04:47 PM EDT 11/02/2009

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Stars Run for Fun ... and Good Causes | Alanis Morissette, Edward Norton

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Stars Run for Fun ... and Good Causes

Originally posted 11/02/2009 09:00AM

Of the 43,741 people who ran the New York City Marathon on Sunday, a handful stood out, both for having claims to fame and for their reasons for running.

Alanis Morrissette, former ER doc Anthony Edwards, The Incredible Hulk's Edward Norton and Christopher Reeve's son Matthew battled through the sweat and determination on the streets of the Big Apple, all for a good cause.

"It was such a thrill but I'm burnt," Edwards told PEOPLE moments after crossing the finish line. "I'm totally tired! But that's the point. I'm just so happy that I finished. But tomorrow I'm going to feel happier."

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Miley Cyrus Sings of Hope to Grateful Fan

Originally posted 10/26/2009 01:35PM



If one picture is worth 1,000 words, then one music video must be worth a trillion. Clearly that's the case as Miley Cyrus sings "The Climb" to a most appreciative fan at the second annual Concert for Hope, which took place Sunday night in Los Angeles.

This year's event, held at the Staples Center, also starred Demi Lovato and Jesse McCartney. The sold-out 2008 Concert for Hope raised more than $1.2 million for City of Hope's cancer research efforts, according to the medical facility's Web site.

In addition to her performance Sunday, Cyrus is donating $1 from every ticket sold during her current Wonder World Tour. On her previous tour, she raised more than $2 million for City of Hope.
Stephen M. Silverman

Credit: Brian Braff
Patrick Swayze's Widow to Break Her Silence | Patrick Swayze

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Patrick Swayze's Widow to Break Her Silence

Originally posted 10/23/2009 09:30AM

Six weeks after Patrick Swayze lost his battle with pancreatic cancer at age 57, his widow Lisa Niemi will participate in a roundtable discussion on Grief, Healing and Resilience at the Women's Conference 2009 in Long Beach, Calif., next Tuesday, Oct. 27.

In her first interview since Swayze's Sept. 14 death, Niemi, 53, who was married to the actor for 34 years, will join Elizabeth Edwards and Susan St. James, both of whom suffered the loss of children in accidents.


The discussion will be moderated by California First Lady and Women's Conference host Maria Shriver, who this summer lost her mother Eunice Shriver and uncle Ted Kennedy.

Swayze and Niemi, who met as teenagers while they were both students at his mom's dance studio, shared one of Hollywood's most enduring romances.

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Nicole Richie and Joel Madden Build a Playground | Joel Madden, Nicole Richie

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Nicole Richie and Joel Madden Build a Playground

Originally posted 10/23/2009 06:30AM

They may have their hands full with newborn Sparrow and 21-month old Harlow, but Nicole Richie and Joel Madden took time away from home on Thursday to take care of some less privileged kids: After 13 months of fundraising, the couple broke ground on a new playground at a homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles.

"It's so rewarding to see the smile on these kids faces," Richie, 28, tells PEOPLE.


Several of the pint-sized inhabitants of Beyond Shelter's Broadway Village 2, a shelter in an L.A. neighborhood with the highest concentration of crime and poverty, turned out to celebrate the happy news that they would soon have a place to play.

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Justin Timberlake's Mom Beats Him at Golf

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Justin Timberlake's Mom Beats Him at Golf

Originally posted 10/16/2009 10:00AM

Justin Timberlake has golfed with professionals, friends and fellow celebrities, but there is one loss on the links that he won't soon forget – he was outdone by his mother!

"I have, on occasion, actually beaten him straight up," Timberlake's mother Lynn Harless told PEOPLE Thursday as she hosted the Wives Luncheon, an event she coordinated for the better halves of professional golfers as part of the week-long Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.

"He took my husband [Paul Harless] and me on a golf trip one time and they were surprised at the end when they added up the scores and I was one up on them," Harless said. "I have bragging rights for life."

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Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

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UpdatePosted 10/09/2009 11:20AM

Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Originally posted 10/09/2009 06:05AM

Barack Obama has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the annual award's committee announced Friday morning in Oslo. "He has created a new international climate," said their statement.

The selection of the President, 48, is considered a stunning surprise, as his name had not been heard in speculation surrounding the choice of this year's honoree. But, said the committee, "We are awarding Obama for what he has done. Many other people and leaders and nations have to respond in a positive way" to President Obama's diplomacy.

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PHOTO: Angelina & Brad Visit Refugees in Syria | Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt

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PHOTO: Angelina & Brad Visit Refugees in Syria

Originally posted 10/02/2009 05:10PM

After spending some time in Ethiopia, the south of France and on the Mediterranean coast, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt continued globe-trotting Friday – not for vacation but for a good cause.

Jolie, 34, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, visited Iraqi refugees in Syria with Pitt, 45, and urged the world to not forget the thousands who have been displaced.


"Most Iraqi refugees cannot return to Iraq in view of the severe trauma they experienced there, the uncertainty linked to the coming Iraqi elections, the security issues and the lack of basic services," Jolie says in a statement released by the UNHCR. "They will, therefore, be in need of continued support from the international community."

The actress's trip to Syria comes two months after Jolie returned to Iraq to visit a refugee camp and two weeks after she met with Somali refugees in Africa.
Mary Green and Eunice Oh

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Jennifer Garner Sneaks Veggies Into Daughter's Food

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Jennifer Garner Sneaks Veggies Into Daughter's Food

Originally posted 09/29/2009 04:45PM

As the new spokesperson for Save the Children's "Make Time for CHANGE" campaign, Jennifer Garner is helping develop healthier lifestyles for kids living in poverty by implementing resources for healthy eating and exercise habits. In her personal life, the actress also promotes healthy eating at home with daughter Violet, 3, by creatively sneaking vegetables into her meals.

"One healthy snack that I love to make at home is a smoothie with spinach," Garner tells PEOPLE. "You use a banana, a bunch of mango and a huge handfuls of spinach so it's green. But it tastes like mango and banana and the kids are really, really into the color. They also don't taste the spinach at all."

Though Garner says her daughter "mostly does alright" in terms of eating her veggies, the Invention of Lying actress, like many busy parents, is the first to admit that it's difficult to consistently eat and prepare healthy meals. However, she says it's crucial for children living in poverty to develop healthier lifestyles. As a mom of two, Garner says she feels even more dedicated in using her time to help the non-profit organization.

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Justin Timberlake in Sync with Kids' Charity | Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake

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Justin Timberlake in Sync with Kids' Charity

Originally posted 09/28/2009 08:25PM

When Jon Biel wanted to enlist some help for a music charity for underprivileged New York children, he knew just where to turn: daughter Jessica's boyfriend: Justin Timberlake.

Through Jon Biel, the pop star saw a newspaper story about Ten O'Clock Classics, which provides lessons and instruments, and agreed to autograph a baby grand piano to be sold at a Sept. 29 auction.

"He cares about music education and wants to make sure these kids can continue to have music lessons," says Ronen Segev, founder of the non-profit, which also received a signed piano from Billy Joel and is working with other celebrities. "They listen to his music and they connect with him. He is the inspiration for their love of music."

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Watch Brad Pitt to Speak Live About New Orleans | Brad Pitt

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Watch Brad Pitt to Speak Live About New Orleans

Originally posted 09/24/2009 03:30PM

On Thursday evening, Brad Pitt will bring some star power to the Clinton Global Initiative.

The Hollywood heartthrob is scheduled to give a progress report on his Make It Right Foundation, an organization working to build eco-friendly, affordable housing in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

Last year, Pitt presented an impassioned plea to businessmen and philanthropists to ask for their support for the project. As of this summer, nearly 100 homes were either built or in the process of being constructed.

Pitt's session will also include a panel discussion of the themes raised in New Orleans and their global applications. At the end, Pitt is expected to announce a new commitment on green building.

Also, Rick Fedrizzi of the U.S. Green Building Council will give Make It Right with an award for making the Lower Ninth Ward the greenest neighborhood in the world.

Watch Pitt live at 5 p.m. EST at ClintonGlobalInitiative.org.

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