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Man convicted of 4 consecutive life sentences for raping 3-month old relative and filming assault

prison
© Stephen Lam / Reuters
A 38-year-old man from Texas has been sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for repeatedly raping a 3-month-old relative and filming it, after the jury heard horrific accounts of his numerous child abuse cases.

David Vincent Akins Jr. was arrested in 2016 and charged with sexually abusing the 3-month-old girl after videos found on his personal computer revealed persistent abuses of the child who happens to be a family member. The child was repeatedly abused, starting from 2013 until the pornographic videos were unearthed three years later, investigators said.

Five victims also came forward at the Montgomery County trial to share their stories of the horrific ordeals suffered at the hands of Atkins. They included two female relatives who claimed he raped them, one at the age of 5 and the other from age 3 to 11. It was also revealed that Atkins already spent time in juvenile detention for rapes committed when he was 14.

Family

Mum finds heartbreaking note written by 8yo daughter saying she wants to die over being bullied at school

Millie O’Neill
© Liverpool Echo
Millie O’Neill
An eight-year-old girl has written a heartbreaking note telling her parents she wants to die after being tormented by bullies at school.

Mum-of-two Naomi O'Neill, 28, was stunned when she found the note at the bottom of her eldest daughter Millie's bed.

She told the Liverpool Echo that Millie has been bullied for weeks - with one pupil telling her he would "slaughter" her family - and is so afraid that she has tried self-harming in a bid to be kept at home.

The schoolgirl wrote in her letter: "Not one kid in the world should feel the way I feel when I get bullied. It makes me sad, I feel different, weird, not important, angry, dumb and hurt." She made a desperate cry for help, writing: "Please help me stop getting bullied."

Dollars

Texas state district judge charged with bribery

Texas judge bribery Delgado
© Nathan Lambrecht
State District Judge Rodolfo "Rudy" Delgado, center, walks out of federal court behind his attorney Aldolfo "Al" Alverez, right, after posting bond for charges of bribery Monday February 5, 2018, in McAllen, Texas.
Judge took bribes for 'favors' on cases

In an indictment unsealed Monday, the federal government alleges that state District Judge Rodolfo "Rudy" Delgado accepted bribes for at least 10 years on cases in his court in exchange for favorable "judicial consideration."

The 64-year-old judge who presides over the 93rd state District Court, and who is known for subjecting those in his courtroom to oftentimes long-winded, boisterous manners of expression, appeared worn from three days in federal custody and somewhat soft-spoken moments after walking out the front doors of the federal courthouse after posting bond.

Delgado, wearing a suit-jacket, tie and slacks and accompanied by attorney Adolfo "Al" Alvarez, declined to answer subsequent questions regarding the allegations that he accepted bribes from at least one local attorney, who told federal agents he had bribed the judge since at least 2008.

Ambulance

Toddler found freezing to death on porch after wandering from home

Wynter Parker
© Phil Masturzo/Beacon Journal/Ohio.com
Stuffed animals are on the front porch of an apartment building in Ellet as a makeshift memorial to two-year-old Wynter Parker was found unresponsive in the cold on Friday. Wynter later died at the hospital
A toddler who was found by her mother on a porch in freezing temperatures and later died had wandered from home when her father fell asleep, police said Monday.

Two-year-old Wynter Parker's mother left for a few hours Friday afternoon only to come back and find her unresponsive on their apartment's front porch, authorities said. The Akron Beacon Journal reports she called 911 and screamed "she's frozen."

The girl later died at a hospital. Temperatures on Friday ranged between 12 and 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-11 and -7 degrees Celsius).

Roses

Russian MoD: Body of hero Russian Su-25 pilot retrieved from Syria and returned to Russia

Fallen military pilot Major Roman Filipov
© Maksim Blinov / Sputnik
Flowers laid at the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow in memory of fallen military pilot Major Roman Filipov
The body of Major Filipov, the Su-25 pilot shot down in Syria who then blew himself up with a grenade rather than be killed by militants, has been recovered and returned to Russia, the Defense Ministry said.

"Russian military intelligence, in cooperation with its Turkish colleagues, has returned to Russia the body of pilot Major Roman Filipov, who heroically died in Syria on February 3," the Ministry said.

Filipov's military funeral is to take place in his hometown of Voronezh on February 8, in keeping with his family's wishes, the Ministry added.

Comment: The Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday it had requested Turkey's assistance in obtaining debris of the Russian Su-25 jet downed by terrorists in the Syrian province of Idlib on February 3.
"The Russian Defense Ministry sent a request to the Turkish side to assist in obtaining all the debris of the Russian Su-25 attack aircraft downed by terrorists by MANPADS [man-portable air defense systems] in the airspace over the Syrian province of Idlib on February 3," the ministry's statement read.

The ministry noted that its experts were "particularly interested in remains of the Russian attack aircraft's engines with traces of the missile impact in order to precisely identify the MANPADS type used by terrorists, production site and channels of supply to Syria."



Info

Deputy Director Mikhail Petukhov: Russia and Indonesia to agree delivery contract for Su-35 fighter jets

Russian Su-35 fighter jet
© Marina Lystseva/TASS


It was reported earlier that Jakarta wanted to buy 10 Su-35 multirole fighters


Russia and Indonesia will shortly agree technical details of a contract for the delivery of Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets to Jakarta, Deputy Director of Russia's Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation Mikhail Petukhov told TASS on Tuesday.

"Indonesia continues to be one of Russia's basic partners in the Asia-Pacific Region. The negotiations on the delivery of Su-35s to the Republic of Indonesia are continuing. Importantly, the sides are willing to successfully complete the negotiations. I hope that the experts from both sides will shortly agree separate technical aspects. At the same time, I would like to note that all the requirements of the Indonesian legislation have been taken into account and will be adhered to by the Russian side," he said.

Comment: See also: Sanctions workaround: Indonesia barters coffee, tea and palm oil in exchange for Russian fighter jets


Arrow Down

At least 40 athletes were molested by Nassar while the FBI was aware of the allegations yet allowed him to continue working

Larry Nassar
© Jeff Kowalsky / AFP
Former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar
At least 40 girls and women said they were molested by a Michigan sports doctor over a 14-month period while the FBI at the same time was aware that Larry Nassar had been accused of molesting gymnasts, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The FBI became aware of Nassar in July 2015 when it was contacted by USA Gymnastics, which trains athletes for the Olympics. But he wasn't publicly exposed until The Indianapolis Star published allegations by a victim in 2016, The New York Times reported.

In the meantime, Nassar continued to see young female athletes, especially gymnasts, or dancers while working at Michigan State University. USA Gymnastics, where he was a team doctor, cut ties with him in 2015.

Comment: See also:


Network

China and Japan make leap forward in relations, resume military exchange program

Chinese soldiers
© Faisal Mahmood / Reuters
Chinese soldiers
Japan and China have agreed to resume bilateral military education exchanges after a six-year hiatus, Japanese media report. The move comes amid a territorial row in the East China Sea between the two nations.

On Monday, senior Chinese Army officers met with the chairman of Japan's Sasakawa Peace Foundation in charge of the program, Yohei Sasakawa, in Beijing, according to Japanese media citing an official. The sides also stressed that the move would promote bilateral defense cooperation, Sasakawa said.

The program is said to be resuming in April, with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) personnel visiting Japan. The education exchanges are to continue for the next five years.

Family

Woman who lived mysterious double life found dead outside home

Kathleen Dawn West
© Twitter
Kathleen Dawn West was found nearly nude and bleeding outside her Alabama home on Jan. 13
The mysterious death of a 42-year-old mother and wife has shaken a small town to its core as it's revealed the victim was leading a secret double life online.

According to KFOR, Kathleen Dawn West was found slain outside her Calera, Ala., home that she shared with her husband and 12-year-old daughter.

Police are investigating the incident as a homicide.

West, 42, was discovered by a neighbor in the morning on Jan. 13. She was wearing only a sports bra and was bleeding from the head, Fox 13 reported.

Piggy Bank

All my employees are telling me those tax savings aren't 'crumbs'

wage worker

Working Americans will tell you themselves that $1,000 can make a difference.
"Crumbs." That's what Democrats call the pay hikes, 401(k) increases, and bonuses being given out to millions of working Americans, thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. To date, nearly 300 U.S. employers have publicly announced such investments in their workers.

And yet the Democratic establishment remains unamused. Weeks ago, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., infamously referred to $1,000 in extra salary as "crumbs," only to double down on the term in recent days. She even described Americans' tax savings as a "little piece of cheese" in a "little mouse trap" (set, presumably, by Republicans).

Former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz recently echoed Pelosi's sentiment: "I'm not sure that $1,000 goes very far for almost anyone."

Really? Not only do their comments illustrate a complete disconnect between elitist Democrats and the middle class, but they also fly in the face of economic reality. For many Americans, an extra $1,000 translates to a monthly rent payment, 20 or more refills of the family car's gas tank, or a long-overdue vacation. It may even mean more cash on hand to handle an emergency, or to support an elderly relative or a sick child.