ronniechua/iStock(NEW YORK) — The prime minister of Hungary introduced new legislation on Sunday that would provide financial incentives for families to have more children in an effort to combat the country’s longstanding low birth rate while maintaining a hard line against immigration. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked Parliament for health care investments worth $2.5 …
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Feb 11
Russian region declares state of emergency after mass invasion of polar bears
SeppFriedhuber/iStock(MOSCOW) — Authorities in a remote Russian arctic region have declared a state of emergency after dozens of hungry polar bears overran villages, besieging residents. A team of specialists is being flown into Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago with a population of less than 3,000 people, to assist in removing the bears, which have been gathering …
Feb 11
11-year-old African elephant named Bets dies unexpectedly at Fresno Chaffee Zoo in California
Fresno Chaffee Zoo(FRESNO, Calif.) — An 11-year-old African elephant died unexpectedly over the weekend at a zoo in Fresno, California. The female elephant, named Bets, died at Fresno Chaffee Zoo late on Saturday, just 36 hours after staff noticed she was “not behaving normally” and her health began to “rapidly” decline, according to a press …
Feb 11
Tesla’s Autopilot blamed by driver for accident, police say
Manfred Schmid/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — A Tesla owner whose car crashed Sunday evening in New Jersey blamed the vehicle’s Autopilot, which he told police unexpectedly took over moments before the accident. It was just after 6:30 p.m. when the driver, Eric Carter, of Hamilton, was heading north in his Tesla Model X on Route 1 …
Feb 11
Woman convicted in texting suicide case is headed to jail
ABC News(BOSTON) — Michelle Carter, who as a teenager sent texts urging her then-boyfriend to commit suicide, is heading to jail for 15 months, a Massachusetts judge ruled Monday. Carter, now 22, was taken into custody following a brief appearance in court. Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2017. She was sentenced to 2.5 …
Feb 11
380 Southern Baptist church officials and volunteers faced abuse allegations, explosive report states
Darwin Brandis/iStock(HOUSTON) — An extensive newspaper investigation has revealed the seeming breadth and ubiquity of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist church community, and details allegations of how church officials failed to take action for years. The investigation spanned 20 states, and involves numerous churches, which in the Southern Baptist faith generally operate with autonomy. …
Feb 11
Barbie aims for inclusion as Mattel unveils doll who uses wheelchair and one with a prosthetic limb
Ekaterina79/iStock(NEW YORK) — Barbie is expanding her crew of pals as Mattel releases a new variety of inclusive dolls as part of their Fashionistas collection. Monday, the American toy company announced it’s adding dolls with braided hair texture, a new body type and Barbies who reflect permanent physical disabilities. Barbie’s new body type features a …
Feb 11
Acting defense secretary says no orders to reduce forces in Afghanistan
MivPiv/iStock(WASHINGTON) — En route to Afghanistan on an unannounced trip, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Monday he has not received orders from President Donald Trump to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan by half, a Taliban demand made at recent peace talks with U.S. negotiators. During his first visit to Afghanistan, …
Feb 11
Parkland mom pens heartbreaking letter to slain daughter 1 year after school massacre
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signs “Alyssa’s Law” in Trenton, N.J., Feb. 6, 2019. (N.J. Governor’s Office)(PARKLAND, Fla.) — The mother of Alyssa Alhadeff, who was among the students killed in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting massacre, penned a heartbreaking letter to her slain daughter as the anniversary of the shooting approaches. Alyssa, a 14-year-old …
Feb 11
Berlin Film Festival offers opportunities for women, building on #MeToo momentum
Michael Tran/Getty Images(BERLIN) — As a young, female movie producer working in Hollywood in the 1980s, Gale Anne Hurd struggled for her talents to be recognized by her male peers. Although she’d already produced and co-wrote her first feature film, The Terminator, which was a blockbuster hit, some potential employers accused her of receiving credit …