Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Yahoo! News: Weight Loss News

Yahoo! News: Weight Loss News


Military blames 'human error' for hidden Afghan war data

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 11:17 AM PST

Military blames 'human error' for hidden Afghan war dataThe Defense Department is withholding important figures about how the nation's longest war is going, a watchdog office says. The latest quarterly report omits such data as the size of Afghan forces and the number of districts under Taliban control.


Trump Takes Shot at Mueller in Sotu

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 11:56 AM PST

Trump Takes Shot at Mueller in SotuLawrence O'Donnell points out that Donald Trump's call for removing federal employees who undermine the public trust is a thinly veiled shot at Robert Mueller's investigation of Trump.


State Officials Fire Employee Who Sent False Missile Alert In Hawaii

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 09:03 AM PST

State Officials Fire Employee Who Sent False Missile Alert In HawaiiThe emergency worker responsible for sending a false missile alert to people in Hawaii earlier this month actually believed there was an incoming ballistic missile, The Washington Post reports.


GOP Congressman Calls For Undocumented SOTU Guests To Be Arrested On The Spot

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:04 PM PST

GOP Congressman Calls For Undocumented SOTU Guests To Be Arrested On The SpotWASHINGTON ― About 30 young undocumented immigrants are attending the State of the Union on Tuesday as guests of lawmakers ― and one of their colleagues wants to use the opportunity to have those guests arrested.


The Latest: Arizona man confirms selling ammo to shooter

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 06:11 PM PST

The Latest: Arizona man confirms selling ammo to shooterLAS VEGAS (AP) — The Latest on court orders by Nevada judges to release documents that had been sealed in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history (all times local):


Iranian Women To U.S.: Our Protest Isn’t About The Hijab. It Is About Freedom.

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 03:12 PM PST

Iranian Women To U.S.: Our Protest Isn't About The Hijab. It Is About Freedom.Protests have swept across Iran in recent weeks, the largest in almost a decade, as Iranians take to the streets to protest abysmal economic conditions and allegations of widespread corruption.


7 Glass Mosaics Around the World That Take Design to New Heights (Literally)

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 03:35 PM PST

7 Glass Mosaics Around the World That Take Design to New Heights (Literally)


Hamas official dies three weeks after 'accidental' shooting

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 01:09 AM PST

Hamas official dies three weeks after 'accidental' shootingA senior Hamas official has died in Gaza three weeks after shooting himself in the head in what officials described as an accident, the Palestinian Islamist group announced Tuesday. Imad al-Alami, a former member of Hamas's highest political body and its ambassador to Iran, died overnight, a Hamas statement said. Alami was wounded on January 9 while "inspecting his personal weapon in his home" in Gaza, Hamas said at the time.


GOP Rep. Gaetz joins the 'Infowar' against the FBI

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 02:33 PM PST

GOP Rep. Gaetz joins the 'Infowar' against the FBI"We're called conspiracy theorists because we see this cabal right in front of us," said Gaetz. "We aggregate these data points and show what was really going on."


Trump Sotu Speech Aimed at "Sweet Spot" Not "Hannity Crowd

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 11:55 AM PST

Trump Sotu Speech Aimed at "Sweet Spot" Not "Hannity CrowdMSNBC's Chris Matthews responds to President Trump's 2018 State of the Union speech saying it was aimed at a wider group, not just a "raging right wing theme".


India's 'Unwanted' Girls Number In The Millions, New Report Finds

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 01:17 PM PST

India's 'Unwanted' Girls Number In The Millions, New Report FindsIndian families' traditional preference for sons over daughters has led to the existence of millions of "unwanted" girls in the country, a new government report estimates.


FEMA criticized for plan to end storm aid in Puerto Rico

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:56 PM PST

FEMA criticized for plan to end storm aid in Puerto RicoWASHINGTON (AP) — Plans by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to halt hurricane relief supplies to Puerto Rico drew criticism Tuesday from members of Congress and the mayor of the island's largest city.


FBI officials ask Trump to block Nunes memo

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 09:32 AM PST

FBI officials ask Trump to block Nunes memoDevil Barrett, reporter for The Washington Post, talks about new reporting that FBI officials have asked the White House not to allow the release of the Devin Nunes memo.


Amazon, eBay Remove 'Chinese Boy' Costumes Featuring Racist 'Slant-Eye' Images

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 03:31 PM PST

Amazon, eBay Remove 'Chinese Boy' Costumes Featuring Racist 'Slant-Eye' ImagesAmazon UK and eBay UK have received immense backlash after social media users recently noticed "Chinese Boy Fancy Dress Costumes" for sale through the e-commerce sites.


BP discovers North Sea oil and gas

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 07:35 AM PST

BP discovers North Sea oil and gasBritish energy major BP on Wednesday announced oil and gas discoveries in the North Sea, in a boost for the company and local industry. The discoveries were made in Capercaillie in the central North Sea, and in Achmelvich, west of Shetland, the company said in a statement. BP fully owns the Capercaillie well, while the Achmelvich well is a partnership between operator BP (52.6 percent), Royal Dutch Shell (28 percent) and US peer Chevron (19.4 percent).


Mike Huckabee Skewered Over 'Despicable' Joke About Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:30 AM PST

Mike Huckabee Skewered Over 'Despicable' Joke About Ruth Bader GinsburgPeople on Twitter have Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's back.


76 Immigrants — Including Children — Found Stuffed Inside Tractor-Trailer

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 10:48 AM PST

76 Immigrants — Including Children — Found Stuffed Inside Tractor-TrailerOne man was arrested.


Russian fighter jet flies within 5ft of US Navy surveillance aircraft

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 04:58 AM PST

Russian fighter jet flies within 5ft of US Navy surveillance aircraftA Russian fighter jet came within 5ft of a US surveillance plane as it flew over the Black Sea, in what the US called an "unsafe interaction". The flight path of the Russian jet forced the US Navy aircraft, which was flying in international airspace, to end its mission prematurely, a US official said. "This is but the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements," the US State Department said in a separate statement.


Trial starts for woman charged with killing her twin

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 07:01 PM PST

Trial starts for woman charged with killing her twinWAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — A murder trial began Monday for a woman accused of deliberately driving off a cliff in Hawaii and killing her identical twin sister.


New attractions coming to Disney Parks

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:52 PM PST

New attractions coming to Disney ParksToy Story Land, Marvel Land, and Star Wars Land are all coming to Disney Parks.


U.S. defends role of Lebanon army as Israel threatens to attack it

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 08:20 AM PST

U.S. defends role of Lebanon army as Israel threatens to attack itBy Dan Williams TEL AVIV (Reuters) - The United States pledged continued support for Lebanon's military on Wednesday, calling it a potential counterweight to Iranian-backed Hezbollah, even as Israel said the two forces were indistinguishable and fair game in any future war. The Lebanese Armed Forces took no part in the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. It has received more than $1.5 billion in U.S. military assistance since then and, in the last seven years, training and support from U.S. special forces too.


MSNBC Host Calls Out Nikki Haley For Hypocritical Grammy Tweet

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 10:42 AM PST

MSNBC Host Calls Out Nikki Haley For Hypocritical Grammy TweetMSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle had little patience for United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley's criticism that the 2018 Grammy Awards were ruined with politics.


Trump's State Of The Union Keeps Up His Racist Fight With Black Athletes

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 07:31 PM PST

Trump's State Of The Union Keeps Up His Racist Fight With Black AthletesWASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump used his first State of the Union address to continue his attacks on black NFL players and other athletes who have kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.


Lockheed Martin Has Delivered 265 F-35s (And the Profits are Pouring In)

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 05:08 PM PST

Lockheed Martin Has Delivered 265 F-35s (And the Profits are Pouring In)The future is looking bright for Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is set for massive growth as the program finally reaches maturity and enters into full rate production. "Our F-35 program, during the fourth quarter we met our joint government and industry commitment by delivering the 66 aircraft in 2017," Marillyn Hewson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin, told investors. Lockheed Martin expects that the program will continue to expand in 2018.


Warsaw official moves to ban anti-Israeli demonstration

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 06:45 AM PST

Warsaw official moves to ban anti-Israeli demonstrationWARSAW, Poland (AP) — A Warsaw governor took steps Wednesday to prevent a far-right protest outside the Israeli Embassy by banning traffic in the area, citing security concerns.


Correction: Ex-Stanford Swimmer Rape story

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 08:55 AM PST

Correction: Ex-Stanford Swimmer Rape storySAN FRANCISCO (AP) — In a story Jan. 29 about a sexual assault victim deciding not to participate in the creation of a plaque marking where she was attacked on the Stanford University campus, The Associated Press reported erroneously when her assaulter was sentenced. Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Brock Turner in June 2016, not in January 2016.


Russia's Putin: U.S. 'oligarch list' is an unfriendly act

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 04:41 AM PST

Russia's Putin: U.S. 'oligarch list' is an unfriendly actPresident Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday the release of a U.S. list of Russian businessmen close to the Kremlin was an unfriendly act, but Moscow did not currently plan to retaliate. The U.S. Treasury Department named major Russian businessmen in a so-called "oligarchs' list" which was released earlier on Tuesday. It will complicate the difficult situation Russian-American relations are already in, and of course harm international relations as a whole," Putin said.


ICE Deports Palestinian Man Living In The U.S. For Almost 40 Years Despite Outcry

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:05 AM PST

ICE Deports Palestinian Man Living In The U.S. For Almost 40 Years Despite OutcryWeeks of confusion and inconsistencies from immigration officials ended on Monday after authorities deported a Palestinian man who had been living in the U.S. for nearly 40 years.


Aly Raisman Thinks 175 Years For Larry Nassar Is ‘Not Enough’

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 08:29 AM PST

Aly Raisman Thinks 175 Years For Larry Nassar Is 'Not Enough'Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman said she's not satisfied with the 40- to 175-year prison sentence for former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University team doctor Larry Nassar, who has been accused of sexually abusing more than 150 girls.


The Internet Is Losing It Over This Typo on Trump's 2018 State of the Union Tickets

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 02:19 PM PST

The Internet Is Losing It Over This Typo on Trump's 2018 State of the Union TicketsSome politicians have even chimed in on the error


Photos: First lady fashion at the State of the Union through the years

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 08:45 AM PST

Photos: First lady fashion at the State of the Union through the yearsThrough different decades and administrations, the fashion of the first ladies has shifted with the trends.


Police look at phone records for clues in jealousy shooting

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 04:17 PM PST

Police look at phone records for clues in jealousy shootingPolice on Monday were focusing on phone records to try to piece together how a group of friends wound up at a Pennsylvania self-serve car wash, where a gunman lying in wait in the early morning hours killed four of them and injured one who managed to hide.


Suspect faces murder charges in killing of Missouri couple, daughter

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 09:35 AM PST

Suspect faces murder charges in killing of Missouri couple, daughterDrew Atchison, 24, was charged with three counts of first degree murder, kidnapping and other crimes, after the bodies of the three victims were found on Monday in Butler County, Missouri, about 130 miles south of St. Louis, authorities said. The couple, Harley Million, 24 and Samara Kitts, 23, were murdered at their home in neighboring Wayne County on Thursday following a dispute between Atchison and Million, the Butler and Wayne County Sheriff's Offices said. Atchison is currently being held in Wayne County, the Sheriff's office said.


Vietnam marks 50 years since launch of Tet Offensive

Posted: 31 Jan 2018 07:09 AM PST

Vietnam marks 50 years since launch of Tet OffensiveVietnam marked 50 years since the audacious Tet Offensive on Wednesday, in a bittersweet ceremony featuring patriotic dance performances recalling the attacks that changed the course of the Vietnam War. The surprise military offensive in 1968 -- launched by the communist north on the eve of the Tet lunar new year -- targeted more than 100 cities and outposts in southern Vietnam. On Wednesday entertainers dressed as soldiers and peasants took to the stage at an official ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, followed by a string of performances from flag-bearing dancers and martial arts performers in red and gold.


Trump Sotu Speech Given from "Alternate Reality"

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 12:28 PM PST

Trump Sotu Speech Given from "Alternate Reality"Republican strategist Steve Schmidt reacts to Donald Trump's State of the Union speech, saying it was delivered from an "alternate reality" and will be soon forgotten once Trump returns to "reckless" behavior.


North Korea Pulls Out of a Cultural Event With South Korea Ahead of the Winter Olympics

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 07:48 PM PST

North Korea Pulls Out of a Cultural Event With South Korea Ahead of the Winter OlympicsNorth Korea pulled out of a joint cultural event with South Korea planned for at the North's Diamond Mountain on Feb. 4


Cleveland Indians To Abandon Racist Chief Wahoo Logo Next Year

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 09:49 AM PST

Cleveland Indians To Abandon Racist Chief Wahoo Logo Next YearThe Cleveland Indians will stop using their Chief Wahoo logo on game jerseys and caps starting in 2019, according to The Associated Press.


Louvre displays art looted by Nazis, hopes to find owners

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 05:27 AM PST

Louvre displays art looted by Nazis, hopes to find ownersPARIS (AP) — The Louvre Museum is putting 31 paintings on permanent display in an effort to find the rightful owners of those and other works of art looted by Nazis during World War II.


Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Yahoo! News: Weight Loss News

Yahoo! News: Weight Loss News


Susan Collins Says It Wouldn't Hurt To Pass A Bill To Protect Robert Mueller

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 11:04 AM PST

Susan Collins Says It Wouldn't Hurt To Pass A Bill To Protect Robert MuellerSen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) says she is now open to supporting legislation that would make it harder to fire Robert Mueller, the special counsel overseeing the Department of Justice's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.


Are narcissism and racism linked? They may be, in Donald Trump.

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 03:48 PM PST

Are narcissism and racism linked? They may be, in Donald Trump.Narcissists and racists "have vulnerable self-esteem issues, which makes them very susceptible to any form of criticism and makes them prone to counterattack impulsively. They are also prone to being denigrating and rageful toward others." Does that sound like anyone you've heard of recently?


'Disgusting' photos show vendors bring shopping carts full of raw, unpackaged meat into grocery store

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 08:01 AM PST

'Disgusting' photos show vendors bring shopping carts full of raw, unpackaged meat into grocery storeA grocery store in San Jose, California, is under investigation after a customer snapped photos of a vendor bringing shopping carts full of unpackaged meat into the facility. The nauseating photos, shared on Facebook by Loretta Seto, allegedly show vendors transporting a massive haul of raw, uncovered meat slabs into 99 Ranch Market using Costco shopping carts. "Beware: Costco shopping carts," Seto wrote in her now-viral post.


13 Genius Ways To Use Ground Lamb

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 10:33 AM PST

13 Genius Ways To Use Ground Lamb


Nearly 80 undocumented immigrants found crammed in truck near US-Mexico border

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 06:53 AM PST

Nearly 80 undocumented immigrants found crammed in truck near US-Mexico borderImmigration authorities have found nearly 80 people crammed into the back of a truck trying to enter the US without proper documents. The truck was travelling on highway in Laredo, Texas, near the US-Mexico border when the driver was pulled over. At least 13 were found to be unaccompanied children.


UN, African Union leaders praise international cooperation

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 03:05 PM PST

UN, African Union leaders praise international cooperationADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — The leaders of the United Nations and the African Union urged stronger international cooperation at the opening Sunday of the African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.


Kim Jong-un's brother 'met US agent' days before VX nerve agent attack

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 09:44 PM PST

Kim Jong-un's brother 'met US agent' days before VX nerve agent attackKim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, reportedly met with an American intelligence agent just days before he was killed with the nerve agent VX in Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February 2017. The Malaysian court hearing the case against two women who are accused of murdering Kim Jong-nam heard this week that he travelled to the resort island of Langkawi and met with a Korean-American agent on February 9. Wan Azirul Nizam, who is heading the investigation, told the court that police have not been able to identify the agent.  He was, however, able to confirm that Mr Kim had been carrying $138,000 in cash in his backpack when he was attacked at the airport four days later , while an analysis of his laptop computer has revealed that a memory device was inserted into the computer several times on February 9. The device has not been recovered. "We know that Mr Kim has in the past spoken with South Korean intelligence officials and that he was under Chinese protection while he was in China and Macau, so it should not be a surprise that he was also talking to the Americans", said Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Tokyo's Waseda University and an authority on North Korea's ruling family. Mr Shigemura said Kim would have been seeking money for information on the regime in Pyongyang, while the US may also have been sounding him out on the possibility of taking over the reins in North Korean should some sort of accident befall his half-brother. "The Americans want all the intelligence that they can gather on Kim Jong-un to determine the strength of his power base, whether he faces any internal dissent, who are the up-and-coming individuals in the regime and who is on the way out", he told The Telegraph. "They are also constantly trying to figure out whether he is willing to negotiate on some issues or whether he is standing fast, and even whether he is simply dangerous. Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of Kim Jong-un, in pictures "But they will be particularly interested in any rumours of a coup against Mr Kim," he added. There have been hints of unrest in the military in recent weeks, Mr Shigemura added, after it was decided to alter the official date of the creation of the North Korean armed forces so that it falls after the founding of the Korean Workers' Party. The inference is that Mr Kim is breaking away from his father's "military first" policy in favour of the party, while there have also been rumours of senior military officials being purged. Analysts believe that an internal uprising would be the most "legitimate" way of removing Kim Jong-un as dictator, with China reportedly perceiving Kim Jong-nam as a potential heir to the dynasty. Kim Jong-un | A history of executions - family, allies and rivals "Chinese officials have said that quite openly in the past and it is likely that the US had reached a similar conclusion", Mr Shigemura said. The case against Doan Thi Huong, a 29-year-old Vietnamese national, and Siti Aisyah, 25, from Indonesia, continues. Both women have pleaded not guilty and claim they were asked by a group of men to take part in a prank for a television programme. They were paid to approach Mr Kim in the airport's departure area and wipe his face, but claim they were not aware they were applying a lethal nerve agent. The four men quickly left Malaysia and later flew to North Korea. Pyongyang has denied any involvement in the case.


Joy Behar Challenges Kirsten Gillibrand: Why'd You Push Out Al Franken?

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 02:58 PM PST

Joy Behar Challenges Kirsten Gillibrand: Why'd You Push Out Al Franken?Joy Behar kicked off an interview with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Monday by confronting the lawmaker for calling on Sen. Al Franken to resign after being publicly accused of sexual misconduct.


FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, A Frequent Trump Foil, Is Leaving The Bureau

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 09:33 AM PST

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, A Frequent Trump Foil, Is Leaving The BureauFBI Deputy Directory Andrew McCabe is stepping down, NBC's Pete Williams reported Monday.


Tom Brady Has This Wish For Radio Host Who Insulted His 5-Year-Old Daughter

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 03:27 AM PST

Tom Brady Has This Wish For Radio Host Who Insulted His 5-Year-Old DaughterNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said Monday night that he doesn't want radio station WEEI to sack the host who called his 5-year-old daughter Vivian "an annoying little pissant."


Wife of Taiwan activist jailed in China barred from visiting

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 01:48 AM PST

Wife of Taiwan activist jailed in China barred from visitingThe wife of a Taiwanese democracy activist who was jailed in China in a case which further strained relations was Tuesday barred from boarding a flight to visit him in prison. Human rights and democracy activists have been targeted in Chinese President Xi Jinping's crackdown on dissent since he took power in 2012. Taipei had called Lee's jailing "unacceptable" and a serious blow to cross-strait relations, while his wife Lee Ching-yu called his trial a "political show".


Victims' families: Jealousy drove car wash shooting suspect

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 01:14 AM PST

Victims' families: Jealousy drove car wash shooting suspectA man suspected of gunning down four people at a Pennsylvania car wash was driven by jealousy, according to family members of the shooting victims.


Indonesia police force 'manly makeover' on transgender beauticians

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 01:35 AM PST

Indonesia police force 'manly makeover' on transgender beauticiansIndonesian police forcibly cut the hair of a group of transgender women and made them wear male clothing, authorities said Monday, amid a crackdown on the LGBT community in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation. The incident happened after police on Sunday raided several beauty salons in conservative Aceh province and rounded up a dozen transgender employees over claims they had teased a group of boys. Police accused the employees of violating the province's religious laws.


7-year-old boy handcuffed after allegedly attacking teacher

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 01:50 PM PST

7-year-old boy handcuffed after allegedly attacking teacherA 7-year-old boy in Miami was taken to a hospital in handcuffs after he allegedly attacked his teacher.


US Air Force sergeant removed from post after expletive-filled Facebook rant about ‘black females’

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 08:09 AM PST

US Air Force sergeant removed from post after expletive-filled Facebook rant about 'black females'An Air Force sergeant is under investigation after a profanity-laced Facebook tirade in which she denigrated "black females" who are of lower rank than her. Tech Sgt Geraldine Lovely has been "removed from her supervisory role" after the Facebook post went viral over the weekend, officials at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas have said. "It pisses me the f*** off that they have no respect and constantly have attitude," Ms Lovely says in the video.


Eleven dead as Kabul military base rocked by pre-dawn Isil attack

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 11:29 PM PST

Eleven dead as Kabul military base rocked by pre-dawn Isil attackEleven Afghan soldiers were killed in an assault on a Kabul military base on Monday, the fourth attack in Afghanistan within 10 days. Isil yesterday claimed the attack, which began at 5am as five militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic rifles stormed the well-defended Marshal Fahim military academy. At least 16 soldiers were wounded in the attack, which lasted over five hours and ended with four of the militants being killed - two by their own suicide vests - and one arrested. Security officials at the scene said the gunmen had used a ladder to get over a wall into the post. "The Afghan National Army is the country's defence force and makes sacrifices for the security and well-being of the people," the ministry of defence said yesterday. President Ashraf Ghani denounced the attack on Monday. Gunfire and explosions were heard coming from the academy  Credit: AP Photo/ Rahmat Gul) "We appreciate the sympathies extended to us by our international partner nations," Mr Ghani said, speaking a press conference in Kabul alongside visiting Indonesian president, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. "Thank you for standing with us." Monday's assault comes amid increased attacks by the Taliban and its regional rival Isil on civilian Afghan targets, including three in the space of a week. On Jan 20, Taliban attackers stormed the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, killing at least 30. The Taliban claimed another attack a week later when over 100 were killed after a bomb hidden in an ambulance exploded in the heart of the city. Isil claimed an assault on the office of aid group Save the Children in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday in which six people were killed. Earlier this month, the Intercontinental hotel in Kabul was attacked by the Taliban  Credit: REUTERS/Omar Sobhani The increased attacks - also targeting military and government facilities - have put pressure on Afghanistan's more aggressive military strategy against the Taliban, in which it is backed by the United States. Kabul has become a growing target, amid government confidence that the new strategy is driving Taliban insurgents back from major provincial centres. In October last year, 15 cadets from the same military academy attacked on Monday, known as "Sandhurst in the Sand", were killed when the bus they were traveling in was targeted in a suicide bombing. Named after Mohammed Fahim, the country's late vice-president and a military commander of the Northern Alliance that fought the Taliban, the academy was inaugurated in 2013 after British forces oversaw building the officers' school and its training program. Analysts cast doubt over the claim of responsibility from Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil), which do not have much of a foothold in Afghanistan. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence accused the Taliban-linked Haqqani network of being behind the attack. The Taliban have dismissed suggestions they have been weakened and said Saturday's bombing was a message to President Donald Trump. "The Islamic Emirate has a clear message for Trump and his hand kissers, that if you go ahead with a policy of aggression and speak from the barrel of a gun, don't expect Afghans to grow flowers in response," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. "Today's attack, in a series of attacks in the last couple of weeks and likely more attacks in the coming weeks, can be counted as response to the aggressive strategy that the government of Afghanistan has been following."


These 24 Tweets Are An Accurate Representation Of Married Life

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 11:03 AM PST

These 24 Tweets Are An Accurate Representation Of Married LifeMarriage may be an important commitment, but that doesn't mean it has to be taken seriously all the time.


Family: Dispute spurred shooting that left 4 dead at PA car wash

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 04:13 AM PST

Family: Dispute spurred shooting that left 4 dead at PA car washThe shooting at Ed's Car Wash occurred shortly before 3 a.m. in the Melcroft community of Saltlick Township, about 55 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.


Puerto Rico Is A Man-Made Disaster

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 02:46 AM PST

Puerto Rico Is A Man-Made DisasterMonths after hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico, what should have been an example of how one of the most powerful nations in the world could rebuild a territory is instead an example of a man-made catastrophe now moving to the mainland.


Teen's Body Found 2 Weeks After Sudden Disappearance

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 11:10 AM PST

Teen's Body Found 2 Weeks After Sudden DisappearanceThe body of a teenage girl who police had labeled a runaway when she vanished two weeks ago has been found near her home in a Virginia suburb of Washington.


The Latest: NY trial opens for reputed Philadelphia mob boss

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 07:16 AM PST

The Latest: NY trial opens for reputed Philadelphia mob bossNEW YORK (AP) — The latest from the New York fraud trial of a reputed Philadelphia mob boss (all times local):


Navalny freed after thousands rally against Putin and 'pseudo-polls'

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 06:14 PM PST

Navalny freed after thousands rally against Putin and 'pseudo-polls'Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been freed after a brief spell in police detention in Moscow as thousands rallied against a March election expected to extend Vladimir Putin's Kremlin term. Heeding a call by Putin's bete noire, thousands braved freezing temperatures to stage rallies in dozens of cities to protest upcoming "pseudo-elections," as Navalny and his supporters refer to them. In Moscow, Navalny chanted "Swindlers and thieves" at a rally in the city centre Sunday before several police officers pounced on the 41-year-old opposition politician, knocking him to the ground and dragging him on to a bus.


India Says 21 Million of its Girls are ‘Unwanted’ Due to a Preference for Sons

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 10:09 PM PST

India Says 21 Million of its Girls are 'Unwanted' Due to a Preference for SonsThere are 21 million "unwanted" girls in India due to parents favoring having sons instead of daughters, government figures show


Light aircraft flies through underpass to make emergency landing on US motorway

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 09:58 AM PST

Light aircraft flies through underpass to make emergency landing on US motorwayA small plane averted disaster by making an emergency landing on a major California freeway. Pilot Izzy Slod told KTLA that his engine "quit" on him part way through a short flight and that he had to make a last-minute decision to aim for the road. Mr Slod attributed his ability to land without incident to his training, saying he acted instinctively.


Russian fighter jet 'passes 5ft in front of US surveillance plane' over Black Sea

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 07:38 PM PST

Russian fighter jet 'passes 5ft in front of US surveillance plane' over Black SeaA Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted a US surveillance plane over the Black Sea on Monday, prompting the American government to protest the manoeuvre as "an unsafe interaction". The US State Department said the Russian jet closed to within five feet and crossed directly in front of the EP-3 Aries II plane. The encounter, first reported by Russia's RIA news agency, cited the defence ministry as saying the US Navy aircraft, did not violate Russian air space. "This is but the latest example of Russian military activities disregarding international norms and agreements," said the State Department. "We call on Russia to cease these unsafe actions that increase the risk of miscalculation, danger to aircrew on both sides, and midair collisions." MT @USNavyEurope : #USNavy EP-3 Aries flying in international airspace over #BlackSea was intercepted by Russian Su-27. Interaction determined unsafe: Su-27 came within 5 feet & crossed thru EP-3's flight path, causing EP-3 to fly thru Su-27 jet wash. [File Photo] pic.twitter.com/B25rRhpeyU— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) January 29, 2018 Moscow said that "all security precautions" had been observed during the encounter. "After the surveillance plane of the US Navy had changed its course to move away from the border, the Su-27 returned to its base," RIA quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying.  Russian jets and Nato aircraft have frequently come close together over the Black Sea, the Baltic region, Syria and elsewhere. The Pentagon has warned of the dangers of such close encounters in the sky. A Russian Su-27 gets up and close and personal  Credit: US European Command Images released by US European Command last yearshow a Russian SU-27 flying close to the wing of a US RC-135U. The planes are so close that the Russian pilot can be seen in the cockpit.  


Elon Musk Says He's Sold 10,000 Flamethrowers Through His Boring Co. Website

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 09:47 PM PST

Elon Musk Says He's Sold 10,000 Flamethrowers Through His Boring Co. WebsiteEntrepreneur Elon Musk has captured the world's imagination with his electric cars, space rockets and renewable energy systems, and now the billionaire is looking to corner the market in a slightly less benevolent area: flamethrowers.


Porch Pirate Karma: Thief Suffers Nasty Fall While Trying to Make Off With Packages

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 10:47 AM PST

Porch Pirate Karma: Thief Suffers Nasty Fall While Trying to Make Off With PackagesThe getaway driver had to come to the thief's aid as her foot was left dangling.


Trump Boasts The Ice Caps Are ‘Setting Records.’ But It’s For Melting.

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 06:50 PM PST

Trump Boasts The Ice Caps Are 'Setting Records.' But It's For Melting.President Donald Trump seemed to be in a fog about the facts of climate change during his British TV sit-down with Piers Morgan, which aired Sunday night.


Correction: Syria story

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 03:51 AM PST

Correction: Syria storyKILIS, Turkey (AP) — In a story Jan. 28 about the Turkish offensive in Syria, The Associated Press reported erroneously that 51 civilians were killed on Sunday. The 51 were reported killed since the offensive started on Jan. 20, not on Sunday.


Nine dead in Mexico shooting: official

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 11:49 AM PST

Nine dead in Mexico shooting: officialAuthorities investigating the slaying of nine men at a house in Monterrey, Mexico said Sunday small local drug-trafficking groups appeared to be involved but not major drug cartels. The men were watching a football match on television on Saturday when armed attackers burst into the house, herded women into the bathroom and then opened fire on the men, the attorney general of the state of Nuevo Leon, Bernardo Gonzalez, said. Seven men were killed on the spot and two others died of their wounds after being taken to local hospitals, he said.


5 Reasons to Reconsider a Cruise for Your Next Vacation

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 08:00 AM PST

5 Reasons to Reconsider a Cruise for Your Next VacationWhen you picture a cruise vacation, compact cabins, lackluster onboard cuisine and jampacked port towns may come to mind. While there's no one-size-fits-all cruise that's ideal for everyone, with today's innovative onboard amenities, diverse dining options, wellness offerings, high-tech services and exciting, far-flung itineraries, chances are, the widespread misconceptions and myths you've heard are outdated. After all, today's cruise lines cater to diverse travel styles, ages and budgets.


Iran's Relationship With Qatar Could Be Crumbling

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 04:29 PM PST

Iran's Relationship With Qatar Could Be CrumblingQatar has sought to enjoy the benefits of maintaining a membership in the GCC and close relations with Iran. Tensions between the Gulf states and Qatar developed into an outright feud last June as a result of Qatar's drift toward Iran, which led the Saudis and their partners to impose a boycott and cut off air, sea, and land routes to Qatar. Instead of responding positively to a demand that it cut ties with Tehran, Qatar defiantly restored full diplomatic relations with Iran.


Volkswagen apologizes for using monkeys to test diesel fumes

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 11:06 AM PST

Volkswagen apologizes for using monkeys to test diesel fumesVolkswagen employees issued an apology after a test exposed monkeys to diesel fumes while the company was working on studying effects of the exhaust.


Republicans Beg Supreme Court To Let Them Keep Using An Unconstitutional Map

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 04:44 PM PST

Republicans Beg Supreme Court To Let Them Keep Using An Unconstitutional MapRepublicans from Pennsylvania and six other states on Monday offered a slew of reasons why the U.S. Supreme Court should give the Keystone State permission not to comply with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's order to draw new congressional districts ahead of the 2018 election.


Brentley Gore death: Stepfather charged with murder of three-year-old boy weeps in court

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 04:09 AM PST

Brentley Gore death: Stepfather charged with murder of three-year-old boy weeps in courtProsecutors claim Richards used a belt to beat his stepson while his mother, who has not been named, slept in the next room of their home in Hickory Falls, Georgia. Richards denies killing his stepson and investigators said he told them that he dropped the child by accident. Richards, the son of Carollton Police Chief Joel Richards, was originally charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, cruelty to children in the first degree and possession of marijuana.


What My 13-Year-Old Student Taught Me About Transphobia

Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:47 AM PST

What My 13-Year-Old Student Taught Me About TransphobiaHe is trying to be slick and pretend he is looking out the window, but I know he is eyeing my whiskers.


Strong health sign-ups under Obamacare encourage Democrats

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 03:15 PM PST

Strong health sign-ups under Obamacare encourage DemocratsDENVER (AP) — Republicans on the campaign trail this year will be eager to tout the potential benefits of their tax cut plan.


Indian man killed after being sucked into MRI machine

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 11:52 PM PST

Indian man killed after being sucked into MRI machineAn Indian man died after being sucked into an MRI machine while visiting a relative at a hospital in Mumbai, police said Monday. Rajesh Maru, 32, was yanked towards the machine by its magnetic force after he entered the room carrying an oxygen cylinder, the city's police said in a statement. "We have arrested a doctor and another junior staff member under section 304 of the Indian penal code for causing death due to negligence," Mumbai police spokesman Deepak Deoraj told AFP.


Beyoncé's Grammys glam is all under $30 (seriously)

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 01:20 PM PST

Beyoncé's Grammys glam is all under $30 (seriously)Who could forget when Beyoncé made headlines for wearing a $12 million necklace to last year's Grammy Awards?


Netanyahu flies to Moscow for talks on Syria with Putin

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 02:15 AM PST

Netanyahu flies to Moscow for talks on Syria with PutinPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Moscow on Monday to discuss Israeli concerns about any expansion of Iran's military foothold in Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I will discuss with President Putin Iran's relentless efforts to establish a military presence in Syria, which we strongly oppose and are also taking action against," said Netanyahu, without elaborating, before boarding a plane for the visit, scheduled to last several hours.


US, Qatar reach agreement on subsidy spat with airlines

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 07:21 PM PST

US, Qatar reach agreement on subsidy spat with airlinesWASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Qatar have reached a deal to resolve a years-old quarrel over alleged airline subsidies, seven individuals familiar with the deal said Monday, as Qatar's government works to defuse tensions with the Trump administration.


Donald Trump's reported attempts to fire Robert Mueller dismissed as 'New York talk,' by Democratic Senator

Posted: 28 Jan 2018 12:43 PM PST

Donald Trump's reported attempts to fire Robert Mueller dismissed as 'New York talk,' by Democratic SenatorA Democratic Senator has dismissed reports that Donald Trump tried to fire the special counsel charged with investigating his campaign as simply "New York talk". Mr Trump told White House counsel Don McGahn this summer to fire Robert Mueller, the special counsel probing his campaign's possible ties to Russia, according to multiple outlets. Mr McGahn reportedly threatened to quit if Mr Trump went through with the idea, warning that it would be catastrophic for his presidency.


'Fox And Friends' Host Goes Anti-Vaxxer Amid Deadly Flu Epidemic

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 07:37 AM PST

'Fox And Friends' Host Goes Anti-Vaxxer Amid Deadly Flu EpidemicWatch the latest video at foxnews.com "Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade is spreading misinformation about vaccines as this year's particularly deadly flu epidemic spreads across the United States.


Canada 'serial killer' linked to five deaths, targeted gay men

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 01:18 PM PST

Canada 'serial killer' linked to five deaths, targeted gay menA landscaper charged in the deaths of two Toronto gay men is a suspected serial killer, police said Monday, as they linked him to three additional victims and scoured sites around Canada's largest city for more remains. Bruce McArthur, 66, was arrested earlier this month and charged Monday with three additional premeditated murders after human remains were found "hidden in the bottom of (large) planters" at a property that he used for storage, Toronto police's lead investigator Sergeant Hank Idsinga said. McArthur is an "alleged serial killer," he told a news conference, adding that authorities were searching some 30 properties in Toronto where McArthur worked.


Fitness tracker data 'reveal locations of military bases and personnel'

Posted: 29 Jan 2018 12:23 AM PST

Fitness tracker data 'reveal locations of military bases and personnel'A global map showing the distribution of people using personal fitness devices risks giving away troop movements and secret military facilities around the world, according to defence analysts who have already used it to pinpoint bases in Afghanistan and the Middle East. The American satellite navigation service Strava last year launched its Global Heat Map, a visualisation of user data showing the location of its 27 million subscribers including owners of Fitbit, Jawbone and Vitofit fitness monitors. Swaths of the United States and Europe show up as a blaze of colour, indicating the millions of users. However, the map goes dark across war zones – such as Syria and Iraq – except for tiny pinpricks of light apparently showing US military personnel or international troops wearing the devices. The revelation has set off a hunt for previously unknown black sites around the world. A spokesman for US Central Command, told The Washington Post the American military was looking into the implications of the map. A portion of the Strava Labs heat map from Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, made by tracking activities Credit: Strava labs It was published in November last year and it was only this week that a student of international security and the Middle East realised the ramifications for operational security. Nathan Ruser posted on Twitter: "It looks very pretty, but not amazing for Op-Sec. US Bases are clearly identifiable and mappable." He uses the light trails to identify forward operating bases in Afghanistan, what he says is the trail of a Turkish patrol in Syria and a jogging route, which could be used to map the daily pattern of life of US armed forces for use by hostile forces. A fitbit smart device Credit: Bloomberg "If soldiers use the app like normal people do, by turning it on tracking when they go to do exercise, it could be especially dangerous," he writes. The map shows every single activity uploaded to Strava, making more than three trillion individual GPS data points, according to the company. The trove of information has been mined by journalists and analysts. So much cool stuff to be done. Outposts around Mosul (or locals who enjoy running in close circles around their houses): pic.twitter.com/wHItJwYUUI— Tobias Schneider (@tobiaschneider) January 27, 2018 Ben Taub, of the The New Yorker, identified what he said was a secret air field near Arlit in Niger. "There's a revealing pattern, at least in the Sahel," he wrote on Twitter. "If you find a heavily-used jogging route that's not near a city, expect to find a remote airstrip nearby." Others identified bases around Mosul, Iraq, or confirmed the locations of known facilities. Nick Waters, a former British infantry officer, said he recognised what appeared to be a base in Afghanistan and described the map as a failure of Opsec and Persec – personal security. Big OPSEC and PERSEC fail. Patrol routes, isolated patrol bases, lots of stuff that could be turned into actionable intelligence. https://t.co/22h1Io6rpv— Nick Waters (@N_Waters89) January 27, 2018