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Boy, 8, suffers cardiac arrest after being hit 'in the heart' by baseball pitch but his life is saved by off-duty paramedics

A Northern California family is hailing a set of parents as heroes for saving the life of their son after he was hit in the chest during a youth baseball game on Saturday, causing his heart to stop. The 8-year-old batter was hit by a pitch during a little league match in Rhonert Park. 'I was right behind the plate and this kid got hit in the heart with the ball,' Trenton Starrett, the 14-year-old umpire told ABC . The boy took a few steps toward first base and collapsed, but received quick medical attention from Dan and Susan Farren, off-duty paramedics who were watching the game. Drama: This baseball diamond in Rhonert Park, California, witnessed an 8-year-old batter going into cardiac arrest after being hit by a pitch 'I was right behind the plate and this kid got hit in the heart with the ball,' Trenton Starrett, the 14-year-old umpire (pictured) said Aaron Johnson, a director for Cal Ripken Baseball in Rohnert Park, told the  S

Priceless 14th century Latin 'dictionary' that let nuns translate the Bible and survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries goes on display for the first time

A priceless 700-year-old Bible 'dictionary' which gives a unique insight into the way nuns lived has gone on display for the first time. The Expositiones Vocabulorum Biblie by the 12th century clergyman William Brito - sometimes known as Guillaume le Breton - is written entirely in Latin. It is one of the few monastic documents which is still in its original location after surviving the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in the 1530s, where the monarch disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland, and seized their assets and income. Artefact: A 14th century copy of an early Bible dictionary is one of very few monastic books to have survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII in the 1530s Many treasures were lost under Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. The book has gone on display for the very first time and has been at the abbey for over 700 years T

Former President George W. Bush says he loves 'busting stereotypes' with his new-found love of painting puppies

Former President George W. Bush surprised many when he revealed that he spends much of his post-presidential time painting dogs and landscapes, but in a new interview he takes ‘great delight in busting stereotypes’. The former President defended both his controversial presidential decisions- like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan- and his activities since leaving the White House. 'People are surprised,’ he told The Dallas Morning News about the discovery of his passion for painting animals. ‘Of course, some people are surprised I can even read.'  Post-presidential priorities: Former President George W. Bush, seen here at the Ryder Cup last year, has focused much of his time on his policy institute Presidential painter: Former President George W. Bush spent a month getting private painting lessons in Florida alongside his sister-in-law, where he showed a fondness for painting small dogs Skill: His teacher, Bonnie Flood from Cummings, Georgi

I'm looking for the Bible... who's the author?' And other witless (but hilarious) questions customers ask in bookshops

What book should I read to get girls to sleep with me? Do you have a book suitable for chimpanzees? From the ignorant to the ridiculous, bookshop staff get asked the strangest things. After one inane inquiry too many, Jen Campbell, who works at the Ripping Yarns bookshop in North London, published a selection of them last year. It was such a runaway success that she asked fellow shop-owners for their own examples … Strange questions: Customer: Do you have audiobooks on sign language? Customer: I’d like to return this Where’s Wally? book please. Bookseller: Why? Customer: Because I’ve found him.  Customer: Urgh. Shakespeare. He’s everywhere, isn’t he? You can’t escape him. I wish he’d do us all a favour and just die. Customer: I need a really awful book to give someone I hate. Any recommendations? Customer (holding up an art book): Wow, Picasso must have gone out with some really ugly women. Customer (buying a copy of Gulliver’s Travels): I’m thinking of goi

You're pathetic: Judge's verdict on mother with an eldest son in jail for murder and two more caged for kicking a tramp to death

A judge lambasted a mother yesterday after her two youngest sons joined their eldest brother in being jailed for murder. Linda Doran was in the dock with her children, Connor, 17, and Brandon, 14, because she had given the pair a false alibi to shield them from detectives. The teenagers had kicked Kevin Bennett to death for a dare as the 53-year-old father of one slept rough. Baby-faced killers: Brandon Doran, 14, (left) who acted as lookout as his brother Connor, 17, (right) and their friend Simon Evans, 14, kicked the homeless man to death In October, Doran’s eldest son, Ryan, 23, was given 15 years for the murder of a stranger. And, back in 2009, her other boy, Jordan, 21, was charged with manslaughter in an arson case that failed to reach court. Passing sentence at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Judge Clement Goldstone QC told Doran: ‘You are a pathetic and tragic character.   More... Child killer Mick Philpott 'quits prison moppi

Rodman FBI informant

Rodman FBI informant , the strange tale of Dennis Rodman’s adventure to North Korea just keeps getting weirder. After a successful stay in the Communist country in February, where he was filming a documentary for HBO, Rodman told the Miami Herald he’s been approached by the FBI to work as an informant on North Korean activity. Reported (CBS) “I have been contacted by the FBI and I met with them. They wanted to know what went on and who’s really in charge in North Korea,” Rodman said. While in North Korea, Rodman called Kim Jong-un “a friend for life” and now said he’s been invited back to North Korea in August. “I’m not a total idiot,” Rodman said. “I know what Kim Jong-un is threatening to do regarding his military muscle. I hope it doesn’t happen because America will take whatever actions to protect America and our allies.” So what can Rodman do to help? “I do think, you know, that we have to talk to people who want to cause us harm so hopefully they won’t,” he said. “

Keira and Sir Elton's bid to save former KGB spy and media tycoon Lebedev from Russian jail sentence

Sir Elton John, Keira Knightley and Sting have united in a bid to save media tycoon Alexander Lebedev from jail in Moscow. This comes after a judge last week banned him from leaving Russia ahead of his controversial trial in which he is accused of politically motivated ‘hooliganism’. Mr Lebedev, 53, faces up to five years in jail after hitting Sergei Polonsky during a talk show on a Moscow TV channel. Keira Knightley (left) and Sir Elton John (right) are among a number of celebrities who have united in a bid to save media tycoon Alexander Lebedev from jail in Moscow Facing trial: Alexander Lebedev, pictured with Natalia Vodianova, is charged with 'hooliganism' after hitting Sergei Polonsky on a TV chat show Stars who previously joined the campaign to keep him out of jail include Kevin Spacey and John Malkovich. Character references from these and other celebrities in support of Mr Lebedev were published last week. The trial of the for