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Friday, December 15, 2017 Lifestyle | Features Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson honored with Hollywood star

e’s been named “sexiest man alive” and ing gratitude for the opportunities he’d been af- “world’s highest paid film star” — now forded and the friends and family who’d helped HDwayne Johnson can celebrate being ac- him along the way. “This moment is so significant cepted into the Hollywood establishment with a because it’s full circle. 2018 will mark 18 years in Walk of Fame star. The 45-year-old football Hollywood and that is a very long time of blood, player turned wrestling pro and then actor sweat and earning respect,” he added. Johnson sported a sharp black suit and was joined by announced Monday on Instagram that he and longtime partner Lauren Hashian and their al- Hashian were expecting a second child, hours be- most two-year-old daughter Jasmine at the cer- fore they stepped out for the premiere of his lat- emony on Hollywood Boulevard. “I didn’t want est movie “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” to write anything down. I figured this is such a monumental moment and significant time for me it’s probably best I just speak from the heart and from my gut,” the Herculean father-of-two said. He told cheering fans the 2,624th star on the Walk was the result of years of hard work, voic-

Actor (center) watches as his Hollywood Walk of Fame Star is unveiled in Hollywood, California. “global superstar with hundreds of millions of He played defensive tackle at the University of fans and billions of dollars in box office.” John- Miami and went on to a stint on the practice ros- son’s recent work includes “Baywatch,” “The ter of the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Fate of The Furious,” “Central Intelligence” and Football League in 1995. Johnson became a Dwayne Johnson, Jasmine Johnson and singer “San Andreas,” as well as the HBO comedy professional wrestler in 1996, following his fa- Lauren Hashian attend a ceremony honoring “Ballers.” Reputed to be one of the hardest- ther, , and grandfather, High Chief Dwayne Johnson with the 2,624th star on the working stars in Hollywood, he has been in 14 Peter Maivia. He would become an eight-time Hollywood Walk of Fame. — AFP photos movies in just four years, including previous in- World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling stallments of the “Fast and Furious” franchise, Entertainment champion. Nicknamed “The Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony Pictures “Hercules,” “Snitch,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Em- Rock” due to his strength in the ring and rough- Motion Picture Group, paid tribute to the actor, pire State,” “Pain and Gain,” and “Moana.” hewn features, he was declared “sexiest man who has entertained the possibility that he might Born on May 2, 1972, in the San Francisco Bay alive” by People magazine in November 2016. It run for president in 2020. “Dwayne said he Area and raised in and Pennsylvania, was a good year for the actor, who was also Dwayne Johnson attends a ceremony honoring would use me as a bar bell if I didn’t show up,” Johnson grew to six foot five inches (196 cen- named the world’s highest paid film star by him with the 2,624th star. Rothman joked, before describing his friend as a timeters) and weighs 245 pounds (111 kilograms). Forbes magazine.— AFP Berlin’s town hall takes techno scene under its wing t’s a familiar story across the Western world: each weekend more than 12.7 million in 2016 ac- a heated property market and complaints cording to official statistics. “Politicians used to Ifrom the neighbors are squeezing nightlife in talk about Berlin clubs as something nice on the the big city. But in Berlin-known for its nightlife fringes,” 32-year-old Koessler-who still calls and understated cool-the town hall is stepping himself a dedicated clubber points out. “But in to defend its legendary techno scene. “Techno very surprisingly, even our opponents in the culture has given so much to Berlin, using some (conservative) CDU are suddenly very passion- taxpayer money to support it is the least we can ate about this subject, which they call the ‘night do,” says local Greens party lawmaker Georg economy’,” he adds. Koessler, the initiative’s most ardent supporter. City representatives are set to approve Late-night lobby Thursday a million-euro ($1.2 million) fund to Many clubs sprang up after German reunifica- This file photo shows German techno producer and dj Frank Muller playing at Berlin’s Suicide Circus cover soundproofing and additional staff to cool tion in 1990 in derelict or abandoned industrial night club. — AFP partygoers’ exuberance, a big gesture for the spaces in the once-divided city’s east. Now with chronically indebted administration. They hope 30 years of experience, club owners won’t limit lishments among its ranks. The latest campaign is “If you’re offering ‘free entry for ladies’ or the cash can help brake a wave of closures that themselves to waiting around for one-off hand- for recognition as artistic venues, which could ‘buy one get one free’ on beer, we’re (Club have struck in recent years. Since 2011, 170 clubs outs from city authorities. “We’re aware of the grant techno havens a seven percent VAT rate Commission) not going to spring to your de- have shut down their lasers, sound systems and power we have, so we press home the benefit the rather than the 19 percent paid by bars and fence.” Techno pilgrimage site Berghain was smoke machines for good. city draws from us, from tourism to the property restaurants. Such cash incentives underpin noble the first to talk its tax rate down in 2016, con- That leaves some 500 for the 3.5 million peo- market to startups,” says Lutz Leichsenring, sentiments about keeping the sacred techno flame vincing the state that clubgoers came for its ple of Germany’s largest city and the armies of spokesman for the “Club Commission” which alight. “We want to stay on the sharp of con- line-ups of star DJs rather than booze, sex tourists disgorged from trains, planes and buses counts some 220 of the city’s best-known estab- temporary music culture,” says Leichsenring. and drugs. — AFP