news
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Authorities Make Arrest in Fla. Mosque Vandalism
Detectives have arrested a Titusville, Fla., man in connection with the recent vandalism of a mosque, Florida Today reports. Authorities say that evidence pointed toward 35-year-old Michael Scott Wolfe, who is accused of entering the Islamic Society of Central Florida Masjid Al-Mumin around 11 p.m. New Year’s Day and using a machete to smash through…
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Report: ‘Affluenza’ Teen Spent $2,000 on Strippers and Alcohol in Mexican Bar; Mom to Appear Before Los Angeles Judge
Tonya Couch, the mother of affluenza teen Ethan Couch, is expected to face a judge in Los Angeles on Tuesday for an extradition hearing. Texas authorities hope to prosecute her for helping her son flee the country, WFAA-TV reports. The hearing should be a short one, with the mother heading back to jail afterward. Tonya…
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Obama Announces Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence
President Barack Obama formally announced his plans to help reduce gun violence, publicly announcing a series of initiatives that will change the way guns are processed and handled. Speaking from the White House on Tuesday, the president grew emotional when he spoke about the countless mass shootings that have occurred across the nation, particularly in…
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Chicago Pays $5,500,000 to 57 Victims of Police Torture
On Monday, 57 people who were tortured by Chicago police decades ago were paid a total of $5.5 million in reparations for the abuse they suffered under former Police Cmdr. Jon Burge, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. From 1970 to the early 1990s, Burge and other officers under his command shocked, suffocated and beat some…
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NC Pastor Calms, Disarms Man Who Brought Assault Rifle to Church
A North Carolina church got a scare on New Year’s Eve during service when a man walked in carrying a rifle. However, as it turns out, when the stranger turned to the parishioners at the Heal the Land Outreach Ministries in Fayetteville, he was just looking for help because he was going through a rough…
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Miss. Councilman Who Asked Residents to Throw Rocks at Cops Defends Comments
A Mississippi councilman who asked residents to throw rocks, bricks and bottles at police during what he considers racist car chases held a press conference Sunday to clarify his controversial statements. According to the Clarion-Ledger, Kenneth Stokes, of Ward 3 in Jackson, did not elaborate on his call to action but noted that police pursuits…
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Vandal Trashes Fla. Mosque With Machete, Leaves Bacon Near Door
The authorities are investigating a few strong leads following the destruction of a Central Florida mosque by an unknown vandal, WTSP-TV reports. Muslim leaders want federal authorities to investigate the incident—in which the vandal wrecked the mosque with a machete before leaving bacon near the front door—as a hate crime. Surveillance footage show someone breaking…
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Calif. Woman Confronts Starbucks Worker Who She Claims Stole Her Credit Card
A Victoriaville, Calif., woman posted video of a confrontation she had with a Starbucks employee who she claims stole her credit card information and then spent over $200 at a local grocery store. According to the Daily Mail, Elizabeth Becerra was visiting a Starbucks store on New Year’s Day when, she claims, a worker told…
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Obama to Discuss Possible Executive Action on Gun Violence With Attorney General Loretta Lynch
As President Barack Obama enters his last year in office, he is making one final push to curb gun violence and solidify gun control as part of his legacy. He is scheduled to meet with Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Monday to discuss his options for taking executive action on the issue, CNN reports. With…
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Armed Ore. Militants Vow to Stay in Wildlife Center ‘for Years’; Sheriff Says They Want to Overthrow Government
Several armed men who took over a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon continued their standoff over the weekend and vowed to remain there for years, the Washington Post reports. According to the newspaper, militants headed by “Ammon Bundy, a Montana rancher whose father Cliven Bundy led an armed standoff with federal agents in Nevada in…