U2 'set for New York show'

U2 are being lined up to headline a massive concert in New York's Times Square days before the anniversary of 11 September, it has been reported.

Thousands of fans are expected at the event to celebrate the start of the American football season.

The concert on 5 September also aims to demonstrate the city's resurgence a year after the terror attacks, city officials told the New York Post.

Other stars being lined up for the concert include Jon Bon Jovi.

If it gets the go-ahead, the event would take place a day before the US Congress is due to meet in New York City for a symbolic one day session.

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Lennon 'loved' the Queen

John Lennon was "a huge fan" of the Queen, his widow Yoko Ono has claimed.

Although Lennon was seen as the Beatle with the most anti-establishment views and famously handed back his MBE, he was "in love" with the monarch, Ono said.

"He never stopped talking about her complexion", Ono said in an interview with the Liverpool Echo, adding that the more Lennon talked about someone, the more he liked them.

Ono met the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh when they visited Liverpool Airport, which has recently been renamed after her late husband, last week.

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Gallery row divides Florence

The cultural community in Florence has been split by a bitter dispute over a proposed modification to the Italian city's legendary art gallery, the Uffizi.

A new minimalist exit has been described as a "shameful horror" by Florentine film director Franco Zeffirelli, who studied architecture in the city.

But city councillor Gianni Biagi compared the plans with other controversial proposals down the ages that had gone on to produce celebrated works.

"Look, they discussed Michelangelo's David. They argued about if it was beautiful or not," he said.

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Mostly Mozart concerts cancelled

Twenty concerts at New York's Lincoln Center For The Performing Arts have been cancelled have been cancelled, after the orchestra voted to strike.

The concerts, part of the Mostly Mozart season, were called off hours after the 42-member orchestra voted in favour of refusing to rehearse or perform.

The strike has been called over a contract disagreement which governs the non-renewal of tenured musicians for artistic reasons.

More than 60,000 people were scheduled to attend the concerts, which were due to begin on 6 August.

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Howard's Way star dies at 61

Actor Tony Anholt, who starred in some of the best-known cult TV shows of the 70s and 80s, has died aged 61.

Anholt had recurring roles on The Protectors and Space 1999, and played suave tycoon Charles Frere on Howard's Way for five years until the show ended in 1990.

Born in Singapore in 1941, Anholt moved to England with his mother when he was three. He worked as a teacher before moving into acting at the age of 26.

His son, Christien Anholt, has followed him into acting, starring in the TV series Relic Hunter, and several films.

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Scott and Redgrave team up for charity

Actor Dougray Scott and Olympic rowing hero Sir Steve Redgrave have teamed up to play golf for charity.

The pair are playing 72 holes of golf at four courses in less than 17 hours to raise money for a number of UK charities.

They began playing at 0500 BST on Tuesday at Skibo Castle, Scotland - where Madonna and Guy Ritchie were wed - and are aiming to finish at Turnberry in Ayrshire around 2200.

Last year's event, which featured Vinnie Jones and veteran musician Rick Wakeman, raised almost £150,000.

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Royal Navy gets Soldier Soldier treatment

Soldier Soldier creator Ted Childs is aiming for another hit show with his new ITV1 drama, set aboard a Navy warship.

Making Waves will chart the lives and loves of the crew of a fictional Navy frigate, the HMS Suffolk.

"I believe that the modern day Royal Navy is a very appropriate setting for a contemporary drama series," said Childs of the new show.

Carlton, which is producing the show, is working closely with the Royal Navy, which will lend some of its fleet for the purposes of filming.

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300 fans greet Darius' debut

More than 300 fans have queued to meet Pop Idol runner-up Darius Danesh as he launched his debut single.

The Glaswegian singer, 21, was greeted with screams of delight from the crowd at the HMV store in Oxford Street, London, where he signed copies of his debut single Colourblind.

Darius, who signed with Mercury Records after coming third in the series, has been widely tipped to knock fellow Pop Idol Gareth Gates off the number one slot in Sunday's chart.

He said at the signing session that he was "over the moon" to be releasing the self-penned track.