U2 postpone Glastonbury and US tour after Bono’s injury
May 25, 2010
U2 have cancelled their headline slot at Glastonbury Festival and postponed their US and Canadian tour after Bono had back surgery.
The singer, who had suffered temporary partial paralysis, is recuperating for the next two months.
Scissor Sisters axed entire album
May 8, 2010
Pop band The Scissor Sisters have revealed they scrapped an album they had been working on for 18 months.
Singer Jake Shears said they ditched songs destined for their third album last summer and started from scratch.
Cheryl Cole ’sexiest woman’ for second year
May 2, 2010
X Factor judge Cheryl Cole has been named the sexiest woman in the world by readers of FHM magazine for a second year running.
The Girls Aloud star once again beat Transformers star Megan Fox into second place, while underwear model Marisa Miller was this year’s number three.
Hollywood sign is saved at last minute by Hugh Hefner
April 27, 2010
The famous Hollywood sign has been saved from being spoiled by property development by a last-minute donation from Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner.
The soft-porn magnate gave $900,000 (£580,000) to the fund which was set up to stop the site being developed.
The sign is owned by the city, but the property around it belongs to a group of Chicago-based investors.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger described the news as “the Hollywood ending we hoped for”.
Governor Schwarzenegger said Mr Hefner’s donation and a $500,000 matching grant brought to an end a $12.5m fundraising campaign.
‘Hollywood’s Eiffel Tower’
It means 138 acres around the hillside sign will be protected from developers, who wanted to turn the land into high-price housing estates.
“It’s a symbol of dreams and opportunity,” Gov Schwarzenegger said.
The investors had planned to sell the land to developers, but agreed to sell to the trust for $12.5m if the money could be raised.
The sign was draped in a banner to raise awareness of the campaign
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Mr Hefner, who calls the sign “Hollywood’s Eiffel Tower”, said: “My childhood dreams and fantasies came from the movies, and the images created in Hollywood had a major influence on my life and Playboy.”
Donations came from all 50 US states, 10 countries and celebrities, including actor Tom Hanks and director Steven Spielberg.
In February, the sign was draped with a banner which read “Save the Peak”, to raise awareness of the campaign.
The Hollywood sign itself, which is set high up in the hills, was initially created in 1923 as an advert for a real estate development called Hollywoodland.
It never faced demolition, but campaigners were worried the famous vista would be ruined by the sight of properties towering over the four-storey high letters.
Source: bbc.co.uk/
Actor son of Michael Douglas gets five years in prison
April 21, 2010
The son of Hollywood actor Michael Douglas has been sentenced to five years in prison for dealing methamphetamine and possessing heroin.
Cameron Douglas, 31, pleaded guilty to the charges in January after his arrest last year at a hotel in New York.
Glee triumphs at gay media awards
April 18, 2010
US musical TV series Glee has been named best comedy series at the Glaad media awards in the US for its positive portrayal of gay characters.
Creator Ryan Murphy revealed that Kurt, played by actor Chris Colfer, would have a boyfriend in the next series and the pair would be school prom kings.
China quake bodies burnt on pyres in Jiegu
April 17, 2010
About 700 people who died in a massive earthquake in north-west China on Wednesday have been cremated outside the worst-hit town, Jiegu.
After being blessed by chanting Buddhist monks, the bodies were placed in a trench and set alight.
The number of people known to have been killed in Qinghai province has risen to 1,144, officials say.
I’m not dancing naked: SRK
April 7, 2010
Doesn’t anyone take a joke anymore?” asked Shah Rukh Khan, after his statement that he’d dance naked if his IPL team won their match against Team Punjab.
Dynasty actor John Forsythe dies aged 92
April 3, 2010
John Forsythe, the former Dynasty star and voice of Charlie in the Charlie’s Angels TV series and films, has died.
The actor, who was 92, died on Thursday in Santa Ynez, California, from complications of pneumonia after a year-long battle with cancer.
Forsythe played Blake Carrington in the popular US soap from 1981-9, alongside British actress Joan Collins.
Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood to open Cannes
March 27, 2010
British director Ridley Scott’s new film Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe, has been selected to open the annual Cannes Film Festival in May.
The film, about the birth of the Robin Hood legend, also stars Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, and William Hurt.