Chelsea maps future

New York — Chelsea Clinton will start a six-figure consulting job after she receives a master’s degree from Oxford University later this year, Newsweek magazine reports on its Web site.

The daughter of former President Clinton will work in the New York office of London-based McKinsey & Company, newsweek.com reported Friday.

Clinton, 23, accepted the position Friday after she reportedly turned down McKinsey’s offer of $100,000 a year to work at its London headquarters, according to the Web site.

Krauss takes vocal rest

Nashville, Tenn. — Doctors have recommended vocal rest for bluegrass artist Alison Krauss, causing her to postpone this week’s taping with Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler for the cable TV show “Crossroads.”

Krauss had been ill with coldlike symptoms and is having a difficult time singing, her manager, Denise Stiff, said Thursday.

Doctors will re-evaluate her condition next week.

Krauss and Union Station are scheduled to perform March 19 for the National Association of Record Merchandisers in Orlando, Fla. The concert has not been canceled.

Krauss’ Thursday taping with Tyler will be rescheduled as soon as possible, Stiff said.

“Crossroads,” which airs monthly on the Country Music Television station, pairs country artists with those from other musical genres. Past shows have featured the Dixie Chicks with James Taylor, Hank Williams Jr. with Kid Rock and Travis Tritt with Ray Charles.

Moose defends book deal

Norfolk, Va. — Charles Moose, the public face of the Washington-area sniper investigation, said Saturday he would not delay the release of his book despite lawyers’ concerns that it could taint jury pools for the suspects’ trials.

Moose, police chief for Montgomery County in Maryland, has a deal with Dutton Books to write about his experience last October leading the three-week search for suspects John Lee Malvo, 18, and John Allen Muhammad, 42.

The book, tentatively titled “Three Weeks in October: The Search for the D.C. Sniper,” is set to be published this fall, about the same time Malvo and Muhammad are set to go to trial.

War may drive Oscar fashion

New York — Head designer Brian Rennie of Escada began approaching Hollywood stars in early February about wearing his elegant gowns on Oscar night.

At that time, the stars and their stylists wanted sexy, body-conscious, sherbet-colored gowns — and no one wanted anything in black, Rennie told The Associated Press in a recent phone interview.

Although he wouldn’t mention names or give details of the designs, Rennie said two custom dresses being made by Escada for the March 23 Academy Awards show in Hollywood are very colorful.

But with a threatened U.S.-led war on Iraq looming, Hollywood is now considering a more subtle look for the red carpet, he said.

“If war goes ahead there will be a scramble for toned-down dresses” with modest necklines and simple jewelry, he said.