What to Know
- Islamic State militants attacked Afghan soldiers guarding a military academy in Kabul, killing at least 11 troops and wounding 16
- Sen. Charles Schumer is calling on federal health officials to dispatch a flu surveillance team to New York as the number of cases increases
- Three artists who performed at a country music festival during the Las Vegas massacre honored those fans during a tearful Grammy performance
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11 Afghan Troops Die in Islamic State Attack on Military Academy
Islamic State militants attacked Afghan soldiers guarding a military academy in the capital of Kabul, killing at least 11 troops and wounding 16. The attack was the latest in a wave of relentless violence in Kabul this month unleashed by the Taliban and the rival Islamic State group that has killed scores and left hundreds wounded. The attack started around 4 a.m., witnesses said, and fighting continued long after daybreak. A suicide bomber first struck the military unit responsible for providing security for the academy, followed by a gunbattle with the troops, said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghan defense ministry. At least five insurgents were involved in the morning assault, according to Waziri. Two of the attackers were killed in the gunbattle, two detonated their suicide vests and one was arrested by the troops, he said.
Ronda Rousey Shifts to Wrestling With Surprise Royal Rumble Cameo
Ronda Rousey has ditched UFC for WWE. Once the most dangerous women in MMA, Rousey officially made the anticipated jump to WWE with a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia. The former UFC bantamweight champion also told ESPN that she's fully committed to wrestling and not just planning cameos at WWE's biggest events. Rousey appeared to roaring fans after the women's Royal Rumble in Philadelphia, and pointed to a WrestleMania sign — scheduled for New Orleans in April — as Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" blared through the arena. Rousey smiled when Royal Rumble winner Asuka slapped her hand away on an offer for a handshake. Rousey left the ring and walked over to WWE executive and Royal Rumble commentator Stephanie McMahon. Rousey shook hands with McMahon and left without saying a word.
Trump Talks Brexit, Royal Wedding and Feminism in Interview
Local
President Trump says he would take a "tougher" attitude toward Brexit negotiations than the approach now being used by British Prime Minister Theresa May. Britain is preparing to leave the European Union in March 2019. The complex negotiations have moved slowly and May's Cabinet seems deeply divided over how best to separate Britain from the 28-nation bloc. In the interview with journalist Piers Morgan, Trump has high praise for French President Emmanuel Macron. He says he looks forward to visiting Britain, where he has been invited for a state visit to be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, and says he doesn't care that some Britons want him to stay away.
Schumer Demands Feds Send Special Flu Team to New York
Sen. Charles Schumer is calling on federal health officials to dispatch a flu surveillance team to New York as the number of cases increases. Schumer, who announced his request to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says a surveillance team could help local health care workers and state health officials by studying the spread of the illness, identifying the particular strains involved, and assessing the impact on the state's overall population. Schumer says a CDC team could help the state "break its fever" by assisting the public health efforts already underway in the state, like the tracking of flu strains to figure out the best way to fight the virus. According to the senator's office more than 5,200 New Yorkers have been hospitalized with the flu this season.
Grammys Pay Tribute to Vegas, Manchester Victims
Three artists who performed at a country music festival that became the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history honored those music fans lost at deadly concert attacks with a tearful performance at the Grammy Awards. Country artists Eric Church, Maren Morris and Brothers Osborne delivered a moving performance of Eric Clapton's Grammy-winning classic "Tears in Heaven," during the 60th annual Grammys Awards in New York City. The artists put their own spin on the mournful song in honor of the victims at the Route 91 Harvest Festival last October in Las Vegas, as well as a bombing outside an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, in May. Behind them the names of the victims of the attacks were written on panels.
