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North America Kansas families receiving government assistance will no longer be able to use those funds to visit swimming pools, see movies, go gambling or get tattoos on the state’s dime. Those are just a few of the restrictions contained within a bill that promises to tighten regulations on how poor families spend their government aid. State Senator Michael O’Donnell, a Witchita Republican who has advocated for the bill, said the legislation is designed to pressure those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to spend “more responsibly”. “We’re trying to make sure those benefits are used the way they were intended,” O’Donnell, vice-chairman of the state senate’s standing committee on public health and welfare, said.
Just days after becoming the world’s oldest documented person, 116-year-old Gertrude Weaver has died in Arkansas. Weaver, born in 1898, became the oldest person in the world after the death of a 117-year-old Japanese woman last week. The Williams Funeral Home confirmed Weaver died just after 10am on Monday at the Silver Oaks Health and Rehabilitation Centre in Camden. The town’s mayor, Marie Trisollini, chatted with Weaver last week when the supercentenarian’s roommate celebrated her 100th birthday. “She was a really sweet lady. She was relatively perky and coherent when I talked with her before the party.” Asia/Oceania Two Air India pilots have been grounded following a row on board an Airbus shortly before it was due to take off. The airline has ordered an inquiry into the incident which took place as the crew prepared the aircraft ahead of a flight from Jaipur to Delhi on Sunday night. The row erupted when the co-pilot became irritated by instructions from the pilot to write down key information for the flight. “The co-pilot took offence at this and reportedly beat up the captain,” the Times of India reported. Reports of the argument came at a time when pilots’ mental state has come under closer scrutiny following the Germanwings crash.
Armed men have abducted the mayor of a southern Philippine town from her house and fled with her on motorboats. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said five bandits forcibly took Mayor Gemma Adana of Naga, and fled toward the sea aboard two motorboats. Abu Sayyaf militants, kidnap gangs and other criminal groups operate in the province. Europe Britain’s most influential poker player — who grew up on a council estate and emerged from two spells in prison to reinvent himself as one of the highest-earning professional gamblers — has died aged 61. Dave Ulliott — nicknamed “Devilfish” by fellow poker player Stephen AuYeung — was diagnosed with colon cancer this year. Born in Hull, he was known for his orange-tinted sunglasses, sharp suits and gold knuckleduster rings reading “Devil” and “Fish”, which he made himself. During a professional career spanning more than four decades, the charismatic gambler accumulated more than £4 million ($7.9 million) in professional winnings. Middle East Turkish police have detained a leftwing British activist in connection with the killing of a government prosecutor, it was reported last night. Stephan Kacynski, 52, appeared in court in Istanbul following police raids in the city. He was held over a hostage incident in a courthouse last week, which ended when a state prosecutor and the two gunmen holding him captive were killed when the building was stormed by Turkish security forces. Mr Kacynski, 52, who is understood to come from Scotland, was reported as telling investigators that he denied having any knowledge of anyone connected to the hostagetaking. The Foreign Office confirmed that British Embassy officials were providing consular services to a man.