Elizabeth Taylor is reportedly in a critical condition in hospital after suffering congestive heart failure.

The 76-year-old is said to have been admitted to a medical center on 15 July 15th after being diagnosed with pneumonia, but her condition reportedly worsened in the following days.

Taylor then suffered congestive heart failure on Wednesday night and was placed on a ventilation machine, according to U.S. tabloid, the National Enquirer.

However, the National Velvet star’s condition is said to have improved on Thursday and she is now reportedly breathing unaided.

A source tells British newspaper the Daily Mail, “The doctors thought they were going to lose her. She’s still very sick, but she’s past the crisis.”

Taylor has been plagued with health problems over the last few years – she was first diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2004, a progressive condition where the heart is too weak to pump blood around the body. She has endured two hip replacement operations, the removal of a benign brain tumour in 1997, and also suffers from diabetes and osteoporosis.

Source

WENN

Rhys Ifans and Kimberly Stewart appeared to still be rather coy about their blossoming relationship, as they spent another night out together.

They headed to Bungalow 8 nightclub, arriving through the back door. Then at 2am, they left, and pulled up outside at Spearmint Rhinos strip club to drop off Rhys’ pal Dave Gardner. They then headed to Kimberly’s flat, and Rhys got out down the street, so they would not be pictured together. Kimberly then attempted to activate the remote control for her driveway, but it did not work, so she had to drive back to collect Rhys!

They then both got out and walked home, with Rhys spitting, shouting, kicking and offering photographers fights for no apparent reason. Rhys’ shirt was also covered in white powder. Kimberly seemed totally unfazed by it all, smiling as she walked inside her flat.

WENN

Natalie Cole is on the way to making a full recovery after a Hepatitis C diagnosis prompted her to cancel a string of recent appearances.

The Unforgettable singer, 58, was told she had the chronic liver infection earlier this year, and immediately set about trying to beat the disease.

And her efforts have paid off – she has been told she’s virus negative after responding well to treatment, and now she hopes for a full recovery.

Cole, a former alcohol and cocaine addict, credits her faith for helping her through her latest health crisis.

She tells America’s the Globe, “I am embraced by the love and support of my family and friends and I am committed to my belief in myself and in my abiding faith to meet this challenge with a heartfelt optimism and determination.”

Hepatitis C is spread by contact with infected blood. Pamela Anderson and country queen Naomi Judd have also been diagnosed with Hepatitis C.

Source

WENN

After nearly four weeks of silence, New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez stepped up to the plate Thursday and responded to his wife’s demand for divorce.

In the documents – expected to be filed Thursday morning – A-Rod admits the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” But he points out that Florida is a “no fault state” and chastises his estranged wife, Cynthia Rodriguez, for mentioning “immaterial and impertinent” issues like his alleged “extra marital affairs and other marital misconduct.”

Although Madonna was not mentioned in Cynthia’s court documents – filed July 7 – her attorney called the Yankee’s association with the singer an “affair of the heart” and “the last straw.”

In Cynthia’s filing – which claimed “emotional abandonment” – she asked to keep their $12 million Coral Gables mansion. The mother of his two children, Natasha, 3, and Ella, three months, also wants a cut of his earnings during their marriage.

But, in A-Rod’s response, he argues that the divorce settlement should be determined by their prenup, which Cynthia signed a month before their 2002 wedding.

According to the documents, she did so “with the assistance of counsel of her own choosing, freely and voluntarily … and with full and complete financial disclosure of husband’s income, assets and liabilities.”

Regarding the children, A-Rod seeks shared parental responsibility for their “wealth, health, education and religious upbringing.” (There’s no mention of Kabbalah, the mystical Jewish teachings that, sources say, helped foster a bond between A-Rod and Madonna. The pop icon has denied the alleged affair.)

A-Rod admits Cynthia is a “loving and nurturing mother.” In the filing, he suggests the two work out a time-sharing custody schedule without the court’s intervention.

According to his attorneys, Alan Kluger and Jason Marks, “husband requests that both parties are designated as ‘co-residential’ parents, realizing that the children are likely to spend more time with wife given the realities of husband’s professional life.”

A-Rod acknowledges he should pay child support – and asks the court to determine a fair amount.

Source

WENN

Just when you thought you’d heard the last of Britney Spears’ former companion Sam Lutfi, he pokes his head out of the sand.

OK! has confirmed that Brit’s one-time self-described “manager” will be attempting to end his 6-month-long ban from being within 250 yards of the singer.

Sam, who rose from complete obscurity almost a year ago when he quickly became a fixture in the passenger seat of Britney’s Mercedes-Benz, has been under the restrictions of a temporary restraining order since February. That order, which was most recently extended in April, expires on July 31, and Sam’s lawyers will be making their case in an L.A. court on Thursday that it’s time for the ban to be lifted.

In typically overdramatic fashion for Sam, he has refused to have his side of the argument heard by commissioner Reva Goetz, who initially signed off on the order following a request from Brit’s mother Lynne Spears. Instead, the hearing on whether or not to extend the restraining order will be argued before a Judge Bobb.

However, even if Sam’s lawyers are convincing enough to have the order lifted, it’s doubtful that Brit’s dad, Jamie Spears, who is still in control of her life for the time-being, will allow him near his daughter. Says the source, “I don’t think Jamie will be calling up ol’ Sammy to come over for a BBQ anytime soon!”

Speaking of Britney and her father, tomorrow is also the date that lawyers for the conservatorship over the singer’s estate and person will all appear before commissioner Goetz to set a date for the trial that will determine if the conservatorship should be made permanent.

Thursday had originally been slated as the start date for the trial, but commissioner Goetz requested more medical and psychiatric evaluation to determine if the pop star is fit to stand trial, so the trial was delayed.

Last month, Sam Ingham, the court-appointed laywer representing Brit, told the commissioner that it would be “harmful” for his client to be involved in any “litigation or depositions” because of her “fluid” state of mind.

Source

WENN

WENN

Jennifer Love Hewitt has exorcised her legal demons.

The actress’ former management firm has dropped a lawsuit alleging she never turned over an agreed-upon 10-percent commission for helping her secure her starring role on Ghost Whisperer, according to a request for dismissal filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

An attorney for Handprint Entertainment Inc. refused to comment on why her client opted to end the fight, saying the paperwork spoke for itself. The request was filed “with prejudice,” meaning the plaintiff has agreed not to pursue the matter in the future.

According to Handprint’s complaint, which was filed in April 2007, Hewitt hooked up with the company in 2002 and left in 2005, the year Ghost Whisperer premiered.

While the CBS drama, now entering its fourth season, brought the former Party of Five sixth wheel back “to national prominence as a TV star,” Handprint claimed that she reneged on an oral agreement to turn over 10 percent of her earnings.

The firm had asked for at least $375,000 in damages.

Source

WENN