Oprah tops Forbes most powerful celebrity list

NEW YORK: After two years as a runner-up, Oprah Winfrey was named the most powerful celebrity on Wednesday by Forbes, heading the six women and four men who make up the top 10.

It was the fifth time the former talk show host who runs her own TV network has headed the annual ranking of 100 celebrities.

Singer Lady Gaga came in second, followed by director/producer Steven Spielberg and singers Beyonce and Madonna.

“There is nobody else with that kind of consistency and power,” said Dorothy Pomerantz of Forbes.com. “There are only three people who have been on every single one of our lists since 1999. It is Oprah, Howard Stern and Steven Spielberg.”

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, who was No. 1 last year, dropped to 12th place.

With earnings of $77 million from June 2012 to 2013, Winfrey was not the highest earning celebrity, an honor that went to Madonna who made $125 million, but Forbes said Winfrey's position in Hollywood and her presence in the press, on television and in social media propelled her to the No. 1 spot.

“She still wields an enormous amount of power, which is really what we look for in our fame matrix. She is taking this cable network and turning it around just through the sheer force of her will, her connections and her ability.”

Despite hip surgery, which forced her to cut short a tour, Lady Gaga earned $80 million in the past 12 months which, along with her army of fans and powerful social media presence, assured her second place.

“She is still a huge force in pop music. Even when she is not playing, people are talking abut her and speculating about her,” Pomerantz said.

Spielberg, with earnings of $100 million in the last year, was the top man on the list, ahead of rock star Bon Jovi at No.

7, tennis champion Roger Federer and Justin Bieber, the youngest member of the list, squeezed into the top ten at No.9.

Although only 23, sixth place singer Taylor Swift, made the list for the first time and rounded out the top 10 along with Emmy-award winning TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

MONEY, FAME, SOCIAL MEDIA

Forbes based a celebrity's earnings on income from tours, books, contracts, endorsements, movies and residuals. Each celebrity was given a marketability score, developed by California market research firm E-Poll.

It gauged fame and influence by how often celebrities appear in the media. It used Starcount, a Singapore-based company that looks at 11 social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to determine their presence in social media.

“In today's world celebrities have this enormous ability to reach out to their fans, who really are their customers, and to sell their product, which is really themselves. If they don't take advantage of that it hurts them,” said Pomerantz.

Pop stars, most notably Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Barbados-born singer Rihanna, are particularly good with handling social media, according to Forbes.

Top celebrity couples include Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z (32), American football quarterback Tom Brady (65) and his model wife Gisele Bundchen (81), and actor Ashton Kutcher (53) and his girlfriend Mila Kunis (89).

Best actress Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence, who was No. 49, is a newcomer to the list this year, as is Hugh Jackman, who was No. 11, and new father Channing Tatum (23).

Paris Hilton wears tiny neon tutus for Electric Daisy Carnival

Paris Hilton is known for her extravagant style, so it's no surprise that she sported a crazy carnival wardrobe this weekend that consisted of two bright neon tutu dresses.

The blonde socialite jetted off to Las Vegas to attend the Electric Daisy Carnival and was armed with custom made outfits that embraced the wild and outrageous theme of the dance music event and her fun personality.

© Instagram/ParisHilton

Paris in the Hello Kitty Kandi Girl tutu dress

For one of her evenings in Sin City, Paris donned a bright pink 'Hello Kitty Kandi Girl' dress that was covered in jewels, beads and big bows and featured a multicoloured tutu.

She teamed the quirky frock with a pair of bunny ears that were encrusted in matching jewels and gems, white fishnet tights and a racy garter worn around her thigh.

In another snap, Paris donned a similar tutu dress with a multicoloured bottom, although the detailing was a little less elaborate than her first ensemble and she appeared to have ditched the over the top beads for a simple red bustier.

© Instagram/ParisHilton

The outspoken reality TV star also wore a second set of bunny ears for the occasion, this time in black.

She captioned the picture: "Ready for Round 3 of @EDC_LasVegas! #RaverBunny"

Well, that's certainly a fun take on party wear!

Paris - who is currently dating model River Viiperi - spent her weekend enjoying the swings at the carnival, making videos for her Instagram account and clubbing until the early hours.

And despite being 32 years old, we have to admit that she still manages to pull these crazy outfits off. Rather her than us!

What do you think of Paris' carnival style? Let us know below, as the best comment from across the website each week wins £50!

Jedward fool around on the MuchMusic Video Awards red carpet

Jedward took their outrageous personalities to the MuchMusic Video Awards this weekend, where they were spotted larking about on the red carpet and playing up to the cameras.

The former X Factor contestants are enjoying recognition across the world these days and it seems their fan base even stretches to Canada, where the fun loving twosome attended the annual award ceremony hosted by the MuchMusic video channel.

John and Edward, 21, were seen causing a stir on the red carpet in Toronto yesterday (16 June), as they jumped on the crowd and on each other, in a bid to give their fans a great red carpet show ahead of the awards.

© WENN

The twins posed for pictures while sat on the red carpet barriers, leaning on dozens of crowd members in the process, and also gave one another a piggy back before signing autographs and heading into the venue with the likes of Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato and Avril Lavigne.

In contrast to their larger than life characters however, Jedward kept their outfits fairly simple for the occasion.

They wore white tuxedo style jackets with black trousers, red bow ties and customised Converse trainers. And of course, the boys gelled their hair into their signature spiky style too.

© WENN

Jedward play up to the cameras

© Twitter / Lucy Hale

The twins pose with actress Lucy Hale

Before the awards ceremony the dynamic duo were invited to see Taylor Swift in concert by fellow British artist, Ed Sheeran, who is supporting the award-winning songstress on tour.

After watching Taylor and Ed rock the stage and perform a number of their hits, Jedward tweeted: "Thank you for inviting us @edsheeran means alot that we got to see and hear your songs live from Toronto Canada."

But Ed isn't the only celeb that Jedward have been rubbing shoulders with recently, as they also met up with Pretty Little Liars actress, Lucy Hale, at the MuchMusic awards evening and the trio seemed to hit it off straight away.

Following the ceremony, Lucy tweeted: "Also met these energy filled humans @planetjedward Good people."

Russell Brand told Katy Perry of divorce via text message

LOS ANGELES: British comic Russell Brand told Katy Perry he was divorcing her by text message, the US pop star said in a new magazine interview, adding that she hasn't heard from him since.

Brand issued a statement in December 2011 announcing that he had filed for divorce 14 months after the pair were wed in India, saying that "I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends."

Perry, in an interview in the latest edition of Vogue magazine, which features her as its cover story, tells it differently.

"He's a very smart man, and I was in love with him when I married him," she told the magazine, adding: "Let's just say I haven't heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011."

In court documents filed in Los Angeles, the British actor and comedian cited "irreconcilable differences" as a reason for divorce. The couple, married on October 23, 2010, after a whirlwind romance, had no children.

Perry said Brand's in-your-face humor was "hysterical in some ways. Until he started making jokes about me and he didn't know I was in the audience, because I had come to surprise him at one of his shows.

She added: "At first when I met him, he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they're like, I can't handle the equalness.

"He didn't like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour. So that was really hurtful, and it was very controlling, which was upsetting.

"I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can't necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day.

"I let go and I was like: This isn't because of me; this is beyond me. So I have moved on from that."

Brand, 38, a former drug addict with a reputation as a womanizer, found fame as a comedian and later as a TV and radio presenter in Britain before starring in hit Hollywood films "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Get Him to the Greek."

Perry, 28, is best known for hit songs, "Teenage Dream," California Gurls," and "I Kissed a Girl." Her debut album "One of the Boys" garnered two Grammy nominations, and her second record "Teenage Dream" was given six Grammy nods.

Jennifer Lopez gets 2,500th Hollywood star

LOS ANGELES: Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez was honored Thursday with the 2,500th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, joined by celebrities including Jane Fonda and watched by screaming fans.

"I really am overwhelmed," she said at the ceremony on Tinseltown's star-studded sidewalk, a tourist favorite. "This all feels, I don't know, kind of surreal, but so real. It's awesome."

US rapper Pitbull and Nigel Lythgoe, former executive producer on "American Idol" on which Lopez was a judge, were also on hand, as well as Gregory Nava, who directed Lopez in 1997's "Selena."

"She should have an entire block of stars," said Fonda, who co-starred with Lopez in "Monster-in-Law" in 2005, adding: "In my opinion, she's only scratched the surface of what she's capable of."

Nava called her "the hardest worker I have ever known," and recalled how Lopez told him: "Greg, I'm going to become the first Latina superstar. I'm going to have a number-one movie and a number-one record at the same time."

"And I said, 'Impossible, nobody does that.' Yeah. Impossible for everybody but Jennifer."

Fighting back tears, Lopez thanked the crowd, saying: "I love you, thank you so much for going on this journey with me.

"This landmark moment inspires me to work harder and dream bigger for all that is the future. I hope you feel as I do that it was all worth it, and I hope that I have touched your hearts even in a small way."

Known to her fans as J.Lo, Lopez made her leading lady movie debut in "Selena," in 1997 -- for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe -- and went on to become a Grammy-nominated singer.

Her first studio album, "On the 6," was released in 1999. She is soon to release her 10th album, possibly in November, according to media reports.

Lopez quit ratings-challenged "American Idol" last year, following fellow judge Steven Tyler out the door, although there have been rumors recently that she might return to the TV talent show.

Miss Algeria crowned for first time in 10 years

ORAN: After an absence of 10 years, the Miss Algeria beauty contest was held Friday in the western city of Oran, with 19-year-old science student Rym Amari taking the pageant honours.

The competition was suspended in 2003 after the death of Cheradi Hamdad, who launched the beauty contest in 1996 during Algeria's devastating civil war and whose son Faycal Hamdad has now taken up the mantle.

"I have picked up the torch for this year only, because my father died last year of lung cancer," said the new pageant director, a rights activist and a performer in his own right.

The revamped beauty show demonstrates that "the Algerian woman has evolved, Algeria has evolved", said Hamdad.

After wiping away tears of joy, beauty contest winner Amari declared: "I am your Miss Algeria. I am 19 years old and I am a materials science student."

She came out on top from the 20 contestants, aged between 18 and 26, who were carefully selected from Algeria's main cities to compete in front of 2,000 spectators in an Oran hotel.

While there was a minimum height requirement, there was no posing in swimsuits, with the Miss Algeria hopefuls parading in traditional outfits, sportswear and evening dresses.

Miss Algeria 2013 has been crowned too late to be able to participate in this year's Miss World contest, due to be held in Bali in September.

Brad Pitt scraps Brazil film promo

RIO DE JANEIRO: US Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt has scrapped a plan to come to Brazil to promote his new film ‘World War Z,’ the movie's distributors said Saturday, citing social unrest in the country.

A statement issued by Paramount said Pitt would not make a planned trip to Rio because of ‘ongoing events in Brazil.’

The country is awash with protests after more than a million people took to the streets in recent days to decry poor public services and corruption as well as transport fare hikes.

Pitt and director Marc Foster were to have attended a pre-release screening of the film in Rio on Monday.

The statement said Paramount expressed solidarity with the Brazilian people at a time of crisis.

Protests began last week in Sao Paulo and Rio over planned rises in public transport fares but have since mushroomed, with citizens taking to the streets in more than 100 cities to vent their frustration over poor living standards and with the political elite.

They are also angry that the government is spending some $15 billion on hosting the Confederations Cup and the World Cup next year, with the 2016 Rio Olympics to follow

Palestinian singer wins Arab Idol contest

EIRUT: Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf on Saturday won a pan-Arab singing contest that has had millions of viewers fixed to their TV screens since March.

Powerfully voiced Syrian singer Farah Yousef came second, and Egyptian Ahmed Jamal third in the Arab Idol competition, modelled on the Western Pop Idol.

"Mohammed Assaf is the Arab Idol!" called out the presenter as coloured confetti rained down on the cheering audience.

Immediately after his win, Assaf was named Youth Ambassador for UNRWA, the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees and named Palestinian goodwill ambassador by president Mahmud Abbas.

The handsome, tuxedo-clad Assaf, 23, won after weeks of anticipation from his army of followers, who had been glued to big screens in cafes and restaurants across Gaza and the occupied West Bank, listening as his powerful voice propelled him through the competition every weekend.

His mother, wearing a traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, wept as she wrapped the Palestinian black, green, white and red flag around her shoulders.

In northern Lebanon, Palestinian refugees in the Beddawi camp fired gunshots into the air and took to the streets, honking their car horns to celebrate Assaf's win.

Shortly afterwards, a spontaneous demonstration broke out in Beddawi to celebrate the occasion.

Born in Misrata, Libya, Assaf grew up in the overcrowded Khan Yunis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, one of the world's poorest and most densely-populated places where Israel severely restricts the movement of people, goods and financial aid.

The Hamas movement, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, disapproves of what it considers un-Islamic shows, such as Arab Idol, but has not officially clamped down on support for Arab Idol or Assaf.

In a previous episode of the programme, popular Lebanese singer and jury member Ragheb Alama had described Assaf as "the best rocket" to have come out of Gaza, and as "a rocket of peace, not war".

Announcing Assaf's nomination as regional ambassador for youth minutes after his win, the agency's chief Filippo Grandi said: "All Palestinians share in his success.

Mohammed's music is a universal language and speaks to all of us. How fantastic that a Palestine refugee from Gaza should bring us all together in this way."

Brad Pitt’s World War Z is going to be a hit summer blockbuster

After all the crazy stories, Marc Forster’s World War Z is going to be a hit summer blockbuster. The movie premiered tonight in London at a big black carpet event in Leicester Square. Paramount brought me here and I was worried that this would be a difficult task.

Not at all. Brad Pitt easily pulls off the role of hero as the world is overcome by a virus that turns millions into zombies. Forster and Pitt play it straight, no laughs or inside jokes. They build characters and tension so that the audience is really involved in the story. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t The King’s Speech.

WWZ is a popcorn movie on the level of Independence Day. But like that summer hit, Forster’s film never flags and is always entertaining.

Jason Wu: I was obsessed with drag queens

Jason Wu: I was obsessed with drag queens

Jason Wu was obsessed with RuPaul as a youngster because he was 'so tall and glittery and impressive'.

RuPaul is one of the most famous drag queens in America, and is famed for wearing huge wigs, immaculate make-up and figure-hugging clothes when on stage.

When designer Jason was little he had no idea RuPaul was actually a man and thought the character was the prettiest woman in the world.

'I thought that he was a she,' he giggled to Interview magazine. 'Later, of course, I found out that it was a man. But he was so tall and glittery and impressive, with the big hair... You know, a fashion-obsessed boy would be into that.'

The 30-year-old star also discussed how he first realised he wanted a career in fashion. From an early age he couldn't get enough of clothes, although he didn't have the usual fabric and pins to indulge his passion.

Instead Jason would splash any money he had on Barbie dolls and then go to great lengths to give each of them a unique look.

'I would buy Barbies and take them apart and then remake their looks,' he explained in the latest edition of the publication. 'I used them for hairstyling. It was a whole process. I had a lot of dolls - like 150.'

Things have moved on a lot for the star, who now dresses the likes of the US First Lady Michelle Obama. Last week he was unveiled as the new artistic director of Hugo Boss womenswear, where he plans to develop 'a strong, feminine collection'.

Amanda Harlech: I’m no Lagerfeld muse

Amanda Harlech: I’m no Lagerfeld muse

Amanda Harlech is not Karl Lagerfeld's 'passive muse'.

The creative consultant has been described by the Chanel designer as his 'outside pair of eyes' and has also worked with shamed fashion mogul John Galliano.

While she has input when it comes to Karl's work, she is in no hurry to describe herself as his muse.

'Because that's not what I am,' she curtly pointed out to UK's Grazia magazine.

'Karl can be inspired by a piece of white jade, by the corner of a building overlooking the sea, by something he's read or a scrap of fabric on the inside of a book.

'And there are so many women - the Marquesa di Casati, Vita Sackville-West, Cara Delevingne, Choupette [Karl's cat]... I'm certainly not the conduit of all that. And a muse gives herself up to the artist, she's almost passive.'

Amanda starred in Karl's film The Tale of a Fairy and also curated the Happiness exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London.

Although her life may seem glamorous now, it wasn't the case when she was growing up.

'When I was six, seven, eight, nine, ten, I made dolls very badly,' she chuckled.

'Scissors, cut, hole, glue. I was brought up in a sort of ghetto of writers, artists, theatre people, a prima ballerina and the exotic woman at the end of the road who wore a wig. We dressed up for Halloween, for plays. We had serious dressing-up boxes.'

The style queen recently visited London to attend the opening of Chanel's largest ever flagship store on New Bond Street.

Justin Bieber cleared of hit and run

Justin Bieber cleared of hit and run

Justin Bieber has been cleared of being involved in a hit and run accident in Los Angeles.

The 19-year-old singer was investigated and interviewed for a few hours after a photographer allegedly suffered minor injuries from being pinned against another car by the singer's white Ferrari on Monday night (17.06.13).

A source told gossip website TMZ.com that the 'All Around The World' hitmaker was leaving the Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard at approximately 11:45 PM with his best friend, Lil Twist, when the photographer got pinned between his moving Ferrari and a parked car.

The source insisted that Justin motioned at the group of photographers snapping pictures to move out of the way after he got behind the wheel of his super car but when he drove away he appeared to pin one of them between his car and another parked vehicle.

Justin did not stop to see whether the photographer was okay but told police that he did not know he had hit anyone.

Police have now cleared the Canadian star of any wrongdoing and said the incident was the paparazzo's own fault because he was a pedestrian in the roadway.

Law enforcement sources also said that the paparazzo was not seriously hurt. 

Justin has had several other incidents in his white Ferrari recently.

He had an unexpected visit from police last month at his home in Calabasas, California, after they received a high volume of calls from his neighbours, complaining he was speeding around recklessly in the car.

A-list actors urge for ‘a world without nuclear weapons’

WASHINGTON: Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon and John Cusack are among an array of A-list actors starring in a new video urging President Barack Obama to "set the world's course" for an end to nuclear weapons at next week's G8 Summit in Northern Ireland.

"Some argue that the spread of these weapons cannot be stopped, cannot be checked," actor Robert De Niro says in the video.

"Such fatalism is a deadly adversary," Damon responds.

Whoopi Goldberg, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Christoph Waltz also appear in the two-and-a-half minute spot.

The video was produced by Global Zero, a Washington, D.C.-based grassroots organization whose mission is "to eliminate all nuclear weapons by 2030."

“The message from national security experts and citizens around the world is clear: the only way to eliminate the global nuclear danger is to eliminate all nuclear weapons,” Michael Douglas says. “It's time to set the world's course to zero.”

To do so, Global Zero said in a press release, President Obama "will have to go beyond the bilateral process President Reagan started of U.S.-Soviet/Russian arms reductions and bring the other leading nuclear powers into international arms negotiations for the first time in history."

The group also sent an open letter to Obama recalling a 2009 speech in which the president committed to their cause.

Of course, there are other pressing issues for Obama and Putin to discuss. Namely, Syria, and its deadly civil war.

After authorizing U.S. weapons for Syrian rebels, Obama faces difficult talks with the Russian president, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's most powerful ally.

"There are no illusions that that's going to be easy," Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, told Reuters.

“It’s in Russia’s interest to join us in applying pressure on Bashar Assad to come to the table in a way that relinquishes his power and his standing in Syria,” Rhodes told the Associated Press. “We don’t see any scenario where he restores his legitimacy to lead the country.”

Man of Steel' soars to $125 million debut

LOS ANGELES: "Man of Steel" leaped over box office expectations in a single weekend.

The Warner Bros. superhero film earned $113 million in its opening weekend at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. The retelling of Superman's backstory earned an additional $12 million from Thursday screenings, bringing its domestic total to $125 million. Original box-office expectations for "Man of Steel" ranged from $75 million to $130 million.

"They finally got the Superman formula right," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "Superhero movies really are the bread and butter of the summer box office. The fact that 'Iron Man 3' has the biggest opening of the year so far and 'Man of Steel' has the second biggest opening of the year just proves that."

"Man of Steel," which stars Henry Cavill as Superman and Amy Adams as Lois Lane, also nabbed the record for June's biggest opening away from "Toy Story 3," the Disney-Pixar film which banked $110.3 million when it opened in 2010. "Superman Returns," the previous Superman film starring Brandon Routh in the titular role, launched with $52.5 million in 2006.

The new take on Superman's origin also performed solidly overseas, earning $71.6 million from 24 territories, including the Philippines, India, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, where "Man of Steel" earned $17.1 million. The film, which also stars Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon, is set to open next weekend in 27 more territories, such as Russia and China.

Sony's "This Is the End" debuted in second place in North America behind "Man of Steel" with $20.5 million in its opening weekend. The comedy starring Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jonah Hill as versions of themselves trapped in a mansion during the apocalypse opened Wednesday, earning a domestic total of $32.8 million. The film cost just $32 million to produce.

"We knew we were going to have competition, but we felt our movie stood on its own and had its own voice," said Rory Bruer, Sony's president of worldwide distribution. "I believe we've absolutely proven that. To have this amount of money in the bank with its cost of production, good reviews and word of mouth really puts our feet on solid ground."

In its third weekend at the box office, the Lionsgate illusionist heist film "Now You See Me" fleeced $10.3 million in third place, bringing its total domestic haul to $80 million. Universal's "Fast & Furious 6" arrived in fourth place with $9.4 million, while the studio's invasion horror film "The Purge" starring Ethan Hawke scared up $8.2 million in the fifth spot.

The super openings of "Man of Steel" and "This Is the End" helped to lift the box office 50 percent over last year when "Madagascar 3" and "Prometheus" held on to the top spots. "Man of Steel" will face off against stiff competition next week when Paramount's zombie thriller "World War Z" and the Disney-Pixar's prequel "Monsters University" both debut.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.

1. "Man of Steel," $113 million ($71.6 million international).

2. "This Is the End," $20.5 million.

3. "Now You See Me," $10.3 million ($15.6 million international).

4. "Fast & Furious 6," $9.4 million ($20 million international).

5. "The Purge," $8.2 million ($2.4 million international).

6. "The Internship," $7 million ($5.1 million international).

7. "Epic," $6 million ($8.1 million international).

8. "Star Trek: Into Darkness," $5.6 million ($17 million international).

9. "After Earth," $3.7 million ($24 million international).

10. "Iron Man 3," $2.9 million ($1 million international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "Man of Steel," $71.6 million.

2. "After Earth," $24 million.

3. "Fast & Furious 6," $20 million.

4."The Hangover Part III," $17.5 million.

5. "Star Trek Into Darkness," $17 million.

6. "Now You See Me," $15.6 million.

7. "The Great Gatsby," $9.9 million.

8. "Epic," $8.1 million.

9. "Secretly Greatly," $8 million.

10. "The Internship," $5.1 million.

Justin Bieber named in LA traffic mishap

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles police said Tuesday they are investigating a West Hollywood traffic accident in which a paparazzo was hit by a sports car driven by teen idol Justin Bieber.

Gossip website TMZ said Bieber, 19, was exiting the Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard late Monday when his white Ferrari struck a photographer, who was treated in hospital with unspecified injuries.

It posted video footage of the incident, in which Bieber is seen getting into the car with a male friend amid a crush of photographers, revving its engine, then driving off, apparently striking a paparazzo in the knee.

"Police have interviewed all parties involved," a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman told AFP, confirming the incident without identifying Bieber by name. "It's an ongoing investigation for a traffic collision."

Canadian-born chart-topper Bieber has been on a break from his ongoing North American tour. He is expected to announce concert dates for Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region in the next few days.