Richard Gere has paid tribute to the monks who set fire to themselves to demonstrate against China's occupation of Tibet, calling their protests "a pure act."

The star, a longtime Buddhist and outspoken campaigner for Tibetan rights, admits he was moved by the spate of Buddhist monks who have torched themselves to demand freedom in Tibet and the return of the exiled Dalai Lama.

He says, "It all really comes down to motivation. I mean none of these self-immolators have harmed anybody else. It is totally a self-sacrifice for their people, for others. So on that level it's a pure act. But I ...

Pregnant actress Alicia Silverstone is urging fans to join her in backing a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) campaign to stop the slaughter of baby seals in Canada.

The Clueless star is a staunch animal rights activist and she's outraged that officials in the country are continuing to allow the killing of the creatures. She's asked her fans to help end the "disgusting spectacle" by writing to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to voice their disapproval of the slaughters.

In a post on her blog The Kind Life, she writes, "This year, the Canadian government continues...