TODAY’S ESSENTIAL NEWS
» Cold Weather Alert Issued for Los Angeles County A cold front is expected to move into Los Angeles County this week, prompting local health officials to issue a cold weather alert Sunday for several areas. [CNS]
» Tens Of Thousands Demonstrate In Downtown L.A. Against Iranian Government Thousands of people gathered outside Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday, calling for regime change in Iran and rallying in solidarity with the country’s female-led protest movement. Protesters chanted, “Zan, Zindagi, Azadi,” or “Woman, life, freedom”—words that have become a rallying cry since the death of Mahsa Amini in September sparked an enduring protest movement. Amini, 22, died in detention after being arrested by the country’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her headscarf correctly. [L.A. Times]
» Phoenix Shut By Leak In Fuel Lines From Los Angeles to Vegas A leak in a fuel pipeline facility in California forced a shutdown of deliveries of gasoline and diesel from the Los Angeles area east to areas including Las Vegas and Phoenix, but officials said Friday they believed supplies would not immediately be affected. Pipeline operator Kinder Morgan told The Associated Press the leak was discovered Thursday afternoon at a company station near Los Angeles and that its CALNEV and SFPP West pipelines were shut down while the Houston-based pipeline operator worked to resolve the issue. [AP]
» Los Angeles International Airport Collision Between Plane And Bus Leaves At Least 5 injured A collision between a passenger bus and a commercial plane on the LAX tarmac late Friday night left several people injured, officials said. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call around 10 p.m., where they found at least five people injured as a result of the crash. Authorities said the crash happened at a slow rate of speed as the jet—an empty American Airlines A321 jet—was being towed away from a gate. [Fox]
» Rihanna Is Officially Pregnant, Rep Confirms After Super Bowl Performance A representative for Rihanna has confirmed that the singer is pregnant after her explosive Super Bowl performance that had social media talking. During her hits-filled set, the singer cradled her midsection several times, leading to widespread speculation on social media that she was pregnant with her second child with her partner, the rapper A$AP Rocky. [Variety]
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TOP STORIES FROM L.A. MAG
The staunch advocate for the LGBTQ community, whose clients included Neil Patrick Harris, Monica Lewinsky and Cher, learned he had a rare form of leukemia two weeks ago
Cityside Column: Chief Michel Moore wants the power to fire problem cops but a ”Board of Rights” process undermines his authority
Nubia Esmeralda Burrier provided fraudulent counsel to immigrant clients and charged more than $100,000, L.A. prosecutors say
On one of the craziest deadline days in NBA history, the Lakers retool and the Clippers shift on the periphery
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ONE MORE THING
“Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” Brings Inclusivity (and a 10-Ton T-Rex) to Disney+
Two new superheroes are rolling onto screens this week in one of the most artful and jazzy new shows of the season: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur on the Disney Channel and Disney+ is adapted from a Marvel comic, but taps a whole new side of that universe by focusing on a brilliant young Black girl and her red-scaled lizard.
“The most important part of this show is the inclusiveness,” said Fred Tatasciore, who voices the 10-ton T-Rex on the show. “Here’s this woman of color who is a nerd and brilliant and science is good and she becomes this force of nature.”
Hundreds of artists at Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, along with colleagues in Australia and Spain collaborated on the traditional 2-D style look of the show, informed by the heavy lines and screen-printed colors of classic comic books. “The animation and the style is very Banksy and Basquiat,” adds Tatasciore, who previously voiced Darth Vader and the Incredible Hulk for Disney. “The street art from New York has such a different look.”
