Cheryl K. Chumley

Crack scandal swirling around Toronto mayor Rob Ford heats up as cops get video

Toronto police said Thursday they've uncovered a video that ratchets up allegations that Mayor Rob Ford was captured on tape smoking from a glass crack pipe.

October 31, 2013

Queen Elizabeth decrees crackdown on British press

Queen Elizabeth II signed a charter this week, creating a new watchdog group to oversee the press and make sure reporters and editors don't do a repeat of a recent phone-hacking scandal that saw major news outlets tapping into the private information of celebrities and royals alike.

October 31, 2013

NSA leaker Edward Snowden lands Web job in Russia

Edward Snowden has hung up his hat as a National Security Agency leaker and taken on a new role working for a private website in Russia, the country that's sheltering him from U.S. capture and prosecution.

October 31, 2013

Third gunmaker flees New York over Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s crackdown

American Tactical Imports is the latest in a growing list of New York gun companies that has fled the state over new weapon laws pushed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

October 31, 2013

Hallmark strikes ‘gay’ from ‘Deck the Halls’ ornament lyrics

The Christmas carol classic Deck the Hall has new meaning at Hallmark this year, as greeting card executives have censored for their new ornament collection a key word in the song that has been usurped by the gay community.

October 31, 2013

Female Democratic senators circulate secret letter: Run, Hillary, run

A secret letter signed by all the female Democratic senators shows that Hillary Rodham Clinton is their choice for president in 2016.

October 31, 2013

Chinese Communists red-faced on propaganda Photoshop failure

A photograph of four Chinese men standing and smiling before a 103-year-old woman at her home was supposed to communicate that the government loves the elderly, but the missing half of one man's body and the bizarre doll-like appearance of the elderly subject sent a different message: epic Photoshop failure.

October 31, 2013

Obama costume leads Kentucky company to order diversity training

Note to Halloween celebrants: Don't wear the Obama costume. Doing so at work could lead the human resources department to mandate all employees take part in diversity training — which is what happened at a Kentucky medical center this week.

October 31, 2013

New Yorkers rebel at ‘ridiculous’ new age limit, 21, to buy tobacco

New York City Council members voted late Wednesday evening to raise the age of those wishing to buy cigarettes from 18 to 21 — but not all are on board with the new regulation, which now goes to Mayor Michael Bloomberg for signature.

October 31, 2013

Kathleen Sebelius: ‘Men often do need maternity care’

One North Carolina congresswoman explained the biology of birth to the Health and Human Services secretary Wednesday during a humorous moment at a hearing on the botched Obamacare rollout.

October 31, 2013

Popes under surveillance? U.S. accused of tapping Vatican

A new report from Italy has accused the United States of wiretapping the future Pope Francis and eavesdropping on cardinals and other Catholic Church officials in the Vatican.

October 31, 2013

ICE uncovers ‘highly sophisticated’ drug tunnel from Tijuana to San Diego

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents said they’ve uncovered — and closed down — a massive and just-built drug-running tunnel that joins Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego.

October 31, 2013

Syria destroys chemical weapon capabilities ahead of schedule

A nuclear weapons watchdog group said Thursday that Syria has destroyed its capability to produce chemical weapons, in accordance with an international agreement and ahead of schedule.

October 31, 2013

You’re fired: SpongeBob SquarePants gets taste of economy

Even the cartoon world can't hide from economic reality. The sluggish job market has drifted downward — all the way to the bottom of the ocean, to Bikini Bottom and the Krusty Krab burger shack, where SpongeBob SquarePants has flipped krabby patties for 14 years.

October 31, 2013

China demands U.S. explain new spy charges at Australian embassies

China — no small player in the spy front itself — has nonetheless issued a stark demand to the United States over new allegations that surfaced Thursday regarding U.S. surveillance operations in Australia.

October 31, 2013

Qatar orders soccer star’s statue removed for anti-Islamic pose

Qatar authorities have ordered the removal of a 16-foot bronze statue of a soccer star because the pose — a famous headbutt — was deemed in poor taste and the subject matter in violation of Islamic law.

October 31, 2013

Facebook to track how users hover their cursors

Facebook executives say they have new technology to track how long users pause over certain spots on the site and they’re testing the data collection technique now, saying it could help advertisers more efficiently target customers.

October 31, 2013

Janet Napolitano pledges $5M for illegal immigrants at California college

Janet Napolitano, the president of the University of California, announced this week the college would give out $5 million for illegal immigrants to obtain special counseling and financial aid.

October 31, 2013

New York, new ban: City mulls age 21 law for tobacco buyers

If at least one New York City lawmaker has her way, nobody in the city will be able to buy cigarettes without first proving they’re age 21.

October 30, 2013

Kanye West jabs Michelle Obama’s social media presence as subpar

Kanye West sent a gentle slap-down first lady Michelle Obama's way, commenting how his fiancee Kim Kardashian is so much better at drawing attention on social media.

October 30, 2013