The duties of the White House chief of staff vary greatly from one administration to another and, in fact, there is no legal requirement that the president even fill the position. However, since at least 1979, all presidents have found the need for a chief of staff, who typically oversees the actions of the White House staff, manages the president's schedule, and decides who is allowed to meet with the president.
Sad loss: Fresh Prince of Bel Air star James Avery has died aged 65. Avery's official cause of death is listed as cardiorespiratory arrest, which means his heart stopped. The site also reported he was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of Los Angeles.
James died November 27 at her home in Oxford, England. She was 94. Lebanese singer and actress Sabah, one of the Arab world's most prolific entertainers with a career spanning more than six decades, died November 26, in Beirut, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.