■UNITED STATES
Anchorage vetoes ban
The mayor of Anchorage on Monday vetoed a ban against discrimination based on sexual orientation, saying it was unclear that such discrimination existed. The mayor, Dan Sullivan, a Republican who took office on July 1, said that “the vast majority of those who communicated their position on the ordinance are in opposition.” The ordinance, which would have prohibited such discrimination in employment, housing, education and other areas, was approved by the Anchorage Assembly last week on a 7-4 vote. Eight votes are necessary to override a mayoral veto.
■UNITED STATES
Mutilating mom convicted
A jury has sentenced a Texas mother convicted of mutilating her infant by cutting off his genitals to 99 years in prison. Jurors deliberated for about two hours on Monday before sentencing 28-year-old Katherine Nadal. They chose among possible sentences ranging from probation to life in prison. The same jury had convicted her last week of first-degree felony injury to a child. Prosecutors asked for life in prison. Nadal’s attorneys did not request any specific sentence but had asked the jury to not punish her out of hate or revenge.
■UNITED STATES
Disney stuntman dies
A Walt Disney World stunt performer died after an accident while rehearsing for the Indiana Jones show at the Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando. A Disney spokeswoman said the stunt performer was rehearsing on Monday evening for the “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular” and was hurt while doing a tumbling roll. He was taken to the hospital and later died. The performer’s name has not been released. Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said Disney officials have notified the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the accident. Out of respect for the man, Suarez said the Indiana Jones show was not to be performed yesterday.
■UNITED STATES
Musician, violin reunited
A musician has been reunited with his 18th-century violin after he mistakenly left it in a New York City cab. City taxi officials said a GPS device in the cab led to the quick return of the instrument to Korean violinist Hanh-bin on Monday. The violin is valued at about US$600,000. The musician had taken a cab from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to his Chinatown apartment in lower Manhattan early on Monday morning. He inadvertently left behind the violin and a credit card. Hanh-bin’s violin wasn’t the most expensive instrument ever to have been left in a New York City taxi. In 2001, musician Lynn Harrell left behind a 328-year-old Stradivarius cello worth US$4 million.
■UNITED STATES
Album records screams
This new album is a scream — and more. Favorite Recorded Scream is a compilation of 74 brief howls, whoops, cries and other guttural exclamations from songs by the Who, the Pixies, Slayer, Bjork and dozens of others. New York City artist LeRoy Stevens came up with the idea while listening to A Change Is Going to Come by the 1960s soul singer Baby Huey. The song climaxes in a series of screeches. He later asked Manhattan record shop clerks to choose their favorite song scream and to tell him why. With their suggestions, he pressed 500 copies of a 30cm vinyl record. The record is for sale for about US$15 at Manhattan stores and online.
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