David Duchovny, who plays a novelist whose libido often leads him into trouble on "Californication," is having trouble with sex in real life.

The star of the big-screen "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" has entered a rehabilitation center for sex addiction, People reported.

I have voluntarily entered a facility for the treatment of sex addiction," he told the magazine. "I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family."

"Duchovny, 48, is married to actress Tea Leoni. They live in Malibu, Calif., with their two children, daughter Madelaine, 9, and son Kyd, 6.

On Showtime's "Californication," Duchovny plays the troubled Hank Moody, a role for which he won a Golden Globe.

John McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a maverick conservative with less than two years in office, as his vice presidential running mate Friday in a startling choice as the Republican National Convention drew near.

At a raucous rally in the swing state of Ohio, McCain introduced Palin as the political partner "who can best help me shake up Washington and make it start working again for the people who are counting on us."

Palin, the first Republican woman tapped for national office, promised: "I'm going to take our campaign to every part of our country and our message of reform to every voter of every background in every political party, or no party at all."

"... Politics isn't just a game of competing interests and clashing parties," added the woman who has built her career in large measure by challenging fellow Republicans. "The people of America expect us to seek public office and to serve for the right reasons."



In a fast-developing presidential campaign, McCain made his selection six days after his Democratic rival, Barack Obama, named Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, as his running mate.

The contrast between the two announcements was remarkable — Obama, 47, picked a 65-year-old running mate with long experience in government and a man whom he said was qualified to be president.

On his 72nd birthday, McCain chose a 44-year-old running mate who until recently was the mayor of small-town Wasilla, Alaska — and made no claim she was ready to sit in the Oval Office.

His campaign issued a statement saying she was, but even so, it wasn't a point lost on Obama's campaign.

"Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency," Adrianne Marsh, a spokeswoman for Obama, said in a written statement.

Unlike Biden, who attacked McCain sharply in his debut last week, Palin was indirect in her initial attempts to elevate McCain over Obama.

"There is only one candidate who has truly fought for America and that man is John McCain," she said as the Arizona senator beamed. McCain was a prisoner of war for more than five years in Vietnam.



McCain trails Obama in the polls among women voters, and Palin moved quickly to remedy that.

She mentioned that she followed in the footsteps of Geraldine Ferraro, who was the Democratic vice presidential running mate in 1984, and referred favorably to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who drew 18 million votes in her unsuccessful run against Obama for the Democratic nomination.

"But it turns out the women of America aren't finished yet and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all," she said.

Republicans said that McCain hoped to blunt Obama's message of political change with his pick, and it appeared likely she could remove all doubt about her home state in the fall campaign.

Obama has targeted Alaska and its three electoral votes, one of several he hoped to turn competitive in the fall despite its long tradition of voting Republican.

Palin has a strong anti-abortion record, and her selection was praised warmly by social conservatives whose support McCain needs to prevail in the campaign for the White House.

President Bush complimented McCain for "an exciting decision."

"Governor Palin is a proven reformer who is a wise steward of taxpayer dollars and champion for accountability in government," a presidential statement said. "By selecting a working mother with a track record of getting things done, Senator McCain has once again demonstrated his commitment to reforming Washington."

"It's an absolutely brilliant choice," said Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law. "This will absolutely energize McCain's campaign and energize conservatives," he predicted.

With his pick, McCain passed over more prominent contenders like Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, as well as others such as former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, whose support for abortion rights might have sparked unrest at the convention that opens Monday in St. Paul, Minn.

The timing of McCain's selection appeared designed to limit any political gain Obama derives from his own convention, which ended Thursday night with his nominating acceptance speech before an estimated 84,000 in Invesco Field in Colorado.

Public opinion polls show a close race between Obama and McCain, and with scarcely two months remaining until the election, neither contender can allow the other to jump out to a big post-convention lead.

At 44, she is younger than two of McCain's seven children.

She is three years Obama's junior, as well — and McCain has made much in recent weeks of Obama's relative lack of experience in foreign policy and defense matters.

In its formal announcement, the campaign pointed to her powers as head of the Alaska National Guard and the mother of a soldier herself as evidence that she "understands what it takes to lead our nation..."

McCain has had months to consider his choice, and has made it clear to reporters that one of his overriding goals was to avoid a situation like 1988, when little known Sen. Dan Quayle was thrown into a national campaign with little preparation.



A self-styled hockey mom and political reformer, Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, population 6,500, until she became governor.

Palin flew overnight to an airport in Ohio near Dayton, and even as she awaited her formal introduction, some aides said they had believed she was at home in Alaska.

She became governor of her state in December, 2006 after ousting a governor of her own party in a primary and then dispatching a former governor in the general election.

More recently, she has come under the scrutiny of an investigation by the Republican-controlled legislature into the possibility that she ordered the dismissal of Alaska's public safety commissioner because he would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper.

Palin has a long history of run-ins with the Alaska GOP hierarchy, giving her genuine maverick status and reformer credentials that could complement McCain's image.

Two years ago, she ousted the state's Republican incumbent governor, Frank Murkowski in the primary, despite having little money and little establishment backing.

She has also distanced herself from two senior Republican office-holders, Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don young. Both men are under federal corruption investigations.

She had earned stripes — and enmity — after Murkowski made her head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. From that post, she exposed ethical violations by the state GOP chairman, also a fellow commissioner.

Her husband, Todd Palin, is part Yup'ik Eskimo, and is a blue-collar North Slope oil worker who competes in the Iron Dog, a 1,900-mile snowmobile race. The couple lives in Wasilla. They have five children, the youngest of whom was born in April with Down syndrome.

At the Thursday morning Vancouver Island has faced 5.8 magnitude earthquakes. This was strongly built Canada’s Pacific coast rocked the waters west of Vancouver Island. This morning's headliner earthquake near Vancouver Island didn't come alone. Scientists have recorded four more seismic events since 5:37 a.m., when the 5.8-magnitude quake shook things up this morning - and not for the first time this week.

By luckily that earthquake was not more powerful enough to generate a tsunami. At the first capacity indicated that the earthquake was 6.1 magnitudes, but the US Geological Survey corrected it and downgrade it to 5.8 magnitudes.

The envisioning of the quake was located to be about 95 miles ) 153 kilometers) west-southwest of Port Hardy, and about 293 miles (472 kilometers) west-northwest of Vancouver, at a depth of 6.2 miles, at 5:37 a.m. local time (1807 IST) the agency said.

“These earthquakes are too far offshore to be felt on land and too small to generate a tsunami,” Natural Resources Canada said.

“Experience an earthquake every day, but only a rareness of these quakes are manifest and even fewer result hurt,” a British Columbia government Web site on seismic activity said.

"It's nothing to be worried about," said Garry Rogers, an earthquake scientist with the geological survey said Wednesday. "It reminds us that we're in a very active offshore activity area. It's one of the most active in the world."

Labor Day Getaways and Special Events 2008

Since 1884, the first Monday in September has been a holiday in the US, as a tribute to workers; Canada has the same, (though it's spelled "Labour Day.") Many other countries have International Workers Day -- May Day-- instead, commemorating past struggles for workers' rights.

To most people in North America, however, Labor Day is above all the last-blast of summer fun, and --for many schoolkids-- the last day of freedom before Back to School. And even though many school districts now start classes in August, Labor Day long weekend is still a five-star farewell to summer time.

Below you'll find getaway packages and special events for Labor Day 2008, which falls on Monday Sept. 1st.

Labor Day Weekend 2008

• New York: Labor Day Parade
  
  The first Labor Day Parade was held in New York City on September 5, 1882, and there's still one today: trade union members, high school bands, politicians, police and fire departments, and more. Location is usually in Manhattan, on 5th Ave. NOTE: there was no Labour Day Parade in NYC in 2007, but the 2008 Parade is on.)
  

• West Indian American Day Carnival Parade (Brooklyn Carnival)
  
  This extravaganza has Caribbean costumes, music, and food, up to 2 million spectators, dozens of bands; it's a multi-day event with a parade on Labor Day. (2007 info.)
  

• Labor Day Concert in Washington DC:
  
  This annual concert by the National Symphony Orchestra is performed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building, and is free.
  

• Other Labor Day Events in DC
  
  Kensington Labor Day Parade has a day of family entertainment, as does Greenbelt Labor Day Festival; Renaissance Festival, free Blues Festival, concerts, and lots more.
  

• Detroit Labor Day Parade
  

  Detroit, aka "Motor City" -- where the automobile unions were born-- has a major Labor Day Parade that's one of the biggest in Michigan. The free three-day Detroit Jazz Fest is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, too.
  

• Irvington, VA: Irvington Stomp
  
  An event with a small-town feel, this "grape stomp" harvest festival celebrates wine-making in Irvington, VA, 1-½ hours east of Richmond; those close to Chesapeake Bay can arrive by boat. Grape Stomping Competitions, music, hayrides, corn maze, and more.
  

• Labor Day 2008 in the Southeastern US
  
  Many weekend events and festivals in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, NC, SC, and Virginia. Also: ten fun resort hotels for Labor Day Weekend.
  

• Orlando: Tom Joyner Family Reunion
  
  This big bash at Walt Disney World happens on Labor Day Weekend, with special entertainment plus theme park fun. Find out more at Blackamericaweb.com-- link above. (If page isn't updated, try a search for "Joyner" at Disney World.)
  
  
• Labor Day Events in Texas
  About's Guide for Texas highlights Westfest, Batfest, and more.
  

• Multiple Cities - at GoCityKids
  

  GoCityKids is an excellent resource for kid-friendly happening in many major US cities, including Boston, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, and Washington DC. A top feature is a detailed calendar: check your city of choice to see what's up for Labor Day.
  

• Labor Day Weekend - Events in Greater LA
  
  Street Fairs, Long Beach Greek Festival, "Fiesta Hermosa" arts and crafts festival with kiddie carnival, and more.
  

• Copper Country Festival, CO
  
  Copper Mountain (a ski resort in winter) has a big bash on Labor Day Weekend, with big-name bands, street party, and "Copper Corral" for kids with free pony rides, face painting, etc.
  

Labor Day Specials at Family Resorts

Many family resorts have special end-of-summer bashes on Labor Day Weekend; below are a few samples.

• Maine: Pointe Sebago Labor Day Weekend Package
  

  This family resort on Lake Sebago in southern Maine has 775 acres and a Labor Day package that includes buffet meals (lobster, at one), boat cruise, paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, daily supervised activities for all ages, entertainment, special rates for golf, special family and kids' activities.
  

A fresh round of government and private hurricane forecasts show Tropical Storm Gustav, which is now heading west between Jamaica and Cuba, growing into a dangerous hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend and hitting the Gulf Coast around Labor Day. It’s still early, and the “error cone” in the forecasts means the storm could hit anywhere from easternmost Texas to Florida’s west coast. But most of the simulations compiled hour by hour on the hurricane-analysis Web page of Kerry Emanuel at M.I.T. show the landfall zone ranging from New Orleans to Tallahassee, Fla.

The video above provides a view of one simulation generated on Aug. 27 by the HWRF model, developed by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and National Weather Service. Brian D. McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State, provided the images and is keeping track. This path is just one of many possible outcomes, and vagaries in winds and water temperatures will most likely take the storm somewhere else. But it certainly provides a wake-up call for a region that has been largely out of harm’s way the last couple of years.

And if the storm does stay on track, it will hit around the same time that the Republican National Convention begins in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Could a landfall by Hurricane Gustav revive nagging questions related to the federal response to Hurricane Katrina?

Hurricane Gustav Track Video

5. Doutzen Kroes

$6 Million

14. Hilary Rhoda

$2 Million

15. Liya Kebede

$1.5 Million

Kim Kardashian, who badly cut her foot on a broken mirror in her New York hotel room Sunday night, August 24, called in on 'Good Morning America' on Monday to confirm her participation in Alphabet's Dancing with the Stars, which premieres September 22.

Kim, 27, called in after the lineup for the seventh season of the TV series was announced. She stars in her own reality show ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians,’ is paired with professional dancer Mark Ballas on the hit show. She will compete for the winning title against stars including Toni Braxton, Lance Bass and Brooke Burke.

"I will be able to dance," she said. She also explained how she hurt herself.

"There was a mirror beneath a little desk and it was all broken...and I used my foot to push it away from the desk," she said. "I went to the hospital and I'm fine" she said.

Kardashian, who has been hard at work rehearsing her dance moves, is annoyed her injury will affect her fashionista image. "I wish this didn't happen. I have to wear heels all day today. You saw my room. It looked like a murder scene!" she added.

Kim is in NYC this week promoting her big-screen debut in the comedic spoof Disaster Movie, which hits theaters August 29. It's not known how many stitches she received, but Kardashian told GMA she bled so much "it was like a murder scene."

The victory lap for Olympian Misty May-Treanor will be a short one. She'll go straight from Beijing where she and Kerry Walsh won their second gold medal in beach volleyball to wear the similarly skimpy costumes required for "Dancing with the Stars."

Two Olympians, an Oscar winner and a football player will all be among the celebrities showing off their moves on the new season of “Dancing with the Stars.”

The new season will begin with a three-night premiere event beginning Monday, September 22 on NewsChannel 9.

Two couples will be eliminated during the first week of competition and the Jonas Brothers and Jesse McCartney will perform on the results show, Wednesday, September 24.

Here are the season seven stars:

Contestant 1 - Lance Bass
Lance Bass has sold over 50 million records as a member of the phenomenally successful pop group *NSYNC. He also executive produced and starred in a number of film and television projects. In 2002 he successfully trained to be a cosmonaut at Russia's Star City and was certified by both the Russian Space Program and NASA for a mission aboard a Soyuz capsule. Lance has also released his memoir, Out of Sync, for Simon Spotlight Entertainment. The 2006 U.S. Youth Latin Champ and 2007 World Swing Dance Champ Lacey Schwimmer teams up with Lance to make her series debut.

Contestant 2 - Toni Braxton
The winner of six Grammy Awards, Toni Braxton is a Billboard chart-topping singer and actress, selling over forty million records worldwide. Her U.S. number-one hit Un-Break My Heart is the second biggest single by a female artist in history. She has also appeared in two Disney Broadway shows: Beauty and the Beast and Aida. Dancing with the Stars marks her return to the spotlight after a six-month health hiatus. She teams up with season one champion, Alec Mazo, who returns for his fourth season.

Contestant 3 - Brooke Burke
A host, actress, entrepreneur and celebrity mom, Brooke Burke has truly done it all. She has graced numerous magazine covers, has her own top-selling swimsuit calendars, and is regularly ranked in men's magazines as one of the sexiest women in the world. Recognized worldwide as host of the hit travel series Wild On!, Brooke has since hosted several high profile network series, including Rock Star: INXS and Rock Star: Supernova. On the acting front, she has guest-starred on such television series as Las Vegas, Less Than Perfect, Eve, It's All Relative, The Bernie Mac Show, Monk, Rock Me Baby and That's Life. Brooke is a mother of four and recently launched her own babystore BabooshBaby.com, a site where she shares her secrets (and some products she used) to get back in shape after giving birth. Brooke teams with Derek Hough who returns for his third season.

Contestant 4 - Rocco DiSpirito
The James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef and author Rocco DiSpirito combines his world-class cooking with a passion for empowering home cooks. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Rocco opened the 3-star Union Pacific in New York City in 1997. In 2003 he launched Rocco's for the reality series, The Restaurant. Rocco will next appear on the A&E series, Rocco Gets Real, beginning in October, along with its companion cookbook, Rocco Gets Real: Cook at Home Every Day. He teams with Karina Smirnoff who returns for her fifth season. Karina teamed with R&B singer, Mario, last season.

Contestant 5 - Maurice Greene
The winner of two gold medals, in the 100m sprint and the 4x100m relay at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, track star Maurice Greene was dubbed the "World's Fastest Man" during his career. In addition to being the former world record holder in the 100m sprint, and winning multiple world championships, he also won silver and bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. He is the current Indoor World Record holder in the 60m at 6.39 seconds. He teams up with two-time champion, Cheryl Burke. Cheryl returns for her sixth season.

Contestant 6 - Kim Kardashian
Actress, model and reality television star, Kim Kardashian shot to stardom after the first airing of her hit E! reality series, Keeping up with the Kardashians. The series follows the exploits of Kim, her siblings, her mother Kris, and her stepfather, Olympic Gold Medalist Bruce Jenner. Kardashian recently completed her first feature film, Disaster Movie and will also be seen on The N's series Beyond the Break. She teams up with defending champ, Mark Ballas, who returns for his third season.

Contestant 7 - Cloris Leachman
Actress Cloris Leachman's storied career has been recognized with nine Emmys®, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award®. She has the distinction of being the only woman to win eight Primetime Emmy® Awards and one Daytime Emmy®. Leachman has starred in a wide range of theater, television and motion picture projects, creating such indelible characters as Phyllis in the TV series Phyllis and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, Nurse Diesel in High Anxiety, and Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show (for which she won an Oscar® and a BAFTA). In 2008 she has already completed three new films; The Women, American Cowslip and New York I Love You. She is in the process of writing her memoir and is currently touring the U.S. with her one-woman show CLORIS! Cloris teams with World Latin Champion and Mark's father, Corky Ballas, who makes his series debut.

Contestant 8 - Cody Linley
Cody Linley will be the youngest contestant ever to compete on Dancing with the Stars. He is best known for his role as Jake Ryan on the wildly popular Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, a role in which he was nominated for a Young Artist Award. He also helped the show garner an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children's Programming. Cody's film credits include My Dog Skip, HOOT, Miss Congeniality, and Cheaper By the Dozen. He teams with two-time Dancing with the Stars champ, Julianne Hough who returns for her fourth season.

Contestant 9 - Susan Lucci
As the most famous face in daytime television history, Lucci has held audiences spellbound for years as the sexy, sassy, beautiful woman you love to hate, Erica Kane on All My Children. In May 1999, all of America stood and cheered when Susan Lucci won the Emmy® Award for Best Actress. While competing on the show, she will continue her work on All My Children, and celebrate her 10,000th episode this November. In addition to her performances on Broadway and in cabarets across the country, Susan is an entrepreneur, having launched successful cosmetic, fashion, and jewelry lines on HSN. She teams with Tony Dovolani who returns for his sixth season.

Contestant 10 - Misty May-Treanor
Beach Volleyball champion Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh captured their second Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and became the first team ever to repeat as back-to-back champs. The victory also marked their 108th straight match win. Misty and Kerri were distinguished as AVP Team of the Year for four consecutive years (2003 through 2006). Misty was also named Most Valuable Player in 2005 and 2006, Best Offensive Player in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and Best Defensive Player in 2006. She now joins a new teammate, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who returns for his fifth season.

Contestant 11 - Ted McGinley
Actor Ted McGinley's extensive television credits include Married&with Children, Hope & Faith, Happy Days, recurring roles on the critically-acclaimed series The West Wing, Sports Night, Charlie Lawrence, Dynasty, and The Love Boat. He has also starred in such films as Pearl Harbor, Daybreak, Dick, Major League: Back to the Minors, Wayne's World 2, and the cult hit Revenge of the Nerds. Newcomer Inna Brayer will be paired with Ted. Inna is the current US Amateur 10 Dance Champion.

Contestant 12 - Jeffrey Ross
Comedian Jeffrey Ross a.k.a. the "Roastmaster General," has delivered numerous show stopping performances at celebrity roasts honoring the likes of William Shatner, Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump, Pamela Anderson, Bob Saget and Emmitt Smith, inspiring New York Magazine to crown him The Meanest Man in Comedy. As a comic, Jeff has appeared on several late night and morning shows Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The View. Jeff's other TV credits include Weeds and C.S.I. He has also appeared in such films as the Farrelley Brothers' Stuck on You, and the critical sensation, The Aristocrats. Jeff continues to tour regularly. He teams with Edyta Sliwinska, who is the only pro to compete in all seven seasons of Dancing with the Stars.

Cuba's Angel Valodia Matos lashed out at a referee and a judge after being disqualified from his bronze medal bout with Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov in the Olympic taekwondo men's +80-kg tournament.

Matos kicked Swedish judge Chakir Chelbat in the head as coaches from both teams ran on to the mat to dispute the result. The Cuban was leading 3-2 in the second period of the contest when Matos stopped to receive treatment for a foot injury. Competitors are allowed a one minute period to treat injuries, and when this time elapsed the referee awarded the contest to Chilmanov.

After a heated exchange on the mat, Matos pushed the match referee and then caught the Swedish judge in the head with a high kick. Matos then spat on the floor was promptly dragged from the scene by his back-room staff.

Matos and his coach were almost immediately slapped with a lifetime ban from all World Taekwondo Federation championships for the outburst, which the WTF called "a strong violation of the spirit of taekwondo and the Olympics."

"He was too strict," Cuban coach Leudis Gonzalez said of the judge. Gonzalez offered no apology for the actions of Matos, who may also face questioning from Chinese police and Olympic security officials. The Cuban pair left the arena amid jeers and boos from the crowd.

Usain Bolt ran a blistering third leg before passing the baton to Asafa Powell, who took Jamaica over the line in a time of 37.10 seconds. Usain Bolt won his third gold medal of the Olympics and broke his third world record as Jamaica raced to victory in the men’s 4x100m relay.

Trinidad & Tobago won the silver in a time of 38.06 seconds and Japan finished third, but the Jamaicans of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Bolt and Powell lived up to their billing as pre-race favourites and blew the rest of the field away.

The gold medal for Bolt means he has completed a clean sweep of the men’s sprint events following his 100m and 200m golds. The Jamaican ran 9.69 seconds to win the 100m and followed that with another world record time of 19.30 seconds in the 200m final on Wednesday.

An ex-U.S. diplomat who admitted having sex with teenage girls and taping the encounters while stationed in Brazil and the Congo has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The sentence for Gons Nachman was the maximum that could be imposed. The judge gave the 42-year-old the maximum sentence and took the unusual step of ordering consecutive 10-year terms for the two counts on which he was convicted.

Gons Nachman had sought leniency on the theory claiming cultural differences in those countries made sex with teenage girls more acceptable.

Forty-two-year-old Nachman pleaded guilty earlier this year to possessing child pornography after admitting he videotaped his sexual encounters while working as a consular officer. The case also included allegations that he pressured Brazilian visa applicants for sex, though he was not charged with that.

Former Spice Girl Mel C is expecting her first child with partner Thomas Starr, the British Daily Mirror reported on Friday.

The couple confirmed the pregnancy of Melanie Chisholm, 34, who became known as Sporty Spice.

There had been rumours about her possible pregnancy in recent weeks when she appeared in loose-fitting clothes at a show.

Chisholm is the last of the Spice Girls to announce she is pregnant.

The former Spice Girls Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, and Victoria Beckham all have children, totalling six among the former girl band.

"Some happy news,” she wrote this morning. “Well, I can now announce that Tom and I are expecting a baby and we are very happy.

"I will be taking it easy but am also excited to start writing for the fifth album.

“I will need to take some time off to be a mum but, before you know it, we'll be back."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ordered an investigation into allegations Chinese authorities falsified the age of a double gold medal winning gymnast because she was too young to compete.

China's He Kexin, who won team gold in artistic gymnastics an individual title on the asymmetric bars, was registered as being born on January 1, 1992, meeting the rule that gymnasts must at least turn 16 in the year of the Olympics.

There have been persistent media allegations He competed in earlier tournaments under a later birthdate. On Thursday an American computer expert said he had uncovered Chinese state documents that proved she was 14 and not 16.

The caption on a photograph published by Chinese state news agency Xinhua last year referred to "13-year-old He Kexin," while China Daily reported in May that she was 14.

An IOC official said the gymnastics federation would look into "discrepancies" over He's age but Games organizers were at pains to stress she had already been cleared to compete.

"Everything that has been received so far shows we have no problem of eligibility for these competitors," said the IOC's sports director Christophe Dubi.

IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies added the organization wanted to clear up the matter 100 percent "and put it to rest."

The age rule was introduced in 1997 to protect gymnast's health, and China's gymnastics coach told a news conference all the team "were in total compliance with the age requirement."

"Since Asian bodies are not the same as Westerners', there have been questions, but there shouldn't be," Chinese head coach Huang Yubin said. A finding is likely to come well after the Games end on Sunday and the intense media focus moves elsewhere.

China has invested billions in selecting and training its athletes from a young age, an effort rewarded by top spot in the medals table, with 46 golds. China says this has shown it has the sporting prowess to match its rising superpower status.

There has been criticism of the system even from within China, with one former Olympic medalist saying many children who specialize in sport are left without sufficient education or social skills.

American Brian Clay stretched his lead in the Olympic decathlon Friday to 316 points after eight events, making the 2004 runner-up a heavy favorite to win gold following two last events Friday night.

Clay, the 2005 world champion, was second overall in the 110-meter hurdles in 13.93 seconds for 984 points, then won the discus with a throw of 53.79m for 950 more and cleared 5.00m in the pole vault for 910 points.

That left Clay on 7,365 total points with only the javelin and 1,500m to come in the two-day, 10-discipline competition that began Thursday with the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400m.

"I started the day pretty tired, as everybody does," Clay said. "My first race went okay. I didn't fall and I had an okay time so I will take it."

Andrey Krauchanka of Belarus, this year's world indoor runner-up, stood second on 7,049 with Alexander Pogorelov of Russia third on 6,979.

Ukraine's Oleksiy Kasyanov, second by 283 points to Clay when the pole vault began, cleared only 4.30m and fell to fourth on 6,874 as Clay shared third in the vault with Krauchanka and Pogorelov.

A nightmare run for US athletes, including Jamaican sprint domination and two botched final handoffs in the 4x100m relays, continued when Trey Hardee, fourth after seven events, scored no points in the pole vault.

Hardee, with the third-best decathlon total score in the world this year, missed three times at his opening height of 4.70m to doom his medal bid.

Reigning world and Olympic champion Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic saw his podium hopes fade as well.

The injury-nagged 33-year-old world record holder was third in his 110 hurdles heat in 14.71, reached only 45.50m in the discus and 4.80 in the pole vault to stand on 6,823.

Clay completed the opening day with an 88-point edge over Krauchanka and began the day by winning his morning 110 hurdles heat in a head-to-head showdown with Hardee, fifth in 14.20, and Krauchanka, sixth on 14.21.

Clay boosted his lead to 159 points in the discus, where he owns the world decathlon best of 55.87m, by making his mark on his first attempt.

Kasyanov waited until his last throw to reach 48.39m for 837 points and move into second past Krauchanka, who threw 44.58, and Hardee, who threw 43.55.

Clay, 28, achieved the world's highest decathlon score since 2004 at the US Olympic trials, his personal best of 8,832 points the top US result in 16 years.

It's Love, Angel, Music and Baby No. 2 for Gwen Stefani, who gave birth to a boy Thursday. Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani added to their family with the birth of baby Zuma on Thursday. The couple named their son, Zuma Nesta Rock, who weighed 3.77 kilograms.

Zuma Nesta Rock weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces when he was born Thursday afternoon, according to publicist Dave Tomberlin.

"Mother, baby and family are all happy and healthy," he said in a statement.

The pop star and fashionista has another son, 2-year-old Kingston, with her husband, rocker Gavin Rossdale. Rossdale also has a teenage daughter with fashion designer Pearl Lowe.

Stefani, 38, was propelled to worldwide stardom when the band she was lead singer for, No Doubt, released the album Tragic Kingdom in 1995 which sold 16 million copies.

In 2003 the band broke up, and Stefani launched a solo career. To date she has released two albums. Stefani has racked up numerous hits and best-selling albums over the years, not only as a solo artist but as the frontwoman for the band No Doubt. The 38-year-old has also become a successful designer with her L.A.M.B. and other clothing lines.

She played at Auckland's Vector Arena on her Sweet Escape tour in 2007.

There have recently been reports that No Doubt is back in the studio working on a new album.

Her last album, "The Sweet Escape," was released in 2006, a follow-up to 2004's multiplatinum "Love. Angel. Music. Baby."

Vijender Kumar of India loses to Correa Bayeaux Emilio of Cuba in 2008 Olympics Boxing Men's Middle 75kg Semifinal by 8:5 points on Friday.

Bout Result

Round 1 2:0
Round 2 2:3
Round 3 3:0
Round 4 1:2

Dayeaux got off to a good start, taking two-point lead in the first round. However, Vijender staged a strong fightback in the second round winning three points, while his Cuban opponent claimed two as the score read 4-3 after two rounds. The Indian drew a blank in the third round, while Dayeaux bagged three points to take a commanding 7-3 lead.

In the fourth and final round, Vijender put in all his efforts, but could not catch up with his opponent. Vijender had already ensured the bronze medal for India when he beat Carlos Gongora of Ecuador 9-4 in the quarter-finals.

In the gold medal match Dayeaux will face Great Britain's James DeGale, who beat Darren John Sutherland 10:3 in the first semi-final.

Jitender Kumar follows Akhil Kumar's route

India's Jitender Kumar lost to Russian pugilist Georgy Balakshin in the 51kg flyweight category in the Olympics boxing competition on Wednesday.

The Indian boxer lost the bout 15-11 at the Workers' Gymnasium to end hopes of a medal. If Jitender had won he would have been assured of at least a bronze medal.

Though Jitender began on an aggressive note throwing away punches but failed to connect most of them as the Russian took a lead of 2-1 in the first round.

In second round both the boxers scored five points each but thanks to the one-point lead from the first round, Balakshin maintained the lead 7-6.

However, Jitender was totally outclassed in the third round as a flurry of punches from the Russian earned him as many as six points against only two for the Indian. The Russian pulled clear in the third, taking a 13-8 lead.

Jitender could not make up for the lost ground as the Russian resorted to defensive tactics, making scoring very difficult for his opponent in the last round. The Indian although reduced the margin in the fourth and final round when the referee awarded him an extra point to counter the Russian's negative tactics making it 3-2 in his favour. But that made little difference to the result. The Russian eventually won 15-11.

Here were scores for each round - Russian : Indian

Round 1 2:1
Round 2 5:5
Round 3 6:2
Round 4 2:3

The Asian Championship bronze medallist had defeated Uzbek rival Tulashboy Doniyorov by 13-6 in the pre-quarter-finals on Saturday.

Earlier, Jitender, making his Olympic debut, had pummelled his Turkish opponent Ulas Furkan Memis in less than three rounds in the opening round.

Sushil Kumar gave India it's second medal at the Beijing Olympics as he won the bronze in the Men's Freestyle 66kg against Leonid Spiridonov of Kazakhstan.

Earlier, Sushil Kumar lost to Ukrainian Andriy Stadnik on points after being pegged down 3-8 on technical points.

While the luck of the draw gave Sushil a bye in the first round, giving him a start straightaway in the quarterfinals, Standnik had to beat 2007 world no. 5 American Doug Schwab in the round of 16 to move further.

In the quarters, Stadnik, a former World Cup winner and 2006 World Championship bronze medallist, out-played the Indian. As Stadnik, quarterfinalist at the 2007 World Championships, moved into the final, all those who lost to him came through to the Repechage, which will decide the two bronze medallists.

In the Repechage first round, Sushil meets Schwab and their winner will meet Belarussian Albert Batyrov. Sushil will need to win a third bout after that to get himself a bronze.

Schwab was fifth at the last World Championships, where Sushil was seventh. Eventually Sushil made it to the Olympics after making it to the quarter-finals of the World wrestling championship, where he lost to Stadnik from a convincing margin of 4-15.

Coming through to the final from the other half of the category is Turkish wrestler Ramazan Shahin, who won the gold medal in the 2007 World Championships, besides claiming the first place in the 2008 European meet.

All those who lose to the ultimate finalists take part in the repechage, which decides the two bronze medallists.

Sushil later said that there was not much pressure on him.

"Probably you may say that there was no expectation from the people back home and the media too. But me and my coach (Satpal) always knew I had a fair chance of winning a medal and I'm happy I could achieve that," Sushil said at the China Agricultural University in Beijing.

"While it is good not to have that burden of expectation on your shoulder, I think we can give even more provided we get better facilities. I want to dedicate this medal to my coach Satpal," said the current world No. 7.

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