A 58-year old martial arts expert has come up with a novel idea of teaching the elderly to defend themselves using their canes. Kevin Garwood, of Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, has put up a special martial arts class for pensioners - apparently - his lessons are paying off.

The sales manager of a Long Island banquet hall in New York offered to donate a kidney to one of his former customers, who was about to die of a polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder at play in his mother's, grandmother's and brother's deaths. Matt Fulgieri, a 42-year-old father of two young boys who lives in Astoria, Queens, was left with only weeks to live, when he received a successful kidney transplant from Rick Bellando, who had become a friend after booking Fulgieri's wedding.

A 60-year old man is suing an 8-year old boy and his father, after the boy crashed into him, resulting in an injury to the man's shoulder. David Pfahler, who was skiing at Beaver Creek last winter, claimed he and his wife filed a lawsuit against Scott Swim for crashing into him. The couple is seeking $75,000 in damages, and will be used to pay for several expenses such as physical therapy and vacation time.

Authorities decided to drop a case filed against a 12-year old boy accused of assaulting an old man with a sausage. A "notice of discontinuation" was issued regarding the case that called for the boy to be brought to court for the incident. The investigations have reportedly cost a total of Ł20,000 ($8,000).

A 60-year-old woman charged two boys, aged 11 and 14, with breaking into her residence and trying to sexually abuse her, police said Tuesday. Detective Scott Stanfield said the incident happened in July when the two boys, who wore bandanas and gloves, broke through the woman's window and one of them allegedly tried to sexually assault the old woman but the boy stopped when a heart device was set off.