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Tag: Los Angeles

  • Here are the winners of the 2026 Grammy Awards

    American rapper Kendrick Lamar emerged as the biggest winner at the 68th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles on Sunday, securing five awards for the second consecutive year.

    Lamar won Record of the Year for “Luther,” his collaboration with SZA, and Best Rap Album for GNX, reinforcing his dominance at music’s most prestigious awards ceremony.

    However, the rapper fell short of clinching the night’s highest honour, Album of the Year, which went to Puerto Rican artiste Bad Bunny.

    The Grammy Awards, organised by the Recording Academy, recognise outstanding achievements in the global music industry and attract leading artistes from across genres.

    Lamar’s strong showing once again placed him at the centre of the ceremony, even as Bad Bunny claimed the most coveted prize of the night.

    Here’s a list of everyone who won, and who was nominated, in the main categories.

    • Winner: Billie Eilish – Wildflower
    • Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
    • Doechii – Anxiety
    • Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT
    • Bad Bunny – DtMF
    • Hunter/x – Golden
    • Kendrick Lamar feat SZA – Luther
    • Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
    • Winner: Kendrick Lamar feat SZA – Luther
    • Bad Bunny – DtMF
    • Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
    • Doechii – Anxiety
    • Billie Eilish – Wildflower
    • Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
    • Chappell Roan – The Subway
    • Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT
    • Winner: Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos
    • Justin Bieber – Swag
    • Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
    • Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
    • Lady Gaga – Mayhem
    • Kendrick Lamar – GNX
    • Leon Thomas – Mutt
    • Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia
    • Winner: Olivia Dean
    • Katseye
    • The Marias
    • Addison Rae
    • Sombr
    • Leon Thomas
    • Alex Warren
    • Lola Young
    • Winner: Lady Gaga – Mayhem
    • Justin Bieber – Swag
    • Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
    • Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
    • Teddy Swims – I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy Pt 2

    Best pop solo performance

    • Winner: Lola Young – Messy
    • Justin Bieber – Daisies
    • Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
    • Lady Gaga – Disease
    • Chappell Roan – The Subway

    Best pop duo/group performance

    • Winner: Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande – Defying Gravity
    • Huntr/x – Golden
    • Katseye – Gabriela
    • Rosé & Bruno Mars – APT
    • SZA With Kendrick Lamar – 30 For 30

    Best dance/electronic recording

    • Winner: Tame Impala – End Of Summer
    • Disclosure & Anderson .Paak – No Cap
    • Fred again.., Skepta, & PlaqueBoyMax – Victory Lap
    • Kaytranada – Space Invader
    • Skrillex – Voltage

    Best dance/electronic album

    • Winner: FKA Twigs – Eusexua
    • Fred again.. – Ten Days
    • PinkPantheress – Fancy That
    • Rüfüs Du Sol – Inhale / Exhale
    • Skrillex – F*** U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol But Ur Not!! <3
    • Winner: Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
    • Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – Bluest Flame
    • Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
    • Tate McRae – Just Keep Watching
    • PinkPantheress – Illegal

    Best traditional pop vocal album

    • Winner: Laufey – A Matter Of Time
    • Laila Biali – Wintersongs
    • Jennifer Hudson – The Gift Of Love
    • Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Who Believes In Angels?
    • Lady Gaga – Harlequin
    • Barbra Streisand – The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume 2
    • Winner: Natalia Lafourcade – Cancionera
    • Rauw Alejandro – Cosa Nuestra
    • Andrés Cepeda – Bogotá (Deluxe)
    • Karol G – Tropicoqueta
    • Alejandro Sanz – ¿Y ahora qué?
    • Winner: Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
    • J Balvin – Mixteip
    • Feid – Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado
    • Nicki Nicole – Naiki
    • Trueno – Eub Deluxe
    • Yandel – Sinfónico (En Vivo)
    • Winner: Yungblud ft Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman, II – Changes (Live From Villa Park) Back To The Beginning
    • Amyl and The Sniffers – U Should Not Be Doing That
    • Linkin Park – The Emptiness Machine
    • Turnstile – Never Enough
    • Hayley Williams – Mirtazapine
    • Winner: Nine Inch Nails – As Alive As You Need Me To Be
    • Sleep Token – Caramel
    • Hayley Williams – Glum
    • Turnstile – Never Enough
    • Yungblud – Zombie
    • Winner: Turnstile – Never Enough
    • Deftones – Private Music
    • Haim – I Quit
    • Linkin Park – From Zero
    • Yungblud – Idols

    Best alternative music album

    • Winner: The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
    • Bon Iver – Sable, Fable
    • Tyler, The Creator – Don’t Tap the Glass
    • Wet Leg – Moisturizer
    • Hayley Williams – Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party

    Best alternative music performance

    • Winner: The Cure – Alone
    • Bon Iver – Everything Is Peaceful Love
    • Turnstile – Seein’ Stars
    • Wet Leg – Mangetout
    • Hayley Williams – Parachute
    • Winner: Turnstile – Birds
    • Dream Theater – Night Terror
    • Ghost – Lachryma
    • Sleep Token – Emergence
    • Spiritbox – Soft Spine
    • Winner: Clipse, Pusha T & Malice feat Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams – Chains & Whips
    • Cardi B – Outside
    • Doechii – Anxiety
    • Kendrick Lamar feat Lefty Gunplay – TV Off
    • Tyler, The Creator feat Teezo Touchdown – Darling, I

    Best melodic rap performance

    • Winner: Kendrick Lamar with SZA – Luther
    • Fridayy feat Meek Mill – Proud Of Me
    • JID feat Ty Dolla $ign & 6Lack – Wholeheartedly
    • Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon feat Rapsody – WeMaj
    • Partynextdoor & Drake – Somebody Loves Me
    • Winner: Kendrick Lamar feat Lefty Gunplay – TV Off
    • Doechii – Anxiety
    • Clipse, Pusha T & Malice feat John Legend & Voices of Fire – The Birds Don’t Sing
    • Tyler, The Creator feat GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne – Sticky
    • GloRilla – TGIF
    • Winner: Kendrick Lamar – GNX
    • Clipse, Pusha T & Malice – Let God Sort Em Out
    • GloRilla – Glorious
    • JID – God Does Like Ugly
    • Tyler, The Creator – Chromakopia

    Best country solo performance

    • Winner: Chris Stapleton – Bad As I Used To Be
    • Tyler Childers – Nose On The Grindstone
    • Shaboozey – Good News
    • Zach Top – I Never Lie
    • Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo

    Best country duo/group performance

    • Shaboozey & Jelly Roll – Amen
    • Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton – A Song To Sing
    • Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson – Trailblazer
    • Margo Price & Tyler Childers – Love Me Like You Used To Do
    • George Strait & Chris Stapleton – Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame
    • Winner: Tyler Childers – Bitin’ List
    • Shaboozey – Good News
    • Zach Top – I Never Lie
    • Lainey Wilson – Somewhere Over Laredo
    • Chris Stapleton – A Song To Sing

    Best contemporary country album

    • Jelly Roll – Beautifully Broken
    • Kelsea Ballerini – Patterns
    • Tyler Childers – Snipe Hunter
    • Eric Church – Evangeline vs The Machine
    • Miranda Lambert – Postcards From Texas
    • Winner: Kehlani – Folded
    • Justin Bieber – Yukon
    • Chris Brown feat Bryson Tiller – It Depends
    • Leon Thomas – Mutt (Live From NPR’s Tiny Desk)
    • Summer Walker – Heart Of A Woman
    • Winner: Kehlani – Folded
    • Summer Walker – Heart Of A Woman
    • Chris Brown feat Bryson Tiller – It Depends
    • Durand Bernarr – Overqualified
    • Leon Thomas – Yes It Is
    • Winner: Leon Thomas – Mutt
    • Giveon – Beloved
    • Coco Jones – Why Not More?
    • Ledisi – The Crown
    • Teyana Taylor – Escape Room

    Best African music performance

    • Winner: Tyla – Push 2 Start
    • Burna Boy – Love
    • Davido feat Omah Lay – With You
    • Eddy Kenzo & Mehran Matin – Hope & Love
    • Ayra Starr feat Wizkid – Gimme Dat

    Production and songwriting

    Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

    • Winner: Cirkut (Lady Gaga, Rosé, Jade)
    • Dan Auerbach
    • Dijon
    • Blake Mills
    • Sounwave

    Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical

    • Winner: Amy Allen (Rosé, Jennie, Sabrina Carpenter)
    • Edgar Barrera
    • Jessie Jo Dillon
    • Tobias Jesso Jr
    • Laura Veltz
    • Winner: Nate Bargatze – Your Friend, Nate Bargatze
    • Bill Burr – Drop Dead Years
    • Sarah Silverman – PostMortem
    • Ali Wong – Single Lady
    • Jamie Foxx – What Had Happened Was

    Best compilation soundtrack for visual media

    • Winner: Sinners – Various artists
    • A Complete Unknown – Timothée Chalamet
    • F1 The Album – Various artists
    • K-Pop Demon Hunters – Various artists
    • Wicked – Various artists

    Best score soundtrack for visual media (includes film and televison)

    • Winner: Ludwig Göransson – Sinners
    • John Powell – How To Train Your Dragon
    • Theodore Shapiro – Severance: Season 2
    • John Powell & Stephen Schwartz – Wicked
    • Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot

    Best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media

    • Winner: Austin Wintory – Sword of the Sea
    • Pinar Toprak – Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – Secrets of the Spires
    • Wilbert Roget II – Helldivers 2
    • Gordy Haab – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
    • Cody Matthew Johnson & Wilbert Roget II – Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card & A Pirate’s Fortune

    Best song written for visual media

    • Winner: Huntr/x – Golden (From K-Pop Demon Hunters)
    • Nine Inch Nails – As Alive As You Need Me To Be (From Tron: Ares)
    • Miles Caton – I Lied To You (From Sinners)
    • Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Never Too Late (From Elton John: Never Too Late)
    • Jayme Lawson – Pale Pale Moon (From Sinners)
    • Rod Wave – Sinners (From Sinners)
    • Winner: Dalai Lama – Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama
    • Kathy Garver – Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story
    • Trevor Noah – Into The Uncut Grass
    • Ketanji Brown Jackson – Lovely One: A Memoir
    • Fab Morvan – You Know It’s True: The Real Story Of Milli Vanilli
    • Winner: Doechii – Anxiety
    • Sade – Young Lion
    • Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
    • Clipse – So Be It
    • OK Go – Love
    • Winner: John Williams – Music by John Williams
    • Devo – Devo
    • Raye – Live at the Albert Hall
    • Diane Warren – Relentless
    • Pharrell Williams – Piece By Piece
    • Winner: Samara Joy – Portrait
    • Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap – Elemental
    • Terri Lyne Carrington & Christie Dashiell – We Insist 2025!
    • Michael Mayo – Fly
    • Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth – Live at Vic’s Las Vegas

    Best jazz instrumental album

    • Winner: Sullivan Fortner feat Peter Washington & Marcus Gilmore – Southern Nights
    • Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade – Trilogy 3 (Live)
    • Branford Marsalis Quartet – Belonging
    • John Patitucci feat Chris Potter & Brian Blade – Spirit Fall
    • Yellowjackets – Fasten Up

    Best alternative jazz album

    • Winner: Nate Smith – Live-Action
    • Ambrose Akinmusire – Honey from a Winter Stone
    • Robert Glasper – Keys To The City Volume One
    • Brad Mehldau – Ride Into The Sun
    • Immanuel Wilkins – Blues Blood
    • Winner: Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade – Windows (Live)
    • Lakecia Benjamin feat Immanuel Wilkins & Mark Whitfield – Noble Rise
    • Samara Joy – Peace Of Mind/Dreams Come True
    • Michael Mayo – Four
    • Nicole Zuraitis, Dan Pugach, Tom Scott, Idan Morim, Keyon Harrold & Rachel Eckroth – All Stars Lead To You (Live)

    Best musical theatre album

    • Death Becomes Her
    • Gypsy
    • Just In Time
    • Maybe Happy Ending
    • Winner: Heggie: Intelligence – Kwamé Ryan, conductor (Houston Grand Opera; Gene Scheer)
    • Huang Ruo: An American Soldier – Carolyn Kuan, conductor (American Composers Orchestra; David Henry Hwang)
    • Kouyoumdjian – Adoration Alan Pierson, conductor (Silvana Quartet; The Choir Of Trinity Wall Street)
    • O’Halloran: Trade & Mary Motorhead – Elaine Kelly (Irish National Opera Orchestra; Mark O’Halloran)
    • Tesori: Grounded – Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus; George Brant)

    Best orchestral performance

    • Winner: Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie – Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
    • Coleridge-Taylor: Toussaint L’Ouverture; Ballade Op. 4; Suites From ’24 Negro Melodies’ – Michael Repper, conductor (National Philharmonic)
    • Ravel: Boléro – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra Of Venezuela)
    • Still & Bonds – Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
    • Stravinsky: Symphony In Three Movements – Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
  • Africa aims for success at Los Angeles 2028 after record performance at Paris 2024 Paralympics

    Africa aims for success at Los Angeles 2028 after record performance at Paris 2024 Paralympics

    African Paralympic Committee (APC) has set its focus on the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles after achieving a historic milestone at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

    Africa secured 64 medals, surpassing the 63 won at the Tokyo 2020 Games, including 23 gold, 16 silver, and 25 bronze medals, with athletes from ten African nations reaching the podium.

    North African countries, including Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt, along with Nigeria from West Africa, dominated the continent’s top five performers.

    Samson Deen, president of the APC, praised the athletes’ achievements but acknowledged the challenges that need to be addressed in preparation for the next Paralympics.

    “African athletes have shown that if our governments and our people lift up support, they are going to perform much, much better,” he stated.

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ud_-6QO6Bz0

    As the African Paralympic Committee (APC) looks ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, there is a clear focus on increasing athlete representation.

    At Paris 2024, 312 para-athletes from 44 African nations competed, with nine countries sending only a single athlete.

    The APC and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) aim to boost these numbers for future competitions.

    In the short term, the APC is working to secure a host for the 2027 African Para-Games, following a partnership with a European sports agency.

    Samson Deen has emphasised the need for unity across the continent to strengthen and grow para-sports in Africa.

    “The biggest challenge we have is disunity among the African people. When we are united, we have one message. If we are together, we can build a strong Africa in para-sports.”

    The Gambia’s chef de mission in Paris, Hagie Drammeh, remarked that para-sports have the potential to breathe hope into the lives of people with disabilities.

    “There are many people with disabilities who do not believe sport is the way out. We need to get into most of the sports so that people with impairments… will have life in sports.”

  • Arsenal’s Arteta lauds backup goalkeeper Karl Hein after penalty heroics in Los Angeles friendly

    Arsenal’s Arteta lauds backup goalkeeper Karl Hein after penalty heroics in Los Angeles friendly

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised backup goalkeeper Karl Hein for his “good performance” following his penalty-saving heroics in a friendly against Bournemouth.

    With regular keepers David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale on a break after their national teams, Spain and England, reached the Euro 2024 final, Hein took on the role of senior goalkeeper during Arsenal’s three-match tour in the United States.

    The Estonian shot-stopper seized the opportunity to impress Arteta in the pre-season match against the Cherries.

    The game at Dignity Health Sports Park ended in a 1-1 draw, with Fabio Vieira scoring for the Gunners in the 18th minute.

    The match then went to a penalty shootout, where Hein shone by saving penalties from Philip Billing and Ryan Christie, ultimately leading Arsenal to a 5-4 victory in the shootout.

    Arteta was delighted with Hein’s performance and stated: “I’m very happy for him. Obviously, he had to be really patient and wait for his opportunity.

    He came back from his holidays really sharp and prepared; he knew that he had big games ahead of him and he started tonight, and I think he had a really good performance.”

    Despite his impressive showing, a decision regarding Hein’s future at the club looms large.

    The 22-year-old Estonia international signed a long-term contract extension in the summer, but the arrival of England youth international Tommy Setford from Ajax suggests Hein might be loaned out to gain regular playing time.

    “That’s the conversation we are having,” said Arteta.

    “Obviously, David and Aaron are away at the moment and we are really really short in that position, but we want to develop our players – especially a player like Karl who has big potential and a big future ahead of him.

    He needs to play games, so we’re going to explore that option as well.”

    Hein’s heroics in the penalty shootout against Bournemouth have showcased his potential and readiness to step up when needed.

    As Arsenal continue their pre-season preparations, the young goalkeeper will have another chance to demonstrate his skills against Premier League giants Manchester United on July 27.

  • American rapper Diddy puts his L.A. mansion up for sale at $70M

    American rapper Diddy puts his L.A. mansion up for sale at $70M

    Sean “Diddy” Combs has listed his Los Angeles mansion for sale, four months after it was raided by the Department of Homeland Security amid sex trafficking allegations.

    Purchased in 2014 for $40 million, the Holmby Hills property is now on the market for $70 million, reflecting a bid to profit from its amenities, which include a 17,000-square-foot main house with a 35-seat theater, gym, wine room, and a separate 3,000-square-foot building.

    The estate also features a lagoon-style pool and grotto.

    Following the March raids on Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami residences, federal investigators are reportedly preparing accusers to testify before a New York City grand jury as part of a sex trafficking probe.

    Combs, now primarily residing in Miami, has faced scrutiny following a widely circulated video showing him assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016.

    Initially denying allegations, Combs later apologized after the incident gained public attention.

    The relationship between Combs and Ventura, which began in 2007 and spanned over a decade, was marked by legal disputes.

    Ventura initially filed a lawsuit alleging Combs subjected her to a tumultuous lifestyle, including physical abuse and coercive behavior.

    The lawsuit was settled out of court.

    Combs is currently facing multiple sexual assault lawsuits amidst ongoing legal challenges.

  • 15 people at Universal Studios in Los Angeles suffers minor injuries after tram accident

    15 people at Universal Studios in Los Angeles suffers minor injuries after tram accident

    A tram collision occurred at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, injuring 15 people, as reported by authorities and the company.

    The fire department was called to the theme park on Lankershim Boulevard just after 9pm, according to a post on social media.

    The people taken to the hospitals had small injuries, the department said.

    A spokesperson from Universal Studios Hollywood sent an email to The Associated Press and said that there were a few small injuries from an accident with a tram at the theme park.

    We don’t know much about the accident yet.

    The California Highway Patrol will take charge of the investigation, according to the fire department.

  • Man admits to stealing US$1.8m worth of items from Beverly Hills hotel in Los Angeles

    Man admits to stealing US$1.8m worth of items from Beverly Hills hotel in Los Angeles

    A man from Southern California admitted to stealing jewelry, clothes, and other things worth almost US$2 million from people staying at a hotel in Beverly Hills. He then went to Florida to sell the stolen stuff. Federal prosecutors shared this information on Tuesday.

    Jobson Marangoni De Castro, 38, admitted to taking and moving stolen things across state lines. This is a serious crime that could send him to federal prison for up to 10 years, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

    De Castro went after two people from Brazil who came to Beverly Hills for a fashion event. According to court papers, they had six suitcases full of expensive jewelry and items worth around $1.8m.

    He lied to a hotel worker to get a key to the victims’ room and took all their suitcases while they were eating dinner, according to prosecutors.

    De Castro went to Miami and messaged someone on social media to sell a diamond necklace and luxury watch. He said he didn’t have papers for them because he found them in a box that belonged to his mom. The next day, the buyer sent $50,000 for the jewelry, and De Castro brought it to the buyer’s store in Miami, as said by investigators.

    The jewelry that De Castro had matched the description of the stolen items from Beverly Hills, so he was arrested, court papers show.

    Mr Castro has been in jail since August 2023. He has to appear in court on April 30 to find out how much money was lost. A court date for the sentencing will be set in the coming months.

    The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department looked into the case together.

  • Scott Peterson: Famous US murder case taken on by Los Angeles Innocence Project

    Scott Peterson: Famous US murder case taken on by Los Angeles Innocence Project

    The Los Angeles Innocence Project is helping Scott Peterson, who was found guilty in 2004 of killing his pregnant wife.

    The non-profit organization helps people who were accused of a crime they didn’t do. They are looking for new evidence to prove their innocence from their first trial.

    It said in legal papers that it is “looking into his claim that he didn’t do the crime”.

    Laci Peterson was going to have a baby soon when she disappeared on Christmas Eve 22 years ago.

    “We are really happy that the lawyers from the LA Innocence Project are going to help prove that Scott is innocent,” said Pat Harris, who is Scott Peterson’s lawyer. This was reported by CBS, the BBC’s partner in the US.

    In April, Peterson’s lawyers asked the court to investigate the jury for not following the rules at his trial. They also said they had new evidence that showed Peterson is not guilty. This information was in court documents filed on Wednesday.

    The lawyers said Peterson murdered Laci and threw her body into the ocean on Christmas Eve 2002. Then he tried to make it look like she was missing to cover up the crime.

    Four months later, they found her body when it came up on the shore.

    During the trial, Peterson’s lawyers said that a burglar was the one who killed his wife.

    The jury said he did a bad thing and he was given the punishment of death a year later.

    In 2020, the California Supreme Court cancelled his death sentence because the judge in the first trial had sent away some jurors unfairly.

    The next year, he was given a life in prison sentence with no chance of getting out.

  • Paramore: Rock band withdraws from LA festival headline spot

    Paramore: Rock band withdraws from LA festival headline spot

    The rock band Paramore decided not to perform as the main act at an upcoming festival in Los Angeles.

    The band posted on Instagram that they couldn’t play at the iHeartRadio ALTer Ego festival on 13 January because of some unexpected issues.

    One week later, the three of them deleted all their posts and pictures from their social media accounts in December.

    All information from their website has been taken down.

    Lead singer Hayley Williams, guitar player Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro were supposed to perform with other bands like The 1975, The Black Keys, Thirty Seconds To Mars and Yellowcard.

    The people in charge of the festival said that Fall Out Boy will perform instead of Paramore at the concert.
    ‘Level of unsureness’

    In December, the band told Uproxx that they were unsure about what would happen next because they had finished everything they needed to do for their record label and were now free to make their own decisions.

    But Williams told fans not to worry, the band is not breaking up. He said, “The most important thing is that we will still be together as friends. ”

    Fans guessing if the band broke up.

    On X, previously known as Twitter, a fan asked, “What will happen if the Paramore Spotify page stops working and all the songs are gone. ” Another fan said they were “really scared” that the band might be breaking up.

    However, some people have said they don’t think the band is going to break up. “Is anyone else not concerned about Paramore right now. There are many reasons why they might need to miss that show. ” One X user asked if we can try not to go straight to code red this time.

    Another person said that it’s normal for artists to delete their social media posts before starting a new phase. They also said that Paramore might come back with new photos of the band and maybe a new logo in a week or two.

    The band might have pulled out of the ALTer Ego festival because they got booked to play at a bigger festival with a special contract later in the year.

    The band from the US started in 2004. They are most famous for songs like Misery Business, Ignorance, and The Only Exception.

    They put out their sixth album called This is Why in February 2023 after not releasing music for four years.

    When talking about the band’s break, Williams told BBC Radio 1 that taking time off helped her and the band to think about things and see them in a new way.

    “We really needed to find out who we are as individuals, separate from Paramore and all the attention we get in our lives,” she said.

    The album was inspired by things that really happened and got great reviews. NME gave it five stars and said it brought out a new and nice feeling.

    In August, the band had to cancel the last two shows of their tour because Williams got sick with a lung infection.

  • Hollywood actors hit street to protest pay and AI

    Hollywood actors hit street to protest pay and AI

    Over 160,000 performers in Los Angeles halt film and TV productions as they join screenwriters in the industry’s largest shutdown in 60 years.

    The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) demands fair profit sharing and improved working conditions from streaming platforms.

    They also seek protection against the use of digital replicas, ensuring actors are not replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).

    During the strike, actors cannot participate in films or promote completed projects. At the premiere of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, stars like Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt left in support of the strike. Nolan expressed solidarity, stating that the actors were “off to write their picket signs.”

    Actors, including Bob Odenkirk, Cynthia Nixon, and Jamie Lee Curtis, voiced their support on Instagram. Picketing will commence at Netflix’s California headquarters before targeting Paramount, Warner Bros, and Disney.

    The major studios have proposed safeguards for actors’ digital likeness, requiring their consent for the use of digital replicas or alterations. However, the offer was rejected by the SAG, considering it unacceptable.

    The strike’s impact affects ongoing film productions and limits the availability of actors for reshoots and other essential tasks. TV shows in production will also face significant disruption, although some arrangements may be made to allow limited work to continue.

    Promotional events featuring top Hollywood stars, such as the Emmys and Comic-Con, might be rescheduled or scaled back due to the strike.

    The AMPTP said the strike was “certainly not the outcome we hoped for as studios cannot operate without the performers that bring our TV shows and films to life”.

    “The union has regrettably chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people who depend on the industry,” its statement added.

    The union leading the strike is officially recognized as the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).

    One of the key demands from the streaming services is an increase in both the base pay and residuals for actors. Residuals refer to the payments actors receive from reruns or repeated showings of the films and programs in which they have appeared.

    The strike encompasses tens of thousands of actors who are seeking fairer compensation for minor roles, as they currently receive significantly lower pay compared to their A-list counterparts.

    “In the old model, they get residuals based on success,” Kim Masters, the editor-in-chief of the Hollywood Reporter, told the BBC. “In the new model, they don’t get to find out what’s going on behind the scenes, because the streamers don’t share.”

    Fran Drescher, SAG’s president, said the strike came at a “very seminal moment” for actors in the industry.

    “What’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labour,” she said, “when employers make Wall Street and greed their priority, and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run.”

    Since May 2nd, a separate strike led by the Writers Guild of America, consisting of approximately 11,500 members, has been ongoing.

    Writer strike

    The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May

    The writers are demanding improved pay and working conditions. As a result of the strike, some writers have pursued non-contract projects that fall outside the agreement between the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

  • Tennis player, Naomi Osaka welcomes baby girl

    Tennis player, Naomi Osaka welcomes baby girl

    The WTA has reported that Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, has given birth to her first child in Los Angeles.

    The 25-year-old Japanese woman made her pregnancy with partner and rapper Cordae public in January and announced last month that she was expecting a daughter.

    Osaka, a former world number one, last competed in September 2022 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

    At the Australian Open in 2021, she achieved the most recent of her four major victories.

    She stated in April that she aimed to capture the Olympic gold medal in Paris in 2017.

    Osaka is currently ranked 436th in the WTA rankings after taking a five-month hiatus in 2021 after her US Open championship defense faltered in the third round.

  • Charlie Watts’ book collection up for auction

    Charlie Watts’ book collection up for auction

    The renowned drummer of the Rolling Stones, Charlie Watts, has not only made his mark on stage with hits like “Brown Sugar” and “Start Me Up,” but he was also an avid collector of modern literature.

    His impressive library included numerous rare first editions, including signed copies of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles.”

    Now, two years after his passing, a selection of these cherished items will be auctioned off.

    In addition to his book collection, Charlie Watts’ assortment of jazz memorabilia will also be part of the auction, hosted by Christie’s.

    The auction highlights will be exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, and London prior to the sale on September 28-29.

    The signed edition of “The Great Gatsby” is expected to lead the auction with an estimated price range of £200,000-300,000.

    It is worth noting that Fitzgerald dedicated the book to MGM Screenwriter Harold Goldman, with whom he collaborated on the 1938 film “A Yank in Oxford,” starring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh.

  • Flesh-eating drug xylazine takes over Los Angeles

    Flesh-eating drug xylazine takes over Los Angeles

    Los Angeles authorities are grappling with the alarming proliferation of the flesh-eating drug called xylazine, commonly referred to as the “zombie drug,” in the city.

    Although originally a veterinary tranquilizer for cows and horses, it has made its way into the illicit drug market in the US.

    Dealers often mix it with cocaine, heroin, or particularly dangerous, the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl, which is responsible for thousands of American deaths annually.

    Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officials are facing a challenge as xylazine is technically a legal substance.

    The county is now making urgent efforts to monitor and track the presence of xylazine across the city in collaboration with local authorities.

    Disturbing footage captured by news crews shows individuals in a hunched and incapacitated state after consuming the drug.

    Los Angeles officials are trying to stop the spread of the flesh-eating drug xylazine - also known as 'the zombie drug' - that has taken over the city, with the sick truth that the drug is technically legal there

    The DEA and the county’s health department have both issued urgent warnings against the use of the drug. 

    ‘When combined with opioids like fentanyl, as is frequently the case, xylazine enhances the life-threatening effect of respiratory depression (slowing or stopping breathing) caused by opioids, increasing the risk of overdose and death,’ county officials said.

    Tracking the drug, officials say, will allow them to get a sense of just how bad the problem is and the best practices to cut it out.

    Nurses have described the wounds caused by xylazine as appearing as though something is ‘eating away your flesh from the inside out’. 

    Various liberal politicians and city leaders have attempted to implement numerous policies to curb the many issues that have arisen due to the swelling homeless and drug-addicted population. 

    One specific harm reduction policy that failed was the opening of the Tenderloin Center in San Francisco last year – a facility that was meant to help alleviate the city’s drug and homelessness crisis.

    It cost taxpayers a whopping $22million and was meant to be a ‘safe place’ for addicts to ‘get high without getting robbed’ and without fear of fatally overdosing.

    Users were also meant to be directed to help centers, though during its first four months of operations, it referred just 18 people of the more than 23,000 who were welcomed to the site.

  • NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat advance after Los Angeles Lakers eliminate Golden State Warriors

    NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat advance after Los Angeles Lakers eliminate Golden State Warriors

    The Golden State Warriors were defeated by an energized LeBron James, who also advanced the Los Angeles Lakers to the Western Conference finals.

    The 38-year-old scored 30 points as the Lakers won 122-101 in Los Angeles to clinch the best-of-seven series 4-2.

    The Lakers, who finished seventh in the regular season, will play top seeds the Denver Nuggets in the series to decide who plays in the NBA Finals.

    The Miami Heat beat the New York Knicks to reach the Eastern Conference finals.

    Jimmy Buttler scored 24 points and eight rebounds as the Heat won 96-92 in Florida to take the series 4-2 and become the first eighth seed in 24 years to reach the Conference finals.

    They will play the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers, who are tied at 3-3 and play their decisive seventh game on Sunday.

    Lakers extend season that started slowly

    The Lakers made their worst start to a regular season for 65 years but remain in contention for a 20th Conference title and 18th championship win after closing out a big win over a Golden State Warriors side that has won four of the past eight NBA titles.

    They were undone by James’ masterful performance in California, with the NBA’s leading all-time points scorer and four-time NBA champion making nine assists and nine rebounds to go with his 30 points.

    Anthony Davis, playing despite a head injury from game five, chalked up 17 points and 20 rebounds, as the Lakers romped to victory.

    After the game James embraced Warriors star Stephen Curry, who scored 32 points in defeat.

    “Not many of our team have been in close-out games,” James said.

    “So after game five up [a 121-106 defeat on Wednesday], I knew I had to come in with a lot of aggression but be efficient and strategic in how I played this game.”

  • US woman detained in Sydney over a gold gun

    US woman detained in Sydney over a gold gun

    An American woman was detained in Sydney after flying from Los Angeles and landing there with a firearm that was 24-carat gold-plated.

    The Australian Border Force (ABF) said in a statement that the 28-year-old lady did not have a permission to import or possess a handgun in Australia when she arrived in Sydney on Sunday.

    Australia has some of the strictest gun laws in the world, and it is against the law to “intentionally” import weapons without authorization. Australia’s maximum sentence for this crime is ten years in prison.

    The woman, who was not identified in the statement, appeared before a local court Monday and received bail. The status of her visa and continued stay in Australia is subject to the courts. Depending on the outcome, she could be removed from the country, according to the ABF.

    ABF Commander Justin Bathurst said the arrest spoke to the diligence of the force’s officers and sophistication of the country’s detection technology.

    “ABF officers are committed to protecting our community by working with law enforcement partners to prevent items like unregistered firearms getting through at the border,” Bathurst added in the statement.

    Australia is often held up as an example of how decisive action gun control can succeed in reducing deaths from firearms.

    The country implemented sweeping gun-control measures after a lone shooter murdered 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, in April 1996.

    Rapid-fire rifles and shotguns were banned, gun owner licensing was tightened and remaining firearms were registered to uniform national standards alongside a hugely successful nationwide buy-back and amnesty scheme.

    Gun violence has reached record levels in the United States, which is the only nation in the world where civilian firearms outnumber people. In Australia, there are approximately just 14 guns for every 100 people, compared to 120 per 100 in the US, according to the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey (SAS).

    The US also has more deaths from gun violence than any other developed country per capita. The rate in the US is eight times greater than in Canada, 22 times higher than in the European Union and 23 times greater than in Australia, according to Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) data from 2019.

  • George exits Clippers loss with concerning right leg injury

    George exits Clippers loss with concerning right leg injury

    The Los Angeles Clippers’ hopes of a deep playoffs run may have suffered a major blow after Paul George exited their 101-100 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder with a leg injury.

    George fell to the floor after his right knee collided with Luguentz Dort’s knee in the air while attempting a rebound.

    The eight-time All-Star got up with help and exited the game with 4:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.

    Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said during his post-game press conference that George was still being evaluated and that he had not spoken to him.

    ESPN reported George was spotted exiting the arena in the back of a cart with his right leg extended.

    George scored 18 points with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals before exiting, with the loss seeing the Clippers fall to a 38-35 record in fifth in the West.

    The 32-year-old is averaging 23.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season.

    Team-mate Kawhi Leonard said the Clippers would take on a “next man up” mentality if George was unavailable for a significant period.

    “Next man up, but we’ll see,” Leonard told reporters. “We’ve got a group of guys that still want to win and like to play basketball. We’ll see happens.”

  • Oscars: Full list of award winners at 95th Academy Awards

    Oscars: Full list of award winners at 95th Academy Awards

    The 2023 Academy Awards unfolded at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, with Everything Everywhere winning big.

    It was a night of historic wins at the 95th annual Academy Awards, taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

    On Sunday, two films quickly emerged as dominant forces in the race to pick up the most Oscar trophies: the German-language war epic All Quiet on the Western Front and the topsy-turvy multiverse action-comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once.

    The latter ultimately pulled in the most awards, with seven wins in some of the biggest categories, including best picture, best director, best original screenplay and three of the acting categories.

    But All Quiet on the Western Front, an adaptation of the 1929 anti-war novel from Erich Maria Remarque, still notched four wins, including the best international feature film trophy.

    This year’s Oscars included a record number of Asian artists nominated for the acting categories — and Sunday’s ceremony made good on that promise, crowning 60-year-old screen icon Michelle Yeoh its first Asian best actress.

    Her Everything Everywhere All at Once co-star Ke Huy Quan — a former child star and refugee born in Vietnam — also took home the prize for best supporting actor.

    India also made history with its first nomination and win in the best song category for the suspender-snapping banger “Naatu Naatu” from the film RRR.

    Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang

    The cast of Everything Everywhere and its directors
    The cast of Everything Everywhere All at Once — from the top left, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jonathan Wang, Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu — celebrate with directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, seated below [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP]

    Actress in a Leading Role: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

    Michelle Yeoh holds her Oscar
    Michelle Yeoh accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for Everything Everywhere All at Once [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]

    Actor in a Leading Role: Brendan Fraser, The Whale

    Brendan Fraser with Oscar
    Brendan Fraser poses with the award for the best actor [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP]

    Actor in a Supporting Role: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

    Ke Huy Quan receiving his Oscar
    Ke Huy Quan accepts the award for best supporting actor for Everything Everywhere All at Once [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]

    Actress in a Supporting Role: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once

    Jamie Lee Curtis hugs her Oscar
    Jamie Lee Curtis celebrates her best supporting actress win [John Locher/AP Photo]

    Directing: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once

    The Daniels toss their Oscars in the air
    Daniel Kwan, left, and Daniel Scheinert get playful with their trophies for best director [Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP]

    Animated Feature Film: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley)

    Guillermo del Toro centerstage accepting an Oscar
    Guillermo del Toro (centre) accepts a win for his stop-motion version of Pinocchio [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]

    Cinematography: James Friend, All Quiet on the Western Front

    James Friend with Oscar
    James Friend celebrates his win for All Quiet on the Western Front [Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP]

    Costume Design: Ruth Carter, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

    Ruth Carter centerstage, speaking in microphone
    Ruth E Carter gets her second trophy in the costume category, after her win for 2019’s Black Panther [Chris Pizzello]

    Documentary Feature Film: Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris, Navalny

    A woman in a red dress speaks into a microphone, surrounded by filmmakers
    Yulia Abrosimova (second from left), the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, addresses the crowd as the film Navalny wins best documentary [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]

    Documentary Short Film: Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga, The Elephant Whisperers

    Kartiki Gonsalves, left, and Guneet Monga hold their Oscars
    Kartiki Gonsalves, left, and Guneet Monga pose with the award for the best documentary short film [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP Photo]

    Film Editing: Paul Rogers, Everything Everywhere All at Once

    A close up of a man with an Oscar
    Paul Rogers accepted his Oscar by admitting Everything Everywhere All at Once was only his second film [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP]

    International Feature Film: All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)

    Christian M. Goldbeck, from left, winner of the award for best production design for "All Quiet on the Western Front," Edward Berger, winner of the award for best international film for "All Quiet on the Western Front," and James Friend, winner of the award for best cinematography for "All Quiet on the Western Front"
    Three Oscar winners from All Quiet on the Western Front — (from left) Christian Goldbeck, Edward Berger and James Friend — attend the Governors Ball on March 12 in Los Angeles [John Locher/AP Photo]

    Makeup and Hairstyling: Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley, The Whale

    Three Oscar winners in a press room
    Judy Chin (from left), Adrien Morot and Annemarie Bradley pose with their awards for best makeup and hairstyling for The Whale [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP]

    Music (Original Score): Volker Bertelmann, All Quiet on the Western Front

    Composer Volker Bertelmann accepts Oscar
    Volker Bertelmann accepts the award for best original score for All Quiet on the Western Front [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]

    Music (Original Song): “Naatu Naatu” from RRR, with music by MM Keeravaani and lyrics by Chandrabose

    Naatu Naatu dance scene
    The stars of RRR perform ‘Naatu Naatu’ on stage at the Oscars [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]

    Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Sarah Polley, Women Talking

    Sarah Polley holds up her Oscar for Women Talking
    Sarah Polley brought home the only win for Women Talking, with her adapted screenplay [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP]

    Writing (Original Screenplay): Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once

    Two men gesture excitedly on stage at the Oscars
    Daniel Scheinert (left) and Daniel Kwan scored big wins for best screenplay, director and picture [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]

    Production Design: All Quiet on the Western Front, with production design from Christian M Goldbeck and set decoration from Ernestine Hipper

    A woman waves her hand high, while a man leans over to pose
    Ernestine Hipper, left, and Christian Goldbeck celebrate a production design win for All Quiet on the Western Front [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP Photo]

    Short Film (Animated): Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse

    Two men hold their Oscars perpendicular to one another
    Charlie Mackesy, left, and Matthew Freud pose with the award for best animated short [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP]

    Short Film (Live Action): Tom Berkeley and Ross White, An Irish Goodbye

    Two men pose for a selfie
    Tom Berkeley, left, and Ross White attend the Governors Ball after their win for live action short [John Locher/AP Photo]

    Sound: Mark Weingarten, James H Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor, Top Gun: Maverick

    Five men hold out their Oscars
    Mark Weingarten (from left), James H Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor celebrate a win for Top Gun: Maverick [Jordan Strauss/Invision and AP]

    Visual Effects: Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett, Avatar: The Way of Water

    Eric Saindon, from left, Richard Baneham, Daniel Barrett and Joe Letteri accept the award for best visual effects
    Eric Saindon (from left), Richard Baneham, Daniel Barrett and Joe Letteri accept the only Oscar for Avatar: The Way of Water [Chris Pizzello/AP Photo]
  • Anthony Davis takes blame for his “terrible” performance in Lakers’ loss to the Knicks

    Anthony Davis takes blame for his “terrible” performance in Lakers’ loss to the Knicks

    Anthony Davis referred to his own performance as “terrible” and took full responsibility for the Los Angeles Lakers’ Sunday loss to the New York Knicks.

    Due to the narrow loss, the Lakers are now 33-35 in the race for a playoff spot in the West, missing the opportunity to get back to.500.

    Davis struggled to lead the team without LeBron James, managing just 17 points and 16 rebounds while making just one of five free throw attempts.

    In addition to his eight-of-18 field goal shooting, Davis had four assists, two steals, a block, and four rebounds. The power forward claimed that “my play” was to blame for the team’s defeat.

    “I played terrible,” Davis told reporters. “Couldn’t find my shot: free throws, layups, everything. The guys did their job. I didn’t do my job.”

    Davis had little impact down the stretch with the game up for grabs, shooting one-of-four from the field.

    “I just missed a lot of shots,” he said. “I don’t think they did anything special. A lot of times one-on-one, they doubled a couple of times.”

    The Lakers’ three-game winning streak may have been halted, but there was some good news with James, who was out of a walking boot and rejoined the team.

    The four-time MVP has not played since February 26 and will be re-evaluated next week, potentially offering the Lakers a major boost in their push for the playoffs if they can stay in contention in the meantime.

    “It’s also good for him to unplug a little bit,” Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said about James’ break. “Not be detached necessarily, but just mentally get a little bit of a calming to everything that’s transpired over the year.

    “It’s not just about him getting healthy, it’s about him being in a good place mentally and spiritually, so we get the best version of him when he returns.”

    The Lakers (33-35) are 11th in the Western Conference, which is tightly contested from the fourth-placed Phoenix Suns (37-30) down to the 12th-placed New Orleans Pelicans (33-35)

  • Rape case: Harvey Weinstein slapped with 16 more years in prison

    Rape case: Harvey Weinstein slapped with 16 more years in prison

    In his Los Angeles case, Harvey Weinstein received a sentence of 16 years in prison.

    Two months after he was found guilty in Los Angeles of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault, the sentence was revealed during a hearing on Thursday, February 23.

    The motion for a new trial made by Weinstein’s defence team was denied by Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench, who then moved to sentence the former movie producer.

    He could have spent up to 18 years behind bars.

    In the months leading up to the 2013 Academy Awards, Weinstein was found guilty in Los Angeles in December of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault against an Italian model and actor. The incidents occurred during a film festival.

    The jury acquitted him of the sexual battery of a massage therapist and failed to reach verdicts on counts involving two other women.

    The Los Angeles trial was the second time Weinstein faced criminal charges for alleged sex crimes. His first criminal trial took place in New York City in early 2020.

    Weinstein’s New York trial ended with his conviction on charges of third-degree rape and a criminal sex act. He was sentenced to 23 years in that case, and was serving that sentence when he was extradited to California to face more charges.

    During Thursday’s hearing, Weinstein told Judge Lench: “I maintain that I’m innocent. I never raped or sexually assaulted Jane Doe 1,” in reference to the woman whose testimony led to his conviction, according to The Associated Press.

    The woman sobbed as he spoke.

    Before Weinstein addressed the judge, the woman made a statement to the court, describing the toll Weinstein’s actions took on her.

    “Before that night I was a very happy and confident woman. I valued myself and the relationship I had with God,” she saud. “I was excited about my future. Everything changed after the defendant brutally assaulted me. There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage.”

    Legal uncertainties will remain on both coasts for Weinstein.

    New York’s highest court has agreed to hear his appeal in his rape and sexual assault convictions there. And prosecutors in Los Angeles have yet to say whether they will retry Weinstein on counts they were unable to reach a verdict on.

    It is not yet clear where he will serve his time while these issues are decided.His New York sentence would be served before a California prison term, though a retrial or other issues could keep him from being sent back there soon.

    Weinstein will become eligible for parole in New York in 2039.

  • Several people shot near Los Angeles – Reports

    Several people shot near Los Angeles – Reports

    Police in California are responding to a shooting that has left several people injured, according to US media reports.

    The incident happened in Monterey Park, located about eight miles (13km) east of Los Angeles, after 22:00 local time on Saturday (06:00 GMT on Sunday).

    Thousands of people had earlier gathered in the city for the Monterey Park Lunar New Year festival.

    It is not clear yet how many people were shot or whether anyone has died.

    Videos on social media showed a large police presence in the area.

    The annual Lunar New Year festival is a weekend-long event that has previously drawn crowds of more than 100,000 visitors.

    Saturday night’s festivities were scheduled to end at 21:00 local time.

    This is a breaking story and will be updated soon

    Source: BBC

  • California battles deadly storms with millions under flood alert

    California battles deadly storms with millions under flood alert

    This weekend, a flood watch is in effect for about 25 million people in California as the latest in a string of deadly storms drenches the state.

    At least 19 people have died as a result of flooding in several waterways, and thousands of people have been ordered to leave their homes.

    Locals in the town of Montecito, which is 135 miles (84 km) northwest of Los Angeles, claim that the rain makes their trauma worse.

    Many are concerned that a mudslide that killed 23 people here in 2018 could happen again.

    Rita Bourbon credits Italian stone masons with saving her life. The craftsmen built her home more than a century ago and she says it’s like a fortress.

    She survived the storm five years ago, crying inside with her daughter and some friends as they listened to the sound of boulders and other houses ripped from their foundations crashing into her home.

    The next day, the neighbourhood up the coast from Los Angeles was wrecked and almost two dozen were dead, including her neighbour whom she found in her garden in the mud.

    People trying to clear a road damaged by storms in California
    Image caption,Landslides triggered by the storms have damaged roads

    “It’s a sound I used to love,” she says of the creek burbling in her garden, which is now bursting with ripe citrus and persimmon trees, as a blue heron drinks from her muddy pool.

    “Now I know what it can do. We all have a bit of PTSD.”

    Montecito creek became a violent, raging flow again this past week, prompting fire officials to issue a “Leave Now!” warning to the entire community, which includes some of California’s most famous residents such as Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

    The evacuation order in Montecito has been lifted, but residents remain on edge. And with so much of the land already saturated, the risk of flooding and landslides is very real.

    Abe Powell is the co-founder of the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade, formed in 2018 to mobilise volunteers to clean up after the deadly mudslide.

    This week, Powell led volunteers around the community, filling sandbags and digging trenches. He took us on a perilous drive up a narrow mountain road where giant boulders and mud blocked access to some homes.

    “We don’t want to hang around here,” he said, looking at the fresh boulders.

    Plastic sheets cover a hillside in California which slid away for the first time this week
    Image caption,Plastic sheets were placed on a hillside which slid away for the first time this week

    Film producer Steve McGlothen is one of the volunteers. He has lived in the area for half a century and in his cliff top home for 27 years.

    Helping others, he said, takes his mind off the problems at his own property and the despair he feels as the rain keeps falling. Plastic sheets cover the hillside, which slid away for the first time this week – an attempt to stop this latest deluge from making the slide worse.

    “We’re looking at earth that has never moved,” he said. “Close to 50 years – this has never moved. It’s never been a problem before.”

    The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, joined the volunteers filling sandbags in Santa Barbara. He says the area is a “hot spot” he’s concerned about in the coming days.

    “We’ve experienced some 24 trillion gallons of water falling on this state in the last 16 days in the middle of a mega drought,” Governor Newsom told the BBC. He says California needs to reimagine the way it manages water, because the infrastructure here was built for a time which no longer exists.

    https://emp.bbc.com/emp/SMPj/2.47.2/iframe.htmlMedia caption,

    Watch: From droughts and wildfires to flooded streets – is California’s extreme weather the new norm?

    Californians are used to extreme weather – wildfires, drought and the threat of earthquakes, with many awaiting the “Big One” that so many experts predict. But the “storm parade” pummelling California is new.

    At least 19 people have died in these storms, which began in late December. A five-year-old boy is still missing after he was ripped from his mother’s arms in fast-moving flood water in central California, when they got trapped while driving to school.

    In Northern California, vineyards are under water. In Capitola, the historic wharf has been destroyed and the beach town battered. In the storied Salinas Valley, the river is rising and threatening California’s famed agricultural heartland.

    US President Joe Biden has now ordered federal aid for Sacramento, Merced and Santa Cruz counties.

    Nasa climate scientist Kimberley Rain Miner says the challenge with having this many huge storms, back to back, is that the ground is already saturated and can’t absorb the amount of water falling quickly.

    Rita Bourbon's 'fortress' home in Montecito
    Image caption,Italian stone masons built Rita Bourbon’s home more than a century ago and she describes it as a fortress

    “If we are unable to slow the warming of the atmosphere, we can expect to see more and more extreme events happening more and more frequently,” Miner told the BBC, while surveying storm damage on a beach in Ventura. “And that’s global. That’s not just in California.”

    In California everyone is watching their phones, waiting to hear if they should evacuate and wondering where it might be safe to go if they do need to leave town.

    For Rita Bourbon, she decided not to wait. Even though she’s confident her house will survive, she doesn’t want to relive the trauma of another landslide. She opted to visit friends in Los Angeles this weekend.

    “I just don’t want to go through another mudslide,” she said, adding that she would be a “nervous wreck” if she stayed. “Just hearing the creek and the cracking together of boulders. It’s better for everyone if I just go.”

    Source: BBC.com

  • Golden Globes 2023: The winners and nominees in full

    Golden Globes 2023: The winners and nominees in full

    Ke Huy Quan
    Image caption, Ke Huy Quan was named best supporting actor for his performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once

    The 80th annual Golden Globe Awards have taken place in Los Angeles, with The Banshees of Inisherin leading the winners.

    Some of the best film and TV shows of the past year were honoured at the ceremony in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

    Best motion picture – drama

    • WINNER: The Fabelmans
    • Avatar: The Way of Water
    • Elvis
    • Tár
    • Top Gun: Maverick

    Best motion picture – musical or comedy

    • WINNER: The Banshees of Inisherin
    • Babylon
    • Everything Everywhere All at Once
    • Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
    • Triangle of Sadness

    Best actress in a motion picture – drama

    • WINNER: Cate Blanchett – Tár
    • Olivia Colman – Empire of Light
    • Viola Davis – The Woman King
    • Ana de Armas – Blonde
    • Michelle Williams – The Fabelmans

    Best actor in a motion picture – drama

    • WINNER: Austin Butler – Elvis
    • Brendan Fraser – The Whale
    • Hugh Jackman – The Son
    • Bill Nighy – Living
    • Jeremy Pope – The Inspection

    Best actress in a motion picture – musical or comedy

    • WINNER: Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once
    • Lesley Manville – Mrs Harris Goes to Paris
    • Margot Robbie – Babylon
    • Anya Taylor-Joy – The Menu
    • Emma Thompson – Good Luck To You, Leo Grande
    Angela Bassett
    Image caption, Angela Bassett won best supporting actress for her performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

    Best actor in a motion picture – musical or comedy

    • WINNER: Colin Farrell – The Banshees of Inisherin
    • Diego Calva – Babylon
    • Daniel Craig – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
    • Adam Driver – White Noise
    • Ralph Fiennes – The Menu

    Best supporting actress in any motion picture

    • WINNER: Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
    • Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin
    • Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All At Once
    • Dolly de Leon – Triangle of Sadness
    • Carey Mulligan – She Said

    Best supporting actor in any motion picture

    • WINNER: Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once
    • Brendan Gleeson – The Banshees of Inisherin
    • Barry Keoghan – The Banshees of Inisherin
    • Brad Pitt – Babylon
    • Eddie Redmayne – The Good Nurse

    Media caption,

    Watch: A night at the Golden Globes

    Best director – motion picture

    • WINNER: Steven Spielberg – The Fabelmans
    • James Cameron – Avatar: The Way of Water
    • Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
    • Baz Luhrmann – Elvis
    • Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin

    Best screenplay – motion picture

    • WINNER: Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin
    • Todd Field – Tár
    • Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
    • Sarah Polley – Women Talking
    • Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner – The Fabelmans
    Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson with the award for best animated picture for Pinocchio
    Image caption, Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson with the award for best animated picture for Pinocchio

    Best motion picture – animated

    • WINNER: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
    • Inu-Oh
    • Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
    • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
    • Turning Red

    Best motion picture – non-English language

    • WINNER: Argentina, 1985 – Argentina
    • All Quiet on the Western Front – Germany
    • Close – Belgium/France/Netherlands
    • Decision to Leave – South Korea
    • RRR – India
    2px presentational grey line

    See more on the Golden Globes:

    2px presentational grey line

    Best original score – motion picture

    • WINNER: Justin Hurwitz – Babylon
    • Carter Burwell – The Banshees of Inisherin
    • Alexandre Desplat – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
    • Hildur Guðnadóttir – Women Talking
    • John Williams – The Fabelmans

    Best original song – motion picture

    • WINNER: Naatu Naatu – RRR (MM Keeravani – music, Kala Bhairava, Rahul Sipligunj – lyrics)
    • Carolina – Where the Crawdads sing (Taylor Swift)
    • Ciao Papa – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Alexandre Desplat – music, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro – lyrics)
    • Hold My Hand – Top Gun: Maverick (Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice)
    • Lift Me Up – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson)
    Quinta Brunson
    Image caption, Quinta Brunson was one of several actors recognised from popular school comedy Abbott Elementary
    • WINNER: House of the Dragon
    • Better Call Saul
    • The Crown
    • Ozark
    • Severance

    Best actress in a drama series

    • WINNER: Zendaya – Euphoria
    • Emma D’Arcy – House of the Dragon
    • Laura Linney – Ozark
    • Imelda Staunton – The Crown
    • Hilary Swank – Alaska Daily

    Best actor in a drama series

    • WINNER: Kevin Costner – Yellowstone
    • Jeff Bridges – The Old Man
    • Diego Luna – Andor
    • Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul
    • Adam Scott – Severance
    US actor Tyler James Williams and US actor and comedian Eddie Murphy
    Image caption, US actor Tyler James Williams (pictured with Eddie Murphy) was recognised for his performance in Abbott Elementary

    Best TV series – musical or comedy

    • WINNER: Abbott Elementary
    • The Bear
    • Hacks
    • Only Murders in the Building
    • Wednesday

    Best actress in a TV series – musical or comedy

    • WINNER: Quinta Brunson – Abbot Elementary
    • Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant
    • Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building
    • Jenna Ortega – Wednesday
    • Jean Smart – Hacks

    Best actor in a TV series – musical or comedy

    • WINNER: Jeremy Allen White – The Bear
    • Donald Glover – Atlanta
    • Bill Hader – Barry
    • Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building
    • Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building

    Best supporting actress in a musical, comedy or drama TV series

    • WINNER: Julia Garner – Ozark
    • Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown
    • Hanna Einbinder – Hacks
    • Janelle James – Abbott Elementary
    • Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary

    Best supporting actor in a musical, comedy or drama TV series

    • WINNER: Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary
    • John Lithgow – The Old Man
    • Jonathan Pryce – The Crown
    • John Turturro – Severance
    • Henry Winkler – Barry
    Jeremy Allen White
    Image caption, Jeremy Allen White was named best actor in a TV series (musical or comedy) for his performance in The Bear

    Best limited series or TV movie

    • WINNER: The White Lotus
    • Black Bird
    • Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
    • The Dropout
    • Pam & Tommy

    Best actress in a limited series or TV movie

    • WINNER: Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout
    • Jessica Chastain – George & Tammy
    • Julia Garner – Inventing Anna
    • Lily James – Pam & Tommy
    • Julia Roberts – Gaslit

    Best actor in a limited series or TV movie

    • WINNER: Evan Peters – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
    • Taron Egerton – Black Bird
    • Colin Firth – The Staircase
    • Andrew Garfield – Under the Banner of Heaven
    • Sebastian Stan – Pam & Tommy
    Indian film composer MM Keeravani accepting the best original song award for Naatu Naatu, from the film RRR
    Image caption, Indian film composer MM Keeravani accepted the best original song award for Naatu Naatu, from the film RRR

    Best supporting actress in a series, limited series or TV movie

    • WINNER: Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus
    • Claire Danes – Fleishman is in Trouble
    • Daisy Edgar- Jones – Under the Banner of Heaven
    • Niecy Nash – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
    • Aubrey Plaza – The White Lotus

    Best supporting actor in a series, limited series or TV movie

    • WINNER: Paul Walter Hauser – Black Bird
    • F Murray Abraham – The White Lotus
    • Domhnall Gleeson – The Patient
    • Richard Jenkins – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
    • Seth Rogen – Pam & Tommy

  • Danny Masterson rape trial declared mistrial amid ‘hopelessly deadlocked’ jury

    American actor, Danny Masterson’s rape trial mistrial.

    This happened on Wednesday when a judge declared a mistrial in his case after the jury could not reach a verdict following nearly a week of deliberations, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

    “I find the jury is hopelessly deadlocked,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said. “Therefore, I do declare a mistrial.”

    Olmedo also read a letter from the jury, which stated, “After thorough and considerable discussion, it is clear that we as jurors are adamant about maintaining our individual positions on each of the three counts.”

    The jury voted three times on Tuesday, and another four times the next day.

    TMZ reports the jury started deliberating two weeks ago prior to the Thanksgiving break. When they resumed, two jurors needed to be replaced after testing positive for COVID.

    “This was a jury that went through each bit of testimony and had some heartfelt and significant discussions about credibility,” Masterson’s attorney Philip K. Cohen said in response to the mistrial. “It speaks volumes.”

    Cohen added, “Given the facts in this case, the testimony in this case and the evolution of the statements in this case, it’d be very difficult to find 12 people who truly considered this case to convict.” A status conference has been scheduled for Jan. 12 to determine what will happen next. A tentative new trial date has been set for March 27.

    In 2020, Masterson was accused of forcibly raping three different women between 2001 and 2003 in his Hollywood Hills home. He was charged with three counts of sexual assault.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Odell Beckham Jr. escorted off flight after drifting in and out of consciousness

    Odell Beckham Jr. was escorted off a flight from Miami to Los Angeles on Sunday morning.

    According to FOX Sports Radio’s Andy Slater, the free agent wide receiver was escorted the plane because he was in and out of consciousness.

    Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network obtained a police report stating that the “flight crew was concerned for (Beckham)” while “fearing that (he) was seriously ill” after “they tried to wake him to fasten his seat belt (and) he appeared to be coming in and out of consciousness.”

    Beckham allegedly refused to leave the plane. His refusal forced the plane to be emptied and the flight to be delayed.

    Shortly after the news broke, Beckham appeared to address the situation in a tweet that read, “Never in my life have I experienced what just happened to me. I’ve seen it all.”

    “I could never make this up,” OBJ added in another tweet, before referring to the incident as “comedy hour.”

    The news arrives just two weeks after OBJ filed a lawsuit against Nike, saying the Oregon-based conglomerate “screwed him out of millions.”

    Source: Complex.com

     

  • Larsa Pippen addresses alleged Marcus Jordan romance after getting heckled at chargers game

    After getting heckled at a recent Los Angeles Chargers game, Larsa Pippen has responded to critics of her alleged relationship with Michael Jordan’s son.

    Pippen and Marcus Jordan were spotted in the stands of the game by a fellow spectator who questioned their romance. “Hey Larsa, that’s what you’re doing? You’re with the boy, Mike’s son?” said the individual in the clip below. “You a cold motherfucker, ain’t you! You’re cold as a motherfucker, homie.” While the pair appeared to laugh off the incident, Pippen has since offered a response of sorts.

    “I just met him 3 years ago I never knew him or his family,” she wrote in the comments section of The Shade Room post. “I was 21 yrs old and in college when Scottie played that one year w MJ and we weren’t friends with them like everyone thinks.”

    The heckler appeared to be calling them out because Marcus’ father played with Scottie Pippen—who Larsa finalized her divorce from in 2021—for years at the Chicago Bulls. While the two were responsible for helping the Bulls win multiple NBA titles, their relationship has soured over the years. As recently as earlier this year, Scottie trash talked his former teammate and suggested he should’ve been named Defensive Player of the Year at one point but everyone was “too busy watching Michael.”

    Larsa has made it clear that she wasn’t friendly with Michael Jordan or his family during her marriage with Scottie, shutting down accusations that she knew Marcus since he was a child.

    Marcus, 31, and Larsa, 48, have come under fire for the age gap between them. The recent comment is the first time either of them have publicly spoken about their relationship.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Pilot hangs out of cockpit window to retrieve passenger’s phone

    Accidentally leaving your smartphone behind at home is one thing, but leaving it at an airport shortly before you’re about to board a flight is quite another.

    A Southwest Airlines passenger found themselves in this unfortunate predicament after forgetting their phone in a gate area at Long Beach Airport in Los Angeles.

    By the time a customer taking a separate flight spotted it and notified the crew, boarding had already finished and the aircraft had been pushed back.

    However, staff on the ground quickly worked together to ensure the phone was safely returned to its owner.

    In a video shared by the Dallas-based airline on November 13, a pilot is seen leaning out of the cockpit window in a bid to retrieve it from ramp workers on the ground.

    While one staff member makes an unsuccessful attempt to jump up and hand it to the pilot, a second ramp worker steps in and manages to get it to him.

    According to Chris Perry, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, the passenger who discovered the phone had been chatting to its owner shortly beforehand, so was able to let the crew know the flight they were traveling on.

    When the operations agents realized the flight in question was already fully boarded, they got in touch with the captain.

    “The captain immediately suggested that the ramp agents on the ground try to jump the phone up to him so he could return it to the customer,” Perry, told CNN via email. “The rest was captured on video!”

    Although the owner of the phone has not been unidentified, we think it’s safe to assume that they were hugely grateful for the gesture.

    The video was posted on World Kindness Day, an international holiday formed to promote kindness throughout the world, alongside a message using the hashtag #WorldKindnessDay. It’s unclear when the footage was taken.

    It comes after Turkish traveler Rumeysa Gelgi, the world’s tallest living woman, shared a heartwarming post from her plane journey from Turkey to San Francisco, which was made possible when Turkish Airlines removed several seats so that she could rest comfortably on a stretcher during the 13-hour trip in September.

    Source: CNN

  • Hushpuppi: Instagram influencer who tried to steal £100m from Premier League club, jailed in US

    Ramon Abbas flaunted a luxurious lifestyle on Instagram, but it was paid for by crime. According to prosecutors, the social media star is a prolific international fraudster who conspired to launder tens of millions of dollars stolen in various online scams.

    An Instagram influencer was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for his role in a multi-million dollar global scam that targeted a Premier League club.

    Ramon Abbas, also known as Ray Hushpuppi among his followers, was sentenced to 135 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $1.7 million (£1.5 million) to two fraud victims by a California judge.

    Abbas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering in April 2021, having targeted American and international victims with online scams.

    Don Alway, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, described the 40-year-old online celebrity as “one of the most prolific money launderers in the world”.

    He used his “considerable following” of around 2.8 million on Instagram to “brag about the immense wealth he acquired by conducting business email compromise scams, online bank heists, and other cyber-enabled fraud”.

    Some victims were left “financially ruined” and his operation even provided assistance to the North Korean regime, according to Mr Alway.

    The Premier League club

    Abbas tried to steal £100m from an unidentified Premier League club in May 2019, prosecutors say.

    He conspired with convicted Canadian money launderer, Ghaleb Alaumary, 37, during the operation, which also targeted another British company.

    In connection with the scheme, Abbas provided his co-conspirator with details for a bank account in Mexico that “could handle millions and not block”.

    Dubai Police released footage of the arrests
    Image:Dubai Police released footage of the arrests

    The North Korean regime

    In January 2019, Abbas and Alaumary conspired to launder funds stolen from a bank in Malta by providing account information for other banks in Romania and Bulgaria.

    The Malta cyber-heist would allegedly have seen the funds head for Pyongyang, and the US has also charged three North Korean hackers in connection with the crime.

    Abbas admitted the intended loss was $14.7m (£12.8m), which would have been part of the total £1.2bn (£1bn) the hackers are accused of trying to steal from banks in a number of countries.

    Operation Top Dog

    Other schemes included Abbas fraudulently inducing a New York law firm to transfer more than $922,000 (£804,000) to a fellow conspirator’s account under someone else’s name, and attempting to defraud an individual in Qatar who wanted a $15m loan to build a school.

    Among the luxuries Abbas spent his money on was a $230,000 (£200,000) Richard Mille RM11-03 watch, which he regularly showed off on his Instagram account.

    His demise was the result of an FBI investigation called Operation Top Dog.

    US attorney Martin Estrada said: “Abbas bragged on social media about his lavish lifestyle – a lifestyle funded by his involvement in transnational fraud and money laundering conspiracies targeting victims around the world.

    “Money laundering and business email compromise scams are a massive international crime problem, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement and international partners to identify and prosecute those involved, wherever they may be.”

    Alaumary is serving a 140-month prison sentence and has been ordered to pay more than $30m (£26.2m) after admitting conspiracy to engage in money laundering in November 2020.

     

  • FLASHBACK: D’banj’s son dies in swimming pool incident

    On June 15, 2018, Nigerian singer Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo, popularly known as’ D’banj ‘, reportedly lost his son after drowning in a swimming pool at their home in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    According to an eyewitness report, Daniel Oyebanjo jnr, who celebrated his first birthday in May of that same year, mistakenly made his way into the swimming pool.

    In confirmation to the news at that time, the “Koko master” took to social media and wrote;

    “Trying times but my God is always and forever faithful.”

    D banj was said to have been in Los Angeles, California, for the BET Awards when the incident occurred.

    Per reports at that time, he traveled with his wife, Lineo Kilgrow, leaving the child in the company of caretakers.

    The post was greeted with a flood of condolences from celebrities and followers of the ‘Oliver Twist’ crooner.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • ‘Uninvited’ Kanye West escorted out of Skechers

    Shoe brand Skechers claims it had to escort Kanye West from its corporate offices in Los Angeles after he showed up “unannounced and uninvited”.

    The company added it had “no intention” of working with the rapper and designer who goes by the name of Ye.

    It comes after Adidas, the German sportswear giant, cut ties with Mr West over anti-Semitic remarks he made on social media.

    The BBC has contacted Mr West’s representatives for comment.

    In a statement Skechers said Mr West had arrived at its offices with a party and was “engaged in unauthorised filming”.

    The party were escorted from the building after a brief conversation, it said.

    The brand said: “We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech.”

    It added: “We again stress that West showed up unannounced and uninvited.”

    Mr West, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has been involved in a string of high profile spats with big brands in recent months and many have cut ties.

    On Tuesday, Adidas ended its Yeezy brand collaboration with Mr West saying it does “not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech”.

    His products will be pulled from sale with immediate effect, said Adidas. The collaboration was put under review last month after the rapper showed a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt design at Paris Fashion Week.

    Days later, the rapper posted anti-Semitic comments on his Twitter account which led to his account being blocked. Mr West responded to his suspension by rejoining Twitter and saying he would go “death con 3 On Jewish people”, earning him a second disbarment.

    Cutting the partnership, which has been hugely successful, means Adidas will make a net loss of £217m in 2022, it said.

    Brands cut ties

    JP Morgan and fashion house Balenciaga have also parted ways with the rapper over his remarks, while he has been dropped by his talent agency. Gap, which ended its tie-up with Mr West in September, is taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap products from its shops and online store.

    Film and television production company MRC said on Monday it will not be airing its recently completed documentary on the rapper.

    Mr West has not apologised for the anti-Semitic remarks and on 15 October defended them on US podcast Drink Champs.

    The scandal has hit the rapper’s income and he has lost his position in Forbes magazine’s list of billionaires. The magazine estimates the loss of the Adidas partnership has cut Ye’s net worth from $1.5bn to $400m.

    Source: BBC

  • As Madame Tussauds removes waxwork, Skechers escorts Kanye West off its property

    Following the lead of Adidas and Gap, the two companies have distanced themselves from the Grammy-winning musician after he made anti-Semitic remarks.

    Kanye West was escorted out of Skechers in Los Angeles after he “showed up unannounced and uninvited,” and Madame Tussauds removed its waxwork of the controversial rapper from public view.

    An increasing number of companies are distancing themselves from the award-winning musician – who has legally changed his name to Ye – after he made antisemitic remarks.

    In a statement, the US footwear company said West had turned up at one of its corporate offices and then engaged in “unauthorised filming”.

    Executives ejected him from the building after a “brief conversation”, and a statement added: “Skechers is not considering and has no intention of working with West.

    “We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech.”

    It comes days after adidas ended its lucrative partnership with West – and announced that production of the popular Yeezy line would stop immediately.

    Meanwhile, a Madame Tussauds spokesperson said: “Ye’s figure has been retired from the attraction floor to our archive.

    “Each profile earns its place at Madame Tussauds London and we listen to our guests and the public on who they expect to see at the attraction.”

    The figurine was originally launched in the museum in 2015 alongside a waxwork of his then-wife Kim Kardashian.

    In the past few days, Kardashian and members of her family have called for an end to the “terrible violence and hateful rhetoric” towards the Jewish community.

    Kanye West arrives at the Givenchy show in france
    Image: Companies are distancing themselves from the West because of antisemitic remarks

    West had been ranked at 1,513 on the Forbes rich list earlier this year and was valued at £1.7bn because of his fashion brands and deal with Adidas.

    But the sportswear brand’s decision to terminate the partnership means West is no longer a billionaire, with his net worth dwindling to £344m.

    Clothing company Gap Inc, which terminated its tie-up with West in September, is also taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap products from its stores.

    Talent agency CAA and the Balenciaga fashion house have also cut ties with the 45-year-old – and a completed documentary about West has been shelved.

    Spotify chief executive Daniel Ek has said West’s comments were “awful” but that his music would stay on the platform.

     

  • Eric Weinberg: Scrubs producer and writer pleads not guilty to 18 counts of sexual assault

    Eric Weinberg, who was an executive producer and writer on hit US comedy series Scrubs, has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault.

    The 62-year-old was denied bail by a judge after appearing in court in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

    He has been charged with 18 counts of sexual assault, all of which he denies.

    Mr Weinberg is said to have “relied on his Hollywood credentials” to lure young women to photo shoots where he allegedly assaulted them.

    The charges against him include six counts of sexual penetration by use of force and three counts of forcible rape.

    They stem from alleged incidents involving five women between 2014 and 2019.

    Getty Images
    Scrubs was a popular US hospital-based sitcom

    Set in a US hospital and starring Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke, Scrubs ran from 2001 to 2010, winning two primetime Emmy Awards.

    Mr Weinberg’s other TV work includes the US series Californication and Anger Management.

    According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, he approached two separate women at public locations in 2014 and told them he was a photographer. He is accused of sexually assaulting them back at his house later.

    The defendant is alleged to have brought another woman back to his home in 2017 where he is accused of sexually assaulting her.

    Mr Weinberg is also accused of sexually assaulting two women in separate incidents in 2018 and 2019.

    He is due to appear in court again on 15 November.

    Source:bbc.com

  • 6 teams that could sign Odell Beckham Jr.

    Unlike the NBA, the NFL is not a league where midseason acquisitions have typically swung the title picture drastically. Very rarely have teams won the Super Bowl due to a blockbuster trade or midseason signing that pushed them over the top, though there have been exceptions.

    In 2021, the Los Angeles Rams were that exception, trading for Von Miller and signing Odell Beckham Jr. in November to give them two All-Pro talents that paid dividends in the postseason to deliver them a championship.

    Now, in the middle of the 2022 season, it appears Beckham could once again be the piece that tilts the Super Bowl odds in favor of one team, with the veteran wide receiver gearing up to sign with a team in the next couple of weeks, presumably one that is in contention.

    If Beckham is healthy and still has juice in the tank, he is still one of the hardest receivers to cover in the NFL, which he proved once joining the Rams after his disastrous stint with the Cleveland Browns.


    There will be no shortage of suitors for OBJ’s services, with a handful of contenders lurking as ideal landing spots for his services. Here are six teams that would make sense for the eccentric wide receiver to consider signing with for the home stretch of the season.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Kim Kardashian’s Las Vegas birthday trip canceled after private jet can’t jand, goes to In-N-Out instead

    Kim Kardashian had everything planned out for her birthday celebration on Saturday night, but things didn’t go as planned.

    According to TMZ, Kim was going to take Kylie Jenner’s private plane from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with her sister Khloé Kardashian, mother Kris Jenner, and a few friends to attend a show from Usher’s My Way residency. However, Mother Nature had other plans. Air traffic control deemed it unsafe to land due to wind gusts reaching up to 60 MPH, leaving the pilot with no choice but to return to L.A.

    Kim & Co. tried to make the most of the unexpected circumstances by hopping on a party bus and heading over to In-N-Out with the entire crew in full glam. “We stopped at In-N-Out because we couldn’t make it to Carbone in Vegas,” she said in another video on her Instagram Stories, per Page Six.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian)

    Kardashian also shared a message on Instagram earlier tonight, reflecting on the turn of events, writing that her “almost Vegas trip” made her feel like she “will remember this birthday forever.”

    TMZ also reports Kim held a “low-key party” at her office space in Calabasas in which Kris, her sisters Kourtney and Kendall, among others attended. The celebration was primarily focused on family, and unlike her Vegas plans, it lived up to its billing.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Megan Thee Stallion’s home reportedly burglarized of more than $300K in goods

    Authorities are searching for two suspects who allegedly ransacked Megan Thee Stallion’s home.

    According TMZ, the burglary took place in Los Angeles on Thursday night, while Megan was in NYC preparing for her Saturday Night Live hosting debut. Law enforcement sources tell the outlet the thieves were seen donning hoodies and gloves as they smashed a glass window in the back of the home. They then allegedly made their way into the Houston rapper’s bedroom, where the swiped between $300,000 to $400,000 in cash, jewelry, and electronics. It’s unclear if anyone was at the home during the break-in.

    The Traumazine rapper responded to the incident via Twitter on Friday, writing: “Material things can be replaced but I’m glad everyone is safe 💙🙏🏾.”

    She went on to tell fans she would take a hiatus following her SNL gig, as she needed to time for physical and emotional rest.


    Sources say police have yet to make any arrests in connection to the burglary, but they’re reviewing surveillance footage in the hopes of identifying the suspects.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Westbrook rubbishes claims of Lakers discord after preseason clip goes viral

    Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook has rubbished suggestions he is in dispute with his team-mates following viral footage that appeared to show him intentionally distancing himself from them.

    Video captured in a preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves showed the 33-year-old splitting from the rest of his team during a huddle, while he eschewed a later one.

    After a difficult first season in LA as the Lakers missed the playoffs and Westbrook’s performances were the subject of scrutiny, questions were raised as to whether there was discord in the ranks even before the start of the new campaign.

    But Westbrook responded: “Pre-game, I’ve been doing that since I’ve been in the league for years, man.

    “I think they just cut the video, and obviously the internet is going to take it and run with whatever they need to run with.

    “But I’ve been doing the same ritual since I’ve been in the league. As far as the other video, I was actually talking to the coaches and they cut that video in half as well.

    “Honestly I’m just trying to compete and do my job. Everything, videos get nitpicked. You can cut any video and make anything you want out of it. It’s not up to me to be able to judge that.

    “I know I’m a genuine team player. I’ve never had a problem being with my team-mates, so I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing.”

    Source: Livescore

     

  • PnB Rock’s girlfriend pens heartbreaking post about rapper’s death: ‘My man saved my life’

    PnB Rock’s girlfriend has shared heartbreaking details on the rapper’s final moments.

    Stephanie Sibounheuang took to Instagram on Thursday to post a lengthy message about the loss she and her family endured. The post came about a month after PnB Rock was fatally shot during a robbery at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles in Los Angeles, where he and Sibounheuang had gone for lunch.

    “I am 100% not ok. If I wasn’t spiritual, I could kill my self (but then I’ll go to hell and my man not there),” she wrote.

    “My man saved my life, throwing me under that table. I’m not supposed to be here, but bc of him, I am. No one would be able to handle this. TBH, I can’t even handle this.”

    Sibounheuang, who shared a two-year-old daughter with the late rapper, recalled the moments that unfolded after the shooting, like being escorted out of the restaurant, forced into a police car, and placed in an interrogation room, completely unaware that her boyfriend had been pronounced dead.

    “I felt this time in my relationship everything was finally perfect for our family,” she continued.

    “My man had gave himself to GOD. Did a complete 360. He was loyal. He was patient. He was teachable and a teacher. I was finally letting the past go, and letting him show up as his changed self. My last day with u. I told you ‘I know you my husband. I know you my soulmate.’

    Source: Complex.com

  • Tributes pour in for Dame Angela Lansbury after her death aged 96

    Tributes have been pouring in for Dame Angela Lansbury after her death at the age of 96.

    The actress, who starred in TV drama Murder, She Wrote, died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles early on Tuesday, her family said.

    Born in London, she won five Tony Awards for her Broadway performances, was nominated for three Oscars, and in 2013 she received an honorary Academy Award for her lifetime achievement in film.

    Her death has been met by an outpouring of tributes and praise for her acting talent by stars from across the industry.

    American actress and Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba called her “an icon of the stage”.

    She tweeted: “She poured so much love into each of us.

    “An icon of the stage, and legend across so many mediums but, we all knew…she was always one of us.”

    Frozen actor Josh Gad said that Dame Angela had “touched four generations” with her work.

    “It is rare that one person can touch multiple generations, creating a breadth of work that defines decade after decade. Angela Lansbury was that artist,” he wrote on Twitter.

    Jason Alexander, who appeared in Seinfeld, praised her as “one of the most versatile, talented, graceful, kind, witty, wise, classy ladies I’ve ever met”.

    He added: “Her huge contribution to the arts and the world remains always.”

    Actor Harvey Fierstein tweeted: “Angela Lansbury – She, my darlings, was EVERYTHING!”

    Catherine Zeta-Jones, who starred alongside Dame Angela in the Broadway musical A Little Night Music, said their time together will “forever be one of the joys of my life”.

    Disney Animation Studios tweeted: “We join the world in mourning Disney Legend Angela Lansbury, who brought such incredible warmth and personality to Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast. Her unforgettable performance will forever be a classic.”

    Playwright Paul Rudnick said Dame Angela “provided the most fabulous, irreplaceable joy” and was “beloved as a person and an actress, and managed to be approachable, glamorous and heartbreaking”.

    West End star Elaine Paige said Dame Angela was “one of the last Golden Age of Hollywood stars & a Broadway & West End icon”.

    Author Rebecca Makkai wrote: “A thing you should know: In September, 1987, Angela Lansbury headlined a show that packed the Chicago Theater with 2,400 people to raise money for AIDS research. It was the first major AIDS benefit in Chicago, and it raised $1 million.”

    Source: SkyNews

  • Bad Bunny honored with his own day in Los Angeles

    Los Angeles officials are giving Bad Bunny his flowers.

    Earlier this week, the L.A. City Council officially declared Oct. 1 “Bad Bunny Day,” making it the second U.S. city—following Boston—to honor the artist with his very own day. The resolution was introduced by City Councilman Kevin de León on Friday, just hours before Bad Bunny kicked off his two-night performance at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium.

    “The City of L.A.’s population is 50 percent Latino, one of the largest Latino populations in the world outside Latin American countries,” de León told the media. “Bad Bunny’s cultural impact will have a tremendous and positive influence on future generations and will redefine Latino culture in Los Angeles and beyond for years to come.”

    The councilman will present Bad Bunny with a certificate ahead of his Saturday show. The Grammy-winning artist is in the midst of his World’s Hottest Tour, which kicked off back in August. Bad Bunny will kick off the trek’s Central American leg later this month.

    The Puerto Rican-born singer released his fourth studio album, Un Verano Sin Ti (A Summer Without You), back in May. The project debuted at No. 1 and has since surpassed the Encanto soundtrack for the most weeks atop the Billboard 200 in 2022. Un Verano Sin Ti delivered 23 tracks with guest appearances by Chencho Corleone, Jhay Cortez, Tony Dize, and more.

    “Since forever I’ve made it clear to people that I’m never going to make a record that’s the same as another,” he told the New York Times about Verano Sin Ti. “… It’s a record to play in the summer, on the beach, as a playlist. The album is very Caribbean, in every sense: with its reggaeton, its mambo, with all those rhythms, and I like it that way.”

    Complex.com

  • Gangsta’s Paradise rapper, Coolio dies at 59

    US rapper Coolio, known for the iconic hit Gangsta’s Paradise, has died at the age of 59.

    His longtime manager Jarez Posey told US media the artist was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of a friend’s house in Los Angeles.

    Coolio started making music in the 1980s, but he cemented his place in hip hop history when he recorded Gangsta’s Paradise in 1995.

    The exact cause of his death on Wednesday has not yet been revealed.

    However Mr Posey told TMZ, which first reported the news, that paramedics believed he may have had a cardiac arrest.

    Coolio, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr, won a Grammy for Gangsta’s Paradise, which was part of the soundtrack for the movie Dangerous Minds starring Michelle Pfeiffer.

    The haunting track continues to be widely listened to and has just passed a billion streams on Spotify, according to his official website.

    Over a career spanning four decades he recorded eight studio albums and won an American Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards.

    His other hits included Fantastic Voyage, Rollin’ With My Homies, 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New), and Too Hot.

    He was active right up until his death – Coolio was in the middle of a tour with other 90s stars including Vanilla Ice and Young MC, and they performed in Texas just a few days ago.

    “I’m freaking out I just heard my good friend Coolio passed away,” Vanilla Ice wrote on Twitter.

    Snoop Dogg referenced Coolio’s world-famous track in his own tribute, writing: “Gangstas paradise. R I P.”

    He also shared a picture of the two posing on the set of the music video for Gangsta Walk, a track they collaborated on in 2006.

    “This is sad news. I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry,” fellow rapper and actor Ice Cube said.

    MC Hammer described Coolio as “one of the nicest dudes I’ve known”.

    “Good people. RIP Coolio,” he wrote, sharing a black and white picture of the rapper, and later posting a second picture of the pair together, along with Tupac and Snoop Dogg.

  • PnB Rock murder investigators reportedly looking into possibility of ‘Known Enemies’ being responsible

    The ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting of PnB Rock earlier this month is now moving in multiple directions at once, local police sources have claimed.

    Early Wednesday, TMZ shared a report citing LAPD sources in which it was claimed that one potential direction centers on learning more about potential “known enemies.” Specifically, investigators in the case are alleged to be looking deeply into Atlanta and Philadelphia. The latter, of course, was Rock’s hometown.

    In short, these sources are suggesting that law enforcement is exploring the possibility of Rock’s killing having been a more intentional and planned action rather than a spur-of-the-moment fatal robbery. As previously reported, the 30-year-old artist was robbed and killed at a Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles location in Los Angeles on Sept. 12.

    As investigators continue to seek information on the getaway as part of an effort to identify possible suspects in the shooting, per the new report, chatter surrounding baselessly theorized involvement from Rock’s girlfriend has been shut down by police sources. Rock’s girlfriend, Stephanie, had been reported to have tagged her and Rock’s location on the day of the shooting.

    Source: Complex.com

  • Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears’ accuser drops Lawsuit over alleged child sexual abuse

    The woman who recently accused Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears of child sex abuse in connection with a 2013 Funny or Die sketch filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

    TMZ reports the accuser, identified only as Jane Doe in her Los Angeles Superior Court suit, asked the judge to dismiss the case with prejudice. The 22-year-old’s request was granted, and the lawsuit has been formally dropped.

    “My family and I have known Tiffany Haddish for many years, and we now know that she would never harm me or my brother or help anyone else do anything that could harm us,” the woman said in a statement. “We wish Tiffany the best and are glad that we can all put this behind us.”

    Jane Doe and her 15-year-old brother, going by John Doe, sued Haddish and Spears for intentional infliction of emotional distress, gross negligence, sexual battery, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse of a minor. Jane and John alleged the comedians recruited them to take part in sexually explicit skits in separate incidents when both were minors.

    Haddish subsequently addressed the accusations in a statement on Instagram, noting the material in question was “intended to be comedic” at the time, although she now regrets having been a part of it.

    News of the lawsuit getting dropped arrives two weeks after Jane Doe called on Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón to “immediately arrest and prosecute” Haddish and Spears. According to the Daily Beast, Jane reportedly sent a letter to the D.A.’s office, which stated that she and her brother were “prepared to speak with investigators and prosecutors” about the allegations at the heart of the lawsuit.

    “This matter’s breadth and complexity require your jurisdictional powers and resources to tackle and end the stream [of] depravity committed by Haddish and Spears,” the letter said.

    Now that Jane and John Doe’s suit has been dismissed with prejudice, the complaint cannot be refiled.

    Source: Complex.com

  • The Black South is finally getting its due

    For decades, the blueprint for a Black show has hit similar notes — a stable, middle class family based in New York or Los Angeles.

    Of course, sometimes the family consisted of a group of friends, as seen on “Girlfriends.” And other times, the city was in the Midwest, as seen on “Family Matters” (Chicago) or “Martin” (Detroit).

    But rarely did a mainstream show featuring Black people take place in the South. And rarely did they portray struggles outside the middle class existence.

    A look around recent television offerings, though, points to something new. “P-Valley” on Starz, HBO Max’s “Rap Sh!t,” FX’s “Atlanta,” and OWN’s “Queen Sugar,” the latter two of which both began their final seasons this month, are some of the buzziest shows on TV.

    Their characters are not doctors or lawyers — they’re strippers, rappers, farmers, or, simply put, hustlers. And the shows all take place in the South.

    Southern stories are not new

    Telling Southern stories, though, isn’t new. In some ways, television is simply following the lead of other spaces in culture, said Aisha Durham, a professor of communication who studies Black popular culture at the University of South Florida.

    In music and film, the South has been portrayed for decades with nuance and intentionality, Durham said, referencing films like “Eve’s Bayou” and, more recently, “Moonlight” — both movies where the Southern setting, Louisiana and Miami respectively, play a crucial role.

    At the same time, new sounds and music genres have emerged from the South, she explained, like trap. And artists like Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion have incorporated Southern Black aesthetics into their fashion and music videos.

    “You have new bodies, new people, new experiences and I think it invites us to look at the South differently,” Durham said. “I would say that TV is almost, especially in terms of dramatic series, a little late.”

    Alex Hibbert and Mahershala Ali in &quot;Moonlight,&quot; a 2016 film about a Black boy coming to terms with his sexuality in Miami.

    The South has also been top of mind in other areas of our culture, often receiving national attention — as seen with this year’s runoff votes in Georgia.

    For a long time, many people thought of Southern stories only in the context of the civil rights movement and segregation, Durham said. But the South is a bedrock of every aspect of American popular culture, she said. And now, many are looking back at the region and thinking of the other stories that can still be told.

    “We’re now seeing some of the vividness and vibrancy that has always been a part of the South,” Durham said. “We have known that in the South, it’s just that everybody else is catching up.”

    Current shifts reflect the shifting entertainment industry

    If there has been a shift, it’s been a business one, argued Tracey Salisbury, professor of ethnic studies at California State University, Bakersfield.

    It’s not that perceptions of the South are changing, or have changed — but that the industry has shifted locales, Salisbury said, making Atlanta a major hub for entertainment rather than just New York or Los Angeles.

    Tyler Perry, whose work is polarizing to some, has based his production studio in Atlanta, and has long set his film and shows in the South. He also has a partnership with the Oprah Winfrey Network, which produces “Queen Sugar.”

    Nicco Annan, left, plays Uncle Clifford, the gender-nonconforming owner of the strip club, on &quot;P-Valley.&quot;

    There are also simply more Black creatives who have a voice in television, Salisbury said, which allows for the telling of new and interesting stories.

    “These stories have been present and these stories have been previously pitched, I just think now there’s a significant talent base and a significant audience … to drive Hollywood to support these stories,” she said.

    Still, Salisbury is hesitant to call the uptick a trend. She pointed to Quinta Brunson, the creator of ABC’s hit show “Abbott Elementary,” about an elementary school in Philadelphia, as an example. Before “Abbott Elementary,” Brunson created comedy sketches on Instagram, eventually moving to BuzzFeed and YouTube, until she finally got a shot at a network show. Then, she knocked it out of the park, winning an Emmy for writing earlier this week.

    Quinta Brunson created and stars in &quot;Abbott Elementary,&quot; a show about a low-income school in Philadelphia.

    “I think that’s still what Black creatives have to do,” Salisbury said. “If you don’t knock it out of the park, you have to start all over again.”

    In the past, Black shows like “The Cosby Show” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” were made for mainstream consumption, Salisbury said. Bill Cosby, at the time, was considered “America’s Dad,” not Black America’s dad.

    The difference with these new shows lies in the intent: They are made by Black people, for Black people. Uncle Clifford, the nonbinary owner of the strip club in “P-Valley,” is not America’s Uncle, Salisbury said — but his grandmother reminds her of her own.

    These series finally show the richness of the South

    If most Black shows in the past took place outside of the South, these new shows then become a type of homegoing — back to the place where everything started, Salisbury said.

    In other shows, these Southern characters may have been used as a joke. In the ’90s “Fresh Prince,” for example, Uncle Phil’s childhood on a farm in the Carolinas is viewed as almost a primitive existence compared to life in Bel-Air. But in these shows, the South and its characters refuse the bumpkin stereotypes and embrace all the aspects of the South.

    Salisbury used “P-Valley,” which takes place in the fictional town of Chucalissa, Mississippi, as an example. From the fashion aesthetics of the show and its marijuana-infused wings to the very specific MemphisSsippi accents, the show is deeply rooted in the South — and even takes some hits at Black Southern religious traditions, Salisbury said.

    But it’s done with respect, she noted. That’s why it works.

    J. Alphonse Nicholson, center, plays Lil Murda in &quot;P-Valley,&quot; which takes place in the mythical town of Chucalissa, Mississippi.

    “We’re not laughing at these people, we’re laughing with them,” she said.

    New York City and Los Angeles are often already presented as cosmopolitan, diverse spaces on television. The South, though, is often seen as stuck in the past, Durham said, an already knowable space that lacks the diversity of other regions.

    These shows reject those notions.

    Durham used “Rap Sh!t” as an example. (HBO Max, which streams the show, and CNN share parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.) The characters in the show live in and around the Little Haiti neighborhood in Miami, she said, allowing for discussions of Caribbean and Haitian culture and of African Americans as an ethnicity alongside other ethnic Black people in the South.

    “There are whole ways in which we are having to reimagine Blackness in the South,” Durham said.

    Then there’s the question of class. In earlier periods of television, the assumed class was always middle. This newer crop of shows displays something different, Durham said, highlighting more economically vulnerable people simply trying to make it in the world.

    Brian Tyree Henry stars as Paper Boi in &quot;Atlanta.&quot;

    These characters are portrayed with depth and sincerity — the strippers in “P-Valley,” for instance, are not simply aesthetic bodies in a trap music video. Paper Boi from “Atlanta” and Shawna from “Rap Sh!t” are not simply rappers soundtracking the background. Audiences are instead invited inward.

    “We’re actually invited to see what the experiences are of the people who produce the culture,” Durham said. “We love the culture but do we know these women and men? These shows give us a way to see that.”

    These shows, then, challenge existing perceptions of the South — allowing for a layered and complex narrative of the region to form, Durham said.

    As these shows point out: There are queer communities in the South. There’s sex work; there’s class struggle; there’s diversity; there’s joy. There are people, not simple caricatures, just trying to survive.

    Source:CNN

  • Debbie Allen remains a trailblazing, directing and dancing queen

    At 72, Debbie Allen has pulled off one of her biggest achievements, not for herself but for children.

    Earlier this year, she finally opened a new 24,000-square-foot performing arts center for the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA) in Los Angeles — The Rhimes Performing Arts Center. (Yes, as in Shonda Rhimes.)

    Allen founded DADA two decades ago to ensure that children of color, in particular, had a chance to take part in the performing arts. The reason that has become her passion is personal.

    “In my heart of hearts, I’m always one of those kids,” Allen told CNN in a recent interview. “I grew up in Houston, Texas where in the ’50s and ’60s, everything was segregated, and I couldn’t go to class. I wasn’t allowed to go to the best dance school.”

    She studied and struggled and fought her way to success. Her first big break: “Fame,” the 1980 movie and subsequent TV series about high school students at a performing arts school in New York. Allen played Lydia Grant, a hard-charging but loving dance instructor who did not sugarcoat what it took to be successful in the world of dance.

    Debbie Allen (front, left) and Gene Anthony Ray (front, center), in a 1982 episode of &quot;Fame.&quot;

    “The role in ‘Fame’ did so many things for me because I did so many things. I was the choreographer, I became a director on ‘Fame,’ I was their mama, I was the psychiatrist, I was their cook, I did everything,” Allen recalled of her experience. “I fell in love with those amazing young people who were actors and dancers and became writers and composers and it was a footprint that we left all over the world.”

    Her arts center was made possible with the help of some of her friends and colleagues, who stepped up when Allen wasn’t sure if her dream to expand would work out.

    It’s been a long time coming.

    In 2017, Hollywood powerhouse producer Rhimes, with whom Allen worked on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” purchased the building, a warehouse in LA’s Koreatown, and donated it to Allen’s program. The Rhimes Performing Arts Center opened this spring.

    “Just making more opportunity for young people in the arts, that’s my purpose in life. That’s greater than almost anything else that I do,” Allen said.

    Debbie Allen on set of &quot;Grey's Anatomy.&quot;

    And Allen has done a lot. From dancing, to producing, to choreography, to acting and directing, she has forcefully but gracefully pushed past boundaries the industry has laid in her path.

    Allen remains a director and executive producer on “Grey’s,” a show, she says, that tackles real-life issues like Covid and women’s reproductive rights.

    “Our show is very female-driven and the plight of women right now in this country is remarkable. What is happening, what lays ahead of us and what battles we’re gonna have to wage to not go back into some dark age, it’s frightening,” Allen said.

    With the show set to enter its record-breaking 19th season, Allen admits, “we’ve talked about it being over for the last three years,” but ending the series hasn’t felt right.

    “We can’t,” she said. “The fans — (we have) more fans now than ever.”

    Another show she was on — “A Different World,” a groundbreaking series that Allen produced and directed from 1988-1993 — ended prematurely, she says, and she doesn’t mince words when the subject comes up.

    “‘A Different World’ should never have gone off the air,” she said. “That’s my opinion about that because talk about relevance, talk about what’s really happening in our country. We addressed some things — the presidential campaign, racism, date rape, AIDS.”

    Debbie Allen at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in 2011.

    With an impressive career to look back upon, Allen still spends most of her time looking forward.

    Later this month, she’ll host a jazz festival with Grammy winner and legendary musician Arturo Sandoval to raise money for her school. She’s excited about teaching salsa, as well as the taco trucks and tequila.

    Hell-bent on having fun while doing hard work, she laughs easily and embraces the new with the old. Like twerking.

    Oh, yes, she twerks.

    “Twerking has had many names; it was the shimmy way back,” she says. “Twerking is funny. It’s a booty move is what it is, and you could totally link it directly to African dance.”

    Whether she’s raising money, being a boss on set or moving her feet, Allen keeps her mission to matter front of mind.

    “I’d like to be remembered as someone who gave her all,” Allen said. “[Someone] who gave 150% all the way, to her family, to her community, and to the young people in the world.”

    Source:CNN

  • Shohei Ohtani sets new record in Angels 3-2 win over the Yankees

    Shohei Ohtani became the first player in American League/National League history to hit 30 home runs and record 10 pitching wins in the same season in an epic showdown against the New York Yankees at the Angels stadium on Wednesday.

    The two-way superstar’s three-run blast off the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole in the sixth inning gave the Los Angeles Angels the lead, and they eventually secured a 3-2 victory over the Yankees.
    The feat also saw Ohtani become the first Japanese-born player with multiple 30-homer seasons.

    Ohtani said he was “simply honored, happy and humbled” to hear of his achievement. “But I just want to stay healthy and finish strong.”
    The reigning MVP is locked in a race for the American League Most Valuable Player award with the Yankees’ Aaron Judge — something which he admitted propelled his performance on Wednesday.
    “It definitely leads to motivation to do better and try to go for that hardware,” Ohtani said. “It’s something I think about. But for the most part, I take it game by game and at-bat by at-bat. At the end of the day, we’ll count it all up.”
    Ohtani, who delivered the winning blast for the second time in the three-game series against the Yankees, has recorded three home runs in his past four games.
    “It was going to come down to something like that with the fans and the way the stadium was,” Angels interim manager Phil Nevin said.
    “One of the stars was just rising up right here. Sho got a good one. He swung the bat well all three days. As a fan, it was an awesome day and I’m sure it was fun the last few days.”
    Source: CNN sports

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcome new member to their family

    A 7-year-old beagle named Mamma Mia has been accepted by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle into their family. Learn more about the family’s newest, lovely baby.

    Simply put, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were unable to resist seeing Mamma Mia.

    The 7-year-old beagle was recently adopted by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after being rescued from a Virginia breeding facility that was allegedly guilty of numerous safety violations.

    “The Duchess called me personally,” Shannon Keith, an animal rights attorney who runs the Beagle Freedom Project, told the Los Angeles Times on Aug. 24, revealing that the call led to the couple stopping by the non-profit organization earlier this month.

    Although Mia was rescued along with eight of her newborn puppies, as Shannon explained, the pair fell in love with the beagle mom instantly during their visit. “The Duchess is holding Mia and was like, We’re adopting her,’” Keith said. “‘We want ones we can help who are older.’”

    But before they departed with their newfound family member for her new home in Montecito, Keith said Prince Harry noted that Mia couldn’t be without a keepsake. “He’s just like, Well, we can’t leave yet because there’s something in that back house she needs,’” Shannon recalled. “‘Does she have a favorite toy or something?’”

    And after Mia grabbed a fox toy that she had played with for the duration of her trip from the facility to the organization in Los Angeles, they were set. As Shannon shared, the Duke said, “OK, now we can go home.”

    Beagle, Dog, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Beagle Freedom Project
    Beagle Freedom Project/Mega

    Mia isn’t the first furry friend to join Meghan and Harry’s family. Before tying the knot, Meghan was already a dog mom after adopting a beagle named Guy and a pup named Bogart from a rescue shelter. In August 2018, shortly after the pair wed, they expanded their family by adopting another rescue dog, a black Labrador named Pula.

    “After a life spent being forced to give birth to litter after litter of puppies destined for laboratories,” Kitty Block, president, and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States told the New York Times on Aug. 24. “I can think of no more fitting happily ever after’ than being adopted by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”

  • Vanessa Bryant speaks out after husband’s lawsuit victory

    After she prevailed in her lawsuit against Los Angeles County for improperly distributing images of her late husband Kobe Bryant and their daughter Gianna Bryant from the crash scene, Vanessa Bryant voiced her outrage.

    Vanessa Bryant feels “justice” has been served after winning her trial against Los Angeles County.

    On Aug. 24, a jury awarded $16 million in damages to the 40-year-old after finding that members of the county’s fire and sheriff’s departments did invade her privacy and caused emotional distress by sharing photos of the January 2020 helicopter crash that killed nine people, including her late husband Kobe Bryant and their daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.

    Shortly after the verdict was handed down, Vanessa addressed the legal victory on Instagram. Posting a photo of herself with Kobe and Gianna, she wrote, “All for you! I love you! JUSTICE for Kobe and Gigi!”

    Vanessa—who is also mom to daughters Natalia, 19, Bianka, 5, and Capri, 3—pointed out that the verdict fell on what the city of Los Angeles previously dubbed as “Kobe Bryant Day.” (The day, created in 2016, is a nod to the two jersey numbers Kobe wore during his time with the Lakers.)

    “#Betonyourself,” Vanessa wrote alongside the date. “#MambaDay.”

  • Kobe Bryant’s widow receives a $16 million compensation for the leaked crash images

    Due to leaked graphic images of the helicopter accident that claimed the lives of the US basketball star and his daughter in 2020, Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant has been granted $16 million (£13.6 million) in damages.

    After learning that photographs taken by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters had been distributed, Vanessa Bryant, 40, claimed to have experienced panic attacks.

    According to a federal jury, the county must compensate Mrs. Bryant for her emotional anguish.

    Co-plaintiff Christopher Chester will be paid $15m.

    Mrs Bryant’s husband Kobe Bryant, 41, daughter Gianna, 13, and six family friends died when their helicopter crashed in California in January 2020. Mr Chester lost his wife Sarah and daughter Payton in the crash.

    A report by the Los Angeles Times claiming county employees took photos at the crash site and shared them with others has enraged the victims’ families.

    Last November, the county agreed to pay $2.5m (£2.1m) over the emotional distress caused to two families who lost relatives in the crash – but Mrs Bryant refused to settle.

    Sobbing on the witness stand last week, Mrs Bryant recalled being at home with her other children when she read the LA Times story.

    “I bolted out of the house and I ran to the side of the house so the girls couldn’t see me. I wanted to run… down the block and just scream,” she said.

    Mrs Bryant said she had felt “blindsided, devastated, hurt and betrayed” by news of the leak and “[lives] in fear every day of… having these images pop up” on social media.

    “I don’t ever want to see these photographs,” she said. “I want to remember my husband and my daughter the way they were.”

    Jurors at the trial heard how sheriff’s deputies and firefighters took gruesome cell phone photos at the accident site and showed them to others, including at a bar and a gala event.

    These employees “poured salt in an open wound and rubbed it in” with their actions, Mrs Bryant’s lawyer Luis Li said during opening statements last week.

    A lawyer for the county unsuccessfully argued that “site photography is essential” and that the photos had not been posted anywhere publicly.

    Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, played for the LA Lakers throughout his career and is considered one of the greatest players in the game’s history.

  • DJ Switch now in High School At Chaminade College Preparatory In America

    The 2017 Talented Kids winner DJ Switch whose real name is Erica Armah Bra-Bulu Tandoh is now a student at a high school in the United States (USA).

    The young DJ jockey is currently enrolled in Chaminade College Preparatory, a Los Angeles-area private Catholic school.

    DJ Switch made this known through photos she share on her social media page. The photos captured her first day at school and the beginning of a new chapter of her life.

    DJ Switch indicated in the caption that it was a new chapter in her life and thanked her parents and all others who have helped in her life journey so far.

    “Welcome to the new chapter in my life…The first day of school @chaminadeccp …Soaring like an Eagle, Switch up!!! Thank you to my Parents/family, my team @francis.onelum (My Rep), @q4entertainment @juliaxbuchwald @buchwaldtalent @globaltalentimmigration @macmanmusic3 @alma.harel @cdleggett for making this happen!!! #GodMadeIt,” she said.

  • 2 killed and 5 others injured during shooting at Los Angeles park

    Two people were killed and at least five others were injured in a shooting Sunday at a park in the Los Angeles neighborhood of San Pedro, officials said.

    Investigators believe the shooting began as a dispute between two parties at Peck Park, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Kelly Muniz said during a news conference. “We’re continuing to clear the park for evidence and potentially additional victims,” she said.

    An informal car show was taking place at the park at the time, authorities said.

    Four men and three women were taken to a local hospital, fire officials said earlier, and two of those people were pronounced dead.

    “We’re investigating that there could be more than one shooter,” Muniz said. No one was in custody as of early Sunday night.

    Source: CNN