Cheryl Cole out to prove she really was sacked by US X Factor in new row (Photos)

CHERYL Cole is ready to make public a damning dossier of evidence to prove she WAS fired from American X Factor. It comes as the row over her exit from the show took a dramatic new twist. The Girls Aloud star claims to have emails and text messages from senior US TV executives to verify she was given the chop – amid speculation that TV chiefs are trying to get out of paying her. Friends of the Geordie singer, 27, believe this is the REAL reason why she was bizarrely offered her judging role back

on Friday night. They reckon it is part of a clever ruse by US network bosses Fox and producers Fremantle, who think she may NOT turn up to Wednesday’s auditions in New Jersey – and be in breach of her contract. A friend of the singer said: “They’re hoping it’s a no-show so they don’t have to pay her. But that plan falls flat when you look at the fact of the matter – that she’s already been fired. “There was a meeting attended by Cheryl where it was made clear it wasn’t working. Then there are emails and messages to the same effect. “For the network to try and wriggle out of it by suggesting otherwise is nonsense. If she doesn’t turn up to re-take her place on the panel, she is not in breach of her contract – because Fox breached it themselves.” Cheryl is said to be “in two minds” about whether to take up the TV bosses’ offer. She still believes she’s been made a laughing stock during the course of the past week, with one pal raging: “If they think they can go around treating people like this, they’re wrong.” But at the same time some friends say she would be mad to turn down the chance. One insider said: “It’s a tough decision because it’s a huge show. “There’s still a lot of pain there. At last Cheryl is in charge of the situation. She’s finally calling the shots, but she’s really not sure.” US TV executives yesterday insisted Cheryl will get her €1.3million fee whether she turns up or not. They claim she showed a “willingness” to return to the UK version of the show and that at no point was she actually sacked. A TV source said: “Everyone thought she wasn’t herself and might be happier back home in the UK. It wasn’t a case of being sacked at all. “It was that we made her another offer for the UK show – and both her management and Cheryl herself seemed up for it initially. The reason why it dragged on for so long was that her team severed contact with Fremantle and nobody knew what was going on. Because she missed the deadline on the UK version, bosses wanted to ensure she still had a role on the UK X Factor and that’s what’s happened now. 

“The role could be adapted or discussed to suit her. “It could be that she is a judge alongside Nicole Sherzinger or takes up a mentor role. It’s up to her.” A source close to show boss Simon Cowell said: “Simon cares massively about Cheryl. He’s concerned about her and just wants to do what’s right by her.” Yesterday our sister paper the Sunday Mirror revealed that Cheryl has split from dancer Derek Hough, 25. His step-father Aaron Nelson, 54, said: “It’s sad, but it just wasn’t working out. Derek just wants to move on with his life.” Derek, who nursed Cheryl through her malaria ordeal last summer, is said to have called time on their romance just two weeks ago – before she was axed from American X Factor.

Gaddafi denies death as Libya claims NATO has killed more civilians

Libyan state TV broadcast a recorded audio message from leader Muammar Gaddafi Friday evening in which he says he is still alive after claims earlier in the day he may have been hurt in NATO airstrikes.

The broadcast also came after the Libyan government accused NATO bombing of killing more people in the oil town of Brega.

Gaddafi called the Western countries "cowards" in his minute-long message.

"You could kill my body but could not kill my soul which lives in the hearts of millions," Gaddafi said.

He also said a NATO airstrike Thursday that targeted his Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli killed "three innocent journalist-civilians."

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said earlier Friday Gaddafi may have been hurt in NATO air raid and fled Tripoli, but this was later denied by a Libyan government spokesman.

Frattini said Tripoli's bishop had said Gaddafi was "probably wounded" but Italy had "no credible information" about Gaddafi's whereabouts and health conditions, according to the Italy-based ANSA news agency.

"International pressure has likely provoked the decision by Gaddafi to seek refuge in a safe place," the foreign minister told reporters.

Shortly after the report, Libyan government spokesperson Musa Ibrahim denied Gaddafi was hurt, according to Al-Arabiya TV.

He said these reports were made only to weaken the morale of the Libyan people.

Rumors that Gaddafi was dead have been circulating since his youngest son, Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, and three of his grandchildren were killed in a NATO bombing almost two weeks ago.

Gaddafi made his first TV appearance since that attack on Wednesday. The video footage showed him meeting with several tribal leaders, which was seen as the Libyan government's attempt to dispel the rumors.

Libya's state TV also reported Friday at least 16 people were killed in a NATO air strike at Brega, a key oil town in the eastern part of the country, which is still reportedly controlled by pro-Gaddafi forces. The television said the air raid targeted a guest house in the city.

The NATO-led alliance, responding to the civilian deaths, said in a statement released in Brussels on Saturday it attacked a military command and control center, 750 km southeast of the capital.

Also on Friday, Libyan rebels held a meeting attended by delegates from 15 cities around the country, a move seen as an attempt to scuttle regional support for Gaddafi.

The 15 cities includes both those captured by the opposition and those still in the hands of pro-Gaddafi forces, including Sirte, the hometown of Gaddafi.

Besides courting domestic support, the rebels' National Transitional Council (NTC) is also seeking additional international recognition.

NTC chief diplomat Mahmoud Gibril, who is now in the United States, met with U.S. National Security Adviser Tom Donilon at the White House Friday.

Donilon said Washington viewed the NTC as a legitimate and credible interlocutor of the Libyan people and reiterated U.S. President Barack Obama's call for Gaddafi to leave immediately, the White House said in a statement.

The White House also said Donilon and Gibril discussed how the United States and the coalition could provide additional support to the NTC, according to the statement.

However, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Friday he did not anticipate formal U.S. recognition of the NTC as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people after the meeting.

"The question of recognition is one of many policy issues still under review, and we're continuing to assess the capabilities of the NTC as we deepen our engagement with the opposition," he told reporters at the White House.

He said the White House was discussing with Congress access to blocked Libyan government assets in the United States, valued at some 30 billion U.S. dollars, for humanitarian purposes in Libya.

Russia also supports release of the assets for humanitarian aid, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Sazonov told a news briefing Friday.

Sazonov said such humanitarian aids should not be politically motivated and should cover all of the nation's population.

He said these actions should be approved by the UN Security Council and international organizations such as UN High Commissioner for Refugees should monitor the use of these aids.

Hospitalized American Idol Hopeful Casey Abrams Says He's "Feeling Really Good"

American Idol fans can rest easy. Casey Abrams is finally out of the hospital, and he told us at the 28th Annual Paley Television Festival event in Beverly Hills that he's "feeling really good."
The 20-year-old finalist was noticeably absent from the March 10 elimination show, when host Ryan Seacrest shocked fans with the news that Casey was bedbound at Cedar-Sinai hospital, with explaining much more about Abrams' condition, leading us to wonder if he was going to be able to continue on the road to Idol glory.
So what's the latest on the Idol hopeful's condition? And how do Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler really feel about their reps and the Idol hype?
As Casey Abrams hit the red carpet to pose for photos with the rest of this year's finalists, he appeared a little rundown, with bedhead and a paler-than-usual complexion. The unconfirmed rumor flying around had it that Casey was suffering from an infection of his lower intestine and colon, but even veteran judge Randy Jackson said he was fuzzy on the exact nature of Casey's medical problem.
"I don't know the extent of what his health problems are, but I'm hoping and praying—we're all praying because we love him," he said. "He's doing pretty well. I saw him the other day. Happy to see him and hope that his health continues, because I mean, the guy is so talented. He's one of my favorites. So I think he's going to be all right."
Although Casey's health is improving, his future on Idol is unknown, but he doesn't hesitate to credit his fans for their part in inspiring his stellar performances. "The audience makes me feel really good," says Casey.
Speaking of favorites, some fans have not been so readily embracing Idol's resident dawg, claiming that Randy Jackson is this season's "mean judge." But that's a rep Randy doesn't want, and he took the panel discussion of the show as an opportunity to set the record straight on his judging style.
"I am not mean," he said. "Listen, I have always said I didn't like things, if people were terrible or it wasn't great before, it's just that maybe [now] I'm just one of the fewer ones saying it."
Regardless of what fans think, Randy says his bond with fellow panelists Jennifer Lopez and Steven has been unbreakable since a get-to-know-you dinner party hosted by Ryan Seacrest at his home before the start of season 10.
"Within five minutes...we got on like a house on fire," he laughed.
Steven, who we found out was the 40th or so person to be considered for the open judges' seats on the show this year, initially questioned how joining Idol would impact his Aerosmith career, but he revealed he's beyond happy with his new judging role.
"Stopping, and putting on the brakes and doing Idol, it gave me an arena to be who I really am," he said. "This is just how I am, always have been, it's just been kept under the hood of rock 'n' roll."
Are you happy Casey Abrams is back in the Idol mix? Do you love or loathe Steven Tyler as a judge? Who are you rooting for this week on Idol? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!