CELEBRITY WATCH
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From staff and wire reports

Aaliyah's brother on MTV

NEW YORK -- Aaliyah's family will use the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday to make their first major public statement following the death of the pop star and actress.

Aaliyah's brother, aspiring filmmaker Rashad Haughton, plans to address the crowd at the ceremony following a tribute to his sister, The Associated Press reports.

Aaliyah was one of nine people who died in a plane crash in the Bahamas on August 25. Up until this point, Aaliyah's family had only released a statement shortly following the incident, saying they were "devastated at the loss of their loving daughter and sister. Their hearts go out to those families who lost their loved ones in this tragic accident."

The awards ceremony and tribute, held at Lincoln Center in New York City, will be broadcast live starting at 8 p.m. EDT on MTV.

Aaliyah's third album, "Aaliyah," debuted at No. 2 on Billboard charts last month. She had also starred in the film "Romeo Must Die."

P. Diddy charge dismissed

MIAMI, Florida -- Sean "P. Diddy" Combs is off the hook with Miami authorities -- at least, for now.

The rap mogul won dismissal Wednesday of a charge that he passed illegally while riding a motor scooter on April 14 on Ocean Drive.

"The reality is, Puffy didn't pass seven cars, and we had witnesses to prove it," defense attorney Jayne Weintraub said outside court afterward, according to The Associated Press. The statement challenged testimony by Miami Beach patrol Officer Mario Rojo.

But the dropped charge doesn't mean Combs is completely out of trouble. Miami prosecutors are still deciding whether to charge Combs with running a red light and almost hitting a pedestrian with his Ferrari in June, according to the AP.

And recently, he pleaded guilty to one count of clearing a conservation area after chopping down protected vegetation around his home in East Hampton. After reportedly missing nine court dates on that charge, Combs was fined $350 by a judge. He spent $70,000 restoring the greenery around his home, according to reports.

In March, Combs was found not guilty of gun possession and bribery charges in connection with a 1999 shooting at a New York nightclub.

Kiss Paul McCartney

VENICE, Italy -- No, Paul McCartney doesn't have a frog in his throat. He's just playing a frog on the silver screen.

The former Beatle provides the voice of a frog in the animated short film "Tuesday," which screened at the ongoing Venice Film Festival. Dustin Hoffman also plays a frog.

"Tuesday," the story of a group of frogs that fly across the United States on their lily pads to reach the "Late Night With David Letterman" show, is dedicated to the memory of McCartney's wife, Linda, according to The Associated Press. Linda McCartney died of breast cancer in 1998.

McCartney, who wrote the musical score, is the film's executive producer. He arrived in Venice on Tuesday, with fiance Heather Mills.

USA Today King column speaks its last ...

WASHINGTON -- In this troubled economy, even Larry King's job security is vanishing. At least, his USA Today column is.

The paper, as part of an effort to revamp its People page, has decided to discontinue King's column.

"Larry King has been in the paper for a very long time," said USA Today spokesman Steven Anderson, according to The Associated Press. "But we want the news to be trendier, newsier and to have greater impact than it has now."

King says he will "miss my loyal readers."

"For more than 20 years, I have loved writing my column for USA Today," King said in a statement. "But with my show [CNN's "Larry King Live"] now on seven days a week, a new book coming out this fall and many projects in the works, the timing is right and it's for the best."

King has written for USA Today since 1982.