Tongue piercings 'can cause damage to teeth

People with tongue piercings risk developing gaps between their front teeth as a result of playing with the stud, US researchers have found.

The University of Buffalo team says that, as well as potentially requiring cosmetic work, people can develop infections and chipped teeth.

It discusses a patient in the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics who needed braces to correct the gap in her teeth.

UK experts advised people to "steer clear" of the adornment.

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The researchers said that people with tongue piercings were likely to push the metal stud up against their teeth and consequently cause gaps and other problems to arise.

Hastings pirates smash world record

Thousands of people dressed as buccaneers and seadogs have smashed the world record for having the largest number of pirates in the same place.
A total of 6,166 pirates, including some from as far away as Holland, took part in the record-breaking meet on Hastings beach in East Sussex.The previous record was set in Germany on 4 July, where a crew of 1,800 pirates assembled.The Guinness World Record team was in Hastings to verify the result.

Organisers said a 40-strong troupe arrived from the Netherlands to take part in the attempt.

Stolen childhood

With Gaza's economy devastated by years of sanctions and decades of conflict, many families send their children to work in the city's rubbish dumps, streets and workshops.

Many children help to support large extended families

Raed Ahmed Moussa, 14, mechanic, Gaza City

Raed Ahmed Moussa has been working at a Gaza workshop fixing car engines since he was 13. As his father is unemployed, Raed supports his extended family of eight brothers and sisters from his father's two wives.

"I quit school right after the war in January 2009 and I'm not even thinking of going back. Frankly I'm fed up with school. The teachers used to cane me across the palms of my hands because I wasn't a good student.

 "My father has been out of work for years now. I'm the only breadwinner. One of my younger brothers quit school a year ago to work but he is doing nothing because there aren't any jobs in Gaza.

"I make 70 shekels a week (£12; $18) and give all the money I make to my father. He gives me 10 shekels a week, which isn't even enough to pay my transport to and from work each day.

"My salary is really low, but I'm sure it will get better. I love my job but I dream that one day I'll travel abroad to work in a foreign country."

To read the whole article click on the link http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10878970

'Poo-powered' car seen on the streets of Bristol

WHAT A CAR! 

Will it be the car of the Future?

The BBC's John Maguire is given a tour of the methane-powered car by developer Mohammed Saddid

A "poo-powered" VW Beetle was taken to the streets of Bristol in an attempt to encourage sustainable motoring.

The Bio-Bug runs on processed methane gas generated as part of the raw sewage treatment process.

Engineers from Wessex Water estimate the waste from 70 homes would generate enough gas to run the car for 10,000 miles (16,100km).

Despite being powered by fuel created from sewage, the car does not smell unpleasant.

"It performs like a normal car - you wouldn't know it was powered by biogas," a company spokesman said.