President Barack Obama on Monday defended his view that gay couples should have the right to marry, saying that the country has never gone wrong when it “expanded rights and responsibilities to everybody.” “That doesn’t weaken families. That strengthens families,” he told gay and lesbian supporters and others at a fundraiser hosted by singer Ricky Martin and the LGBT Leadership Council. “It’s the right thing to do.” The remarks were his first to such an audience since he announced his personal support for same-sex marriage last week. They came on a day that Obama was making a targeted appeal to three core voting blocs – women, young people, and gays and lesbians. He gave a commencement address to Barnard College, a women’s college, and taped an interview on “The View,” a popular day-time talk show aimed at women. Democrats hope Obama’s politically risky embrace of gay marriage will re-energize supporters who had been frustrated by his previous assertions that his views on the hot-button social issue were “evolving.” Women, young people and gay voters all made up crucial voting blocs for Obama in the 2008 election. With the president locked in a close race with Republican rival Mitt Romney, his campaign is focused on rallying support among those groups once again. “At root, so much of this has to do with a belief that not only are we all in this together but all of us are equal in terms of dignity and in terms of respect, and everybody deserves a shot,” he told about 200 supporters at the fundraising event. HuffPost

Shakira sigue de fiesta luego de celebrar sus 50 millones de fans en facebook… Aunque no de la mejor manera. La colombiana posteó en Twitter una foto de una muñeca Barbie con el mismo look que usó en su más reciente videoclip, Addicted to you. La cantante solo publicó la foto acompañada de un “So cool”. No sabemos si el imperio de la muñeca más famosa del mundo posó sus ojos en la exitosa barranquillera para inspirarse en su nueva muñeca. Tampoco sabemos de quién fue obra… Lo único de lo que tenemos certeza es que, tanto a Shakira como a nosotros, la muñeca nos pareció muy cool. ¿Si sale a la venta una muñeca así… Moverá las caderas como la de carne y hueso? E Online

La sexy modelo israelí está de visita en Barcelona como invitada estelar de Pronovias, cuyo desfile clausura la semana de la moda dedicada a las novias, la ‘Barcelona Bridal Week’. Y ha sido allí donde ha negado las especulaciones que vienen sonando en las últimas horas y que aseguran que estaría manteniendo una relación con el jugador del Barcelona. Según cuenta MariJo Jordan en el periódico catalán El Punt Avui, Refaeli habría confesado “no ser seguidora de fútbol, y aún menos ir detrás de ningún futbolista. Ni de Piqué”.  Shakira puede estar tranquila… La negación de la maniquí podría acallar los rumores dispersados por el periodista español Jesús Mariñas, quien en el diario La Razón afirmó que el novio de la colombiana podría haber iniciado un romance con la guapa israelí tras haberse quedado prendado de su belleza. Por su parte, y ajenos a las constantes habladurías sobre su posible ruptura, la popular pareja habría sido vista recientemente disfrutando de la noche barcelonesa en la discoteca Sutton… Lo cierto es que si Rafaelli, ex novia de Leonardo DiCaprio, se fijara en un futbolista, sería de Messi. E Online

Less than a week ago she was bed bound with a drop in her arm suffering from exhaustion. But the show must go on for RnB pop queen Rihanna, as she morphed into a gold warrior princess. The Barbadian beauty took to the stage tonight at the Robin Hood Foundation Benefit in New York City wearing an eye-catching bustier, dramatic make-up and a theatrical snake headdress.During one routine, Rihanna teamed the revealing strapless and midriff-baring top with a matching gold skirt and later with a pair of leopard print slashed Princess Jasmine-inspired trousers. Rihanna performed at Manhattan venue Jacob K Javitsfor the charity event, kicking off proceedings with Only Girl (In The World), before launching into Run This Town and Live Your Life.The 24-year-old appeared to be on the mend, following her recent stint in hospital. In the new issue of America’s Star magazine, an inside source said: ‘Rihanna loves to party but this past month she’s gotten really out of control. She’s been drinking almost everyday.’ However, even the Grammy-winner seems to know she’s not actually invincible to human traits. She retweeted a poignant message from inspirational Twitter page The Notebook Of Love, saying: ‘I’m not invincible or unstoppable, but I stay strong because it’s the only way to survive in this world.’ Rihanna made her first steps to recovery by treating her mum Monica to a Mother’s Day meal.

A massive sinkhole has opened up in a family’s garden in north Florida, forcing them out of the home they built 37 years ago. The 80-foot-long and 40-foot-wide sinkhole began appearing on Friday and, with the hole creeping further towards their home, Robert ‘Robin’ and Rhonda Matheny moved out on Sunday. A geologist inspected the sinkhole and told the couple it would most probably move closer to their Jonesville home so they moved into their son’s house in Gainesville, The Gainesville Sun reported.

A man who said he was reaching down to pick up a stick lying in the gardening aisle of a Walmart store was shocked to discover that it was actually a rattlesnake, which promptly bit him. Mica Craig says he was shopping in the outdoor garden department of the Lewiston, Idaho, store when he was bitten on Saturday.  The 47-year-old said the reptile dug its fangs into his hand and that he screamed, shook the snake loose and stomped it to death. The Lewiston Tribune reported that a bystander took Mr Craig to St Joseph’s hospital, where he was released after a doctor said there were no signs that the snake had released any venom. But by the time Mr Craig returned to his home in Clarkston, Washington, he told the paper that his hand had grown to the size of a cantaloupe.id that he returned to the hospital, where he was treated with six bags of anti-venom. In addition, he was told that his hand may be permanently disfigured. Mr Craig told the Tribune: ‘They got all the poison out of me but they don’t know how bad the muscle damage will be.’ He said doctors expect him to remain hospitalised until Tuesday. Mr Craig said that he had spoken to officials at the Walmart store, and claimed they told him the snake that bit him was not the first they had discovered. When reached by the Tribune, a manager at the store would not confirm or deny that the episode took place. Mr Craig told the paper that he has always liked Walmart, but the romance may be over after this incident. There are dozens of species of rattlesnakes, which are the largest of all venomous snakes in the U.S, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While rattlers are behind the most common snakebite injuries, they are rarely fatal if treated quickly. Mail Online

A Monroe County Sheriff’s sergeant is fundraising for his non-profit with the help of a chicken nugget. Sgt. Dennis Coleman bought some chicken nuggets from a convenience store, and he noticed that one piece looked like a cowboy boot. So, he put it up for auction on eBay starting at $5 and will donate all the proceeds to Keys Cops For Kids, a non-profit organization that he set up. As of Monday afternoon it was at $20.50. “You’ve heard about the Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich that sold for $28,000. Recently,here in the Florida Keys a Seahorse shaped Cheeto sold for $100. Here’s your chance to purchase a one of kind item,” the description said on eBay.

A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue captain, whose Facebook comment about the Trayvon Martin shooting spurred an investigation, was demoted two ranks to firefighter Monday in a letter from the fire chief. Brian Beckmann, who posted the comment April 11, must also complete a Fit for Duty evaluation and diversity and/or sensitivity training, the letter from Fire Chief William Bryson said. Beckmann may appeal the decision within 14 days. Rowan Taylor, president of International Association of Firefighters Local 1403 wrote in an email statement that said he disagrees with the demotion. “As union President, I believe this discipline is excessive. We will immediately file an appeal to an independent arbitrator,” Taylor said. A copy of Beckmann’s initial Facebook post was in the Finding of Fact Report released by the department. Besides having disparaging words for the prosecutor, the post also said: “I and my coworkers could rewrite the book on whether our urban youths are victims of racist profiling or products of their failed, (expletive), ignorant, pathetic, welfare dependent excuses for parents, but like Mrs. Corey, we speak only the truth. They’re just misunderstood little church going angels and the ghetto hoodie look doesn’t have anything to do with why people wonder if they’re about to get jacked by a thug,” he posted. A disciplinary report said that the comment altered the reputation of the Fire Rescue department.

A ticket sold in Miami has won the $5 million jackpot, Florida Lottery officials aid. The winning numbers were 3-14-17-32-33-34. Thirty five tickets matched five numbers to win $5,481.00 each and 1,245 tickets matched four numbers for $67.00 each. In Powerball, no ticket matched all five numbers and the Powerball number to win the $80 million jackpot. That means it will rollover to $90 million for this Wednesday’s drawing. The winning numbers in Saturday night’s drawing were 10-24-35-53-58 and the Powerball number was 22.