MONDAY, AUGUST 26

NATIONAL HEADLINES:

WHITE HOUSE SAYS THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT SYRIAN GOV’T CARRIED OUT CHEMICAL ATTACK

The White House said it is almost positive that the Syrian government is responsible for an alleged chemical attack conducted against Syrian civilians earlier this week. A senior administration official said that based on evidence including the reported number of victims, the reported symptoms of those affected, and witness accounts, “there is very little doubt at this point that a chemical weapon was used by the Syrian regime against civilians in this incident.” Over 350 people were reportedly killed last week and around 3,600 people showed symptoms of a neurotoxin. The official said the facts were continuing to be assessed so thatPresident Obama can make an informed decision on how best to respond. Syria’s regime said it will allow UN inspectors to access the site of the attack, but the senior administration official suggested it may be too late because “the regime’s persistent shelling” has “significantly corrupted” evidence in the area.

MASSIVE CALI WILDFIRE THREATENS HOMES, SEQUOIAS

A massive California wildfire was threatening thousands of rural homes near Yosemite National Park, officials said yesterday. The so-called Rim Fire has burned an area roughly the size of Chicago so far – just over 200 square miles – and has been nearing the northwest flank of the park. Flames were inching dangerously close to two famed groves of sequoias. The trees can withstand fire, but park employees are taking extra precautions to protect the Tuolumne and Mercred groves. They’ve been cutting brush and setting sprinklers. The fire, which was just seven percent contained on Saturday, also threatened the San Francisco power grid, but it remained about 150 miles outside the city yesterday.

CARGO TRAIN DERAILS IN MEXICO, KILLS AT LEAST 5 MIGRANTS

A cargo train carrying Central American migrants to the U.S. derailed in southern Mexico yesterday, killing five and injuring 16. Officials said at least 250 Honduran migrants were on the train known as “The Beast,” when eight cars flew off the tracks. Heavy rains had apparently loosened the earth beneath the tracks and shifted the rails in a remote, marshy area. Ambulances could not reach the area, but dozens of soldiers, marines and civilian emergency workers rushed to the scene. Apparently, this train is notorious for bringing migrants to the U.S. Thousands ride on its roof each year, sometimes enduring brutal conditions just for the chance to cross over the U.S. border.

AMANDA KNOX WON’T RETURN TO ITALY FOR RETRIAL

Amanda Knox will not return to Italy to attend a new appeals trial in her murder case, her attorney said yesterday. Luciano Ghirga said in the Florence paper La Nazione that he met with the 25-year-old and fellow defense team members in the U.S. recently, and Knox stated she would not be attending the trial. The trial is set to begin in Florence on Sept. 30. Knox spent four years in a Perugia prison after being convicted of the murder of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher. An Italian appeals court threw out Knox's murder conviction in 2011. But in March of this year, the Italian Supreme Court rejected the Appeals Court ruling and ordered a new trial for Knox and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 29. Knox does not have to return to Italy for the trial, and extradition is not currently being considered.

INSURGENTS KILL 41 IN IRAQ

Insurgents in Iraq killed at least 41 people in a series of attacks around the country yesterday. They hit various targets, including a coffee shop, a wedding party convoy, a group of young people playing soccer and a marketplace. Possibly the most brazen of the attacks occurred near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, where militants set up a fake security checkpoint, captured five plain-clothed soldiers and then shot them dead. Insurgents are trying to destabilize Iraq and call into question the security forces’ ability to protect people. According to the United Nations, violent attacks last month claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people, the highest monthly death toll in five years.

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SHOWBIZ NEWS:

LAMAR ODOM DRUG ADDICTION RUMORS

Forget infidelity, TMZ reports the troubles in Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom’s marriage stem from Lamar’s drug problem. The site claims Lamar has had a problem with crack cocaine for two years, and last August, Khloe pushed him into rehab, which Lamar bolted after three weeks. Lamar was able to stay clean after rehab, but once the NBA season was over he slipped back into addiction. TMZ claims Khloe staged an intervention last week which failed and she then kicked him out of the house, which is why photographers caught luggage being loaded into his car. As of Sunday, Lamar had not contacted anyone for nearly 72 hours, and the family is concerned he’s hiding out somewhere doing crack. As for the infidelity rumors, TMZ says Khloe is convinced they are true, but for now divorce is not on the table. Said a source, “Khloe is more concerned about saving Lamar than ending her marriage. “ There has been no official comment from Khloe regarding the drug allegations although on Sunday she did tweet, “Really hard to sit here and listen to people talk sh-t about my family. F**k you and shame on you! I'm too protective for this sh-t!"

FIRST PIC OF NORTH WEST RELEASED

As promised, Kanye West debuted the first picture of baby North on Kris Jenner’s talk show Friday. Kris and Kanye talked about the offers he and Kim Kardashian received for the first picture, but said he thought it would help with Kris’s ratings be nicer to do it on the finale of Kris’ talk show. "As everyone knows, it's sometimes difficult for me to deal with the press and at this point it's almost an agenda for them to write me into a story," he explained. "This was a safe place where I could express myself with love without an agenda." Kanye says he first met Kim when she wasBrandy’s assistant and it was “definitely” love at first sight. “I was in love with her before I ever got to talk to her,” he explained. He says that since North was born he’s become a “brand new person,” adding, “my only goal is to protect my daughter. 

PETITIONS STARTED TO BOOT AFFLECK AS BATMAN

News that Ben Affleck was cast as Batman in the Man of Steel sequel was met with extreme disgust Friday. In fact, some people are already trying to get him booted from the blockbuster.John Roden of Ludlow, Kentucky started a Change.org petition asking Warner Bros. to drop Affleck from the project and barely 24 hours later, he had more than 3,200 signatures. And he’s not the only one. Kev H. from Evanston, Illinois also started a petition that gathered more than 700 signatures by Friday morning. But not everyone is upset over the casting. London’s Phil Hoylehas a petition that asks fans to “calm down and have a cup of tea.” So far he’s only got five signatures. 

EVA LONGORIA SPLITS FROM BEAU

Eva Longoria is on the market again. TMZ reports the Desperate Housewives star has split from boyfriend Ernesto Arguello, who she met while producing her dating show, Ready For Love. Sources say the pair broke up sometime last week, after about four months of dating. According to the site, distance became a problem, since she lives in Los Angeles and he lives in Miami. 

COWELL GOES PUBLIC BABY MAMA

Simon Cowell stepped out with baby mama Lauren Silverman over the weekend. The couple was spotted holding hands while walking on a French beach Saturday. It was the first time the pair has been seen together since news of Lauren’s pregnancy hit.

HELL’S KITCHEN WINNER LOSES JOB DUE TO DRUGS

The winner of the most recent season of Hell’s Kitchen has lost her job after testing positive for drugs. According to TMZ, Ja’Nel Witt originally said she couldn’t accept the position at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas due to a “personal matter,” but the site later discovered the real reason. Apparently Caesars required Witt to submit to a drug test before she could take the head chef job and she “failed miserably.” When Caesars found out they fired her. On the plus side, Witt will still get her $250K salary, despite not doing a single day’s worth of work.

BALDWIN & WIFE WELCOME DAUGHTER CARMEN

Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria welcomed a baby girl on Friday. "We are overjoyed to announce the birth of our daughter Carmen Gabriela,” tweeted the first time mom. “She is absolutely perfect.” Hilaria, a yoga instructor and lifestyle correspondent for Extra, announced the couple was expecting in March. Baldwin’s 17-year-old daughter Ireland (from Alec’s first marriage to Kim Baisnger) responded to the news of her new half-sister with an open letter on the Internet. “You have been born into one crazy family,” she wrote. “Remember that your parents will always love you. Grown ups yell. I don’t know why, but they do. No matter what your mom or Dad says or does, simply remember that they love the sh*t out of you.”

DEEN SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUIT DROPPED

Paula Deen’s legal troubles seem to be over. On Friday, the sexual harassment suit brought against her by ex-employee Lisa Jackson was dropped. (The racial discrimination aspect of the suit, which led to Paula’s public downfall, was dismissed earlier this month.) Although rumors suggested the two reached a financial settlement the AP reported that both parties agreed to drop the case “without any award of costs or fees to any party.” No other details were revealed. "While this has been a difficult time for both my family and myself, I am pleased that the judge dismissed the race claims and I am looking forward to getting this behind me, now that the remaining claims have been resolved," Deen told Us Weekly in a statement. "During this time my faith has strengthened me and the tremendous outpouring of support as well as prayers from folks of all walks of life has been both humbling and overwhelming."

TAYLOR ARMSTRONG ENGAGED

Taylor Armstrong is ready to give marriage another go. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsstar has gotten engaged to boyfriend John Bluher. According to reports, Bluher, an attorney, popped the question Thursday during a vacation in Mexico. The couple has been dating for two years. Armstrong was previously married to Russell Armstrong, who committed suicide in 2011.

TYSON ADMITS TO LYING ABOUT SOBRIETY

Mike Tyson gave a bizarre press conference over the weekend in which he admitted he’s been struggling with alcohol addiction. Tyson told reporters Friday he’s been lying for years about being sober. "I wanna change my life, I wanna live a different life now,” he said. “I wanna live my sober life. I don't wanna die. I'm on the verge of dying, because I'm a vicious alcoholic." The 47-year-old, whose been in and out of rehab over three times, said he’s been free from drugs and alcohol for six days and hopes to stay clean.

MODEL FAILURE

Sounds like Kourtney Kardashian may finally be rid of the male model who claims to be her sonMason’s dad. First a DNA test proved Scott Disick was Mason’s father, and now model Michael Girgenti has reportedly failed a lie detector test. According to Radaronline, Michael recently taped an episode of the syndicated Trisha Goddard Show, and agreed to take a polygraph. He was asked point blank if he’s ever even slept with Kourtney, and he said yes, but the man who administered the test said, “The polygraph determined that Michael was not being truthful.” Michael’s Trisha Goddard segment is scheduled air September 17^th.

BROWN CLAIMS RACISM IN COMMUNITY SERVICE EXTENSION

Chris Brown unleashed a Twitter tirade Thursday against authorities who questioned the community service reports he submitted in the Rihanna beating case. On August 16^th, a judge ruled Brown had to re-do his service, and sentenced him to 1,000 more hours. Well, needless to say, Brown isn’t happy. “Done 6 months community service wit police and the DA racist a** crying to the judge that I didn't do it. F**k the SYSTEM!" he wrote. (FYI, the DA was an African American woman.) He later added, "How about y'all take care of all the homeless kids and families on skid row…Family first! The LAW…last."

BREAKING BAD CAST OFFERED TRIP TO BELIZE

AMC’s Breaking Bad has been using the phrase “trip to Belize” as a euphemism for murder and the Central American country is totally fine with it. In fact, they’re so flattered they’ve offered the cast, including stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, an all-expenses-paid trip to their country. “Some people may have perceived that to be somewhat of a crisis, but we really thought of it as an opportunity,” Alyssa Carnegie, of the Belize Tourism Board, told the New York Times.

BREAKING BAD STAR WONDERS WHY SHE’S HATED

Breaking Bad star Anna Gunn can’t believe how much people hate her character Skyler White. In fact, on Sunday she penned an op-ed piece for the New York Times in which she reflected on how the hatred for the character soon turned into hatred for her. "At some point on the message boards, the character of Skyler seemed to drop out of the conversation, and people transferred their negative feelings directly to me," she wrote. "Male characters don’t seem to inspire this kind of public venting and vitriol." She then went on to speculate why people have such strong feelings about Skyler. "As an actress, I realize that viewers are entitled to have whatever feelings they want about the characters they watch. But as a human being, I’m concerned that so many people react to Skyler with such venom," she wrote, adding, "Because Skyler didn’t conform to a comfortable ideal of the archetypical female, she had become a kind of Rorschach test for society, a measure of our attitudes toward gender."

EASTBOUND & DOWN STAR WANTS LINDSAY

Lindsay Lohan has a big fan in Danny McBride. McBride was so impressed with Lindsay’s work on the finale of his HBO show Eastbound & Down that he wants her for his next project. Sources tell TMZ McBride has had several serious talks with the Mean Girls star about a new pilot he’s developing for HBO. Lindsay is reportedly in favor of the idea and hopes it works out.

DR. LUKE IN AT IDOL

Sounds like we finally have our third judge on American Idol. After weeks of rumors, several sites are reporting that music producer Dr. Luke has signed on to join Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopezat Idol’s judge’s table. So far there has been no official word from Fox as to either J. Lo or Dr. Luke. Only Urban has been confirmed for the show.

TEEN MOM STARS TAKE GUARDIANSHIP OF TEEN

Teen Mom stars Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra have become legal guardians of Tyler’s teenage sister. According to Radar, Catelynn and Tyler, who put their own child up for adoption, took guardianship of his sister earlier this month, and based on a Tweet by Tyler, the unidentified teen seem to be doing well. “2 days after taking the responsibility of taking guardianship of my lil sister, she got a job! Me & @CatelynnLowell are beyond proud of her,” he wrote, later adding, “Raising a teen is not easy!. But I love my lil sister & will stop at NOTHING to make sure she is well prepared for her future #FamilySupport."

NEW JERSEY HOUSEWIVES WAITING ON CONTRACTS

The future of the Real Housewives of New Jersey seems to be up in the air. Despite reports suggesting the sixth season has already started filming, Radaronline says the cast has yet to receive new contracts. “They’re all starting to freak out,” said a source. Apparently they won’t receive new deals until they’ve finished all their commitments on their current season, including a reunion show that won’t film until next month. And while you’d think Teresa Giudice’s recent fraud indictment could be a problem for a new season, insiders believe it’s actually going to help the show. “All the ladies know that Teresa’s court drama could be amazing for ratings,” said a source. “They all want to be a part of that and they’re hoping Bravo will quickly get them all new deals so they can start filming right away.”

MURRAY SAYS MICHAEL’S TO BLAME

Dr. Conrad Murray, who is currently behind bars for the involuntary manslaughter death ofMichael Jackson, seems to be siding with concert promoter AEG in Kathryn Jackson’s wrongful death suit against the company. In a voicemail to a friend, Murray insists it was Jackson who hired him, not AEG, and the company had nothing to do with the singer’s medical treatment. Murray says AEG didn’t know anything about Michael’s issues, and all requests for treatment came directly from the singer. He adds that Michael hated AEG, and called everyone who worked for the company “snakes.”

AZIZ ANSARI LANDS BOOK DEAL

Parks & Recreation star Aziz Ansari has landed a $3.5 million book deal to write about dating in a modern, tech-obsessed age. “You know when you text someone you’re romantically interested in and you don’t hear anything back and then you see them post a photo of a pizza on Instagram? That’s exactly what I want this book to deal with,” the comedian said in a press release. “These are strange conundrums that no generation has ever faced before and it’s a fascinating jumping off point for what I hope will be a very interesting book about modern courtship.” The book is expected to hit stores in September 2015.

BROADWAY STAR JULIE HARRIS DIES

Broadway star Julie Harris died over the weekend from congestive heart failure. She was 87. During her 60-year career, Harris won five Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Play, and was honored with a special Lifetime Achievement Tony in 2002. For TV fans, Harris is probably best known for playing Lilimae Clements on the CBS primetime soap Knots Landing. On the big screen she played James Dean’s romantic co-star in East of Eden.

TV TIDBITS

● Former One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush and The 4400’s Patrick Flueger have joined the cast of NBC’s Chicago Fire spinoff Chicago PD. The midseason drama is set around the workings of a Chicago Police department investigative team.

● Angel’s Alexis Denisof has landed a role on the NBC crime drama Grimm. He’ll play Viktor Albert Wilhelm George Beckendorf, the ruthless first cousin to Eric Renard (James Frain).

●  Tori Spelling is headed back to TV. The mother-of-three will produce and star in the ABC Family pilot Mystery Girls, which follows a former starlet (Spelling), who solves crimes with her former TV co-star.

●  TV Land has cancelled Fran Drescher’s comedy Happily Divorced after two seasons.

ROCK NEWS:

PEARL JAM PREMIERES MILE-A-MINUTE “MIND YOUR MANNERS” VIDEO

On Friday, Pearl Jam shared the first visual strike off its forthcoming Lightning Bolt album (available October 15) with the world premiere of the video for the album’s fiery first single “Mind Your Manners.” The clip features the band performing the sonic salvo in front of a large video screen projecting scores of cataclysmic events, including bombs and yes, lightning bolts, plus catastrophes such as 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy. The band will begin a fall tour on October 11 in Pittsburgh.

METALLICA RUMORED TO BE AT YANKEES CLOSER’S RETIREMENT

Some are speculating Metallica might perform at future Hall of Fame New York Yankees pitcherMariano Rivera’s retirement party. For close to two decades, the legendary closer has used “Enter Sandman” as his entrance song in the ninth inning, and the New York Daily News reports Metallica will be in the Big Apple performing at the Apollo Theater on September 21, one day before fans bid Rivera adieu. And the band has nothing on its schedule for September 20. But again, at this stage, these are all just rumors, and nothing has been confirmed.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH LAUNCHES TRACK-BY-TRACK WEBISODE

Dovetailing on the excitement surrounding the recent release of their album The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell – Volume 1, Five Finger Death Punch has premiered a track-by-track webisode covering every song on the record, up now at Guitarworld.com andRevolvermag.com. The band will embark on a fall tour starting September 15 in Sacramento, CA and wrapping October 27 in Colorado Springs, CO.

WEILAND WARNS STP WILL HAVE TO “BUY ME OUT OF THE COMPANY”

In a recent radio interview, fired Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland said his former bandmates are going to have to pay to legally “fire” him from the group. Weiland said, “We’re in litigation. There’s a band…contract agreement. They didn’t follow the rules that were set down…They’ll have to buy me out of the company, because I have major value in the company and in the brand. So that’s where we’re at. The Lawyers will deal with it.” Weiland was fired from STP back in February.

NEW GWAR EXHIBIT HOLDS OVER 400 ITEMS SPANNING BAND’S CAREER

The city of Richmond, VA has declared GWAR on every other ho-hum exhibit that doesn’t feature over 400 objects chronicling the nearly 30-year career of iconic art/punk/metal band GWAR. From September 6-28, The Gallery at Black Iris Music in Richmond will host the exhibition titled “Let There Be GWAR” that includes handwritten lyrics, photographs, films, fan letters and even arrest reports.

LORDE BOLSTERS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SCHEDULE

Due to overwhelming demand (read: sellouts!), New Zealand export Lorde has added new dates to, and upgraded venues for, her highly anticipated North American tour in support of her forthcoming debut album, Pure Heroine, due September 30. The 16-year old’s eight-show trek will get underway September 24 at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, and now includes a second show at Webster Hall in New York City and another at Brooklyn’s Warsaw on October 3, before finishing on October 6 at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto (moved from the more intimate Hoxton).

JUDAS PRIEST INKED FOR ROCK ‘N’ ROCK AND ROLL FANTASY CAMP

Four members of Judas Priest have signed on to act as mentors for the upcoming appropriately titled Hell Bent for Vegas edition of Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, taking place February 27 through March 2 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Frontman Rob Halford, bassist Ian Hill, drummer Scott Travis and new guitarist Richie Faulkner will be tasked with giving wannabe rock stars pointers on how to navigate the treacherous waters of what it takes to rock for a living. Early bird registration before November 1 is $4,995.

IRATION DEBUTS DOG-LEAVES-BOY, BOY-MEETS-GIRL VIDEO

Santa Barbara, CA-bred reggae rockers Iration has premiered the new video for “Back Around,” the next single off their recently released album, Automatic. Shot in their hometown, the clip tells the story of a distraught man who’s apparently been dumped by his girl, only to see his pals pick up his spirits by picking up a bunch of beer and getting wasted, before a beautiful girl knocks on the door and returns his lost dog. Iration is currently on its Automatic tour, which stops tonight in Ocean City, MD, and include shows in Myrtle Beach, SC, Atlanta, Dallas, Tempe, Sacramento and San Francisco, before finishing up in Los Angeles on September 21.

LENNON’S CAVERN CLUB-ERA TIE SELLS FOR $5,600 AT AUCTION

A necktie owned and worn by John Lennon fetched $5,600 at an auction held in the Beatles’hometown of Liverpool. According to the Liverpool Echo, in 1962, Lennon gave the black tie to then-15-year old Joyce McWilliams, a fan that was often in the audience during the Fab Four’s lunchtime performances at the legendary Cavern Club. McWilliams said Lennon gave her his tie after she offered him a handkerchief “to mop his brow with.”

BEATLES LIVE AT THE BBC, VOLUME 2 DUE OCTOBER 3

Multiple sources are reporting still more previously unreleased Beatles radio performances will be released on October 3 in the form of Live at the BBC, Vol. 2, the follow up to the 1994 double-CD set featuring 69 tracks. The second edition would feature performances recorded at home by fans and tapes in vaults of syndicated radio stations that aired the original broadcasts in other markets. Live at the BBC, Vol. 2 will be released in conjunction with a new book, The Beatles: The BBC Archives: 1962-1967, which is scheduled to be released on October 10.