Conservative activist who took down affirmative action is now going after law firms' diversity programs
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2023-08-24 01:55
Jets' Sauce Gardner says he was hit with a cheap shot to his 'private parts' from Patriots' Jones
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2023-09-25 07:49
A shock confession, spiteful obituary and boozy boat party: What the new Murdaugh Murders Netflix series revealed
Over the last few weeks, the sprawling crime saga surrounding Alex Murdaugh has once again been catapulted into the spotlight. Six months after he was convicted of killing his wife Maggie and son Paul on 7 June 2021, Murdaugh filed a motion demanding a new trial based on a damning accusation against Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill. His attorneys claim that Ms Hill tampered with the jury, pressuring them to find him guilty and breaking her oath as an elected official. New details continue to emerge about this – including a random Georgia man’s unlikely links to the case – and legal experts have warned that if the allegations are in fact true, a new trial is almost certain. At the same time, Murdaugh’s other criminal charges are progressing through the courts. He appeared in court on 14 September for a hearing on a slew of state financial charges – marking his first court appearance since his murder trial sentencing. On Thursday, he is slated to appear in court to plead guilty to 22 federal financial criminal charges including wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering – after signing a plea deal with prosecutors on Monday. Now, Netflix has dropped its second series of “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” – bringing new details and claims about the Murdaugh saga to light. Here are some of the key revelations from the new series: Cousin Eddie claims Murdaugh all but confessed to murders Curtis “Cousin Eddie” Smith has claimed that Murdaugh made a bombshell confession about his wife and son’s murders before orchestrating the now-infamous botched hitman plot. On 4 September 2021, Mr Smith – Murdaugh’s former law firm client, distant cousin and alleged drug dealer – allegedly shot the double murderer in the head along the side of a road in Hampton County in an assisted suicide scheme. Mr Smith claimed in the show that Murdaugh begged him to shoot him but he refused. When he asked Murdaugh why he wanted him to kill him, Mr Smith revealed that Murdaugh had given a chilling response. “Because they’re going to be able to prove that I’m responsible for Maggie and Paul,” Murdaugh allegedly said. Cousin Eddie also asked Murdaugh “what did happen” that fateful night. Murdaugh is said to have given the damning response: “Things just got all f***ed up.” Randolph Murdaugh published obituary as ‘warning’ to wife Murdaugh’s now-late father Randolph Murdaugh once wrote and published a fake obituary for his wife when she was still alive as a “warning” because she wanted to divorce him, it has been claimed. In 1976, an obituary for Libby Murdaugh – Murdaugh’s mother – appeared in the local paper The Hampton Guardian. The obituary has long been a source of mystery as to who published it and why. In the Netflix show, Paul Murdaugh’s former girlfriend Morgan Doughty claimed that Maggie once told her that the obituary came about because Libby told Randolph she wanted to divorce him. Randolph then took the step to write Libby’s obituary himself and have it published in the paper. “I think it was a gesture to scare her into staying,” said Ms Doughty, who also took Maggie confiding in her as a warning. “I think that was her way of letting me now what I was signing up for. I think it was kind of like a warning.” Paul Murdaugh hosted booze-fuelled boat party weeks before murder Paul Murdaugh was pulled over by police for hosting a booze-fuelled boat party just days before he was brutally murdered by his father – and at a time when he was awaiting trial over a 2019 deadly boat wreck. Housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson revealed that the 22-year-old had a fresh brush with the law in the run-up to the 7 June 2021 murders. The incident took place around a week before Memorial Day weekend, when Ms Turrubiate-Simpson said Maggie told her that “Paul got in trouble again”. “He was on the boat with friends and they were drinking,” she said. “But they called Alex and he said he was going to take care of it.” Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill also confirmed that the DNR had stopped the 22-year-old with a boat full of people and confiscated a cooler “full of booze”. At the time, Paul was awaiting trial over a February 2019 drunken boat wreck that killed friend Mallory Beach, 19. Court clerk reveals daughter was ‘almost’ on jury The South Carolina court official at the centre of Murdaugh’s bid for a new murder trial has revealed that her own daughter was almost seated as a juror in the case. “So my daughter almost became a juror,” said Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill. She added: “She was so excited.” Ms Hill went on to describe her first encounter with Murdaugh on the opening day of the trial – an encounter that appeared cordial and as though the now-convicted killer expected the saga to soon be over. “The first day of trial, Alex was coming in and said ‘good morning Ms Becky, how are you?’” she said. “It was more of a lightheartedness. It was a ‘we’re going to get through this in about a week or two, we’re all gonna go home. All of this is going to go away’.” Ms Hill – who is a regular feature throughout the new three-part series – is an elected official of the court whose role was to maintain the courtroom proceedings and even read out Murdaugh’s verdict. Now, she has been accused of jury tampering by Murdaugh’s attorneys as the convicted killer fights for a new trial. Bubba the dog’s new life Among the familiar faces from the Murdaugh saga returning in the Netflix series is Bubba the dog. Bubba’s name cropped up multiple times during the murder trial as he was likely something of a witness to the killings of Maggie and Paul. That night, Paul, Maggie and Alex were down by the dog kennels. Paul was filming a brown labrador named Cash on his cellphone for his friend Rogan Gibson. In the video, Maggie and her husband are heard shouting off-camera about Bubba catching a chicken in his mouth. Just minutes later, Maggie and Paul were shot dead at the kennels. It was this video – and Bubba’s antics – which led to Murdaugh’s voice being caught on camera at the kennels at the time of the murders. In the Netflix show, Bubba is seen with Ms Turrubiate-Simpson – after the dog began a new life with her in the wake of Maggie’s death. Ms Turrubiate-Simpson, who was a close friend of Maggie’s, and Bubba are also seen visiting Maggie’s grave. “Maggie loved Bubba,” she said. “He was her prized possession, he was not a kennel dog.” Read More Alex Murdaugh’s alleged co-conspirator shares convicted killer’s bombshell confession in documentary - live Paul Murdaugh hosted booze-fueled boat party days before his murder – as he faced charges for deadly crash Alex Murdaugh’s bombshell confession before infamous botched hitman plot revealed Court clerk accused of jury tampering in Alex Murdaugh trial says daughter was ‘excited’ to be on jury
2023-09-21 00:58
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Pub grub: Three recipes from Tom Kerridge’s new cookbook
These warming and hearty pot pies are filled with succulent chicken, chestnut mushrooms and artichokes in a delicious creamy sauce flavoured with mustard,” says Tom Kerridge. “The filling takes a bit of time, but it’s well worth it once you break into that crispy pastry topping and see all your efforts inside!” Chicken and mushroom pot pies Serves: 4 Ingredients: 750g chicken thigh fillets 500ml chicken stock 5 black peppercorns 4 sprigs of thyme 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp olive oil 200g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved 2 banana shallots, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 150g chargrilled artichoke hearts, quartered 50g butter 50g plain flour, plus extra to dust 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp tarragon, finely chopped 100ml crème fraîche 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 500g packet ready-made puff pastry 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt Salt and freshly ground pepper Method: 1. To cook the chicken thigh fillets, put the chicken stock, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves into a medium saucepan over a high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken thighs, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. 2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Add the shallots and garlic, stir and cook for three to four minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat, stir in the artichokes and set aside. Remove the chicken thighs from the stock and set aside on a tray. Strain the stock. Leave both to cool slightly. 3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for two minutes. Now gradually whisk in the chicken stock and continue to whisk over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in both mustards, the chopped tarragon, crème fraîche and sherry vinegar, then the mushroom mix. 4. Cut the poached chicken into bite-sized pieces and fold through the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and leave to cool slightly. Divide the pie filling between four individual pie dishes and place in the fridge to chill. 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 5mm thickness. Cut out four rounds, two centimetres wider than your pie dishes. Brush the edges with egg, then lay a pastry round, egg-washed edge down, over each pie dish. Brush the tops with egg wash and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. 6. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut a couple of slits in the top of each pastry lid, to let steam escape during cooking. Bake the pies for 30 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and deep golden brown. Let stand for a few minutes before serving, with a green veg and mash on the side if you like. Paneer and pea fritters “These spicy, rustic-looking nibbles are my take on South Asian fried street food,” says Kerridge. “Flavoured with chaat masala (a slightly tangy spice blend), the fritters are made with protein-rich paneer and gram (chickpea) flour, which adds a nutty, earthy flavour. They need little else other than mango chutney for dipping, and a cold drink to wash them down!” Makes: about 24 Ingredients: Vegetable oil, to fry 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 onion, finely chopped 150g frozen peas, defrosted 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced 175g gram flour 1 tsp chaat masala 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves 250g paneer, coarsely grated Salt and freshly ground pepper To serve: Mango chutney Method: 1. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a small frying pan then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds before adding the onion. Cook for five to seven minutes until the onion is softened, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. 2. Once cooled, tip the onion and cumin mix into a bowl and add the peas, chilli, gram flour, chaat masala and chopped coriander. Stir to combine and season well with salt and pepper. Pour in 200 millilitres of water and mix well. Add the grated paneer and stir through gently. 3. You will need to cook the fritters in three or four batches. Heat a 4-5cm depth of oil in a sauté pan to 180C (check with a thermometer). When it is hot, drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil, spacing them apart. Cook for two to three minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. 4. Remove the fritters from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm in the low oven while you cook the rest. 5. Once they are all cooked, season the fritters with a little extra salt and serve with mango chutney and lime wedges on the side. Sticky date and banana pudding “This naughty, boozy pud is one of our pub classics,” says Kerridge. “Sticky, caramelised bananas shine alongside a sweet date pudding, and the easy-to-make toffee sauce served alongside takes it to another level of indulgence.” Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 tbsp softened butter, to grease the dishes 100g plain white flour, plus 1 tbsp to dust 100ml dark rum 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g pitted dates, chopped 85g vegetable suet 85g soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 large free-range eggs For the toffee sauce: 200ml double cream 100g soft dark brown sugar 75g butter A small pinch of salt To finish: 2 small bananas 2 tbsp demerara sugar Method: 1. Brush four individual ovenproof dishes (250 millilitre capacity) with the softened butter and dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess. 2. Pour the rum and 100 millilitres of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then take off the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and dates. Pop a lid on the pan and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes to allow the dates to soak up the liquid and cool down. 3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. 4. Tip the dates and liquid into a large bowl and add the flour, suet, brown sugar, vanilla extract and eggs. Beat until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. 5. Meanwhile, to make the toffee sauce, pour the cream into a saucepan and add the brown sugar, butter and salt. Place over a low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil. Simmer for two to three minutes, then remove from the heat. 6. Peel and thinly slice the bananas. Once you’ve removed the puddings from the oven, arrange the banana slices, overlapping, around the edge of each dish. Sprinkle the banana slices liberally with demerara sugar and run a cook’s blowtorch over them to caramelise the sugar. 7. Serve the date and banana puddings with the toffee sauce in a jug on the side. ‘Pub Kitchen’ by Tom Kerridge (Bloomsbury Absolute, £27). Read More From Nepal to Tibet: Eight warming dishes from the coldest places on earth Obsessed with Boursin? It’s the perfect way to elevate your leftovers Two seasonal stews to keep the chill off this autumn Farmers’ markets in autumn are a cornucopia of colour Spice up your life: Three recipes from Nadiya Hussain’s new book that bring the heat Budget Bites: Three one-pan recipes that minimise on washing up
2023-10-18 13:56
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Bollywood film 'Bawaal' accused of trivializing Holocaust and demeaning victims
A Bollywood film has been accused of trivializing the murder of millions during the Holocaust with flippant dialogue and a storyline that uses the Nazi's death camps as a metaphor for relationship woes, prompting a prominent Jewish rights group to call for its removal from streaming platforms.
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Blinken heads to rally Ukraine support, could cross paths with Lavrov
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MrBeast urges KSI not to disappoint fans ahead of Sidemen Charity Match, trolls say 'he’s getting scored on by Speed'
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Corruption inquiry in Australia's NSW state uncovers China links to lawmaker
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