Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Investors Dump Timeshare Companies After News Of Federal Inquiry

David Manning / Reuters

Investors are dumping stock in timeshare operators in the wake of news that federal regulators are taking a close look at the largest player in the industry.

On Friday, BuzzFeed News reported that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is looking into the sales, marketing, and financing practices of Westgate Resorts, the country's largest privately held timeshare operator. On Monday, the share prices of its publicly traded competitors dropped sharply.

Diamond Resorts International, the subject of two recent extensive media investigations, closed the day down more than 11%, while Marriott Vacations and Wyndham Worldwide both fell over 4%. A Wyndham spokesperson declined to comment, while Diamond and Mariott Vacations did not respond to requests for comment

At one point on Monday Diamond shares were down 16%, the biggest drop since the New York Times published a lengthy report on its sales and marketing practices, in late January.

BuzzFeed News was first to report on Friday that the CFPB had denied Westgate's request to modify or set aside its civil investigative demand. Such demands, which are similar to a subpoena, do not necessarily mean the recipient is under investigation; the CFPB could be looking at the industry more broadly, or at a company that does business with Westgate.

Carlo Santarelli, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, said in a note Monday that he "expect[s] the investigation to be lengthy" and that it will be an overhang on the entire industry. Santarelli also said that the CFPB inquiry "appears broad" and described the information requested as "abundant."

A Westgate attorney told the Orlando Sentinel: "Westgate cannot comment on the pending investigation except to say that it believes that it is in compliance with all consumer protection finance requirements under the CFPB's jurisdiction.”

The company's petition to the CFPB said the regulator was looking at “information and documents that go to the heart of non-financial matters in what is, in essence, a real estate development and management company," and said that the financial elements of its business are "merely a piece of a much larger vertically integrated operation.”

Isaac Boltansky, an analyst at Compass Point, described Westgate's response to the regulator — which included claims that the CFPB was unconstitutional — as "both inflammatory and unsuccessful."

Boltansky suggested that Siegel, best known outside the timeshare industry for his appearance in the documentary Queen of Versailles and for a strongly worded letter where he encouraged Westgate employees to vote for Mitt Romney in 2012, "suggests that a protracted and public enforcement battle between the bureau and Westgate may lie ahead which could ultimately weigh on the whole space."

An investigation into the timeshare industry isn't a complete surprise. In a February regulatory filing, Diamond Resorts International said "certain third parties have indicated that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) might increase their oversight of the vacation ownership industry," but said that it would not be affected by rules that concern real estate financing and mortgages.

According to data cited by Diamond, there are 1,600 resorts that make up the timeshare industry, with 198,000 individual units and 8.7 million "ownership week equivalents." Timeshare sales peaked in 2007, right before the financial crisis and have not yet made back to pre-crisis levels, following a construction slowdown and less credit availability. Diamond Resorts said in a regulatory filing that 80% of its revenue comes from sales and financing of timeshares.

While Westgate does not disclose what portion of its revenue comes from sales and what comes from interest on loans — at rates that run around 15% — it regularly bundles loans and sells them to investors as securities and has raised almost $3 billion from investors since 1992.

Westgate itself has 28 resorts and its parent company, Central Florida Investments, has a 10,000-strong staff.





SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Monday, March 21, 2016

Apple's (Small) iPhone Event By The Numbers

The shortest Apple event ever (probably).

David Paul Morris / Getty Images

Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Sunday, March 20, 2016

This Guy Became A Huge Meme Because He Looks Like Vincent Van Gogh

OK, so he has both ears, but this is still insane.

This is Robert Reynolds.

Instagram: @rdreynoldsnyc

Last week, a guy stopped Reynolds in a Starbucks and asked him if he knew he was famous online. "I was like, 'Yeah, yeah. I know,'" he told BuzzFeed News. "I can't believe this is coming back again."

Instagram: @rdreynoldsnyc

You see, Reynolds is a big meme online because, when he sports a full beard, he looks EXACTLY like the famous painter Vincent van Gogh.

Instagram: @rdreynoldsnyc

"I remember the first time I was like, 'No, never,' but then it was all the time."


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Dissidents Arrested As Obama Sets Off For Historic Cuba Visit

Obama’s visit to the Communist nation is the first by a sitting U.S. president in 88 years.

President Obama set off from Washington, D.C., on Air Force One on Sunday afternoon, bound for Cuba, in a historic visit that comes amid warmer relations between the two former Cold War foes.

President Obama set off from Washington, D.C., on Air Force One on Sunday afternoon, bound for Cuba, in a historic visit that comes amid warmer relations between the two former Cold War foes.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

Obama will meet with President Raúl Castro during his two-day visit, but will not meet with former leader Fidel Castro, the current president's brother and the revolutionary strongman who led Cuba from 1959-2008.

The president and first lady will also attend a state dinner, as well as a Major League Baseball exhibition game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cuba's national team.

Dozens of U.S. lawmakers and business leaders have joined Obama on the trip, which is the first by a sitting U.S. president to Cuba since Calvin Coolidge visited 88 years ago.

Obama's flight is scheduled to land at 4:50 p.m. ET.

Hours before the president was set to touch down in Havana, however, authorities rounded up dissidents who held an anti-regime protest in the Cuban capital.

Hours before the president was set to touch down in Havana, however, authorities rounded up dissidents who held an anti-regime protest in the Cuban capital.

Adalberto Roque / AFP / Getty Images

Around 50 members and supporters of the Ladies in White group were detained by police outside a church where the group holds weekly demonstrations, the Associated Press reported.

Around 50 members and supporters of the Ladies in White group were detained by police outside a church where the group holds weekly demonstrations, the Associated Press reported.

Adalberto Roque / AFP / Getty Images


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Indiana Sheriff's Deputy Shot And Killed While Serving Arrest Warrant

Carl Koontz.

Indiana State Police / Via Twitter: @ISPJasper

An Indiana sheriff's deputy has been killed and his colleague injured after they were shot early Sunday while attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a suspect, officials said.

Deputy Carl Koontz and Sgt. Jordan Buckley of the Howard County Sheriff's Office entered the Russiaville home around 12:30 a.m. ET to serve an arrest and search warrant, Sheriff Steve Rogers told reporters at a press conference.

"When officers knocked on the door of the residence by announcing their presence they received no response," Rogers said. "Upon entry, the officers were confronted by gunfire and the officers returned fire."

Despite wearing body armor, the pair were injured and taken to a hospital, where Koontz, a 27-year-old who had served two years as a deputy, later died of his injuries.

Buckley was being treated and was said to be in a stable condition, according to Rogers.

After officers attempted for several hours to make contact with the armed suspect during the night, SWAT teams reported the person was dead inside the home. The individual's name has not been released.

An Indiana State Police investigation has been launched into the incident, according to Rogers.

"With a heavy heart, my prayers go out to the Howard Co SD and the family of Deputy Koontz, who was shot and killed," State Police spokesman Sgt. Philip Hensley wrote on Twitter.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Protesters Have Blocked The Road To A Trump Rally In Arizona

“We’ll take care of business,” Sheriff Joe Arpaio said of the protesters. “The main mission is to make sure Donald Trump is secure, protected.”

"Right now we’re in the process of towing vehicles and if this continues this might lead to arrests," he said.

"Right now we’re in the process of towing vehicles and if this continues this might lead to arrests," he said.

CNN


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Xbox Has Apologized For Hiring Sexy Schoolgirl Dancers For A Conference

“This is the first time I’ve felt this unwelcome at a games event,” one woman said.

"I did speak with several women after deciding to leave the party and their views were all consistent with mine."


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Friday, March 18, 2016

Financial Regulators Are Looking Into America's Largest Timeshare Seller

billy kerr/flickr / Via flic.kr

The federal government is looking into Westgate Resorts — the largest privately-held seller of timeshares in the United States.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau demanded reams of information on Westgate's sales and marketing practices in October, documents posted online by the regulator show. BuzzFeed News is first to report on the legal order.

Westgate, like other timeshare companies, aggressively markets its properties. Tactics include free information sessions at vacation destinations where Westgate employees put on the hard-sell. The regulator is also looking into the financing for the purchases, which is provided by Westgate.

The Orlando-based Westgate contested the CFPB's legal order for documents — also known as a civil investigative demand — claiming the regulator did not have constitutional authority to investigate, that its document demands were too burdensome, and that the CFPB were looking at parts of the company that didn't relate to the selling of a consumer financial product. Westgate did, however, partially comply before requesting to modify the demand.

A civil investigative demand does not necessarily mean the company receiving it is the target of an investigation — the CFPB also uses them to gather information from companies related to another company being investigated. The scope of the demand contested by Westgate, however, shows that the CFPB is looking into many aspects of its operations.

Westgate said the CFPB is demanding "information and documents that go to the heart of non-financial matters in what is, in essence, a real estate development and management company that develops, markets, sells and operates timeshare resorts, where financing a consumer transaction is merely a piece of a much larger vertically integrated operation."

Westgate's core business is selling timeshares in its 28 resorts, many of which it built and developed. Westgate then markets partial ownership to buyers and finances the purchases by lending them money to buy the timeshare. Westgate also manages the resorts. Westgate has locations in popular vacation areas like Orlando and Las Vegas.

A CFPB spokesperson declined to comment, saying the Bureau could not comment on potential enforcement matters. Westgate's chief operating officer, Mark Waltrip, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Westgate has run into trouble with federal regulators before for its marketing practices. In 2009, Westgate and companies affiliated with it settled with the Federal Trade Commission for over $1 million for violating Do Not Call rules with its telemarketers. Last April, Westgate lost a lawsuit in Tennessee over its high pressure sales tactics resulting in a $500,000 judgment. A couple sued Westgate claiming that commitments made during the sale of a timeshare were not followed up on after they bought a unit in the Tennessee mountain town Gatlinburg — the couple won $500,000. Westgate claimed that the case was not representative of the company's operations.

Another timeshare operator, Diamond Resorts, has come under scrutiny recently, with a long New York Times article questioning aspects of its sales and marketing practices.

Westgate's founder and chief executive officer David Siegel became widely known outside the timeshare industry when he wrote a memo to his employees saying that "our present government believes that taking my money is the right economic stimulus for this country" and that if taxes were increased in a second Obama term "I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company." Siegel founded Central Florida Investments, Westgate's parent company, in 1970.

Westgate says that its timeshares are a better value for vacationing families, claiming that timeshare buyers can get 25 years of one-week vacations for $25,000 along with the value of its timeshare ownership, while it would cost $84,000 at hotels

Siegel also appeared in the critically acclaimed documentary Queen of Versailles, which follows he and his family as they construct the largest residential estate in the United States in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis.

While Westgate is a privately held company, it is active in selling off its timeshare receivables as securities to investors. In November, Westgate sold $156 million worth of securities and has sold $2.75 billion since 1992. Loans included in a 2013 securitization deal had an average mortgage rate of 15% with a term of almost 10 years. Rates for ten year mixed residential mortgage loans are closer to 3%.

In October, Westgate sought to modify or even set aside the CFPB's subpoena, claiming that it was too broad, burdensome to comply with, and rested on uncertain constitutional authority.

Westgate's petition gives an idea of how broad the CFPB's inquiry is. Westgate said the CFPB "seek[s] a list and description of all methods of advertisement employed to solicit buyers of its timeshares," as well as data on the compensation of its sales staff and data on how often borrowers refinanced their mortgages.

The company claimed that the CFPB wanted to look into non-financial aspects of its operation, including the marketing, which Westgate says is mostly taking prospective buyers on tours of the resorts.

The CFPB said in a response to Westgate's petition that it had requested the identities of everyone who worked at Westgate since September 1, 2012, except for greeters. The regulator said that Westgate only then "provided the identities of those employees who processed mortgage applications, but withheld the identities of its sales employees who engaged in the offering and sales of the timeshare properties."

"Westgate has various means of marketing its timeshares, in most cases—
especially at the stage of simply bringing consumers to a property to take a tour—such marketing would not touch upon any financial aspects of the transaction," the company said in its request to the CFPB.

Westgate said the CFPB had requested "documents and information that precede the first contact with a consumer," and thus are not strictly related to financing the timeshare purchase.

Consumer complaint websites abound with accounts of tourists being invited to Westgate presentations with inducements like casino chips and free flights and then going through a mutli-hour, intense sales process.

The CFPB, in its denial of Westgate's petition, said that "Westgate has not shown that the sales process is completely separate from the financing of the timeshares," and the CFPB said it has obtained complaints that "suggest that sales representatives made statements directly relating to financing." The CFPB also argued that Westgate couldn't show its demands "would unduly hinder its day-to-day operations."

The CFPB also said that Westgate had withheld consumer complaints "that it deemed to be unrelated to its financing of timeshares."

In its decision to deny Westgate's request, the CFPB said that its enforcement staff had met with Westgate's lawyers in October and narrowed some of its requests.

Westgate's petition:

CFPB's denial:




SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Former Subway Spokesman Jared Fogle Assaulted In Prison

A family member of the man who attacked Fogle said he was trying to “send a message.”

Jared Fogle

Michael Conroy / AP

Steven Nigg

Free Steve Nigg

Former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle was pushed to the ground and punched multiple times at a federal prison in Colorado earlier this year, according to a document posted online Wednesday.

The Jan. 29 assault came at the hand of another inmate, 60-year-old Steven Nigg, who hoped to "send a message," Nigg's family told The Arizona Republic this week.

The attacker's relatives posted what appeared to be a prison incident report to a Facebook page Wednesday in the hopes it will draw more attention to his case. Nigg, who has previously served prison time, is serving a 15-year sentence on gun charges in connection with the unauthorized sale of antique guns belonging to his father.


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

California University Stabbing Attack Was ISIS-Inspired, FBI Says

Faisal Mohammad, 18, visited ISIS websites before stabbing four people at the University of California Merced, but it appears he acted alone, the FBI said.

University of California, Merced via AP

A University of California, Merced student who injured four people in a campus stabbing spree was inspired by ISIS, the FBI announced on Thursday.

Faisal Mohammad, an 18-year-old freshman, stabbed two students, a staff member, and a contractor in November 2015. He was fatally shot by a campus police officer, and the victims ultimately recovered.

In the days after the attack, the local sheriff said Mohammad left a two-page manifesto that suggested his motive was that he had been kicked out of a study group. The FBI investigation continued, however, and on Thursday, officials said it appeared he had been inspired by ISIS.

According to the FBI, a photocopy of the ISIS flag was inside the backpack Mohammad had been carrying. The FBI also conducted interviews and reviewed his electronics.

"Investigators developed information that he may have self-radicalized and drawn inspiration from terrorist propaganda," the FBI said.

Authorities found no evidence that Mohammad had at any time been working with a terrorist group or an accomplice. But in the weeks before the attack, he visited ISIS and other extremist websites, and his laptop contained ISIS propaganda.

It appears he planned the attack for about a week before carrying it out, and the manifesto contained plans for how he hoped to take students and staff hostage, the FBI said.

"Every indication is that Mohammad acted on his own; however, it may never be possible to definitively determine why he chose to attack people on the UC Merced campus," the FBI said.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile After U.S. Imposes New Sanctions

KCNA

North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the ocean early Friday morning, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

The missile, believed to be a Rodong model, flew about 500 miles across North Korea before falling into waters off the country's east coast, Yonhap said.

The missile launch came after the U.S. on Wednesday placed new sanctions on the authoritarian regime. The sanctions were a response to the launch of another ballistic missile by North Korea on Feb. 7 as well as a nuclear test on Jan. 6, the White House said in a statement.

"The U.S. and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations," Wednesday's statement said.

KCNA

Last week, North Korean state media reported that during a missile launch test, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un spoke out against the U.S. and South Korea's joint military exercises.

"We remain unperturbed in face of the enemies' any dangerous saber-rattling under our eyes, but if they destroy even a single tree or a blade of grass in our inviolable territory, I will issue a prompt order to launch attack with all military strike means including nuclear weapons and strike the Park regime and hordes of the puppet military with deadly baptism of fire so that they may not exist any longer," he said, according to North Korean state media.

The dictator also posed with a mock-up of a "miniature nuclear warhead."

LINK: Pentagon Confirms North Korea Launched A Satellite Into Orbit

LINK: Here’s Kim Jong Un Posing With A “Miniature Nuclear Warhead”




SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Chipotle Gave Away More Than 3 Million Burritos To Prove They're Safe

Andrew Renneisen / Getty Images

Chipotle handed out around 3.5 million free burritos to prove their food was safe amid health concerns and to make its restaurants less "eerie" to customers, the chain's executives said Wednesday.

After outbreaks of norovirus, salmonella, and E.coli at Chipotle locations all around the country last year, sales tanked and the company closed all locations on February 8th to have an all-employee safety meeting.

The revamped safety guidelines were accompanied by an ongoing massive marketing push centered around sending out coupons for free burritos. Mark Crumpacker, Chipotle's chief creative officer, said at a Bank of America Merrill Lynch conference that the company had expected the promotion to "go viral" and that 2.5 million would redeem the coupons.

Over about five hours, he said, 5.3 million people requested coupons, and about two thirds of them actually used them — "an extraordinarily high number." Crumpacker said that Chipotle was planning on sending out 21 million pieces of direct mail, and that between six and 10 million had already been sent out.

Hartung said that another benefit of the coupons was that it made Chipotle locations — many of which were nearly empty before the Center for Disease Control declared the E.coli outbreak — feel less “eerie.”

“We also wanted to show that this is what Chipotle looks like and it was kind of eerie, and we've heard this from customers, they would walk by our restaurant and see, God that was always busy and now there is no line whatsover, that's not the case anymore,” Hartung said.

Chipotle's sales are still falling this month, but are starting to climb back this year overall after plunging 40% in January, the company's co-chief executive officer, Steve Ells, added at the conference.

Ells's comments came after Chipotle announced on Tuesday that it was anticipating its first quarterly loss ever as a public company — and that its comparable sales in February had declined 26%.

Ells said sales had gotten back to a negative 20% decline at the beginning of March before dipping again after a suburban Boston location closed after employees called in sick on March 8.

"Our teams did an awesome job, they followed the protocol fully. And as a result, they protected our customers and no customers were affected. So, this was a really good thing," he said.

Chipotle put a brave face on what otherwise looks like sobering data, saying in a presentation that a "comparable sales recovery [is] underway." After the Boston area closing, Chipotle chief financial officer Jack Hartung said, "our comps declined..to about (negative) 27%."

Chipotle Mexican Grill / Via file:///Users/matthewzeitlin/Downloads/Chipotle_BAML_Final.pdf


But since Chipotle previewed its quarterly earnings and reported its monthly sales, the company's stock is still down slightly and has fallen over 26% in the last year.

"Our earnings and margins are not going to be very impressive in the short term," Hartung said, pointing not only to the poor consumer perception of the chain, but also supply chain issues introduced by the burrito coupons that led to more food waste, along with higher marketing and legal costs spurred by a Department of Justice investigation into its food safety practices. Ells said that the company has gotten closer to identifying the source of the E.coli outbreak.

"We have many more fresh ingredients in the typical fast-food restaurants. And so, there are potentially a lot of sources for such an incident," Ells said. "We have been looking with the CDC, with our epidemiologist, with food safety experts, with local health departments and nobody initially could identify what the source was. We think we have a pretty good idea, but not definitively are we going to say what it was."

Ells said the changes, despite being costly and time-intensive, have been good not just for the safety of the food, but for how it tastes. "Every single ingredient now that we bring in has been scrutinized, every single cooking technique has been scrutinized and we've made a number of changes and a lot of these changes also have been for the better, I mean the food actually tastes better."






SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Obama To Announce Supreme Court Pick: "I've Made My Decision"

Pool / Getty Images

A statement from President Obama:

Today, I will announce the person whom I believe is eminently qualified to sit on the Supreme Court.

As President, it is both my constitutional duty to nominate a Justice and one of the most important decisions that I -- or any president -- will make.

I've devoted a considerable amount of time and deliberation to this decision. I've consulted with legal experts and people across the political spectrum, both inside and outside government. And we’ve reached out to every member of the Senate, who each have a responsibility to do their job and take this nomination just as seriously.

Please join me in the Rose Garden at 11:00am Eastern for my announcement.

This is a responsibility I do not take lightly. In considering several candidates, I held each to three principles that reflect the role the Supreme Court plays in our democracy.

First, a Justice should possess an independent mind, unimpeachable credentials, and an unquestionable mastery of law. There is no doubt this person will face complex legal questions, so it is imperative that he or she possess a rigorous intellect that will help provide clear answers.

Second, a Justice should recognize the limits of the judiciary’s role. With a commitment to impartial justice rather than any particular ideology, the next Supreme Court Justice will understand that the job is to interpret the law, not make law.

However, I know there will be cases before the Supreme Court in which the law is not clear. In those cases, a Justice’s analysis will necessarily be shaped by his or her own perspective, ethics, and judgment.

Therefore, the third quality I looked for in a judge is a keen understanding that justice is not about abstract legal theory, nor some footnote in a dusty casebook. It’s the kind of life experience earned outside the classroom and the courtroom; experience that suggests he or she views the law not only as an intellectual exercise, but also grasps the way it affects the daily reality of people’s lives in a big, complicated democracy, and in rapidly-changing times. In my view, that’s an essential element for arriving at just decisions and fair outcomes.

Today at 11:00am Eastern, I’ll introduce you to the judge I believe meets all three of these standards.

I’m confident you’ll share my conviction that this American is not only eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice, but deserves a fair hearing, and an up-or-down vote.

In putting forward a nominee today, I am fulfilling my constitutional duty. I’m doing my job. I hope that our Senators will do their jobs, and move quickly to consider my nominee. That is what the Constitution dictates, and that’s what the American people expect and deserve from their leaders.

President Barack Obama

P.S. If you’re looking for the latest on my Supreme Court nominee and the confirmation process in the Senate, check out @SCOTUSnom on Twitter. You’ll find all the facts and up-to-date information there.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Man Killed In Belgian Terror Raid Found With ISIS Flag, As Two Suspects Remain On The Run

A masked Belgian policeman secures the area from a rooftop near the scene where shots were fired during a police search of a house in the suburb of Forest near Brussels, Belgium, March 15, 2016.

Yves Herman / Reuters

A man shot dead during a counterterrorism operation in Belgium was an Algerian in the country illegally, officials said Wednesday.

Four police officers were injured in the Tuesday raid in Brussels after French and Belgian commandos raided an apartment that they said was linked to last year’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

Belgian federal prosecutor Thierry Werts told reporters Wednesday the man was killed while firing at police from an apartment window.

His body was found alongside a Kalashnikov rifle, a book about ultra-conservative Salafist Islam, and an ISIS flag.

Two suspects remain on the run, the prosecutor's office said.

Nicolas Maeterlinck / AFP / Getty Images

The raid, which targeted an apartment in the southern Brussels neighborhood of Forest, began early in the afternoon, CNN reported. Police were not expecting to encounter anyone inside — but someone opened fire on them through a closed door.

After the raid, the police continued to hunt for two people, closed several streets in Forest, according to the BBC.

The neighborhood is located close to Molenbeek, the Brussels district where several of the Paris gunmen lived before the attacks.

The four officers who were wounded in the raid were expected to survive.

LINK: This Belgian Neighborhood Is Struggling To Block Its Children’s Radicalization



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

"Good Job, Corey," Trump Tells Embattled Campaign Manager After Tuesday Victories

Win Mcnamee / Getty Images

From his Palm Beach, Florida Xanadu, Mar-a-Lago, Trump spoke about his victory in the state — with his embattled campaign manager Corey Lewandowski at his right and his son Eric Trump at his left.

Trump and Lewandowski have pulled off a near sweep of today's primaries and caucuses — winning Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, and the Northern Mariana Islands, while Ohio's governor John Kasich won his home state.

"Good job Corey," Trump said, "and Hope (his spokesperson Hope Hicks) and our whole squad."

Lewandowski has been accused by former Breitbart News reporter Michelle Fields of roughly grabbing her while she tried to ask Trump a question, leaving bruises. Fields and Breitbart editor-at-large Ben Shapiro left the site, criticizing it for being a partisan pro-Trump outlet. Trump has suggested Fields was making the story up, while Lewandowski called her "delusional." Fields filed a police report that alleges Lewandowski assaulted her. Some viewers took notice of Lewandowski's appearance on Trump's stage.


Otherwise, Trump gave a version of his standard stump speech, lambasting trade deals, talking about his poll numbers, and promising to win for America.

"More importantly than anything else we’re going to start winning again, this country doesn’t win anymore, we don’t win with our military, we don’t win with trade."

The only other candidate Trump acknowledged was Florida senator Marco Rubio, who earlier tonight suspended his campaign following Trump's Florida victory. "I want to congratulate Marco Rubio on having run a really tough campaign. He’s tough and smart and he has a really great future."

Despite establishing and maintaining a solid lead in all polls, Trump depicted his victory in Florida as having come in the face of a wave of negative advertising that "no one has ever in the history of politics has received." Trump said that the ads were "90% false, vicious and horrible."

He even said that he was imploring guests at a recent golf tournament at the Trump National Doral in Doral, Florida to look away from the TV, knowing they would be faced with negative ads. "Look over there, don’t watch this! Isn’t the grass beautiful?" he recounted telling his guests.

Trump lambasted reporters, saying there were "some really disgusting people back there," and lamenting that he had to deal with "lies, deceits, viciousness, disgusting reporters."

vine.co

However, he assured his guests: "We’re going to win for the country. We’re going to win and we’re not stopping thank you very much everybody."



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Marco Rubio Drops Out Of Presidential Race

Marco Rubio has dropped out of the presidential race, he announced during a speech after he lost his home state of Florida to Donald Trump on Tuesday night.


This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Here's Your First Look At Hillary Clinton On "Broad City"

Yas!

Well, the episode will finally air this week, and here's your first look at Clinton's meeting with Abbi and Illana.

Recently fired (finally) from her "job" at Deals Deals Deals, Illana has found the time to volunteer for Clinton at her Brooklyn headquarters.

Recently fired (finally) from her "job" at Deals Deals Deals, Illana has found the time to volunteer for Clinton at her Brooklyn headquarters.

Yes, yes, Illana seems more like a Bernie supporter, but just go with it.

Comedy Central / Via cc.com

The two are discussing Illana's desk when someone walks in and catches their eye...

The two are discussing Illana's desk when someone walks in and catches their eye...

Comedy Central / Via cc.com


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Lin-Manuel Miranda Freestyled At The White House With Obama's Help

This is totally boss.

But here's the best part: Miranda joined President Obama in the White House Rose Garden to produce this video showcasing his freestyling genius — with an assist from POTUS.

View Video ›

Facebook: video.php


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Monday, March 14, 2016

3 Police Officers Shot On Chicago's West Side

A Chicago Police Department spokesman said the three officers had been taken to a hospital and were expected to survive.

Three Chicago police officers were wounded Monday night in a shooting on the city's west side.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted that three officers had been shot, and they were each expected to survive.

The shooting took place just before 10 p.m. in the 3700 block of West Polk Street, near the city's North Lawndale neighborhood.

The shooter was killed at the scene, the Chicago Tribune reported. Information on what led up to the shooting was not immediately available.


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Kalamazoo Shooting Suspect Said Uber App Made Him Do It

Carlos Osorio / AP

The Uber driver accused of killing six people and injuring two others during a shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Michigan, told police he was a "puppet" of the app, which showed him a devil's head when he used it.

Authorities on Monday released police reports and 911 audio related to the shootings, which took place at several seemingly random locations in the Kalamazoo area on Feb. 20. Jason Dalton, 45, was arrested after a traffic stop and has been in jail on six counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and eight felony firearms crimes.

In an interview on the night of his arrest, Dalton told officers that he did not remember his actions clearly, according to a police report.

Dalton had recently started driving for Uber, and told police that when he pressed a button on the app, he saw an "Eastern star" — a five-pointed star used by a sister society to the Free Masons — and a devil head.

"Dalton described the devil figure as a horned cow head or something like that and then it would give you an assignment and it would literally take over your whole body," the police report said.

Uber has said that the shootings could not have been foreseen and noted that Dalton had no previous criminal record.

Jeff Karoub / AP

Police told Dalton one of the shootings had been captured on surveillance video, but he said he didn't remember what happened. They asked why he was wearing a bullet-proof vest, and what he thought about having seriously injured one teenager and killed another.

"I asked Dalton what made him get his gun tonight and he said the Uber app made him," the police report states.

When police pulled him over, Dalton said the color of the app changed — signaling it no longer controlled him, he said in the interview. Dalton surrendered to officers and allowed them to take his gun.

"Dalton explained how he has experienced a full-body takeover, that is how he can understand the other mass shootings," the police report states.

A lawyer for Dalton has requested a psychiatric evaluation.

LINK: Man Charged After 6 People Killed In String Of “Senseless, Random” Shootings In Michigan

LINK: These Are The Victims Of The Kalamazoo, Michigan, Shootings




SOURCE: BuzzFeed

N-Word Used On Chicago Police Radio Sparks Investigation

Scott Olson / Getty Images

The Chicago Police Department has launched an internal investigation after recordings emerged of racial slurs, including the n-word, being used over dispatch radio.

In an audio recording published by DNAInfo Chicago, a man can can be heard saying "typical fucking n*****s" over the police frequency. The comment was made after others on the frequency were joking about the love life of one of the women on the radio dispatch.

"Find out what radio that comment came from," a man then says.

"You know, we don't get radio numbers, but I'm already hollering for my supervisor," a woman says.

"Black lives matter, my ass, you fucking n****r," a man is then heard saying.

w.soundcloud.com

According to DNAInfo, the comment was made on Saturday morning, roughly 12 hrs after Donald Trump's decision to cancel a rally in Chicago amid heavy protests.

It was not clear whether the man who made the slurs was a police officer.

In a statement to BuzzFeed News, a Chicago police spokesperson said they were aware of the "inappropriate transmission."

"The statements made are absolutely unacceptable and Superintendent Escalante has ordered an immediate internal affairs investigation into this incident," the statement read. "Should the investigation reveal that a member of the Police Department made the statements, he will be immediately suspended and disciplinary proceedings will be launched."

National attention turned to Chicago's police department in the wake of its handling of the October 2014 police shooting of Laquan McDonald. The black teenager's death prompted large protests and rocked Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration, leading to the ousting of the police chief. It also triggered an investigation by the Justice Department.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Russia Will Begin Withdrawing Its Military From Syria, Putin Says

The Russian missile cruiser Moskva in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Syria, in December.

Max Delany / AFP / Getty Images

Russia will begin pulling most of its military out from Syria, having completed its "fundamental goals" in the war-torn country, President Vladimir Putin announced Monday.

In a statement, the Kremlin announced Moscow will begin withdrawing the main body of its air force from Syria, but will keep a military presence in the country to guarantee compliance with the ongoing ceasefire and "ensure aviation security."

Putin telephoned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Monday to discuss Russia's campaign of airstrikes in Syria, which first began in earnest in September. The two leaders were said to have agreed Russia's air force had radically changed the fight against "terrorism" in the country, by inflicting significant damage on jihadist infrastructure. Both countries generally refer to all opposition to the Syrian regime, include those supported by the United States and other Western nations.

"With this in mind, the President of Russia stated that the fundamental tasks set before the Armed Forces of Russia in Syria were resolved," the Kremlin said.

Michael Klimentyev / AFP / Getty Images

This is a developing news story. Check back for updates or follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Kellogg Says There Is A Criminal Investigation Into Assembly Line Peeing Incident

flic.kr / Via Roadsidepictures

Cereal maker Kellogg said Monday that a criminal investigation has been launched into a video that appears to show a man urinating on a company assembly line.

Kris Charles, a Kellog spokesperson, said in a statement that the video, which appeared on WorldStarUncut.com on Friday, was recorded at Memphis facility in 2014.

The graphic video shows a man urinating in the factory and then pans to a Kellogg's logo. It appears to be shot by the urinating man himself.

Via worldstaruncut.com

Via worldstaruncut.com


Charles said that the products that could have been contaminated "include Rice Krispies Treats, granola clusters used in a couple of products, and a few other puffed rice treats that we no longer make."

Charles said that "any products that could have been potentially impacted would be very limited and past their expiration dates."

The company's stock was down about .5% in early afternoon trading on Monday.

"Food quality is of the utmost importance to Kellogg Company," Charles said. "We are outraged by this completely unacceptable situation, and we will work closely with authorities to prosecute to the full extent of the law.”



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Justice Department Tells States To Stop Jailing Poor People Over Fines

A March 2015 protest outside the court in Pine Lawn, Missouri.

Michael B. Thomas / Getty Images

The Justice Department on Monday called on state court officials to stop imprisoning defendants who fail to pay fines or court fees, slamming the practice as unconstitutional, profit-motivated, and unfairly burdensome on the poor.

In a strongly worded letter to state court chief justices and administrators, Vanita Gupta, the head of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, and Lisa Foster, director of the Office for Access to Justice, criticized the use of arrest warrants as a means to collect fees.

"In addition to being unlawful, to the extent that these practices are geared not toward addressing public safety, but rather toward raising revenue, they can cast doubt on the impartiality of the tribunal and erode trust between local governments and their constituents," she wrote.

The practice of jailing defendants for failing to pay fines for misdemeanors or civil infractions received national attention when federal officials probed the justice system in Ferguson, Missouri, after the police shooting death of Michael Brown. The DOJ found Ferguson officials “have consistently set maximizing revenue as the priority” for law enforcement, with the city drawing significant revenue from such fines.

Inability for low-income residents to pay such fines traps those individuals in "cycles of poverty," Gupta and Foster wrote: "Individuals may confront escalating debt; face repeated, unnecessary incarceration for nonpayment despite posing no danger to the community; lose their jobs; and become trapped in cycles of poverty that can be nearly impossible to escape."

Lynch and Gupta at a press conference on Ferguson last month.

Carolyn Kaster / AP

“The consequences of the criminalization of poverty are not only harmful – they are far-reaching,” Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement. “They not only affect an individual’s ability to support their family, but also contribute to an erosion of our faith in government."

In their letter, the federal officials outlined several "basic constitutional principles," including the need to determine that a failure to pay a fine was willful before jailing a defendant. Furthermore, they urged courts to consider alternatives to incarceration, including a payment extension, reduction in the debt, or imposing community service.

Last month, Lynch announced federal officials would sue Ferguson to force long-discussed changes in the policing and justice system there. “They waited decades for justice,” Lynch said. “They should not have to wait any longer.”

Read the DOJ letter here:

LINK: Justice Department Sues Ferguson To Force Policing And Court Changes

LINK: This Is What It’s Like To Go To Court In Ferguson, Missouri



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Officer Killed In "Unprovoked Attack" Outside Police Station

Two people are in custody in connection with the fatal shooting, Maryland police said.

Evan Vucci / AP

A 28-year-old Prince George's County, Maryland police officer died Sunday after what authorities have called an "unprovoked attack" outside a police station.

Officer Jacai Colson had been with the department for four years. He died at a hospital Sunday night after he was shot while he and other officers were "going about their business" outside the department's District Three station, Chief Hank Stawinski said.

Roads were briefly closed and residents told to shelter in place after the shooting. Within two hours, two suspects had been taken into custody. One was wounded after he and police exchanged fire, Reuters reported.

The suspects' names were not immediately released, and police said there was no known motive for the shooting.

Police gathered for a press conference Sunday night outside the hospital where Colson had been treated. Fraternal Order of Police president John Teletchea described Colson as a "cop's cop" and a personal friend.


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Black Panther Dies In Prison After 45 Years Behind Bars

Mondo we Langa, also known as David Rice, died Saturday at age 68.

Ron Levine / BuzzFeed News

Courtesy Mondo we Langa

A member of the Black Panthers who was convicted in the 1970 death of a police officer has died in prison.

Mondo we Langa, also known as David Rice, died in a Lincoln, Nebraska prison Saturday night, the Associated Press reported. His cause of death was not immediately known, though a state prison official told the AP he had been treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

He was one of two Nebraska Black Panthers leaders serving life in prison for the murder of an Omaha police officer. Authorities said we Langa and Edward Poindexter, later known as the Omaha Two, were responsible for the detonation of a suitcase bomb inside a home, which killed Officer Larry Minard.

The two men always maintained their innocence, saying they were falsely implicated for their political beliefs. Questions surrounding the case prompted Amnesty International in 2009 to call for either their release or a new trial. BuzzFeed News also published a story about the case in February.

Poindexter, 71, remains in prison after he was denied a request for parole in 2014.


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Northwestern Students Charged With Hate Crime After "Trump" Chapel Vandalism

Two Northwestern University freshmen are accused of spray painting racist and anti-gay messages, as well as the word "Trump," inside a campus chapel.

Anthony Morales, 19, and Matthew Kafker, 18, were arraigned Saturday on charges of institutional vandalism, hate crime to a place of worship, and criminal damage to property, the Chicago Tribune reported. A judge set bail at $50,000 each, after reprimanding the teens, according to the newspaper.

The vandalism took place Thursday night inside the non-denominational Alice Millar Chapel, where racist, anti-Semitic, anti-gay and other offensive graffiti was left on walls, offices, and an organ, the university said. Following the criminal charges, the students have been placed on interim suspension, which prohibits them from being on university property, a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News.

"Northwestern is committed to creating a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all of our students, faculty, and staff," University President Morton Schapiro said in a statement following the incident. "This disgusting act of hatred violates the deepest values and core commitments of our University and is an affront to us all."

Campus police reviewed surveillance video, and the students were arrested on Friday. They were released from jail Saturday after making bond, the Cook County Sheriff's Office told BuzzFeed News.

According to the Tribune, the students are accused of spray painting penises, a swastika, and the word "Trump," as well as crossing out a photo of Muslim students.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

There's An Instagram Account Sharing Pictures Of "Hot Migrants"

The guy behind the account says this is simply his unique way of sparking discussion on the tragic plight of refugees.

Here's something new on the internet this week: An Instagram account devoted to sharing photos of "handsome" migrants and refugees as they make their way through Europe.

Here's something new on the internet this week: An Instagram account devoted to sharing photos of "handsome" migrants and refugees as they make their way through Europe.

Instagram: @hotmigrants

"Handsome men on their journey to Europe," the account's bio reads. "Their countries might be falling apart but their sex appeal still goes strong."

Instagram: @hotmigrants

The account has gained more than 2,000 followers — and generated a ton of online discussion — since its first upload a week ago.

Instagram: @hotmigrants

Many commenters have complained the account trivializes the struggle and tragedies the migrants have endured in trying to flee violence and seek refuge in Europe.

Instagram: @hotmigrants


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

A Palestinian Teacher Won A $1 Million Global Teacher Prize

Hanan Al Hroub, who grew up in a refugee camp herself, now works to help her students overcome the violence that surrounds them.

A Palestinian educator on Sunday won the Global Teacher Prize, a $1 million award that recognizes a teacher who has made outstanding contributions to their community.

A Palestinian educator on Sunday won the Global Teacher Prize, a $1 million award that recognizes a teacher who has made outstanding contributions to their community.

Varkey Foundation

Hanan Al Hroub began studying to be a teacher after watching her own children struggle amid the daily violence in their neighborhood. Her husband was walking home from school with their children when he was shot and injured.

"It transformed my children's behaviors, personalities, and academics," she said.
"I felt that I was alone in getting my children through this."

She developed games for her daughters and other neighborhood children. As they played, they redeveloped social skills and built self-confidence, and their grades improved as well.

Hroub completed her degree in education, and now teaches at Samiha Khalil Secondary School in Ramallah. Many of her students have shown aggressive behavior or frustration based on the violence and uncertainty of their environment, she said.

"Based on this truth, the role of education starts, the teacher's responsibility starts also as an educator, an artist, creating an environment and a context that frees children from violence, frees their imagination and embodies it in forms of dialogue, love and beauty," she said.

"We want our children to live peaceful lives, as all children of the world."

Kamal Azraq / Via Varkey Foundation

The award was announced Sunday by Pope Francis, who referenced Hroub's philosophy of limiting violence by playing and learning.

"A child has the right to play," he said. "Part of the education is to teach children how to play, because you learn how to be social through games and you learn the joy of life."


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Gunmen Attack Hotels At Beach Resort In Ivory Coast

The incident occurred in the popular beachside town of Grand-Bassam, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

A hotel in Grand Bassam is pictured in April 2015.

Sia Kambou / AFP / Getty Images

Gunmen attacked two hotels in a popular beach resort town in southeastern Ivory Coast on Sunday, the government said.

The incident happened in the tourist town of Grand-Bassam, a UNESCO World Heritage site located 25 miles from the city of Abidjan.

According to a statement shared by the government on social media, security services were on scene to monitor events and protect the public.

"We ask people to not panic and keep calm," the statement read, adding people should avoid Grand-Bassam.

According to the statement, there were at least 11 casualties, including five men, five women, and a child. However, the statement did not make clear if these people were injured or killed, and there were contradicting reports.

Unverified images circulating on social media purported to show several bloodied bodies lying motionless on the sand, and sources told Agence France-Presse at least five people had been killed.

The government's statement was widely picked up by French and international media, before it was subsequently deleted from official social media pages without explanation.

Josiane Sekongo, 25, told the Associated Press she ran outside of her home upon hearing shots ring out and saw people fleeing the beach.

Video shared on Facebook purported to show people fleeing the beach.

View Video ›

Facebook: saga.lhomme

Witnesses and a correspondent told Radio France International a handgun was used to fire shots on the beach, as well as at the l'Etoile du Sud hotel.

Military vehicles carrying heavy machine guns were en route to the scene, RFI reported.

Alain Lobohnon, deputy mayor of the town of Fresco, which also sits on the country's Atlantic coastline, tweeted his country had "joined the list of victims of terrorism."

"We are in mourning," he wrote. "Together, we will overcome this tragedy."

In recent years, Ivory Coast's neighbors have been the victims of deadly terror attacks. More than 30 people were killed after al-Qaeda attacked a hotel in Burkina Faso in January, while Mali has also seen jihadists launch attacks on hotels, including one such incident in November which killed 22 people.

This is a developing news story. Check back for updates or follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Saturday, March 12, 2016

The Secret Service Surrounded Trump After A Guy Rushed The Stage

“I was ready for him, but it’s much easier if the cops do it,” Trump told the crowd.

Secret Service agents rushed to protect Donald Trump on Saturday, as a man jumped the barricade at an Ohio campaign event and tried to rush the stage.

View Video ›

Facebook: video.php

This video filmed from the crowd in Dayton shows the man wearing a black t-shirt leap over the barricade on the left hand side of the screen.

youtube.com

Secret Service agents quickly tackled the man...

Secret Service agents quickly tackled the man...

youtube.com

As other agents crowded around the GOP frontrunner.

As other agents crowded around the GOP frontrunner.

youtube.com


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Eagles Of Death Metal Singer Apologizes For Suggesting The Bataclan Attack Was An Inside Job

Jesse Hughes outside the Bataclan in December after the attacks.

Miguel Medina / AFP / Getty Images

Jesse Hughes, the singer for the band whose concert came under attack during November's terrorist attacks in Paris, has apologized for suggesting venue security guards were somehow involved in the massacre.

In a Wednesday interview on the Fox Business network, the Eagles of Death Metal frontman suggested the terrorists who attacked the Bataclan concert hall on Nov. 13, killing 89 people, had inside help.

“When I first got to the venue and walked in, I walked past the dude who was supposed to be the security guard for the backstage," Hughes said. "He didn’t even look at me. I immediately went to the promoter and said, ‘Who’s that guy? I want to put another dude on,’ and he goes, ‘Well, some of the other guards aren’t here yet,’ and eventually I found out that six or so wouldn’t show up at all.”

"It seems rather obvious they had a reason not to show up," he said.

The Eagles of Death Metal playing at the Bataclan moments before the attack.

Marion Ruszniewski / AFP / Getty Images

However, in a statement posted to the band's Facebook page on Friday, Hughes apologized for the remarks.

"I humbly beg forgiveness from the people of France, the staff and security of the Bataclan, my fans, family, friends and anyone else hurt or offended by the absurd accusations I made," he said.

He said the comments were "unfounded and baseless" and did not reflect the views of his bandmates.

"I've been dealing with non-stop nightmares and struggling through therapy to make sense of this tragedy and insanity," he said. "I haven't been myself since November 13."

Last month, Hughes, an NRA member, told French television that the country's gun control laws were partly to blame for the massacre. "Until nobody has guns, everybody has to have them," he said, “because I don’t want to ever see anything like this ever happen again.”

A total of 130 people were killed in the Paris attacks, which unfolded in multiple locations across the French capital.

On Dec. 7, the Eagles of Death Metal returned to Paris to play alongside U2. Last month, they played their first solo concert in the city, with Hughes saying the band had a sacred duty to return.

LINK: Powerful Photos From Eagles Of Death Metal’s First Concert In Paris Since November’s Attacks

LINK: Eagles Of Death Metal Singer Says, “Until Nobody Has Guns, Everybody Has to Have Them”



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Trump Blames "Communist" Bernie Sanders Supporters For Violent Chicago Event

Charles Rex Arbogast / AP

Donald Trump said "fervent" supporters of Bernie Sanders were to blame for the violence that caused his campaign event in Chicago to be cancelled on Friday evening due to security concerns.

The rally was scheduled to take place at the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion, but protests and scuffles both inside and outside the arena caused the event to be called off at the last minute, leaving sullen Trump supporters to file out to the cheers of protesters.

Speaking to supporters at a rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday, the Republican frontrunner criticized what he said was the "disgraceful" behavior of anti-Trump protesters. He called the demonstrations "a planned attack" carried out by "organized, professionally staged wise guys."

"What happened yesterday was incredible," Trump said. "It was determined that if we go in it could cause really bad, bad vibes."

"You have to understand they want me to tell my people, ‘Please be nice.’ My people are nice!" he said to cheers. "They caused no problems. They were taunted, they were harassed by these other people."

Trump said some of the protesters represented "our communist friend" Bernie Sanders.

"Bernie, he should really get up and say to his people, 'Stop!'" Trump said.

The real-estate developer said there were no Hillary Clinton supporters at the rally because they lack the "fervor" of Sanders supporters. "Say what you want about Bernie, at least there’s fervor," he said.

Charles Rex Arbogast / AP

In the aftermath of the Chicago event, Trump's opponents for the Republican nomination have said he is ultimately responsible for the actions of his supporters due to his often incendiary rhetoric.

"I think a campaign bears responsibility for creating an environment, when the candidate urges supporters to engage in physical violence to punch people in the face,” Ted Cruz said. “The predictable consequence of that is that it escalates."

Speaking Saturday, Trump mocked his rivals for saying such behavior would not occur at their rallies. "They don't have any people at their rallies!" he said.

LINK: Donald Trump Calls Off Chicago Rally As Protesters Clash With Supporters

LINK: Trump’s Opponents Are Blaming Him For His Violent Chicago Campaign Event



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

This Elderly Dog Cried When She Welcomed Her Best Friend Home From The Army

Friends to the end.

This is Private Hannah Foraker from Cleveland, Ohio. The 21-year-old went off to basic training in Oklahoma in September, before transferring to Houston upon her graduation in November.

Instagram: @hunterprobss

Her time was made harder because she was separated from her beloved animals, including her horse, Derby, and her 13-year-old golden retriever, Buddy.

Her time was made harder because she was separated from her beloved animals, including her horse, Derby, and her 13-year-old golden retriever, Buddy.

Hannah Foraker

"She's very old and has arthritis and is mostly deaf," Foraker said, "but I still remember getting her as a puppy."

"She's very old and has arthritis and is mostly deaf," Foraker said, "but I still remember getting her as a puppy."

Hannah Foraker


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Friday, March 11, 2016

The Dog From "Legally Blonde" Has Died

RIP BRUISER WOODS.

If you're a big fan of the 2001 CLASSIC Legally Blonde, then you know the real star of the film was the little dog that played Bruiser Woods.

If you're a big fan of the 2001 CLASSIC Legally Blonde, then you know the real star of the film was the little dog that played Bruiser Woods.

MGM / Via giphy.com

The Chihuahua, whose real name was Moonie, proved a loyal friend to Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) as she slayed her way through Harvard Law School.

The Chihuahua, whose real name was Moonie, proved a loyal friend to Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) as she slayed her way through Harvard Law School.

MGM

His trainer, Sue Chip, has sadly revealed Moonie passed away in L.A. on Thursday morning at the ripe age of 18. "I remember the day I brought him home as a puppy," Chips wrote.

Instagram: @tailsticks


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Obama And Canada's Hot Prime Minister Both Made Jokes About Justin Bieber

“Leave it to a Canadian to reach international fame with a song called ‘Sorry.’”

The Obamas hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Trudeau, for a state dinner at the White House on Thursday night.

The Obamas hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Trudeau, for a state dinner at the White House on Thursday night.

Pool / Getty Images

The event was a pretty glitzy affair, with a whole bunch of Canadian celebs invited.

The event was a pretty glitzy affair, with a whole bunch of Canadian celebs invited.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

Like Ryan Reynolds (with his wife Blake Lively)...

Like Ryan Reynolds (with his wife Blake Lively)...

Pool / Getty Images

Mike Meyers aka Austin Powers...

Mike Meyers aka Austin Powers...

Chris Kleponis / AFP / Getty Images


View Entire List ›



SOURCE: BuzzFeed