Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

POP/ROCK

Cat Comes Back: Former pop star Cat Stevens, who took the name Yusuf Islam when he became a Muslim 21 years ago, was in London on Monday to promote a compact disc inspired by the Bosnian civil war. At a news conference, Islam said he had no illusions that the 11-track CD, “I Have No Cannons That Roar,” would return him to stardom. “This is not an album, I think, that is destined to hit the top of the charts,” he said. “I do believe it has an important message for those who hear it and understand it.” The CD was recorded with other artists, many of them Bosnian Muslims, and its aim is to direct public attention back to Bosnia and raise money for charities working there. One track was recorded by Islam. Titled “The Little Ones,” it is a tribute to the suffering of children both in Bosnia and in Scotland’s Dunblane tragedy. Sixteen children and their teacher died in Dunblane two years ago when a man walked into their primary school gymnasium with a handgun and opened fire.

MOVIES

Santa Barbara Film Festival Awards: The Dutch film “Character” won the prize for best foreign film during Sunday’s closing-night festivities at the 13th Santa Barbara Film Festival. Other award winners announced during a ceremony at the Arlington Theatre included “Windhorse,” best U.S. independent film; Japan’s “The Key,” best screenplay; China’s “Journey to Xia Empire,” outstanding filmmaking; and “The Farm,” best documentary. The audience-juried Best of the Fest award went to “With Friends Like These,” a comedy about character actors vying for a part in a Martin Scorsese film. The highlight of the festival was Saturday’s tribute to the notoriously publicity-shy Julie Christie, who was interviewed onstage after a screening of “McCabe and Mrs. Miller.” Asked about her process of channeling emotion in her acting, she said: “I suspect there may be something like six emotions. Fear is fear, pain is pain--whatever it is, the same things are happening to us. I have things in my life that are there for the using. That’s the job. I know it’s acting.”

Publisher Sues Over ‘Jingle’: A Detroit publishing house says the movie studio behind the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie “Jingle All the Way” was a grinch when it came to giving credit. Murray Hill Publishing is suing 20th Century Fox for at least $150,000, alleging that the studio stole the screenplay idea for the 1996 film from Detroit high school teacher Brian Alan Webster. Murray Hill bought the screenplay rights from Webster, who named his story “So This Is Christmas.” In “Jingle All the Way,” two fathers--played by Schwarzenegger and comedian Sinbad--duel before Christmas to buy their children a hard-to-find doll. In its lawsuit, Murray Hill alleges that there are more than 31 similarities between the movie and Webster’s screenplay. The film’s credits say the screenplay was written by Ed McQueen. But the lawsuit suggests that McQueen is a pseudonym for 20th Century Fox in-house script reader Randy Kornfield, who was paid for writing the script. A hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for Monday.

STAGE

Doctors Tell Lloyd Webber to Slow Down: Doctors on Monday advised British composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber to reduce his workload after a flu-like illness, his spokesman said. But Lloyd Webber, who will turn 50 this week, remained “a busy man and is very fine and is not on a deathbed,” the spokesman said. “He underwent some medical tests last month and was given the all-clear, but doctors have advised him not to rush around the world in airplanes and take on extra, strenuous work.” Lloyd Webber, whose stage hits include “Cats,” “Evita” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” said he began suffering inexplicable flu-like symptoms a decade ago. “I had every allergy test and went wheat-free, milk-free, wine-free (that was the worst!) until a doctor . . . found I had picked up an amoeba and put me on some very strong drugs that knocked it out,” he wrote in this week’s Radio Times. He is putting the finishing touches on his latest musical, “Whistle Down the Wind,” which opens in July.

QUICK TAKES

“Titanic” director James Cameron was among three editors who won Eddie Awards for best-edited feature film from the American Cinema Editors, which announced its winners for movie and television editing during a ceremony Saturday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Sharing the award for “Titanic” were Conrad Buff and Richard A. Harris. . . . As a public service to illustrate the dangers of drunk driving, KLOS-FM (95.5) morning team Mark & Brian will drink at least one shot of alcohol every 15 minutes during today’s show. After each shot, a Los Angeles Police Department sergeant will administer a sobriety test to the duo. A representative of the city attorney’s office will also be on hand to discuss the legal ramifications of drinking and driving. . . . Tickets are on sale now for Erykah Badu’s May 4 show at the Greek Theatre. The concert was added after her May 3 show at the Greek sold out over the weekend. . . . Actor Christian Slater was released from jail Saturday after serving 59 days on battery and drug charges. Good behavior cut down his three-month sentence. . . . Supermodel Veronica Webb has joined the cast of Fox’s Damon Wayans comedy “Damon,” which premieres Sunday at 8:30 p.m. . . . In his first series guest spot since the early days of “Cheers,” Monty Python’s John Cleese will appear on the April 28 and May 5 episodes of NBC’s “3rd Rock From the Sun,” playing an intellectual rival to series star John Lithgow.