The looming government "shut down," and more

The looming government "shut down"

If Congress doesn’t extend the federal debt ceiling and the government is “shut down,” the government won’t actually shut down. Mail will still be delivered, U.S. troops will remain at their posts, and more than half the federal workforce will still report to their jobs—including air-traffic controllers, food inspectors, and workers administering Social Security and Medicare.

Associated Press

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The White House's new social secretary

The White House has named Jeremy Bernard as its new social secretary—the first man and the first openly gay person to fill that role. Bernard will organize White House events, including parties and state dinners.

The Washington Post

Qaddafi's Ukrainian nurse goes home

The turmoil in Libya has cost Muammar al-Qaddafi the services of his personal Ukrainian nurse. Galyna Kolotnytska, described in a diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks as a “voluptuous blonde” who “travel[s] everywhere” with Qaddafi, flew back to Ukraine this week, saying she would miss “Papa,” as she calls her former boss.

The Wall Street Journal

Attempts to sexually exploit children double

Reports of attempts to sexually exploit children have doubled in just a year, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, as predators use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to contact minors.

USA Today

Use of X-rays and CT scans soar

As the number of X-rays and CT scans performed on Americans has soared, these imaging tests now are responsible for about 50 percent of the radiation Americans are exposed to—up from 15 percent in 1980.

The New York Times