Elton John Ties the Knot, Lance Bass Says 'I Do' & More News

Love is in the air this holiday season, and the weekend was no exception. From one actor courting his girlfriend at a basketball game (pun intended) to another star introducing her baby boy and two long-awaited celebrity weddings, here's the news you might have missed: 

5. The Start of Something New

Zac Efron is so not in high school anymore. With his girlfriend Sami Miró by his side (in a color-coordinated outfit, may we add), the actor debuted a mature mustache at a Lakers game. If he's trying to distract us from his abs ... nice try. See his still-sexy look. 

4. They're Flawless

Beyoncé's "Halo" is shining extra bright this Christmas. The superstar gave Orange Is the New Black's Laverne Cox holiday gifts, and the actress freaked out – as any true member of the Bey Hive would. Read all about her heartwarming reaction. 

3. Long May He Reign

Lord Disick's got himself another heir – with a royally appropriate moniker. Kourtney Kardashian announced her newborn son's name, Reign Aston, in a sweet snapshot Sunday. Check out her Instagram. 

2. This I Promise You

Lance Bass said "Bye Bye Bye" to being a bachelor, marrying Elton John Ties the Knot, Lance Bass Says 'I Do' & More Weekend News

Turchin Saturday. The wedding will air on E! in February, making history as the first same-sex ceremony on American TV. Get all the details. 

1. Can You Feel the Love Tonight

The Rocket Man is officially a married man: Elton John wed longtime love David Furnish on Sunday, with their sons joining in as ring-bearers and their fans keeping tabs via Instagram. More on their magical day.

Will Reeve on Robin Williams: He Loved My Father 'Fiercely'

Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams started off as roommates at Juilliard, but they ended as family. To Reeve, "Robin wasn't just a friend, he was truly a brother," Reeve's son Will tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story. After the Superman star's death in 2004 at age 52, Williams continued supporting the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. In rare comments, Will, 22, also shared a cherished memory of Williams, who died at age 63 in August. Shortly after the 1992 horseback riding accident that left his father paralyzed, "he tried to lighten the load by offering to put me in bed for my afternoon nap," Will recalls of the late comedian. "I, 4 years old, was unmoved and refused. He kept pitching himself, first as Mork, then as Peter Pan, then as Genie, but always, unfailingly, as Robin, the sweet, gentle man who loved my father and his family so fiercely that he would do anything to make them happy." • 

Jessica Simpson Shows Off Her Toned Legs on Instagram (PHOTOS)

Jessica Simpson can get back into those Daisy Dukes any day now. The 34-year-old took to Instagram on Saturday to flaunt her ridiculously toned legs during a holiday photo shoot. In two different sexy photos, Simpson posed on her knees, then stood with her arms up in the air showing off a little black dress with fringed sleeves – but, again, all we can look at are those gams! Earlier this year, Simpson opened up about her recent weight loss, which she attributed to a Weight Watchers diet plan and sessions with celebrity fitness trainer Harley Pasternak. And if you're wondering how to replicate those killer legs? "We usually alternate between doing quads one day and hamstrings and glutes or butt the next, and then inner thighs," Teri Ann Krefting, one of Pasternak's trainers, told PEOPLE about working with Simpson 4-5 times per week for about 45 minutes per day. 

Horror in Brooklyn: Families Mourn Police Officers Killed by Gunman Seeking Revenge

Those closest to the police officers fatally shotSaturday in what authorities are calling a revenge killing are expressing their sorrow and loss. Officers Wenjian Liu, 32, and Rafael Ramos, 40, were killed Saturday afternoon by gunman Ismaiiyl Brinsley, 28, who committed suicide in a subway station soon after the attack, according to authorities. He had stated online that he planned to kill officers because of the recent deaths of Eric Garner in Staten Island and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Both died in police custody. Ralph Castillo, a teaching pastor with the Christ Tabernacle Church in Queens, where Ramos attended for 14 years and served as usher, says the congregation was in mourning. "His smile was completely infectious and disarming," Castillo tells PEOPLE. "Our motto is 'no place like home,' and Ralph was one of the faithful ushers who made sure people felt at home when they walked into the building." He and Ramos often bonded over family, he says. "Our boys played baseball together for one year," Castillo says. "He was highly relational. He would talk to the boys and ask them questions about their favorite teams. He was a family man. A really nice man. He loved his wife and boys tremendously." Ramos had two sons, Jaden, 13, and an 18-year-old. "Today I had to say bye to my father," Jaden posted on his Facebook page hours after his father's death. "He was [there] for me everyday of my life, he was the best father I could ask for. It's horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer. Everyone says they hate cops but they are the people that they call for help. I will always love you and I will never forget you. RIP Dad." Ramos's brother Peter also posted on his Facebook page thanking the public for their support. "I want to take the time out to thank everybody for the prayers and the support for our family in this time of need," he wrote. "My brother was a great man, he was taken from us too early wonderful husband and great father. I love you so much bro my you RIP i will never let you go you will be in my heart forever love your lil brother Peter Ramos." Ramos, a Brooklyn resident who joined NYPD in January 2012, previously worked as a school safety officer in Staten Island, according to official NYPD records. Lui, also from Brooklyn, joined NYPD in July 2008 and had recently married. On Sunday morning, Rev. Al Sharpton held a press conference in Harlem at the National Action Network headquarters along with Eric Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, and widow, Esaw, to denounce the killings, silive.com reports. "I know what they're going through to lose a loved one right before the holidays and everything. It's so sad," Garner's widow said. "I would ask that everyone that is protesting with us to please protest in a non-violent way. My husband was not a violent man, so we don't want any violence connected to his name." Carr told the gathered crowd she stood "in sorrow," according to silive.com. "These two police officers lost their lives senselessly," she said. "Our condolence to the families, and we stand with the families." Sharpton, who said he has received multiple threatening calls since the shootings and turned them over to the FBI, led a prayer service for Liu and Ramos at St. Luke Baptist Church in Harlem. Attorney General Eric Holder released a statementSaturday following the attack condemning what he called a "senseless shooting." "This was an unspeakable act of barbarism, and I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of these two brave officers in the line of duty," the statement reads. "Our nation must always honor the valor – and the sacrifices – of all law enforcement officers with a steadfast commitment to keeping them safe. This means forging closer bonds between officers and the communities they serve, so that public safety is not a cause that is served by a courageous few, but a promise that's fulfilled by police officials and citizens working side by side." 

Moscow to Kiev: Stick to Minsk ceasefire, stop making false ‘invasion’ claims

Moscow to Kiev: Stick to Minsk ceasefire, stop making false ‘invasion’ claims

 Published time: November 07, 2014 15:50  
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A man looks on next to his neighbor's house, which was destroyed by shelling in the village of Spartak, on the outskirts of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine (Reuters / Shamil Zhumatov)
A man looks on next to his neighbor's house, which was destroyed by shelling in the village of Spartak, on the outskirts of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine (Reuters / Shamil Zhumatov)

  







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Russia has called on Ukraine to stick to the Minsk peace process and disproved claims that Russia is deploying additional troops on the border. Kiev has again accused Russia of invading Ukraine, but has not produced any proof.
The calls from Russia come as tension is rising in eastern Ukraine, and rebels say Kiev is preparing to break the ceasefire and resume hostilities.
 Amid the threat of escalation, Russia is calling for a new round of talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.
“We call for the Minsk process to continue and for a new gathering of the contact group,” Russian presidential adviser Yury Ushakov said Friday.
 Negotiations in Minsk managed to produce a shaky ceasefire in early September, which has mostly held until now. They didn’t stop the violence altogether, as some flare-ups occurred on the border between areas controlled by Kiev loyalists and rebel forces, such as the fighting over the ruins of Donetsk international airport. But the violence was reduced.
 The calls come after Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk called this week to abandon the Minsk talks altogether and go back to the Geneva negotiations format from April. Unlike the Kiev talks, the talks in Geneva did not include representatives of the rebel forces.
“Sitting [down] with them for bilateral negotiations is useless,” Yatsenyuk said. “One of the most efficient and real formats is the Geneva format, which included the participation of the US, the EU, Ukraine and our geographically northern neighbor.”


(L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko and Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko pose for a family photo during their meeting in Minsk, August 26, 2014 (Reuters / Grigory Dukor)
(L-R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko and Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko pose for a family photo during their meeting in Minsk, August 26, 2014 (Reuters / Grigory Dukor)

The “northern neighbor,” as the Ukrainian PM referred to Russia, argued that the agreement that the Geneva format produced in April failed to stop the violence, because Ukraine never even started to implement the accord and instead of the political reform the agreement called for, sent its troops to shell rebel cities.
 The exchange comes as amid expectations of a possible resumption of hostilities in Eastern Ukraine. Rebels reported a large build-up of Ukrainian troops near the separation line and said they expected a massive attack at any time. Kiev said the allegations were lies.
 The rebels have good reasons to suspect foul play from Kiev, considering that a number of high-ranking Ukrainian officials have stated that use of force in the east was needed. The latest statement came Thursday from Markiyan Lubkivskiy, an aide to the head of Ukraine’s Security Service.
“I believe that sooner or later we will have to start very active actions,” he said on Shuster Live, Ukraine’s main TV talk show on politics.
 Earlier, Yury Lutsenko, an aide to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, said Kiev’s interest in the ceasefire was to win time to regroup its troops.
“We need to maintain the ceasefire as long as we can to get our precise instruments, to get military and financial aid from the West,” he said last month. “We are the ones benefiting from the ceasefire and peace.”

Ukrainian servicemen ride on armoured vehicles near Slaviansk (Reuters / Gleb Garanich)
Ukrainian servicemen ride on armoured vehicles near Slaviansk (Reuters / Gleb Garanich)

Accusations of an escalation of tensions have also come this week from Kiev. On Friday a spokesman for the anti-rebel campaign, Andrey Lysenko, claimed that Russia has sent 32 tanks, 16 howitzers, 30 trucks of ammunition and three trucks with radar equipment to rebel-held areas. He offered no evidence of his claim, however.
 Kiev has also accused Russia of deploying additional troops along its border with Ukraine this week. The reports even prompted Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird to condemn Russia on Wednesday.
“We strongly condemn these provocative actions by Russia, and we believe this is further proof that the Kremlin only seeks to hamper the peace process in Ukraine,” Baird said in a statement.
 This provoked a sarcastic response from the Russia Defense Ministry, which said the reports were not true and that Canada should address its concerns to those producing the rumors, rather than to Russia.
“All such provocative ‘reports’ aimed at further escalating the tension over the civil conflict in southeast Ukraine have a single source. The source is not Ukrainian, although it currently operates from one of the governmental buildings in Kiev,” the statement said, apparently alleging to the heavy presence of American personnel in the Ukrainian Security Service.
 Tensions in Eastern Ukraine are also on the rise after the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics held elections last week.
 Ukraine and its sponsors branded the ballot an irrelevant mockery and a violation of the Minsk agreement. Russia said it respected the choice of the people living in the breakaway regions, but stopped short of formally recognizing them, a move that Washington said would lead to further economic sanctions against Russia.