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Women’s Strike: ‘A Day Without a Woman’ Events Take Place Worldwide

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What would happen in a world where women didn't exist?

That's what people around the globe on Wednesday will attempt to demonstrate by taking part in one of the largest-ever International Women's Day protests.

"A Day Without a Woman," also deemed the Women's Strike, encourages participants to skip work or school and avoid purchasing anything in stores or online to show just how critical a role women play in society.
Related: Why Democratic Women Wore White to Trump's Address
The protest, coordinated in part by the same leaders of the January 21st Women's March on Washington, aims to illustrate "the economic power and significance that women have on the U.S. and global economies," according to the organizers.

More than 50 countries around the globe have events scheduled in Hong Kong, Bosnia, Senegal, Cambodia, Pakistan, Guatemala, and more, according to a Facebook event page for the International Women's Strike. On a local level, nearly 400 separate rallies and marches are planned in cities and towns around the world.

Here are the main themes driving "A Day Without a Woman":

Teachers and Students Walk Out

According to the most recent data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics, women made up 87 percent of U.S. elementary school teachers in 2014. That helps explain why in some states, entire school districts will close Wednesday.

School districts are closed in Chapel Hill, NC and Alexandria, VA because so many teachers have asked to participate in the Women's Strike. In Brooklyn, NY, a preschool sent a letter to parents saying it supports teachers who are calling in to work because it shows kids "we do actually practice all that we teach them."

The American Federation of Teachers and several smaller local unions also have members participating in rallies.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers will be picketing schools on Wednesday to protest "five years without raises," and the Chicago Teacher's Union told NBC News its members would be rallying that evening.
PHOTOS: Women March Around the World
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten told NBC News that Wednesday isn't an AFT strike "in the traditional sense," but a teacher who wants to participate would be making an "individual decision." Weingarten will be speaking at the Women Workers Rising rally in Washington, DC.

Events are also taking place at colleges. Ghazala Hashmi, a faculty engagement coordinator at Reynolds Community College in Richmond, VA, told NBC News the school granted teachers permission to hold a rally on campus.

"We rally for the rights of girls and women throughout the world," said Hashmi, "To quality education, medical resources, and social and legal protections from sexual violence and gender oppression."

LGBTQ and 'Gender Strikes'

In North Carolina, contentious protests have been taking place for the better part of a year in response to then-Gov. Pat McCrory's signing of an anti-LGBT law in early 2016. House Bill 2 (H.B. 2) is one of many issues that Ensemble of North Carolina community organizer Tiffany Lloyd expects to be raised at a Wednesday rally in Greensboro.

"H.B. 2 not only negatively impacted LGBTQ+ people," Lloyd said, "It also took away labor protections, recourse for sexual harassment protections and negatively impacted the disabled."
Related: GOP Leaders Push Health Care Bill Amid Rank-and-File Opposition
Lloyd said she expected a wide range of participants based on organizers who are "overwhelmingly women of color and queer women," who are "looking toward an intersectional feminism at this strike."

In San Francisco, nearly 300 people signed up on a Facebook event page to strike against gender itself. The " Gender Strike! Bay Area" plan to march to the city's ICE headquarters and "build a wall around ICE" to protest deportations.

"As feminists," read a statement on the event's Facebook page, "We see the struggle against ICE, against deportations, against borders, imperialism, and nationalism, as deeply intertwined with and crucial to the struggle for gender liberation."

In Miami, a group is organizing a " Femmes Day of Resistance" for feminine-presenting people of all genders. Organizer Megan Shade told NBC News that Miami Femmes Coalition has several platform points including seeing Miami-Dade County become a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants and for an end to "gender violence."

"We are strong and together are a powerful force," said Shade."The future is femme. And we are just getting started."

The Trump Factor

January's Women's March attempted to avoid partisanship, inviting conservative and liberal women of all backgrounds to take part. But over a month after the inauguration of President Trump, Women's March co-founder Bob Bland told NBC News the "misogynist views and actions of the Trump administration transcend partisan politics."

"What we're seeing is a threat to women overall and to our democracy," said Bland. "We would need to do this regardless of who's in office."

Reproductive rights advocates like Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Federation will be protesting in D.C. at the "Resist Trump/Kill the Gag" rally. The groups slammed the so-called "Global Gag Rule" that Trump signed on January 24, which bans health care providers worldwide from discussing abortion with patients if they receive U.S. funding.

Also in DC at the Women Workers Rising rally, protesters will stand outside the U.S. Department of Labor building and ask the Trump administration for an "end to workplace violence and harassment and to promote pay equity, one fair living wage, paid leave, and labor rights at work," according to a statement on the event's website.

The Value of Labor

Because some women are skipping work, the subject of pay equity is prominent.

Lloyd said one goal shared by North Carolina protesters is "not only for women to get equal pay, but also a living wage of $15 an hour."

Taking a day off of work isn't possible for everyone, and the Women's Strike has faced criticism as some have dubbed it ' A Day Without Privileged Women.' The strike's organizing team in the U.S. has responded to the critics by pointing out their own diverse backgrounds.

Lloyd also rejected arguments that striking was a "privileged" move.

"It's a patronizing, liberal statement to say that only women of privilege can take part," said Lloyd. " We have to go forward and upward - the constant criticisms aren't helping. Nobody's perfect, nobody gets it the right the first time. It's just that something has to be done."

The Fight for 15 movement, which advocates for a living wage for fast food workers, took part in a Sunday rally in Los Angeles for International Women's Day - one that may have been necessary for some working women that can't afford to strike.

The National Women's Law Center, which advocates for equal pay and conducts research into the wage gap, announced in a blog post that it would be closing its office Wednesday to allow employees to participate in the strike.

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Women's Strike: 'A Day Without a Woman' events take place worldwide

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What would happen in a world where women didn't exist? That's what people around the globe on Wednesday will attempt to demonstrate by taking part in one of the largest-ever International Women's Day protests.

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A Danish schoolboy has discovered the remains of a Messerschmitt fighter plane that crashed on his family’s farm during the Second World War.

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The father and son began to find fragments of the aircraft at a depth of around 12ft. They eventually managed to recover the engine of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, bullets from its machine guns and even the remains of its pilot.

"We found a motor, then suddenly we found parts of bones, and parts from the pilot's clothes," Mr Kristiansen told the BBC.

"And then we found some personal things - books, a wallet with money...either it was a little Bible or it was Mein Kampf - a book in his pocket. We didn't touch it, we just put it in some bags." Mr Kristiansen, a farmer, contacted the authorities to tell them what he and his son had discovered.

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Schoolboy in Denmark finds downed Messerschmitt on family farm

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The father and son began to find fragments of the aircraft at a depth of around 12ft. They eventually managed to recover the engine of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, bullets from its machine guns and even the remains of its pilot.

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Tornado leaves Oak Grove couple’s home in shambles, destroying many wedding materials as well

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At Least Two Dozen Tornadoes Confirmed in Midwest, South on March 6-7.

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global warming and its effect on weather

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At Least Two Dozen Tornadoes Confirmed in Midwest, South on March 6-7. - wunderground.com

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At least two dozen tornadoes crossed through the Midwest and South on March 6-7.

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leawood family was a room away when the tornado ripped part of the house off

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Area DISH subscribers see KTLA go dark after fee dispute with Tribune TV

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DISH subscribers in the region are probably wondering what happened to KTLA.

Tribune Broadcasting Company ended DISH customer access to 42 local channels in 33 markets after a dispute over carriage fees. The blackout began Sunday and affected WGN America access nationwide.

In Los Angeles and Orange County, KTLA (the CW network) was blacked out, while in San Diego KSWB (Fox) was blacked out.

Tribune's decision was done, "intentionally harming and exploiting millions of innocent consumers in an effort to raise carriage rates and gain negotiating leverage for an unrelated cable channel with declining viewership, WGN America," DISH said in a press release.

"Tribune is demanding an unreasonable rate increase for channels that are available for free over the air," said Warren Schlichting, DISH executive vice president of Programming, in a statement. "Actions like Tribune's are what drive price increases and feed customer frustration for our industry."

Gary Weitman, spokesman for Chicago-based Tribune Media, said in a statement that Tribune has reached agreements with other distributors but "DISH refuses to reach an agreement based on fair-market value."

DISH claims Tribune is force bundling the unrelated, and low-performing cable channel, WGN American, with its local broadcast stations. DISH argues that this move "is using local viewers as leverage to raise rates for WGN America."

DISH, which has almost 14 million subscribers, is offering free antennas that will allow customers to watch Tribune local channels for free.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans

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Where's my CW channel? Area DISH subscribers see KTLA go dark after fee dispute with Tribune TV

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DISH subscribers in the region are probably wondering what happened to KTLA. Tribune Broadcasting Company ended DISH customer access to 42 local channels in 33 markets after a dispute over carriage fees. The blackout began Sunday and affected WGN America access nationwide.

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a cruise ship came to close to a mans property

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Gunmen wearing white lab coats stormed a military hospital in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people and wounding dozens in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

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Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Demetrius Harris was arrested in Bates County, Missouri on Monday afternoon. Harris was charged with felony possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, according to a Missouri Highway Patrol report.

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AP Images (Rick Scuteri)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris

SOURCE: AP Images (Rick Scuteri)

Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Demetrius Harris was arrested in Bates County, Missouri on Monday afternoon.

Harris was charged with felony possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, according to a Missouri Highway Patrol report.

He was sent to the Bates County Jail where he was later released.

Bates, 25, was arrested at 4:22 p.m. No other details were released.

KMBC 9 News has reached out to the Kansas City Chiefs for a comment. No comment has been released yet.
For news updates on the go, download the KMBC 9 News app

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Kansas City Chief Demetrius Harris arrested for marijuana possession

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AP Images (Rick Scuteri) Kansas City Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris SOURCE: AP Images (Rick Scuteri) Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Demetrius Harris was arrested in Bates County, Missouri on Monday afternoon. Harris was charged with felony possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, according to a Missouri Highway Patrol report.

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Kabul: At least 30 killed in attack on military hospital

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The ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq said the terror group claimed responsibility for the attack near Kabul's heavily fortified diplomatic quarter.

First, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the south gate to the Sardar Mohammed Daud Khan hospital, said Sediq Sediqqi, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman. Known as "the 400-bed hospital," it's the country's biggest and best-equipped medical facility.

Three gunmen then invaded the hospital, made their way to the second and third floors and opened fire, Sediqqi said. Among those killed were Afghan military personnel recovering from battle wounds, doctors and hospital employees.

Security forces and police mounted a counteroffensive. Heavily armed soldiers and armored vehicles surrounded the facility, a helicopter landed on the roof and a few patients climbed out of windows and stood on a ledge to escape the violence, video shows.

Soldiers killed the attackers about 3:30 p.m. local time (6 a.m. Wednesday ET) after six hours of fighting.

As soldiers cleared the building, they discovered bodies and the number of casualties quickly grew.

More than 50 people were wounded and taken to the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital, said Smael Kawosi, media relation officer for the Ministry of Health. It's not known whether any security personnel or police officers were killed.

The Taliban has claimed credit for other recent attacks. But a Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mojahid, denied responsibility for this rampage in a tweet, saying: "Today's attack on hospital in Kabul has nothing to do with the Mujahidin of Islamic Emirate," using the group's formal name.

In the vacuum of a Taliban claim, Amaq said ISIS claimed responsibility. Though it is credible that ISIS planned and carried out the attack, CNN has not independently verified the claim.

This is not the first attack at the hospital named after Afghanistan's first president. In May 2011, suicide bombers got inside, and killed six people and injured 26 others. The Taliban claimed responsibility.

Explosions, then gunfire

Witnesses told CNN an explosion was first heard at 9 a.m. local time (11.30 p.m. Tuesday ET).

Afghan National Police special forces rushed in. "At first there was a firing followed by a huge blast," an employee at a nearby hospital said.

An employee at an Italian restaurant nearby said she heard one explosion, then heard gunfire about 25 minutes later.

The attackers were not immediately killed because security forces were busy evacuating patients, the defense ministry statement said.

Attack condemned

US Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of Resolute Support and US Forces in Afghanistan, said the attack "is an unspeakable crime." He praised security forces for the swift response, saying the forces deserve "our highest praise and respect."

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said the attack shows terrorists "don't follow rules and laws."

"According to international humanitarian laws, hospitals are immune from attacks," he said.

Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah tweeted: "I condemn the terrorist attacked on hospital in Kabul. While we work for peace, we'll avenge the blood of our people."

The US Embassy in Kabul said, "Targeting a medical facility providing care for the brave Afghans working to protect their fellow citizens has no possible justification in any religion or creed."

NATO forces in Afghanistan indicated that the organization was standing by to assist Afghan security forces, according to tweets from Operation Resolute Support.

"Once again insurgents show complete disrespect for humanity by attacking a hospital. We stand with Afghan people against terrorism."

Soft targets

Militants have long targeted loosely guarded targets in Kabul and across Afghanistan. Last month, at least 20 people died after a suicide blast outside Afghanistan's Supreme Court in Kabul, police and other officials told CNN.

A suicide bomber detonated his explosives in a parking lot near the court in the Afghan capital, according to Basir Mojahid, spokesman for Kabul's chief of police.

Earlier in the year, a spate of attacks -- two suicide bombings near the Afghan Parliament in Kabul, an explosion at a Kandahar province government compound and a suicide bombing in Helmand province -- left dozens of people dead and wounded.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the Kabul attacks, which killed at least 36 people and injured 76 others in the capital.

Last summer, seven students, three police officers and two security guards were killed in the attack on the American University of Afghanistan campus in the capital.

Police searched the university's grounds and killed two attackers who stormed the campus with guns and explosives, Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of Kabul police's criminal investigation department, said. The gunmen detonated explosives and fired guns, witnesses said, causing some students and faculty to flee.

CNN's Ehsan Popalzai reported from Kabul, Ralph Ellis wrote from Atlanta, Euan McKirdy wrote from Hong Kong and Nick Paton Walsh contributed analysis.

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kabul military hospital attack leaves 30 dead - cnn

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The ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq said the terror group claimed responsibility for the attack near Kabul's heavily fortified diplomatic quarter. First, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the south gate to the Sardar Mohammed Daud Khan hospital, said Sediq Sediqqi, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman.

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Attackers dressed in medical uniforms stormed a military hospital in the heart of the Afghan capital of Kabul on Wednesday, killing more than 30 people and wounding at least 50, said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense.

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Brandon Marshall accepted a 12 million dollar contract with the New York Giants.

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Former New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall has signed a deal with the New York Giants, the team announced Wednesday.

The deal is for two years and worth $12 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Marshall tweeted a picture of his signed contract.

Done Deal!!!! #GMEN pic.twitter.com/9sFpQBXjFx
- Brandon Marshall (@BMarshall) March 8, 2017

"They definitely didn't offer me the most money," Marshall said on a conference call. "It probably was the least money. It was all about championships, to get straight to the point. They presented the best opportunity to be in a championship organization."

Marshall will team with Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard to form a formidable wide receiver corps for the Giants.

"I just think there is a lot of opportunity on the other side of Odell, with a young guy in Shepard being in the slot," Marshall said of joining the Giants.

"Just to keep defensive coordinators and the opposing defense honest," he explained. "I think there is a lot of opportunity to definitely produce, given that Odell is on the other side."

The Jets granted Marshall's wish and released the wide receiver last week, saving $7.5 million against their salary cap.

Marshall and the Jets discussed the possibility of a return in 2017 -- a source close to Marshall told Schefter the team offered a contract extension with no pay cut -- but they eventually decided to part ways. The Jets made no attempt to trade him, knowing it was a long shot.

Marshall, who will turn 33 on March 23, was voted by the Jets as the team MVP in 2015 after he set franchise records for catches (109) and receiving yards (1,502) in a season. He also tied for the NFL lead with 14 receiving touchdowns. From there, the well-traveled veteran suffered perhaps his worst season in 2016, managing only 59 catches, 788 yards and three touchdowns.

Brandon Marshall moving over to the Giants might not sit well with Jets fans, but it certainly beats him joinning AFC East rival New England.

By acquiring Brandon Marshall, the Giants now have a big-bodied playmaker who can take defensive pressure away from star WR Odell Beckham Jr.

Undermined, in part, by poor quarterback play, his catch percentage (receptions/targets) was only 46.7 percent, 143rd among 144 qualifying players.

The Jets acquired Marshall in 2015 from the Bears, costing them only a fifth-round pick. It was hailed as one of the best trades of the offseason, helping Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan win NFL Executive of the Year. Marshall distanced himself from his reputation as a problem in the locker room, but there were a couple of flare-ups last season. He and teammate Sheldon Richardson engaged in a heated argument following the Week 3 loss in Kansas City.

Marshall is one of the most prolific receivers in the game -- only 59 receptions shy of 1,000 -- but he has yet to reach the postseason in his 11-year career.

The six-time Pro Bowl selection has played for the Broncos, Dolphins, Bears and Jets in 11 seasons.
ESPN's Rich Cimini contributed to this report.

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Former New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall has signed a deal with the New York Giants, the team announced Wednesday. The deal is for two years and worth $12 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Marshall tweeted a picture of his signed contract. Done Deal!!!!

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Poachers kill rare giant tusker elephant in Kenya

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Conservations discovered the body of Satao II, one of the country's largest, most iconic elephants during a routine flyover of Tsavo National Park.

Satao II likely died when he was shot by a poisoned arrow in a poaching attempt, wildlife conservation group Tsavo Trust said.

The group found the elephant in January, but did not reveal his death until this week. He was about 50 years old.

Park rangers found Satao II's body near a river in the eastern half of the park in an area described as a "poaching hotspot" by Tsavo Trust.

Tusker elephants are known for having tusks so large, they touch the ground. Rangers recovered his long, heavy tusks before poachers claimed them.

Wildlife conservationists detained two poachers believed to be responsible for Satao II's death about two weeks later, according to the Tsavo Trust. They also recovered an AK-47 along with three bows and 12 poisoned arrows.

"Although this a very sad loss in every way, we can take some positive from this in that Satao II's carcass was indeed found with the ivory intact and recovered before it could fall into the wrong hands and further fuel the illegal ivory market," Tsavo Trust wrote on its website.

"More importantly, this poaching gang that possibly tried to poach Satao II has been broken forever."

Satao II was named after his famous predecessor, Satao, a giant tusker killed by poachers in 2014. When rangers found his body, his tusks were missing and his face was so badly mutilated that authorities had difficulty identifying him.

Giant tusker elephants, named for the massive length and weight of their tusks, are rare and highly endangered. Satao II was one of 10 giant tuskers living in the Tsavo National Park. Only 30 tuskers remain in Africa, according to wildlife charity Save the Elephants.

Elephants are poached for their ivory tusks, which are used as trophies or carved into trinkets and ornaments.

Despite an international ban on the trade of ivory, the demand for it persists. Poachers kill between 20,000 and 30,000 elephants a year for their tusks, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Elephant tusks sell on the black market for thousands of dollars, making it a lucrative trade and endangering an increasingly fragile population.

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poachers kill rare giant tusker elephant in kenya - cnn

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Poachers kill rare giant tusker elephant in Kenya

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Conservations discovered the body of Satao II, one of the country's largest, most iconic elephants during a routine flyover of Tsavo National Park. Satao II likely died when he was shot by a poisoned arrow in a poaching attempt, wildlife conservation group Tsavo Trust said.

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Donald Trump tweeted about national women's day and it backfired.

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Attackers dressed in medical uniforms stormed a military hospital on Wednesday, killing more than 30 people and wounding at least 50.

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Suspended from one game

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KU's Josh Jackson has been suspended for one game by coach Bill Self.

The suspension, which means Jackson won't play in the first Big 12 Tournament game, is related to a Feb. 2 incident. Jackson reportedly backed into a vehicle on campus and left without leaving contact information.

"Although Josh has acknowledged his responsibility and has handled it himself, he didn't tell me about it until Monday. He should have left his contact information at the time and notified us immediately," Self said in a news release.

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KU's Josh Jackson has been suspended for one game by coach Bill Self. The suspension, which means Jackson won't play in the first Big 12 Tournament game, is related to a Feb. 2 incident. Jackson reportedly backed into a vehicle on campus and left without leaving contact information.

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Organizers say it was intended in the same spirit of "love and liberation" that inspired women's marches worldwide. But many are complaining that "A Day Without a Woman" will leave many women in a bind.
The national strike movement on Wednesday coincides with International Women's Day. It aims to draw attention to inequities working women face compared to men, from wage disparity to harassment to job insecurity.
Several school districts across the country are closing to allow staff and teachers the chance to participate. While some people in those communities applauded district leadership for the show of solidarity, others criticized them for leaving working families scrambling to find childcare.

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More than 30 people have been killed after attackers dressed as doctors stormed the largest military hospital in Kabul, Afghan officials say.

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More than 30 people have been killed after attackers dressed as doctors stormed the largest military hospital in Kabul, Afghan officials say.

Militants armed with guns and grenades gained entry after one detonated explosives at a hospital gate and then opened fire on staff and patients.

Commandos who landed on the Sardar Daud hospital roof killed all four attackers after several hours of fighting.

The so-called Islamic State (IS) group has claimed the attack.

The Taliban has denied any involvement.

More than 50 people were also wounded, the defence ministry said.

Read more:
World powers jostle in Afghanistan's new 'Great Game' How successful has IS been in Afghanistan? Stuck between IS and the Taliban
President Ashraf Ghani said the attack at the 400-bed hospital "trampled all human values".

"In all religions, a hospital is regarded as an immune site and attacking it is attacking the whole of Afghanistan," he said.

The attack began at 09:00 local time (04:30 GMT). One hospital staff member who was able to get out saw an attacker "wearing a white coat holding a Kalashnikov and opening fire on everyone, including the guards, patients and doctors".

One employee wrote on Facebook: "Attackers are inside the hospital. Pray for us."

Change of tactic: Analysis by Inayatulhaq Yasini, BBC Afghan

The hospital attack marks a change in approach by so-called Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan - it's the first time they have engaged directly with security forces in the capital.

Previously they have targeted civilian gatherings, mainly of Shia Muslims, as well as causing carnage at the Supreme Court last month.

But at the hospital they used an approach more commonly associated with the Taliban - blowing the gates open to allow gunmen to enter. This suggests they now have the resources and the military training to expand their attacks.

If that's the case, the security forces could face more such assaults in the coming months.

In the two years since it announced its presence in Afghanistan, IS has mainly engaged with Afghan forces - and more powerful, rival Taliban fighters - in the east, near the Pakistan border. It has failed so far to widen its base in the country - one reason, observers suggest, it may now be mounting more headline-grabbing attacks.

The government claims it has rooted out IS militants from a number of bases in the east - but has yet to dislodge them from mountainous areas they control.

TV pictures showed people hiding from the gunmen on ledges outside windows on upper floors of the building.

More than six hours after the attack began, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi tweeted that special forces had ended their operation and all the attackers were dead.

The IS-affiliated Amaq news agency shared two images via the Telegram messaging app that appeared to show one of the militants taking part in the assault and a number of dead bodies.

Afghanistan's de-facto deputy leader Abdullah Abdullah also condemned the attack on Twitter and vowed to "avenge the blood of our people".

IS announced it was moving into Afghanistan and Pakistan when it declared its so-called Khorasan Province in 2015 and has since carried out a number of attacks.

In July 2016, a suicide bomb attack on a rally in Kabul killed about 80 people.

Three months later, two similar attacks during the religious festival of Ashura claimed about 30 lives and in November 2016 an attack at a mosque in Kabul killed more than 30.

IS also claimed a suicide attack at Kabul's Supreme Court last month that killed 22 people and has stepped up activity in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Taliban has also been carrying out attacks, killing 16 people in Kabul in suicide attacks a week ago, after beginning its Spring offensive early.

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More than 30 people have been killed after attackers dressed as doctors stormed the largest military hospital in Kabul, Afghan officials say. Militants armed with guns and grenades gained entry after one detonated explosives at a hospital gate and then opened fire on staff and patients.

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Gen. Robert Neller, the commandant of the Marine corps, called the Marines who harassed their colleagues on social media in the wake of the release of nude photos “embarrassing to our Corps, to our families and to the nation.”

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Rare "Giant Tusker" elephant killed by poachers, 25 left in the wild.

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details of deadly bus-train crash in mississippi emerge

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Mr. Kohl- First, the list of temporarily banned countries has gone from seven to six. Iraq’s not on it anymore. Second, the new ban doesn’t apply to people who already have valid US visas and green cards. Third, all refugees are temporarily banned from entering the US except the one’s who’ve already been OK’d to come. Syrian refugees are no longer banned indefinitely. All of this takes effect next week.

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Mr. Kohl- First, the list of temporarily banned countries has gone from seven to six. Iraq’s not on it anymore. Second, the new ban doesn’t apply to people who already have valid US visas and green cards. Third, all refugees are temporarily banned from entering the US except the one’s who’ve already been OK’d to come. Syrian refugees are no longer banned indefinitely. All of this takes effect next week.