Sean Penn thanks Venezuela's Chavez for Haiti aid.

CARACAS, Venezuela – Sean Penn thanked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday for supporting the actor's relief organization in Haiti, saying the aid has helped its humanitarian work in distributing medicines.

Chavez met with Penn at the presidential palace and praised the actor's efforts with his J/P Haitian Relief Organization, which was founded in response to the catastrophic 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Neither provided details about how much financial assistance Venezuela has provided to the group.

The Oscar-winning actor noted that in addition to Venezuela's financial help, his organization has also received support from the U.S. military.

Penn called that ironic, adding: "We hope that this kind of collaboration can be an example for future approaches to many other issues" — in spite of limited U.S.-Venezuelan diplomatic contacts.

The U.S. and Venezuela have been without ambassadors since December, when Chavez formally rejected the White House's nominee for envoy in a diplomatic dispute. The U.S. government revoked the visa of Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez in response.

Penn has met four times with Chavez in recent years. Chavez has praised the actor for his critical stance toward U.S. foreign policy.

The leftist president said their meeting Saturday was productive in discussing "new plans and ideas."


"Sean is an activist of the struggles for the world's oppressed peoples, and he's leaving for Haiti right now," Chavez said outside the presidential palace when they emerged from their meeting.

Music Freedom Day salutes Arab demonstrators.

ZURICH: Musicians in the Middle East will pay tribute to the Arab uprising and commemorate the death of an Egyptian musician during the Cairo demonstrations as part of this year’s international Music Freedom Day on Thursday.

Music Freedom Day, the brainchild of Freemuse, an independent organisation advocating freedom of expression for music makers worldwide, is bringing together artists in over 20 countries to highlight the plight of colleagues around the globe who suffer censorship, imprisonment and even death.

“It may not be difficult to silence the individual musician but you can’t really silence their songs,” Freemuse co-founder Ole Reitov told Reuters by phone. “We’ve seen with many of the songs or singers that have had problems that although they may put the musicians in prison, their songs somehow survive.”

The event kicked off with concerts in Mumbai and Kabul and ends with a session in New York and special broadcasting programmes in Canada after events in Egypt and Lebanon paying tribute to Egyptian musician Ahmed Basiouni, who died on the fourth day of demonstrations in Cairo earlier this year.

Freemuse was founded in the late 1990s to document censorship in music, raise awareness of the problem and offer support to the musicians and their families.

“Artists all over the world would speak up for all kinds of things but they never spoke out about their own conditions, so we would have writers speaking out on behalf of Salman Rushdie but you never heard Bono or Youssou N’Dour or anyone else talking about all the repression that took place with some of their colleagues,” Reitov said from his office in Copenhagen.

LISTEN TO THE BANNED

While huge organisations like Amnesty International campaign on behalf of political prisoners, Freemuse, which has just six full-time and part-time staff and struggles for funding, remains the only international organisation dedicated to campaigning against music censorship.

“Coming across Freemuse was a real godsend for me at a time when I really needed somebody for support,” Deeyah, a singer and composer born in Norway to Muslim parents of Pakistani origin, told Reuters by phone from her current home in Atlanta.
Deeyah, who has become a vehement campaigner for freedom of expression through music and other human rights issues, said the organisation helped her when she was experiencing problems because of her choice of profession and background.

“Music is a fundamental part of all our cultures, our history and our identity. It’s not just light entertainment that doesn’t need protection,” Deeyah said. “It is in many countries the only way for people to express themselves or even rebel.”

Deeyah last year produced a CD, “Listen To The Banned”, featuring many of the artists Freemuse has helped over the years, including Cameroon’s Lapiro De Mbanga, whose songs like “Constitution Constipee” (Constipated Constitution) have landed him in jail for almost three years.

De Mbanga will spend Music Freedom Day in court in Cameroon in relation to his current imprisonment, while cultural activists and musicians in Cameroon meet to discuss issues of music censorship in the country.

“His own analysis was that our help kept him alive in prison,” said Reitov.

Elsewhere in Africa, 2,000 composers in Zimbabwe will demand state radio stop playing their music because they haven’t received royalties for four or five years. Some of these musicians will hold a concert in the evening, including rapper Comrade Fatso, an outspoken critic of President Robert Mugabe.

“The wonderful thing about Music Freedom Day to me is that people locally have taken total ownership of the idea. There’s no way we either wish to or could control it,”

Sheen Has Industries Winning.

Charlie Sheen, who smashed the Guinness World Record for soaring past the 1 million follower mark on Twitter in a little over a day, says he’s contemplating using his new popularity to get endorsements and generate revenue.

But there are plenty of others already trying to cash in on Sheen and his "winning" comments.

Since the beginning of Sheen's rants a week ago, products including songs, T-shirts and coffee mugs, ring tones and even a radio station have been produced to capitalize on the mania around him.

SiriusXM Radio announced Friday that it is rolling out "Tiger Blood Radio," a 24-hour limited run channel dedicated to Sheen. As a ratings booster, it says it will examine the news, facts and media frenzy surrounding the actor and his hit CBS series, "Two and a Half Men," which has been cancelled for at least the rest of the season.

And owners of Android phones have the ability to download sound boards of Sheen's quotes and set them as ring tones. The app is currently free.

"It's the newsworthiness that makes the products interesting," said Marc Cowlin of Brand Marketing of CafePress. The website has over 17,000 Sheen products and allows users to upload and design their own Sheen product from T-shirts to bumper stickers. They are being sold from $4 to $25.

“Generally, it takes less than an hour for CafePress designers to jump on a trend and start designing products,” Cowlin told FoxNews.com, adding that four weeks ago there was “little to no interest” in Sheen products.

The online company Zazzle has also seen an influx of Sheen products created on its website. While the company did not comment on the actual amount of increase in sales, it did note a spike in Sheen products after his several high-profile interviews, Michael Karns, director of marketing at Zazzle, told FoxNews.com.

And could it be only be a matter of time before there is even a real cologne to follow Jimmy Fallon's spoof "Winning" cologne on his show "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"?

Click here to watch a youtube clip of Fallon's spoof

A rep for Elizabeth Arden, the company that endorses Britney Spears' and Mariah Carey's fragrance, didn't say that one was in the works and had no comment yet on future plans to sponsor Sheen. But who knows?

An explanation as for why people are jumping at the opportunity to exploit Sheen's antics could be attributed to his "bad boy" image, Ed Lebar CEO of BrandAsset Consulting, told FoxNews.com.

Lebar suggested that Sheen may work best with companies that would be able to use him as a "bad boy Charlie" or with a brand that promotes "no restraint."

Manufacturers can see what a huge potential he has. After Sheen as his girlfriend Rachel Oberlin tweeted a picture holding Naked Juice and a bottle of Broguiere's Dairy chocolate milk -- for FREE -- sales for the chocolate milk have reportedly spiked.

But Lebar said that the Sheen marketing campaign may be limited to a certain target market: mainly the young, male, urban segment. BrandAsset Consulting for example monitored Janet Jackson's brand pre-the infamous half time show of SuperBowl XXXVIII in 2004, and found that only one particular market; the young male urban segment responded positively post the wardrobe malfunction.

In nearly 10 other target market groups the company found that Jackson took a hit -- something that could happen when the Sheen mania beings to die down.

With Sheen's antics boosting sales for others, the question remains whether he can cash on that success -- either now or in the future.

"It's difficult to generally have a trademark claim. You have to have a trademark on file or some use of the trademark for the actual product or services," Tom Philbrick of AllMark Trademark told FoxNews.com. "If it's just stuff that he's saying, and someone grabs a couple of words and files for a trademark, that's something that they are generally free to do."

Philbrick explained that Sheen could take people using his quotes for products to court, but it's not necessarily a guaranteed win unless he has a pending application or an actual trademark for those terms. "If you put a picture that's something he could definitely sue for," he said.

However it may be looked at, Charlie Sheen has certainly given some industries to feel like they are "winning."

John Travolta reuniting with 'Welcome Back, Kotter' gang at TV Land Awards.

It'll be a high-school reunion of sorts when John Travolta reunites with the cast of the '70s sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter" at the 2011 TV Land Awards.

The classic series, which ran from 1975-1979, starred Gabe Kaplan as Mr. Kotter, an inner city high school teacher whose students include the underachieving misfits the Sweathogs.

Travolta, who played ladies' man Vinnie Barbarino, uttering classic lines like, "Up your nose with a rubber hose," is set to accept TV Land's 35th Anniversary Award alongside fellow Sweathogs Ron Palillo ("Arnold Horshack") and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs ("Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington"). Marcia Strassman, who played Mr. Kotter's wife Julie, will also join the guys.

It is not yet known whether Kaplan will attend the ceremony, to air April 17, but more cast members are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Are you looking forward to seeing the "Welcome Back, Kotter" gang reunite? Tell us in the comments below.

Bieber's lock of hair sells on Ebay for $40k.

Justin Bieber should grow his hair out for another round of trimming - surely there's another charity that could use the kind of cash a lock of his hair goes for.

Ellen DeGeneres tweeted that all she wanted for her birthday was world peace and a lock of Bieber's hair, and the now 17-year-old star came through, swinging by DeGeneres' daytime talk show in February to deliver the belated gift.

The duo teamed up to turn the present into a fundraiser for The Gentle Barn, a nonprofit organization that rescues abused farm animals. DeGeneres auctioned the lock of hair on Ebay beginning February 23, and the final bid came in today at $40,668.

The bidder will receive the lock of Bieber's hair enclosed in a Plexiglas box signed by the Bieb himself, as well as a letter of authenticity signed by DeGeneres. According to one of DeGeneres' tweets, the winner will also get to come on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" when Bieber's a guest.

Of course, 100 percent of the proceeds are going to The Gentle Barn.

Which Celeb Had the Worst Display of Public Drunkenness.

2011 is not off to a great start for Christina Aguilera.

Following her recent divorce and botching of the national anthem at the Super Bowl, the 30-year-old singer was taken into custody for public drunkenness early Tuesday morning when her boyfriend Matthew Rutler was pulled over for driving under the influence.

"It is a public welfare issue. She was incapacitated and not able to take care of herself," L.A. County Sheriff's Office spokesman Steve Whitmore told UsMagazine.com.

SODAHEAD SLIDESHOW: See the celebrities with the worst displays of public drunkenness.

Aguilera was released around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and will not be prosecuted -- but E! got a copy of her mugshot, which quickly circulated.

"She's really spiraling," an Aguilera friend told UsMagazine. "I would be shocked if she's not in rehab in the next month or two."

But is Aguilera's relatively harmless episode worse than Danny DeVito's infamous appearance on "The View," or Sharon Osbourne's fondling of Simon Cowell on live TV?

Let us know: Which celeb had the worst display of public drunkenness?

Justin Timberlake plans to get back in the studio.

Justin Timberlake is about to give his music career a little tune-up: It sounds like the singer is finally ready to head back into the recording studio.

"I'm unemployed right now," Timberlake, who has focused on films since releasing his last album, 2006's "FutureSex/LoveSounds," tells E! Online. "I haven't been hired for anything so I may hire myself to write some music."

It's quite a turnaround for "The Social Network" star, who told Entertainment Weekly in October 2010 that he wasn't sure when, if ever, he would make another record.

"Does a painter make a painting because he has to make it by December 21st? No, he doesn’t. It happens when it pours out of him. That’s how music is for me," he told EW at the time. "I never stop making music. I don’t know what else to tell you, except that I just don’t know [in] what capacity I want to be involved anymore… All I’m saying is, in very simple terms, I’ll know when I know. And until I know, I don’t know."

Well, now he knows.

Timberlake tells E! Online, "I think I may spend some time in the studio this summer."

Sheen media blitz heads to Twitter after TV shows.

LOS ANGELES – The public's fascination with Charlie Sheen's melodrama showed no sign of slackening as his new Twitter account took only hours to attract more than a half-million followers.

On Tuesday, the day production was to resume on CBS' "Two and a Half Men" after a break for Sheen's personal troubles, his Twitter postings were the only fresh entertainment starring the actor — unless news interviews also counted.

The Charliesheen Twitter account, which had been verified, featured a family-friendly photo of him and porn star Bree Olson, smiling and holding up bottles of chocolate milk and juice over the caption, "Winning! Choose your vice."

Another picture showed Sheen and a fake cake illustrated with an Oscar statuette bearing his face and "Oscar 2011."

"Winner! 2012," says the caption, apparently an optimistic prediction of glory days ahead in theaters for the "Wall Street" and "Major League" film star of the 1980s and early '90s.

Sheen, who joined Twitter the day after his publicist, Stan Rosenfield, resigned, had posted just a few tweets by Tuesday night. They included a one-liner about Chuck Lorre, the "Two and a Half Men" executive producer who's taken the brunt of Sheen's attacks in an escalating dispute with Warner Bros. Television and CBS.

"Just got invited to do the Nancy Grace show ... I'd rather go on a long road trip with Chuck Lorre in a '75 Pacer," Sheen tweeted.

After giving the actor a break to seek rehabilitation following wild partying and three hospitalizations in three months, Warner and CBS announced last week they had decided against resuming production on the remainder of the season. They cited Sheen's conduct and comments.


CBS Corp. chief Leslie Moonves said Tuesday the loss of eight episodes this season isn't causing financial pain for CBS in the short term, because paying for fewer half-hours than planned of the expensive sitcom is "financially a gainer."

Moonves told an investors' conference in San Francisco that he hoped TV's top-rated comedy would return to CBS, adding, "We'll see."

"Going down the road ... I don't know what's going to happen," Moonves said, then took a poke at Sheen's ongoing media tour. "He's on the air quite a bit these days. I wish he would have worked this hard to promote himself for an Emmy."

Sheen, 45, has been nominated four times for lead actor in a comedy series for "Men," but has never won.

He has found ready outlets at TV networks and other outlets eager to air his often-outrageous comments.

"Are we tired of Charlie Sheen? ... Or is it the kind of thing we can't get enough?" David Letterman asked Tuesday on his CBS late-night show. "If you thought you were going to see 100 wrecks a day, would you take a lunch? It's kind of like that, isn't it?"

Asked Tuesday on NBC's "Today" about reaction to comments in which Sheen called himself "a total rock star from Mars," among other startling descriptions, he shrugged off the reaction.

"I am grandiose because I live a grandiose life. I'm tired of being `aw shucks.' That's not me. ... What's wrong with that?" he said.

Sheen also had high praise for the two women living with him whom he called "goddesses."

"These women don't judge me. ... They don't lead with opinion. They don't lead with their own needs all the time," he said.

Asked if the pair help care for his children, which include nearly 2-year-old twins with Brooke Mueller, Sheen replied, "Oh, yeah. If I can't be there, they're there, and it's like everybody helps out. ... There's nothing broken here."

Sheen asserted he isn't using drugs, saying "drug tests don't lie" and presenting recent test results with "the word `negative' is, like, printed, like, 18 trillion times."

"Don't remember, don't care," he said when asked the last time he'd used drugs.

He has rejected attempts by his family, including father Martin Sheen ("The West Wing," "Apocalypse Now") to intervene in his life and told them, "'I appreciate your love and your, and your compassion, if that's what you want to call it.'"

"I'm not interested in people treating me like a 12-year-old," Sheen said.

Kings of Leon's Matthew Followill is a dad-to-be .

Kings of Leon will soon welcome a new prince -- or princess -- into the band.

Guitarist Matthew Followill, 25, and wife Johanna Bennett are expecting their first child, a rep for the band confirms to People.

The baby, reportedly due this spring, will arrive around the time Kings of Leon head back out on the road in support of their latest album, "Come Around Sundown."

Followill and Bennett, 26, are the first couple to announce they have a child on the way -- although other members have begun to settle down.

Drummer Nathan Followill wed singer Jessie Baylin in November 2009, while frontman Caleb Followill popped the question to model Lily Aldridge in September 2010.

Swift and Gyllenhaal ‘have heart-to-heart’.

Cover - EN Music - Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal were spotted having a “serious discussion” at the VanityFairOscar party on Sunday.

The country musician, 21, dated the 30-year-old actor for several months last year, although he is understood to have ended the romance over the phone in December.

Both stars were out in Los Angeles to celebrate the Academy Awards on Sunday, and attended the exclusive bash held at Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. It had been thought they would ignore each other if they went to the same party, but they actually took the opportunity to catch up.

“They were outside near the restroom having a discussion,” a source told People. “It seemed a bit more serious – it certainly wasn't a 'Hi, how are you?' talk.”

The pair weren’t overly affectionate, but did seem happy to see each other. They apparently took the opportunity to “sort something out”, and were relaxed in each other’s company.

Taylor and Jake were keen to keep their time together private, so had several burly bodyguards surrounding them.

“It looked like they had just had a heart-to-heart talk. There were handlers and security all around them trying to keep everybody away,” a source told New York Post.

After their talk Jake left the party, while Taylor continued having fun with friends.

“They completely kept to themselves,” the onlooker told People of Taylor’s group. “She couldn't be bothered by anyone.”

While Jake has been linked to Jennifer Aniston since the break-up, Taylor is also thought to have moved on. She is reported to be dating Glee star Chord Overstreet, and has been spotted with him several times recently. The twosome attended an ice hockey game together last week, and also went to a pre-Oscars party with each other on Saturday.

“They are dating. It's in the early stages so who knows, but they seem to be into each other,” a source told E! Online.

“They spent most of the night [at Harvey Weinstein's pre-Oscar party at Soho House] talking closely and giggling. He would playfully touch her arm, and she couldn't stop smiling. It was cute!”

HK star Lau channels China earnings to local films.

HONG KONG – Hong Kong has produced Chinese cinema's biggest names, but for this former British colony's actors and directors, the future now lies in the thriving mainland market.

One of the territory's biggest stars is no exception. Andy Lau is spending more time away from his hometown, shooting period epics in China and filling mainland stadiums with his national concert tours.

But the 49-year-old veteran actor-singer is trying to preserve the Hong Kong industry's identity by channeling his earnings to lower-budget productions that highlight the cultural heritage of this southern city, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

On Monday, Lau spoke with reporters in a bungalow-style home in the scenic suburban Hong Kong neighborhood of Clearwater Bay as he got ready to shoot scenes for one of his latest investments, "To Tse," which means "Big Sister Tao" in the southern Chinese dialect Cantonese.

The $4.6 million production directed by Ann Hui is about the scion of an aristocratic family, played by Lau, who belatedly bonds with a longtime servant for the family, played by veteran actress Deannie Yip.

"When I invest in a movie, people say, 'Aren't you afraid? Aren't you afraid of losing money? These aren't the hottest stars. These aren't the biggest productions.' There are many questions. But sometimes I take action because I am moved by the sincerity of the project or the script," Lau said.

"I really work very hard, work very long hours every day to earn my money. I do not spend my money foolishly. But I think it's worth it when I invest my money in a way that makes me happy," he said.

Lau didn't reveal his current per-picture salary on Monday, but director Andrew Lau, no relation, once revealed in a TV interview that the actor had charged nearly HK$10 million ($1.3 million) for the hit 2002 crime thriller "Infernal Affairs." Lau's fee has likely risen since then given the booming mainland market.

Lau said he was barely spending any time in Hong Kong these days, instead busy belting out his hits for mainland fans and capitalizing on his stardom among entertainment-hungry Chinese audiences that accounted for a total box office of $1.55 billion last year. Lau has been the front man for most Chinese blockbusters in recent years, most recently a remake of the kung fu classic "Shaolin" and the fantasy-mystery "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame."

"It's been a long time since I experienced the atmosphere of shooting in Hong Kong," he said.

"To Tse" is Lau's second recent investment in a Hong Kong production. His production company, Focus Films Ltd., also backed the 2010 kung fu comedy "Gallants." "Gallants" was even cheaper than "To Tse," with a price tag of $642,000.

Their budgets pale in comparison to the expanding size of productions on the mainland. Another Hong Kong native, John Woo, returned from Hollywood several years ago to make the two-part historical epic "Red Cliff" in mainland China, which cost $80 million. But what they have in common is uniquely Hong Kong stories. "Gallants" combined a heartwarming and funny story of aging kung fu students staging a comeback with a throwback cast of 1970s and 1980s Hong Kong movie stars.

Lau's efforts have been warmly received in the Hong Kong community. "Gallants" was the big winner at the recent Hong Kong Film Critics Society awards, clinching best film and best actor for veteran Teddy Robin. It is up for seven honors at next month's Hong Kong Film Awards, including best film and best director.

"To Tse" also offers Lau the chance to repay a debt of gratitude to director Hui, who helped launch the actor's career when she cast him in her 1982 drama "Boat People," about a Japanese reporter who visits postwar Vietnam.

"I just think that I admire her principled approach to her work," Lau said.

Hui is one of the local directors who has sort of fallen by the wayside amid the rise of big-budget Chinese productions. She excels in Hong Kong-set family and domestic dramas that win critical acclaim, but struggles to find viewers on the mainland.

The 64-year-old filmmaker joked to reporters Monday that her career was nearly over.

"I am more or less done," she said as she laughed. When a reporter said she was a big fan of hers, Hui responded, "It doesn't matter if you say that. My box office results are poor. I hope the results are better for this movie."

Even though "To Tse" is clearly geared toward a Hong Kong audience, production executives aren't giving up on the mainland market either. In a sign of the changing economics of Hong Kong productions, publicists for the movie bused in about 20 mainland reporters for Monday's press call. Lau, Yip and Hui devoted a big chunk of the 90-minute event meeting with the Chinese press corps, reserving little time for Hong Kong journalists.

The cultural differences between Hong Kong and mainland China were also on display.

Lau and Yip, though fairly fluent in the national dialect of Mandarin, occasionally dipped into English phrases — a legacy of Hong Kong's colonial rule — before searching for the equivalent Mandarin term.

One mainland reporter questioned whether Chinese audiences could relate to the relationship between a wealthy man and his servant — given servants are a rarity for rank-and-file mainlanders, although now increasingly affordable for wealthy urbanites.

While mainland China is now enjoying the fruits of rapid economic growth after years of political upheaval and central economic planning, Hong Kong has long enjoyed a high standard of living thanks to its bustling port economy. Filipino maids and domestic helpers from other Southeast Asian countries are common among middle-class Hong Kong families, let alone the super wealthy.

Bieber's 17th birthday plans Hopefully, cheesecake.

Unlike most 17-year-olds, Justin Bieber doesn't want a big blowout when he celebrates his birthday March 1.

"I'm just going to relax, because I start my world tour starting on [March 4] — so [I'm] going to mentally prepare and just relax. No birthday bash," he tells "Entertainment Tonight" of his plans.

That's not to say that he won't have a sweet time. "Hopefully my grandparents will be out here and I'll be able to spend time, a little bit, with them. My grandma makes the best cheesecake — cherry cheesecake," he says. "She made that for my 13th birthday."

The singer recently showed off a more mature haircut but tells "ET" it had nothing to do with trying to look older. "I just wanted to, that's all, not really a big reason; I just woke up and said, 'I don't want this anymore,' so I just cut it," he explains.

Speaking of his famous follicles, the Justin Bieber doll collection is being re-released in August with "real" hair taking the place of plastic. Even better: The mini Biebs will sport his original swoopy hairstyle.

George Vorkas of the Bridge Direct toy company tells MTV News, "Every girl at home can now play with his hair and style it the way they want."

Hunter sues after failing to find elephant

A Polish hunter who dreamed of shooting an elephant has sued a German-based travel company after it sent him to a part of Africa where he said there were no elephants to be found, a newspaper reported.

The company, which organizes hunting expeditions, insists there are elephants in the area of Zimbabwe it sent the hunter, identified only as Waldemar I, the newspaper said.

"From what I know, (the hunter) should have seen elephant excrement there," it quoted the company owner as saying.

Even though the company organized a second trip for the luckless hunter during which he managed to kill a male elephant, the man still filed for damages worth $130,000 over his first expedition.

Cameron calls in Larry the cat to catch the rats

LONDON: Downing Street has a new occupant -- a street-smart character with a licence to kill.

Larry the cat has been brought in to the Prime Minister's official residence to clean up a gang of rats who have been openly parading in front of the TV cameras.

He had lately been living at the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home after having been taken in as a stray.

He was recruited on Tuesday specifically for catching rats, but Prime Minister David Cameron's young children are believed to have been in favour of seeing him move in.

Larry will be looked after by Downing Street staff, who helped choose him, and will have the run of most of the offices and official rooms as well as the garden.

Battersea said Larry showed all the signs of the hunter instinct needed for seeing off rats as well as the right qualities in coping with the demands of daily life at Number 10.

"He's quite independent and has bags of character," it said in a statement. "I can definitely see Larry holding his own at Downing Street."

The BBC has shown footage of rats scuttling down the London street as correspondents reported live on camera.

Downing Street had asked for a cat that was happy meeting new people, but had few other requirements, the shelter said.

The last cat to stalk Downing Street, Humphrey, vanished shortly after Tony Blair and his wife Cherie moved in in 1997.

Humphrey's predecessor in the corridors of power, Wilberforce, served four prime ministers, including Harold Wilson and Margaret Thatcher, before his death in 1988. (Reuters)

Aishwarya Rai releases Rettai Suzhi album

The gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was present in Chennai to launch the audio of Shankar’s production Rettai Suzhi. The audio launch took place at Sathyam Cinemas with the who’s who of Kollywood gracing over the occasion.

Filmmakers Shankar, Ameer, Lingusamy, Mahendran, Sivasakthi Pandian, V C Guhanathan, Rama Narayanan, Vairamuthu, Parthiban and many others were present for this special juncture.

Addressing the special invitees, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan said, “Working with Shankar has been a real learning experience as he happens to be a brilliant person with lots of knowledge in all technical arenas. This evening belongs to director Thamira and music director Karthik Raja as they’ve done a marvelous job with this album.”

Finally, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan personally requested Shankar to screen this film Rettai Suzhi for her, as she was completely astonished with the songs and trailer screened during the occasion.

Actor Parthiban walked onto the dais singing praises of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan saying, “Usually, we praise our girls that she’s as beautiful as Aishwarya Rai. And now imagine praising Ash herself.” Filmmakers K Balachandar and Bharathiraja came up with interesting speeches as they shared their working experiences together.

Rettai Suzhi features K Balachandar and Bharathiraja in lead roles with newcomer Akil and Kattradhu Tamizh fame Anjali in prominent roles. Karthik Raja’s musical score is expected to be a big hit at audio markets. The film is produced by director Shankar under the banner name of S Pictures.

Shahrukh Khan at Award of FICCI Frames 2010!

Shahrukh Khan: King Of Entertainment Again, Award At FICCI Frames 2010!

After a very high definition inaugural of the FICCI Frames 2010, in Mumbai recently, Shahrukh would have been pleasantly surprised. The reason being that he has been awarded the ‘Global Entertainment and Media Persons Award of the year.’

Shahrukh Khan is the only bollywood actor who has been able to mark the presence of bollywood in the remotest corners of the world. He truly represents the leading saga of bollywood films in today’s times.

There were various awards in other categories too. Amitji and Vidya Balan received the best actor Awards for the film ‘Paa’.A.R Rahman, the Oscar winning music composer of India, received the Global Icon of the Year Award.

Director Rajkumar Hirani, received the best director Award for ‘3 Idiots, and the film was given the Best film Award too. Youth Icon Ranbir Kapoor was presented with the Best Entertainer Award .

With this Award added to his list of never ending Awards, Shahrukh has once again proved his magna presence in the film industry!

SRK, Rahman win Global Icon honor

FICCI frames 2010, the global convention for the business of Entertainment came to an end after three days of debates and discussions by eminent speakers related to various issues that the Entertainment industry in India faces. The event commence with a dazzling closing ceremony comprising of fireworks, performances and awards show.

Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan accepted their 'Best Actor awards for 'Paa' while A. R Rahman and Shah Rukh Khan drove the audience into frenzy as they accepted their global icon of the year award. Ranbir Kapoor won the Entertainer of the year award. 3 Idiots won the best film and Best Director Award.

Neha Dhupia, Rahul Bose, Yash Chopra and Ramesh Sippy were also present for the occasion. Music director Pritam and his band gave a live performance. Overall the event acted like an icing on the cake of FICCI 2010.

Asin in James Cameron film?

Will Asin star in James Cameron's next flick?

The sizzling 24-year-old actress from south thinks that everyone in Bollywood is a 'commodity' who can be replaced by another at a moment's notice. And therefore there is the need for constant compromise.

Asin Thottumkal was speaking in the Youth Forum of the India Today Conclave 2010 here today on the topic 'Change: Idealism vs Reality' was at her candid best and said that values and integrity are compromised on a daily basis in the film industry.

Asin who was already a superstar in South Indian cinema when she debuted in Bollywood opposite superstar Aamir Khan in the 2008 blockbuster 'Ghajini' said that the only way to put the "soul" back into the industry was to stand up and say no to sub-standard products and practices.

"There can be many repercussions if you say no. As an actor it cam mean less endorsements, less visibility and less industry friends. But saying no to mediocre products is the only way to put the soul back into the industry," said Asin.

The actress who has not signed on any new projects after her second film 'London Dreams' starring Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan flopped at the box office said that she has always been choosy about her projects.

"There is a lot of pressure on me to sign movies. But one should believe in what one wants to do and it works for me," said Asin who shared the dias with actor Ranbeer Kapoor at the event.

James Cameron, who was also present at the The India Today Conclave 2010 later met her over the dinner and discussed cinema with her. Cameron confirmed to Asin that he is ready to make a film with Indian actors and the two even discussed the possibilities of collaborating on his film.

Talking about her experience she told a leading daily, “It was an experience of a lifetime for me to meet ‘the’ James Cameron. We spoke about cinema, both Hollywood and Bollywood. I was really fascinated that he knew so much about our industry. Though he has delivered two of the greatest films in history, I was surprised to see how modest he was.”

When asked about James’ plan of collaborating with Indian stars, Asin added, “I asked him if he was ready to make an Indian film and he said ‘certainly’. He also revealed that he was looking to take Indian actors in the movies he makes in future. But it is too premature to talk about anything because nothing has been confirmed from his side.”

Deepika Padukone marriage proposal

Deepika Padukone gets proposed in Delhi, says no!

Deepika Padukone may be the dreamgirl for many but not everyone has the courage to go up Justify Fulland propose to Bollywood beauty Deepika Padukone.

But the 24-year-old actress was shocked when a youngster went down on his knees and asked her, "Will you marry me?"

An amused Deepika turned down the proposal saying, "I am not ready for marriage yet."

"But I am ready for you," shot back the youth, which left the former model laughing.

Deepika, who turned up in a gorgeous white saree to promote her upcoming film 'Lafangey Parindey' along with co-star Neil Nitin Mukesh and his father, has constantly been linked to liquor baron Vijay Mallaya's son Siddhartha.

The actress, who was previously dating Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, was first spotted with Siddhartha at an IPL match cheering for his team Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Deepika had earlier said that she will not stop leading a normal life because of the media's excessive interest in her personal life.

"It does not matter if you link me up with someone because I know that I am leading a normal life. I have my guy friends with whom I go out like everybody else," she had said.

And at the ongoing India International Jewellery Week in Mumbai where she walked the ramp, Siddhartha was in the front row cheering for her.

Her latest film has beend directed by Pradeep Sarkar of 'Pareenita' fame and releases on August 20. The story revolves around a group of youngsters living in the backstreets of Mumbai and sees Deepika playing a blind girl.

Kim Sharma Secretly Married to African Guy?

The latest news that rounds Bollywood is that, the actress Kim Sharma has secretly married an African Guy. Recently when she went to African Safari, she met a man and fell in love with him, they both got married secretly.

The sources say, “Kim has reportedly married the African guy. The two fell in love in the first sight only. The source further adds that Kim is making all efforts to keep her secret marriage under wraps but she’s worried since some select scribes have got a whiff of her latest doing.”

Every one is wondered about the news of secret wedding. Kim Sharma has hit the headlines many times for the link up with cricketer Yuvraj Singh and others. The news is not confirmed by the actress yet.

Kareena Kapoor becomes the Indian Shakira

Kareena Kapoor as Indian Waka Waka babe.

The onus of adding oomph to Golmaal 3 lies on Kareena Kapoor’s slender shoulders. Her director Rohit Shetty wanted her to be sensuous and Bebo does exactly that with her sizzling moves a la Shakira for the title track of the film.

We do remember how she turned into a cat-woman (read Halle Berry) for the ‘Meow’ number or swayed to the tune of Tu Saala Kaam Se Gaya. Though the songs were hit, the audience didn’t take home her remarkable dance performance. Nevertheless, Rohit knows how to make his film’s song stand out and this time Kareena is a boho chic dancing to a racy hip-hop track, yet again, like an on-screen siren.

“My audience expects me to be sexy and sizzling at least in the naach-gaana routine. So I’ve gone ahead and done hip-shaking, that is a cross between Shakira’s Waka-Waka and Hips Don't Lie,” Bebo is quoted as saying.

However, it could have been more interesting to watch Bebo if she also revealed her belly button. After all, hasn’t she done a Shakira!