ANNA NICOLE SMITH - SETTLEMENT OVER SMITH'S BABY NEAR?

LATEST: ANNA NICOLE SMITH's companion HOWARD K. STERN is reportedly in secret talks with her former boyfriend LARRY BIRKHEAD to reach a settlement regarding the custody of her daughter DANNIELYNN. According to media reports, Stern is trying to negotiate a deal where he would continue to play a part in the five-month-old's life and oversee her finances. According to Fox News, Stern is working quickly to hammer out a deal before the results of DNA tests are released, which could reveal that Birkhead is the baby's biological father. Stern is also pressuring Birkhead to sign contracts with US TV shows ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT and THE INSIDER, in which the two would appear together for exclusive interviews. A source explains, "Howard wanted Larry to sign so that it looked like everyone was in agreement, and that it wasn't just Howard benefiting from these deals. "Larry said the baby's guardian (RICHARD MILSTEIN) should sign the papers for him and the baby, but (Milstein) wouldn't. So then Larry wouldn't." Smith was buried in the Bahamas on Friday (02MAR07) after being found dead in a Florida hotel suite last month (FEB07) at the age of 39.