Trump hits campaign trail as indictment roils 2024 race
Former President Donald Trump is set to return to the campaign trail Saturday, traveling to Georgia and North Carolina for speeches at a pair of state Republican conventions as news of his federal indictment roils the party's 2024 presidential race.
2023-06-10 20:25
Hollywood actors union board votes to approve the deal with studios that ended the strike
Board members from Hollywood’s actors union have voted to approve the deal with studios that ended their strike after nearly four months
2023-11-11 08:26
Man accused of stealing ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby-red slippers in 2005 indicted by federal grand jury
Dorthy's ruby red slippers can't just take you home, they can also land you in federal court. That much was made apparent after a federal grand jury indicted Terry Martin, 76, with one count of theft of a major artwork for allegedly stealing one of four remaining pairs of Dorthy's ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. The indictment claims that Mr Martin stole the slippers — worn by Judy Garland in her iconic 1939 role — in 2005 during an after-hours "visit" to the Judy Garland Museum in the actress's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Federal prosecutors alleged on Tuesday that Mr Martin climbed into the museum through a window, broke a display case containing the slippers, and took off with the legendary film artefact, according to ABC News. The museum's alarm had been tripped, but it failed to alert local police, according to a report by The Guardian. “The biggest thing that ever happened to our museum was getting the slippers stolen. We were literally crying,” the museum’s co-founder, Jon Miner, told KQDS just after the robbery. The slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw when they were stolen. The other three pairs worn in the movie are in the possession of a private collector, the Smithsonian, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. At the time of their theft, the slippers were insured for $1m but had a market value of approximately $3.5m. After they disappeared, law enforcement, enthusiasts and film history buffs offered up rewards for the slippers' safe return, with one anonymous donor in Arizona offering up to $1m. The museum even hired a private investigator in 2013 to try to track down the slippers, but the investigation never made headway. In 2017, a man came forward and told the company that insured the slippers he could assist in their recovery. That man was later found to have been allegedly attempting to extort the individual who stole the shoes, according to the FBI. The agency launched a nearly year-long investigation, after which they launched a sting operation to recover the slippers. The FBI managed to recover the slippers in Minneapolis during the operation, and later examination by experts confirmed the shoes were authentic. However, no arrests were made following the sting, as the FBI was continuing its investigation into who actually stole the memorabilia. Since the 2018 recovery operation, the agency has been working to rule out suspects. Little is known about Mr Martin beyond his age. The indictment did not include a motive or any details about how investigators determined Mr Martin was behind the alleged theft. No attorney's information is available for Mr Martin. Read More Stolen ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz found by FBI after 13 years $1 million reward offered for the return of Judy Garland's ruby red slippers, a decade after they were stolen from a museum The Wizard of Oz most influential film of all time, study finds
2023-05-18 05:29
George Santos calls federal charges a ‘witch hunt’ and refuses to resign following arrest
George Santos described criminal charges against him as a “witch hunt” in a defiant press conference following his arrest on Wednesday. The New York congressman spoke outside a federal courthouse after being arraigned on charges of fraud, theft of public funds and money laundering. “It’s a witch hunt,” he told a crowd of reporters. “I’m gonna fight my battle, I’m gonna deliver, I’m gonna fight the witch hunt, I’m gonna take care of clearing my name,” he said, adding that he was planning to run for reelection. The 34-year-old congressman for New York’s third district, who won his election after a campaign that was littered with lies about his past, was arrested shortly after 9am after turning himself in to authorities. In the 13-count indictment, federal prosecutors accused Mr Santos of lying on financial disclosure forms he filed to the House when he became a candidate, first by overstating his income from one job and failing to disclose income from another, and secondly by lying about his earnings from his company, the Devolder Organization. Prosecutors also allege that Mr Santos fraudulently used donations to his political campaign for his own benefit, spending “thousands of dollars of the solicited funds on personal expenses, including luxury designer clothing and credit card payments.” The indictment alleges that Mr Santos’s fraud began before his successful run for Congress, accusing him of running an unemployment insurance fraud scheme in which he applied for government assistance in New York while still employed by a Florida-based investment firm. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself,” Breon Peace, the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement. Mr Santos pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a $500,000 bond following his arraignment, which lasted for around 15 minutes. His lawyer said that the congressman surrendered his passport to the court. Mr Santos could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Read More Here are the 13 counts New York Rep. George Santos faces George Santos pleads not guilty to duping donors, stealing campaign cash to burnish wealthy image George Santos pleads not guilty to 13 charges – live
2023-05-11 03:59
Malaysia media guide
An overview of the media in Malaysia, including links to broadcasters and newspapers.
2023-05-19 21:57
'GMA's Deborah Roberts stuns in striped cutout dress as she attends husband Al Roker's docu screening in LA
Deborah Roberts, 62, donned a striking blue and white striped dress while Al Roker, 68, looked dapper in a blue suit jacket and pink polo shirt
2023-08-07 17:23
Released on bail, Nigeria’s Kuti to begin concert tour amid assault trial
Nigerian Afrobeat star Seun Kuti, who is facing trial on on charges of assaulting a police officer, will embark on a delayed concert tour after being released on bail, his manager said Wednesday
2023-05-24 23:28
Jamie Foxx motivated 'to get back in shape' even as his friends and doctors urge him not to rush for recovery
Jamie Foxx is currently recovering from the incident and is adjusting his diet and building towards a program
2023-09-03 01:58
Where are Neville and Bre Ritchey? 15-year-old and 11-year-old siblings missing from their Lexington County foster home
Apart from Neville and Bre Ritchey, there are currently 71 missing children in the state of South Carolina
2023-08-05 14:27
Kosovo police conduct raids in Serb-dominated north following clashes that left 4 dead on weekend
Kosovo police have raided several locations in a tense Serb-dominated area in the north of the country where weekend clashes left four people dead and further strained relations with Serbia
2023-09-29 16:26
Greece media guide
An overview of the media in Greece, as well as links to broadcasters and newspapers.
2023-06-28 16:28
Norway’s Economy Shrinks for First Time in Four Months
Norway’s economy shrank in August for the first time in four months, largely in line with the central
2023-10-09 16:48
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