PETER BOWES
BROADCASTER & JOURNALIST
Wednesday July 21, 2010
The latest scandal surrounding actor Mel Gibson could further taint the Hollywood star's image and even career. A website has released a phone conversation which it claims is of Gibson arguing with his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. It is a scandal some believe may destroy the actor's career.
Wednesday July 21, 2010
Lindsay Lohan has started a 90-day jail sentence for violating probation, after missing court-ordered alcohol education classes. Lohan has had a long struggle with alcohol, and in recent months has been seen wearing an alcohol-monitoring bracelet. The devices are only used in North America by law enforcement agencies - but how do they work?
Wednesday July 21, 2010
Actress Lindsay Lohan has started a prison sentence for violating her probation relating to a 2007 drug case. The 90-day term was ordered earlier this month after Lohan failed to attend court-ordered alcohol education classes. The former child star had been on probation since August 2007 after pleading guilty to misdemeanour drug charges and no contest to three driving charges.
Michael Jackson's doctor appears in court
Monday April 5, 2010
Michael Jackson's relatives have attended a court appearance by the doctor accused of giving the singer a lethal dose of powerful anaesthetic.
Monday February 8, 2010
Michael Jackson's former doctor has been charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles, it has been confirmed. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
Wednesday February 3, 2010
Michael Jackson's doctor could be charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to US media reports. If Dr Conrad Murray is charged, a judge would decide if he should then go on trial.
Friday May 28, 2010
Dynasty actor John Forsythe dies aged 92
Friday April 2, 2010
John Forsythe, the former Dynasty star and voice of Charlie in the Charlie's Angels TV series and films, has died.
British Director in Oscars hot seat
Saturday March 6, 2010
Saturday March 6, 2010
There is a new system of voting for the Oscars this year - which is a lot more complicated than in previous years. Peter Bowes explains how it works from outside the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, with preparations for the big night in full swing.
Walk of Fame reaches 50 year milestone
VIDEO
Monday February 8, 2010
Friday May 21, 2010
Glee creator Ryan Murphy has called for a boycott of Newsweek magazine over an article which suggested gay actors could not play straight roles. Gay writer Ramin Setoodeh said that actor Jonathan Groff was insincere in his portrayal of a heterosexual love interest in Glee.
A native of County Durham, England, Peter moved to the United States in 1996 and became a US citizen in 2008. He has been a reporter for the BBC since 1988. Peter’s special interests include the issues surrounding human longevity, climate change and renewable energy. A keen athlete, he enjoys running, swimming and biking..
Listen to Peter’s take on the past week in California, on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Up All Night, every Tuesday at 0445 GMT
Technology, Entertainment Design: TED 2010
Saturday February 13, 2010
Attendees at the Technology, Entertainment Design (TED) conference in Long Beach, California get 18 minutes to deliver the speech of a lifetime. The theme of this year's event is 'What the World Needs Now.' So what are some of the world's most powerful people saying?
Sir Ken Robinson calls for revolution in education
TED Academic says schools are being managed like fast-food
A system has been developed to kill mosquitoes by zapping them in the air with a laser, before they can pass on the disease.
TV chef brings anti-obesity campaign to the US and asks TED for help.
ALSO:
Saturday January 16, 2010
It has been described as one of the biggest blunders in television history. The US network NBC is embroiled in an increasingly acrimonious game of musical chairs involving its biggest star names, chat show hosts Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien.
Avatar smashes $1bn box office speed record
Sunday January 3, 2010
Avatar has become the fastest movie ever to achieve $1bn (£625.6m) in ticket sales around the world.
Saturday January 2 2010
Nominations have yet to be announced for the Oscars but with the Golden Globes less than a month away speculation is already rife over which films will win big in 2010. The BBC's Peter Bowes takes a look at some of the contenders hoping to shine in Hollywood.
Western Mexico hit by 7.2 earthquake
Monday April 5, 2010
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has hit the Mexican peninsula of Baja California, US officials say, and has been felt in Los Angeles and even in Nevada
Friday March 5, 2010
Starbucks has been forced to confirm that it is fine to carry guns in some of their coffee houses, after campaigners tested its policy. Anti-gun protesters want the coffee chain to declare its coffee houses "gun- free zones". But in some states, where it is legal to carry a weapon, Starbucks says enforcing a ban would mean turning away law-abiding citizens.
Lawyers bid to lead US court case against Toyota
Friday May 14, 2010
About 60 lawyers are trying to persuade a judge in California that they should play a leading role in a giant court case against Toyota. The case will involve more than 320 US lawsuits that have been filed against the carmaker in relation to its mass recall programmes earlier this year.
Thursday March 25, 2010
A panel of judges is meeting in California to decide whether thousands of car owners can bring a single multi-billion dollar lawsuit against Toyota. A group of law firms across 20 US states is suing to try to recoup losses in resale values of Toyota vehicles due to deaths and injuries caused by accelerator pedal malfunctions.
Sunday January 3 2010
Scientists in the US believe they may have solved the riddle of San Francisco's vanishing sea lions. The Californian city's famous colony of sea lions all but disappeared over the past month, baffling experts. But now large numbers of the animals have been spotted further north, off the coast of Oregon.
California city pay scandal highlights media cuts
Saturday July 30, 2010
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for the salaries of top local government officials to be posted online, in the wake of a pay scandal that has outraged residents in a southern California city. The move follows the revelation that the city manager of Bell, which is part of Greater Los Angeles, was being paid almost $800,000 (£500,000).
Wednesday July 7, 2010
The largest exhibition ever assembled of mummies has opened in Los Angeles. Mummies of the World features a never-before-seen collection of 150 human and animal mummies and related artifacts from five continents.
As well as displaying the mummies, which have been donated by museums in Europe, the exhibition highlights the work done using modern scientific techniques to date and analyse the human and animal remains.
"We showcase the current methodology using CT scans, MRIs, X-rays, other types of techniques that allow a scientist to investigate mummies without damaging them and finding out new things about past environments, people and civilizations," says Dr Diane Perlov, senior vice president for exhibits at the California Science Centre.
Friday June 25, 2010
It was a day for Michael Jackson's fans to remember their idol. A year on from his sudden death, tributes were paid to the pop star outside the family home, the cemetery where he was laid to rest and at his star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. The fans brought flowers, held candlelight vigils and left handwritten notes paying homage to the musician.
Also: Where do things stand a year after Michael Jackson's death?
Monday June 21, 2010
Fifteen years after Toy Story broke the mould and sparked a technological revolution in Hollywood, Buzz Lightyear, Woody and friends are returning to the big screen for a third time. Toy Story 3 continues the adventures of a boy and his box of toys, although it is a time for change. Technologically, Toy Story 3 is less ground-breaking than its predecessors, although it is in 3D. But unlike the striking 3D images in the blockbuster Avatar, the extra dimension in Toy Story is low key.
Friday June 18, 2010
The film-maker Ronald Neame, one of the longest survivors from the early days of British cinema, has died in Los Angeles. He was 99. The director of the hugely successful 1972 action adventure The Poseidon Adventure enjoyed a career that spanned eight decades. He worked with many of the 20th Century's most distinguished film-makers and performers, including Alfred Hitchcock, Noel Coward, Alec Guinness, John Mills, Maggie Smith and David Lean. During the final decade of his life, Ronnie and I became friends. We chatted for hours as he reflected on his colourful career and longevity.
Also: Director Ronald Neame dies aged 99
Poseidon director judges remake
Tuesday June 8, 2010
Hawaii Five-O is given a reboot for the 21st Century
Saturday June 5, 2010
Hawaii Five-O, one of television's iconic cop shows, is being remade more than 40 years after it first aired in the US. Set in the 50th state, the police drama starring Jack Lord as Detective Steve McGarrett ran from 1968-1980. It featured an elite branch of the Hawaii State Police force and was perhaps best known for McGarrett's catchphrase, "Book 'em, Danno", and the show's memorable theme tune.
Friday April 30, 2010
Nasa readies jumbo eye in the sky
Thursday April 22, 2010
The US space agency Nasa has unveiled a powerful new tool in its quest to unravel the mysteries of the Universe. The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy is a modified Boeing 747-SP aircraft known as Sofia. Developed in partnership with the German Aerospace Centre, DLR, the 'plane is the only flying astronomical observatory in the world.
Wednesday April 14, 2010
An unmanned aircraft, operated by Nasa, has successfully started flying scientific research missions over the Pacific Ocean.
The Global Hawk drone is a robotic plane that is designed to stay up in the air at very high altitudes for an extended period of time. Nasa has acquired three of the aircraft from the United States Air Force, which used the planes for military surveillance work.
Schwarzenegger unveils California budget cuts
Saturday January 9, 2010
The governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has unveiled deep spending cuts aimed at containing the state's $20bn (£12.5bn) budget deficit.
