New Kids Scrap Aussie Tour, Blaming Recession

Donnie Wahlberg finds new kidney for Tennessee fan

(NEWSER) - The '80s megastar Donnie Wahlberg came to the rescue of an ailing fan with some help from 21st-century technology. The New Kids On the Block singer re-tweeted a link to a blog post about a young fan in Nashville who was in desperate need of a kidney transplant to his 183,000 followers, reports the Boston Herald . The local hospital was inundated with offers, and six suitable matches were found among potential donors. More»

How one country ducked the economic downturn

(NEWSER) - Australia has weathered the financial crisis better than any other developed country. Last week its central bank raised interest rates, indicating its primary concern is now inflation, not growth. What were the keys? Phil Dobbie of BNET explains:

• Befriending China: Australia used to export much of what it made to the US and UK, but over the last decade much of that trade has shifted to China. In fact, some economists argue that Australia didn’t need a stimulus package—Beijing’s stimulus was enough.

'Peeps upset,' tweets singer about $100K eBay sale

(NEWSER) - Cher must be getting a little hard up because she sold the symbolic "key" to the city of Adelaide on eBay—and Aussies are flabbergasted. "I am exceptionally disappointed," huffed current Adelaide Mayor Stephen Yarwood . "It's more a reflection on Cher than the city of Adelaide. It must be very embarrassing for her if she is selling it because she needs the money." The over-sized brass key and certificate awarded the singer in 1990 were sold today for almost $100,000, AFP reports. A representative insisted the proceeds will go to a charity. More»

'This is just the beginning, says creator

(NEWSER) - The wildly popular virtual Tupac that debuted at Coachella is ready to hit the road. Representatives for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are discussing plans for a concert tour involving the rappers and Tupac, sources tell the Wall Street Journal . A tour might only include the trio, or could involve other rappers like Eminem, 50 Cent, and Wiz Khalifa performing in larger stadiums. "This is just the beginning," said Ed Ulbrich, chief creative officer of Digital Domain, the company that brought the late singer back to life on stage. "Dre has a massive vision for this." More»

Bon Jovi—and not just in North America

(NEWSER) - Yep, it’s definitely time to give Bon Jovi some respect : The band boasts the highest grossing concert tour of the year—worldwide. Pollstar ranks the top five touring acts of 2010, via the Los Angeles Times :

1. Bon Jovi: $201.1 million.
2. AC/DC: $177 million.
3. U2: $160.9 million.
4. Lady Gaga: $133.6 million.
5. Metallica: $110.1 million.