MTV announces Video Music Awards nominees

New York – Justin Timberlake and Beyonce lead the pop parade of nominees for the MTV Video Music Awards with seven nods apiece, it was announced Tuesday.

Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” was nominated for video of the year, as was Timberlake’s ambitiously cinematic “What Goes Around … Comes Around,” which co-starred Scarlett Johansson.

Timberlake was also nominated for male artist of the year and “most earth shattering collaboration” for pairing with Timbaland for “Sexy Back.” Beyonce was nominated for female artist of the year and for her collaboration with Shakira on “Beautiful Liar.”

Kanye West landed five nominations, including male artist of the year. Rihanna also received five nominations, propelled by her hit single, “Umbrella,” which is up for “monster single of the year.”

The 24th annual VMAs will be handed out during a live two-hour show Sept. 9 in Las Vegas at the Palms Hotel and Casino. Performers will include West, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Amy Winehouse, Chris Brown and the Foo Fighters.

Country Music Hall of Fame selects inductees

Nashville, Tenn. – Vince Gill, Mel Tillis and Ralph Emery have been selected for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The announcement was made Tuesday at the Hall of Fame by Barbara Mandrell, Brenda Lee and Hall of Fame Director Kyle Young.

Gill, who was joined by his wife, Amy Grant, said he was overwhelmed.

“Out of all the things you’ve ever done – it just matters, it matters so much,” the 50-year-old country star said in an emotional speech. “We’re so blessed to get to be able to do this.”

Tillis, who turned his stutter into his trademark, was chosen in the hall’s lifetime achievement category. The singer, who will be 75 today, was recently inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

Emery, 74, was selected in the nonperformer category. He was a disc jockey on WSM, which broadcasts the Grand Ole Opry. He also hosted a program on The Nashville Network cable network.

The trio will be inducted later this year.

Judge rules against Rowling over son’s photo

London – A British court has rejected J.K. Rowling’s lawsuit over the publication of a photo of her son that was taken on an Edinburgh street in November 2004.

The photo showed Rowling and her husband, Neil Murray, with their son, David, in a baby carriage. It appeared with a Sunday Express story on the Harry Potter author’s approach to family life.

Rowling sued Express Newspapers and Big Pictures (UK), the agency that supplied the photo, complaining their right to privacy had been violated. The couple sought damages and a ban on further publication of the photo.

Express Newspapers settled the claim. On Tuesday, judge Sir Nicholas Patten dismissed the case against the agency.

Rowling said she and Murray would appeal.

Rowling and Murray, a doctor, live in Edinburgh with David, now 4; Mackenzie, 2; and Jessica, Rowling’s daughter from her first marriage.

The judge continued a temporary ban on publication of the picture. But he said the law doesn’t allow them to “carve out a press-free zone for their children concerning absolutely everything they choose to do.”

Sharpton leads protest over degrading rap lyrics

New York – Protests took place in more than 20 cities Tuesday over the use of degrading lyrics by the music industry, the Rev. Al Sharpton said.

The so-called Day of Outrage, organized by Sharpton’s National Action Network, included protests in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, Richmond, Va., Jacksonville, Fla., and other cities.

Sharpton, who led a demonstration at the Motown Museum in Detroit, said, “I’m here in Motown in Detroit as a symbol of when music was not denigrating and was entertaining.”

Sharpton announced an initiative in April to combat the use of gutter terms in rap music.

He called Tuesday for the withdrawal of public funds from entertainment companies that “won’t clean up their act.”

Some people in the music industry have defended rappers’ free-speech rights but say the degrading words at the center of the debate should be treated the same as extreme profanities and consistently blanked out of clean and radio versions of songs.

Sheen claims ex-wife wants another baby

New York – Charlie Sheen claims ex-wife Denise Richards wants him to father a third child.

“There was a request for a donation,” Sheen tells syndicated TV show “Entertainment Tonight” in an interview that was to air Tuesday night. “Without getting into it here … there is a specific document relating to this that I am going to reserve for a court.”

When asked if he would ever consider such a possibility, the 41-year-old actor says: “I would sooner, in exactly what I’m wearing, walk on the surface of the moon. Does that answer it?”

A spokeswoman for Richards, 36, wasn’t immediately available for comment.

Sheen and Richards divorced last year. They have two daughters, 3-year-old Sam and 2-year-old Lola.

Sheen, who is nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” is engaged to real estate investor Brooke Mueller, 29. His screen credits include “Platoon” and the “Hot Shots!” movies.