A pair of penny-pinching Republican senators are gumming up the works on a bipartisan bill that would provide for 9/11 victims and their families, infuriating first responders who worked at Ground Zero. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah placed a procedural hold on an extension of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, a Senate aide confirmed to … Continue reading "Sens. Mike Lee, Rand Paul are holding up 9\/11 victims fund"

Virgin Holidays will no longer offer tickets to tourist attractions featuring captive whales and dolphins — and SeaWorld fired back at the travel site for succumbing to “pressure from animal activists.” The travel company has announced the new policy will “come into effect as soon as possible” and will impact major parks such as SeaWorld, … Continue reading "SeaWorld hits back after Virgin Holidays drops park from offerings"

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman spoke publicly for the first time since his conviction on Wednesday, complaining to a judge that his incarceration at a Manhattan lockup has been absolute “torture” before being sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years. “I’ve been forced to drink unsanitary water. I’ve been denied access to fresh air and … Continue reading "El Chapo whines about lockup before getting life in prison, plus 30 years"

The New Jersey judge who refused to try a 16-year-old boy who was accused of rape as an adult — because he comes from a “good family” — has decided to step down, according to officials. The state Supreme Court granted Judge James Troiano’s request to resign on Wednesday and terminated his services effective immediately. … Continue reading "Judge who said teen rape suspect was ‘from a good family’ steps down"

Los Angeles MS-13 gang members were charged Tuesday with the “medieval-style” slayings of seven people, including a rival gang member who had his heart cut out of his chest. The federal RICO indictment with the murder charges targets an MS-13 group in the San Fernando Valley and spells out other acts of violence prosecutors say … Continue reading "Prosecutors accuse MS-13 of seven ‘medieval-style’ slayings"

Mark Restivo, 39, had dreamed of being on the NYPD since he was 5 years old. But when he was injured on the job and made to retire after only a few years on the force, an old habit with painkillers spun out of control. In just a month’s time, Restivo went from being an … Continue reading "I went from cop to opioid drug dealer in one month"

A New Jersey woman shed her shirt and went topless to escape a shoplifting arrest — but her attempt went bust, according to a report. Lakia Pierce, 42, of Hoboken was seen trying to leave a ShopRite in Bayonne without paying for a few items late Tuesday, according to NJ.com. A loss-prevention guard asked a … Continue reading "Woman goes topless in attempt to avoid shoplifting bust"

West Virginia police say some folks have been using anti-wasp spray — to get a methamphetamine-like high. At least three people overdosed last week because they used the insect repellent to make synthetic meth, state police said Monday. “From what we’re being told, if you use it, you know, you might use it one or … Continue reading "Wasp spray used as meth alternative in West Virginia: cops"

Jharrel Jerome won a 2019 Emmy nomination — his first — Tuesday for his devastating portrayal of real-life Central Park Five defendant Korey Wise in the Netflix limited series “When They See Us.” The remarkable Bronx-born actor is the only one of the five main actors to play his role as a teen and as … Continue reading "This is the scene that could win Jharrel Jerome his first Emmy"

Bank of America beat estimates for quarterly profit on Wednesday, as the loan book of the country’s second-largest lender benefited from a healthy economy. Consumer banking has held up for the big Wall Street banks that have reported second-quarter results this week, cushioning a blow from weakness in trading and advisory businesses. But warning signs … Continue reading "Bank of America beats profit estimates on strong loan growth"