Here are some of the stories making news headlines today.
Trump defiant after outburst as GOP picks up pieces
By Wednesday afternoon, most appeared to have made their calculation: deserting Trump now could only harm – and not help – their agendas or political fortunes. Republican leaders in Congress, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, released statements affirming their disavowal of white supremacist groups and neo-Nazis – but not explicitly condemning Trump, who said Tuesday there were “very fine people” protesting in Charlottesville amid the torch-bearing marchers.
Will tourists keep coming to Guam after North Korea saber-rattling?
Their flight landed at 3 a.m., but they wanted to see the sunrise and get some photographs to start their five-day trip. Vacationing in Guam during this particular moment in time, with the island ensnared in a heated exchange of threatening rhetoric between the United States and North Korea, may seem like a strange choice to some.
Apple is on the hunt for original TV shows
Two Apple executives have been meeting with Hollywood agents and producers to hear pitches about possible shows for Apple to buy, according to two producers who have met with them. The execs, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, were hired from Sony Pictures Television in June to oversee Apple’s video programming.
New satellite photos show objects on water near potential MH370 crash site
The four satellite photos, shot less than a month after MH370 disappeared in 2014, show 70 objects drifting on the ocean in the vicinity of the predicted crash zone, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said Wednesday. “(Geoscience Australia) analysis classified 12 objects as ‘probably man-made’ …
Tom Cruise injured on ‘Mission: Impossible 6’ set
“During production on the latest ‘Mission: Impossible’ film, Tom Cruise broke his ankle while performing a stunt,” Paramount said in a statement to CNN. They added that filming will “go on hiatus while Tom makes a full recovery,” but that the movie is still on track for its original release date — July 27, 2018.
Grace Mugabe asks for diplomatic immunity over alleged assault
Mugabe was supposed to present herself at a police station in a Johannesburg suburb on Tuesday to give a statement but failed to appear, despite her appointment being rescheduled several times throughout the day, South African police said. Mugabe’s attorneys informed authorities that she had “changed her mind” about speaking to police and subsequently requested diplomatic immunity, according to a police statement.
‘Frankenstein dinosaur’ enigma solved
The vegetarian dinosaur walked the Earth around 150 million years ago and is officially known as the Chilesaurus. It initially confused scientists because of its strange physical characteristics, apparently drawn from two groups of dinosaurs that were thought to be separate.
‘Game of Thrones’ is proving itself to be leak-proof
What is dead may never die – and what is Game of Thrones will never be defeated by leaks. It’s been a rough ride for HBO recently. Like a White House administration that cannot stop leaking out of its ” whatever,” the prestige TV mogul can’t seem to seal its faulty pipes.
Why Apple’s not going to sell an OLED TV
It’s no secret Apple really, really wants to reinvent the TV. On his deathbed, Steve Jobs expressed great interest in fixing the crummy TV watching experience, telling his biographer Walter Isaacson that he had “finally cracked it.”
Gang steals 20 tonnes of Nutella and other chocolate goodies
If someone offers you a large batch of Nutella and Kinder Surprise Eggs, don’t trust them. Report it to police immediately. Police in Germany have reported the theft of 20 tonnes of chocolate goods, valued at more than 50,000 euros (£45,400; $59,000), in a lorry trailer.
Spotify is now pulling white supremacy music off its service
Charlottesville has inspired domain servers and social platforms to act and take more action against white supremacy. Now, music-streaming services are stepping up. Spotify has pulled several white-supremacist bands from its service, Billboard reported Wednesday. This move comes three years after Southern Poverty Law Center flagged a certain number of groups as “hate bands,” according to Billboard.
John Legend sings about erections in hilarious ‘Carpool Karaoke’ clip
John Legend and Alicia Keys can turn any sentence into a song. Even one about erections. In the hilarious Carpool Karaoke: The Series clip above, Legend and Keys are challenged by James Corden to turn mundane sentences into beautiful vocals. Needless to say, they both nail it.
Man’s bizarre leg cramp is probably the weirdest thing you’ll see all day
Brace yourselves, everyone. You’re about to see something super gross. A leg cramp is one of the most painful things a human body can experience. And the worst part is, there’s not much you can do about it – you kind of just have to let it pass, while not accidentally making it worse.
‘Game of Thrones’ is proving itself to be leak-proof
What is dead may never die – and what is Game of Thrones will never be defeated by leaks. It’s been a rough ride for HBO recently. Like a White House administration that cannot stop leaking out of its ” whatever,” the prestige TV mogul can’t seem to seal its faulty pipes.
Burials for Sierra Leone mudslide victims – BBC News
Nearly half of the 400 people known to have died in a mudslide and flooding on the outskirts of the Sierra Leone capital Freetown have already been buried, health officials say. The government had said mass burials would be postponed until Thursday to allow relatives to identify victims. But the chief pathologist of Freetown told the BBC that some interments had already taken place.
Migrant crisis: Spain rescues 600 people in busiest day – BBC News
Spain’s coastguard says it has rescued 600 migrants crossing from Morocco in a 24-hour period amid a spike in the number of migrant arrivals. The rescued migrants were in 15 vessels including toy paddleboats and a jet ski and included 35 children and a baby.
Eritrean priest in Italy denies ‘people smuggling’ – BBC News
A Catholic priest under investigation for people smuggling has told the BBC that politicians are trying to criminalise people helping refugees. Don Mussie Zerai has lived in Italy for more than 25 years, since fleeing Eritrea as a teenager. He says he regularly receives calls from distressed migrants making the crossing from Africa to Italy.
The monster atomic bomb that was too big to use
On the morning of 30 October 1961, a Soviet Tu-95 bomber took off from Olenya airfield in the Kola Peninsula in the far north of Russia. The Tu-95 was a specially modified version of a type that had come into service a few years earlier; a huge, swept-wing, four-engined monster tasked with carrying Russia’s arsenal of nuclear bombs.
Tom Cruise injury halts Mission: Impossible 6 filming – BBC News
The film studio behind the Mission: Impossible series has confirmed that production of its latest instalment has been halted after actor Tom Cruise broke his ankle during a stunt. But Paramount Pictures insisted that Mission: Impossible 6 remained on schedule to open in July next year.
If You’ve Been Asking Larry Madowo When He’ll Marry, Read This
Many Kenyans have commented on Larry Madowo’s wanderlust. Every other week, he is seemingly on the move to some unexplored part of the world. Most Kenyans have never stepped outside the country. Most do not even have passports, and the few who do, only boast of a few stamps.
REVEALED: How Four Senior ICT Authority Staff Stole Sh160m in Six Months
An internal audit at the ICT Authority has uncovered how four senior staff stole Sh160 Million in six short months. The damning report by internal auditor Patrick Masika Machimbo covered January 1 to July 19 this year. It claims the senior managers were directly involved in fraudulent cash transf
