LOS ANGELES – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger fired up a stogie during his trip to Canada this week, but did he break U.S. law to do it?
The celebrity governor known for his love of premium cigars was headed to the Ottawa airport Wednesday when his motorcade made a detour to a hotel. There, Schwarzenegger picked up a Cuban Partagas cigar in a shop, with the $14.83 bill paid by an aide traveling with him, the Ottawa Citizen newspaper reported.
Under trade restrictions, U.S. citizens are prohibited from buying Cuban cigars anywhere in the world.
Schwarzenegger’s office wouldn’t confirm or deny that the governor indulged in a forbidden smoke while in Canada, where he was on a trade mission.
“He stopped and bought a cigar and smoked it on the way to the airport,” spokesman Aaron McLear said.
Was it a banned Cuban cigar?
“There’s no way of telling now because he smoked it,” McLear said.
Americans convicted of violating trade regulations can be sentenced to fines or prison, but it wasn’t clear Friday if a U.S. citizen had ever been prosecuted for lighting a Cuban cigar in another country. Cuban cigars are imported into Canada legally.
Schwarzenegger favors costly Daniel Marshall cigars with personalized labels, but he has told Cigar Aficionado magazine he enjoys Cohibas and Montecristos, both legendary brands from Cuba.
Hugh Grant cleared of hurling baked beans
LONDON – The heat’s been turned off on the Hugh Grant legume litigation.
The actor won’t be prosecuted for allegedly hurling baked beans at a photographer, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said Friday.
Grant, who also will not face charges for allegedly kicking the photographer, was arrested following the clash on April 24.
“We have advised the police that there is insufficient evidence to charge Hugh Grant with any offense in relation to an allegation that he kicked a photographer,” said a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with department policy.
Jail will be media-free zone for Paris Hilton
LOS ANGELES – Sheriff Lee Baca said Friday that Paris Hilton will not be allowed to give television interviews while serving her jail sentence and that aggressive steps were being taken to prevent cameras from being smuggled into the facility.
Hilton was ordered to begin her sentence by Tuesday at a county jail in Lynwood, about five miles south of Los Angeles.
Baca told the Los Angeles Times that deputies and jail employees have been told to treat the 26-year-old heiress like any other inmate.
“Paying a debt to society should not be an element of her celebrity,” Baca said. “Her occupation is publicity, but no one should profit in jail.”
Hilton could report to jail any time before Tuesday, said sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore. She may report at any time of day, said Whitmore.
Associated Press
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