A look at the biggest stories in the world today.
Exclusive: Top Trump aide’s email draws new scrutiny in Russia inquiry
Congressional investigators have unearthed an email from a top Trump aide that referenced a previously unreported effort to arrange a meeting last year between Trump campaign officials and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
Ryan warns Trump not to shut down government
“I don’t think a government shutdown is necessary and I don’t think most people want to see a government shutdown, ourselves included,” the leader of the Republican-controlled House said at a news conference in Oregon where he was promoting tax reform.
White House to issue guidance on transgender military ban, WSJ reports
The White House will send guidance to the Pentagon on President Donald Trump’s transgender military ban — including instructions to reject transgender applicants — “in coming days,” The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night, citing unnamed US officials familiar with the matter.
White supremacist Christopher Cantwell surrenders to police
Police at the University of Virginia, where a torch-lit march was held on August 11, had issued warrants for his arrest on two counts of illegal use of tear gas and other gases, and one count of malicious bodily injury with a caustic substance. All the charges are felonies.
Florida set to execute death row inmate using new drug
Unless a stay is issued, Mark Asay, 53, is scheduled to die by lethal injection after 6 p.m. ET. Asay was convicted in 1988 of the racially motivated murders of two men in Jacksonville the previous year. A jury found him guilty of killing Robert Lee Booker — who was black — and Robert McDowell.
Qatar restores ties with Iran, ignoring demands of Arab neighbors
“The state of Qatar expressed its aspirations to strengthen bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all fields,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The countries’ foreign ministers spoke on the phone Thursday and discussed “bilateral relations” as well as a “number of issues of common concern,” the statement said, adding Qatar’s ambassador will return to Iran to exercise “diplomatic duties.”
Brazil has opened a huge chunk of the Amazon to mining
The government has abolished a reserve that straddles the northern states of Pará and Amapá, a move that opens the vast area to mineral exploration and commercial mining. The reserve, which was established in 1984, is huge: It covers 18,000 square miles, an area twice the size of New Jersey.
Mayweather vs. McGregor: How are ticket sales shaping up?
They step into the ring at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena Saturday with question marks surrounding the legitimacy of the fight; one of boxing’s all time greats against an amateur and a novice without a professional bout to his name.
Are They Banning Even The Small Sugar Bags? Here are Answers To All Plastic Bag Ban Questions
If everything goes as planned, Monday next week will mark one of the most consequential days in Kenya’s history, maybe even more important than the just concluded elections. The ban on plastic bags/carriers will come into effect. Despite all this, the level of unpreparedness by Kenyans is simply
Igathe Surprised by the Awful Condition of City Hall Offices
Used to working in cushy offices in the private sector, Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe could not believe his eyes when he stepped into City Hall. On Tuesday, Igathe went on a tour of City Hall offices and expressed his dismay from what he witnessed.
Full List: Forbes Highest Paid Actors of 2017
A gender pay gap persists in Hollywood, even among elite earners: The top 10 actors banked a cumulative $488.5 million–nearly three times the $172.5 million combined total of the 10 top-earning women. While only three actresses made more than $20 million in 12 months, 16 actors broached the mark.
Police Killed 223 Black Americans In Year After Colin Kaepernick’s First Protest
The NFL season starts in two weeks, and yet Colin Kaepernick ― the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who spent the 2016 season kneeling through the national anthem to protest racism and police killings of black Americans ― still doesn’t have a job.
Interior Secretary To Recommend Trump Make Changes To Several National Monuments
BOZEMAN, Montana – Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke plans to recommend Thursday that President Donald Trump make changes to a number of national monuments, The Associated Press reports. Zinke will reportedly not recommend the elimination of any monuments.
1 Winning Ticket In $758.7 Million Powerball Lottery
(Reuters) – Winning numbers were drawn on Wednesday night for a Powerball jackpot worth $758.7 million, and one lucky ticket holder in Massachusetts is about to have a very different life. The winning numbers were 6, 7, 16, 23, 26. The Powerball is 4.
This Is The One Vegetable That Makes Michelle Obama Say ‘Ew’
Michelle Obama tops many dream dinner party guest lists. If and when the day comes that she attends one of yours, know there’s one food you should steer well clear of on the menu. While the root of her distaste for this vibrant veggie is unknown, the former first couple has been making their stance clear for years.
Exxon Mobil Knowingly ‘Misled’ People On Climate Change For 40 Years, Harvard Study Finds
Yes, #ExxonKnew – and the oil giant deliberately deceived the public about the dangers of climate change for four decades. That was the conclusion drawn by two Harvard researchers in a peer-reviewed study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters Wednesday.
Sierra Leone mudslide: ‘I lost everything’ – BBC News
More than 3,000 people lost their homes in last week’s mudslide in Sierra Leone, which killed at least 499 people, with more than 600 still missing. “It is difficult to know the precise number of victims,” says volunteer body collector Fessellie Marah, “because so many bodies were broken apart.
North Korea flaunts plans for new ballistic missiles – BBC News
North Korea appears to have revealed details of two as-yet untested missile systems in its press coverage of a factory inspection by the country’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Photographs released by KCNA state news agency to go with a report on Mr Kim’s visit to a facility at the Academy of Defence Sciences facility show wall charts describing the missiles, called Hwasong-13 and Pukguksong-3.
The soul of the rose
This is made by distilling the rose oil a number of times to increase its concentration and consists entirely of the essential oil extracted from the flower, unmixed with any other substances. The emperor Jahangir (1569-1627) wrote in his autobiographical work, Tuzuki Jahangiri, that there is “no other scent of equal excellence…
