Narrow court ruling good news for Obama and same-sex couples

Unconstitutional ... the Defence of Marriage Act. Photo: Getty Images

WASHINGTON: A US federal appeals court ruled that the Defence of Marriage Act is unconstitutional because it denies equal rights for legally married same-sex couples. This makes it likely that the Supreme Court will consider the politically divisive issue for the first time in its next term.

The decision by a unanimous panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit in Boston was a big win for the President, Barack Obama, who recently said he supported states allowing gay men and lesbians to marry.

His administration said last year it would no longer defend the 1996 law, which limits federal recognition of marriage to those between a man and a woman. The law thus denies a host of federal benefits, such as filing joint tax returns or survivor benefits, to same-sex couples who were legally married in states that allow it.

Drew Barrymore enjoys wedding dress fitting with Cameron Diaz

Will Kopelman and fiancee Drew Barrymore were spotted doing some pre-wedding shopping.

According to People, Barrymore's fiance, art world player Will Kopelman, was also seen doing Chanel shopping of his own and left the store with a black garment bag.

The Chanel connection should come as no surprise, because Kopelman is the son of former Chanel CEO Arie Kopelman. Barrymore and the junior Kopelman got engaged in January after a year or so of dating. Kopelman popped the question in Idaho with a 4-carat ring.

Mary-Kate Olsen dating former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's brother?

New York Post

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Olivier Sarkozy's new relationship with Mary-Kate Olsen may not impress his bosses at the Carlyle Group, who had previously ordered him to maintain a lower profile, the Post reports.

The 42-year-old half-brother of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy had been told to "tone it down and curb his high-profile lifestyle" by his bosses at global asset management firm Carlyle.

Hugh Hefner welcomes ex-fiancee back into Playboy mansion with open arms, report says

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  (Playboy)

Hugh Hefner’s ex-fiancee Crystal Harris has moved back into the Playboy Mansion, according to a report from Radar Online.

Harris, who called off her engagement to Hefner a week before their wedding last year, reportedly left the Playboy founder for another man. But it appears that Hefner has forgiven his ex and taken her in with open arms.

“Crystal begged Hef to let her come back,” a source told Radar. “He surprisingly doesn’t have any hard feelings against her, so he let her move back into the mansion.”

Lady Gaga may have been banned, but Indonesia is still wild for own raunchy shows

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Titin Karisma parades onto the stage wearing a rhinestone bustier and matching bottoms, with sequin fringe that jiggles wildly to the rhythm of the beating drums.

Preteen boys watch the singer wide-eyed as she straddles a speaker, whipping her long hair wildly. She licks the microphone and drops to the ground, repeatedly thrusting her pelvis toward a camera.

Lady Gaga's onstage antics are almost tame compared to this act, known as dangdut, the most popular genre of music in this predominantly Muslim nation of 240 million.

But while the pop star's show was effectively banned from Indonesia, tens of thousands of young women here put on performances like Karisma's every night. They shake and grind in smoky bars, ritzy nightclubs, at weddings, even circumcisions. In most cases the hosts say the sexier the better.

'Snow White''s Kristen Stewart says interviews are (gasp!) fun

Kristen Stewart talks to reporters at a Los Angeles screening of "Snow White and the Huntsman."

Kristen Stewart, like many celebrities, isn't particularly fond of doing interviews. But the 22-year-old is so press-averse that her discomfort during talk shows has often been physically noticeable: She stutters, taps her foot ferociously or avoids eye contact.

Now that it's been four years since the "Twilight" franchise launched the actress into the spotlight, however, Stewart says she's finally feeling more confidence doing press. In fact, she says interviews can even be -- gasp! -- "fun."

Jessica Simpson’s baby already on the cover of People magazine

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The first photos of Jessica Simpson and her daughter Maxwell Drew are in the new issue of People magazine.

Simpson and fiancé Eric Johnson sold the pics for a reported $800,000 to the celebrity weekly, and also gave an interview in which Simpson says having a baby has completely changed her life. (Gasp!)