U2 star Bono has denied reports his rock group will headline a Live Aid 2 event, because the concert would not raise enough money to help struggling nations. Reports of a second Live Aid have been in circulation ever since the original 1985 megashow, and the latest rumors have taken flight following new claims in the British press. But Bono has poured scorn on the reports, insisting a second Live Aid would fail to serve a purpose. He says, "We would love to be talking about Live Aid 2, but the sums of money we are dealing with are in the billions of euros, not the millions. It would help, but not fix the problem." The original Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, raised an estimated $100 million to fight hunger in Ethiopia. Bono was meeting with European leaders in Dublin yesterday to discuss the plight of struggling African countries and the need for support.

Mel Gibson's forthcoming film about Britain's warrior queen Boudicca is guaranteed to cause fury amongst feminists and historians, experts predict. Folklorists believe Gibson - whose controversial The Passion Of The Christ movie sparked uproar among Jewish groups this year - faces widespread criticism in his efforts to bring Boudicca to the big screen, because she remains an enigma to historians. Scholars are also convinced feminists will attack Gibson if he fails to portray Boudicca as the icon they have turned her into. Folklorist Dr Juliette Wood, "Take any figure where there's been emotional investment and you're going to annoy someone. We know so little about her and yet she has been turned into a meta-historical icon."

Pop beauty Britney Spears must promise Chinese officials that she will not reveal too much flesh in her current world tour or face a ban from performing in Shanghai and Beijing. The raunchy singer is currently traveling the world on her raunchy Onyx Hotel tour, in which she dances provocatively in lingerie and simulates sex with her male dancers. However officials from the Ministry of Culture are concerned about her sexy image and asked the concert's Chinese organizers to guarantee that her saucy outfits are toned down for the five gigs later this year. A spokesman for the concert's organizers Beijing Poly Culture And Art Co. Ltd says, "The ministry's wishes will be respected. But Spears' outfits and stage show are the same on each stop of the tour and it would be impossible to make up clothes especially for the China performances." With more than 54 million records sold worldwide, Spears would be one of the biggest international pop stars to play in China since the communist state was established in 1949.

Hollywood star Hugh Jackman has scooped a prestigious award for his dancing skills in Broadway, New York show The Boy From Oz. The Australian Van Helsing hunk and Donna Murphy - star of rival show Wonderful Town - have won the 2004 TDF-Astaire Awards as the best male and female dancers in theatre. Kathleen Marshall, who directed and choreographed Wonderful Town, was named best choreographer. The prizes are given each year by the Theatre Development Fund and Robyn Smith Astaire, widow of the legendary dancer Fred Astaire. The awards will be presented at a New York ceremony later this month.

Actress Penelope Cruz has heightened reports she's dating Matthew McConaughey after she was spotted kissing the movie hunk at a London concert. Spanish beauty Cruz - who ended her three-year romance with Tom Cruise in January - and McConaughey were seen acting intimately at a Gomez gig at the Hammersmith Apollo on Thursday, according to Britain's The Sun newspaper. The pair - who are starring together in upcoming movie Sahara - were linked in the aftermath of Cruz's split with Cruise, and last month McConaughey fueled reports of a relationship when he jetted to Madrid, Spain to attend the actress' 30th birthday party.

Actor Ben Affleck has pals fearing for his health after pulling out of the London premiere of his new movie Jersey Girl, because he's bedridden with bronchitis. The Hollywood hunk - who appears in the film alongside his former fiancee Jennifer Lopez - was scheduled to join director Kevin Smith and his young co-star Raquel Castro on the red carpet tonight. And friends of the actor are worried the hectic workload he's taken on in the aftermath of his split with J.Lo and her blossoming relationship with new boyfriend Marc Anthony are playing havoc with his well-being. One pal tells Britain's Daily Star newspaper, "Ben has been watching all the speculation about Jennifer and her new boyfriend Marc Anthony and is very aware that people want to talk to him about it and get his slant. It is coincidental that he's poorly at the moment and he's hoping to recover soon. He has been focusing on his career as an actor since splitting with Jennifer. The fact that she is his co-star in Jersey Girl would only fuel people to pry."

Oscar-winning couple Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have spent an astonishing $6.35 million on a bullet-proof dream home in Wales. The extraordinary house has a 70 foot penthouse for their children Dylan and Carys, bullet-proof windows, hot tub, library, gym and a copper- topped balcony imported from America at a cost of $72,500. A local resident says, "This house is amazingly extravagant and sticks out like a sore thumb. Catherine and Michael built it from scratch and have not minded on lavishing thousands of pounds on getting the best money can buy." Zeta-Jones and Douglas also own properties in New York, Bermuda, Majorca and California.

Pop mega-star Michael Jackson's extreme legal problems may have thwarted his attempt to relaunch his career as a film star. The singer was delighted with his 10-minute appearance in director Bryan Michael Stoller's spoof Miss Cast Away - but distributors are anxious about the film since Jackson's arrest on child-molestation charges. The director explains, "We've sort of had to put things on hold. It's a shame because Jackson has an amazing vision." Stoller spent at least one day a week at Jackson's Neverland Ranch home "mentoring" him for the movie which also stars former Joe Millionaire Evan Marriott and depicts what might happen if a plane-load of contestants on their way to a beauty pageant crash-landed on an island. Miss Cast Away is already facing problems over its release - bosses at Twentieth Century Fox are attempting to keep the film out of cinemas because the title is too close to their hit Tom Hanks movie Cast Away.

Hollywood new mum Gwyneth Paltrow is reportedly undergoing $7,200 dental treatment to fix up her wonky smile. According to sources, the actress, who last month gave birth to baby daughter Apple - her first child with husband Chris Martin - is wearing clear plastic aligners in her mouth to slowly shift her teeth into place. Paltrow, who has to wear the aligners 24 hours a day for a year, hopes the procedure will correct her teeth, which slightly tilt inwards at the front and sides - without painful surgery, or having to wear an unattractive retainer. New York dentist Larry Rosenthal reveals, "They're virtually undetectable. They are removable so she can still do appearances."

Hollywood beauty Christina Ricci has slammed rumors that she had her breasts reduced to help her film career. The Monster star is furious about reports that she has had her hefty bust cut down to please Hollywood producers. The 23-year-old insists, "That's ridiculous. Why would having smaller boobs get you bigger roles? I'm more comfortable with my body than I've ever been. I like to be photographed and photographers like to shoot me because I'm willing to go there and do different things."