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Trump earlier Thursday signed an executive order demanding government agencies to begin to get rid of Obama Care.

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CNN anchor Erin Burnett labeled President Trump the "hypocrite-in-chief" on Thursday after the president signed his 50th executive order in office.

"Hypocrite-in-chief - President Trump doing something today he harshly criticized President Obama for doing. Trump signed his 50th executive order today," Burnett said on her show "Out Front."

Trump earlier Thursday signed an executive order directing government agencies to begin to roll back parts of ObamaCare, after Republicans in Congress failed to pass legislation to repeal and replace former President Obama's signature health care law.

Burnett noted that on the campaign trail Trump frequently took to criticizing Obama for signing executive orders when he was in office.

"We have a president that can't get anything done so he just keeps signing executive orders all over the place," Trump said in January 2016, according to The Washington Post.

"Nobody wants to listen to [Obama], including the Democrats, so he just goes around signing executive orders," he said in November 2015.

However, his criticism of Obama's executive orders goes back further than the campaign trail.

"Why is @BarackObama constantly issuing executive orders that are major power grabs of authority? This is the latest," Trump tweeted in 2012.

Why is @BarackObama constantly issuing executive orders that are major power grabs of authority? This is the latest
http://t.co/4IVBckTE
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2012

Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard Paul House bill set to reignite debate on warrantless surveillance Authorizing military force is necessary, but insufficient GOP feuds with outside group over analysis of tax framework MORE (R-Ky.), who was also critical of Obama's past executive action, defended Trump's health care order on Thursday, saying Trump was not creating a new law with the measure.

"We've read the original law and we believe what the president did today is basically an interpretation of the original law, and doesn't create new territory," Paul said on CNN.

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CNN anchor dubs Trump 'hypocrite-in-chief' for signing 50 executive orders

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CNN anchor Erin Burnett labeled President Trump the "hypocrite-in-chief" on Thursday after the president signed his 50th executive order in office. "Hypocrite-in-chief - President Trump doing something today he harshly criticized President Obama for doing. Trump signed his 50th executive order today," Burnett said on her show "Out Front."

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An american women and her husband was Canadian they had three kids and was held hostage for almost about five years they where kidnapped in 2012 and they where tourist traveling to Afghanistan

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The family were released as part of an operation conducted by Pakistani security forces, according to a Pakistan army statement that was later confirmed by US officials.

The couple, American Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, 33, were kidnapped in 2012 while they were backpacking Afghanistan. Coleman was pregnant when she was kidnapped and the couple had two more children in captivity.

Pakistan said it had secured their release after receiving intelligence from the US. "The operation by Pakistani forces, based on actionable intelligence from US authorities was successful; all hostages were recovered safe and sound and are being repatriated to the country of their origin," the statement said.

US officials said intelligence about the family's location had been shared with Pakistan officials in recent days.

Boyle's parents, Patrick and Linda, told CNN that they had spoken to their son and that all of the family members were in good health. They learned for the first time in the call that they now have a granddaughter.

Arrangements were being made to return the family either to the US or Canada.

Pakistan official: No deal

Some of the circumstances surrounding the family's release remained unclear late Thursday.

A senior US official told CNN that US intelligence assets had detected and monitored the movement of vehicles believed to be transporting the family. US officials provided this information to Pakistani authorities and US officials even began unilaterally discussing a possible US-staged rescue attempt.

However, to the surprise of the US government, the Pakistani authorities called back their US counterparts to say they had taken custody of all five family members. "That was a surprise to us," the official said.

According to the US official, it was not clear what the Pakistanis "said or did" on the ground to get the family back. But the official added there was no evidence that any Haqqani prisoners held by the Afghan government were released in a prisoner exchange. The US described the Pakistani operation a "transfer of custody," the official said.

A Pakistani military official told CNN his government received the US intelligence about the movement of the hostages on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Pakistani time. The Pakistanis launched their operation three hours later.

The official said the recovery operation was conducted by Pakistani intelligence agents with the Pakistani military helping to secure the perimeter. He said that the operation took place in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in northwestern Pakistan while the family was being transported from one location to another.

The operation involved a shootout with the kidnappers with some being killed in the firefight and others being arrested, according to the official.

He added that the hostages were retrieved in a "rescue operation" and there was "no deal" with the Haqqani Network.

After the hostages were recovered, they were taken to the town of Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan. From there they were taken to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where Coleman and Boyle met with their countries' respective officials. The meetings lasted for about six hours and the family were expected to remain in Pakistan for about 24 hours, the official said.

Parents: Son fears arrest

A senior US official said Joshua Boyle refused to board a US military plane that was on standby to take the faily to the US because of fears that he would face arrest.

Boyle was previously married to the sister of Omar Kadhr, a Canadian imprisoned for 10 years at the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after fighting US troops in Afghanistan.

Kadhr later sued the Canadian government for violating international law by allegedly not protecting him and conspiring with his US captors, who he says abused him.

The senior US official said there were some questions surrounding Boyle's past. But a Department of Justice spokesman, Wyn Hornbuckle, said US authorities did not intend to arrest Boyle.

"Throughout the captivity of Boyle and Coleman, the department focused its efforts on supporting their recovery and identifying and holding accountable those responsible for taking them hostage," Hornbuckle said. "Coleman and Boyle are not charged with any federal crime and, as such, we do not seek their arrest."

Trump: Pakistan starting to respect US again

President Donald Trump thanked Pakistan for its role in recovering the hostages. "The Pakistani government's cooperation is a sign that it is honoring America's wish that it do more to provide security in the region," Trump said.

"I want to thank Pakistan. They worked very hard on this and I believe they are starting to respect the United States again," Trump added.

In his recently announced strategy for Afghanistan and the wider region, Trump advocated a tougher approach to Pakistan in an effort to persuade Pakistani authorities to crack down harder on the Taliban.

"We hope to see this type of cooperation and teamwork in helping secure the release of remaining hostages and in our future joint counterterrorism operations," Trump said in an earlier statement.

More US hostages

US intelligence officials believed the couple were being held by the Haqqani Network, a branch of the Taliban believed to be responsible for some of the group's most violent and sophisticated attacks. In December the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, said the Haqqani Network held a total of five American hostages.

The Taliban released a "proof of life" video of Coleman, Boyle and their two children in December 2016 where Coleman addressed President Barack Obama and then President-elect Trump, saying the Taliban "are not going to simply release our family easily, because it is correct. They want money, power and friends. ... We are told there are Afghans who are prisoners in Kabul that these men care about."

The Afghan government has captured several senior members of the Haqqani Network and US officials believed the Taliban faction had hoped to exchange American hostages for their release.

The US military has long believed that Pakistan's principal intelligence organization, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, has maintained links with the Taliban, particularly the Haqqani Network.

"I think it's clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups," Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate Armed Services Hearing on Afghanistan and South Asia last week, using the Pakistan intelligence agency's acronym.

Trump has previously slammed Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorist groups like the Haqqani Network.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis has already withheld millions in military funding from Pakistan due to the Pentagon's view that Islamabad has not "taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Network."

The Taliban continue to hold other western hostages including US citizen Kevin King, 60, and Australian citizen Timothy Weeks, 48. Both men were working as teachers at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul when they were forcibly kidnapped from a vehicle in August 2016.

In September, three administration officials told CNN that US Special Operations Forces from SEAL Team 6 attempted to rescue the two teachers shortly after they were kidnapped but the captives were not at the location the US forces raided.

One other American is believed to be held hostage in Afghanistan or Pakistan: writer Paul Overby, who is in his 70s.

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north american family held hostage by taliban freed - cnn

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Family held hostage by Taliban freed after 5 years

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The family were released as part of an operation conducted by Pakistani security forces, according to a Pakistan army statement that was later confirmed by US officials. The couple, American Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, 33, were kidnapped in 2012 while they were backpacking Afghanistan.

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Firefighters battling raging wildfires in Northern California showed their patriotic spirit this week when they interrupted their fatiguing work to save an American flag.

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Firefighters battling raging wildfires in Northern California showed their patriotic spirit this week when they interrupted their fatiguing work to save an American flag.

As deadly flames approached Table Mountain in Butte County, which is north of Sacramento, firefighter took down a large flag fluttering in someone's backyard and carefully placed it inside the house.

Cade Boeger told Action News Now he was surprised to get home on Wednesday after evacuating his family and not only finding that his home, which was dangerously close to being swallowed up by the fast-moving fire, was still standing - but that firefighters took the time to carefully preserve his giant flag. He said he put the flag up because he has great respect for those who have served in the military.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES MAY HAVE BEEN SPARKED BY POWER LINES AS DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 23
Boeger's family evacuated on Wednesday as the fires approached. The wildfires in northern California have killed 23 people and destroyed 3,500 structures. Several hundred people are missing.

Boeger said he mentally prepared himself to return home and find his home devoured by the fire. But instead, he found his house intact.

And when he walked in, he said he found his flag had been "folded neatly and laid out there respectfully on the couch. And I just kind of froze and just looked at it and said how did this happen?" he told Action News Now.

"There's not really a lot of words you can put around the emotions that you have of not having your house burn down and having to start from scratch again," he said. "So, I just say thank you so much and appreciate the gesture."

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California firefighters save American flag in someone's yard as deadly inferno approached it

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Firefighters battling raging wildfires in Northern California showed their patriotic spirit this week when they interrupted their fatiguing work to save an American flag. As deadly flames approached Table Mountain in Butte County, which is north of Sacramento, firefighter took down a large flag fluttering in someone's backyard and carefully placed it inside the house.

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A Texas woman whose husband and son were killed last summer in the Bastille Day terror attack in Nice, France, is suing Google, Facebook and Twitter, alleging the tech giants played a role in “aiding and abetting” and providing “material support” to the terrorist.

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A Texas woman whose husband and son were killed last summer in the Bastille Day terror attack in Nice, France, is suing Google, Facebook and Twitter, alleging the tech giants played a role in "aiding and abetting" and providing "material support" to the terrorist.

Sean Copeland, 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie were among the more than 80 people killed when a truck, whose driver was linked to Islamic State (ISIS), smashed through a crowd of people gathered last July for the Bastille Day fireworks along a popular promenade. The father and son were in Europe on vacation with Sean's wife, Kim, and his two other children from a previous marriage.

"Kim Copeland is filing this lawsuit hoping that there will be no more funerals where ISIS and others continue to conduct terrorist operations using social media as a tool," Keith Altman, one of the lawyer's representing Kim Copeland, told Fox News in an email. "She also wants to see Google, Facebook, and Twitter change their behaviors and act reasonably and responsibly by taking active steps to disrupt ISIS and other nefarious groups' ability to use their sites to cause death and destruction."

The complaint, filed Thursday in the northern district of California, argues that the three Silicon Valley-based companies "have knowingly and recklessly provided the terrorist group ISIS with accounts to use its social networks as a tool for spreading extremist propaganda, raising funds, and attracting new recruits."

"Without Defendants Twitter, Facebook, and Google (YouTube), the explosive growth of ISIS over the last few years into the most feared terrorist group in the world would not have been possible," the complaint states.

Copeland's lawsuit is just the latest in a series of legal actions leveled against the three tech companies by Altman on behalf of the families of terror attack victims.

Earlier this month, the family of California man killed in August's terror attack in Barcelona filled suit against Google, Facebook and Twitter and, in June, Altman brought a case against the companies on behalf of a Jordanian citizen killed in the New Year's Eve terror attack by ISIS at an Istanbul nightclub that left 39 dead.

To date, Altman has leveled seven lawsuits against the three tech giants - alleging that Google, Facebook and Twitter have allowed their social media platforms to be used as a tool to recruit jihadists and that these companies have even profited from advertisements on terrorist propaganda.

Altman and others have begun to argue that social media sites may be violating the provision with their heavily guarded algorithms and that these companies have the resources to monitor any terror activity on their platforms.

"I want to show that there is no social benefit to letting terrorists use social media," Altman said.

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Facebook, Google, Twitter sued by family of American killed in Nice terror attack

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The complaint, filed in the northern district of California, argues that the three Silicon Valley-based companies "have knowingly and recklessly provided the terrorist group ISIS with accounts to use its social networks as a tool for spreading extremist propaganda, raising funds, and attracting new recruits."

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President Trump on Thursday took executive action on health care, calling for a plan that could let employers band together and offer coverage across state lines as Congress stalls on efforts to overhaul ObamaCare.

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President Trump on Thursday took executive action on health care, calling for a plan that could let employers band together and offer coverage across state lines as Congress stalls on efforts to overhaul ObamaCare.

"So this is promoting health care, choice and competition all across the United States," Trump said as he signed the order in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. "This is going to be something that millions and millions of people will be signing up for and they're going to be very happy. This will be great health care."

The president described the executive order as "the first steps to providing millions of Americans with ObamaCare relief." He said he isn't giving up on getting lawmakers to repeal the law.

"We are going to also pressure Congress very strongly to finish the repeal and the replace of ObamaCare once and for all," Trump said.

The executive order aims to offer "alternatives" to ObamaCare plans and increase competition to bring down costs, the White House said.

The president was joined at the signing by several Republican lawmakers, including Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who called it "the biggest free market reform of health care in a generation."

"This reform, if it works and goes as planned, will allow millions of people to get insurance across state lines at an inexpensive price," Paul said.
TRUMP'S HEALTH CARE EXECUTIVE ORDER: WHAT TO KNOW
Trump said he will direct the secretary of labor to consider expanding access to Association Health Plans, which could allow employers to form groups across state lines offering coverage. The White House says these plans could offer lower rates.

"Insurance companies will be fighting to get every single person signed up," Trump said. "And you will hopefully be negotiating, negotiating, negotiating. And you'll get such low prices for such great care. Should have been done a long time ago and it could have been done a long time ago."

Those "association health plans" could be shielded from some state and federal insurance requirements. But responding to concerns, the White House said participating employers could not exclude any workers from the plan, or charge more to those in poor health.

The order also calls on other federal agencies to consider expanding coverage in low-cost, short-term insurance plans not subject to ObamaCare rules.

It's unlikely to reverse the trend of insurers exiting state markets. About half of U.S. counties will have only one ObamaCare insurer next year, although it appears that no counties will be left without a carrier as was initially feared.

The move comes after congressional Republicans repeatedly have been unable to pass legislation repealing or reforming the Affordable Care Act, which critics say has led to rising premiums and diminishing coverage options - in some cases forcing consumers to lose their previous plans and doctors. Trump's executive order could clear the way for cheaper, more bare-bones insurance policies.

Trump's order is likely to encounter opposition from medical associations, consumer groups and even insurers -- the same coalition that has blocked congressional Republicans. They say it would raise costs for the sick, while the lower-premium coverage for healthy people would come with significant gaps.

Cori Uccello, a senior health fellow for the American Academy of Actuaries, told Fox News that an issue with AHPs is regulation.

"There's uncertainty of who is going to have oversight in terms of consumer protection. What redress does a consumer have, appeals processes, those kinds of things," she said.

White House domestic policy director Andrew Bremberg told reporters during a conference call Thursday that the executive order is necessary because ObamaCare has caused "costs to skyrocket."

Bremberg acknowledged Trump's order could affect tens of millions of Americans and said the administration also intends to take "additional actions" on health care in the months to come.

The administration is hopeful these actions could be implemented within six months, a senior administration official said, but it could take longer to finalize.
Fox News' Kaitlyn Schallhorn and Serafin Gomez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Trump clears way for ObamaCare 'alternatives' in new executive order, goes around stalled Congress

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President Trump on Thursday took executive action on health care, calling for a plan that could let employers band together and offer coverage across state lines as Congress stalls on efforts to overhaul ObamaCare. "So this is promoting health care, choice and competition all across the United States," Trump said as he signed the order in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.

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Major drug bust in affluent Georgia homes yields 7 million dollars worth of Marijuana, 9 arrests were made.

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Georgia police discovered a "highly" sophisticated indoor pot operation in a Gainesville home, where a basement was converted into a greenhouse holding more than 500 marijuana plants, officials told Fox News.

"The photos really don't do it justice," Lt. Dan Scalia, who is in charge of the Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, told Fox News on Thursday. "Some of the plants were taller than me."

The home was part of a large-scale indoor marijuana growing network in northeast Georgia, officials said. Five other homes were searched, and authorities said they seized more than 300 pounds of marijuana and more than 1,500 plants totaling an estimated value of $7,168,900.

"It's the biggest drug network that I have ever been a part of," Scalia said.

The investigation began in early September after the narcotics squad received a tip about a possible grow house in the area. A three-week investigation led them to uncover a major network of interconnected homes, Scalia said.

Nine people have been arrested in connection with the operation.

Minh Luong, 53, of Gainesville; Phi Ngoc Luong, 25, of Hoschton; Henry Nguyen, 48, of Gainesville; Hang Nguyen, 53, of Duluth; and Thao Phoung Nguyen, 26, of Hoschton, were taken into custody on Sept. 18.

Trung Bui, 47, of Flowery Branch; Nam Van Dao, 46, of Gainesville; and Thu Thai Phan, 50, and Binh Van Hoang 52, both of Flowery Branch, were taken into custody several days later.

All nine suspects were charged with manufacturing, trafficking and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Additional arrest warrants were issued for Vinh To, 63; Sen Thi Do, 46; and Dung Nguyen, 47, all of Flowery Branch.

Scalia said the suspects were very stealthy in how they ran the operation - keeping a low profile, being considered good neighbors and maintaining the homes. He said basements were modified with special heat lamps and a custom ventilation system.

"Nothing [suspect] was visible on the outside of the homes," he added. "The basements were modified to handle the capacity."

Scalia said the narcotics squad is working to determine how long the network has been operational and where the drugs were being distributed to.

The FBI North Georgia Major Offender Task Force and the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force aided Hall County's squad.
Lucia I. Suarez Sang is a Reporter for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @luciasuarezsang

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Major drug bust in affluent Georgia homes yields $7M in marijuana, 9 arrests, officials say

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Georgia police discovered a "highly" sophisticated indoor pot operation in a Gainesville home, where a basement was converted into a greenhouse holding more than 500 marijuana plants, officials told Fox News. "The photos really don't do it justice," Lt. Dan Scalia, who is in charge of the Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, told Fox News on Thursday.

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Trump says ¨the FEMA, (Federal Emergency Management Agency) first responders can't be in Puerto Rico 'forever´

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President Donald Trump said Thursday the federal government cannot keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Puerto Rico "forever", even as the U.S. territory continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in September.

"We cannot keep FEMA, the Military, the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!" Trump tweeted.

"Puerto Rico survived the Hurricanes, now a financial crisis looms largely of their own making." says Sharyl Attkisson. A total lack of.....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

...accountability say the Governor. Electric and all infrastructure was disaster before hurricanes. Congress to decide how much to spend....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

...We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

The island is still in crisis mode as it struggles to restore power. Residents still do not have access to clean water and more than 5,700 residents are living in shelters, according to the office of Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello. Reports of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease, are beginning to surface. According to Puerto Rican officials, 64 percent of people have access to water.

The death toll following the hurricane has risen to 44. The Department of Defense said Wednesday that 16 percent of the island's residents are without power, although the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority puts the figure closer to 10 percent after an outage at one nuclear plant.

A news release from the Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday said that there are "reports of residents obtaining, or trying to obtain, drinking water from wells at hazardous waste 'Superfund' sites in Puerto Rico." The EPA also warned that raw sewage is seeping into Puerto Rico's waterways and will continue to do so until power is restored and repairs are made.

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Thursday on legislation that would include $18.7 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund and $16 billion for debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program.

The bill also includes a provision for the Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program, which allows low-income residents in Puerto Rico to receive the same emergency nutrition aid that other hurricane-affected states already receive.

The president visited Puerto Rico last Tuesday to survey the damage and meet with victims of the hurricane. He was criticized for throwing supplies into the crowd and for saying that local officials "can be proud" of the low death toll (which was 16 at the time of his visit) compared to the "thousands" lost in Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The president said last week that "we will not rest" until Puerto Rico has recovered from Maria.

"We will be there all the time to help Puerto Rico recover, restore, rebuild," Trump said during a Hispanic Heritage event at the White House.

ABC News' Joshua Hoyos and John Parkinson contributed to this report.

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Trump threatens to pull aid from Puerto Rico

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President Donald Trump said Thursday the federal government cannot keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Puerto Rico "forever", even as the U.S. territory continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in September. "We cannot keep FEMA, the Military, the First...

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Today Donald Trump took the first steps to getting rid of Obama Care.

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Trump begins Obamacare dismantling with executive order | CNN Politics

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President Donald Trump is signing an executive order that he says will bring affordable health insurance to millions more people

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Rapper Eminem trashed Donald Trump in a freestyle rap.

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Trump and Eminem once friendly, not anymore - CNN Video

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Rapper Eminem trashed President Donald Trump in a freestyle rap during the BET Hip Hop Awards. CNN's Jeanne Moos has the story.

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Trump is threatening to end aid on Puerto Rico saying that he can not keep the emergency management agency.

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President Donald Trump said Thursday the federal government cannot keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Puerto Rico "forever", even as the U.S. territory continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in September.

"We cannot keep FEMA, the Military, the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!" Trump tweeted.

"Puerto Rico survived the Hurricanes, now a financial crisis looms largely of their own making." says Sharyl Attkisson. A total lack of.....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

...accountability say the Governor. Electric and all infrastructure was disaster before hurricanes. Congress to decide how much to spend....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

...We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

The island is still in crisis mode as it struggles to restore power. Residents still do not have access to clean water and more than 5,700 residents are living in shelters, according to the office of Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello. Reports of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease, are beginning to surface. According to Puerto Rican officials, 64 percent of people have access to water.

The death toll following the hurricane has risen to 44. The Department of Defense said Wednesday that 16 percent of the island's residents are without power, although the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority puts the figure closer to 10 percent after an outage at one nuclear plant.

A news release from the Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday said that there are "reports of residents obtaining, or trying to obtain, drinking water from wells at hazardous waste 'Superfund' sites in Puerto Rico." The EPA also warned that raw sewage is seeping into Puerto Rico's waterways and will continue to do so until power is restored and repairs are made.

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Thursday on legislation that would include $18.7 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund and $16 billion for debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program.

The bill also includes a provision for the Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program, which allows low-income residents in Puerto Rico to receive the same emergency nutrition aid that other hurricane-affected states already receive.

The president visited Puerto Rico last Tuesday to survey the damage and meet with victims of the hurricane. He was criticized for throwing supplies into the crowd and for saying that local officials "can be proud" of the low death toll (which was 16 at the time of his visit) compared to the "thousands" lost in Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The president said last week that "we will not rest" until Puerto Rico has recovered from Maria.

"We will be there all the time to help Puerto Rico recover, restore, rebuild," Trump said during a Hispanic Heritage event at the White House.

ABC News' Joshua Hoyos and John Parkinson contributed to this report.

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Trump threatens to pull aid from Puerto Rico

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President Donald Trump said Thursday the federal government cannot keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Puerto Rico "forever", even as the U.S. territory continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in September. "We cannot keep FEMA, the Military, the First...

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Trump's first wife call herself 'first lady'

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trump's first wife calls herself 'first lady' - cnn video

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Trump's first wife calls herself 'first lady' - CNN Video

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First lady Melania Trump fires back when President Trump's first wife, Ivana Trump, calls herself the "first lady." CNN's Jeanne Moos reports on "self-serving noise."

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Man finds his mother's body at her wildfire-destroyed California home

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After searching shelters and hospitals for his 69-year-old mother, missing since Monday when deadly wildfires struck Northern California, Bob Tunis says he found his mother's body Wednesday at the remains of her Santa Rosa home.

Interested in California Wildfires?

Add California Wildfires as an interest to stay up to date on the latest California Wildfires news, video, and analysis from ABC News.

When his mother, Linda Tunis, woke up at 3:45 a.m. Monday, finding her entire home at the Journey's End Mobile Home Park engulfed in flames, she called his sister, who told her to get out, Tunis told ABC News.

Since then, Bob Tunis said he searched shelters and hospitals. His sister made up a missing persons flier and spoke to news media, and the siblings filed a missing person report with authorities.

"Please help me find her," Bob Tunis' sister Jessica Tunis said Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. "I need her back. I don't want to lose my mom."

But they didn't hear from her. So he said he had to go look for himself.

"She probably just didn't hear people knocking on her door at 3 a.m.," Bob Tunis said from the site of his mother's destroyed home after finding her body.

She was 69 and had health problems, he said. Officials have not confirmed the death.

Bob Tunis' sister came to the scene, too, and the two hugged in a long embrace in front of the rubble marked off by police tape.

"I don't want to see," she said.

Jessica Tunis had described her mother as spunky and sweet, a woman who loved bingo, the beach and her family, the AP reported.

The AP said she later wrote on Facebook, "My mother's remains have been found at her home at Journey's End. May she rest in peace, my sweet Momma."

Santa Rosa is among the hardest hit areas of devastating wildfires in California. Firefighters are battling 22 large wildfires across the state that have burned about 170,000 acres and killed at least 23 people; over half of the deaths are in Sonoma County, where Santa Rosa is located. As of Wednesday evening, 285 people remained missing in Sonoma County.

ABC News' Matt Gutman and Scott Shulman contributed to this report.

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Man finds his mother's body at her home destroyed by wildfire

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After searching shelters and hospitals for his 69-year-old mother, missing since Monday when deadly wildfires struck Northern California, Bob Tunis says he found his mother's body Wednesday at the remains of her Santa Rosa home. When his mother, Linda Tunis, woke up at 3:45 a.m. Monday, finding...

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President Donald Trump says that he can´t keep his first res-ponders  in Puerto Rico forever.

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President Donald Trump said Thursday the federal government cannot keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Puerto Rico "forever", even as the U.S. territory continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in September.

"We cannot keep FEMA, the Military, the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!" Trump tweeted.

"Puerto Rico survived the Hurricanes, now a financial crisis looms largely of their own making." says Sharyl Attkisson. A total lack of.....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

...accountability say the Governor. Electric and all infrastructure was disaster before hurricanes. Congress to decide how much to spend....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

...We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2017

The island is still in crisis mode as it struggles to restore power. Residents still do not have access to clean water and more than 5,700 residents are living in shelters, according to the office of Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello. Reports of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease, are beginning to surface. According to Puerto Rican officials, 64 percent of people have access to water.

The death toll following the hurricane has risen to 44. The Department of Defense said Wednesday that 16 percent of the island's residents are without power, although the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority puts the figure closer to 10 percent after an outage at one nuclear plant.

A news release from the Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday said that there are "reports of residents obtaining, or trying to obtain, drinking water from wells at hazardous waste 'Superfund' sites in Puerto Rico." The EPA also warned that raw sewage is seeping into Puerto Rico's waterways and will continue to do so until power is restored and repairs are made.

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Thursday on legislation that would include $18.7 billion for FEMA's disaster relief fund and $16 billion for debt relief for the National Flood Insurance Program.

The bill also includes a provision for the Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program, which allows low-income residents in Puerto Rico to receive the same emergency nutrition aid that other hurricane-affected states already receive.

The president visited Puerto Rico last Tuesday to survey the damage and meet with victims of the hurricane. He was criticized for throwing supplies into the crowd and for saying that local officials "can be proud" of the low death toll (which was 16 at the time of his visit) compared to the "thousands" lost in Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The president said last week that "we will not rest" until Puerto Rico has recovered from Maria.

"We will be there all the time to help Puerto Rico recover, restore, rebuild," Trump said during a Hispanic Heritage event at the White House.

ABC News' Joshua Hoyos and John Parkinson contributed to this report.

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Trump threatens to pull aid from Puerto Rico

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President Donald Trump said Thursday the federal government cannot keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Puerto Rico "forever", even as the U.S. territory continues to reel from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in September. "We cannot keep FEMA, the Military, the First...

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American- Canadian family freed from being held hostage for 5 years in Afghanistan. The were kidnapped in 2012. Coleman, the wife, was pregnant when they were put in captivity. Coleman had 2 other children while in captivity.

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The family were released as part of an operation conducted by Pakistani security forces, according to a Pakistan army statement that was later confirmed by US officials.

The couple, American Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, 33, were kidnapped in 2012 while they were backpacking Afghanistan. Coleman was pregnant when she was kidnapped and the couple had two more children in captivity.

Pakistan said it had secured their release after receiving intelligence from the US. "The operation by Pakistani forces, based on actionable intelligence from US authorities was successful; all hostages were recovered safe and sound and are being repatriated to the country of their origin," the statement said.

US officials said intelligence about the family's location had been shared with Pakistan officials in recent days.

Boyle's parents, Patrick and Linda, told CNN that they had spoken to their son and that all of the family members were in good health. They learned for the first time in the call that they now have a granddaughter.

Arrangements were being made to return the family either to the US or Canada.

Pakistan official: No deal

Some of the circumstances surrounding the family's release remained unclear late Thursday.

A senior US official told CNN that US intelligence assets had detected and monitored the movement of vehicles believed to be transporting the family. US officials provided this information to Pakistani authorities and US officials even began unilaterally discussing a possible US-staged rescue attempt.

However, to the surprise of the US government, the Pakistani authorities called back their US counterparts to say they had taken custody of all five family members. "That was a surprise to us," the official said.

According to the US official, it was not clear what the Pakistanis "said or did" on the ground to get the family back. But the official added there was no evidence that any Haqqani prisoners held by the Afghan government were released in a prisoner exchange. The US described the Pakistani operation a "transfer of custody," the official said.

A Pakistani military official told CNN his government received the US intelligence about the movement of the hostages on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Pakistani time. The Pakistanis launched their operation three hours later.

The official said the recovery operation was conducted by Pakistani intelligence agents with the Pakistani military helping to secure the perimeter. He said that the operation took place in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in northwestern Pakistan while the family was being transported from one location to another.

The operation involved a shootout with the kidnappers with some being killed in the firefight and others being arrested, according to the official.

He added that the hostages were retrieved in a "rescue operation" and there was "no deal" with the Haqqani Network.

After the hostages were recovered, they were taken to the town of Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan. From there they were taken to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where Coleman and Boyle met with their countries' respective officials. The meetings lasted for about six hours and the family were expected to remain in Pakistan for about 24 hours, the official said.

Parents: Son fears arrest

A senior US official said Joshua Boyle refused to board a US military plane that was on standby to take the faily to the US because of fears that he would face arrest.

Boyle was previously married to the sister of Omar Kadhr, a Canadian imprisoned for 10 years at the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after fighting US troops in Afghanistan.

Kadhr later sued the Canadian government for violating international law by allegedly not protecting him and conspiring with his US captors, who he says abused him.

The senior US official said there were some questions surrounding Boyle's past. But a Department of Justice spokesman, Wyn Hornbuckle, said US authorities did not intend to arrest Boyle.

"Throughout the captivity of Boyle and Coleman, the department focused its efforts on supporting their recovery and identifying and holding accountable those responsible for taking them hostage," Hornbuckle said. "Coleman and Boyle are not charged with any federal crime and, as such, we do not seek their arrest."

Trump: Pakistan starting to respect US again

President Donald Trump thanked Pakistan for its role in recovering the hostages. "The Pakistani government's cooperation is a sign that it is honoring America's wish that it do more to provide security in the region," Trump said.

"I want to thank Pakistan. They worked very hard on this and I believe they are starting to respect the United States again," Trump added.

In his recently announced strategy for Afghanistan and the wider region, Trump advocated a tougher approach to Pakistan in an effort to persuade Pakistani authorities to crack down harder on the Taliban.

"We hope to see this type of cooperation and teamwork in helping secure the release of remaining hostages and in our future joint counterterrorism operations," Trump said in an earlier statement.

More US hostages

US intelligence officials believed the couple were being held by the Haqqani Network, a branch of the Taliban believed to be responsible for some of the group's most violent and sophisticated attacks. In December the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, said the Haqqani Network held a total of five American hostages.

The Taliban released a "proof of life" video of Coleman, Boyle and their two children in December 2016 where Coleman addressed President Barack Obama and then President-elect Trump, saying the Taliban "are not going to simply release our family easily, because it is correct. They want money, power and friends. ... We are told there are Afghans who are prisoners in Kabul that these men care about."

The Afghan government has captured several senior members of the Haqqani Network and US officials believed the Taliban faction had hoped to exchange American hostages for their release.

The US military has long believed that Pakistan's principal intelligence organization, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, has maintained links with the Taliban, particularly the Haqqani Network.

"I think it's clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups," Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate Armed Services Hearing on Afghanistan and South Asia last week, using the Pakistan intelligence agency's acronym.

Trump has previously slammed Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorist groups like the Haqqani Network.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis has already withheld millions in military funding from Pakistan due to the Pentagon's view that Islamabad has not "taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Network."

The Taliban continue to hold other western hostages including US citizen Kevin King, 60, and Australian citizen Timothy Weeks, 48. Both men were working as teachers at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul when they were forcibly kidnapped from a vehicle in August 2016.

In September, three administration officials told CNN that US Special Operations Forces from SEAL Team 6 attempted to rescue the two teachers shortly after they were kidnapped but the captives were not at the location the US forces raided.

One other American is believed to be held hostage in Afghanistan or Pakistan: writer Paul Overby, who is in his 70s.

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north american family held hostage by taliban freed - cnn

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Family held hostage by Taliban freed after 5 years

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The family were released as part of an operation conducted by Pakistani security forces, according to a Pakistan army statement that was later confirmed by US officials. The couple, American Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, 33, were kidnapped in 2012 while they were backpacking Afghanistan.

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company think about creating self pioletless planes and taxis in the upcoming future

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Boeing is betting big on automating its flying machines.

The aerospace giant is buying Aurora Flight Sciences, a maker of automated drones and aviation parts, in a bid to bring increased automation to airliners, military drones and even personal air taxis.

"The combined strength and innovation of our teams will advance the development of autonomy for our commercial and military systems," said Greg Hyslop, chief technology officer and senior vice president of Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology in a statement.

Aurora's products, which include long-endurance aircraft, robotic co-pilots and autonomous electric vertical takeoff aircraft, "will be transitioned into world-class products for the global infrastructure," said John Langford, Aurora's founder and chief executive officer.

An Automated Future

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition is the clearest signal yet that the planet's largest plane maker sees automation as the future of aviation.

"It's hard to predict where the future is going," said Hyslop in a call with reporters Thursday. "But I think we know where the vector is pointed and we want to be ready as the technology matures and take full advantage of that in our products."

The move significantly accelerates Boeing's foray into autonomous technology. Until now the company had focused on a few drone projects, and an autonomous submarine, but not commercial aviation technology.

Related: The U.S. will face a staggering shortage of pilots

Boeing in June said it would explore automation for commercial aircraft. The plans came in response to concerns that the industry would experience a shortage of pilots in the near future that would hamper the growth of world air travel. Boeing estimates the industry will need 637,000 pilots over the next 20 years.

"We're looking at what with the advances in sensing technology, artificial intelligence and other areas around autonomous flight, what that can do to make an already safe airplane even safer," said Hyslop today.

Related: Pilotless planes could save airlines billions. But would anyone fly?

Acquiring the technology may be the easy part. Convincing the public that autonomous aircraft are safe looks to be more difficult. Only 17% of flyers said they would fly on a pilotless aircraft, according to a recent UBS study.

Your Uber is a Boeing

The acquisition also gives Boeing a seat at the table in the race to develop electric air taxis. Aurora in April made the first flight of its own air-taxi prototype, the XV-24A, designed as part of Uber's Elevate program to add on-demand air taxis to its ride-sharing product.

There have been a spate of concepts and demonstrations of electric flying air taxis, but few have earned the backing of the biggest aerospace companies who have the expertise and deep pockets to prove to regulators the technology works and is safe for the public.

Related: Airbus offers a peek at its flying taxi

But the large acquisition differs from its chief rival, Europe's Airbus, which has slowly cultivated new, small aircraft technology through its Silicon Valley unit, A ³. The company is developing its own single-seat personal flying vehicle dubbed Project Vahana that is expected to fly later this year.

An AI Airliner

The decision to acquire Aurora comes just a week after Boeing set up a formal office to develop plans for its next-generation passenger airliner, often dubbed the 797. Such a jet would be the first all-new airplane to take advantage of the company's on-going research into sensors and automated systems.

Boeing said there are no firm plans for the twin-aisle jet yet, but the office would "also serve as a vehicle to evolve how we design and build airplanes," the company said in a statement last week.

Related: World gets first peek at Boeing '797'

Hyslop wouldn't say if Aurora's technology would appear on the 797. He said Boeing is going to "look for those areas where Aurora can immediately provide an impact to our current programs."

"I think the combined power and imagination of those two teams is really going to lead to some exciting changes that will affect not only our commercial products, but affect our defense products as well."

CNNMoney (Seattle) First published October 5, 2017: 2:18 PM ET

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Boeing bets big on flying taxis and pilotless planes

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The aerospace giant is buying Aurora Flight Sciences, a maker of automated drones and aviation parts, in a bid to bring increased automation to airliners, military drones and even personal air taxis.

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A giant hole in Antarctica has just recently developed and they don't know why.

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Thanks to its usefulness as an indicator of how badly humans are messing up the Earth with global warming, scientists like to keep a pretty close eye on the ice in Antarctica. Now, a massive hole the size of Lake Superior has appeared many miles inland from where the ice meets the ocean, and scientists have little concrete explanation as to why it's there.

The hole, which is called a polynya, is incredibly puzzling because of its odd behavior. This isn't the first time it's been spotted, having appeared last year for a brief period as well, and long before that it was detected back in the 1970s. However, it disappeared for several decades before showing back up, throwing a huge kink in many scientific explanations for its existence.

"At that time, the scientific community had just launched the first satellites that provided images of the sea-ice cover from space," Dr Torge Martin of the GEOMAR Research Division explains of its initial discovery many decades ago. "On-site measurements in the Southern Ocean still require enormous efforts, so they are quite limited."

The current best guess is that warmer salt water from deep under the ice has managed to squeeze its way through the cold layer of fresh water that typically insulates it, causing a warm patch and ultimately melting the ice and forming a huge gap. That's a fairly straightforward explanation, but it doesn't fully address the odd timing of the hole, including its 40-year absence and seemingly spontaneous rebirth.

As scientists continue to hone their climate models and perfect their predictions, they're getting closer to being able to accurately simulate the exact process at work, but a full explanation may still be years away.

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A massive hole just opened up in Antarctica's ice and scientists can't explain it

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Thanks to its usefulness as an indicator of how badly humans are messing up the Earth with global warming, scientists like to keep a pretty close eye on the ice in Antarctica. Now, a massive hole the size of Lake Superior has appeared many miles inland from where the ice meets the ocean, and scientists have little concrete explanation as to why it's there.

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Eminem makes a very public freestyle rap about how much he hates trump and how his fan who support him are no longer wanted.

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Trump and Eminem once friendly, not anymore - CNN Video

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Rapper Eminem trashed President Donald Trump in a freestyle rap during the BET Hip Hop Awards. CNN's Jeanne Moos has the story.

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A mother is accused of driving from Kansas to Russia while indicted.

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A woman accused of fleeing Kansas and taking her children to Russia amid a divorce has been charged with international parental kidnapping.

Federal prosecutors say a grand jury on Wednesday indicted 37-year-old Bogdana Alexandrovna Mobley. She was arrested last month in Wichita but investigators believe her three children remain in Russia.

Prosecutors say she left the U.S. three years ago with one child from her first marriage and another child from a second marriage. She gave birth to a third child about two months after returning to Russia.

Prosecutors say she allowed her ex-husband to communicate with the children, but he wasn't allowed to see them when he flew to meet her on the border of Poland and Russia in 2015.

She emigrated to the U.S. in 2003 and later became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

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Mother accused of taking kids from Kansas to Russia indicted

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A woman accused of fleeing Kansas and taking her children to Russia amid a divorce has been charged with international parental kidnapping. Federal prosecutors say a grand jury on Wednesday indicted 37-year-old Bogdana Alexandrovna Mobley. She was arrested last month in Wichita but...

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There is a new beauty trend that a lot of people are doing, it the nose hair extension.http://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/2017/10/12/nose-hair-extensions-become-latest-beauty-trend.html

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Trump: We cannot aid Puerto Rico 'forever'

Trump says that we can not keep aiding Puerto in there time of need.

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His comments -- in which he also blamed the beleaguered island for a financial crisis "largely of their own making" and infrastructure that was a "disaster" before the hurricane -- come as Puerto Rico still reels from a lack of electricity, public health access and a rising death toll. The remarks quickly prompted cries from Democratic lawmakers, who argue that Puerto Rico still needs a lot of help, as well as the mayor of San Juan, who said they were "unbecoming" and appeared to come from a "hater in chief."

Meanwhile, Texas and Florida -- two states Trump won during last year's presidential election -- also were struck by severe hurricanes recently, but the President has made no public indication that the federal government is pulling back on its response there.

The President wrote in two separate tweets, "'Puerto Rico survived the Hurricanes, now a financial crisis looms largely of their own making.' says Sharyl Attkisson. A total lack of........accountability say the Governor. Electric and all infrastructure was disaster before hurricanes. Congress to decide how much to spend..."

He continued in a third tweet: "We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!"

Attkisson is a journalist who works for conservative Sinclair Broadcasting.

White House chief of staff John Kelly said at the White House briefing Thursday that Trump's tweet was "exactly accurate" because first responders "are not going to be there forever."

"The minute you go anywhere as a first responder, and this would apply certainly to the military, you will try really hard to work yourself out of a job," he said. "There will be a period in which we hope sooner rather than later, the US military and (the Federal Emergency Management Agency), generally speaking, can withdraw because then the government and people of Puerto Rico are recovering sufficiently to start the process of rebuilding."

A FEMA official told CNN the agency has "no hard deadline" on when it plans to pull resources from the island.

"It all will be determined by the conditions on the ground," the official said.

The official said once things are "stabilized" in Puerto Rico, FEMA will "pull back resources as appropriate," adding that's the "natural progression of a response to a disaster."

FEMA's focus, the official said, is to "move from the response phase to recovery," adding the recovery phase often takes years.

Dire situation

Trump's tweets come three weeks after the hurricane first struck the island, which remains largely without power. The death toll from the storm has risen to 45, authorities have said, and at least 113 people remain unaccounted for, according to Karixia Ortiz, a spokeswoman for Puerto Rico's Department of Public Safety.

The recovery has moved slowly since Maria struck the US territory on September 20, leaving most of the island without basic services such as power and running water, according to residents, relief workers and local elected officials. Hospitals throughout the cash-strapped island of 3.4 million people have been running low on medicine and fuel, and residents and local elected officials have said they expect the death toll to rise.

The water situation is so dire, the Environmental Protection Agency said in a news release Wednesday, that residents on the island have reportedly been trying to obtain water from Superfund sites -- which are bodies of water contaminated by hazardous waste. The EPA advised against "tampering with sealed and locked wells or drinking from these wells, as it may be dangerous to people's health."

Administration officials sought to downplay Trump's comments Thursday morning.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, testifying before the House financial services committee, said that he has "no intention" of abandoning recovery efforts in Puerto Rico.

"They're a very important part of who we are," he said, later adding: "(Puerto Rico) should not be abandoned."

And White House press secretary Sarah Sanders reaffirmed federal support to the island.

"Our job in any disaster affected location is to help the community respond and recover from that disaster. We continue to do so with the full force of the US government and its resources in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and other affected areas," she said. "Successful recoveries do not last forever; they should be as swift as possible to help people resume their normal lives."

Democrats, however, pounced on Trump's tweets.

"Puerto Ricans are Americans, and we don't abandon each other. The federal government should stay in Puerto Rico as long as necessary," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, tweeted.

Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted, "Puerto Rico is still facing a humanitarian crisis. @realDonaldTrump seems more worried about blaming hurricane victims than helping them."

And San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who has feuded publicly with the President over the federal response, said on Twitter that Trump was incapable of fulfilling the moral imperative to help the people of PR. Shame on you.!"

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said in a news conference Thursday that he called the White House looking for clarification on Trump's tweets.

"The law establishes that the aid we are getting from FEMA has to be established for the duration of emergency efforts," he said. 'It's not a decision as is, it's a law that all the resources must be available for Puerto Rico."

However Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pennsylvania, who is a member of the House foreign affairs committee, told CNN's Chris Cuomo Thursday there's only "so much" the US can do to help Puerto Rico.

"I would then again say, 'What is enough?' What is the right amount to satisfy whoever says we're not doing enough," he said on "New Day." "It's regrettable and it's sad for those people but there only is physically, humanly possible so much that any nation could do in the wake of devastation."

He continued: "I lived through it myself, a victim of floods on numerous occasions, had to clean it up, and I will tell you, nobody came to help us, we handled it ourselves."

House to vote on disaster relief

Acting Department of Homeland Security Elaine Duke will make her second trip to the island on Thursday.

House Speaker Paul Ryan will lead a bipartisan delegation visiting Puerto Rico on Friday, according to the speaker's office.

Ryan will travel to the island with House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey and Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, the top Democrat on the panel. Puerto Rico's sole representative in Congress, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, and House GOP Conference Chairwoman Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers also will be part of the congressional delegation.

The House of Representatives approved a $36.5 billion disaster aid package Thursday to help victims struggling to recover from a string of devastating hurricanes and wildfires. The measure now heads to the Senate, which returns from a weeklong recess next week.

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trump: we cannot aid puerto rico 'forever' - cnnpolitics

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Trump: We cannot aid Puerto Rico 'forever'

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His comments -- in which he also blamed the beleaguered island for a financial crisis "largely of their own making" and infrastructure that was a "disaster" before the hurricane -- come as Puerto Rico still reels from a lack of electricity, public health access and a rising death toll.

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Boy Scouts' decision to welcome girls isn't completely welcome.he Boy Scouts will soon include girls, and not everyone's happy about it.The 107-year-old organization announced Wednesday that younger girls will be allowed to join Cub Scouts and that older girls will be eligible to earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.

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The 107-year-old organization announced Wednesday that younger girls will be allowed to join Cub Scouts and that older girls will be eligible to earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.

"The historic decision comes after years of receiving requests from families and girls," Boy Scouts of America said in a statement. The group said it considered input from current members and leaders before making the decision.

BSA said the expansion is also aimed at helping busy families consolidate programs for their children.

"Families today are busier and more diverse than ever. Most are dual-earners and there are more single-parent households than ever before, making convenient programs that serve the whole family more appealing," the BSA statement said.

The announcement drew praise from scouting leaders, mixed reactions from women's groups and indirect criticism from Girl Scouts USA.

Friction with Girl Scouts

For months, Girl Scouts USA had a notion BSA would try to start recruiting girls. In August, Buzzfeed News obtained a strongly worded letter in which GSUSA President Kathy Hopinkah Hannan accused the BSA of courting girls to boost falling enrollment numbers.

It's also no secret that BSA membership has been declining for years. In 2016, the organization reported 2.3 million youth members, a decrease from 2.8 million in 2012. The Boy Scouts' membership peaked in 1972, with 6.5 million members.

On Wednesday, Girl Scouts responded to the BSA's announcement without explicitly naming the Boy Scouts.

"The need for female leadership has never been clearer or more urgent than it is today -- and only Girl Scouts has the expertise to give girls and young women the tools they need for success," Girl Scouts USA said.

"The benefit of the single-gender environment has been well-documented by educators, scholars, other girl- and youth-serving organizations, and Girl Scouts and their families. Girl Scouts offers a one-of-a-kind experience for girls with a program tailored specifically to their unique developmental needs."

'The future is bright'

But scouting leaders lauded the expansion, which will begin in 2018.

Zach Wahls, co-founder of the nonprofit Scouts for Equality, said the development was "yet another step forward," for the Boy Scouts.

"Today, the Boy Scouts have made clear they have heard the millions of girls and their families and will allow Scouts of all genders to participate as full members and earn the rank of Eagle," Wahls, an Eagle Scout, said in a statement Wednesday.

"We are proud of the Boy Scouts of America for taking this step forward, and we believe the future is bright for Scouting in America."

Ahmad Alhendawi, the Secretary-General and CEO of World Scouting, tweeted: " "I welcome @boyscouts decision to integrate girls in their programs. On #DayOfTheGirl, we affirm #Scouting commitment to girls empowerment."

The National Organization for Women had a mixed response to the Boy Scouts' announcement.

"I think it's a good thing in that the Boy Scouts have a long history of discrimination and they are taking action," NOW President Toni Van Pelt said. "The devil is in the details and we need to wait and see how this plays out."

The news also received mixed reactions on social media, with some critics calling the move unnecessary and "PC."

Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in, saying, "Strange, I thought that's what the Girl Scouts was for???."

The National Catholic Committee on Scouting, whose stated mission is to ensure the Boy Scouts "as a viable form of youth ministry with the Catholic youth of our nation," said it has accepted the BSA's decision but did not offer a formal opinion.

"Once we have had more time to review the policy and a chance to consult our national membership, we will be able to comment further about how this new policy will reflect changes in the makeup of Catholic chartered units in the Boy Scouts of America," the committee said in a statement.

A new prestigious goal for girls

The decision to allow girls to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout is significant for several reasons.

The rank of Eagle Scout is a prestigious and widely recognized achievement, one that can have long-term benefits in academic, professional and even military spheres. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Neil Armstrong and Former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates are just a few notable men who have attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

While there is a rough equivalent in the Girl Scouts -- the Gold Award -- the honor is not nearly as well-known as the Eagle Scout distinction.

The Boy Scouts' announcement fell on the International Day of the Girl, designated by the United Nations in 2012 as a day to discuss and celebrate equal opportunities for young women around the globe.

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boy scouts' decision to welcome girls isn't completely welcome - cnn

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Boy Scouts' decision to welcome girls isn't completely welcome

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The 107-year-old organization announced Wednesday that younger girls will be allowed to join Cub Scouts and that older girls will be eligible to earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. "The historic decision comes after years of receiving requests from families and girls," Boy Scouts of America said in a statement.