'Ball is in your corner': Family accusing Sesame Place of discrimination calls on Sea World to take action

HAINESPORT, N.J. - A youth pastor in Burlington County has been indicted for online child sexual exploitation.Prosecutors say 31-year-old Sean Higgins, of Palmyra, forced underage boys to send him inappropriate pictures and videos on social media.Sean M.

One of the newly described scorpion species. Named Paruroctonus soda, the scorpion is featured here carrying young on its back.

Image courtesy WBZ via FOX MATTAPOISETT, Mass. - A huge fire at a Massachusetts marina left several boats and vehicles burned-out shells Friday and produced a plume of black smoke so thick it was picked up by weather radar.Aerial video taken by WCVB-TV showed much of the boatyard in Mattapoisett engulfed in flames Friday afternoon, destroying a number of boats, vehicles and buildings. Firefighters from around the region, including from as far away as Providence, Rhode Island about 30 miles away, responded to the blaze.People who picked up the phones at the Mattapoisett fire and police departments said no one was available to comment.

US men’s mullet championship is open. Nothing says U.S.A.

James Webb telescope is peering farther into the universe than ever before, and now, the celestial objects it’s finding along the way need names.The International Astronomical Union, the organization tasked with naming celestial objects, is launching a contest to name 20 exoplanetary systems — or planets orbiting other stars — that the long-awaited telescope has discovered. Organizers say the contest, NameExoWorlds 2022, "invites communities across the globe to connect their own cultures to these distant worlds."The James Webb — the world’s largest and most powerful telescope — launched in December 2021 and traveled a million miles to its final destination.NASA released its first images from Webb in July.

Coronation Street viewers seem to have had enough of Summer Spellman following her recent collapse after failing to take her medication.The young teen, who has type 1 diabetes, was in a panic when she couldn't find her passport ahead of her holiday with her boyfriend Aaron.Rushing around the flat trying to find her missing belongings, Summer dramatically fell to the floor.READ MORE: Corrie's Sally Carman and Joe Duttine host second wedding bash attended by co-starsBut as this isn't the first time Summer's been in this predicament, viewers were not impressed seeing her health deteriorate on their screens again and begged producers to change the script.Jumping onto Twitter, disgruntled fans shared their thoughts on the scene.One person wrote: "Summer is such a bad advert for a Type 1 Diabetic. The first thing she would have is a Libre sensor on her arm."Blood sugars can be checked immediately without the old fashioned finger pricking.

A study of California public transportation workers published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) shows public transportation workers have higher rates of both COVID-19 incidence and mortality compared to other industries.The study was based on confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks in California w

Rates of "brain fog," dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures remained elevated 2 years after COVID-19 infection, according to a study of nearly 1.3 million adults and children in the United States, Australia, Europe, and Asia.

Travis Barker has tested positive for Covid-19 just two months after he was hospitalised with pancreatitis. The Blink-182 member, who married reality star Kourtney Kardashian in a lavish Italian ceremony earlier this year (23 May), updated fans on his health today alongside a topless action-shot of himself playing the drums on a table.

Moderna. The bivalent vaccine is designed to protect people from the original strain of COVID-19 and the original strain of the most dominant form of Covid, Omicron, specifically Omicron BA. 1.

Three-alarm fire in Allentown injures a resident and a firefighter and damages three buiildings. ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A three-alarm fire in Allentown injured a firefighter, one person inside the building and caused damage to three buildings.Allentown Fire Department officials said crews got the call about 9:45 Friday morning for a fire on the 1500 block of Liberty Street.The fire quickly grew to three-alarms.

MCALESTER, Okla. - For many families, back-to-school season can be a mix of excitement and jitters as children prepare for the year ahead with new teachers, classrooms, and the promise of learning. But for one mother in Oklahoma, it’s also a reminder of the ongoing anxiety and fear that many U.S.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Authorities say a two-year undercover investigation resulted in 85 arrests, the seizure of over $12.8 million worth of drugs, and the dismantling of an international drug trafficking organization whose ringleaders operated out of Winter Haven.The Polk County Sheriff's Office said the investigation started in September 2020, when 32-year-old Demarcus Jefferson crashed his car into a Winter Haven gas station, killing a customer inside.Sheriff Grady Judd said surveillance video from the gas station showed people in masks running up to the totaled vehicle and grabbing items from the car's trunk before deputies arrived at the scene. According to the sheriff, they were taking drugs out of the trunk so deputies wouldn't find them during their crash investigation.Matt Murphy, who witnessed the 2020 gas station crash, told FOX 13 at the time that after the driver crashed through the building, an SUV showed up.

Boxing legend Mike Tyson is said to be spending £34,000 a month on smoking weed, as health concerns surrounding ‘The Baddest Man on The Planet’ continue to grow. Tyson has been no stranger to enjoying marijuana, even opening a cannabis ranch in Southern California. When discussing his love for the drug back in 2019 on his ‘Hotboxin Podcast’ alongside former NFL star Eben Britton, he revealed his exponential weed spending whilst on his ranch.

A £1.2M rise in the cost of expanding a special school has been blamed on rising inflation and the impact of Brexit and covid. Rumworth Special School is expanding to be able to accept up to 400 pupils by 2026.

PHILADELPHIA - Service employees within the School District of Philadelphia will vote Saturday on whether they will go on strike as union leaders say their safety demands have not been met by district officials. Workers represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ are slated to hold the vote on Saturday, Aug. 20 at 1:30 p.m.The workers involved include bus drivers, mechanics, attendants, building cleaners, engineers, and trades workers. MORE HEADLINES: Union officials say an estimated 2,000 school district employees are represented under the expiring contract. The current contract for those employees expires on Aug.

(With inputs from agencies)

PHILADELPHIA - The Berks County District Attorney has ruled that a father's fatal shooting of his son was justified. Authorities say the shooting occurred on Saturday, August 13, on the 600 block of North Front Street in Reading. According to the DA's Office, police responded to the home for reports of a domestic incident. Police say Alexis Martinez was visiting his father and threatened him. Martinez, who has a history of assaults and mental health issues, had been drinking prior to the incident, the DA's Office says. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESOfficials say during a confrontation in the home, Martinez threw a glass beer bottle at his father and threatened him with a large knife and another weapon. According to authorities, Martinez was then shot by his father and he was later pronounced dead on the scene. The DA's Office says the shooting was justified. "After a thorough review of the above incident and after consultation with the Reading Police Department, the District Attorney has determined that the homicide of Alexis Martinez by his father was a justified use of force," the office said. No additional details were released by authorities. 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A British national was sentenced to life in prison Friday for his role in an Islamic State hostage-taking scheme.Roughly two dozen Westerners were taken captive a decade ago by a notorious group of masked captors nicknamed "The Beatles" for their British accents. El Shafee Elsheikh received his sentence Friday in an Alexandria, Virginia, courtroom.The deaths of four American hostages -- journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller -- figured heavily in his April convictions on the eight counts.Three of the Americans were beheaded in videos broadcast online while Mueller was raped and then killed.

Prime minister of Finland Sanna Marin holds a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, on August 19, 2022, after videos showing her partying and leaked into social media have sparked criticism. (Photo by RONI REKOMAA/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images) COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Friday she has taken a drug test "for her own legal protection" after a video was leaked of her dancing and lip-syncing songs at a private party.

LOS ANGELES - A man described by a prosecutor as a sexually motivated serial killer was convicted Thursday of murdering two women in the 1980s.A downtown Los Angeles jury deliberated for about three hours before convicting 67-year-old Horace Van Vaultz Jr.

Health Canada approves 1st COVID-19 booster for kids 5-11 “High vaccination coverage in schools and the community will also help reduce the severity of illnesses during the expected fall and winter waves of COVID-19, in addition to influenza and other respiratory illnesses,” the statement from WPH noted.It says that keeping vaccinations up to date is the best way to prevent hospitalizations or death from COVID-19.Kids between the ages of six months and five years became eligible to be vaccinated at the end of July, with vaccinations now possible at family doctors or pharmacies.The region says it is also offering appointments at its vaccine clinics at 99 Regina St. in Waterloo or 30 Christopher Dr., although it is also welcoming walk-ins.

COVID-19 continue to increase in Manitoba.Between Aug. 7 and 13, the province said 72 people were admitted to hospital, including 19 who were put in intensive care.Two Manitobans with the virus died during that week.That’s an increase when compared with 57 hospitalizations and 12 ICU admissions the week before, although the number of deaths has dropped from six to two.

In this photo illustration, the logos of media service providers, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney + and Hulu are displayed on the screen of a tablet on Nov. 20, 2019, in Paris, France.

(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department) BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Be careful about what you're adding to your next crawfish boil as an invasive crayfish has been found in Texas.The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says that the Australian Redclaw Crayfish showed up this year in Brownsville.Researchers first found them over the winter, and then they reappeared in July along a two-mile stretch between an apartment pond and a wetland area.This is only the second time scientists have found the crustacean in the wild in the continental U.S. "We don’t know when these invasive crayfish were first introduced or how far they have spread, but we do know they can have a negative effect on local species and biodiversity," said the department’s aquatic biologist, Archis Grubh, in a press release. "Spreading the word about this invasive species and reporting sightings to TPWD can help us better understand where it is distributed and potentially take steps to help prevent its spread."States from New York to North Carolina are issuing quarantines for the spotted lanternfly, an invasive, plant-killing pest.INVASIVE PEST READY TO SWARM AND EAT ITS WAY ACROSS AMERICAOfficials fear the newcomer would threaten the survival of native crayfish.

RELATED: Invasive spotted lanternfly found in Michigan for first timeAn invasive spotted lanternfly sits crushed on a sidewalk on August 6, 2022, in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) A native of Asia, the spotted lanternfly was first identified in the United States in 2014, northwest of Philadelphia. It's likely that insect eggs came over with a load of landscaping stones.

PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating a shooting that left a man in critical condition. According to authorities, officers responded to the 6500 block of Torresdale Avenue for a report of a shooting around 10:45 p.m.

Travis Barker has tested positive for Covid-19 two months after being hospitalised with pancreatitis. The Blink-182 drummer revealed his health news on Instagram on Thursday night by sharing a photo of him playing his drumsticks on a wooden board and writing in the caption, "Covid sucks. .

FILE - A general view of Team Michigan and Team Ohio during the 2021 Little League World Series at Howard J Lamade Stadium on Aug. 29, 2021, in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Maharashtra on Friday reported 2,285 new Covid-19 cases and 5 deaths, the state health department notified.

WASHINGTON - Authorities say a juvenile and two adults have been detained by officers after shots were fired early Friday morning in downtown D.C. near the National Mall and the White House.The shots were reported around 1:15 a.m.

FILE - Indian national flags are seen on rooftops in the city of Ghaziabad, also located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on Aug. 18, 2022.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department's Homicide Unit is investigating a double shooting that left one man dead and another injured in Germantown early Friday morning. According to police, officers responded to a 911 call for a shooting on West Aspley Street just before 1:30 a.m. Responding officers found a 25-year-old man sitting inside an unattended parked Nissan Sedan, authorities say. Medics realized he had been shot and pronounced him dead at 1:47 a.m., according to officials. Investigators say they believe he was shot outside the car but was able to run to get into the car. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESAccording to police, the man did not have shoes on, but one was found inside the car and the other was found outside of the vehicle. A few minutes after officers responded, a shooting victim showed up at Temple University Hospital. The 21-year-old victim was placed in stable condition, according to authorities. Police say he was uncooperative, but investigators found clothing they believe belongs to him at the scene. Seven spent shell casings were found at the scene of the shooting, authorities say. The shooting remains under investigation. 

of hospitalisations and deaths due to Covid-19 by half.  Metformin, a globally available diabetes drug, was used in the 1950s as an anti-viral called "Fluamine." Recently a research conducted in University of Minnesota has proved that people who started showing symptoms of Covid-19 and took this drug within the first four days, did not have to visit the hospital or ran the risk of death due to the virus.  The study has found that the drug affects the inflammation pathways. To put this in perspective, Covid-19 involves viral inflammation The study, published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, compared three medications that were considered promising -- fluvoxamine, an antidepressant that had shown strong results in previous studies, ivermectin, the object of much interest, and metformin.

PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating a shooting at a playground in East Mount Airy. The shooting occurred around 10:30 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA - The attorney for the family in the middle of the alleged discrimination controversy at Sesame Place shared new video of the incident they believe supports their claims that two Black girls were intentionally snubbed by a character. Jodi Brown posted a video last weekend showing her daughter Skylar Brown, 6, and her niece Nylah Brown, 6, being ignored by a Sesame Place character while children of other races were greeted. The video has since been viewed more than 750,000 times on Instagram since Brown posted it on her personal page. After the release of the video, celebrities and public figures began speaking out, calling for Sesame Place to address the video. RELATED HEADLINESThe theme park issued an apology on Instagram, saying, "The performer portraying the Rosita character has confirmed that the ‘no’ hand gesture seen several times in the video was not directed to any specific person, rather it was a response to multiple requests from someone in the crowd who asked Rosita to hold their child for a photo which is not permitted." The apology was not well received, and more families began coming forward with allegations and videos alleging similar experiences at the park. In a second apology, the theme park said it would conduct training for employees to deliver a more "inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience" to guests. On Wednesday, Jodi and Nylah Brown were present at a press conference with their attorney B'Ivory Lamarr and activist Tamika Mallory of Until Freedom. A family from New York has accused Sesame Place of discrimination after a video showing a theme park character ignoring two 6-year-old girls went viral on social media.

LANGHORNE, Pa. - Sesame Place offers a fresh apology for an incident that occurred at the Bucks County park over the last weekend, in which two girls wave at Sesame Place character "Rosita" and appear to be ignored by that character.Sesame Place said, in part:"We sincerely and wholeheartedly apologize to the Brown family for what they experienced. To be very clear, what the two young girls experienced, what the family experienced, is unacceptable.

NEW YORK CITY - A family accusing Sesame Place of discrimination spoke publicly at a press conference in New York and called for the firing of the employee seen in the viral video with the two girls. Jodi Brown posted a video over the weekend showing her daughter Skylar Brown, 6, and her niece Nylah Brown, 6, being ignored by a Sesame Place character while children of other races were greeted. A mother is speaking out on social media after she says a theme park character at Sesame Place ignored her daughter & niece and greeted others.