Rihanna performs at the Nilson Nelson Arena

Rihanna may soon be headed to the top of the album charts after her latest record, "Talk That Talk" reached No. 1 on iTunes on Tuesday, one day after its release.

The singer released early teasers online as much as a week in advance, helping push the album into the top 10 on iTunes. Fans took to Twitter and Facebook to call the album Rihanna's best yet. Critical reviews, however, were mixed.

"Talk That Talk" is the sixth studio album from the 23-year-old Barbadian singer, following CDs like "Rated R" and "Loud," which have seen her steadily evolve from teen pop star to adult performer since her 2005 debut. She has earned international success over the years with singles like "Umbrella," "Rude Boy" and "What's My Name."

The 11-track "Talk That Talk" features themes of love and sexuality with a mixture of up-tempo dance tracks and reggae beats on "Where Have You Been," "Birthday Cake" and "You Da One," along with ballads "We All Want Love" and "Farewell."

Rihanna also collaborated with rapper Jay-Z -- whose Roc Nation label manages her -- on the single "Talk That Talk" and Scottish producer Calvin Harris on chart-topping dance anthem "We Found Love." The record also features a sample of British indie rock group The xx's "Intro" on single "Drunk On Love."

The singer's fans were upbeat on Twitter.

@OhMy_Kayla said, "This TALK THAT TALK album by @rihanna is by far the best one yet!!!!,, I FREAKING LOVE HER," and @gabixballa tweeted, "I've only been listening to Talk That Talk since yesterday. Lowkey @rihanna's best album ever."

Despite the positive fan reception, critics delivered mostly mixed reviews, acknowledging the singer's move toward dance music but criticizing the lyrics.

New York Times' Jon Caramanica called the record "the blithest Rihanna album" and criticized the singer's voice for being "certifiably blank." Randall Roberts at the Los Angeles Times gave the album two out of four stars, saying it "contains little sweat, slobber or fluids and a lot of plasticized, inflatable insinuation."

British music magazine NME scored the album a five out of ten, and called it "annoyingly safe with just glimpses of what it might have been."

But not all critics were put off. TheWrap.com's Chris Willman called the record "less dark and more high-spirited" than her last two records, adding "the album is at its musical best when it sticks to dance music."

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British actor-directors Ralph Fiennes and Kenneth Branagh will be honoured at the British Independent Film Awards next month for their contribution to movies.

Fiennes, who recently directed his first feature "Coriolanus" in which he also stars, will receive the Richard Harris Award for contribution to British film by an actor.

He is best known for Oscar-nominated performances in "Schindler's List" and "The English Patient", and most recently as the evil Lord Voldemort in the blockbuster Harry Potter franchise.

Previous recipients of the prize have included John Hurt, David Thewlis, Bob Hoskins, Jim Broadbent, Daniel Day-Lewis and Helena Bonham Carter, who won in 2010.

Branagh, a renowned Shakespearean actor on stage and the big screen, will pick up the Variety Award for focusing the international spotlight on British cinema.

He enjoyed commercial success as director of this year's "Thor" and also appeared in the Potter series.

The Variety Award was previously won by Michael Caine, author J.K. Rowling, Helen Mirren, Richard Curtis, Michael Sheen and Keira Knightley among others.

The British Independent Film Awards, sponsored by Moet & Chandon champagne, will be held in London on Dec. 4.

Three films lead the nominations with seven apiece -- "Shame" about a sex-obsessed bachelor in New York, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" based on the Cold War spy classic and "Tyrannosaur", Paddy Considine's directorial debut.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White)

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An art critic takes in the room as a painting

London's National Gallery said on Wednesday it would crack down on the re-sale of tickets to its blockbuster show of Leonardo da Vinci paintings which are being offered online at up to 300 pounds each ($470).

The normal price of a ticket to "Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan", billed as the most complete collection of Leonardo's few surviving paintings ever staged, is 16 pounds.

"We are obviously very disappointed at the resale of these tickets for profit," said a spokeswoman for the gallery.

"The resale of tickets for the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition is against the terms and conditions of their sale and this information is printed on the tickets.

"Our website clearly states: 'Tickets that have been resold will be cancelled without refund and admission will be refused to the bearer.'"

She added that the gallery was in the process of contacting companies and websites offering to re-sell tickets and requesting that they "stop immediately.

"We are conducting checks on Leonardo tickets."

The exhibition, which opened on Nov. 9 to rave reviews and closes on Feb. 5, 2012, quickly sold out as art lovers from Britain and abroad scrambled for access.

The gallery has withheld a limited number of tickets to be sold each day, but on its website it warns visitors they may have to wait for up to three hours and then wait again to enter the show.

The website also advises ticket holders unable to attend to provide a signed letter of authorisation if they wish to hand them over to somebody else.

On Wednesday, two tickets were offered on the eBay online auction website for 600 pounds, although most were priced significantly lower and in some cases at a discount to face value.

On the Viagogo online ticket exchange a pair of tickets was on sale for up to 227 pounds.

The exhibition boasts nine of 15 or 16 known Leonardo paintings, including "Christ as Salvator Mundi" which was only recently attributed to Leonardo, although its authenticity is still questioned by some.

Listed by the National Gallery as an original, the painting was sold at Sotheby's for 45 pounds in 1958, when it was believed to be by one of Leonardo's pupils.

According to ARTnews, the work is now owned by a consortium of dealers, including Robert Simon, a specialist in Old Masters in New York. Valued by experts at up to $200 million, Simon told the publication the work was not for sale.

The National Gallery has collected virtually all of the known Leonardo paintings from Milan, where he was court artist to the city's ruler Ludovico Sforza from around 1482-1499.

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Bollywood actress Vidya Balan

Several years after soft porn films nearly died out in India, mainstream Bollywood has now shed its inhibitions to make a movie about a former sex symbol.

"The Dirty Picture" is said to be based on the life of Silk Smitha, a south Indian actress who became a household name in the 1980s and 90s with her semi-nude scenes and brazen on-screen persona.

The film opens in Indian cinemas on December 2.

Director Milan Luthria spoke to ET about The Dirty Picture and why mainstream Bollywood actress Vidya Balan was his first choice for the lead role.

Q: Why did you decide to make a film on Silk Smitha?

A: "There were a lot of women like her, this movie is not just about her. Like Nylon Nalini or Polyester Padmini. So we found a slice of life which was unique. There were ingredients which excited me. Yes, it is a very brazen, bold life -- an extra who carved a niche for herself in a male-dominated industry. I like the fact that there were men who were superstars at that time, they would wait for months so that they could put a song by her in the movie. There were a lot of beautiful women around at that time, so why her. What was it about her that set people's imagination on fire."

Q: And what do you think it was?

A: "I think it was the fact that she chose to walk where nobody had walked before. She decided to make a career out of selling sex. And yet there was an emotional quality to her, which the film explores in the second half. I did not look at her as a B-grade actress; I looked at her as a survivor."

Q: The risqué rushes have created a buzz...

A: "See, we are selling sex and we are not ashamed of it. I think it is time we all came of age and accepted it in our movies. I think when you are making a movie of a woman and her sexuality; it has to be out there on display. This was a risky proposition, to make a movie without a conventional story or conventional casting. So we will use every device to stand out and catch viewers' eyeballs."

Q: How did you try to capture the nuances of the 1980s?

A: "The 80s was a very flamboyant era. So we had a good time, we saw a lot of films and we had to work extremely hard. This is by far the toughest film I have done, in terms of research, in terms of getting Vidya (Balan) to put on weight, in terms of convincing her to do the scenes that she has done. It is a difficult film to do. What I am happy about is that everyone is appreciating it looks authentic."

Q: How different is it from any other film you have done?

A: "Working around a woman's body, and a woman's emotion, sets this film apart from anything I have done. And Vidya is extremely sexy in the film, we have to get the viewers to go past that at some point and connect with her emotions.

"Also, there is an element of the South (of India). We did not want to make a spoof. We did not want to make our characters look like baboons. We want it to look real."

Q: Why Vidya Balan?

A: "She was my first choice. She is a quintessential, voluptuous Indian beauty -- the kind of face and figure that is disappearing from Indian cinema. She has it all. She is reminiscent of the Hema Malinis and Vyjayantimalas (yesteryear Bollywood actresses). Also, it is unexpected of her to do something like this -- and we are counting on that impact. Seeing her do it is a lot more newsworthy than anybody else. Also, she is one of our most talented actresses and lastly, she is a south Indian."

Q: What was your favourite bit about making the film?

A: "The favourite part was gaining Vidya's confidence. It was not easy, but it was very heartening to see a woman who was hesitant at the beginning, learn to trust her director -- and give completely to it, and not hold back. I could see her slowly dropping her reservations, week by week she began to trust more and enjoy herself more. It went from her not happy at all to her coming in with a hundred ideas every day, which eventually were shocking to us. So it was a complete turnaround and that is where as a director I found a lot of success."

(Reporting By Diksha Madhok, editing by Paul Casciato)

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Miley Cyrus

It was only a few short years ago that she won our hearts as Hannah Montana so it’s safe to say that Miley Cyrus  is definitely growing up! It’s hard to believe, but today (Nov. 23) the triple threat turns 19. Happy birthday, Miley!

Hailing from Nashville, TN, Miley (born Destiny Hope Cyrus) has never been a shy one and is no stranger to a little controversy. Whether it’s her infamous short shorts or her provocative 2008 Vanity Fair photo shoot, the former Disney Channel star is always on the tips of everyone’s tongues.

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J.R. Martinez, left, and his partner Karina Smirnoff

J. R. Martinez started out as the least-known member of the "Dancing With the Stars" cast, but as the season went on, America fell in love with the 28-year-old soldier-turned-soap opera star.

"Dancing" draws 18 million viewers a week who got a firsthand look at the Iraq war veteran with the infectious positive attitude. They heard his story: How he was severely burned over more than 40 percent of his body when the Humvee he was driving for the U.S. Army struck a land mine, how he underwent numerous surgeries over years of recovery -- then they saw him dancing like that had happened to somebody else. The 28-year-old actor and motivational speaker radiates joy.

"You've got such a sparkling personality, you just light up this room," "Dancing" judge Len Goodman said.

Earlier this month, Martinez was chosen as grand marshal of the 123rd annual Tournament of Roses parade. He was on the cover of People magazine and named one of its "sexiest men" a few weeks later. And on Tuesday, he became the new "Dancing With the Stars" champion.

Martinez and professional partner Karina Smirnoff claimed the mirrorball trophy over fellow finalists Rob Kardashian and Ricki Lake.

"We've been able to create a lot of magical moments on the show and to top it off with this is amazing," Martinez said, holding the glittery trophy.

"And my friend, she deserves it," he continued, looking at Smirnoff. "She's an amazing dancer and she should be in that category with the elite when it comes to this show and hold her own trophy up. The fact that I was able to be part of that journey, I'm excited about that."

The dance partners (and neighbors -- Smirnoff and Martinez live near one another) already know where they'll put the mirrorballs.

Smirnoff wants to keep hers at her dance studio in "a space with a spotlight and I'm going to polish it every morning," she said.

Martinez will be keeping his trophy even closer.

"Right now I'm going to put mine in bed. I'm going to tuck it in, and it's going to roll around with me," he beamed. "And then after that, once we've kind of grown apart, I'm going to glue it to the hood of my car and drive around Los Angeles and honk my horn and it will be my own parade."

Kardashian, who came into the season finale in first place with professional partner Cheryl Burke, said he didn't mind finishing as a runner-up.

"I feel great. I literally did everything I could have asked myself to do and more," the reality star said after the show. Still, he said Martinez "deserves that trophy more than anyone."

It appears fans had the final say. Viewer votes combined with judges' scores determine the winner, and Kardashian and Martinez were just a point apart when all the dancing was done. As the third-place finisher, Lake was eliminated part way through the final episode.

"J.R. and Karina really deserved to win," she said after the show. "And Rob and Cheryl, I'm so impressed with them both, so it's great to be among the three best."

After a quick trip to New York with his fellow finalists to make an appearance on "Good Morning America," and maybe some dance-free downtime over Thanksgiving, the former soldier and current "Dancing With the Stars" champ has a full roster of activities planned.

"I want to focus on writing a book. I want to tell people more in-depth the story of who J.R. Martinez is and what I've been through," he said. "And at the same time, I want to continue acting, continue doing motivational speaking and, from time to time, call Karina and say, `Let's go dance."'

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George Clooney

Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo are among the high-profile figures that can be called as witnesses in the sex trial of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, a court ruled Wednesday.

Clooney's ex-girlfriend and "Dancing with the Stars" contestant Elisabetta Canalis is also on a list of 78 witnesses that Berlusconi's legal team are now allowed to call in his defense, La Stampa reported.

The former premier is set to stand trial for allegedly having sex with an underage prostitute after one of his infamous "Bunga Bunga" parties, and then abusing his position of power by asking police to release her after she was arrested on suspected theft charges.

Prosecutors are calling 136 witnesses during the trial, including the Moroccan-born nightclub dancer at the center of the case -- Karima El Mahroug -- better known by her stage name "Ruby the Heart Stealer."

Clooney has a house on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, not far from Berlusconi's private villa at Arcore, where the billionaire prime minister is alleged to have thrown the wild parties.

When it was first reported in March that Clooney may be called as a witness, the actor told Sky News he was puzzled by the news, as he had only met the 75 year old once.

"It seems odd since I've only met Berlusconi once and that was in an attempt to get aid into Darfur," he said.

Ruby told prosecutors during questioning that the "Up in the Air" star and Canalis were among the guests at one of Berlusconi's parties -- a claim that was denied by Canalis.

Ruby also claimed to have had sex with Ronaldo after meeting him in a Milan nightclub in January 2010. The Real Madrid player has denied ever meeting her.
Berlusconi's defense team has argued that Ruby and other wannabe starlets lied over Berlusconi's alleged nights with prostitutes and orgy-filled "Bunga Bunga" parties.

Using the services of prostitutes is not a crime in Italy, but paying for sex with a girl under the age of 18 is illegal. Berlusconi has denied ever paying for sex, let alone with Ruby, who turned 18 in November 2010.

Berlusconi faces a maximum of three years in prison for the sex charge and 12 years for the abuse of power charge, AFP reported.

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