Two hurt by errant Macy's balloon
NEW YORK, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The 79th Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade stepped off as scheduled Thursday after concern windy weather would ground the famous balloons.
A straying M&M balloon, possibly whipped by the wind, hit a lamp post at Times Square, sending shattered glass to the ground and two people to the hospital, WABC, New York, said. Their condition was not known.
Another M&M balloon struck WABC's "Good Morning America" studio, also in Times Square.
It didn't rain on Macy's parade, Scooby Doo, Chicken Little, SpongeBob SquarePants and their fellow balloons soared overhead to the delight of the throngs of children lining the streets.
Weather has bungled balloons in the past, CNN said, most notably in 1997 when heavy winds sent The Cat in the Hat balloon into a lamppost that toppled onto four people. One woman suffered permanent brain damage.
Since then, Macy's has implemented improved training for the approximately 1,700 people who help handle and direct the massive balloons.
Nick and Jessica announce split
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The stars of MTV's "Newlyweds" -- Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey -- appear headed toward "Divorce Court."
The couple issued a joint statement to Us Weekly saying they were ending their three-year marriage, E! Online reported.
"This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous amount of respect and admiration for each other," the statement released Wednesday said. We hope that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."
Reps for both singers have been kept busy in recent months denying reports that the couple was calling it quits, E! noted. However, they have both been making public appearances spouse-free, which kept fueling talk of a split.
The couple skyrocked to fame with their MTV reality show, "Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica." Since then, however, Lachey has watched his wife release a hit album, star in a blockbuster movie and release her own line of cosmetics.
Bob Geldof honored as Man of Peace
ROME, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- British musician/activist Bob Geldof received the Man of Peace Award at Thursday's opening of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.
The organizer of the Live Aid and Live 8 concerts for Africa received his award for his efforts to fight poverty from former Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Rome's Capitoline Hill, the BBC reported.
"Africa must be allowed to trade itself out of poverty," Geldof said.
He said it is up to the European Union to pave the way to reforms the could ultimately wipe out hunger during the World Trade Organization talks Hong Kong next month.
"We live in a broken world which has never been healthier or wealthier, but some 500 kilometers south of here they die of want," he said.
ABC says bye-bye to 'Alias'
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- ABC's once popular spy drama, "Alias," has been canceled.
The Emmy-winning thriller starring Jennifer Garner as agent Sydney Bristow will air its final episode in May, ABC announced late Wednesday.
E! Online said "Alias" had fallen prey to the "Mork and Mindy" curse.
ABC has not been able to maintain a scripted TV show in the 8 p.m. Thursday slot since "Mork & Mindy" was canceled in 1982, E! said.
"Alias" joins "My So Called Life," "Threat Matrix" and "Knightwatch" in ABC's Thursday night graveyard.
On the upside for Garner, however, E! noted Claire Danes, James Denton and Benjamin Bratt all went on to achieve great fame after the cancellations of their aforementioned show.
