newsmakers

September 4, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

newsmakers

Brooks & Dunn end 20-year career

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

The first song Brooks & Dunn ever sang together has become their last. The country-music duo closed out a 20-year career at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night with their 1991 debut single, “Brand New Man,” during the encore. The sold-out show was the final stop on their Last Rodeo Tour and doubled as a fundraiser for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Kix Brooks said early in the night, “This isn’t a funeral. We did show up to party.”

They ran through many of their 23 No. 1 hits, including “Neon Moon,” “My Maria,” “Red Dirt Road” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.” Reba McEntire made the only guest appearance, singing a few lines during “Cowgirls Don’t Cry.”

The duo has sold more than 30 million albums and won more than 80 major industry awards.

No dolphin slaughter at cove

TOKYO

Japanese fishermen herded dolphins into a cove made famous by an Oscar-winning documentary about the hunt but did not kill any Friday, as conservationist groups ramped up scrutiny of the annual slaughter. An official in the seaside village of Taiji, depicted in the film “The Cove,” said a handful of the best-looking dolphins were kept to be sold to aquariums, but the rest were set free Friday morning. He declined to give details.

The decision to set most of the dolphins free marks a departure from past practice. Conservationist group Sea Shepherd said it has been monitoring Taiji with a small crew of activists this week, and urged people to come to the village to help save the dolphins. Dolphins swim in pods in the ocean. Taiji fishermen herd them by scaring them with noise into the cove, save some for aquariums and kill the rest, piercing them repeatedly until the waters turn red with blood.

Ne-Yo on T.I.: ‘poor decisions’

LOS ANGELES

Ne-Yo says T.I. has had many chances — and it’s time he gets his act together. Ne-Yo told the Associated Press the fellow performer makes a lot of poor decisions when it comes to the people he surrounds himself with.

T.I., who is on three years’ probation, was taken into custody with his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Cottle, on suspicion of possessing methamphetamines after police pulled them over in West Hollywood. They were released on $10,000 bail early Thursday.

Ne-Yo says he’s not familiar with the company T.I. surrounds himself with but said “nine times out of 10 when he gets in trouble, it’s not him — it’s the people that he’s with.” Ne-Yo says it’s time for T.I. to get his life together.

‘Spider-Man’ faces court over climb

SYDNEY

A French skyscraper climber nicknamed “Spider-Man” pleaded not guilty Friday to charges related to his bare-handed climb up a 57-story building in downtown Sydney. Alain Robert, known for climbing some of the world’s tallest and best-known buildings without ropes or other equipment, was arrested Monday at the top of the Lumiere building.

He was charged with risking the safety of another by climbing a building or structure and unlawful entry of an enclosed area. If convicted on both charges, he could face up to three months in jail and fines of 1,650 Australian dollars ($1,497).