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In a clip from "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum debuted a song with several celebrity cameos.
Actor Channing Tatum appeared in a video on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" with a new song. UPI/Jim Ruymen 
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Published: June 19, 2013 at 3:00 PM
By CAROLINE LEE, UPI.com

Channing Tatum was all over Tuesday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

He and Jamie Foxx debuted a video for a song called "(I Wanna) Channing All Over Your Tatum," reprising the song from Kimmel's post-Oscar show in February.

The video aired during a special edition of the show that aired before game six of the NBA Finals. It features a host of other celebrities, including Miley Cyrus, Gabourey Sidibe, Matt Damon and Olivia Munn alongside Kimmel and Tatum.

Channing's name appears all over the video on Champagne bottles, sunscreen, T-shirts and whipped cream, and is sung in a "Channing" chorus.


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Country yodeler Slim Whitman has died at age 90.
Published: June 19, 2013 at 2:28 PM
By CAROLINE LEE, UPI.com

Country singer Slim Whitman, famous for his falsetto and yodeling style, has died. He was 90 years old.

Whitman sold millions of records and appeared in several self-promotional TV ads in the 1980s and 90s. He also wrote the song that saved everyone from aliens in "Mars Attacks!" His career spanned six decades.

He died of heart failure in a Florida hospital, his brother-in-law said.

Whitman was born in Tampa and grew up listening to Jimmie Rodgers. He did not pursue a music career of his own until after World War II, during which he served in the U.S. Navy.

He started out with a band called the Variety Rhythm Boys. The band was picked up by Tom Parker, who later represented Elvis Presley. Parker earned the band a recording deal with RCA Victor, and released Whitman's first single in 1948.

Whitman hit the top 10 in 1952 with hits including "Indian Love Call" and "Keep it a Secret." He was consistently in the charts until 1955, when his hits became less frequent.

He didn't have another chart single until 1961, when "The Bells that Broke My Heart" hit No. 30.

From there, he started a chart streak, placing 22 singles through 1974. He kept the momentum with a mail-order TV album, which was a new concept. He sold 1.5 million units of his first mail-order album "All My Best" in 1979.

"All of a sudden, here comes a guy in a black and white suit, with a mustache and a receding hairline, playing a guitar and singing 'Rose Marie,"' Whitman said in 1991. "That TV ad is the reason I'm still here."

The popularity of the TV album took him to the top 20 again in 1980, which earned him an appearance on the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.

He also became the butt of several jokes, including Slim Whitman lookalike contests to match Whitman's own thick mustache, sideburns and receding hairline. He became a pop culture icon, showing up in "Mars Attacks!" and 2007's "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Whitman released his last album, "Twilight On The Trail," in 2010.

"The material I did was lasting material," Whitman said in 1991. "A lot of people thought I wasn't doing anything, but I was in the studio. The biggest factor is the material you choose. You hunt, you cut."

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Robert Mueller: Drone surveillance is carried out domestically by the FBI, has no rules "yet."
FBI Director Robert Mueller. (File/UPI/Kevin Dietsch) 
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Published: June 19, 2013 at 2:02 PM
By KRISTEN BUTLER, UPI.com

At a congressional oversight hearing Wednesday, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley asked Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller, "Does the FBI use drones for surveillance on U.S. soil?"

"Yes," Mueller responded, though he quickly added that FBI drones are "very seldom used and generally used in a particular incident where you need the capability."

Mueller confirmed to lawmakers that the FBI owns several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), but has not yet adopted any policies or guidelines to govern their use. He said the FBI has only just begun to establish rules for the drone program.

Mueller briefly addressed the controversial National Security Agency surveillance program recently exposed by Edward Snowden. Mueller confirmed that 22 agents have access to a vast surveillance database, including 20 analysts and two overseers.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who supports the NSA's data collection program, nonetheless told Mueller that drones represent a significant threat to Americans' privacy.

"I think the greatest threat to the privacy of Americans is the drone, and the use of the drone and the very few regulations that are on it today, and the booming industry of commercial drones," Feinstein said.

When asked what, if any, privacy protections are in place, Mueller replied that drone deployment "is very narrowly focused on particularized needs in particularized cases, and that is the principle of privacy limitations we have."

When Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. asked Mueller if the FBI would consider being more open about surveillance methods, Mueller warned it could risk national security.

"There is a price to be paid for that transparency," Mueller said. "I certainly think it would be educating our adversaries as to what our capabilities are."

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Business magnate Carl Icahn ups the ante in the battle for Dell's re-privatization.
Carl Icahn (L) and Michael Dell 
Published: June 19, 2013 at 2:01 PM
By VERONICA LINARES, UPI.com

The Dell Special Committee has received a new buyout offer from Carl Icahn in which the business magnate suggests that all the company's shareholders sell their Dell shares to him for $14 each, for a total of $16 billion.

The committee is due to vote for or against founder Michael Dell's earlier $24.4 billion ($13.65 a share) proposal in a month. Icahn would have to convince the committee to choose his proposal instead before voting takes place.

According to Icahn, Michael Dell's proposal undervalues the company's shares.

Both Icahn and Dell's proposals come after the company announced in March that it would go private. After the announcement Icahn reportedly offered to pay investors $12 a share in cash or stock and to allow shareholders to hold on to their stock. However, the company's board determined that the offer would result in a $3.9 billion funding gap.

Dell’s attempt to go private comes after a decline in the PC market, low business growth in Europe and a limited spending environment. Even with the two competing offers on the table, the company's stock is rated by investment advisors Zacks in its Zacks #5 Rank "Strong Sell" list.

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Tuesday's NBA Finals game 6 became the "LeBron Headband Game" after the Miami Heat forward lost his staple accessory.
Miami Heat forward LeBron James. UPI/Brian Kersey 
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Published: June 19, 2013 at 1:09 PM
Updated June 19, 2013 at 1:53 PM
By VERONICA LINARES, UPI.com

Miami Heat forward LeBron James got an unexpected makeover during the fourth quarter of the NBA Finals game 6 Tuesday as his headband fell to the ground during a dunk.

James's staple headband has become something of an NBA inside joke as fans have witnessed how the player has moved it back throughout his career as he "attempts to hide a receding hairline."

But last night with 8:59 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Tim Duncan knocked the band off James's head during a dunk and he was forced to finish the game without the accessory.

Many fans and sports aficionados took to Twitter to point out how naked the player looked without his headband. Others simply dubbed the game -- the result of which forced game 7 -- the "LeBron Headband Game." Here are some of the comments:








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The celebrity chef was questioned in a lawsuit, in which the former general manager of her Savannah, Ga. restaurant claimed she used insensitive racial jokes.
Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal Paula Deen and her husband ride in the Rose Parade. A recent lawsuit alleges Deen has regularly used racial slurs on the job in her Savannah, Ga., restaurant. UPI/Jim Ruymen 
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Published: June 19, 2013 at 1:02 PM
By CAROLINE LEE, UPI.com

Celebrity chef Paula Deen admitted to using the N-word and a spread of insensitive racial jokes during a May 17 deposition.

Deen, 66, said she used the N-word and wanted black waiters to dress and act as slaves at a wedding party she was planning. She was questioned for three hours during a hearing for a $1.2 million lawsuit filed in 2012.

The lawsuit covers the claims of Lisa Jackson, former general manager of Deen's Savannah restaurant. Jackson said that Deen used the N-word habitually. The suit also alleges sexual harassment, infliction of distress and assault by Deen's brother, Bubba Hiers.

In court, Jackson's attorney asked Deen whether she used the N-word.

"Yes, of course," Deen responded. She followed with examples of their use, and defended the types of racist jokes she told.

“It’s just what they are -- they’re jokes," Deen said. "Most jokes are about Jewish people, rednecks, black folks…I can’t determine what offends another person.”

Deen said she didn't think the slave costumes were offensive, either, as they were part of a Civil War-themed event. She got the idea from a restaurant she and her husband visited.

At the restaurant, “The whole entire waiter staff was middle-aged black men, and they had on beautiful white jackets with a black bow tie," she said.

“I mean, it was really impressive. That restaurant represented a certain era in America… after the Civil War, during the Civil War, before the Civil War."

"It was not only black men, it was black women… I would say they were slaves.”

The Food Network has not responded to the allegations, and there is no word as to whether it will affect her $17 million culinary empire.

A source said that the claims were just the tip of the iceberg. If the allegations are true, she will really have to butter up her fans if she wants to maintain her following.

A video was taken of the deposition, but it has not yet been released.

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National Beef Packing Co. and The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall of 22,737 pounds of ground beef over E. coli fears.
File. (UPI / Ismael Muñoz)  
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Published: June 19, 2013 at 12:37 PM
By VERONICA LINARES, UPI.com

The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Tuesday that 22,737 pounds of ground beef will be recalled over fears that they could be infected with E. coli.

The FSIS categorized the recall as "Class I," meaning its a health hazard situation in which is likely that the use of the product will result in serious adverse health consequences or death.

The products to be recalled were packaged in clear, 10 pound chubs by National Beef Packing Co. in Liberal, Kansas and were shipped to several wholesale locations in the region. They items subjected to the recall are:

- 10 lb. packages of “National Beef” 80/20 Coarse Ground Chuck, package code “0481.”
- 10 lb. packages of “National Beef” 81/19 Coarse Ground Beef, package code “0421.”
- 10 lb. packages of “National Beef” 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck, package code “0484.”

All packages were produced on May 25, 2013 and have a "Use By/ Sell By" date of June 14, 2013.

The contamination was discovered during a routine checkup of the product by the FSIS. No illnesses related to the consumption of the packages have been reported.

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The Restore Honor to Service Members Act would upgrade records of wrongfully discharged gay veterans.
Active and non-active U.S. military personnel participate for the first time in San Diego's 2011 Gay Pride Parade -- reportedly the first openly gay enlisted service members to march in a pride event in the U.S. following the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." (File/UPI Photo/Earl S. Cryer) 
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Published: June 19, 2013 at 12:27 PM
Updated June 19, 2013 at 1:37 PM
By KRISTEN BUTLER, UPI.com

Two House Democrats introduced a bill on Wednesday that would require the military to update the discharge records of thousands of service members who were discharged on account of being gay.

Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) said roughly 114,000 members of the armed forces were discharged because of their homosexuality, and that many received dishonorable discharges due to their sexual orientation.

Their Restore Honor to Service Members Act calls for a review of all discharges due to sexual orientation, and would upgrade these discharges to "honorable." It would also remove all references to a veteran's sexual orientation from their record.

"Our legislation ensures that gay veterans who selflessly served our country no longer live with tarnished records that prohibit them from receiving the recognition, benefits and honors they deserve," Pocan said Wednesday.

Pocan and Rangel said many gay veterans received discharges that were other than honorable. Dishonorable discharges can be treated as a felony, and those with even a "general" discharge on their record can have trouble finding work due to the classification.

"By enshrining the implementation of the 'Don't Ask Don't Tell" repeal into law, our country can finally close this dark chapter of our history and move forward," Pocan said.

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The Girl Guides of England promise ditched "God" and "country," but still "serve the Queen."
Two Girl Guides in Britain, 1944. (PD/Ministry of Information)
Published: June 19, 2013 at 11:56 AM
By KRISTEN BUTLER, UPI.com

The Girl Guides of England, the British equivalent to the U.S. Girl Scouts, have revised their membership pledge to include the nonreligious.

Guides and Brownies will ditch the phrase "to love my God" from its Promise, instead pledging to "be true to myself and develop my beliefs."

Beginning in 1910 when the organization formed, new members were asked to "do my duty to God," and this was changed to "love my God" in 1994.

Chief Guide Gill Slocombe said the organization was aware "some people found our Promise confusing on this point and that it discouraged some girls and volunteers from joining us."

The word "country" has also been cut -- with girls asked to serve their "community" instead, but the updated Promise does retain its reference to serving Queen Elizabeth II.

"We hope that the new wording will help us reach out to girls and women who might not have considered guiding before -- so that even more girls can benefit from everything guiding can offer," Slocombe said.

Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association said the modified pledge made the organization "genuinely open to all, including the large number of girls and young women who don’t believe in any god."

Girlguiding is a leading UK charity for girls and young women ages 5-25, with 546,406 members.

The Girl Guide Promise now reads, "I promise that I will do my best: to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to serve the Queen and my community, to help other people and to keep the Guide law."

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The World No. 1 female tennis player apologized for reportedly telling Rolling Stone magazine that the 16-year-old Steubenville rape victim "shouldn’t have put herself in that position."
American Serena Williams. UPI/David Silpa 
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Published: June 19, 2013 at 11:39 AM
By VERONICA LINARES, UPI.com

World No. 1 tennis player Serena Williams apologized Wednesday for the statement she made regarding the Steubenville rape victim.

In a statement posted on her website Williams admitted that what happened in Steubenville had been "a real shock" for her and added that she was "deeply sorry" for the quote that appeared in Rolling Stone magazine claiming it had been "insensitive and hurtful."

The tennis star added that she has fought for women's equality throughout her career and added that "anything I could do to support women I have done."

William's apology comes a day after Rolling Stone magazine published a profile about the 16-time Grand Slam champion in which she was quoted saying that the 16-year-old Steubenville rape victim “shouldn’t have put herself in that position.”

“Do you think it was fair, what they got?" Williams reportedly asked the Rolling Stone reporter as they watched the news pop up on TV while she was being interviewed. "They did something stupid, but I don’t know. I’m not blaming the girl, but if you’re a 16-year-old and you’re drunk like that, your parents should teach you: Don’t take drinks from other people. She’s 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn’t remember? It could have been much worse. She’s lucky. Obviously, I don’t know, maybe she wasn’t a virgin, but she shouldn’t have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that’s different.”

Here is William's statement in full:

“What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened. For someone to be raped, and at only sixteen, is such a horrible tragedy! For both families involved -- that of the rape victim and of the accused. I am currently reaching out to the girl’s family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article. What was written -- what I supposedly said -- is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame.

I have fought all of my career for women’s equality, women’s equal rights, respect in their fields -- anything I could do to support women I have done. My prayers and support always goes out to the rape victim. In this case, most especially, to an innocent sixteen year old child.”

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