Soft-spoken 18-year-old American wins Miss World

Alexandria Mills of the US, front center, reacts after being crowned as winner of the 2010 Miss World pageant contest at the Beauty Crown Cultural Center in Sanya, in southern China's island province Hainan, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010.

The newest Miss World is from the United States.

Alexandria Mills, a soft-spoken 18-year-old, was named the winner in Saturday night's contest in southern China. The tall blonde was a relative surprise winner after speculation focused on other contestants.

Second place went to Emma Wareus of Botswana, and Adriana Vasini of Venezuela came third.

The host country's own contestant, Tang Xiao, also was among the final five.

According to a brief biography on the Miss World website, Mills calls Louisville, Kentucky, her hometown, and she recently graduated from high school. She would like to become a teacher.

"I've never met a stranger and enjoy meeting new people," she says in the bio.

For the final, she was wearing a shimmering ivory-colored dress slit up the leg.

Mills takes over the title from Kaiane Aldorino of Gibraltar, who was named Miss World 2009 at a ceremony in South Africa last December.

Women from more than 100 countries participated in the contest, organizers said.

This is the 60th year of the Miss World Competition, and organizers brought back contestants from past decades to give the night a retrospective theme.

Robert Pattinson's romantic board games

Robert Pattinson's romantic board games

Robert Pattinson:Robert Pattinson planning voodoo 'wedding'

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have become avid fans of playing board games.

The couple host "game nights" on the set of their new movie 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn' challenging each other to games of family favourites including chess, Monopoly and Scrabble.

The competitive duo - who play lovers in the hit vampire series - have also invited co-stars Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene to join them to beat the boredom during filming breaks.

But Robert, 24, and Kristen, 21, have become so obsessed with winning the games have sometimes ended in rows.

A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "Rob and Kristen have hours to burn on set and have got massively into board games.

"It gets competitive. There have been tantrums over snakes and ladders."

Kristen's enthusiasm for board games will come as no surprise to Robert who has admitted he fell for the star because she is so down-to-earth.

The heartthrob actor - who stars as vampire Edward Cullen opposite Kristen, who plays Bella Swan in the franchise - has praised her for being a "real woman".

Robert, who has never confirmed they are dating, said: "What I especially like about her is that she's like me, not dizzy from fans and press attention. She stays true to herself and very smart for her age."

Michael Jackson top-earning dead celebrity

A card with a photograph of late entertainer Michael Jackson is placed among flowers during an event to commemorate the first anniversary of his death, in Leipzig, June 25, 2010.

Michael Jackson's sudden death sparked an outpouring of grief around the world, but fans also opened their wallets to make him this year's top-earning dead celebrity with $275 million, Forbes said on Monday.

Jackson raked in more than the combined total of the other 12 celebrities on the list, Forbes magazine said. He was ranked third on last year's list with $90 million.

Elvis Presley came in second, earning $60 million from admissions to his former home, Graceland, which is now a museum and tourist attraction in Memphis, Tennessee, a Cirque de Soleil show and more than 200 licensing and merchandise deals.

"Jackson's spot atop our top earning dead celebrities list should come as no surprise given the renewed fan interest in music, videos and all things Michael Jackson," said Forbes writer Lacey Rose.

Jackson was 50 when he died in his Los Angeles home on June 25 last year, shortly before a planned series of comeback concerts in London. The singer left behind three children and a debt of $500 million.

But his estate has generated millions since his death, mostly through record sales, the "This Is It" concert movie, licensing rights, deals to release new albums and a Cirque du Soleil stage show in Las Vegas.

"Thanks to a lucrative catalog, hit film and album sales, the late king of pop earned more in the last year than Lady Gaga, Madonna and Jay-Z, combined," said Rose.

Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is awaiting trial on a charge that he is responsible for the singer's death by administering a powerful anesthetic to help him sleep.

STEINBRENNER, LARSSON NEWCOMERS

"The Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien, whose trilogy of novels was made into films by director Peter Jackson, came in at No. 3 on the Forbes list with earnings of $50 million, while Charles Schulz, the creator of Charlie Brown and Snoopy, came in fourth with $33 million.

Former Beatle John Lennon, who would have turned 70 this year, was ranked No. 5 with an income of $17 million.

"Many of the deceased icons on our list offer the marketing community name recognition, broad cultural appeal and, unlike their living counterparts, an indelible image that can't be damaged by a rehab stint or tabloid story," Rose said.

Presley, Tolkien, Schulz and Lennon all appeared on last year's list, which was topped by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent with $350 million after the sale of much of his estate. But Saint Laurent dropped off the list this year along with author Michael Crichton an artist Andy Warhol.

Along with Jackson, newcomers to this year's list included Yankees baseball team owner George Steinbrenner at No. 9 with $8 million, and Swedish author Stieg Larsson, who wrote the popular mystery Millennium Trilogy novels that began with "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," at No. 6 with $18 million.

A deceased celebrity needed to earn at least $5 million between October 1, 2009 and October 1, 2010 to make this year's list, Forbes said. The magazine spoke to agents, lawyers and other sources to estimate annual gross earnings.

The full list can be seen at www.forbes.com/deadcelebs

Lindsay Lohan leaves rehab

Lindsay Lohan left rehab last night (21.10.10).

The troubled actress - who had been undergoing a rehab treatment programme at the Betty Ford Clinic in Los Angeles since September 28 - left the centre ahead of her probation violation court hearing this morning.

The 'Machete' actress is expected to be sentenced to either more jail time - up to a year behind bars - or receive a further court-appointed rehab stay when she stands in front of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden Fox today (22.10.10).

She was sentenced to four weeks in jail on September 24 for violating her probation order after testing positive in drugs tests, but was released hours later.

Her lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley has been desperately trying to arrange a meeting with the judge before today, but was turned down.

But her team are apparently "expecting the worse" after her requests were turned down.

It is believed her mother Dina joined Lindsay in the centre on Wednesday (20.10.10), ahead of her daughter's release.

A source said: "She told me she saw Lindsay and she's feeling really well and doing great. Now, they're just anxiously awaiting Friday's court appearance."

Meanwhile, Lindsay's estranged father Michael has claimed he was attacked outside his home in Santa Monica, California, last night.

Gossip website TMZ reported: "He was getting into his car shortly before 10pm when someone came up behind him and started to choke him. Michael is telling cops he fought with the suspect before the man took off running."

Michael claims the man, aged in his 50s or 60s, was wearing a black running suite when he attacked him before running off.

The Santa Monica Police Department received an emergency call and raced to the scene to find Michael shirtless, apparently with scratches over his neck.

Police are investigating.

Katy Perry to sit on wedding throne

Katy Perry and Russell Brand will sit on giant thrones for their wedding ceremony.

The pair - who are rumoured to be getting married in India on Saturday (23.10.10) - have chosen the ornate seats for their traditional Indian wedding ceremony which is set to take place at the luxury Aman-i-Khas resort in Rajasthan.

When they tried out the thrones Katy and Russell are said to have "burst out laughing".

The couple started the week-long celebration last night (21.10.10) with a Bollywood-style feast featuring dancers and snake-charmers.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "They are very much keeping to Indian tradition. There will be feasting and dancing. And Katy will be painted head-to-toe in henna tattoos."

Rajasthan Tours manager Mohan Singh, whose company is helping to organise the event confirmed both Russell, 35, and 25-year-old Katy want a traditional wedding.

He told the USA Today newspaper: "This would be a colourful Rajasthan wedding, and both Brand and Perry will be attired in Indian wedding attires."

He also revealed the couple have hired 13 vehicles to take some of their 80 guests on tours of the Ranthambore National Park wildlife sanctuary in the days following the nuptials.

Singh also revealed Russell and Katy will be staying in a luxury tent at the Aman-i-Khas resort, just outside the sanctuary, with guests staying at the nearby Vanyavilas and Sher Bagh resorts.

Eva Longoria's Swiss home

Eva Longoria Parker has bought a third home in Switzerland.

The 'Desperate Housewives' actress and her husband Tony Parker have splashed out on a luxury apartment overlooking Lake Geneva and the basketball player was taken with the property as soon as he saw it.

He said: "It has the most beautiful view that I've ever had the opportunity to see.

"Being very near to the international Geneva is the ideal conjunction of tranquil countryside and urban life, perfect for my holiday."

The couple - who also have homes in Los Angeles and San Antonio, where Tony plays basketball - are believed to have splashed out $8 million on the two-bedroom apartment, which is part of the old Du Parc hotel and will be ready by 2012.

While she has just bought a home in Switzerland, Eva has previously revealed she would like to move to France when she retires from acting because it's where Tony grew up.

"I feel at home when I go there. So for me to actually be there is always a joy.

"I have been learning a lot of French and I cook a lot of French food."

Alicia Keys gives birth to Egypt

Alicia Keys has given birth to her first child, a baby boy called Egypt.

The 'Empire State of Mind' singer and her husband Swizz Beatz were celebrating the safe arrival of their first child together, Egypt Daoud Dean on Thursday (14.10.10).

Their spokesperson confirmed: "Swizz 'Kaseem Dean' Beatz, 32, and Alicia Keys, 29, joyfully welcomed their first child together, a son Egypt Daoud Dean on October 14 on New York City. Egypt is welcomed by Beatz's three other children."

The couple - who wed on the French island of Corsica in a romantic and intimate ceremony this summer - are delighted at the latest addition to their brood.

Shortly after Alicia gave birth, Swizz tweeted: "I'm so thankful for everything I been blessed with in my life wowwwwww! (sic)"

Egypt will be a younger brother to the rapper's sons Prince Nasir Dean, Kaseem Dean Jr. and daughter Nicole, from previous relationships.

Prince Nasir was his father's best man during his recent wedding, and handed over the rings to his dad and new stepmother.

Katy Perry wedding date revealed

Katy Perry and Russell Brand are planning to marry in India next weekend.

The couple are set to wed next Saturday (23.10.10) in a traditional Indian ceremony at the luxury Taj Rambagh Palace hotel in Jaipur- where they got engaged on New Year's Eve (31.12.09) last year-in front of 85 guests.

It is believed the pair - who have been dating since September 2009 - will take the entire wedding party for a tiger safari during a three-day stay at Rajasthan wilderness camp the Aman-i-Khas, before the ceremony.

Russell, 35, recently claimed the ceremony will be low-key, despite reports of a six-day bash and said the couple don't want a typical celebrity wedding.

He explained: "We just love each other and we want to get married in front of our friends and family and keep it very normal. It ain't about selling the pictures, it ain't about doing no pre-nup, it's just a normal thing.

"I'm trying to preserve it, to keep it a beautiful thing. I think people get the wrong idea on how we want the wedding to play out. Love between two people is the most spectacular yet ordinary thing in the world."

Despite the British comedian's claims that he and Katy, 25 are a low-key couple, he did joke that they could make a sex tape together.

When asked if they would ever star in a film together, Russell replied: "We'll do a sex tape! Give them what they want!"

Malaysia Islamists object to Adam Lambert concert

Malaysia's Islamist opposition party on Monday demanded that authorities cancel a planned concert by U.S. glam rocker Adam Lambert that they say is promoting "gay culture" in the mainly Muslim country.

The Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) has also threatened to call "as many of its members and supporters" to proselytize to concert-goers if the performance by the former "American Idol" runner-up goes ahead on Thursday, a party official said.

"Adam Lambert's shows...are outrageous, with lewd dancing and a gay performance that includes kissing male dancers, this is not good for people in our country," said PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hasan. Homosexual sex is a criminal offense in Malaysia.

PAS is Malaysia's second-largest political party with close to a million members and is a partner in a rainbow opposition grouping led by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Foreign acts often draw protests from PAS, which since 2007 has campaigned against performances by singers including Beyonce, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne and Mariah Carey.

Police in May broke up a demonstration by Islamists including PAS supporters protesting against a concert by U.S. rapper Pitbull, underscoring a deepening tide of Islamic conservatism in the country.

An official from Malaysia's Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry was reported saying that the singer, had signed a contract agreeing to abide by the Ministry's rules on performances, which can require foreign performers to tone down their acts to suit local sensibilities.

David Beckham pays big bucks for sandwich

David Beckham paid $100 for a sandwich.

The soccer star reportedly headed straight to the Barclay Prime restaurant on a recent visit to Philadelphia, where he splashed out on the expensive version of the region's traditional dish Philly cheesesteak - thinly sliced steak and cheese served in a long roll.

The restaurant's gourmet sandwich is made from "sliced Kobe beef, melted Taleggio cheese, shaved truffles, sauteed foie gras, caramelised onions and shaved heirloom tomatoes on a homemade brioche roll brushed with truffle butter and squirted with homemade mustard".

Local residents were amazed to see Los Angeles Galaxy player David - who has three sons, Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, eight, and Cruz, four, with his wife Victoria Beckham - tucking into the calorific treat, while others are unhappy the sandwich has received such an expensive makeover.

One resident Samuel Lehrer said: "You shouldn't mess with the Philadelphia cheesesteak. Let it alone."

Robert Pattinson's anonymous date

Cast members Robert Pattinson (L) and Kristen Stewart pose at the premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" during the Los Angeles Film Festival at Nokia theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles June 24, 2010.

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart went unrecognised at a recent gig.

The 'Twilight' stars - who have long been rumoured to be a real life couple - attended a concert by the band Jenny and Johnny at Troubadour in Los Angeles earlier this week, and managed to enjoy a night of almost complete anonymity despite their global fame.

A source said: "It's very easy for people to blend in which they did amazingly well.

"Almost nobody recognised the two while they were there. The staff was aware, as they get famous people watching shows there all the time and are willing to accommodate their needs if needed."

Despite managing to go unseen by the majority of concert-goers, some did notice they were behaving as if they were a couple and spent the night "extremely close" to each other.

The onlooker told Hollywood Life: "They were close to each other with Kristen in front of Rob almost all night. They never hid the fact they were obviously a couple, they were extremely close the entire time they both were there.

"It looked like they were both enjoying the music but it was Kristen who enjoyed it the most as she was seen singing the songs and there were times she sang songs to Rob, while Rob just smiled and laughed that Kristen was loving it."

It is the second time this week the couple have ventured out and made it clear they were romantically involved - last Saturday (02.10.10) the pair enjoyed a meal out at top Hollywood restaurant Soho House.

A source said: "They were staring at each other throughout dinner and kept stealing quick kisses from one another during the night. Rob's arm was around her for most of dinner and they kept looking at each other and giggling throughout the evening. They are definitely into each other."

Lady Gaga "more powerful" than Nancy Pelosi: Forbes

Singer Lady Gaga speaks at a rally in Portland, Maine, September 20, 2010 urging members of the Senate to repeal the military rule banning openly gay people from serving in the armed forces.

The Forbes list of the world's most powerful women includes Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga, Beyonce Knowles and Ellen DeGeneres, all of whom apparently wield more power than the woman who is second in line for U.S. president.

The annual list, released late Wednesday, places Winfrey third. The talk-show queen is worth $2.7 billion and earned $315 million in the past year, but beyond wealth Forbes takes into account executive position, creative influence and entrepreneurship.

No. 1 on the list is First Lady Michelle Obama. Forbes didn't calculate her and her husband's personal wealth or money earned in the last year, choosing instead to list in that category the country's national budget, which is $3.5 trillion.

After Winfrey, Lady Gaga, at No. 7, is the next media person on the list. She earned $62 million in the past year and, according to Forbes, "single-handedly reinvigorated pop music and pop culture."

Next in media, at No. 9, is Knowles, who earned $87 million and whose music is a favorite of Michelle Obama's, according to Forbes.

Former "American Idol" judge DeGeneres is 10th on the list and earned $55 million. Forbes noted that she recently gave a $30,000 college scholarship to a gay teenager who challenged a high school policy against same-sex prom dates.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who would be in line for the presidency after Vice President Joe Biden, is 11th on the list. Like Michelle Obama, her "money" category consists of the national budget.

Sarah Palin, who Forbes puts in the media category, is No. 16. Her title is "political maverick and commentator," but unlike most others on the list, her entry doesn't include a "money" category. Instead, she gets a "media buzz" category, which says she has 2.3 million Facebook friends and that if you search for her name online you'll get 44 million results.

Other media personalities on the list include Angelina Jolie (No. 21), Katie Couric (No. 22), Arianna Huffington (No. 28), Madonna (No. 29) and Sarah Jessica Parker (No. 45).

2010 Forbes Most Powerful Women In The World top 10:

1. Michelle Obama, US First Lady

2. Irene Rosenfeld, chief executive Kraft Foods

3. Oprah Winfrey, media mogul

4. Angela Merkel, German Chancellor

5. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State

6. Indra Nooyi, chief executive, Pepsi

7. Lady Gaga, singer

8. Gail Kelly, chief executive, Westpac

9. Beyonce Knowles, singer and fashion designer

10. Ellen DeGeneres, talk show host

Lady Gaga wants British wedding

Lady Gaga wants to get married in a British castle.

The 'Bad Romance' hitmaker has reportedly told members of her stage crew that she wants to tie the knot with rumoured boyfriend Luc Carl after performing her UK shows in December.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Lady Gaga has told everyone she plans to get married. She has said she wants a fairytale wedding in a castle.

"We finish the European leg in London just before Christmas and the timing is perfect for the wedding."

According to the insider, the eccentric singer has a string of wishes for her big day, including arriving in a horse-drawn carriage, wearing wedding rings similar to Elvis Presley's horseshoe ring and to have burlesque star Dita Von Teese spring from a cake and perform one of her raunchy routines.

It was recently claimed the 'Poker Face' singer - who first dated Luc in 2005 before rekindling their romance recently - plans to buy a British castle, fuelling speculation she wants to host her wedding in her own house.

A source said recently: "No expense will be spared in her quest to make this dream come true.

"It's her childhood dream and she's particularly interested in castles in the north of England or Scotland."

Paris Hilton to show her real life in new TV show

Paris Hilton is headed back to television -- this time in what is billed as a behind the scenes look at the life and friends of the jet-setting socialite and model.

The Oxygen television network, which is aimed at young women, has given the go-ahead to a reality series that brings "an all-encompassing look at her life, friends, family, and relationships, all that's not represented every day," original programing chief Amy Introcaso-Davis said in a statement on Thursday.

The show will also feature Hilton's friends Brooke Mueller -- the estranged wife of "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen -- and former Playboy model turned photographer Jennifer Rovero, along with her mother Kathy Hilton.

The show has no name or air date as yet.

Hilton, 29, the great-granddaughter of Hilton hotels founder Conrad Hilton, appeared with friend Nicole Richie in "The Simple Life" years ago and searched for a best friend in the MTV series "My New BFF" in 2008.

A business woman with lines of fashion, hair, fragrance and shoes that she either helps design or endorses, Hilton is rarely out of the news.

Last week, she pleaded guilty in Las Vegas to cocaine possession, and the next day was refused entry to Japan to take part in a fashion show.

In 2007, she famously spent three weeks in jail in Los Angeles for violating her probation on a reckless driving charge.

Oxygen said the new TV show would follow Hilton "as she enters the next stage of her life."