AFMASM Blog

  Vice President Kamala Harris is criticizing former President Donald Trump over his controversial handling of a  visit to Arlington National Cemetery  earlier this week, saying in part that Trump “is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself.” “It is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America,” Harris  wrote in a lengthy post  on social media.  “I will always honor the service and sacrifice of all of America’s fallen heroes, who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our beloved nation and our cherished freedoms. I mourn them and salute them. And I will never politicize them,” she added. It’s the first time the vice president appears to be directly addressing the controversy. Michael Tyler, the Harris campaign communications director, had previously called the incident “pretty sad,” but said it’s what they’ve “come to...

  Former President Donald Trump on Saturday said he thinks adults in Florida shouldn’t be arrested for having “personal amounts” of marijuana in their possession, as the state’s voters are set to weigh in this November on recreational use of the drug.  Trump said in a  new post on Truth Social  that he thought the proposal, known as Amendment 3, would pass. “In Florida, like so many other States that have already given their approval, personal amounts of marijuana will be legalized for adults with Amendment 3. Whether people like it or not, this will happen through the approval of the Voters, so it should be done correctly,” Trump wrote.  Trump called for the Florida state legislature to “responsibly create laws that prohibit the use of it in public spaces, so we do not smell marijuana everywhere we go, like we do in many of the Democrat run Cities.” “At the same time, someone should not be a criminal in Florida, when this is legal in so many other States. We do...

 Miley Doran, 17, didn't think twice before rescuing a mother and her teen daughter who had gotten into difficulty in the River Barrow in Co Carlow. Miley Doran, 17, is rightfully being praised as a hero after rescuing Stacey Foley and her daughter Sophie Foley-Smith who met difficulty while in the River Barrow in Co Carlow. Ann Langton, Stacey’s mother, told local radio station KCLR that Stacey was at the park with Sophie, who, as Langton says, “like all teenagers saw no danger of water.” When it was apparent that Sophie had gotten into difficulty in the river, Stacey’s “instincts kicked in” and she jumped in to rescue her. In the panic, however, Sophie latched onto Stacey’s neck, making it difficult for Stacey to breathe. Hearing the shouts for help, Doran “didn’t even think of his own safety, just got up and jumped straight in, brought my granddaughter to the river banks, and then went back for my daughter," Langton said. “He’s just our hero,” Langton continued. ...

  Google has removed its head of diversity over a 2007 blog post that said Jewish people had "an insatiable appetite for war and killing". In a post about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that resurfaced this week, Kamau Bobb also claimed Jewish people had an "insensitivity" to suffering. The post has now been deleted. On Thursday, a spokesperson for Google told the BBC that Mr Bobb would "no longer be part of our diversity team going forward". "We unequivocally condemn the past writings by a member of our diversity team that are causing deep offence and pain to members of our Jewish community," they said. "These writings are unquestionably hurtful. The author acknowledges this and has apologised. He will no longer be part of our diversity team... and will focus on his Stem [science, technology, engineering and maths] work. "This has come at at a time where we've seen an alarming increase in anti-Semitic attacks,"...

A second K-pop star has dramatically quit the music business, in a growing industry sex scandal. Jung Joon-young, 30, admitted to secretly filming himself having sex with women and sharing the footage. "I admit to all my crimes," said Jung in a statement. He also promised to drop all his TV and music work. It comes a day after  superstar Seungri from the group Big Bang quit the industry  after he was charged with sex bribery. Jung, who is accused of taping 10 or more women, is due to be questioned by Seoul Metropolitan Police on Thursday. "I filmed women without their consent and shared it in a chatroom, and while I was doing so I didn't feel a great sense of guilt," said Jung in the statement released late on Tuesday. It came after South Korean broadcaster SBS reported allegations that he had filmed his own sex videos without his partners' permission, and shared them with friends in a mobile chat group during 2015-16. S Korea women protest...

The daughter of late Riverdale actor Luke Perry has hit back at people who have criticised her grieving process. Sophie Perry explained  on Instagram  how she's "received a lot of attention online" following her father's death. "Yes I am hurt and sad and crying and beside myself with what happened to my dad," she wrote. "But I'm not going to sit in my room and cry day in and day out until the internet has deemed it appropriate for me to do otherwise," she continued. "And if you knew my dad you would know he wouldn't want me to. So you shouldn't either." The US actor  died in California at the age of 52 , less than a week after suffering a massive stroke. Perry rose to fame for playing Dylan McKay in Beverly Hills, 90210 and gained a new generation of fans through his role as Fred Andrews on Netflix's Riverdale. Luke Perry fans remember 'nicest guy'                        Luke Perry with c...

The boss of Ethiopian Airlines has called for the grounding of all Boeing's 737 Max 8 aircraft until it is established they are safe to fly. Many countries have already suspended the plane after one the airline's jets crashed on Sunday minutes after take-off, killing all 157 people on board. Tewolde Gebremariam told the BBC that although the exact causes were still unknown, there were similarities to a Lion Air crash last October. But US officials say the jet is safe. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said a review had showed "no systemic performance issues" and that there was no basis for grounding the aircraft. 'Grounding is right thing to do' Sunday's Nairobi-bound plane was the same type as the Indonesian Lion Air jet that crashed in October, killing 189 passengers and crew, and Mr Gebremariam said there were other similarities. He accepted that Boeing and the FAA must have their reasons for arguing that the 737 Max 8 is safe. ...

Stephen Hawking died in March last year Professor Stephen Hawking's nurse has been struck off for failures over his care and financial misconduct. Patricia Dowdy, 61, who worked for the renowned scientist for 15 years, was handed an interim suspension in 2016,  it emerged at the weekend. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has now found she did not "provide the standards of good, professional care we expect and Professor Hawking deserved". Mrs Dowdy told The Mail on Sunday  she was upset and did not want to comment. The NMC made its decision to remove Mrs Dowdy, from Ipswich, from the nursing register at a private hearing in London. A fitness to practise panel said Mrs Dowdy's behaviour amounted to financial misconduct, dishonesty, not providing appropriate care, failing to cooperate with the NMC and not having the correct qualifications.

Suffolk Coastal District Council will investigate the pond on Ed Sheeran's estate Ed Sheeran's Suffolk estate will be inspected by council officials to make sure his pond is there for wildlife and not "a wild lifestyle". Some neighbours had been worried the pond would be used for swimming and watersports, which are against planning permission. Suffolk Coastal District Council is to investigate to make sure the rules are being followed. Other neighbours said they had "no problem with Ed Sheeran whatsoever". The wildlife pond, featuring a jetty, steps and sheds, was installed after being granted planning permission in January 2017. But last year the council questioned its possible use for recreational purposes during an "enforcement investigation". That case was closed when a fresh planning application said the jetty and steps were "to form interest" and allow for emergency access and the sheds were to cover the borehole an...

A mass grave in the Bongende is thought to contain 100 bodies A UN investigation says violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year may amount to crimes against humanity. It says at least 500 people were killed, including families burnt alive in their homes and a two-year-old who was thrown into a septic tank. Ethnic violence broke out when one community wanted to bury one of their traditional chiefs on another community's land. The investigation adds that violence could flare up again at any time. Africa Live: More on this and others from the continent Five things to know about DR Congo What is the International Criminal Court Investigators say the violence between 16 and 18 December was "planned and executed with the support of customary chiefs". Members of the Batende community attacked Banunu villages "with extreme violence and speed, allowing little time to escape". It adds that the provincial authorities in Yumbi, in Mai-N...

The risk of the UK being tied to EU rules after Brexit "remains unchanged" despite the latest changes to the PM's deal, the attorney general has said. However, Geoffrey Cox said the new agreements reinforced the legal rights available to the UK if subsequent talks broke down due to "bad faith". His updated legal advice is seen as vital to determining whether Tory Brexiteers and the DUP back the deal. Mr Cox is now answering MPs' questions in the Commons. Reaction to May deal ahead of vote Has anything changed in the Brexit deal? Brexitcast: What happened in Strasbourg? In  his advice , Mr Cox said the extra assurances won by Mrs May in 11th hour talks with the EU "reduce the risk that the United Kingdom could be indefinitely and involuntarily detained" in the backstop if talks on the two sides future relationship broke down due to "bad faith" by the EU. But he warned that the question of whether a satisfactory post-Brexi...