Expectant mom
Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife, Cherie, leaves No. 10 Downing Street in London. An official spokesman for the prime minister confirmed that Cherie is pregnant with their fourth child. Cherie, 45, and Prime Minister Blair are both said to be delighted by the news.
Knievel takes plunge into marriage, again
Evel Knievel is tying the knot at the same spot that launched his career 32 years ago.
The famous daredevil was taking the plunge into matrimony Friday atop the fountains in front of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Knievel, 61, was marrying 30-year-old Crystal Kennedy atop a stage erected above the fountains. The two met eight years ago.
The first time Knievel flew over the fountains, Dec. 31, 1967, he wrecked his motorcycle on the landing and ended up in the hospital for 31 days with broken bones.
Knievel said after surviving a lifesaving kidney transplant earlier this year he decided to marry.
Von Otter introduces new Christmas CD
Mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter introduced her new CD, "Home for Christmas," at the Swedish consulate in New York by admitting she hadn't intended to sing any of it in English.
"American songs -- I really had no intention; they weren't on my list," von Otter said Thursday. "Not because I don't like them. The thought didn't occur to me."
She said two of the three arrangers for the Deutsche Grammophon CD thought it was a good idea for her to try the songs in English.
"I had a go, and it felt just great," she said.
Dollywood to expand in next millennium
Dolly Parton is just getting warmed up for the next millennium.
"I've always been a dreamer, so I wouldn't describe this as a predetermined plan. It's almost inspiration that just feels right," Parton said this week in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in announcing plans to expand her Dollywood theme park empire.
A $5 million, 15,000-square-foot "interactive treehouse" will greet visitors when the park opens in the spring. Some 300,000 people are expected to climb into the treehouse the first year.
In 2001, she plans to open an adjacent waterpark, featuring water slides, raft rides and a 25,000-square-foot wave pool.
The country singer and hasn't yet settled on a name for the expansions.