FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, June 16, 2006

STILL NEEDED AND FED: Paul McCartney celebrating his 64th birthday on Sunday, a day we imagine he'll spend regretting ever having written the song "When I'm Sixty-Four." As for Heather Mills McCartney, at least she can finally answer the rhetorical question of "will you still need me, will you still feed me," with a resounding "no."

PULLING A BRANGELINA? Not likely. Britney Spears' rep shooting down a Namibian official's claim that the pop tart was considering giving birth to Sean Preston's sibling in the African nation, a la Shiloh Nouvel. Namibia is so over anyway.

LABOR OF LOVE: Angelina Jolie giving her first post-Shiloh U.S. interview, airing Tuesday on Anderson Cooper 360, in which she acknowledged that she donates one third of her income to charity. "Yeah, well, I had a stupid income for what I do," Jolie said in a portion of the interview released to the AP. Far be it from us to quibble in the face of logic.

POWER TRIP: Despite Mission: Impossible III's box-office shortcomings, Tom Cruise topping Forbes' annual Celebrity 100 power list with earnings of $67 million. Brad Pitt coming in at number 20 with $25 million, while Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston (ironically? We think not) tying at number 35.

HOT STUFF: Her ex might be powerful, but Nicole Kidman's current squeeze, Keith Urban, voted country music's sexiest man, according to a reader poll released Friday in Country Weekly magazine. It's comparable, really.

PARTY FOUL: Post-Lohan tirade, Brandon Davis checking himself into rehab to battle addictions to cocaine and alcohol, In Touch reports. We expect the sober version will be far less entertaining.

DIAPER DUTY: And now for some news we know you've been waiting for: Greg Kinnear and his wife, Helen, welcoming their second daughter, Audrey Mae Kinnear, born Tuesday in Los Angeles, People reports. Per Kinnear's rep, everyone's happy, healthy, etc.

FUR FIGHT: After winning a dinner date with Beyoncé Knowles on eBay, PETA activists using the opportunity to grill the star about the use of fur in her clothing line, the House of Dereon. What can the girl say--she's crazy in love with her mink.

SAY WHAT?! "I will never do another reality TV show. Been there, done that."
--Jessica Simpson, telling Maxim that her Newlyweds days are over, in more ways than one.

ICED: Yakov Arabov, aka Jacob the Jeweler, known for providing the stars with their bling, arrested Thursday on money-laundering charges in connection with a drug organization known as the Black Mafia Family. Good thing it's not awards show season.

THE ACCUSED: David Gest, Liza Minnelli's ex-husband, sued by a former employee who claims he was sexually harassed and humiliated while working as Gest's personal assistant last summer. The humiliated part seems like a no-brainer; however Gest denies the allegations.

START THEM UP: The Rolling Stones still planning to kick off their tour in Italy next month, according to the band's spokeswoman, despite reports that Ron Wood had been admitted to alcohol rehab. We imagine that Keith Richards is grateful that his head wound is no longer the focus of any tour issues.

FLYING WITHOUT CREDIT: Ruben Studdard awarded $2 million in his lawsuit against his former manager, Ronald W. Edwards, for misappropriating his credit cards and cash. We can just see the Citibank identity theft commercial in his future.

WINDING DOWN: Dan Rather's days at CBS reportedly near the end, as network execs and Rather's people are said to be close to hammering out a deal that will cut the fallen anchor's ties with the Eye net. All the more office space for Katie Couric.

TRIAL FILE: The White Stripes keeping their green after a jury ruled Thursday that the alterna-rockers did not have to share royalties with Jim Diamond, a producer who worked on the band's first two albums.