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Britney takes care of kids?

Britney Spears is taking "security measures" to protect her children, her attorney says. "Recent aggressive actions by individuals who have followed (Spears) and blocked her access, with and without the children, have resulted in her decision to take certain security measures which she hopes will only be necessary temporarily, for the protection of the children," Sorrell Trope said in a statement on Monday.

No specifics were given on what those measures would be.

Spears, 25, locked in a custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline, 29, is routinely swarmed by photographers and has run over the feet of them at least twice as they surrounded her car. A judge last week ordered that Spears no longer could drive with sons Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, after it was revealed she had allegedly run a red light with them in the car.

Over the weekend, the three of them were chauffeured to the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills.

As for the ongoing custody case, Trope said steps are being taken to calm the media storm. "Ms Spears hopes that she and Mr Federline will be able to reach an agreement as to all matters concerning their children," Trope said.

"She hopes that by not commenting on court proceedings the media attention in those proceedings will subside, which she requests for the safety and well being of the children."

Meanwhile, it was announced that Federline would be hosting a New Year's party at the Tangerine Lounge and and Nightclub, in Las Vegas.

Kanye West even 'Stronger'

Only a week after his mother's death, Kanye West returned to the concert stage on Saturday night in Paris, only to dramatically break down in tears.

Nearing the end of the more than 60-minute performance, with the riff Hey Mama beginning, West attempted to introduce the tribute to a sold-out crowd at Le Znith in Paris, saying "this song is for my mother...." and could get no further.

"He said the word 'Mother' and just couldn't go on," Le Parisien journalist Meddy Magloire said. "A back-up singer, the DJ and a guitar player came over to console him. It looked like he might collapse. He just couldn't continue. He just stood there in a spotlight, crying, while the band continued playing."

After a few moments of stunned silence, Magloire said, the audience of 5,000 reacted by offering calls of encouragement, which grew into applause. The band restarted the song, but West left the stage, returning after 10-15 minutes to conclude the concert with a rousing performance of Stronger.

"He was very nervous, he seemed to have gathered himself up, and had a lot of energy," Magloire said. "He kept shouting out to the audience, 'I need you... I need you right now.' and the public was screaming back. It was magic."

West had been reclusive since the death of his mother. His arrival in Paris at the Hotel Le Meurice, on Friday, accompanied by fiance Alexis Phifer and her son, was unexpected, coming just hours after another scheduled concert set for Monday in Amsterdam was canceled.

Agencies

(China Daily 11/22/2007 page18)