Madonna to build girls' school in Malawi: lawyer

Reuters

LILONGWE - U.S. pop diva Madonna plans to start building a multi-million-dollar girls' school in Malawi for underprivileged children this year, her local lawyer said on Wednesday.

"A task force of four prominent Malawians has already been formed to head the project which will be on the scale of what Oprah Winfrey has in South Africa," Madonna's lawyer Alan Chinula told Reuters.

"It is a multi-million dollar project and we will get the real costs in the next two weeks."

Billionaire U.S. television magnate Winfrey has built a $40 million all-girl leadership academy in South Africa which boasts state-of-the-art facilities including laboratories, a yoga studio and beauty salon.

Malawi's High Court is expected to approve Madonna's bid to adopt two-year-old Malawian David Banda on Thursday. Malawi's government and David's father -- his only surviving parent -- have endorsed the adoption.

Madonna will not attend the final court ruling on her adoption bid because she is busy with other engagements, Chinula said on Tuesday.

The adoption has been controversial, with critics accusing the government of skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children in Malawi, which has been ravaged by an AIDS epidemic that has produced more than one million orphans.

Source:http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=118255

Beyonce and Jay-Z marriage is official

Reuters
NEW YORK - The marriage of singer-actress Beyonce Knowles and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z is official -- the couple have filed a wedding license, a town clerk in a New York City suburb said on Tuesday.

The couple held a lavish private celebration in Manhattan on April 4 but have been mum about details of their wedding.

"The license was sent back to our office on Friday," said Donna Conkling, the town clerk of Scarsdale Village in suburban Westchester County.

Houston-born Knowles, 26, and Brooklyn native and former street hustler Jay-Z, 38, whose real name is Shawn Carter, have been romantically linked since September 2002.

Beyonce rose to fame as a member of the R&B act Destiny's Child but emerged as a superstar in her own right with her big-screen turn as Foxxy Cleopatra in the 2002 film comedy "Austin Powers in Goldmember." The following year she scored a hit with her debut solo album, "Dangerously in Love," collecting five Grammys along the way.

She earned a Golden Globe nomination in 2006 for her role as a Diana Ross-like character in "Dreamgirls," a film adaptation of the Broadway hit musical.

Her marriage to Jay-Z comes as the hip-hop artist and record executive is in talks with concert promoter Live Nation for a deal reported to be worth about $150 million, rivaling the biggest music contracts ever.

He ran the rap label Def Jam Records as president for several years but stepped down from that post in December. He also co-owns the New Jersey Nets professional basketball team.

Source:http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=115884

Boracay Beach - Philippines

Boracay is a tropical island located approximately 315km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2km off the northwest tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak (3 of the 17 barangays which make up the municipality of Malay), and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan.

Geography
Boracay Island is located off the northwest corner of the island of Panay, and belongs to the Western Visayas island-group, or Region VI, of the Philippines. The island is approximately seven kilometers long, dog-bone shaped with the narrowest spot being less than one kilometer wide, and has a total land area of 10.32 square kilometers.

South-facing Cagban Beach is located across a small strait from the jetty port at Caticlan on Panay island, and the Cagban jetty port serves as Boracay's main entry and exit point during most of the year. When wind and sea conditions dictate, east-facing Tambisaan Beach serves as an alternative entry and exit point.

Boracay's two primary tourism beaches, White Beach and Bulabog Beach, are located on opposite sides of the island's narrow central area. White Beach faces westwards and Bulabog Beach faces eastwards. The island also has several other beaches.

White Beach is the main tourism beach. It is a bit over four kilometers long and is lined with resorts, hotels, lodging houses, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses. In the central portion, for about two kilometers, there is a footpath known as the Beachfront Path separating the beach itself from the establishments located along it. North and south of the Beachfront Path, beachfront establishments do literally front along the beach itself. Several roads and paths connect the Beachfront Path with Boracay's Main Road, a vehicular road which runs the length of the island. At the extreme northern end of White Beach, a footpath runs around the headland there and connects White Beach with Diniwid Beach.

Bulabog Beach, across the island from White Beach, is a secondary tourism beach and Boracay's main windsurfing and kiteboarding area.

Facilities

Boracay is the site of a world-class 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by Graham Marsh. In addition, Boracay now has in excess of 350 beach resorts with more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodations, so tourists are sure to find whatever they are looking for.

Boracay also offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs that bop until morning.

Events

Boracay is one competitive venue for the Asian Windsurfing Tour, with the week-long Boracay International Funboard Cup competition usually being held on Bulabog Beach each January..

The well-known Ati-Atihan Festival takes place each January in Kalibo on nearby Panay island. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated on Boracay, usually in the second or third week of January.

Dragon boat races are held annually on Boracay under the auspices of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation, with teams coming from around the Philippines and from other Asian nations to compete. The races usually take place sometime in April or May.

Since 2003, the Philippine Ultimate Association has been organizing the Boracay Open Asian Beach Ultimate Tournament, an ultimate frisbee event, which is usually held during summer.

The Olympic Council of Asia has announced that Boracay will host the 2014 Asian Beach Games.

Gallery

Gabby Concepcion signs up with ABS-CBN

by BOY VILLASANTA

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Controversial comeback actor Gabby Concepcion signed a three-picture contract with ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation’s Star Cinema Tuesday to revive his career in show business, which was put on hold for more than a decade.

According to Concepcion’s new manager, FLT Films producer Rose Flaminiano, her ward has a two-year contract with ABS-CBN. The contract gives him projects not only in the movies but television as well.

"A soap opera is being readied for him," said Flaminiano, also known as Mommy Rose in entertainment circles.

A film with Concepcion's daughter KC is underway, but according to Flaminiano, there will be immediate projects he has to consider before teaming up with his daughter.

Concepcion was warm when he met with former colleagues in the entertainment field, many of whom he has not seen since he left the country in the mid-nineties.

He said he is attuned to intrigues in show business. He is aware that he has been a subject of discussions whether he is here or in the US.

"Ang sabi nga ni Gretchen Barretto, life is never exciting without intrigues. Hindi ka pag-uusapan kung walang intriga," Concepcion said.

Dealing with court cases

Concepcion went back to the Philippines Sunday afternoon after a dozen years abroad. The following day, he immediately submitted himself to court procedures when he posted a bond worth P6,000 to the Metropolitan Manila Regional Trial Court on nine counts of falsification of documents including bigamy filed by his estranged wife Jenny Syquia.

Flaminiano said the cases were already stale since the petitioner had already signed an affidavit of desistance when the accused paid her a total of P9 million in damages.

"Sa batas kasi, kailangang present ang idinemanda para mapawalang-bisa ang kaso," said Flaminiano, whose husband Jose Flaminiano is a lawyer.

Concepcion is ready to face a lot of rumors including his supposed snub of actress Jolina Magdangal’s text messages when their planned teamup in a movie was temporarily shelved.

"I texted her. I didn’t ignore her," he said in his defense.

Meanwhile, the still-dashing matinee idol of the eighties wants to spend his early days in the country visiting friends and relatives he missed while he was away. One of the friends he wants to see is his one-time producer and adviser Boy C. de Guia who is living at the Golden Acres Home for the Aged.

"I wanna see him not immediately but I wanna find out what has happened to him and why is he confined (there)," he said.

Concepcion signed the contract with ABS-CBN in the presence of the company’s President Charo Santos-Concio, Star Cinema’s head Malou Santos and Concepcion's manager Flaminiano.

Bianca King and Kirk Long on the Cover of Bounce Magazine

The summer break issue of BOUNCE magazine, the only college culture magazine, features young actress Bianca King and Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles player Kirk Long on the cover.

They also have a feature on summer schools, UP, UST, ADMU, DLSU, DLSU-D, and San Beda, and a lot more

Final 'Harry Potter' movie split into two parts

Reuters

LOS ANGELES - Warner Bros. has conjured up some Hollywood magic for the final installment of the wildly popular "Harry Potter" movies, splitting the seventh and final book into two films, the movie studio said on Thursday.

Part one of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" will debut in late 2010 and be followed months later by part two.

"We feel that the best way to do the book, and its many fans, justice is to expand the screen adaptation of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' and release the film in two parts," Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said in a statement.

The first five films in the series have been huge hits with a total global box office nearing $4.5 billion. The sixth movie is now being filmed.

The movies are based on British author J.K. Rowling's best-selling fantasy novels about the adventures of boy wizard Harry Potter and his friends as they grow from kids into teenagers at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final book in Rowling's series, was published last July to huge fanfare, selling some 11.5 million copies in its first 10 days in the United States.

But the final volume is a long saga at more than 750 pages, and it is filled with many twists and turns as Harry and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley wrap up their story lines. Harry faces -- once and for all times -- the dark Lord Voldemort who murdered his parents.

Because of the many adventures in "Deathly Hallows," Rowling, the movies' producers and Warner Bros. all agreed that two movies were necessary to truly tell the end story.

"'The Deathly Hallows' is so rich, the story so dense and there is so much that is resolved that after discussing it with Jo, we came to the conclusion that the two parts were needed to do it justice," said producer David Heyman, who first took the project to Warner Bros. in 1997.

The books and movies also have been a huge money maker beyond theater box offices and DVDs. They have spawned products from toys to T-shirts to a planned theme park.

By some estimates, "Harry Potter" represents a $20 billion business, so an eighth film will likely only expand the enterprise.

Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry, and his co-stars Emma Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron) are now filming the sixth movie -- "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." All three have said they would appear in "Deathly Hallows."
Source: www.asb-cbnnews.com

Marian Rivera is the new Dyesebel

Marian Rivera who is known as Marimar in the hit tv series of GMA 7 which is said to end this march will again be playing the upcoming fantaserye of GMA 7's Dyesebel.

No doubt she is the hottest star today and the hottest property of GMA 7. This tv series will be directed by Joyce Bernal who also directs Marimar.

Sharon off to UK end of the month

By BOY VILLASANTA
abs-cbnNEWS.com


If plans push through, Megastar Sharon Cuneta will be going to the United Kingdom next week to shoot her remaining scenes in her new movie “Caregiver.”

The movie, under ABS-CBN's Star Cinema, tells the story of a Filipina who moves heaven and earth just to give her family a decent living in the Philippines by doing caregiving jobs abroad.

According to director Chito Roño, this is the first time that he has directed Sharon in a film. “Pero sa TV, ang dami na naming nagawa. (But we have made so many shows on TV),” said Roño.

Roño said Sharon has to fulfill other commitments before going to London. “Ibang klaseng Sharon ang aarte. (It's a different Sharon who you will see acting.) This is her most challenging role so far, I believe,” Roño told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

"She's a fantastic actress," he added.

The multiawarded director said he is taking a short break while preparing for the rigorous shooting schedule in London. He said he is aspiring to make the best movie yet for the Megastar but stops short in saying that the film could reap awards.

“Hindi naman ako gumagawa ng pelikula para sa award. Basta maganda ang gusto kong pelikula at magugustuhan ng tao. (I don’t make movies to win awards. As long as I love the film and the people like it)," he said.

He said Makisig Morales, who played the lead role in ABS-CBN's “Super Inggo” series, plays a very important role in the movie.

“Hindi ko pa naididirek si Makisig. Sa UK pa kami makakapagtrabaho. (I haven’t directed Makisig yet. We will work together in the UK). I’m kinda excited about the boy,” Roño volunteered.

"Caregiver" also stars actor John Estrada.

Magazine's Valentine Issue features country's Hottest Loveteams Today

The powehouse loveteam of Piolo Pascual and Angel Locsin is the valentine's cover issue of S Magazine while the ultimate loveteam of Gerald Anderson and Kim Chui is the cover issue of Meg Magazine for the "love" month.

There's something about the chemistry of this two loveteams that can hook the attention of people of different ages. This is the reason why they are the country's hottest loveteams today.
Technorati Profile

Britney Spears' father retains control of star: court

Agence France-Presse

LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears' father will remain in charge of the pop star's affairs until February 14, a Los Angeles judge ruled Monday after a day of legal wrangling for control of the singer's assets.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz said Jamie Spears and an attorney would keep powers of conservatorship over Spears, who was admitted to a psychiatric ward last week amid renewed fears for her mental health.

A lawyer for Spears on Monday asked Goetz to revoke an order issued on Friday granting her father control of her assets and business dealing, asking the court to instead replace Jamie Spears with Northern Trust Bank.

However the request was turned down after Goetz said she needed more information on Spears capacity to understand the proceedings and to hire her own lawyer. A further hearing has been scheduled for February 14.

In a separate development, Goetz ordered Spears manager and confidante Sam Lutfi not to have any email or telephone contact with the singer.

Lutfi has been engaged in a battle with her parents, who reportedly believe he is putting their daughter's health and assets at risk.

In another hearing on Monday, a judge postponed a court date over Spears' attempts to regain visitation rights to her two sons, two-year-old Sean Preston and one-year-old Jayden James.

Last week's hospital drama is the latest in a series of setbacks for Spears, who was rushed to hospital for the second time in less than a month.

In the earlier incident, the singer was wheeled out of her home following a stand-off which began when she refused to release her two children to ex-husband Kevin Federline's bodyguard.

A judge limited Spears' access to her children in October after she failed to submit to random drug testing as demanded at an earlier hearing where the court ruled she was a "habitual and continuous drug user."

Spears has been rarely out of the tabloid headlines since her split from Federline in late 2006.

She was repeatedly photographed out partying while wearing no underwear, bizarrely shaved her head at a public salon, and attacked a paparazzi's car with an umbrella before finally entering rehab.

Soure: abs-cbnnews.com

Is Echo slowly winning over Heart's parents?

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Is it really wealth--or the lack of it--that keeps actor Jericho Rosales an outsider when it comes to the family of his longtime girlfriend, actress Heart Evangelista?

We can be naughty and read into the Echo's quip to Heart, "Ang yaman-yaman niyo kasi, eh! (Your family is so, so rich)" the kind of financial gulf separating Rosales from the good graces of his lady love's parents.

Echo made that comment during an interview with ABS-CBN's Entertainment Live! aired on Saturday.

But no, we won't focus on that. Instead we'll take note that whatever gap there still is between the actor and his girlfriend's parents, such a gap is closing, albeit ever so slightly and slowly.

Heart was happy to report to Entertainment Live! that her father's heart seems to be softening towards Echo.

"Yung daddy ko naman hindi siya galit eh. Hindi na siya galit... Isang beses biniro niya ako. Yung sapatos kasi niya Marc Ecko [Editor: a highly successful shoe brand]. Sabi niya si Echo daw may-ari," she said.

(My daddy isn't angry anymore. One time he even made a joke about Echo. My dad was wearing Marck Ecko and he told me that Echo owned the shoe company.)

Heart also revealed that Echo remains persistent in his efforts to prove himself worthy of her to her parents.

"Nag-Christmas card siya sa daddy ko. Binasa naman ng daddy ko (He sent my daddy a Christmas card. My daddy read it.)," the actress revealed.

Echo said that he asked for divine intervention so he could muster the nerve to actually write on and send the card to Heart's father.

"You know I prayed hard na maisulat ko ng maganda. And it was well accepted so thank you, po!" said Echo.

Your future father-in-law wears a shoe brand that sounds like your name? He read your Christmas card? Those are certainly positive signs.

Heart Evangelista, whose real name is Love Marie Ongpauco, is a scion of the Ongpaucos, successful restaurateurs who are also one the richest families in the Philippines.