Madonna news now, and first up the singer has announced she had split from her long-time manager Careese Henry. A statement from her publicist, Liz Rosenberg, confirmed the split: "After thirteen extraordinary years culminating in this summer's mega-successful 'Reinvention Tour,' they have decided to part ways. Henry declined comment as did Madonna who is currently out of the country promoting the release of her new children's book "The Adventures of Abdi."
Second up, and Elton John has had to apologise to Madonna again - though this time not for his off-the-cuff remarks about the singer miming at her live shows. Elton was asked by organisers of the UK Hall Of Fame Award to present Madonna with her award. But Elton has a prior engagement (he's recording an appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show) and so he had to turn down the opportunity.
Talking of Elton's recent Madonna outburst, and a spokesman for Madonna has denied that she sent Elton a box of chocolates after he made the lip syncing claims accompanied by a note reading: "obviously you have too much time on your hands". A spokesman for the singer told the New York Daily News: "If Madonna were to respond to Elton, you know it would be way way more clever than candy and that pathetic line."
Finally from our very busy Madonna desk, and the singer has told Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 she thinks the US should get out of Iraq: "I just don't want American troops to be in Iraq, period. My feelings are 'can we just all get out?' Global terror is everywhere. Global terror is down the street, around the block. Global terror is in California. There's global terror everywhere and it's absurd to think you can get it by going to one country and dropping tons of bombs on innocent people."
On the state of American society in Bush's second term as President she continued: "People are becoming very polarised. We have people who don't want to think, and who just want to guard what is theirs, and they're selfish and limited in their thinking and they're very fearful in their choices."