Nigeria militants invite George Clooney to visit

Lagos, Nigeria – Militants in Nigeria’s restive oil region on Saturday invited actor and peace activist George Clooney to visit the area and asked for U.N. intervention in their conflict.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon designated Clooney as a U.N. “messenger of peace” Friday to promote the world body’s activities, especially in its far-flung peacekeeping missions. The 46-year-old actor has been campaigning for an end to the 4 1/2-year war in Darfur and for humanitarian aid for the millions caught up in the conflict.

Nigeria’s Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta congratulated Clooney on his appointment and invited him to visit their impoverished region, which has been wracked by two years of fighting, bombings and kidnapping of foreign workers.

“Mr. Clooney, MEND extends an invitation to you to see things for yourself and is willing to work with you and other credible peace makers of international repute to stop Nigeria from plunging into the abyss of war,” the group said in a statement e-mailed to reporters.

Witnesses say Diddy shoved, spit on man

Los Angeles – Four eyewitnesses support a man’s assertion that Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulted him and his girlfriend at a post-Oscar party at a Hollywood nightclub last year, according to court papers filed by the plaintiff’s attorney.

Marianna Ruiz, one of the witnesses deposed by an attorney for Gerard Rechnitzer, said in papers filed Wednesday that the rap and fashion mogul struck Rechnitzer unprovoked.

“I just kind of remember seeing him go flying, not flying as in like feet off the ground, but he went back significantly,” said Ruiz, who was part of a group at the club with the Rechnitzer. “I was just in shock that somebody would … just kind of strike somebody out of nowhere.”

Sherman said Combs then tried to spit on Ruiz, who was standing nearby.

Rechnitzer seeks unspecified damages in the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last year.

Attorneys for Combs have called the suit “completely baseless” and in court papers filed Wednesday said he is “in no way legally responsible for what happened to Rechnitzer.”

Police call Sutherland a good inmate

Glendale, Calif. – Kiefer Sutherland, who plays the hard-as-nails agent of TV’s “24,” was a softy during his 48 days in jail on a drunken-driving charge.

Sutherland, scheduled to be released Monday, has spent his sentence cleaning sheets, pillowcases and blankets on laundry duty, police Officer John Balian said Friday.

“He was very humble, never complained,” Balian said. “He didn’t give us any problems at all.”

Horror writer King accepts that he’s 60

Bangor, Maine – Best-selling author Stephen King has turned 60, a milestone that forces him to accept that he’s no longer middle-aged.

“I look the same as I ever did when I look in the mirror. I can still see the kid there. But people seeing you see someone who’s older. I went to a movie theater, and the woman asked if I wanted my golden-ager discount. I asked how old you have to be for that, and she said 65. I said ‘Not yet, dear,”‘ King, whose birthday was in September, told the Bangor Daily News.

In a wide-ranging interview, the longtime supporter of Democratic candidates said he is backing Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president.

“We need a big change,” King said. “It’s an amazing thing to see the two frontrunners be a woman and a black man. Obama has the least baggage of the two and is willing to try new things. It wouldn’t be business as usual. Also it would do wonders for us in the world community to have a black man in the White House,” he said.