Thirteen people were killed before a long siege was ended at a popular hotel outside the Afghan capital, during which Taliban gunmen took scores of hostages, another bold attack that showed a potent insurgency remains after more than a decade of war.

Five militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades, suicide bomb vests a nd machine guns attacked the exclusive, lakeside hotel around midnight on Thursday, bursting into a party and shooting dead hotel guards.

Kabul police chief Ayoub Salangi said on Friday four civilians, three hotel guards and a policeman were killed in the 12-hour gunbattle at the Spozhmai hotel, overlooking Qargha Lake. All five attackers were also killed.

The attack, quickly claimed by the Afghan Taliban, again showed the ability of insurgents to stage high-profile raids even as NATO nations prepare to withdraw most of their combat troops by the end of 2014 and leave Afghans to lead the fight.

Many terrified guests jumped into the lake in the darkness to escape the carnage, Afghan officials and residents said. Up to 300 people had been inside the hotel when the attack began.

"Insurgent Taliban were using civilians as human shields to protect themselves, and even this morning around 50 locals were still held as hostages," Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, told reporters.

Earlier, elite Afghan quick-response police backed by NATO troops freed at least 35 hostages in an operation that only began in earnest after sunrise to help security forces avoid civilian deaths in night-time confusion.



 NATO attack helicopters could be seen over the single-storey hotel building and a balcony popular with guests for its sunset views, while a pall of smoke rose into air.

The Taliban complained wealthy Afghans and foreigners used the hotel, about 10 km (6 miles) from the centre of Kabul, for "prostitution" and "wild parties" ahead of the Friday religious day holiday.

Launching their annual offensive this spring, the Taliban threatened to attack more government officials and rich Afghans, but the hotel assault was one of few in which multiple hostages were taken since the start of the war, now in its 11th year.

"This is a crime against humanity because they targeted children, women and civilians picnicking at the lake. There wasn't even a single soldier around there," said General Mohammad Zahir, head of the Kabul police investigation unit.

Television pictures showed several people wading out of the lake onto a balcony and clambering over a wall to safety.

Swedish moms are already known to benefit from living in a country with universal healthcare and outstanding maternity leave policies. Now, it appears they also have more sex. Mothers living in the "land of the midnight sun" may have even found a solution to age-old questions American parents are still asking: Where and when do you have sex once kids are in the house?

Their answer? The Local reports that, according to a survey done by the Swedish magazine "mama,” one-third of Swedish parents have sex while their infants are asleep in the same bed.

Yes, you read that right.

And, as poll after poll reveals U.S. parents as having generally unsatisfactory sex lives, Swedish moms have fewer complaints. The Swedes agree that everyday life sometimes stands in the way of "fulfilling their sex dreams," yet they seem to be more sexually active than their American counterparts. Of the over 600 Swedish moms surveyed, 48 percent have sex once or twice a week (4 percent said daily, the rest varied greatly). In comparison, 40 percent of American parents, cited in a different survey, said that sex was so rare, they might as well be sleeping in separate beds.

The usual excuses are, We’re too tired, The kids are always around, and, of course, There just isn’t time. When HuffPost blogger Jenny Isenman took women's and parenting magazines to task for running so many "hot sex life" tips for moms, she joked, "Whoever writes those stories somehow has more than 24 hours in her day." And writer Liz Ryan says she's had such a difficult time finding time and privacy for sex with her husband that they choose to pay $100 for a hotel room just to have an hour to themselves.

Of course, Walsh only had to get creative like this once her kids were old enough to know what goes on behind closed doors. With babies in the house, moms may be exhausted, but 59% of U.S. parents admitted to doing it while an infant was in the room. Still, having sex while bed-sharing is a much more shocking concept to Americans.

American actress and attachment parent Mayim Bialik advocates co-sleeping and says that one of the questions she gets asked the most is how she is able to be intimate with her husband. Bialik says they simply don't use the bed for sex. “We can be intimate in any other room of the house,” she explained in her book.

Choosing to be intimate while babies are in the bed doesn't necessarily mean Swedish parents are "freakier” or even more desperate to get it on. Co-sleeping is just much more widely accepted there. "Swedish children often co-sleep with both their parents until school age,” a 2005 study concluded. In contrast, bed-sharing is controversial in the States -- a large number of American co-sleeping parents go so far as to hide their choice which makes any data on how common the practice is likely to be inaccurate.

It's not all roses and romance for the Swedes, though. The new survey revealed that Swedish parents do have complaints about their sex lives -- having a baby in the bed isn't exactly preferred. Most participants said they wish they could have more -- and better -- sex. In a perfect world, one 32-year-old mother of two revealed her fantasy, "New positions and not just quickies. And in more exciting places like outside.”

It's that time again! Take out your teeny weenie yellow polka-dot bikini and catch some sun by the pool.

Although summer brings warm weather and beach days, it may also lead to fad dieting and unhealthy habits. If you're like most women, you'll try anything to de-bloat and slim down. Don't be fooled by quick fixes that are temporary and leave you feeling dissatisfied. Soon, cravings consume the mind, and one binge later you're back to hiding in a sarong. Not this year! My easy tips are proven to help you lose weight while eating all of your favorite foods. These easy "no diet" tips will help boost your confidence so you feel firmer, more energized, and ready to hit the beach!

• Drink enough water. Although research varies on the subject, men and women need about two liters per day.

• Downsize plates so eating is a visual experience. Portion your meals and sit down to really enjoy the flavor.

• Try new things and make sure to have a diet full of variety. Visit a local farmer's market to check out the treats of the season -- there is always a new fruit or vegetable to sample.

• Eat quality foods and fewer processed snacks, meals, and drinks.

• Watch your salt intake. Eating excessive salt can lead to weight gain.

• Also watch your sugar intake, as most people indulge their sweet tooth too frequently.

• Get enough electrolytes in your diet. Boost your potassium! Foods rich in this nutrient include bananas, potatoes, and dried apricots. Other low-calorie, high-potassium foods include carrots, peppers, and brussel sprouts. Increase your levels of magnesium! This electrolyte is involved in more than 300 essential metabolic reactions and plays an important role in energy production, specifically ATP.

• Consume more calcium. Calcium-rich foods include milk, yogurt, spinach, kale, and sesame seeds. Calcium supports nerve and muscle functions, which is critical to keeping your body on the weight loss track. Also, getting enough vitamin D in your diet from fatty fish, mushrooms, eggs, and meat may lead to a greater weight loss.

• Eat enough protein. Protein-rich foods contain valuable amino acids that are linked with weight loss, increased energy, and lower fat levels.

• Make time for breakfast. It is still the most important meal of the day. It fuels your morning and kickstarts your metabolism.

• Sleep more. Sleep deprivation can lead to fatigue, clumsiness, and weight gain. Getting enough sleep is crucial to proper cognitive function as well as controlling hunger.

• Find ways to deal with stress. When we feel that we've lost control of events, we tend to overeat and use food as an outlet to our problems.

• Make time for relaxation. Stress less, enjoy living, and you will see a change in your body.

• Adding simple exercises such as walking and yoga will help burn calories and calm your senses.

When I hear the name Lara Croft, I think "badass." The (virtual) woman is a brilliant archaeologist, she can jump into hand-to-hand combat matches with the best of them, she carries her gun in a garter holster and Angelina Jolie played her in a movie. In my opinion, the girl doesn't really need any help from anyone. Apparently, the heads behind "Tomb Raider" -- the video game -- beg to differ. A revamped Lara Croft is on her way, and this heroine needs a protector.

Kotaku's Jason Schreier spoke with "Tomb Raider" executive producer Ron Rosenberg about the "Tomb Raider" reboot, which is going to be a prequel of sorts to previous "Tomb Raider" games, at this month's Electronic Entertainment Expo. When Schreier asked about the difficulties of developing a female lead character, Rosenberg said:

    "When people play Lara, they don't really project themselves into the character. They're more like, 'I want to protect her.' There's this sort of dynamic of 'I'm going to adventure with her and trying to protect her.'"

And according to Schreier, the way the producers plan to make gamers harness these protective instincts is to make Croft suffer through her friend getting kidnapped, being taken prisoner by "island scavengers" ... and an attempted rape. (The studio has since issued a statement saying that the scene in question has been "incorrectly referred to" as attempted sexual assault, but I agree with Salon's Mary Elizabeth Williams that "there's an unmistakable sense of sexual menace in the scene." Click here to view the clip.) Some human suffering is par for the course when it comes to heroes' "how they became how they are" narratives (one classic example is Spider-Man losing his Uncle Ben). However, do kickass female characters really need to endure attempted sexual violence to be sympathetic?

Less-than-empowering representations of women in video games are nothing new. A 1998 study of violence and gender roles in video games found that 41 percent of games with characters in them didn't include women at all. Of the ones that did feature female characters, 28 percent presented them predominantly as sex objects and 21 percent featured violence specifically directed at women. More recently, culture critic Anita Sarkeesian launched a project called "Tropes vs. Women," which examines the stereotypical roles that women play in video games. She focuses on major archetypes including "the sexy villain," "the damsel in distress," "the fighting f**k toy," "the sexy sidekick," and "women as background decoration."

So Lara Croft, in all her badass-fighter glory, is somewhat unique to begin with. Although her original avatar is definitely sexed up -- hence the famous booty shorts and crop top -- her outfit was always secondary to her skills. (And really, if she could engage in extreme fighting while rocking some short shorts, more power to her.) Giving her an origin story that rests on making (the presumably male) gamers want to protect her from other "bad men" is an unnecessary plot device. Jezebel's Erin Gloria Ryan interviewed a female game designer who called it simply "lazy storytelling," and Ryan argued that "the whole sexy victim thing is played out," as well as insulting to both male and female gamers.

Most Americans have gotten used to regular news reports about military and CIA drones attacking terrorist suspects – including US citizens – in Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere abroad.

But picture thousands of drone aircraft buzzing around the United States – peering from the sky at breaches in border security, wildfires about to become major conflagrations, patches of marijuana grown illegally deep within national forests, or environmental scofflaws polluting the land, air, and water.

By some government estimates, as many as 30,000 drones could be part of intelligence gathering and law enforcement here in the United States within the next ten years. Operated by agencies down to the local level, this would be in addition to the 110 current and planned drone activity sites run by the military services in 39 states, reported this week by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), a non-government research project.

The presence of drones in the US was brought home Wednesday night when some people thought they saw a UFO along the Capitol Beltway in Washington. In fact, it was a disc-shaped X-47B UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air System) being hauled from Edwards Air Force Base in California to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland for testing.

'Beltway UFO' sparks saucer frenzy in D.C.

Civil libertarians warn that “unmanned aircraft carrying cameras raise the prospect of a significant new avenue for the sur­veillance of American life,” as the American Civil Liberties Union put it in a report last December.

“The technology is quickly becoming cheaper and more powerful, interest in deploying drones among police departments is increasing, and our privacy laws are not strong enough to ensure that the new technology will be used responsibly and consistently with democratic values,” reported the ACLU. “In short, all the pieces appear to be lining up for the eventual introduction of routine aerial sur­veillance in American life – a development that would profoundly change the character of public life in the United States.”

Steven Aftergood, who directs the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists, highlights one potentially controversial part of US Air Force policy regarding military drones flown over the United States.

When reports broke Friday afternoon that paramedics rushed to Lindsay Lohan's Marina del Rey hotel room after the actress was found non-responsive, fans feared the worst. But, as it turns out, Lohan, who has been hard at work on her forthcoming Lifetime film "Liz and Dick," was just tired and a little thirsty.

"Note to self.. After working 85hours in 4days, and being up all night shooting, be very aware that you might pass out from exhaustion & 7 paramedics MIGHT show up @ your door.... Hopefully theyre cute. Otherwise it would be a real let down. XL @mrsalperez -back on set," Lohan tweeted early Saturday morning.

Although reports that Lohan was transported to a hospital when she was found "unconscious" by paramedics flooded the Internet, the actress' rep, Steve Honig, released a statement that paramedics left Lohan's hotel room after discovering that she was in no danger; she was never admitted to a hospital.

    "Lindsay worked a grueling schedule the past few days. She was on set last night at 7 pm and worked through the night until 8 am this morning. She took a nap before shooting her final scene. Producers were concerned when she did not come out of her room and called paramedics as a precaution. Lindsay was examined and is fine, but did suffer some exhaustion and dehydration. Lindsay was never taken to a hospital; reports to the contrary are false. She is resting now and is hoping to be back on set later this afternoon."

Lindsay's mother, Dina Lohan, confirmed to The Huffington Post that after the ordeal, her exhausted daughter was at home sleeping.

Despite a rare win on Friday night that snapped their eight-game losing streak overall and a nine-game losing streak in interleague play, the Colorado Rockies continued their desperate search for rock bottom on Saturday afternoon in Detroit.

The expected news: Colorado lost again, 4-1.

The potential good news: It's possible they finally found rock bottom in the form of a Little League style series of errors that allowed Miguel Cabrera — yes, that Miguel Cabrera — to circle the bases on a simple one-hopper back to the pitcher.

I think it might be time for Colorado to retire the Justin Bieber cardboard cutout, because whatever inspiration that was good for has certainly worn off over their dreadful ten game stretch.

But perhaps the most interesting part of the whole fiasco is that Cabrera — who hit a more conventional home run earlier in the game — didn't even break out of the batter's box until he saw pitcher Christian Friedrich misplay the ball. He was completely prepared to give 25% effort down the line, if that, until the Rockies forced him to give about 90%. And even 90% was good enough as Colorado's defense melted down all around him.

Crew members ran for their lives when overhanging metalwork crashed onto a stage in a Toronto park Saturday afternoon, pinning and killing one man, authorities said.

The collapse happened around 4 p.m., one hour before spectators were set to begin streaming in for a concert by the alternative rock group Radiohead.

Several people were on the stage at the time, preparing for the show, when scaffolding-like material towering about 50 feet above collapsed.

"Unfortunately, four people were hurt," Toronto police Constable Tony Vella said. "The remainder of the people, when they heard the stage coming (down), ran from the area."

Firefighters arrived to find one man "trapped under the structure," said Toronto fire Platoon Chief Tony Bellavance. They helped to extricate the man, then moved away from what was then still considered an "unstable structure," Bellavance added.

Paramedics, who happened to be at the scene in preparation for the concert, "immediately rendered aid," according to on-site Toronto Emergency Medical Services commander Peter Rotolo. The victim -- who has not been identified, amid efforts to contact his next of kin -- was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said he was in his 30s.

Another man who suffered serious injuries due to the collapse was transported to Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital, Ian McClelland of the city's EMS department said. The 45-year-old man suffered a head injury that isn't considered life-threatening, according to Toronto police.

Two other men with minor injuries were assessed and released, McClelland said.

Aerial footage afterward showed that some metal framing -- some of it covered in a blue material -- crumpled on the stage, which was in front of a large grassy area. Some of the scaffolding-like material remained standing, reaching about 50 feet in the sky.

The stage was being set up especially for the Radiohead concert, Vella said. At the time it came down, the weather was good with no storm rolling through or significant winds, added fellow police Constable Harrison Ford.

"The big question is how" this happened, Vella said. "And that's something we will be working closely with the Ministry of Labor to determine (the cause) exactly, to prevent any future cases."

Reports: Indiana State Fair stage where 7 died was inadequate

The gates were scheduled to open at 5 p.m., allowing fans onto the concert grounds for the sold-out concert, according to CNN affiliate CBC.

The show was canceled due to what the production company Live Nation Entertainment described as "unforeseen circumstances."

"Radiohead concert canceled. There has been an incident, more details forthcoming," said a post on Downsview Park's official Facebook page.

The band was to be joined by the Canadian musician known as Caribou.

The Toronto incident comes 10 months after metal scaffolding supporting stage lights fell onto a crowd of fans and workers as a storm swept through at the Indiana State Fair right before the band Sugarland was to perform.

Undocumented Mexican youths who came to the United States as children reacted with joy to an Obama administration rule change on Friday that could spare them deportation, although opponents slammed it as amnesty and ridiculous.

"It hasn't really sunk in entirely, but I feel a sense of joy and happiness because I know this is really going to change my life," said Justino Mora, 22, an undocumented computer science student at UCLA in Los Angeles.

Mora is among an estimated 800,000 illegal immigrants up to 30 years old who came to the United States as children and will benefit by the surprise order announced by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

"I will have the opportunity to ... create my own business so that I can help ... my family financially and create the jobs that the U.S. needs," Mora told Reuters.

The rule change applies to undocumented youngsters like Mora who do not pose a risk to national security and who will now be eligible to stay in the country and apply for work permits. Mora came to the United States at age 11 from central Mexico with his mother.

Those eligible under Obama's plan must have come to the United States under the age of 16 and lived in the country for at least five years. They must be in school or have graduated from high school or be honorably discharged from the U.S. military. They also must not have been convicted of any felony or significant misdemeanor offenses.

For 18-year-old high school honors graduate Yolanda Medina, in Phoenix, Arizona, the rule change means a shot at studying at the city's Grand Canyon University in the fall and the chance to escape a life toiling in menial jobs open to illegal immigrants.

"Most of us ... are forced to take jobs like cleaning houses, cleaning someone's car or babysitting, when you have so much more to offer," said Medina, who came to the United States with her mother from Durango, Mexico, at age 3.