Let’s look at some of the biggest stories in the world today.
Falcon Heavy rocket launch: SpaceX blasts off with its biggest rocket yet
It’s called Falcon Heavy, and if it launches as planned Tuesday, it’ll become the most powerful rocket in use. The rocket is poised for its first test at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Takeoff is slated to happen at 3:45 pm ET.
US B-52 bomber unleashes record-setting payload
A US Air Force B-52 bomber launched a record-setting series of strikes this week in northern Afghanistan — dropping 24 precision-guided munitions on Taliban fighting positions during 96 hours of air operations “to destroy insurgent revenue sources, training facilities, and support networks,” according to US Forces Afghanistan.
Dozens feared trapped in Taiwan after earthquake topples buildings
The magnitude-6.4 quake struck 22 kilometers (13 miles) north of the city late Tuesday, killing at least four people and injuring 243 people. It also damaged bridges and buckled roads in the east of the island. Video from the site of the quake showed smoke still rising from the collapsed buildings on Wednesday morning, as firefighters patrolled streets covered in rubble.
Kim Jong Un’s sister joins North Korean Olympic delegation
South Korea’s Unification Ministry said in a statement that Kim Yo Jong will be joining North Korea’s high-level delegation to the South, headed by Kim Yong Nam, president of North Korea’s parliament. The 30-year-old, who has seen her profile rise steadily since 2014, was last year promoted to North Korea’s Politburo.
North Korea requests oil to refuel ship carrying Olympic delegation
The cargo-passenger ferry, the Mangyongbong 92, arrived at South Korea’s Mukho port on Tuesday afternoon, carrying 114 members of the country’s art troupe, alongside 96 crew members. The request for oil was submitted to the South after the ship docked, South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said during a daily press briefing.
Trump tells Pentagon to plan a military parade
The spokesman described the planning process as being in its “infancy.” In response to the news, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump had asked the Defense Department to “explore” the idea. “President Trump is incredibly supportive of America’s great servicemembers who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe.
Elon Musk’s Falcon rocket launches
Elon Musk has just launched his new rocket, the Falcon Heavy, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mammoth vehicle – the most powerful since the shuttle system – lifted clear of its pad without incident to soar high over the Atlantic Ocean.
What’s behind the Justin Timberlake backlash?
This should have been a triumphant week for Justin Timberlake. His fifth album Man of the Woods – billed as a return to the singer’s Tennessee roots – came out on Friday, and he played the Super Bowl Half Time Show two days later, making him the only artist to grace the coveted stage three times.
Trump plans military parade in Washington
US President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon to organise a large military parade in the nation’s capital. The president made the request of top military chiefs in late January, after reportedly being impressed by a French Bastille Day parade last year.
Aftershocks rock Taiwan after deadly quake
Aftershocks continue to rattle Taiwan after a strong earthquake that killed at least two people and injured more than 200 others. The powerful 6.4-magnitude tremor struck at 23:50 (15:50 GMT) about 20km (12 miles) off the island’s east coast.
Game of Thrones creators join Star Wars
The creators of the Game of Thrones TV series are to make a series of films for the rapidly-expanding Star Wars universe. David Benioff and DB Weiss will begin work on Star Wars when Game of Thrones ends in 2019, Lucasfilm announced. Little is known about the project.
Trump Saw A Military Parade In France And Now He Wants One Of His Very Own
President Donald Trump has instructed government officials to start planning for a massive military parade to take place in Washington, D.C., sometime this year, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday. The Pentagon confirmed the Post’s report on Tuesday. “We are aware of the request and are looking at possible dates,” Pentagon spokesman Charlie Summers told reporters, according to NBC.
California Bakery Can Refuse To Make Cakes For Same-Sex Weddings, Judge Rules
An attorney for a same-sex couple who were denied a wedding cake by a California bakery says they’ll continue to fight after a judge issued a preliminary injunction ruling in the baker’s favor Monday.
Trump Supporters Consume And Share The Most Fake News, Oxford Study Finds
Trump supporters and extreme conservatives consume and share more “junk news” on social media than every other political group combined, a University of Oxford study has found. The three-month study, published Tuesday as part of the school’s Computational Propaganda Research Project, scrutinized the habits of 13,477 politically active U.S.
Kylie Jenner Named Her Baby Stormi And People Have Thoughts
Break out your umbrellas and put on your rain boots because Stormi (Scott? Jenner?) is here, people. Kylie Jenner announced her baby girl’s name Tuesday and posted a sweet photo of her daughter in a pink outfit on Instagram. Stormi is her first child with rapper Travis Scott.
Watching SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch to space was like seeing into the future
Watching Space X’s Falcon Heavy launch, the future suddenly materialized in front of me. For years, space nerds have heard about this huge new rocket with three boosters that could land back on Earth after flying payload after payload to space. But did I think it would really happen, and that somehow, someway I’d get to see it live?
Snapchat just did something crazy. It beat expectations.
Snapchat has a reputation. Yes, for sexting, but also for its inability to impress investors. That narrative changed on Tuesday after Snap Inc. scored a massive beat on its quarterly earnings report, recapping revenue and user growth 2017. To the surprise of investors, Snap reported that both its user growth and revenue growth are accelerating.
Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick keeps his cool during self-driving car courtroom drama
Known for his fiery, overly aggressive approach to business, ousted Uber CEO Travis Kalanick seemed laid back and calm, if maybe a bit nervous while sipping on a water bottle, when he testified in a San Francisco court on Tuesday. Kalanick appeared in U.S.
Elon Musk just revealed a secret message SpaceX sent to space aboard the cosmic Tesla
Elon Musk is always one for a nice surprise. Just after SpaceX launched the first flight of its Falcon Heavy rocket on Tuesday, lofting a red Tesla Roadster to deep space, Musk revealed a little secret hidden within the cosmic car.
Why social media companies won’t kill off bots
Bots, bots, everywhere, but nothing good to click. As the social media networks of the world engage in a performative struggle to become good for people’s well being, they have been simultaneously peppered with questions about bots on their respective platforms. The automated accounts degrade the user experience and poison the well, the argument goes, and calls to cull them from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have only grown since the 2016 U.S.
Elon Musk put a Tesla in space, and it has launched a thousand memes
So here’s a fun development: When you woke up in Tuesday, there wasn’t a Tesla manned by a fake astronaut flying through space. Now, after Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch, there is.
