Welcome to L.A. TACO’s daily news briefs, where we bring our loyal members, readers, and supporters the latest headlines about Los Angeles politics and culture. Stay informed and look closely.
—Floyd Mayweather, Ronaldinho, and Mike Tyson are among the athletes featured in a recent propaganda video praising and promoting the combat training club of pro-Russian, anti-LGBT Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov. [Karim Zidan/Twitter]
—El Salvador has declared a state of emergency over gang-fueled homicides, following a reportedly random killing spree that resulted in 62 homicides on Saturday, the country's highest one-day death toll in 30 years. [CNN/NY Times]
—After being slapped by Will Smith... live on stage... during The Academy Awards... Chris Rock declined to file a complaint with the LAPD. [LAT]
—Tributes continue to pour in for Taylor Hawkins, the talented Laguna Beach-raised drummer of Foo Fighters, following his death in Bogota, Colombia, before a scheduled festival concert last Friday. [MSN]