Less than a month after they marked their 40th wedding anniversary, former Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, announced yesterday they were breaking up.

The couple, who have four grown children, disclosed the news in a brief e-mail to friends and supporters. Gore, 61, and his wife, 62, gave no hint of whatever hidden turmoil might have caused their union to crumble.

"We are announcing today that after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate," the e-mail said. "This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration."

MCCARTNEY TO RECEIVE TOP MUSIC PRIZE

When it comes to popular music, it doesn't get much bigger than the tunes Paul McCartney has written and sung over the past five decades with the Beatles and on his own.

McCartney, who has been knighted by the queen of England, is being honored with Washington's highest award for pop music this week by the Library of Congress. The Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is named for the U.S. songwriting brothers George and Ira Gershwin, whose collections are housed at the library.

The 67-year-old McCartney said he's "slightly nervous" about performing about 3 feet in front of President Obama in the East Room at the White House today, when he will be presented the award.

"For an English kid growing up in Liverpool, the White House — that's pretty special," he said yesterday.

"He's a great guy," McCartney said of Obama, "so lay off him."

SHEEN REPORTEDLY AGREES TO PLEA DEAL

He once faced a felony rap, but now it's beginning to look like "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen may not stay in jail for much longer than the average package vacation.

Sheen, who was arrested in Aspen, Colo., on Christmas for allegedly threatening his wife, Brooke, at knifepoint, has cut a deal in which he'll plead no contest to third-degree assault and receive a 30-day sentence, according to TMZ, which did not cite any sources. With time already served, Sheen could wind up spending just 17 more days in lockup.

The actor is due back in Aspen on Monday for a court hearing. TMZ said that he may begin serving his sentence immediately.

KOPPEL'S SON FOUND DEAD IN MANHATTAN

A son of former ABC News anchor Ted Koppel was found dead in an apartment after a day of bar hopping with a man he'd just met, a law enforcement official said yesterday.

A drunken Andrew Koppel, 40, had been placed in a back bedroom of the Manhattan apartment to sleep it off and apparently had been dead at least four hours before anyone realized, said Belinda Caban, who lives in the apartment.

He was declared dead around 1:30 a.m. Monday, New York Police Department Detective John Sweeney said. The cause of Koppel's death hadn't been determined, but there was no evidence indicating a crime, police said.