Andrew Blankstein

Ex-USC professor indicted in child sex crimes caught in Mexico

latimes.com — A former USC professor who was named this week as one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives after being indicted for alleged sex crimes against children overseas has been captured in Mexico, the bureau said Tuesday night. Walter Lee Williams, 64, was arrested Tuesday evening by Mexican authorities, Bill Lewis, FBI assistant director in charge, said in a statement.

BBC spent £28m of licence-fee payers' money gagging 500 staff

telegraph.co.uk — "They expect their hard-earned money to be spent on supporting creative talent and world class programmes, not on payments to silence people." The BBC confirmed that almost all of the settlements, known as compromise agreements, contained confidentiality clauses.

L.A. NOW - Los Angeles News, Southern California News - latimes.com

latimes.com — During a three-day operation dubbed Operation Spring Cleaning, Long Beach Police swept up 71 people involved in organized shoplifting gangs, one of whom had pies and gallons of ice cream hidden in her clothes. Over three days last week, patrol officers from throughout the city along with burglary detectives and 100 loss-prevention specialists at local retailers arrested suspects at 43 stores around town, said Sgt.

Coroner has not determined if crash victim is Michael Hastings

latimes.com — The Los Angeles county coroner's office had yet to determine Tuesday night whether a body recovered from a fiery car crash was that of award-winning journalist Michael Hastings. The body was badly charred and identified only as "John Doe 117," law enforcement authorities told The Times.