Andrew Blake

Sheriff Joe Arpaio blames drugs for Prince’s death, boasts of his jail’s rehab program

Joe Arpaio, the often outspoken sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, didn't wait long to weigh in on Prince's unexpected passing on Thursday, and quickly prompted a social media backlash for his remarks. The self-declared "toughest sheriff" in the country took to Twitter to blame drugs for the music legend's death hours before an autopsy could even be conducted.

April 22, 2016

NSA deputy sounds alarm over critical infrastructure insecurity

Security flaws affecting computer systems that control critical infrastructure are being explored by foreign adversaries as hackers find new ways to wage potentially debilitating cyber attacks, said NSA Deputy Director Richard Ledgett Jr.

April 22, 2016

Russia’s new human rights ombudsman accuses U.S. of blackmail during first day in office

A Soviet-era retired police chief was named Russia's newest human rights ombudsman on Friday and promptly accused the United States of using the issue to "abuse" the Russian Federation into changing its ways.

April 22, 2016

Suicides up by 24 percent since 1999: CDC

The suicide rate in the United States surged by 24 percent between 1999 and 2014 to levels not seen in nearly 30 years, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

April 22, 2016

DEA greenlights marijuana study to measure pot’s effect on PTSD

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency agreed for the first time ever this week to let researchers conduct clinical trials with marijuana to examine the potential benefits of using the plant to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.

April 22, 2016

Dyson blasts unhygienic hand dryer reports as full of hot air

Dyson, the British company responsible for making high-powered hand dryers installed in bathrooms the world over, has fired back after researchers accused its Airblade jet dryer of being hardly hygenical.

April 21, 2016

Lawmaker’s sarcastic response to South Carolina’s anti-abortion efforts pass House panel

Legislation that would restrict men from accessing drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction was advanced in the South Carolina House on Wednesday amid an effort by its author to raise awareness about gender equity.

April 21, 2016

CIA changes benefits policy to compensate family of Benghazi victim, relatives of contractors

The CIA has revamped the way the agency pays death benefits to the families of contractors, in turn allowing relatives of a former Navy SEAL killed in Benghazi, Libya, to reap nearly $500,000 from the federal government.

April 21, 2016

Former New Orleans cops plead guilty in post-Katrina bridge shooting

Five former New Orleans Police Department officers pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to resolve charges brought more than a decade ago after two unarmed men were fatally shot on Danziger Bridge in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

April 21, 2016

Lindsay Lohan confirms she’s studying Islam after being seen with a Koran

Lindsay Lohan spawned rumors of a possible religious conversion last summer when she was spotted with a copy of the Koran, but only now has the Catholic-raised "Mean Girls" star weighed in with regards to her interest in Islam.

April 21, 2016

Mittesh Das, defense contractor, accused of sabotaging Army Reserve computer program

A defense contractor arrested on Wednesday faces one count of felony hacking related to a 2014 incident that caused payroll problems for the U.S. Army Reserve.

April 21, 2016

Cody Morris, McDonald’s customer, charged with felony; manager says he put soda in water cup

A teen customer at a McDonald's in Springdale, Arkansas, is accused of trying to make off with a free cup of soda and allegedly assaulting an employee in the process.

April 21, 2016

Norway violated Anders Breivik human rights when mass murderer was kept isolated, court rules

Norway violated the human rights of mass murderer Anders Breivik by keeping the convicted terrorist largely isolated from others as he serves time for a 2011 rampage that left 77 people dead, Oslo District Court Judge Helen Andenaes Sekulic ruled on Wednesday.

April 20, 2016

Hustler responds to Utah’s anti-porn resolution by sending free magazines to state legislature

Utah on Tuesday became the first state in the country to adopt a resolution declaring pornography to be a "public health hazard," but one of the industry's biggest names is hardly about to help lawmakers tackle the X-rated problem. Publishing tycoon Larry Flynt on Tuesday said he's sending a free copy of a Hustler issue to every member of the Utah Legislature.

April 20, 2016

Pearl Jam cancels concert in North Carolina capital over HB2

Pearl Jam on Monday canceled a concert scheduled for this Wednesday in Raleigh and joined the list of Grammy Award winning rock acts who won't play in North Carolina on account of a newly enacted state law that rolls back gay and transgender rights.

April 19, 2016

Led Zeppelin faces ‘systematic plagiarism’ allegations as “Stairway” copyright case nears trial

Led Zeppelin's surviving members could soon be going to California to defend "Stairway to Heaven" in federal court, and an attorney who says the legendary British rock group ripped-off an American act wants jurors to hear evidence of what he calls a "systematic and extensive use of plagiarism" behind some of the band's biggest hits.

April 19, 2016

Chinese media accuses U.S. of inventing cyberattack allegations

China's state-run press agency accused the United States on Sunday of blaming Beijing for a recent rash of cyberattacks in order to advance its own interests.

April 19, 2016

Utah declares pornography a ‘public health hazard’

Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert signed a first-in-the-nation resolution Tuesday that officially declares pornography to be "a public health hazard" and takes aim at the "sexually toxic environment" caused by X-rated entertainment.

April 19, 2016

San Francisco open-air urinal in Dolores Park draws lawsuit from religious group

An outdoor, public urinal installed earlier this year in a San Francisco park has prompted a local religious group to file a civil suit in hopes of having it removed.

April 19, 2016

Medicinal marijuana bill signed into law by Pennsylvania governor

Pennsylvania has become the 24th state in the country to legalize medicinal marijuana, a move expected to benefit thousands of patients with serious medical conditions and applauded by Republicans and Democrats alike.

April 18, 2016