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People in the news

By United Press International
Jennifer Hudson performs at the Revlon Concert for the Rainforest Fund at Carnegie Hall in New York City on April 3, 2012. UPI/John Angelillo
Jennifer Hudson performs at the Revlon Concert for the Rainforest Fund at Carnegie Hall in New York City on April 3, 2012. UPI/John Angelillo | License Photo

The latest news on today's hottest celebrities ...

JENNIFER HUDSON: A jury was completed Tuesday for the Chicago trial of William Balfour, charged with killing three members of singer Jennifer Hudson's family.

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Balfour, the 30-year-old estranged husband of Jennifer's sister Julia, has been charged with the 2008 shooting deaths of the Hudsons' mother and brother, as well as Julia's 7-year-old son.

The Chicago Tribune reported the 12-member jury and six alternates included 10 women and eight men, and comprise a racially mixed group from different walks of life.

Judge Charles Burns, who is overseeing the trial, advised the jurors to avoid media coverage of the case or Jennifer Hudson, who is scheduled to perform on Thursday's edition of "American Idol," the Tribune said.

A prior commitment of the judge was cited for the delay in getting to the opening statements, which are scheduled for April 23. The trial is expected to take up to a month to complete, the newspaper said.

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Jennifer Hudson is a Grammy Award-winning singer who won an Oscar for her role in the movie musical "Dreamgirls."


STEVEN KANUMBA: More than 30,000 mourners turned out Tuesday for the funeral of Tanzanian film star Steven Kanumba, who died during the weekend, officials said.

Kanumba, 28, died Saturday after he fell during an argument with his girlfriend, actress Elizabeth Michael, who was being held by police for questioning.

The BBC said his memorial in Dar es Salaam was temporarily interrupted as police struggled to control the crowd.

President Jakaya Kikwete called Kanumba a "talented young man who was playing a big role to develop the movie industry and marketing Tanzania abroad," the BBC said.


GEORGE CLOONEY: George Clooney and Jeffrey Katzenberg are planning a fundraiser for U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, "Entertainment Tonight" said.

About 150 supporters are to attend the May 10 event at Clooney's home in Los Angeles. Tickets are $40,000 each, with proceeds going to the Obama Victory fund, a joint fundraising committee of Obama for America, the Democratic National Committee and several state Democratic parties.

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"I'm proud to do whatever I can to support the president ... as long as no one asks me to sing," Clooney told the entertainment news program.

Clooney is a film star and director known for his humanitarian work. Katzenberg is one of the founders of DreamWorks movie studio.


EMMA ROBERTS: Emma Roberts and Chord Overstreet are back together after breaking up in January, a friend of the Hollywood couple told E! News.

Roberts, 21, and Overstreet, 23, split up after nine months of dating. They reportedly reunited two weeks ago and have been inseparable ever since.

"They are back together," a friend of the couple told E! News. "Ultimately, they enjoy spending time together and they wanted to give it another shot. They make each other laugh and they are both very supportive of one another's successes. ... They are now taking things day by day and having fun. Whether it lasts, we'll have to wait and see. They are not putting pressure on themselves to make it work."

Overstreet is a cast member of TV's "Glee."

Roberts' film credits include "Ice Princess," "Aquamarine," "Nancy Drew," "Hotel for Dogs," "The Winning Season," "Valentine's Day" and "Scream 4."

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