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Rapper NAS made a terminally ill child’s dreams come true this weekend (06-08Mar09) when he flew the fan out to Los Angeles to attend his concert and meet the star backstage.
The I Can hitmaker, real name Nasir Jones, teamed up with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant 13 year old Darnell Hicks’ ultimate goal.
Pennsylvania native Hicks was diagnosed with Duchenne, a form of muscular dystrophy, at the age of two, and has been confined to a wheelchair for the last three years.
He was flown out to L.A. on Thursday (05Mar09) to spend three days in the city visiting tourist attractions and attending Nas’ gig, where he met his rap hero.
And Hicks’ grandmother Joanne Watson is grateful to Nas for giving the teen such an opportunity.
She says, "I’m so happy they were able to grant him the wish and have everything laid out for him."

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MILEY CYRUS has ruled out a romantic reconciliation with ex-boyfriend NICK JONAS, insisting she is happy with her current beau JUSTIN GASTON.
Cyrus and Jonas dated for two years before splitting in 2007. The Hannah Montana star admits she was heartbroken when the relationship ended - and describes the split as "the worst day of my life" in her new memoir.
But the 16-year-old has now moved on and wouldn’t consider re-dating the Jonas Brother - despite his recent claims in an interview that they could be boyfriend and girlfriend again.
Cyrus says, "Maybe he does (want to reconcile) but I am happy with my current relationship status… I think he just wants to be friends. I texted him earlier this morning (09Mar09)… it’s great that we’re still able to talk."

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A 450-year-old painting, said to be worth over $2 million (£1.4 million), has been stolen from a church in Norway.
Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder’s Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me was taken from a Lutheran church in the southern Norway town of Larvik.
The wood painting has hung in the church for over 330 years.

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Irish actor GABRIEL BYRNE is battling New York property developers over plans for a new towerblock in his neighbourhood.
Byrne has submitted a written testimony to the city’s planning department to protest plans for a 18-storey building in Brooklyn’s DUMBO area.
The Usual Suspects star and fellow residents of the neighbourhood - the unusual name of which stands for ‘down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass’ - fear the block will ruin views of the nearby Brooklyn Bridge, which spans New York’s East River.
Byrne’s testimony reads, "The huge building will dwarf the bridge on the Brooklyn side, causing irreparable damage to the bridge’s singular and majestic presence."

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Shamed basketball star CHARLES BARKLEY has been released from jail after serving just 36 hours of a three-day sentence for drink driving.
The 46-year-old sporting legend turned himself in on Saturday (07Mar09) to start his sentence for driving under the influence (DUI) relating to his 31 December (08) arrest in Phoenix, Arizona.
Barkley left Tent City Jail, where he was housed in a separate area from other inmates, just before 8.00 a.m. on Monday (09Mar09), according to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lieutenant Brian Lee.
He served 36 hours before after getting 12 hours of work release on Sunday (08Mar09) and Monday.
Barkley pleaded guilty in February (09) to two misdemeanour DUI charges stemming from his 31 December (08) arrest, when he failed a field-sobriety test after leaving a Scottsdale nightclub.
His sentence was reduced from 10 days by an Arizona judge provided he completes an alcohol-treatment program.

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Porn actress-turned-Hollywood starlet SASHA GREY has defended the adult film industry against allegations female sex stars are abused.
Grey has made a rare successful transition from porn to mainstream Hollywood, thanks to a starring role in Steven Soderbergh’s new movie The Girlfriend Experience.
But she insists she’s not ashamed of a career that brought her starring roles in films such as the creatively titled Blow Me Sandwich 11 and Anal Acrobats 3.
And she’s furious with a recent article about her in University of California student newspaper the Daily Nexus, which describes her adult movies as "disturbingly forced".
The 20-year-old tells the New York Post, "Sex on camera is performance. I am a very sexually healthy young woman. The days of victimised, disturbed porn stars (and civilian women) are fading away - I am the new breed."

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Rapper ICE-T has urged his LAW & ORDER: SVU co-star MARISKA HARGITAY to take her recovery more seriously, six days after the actress was re-hospitalised after suffering from a partially collapsed lung.
The 45-year-old actress was admitted to a New York hospital on Tuesday (03Mar09) night after a day’s work on the show.
The relapse came just weeks after Hargitay underwent surgery to fix the the injury, which she suffered during a sledge-riding accident.
And Ice-T - real name Tracy Marrow - insists she was back at work too soon.
He tells People.com, "When she came back last time it was like nothing ever happened. She’s very resilient. This woman is a hard worker; she works 14 hours a day. I don’t know what you know about episodic drama television, but it’s like a movie that never ends, it’s just one day.
"Mariska is the type of woman that if you walk up and say, ‘How are you?’ She’s almost like a guy and is like, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’m all right.’ It’s almost as if you insult her. She doesn’t want you to feel sorry for her, she’s like, ‘I’m on my feet.’ "My personal thought is she just needs to take a little time and rest. I mean, it’s a serious thing. You can’t just come right back. You’ll re-injure yourself."

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MICHAEL J. FOX has heaped praised on U.S. President BARACK OBAMA for lifting an eight-year federal funding ban on stem cell research.
Fox has been a strong advocate of embryonic stem cell studies since publicly disclosing his battle with Parkinson’s disease in 1998, seven years after his diagnosis.
He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000, which has since become the largest private funder in the U.S. of medical research into the disease.
And he’s given a nod to Obama, who will sign an executive order on Monday (09Mar09) lifting limits placed by the administration of former President George W. Bush, who blocked the use of any government money to fund research on human embryonic stem cell lines created after 9 August 2001.
Fox says, "Today is a new day. I’m thrilled to see President Obama has honoured his commitment to get politics out of science. The last few years have been incredibly frustrating for patents and researchers who believe that embryonic stem cell research has the potential to bring better treatment… to many of the patients. I commend the President for recognising the inherent value of research freedom and creating an environment in which it can flourish."

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Pop superstar BRITNEY SPEARS suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction during her comeback show in Tampa, Florida on Sunday (08Mar09) when her leotard ripped, accidentally exposing her naked crotch to the audience.
The singer had just finished performing I’m A Slave 4 U and was being lowered beneath the stage when she revealed her costume blunder.
Failing to realise her microphone was still on, she said, "My p**sy was hanging out!" - causing the arena to erupt in laughter.
But she refused to let the mishap hold up her set, with Spears completing her costume change and continuing on with the show.
It’s not the first time Spears has flashed her genitalia in public - in 2007, she fell victim to the paparazzi when they snapped pictures of her climbing out of a car in a dress without any underwear on.

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DAVID WILLIAMS, a top session guitarist who performed with MADONNA, MICHAEL JACKSON, LIONEL RICHIE and JESSICA SIMPSON, has died at the age of 58.
Williams was admitted to the Sentara Hospital in Hampton, Virginia last week (begs02Mar09), suffering from complications from high blood pressure. He slipped into a coma and passed away on Friday (06Mar09).
The circumstances of Williams’ death have infuriated his grieving family, who claim he was mistreated by hospital staff because he had no medical cover.
A friend tells the New York Post that family members were urged to "pull the plug because he had no medical insurance".
The pal continues, "This man was a Vietnam veteran and gave his life to music. The hospital was despicable at best over his lack of insurance." Music industry bodies have also been criticised for failing to help. A source adds, "What about NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences)? What about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? They collect huge amounts of money every year to help musicians in David’s situation - and they throw themselves parties instead. It’s disgusting." Williams is survived by four children with his ex-wife Deborah.

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CHRIS ROCK is assembling an all-star comedy cast for his forthcoming movie DEATH AT A FUNERAL - both MARTIN LAWRENCE and TRACY MORGAN have signed on to the project.
The film, a remake of a 2007 British movie of the same name, revolves around a dysfunctional family which comes together for the patriarch’s funeral, only to be rocked by gay revelations from the deceased’s alleged former lover.
Lethal Weapon star Danny Glover, Regina Hall, Zoe Saldana, Columbus Short and James Marsden are also on board for the comedy, which will be co-written and produced by Rock and directed by Neil LaBute.
Filming is due to begin this spring (09), reports Variety.

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Hollywood actress JENNIFER ANISTON still considers her former FRIENDS co-stars "family" - even though the group rarely has time to meet up.
The 40-year-old has remained good friends with Courteney Cox since the comedy series ended in 2004 and is godmother to her four-year-old daughter, Coco.
Aniston admits she doesn’t have time to meet up with the other castmates - David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow - but still looks on them all as pals.
She says, "You have grand plans, like ‘We’ll have dinner once a month.’ And then, life happens; times change. It leaves me feeling sort of melancholy but, you know, something like that will always be there.
"We were as close as a family could ever be during those 10 years. They will always be my family, whether we are in the same room and talking regularly or not. We grew up together."

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LINDSAY LOHAN’s girlfriend SAMANTHA RONSON has slammed COOLIO as an "idiot" - after the hip-hop star was arrested on suspicion of drug possession on Friday (06Mar09).
The rapper-turned-reality TV star was detained by police at Los Angeles’ LAX airport when security staff allegedly found crack cocaine on his person.
Coolio - real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr. - was booked and released on $10,000 (£7,140) bail.
And Ronson has now waded into a debate over the incident - slamming the star for having any involvement in drugs.
She writes on her MySpace.com page, "The thing that baffles me most is the fact that you can’t even smoke on planes anyway… if you’re gonna be an idiot and do drugs - I guess I should just stop there - if you’re dumb enough to do drugs then you’re probably not thinking about much else…."

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Actress JENNIFER ANISTON has become so disillusioned with romance, she is convinced no relationship will last "forever".
The former Friends star ended her marriage to Brad Pitt in 2005 and went on to date her The Break-Up co-star Vince Vaughn.
Aniston is currently involved with rocker John Mayer, but the actress admits she probably won’t spend the rest of her life with just one man - because it is so hard to find a problem-free romance.
She says, "I don’t have one (perfect romance) and I don’t think it exists. We are just fooling ourselves if we think it does. Whoever said that every relationship has to last forever? That’s hoping for too much. I think every relationship is a world unto itself." And Aniston blames the break down of communication between partners for splitting up most relationships.
She adds, "People often expect their partner to read their minds and when that doesn’t happen they get upset, then the other person gets even more upset and it is all because the didn’t talk it over in the beginning."

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Rapper UNCLE M. has been sentenced to 50 hours of community service by a California judge after he was convicted on charges of identity fraud.
The star, once signed to Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records under the moniker Uncle Murda, appeared in court on Friday (06Mar09) when he pleaded no contest to allegations he attempted to use a fake California ID card.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Uncle M. - real name Leonard Grant - was caught out in May 2008 after a security screener at Los Angeles International Airport grew suspicious of his ID.
Investigators discovered that the card number belonged to another person and Grant was subsequently arrested.
He was ordered to complete the community work as well as 18 months of probation for the crime.
Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the city attorney’s office, says, "It was a legitimate ID, but it was the ID of another individual.
"He was trying to pass if off as his own. His motivation for doing so is unknown."

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Blues guitarist and singer JOHN CEPHAS has lost his battle with lung disease at the age of 78.
Cephas, famous for his Piedmont blues style, died on Wednesday (04Mar09) at his home in Woodford, Virginia from pulmonary fibrosis.
The star shot to fame in 1977 after teaming up with harmonica player Phil Wiggins. The pair became noted regulars at music festivals around the world.
Recording over a dozen albums between 1981 and 2008, their first U.S. album, Dog Days of August, won a Blues Music Award for best traditional blues album in 1987.
Cephas is survived by his companion, Lynn Volpe, and nine children.

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Furious rapper Q-TIP has challenged a U.S. cop accused of beating of a teenage girl to a charity boxing match.
The former A Tribe Called Quest star is enraged by the apparent actions of King County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Schene, who has been charged with misdemeanour assault.
Schene is said to have punched handcuffed suspect Malika Calhoun, 16, following her arrest in November (08) after she was found in her friend’s parents’ car, which had been reported stolen.
Q-Tip is unnerved by the assault and is serious about slugging it out with Schene.
In a post on his Twitter.com website, he writes, "This is uncalled for… That cop is a punk. I’m issuing a formal challenge to him. A three round boxing match. The proceeds can go to a charity of his choice in Seattle." In subsequent posts, he asks, "I’m serious. Can someone find out if this can be done?…Can someone investigate if that cld (could) happen? I know it’s a long shot but who knows?"

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Country singer HANK LOCKLIN, the oldest member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died. He was 91.
Locklin, who joined the famed country music radio programme’s cast in 1960 and was still performing as late as 2003, died on Sunday (08Mar09) at his home in Brewton, Alabama, Opry publicist Jessie Schmidt said in a statement. No cause of death has been given.
Best-known for his hits, 1958’s Send Me the Pillow You Dream On and 1960’s Please Help Me I’m Falling, Locklin released his first album in two decades in 2001 with Generations in Song, featuring vocals of Vince Gill and Dolly Parton. He released his 65th album By the Grace of God, in 2006.
Locklin had a strong following in Europe, and Ireland, noted by his 1963 album Irish Songs Country Style.
In an earlier tribute to the star, Irish rockers U2 performed his song Wild Irish Rose in a BBC documentary Bringing It All Back Home in 1989. The song was played once only and never recorded on disc by the band.

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