December 2, 2014
City’s food composting program suffering after plant shut down
What a waste. The city’s 2-year-old, $10 million food-composting program is suffering from severe indigestion after it lost its processing plant in Delaware in late October. Now, tons of food...
New York Times closes in on involuntary firings
The New York Times Co. has rejected five of the 63 Newspaper Guild employees who had applied for voluntary buyout packages. Grant Glickson, the guild’s unit chair at the paper,...
Man named 'Prince Charles' busted for 'stiffing' cabby
Prince Charles was busted Tuesday for allegedly stiffing a cabby on his way to Windsor. But the royals can rest easy: Prince is the man’s name, not his title, and...
De Blasio using political muscle to pass carriage horse ban
Mayor de Blasio said Tuesday he intends to personally lobby City Council members to pass a bill banishing carriage horses from Central Park — a sign he’s putting his political...
Hit on Jaromir Jagr angers Devils in 1-0 loss to Penguins
http://youtu.be/9fGZ5riqaRI?t=39s PITTSBURGH — Robert Bortuzzo’s main responsibility is to protect Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The towering Penguins defenseman is unapologetic in his aggressive approach, figuring if he does his...
Carmelo, Fisher and how it all went wrong in final seconds
Derek Fisher can’t get a win, can’t get a timeout and the Knicks can’t get a break. In another new low to this historically horrendous start to the Fisher Era,...
The hurdles Jets must clear to finally find franchise QB
Now playing quarterback for the New York Jets in 2015 … who knows? The Jets are in a familiar spot, as they enter 2015 searching for a franchise quarterback. From...
Halak wins 10th straight game as Islanders nip Senators in OT
The question wasn’t meant to be disparaging. “It’s never easy — you can try and I can give you my gear,” said a joking Jaroslav Halak on Tuesday night at...
Sluggish St. John's holds off Niagara; Syracuse up next
Steve Lavin walked a tightrope Tuesday night, and it had very little to do with his team’s uneven performance. After a lethargic and sluggish 70-57 victory at Carnesecca Arena over...
David Robertson using the Astros for leverage: sources
The Astros are telling people they are getting used by David Robertson and his representative. Multiple employees of other big league clubs said Tuesday the Astros believe Robertson’s interest in...
Skeleton found under parking lot confirmed to be King Richard III
LONDON — Scientists say there is "overwhelming evidence" that a skeleton found under a parking lot is that of England's King Richard III, but their DNA testing also has raised...
Building owners sue city over Hollister store's beach display
All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray, but the owners of a midtown skyscraper featuring live video feeds of a west coast beach on its facade say...
Giants lost their way with $110 million spending spree
They do not prefer going this route but they did anyway, and it hasn’t worked out. Going against their longstanding belief on how to build a team, the Giants last...
Man busted for smuggling 18 pounds of liquid cocaine
It's rum and coke -- with a twist. A man tried to dupe JFK Airport security into thinking he was only bringing in a few bottles of South American booze...
5 lunch lines that offer tasty ethnic twists on Chipotle
After getting crushed by the Man for the other eight working hours of the day, your lunch hour is the time for you to be in control. A little more...
Free Alan Gross
In his Cuban prison cell today, Alan Gross marks a gloomy anniversary: Five years ago, he was arrested while working as a subcontractor for the US Agency for International Development....
Charles in charge
You know America’s in trouble when a former basketball star speaks more plainly about the sad events in Ferguson, Mo., than almost any of member of our political class. In...
Original Tiger Lily will skip NBC's ‘Peter Pan’
NBC’s live broadcast of “The Sound of Music” last year drew 22 million viewers. The betting at the network and on Broadway is that Thursday’s live broadcast of “Peter Pan,”...
Jailing the sick
We’re holding final judgment until we see all the details, but give Mayor de Blasio credit for identifying a real problem: how our prisons and jails have become dumping grounds...
'The Red Tent': Not quite epic, but a testament to solid acting
Most biblical epics are told from the man’s point of view. “The Red Tent,” a two-part movie premiering Sunday on Lifetime, is an ambitious attempt to tell one such story...
Meet the ex-con who became hip-hop's ice cream man
As the ice-cream maker churns up another bucket of Mikey Likes It ice cream, Michael Cole helps a new customer pick a flavor. After a few free samples — the...
High school principal sued for harassing lesbian teacher
A Queens principal sexually harassed a lesbian science teacher and berated another underling for getting pregnant, according to a pair of Brooklyn federal lawsuits filed against him Tuesday. John Bowne...
The president rewrites the ObamaCare law --- again
On Thanksgiving eve, the Obama administration dumped reams of mind-numbing ObamaCare regulations into the Federal Register — including yet more unilateral rewrites of the Affordable Care Act. Dropping the rules...
A rape story too bad to be true
Rolling Stone has published an incredible story about a rape at the University of Virginia, sending shock waves around the country. But when I say the story is incredible, I...
Ferguson lessons as New York awaits ruling in Garner case
Did we learn anything from events in Ferguson, Mo.? With a ruling coming any day in the Eric Garner case here in New York, let’s hope so. I have no...
Why Hillary's walk to the Democratic nomination is a sign of the party's weakness
You’d have to be crazy, right now, to run for the Democratic nomination against Hillary Clinton — but it would say something terrible about the condition of the American polity...
Former 'Modern Family' producer pens 'Mrs. Jesus' comic book
Take it from former “Modern Family” writer/executive producer Dan O’Shannon: You can’t write a book of cartoons called “The Adventures of Mrs. Jesus” and not be asked: wtf? The cover...
Jameis Winston lawyer cries 'extortion' as hearing begins
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston’s conduct code hearing began on the Tallahassee campus on Tuesday, to determine whether the reigning Heisman Trophy winner violated the school’s student conduct policy during...
Remembering 4 'Real World' cast members who died too young
For a show that celebrates youth culture likes MTV’s “The Real World,” it’s shocking to think that the show has been haunted by the specter of death. Here are four...
UFC in league with Reebok in big-time uniform pact
The UFC announced a landmark six-year apparel deal with Reebok on Tuesday, As part of the uniform deal, which will eliminate other sponsors from putting their name on fighters’ shorts...
HBO to air documentary on cross-dressing killer Robert Durst
Cross-dressing suspected killer Robert Durst will break his decades-long silence in an HBO documentary and chat about grisly slayings that have followed the troubled real estate scion, network officials said...
Why Christmas needs to move to February
Christmas is broken, and we need to fix it. But the problem with Christmas isn't the day itself, which is mostly fine, good and jolly — it’s the date. We...
Cops: Did Michael Brown's stepdad try to incite riots?
ST. LOUIS — Police are investigating Michael Brown's stepfather for angry comments on the streets of Ferguson after a grand jury decided not to indict the police officer who fatally...
The winter lesson the Yankees and their fans should heed
The Yankees made this mistake: They spent $458 million last offseason on four big free agents. What they should have done was spend $258 million last winter and $200 million...
The day in photos
A tiger cub gets a new family, lawmakers get misty, monkeys get chilly and more.
Giants co-owner takes some of the heat off Tom Coughlin
For anyone believing Tom Coughlin’s fate already has been decided, well, think again. Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, saying one person cannot be blamed for the downturn with his team, stressed...
Why there's no movement in the Daniel Murphy market
The Daniel Murphy trade market is between quiet and dead. I checked in with three teams that I thought could use either a lefty bat or someone who could play...
Medical staff who treated Ebola doctor pass monitoring period
Three weeks after a Harlem doctor was cured of Ebola and released from Bellevue Hospital, the medical workers who cared for him safely passed the monitoring period Tuesday and were...
Tiger Woods says he's unlocked the key to his old-guy swing
WINDERMERE, Fla. -- Tiger Woods, as he embarks on yet another chapter in what is becoming a career of comebacks, sounded Tuesday not only cocksure about the state of his...
Antrel Rolle's contract is up, but he has 'a lot in the tank'
Teams coming off back-to-back losing years often show a tendency to make changes rather than strive for continuity on the roster. Antrel Rolle is the Giants’ most durable and dependable...
NYC airports were the worst for Thanksgiving travelers
Travelers who passed through the city’s major airports over the week of Thanksgiving had to deal with more flight delays and cancellations than anywhere else in the country, a new...
2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Alessandra Ambrosio, Karlie Kloss and Adriana Lima are among the models rocking the runway at the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in London.
Daredevil nails expert yoga poses on speeding motorcycle
http://youtu.be/JojJnnGOv_4 Gracefully balanced on his Honda motorcycle, the Indian yogi is on the highway to the danger zone! Gugulotu Lachiram, a 40-year-old daredevil, was caught on camera revvin' up his...
'Frozen,' 'Hunger Games' inspire 2014’s most popular baby names
There’s no question children are enamored by “Frozen,” but it seems that some parents are taking their love for the Disney blockbuster to a whole new level. According to the...
Carmelo wears the NY with a pride other Knicks, Nets can't match
On Tuesday morning, the NBA released the New York City-themed All-Star jerseys that will be worn during All-Star Weekend for the preliminary events at Barclays Center and for the main...
Chinese restaurant's 'horrible' way of defrosting meat
http://youtu.be/WjW7kO_d0o8 A sickening video shot outside a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco gives new meaning to the term "street food." The footage shows a worker at the Lucky River restaurant...
Indictment decision for chokehold cop expected Wednesday
A Staten Island grand jury begins deliberating Wednesday on whether to indict a cop in the chokehold death of Eric Garner — putting the NYPD on high alert for massive...
Bank robbed by 'construction worker' in broad daylight
An Upper West Side bank was robbed in broad daylight Tuesday by a man dressed as a construction worker, cops said. The robber was wearing a navy blue construction outfit...
Kurdish female fighters risk all defending Kobani against ISIS
KOBANI, Syria — On the front lines of the battle for Kobani, Kurdish female fighters have been playing a major role in helping defend the Syrian town from an onslaught...
Martin Brodeur signs with Blues, may play this week
Goaltender Martin Brodeur, the National Hockey League's all-time leader in wins and shutouts, has signed a one-year contact with the St. Louis Blues, the team announced on Tuesday. The signing...
Footage of soccer riot shows murdered fan thrown into river
http://youtu.be/srLbQkAG6ZU Newly released footage of a vicious Sunday brawl between Spanish soccer fans shows 43-year-old Deportivo supporter Francisco Javier Romero Taboada being tossed into the Manzanares River, leading to his death. Romero...
How ground-breaking baseball umpire came out as gay
Longtime major league umpire Dale Scott quietly revealed he is gay in a magazine profile in which he discussed being married to his partner of 28 years, becoming the first...
Uber to start cab-pooling
Going my way? Uber is planning to stick another thorn in the side of the city's yellow taxi industry on Thursday with the launch of a cab-pooling service that could...
NBA power rankings: The East's answer to the West's slugfest
Tuesday at the Garden is must-see TV as the Nets and Knicks collide. But that’s assuming the only other TV reception you get are home shopping channels. New York area...
Parents of student killed by bus get huge payout from MTA
The MTA has agreed to pay $1.8 million to the parents of an FIT student killed by a bus driver on his first day back from a three-month texting-while-driving suspension,...
Stephen Hawking warns machines could end mankind
Humans beware — artificially intelligent beings could one day rise up and wipe us all out, Professor Stephen Hawking said Tuesday. It may sound like the storyline from "The Terminator," but...
Cops hunt for comically mustachioed bank robber
A robber walked into a Long Island bank looking more like a 1970s porn star than a menacing thug — until he whipped out a handgun and held up the...
NYPD to begin testing body cameras amid chokehold ruling
The NYPD will begin testing body cameras on cops as soon as Friday, Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bill Bratton announced Wednesday. A pilot program is kicking off in three...
Jets rewind: Run-heavy was right call, and that's the problem
The Jets suffered another embarrassing loss on Monday night. This time the score was not the embarrassing part, losing just 16-13, but the way they looked scared to have their...
Massive power outage hits Detroit
https://twitter.com/detroitnews/status/539828137199419392 A power outage hit a large swath of Detroit on Tuesday, causing nearly 100 city buildings to lose power, including public schools and firehouses. Scott Simon, who works with...
Sick J.R. Smith likely to sit against Nets
The chances of flu-ridden J.R. Smith suiting up for the Knicks on Tuesday against the Nets are slim after he stayed home for the morning shootaround and the club downgraded...
iWitness: Steve Jobs' testimony to be heard in iPod suit
The sound of Steve Jobs’ voice is filling the halls of justice again. The late Apple co-founder, whose hard-charging business tactics spurred a flurry of legal disputes that have survived...
Assemblyman’s staffer is offered drunk-driving plea deal
Manhattan prosecutors offered Harlem Assemblyman Keith Wright’s senior staffer a plea deal Tuesday for a drunk-driving incident over the summer. Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Connolly told Jeanine Johnson, 35, she...
Patriots fans fear Bieber jinx after Gronk meet-up
Bad news, Patriot fans: Gronk is a Belieber. Already in California to prepare for Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers, Patriots players Rob Gronkowski, Shane Vereen, Jonas Gray, Akeem...
First look at George Clooney on ‘Downton Abbey’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEFSVUb6fw4 For “Downton Abbey” fans, it’s going to be a very Clooney Christmas. On Tuesday, the first teaser of George Clooney’s appearance on the PBS series hit the Web. Although...
Man gets into fight with parents, stabs them
A Queens man stabbed his elderly mother and father in the neck with a kitchen knife Tuesday morning, cops said. The 44-year-old son was fighting with his parents inside their...
Cell phone thief busted for kicking a mom holding her baby
The cell phone snatcher who assaulted a woman holding her 3-month-old baby has been arrested after cops found him hiding out at his uncle’s Bronx home, cops said Tuesday. Alonzo...
NBA unveils NYC-inspired All Star uniforms
For a league known for its flashy fashion, the NBA is keeping it simple when it comes to their 2015 All-Star uniforms. The Adidas duds — which are a nod...
Wife: Eric Decker 'depressed' over awful Jets
Eric Decker isn’t in Denver anymore. The Jets’ biggest free-agent acquisition has had a painful season due to a hamstring injury and the team’s pathetic quarterback situation. And his wife...
A figure skating beauty, a race walker and a dope scheme
ROME — Facing a lengthy ban, former figure skating world champion Carolina Kostner claimed in an interview Tuesday that she had nothing to do with the doping case involving her...
Cara Delevingne shows off her pipes in Chanel’s newest film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO4-TV6Zckc There’s no question Cara Delevingne can rock the runway — but who knew that the model du jour could sing too? The British beauty shows off her vocal skills...
Caroline Wozniacki rebounding with NFL star?
The tennis star, whose engagement with Rory McIlroy ended this spring, turned heads by getting cozy with Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.
Ray Rice dreading day daughter discovers elevator punch
Reinstated NFL running back Ray Rice lamented that his young daughter will be able to see dad viciously knocking out mom in video footage that’ll live online forever. The former...
Blackstone selling IndCor Properties to Singapore’s GIC for $8.1B
Steve Schwarzman’s Blackstone Group said it would sell its US industrial platform IndCor Properties to affiliates of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC for $8.1 billion. As a result of the...
Man butchered father, stabbed pregnant sister before jumping to his death
A Brooklyn man fatally stabbed his stepfather as his pregnant sister screamed, “I am begging you, don’t kill father!’’ — and then turned the knife on her before jumping to...
Silly horse gets himself stuck in a well
A gray stallion got loose on a farm in the Czech Republic and managed to get stuck in a well. The 4-year-old steed, Albert, hopped a security fence and trotted...
How women in the far east torture themselves for beauty
Last month, during my trip to Myanmar, I met a group of women with 12-inch necks wrapped in brass coils. “What?” you may be exclaiming in horror. “No way! How...
3 men wanted for questioning after woman shot dead in Bronx
A Brooklyn based chef who doubled as a security guard was fatally shot in the head near her home early Tuesday after she stepped out to a nearby deli in...
Wife who left husband's body to rot expected resurrection
A Canadian family has admitted leaving the dead body of a man upstairs for six months, believing their prayers would resurrect him. It has been revealed that Kaling Wald left...
Former Pentagon No. 2 expected to replace Hagel at Defense
President Barack Obama is expected to nominate former Pentagon official Ashton Carter as US defense secretary, CNN reported Tuesday. Carter, a former deputy secretary at the Department of Defense, had...
Wife of ISIS leader detained in Lebanon
The wife and suspected son of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi have been captured crossing into Lebanon from Syria, officials said Tuesday. Lebanese authorities could now use the woman and...
'Super Mario' Balotelli posts racist photo of his namesake
LONDON — Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is facing an investigation from the English Football Association after a post on Instagram was criticized for being racist and anti-Semitic. Balotelli uploaded a...
Rams, cops fighting over non-existent 'Hands up' apology
ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis Rams official and a county police chief differed Monday about whether the team had apologized for the actions of five players who raised their...
Suspected Islamist rebels kill 36 in Kenya
NAIROBI, Kenya — At least 36 quarry workers were killed early Tuesday in northern Kenya by suspected Islamic extremists from Somalia, said Kenyan police. The killings happened in Mandera County...
Daily Blotter
Brooklyn A woman was attacked and robbed while smoking a cigarette on a Flatlands street, authorities said. The unidentified 21-year-old victim was standing outside of the Carib Catering Hall on...
Coughlin shrugs off Beckham, Rolle railing against playcalling
As the losses continue to mount, comments here and there from players have tweaked decisions made by the coaching staff. Antrel Rolle questioned the defense against the read-option that allowed...
Man City angling to keep Lampard from NYC FC
With Frank Lampard scoring and starring, and Manchester City winning, City coach Manuel Pellegrini publicly admitted he wants to keep the New York City FC star on loan past the...
Dan Boyle still out with mysterious illness
There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of concern about Dan Boyle, as Monday night’s 6-3 loss to the Lightning at the Garden was the second consecutive game missed...
Lundqvist's head-scratching regression is killing the Rangers
This isn't last year, when Henrik Lundqvist’s game bottomed out for a variety of reasons over the first three months of 2013-14. This hasn’t been close to that bad. But...
The case for Jim Harbaugh, the man who'll find the Jets a QB
Jim Harbaugh is reported to be on the outs with the 49ers and the Jets are likely to be looking for a new coach in the offseason after Rex Ryan...
Shoppers are losing interest in Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Goodbye, Black November, and hello, Cyber December. Just as early discounting last month siphoned away business from retailers’ Black Friday events, the promise of continued deals on the Web this...
Ferguson protests influence Black Friday gun sales
At least one kind of shopper was able to pull the trigger on Black Friday. Gun sales surged on the day after Thanksgiving, with more than 175,000 background checks submitted...
Goodell open to limiting his disciplinary power -- with a huge catch
Roger Goodell is willing to give up some of his disciplinary power — but not all of it. The NFL told the players union over the weekend in a letter...
Apollo leading the pack in PetSmart bid, sources say
Leon Black appears to be in the catbird seat with PetSmart. Black’s Apollo Global Management is seen as the most aggressive suitor, and likely winner, of the nearly concluded auction...
Head of New York Fed doesn't know when to keep mouth shut
Back on Jan. 6, 2011, I explained in a column that Bill Dudley, the head of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, was breaking Fed rules by meeting with Wall...
Asian conglomerates seek starring role in Hollywood studios
Hollywood is prepping for the next wave of Asian invasion by companies hungry to own a piece of a studio. “The markets are beginning to ignore these reports because we’ve...
'Penguins' another DreamWorks flick that doesn't take flight
Wall Street analysts are fearing another write-down at DreamWorks Animation following the release of this weekend’s “Penguins of Madagascar.” The family movie came in second at the box office behind...
For one night, Chris Johnson turns back the clock
Hero Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill was sharp all game and led Miami to the game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter. He finished 25-of-35 for 235 yards and threw...
More layoffs loom at The New York Times as buyouts fall short
The New York Times appears to have officially fallen short of its goal of reaching 100 volunteers for buyout packages by the Monday 5 p.m. deadline — and will now...
Stakes are high in South Street Seaport's redevelopment plan
This could be a week of destiny for Howard Hughes Corp.’s South Street Seaport redevelopment proposal. (In case you hadn’t noticed, the old Seaport complex — mismanaged for decades and...
'That was horrible': Jet blasts ref for devastating penalty
The Jets were hit with a huge penalty early in the fourth quarter Monday night that helped set up the Dolphins’ game-tying touchdown. Saalim Hakim was flagged for holding on...
CUNY hired a convicted thief who allegedly stole from student
A CUNY employee with a lengthy rap sheet, including grand larceny, allegedly swiped $1,400 in cash from a student — a crime made possible because the public-university system doesn’t perform...
The many reasons it's crazy for Jets to gamble on Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh is reported to be on the outs with the 49ers and the Jets are likely to be looking for a new coach in the offseason after Rex Ryan...
The downfall of Nick Folk: 'Don't think words can describe it'
In a dark season marred with a myriad of poor plays and dubious moments for the Jets, their kicker, Nick Folk, had been one of the few bright spots for...
Artist admits to selling fake paintings as famous works
An East Hampton painter admitted Monday that he defrauded $2.5 million from art collectors by selling fake paintings he claimed were the works of Jackson Pollock, Willem De Kooning and...
Woman dies on flight from London to Newark
A 23-year-old woman died aboard a flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Newark on Monday, authorities said. The unidentified woman was treated by a doctor aboard the United Airlines flight...
Jets finally come to their senses -- and still blow it
Rex Ryan might as well have stood atop the Empire State Building last week and broadcast the Jets game plan for Monday night’s game against the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium....
Man jumps to his death in front of subway
A man jumped to his death in front of a B train Monday night at Herald Square, cops and witnesses said. He leaped from the platform as the downtown express...
Man who killed teen girlfriend he thought was pregnant wanted community service
A man who suffocated his 14-year-old Brooklyn girlfriend because he thought she was pregnant — then burned her corpse and stuffed it in a suitcase — asked if he could...
Actress suing married sugar daddy to keep $3M in gifts
An aspiring actress who has had minor roles in “Law & Order” and “The Sopranos” is suing her married former lover for allegedly trying to snatch back $3 million in gifts...
Just like with Sanchez, Jets' kids gloves have ruined Geno
They may as well call him Ge-No Throw today, because in a league where the big boys drive Lamborghinis, Rex Ryan strapped Geno Smith into a horse and buggy and...
Jets report card: The 'F' that cost them the game
Offense The Jets went back to the ’70s with a run-heavy offense that rushed for 277 yards but passed for just 49. The plan looked like it might work for...
Kids found in filthy basement at pre-K hell hole
A publicly funded Brooklyn pre-K program placed 4-year-olds in an illegal basement and had them take naps at a teacher’s nearby home — but has yet to face a single...
Eric Young Jr. may be goner, but Mets likely retaining Tejada
The Mets face decisions Tuesday on two arbitration-eligible players who could provide bench depth in 2015. Ruben Tejada and Eric Young Jr. will know by MLB’s Tuesday night/Wednesday morning deadline...
Anthony has 'ordinary soreness' in back following Knicks return
Carmelo Anthony’s bad back responded well the day after he made his return to the Knicks lineup. The Knicks star scored 31 points in 41 minutes in Sunday night’s 86-79...
The one way Jets can win: Losing and drafting Mariota
Well, then. THAT was close. You could see thousands of Dolphins fans muttering that to themselves as they scaled the stands at MetLife Stadium in the moments after Miami came...
Sharpton and his 'co-mayor' meet with Obama
WASHINGTON — He never leaves home without him. Bill de Blasio and “Co-Mayor” Al Sharpton are joined at the hip in New York, so why not in Washington? De Blasio...
City schools' computers go unused for years
The city school system could use a computer to keep track of its computers. Eight public schools left nearly 400 laptops and tablets unopened in their boxes — some for...
Millionaire's ex-girlfriend claims he forced prescription pills on her
A Wall Street trader routinely pushed prescription pills on his gal pal during their fights, the woman testified Monday. “When he gave you Ativan, did he put it into your...
Jets won't even give Geno a chance in another pitiful loss
The Jets introduced the offense to the small MetLife Stadium crowd before Monday night’s game with the Dolphins. They called 12 players’ names, but not Geno Smith’s. It seemed strange...