Here are links to some of the stories making headlines.
US-led coalition says 150 ISIS fighters killed in airstrike
The target of the strike was an “ISIS headquarters and command and control center,” Dillon said, adding that the strike involved “over a week’s worth” of intelligence work involving multiple kinds of coalition intelligence as well as information from US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighting ISIS on the ground.
5 things revealed about the Russia probe on Tuesday
From a marquee interview that occurred last year to a potential presidential one in the works, here are five things that became public on Tuesday about the probe: Sources told CNN on Tuesday that Mueller has indicated interest in questioning President Donald Trump about his dismissals of former FBI Director James Comey and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
German nurse charged with 97 more murders
The nurse, Niels Hoegel, was already serving a life sentence for six convictions for homicide and attempted homicide. He was charged with another 97 murders Monday, prosecutors said in a press release. He is accused of giving victims various non-prescribed drugs in an attempt to show off his resuscitation skills to colleagues and fight off boredom.
Sweden demands answers from China over detained book publisher
Gui, 53, was seized by plainclothes police officers while aboard a Beijing-bound train on Saturday, according to his daughter Angela. The incident occurred in front of diplomats who were accompanying him for a medical examination at the Swedish embassy. The Swedish Foreign Ministry summoned Chinese ambassador Gui Congyou for the second time on Tuesday night to explain the Chinese government’s actions.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth is pregnant
The Illinois Democrat announced she is expecting her second child in the spring. “Bryan and I are thrilled that our family is getting a little bit bigger, and Abigail is ecstatic to welcome her baby sister home this spring,” she said in a statement.
XPrize ends its $30 million race to moon without a winner
The XPrize Foundation is ending its Google-sponsored, decade-long competition to land a robot on the moon without choosing a winner. That means none of the five final teams will get the $20 million grand prize, or the additional $10 million in other prizes.
World ‘running out of computing power’
The world is rapidly “running out of computing capacity”, the head of tech giant Microsoft has warned. Satya Nadella said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that superfast quantum computers were needed to solve some of the most difficult problems. Mr Nadella cited the quest to create a catalyst that can absorb carbon, in order to help tackle climate change.
Two dead and 17 hurt in school shooting
Two people have been killed and 17 injured in a high school shooting in the US state of Kentucky. A 15-year-old girl died at the scene at Marshall County High School in the town of Benton and a 15-year-old boy died in hospital, said Kentucky’s governor.
Venezuela calls early presidential vote
Venezuela’s pro-government Constituent Assembly has ordered fresh elections before the end of April. President Nicolas Maduro told thousands of his supporters at a rally that he is ready to seek another six-year term. “It’s the right decision. Imperialism and the right were plotting to take over the economy,” said Mr Maduro.
US fantasy author Ursula K Le Guin dies
Award-winning US science fiction and fantasy author Ursula K Le Guin has died, aged 88, her family said. The best-selling writer passed away on Monday at her home in Portland, Oregon, after a period of ill health, said her son, Theo Downes-Le Guin.
‘My wife doesn’t shower any more’
The BBC’s Mohammed Allie is one of millions of people trying to stave off Day Zero – the day the taps in the South African city of Cape Town will run dry. Here, he tells us what life is like when you have just 50 litres of water a day.
Tesla’s Musk in all-or-nothing pay deal
Elon Musk, founder of the electric carmaker Tesla, has agreed a new salary package based on it becoming one of the world’s most valuable companies. His pay will be tied to growth in Tesla’s stock market value, starting at $100bn (£72bn) and rising to $650bn.
Trump Reportedly Asked The Acting FBI Director Who He Voted For
President Donald Trump reportedly called acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe into the Oval Office last year and asked him who he voted for in the 2016 election, The Washington Post reported. The Post, citing several unnamed former U.S.
Activists Film ‘Extreme Market’ In Indonesia To Denounce Dog Meat Trade
A coalition of animal welfare groups has released horrific footage of dogs being bashed to death and blowtorched in so-called “extreme markets” in Indonesia. Dog Meat Free Indonesia ― formed by the Indonesian groups Animal Friends Jogja and Jakarta Animal Aid Network, the United Kingdom-based Change for Animals Foundation, and Australia’s Humane Society International ― shared 12 minutes of graphic footage from a December visit to so-called “extreme markets” in North Sulawesi, a province of Indonesia.
Indiana Church Targeted By Vandals After Hosting ‘Resistance’ Event
An Indiana church was targeted by racist, homophobic vandals a day after hosting a “resistance” event tied to the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Parishioners at Unitarian Universalist Church in West Lafayette, Indiana, arrived Sunday to discover two obscenity-filled banners tied to fences on the property.
There Are Literally No Asians Or Latinos Nominated For Acting Oscars This Year
This year’s Oscar nominations, which were announced Tuesday morning, had some significant gaps. Headlines touted the nominations as “diverse,” as several black actors received well-deserved recognition. However, no Asian or Latino actors snagged any acting nods this year.
No, Biting A Smartphone Battery Isn’t A Smart Idea
Chew on this: A man in China decides he needs to verify if a smartphone battery is legit ― so he bites it?!?!? It’s a decision that literally blew up in his face, as the now-viral video above demonstrates. Security camera footage captured Jan.
Man Arrested Over Threats To CNN: ‘Fake News. I’m Coming To Gun You All Down.’
A Michigan man was arrested by federal authorities after he allegedly made phone calls to CNN employees threatening to kill them because they are “fake news.” “I am on my way right now to gun the f**kin’ CNN cast down,” Brandon Griesemer told a CNN operator over the phone, according to an arrest affidavit unsealed by the FBI on Friday.
Gal Gadot, Adam Driver and more amazing performances that awards season forgot about
In theory, awards season is a chance to celebrate the best of the best that Hollywood has to offer. As anyone who’s ever rolled their eyes at a list of nominees could tell you, however, it never quite works out that way in practice. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean we can’t praise those who were unjustly overlooked.
Team USA is skiing in virtual reality to prepare for the Winter Olympics
The 2018 Winter Olympics are almost here. For the skiers and snowboarders of Team USA, that means constant training on the slopes – and in virtual reality. For the past two years, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) has been working with Strivr, a VR training startup based in Menlo Park, California.
Mark Zuckerberg’s answer to ‘fake news’ is this garbage 2-question survey
Mark Zuckerberg is here to save us from Mark Zuckerberg. On Tuesday, just four days after the Facebook CEO announced his intention to revamp the News Feed in favor of “high quality content,” we were gifted a sneak peek at the means by which he will deliver us from the scourge of so-called fake news.
Firing Kevin Spacey reportedly cost Netflix a whopping $39 million
Netflix reported a loss of $39 million last quarter – and it looks like it can thank Kevin Spacey for the bill. The company announced the Q4 loss on Monday, citing “unexpected” costs due to “unreleased content.” Chief Financial Officer David Wells gave another hint at the source of the revenue loss, saying it was, “related to the societal reset around sexual harassment.”
A Tesla that crashed into a fire truck may have been on autopilot
A Tesla sedan slammed into a fire truck on Los Angeles’ heavily trafficked 405 freeway, on Monday. Such an incident on this accident-prone highway wouldn’t normally be newsworthy, but an official Twitter account for the fire department in question reported the driver was operating in Tesla’s autopilot mode.
Instagram is supposedly testing a feature that tells you when someone’s recorded your story
Did you really think Instagram was going to stop copying Snapchat features in 2018? Now, Instagram is reportedly testing a new feature – one that Snapchat already has – that notifies users when someone’s taken a screenshot or screen recording of your stories. Tech news site WABetaInfo claims that Instagram is testing the feature, but only internally.
