Better Believe It......Because They Actually Happen(ed) Collection 46
‘I only thought he would get a fever, I’m sorry for what I did’: Teenage pupil who threw cheese at severely allergic boy, 13, causing his death apologises to his parents at inquest


• Karanbir Singh Cheema went into anaphylactic shock at school on June 28 2017
• Boy who 'flicked' cheese at him apologised to his parents at an inquest today
• He didn't know Karan was allergic to dairy before he threw the cheese at him
• Boy who handed cheese over knew he was allergic to dairy, inquest told
• 'Karan' was gasping for air and broke out in hives, he died in hospital days later
• Tragic incident took place at William Perkin CE School in Greenford, London


Karanbir Singh Cheema, 13, known as Karan, died after suffering a serious allergic reaction to a slice of cheese 'the size of a post-it note' when it was thrown at his neck at school in Greenford, West London, just before midday on June 28, 2017


By Isabella Nikolic and Lara Keay


A teenager who threw cheese at a severely allergic boy, 13, and caused the reaction which killed him, has apologised for what he did.

After giving evidence at an inquest into the boy's death he told Karanbir Singh Cheema's parents: 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what I did'.

Karanbir, known as Karan, suffered a severe allergic reaction to a slice of cheese 'the size of a post-it note' after it was thrown at his neck at school in Greenford, West London, just before midday on June 28, 2017.

He was also severely allergic to wheat, gluten, eggs and nuts and suffered from asthma and atopic eczema, an inquest at Poplar Coroner's Court was told today.

The boy who threw the cheese claimed he didn't know that Karan could die from an allergic reaction and assumed he would break out in a 'rash or a fever'.

One of Karan's school friends who knew he had a dairy allergy, gave another boy the piece of cheese, before he was overheard saying 'Karan is allergic to cheese', the inquest heard.

Full story at Mail Online (May 2019)



Teen mums blame boredom during school holidays for unplanned pregnancies, says Yeoh


To halve the some-18,000 unplanned pregnancies among girls, Yeoh said the ministry was working with NGOs. — AFP pic


By Sylvia Looi


IPOH, May 10 — Girls are getting pregnant out of wedlock as they are bored during school holidays, Deputy Women, Family and Children Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said.

She said this was the feedback obtained by the ministry when visiting homes for pregnant girls.

“They told us during school holidays, they were left alone with nothing to do, no meaningful activities and parents were too busy to engage with their children emotionally,” she said.

Speaking on Bernama News Channel’s The Nation programme today, Yeoh said the ministry encourages parents to engage with their children and be involved in their life.

To halve the some-18,000 unplanned pregnancies among girls, Yeoh said the ministry was working with non-governmental organisations where mothers play a role in educating their sons to respect girls.

Full story at Malay Mail (May 2019)



Robert Smith: Tycoon who just paid off 400 black students' debt


Robert Frederick Smith with his wife, former Playboy model Hope Dworaczyk


Four hundred college seniors in the US state of Georgia just received a dream graduation present from billionaire investor Robert Frederick Smith: he paid off their student loans. Who is this American philanthropist?

During his speech on Sunday morning to the historically black Morehouse College in Atlanta, Mr Smith stunned the class of 2019 with his pledge to wipe out their debt, thought to be worth up to $40m (£31m).

It was a rare foray into the limelight for a low profile tycoon who was virtually unknown on the national stage until a few years ago.

Mr Smith, 56, is the founder of the private equity firm Vista Equity Partners and one of the nation's most prominent African-American philanthropists.

Vista, which focuses on software companies, is now valued at over $46bn and is one of the best-performing firms in its class, according to Forbes.

Mr Smith's net worth is estimated to be around $5bn - making him the wealthiest black American, ahead of Oprah Winfrey.

Full story at BBC News (May 2019)



Education Minister Chris Hipkins says 'I cannot offer you that' as teachers strike nationwide demanding Government action


Teachers in the Wellington region march on Parliament to protest against poor wages and resources for schools.


Through a barrage of jeers and screams of "not enough" Education Minister Chris Hipkins addressed the thousands of "angry" teachers sprawled across Parliament's lawns.

He acknowledged teachers wanted "progress to be faster".

"I cannot offer you that. What I can offer you is that we'll continue to listen and we'll continue to work with the teaching profession," he said.

Months of stalled negotiations and a series of rejected pay offers between teachers and the Government resulted in the nationwide strike on Wednesday.

Across the country, close to 50,000 primary, intermediate, secondary and area school teachers left classrooms to march and rally for better pay and work conditions.

Teachers and their supporters marched up Auckland's Queen St in protest at the latest round of pay negotiations with the Government.


It was the first time the teachers took industrial action simultaneously.

Before question time Hipkins said plans not to address the rally changed because the unions' desire for him to speak had. The crowd's anger was not "particularly surprising", he added.

"We've always been very clear that we're listening to the concerns teachers are raising and we will address them. But we've gone as far as we think we can go in this pay round ... we can't fix every problem overnight."

Full story at Stuff (May 2019)

Secondary school teacher who fainted while giving additional classes dies




By Andy Chua


SIBU: A secondary school teacher, who was admitted to the intensive care unit of Sibu Hospital after she fainted while giving additional lessons in school, has died.

Sibu MP Oscar Ling who is the brother-in-law of the teacher when contacted said she died at 10.21am on Thursday (May 30).

He said the teacher, Yap Hue Ling, 47, had been in an unconscious state since she was admitted to the hospital on May 27.

"She was declared brain dead yesterday (May 29), and died at 10.21am this morning," he added.

Yap leaves behind her civil engineer husband and three children, a girl aged 10, and two boys aged 12 and 16.

Her family, Ling said, had agreed to donate her organs.

"Doctors will fly in tonight to process what is necessary for the donation of her organs and after that, the family will arrange for the funeral," he added.

Yap was giving Mandarin tuition to her students when she fainted.

Full story at The Star Online (May 2019)



ANU data breach stretching back 19 years detected


Photo: The hacker accessed personal details of staff, student and visitor data at Australian National University. (ABC News: Niki Challis)


The Australian National University has been hit by a massive data hack, with unauthorised access to significant amounts of personal details dating back 19 years.

A sophisticated operator accessed the ANU's systems illegally in late 2018 but the breach was only detected two weeks ago, the university said in a statement.

Based on student numbers over that time, as well as staff turnover, the university has estimated approximately 200,000 people were affected by the breach.

"We believe there was unauthorised access to significant amounts of personal staff, student and visitor data extending back 19 years," ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said.

"Depending on the information you have provided to the university, this may include names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, personal email addresses and emergency contact details, tax file numbers, payroll information, bank account details, and passport details. Student academic records were also accessed."

However, Professor Schmidt said the hack had not accessed credit card details, travel information, medical records, police checks, workers' compensation information, vehicle registration numbers, and some performance records.

Research work also appeared to be unaffected.

Full story at ABC News (June 2019)

West Virginia principal suspended for plagiarizing Ashton Kutcher’s 2013 Teen Choice Awards speech


In this May 23 photo, Principal Kenny DeMoss gives closing remarks during Parkersburg High School's 2019 graduation ceremony, in Parkersburg, W.Va. The West Virginia principal accused of plagiarizing Ashton Kutcher in the address to his school's graduating class says he didn't mean to use someone else's work. DeMoss has issued a statement saying he should have cited his sources in the speech, but asserted the ideas were his own. (Michael Erb/AP)


By Jessica Schladebeck


Hopefully, he learns his lesson.

A West Virginia principal was suspended without pay for five days after students accused him of plagiarizing Ashton Kutcher during an address to graduating seniors last month.

Parkersburg High School Principal Kenny DeMoss apologized for his May remarks on Tuesday before the Wood County Board of Education, which voted 4-1 for his suspension, the News and Sentinel reported.

The decision comes in wake of a Facebook video shared by graduate Abby Smith, which features her principal’s graduation remarks spliced together with a speech Kutcher previously delivered at the Teen Choice Awards. She and her classmates noticed glaring similarities between the pair of addresses and created the now-viral clip to highlight DeMoss’ plagiarism.

FILE - In this April 15, 2018, file photo, Ashton Kutcher arrives at the 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The News and Sentinel reports Parkersburg High School Principal Kenny DeMoss was suspended Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at a Wood County Board of Education meeting. DeMoss apologized for heavily basing his May address on Kutcher's 2013 Nickelodeon Teen Choice Awards speech. (Jordan Strauss/Invision)


Kutcher delivered his remarks after collecting the “Ultimate Achievement Award” in 2013, telling an audience of screaming adolescents that his success is comprised of three things: “The first thing is opportunity,” he said. “The second thing Is about being sexy, and the third is about living life.”

Echoing the former “That ’70s Show” star, DeMoss shared similar facets of success for the graduating class.

“The first thing is about opportunity, the second thing is about being intriguing, and the third is about living life,” he proclaimed.

Both speeches continue similarly, with each also referencing very similar jobs from their childhoods. Kutcher in his remarks recalled working with his father at a construction site, where he carried shingles up and down the ladder. DeMoss did the same.

Full story at New York Daily News (June 2019)



Hong Kong’s Richest Man Stumps Up $14 Million for Mainland Tuition Fees


By Dave McCombs


(Bloomberg) -- It’s Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing’s turn now to support university students, a month after U.S. tycoon Robert F. Smith vowed to pay off loans of undergraduates in an American college.

The Li Ka-shing Foundation said it will pay tuition for all undergraduates in the incoming class of 2019 for four to five years at Shantou University in Guangdong, the southern Chinese province Li came from as a refugee to Hong Kong decades ago. The foundation has committed to an annual grant of 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) to the university, it said in a June 16 statement.



The pledge by the city’s richest man, who turned a plastic flower business into a global empire spanning ports and property to telecommunications and retailing, is part of the philanthropic work his foundation has been doing globally. Since 1980, his organization has donated more than HK$25 billion ($3.2 billion) to health care, education and religious causes, most of it in the greater China region, according to its website.

The foundation has also supported reforms at Shantou University with grants of more than HK$10 billion.

Full story at Bloomberg Quint (June 2019)

Schoolgirl, 16, kills herself after 69% of Instagram followers told her to do so when she asked them in online poll


By Mark Hodge


A SCHOOLGIRL has killed herself after posting a poll on Instagram asking if she should die or not – before 69 per cent of users who responded voted she should.

Davia Emilia, 16, jumped three floors to her death at her home in Sarawak, eastern Malaysia on Monday after posting the disturbing question on social media.

The 16-year-old killed herself after posting a poll on Instagram asking if she should live or die


According to local media, the teenager posted the poll along with the caption: “Really Important, Help Me Choose D/L”.

Police in Sarawak said Davia, described as “studious” by neighbours, killed herself after 69 per cent of poll respondents voted she should die.

Her death has shocked Malaysia and prompted the country’s youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman to call for national-level discussions on mental health.

He said: “I am genuinely worried about the state of our youth’s mental health.

“It’s a national issue which must be taken seriously.”

Ramkarpal Singh, a lawyer and Malaysian MP, has suggested that those who voted for Davia to die could be found guilty of abetting suicide.

Full story at The Sun (May 2019)