Death toll hits 21 from Thai rampage after attempt to stop shooter

A member of the Thai security forces was killed early on Sunday in an attempt to stop a soldier holed up in a shopping mall after a shooting rampage, bringing the total death toll to 21, the health minister said.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2vcOJFT

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Thai police believe shooter in mall basement, has no hostages

Thai police believe a soldier who has killed at least 21 people is holed up in the basement of a shopping mall in northeastern Thailand and that he does not have hostages, a police officer said on Sunday.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2vlHNWT

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Deaths from China's coronavirus outbreak surpass deaths from SARS

The number of new coronavirus deaths on the Chinese mainland hit 811 by end of Feb. 8, the National Health Commission said on Sunday morning, surpassing that of the SARS epidemic in 2002/2003.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/374a8yk

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Mainland China reports 89 new coronavirus deaths on February 8

The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in mainland China reached 811 as of the end of Saturday, up 89 from the previous day, the country's National Health Commission said on Sunday morning.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/31AwEOc

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Air China cuts flights between China and U.S. due to coronavirus epidemic

State carrier Air China said late on Saturday it will "adjust" its flights between China and the United States due to the coronavirus epidemic.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/38d9yiX

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Solar Orbiter launch: what is it and what's it going to do?

Many scientists are calling it the UK's most important mission for a generation.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2UwYmdc

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Oscars 2020: Life lessons from Europe's last wild beekeeper

The story of the woman at the centre of an Oscar-nominated film has struck a chord around the world.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bmovRL

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Ukraine's teen bullying drama that shattered taboos and stirred a nation

Ukraine's Early Swallows is a TV hit, giving teenagers the courage to open up about their lives.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2SekuHT

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Kenya - where toilets have become a constitutional right

The state is obliged to provide toilets along the country's roads, Kenya's High Court rules.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/389STNi

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Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Coronavirus deaths surpass SARS fatalities from 2002-2003; at least 811 have died

02/08/20 5:00 PM

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Has Airbnb grown a conscience?

Airbnb is the latest US company to pledge it will serve society. Has the corporate world grown a conscience?

from BBC News - Business https://ift.tt/2SsuZWU

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Brexit: What trade deals has the UK done so far?

Securing a UK-EU trade deal will be top a priority over the months ahead.

from BBC News - Business https://ift.tt/2XfjbIP

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On the campaign trail: Biden slams Buttigieg, 'Guess what? He was a mayor'

Democrats scrambled to gain an edge with voters on Saturday on the last weekend before the party's next presidential nominating contest in New Hampshire, where Pete Buttigieg began drawing fire as the candidate on the rise.

from Reuters: U.S. https://ift.tt/3bnAui3

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Switzerland votes on LGBT discrimination proposal

Critics fear the plan to punish sexual orientation discrimination by law would limit free speech.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2vfLaPm

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Tracking IS from Syria to the Philippines

The BBC's Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville follows the spread of Islamic State group, from Syria to the Philippines.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/31DkaFl

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The female folk dance which made this man a star

Noor is changing the rules of Gidha, a folk dance traditionally performed by women in Punjab state.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2OAwC3F

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Climate change: Why are US senators wearing this symbol?

Climate Stripes, a graphic made by a UK academic, is being worn by US politicians posted on social media.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/389Oo5m

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Sinn Fein Irish election surge leaves three main parties tied

Support for left-wing Irish nationalists Sinn Fein surged in an election on Saturday, leaving it tied with the party of Prime Minister Leo Varadkar but unlikely to emerge with the highest number of seats, an exit poll showed.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/38b3lnX

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American, Afghan soldiers killed in shootout in Afghanistan: New York Times

U.S. and Afghan forces came under attack in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said in Kabul as they launched investigations into what the New York Times described as a deadly shootout between Afghan and American soldiers during a joint exercise.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2UFqNFN

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The Surprising Health Benefits of making love and sex

The perks of sex extend well beyond the bedroom...

Sex is not only pleasurable, did you know it's also good for you? It's true. The benefits of sex range from slashing stress levels to lowering your risk of cancer and heart attacks. Sex facilitates bonding and feelings of intimacy with your partner. This kind of connectedness does more than make you feel warm and fuzzy, it actually reduces anxiety and boosts your overall health.

How would you like a stronger immune system or better sleep? Action between the sheets can help you get all of this and more.

1. Get Less Colds & Boost Your Immune System

More sex equals fewer sick days. That's what the results of studies comparing sexually active people to those who are not sexually active say. Sex boosts your body's ability to make protective antibodies against bacteria, viruses, and other germs that cause common illnesses. Of course, there's more to cultivating a robust immune system than having a healthy sex life. Eating right, exercising, getting adequate sleep, and keeping up to date with vaccinations all contribute to having strong and healthy defenses against contagious illnesses.

2. Boost Your Libido

Believe it or not, the best antidote for a waning libido is to have sex! Having sex actually boosts desire. And if pain and vaginal dryness make it challenging for some women to have sex, sexual activity can help combat these problems, too. Sex boosts vaginal lubrication, blood flow to the vagina, and elasticity of the tissues, all of which make for better, more pleasurable sex and heightened libido.

3. Improve Women's Bladder Control

Urinary incontinence affects about 30% of women at some point in life. Having regular orgasms works a woman's pelvic floor muscles, strengthening and toning them. Orgasms activate the same muscles that women use when doing Kegel exercises. Having stronger pelvic muscles means there's less risk of accidents and urine leaks.

4. Lower Your Blood Pressure

Are you one of the millions of people who suffer from high blood pressure? Sex can help you lower it. Many studies have documented a link between intercourse specifically (not masturbation) and lower systolic blood pressure, the first number that appears on a blood pressure test. That's good news for individuals looking for an easy adjunct to lifestyle (diet, exercise, stress reduction) and medication strategies to get blood pressure into a healthy range. Sex sessions cannot replace blood-pressure lowering drugs to control high blood pressure, but they may be a useful addition.

5. Counts as Exercise

Like every other kind of physical activity, sex burns calories, too! Sitting and watching TV burns about 1 calorie per minute. Having sex increases your heart rate and utilizes various muscle groups, burning about 5 calories per minute. Regular sex cannot replace sessions at the gym, but a having an active, healthy sex life is a nice way to get some extra physical activity.

6. Lower Heart Attack Risk

Want a healthier heart? Have more sex. Sexual activity helps keep levels of hormones, like estrogen and testosterone, in check. When these hormones are out of balance, conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis may develop. When it comes to protecting heart health by having sex, more is better. One study in men showed that those who had sex at least 2 times a week were 50% less likely to die of heart disease than their less sexually active peers.

7. Lessen Pain

Sexual stimulation (including masturbation) and orgasm can help keep pain at bay. Both activities can reduce pain sensation and increase your pain threshold. Orgasms result in the release of hormones that can help block pain signals. Some women report that self-stimulation through masturbation can reduce symptoms of menstrual cramps, arthritis, and even headache.

8. May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk

There are male-specific health benefits of sex, too. One study showed that men who had frequent ejaculations (defined as 21 times a month or more) were less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who had fewer ejaculations. It did not matter if the ejaculations occurred through intercourse, masturbation, or nocturnal emissions. Of course, there's more to prostate cancer risk than frequency of ejaculations, but this was one interesting finding.

9. Improve Sleep

Sex can help you sleep better. That's because orgasm simulates the release of a hormone called prolactin, a natural sleep aide. Prolactin promotes feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. This is just one of the reasons you may notice that you have an easier time falling asleep after having sex.

10. Relieve Stress

Sex is a great stress reliever. That's because touching, hugging, sexual intimacy, and emotional attachment stimulate the release of “feel good” substances that promote bonding and calmness. Sexual arousal also releases substances that stimulate the reward and pleasure system in the brain. Fostering intimacy and closeness can help relieve anxiety and boost overall health.

11. Burn Calories

Add sex to the list of activities that burns calories. One study in young men and women showed that sex burns about 108 calories per half hour! That's enough to burn off 3, 570 calories – that's a little more than the number of calories in one pound – in 32 half-hour sessions.

12. Improve Cardiovascular Health

Better cardiovascular health may be as close as the bedroom. While some people may worry that physical exertion from sex may lead to a stroke, science suggests otherwise. In a 20-year-long study of more than 900 men, researchers found that frequency of sex did not increase stroke risk. They found that sex protects against fatal heart attacks, too. Men who had sex at least twice per week reduced their risk of a fatal heart attack by 50% compared to gents who had sex less than once a month.

13. Strengthen Your Well-Being

Humans are wired for social connection. Interaction with friends and family boosts your overall health and well-being. Close connections with others, including your partner, make you happier and healthier compared to those who are less well connected. Studies prove it!

14. Improve Intimacy and Relationships

You can hug and cuddle your way to develop warm, intimate relationships. Sex and orgasms stimulate the release of a hormone called oxytocin that helps people bond. This “love hormone” as it's commonly known, helps build feelings of love and trust. In a study of premenopausal women, the more time the ladies spent canoodling and hugging their husbands or partners, the higher their oxytocin levels were. The hormone inspires fuzzy feelings and generosity, too.

15. Look Younger

Forget surgery and anti-aging creams, sex keeps you younger looking, too. Regular sex stimulates the release of estrogen and testosterone, hormones that keep you young and vital looking. Estrogen promotes younger-looking skin and lustrous locks. In one study, judges viewed participants through a one-way mirror and guessed their ages. People who had sex at least 4 times per week with a regular partner were perceived to be 7 to 12 years younger than they actually were.

16. Live Longer

What's the secret to living longer? It may be having more sex. In a decade-long study of over 1,000 middle-aged men, those who had the most orgasms had half the death rate of those who did not ejaculate frequently. Of course many factors contribute to longevity, but having an active sex life may be an easy, pleasurable way to extend your lifespan.

17. Boost Brainpower

The benefits of sex truly extend from head to toe. An active sex life might actually make your brain work better. Researchers found that sex switches the brain into a more analytical mode of and thinking processing. And animal studies suggest that sex enhances areas of the brain involved in memory.

ref: https://www.quibblo.com/story/DC7u-UAC/5-Things-A-Love-Doll-Will-Give-And-Not-Your-Partner

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Chinese 'democracy tourists' see Iowa up close

The students visitors were fascinated by the caucuses, despite the vote's messy outcome.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bk3fvX

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Syria war: Forgotten amid the bombs: Idlib's ancient, ruined riches

From a giant basalt lion to its own Notre-Dame, Idlib's ancient monuments are in danger.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3blb18S

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How a beer can helped reunite a woman with her dog after three years

A US woman found her dog across the country after being separated for years thanks to a beer can.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2vHZcJB

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Chukwuemeka Ike: The Nigerian king who served Toads for Supper

Fans of Chukwuemeka Ike, who died last month, say that he should be more widely acclaimed.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3blle5n

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Stopping Venice choking on its own pollution

We know Venice is drowning as global sea levels rise, but it is also choking on its own pollution.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2tEpmfH

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How come a doctor in his 30s has died?

How safe is it to travel? And is a face mask useful and how often does it have to be replaced?

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2sLbMXA

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Two days after his acquittal, Trump ousts two star impeachment witnesses

President Donald Trump's administration on Friday ousted the two witnesses who provided the most damaging testimony during his impeachment investigation: Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman and Ambassador Gordon Sondland.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2HhkGzP

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