Private investigation in America is almost as old as public law enforcement, and it has long been associated with the unsavory and the underhanded. In 1850, Allen Pinkerton founded the Pinkerton detective agency, whose motto was “We Never Sleep.” He received notoriety when he uncovered a plot to kill President Abraham Lincoln; his agency was later asked by Lincoln to provide for his protection. From its founding, employees of the Pinkerton agency were summoned to break strikes, spy on union organizers, commit acts of sabotage and espionage and lift sensitive information for clients from industrial competitors....

Anti-Taliban forces reportedly took back control of the Banu, Pol-e-Hesar and De Salah districts in Baghlan province, while around 60 Taliban fighters were killed or injured in the fighting. The Taliban advanced rapidly throughout the country ahead of the August 31 deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal. Chaotic scenes at Kabul airport following the Taliban’s entry into the city prompted significant criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the situation....

Good news first: Ben Roethlisberger, who separated his shoulder in a wild-card win over the Bengals, is considered “very likely” to play Sunday at Mile High Stadium, according to ESPN.com, which quoted a team source. But the bad news is it’s “not looking good” for star wide receiver Antonio Brown, per the report, after he suffered a concussion during the 18-16 victory on Saturday. MORE: Best AFC wild-card photos | Steelers among oddsmakers’ early 2017 Super Bowl favorites...

MORE: Top 10 WRs | Brown impossible to stop in Madden 17 A steal of a deal at $1 million in base salary last season, he had 136 catches for 1,834 yards and 10 touchdowns, tying for the league lead in receptions and second in receiving yardage. Yet Brown, 28, is slated to make $6.25 million in base pay in 2016 — hardly the kind of salary the NFL’s top receivers make....

The fact New England flexed so quickly on such a talented, but troubled, payer was a surprise to no one inside or outside the league. What is shocking is that no other team has figured out how to operate the way they do. Those same Raiders used to be the mavericks of the NFL. They took “Just Win, Baby!” to heart, assembling winning teams with attitude, with Al Davis using any means necessary, by taking advantage of other teams’ inability to manage players in the same way....

Brown provided a step-by-step guide on how to “Wiggle” in case you ever feel the need to celebrate non-football tasks like finishing your homework or depositing that check. (Dance instructions start around the 3:15 mark.) MORE: Is Brown the best receiver in the NFL? | Steelers refuse to renegotiate Brown’s deal Just remember: Heels in, Pilates V 2) Hand up 3) Whip it or switch it 4) Just swirl it Now you’re a Pro Bowl receiver!...

Just look at what he did Monday night at FedEx Field in the Steelers’ season opener. He took the field against Washington with the whole world knowing he didn’t have Le’Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton to help him, and that he’d likely be Ben Roethlisberger’s first, second and third option, and fourth if needed. MORE: Top photos from Week 1 Brown still lit up the Washington defense. The numbers — eight catches, 126 yards, two touchdowns — don’t even do it justice....

Ocasio-Cortez responded to a recent article in The Washington Times that disparaged her for getting a “high-dollar hairdo” by bringing attention to a so-called “pink tax” on a wide range of hygiene products such as tampons, hair care products or body sprays. Ellison, the former DNC deputy chairman, defended her and highlighted how haircuts, health care and car repair prices for women are higher than their male equivalents, according to consumer studies....

“For men who are allegedly so “proud” of being straight, they seem to show real incompetence at attracting women to their event,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Seems more like a “I-Struggle-With-Masculinity” parade to me. Hope they grow enough over the next year to support / join LGBTQ fam next #Pride!” The parade Saturday afternoon began at Copley Square and ended at the Boston City Hall. Boston police beefed up security along that route in anticipation of any potential clashes with opposing groups of straight pride demonstrators and those who accused them of being homophobic....

During a Zoom meeting this summer, the bank’s head, Charles Scharf, said that the bank has not found enough qualified minority talent to hire in order to reach its diversity goals, Reuters reported. According to the bank’s workforce profile, 44 percent of its U.S. workforce was ethnically/racially diverse at the end of 2018. Scharf reportedly made a similar remark while announcing diversity initiatives in June, amid protests following the killing of George Floyd....

Trump was asked if would condemn “white supremacists and militia groups” and pressed to do so by Fox News moderator Chris Wallace and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. The president asked: “Who would you like me to condemn?” To which Biden said Proud Boys, a group labeled extremist and with “ties to white nationalism” by the FBI which has been involved in acts of violence amid protests and seen attacking BLM protesters in recent months....

Trump gave a speech early Wednesday prematurely claiming to have won the election, despite millions of uncounted ballots outstanding in key races. The president also claimed without evidence that there was electoral fraud and threatened to appeal to the Supreme Court. Ocasio-Cortez, a figurehead of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and a prominent critic of Trump, wrote on Twitter: “Donald Trump’s premature claims of victory are illegitimate, dangerous, and authoritarian....

A mass shooting broke out at the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub just before midnight on Saturday, leaving five people dead and 18 injured. Police have since taken 22-year-old suspect, Anderson Lee Aldrich, into custody. While the motives for the attack have not yet been confirmed by law enforcement, the choice to target a gay club has left many concerned about homophobic vitriol leading to violence against the LGBTQ community....

The skinny: AOL is in a bad bind. To maintain market share, it had to offer the same low flat rate as its Internet competitors. But CEO Steve Case somehow didn’t get that if you switch to all-you-can-eat, people tend to eat a lot more. Now the company’s 8 million customers can’t count on a connection, and they’re angry. Who can blame them–they’re paying for busy signals! Worse, even the $350 million AOL is spending to buy equipment may not help, because demand will only increase: the new wave in computing is to be connected all the time....

It was also 12 years ago. It’s time to Let. It. Go. Because the Mountaineers who defeated South Carolina in Columbia 20-15 on Saturday night were in grade school — maybe middle school — when that game kicked off the 2007 season. Those kids now form the heart of a legitimate FBS program, which is perhaps the best candidate to represent the Group of 5 in a New Year’s Day 6 bowl this season....

The Lions of Teranga, who make a return to the big gathering for the first time since 2002, are one of five teams carrying the continent’s hopes of reaching the last four of the global showpiece for the first time ever. Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are the other four teams. “I believe all the teams can do very well but the team that I trust to go much further is Senegal,” Appiah told Ghana Web....

I never thought forcing Syria out of Lebanon had been a good idea. The Lebanese government left in charge was weaker than the one that had been powerless to stop the civil war in 1975. Brutal as its rule had been, it was Syria that put an end to that war with the 1989 Taif accord. Syria kept Hizbullah in check, limiting its parliamentary representation in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 elections....

If the trend was meant to be a joke, sexual assault survivors are not laughing. Such a tasteless joke begs to widen the conversation in one direction while forgoing the experiences of survivors. “It was just a joke,” is what we often hear but it becomes difficult to separate boundaries between jokes and reality. This year isn’t the first time “National Rape Day” gained traction. It was a top definition on Urban Dictionary before its removal....

Although Aquarius is a fixed sign, which means they’re set in their ways, Capricorn is a cardinal sign. This means they’re more flexible and empathetic which could work well with fixed-sign Aquarius. Compatibility tip: If a Capricorn really wants to make the relationship work, they should be casual and avoid pressuring Aquarius to follow rules in the relationship. Aquarius can be clear with Capricorn about how they feel. This might mean stepping out of their comfort zone, but Capricorn will appreciate knowing where they stand....