These are the stories making headlines today.
Apple shares set to move higher as glossy forecast highlights…
(Reuters) – Shares of Apple Inc () are inching closer to a $1 trillion valuation, after the company forecast blowout current-quarter sales and analysts on Wednesday said a September launch of new iPhones set the stage for sustained growth. The company’s shares were up 3.7 percent at $197.34 in premarket trade – an all-time high.
Ukraine in focus as Manafort trial in U.S. heads to second day
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) – The political consulting work that President Donald Trump’s onetime campaign chairman Paul Manafort did to earn $60 million in Ukraine is expected to take the spotlight on Wednesday on the second day of his criminal trial.
Auto suppliers retool to chase electric vehicle bonanza
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Reuters) – In what seems to be a magic trick, Dele Fayemi runs a batch of batteries in a beaker of boiling water – a physical impossibility that should cause a short circuit.
Zimbabwe’s ruling party wins majority in parliament, EU questions poll
HARARE (Reuters) – European Union observers on Wednesday listed several problems in Zimbabwe’s presidential and parliamentary election, including media bias, voter intimidation and mistrust in the electoral commission. They also questioned delays in releasing the results of the presidential contest in Zimbabwe’s first election since Robert Mugabe was forced to resign following a de facto coup in November after nearly 40 years in power.
U.S. judge halts release of blueprints for 3-D printed guns
A U.S. judge on Tuesday blocked the imminent release of blueprints for 3-D printed guns, hours before they were set to hit the internet, after several states sued to halt publication of designs to make weapons that security screening may not detect.
‘Wild’ Trump revives spirit of ’16 — but can it work a 2nd (and 3rd) time?
No one knows better than President Donald Trump what worked for him in 2016, and now he’s going back to the well — trusting no one but himself — to stave off the threat of a Democratic rout in November that could cripple his presidency.
Facebook takes down suspected Russian network of pages
In briefings on Capitol Hill, Facebook has told lawmakers that it suspects a Russian group is behind more than 30 pages advocating US political stances, according to a congressional source briefed on the matter.
Protests in Zimbabwe as opposition cries foul in tightly fought elections
Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party has won a two-thirds majority in parliament in the national elections, the country’s electoral commission announced Wednesday.
A plane crashed in Mexico but everyone on board survived
There are no deaths reported in the accident involving an Aeromexico plane Tuesday in Durango, Mexico, according to the state’s governor José R. Aispuro.
Swedish royal jewels stolen by thieves who fled by speedboat
Jewels belonging to former Swedish monarchs were stolen from a church in a daring boat heist Tuesday, police said.
Philippines’ Duterte crushes $5.5m of luxury cars in anti-corruption drive
Phillipines PresidentRodrigo Roa Duterte donned a construction hat this Monday as he watched the public destruction of over million USD worth of luxury vehicles and motorcycles, as a part of his public campaign against smuggling and corruption.
Who needs the US? Huawei beats Apple in smartphone sales for the first time
The Chinese smartphone maker sold around 54 million phones last quarter, up more than 40% compared to the same period last year, according to research firms IDC, Canalysand IHS Markit. That was enough to not only beat Apple , but also narrow the gap with market leader Samsung .
A man cheated with someone else’s wife and is now paying for it…with $8.8 million
In many states, there’s no punishment for adultery. But in North Carolina, it can be a serious offense, as one man came to realize last Thursday.
Australian hotel chain fined $2.2 million for manipulating TripAdvisor reviews
(CNN) – One of Australia’s largest hotel chains has been fined $2.2 million ($3 million AUD) for trying to prevent negative reviews on the popular TripAdvisor website. Australia’s federal court said that Meriton Property Services violated consumer law by preventing guests who had complained or may have had negative experiences from getting a “Review Express” email inviting them to review the property on TripAdvisor.
Zimbabwe’s Zanu-PF ‘has most seats’
Zimbabwe election 2018 Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party has won the most seats in parliament, according to incomplete official results. President Emmerson Mnangagwa is poised to win with a substantial majority. However, the opposition MDC Alliance has claimed the vote is rigged, and said on Tuesday that its candidate Nelson Chamisa had won.
Jellyfish sting dozens on German beach
Ninety people at a single beach in Germany were treated for jellyfish stings in just three days, amid a surge of the creatures in European waters. Regional newspaper Ostsee Zeitung said “tens of thousands” of lion’s mane jellyfish washed ashore at the weekend.
Trump claims ID needed to go shopping
US President Donald Trump has been accused of being out of touch with voters after saying Americans need identification to go shopping. At a rally in Tampa, Florida, he said: “You know, if you go out and you want to buy groceries, you need a picture on a card, you need ID.”
Facebook and Instagram’s attempt to break your addiction probably won’t
Facebook and Instagram will soon be able to show you exactly how much time you’re wasting in their apps. Both apps will soon be rolling out new time management features, which help users see how much time they spend in the apps and get reminders when it’s time to take a break, Facebook announced Wednesday.
Did Rihanna just bring back the thin eyebrow trend?
Brow trends come and go. But, there’s one eyebrow look that ought to remain firmly locked away in the past. Thin brows. Or, so we thought until we saw Rihanna’s latest British Vogue cover look. The magazine released the cover of its September issue featuring RiRi with pencil line brows.
Good dog named Stormy gets medal for finishing half-marathon like humans
Marathons require determination. Fitness. Focus. Not everyone will readily associate with these attributes, but then there’s this stray dog named Stormy who conquered the 21-kilometre (13 mile) Goldfields Pipeline half-marathon in Western Australia recently.
Kim Kardashian says she has ‘nothing bad to say’ about Trump
Last month, 62-year-old Alice Marie Johnson had her life sentence for a non-violent, first time drug offense commuted by Trump. It’s all largely due to the efforts of Kim Kardashian West, who appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday to talk about the encounter.
The Rock gifted his stunt double a new truck and it’s so wholesome
The Rock is too pure for this world. Dwayne Johnson – or as he called himself in an Instagram post on Monday, Dwanta Claus – gave his stunt double a new truck when he returned after suffering an injury on set.
Florida man carries a live gator like a purse for a beer run
Florida is truly something else. A Florida resident decided to take a live gator for a beer run last week, tucking the reptile under his arm like a fashionable, but terrifying, clutch. In the Facebook video that went viral, the man strolls into a convenience store with the gator and casually asks, “Y’all got beer still?”
