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Celebrity activist ANNIE LENNOX has called for British authorities to restore order in London after violent riots ripped through the city for a third night on Monday (08Aug11).
The former Eurythmics star, a United Nations goodwill ambassador, has been left aghast by the chaos caused by thugs across the U.K. capital since Saturday (06Aug11), when they began smashing shop windows and looting stores as they clashed with police.
The riots have since spread to other major cities across the country, prompting British Prime Minister David Cameron to cut short his summer holiday and resume Parliament for an emergency session.
On Tuesday (09Aug11), Cameron declared that more than 10,000 extra police officers will be deployed on the streets of London to combat the civil unrest - and Lennox hopes it is enough to put a stop to the "mindless mayhem".
In a post on her Facebook.com page, she writes, "What’s happening in London and around many parts of the UK right now is appalling. I feel the need to comment on it, yet at the same time, realise that what I have to say is pretty much irrelevant.
"The main priority right now has to be to regain order from this wanton mindless mayhem. A social cancer has been growing for all sorts of complex reasons for so many years…There are no straightforward answers, but people must be protected against this feral criminality that has absolutely no justification whatsoever. So depressing." Meanwhile, Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am has issued a plea to rioters to stop the violence.
In a message on his Twitter.com blog, he writes, "London please #stoptheriots…your city and country is to wonderful (sic)…don’t cause anymore financial problems by burning down london…" The initial unrest was sparked by the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man by police officers in Tottenham, North London last Thursday (04Aug11).

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A Los Angeles judge has dismissed charges against alleged gang members accused of kidnapping a record producer who boasted of owning a sex tape featuring retired basketball superstar and rapper SHAQUILLE O’NEAL.
Prosecutors told Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar de Longoria they no longer wanted to proceed with the trial, citing problems with the credibility of the alleged victim, Robert Ross.
Ross, a former gang member, claimed he was assaulted and robbed during the 2008 kidnapping.
He accused gang members of taking him to a home and beating him while demanding the videotape, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Ross also filed a civil lawsuit against O’Neal and a business partner, claiming the two men were behind the attack.

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Veteran British star JOHN WOOD has died at the age of 81.
The actor passed away in his sleep on Saturday (06Aug11), his agent has confirmed.
An accomplished TV, film and stage performer, Wood began his career in 1952, when he landed his first film role in Stolen Face.
He went on to earn a name for himself onstage with a number of Royal Shakespeare Company productions, and he won a Tony Award in 1976 for his role in Tom Stoppard play Travesties. He later earned another two Tony nominations and one for an Olivier Award in 1997, for his turn in another Stoppard piece, The Invention of Love.
Wood’s most notable film credits include WarGames (1983), Ladyhawke (1985), Ian McKellen’s Richard III (1995), and 1994’s The Madness of King George, while his TV work ranged from Kavanagh QC (1997) and Foyle’s War (2004) to his most recent show, 2007’s Lewis.
He was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 when he was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his services to drama.

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JOHN CLEESE has asked for the help of his Twitter.com followers as he attempts to identify a photographer who followed him home on Tuesday (09Aug11).
The funnyman was ticked off when the paparazzi caught him shopping and decided to stay on his trail - and so he snapped the guy, posted the picture online and asked fans to help him get the guy’s name.
In a series of tweets, the Monty Python star wrote, "Darling Twits, you can help me with a quick experiment… Some Paparazzo guy caught me this morning, followed me home… not content with snapping me, he wrote down my address (no doubt to sell).
"Does anyone recognise the guy?"

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ACROSS THE UNIVERSE star JIM STURGESS is desperate to get home to Britain to see if his house is still standing.
The actor is currently promoting new film One Day in the U.S. and footage from the London riots are making him nervous - because he lives close to one of the most violent areas.
He tells WENN, "I’m a bit worried… I’ve been speaking to my girlfriend, who’s not in England either, and she’s managed to keep updated daily on the news, so she has been texting me a few things that are going on. I want to go home to see what’s happening and see if my house is alright."

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CHARLIE SHEEN has paid tribute to his PLATOON co-star FRANCESCO QUINN following his sudden death on Friday (05Aug11).
The actor son of movie icon Anthony Quinn collapsed and died outside his Malibu, California home after suffering an apparent heart attack. He was 48.
Sheen, who befriended the late star on the set of the 1986 Vietnam War epic, has now spoken out about the loss and sent his condolences to Quinn’s grieving family.
In a post on his Twitter.com blog, he writes, "Lost a compadre from Platoon Friday… Heart… RIP FRANCESCO QUINN Much love and compassion to his wife Valentina and his 3 kids."

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BLACK EYED PEAS star WILL.I.AM has recruited JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, SNOOP DOGG and JUSTIN BIEBER for an upcoming TV special about science.
The hour-long show, i.am FIRST: Science is Rock and Roll, aims to encourage students to embrace engineering and technology.
It will also feature scenes from the 20th annual FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championships, a worldwide robotics competition for youngsters.
Celebrities including the Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears and Willow Smith appeared at the FIRST event to chat to students and co-producer Dean Kamen, the revered inventor who created the Segway vehicle, hopes kids will be inspired by the show.
He says, "As families across America are preparing to send their kids back to school, i.am FIRST - Science is Rock and Roll will entertain as well as get viewers excited about robots. Find out just how cool technology can be as the top robot teams face off in competition." The programme will air in the U.S. on Sunday (14Aug11).

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"Run!!! Don’t walk!!! Go see RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Went with Miss Tweed. Best movie I’ve seen in a decade. A classic." KISS star GENE SIMMONS is a big fan of the Planet of the Apes prequel.

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Country songwriter FRED IMUS has died, aged 69.
His body was discovered in his trailer in Tucson, Arizona. He is believed to have died in his sleep.
Born Fredric Moore Imus, he began his music career in the 1960s and recorded the track I’m a Hot Rodder (And All That Jazz) with his older brother Don in 1963, releasing it under the name Jay Jay Imus and Freddy Ford.
Fred rose to fame in 1976 after co-writing the song I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You for Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius, who took the tune to the top of the U.S. country chart.
He later became a regular radio personality on his shock-jock brother’s national talk show, Imus in the Morning, which he produced for some years. He was also an author of two books.

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Embattled rap mogul DAMON DASH has opened up about the extent of his financial troubles, insisting he owes "way more" than the $2 million (£1.25 million) tax debt already reported.
Jay-Z’s former business partner hit the headlines in July (11) when it emerged he had been hit with a tax lien from America’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for $2,984,364 (£1,865,227) in unpaid bills.
Dash has long remained quiet about his cash difficulties, but he decided to come clean about his struggles during a radio interview with Sway Calloway on Friday (05Aug11).
When quizzed about the tax bill, Dash said, "I owe way more than $2 million in taxes. That must’ve just been the IRS… Nah, nah, I’m f**ked up (financially)." But Dash insists he isn’t broke - his money is just tied up in his various business ventures.
He added, "It’s the price of business; it is what it is. I owe taxes: I got to pay… I’m a true businessman. As you know, I believe in my independence, I have no partners, so every dollar I make goes right back into every business I have." And Dash, who now owns his own DD172 music and publishing label, admits it will take a while before he can put his tax troubles behind him.
He said, "They (IRS officials) really don’t believe that I’m so real about putting all of my money into my business, but that’s what I do." Dash first hit the headlines for his money woes in 2009, when two of his New York properties went into foreclosure and he was accused of owing $2 million in state taxes.

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British rockers KAISER CHIEFS and singer KATE NASH are among the stars who have stepped up to help the clean-up effort in London following a third night of violent riots.
Thugs have been running wild across the U.K. capital since Saturday (06Aug11), smashing shop windows, looting stores, setting fire to buildings and cars and clashing with riot police.
Community-driven locals set up an online group, the Riot Cleanup, on Tuesday (09Aug11) to encourage residents to unite and restore their neighbourhoods to their former glory, and celebrities have been quick to show their support.
Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson and bassist Simon Rix, pop star Nash and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly star Sam Duckworth have all been working to clear the mess left by the overnight rioters.
In a post on Wilson’s Twitter.com page, he wrote, "Camden Chalk Farm. Me and Simon will there in a bit with our brooms. Get to one near you today if you’re about." Meanwhile, Nash wrote on her blog, "At the Bethnal Green clean up, nice to see so many people ready to help in the community!" Wilson, Rix and Nash all later moved to Clapham in South London to aid the efforts there.
The unrest was sparked by the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man by police officers in Tottenham, North London on Thursday night (04Aug11).

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Pop stars MAROON 5 have wished their tour mate GAVIN DEGRAW a "speedy recovery" after he was brutally attacked in New York.
The Chariot singer, who lives in the city, was hospitalised in the early hours of Monday (08Aug11) after he was confronted by three unidentified men and viciously beaten following dinner and drinks with friends in Manhattan’s East Village.
DeGraw is in a stable condition at Bellevue Hospital and his representative tells UsMagazine.com, "He suffers from a concussion, broken nose, black eyes, cuts and bruises. The police are conducting an investigation of the attack." The incident occurred hours after the 34 year old returned to the Big Apple having opened for Maroon 5 and Train on tour in Connecticut on Sunday (07Aug11).
DeGraw has been forced to pull out of the next tour stop of the trek in Saratoga Springs, New York on Tuesday (09Aug11) and the She Will Be Loved hitmakers have sent the injured star their best wishes.
A representative for Maroon 5 tells TMZ.com, "The band was horrified to hear what happened to Gavin and sends their best wishes to him for a speedy recovery." In a post on his Twitter.com page, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine adds, "Please send your love to @gavindegraw tonight. We love you buddy. Get well and get back out here!" DeGraw has been temporarily replaced by singer Nikki Jean on the tour.

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AEROSMITH rocker TOM HAMILTON is recovering after undergoing cancer surgery on his throat.
The bassist fought and won a battle with tongue cancer in 2006, but the disease has since returned and spread to his voicebox.
Hamilton sought help from specialist Dr. Steven Zeitels and he underwent a radical new laser procedure to zap the cancerous cells in San Antonio, Texas last week (ends05Aug11).
The star admits the surgery was extremely risky because it could have robbed him of his voice completely.
He tells KSAT.com, "I was just terrified. I really thought, ‘Oh, I am looking at not being able to talk.’" Luckily, the operation was a success and Hamilton is thankful not to have lost his vocal abilities.
He says, "The second I had a tiny bit of consciousness, the first thing I did was make a sound, and it felt normal, and it sounded normal." Hamilton is now resting ahead of Aerosmith’s upcoming tour of Mexico, South America and Japan, which kicks off in October (11).

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Broadway actress/singer JANE WHITE has lost her battle with cancer at the age of 88.
The star passed away on 24 July (11) at her home in Greenwich Village, New York.
White made her Broadway debut in 1945 when she landed a role in Strange Fruit, but it was her star turn as Queen Aggravain, opposite a young Carol Burnett, in a 1959 production of Once Upon a Mattress which gave her her big break.
The musical led to further work in a number of Shakespeare plays, and she was honoured with an Obie Award in 1971 for her continued career achievements.
White later appeared in a number of U.S. soap operas such as A World Apart and The Edge of Night, becoming one of the first black actresses to land a soap role under contract.
She was also known for her vocal talent and performed as a cabaret singer in her autobiographical one-woman show Jane White, Who? from 1979.

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DOMINIC COOPER has assured fans that the hirsute man with the "huge package" in his new movie poster is not him.
The Mamma Mia! star’s head was planted on a much bigger man’s body for the provocative naked shot used on billboards for The Devil’s Double, in which Cooper plays both Saddam Hussein’s sadistic son Uday and an Iraqi man who was forced to act as his body double.
The poster features the actor’s character, covered in gold and sitting down with his legs wide apart.
But honest Cooper can’t have his fans believing that’s what he looks like naked.
He explains, "It’s brilliantly hideous, but it’s eye catching. There’s this bloke in the poster with a really hairy chest and a huge package and that’s certainly not me! But it is my head."

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Scottish actor KEVIN MCKIDD signed up for a 24-hour fast on Monday (08Aug11) in a bid raise money to help starving African children.
The kind-hearted Grey’s Anatomy hunk took part in the sponsored Fast-A-Thon for Save the Children East Africa Relief Efforts on Monday morning (08Aug11). The event was held to highlight the region’s worst drought in 60 years.
McKidd has raised nearly $1,500 (£920) so far, and posted a photo of himself ‘enjoying’ a glass of water for lunch on his Twitter.com site.

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The executors of TONY CURTIS’ estate are set to auction off the Hollywood legend’s expansive art collection, including pieces of work by the star himself.
The sale will include original artwork by Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso, as well as Curtis’ own paintings and pottery work. Each item is estimated to sell for more than $3,000 (£1,875).
Movie memorabilia from Curtis’ career will also be put on the auction block and the navy blue sailor’s jacket he wore as he romanced Marilyn Monroe in film classic Some Like It Hot is expected to be a big draw.
The items will go on sale at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California on 17 September (11), days before the first anniversary of his death (29Sep11).

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Pop stars NELLY FURTADO, ENRIQUE IGLESIAS and WILL YOUNG have posted a harrowing video set to a BOB MARLEY song online in a bid to raise funds for the Africa famine relief efforts.
Rockers Muse and Coldplay and soccer ace David Beckham have also been moved by Save The Children’s East Africa appeal campaign video, which uses clips of starving children and adults trying to treat their kids during the humanitarian crisis hitting the Horn of Africa, including countries such as Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia.
The devastating images have seen set to Bob Marley & The Wailers’ 1973 track High Tide or Low Tide, and the promo has been released as a download to raise funds to help Africans.
Marley’s widow Rita says, “Not one child should be denied food nor water. Not one child should suffer. Along with Save the Children, we (must) stand up together as friends to put a stop to this, to feed our children and to save their lives." The I’m Gonna Be Your Friend campaign film was directed by The Last King Of Scotland moviemaker Kevin MacDonald.

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