Newsy bits from a week in the life
In a week dominated by rampaging Russians and dolphin-boy Michael Phelps, the arrest of veteran actor Shelley Malil for allegedly trying to kill his girlfriend in San Marcos was a minor blip on the radar of the American media. But the 43-year-old actor’s legal woes are big news in his native India, where several of the nation’s largest newspapers are all over the story like a wet sari. As of press time, India Times—South Asia’s equivalent of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp—has run at least 16 top stories on the case. The Sherman Oaks actor’s Aug. 13 guilty plea made the front pages of six of India’s top 10 papers, including the 1.4-million-circulation Dainik Bhaskar and the 1.1-million-circulation Hindustan Times. Malil, who had a supporting role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, is accused of stabbing girlfriend Kendra Beebe, 35, at least 20 times Aug. 10 in two separate attacks on the same night. Beebe remained hospitalized Monday in critical condition but is expected to survive, according to press reports. Malil was arrested Aug. 11 in Oceanside and has been charged with premeditated attempted murder, domestic violence and causing grave bodily injury. He faces life imprisonment if convicted on all counts.
—David Silva
On Aug. 13, leaders from 10 border states (Mexico and the U.S.) participated in the 26th Annual Border Governors Conference, held this year at Universal Studios Hollywood—a rather odd location given that it’s: 1. Roughly 150 miles from the border and 2. It’s a theme park. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the host, so there you have it. One product of the summit was an agreement signed by all 10 governors asking the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security to make it easier for people traveling from Mexico to get through U.S. ports of entry. According to the California Travel & Tourism Commission, Mexicans spend more than $1.5 billion each year in California alone.
Published: 08/19/2008
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