Amy Winehouse found dead

Singer Amy Winehouse, whose drink and drug addictions overshadowed her sultry musical talents, was found dead at her London flat on Saturday. She was 27.

The Grammy award-winning soul singer, with her trademark beehive hairstyle, battled with her demons as documented in her biggest hit single “Rehab”. Her death is being treated as unexplained, police said.

Friends and fellow stars voiced their shock and sadness at her death, while fans began to gather and lay flowers candles and teddy bears at the police cordon outside her home in Camden, north London.

A London Ambulance Service (LAS) spokeswoman told AFP they were called to her home at 3:54 pm (1454 GMT) and sent two ambulance crews which arrived within five minutes, plus a cycle responder and a duty manager.

“Sadly the patient had died,” the spokeswoman said.

The road outside her house has been cordoned off and forensic officers were seen going in and out of the building.

A black private ambulance pulled up outside at around 8:45 pm (1945 GMT). Officials bearing a red body bag emerged from the building minutes later.

The police said the LAS called them at around 4:05 pm (1505 GMT) following reports of a woman found deceased.

“On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene,” Scotland Yard said in a statement.

“Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the death. At this early stage it is being treated as unexplained.”

One neighbour reported hearing screaming coming from the house in the early hours of Saturday.

The singer had a European comeback tour schedule but pulled out following a disastrous opening performance in Serbia on June 18.

In the run-up to her live return, Winehouse spent a week at an addiction treatment clinic in London, reportedly at the suggestion of her father, Mitch, over concerns that she was drinking too much.

A spokesman for the late singer said her father was aware of her death and making his way back from New York.

“Everyone involved with Amy is shocked and devastated. Our thoughts are with her family and friends. The family will issue a statement when ready,” he said.

Her record label Universal said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened at the sudden loss of such a gifted musician, artist and performer. Our prayers go out to Amy’s family, friends and fans at this difficult time.”

Winehouse rocketed to fame after winning five Grammy awards off the back of her 2006 second album “Back to Black” and the hit single “Rehab”.

Her comeback tour lasted one performance last month when she was booed at the opening performance in Belgrade, apparently too drunk to sing.

Some 20,000 people gathered for the highly-promoted concert, but many soon left.

During the 90-minute gig, Winehouse could only mumble some of the lyrics, failing to follow her band.

She left the stage twice, with many fans showing their displeasure despite her band’s attempts to calm the crowd.

“Amy Winehouse is withdrawing from all scheduled performances,” a statement from her representatives said.

“Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best and she will be given as long as it takes for this to happen.”

She had also been scheduled to perform in Istanbul, Athens, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Poland.

She made her final public appearance at The Roundhouse venue in Camden on Wednesday, joining her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield on stage.

She danced with Bromfield and encouraged the audience to buy the 15-year-old’s album before leaving.

Bromfield performed at a festival in Wales shortly after news broke of Winehouse’s death. She left straight afterwards.

Producer Mark Ronson, who worked closely with Winehouse, said: “She was my musical soulmate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life.”

Known for her distinctive voice and beehive hairstyle, Winehouse’s debut album “Frank” was released in 2003 and brought her wide acclaim. It went triple platinum in Britain.

The follow-up, “Back to Black”, was a worldwide smash hit, reaching number one in Britain and number two in the US charts. It went six times platinum in Britain and double platinum in the United States.

She married Blake Fielder-Civil in Miami in May 2007 but they had a tempestuous relationship. He spent part of their marriage behind bars for a vicious attack on a pub landlord and a subsequent attempt to cover it up.

They divorced in July 2009.

Victoria Beckham gives birth

Victoria Beckham has given birth to a girl.

The fashion designer and her soccer star husband David welcomed their daughter into the world at 7.55am this morning (2.55am NZT). The tot weighed in at 7lbs. 10oz, although her name hasn't been released yet.

"David and Victoria Beckham are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter," the couple's spokesperson said.

"Happy and healthy she arrived at 7.55am this morning at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles."

David and Victoria already have three sons, Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, eight, and six-year-old Cruz. All three boys are said to be thrilled about the new arrival.

"Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz are excited to welcome their new baby sister to the family," the representative added.

The pair's daughter was born by caesarean section.

David and Victoria, 37, have both spoken about their excitement at becoming parents again before, with both admitting they were thrilled to be having a daughter.

"Obviously, having three boys, you kind of expect another one, so finding out a little girl is in there is surprising, but, obviously, we are over the moon," said David, 36, after the pregnancy was announced.

Victoria Beckham orders Louboutin for unborn daughter

Victoria Beckham has asked French designer Christian Louboutin to create a pair of baby shoes for her unborn daughter.

According to a source, the star even asked for the boots to include the labels trademark red soles.

The former Spice Girl is renowned for her love of fashion and is always seen in the latest catwalk creations.

''Forget Suri Cruise, this baby is going to be seriously cool,” a friend of the Beckhams told British newspaper The Sun.

It was also revealed that the Victoria has been secretly buying clothes for a baby girl for years.

The designer, who is expected to give birth via Caesarean section tomorrow, would pretend to buy gifts for friends and then stash the girly items at home to save for a future daughter.

An insider revealed that the mother-of-three has been longing for a girl for a long time.

''Victoria loves her three sons, but wants a girl to be with her while they're playing football with Dad," the source said.

Xzibit disgusted by planking

Rapper/actor Xzibit is disgusted by the current craze for 'planking' after learning the awkward position was once used in the slave trade.

Stars including Katy Perry, Chris Brown, Demi Moore, Rosario Dawson , Carl Fletcher & Vaughan Smith have all declared their love for the internet phenomenon, which sees people posting online pictures of themselves lying face down like a plank of wood in unusual locations.

However, the hip-hop star is fuming that 'planking' is so popular, as slaves were made to lie in similar positions in ships' cramped cargo holds as they were transported between countries.

In a series of posts on his Twitter.com page, he writes, "Planking is the dumbest s**t ever. Planking was a way to transport slaves on ships during the slave trade, it's not funny. Educate yourselves.

"Don't get it twisted. I care less where your dumb a**es lay face down and take pictures of the s**t, I'm just telling you where it came from."

Kim Kardashian: 'I quit!'

Curvaceous Kim Kardashian has come a long way since her infamous sex tape - she's now a household name worth a whopping $33.2 million.

As undoubtedly the most famous - and bankable - of the Kardashians, the 30-year-old beauty is now convinced she doesn't need her family's help to remain in the spotlight, and has threatened to quit the Keeping Up With The Kardashians series, claiming she's outgrown it.

"Kim sees her marriage as a new beginning," the source explains, adding that the buxom brunette wants to focus on her other business projects. "Kim is actively trying to re-brand herself."

Paris Hilton dates Hangover director

Paris Hilton's new romance with Todd Phillips appears to be heating up, with the pair seemingly inseparable.

Director Todd and socialite Paris have been seen together three times in the past week, including when they were caught kissing in a Hollywood nightclub last Thursday.

They were spotted leaving a restaurant in Malibu yesterday and enjoyed the Independence Day weekend partying.

Onlookers at a star-studded celebrity bash they attended were surprised by how open they were being about their romance.

"They were getting very friendly and didn't mind who saw," an onlooker is quoted as saying in British newspaper The Daily Mail.

"Paris couldn't keep her hands off Todd and he was loving the attention. He looked like the cat who got the cream."

Bradley Cooper, who stars in The Hangover movies Todd is famous for, was also in attendance at the party, as was Scottish heartthrob Gerard Butler.

Paris, 30, split from long term boyfriend Cy Waits just last month.

Lindsay Lohan turns 25, celebrates freedom

Lindsay Lohan celebrated her 25th birthday on Saturday, just three days after being released from house arrest, which she served for 35 days for violating her probation.

Following her release, Lohan attended a friend's going away dinner at the Lexington Social House in Hollywood, where she was hounded by photographers and nearly fell. The actress took to Twitter to defend her near-fall, posting a photo of her platform shoes, which she blamed along with the "psychotic paparazzi."

"Of course me going to my best friends going away dinner is a headline, especially on my first day out of my house in 35 days," Lohan wrote on Twitter. " That does not give anyone the right to have a field day and manifest stories. IT WAS A GOING AWAY DINNER THAT WAS IT. Nothing exciting happened aside from the very yummy hummus and pita. If anyone caused me to nearly fall it was the psychotic paparazzi."

Lohan was photographed with friends, including actor Emile Hirsch and "Kick-Ass" actress Lyndsy Fonseca.

The actress is expected to celebrate her birthday with friends, including her ex-girlfriend Samantha Ronson in the Hamptons, New York, according to the Daily Mail.

In April, a judge had sentenced Lohan to jail after she pleaded guilty to theft in a missing $2,500 necklace case. It was determined that the charge constituted a violation of the actress' probation regarding a 2007 drunk driving and cocaine possession case.

Lohan turned herself in at a Los Angeles-area jail on May 26 and was told she could serve her sentence at home and be monitored electronically. The actress also had her punishment reduced from 120 days to 35. Lohan's house arrest was lifted on Wednesday at 10:20 a.m. local time, according to a police report obtained by OnTheRedCarpet.com.

Now that Lohan is free, she must fulfill the other part of her punishment given over her theft case - community service. In addition to being given three more years of probation, the actress was also ordered to complete 480 community service hours at a women's shelter and in a morgue, undergo psychological counseling, attend a Shoplifters Alternative class and pay several fines.

She had begun her community service duties before she was put under house arrest and was ordered to resume her duties after her release. Her spokesperson said in a statement obtained by OnTheRedCarpet.com that Lohan said on Tuesday that she is eager to get back to fulfilling her community service obligations.

After her release, Lindsay Lohan was seen stepping outside and heading into an SUV. She later Tweeted that she "had a great day" at the Los Angeles women's shelter, where she must complete part of her community service hours.

Lohan served time in jail with other inmates several times for stints that have lasted between 84 minutes and 14 days - a sentence reduced from 90 days, mostly due to overcrowding.

Crystal Harris still loves Hugh Hefner

Sources have revealed that model Crystal Harris still loves her ex-fiance and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner "very much".

Despite dumping the octogenarian less than a week before their wedding, 25-year-old Harris still harbors feelings for him.

Despite dumping the octogenarian less than a week before their wedding, 25-year-old Harris still harbors feelings for him.

"She knows what's right for her life and it's her life and you only have one. I know that she loves Hef very much," Contactmusic quoted friend Heidi Montag as telling Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show.