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Sideshow: Charges fly in death of bluesman B.B. King

Two of B.B. King's daughters allege the legendary bluesman, who died May 14 in Las Vegas at 89, was intentionally poisoned.

B.B. King death fracas

Two of B.B. King's daughters allege the legendary bluesman, who died May 14 in Las Vegas at 89, was intentionally poisoned.

"I believe my father was poisoned and that he was administered foreign substances to induce his premature death," the daughters, Patty King and Karen Williams, allege in two separate but identically worded affidavits. "I believe my father was murdered."

Their claim runs counter to the coroner's report, which says preliminary autopsy results don't support a case of poisoning. Full forensic results will take six to eight weeks. King's attending physician listed the cause as "multi-infarct dementia, which is caused by a series of small strokes," as CNN words it.

King's daughters do not name a suspect, although their statements accuse King's business manager, LaVerne Toney, and the musician's personal assistant, Myron Johnson, of neglect. They claim those two employees isolated King and were giving him medications he did not need.

An attorney for Toney tells CNN the accusations are "absolutely ridiculous" and says the two women are trying to get a bigger piece of their father's estate for themselves. Las Vegas police say they will investigate only if the coroner's final report says King died under suspicious circumstances.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel tops Forbes' annual list of the most powerful women on the globe for the fifth consecutive year. Presidential contender Hillary Clinton climbs four rungs in one year to take the second spot.

Released Tuesday, this year's list is headed by heads of state and CEOs. Oprah Winfrey is the highest-rated celeb at No. 12. Beyoncé made the cut at No. 21, topping Ellen DeGeneres (No. 50), Angelina Jolie (No. 54), Sofía Vergara (No. 57), and Shakira Mebarak (No. 81). The 25-year-old pop star Taylor Swift (No. 64) is the youngest on the list.

A holiday weekend without movies

Seems Americans no longer like going to the movies during the long Memorial Day Weekend. Movies made a total of around $190 mil over the four days beginning Friday, according to studio estimates. That's the lowest Memorial weekend gross since 2001. Disney's star-studded sci-fi actioner Tomorrowland, which features George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Tim McGraw, and Kathryn Hahn, topped the pile over its opening weekend, with a disappointing gross of only $41.7 mil. Pitch Perfect 2 made $38.5 mil in its second weekend to drop to No. 2, and Mad Max: Fury Road, also in its second week, is in third place with $32.1 mil.

Gossip petits fours

Congrats to Keira Knightley! The 30-year-old British beauty, who wed James Righton in May 2013, has given birth to their first child, a baby girl, say US Weekly and E! News.

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