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Showing posts from April 16, 2013

Tory Andrew Mitchell ousted from Cabinet after foul-mouthed row with police

Former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell, who quit the Cabinet after a media storm over his foul-mouthed row with police, has been hired to advise others on how to protect their reputation. The senior Conservative MP will be paid £3,000-a-day as a 'senior adviser' to Montrose Associates, which specialises in helping clients deal with 'political and reputational threats'. Mr Mitchell quit the government last year amid claims he called police 'f****** plebs' in a row about riding his bicycle through the gates of Downing Street, a phrase he denies using. Former chief whip Andrew Mitchell is confident a prosecution review of the evidence in the 'Plebgate' row will back his version of events He resigned in October after a police log, which appeared to corroborate the officers’ account, was leaked. Scotland Yard is investigating his claim that the allegations were concocted. Preliminary findings are expected to be released within days. However, the controversy ha

United in grief: Sports stars pay tribute to victims of Boston bombings

Some of America's biggest sports stars have paid tribute to the victims of yesterday's horrific Boston bombings, with many standing shoulder to shoulder at NBA, NHL and MLB games on Monday night to share in the country's grief. At least three people were killed and more than 176 injured after two blasts ripped through the spectator area near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, the oldest and most prestigious race of its kind, just before 3 p.m. Other shaken athletes took to Twitter to send their condolences to the people of Boston, many of whom are still coming to terms with how a euphoric sporting occasion turned to unspeakable carnage in just a few seconds. Scroll down for video Silence: LA Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, left, and actor Harrison Ford, right, before the Dodgers faced San Diego Heads bowed: New York players and children bowed their heads last night before the Knicks faced the Charlotte Bobcats Remembered: San Antonio Spurs and Golden State

Bringing back the good old days of playing outside

Most of us remember the days when we could play football and ride our bikes in the street without too much fear of anything happening more ghastly than a grazed knee. But that's not the case for the growing number of children being brought up in cities and large towns. So a group of parents in Colchester have decided to adopt an idea that will see their road closed, cars driven out of the way and children will have free reign to play. They also hope closing the road to traffic for two hours every week will help boost community spirit and give children a safe place to play during the summer. Parents and children in Colchester react to the news that they can close their street for two hours to allow free play from August Road closures during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee have seen an increase in the popularity of street parties. Naomi Fuller, communications co-ordinator for Playing Out, an organisation that helps communities with similar schemes, said that Bristol was the first

Couple and their two young adopted daughters die from 'suspicious' carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide has apparently killed a family of four, among them two children, in an eastern Pennsylvania home where police found a car running in the garage. State police Lt. Vincent D'Angelo says authorities haven't yet determined whether the car was left running intentionally as part of a murder-suicide plot, or whether it was an accident. Police were called to the Reitnauer family's 1525 Kumry Road in Milford Township at 11.20pm Monday, and found it filled with carbon monoxide coming from the attached garage. Scene of tragedy: Carbon monoxide from a car left running in the garage apparently killed a family of four inside this Milford Township, Pa. home The fire department also responded and discovered the victims. Paramedics on the scene attempted to revive the family, but it was too late. D'Angelo says police are not looking for a suspect, and that there is no danger to the public. The victims have been identified as 59-year-old Gary Reitnauer, his wife, Mich

Can sky diving and bumper cars at sea save the cruise ship industry?

The cruise ship industry might have hit rough seas this year, following a number of disasters with luxury liners, but one company is pulling out all the stops to lure customers back off dry land. Royal Caribbean International unveiled its new Quantum class of ships today, and gimmicks to attract cruisers to the sea include sky diving and bumper cars. It will be the first ship to offer guests a simulated sky diving experience - as well as a new thrilling capsule ride called North Star that climbs to 300 feet above sea level. Attractions on board: This computer-generated image provided by the Royal Caribbean International cruise line shows a bumper car attraction planned for the forthcoming ship, Quantum of the Seas A jewel-shaped glass capsule will hold 14 people and go over the side of the ship, offering passengers unobstructed views. Interior staterooms that don't traditionally don't have a view will have a "virtual balcony" — an 80-inch LED screen providing real

Dutchman who confessed to frenzied knife murder of beautiful British backpacker

Police in India have revealed they are investigating the boyfriend of murdered British backpacker Sarah Groves over claims he owed her £6,000 since they started going out over New Year. It came as the Dutch tourist accused of murdering was put on remand for five more days. Richard de Witt was led out of Srinagar Court with a towel over his head by police in the northern state of Kashmir after a short hearing today. Jammu and Kashmir Police walk Richard de Witt, the suspect accused in the murder of Sarah Groves, out of Srinagar Court after he was handed five more days on remand in Kashmir Richard de Wit (left), who is accused of murdering British backpacker Sarah Groves (seen right last November) in India Last night, Srinagar's Deputy Inspector General Aftul ul Mujtada said his detectives were investigating the loans separate from the inquiry into her murder. They suspect that Saeed Shoda and his family may have befriended Ms Groves in the southern state of Goa to dupe

Amnesty? 'Gang Of Eight' immigration reform will turn illegal

The so-called 'Gang Of Eight,' a group of Republican and Democratic U.S. senators examining illegal immigration in America, will propose on Friday a federal law that would put undocumented immigrants on a road toward amnesty for the crime of being in the United States illegally. Illegal aliens would have to wait 10 years to apply for citizenship, during which time they would be eligible for work authorizations, but not for federal government benefits. After ten years, they could apply for green cards, and appeal for citizenship. That process would take at least 3 years, and require the payment of a $2,000 fine. It would also require them to learn to speak English, to pay back taxes, and to pass a criminal background check. Residents brought illegally to the U.S. as children - the so called DREAM Act kids - would be eligible for green cards and citizenship in five years, without any payments. An April 10 rally in front of the U.S. Capitol brought tens of thousands of immigra

Other wife found on Facebook: Man could face jail time over other wife

Other wife found on Facebook - A man's other wife was found on Facebook thanks to Facebook's "People you may know" feature. A Washington state corrections officer has been charged with bigamy after it was revealed that the man had two wives. According to a report from the Oakland Press on April 16, Alan L. O'Neill married his first wife in 2001 then moved out in 2009. After changing his name, he then married again in 2009 without divorcing the first wife. The man's bigamy was discovered when Facebook suggested a friendship connection between the two wives. Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist further explained the situation by saying, “Wife No. 1 went to wife No. 2's page and saw a picture of her and her husband with a wedding cake. Wife No. 1 then called O'Neill’s mother. An hour later the defendant arrived at (Wife No. 1's) apartment, and she asked him several times if they were divorced,” court records show. “The defend

Rachael Ray show sued

Rachael Ray show sued - The Rachael Ray TV cooking show is being sued by a former accountant, Aaron Ferguson . Ferguson claims he was forced out of his job due to his eating disorder, and is asking for $1 million in damages. Ferguson says in his lawsuit, filed in Manhattan’s state Supreme Court, that he has suffered from anorexia for about six years. Ferguson says his supervisor repeatedly exhibited "hostile behavior" and made "vile," discriminatory and hurtful comments. The comments included, "Anorexics are sick in the head," and, "Anorexics should not be able to work." Ferguson’s lawyer, William H. Kaiser, said Thursday: "The things that were said in front of my client were hurtful, and once they knew he had a problem with it they should have stopped." Ferguson said he began working in July 2007 for CBS Television Distributions Inc., a CBS Corp. unit, and the producer and owner of the "Rachael Ray" show. A

49 cellphones confiscated

49 cellphones confiscated - Police officials are fans too. According to an April 16 Associated Press report, 49 cell phones were confiscated from police officers after they were used to photograph South African sports star Oscar Pistorius after his arrest for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. In a response to inquiries from the Parliament, the former lead investigator on the case, South African police minister Nathi Mthethwa said all 49 cellphones were confiscated from officers at Boschkop police station in Pretoria, and revealed that the cellphones had reportedly been used to photograph Pistorius during his transfer from the police station to court. Mthethwa told the Associated Press that he feared that reporters had attempted to purchase photographs of key evidence from the police officers. Defending the confiscation, Mthethwa told Parliament, “This action was necessary after it came to light that photos were taken of a high profile individual who had been

Other wife found on Facebook: He could face jail over other wife discovery (Video)

A man's other wife was found , on Facebook thanks to Facebook's "People you may know" feature. A Washington state corrections officer has been charged with bigamy after it was revealed that the man had two wives. According to a report from the Oakland Press on April 16, Alan L. O'Neill married his first wife in 2001 then moved out in 2009. After changing his name, he then married again in 2009 without divorcing the first wife. The man's bigamy was discovered when Facebook suggested a friendship connection between the two wives. Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist further explained the situation by saying, “Wife No. 1 went to wife No. 2's page and saw a picture of her and her husband with a wedding cake. Wife No. 1 then called O'Neill’s mother. An hour later the defendant arrived at (Wife No. 1's) apartment, and she asked him several times if they were divorced,” court records show. “The defendant said, ‘No, we are still married.’” Bas

Fox pulls Family Guy

Fox pulls Family Guy , fox has pulled from websites a recent episode of “Family Guy” that depicts mass deaths at the Boston Marathon, and has no immediate plans to air it again. Fox spokeswoman Gaude Paez said Tuesday the episode has been removed from Fox.com and Hulu.com. In the episode, protagonist Peter Griffin is asked by sports announcer Bob Costas about his performance at the marathon. A flashback shows Peter mowing down runners with his car. “I’ll tell ya, Bob, I just got in my car and drove it,” Griffin says. “And when there was a guy in my way, I killed him.” Later, Peter befriends a terrorist who, unbeknownst to him, is plotting to blow up a bridge. When Peter dials a cellphone the friend has given him, explosions and screams are heard. On some websites, an edited clip has been circulating that fuses the two scenes, making it seem — incorrectly — as if the explosion was at the marathon. Some commenters have implied that the show “predicted” the bombings. “Family G

Damning report says U.S. officials used torture after 9/11

The highest U.S. officials during the Bush presidency bore ultimate responsibility for the 'indisputable' use of torture, according to the report from an independent task force, and it urged President Barack Obama to close the Guantanamo detention camp by the end of 2014. In one of the most comprehensive studies of U.S. treatment of terrorism suspects, the panel concluded that never before had there been 'the kind of considered and detailed discussions that occurred after 9/11 directly involving a president and his top advisers on the wisdom, propriety and legality of inflicting pain and torment on some detainees in our custody.' 'It is indisputable that the United States engaged in the practice of torture,' the 11-member task force said in their 577-page report. Shut it down: A new report claims that Guantanamo Bay prison, seen here in 2002 not long after it opened, may be closed after NATO pulls out from Afghanistan in 2014 The scathing critique of methods

My mother is an evil monster who deserves to die in prison

A Wisconsin woman recently convicted of killing her daughter more than 50 years ago is an ‘evil monster’ who deserves to die in prison, said her adult son, who claims he suffered years of horrific abuse at his mother's hands. Ruby C. Klokow, 76, of Sheboygan, pleaded no contest in February to second-degree murder in the 1957 death of her 6-month-old daughter, Jeaneen. But as part of a plea agreement, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of 45 days in jail and 10 years' probation, citing her age and medical issues. Scroll down to watch interview Brother's heartbreak: James Klokow Jr. (left) says he wants his mother, Ruby Klokow (right) sentenced to 20 years for the killing of his toddler sister Emotional: Mr Klokow wept as he talked about the slaying of his sister, calling their mother an 'evil monster' for harming a defenseless child Ruby Klokow's son forgives, won't forget, abuse That's unacceptable, said her son, James Klokow