Madonna's girl pens festive tale

Pop star Madonna's daughter has written a story which is featured in a Christmas charity fund-raising book.

Lourdes Leon's contribution appears in Christmas Stories, which is being sold in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The eight-year-old is following in her mother's footsteps, after Madonna's first children's book The English Roses sold 500,000 copies worldwide.

Other contributors to the book - which is being launched on Tuesday - include Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff.

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Forrest Gump film-maker honoured

Director Robert Zemeckis, who won an Oscar for Forrest Gump, has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He accepted the honour at a ceremony in front of fans and friends including Tom Hanks, who said he was to film "what Paul McCartney is to music".

Zemeckis - who also directed the Back to the Future trilogy - is known for using new technology in his films.

His latest film, The Polar Express, uses special effects to enable Tom Hanks to play several characters.

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Baby daughter for actress Sorvino

Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino has given birth her first child, a baby girl, at a hospital in Los Angeles.

The 37-year-old and her husband, actor Chris Backus, 23, have not released details of their daughter's name.

Sorvino - who has appeared in films such as Quiz Show and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion - married Backus in June.

She won a best supporting actress Oscar for her role in Woody Allen's 1995 film Mighty Aphrodite.

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New Model Army rock drummer dies

Rob Heaton, drummer with cult 1980s band New Model Army, has died suddenly from pancreatic cancer aged 43.

Heaton, who also composed songs for the group, died on Thursday, EMI said.

He co-wrote many of New Model Army's hits such as Poison St and Here Comes the War, but left the band in 1998 after surgery to remove a brain tumour.

He went on to promote live music and had also been writing film scores for independent movies. He leaves a wife, Robyn, and a young son, Marlon.