News Headlines - 28 October 2019
Education Minister Koichi Hagiuda apologized on Oct. 28 after saying that students should "compete for university places in accordance with their standing."
Hagiuda had made the comment in response to questions on a TV show about the introduction of private English tests for university entrance exams from the 2020 academic year.
▽NHK sues leader of anti-NHK party over unpaid subscription fees - The Mainichi
Japan's public broadcaster NHK sued on Monday the head of a minor opposition party, who has been a vocal critic of the organization, for not paying his subscription fees.
NHK filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court demanding Takashi Tachibana, 52, to pay two months of subscription fees totaling 4,560 yen ($42).
▽Death of Montreal model and artist known as Zombie Boy ruled accidental | CBC News
The death of Montreal model and artist Rick Genest, also known as Zombie Boy, was an accident, not a suicide, according to a coroner's report released Monday.
Genest fell off a third-floor balcony in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough on the afternoon of Aug. 1, 2018, the report said.
Coroner Mélissa Gagnon concluded he died of head trauma resulting from the fall. He was 32.
▽Elaborate attempt to outsource murder ends in prison time - CNN
The chain of outsourcing continued for over six months until the job reached a fifth person, Ling Xiansi. By that point, Ling was offered just 100,000 yuan ($14,100) to murder Wei, the court said.
Ling also got cold feet. But rather than killing Wei or finding another supposed hitman, he met with the intended target directly -- and offered to help fake his death.
Wei agreed to let Ling take some photos of him tied-up in an attempt to stage the murder.
Ling later reported his "success" up the chain, all the way to Tan -- the original contractor.
▽Five Watford fans rescue man in Japan during Rugby World Cup visit | Hillingdon Times
Three of them took turns holding the man's hand to stop him drifting away while two others ran off to get help.
By luck, Mr Dowdall, or 'Ladder Man' as his friends have since nicknamed him, found a ladder in a nearby alleyway and they rushed back to the river with it.
The ladder was lowered into the river and the friends began shouting instructions to the stranded man.
Despite the language barrier, he understood what the Watford supporters were trying to get him to do and he managed to climb up the ladder and to safety.
Minutes later, the group heard the sound of sirens.
