Rafi Kopelan is a typical 5-year-old. She's mastered Candyland. She's learning to read. Given a choice, she'd spend hours on the swings at the playground.
But unlike her classmates, Rafi's body is covered in blisters from her scalp to her feet. Her corneas are scratched. Her toes are fused together. And her esophagus is lined with so much scar tissue that she can barely swallow.
That's because Rafi was born with a rare connective tissue disorder called epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The genetic disease causes her skin to break down in response to the slightest friction. Even minor contact - the scratch of a fingernail, the tag on the back of her shirt - causes her skin to tear or to erupt in blisters, leaving 75% of her body covered in painful, open lesions.
FULL STORYLegislators in the Philippines have passed a birth-control bill that will open the door for free contraceptives and government-funded sex education.
Voting for the legislation was carried live on CNN affiliate ABS-CNN in the Philippines.
The bill was strongly opposed by the Catholic Church. It awaits the signature of President Benigno Aquino III to become law.
FULL STORYThe Centers for Disease Control said Monday that the number of people infected with meningitis related to steroid injections has gone from 91 to 105. The death toll has risen from seven to eight.
Patients in nine states contracted the deadly fungal meningitis after being injected in their spine with a preservative-free steroid called methylprednisolone acetate that was contaminated by a fungus. The steroid is used to treat pain and inflammation.
The New England Compounding Center (NECC), the Massachusetts-based pharmacy that made the contaminated injections, voluntarily recalled three lots of the injected steroid last week.
The race to the presidency now turns toward the general election in November. CNN.com Live is your home for all the latest news and views from the campaign trail.
Today's programming highlights...
9:30 am ET - Women's health care briefing - Senate Democrats join Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to discuss new women's health care coverage that will take effect tomorrow.
The race to the presidency now turns toward the general election in November. CNN.com Live is your home for all the latest news and views from the campaign trail.
Today's programming highlights...
10:00 am ET - Health care reform impact hearing - With the House scheduled to vote tomorrow on whether to repeal President Obama's health care reform law, lawmakers will be busy debating the matter today. This hearing will focus on how the law has impacted doctors and patients.
Some prominent Mitt Romney supporters are saying the presidential hopeful's campaign should stop sending mixed messages about the Supreme Court's health care ruling.
Romney and his staffers have been going back and forth on whether to call it a tax as an attack on President Obama or not a tax, to preserve the argument that Romney never raised taxes in his state despite having a similar health care law.
Head spinning a bit? We'll backtrack.
On Wednesday, Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, said the federal health care reform mandate constitutes a "tax," contradicting the way his senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom, of the Etch-a-Sketch gaffe fame, characterized his position earlier this week. But the similar individual mandate and fee he signed into law when governor of Massachusetts is not a tax, he said in a separate interview, citing the Supreme Court's decision last Thursday.
In March, Fehrnstrom made headlines for saying in a CNN interview that the transition from the primaries to the general election was "almost like an Etch-a-Sketch. You can kind of shake it up, and we start all over again."
Some people are calling the tax chatter another Romney flip-flop. Others are calling it the Etch-a-Sketch redux. Others, like editor of The Nation Katrina vanden Heuvel, are saying this incident makes the previous gaffe look like solid campaign strategy.
[tweet https://twitter.com/KatrinaNation/status/220865306871078912%5D
And now, plenty of people, including his supporters, are hitting Romney on the issue and letting him know that either he needs to get himself aligned with his staff on these issues, or scrap some of the staff and get a new game plan as they charge into the general election.
Media baron Rupert Murdoch, never shy on his views, tweeted that while he supports the former Massachusetts governor he believes Romney needs to shake up his staff to have a chance to beat Obama's seasoned campaign staff.
[tweet https://twitter.com/rupertmurdoch/status/219393140245807104%5D
And apparently, that tweet upset the Romney campaign, which prompted Murdoch to follow up with a tweet on Monday. He said he wants Romney to win, but instead of the campaign upset about the criticism they should heed some of the good advice Murdoch feels Romney is getting about trying to get his campaign in order.
[tweet https://twitter.com/rupertmurdoch/status/219790585307992067%5D
On June 28, the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act in a 5-4 ruling. In the hours after, CNN’s audience was incredibly active in expressing their opinions on the decision.
Some CNN commenters and iReport contributors had personal stories to share:
roaringwoman
As a cancer survivor… my life would have been over without health insurance. It's a necessary evil, but without it, hospitals would be closing their doors, and people would be dying. And don't blame Obama or any other political force because the insurance monster has been around for a long, long, time ruling patients, doctors and hospitals.
Amelia
If you own a vehicle you are required to have it insured. If you don't you pay fines...I don't see the big deal, if they make it affordable I would jump at the chance to insure my family. I work for an attorney, and since it is a small firm, he does not offer insurance.
Natfka
I have 62 employees currently, and since I will be mandated to provide healthcare, I have two options now: Cut deeply into the pockets of the company, myself and its employees, or cut my staffing down to 49 people so as to not hit that 50 person benchmark for mandatory coverage. So 13 people are gone, or 62 (plus myself) take cuts in vacation and or pay raises. I have not made the decision yet, but I won't let my company and all of its employees take such a big hit.
iReport assignment: Your reaction to health care ruling
darb123
As a person with a pre-existing condition that was hereditary, I am glad. Maybe [now] I can purchase insurance. No insurance company will insure me. I have to use my state Medicare-type program. I don't mind paying at all. I still pay for my own prescriptions to the tune of $200 a month. I had no choice a few months back when I had gotten extremely ill and had to go to a regular local hospital. I stayed overnight and the cost was $6,000. Not an Obama fan either!
Many readers pointed out the potential benefits of the law’s implementation:
c_apples
Most of you that have a problem with health care reform have no issues paying your Social Security and Medicare taxes on your paycheck. In fact, I'm sure the majority is counting down the days until they can take advantage of the Social Security and Medicare they have paid into. How is this health care as a tax any different?
flannelgal
People against this law have chosen to limit where they get their information about this law. Currently, when a person who has no insurance requires emergency care, tax payers pay for it, and the [federal] debt mounts. Now, all least the coffers will be replenished by all people, and all people get health care, preventative health care to boot. Thank you, President Obama, and everyone who worked hard to make this happen for all Americans.
Leeford68
I don’t like being forced to pay for wars I don’t want.
I don’t like being forced to pay for roads I don’t drive on.
I don’t like being forced to pay for schools when I don’t have kids....
But I accept the fact that I have to pay for all of these things that create a better community for all of us to live in.
Obama: Supreme Court ruling on health care a victory for all Americans
The Supreme Court is expected to rule today on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. Once a ruling is issued, watch CNN.com Live for reaction and fallout to the decision.
Today's programming highlights...
9:00 am ET - Anti-health care law rally - The Supreme Court will be the place to be today because of the health care ruling. Before the ruling is announced, conservative groups opposed to the Affordable Care Act will stage rally outside the Court.
10:00 am ET (est.) - Health care ruling revealed
The Supreme Court is expected to rule Thursday on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. Once a ruling is issued, watch CNN.com Live for reaction and fallout to the decision.
Today's programming highlights...
Continuing coverage - Tropical Depression Debby
9:45 am ET - Waldo Canyon wildfire briefing - The wildfire has forced more than 32,000 people in Colorado out of their homes, are firefighters are struggling to contain it. Officials update the public on the status of the fire.
The Supreme Court ruled largely in favor of the U.S. on Arizona's immigration law, but it upheld the most controversial provision involving police checks on people's immigration status.
So what did we learn and what can we glean from their decision? Bill Mears, CNN's Supreme Court producer, breaks down the decision piece by piece:
1. Others states better tread carefully
By striking down three of the four major provisions and upholding the idea of federal authority on this issue in pretty sweeping comments, the Supreme Court has signaled other states with similar laws that they better tread carefully or make sure their laws do not to reach too far.
In Justice Anthony Kennedy's majority opinion, his main point was that the national government has significant power to regulate immigration issues. And so that lets states know that while they have some place to play in the issue, the federal government still reigns supreme.
While the court didn’t tell Arizona and other states what they could and couldn’t do when they conduct a traffic stop - for example how long police can hold someone, whether the law would amount to racial profiling - this opinion is essentially guidance moving forward. Their opinion was certainly not a complete smackdown of Arizona's law. Instead, it left some things pretty ambiguous.
2. The one provision upheld could be challenged again
The provision that was upheld by all eight ruling justices - commonly called the "show me your papers" provision - allows local law enforcement, when performing other state law enforcement functions, to check on the immigration status of those people they stop for another reason. That part was upheld because the justices said it was complementing existing federal policy. That's as long as police weren’t singling people out specifically for racial reasons. The court essentially said that if police stop someone properly, or are involved in a domestic dispute, it was perfectly proper to at least check an immigration status and then consult with federal officials.
But in upholding that provision, the court was very careful to say that depending on how this is implemented, it could very well be overturned one day. The overall lawsuit brought against the law is a facial challenge, which means it was being opposed and believed to be unconstitutional before it went into effect. What the court is saying when it comes to the "show me your papers provision" is that the justices are going to uphold it for now, allow Arizona to implement it and depending on how they enforce it, deal with it later.
If in the future a challenge is brought claiming that people are being detained for an extended time or racial profiling is occurring, it could be challenged in the state and federal courts again, now that it can actually be implemented as a law. The justices have essentially said they will give Arizona the benefit of the doubt that they will enforce this in a way that meets a constitutional muster test.
It’s a signal to other states that if they are going to have similar provisions, they too have to be careful.
The Supreme Court may soon rule on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. Once a ruling is issued, watch CNN.com Live for the reaction and fallout.
Today's programming highlights...
Continuing coverage: Tropical Storm Debby tracker
10:00 am ET - Postal workers announce hunger strike - The struggling U.S. Postal Service is facing big cuts in service and personnel power, but some employees are not giving up without a fight. They will announce a hunger strike in an effort to save the USPS.
The Supreme Court may soon rule on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. Once a ruling is issued, CNN.com Live will be there for all the reaction and fallout.
Today's programming highlights...
10:00 am ET - Aung San Suu Kyi addresses UK Parliament - Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi continues her trip to Britain by speaking before both houses of Parliament.
The Supreme Court may soon rule on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. Once a ruling is issued, CNN.com Live will be there for all the reaction and fallout.
Today's programming highlights...
9:30 am ET - IPO process hearing - The Facebook IPO fallout has made some wonder whether initial public offerings are worth it for ordinary investors. A Senate banking subcommittee looks at the issue.
Medical "miracles" may have saved the victims featured in this "Gotta Watch." Check out the X-rays of these traumatic head injury survivors and find out how they got themselves into so much trouble.
Doctors say a teen who had a 3-foot spear shot through his skull is recovering. WSVN reports.
A 17-month-old boy survives after falling on a metal pressure washer wand. WRAL reports.
A Las Vegas man involved in a car accident survived a pipe that went through his face. KVVU's Elizabeth Watts reports.
Editor's note: This post is part of the Overheard on CNN.com series, a regular feature that examines interesting comments and thought-provoking conversations posted by the community.
Forest and Tremica Thompson brought reporter Wayne Drash and digital content producer Brandon Ancil into a very personal moment of their lives in January 2011: the last week of their adopted son's life. Charles Daniel battled brain cancer for two years, and then spent his last 19 days at George Mark Children’s House outside Oakland, California. Charles had come to live with the family in 2008, and received his diagnosis a few months later. The Thompsons invited CNN because they wanted to help other families going through similar ordeals.
Readers told us they were touched by this story of a family sticking together in a difficult time, and we in turn were touched by their heartfelt responses.
Some had lost a child, too.
James Martinez: "Amazing parents and family. The death of a child is so unnatural, there's nothing you can do to prepare for it even when you know it will happen. You gave Charles a beautiful life and you were with him when he left this earth, there is nothing more important than your children knowing you stand with them and love them unconditionally. Our love for our children stands the test of time and is everlasting. Your son is with you still, just not present. Don't think of him as being in your past, think of him as being in your future. You will see him again. My young daughter's cancer journey lasted just four months. We were by her side every step of the way and she remained positive as did we even when the doctors told us her time was ending. She died on Thanksgiving Day 2011, just four months after being diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer. A 5 year old girl with ovarian cancer is something you never expect to hear as a parent. We miss her, as you do Charles, and we struggle each day to make it through. We are anguished by her passing and are angry at everyone, from the doctors who were helpless to save her to God for letting this happen. We know time will ease our pain and temper our anger, but we will never be the same. I wish you peace and comfort. God Bless you. God Bless every family with young warriors battling cancer."
Others said the story brought tears to their eyes. FULL POST
“I go out all the time with my family, my friends, my little girl. I don't to worry about what anyone else is going to think," said 26-year old Dallas Wiens, the nation's first recipient of a full facial transplant.
In 2008, Wiens' head hit a high-voltage electrical wire in Fort Worth, Texas, leaving him without any facial features. Monday marks the first anniversary of his life-changing facial transplant operation at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Take a look at how Wiens looks now and how he feels about life after surgery.
And last month, another transplant recepient, Richard Lee Norris, received a face transplant surgery to heal his gunshot wounds. See how he's recovering in this "gotta watch" video clip.
In Boston, Dallas Wiens reflects on his surgery one year after receiving the nation's first full facial transplant.
CNN's Anna Coren talks to Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez from the University of Maryland about a groundbreaking face transplant.
The race to the Republican presidential nomination remains up in the air. Watch CNN.com Live for all the latest news and views from the campaign trail.
Today's programming highlights...
8:30 am ET - Pro-Affordable Care Act briefing - The Supreme Court holds a third day of hearings on the legality of the Affordable Care Act. The hearings are not televised, but there's plenty of action outside the courthouse. Supporters of the law brief reporters this morning, then rally at 10:00 am ET. Senate Democrats discuss the law at 12:00 pm ET, followed by their Republican colleagues at 2:00 pm ET.
10:30 am ET - Santorum talks health care - GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum campaigns in Wisconsin today, starting with a discussion on health care in Sparta. He then goes bowling with College Republicans in La Crosse at 12:45 pm ET, followed by a restaurant rally in Onalaska at 2:00 pm ET.
11:00 am ET - Senators talk Syria resolution - Sen. John McCain and others unveil a resolution condemning the Syria's government for crimes against humanity.
12:45 pm ET - Biden talks economy - It's not just Republicans on the campaign trail today, as Vice President Biden heads to Davenport, Iowa, to discuss the U.S. economy.
5:00 pm ET - Gingrich discusses Social Security - He may be laying off staff and charging for photos, but GOP hopeful Newt Gingrich isn't giving up on his presidential aspirations. He'll talk the future of Social Security at an event in Washington.
CNN.com Live is your home for breaking news as it happens.
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