Toad Venom Aphrodisiac Kills NYC Man

City's life expectancy now 2 years above national average

(NEWSER) - A Big Apple a day might help keep the Grim Reaper away: Newborn New Yorkers can now expect to live a lot longer than the average American, Mayor Michael Bloomberg says. At 80.6, the city's life expectancy—which was long well below the national average—is up almost three years from 2000 rates and is more than two years above the national rate of 78.2 years. When compared to states, New York City's life expectancy is now lower than only those of Hawaii and Minnesota. More»

Commuters stunned

(NEWSER) - A woman apparently fainted on the platform in a hot, humid Manhattan subway station and tumbled onto the tracks, where she was struck and killed by a train. "It was terrible. I was in shock," a witness told the New York Daily News . Fatoumata Diallo, 21, fell just as a rerouted train was rolling into the Upper East Side station. “I heard the impact, and right away we’re like, ‘What happened? Somebody got hit,’” said a subway rider. “Every once in a while I go a little too close to the edge, but most of the time I stay back.” More»

But critics say it's too negative, ineffective

(NEWSER) - New York City's health department loves its blunt ads , and a new one on HIV is drawing familiar criticism for being too graphic and negative, reports the New York Times . The spots on TV and YouTube warn gay men that even though HIV is now treatable, the disease still takes a devastating toll on the body, with increased odds of everything from osteoporosis to anal cancer. The tagline: "When you get HIV, it's never just HIV." More»

Nicole John, 17, fell from ledge after night of drinking

(NEWSER) - The 17-year-old daughter of the US ambassador to Thailand is dead after an apparently accidental fall from a New York City high-rise. Nicole John, 17, took off her shoes and walked onto a 25th-story ledge around 4:15am, possibly to take a picture. She, and her camera, landed on the third-floor overhang, police tell the New York Daily News . She was partying in the apartment with a group of people after spending the evening at a fancy nightclub. More»

(NEWSER) - Family and friends assembled in New York today for the wake of Natasha Richardson, the AP reports; husband Liam Neeson, their sons, and mother Vanessa Redgrave were among them. “It’s been a very, very sad few days and I think it will stay that way,” said family friend Matthew Broderick. “I had dinner with her Saturday,” said another actor friend. “She left to ski the next day.” More»