Hollywood stars are arriving on the red carpet at this year's Academy Awards ceremony, with silent French film The Artist favourite to take best picture.

Meryl Streep wins the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, on a night of slim pickings for the UK film industry.

Punk rock band The Sex Pistols sign a record deal with Universal, it is announced.

The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and The Killers are announced as the headline acts at this year's V Festival.

Singer Charlotte Church says she is "sickened" by what she discovered during her legal action against News International over phone hacking - as she settles for £600,000.

The US rock band will play seven dates across the UK starting in Nottingham on 19 May.

A preview performance of Phantom of the Opera is cancelled in Plymouth ahead of its UK tour.

The former X Factor contestants are picked to represent Ireland at the Eurovision song contest for the second year running.