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By Astrid Rivera

It was once said that diamonds are a girl's best friend but according to Megan Fox, rubies are totally unacceptable. The sultry actress refused to accept the precious jewels after a passionate night with Sacha Baron Cohen, the actor/comedian behind films like Borat and Bruno.

Not only did she refuse the jewels but she insulted the Kardashian sisters while she was at it. Hopefully Kim, Kourtney and Khloe don't take it too seriously as it was all part of a raunchy sex scene in Sacha Baron Cohen's new upcoming film The Dictator. Cohen, who plays a Middle Eastern dictator in the film, is shown in bed with the actress right after they finish having sex.

He goes on to tell her,

"Megan, you were worth every penny. I trust everything is there that your manager requested?"

While Fox puts on her clothes and looks through a pouch filled with diamonds and rubies. The actress looks disgusted as she hold up one of the rubies and says,

"What's this? A ruby? Is that a joke? What am I, a Kardashian?" Ouch. Cohen replies, "No of course not, you're much less hairy."

These comments are of course G-rated compared to the usual comedic stunts Sacha Baron Cohen is known for (who could forget his nude fight scene with his assistant in Borat?) This film, which is already creating major internet buzz, is no exception, depicting the life of a dictator in a North African country (hmm sure sounds a lot like Gaddafi in Libya).

Making appearances in the film are President Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, although I doubt they're aware of it yet. We'll just have to wait and see what other insane comedic tricks Mr. Cohen has up his sleeves, let's just hope he doesn't give Megan any rubies in the future.

Will you watch The Dictator?

Tags Astrid Rivera, Borat, Bruno, Hilary Clinton, Khloe Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Megan Fox, President Obama, Sacha Baron Cohen, The Dictator

By Michael Lopez

In case you were wondering, today marks a lot more than the start of a new month. Around the globe, December 1 has officially become known as World AIDS Day. And this year, plenty of famous faces are speaking out to support the cause.

President Barack Obama made an impassioned speech at George Washington University this morning, telling reporters that the fight to end HIV and AIDS is far from over. He implored nations like China to contribute to the cause by donating funds to save the millions who are infected.

"Today, we come together, as a global community, across continents, faiths and cultures, to renew our commitment to ending the AIDS pandemic – once and for all," he said. "This fight isn’t over. Not for the 1.2 million Americans who are living with HIV right now. Not for the Americans who are infected every day."

In the Twitterverse, several celebrities helped spread the word too. Using the popular #WorldAIDSDay hashtag, stars like Martha Stewart and The Jonas Brothers encouraged their fans to donate.

"Want to fight for an AIDS Free Generation by 2015? Today’s the day: #WorldAIDSDay," Zach Galifianakis wrote.

Coldplay posted,

"Today’s #WorldAIDSDay. Fight for #endofAIDS."

On the Huffington Post, blogger Destiny Lopez specifically called out to the Hispanic community for support. In her article, she explained that Latinos account for one in five new HIV infections. She also published alarming stats, saying that 1 in 36 Hispanic men will contract HIV in their lifetime.

Alejandro Sanz and Paula Fernandez are doing their part to get the word out in Latin America. Their charity, “Positive Generation,” raises awareness about the disease and helps infected children in South Africa.

You can contribute too, by visiting the official World AIDS Day site and donating to help put an end to this deadly disease.

Do you know anyone who’s been impacted by AIDS? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, AIDS, Alejandro Sanz, Barack Obama, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Coldplay, Cultura, Destiny Lopez, Health, HIV, Paula Fernandez, Positive Generation, President Obama, World AIDS Day, Zach Galifianakis

By Michael Lopez

We're not quite sure what Benetton's latest ads have to do with selling clothes, but they certainly are attention grabbing. The famous fashion house has decided to get political with their new campaign, by releasing doctored photos of world leaders locking lips.

The ad that seems to have gotten the most attention showcases a passionate kiss between Barack Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. We've got to admit, the Photoshop skills being used here are pretty impressive, but they're also causing a whirlwind of controversy.

The White House has already spoken out against the ads, criticizing Benetton for using the President to sell their products.

"The White House has a longstanding policy disapproving of the use of the president's name and likeness for commercial purposes," D.C. spokesman Eric Schultz said.

Several other nations seem to be irked by the campaign too. Besides the Obama/Chavez pairing, Benetton has shown smooch shots between France's Nicolas Sarkozy and Germany's Angela Merkel, as well as Pope Benedict XVI and Egypt's Mohamed Ahmed el-Tayeb.

What do you think about Benetton's new ad campaign? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, Benetton, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Hugo Chavez, Mohamed Ahmed el-Tayeb, Nicolas Sarkozy, Politics, Pope Benedict XVI, popnews, President Obama, Style, United Colors of Benetton

By Astrid Rivera

As I began to type this story, I accidentally glanced down at my computer and realized that I was typing this on a MacBook Pro. This is when it hits me, the extent to which the visionary Steve Jobs has impacted my life and the lives of millions of others worldwide.

Many of the things that we now take for granted like the iPhone, iPad and iPod were made possible because of Jobs' innovation and curiosity in a world that usually rewards conformity. As co-founder of Apple, he was responsible for leading us into an era of technological revolution and cultural transformation. Thanks to the genius of Jobs we now experience movies, music and mobile communications in a way never before seen. Simply put, Steve Jobs gave us the future nicely wrapped and ready to go.

But before Apple changed the world, Steve Jobs was an unconventional outsider who took pleasure in the simple things life offered. Born in San Francisco on Feb. 24, 1955, he was given up for adoption and was raised by an Armenian family, who named him Steven Paul Jobs. He quickly displayed an interest for all things electronic.

As reported by The New York Times, Jobs called William Hewlett, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, as an eighth-grader, after discovering that an essential part was missing from a frequency counter her was building. Mr. Hewlett immediately prepared a bag of parts for the boy and offered him a job as a summer intern. After meeting Stephen Wozniak in an introductory electronics class in high school, Jobs soon realized that together they were capable of great things and the pair began their journey by creating Apple in 1976.

Even the name set the company apart. At a time where everyone was choosing the most intimidating and complex name they could think of, Jobs chose a simple word: Apple. Soon after releasing their second product, the Apple II, the company was a sensation and by 1983 they reached the Fortune 500 list. From there the company went on to release a series of products that for better or worse made Apple stand apart from its major competitors.

During 1984's Super Bowl the company boasted what is today one of the world's most famous commercials, recreating George Orwell's classic novel 1984. Although Jobs temporarily left the company in 1985, he pursued other equally successful ventures such as acquiring Pixar, which was then owned by the famous director George Lucas. With the release of 1995's Toy Story, Jobs emerged from his investment a billionaire.

A corporate heavy-weight, Jobs always saw himself as an outsider and never forgot his humble origins stating,

"I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned Coke bottles for 5-cent deposits to buy food with, and I would talk the seven miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Kirshna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on."

Although his battle with pancreatic cancer is lost, his wish to spark a change in the world came true. Perhaps President Obama put it best when he said shortly after Jobs' passing,

"The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world has learned of his passing on a device he invented."

Steve Jobs took our hands and led us into the future. It is now up to us to continue to honor his legacy and continue to march onwards as he would have wanted.

How will you remember Steve Jobs? What's your favorite Apple device?

Tags Apple, Astrid Rivera, George Lucas, George Orwell 1984, Hewlett-Packard, iPad, iPhone, iPod, MacBook Pro, Pixar, President Obama, Stephen Wozniak, Steve Jobs, Super Bowl, The New York Times, Toy Story, William Hewlett

By Sugey Palomares

Now this is what we call damage control! Hank Williams Jr., the singer who has been featured on "Monday Night Football" for several seasons, is backtracking his words after having a nonsensical rant in which he compared President Barack Obama to Hitler during a Monday morning taping of "Fox and Friends."

During his appearance on the show, Williams began answering questions about his thoughts on the next presidential election and Obama's golf outing with Speaker of the House John Boehner. He compared them to:

"Hitler playing golf with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu."

After his statement, ESPN decided to pull Williams' popular segment. Of course it didn't take long for the singer to attempt to clear up his statement:

"Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me - how ludicrous that pairing was."

And where exactly is the apology? The things people are willing to do for publicity.

What are your thoughts on Hank Williams Jr.'s comments?

Tags Hank Williams Jr., popnews, President Obama, Sports

By Michael Lopez

Believe it or not, Marco Rubio has packed quite a lot of activity into his 40 years. The Cuban-American Florida Senator is a former football star, a seasoned attorney, and the newest BFF of Nancy Reagan. So now he's decided to write it all down with a new memoir, which should be released within the next year.

Interestingly, Rubio isn't the first young Senator to crank out a book about his background. President Barack Obama first gained national attention for his memoir, Dreams of My Father. Obviously writing a book worked out very well for the Prez, so could Marco be purposely trying to follow the same path?

Rubio is still staying very quiet on his political ambitions. Many in the Republican party have hinted that he may be a VP contender on the 2012 ticket, a notion which he has continually denied. As far as the book goes, Marco claims its main purpose is to get a message out to the people.

"[The book] isn't about creating a profile," he said. "It's more about communicating.”

And when asked about Obama's memoir, Rubio responded,

"I don't agree with him on a lot of public policy, but I thought [Obama's books] were very well written and interesting."

Would you be interested in reading Marco Rubio's memoirs? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barack Obama, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Dreams of my Father, Marco Rubio, Marco Rubio Memoirs, Politics, President Obama

By Michael Lopez

A few weeks back President Barack Obama pledged his support for Hispanic Heritage Month and now he’s carrying through on that promise. Appearing at a live online roundtable today, the Commander-in-Chief answered questions about immigration, the DREAM Act, and even the possibility of a Latino President.

"I am absolutely confident that within my lifetime we will have a Latino candidate for president who will be very competitive, and may win," Obama stated at the conference.

Though, by the sounds of it, the President didn’t believe that candidate would come from the Republican party (or at least not now). Obama went on to explain how the GOP lacked leadership on topics like immigration reform.

"Only a few years ago, you had some Republicans who recognized that we needed to fix our immigration system," Obama said, referring to his predecessor, George W. Bush. "Right now you do not have that kind of leadership coming from the Republican party."

But that of course begs the question, what would Obama and his fellow Democrats do to help with the issue? The Prez was quick to bring up the national DREAM Act again, which would give undocumented college students and military personal a path to citizenship. He said he has continually pushed Congress to pass the bill and that he is more than ready to sign it.

Obama also addressed issues like Puerto Rico’s statehood (which he believes will remain a commonwealth) and Cuban relations.

"We are open to a new relationship with Cuba," the President went on to say. "If the Cuban government starts taking the proper steps to open up its own country and provide the space and the respect for human rights that would allow the Cuban people to determine their own destiny."

All of Obama's remarks toward the audience did sound very encouraging. But will he follow through on his promises to help the Latino community? Perhaps the real answers will reveal themselves after the 2012 Presidential Election.

Would you vote for Obama in the next election? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barack Obama, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cuba, Cultura, DREAM ACt, Hispanic Heritage Month, Immigration, Politics, President Obama, Puerto Rico

By Michael Lopez

In case you haven't noticed, President Barack Obama has put a much stronger emphasis on acknowledging Hispanics these days. Is it because he feels more drawn to the Latino struggle? Or is it because he wants some votes in the next election? That remains to be seen. But what is worth noting is the White House's big plans for Hispanic Heritage Month.

The President and First Lady kicked off HHM with an appearance at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Awards. Better known as the CHCI's, the gala brought out Tr3s faves like Luis Enrique and even Prince Royce (who sang the national anthem). Notable honorees of the night included civil rights leader Orson Aguilar and Chris Weitz, who directed the critically-acclaimed A Better Life.

At the reception, Obama made a impassioned speech to the 3,000 CHCI guests, emphasizing job creation and the national DREAM Act. The DREAM, if passed, would give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship via college or the military.

"I will do everything in my power to make the DREAM Act a reality," Obama said. "The truth is reforming our immigration system is central to repairing our economy."

And, per a recent White House press release, the HHM acknowledgements do not end there. Prominent Latino members of the Obama administration will be writing posts on the White House blog and video interviews with community leaders will be available on the President's website.

Additionally, FEMA will conduct a "Hispanic Heritage Month Preparedness Summit" on Thursday, followed by a special message from First Lady Michelle Obama at the evening's HHM Awards. Later in the month, the Oval Office will hold a special screening of the documentary Citizen USA, which profiles modern-day immigrant issues in America.

When summing up Hispanic Heritage Month, the White House website made a point to include a snippet of Obama's famous interview with Jorge Ramos where he said,

"Hispanics constitute the country's largest and fastest growing minority group. They have had a profound and positive impact on our country through, among other things, their community's strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service. Our country was built on and continues to thrive on its diversity, and there is no doubt that the future of the United States is inextricably linked to the future of the Hispanic community."

Do you think President Obama sincerely cares about the Latino community? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags A better life, Barack Obama, Blogger: Michael Lopez, CHCI, Cultura, DREAM ACt, Hispanic Heritage Month, Politics, President Obama, Prince Royce

By Michael Lopez

In case you were wondering, there was an actual purpose behind the three-day weekend we all just enjoyed. Though the true meaning of Memorial Day can sadly get lost in the shuffle of beach outings, BBQs, and department store sales, several celebs made sure to recognize the millions of military personnel who have given up their lives for this country.

Rihanna wrote a very heartfelt message to her fans,

"Happy Memorial Day!!! #Cheers to the troops!!! And to their wonderful families! You are the heart of this Nation and We love you so much!"

Justin Timberlake tweeted a very inspiring message to his 4.6 million followers,

"Everyone please Thank veterans, active personnel & their families this wknd for sacrifices they have made for us. I'm very thankful!"

Jennifer Lopez made a point to express some military Twitter love too,

"Let's take a moment to send love to all the service men and women around the world!!!!"

In fact, a rather large amount of famous tweeters added the #MemorialDay hashtag to their posts. And we're sure that the hundreds of thousands of soldiers currently stationed overseas greatly appreciated the gesture.

And country star LeAnn Rimes, who has a long history of supporting the troops, made sure to acknowledge the important holiday as well,

"To all of the soldiers who have fallen for our country, Eddie [Cibrian] and I will never forget the ultimate sacrifice you have made for our country. To all the families who have lost their loved one's, our hearts go out to you this Memorial Day and always. God Bless you all!"

Other famous Memorial Day shout outs came from David Archuleta, Mark Sanchez, and former American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry.

Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama carried out his traditional Presidential duties on Monday by visiting Arlington Cemetery and laying a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier.

"To those of you who mourn the loss of a loved one today, my heart breaks, goes out to you,” the President said. “I love my daughters more than anything in the world, and I cannot imagine losing them. I can't imagine losing a sister or brother or parent at war."

Did you do anything special to commemorate Memorial Day? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barack Obama, Celebrities, David Archuleta, Holidays, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, LeAnn Rimes, Memorial Day, President Obama, Rihanna, twitter

By Michael Lopez

Citizens of Brazil, Chile and El Salvador got to catch a glimpse of Barack Obama this week as the President kicked off a five-day Latin American tour designed to focus on such issues as immigration, trade and energy.

Although President Obama had planned to visit the Mayan ruins in El Salvador on Wednesday, he instead boarded an early flight back to the U.S. to meet his security team and strategize about the ongoing Libyan conflict.

“It's logistical," National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said. "He's doing a call in the a.m. with his national security team, and thus will not have time to visit the ruins. So he'll be wheels up a couple hours earlier."

That’s not to say that Obama’s visits were unproductive. The U.S. President and newly-elected Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff signed deals on energy cooperation and opened up discussions about future trade negotiations.

"[Obama and Rousseff] understood each other, they get along well,” said a senior Brazilian government official. “That will be of enormous help on any issues that may be difficult. The most critical part is that Dilma can now pick up the phone any time and call Obama because they established a good personal relationship."

While in Chile, Obama praised the country for its economic growth. Meeting with President Sebastian Piñera, he emphasized continued U.S. support and worked to mend the tumultuous history between the two nations.

"I think it's important," Obama noted in a Chilean joint press conference, "that we're not trapped by our history. And the fact of the matter is, that over the last two decades we've seen extraordinary progress here in Chile and that has not been impeded by the United States but, in fact, has been fully supported by the United States."

El Salvador proved to be the quickest leg of the trip, due to Obama’s early exit. Nevertheless, he was able to meet with President Mauricio Funes and even pledged $200 million in economic aid, which he said the government would use to fight against “the social and economic forces that drive young people to criminality.”

Do you think President Obama has helped strengthen ties between the U.S. and Latin America? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Barack Obama, Brazil, chile, Cultura, El Salvador, Latin America, Libya, Politics, President Obama