Ellen DeGeneres -- Calls Cops in Attempt to Rescue Abused Puppy

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Ellen DeGeneres
Calls Cops in Attempt to
Rescue Abused Puppy
Ellen DeGeneres wants to save a 3-month old puppy from an owner accused of kicking the animal and swinging it around by its leash ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Ellen reached out to the LAPD this week to inquire about a French Bulldog puppy that was rescued last weekend.

Police arrested the guy who owns the puppy after a witness reported seeing him slam the pooch on a sidewalk, drag and kick him ... and then swing him on his leash like a yo-yo.

We're told Ellen was doing the good samaritan thing -- asking cops if she could do anything to help ... and making sure the pup goes to a good home.

Here's the problem -- legally, the animal has to be held at a shelter for 30 days while the courts deal with the owner ... and there's a chance he could get the puppy back.

If the alleged dog-hater does lose custody ... would Ellen consider adopting?

We reached out to her reps, but no word back.

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Kim Zolciak -- Calls BS on Pregnant Smoking Pics, Threatens Legal Action

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Kim Zolciak
Calls BS
on Pregnant Smoking Pics
Kim Zolciak isn't trying to smoke out her fetus -- and instead claims the shots of her puffing a cigarette while pregnant were NOT shot yesterday ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Kim tell us, she has sent a cease and desist letter to the agency ... accusing them of purposely deceiving the public about 2 sets of photos they shot.

Kim is claiming the shots of her smoking were taken quite some time ago ... though she doesn't remember exactly when.

We're told Kim says she was actually photographed yesterday by the agency (above) -- while wearing black sweat pants -- but not smoking.

According to our sources, Kim feels the agency defamed her by creating a made-up scandal -- and she also claims the photog was trespassing when the smoking pics were taken.

Sources tell us the independent photog, who works for the agency, was on private property ... so they've pulled the smoking photos.

We're told Kim also wants an apology ... but still might sue.

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CNET Story Alleging NSA Can Listen To U.S. Phone Calls Without Warrant Faces Skepticism

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A blockbuster article published by CNET Saturday night alleges that the National Security Agency has the power to listen to Americans' phone calls without a warrant.

That bold assertion lit up social media, but also drew skepticism, with many arguing that it seemed to be based on a misunderstanding.

The core of the CNET article focused on an exchange between Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and FBI Director Robert Mueller at a hearing on Thursday. (Watch above.) During questioning, Nadler claimed that in a separate, closed-door briefing, he had been told that NSA analysts could listen to the contents of a phone call at analysts' discretion.

Given the apparent illegality of listening to Americans' phone calls without warrants, some questioned whether Nadler understood the briefing he cited. As of late Saturday night, several publications were not able to reach the congressman for comment.

Mother Jones's Kevin Drum writes that "information from that telephone" could mean one of many things, and that Nadler may have been "confusing the ability of an analyst to get subscriber information for a phone number with the ability to listen to the call itself." Normative's Julian Sanchez wrote that Nadler may have been referring to a more limited set of circumstances than the CNET article implied.

Also on HuffPost:

Justin Bieber -- Photog Calls 911 ... Bodyguard Strangled Me

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Justin Bieber
Photog Calls 911 ...
Bodyguard Strangled Me
TMZ has obtained the 911 call placed by a Miami photographer last week after he was allegedly assaulted and choked by one of Justin Bieber's bodyguards ... before they allegedly stole his camera equipment.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon outside The Hit Factory recording studio.

During the 911 call, the photog tells dispatch two black bodyguards assaulted him and one strangled him while trying to wrestle his camera from his hands.

The photog -- named Jeffrey Binion -- says they threatened to smash his camera, but ended up just stealing the memory card instead ... worth roughly $100.

As we reported, Binion has since filed a lawsuit against Bieber and one of his security guards, claiming Bieber masterminded the entire attack.