Robert Pattinson feels like he has split from a lover now the Twilight: Saga movies have wrapped.

When Confederate forces fired the first shots at Fort Sumter on April 12, 150 years ago, triggering the American Civil War, almost four million African Americans were slaves.

Rihanna turned down a place on the judging panel of The X Factor.

Lady Gaga believes the late Alexander McQueen controls her career.

Christie's has announced plans for a series of auctions featuring some of the late actress' belongings.

Natalie Portman has given up veganism during her pregnancy.

Harlan Coben is a United States author of best-selling thrillers whose latest, Live Wire, ($39.99 RRP, Orion) was released last month.

Paris Hilton is being sued for not returning US$60,000 (NZ$77,000) worth of borrowed jewellery.

American writer Patrick Rothfuss tells David Larsen why he avoids clichés in both life and literature.

Finding a cheap place to stay was part if the fun, says Rhys Davies.

The United States said today it would try self-professed September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others at Guantanamo Bay.

Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz has paid tribute to family and supporters - including her newborn baby son - as she was given a star on Hollywood's storied Walk of Fame.

A navy chef has been sent to prison and kicked out of the navy after being found guilty of attempting to sexually violate a female sailor while their ship was in San Diego last year.

Emma Stone has five movies due out this year. Gill Pringle meets the star who is fast rising through the ranks of female comedy actors.

Zoe Kravitz has her parents' features and, with a role in the new X-Men film, she will soon share their fame. Kaleem Aftab meets the New York actress and musician daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet.

Who says you can't find a good coffee and a pie in the US? Rebecca Barry meets the Kiwi who has taken Downunder cuisine to the Big Apple.

Ewan McDonald finds not all good US fruit of the vine comes from Napa.

Britney Spears' seventh studio album - released more than a decade since her debut Baby One More Time and three years since her flop-of-a-comeback Circus - sees her shed all those guises and play the woman she is now.

It’s hard enough launching a music career in New Zealand. But just how difficult is it for an independent artist to forge a career on both sides of the globe simultaneously?

As far as Hollywood is concerned, Russell Brand, 35, is having his moment. The Brit export and former bad boy who redeemed himself when he married American pop sweetheart, Katy Perry, 26, last year, is starring in two upcoming movies.

Charlie Sheen is reportedly not welcome at a number of top New York hotels.