$530 million cryptocurrency heist may be biggest ever

A cryptocurrency exchange in Japan is coming under government scrutiny after it said hackers stole $530 million from its users.
The exchange, Coincheck, has promised to partially refund the 260,000 cryptocurrency investors affected by the theft, although it didn't say when it would do so or where it's getting the money from.

The hacking at Coincheck, which bills itself on its website as "the leading bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange in Asia," came to light over the weekend. If confirmed, it's expected to rank as the biggest such theft on record, eclipsing the estimated $400 million in bitcoin stolen from Mt Gox in 2014.

Coincheck said the hackers stole customer deposits of NEM, a less well known digital currency.

The exchange promised to use cash from its own funds to pay out ¥46.3 billion ($426 million) toward covering its users' losses. That's about 20% less than the total value of the virtual tokens that were stolen.

How and when to watch Wednesday's 'super blue blood moon'

The full moon on Wednesday will be the second in a month, making it a blue moon. It'll be at the part of the moon's orbit that defines a supermoon. And there will be a total lunar eclipse.
The total lunar eclipse is the most exciting for astronomers — it can give the moon a reddish tint, which is why it's sometimes called a blood moon.
To catch the eclipse, you'll need to look up at a certain time: early in the morning in the US, or later that night in other parts of the world.

Early Wednesday, those in certain parts of the world will be able to look up at the sky and see what you could call a "super blue blood moon."

A full moon at the part of the moon's orbit closest to Earth is known as a supermoon. The full moon on Wednesday will also be the second in a calendar month, commonly referred to as a blue moon by NASA and others.

Smoking e-cigarettes 'can harm your DNA and increase risk of cancer'

Smoke from e-cigarettes damages DNA and can increase the risk of cancer and heart disease, scientists have warned.

The battery-driven devices, which deliver an instant nicotine "hit" without burning tobacco, have been widely promoted as a safer alternative to cigarettes.

But findings from a new study suggest they are far from harmless, and could pose a serious health risk.

In laboratory tests, mice exposed to e-cigarette smoke had higher levels of DNA damage in the heart, lungs and bladder than those breathing normal filtered air.

Jose Mourinho sends heartwarming letter to 94-year-old lifelong Manchester United fan who suffered stroke

Jose Mourinho has offered support to a 94-year-old Man United fan who recently suffered a stroke in the form of heartwarming letter.

The avid United follower Frederick Schofield was personally contacted by the United boss, who offered him the club's support in his recovery.

"We have recently been advised about all your wonderful dedication to Manchester United," Mourinho wrote.

"I just wanted to write to you to thank you for your loyal support and devotion to the club. The enthusiasm of the fans continues to astound me.

Putin critic Alexei Navalny arrested after call for election boycott

Protesters gathered across Russia on Sunday to support opposition leader Alexei Navalny's call to boycott the March presidential election, and Navalny himself was arrested while walking to the Moscow demonstration.

Many of the crowds that turned out in generally frigid weather skewed sharply young, apparently reflecting growing discontent among Russians who have lived most or all of their lives under President Vladimir Putin, who came to power on New Year's Eve 1999.

"As long as I've been alive, Putin has always been in. I'm tired of nothing being changed," said 19-year-old Vlad Ivanov, one of about 1,500 protesters who assembled in St. Petersburg.

Navalny, Putin's most prominent foe, organized the protests to urge a boycott of Russia's March 18 presidential election, in which Putin is sure to win a fourth term. He was wrestled to the ground and forced into a police bus as he walked toward the demonstration on Moscow's Pushkin Square.

Drug dealers use celebrity app to target youngsters: Investigation finds cannabis and paraphernalia openly advertised

 

A trendy selling app popular with teenagers, models and celebrities is peddling bundles of drugs to children as young as 13.

Depop, a mobile app used to buy and sell clothing, mobile phones, jewellery, art and music, is now openly advertising cannabis and drug paraphernalia.

The alternative to eBay, which has been used by the likes of Philip Schofield, Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding and Kate Moss’s model sister Lottie Moss to flog old clothes, has been found to offer ‘smoking bundles’.

Hillary Clinton read an excerpt of 'Fire and Fury' in a Grammys skit mocking Trum

Hillary Clinton read an excerpt of Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury" book on the Trump administration in a skit at the Grammy Awards on Sunday.
She joined artists Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and DJ Khaled in the pre-recorded skit.

Hillary Clinton made an appearance in a pre-recorded skit at the Grammy Awards that mocked President Trump.

In the skit, the former Democratic presidential candidate read passages from Michael Wolff's controversial book "Fire and Fury" on the Trump administration. Music artists like Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and DJ Khaled also read excerpts.

Grammy Awards 2018: Bruno Mars sweeps, Jay-Z snubbed

Grammys night was huge for Bruno Mars, who won three out of the four major categories (the fourth is best new artist), for "24K Magic" and "That's How I Like It." But Jay-Z, who was up for eight awards, was shut out.

James Corden hosted the 60th Grammy Awards from Madison Square Garden in New York -- the show's first return to New York in 15 years. The Grammys included a very emotional performances by Kesha and Logic, while Kendrick Lamar opened the show with a political set. The star-studded lineup of performers also included Bruno Mars, Cardi B, SZA, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, U2, Sam Smith and more.

Five Britons facing a year in Cambodian jail for 'dancing pornographically' are 'trying to keep a good vibe'

Five Britons face up to a year in a Cambodian prison after police arrested them for "dancing pornographically" at a party.

Cambodian officials have charged a group of ten foreign tourists with "producing pornographic pictures" after images emerged of people apparently demonstrating different sex positions during a police raid on a rented villa.

Before appearing in court on Sunday, the Britons protested their innocence and said they were "trying to keep a good vibe".
The young men - several of whom had recently attended a popular pool party event called Let's Get Wet - said they had slept on the floor of a police station for three days, but "friendly" officers had bought them pizza.

Their arrests come after Cambodian authorities last year cracked down on tourists posting revealing images of themselves on social media.

Take a look inside one of the most exclusive racing clubs in the world

The Thermal Club is one of the most exclusive racing clubs in the world, with only 500 total memberships allowed.

Private Villas with racetrack views can cost nearly $7 million to construct and can hold impressive car collections

Members can enjoy 5.1 miles of world-class racing circuits and a full motorsports village.

Daredevil couple get married on net suspended 400ft above canyon with paragliding guests and base-jumping flower girls

A daredevil couple have said their "hell yeahs" in what may be one of the most daring weddings ever.

Kim Weglin and Ryan Jenks tied the knot on a net platform suspended above a 400ft deep canyon.

The thrilling ceremony was complete with a netted aisle, paragliding guests and even base-jumping flower girls.

The newlyweds decided to throw an extreme wedding because they both love highlining - where adrenaline junkies walk across a tightrope - and met at a festival dedicated to the sport.

5 shot dead, 1 wounded at western Pennsylvania car wash

Five people were killed and one was wounded after a gunman opened fire at a western Pennsylvania car wash early on Sunday, state police said. The attacker was believed to be among the dead.

Shots rang out about 2:40 a.m. at Ed's Car Wash in Melcroft, about 53 miles (85 km) southeast of Pittsburgh, police said.

The shooting at the coin-operated facility was still under investigation, and the motive was unknown, police said.

Three More Women Accuse Jeremy Piven of Sexual Misconduct

The total number of accusers against Piven now stands at eight.
After five women initially accused Jeremy Piven of sexual misconduct in November, three more women have come forward with allegations against the actor, as reported by BuzzFeed News.

In the story, published Saturday afternoon (Jan. 27), one background actor said Piven forcefully pinned her down on a couch after following to her trailer; another background actor said Piven became physically aggressive with her during an intimate encounter, and a third woman said the actor pushed her against a wall and tried to force her to engage in sexual intercourse. The incidents allegedly occurred in 1985, 1996 and 1994, respectively.

Emotional Jay-Z opens up about marriage to 'soulmate' Beyonce after publicly admitting to cheating on her

A contrite and emotional Jay-Z has opened up for the first time on how his marriage to Beyonce went to the brink after he cheated on her.

The A-list couple, who were dogged with split rumours after her sister Solange Knowles was caught on camera beating up Jay-Z in a lift, were close to breaking up because of his actions.

And he revealed how it almost "blew up" due to his lies.

In an interview with CNN's Van Jones, he called his wife of nearly 10 years "my soulmate, the person I love".

When asked why his marriage was so special to be worth fighting for, Jay replied: "You can be so in love with someone, and if you have and experienced love and if you don't understand it or have the tools to move forward, then you're going to have complications.

Grammy Week 2018: Photos From All the Parties

Missy Elliott (L) and Cardi B attend the Warner Music Group Pre-Grammy Party in association with V Magazine on Jan. 25, 2018 in New York City.


Lil Uzi Vert
Lil Uzi Vert performs at "Spotify's Best New Artist Party" at Skylight Clarkson on Jan. 25, 2018 in New York City.

Colombia police station bombing kills five and injures dozens

At least five police officers have been killed and dozens wounded in the bombing of a Colombian police station.

Officers were gathered to receive their morning assignments when the bomb exploded outside the station in the city of Barranquilla.

Officials said the attack was probably in retaliation for a crackdown on drug trafficking and organised crime.

Police have offered a reward of 50 million pesos (£12,700) for information about the attackers.

It is believed the device was detonated remotely, possibly having been planted earlier.

One 31-year-old suspect has already been arrested, Colombia's office of the attorney-general said.

"We will charge (him) with five aggravated murders ... attempted murder, terrorism and use of explosives," Attorney-General Nestor Martinez said in remarks carried by AFP.

Colombian newspaper El Tiempo said the suspect had been found near the station with radio equipment and plans of the police station.

The billionaires were found dead in their mansion. Now police say they were murdered.

Toronto police said they believe a billionaire couple found dead in their mansion last month were murdered.

Police Detective Sgt. Susan Gomes made the announcement at a news conference Friday, six weeks into the investigation into the “suspicious” deaths of Honey and Barry Sherman — and just days after private investigators said the Shermans were likely killed by multiple people in an apparent hit job.

Authorities declined to identify potential suspects in the high-profile killings that have sent shock waves across Canada, but said they intend to interview an “extensive list” of people, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. Authorities said they have not arrested anyone in the case.

Deadliest fire in years kills 37 in South Korean hospital

South Korea's deadliest fire in almost a decade has ripped through a hospital in the city of Miryang, killing at least 37 people and injuring more than 100.

Authorities revised the death toll down from 39 on Friday afternoon, but a Miryang City official warned it could rise as a number of patients were in a critical condition.
The fire comes less than a month after a similar tragedy left 29 dead in the city of Jecheon, raising concerns over lax safety standards in the country.
Officials said they were still investigating the cause of Friday's fire, which is believed to have started around 7:20 a.m. local time in the emergency room on the first floor of the 98-bed Sejong Hospital.
Rescue workers remove bodies from a hospital fire on January 26, 2018 in Miryang, South Korea.

Russia is still sending one of the largest groups of athletes to the Winter Olympics despite doping ban

Russia may have been banned from the Winter Olympics but they are still going to have one of the largest groups of athletes at the games.

The Russia’s Olympic Committee announced on Thursday that it will send 169 athletes to South Korea to compete in the games.

Only three nations had at least 169 athletes at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the United States, Canada, and Russia, which as the host nation in 2014 had 232 athletes competing.

Russia is sending the large contingency despite being banned from the Winter Olympics for manipulating the doping tests at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Russian athletes who still wanted to compete in the Olympics had to be cleared by a vetting process. The vetting included new evidence that could show if the athletes had previously attempted to "hide and modify" biological data that would have suggested steroid use.

Human History Gets Longer: Oldest Fossils Outside of Africa Found

The oldest fossils of modern humans outside Africa have been discovered in Israel, a new study finds.

The newly revealed jaw and teeth are estimated to be up to 194,000 years old. This makes these fossils at least 50,000 years older than modern human fossils previously unearthed outside Africa, and closer in age to when recent genetic results suggested modern humans may have first left Africa.

These new findings suggest that modern humans may have had more time to interact and interbreed with archaic human lineages outside of Africa than previously thought. The discovery also sheds light on the routes modern humans might have taken while dispersing from Africa. [See Photos of Our Closest Human Ancestor]

When humans left Africa

Modern humans originated at least 200,000 years ago in Africa. The oldest known bones of our species, Homo sapiens, may date back about 300,000 years.

Celebrities will wear white roses on the Grammys red carpet to send an important message

Several artists are planning on wearing white roses on the red carpet at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
The roses are intended to show support for the "Time's Up" movement.
This comes after many actors wore a "Time's Up" pin to the 2018 Golden Globes.
Artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Halsey, and Cyndi Lauper will reportedly participate.

In early January, several prominent members of the movie industry showed support for the fight against sexual misconduct by wearing the "Time's Up" pin on the Golden Globes red carpet. Now, the music industry is gearing up to show their support for the initiative at the 2018 Grammy Awards.

According to Billboard, several attendees including Kelly Clarkson, Halsey, and Cyndi Lauper are planning to wear white roses on the red carpet to show solidarity for the "Time's Up" movement.

Mexican drug lord, El Chapo promises not to kill any jurors ahead of his trial in court

El Chapo promises not to kill any jurors ahead of his trial in court


Notorious drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán promises he won’t kill any jurors seated in his upcoming federal court trial, arguing it’s therefore unnecessary to keep them anonymous and under armed guard as prosecutors have asked.

Affording any special protections to the panel “sends the message to each juror that he or she needs to be protected from Mr. Guzmán. From there, members of the jury could infer that Mr. Guzmán is both dangerous and guilty,” defense attorney A. Eduardo Balarezo wrote in a recently filed motion.

Grammy Predictions 2018: Who Will Win, Who Should Win

This time every year, as the Grammys loom on the horizon, we all try to second-guess the Recording Academy, hoping against hope that the best artists (or at least our favorites) will get to take something home from the big ceremony.

Once again, we've weighed the evidence and predicted who will be victorious, while also suggesting who should win and who should be angry they weren't nominated in there first place. How good are our guesses? We'll find out on Sunday. One thing's for sure: If the Grammy folks can deny Ed Sheeran a nomination for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year, then truly anything is possible.

Album of the Year

"Awaken, My Love!," Childish Gambino
4:44, Jay-Z
Damn., Kendrick Lamar
Melodrama, Lorde
24K Magic, Bruno Mars

WILL WIN: Melodrama, Lorde
With two hip-hop albums vying for attention, and lingering anti-rap sentiment among some of the elders in the electorate, this fantastic album might just suffer a problematic triumph. This is Kendrick's year, in the same way 2017 was Beyonce's, and a win would put Lorde in the same awkward position that Adele found herself in last year.

Australian woman kills two 'disabled' adult children for financial gains

Canberra: An Australian woman has been accused of murdering two of her adult children for financial gain before trying to claim more than $100,000 in death benefits.
Maree Crabtree, 51, was arrested on Queensland's Gold Coast on Wednesday morning over the deaths of her daughter (18) and son (26), who were originally thought to have committed suicide until suspicions were later raised.
Their bodies were found, five years apart, in separate houses on Queensland's Gold Coast.
The Australian mother allegedly forced prescription medication on her children who had disabilities.
Detectives allege Crabtree fraudulently received over $550,000 from an insurance payment, before allegedly attempting to receive another $125,000 death benefit and $238,000 permanent disability claim.

South Korea makes suicide pacts a criminal offence in effort to reverse world’s second highest rate

South Korea plans to make organising a suicide pact a criminal offence, it was announced on Tuesday, in an effort to reduce one of the world’s highest rates of self-killing.

The suicide rate in Asia’s fourth largest economy is the second largest globally, and the highest in the industrialised world after increasing sharply since 2000 to 25.6 per 100,000 people a year. In 2015, South Korea reported 13,500 suicides, or about 37 a day.