Destiny's Child set to tour

Destiny's Child set to tour
NEW YORK -- Destiny's Child is embarking on a world tour -- and heading out straight through the golden arches. The R & amp;B trio will kick off a 16-country, 72-city tour April 9 in Hiroshima, Japan, the group announced. The tour, "Destiny Fulfilled ... and lovin' it," is sponsored by McDonald's. "Our 2005 tour is going to be amazing and will really entertain our fans across the globe," Beyonce said in a statement Thursday. After Japan, Destiny's Child will perform throughout Australia and Europe and eventually conclude in the United States and Canada this summer. Stops include Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Stockholm, Sweden; Milan, Italy; Paris; and London. They will play 44 North America cities, finishing in Honolulu in September. A full schedule will be released later. Destiny's Child will be supporting its most recent album, "Destiny Fulfilled," featuring the single "Soldier."
A loss for Anna Nicole
LOS ANGELES -- Self-obsessed reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith is not a happy camper this week. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has declined to reconsider a December ruling that the former Playboy bunny is not entitled to pocket $88.5 million from the estate of her late husband, oilman J. Howard Marshall II. Marshall, who was a sprightly 89 when the then-26-year-old stripper captured his heart, died in 1995, leaving his son, E. Pierce Marshall, and Smith in mortal combat over the estate. The court's decision upholds a ruling by a three-judge panel from the same court that E. Pierce is J. Howard's sole heir.
Limbaugh officially single
MIAMI -- Rush Limbaugh's third marriage is officially over, reports Cox News Service. His divorce from Marta Limbaugh was finalized by a circuit court judge in Key West, Fla., in December. The settlement agreement is sealed. The conservative talk show host announced to his audience in June that his 10-year marriage was ending. The couple was married in 1994 at the Virginia home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who officiated. The decision to divorce was unrelated to an ongoing investigation by Palm Beach County, Fla., prosecutors over allegations of illegal doctor shopping by Limbaugh for painkillers.
Stallone: Boxer's suicideis not fault of reality show
PHILADELPHIA -- Sylvester Stallone, one of the producers and a host of "The Contender," says the boxing reality show is not culpable in the suicide of Philadelphia boxer Najai Turpin, 23, who shot himself Monday. "This unfortunate occurrence seems to have nothing to do with boxing but other personal issues that we really don't know much about," Stallone said. Meanwhile, series co-producer Mark Burnett says that since multiple episodes featuring Turpin have already been shot, he will remain in the NBC series, which will debut March 7 and will include a tribute to the promising welterweight.
Lesley Ann Warren signsto guest on 'Housewives'
LOS ANGELES -- There's a new despondent hausfrau to kick around! That would be Lesley Ann Warren, who will appear in an episode of "Desperate Housewives" as Sophie Bremmer, the high-maintenance mom of Teri Hatcher's character, Susan Mayer. Warren, who resurrected her career in full force with Steven Soderbergh's tremendous crime flick, "The Limey," in 1999, will visit her befuddled daughter seeking love advice.
Today's birthdays
Fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt is 81. Movie director Robert Altman is 80. Actor Sidney Poitier is 78. Actress Marj Dusay is 69. Jazz-soul singer Nancy Wilson is 68. Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 64. Hockey Hall-of-Famer Phil Esposito is 63. Movie director Mike Leigh is 62. Actress Brenda Blethyn is 59. Actress Sandy Duncan is 59. Rock musician J. Geils is 59. Actor Peter Strauss is 58. Rock singer-musician-producer Walter Becker (Steely Dan) is 55. Actor Edward Albert is 54. Country singer Kathie Baillie is 54. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 51. Actor Anthony Stewart Head is 51. Country singer Leland Martin is 48. Actor James Wilby is 47. Rock musician Sebastian Steinberg is 46. Comedian Joel Hodgson is 45. Basketball player Charles Barkley is 42. Rock musician Ian Brown (Stone Roses) is 42. Actor French Stewart is 41. Actor Ron Eldard is 40. Model Cindy Crawford is 39. Actor Andrew Shue is 38. Actress Lili Taylor is 38. Singer Brian Littrell (Backstreet Boys) is 30.