Creed stays at pinnacle of hottest CDs in music

NEW YORK -- For the fifth week in a row, Creed has weathered the competition.

The rock band's disc "Weathered" is at the top of the charts again, selling 865,000 copies for the week ending Sunday, according to industry figures released Thursday. That brings the total to more than 3 million copies sold since the disc's debut in late November.

The rest of the top five looked similar to last week. Volume eight of the "Now That's What I Call Music!" compilation series was No. 2 again, selling 541,000 copies. Garth Brooks moved up a spot to No. 3, selling 443,000 copies of "Scarecrow."

Britney Spears' third disc, "Britney," slipped from the third spot to No. 4, selling 424,000 copies. And Enya jumped from the eighth position to No. 5, with 394,000 copies sold of "Day Without Rain."

Rapper Nas had the highest debut, at No. 8, selling 343,000 copies of "Stillmatic." His rival Jay-Z, about whom he wrote the negative song "Ether," only debuted at No. 34 with "MTV Unplugged," which sold 144,000 copies.

Clint Eastwood brings daughter home after fire

NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Clint Eastwood took his daughter home from a hospital after her narrow escape with Eastwood's ex-girlfriend from a Christmas-morning house fire.

Frances Fisher sustained severe burns to her hands, while her daughter with Eastwood, 8-year-old Francesca, clambered through her bedroom window to the garage roof and jumped into a neighbor's arms.

The fire, which began about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, caused extensive damage.

"There was fire on all floors -- the basement, the main floor and the upper levels. That indicates it was burning for a while," assistant fire chief Steve Atkinson said. "They're very, very fortunate to have escaped alive."

Francesca was taken to Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver to be treated for smoke inhalation, and her mother was admitted with second-degree burns to her hands.

Eastwood arrived in Vancouver on a private jet Tuesday and visited Francesca. She was released into his care Wednesday evening.

Fisher appeared in Eastwood's Oscar-winning 1992 western "Unforgiven" and her most recent notable role was as the mother of heroine Rose in the blockbuster movie "Titanic."

She was in Vancouver shooting the new television series "Glory Days" by "Dawson's Creek" creator Kevin Williamson.

Smith took hits, studied Islam for 'Ali' role

NEW YORK -- Will Smith, who describes the filming of his new movie, "Ali," as "really grueling," says he endured one particularly painful blow during the shooting of a fight scene.

Smith plays boxer Muhammad Ali in the biopic, directed by Michael Mann, who made "The Insider". He's received a Golden Globe nomination for best dramatic actor for his performance.

"Usually you see a guy get hit and his head flies back," he told reporters recently. "But I put my chin down and he hit me, like, almost on the top of my forehead and my head compressed down onto my shoulders." He said it felt like "an electrical shock from the base of my neck down to the tips of both elbows."

The 33-year-old actor added 30 pounds of muscle to transform his body into a nearly perfect replica of Ali's. He also learned to box and studied Ali's Islamic faith to prepare for the role.

"I desire perfection. I desire being the best that I can possibly be," Smith said. "I don't wanna take time to eat, I don't wanna take time to sleep, I wanna let the other guy be eatin' and sleepin' while I'm working and while I'm trying to achieve my best earthly perfection."

-- From wire reports