Cindy Sheehan, musicians plan Iraq protest concert

New York – Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan and REM frontman Michael Stipe will headline a New York concert to urge the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

The concert, dubbed “Bring ‘Em Home Now!” will be March 20 at the Hammerstein Ballroom, marking the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Rufus Wainwright and Bright Eyes also will perform, it was announced Wednesday.

Sheehan, who camped outside President Bush’s ranch in Texas last year to protest the Iraq war, will speak during the concert. Her 24-year-old son, Casey, was killed in Iraq in 2004.

Chuck D, Fischerspooner, Peaches, Steve Earle and Devendra Banhart also are scheduled to perform.

Organizers said the concert will be followed by a national “Bring ‘Em Home Now!” speaking tour that will feature Sheehan and various authors traveling in April to 15 U.S. cities.

More concert performers are expected to be added.

Concert shows James Brown has no plans of slowing down

Shanghai, China – The city: Shanghai. The venue: a drafty People’s Liberation Army acrobatics theater. The event: James Brown.

The 72-year-old Godfather of Soul made his mainland China debut Wednesday, belting out classics such as “Get up Offa That Thing” before a capacity crowd.

“We are going to funk you up before we finish,” Brown said three songs into his set, which he kicked off with “Make it Funky.”

Dressed in a cherry red satin suit, he shimmied, shook and leapt – although not quite as high as he once did.

Brown is little known in China, and Wednesday’s audience was overwhelmingly European, American and Japanese – evidence of Shanghai’s increasingly international, cosmopolitan complexion.

The singer has shown no signs of slowing down, with the Shanghai concert coming in the middle of an Asian tour that also included a swing through Australia.

Newspaper: Public interest drove publication of diary

London – A British newspaper argued Wednesday that it published excerpts of Prince Charles’ diaries to show his political leanings.

Charles charges that the Mail on Sunday newspaper violated his privacy by publishing extracts of a private diary he said was leaked by an ex-employee. Charles has not asked for damages but wants the return of seven other journals.

The newspaper contends that printing the diaries was in the public interest because they show the prince’s political beliefs. It contends that Charles was trying to influence decision-makers when he circulated the diaries to a group of more than 40 people.

The diary, written after a visit to Hong Kong in 1997, describes China’s leaders as “appalling old waxworks,” which Mark Warby, an attorney for the Mail on Sunday, called a political statement.

“He was not saying these people look a bit funny but this is a splendid regime,” Warby told a High Court judge Wednesday. “He was saying this is a terrible bunch of people, just like the old Soviet regime, and we must not associate with them. He was expressing political hostility.”

Actor Morgan Freeman to be honored with UCLA award

Los Angeles – Morgan Freeman will be honored with UCLA’s Spencer Tracy Award, which recognizes outstanding screen performances and professional achievement.

Jason Kaminsky, UCLA campus events commissioner, made the announcement Tuesday. An awards ceremony is scheduled for March 7.

“It was said that Spencer Tracy’s natural style set him apart from actors of his time and set performance standards for future generations,” Kaminsky said. “We think that the same can be said for the acting of Mr. Freeman.”

Freeman, 68, won an Oscar for his role in “Million Dollar Baby,” and he has received Oscar nominations for roles in “Street Smart,” “Driving Miss Daisy” and “The Shawshank Redemption.”

Prince announces concert with Tamar in Minneapolis

Minneapolis – Prince has announced to fan club members that he’s performing Saturday at the Orpheum Theater, but he didn’t give himself top billing.

He will appear as a “special guest” of Tamar, the R&B singer who recently performed with Prince on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.”

Fan-club tickets sold out within minutes, but more seats will be made available through Ticketmaster for $50 each.

Tamar has a Prince-produced debut CD coming out March 21, the same day the 47-year-old rocker’s new CD, “3121,” is released.

The pair have two more concerts scheduled – Monday in Chicago and Wednesday in Philadelphia.