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SERGEI MIKHALKOV, who wrote the lyrics for the Soviet and Russian national anthems, has died at the age 96.
Mikhalkov, an author who was favoured by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, died in a Moscow hospital on Thursday (27Aug09).
He also fathered two noted film directors, Academy Award winner Nikita Mikhalkov and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky.
Stalin commissioned the former war correspondent to write lyrics for a new Soviet anthem in 1943, during World War II.
Mikhalkov’s lyrics, co-written with journalist El Registan, were and set to music by Alexander Alexandrov, and celebrated the dictator who he wrote, "inspired us to labour and to heroism." The Russian government scrapped the anthem after the Soviet collapse in 1991, replacing it with an instrumental piece by 19th-century Russian composer Mikhail Glinka. However, when Vladimir Putin became Russian president in 2000, he restored the old anthem and Mikhalkov revised the text.
In 2005, Putin personally handed Mikhalkov a state award for "literary and social achievements".
Mikhalkov received numerous state awards for his children’s books, film scripts, plays and fiction, including his 1935 children’s poem Uncle Styopa, which is still taught in Russian kindergartens and primary schools.
In addition to his sons, Mikhalkov is survived by his wife Yulia Subbotina, ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren

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Actor ISAIAH WASHINGTON is facing eviction from his Los Angeles home - following reports the former GREY’S ANATOMY star owes over $100,000 (GBP66,670) in unpaid rent.
According to court documents filed by by Sandalwood Properties in Santa Monica, on Tuesday (25Aug09), Washington and his wife have fallen behind on their $20,000 a month (GBP13,330) payments.
Washington’s landord claims rent has not been paid on the Venice-area home since November (08).
The actor lost his job on Grey’s Anatomy in 2007 after making a homophobic slur during an onset fight with a castmate.
A spokesperson for Washington had not returned requests for comment as WENN went to press.

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STEVEN SPIELBERG’s dreams of making an adventure movie on the high seas is set to come true - he’s adapting his late pal MICHAEL CRICHTON’s book PIRATE LATITUDES.
The filmmaker brought Crichton’s novel Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World to the big screen, with the help of writer David Koepp.
Now he has once again turned to Crichton’s work - he plans produce and possibly direct the film of Crichton’s novel, which tells the story of a buccaneer and is set off the Jamaican coast in 1665.
Crichton had just completed Pirate Latitudes when he lost his battle with cancer last November (08), aged 66. The novel is set to hit bookstores in November (09).
Spielberg says of the book, "Michael wrote a real page-turner that already seems suited for the big screen. Michael and I have had almost two decades of solid collaborations. Whenever I made a film from a Michael Crichton book or screenplay, I knew I was in good hands. Michael felt the same, and we like to think he still does." And Stacey Snider, who runs DreamWorks film studio with the director, insists it has always been Spielberg’s dream to bring a pirate movie into theatres.
She tells USA Today, "Anything that Michael wrote, Steven would be keenly interested to read. But without Michael knowing it, or even me knowing it, it turns out Steven always wanted to direct his own pirate film." Spielberg is waiting for Koepp to produce a script before announcing a release date, but Snider is convinced fans will enjoy the project: "This is a reunion movie that taps into all three of them, and their love of high adventure. Just like old times."

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Former AMERICAN IDOL judge PAULA ABDUL has reportedly stepped up talks to bring a revue-style stage show to Sin City.
The former Los Angeles Lakers cheerleader was rumoured last year (08) to be in negotiations with executives at several Las Vegas casinos to headline a cheer-themed stage show in late 2009.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Abdul - who relinquished her seat on American Idol earlier this month (Aug09) - is now seriously talking to The Venetian, the Wynn Las Vegas, and the Las Vegas Hilton to take residency in Sin City.
It’s not the first time Abdul has been in talks to star on the strip - the singer was also on the verge of signing a deal with bosses at the Silverton Hotel in 2006 before talks fell through.

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LILY ALLEN regrets lifting the lid on her former lovers on her latest album - because her saucy lyrics "scared" off potential boyfriends.
The Smile singer, who split from art dealer Jay Jopling at the beginning of the year (09), was single when she released It’s Not Me, It’s You in February (09). The record included hit song Not Fair - which detailed an ex-boyfriend’s poor performance in bed.
Allen admits her dates dried up after the album was released - because men were too frightened to sleep with her.
She says, "The thought never occurred to me that it would scare men. But guys are like: â��Whoa, no, Iâ��m not sleeping with you in case you write something about it.â��â�� Luckily Allen found one man who wasn’t put off by her honesty - she is now dating decorator Sam Cooper.

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ALEC BALDWIN is finally moving on after his split from KIM BASINGER - he is selling the apartment where he nearly killed himself in the fallout from their bitter divorce.
The Cooler star broke up with Basinger in 2000 and the couple became locked in a long-running battle for custody of their 13-year-old daughter Ireland.
In 2007, Baldwin hit headlines when an answerphone message in which he called his daughter a "thoughtless little pig" was leaked onto the internet.
He fell into a spiral of depression after the incident and subsequently admitted: "The thought of jumping out the window of my apartment was with me every night for weeks." Now Baldwin appears to be finally putting the past behind him - he is selling the plush three-bedroom, three-bathroom home close to Central Park for $7.5 million (£5 million).
The apartment takes up the entire 22nd floor of the building and has its own private elevator entrance. Baldwin is also offering to sell a smaller home in the same block - for an extra $1.2 million (£800,000).

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Security guards at BRITNEY SPEARS’ New York show sparked outrage among concertgoers - after escorting fans from their seats for dancing "too provocatively".
The singer, known for her suggestive lyrics and sexually-charged stage routines, played to a packed house at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (25Aug09) as part of her ongoing Circus tour.
Security staff appeared to be on alert for fans imitating the star, and have sparked controversy after escorting ticket-holders from their seats and forcing them to miss part of the show to chastise their dance moves.
Spears fan Sandra Ion, who was escorted into a hallway by security, tells the New York Post: "I guess there had been a complaint from someone in our section that our dancing was too risque. Meanwhile, Britney is onstage gyrating half-naked and singing ‘Get Naked.’ It was totally ridiculous. They should have just moved whoever complained instead of all of us." A spokesperson for the venue had not returned requests for comment as WENN went to press.

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NICOLAS CAGE is unloading yet another multi-million dollar piece of real-estate following reports he owes $6.2 million (£4.1 million) in unpaid taxes - the actor is selling his New York home.
The 45-year-old star, whose properties in Louisiana, Rhode Island and Los Angeles have also been put on the market, is now getting rid of his Manhattan pad for a reported $9.75 million (£6.5 million).
Cage’s posh Fifth Avenue address boasts three bedrooms and is a combination of two adjacent condos for a combined 3,550 square feet of living space, reports the New York Post.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officials filed tax lien documents against Cage, who recently sold a Malibu home and a German castle, in Orleans District Court on 14 July (09), alleging he failed to pay $6,257,005 (£4,171,340) to cover his income tax in 2007 - reportedly prompting the actor to sell off more property in a bid to recoup the cash.
It’s not the actor’s first run in with tax bosses - according to ABC News, he agreed to pay $660,000 (£440,000) plus interest in back taxes and penalties in September 2008, following allegations of improperly deducted personal expenses.

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MADONNA was booed by thousands of fans at her concert in Romania on Wednesday night (26Aug09) - after she protested the treatment of Roma gypsies in the country.
The pop superstar played to a sell-out crowd of 60,000 in Bucharest as part of her ongoing Sticky & Sweet world tour.
She paused mid-set to speak out about discrimination in eastern Europe, urging fans to fight prejudice against the social group, also known as the Roma.
Madonna told the audience, "I’ve never been to Romania before and I am happy to be here. But I found out that there is a lot of discrimination against gypsies in eastern Europe and that makes me very sad, especially because we believe in acceptance, gypsies, homosexuals, people that are different. It makes me very sad. Everyone must be treated the same, don’t forget that." But her attempt at unity was met with boos from the hostile crowd.
Roma musicians and dancers feature in a segment of the star’s show during a reworking of her hit La Isla Bonita.
The social group, believed to number around 500,000 in Romania, is the most economically disadvantaged minority in eastern Europe and faces discrimination and poverty in a number of countries.

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Scottish singer PAOLO NUTINI has openly admitted he smokes cannabis - and he can’t see why people worry so much about its effects.
Smoking marijuana has long been linked with short term memory loss and other potential mental health issues.
But the New Shoes hitmaker insists it’s okay to take the drug - because it won’t affect everyone in a bad way.
He says, "I smoke pot, I don’t see it as being seedy or dirty. There are mental health implications of course, but it’s not like you’re on a straight path: Smoke a joint and then go mad."

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AC/DC refused to halt their outdoor show in Edmonton, Canada on Tuesday night (25Aug09) after the venue was hit by a massive thunderstorm.
Wild weather conditions thrashed the city’s Commonwealth Stadium just before the Back In Black hitmakers took the stage, with thunder and lightning rocking the region.
But the band was adamant the show would go on and took to the stage in spite of the storm, with heavy rain descending on the 60,000-strong crowd an hour into the gig.
The rockers were forced to halt the show when a giant inflatable devil horn attached to the side of the rigging collapsed in the wet, but the band continued as soon as the prop was removed by technicians.

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KISS star GENE SIMMONS has blamed the Canadian media for ruining a surprise concert by forcing them to reveal their secret plans.
Earlier this year (09) the rockers offered devotees the chance to win a concert in their hometown during the band’s ongoing KISS Alive 35 tour in a contest on their website.
Residents of Oshawa, Canada voted in the thousands, beating out every other major city in North America in the competition.
But Oshawa fans and government officials were furious after seeing their city had been left off KISS’ tour schedule when a series of new dates were announced on Monday (24Aug09).
Oshawa councillor Robert Lutczyk said at the time, "I’m devastated. Gene told us personally that KISS would be in Oshawa. He said the top three in the contest are guaranteed a show." A spokesperson for the band then confirmed that Oshawa had been skipped due to logistical problems, promising a special tour stop in the future.
But in an interview with the Canadian Press on Wednesday (26Aug09), an angry Simmons revealed the rockers were actually planning a surprise for Oshawa but the backlash prematurely pressured them into confessing the idea.
Simmons ranted, "I’m really p**sed off at the media for creating this nonsense. Now the story’s going to come out as a kind of, ‘Gene is complaining about the media’ (story) - you’re God damn right I am.
"We’ll tell you when we’re ready, not when you’re ready, that’s not how you do things. You have a birthday coming up and you want to know, ‘What’s my birthday present?’ Settle down, take a pill, relax. We’ll let you know what it is - not when you want. It’s show business." The star went on to begrudgingly detail the group’s surprise plans: "Because of who and what Oshawa is - which is near and dear to our hearts because (they) won the number one spot above and beyond New York, L.A., Toronto, Vancouver - we wanted to do a huge campaign and literally premiere Sonic Boom, our new album, October 7 in Oshawa.
"(Oshawa) will get the full high-octane, high-energy show… this is going to be a two-and-a-half hour sweat-filled show, huge fireworks displays, the biggest screen you ever saw, brand new outfits, and almost every song that we can physically play during that time." But the city’s mayor, John Gray, insists the press handled the situation well and, the fans are delighted with the result.
He says, "The KISS organisation is fulfilling their commitments, the media recognised that Oshawa was a victim - and they performed their role quite responsibly - and I think at the end of the day it’s a win for everyone."

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Officials in Malaysia have banned Muslims from attending an upcoming BLACK EYED PEAS concert - because it’s sponsored by a beer company.
The Boom Boom Pow hitmakers are due to perform at a theme park in Kuala Lumpur next month (Sept09) as part of Irish alcohol giant Guinness’ 250th anniversary concerts.
The city is one of five venues for the gigs - but officials have barred Muslims from attending because there will be widespread drinking.
An official at the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture says, "Muslims cannot attend. Non-Muslims can go and have fun." Bosses of the Malaysian show’s official website also released a statement: "The party is only open to non-Muslims aged 18 years and above."

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Actress MINKA KELLY has denied she plans to wed American baseball star DEREK JETER later this year (09).
According to the New York Post, the Friday Night Lights star, 29, and her 35-year-old Yankee player beau - who have been dating for a year - have told close friends and family to "save the date" for their nuptials this autumn.
A source says, "Derek and Minka are secretly engaged. The wedding is being planned and will take place after baseball season is over." But a spokesperson for the actress says, "There is no fall wedding planned to Derek Jeter."

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A late night out for basketball star-turned-TV personality SHAQUILLE O’NEAL landed him in trouble with Los Angeles police on Thursday (27Aug09) - he was ticketed for stopping his car in front of a nightclub.
The iconic athlete, who is also a reserve cop, was caught in the early hours of the morning after officers saw him intentionally stopping his car in the middle of a busy road in Hollywood.
The Shaq Vs. star was cited for impeding traffic and let go, reports TMZ.com.

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Actor BRADLEY COOPER is blaming BATMAN star CHRISTIAN BALE for costing him the lead role in forthcoming superhero film THE GREEN LANTERN.
Cooper auditioned to star in the upcoming comic book movie adaptation - but ruined his screen test by imitating Bale’s husky-voiced portrayal of the caped crusader.
The Hangover star is sure the casting agents were laughing at his Batman impression and that convinced them to hand the role to Hollywood hunk Ryan Reynolds.
Cooper laughs, "I couldn’t not do Christian Bale’s Batman when I was doing the audition. I don’t know what it was. You put a mask on, and I actually said, ‘I’m Batman.’ When I walked back and saw (the playback) I thought, ‘Oh my God!’ It looked like a Saturday Night Live sketch. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m not getting this!’"

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BRUCE WILLIS and DEMI MOORE’s daughter RUMER WILLIS wants to star in a movie with her famous parents - now she has grown up and gained some acting experience.
The 21 year old has embarked on her own Hollywood career appearing in a string of movies, including upcoming horror remake Sorority Row, and filming a role in teen TV show 90210.
She appeared alongside her actress mum in 1996 film Striptease, and with her dad in The Whole Nine Yards in 2000 and in 2005’s Hostage.
But Willis now wants to star with her parents in a more challenging role.
She says, "Sometimes I think we helped each other by playing opposite each other. When my dad has to do a super-emotional scene, he looks at a picture of us to find the emotion. Playing his kidnapped daughter in Hostage meant he didn’t have to look at the picture to get kind of tearful.
"I’d love to work with my parents again, now that I’m older. I’d love to play someone other than their daughter."

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KYLIE MINOGUE is delighted at the chance to fulfil a lifelong ambition - she will sing a live duet with ABBA legend BENNY ANDERSSON.
The Australian singer has been a fan of the Swedish stars since her childhood, and admits she would sing their songs into her hairbrush and dream of life as a pop idol when she was a little girl.
Now the Spinning Around hitmaker will share a stage with songwriter Andersson at a tribute concert to the Swedish four-piece in London next month (Sept09).
Minogue will headline BBC Radio 2’s Abba tribute concert - Thank You For The Music: A Celebration Of The Music of Abba - in Hyde Park on September 13 (09).
She plans to perform the band’s global hit Super Trouper before duetting with Andersson on When All Is Said and Done.
The singer says, "This is a dream come true. Abba’s music has played such a great part in my life and I’m thrilled I’ll be able to share that with them personally." And in a posting on her Twitter.com blog on Thursday (27Aug09), she confessed to impersonating the Swedish band in her childhood: "I was 8, sang with ABBA (Read - hairbrush/lounge-room), treasured my knee-high ABBA socks… spoke w (with) Benny yesterday… Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"

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