Today's entertainment news: George Clooney arrested for Sudan protest

Plus: Tehrangeles show irks US Iranians; Bollywood takes on Mumbai attacks; Russell Brand arrested for damages; Rihanna defends Chris Brown reunion; American Idol eliminates two singers and Nuqat Design Conference begins.

George Clooney is arrested over Sudan protests. Win McNamee / Getty Images / AFP

George Clooney was arrested on Friday during a protest outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, after accusing Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir of provoking a humanitarian crisis and blocking aid from entering the country.

Clooney, his father Nick and others were arrested after being warned three times not to cross a police line outside the embassy. They were handcuffed and taken into a US Secret Service van.

Clooney was released several hours later after paying a US$100 (Dh367) fine.

The arrests came after Clooney met this week with the US President Barack Obama, and testified in the Senate.

"It's such a silly thought to think you're actually succeeding in any of this," Clooney said before his arrest. "But if it's loud enough, at the very least people will know about it."

* AP

Tehrangeles show irks US Iranians

A new reality series about the lifestyles of rich young Iranians in Los Angeles has sparked angry claims that it is degrading the Persian community's image.

At least two Facebook pages have been set up to protest against Shahs of Sunset, which depicts a group of well-to-do friends partying and shopping in Tehrangeles, the name given to the west coast metropolis's Persian community, said to be the biggest outside the Islamic Republic.

"It's just putting a very bad spin on something that we already have - the Persians don't have a very good positive image in America," said Jimmy Delshad, who went to the US as a teenager and rose to be mayor of Beverly Hills twice.

Last week's pilot episode introduced the cast shopping for wedding dresses and throwing pool parties.

* AFP

Bollywood takes on Mumbai attacks

Shooting began on Friday for the first big-budget Indian movie to deal with the 2008 militant attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people.

Posting on Twitter, the director Ram Gopal Varma said The Attacks of 26/11 is "the most important film of my career".

He said the film is targeted for international release and would detail "every aspect of the carnage".

The film is headlined by the theatre actor Sanjeev Jaiswal.

* AFP

Russell Brand arrested for damages

Russell Brand turned himself in on Thursday to New Orleans police after charges of criminal damage to property valued at US$700 (Dh2,600) were filed against him. He posted a bond of US$5,000 and was released hours later.

The celebrity website TMZ said the charges stem from a confrontation with a photographer who was trying to take Brand's photo from a car.

The actor is in New Orleans to film an untitled movie.

* AP

Rihanna defends Chris Brown reunion

People have been scratching their heads over Rihanna's musical collaboration with Chris Brown, but she said it "made sense" and it's "innocent".

Brown, who is on probation for assaulting Rihanna three years ago, appears on a remix of her song Birthday Cake and she appears on a remix of his Turn Up the Music.

On Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM radio show, Rihanna said it was her idea for Brown to appear on her song because he's "the hottest R&B artist" right now.

"There shouldn't be a divide. It's music, and it's innocent," she said.

* AP

Nuqat Design Conference begins

The Nuqat Design Conference, a gathering of key people trying to form a strong design community in the Middle East, started yesterday in Dubai with a line-up of lively lecturers, such as Karim Bekdache, a Lebanese architect who restores and sells vintage furniture from his Beirut studio.

Highlights for the rest of the week include Ahmad Angawi, a Saudi designer trying to reignite his country's craft traditions for contemporary living, speaking today in DIFC at 2pm. For a full lineup of events, visit www.nuqat.me.

* Christopher Lord

American Idol eliminates two singers

The 10 remaining finalists of American Idol will return to the stage on Wednesday to perform songs by Billy Joel.

The 25-year-old vocal instructor Jermaine Jones was disqualified on Wednesday for not revealing that he had outstanding arrest warrants back home in New Jersey.

The Fox singing competition also eliminated the 16-year-old student Shannon Magrane, after her lacklustre rendition of Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's One Sweet Day.

American Idol is broadcast on OSN on Thursday and Friday nights.

Fashion photography exhibit in Dubai

Sheikha Lulu Al Sabah, the director of the Kuwait-based art advisory and consultancy service JAMM, is due to inaugurate her new private art gallery Toby Art Projects in Dubai's Al Quoz district tonight, with works by the celebrated French-Algerian fashion photographer Michel Haddi.

"I wanted to choose a medium that integrates fashion and art," says Al Sabah.

The exhibit continues until March 31. Toby Art Projects is near Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz, Warehouse 11.

* Christopher Lord