As is custom, let’s have a look at some of the stories making global headlines today.
Danish police charge 1,000 with ‘distribution of child porn’
The police launched an investigation following a tip-off from Facebook about two videos and a “sexually explicit” image that were being circulated by mostly teenage social media users across Denmark. “It’s a very big and complex matter that has taken a long time to investigate.
Venezuela president offers pregnant women $3.83 a month
Emphasis on “a little.” Maduro announced during his annual address to the nation that pregnant women would receive a payment of 700,000 bolivars a month. It sounds like a lot, but Venezuela’s runaway inflation means that sum is worth just $3.83 at the current exchange rate that millions of citizens follow closely.
UAE says Qatari fighters intercepted two commercial flights
The UAE said Qatari fighter jets intercepted two Emirati commercial aircraft bound for Bahrain on Monday, an allegation Qatar denies. The claim comes days after Qatar also accused UAE military jets of breaching its airspace, an allegation the UAE in turn denied.
Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries dies at age 46
O’Riordan, who was 46, died “suddenly” according to the statement, but no details were given on the cause of her death. The singer was in London for a short recording session, the statement added. The Cranberries rose to global fame in the mid-1990s with a string of hits, including “Linger,” “Zombie” and “Dreams.” The group, from Limerick, has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.
The texts loved ones sent during the Hawaii missile alert mishap
Some of their family members tried to warn others of the impending danger they thought was headed to the islands; others said their goodbyes. Sara Donchey, in Hawaii “I was in a bit of a stupor because I had just woken up from a nap,” said Donchey, an anchor at CNN affiliate KPRC in Houston who was visiting Hawaii.
Dubai’s controversial mega structure opens
Written by Eoghan Macguire Alma Al Turkmani, CNN Visitors to Dubai now have an unusual vantage point from which to take in the emirate’s ever expanding skyline. The Dubai Frame, a 150-meter-tall and 93-meter-wide hollow, gold-plated observation tower, officially opened in the city’s Zabeel Park earlier this month.
Erdogan accuses US of creating Kurdish terror enclave on Turkish border
His comments came a day after the US publicly admitted it is supplying weapons and training to militia of the Kurdish YPG. YPG fighters, many of them women, have played a major role in flushing out ISIS from northern Syria, including from Raqqa.
Shackled children found in California home
Two parents have been arrested in California after police found 13 people allegedly being held captive at their home, including some “shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks”. David Allen Turpin, 57, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49, were held on charges of torture and child endangerment.
Black Death ‘spread by humans not rats’
Rats were not to blame for the spread of plague during the Black Death, according to a study. The rodents and their fleas were thought to have spread a series of outbreaks in 14th-19th Century Europe. But a team from the universities of Oslo and Ferrara now says the first, the Black Death, can be “largely ascribed to human fleas and body lice”.
Trump escalates feud over ‘racial slur’
President Donald Trump has said he was “totally misrepresented” by those saying he used the term “shithole” to describe African nations last week. Mr Trump also said the allegation was hurting efforts to strike a deal to protect so-called Dreamer immigrants.
Father’s instinct helps find trapped son
An Australian teenager has been found alive in a car wreckage after his father made an intuitive decision to search for him with a helicopter. Samuel Lethbridge, 17, was trapped for 30 hours after his car left a New South Wales highway on Sunday, police said.
Is it OK to ‘electrocute’ fish?
The European Parliament is debating whether to change the rules that allow trawlers from the Netherlands to catch fish using a method that campaigners have compared to putting a Taser into the sea. The Dutch government and EU officials say they are pioneering a technique that is better for the environment than traditional tools.
Gospel star Edwin Hawkins dies, aged 74
The American gospel music star Edwin Hawkins has died at his home in California, at the age of 74. The Grammy-winning singer had been suffering from pancreatic cancer, his publicist said. Hawkins was regarded as a pioneer of urban gospel music, blending gospel hymns with secular sound.
Trump Attacks Senator Who Confirmed ‘Shithole Countries’ Comment
President Donald Trump attacked Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) Monday for confirming Trump’s reported remarks describing Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries” in a closed Oval Office meeting. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals can’t get made when there is no trust!
Trump Says He’s The ‘Least Racist Person.’ Anderson Cooper Has A Reality Check.
In response to reports that Donald Trump referred to Haiti and African nations as “shithole” countries in a meeting with lawmakers last week, the president once again claimed he was the ” least racist person.” But CNN’s Anderson Cooper wasn’t buying it.
Selena Gomez’s Mom Says She’s ‘Not Happy’ Her Daughter Is Back With Justin Bieber
Selena Gomez’s mother and former manager, Mandy Teefey, is “not happy” the singer has recently rekindled her romance with Justin Bieber, Teefey told celebrity site Gossip Cop. Gossip Cop is known for debunking celebrity rumors. The site reached out to Teefey to debunk recent stories about the mother and daughter, it said in a piece published Saturday.
MLK’s Daughter Says We Must Remember Her Mother’s Legacy, Too
Bernice King says those honoring her father on Martin Luther King Jr. Day should also remember another incredibly important figure in the civil rights movement: her mother, Coretta Scott King. “Without #CorettaScottKing, there would be no #MLKDay,” Bernice tweeted Monday. As you honor my father today, please remember and honor my mother, as well.
Past Presidents Volunteered On MLK Day. Donald Trump Is Spending It At His Golf Club.
President Donald Trump is spending Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday meant to honor the United States’ most iconic civil rights leader, at his golf club in Florida. Trump arrived at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach around 9 a.m. Monday, the White House press pool reported.
‘Harry’s A Hugger’: Photographer Reveals What Years Snapping Royals Has Taught Him
“About 30% of getting a great picture is luck,” says Chris Jackson, who has been taking pictures of royalty for close to 14 years. “Your pictures live on in history – if you get a good one.”
Over 1,000 charged for sharing revenge porn on Facebook
Over 1000 people have been charged for sharing sexually explicit content without consent on Facebook in the biggest case of its kind in Denmark. According to Danish police, two videos and a sexually explicit image involving two 15-year-olds were originally posted to Facebook Messenger, the platform’s private chat service.
Chrissy Teigen just shared an observation about Trump you won’t be able to unread
Sometimes it’s the simplest observations that are the best. Chrissy Teigen, whose Twitter feed is now so famous it pretty much deserves its own show, is the queen of this.
Tom Hanks is adorably impressed with Maisie Williams’ ‘Game of Thrones’ stamp
If ever there’s a wedding happening in Central Park, an event that needs some added martinis or just generally something that requires somebody to be adorable, you can pretty much count on Tom Hanks to deliver. Game of Thrones stamps are no exception.
The robots of CES are a joke
The robots of the future are, well, still figuring things out. That was the overwhelming takeaway from CES, the world’s largest tech convention, held this past week in Las Vegas. From a laundry-folding bot that couldn’t fold laundry, to an AI-powered helper that refused to help, to an in-home mechanical maid that kept dropping stuff, the dream of robotic friends making our lives easier is clearly a long way off.
