R&B Singer Sean LeVert Dies after One Week in Jail March 31, 2008

The 39-year-old son of lead O’Jays singer Eddie LeVert, was declared dead Sunday night at about 11:57 a.m. Leveret was reportedly sick and went to the infirmary of the Cuyahoga County Jail, where he was detained for failing to pay approximately $80,000 in child support.

His body was taken from the prison’s medical facility to the Lutheran Hospital.

According to a jail official, a guard who checked on LeVert noticed he couldn’t breathe normally. The guard called staff from the medical facility of the prison, but they couldn’t save his life. The jail official added that they weren’t aware of any pre-existing medical condition that could have helped them prevent this.

LeVert had been in jail for about a week.

The cause of his death is still unknown, but the autopsy scheduled to take pace on Monday morning will surely bring more light to the case. Toxicology tests will also be carried out according to Cleveland Coroner’s spokesman Powell Caesar.

Sean LeVert of Streetsboro was the younger brother of Gerald LeVert and a member of the band “LeVert.” His brother Gerald, a Grammy award winner, also passed away on November 10, 2006 at the age of 40. He was found dead in his bed at his Newbury home.

The “LeVert” band was an R&B group formed in 1984 in Cleveland. Its founding members were Sean and Gerald LeVert and Marc Gordon. The group increased their popularity with hits like (Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind and Casanova. Sean LeVert also featured in a few movies such as “New Jack City.”

The LeVerts enjoyed much appreciation in their native Canton, where a street was named after them.

Dutch Lawmaker to Edit Anti-Quran Film March 31, 2008

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch lawmaker whose anti-Quran film drew worldwide condemnations will edit out a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad after complaints of copyright infringement, his office said Monday.

Geert Wilders used the cartoon by Danish artist Kurt Westergaard twice in the film “Fitna.” The drawing, which depicts Islam’s prophet wearing a bomb-shaped turban with a lit fuse, provoked violent protests in Muslim countries when it was published by European newspapers two years ago.

The Danish Union of Journalists has said it would sue Wilders for copyright infringement.

Wilders’ spokeswoman Daphne Rozenboom said in an e-mail that Wilders would replace the cartoon and make other minor edits. She could not give details on how Wilders would change a film that has been dispersed widely over the Internet and downloaded millions of times since its release late Thursday.

In Denmark, Westergaard said he was happy with Wilders’ decision and believed the lawsuit would be dropped.

He added that Wilders might have won his permission to use the cartoon if he had asked.

“I don’t want my drawing to be used in something that I don’t know anything about. Had Mr. Wilders contacted me, we could have talked together and I could have found out what he wanted with the drawing,” he said.

The 15-minute film showed verses from the Quran juxtaposed with scenes of violence and terrorist attacks by Muslim extremists.

It led to protests in Pakistan and drew condemnations from Muslim countries and politicians around the world. The Dutch government also denounced the film, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called it “offensively anti-Islamic.”

On Monday, about 40 hard-line Muslims demonstrated outside the Dutch Embassy in Indonesia, calling for Wilders’ death. The protesters from Islamic Defenders Front — a small group that has occasionally staged violent protests against Western targets — threw a plastic bottles and eggs at the compound before dispersing.

Malaysia’s Islamic opposition party delivered a protest note to the Dutch Embassy and urged Muslims worldwide to boycott Dutch products.

Wilders, whose party holds nine seats in the 150-member Dutch parliament, said the film was intended to warn the West of the dangers posed by Islam.

On Monday, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen met with ambassadors of countries belonging to the Organization of the Islamic Conference to assure them the film “in no way reflects the opinion of the Dutch government,” spokesman Rob Dekker said.

He said the diplomats inquired whether Wilders would be prosecuted for violating hate speech laws. Prosecutors have said they have not yet decided whether to take action

Bollywood is set to get a bigger dose of Pakistani music in 2008! March 31, 2008

Bollywood is set to get a bigger dose of Pakistani pop this year!

Maheen Sabeeh

2008 is turning out to be an interesting year for Bollywood and Pakistani music. While musicians like Strings have refused offers from the likes of Dharma Productions and Madhur Bhandarkar and even Jal – who received an offer to work in a film featuring Tabu – others have signed on onto Bollywood.

Call have already sung and shot the video for ‘Yeh Pal’ that is being featured in the upcoming film Aasman and will star Nauheed Nauheed Cyrusi (Anwar fame), Hrishita Bhatt and an upcoming actor Subhahish Mukherjee.

Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, who has been AWOL from the music scene since he made it big with ‘Mitwa’ for Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and parted ways from Fuzon, is all set to surface back. And this guy is going from one big high profile film to another. Now it has been revealed that Shafqat will next be singing for Atul Agnihotri’s Hello. The song has been written by Jalees Sherwani and composed by the musical duo of Sajid-Wajid. Based on the book, One Night at Call Centre, it’ll feature Salman Khan, Sharman Joshi, Sohail Khan, Ishaa Koppikar, Amrita Arora and Gul Panag with special appearances by Katrina Kaif and Arbaaz Khan.

Not far behind from Shafqat are Fuzon and Ali Azmat. And interestingly there is one film that both of them will be featured on and it’s called Mumbai Cutting.

The film, which includes 10 different stories and is being directed by ten different directors, is simply about the city that is Mumbai.

Ali Azmat’s song, ‘Sawal’ is being featured in the portion that has been directed by Rahul Dholakia and according to Ali, it is a dark number.

On the other hand, Fuzon, who last worked with Nagesh Kukunoor on Hyderabad Blues 2, are set to make a comeback in Bollywood. Their single is a ballad and the guys have already shot the video for it in Bombay.

Mumbai Cutting has a massive star cast collectively. The film features Soha Ali Khan, Sonali Kulkarni, Ranvir Shorey, Vinay Pathak, Tejaswini Kohlapuri, Ranvijay, Sushant Singh, Tara Sharma, Sachin Khedekar, Neetu Chandra, Jimmy Shergill, Samreen Zaidi and Palash Sen of the band Euphoria.

And this year, Ali Azmat is not holding back on Bollywood. Besides Mumbai Cutting, He is also working on Sudhir Mishra’s next, Tera Kya Hoga Johnny. This flick has newcomer Neil Nitin Mukesh (Johnny Gaddar fame) and Soha Ali Khan in the lead. But more interesting is the fact that Ali has composed a reggae number for the flick!

Atif Aslam, who last sang for Bollywood flick, Race, is now looking at some projects. According to sources, one offer Atif Aslam is considering has come from Mahesh Bhatt. But right now Atif is still in talks. And if all works out, he will do the song.

Another guy who’s quietly working on an Indian film project is Shiraz Uppal. While Shiraz is keeping mum on the offer, there are some reports that the project is with the mighty AR Rahman. The two have worked once before for the film Nayak so we wouldn’t be surprised.

It is no longer surprising when a Pakistani artist or band cuts a deal in India. It gives them more room to play and gives them mileage and there is no denying it. Awarapan did wonders for Roxen while Call managed to reach a wider range of listeners vis-à-vis ‘Laaree Chootee’.

Rahat Fateh Ali, Strings and Atif Aslam have been able to connect with Indian listeners not just because of their signature music but also because of their projects in Bollywood.

While Strings always play their cards right, others have made mistakes. But now, they are all understanding how to play the game. Atif is no longer just behind vocals. He’s getting the videos too.

And with live music circuit in Pakistan in shambles, literally for the past one year, India is a place that is giving all the musicians a platform and venues to play on.

Without artist management and proper sound arrangements, musicians are increasingly becoming wary of playing at big shows in Pakistan. Vocal distortion, bad lighting and various other problems are wreaking havoc with the whole concept of live shows in Pakistan.

In such a scenario, musicians often have no choice but to look at India as a market. There are a lot more cities, bigger venues and better facilities. And Bollywood plays a big role in bringing listeners closer. With the biggest market share of music, it is Bollwood which paves path for our pop/rock to grow there. Atif Aslam is the biggest example. His ventures in films like Kalyug, Zeher and Bas Ek Pal have made him a huge star in India.

Bollywood also helps with recognition. Plus Pakistani music is fresh and that is one more reason why it is working in India. So here hoping that this year in Bollywood turns out to be hugely successful for all our artists!

A double whammy! 2008 will not only mark the return of Ali Azmat with a new album, but it also marks his return to Bollywood. The first project is a film called Mumbai Cutting while the second film is Sudhir Mishra’s Tera Kya Hoga Johnny, which stars Neil Nitin Mukesh and Soha Ali Khan in pivotal roles

Other than Ali Azmat, Fuzon will also be featured on Mumbai Cutting soundtrack and their single will be a ballad. Meanwhile Call have recorded and shot the single ‘Yeh Pal’ for Bollywood flick Aasman!

In the pipeline: After the massive success of ‘Pehli Nazar’ off Race soundtrack, Atif Aslam is in talks with Mahesh Bhatt for a possible venture in the near future. Shiraz Uppal (below) is also working on a Bollywood project and it might be with maestro A.R. Rahman…

link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/instep_today.asp

Atif Aslam to Sing in upcoming Bollywood movie ‘Kismat Konnection’ March 31, 2008

Atif Aslam has aided stars like Emraan Hashmi (Woh Lamhe in Zeher), Saif Ali Khan (Pehli nazar in Race) to up their sex appeal with his soulful singing. But now the Pakistani crooner is planning to turn competitor. lready riding high on a popularity wave, thanks to chartbusters like Adaat from Kalyug and Bas Ek Pal’s Tere Bin, Aslam is now leafing through scripts. “I have already got offers from Tips, Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt. I’m yet to accept any,” says the good-looking singer.

Athough he hasn’t had any formal training in acting, Aslam isn’t lacking in confidence when it comes to showing off his histrionics. “I believe that acting is natural and veteran actors like Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan haven’t been to an acting school. Certain technicalities can be learned on the set itself,” he says. As far as finding inspiration is concerned, it’s King Khan that comes to Aslam’s mind. The singer is thrilled that the superstar happily accepted his latest album, Meri Kahani at an award function. When asked his favourites in the Bollywood music industry, he says, “A R Rahman and Sonu Nigam are just amazing”.

It’s great interacting and working with superstars; all this is a result of my hard work put in for the last few years. It feels nice being accepted,” Aslam says. He, however, doesn’t want to move base to Mumbai as all his friends and relatives are in Pakistan. “Though I end up spending half my time in India, I have no plans of settling here. I have got a lot of fans back home and my family lives there.” Aslam’s vocal prowess can be heard when Aziz Mirza’s Kismet Konnection releases later this year.

Rolling Stones film set for release March 31, 2008

 

Rolling Stones Shine A Light movie trailer

Rolling Stones Movie – Interview

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Director Martin Scorsese won’t say the Rolling Stones are like the underworld characters in many of his movies, but he admits the band’s music evokes memories of the rough, mob-tinged street life he grew up around.

The Academy Award winner and the legendary band founded in London in 1962 have combined on “Shine A Light,” a concert documentary shot at New York’s intimate Beacon Theatre in October 2006.

Scorsese and band members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Charlie Watts held a press conference on Sunday ahead of the film’s U.S. release on April 4.

“I don’t know if I can make any direct associations,” Scorsese said with a laugh when asked what similarities he sees between the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members and the brutal criminals he has depicted in films such as “Goodfellas,” “Casino” and “The Departed.”

But the native New Yorker says their music has always struck powerful chords with him, so much that he used the group’s violence-laced song “Gimme Shelter” in three of his previous films.

“The music has been very important to me over the years. It dealt with aspects of the life that I was growing up around, that I was associated with or saw or was experiencing and trying to make sense of,” Scorsese said.

“It was tougher, it had an edge. Beautiful, honest and brutal at times. And it’s always stayed with me and become a well of inspiration to this day,” he added.

The film offers 17 songs mainly comprised of concert warhorses like “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Start Me Up” and “Brown Sugar,” and features guest appearances by blues legend Buddy Guy, White Stripes guitarist Jack White and singer Christina Aguilera.

The film’s opening minutes show band front-man Jagger and Scorsese in a transatlantic teleconference tug-of-war over stage dimensions, camera placement and the song list.

Archival footage of the band and limited contemporary interviews also are included, but the film mainly is a straight depiction of the concert.

While Jagger initially wanted to film a larger concert — possibly the band’s February 2006 show at Brazil’s Copacabana Beach that drew a crowd estimated at well over 1 million — Scorsese pushed for the smaller venue.

Guitarist Richards said he was happy about the scaled-down show, especially because of his love of the Beacon Theatre.

“The Beacon Theatre is special for some reason … The room sort of wraps its arms around you, and every night it gets warmer,” Richards said. “And this band, you know, didn’t start off in stadiums.”

While filmed in a smaller venue, Jagger said the movie will have a larger-than-life look when it is shown in the huge-screen IMAX format. The film also will be released in theaters with regular screens.

“The funny thing is that Marty decided he wanted to make this small intimate movie and I said, ‘Well the laugh is that, Marty, in the end, it’s going to be blown up to this huge IMAX thing …’ But it looks good in IMAX,” Jagger said.

The band was long on praise for Scorsese, who after five previous Best Director nominations finally won an Oscar for 2006’s “The Departed.”

“He’s a fantastic director and … very painstaking on the editing to produce the movie that you see,” Jagger said.

“We didn’t choose Marty, Marty chose us,” said Richards.

China Says It Has Evidence Dalai Lama Incited Riots March 31, 2008

SHANGHAI — After two weeks in which China contended that Tibet’s government in exile had instigated the riots earlier this month to tarnish the coming Summer Olympics in Beijing, the Chinese government on Sunday issued for the first time what it said was evidence of the plot.

Xinhua, the state-run news agency, said the Chinese police had a confession written by an unidentified monk who they said received orders from supporters of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

In what an article described as the confession, the monk said: “For the sake of protecting myself, (the Dalai Lama clique) asked me not to participate in the demonstrations in person, just in charge of stirring people up.”

The Chinese government has not held a news conference to identify the monk or explain the circumstances of the confession, so it was not possible to verify either the existence of the monk or of such a statement.

For weeks, China has said it has strong evidence that the riots and protests in Tibet and neighboring regions were orchestrated by the “Dalai clique.”

The Tibetan government, based in Dharamsala, India, quickly dismissed such claims, saying that China was trying to pin blame on Tibetan exiles.

“These are baseless allegations,” Tenzin Taklha, the Dalai Lama’s secretary in Dharamsala, said in a telephone interview on Sunday. “Their spinmasters are trying to put the blame on us.”

Mr. Taklha called on China to allow an independent organization to investigate the accusations.

Since riots erupted March 14 in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital, journalists and diplomats have been prevented from traveling freely in Tibet and neighboring regions with large Tibetan populations, some of which have faced serious unrest.

Pressure continues to mount for China to negotiate with the Dalai Lama and find a solution to a problem that has already begun to affect preparations for the Olympics. China has tried to convince other countries that the Dalai Lama’s supporters are behind the unrest and that they finance and equip separatists inside China.

On Saturday, China said it had seized a cache of guns, ammunition, explosives and sophisticated communications equipment at a Buddhist monastery in Sichuan Province, a part of southwestern China that has been the scene of Tibetan protests.

The police in Katmandu, the capital of Nepal, scuffled Sunday with Tibetan protesters near the Chinese Embassy. More than 100 people, some of whom were chanting pro-independence slogans, were detained, Reuters reported.

In Athens, protesters tried to disrupt the Olympic torch ceremony, as Greece handed over the flame to China. The government plans to hold a ceremony in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Monday, before the Olympic torch begins its journey around the world.

European Union foreign ministers, meeting in Slovenia over the weekend, also called for an end to violence in Tibet and for talks between China and the Dalai Lama.

But Chinese leaders continue to take a hard-line approach. They contend that the Dalai Lama and his government in exile have orchestrated a violent separatist campaign, resulting in the recent clashes that killed about 20 people and wounded hundreds in Lhasa and neighboring regions.

Tibetan groups say China’s harsh suppression of the protests and riots has killed more than 140 people and has resulted in the detention and harassment of hundreds of Tibetans, including monks.

The Chinese government also said it had arrested 26 people suspected of rioting in Aba County, Sichuan Province.

There seems to be little room for compromise. China says the Dalai Lama has walked away from negotiations and has lied. For his part, the Dalai Lama says that he does not support violence, that he supports having the Olympic Games in Beijing and that he is willing to negotiate.

Group Tries to Block Torch

ATHENS — Shouting “Free Tibet” and flashing red banners reading “Stop Genocide in Tibet,” demonstrators charged a police cordon here on Sunday, trying to block the Olympic flame from making its final 100-yard run into a sprawling marble arena.

Backed by riot squads, scores of police officers detained 10 of an estimated 15 demonstrators, taking them to Greece’s national police headquarters minutes after the ceremony began.

Greece carried out a major security operation for the event, deploying more than 1,000 police officers and changing the flame’s route at least three times.

Yet even before the handover began, three supporters of Falun Gong were detained outside Panathinaiko Stadium for distributing leaflets on the spiritual movement outlawed in China.

Mugabe apparently faces major defeat in Zimbabwe March 30, 2008

HARARE, ZIMBABWE — The main opposition party and independent observers said today that President Robert Mugabe was suffering a resounding defeat as election results were tallied, but no official returns were released and capital was rife with speculation that they were being rigged.

Tension was high in the capital, Harare, with police deployed on most corners as the delay in announcing results from Saturday’s balloting wore on. Usually, the first official results are released within hours of the polls’ closing.

There were unconfirmed reports that key ministers and Mugabe loyalists lost their seats in parliament.

In a briefing to diplomats, independent election observers said that with 66% of the vote counted, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Morgan Tsvangirai, had 55% of the vote. Mugabe, 84, had 36% and ruling party defector Simba Makoni had 9%, it said.

Tsvangirai’s party said that with 12% of the polling stations reporting, he was winning 67%.

The estimate was based on figures posted at individual polling stations after election officials had signed off on them, the first time such counts have been posted under recent reforms to election law.

“The wave of change was too strong,” said one shocked official of the ruling ZANU-PF, who lost his seat. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.

He said conditions were extremely tense, with speculation rife in the ruling party that the military might step in to back Mugabe and block the opposition from taking power.

The MDC defied government warnings that any early claim of victory would be considered an attempted coup.

“We’ve won this election,” said an exhausted Tendai Biti, MDC secretary-general, who had been up all night as MDC representatives sent in their results.

“The results coming in show that in our traditional strongholds we are massacring them. In Mugabe’s traditional strongholds they are doing very badly. There is no way Mugabe can claim victory unless it is through fraud. He has lost this election,” Biti said. “We must savor these scenes, as for the rest of our lives we’ll say we were there.”

A chirpy state television bulletin Sunday night announced that Zimbabwe Election Commission officials were “verifying” results before broadcasting interviews across the country on how smooth and peaceful the elections had been.

It was equally quiet at the ZEC “command center,” where results are normally posted. One independent observer who visited the center said there were just a few people sitting around reading the paper.

Noel Kututwa, chairman of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, an independent monitoring group, said the delay in results created tension and speculation, and called on the ZEC to release the results.

“The issue of the delay of the announcement of the results raises tension which is why we are saying the ZEC should release these results as quickly as possible,” he said. “Clearly the delay is fueling speculation that something might be going on.”

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

We’re ready with ‘Sarkar Raj’: Ram Gopal Varma March 30, 2008

Ram Gopal Varma had created a coup of sorts by casting the father-son jodi (Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek) in ‘Sarkar’, a film that left people awestruck, all thanks to the power-full performances by the Bachchans. This time round, Ramu has gone one-step ahead to add one more member (Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan) from the Bachchan clan and have named it ‘Sarkar Raj’, which happens to be a sequel to ‘Sarkar’. So now, let us hear from the director himself.

When is ‘Sarkar Raj’ releasing?
 
Either in the last week of May or first week of June, depending upon the matches, exams, vacations, etc. Reports of a delay are utter nonsense. Nothing is being re-shot. If I needed to do it, I would. But that isn’t the case with ‘Sarkar Raj’. All of us—Amitji, Abhishek, Aishwarya and I are happy with the product.

The film has an added significance because of the formidable cast…

I guess when the film stars the Bachchans, people would love to talk about the product. But they’re bitching unnecessarily about ‘Sarkar Raj’. Something negative or the other is always being written about it. The fact is that post-production is on. We’re ready with ‘Sarkar Raj’.

Do you feel that Sarkar Raj has gone beyond ‘Sarkar’?
 
In terms of scale, scope, and span, it goes far beyond the first film. Also it is my first film with a socio-political subtext. And it’s character-driven. If you take the ‘Godfather’ trilogy, they’re all character dramas. ‘Sarkar Raj’ isn’t exactly a sequel to ‘Sarkar’. In the sense, that it doesn’t take off right away from where the first movie trails off.

So how would you describe it?
 
For the want of a better description, I’d say that ‘Sarkar Raj’ takes us into another episode… in the adventures of the Nagare family’s life. The plots and issues involved make this a far bigger film than the first one.

Do the Big B and Abhishek have more scenes together?
 
I wouldn’t say more scenes. I’d say there’re more shades to their character. In the first part, the son Shankar got very close to his father because of a crisis. By the end of ‘Sarkar’, Abhishek’s character took over his father’s empire. In ‘Sarkar Raj’, they already share a pre-given equation.

Is ‘Sarkar Raj’ inspired by events connected to the Narmada dam project?
 
Not at all. You see, any kind film about the concerns of a family for a social cause will have protests and political agendas. But ‘Sarkar Raj’ has no direct bearing to any of the headlines recently. ‘Sarkar Raj’ does have political undertones. But it isn’t a political drama. At the end of the day, it’s about the triumph of the human spirit and a father-son relationship.

What about Aishwarya?

She plays a ruthless businesswoman whose only aim is to make money for her organization, whereas Shankar believes in using the financial resources for the betterment of the people. Abhishek believes in making money for the people. Aishwarya believes in making money from the people. So, Abhishek and Aishwarya are dramatically pitched against each other. An interesting relationship develops over the ideological fence. The romantic angle is secondary. Their ideological conflict is more important.

Why Aishwarya?
 
I needed a very strong actor for Anita’s role. Her beauty is so much at the forefront that it makes you forget her talent. It’s hard to look beyond her beauty. I took her on as a challenge. But when she emoted as Anita, I was shocked. She’s a truly intense actress. She understood the nuances of Anita’s character completely. I was taken aback. Her intensity matches her beauty, which says a lot.

Is this Aishwarya’s best performance ever?
 
I can gauge her performance from behind the camera. Only I know how hard it was for her to give life to her character. It’s easy to impress audiences with drama and crying. Aishwarya has no props to support her performance. She has brought out her character’s complexities without crutches. In that sense, it’s her best performance ever.

‘Sarkar Raj’ is a family film on two levels. Would the presence of the Bachchans together eclipse the film’s intrinsic merits?

I firmly believe that once the audiences get into the theatre, the characters will take over. They won’t look for the Bachchans or be disappointed by Aishwarya not being part of the family.

France’s Jean Nouvel wins Pritzker Prize March 30, 2008

The designer of a soaring, glass-shelled condo planned for Century City is the winner of this year’s Pritzker Prize, architecture’s highest honor.

French architect Jean Nouvel is singled out in the Prizker jury citation for his “persistence, imagination, exuberance, and, above all, an insatiable urge for creative experimentation.”

Nouvel is the architect behind Paris’ Arab World Institute and the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

In nearly four decades, Nouvel has designed more than 200 projects in his native France, around Europe, in Asia and the United States, fighting what he calls “generic architecture.”

“His inquisitive and agile mind propels him to take risks in each of his projects, which, regardless of varying degrees of success, have greatly expanded the vocabulary of contemporary architecture,” the jury said in its citation.

Nouvel, 62, said he was surprised at winning this year since he is not inaugurating any major work, but felt “very honored” to join the elite group of 32 Pritzker laureates. He is the second French architect to win the prize.

“I am very happy to be in a club of good friends, like Frank Gehry, Renzo Piano, Zaha Hadid,” Nouvel told Reuters by telephone from Paris.

In the works for the architect is a nearly Chrysler Building-sized tower next to New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

The project in Century City will display verdant gardens visible behind its glass walls

Nouvel says for him, “every project is an adventure.”

£650m smile of the porn heiress March 30, 2008

Scraping together a little extra income to support one’s party lifestyle can be a struggle for most hard-up students.

But when you are set to inherit the best part of £650million pounds, the drinks are bound to taste a little sweeter.

And the party appears to have started in earnest for Fawn James.

The 22-year-old granddaughter of porn supremo Paul Raymond, who passed away three weeks ago at 82, has wasted no time hitting London’s nightclubs.

Scroll down for more…

Porn heiress: 22-year-old Fawn enjoyed a night out at Embassy nightclub, near her grandfather’s old stomping ground

The heiress was seen beaming from ear to ear as she arrived at Mayfair’s celebrity haunt The Embassy last night, just a stone’s throw away from neighbouring Soho, where her grandfather made his millions.She was joined on her night out by her long-term boyfriend Nick.

Along with her 16-year-old sister India, she is likely to emerge as the main benefactor of the entrepreneur’s millions.

And already her casual student attire of biker jacket and faded jeans favoured around campus have been replaced by a look more befitting of the woman dubbed ‘Queen of Soho’.

Scroll down for more…

Home: Fawn left the club with her handsome male companion

Dressed in an elegant, thigh-skimming dress and pointed black stilettos, the heiress was accompanied by her equally suave boyfriend.”She looked fantastic,” said one party-goer. “But wouldn’t you if you’d just found out you were going to get that much money?

“She was very touchy-feely with the man she was with. He looks like the cat that got the cream he was smiling so much. He’s one lucky guy!”

The drinks order was surprisingly tame considering money is now no object. The pair shunned the champagne in favour of vodka tonics before leaving at 2am in a black Mercedes.

“She is a regular visitor to the Embassy,” said one party-goer. “The staff all know her and say she is the most polite and level-headed girl you could meet.

“It was a busy night and she was clearly enjoying dancing to the R and B music but you won’t ever see her falling out of a night club drunk. She is a girl of zero vices.”

Fawn is the daughter of Paul Raymond’s daughter Debbie, who died 16 years ago after battling drink and drugs.

She is currently studying for a masters degree in social anthropology at Edinburgh University.

However, unlike her fellow graduates, fretting over her first career move might not be such a worry for the heiress. She has already been made a director of several of her late grandfather’s companies.

She is also being tipped to take over Mr Raymond’s vast property portfolio, which includes vast swathes of London’s sex capital, Soho.