Here are some of the stories making headlines today.
Trump wishes he hadn’t picked Sessions for AG
Quoting Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-South Carolina, who noted on CBS earlier Wednesday that Trump “could have picked somebody else” for the position, Trump tweeted, “I wish I did!” Gowdy was responding to a question about whether Trump may have obstructed justice in reportedly asking Sessions in March 2017 to reverse his decision to recuse himself in the probe, as The New York Times reported Tuesday.
Roseanne Barr has more to say
The sitcom star unleashed a stream of messages in the early hours of Wednesday after ABC canceled its hit show “Roseanne” over her racist tweet. Barr claimed that her tweet about former Obama administration official Valerie Jarrett was not racist, and that she was fired because of fears over a potential boycott of the show’s advertisers.
Russia, Ukraine blame each other in journalist death
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman implied Russia had orchestrated the killing. Babchenko was a vocal critic of the Kremlin and left Russia in 2017, saying he no longer felt safe there. “I’m sure that the Russian totalitarian machine did not forgive him his honesty and his fidelity to principle,” Groysman said in a Facebook post.
Putin critic Bill Browder arrested in Spain
“Urgent: Just was arrested by Spanish police in Madrid on a Russian Interpol arrest warrant,” Browder tweeted early Wednesday. “Going to the police station right now.” He later tweeted out what he said was an image of the warrant. Spanish authorities confirmed that the anti-corruption activist was arrested in Madrid, but had since been released.
Russia’s foreign minister is headed to North Korea
Lavrov is expected to discuss not only the situation in the Korean peninsula and the wider region, but also the relationship between the two countries, according to the ministry. His visit comes as North Korea, the US and South Korea intensify efforts towards convening a historic summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump.
Maria Sharapova wins in French Open return
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal suffered one of his sternest opening tests at Roland Garros. Deprived of a wildcard last year in the aftermath of a drug suspension, Sharapova earned a seeding this year but had to overturn a late deficit to defeat Dutch qualifier Richel Hogenkamp 6-1 4-6 6-3 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
One million people in France quit smoking last year
But there are signs that smoking in France is losing its allure. A new study by the French Department of Public Healthhas found that one million daily smokers in the country quit the habit in the last year. Authorities attribute the drop to recent anti-smoking measures and higher taxes on cigarettes.
ABC drops Roseanne show after racist tweet
ABC TV network has cancelled comedian Roseanne Barr’s show after she posted a racist tweet likening an African-American former Obama aide to an ape. ABC said: “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values and we have decided to cancel her show.”
Service dog delivers eight pups in airport
A US service dog unexpectedly gave birth to eight puppies in the middle of the Tampa International Airport, just before her owners boarded their flight. Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Rigby, a two-year-old yellow Labrador who serves as a guide dog, delivered the pups with the help of Tampa Fire Rescue’s medical team.
‘Hijab fashion’ designer jailed for fraud
A leading fashion designer, who made history at New York Fashion Week by having all her models wear headscarves, has been jailed for 18 years for fraud. Indonesian designer Anniesa Hasibuan and her husband, Andika Surachman, were found guilty of running a scam through their travel agency, First Travel.
The T-shirt shirt that has the internet baffled
High fashion label Balenciaga is selling a men’s indigo T-shirt shirt for £935 as part of their autumn 2018 collection. For many it’s not the price that’s a big shock, it’s the actual design of the item. The top is a plain T-shirt which looks like it’s had a chequered shirt pinned to the front of it.
Drake blackface photo used by Pusha T
Pusha T has released a new track taking aim at Drake while posting a photo appearing to show the Canadian rapper in blackface. The photo was originally used as part of a promotion for a clothing line called Jim Crow Couture from Canadian fashion label Too Black Guys.
Roseanne’s five most controversial moments
US comedian Roseanne Barr, who recently made a splash with the successful reboot of her ’90s TV sitcom, has landed in hot water after posting a racist tweet likening an African-American former Obama aide to an ape.
Trump Says He Wishes He Hadn’t Picked Jeff Sessions As Attorney General
President Donald Trump on Wednesday threw Attorney General Jeff Sessions under the bus again, tweeting that he wished he had picked someone else to lead the Justice Department. Trump quoted Rep. Trey Gowdy’s (R-S.C.) defense of the president’s frustration with Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe.
U.S. Military: Artillery Strike Kills More Than 50 Taliban Leaders In Afghanistan
KABUL (Reuters) – More than 50 senior Taliban commanders were killed in an artillery strike on a meeting in Afghanistan’s southern province of Helmand, a U.S. military spokesman said on Wednesday, as fighting continues across the country.
Mexican President Sends Trump A Blunt Message About Paying For The Wall
President Donald Trump called out Mexico on Tuesday, vowing yet again that the nation on America’s southern border will pay for his proposed wall. But Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto fired back almost immediately with a promise of his own, insisting that will never happen.
Roseanne Returns To Twitter To Push More Racism
TOP STORIES BARR CRASH TV Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett on Tuesday cost the comedian more than her hit sitcom, which ABC canceled. She was also fired from her talent agency, ICM Partners. Media giant Viacom is reportedly pulling old “Roseanne” reruns from its raft of channels.
Trump Attacks ‘Filthy’ Jay-Z, Is Quickly Called Out Over His Own Potty Mouth
President Donald Trump called out Jay-Z on Tuesday over language that the hip-hop star and businessman used during a 2016 performance at an event for presidential rival Hillary Clinton. “His language was so filthy that it made me like the most clean-cut human being on earth,” Trump said at a rally in Tennessee.
Serena Williams’ ‘Wakanda-Inspired Catsuit’ Is A Hit At French Open
Serena Williams returned to Grand Slam tennis on Tuesday after maternity leave, turning heads at the French Open in what she called a “Wakanda-inspired catsuit.” Williams said the outfit was designed to help prevent blood clots ― she faced near-deadly complications after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia on Sept.
This person’s attempt to lie about their love of cars went very wrong, very fast
A message exchange in which a person tried to lie about loving cars has gone viral on Twitter.
How far home printing has come in fewer than four decades will astound you
Whether you’re an aspiring novelist who goes through reams of paper printing 18 versions of your latest manuscript, a student racing to finish a last-minute paper, or a design professional fiddling with various layouts for a piece of print collateral, there are a variety of scenarios in which home printing technology is a godsend in our modern day and age.
Virgin Galactic’s most recent test flight looks totally sci-fi in new video
Virgin Galactic has done it again. The Richard Branson-founded spaceflight company just lofted and landed the second powered test flight of its SpaceShipTwo named Unity, and it seems to have gone well. One day, Virgin Galactic hopes that Unity will take paying customers to the edge of space, allowing them to feel weightlessness before coming back to Earth for a smooth landing.
Evan Spiegel just threw some serious shade at Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook
Surprise, surprise, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is NOT a fan of Facebook and its incessant copying of Snapchat. But what is a little surprising is the usually reserved CEO just threw some serious shade at Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerberg over its handling of users’ data privacy.
