Veteran foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid died while on assignment for the NY Times in Syria yesterday, of an apparent asthma attack. Shadid, 43, and photographer Tyler Hicks had sneaked across the border from Turkey (crawling under a barbed wire fence), and spent a week covering the conflict there. Hicks says Shadid had asthma medication with him, but on their way back to Turkey he suffered a fatal attack, apparently brought on by their guides' horses. more ›

A federal grand jury has been convened to look at whether the NYPD leaked information about the 2009 subway bomb plot, and so far, four NYPD detectives have testified. Now the Daily News reports that the grand jury is also looking at how reporters got details about other terrorism cases, like "how reporters knew Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad lived in Connecticut - before he was captured." more ›

In January, Village Voice reporter Wayne Barnett was let go after 37 years at the weekly tabloid, for what was said to be budgetary reasons. The Times has a feature catching up with the muckraking reporter, who is currently at work on an article for The Nation. There are many amusing anecdotes from the man ("Bloomberg’s first term was, I think, the best I’ve ever covered, but since then he’s treading water. I think the job bores him."), along with quotes from former colleagues and mentees (“Wayne manages to be endearing and obnoxious at the same time.”) The whole story is worth reading, but there's one bit in particular, from his wife Fran Barrett ("Wayne's liaison to planet Earth") which stood out to us: more ›

Mark Hawthorne was a reporter for the New York Times for nearly a decade (from 1961 to 1970). Sometime around 1986 he left New York for California and opted out of "normal society." So what's the 73-year-old man up to these days (besides calling Howard Stern)? The SF Chronicle interviewed Hawthorne—known by locals as The Hate Man, and he told them a little bit about his philosophy. He explained: "It's about being straight with people. The dictionary defines hate as hostility, but that's heavy. My idea is to be straight about negative feelings that we all have, which is what hate is, and then you can have a real conversation. Don't be threatening or angry or snotty—just straight." All you need is hate! Is this what happens when you live in New York too long, or spend too long at the Times? [via Gawker] more ›

A day after the New York Times Co. shocked skeptics by revealing it actually turned a profit last year, it appears there might be more layoffs at Gray Lady. The Wrap reports that despite the paper's seemingly improving economic state, when asked whether there will be staff cuts in 2010 chief financial officer James Follo responded: "I think we would expect that to be the case, yes." It's not clear whether or not the cuts will be in the newsroom, which last year lost popular writers including Jennifer 8. Lee to buyouts, and others including trend piece extraordinaire Allen Salkin to layoffs. The paper is expected to introduce a controversial paywall on its website in 2010.
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Quintessential New York reporter Jimmy Breslin was feted Monday night at NYU by former colleagues at the Daily News and Newsday, at an event that featured a surprise appearance by Tony Bennett and lots of anecdotes from Breslin's long career. When it was all over, Breslin, who had been on stage looking "amused or incredulous" during the extolment, took the mic and said, "I don’t want to go back over my life. I don’t want to start doing that, because it is boring, I think, No. 1, and No. 2, I’ll start lying to you." Breslin, an Irish-American known to enjoy a good drink, also revealed that he's given up alcohol on the advice of doctors: "I’m not drinking. If I were drinking at the bar with you, I would tell a lot of lies and I would almost be charming." City Room has a good, thorough report. more ›

Though former Fox 5 TV reporter Mike Sheehan originally said "neigh" to charges that he was drunk when he drove into a mounted police officer in March, yesterday he pleaded guilty to driving while impaired by alcohol. Sheehan drove into the horse and cop on Varick Street in Tribeca, leaving the cop with a bruised leg and the horse with cuts, bruises and scrapes; he refused to take a Breathalyzer test after the accident. In true Fox news style, Sheehan had claimed that the horse was actually to blame for colliding with him. more ›

City Hall News reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere has filed a funny account of his futile attempt to attend last night's mayoral debate between Mike Bloomberg and William Thompson. According to Dovere, an officer outside the debate on the corner of 104th and Fifth Avenue promised to have him arrested if he tried to move past him, because Dovere was allegedly late. But Dovere and other ticket holders blocked by the cop insist they were still several minutes early, and the cop's watch was fast. Bickering ensued! more ›

You may recall that State Senator Pedro Espada's son Alejandro—not the one who got hired by the Senate and then quickly quit, a different one—pleaded guilty to harassment against 76-year-old blogger Rafael Martínez-Alequin at a campaign rally last September. According to Martínez-Alequin, several people, including Alejandro, began shoving him and trying to grab his camera as he approached Espada with questions. Here's video, which shows the infamous Bronxchester Senator smugly telling Martínez-Alequin, "He's trying to teach you manners papa. He's trying to teach you manners." Alejandro was charged with harassment and criminal mischief for (allegedly) pushing Martinez-Alequin and breaking his camera, but he struck a plea bargain, pleading guilty to second-degree harassment and agreeing to pay $432 for the camera. Anyway, Alejandro was supposed to be sentenced yesterday, but that never happened because the judge was absent. So Martínez-Alequin didn't get to read his contemptuous victim's-impact statement, which calls the Senator "a common street thug. It is most unfortunate that a politician can resort to thuggish tactics and not be held fully accountable. Senator Espada encouraged his son to assault a defenseless 76-year-old man." Somebody sure needs a lesson in manners, among other things. more ›

Is the unofficial first rule of Mayor Bloomberg-Press Fight Club "Don't ask Mayor Bloomberg about term limits"? That's what it seems like when you watch this video from PolitickerNY's Azi Paybarah. Bloomberg, at a press conference touting how the city received $32 million in federal stimulus money for job training, said of the economy, "I’m reasonably optimistic that we’ve turned the corner" on the recession. So Paybarah asked if, since the economy was turning around, that meant Bloomberg oversold his pitch for overturning term limits—which the mayor didn't think was a "serious" question. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg's peeved reaction to an errant tape recorder—which was playing while the mayor was about to make remarks about gay marriage legislation—and its owner, disabled reporter Michael Harris (who wasn't able to immediately reach the device because he's confined to a wheelchair) drew a bit of press. The NY Times called it "awkward" (adding that the mayor was "sighing and glowering" at Harris), the Daily News said the mayor "cranky" and the Post characterized Bloomberg's reaction as a "meltdown." more ›

While Governor Paterson's press conference announcing the introduction of same-sex legislation was an monumental landmark event, there was a very awkward moment. Right before Mayor Bloomberg was to speak, some music started playing which made him freak out more than a little. more ›

Embattled Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez is apparently trying to work the charm offensive. Sports Illustrated reporter Selena Roberts, who co-wrote the story that revealed his steroid use during his Texas Rangers days, says the player called her to apologize for his remarks during his ESPN interview (A-Rod had complained, "What makes me upset is that Sports Illustrated pays this lady, Selena Roberts, to stalk me... Really respectable journalists are following this lady off the cliff and following her lead."). Rodriguez seems to be enjoying things in spite of the controversy: He went on a Valentine's date with a model last night; an onlooker told the Daily News, "They were not holding hands, but they looked very happy; he seemed very into her." more ›