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Virginia Prosecutors wants November Execution Date for DC Sniper

2009-09-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Virginia prosecutors are asking a state court to set a November 9 execution date for John Allen Muhammad, convicted in a series of sniper-style shootings that terrorized the Washington area in 2002.

In a letter dated Wednesday, the State Attorney General's Office wrote that the date “has been carefully coordinated with the Governor’s office to insure his availability for any clemency petition Muhammad may wish to pursue.“ This move follows last month's denial of Muhammad's final appeal in U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Muhammad is sentenced to death for the Oct 9 2002 slayings of Dean Meyers, one of 10 people shot to death during the 2002 sniper rampage that terrorized the Washington area.

Muhammad and then teen accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo are suspected in other shootings and murders in Tacoma, Washington, Montgomery, Alabama, and the Washington, D.C., area.

Malvo is serving life in prison for his part.

Tropical Storm Fred Strengthens in the Atlantic

2009-09-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

Tropical Storm Fred is strengthening in eastern portion of the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical Storm Fred sustained winds increased to near 50mph, 285 miles southwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands.

Forecasters believe that Fred will become a hurricane in a few days, but they don’t think Fred will threaten land because it expected to make a gradual turn to the west-northwest and northwest over the next few days while also decreasing its forward speed.

Sinkhole Swallows half a Fire Truck

2009-09-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

A broken water main created a sinkhole big enough to swallow half a fire truck in Valley Village, CA. The hole, which was spotted before dawn on Tuesday was created by a burst water main at Hartsook Street and Bellingham Avenue.

According to KTLA , "Engine 60 was on its way to check out the damage and the roadway apparently buckled, sending the truck nose-first into the crater."

Firefighters escaped unharmed.

Milwaukee Police links Man to 9 Slain Women

2009-09-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

A Milwaukee man is in police custody after DNA linked him to the slayings of nine women, since 1986. Walter E. Ellis, 49 was captured when an officer spotted his car at a motel.

DNA was found on the victims ranging from the age of 16 to 41. They were killed between 1986 and 2007. Investigators believed most the victims were prostitutes. Ellis was arrested days after police matched a sample of his toothbrush to samples of the victims.

Ellis is charged with 2 counts of first-degree intentional homicide, charges that carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Prosecutors expect more charges to be filed.

NFL star Merriman accused of choking Reality Star girlfriend

2009-09-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

Shawn Merriman, a star linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, was arrested Sunday after reality star, Tila Tequila accused him of choking and restraining her.

According to the San Diego Sheriff's Department, the incident occured when Tequila tried to leave Merriman's residence. Merriman was charged with battery and false imprisonment and was later released on bail.

Tequila was taken to the hospital, where her condition was unknown.

UPDATE: According to TMZ Shawn Merriman has spoken about the incident that got him arrested yesterday....

"On September 6, 2009 the San Diego Sheriff's Department responded to a citizen's complaint that was initiated by Tila Nguyen (aka Tila Tequila). I was taken into custody based upon that complaint. At the time, I was concerned about her welfare given the intoxicated state she appeared to be in and I encouraged her to stay until safe transportation could be provided.

"We would all do our best to help a friend if we considered their actions to be detrimental to their personal safety. I in no way caused any harm to Ms. Nguyen, however, paramedics were called and she was examined but no injuries were reported. She was released and has since returned to Los Angeles, California.

"There have been no charges filed against me. I want to thank the San Diego Sheriff's Department for their professionalism. I will continue to cooperate fully with the Department, and I look forward to clearing my name regarding these false allegations. I want to put this behind me so I can continue to focus on a successful season for the San Diego Chargers."

Stop the Presses...Chris Brown is Mad at Oprah!

2009-09-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Thats right, the accused "woman beater" and R&B star Chris Brown is upset with Oprah.

According to the new issue in People's Magazine, Chris Brown says he felt like Oprah Winfrey's show about domestic violence which aired after he assaulted his ex-girlfriend, pop star Rhianna was a "slap in the face"

“I commend Oprah on being like, ‘This is a problem,’ but it was a slap in my face,” Brown told People. “I did a lot of stuff for her, like going to Africa and performing for her school. She could’ve been more helpful, like, ‘OK, I’m going to help both of these people out.’”

Are you kidding me? Earth to Chris Brown, Oprah did HELP, by dedicating her show to "All the Rhianna's of the World". Don't be angry because she didn't condone your actions or better yet didn't invite you on her show. When are you going to take responsibility?

BTW who goes against Oprah and expects to restart their careers? Here's some advice, accept the responsibility for your actions and stop the "poor me" defense, it won't get you anywhere.

Missing Boy Found Behind Wall at Grandma's House

2009-09-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

A boy missing since 2007 was found behind a wall in his grandmother's house in Southern Illinois. Police arrested his mother and grandmother in connection with his disappearance.

The boy, 6 year old Richard Chekevdia, 6, and his mother, Shannon Wilfong, were hiding in a small hiding place behind the wall.

The boy and his mother disappeared in 2007 after a custody dispute between Wilfong and the boy's father. Police says thats Richard and his mother probably have not left the home since they were listed as disappeared.

This strange kidnapping case come days after news of the Jaycee Dugard kidnapping case made headlines.

Father Charged in Daughter's Hypothermia Death

2008-12-30T13:21:00.000-08:00

Robert Aragon, the father of an 11-year-old girl who died of hypothermia after attempting to walk 10 miles in the snow, was charged with second-degree murder and felony injury to a child Tuesday.

Sage Aragon, 11, whose snow-covered body was found by rescue dogs at 2 a.m. beside a barbed wire fence, died of hypothermia.

Her body was found 2.7 miles from where the two began walking. The Associated Press reported that preliminary autopsy results showed she died of hypothermia. Officials reported that the temperatures in the area at the time the children were missing ranged from 27 degrees above zero to minus 5, with the snow being described by adults as being knee-deep for them.

Her 12-year-old brother, Bear, who got separated during the long trek in freezing weather, was found alive in a public restroom, wearing only his long underwear. The newspaper, quoting a county sheriff's office, says the boy had discarded his jacket, pants and shoes because of hypothermia-related delusion.

Aragon faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted.

Ill Gov Names Burris to U.S. Senate

2008-12-30T13:15:00.000-08:00

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has just named Ronald Burris as his pick to replace Barack Obama in the United States Senate.

Blagojevich announced his decision in Chicago on Tuesday with the 71-year-old Burris at his side.

The governor praised Burris' integrity and said he hopes that the allegations against him don't "taint this good and honest man."

Burris says he's eager to get to work in Washington. He says he's proud of his accomplishments and vowed to uphold the integrity of the office.

Burris also refused to comment on the governor's "circumstances."

Palins daughter, Bristol gives birth to a boy

2008-12-30T09:50:00.000-08:00

The daughter of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has given birth to a son, a magazine reported Monday.

Bristol Palin, 18, gave birth to Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston on Saturday, People magazine reported online. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces. Colleen Jones, the sister of Bristol's grandmother, told the magazine that "the baby is fine and Bristol is doing well."

The father is Levi Johnston, a former hockey player at Alaska's Wasilla High School.

Jena Six' teen shoots self, is treated

2008-12-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

(AP)-Police say one of the teenagers arrested in the "Jena Six" case has been taken to the hospital after shooting himself in the chest.
Monroe, Louisiana, police Sgt. Cassandra Wooten says Mychal Bell's wound isn't life-threatening.

Wooten says the 18-year-old wounded himself around 7:40 p.m. in Monroe. He's been staying with a foster family there.

Wooten believes Bell was upset over media coverage of his arrest last week on a shoplifting charge.

He was one of six black teens charged with beating a white classmate at Jena High School in December 2006. The case aggravated racial tensions in the central Louisiana town and led to a massive civil rights demonstration.

Bell pleaded guilty in juvenile court to a charge of second-degree battery.

Vigilante killer Ellie Nesler dies at 56

2008-12-29T13:22:00.000-08:00

Ellie Nesler, who sparked a national debate about vigilantism after killing her son's accused molester in a courtroom in 1993, has died of cancer.

The 56-year-old had battled breast cancer since 1994.

Nesler shot Daniel Driver five times in the head during a break in his preliminary hearing in a Tuolumne County courtroom. Driver had been accused of molesting four boys, including her son Willy.

She was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and served three years of a 10-year sentence before winning an appeal based on jury misconduct.

14 Pound Baby Born In Oklahoma

2008-12-29T08:31:00.000-08:00

A baby girl weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces was born in Mc Alester Regional Health Center. A Hospital Official said, "The largest baby even born at McAlester Regional Health Center."

Lillian Elizabeth Ross was born Friday by Caesarean section to Adrienne and Anthony Ross of Pocola. The baby already wears clothes made for children 6 to 9 months old.

Search Resumes For Missing Cruise Ship Passenger

2008-12-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Seitz, a woman reported missing early Friday morning on board the Norwegian Pearl Cruise Ship, is still missing. American and Mexican authorities have been searching off the coast of
Mexico since the report. It is believed that Seitz, 36, went overboard.

According to the Coast Guard, the husband of 36-year old Jennifer Seitz reported her missing to cruise ship security personnel around 3:50 a.m. Friday.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported Sunday that surveillance video from a camera on the ship shows a woman falling overboard about 8:08 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 26.

The FBI is now involved in the investigation to determine if any foul play was involved. Special agents searched the Seitz's cabin when the ship docked in Miami Sunday morning, they also interviewed a number of passengers.

Cruise ship personnel conducted a comprehensive search of the ship. When they didn't find her, they then contacted the Coast Guard for assistance.

Tony Romo Collapses

2008-12-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

It was a horrible day to be Tony Romo.

After losing to Philidelphia Eagles by 38 points on Sunday, Romo and the Cowboys return to lockeroom to lick their wounds.

In the shower is where Romo, collasped from an unexpected rib injury.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Tony was able to get up on his own after being looked at by medical staff.

Tony explains the reason for why he thinks he fell: "Um, you know, I was just a little banged up, I guess."

Mangini Out as Head Coach for the Jets

2008-12-29T08:08:00.000-08:00

The New York Jets fired head coach Eric Mangini on Monday during a hastily-called early-morning press conference.

It was announced Mangini wouldn't attend the press conference, at which it was disclosed Mangini would no longer have an office at Jets headquarters.

The Jets (9-7) lost four of their final five games, spiraling from an opportunity at the AFC's top seed to a seat on the sidelines for the playoffs.

New York was thinking big things when Brett Favre arrived with the Jets and the club got off to an 8-3 start following a 34-13 victory at previously unbeaten Tennessee. The five-game winning streak gave the Jets a two-game edge in the AFC East division race.

However, a home loss to Denver was followed by a loss at San Francisco. After a win against Buffalo, the Jets let their playoff destiny slip away with defeats in Seattle and at home against Miami to finish at 9-7.

The process to replace Mangini will take more time, according to executive vice president and general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who consistently referred to the "process" and didn't move from that stance when names like Bill Parcells and Bill Cowher were floated as possible replacements.

Arrest details on mom of Bristol Palin's boyfriend

2008-12-26T06:53:00.000-08:00

The mother of Bristol Palin's boyfriend sent text messages to two police informants discussing drug transactions before her arrest on felony drug charges, authorities say.

An affidavit filed Monday says Sherry L. Johnston sent text messages referring to "coffee" as a code for the drug OxyContin.

The 42-year-old Johnston was arrested last week after state troopers served a search warrant at her Alaskan home. She is out on bail.

Johnston is the mother of 18-year-old Levi Johnston. Gov. Sarah Palin announced in September that her 18-year-old daughter Bristol was pregnant and Johnston was the father.

Authorities say the case began in the second week of September -- a couple of weeks into Palin's campaign as Republican vice presidential candidate -- when drug investigators intercepted a package containing 179 Oxycontin pills. That led to the arrest of the suspects, who agreed to be informants.

According to the affidavit, Johnston sent a text message to one informant Oct. 1, writing: "Hey, my phones are tapped and reporters and god knows who else is always following me and the family so no privacy. I will let u no when I can go for cof."

Ten days after Johnston said there wasn't enough privacy for a drug sale, she texted again to set up a meeting at a store, according to the affidavit. The document says the informant received $800 to make a purchase, meeting investigators later with 10 pills of 80-milligram Oxycontin.

A second purchase was made the following day, authorities said. This time the informant wore a hidden camera and a microphone.

A third purchase occurred Nov. 26. The informant was wired for the transaction and this time police videotaped the meeting.

Eartha Kitt Dies at 81

2008-12-26T06:44:00.001-08:00

Eartha Kitt, who rose from the Southern cotton fields to captivate audiences around the world with sultry performances as a singer, dancer and actress, died on Thursday at the age of 81. Kitt died of colon cancer for which she was recently treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, said Andrew Freedman, a long-time friend and publicist.

Gunman in Santa suit kills 8 at party

2008-12-26T06:38:00.000-08:00

A distraught man dressed as Santa Claus opened fire at a Christmas Eve party and then set the house ablaze, killing at least eight people, police said.

Several hours later, the shooter killed himself.

The body of Bruce Pardo, 45, was found with self-inflicted gunshot wounds early Thursday, hours after he had launched an assault on a party hosted by the parents of his ex-wife in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina, police said.

Pardo had knocked on the door of the home in a quiet residential neighborhood in Covina, 23 miles east of Los Angeles, just before midnight on Christmas Eve, police lieutenant Pat Buchanan said.

An eight-year-old girl who answered the door was shot in the face but survived before Pardo stormed into the home and began spraying revelers with bullets with a semi-automatic handgun.

Pardo was carrying a large present that turned out to be a homemade pressurized device to spray a flammable substance. Pardo is thought to have worked in the aerospace industry as an engineer, according to acquaintances.

Pardo was found dead from a single gunshot to the head at his home in Sylmar, approximately 25 miles away, a few hours later, police said.

Pardo's former wife and her parents are among the missing or dead.

Police officials said it is unclear whether the former wife, Sylvia Pardo, was at the party when the attack occurred or whether she was one of the injured.

Bruce Pardo had lived at the home alone, Zavala said. Court records show that his wife divorced him in September.

Neighbors said that until earlier this year, Bruce Pardo lived in the house with his former wife and her three children.

They were often seen walking their dog through the neighborhood.

'Sopranos' Actor Is Found Dead

2008-12-26T06:35:00.001-08:00

John Costelloe, an actor who was best known to viewers of “The Sopranos” for his role as the gay lover of a mobster, has died, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, The Associated Press reported. Citing a New York City police spokesman, the A.P. said Mr. Costelloe, 47, was found dead in his Brooklyn home on Dec. 18. Mr. Costelloe, a former New York City firefighter, was cast in “The Sopranos” in 2006 as a short-order cook, Jim Witowski, known as Johnny Cakes. His character was involved with Joseph Gannascoli, who played Vito Spatafore, a mob henchman seeking to keep his gay life secret.

SoCal man killed by cops was 2004 murder suspect

2008-12-24T06:15:00.000-08:00

A man shot and killed by police after a two-hour standoff near Los Angeles where he held his 7-year-old son hostage in a restaurant was a suspect wanted for the 2004 murder of his girlfriend, authorities said Wednesday.

The man killed was 38-year-old Manuel Benitez, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

Authorities had been seeking Benitez since the slaying of Stephanie Spears in Hawthorne more than four years ago. Benitez had a son with Spears, and the child had not been seen since the mother was beaten to death with a dumbbell, according to his fugitive profile on the FBI Web site. The Web site said Benitez may have been traveling with the son, Benjamin.

The boy suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh in Tuesday's standoff but was expected to survive, said sheriff's Lt. Liam Gallagher.

The standoff began after a police officer noticed a man take a boy off the sidewalk and head to the restaurant. Benitez ignored the officer's orders to stop and barricaded himself inside, Batres said.

Benitez was declared dead at the Chinese restaurant in an El Monte strip mall after police threw a flash-bang grenade inside then exchanged gunfire with him, Gallagher said.

Benitez was charged with murder and a California warrant was issued for his arrest in May 2005, the FBI Web site said. A federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution was issued in March 2006. The FBI had offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

Water Main Breaks, Drivers Trapped

2008-12-23T08:04:00.001-08:00

Crews scrambled to rescue motorists stranded in at least four feet of rushing water unleashed by a massive water main break early Tuesday just outside Washington, D.C.

At least 15 people in were rescued after the water main failed about 8 a.m. at River Road and Fenway Drive in Bethesda, Md., an official said. No injuries were reported.

Authorities said it was a 66-inch water main that broke on River Road near the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda.

Morning temperatures in the area were well below freezing.

California could be broke in 2 months

2008-12-23T04:54:00.000-08:00

California's chief financial officer warned Monday that the state would run out of money in about two months as hopes of a Christmas budget compromise melted into political finger-pointing by the end of the day.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger began the day on a cheerful note, suggesting that negotiations with Democratic leaders could lead to a budget deal as early as this week to help close the $42 billion shortfall that is projected through June 2010.

But later in the day, legislative leaders criticized Gov. Schwarenegger and indicated that their work will be done after the New Year.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass suggested to the governor that he should sign an $18 billion package Democrats sent to him last week containing both cuts and tax increases. But the Republicans refuse to negotiate on the deal, calling it "illegal".

Also Monday, state employee unions filed labor complaints to stop Schwarzenegger's plans to furlough workers as a way to deal with the state's ballooning budget deficit.

Last week, he ordered all state employees to take two days off a month without pay or a similar salary cut to save $1.3 billion in the coming fiscal year. He also ordered state agencies to cut their payrolls by 10 percent.

The Schwarzenegger administration referred calls to the state Department of Personnel Administration.

Greyhound Abandons 60 Passengers

2008-12-22T22:21:00.000-08:00

Unsafe road conditions in Seattle brought Greyhound's fleet to a standstill on Sunday, which apparently is why they abandoned riders outside in 25 degree weather last night.

According to the Seattle PI, the bus dropped off the passengers outside a shelter at the Seattle Center, but the shelter turned them away because it was full. Before they could get back on the bus, it had left. The passengers called the police, who responded to the Greyhound bus station and found it closed for the night.

Luckily for Greyhound's customers, the Seattle Police Department stepped in to find shelter.

The company has no plans to issue refunds to any of their passengers,says a Greyhound spokesperson, although they will allow them to sleep in "heated buses" until they're allowed to depart again.

Jesse Grund alleged Casey Anthony and Mom Fought

2008-12-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

The ex-fiancee of Casey Anthony alleged that she and and her mother got into a huge a fight the night before Casey's daughter, Caylee went missing.

Grund told the Sheriff's Investigators about this incident and said that Lee Anthony, Casey's brother told him.

"It got into a very heated argument, which turned physical and Cindy started choking Casey," Grund said.

Casey Anthony, 22, has been charged with murder after lying to police about the whereabouts of her daughter. She waited one month before revealing her daughter was missing. Caylee was reported missing July 15.

Caylee's remains were discovered by Roy Kronk, an Orange County meter reader on December 11 near Caylee's grandparents' home.

Five Men Guilty in Fort Dix Plot

2008-12-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

A federal jury on Monday convicted five men of conspiracy to kill American soldiers at the Fort Dix military base in New Jersey last year, but acquitted them of attempted murder, according to the Associated Press.

It took six days for the jury to return with guilty verdicts on three brothers-- Shain, Eljvir and Dritan Duka -- and two other defendants, Mohamad Shnewer and Serdar Tatar.

The men were arrested in May 2007 after one of the government's informant videotaped the men paying $1400 for seven machine guns.

Federal prosecutors said the five men plotted an attack on Fort Dix and the military personnel within it. They had taken major steps to train and arm themselves.

Defense lawyers argue that the men were never serious about attacking Fort Dix and that the government informants repeatedly coaxed the men into making incendiary comments on government wiretaps.

The men, all Muslim immigrants who lived in Philadelphia’s southern New Jersey suburbs, face a maximum of life in prison.

New evidence gathered at Casey Anthony's home

2008-12-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

Investigators say they have gathered additional evidence during a new search of the home of a Florida mother charged with killing her 3-year-old daughter.

Four vans arrived Saturday at the Orlando home Casey Anthony shared with her parents.

The search by Orange County deputies came a day after authorities said a tiny skeleton found last week in swampy woods less than a half-mile from the home was that of the missing toddler.

The 22-year-old has been charged with murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

S.F. Police Chief Announces Retirement

2008-12-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong, who rose through the ranks to become the city's first female chief nearly five years ago, will announce her retirement today on a radio program hosted by Mayor Gavin Newsom.

She plans to step down in April, once she reaches her 5-year anniversary and help for the search her successor.

Fong told The Chronicle that she is not being pushed out by the mayor, who has publicly supported her, or by her critics, including members of the rank-and-file, middle managers in the SFPD and the police officers' union.

Many speculated her rumored departure as the city approaches its 100th homicide.

Fong said the timing to begin her exit is appropriate, given that about a half-dozen reports on how to improve the department have recently been completed or will be soon. The studies cover such topics as foot patrols, station boundaries, technology, racial profiling and how the staff is organized and managed.

30,000 Troops Could Be Headed to Afghanistan

2008-12-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

The top U.S. military officer says that up to 30,000 new American troops could be sent to Afghanistan next year.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen said on a visit to Kabul that between 20,000 and 30,000 additional U.S. troops could be sent to Afghanistan by summer.

This would be the largest number any top U.S. military official has said publicly.

Mullen says that after those troops are added, only improvements in Afghanistan's governance and economic situation will affect the strength of the insurgency.

Obama Team Assembling $850 Billion Stimulus

2008-12-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats have entered discussions over an economic stimulus package that could grow to include $850 billion in new spending and tax cuts over the next two years, a gigantic sum that some Democrats say could prove difficult to push rapidly through Congress.

A package of that size -- which would include at least $100 billion for cash-strapped state governments and more than $350 billion for investments in infrastructure, alternative energy and other priorities -- is a significant increase over the numbers previously contemplated by Democrats. It would exceed the $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial system, as well as the annual budget for the Pentagon.

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GM, Chrysler Will Get $17 Billion Bailout

2008-12-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

President Bush just announced emergency loans to GM and Chrysler.

The White House will give struggling U.S. auto makers $17.4 billion in emergency loans from the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program, senior administration officials said. The funds will be distributed in two stages, the first totalling $13.4 billion. A second $4 billion tranche will be available in February, contingent on the release of the second half of the $700 billion TARP. An official said he expected General Motors (GM) and Chrysler to take advantage of the loans later Friday. Ford Motor (F) has said it doesn't need the emergency cash for now. Under the White House plan, the loans will be called on March 31 if the companies have not proven that they are viable. The terms and conditions of the deal mirror those in the bill that passed the House of Representatives last week.

NYC Airports Cancels Over 500 Flights

2008-12-19T07:05:00.000-08:00

More than 500 flights have been canceled at New York City-area airports ahead of a winter snowstorm.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Steve Coleman says most of the cancellations -- 374 -- are at Newark Liberty International Airport. Twelve flights have been canceled at Kennedy Airport and 140 have been canceled at LaGuardia.

Arriving flights are also coming in an hour late to LaGuardia and taking off 45 minutes late.

A major storm was expected to hit the state Thursday morning. The National Weather Service predicts up to 5 inches of snow in Manhattan, while 6 to 14 inches of snow are predicted across much of upstate New York.

Oil Drops below $34, Lowest Level In 5 Years

2008-12-19T06:57:00.000-08:00

Oil fell below $34 on Friday to its lowest level in almost five years as the global economic slowdown overshadowed OPEC's record supply cuts.

Oil prices have fallen by more than $110 from their peak above $147 in July. They look set for their second biggest weekly decline since 2003.

Oil has continued to drop despite pledges by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) this week to remove 2.2 million barrels per day from its supply, which will be the largest ever reduction by the producer group.

Because of the worldwide credit squeeze, many analysts now expect a drop in oil use this year, the first demand contraction since 1980.

Conservative activist Paul Weyrich dies

2008-12-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

Conservative activist Paul Weyrich, who coined the phrase "moral majority," has died. He was 66.

His death was announced Thursday by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that he had helped to create and where his son Steve is employed.

At his death, Weyrich was chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation, another conservative think tank. His latest commentary, posted on the foundation's Web site with Thursday's date, is called "The next Conservatism, a Serious Agenda for the Future."

Weyrich was one of three founders of the Moral Majority and later had a hand in creating the Christian Coalition.

Actor in Ohio Christmas show dies in 25-foot fall

2008-12-18T08:52:00.001-08:00

CINCINNATI (AP) — A spokeswoman at a Cincinnati mega-church says a Christmas pageant actor who fell about 25 feet during the show's opening night performance has died.

Crossroads Community Church says 23-year-old Keri Shryock died Thursday morning at University Hospital. A church spokeswoman says Shryock was a graduate student at Xavier University.

Shryock was playing the role of a wise man in a contemporary Nativity story and was suspended by an overhead cable when she fell Wednesday night. A spokeswoman for the church says it's not clear how the accident happened.

The church says it has canceled the 10 remaining performance of the Christmas show.

Justin Levens, wife found dead in possible murder-suicide

2008-12-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

Justin Levens, a veteran fighter in several mixed-martial-arts organizations, and his wife Sarah McLean-Levens were found dead inside their Southern California home on Wednesday in what police are calling an apparent murder-suicide.

Levens was 28 years old.

According to reports Justin Levens and Sarah McLean-Levens died from gunshot wounds.

Tragically, Levens is the second former member of the IFL's Condors who may have taken his own life. Onetime teammate Jeremy Williams died on May 5, 2007, of what was believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

BREAKING NEWS: Chrysler Closing All Its Plants for 30 Days!

2008-12-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

Detroit, MI -- Chrysler is closing all 30 of its manufacturing plants for a month starting Friday .

Chrysler says it will close all 30 of its manufacturing plants for a month starting Friday.

The company needs to match production to slowing demand and conserve cash.

Tighter credit markets are keeping would-be buyers away from their showrooms, Chrysler says. Dealers are unable to close sales for buyers due to a lack of financing, and estimate that 20 to 25 percent of their volume has been lost due to the credit situation.

Chrysler claims it is nearing the minimum level of cash it needs to run the company and will have trouble paying bills after the first of the year.

Operations at the 30 plants will be idled at the end of shift on Friday, Dec. 19, and will not come back online until Jan. 19, 2009, or later.

Judge Jails Muslim Woman Over Head Scarf

2008-12-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

Muslim woman arrested for refusing to take off her head scarf at a courthouse security checkpoint said Wednesday that she felt her human and civil rights were violated. A judge ordered Lisa Valentine, 40, to serve 10 days in jail for contempt of court, said police in Douglasville, a city of about 20,000 people on Atlanta's west suburban outskirts.

Valentine violated a court policy that prohibits people from wearing any headgear in court, police said after they arrested her Tuesday.

Valentine, who recently moved to Georgia from New Haven, Conn., said the incident reminded her of stories she'd heard of the civil rights-era South.

Valentine's husband, Omar Hall, said his wife was accompanying her nephew to a traffic citation hearing when officials stopped her at the metal detector and told her she would not be allowed in the courtroom with the head scarf, known as a hijab.

Hall said Valentine, an insurance underwriter, told the bailiff that she had been in courtrooms before with the scarf on and that removing it would be a religious violation. When she turned to leave and uttered an expletive, Hall said a bailiff handcuffed her and took her before the judge.

Drew Peterson Gets Engaged While Still Married to Missing Wife

2008-12-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

The ex-cop who is a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife and whose third wife died suspiciously in a bathtub is planning to walk down the aisle for a fifth time.

Drew Peterson, 54, is engaged again, his lawyer and publicist confirmed Wednesday to according to FOXNews.com

Even though Peterson is still married to the missing 23-year old Stacy Peterson, he has found a new 23-year old fiancee.

To Read More on the Story CLICK HERE

Padres Brian Giles Sued For Beating on GF

2008-12-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

Padres outfielder Brian Giles is being sued $10 million by former girlfriend who he beat and battered.

According to reports his former girlfriend, Cheri Olvera, claims Giles beatings resulted in a miscarriage. Olvera claims that they had a very abusive relationship and her reasons for staying with him was because he supported her.

Olvera alleged "the abuse began in 2002.

The suit was filed in San Diego Superior Court. Money apparently talks and it seems if it weren't for the miscarriage this couple would still be at it.

Time names Obama 'Person of the Year'

2008-12-17T09:12:00.001-08:00

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama has won another contest: He's been named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2008.

The magazine has named Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Gov. Sarah Palin and Chinese director Zhang Yimou as runners-up.

Last year's winner was Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Previous individual winners have included Bono, President George W. Bush and Amazon.com CEO and founder Jeff Bezos.

Search for plane in Caribbean; 11 said aboard

2008-12-16T12:49:00.000-08:00

Soon after taking off, a plane en route to New York sent a distress call, but it quickly went missing, authorities said Tuesday.

The aircraft sent an emergency signal before disappearing from the radar 35 minutes after taking off from the Dominican Republic at about 3:30 p.m. Monday with 11 people on board according to Director Jose Tomaz Perez of Dominican Civil Aviation Institute.

The plane belongs to Atlantis Airlines, and the flight was scheduled to last for just over an hour. The region where the plane disappeared is close to the Bermuda Triangle.

The Coast Guard and other agencies are continuing to search for the plane or survivors.

John Walsh Cries as Ottis Toole named Killer of Adam

2008-12-16T12:32:00.000-08:00

It was an emotional announcement as the father of a little boy finally confirmed what

he's been unable to prove for so long - Ottis Toole killed his son.

South Florida authorities announced the name of the man who murdered Adam Walsh, the son of John Walsh, who is the host of 'America's Most Wanted'.

Adam Walsh, who was abducted and killed in 1981 at the age of just six, was killed by Ottis Toole, who died in jail in the 90s.

According to the AP, Toole went missing from a Hollywood mall on July 27, 1981. His severed head was discovered in a canal 120 miles away two weeks later. The rest of his body was never found.

by Jack Ryan

Police Investigates Osbourne "Brawl"

2008-12-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

Sharon Osbourne is under police investigation after allegedly scuffling with a contestant on her reality TV show Rock of Love: Charm School.

Megan Hauserman claims Osbourne assaulted her during a recording of the show's reunion special on Saturday.

Osbourne is said to have flipped when Hauserman insulted her by saying she is only famous because of her marriage to Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne.

The rock matriarch allegedly ran across the stage, grabbed Hauserman by the hair, and scratched her.

Web site TMZ.com reports that the pair had to be pulled apart by security guards.

Hauserman went to the hospital the following afternoon and filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department that night.

Authorities have confirmed Osbourne is a suspect in a minor battery allegation but that no charges have been filed.

Phil Ruffin buys Vegas casino

2008-12-15T08:23:00.000-08:00

Wichita businessman Phil Ruffin Sr. is buying the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in a deal valued at $775 million.

Ruffin, whose interests include casinos and greyhound race tracks, purchased the property through Ruffin Acquisition LLC.

The deal with Ruffin is also includes $275 million in secured notes. The notes, which will be senior to any other financing, will be issued by Ruffin Acquisition and secured by Treasure Island's assets.

MGM Mirage acquired Treasure Island, famous for its pirate ship and staged battles outside, as part of the 2000 merger between MGM Grand and Mirage Resorts. The hotel-casino is located on the Las Vegas Strip and features 2,885 guest rooms and suites.

Casino gambling revenue on the Strip declined for the 10th straight month in October as consumers curbed travel spending and airlines reduced the number of flights to the city amid the U.S. recession.

Gambler sues casino over $900 million binge

2008-12-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

An Australian gambler who lost millions in gaming spree is suing one of the country's largest casinos, claiming he was targeted by managers despite a known gambling addiction.

Gambling addict Harry Kakavas is suing Crown Casino in Melbourne for A$50 million damages after a mammoth 14-month baccarat binge in which he lost A$37 million.

At the time in 2007, property developer Kakavas had been barred from every casino in Australia.

Supreme Court documents said Kakavas wore a concealed recorder that captured Crown managers allegedly attempting to lure him back to its riverside baccarat tables.

Crown is owned by Australian billionaire James Packer, who also operates Crown Macau and is developing a second casino project, The City of Dreams, in the Chinese territory. Last year the company reported profits of A$370 million.

Crown Chief Executive Rowen Craigie and Chief Operating Officer John Williams face accusations of unconscionable conduct while in charge of Crown, which this month reported revenue from table games and gaming machines up 4 percent as Packer looks to expand in Macau.

Court documents in Melbourne alleged that emails detailed a Crown plan to lure back Kakavas after managers discovered he had lost millions of dollars gambling in Las Vegas.

If found guilty, Crown could be judged to have breached Australia's Trade Practices Act, state gambling regulations and special laws covering the high-profile casino's operation.

Shoe Thrown at President Bush by an Iraqi Reporter

2008-12-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

During a news conference in Baghdad today, an Iraqi reporter launched two Nike missiles at President George Bush -- but he didn't quite have the accuracy to record a strike.

Check Out the footage here

Casey Anthony's Lawyers are Standing by her Story

2008-12-14T07:44:00.000-08:00

For months Florida mom Casey Anthony, 22, has blamed the disappearance of her daughter, Caylee Anthony on a babysitter. And the Anthonys' lawyers are sticking to the story as they are planning the tots mom defense.

Anthony is in jail accused of murdering Caylee, but Anthony stands by her claim that she dropped off her 2-year-old daughter with a sitter in June and never saw her again. That won't change if it turns out the skull and bones belong to Caylee.

Casey Anthony says she handed her daughter off to a woman in a park who was with another woman in a car, what the defense will try and prove is that Casey couldn't have killed Caylee.

It will be at least a week or two before forensic tests confirm whether the skeletal remains that a utility worker found in the woods Thursday are the girl's, but police haven't stopped looking for clues.

Police searched the Anthony's home Friday after the medical examiner found "some clues that came out of the remains" that "linked (them) to the house." But nothing more will be said about the evidence.

Blagojevich may quit on Monday: Illinois official

2008-12-14T07:37:00.000-08:00

Scandal-plagued Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich could announce on Monday that he will leave office, the state's top legal officer said on Sunday.

"We have heard that there is a possibility that tomorrow he will make an announcement where he will step aside," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told NBC's "Meet the Press."

Blagojevich was arrested last week on charges of swapping political favors for cash, including an attempt to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama following his November presidential election victory.

Sex Offender Criminal Checks: Now Internet Services Can Help You Keep Your Children Safer

2008-12-13T14:36:00.000-08:00

One of the most disturbing trends of our time is the increase in sex offenses against our children.

A study by the US Department of Justice found
- 67% of all victims of sexual assault were juveniles, under 18 years old
- Thirty-four percent of the victims were younger than 12
- One of every seven was less than 6 years old
This is such a tragedy but at least parents are becoming more aware of the problem. They're taking steps to safeguard their children by keeping them from going out alone or from going anywhere unsupervised.

If you're a parent, now there's even more you can do to protect your children.

How the Internet Can Help You Protect Your Children

Your computer and the Internet can play a major part in helping you keep your children safe. If you're like most folks, you probably have at least some experience looking up information online, using Google or Yahoo search perhaps.

What you may not realize is how much information you can uncover online about sex offenders and other criminals who pose a threat to your family.

Specialized background checking services now exist that take you directly to criminal histories and sex offender records. While the common search engines are good for finding general information on a variety of topics, they're not so helpful when you want to search for criminal records. The specialized services make it a whole lot easier and faster.

I became familiar with these criminal background checking services from my work as a professional writer and researcher. If you're a parent trying to protect your children, you'll want to find out as much as you can about what's available.

You Can Now Find Out Secrets Once Deeply Hidden While Sitting at Your Computer

It used to be time consuming and costly to check someone's background to see if they had a criminal history. You had to hire a private detective or go through some expensive reporting agency. Not today - not with Criminal record databases so readily available to us.

Sometimes referred to as Internet Detective sites, or Personal Search sites, these web-based search services give you the low-down on all kinds of formerly-hidden information.

They let you make complete criminal background checks and give you access to detailed information including:

- Sex Offender Status Records
- Geographic Locations of Registered Sex Offenders
- Criminal Records for all kinds of crimes
- Prison Records
- FBI and other Law Enforcement Agency Files
- Criminal History

Why Checking Criminal Backgrounds Can Help You Spot Crime Before It Happens

The unfortunate truth is that many offenders commit crimes again and again. The DOJ tracked one sample group of around three hundred thousand offenders and discovered an amazing fact. This one group of felons has so far accounted for nearly five million arrest charges over their recorded careers.

Here are more disturbing findings from US Department of Justice studies:

- When criminals were arrested for a new crime, more than half of them were out on probation, parole or pretrial release for a previous crime.
- 39% of jail inmates had already served 3 or more prior sentences.
- Of the hundreds of thousands of criminals released from prisons during a one year period, an estimated 67.5% were rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within 3 years, 46.9% were reconvicted, and 25.4% resentenced to prison for a new crime.

And the most chilling statistics

- Sex offenders were about four times more likely than non-sex offenders to be arrested for another sex crime after their discharge from prison.
- Of released sex offenders and child molesters arrested for committing another sex crime, 40% perpetrated the new offense within a year or less from their prison discharge.
It's extremely troubling but the very fact that so many criminals are repeat offenders is what makes using criminal background checks so effective. Those past crimes leave a trail. Access to that trail, that criminal history, is easily available through the specialized background check services.

The criminal history you can easily find out there can forewarn you. You'll know if someone has a criminal background and is therefore likely commit a crime again. It's not pre-judging. It's just being realistic and practical.

Experts Recommend Parents Use Criminal Background Checking Services

Safety experts are starting to recommend that parents use a criminal background checking service regularly. By running a criminal background check on anyone you find suspicious or even anyone your child might come into contact with, you'll know if there's anything to worry about. You'll be armed with the knowledge you need to take appropriate action.

You can use the search services to check out your baby sitter, nanny, au pair, day care center and staff, and even school teachers and workers.

You can use it to search geographically and find out if known sex offenders live near you. It's now possible to determine exactly where they live.

When You Choose a Criminal Background Search Service, Here's What to Look For

To help you find the best possible service for criminal background checking, here are the things I've found important to consider during a review:

1. Free versus Paid

I've been disappointed by the free services. Better to pay the small fee and get quality information you can trust. Many of the better services have special offers of multi-year memberships for a low one-time fee. The cost can be less than what you'd pay for a low-priced blouse or golf shirt.

2. Speed

You want a service that responds quickly and gives you exactly the information you need. Make sure you try it out. Check both speed and accuracy!

3. Proprietary Database

If a service compiles their own database, it's a sign they're more likely to be in the business for the long term. That's because a proprietary database is costly to build and maintain. A company wouldn't invest if they didn't expect to stay in business.

From a usability standpoint, a dedicated database is better too. You get a single interface that you can quickly learn.

(One note: I've never seen a free service that has its own database. Most of the free services I've checked out are really just link farms - they just point you at some public or government database. You could get that from the general search engines.)

4. Training and Support

Be sure you can easily learn to use any service you choose. Actually, you'll find that the better services are pretty intuitive: you'll know what to do just by looking at it. But better services will also provide extra, in-depth searching. If you ever need the extra, it might require you dig into it a bit before you can fully use it. Just make sure your service has easy, accessible ways to learn, like tutorials.

And don't ignore support. Sooner or later you'll have questions or there will be something you need help to get resolved. The best services offer free, live support with a phone number or live chat where you can talk directly with a person.

Final Word

It's a threatening world but fortunately, you can use modern technology to better protect your children. Like the experts recommend, sign up for Criminal Background Checking service and use it regularly.

Bank of America to cut up to 35,000 jobs

2008-12-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

Bank of America Corp said on Thursday it plans to eliminate 30,000 to 35,000 jobs over three years, reflecting its pending purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co and weaker business activity stemming from the economic recession.

The cuts could affect as much as 11.4 percent of the combined companies' workforce of about 308,000 people, and are intended to help save $7 billion of annual costs.

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank said it won't determine the final number of cuts until early 2009, and that as many as possible will come through attrition.

Ice Storms Knock Power Out Across NY, New England

2008-12-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

A winter storm pounded New England with pouring rain, sleet and ice, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands across the region, closing schools and roads and prompting Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to declare a statewide state of emergency Friday.

Patrick said at a news conference that 350,000 customers across the state were without power -- and the number had risen 150,000 homes in just an hour. He said it would be "ambitious" to think power would be restored by Monday.

The governor declared a state of emergency Friday morning, which enables him to move quickly to deal with the storm. At least 20 towns did the same locally.

There have been no reports of injuries related to the storm.

Jackson Backers Sought Cash for Ill. Gov.

2008-12-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

Businessmen with ties to both Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson discussed raising $1 million for Blagojevich to help persuade him to appoint Jackson to President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, according to a published report.

The Chicago Tribune reports that businessman Raghuveer Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi told attendees at an Oct. 31 meeting that they needed to raise the money for the governor to ensure Jackson's appointment.

"Raghu said he needed to raise a million for Rod to make sure Jesse got the seat," an unidentified source who attended the meeting told the Tribune. Blagojevich also attended the meeting, which was sponsored by Nayak, an Oak Brook businessman.

Nayak, 54, has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Blagojevich and is also close to the Jackson family. Bedi has also been a Blagojevich fundraiser.

Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on federal corruption charges that alleges that the governor was selling Obama's vacate Senate seat.

Pinup Queen Bettie Page Dies at 85

2008-12-12T06:23:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bettie Page, the 1950s secretary-turned-model whose controverisal photographs in skimpy attire or none at all helped set the stage for the 1960s sexual revolution, died Thursday. She was 85.

Page suffered a heart attack last week in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness, said her agent Mark Roesler. Before the heart attack, Page had been hospitalized for three weeks with pneumonia.

Page attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie.

Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic poses.

The latter helped contribute to her mysterious disappearance from the public eye, which lasted decades and included years during which she battled mental illness and became a born-again Christian.

Her career started in October 1950 when she took a respite from her job as a secretary in a New York office for a walk along the beach at Coney Island. An amateur photographer named Jerry Tibbs admired the 27-year-old's body and asked her to pose.

Photo: LA Times

Macaulay Culkin's Sister, Dakota Struck By Car, Killed

2008-12-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

"Home Alone" star Macaulay Culkin's older sister has died.

Dakota Culkin, who sustained injuries after being struck by a car, died Wednesday afternoon at UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, Calif.

According to TMZ, law enforcement sources say that Dakota was walking on Los Angeles' Westside on Tuesday when she stepped off a curb and was struck by a car.

So far, no arrests have been made in the case, which is under investigation by the LAPD.

Child's Skeletal Remains Found Near Home of Caylee Anthony's Family

2008-12-11T09:08:00.000-08:00

The skeletal remains of a small child were found Thursday near the home of missing Orlando toddler Caylee Anthony's family.

Orange County sheriffs and forensics teams were at the location where the remains were discovered near the Anthony home.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Office Depot will close 112 stores

2008-12-10T16:25:00.001-08:00

Office Depot Inc. will close about 9 percent of its North American stores over the next three months and open fewer locations next year in an effort to cut costs, the office supply chain said Wednesday.

The plan to shutter 112 stores will reduce the chain's base to 1,163. It plans to close 45 stores in the Central U.S., 40 in the Northeast and Canada, 19 in the West and eight in the South.

Office Depot also will close six of its 33 North American distribution facilities.

The struggling retailer considered store closings in October, when it reported a third-quarter loss due to slumping sales as consumers and small businesses cut back spending.

Jesse Jackson Jr Denies Wrongdoing

2008-12-10T16:17:00.000-08:00

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. said Wednesday he openly sought appointment to Barack Obama's Senate seat but denied offering favors in return to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and said he was not involved "whatsoever in any wrongdoing."

A lawyer for Jackson acknowledged that the Illinois Democrat is "Senate Candidate 5" in the 76-page federal complaint filed against Blagojevich, who was arrested Tuesday. Wiretapped conversations suggest Blagojevich felt the candidate would raise campaign money for him in exchange for being appointed to the Senate seat vacated by the president-elect.

Jackson, a seven-term House member and son of civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, told reporters in Washington that he spoke with the U.S. attorney's office Tuesday.

Click Here to Read Jesse Jackson Jr Statement

Obama to Nominate Steven Chu for Energy Secretary

2008-12-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

Officials are saying that President-elect Barack Obama will nominate Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu for Energy Secretary.

The selection of a scientist rather than a Washington insider as energy secretary suggests that in the Obama administration, energy policy will be directed out of the White House rather than the Energy Department.

Chu has served for the last four years as director of the Energy Department's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California.

He was an early advocate of finding scientific solutions to combat climate change, according to the Berkeley Lab Web site. And during his tenure there, he has worked to make the Berkeley facility a world leader in alternative and renewable energy research, particularly with the development of carbon-neutral energy sources.

In 1997, Chu shared the Nobel Prize in physics for his work to develop methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light.

Obama will make the announcement in the next few weeks.

On Thursday, Obama will hold a news conference in Chicago to name former Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle as secretary of health and human services. That choice has been known for some time.

QB Matt Cassel leaves Patriots after father dies

2008-12-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The father of New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel has died.

Coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that Greg Cassel died Monday night and Matt has left the team. Belichick said he didn't know when the player would return.

Greg Cassel was a script writer in California, and the Patriots were practicing at San Jose State this week for Sunday's game at the Oakland Raiders. The team stayed on the West Coast after last Sunday's 24-21 win in Seattle.

Matt Cassel is from Northridge in the Los Angeles area and his father and mother Barbara divorced when he was 14.

Yahoo Layoffs Today May Not Be Last

2008-12-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

Yahoo began laying off 1,500 workers on Wednesday as part of a plan, announced in October, to slash expenses by $400 million a year. The cost cutting, however, may have to go deeper in the coming year.

Microsoft has been sucking up Yahoo talent -- particularly in search and most notably with the plucking of Qi Lu -- and is eager to do more.

The job cuts today will affect most parts of the company, but that Yahoo executives are still evaluating which projects will be de-emphasized or cut altogether.

“This is more of a cost reduction rather than business prioritization,” Spokeseman Brad Williams says about the layoffs. “Business prioritization will continue going forward. We are looking at businesses we may put into maintenance mode.”

In addition, the company is going to be looking for ways to cut expenses further, by curtailing travel, procurement and other areas.

Yahoo chief executive Jerry Yang penned a farewell note to laid off employees on the company’s blog. If you want to know how managers are supposed to notify employees whose jobs are being cut, check out Valleywag.

Report: Jesse Jackson Jr. Allegedly Named by Blagojevich as Willing to Pay for Senate Seat

2008-12-10T12:03:00.000-08:00

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. reportedly is the "Senate Candidate 5" mentioned in a 76-page complaint filed by prosecutors against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has been accused of a pay-to-play effort to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

According to the FBI affidavit in the case, Blagojevich “stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH” with something “tangible up front.”

Jackson, who has expressed interest in being appointed to the post, is holding a press conference at 4:15 p.m. ET to respond to the suggestion, and has denied any wrongdoing.

Jackson told ABC News that he did not authorize anyone to make payments or promises on his behalf to the governor, and he is going to meet with federal prosecutors "as quickly as possible" after consulting with lawyers.

In the affidavit, Blagojevich also allegedly says that unless Obama helps his wife get a seat on a corporate or nonprofit board, he will appoint Senate Candidate 5, rather than Senate Candidate 1, who has been reported to be Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. Jarrett is joining the White House staff.

Jackson was expected to travel to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday for an event Thursday and Friday hosted by his father's Rainbow Push Coalition.

The office of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who is prosecuting the case, would not say whether Jackson is Senate Candidate 5. The FBI referred all comments to Fitzgerald's office.

Convicted Child Killer Diane Downs Denied Parole

2008-12-09T16:07:00.000-08:00

Diane Downs, a mother convicted of shooting her children and killing one of them, has been denied parole after serving nearly 25 years.

Downs answered questions via video link from a California prison for more than two hours today before the Oregon parole board turned her down. It was her first chance at parole.

Her daughter, 7-year-old Cheryl Lynn, was fatally shot on a rural road near Springfield in 1983. Two other children were seriously wounded.

Downs was sentenced to life in prison, plus 55 years. She is now 53.

Downs has told varying stories, including that a bushy-haired stranger shot the children. At the hearing, she produced a book that she claimed points to a conspiracy against her and her family.

Ruffalo's brother dies in LA a week after shooting

2008-12-09T12:23:00.001-08:00

TMZ and L.A. Now are reporting that Mark Ruffalo's brother, hairdresser Scott Ruffalo, has died from the gunshot wound to the head he suffered.

One suspect, Shaha Mishaal Adham, is in custody. She and a friend, Brian Scofield, turned themselves in Monday to Beverly Hills police.

This is so sad. Our condolences to Scott's family and friends.

Ill. Gov Blagojevich Arrested on Corruption Charges

2008-12-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on criminal charges on Tuesday, including trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by fellow Democrat President-elect Barack Obama, federal prosecutors said.

Blagojevich was also accused of threatening to withhold substantial state assistance to the Tribune Company in connection with the sale of the Chicago Cubs' baseball home Wrigley Field "to induce the firing of Chicago Tribune editorial board members sharply critical" of him.

The 51-year-old Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were charged in a 76-page federal indictment with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery. Both were taken into custody at their homes in Chicago.

Federal agents made undercover tape recordings of Gov. Blagojevich with help from Harris, according to a published report issued Friday.

Investigators are looking into allegations of corruption, involving Blagojevich and the Health Facilities Planning Board, as well as the Teachers Retirement System. The investigation has been going on for several years, and initially, Blagojevich dismissed the claims. But the probe later resulted in the indictment and conviction of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, Blagojevich's chief political fundraiser.

The announcement comes shortly after the Chicago Tribune reported that the three-year corruption investigation of pay-to-play politics in Blagojevich's administration "has expanded to include his impending selection of a new U.S. senator to succeed President-elect Barack Obama." There was, apparently, reason to believe Blagojevich's search for Obama's replacement has become "tainted."

There's obviously a lot of questions about what happens next, but right now, I'm wondering who'll get to pick the next senator from Illinois if Blagojevich is facing criminal charges.

Military Jet Crashes in a San Diego Neighborhood

2008-12-08T14:11:00.000-08:00

SAN DIEGO (AP) — An F-18 military jet approaching a Marine base crashed near a busy highway in a densely populated San Diego neighborhood Monday, sparking at least one house fire.

The pilot ejected, but it wasn't immediately clear whether the pilot or anyone on the ground was injured, officials said.

The plane crashed around noon Monday as it prepared to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, said Ian Gregor, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman. The crash occurred two miles from the base.

Gregor did not know the pilot's condition or how many people were in the plane before it crashed near Interstate 805.

A high school sits near the crash site. Television news footage showed what appeared to be the remnants of a smoldering house and two cars on fire.

Resident Ed Costa said he had just returned from a grocery run he heard a boom and ran outside.

"When I first heard the noise, I thought it was a gunshot," said Costa, 54, who lives about two blocks from the crash site.

"I could see black smoke going up," Costa told The Associated Press. "Then we heard a secondary blast. Flames were shooting as high as the light pole."

Costa's 22-year-old son Dean felt the house vibrate, then made his way close to the crash site and saw two houses on fire and several cars explode.

"It was just crazy," he said. "There was debris everywhere."

Maurice Luque, a spokesman for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, said he didn't know whether anyone on the ground was injured.

A Miramar spokeswoman said base workers were sent to the crash site.

"We are still trying to confirm the aircraft even belongs to us," said Marine Staff Sgt. Bobbie Bryant.

The F-18 is a supersonic jet used widely in the Marine Corps and Navy.

Miramar, well known for its role in the movie "Top Gun," is home to some 10,000 Marines. It was operated by the Navy until 1996.

By ELLIOT SPAGAT

Tribune Files for Banruptcy

2008-12-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

Sam Zell's Tribune Company filed for bankruptcy today in a Delaware court.

Sam Zell said in a memo to Tribune employees that "factors beyond our control have created a perfect storm—a precipitous decline in revenue and a tough economy coupled with a credit crisis that makes it extremely difficult to support our debt."

The 161-year-old company, taken private last year by Zell for $8.3 billion, listed assets of $7.6 billion and debt of $12.9 billion in a Chapter 11 petition filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

Since taking over Tribune almost a year ago, Zell has been cutting jobs and selling assets including Newsday in Long Island, New York, to cope with its debt load and declining revenue. At the same time, U.S. newspaper industry ad sales have plunged at accelerating rates, dropping 18 percent in the third quarter.

Supreme Court Won't Hear Obama Citizenship Case

2008-12-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

In a one-line decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today chose not to hear the case questioning President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship.

The lawsuit filed by Leo Donofrio says Obama cannot be president because he is not a natural born citizen. It says that because when Obama was born on Aug. 4,1961 in Honolulu, Kenya, where the president-elect's father was born, was a British colony. It says Obama had dual citizenship.

The Constitution says only a "natural born citizen" may become president.

Donoforio's lawsuit is one among several that have sprung since the election casting doubt on Obama's citizenship. During the primary season, Obama had fought similar reports, as well as those alleging that he is a radical Muslim, with a website, Fightthesmears.com. The site still has a copy of Obama's birth certificate posted on it.

The high court's decision on Monday is the second time in recent weeks that it has declined to take up an appeal questioning Obama's eligibility to serve as president, according to the SCOTUS blog. The court did not give any reason for refusing the case, "thus indicating it had little interest in either or had found them to be completely without merit."

Laura Bush Killed A Guy?

2008-12-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

As the end of the Bush presidency comes to an end it seems the media is doing it's best to slam both President Bush, his wife Laura Bush, and any one else who associates themselves with this president. The media is angry and are crying for blood. Laura Bush is now being criticized for a terrible accident she was involved in many years ago in which the case had been solved. Here we have now the internet bloggers, news writers, and even TV shows like Family Guy who are hoping to crush the Bush family.

Laura Bush was involved in an accident in Texas in which she accidentally killed a guy.

In 1963, according to a public police report, Laura Bush (then known as Laura Welch) was involved in a fatal car accident. According to the report, Laura Welch allegedly had been driving when her car passed a stop sign and struck a sedan driven by 17-year-old named Michael Douglas. No charges were filed as a result of the accident. There was another female teenage passenger in Laura Welch’s car.

According to Bush's spokesperson, "It was a very tragic accident that deeply affected the families and was very painful for all involved, including the community at large. To this day, Mrs. Bush remains unable to talk about it."

Man Accused in Mutilation Death Dies in Jail

2008-12-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

A Texas man by the name of Christopher McCuin has been found dead nearly one year after being accused of killing and 'cooking' his girlfriend Jana Shearer.

According to reports, Christopher McCuin, who was accused of murdering and cooking his girlfriend's body parts earlier this year, has ironically been found dead.

McCuin was found 'unresponsive' in his jail cell in Smith County, according to 'Justice of the Peace' James Meredith, and was pronounced dead Sunday afternoon.

'Dog The Bounty Hunter' Searching For Hawaii Rapist

2008-12-06T12:15:00.000-08:00

Duane “Dog” Chapman, bounty hunter and star of his own reality TV show is on the trail of a convicted child molester who failed to report to a Honolulu prison on December 1.

Frank LeFrandt Jr. was supposed to have started serving a 10-year prison term for raping a 13-year-old boy.

A Circuit Court judge issued a $5 million bench warrant on Tuesday after LeFrandt jumped bail. His car was found last week at the airport.

Chapman stands to make ten percent of the $100,000 bail bond issued on Lefrandt’s behalf in August. However Chapman’s wife Beth says her husband is not concerned about money.

Chapman broke into the national limelight when he captured Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in Mexico. Luster was wanted in connection with a series of rapes.

Desperate for job, man carries a sign

2008-12-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK — After nine fruitless months of looking for work, Paul Nawrocki has turned to a Depression-era tactic to find a job.

Over the past few days the 59-year-old businessman has been walking the sidewalks of midtown Manhattan wearing a suit, a tie and a large sign that reads: "Almost homeless."

"My unemployment benefits are going to run out in less than a month. I was getting a little panicked and I didn't know what to do," said Nawrocki, who was laid off from his job at a toy company last February.

"Finally I said, 'I'm going to put out a sandwich board and try to sell myself in the city,"' he said. "I had to do something dramatic, because I was getting really discouraged sending my resume out every day, and not getting anywhere."

The sight of a middle-class businessman down on his luck seems to have struck a chord with some New Yorkers.

Nawrocki said he's already landed interviews with recruiters who saw him passing out his resume on the street.

A business news blogger posted an item about him, which led to more coverage on BusinessWeek.com and an interview with the BBC.

He's gotten encouragement from regular New Yorkers too.

"People here can be very warm here when they see that someone is genuinely vulnerable," said Nawrocki.

"I've seen a lot of people look at me and get scared, too. Not of me, but you see it in their eyes. They are thinking, 'Could it come to this? Could this be me someday?"'

Nawrocki, who is married with a daughter just out of college, spent 23 years in the toy industry, mostly as an import operations manager.

He made a good salary at his old job, "almost six figures," he said, but has burned through his retirement savings since losing his job at the Sababa Group in February.

The company filed for bankruptcy in August.

As for the "almost homeless" line on his sign, "It's not far from the truth," Nawrocki said.

His wife has health problems that limit her ability to work. The family has big health insurance and mortgage payments coming due.

"I don't know what's going to happen if I don't work in the next few weeks," he said.

Clubbing May Have Led to Murder for Brooklyn Woman

2008-12-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

A 25-year-old woman was reported missing early Wednesday after leaving a popular Manhattan nightclub, and investigators suspected she was the victim of foul play, the police said Friday.

Laura Garza, who had just recently moved to Bay Ridge, spent the night dancing at Chelsea hot spot Marquee before taking off at 4 a.m. with the man she had been hanging around, 23 year-old registered sex offender Michael Mele.

Mele turned himself into state police in yesterday in Newburgh, not far from his Wallkill apartment where they believe he may have committed a violent assault on Garza.

Mele is the son of retired MTA Assistant Deputy Police Chief William Mele and was currently on probation after a conviction of forcible touching. While police did not recover Garza's body at his home, they found blood stains and a suspiciously missing chunk of carpeting.

South Carolina Killer Is Executed

2008-12-06T07:44:00.001-08:00

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A South Carolina man convicted of torturing and killing a woman 16 years ago was executed by lethal injection. The man, Joseph M. L. Gardner, did not make a statement, but he mouthed the words “Thank you; I’m O.K.” to a relative who was attending the execution. Mr. Gardner was convicted in the kidnapping, rape and murder of Melissa McLauchlin, 25.

Model Bettie Page hospitalized after heart attack

2008-12-05T20:53:00.001-08:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bettie Page, one of the most notable models of the 20th century, is hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a heart attack in Los Angeles.

Mark Roesler, Page's agent and attorney, says Friday that the 85-year-old is "critically ill." He says she suffered a heart attack Tuesday and remains hospitalized.

He would not comment further on her condition.

Page is credited with helping set the stage for the sexual revolution of the rebellious 1960s. She attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and lingerie that were tacked up on walls in military barracks, garages and elsewhere.

Reality Star Killed in Car Wreck

2008-12-05T15:32:00.001-08:00

A young woman killed in a North Texas crash in late October died shortly after taping her final appearance on an MTV reality series, TMZ.com reports.

Kandice Hutchinson, a contestant on the upcoming "A Double Shot at Love," which features bisexual twin sisters looking for love, was ejected from her vehicle when it was rear-ended on W. Airport Freeway in Euless.

According to TMZ, producers of the show edited Hutchinson's scenes to remove some of the more outrageous behavior, out of respect for her family.

Producers have been in touch with family members who remain supportive of MTV's plan to keep her in the show, TMZ reports.

The first episode of the show will reportedly be dedicated to her.

Another Kennedy in the Senate?

2008-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

It is entirely possible that another Kennedy may be headed for the US Senate, in this case Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the slain President John F. Kennedy. New York Governor David Patterson has reportedly made the offer.

So far the office of the Governor of New York has denied the story, suggesting that others are being considered as well. Other candidates include Robert Kennedy JR., whose father Robert Kennedy actually held the New York Senate seat before being assassinated in 1968, and Andrew Cuomo, the New York state Attorney General and son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo.

Is it possible that the Obama campaign coupled with the illness of her uncle Sen. Ted Kennedy (Mass.) has made Caroline Kennedy rethink her opposition to elected office? Maybe. But, as Ben Smith (the oracle of New York politics) points out, whoever gets this appointment will not only have to run in a 2010 special election but also again in 2012 for the full six-year term. Kennedy's last name and national celebrity would lessen the fundraising burden but she would still need to spend the next four years of her life running for office.

Supreme Court Silent on Obama Birth Certificate Lawsuit

2008-12-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

The Supreme Court made no announcement today whether or not it will hear Donofrio v. Wells, the lawsuit challenging the election based on Barack Obama's release- or alleged lack thereof- of his official birth certificate and his citizenship status. (The court did decide to hear two cases, one of which is the case of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, an Al Qaeda combatant seized on American soil.) Of course, there's no guarantee the Court will ever actually issue any statement on the Obama case since it was simply petitioned to the court and, along with hundreds of other cases, could be dismissed without any comment at all. But as Frank James, over at The Swamp says, "the lack of an announcement doesn't mean the court definitely won't hear Donofrio." So either we will or we won't. Hmm.

O.J. Simpson sentenced to at least 15 years

2008-12-05T13:26:00.000-08:00

LAS VEGAS (AP — A broken O.J. Simpson has been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison for a Las Vegas hotel armed robbery by a judge who rejected his apology and said, "It was much more than stupidity."

Simpson stood stone-faced Friday when Judge Jackie Glass quickly rattled off his punishment after he pleaded with her that he didn't mean to steal from anybody when he tried to retrieve memorabilia.

He appeared ready to break down in tears as he told that he was "sorry and confused" before going into a rambling and emotional 5-minute declaration.

"I didn't want to steal anything from anyone ... I'm sorry, sorry," he said.

Glass ruled before sentencing that Simpson cannot be freed on bail pending possible appeal.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LAS VEGAS (AP — O.J. Simpson has apologized to the judge at his sentencing hearing and says he didn't mean to steal from anybody when he tried to retrieve memorabilia.

Simpson made his statement before sentencing Friday in his armed robber case in a soft voice that was somewhat hoarse.

He appeared ready to break down in tears as he told Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass that he was "sorry and confused" before going into a rambling and emotional 5-minute declaration.

"I didn't want to steal anything from anyone ... I'm sorry, sorry," he said.

Judge Glass ruled before sentencing that Simpson cannot be freed on bail pending possible appeal.

By Ken Ritter

Disguised Mother Woos Juror in Bid to Free Son

2008-12-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (AP) — Doreen Giuliano was obsessed with saving her son from a life behind bars after he was convicted of murder. She gave herself an extreme makeover — blonde dye job, fake tan, sexy wardrobe, phony name — and began spying on jurors. She befriended one juror to root out any possible misdeeds at the trial, and for nearly eight months, they drank at bars, smoked marijuana and shared meals in her tiny Brooklyn hideaway.

The juror eventually opened up to her about his time as a juror, completely unaware that this seductive older woman was the same dutiful mother who sat through the entire trial just a few feet away from him.

The bizarre saga has become the basis for a defense motion filed this week demanding that the verdict be set aside, while exposing the desperate attempt that Giuliano made to win her son's freedom.

"What she did was extraordinarily commendable," said one of Giuliano's lawyers, Ezra Glaser. "It shows the love of a mother and the great lengths she'll go to to help her child."

The juror, naturally, doesn't quite see it that way. Jason Allo faces the possibility of being hauled into court to explain conversations recorded by a seductive undercover mother wearing a wire.

"He didn't do anything wrong," said his attorney, Salvatore Strazzullo. "We're going to defend Mr. Allo's actions to the full extent of the law."

Among other things, the motion accuses the 33-year-old Allo of concealing that he had personal knowledge that Giuliano's son, John Giuca, ran with a rough crowd, and of defying orders to avoid news coverage once the highly publicized proceedings started. It argues that Allo "admitted the outside information he obtained about the case prejudiced him against Mr. Giuca."

A spokesman for the Brooklyn District attorney's office said only that the motion was being reviewed. But the defense is a longshot: Courts rarely overturn guilty jury verdicts.

Guica was convicted of the 2003 murder of Mark Fisher, a 19-year-old college student from Andover, N.J., who had gone to an after-hours party Guica hosted in Brooklyn while his parents were out of town.

Prosecutors say Giuca, then a skinny 20-year-old, was a leader of a self-styled gang called the Ghetto Mafia. At trial, prosecutors said Fisher was targeted for showing "disrespect" by sitting on a table in Giuca's house.

Giuca ordered another gang member "to go show that guy what's up," then gave the shooter a .22-caliber handgun, prosecutors said. At dawn, police responding to a report of gunshots found Fisher's body shot five times and dumped on a sidewalk.

It took more than a year for police to arrest the shooter. Giuca was taken into custody one month later after authorities secured witnesses who linked him to the crime.

A jury deliberated only two hours before convicting Giuca of second-degree murder in 2005. He and the gunman were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison by a judge who told them that because the killing was callous, "my sentence will be callous."

Lawyers for Giuliano and Allo refused requests to speak to their clients. But court papers — along with a piece in Vanity Fair magazine and an article in The New York Times based on interviews with Giuliano and Allo — detail a story of despair and deception.

Giuliano, 47, says she was driven by the belief her son was set up by authorities and vilified in the press.

"My main concern was that John got a fair trial," she said.

Said Allo: "I understand her motivation, but that's not right."

Allo's lawyer declined to discuss Giuliano's tactics. But her lawyer said under state law, she "had a right to record those conversations."

"Ultimately, the only person who acted inappropriately was Mr. Allo," Glaser said.

By Giuliano's own account, her son's conviction nearly gave her a nervous breakdown. In 2006, she hatched a plan to begin spying on jurors to see if she could uncover any misconduct.

She eventually zeroed in on Allo, a construction worker with a shaved head living in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. She tailed him for months, once even wearing a head scarf as a disguise.

While casing his apartment, "His cat sat in the window," she said. "So I knew I'd say I was a cat-lover when I met him."

In the fall of 2007, Giuliano reinvented herself. She slimmed down at the gym, rented an apartment in Allo's neighborhood and printed business cards with her assumed name: Dee Quinn, a a recent West Coast transplant.

Her husband initially told her she was crazy, but backed down. Soon she orchestrated a chance meeting with Allo on the street, pretending to be a lonely single woman from California and giving him her phone number.

Giuliano began inviting Allo over to her place and to soften him up. He never recognized her from her days sitting through the trial.

"She was offering me wine, offering to smoke weed," he said.

There also was flirting. But both said it never went any further. Mainly, they talked. And her digital tape recorder rolled.

She says she struck gold in late 2007, while grilling her new friend about his jury duty.

"I'll tell you this but I would never tell anybody else," he said, according to transcripts prepared by the defense. "I actually had some type of information."

Allo went on to explain that he didn't know Giuca directly, but used to hang out in his clique and heard rumors about the Fisher slaying — something he failed to mention when questioned under oath during jury selection. Asked if he had been curious about newspaper accounts of the trial, he responded that he'd read them. He also bragged that he had been the first one during deliberations to vote for a conviction.

"I shouldn't have been in that jury," he said.

By TOM HAYS

US investigator leads plane crash probe

2008-12-05T06:29:00.000-08:00

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A U.S. investigator is studying the charred wreckage of a small plane that plowed into a Puerto Rican rainforest to pinpoint the cause of the deadly crash.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board says Todd Gunther is leading the probe.

The Rockwell International 690B plane slammed into El Yunque mountain on Wednesday, killing Caribbean pilot Ken Webster and two U.S. tourists on board.

A spokesman for the Medical Mutual of Ohio health insurance company is identifying the two Americans as Kent W. Clapp, the firm's chief executive, and his fiancee, Tracy Turner. Puerto Rican officials previously had identified the man as Ken Clapp.

The couple from Avon Lake outside Cleveland chartered the plane from the British Virgin Islands.

Robbers Grabs $108 Million in Diamonds from Harry Winston

2008-12-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

Armed robbers stole diamonds valued at 85 million euros ($108 million) from the Paris branch of jeweler Harry Winston, the city prosecutors’ office said.

our armed men entered the store on Avenue Montaigne near the Champs-Elysees shortly before its 5:30 p.m. closing time yesterday, prosecutors’ spokeswoman Isabelle Montagne said. They took almost all the jewels on display and forced the staff to give them diamonds from storage. No shots were fired, she said.

“We are clearly dealing with well-organized, ruthless criminals,” Montagne said. Police investigators removed forensic evidence from the store, she said.

The branch was closed today, with a sole security guard outside saying he knew nothing about what happened yesterday. Three of the window displays were empty, while a diamond pendant and two jewel-encrusted watches were in the other two.

Television news cameras and curious tourists gathered on the street. “How on earth are they going to fence all that,” asked Richard Conacher, a 39-year-old pub worker from Melbourne.

That’s a good question, how can they fence all that? Well, in the Guy Ritchie tradition, maybe they were doing it for some crime boss who was going to feed them to pigs otherwise.

The largest-ever jewelry heist took place in February 2003, when thieves took diamonds valued at 100 million euros from vaults at Antwerp’s diamond exchange, according to Agence France- Presse.

Benedict, actor in `The Jeffersons,' dies at 70

2008-12-04T16:02:00.001-08:00

Paul Benedict, the actor who played the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the sitcom "The Jeffersons," has died. He was 70.

Benedict was found dead Monday on Martha's Vineyard and his brother, Charles, said authorities were still investigating the cause of death.

Benedict began his acting career in the 1960s in the Theatre Company of Boston, alongside such future stars as Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino.

Benedict went on to appear in a number of movies, including a role as the oddball director in "The Goodbye Girl" with Richard Dreyfuss. But he was mainly known for his role as Bentley in "The Jeffersons," which ran on CBS from 1975 to '85.

Planned Parenthood Offering Gift Cards

2008-12-04T15:25:00.000-08:00

Gift certificates are nothing new this holiday season, but what if you can get one for an abortion?

For the first time, Planned Parenthood in Indiana is offering gift cards in $25 increments.

Officials say the vouchers enable people to give their loved ones "the gift of life" — that would help pay for annual checkups and birth control — but also can be used for abortions.

Chrystal Struben-Hall with Planned Parenthood of Indiana said the idea is a response to economic woes that have forced many women to put health care at the bottom of their to-do list.

"People are making really tough decisions about putting gas in their car and food on their table," Struben-Hall said.

Christmas controversy is not new to Planned Parenthood. In the mid-1990s it began offering "Choice on Earth" holiday cards. The American Life League called the twist on the "peace on earth" message found in the New Testament book of Luke bigoted "mockery."

NJ Teacher Arrested for Sex with Student

2008-12-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

An Old Bridge High School drama teacher was arrested today on charges she had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male student that started in February, authorities said.

Lisa Glide, 35, of Howell Township, Monmouth County, faces a second-degree charges of sexual assault and child endangerment, Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said in a statement issued today.

The prosecutor's office began an investigation into Glide on Nov. 25 after receiving information about the sexual relationship, Kaplan said. Investigators determined Glide began having a sex with the 17-year-old boy in February, when he was still a student at the school, Kaplan said.

Glide was booked into custody at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center.

Security Scare at New Delhi Airport

2008-12-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

There was a minor security scare at a major airport in New Delhi, India but no one has been killed, according to media reports Thursday. Indian police told the Associated Press that it was not a terrorist incident without elaborating further. Two sharp sounds had sparked a security scare but nothing was discovered after police swept the terminal and normal operations had resumed, Reuters reported, quoting a local television station. The BBC had reported on its Web site earlier that six gunmen had been shot by security forces.

Oil dips below $44 a barrel

2008-12-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Oil tumbled below $44 a barrel Thursday and the average gallon of gasoline is now less than $1.80 nationally, both four year lows, as the number of people continuing to receive government aid reached a 26-year high, factory orders hit an eight-year low and major corporations slashed jobs.

Part of the reason why gasoline is falling is quite simple. Many people are out of jobs to drive to and fewer people have money to spend shopping. Gasoline futures fell below a dollar a gallon.

Can you believe just four months ago, crude rocketed close to $150 and the average gallon of gasoline went for more than $4 per gallon.

Many believe demand could evaporate even more early next year because of a severe global economic slowdown.

Former NBA player Rodney Rogers paralyzed

2008-12-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

Former NBA player Rodney Rogers is paralyzed from the shoulders down as a result of an all-terrain vehicle accident, according to a report published Thursday in the News & Observer of Raleigh-Durham.

According to the report, the 37-year-old Rogers was riding in the woods last week in rural Vance County, just north of Raleigh, when he fell off his vehicle.

The Shepherd Center in Atlanta said that Rogers arrived at there yesterday to start his recovery process. He was taken by air ambulance from Duke University Hospital in Durham.
The Shepherd Center specializes in rehabilitating people with spinal-cord and brain injuries.

Rogers averaged 19.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in three seasons at Wake Forest and was a second-team Associated Press All-America in 1993. He spent 12 seasons in the NBA (1993-2005) and won the league's Sixth Man Award in 2000 while playing with the Phoenix Suns.

AT&T to layoff 12,000

2008-12-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

AT&T Inc. joined the recession's parade of layoffs Thursday by announcing plans to cut 12,000 jobs, about 4 percent of its work force.

The Dallas-based telecommunications company — the nation's largest — said the job cuts will take place this month and throughout 2009. The company also plans to reduce capital spending next year.

$600 million will be allocated to pay severance pay to those members of staff affected by the job cuts. AT&T announced that they will continue to add jobs in other areas such as video and broadband and wireless.

The Dallas, Texas-based company had said that the cuts will take start in December and through 2009.

NY Lawyer shot Dead by Dominatrix Girlfriend Stalker

2008-12-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

A lawyer who was a regular on the New York S&M fetish scene was shot dead by a stalker who was obsessed with his dominatrix girlfriend.

Anthony Ottaviano, 40, was shot dead by a tattooed maniac whose obsession with the attorney's girlfriend, Edythe Maa, drove him to follow the couple to Maa's Philadelphia home, shoot Ottaviano and kidnap the dominatrix, the New York Post reported.

Krieg, 42, had been lying in wait for Ms Maa and become so enraged at seeing her with another man that he shot Mr Ottaviano, 40, and forced her into his car.

"Jade Vixen - she's the greatest fetish model since Betty Page!" the madman, David Krieg, gushed on a video on his MySpace page.

Krieg, an avid bodybuilder who has an ex-wife and a child, was one of Ms Maa's clients and documented his obsession with her on his blog which is filled with photos of him being dominated by various bondage girls.

The 5-foot-4 Maa boasts of 32D-22-32 measurements on fetish websites and says she specializes tickle torture, nipple play and "sissy slut training" and will engage in forced feminization, medical play and genital torture, the Post reported.

Maa's closet was full of latex, leather, corsets and stilettos and her clients include men, women and transgenders.

Fabian Nunez’s son arrested in murder

2008-12-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

San Diego police are investigating whether Esteban Armando Nuñez, the 19-year-old son of former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, and three other suspects in the fatal stabbing death of a college student had any ties to gangs.

"There's a possibility it could be gang-related," said Police Capt. Jim Collins, the head of the city's homicide division. Collins discussed the crime at a news conference this morning, but declined to elaborate on any possible gang connections.

Collins said the four suspects attacked five other young men when they confronted them on the street in the early hours of Oct. 4 near San Diego State University. The two groups had been attending separate parties and did not know each other, Collins said.

Luis Santos, 22, died at the scene of stab wounds; three of his four companions were also stabbed. The charges filed in San Diego County Superior Court allege that all four suspects used knives during the attack.

Arrested with Esteban Nuñez were Ryan Jett, 22; Rafael Garcia, 19; and Leshanor Thomas, 19.

The four are also charged with felony vandalism for an incident earlier in the same night of partying, according to the district attorney's office.

3 Arrests Made in the Kidnapping of a Shackled Teen

2008-12-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

Police in California arrest three people in connection with the kidnapping of a shackled teen. Investigators say the seventeen-year-old boy had been kidnapped by a couple and held against his will for nearly a year.

The teen was found when he walked into a gym Monday, and begged managers to hide him. He was covered in soot, had a chain on his foot, and was wearing only boxer briefs.

Police arrested thirty-year-old Kelly Layne Lau and 34-year-old Michael Schumacher Tuesday. They're charged with torture, kidnapping, and child abuse. Police also arrested the boy's aunt, Caren Ramierz, who allegedly knew the couple.

Brother of Actor Mark Ruffalo Shot in Beverly Hills

2008-12-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

13 Going on 30 star Mark Ruffalo's younger brother Scott was shot in head at his Beverly Hills condominium early Monday morning, PEOPLE has confirmed. He is currently in a Los Angeles hospital in a very serious condition.

Early reports suggest Scott Ruffalo, who works as a hairdresser, was shot at his Beverly Hills condominium on North Palm Drive around 1:40am.

No further information has been released about the condition of the married 39-year-old, with the Ruffalo family yet to make a statement.

Woman Found Infested by Maggots May Not Survive

2008-12-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

TEXAS CITY, Texas — A bedridden woman found barely alive with maggots eating her flesh remains hospitalized at Mainland Medical Center, but police are not sure she will survive.

Retired Galveston County sheriff's deputy Linda Sue Sainz was taken to the hospital, located in Texas City, after someone called 911 late Friday night claiming to be her 38-year-old son. He said his mother had bedsores and needed an ambulance, police Capt. Brian Goetschius said. The son, who police continued to search for Tuesday, said the back door of the house would be open and hung up, Goetschius said.

Struggling with health problems, the 62-year-old woman stayed inside for weeks at a time with her son, who had lived with her almost all his life. Sainz also did not like going to doctors, her children told police.

Police declined to specify Sainz's pre-existing medical problems, noting they are still waiting to receive medical records that were subpoenaed. Prosecutors also want the medical records before pursuing charges, the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday in its online edition.

Adult Protective Services caseworkers also are investigating.

ADP reports 250,000 Jobs Shed in November

2008-12-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

Companies in the U.S. eliminated an estimated 250,000 jobs in November, the most since November 2001, a private report based on payroll data showed today.

It was the biggest drop in seven years and "offers evidence that the labor market continues to weaken," ADP said in its monthly payroll survey.

Based on a data from nearly 400,000 companies, the report showed employment declines across the board as large, medium and small companies all shed jobs, and employment contracted in all sectors of the economy.

“The report shows a broad and deep contraction in all nooks and crannies of the economy,” Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers LLC in St. Louis, said on a conference call. “We’re teetering over the edge of a hill and we’re going to be rolling down it for a while.”

The ADP report sets the stage for the government's next monthly jobs report, due out Friday. Analysts expect that report to show another spike in unemployment and job losses that may approach or top 300,000.

The numbers from the ADP report are "terrible," wrote Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist with the High Frequency Economics consulting firm, in an analysis of the employment numbers.

With payroll's deteriorating in both the manufacturing and service sectors "there is nowhere to hide," he said.

ADP began keeping records in January 2001 and started publishing its numbers in 2006.

One Person Shot in a Philly K-Mart

2008-12-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

A 35-year-old man has been transported to a local hospital after being shot in a Philadelphia K-Mart department store.

Detective William Dunn says the victim appears to have suffered a graze wound. The shooting happened around 9:45 a.m.

Police aren't releasing any more details.

Plea Deal for 8-year-old Murder Suspect?

2008-12-02T12:12:00.000-08:00

An attorney for the 8-year-old boy in Arizona accused of killing two people, including his father, said Saturday that it's too early to say whether a plea deal offered last week will be accepted.

The details of the deal weren't available Saturday, but the offer came to light once it was posted on the Apache County Superior Court Web site. Court records show the deal was filed Wednesday.

Early last week, the boy's attorney Benjamin Brewer objected to prosecutors wanting to drop one of two first-degree murder charges against the boy. Brewer argued that the charge, if refiled later when the boy was 15, could result in him being tried as an adult.

Brewer told the court that he will be doing his best to make sure the boy understands the legal implications of the offer and also will be making sure that the kid undergoes mental evaluations. The current plead deal that is being looked at right now will rest on the mental-health evaluations results. Which means the case will not make it to adult court. Three extensive mental health evaluations are scheduled and the boy will go to see how his fate will be decided.

The boy faces charges stemming from a Nov. 5 incident when his father, 29, and Timothy Romans, 39, were found shot to death.

Biological Attack in the Next 5 Years?

2008-12-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

A new report by a bi-partisan commission says the U.S. can expect a terrorist attack using nuclear or biological weapons before the year 2013.

The report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism, headed by Sens. Bob Graham and Jim Talent, suggests the Obama administration bolster efforts to prepare for germ warfare by terrorists.

"Our margin of safety is shrinking, not growing," states the report, obtained by The Associated Press. It is scheduled to be publicly released Wednesday.

"The biological threat is greater than the nuclear; the acquisition of deadly pathogens, and their weaponization and dissemination in aerosol form, would entail fewer technical hurdles than the theft or production of weapons-grade uranium or plutonium and its assembly into an improvised nuclear device," states the report.

Most terrorist groups still lack the scientific and technical ability to make biological or nuclear weapons, the report says. However, it warns the gap can be easily overcome if terrorists find scientists willing to share or sell their know-how.

"The United States should be less concerned that terrorists will become biologists and far more concerned that biologists will become terrorists," the report states.

Couple arrested after teen with chain on foot says he escaped torture

2008-12-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

TRACY — A teenager walked into a gym Monday night bruised, emaciated, and begging for help. He had a chain locked to his ankle. The 17-year-old told people at a health club in Tracy that he had just escaped his captors.

The teen, was reported missing from a Sacramento foster home in 2007. He was apparently picked up by the Tracy couple.

When he wandered into the gym, the teen only had flesh colored boxers. He had visible cuts and burns on his back and was described as being emaciated and covered in soot, dried blood, feces and urine, police said. He was later taken to a local Hospital.

Charges Filed in Nursing Home Abuse

2008-12-02T03:11:00.000-08:00

ALBERT LEA, MN-Charges have been filed against some former nursing assistants after a co-worker claims they abused and assaulted seniors at a local nursing home. Two of the former Good Samaritan Society employees - 19-year-old Brianna Broitzman and 18-year-old Ashton Larson - were charged as adults, while the other four are considered juveniles in the Freeborn County case.

In the complaint, Broitzman told investigators she and Larson would pole patients at this facility in the genital area. The complaint also claims Broitzman spit in the patient's mouths. Larson admitted to putting her hand over a patient's mouth to stop a resident from screaming. Also the girls took many videos and pictures of some the the abuse and they would even brag about it with others during school. They are facing more than 20 charges including assault, criminal sexual abuse and disorderly conduct. They could face 90 days in jail and $1000 fine.