Beyonce starts "Fierce" atop U.S. album chart

Beyonce has scored her third straight No. 1 debut on the pop album chart with the double-disc "I Am ... Sasha Fierce."

The Music World/Columbia album shifted a whopping 482,000 copies in the United States during the week ended November 23, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The set, split between material credited to R&B star Beyonce and her new alter-ego, Sasha Fierce, has already spawned the hits "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." Beyonce's 2003 solo debut, "Dangerously in Love," started with 317,000, while 2006's "B-Day" moved 541,000.

In a week with seven top 20 debuts on the Billboard 200, Nickelback's "Dark Horse" sold 326,000 to start at No. 2. The Canadian rock outfit spent an astonishing 156 weeks on the chart with its previous album, 2005's "All the Right Reasons," whose sales total 6.97 million to date.

Reigning "American Idol" champion David Cook's self-titled debut arrived at No. 3 with 280,000. That's more than double the first-week numbers of 2007 champ Jordin Sparks' self-titled debut, which sold 119,000 copies and has gone on to shift 956,000.

Last week's No. 1, country singer Taylor Swift's "Fearless," slipped to No. 4 on a 63 percent sales decline to 217,000. New at No. 5 is multinational vocal group Il Divo's "The Promise" with 162,000. The act's previous album, 2006's "Siempre," debuted at No. 17 with 108,000.

The soundtrack to the runaway hit film "Twilight" slid from No. 5 to No. 6 despite a 17 percent sales uptick to 125,000. The "Now 29" compilation dropped from No. 3 to No. 7 after a 33 percent decline to 115,000. The "High School Musical 3" soundtrack fell one rung to No. 8 on a 9 percent sales downturn to 86,000, while Enya's "And Winter Came" moved from No. 8 to No. 9 on a nearly identical sales slide to 83,000.

AC/DC's "Black Ice" rounded out the top 10 after falling from No. 6. The album sold 73,000 copies in its fifth week of exclusive release via Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, bringing its total to 1.39 million.

Other debuts during the week included Dido's "Safe Trip Home" at No. 13 with 51,000 and the Zac Brown Band's "The Foundation" at No. 17 with 44,000.

At 9.45 million, sales were up 6 percent from the previous week but down 32 percent from the year-earlier week (13.96 million).

Reuters/Billboard

Britney Spears reaches custody agreement with ex-husband

Singer will get increased access to her sons

Britney Spears has reached an agreement with ex-husband Kevin Federline allowing her more access to her children.

The singer will be allowed more overnight visits with her two sons, while Federline will retain sole custody, meaning a planned custody trial will now not take place.

Spears will now have three visits per week, with at least two overnight visits, with the possibility of expanded rights by the end of the year.

Neither party was present at the closed-door session in Los Angeles, reports the BBC.

Confirming that the singer will now get more access to Sean Preston and Jayden James, Spears' attorney Laura Wasser said told the Associated Press: "The fact is, it's a win for the family."

Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said: "This has been a long ordeal and to have that over is something that makes him extremely happy."

Spears lost custody of the two boys last October, losing visiting rights in January amidst ongoing public troubles.

But Ms Wasser pointed to the agreement as further evidence of her continuing recovery. "The difference from the beginning of this year to now is astonishing," she said.

nme.com

Britney Spears to make 'virtual' appearance on Madonna's tour

Madonna has asked Britney Spears to make a "virtual" appearance on her upcoming tour.

The veteran singer has asked the troubled pop star to appear in a video that will reportedly be displayed during her Sticky & Sweet tour, which kicks off in Cardiff, Wales on August 23.

"There is footage being shot of Britney some time this week in conjunction with Madonna's upcoming tour," Madonna's publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said in an e-mail today (July 8) to the Associated Press. "That is all the information I have available. The rest is `a secret.'"

Madonna and Spears made headlines together when they shared an open-mouth kiss on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003.

Boy George to tour US for first time in a decade

Boy George has announced a tour of the US and Canada which will see him perform all across the continent for the first time in ten years.

The tour which kicks off July 10 in Aspen will run through to August 23, where it will wind up in Dallas, TX.

The former Culture Club frontman-turned-solo artist made headlines in the US in 2006 when he was sentenced to garbage duty after a judge charged him with wasting police time for falsely reporting a burglary in his New York apartment.

The singer was permitted to carry out garbage duty in the grounds of the city’s Sanitation Department due to the level of media interest in his community service.

The tour dates are:

Aspen, CO Belly Up (July 10)
Las Vegas, NV House of Blues (11)
San Diego, CA Concerts In The Park (12)
Anaheim, CA The Grove Of Anaheim (13)
Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre (15)
Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre (16)
San Francisco, CA Regency Center - Grand Ballroom (18)
Vancouver, BC The Commodore Ballroom (21)
Calgary, AB Flames Central (22)
Edmonton, AB Edmonton Events Centre (23)
Pompano Beach, FL Club Cinema (25)
Orlando, FL Hard Rock Hotel Orlando (26)
St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing (27)
N. Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues SC (29)
Washington, DC 9:30 Club (30)
Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre (August 1)
Atlantic City, NJ House of Blues (3)
Westbury, NY Theatre at Westbury (5)
Chicago, IL House of Blues (7)
Toronto, ON Kool Haus (10)
Montreal, QC Metropolis (12)
New York, NY Terminal 5 (14)
Austin, TX Stubb’s BBQ (21)
Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theater (22)
Dallas, TX House of Blues (23)

French designer Saint Laurent is dead

French fashion king Yves Saint Laurent died on Sunday, a close associate told France Info Radio.

Born in 1936 in Oran in Algeria, Saint Laurent had lived in seclusion in the past few years and had been in poor health.

The bespectacled Saint Laurent, whose couture creations secured fine art status across the world, ruled the French fashion world from the age of 21.

He retired in 2002 and was rarely seen in public.

Britney Spears 'not well enough to take control of estate'

Britney Spears' lawyer has deemed her unfit to take part in a court case which could grant the singer control of her estate.

Court Commissioner Reva Goeth also agreed with Samuel Ingham that a court case for Spears would be 'harmful' considering her current 'fluid' state.

Spears was planning to contest conservatorship of her estate when her father's time in control of her assets comes up for renewal on July 31.

Jamie Spears was appointed the temporary custodian of his daughter's estate in February 2008 when she was admitted into a psychiatric ward after losing custody of her children the previous October.

Spears now has some visiting access to her two children with Kevin Federline, Sean Preston and Jayden James.

According to BBC News, the singer's diagnosis has not yet been completed.

50 Cent's home destroyed in suspicious fire

50 Cent's multimillion dollar mansion was destroyed in a suspicious fire this morning (May 30).

The home on Long Island, New York was at the centre of a legal dispute between 50 Cent and his ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins, which became increasingly heated just a few days ago.

Six people inside the Dix Hills home were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation treatment and then released, including the former girlfriend and a boy fathered by the rapper, reports the Associated Press.

Dix Hills Fire Chief Larry Feld said that the blaze -- which was reported around 5 am and put out 45 minutes later -- seemed suspicious. It is being labeled arson due to its intensity.

50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, does not live at the home. He and Tompkins have been involved in a legal dispute over the Grammy-nominated rapper's assets, including the home, for several months.

The fire reportedly occurred just a few days after a confrontational meeting at Tompskin's attorney's office.

Angelina Jolie confirms she's having twins

Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie said in a television interview on Wednesday that she is expecting twins with actor Brad Pitt, the Hollywood couple's fifth and sixth children.

Jolie, being interviewed at the Cannes film festival alongside comic actor Jack Black for the syndicated entertainment program "Access Hollywood," acknowledged that she was having twins after Black made reference to them.

"Yeah, yeah, we've confirmed that already," Jolie, 32, said, according to a transcript provided by the show. "Well, Jack's just confirmed it actually."

Excerpts of the interview, conducted by a reporter for NBC's "Today" show to promote the animated film "Kung Fu Panda," featuring characters voiced by Jolie and Black, was set to air on "Access Hollywood" on Wednesday night.

The full interview will air on Thursday on "Today."

Jolie and Pitt, 44, together have adopted 3-year-old daughter Zahara, 6-year-old son Maddox and 4-year-old son Pax. They also have a biological daughter, 22-month-old Shiloh.

Jolie won an Academy Award as best supporting actress for her role in the 1999 film "Girl, Interrupted."

Reuters/Nielsen

"Iron Man 2" set for summer 2010

Following the film's blockbuster opening weekend, Marvel Entertainment is planning an "Iron Man" sequel for 2010 after a 2009 without feature releases.

In its earnings report Monday morning, the company unveiled its film release plans for the next three years. They are designed "to focus its attention on maximizing the success of an 'Iron Man' sequel and the launch of 'Thor' in the summer of 2010," it said.

The company has set April 30, 2010, as the release date for "Iron Man 2" and confirmed that it will not have a new film out next year.

"Thor" is slated for June 4, 2010. Marvel also is planting its feature film stakes for 2011 with an Avengers-themed summer.

The May 6, 2011, release of what is now going under the working title "The First Avenger: Captain America" will be followed by "The Avengers" in July.

"Because Marvel believes that the summer is the optimal time to launch a new property, the company will not release a self produced film in 2009," the company said.

"Iron Man," the first self-financed production from Marvel Studios, topped box-office expectations by grossing nearly $100.1 million in its opening weekend in North American ticket sales.

The film starred Robert Downey Jr. as billionaire industrialist and playboy Tony Stark, who invents a high-tech suit of armor that transforms him into a superhero.

Reuters

Korean film scoops top prizes in Asian Film Awards

South Korean film "Secret Sunshine" won a clutch of awards including best film at Monday's second pan-Asian film awards in Hong Kong, which seeks to recognize the region's diverse film talent.

The film, about a bereaved widow and her child seeking a new start in a quiet Korean town, picked up the best film award, as well as prizes for best director Lee Chang-dong and best actress Jeon Do-yeon.

"For me, I had to play a mother who loses her child and it was a little hard," said Jeon through a translator at a post-award news conference.

The best actor award went to Hong Kong actor Tony Leung for his role in the award-winning "Lust, Caution" -- which features lengthy and sometimes violent sex scenes with Chinese co-star Tang Wei.

The best supporting actress award went to Chinese-American actress Joan Chen for her role in "The Sun Also Rises", based on several interweaving stories set during China's tumultuous Cultural Revolution.

"It was somewhat a process of self-discovery to find a part of yourself that you haven't really discovered or recognized or liked and it was very enjoyable," Chen said of her role.

A lifetime achievement award was bestowed on veteran Japanese director Yamada Yoji, who has directed more than 70 films over a 50-year career, including his masterpiece "The Twilight Samurai".

Reuters

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Britney 'was free from drugs'

Britney's night of hell may not have been the drug-fuelled, wild 'n' wailing drama that pictures and reports suggested after claims that the singer tested clean.

A hospital source at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles insists, 'She tested clean,' US People magazine reports today.

'This lady is as clean as clean can be, and has been for some time' the insider added.

The defence of the fallen pop star follows widespread reports that the teary and bleary eyed singer had binged on a cocktail of 100 drugs, during the four-hour police standoff at her Beverly Hills home last Thursday.

Police at the time of the siege said the singer appeared to be 'under the influence.'

Further shocking claims claimed the singer was holed-up in her master bedroom accompanied by her one-year-old son, Jayden James and a gun, threatening to kill herself.

But now, LADP from the scene said there was no gun.

'There was no gun involved - that's the first we've heard of this,' a police officer said today.

It has also been revealed that the 26-year-old did not beg to see TV celeb doctor 'Dr Phil' McGraw but rather it was her fame-hungry mother, Lynne Spears, who asked the doctor to visit her.

'I want to set the record straight. I went to see Britney at the request of her family. I talked to Lynne, [father] Jamie and [brother] Brian because they were frustrated that she wasn't going to be held for a longer time,' said the doctor on US TV.

Meanwhile, Britney's certainly not sticking around to clean up the mess after skipping town with her British paparazzo boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib.

Eyewitnesses say Britney is doing what she does best, by drinking away her woes after the pair were reportedly spotted boozing at the Daily Grill on El Paseo, near Palm Springs just hours after her hospital release.

Metro

Tipsy Spice Girl's zig-a-zig-aaargh

Mel B's drunken New Year's binge came close to placing the Spice Girls' UK show in total jeopardy, Geri Halliwell revealed on stage last night.

Halliwell, 35, lifted the lid on pictures that appeared to show Scary Spice Mel B, now known as Boozy Spice, tumbling down stairs after a Spice dinner in London.

Speaking to the crowd at the beginning of their first show of 2008 at London's O2 Arena, she said Mel, 32, got 'very drunk' at the Claridges party.

Ginger Spice told the delirious crowd, including close pal George Michael: 'I have an exclusive for you.'

She said Mel B, Mel C and Baby Spice Emma Bunton got 'very drunk' on New Year's Eve and were the last ladies standing at 3am.

She then warned: 'Mel B got so drunk she fell down a flight of stairs and twisted her ankle so she won't be busting the moves tonight.'

But despite one slip up on stage, Brown put in a stella show, cracking her whip with ease during her solo, 'Are you gonna go my way'.

Mel's injury is the latest ankle woe to dog the Spice comeback after Emma Bunton was left on crutches following a stage stumble in Vegas last year.

Meanwhile, young Cruz Beckham, 2, seems to be loving life in the spotlight, as he spent the night waving to delirious fans from proud father David's lap.

Metro

Lohan's worst movie award

As if 2007 could get any worse for Lindsay Lohan, now this: Moviegoers tagged her with the year's worst performance by an actress.

Fifty-eight percent of voters in an online poll by AOL's Web site Moviefone gave Lohan that dubious honor for her turn as a woman escaping a sadistic killer in the box-office flop, "I Know Who Killed Me."

The poll, which tallied more than 3.8 million votes, had more bad news for the starlet, who recently spent a brief stint in jail for drunken driving and cocaine possession and also attended voluntary rehab.

Another of Lohan's films, "Georgia Rule," finished second among voters for biggest waste of $10 spent on a movie ticket.

The No. 1 biggest waste? "Norbit," a slapstick comedy starring Eddie Murphy, whose performance in the movie was the runaway pick for worst by an actor.

Voters were given five choices in each poll category. Two box-office smashes were voted the most worthy of the price of a ticket: The blood-soaked ancient war epic "300" edged out the sci-fi extravaganza "Transformers," 28 percent to 26 percent.

"Transformers" stars Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf were named best on-screen duo, barely beating out Michael Cera and Jonah Hill, the nerdy leads of the comic coming-of-age romp "Superbad."

"Superbad" made more voters laugh out loud than any other film, registering 37 percent of the tally, ahead of the 28 percent for the bawdy pregnancy comedy "Knocked Up." Both comedy blockbusters were from producer Judd Apatow.

Sexiest babe went to Fox of "Transformers," while hottest hunk went to Johnny Depp, from "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Ralph Fiennes' dark turn as Voldemort in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" earned him best male villain honors. Angelina Jolie won best female villain for playing the mother of the demon Grendel in "Beowulf."

Voters gave Matt Damon the nod for best two performances for "Ocean's Thirteen" and "The Bourne Ultimatum," the latter of which easily nabbed year's best sequel.

Metro