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By United Press International
Justin Bieber performs during the New Year's Eve celebration held in Times Square on December 31, 2011 in New York City. UPI /Monika Graff
Justin Bieber performs during the New Year's Eve celebration held in Times Square on December 31, 2011 in New York City. UPI /Monika Graff | License Photo

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

MADELINE MILLER: American author Madeline Miller has won the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction with her debut novel "The Song of Achilles," it was announced Wednesday in London.

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The award celebrates "excellence, originality and accessibility in women's writing from throughout the world," organizers said.

Chair of Judges Joanna Trollope presented Miller with the $46,000 prize and the Bessie, a limited-edition bronze figurine, at the Royal Festival Hall in Southbank Centre.

"This is a more than worthy winner -- original, passionate, inventive and uplifting. Homer would be proud of her," Trollope said, referring to the author of the Greek classics "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," which inspired Miller's Greek myth-themed book.

The ceremony was presided over by Orange Prize for Fiction Co-Founder and Honorary Director Kate Mosse.


JUSTIN BIEBER: NBC says it plans to air a 1-hour special called "Justin Bieber: All Around the World" June 21.

The program starring the Canadian pop star will be a combination of documentary and music performances from his "Believe" world concert tour, the network said.

"We're thrilled to air Justin Bieber's first network special," Doug Vaughan, senior vice president of special programs and late night for NBC, said in a statement Wednesday. "We'll have unprecedented access to Justin as our cameras film not only his performances, but his every move on this global tour -- giving our viewers an all access pass to his life over a 12-day period, something rarely seen on TV today."

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MICHAEL CHIKLIS: Actor Michael Chiklis is to serve as host of the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular at which Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson will sing, CBS announced.

The program is to be broadcast live on the network July 4 from the Charles River Esplanade in Boston.

This will be the second consecutive year Chiklis -- star of the upcoming CBS drama series "Vegas" and a native of Lowell, Mass. -- will emcee the special.

Hudson will perform some of her biggest hits with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart, CBS said.


JOHN MAYER: John Mayer's "Born and Raised" is No. 1 on the U.S. album chart, Billboard.com reported Wednesday.

Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 is Adele's "21," followed by Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" at No. 3, Slash's new "Apocalyptic Love" featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators at No. 4 and One Direction's "Up All Night" at No. 5.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Lionel Richie's "Tuskegee" at No. 6, MercyMe's "The Hurt & the Healer" at No. 7, Sara Bareilles' "Once Upon Another Time" at No. 8, the "Now 42" compilation CD at No. 9 and Norah Jones' "Little Broken Hearts" at No. 10.

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