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At least 23 dead in horrific California wildfires, hundreds missing

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Massive wildfires sweeping through California have killed at least 23 people and damaged thousands of homes, businesses and other buildings, authorities said.

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Firefighters were still battling 22 wildfires in multiple California counties Wednesday. Intensified by strong winds, the flames have charred about 170,000 acres of land, damaged or destroyed at least 3,500 structures and forced nearly 20,000 residents to evacuate, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The causes of the fires are unknown.

At least 8,000 firefighters and support personnel and 124 aircraft are battling the fires, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties in Northern California.

With firefighters stretched thin throughout the state, federal agencies as well as neighboring Nevada and nearby Washington state are assisting with resources. Authorities said 1,000 fire departments from San Diego to Oregon were assisting.

St. Joseph Health said 168 patients have been treated, many for burns and smoke inhalation, at three of its hospitals in Napa and Sonoma counties as of Monday night.

An additional 285 people were missing in Sonoma County as of Wednesday evening, according to the sheriff's office. There have been 600 total missing reports since the fires began, but 315 have those have been located safe.

Meanwhile, at least 7,000 people were without power Wednesday in Napa County alone.

With mandatory evacuation orders still in place, many residents in the affected areas have been warned not to return to their homes until further notice.

"Life is more important than property," Sonoma County Sheriff Robert Giordano said at a press conference Tuesday.

He said he thinks the wildfires will be "one of the worst natural disasters in California history."

Southern LNU Complex fires

The so-called Atlas, Nuns and Patrick fires are considered branches of one giant blaze in Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties - collectively known as the Southern LNU Complex - according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Mandatory evacuations and road closures were underway in Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties, the heart of California's wine country, as the flames threatened thousands of structures.

The Atlas fire has scorched 42,349 acres in Napa and Solano counties since the inferno began Sunday night, and just 3 percent of the blaze was contained Wednesday morning. The enormous fire has destroyed 125 structures.

The Nuns fire has charred 7,626 acres in Sonoma County since Sunday night, and it was just 1 percent contained Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, the Patrick fire has burned 9,523 acres in Napa County since Sunday night, and just 2 percent of it was contained Wednesday morning.

Central LNU Complex fires

The Tubbs and Pocket fires make up another enormous blaze, known as the the Central LNU Complex, in Napa and Sonoma counties, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. More than 16,000 structures are threatened.

The Tubbs fire has singed 28,000 acres in Napa County since Sunday night. The fire has destroyed 571 structures, and is just 10 percent contained, authorities said. Most of the deaths -- 13 total as of Wednesday night -- were due to the Tubbs fire.

Meanwhile, the Pocket fire has scorched 5,000 acres in Sonoma County since Monday morning and is 0 percent contained.

Mendocino Lake Complex fires

The Redwood/Potter fires and the Sulphur fire make up a giant blaze, known as the Mendocino Lake Complex, in Lake and Mendocino counties, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Redwood/Potter fires have charred 29,500 acres in Mendocino County since Sunday night, and was just 5 percent contained Wednesday morning.

The Sulphur fire has burned 2,500 acres in Lake County since late Sunday night, and was 30 percent contained by Wednesday morning.

Wind Complex fires

The Cascade, La Porte, Lobo and McCourtney fires make up one huge blaze in Butte, Nevada and Yuba counties, collectively known as the Wind Complex, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Cascade fire has scorched 12,349 acres in Yuba County since it began Sunday morning, and it was 20 percent contained Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

La Porte fire has charred 3,700 acres in Butte County since the blaze ignited early Monday morning, and it was 15 percent contained by Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Lobo fire has burned 857 acres in Nevada County since early Monday morning and 30 percent was contained Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, the McCourtney fire has singed 76 acres in Nevada County since early Monday morning, and was 65 percent contained Wednesday morning.

Canyon 2 fire

The Canyon 2 fire has scorched 8,000 acres in Southern California's Orange County since the flames started Monday morning. It was 45 percent contained Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

At least 3,000 residents were evacuated in and around Anaheim as thousands of structures were threatened by the blaze.

Cherokee fire

The Cherokee fire has charred 7,500 acres in Butte County since Sunday night, and it was 40 percent contained Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Thirty-seven fire

The 37 fire has burned 1,650 acres in Sonoma County since it started Monday afternoon. It was 65 percent contained by Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

What's ahead for California

A cold front is expected to sweep through much of California on Wednesday, bringing more gusty winds and lower humidity, according to ABC News meteorologists. The weather conditions have local authorities concerned about "aggressive" fire behavior.

The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings for Central and Northern California for Wednesday through Thursday. Fire weather watches were issued for Southern California for Thursday through Saturday.

As firefighters work to snuff the raging blazes, Sonoma County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum told ABC News the county has asked everyone to "help us out."

The wind's shifting gusts that helped the flames spread appeared to have subsided, he added.

"The night before this, we had 60 mph winds, which is the reason why you have such devastation here," Crum told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos in an interview Tuesday on "Good Morning America."

Crum confirmed that the alert system put in place gave residents ample time to evacuate and likely prevented many deaths.

"We have a subscription service where we can alert our residents, and we did that right away, trying to notify everybody where the fire was, where it was going and how fast it was going, and I think it saved a lot of lives," he said.

The sheriff's sergeant conceded that it could take a long time for communities to bounce back.

"We have a lot of rebuilding here," Crum said.

Santa Rosa resident Jeff Okrepkie said he fled his home of five years knowing that it could very well be leveled when he returned.

"All that good stuff, I'm never going to see it again," he told ABC's San Francisco station KGO on Monday.

Okrepkie said he and his wife tried their best to gather their most precious documents, photos and mementos, but it was impossible to grab everything in time.

Mike Turpen, 38, said he was at a bar in the Glen Ellen area of Sonoma County when someone stormed in wearing a smoke mask and yelled, "Fire!" He said he drove through the flames in his pickup truck with hopes of saving his home.

Turpen said his yard was scorched and still flaming in some spots, but he managed to keep his home from burning down.

"It was like Armageddon was on," Turpen told KGO. "Every branch of every tree was on fire."

ABC News' Matt Foster, Max Golembo, Jenna Harrison, Marilyn Heck, M.L. Nestel, Rex Sakamoto and Ginger Zee contributed to this report.

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At least 23 dead in horrific California wildfires, hundreds missing

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Massive wildfires sweeping through California have killed at least 23 people and damaged thousands of homes, businesses and other buildings, authorities said. Add California Wildfires as an interest to stay up to date on the latest California Wildfires news, video, and analysis from ABC News.

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Hurricane Ophelia is moving northeastwards far out over the Alantic. The hurricane's maximum sustained winds early Thursday were near 85 mph (140 kph) with some slight strengthening possible over the next day or two. Not a threat to land as of now.

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Hurricane Ophelia is moving northeastwards far out over the Atlantic Ocean.

The hurricane's maximum sustained winds early Thursday were near 85 mph (140 kph) with some slight strengthening possible over the next day or two.

Ophelia is centered about 725 miles (1,165 kilometers) southwest of the Azores and is moving northeast near 3 mph (6 kph). The hurricane does not currently pose a threat to any land.

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Hurricane Ophelia moving northeast in the Atlantic

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Hurricane Ophelia is moving northeastwards far out over the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane's maximum sustained winds early Thursday were near 85 mph (140 kph) with some slight strengthening possible over the next day or two. Ophelia is centered about 725 miles (1,165 kilometers)...

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Bob Tunis just recently found his 69 year old mother's body inside of her burnt down house. He had searched many hospitals and shelters in hope of finding her in one, but he never did. This is just one story of 23 people who have already died due to the fire.

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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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Boy Scouts of America is now allowing girls to join scouting, and to obtain the rank of eagle. Girl Scouts of America has spoken out against Scouts of America, saying that only GSA has the expertise to raise the young girls into responsible leaders.

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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.

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A 21-year-old who was shot in the chest during the Las Vegas shooting is suing the Mandalay Bay hotel

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Paige Gasper

A victim of the Las Vegas shooting has filed a lawsuit against the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

On Monday, 21-year-old Paige Gasper filed a lawsuit against the Mandalay Bay and MGM Resorts International, the hotel's parent company, alleging that the hotel was "negligent or grossly negligent" in failing to notice or take precautions against the shooter stockpiling guns in his room, and that employees were not adequately trained to notice and report suspicious activity.

Also named in the complaint are Live Nation Entertainment Inc., which organized the music festival the gunman, Stephen Paddock, shot attendees of from his room on the 32nd floor of the hotel; Slide Fire Solutions LP, which makes devices called bump stocks that Paddock outfitted some of his semiautomatic weapons with to increase their rate of fire; and Paddock's estate.

Gasper was shot in the chest when Paddock opened fire from his hotel room on the crowd of 22,000 people attending the music festival across the street leaving 58 dead and about 500 others wounded. The complaint says the bullet shattered her ribs and lacerated her liver. Gasper was then trampled by fleeing concertgoers before someone helped her take cover and drove her to a hospital, the complaint says.

"At all relevant times, Defendants MGM, and/or Mandalay Corp ... knew or should have known that it was reasonably foreseeable that a breach of their duties to keep their premises reasonably safe in the aforementioned manner might result in catastrophic injury perpetrated by a gun-toting guest with an extreme intention to harm others," the complaint reads.

Gasper is seeking in excess of $15,000 in damages.

"The tragic incident that took place on October 1st was a meticulously planned, evil, senseless act," an MGM Resorts spokeswoman, Debra DeShong, told Business Insider in a statement. "As our company and city work through the healing process, our primary focus and concern is taking actions to support the victims and their families, our guests and employees, and cooperating with law enforcement.

"Out of respect for the victims, we are not going to try this case in the public domain, and we will give our response through the appropriate legal channels," DeShong continued.

Gasper's case is the first reported lawsuit against MGM and the Mandalay Bay, but it is unlikely to be the last.

It's very likely that more victims of the shooting will try to hold the Mandalay Bay accountable by bringing lawsuits against the hotel and MGM and seeking damages for things like medical expenses or disabilities resulting from the shooting, legal experts previously told Business Insider.

David Becker/Getty Images

Whether such a lawsuit would have merit would depend on many factors that remain unknown to the public. For example, the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday that a Mandalay Bay security guard had alerted the hotel about a gunman before Paddock opened fire on the crowd - something MGM says may not be accurate.

"This remains an ongoing investigation with a lot of moving parts. As evidenced by law-enforcement briefings over the past week, many facts are still unverified and continue to change as events are under review," DeShong said in a statement Tuesday night. "We cannot be certain about the most recent timeline that has been communicated publicly, and we believe what is currently being expressed may not be accurate."

A lawsuit against MGM may require courts to break legal ground in assigning liability for mass shootings. As the shootings become increasingly common, some companies and venues may be seen as legally liable to take preventative measures.

"If Congress isn't regulating gun ownership, it is going to be private parties ... who end up regulating their own premises," Heidi Li Feldman, a professor at Georgetown Law School, previously told Business Insider.

SEE ALSO: The hotel where the Las Vegas gunman stockpiled weapons for 3 days has been quiet about what happened - and legal experts say it could be in hot water

NOW WATCH: We tried Jollibee - the Filipino fast-food restaurant with thousands of locations around the world

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A 21-year-old who was shot in the chest during the Las Vegas shooting is suing the Mandalay Bay hotel

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A victim of the Las Vegas shooting has filed a lawsuit against the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. On Monday, 21-year-old Paige Gasper filed a lawsuit against the Mandalay Bay and MGM Resorts International, the hotel's parent company, alleging that the hotel was "negligent or grossly negligent" in failing to notice or take precautions against the shooter stockpiling guns in his room, and that employees were not adequately trained to notice and report suspicious activity.

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The Cleveland Indians season ended last night as the New York Yankees won the ALDS 3-2. The Indians season was historic, but not historic enough to get them to the ALCS. The Indians had a 2-0 series lead on the Yanks, but a powerful offense helped provide the Yanks with enough energy to get to the ALCS

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After falling short of the 2016 World Series title in extra innings of Game 7, the Cleveland Indians picked themselves up and spent the 2017 season building toward one of the most dominating campaigns in baseball history. After a meager start, they slowly began playing to their impressive underlying metrics, finally reaching their peak with an American League record 22-game winning streak in August and September. By the end of the season, they'd staked their claim as not only the best team in baseball this season, but also one of the top regular-season teams of all time.

And in a week of October baseball, it was all over. On Wednesday night, the New York Yankees eliminated Cleveland from the postseason in Game 5 of their AL Division Series matchup, completing an epic comeback after being down two games to none. Now the Indians will have five months to ponder how they let it all slip away.

The Indians' bats, which were solid all year (despite a slight lack of star power), went ice-cold against Yankee pitching. Cleveland hit .171 with a .550 on-base plus slugging (OPS) during the series, a far cry from their numbers in each category during the regular season. Of the nine Indian hitters with at least 10 at-bats during the ALDS, all but two - right fielder Jay Bruce and catcher Roberto Perez - saw their OPS drop at least 130 points from its regular-season level. (Second baseman Jose Ramirez, Cleveland's best hitter this year, looked lost at the plate all series; his OPS was down a shocking 675 points from the regular season.)

It didn't help that Cleveland ace Corey Kluber, who ranked as baseball's best pitcher during the regular season, struggled in both of his ALDS starts. According to game score ( our metric for judging a starting pitcher's performance), Kluber produced the worst performance of his postseason career in Game 2 - a game that he was lucky the Tribe eventually came back and won - and then followed it up with another clunker in the do-or-die Game 5. After compiling one of the great pitching seasons of the millennium, Kluber saved two of his worst five starts this year for the playoffs:

But maybe the biggest lesson of Cleveland's quick playoff exit is that this kind of thing can happen to even the most dominant of baseball teams. According to WAR per game, the 2017 Indians were the 13th-best regular-season team of the World Series era, sandwiched between the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers and the 1922 St. Louis Browns. And even among such impressive company, their postseason result doesn't stand out. Of those top 25 teams by WAR, fewer than half ended up winning a championship. For every 1927 New York Yankees, who dominated the season all the way through a World Series sweep, there were more cases like the 1969 Baltimore Orioles - an absurdly fearsome team on paper, stacked at every position, who nonetheless were upset in the playoffs by a team with lesser credentials.

Baseball's best teams don't always win

Teams with the highest regular-season wins above replacement and their furthest playoff round reached, 1903-2017

* WAR is The Baseball Gauge's custom version, which combines elements from all the major WAR variants. It is pro-rated to 162 team games.

Source: The Baseball Gauge

Unlike pro basketball, in which the best team wins with metronomic consistency, baseball still delivers plenty of upsets like the Yankees' win. It's part of what makes the sport great - even though that's surely of little consolation to the Tribe's long-suffering fans right now. It will be another offseason without a World Series champion for Clevelanders to celebrate. Even after 69 straight years, it never gets easier.

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Even The Indians Can't Escape Baseball's Postseason Buzz Saw

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After falling short of the 2016 World Series title in extra innings of Game 7, the Cleveland Indians picked themselves up and spent the 2017 season building toward one of the most dominating campaigns in baseball history.

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Sailors on the USS Shiloh are calling it a floating prison. The Shiloh is one of the 84 ships protecting the US from Korean missiles.

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The Navy Times obtained three command climate surveys featuring hundreds of pages of anonymous comments from sailors revealing widespread morale issues aboard the USS Shiloh, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser based in Yokosuka, Japan.

Two Navy officials told CNN that the information reported from the surveys was accurate.

According to the obtained surveys only 31% of the sailors who responded to the survey said yes to the prompt: "I trust that my organization's leadership will treat me fairly," compared to 63% under the previous commanding officer.

Additionally, only 37% agreed with the statement "I feel motivated to give my best efforts to the mission of the organization," compared to 69% agreeing to the statement under the previous leadership.

The Navy officials added that the poor results of one climate survey caused Navy leadership to increase the frequency of which such surveys were conducted to help prompt the commander, Capt. Adam Aycock, to improve his performance.

One of the officials said they could not explain how Aycock managed to retain command in the face of the poor survey results.

Aycock served as the Shiloh's commanding officer from June 2015 to August 2017 and is now at the US Naval War College.

One official said that Aycock remains on active duty and was not prematurely reassigned from his command of the Shiloh.

The survey responses also showed that junior sailors were concerned about receiving harsh punishments from Aycock, including being placed in the brig and fed only "bread and water," an arcane form of punishment that is still available to commanding officers.

"Even the taxi drivers on base know us for being the 'USS Bread and Water,'" one survey respondent said.

Language prohibiting that form of punishment was placed into the current version of the FY17 National Defense Authorization Act.

The Shiloh is part of the US Navy's 7th Fleet which has been beset by a series of problems including two deadly collisions involving the USS Fitzgerald and the USS John McCain.

Officers in the 7th Fleet have faced a range of disciplinary actions and the Navy took the rare step of relieving the fleet's commander, Vice. Adm. Joseph Aucoin.

The Shiloh, like the McCain and the Fitzgerald, is also equipped with the Aegis Missile Defense system which is capable of shooting down hostile missiles from adversarial states like North Korea.

The ship made headlines in June when a US sailor who was thought to have gone overboard for seven days and was presumed dead was found alive aboard the ship after prompting a major search operation. The sailor was later subjected to a non-judicial punishment.

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report: massive morale problems aboard us navy ship - cnnpolitics

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Report: Massive morale problems aboard US Navy ship

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Morale aboard a US warship operating in the Pacific reached such a low ebb that one sailor described serving aboard the ship as being akin to being on "a floating prison," according to surveys obtained via the Freedom of Information Act.

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Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz reveals that he does not remember starring in the hit show, Malcolm in the Middle.

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Published: Thursday, October 05, 2017 @ 10:51 PM

- Ahead of the release of her upcoming book, "We're Going to Need More Wine," actress Gabrielle Union revealed she has struggled with infertility.

In an excerpt of the book shared with People magazine, the 44-year-old says she had more than a half-dozen miscarriages.

"I have had eight or nine miscarriages," Union said in the book. "For three years, my body has been a prisoner of trying to get pregnant - I've either been about to go into an IVF (in vitro fertilization) cycle, in the middle of an IVF cycle, or coming out of an IVF cycle."

Initially, Union didn't want children, but after raising kids with basketball player husband Dwyane Wade, she changed her mind.
>> Read more trending news
Union helps parent Wade's nephew Dahveon Morris, 16, whom he adopted, and Zaire, 15, and Zion, 10, sons from a previous marriage.

Wade is also father to a 3-year-old son, Xavier, who lives with his mother. Xavier was conceived when Union and Wade were broken up in 2013.

Now, she said she and Wade "remain bursting with love and ready to do anything to meet the child we've both dreamed of."

"I never wanted kids," she said. "Then I became a stepmom, and there was no place I'd rather be than with them."

Union said her struggle made questions about when she and Wade would have children challenging.

"For so many women, and not just women in the spotlight, people feel very entitled to know, 'Do you want kids?'" she said. "A lot of people, especially people that have fertility issues, just say 'no' because that's a lot easier than being honest about whatever is actually going on. People mean so well, but they have no idea the harm or frustration it can cause."

Wade responded to his wife's public transparency on Twitter, saying, "My wife is one strong individual!!!"

My wife is one strong individual!!!
- DWade (@DwyaneWade) October 5, 2017

Union's book will be released Oct. 17.

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Frankie Muniz discusses memory loss, says he doesn't remember 'Malcolm

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Published: Thursday, October 05, 2017 @ 10:51 PM - Ahead of the release of her upcoming book, "We're Going to Need More Wine," actress Gabrielle Union revealed she has struggled with infertility. In an excerpt of the book shared with People magazine, the 44-year-old says she had more than a half-dozen miscarriages.

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ISIS Recruiter believed to have died in American strike.

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Sally "White Widow" Jones - one of the most notorious Islamic terrorists born in Britain - has been killed in a U.S. strike in Syria, U.S. authorities told their British counterparts.

Jones, 50, a mother of two, who used to be a punk rock artist but later converted to Islam and fled to Syria to become a top recruiter for the Islamic State group, was reportedly killed in June during a drone strike near the border between Syria and Iraq.

"The Americans zapped her trying to get away from Raqqa. Quite frankly, it's good riddance," a British source familiar with the strike told the Sun, which first reported Jones' death.

Jones followed the same fate as her husband, Junaid Hussain, who died in an airstrike in 2015 as part of a larger campaign against ISIS. She and her husband were occasionally called "Mr. and Mrs. Terror" and were linked to numerous terror plots.

Jones' 12-year-old son Jojo was also believed to have been killed in the strike. "The premise that Sally Jones and her son are dead is probably accurate," an unnamed British official told the Times of London.

The woman reportedly used her son as a human shield during skirmishes with anti-ISIS forces. She was last seen fleeing Raqqa following the liberation by U.S-backed military forces, the Sun reported.

Jones was top ISIS recruiter of female jihadists and was reportedly high on the U.S. "kill list" as she was considered a high-value target. She targeted young girls, trying to lure them into Syria to become jihadi brides, and used social media to threaten attacks on Britain.

Her son was not targeted by the U.S. military strike and was not considered a combatant. According to the Times, his mother, however, used him in a propaganda video, where he was seen shooting an ISIS hostage in the back of the head.

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Top British ISIS recruiter 'White Widow' believed to be dead after US strike in Syria

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Sally "White Widow" Jones - one of the most notorious Islamic terrorists born in Britain - has been killed in a U.S. strike in Syria, U.S. authorities told their British counterparts.

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bacteria killing Nano Particles

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Imagine a small nanobot injected into your bloodstream that travels through organs, identifies dead or dying cells, and eliminates them, effectively curing a disease. Does that sound too far-fetched? Researchers have recently taken significant steps in implementing nanoscience in medicine.

The scientists from the University of Colorado, Boulder, have engineered nanoparticles, which can produce chemicals that make drug-resistant bacteria more susceptible to antibiotics, shortening the length of treatment. These bots are fundamentally quantum dots, which are capable of producing a chemical that makes the pathogen more reactive to the tried and tested antibiotics.

This study, published in the journal, Science Advances, could help combat superbugs that tend not to respond to a standard antibiotic treatment, increasing the treatment time and severity of methods of treatment.

Quantum dots were already seen as a future tool in medical research, diagnosis, and treatment. They were being developed as a tool to trace the location of diseases in the body for a more targeted medicating approach. They have also been used to make microscopic cameras to go into the body and send back high-resolution images of organs and organ systems to help doctors test faster and with more accuracy.

These quantum dots are just very small pieces of cadmium telluride. They are about 3 nanometers across, and as wide as a single strand of DNA.

In the study, the researchers used quantum dots, which when illuminated by a specific frequency of green light, cause the nanoparticle's electrons to break off and merge with nearby oxygen molecules present throughout the human body. This material - termed as 'superoxide' - is absorbed readily by bacteria. When a bacteria absorbs this superoxide, the internal chemistry is thrown off-balance. This makes it very vulnerable to antibiotics.

According to Anushree Chatterjee, co-author of the study, the pathogen loses its ability to fight against the antibiotic. This speeds up the treatment, and there are no adverse effects on our body because these superoxide cells get absorbed by the bacteria, and then, they are destroyed by the antibiotic.

The team used various concentrations of quantum dots with five different antibiotics. Diseases like Salmonella and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, were targeted. This quantum dot antibiotic concoction was then used to treat the infections. Results showed that more than 75 percent of the people required lesser medicine to kill the bacteria with the help of quantum dots.

Right now, the only limitation for these quantum dots is the notification mechanism. The green light, which indicates the release of the chemical in the cell, can only travel through a little bit of flesh. When sent into deep organs, the scientists could not get any feedback response, making this device troublesome. However, giving the nanoparticles an efficient communication medium will ensure that surgeons or doctors are always in control and the quantum dots are not lost in the body.

The researchers are now taking this project further and designing nanoparticles that absorb infrared light and can pass through the body. "That could be really effective in deep tissue and bone infections," Nagpal said.

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Scientists Create Nanoparticles That Help Antibiotics Kill Drug-Resistant Bacteria

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Imagine a small nanobot injected into your bloodstream that travels through organs, identifies dead or dying cells, and eliminates them, effectively curing a disease. Does that sound too far-fetched? Researchers have recently taken significant steps in implementing nanoscience in medicine.

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Blazes have destroyed a number of farms in Mendocino County right before legal recreational sales begin in California.

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Deadly wildfires in Northern California are burning up marijuana farms in the so-called Emerald Triangle.

Blazes have destroyed a number of farms in Mendocino County right before legal recreational sales begin in California.

Cannabis business owners who lose their crops have little reprieve.

"Nobody right now has insurance," said Nikki Lastreto, secretary of the Mendocino Cannabis Industry Association. "They might have insurance on their house, but not on their crop."

Cannabis cultivators cannot insure their businesses because federal law prohibits marijuana, which means that financial institutions can't go near it.

Derek Peterson, CEO of Terre Tech, which grows and sells marijuana in California, estimates that farmers typically invest upward of $5 million in their facilities and as much as $3 million on growing the crop itself.

"If their facilities burn down, a lot of these people won't be able to get any economic relief for them from an insurance claim," Peterson said. "There's no mechanism for recovery to repay them for their loss. It's a tremendous risk for these people."

Josh Drayton, spokesman for the California Cannabis Industry Association, said it's too early to tell just how many of the state's estimated 10,000 to 15,000 marijuana farms have burned down.

He expects "the devastation is going to be larger than anybody would hope it to be."

Lastreto, co-founder of the cultivator Swami Select, said she knows several people who lost their farms already. Those who haven't lost everything are harvesting early so the crops don't get burned down or tainted from smoke.

"A lot of plants have been lost in the fire, especially in Sonoma County," she said. "In southern Mendocino County, there are farms burning right now."

Related: Retail marijuana is spreading to California, Massachusetts and Maine

The 22 wildfires currently raging through California have killed 23 people, with hundreds missing, and burned 170,000 acres along with thousands of homes and businesses. The seasonal wildfires have gotten worse in California in recent years, and this isn't the first time pot farms have gone up in smoke.

"It's very typical that in fires in Northern California that there could be marijuana farms burned up," said Stan Florea, fire information officer for the U.S. Forest Service, which has 1,500 firefighters deployed to California. Though he noted that any pot farms located on federal land are illegal.

Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in eight counties, including the wine producing counties of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino. That overlaps with some of the cannabis producing Emerald Triangle, which includes Mendocino but also Trinity and Humboldt counties, which are largely spared from the fires.

But the wildfires are unlikely to have a significant impact on the state's overall supply when retail opens up, said Peterson, because there are so many other farms scattered around the state.

Related: Smokejumpers parachute into forest fires for $15 an hour

Medical marijuana has been legal in California since 1996, and recreational marijuana was approved by referendum in 2016. The retail market for recreational marijuana opens on January 2018, and state officials are still working on how it will be regulated and taxed.

Sales totaled $2.8 billion last year, based on medical marijuana alone, according to New Frontier Data.

Recreational sales could boost revenue beyond $6.5 billion by 2020.

"Here comes this fire at the worst possible time for them," said Peterson "I have a lot of friends who are really troubled right now."

CNNMoney (New York) First published October 12, 2017: 6:54 AM ET

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Marijuana farms are burning in California wildfires

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Blazes have destroyed a number of farms in Mendocino County right before legal recreational sales begin in California. Cannabis business owners who lose their crops have little reprieve. "Nobody right now has insurance," said Nikki Lastreto, secretary of the Mendocino Cannabis Industry Association. "They might have insurance on their house, but not on their crop."

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President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that Puerto Rico is going to have to shoulder more responsibility for recovery efforts from Hurricane Maria, saying the federal government's emergency responders can't stay there "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. 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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Yankees advance to ALCS to play the Houston Astros after beating the Indians despite being down 0-2 in the series.

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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
The New York Yankees became the 10th team in Major League Baseball history to erase a 0-2 series deficit in a best-of-five format with a 5-2win over the Cleveland Indians in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Shortstop Didi Gregorius-who had one hit in the series' first four games- spearheaded the Bronx Bombers' victorious effort with a pair of home runs off Indians starter Corey Kluber, including a two-run crush job in the third inning.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Didi putting the team on his back! #ALDS https://t.co/l0xzrU80vL
2017-10-12 01:11:25

The Indians had a glimmer of hope trailing 3-2 entering the ninth inning, but Brett Gardner capped off an epic 12-pitch at-bat against Cody Allen with a base hit to right field that scored two thanks to a throwing error by Jay Bruce.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
On the 12th pitch of the at-bat, Brett Gardner delivered! #ALDS https://t.co/sT7nBHu9QI
2017-10-12 03:37:48
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available. Get the best sports content from the web and social in the . Get the app and get the game.

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Didi Gregorius Leads Yankees to Game 5 Win vs. Indians; Will Face Astros in ALCS

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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images The New York Yankees became the 10th team in Major League Baseball history to erase a 0-2 series deficit in a best-of-five format with a 5-2win over the Cleveland Indians in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

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Google came out with a new speaker that secretly eavesdropped/recorded users conversations.

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A major flaw has been detected in the newly-unveiled Google Home Mini speaker that allows it to secretly record conversations without users knowing.

Last week, Google showed off its next-generation smart speakers at an event in San Francisco. Following the event, it sent members of the press home with a review unit of the Google Home Mini, expected to launch on October 19.

Android Police tech blogger and founder Artem Russakovskii was the first to discover a bug in the software used by those devices. After using the gadget, he went to his Google activity account page and noticed it was populated with audio clips recorded in his home.

The Google Home Mini saved recordings at times when the wake word "OK Google" wasn't used. (A wake word typically triggers smart devices like Google Home and the Amazon Echo to start listening to your verbal commands).

It's not uncommon for companies like Google and Amazon to keep the audio smart speakers hear -- but in this case, the device wasn't activated by the wake word.

"My Google Home Mini was inadvertently spying on me 24/7 due to a hardware flaw," he wrote on the site.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the issue to CNN Tech and said it stems from the touchpad, known as the activation button, on the devices given to early reviewers.

Unable to fix the glitch with the touchpad, Google has sent out a software update which will now permanently disable it. This means users will only be able to activate the device with voice commands. The volume and on/off buttons on the side of the device will continue to work.

Related: Google unveils new Pixel phones, speakers, futuristic headphones

"We take user privacy and product quality concerns very seriously. Although we only received a few reports of this issue, we want people to have complete peace of mind while using Google Home Mini," the Google spokesperson said.

Because the Google Home Mini ($49) doesn't officially launch until next week, no paying customers have been impacted.

Meanwhile, it appears the new larger-sized Google Home Max smart speaker ($399) doesn't have the bug.

But the issue draws attention to the privacy concerns over "always-on devices" that listen for wake words.

"The Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice should investigate this incident, as well as the general use of 'always-on' devices," Marc Rotenberg, the President of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) told CNN Tech.

EPIC has pending complaints with the FTC and DOJ alleging that always-on devices like Google Home, Echo and Siri violate consumer protection law and federal wiretap law.

In the meantime, Google allows users to deactivate any existing Google devices from saving audio recordings via its settings page.

CNNMoney (London) First published October 11, 2017: 11:44 AM ET

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Google admits its new smart speaker was eavesdropping on users

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Last week, Google showed off its next-generation smart speakers at an event in San Francisco. Following the event, it sent members of the press home with a review unit of the Google Home Mini, expected to launch on October 19.

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An American mom and her family that have been held by the Taliban for five years were released.

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An American woman, her Canadian husband and their three young children were rescued on Wednesday, five years to the day since the couple was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan, ABC News has learned.

Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her husband Joshua Boyle, 34, were freed from Taliban captivity and then secured in an exchange between Pakistani military and U.S. commandos late Wednesday in a secret operation to bring them home after one of the longest -- and strangest -- American hostage ordeals in recent history, counterterrorism officials revealed.

The captor network was believed by intelligence and counterterrorism officials to have been part of the al-Qaeda-aligned Afghan Haqqani Network - which also held Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl prisoner for five years until May 2014 - but no one ever asked the families to pay ransom. The Haqqanis also have close ties to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate.

Only days ago, the couple were shown in a video filmed by their captors and sent to their families last January. The Boyle family provided it to the Toronto Star and to ABC News.

Caitlan is shown cradling their second child, still an infant, with their four-year old son on his father's lap, dressed in the same filthy clothing as in a video posted on YouTube last December. A third child has since been born in captivity, sources told ABC News.

In the video, Joshua Boyle light-heartedly cracked jokes about letters received in reply from their parents in record time and said the conditions of their captivity had improved around the beginning of the year.

The young mother, who grew up in Stewartsttown, Pa., tells her father, Jim Coleman, that her personality in captivity has changed from being like one Disney heroine to another.

"I would also like to say to my father specifically, that I think you would like to know that my time in-married, and my time as a mother, and my time in prison that I've become more of a Belle than an Ariel," Caitlan Coleman, known as "Caity" to her parents, explains.

Coleman Family

Her father told ABC News earlier this week that his daughter was trying to contrast one animated Disney character, Ariel of "The Little Mermaid," who was rebellious and defied her father, with Belle of "Beauty and The Beast," who tried to protect her father from evil.

"She is telling me, 'Dad, I wish had listened to you more and not been Ariel and more a Belle," the elder Coleman said. "It's a lot of humility and self-analysis of why she is in this situation."

A senior official involved in hostage recovery told an ABC News reporter in January 2016 that the hostage family was to be freed in a deal following the successful recovery of Colin Rutherford, another Canadian in Haqqani hands. He was soon freed but Coleman was not.

It soon emerged that the Taliban were upset over reports that Anas Haqqani, brother of the No. 2 Afghan Taliban commander Sirajuddin Haqqani, had been prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to death in secret proceedings in Kabul.

In August 2016, the Haqqani Taliban snatched two professors from American University of Kabul, one American and one Australian, in retaliation for Anas Haqqani's death sentence. A few months later, in December, the Colemans appeared in a new video -- seen for the first time with their children, who were born as hostages -- warning that their survival depended on a reprieve for Taliban prisoners.

The families were soon told privately by Afghan officials that Anas Haqqani had been spared execution but that his release was politically impossible, U.S. and Afghan officials told ABC News earlier this year.

In the waning days -- and even the last hours -- of the Obama administration, diplomats tried hard to broker a deal for Coleman's release, to no avail, according to several Obama aides who discussed the previously unreported hostage recovery efforts.

It was unclear Thursday morning whether the Boyle-Coleman family's freedom came as the result of a new deal.

Coleman Family

Caitlan's husband, who inexplicably brought her to backpack in Afghanistan before their October 2012 abduction in Ghazni province, according to both families, seemed more optimistic than in the ominous videos the Taliban released in December, which appeared to have been made at the same time as the private January video addressed to their families.

"Things here are going about as can be expected," Boyle says in the January video. "But we were buoyed to receive your letter, and for the first time we have hope that things might wrap up soon, God willing."

In a private letter to his family, who provided it to ABC News, Boyle made it clear that the years of captivity in the most austere of conditions had taken a toll on their sense of hope.

President Trump in a tax speech he made in Pennsylvania on Wednesday made a cryptic reference to a country he did not name where "something happened," and that Americans would "probably be hearing about it over the next few days."

One counterterrorism official said they believed it was a reference to Pakistan's assistance in freeing Coleman and her family.

"America is being respected again. Something happened today, where a country that totally disrespected us called with some very, very important news," Trump told the crowd. "And one of my generals came in, they said, 'You know, I have to tell you, a year ago they would've never done that.' It was a great sign of respect. You'll probably be hearing about it over the next few days. But this is a country that did not respect us. This is a country that respects us now. The world is starting to respect us again, believe me."

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American hostage and her family freed after five years in captivity

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An American woman, her Canadian husband and their three young children were rescued on Wednesday, five years to the day since the couple was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan, ABC News has learned. Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her husband Joshua Boyle, 34, were freed from Taliban captivity and then secured in an exchange between Pakistani military and U.S.

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Gucci will go fur free in 2018. They want to do better for the environment and the animals

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Written by Allyssia Alleyne, CNN

Italian luxury brand Gucci is officially going fur-free, president and CEO Marco Bizzarri announced on Wednesday.

"Being socially responsible is one of Gucci's core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals," Bizzari said at a London College of Fashion event.

"With the help of HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) and LAV (an Italian animal rights organization), Gucci is excited to take this next step and hopes it will help inspire innovation and raise awareness, changing the luxury fashion industry for the better."

Under the new policy, Gucci will not use mink, coyote, raccoon dog, fox or any other animal bred or caught for their fur. The brand's Spring-Summer 2018 collection, which was shown at Milan Fashion Week in September and will go on sale next year, will be its first without fur. Remaining fur items will be sold in a charity auction.

"Gucci going fur-free is a huge game-changer. For this Italian powerhouse to end the use of fur because of the cruelty involved will have a huge ripple effect throughout the world of fashion," Humane Society International president Kitty Block said in a statement.

"We commend Gucci's compassionate decision, and for helping to ensure that the future of fashion is fur-free."

Gucci is not the only brand to forgo the use of fur. In 2016, Italian designer Giorgio Armani announced his brands would end their use of fur, "reflecting our attention to the critical issues of protecting and caring for the environment and animals." Vivienne Westwood, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren are also fur-free.

In recent seasons, many brands have embraced fake fur, with the real deal increasingly seen as unfashionable.

"Real fur is extraordinarily old-fashioned," Stella McCartney, whose own brand is fully vegetarian, told CNN in 2015. "Even if you're 20 and you've got a real fur coat, you just look like an old, unaware, unconscious being on the planet.

"It's not relevant, it's not sexy, it's not fashionable, and it's not cool."

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Written by Allyssia Alleyne, CNN Italian luxury brand Gucci is officially going fur-free, president and CEO Marco Bizzarri announced on Wednesday. "Being socially responsible is one of Gucci's core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals," Bizzari said at a London College of Fashion event.

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A 91-year-old Brooklyn man died on Wednesday after a group of intruders broke into his home and tied him and his wife up. Police say cause of death was most likely shock or a heart attack.

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A 91-year-old Brooklyn man died on Wednesday after a group of robbers broke into his home and tied him up, police said.

Waldiman Thompson and his 100-year-old wife, Ethline Thompson, were sitting in their home when a group of unknown intruders broke in and ransacked the place, according to police. The suspects threw a blanket over her head and then tied up both of the elderly residents, according to police.

Ethline Thompson, who managed to untie herself, ran outside and alerted authorities. Police arrived to find her husband unresponsive on the floor.

Investigators believe he may have died of shock, because he had no other injuries, according to ABC's New York station WABC. The official cause of his death has not been determined.

The couple's family said it was heartbroken by the incident.

"Oh my god. It breaks my heart to see my uncle died. He was like a father to me," Karlene Grose, Waldiman Thompson's niece, told WABC Wednesday.

WABC

Investigators said they are looking for four male suspects and watching surveillance footage for clues.

Ethline Thompson was taken to a nearby hospital where she was treated for minor rope burns. According to police, she was confused and did not know her husband had died.

A neighbor said he thought he heard a "loud boom" from the couple's apartment.

"I thought it was a gunshot initially. But it wasn't a gunshot," the neighbor said. "From in the neighborhood, they are just saying basically, that they were robbed and the gentleman had a heart attack."

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91-year-old Brooklyn man dies, 100-year-old wife injured after home robbery

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A 91-year-old Brooklyn man died on Wednesday after a group of robbers broke into his home and tied him up, police said. Waldiman Thompson and his 100-year-old wife, Ethline Thompson, were sitting in their home when a group of unknown intruders broke in and ransacked the place, according to police....

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¨This is promoting health care, choice and competition all across the United States¨ the president said after he signed an executive order to allow employers to allow insurance across state lines

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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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Israel is leaving UNESCO after the United States announced that they will be leaving. The prime minister stating that it is a "courageous and moral decision."

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president trump today: live updates - cnnpolitics

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Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha and Amanda Wills, CNN

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President Trump will sign an executive order on health care today, and he's expected to soon decertify the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal. Follow here for live updates.

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An American woman, her Canadian husband and their three children have been freed from captivity by Pakistani security forces, nearly five years after being taken hostage by the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network in 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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Memorial created to honor 2 KC firefighters who died while battling fire in northeast KC

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FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two years ago Kansas City lost two of its finest as they battled a fire along Independence Avenue, and on Wednesday a memorial was on display in their memory.

Firefighters Larry Leggio and John Mesh died after a wall collapsed on them while they were fighting the fire.

A memorial for both firefighters now sits at the Kansas City Museum, but the long-term plan is to display the memorial at the site of the fire, Independence Avenue and Prospect.

Michael Bushnell, who designed the memorial, said a is currently building is slated for development at the site of the fire, so they're waiting until that is complete before the memorial is moved.

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Memorial created to honor 2 KC firefighters who died while battling fire in northeast KC

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two years ago Kansas City lost two of its finest as they battled a fire along Independence Avenue, and on Wednesday a memorial was on display in their memory. Firefighters Larry Leggio and John Mesh died after a wall collapsed on them while they were fighting the fire.

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The Boy Scouts, a 107-year-old organization, is allowing girls to join. The decision comes after years of receiving requests from families and girls," Boy Scouts of America said in a statement.

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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.