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Tennessee district bans doctor’s notes to exempt kids from school to teach them good work ethic

A school district in Tennessee will no longer accept doctor’s notes as an excuse for a child’s absence in an apparent attempt to prepare them for the workplace.
New rules set out by the Lawrence County School System Board of Education state that “absences are not excused” and only permits them in a number of specific circumstances. Regular illness is not included in the list.
Sanctions for multiple instances of alleged truancy include loss of school event privileges and even referral to juvenile court for truancy.
“If you have the sniffles, that is fine,” Director of Schools Michael Adkins said during a recent meeting. “You are going to have them when you go to work one day. We have all gone to work sick and hurt and beat up.”
The new attendance policy states that “absences shall be classified as absent” and “absences are not excused or unexcused.”
A school district in Tennessee will no longer accept doctor’s notes as an excuse for a child’s absence in an attempt to teach them good wor..

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Israel to open Gaza humanitarian corridors as aid drops begin

Israel to open Gaza humanitarian corridors as aid drops begin3 hours agoShareSaveRuth ComerfordBBC NewsShareSaveReutersPalestinians waiting for food from a charity kitchenIsrael has said it is prepared to open humanitarian corridors to allow UN convoys into Gaza, following weeks of international pressure and a growing hunger crisis.
In a statement on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had allowed air drops of humanitarian aid to resume, the first of which consisted of seven pallets of flour, sugar and canned food provided by international organisations.
The announcement came amid calls for Israel to let more aid into Gaza and amid warnings of mass starvation following months of limited supply to the territory's two million people.
Israel denied what it called “the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip”.
The IDF said it had “begun a series of actions aimed at improving the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip”, and was “prepared to implement human..

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Gaza aid site offered a ‘women only’ day. It didn’t stop the killing

Gaza aid site offered a 'women only' day. It didn't stop the killing5 hours agoShareSaveEmir NaderBBC News, JerusalemShareSaveBBCMary Sheikh al-Eid’s family arrived at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis after learning she had been killedThe food distribution was announced in advance, like many before it, in a post on social media carrying an illustration of smiling Palestinians receiving boxes of aid.
This time, however, the invitation shared by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) was different, featuring illustrations of only women.
“Tomorrow at our morning distribution at our location in the Saudi district, only women are welcome to come and receive a food box,” the GHF post said. “Men should avoid the site during this distribution.”
Mary Sheikh al-Eid wanted to feed her seven children. Her husband had been killed earlier in the war and the family had been surviving on lentil soup for three weeks, said Mary's sister Khawla, but the last week had been a struggle.
“..

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2,000 people left without power in Hong Kong after water leak in building

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongHong Kong Economy2,000 people left without power in Hong Kong after water leak in buildingThree care homes for elderly among those affected at I-Feng Mansions in To Kwa Wan
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMPHarvey KongPublished: 12:20am, 27 Jul 2025Updated: 12:27am, 27 Jul 2025About 2,000 people, including residents in three care homes for the elderly, were left without electricity on Saturday evening after a water leak in a Hong Kong complex prompted the power provider to suspend the supply.
AdvertisementUtility firm CLP Power said the electrical systems in I-Feng Mansions in To Kwa Wan were suspected to have been affected by water leakage, causing problems with the electricity supply to parts of the residential complex.
“Under the instruction of firefighters, CLP Power suspended the electricity supply to the premises at around 6.15pm so that the building’s electricians could conduct further investigation and repairs,” a company spokesma..

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Man dies in Hong Kong after collapsing on board yacht due to suspected heatstroke

AdvertisementAccidents and personal safetyHong KongHealth & EnvironmentMan dies in Hong Kong after collapsing on board yacht due to suspected heatstrokePolice say 54-year-old was on board yacht near Bluff Island’s Ung Kong Wan
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMPHarvey KongPublished: 11:17pm, 26 Jul 2025A man has died in Hong Kong after collapsing on board a yacht due to suspected heatstroke, the Post has learned.
AdvertisementPolice said the vessel was near Bluff Island’s Ung Kong Wan when the 54-year-old collapsed, with his wife reporting the incident shortly after 5pm.
Heatstroke was suspected to have been the cause, according to a source.
“Officers arrived at the scene after receiving the report, with the man being airlifted by helicopter to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment while he was unconscious,” the force said.
“He was later certified dead, with his cause of death to be determined by an autopsy.”
AdvertisementThe Observatory issued a “very hot weat..

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Dogs punched, slammed: Pet groomer assaulted pets; arrested after viral video sparks outrage

Representational image A pet groomer in North Carolina has been arrested after disturbing videos surfaced showing her punching and slamming dogs during grooming sessions. Kirsten Rhea Taylor, 28, was taken into custody on Thursday in Mooresville and charged with four counts of felony animal cruelty, reported New York Post. Authorities identified her as the employee seen in videos recorded at Classy Critters, a local pet grooming business. The footage was captured by a co-worker and posted to Facebook, sparking public outrage and prompting an immediate investigation by Iredell County Animal Services. The videos reportedly show Taylor hitting dogs multiple times and roughly handling them, including slamming one frightened dog against a wall. At least four client-owned dogs were seen being treated aggressively, police said. Due to the serious nature of the allegations, the case was handed over to the sheriff’s office, which later issued arrest warrants. The owner of Classy Critters confir..

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‘Never’: Trump denies being told his name was in Epstein files; downplays case as ‘not a big thing’

Donald Trump (AP file photo) US president Donald Trump on Friday said he was never informed that his name appeared in files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex offender. Speaking to reporters in Scotland, Trump denied a report by The Wall Street Journal which claimed that the attorney general had briefed him in May. “No, I was never, never briefed, no,” he said.BREAKING: Trump Blasts Reporters To Their Faces For 'Making A Very Big Thing' About Epstein FilesWhen asked about Ghislaine Maxwell’s recent interview, Trump avoided details. “I have nothing to say about it. She is being talked to by a really smart man. I don’t know anything about the conversation,” he said. On the subject of a possible pardon for Maxwell, Trump dismissed it. “A lot of people have been asking about pardon. This is not the time to be talking about pardon,” he said. Trump reiterated what he told reporters before flying to Scotland. “You’re making a very big thing about something that’s not a big thi..

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House ethics panel tells AOC to make more payments over her Met Gala ‘Tax the Rich’ outfit

The House Ethics Committee has told Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, to make more payments over her Met Gala “Tax the Rich” outfit.
While the Met Gala is always an eye-catching affair, in September 2021, Ocasio-Cortez stunned onlookers with a Brother Vellies custom white mermaid gown that had the words “Tax the Rich” written in red on the back.
At the time, the congresswoman explained on Instagram she wanted to bring attention to the idea of raising taxes for the wealthiest Americans by doing so “in front of the very people who lobby against it,” per the Daily News. The event cost $35,000 per person at that time, The New York Times reported.
For years, the ethics panel has been investigating Ocasio-Cortez’s attendance at the 2021 Met Gala, and now it says she must make additional payments worth nearly $3,000 in relation to the event.
open image in galleryThe House Ethics Committee has told Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, to ma..

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Disgraced former Republican Rep. George Santos reports to prison to begin seven-year sentence

Disgraced former GOP Representative George Santos, whose wild public scandals ranged from pretending to be a Broadway producer to embezzling campaign donor funds, reported to prison Friday to begin his seven-year sentence for fraud.
Santos, 37, is now in custody at a federal prison in Fairton, New Jersey after pleading guilty last year to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos represented parts of Queens and Long Island, serving for barely 12 months in 2023 before he was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives.
Santos shared a goodbye post on X Thursday night, thanking his allies and critics alike.
“Well, darlings
The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” he wrote. “From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally. Honest? I tried
most days.”
“To my supporters: You made this wild political cabaret worth it,” he added. “To my critics: Thanks for the free press. I m..