INSIDER
Prosecutor drops Australian Parliament House rape charge
Read full article: Prosecutor drops Australian Parliament House rape chargeAn Australian prosecutor on Friday dropped the rape charge of a woman who was allegedly assaulted in a parliamentary office after he determined that the stress of the trial would put her life at risk.
Complainant testifies about Australian Parliament House rape
Read full article: Complainant testifies about Australian Parliament House rapeA former government staffer has testified about being raped by a colleague in the Australian Parliament House and described her fears of not being believed because of the disparity in their workplace statuses.
LEADING OFF: Kapler might return for anthem on Memorial Day
Read full article: LEADING OFF: Kapler might return for anthem on Memorial DaySan Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler says he might return to the field for the national anthem in recognition of Memorial Day when his team opens a three-game series at Philadelphia.
Australian political leaders apologize to staff for abuses
Read full article: Australian political leaders apologize to staff for abusesAustralian political leaders have apologized to staffers who have endured decades of bullying, harassment and sexual assault inside Parliamentary House and other government offices.
Woman who lost child to brain tumor gives birth at age 57
Read full article: Woman who lost child to brain tumor gives birth at age 57CONCORD, N.H. – A New Hampshire woman who lost her 13-year-old daughter to a brain tumor in 2016 has now given birth to a son — at age 57. Barbara Higgins also had a brain tumor of her own while trying to get pregnant and had it removed. “Yes, I’m scared and I’m anxious, but I’m so excited," Higgins told the Concord Monitor for a story published Friday. AdIn addition to Higgins' struggles with her brain tumor, Banzhoff, 65, had been living with kidney disease and underwent a transplant. According to Guinness World Records, the oldest woman to give birth was 66-year-old Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara, who had twins in Spain in 2006.
Australians rally at Parliament to demand justice for women
Read full article: Australians rally at Parliament to demand justice for womenThousands of people with placards and banners rally demanding justice for women in Sydney, Monday, March 15, 2021, as the government reels from two separate allegations. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)CANBERRA – Australians rallied in the capital and other cities Monday demanding justice for women and calling out misogyny and dangerous workplace cultures as the government reels from two rape allegations. Outside Parliament House in Canberra, the crowd of hundreds was mostly female and most wore black. They carried placards with slogans including “Justice for Women” and “Men, Own Your Guilt.”Prime Minister Scott Morrison refused organizers’ demand that he address the crowd, and organizers said they wouldn’t meet him behind closed doors. Reynolds has since apologized for describing Higgins to her staff as a “lying cow” and said she was referring to Higgins' allegation of inadequate support, not the rape allegation.
Australian PM apologizes to ex-staffer alleging rape at work
Read full article: Australian PM apologizes to ex-staffer alleging rape at workAd“I think that resigning is the only thing I can personally do to say that I don’t think anyone else should go through what I went through,” Higgins told Network Ten. Morrison said Reynolds should not have questioned Higgins about her accusation in the same office where Higgins alleged the rape took place. “That should not have happened, and I do apologize,” Morrison told reporters. Reynolds told the Senate she never gave Higgins a choice between her job and making a police complaint. The opposition questioned how Morrison could continue to have confidence in Reynolds since she hadn’t told him of the alleged rape.
American Heart Association to honor Roanoke man battling heart defect, helping others
Read full article: American Heart Association to honor Roanoke man battling heart defect, helping othersROANOKE, Va. - A Roanoke man is preparing to be honored at the American Heart Association's 26th annual Heart Walk in Roanoke this weekend. Ben Higgins was born with a congenital heart defect that's led to a valve replacement and the removal of 5 inches of his aorta. Higgins, the Heart Walk red cap survivor spokesperson, said he's able to live a normal life, which he's dedicated to helping others at friendship rehab and organizations that he credits with saving his life. You can support people like Higgins at the Heart Walk Saturday morning. Copyright 2019 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.
Captain of Conception's sister ship stands up for colleagues
Read full article: Captain of Conception's sister ship stands up for colleaguesSANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The captain of the sister ship to the one that caught fire off the coast of Santa Barbara, killing at least 25, is sticking up for its crew. Ian Higgins is the captain of the Vision, a sister ship nearly identical to the Conception, which caught fire near Santa Cruz island Monday morning. "That vessel is inspected by the Coast Guard annually and also every five years for a more complete inspection," said Higgins, who works for Truth Aquatics. RELATED: 20 bodies recovered from boat fire off coast of Southern California, officials sayRecords show the Conception had no issues after a Coast Guard inspection in February. He said passengers are given safety briefings the morning after they get on the ship.
Former Rockbridge County Regional Jail superintendent faces new charges
Read full article: Former Rockbridge County Regional Jail superintendent faces new chargesLYNCHBURG, Va. - The previous superintendent of Rockbridge County jail is now facing new charges after a superseding indictment, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The new charges also allege that he accepted gifts from an inmate's family member in exchange for preferential treatment. On Thursday, he was charged in a superseding indictment on two counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and 15 counts of mail fraud. The original indictment alleges that Higgins failed to protect the right of Rockbridge County Regional Jail inmates from physical abuse, resulting in inmate injuries. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Virginia State Police with help from the Commonwealth Attorney's Office for Rockbridge County.