Charlie Sheen ex-wife seeks end to drug case

(Reuters) - Brooke Mueller, the ex-wife of actor Charlie Sheen, has hired a defense lawyer who will ask prosecutors to drop recent cocaine and assault charges filed against her in Colorado, her spokesman said on Wednesday.

Mueller was arrested this past weekend in the posh ski resort town of Aspen following a claim by another woman that Mueller assaulted her at a bar this past Friday night. Mueller, 34, was arrested sometime after midnight at a different club.

"Brooke is back home in Los Angeles spending quiet time with her children. She has retained her longtime attorney Yale Galanter, who is currently in Aspen investigating the case. Mr. Galanter will vigorously defend Brooke with the goal of having all charges dropped once the facts of the case come to light," Mueller's spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.

Aspen police said they were conducting "a routine walk through" of the Belly Up bar late Friday night when a woman reported she was assaulted by Mueller.

Police later arrested Mueller and charged her with felony possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and misdemeanor assault. She posted bond, was released and is due back in an Aspen courtroom on December 19.

Mueller and Sheen, who is coming off a turbulent year in his personal and professional life, have twin sons who continue to reside with Mueller, her spokesman said.

"Both Charlie and Brooke's mother have offered to support Brooke in any way they can," the spokesman said.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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London Film fest seeks beauty and controversy (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) – George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes and David Cronenberg will parade the red carpet of the British Film Institute's (BFI) 55th London Film Festival, which is set to showcase a varied line up of big titles and emerging talent, organizers said Wednesday.

The European premiere "360" directed by Fernando Meirelles with a glittering cast including Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law and Rachel Weisz, will launch the 16-day festival in October, and "The Deep Blue Sea," also starring Weisz and directed by Terence Davies, will round off Britain's largest cinematic celebration.

"London has a strong reputation as a center for creativity and innovation in the film industry and I'm particularly pleased to see that the high profile films selected for the opening and closing nights have been shot in the capital with great British talent," London Mayor Boris Johnson said in a statement.

Following in the wake of Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), London faces stiff competition from these high-profile and higher-ranking magnets for the big studios and A-listers.

Many big titles of the London Festival, such as George Clooney's hotly anticipated work "The Ides of March" have already had a run in Venice, while the opening and closing films in London festival are set to make their world premiere at TIFF.

But organizers stressed the "variety and richness" of the London roster this year, which will showcase 13 world premieres, including "Hut in the Woods" - a new film from Germany's Hans Weingartner, who also directed "The Edukators."

"The festival will present a broad program of the best and most significant films ranging from beautifully crafted narrative to boundary pushing experiments and we hope we've found richness in diversity," festival Artistic Director Sandra Hebron said.

The celebration of film will look at art and cinematic heritage as well as crowd-pleasers. The Archive Gala will offer film lovers a return to cinematic roots with a showcase of restored reels from archives around the world.

The festival is set to give a modern twist to the world premiere of the melodramatic 1928 silent film, "First Born," in which a newly commissioned score will accompany the on-screen exploits of a badly behaved aristocrat.

"The restorations from the film archives reflect the diversity reflected elsewhere in the program. There's something of a historical flavor to our Experimenta programs too," Hebron said.

No single country dominates the lineup, but the Iranian contingent of world cinema featuring new films by Mohammad Rasoulof and Morteza Farshbaf, received particular attention from organizers.

"The London Film Festival brings together films of beauty and controversy, many of which we wouldn't see in the UK otherwise," said Amanda Nevill, BFI Chief Executive.

Special mention was made in particular of Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Iranian co-director of "This is not a film," whose passport was confiscated by Iranian authorities en route to Toronto Tuesday, Hebron said.

"This incident shows it is more important than ever for film festivals and the film community to support artists like him," Hebron said.

The 55th London BFI Film Festival will run from Oct 12-27.

(Created by Paul Casciato)

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Paris Hilton ex-beau seeks plea in Vegas drug case (AP)

LAS VEGAS – Paris Hilton's ex-boyfriend has a court date Wednesday to take a plea deal to settle criminal drug charges stemming from a Las Vegas Strip traffic stop with the celebrity socialite last year.

Cy Waits, 35, a former Las Vegas nightclub manager, didn't appear in court Monday while his lawyer, Richard Schonfeld told Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Bill Kephart that an agreement had been reached in the case.

Schonfeld didn't provide details. He said outside court he couldn't disclose terms ahead of time. Prosecutor L.J. O'Neale wasn't immediately available for comment.

Waits could face up to four years in state prison if convicted of a felony charge of being under the influence of a controlled substance, and less than a year in the Clark County jail in Las Vegas on misdemeanor marijuana possession and driving under the influence charges.

Waits was arrested Aug. 27, 2010, after a police officer reported seeing and smelling a "vapor trail" of marijuana smoke wafting from a black Cadillac Escalade with Waits at the wheel.

Hilton, a passenger in the vehicle, was arrested after police said a small bag containing 0.8 gram of cocaine fell from her Chanel purse as she reached for a tube of lip balm.

Hilton, 30, pleaded guilty last September to misdemeanor cocaine possession and obstruction charges. She is serving a year of probation.

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Ex-Soviet Georgia seeks pop star glamour (AFP)

TBILISI (AFP) – Ex-Soviet Georgia may not appear the most glamorous destination, but officials hope that pop stars like Sting, Enrique Iglesias and Macy Gray can add showbiz chic to their bid to attract tourists.

Although critics have mocked efforts to use a series of major pop concerts to promote the small Caucasus republic's image, officials believe that the celebrity glitz will seduce others into sampling Georgia's charms.

"The arrival of international stars in Georgia makes the country more recognisable for millions of people around the world and this contributes to the development of tourism," President Mikheil Saakashvili said after watching Sting's gig in the seaside resort of Batumi this month.

Saakashvili believes that tourism could be a major revenue source for an impoverished country that can offer a spectacular mountain landscape as well as Black Sea beaches.

His opponents however accuse him of wasting money on stars' wages while the economy struggles to recover from the global recession and a war with neighbour Russia in 2008.

"I think it is inappropriate because there are many more urgent matters than Sting that require attention in our country," said Tina Khidasheli, a leader of the opposition Republican Party.

The authorities recently cut a deal with music channel MTV that will see Enrique Iglesias jetting in for a branded show next month that's being billed as "the biggest party Georgia has ever seen".

"Music events like this show Georgia as a fashionable destination where you can have a great time with global stars whom you love to hear," said George Zurabashvili, an official at the prime minister's office, which is involved in organising the concert.

But Georgia isn't just using pop music to promote itself.

-- 'Pop music as propaganda tool' -- The authorities have also hosted high-profile classical concerts featuring singers like Andrea Bocelli and Placido Domingo, and flew in Hollywood actress Sharon Stone to sprinkle some stardust over Tbilisi at a film premiere in June.

The cost of hiring celebrities like Sting and Stone remains unknown, but officials believe it is a worthwhile investment.

"We are often asked why we spend money inviting stars and holding grand concerts," Saakashvili remarked this month, explaining it was intended to "acquaint the whole world with our country".

Although sponsors will finance the MTV show, officials say, questions about the alleged use of government money to stage concerts have persisted.

"Because there is so little information available to the public, it's difficult to find out exactly how these government funds are spent or if they are wasted," said Irma Zarnadze, who made a documentary about the issue for Tbilisi-based investigative reporting unit Studio Monitor.

The publicity-conscious Georgian president is known for using music as a political weapon.

Before the 2008 presidential elections, a promotional pop song was commissioned entitled 'Misha is Cool' -- a reference to Saakashvili's nickname -- while local musicians sang his praises at campaign rallies.

"They have used pop music as a propaganda tool and as one of the instruments to influence people both here in Georgia and in other countries," said Nico Nergadze, a journalist at Radio Liberty's Georgian service.

Other stunts have included booking 1970s disco veterans Boney M to play near the frontline in the rebel region of South Ossetia, and using Georgia's entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest to poke fun at Saakashvili's arch foe, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Iglesias' fans however were ecstatic about the authorities' latest showbiz venture, posting hundreds of grateful comments on MTV's website and only complaining that other stars like Eminem and Lady Gaga weren't invited too.

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Piers Morgan seeks apology over phone hacking claim (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Former British tabloid editor Piers Morgan has demanded an apology from a lawmaker who made claims about him admitting to phone hacking, at the London hearing which quizzed Rupert Murdoch.

In an angry on-air exchange, Morgan, who is now a celebrity interviewer for US television news network CNN, challenged Member of Parliament Louise Mensch to repeat her claim that he had "boasted" of phone hacking in a book about his tabloid editor days.

She declined to do so, saying she had been covered by parliamentary privilege -- which protects her from legal action for anything said inside parliament -- a protection which does not apply if she repeats the words elsewhere.

In the committee hearing which grilled Murdoch and his son James over the phone hacking scandal rocking the tycoon's media empire, Mensch said Morgan had boasted about using a phone hacking "little trick" to win a scoop of the year award.

"That is a former editor of the Daily Mirror being very open about his personal use of phone hacking," she said in the hearing.

But Morgan, a former editor of the Mirror and of Murdoch's now-shuttered News of the World, said he had never claimed to have used phone hacking himself in his 2005 book "The Insider: The Private Diaries of a Scandalous Decade."

"I'm amused by her cowardice in refusing to repeat that allegation now that shes not in parliament covered by privilege," Morgan said in the on-air exchange with Mensch, who was in London.

"She came out with an absolute blatant lie during those proceedings. At no stage in my book or indeed outside of my book have I ever boasted of using phone hacking for any stories."

And he added: "For the record, in my time at the Mirror and the News of the World I have never hacked a phone, told anybody to hack a phone or published any story based on the hacking of a phone."

In an increasingly tetchy exchange, during which Mensch said Morgan was a rich man and accused him of threatening her, the former newspaperman added: "I think you should apologize for being a liar."

He repeatedly bashed her for invoking parliamentary privilege and said Mensch should "show some balls" and repeat her claims outside the hearing.

Asking her to produce evidence to back her claim, he said: "If there is no evidence for that, are you going to publicly apologize to me, and to CNN right now for such an outrageous lie?"

"I feel no need whatsoever to apologize," said the lawmaker.

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Monaco seeks new golden era with princely wedding (Reuters)

MONACO (Reuters) – Tragedy and scandal have chipped away at the fairy tale principality of Monaco but locals hope a long-awaited wedding between Prince Albert and his South African fiancee will revive a faded gem on the Cote d'Azur.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, the 53-year-old ruler of the tiny city-state of Monaco and head of the centuries-old House of Grimaldi, will wed Charlene Wittstock, 33, this weekend in the palace courtyard during a lavish three-day celebration.

Monaco, the sunny stomping ground of the rich, known as much for its Grand Prix car race as for its lack of income tax, is abuzz with the nuptials, which take place just two months after Britain's royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton.

Monegasques -- who number only around 8,000 -- hope having a dazzling new princess could revive the fortunes of Monaco, and the gambling center of Monte Carlo, which lives off its image as the epicenter of luxury, fast cars and betting tables.

"Now there will be a princess," sighed Martine Ruelle, who has worked at a Formula One store for 20 years. "It brings a dynamism to Monaco and a very beautiful image."

Saturday's wedding will be the first of a ruling prince in Monaco since Albert's father, Prince Rainier III, married Hollywood actress Grace Kelly in 1956, and locals hope Wittstock could bring back some of the glamour which died alongside Kelly in a 1982 car crash.

Albert met Wittstock -- a statuesque former national swimming champion whose champagne blonde hair and sculptured figure draws comparisons with Kelly -- in 2000 when he presided over a swimming contest in which she was competing.

Keen to dazzle the world with the new couple, the palace is laying on two tons of red carpet, a Giorgio Armani wedding gown, 3,500 guests, including some 20 heads of state, a dinner prepared by chef Alain Ducasse and a hybrid Lexus to whisk away the newlyweds. It has issued a decree encouraging residents to decorate their houses for the event.

Rumors that all was not well with the couple threatened to spoil the mood, however. The palace vehemently denied a report by French weekly L'Express on Tuesday that Wittstock tried to skip town on a one-way flight to South Africa.

The report said it had required "infinite persuasion" by the prince and members of his entourage to convince her to stay.

HAPPY EVENT

For weeks, flags heralding the wedding in Monaco's colors of red and white have waved from Monte Carlo's famous casino and from private homes on Le Rocher, the steep rock from which the palace peers down over the Mediterranean.

At less lofty heights, workers have erected TV screens and barricades for the crowds expected to celebrate the civil union on Friday and the religious wedding on Saturday.

Recent parking tickets have been forgiven and Friday has been made a public holiday.

The smiling couple beams in an official photograph displayed everywhere, from the upscale jewellers, designer boutiques and florists surrounding Monte Carlo's luxury hotels to a humble hardware store on the rue Grimaldi along the port.

"It allows the people to dream," said Patricia Verrando, a bathroom attendant working just steps from the palace.

"They are simple people and they are very close to their subjects. I am very patriotic and one must not say anything bad about the princely family."

The Monegasque -- a title which distinguishes Monaco's citizens from the thousands of others who live, work or play here -- said she planned to cheer the couple along the procession routes and join the public festivities: "It's something I'll recount all my life."

Luxury resorts all bank on a degree of magic to sustain themselves and Monaco is no exception. Ruled since 1297 by the Grimaldi family, the building of the Monaco myth in the modern age began with Kelly, the glamorous film star who gave up her career to marry Rainier, jumpstarting the glory days of this playground for the rich.

Kelly's death was a crushing blow for Monaco, and was followed by a series of divorces and scandals involving the couple's three children.

Prince Albert has admitted fathering a child with a flight attendant from Togo and another with a woman from California, while his sisters Stephanie and Caroline have weathered a storm of media attention over their own rocky love lives.

In another blow, the strong-minded Rainier, who had put his stamp on the principality for decades, died in 2005.

"Finally it's a happy event for Monaco," said Greek hotel worker Ari Nicolaidis, a long-time Monaco resident, of the upcoming wedding. "With this event, they'll try to forget."

"LOVE A PRINCESS STORY"

For some, wedding bells aren't only happy, but lucrative.

After a decade of 8 to 10 percent growth, Monaco's tourism industry received a rude awakening when the economic crisis hit in 2009, causing a 9 percent drop in hotel guests.

Thus far, 2011 has been "very positive," and on track for a full recovery, said a tourism bureau spokesman.

The principality is now promoting VIP weddings, using the slogan "Monaco, global capital of romance." Michel Bouquier, head of the tourism board, said Monaco wants to become "the unique place for exceptional and prestigious weddings."

Monaco's gaming industry has not fared as well. Hotel and casino operator Societe des Bains de Mer, Monaco's biggest employer, is still feeling the effects of the crisis. Gambling revenues fell 14 percent in the fiscal year to May though hotel revenues recovered.

Chief Executive Bernard Lambert said the wedding should enhance business by re-introducing Monaco to people with a crowded choice of global gaming locales from Las Vegas to Macao.

"Everybody loves a princess story," Lambert said. "We have to keep the adrenaline, excitement and glamour in this casino which for me is the only truly European casino left."

While Monaco's excesses are evident -- "My first impression was 'Are we going to afford to sit somewhere and have a Coke?'" joked one British tourist floored by the red Ferraris and silver Rolls Royces around him -- some say it's resting on its laurels and the wedding excitement masks a simmering desperation.

"It's over," said a casino worker who asked not to be named.

High-rollers who once dropped bundles of cash at the tables no longer want to come, put off by what they see as a more vulgar clientele and a sense the glory days are over, he said.

As well as the ubiquitous cruise ship tourists, a new wave of moneyed visitors from emerging markets like Ukraine, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan now come seeking the European high life, and the safety Monaco prides itself on. The tourism office has recently opened offices in Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, and New Delhi.

Prince Albert has also sought to clean up Monaco's reputation as a haven for tax evaders, tightening banking standards and bringing more transparency to the place British novelist Somerset Maugham once called: "a sunny place for shady people."

One thing talked about in the shadows is Prince Albert's motivation for his wedding. Some in Monaco whisper that the groom, described as good at heart but a prisoner to his heritage, is less than enthusiastic.

The marriage and an eventual heir are crucial for the future of Monaco and more about business interests than love, they say.

One Monegasque who preferred to remain anonymous put into succinct context the realities for citizens of a modern monarchy whose economic stability and political security partly rest on efforts to burnish a fairy tale image.

"We need to have dreams but we have to know if it's an illusion."

(Additional reporting by Pierre Thebault; Editing by Catherine Bremer and Paul Casciato)

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Music council seeks to leverage Nashville's buzz (AP)

By CHRIS TALBOTT, AP Entertainment Writer Chris Talbott, Ap Entertainment Writer – Wed Jun 22, 9:10 am ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Music City cleaned up at the Grammys. Its artists have topped the charts in multiple genres over the last few years. It's increasingly the destination for A-list entertainers looking for a new home. And Rolling Stone recently named it 2011's "best music scene."

Nashville is hot, no doubt. There are those who think it could be even hotter.

Mayor Karl Dean wants to capitalize on this recent momentum with the Nashville Music Council, a 60-member group that draws together the music community, city leaders and business interests to find ways to leverage Nashville's unique position as an all-purpose hub that's home to more than just country music.

Though it seems like an obvious partnership, rarely have city leaders and the music industry joined together in such a concerted way. Tim DuBois, who's been in Music City nearly 35 years as a songwriter, record label head and now as leader of the performing rights organization ASCAP's Nashville office, has heard talk of a partnership over the decades, but never seen anything come of it.

"It's a pretty powerful group and you can feel the energy in the air," DuBois said. "You can see the things happening with the definite result of moving this thing forward. That's real different. That's not talk, it's action."

More musicians and music industry types live here than in any other city in the country, except Los Angeles and New York. That group along with a wide-ranging variety of support businesses, from tour buses to concert video screen rentals, generates about $6 billion a year in the area and 54,000 jobs, Belmont University research shows.

There are more than 80 record labels, 100 live music venues, including the iconic Ryman Auditorium, 130 music publishers and 180 recording studios.

When Tim McGraw brings his buddies from L.A. and New York to town, he always gets the same reaction.

"Everybody they hear they think is a star," McGraw said. "You can go down to the corner and listen to a guy who is the best singer you've ever heard and you can't believe he's standing there with his case open on the corner."

But leaders want to make the music scene flourish even more. The music council has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars so far in creating partnerships in key areas of music technology development, making the city more inviting for entertainment-oriented businesses and musicians alike, and soon has plans to expose every child in Nashville schools to music education — something that has largely lost its cultural value over the years.

That's in addition to the millions in advertising and promotion meant to keep Music City ahead of a pack of ambitious competitors like Austin, which bills itself as the "Live Music Capital of the World," and Seattle, now trying to make the "City of Music" tag stick. The city also is helping finance a new 200,000 square-foot wing of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as part of a convention center project.

"Nashville's best days are still ahead of it, and that is very clear when you look at this music industry," Dean said. "It's taking off here; it's getting increasingly interesting and increasingly complex."

While country music remains the big dog in town, the city's sound is much more colorful than it was 20 years ago. Jack White, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, Ke$ha and country crossovers Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift now share the spotlight and there are vibrant Christian and gospel, punk, pop, folk and roots music scenes.

White, a transplant from Detroit and music council member who Karl recently gave the first Music City Ambassador Award, saw the possibilities Nashville presented when he came to town to record with Loretta Lynn. He moved his family and his business here a short time later.

"It's definitely very encouraging and supportive because the environment that any artist is in starts to dictate the creativity of the artist and the output of the artist. So if the environment is supportive it can be very helpful to the creativity," White said, before comparing it in some ways to European nations where the arts and artists are fostered and supported through government aid. "Obviously in this town you can see from the mayor's office on down that they're very supportive and interested in the idea of Nashville's musical culture."

In the past, artists like White came to Nashville despite the indifference of city leaders. The music council would like to make it easier for artists to settle in Music City rather than other hubs. The council has set up an all-inclusive resource website and has launched live music app on iTunes with an Android version to come later this summer. The council is even building artist housing.

Music council member Emmylou Harris feels the group is making the city even more inviting.

"It's still a place for songwriters to come, but make it a friendlier place," she said. "I'm excited about the idea of more venues and obviously the music education I think is really important. We really need to make this better than it is."

The initiative goes beyond making Nashville more friendly for the average musician. The music council recently partnered with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, a tech business incubator run by Vanderbilt professor Michael Burcham. The council will pair music industry leaders like DuBois, former Sony Music Nashville chairman Joe Galante and tech business pioneers Tawn Albright and Mark Montgomery.

"I've been hired by other cities to look at what they do, but I don't see any other city that has the commitment of the chamber, the commitment of the convention and visitors bureau, the mayor and the public at large putting their money where their mouth is," said Montgomery, who built one of the first direct to consumer digital services. "It took us a little while and it took a little arm twisting, but I feel like we're moving in the right direction."

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AP writer Caitlin R. King in Nashville contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://www.nashvillemusiccouncil.com

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Sony seeks to block access to Jackson outtakes (AP)

By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch, Ap Special Correspondent – Thu Jun 16, 4:15 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Attorneys for Michael Jackson's doctor want access to raw footage that was used for the star's posthumous concert film, "This is It." But Sony Pictures is fighting the request.

Lawyers for Dr. Conrad Murray and Sony attorneys are due in court Thursday to argue whether material should be turned over. The Sony team has filed hundreds of pages of documents arguing against the release.

Prosecutors plan to use clips from "This is It" to show Jackson was in good health just before he died. The defense wants to show otherwise. They want to see over 100 hours of raw footage of Jackson's concert rehearsals.

Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. His trial is set for September.

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Sony seeks to block access to Jackson outtakes (AP)

By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch, Ap Special Correspondent – Thu Jun 16, 6:05 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Attorneys for Michael Jackson's doctor want access to raw footage that was used for the star's posthumous concert film, "This is It." But Sony Pictures is fighting the request.

Lawyers for Dr. Conrad Murray and Sony attorneys are due in court Thursday to argue whether material should be turned over. The Sony team has filed hundreds of pages of documents arguing against the release.

Prosecutors plan to use clips from "This is It" to show Jackson was in good health just before he died. The defense wants to show otherwise. They want to see over 100 hours of raw footage of Jackson's concert rehearsals.

Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. His trial is set for September.

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Turkey: Jolie seeks to visit Syrian refugees (AP)

ISTANBUL – Turkey says Angelina Jolie wants to visit Syrian refugees who have fled violence and are camped out on the Turkish side of the border.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Selcuk Unal said Wednesday that an application to visit the refugees has been made on behalf of the Hollywood celebrity and goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

Unal says the application is being assessed.

Turkey says more than 8,500 Syrians have fled to Turkey to escape a crackdown on an anti-government uprising.

In April, Jolie traveled to Tunisia during its refugee crisis as thousands fled from its war-torn neighbor, Libya.

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Congressman Weiner seeks treatment after sex scandal (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic Representative Anthony Weiner defied calls on Saturday from party leaders to resign and said he would instead seek treatment and a leave of absence after being snared in an Internet sex scandal.

The 46-year-old New York congressman announced his plans shortly after House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi publicly urged him to go for help, but also to step down.

Weiner's determination to remain, bolstered by support from his New York City constituents, has angered Democrats. They say his inappropriate online exchanges with women have hurt the party as it seeks to regain control of the House of Representatives from Republicans in next year's elections.

In a brief statement, the congressman's spokeswoman, Risa Heller, indicated Weiner would remain in office at least until he receives professional help at an undisclosed facility.

"Congressman Weiner departed this morning to seek professional treatment to focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person," Heller said.

"In light of that, he will request a short leave of absence from the House of Representatives so that he can get evaluated and map out a course of treatment to make himself well."

"Congressman Weiner ... has determined that he needs this time to get healthy and make the best decision possible for himself, his family and his constituents," Heller said.

Earlier on Saturday, Pelosi and other House Democrats called on Weiner to step down, frustrated by his refusal to step aside after admitting on Monday to inappropriate Internet relations with at least six women.

Democrats appeared to coordinate their statements to add pressure on the seven-term lawmaker to resign for his Internet exchanges with women, which included lewd pictures of himself, and then lying about it.

"Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help," Pelosi said in a statement.

"I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress," Pelosi said.

Pelosi issued her statement after she was made aware of Weiner's "intention to take a leave of absence in order to seek treatment," an aide said.

Weiner, a fiery liberal re-elected last November with 61 percent of the vote, says his behavior was wrong but that he violated no laws.

Generally, all it takes to get a leave of absence, as Weiner plans to do, is to formally advise the House speaker. "You ask for it, you get it," an aide said.

'DISTRESSING AND SADDENING'

Weiner's political mentor, New York Democratic Senator Charles Schumer, said: "For those of us who are longtime friends of Anthony Weiner his wrongful behavior is distressing and saddening. It's clear he needs professional help and I am glad he is seeking it."

Pelosi has requested an ethics investigation to determine what, if any, House rules Weiner may have broke in his Internet exchanges. Such a probe could take months, even up to a year.

Democratic Party Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and House Democratic campaign committee chair Steve Israel were among the other party leaders on Saturday to call on Weiner to resign.

"This sordid affair has become an unacceptable distraction for Representative Weiner, his family, his constituents and the House - and for the good of all, he should step aside and address those things that should be most important - his and his family's well-being," Wasserman Schultz said.

Assistant House Democratic Leader James Clyburn repeated his call for House Democrats to address the issue when the House returns next week from a one-week recess.

A Democratic aide said they could pass a resolution urging Weiner to resign. While it would not be binding, it would show that Weiner faces a solid wall of opposition in his own party.

A poll this week found support for Weiner among his constituents.

According to a NY1-Marist poll, 56 percent of adults in his district believed he should stay in office, while 33 percent said he should quit.

The telephone survey of 512 adults was conducted on Wednesday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

Patrick Egan, a political science professor at New York University, said the poll results were not particularly surprising. "This isn't Kansas, Utah or Alabama. This is New York where people are more forgiving of such things," he said.

(Additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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Insurer seeks to void policy for Jackson shows (AP)

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer Anthony Mccartney, Ap Entertainment Writer – 10 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – The insurer of Michael Jackson's canceled comeback concerts has asked a judge to nullify a policy intended to protect concert promoters if the singer wasn't able to complete the shows.

Lloyd's of London sued AEG Live and Jackson's company on Monday, claiming the concert promoter has failed to provide necessary medical information and details about the physician charged in the singer's death.

Lloyd's issued a non-appearance and concert cancellation policy in April 2009 — roughly two months before the pop superstar died. It was issued under an alias, "Mark Jones" and was supposed to cover up to $17.5 million in liability, according to the lawsuit.

The promoter should have informed Lloyd's what it knew about the singer's medical history, "including but not limited to, his apparent prescription drug use and/or drug addiction," the suit states.

Within days of the singer's death, an attorney for AEG submitted a claim with Jackson's death certificate, the suit claims.

The insurer states a medical exam of Jackson required by the policy was never conducted, and that they should not have to pay out for the canceled shows scheduled for London's O2 arena.

An email message seeking comment from AEG spokesman Michael Roth was not immediately returned.

Lloyd's lawsuit claims it has been seeking certain information from AEG about Jackson and his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, since December 2009.

Murray is scheduled to go on trial later this year for involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson's death. Authorities claim he administered a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol to Jackson in the bedroom of his rented mansion, although Murray has pleaded not guilty and his attorneys have said he did not give the singer anything that should have killed him.

The cost of canceling the London shows was one of the major debts facing Jackson's estate after his death.

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Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/celebritydocket

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Boxer Muhammad Ali seeks Iran's release of US hikers (AFP)

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Legendary boxing champion Muhammad Ali came to Washington Tuesday supporting a call for Iran's supreme leader to free two American hikers imprisoned in the Islamic republic since 2009.

"The people of Iran are good people... and I can assure you they love this man," Lonnie Ali said of her boxing husband sitting at her side at a press conference with several US Muslim organizations.

"It's based on their compassion, the love of Allah and the love of Mohamed that we ask them to be released."

Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 28, were arrested along with Sarah Shourd, 32, on the unmarked border between Iran and Iraq on July 31, 2009. They have pleaded not guilty to spying charges.

The three-time heavyweight champion of the world, now 69 and suffering from Parkinson's disease, joined a dozen Muslim leaders in signing a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei seeking the hikers' release.

"After listening to the families, we believe that these Americans did not seek to cause any problems between the United States and Muslim world or the United States and Iran, but were in the region for the opposite purpose, to promote dialogue and understanding," they said in their letter.

"Please show them Islamic compassion, mercy, and forgiveness and allow them to continue on this mission," they said, adding that showing such mercy could "help create a more positive image of Islam."

Ali, widely considered the greatest boxer of all time, changed his name from Cassius Clay when he embraced Islam in the 1960s.

In retirement he has undertaken several key humanitarian missions, including traveling to Iraq to meet Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War in 1991 in a bid to free American hostages. He also went to Afghanistan in 2002 as a UN messenger of peace.

"Standing here today beside Muhammad Ali (and Muslim leaders) is one of the greatest honors I've experienced in my life," said Shourd, who was released by Tehran last September for health reasons.

"These men have spent their lives spreading the truth of the Koran and the values of justice."

The hikers' arrest and continued detention has strained already tense ties with Tehran. The espionage trial has been hit by a number of delays since November, and their second hearing session scheduled for May 11 was canceled after the two men were not brought to court, according to their lawyer.

Bauer and Fattal were allowed to call home Sunday for just the third time since their arrest, telling their families they had staged a 17-day hunger strike earlier this year after being prevented from receiving letters.

Shourd said their detention "has everything to do with the animosity between the US and Iran and nothing to do with two innocent men who have always stood on the side of what's right."

Mother Laura Fattal said: "Josh and Shane have committed no crime. We believe they are being punished simply because of their nationality. Their isolation is extreme."

Both mothers, along with other relatives, are observing a rotating hunger strike in solidarity with the detained men.

A bejeweled Ali, smartly dressed and wearing sunglasses, listed attentively.

"It was important for him to be here," his wife told AFP.

"He has become a citizen of the world and these young people too," she said, describing the hikers as "three idealistic young Americans who remind him of himself."

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NYC Opera union seeks unfair labor practice charge (AP)

NEW YORK – A union representing workers at the financially troubled New York City Opera says it will file unfair labor practice charges after the board voted to move out of the Lincoln Center and cut staff.

National Executive Director Alan Gordon said Saturday that the American Guild of Musical Artists will also consider seeking an injunction preventing the production company from continuing to use the name New York City Opera.

On Friday, the board voted to leave the Lincoln Center, cut staff across the board and scale back its performance schedule. The opera's general manager, George Steel, says the changes are necessary to keep the opera afloat and build "a foundation for sustainable growth."

The 68-year-old organization is revered as a pillar of American culture. But in recent years, it has been struggling with a dwindling endowment and a multimillion-dollar deficit.

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Germany's Lena seeks to defend Euro songfest title (Reuters)

BERLIN (Reuters) – German teenager Lena will attempt to become the first Eurovision Song Contest winner to defend her title successfully on Saturday in the annual competition famous for light entertainment and heavy-duty kitsch.

A television audience of 125 million from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea is expected to watch the 56th annual pop music competition that is, like the performing acts themselves, taken seriously in some places and lampooned in others.

Germany's Lena Meyer-Landrut, who won last year's contest in Oslo with a British-style pop song "Satellite," will be up against performers from 24 countries in Saturday's final (1900 GMT) after a field of 43 nations was reduced in two semi-finals.

While the Eurovision Song Contest is derided as a monument to mediocrity and bad taste in some countries, it has legions of enthusiastic followers in others -- especially in this year's host country Germany, where 2,500 journalists are covering it.

It has been a launching pad for international careers. Swedish pop group Abba became famous after winning in 1974 with "Waterloo" and Canada's Celine Dion took top honors in 1988 with "Ne partez pas sans moi" while competing for Switzerland.

A singer named Ruslana won for Ukraine in 2004 and was later rewarded with a seat in parliament.

From its start in Switzerland in 1956, the contest conceived by the European Broadcasting Union has grown into a giant event watched by millions in a glitzy live broadcast where spangly costumed performers belt out their songs in different languages.

Fans draped in their national flags or clad in outrageous outfits will pack the 36,000 seat arena in Duesseldorf and cheer the 25 finalists who will mix glitz and kitsch, ballads, rock 'n' roll and disco to try to win the highest number of votes.

LENA ADMITS FILLED WITH STAGE FRIGHT

Predictions on potential winners are notoriously wrong in many years because the outcome is determined -- partly -- by viewers from around Europe who call in their votes which are then awarded to the various acts on a scale of 12 to 0.

One of the most talked-about performers ahead of this year's contest, Stella Mwangi from Norway, was already eliminated in Tuesday's first semi-final round.

That has not dampened the enthusiasm of punters. Oddsmakers have identified Ireland's pop-rap duo Jedward, identical 19-year-old twins, as a hot favorite.

France's opera singer Amaury Vassili, a tenor, and Britain's boy band Blue are also tipped as favorites by bookmakers. As the main financiers of the contest, France, Britain, Spain, Italy and Germany get automatic spots in the final.

Lena, a fresh-faced 19-year-old, said she hopes for at least a spot in the top 10. She became an instant national hero a year ago for ending Germany's three-decade Eurovision drought that made many Germans anguish over why Europe so disliked them.

After winning Eurovision, "Satellite" went to the top of pop music charts in six nations and a top 10 hit in seven others.

Lena admits to being nervous about her title defense -- the first attempt since Corry Brokken of the Netherlands tried it. Brokken won in 1957 but was last in 1958.

"I'm terribly, terribly excited, super nervous and as usual have stage fright before it starts," Lena told German public TV network ARD, which has spent 16 million euros ($22.35 million) as host broadcaster.

"It's the same before going on stage or to a press conference: I'm totally impatient and want to start. Then the nervousness disappears. Waiting is always hard, my palms get sweaty, my legs go numb and my throat dries out. It's horrible."

History is against her. Only one performer won more than once: Ireland's Johnny Logan in 1980 and then in 1987. Ireland has the most wins (7), although the last victory was 15 years ago.

Some other famous participants in past contests include Julio Iglesias, Olivia Newton-John, Secret Garden, t.A.T.u., Lordi and Patricia Kaas. Riverdance was created in 1994 when Ireland hosted the contest.

(To join in a live blog on the Eurovision Song Conteset, visit http://live.reuters.com/uk/Event/Eurovision_Song_Contest3)

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

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Mel Gibson seeks new voice in glove-puppet movie (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – It's sounds an unlikely basis for a Hollywood movie: a depressed husband takes to communicating through a beaver glove puppet, as he struggles to rebuild his life.

Add that he is played by Mel Gibson -- the actor ostracized by Tinsel Town since an 2006 anti-Semitic drunk-driving tirade -- and that the brown furry beaver has a thick cockney accent, and, well, questions multiply.

But Jodie Foster, who both stars in and directs "The Beaver," out in North America on Friday, insists Gibson gives the performance of a lifetime, and reception of the film was positive at a press screening.

"Mel was brilliant. Mel Gibson's performance is extraordinary, and he was really the best actor for this and I'm grateful of the performance he gave, he's my friend," she told a small group of reporters.

Gibson's career has struggled since his 2006 arrest for drunk driving, which exploded into a major scandal because of anti-Semitic remarks he made to a highway patrol officer.

The star of "Braveheart" -- for which Gibson won two Oscars in 1996 -- had no starring role on the big screen from 2005 until last year's thriller "Edge of Darkness."

In March this year he was ordered to follow a one-year domestic violence counseling program, and serve three years of probation, in a plea bargain to avoid jail over the alleged abuse of his ex-partner.

Two-times Oscar winner Foster, directing her third movie, insists Gibson will overcome the nightmare of the last few years.

"I think that's something that Mel understands in a very personal way, wanting to change and wanting to transform and worried that he can't transform," said the 48-year-old, promoting the movie in Beverly Hills.

And the star of "Silence of the Lambs" defends the film's depiction of a man struggling with mental illness.

"I think there are many genuine examples in our culture over and over again where people will don a different personality, split themselves, in order to cope with an overwhelming situation," she said.

"We see that in everyday life, that there are things you know you just can't face, so you find a way to cope."

She wasn't the first filmmaker linked to the project -- the screenplay was on Hollywood's "Black List" of top unproduced scripts in 2008, according to the LA Times newspaper.

"I read the script for 'The Beaver' and loved it, but there was another director involved at that time," she said.

"It was such a raw and beautiful first movie for a first time writer that I kept saying to everybody, 'Listen, if anything happens, call me up'. And that's exactly what happened."

Then she had to find a distributor, no easy task given the subject matter and Gibson's reputation. Gibson also offered to help promote the film, Foster said, although in the end he has kept a low-profile before its release.

Eventually they persuaded Summit -- the company that released the "Twilight" movies and the 2009 best picture Oscar winner "The Hurt Locker" -- to back it, including both with Gibson, and a violent self-harm scene.

"Summit was the only distributor that said yes to two things: Yes to the violent scene, and yes it's Mel Gibson," she said.

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