AP

Protesters in Thailand announced a full weekend of anti-government activities starting with a massive procession through Bangkok followed by "blood painting," their latest shock tactic aimed at forcing new elections.

A federal appeals court says Anna Nicole Smith's estate will receive none of the more than $US300 ($NZ407.9) million that she claimed her late billionaire husband had promised her.

Singer and guitarist Alex Chilton, who topped the charts as a teen with "The Letter" and later became a cult hero with Big Star, has died. He was 59.

A former porn actress has released sexually graphic text messages that she says prove her affair with Tiger Woods, and she says she has more potentially embarrassing information about the golfer that she may reveal later.

A songwriter and music producer who claims he helped launch pop star Lady Gaga says she squeezed him out of her lucrative career after he co-wrote some of her songs, came up with her stage name and helped get her record deal.

The fashion world has announced one more tribute to designer Alexander McQueen.

Sandra Bullock is on a career high. America's Sweetheart and Miss Congeniality was repeatedly anointed as Hollywood royalty this year, sweeping awards season and capping it off with an Oscar for her role as a devoted mom in The Blind Side.

A court in Normandy has convicted a 38-year-old woman of killing six of her newborn babies - a deed she acknowledged - and sentenced her to 15 years in prison.

The suitors for Sex.com have been put off for now. An auction for the much-sought-after domain name was cancelled on Wednesday after three creditors filed a petition forcing the owner into bankruptcy.

An international fleet of warships is attacking and destroying Somali pirate vessels closer to the shores of East Africa and the new strategy, combined with more aggressive confrontations further out to sea, has dealt the brigands a setback, officials and experts said today.