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U.S. Senator EDWARD KENNEDY has lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 77.
The Democrat, the last of the late John F. Kennedy’s brothers, died on Tuesday (25Aug09) following a long battle with the disease.
A statement from the Kennedy family reads, "Edward M. Kennedy, the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply, died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port (Massachusetts). We’ve lost the irreplaceable centre of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever." Born in Boston in 1932, Kennedy was the youngest of Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Kennedy’s nine children.
He served two years in the U.S. military from 1951 to 1953 and, after completing degrees at Harvard University and the University of Virginia Law School in the 1950s, he entered politics as part of his brother John’s successful campaign for presidency in 1960.
Kennedy himself was elected into the U.S. Senate in 1962 as the representative for his home state of Massachusetts, a position he held until his death, making him the third longest-serving senator of all time and the second most senior member of the Senate after West Virginia’s Robert Byrd, 91.
He was best known for his oratory skills and his eulogy for his brother Robert, who was assassinated in 1968, remains one of his most memorable speeches.
He ran for office in 1980 but lost the Democratic Party’s nomination to the incumbent Jimmy Carter, who went on to lose the election to Republican Ronald Reagan.
Kennedy, nicknamed The Lion of the Senate due to his long service, championed health and immigration reforms and played a key role in the passing of legislation such as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the National Cancer Act of 1971 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
He was also a major voice in the push for national health insurance, a campaign spurred on by the back pain he struggled with for years as a result of a 1964 plane crash that left him seriously injured. He continued to fight for the cause after Barack Obama took office in January 2009, bringing the topic to the fore within months of the Illinois Senator’s inauguration.
However, Kennedy’s career was not without controversy.
In 1969, Kennedy hit the headlines when he drove his car off a bridge and landed in the water off Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts. The accident claimed the life of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, a former campaign worker for his brother Senator Robert F. Kennedy, but the politician failed to report the incident to police.
When the body of Kopechne was found, he pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident after causing injury and Kennedy was given a suspended sentence - a punishment which is widely thought to have cost him any chance of securing the White House.
His first marriage to Virginia Joan Bennett in 1958 produced three children - Kara Anne, Edward Jr., and Patrick - but their relationship was blighted by her alcoholism and his womanising ways, leading to divorce in 1981.
He went on to marry divorced mother-of-two Victoria Anne Reggie in 1992, and she is credited with helping to stabilise Kennedy’s wild ways and get his Senate career back on track.
Kennedy’s final years in public office saw the Senator take more of a backseat to political affairs after he suffered a seizure in May last year (08). The hospitalisation led to the discovery of a malignant tumour and he underwent numerous chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions in a bid to prolong his chances of survival.
He returned to his beachfront home in Hyannis Port earlier this year (09) to spend his final months with friends and family.
Among his many political awards and achievements was the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which Kennedy received in August (09).
He was also awarded an honorary knighthood by British monarch Queen Elizabeth II for his services to U.S. and U.K. relations earlier this year.
Kennedy’s death comes exactly two weeks after the passing of his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics and the mother of California First Lady Maria Shriver, died on 11 August (09) at the age of 88.
Kennedy is survived by his second wife, Victoria, and his three children from his first marriage.

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AMY WINEHOUSE’s desperate mother is fearful her troubled daughter will fall back into the arms of her ex-husband BLAKE FIELDER-CIVIL - because she craves attention and love "like a child".
Winehouse and her drug addict ex married following a whirlwind romance in 2007, but divorced just two years later (09) after the singer admitted she had been unfaithful during their union.
The pair famously became heavily involved with drugs and drink throughout their relationship, with Fielder-Civil admitting he introduced the star to crack cocaine and even had to revive her after a near-fatal overdose.
But despite appearing to be back to health emotionally and physically following an extended holiday in the Caribbean, the Rehab singer’s close circle fear she will take her ex-love back after admitting she still loves him.
And Winehouse’s mum Janice is wracked with concern over her daughter’s future - insisting the family has constantly tried to make her forget her troublesome ex.
She says, "Amy’s done so well getting healthy again. We all hope it’s not true they’re back in touch, but Amy is like a child. She says, ‘I love Blake, I love him’, and it’s hard to talk her out of it.
"She knows he’s bad for her. Who knows what will happen?"

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RIHANNA and CHRIS BROWN had two previous violent bust-ups in the weeks leading up to the shocking attack in February (09).
In a probation review released following Brown’s sentencing on Tuesday (25Aug09), it was revealed the pair had a tumultuous relationship that was prone to aggressive episodes.
In the weeks leading up to the brutal beating Brown gave Rihanna on the eve of a pre-Grammy awards party, the Umbrella hitmaker fell victim to the singer’s fiery temper twice.
During a trip to Europe, Rihanna slapped Brown following a furious argument - and Brown responded by slamming his lover into a wall.
A second fight happened when the lovers were holidaying in Barbados and had "an argument inside the car. Brown exited and broke the front driver and passenger side windows of the car. No one was injured during the incident." In the June (09) interview with a probation officer, Brown was said to be "depressed" throughout the meeting, telling authorities that his own mother had been abused at the hands of her partner and that he did not want to "carry on the cycle".
The report also states the Kiss Kiss singer wanted to plead guilty to the charges against him, but was persuaded not to by his lawyer. Brown told officials, "I want to take responsibility for my mistake. (I’m) totally remorseful for what I have done." Brown was sentenced to six months hard community labour, five years probation, and ordered to stay away from his ex for the same period of time, at a Los Angeles court hearing on Tuesday.

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CHRIS BROWN threatened to kill RIHANNA in between a series of brutal punches and bites after she desperately tried to contact her assistant to come to her aid, according to the police report filed after the attack.
Brown was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from his ex-girlfriend for the same amount of time by a Los Angeles judge on Tuesday (25Aug09) following his plea deal with prosecutors in June (09).
He will also have to report for hard community labour duties in the next 72 hours, which he will have to undertake in his native Virginia for six months.
Following the sentencing, which also saw Brown ordered to pay almost $6,000 (£4,000) in expenses and fines, court officials released a blow-by-blow account of the vicious attack, taken by a police officer at the scene.
In the statement, officers described a call from a "screaming woman," who was "very upset and crying".
Rihanna told cops the pair had an argument earlier in the evening in February (09) at a pre-Grammy awards bash, and it continued as they made their way home in Brown’s car.
After the Umbrella star "became enraged and slammed both of her fists against the dashboard", Brown pulled the car over and tried to push her out. He then began punching the star, before driving away while continuing to beat his lover with his right hand as he steered with his left.
The report claims Brown stopped the attack after Rihanna looked in the mirror to check her face for swelling - but told her, "(I’m) going to beat the s**t out of you when we get home! You wait and see!" Rihanna then made a desperate attempt to call her personal assistant on her cell phone, enraging Brown even further as she pretended to tell the employee to contact police. Brown told the star, "You just did the stupidest thing ever! Now I’m really going to kill you!" Another series of blows followed, forcing Rihanna to cover her head with her arms. She tried to flee, but Brown stepped on the gas and the car door automatically shut. He grabbed her in a headlock, bit her left ear, and put such pressure on the singer’s throat, she nearly passed out through lack of oxygen.
The brutal attack only ended when Rihanna tried to break the window of the car with her shoe. Brown delivered a series of final blows before storming out of the car as Rihanna removed the keys from the ignition.

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SNOOP DOGG has teamed up with a popular U.S. dancer to create a new organisation aimed at keeping at-risk youngsters off the streets.
The rapper has recruited entertainer Tommy the Clown to form the C.L.O.U.T. Foundation (Changing Lives One Youth at a Time), which they hope will prevent teens turning to drugs or crime.
The star is planning to hold a Battle Night every month in Los Angeles, where local students can take the stage to show off their poetry, dance or drama skills.
And Snoop, who was a member of the notorious Crips street gang in high school, has credited a former teacher with inspiring him to provide opportunities for underprivileged kids.
He tells AllHipHop.com, "As a youth I had one teacher who really pushed me to be the best and gave me an outlet to really feel like I could be somebody - and I became successful partly because of his belief in me.
"I want to give that to the kids so they know there is more to life than the street hustle or crime. I have been friends with Tommy the Clown for years and see what he has done for so many people; this partnership is very important to me."

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The places where ELVIS PRESLEY and his band once stood while recording hits at fabled Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee have been marked with crosses on the studio floor - because those were the spots perfectionist producer SAM PHILLIPS considered the best for sound.
Now, anyone recording at the music mecca is advised to use the crosses to get the optimum quality when recording tracks.
Producer T Bone Burnett recently discovered the Sun Studio secret while working on John Mellencamp’s new album.
He tells Rolling Stone magazine, "Sam walked around that room and found where every instrument sounded best." But the in-demand producer warns others heading to Sun Studio to be prepared for a spooky experience: "It has ghosts."

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Irish rockers THE CRANBERRIES are making a comeback - the group has announced it is set to embark on its first tour in seven years.
The Linger hitmakers will reform to take to the road on a string of U.S. dates later this year (09).
The original line-up - Dolores O’Riordan, Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawler - will all be present on the tour.
And they have promised to perform all their greatest hits, as well as a sprinkling of tracks from frontwoman O’Riordan’s latest solo album, No Baggage.
In a statement, the group says, "Over the last few years, each member of the band has had time to work on different projects and learn so much from their experience.
"Now the time is right for The Cranberries to bring all of this together and move forward."

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AEROSMITH star STEVEN TYLER has urged fans not to read too much into online video footage of him buying booze from a liquor store.
The sober rocker insists the alcohol he was caught buying was not for him.
The clip aired on TMZ.com and other websites as allegations suggesting Tyler was drunk when he slipped and fell from the stage at a South Dakota gig started circulating.
Tyler has denied he had been drinking before the accident on 6 August (09), which left him with a broken collarbone and head injuries - and prompted Aerosmith to cancel the remainder of their summer tour.
Of the liquor store footage, Tyler says, "A good friend of mine… the brother of the guy who works on my house, my housekeeper, passed away. I was at the funeral.
"After the funeral - they’re Italian and had a feast at the house - (there was) a wake, and I stopped at the liquor store and paid for the booze. I did not buy any for myself. It was never proven that I did.
"Some kid whipped out a phone and took a picture. Anything to sell papers. It was for the wake. I would do it over and over a million times."

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Rapper COREY MILLER has had another decade added on to his current life sentence for second-degree murder in connection to an unrelated nightclub shooting.
Miller, known in the industry as C-Murder, was charged with the slaying of a teen in a New Orleans club in 2002. He was given a life sentence in 2003, which was overturned in 2006 after he had spent three years in a Louisiana prison.
However, a second trial began in August (09), and the star was once again handed a life sentence.
In another blow to Miller, a Louisiana judge sentenced him to ten years behind bars on Tuesday (25Aug09) for an unrelated incident.
In May (09), Miller agreed to a plea deal with court officials by declaring no contest to two counts of attempted murder after he tried to shoot a nightclub owner and a doorman at a club in 2001 after he refused to be searched before entry.
He will serve the added 10 years consecutively to the time he will spend behind bars on the second-degree murder charge.
Although Miller is appealing the murder conviction, a judge has already thrown out a defence motion for a mis-trial.

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The online sale of the crypt above movie icon MARILYN MONROE’s final resting place has fallen through after the bidder failed to come up with the cash.
Elsie Poncher put the crypt where her husband Richard has been buried since 1986 up for auction on eBay.com earlier this month (Aug09) for $500,000 (£333,300) - and the price quickly spiralled into the millions as Monroe fans desperately tried to buy the plot.
A sale through the auction website was confirmed on 24 August (09) - with the crypt selling for $4.6 million (£2.9 million).
But the buyer, who is an unidentified bidder from Japan, has pulled out, leaving Poncher to seek for the next highest bid.
It is believed 28 other people tried to enter big-buck amounts for the crypt.
The plot is in the Westwood Village Memorial Park cemetery, which is the final resting place for several Hollywood legends including Dean Martin, Truman Capote and most recently Farrah Fawcett.

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Choreographer-turned-director KEVIN TANCHAROEN is teaming up with young movie mogul BRETT RATNER to create a new fantasy sci-fi world for the big screen.
Ratner will produce the FAME director’s new movie Arcana, which Tancharoen reveals will have a Blade Runner feel to it.
He tells website MovieHole.net, "It is a unique blend of the graphic-novel backdrop, like Blade Runner, and shot like 300, and has a little bit of Warriors mixed in there, with a little bit of martial arts.
"It’s going to be really cool. We’re writing it right now actually."

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MEL GIBSON’s girlfriend OKSANA GRIGORIEVA is suing a man who sold snaps of the model’s lingerie shoot without her permission.
The singer/former model filed suit against Samuel Oriti on Tuesday (25Aug09) at a Los Angeles court claiming the photographer agreed not to distribute the images to anyone outside of the lingerie company she believed she was modelling for.
The shoot took place in 2004, with Oriti claiming he was in the middle of agreeing a deal with a well-known underwear retailer. Grigorieva agreed to do the shoot for the company on the strength of the snapper’s reputation, according to Radaronline.com.
However, despite reportedly agreeing not to distribute the sexy snaps, Oriti allegedly sold them after Grigorieva became well-known as Gibson’s new lover.

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MILEY CYRUS has sparked rumours she’s back with ex-boyfriend CARTER JENKINS after the two were spotted at a KINGS OF LEON concert in Los Angeles at the weekend (22Aug09).
Jenkins, who briefly dated the teen sensation in between boyfriends Nick Jonas and model/singer Justin Gaston, even blogged about his night out with his ex on Twitter.com.
He wrote, "Awesome show & very fun night with MiCy@mileycyrus." Cyrus and the actor, who is currently shooting romantic comedy Valentine’s Day with the singer’s pal Taylor Swift, joined Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel in the technician’s booth at the Forum concert.
The foursome attended the backstage VIP party after the show, according to Eonline.com.
Kings of Leon shows have become a hotbed for new celebrity romances - Leann Rimes and Eddie Cibrian went public with their link up at the Los Angeles show on Saturday night and Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were reportedly spotted kissing at a Canadian show earlier this month (Aug09).

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EDDIE CIBRIAN’s estranged wife has accepted the actor’s demand for a divorce - after hearing her husband is planning a romantic Mexican vacation with alleged new girlfriend LEANN RIMES.
Rumours have been flying around Cibrian and Rimes ever since the pair was caught kissing during a break from filming their TV movie Northern Lights in March (09) while still married to their prospective partners.
The pair hit out at the reports, but both subsequently split from their spouses.
And Cibrian’s wife Brandi Glanville insists she is keen to go along with her husband’s decision to divorce, confirming he filed for a legal separation earlier this week (24Aug09).
She tells E! News, "He filed yesterday and I accepted it. We’re getting a divorce. We talked to each other yesterday." And Glanville has also confirmed Cibrian’s secretive relationship with Rimes, revealing the pair is jetting off on a romantic break.
She adds, "They’re going on vacation this weekend to Mexico. I’m looking forward to seeing those pictures." But Glenville insists she isn’t suffering from a broken heart: "It’s just over for me. We’re both happy. This is going to be good."

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SIMON COWELL has roped in a bizarre choice of celebrity judge on AMERICAN IDOL - TV actor NEIL PATRICK HARRIS.
Following former panellist Paula Abdul’s shock departure from the hit U.S. series earlier this month (Aug09) over money issues, bosses on the show have tried to fill her place with a string of star guests.
So far, Victoria Beckham, Katy Perry, Mary J. Blige and Shania Twain have all recorded slots in the judging seat.
And now, How I Met Your Mother actor Neil Patrick Harris can add his name to the growing list - despite never embarking on a music chart career.
He judged wannabe superstars at an audition in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday (25Aug09), according to Access Hollywood.
The star, who is set to host this year’s (09) Emmy awards, has previously sang in Broadway productions of Sweeney Todd and Cabaret.

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Outrageous U.S. comedian ARTIE LANGE’s driving under the influence court date has been postponed until next month (Sep09).
The Howard Stern Show regular’s Nissan Sentra collided with the back of a Pontiac in July (09), and he was booked for DUI.
He was ordered to take an alcohol screening test, which his lawyer later insisted he passed. However, police believed he was drunk while driving and requested a urine sample.
Lange entered an initial not guilty plea in July (09) and was due back in court on 26 August (09).
But the date has been pushed back until 9 September (09). A reason for the rescheduled pre-trial was not known as WENN went to press.

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A judge overseeing the trial of MILEY CYRUS’ alleged stalker has refused to reduce his $55,200 (£36,800) bond - because he considers him "a danger" to society.
Mark McLeod, 53, was arrested twice for hounding the Disney star on the set of her latest movie The Last Song.
He was taken into custody in August (09), just weeks after he was cautioned by cops in June (09) for making "inappropriate comments" to young Cyrus fans.
McLeod had also told officers he was engaged to the young star and that she sent him secret messages through her TV show, Hannah Montana.
In his preliminary hearing on Tuesday (25Aug09), investigators told Judge Steven Scheer that McLeod had told security personnel he would be returning to the set and "finishing things," which he saw as a threat to Cyrus.
Judge Scheer agreed McLeod was a threat to himself and others, telling the court, "I can’t deny him bond, but if I could I would because I do feel he’s a danger." He then refused to lower the bail amount, and decided there was enough evidence for the case to go to Chatham County State Court, Georgia.
The 16-year-old Hannah Montana star was granted a temporary restraining order against McLeod earlier this month (Aug09).

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R&B star CHRIS BROWN has been sentenced to five years probation and ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from his ex-girlfriend RIHANNA for the same period of time.
The singer, who reached a plea deal with prosecutors in June (09) in an effort to avoid jail, was in court on Tuesday (25Aug09) for sentencing in relation to his attack on the Umbrella singer.
Los Angeles County Superior Court judge Patricia Schnegg also ordered Brown to take a year-long domestic violence prevention class. He also faces six months of hard community labour in his native Virginia.
Brown was arrested in February (09) for beating and threatening Rihanna during an argument following a pre-Grammy Awards party.
Both stars pulled out of their planned performances at the awards show immediately after the incident.
The sentencing will also cost Brown almost $6,000 (£4,000) - $5,000 (£3,300) in restitution and probation expenses. He must also pay a small criminal conviction fee and a $400 (£266) to a domestic violence fund.
Outside court, Rihanna’s lawyer Donald Etra said there were "no surprises" in the sentencing.
Speaking of his client, Etra said, "She was advised of what the plea agreement would be and she did not object that… The court just imposed the sentence envisaged by the plea agreement.
"She’s doing fine and she’s pursuing her career… She’s tremendously appreciative of the support her family, her friends and her fans have given her throughout the world."

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