On this last Friday of the month, let’s have a look at the stories making global headlines.
Migrants beaten and burned for ransom
As one clip plays, viewers can hear the slap of the whip, the whimpering as each man is forced to turn his head to the camera and beg his family to send money.
Trump’s ‘shithole’ controversy hovers over Davos meeting
Trump is set to meet with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame during the World Economic Forum in Davos, which draws A-listers and global leaders from the worlds of politics and business. Their meeting comes in the shadow of Trump’s alleged description o f African countries as “shithole nations” during an immigration meeting with lawmakers this month.
‘Doomsday clock’ ticks closer to apocalyptic midnight
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which has been tracking the threat posed by nuclear weapons and other technologies since th`e 1940s, moved the second hand forward on their Doomsday Clock forward closer to its symbolic apocalyptic midnight.
Men-only dinner organizer disbands
The Presidents Club, which for 33 years has held an annual charity dinner in London, folded less than 24 hours after the Financial Times published a remarkable expose that claimed hostesses at the 2018 event last week were paraded for the pleasure of 360 male guests, subjected to lewd remarks and groped.
Oprah addresses running for president
“I’ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not,” Winfrey explained to InStyle Magazine. “And so it’s not something that interests me. I don’t have the DNA for it.”
Monkeys cloned using technique that created Dolly the sheep
Shanghai scientists created two genetically identical and adorable long-tailed macaques. The monkeys are named Hua Hua and Zhong Zhong, a version of the Chinese adjective Zhonghua which means the “Chinese nation” or “people.” The research was published in the journal Cell on Wednesday. These two are not the first primates to be cloned.
The Pope has a message on ‘fake news’ for Trump
“Spreading fake news can serve to advance specific goals, influence political decisions and serve economic interests,” wrote Pope Francis, noting that the first instance of “fake news” was committed by the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
EU rejects asylum homosexuality tests
Asylum seekers must not be subjected to psychological tests to determine whether they are homosexual, EU’s top court has ruled. Tests to determine sexual orientation are controversial, but are sometimes used when assessing asylum claims. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling is binding in all 28 EU states.
The church that thrives in a ghost town
The town of Centralia has been left to die – but its last remaining church is thriving. In Pennsylvania’s coal-mining mountains, there’s an empty grid where a town once lived. Once, there were homes and gardens. Now there are weeds. Before Centralia started burning from below, more than a thousand people lived here.
Boris Johnson ‘descendant of Basel mummy’
Scientists in the Swiss city of Basel have solved a decades-old mystery over the identity of a mummified woman. Their research revealed a surprise: the woman is the great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother of UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. The body was uncovered in 1975 while renovations were being done on Basel’s Barfüsser Church.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Drops People’s Elbow Onto Fan Criticizing ‘Jumanji’
A fan called out a plot point in Dwayne “T he Rock” Johnson’s new movie, and the actor cooked up a blistering response. On Wednesday, Twitter user @JamesJamMcMahon said the way “Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle” handles characters’ deaths was “some bullshit.” I went to see the new Jumanji.
‘Breaking Bad’ Creator Spills On The Grossest Unanswered Question
It’s been 10 years since the premiere of “Breaking Bad,” and we’re three seasons into “Better Call Saul,” so let’s face it: At this point, pretty much all lingering questions have been answered. We know the mysterious reason Walt (Bryan Cranston) left Gray Matter. We know that Jesse (Aaron Paul) ends up OK.
Cape Town Braces For Water Emergency That Could Affect Nearly 4 Million People
Nearly 4 million people in Cape Town, South Africa, are facing a dangerous reality: Unless their water use severely drops, they will soon run out. The city has announced plans to turn off water to all of its businesses and residential addresses on April 12, a date also known as “Day Zero,” unless its residents are able to conserve enough water.
Gay Couple Sues After U.S. Denies Citizenship To One Of Their Twin Boys
A male same-sex couple is suing the U.S. State Department after one of their twins, born in Canada, was denied American citizenship, even though his birth certificate lists one citizen parent. At just 16 months old, Ethan Dvash-Banks had been living in the U.S. legally on a tourist visa until it expired last month.
Piers Morgan’s Interview With ‘Friend’ Trump Has Everyone Asking The Same Thing
Piers Morgan is set to interview President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. But people online are already wondering whether the British media personality will be able to ask tough questions of the man he calls his ” good friend. ” Or whether he’ll go all Jimmy Fallon?
Samsung teases big camera updates with Galaxy S9 invites
Samsung has finally revealed the date of the Galaxy S9 launch. The company just sent out invites to a Feb. 25 press event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona where Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy S9. Launch date aside, Samsung also appeared to confirm that the S9’s cameras are in for some major upgrades.
So there’s a banana with an edible peel now, if you were keen for that
Banana fiends, this could be a-peel-ing to you. A Japanese company has developed and begun selling a banana with an edible skin, dubbed the Mongee (pronounced “mon-gay”). Developed by D&T Farms, the creation started out as a “hobby” for the company’s technical development manager Setsuzo Tanaka, according to a D&T spokesperson who spoke to the NY Post .
Sorry world, Oprah says she’s definitely not running for president
Looks like the path to the presidency has widened for Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Joe Biden, and a thousand other 2020 Democratic contenders. Oprah Winfrey is not running. After the TV mogul gave a barnburner of a political speech at this years Golden Globes, speculation buzzed that she would turn her attention toward the presidency.
This baby rhino having its first shower is bound to brighten your day
You know how it is, you get home from a long day at work, climb in the shower, and just frolic. The Toronto zoo shared footage of an 11-day-old rhino calf enjoying his first shower. Apparently he’d had the opportunity at 4-days-old, but didn’t know what to make of the weird wet stuff.
