Germany’s Battle Against Scientology

The interior ministers of Germany’s 16 states have launched an investigation into the activities of the Church of Scientology, hoping to assemble the evidence to support banning the U.S.-based organization from operating in Germany. But skeptics question whether such a move is politically and legally tenable — or wise

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Group wants R rating for any film with smoking

Smoking in youth-rated movies has not declined despite a pledge two years ago by Hollywood studios to encourage producers to show less "gratuitous smoking," according to an anti-smoking group. The American Medical Association Alliance, pointing to research that big-screen smoking leads teens to pick up the tobacco habit, called for an R rating for any movie with smoking scenes. The head of the group that gives U.S

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Rihanna to testify in Chris Brown hearing, lawyer says

Singer Rihanna cleared her schedule to testify next month in the case against singer Chris Brown, who is charged with brutally beating her earlier this year, her lawyer said. While Brown’s lawyer previously indicated he hoped to resolve the case without public testimony, Los Angeles Criminal Court Judge Patricia Schnegg set on Thursday a preliminary hearing for June 22. Schnegg also ruled Thursday that a leak of police photos showing Rihanna’s bruised and bloodied face would not affect the prosecution of Brown.

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Susan Boyle fans await next stage

Fans of the television show "Britain’s Got Talent" are looking forward to the performances of 40 semi-finalists Sunday. But one in particular will have necks craning even higher: Susan Boyle. The 47-year-old from Scotland wowed audiences and judges during her audition six weeks ago when she belted out the classic “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Miserables

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Hollywood eyes $70 zombie movie wowing Cannes

A budding British director is enjoying success on a shoestring at Cannes with "Colin," a new zombie feature that cost a scarcely believable $70 to make. Japanese distributors are currently in negotiations for the rights to the film and buzz around the no-budget zombie chiller has attracted interest from some major American distributors — all of which is a very nice surprise for the team behind “Colin.” “We were almost fainting at the list of people who were coming [to the final market screening of the film],” said Helen Grace of Left Films who is helping the film’s director Marc Price publicize the film in Cannes

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2-Min. Bio: Tamil Tiger Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran

For more than a quarter-century, the Tamil Tigers have waged a guerilla war against the Sri Lankan government in their attempt to establish an independent state — which they call Eelam — for minority Hindu Tamils in the north and east of the island nation.

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Ashton Kutcher fulfills promise, pranks CNN

The scene was more reminiscent of a Hollywood production than an elaborate prank by the Punk’d-master himself. Ashton Kutcher, along with his wife, Demi Moore, dropped by Atlanta, Georgia’s CNN Center on Wednesday to fulfill his promise to “ding-dong-ditch” CNN founder Ted Turner’s house after winning last April’s race to attract 1 million followers on the micro-blogging site Twitter. With the precision of a Hollywood director, Kutcher barked into his two-way radio as his light and sound crews followed with the Twitter entourage hot on their heels and an Internet audience watching on Ustream.

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The Maldives’ Struggle to Stay Afloat

On a plane to the Maldives, tourists sigh about the luxury resorts and sun-dappled beaches to which they are bound. From above, the country’s coral-fringed lagoons in the Indian Ocean look computer-generated: arrayed in turquoise pods, they stretch over an azure expanse that would span from Rome to Budapest. Ibn Battuta, the 14th century Arab explorer, hailed the archipelago as “one of the wonders of the world.” Ever since, the Maldives has enchanted shipwrecked sailors, Hollywood celebrities and Russian oligarchs fortunate enough to wash up by its shores.

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