Retired gymnast Li Ning named first Chinese representative to UN World Food Program

BEIJING — Retired Olympic champion gymnast Li Ning has been named the first Chinese anti-hunger ambassador for the U.N. World Food Program.

Barry Manilow donates 45 violins to 2 Washington state elementary schools

EVERETT, Wash. — Forty-five elementary school students will learn to play the violin thanks to Barry Manilow.

Madonna supports Gypsies in Romania again, donating shoes to be auctioned on their behalf

BUCHAREST, Romania — Madonna is putting her shoes where her mouth is.

‘American Idol’ resurrects its charity program, brings back ‘Idol Gives Back’

LOS ANGELES — “Idol Gives Back” is back.

‘Kings Ransom’ relives blockbuster trade of Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Wayne Gretzky can laugh about it now.

Artists, writers, celebs and others fight to save Hamptons’ NPR station

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Imagine the Hamptons without the ocean.

Theater company hopes to turn ‘Shakespeare in Love’ set into replica Elizabethan playhouse

LONDON — In a case of life imitating art imitating life, a British theater company has announced plans to rebuild an Elizabethan playhouse using the set from hit film “Shakespeare in Love.”

Cameron Diaz surprises Boston Celtics players, volunteers at Sept. 11 charity event for school

BOSTON — Cameron Diaz has surprised Boston Celtics players and about 125 volunteers by participating in a charity project on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Larry Gelbart, writer of ‘M-A-S-H,’ ‘Tootsie,’ other hit comedies, dies at 81

LOS ANGELES — Larry Gelbart, the award-winning writer whose sly, sardonic wit helped create such hits as Broadway’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” the films “Tootsie” and “Oh, God!” and television’s “M-A-S-H,” is dead.

Jamie Foxx brings music, laughs to New Orleans as city prepares for anniversary of Katrina

NEW ORLEANS — Just two days shy of the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, entertainer Jamie Foxx brought some music and laughter to New Orleans with his “Blame It” tour.

Late songwriter Cindy Walker leaves songs to Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The late Texas songwriter Cindy Walker has left an unusual and generous gift to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: Her catalog of about 500 songs, many of them pop and country classics.

Uighur activist calls for UN probe into unrest in China; 100 protest in Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Australia — A Uighur activist called Friday for a U.N. investigation of recent violence in western China, as 100 people demonstrated outside the Chinese consulate in Melbourne.

Chevron Mining donates land for a museum to honor WWII Navajo Marines who baffled Japanese

FLAGSTAFF, Arizona — As members of an elite group of Navajo Marines approach their 90s, they know there’s little time left to tell the story about how they used their native language to confound the Japanese during World War II.

Michael Jackson tribute provides $90,000 for project honoring fallen LA police officers

LOS ANGELES — The people who staged Michael Jackson’s memorial service have donated $90,000 to build a tribute to fallen Los Angeles police officers.

Jermaine Jackson calls brother Michael a “wonderful humanitarian;” Vienna gala planned

VIENNA — Michael Jackson was a “wonderful humanitarian” who considered it important to reach out and help others, his brother said Friday.

Reality TV star Kate Gosselin among the guests for Maria Shriver’s annual women’s conference

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maria Shriver’s annual women’s conference has always been an A-list affair, and this year’s event is no different.

Economist: City of Los Angeles could break even to pay for Jackson memorial

LOS ANGELES — Deficit-ridden Los Angeles may break even on the bill for the cost of police and other public servants on duty for Michael Jackson’s memorial service, even though the city asked the singer’s fans to help defray the costs, an economist said Tuesday.

City of Los Angeles sets up Web site for fans to help pay for Jackson memorial

LOS ANGELES — Deficit-ridden Los Angeles is asking Michael Jackson fans to help pay the bill for police and other public servants needed for the entertainer’s memorial service.

Kevin Bacon and brother perform on top of Pikes Peak to raise money for cancer charity

DENVER — Actor Kevin Bacon hiked 14,110-foot Pikes Peak Saturday to play a concert at the top as part of an event to raise money for a cancer charity.

Jessica Alba follows apology with donation after defacing charity’s billboard

OKLAHOMA CITY — Jessica Alba has made a donation to the United Way in Oklahoma City, where she ran into trouble for attaching a poster to one of the charity’s billboards.

Brad Pitt, siblings donate $1M to hometown Missouri hospital to open new cancer center

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Brad Pitt and his siblings have given $1 million to help a Missouri hospital open a new pediatric cancer center that will be named for their mother.

Redford, other stars shine at retirement party for consumer advocate Joan Claybrook

WASHINGTON — Actor Robert Redford says he isn’t long on patience, but consumer advocate Joan Claybrook helped him develop the virtue.

Kentucky Derby disappointment Dunkirk looks to rebound in the Belmont Stakes

NEW YORK — Todd Pletcher always had high expectations for Dunkirk.

Bush calls Clinton ‘his brother’ in Canada as they appear together on stage for the first time

TORONTO — Former President George W. Bush called ex-President Bill Clinton “his brother” and the two rarely disagreed in their first-ever appearance together on stage.

Alicia Keys asks ‘American Idol’ audience to text to save lives in Africa

LOS ANGELES — Alicia Keys wants $5 from every “American Idol” fan.

Celebrities join newest UN goodwill ambassador to fight human trafficking

UNITED NATIONS — Actors Nicolas Cage, Alec Baldwin and a host of celebrities joined U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to pay tribute to New York artist Ross Bleckner, appointed a U.N. goodwill ambassador in the campaign against human trafficking.

White House correspondent’s dinner gives Obama chance to jab at Washington establishment

WASHINGTON — It’s a chance for President Barack Obama to jab at the Washington establishment and perhaps chide his critics.

Glittery crowd honors Michelle Obama as she proposes millions for nonprofits, national service

NEW YORK — She’s already conquered Britain, France and Germany. On Tuesday, it was time for Michelle Obama to conquer New York.

Obituaries in the news

Obituaries in the news

Nao Takasugi

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Former state Assemblyman Nao Takasugi (NAH’-oh tah-kah-SOO’-gee), who was sent to a Japanese internment camp during World War II, has died. He was 87.