Body shape affects memory in older women

A woman's body shape may play a role in how good her memory is, according to a new study.
The more an older woman weighs, the worse her memory, according to research released this week from Northwestern Medicine at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
The effect is more pronounced in women who carry excess weight around their hips, known as pear shapes, than women who carry it around their waists, called apple shapes.
The reason pear-shaped women experienced more memory and brain function deterioration than apple-shaped women is likely related to the type of fat deposited around the hips versus the waist.
Scientists know that different kinds of fat release different cytokines -- the hormones that can cause inflammation and affect cognition.
"We need to find out if one kind of fat is more detrimental than the other, and how it affects brain function," said Dr. Diana Kerwin, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine and a physician at Northwestern Medicine. "The fat may contribute to the formation of plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease or a restricted blood flow to the brain."
The study published in Wednesday's Journal of the American Geriatric Society said, on average, there is a one-point drop in the memory score for every one-point increase in body-mass index -- a ratio of a person's height and weight. The study included 8,745 cognitively normal, post-menopausal women ages 65 to 79.
"Obesity is bad, but its effects are worse depending on where the fat is located," Kerwin said.

"The study tells us if we have a woman in our office, and we know from her waist-to-hip ratio that she's carrying excess fat on her hips, we might be more aggressive with weight loss," Kerwin said. "We can't change where your fat is located, but having less of it is better."

Sherwood: I need fourth place

Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood has admitted he could be sacked in the summer if he does not lead the club to a Champions League spot.

Spurs have a fine record since Sherwood replaced Andre Villas-Boas at the helm in December, winning five games out of six under their new boss to stay in contention for a top-four spot.
However, they remain fifth after Sunday's 3-1 victory away to Swansea City and Sherwood believes it is essential to book a place in Europe's premier competition, suggesting that he may struggle to keep his job if they miss out.
"If the season was to end tomorrow the chairman wouldn't be too happy because we're fifth," said Sherwood, who was handed an 18-month deal by Daniel Levy after Villas-Boas' departure.
"The final league position has to meet the expectations of the club otherwise it's 'Goodbye Charlie'.
"The club need to finish in fourth place. Anything other than that is going to be a disappointment.
"Realistically we should be in and amongst it. But it ain't easy, is it?"
Sherwood has challenged his Tottenham players to keep their good run going until the end of the season, although he would ideally like some of their rivals to start slipping up as well.
He added: "No one seems to be giving any leeway. I keep looking at results thinking 'Surely they're going to drop points here today'. And they don't.
"They were probably looking at us today thinking 'They might slip up at Swansea.' So we're not giving anything away either.
"It's going to go right down to the wire, it's just about keeping that consistency and belief.
"It probably boils down to how you're going to get on against each other."
Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice in the win at Swansea, and Sherwood was full of praise for the striker after another impressive performance.
"It's great," he told Sky Sports. "It's obviously great for the football club and it's great for Ade himself.
"He's flying at the moment and he's enjoying his football. He's playing with a smile on his face and he's finding the back of the net.
"I thought we played well. Even though Swansea were having some chances from distance in the first period and they knocked it around, I thought we ironed it out in the end and got to grips with it."

Juventus must keep winning, warns Llorente

Juventus striker Fernando Llorente has urged his side to keep up their remarkable winning streak following Saturday's 4-2 win over Sampdoria.

The former Athletic Bilbao star headed home his eighth league goal of the season as further strikes from Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal, who got two, made it 12 wins in a row for the reigning Serie A champions.

Llorente admits he is thrilled with the Biancocelesti's current form but has warned they must not allow their level to drop - particularly as they prepare for a Coppa Italia quarter-final with Roma.

"Our team is doing really well as we are - we need to continue along this path. The important thing is winning, and we're doing that well," the Spain international was quoted as saying by Juventus' official website.

"It was important to win today and we've done it. Sampdoria proved difficult opposition and played a great game. They caused us some problems, and [Sinisa] Mihajlovic's men showed the strength they have in their ranks.

"Now it's time for the Coppa Italia. We'll be playing against very strong opposition in Rome."

Madrid pile pressure on Barcelona and Atletico as superb start to 2014 continues

Five games, five wins, 13 goals and none conceded. Real Madrid's superb start to 2014 has dispelled doubts from earlier this season: gone is the defensive disorganisation, so too the midfield imbalance and the lack of cohesion in attack, making way for a solid, structured and free-scoring side. The new year has brought with it a new Madrid - a team that looks increasingly ready to challenge for the biggest prizes.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has survived the early-season wobbles and criticism from press and fans to sculpt a strong side which has improved gradually but continually. On Saturday, Madrid beat Betis 5-0 in some style to build on their excellent recent results and move level - albeit provisionally - with Barcelona and Atletico at the top of La Liga.

It started, as it does so often, with Cristiano Ronaldo: the Ballon d'Or winner opened the scoring with his latest golazo, a 30-yard missile fired into the top corner at incredible speed - 115 kilometres per hour to be precise. It was no wonder goalkeeper Stephan Andersen didn't even move.

And the Dane was flat-footed again as Gareth Bale made it 2-0 with a fantastic free-kick. before Karim Benzema added another (his 100th Madrid goal) after a fine run and lay-off from the outstanding Luka Modric, Angel Di Maria struck a stunner of his own with a sublime left-footed finish low into the corner from distance and substitute Alvaro Morata made it 5-0 in the closing seconds after Ronaldo's overhead kick fell into his path.

	IN NUMBERS Madrid's superb start to 2014
0	Madrid haven't conceded a single goal in their five games this year.
5	All five of those matches have been won - against Celta Vigo, Espanyol. Osasuna (twice) and Betis.
7	Seven different players have scored for Madrid in 2014.
13	In total, Ancelotti's men have hit 13 goals in their five games this year.
100	Karim Benzema has now netted 100 goals (in 210 games) for Los Blancos.
500	Ancelotti has now won 500 games as coach in his time in Italy, England, France and Spain (in 878 matches).

Betis appear in freefall and tougher tests lie ahead for this Madrid team, but the performance was emphatic enough to suggest Ancelotti's men look better equipped for the meetings with superior sides later on in the campaign - both in La Liga and in Europe.

With the 500th win of his coaching career, Ancelotti continues to make his mark on this Madrid - and they appear to be coming good just when it matters most.

"We should be happy," the Italian said afterwards. "All of the players performed with great concentration - especially at the beginning. We'll sleep well tonight."

With 20 games played, Madrid now have 50 points, the same as Barca and Atleti, with the Catalans in action at Levante on Sunday evening and Diego Simeone's side at home to Sevilla straight afterwards.

"Over to you, Messi" screamed Sport on their front page on Sunday, urging the Argentine to inspire his side and keep Madrid at bay in the race for the title. With los Blancos back on form and Neymar now sidelined, Leo's return is a big boost.

Not so long ago, Madrid were six points off the pace and then, only last weekend, five back. But the draw between Barca and Atleti in the 19th round saw Ancelotti's side move right back into contention. And their win on Saturday now means there is no margin for error at all at the top of the table.

The return of Xabi Alonso in midfield has seen Real regain the balance they were lacking earlier on in the campaign, while Modric has gone from strength to strength alongside the Basque midfielder. "His work was excellent," Ancelotti said of the Croat after the game.

Meanwhile, Modric's former Tottenham team-mate Bale was back among the goals after almost two months without scoring and Di Maria's recent problems now seem to have been forgotten as well. The Argentine produced a typically energetic performance, popping up in central midfield and on the flank and adding another great goal. Sulky and sullen just a couple of weeks ago, the former Benfica man is back on board and working for the team.

And then there's the defence. Still missing the injured Raphael Varane, Madrid's back line looks much more concentrated than in recent months and remains unpenetrated in 2014, with Pepe and Sergio Ramos forming an impressive partnership, Marcelo adding discipline to his game and Dani Carvajal improving in the right-back role.

The spectacular football promised by Ancelotti at his unveiling may not be a reality in every game just yet, but recent results have shown this Madrid side are now extremely effective. And if the club can continue on the same path in the coming months, 2014 just may be their year.

Anderson says goodbye to Manchester United 'family'

Anderson has revealed his reasons for joining Fiorentina on loan but thanked those connected with Manchester United for their support during a tough six-and-a-half-year stay.

The midfielder made just four appearances under David Moyes this season, and has completed a full 90 minutes just once since the start of last term as he struggled for first-team minutes.

And Anderson says the move to Italy, which includes an agreed price at the end of the loan, was a must as he looked for more regular action but says he will always be a part of the "United family".

"Thank you Manchester United for all you gave to me. It was a pleasure and a proud [sic] to be part of this tremendous club," he wrote on his Instagram page.

"I will never forget my great colleagues and friends, all the amazing people that work in the club and obviously the fantastic supporters, always on my side. Love you all and you always be in my heart.

"Wish you all the best because we always be together United family! Now I have to leave because I really need to play.

"Thank you Fiorentina for this opportunity and for believe me. You won't regret because you trust me 100% and I will give you 100% of dedication, professionalism and quality. Together we will be happy."

Hazard rules out Chelsea exit

Eden Hazard has ruled out a Chelsea exit during January or in the summer, insisting the club is the best place for him to continue progressing.

Jose Mourinho recently hailed the Belgian's form after the midfielder equalled last season's goal tally with his ninth of the season against Hull City last time out. 
Hazard says he is aware of speculation surrounding his future, namely links with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but is only interested in playing under the "paternal" Mourinho.

"I really understand what I have to do; be consistent and score," he told Telefoot. "This is what I get to do now and I'm happy.

"Mourinho has a paternal side. He says intelligent things and gives us the desire to move forward.

"Every transfer window, people tell me that I will leave Chelsea. It is often to Paris Saint-Germain. PSG are a great club but I like Chelsea and there is no chance I will leave during January or in the summer.

"Chelsea is the best place for me to grow."

And Samuel Eto'o is in agreement with Hazard, praising the 23-year-old's more mature approach to football at Stamford Bridge and his ever-increasing importance to Chelsea after struggling at times during his debut term.

"He understood that being present in high-profile games is key to becoming a great player," Eto'o added.

"He must be more decisive. He must look at the team and where he can further improve, be it at Chelsea or elsewhere."

Marcelo: Real Madrid cannot afford to relax

Real Madrid defender Marcelo has warned his team-mates they cannot afford to relax after Saturday's 5-0 win over Real Betis. Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria and Alvaro Morata ensured Real went level on points with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the summit of La Liga.  However, with their title rivals due to play on Sunday, the Brazil international warns Madrid need to maintain their momentum if they are to challenge for the title.  "I think that we are the ones that make matches easy or difficult for ourselves," explained Marcelo, after making his 250th Real appearance on Saturday.  "We played before the others at the top and we know that we have to keep fighting, working hard and winning matches. We're doing well, but we know that we cannot relax.  "It is a dream come true [to reach 250 appearances] but we have to keep moving forward to win titles.  "Our aim is always to keep improving."  Leaders Barcelona travel to Levante while Diego Simeone's Atletico host Sevilla later on Sunday.

Sam: No Vermaelen or Traore deals

Sam Allardyce does not expect Thomas Vermaelen or Lacina Traore to join West Ham United and says reinforcing his squad is proving “extremely difficult.”

PA PhotosSam Allardyce is determined to add to this squad this month.

• Brewin: Cabaye sinks Sam
• Thorne: Toon embarrass Hammers
West Ham, who dropped back into the relegation zone on Saturday after a 3-1 home defeat to Newcastle United, have been desperately seeking to make new signings this month to boost their chances of survival.
There had been reports that Allardyce was keen to take Belgium defender Vermaelen on loan from Arsenal, but the Hammers boss accepts that the 28-year-old still has a role to play for the Gunners this season.
“I think under the circumstances at Arsenal, with the situation they're in with the Champions League and cup matches, they've had to use him as soon as any of the two defenders [Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny] are injured,” Allardyce told the media. “I don't think there's any chance we'll get someone of his quality, but it would be nice if we could.”
West Ham have also been looking to strengthen in attack and had hoped to sign Ivory Coast international Lacina Traore on loan from Monaco, having agreed a deal with the Ligue 1 side and even applied for a work permit.
However, it is reported that Everton have since come in for the player and Allardyce now accepts it is “unlikely” the 23-year-old will be heading to Upton Park.
"We're finding it extremely difficult [to bring players in],” he said. "We had a terrible day yesterday [Friday] when I thought a player was signing for us and then I found out he wasn't, but there you go. [Any other club] can apply for a work permit like we did.”
He added: “I'll keep going and hope we get some [new players].”

Aldridge: Reds turned down Coleman

Ex-Liverpool star John Aldridge has claimed his former club rejected the chance to sign Seamus Coleman before he moved to Everton for 60,000 pounds in January 2009.

PA PhotosSeamus Coleman is rated as one of the Premier League's finest full-backs.

• Walsh: Reds taught midfield lesson
Writing in his column for Ireland’s Sunday World newspaper, Aldridge said Coleman was offered to Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez before he sealed his move to Everton from League of Ireland side Sligo Rovers.
Coleman has since emerged as one of the most valuable attacking full-backs in the Premier League, with Aldridge saying Liverpool missed a trick in failing to snap him up.
“If Rafael Benitez had been a little more open-minded during his final year as Liverpool manager, Seamus Coleman could be wearing a red shirt at Anfield last night and not a blue Everton jersey,” Aldridge wrote.
“Back in my days as Tranmere manager, Liverpool-born Paul Cook was one of the players in my squad and he went on to manage Sligo Rovers during a period when a young Coleman emerged through the ranks and started to make a name for himself in the League of Ireland.
“Paul knew this kid was top drawer and he rang some contacts at Liverpool and tried to encourage them to take a look at Coleman, but Benitez rejected his advances and said he wasn’t interested. What a mistake that proved to be.
“Everton stepped in with an offer of just 60,000 pounds to sign Coleman and he has now established himself, in my eyes at least, as the best full-back in the Premier League this season.
“Every time I see him, I can’t help but lament what might have been for Liverpool because at a time when my old club are crying out for a quality attacking full-backs, we only have to look across Stanley Park to see who could and should have been doing that job right now.”
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has hinted in recent weeks that he is looking for reinforcements in the right-back position.

Schalke play down Draxler rumours

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has played down the prospect of Julian Draxler joining Arsenal.
• Mangan: Draxler swoop?
Germany international Draxler, 20, will be allowed to leave Gelsenkirchen at the end of the season if a club pays his 45.5 million euro release clause.
Arsenal have regularly been linked with a move for the attacking midfielder and Arsene Wenger has said he is “curious” about him, although he stopped short of confirming an interest.
Heldt has now told Der Westen that he is unaware of any interest from Arsenal and the player has not asked to leave.
He said: “I have not been told that Julian would like to leave us, either in the winter of the summer. There have not been any requests from any club regarding Julian.
“It boils down to wild speculation, which has been happening in England. The clubs would have to tell us if they were interested.”
Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic, who appears to be free to leave Turin.

GOOGLE DEVELOPS CONTACT LENS THAT CAN MONITOR GLUCOSE LEVELS

Google has developed a contact lens that contains a glucose sensor, antenna, capacitor and a chip designed to help those with diabetes. The lens, which doesn’t restrict eyesight, takes glucose readings twice every second and sends the information to an external monitoring device via radio frequencies.

In a blog post on the matter, Google outlined the need for such a device. With one in 19 people on the planet dealing with diabetes, it can become like a part-time job to manage. Glucose levels change frequently throughout the day and must be kept in check at all times via painful blood drop tests, etc.

The team at Google [x] wondered if they could help and came up with the contact lens in question. It’s comprised of chips and sensors that look like bits of glitter and an antenna that is thinner than a human hair. The lens doesn’t rely on batteries but instead is able to get power from the monitoring device via, you guessed it, radio frequencies.

According to project lead Brian Otis, future models may even include a light source built into the lens that would let wearers know the status of their glucose levels without having to look at the external monitoring device. This could be activated when the wearer closes their eyes, for example.

Google said they are in discussions with the FDA regarding the device but admit there is still a lot of work that must be done before the technology can be brought to market.

BBC WORLD TV'S PRESENTER DIES

BBC TV presenter Komla Dumor has died suddenly at his home in London at the age of 41, it has been announced.

Ghana-born Dumor was a presenter for BBC World News and its Focus on Africa programme.
One of Ghana's best-known journalists, he joined the BBC as a radio broadcaster in 2007 after a decade of journalism in Ghana.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama said on Twitter that his country had lost one of its finest ambassadors.
BBC Global News Director Peter Horrocks called Dumor a leading light of African journalism who would be deeply missed.

New African magazine November 2013

He was "committed to telling the story of Africa as it really is," Mr Horrocks said in a statement.

"Africa's energy and enthusiasm seemed to shine through every story Komla told".
"Komla's many friends and colleagues across Africa and the world will be as devastated as we are by this shocking news."
The BBC understands he had suffered a heart attack.
Komla Dumor featured in New African magazine's November 2013 list of 100 most influential Africans. It said he had "established himself as one of the emerging African faces of global broadcasting", who had "considerable influence on how the continent is covered".
James Harding, BBC Director of News and Current Affairs, spoke of Komla Dumor's "singular role in transforming the coverage of Africa". "He brought a depth of understanding, a great deal of courage, a joyous charm and boundless charisma to his work," Mr Harding said.

Komla Dumor had a wide-ranging career as an interviewer and presenter

Komla Dumor was born on 3 October 1972 in Accra, Ghana.
He graduated with a BA in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Ghana, and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.
He won the Ghana Journalist of the Year award in 2003 and joined the BBC four years later.
From then until 2009 he hosted Network Africa for BBC World Service radio, before joining The World Today programme.

Komla Dumor presenting Africa Business Report in 2009

In 2009 Komla Dumor became the first host of Africa Business Report on BBC World News. He was a regular presenter of Focus on Africa and had fronted the programme the day before he died.
He travelled across Africa, meeting the continent's top entrepreneurs and reporting on the latest business trends around the continent.

He interviewed a number of high-profile guests including Bill Gates and Kofi Annan.

Last month, he covered the funeral of former South African President, Nelson Mandela, whom he described as "one of the greatest figures of modern history".
He anchored live coverage of major events including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the funeral of Kim Jong-il, the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, the Norway shootings and the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
In his review of 2013, published last month, Dumor said the passing of Mandela was "one of the moments that will stay with me".
"Covering the funeral for me will always be a special moment. I will look back on it with a sense of sadness. But also with gratitude. I feel lucky to have been a witness to that part of the Mandela story."
'Never flinched'
Meeting Komla Dumor for the first time in Ghana in 2007, BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet said she had noticed how young Ghanaian journalists looked up to him.
He never flinched from asking tough questions, but also loved to share a laugh, she says.
She adds that Komla Dumor had many loves including football, his faith, his family: "He always said 'I just love talking with people'."
Here is a selection of your comments.
Justice Lee Adoboe, Accra, Ghana: Komla was the trail blazer of modern radio journalism in Ghana. He was the icon, most of us local journalists looked up to, for inspiration. May he rest in peace.
Samuel Nyambu, Nairobi, Kenya: As an ardent listener of the BBC, Dumor's voice had become a signature for all news in Africa and my encounter with him on TV matched the energy and enthusiasm that came across while on radio. I will definitely miss him and I condole with his family, his BBC fans and the BBC family. May his soul rest in peace.
Jimbo, Pattaya, Thailand: I loved this enthusiastic and dedicated man. My heart goes out to his family and friends in this tragic time. Hard to believe I will not see his smiling face and down to earth assessments of his home roots, Africa, again. A tragedy and one which I trust BBC will honour and respect to the best of their ability. Amongst all of the BBC's many great and famous human assets, Komla Dumor's name should today be irrevocably established.
Emmanuel, New York City, USA: I first met Komla while we were both students at the University of Ghana around 2000-2001. He was working at JOY FM while still studying at the time. He was affable, friendly and had a good sense of humour. I have also been in the studio with him once as the second highest winner of a radio contest, where he quizzed us for the grand prize a couple of years later. We have spoken on the phone a couple of times and chatted on Facebook once or twice and when he was about to start BBC Focus on Africa TV he asked me to kindly publicise the programme banner with his photo on my profile, and I did. The last time we met, we were both in Addis Ababa in October 2012 at the Second Africa Trade Forum organised by the UNECA. He was there to moderate some of the sessions and I was covering for Ghana Business News. He made a mark on radio journalism in Ghana, and was a great source of inspiration for many Ghanaian youth, especially, those who wanted to get into radio. May his soul rest in peace.
Vanessa Bobai, Ottawa, Canada: Komla was a great man and very passionate about his job. He brought out the best in everything he did. Komla rest in peace you will be greatly missed.
Rickie Davies, Ghana: It is a sad day today, we have lost a talented journalist. I am still in shock. A true representation of Africa, strong, a true gentleman, a go getter. You will be missed Komla.
Beverley Zimba, New York, USA: Komla was like a brother that I never met. That smiling happy face will surely be missed. What a loss! Komla my brother rest in peace.
Charles Okot, Kampala, Uganda: I am really shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the death of Komla Dumor. I watched Komla on Friday evening full of life and humour. Komla always makes me smile in front of the TV. This is a terrible loss for Africa, BBC and the entire world. May his soul rest in eternity!
Jack Wolstenholme, Kranevo, Bulgaria: I am in deep shock, hearing of the early death of Komla Dumor. He added a different aspect on the world's developing stories, somehow making many, pleasant and more understandable, even with sensitive subjects. He will be really be missed by the viewing audience.
Anderson Chinorumba, Gaborone, Botswana: I remember his coverage at the World Cup 2010. The time he took off his shirt to reveal the Ghananian football team jersey he was putting on. He was a light indeed to many particularly African journalists. He will be greatly missed for his tireless efforts in journalism.
Maximus, London: As a fellow Ghanaian I'm saddened to hear the death of Komla Dumor. As a child growing up in Ghana I always listened to his shows on the local radio and when I moved to London I was honoured to have met him in person whilst at work at the Apple Store in White City.

Denise Sangster, San Francisco, California: Mr. Dumor brought to the world the hope, vision, plight, and challenges of Africa in an understandable manner with his unique perspectives, interviews and coverage of stories that no other network covered. I am sorry to learn of his passing. My thanks to his family and BBC for sharing him with the world. My sympathies to his family, friends, colleagues and fans.

FACEBOOK ADDS 'TRENDING' FEATURE TO ITS FEED

Facebook has reportedly introduced a 'Trending' feature from Twitter to its social networking service that would allow users to put spotlight on most popular topics across the network. The 'Trending' feature is familiar to Twitter sphere, where events, places or celebrities are popularized with repeated reference through regular, almost viral tweets on the network. According to Cnet, on Facebook, the Trending shifts the handful of hot topics to the top right-hand corner of the News Feed now, based on users' interests and location. Addition of the feature on Facebook has been done in a bid to compete with rival Twitter to be the primary social space for sharing when news breaks. The report said that the Trending feature has been currently rolled out in select countries including US, UK, India, Canada and Australia, via the Web portal only.
Facebook said that it is still testing Trending for mobile, which is of more importance as the company intends to focus more on the platform in future.

SALVATORIAN NUN GIVES BIRTH UNEXPECTEDLY

A Salvadorean nun who said she had no idea she was pregnant gave birth in Italy this week after she felt stomach cramps in her convent and was rushed to hospital, Italian media reported on Friday.
The 31-year-old mother and her baby boy, who weighs 3.5 kilograms (9 pounds), are doing well and other new mothers in Rieti hospital have begun collecting clothes and donations for her, the reports said.

"I did not know I was pregnant. I only felt a stomach pain," the nun was quoted as saying at the hospital, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.La Repubblica said she gave birth on Wednesday.ANSA said the nun had named her baby Francesco (Francis) -- also the pope's chosen title and one of the most popular names in Italy, where St Francis of Assisi is the much-loved national patron saint.The hospital could not be reached for comment.

The nun belongs to the "Little Disciples of Jesus" convent in Campomoro near Rieti, which manages an old people's home and reports said she would keep the baby.

Her fellow nuns were quoted saying they were "very surprised".

SELENA GOMEZ WILL ONLY DATE JUSTIN BIEBER UNDER ONE CONDITION

A lot of people think Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber are meant to be together, but evidently the "Come & Get It" star will only get back with her ex-boyfriend under one condition: He has to work on his manners!

According to Yahoo! omg!'s source, "Selena has told him 'no romance without new manners.' Selena is an old-fashioned southern girl from Texas and believes in manners and good behavior. She's told Justin that he has to mend his ways if they are to start seeing each other regularly again."

Even though the two spent a lot of time apart, the source said Selena has never stopped being attracted to Justin, saying, "She just wants some pleases [and] thank yous, as well as some good behavior if things are to get serious again." With the serious trouble he's been in lately, hopefully things work out between the two.

'I WILL NOT LEAVE MADRID' - MORATA

Alvaro Morata pledged his future to Real Madrid after helping them thrash basement side Real Betis 5-0 on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria struck before Morata netted in the final minutes to clinch a deserved win.

And despite being linked to a number of foreign outfits recently, the 21-year-old is eager to stay put at the Santiago Bernabeu and fight for his place.

"Despite everything that is being said, I'm happy here. I want to stay," he told reporters after the match.

"I have spoken with the coach and the club, and I talk every day with my team-mates. I have been at this club for my whole life and it is the best in the world.

"The best are here and I want to help when I am needed.  If I have to help by playing a few minutes here and there, I’ll do it, but it’s even better if I get a few more.

"There are a lot of things being said, but I want to stay here and keep working hard and improving."

Victory in Seville saw los Blancos go top of the table beside Barcelona and Atletico Madrid for the first time this season, and Morata took heart from the performance his team had shown.

"I am very happy about scoring, but more about winning," the striker continued.
"It was an important match because we played before the other two teams at the top of the table and things soon went our way with Ronaldo’s goal. We had to win and then see if they drop points."

Barcelona face the trip away to Levante next while Atleti host European candidates Sevilla at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday.

CARZOLA KEEPS ARSENAL ON TOP

GettyImagesSanti Cazorla scores his first goal against Fulham.

As Manchester City continue to rack up the goals, Arsenal continue to rack up the points. Arsenal may have failed to produce their scintillating best against Fulham, but still emerged as 2-0 winners. City may top the goalscoring charts, but Arsenal fans won't care: the Gunners top the Premier League.

In the buildup to the match, Arsene Wenger spoke about the rich variety of midfield options at his disposal. Throughout the season, he has been able to rotate and cover for absentees without any discernible drop in quality. With that in mind, the likes of Tomas Rosicky, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or even Lukas Podolski might have imagined they would be handed an opportunity to start. However, Wenger made the surprising decision to stick with the same XI who faced Aston Villa earlier this week. Even Nacho Monreal was retained at left-back ahead of the fit-again Kieran Gibbs.

- Delaney: Three Things - Arsenal v Fulham

Wenger presumably decided there was no need to change a winning team. However, the victory at Villa was not entirely convincing, and unfortunately Wenger's team appeared to retain the lackadaisical manner that almost proved their undoing at Villa Park. Arsenal's first-half performance was a precise microcosm of the sloppy display the Gunners produced in the Midlands.

In the opening exchanges, Arsenal looked so superior that it seemed inevitable that they would win by a considerable margin. However, that dominance soon allowed the rot of complacency to set in. Simple passes began to go astray. Even when the ball did find its target, the sharpness of Arsenal's control was not present.

Mesut Ozil's performance typified a lacklustre first-half. His first touch is usually immaculate. However, in the first 45 minutes, he twice miscontrolled when under no obvious pressure.

It speaks volumes that Arsenal's most impressive performers in the opening half were the defensive trio of Mathieu Flamini, Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny. They seemed to be showing the urgency that was so lacking in their attacking teammates.

Szczesny in particular had to be alert to make three crucial interventions: one flying save and two darting interceptions. Were it not for his urgency and alertness, Arsenal could have gone in at half-time trailing.

Perhaps Wenger had some stern words in the dressing room. As soon as Arsenal emerged for the second half, there was a newfound directness in their play. Only a series of goal-line clearances prevented Arsenal nudging ahead, as Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny and Serge Gnabry were denied in quick succession.

When the breakthrough eventually came, it was Santi Cazorla who got the goal. The Spaniard instigated a neat move that ended with Jack Wilshere cutting the ball back toward the penalty spot. Cazorla duly arrived to side-foot calmly into the corner with his right foot.

Within five minutes, Cazorla had sealed the win with a second. This time, he demonstrated his ambidextrous gifts, firing a low shot in to the bottom corner with his supposedly weaker left foot. Few players in the Premier League share Cazorla's ability to strike the ball so well on either side.

Last season, Cazorla was voted Arsenal's Player of the Year by a considerable majority. However, in 2013-14, he has been somewhat overshadowed by the likes of Ozil and Aaron Ramsey. This brilliant brace suggests that the Spaniard might be coming in to form as Arsenal gear up for the crucial half of their title challenge.

From the moment Cazorla's second strike hit the net, the game was effectively won. The latter stages were enlivened by an electric cameo from Lukas Podolski. Podolski has struggled for game time in recent weeks, and was spotted shaking his head in frustration after being overlooked as a sub at Villa Park. This time, his reaction was precisely the opposite. When the German was eventually called from the touchline to come on as a substitute, he turned to the Arsenal fans and pumped his fist in delight.

However, his impact was not confined to cheerleading. Within moments of entering the field, a goal-bound effort was blocked by a last-ditch sliding tackle. Shortly afterwards, a venomous strike from range was turned onto the post. Podolski did not get the goal he craved, but he made his point emphatically.

A year or so ago, it would have seemed unthinkable that Manchester City would be considered the league's great entertainers, and Arsenal the model of consistency. Nevertheless, it's turning out that way. If the Gunners can continue their relentless form, City's beguiling attacking play may yet prove to be in vain.

Bayern see out break with a loss

On his birthday, Bayern coach Pep Guardiola certainly longed for the earlier days of the Winterpause with Munich's 2-0 victory over Al-Merrikh and an 8-0 destruction of Kuwait SC. Instead, as the tune-up match to the Rueckrunde, Bayern Munich got beat down by Red Bull Salzburg, 3-0, in what was a wholly unsatisfying performance ahead of next Friday's tricky game at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

In his postgame interview, Guardiola would say: "From now on, no more talk about whether there is a team that can beat Bayern. If you play badly, anyone can beat you."

Bayern were without the services of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, and Guardiola would send out an experimental line-up with Javi Martinez at right-back to disastrous effect. You can't fault Martinez, really. He's not got the pace to play wide. And all things for the initial 45 minutes came down his flank.

Salzburg opened their account on 15 minutes when Kevin Kampl released Senegalese forward Sadio Mane into space -- splitting the defence -- as he composed himself to drive past Manuel Neuer. A half-chance from Mario Goetze and Thomas Mueller would follow, but Die Roten Bullen doubled their lead as Dante caught Mane late in the box just five minutes later; captain Jonathan Soriano getting Neuer on the ensuing penalty.

Sensing that things were not going well (!!!), Guardiola moved David Alaba to left-back for defensive stability, and Bayern would get a good look at goal only to be thwarted by a miscommunication between Xherdan Shaqiri and Mueller. However, Die Roten could not stem the Salzburg tide as the hosts added a third a minute before the break -- Mane leaving Martinez down the right and crossing to an unmarked Robert Zulj.

And although Bayern Munich came out in the second half with more intensity -- perhaps finally trying to take this friendly seriously -- it would be all-for-naught as the world champions could never seem to quite get their head in the game. Mario Mandzukic replaced Goetze and Rafinha came in for Martinez, but Salzburg was still getting the better run of play.

Mane went over the bar, and Soriano got a save out of Neuer, before Red Bull keeper Peter Gulacsi made his first save of the day from Mandzukic.

Mueller was rightly called offside for what would have been Bayern's opener, before Boateng came in late on Valentino Lazaro -- Neuer saving Kampl’s penalty shot.

And speaking of Neuer...

He did what he does best, coming well out of the box twice in the dying minutes of the match, saving his defence from further embarrassment.

It wasn't pretty, to be sure, but we all know -- by now -- that Guardiola is content to tinker in matches that he thinks are unimportant. And in the grand scheme of things, this was, after all, a friendly. Without using the word "complacent" -- as I'm more inclined to think of heavy legs from rigorous training in Doha -- one has to wonder of the psychological impact of this beat down ahead of the second half.

Here's to a response like the one after Arsenal last season!

Mourinho side-steps the gap but not the battle

The contrast was so stark that Jose Mourinho was always going to find it difficult to side-step the question -- but he still tried his best.

On Friday, it was put rather bluntly to the Portuguese -- last season, Manchester United finished 14 points ahead of Chelsea; this season, they are nine points behind. It is quite a swing, so what’s the reason?

It was, of course, an invitation to either criticise a club said to have overlooked him or an opportunity to appraise his own team. Mourinho, however, was never going to indulge.

“Football,” he simply answered. “It happens in football. There are no two equal seasons.”

• Worrall: A devil of a time
• Okwonga: Balancing act for David Moyes
• Top Tenner: Man United-Chelsea battles

In this case, it must be said, there are not two equal managers. The reality is really rather simple. United lost one of the greatest in history but it was Chelsea who appointed another one.

The rest is mostly just noise, but Mourinho was mostly unwilling to contribute. The Portuguese kept up his conspicuous stance of being as polite as possible about United and David Moyes; that the former Everton manager is definitely the right man for the job; that they’ll definitely finish in the top four. He even backed Ferguson in the debate about the squad Moyes has been left with, but insisted the team have no issues.

“They must show me their garbage box. If United have an average squad, wow...”

There were only two moments when he offered a bit of a twist.

The first was when he subtly changed his account of knowing about Ferguson’s retirement. In June, Mourinho said he had known “for months”. On Friday, he said he only knew a few weeks before the announcement.

Although the Chelsea manager also derided the Spanish book claim that he cried when he didn’t get the United job, the account did confuse the timeline surrounding Ferguson’s replacement and -- at the very least -- raised more basic questions about how Mourinho would have performed in the role.

The second was the throw-away bombshell that he felt United would seek to sell Wayne Rooney to a foreign club in the summer, implying inside knowledge.

Both issues have predictably dominated the pantomime build-up to this fixture but, for once, they may also be relevant as regards who will dominate the match itself by the end.

Most obviously, there is the clash between the two managers.

While it remains very difficult to fairly judge Moyes at present given the unique context of Ferguson’s retirement, it is even more difficult to argue a manager like Mourinho would not have had a superior effect.

AllsportJose Mourinho's determination kept Chelsea on track despite an inconsistent start to the season.

For all his flaws, he is one of the few in world football with the presence to perfectly handle replacing Ferguson. That is largely because, exactly like the former United manager, he has a supreme capacity to keep any team at a competitive level. This season, that has kept Chelsea so close to the leaders, despite a series of miserly performances.

United, by contrast, have been so much more uncertain.

The key for this fixture, however, is that the home side have been capable of sufficiently bolstering that winning baseline in the biggest games. The majority of Chelsea’s best and most commanding displays have come against direct rivals, not least the supreme first-half response in the 2-1 win over Liverpool.

While the 0-0 draw away to United was a notable exception, those around Cobham have spoken about how much has changed since then. At first, one Chelsea source said Mourinho was surprisingly slow to find his feet with a largely unfamiliar squad. Now, it is completely different. They speak of him being back to his most assured.

It is reflected in his demeanour, and the performances.

Most tellingly, Mourinho said he would approach that early stalemate differently.

“It's not about them. It's about us. In this moment, I feel my team is living a good moment, playing with some stability. The team is quite confident with the ball. Normally we are dominant and have possession of the game. It's an evolution in a certain direction. If the game was at Old Trafford now, I'd go in a different way. But that was the first away game of the season, at Old Trafford and important not to lose. In the end, a point was not a bad point. It's always a point.”

The worry for United is that Mourinho could also have a specific point to target. If Chelsea can isolate and impede Michael Carrick with a three-man block, and then swarm in behind him through their attackers, this could get uncomfortable for United.

That would not be so much of an issue if Moyes had Rooney or Robin van Persie to give Chelsea a problem of their own to think about and thereby pin them back but, as it stands, United look a little too reliant on Adnan Januzaj and in a relatively predictable way.

AllsportThe battle between the managers will be just one storyline when Manchester United meet Chelsea.

As it stands, unless Moyes can suddenly work out a way to have Januzaj and Danny Welbeck coalescing gloriously, it feels like United are going to have to muster the kind of resilience displayed against Arsenal in November.

For his part, that defiance was one of Moyes’ finest qualities at Everton. Mourinho similarly acknowledged that, just when everything about a game seems to be tilting in a certain direction, football can find that fascinating way to divert things.

“I'm in the game for too long. I've played dozens of derbies and classic matches, matches between the big teams, and this is what experience says. More than that, many times on many occasions, the team that looks to be in the most difficult situation is the team that appears stronger in that match. That's why I consider this game especially dangerous for us.”

Whatever about side-steps, victory will ensure one team make a significant step forward and the other a considerable one back.

LIVERPOOL SUFFER FROM BAD DEFENCE

Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty ImagesLuis Suarez wasn't able to get on the scoresheet vs. Aston Villa on Saturday.

LIVERPOOL -- It is a concept their watching owner ought to find easy to understand. Liverpool are a team of two halves.

John W. Henry comes from a sport in baseball where the division between offence and defence is clearer than it usually is in football. Not at Liverpool, however. Even if the nuances of the beautiful game are lost on a businessman with a greater grounding as the owner of the Boston Red Sox, it should be obvious his other sporting investment are terrific going forward and threaten to be terrible at the back.

The 2-2 draw against Aston Villa was an evening to illustrate both aspects of a schizophrenic side. Even with Luis Suarez drawing a rare blank and thus failing to equal a club record of scoring in eight successive games at Anfield, their potency in attack was apparent. Daniel Sturridge's comeback has only spanned 110 minutes and has already yielded two goals. Steven Gerrard's equaliser from the penalty spot was the product of Suarez's elusiveness and, some felt, his cunning.

Only Manchester City have outscored Brendan Rodgers' adventurers, yet they may have the weakest back four in the top eight. It is not merely the fact they have conceded five goals in back-to-back games against mid-table teams, or the reality that it could have been more. It is the manner of the defending that is so damning.

"We were disappointed with the goals," Rodgers said after the match. That ought to be an understatement.

He has changed his tune and is beginning to tout his team as potential champions. It would be a triumph out of keeping with their history. Most of Liverpool's 18 title-winning sides built from the back. This is propelled forwards by the front men, but they cannot always compensate for the chaos behind them.

Liverpool have become accustomed to being tormented by target men over the past 18 months and, with Christian Benteke suddenly revitalised, they were buffeted by the Belgian. They were also outpaced by his speedy sidekick, Gabriel Agbonlahor.

"Unplayable," said the Villa manager Paul Lambert, who deemed Benteke "back to his best." Any time Kolo Toure or Martin Skrtel was isolated against either forward, Anfield was anxious. Yet if none of Rodgers' rearguard acquitted themselves well, the culprit in chief was Aly Cissokho.

AllsportLiverpool continue to score easily but their defensive issues could hold them back from their lofty ambitions.

A gruesome display was summed up by a shot that was skewed into the upper tier of the Anfield Road End, to the obvious irritation of Suarez, who had found him.

Nor were his predecessors any happier: a former Liverpool player stalked away afterwards saying "it's official; he's the worst left-back we've had," and, if there is considerable competition in recent years for that unwanted tag, the Frenchman's failings were a reason Rodgers altered his tactics after half an hour.

"Tactically we had to change it," the Liverpool manager said. "We went to a [back] three."

Raheem Sterling then spent 10 minutes as a wing-back; it was long enough for him to be in the wrong position when Benteke scored, though he was not the prime offender.

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has had a dreadful month; after mistakes against Manchester City, Chelsea and Stoke, another led to Villa’s second goal, when he limply pushed Agbonlahor's cross into Benteke's path. The opener, when the Englishman accelerated away from Toure and centred for Andreas Weimann to score, showed their susceptibility to pace.

It was apparent elsewhere too. Steven Gerrard, supposedly being reinvented as the Anfield Andrea Pirlo, was given a taste of his own medicine as opponents surged past him at will when Villa counter-attacked.

"They put a lot of men around me in the first half," he acknowledged to reporters after the match. "Whenever I got the ball they swamped me and I admit it wasn't one of my better 45 minutes."

When Lucas Leiva was introduced at half-time, Gerrard, whose piercing pass to Suarez led to the disputed penalty, fared better with a natural holding player affording him protection. Undistinguished as his form has been, it is a feature of recent seasons that Liverpool’s record is much worse without Lucas; it deteriorated dramatically in the 2011-12 season after his November injury, while Rodgers' slow start was partly attributable to the Brazilian's absence for much of the first third of his debut campaign.

While the substitute was then substituted, limping off after a clash of knees, Liverpool didn't give themselves a platform to play until he came on.

"We had to change it," Rodgers admitted. "We had to get another body behind the ball."

Lucas had been sacrificed because of Rodgers' commitment to attack. His logic appeared irresistible. In a city indelibly associated with the 'Fab Four' of the Beatles, he unleashed an awesome foursome of his own by starting with Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling and Philippe Coutinho. Yet, Liverpool were overloaded with attackers until one Brazilian replaced another, Lucas taking over for Coutinho.

"If you want to blame anyone, blame me," said Rodgers."I go with my gut feeling. I thought it was an offensive team."


It was, but though Liverpool scored in delightful fashion with Coutinho on the pitch -- Jordan Henderson's lovely flick allowing Sturridge to strike -- they were more coherent in his absence. It is about finding the appropriate balance between defence and attack, something a visitor in the directors' box no doubt noted.

Not Henry, however, but the watching Everton manager Roberto Martinez, whose side visit Anfield on Jan. 28 for the season's second Merseyside derby. The first ended 3-3. On this evidence, the sequel may have a similar scoreline.

Mourinho vows to break Blues record

Jose Mourinho has vowed to break his own record as the longest serving Chelsea manager to have worked under owner Roman Abramovich by seeing out his four year contract as Blues boss.


Mourinho has insisted he will ‘never leave Chelsea unless they ask me to’ and has suggested he mapped out his career on his own terms from the moment he first arrived at Stamford Bridge back in 2004.
Successful spells in charge of Inter Milan and Real Madrid were to follow before his return to Chelsea last summer, with Mourinho stressing the path he has followed was pre-designed many years ago.
Mourinho may have had a reputation for being a short-term manager in his colourful coaching career to date, but he hopes this spell as Chelsea manager has a longevity that will defy both his own and Abramovich’s history.
“The record for a Chelsea manager with this owner is three and a half years and I have four-year contract, so hopefully I beat the record,” said Mourinho.
“I stay until they want me not to stay. No other club could move me from Chelsea. I think everything should start for a manager with a project of life, with a project of career and I had my career project since the beginning and this is for me.
“I want to do in Italy, I want to do it in Spain, I want to do it in England. I want to try to win all these competitions in these three big football countries. It’s something I want to do, something I want to do during the time my son and my daughter (are still living with him), so we can do it as a family.
“The ambitions I have are the same. I’m not here because I want to be stable, I’m not here because I don’t want to win. It is the opposite. I want even more, but it’s a different project of career and in this moment I know where I want to be and it’s so simple.
“This is why I change my management style at Chelsea. It is one thing is to have a relation with my players that I know are going to be my players for a couple of years and then you are more confrontational.
“Another thing is to educate players with a relation and with an empathy that I’m sure is going to be here for five, six, seven, eight years. It is a completely different profile and that is why I say I change in this job.”
Mourinho went on to express his belief that the mentality and attitude of owner Abramovich has altered a decade into his reign as Blues owner, with patience now sewn into the fabric of Chelsea like never before.
“This club has changed now and this is why it was the right time for me to return,” believes Mourinho. “The club is more mature, the club is stable, the club knows what it really wants. It’s easy to say what the club wants. The club wants to win.
“I wouldn’t come just because I love Chelsea and want to come back. No, I come because I believe in the club, I believe in the project and I believe the owner has learned a lot in the last ten years.
“For me it was very, very clear since the first time I met the owner before I come back, that his ideals were very, very clear. He believes that I was the right person to work with the club, and I was very happy with that.”

CR7 AND BALE HELP MADRID TO WIN

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a long-range goal worthy of his Ballon d'Or to spark Real Madrid's 5-0 rout at Real Betis, provisionally lifting his team level with the leaders of La Liga on Saturday.

GettyImagesCristiano Ronaldo celebrates after firing Real Madrid ahead early on against Real Betis.

• Train: Saturday stroll
Carlo Ancelotti said he would ask Ronaldo "for more" after he won his second Ballon d'Or on Monday, and his star forward has certainly done that with two more superb goals this week to help his team advance past Osasuna in the Copa del Rey and tighten the league title race.
Ronaldo topped his free kick in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday with a 25-meter blast taken on the run that sailed past goalkeeper Stephan Andersen and into the roof of the net in the 10th minute in Seville.
Gareth Bale followed Ronaldo's rocket with a delicately placed free kick in the 25th for his first goal since Nov. 30, leaving the hosts demoralised and in tatters at the back.
The shot increased Ronaldo's league-leading tally to 21 goals in 20 rounds. He has 31 goals in 26 appearances overall for Madrid.
Luka Modric then set up Karim Benzema in first-half stoppage time when he pounced on a loose ball, drew three defenders to him, changed direction and crossed for the striker to slot home. It was Benzema's 100th goal in his fifth season at Madrid.
Andersen denied Ronaldo one-on-one after halftime, but he couldn't stop Angel Di Maria from sending a rebound from outside the area skidding just inside the upright in the 62nd minute.
Substitute Alvaro Morata scored the fifth in the 90th.
Elsewhere, Espanyol beat Celta Vigo 1-0 in Barcelona thanks to Sergio Garcia's late goal to move into the upper half of the standings.
Garcia plucked a high ball out of the air, evaded the challenge of Gustavo Cabral and despatched an emphatic left-footed finish into the bottom-left corner.
Elche earned a first win in six rounds by beating 10-man Rayo Vallecano 2-0 at home.
The outcome of the game was never in doubt once the visitors went a goal and a player down after 19 minutes, Raul Baena shown a red card for bringing down Coro in the area and Edu Albacar scoring from the spot.
Paco Jemez's side could only seek to limit the damage for the remainder of the game and did a good job of it until Javi Marquez doubled the lead on 79 minutes.
Osasuna were outplayed at Granada but held on to draw 0-0 and stay undefeated in five rounds.

KANYE WEST IN FIRST SEEN FATHER-DAUGHTER SNAP

Khloe Kardashian couldn't wait to share with her Twitter followers something truly amazing.
That was, of couse, a snapshot of her brother-in-law-to-be Kanye West cracking a smile instead of the usual glum sneer while giving his seven-month-old daughter North a piggyback ride.
Khloe was nothing but complimentary when it came to Kim's choice for a husband, not to mention the cherubic child starring at the camera.

Happy daddy: Kanye West wore a dazzling smile as he treated his baby girl North to a piggyback ride in this cute snap tweeted by Khloe Kardashian on Friday

'Proud of what an awesome daddy Yeezy is. #DaddysGirl #Family,' Khloe tenderly wrote in a caption accompanying the photo - marking the first time they have been seen posing together for a snap.
The picture was, in fact, the same one that Kim had shared while taping an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that will air on Friday. 
The first-time mom said the snap of North riding on her dad Kanye's shoulders was taken during an 'intense Monopoly game' while they were vacationing in Utah.

Proud: Khloe couldn't help gush what an 'awesome daddy' Kanye is especially when he's not sneering at people as he did while heading to the Givenchy fashion show in Paris on Friday

'He is honestly the most amazing dad,' Kim began of her fiancé. 'He loves her so much. He just left to go out of town, so I send him a picture and video every day. He's like, "She grew up so much!" and I'm like, "Babe, it's been one day. You haven't seen her in a day. Not a lot has changed." But he really is a hands-on dad.'
Kim shared that one and several more previously-unseen photos of gorgeous daughter North during her chat with Ellen.
The reality star also gushed about parenthood, revealing that the seven-month-old is the perfect baby.
'She changes all the time. One day she'll look like Kanye, one day she'll look like me. It's so crazy,' Kim cooed, adding, 'And her personality is so cute. She is really calm and really quiet.

'My world': Kim Kardashian posted an adorable four-way picture of North on her Twitter page on Friday

Too cute for words! Kim Kardashian shared the same photo and several others during an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing on Friday

Asked whether she had always wanted to have children, the 33-year-old admitted she, 'always wanted about six'.
'After having her I would have a million,' she continued, though she revealed the pregnancy was far from smooth-sailing and not something she wants to repeat anytime soon.
'The pregnancy, I wouldn't really wish that upon anyone. Anyone,' she insisted.
'Then you can adopt,' Ellen suggested.
Kim was quick to amend her statement, saying: 'It's all worth it in the end, so I would definitely suffer through that, but pregnancy was not a good experience for me. At all.'

 

Kim Kardashian opens up about 'tough' pregnancy to Ellen

Picture-perfect: The proud mom-of-one showed off another sweet image of her seven-month-old daughter as she explained that she was trying out the bowed headband look on her a day before

'Women who say that it's a beautiful thing I would think...' the 55-year-old began, before Kim cut in with her reality check.
'They are lying. They are LYING to you. I'm telling you,' she emphasised. 'Kourtney said that, my mum said that. I was literally giving birth and I looked at my mum and I said, "I'm going to get you a medal. You deserve everything." 
'My labour was easy, but just the whole pregnancy was so... I had a few medical issues, so it was really tough, and I gained a lot of weight.'
She went on to admit that she started 'hysterically crying' after she began reading What To Expect When You're Expecting, which sister Kourtney gave her, saying it 'made it so much worse'. 
'It was really hard mentally on me,' she admits of her pregnancy.

'The pregnancy, I wouldn't really wish that upon anyone': The 33-year-old revealed that her pregnancy was far from smooth-sailing, but insisted she 'wouldn't take any of it back because I have the most adorable, sweetest baby in the world'

'She's precious': The 55-year-old couldn't help gushing over the genetically-blessed youngster, who is obviously the apple of her parents eyes

The reality TV star had the audience in fits of laughter as she insisted her hormones didn't get the better of her during her challenging pregnancy.
'I was actually really calm; my hormones weren't really going crazy. Well I don't think - you might want to ask Kanye or someone!' she chuckled.
'I think with all of the medical issues - I had Pre-eclampsia, which was really tough; I had to deliver early. But I wouldn't take any of it back because I have the most adorable, sweetest baby in the world,' she gushed.

'She is really calm and really quiet': The star described her baby as having a 'cute personality' and said she is very well-behaved and sleeps through the night

Asked if that relates to diaper changes, the stunning brunette admitted he's 'not a diaper kind of guy and that's OK'.
'No, I don't mean does he wear them. Does he change them?' Ellen joked, to which Kim reiterated: 'No he's not a diaper-changing kind of guy.'
'He would if it's an emergency,' she added. 'But I love that time. I know it sounds crazy, but I love my time with her when she's on the changing table. She tries to talk so much and I really enjoy that bonding time when I'm with her.'
Kim then shared two more photos from the day before, when she was trying on cute bow headbands on the photogenic youngster.
'She doesn't wear a lot of bows and my niece Penelope [Disick] wears so many headbands, so I was trying all these bows on her and she really liked them, so I think she's going to start wearing some bows,' she explained.

'It was really hard mentally on me': Kim admitted she struggled throughout her pregnancy as she dealt with 'medical issues' including Pre-eclampsia

The silver lining: Despite her struggles, the reality TV star gushed that she would 'have a million' children as she's so enamoured with little Nori

Ellen reminded the star, rather awkwardly, that the last time she was on the show - two years ago - she was performing a wedding vow renewal for Kim and her then-husband Kris Humphries.
'A lot has changed since then,' Kim stated.
Of course, the topic of her over-the-top engagement to rapper West couldn't not be covered, with Kim going into great detail about how her romantic man pulled off the ultimate surprise when he hired out a baseball field in San Francisco to propose on her birthday.
'That was probably one of the only times I've been surprised. I usually know everything and I was actually so shocked that he kept that a secret from me. And it was such a good secret,' she revealed. But he's also so passionate about birthdays. That's his thing.'
She insisted that up until the last minute, she had no idea he was proposing, thinking it was simply an elaborate birthday bash.
'I truly didn't know it was happening until he got down on one knee,' she said.

She was Bound 2 ask: Ellen commented that the last time Kim's fiancé, rapper Kanye West, was in the studio, he debuted the raunchy video for his song Bound 2, co-starring a topless Kim

'Now, I forgot to mark it down in my calendar. When is the wedding?' Ellen cheekily probed the star. 'Because I know that you want me there and I totally forgot. Kanye whispered it in my ear and I don¹t remember what date he said.'
Not giving anything away, Kim simply confirmed that the wedding will take place 'this summer'.
'No, I know, but the date, I can't remember the date,' the talk show host asked again.
'Um, somewhere out of the country,' Kim continued to dodge the question. 'We honestly haven¹t picked a date yet. We said when we were on our trip skiing this New Year¹s that we were going to pick the date and location, and that hasn't happened. We know we want it in the summertime, but we just, we've got to figure that out.'
'Well, let me know soon because I have to really make plans,' Ellen finished.

'Kanye's not a diaper kind of guy and that's OK': The doting mom revealed that as hands-on as Kanye is, he isn't when it comes to the nappy department, though she enjoys that quiet time bonding with her daughter

  

The famously curvy star was then presented with a bridal bikini complete with train after tweeting the other night that she was in search of a simple new costume.
Ellen also gave her a matching groom's outfit as well as a baby flower girl two-piece.
'This is maybe what I'll get married in. It takes away the pressure of the gown,' Kim laughed, though she added, '[Kanye] is a little uncomfortable with North wearing a bikini. I tried it once and it did not go over well. It has to be a one-piece.'
Viewers can catch the interview in full when it airs on Friday.

+15

His and hers gift: The talk show host presented the engaged star with bride and groom swimsuits, much to Kim's amusement

'This is maybe what I'll get married in': The bikini bottoms came complete with a tulle train, bejewelled iPhone case and bouquet, while Ellen also gave her a mini-me outfit for little North