Samsung heir freed from S Korea jail

Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong has been freed from jail after a South Korean court suspended his five year jail term for bribing the country's ex-president.

An appeals court upheld parts of the conviction, but used its discretion to release the executive.

South Korea's supreme court is expected to appeal against the decision.

The case gripped the public amid growing anger against the country's biggest companies, known as chaebols, and their influence on wider society.

chemicals found in plastic and linked to breast and prostate cancer are found in 86% of teenagers' bodies

Almost 90 per cent of teenagers have gender-bending chemicals from plastic in their bodies, according to a study.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in plastic containers and water bottles, on the inside of food cans and in till receipts.

The chemical, used since the 1960s to make certain types of plastic, mimics the female sex hormone oestrogen, and has been linked to low sperm counts and infertility in men, as well as breast and prostate cancer.

A study by the University of Exeter, whose researchers tested urine samples from 94 teenagers, found 86 per cent had traces of BPA in their body.
Experts fear it is all but impossible to avoid the chemical, given the widespread use of plastic packaging for food.

The study’s co-author Professor Lorna Harries, from the university’s medical school, said: ‘Most people are exposed to BPA on a daily basis. In this study, our student researchers have discovered that at the present time, given current labelling laws, it is difficult to avoid exposure by altering our diet. In an ideal world, we would have a choice over what we put into our bodies. At the present time, since it is difficult to identify which foods and packaging contain BPA, it is not possible to make that choice.’

The European Chemicals Agency last year reclassified BPA as a substance of ‘very high concern’ because of its ‘probable serious effects’ on human health.

Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LII

The Philadelphia Eagles eventually triumphed 41-33 in a thrilling Super Bowl LII on Sunday , earning their first ever victory in NFL's premier game.

The Eagles won a thrilling contest which featured more yards being gained than in any other Super Bowl in history, with the underdogs capturing Philadelphia's first major honour in any sport since the Philadelphia Phillies won baseball's World Series in 2008.

Tom Brady's Patriots were unable to win back-to-back Super Bowls, but they contributed to what was an incredible contest that enthralled fans all over the world.
The match went all the way to the death, when a long pass from Brady almost opened up the defiant Eagles, but they held on.

Is it that bad to smoke pot in front of your kids?

Did you read the title of this article and have a strong yes or no gut reaction? You might be surprised to find out that opinions from parents and medical experts alike on whether it’s OK to smoke pot in front of your kids actually vary quite a bit.

“Whether it’s alcohol or cannabis,” says Jane West, a Denver-based mom and cannabis activist, “it’s all about having honest conversations with your kids, modeling good behavior and helping them develop the self-confidence and common sense to make responsible decisions.”

We live in an ever-changing landscape when it comes to weed. Over the past decade and a half, we’ve seen a steady rise in marijuana use in America, and at the same time, we’ve seen a steady decline in the perceived risks.

 We’re also learning more about the therapeutic value and effectiveness of marijuana for the treatment of chronic pain, insomnia, nausea, anxiety and more.

Meet 17-year-old Ahed Tamimi, the new face of Palestinian resistance

To Palestinians and their supporters, hers is the face of a hero, a new symbol of resistance. But many Israelis call 17-year-old Ahed Tamimi "Shirley Temper" after viewing videos showing the girl angrily lashing out at Israeli soldiers.

The long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict has always been about competing narratives, and in this age of social media and viral videos, Ahed's defiance has made her into something of a star in the Arab world and beyond.

The blond-haired, blue-eyed Palestinian girl spent her 17th birthday inside an Israeli military prison last week, where she, along with her mother, await trial on Feb. 13, charged with a dozen offences, including incitement and assault against a soldier.

Quentin Tarantino and muse Uma Thurman's secret feud after she felt he tried to kill her during Kill Bill stunt

Actress Uma Thurman has revealed a secret feud with director Quentin Tarantino after he allegedly made her do a dangerous stunt on Kill Bill.

The mum-of-three opened up about her row with directing legend Quentin at the end of filming Kill Bill back in 2003. Filming had taken nine months and the crew only had four days left to shoot the famous scene where she’s driving the blue convertible to kill Bill.

Uma told the New York Times she didn't want to drive the car as it had been deemed unsafe by others on set - but said Quentin, who described her as his muse, forced her.

Nobel laureate and political prisoner, Liu Xiaobo dies in Chinese custody

China is facing a ton of international criticism for its treatment of Nobel laureate and democracy campaigner Liu Xiaobo, who died at the age of 61 on Thursday February 1.

Liu, who championed non-violent resistance as a way of overcoming “forceful tyranny”, had been serving an 11-year jail sentence for demanding an end to one-party rule when he was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer in May.

He died of multiple organ failure while under guard at a hospital in north-east China, making him the first Nobel peace prize winner to die in custody since German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, the 1935 recipient, who died under surveillance after years confined to Nazi concentration camps.