Here are the stories making headlines.
Trump ex-lawyer ‘happy’ to aid Russia probe
US President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, is said to be “more than happy” to speak to the inquiry into alleged collusion with Russia. Cohen pleaded guilty on Tuesday to violating finance laws during the 2016 presidential election by handling hush money for Mr Trump’s alleged lovers.
Saudi woman activist ‘faces death penalty’
Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor has reportedly sought the death penalty for five activists, including the female rights defender Israa al-Ghomgham. Human Rights Watch said they recently went on trial at a terrorism tribunal on charges including “participating in protests” in the restive Qatif region.
Fighting the vanilla thieves of Madagascar
A barefoot farmer is making his way through a forest. Quiet drops of rain tumble steadily through the night, picked out in the light from his torch. The rusty machete he holds isn’t for cutting down vines or chopping away stubborn branches – it is a defence against thieves.
Lost in a system
Many believe there is a crisis in British prisons, with understaffing and the drug Spice causing huge problems. Rob Morris died six months after leaving prison. His family is still trying to understand what went wrong while he was inside.
Boy fined £500 for kicking dog to death
A 15-year-old boy has been fined £500 for punching and kicking a “much-loved” pet dog to death. The boy, who cannot be named, was 14 when the “prolonged attack” happened in St Ives, Cornwall on 31 October. He was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal last month after a two-day trial.
Will Trump remain bulletproof?
Tuesday’s duelling courtroom dramas in New York and Virginia were the kind of body blows that would stagger, if not fell, most presidencies. And those were just the two top headlines in a day that contained a string of dismal news for Donald Trump. Will any of this matter?
Austrian caught speeding 42 days in a row
A baker has been fined €3,000 (£2,700) for speeding on the same Austrian road 42 days in a row. Heimo Wallner was caught by the same device every day at three in the morning on his way back from work.
Paul Manafort found guilty on eight counts
President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been found guilty on eight counts of financial crimes, a major victory for special counsel Robert Mueller.
He described his abuse on live TV. Now he has a message for the Pope
In 2009, Michael O’Brien revealed on live TV that he was abused in a Catholic-run school in Ireland. Now, he says the Pope has a lot to answer for during his trip to Dublin.
Serena Williams tops Forbes list for highest-earning female athletes
Even though Serena Williams won just $62,000 in prize money during the last 12 months the tennis great has still topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-earning female athletes.
Facebook finds disinformation campaigns run from Russia and Iran
The pages and groups were spreading misinformation in the United States, United Kingdom, Latin America and the Middle East. Some were posing as a group called “Liberty Front Press.” It also removed content that is says could be traced to groups previously connected to Russian military services.
Juventus can win Champions League with Ronaldo — Rooney
Former England captain Wayne Rooney knows what it is like to be a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo’s. The pair played together at Manchester United for five seasons, winning three English Premier League titles and the Champions League.
To avoid extinction it’s about ‘survival of the laziest,’ study suggests
Using more energy on a daily basis is more likely to cause a species to become extinct, with those that are more sluggish more likely to survive.
Tiger Woods confident of winning again
A defiant Tiger Woods says he will “get the job done” in his quest for another win on the PGA Tour.
Panama-registered tanker missing in piracy-plagued West African waters
DAKAR (Reuters) – A tanker vessel has gone missing off the coast of Gabon in West Africa – an area notorious for piracy – and no word has been heard from its crew for a week, the ship’s managers said on Tuesday. The Georgian government said 17 of its citizens were on board the Pantelena serving as crew.
Putin: Russia must strengthen its military infrastructure due to NATO
NATO is moving its military infrastructure closer to the Russian border and Russia needs to strengthen its own infrastructure in response, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
Oil tops $73 on report of U.S. inventory drop, Iran sanctions
LONDON (Reuters) – Brent oil rose more than $1 a barrel on Wednesday, trading above $73 as an industry report showing a drop in U.S. crude inventories and U.S. sanctions on OPEC producer Iran pointed to tighter supplies. The American Petroleum Institute reported U.S.
Trump claims Cohen’s campaign finance violations are ‘not a crime’
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the campaign finance violations his longtime lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to in federal court on Tuesday were “not a crime,” even though prosecutors and Cohen agreed they were.
Tinder launches Tinder U for the college kids
There’s a new Tinder in town. It’s a feature called Tinder U, made specifically for users of the dating app who are in college. And the company is rolling it out just in time for the start of the new school year.
Fox News contributor suggests it was a ‘compliment’ when Trump called Omarosa a ‘dog’
Remember when Donald Trump, our sitting president, called Omarosa ” that dog” after news broke that she’d recorded with him and others during her time at the White House? It was both racist and sexist – and definitely was not said from a place of love.
After losing trust of its users, Facebook assigns them a ‘trustworthiness’ score
Facebook knows it has a trust problem. In an effort to better manage how its users flag content they object to, the social media giant is planning to rate the trustworthiness of its users on an individual basis.
Paul Manafort found guilty on 8 counts and the internet can’t stop smirking
Former Donald Trump campaign chairman and lover of ugly-but-expensive suits Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts on Tuesday, the first verdict in a case stemming from Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
