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They were injured in the line of duty. Now these veterans are going for gold.

The second Invictus Games began in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday, May 8.

Founded by Prince Harry, the biennial event brings together active duty and veteran military service members with visible and invisible injuries to compete in 10 different sports.

The games debuted in London in 2014, and this year, more than 500 athletes from 15 different countries, along with thousands of fans and family members converged in Orlando at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for the five-day event.


Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus.

Check out these 18 incredible images from Orlando as the Invictus Games get underway.

1. The opening ceremonies were a beautiful celebration of courage and competition.


Photo by Tim Rooke/Getty Images.

2. There were presentations from the U.S. military, including the U.S. Silent Drill Platoon, which performs exercises in absolute silence to showcase the discipline and professionalism of the Marine Corps.

Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus.

3. Invictus Games founder and veteran Prince Harry spoke to the crowd of athletes, families, and fans.

"I'm a long way from London tonight..." the prince said, "...but when I look out, I see so many familiar faces, servicemen and women, their friends and their families, and all of the people who got them here. I feel like I'm at home."

Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus.

4. All 15 teams entered the arena to a roaring crowd.

And just like the Olympics, there are matching uniforms, flags, and fanfare for the occasion.

The team from the Netherlands enters the arena. Photo by Gregg Newton/AFP/Getty Images.

5. That's because in addition to veteran-athletes, the complex was filled with families, friends, and fans.

Will Reynolds, captain of the American Invictus Team, was joined by his wife and daughters.

Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus.

6. But soon it was time to compete. Check out this fierce competitor's Wonder Woman prosthetic at a sitting volleyball match.

Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus.

7. There was plenty of excitement in the air as Team USA entered the Field House to compete in the rowing finals.

Photo by Alex Menendez/ Getty Images for Invictus Games.

8. To allow the athletes to compete at their highest level, there are adaptations and modifications to some of the events and equipment.

Powerlifter Christine Gauthier of Canada uses a wheelchair for mobility, but while she competes, she is secured to the weight bench.

Photo by Scott Iskowitz/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

8. Cyclists prepare to speed down the course on hand bikes.

Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

9. Archer Martin Clapton from the United Kingdom holds the arrow in his teeth while aiming at the target.

Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

10. And these competitors put it all on the line during the indoor rowing finals.

Photo by Alex Menendez/ Getty Images for Invictus Games.

11. Family members and fans from around the world have converged on Orlando to celebrate their favorite heroes.

Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

12. Even if they only get a glimpse of the competitors before they dash off.

Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

13. There are 10 competitive events at the games, including sitting volleyball, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, track and field, swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair tennis.

Photo by Scott Iskowitz/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

14. Each event requires some serious strength, along with hours of practice, dedication, and skill...

Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

15. ...things these veterans and active duty service members have no shortage of.

Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

16. For every point, win, or goal, the fans go wild!

Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

17. Because at the end of the day, this is bigger than a sporting event.

Adaptive sports provide numerous benefits for veterans with disabilities, including decreased stress, increased independence, a reduced dependence on pain and depression medications, and even higher achievement in employment and education.

Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images for Invictus Games.

18. It's a celebration of teamwork, fortitude, and second chances.

Invictus is Latin for "unconquered," and these athletes are just that.

The games are only a few days long, but the impact they have on the competitors, families, and fans lasts much longer.

Nerys Pearce of Team Great Britain is presented with a silver medal in the powerlifting event by President George W. Bush, honorary chairman of the Invictus Games in Orlando. Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus.

Events like these are a reminder of the resilience these veterans and their families possess.

Coming back from war with injuries and illnesses isn't easy, but opportunities to compete for and represent their home nations can be a light in the shadow of recovery for these athletes and their brothers and sisters in arms.

Photo by Alex Menendez/ Getty Images for Invictus Games.


Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


Health

Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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Humans have debated things large and small over the millennia, from the democracy to breastfeeding in public to how often people ought to wash their sheets.

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The "over or under" question has plagued marriages and casual acquaintances alike for over 100 years, with both sides convinced they have the soundest reasoning for putting their toilet paper loose end out or loose end under. Some people feel so strongly about right vs. wrong TP hanging that they will even flip the roll over when they go to the bathroom in the homes of strangers.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not merely an inconsequential preference. There is actually a "correct" way to hang toilet paper, according to health experts as well as the man who invented the toilet paper roll in the first place.

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