant in my life for a very long time ... but I was never really that crazy about it after 'Matilda,' I would say."

"After that, I wasn't as passionate about it anymore," she continued. "And people grow out of things. That's something people don't really understand."

Wilson got her start in the 1993 family flick "Mrs. Doubtfire" and then moved onto roles in "Melrose Place," "Miracle On 34th Street," "Matilda" and "Batman Beyond." But, by the time she was a teenager, she was done.

"I was 13 and I was awkward, and I was gawky, and I was not a very cute kid anymore," she added. "So, Hollywood didn't really want me at that point, and I was kind of over it, too. So, after a while, it feels like a mutual breakup. That's the way that I'd describe it."

Wilson has previously spoken out about child stars and how the fame game can change people.

Back in May -- in the midst of Lindsay Lohan's legal issues and Amanda Bynes' breakdown -- she penned a blog post on Cracked about why child stars go crazy. She cited reasons like lack of parental guidance, exploitation and the fleeting nature of celebrity.

"It's basically a real-life version of 'Logan's Run.' A child actor who is no longer cute is no longer monetarily viable and is discarded. He or she is then replaced by someone younger and cuter, and fan bases accordingly forget that the previous object of affection ever existed," Wilson wrote.

"Most of you reading this felt pretty disgusting and useless while you were going through puberty. But imagine that people you once relied on and trusted -- as well as millions of people you'd never met, who had previously liked you -- had told you then, 'Yeah, it's true. You are exactly as ugly and worthless as you feel.

This is how she do: Rita Ora has been cast in the upcoming adaptation of "50 Shades of Grey."

The 23-year-old singer has booked the role of Mia, the adopted sister of Christian Grey, this according to The Hollywood Reporter. Ora joins a cast which already includes Jamie Dornan (who will be playing Grey), Dakota Johnson (Grey's love interest, Anastasia Steele), and Eloise Mumford, Luke Grimes, and Max Martini.

Ora is saying "R.I.P." to the singer she used to be and turning her focus to the major film project. She released her last album, "Ora," in 2012, and has since made appearances in an episode of "90210" and in the latest "Fast & Furious" movie, "Fast Six."

Hitting theaters on Feb. 13, 2015, the adaptation of E L James' best-selling novel began filming this week. The upcoming movie tells the story of the kinky relationship that forms between Grey and Steele.