Here are links to the biggest stories as we start the new week.
Sweden helping negotiate release of Americans held in North Korea
American citizens Kim Hak-song, Kim Sang-duk, and Kim Dong Chul are being held by North Korean government. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho is in Stockholm for talks with his Swedish counterpart.
Africa’s only female president will resign over expense claims
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Africa’s only female head of state, submitted her resignation for the “stability of the country,” her lawyer, Yousouf Mohammed, said in an interview with local news agency ION. Mohammed added she would leave office on March 23. She’s been president since 2015.
Facebook suspends data firm with Trump ties
On Friday, Facebook’s vice president and deputy general counsel, Paul Grewal, said in a detailed statement that a University of Cambridge psychology professor, Aleksandr Kogan, had passed Facebook user data he gained through an app on to third-parties, including Cambridge Analytica — a breach of the social media site’s policies on protecting people’s information.
NY professor sues Cambridge Analytica to find out what it knows about him
A New York professor filed a legal claim against a data company that worked for President Donald Trump’s campaign in a British court Friday in a case that could shed light on how millions of American voters were targeted online in the run-up to the 2016 election.
Daniels’ lawyer says some alleged incidents took place during Trump presidency
“Is there anything in the litany of accusations — you would call them facts — that surround this case that happened while Donald Trump was President?” CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Michael Avenatti, Daniels’ lawyer, during an interview Friday. When asked by Tapper if he could elaborate, Avenatti gave a simple “no.”
Japan unveils new Shinkansen ‘Supreme’ train
The smarter, sleeker and quieter train will debut on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line in 2020, and they will travel between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, in 2020. But test cars will start operating March 2018. “The (N700S series) has been completely redesigned through renovating main facilities and equipment,” Masayuki Ueno, deputy director-general of JR Tokai’s Shinkansen Operations Division, told the Asahi Shimbun.
‘Life of Pi’ star Irrfan Khan reveals he has a rare tumor
Such rare tumors are “abnormal growths that begin in specialized cells called neuroendocrine cells,” according to the Mayo Clinic. They can occur anywhere in the body and be both cancerous and benign. The actor, who is best known in the United States for roles in “Life Of Pi,” “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Amazing Spider-Man,” first revealed earlier this month he had “a rare disease.”
Centre of Syrian city seized – Turkey
Turkish-backed forces have taken full control of the centre of the Syrian-Kurdish city of Afrin, according to Turkey’s president. “Units of the Free Syrian Army… took control of the centre of Afrin this morning,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. The two month-long Turkish operation has been aimed at ridding Afrin, close to Turkey’s border, of a Kurdish militia it considers a terrorist group.
Russia votes in presidential election
Polls have opened in Russia’s presidential election, in which Vladimir Putin is seeking to stay in power for a fourth term in office. Voting began in the Russian far-east at 20:00 GMT on Saturday, and opened in Moscow nine hours later. Exit polls are expected late on Sunday.
Panic as car driven into nightclub
A number of people have been injured after a man drove a car into a busy nightclub, police have said. The driver was believed to have been asked to leave the club in Gravesend following an earlier altercation, Kent Police said. Officers were called to Blake’s in Queen Street at 23:47 GMT on Saturday.
Essential oils ‘make male breasts develop’
A suspected link between abnormal breast growth in young boys and the use of lavender and tea tree oils has been given new weight, after a study found eight chemicals contained in the oils interfere with hormones. Gynaecomastia is rare, and there is often no obvious cause.
Reality Check: How much of the UK’s gas comes from Russia?
In Parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Theresa May was questioned on the measures she was taking in response to the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. Conservative MP Stephen Crabb asked: “Is she aware that Britain has recently started to receive shipments of liquefied natural gas, and does she agree that Britain should not provide a market for Russian gas?
Somali clans strike deal to end vendettas
Two rival Somali clans have signed up to a groundbreaking peace deal which aims to end the cycle of revenge killings. Following three weeks of mediation, the rival Sa’ad Yoonis and Ba’iido clans in the disputed Sanaag region reached an agreement on harsh new rules.
Mike Huckabee Celebrates Firing Of Former FBI Deputy Director By Making Dead Dog Joke
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) loves a good joke. Too bad he has never told one. On Saturday, Huckabee tweeted his delight at the news that Andrew McCabe, former deputy director of the FBI and 21-year veteran of the agency, had been fired the night before.
Kevin Hart And Conan O’Brien Carbo Load And Then Try Sumo Wrestling
Comedian Kevin Hart is known for his dedication to fitness. On his new web series “What The Fit,” Hart and late-night host Conan O’Brien try the Japanese martial art of sumo wrestling. First, they hit up a diner, where O’Brien carbo loads for his upcoming sumo training, all while doing whatever he can to embarrass Hart.
Ex-CIA Boss John Brennan Tears Into Donald Trump Over Andrew McCabe Firing
Former CIA chief John Brennan did not mince his words when taking aim at President Donald Trump on Saturday morning. In a blistering tweet, Brennan blasted Trump for celebrating the dismissal of former FBI deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
Sorry Microsoft, but this isn’t the way to get people to use your Edge browser
D’oh! What are you doing Microsoft? Do you really think it’s a good idea to only let users open links from within Windows 10’s default Mail app in the Edge browser? Go ahead and slap your face a few more times and maybe splash a glass of cold water on it to wake yourself up.
How to see all the weird apps that can access your data on Facebook
Over the years, you’ve probably logged into a lot of services on Facebook without thinking about how those services use your data. Some of those services may have leveraged your data to undermine the very foundations of American democracy. Hard to say!
Box Office: ‘Black Panther’ Ends 1st Month With $605M Domestic, $1.183B Global
Black Panther earned another $27 million in its third domestic weekend, topping the weekend box office for the fifth-straight weekend. That gives the movie the fourth-biggest fifth weekend of all time, behind only Frozen ($28.5m in 2014), Titanic ($30m in 1998) and Avatar ($42m in 2010).
