WASHINGTON — George Clooney’s capital blitz to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in border regions between Sudan and South Sudan arrived at the Oval Office on Thursday, and the actor said he came away from a meeting with President Barack Obama encouraged that there is high-level interest in doing more to help a region that soon could suffer mass starvation.

Clooney, whose visit to Washington has drawn outsized press coverage at every turn, said he was optimistic that Obama would press Chinese President Hu Jintao to join international efforts to bring peace to the ravaged region when the two meet later this month on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in South Korea.

“The good news for us is we feel like there’s a commitment at a high level” to address the Sudanese situation, Clooney told reporters after his meeting with the president. He added that he sensed “great interest in working with China.”

Clooney, just back from an eight-day trip to the region, met with Obama for 15 minutes.

The actor was questioned about why he would hold out hope for cooperation from China on Sudan when Beijing hasn’t been helpful on Syria, protecting the repressive regime there from censure by the U.N. Security Council. Clooney said energy-hungry China, which receives about 6 percent of its oil from Sudan, has an economic incentive to work to bring peace to the region.

Oil-rich South Sudan and Sudan, the keeper of the pipelines, have been at odds over oil and profits. Exports have stopped, putting pressure on oil prices worldwide.

“Suddenly, this affects their economy,” Clooney said of China. “This is a moment we can appeal to China.”

Clooney said it was imperative for the world to move swiftly to open a humanitarian corridor to those in need.

“When the rainy season starts, it is impossible to get through,” Clooney said. “There is a very, very great possibility of a lot of people starving in the next few months.”

Rihanna says collaboration is ‘innocent’

NEW YORK – People have been scratching their heads over Rihanna’s musical collaboration with Chris Brown, but she says it “made sense” and it’s “innocent.”

Brown appears on a remix of her song “Birthday Cake” and she appears on a remix of his “Turn up the Music.” Their music union is noteworthy because Brown beat up Rihanna three years ago and is still on probation for the assault.

Rihanna says it was her idea for Brown to appear on her song because he’s “the hottest R&B artist” right now. He then asked her to be on his song.

She says the partnership allowed fans to come together, adding: “There shouldn’t be a divide. … It’s music, and it’s innocent.”

She made the comments to Ryan Seacrest on his radio show on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles.

Getting in trouble is Big Easy for Brand

NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans police have issued an arrest warrant for actor Russell Brand on a charge of simple criminal damage to property valued at $700. The British comedian is in New Orleans to film an untitled movie.

Police spokeswoman Remi Braden on Thursday could not immediately release details of what happened Monday. Celebrity website TMZ said the charges stem from a confrontation with a photographer who was trying to take Brand’s photo from a car.

In a Twitter posting on Wednesday, Brand wrote, “Since Steve Jobs died I cannot bear to see anyone use an iPhone irreverently, what I did was a tribute to his memory.”