Paris Hilton's inheritance to go to charity

U.S. hotel heiress Paris Hilton's potential inheritance dramatically diminished after her grandfather Barron Hilton announced plans on Wednesday to donate 97 percent of his $2.3 billion (1.16 billion pounds) fortune to charity.

That wealth includes $1.2 billion Barron Hilton stands to earn from both the recent sale of Hilton Hotels Corp. -- started by his father Conrad in 1919 when he bought a small hotel in Cisco, Texas -- and pending sale of the world's biggest casino company, Harrah's Entertainment Inc.

That money will be placed in a charitable trust that will eventually benefit the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, raising its total value to about $4.5 billion, the foundation said in a statement.

Barron Hilton, chairman of the foundation, intends "to contribute 97 percent of his entire net worth, estimated today at $2.3 billion, including the created trusts, at whatever value it is at the time of his passing," the foundation said.

Paris Hilton was not immediately available for comment on her grandfather's plans for his fortune.

Jerry Oppenheimer, who profiled the Hilton family in his 2006 book "House of Hilton," has said Barron Hilton is embarrassed by the behaviour of his socialite granddaughter Paris and believes it has sullied the family name.

Barron Hilton, who is 80, has not commented on Oppenheimer's remarks.

The foundation supports projects that provide clean water in Africa, education for blind children, and housing for the mentally ill. Its aims, based on Conrad Hilton's will, are "to relieve the suffering, the distressed and the destitute."

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Amy Winehouse's family slam claims of neglect

Amy Winehouse's father has apparently slammed claims that the singer has been abandoned by her family.

Mitch Winehouse, 57, was responding to an open letter written my Amy's mum Jan in the News Of The World.

"It is absolute rubbish to suggest that no-one has been in touch with Amy," the Daily Mirror quoted him as saying. "I've seen her five times myself last week. We're getting sick of the sight of each other, we are seeing each other that much."

Jan wrote in the letter, responding to pictures on Amy in the early hours of the morning in the street: "Come home to me. We were terrified after we saw those pictures."

"Amy is monitored all the time," Mitch insisted. "She is with trusted people who care for her and look out for her. We are all encouraging and helping Amy at the minute and that is what is most important."

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