North Korea has stepped up executions, says top US commander

North Korea has stepped up its executions, the top commander of US troops on the Korean Peninsula said on Monday, amid increasing strain on the its military from international economic sanctions. “We’re seeing some increase in executions, mostly against political officers who are in military units, for corruption,” General Vincent K Brooks, the top US commander in South Korea told the Wall Street Journal. He added that the actions “are really about trying to clamp down on as much as possible on something that might be deteriorating and keeping it from deteriorating too quickly.” In recent months the South Korean press has reported the possible execution of Park In-young, the official in charge of Pyongyang’s nuclear test facilities, and former military chief, General Hwang Pyong-so, who was accused of allegedly taking bribes. General Brooks also noted a recent shift in the pattern of defections from the North. “We’re seeing defections happening in areas where we don’t generally see them, for example crossing the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone on the border),” he said. Meanwhile, North Korea has been cutting back on its winter military drills as harsh sanctions over its nuclear and weapons programme begin to bite, say analysts. The military exercises, which usually run from December to March, got started late and aren’t as extensive as before, the Journal reported. The United Nations has placed major restrictions on imports of oil and refined petroleum products to North Korea, which may have led to a reduction in military activities to save fuel. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visiting the State Academy of Sciences at an undisclosed location Credit:  AFP “Where this will have an effect in on ground-force readiness,” Joseph Bermudez, a military analyst for 38 North, a website run by Johns Hopkins University’s US-Korea Institute, told the paper. “Military units have to train to maintain their proficiency.” North Korean workers overseas, previously a big source of foreign currency for the regime, are also now being sent home from their host countries after strict new sanctions imposed by the UN in August, following Pyongyang’s test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. On Tuesday it emerged that Angola was the latest country to terminate all of its contracts with North Korean construction company, Mansudae, and had asked its employees to leave.  

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Wife of Taiwan activist jailed in China barred from visiting

The 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".

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Rocky Syria talks in Russia end, ignore key opposition demands

By Kinda Makieh and Maria Tsvetkova SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) - A Syrian peace conference in Russia ended on Tuesday with a statement calling for democratic elections, but ignoring key opposition demands after a day marred by squabbles and heckling of the Russian foreign minister. The participants also agreed to set up a committee to rewrite the Syrian constitution at the conference, which much of the opposition said aimed to serve the interests of President Bashar al-Assad and his close ally, Moscow. A final statement said Syrians must decide their future through elections, but did not say whether Syrian refugees would be allowed to take part, something sought by Assad's opponents and Western states.

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New attractions coming to Disney Parks

Toy Story Land, Marvel Land, and Star Wars Land are all coming to Disney Parks.

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Donald Trump booed in his first State of the Union after hitting out at 'chain migration'

President Donald Trump faced boos from Democrats during his first State of the Union address, after criticising "chain migration" – a practice in which family members come to join immigrants who have settled in America. Mr Trump has long bemoaned the practice as a means for terrorists and "truly evil people" to enter the country. "Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives," Mr Trump claimed.

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Netanyahu lashes out at Iran in talks with Putin

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday after accusing Iran of wanting "to turn Lebanon into one giant missile site". Netanyahu has held a series of discussions with Putin in recent months on Iran's influence in war-torn Syria and in Lebanon, seeking to persuade Russia to limit Iran's presence near Israeli territory and to stop it from entrenching itself militarily in Syria.

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State of the Union: Trump hails 'new American moment'

The president speaks of "one American family", but Democrats say he has left the nation "fractured".

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State of the Union: Congress divided on Trump speech

The contrasting reactions to the president's speech tell the tale of a deeply divided Congress.

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I'm not a quitter, says Theresa May amid leadership questions

The PM issues a defiant response to critics, as she begins a trade mission to China.

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'Overwhelming' evidence for adding folic acid to flour

The B vitamin, which can prevent birth defects, will not harm the general public, a study says.

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Taliban threaten 70% of Afghanistan, BBC finds

The Islamist group's power and reach have surged since foreign combat troops left, the BBC finds.

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The killer whale that can say 'hello' and 'bye bye'

A killer whale that can mimic words such as "hello" is thought to be the first of its kind to copy human speech.

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Sydney seaplane crash: Sharp turn 'inexplicable', operator says

The aircraft was not on its usual path to Sydney when it crashed, killing six, the operator says.

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Drop in consumer demand hits UK car manufacturing

Lower demand in the UK and confusion over diesel policy are blamed by the industry trade body.

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'Dangerously' drunk tourists may not win insurance claims

Drinking excessive alcohol can invalidate travel insurance cover, but the burden of proof is on the insurer.

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Super blue blood moon: Get ready for a rare celestial show

A lunar eclipse, supermoon and blue moon are about to happen at once. Here's what you need to know.

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Glee actor Mark Salling, 35, found dead

The actor, who had admitted possessing child sex abuse images, is believed to have killed himself.

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Logan Paul 'more popular' than Zoella with children

Study suggests children are seeking edgier content on YouTube, their favourite online site.

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News Daily: Trump's address and May 'not a quitter'

Your morning briefing for 31 January 2018.

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The Papers: BBC pay 'backlash' and speeding 'crackdown'

The front pages report the reaction to the wage review and a police call to end "soft" treatment for speeding drivers.

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The make-up artist making designs with dead insects

Jasmine Ahumada, from California, attaches spiders and bees to her face to create her distinctive looks.

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Skywatchers await 'super blue blood Moon'

A blue blood supermoon and lunar eclipse across Asia heralds a year of lunar science milestones, say scientists.

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'Baby brain': Myth or reality?

"Four in five" women undergo changes in memory and concentration during pregnancy, new research suggests.

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RSPB Minsmere winter starling murmuration

Starlings take to the skies to create a spectacular aerial ballet before settling on roost.

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Why did this council leader just quit?

Claire Kober announced she wouldn't be standing in May's election.

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You're on the verge of losing everything - but you don’t understand why

A run of bad luck left one man struggling to make sense of the UK benefits system - and at risk of losing his home.

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Post-Brexit data sharing crucial, say ex-intelligence heads

Former intelligence chiefs say UK's security expertise should not be bargaining chip in talks with EU.

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'Forget walking 10,000 steps a day'

Experts say there is a better way to get fit than counting your steps.

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Why Ben Whishaw has murder in mind

The James Bond and Paddington star "adores" his new role as the treacherous Marcus Brutus.

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Used clothes: Why is worldwide demand declining?

As the worldwide demand for used and worn clothing plummets, what do we do with our unwanted clothes?

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Why did Kenya's Raila Odinga 'inaugurate' himself as president?

Kenya's main opposition leader stages his own "swearing-in" after two disputed elections. We explain.

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Monkeys? Humans? The ethics of testing diesel fumes

After the revelations around Volkswagen human testing, just what are the methods and regulations?

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Meet The Progressive Immigrant Lawmaker Who Will Respond To Donald Trump In Spanish

Elizabeth Guzman (D) immigrated to the United States from Peru 20 years ago.

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Paul Ryan defends Republican memo release

On Tuesday, January Paul Ryan defended the vote by the U.S. House Intelligence Committee to release a classified memo the GOP says shows anti-Trump bias by the FBI and DOJ

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Lawmakers Wear Black To Donald Trump’s State Of The Union Address

Democratic lawmakers wore black and sported pins in solidarity with victims of sexual harassment and assault on Tuesday as President Donald Trump was set to deliver his first State of the Union address.

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

A 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.  

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What to watch for in Trump's first State of the Union

The big question looming over President Trump's first State of the Union speech is whether he will mention the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller. But what he says will also give clues to his agenda for 2018 and his strategy for the midterm elections. Here's what to look for.

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Jamie Grace and Reba Sing Powerful Worship Song Together in Instagram Video

Contemporary Christian musical artist Jamie Grace congratulated fellow singer Reba McEntire on her recent Grammy win in an Instagram video this week. 

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Battle of the Billboards: Pro-Lifers Fight Back Against Pro-Abortion Signs

Pro-life groups are countering a group of controversial pro-abortion billboards in Ohio with their own pro-life billboards.

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Facebook's New Campaign to Combat 'Fake News' : What It Means for Your News Feed

Facebook announced this week that it is fighting misinformation on user's news feeds by favoring local news over national news. 

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Time for a Second Reformation? Why Some Say Another 'Revival' Is Not Enough

Many Christians believe they've lost the culture war and their nation is slipping away. They believe it's time for a world-changing Reformation.

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Woman Testifies in Church to Being Raped by Mother's Boyfriend - Pastor Responds

Video of a woman testifying in church that she was raped when she was 8-years-old is making its rounds on the internet.  But the pastor of the church says there is more to the story.

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Faith Leaders on Immigration: 'Families Aren't Chains'

Faith leaders are calling on the president and other political leaders to stop using the term "chain migration" as the immigration debate heats up.

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Did You Catch These 'Ordinary' American Heroes Trump Invited to the State of the Union?

President Trump gave his first State of the Union address tonight and he honored some of the nation's "hidden" heroes by inviting them as his special guests to the event. 

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Forget About the Wall, Right Now Border Patrol Is Facing This Crisis

It was a campaign pledge that helped President Donald Trump win the White House. But the battle over funding a new border wall continues on Capitol Hill. Now the agency in charge of overseeing the building of the wall has a crisis – a manpower crisis.

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'When God Gets in the Middle...Anything Is Possible': Girl Once on Life Support Is Heading Home

More good news for Chloe Clark, the young Christian girl who miraculously recovered from a severe head injury – she's finally getting to go home.  

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A God Who Restores: Michael Vick Reads Psalm 23 Over Liberty University Students

Repentance, redemption and restoration – former NFL star Michael Vick knows these topics well, and shared that message with students at the Liberty University convocation Monday.

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Democratic Response to SOTU

By Unknown Author from NYT U.S. http://ift.tt/2Epj1FU

Why Koreans Are So Good at Speedskating

By JAY CASPIAN KANG from NYT Magazine http://ift.tt/2DYVjCG

The Unabashed Beauty of Jason Brown on Ice

By PATRICIA LOCKWOOD from NYT Magazine http://ift.tt/2DQzGoM

What Cross-Country Skiing Reveals About the Human Condition

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The First African Team to Compete in Bobsled

By As told to JAIME LOWE from NYT Magazine http://ift.tt/2rRIMw9

The Search for Stillness at the Heart of Biathlon

By BROOKE JARVIS from NYT Magazine http://ift.tt/2nrkgfG

Full Transcript and Video: Joe Kennedy Delivers Democratic Response to the State of the Union

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Trump’s Volk und Vaterland

By ROGER COHEN from NYT Opinion http://ift.tt/2ErISx0

Trump’s Besotted Republicans

By KEVIN BAKER from NYT Opinion http://ift.tt/2DYXHcC

Trump Tries for a Reset

By ROSS DOUTHAT from NYT Opinion http://ift.tt/2BF1Wow

A ‘Feel-Good’ Room

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Word + Quiz: obstinate

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‘Gloomy.’ ‘Amazing.’ Trump’s Speech Divides the Pundits.

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State of the Union, Syria, the Moon: Your Wednesday Briefing

By PATRICK BOEHLER from NYT Briefing http://ift.tt/2Erk0FH

What’s on TV Wednesday: ‘Animals With Cameras’ and ‘Happy!’

By ANDREW R. CHOW from NYT Arts http://ift.tt/2DOSR2m

Gearing Up for Distance and Form in Nordic Combined

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Melania Trump, Traveling Again Without Her Husband, Emerges at State of the Union

By KATIE ROGERS from NYT U.S. http://ift.tt/2rVQMw5

Kristaps Porzingis and Enes Kanter Lead Knicks in Rout of Nets

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT Sports http://ift.tt/2nkLndi

Corrections: January 31, 2018

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Trump’s Boring, Utterly Terrifying Warmongering

By MICHELLE GOLDBERG from NYT Opinion http://ift.tt/2nnmyNO

House Republicans Vote To Release Classified Memo They Wrote Attacking Russia Probe

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s Republican allies in Congress advanced their monthslong assault on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election on Monday, voting along partisan lines to release a classified memo slamming officials from the Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation who have investigated the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

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

WASHINGTON ― 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.

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

North Korea pulled out of a joint cultural event with South Korea planned for at the North's Diamond Mountain on Feb. 4

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Trial starts for woman charged with killing her twin

WAILUKU, 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.

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Instagram fitness model removed from American Airlines flight after 'humiliating' row

An Instagram fitness model was “humiliated” after being removed from an American Airlines flight following a row with staff. Jen Selter, who has 11 million followers on Instagram, posted footage of her arguing with a pilot and a flight attendant on the delayed flight from Miami to New York on 27 January. “I did nothing wrong but got kicked off the plane,” she wrote, adding she had the “worst experience” following a delay which left the aircraft stuck on the runway for two hours. The 24-year-old claims she and her sister were told to leave the aircraft following a disagreement with a male attendant when she got up to put her coat away and stretch her legs. She argues that two other passengers had been allowed to go to the bathroom when she stood up, adding she was being sarcastic after responding “yeah” when asked by the attendant,  “Do you want to get kicked off the plane?” Current situation @AmericanAir .. insane. pic.twitter.com/kIOh3VysnU— Jen Selter (@JenSelter) January 28, 2018 Ms Selter says the attendant told her to sit down and they began arguing resulting in the pilot calling the police who then arrived on board. “The crew is asking for you guys to be removed off the plane,” the pilot tells them in one clip. Just like that, 5 cops coming at me. Worst experience American Air ✌�� pic.twitter.com/1LY1NrAQ3k— Jen Selter (@JenSelter) January 28, 2018 In another video, a police officer tells the sisters: “American Airlines calls the shots. They don’t want you to fly on their plane today.” Ms Selter told the New York Post: “It was humiliating. They made me feel like a terrible person, and I did nothing wrong.” A spokesperson for American Airlines said in a statement: “Ms. Selter was asked to leave the aircraft after a disagreement occurred Saturday night at Miami International Airport (MIA). “American offered her hotel accommodations and transportation, which she declined. She flew on American Sunday morning back to New York (LGA) – arriving around 8:30 a.m. ET yesterday morning.” Ms Selter has vowed “to never fly American Airlines again”. 

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State Officials Fire Employee Who Sent False Missile Alert In Hawaii

The 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.

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Taiwan holds live-fire drills as tensions with China mount

Taiwanese troops Tuesday staged live-fire exercises simulating a response to an invasion, as China steppeds up pressure on the island's President Tsai Ing-wen and a row over airline routes escalated. The ministry did not specify that the annual drill simulated an invasion by China but said it was intended to "show determination to safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait and national security". Tsai last month warned against what she called Beijing's "military expansion" -- the increase in Chinese air and naval drills around the island since she came to power in May 2016.

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U.N. employees in Gaza demonstrate against U.S. aid cut

By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Schools, clinics and food distribution centers in the Gaza Strip were closed most of Monday by a demonstration by thousands of employees of the United Nations agency that serves Palestinian refugees. Palestinians have been angered by a U.S. decision to cut aid to the United Nations Relief and Welfare Agency (UNRWA), saying it will cause worse hardship in Gaza. More than half the enclave's two million residents depend on support from UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies.

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The Latest: Arizona man confirms selling ammo to shooter

LAS 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):

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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.”

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

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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.

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

Indian 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.

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

Amazon 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.

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Shaky start to Syria peace talks in Russia as opposition delegates refuse to leave Sochi airport

A Russian-organised peace conference aimed at ending the war in Syria had a shambolic start on Tuesday, after dozens of opposition delegates refused to leave the airport in Sochi and others backed out at the last minute. Moscow, a staunch Assad ally, is hosting what it has called a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort that it hopes will launch negotiations on drafting a new constitution for Syria after almost seven years of war. But the conference, which is running in parallel to the United Nations-negotiated talks, looked in jeopardy after more than 70 rebel delegates refused to leave the airport until all logos and emblems representing the government were removed. A rebel source told the Telegraph Russia had promised to change or remove the symbol of the congress, which read “Peace to the People of Syria” but only featured the regime flag, only to be greeted by them at the arrivals gate. Sochi conference logo (w/only regime flag) causing problems. Apparently a group of opposition members refused to board one of the buses with it at the airport. They sat at the terminal until other transport was arranged. pic.twitter.com/hjSVlH0uR1— Neil Hauer (@NeilPHauer) January 30, 2018 The Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), the country's main opposition group, meanwhile said following two days of UN-led talks in Vienna last week that it would not attend the Sochi congress. Turkey, which backs the opposition and is co-sponsoring the talks with Iran, which supports Bashar al-Assad’s government, said it would represent the rebels. Lt. Col. Ahmad al-Saud of Idlib's Free Syrian Army claimed the opposition delegation was mistreated by Russian authorities at the airport, where he was detained for several hours Credit: Twitter/CombatChris1 Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, was heckled during his opening statement, with several delegates accusing Moscow of killing civilians in Syria with its air strikes. “In Russia, it's polite to say ‘please’ first,” Mr Lavrov responded, saying they would have a chance to speak later. The conference was initially billed as a two-day event but was cut down to one. Observers noted that much of Tuesday’s programme was taken up with a long lunch and dinner, leaving little time for discussion. Attendees shout slogans prior to a plenary session at the Congress of Syrian National Dialogue in Sochi  Credit: AFP Britain, the US and France did not send any official delegates because of what they say is the government's refusal to properly engage. Western powers support the UN process, which is now in its ninth round but has so far failed to make any major headway. The conference was also also boycotted by Kurdish delegates over Turkey’s offensive on the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia in Afrin, a northern Syrian enclave on the border with Turkey. A few Kurdish officials attended in a personal capacity and reportedly met in private with Russian counterparts on the sidelines of the conference. The main aim of the Sochi talks is to establish a committee to create a post-war constitution for Syria with UN backing, according to a draft statement. However, any deal agreed without he Kurds, which control some 25 per cent of territory in Syria, will unlikely succeed.  The poor start is a blow to Russia, which has been positioning itself a Middle East peace broker and trying to consolidate influence in the region as the US increasingly takes a step back from the Syrian crisis under President Donald Trump. "The whole point of the congress was to have a serious negotiation with the Kurds, or at least the Higher Negotiating Committee (the most relevant opposition body)," Neil Hauer, s security analyst focused on Russia-Syria relations, told the Telegraph from Sochi.  "Neither of them are here, and as such there's not much that can be discussed. Nor will anything announced here have much legitimacy. It will be very difficult for the Russians to spin this as a win." The opposition has accused Russia of not being an honest broker after failing to uphold a deal made in previous round of talks in Kazakhstan. Both sides agreed to so-called de-escalation zones across Syria, which government forces have since violated. Hours before the the congress got underway, nearly a dozen civilians were killed in a pro-government air strike on the largest market in rebel-held Idlib province. The government is now focused on the northwestern province of Idlib, which is dominated by al-Qaeda-linked militants and home to more than 2.6 million people, nearly half of whom have fled from other areas. It appears to have stepped up its bombing campaign in Idlib in recent days. The Observatory reported 90 airstrikes in Idlib on Monday alone.

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Everything you need to know about tomorrow's super blue blood moon

A rare celestial phenomenon will take place January 31, when a super moon, blue moon and total lunar eclipse take place at the same time.

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Schiff: House Intel GOP disgraced for Trump

Rep. Adam Schiff talks with Rachel Maddow about the unprecedented lengths to which House Intelligence Committee Republicans are going to undermine Robert Mueller's investigation of Donald Trump.

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China denies report it hacked African Union headquarters

By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - China and the African Union dismissed on Monday a report in French newspaper Le Monde that Beijing had bugged the regional bloc's headquarters in the Ethiopian capital. An article published Friday in Le Monde, quoting anonymous AU sources, reported that data from computers in the Chinese-built building had been transferred nightly to Chinese servers for five years. After the massive hack was discovered a year ago, the building's IT system including servers was changed, according to Le Monde.

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Suspect Accused of Killing 4 in Car Wash Shooting Was Jealous, Victim's Family Says

The family said he was obsessed with one of the victims

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