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☆ How to survive sleeping with a sleep talker
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“There are some things you, the bed partner, can do to save your sleep,” Schenck said. Medications to treat depression, and other mental health disorders, high blood pressure, seizures, asthma and, oddly, other sleep disorders can also cause sleep talking, according to the Cleveland Clinic. “Cut out alcohol so you can share your consideration for the bed partner who is disturbed by your sleep talking.”What causes sleep talking? Sleep talking is a parasomnia, in the same category as sleep terrors, sleep eating, sleep paralysis and sleep sex. Some people who have sleep talking or walking as children do return to the behavior as adults, but many others do not,” he said.

Persons: Carlos Schenck, ” Schenck, “, GERD, Schenck, Jennifer Mundt, ”, Earplugs, Mundt, ” Mundt, Parasomnias Organizations: CNN, American Academy of Sleep, Hennepin County Medical, University of Minnesota, Cleveland Clinic, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine Locations: Hennepin, Chicago

☆ Sexsomnia: An embarrassing sleep disorder no one wants to talk about
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

These are all clinically documented cases of sleep sex, or sexsomnia, part of a family of sleep disorders called parasomnias that include sleepwalking, sleep talking, sleep eating and sleep terrors. “There certainly can be legal consequences from the sexual behaviors, particularly with minors, and also with aggressive behaviors during sleep,” Schenck said. Also called OSA, obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep malady in which breathing stops for 10 seconds to two minutes many times per hour each night. “It’s the breath holding or apnea from the obstructive sleep apnea that triggers the arousal, typically in men, which then triggers the sexual behaviors in sleep,” Schenck said. “It’s so interesting, because a lot of people with stress become hyposexual, not interested in sex,” Schenck said.

Persons: rouses, Carlos Schenck, ”, Schenck, ” Schenck, Jennifer Mundt, moan, “ You’re, ‘, Yuliya Kirayonak, “, Northwestern’s Mundt, it’s, Mundt, ” Mundt, you’re Organizations: CNN, Hennepin County Medical, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, sexsomnia, “, US Centers for Disease Control Locations: Hennepin, Norway, Chicago

☆ South Africa's 'Vogue Opera' honours life of gay anti-apartheid activist Nkoli
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Vogue Opera" - a mix of classical music, hip-hop, protest songs and dance - tells the story of Nkoli, whose activism helped to enshrine gay rights in South Africa's constitution - the first country on the continent to do so. Nkoli faced prejudice even from fellow anti-apartheid activists while serving a four-year prison sentence on treason charges when he revealed his sexuality. The opera reveals not only Nkoli's struggles but also the happiness he brought to others. "If there isn't social buy-in, we're not done," the show's co-writer and rapper S'bo Gyre said. Reporting by Catherine Schenck, Thando Hlophe and Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Simon Nkoli, Africa's, Nkoli, Philip Miller, William Kentridge's, London's, Miller, Abiah, Lishivha, Gay, we're, S'bo Gyre, Catherine Schenck, Thando, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Market, London's Tate, Theatre, International Lesbian, Thomson Locations: South Africa, Johannesburg, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa's, New, Harlem

☆ Johannesburg fire: what are 'hijacked buildings' and why are they dangerous?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A firefighter works at the scene of a deadly fire which occurred in the early hours of the morning in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 31, 2023. REUTERS/Shiraaz Mohamed Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 31 (Reuters) - More than 70 people were killed overnight when fire raged through a five-storey Johannesburg apartment block that may have been rented out illegally, known as a "hijacked building":WHAT ARE HIJACKED BUILDINGS AND WHEN DID THE ISSUE BEGIN? In some instances, the syndicates occupied buildings with fraudulent title deeds, said Angela Rivers, general manager at Johannesburg Property Owners and Managers Association. Rivers said she was aware of 57 known hijacked buildings in the Central Business District alone, mostly owned by the city or the provincial government. Lebogang Isaac Maile, the head of the Human Settlements department for Gauteng province, said 23 hijacked buildings had been identified in Johannesburg as in need of development.

Persons: Shiraaz Mohamed, Angela Rivers, Rivers, Kabelo Gwamanda, Edward Molopi, Lebogang Isaac Maile, Bhargav Acharya, Catherine Schenck, Tim Cocks, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Association, Central Business District, Economic Rights Institute, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, South Africa's, Gauteng

☆ Zamrock legends make comeback with first album in 40 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Chris Mfula | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Matt Mills McKnight Acquire Licensing RightsLUSAKA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - After nearly four decades in oblivion, the Zambian psychedelic rock band WITCH that mesmerised audiences in the 1970s are back with a new album. Interest for Zamrock rose in the 2010s in the West, thanks to the internet and crate-digging producers as Los Angeles-based Now-Again Records re-released several albums of WITCH and other Zamrock artists. Following their comeback, WITCH - which stands for We Intend To Cause Havoc - are now introducing their new album "Zango" with concerts in the United States and Europe. "It's a fusion of traditional music, African music, funk, blues, jazz - it's a fusion of many genres," Chanda said. "Can this thing grow to a level where when someone comes to Zambia, says where can I listen to Zamrock?

Persons: Matt Mills McKnight, Emmanuel " Jagari, Chanda, Zamrock, Patrick Mwondela, Michael Linyama, Chris Mfula, Catherine Schenck, Matt McKnight, Bhargav Acharya, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Seattle , Washington , U.S, Rights LUSAKA, Zambian, Los Angeles, America, Europe, Lusaka, United States, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Johannesburg, Seattle

☆ Five killed in South Africa's Cape Town amid taxi strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CAPE TOWN, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Five people have been killed in the South African city of Cape Town as a strike by mini-bus taxi drivers that began last week turned violent, authorities said on Tuesday. The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) announced a one-week provincial shutdown last Thursday after failing to resolve various issues with the local government in Cape Town. "In Cape Town, violence will never be tolerated as a negotiating tactic. We reiterate our call on SANTACO to return peacefully to the negotiation table," said Cape Town city mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. Reporting by Esa Alexander in Cape Town and Catherine Schenck in Johannesburg; Additional reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bheki Cele, Hill, Lewis, SANTACO, Esa Alexander, Catherine Schenck, Wendell Roelf, Bhargav Acharya, Mark Potter Organizations: South, National Taxi Council, Thomson Locations: CAPE, African, Cape Town, City of Cape Town, Johannesburg

Corporate execs and lawyers with business before the Supreme Court mingled with some of the country's most influential jurists. Revelations about Thomas and Crow's relationship have prompted calls in Congress for the Supreme Court to adopt its first-ever binding code of ethics. But as a Supreme Court justice, Kagan is not currently bound by those rules. The Aspen Institute isn't alone in dangling Supreme Court access to lure deep-pocketed donors. Financial support for a public mission flowed one way, and scheduled private time with Supreme Court justices was dispensed in return.

Persons: Meryl Chertoff, Kagan, Michael Chertoff, SCOTUS, Elena Kagan, execs, Brett Kavanaugh, Trump, Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Thomas, Kathleen Clark, Louis, Clark, Kavanaugh —, Shook, Hardy, Bacon, Tristan Duncan, Peabody, Christina Sullivan, Brian O'Connor, Sandra Day O'Connor, Lakhani, That's, litigator, George W, Bush, Michael Chertoff's, wasn't, he'd, Chertoff, John Roberts, Gabe Roth, Roth, Crow, Rob Schenck, Tom Monaghan, Jay Sekulow, Sidney Powell —, Sonia Sotomayor's, that's Organizations: Service, Aspen Institute, DC, Aspen, Washington University, Peabody Energy, Peabody, Duncan, Speedway, Supreme, Aspen Institute's Justice, Society, Homeland Security, Chertoff, CNN, The New York Times, Historical Society, Trump, Associated Press, University of Colorado Law School Locations: Wall, Silicon, St, Washington, Pakistan, Chertoff, Aspen Institute isn't

☆ In upcycling drive, South African designers give new life to Western fashion waste
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Catherine Schenck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] South African aspiring designer Khumo Morojele inspects a second hand clothing imported from the West and sold in bales in markets known as Dunusa, at his studio, in Johannesburg South Africa, July 3, 2023.REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File PhotoJOHANNESBURG, July 14 (Reuters) - Two South African aspiring designers, Khumo Morojele and Klein Muis, spend hours at a second-hand street market in Johannesburg looking for fashion items. The duo then upcycles what they find into clothing or accessories they say express uniquely African style. The duo's current project, "Dunusa: Life of a Garment", sees them sourcing second-hand clothing often sent to Africa from European countries, which are then deconstructed and reworked into avant-garde and abstract fashion. They are working with a Ghanaian shoemaker on a project to turn old soccer boots into sandals that reflect both African and European love for the sport. Reporting by Catherine Schenck, Writing by Tannur Anders; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Khumo Morojele, Siphiwe, Klein Muis, Catherine Schenck, Tannur Anders, Olivia Kumwenda, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg South Africa, JOHANNESBURG, Johannesburg, Africa, Berlin

☆ Johannesburg residents stunned by once-in-a-decade snowfall
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Children play in the snow at Laerskool Orion, a school located in Brackenhurst, a suburb south of Johannesburg in South Africa, July 10, 2023. REUTERS/Siphiwe SibekoJOHANNESBURG, July 10 (Reuters) - Residents of South Africa's biggest city Johannesburg were stunned by the first snowfall in over a decade on Monday, with some children seeing snow for the first time. While parts of South Africa regularly receive snowfall over the southern hemisphere winter months around June to August, Johannesburg last saw snow in August 2012. South of the city in Brackenhurst, a Reuters photographer saw children making snowballs and snow angels in a school's grounds. But for others, like delivery driver Chenjerai Murape whose motorbike would not start, the snow made life difficult.

Persons: Jennifer Banda, Chenjerai, Snow, Tannur Anders, Thando Hlophe, Catherine Schenck, Shafiek, Alexander Winning Organizations: REUTERS, Nelson, Reuters, African Weather Service, Thomson Locations: Brackenhurst, Johannesburg, South Africa, Siphiwe, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa's, Gauteng, Pretoria, Mpumalanga province

☆ Last known speaker fights to preserve South African indigenous language
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

UPINGTON, South Africa, May 11 (Reuters) - When she was a girl in South Africa's Northern Cape, Katrina Esau stopped speaking her mother tongue, N|uu, after being mocked by other people and told it was an "ugly language". Now at age 90, she is the last known speaker of N|uu, one of a group of indigenous languages in South Africa that have been all but stamped out by the impacts of colonialism and apartheid. "We became ashamed when we were young girls, and we stopped speaking the language," Esau told Reuters. Instead she spoke Afrikaans, the language promoted by South Africa's white minority rulers. [1/5] Ouma Katrina Esau, the last known fluent mother-tongue speaker of the indigenous N|uu language is seen during the ceremony where she was honoured with an honorary Doctor of Literature degree by the University of Cape Town, in Cape Town, South Africa, March 29, 2023.

☆ South Africans call for UK to return diamonds set in crown jewels
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The diamond, which weighs 530 carats, was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to the British monarchy by the colonial government in the country, which was then under British rule. "The diamond needs to come to South Africa. Officially known as Cullinan I, the diamond in the sceptre was cut from the Cullinan diamond, a 3,100 carat stone that was mined near Pretoria. A smaller diamond cut from the same stone, known as Cullinan II, is set in the Imperial State Crown which is worn by British monarchs on ceremonial occasions. A replica of the whole Cullinan diamond, which is about the size of a man's fist, is displayed at the Cape Town Diamond Museum.

PRETORIA/CAPE TOWN, March 31 (Reuters) - South Africans took to the streets of Pretoria and Cape Town on Friday to protest against a Ugandan law passed last week that makes it a criminal offence to be openly LGBTQ. Singing and waving flags, demonstrators called on Uganda's president, Yoweri Museveni, not to sign it. "Queer people don't owe anyone anything, but we also deserve to live just like everyone else. You can't strip all our rights. Reporting by Catherine Schenck and Esa Alexander, Writing by Rachel Savage Editing by Giles ElgoodOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/5] View of boats stuck in a sea with invasive green water hyacinth weed at the Hartbeespoort dam, informally known as "Harties", a small resort town in the North West Province of South Africa, February 16, 2023. REUTERS/Shafiek TassiemHARTBEESPOORT, South Africa, March 1 (Reuters) - The Hartbeespoort dam in South Africa used to be brimming with people enjoying scenic landscapes and recreational water sports. Now, the visitors are greeted to the sight of boats stuck in a sea of invasive green water hyacinth weed. Scientists and community members have, however, found a unique way to deal with the invasion by introducing a water hyacinth eating bug called Megamelus scutellaris. The insect army has previously reduced the expanse of water hyacinths to a mere 5% on the dam, Coetzee said.

The report said investigators interviewed 97 court employees but was silent on whether the nine justices who sat on the court at the time of the leak were interviewed, prompting calls from Democratic lawmakers and others for clarity. "During the course of the investigation, I spoke with each of the justices, several on multiple occasions," Curley said in the statement, released by the court. "I followed up on all credible leads, none of which implicated the justices or their spouses," Curley added. Curley said on that basis she decided it was not necessary to ask the justices to sign sworn affidavits affirming they did not leak the draft, something court employees were required to do. Gabe Roth, executive director of the court reform group Fix the Court, said the fact that the report initially omitted the fact that the justices were interviewed "smells fishy."

☆ Army of pest-munching ducks keep South African vineyard blooming
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

STELLENBOSCH, South Africa, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Flocks of white, black and brown ducks hunt for snails and bugs as they patrol the grapevines at a vineyard in South Africa's winemaking town of Stellenbosch, helping the owners steer clear of pesticides and synthetic fertilisers. Around 500 Indian runner ducks work as a natural pest control at the Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate, but also entertain wine-quaffing tourists. "We call them the soldiers of the vineyards," the managing director of the estate, Corius Visser, told Reuters. Ducks are at the heart of the winery's regenerative agriculture practices, and specifically Indian runner ducks, which have long legs and an upright posture, meaning they are able to reach for snails between the leaves. Nutrient-rich manure from the ducks and other animals ensure the vineyard runs as sustainably as possible.

☆ At least 1 law clerk is among a small group of suspects in Supreme Court investigation of abortion leak: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Supreme Court officials have narrowed their abortion leak investigation to a small group of people, according to a WSJ report. A spokesperson for the Supreme Court did not immediately return Insider's request for comment. The unprecedented leak shattered Supreme Court norms, prompting outcry from several of the justices on both sides of the ideological spectrum. More recently, The New York Times reported in November on another alleged leak of a 2014 Supreme Court decision, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, a case concerning religious rights and reproductive health. Former anti-abortion leader Rob Schenck told The Times that he had gained advanced knowledge of the Supreme Court's decision weeks before it was released.

☆ How Anti-Abortion Activists Bought Access to the Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Katherine Long | Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

In exchange for as little as a few thousand dollars in contributions to the nonprofit, these people received easy access to events where Supreme Court justices would be. Supreme Court Historical society trustee Jay Sekulow, center, represented President Trump during the latter's impeachment trial in 2020. Anti-abortion advocates cheer in front of the Supreme Court after the decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores was announced in 2014. Alito did not respond to a request for comment on his involvement in the Supreme Court Historical Society. Supreme Court justices, though, aren't even required to stay within those weak guardrails because no code of ethics governs justices' behavior.

☆ Pumpkin and rooibos ice cream on menu as Cape Town cafe champions African flavours
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Esa Alexander | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Tapi Tapi ice cream shop owner, Zimbabwean Tapiwa Guzha, mixes the ice cream ingredients at his shop in Observatory, in Cape Town, South Africa, December 20, 2022. "At some point it became an aspirational thing to say I don't eat African food ... so I started addressing ... that problem," he said at his Tapi Tapi shop. Located in the bohemian suburb of Observatory in Cape Town, he hopes to share the different flavours in tubs and cones, and celebrate African food culture, rituals and folklore. People often bring him ingredients from other parts of the continent, he says, who get a free tub of ice cream in return. Growing up, customer Clive Sibanda knew ice cream could be vanilla, something that is not native to South Africa.

☆ Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh went to CPAC boss Matt Schlapp's holiday party, which Trump ally Stephen Miller and Rep. Matt Gaetz also attended: report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh went to a holiday party at the home of Matt Schlapp Friday night. Schlapp is the chairman of the influential right-wing group Conservative Political Action Coalition. The appearance has sparked questions about possible conflicts of interest with a sitting Supreme Court justice attending a private party of right-wing leaders. Miller's conservative group, America First Legal, has filed briefs on cases that are pending before the Supreme Court, according to Bloomberg. Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation to establish an enforceable code of conduct for the Supreme Court justices.

Alito authored that decision, called Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and the Hobby Lobby one. Schenck said he was motivated to come forward out of fear Supreme Court staff could unfairly take the blame for this year's leak. Chief Justice John Roberts directed the Supreme Court's marshal to investigate the leak in the Dobbs case, calling it a "betrayal." Democratic lawmakers said Schenck's account underscored the need for legislation requiring the U.S. Supreme Court, which now has a 6-3 conservative majority, to adopt a code of ethics, which unlike lower-level federal courts the high court lacks. "I believe we pushed the boundaries of Christian ethics and compromised the high court's promise to administer equal justice," Schenck said.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File PhotoCompanies U.S. House of Representatives FollowWASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - A pastor told a U.S congressional panel on Thursday he believed he pushed the boundaries of Christian ethics when he learned in advance of a landmark 2014 Supreme Court decision that exempted some companies from insuring employees for birth control. Prominent Democrats have called for increased oversight at the Supreme Court, which now has a 6-3 conservative majority that includes three appointees of Republican former President Donald Trump. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts directed the Supreme Court's marshal to investigate the leak, calling it a "betrayal." Justice Alito, an intellectual hero for some conservatives, would later say the leak this year put him and his colleagues at risk of assassination. Schenck on Thursday said he was motivated to come forward out of fear that Supreme Court staff could unfairly take the blame for the Dobbs leak.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee will on Thursday hear the testimony of a former anti-abortion leader who has alleged he was told in advance about the outcome of a major 2014 Supreme Court ruling regarding contraceptives. Earlier this year, a majority opinion written by Alito and overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide, was leaked to Politico. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts directed the Supreme Court's marshal to investigate the leak, calling it a "betrayal." Justice Alito, an intellectual hero among some conservatives, would later say the leak this year put him and his colleagues at risk of assassination. Some Democrats have said the leaks show the Court needs more oversight and that the increasingly conservative body is susceptible to influence peddling.

☆ Ex-Antiabortion Activist Tells House Panel of Effort to Sway Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jess Bravin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Robert Schenck testified that he and fellow evangelicals believed that conservative justices needed shoring up. WASHINGTON—A former antiabortion activist told a House committee on Thursday about a decadeslong operation to gain personal access to conservative Supreme Court justices in a bid to bolster their will to overrule Roe v. Wade. Robert Schenck, who has since broken with the conservative Christian movement, said he and fellow evangelicals believed that conservative justices “were routinely maligned and insulted in the public arena and needed shoring up.”

☆ A Christian minister testified that he was involved in decades-long efforts to influence the Supreme Court: 'We pushed the boundaries of Christian ethics'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An evangelical Christian minister testified he was involved in an effort to influence Supreme Court justices' thinking. Robert Schenck told a congressional panel that he gained advance knowledge of a 2014 Supreme Court ruling. "I believe we pushed the boundaries of Christian ethics and comprised the high court's promise to administer equal justice," Schenck said. The allegations have prompted renewed calls from Democratic lawmakers for the Supreme Court justices to abide by an ethics code. "I don't believe a thing Mr. Schneck says," Paoletta, a former clerk for Justice Thomas, told the committee.

These so-called Twitter Files were proof of “free speech suppression,” the billionaire claimed. But for supporters, the details are less important than the narrative: another battle in Musk’s grand war to protect and enable “free speech” — seemingly everywhere and anywhere. Before Musk, Twitter wisely began labeling and then removing tweets that disseminated false information about the pandemic. But it feels like Musk’s actions as head of Twitter are incorrectly being blended with his statements on free speech. Musk’s self-proclaimed defenses of free speech sound good — most Americans remain, rightly, committed to this fundamental tenet of constitutional freedom.

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