Obama to Announce Afghan Troop Reductions in State of The Union

As part of his State of The Union address, President Obama is expected to announce troop reductions, in Afghanistan.

He will be announcing a reduction by thirty-four thousand troops.

Currently there are sixty-six thousand there.

The goal is to see that change, by this time next year.

Expectations are for all troops to be out of Afghanistan, by the spring of 2015.

Triumph Still Adrift in Gulf

Conditions are worsening upon the Carnival Triumph, in the Gulf of Mexico.

An engine fire crippled the vessel on Sunday, and the ship is adrift in the Gulf.

High winds have pushed it more than a hundred miles off course and even put a list on the ship.

Another cruise ship was able to rendezvous with it and send food over, on Monday.

However, the four thousand passengers are still trapped aboard, without electricity.

Almost everything on the ship is electrical powered, including the kitchens, air conditioning, and plumbing.

Tugboats are on the way to tow it to the nearest port.

Hopes are to have it back in port, by Thursday.

Manhunt Underway in Texas After Prisoner Stabs Officer and Escapes

Texas authorities are on a manhunt.

Forty-two year old Alberto Morales was being transported by Florida officers, to Nevada.

They had been flying Morales, but his behavior was disrupting the flight, and so the decision was made to drive him from Dallas.

When they were stopped for a rest break, Monday night, one of the officers went to the bathroom.

While the officer was gone, Morales managed to free his hands, broke his glasses, and used the sharp end to stab the remaining officer and made his escape.

The wounded officer is in serious but stable condition.

Morales had been in jail in Florida on charges of sexual battery with a deadly weapon, burglary, assault, and kidnapping.

He faces life in prison, in Nevada, for a separate sexual assault conviction.

Police located him, Friday night, while trying to escape he was shot and killed.

North Korea Likely Tests a Nuke

Seismic readings from North Korea suggest that they have tested a nuclear bomb.

The 4.9 earthquake was centered in the same area that previous nuclear tests have taken place.

It happened just before noon KST, on Tuesday.

South Korea has raised the alert status of it's military.

Japan is conducting tests to see if any radiation reached them.

For the last few weeks, the world has warned the North against any tests.

However, if they did in fact test a nuke, there is very little that the world could do, to punish them for the act.

Starbucks Joins The Navy

Starbucks has found yet another location for their brand.

The famous coffee will now be sold aboard the USS Boxer.

An entire Starbucks has been fit into the ship, and will serve all of the company's coffees, teas, smoothies, and baked goods.

Navy personnel were specially trained to operate the store and all profits will go to the ship's Morale, Welfare, and Recreation fund.

The USS Boxer is a Wasp class amphibious assault ship, which was launched on August 28, 1993.

Dr Who in 3D

The BBC has announced that a special Dr. Who episode is in the works.

For the fiftieth anniversary of the show, it will be filmed in 3D.

The show will air, on the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. Who, in November.

BBC executives are also working on some other big plans for the next TV season.

Their plans include a new show called Atlantis, that will be set in the city of myth, and a sequel to Pride and Prejudice called Death Comes to Pemberley.

However, the Doctor is still their biggest show, and so they are focusing a lot of work and attention on it.

Mountain Dew Reveals Kickstart Breakfast Drink

Pepsico is trying to break into the breakfast drink market.

This attempt is a drink made with five percent juice, Vitamins B and C, a jolt of caffeine, and the flavor of Mountain Dew.

The company says that the sixteen ounce cans aren't energy drinks, as they don't have near the caffeine levels that those do.

They hope that Kickstart will be an alternative to coffee, tea, or juice.

In hopes of seeming a healthy alternative, Kickstart is also low in sugar and calories.

Kickstart has begun hitting stores in two flavors, Orange Citrus and Fruit Punch.

Delaware Courthouse Shooting Leaves 3 Dead

A shooting took place at a Wilmington, Delaware courthouse, Monday morning.

The shooting left three people, including the shooter, dead and two police officers wounded.

Both of the wounded officers were treated and released from a local hospital.

Police were not yet sure if their officers took down the shooter, or if he killed himself.

Nor have they confirmed the identity of the shooter.

It is believed that he targeted at least one of his victims.

Top Guinean General Killed in Plane Crash in Liberia

Ten people were killed when a plane crashed outside of Charlesville, Liberia, on Monday.

Authorities are trying to determine the cause of the crash, but are leaning towards mechanical malfunction.

Aboard the plane had been senior Guinean military officials, including the head of their military, General Kelefa Diallo.

Diallo had been key in working Guinea from a military rule, towards a democratically elected government.

Both countries have declared Tuesday to be a national day of mourning.

Coal Mine Explosion Kills 18

Eighteen miners were killed when an explosion occurred at the Vorkutinskaya coal mine, in Russia.

Two miners escaped and another three were rescued.

It is believed that a methane buildup caused the explosion.

Officials are investigating, to see if any safety violations led to the accident.

So far twenty-seven people have died in Russian coal mining accidents, in 2013.