Bale Should Be Embarrassed, Says China

Guards rough up actor, camera crew

(NEWSER) - After an eight-hour drive from Beijing, Christian Bale wasn't allowed to visit a Chinese dissident. But by roughing up the Hollywood A-lister, guards ensured that the plight of Chen Guangcheng will get more attention worldwide. The actor and a CNN camera crew were punched and pushed by guards when they tried to enter the village where Chen, a blind human rights lawyer, has been illegally confined to his home since his release from prison last year, the New York Times reports. More»

Chen Guangfu hoping to protect son from local officials

(NEWSER) - The brother of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has followed in his younger brother's footsteps and fled their closely guarded village in Shandong province, reports AP . Chen Guangfu has made his way to Beijing with the help of supporters, and is now seeking legal advice on how to protect his son from what he believes is retaliation from local officials infuriated by the activist's escape from house arrest last month. He says he managed to elude village guards by avoiding roads and running through fields. More»

Chen Kegui charged with 'homicide' though no one was killed

(NEWSER) - The Chinese government has denied Chen Kegui his choice of lawyers, saying he must use a pair of government-appointed attorneys in his "intentional homicide" trial. Chen was slapped with that charge because he brandished a knife on April 27 when authorities burst into his home after his uncle's escape . No one was actually killed, but under Chinese law he could still be convicted and executed. More»

From slimming down to packing on the pounds

(NEWSER) - We might not go quite so far as Radar , which claims these 10 celebs "dangerously" transformed their physiques for their films, but we will concur the changes were nothing short of dramatic:

• Anne Hathaway: That Catwoman suit is apparently quite unforgiving. She ate "kale and dust" to fit into it, then had to lose another 16 pounds in a matter of weeks for her role in Les Miserables.
• Natalie Portman: Health experts were concerned when she dropped a bunch of weight for Black Swan.

U of Washington offers dissident second fellowship

(NEWSER) - While Chen Guangcheng lies in a Beijing hospital, authorities in his home province have gone "crazy with reprisals" for his escape from house arrest last month, he tells Reuters . He says two relatives in Shandong have been detained, including a nephew accused of brandishing a meat cleaver at guards who burst into his home; a sister-in-law was detained and released. Still others have been harassed, Chen says. The media has not been allowed to visit Chen's home village, where Christian Bale and a CNN camera crew were roughed up by guards when they tried to visit the blind dissident last year. More»