Here are the stories making headlines today.
Jury to hear closing arguments in Manafort case on Wednesday
(Reuters) – Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday in the U.S. government’s case against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is on trial on financial fraud charges. The trial, in Alexandria, Virginia, is the first to arise from U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Why Facebook is losing the war on hate speech in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar – In April, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg told U.S. senators that the social media site was hiring dozens more Burmese speakers to review hate speech posted in Myanmar. The situation was dire. Some 700,000 members of the Rohingya community had recently fled the country amid a military crackdown and ethnic violence.
Trump confidant sees Michael Bloomberg as potential 2020 threat
Corey Lewandowski, an outside adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, said on Wednesday he believes former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg could pose a stiff challenge to the president’s re-election in 2020 if Bloomberg were to run as a Democrat.
UK police return Buddha statue to India 57 years after it was stolen
LONDON (Reuters) – British police have returned a 12th Century Buddha statue stolen in India 57 years ago. The Buddha, a bronze statue with silver inlay, was one of 14 statues stolen in 1961 from the Archaeological Survey of India site museum in Nalanda, eastern India.
Qatar’s Emir pledges $15 billion direct investment in Turkey:…
Qatar will make $15 billion of direct investments into Turkey, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told President Tayyip Erdogan during talks in Ankara, the Turkish presidency said on Wednesday.
‘Like a miracle’: Ex-soccer player survives Italy bridge disaster
GENOA, Italy (Reuters) – Former Italian soccer professional Davide Capello can only describe it as a miracle. Wearing a blue hospital gown and sitting up in bed, Capello looks physically unscathed but emotionally shattered as he describes how the road beneath his car collapsed on Tuesday, as he was driving over Genoa’s Morandi Bridge.
Genoa bridge collapse: Search for bodies continues as Italy seeks answers
Rescuers worked through the night to account for all of the victims of Tuesday’s Morandi Bridge disaster in Genoa, as Italy’s President called for a “serious and severe examination” into why the bridge suddenly collapsed.
Omarosa’s scorched-earth tell-all is a rare public breach of Trump’s loyalty test
Omarosa Manigault Newman is doing something none of her predecessors have done — she’s gone nuclear on her former boss and the White House.
Report details sexual abuse by more than 300 priests in Pennsylvania’s Catholic Church
A new grand jury report says that internal documents from six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania show that more than 300 “predator priests” have been credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims.
Priest abuse survivor slams church’s lack of ‘morality’
Shaun Dougherty, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by a priest in Pennsylvania, doesn’t have anything he’d like to say to Pope Francis.
New tape shows Trump campaign aides discussing possibility of N-word tape
Aides to President Donald Trump questioned him during the 2016 campaign about the existence of an audio tape in which he purportedly said the N-word, a racial epithet, during production of his reality TV show “The Apprentice.”
Joe Biden cancels Illinois event due to ‘doctor’s orders’
Former Vice President Joe Biden canceled a planned appearance in Illinois this week because he is sick and “under doctor’s orders not to travel,” according to state Democrats.
Diverse candidates rule the night and other takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries
The nation’s first transgender governor, its first Somali-American woman in Congress and its first black woman in Connecticut’s congressional delegation could all be on the horizon after Tuesday’s slate of four primaries.
Twisting ‘garden’ skyscraper to become Australia’s tallest building
Written by Oscar Holland, CNN A twisting, tree-covered skyscraper in Melbourne is set to become Australia’s tallest building, after it was announced Wednesday as the winner of an international design competition. Set to break ground in 2020, the proposed “Green Spine” project comprises two main towers, the tallest of which will reach more than 356 meters (1,168 feet) into the sky.
Kabul bomber kills 37 in tuition centre
Thirty-seven people have been killed and 47 injured in a bomb explosion at an education centre in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, the city’s police say. Police say a suicide bomber walked into the centre while teaching was under way and detonated his bomb belt.
Wi-fi could be used to detect weapons
Ordinary wi-fi could be used to detect weapons and explosives in public places, according to a study led by the Rutgers University in New Jersey. Wireless signals can penetrate bags to measure the dimensions of metal objects or estimate the volume of liquids, researchers claim.
New Zealand bans house sales to foreigners
New Zealand’s parliament has banned many foreigners from buying existing homes in the country – a move aimed at making properties more affordable. The ban only applies to non-residents. Australians and Singaporeans are exempt because of free-trade deals. New Zealand is facing a housing affordability crisis which has left home ownership out of reach for many.
First transgender nominee for US governor
US mid-term elections 2018 A former energy executive in Vermont has taken a major step towards becoming the first ever transgender governor of a US state. Christine Hallquist defeated three other candidates, including a 14-year-old boy, to win the Democratic Party nomination on Tuesday.
How this photo solved a fatal hit-and-run
US Police have made an arrest in a fatal hit-and-run case after an obscure part of a car headlight was identified by a social media user. On Thursday 9 August, Washington State Police appealed on Twitter for information after a cyclist was hit by an unidentified black vehicle.
Mystery Russian satellite raises US alarm
A mysterious Russian satellite displaying “very abnormal behaviour” has raised alarm in the US, according to a State Department official. “We don’t know for certain what it is and there is no way to verify it,” said assistant secretary Yleem Poblete at a conference in Switzerland on 14 August.
Alexa and Cortana are finally on speaking terms
In a move reminiscent of Cher’s friendship with Tai, the baddest bitch in the digital assistant schoolyard has a new project. Thanks to the peacemaking powers of the A.I. overlords, Alexa is now on intimate speaking terms with former rival Cortana! BFFs!!!
#DeactiDay: The growing Twitter movement urging users to delete their accounts over Alex Jones
Some prominent Twitter users are giving the company’s CEO Jack Dorsey an ultimatum: it’s either us or Alex Jones. There is a growing movement in various circles on Twitter to make this Friday, August 17th “D-Day” or “#DeactiDay ” on the service.
The little girl who secretly ordered $350 worth of toys on Amazon donated them all to a children’s hospital
Kaitlin, the 6-year-old who secretly bought $350 worth of toys on her parents’ Amazon account is proving to be a scammer with a heart of gold. After Kaitlin’s mom gave her permission to buy a Barbie doll on the family Amazon account for her birthday, she didn’t think twice before giving her child the account information again so that Kaitlin could check her order status, Buzzfeed News reported.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s sons took a photo together and the resemblance is uncanny
If you need proof that the legacy of The Beatles still looms large across the world, look no further than this Instagram photo. On Tuesday, Sean Ono Lennon, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, shared a photo with Jamey McCartney, son of Paul and Linda McCartney.
Ariana Grande and James Corden gave ‘Titanic’ a new soundtrack and it was amazing
If there were to be a remake of Titanic and you had to recast the roles of Rose and Jack, who would you choose? SEE ALSO: Ariana Grande’s ‘God Is A Woman’ is the empowering anthem the world needs After watching this Titanic soundtrack sketch from The Late Late Show your choice may just be Ariana Grande as the new Kate Winslet and James Corden as Leonardo DiCaprio.
