WhiteBoard News for Friday, May 30, 2003

Cincinnati, Ohio (Reuters):

A wanted man was arrested after his parole officer spotted him kissing his girlfriend in a live crowd shot displayed on the scoreboard at a Cincinnati Reds game. 

David Horton and his parole officer attended the same May 7 game when the smooching couple were caught by the "Kiss Cam" at Great American Ball Park. 

The parole officer and a police officer arrested Horton, 24, in his front-row seat. 

"Out of all the coincidences, we had 20- or 30-thousand people at the ballpark and who do they put on the 'Kiss Cam'? And then, who is there but his parole officer?" said Richard Goldberg, Horton's attorney. 

Horton, of Cincinnati, was convicted of felonious assault in 1999 for stabbing two men. He was granted release after serving two years of a four-year prison sentence. 

Horton had been arrested March 27 and was indicted for trafficking and possession of cocaine. He is accused of failing to appear in court on those charges. 

If convicted, he could face up to 18 years in prison. 
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Santa Catarina, Brazil (Ananova):

A Brazilian couple have won $16,475 compensation after a banking error ended their 35-year marriage.

Maria Rodriques filed for divorce after her bank wrongly told her that her husband Luiz Gonzaga had a joint account with another woman.

However, Mrs Rodrigues says she might stay divorced - even though the bank has admitted being at fault.

The dispute started five years ago when she went into the Estado de Santa Catarina bank in Santa Catarina to withdraw her husband's pension.

Mrs Rodrigues told Jornal Nacional: "They told me I wasn't my husband's wife and even showed me on the computer screen the name of another woman who would be his real wife."

Refusing to listen to her husband's protestations of innocence, Mrs Rodrigues filed for divorce. Meanwhile, Mr Gonzaga hired a lawyer and set about trying to prove the bank was at fault.

Finally, he won his case in the courts and the bank was ordered to pay the couple $16,475 compensation.

But, even after the court ruling, Mrs Rodrigues says she is not sure about getting back together with her former husband.

Mr Gonzaga said: "The money is good, but it doesn't make up for a failed marriage, does it?"
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Guangming, China (Ananova):

A 12-year-old Chinese girl put on 33 pounds to help save her father's life.

Zhang Wanqing was the only suitable blood match for her father who was suffering from leukaemia and needed marrow transplant surgery.

But doctors warned the frail girl could not safely give the required amount of blood, reports the South China Morning post, quoting Guangming Daily.

She radically altered her diet and put on 33 pounds in just two months.

She was then safely able to donate two-and-a-half pints of blood to her father who underwent a successful operation and is now recovering in hospital.
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