Amarillo

Trump Leaves a Lot Unanswered on Afghanistan

Colonel Jack Jacobs, recipient of the Medal of Honor, talks with Rachel Maddow about what Donald Trump's Afghanistan speech means about how the U.S. will conduct itself there going forward, and whether that represents any actual change.

US Navy crash: 10 sailors missing after destroyer USS John McCain collides with oil tanker off Singapore

Ten sailors are missing after an American warship collided with an oil tanker east of Singapore in the second accident involving US Navy destroyers in little more than two months. The guided-missile destroyer USS John S McCain collided with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while heading to Singapore for a routine port call, the Navy said in a statement. “Initial reports indicate John S McCain sustained damage to her port side aft,” the Navy said.

Barcelona attacker stabbed man to death during escape: police

By Angus Berwick BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Spain asked the rest of Europe to join the hunt for a young man thought to have been the driver in last week's deadly van attack in Barcelona as police said on Monday that he had also hijacked a car and killed its occupant during his escape. After driving at high speed into crowds on the city's famous avenue Las Ramblas last Thursday, killing 13 people, the suspected Islamist militant fled on foot and then hijacked the car as it was being parked, stabbing the driver to death, police said. The suspect, Moroccan-born Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, then drove the hijacked car through a police checkpoint, police said.

Spain attacks: The imam who 'ate up the brains' of youths

A dead Moroccan imam has become a key target of the probe into Spain's twin terror attacks, suspected of having created the cell in a picturesque town near the Spanish Pyrenees that allegedly launched the deadly assaults last week. The blast likely changed the plans of the attackers, who instead used vehicles to smash into pedestrians on Barcelona's busy Las Ramblas boulevard and in the seaside resort town of Cambrils. "On Tuesday morning, he left saying he was going on vacation to Morocco," said fruit-seller Nordeen El Haji, 45, who four months ago moved into the apartment that Satty occupied in Ripoll.

New York Police Union Condemns What It Terms 'Blue Racism'

“They don’t even label me based on being African American, Latino, Asian, Caucasian and so on. They tend to see an even broader stereotype through an even more racist lens. The association, which represents 13,000 active and retired NYPD sergeants, says in the video that “this strange form of racism continues to engulf the country,” without offering any research or statistics to back up the assertion. A Stanford University study of traffic stops in 100 North Carolina cities, for instance, found that police had a “lower threshold of suspicion” for black and Latino drivers and were more likely to search their vehicles.

Missouri prepares to execute its 2nd inmate of 2017

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Attorneys for a Missouri inmate scheduled for execution Tuesday warn that the state is preparing to execute a potentially innocent man.

South Africa grants Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity after she allegedly attacked young model

Grace Mugabe, the first lady of Zimbabwe, returned home last night from South Africa after being granted diplomatic immunity after being accused of assaulting a model with an extension cable in a Johannesburg hotel. However last night lawyers announced they would launch a legal challenge this week to the immunity which allowed Mr Mugabe to escape facing any charges of assault. The immunity, granted after she arrived in South Africa more then a week ago on private business was a political decision not a legal one said Lorna Ferguson, a South African lawyer. “It was irrational and in contravention of South African laws for her to be granted immunity in the face of what were serious criminal charges laid against her for alleged assault a week ago. Gabriella Engels is seen with an injury to her forehead  Credit: Debbie Engels via AP "I consulted the law and with a veteran South Africa foreign affairs expert who said that immunity cannot be granted retrospectively.” Mrs Mugabe is accused of assaulting and injuring Gabriella Engels, a 20-year-old model who was visiting Mrs Mugabe’s two sons, Robert Jnr and Chatunga in a top Johannesburg hotel a week ago. Ms Engels laid charges against Mrs Mugabe after she had her face stitched up in hospital.  Mrs Mugabe avoided going to court and was rescued when her husband, President Robert Mugabe, arrived in South Africa to attend a regional conference and arranged immunity for his wife which was officially announced on Saturday. Grace Mugabe, shown here in October 2014, returned home from South Africa Credit: JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images Ms Engels case has been taken up by a non Governmental organisation Afriforum which says it will go to court for the injured woman re the immunity, and will also charge Mrs Mugabe in both criminal and civil cases. President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace, sneaked out of South Africa via South Africa’s main military airport near the capital Pretoria, in the very early hours of Sunday morning. Alex Magisa, a senior Zimbabwean and legal academic at the University of Kent, said one of the tragedies of the Grace Mugabe assault case in South Africa is that few people in Zimbabwe know about it.  No mention of the case has been made on the only TV station and all radio stations and daily newspapers it controls. "Much of the 67 percent of people who live in rural areas have to rely on traditional sources (of information) which simply refused to cover the story. MUGABE TIMELINE "Few incidents illustrate the totalitarian face of the Zimbabwean regime as this current case involving Grace Mugabe’s embarrassing moment in South Africa where she allegedly beat up a young woman whom she found in the company of her two sons,” he said. Mrs Mugabe and various web sites and twitter feeds which support her in Zimbabwe say the first lady was attacked by Ms Engels. Ahead of Mrs Mugabe’s return home, South Africa and Zimbabwe seized and grounded passenger aircraft in Johannesburg and Harare. Only after diplomatic immunity for Mrs Mugabe was gazetted did South Africa’s civil aviation authority allow the Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767 it had grounded early Saturday, to take off after midnight on Sunday. Harare had retaliated by seizing a South African Airways aircraft at the Harare International Airport on Saturday and refused to clear it for take-off until after the Mugabe’s were on their way back to Harare. Flights between the two countries have now resumed.

Plane Passenger Forced to Sit In Puddle Of Urine For Entire 11-Hour Flight

"At first I thought it was water but the smell was so distinct it could only have been urine."

Secret Service director says agency running out of money protecting Trump

The US Secret Service is facing a cash crunch because of the high cost of protecting Donald Trump, his many homes and large family, its director has revealed. Secret service agents are resigning and others might have to go without pay after more than 1,000 agents protecting the Trump family hit salary and overtime caps, the head of the US Secret Service said. With more than four months to go before the end of the year, director Randolph “Tex” Alles told USA Today the Secret Service can no longer pay hundreds of agents it needs to carry out its protective mission, due in part to the size and activities of Trump’s extended family.

Couple forced to hand adopted son back to biological parents, father murders baby weeks later

A couple have been awarded compensation of $3.25m (£2.53m) after their adopted baby son was murdered by his birth father, weeks after he regained custody of the child. Rachel and Heidi McFarland sued their lawyer Jason Rieper for malpractice after he wrongly led them to believe three-month-old Gabriel's biological parents had signed release-of-custody papers. The couple had arranged to adopt the child from Rachel's teenage co-worker Markeya Atkins and were present at his birth in Des Moines, Iowa, in December 2013.

Lebanese army finds anti-aircraft missiles in Islamic State cache

Lebanon's army found anti-aircraft missiles among with a cache of weapons in an area abandoned by Islamic State militants, it said on Monday. The arms cache also included mortars, medium and heavy machine guns, assault rifles, grenades, anti-tank weapons, anti-personnel mines, improvised explosive devices and ammunition. On Saturday Lebanon's army began an operation to dislodge Islamic State from its small enclave in the mountains straddling the border with Syria.

Millions pour into US towns in path of total eclipse

On Monday, when a total solar eclipse sweeps across the United States for the first time in 99 years, people gathering in Charleston, South Carolina, will be the last on the continent to experience it. Historic Charleston, with its cobblestone streets and elegant antebellum mansions, was clearly a-bustle on Sunday, in full pre-eclipse mode. Its restaurants were packed and downtown parking was at a premium as excited locals and tourists -- possessors of the prized solar glasses that make eclipse-viewing safe -- strolled cheerfully along the seafront Battery promenade.

Australia Man Hails Drag Queens As 'Angels' After They Fight Off His Homophobic Attackers

An Australian man is crediting a trio of drag queen “angels” for rescuing him from a homophobic assault that he said ended when his high-heel-wearing heroines rushed in “like Destiny’s Child” with arms swinging.

Taiwan Is Suffering From a Massive Brain Drain and the Main Beneficiary is China

One U.K.-based consultancy predicts that by 2021 Taiwan will have the world's biggest talent deficit

Couple Who Engaged In Sexual Act Aboard Southwest Airlines Flight Questioned

The airline said the incident occurred on a flight from Atlanta to Las Vegas and apologized to other passengers aboard the flight.

Commander of US navy orders worldwide 'operational pause' as analysts suspect crew fatigue may be factor in naval collision 

The US navy has ordered a worldwide "operational pause" to reassess its fleet, after the second accident involving a US warship and a merchant ship in Asia in about two months left 10 sailors missing off the coast of Singapore. The USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker before dawn on Monday, sending water flooding into the hull and sparking a four-nation search for the missing men. US president Donald Trump, asked on returning to the White House after his holiday for his response to the collision, replied: “That’s too bad” – comments that were roundly condemned on social media. Mr Trump later tweeted: “Thoughts & prayers are w/ our @USNavy sailors aboard the #USSJohnSMcCain where search & rescue efforts are underway.” Thoughts & prayers are w/ our @USNavy sailors aboard the #USSJohnSMcCain where search & rescue efforts are underway. https://t.co/DQU0zTRXNU— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2017 The accident – the second in two months involving a destroyer with the 7th Fleet – caused Admiral John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, to order an immediate halt to operations. "This trend demands more forceful action,” he said. “As such, I have directed an operational pause be taken in all of our fleets around the world." Seven sailors died in June when the USS Fitzgerald and a container ship collided in waters off Japan. USS John S McCain, seen after the collision with the oil tanker Jim Mattis, the defence secretary, said that an urgent review was being carried out. “He has put together a broader inquiry to look into these incidents," said Mr Mattis. The 7th Fleet, with its headquarters in Japan, is the largest of the US navy's forward­deployed fleets, comprised of up to 70 ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and 20,000 sailors. But it is also one of the most stretched. Donald Trump stops to talk with a Marine Corps officer and his family as he returns to the White House on Sunday Credit: AP Its position in the Indo-Asia Pacific region means that it is on the frontline of exercises around the Korean Peninsula and in the South China Seas. In the last 12 months there have been four accidents  - the most recent of which, the USS Fitzgerald collision in June, cost seven sailors their lives and resulted in the firing last week of the ship's commanding officer, executive officer and senior enlisted officer. Although the cause of the USS John S. McCain collision is not yet clear, analysts told The Telegraph they believed that human error caused by exhaustion could be to blame. “I do think questions will be asked over the deployment of the fleet,” said Ridzwan Rahmat, a Singapore-based naval expert with IHS Jane's. “I’m not surprised. The first thing that came to my mind was concern about the tempo of operations.” USS John S. McCain seen after a collision, in Singapore waters  Credit: Reuters Mr Rahmat said that “crew fatigue” could be a factor. “I wouldn’t say the US was pushing its navy too far, too fast. But it is maybe stretching its resources.” Nick Childs, senior fellow for naval forces and maritime security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, agreed that fatigue was “something you would look at”. “At the very least, it raises questions over procedures and training,” said Mr Childs. “At a situation of high tempo operations, you need to maintain training levels.” He added that the substantial damage suffered to both the USS Fitzgerald and the USS John S. McCain – which limped into port in Singapore on Monday – would only exacerbate the problem. “The virtue of ships, of course, is that they can be moved around. But would you pull them from the Middle East, causing consternation in Europe about President Putin? “There is a strong political push for the US navy to be built up. But how much money do you want to spend? A Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) officer shows to the media the area of the search and rescue operations for missing personnel of USS John S. McCain in Putrajaya, Malaysia Credit: Reuters “There is no doubt the US navy has the best equipped ships in the world, with a high level of competence and training. But questions about the deployments will certainly be asked.” The navy review will look at the 7th Fleet's performance, including personnel, navigation capabilities, maintenance, equipment, surface warfare training, munitions, certifications and how sailors move through their careers. Admiral Richardson on Monday directed fleet commanders to get together with leaders and command officials to make sure all appropriate actions are being taken now to ensure safety. He said the more comprehensive review would look at operational tempo and trends in personnel, materiel, maintenance and equipment, to ensure there are no bigger problems in the fleet that may be masked by the high pace of operations and budget uncertainties. "This review will be on a very tight timetable," said Admiral Richardson. "I want to get frequent updates. This requires urgent action and se need to get to it and take corrective action."    

Wounded congressman says return based on doctors' advice

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Louisiana congressman shot at a baseball practice in mid-June is telling colleagues that his return to the Capitol will be based on his doctors' advice and a date has not yet been determined.

Solar eclipse 2017: Aerial photos show staggering number of people gathering in Oregon to see event

Thousands of people have descended on Oregon to witness the total solar eclipse, with the state first to witness the “line of totality” where the sun appears completely covered by the moon. Oregon State Police have been documenting the increase in traffic across Oregon since last week, showing aerial pictures of a 15-mile stretch of backed up traffic on Thursday as people travelled to the state to be ready for the eclipse. On Sunday aerial shots from Prineville Police Department showed the staggering size of the crowds gathered at the Symbiosis Gathering, also called the Oregon Eclipse Festival 2017, taking place on the Big Summit Prairie, and of the Oregon Star party.

Merkel attacks Turkey's 'misuse' of Interpol warrants

German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized Turkey's use of an Interpol arrest warrant to detain a German writer in Spain, telling an election town hall event on Sunday that this amounted to abuse of the international police agency. Dogan Akhanli was stopped in Spain on Saturday after Ankara issued a "red notice". The German-Turkish writer was released on Sunday but must remain in Madrid while Spain assesses Turkey's extradition request.

Fukushima reactor 'ice wall' nearly finished

Fukushima's operator on Tuesday started freezing the last section of a $320 million ice wall designed to combat widespread water contamination at the site of the worst nuclear accident in a generation. Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) began pumping coolant into the remaining seven metres (23 feet) of its 1.5-kilometre underground wall which encircles the four reactors along Japan's northeast coast. The 30-metre deep wall is designed to block underground water from nearby mountains from flowing into the shattered complex and then seeping into the Pacific.

A Total Solar Eclipse Makes History as It Sweeps Across America

Day will suddenly turn into night in more than a dozen states

Spanish terror attacks: Four men appear in court for questioning after on-the-run suspected jihadist shot dead

The four remaining alleged members of a terror cell that carried out deadly twin attacks in Spain arrived in a Madrid court on Tuesday where they will be questioned by a judge after eight other suspects were killed. Under heavy security, police vans entered the National Court, which deals with terrorism cases, where a judge will decide what - if any - charges to press against them over their suspected involvement in the vehicle attacks that left 15 dead and 120 injured. Spanish media have named the suspects as Driss Oukabir, Mohammed Aalla, Salh el Karib and Mohamed Houli Chemal. Three of them were arrested in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll. One was arrested in Alcanar, south of Barcelona, where a house that was accidentally blown apart turned out to be a botched bomb-making workshop. Spanish Civil Guards escort a man accused of involvement in the Spanish Islamist cell Credit: JUAN MEDINA/Reuters On Monday, Spanish police shot dead Barcelona terror suspect Younes Abouyaaqoub, in a dramatic end to a massive manhunt for the Moroccan national who was wearing a fake suicide belt and shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) when he was killed. The Moroccan national was the last remaining member of a 12-man cell suspected of plotting last week's deadly vehicle rampages in Barcelona and the seaside resort of Cambrils that were claimed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) - its first in Spain. Younes Abouyaaqoub was shot dead in a dramatic end to a massive manhunt Credit: EPA/SPANISH MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR Four men were detained and the rest were killed - either by police or in an explosion believed to have been accidentally detonated by the suspects themselves in their bomb factory in the seaside town of Alcanar. Among those killed in the explosion was a Moroccan imam at the heart of the cell, Abdelbaki Es Satty, Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero confirmed on Monday. Police: Suspect in Barcelona van attack shot dead 00:48 Village where suspect shot is 'ideal hideout' Four days after the van rampage on the tourist-packed Las Ramblas boulevard, police on Monday gunned down 22-year-old Abouyaaqoub in the village about 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of Barcelona, after receiving multiple tip-offs. Arnau Gomez, who lives about a kilometre away from where the suspect was shot, described the village of 300 people as being an ideal hideout as "it is far from everything". "In the hills there are many homes of seasonal workers, it's easy to hide," he said. Terror in Spain: Dozens killed and injured in Barcelona and Cambrils In Abouyaaqoub's hometown of Ripoll, where many of the suspects grew up or lived, Moroccan factory worker Hassan Azzidi said he was "happy and sad all at once" that the suspect had been gunned down. "This had to end, because we're living as if in a war, but at the same time, someone brainwashed such a young boy," he said. In total, 15 people died in the attacks, including Pau Perez, a 34-year-old man found stabbed to death in a Ford Focus outside Barcelona on Friday after Abouyaaqoub hijacked his car to make a getaway. Influence of imam accused of radicalising others Investigators seeking to unravel the terror cell had homed in on the small border town of Ripoll at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains in northeastern Spain. Satty, aged in his 40s, came under scrutiny as he is believed to have radicalised youths in Ripoll. Police said the imam had spent time in prison and had once been in contact with a suspect wanted on terrorism charges, but was never himself charged with terror-related incidents. How the Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks unfolded 02:04 In Belgium, the mayor of the Vilvorde region said that Satty had spent time in the Brussels suburb of Machelen - next to the city's airport - between January and March 2016. In the Moroccan town of M'rirt, relatives of Abouyaaqoub have accused the imam of radicalising the young man as well as his brother Houssein. "Over the last two years, Younes and Houssein began to radicalise under the influence of this imam," their grandfather said. How the suspected jihadists had 120 gas canisters The suspected jihadists had been preparing bombs for "one or more attacks in Barcelona", Trapero said on Sunday, revealing that 120 gas canisters and traces of TATP - a homemade explosive that is an Isil hallmark - had been found at their bomb factory. The accidental explosion in the house in Alcanar, south of Barcelona, may have forced the suspects to modify their plans. The debris of the house that exploded in the village of Alcanar Credit: Jaume Sellart/EPA Instead, they used a vehicle to smash into crowds on Barcelona's Las Ramblas boulevard. Several hours later, a similar attack in Cambrils left one woman dead. Police shot dead the five attackers there, some of whom were wearing fake explosive belts and carrying knives. Hundreds of Muslims rallied on Monday at Las Ramblas, holding slogans like "No to terrorism" and "We are Muslims, not terrorists". Terror timeline - Ramming attacks involving vehicles

KKK Leader Tells Afro-Latina Journalist He'll 'Burn' Her Out Of His Property

Ilia Calderón recently came face to face with an imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. The Afro-Colombian journalist interviewed Christopher Barker, the leader of the Loyal White Knights, as part of Univision’s Sunday show “Aquí y Ahora.” During the news program, producer María Martínez explained she had told Barker “a Hispanic woman of color” would be conducting the interview and he accepted. During the interview, Barker told Calderón that she was the first black person to ever set foot on his property.

Noam Chomsky: Antifa is a 'major gift to the right'

Noam Chomsky has launched into an attack on the anti-fascist movement and argued its actions are wrong in principle and it is a “major gift to the right”. Antifa, shorthand for anti-fascist organisations, refers to a loose coalition of militant, decentralised, grassroots groups which are opposed to the far-right. The movement, which was founded in Europe in the 1920s, has dominated headlines in the wake of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville earlier this month.

S. Korea says no to US request to discuss renegotiating FTA

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's top trade negotiator said Tuesday that Seoul will not discuss renegotiation of the free trade agreement with the U.S. without first looking into what is really causing the U.S. trade imbalance.

Plymouth Long Beach Temporarily Closed After Shark Sighting

Following the sighting Plymouth Long Beach, Massachusetts was closed for a few hours. Sunday's was the first shark sighting off the beach in 2017.

Canada's Trudeau warns against entering country 'irregularly'

"Canada is an opening and welcoming society," he told reporters in Montreal following talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. Entering Canada irregularly is not an advantage. More than 3,100 people walked across the border illegally in July to file refugee claims and were arrested, up from 884 in June, the federal government said.

India's top court bans Islamic instant divorce

India's top court on Tuesday banned a controversial Islamic practice that allows men to divorce their wives instantly, ending a long tradition that many Muslim women had fiercely opposed. The Supreme Court ruled that the practice of "triple talaq", whereby Muslim men can divorce their wives by reciting the word talaq (divorce) three times, was both unconstitutional and un-Islamic. Victims including Shayara Bano, whose husband used triple talaq to divorce her in 2015, had approached India's highest court to ask for a ruling.

Don't Worry If You Missed the Solar Eclipse

If you didn't watch Monday's total solar eclipse, don't worry. Another—supposedly better—one will be visible in the U.S. in 2024. And if that's too long to wait, there will be three other total e...

Time lapse: A view of the total solar eclipse in Madras, Oregon

A historic total solar eclipse arced across the United States from west to east today.

Crime Spree End When Theft Victim Uses 'Find My iPhone' to Track Stolen Goods

The suspects' undoing began when they allegedly burglarized a Port Orange home as its owner slept overnight last Thursday, officials said.

Syria's Assad rejects security cooperation with the West

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday refused any security cooperation with Western nations or the reopening of their embassies, until they cut ties with opposition and insurgent groups.

WATCH: 16-Foot Great White Shark Circles Fisherman’s Boat

The great white hung around for about a half hour, stealing fish from the area.

China defends ally Pakistan after Trump criticism

China defended its ally Pakistan on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States could no longer be silent about Pakistan's "safe havens" for militants and warned it had much to lose by continuing to "harbor terrorists". Trump on Monday committed the United States to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan, signaling he would dispatch more troops to America's longest war and vowing "a fight to win".

British couple's message in a bottle reaches Gaza fisherman after 500-mile journey  

A message in a bottle dropped in the ocean by a British couple has been found by a fisherman in Gaza after a 500-mile journey. Bethany Wright, a university student, said it was “incredible” the bottle she sent with her boyfriend, Zac Marriner, while on holiday in the Greek island of Rhodes, was found so far away. The message in a bottle was found in Gaza  Credit: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency/Getty "It was certainly incredible that our bottle was found at all, let alone on a beach in Gaza," she told The Telegraph. Bethany Wright and Zac Marriner on holiday  "So tragic the situation there means people are so cut off, but the bottle reaching there illustrates greatly how we are just all one world, all connected by one ocean and loved by one God." Map: Message in a bottle from Rhodes to Gaza It was picked up by Palestinian fisherman Jihad al-Soltan, who got in contact with the stunned couple via an email address written on a letter inside the bottle. Jihad al-Soltan displays a letter after he found it in a bottle Credit: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency/Getty "Hello, Thank you for picking up this bottle. As a reward here are some magic flowers," the couple wrote in their letter. "We are currently on holiday on Rhodes and we would love to know how far this bottle got, even if it's just the next beach," said the letter inside, signed "Faithfully, Zac and Beth". Jihad al-Soltan at work   Credit: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Soltan told Reuters he was pleased the bottle made it to Gaza past an Israeli naval blockade and fishing zone restrictions. "As a fisherman I felt this letter travelled through borders and international waters without restrictions while we as fishermen are unable to go beyond six miles," he said. "I hope one day we would become as free as this bottle was." Widow finds secret love note from husband after his death in unexpected place

The Total Solar Eclipse Is Finally Here And The Photos Don't Disappoint

Unless you’ve been living in a fallout bunker (and who would blame you), everyone should know Monday is the day people around the U.S. have been excited about for the past few months.

Total eclipse’s path across US to be tracked as solar panels’ electricity generation dips

The eclipse of the sun will be tracked as it moves across the United States by solar panels on the ground. As the moon moves across to block the light from the sun, the amount of energy being produced by photovoltaic panels will fall. SolarEdge, a private firm, has produced a live map showing solar energy production that can be used to monitor the eclipse’s path across the US.

Saudi says Qatar blocks planes from transporting pilgrims

Saudi Arabia on Sunday said Qatar had refused to allow its planes to land in Doha to transport Qatari Muslims to Mecca for the annual hajj pilgrimage. "Saudi Arabian Airlines director general Saleh al-Jasser has said that the airline has thus far been unable to schedule flights to transport Qatari pilgrims from Hamad International Airport in Doha," read a report on the SPA news agency. "Qatari authorities have not allowed the aircraft to land as it did not have the right paperwork, although the paperwork was filed days ago," SPA said.

Northwestern Professor Murdered Boyfriend In Sex-Fantasy Gone Wrong, Prosecutor Says

Wyndham Lathem hatched his plan with a former Oxford University employee in an online chat room.

Guy falls into a giant sinkhole because he was too busy looking at his phone

Let this be a lesson to us all. A man riding a scooter was going down a street in the Chinese city of Guangxi, when a massive sinkhole suddenly opened up ahead of him. SEE ALSO: Giant sinkhole appears overnight, swallows 25 tonnes of fish His arm up, looking at his cell phone, he remains oblivious to the scene and carries on driving — until he falls right in. Here's the moment it happened: Large sinkhole forms in Guangxi early Thursday. Scooter driver doesn't see it in time, launches right into it (driver OK). pic.twitter.com/ME4YfD2Va6 — People's Daily,China (@PDChina) August 18, 2017 According to Chinese reports, the man was uninjured and managed to climb out of the pit, which measured two metres (6 ft) deep, eight metres long (26 ft) and five meters (16 ft) wide. While sinkholes don't usually open in the middle of the road for no reason, it's been happening more in rapidly urbanising parts of China, where extensive roadworks shifts the soil underneath the asphalt. Authorities have yet to offer an official reason for the sinkhole. But users on Chinese social media website Weibo had little sympathy for the rider. "He's using a phone while riding a scooter. Sorry I really have no sympathy," said one user. "It's fine if you walk on the sidewalk while using your phone but this is too much, it's so dangerous," another chipped in. "What the heck was he thinking playing with his phone while riding?" one asked. Well one thing's for sure, he probably won't be using his phone while driving again for a long time. WATCH: Three construction innovations that will change the way we build

Venezuela prepares world summit to defend new legislative body

By Diego Oré CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela is preparing an international summit to rally support for an all-powerful lawmaking body, whose recent creation drew widespread foreign condemnation as a power grab by leftist President Nicolas Maduro. Late last month, and in the face of anti-government street protests, Venezuela elected a 545-member constituent assembly at the behest of Maduro. It was the latest blow to an opposition-controlled congress whose decisions have been nullified by Maduro's loyalist Supreme Court.

Slain woman became anti-violence activist after sister died

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A woman who was found slain along with her young daughter last week had become an anti-domestic violence activist after her sister was killed four years ago, and authorities allege both women were killed by their boyfriends.

Trump backs off Afghan withdrawal, lambasts Pakistan

"My instinct was to pull out," Trump said as he spoke of his frustration with a war that has killed thousands of US troops and cost US taxpayers trillions of dollars. While Trump refused to offer detailed troop numbers, senior White House officials said he had already authorized his defense secretary to deploy up to 3,900 more troops to Afghanistan.

Survivors hail discovery of the USS Indianapolis, 72 years after it was torpedoed with the loss of 880 lives

For decades survivors of the USS Indianapolis, sunk by Japanese torpedoes at the end of World War Two, believed the remains of the heavy cruiser and resting place of their shipmates would never be found. But as news emerged that an underwater expedition had discovered the wreck 18,000 feet below the surface of the North Pacific Ocean, they described a mix of emotions as they remembered the hundreds of sailors and marines who died in one of America’s worst naval disasters. Arthur Leenerman, a 93-year-old survivor, said he had wished for years that the wreck would be found. “We were wondering whether they would ever be able to find it or not,” he said. “I’m glad they found it and I hope I get a chance to have a closer look at the pictures.” Arthur Leenerman served for two years aboard the USS Indianapolis But he added he was saddened that so many survivors and relatives of those lost at sea had died without ever having a chance to learn of her final resting place.  Don McCall Jr, whose father died earlier this year after surviving the sinking, said everyone connected to the ship would be a little more at peace. “It brings a little bit of closure to all those families and especially those survivors who can now see their shipmates’ final resting place,” he said. Researchers find wreckage of USS Indianapolis 01:14 The Indianapolis was returning from a secret mission to deliver parts for the atomic bomb which was later used on Hiroshima when she was hit by Japanese torpedoes on July 30, 1945. What came next made the episode one of the most retold tales of America’s war. The vessel sank in just 12 minutes giving survivors little time to use rescue equipment. No distress call was ever received and it was not until four days later, when a bomber on a routine mission spotted survivors, that the alarm was raised. Search teams rescued only 316 men of the 1196 on board, making it the largest single loss of life in the history of the US Navy. Hundreds survived the sinking but succumbed to dehydration, drowning or shark attacks. This photo appears to show one of the two anchor windlass mechanisms from the forecastle of the ship Credit: Paul G. Allen via AP The ship’s location remained a mystery, somewhere in the Philippine Sea between the island of Guam and Leyte Gulf. Mr Leenerman, who served for two years on the Indianapolis and is now one of 19 living survivors, said he had time to put on a life jacket before climbing overboard. The amount of oil in the water made him vomit almost immediately. He clung to a group of men as they waited for rescue through four days and five nights. “As long as we were together and stayed in a bunch we were fairly safe from the sharks,” he said, recounting his extraordinary tale of survival. The story of the ship and her survivors has occupied a special place in the American psyche. They were the subject of countless books, documentaries and films. The tale made for a chilling plot point in the Steven Spielberg blockbuster Jaws, when the fictional survivor Capt Quint describes the terror of waiting to be rescued while sharks snatched men in the water. USS Indianapolis in Pearl Harbor, USA, in 1937 Credit: EPA/US Navy HANDOUT “When he comes at you he doesn’t seem to be living till he bites you and those black eyes roll over white,” he says. Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who has led the expedition to find the wreck, announced the discovery at the weekend. “To be able to honour the brave men of the USS Indianapolis and their families through the discovery of a ship that played such a significant role in ending World War II is truly humbling,” he said. The US Navy added that the Research Vessel Petrel continues to survey the site and that the work complies with American laws treating a sunken warship as a military grave. Capt William Toti (Ret), spokesperson for the survivors of the USS Indianapolis, said: “They all know this is now a war memorial, and are grateful for the respect and dignity that Paul Allen and his team have paid to one of the most tangible manifestations of the pain and sacrifice of our World War Two veterans.”

Today’s huge Amazon sale on Nerf guns is your back to school gift to yourself

You know how there are some toys you buy for your son or daughter, but in reality they're completely for you? Yeah, you're about to load up on all of the Nerf guns and Nerf gun gear you can handle, and you'll have to play it off like you're buying them for your kids. Dealing with back to school shopping can be stressful at times, and that might be why Amazon chose today to have an insane sale on all the Nerf guns and accessories you can handle. There are 21 different items available at discounts up to half off, and you can shop the entire sale right here. Below, you'll find our picks for the 10 best bargains in this monster sale.