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NBC announced a new lineup that includes a midseason change of nights for hit drama "The Blacklist" and the final seasons of "Parks and Recreation" and "Parenthood." "The Blacklist," NBC's biggest freshman hit, shifts from Monday to Thursday nights in February, where it will air at 9 p.m. NBC also announced that it has rewarded the James Spader drama with the coveted post-Super Bowl slot. When "The Blacklist" moves, its Monday spot will be taken by "State of Affairs," a CIA-themed drama starring Katherine Heigl ("Grey's Anatomy"). Other new NBC shows include the supernatural DC Comics thriller, "Constantine," and "The Mysteries of Laura," starring Debra Messing as a cop juggling work and family life. Also coming soon: Romantic comedies "Marry Me" and "A to Z," the latter of which stars Cristin Milioti ("How I Met Your Mother"). In addition, Kate Walsh (...

Whether you like her politics or not, Ann Coulter is a smart woman. So we’re surprised she didn’t see this train coming down the tracks. She and her fellow conservatives have been on a roll the past few days mocking the #BringBackOurGirls social media campaign launched to call attention to 300 kidnapped Nigerian girls. First Lady Michelle Obama became the face of the campaign when she posed with a small white sign with the hashtag written on it. On Sunday night, Coulter posted a Twitter photo of herself holding a sign, too. But hers read: “#Bring Back Our Country.” “My hashtag contribution to world affairs,” she wrote. And then, of course, the mocking of Ann Coulter began. People began retweeting images of her holding that sign, but not before they had Photoshopped rude and mean messages onto it. “#Bring Back My Soul” “Please Pay Attention to Me” “Bring Back Doritos 3D” “Bring Back Traditional White America” “I’m on Christian Mingle! User Name: RWNJ1958” “Micha...

It was billed as an apology for racist comments that created a firestorm – but the Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has unleashed a new row by launching a searing attack on Magic Johnson and wealthy African Americans. The tycoon used an interview aired on Monday to apologise for the tirade against black people caught on tape last month but then depicted Johnson, who has HIV, of being a womanising disease-carrier. In what may become a case study in how not to defuse a crisis, Sterling, a national pariah who is battling to keep his basketball team, also accused wealthy black people of being stingy philanthropists in contrast to Jews such as himself. The 80-year-old, speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper in his first television interview since the crisis broke, insisted he was no racist and asked forgiveness for making derogatory comments about black people in the leaked tape, saying he had been “baited” into doing so. But then the attempt at damage control self-destruc...

The Swiss artist and designer of Ridley Scott's Alien, H. R. Giger, has died aged 74, a spokesperson at Giger's museum in Gruyere has confirmed. He died in hospital on Monday after he fell down stairs at his Zurich home. Born in 1940, Giger was best known for his 'Xenomorph' alien in Scott's sci-fi horror masterpiece for which he won a visual effects Oscar in 1980. He studied architecture and industrial design in Zurich and was known for creating strange dreamscapes. Meticulously detailed, Giger's surrealist paintings were usually produced in large formats and then reworked with an airbrush and usually feature scenes of humans and machines fused together. Giger described his style as "biomechanical". One of his pieces in particular - Necronom IV - inspired the alien killer in Sir Ridley's hit film. He also worked on Alien 3 (1992) and, more recently, appeared in a documentary about director Alejandro Jodorowsky's unmade film ...

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Nicolas Batum had a simple question for his Portland teammates: "Why not us?" No other team has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. But the Trail Blazers took the first step Monday night by beating the San Antonio Spurs 103-92 to stave off elimination and narrow the Western Conference semifinal series to 3-1. "Why not us? No, it's never been done before," Batum said. "We know it's going to be tough. It won't be easy, especially against this team.' The French forward had 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists and pestered fellow countryman Tony Parker all night. Damian Lillardhad 25 points to lead the Blazers, who won their first second-round playoff game since a victory over Utah in the 2000 conference semifinals. "We had nothing to lose tonight. We had no pressure. It was do or die," Batum said. "So we just go out there and play." Portland held Parker to 14 points after he...

My take : How long have we been saying the Packers needed to find their next big-play safety? At least since the end of last season, if not earlier. The only NFL team that did not get a single interception from a safety in 2013, the Packers have finally made a move to replace  Nick Collins , who hasn't played since his Packers career ended with his neck injury in Week 2 of the 2011 season.  Clinton-Dix led Alabama with seven interceptions since the start of the 2012 season, five of which came two seasons ago. Of the four defensive prospects the Packers seemingly had their eye on, Clinton-Dix was the only one available, having watched Louisville safety  Calvin Pryor  of Louisville go three picks earlier to the  New York Jets . Both inside linebackers the Packers might have been interested in -- Ohio State's  Ryan Shazier and Alabama's  C.J. Mosley  -- also were gone. Shazier, who the Packers might have preferred, went No. 15 to the  Pitts...

Monica Lewinsky is breaking her silence. After decades of maintaining a low profile in the wake of her affair with then-President Bill Clinton, Ms. Lewinsky has  written a piece for Vanity Fair  that recounts her side of the story and some of the difficulties she’s faced since due to her notoriety. “I. Myself. Deeply. Regret. What. Happened,” writes Lewinsky in excerpts from the upcoming piece released Tuesday. She’s opening up now, she says, in order to “take back my narrative” from others who are using her story for their own purposes. For instance, she insists that her affair with Mr. Clinton was “one between two consenting adults.” RECOMMENDED: Know your US presidents? See if D.C. Decoder can stump you! Sen. Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky in recent months has described Clinton’s behavior as “predatory” due to the fact that Lewinsky was a 20-year-old intern. “Someone who takes advantage of a young girl in their office? I mean, really,” said Senator P...

Andy Murray was among a number of players to stand on court and pay tribute to the former British No1 Elena Baltacha with a minute's silence at the Mutua Madrid Open on Monday. Baltacha died of liver cancer early on Sunday morning aged 30. Several high-profile players, including Murray and his brother Jamie, observed the tribute on Centre Court at the Manolo Santana Stadium before the start of the tournament's night session. Baltacha was diagnosed with the illness in January, two months after retiring from tennis and only weeks after she married her long-time coach, Nino Severino. "We are heartbroken beyond words at the loss of our beautiful, talented and determined Bally," Severino said in a statement released by her family. "She was an amazing person and she touched so many people with her inspirational spirit, her warmth and her kindness." The statement said Baltacha died peacefully at home. Baltacha had retired from professional ten...

Cinco de Mayo (May fifth) is an important Mexican holiday celebrated in Mexico, the United States and around the world. To many people, it’s simply an excuse to have some nachos and a margarita or two: it is sometimes referred to as “Mexican St. Patrick’s Day.” There is much more to this holiday than guacamole, however! Cinco de Mayo is an important day in the history of Mexico, and the holiday has true meaning and importance to those who understand what it’s all about. Here are seven basic facts about Cinco de Mayo. It is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day: That's a common misconception. Mexico celebrates its independence day on September 16, the date in 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo issued his "Grito de Dolores," or famous call to arms to overthrow the Spanish. It celebrates a most unlikely victory: In May of 1862, a powerful French army was in Mexico, fighting its way to Mexico City, where they hoped to force the Mexican government to honor s...

PORTLAND, Ore. — A long time ago, when Michael Jordan wasn't finished with his final comeback yet, Kobe Bryant sat in the Rose Garden in Portland and said, "There are only two killers in this league." Jordan's 51 now, a fat cat on the sidelines owning a team. Bryant hasn't made a playoff appearance in two years. The show must go on, and it has—as seen by the most competitive first round in NBApostseason history. But even better than good shows are great show-stoppers. And we just saw 23-year-old Damian  Lillard  drive a  freakin ' stake through the first NBA playoff series he ever played. The Rose Garden has been renamed the  Moda  Center here in Portland, and this city hadn't seen its one big-time team win a playoff series since  before  Jordan went to the Washington Wizards. That changed Friday night, when the Trail Blazers' second-year guard accepted the inbounds pass with 0.9 ...