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After a few days in Paris, Zefron fandemonium continues in London as the 17 Again star makes his way through a crowd outside a hotel.

Here's hoping the Malawi adoption process for single mothers runs a little more smoothly than it does for married superstars.
Clearly undeterred by her controversy-mired 2006 adoption of son David Banda with then-husband Guy Ritchie, officials have confirmed that Madonna is headed back to the African country to adopt a second child. A Malawi welfare department representative says Madonna has already filed adoption papers in the country and that her adoption case could go before the courts as early as Monday. Madonna's rep, Liz Rosenberg, had no comment on the reports, though the 50-year-old singer is due to arrive with David in Malawi within the next few days. "We expect her over the weekend or earlier than that…but without a doubt she is coming before the end of this month," an official from the nation's Ministry of Gender and Child Development told Reuters. David's headline-grabbing birth father, Yohane Banda, also confirmed to the news agency that he was informed his son would be arriving shortly. "Someone from Raising Malawi visited me last week and told me that my son may be visiting me sometime next week," he said. "I am delighted, I want to see my son." As for Madonna, who already has three children, rumors have been swirling for some time that she was looking to adopt again, possibly a second daughter. Earlier this month, the superstar spoke out to Malawi's local Nation newspaper and did nothing to stop the rumors. "Many people—especially our Malawian friends—say that David should have a Malawian brother or sister," she was quoted as telling the paper. "It's something I have been considering, but would only do if I had the support of the Malawian people and government." While she and Ritchie were granted custody of David back in 2006, his adoption was only just finalized last year.

(Originally published March 26, 2009, at 8:38 a.m. PT.)

Madrod has finally made its public debut. As Madonna completed her second song before a sell-out crowd in Miami's Dolphin Stadium Wednesday night, New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez handed her a bottle of water. "It was easy for him to hand it off because he was sitting in the front row," a witness tells E! News. "He was all excited watching her perform." And, just like that, Madonna acknowledged in public, less than a week after her quickie divorce from Guy Ritchie, that A-Rod is indeed the superfan (and waterboy) he's reportedly been for most of this year in private. The two arrived in town together on Monday and spent most of Wednesday hanging around town with pal Ingrid Casares, a prominent Miami party promoter, who introduced the pair. Madonna, 50, hit the stage of her last Sticky & Sweet American concert two and a half hours after the show was supposed to start. The Material One played from about 10 p.m. to midnight, including a guest appearance by Pharrell Williams during the closing set. A-Rod, 33, who very publicly spent Tuesday with his family at a local restaurant, stayed throughout the entire performance.
(Originally published Nov. 26, 2008 at 10:47 p.m. PT.)

By Andy Dangerfield
Entertainment reporter, BBC News
A "deluxe edition" of Leona Lewis's album Spirit has stormed into the chart at number one. But are fans getting value for money from these special releases?

Girls Aloud and Duffy are also releasing special versions of their albums, containing anything from unreleased interviews and demos to bonus DVDs, as Christmas approaches. But should fans be expected to spend £15.79 (recommended retail price) again on the same material to get the extras? "It's a two-finger salute to the loyal 200,000 fans who raced out to buy the original in its first week," says Yahoo! Music's chart expert James Masterson. "Fans are being punished. If you bought the original, you'd feel incredibly stupid. If only you'd put your money in the bank and spent it now."

'New stuff'

The original version of Leona Lewis' Spirit has been bought by more than two million people in the UK since its release just over a year ago. Now the repackaged release contains the same tracks as the original, but also has three new songs and a bonus DVD. So what should people do with the CD they have already bought? "Keep it!" said Leona Lewis in a recent BBC interview. "The new stuff will be available on iTunes if they just want the songs." But her cover of Snow Patrol's Run is not available as a single download until 1 December, two weeks after the deluxe edition album's release. And fans miss out on receiving new artwork and the "making of" Forgive Me video, unless they buy the new version. But Sony BMG says: "Deluxe editions are being led by fan demand." "Leona hasn't done much new material in the last year. But there is a real hunger for new tracks from her."

'Bizarre situation'

So why has the music industry fallen in love with deluxe versions of albums? The recent trend dates back to last year's special edition of Amy Winehouse's Back To Black, which contained live songs and her cover of The Zutons' Valerie. "You had the bizarre situation of the limited edition charting at one position and the other version charting at another," the Entertainment Retailers Association's Kim Bailey says. Record labels cottoned onto the wheeze and chart rules were relaxed in September, allowing deluxe and original versions of an album to count towards the same chart position. Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad deluxe edition, which came out in June, also attracts the ire of Yahoo!'s Masterton. Released more than a year after the original, which sold more than a million copies, the Reloaded edition had new artwork and three new tracks. "Rather than getting her to record a new album, they just tacked tracks onto the back of the old album and re-released it," he says. Universal UK's commercial director, Brian Rose, says: "If an artist brings incredible new content to us, we reserve the right to put it out and give the consumer more choice." But he adds: "We will always aim to release the deluxe edition date on date with the standard edition."

Alternative approaches

Many artists are doing just that - releasing deluxe and standard editions of their latest albums on the same date. Beyonce and Dido released different versions of their new albums last week and two editions of Britney Spears' Circus will be available from 1 December. Some artists are taking alternative approaches. Bloc Party released a digital edition of their new album Intimacy in August. Fans could pay £5 for the digital version or £10 to receive the digital version immediately and an extended version through the post two months later. And Coldplay are releasing an EP, Prospekt's March, containing unreleased material from recordings for their latest album Viva la Vida. Faced with a changing music market, labels are experimenting with different formats as they battle to win over record buyers. Are deluxe editions here to stay? In the long run, fans will decide with their wallets.

MICHAEL Jackson has converted to Islam and changed his name to Mikaeel, according to reports.The singer wore traditional Islamic dress as he pledged his allegiance to the Koran at a friend's home in Los Angeles, The Sun reports.Jackson, who was raised a Jehovah's Witness, reportedly decided to convert after discussing religion with a music producer and songwriter on his new album - both of whom were converts to Islam.The Sun reported singer Yousef Islam - formerly knowns as Cat Stevens - turned up to help Jackson celebrate.
Jackson is due to give evidence in court next week after being sued by Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, second son of the King of Bahrain.Sheikh Abdulla, who is seeking $US7 million ($10.7 million), claims he helped support the cash-strapped Jackson in the aftermath of his child molestation trial.Sheikh Abdulla claims Jackson promised to pay back the money, while Jackson says he thought it was a gift.Jackson is expected to give evidence to a London court via video link from LA.