Free Republic

Breaking into the exclusive Highgate property market in north London is notoriously difficult. But yesterday a homeless man apparently did the almost-impossible, managing to secure his very own slice of prime real estate on Hampstead Heath for free. Harry Hallowes, 70, says he has been given the title deeds to a piece of land on the edge of the heath on which he has been squatting for more than two decades. The 65ft by 131ft plot has been estimated to be worth up to £2 million. The Land Registry's decision

Officers from District 1 responded to a radio call last night around 3:00am for a person with a knife at 20 Prince Street. Upon arrival, officers found the victim physically struggling with the suspect on the street. When the suspect was restrained, the victim reported that the suspect broke into his apartment and was carrying a knife. The victim grabbed a pot and struck the suspect over the head with it, causing the suspect to flee the apartment. The victim followed the suspect outside until the officers arrived. Officers recovered two knives that were on the street and arrested the...

Hillary Clinton, at first blush, would appear to have little in common with big-screen bombshells like Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts, let alone such iconic sportsmen as the late Vince Lombardi. But as politicians go, New York's junior senator is larger than life. And like each of these superstars, she has seen her good name hijacked by so-called "cybersquatters." On July 13, Clinton finally launched photo: hillaryclinton.com, having wrested it from the notorious Italian Web operator who originally owned it. She's using the domain name as the home of her re-election bid next year. "This new website is a reflection...

An 82-year-old woman who has been squatting at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center for more than a year was removed from the hospital Tuesday almost immediately after a Marin County judge authorized it. Sarah Nome, who has refused all efforts by Kaiser to get rid of her, was whisked by ambulance shortly after 5 p.m. to the Lafayette Convalescent Hospital in Lafayette. Superior Court Commissioner Harvey Goldfine placed Nome under the temporary conservatorship of Marin County's public guardian, Michele McCabe. The ruling gave McCabe legal authority not only to have Nome forcibly removed from Kaiser, but also to apply...

OLYMPIA -- Two days after her inauguration, Gov. Christine Gregoire came home from a long day at her new job and decided to relax and order a pizza. But when she picked up the phone and dialed, she found out that when you're the governor, the tough questions never end. Before she ordered, the pizza girl wanted to know: "What's your telephone number?" "I don't know." "What's your address?" "I don't know that either." "Pardon me? What's your name?" "My name is Chris Gregoire -- that's C-H-R-I-S G-R-E-G-O-I-R-E." "And you don't know your address?" "It's the mansion." "What?" "You know,...

US Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, who had hoped to replace George W. Bush as president yesterday, instead sat in the cold and clapped as the Republican began a second four-year term. Iowa Democratic Senator Tom Harkin patted Senator Kerry on the back shortly before the inauguration Senator Kerry had hoped would be his. As Mr Bush delivered his inaugural address, Senator Kerry, about 10m away on the steps of the US Capitol, joined other lawmakers and the crowd in repeated applause. Senator Kerry looked relaxed, at times wistful. He frequently smiled, able to hide any disappointment over what...