Here are today’s top stories from select sources.
Japan’s deputy prime minister blames women for nation’s declining population
Japan’s deputy prime minister has come under fire after apparently blaming childless women for Japan’s demographic woes.
The developing countries with the most to fear from Brexit
Brexit may pose a serious threat to developing countries who depend on trade with Britain. Among the world’s least developed countries, the greatest blow will land on Cambodia, according to simulations conducted by the German Development Institute.
China just wrote off a chunk of Cameroon’s debt. So why the secrecy?
When top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi met Cameroon President Paul Biya in the capital Yaounde last month and wrote off a chunk of the African country’s debt, the deal very nearly went unnoticed.
Indian billionaire turns to bankruptcy court after losing 4G price war with his brother
The telecom firm is drowning in around $7 billion of “unsustainable debt.”
Hawaii is considering a bill that bans cigarette sales to anyone under 100
A new bill in Hawaii’s State House says “the cigarette is considered the deadliest artifact in human history” and calls for a phased ban on cigarette sales in the state by 2024.
The Milky Way is being warped and twisted, study says
Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, makes for a pretty space picture, and it looks normal at a distance. But a new 3D map reveals a surprise: The Milky Way is being warped and twisted by its stars.
Tesla’s next big thing, the Model Y, is on horizon
Tesla says it’s getting close to making the most important vehicle in its lineup: the Model Y.
Pope Francis arrives at lavish UAE palace in humble Kia Soul
Pope Francis’ historic visit to the United Arab Emirates kicked off Monday, with the Pontiff arriving at the lavish presidential palace in a humble Kia Soul.
Regional nations back Venezuela’s Guaidó
A group of Latin American countries and Canada has urged the Venezuelan military to support opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president. In a statement, 11 of the 14 members of the Lima Group called for a change of power without the use of force and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.
Seven dead in Paris building fire
Seven people have died in a fire at a building in south-western Paris, the French capital’s fire service says. It says nearly 30 people – including three firefighers – were injured. One person is in a serious condition.
Neeson sparks race row over rape comments
Liam Neeson has sparked a race row after making comments about once wanting to kill a black person. He says he walked the streets with a weapon, hoping to kill someone as revenge after someone close to him was raped by a black man.
BBC launches 2019 Komla Dumor Award
The BBC is seeking a rising star of African journalism for the BBC World News Komla Dumor Award, now in its fifth year. Journalists from across the continent are invited to apply for the award, which aims to uncover and promote fresh talent from Africa.
Crypto exchange founder’s death locks $140m
Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchange is unable to access millions in digital currency following the sudden death of its founder. Quadriga has filed for creditor protection and estimates that about C$180m ($137m; £105m) in cryptocurrency coins is missing. It has not been able to locate or secure its cryptocurrency reserves since Gerald Cotten died in December.
Trevor Noah Names The One Circumstance That Would Have Made Racist Photo OK
Trevor Noah, host of “The Daily Show,” said Monday that when Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam apologized Friday for appearing in a racist photo in his old medical school yearbook, it made sense that he did not identify which of the two people ― a man in blackface or a person in Ku Klux Klan robes ― he was.
Some Democrats Refuse To Attend Trump’s State of the Union
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) is the fourth and latest Democrat to announce plans to skip President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday. “The thought of spending Tuesday night in the House Chamber listening to the reckless, self-centered man who occupies the White House holds no interest for me,” Blumenauer said in a statement released Monday.
Liam Neeson Recalls Wanting To Kill Any ‘Black Bastard’ After A Friend Was Raped
Liam Neeson revealed a shockingly racist incident in an interview about his new film, “Cold Pursuit,” saying that years ago, after he found out a friend was raped, he cased the streets for a week hoping to kill any “black bastard” who crossed him.
Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook’s 15th anniversary: critics are too ‘negative’
Facebook is officially 15 years old and Mark Zuckerberg would really love it if all the haters could just, like, stop being so negative already. The Facebook CEO published a note to commemorate Facebook’s 15th anniversary and, in the words of Facebook’s official Twitter account, reflect “on how the world has changed, the challenges we’ve faced, the progress we’ve made, and where we’re going.”
Elderly YouTuber writes his subscribers down in a notebook, then thanks them individually
We’ve found it, folks: the purest YouTube channel on the internet. Nilson Izaias is a senior citizen who loves to post stories about the flowers and fruits in his garden. In December, Nilson decided to write all of his subscribers down in a notebook, then thank them individually in a video.
Pornhub says Patriots fans watched less porn than Rams fans during Super Bowl
It turns out New Englanders were less likely to engage in hand-to-gland combat during the Super Bowl than Angelenos, according to Pornhub data. Pornhub released its annual Super Bowl analytics, and the results are unsurprising: New Englanders were notably more hyped about the big game than Angelenos.
Slack has confidentially filed to go public
Bust out your favorite party parrot: Slack has completed its first official step in the road to going public. Slack published a blog post Monday stating that it had “confidentially submitted a draft registration statement” with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Tesla plans to buy energy storage company for $218 million
Tesla is adding an energy storage company to its electric vehicle and energy business. In a $218 million deal with San Diego-based Maxwell Technologies announced Monday, Tesla plans to buy the energy storage makers who build products for the grid, cars, trucks, transportation systems (like railroads), and more.
