Dog Meat Served by Chinese Restaurant (Creswell, UK)

http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/News/Dog-meat-rumours-are-malicious-lies-29072011.htm

Staffordshire Newsletter [UK]
29 July 2011

Dog meat rumours are 'malicious lies'

By Andrew Wakefield

A RESTAURANT owner has condemned internet pranksters for circulating untrue rumours accusing his staff of serving up dog meat.

James Lai, who runs the Golden Orient Buffet Restaurant, in Creswell - which was given five stars by Stafford Borough Council in a recent environmental inspection - said his business had been "inundated" with calls and emails from horrified customers following the claims. [...]

Switched Plans (Dungannon, Ireland)

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/tabId/69/itemId/11248/Dungannons-architectural-delight.aspx

The Irish Post
27 July 2011

Dungannon’s architectural delight

By Malcolm Rogers

[...] At the turn of the century, before the British left India, a department of the civil service was employed to furnish plans for municipal buildings throughout the Empire. At one point the department was simultaneously working on plans for both a fort for the Khyber Pass and a police station for Dungannon. Somehow the plans got mixed up, and the Indian fort ended up in Co. Tyrone where it stands to this day. Moreover, somewhere in the vast expanse of the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan there sits a lonely RUC barracks. [...]

Soldier Refused Service (Corbin, KY)

http://thetimestribune.com/x1443105130/Rumor-hurts-Corbin-gas-station

Times-Tribune [Corbin, KY]
26 July 2011

Rumor hurts Corbin gas station
Facebook posts suggest owners refused soldiers

CORBIN -- Michele Baker / Staff Writer

A Corbin business has suffered a downturn due to an apparently false rumor circulated on social media outlets that the owners refused to serve uniformed soldiers.

Since last weekend, the rumor has spread via Facebook and Topix posts involving Danny Patel, who owns the Sak-N-Pak station on Cumberland Falls Highway near the Root Beer Stand. [...]

Burundanga Warnings (India)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Mystery-drug-has-cops-on-toes-docs-laugh-it-off/articleshow/9341025.cms

The Times of India
24 July 2011

Mystery 'drug' has cops on toes, docs laugh it off

Dwaipayan Ghosh, TNN

NEW DELHI: Urban legend or not, but a new 'drug' called Burundanga, which, they say, can be used to benumb one's senses momentarily, has created quite a scare in the country. [...]

Delhi Police sources said they have never come across such a drug in the city, although they have heard about the drug being used in cities like Mumbai and Bangalore. The doctors there could hardly arrive at a conclusion on the nature of the drug used on the victims. Nevertheless, cops have advised people to be wary of strangers getting too friendly. [...]

Shootings, Abductions by Somalis (Fort Morgan)

http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/ci_18513765?source=most_emailed

The Fort Morgan Times [CO]
20 July 2011

False rumors affecting not only Somalis

Fort Morgan Times staff

Rumors and gossip can be damaging to a lot of people, just as a stone thrown into a pond creates widespread ripples.

This is the case in malicious rumors about Somalis being spread by e-mail and reported Tuesday night to the Fort Morgan City Council by Fort Morgan Chief of Police Keith Kuretich.

Seems some woman took it upon herself to warn people that shopping in Fort Morgan could be dangerous due to alleged incidents involving Somali immigrants.

One of these rumors was an allegation of an attempted child abduction at Wal Mart.

Another was an allegation of a shooting between Somalis, also at Wal Mart.

Then there was the rumor about a Somali man cutting out his wife's tongue because she talked or complained too much.

When police checked out all of these allegations, there was no truth to them. [...]

Cambridgeshire Child Snatchers

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Child-snatch-claims-are-false-say-police-21072011.htm

Cambridge News [UK]
21 July 2011

Child-snatch claims are false, say police

Jordan Day

False reports on the internet claiming child snatchers are at work in Cambridgeshire are spiralling out of control, say police.

Social networking site Facebook and internet chat site Mumsnet have had numerous messages posted stating that Eastern European predators were trying to abduct youngsters – and adults – in the region. [...]

Child Sacrifices Planned for Steel Plant Site (India)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Child-sacrifice-rumour-Villagers-on-rampage-in-Jharkhand/articleshow/9271705.cms

The Times of India
18 July 2011

Child sacrifice rumour: Villagers on rampage in Jharkhand

PTI

JAMSHEDPUR: Rumours that two infants would be sacrificed today at the project site of a upcoming plant in Jharkhand's Saraikela-Kharswan district provoked villagers who ransacked the premises and assaulted officials prompting police to fire in the air. [...]

The villagers alleged that a 12-year-old boy had earlier been sacrificed after the company unsuccessfully made efforts to install some equipment in the last few months. [...]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Sacrifice-rumour-spurs-project-ransack/articleshow/9275908.cms
The Times of India
18 July 2011
Sacrifice rumour spurs project ransack
B Sridhar, TNN

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110719/jsp/frontpage/story_14256875.jsp
The Telegraph [Calcutta]
19 July 2011
Villagers run amok at steel plant site
OUR CORRESPONDENT

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-20/ranchi/29793588_1_abhijeet-group-steel-plant-power-plant

Times of India
20 July 2011

‘Villagers denied contracts attacked Abhijeet plant’

Sanjay Ojha, TNN

RANCHI: The attack on the upcoming integrated steel plant of Abhijeet Group in Saraikela-Kharsawan district was done by some villagers who were denied contracts by the company, sending shock waves to investors and administrative officials in the state. [...]

Robber Kept as Sex Slave (Russia)

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/mobile/columns//article/hair-stylist-keeps-armed-robber-as-sex-slave/376242.html

The Moscow Times
15 April 2009

Hair Stylist Keeps Armed Robber as Sex Slave

By Carl Schreck

In what is either the weirdest Russian crime story of the year so far or a new low in yellow crime journalism, a female hair stylist in the Kaluga region is suspected of holding an armed robber in captivity as a sex slave for two days after he unsuccessfully tried to knock over her beauty salon. [...]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2013870/Robber-broke-hair-salon-beaten-black-belt-owner-kept-sex-slave-days--fed-Viagra.html

Daily Mail [UK]
12 July 2011

Robber who broke into hair salon is beaten by its black-belt owner and kept as a sex slave for three days... fed only Viagra

By Daily Mail Reporter

A Russian man who tried to rob a hair salon ended up as the victim when the female shop owner overpowered him, tied him up naked and then used him as a sex slave for three days.

Viktor Jasinski, 32, admitted to police that he had gone to the salon in Meshchovsk, Russia, with the intention of robbing it.

But the tables were turned dramatically when he found himself overcome by owner Olga Zajac, 28, who happened to be a black belt in karate. [...]

http://blogs.forbes.com/kiriblakeley/2011/07/14/russian-sex-slave-media-mystery/

ForbesWoman (blog)
14 July 2011

Russian Sex Slave Media Mystery

By KIRI BLAKELEY

[...] So the question is, where did the Daily Mail UK get the last names? And why did they publish a two-and-a-half-year-old story as if it happened two days ago? [...]

Black Gangs Steal Asians' Gold (UK)

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2011/07/15/cops-scotch-gold-raid-rumours-in-worried-small-heath-community-97319-29056442/

Birmingham Mail [UK]
15 July 2011

Cops scotch gold raid rumours in worried Small Heath community

by Mark Cowan, Birmingham Mail

UNFOUNDED rumours circulating via text that Asian families are being robbed in their own homes by gangs of black men for their gold jewellery have been blamed for leaving a community in fear.

The messages contained wild claims that a woman had a hand and fingers chopped off and 80 homes in Small Heath had been raided in the past fortnight.

But police chiefs dismissed the details as urban myths and revealed that there had actually only been six such break-ins targeting Asian gold since February. [...]

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2011/07/16/climate-of-fear-hits-small-heath-after-rumours-97319-29063465/

Birmingham Mail [UK]
16 July 2011

Climate of fear hits Small Heath after rumours

by Nick McCarthy, Birmingham Mail

RESIDENTS and shopkeepers in Small Heath have spoken about how the community is living in fear.

Asian jewellers spoke out after the Birmingham Mail revealed yesterday that the area had been swept by what police have called ‘fabricated’ myths about gangs of black men targeting householders for gold. [...]

Donkey Kababs

http://www.emirates247.com/news/restaurant-shut-after-donkey-kabab-rumour-2011-07-14-1.407775

Emirates 24/7 [Dubai, UAE]
14 July 2011

Restaurant shut after 'donkey kabab' rumour

By Staff

Saudi authorities shut a famous Arab restaurant after health inspectors discovered massive hygienic violations during a raid triggered by rumors that it secretly serves donkey kabab, a newspaper reported on Thursday.

Environment and health department inspectors stormed the restaurant in the southern town of Khamis Mushait and discovered that most of the meat served there had expired while foodstuff stores lack safety conditions.

“The inspectors found out that the rumors about donkey kabab were not true but discovered massive violations of health rules,” Sabq daily said. [...]

Midget Castle (Cabazon, CA)

http://www.recordgazette.net/articles/2011/07/11/news/doc4e162aad9c973968879802.txt

Record Gazette [Banning, CA]
11 July 2011

Urban legends of the Pass

BY BILL BELL

[...] One of the most interesting urban legends of Cabazon is the one of the circus train that allegedly derailed in Cabazon in the 1950s or 60s. Several members of the circus chose to remain behind after the train and track were repaired. They settled in Cabazon and kept many of the circus animals.

I spoke with a retired post office worker who remembers a troupe of these circus workers who would walk to the Cabazon Post Office with several of the animals on leashes. She particularly remembered a bear on a leash walking along with the troupe. They were described as “little people” and at the time disparagingly called “Circus Midgets.”

They reportedly built a small castle out of the abundant rock in the area. After numerous attempts I finally found the rock castle on property located between Esperanza and Dolores avenues, one day after it had been destroyed by fire. It was in the middle of a scorched grove of Eucalyptus trees and all that remained was the chimney, the doorway and a few feet of the rock wall. The doorway was very low and I had to duck to get under it. Inside the still-smoldering structure were remnants of chairs and tables built to the size of children’s furniture. The caretaker of the property confirmed that it had been a rock castle built by “little people.” [...]

Devil Worshippers in Ellen Trout Park, Texas

http://lufkindailynews.com/life/community_news/article_4522d61c-aaa0-11e0-a58c-001cc4c002e0.html

The Lufkin Daily News [TX]
10 July 2011

Rumors of devil worshipping in Lufkin, many of which take place at Ellen Trout Park, have been circulating at school lunch tables since the 1980s

By JESSICA COOLEY/The Lufkin Daily News

[...] Charlotte Henley, Ellen Trout Zoo director of educational services, has lived in Ellen Trout Park, not far from the stone benches, for the last three decades and had no knowledge of the devil worship rumor until she got a phone call from a Lufkin Daily News reporter last week. She didn’t have to do much asking around before finding a source close to home.

“I talked to both of my kids who are now grown and they had heard the same rumors — rumors of people being over there sacrificing animals and tying rags to trees,” Henley said. “My daughter told me that any tree they tied a rag on was supposed to die.” [...]

Americans Blame Canadians for Flooding

http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/556350/Don-t-be-mad-at-Canadians.html

Minot Daily News [ND]
4 July 2011

Letters

Don’t be mad at Canadians

Wendy Friess, Estevan, Sask.

I don't understand. I am hearing all sorts of rumors about how Minot is angry with Canadians. The stories include slashed tires, keyed vehicles, and refusal of service to Canadians while in Minot. [...] It is very sad that we are now scared to bring our families and our business to your city.

Comments

MomOfSix
Jul-04-11 5:45 PM

It only takes one incident to ruin a city's reputation and there have been more than just ONE incident. We were planning a few trips to Minot this summer and fall and we have canceled them all. I know people personally from Manitoba who have been told to "take back their water" (ridiculous since the water from Minot flows TO Manitoba, not from) and two people who have been refused service and one other who had hotel reservations that were not honored because they were Canadian. [...]

http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Minot+battling+rumours+that+Sask+residents+being+harassed+blamed+flooding/5054515/story.html

Leader-Post [Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada]
5 July 2011

Minot battling rumours that Sask. residents are being harassed and blamed for flooding

By Will Chabun, Leader-Post

REGINA -- As if Curt Zimbelman doesn’t have enough problems, there are the rumours.

The mayor of Minot, N.D., is facing an epic disaster that has flooded huge parts of his city.

Eleven thousand people -- a quarter of its population -- are unable to return to their flooded homes.

Now, there’s an assault on the city’s tourism industry via rumours that are running rampant north of the border. They hold that Canadians are being verbally harassed, shunned and even having their vehicles “keyed” and tires slashed -- because of a misplaced belief that Saskatchewan somehow is responsible for the floodwaters that engulfed Minot and other centres along the Souris River over the last three weeks. [...]

Giant Catfish Caught in Buggs Island Lake

http://www.newsleader.com/article/20110706/NEWS01/107060315/Buggs-Island-Lake-catfish-legend-grows-grows

News Leader [Staunton, VA]
6 July 2011

Buggs Island Lake catfish legend grows and grows

Written by
The Washington Post

MECKLENBURG COUNTY -- Talk to fishermen here and you will hear the legend of Buggs Island Lake: A Navy diver sent to recover the wreckage of a small plane encounters a fish the size of a man on the lake's bottom. He bolts to the surface and refuses to dip a toe into the waters again.

The yarn seemed as dubious as any other fish tale -- until two weeks ago. An angler hooked a 143-pound blue catfish in this reservoir along the Virginia-North Carolina border; it smashed the state record by more than 30 pounds and could be a world record. [...]

Death by Electric Fan (South Korea)

http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110704000552

The Korea Herald
4 July 2011

Summer death revives fan death myth

By Kang Yoon-seung

A man reportedly died on Monday morning after sleeping with an electric fan running.

The 59 years-old victim, only known by his surname Min, was found dead with the fan fixed directly at him.

The police revealed that although Min used to suffer from relatively high blood pressure, it was not serious enough to require medication. They are still investigating the cause of death.

Meanwhile, deaths near electric fans happen occasionally during summer, which leads people to propagate myths about danger of sleeping with them on. [...]