The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution to recognize Gaza as a state. The 15-member council voted Thursday on a draft of a resolution that would recommend that the 193-member U.N. General Assembly recognize Gaza as a state and admit Gaza to the U.N. Twelve nations voted in favor of the resolution‚ two nations abstained‚ and one‚ the United States‚ voted against. 

Lawyers in Donald Trump's historic criminal trial on Thursday selected 12 jurors who will assess his guilt or innocence over the coming weeks in a case stemming from a hush-money payment to a porn star. Lawyers for the defense and the prosecution still must select alternate jurors for the trial‚ the first ever in which a former U.S. president is the defendant. Opening statements could take place on Monday‚ said Justice Juan Merchan‚ the judge overseeing the trial.

Twelve jurors have been appointed to decide former president Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial in Manhattan. “We have our jury‚” Manhattan Supreme Court judge Juan Merchan said after the twelfth juror was selected on Thursday afternoon. “Let’s go pick our alternates.” The selection of six alternates remains ongoing. Seven new jurors were picked in quick succession on Thursday afternoon. Hours earlier‚ two other previously-selected jurors were excused.  One juror was...

A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s history-making hush money trial‚ propelling the proceedings closer to opening statements and the start of weeks of dramatic testimony. The court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors‚ with the process on track to wrap up by the end of the week. Prosecutors could begin presenting their case early next week. The jury of New Yorkers includes a sales professional‚ a software engineer‚ a security engineer‚...

Server Flavaine Carvalho was waiting on her last table of the night at Mrs. Potatohead's‚ a family restaurant in Orlando‚ Florida when she noticed something peculiar.The parents of an 11-year-old boy were ordering food but told her that the child would be having his dinner later that night at home. She glanced at the boy who was wearing a hoodie‚ glasses‚ and a face mask and noticed a scratch between his eyes.A closer look revealed a bruise on his temple.So Carvalho walked away from the table and wrote a note that said‚ &;quot;Do you need help&;#63;&;quot; and showed it to the boy from an angle where his parents couldn't see.The boy shook his head‚ no. &;quot;I knew it that he was afraid‚&;quot; she said.Carvalho made two more attempts until the boy nodded yes.The server then called the owner of the restaurant to let her know that she was going to call the police on the boy's parents.“SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING: An Orlando waitress saw a family withholding food from a boy at a table. She noticed bruises on his body and created this sign to secretly ask the child if he needed help. When he signaled &;quot;Yes&;quot; she called us. The stepfather &; mother were arrested.” \u201cSEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING: An Orlando waitress saw a family withholding food from a boy at a table. She noticed bruises on his body and created this sign to secretly ask the child if he needed help. When he signaled &;quot;Yes&;quot; she called us. The stepfather &; mother were arrested.\u201d — Orlando Police (@Orlando Police) 1610638528 The police arrived and arrested the boy's fatheron one count of third-degree child abuse. His mother Kristen Swann was arrested with two counts of child neglect. A four-year-old girl was taken from the family by authorities. They say she showed no signs of abuse.Detectives spoke with the boy and learned his parents frequently withheld food from him as a form of punishment. He was 20 pounds underweight. After searching his body‚ they discovered that he was nearly covered in bruises.His father had recently beat him with a broomstick and back scratcher.The boy told detectives that he was once hung upside down from his ankles in a door frame by his father and had been restrained by being strapped to a furniture dolly.&;quot;To be honest what this child had gone through was torture‚&;quot; Detective Erin Lawler said. &;quot;There was no justification for it in any realm of the world. I'm a mother and seeing what that 11-year-old had to go through‚ it shocks your soul.&;quot; \u201cChief Orlando Rolon‚ @OrlandoPolice‚ with waitress Flavaine Carvalho (middle) who saved an abused 11yo when he was dining with his family. They say the boy was \u201ctortured.\u201d The full details of his salvation on @fox35orlando at 5/6pm. #FOX35 #news #crime #update\u201d — Matt Trezza FOX 35 (@Matt Trezza FOX 35) 1610650833 Carvalho's quick thinking and bravery may have saved the lives of two children.&;quot;This could have been a homicide situation if she had not have intervened‚&;quot; Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon said.&;quot;The lesson here for all of us is to recognize when we see something that isn't right to act on it… This saved the life of a child‚&;quot; he added.The restaurant's owner‚ Rafaela Cabede‚ hopes that Carvalho's bravery inspires others to look out for signs of abuse as well.&;quot;We understand that this has to encourage other people that when you see something‚ say something‚&;quot; Cabede said. &;quot;We know when we see a situation that is wrong‚ we know what's the right thing to do. We know that speaking up is the right thing to do. But it takes more than acknowledging it. It takes courage.This article originally appeared on 01.15.21

In 1997‚ ecologists Daniel Janzen and Winnie Hallwachs approached an orange juice company in Costa Rica with an off-the-wall idea. In exchange for donating a portion of unspoiled‚ forested land to the &;Aacute;rea de Conservaci&;oacute;n Guanacaste — a nature preserve in the country's northwest — the park would allow the company to dump its discarded orange peels and pulp‚ free of charge‚ in a heavily grazed‚ largely deforested area nearby. One year later‚ one thousand trucks poured into the national park‚ offloading over 12‚000 metric tons of sticky‚ mealy‚ orange compost onto the worn-out plot.The site was left untouched and largely unexamined for over a decade. A sign was placed to ensure future researchers could locate and study it.16 years later‚ Janzen dispatched graduate student Timothy Treuer to look for the site where the food waste was dumped.Treuer initially set out to locate the large placard that marked the plot — and failed.&;quot;It's a huge sign‚ bright yellow lettering. We should have been able to see it‚&;quot; Treuer says. After wandering around for half an hour with no luck‚ he consulted Janzen‚ who gave him more detailed instructions on how to find the plot.When he returned a week later and confirmed he was in the right place‚ Treuer was floored. Compared to the adjacent barren former pastureland‚ the site of the food waste deposit was &;quot;like night and day.&;quot;&;quot;It was just hard to believe that the only difference between the two areas was a bunch of orange peels. They look like completely different ecosystems‚&;quot; he explains.The area was so thick with vegetation he still could not find the sign.Treuer and a team of researchers from Princeton University studied the site over the course of the following three years.The results‚ published in the journal &;quot;Restoration Ecology‚&;quot; highlight just how completely the discarded fruit parts assisted the area's turnaround.The ecologists measured various qualities of the site against an area of former pastureland immediately across the access road used to dump the orange peels two decades prior. Compared to the adjacent plot‚ which was dominated by a single species of tree‚ the site of the orange peel deposit featured two dozen species of vegetation‚ most thriving.In addition to greater biodiversity‚ richer soil‚ and a better-developed canopy‚ researchers discovered a tayra (a dog-sized weasel) and a giant fig tree three feet in diameter‚ on the plot.&;quot;You could have had 20 people climbing in that tree at once and it would have supported the weight no problem‚&;quot; says Jon Choi‚ co-author of the paper‚ who conducted much of the soil analysis. &;quot;That thing was massive.&;quot;Recent evidence suggests that secondary tropical forests — those that grow after the original inhabitants are torn down — are essential to helping slow climate change.In a 2016 study published in Nature‚ researchers found that such forests absorb and store atmospheric carbon at roughly 11 times the rate of old-growth forests.Treuer believes better management of discarded produce — like orange peels — could be key to helping these forests regrow.In many parts of the world‚ rates of deforestation are increasing dramatically‚ sapping local soil of much-needed nutrients and‚ with them‚ the ability of ecosystems to restore themselves.Meanwhile‚ much of the world is awash in nutrient-rich food waste. In the United States‚ up to half of all produce in the United States is discarded. Most currently ends up in landfills.&;quot;We don't want companies to go out there will-nilly just dumping their waste all over the place‚ but if it's scientifically driven and restorationists are involved in addition to companies‚ this is something I think has really high potential‚&;quot; Treuer says.The next step‚ he believes‚ is to examine whether other ecosystems — dry forests‚ cloud forests‚ tropical savannas — react the same way to similar deposits.Two years after his initial survey‚ Treuer returned to once again try to locate the sign marking the site.Since his first scouting mission in 2013‚ Treuer had visited the plot more than 15 times. Choi had visited more than 50. Neither had spotted the original sign.In 2015‚ when Treuer‚ with the help of the paper's senior author‚ David Wilcove‚ and Princeton Professor Rob Pringle‚ finally found it under a thicket of vines‚ the scope of the area's transformation became truly clear.&;quot;It's a big honking sign‚&;quot; Choi emphasizes.19 years of waiting with crossed fingers had buried it‚ thanks to two scientists‚ a flash of inspiration‚ and the rind of an unassuming fruit.This article originally appeared on 08.23.17

Matt Diaz has worked extremely hard to lose 270 pounds over the past six years. But his proudest moment came in March 2015 when he decided to film himself with his shirt off to prove an important point about body positivity and self-love.Matt had lap-band surgery in 2009 at age 16.Through the course of his weight-loss journey‚ Matt became passionate about promoting body positivity for people of all shapes and sizes.To stay motivated‚ he started sharing his journey on social media‚ posting before-and-after photos‚ answering questions and giving support to followers‚ and even sharing his meals and favorite workouts. Six years later‚ Matt is down over 270 pounds and is a very active voice in the online body-positivity movement.But in all his years of sharing his story‚ the one thing he's never done is showed what his body looks like after 200+ pounds of weight loss. So he uploaded the video above to show his followers his true self.Shortly after he posted the video online‚ originally to Tumblr‚ it quickly went viral and garnered thousands of shares and comments from people around the web. I was one of the thousands touched by the video‚ so I reached out to Matt to find out more about what motivated him and what he hopes others can take away from his story. Here's what he had to say:Why was it so important for you to post this video&;#63;&;quot;I'm a really big advocate for self-love and body positivity. I think it's important that we learn to love the bodies we're in‚ even if we don't necessarily like every little thing about them. However‚ in the time I'd been writing and talking about it‚ I'd never actually shown my excess skin to anyone. It felt dishonest somehow‚ to others and to myself. I couldn't tell others that I wanted them to love themselves and keep myself hidden away and ashamed of my skin.&;quot;&;quot;I know what it feels like to hate your body‚ and to be depressed about it‚ and I never want anyone to feel that way again. So‚ if making myself vulnerable can help one person‚ why not&;#63;&;quot;— Matt DiazWhat's the response been like&;#63; Anything particularly unexpected&;#63;&;quot;I think that putting any opinion on the Internet will garner a certain amount of negativity and cynicism‚ but I haven't seen anything like that at all. I've read every comment and message since the video has gone up‚ literally thousands‚ and they're all so thoughtful.A really surprising side-effect were the number of transgender people who've thanked me saying that they understood my struggle‚ even though their body-related insecurity grew from different roots. I'd never even begun to [think] of what that must be like‚ and the fact that my message could help even though my problems began somewhere else is really incredible.”What advice or words of encouragement do you have for someone who's struggling to love their body&;#63;&;quot;I know it's difficult‚ especially when you're starting out. I want you to remember that you are not the problem‚ certain aspects of society are the problem. You'll constantly be told that you're too heavy or too tall to be attractive‚ or you're not masculine or feminine enough‚ or that your skin isn't the right tone or your hair isn't the right color‚ and these people are always always always wrong.Luckily‚ we're slowly starting to see these ideas get phased out by modernity. Plus-sized‚ un-retouched models are getting more attention in major brands‚ more attention is being put on the alternative scene for high fashion‚ it's becoming clear that these negative ideas are not going to last‚ though it's going to take a while.&;quot;&;quot;Understand that to love yourself is to contest the negative things that were put into your head. Every smile‚ tattoo‚ bathing suit‚ and crop top is a small revolution. Tell yourself you're beautiful every day‚ and I promise you will be.&;quot;— Matt DiazWatch video below:Matt's story is a personal one‚ but it's one we can all learn from.I think the most important thing to take away here is that self-love takes time and is different for everyone no matter what they look like. It's also worth noting that for Matt‚ losing weight was an important part of his journey‚ but that might not be the case for everyone. Even so‚ our society has such incredibly high and unrealistic body standards that even many of those who do work to lose weight end up feeling uncomfortable or being shamed for not having &;quot;perfect bodies&;quot; once they've lost weight.There's no such thing as a &;quot;perfect body&;quot; because everyone is different‚ which is what makes us beautiful and great&;#33; I'm glad there are people like Matt in the world who are not only willing to share their stories but also to inspire others by showing that body confidence comes in all shapes and sizes‚ and that everyone deserves to feel good about who they are. Here's hoping Matt's inspiring words can help others begin to love and accept themselves‚ no matter where they're at in their journey.This story originally appeared on 03.18.15.

In this super-cool video from Field Day and Cut Video‚ a young engaged couple is given a rare opportunity to see how they might look 30‚ 50‚ and 70 years in the future. With the help of some seriously talented makeup artists‚ the couple ages before each other's eyes.But‚ it's the deep emotional impact of imagining a life shared together that is far more striking than their physical transformation.Their love seems to strengthen as they see each other age‚ and the caring they display for one another is likely to make even the most cynical person a little emotional.This article originally appeared on 05.15.15

One of the most pressing dilemmas for parents these days is how much screen time they should allow their children. Research published by the Mayo Clinic shows that excessive screen time can lead to obesity‚ disrupted sleep‚ behavioral issues‚ poor academic performance‚ exposure to violence and a significant reduction in playtime. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to 1 to 2 hours daily for children over 2. But American children spend far more time in front of screens than that and the situation is only worsening. Before the pandemic‚ kids between the ages of 4 and 12 spent an average of 4.4 hours a day looking at screens‚ but since 2020‚ the average child’s daily screen time has increased by 1.75 hours.A father in Long Beach‚ California‚ is getting some love for his TikTok video sharing what happens when you give your kid books instead of an iPhone. Armando Hart posted a video showing his 10-year-old son‚ Raya‚ reading a book in the back of a car and it’s been seen over 8 million times.&;quot;Give them books instead of phones when they are little and this is the result‚&;quot; the caption reads. &;quot;Thank me later.&;quot;We’re so blessed with our son Raya. I think he’s read more books than I have. @lifeinmotion08 We’re so blessed with our son Raya. I think he’s read more books than I have. #Books #Read #Fyp Hart and his wife started reading to their son every night before bedtime‚ hoping to instill a love for books. &;quot;It was all about leading by example and creating a nurturing environment where reading was celebrated‚&;quot; Hart told Newsweek. These days‚ Raya is an avid reader who enjoys just about anything.“My son likes novels‚ fiction‚ nonfiction‚ and realistic fiction‚” Hart told Upworthy. “He also likes informative content‚ such as reading the almanac and other informative magazines. He loves to build‚ cook from recipes‚ and make art.”For Hart‚ reading is all about creating a sense of balance in his son’s life.“It's not about being against technology but about fostering a balanced approach that prioritizes meaningful experiences and hands-on learning‚” he told Upworthy. “By instilling a love for reading‚ creativity‚ and exploration early on‚ we're equipping Raya with the skills and mindset he needs to thrive in an ever-changing world.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Armando Hart (@armando_hart) Hart believes that the screen time discussion isn’t just about technology but a trend that goes deeper. “It speaks to a broader societal problem: our youth's lack of self-esteem‚ confidence and fundamental values. While screen time may exacerbate these issues‚ it is not the sole cause‚” he told Upworthy.“In contrast‚ physical activity‚ such as exercise‚ promotes joy and well-being. Spending hours scrolling on a phone can detract from genuine moments of happiness and fulfillment‚” he continued. “Therefore‚ we must address the deeper underlying issues affecting our youth's mental and emotional health rather than solely attributing them to screen time.”Hart believes the key to fostering healthy habits in children is to be wholly present and reject the “pressures of convenience” that encourage parental complacency.“We prioritize quality time together‚ whether exploring nature‚ sharing meals with the best available foods‚ or engaging in meaningful conversations. In today's rapidly advancing technological world‚ staying grounded in our humanity and embodying integrity in everything we do is crucial‚” he continued. “This means staying connected to our authentic selves and teaching our son the importance of honesty‚ kindness‚ and respect.”