Kim Kardashian With Blac Chyna in Selfie Wears No Makeup

Kim Kardashian returned to her workout routines after she got back from her honeymoon in Europe. Kim's workout friend, Blac Chyna, a former stripper and girlfriend of rapper Tyga, posted an Instagram photo of her and Kim on June 6. Chyna wrote alongside the picture, "Yay day with my main @kimkardashian ..."
Both of them cozily sat in a car with Chyna sitting on the driver's seat. Kim looked flawless despite not wearing any makeup, sporting a black sweatshirt with her hair tied in a bun, while Chyna showed off her cheek piercing on her bareface.
The newlywed recently celebrated her husband Kanye West's 37th birthday by posting on Instagram a picture of them kissing, captioning it with, "Happy Birthday to my husband and best friend in the entire world! You have changed my life in more ways than you know! The way you look at life inspires me! I love you so much!!!"
Kim also shared a picture of a birthday cake which was carved into the title of her husband's album "Yeezus".

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Justin Bieber attempts to restore his image

Disgraced singer Justin Bieber is attempting to restore his damaged image in the wake of his racial slur scandal. 

The 20-year-old appears in a new video posted by his father Jeremy, who was celebrating his 40th birthday with his children over the weekend.

 

The singer is seen hugging his younger siblings in the clip in what seems to be a clear effort to remind his disillusioned fans of his soft side.

His father captioned the video: 'I had an incredible weekend at a private cottage with my kids for my 40th birthday. Justin, Jazmyn and Jaxon are my life. I would be nothing without them. They make me a stronger person every single day.'

In the video, shared by Bieber senior on Youtube, Justin chats with brother Jaxon, four, and tries to convince him to stay and hang out with him instead of going swimming.

However, Jaxon - clad in an orange T-shirt - already has his mind made up and lets his older brother know that he will “come back” later.

Justin, who is seen speaking softly to his young sibling, then requests a hug and a kiss from the four-year-old before letting him leave.

'How much do you love me?' he asks the little boy. To which Jaxon responds: 'This much!' and throws his arms in circle around his back.

The Baby singer then moves on to sister Jazmyn, six, who jumps on to his lap for a tight squeeze.

Justin appears happy and relaxed in the clip wearing a white tank top displaying his tattooed arms and a matching white NBA baseball cap.

The private family time was no doubt a welcome break for the star after the furor and backlash he has had to deal with over the last week.

He has been under fire as leaked videos emerged showing him as a young teen using the N-word, first while cracking a racist joke and, in a second piece of footage, while modifying the lyrics to his hit single, One Less Lonely Girl.

And before the clips were released to the public, it seems Justin Bieber may have sought divine intervention.

Pastor Carl Lentz told the gossip site that he had spent a week with Justin doing intense Bible study, which culminated in the ceremony.

The site is reporting that the Never Say Never hitmaker's religious rebound centred around reading Bible passages and attending services.

Reportedly, the pop star proceeded to finally wash away his sins in an actual baptism ceremony performed in the bathtub of one of his friends.

According to TMZ, Justin initially attempted to find a church for the ceremony but wanted to keep it private.

Justin has been an admirer of Lentz for some time, and tweeted him in September:  'Amazing sermon at church this morning. Love you man. I broke down today.'

The 35-year-old Lentz is a leader in the Hillsong Church in New York and is a popular religious figure with nearly 100K Twitter followers.

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Beckham's tattoo obsession has spread to young England stars

England’s football stars can keep their arms covered up when playing Premier League matches during the chilly winter months back home.

But in the searing heat of Brazil they are sure to opt for short sleeves – meaning that the exotic full-arm tattoos favoured by some players will be on full display.

Several of the younger members of the England World Cup squad showed off their ‘sleeve’ body art in official team photographs released by Fifa on sunday.

Midfielder Ross Barkley, 20, sports a stirring quotation from the Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who tutored the hugely successful king and military commander Alexander the Great.
Topped by a fearsome-looking skull, the message on his left arm reads: ‘No notice (is) taken of little evil. But when it increases it strikes the eye.’
Barkley also has a tattoo of the Roman numerals ‘XX.VIII.MMXI’ to mark the date –

August 20, 2011 – when he made his senior debut for his club, Everton.
As well as red stars and roses, the player’s arm features Chinese characters that appear to read ‘fèngxiàn’, meaning ‘to devote’. 

Since he was a teenager, Jack Wilshere, 22, has assembled a ‘sleeve’ of tattoos that largely relate to his family.
The Arsenal midfielder’s right arm has the words ‘Family Love’, the names and dates of birth of his two children, Archie and Delilah, the Latin phrase ‘mater et pater’, meaning ‘mother and father’, and a rose in tribute to his sister Rosie.
On a sadder note he also has the initials JM and the dates 1990 to 2006 in memory of his uncle James Marshall, who died in a car crash aged just 16.

Wilshere has spoken of how he was inspired to get his tattoos by English football’s leading trendsetter.
'I first saw them on David Beckham, and I thought, "I like them",' he said last year.
'The best tattoos in football are probably on Beckham. I think he was like me, started really little, and now look at him, he's covered.'
Wilshere has hinted that he will also get his whole left arm inked over and perhaps move onto his chest.
He said: ‘Some of them I’ve really thought about, and then some of them have just been off the cuff. If you start thinking about it, it can take years to plan it, and then you’re not going to get it done.
‘It’s enjoyable because it’s going to be there for the rest of your life. I suppose you have to like it – it’s important to have your input as well.’ 

Raheem Sterling, 19, has used his tattoos to record both his humble origins and his soaring ambition as a footballer.
He grew up on a tough estate next to Wembley Stadium in north London, and his left arm features both a picture of the famous venue and the logo for the local Tube station.
The teenage winger, who plays for Liverpool, also has the words, ‘Thank you mama for the nine months you carried me, through all the pain and suffering,' inked on his biceps in tribute to his mother Nadine, who brought him up single-handed when they moved to Britain from Jamaica.
At the top of his arm he has the name and an image of the face of his daughter, Melody Rose, who was born in 2012.
No doubt there will be more tattoos to come if England defy all predictions and lift the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro on July 13.

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Nicki Minaj Shows Vulnerable Side in 'Pills N Potions' Video

After being teased with previews and two lyric videos, the visuals for Nicki Minaj's latest single "Pills N Potions" finally arrived in full on Monday, June 9. Directed by Diane Martel, the clip features some strange imageries like a self-dispensing Pez rabbit and an animated bunny.
Sporting natural make-up, Minaj looks vulnerable as she smokes a cigarette, cries metallic tears and poses topless with black pasties covering her breasts. Fellow rapper The Game makes a cameo appearance in the video as the 31-year-old femcee's on-screen lover.
"Pills N Potions" has so far peaked at No. 42 on Billboard 100. The song was released as the first offering from Minaj's highly-anticipated new album, "The Pink Print", which is scheduled to hit the stores later this year.
"I really wanted to experiment with the third album, but I wanted to still marry my old energy with a new sound," the star of "The Other Woman" said of her upcoming project during her visit to "Good Morning America" last week. 

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The Egyptian Rapper 'Mayam Mahmoud' Using Her Music to Fight Against Sexual Harassment

"I realized all the male rappers must have a track in which they talk about girls and their clothes, blaming girls for everything happening around us," said 19-year-old Mayam Mahmoud, an Egyptian rapper. "That wasn't right. So I rapped about girls and the problems they face."

Mahmoud, who rose to fame after competing on Arabs Got Talent, is using her music to hit back at Egypt's troubles with sexual harassment.

"You catcall and harass, thinking this is right," Mahmoud raps in one of her songs. "Even if these are just words, this is not how you treat [women], you're throwing stones."

She's part of a wider group of young people and activists who have been using art to speak out against the country's endemic problems with sexual harassment.

ust on Sunday night, Egypt's Tahrir Square saw a horrifying sexual assault, where a woman was seized by a crowd celebrating the inauguration of former military general Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi as president. The brutal moment was caught in a short, two-minute video, where the university student was undressed and assaulted by men in the crowd.

Egypt's government has criminalized sexual harassment recently, and seven people have now been arrested for the attack. But some rights groups estimated nine attacks in total that night. 

According to blogger Fatima Said, the new law runs the risk of being mostly a hollow gesture, since the government usually allows these attacks to go unpunished. She also argues that as long as the country's current government — which came to power through a military coup that toppled now-jailed president Mohamed Morsi last June — is still in place, the hopes for concrete action on this problem are slim:

"The state simply does not care about women's rights. It is happy to exploit them for photo opportunities and use them as tokens to advance their own political agendas, but as long as the malfeasant authorities continue to operate through a corrupt framework, no law will bring about any difference, and as long as society continues to blame and shame the victim instead of the perpetrator, nothing will change. For now, the anti-sexual harassment law is nothing more than ink on paper."

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Chelsea Youngster 'Kenneth Omeruo' on focus

Kenneth Omeruo is preparing for his first appearance at a World Cup, and having already tasted success on the international stage with Nigeria, the defender is hungry for more...
For a player so young, Kenneth Omeruo is vastly experienced on the international stage, and the Nigerian is looking forward to testing himself against some of the best strikers in the World Cup when the competition begins this week.

Having been part of the Nigeria team which won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, the 20-year-old also played in last summer's Confederations Cup in Brazil, and while that was a disappointing campaign for the Super Eagles, he believes they will be better off for it when they touch down in South America.
'It was a great experience,' Omeruo tells the official Chelsea website. 'Despite some unrest in the cities at the time, people came out to support, even if Brazil weren't playing. There were great atmospheres and good facilities.

'I only had 10 minutes of the game against Spain because I was injured, but it wasn't a bad performance even though we lost 3-0. It was individual mistakes, and with a bit of work we can be more competitive.'
Nigeria secured their return to Brazil for the imminent World Cup courtesy of a play-off win against Ethiopia, and Omeruo believes the biggest stage in football is where they belong. The Africa Cup of Nations success is understandably the high point so far of a career in its infancy. His call-up to the squad for that tournament came late on and somewhat unexpectedly, but he deserves credit for the manner in which he took the opportunity.
'Even for me it was a surprise,' he remembers about his selection. 'I was looking forward to going away with the Under-23s but instead got called up to the senior team, and it was a pleasure. I made use of the opportunity when I had it.
'After the Nations Cup we drew at home against Kenya in a World Cup qualifier, so knew we had to go away and get a win in Kenya, which sent us to the play-offs and we won both legs of that. It wasn't easy but as African champions we knew we had to be at the World Cup.'
For the World Cup Nigeria have been drawn alongside one of the tournament favourites, Argentina, with Bosnia and Iran making up a testing group.
'It's the first thing people say to me when they hear who we face. Aguero and Messi will be tough opponents, so we have to stay compact and strong as a team. But it is a group we can get through from, and we will look to be playing in the knockout stages.'

At club level, following a previous loan spell at ADO Den Haag in Holland, Omeruo spent the second half of the 2013/14 season at Middlesbrough, his first real taste of English football and an experience he looks back on with fondness.
'It was great,' he says. 'I didn't expect it to turn out as good as it was so I am really happy with how it went. I do feel at home in English football. Middlesbrough had a wonderful team, good management and strong facilities, so I blended well.
'The football was a bit physical which I had to learn as quickly as possible if I wanted to achieve anything before the World Cup, and I am very happy with everything.'

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World Record Holder 'Oldest Man' dies 111 years old

A 111-year-old New Yorker who had been certified as the oldest man in the world has died.

Alexander Imich died Sunday morning at a senior residence in Manhattan, his niece, Karen Bogen, confirmed it.

Imich was certified as the oldest man in the world this April by the Gerontology Research Group of Torrance, California.

"He was remarkable," Bogen said.

"He was so independent until very recently, and he just had an incredible curiosity about life."

Imich was born in Poland on February 4, 1903, according to a longtime friend in New York, Michael Mannion.

He and his wife, Wela, fled Poland when the Nazis took over, survived a labor camp in Russia and in 1951 moved to the United States, Mannion said.

His wife, who was a prolific artist and therapist in New York, died in 1986, according to Bogen.

"His apartment was filled with her artwork," she said.

They had no children.

Mannion said, when Imich learned he was the oldest man in the world, he "enjoyed the attention."

"It was his work that he was most proud of, and he was happiest when the attention included his scientific work," Mannion said.

Despite a doctorate in zoology, Imich's passion was investigating paranormal activity, Mannion said. He detailed his encounters with the supernatural in "Incredible Tales of the Paranormal," a journal that was published when he was 92.

While Imich's lengthy life can be attributed to diet, exercise and nutrition, Mannion says his great passion and curiosity for life were the real keys to his longevity.

"He had such an ability to turn adversity into something positive. That intense curiosity was there until the last days," said Mannion, who had visited Imich the night before he died.

A 116-year-old Japanese woman, Misao Okawa, is the world's oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group. The title of world's oldest man now goes to Sakari Momoi, also of Japan, who was born just a day after Imich in 1903, the group said.

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Rihanna: "My Life has been completed"- After Meeting Aaron Paul

If you needed proof that even Rihanna loses her sh– over celebrities. Badgal Rih Rih attended Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards on Saturday night, where she was honored as the “Most Desirable Woman” — but something way more important than that also happened.

Rih enjoyed her time at the show, including some onstage laughs with Kevin Hart, but the highlight definitely seemed to be meeting “Breaking Bad” star Aaron Paul. When they ran into each other backstage, she posed for a pic with him and shared it along with the mildly enthusiastic caption, “My life has been completed!!!”

The 26-year-old is such a big fan of “Breaking Bad” and Aaron Paul’s character, Jesse Pinkman, that she even turned Drake onto the show. This means that Aaron Paul had a similar run-in with the Toronto rapper a few months ago, receiving a big hug the first time they met, along with the admission that Rih had gotten him addicted to the AMC show as well.

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Kanye West pokes fun at himself in meme of Kim Kardashian's infamous swimsuit selfie

He's usually snapped looking tight-lipped and less than cheerful.

But Kanye West proved he has a sense of humour after all, when he commented on a fan's meme featuring the rapper and his new wife Kim Kardashian on Saturday. 

The 36-year-old wrote 'Haha' above the image, which shows Kim's infamous swimsuit selfie and a superimposed snap of himself running towards his voluptuous wife.

The amusing mock-up made reference to Kanye's excited comment on Kim's photo when she first posted it back in October 2013, which read: 'HEADING HOME NOW!'

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star posted the sexy snap just four months after giving birth to the couple's first child, North.

And it's clear that Kanye's desire for his longtime love hasn't diminished since he first commented on the photograph, with the pair tying the knot in a lavish ceremony in Italy on May 24.

In fact, the musician has been looking much more cheerful than usual since the big day, spotted smiling and laughing in public on more than one occasion.

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Ronaldo fitness boost for Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to group training ahead of the 2014 World Cup, the Portuguese Football Association has confirmed.

Ronaldo's fitness has been a concern after it was announced he was struggling with patellar tendinosis.

However, the Portugal forward looks to be winning his race to be fit in time for his nation's World Cup opener against Germany on June 16.

A statement on the Portuguese FA's official website said that Ronaldo and Raul Meireles are training with their teammates.

Pepe and Beto, meanwhile, are working on their leg injuries away from the group.

Portugal face Germany, Ghana and United States in Group G.

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The Pope Just Did Something That No Other Pope in History Has Done

The news: For the first time in history on Sunday, Islamic prayers and readings from the Quran were heard at the Vatican. The prayers were part of a somewhat unusual summit between leaders of Israel and Palestine at the Vatican to try to bring peace to the embattled area.

Pope Francis invited Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas to pray together in what was largely a symbolic gesture to foster dialogue. It will not likely have any immediate or tangible effect. 

Francis has specifically turned his attention to the Middle East recently after tensions came to a boil after a new Palestinian government was formed with the backing of the Islamist group Hamas and Israel's announcement of plans to build 3,200 new settler homes. On Saturday, in preparation for the summit, the pope tweeted: Prayer is all-powerful. Let us use it to bring peace to the Middle East and peace to the world. #weprayforpeace

Followed on Sunday by: I ask all people of good will to join us today in praying for peace in the Middle East. #weprayforpeace 

Realistic expectations: Though Francis has been known for his forward thinking since his papacy began last March, he and the Vatican are very aware of the complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict and have set their expectations accordingly. 

"Nobody is fooling themselves that peace will break out in the Holy Land," Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the head of the Franciscan Order in the Middle East who is organising the historic event in the Vatican Gardens, told AFP. "But this time to stop and breathe has been absent for some time. The pope wants to look beyond, upwards. Not everything is decided by politics."

Francis himself noted that it would be "crazy" to expect a Vatican summit to solve the conflict, but added that praying together might help in some way. The Vatican reportedly called the meeting as an "invocation for peace," stressing that it will not be an "inter-religious prayer," which could pose problems for the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities taking part.

A "cool" pope: Unrestrained by politics and recent historical precedent, Pope Francis has been making a name for himself as an active pontiff in the Vatican. From his "who am I to judge" line in July 2013 regarding gay priests in the Church, to his decision not to live in the extravagant and ornate Apostolic Palace, Francis has been forward thinking and utilizing the Vatican's massive voice and power positively. 

Regarding the Middle East, Sunday's summit is just another step in his efforts to bring some peace to the area. In late May, Francis made his first trip to the Holy Land and again made history when he prayed at the Israeli West Bank barrier.

"For decades the Middle East has known the tragic consequences of a protracted conflict which has inflicted many wounds so difficult to heal," Francis reportedly said at the time. "Even in the absence of violence, the climate of instability and a lack of mutual understanding have produced insecurity, the violation of rights, isolation and the flight of entire communities, conflicts, shortages and sufferings of every sort."

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Lukaku injured in late Belgium win

Star striker Romelu Lukaku was injured late on as Belgium clinched a 1-0 victory over Tunisia in their final warm-up game for the World Cup on Saturday.

Belgian coach Marc Wilmots kept Lukaku on the bench until the 61st minute after the striker had already proven his form with four goals in the last two games, but the forward limped off just before full-time after sustaining an ankle injury.

"For now it looks like a severe sprain, but of course there will be further tests tomorrow," Wilmots said. "As it looks now, Romelu will be out for three or four days. Let's hope it stays that way."

The match was interrupted for around 40 minutes after a severe hail storm forced players off the field in the first half, while Tunisia were reduced to 10 men after 63 minutes when Issam Jemaa was sent off for a second yellow card for grabbing Vincent Kompany's shirt.

Belgium dominated but lacked the cutting edge and had only a few shots at goal until Dries Mertens slotted home in the 89th minute after being set up by Nacer Chadli's pass.

Belgium play Russia, South Korea and Algeria in Group H.

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Former NAFDAC Director General 'Dora Akunyili' Is Dead

Before now rumours of her death has been heard a few times but unfortunately it has now become a reality.
Former Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and ex minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili, has died according to a family source.
Dr. Akunyili died in an India Hospital where she has been receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment. She was aged 59.

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China outrage after a toddler was pictured smoking in the street

captured smoking a cigarette

New footage has emerged of a Chinese toddler smoking a cigarette in the street as he is laughed at by onlookers.

The pictures are believed to be of a child aged between two and three and despite the vast numbers of adults around, not one attempts to take the cigarette away from him.

Passers-by and people on bikes passing can be heard laughing as the little boy holds the cigarette, taking several puffs of it like an 'old pro'.

The footage was obtained by liveleak.com and has sparked fresh debate about the scale of China's tobacco habit.

It is thought that around 30 per cent of the population of China smokes, which equates to 300 million people, with as many as 53 per cent of adult men in the country smoking.

However, at the end of last year, smoking in public places such as schools and hospitals was banned in the country.

It comes after another Chinese two-year-old, Tong Liangliang was pictured lighting up after being taught by his father, who believed the habit would alleviate pain caused by a hernia.

No one attempts to take away the cigarette from him 

It is thought that around 30 per cent of the population of China smokes

An adult is seen laughing at him

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Chris Brown parties with porn stars in racy Instagram snap from his get out of jail free bash

Almost immediately upon his release from prison, Chris Brown made sure to celebrate with his closest friends... and a bevy of porn stars.

The 25-year-old's 'out of jail party' was thrown by his on-off girlfriend Karrueche Tran on Thursday in Beverly Hills, and some of adult entertainment's biggest stars were strong in attendance.

Porn celebrity Bonnie Rotten shared a snap on Instagram of herself and fellow flesh stars Alexis Texas, Alektra Blue and Sarah Jessie posing with their derrières directed at the camera as they wore skimpy bikini bottoms.

 

 

 

On Thursday, just three days after his release, the star looked to have been a fan of prison fare as he showed off a fuller physique his release party.

Brown's girlfriend Karrueche was spotted leading him blindfolded to the star studded shindig as she wore a figure hugging white dress and tan stilettos while leading her beau by the hand to the party.

The Look At Me now singer's eyes were covered by a red bandanna as he sported camouflage fatigues, made up of a large button down shirt and matching shorts.

Attendees at the party included T Pain, Tyga, Amber Rose, Akon and Lil Romeo.

 

 

During the festivities Brown could be seen smiling and chatting with friends, clearly thrilled to be enjoying life on the outside.

This is the first time Brown has been seen since his release on Monday June 2.

Upon his release, the troubled star took to Twitter to post a message to his 13.5 million followers: 'Humbled and Blessed'.

 

 

 

 

While he may be enjoying his freedom now that he's out of the slammer, it seems that it could well be fleeting.

TMZ reports that the prosecutor in his Washington, DC assault case, which dates all the way back
to last October, is pushing for an early trial date.

Despite his insistence that his admission of violating his probation was actually referring specifically to his assault on Rihanna in 2009 and was not in relation to the Washington, DC case, the prosecutor is arguing that the admission still stands.

 

 

 

Documents obtained by TMZ, which were filed by the US Attorney for the District Of Columbia on Wednesday, reveal that the judge has been asked to make June 25 the start date of the trail rather than just a status conference.

The prosecutor argues that the admission of violating his probation does count in this case and therefore the trial should begin straightaway.

The decision has now been left in the hands of the judge presiding over the case, and, if he agrees, the star will be back in court in DC in as little as three weeks.

 

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Benzema not fearing Suarez arrival

Karim Benzema has told Marca he does not "feel any particular pressure" over the prospect of Luis Suarez moving to Real Madrid.
Installed as undisputed first-choice central striker following Gonzalo Higuain's departure last summer, Benzema, 26, struck an impressive 17 goals and weighed in with nine assists in his club's La Liga campaign as well as playing a central role en route to the Spanish giants' picking up a 10th European title last season.
Despite Suarez, 27, having said he plans to remain at Liverpool, there is mounting speculation in both Spain and England that Madrid are determined to land the striker, and that would provide Benzema with stiff competition for a place in Carlo Ancelotti's starting XI.
However, despite having seen Suarez score 31 goals in 33 Premier League appearances last term, the France international is unperturbed by the idea his place in the side may soon come under serious threat.
"I sleep well, I get up and I eat well," he told the Spanish newspaper from Les Bleus' pre-World Cup training base at Clairefontaine. "Everyone can come, and all the more to Madrid where all the best come. I work every day to play for Madrid. I don't feel any particular pressure.

"He's a great player who had a great season, but in football, you have to be capable of producing several of them. But he's a great player, and if he comes, he'll help us."

Marca has reported that, after renewing his contract last year, the release clause in Suarez's contract could now be as high as 92 million euros. The newspaper reports that Liverpool would not be willing to negotiate a lower fee.

Benzema, meanwhile, said he hopes to secure a new contract of his own at the Bernabeu, with his current deal set to expire in a year's time.

After initially struggling to show the full extent of his talent when he arrived in Spain from Lyon in 2009, Benzema has finally blossomed into a potent attacking force and is confident he will be able to play a part in the club's future.

"I hope to reach an agreement with Real Madrid," he said. "There's no other club like it. Every year, I feel better. I only think about Madrid. I'm happy there with my family. My parents are always there where I am going, they often come to see me."

He added: "I want to win everything. That's obligatory at Real Madrid. We're working to win another treble, and we want to win six trophies next season: the Club World Cup, the Spanish and European Super Cups, La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League again. We have to win everything. We can do it, because we're a great team."

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Franck Ribery and Clement Grenier out of France World Cup squad

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has been ruled out of France's World Cup campaign, along with Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier.

Montpellier's Remy Cabella and Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin will replace the duo, whose absence was announced by Didier Deschamps at a press conference in Clairefontaine ahead of his side's departure to Brazil.

Ribery had been following an individual training programme to overcome a back problem and failed to prove his fitness after rejoining the full squad on Friday.

Grenier sat out the session as he underwent scans on a thigh injury, and both players' worst fears were confirmed by coach Deschamps.

Deschamps said in the press conference screened on the French Football Federation's official website: "(Ribery) stopped with a strong pain.

"He had tests early in the afternoon which unfortunately confirmed the severity of the situation, that he will be unavailable for several weeks."

Grenier missed much of Lyon's Ligue 1 run-in with a separate injury and, having regained his fitness in time to join up with France, the latest setback has cost him his trip to the tournament.

"He had a groin problem with his club but he participated in the last match," said Deschamps.

"He came with us and participated in the training sessions and in the match against Norway. On Wednesday he trained as normal, Thursday morning as well, but on Thursday afternoon in the game, he suffered a terrible blow and felt pain in his right adductor.

"He had an MRI scan, which unfortunately again confirmed he will be incapacitated for several weeks, he will not be able to train or, evidently, to play.

"We submitted to FIFA the two medical documents and we decided to call up Morgan Schneiderlin and Remy Cabella.

"The two players were on the reserve list and they are similar to the two players who left us. You cannot copy them exactly but Morgan Schneiderlin is the player most in the profile of Clement Grenier, and Remy Cabella is the most in the profile of Franck Ribery."

Ribery said on the French Football Federation's official website: "It is like a death in the soul that I am forced to leave the France team and give up on the World Cup.

"I always hoped to be able to play against Jamaica (in this Sunday's final warm-up friendly) but when I pushed it physically on Friday morning it aggravated my back pain.

"The MRI scan confirmed those feelings and therefore my inability to train and play normally.

"In these conditions and despite the efforts of the medical staff, who I thank sincerely, my absence was inevitable."

Deschamps admitted Ribery's absence, in particular, is a major setback but vowed not to lose heart ahead of the tournament.

He said: "We know what Franck is capable of. With Franck Ribery at 100 per cent, we are better.

"But we have to be ambitious and we will continue to be."

For Ribery, it marks the end of his World Cup career if a recent interview he gave to radio station RTL is to be believed.

"It will be my last World Cup," he said on May 21. "We have to go there to achieve something, to try to win the World Cup, quite simply."

The 31-year-old made his international breakthrough by helping Les Bleus to the 2006 final in Germany, where they lost on penalties to Italy.

But he was also part of the wretched 2010 campaign in South Africa which ended in mutiny.

It would have been a first World Cup for Grenier, who has won five caps for Les Bleus since making his debut against Uruguay last year.

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North Korea: We've detained another American

North Korea announced Friday that it has detained a U.S. citizen who it says entered the secretive country as a tourist in April and broke the law.

The news brings the number of Americans believed to be held in the communist nation to three.

The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that authorities are investigating a man who it said violated the law by acting "contrary to the purpose of tourism."

In a brief English-language article, KCNA gave the American's name as Jeffrey Edward Fowle, saying he arrived as a tourist on April 29. It didn't give any other details.

Citing unidentified diplomatic sources, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that Fowle was part of a tour group and that he was detained in mid-May after allegedly leaving a Bible in a hotel where he had been staying.

The U.S. State Department said it was "aware of reports that a third U.S. citizen was detained in North Korea." But it declined to provide any further information, saying it couldn't share details about specific cases without written consent from an individual.

"There is no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad," a State Department official said.

North Korea said in late April it was holding a different American man, who it claimed came the country seeking asylum.

He tore his tourist visa and shouted that "he would seek asylum" and "came to the DPRK (North Korea) after choosing it as a shelter," KCNA said.

KCNA identified that man as Miller Matthew Todd, who it says was taken into custody on April 10.

The U.S. State Department said at the time that it was aware of the report and had been in touch with Sweden, which represents American interests in North Korea, about the matter. It declined to disclose any further information.

North Korea is also holding Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary who was sentenced to 15 years hard labor in 2013 by a court that said he had carried out acts aimed at bringing down the regime of leader Kim Jong Un.

Although North Korea contains a number of state-controlled churches, the totalitarian regime forbids independent religious activities, viewing them as potential threats to its authority.

Other Americans detained in the North have later been released.

Last year, Pyongyang freed Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old veteran of the Korean War who was on an organized private tour in the country, after holding him for several weeks.

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