Two years after a nighttime shoplifting incident in southwest Portland, the shoplifter has filed a lawsuit against the grocery clerk who chased him. At the time, Joshua Merkel said he took more than $100 worth of food without paying because he was hungry—and claimed the clerk’s response left him wit
A former top prosecutor won’t show up for a House committee talk about Jeffrey Epstein files. The Justice Department says she doesn’t have to because she no longer works for the government. The committee wanted her to explain why some records were heavily edited when they were released. They also wa
A judge told the Trump team to stop work on a new ballroom at the White House, claiming the construction could pose security risks. The administration responded by filing an emergency appeal to undo that ruling, arguing the pause makes the presidential residence “open and exposed. ” The judge’s d
The study looks at ways to make historic buildings in Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia greener. Instead of tearing them down or rebuilding, the researchers test “retrofitting” – adding new materials that come from plants and other renewable sources. First, the team measures how much energy a buildi
A woman in San Rafael was killed on 1 Feb 1966. Her husband, a banker, had just left for surgery, so the victim was alone when an unknown intruder entered. Investigators found three Salem cigarettes in a table ashtray – the victim never smoked that brand, so they kept them as evidence. Back then, p
Tiger Woods, the famous golfer, got pulled over in Florida recently after his car swerved and hit another vehicle. Police say he was driving under the influence, though his breath test showed no alcohol in his system. Still, he refused a drug test, which could add to his legal trouble. Unlike his 20
A recent court decision in California found that big tech firms, including the company behind Facebook and Instagram, can be held responsible for harming a young woman’s mental health. The case focused on how these platforms are built to keep users, especially children, hooked. In a separate tria
The Supreme Court recently decided not to revisit a Louisiana murder case where James Skinner claims prosecutors hid important evidence. Skinner, convicted in 2001, argues his situation closely matches another case from 2016. In that earlier case, the same court overturned a similar conviction becau
Mackay, a city in Queensland, is getting ready for a big event this December. A traveling exhibition celebrating Disney’s 100-year history will open at the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre. Visitors won’t just see famous characters—they’ll get a close-up look at rarely shown items, like cost
In the summer of 1975, a small boy’s bones were found in a Texas forest beside a highway. He was wrapped in a faded Canon sheet and surrounded by trash bags, his dark hair just four inches long. A bright orange shirt and blue jeans hinted at a life that ended abruptly, perhaps two months before the
