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Bolshoi Ballet Artistic Director Sergei Filin hurt in acid attack

MOSCOW, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Bolshoi Ballet Artistic Director Sergei Filin was burned on his face and his eyes were damaged by acid thrown on him in Moscow, a theater spokeswoman said.

Yekaterina Novikova said Friday Filin had third-degree burns to his face and eyes and was being treated at a Moscow hospital where doctors tried to save his sight, RIA Novosti said.

Novikova said Filin's recovery could take at least six months.

"Sergei is in a satisfactory condition," a hospital representative said. "He is in our burns center, not intensive care."

The attack occurred late Thursday as Filin was walking home, the BBC said.

No arrests had been made and a motive was unknown but investigators said they believe it could be traced to internal theater politics.

Filin, 43, a former Bolshoi Ballet star, beat out several others to become the ballet's artistic director in March 2011. Several dancers have resigned in protest over its new program, the BBC said.

The acid attack followed several months of intimidation, during which Filin received threatening phone calls and the tires on his car were slashed, RIA Novosti said. Shortly before the attack, an attempt was made to hack his Facebook page.

Anthony Ryan Auld wins 'Project Runway'

NEW YORK, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Fashion designer Anthony Ryan Auld has been declared the winner of Season 2 of TV's "Project Runway All Stars" in New York.

The Season 9 "Project Runway" champion beat out fellow all-stars Uli Herzner and Emilio Sosa in Thursday night's season finale.

The finalists completed collections in four days -- on a budget of $3,000 -- to exhibit at a runway show, E! News said.

Auld won $150,000, a sewing and embroidery studio, an all-expenses-paid trip around the world and a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine.

The judges' panel included actress-fashion designer Georgina Chapman, designer Isaac Mizrahi, actress Liv Tyler and Margherita Missoni of Italy's Missoni fashion house, E! said.

Lohan's dad denies making escort claims

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Michael Lohan denies he said his Hollywood starlet daughter, Lindsay, is being paid to date rich men, despite a report by Star magazine claiming he did.

"Absolutely not! I would never say anything like that," the elder Lohan said in a statement to E! News.

"All I did say when I was arguing with [Lindsay's mother] Dina was that Dina was acting like a pimp for allowing and going with Lindsay to an event/personal appearance for money, just so Dina could get her cut," Lohan said. "It's like pimping Lindsay out so Dina can make money! They twisted everything to make it look like I said that! Notice that they said the pimp part but then a 'source' said the rest!"

Star cited insiders it did not name as saying Michael told them he was disgusted because his 26-year-old daughter "is getting paid to date rich men. Dina is pimping her out."

The former child star of hit films such as "The Parent Trap" and "Mean Girls" has seen her career eclipsed in recent years by her legal woes and battles with drug and alcohol addiction. She was most recently seen in the critically panned TV movie "Liz & Dick."

Affleck, De Niro join SAG presenter list

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Ben Affleck, Robert De Niro, Kerry Washington and Naomi Watts are to be presenters at Hollywood's Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony.

Taye Diggs and Liev Schreiber are also confirmed to hand out prizes at the Jan. 27 event at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, said telecast executive producer Jeff Margolis.

They join the list of previously announced presenters, including Alec Baldwin, Bradley Cooper, Jeff Daniels, Viola Davis, Neil Patrick Harris, Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence, Julianna Margulies, Busy Philipps, Carl Reiner, Justin Timberlake and Sigourney Weaver.