jJolie meets troops, refugees in Iraq

jJolie meets troops,
refugees in Iraq

GENEVA — Angelina Jolie visited Iraq on Tuesday to meet with refugees and U.S. troops in the country.

Jolie, who is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, made the visit during a two-day trip to the region, the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday.

The statement said the 32-year-old actress met with displaced Iraqis in neighboring Syria on Monday before crossing into Iraq for a few hours Tuesday “to see firsthand the plight of hundreds of thousands of families uprooted by the ongoing conflict.” “I have come to Syria and Iraq to help draw attention to this humanitarian crisis and to urge governments to increase their support for UNHCR and its partners,” Jolie was quoted as saying by the Geneva-based agency.

The U.N. refugee agency estimates that more than 4.2 million Iraqis have left their homes — some before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

Of these, about 2 million have fled to neighboring countries including Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

Vincent Margera faces
12 felony violations

GOLDEN, Colo. — Vincent “Don Vito” Margera, uncle of MTV “Viva La Bam” star Bam Margera, is facing 12 felony counts of violating his bail conditions, prosecutors said.

Margera, 50, was arrested last August in the Denver suburb of Lakewood on three felony counts of sexual assault on a child.

If convicted, he could face a sentence ranging from probation to six years in prison.

Prosecutors announced the bail-violation charges Monday, but no details were released.

District attorney spokeswoman Pam Russell declined to comment. Margera is accused of touching or grabbing the buttocks of a 12-year-old girl and the breasts of two other girls, ages 12 and 14.

He pleaded not guilty and is free on $50,000 bond, which allowed him to return to his hometown of West Chester, Pa. Conditions of his bail included having no contact with children under 18, consuming no drugs or alcohol and providing detailed information on business travel plans.

A hearing on the bail-violation charges was set for Sept. 5. If convicted of those counts, Margera could be sentenced to up to 18 months in prison.

His sexual assault trial, set to begin Monday, was rescheduled for Oct. 22.

Bo Diddley stable
after heart attack

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Bo Diddley was in stable condition at a Florida hospital after suffering a heart attack, his publicist said Tuesday.

The 78-year-old singer-guitarist complained of dizziness and nausea during a routine medical checkup Friday, said publicist Susan Clary.

She said Diddley suffered a heart attack after being taken to North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville.

The hospital is near his hometown of Archer. Clary said the musician was in stable condition at the hospital’s cardiac care unit after spending the weekend in intensive care. “He is conscious,” she said. “The situation is very serious.”

In May, Diddley was hospitalized in Nebraska after suffering a stroke after casino performances in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

He was soon transferred to Florida. Diddley, with his black glasses and low-slung guitar, has been an icon in the music industry since he topped the R&B charts with “Bo Diddley” in 1955.

His other hits include “Who Do You Love,” “Before You Accuse Me,” “Mona” and “I’m a Man.”

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and received a lifetime achievement Grammy Award in 1998.

Today’s birthdays

Actor-director Lord Richard Attenborough is 84. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is 71. Actor Elliott Gould is 69. Movie director William Friedkin is 68. Movie director Joel Schumacher is 68. TV personality Robin Leach is 66. Country musician Dan Truman (Diamond Rio) is 51. Singer Michael Jackson is 49. Actress Rebecca DeMornay is 45. Singer Me’Shell NdegeOcello is 38. Actress Carla Gugino is 36. Rock musician David Desrosiers (Simple Plan) is 27. Actress Jennifer Landon is 24.