Investigators open criminal probe into LA explosion

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police and fire investigators launched a criminal probe Sunday into the cause of an explosion at a hash oil manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles that sent firefighters running for their lives.

Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s major crimes division were working with the city Fire Department’s arson investigators to determine what might have sparked the blast that shot a ball of flames out of the building Saturday night and scorched a fire truck across the street, police spokesman Josh Rubenstein said.

“We’re in the very early stages of the investigation ... to understand what happened and figure out how to move forward,” he said.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was assisting local fire investigators, an agency spokeswoman said.

The blast injured a dozen firefighters. Some of them who ran out onto sidewalks, where they tore off their burning protective equipment, including melted helmets, officials said.

“Everybody off the roof!” a firefighter shouted in scanner traffic captured on Broadcastify.com.

“Mayday mayday mayday! All companies out of the building. Mayday mayday mayday!” another shouted.

Firefighters first thought they were battling a routine structure fire, city fire Capt. Erik Scott told KNX Radio, but as they got a little farther in the building they started to hear “a loud hissing sound and a significant rumbling that you could feel vibrating throughout the area.”

He said “one significant explosion” shook the neighborhood around 6:30 p.m. Firefighters inside had to run through a wall of flames he estimated as 30 feet (9 meters) high and wide, and those on the roof scrambled down a ladder that was engulfed in flames.

Three firefighters were released after spending the night in the hospital, fire department spokesman Nicholas Prange said Sunday. Of the eight who remained hospitalized, two were in critical but stable condition, he said. Officials initially announced that 11 firefighters were injured. But Prange said a 12th was treated and released for a minor injury.

All were expected to survive.

“Things could have been so much worse,” said Los Angeles Fire Department Medical Director Dr. Marc Eckstein, who helped treat the injured at Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center.

There was light to moderate smoke when firefighters entered the one-story building in the city’s Toy District and went on the roof — normal procedures to try to quickly knock down any flames.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said one of the firefighters inside the building thought things didn’t seem right — the pressure from the smoke and heat coming from the rear of the building were increasing. He directed everyone to get out, and they quickly started exiting the building as it was rocked by the explosion.

Firefighters on the roof scrambled down ladders with their protective coats on fire. The wall of flames shot out the building and burned seats inside a fire truck across the street.

More than 200 firefighters rushed to the scene, and dozens of engines, trucks and rescue vehicles clogged the streets. The fire spread to several nearby buildings, but firefighters were able to douse it in about an hour.

Scott said the building was a warehouse for SmokeTokes, which he described as a supplier for makers of “butane honey oil.” Butane is an odorless gas that easily ignites, and it’s used in the process to extract the high-inducing chemical THC from cannabis to create a highly potent concentrate also known as hash oil. The oil is used in vape pens, edibles, waxes and other products.

A call to SmokeTokes went unanswered on Sunday, and the company’s voicemail was full.

On its website, SmokeTokes advertises a variety of products including “puff bars,” pipes, “dab” tools, vaporizers, “torches and butane,” and cartridges. The company says it is “an international distributor and wholesaler of smoking and vaping products, and related accessories.”

Prange, the LAFD spokesman, said carbon dioxide and butane canisters were found inside the building but that it was still not clear what caused the blast.

Adam Spiker, executive director of the cannabis industry group Southern California Coalition, said he didn’t know what activities were taking place inside the building. However, if the business was using butane in cannabis extraction it would be illegal because the city has never issued a license for that type of operation.

Because of safety concerns, such businesses are typically restricted to industrial areas and kept away from urban centers.

“If they were doing volatile extraction with butane ... they couldn’t be legal in the city of LA to do those types of activities,” Spiker said.

He said the coalition was unaware of the business having any type of license and “something about this doesn’t pass the smell test.”

Information so far “puts up a lot of alarm bells,” Spiker said.

In 2016, there was another major fire at a business called Smoke Tokes at a nearby address. The Los Angeles Times reported at the time that it took more than 160 firefighters to put out the blaze and that they encountered pressurized gas cylinders that exploded in the fire.

No one was injured in the fire. It was unclear whether that business and the one that burned Saturday were connected.

___

Associated Press writers Michael Blood and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles and Daisy Nguyen in San Francisco contributed to this report.

AP

Oscar nominations: all the fun facts

HOLLYWOOD, United States — Hollywood insiders and movie fans are eagerly waiting to hear the names of the Oscar winners on Sunday night.

But the statistical quirks that Tinseltown's biggest night of the year throws up can be as intriguing as tracking which movies get the most golden statuettes.

Here are some fun facts and figures about this year's list of nominees, and a bit of Oscars trivia:


Cuaron reigns supreme 

Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma," a black-and-white cinematic ode to his childhood in 1970s Mexico City -- and the mother and nanny who raised him -- earned a whopping 10 nominations to lead the contenders.

But the Mexican filmmaker himself scored an impressive feat -- four of those nominations are his personally: for best picture as a producer, best director, best original screenplay and best cinematography.

He joins illustrious company with his achievement: Warren Beatty did the same, scoring four nominations in four different categories -- twice -- for "Heaven Can Wait" and "Reds."

Joel and Ethan Coen did it for "No Country for Old Men."

Blockbusters galore 

For many moviegoers, the Oscars have become somewhat elitist, often rewarding art-house fare that not many have seen. But those fans cannot complain this year.

Marvel superhero blockbuster "Black Panther" -- the highest-grossing film of 2018 in North America at more than $700 million -- scored seven nominations including one for best picture, becoming the first movie based on a comic book to earn the honor.

Other mainstream box office hits nominated for best picture include musical romance drama "A Star Is Born" ($210 million in North America) and "Bohemian Rhapsody" ($213 million).

Heavy prize 

The Oscar statuette is solid bronze and plated in 24-karat gold. It stands 13.5 inches (34 centimeters) tall and weighs 8.5 pounds (3.8 kilograms).

It takes three months for Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in New York to manufacture a batch of 50 statuettes. More than 3,140 statuettes have been handed out since 1929.

The trophy represents a knight holding a crusader's sword standing on a reel of film with five spokes that refer to the five original branches of the Academy -- actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers.

Acting royalty

Meryl Streep holds the record for the most nominations in the acting categories, with 21. She and Jack Nicholson -- the most nominated male actor with 12 nominations -- each have two statuettes for lead acting and one for supporting roles.

The movie industry figure with the most Oscars is Walt Disney, who won 22, plus four honorary statuettes.

Katharine Hepburn won the most Oscars for a performer, with four. Daniel Day-Lewis is the only person to have three best actor Oscars.

Snubs and surprises 

Industry watchers were shocked that Bradley Cooper was snubbed in the best director category for "A Star Is Born" -- but earned three nominations for best actor, best adapted screenplay and best picture (as a producer).

They were thrilled to see Spike Lee earn his first directing nomination for "BlacKkKlansman" and first for best picture. The US filmmaker earned a lifetime achievement award at the 2016 Oscars.

But many expected "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" -- a critically acclaimed documentary about US children's show host Mister Rogers -- to make the cut. It did not.

A happy surprise was a best actress nomination for breakout "Roma" star Yalitza Aparicio in her debut performance.

source: philstar.com

Oscar nominations: All the fun facts

LOS ANGELES, United States — The nominations for the 91st Oscars were announced Tuesday, with "Roma" and "The Favourite" leading the pack.

But the statistical quirks that the annual event throws up can be as intriguing as tracking which movies get the most nods.

Here are some fun facts and figures from this year's list of nominees:


Netflix's big step forward

Streaming giant Netflix took a major step forward in its quest to be both a distribution king and a purveyor of quality original content with 14 Oscar nominations, including its first for best picture for "Roma."

"Roma" earned 10 nods, while "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" -- the latest from Joel and Ethan Coen -- scored three. The last Netflix nomination went to "End Game," which is up for best documentary short subject.


Netflix claimed a 15th nomination for another documentary short, "Period: End of Sentence," but it was not listed as a Netflix production in the Academy's press kit.

In 2018, the company earned eight nominations, half of them for "Mudbound." In the years before, Netflix had just a handful of nominations, all in documentary categories.

By comparison, Amazon Studios -- which had already broken through in the best picture category in 2017 with "Manchester by the Sea" -- earned three nominations for steamy Polish love story "Cold War."

"We are honored to receive our first Best Picture nomination and so many other firsts this morning," said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.

Wakanda forever

For many moviegoers, the Oscars have become somewhat elitist, often rewarding arthouse fare that not many have seen. But those fans cannot complain this year.

Marvel superhero blockbuster "Black Panther" -- the highest-grossing film of 2018 in North America -- scored seven nominations including one for best picture, becoming the first movie based on a comic book to earn the honor.

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, who stars in the film, posted footage on Twitter of the cast celebrating when excerpts from the film premiered at San Diego Comic-Con.

"Seven #OscarNoms for #BlackPanther, including best picture!! This is our reaction the first time we saw footage from the film and we're feeling this way all over again today! Thank you @TheAcademy! #WakandaForever," she wrote on Twitter.

Beyond its best picture nomination, "Black Panther" earned nods for costume design, original score, original song (rapper Kendrick Lamar is a nominee in that category), production design, and sound mixing and editing.

Cuaron reigns supreme

Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma," a black-and-white cinematic ode to his childhood in 1970s Mexico City -- and the mother and nanny who raised him -- earned a whopping 10 nominations to lead the contenders.

But the Mexican filmmaker himself scored an impressive feat -- four of those nominations are his: for best picture as a producer, best director, best original screenplay and best cinematography.

He joins illustrious company with his achievement: Warren Beatty did the same, scoring four nominations in four different categories -- twice -- for "Heaven Can Wait" and "Reds."

Joel and Ethan Coen did it for "No Country for Old Men."

Snubs and surprises

Industry watchers were shocked that Bradley Cooper was snubbed in the best director category for "A Star Is Born" -- but earned three nominations for best actor, best adapted screenplay and best picture (as a producer).

They were thrilled to see Spike Lee earn his first directing nomination for "BlacKkKlansman." It was his fifth overall -- counting two others for the same film. The US filmmaker earned a lifetime achievement award at the 2016 Oscars.

Another major name left off the list was Timothee Chalamet, who had been seen as a likely contender for best supporting actor for his portrayal of a drug addict in "Beautiful Boy."

And many expected "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" -- a critically acclaimed documentary about US children's show host Mister Rogers -- to make the cut. It did not.

A happy surprise was a best actress nomination for breakout "Roma" star Yalitza Aparicio in her debut performance.

For Oscars watcher Sasha Stone, the new voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences "really did show up and vote in ways we've not really seen in the Oscar race, just not in ways we thought they might...surprised. A little weirded out."

source: philstar.com

Demi Lovato vows to keep fighting addiction

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In her first public comments since an overdose put her into the hospital, singer Demi Lovato says she remains committed to overcoming addiction.

"I will keep fighting," Lovato wrote Sunday in a post on Instagram.


She also thanked her fans, family, team and staff at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles. She reportedly overdosed on drugs at her Hollywood Hills home on July 24.

She said she's learned that the illness of addiction doesn't fade and is something she "must continue to overcome," and needs time to heal and focus on her sobriety and recovery.

The singer-actress has spoken about her struggles with an eating disorder, self-mutilation, and drugs and alcohol. She has become a role model for young women and men who have faced their own issues.

source: philstar.com

Red carpet filled with color for Oscars ceremony after tumultuous Hollywood year

LOS ANGELES | Stars arrived on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday under sunny but breezy skies for an Academy Awards ceremony filled with suspense over which will win the best picture, and whether the Hollywood sexual misconduct scandal will steal the spotlight on the movie industry’s biggest night.

“Get Out” actress Allison Williams,“I, Tonya” supporting actress Allison Janney, supporting actor nominee Christopher Plummer and “Spider-Man” star Tom Holland were among the early arrivals. Women sported flowing blue, lavender and white gowns often embellished with sequins and crystals.

Sandra Bullock,“Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda,“Black Panther” star Lupita Nyong’o, Jane Fonda and Nicole Kidman are among an eclectic lineup of presenters due to take the stage on Sunday.

Hollywood has many issues on its mind, foremost is the sexual misconduct scandal that has brought down dozens of once-powerful men, and lingering questions over racial and gender fairness in the movie business.

The Time’s Up campaign against sexual harassment in the workplace, spearheaded by celebrities including Reese Witherspoon and Ava DuVernay, will be recognized in some form in Sunday’s ceremony, organizers say.


History could be made on Sunday’s ceremony.

“Get Out” director and writer Jordan Peele is vying to become the first black man in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 90-year history to win a directing Oscar.

“Lady Bird” director Greta Gerwig could be only the second female to take home that prize when the decision of the 8,000 academy members is announced.

“Every year, the discussion around the awards is less and less who will win, but how many women are nominated, or how many blacks and Asians lost,” said Tom O’Neil, founder of awards website GoldDerby.com.

Host Jimmy Kimmel has the task of navigating the wider political themes with the celebrations. He is also expected to turn into a running joke last year’s embarrassing best picture envelope mix-up that saw musical“La La Land” being declared winner instead of“Moonlight.”

No such suspense surrounds the main acting races, where Frances McDormand is heavily favored to win for her turn as an angry, grieving mother in“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” and British actor Gary Oldman’s performance as wartime leader Winston Churchill in“Darkest Hour” is widely expected to bring his first Oscar.

In the supporting actor categories, odds are on Allison Janney for“I, Tonya,” and Sam Rockwell for“Three Billboards” after they swept previous awards.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce gives birth to twins: celebrity news websites

U.S. singer Beyonce has given birth to twins in Los Angeles, several celebrity news websites reported on Saturday, citing unidentified sources.

Beyonce, 35, and rapper and music producer Jay Z, already have a five-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.

E! News, citing multiple unidentified sources, reported the birth and that Jay Z and Blue Ivy were seen at a Los Angeles area hospital on Thursday.

Us Weekly, also citing multiple unidentified sources, reported that the couple welcomed twins earlier this week.

“Bey and Jay are thrilled and have started sharing the news with their family and closest friends,” one unidentified source told PEOPLE.

Reuters could not verify the reports. A representative for Beyonce did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The celebrity news websites did not provide additional details, such as the date and time the twins were born or the sex of the infants.

The “Lemonade” singer, one of the most powerful women in the music business, announced the pregnancy on her Instagram account in February along with an image of her posed in lingerie and caressing a noticeable baby bump.

The announcement got more than 8 million “likes” in the first 24 hours to become the “most-liked” Instagram ever.

The R&B singer performed live at the Grammy awards in Los Angeles two weeks later, proudly displaying her swelling belly in a motherhood-themed show. She has since posted numerous pictures of her bare baby bump on her social media accounts.

The birth of Blue Ivy caused a paparazzi storm in 2012, with New York’s Lenox Hill hospital shutting down part of its maternity wing to accommodate music’s royal couple.

News of the pregnancy came less than a year after the release of Beyonce’s 2016 album “Lemonade,” in which she appeared to address long-standing rumors of trouble in her eight-year marriage.

The lyrics of several songs spoke about being cheated on, and regretting being married. But Beyonce made clear in the final tracks of the album and in music videos featuring Jay-Z that she had decided to stay in the relationship.

The couple have never addressed the rumors publicly.

source: interaksyon.com

Alanis Morissette loses millions in burglary: report

LOS ANGELES | Burglars made off with $2 million in jewelry from singer Alanis Morissette’s home in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, U.S. media reported Tuesday.

The Canadian-born alternative rock giant was not at home when the thieves struck on Thursday, celebrity news website TMZ said, although police were not immediately able to confirm the report.

The break-in comes less than two weeks after Morissette’s former business manager, who worked for other entertainment and sports figures, admitted embezzling more than $6.5 million from his clients.

Jonathan Schwartz, 48, entered his plea to federal wire and tax fraud charges for failing to disclose the embezzled funds to the Internal Revenue Service.

He is due to be sentenced on May 3, and faces a prison term between four and six years.

He acknowledged that between May 2010 and January 2014, he withdrew about $4.8 million belonging to Morissette without her knowledge or authorization.

Morissette said in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles last year that she fired Schwartz after growing suspicious when he could not provide timely information on her finances.

The singer was the voice behind a string of energetic rock anthems in the mid-1990s including “You Oughta Know,” “Hand in My Pocket” and “You Learn.”

Her 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill” won the Grammy for Album of the Year, making the then 21-year-old Morissette the youngest winner of the prestigious award until Taylor Swift.

source: interaksyon.com

Guns N’ Roses reunite early at LA club

LOS ANGELES | The long-awaited Guns N’ Roses reunion got off to a surprise early start Friday, with the band playing a show at a small Los Angeles club where the rock legends were first noticed.

Before a lucky 500 fans packed into the Troubadour in West Hollywood, singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash performed for the first time together in public for more than two decades.

Videos posted online showed the 54-year-old Rose — still with flowing blond hair but without his once constant bandana — singing alongside Slash in his trademark top-hat over his black curls.

“You know where you are?” Rose yelled in his soaring voice in the signature line of “Welcome to the Jungle,” according to one segment shot by a fan — a technology that did not exist in the band’s glory days.

Social media posts said that Guns N’ Roses started the show with “It’s So Easy,” an energetic song with a bad-boy attitude that has frequently been the band’s opener.

Years of rumors of a Guns N’ Roses reunion came to fruition earlier this year when the band was announced as headliners for the Coachella festival, which will take place later his month in the California desert.

The band has since announced a full tour at arenas but had suspiciously left off any date in their native Los Angeles.

MAD SCRAMBLE FOR TICKETS

Guns N’ Roses early Friday announced the show for the evening. Some fans online initially thought that it could be an April Fools’ Day prank, but the band soon confirmed that tickets would be available — only in person and one each — at a “retro” price of $10.

A long crowd of fans, some wearing Guns N’ Roses T-shirts, quickly converged for a chance to buy tickets near the Troubadour at the designated sale site in the building of defunct Tower Records, now a store of guitar maker Gibson.

The strategy appeared to hinder scalpers, whose inflated prices have long infuriated artists.

Dozens of fans who could not score a ticket waited outside the venue late at night hoping to still hearing the music.

The Troubadour’s calendar had previously listed, cryptically, “Girl Rock (school) — showcase,” as its attraction for Friday, with a sketch of a student playing a guitar.

The Troubadour, with a capacity of 500, is legendary in music history as it helped launch the careers of artists ranging from Elton John to James Taylor. Members of The Eagles met for the first time at its bar.

Hollywood in the 1980s became the epicenter of heavy metal, and Guns N’ Roses landed a contract with Geffen Records after a show at the Troubadour.

The result of that deal, 1987′s “Appetite for Destruction,” remains the best-selling debut album ever, with fans drawn to Rose’s range and raw anger coupled with Slash’s intricate guitar playing.

TOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING

But Guns N’ Roses, notorious for their antics on the road and the tension between Rose and Slash, last played together in 1993 in Buenos Aires.

Rose later continued Guns N’ Roses with other lineups, all the while receiving lucrative offers to reunite.

The band on Friday also announced details of the North American tour, which will all be in stadiums — a far cry from the intimate Troubadour.

The main leg of the “Not in This Lifetime Tour” will begin on June 23 at Ford Field in Detroit, home to the National Football League’s Detroit Lions, and run until August 22 in San Diego.

Guns N’ Roses have only announced three shows outside the United States — April 19 and 20 in Mexico City and July 16 in Toronto.

In the band’s heyday, Guns N’ Roses played to raucous welcomes around much of the world including Europe and Japan.

source: interaksyon.com

Jennifer Aniston weds Justin Theroux in LA: reports

LOS ANGELES | Former “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston has married her longtime boyfriend Justin Theroux at their Los Angeles-area home in a secret ceremony that took the media and many of the couple’s guests by surprise, celebrity media reported on Thursday.

People magazine and Us Weekly, citing unidentified sources, said the couple, who have been dating for four years, exchanged vows in front of some 70 family members and friends at their Bel-Air home on Wednesday.

Representatives of the couple did not return requests for comment. But celebrity news website TMZ.com posted photos of a stage, an outdoor dance floor, dining tables and a large cake being brought into the house that Aniston and Theroux share in Bel-Air, a posh hilltop neighborhood of Los Angeles.

“Guests were told it was a birthday party for Justin. Jen and Justin wanted to surprise guests and guests were certainly surprised,” People magazine reported, citing a source.

“Jen has been very good at keeping her wedding planning secret. Only her closest confidants knew that the party was actually a surprise wedding.”

Aniston, 46, whose first marriage to actor Brad Pitt ended in divorce 10 years ago, met actor and “Tropic Thunder” screenwriter Theroux, who turns 44 next week, in 2008, and the couple announced their engagement in 2012.

People and Us Weekly said guests at the wedding included Aniston’s “Friends” costar Lisa Kudrow, comedians Ellen DeGeneres and Chelsea Handler, TV’s “America’s Got Talent” judge Howard Stern and British actress Emily Blunt.

Aniston has forged a lucrative film career in romantic comedies such as “Marley & Me” and “Just Go with It,” since the hit TV comedy “Friends” ended in 2004, having made her a global star.

Her love life, including romances with musician John Mayer and actor Vince Vaughn, has been the focus of intense celebrity media speculation since the split with Pitt, who went on to strike up a relationship with Angelina Jolie. Pitt and Jolie married quietly in France in August 2014.

source: interaksyon.com

Nuns oppose sale of convent to Katy Perry

LOS ANGELES | Katy Perry has amassed millions of fans around the world, but her failure to win over two elderly nuns is creating an unholy battle.

The pop singer wants to turn a former convent into her home. The sprawling hillside Italianate complex valued at $15 million is situated near the hip Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake.

But two nuns are having none of it. In the latest legal salvo, the two sisters challenged the authority of the archdiocese to sell the property.

The motion dated Monday accused the archdiocese of unilaterally changing the bylaws of the convent, known as the California Institute of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The suit said that two of the five remaining sisters, who range in age from 77 to 88, were chosen to have “sole authority to amend the institute’s bylaws, elect officers and sell the assets of the institute.”

Perry has visited the nuns, reportedly singing for them and telling them that she hopes to live on the property with her mother and grandmother.

But the two nuns remain opposed to the sale to Perry, who grew up in a born-again Protestant Christian household but has become both a sex symbol and vocal advocate for gay rights.

Perry’s hits include sultry numbers such as “I Kissed a Girl” and “Teenage Dream.”

Sister Rita Callanan, 77, recently told the Los Angeles Times that she found Perry’s videos online and “if it’s all right to say, I wasn’t happy with any of it.”

Callanan and Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, 86, instead signed to sell the property to restaurateur Dana Hollister.

The archdiocese countered that Hollister offered only $44,000 upfront with no promise to make payments to the aging sisters for another three years.

The archdiocese said that the three other remaining sisters supported the sale to Perry. The five sisters no longer live in the former convent, which was once the home to more than 100 nuns.

“The archdiocese is committed to the care and well-being of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters now and in the future,” it said in a statement.

“That is our obligation as directed by the Holy See, which will have the final approval over any sale of the property.”

source: interaksyon.com

Ringo Starr says will keep drumming as celebrates 75th birthday

LOS ANGELES | Former Beatle Ringo Starr, who turned 75 on Tuesday, said he would keep on playing the drums as he celebrated his birthday with his traditional “peace and love” salute.

The tradition began some 10 years ago when he was asked what he wanted for his birthday — the response was if “everybody in the world could say peace and love … at noon on July 7.”

Starr has since invited members of the public to join him in doing the sign and asked his fans to use #PeaceandLove on social media platforms.

“It’s international now … Wherever I am on my birthday that’s where we do it. And it’s growing by the response I get,” Starr said at Tuesday’s birthday celebrations in Los Angeles.

“It’s come a long way … In Chicago was the first one and we’ve been to New York and we’ve done several times in LA and we did it in Hamburg.”

In April, Starr was inducted as a solo artist into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the last of the Beatles to receive the accolade.

When asked what lay head, Starr said: “Well, keep playing, that’s what’s left to do. I love to play, I play drums so that will just continue.”

“It’s what I do, it’s what I did before The Beatles and before the peace and love birthday. I’ll play drums and entertain and sing a few songs.”

source: interaksyon.com

Rap mogul Diddy arrested in Los Angeles for assault

LOS ANGELES | American rap mogul Diddy was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday for assault with a deadly weapon — in this case, a kettlebell.

No one was seriously hurt in the incident at the University of California, Los Angeles sports center, and police have launched an investigation, the school said.

Diddy — real name Sean Combs, 45 — likely will be moved to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Inmate Reception Center, officials said.

Entertainment website TMZ said that Combs attacked one of the trainers at the center.

It was not immediately clear what transpired. But one of Comb’s sons has played in special teams for the university’s squad.

“I’m thankful that our staff showed the level of professionalism that they did in handling this situation. This is an unfortunate incident for all parties involved,” football coach Jim Mora said in a statement.

“While UCPD continues to review this matter, we will let the legal process run its course and refrain from further comment at this time.”

Combs, who had a hand in the careers of artists including Mary J. Blige, Biggie, Usher and Lil’ Kim, has an estimated $700 million fortune.

He has worked an a top artist, producer, actor, fashion designer, fashion brand owner and investor.

source: interaksyon.com

‘It’s not all about dunking’: UCLA recruit Kobe Paras eager to prove he’s more than just about highlights

The Los Angeles Times has diligently followed Filipino teenage sensation Kobe Paras, who recently announced his decision to commit to the University of California, Los Angeles in the United States.

On Monday, high school sports reporter Eric Sondheimer wrote a column detailing Paras’ journey, starting with his introduction to the basketball world as a 15-year-old who dunked on LeBron James in an exhibition in Manila to how he caught the eye of the UCLA Bruins which eventually led to a scholarship offer.

Some interesting tidbits from the piece include:

– Paras’ high school coach drew similarities between Kobe’s popularity in the Philippines and LeBron’s hype in the US during his high school days.

– Paras wants to prove that his basketball skills aren’t just limited to flashy dunks: “I want to show everybody it’s not all about dunking or highlights,” he said. “It’s about what you do on the court.”

Read the full piece here

source: interaksyon.com

Rare flawless 'Blue Moon Diamond' goes on display in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES -- A rare blue flawless 12-carat diamond, one of the world's rarest gems, was the newest attraction at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles on Friday, adding a vibrant sparkle to the museum's gem collection. 

The "Blue Moon Diamond," was purchased in its uncut rough form for $25.6 million by diamond manufacturer Cora International in February this year, and will be on loan in the Los Angeles museum until January 2015.

The deep blue stone has been categorized as an extremely significant find because of its unique color, clarity and size. It is internally flawless, with no inclusions.

"You get many different vivid blues, but this blue is an absolutely phenomenal color, the saturation is off the charts," said Suzette Gomes, chief executive officer of Cora International. "I have never, in all my time in diamonds, seen a color like this." 

The stone has also piqued the interest of scientists, raising geological questions of its origins.

Eloise Gaillou, a mineral sciences expert at the Natural History Museum, said diamonds come from 90 miles (145 km) below the Earth's surface, thus giving some insight into what is happening in the Earth's mantle.

"The origin of the color blue is boron, a light element that has not much to do so deep inside the earth," Gaillou said. "Blue diamonds are rare because boron doesn't happen very often down there, so it's going to tell us more about the why, how, and maybe the when as well," she added.

The Natural History Museum's minerals collection has about 3,000 gemstones out of nearly 150,000 specimens of rocks, minerals and meteorites, many sourced from California.

source: interaksyon.com

‘Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ sweeps MTV Movie Awards

LOS ANGELES | Young adult favorite “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was voted ‘movie of the year’ and scooped top acting honors at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday, reflecting the irreverent ceremony’s appeal to young fans.

The second installment of the hugely popular “Hunger Games” books beat out this year’s Oscar best picture winner “12 Years a Slave” in online voting that continued through much of the show.

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson won best female and male performances for their roles as Katniss and Peeta, the two youths fighting to give hope to an oppressed society.

At the unbuttoned awards ceremony in downtown Los Angeles hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, awards also went to the best shirtless performance for Zac Efron and best kiss, a three-way smooch between Will Poulter, Jennifer Aniston and Emma Roberts in the comedy “We’re the Millers”.

But there were also serious moments in the show. Hutcherson remembered his “Hunger Games” cast mate Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died of a drug overdose earlier this year.

“I know that if Philip were here, he would think this is really cool,” said Hutcherson.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” has earned more than $850 million at the worldwide box office and two more films, Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2, will complete the franchise from Lionsgate.

In one of the night’s upsets, Tris, played by Shailene Woodley in “Divergent”, won favorite character of the year, coming from behind in last-minute voting to surpass Lawrence’s Katniss. They each received more than 9 million votes.





O’Brien, 50 years old and noticeably older than most award winners and audience members, kicked off the show by trying to break the record for the most celebrity cameos in his intro, notching up 50.

Among them were Taylor Swift, who gave him a manicure, and Internet sensation Grumpy Cat, who slept in the front row of the audience.

BEST SHIRTLESS ACCEPTANCE

Among the most buzz-worthy moments of the night were Efron’s shirtless acceptance of his award, thanks to help from singer Rita Ora, and actor Seth Rogen giving his mother a prolonged kiss on stage.

The night’s musical performances included a duet by Rihanna and Eminem singing “The Monster” before they head out on tour together this summer. There was also a tribute to Paul Walker, a fixture in the street car racing franchise “Fast and Furious,” who died in a car crash last year.





The awards are an opportunity for film fans to pick their favorites, in contrast to most of the film industry awards, like the Oscars, which are voted by elite industry groups.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” and “American Hustle” got a chance to redeem themselves after walking away empty-handed from the Oscars on March 2. They each landed eight nods for the MTV awards, but also won little on Sunday.

Jonah Hill won best comedic performance for his role as the drug-addled swindling stockbroker in director Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a role for which he was nominated for the Oscar for best supporting actor.

And Jared Leto, who won the best supporting actor Oscar for his role as a transgender woman in “Dallas Buyers Club,” earned the MTV award for best on-screen transformation

The MTV Trailblazer Award went to actor Channing Tatum for his versatility in playing everything from a dancer from the wrong side of the tracks to a hero trying to save the world from danger.

Mark Wahlberg, who most recently starred in the Afghanistan war drama “Lone Survivor, received this year’s MTV Generation Award, an honor given to those who engage with the MTV audience throughout their careers.

Wahlberg, 42, joked with the much younger audience that the award probably signaled that his career was over.

“This is ‘You’re (expletive) done’,” said Wahlberg. “But you know what? It was a great run.”

source: interaksyon.com

Magnitude-5.1 quake rattles Los Angeles

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near Los Angeles on Friday, rattling a wide swath of Southern California, the US Geological Survey said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injury from the temblor, centered outside suburban La Habra, about 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman said.

"However the earthquake just happened a few minutes ago so we have to give our officers the time to do an inspection," the spokeswoman said.

The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 5.3, struck shortly after 9 p.m. pacific time and was very shallow, only 1.2 miles deep, according to the USGS.

It was felt across four counties, as far east as Palm Springs and north as Ventura County.

source: interaksyon.com

Singer Chris Brown to remain in jail until probation hearing

LOS ANGELES | R&B singer Chris Brown on Monday was ordered by a Los Angeles judge to remain in jail at least until his April 23 probation violation hearing, related to his 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend, the singer Rihanna.

Brown, 24, was arrested last Friday when he was dismissed from a rehabilitation facility, triggering a violation of the singer’s court-ordered treatment. He had spent the weekend at Los Angeles County’s aging Men’s Central Jail.

Brown was dismissed from the rehab center on Friday for violating four in-house rules, including inappropriately touching a female client on the elbow. Brown also said to a group, “I am good at using guns and knives,” which Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin said was troubling.

“I have concerns about his inability to stay out of trouble,” Brandlin said before ordering Brown held without bail.

Brown, dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit, was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs as his mother Joyce Hawkins sobbed.

Brown’s jailing is another mark on a growing rap sheet for the singer, whose music has so far been able to maintain wide popularity despite a poor image that has included his beating of Rihanna and several altercations.

The singer, who also faces a misdemeanor assault case in Washington, D.C., had been in the Malibu, California, rehabilitation center for anger management.

Brandlin had sentenced Brown to 90 days in the treatment program in November following his assault arrest where he allegedly punched and broke the nose of a man who was trying to get a picture with him.

The “Turn Up the Music” singer was ordered last month to stay in the treatment program until his April 17 trial in Washington.

In 2009, Brown was sentenced to five years probation, community labor and domestic violence counseling after assaulting Rihanna, who was then his girlfriend, on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

source: interaksyon.com

Norwegian jailed in US over Bieber scam

LOS ANGELES - A Norwegian man who admitted tricking an investor out of $1 million in a fake deal to promote Justin Bieber in Scandinavia was sentenced to 11 years in jail, US prosecutors said Monday.

Wahleed Ahmed was also ordered to repay the $1 million, said the US Attorney's office in Los Angeles and the FBI.

Ahmed presented himself as a successful entrepreneur from Norway who had invented solar-powered phone covers, and he promised the victim would make $9 million in profit in three months.

The 22-year-old used photos of famous dignitaries including the Crown Prince of Norway, Queen Rania of Jordan, and others, and claimed to have multimillion dollar contracts with large telecoms firms, to lend credibility to his scheme.

In August 2012, Ahmed convinced the victim to invest $1 million to secure concert venues for the Justin Bieber Tour, using fake documents and websites he had bought with domain names suggesting they were part of the scheme.

He was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and and pleaded guilty in March 2013, admitting he had "taken the victim investor's money knowing that there was no contract for Justin Bieber tours and that the victim would lose his money."

As well as serving 132 months in jail, he was ordered to make an immediate restitution payment of $1,001,505.50. Judge Philip S. Gutierrez ordered the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release.

source: interaksyon.com

Jaimie Alexander steals everybody’s thunder at ‘Thor’ premiere with sheer dress

Jaimie Alexander may not be a household name yet even in Hollywood, but that ought to change overnight, thanks to the utterly revealing black dress she wore sans underwear to the red carpet premiere of “Thor: The Dark World” in Los Angeles on Monday.

The 29-year-old actress, who plays the Norse goddess Sif in the Marvel film, easily upstaged the other cast members led by Chris Hemsworth, with her Azzarro gown with mesh panels that flashed plenty of bare flesh from her chest down to her toes.

Alexander, best known for starring in the TV series “Kyle XY”, was last seen in the film “The Last Stand” opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger.

She has been reported to be in talks with Warner Bros. for a possible role as DC Comics heroine Wonder Woman in the upcoming “Man of Steel” sequel.

source: interaksyon.com

LA gunman planned to kill 'multiple' TSA agents - FBI

LOS ANGELES - The gunman who allegedly killed a security officer at Los Angeles airport carried a note saying he planned to murder "multiple" agents, officials said Saturday, announcing charges against him.

A prosecutor told how Paul Ciancia allegedly opened fire at "point blank range" on Gerardo Hernandez, the first Transportation Security Agency (TSA) agent killed since the TSA was created after September 11, 2001.

The dead officer's widow meanwhile said she was "truly devastated" by his death. "He was a joyful person, always smiling and took pride in his duty to the American public," said Ana Hernandez.

Ciancia, who used a Smith and Wesson assault rifle and a large stock of ammo in the attack, faces a possible death penalty on charges of murdering a federal officer and committing violence at an international airport.

The gun rampage triggered chaos at LA international (LAX) airport Friday, disrupting over 1,500 flights. The airport only fully reopened Saturday, more than 24 hours later.

Describing how the shooting started, a prosecutor said Ciancia pulled a ".223-caliber M&P-15 assault rifle out of his bag and fired multiple rounds at point-blank range" at Hernandez, 39, shortly after 9:00 a.m. in LAX's Terminal 3.

The shots injured the TSA officer but did not kill him. The 23-year-old gunman then went up a nearby escalator, and came back down to "shoot the wounded officer again," said US Attorney Andre Birotte.

Ciancia then proceeded further into the Terminal, shooting a further four people including two other TSA officers, before being detained after a gunfight with LAX police.

The alleged gunman, who remains in hospital and has not yet answered any questions from investigators, carried a note in his bag indicating that he "targeted" especially TSA officer, for whom he felt "anger and malice."

The handwritten note, found in a bag taken into the airport, showed that he "made a conscious decision to kill multiple TSA employees," said David Bowdich, the head of the FBI's LA office.

"In the note that was handwritten by the defendant, that was signed by the defendant, we found a statement where he made a conscious decision to kill multiple TSA employees," said Bowdich.

"He addressed them at one point in the letter, and stated that he wanted to 'instill fear into their traitorous minds.'"

LA mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday that Ciancia had lots more ammunition when he was arrested. "There were more than 100 more rounds that could have literally killed everybody in that terminal," he said.

An estimated 1,550 scheduled flights with some 167,000 passengers were impacted Friday amid the resulting ground stop, they said.

During the shooting spree, which lasted under 10 minutes, he approached a number of people cowering in the terminal and pointed his gun at them, asking if they "were TSA," according to The LA Times newspaper.

If they answered "no," he moved on, the Times reported, citing witnesses who said he cursed the TSA repeatedly.

"This act of violence reminds us of the risks the brave men and women of TSA face every day as they work to protect the traveling public," said Rand Beers, acting secretary of Homeland Security.

While officials have not released details about the suspect's condition, the Times said he was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the head and leg.

The FBI said Ciancia was a Los Angeles resident originally from the eastern state of New Jersey.

Before the shooting, Ciancia texted his younger brother that he might harm himself, The Washington Post reported. This led the shooter's father to contact local New Jersey police, who in turn contacted their counterparts in Los Angeles.

LAPD officers visited Ciancia's home on Friday but could not find him, according to The Post.

The shooting came just weeks ahead of the stressful end-of-year US travel period that includes Thanksgiving -- traditionally the busiest travel time of the year -- and Christmas.

source: interaksyon.com