Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Woman, 92, allegedly killed son who wanted to put her in a nursing home

Anna Mae Blessing was tired of the way she was being treated by her son, court documents say.

A 92-year-old woman allegedly killed her son in Arizona because she did not want to be sent to an assisted living facility, authorities said.

Anna Mae Blessing was charged with first degree murder, aggravated assault and kidnapping after authorities found her 72-year-old son dead Monday at their home in Fountain Hills, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said.
Blessing hid two pistols in the pockets of her robe and shot her son several times in his bedroom, the sheriff's office said in a statement.
Her son's girlfriend was also in the room and said she heard Blessing telling her son she was tired of the way he treated her, court documents said.
"From my understanding, she had thought about it for a few days because there was a dispute regarding her son wanting to put her in an assisted living home," Maricopa County Sgt. Bryant Vanejas told 3m360

How Angelique Kidjo, Omotola Jalade, and other stars turned up at the Afrikan Shrine to party with Emmanuel Macron

Photos: How Angelique Kidjo,?Omotola Jalade,?and other stars turned up at the Afrikan Shrine to party with Emmanuel Macron

Nigerian celebrities turned up at the new Afrikan Shrine to celebrate a night of culture with French President, Emmanuel Macron who was hosted by the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

French President, Emmanuel Macron was in Nigeria yesterday to witness the signing of new deal with the country at the state house Abuja before he made his way to the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.

During his speech, the French President said he never expected to return to Nigeria under these circumstances almost 17 years after his first stay in the country.

In his words, 'It's very emotional for me to come back to Nigeria 17 years after my stay. I didn't imagine I’d be back in these conditions. Democracy is never written in advance. I'm probably a good example of that'.

Speaking about the shrine and why he chose to visit, he said, 'the Shrine is an iconic cultural hub. And I say with a lot of humility that I recognize the importance of African culture'.
Some of the celebs who were at the event included, Banky W, Omotola Jalade, Dakore Akande, Alexx Ekubo, Rita Dominic, Desmond Elliot, Angelique Kidjo, Yemi Alade, and Ramsey Nouah.

Tina Turner's oldest son commits suicide at age 60



Music legend Tina Turner's oldest son, Craig Raymond Turner, has committed suicide ... according to a report by TMZ. Read below...

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Craig died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Studio City, CA. Authorities arrived at his place just after noon Tuesday and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Craig was born when Tina was 18 ... before she married Ike Turner. Once Tina and Ike wed, Ike adopted Craig. His biological father was a saxophonist named Raymond Hill, who performed with Ike's band.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

I went on a Border Patrol ride-along in one of the most heavily crossed areas on the US-Mexico border



I was in Southern Texas covering the immigration crisis and separation of families for nearly a day when I got word that I had secured a Border Patrol ride-along.

"The Rio Grande sector accounts for about 40% of the apprehensions in the United States," a Border Patrol agent named Chris Seiler told me as we drove away from the station a few days later. "The McAllen station specifically is about 20% of the entire nation, and we catch about 300 individuals a day just in this 50-mile span of border."

For nearly five hours last Monday morning, I followed Seiler and another agent, Rene Quintanilla, around as they patrolled on and around the Rio Grande, which separates the US and Mexico.

Here's what happened:
Seiler and Quintanilla first took me on a boat where I met a few more agents.

A 3-year-old Idaho girl who was stabbed at her birthday party died

Image result for A 3-year-old Idaho girl who was stabbed at her birthday party died

A 3-year-old Idaho girl who was stabbed at her birthday party died Monday, two days after a man invaded the celebration and attacked nine people with a knife, authorities said.

Timmy Kinner is accused of stabbing a group of children and the adults who tried to protect them at the party at an apartment complex that is home to many refugee families.

Word of the child's death came at Kinner's first court appearance, where Ada County Magistrate Judge Russell Comstock told him that he was charged with first-degree murder and other felonies in connection with the Saturday night attack.

Comstock told Kinner he was "an extreme danger to the community" and ordered him held without bond.

Kinner is American, and the victims are members of refugee families from Syria, Iraq and Ethiopia. Boise Police Chief William Bones said the evidence does not suggest the attack was a hate crime.

The suspect had recently stayed at the apartment complex but was asked to leave Friday over bad behavior, Bones said.

Why LeBron James Chose the LA Lakers

FILE - In this June 3, 2018, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James watches during the first half of Game 2 of basketball's NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif. Two people familiar with the decision say James has told the Cavaliers he is declining his $35.6 million contract option for next season and is a free agent. James' representatives told the Cavs on Friday, June 29, 2018, said the people who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly commenting on moves ahead of free agency opening Sunday. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)


The first time, LeBron James sat clumsily with Jim Gray on national TV, announcing that he was taking his talents to South Beach.

That didn't go over too well.

Upon returning to Cleveland, the announcement came in the form of an elaborately written essay in Sports Illustrated. Lots and lots of words.

This time? There was only an old-school press release sent out into the world by his representation agency, Klutch Sports. It contained exactly one sentence, which stated simply that James had agreed to a four-year, $154 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Then came the customary three pound signs (###) at the end of the release, which in public relations lingo is an indication to the news media that there is no more copy to come.

That couldn't be further from the truth, because LeBron James' latest chapter—the Hollywood chapter, the Showtime chapter—might just be the most fascinating yet.

"If I'm going to leave Cleveland again," James told a confidant leading up to this decision, according to a person familiar with their conversation, "it needs to be like what I dreamt of as a kid."

Remember, this is a man who grew up in Northeast Ohio rooting for the Cowboys and the Yankees. It's the go-big-or-go-home sports fan mentality.

In 2014, James went home. Now, he's going big.

Archbishop Philip Wilson sentenced for concealing child sex abuse


Image result for Archbishop Philip Wilson sentenced for concealing child sex abuse
A Catholic archbishop in Australia has been given a maximum sentence of 12 months in detention for concealing child sexual abuse in the 1970s.

Philip Wilson, now archbishop of Adelaide, is the most senior Catholic globally to be convicted of the crime.

He was found guilty by a court last month of covering up abuse by a paedophile priest in New South Wales.

On Tuesday, the court ordered Wilson to be assessed for "home detention" - meaning he will probably avoid jail.

Magistrate Robert Stone said the senior clergyman had shown "no remorse or contrition". He will be eligible for parole after six months.

Wilson has not resigned as archbishop, despite relinquishing his duties in the wake of his conviction.

In May, a court found he had failed to report his colleague James Patrick Fletcher's abuse of altar boys to police.

Wilson, then a junior priest in the Maitland region, had dismissed young victims in a bid to protect the Church's reputation, Magistrate Stone ruled.

Facebook’s Privacy Blunders Continue – Company Reports a New Bug That Unblocked People

Someone needs to go help Facebook… The company continues to hit itself with disaster after disaster. What seems like an unending saga of privacy mishaps, Facebook has now announced a fresh new problem. The social networking giant that doesn’t consider itself a monopoly has said that a software “bug” unblocked some people who had been blocked by another user.

This means that if you blocked someone after an abusive or a frustrating incident, they were able to see at least some of your posts. Over 800,000 users were affected by this bug between May 29 and June 5. It remains unclear why it has taken the company an additional one month to inform the affected users.

“Starting today we are notifying over 800,000 users about a bug in Facebook and Messenger that unblocked some people they had blocked,” the company wrote today. “The bug was active between May 29 and June 5 – and while someone who was unblocked could not see content shared with friends, they could have seen things posted to a wider audience. For example pictures shared with friends of friends. We know that the ability to block someone is important – and we’d like to apologize and explain what happened.”

Portland State University police fatally shoot man who was trying to break up a fight

Jason Erik Washington was interviewed by CNN affiliate KATU hours before he was killed.

Portland State University police shot and killed a man who was trying to break up a fight outside a sports bar early Friday, multiple witnesses told our affiliate KATU, sparking outrage and protests against the university's armed police force.

Witnesses said the man, whom they identified as Jason Washington, was fatally shot by campus police after a fight at 1:30 a.m. Friday outside a local bar.
The Multnomah County, Oregon, Medical Examiner's office also identified the deceased as Jason Washington. Portland police said in a statement there was an "officer-involved shooting" at that time outside the Cheerful Tortoise bar, but did not identify the person who was shot.
Witnesses told KATU that Washington was trying to break up a fight. During the scuffle, a gun fell out of his holster, witnesses told the news station, and when he reached for it, officers fired at him.
"From there it just kind of took a turn for the worst, and the good guy ended up getting shot," Keyaira Smith, who filmed the shooting, told KATU.

Philippines v Australia basketball: Mass brawl at World Cup qualifier

Players fight during the Philippines v Australia basketball match

Punches, kicks and chairs were thrown as a mass brawl broke out between players in a Philippines v Australia World Cup qualifying tie.

The Philippines ended the game with just three players left on court after nine of their side were ejected.

Four Australia players were also ejected from the game, which their side went on to win 89-53 in Manila.

The International Basketball Federation (Fiba) has opened disciplinary proceedings against both sides.

The fight broke out in the third quarter of the game at the 55,000-capacity Philippine Arena.


"Basketball Australia deeply regrets the incident in tonight's match between the Boomers and the Philippines in Manila. We are extremely disappointed with what happened and our role in it," Basketball Australia chief executive Anthony Moore said.

Tech’s ‘Dirty Secret’: The App Developers Sifting Through Your Gmail


App developers can sift through the emails of millions of Gmail users, The Wall Street Journal reports. This practice has been known in the industry for a long time, but Google had promised last year that it would stop its computers from scanning the messages of Gmail users to personalize advertisements.

While that may be true, the tech giant continues to give access to “hundreds of outside software developers scan the inboxes of millions of Gmail users who signed up for email-based services offering shopping price comparisons, automated travel-itinerary planners or other tools,” WSJ reports.

This access enables these third parties to view Gmail users’ emails, recipient addresses, timestamps, and the entire content of those messages. Google suggests that all of this happens “with” user consent, however, it may be another case of tricking users into giving consent without properly informing them about it first.

Monday, July 2, 2018

Man accused of plotting terror attack on July 4th parade in Cleveland

Image result for A Cleveland man was arrested after allegedly telling an undercover agent he was planning a terrorist attack on the city's downtown July 4th parade, authorities said Monday morning.

A Cleveland man was arrested after allegedly telling an undercover agent he was planning a terrorist attack on the city's downtown July 4th parade, authorities said Monday morning.

Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts, who used the name Abdur Raheem Rafeeq on Facebook, was taken into custody Sunday and has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, Stephen Anthony of the FBI said in a news conference. He was scheduled to appear in court later Monday.
Pitts told the undercover agent he had surveyed Voinovich Park and the US Coast Guard Station in Cleveland and had scouted locations to park an explosives-filled vehicle that would be detonated during crowded Independence Day festivities, Anthony said.

Actress Tessa Thompson comes out as Bisexual as she reveals Janelle Monáe and herself "Love each other deeply"


Actress Tessa Thompson comes out as Bisexual as she reveals Janelle Mon?e and herself "Love each other deeply"

American actress, Tessa Thompson, 34, has opened up on her sexuality and her relationship with singer Janelle Monáe in a new interview with Porter magazine.

According to the Westworld and Thor: Ragnarok star, 'I’m attracted to men and also to women. If I bring a woman home, [or] a man, we don’t even have to have the discussion.'

'That was something I was conscientious of in terms of this declaration around Janelle and myself. I want everyone else to have that freedom and support that I have from my loved ones. But so many people don't.'

Speaking on her relationship with Janelle Monáe who came out as pansexual months ago, she said: 'We love each other deeply.'

She added:

Bystanders To Fatal Overdoses Increasingly Becoming Criminal Defendants




Alexis Santa Barbara is a 39-year-old mother of three from a working-class suburb of Philadelphia.

Santa Barbara's addiction story follows a familiar course: she had been prescribed Percocet years ago to treat back pain. When the drug became unavailable, she turned to heroin. And she became hooked — not long after getting laid off from her job at a local deli.

Across the street from her, her neighbor, identified just as "J.M." in court papers, was also in the grip of an opioid addiction.

How the two of their lives intersect next dramatically altered their connection, from two people in the same community dealing with the same sickness to something else: an alleged victim and a perpetrator, cast that way because of a drug transaction that took a deadly turn.
One evening in late March, that neighbor handed Santa Barbara $10 and asked if she'd score him a fix of heroin.

"He just asked her to grab it, so she did," said Emily Mano, Santa Barbara's 18-year-old daughter. "She doesn't always do stuff like that. It was just a favor. She'd never mean to harm someone. Never."

To prosecutors, it wasn't just a favor. It was crime. Authorities say Santa Barbara obtained heroin, and whether she knew it or not, the batch was laced with the powerful and often deadly synthetic drug, Fentanyl. Shortly after, court records show, Santa Barbara texted her neighbor: "Are you OK??"

He wasn't.

"His wife comes home and finds him collapsed on the floor of a bedroom," said George Yacoubian, Santa Barbara's defense lawyer.

Notorious gangster Redoine Faid escapes French prison, again, on hijacked helicopter




A notorious French gangster has managed to escape prison again. This time, with help from armed friends using a hijacked helicopter and smoke bombs.

Redoine Faid, 46, who escaped prison five years ago using explosives, broke out of a prison near Paris on Sunday. He was serving a 25-year sentence for planning a robbery where a police officer was killed.

Two or three men armed with assault rifles hijacked a helicopter and forced the pilot to fly to Faid's prison in Seine-et-Marne. When the helicopter landed, two men dressed all in black, opened the prison door using a grinding machine and took Faid. At the time, he was meeting with his brother in a visitation room, members of the guards’ union, told France's BFM television. The men set off smoke bombs to blur the scene from video surveillance, union member Loic Delbroc said.

France’s Justice Ministry said the escape was over in just "a few minutes."

Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet, who travelled to the Sud-Francilien prison in Réau on Sunday evening, called it "a spectacular escape," BBC reports.

In the 1990s, Faid led a gang known for robbing banks. He escaped prison in 2013 using explosives hidden in packs of tissues.

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