Los Angeles

The Beach Boys are suing two men for -million, claiming they stole a trove of photos, recordings and other band memorabilia from a warehouse with the intent of putting the items up for auction. The lawsuit names three defendants — Allan Gaba, the owner of a North Hollywood, California warehouse, his friend, Roy Sciacca, and Gem Systems, a company Sciacca was involved in.

An American teenage amputee whose prosthetic leg was stolen has recovered the artificial limb after it was apparently placed in her yard by a remorseful thief, police said on Friday. In November, burglars broke into the Los Angeles area home of 16-year-old Melissa Huff, stealing money and other valuables, including her prosthetic leg.

A Southwest Airlines jet was evacuated at an airport in the Los Angeles region on Friday after a passenger was reportedly heard to say the word ”bomb”, prompting a security alert, authorities said. The Southwest flight had been taxiing to takeoff at Bob Hope airport in Burbank, California when the evacuation was ordered, said an airport spokesperson.

Groundbreaking African-American comedian Richard Pryor died of a heart attack early Saturday at the age of 65, his wife said. The pioneering stand-up comic and actor who broke barriers with his unflinching racial satire had been in declining health for years after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1986.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire may be the scariest of the films about the teen wizard but it also had the most successful opening of the series. Warner Brothers said Potter was the top film in all 19 countries where it opened at the weekend, including the United States, where it ended a box-office slump, and in Britain, where it smashed all records.

Election-chastened California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday left for China on a six-day visit aimed at boosting trade and investment and battling movie piracy, officials said. The action movie hero, who was dealt the bitterest defeat of his political career last week when voters rejected referendum measures on which he had staked his reputation, will visit Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Scolding herself to ”fight, fight, fight” in the third set, Maria Sharapova outlasted top-ranked Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 at the WTA Championships on Thursday night, with both players advancing to the semifinals. Amelie Mauresmo of France defeated Russian Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-3 to ensure a spot in the semifinals.

World number one Lindsay Davenport looked to wrap up a perfect round-robin performance at the WTA Tour Championships on Thursday when she faced Russian glamour girl Maria Sharapova in her final group match. Davenport went into the clash with the security of knowing her semifinal berth was assured, thanks to her victories over Patty Schnyder of Switzerland and Russian Nadia Petrova.

One of the world’s most famous landmarks, the 82-year-old Hollywood sign perched high above Los Angeles, is to follow Tinseltown tradition and get a facelift, officials said on Thursday. The giant letters spelling out the word that is synonymous with movie production will undergo a little restoration and some cleaning.

Callous thieves broke into the home of a teenage amputee and made off with the girl’s artificial leg, her family said on Wednesday. California schoolgirl Melissa Huff (16) was horrified to find that the heartless burglars had not only stolen a haul of loot including cash and valuables, but had also helped themselves to her leg.

George Takei, best known for his role as Mr Sulu in Star Trek, came out as a homosexual in the current issue of a magazine covering the Los Angeles gay and lesbian community. Takei said on Thursday that his role as psychologist Martin Dysart in the play Equus inspired him to publicly discuss his sexuality.