Celebrity Gossip

Madonna should reconsider her plans to adopt a second African child, a children's charity has claimed.

The popstar is expected to fly out to Malawi next week after filing adoption papers for four-year-old Mercy James. The young girl had been living in an orphanage before being handed over to Madonna's team this week.

UK-based charity Save The Children has now suggested that the singer should consider other methods of support before going ahead with her plans.

Spokesman Dominic Nutt told the BBC's Newshour: "For the most part so-called orphans in poor countries tend to have family still available to them, if not actually a parent still living.

"It is vital, we say, that children should not be taken abroad to be looked after but should be cared for in their own environment by their own community, ideally by their own family, particularly their extended family."

Madonna adopted David Banda from Malawi in 2006 amid much controversy.

Nutt added: "The thing to do is to support the community, to support local agencies and charities who can look after the child so that the child is at least cared for in their community.

"You cannot literally take every poor child who may only have one parent living, or no parent living, across the world and transport them all into Kensington in London. It's not a solution."

Coleen Rooney is three months pregnant, the Sunday Mirror can reveal today.

Coleen 22, and footballer husband Wayne – Man of the Match after scoring twice for England against Slovakia yesterday – are said to be “absolutely thrilled”.

The baby is due at the end of September and so far they have only told family, close pals and Wayne’s bosses at Manchester United.

A friend of the couple – who are jointly worth £30million – said: “Coleen and Wayne couldn’t be happier.

“Their families are the biggest thing in their lives and Wayne has always said he wants at least three or four children.

“Coleen has always maintained she wants a family when the time is right.

“They don’t know whether it’s a boy or girl yet… they don’t mind either way.”

Friends point out that Coleen has been “lying low” for the last few weeks, saying she has a cold.

In recent weeks she has left a series of tantalising clues as to her condition.

In her February diary for a magazine she gave advice to a women who was three months pregnant.

She wrote: “Make the most of being small now as you’re only going to get bigger.”

And twice this month she praised TV presenters Holly Willoughby and Tess Daly’s maternity wear, saying: “It must be so hard to find stylish dresses every week.”

Pictures of Coleen at a Lionel Richie gig in Manchester nine days ago show her wearing a loose satin top.

Since then she was snapped emerging from a restaurant in Liverpool covering her tummy with a black pashmina and handbag.

After finishing filming on her TV show Coleen’s Real Women in January she has been out of the public eye.

She immediately flew to Barbados with her family for a holiday, complaining how much she missed Wayne, 23, who was being treated for an injury.

And her usually-hectic diary has increasingly consisted of “lazy weeks” in front of the sofa.

The new arrival will want for nothing. Baby Rooney will have a specially-converted nursery in the couple’s £3.5million mansion in Prestbury, Cheshire, which has a cinema, gym and £30,000 of security.

Coleen is the eldest of four children to brickie dad Tony and nursery nurse mum Colette. Wayne is the eldest of three.

The first picture of their new baby could sell for £1million – a UK record, even eclipsing that paid for photos of Posh and Becks’ baby Brooklyn.

Wayne and Coleen’s spokesman said last night: “These pregnancy rumours have been too numerous to comment on and we gave up doing so a long time ago.”

Congratulations to them both :cheer:

Zac Efron offered words of comfort to a crying fan at the UK premiere of his new movie 17 Again, it has emerged.
Chloe Campbell, 17, had been dumped by her boyfriend just moments before Efron spotted her on the red carpet at the Odeon West End cinema in Leicester Square.
Speaking to the Daily Star about their encounter, Campbell admitted: "I can't believe it. I totally love Zac - he's amazical.
"My boyfriend just texted me to say it's over. I was crying about it and Zac actually stopped to ask if I was OK. I told him all about what had happened and he gave me a hug and said I'm pretty and confident and cool and that I'm wasted on a coward who texts a dumping.
"If I stood out enough to stop Zac, I'll be fine. My ex was a minger, anyway."
Meanwhile, Efron commented: "It happens every day. I love it when kids come and ask for advice. It's very flattering."
The actor recently revealed that he was "amazed" by the dedication of his British fans

how sweet

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has apologised and promises to pay back money which she wrongly claimed for a television package. Skip related content
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http://d.yimg.com/i/ng/ne/itn/200903...es.jpg#300,225 Smith to pay back TV package expenses



Ms Smith said she "mistakenly" claimed for the television package while submitting a bill for an internet connection.
The £67 bill was submitted last June as part of Ms Smith's expenses, the Sunday Express reported.
The newspaper said the bill included two 18-rated features which cost £5 each.
In a statement to the newspaper, Ms Smith said: "I am sorry that in claiming for my internet connection, I mistakenly claimed for a television package alongside it.
"As soon as the matter was brought to my attention, I took immediate steps to contact the relevant parliamentary authorities and rectify the situation."
The statement added: "All money claimed for the television package will be paid back in full."

she blames her husband for the porn she recons that she was away when the porn movies were bought....yeah right jacqui we believe you....not :lol: :lol:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Perdita

Coleen Rooney is three months pregnant, the Sunday Mirror can reveal today.

Coleen 22, and footballer husband Wayne – Man of the Match after scoring twice for England against Slovakia yesterday – are said to be “absolutely thrilled”.

The baby is due at the end of September and so far they have only told family, close pals and Wayne’s bosses at Manchester United.

A friend of the couple – who are jointly worth £30million – said: “Coleen and Wayne couldn’t be happier.

“Their families are the biggest thing in their lives and Wayne has always said he wants at least three or four children.

“Coleen has always maintained she wants a family when the time is right.

“They don’t know whether it’s a boy or girl yet… they don’t mind either way.”

Friends point out that Coleen has been “lying low” for the last few weeks, saying she has a cold.

In recent weeks she has left a series of tantalising clues as to her condition.

In her February diary for a magazine she gave advice to a women who was three months pregnant.

She wrote: “Make the most of being small now as you’re only going to get bigger.”

And twice this month she praised TV presenters Holly Willoughby and Tess Daly’s maternity wear, saying: “It must be so hard to find stylish dresses every week.”

Pictures of Coleen at a Lionel Richie gig in Manchester nine days ago show her wearing a loose satin top.

Since then she was snapped emerging from a restaurant in Liverpool covering her tummy with a black pashmina and handbag.

After finishing filming on her TV show Coleen’s Real Women in January she has been out of the public eye.

She immediately flew to Barbados with her family for a holiday, complaining how much she missed Wayne, 23, who was being treated for an injury.

And her usually-hectic diary has increasingly consisted of “lazy weeks” in front of the sofa.

The new arrival will want for nothing. Baby Rooney will have a specially-converted nursery in the couple’s £3.5million mansion in Prestbury, Cheshire, which has a cinema, gym and £30,000 of security.

Coleen is the eldest of four children to brickie dad Tony and nursery nurse mum Colette. Wayne is the eldest of three.

The first picture of their new baby could sell for £1million – a UK record, even eclipsing that paid for photos of Posh and Becks’ baby Brooklyn.

Wayne and Coleen’s spokesman said last night: “These pregnancy rumours have been too numerous to comment on and we gave up doing so a long time ago.”

---

congrats to them

The self-proclaimed King of the South will rise again. In about 366 days' time.

As expected, T.I. was sentenced today to one year and one day in Georgia prison as part of his plea deal with prosecutors over a 2007 felony weapons charge.

"Today I would like to say thank-you to some, and apologize to all," the rapper said.

"Everything I learned was through trial and error. I've learned lessons in my life to put in my music so people won't make the same mistakes as I."

The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., is required to voluntarily turn himself into prison within the next 30 to 60 days, but is not expected do so before May 19.

Northern Georgia District Judge Charles Pannell Jr., who praised the artist for exceeding the expectations required from his plea deal, acknowledged that T.I. had commitments that prevented him from being jailed before the May date.

It's unclear where he will serve his time, though court officials acknowledged that he would be receiving credit for the 305 days he already spent in home detention.

"I think this has been a great experiment," Pannell told the rapper of his plea deal. "I hope this experience can lead to other experiments so others won't make the same mistake at all. I congratulate you."

The Grammy-winning hip-hop star, who donned a charcoal-grey suit and was accompanied by his family, manager and longtime partner Tameka "Tiny" Cottle at the morning hearing, brokered a deal last March.

The Paper Trail performer pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge and agreed to complete 1,000 hours of community service prior to his sentencing, pay a $100,000 fine and complete an additional 500 hours of community service after getting sprung. His jail time will be followed by an additional three years of supervised release.

He originally faced up to 10 years behind bars.

The reformed rapper has made 262 public appearances as part of his community service agreement in addition to taking part in a pro-voting campaign, working with children and appearing in the MTV reality show Road to Redemption. So far, he has completed 1,030 of the 1,500 total community service hours required.

As part of the deal, the rapper also agreed to forfeit all of the firearms and ammunition involved in the incident and waive his right to an appeal.

"We are very pleased with the result in this case," U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias said. "For the past year, Mr. Harris has used his high public visibility, his exceptional communication skills and his real-world life experience to deliver the right message to literally thousands of kids."

It's an impact Nahmias said more than made up for the deal he brokered for less time behind bars.

"His prison sentence was reduced from what it might have been, but the public got something very significant in exchange: the extensive and unique community service program that Mr. Harris committed to doing when he pleaded guilty.

"By all accounts, his community service has been a remarkable success—it certainly exceeded our expectations—and there is still more to come when he gets out of prison."

T.I. was arrested on Oct. 13, 2007, just hours before he was scheduled to headline the BET Hip-Hop Awards after cops busted him attempting to buy unregistered machine guns and silencers.

As for his sentence, being as it is (just) more than one year long, he will be eligible for early release, should his good behavior warrant it. Had his sentence been one year or less, he would have been required to serve the duration of the time behind bars.

A Malawian court has ruled that Madonna's adoption hearing be delayed until Friday.

According to The AP, court official Thomas Ligowe confirmed that the star's hearing had been adjourned but declined to give any further information.

The singer appeared at a court in the country's capital Lilongwe this morning as part of her reported bid to adopt a four-year-old girl from the same orphanage as her adopted son David Banda, three.

Madonna, who arrived in Malawi yesterday, spent around one hour at the courthouse but refused to speak to reporters waiting outside.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Perdita

A Malawian court has ruled that Madonna's adoption hearing be delayed until Friday.

According to The AP, court official Thomas Ligowe confirmed that the star's hearing had been adjourned but declined to give any further information.

The singer appeared at a court in the country's capital Lilongwe this morning as part of her reported bid to adopt a four-year-old girl from the same orphanage as her adopted son David Banda, three.

Madonna, who arrived in Malawi yesterday, spent around one hour at the courthouse but refused to speak to reporters waiting outside.

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she wants to concentrate on her own kids! they are just going through a marriage break up

What Madonna and other celebs who adopt children is not what is the issue her but there are thousands of children who are orphaned and who live in poverty in the USA why doesn't she adopt a child from there. Is she using Malawi as a way of atracting media attention. If she wants to help children from Malwai why doesn't she just sponser some children there, that way they can still stay with family members.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien

What Madonna and other celebs who adopt children is not what is the issue her but there are thousands of children who are orphaned and who live in poverty in the USA why doesn't she adopt a child from there. Is she using Malawi as a way of atracting media attention. If she wants to help children from Malwai why doesn't she just sponser some children there, that way they can still stay with family members.

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i have never understood why she has taken the children away from their familys i cant understand why she hasnt donated instead, i think she has bought a school for the children in malwai which is very kind of her but i dont agree with her adopting