Olympics-2008

A cameraman takes video of a "transformer" ice sculpture displayed in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, June 24, 2009. The sculpture, made of 400 kilograms of ice, is on display on Wednesday, to meet the movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" world premiere.

Jounalists take video and photos of a transformer ice sculpture displayed in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, June 24, 2009.

Photo taken on June 24, 2009 shows an ice sculpture of "transformer" displayed in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

In this Jan. 31, 1993 file picture, Michael Jackson performs during the halftime show at the Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena, Calif.

LOS ANGELES: Michael Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing to exuberant rhythms for decades, died on Thursday, the Los Angeles Times said. He was 50.

"Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon after arriving at a hospital in a deep coma, city and law enforcement sources told The Times," the newspaper reported on its website.

Jackson had been taken ill at his home and found not breathing by paramedics who rushed him to a hospital, the paper said.

The paper's report followed news of Jackson's death first reported by the TMZ entertainment website, which said that the singer suffered a cardiac arrest. There was no immediate comment from spokespersons for Jackson.

Known as the "King of Pop," for hits that included "Thriller" and "Billie Jean," Jackson's dramatic stage presence and innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the world.

His one-gloved eccentric style also earned him plenty of critics and another nickname, "Wacko Jacko."

Jackson, who had lived as a virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on charges of child molestation, had been scheduled to launch a comeback tour from London next month.

TMZ said on its website that Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest on Thursday afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. "We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back," the site said.

Earlier, the Los Angeles Times said the singer had been rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital by fire department paramedics. The newspaper said paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the singer's home before taking him to the UCLA Medical Center hospital.

US pop star Michael Jackson gestures during a news conference at the O2 Arena in London March 5, 2009 file photograph.

[Agencies]

Nick Jonas has graduated from high school.

The 16-year-old Disney pop star announced the news on the Jonas Brothers' Twitter blog.

He wrote: "I'm happy to announce I have graduated! Class of '09! Congrats to everyone else who has also graduated this year! Mr. President (Nick)."

Nick - who along with his bandmate brothers Kevin and Joe was home schooled - finished two years earlier than the average US high school student.

The youngest of the three brothers, he is last to finish his schooling.

Nick is said to have celebrated in Madrid, Spain, last weekend where he was on a promotional tour.

The musical trio were urged to play an impromptu show outside Britain's Radio One studios in London, attracting hundreds of teenage fans yesterday (15.06.09).

The group performed their song 'Paranoid' as well as a version of Katy Perry song 'Thinking Of You'.

The Jonas Brothers will soon return to the US where they will start a world tour on Friday (19.06.09).

(Agencies)

SEOUL  – Lawyers and agents for South Korean star singer and actor Rain have settled a lawsuit over his cancelled concert in Honolulu in 2007, a report said.

In March, a US court ordered Rain and his agency JYP Entertainment to pay more than eight million dollars for breaching a contract with Hawaiian promoter Click Entertainment to perform a concert, AFP reported.

An agreement was reached on June 10 to settle the case and avoid an appeal, Yonhap news agency said. It said details of compensation and other conditions were not disclosed due to court orders.

Rain's concert was cancelled a few days before its scheduled date of June 15, 2007 at Aloha Stadium, the first stop on his US tour. The tickets cost a maximum 300 dollars each.

Click Entertainment said the cancellation cost it more than 1.5 million dollars and its business reputation was damaged.

The 26-year-old singer argued that the concert stage was not properly set up for him. He also said he was unable to use his name in the United States because of a copyright challenge from a US Beatles tribute band also called Rain.

Pop star Madonna holds the child named Mercy in this undated publicity photo taken in Malawi and released to Reuters April 13, 2009. [Agencies]

BLANTYRE- U.S. pop star Madonna was allowed on Friday to adopt a second child from Malawi, although the father of the 4-year-old girl said he wants her back, a plea likely to stir fresh controversy for the singer.

Malawi's Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling in April which said Madonna could not adopt Mercy James because she was not a resident of the southern African country.

Rights groups have accused the government of giving Madonna special treatment and said the case would encourage foreigners to think they can adopt Malawian children at will.

Mercy's father said Madonna, one of the music industry's most successful singers, should not be allowed to adopt Mercy.

"No one wants to listen to me, I have protested this all along ... I want my child back but I don't know what to do now," James Kabewa told Reuters by telephone from his poor township.

"Madonna cannot take her away."

There is little he can do. The Supreme Court ruling cannot be challenged. Kabewa said he quit his job as a security guard to fight the adoption and was being supported by his aunt.

According to tradition in southern Malawi, where Kabewa lives, a grandmother has more say in a child's future than the father. When Mercy's mother died Kabewa was powerless to stop his daughter being sent to an orphanage when she was 3-days-old.

An AIDS epidemic in Malawi has orphaned more than one million children and Madonna has set up a children's charity.

Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo said the singer had shown an interest in helping Malawi orphans and that Mercy would have a better life with her. He said a lower court had erred in turning down the adoption request:

"Madonna has shown that she is bold, and compassionate enough to come forward to adopt Chifundo (Mercy) James,"

In a statement Madonna said: "I am ecstatic...My family and I look forward to sharing our lives with her."

Malawi's government came under fire in 2006 after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old child, David Banda, with critics accusing it of giving her special treatment by skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children.

"Of course we are disappointed with the ruling because we know that adoption should only be granted as the last resort," said Maxwell Matewele, executive director of the Eye on Child non-governmental organization.

Madonna has entertained millions around the world with hits like "Material Girl" and "Papa Don't Preach," creating a fair amount of controversy along the way.

The star, who was divorced last year from British film director Guy Ritchie, had enjoyed album sales of more than 200 million.

FILE - In this May 27, 2008 file photo, Usher appears onstage during MTV's 'Total Request Live' at the MTV Times Square Studios in New York. Court records show singer Usher has filed for divorce from Tameka Foster Raymond after less than two years of marriage.

ATLANTA – Court records show singer Usher has filed for divorce from Tameka Foster Raymond after less than two years of marriage. The 30-year-old Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, filed the petition Friday in Superior Court in Atlanta. The court record did not give any details about the split between the R&B star and his wife, who were married in August 2007.

They have two young sons, 1 1/2-year-old Usher Raymond V and 6-month-old Naviyd Ely Raymond. His wife has three children from a previous marriage.

E-mail and telephone messages to Usher's publicist were not immediately returned.

[Agencies]

Cameron Diaz is still grieving for her late father.

The 'My Sister's Keeper' actress was "stunned" when her father Emilio died of pneumonia in April 2008, because he was only 58 years old.

The blonde beauty said: "I was in shock. My dad was a huge part of my life and I think about him every day still. He will be a part of me forever."

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old actress has revealed she doesn't care if people call her a spinster, because she still has "plenty of time" to get married and have children.

She said: "I think it's only normal for people to ask my views on motherhood, especially of someone my age, because it seems like he obvious thing, 'Why haven't you done it yet?' But it doesn't bother me.

"It's not the cross I bear. I simply have no idea at this stage in my life. Besides, I'm still young. I have one nephew and four nieces. I've seen three births. I've been there for the dirty diapers, I've done the bottles. I know what it takes to do it."

Earlier this week, Cameron revealed she thinks it is unfair women are made to feel guilty for not wanting to have a family.

She said: "I think women are afraid to say that they don't want children because they're going to get shunned. But I think that's changing too now. I have more girlfriends who don't have kids than those that do.

"And honestly? We don't need any more kids. We have plenty of people on this planet."

Heidi Klum feels likes a "Buddha".

The pregnant supermodel - who raises three children with musician husband Seal - loves the way her body has changed, and has likened her baby bump to the rotund religious figure.

She said: "You get used to all the changes of your body. It's not like I'm going, 'Oh my God!' I'm used to that part of it. You feel like a Buddha!"

Heidi added her children - daughter Leni, five, and sons Henry, three, and two-year-old Johan - are fascinated with her expanding tummy.

Leni in particular loves seeing how much it has grown, and has been known to check its progress in the most unfortunate of ways.

Heidi laughed: "They get it. They always rub my tummy.

"If I had a dress on, Leni would literally go all the way down under my dress to rub my tummy. And I go, 'My underwear is showing, thank you very much!' "

Heidi - who posed for lingerie giants Victoria's Secret two months after Henry's birth - added she has no concerns about regaining her pre-pregnancy figure, insisting her body will have no problem springing back into shape.

She added to Us Weekly magazine: "I know my body will go back again!"

Hollywood star Jessica Alba shoots a new series of fashion-featured photos for "Elle" magazine. [Photo: ent.sina.com.cn]

Latest promotional photos of actress Fan Bingbing. [Photo: sohu.com]