LATEST: The Associated Press has quickly retracted a story it ran on Tuesday stating that Paris Hilton had been praised by conservationists for highlighting the problem of binge-drinking elephants in northeastern India. According to a short statement released by the AP at 7:44PM Eastern time on Tuesday, "Lori Berk, a publicist for Hilton, said she [Hilton] never made any comments about helping drunken elephants in India." Subsequently, AP asked all its news outlets to remove the story entirely.

Previously reported: Socialite Paris Hilton has been praised by animal activists for bringing attention to the plight of a herd of Indian elephants who binge on alcohol. The hotel heiress is spearheading a campaign urging residents in northeast India to lock up their booze after learning how 40 of the animals were electrocuted last month after drinking the locally brewed rice-beer. And The Simple Life star's efforts have won her much adulation from conservationists who have also been worried about the plight of the large animals. Sangeeta Goswami, head of animal rights group People for Animals, says, "I am indeed happy Hilton has taken note of recent incidents of wild elephants in northeast India going berserk after drinking homemade rice beer and getting killed."

Lindsay Lohan has begun her community service in Los Angeles, as part of the plea deal relating to her convictions for driving under the influence earlier this year. The Georgia Rule actress started her 10-day stint on Monday, when was snapped entering an American Red Cross blood services facility at midday. She was later seen leaving the building at 7pm local time, carrying a book simply titled, Blood. Lohan, 21, was charged with driving under the influence and being under the influence of cocaine in relation to two drink-driving arrests in Beverly Hills, California and nearby Santa Monica in May and July of this year. Police allegedly found cocaine in the star's possession on both occasions, although officials say the amount of the drug was below the 0.05 grams required for a felony offence. Lohan was initially sentenced to four days behind bars in August, after pleading guilty to two of the seven misdemeanor charges against her, but a judge cut that in half and ordered her to carry out 10 days of community service instead. A further day was taken off the jail sentence because of time Lohan has already served during her arrests. The star - who spent much of the summer in rehab at Utah's Cirque Lodge facility - must complete her prison sentence by January, according to People.com.

ER star John Stamos was caught up in a mid-air altercation on Monday, when a woman allegedly started threatening and striking the actor on a plane. The unnamed woman reportedly shook the actor awake during the flight from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, and then sat in, and refused to give up, his first-class seat when he went to the toilet. Stamos, who was traveling with a friend, was hit several times in the hand as the woman began shouting and threatening him. F.B.I. agents boarded the plane when it landed, as is standard procedure when dealing with a mid-air disturbance. The officials took statements from numerous witnesses, although it appears no charges will be filed.

Owen Wilson has put an end to speculation he is dating Jessica Simpson - because his new girlfriend is a model. The Wedding Crashers star was rumored to be romancing Simpson after the pair were recently spotted dining in New York. But Wilson and American model Le Call are reportedly dating after spending mornings practicing yoga together and attending private dinner parties in New York. A source tells People.com, "She is dating him. Le Call is totally overwhelmed by all of this attention. She isn't used to it. So they will be leaving town tomorrow to escape - and traveling a great distance." A spokesman for One Model Management says, "Le Call has no comment."

Oprah Winfrey has distanced herself from reports she introduced plastic surgeon Dr. Jan Adams to Kanye West's late mother. Adams, who taped a segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2003, performed surgery on Donda West on Friday at the Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Los Angeles. West died, allegedly from complications following the surgery, on Saturday. Adams has since offered his condolences to West's family and now Winfrey has been dragged into the controversy, following reports she suggested Donda seek out Dr. Adams when she appeared on Oprah in 2005. Winfrey's representative says, "The reports... are absolutely untrue. Oprah Winfrey did not personally introduce nor recommend Dr. Jan Adams to Donda West."

Britney Spears has been accused of leaving a paparazzo seriously injured after he was knocked off his motorcycle. The singer was reportedly attempting to flee the paparazzi close to the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles when she collided with the rider on Monday night. The victim was seriously injured and immediately transported to the nearby Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where his current condition is unknown, according to website Tmz.com. It is believed the injured man was a 'spotter' and does not actually carry a camera but follows stars to tip off the rest of the photographers. Spears' driving skills have already been the subject of much scrutiny - last month, she pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid driver's license. She has since obtained a temporary California permit. The troubled star was also involved in a hit and run in August and could face another similar charge for driving over a police officer's foot on October 26.

Actress Portia De Rossi almost turned down her latest role as a lesbian in U.S. TV show Nip/Tuck because she doesn't want to become typecast as a homosexual. De Rossi only accepted the part as Joely Richardson's girlfriend on the program after her real-life lover Ellen Degeneres persuaded her to play the "interesting" character. She says, "My relationship with Ellen is so public, and I thought, 'Am I going to play a romantic lead again?' I had that one moment of, 'Does this mean I'll be typecast as a lesbian?' And Ellen turned to me and said, 'So what?' And I thought, 'Oh yeah, right, so what?' I was offered romantic lead roles, and I turned them down because the lesbian seemed more interesting to me."

Celine Dion fought back tears during an emotional appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on Monday when she saw footage of her toughest concert for the first time. The singer chose to perform in Las Vegas the night after hearing her father had died in November, 2003, insisting he would have wanted her to go on with the show. Dion's manager/husband Rene Angelil filmed the emotional concert, which began with the then white-haired singer telling fans the sad news and explaining, "I will tonight perform the very best I can." Celine also dedicated the show to her late dad. The Canadian star had never seen the footage - until Angelil gave Oprah Winfrey permission to air segments on her daytime show, during a Celine Dion special. She told Winfrey, "I felt very bad for the people who were there that night to hear me sing because obviously nothing came out that night. They saw me, like, open my soul. They saw my pain. But I needed to go on for my dad, I wanted to do it just for him. When I finished the show, I just collapsed backstage... I'm happy that I did it."

Soul legend Aretha Franklin has dismissed reports she's planning to marry her long-term boyfriend Willie Wilkerson. The singer was reported to be attending wedding dress fittings in New York earlier this year, but Franklin, who has been married twice before, credits the erroneous story to an overzealous photographer. She says, "I was just leaving the hotel in New York with my friend, and one of the photographers outside yelled, `Hey Aretha, what are you doing in town?' And I said I was there to get a gown, but I didn't say a wedding gown. But he just ran with it." However, the 65-year-old admits she's not against the idea of marrying for a third time. She adds, "I am amenable to it (marriage). I like the institution of marriage, and I like taking care of my sweetie."

Sexy Jessica Alba is hoping to turn her back on Hollywood and join Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson in New York City. Spears and Simpson are already house-hunting in the Big Apple, and now Alba admits she has been bitten by the "New York bug" after shooting new film Awake in Harlem. She says, "I was like, 'How do I move to New York?' It's a great city (and) everywhere you look there's art and restaurants and people are, like, on the move, it's very progressive. People talk to you, they interact. It's not like that in L.A. In L.A. everyone's in their car and they're honking at you or spitting their cigarette or their gum out at you."