Here are the stories making global headlines today.
European Parliament votes to punish Hungary for erosion of democracy
The European Parliament on Wednesday voted to punish Hungary for its crackdown on democratic institutions, in an unprecedented move that could ultimately lead to the suspension of the country’s voting rights in the bloc.
Steeling for Hurricane Florence, Trump seeks praise for Maria
As he braces for Hurricane Florence, President Donald Trump is stoking new outrage over his refusal to accept any blame for the relief effort following Puerto Rico’s monster storm last year.
The homophobic legacy of the British Empire
Of the 71 countries around the world in which same-sex sexual relations are illegal, it’s no coincidence that more than half are former British colonies or protectorates.
Pope calls unprecedented meeting of top officials over sexual abuse
Pope Francis has summoned top Catholic officials to discuss the escalating sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the church.
Monkeypox: First cases of rare infection diagnosed in UK
Two people have been diagnosed with monkeypox in Britain in apparently unrelated cases, Public Health England (PHE) have confirmed.
Fungi could solve plastic crisis, scientists say
Scientists believe they may have found an unlikely ally in the fight against plastic pollution — fungi.
India’s top court approves shoot-to-kill order for man-eating tiger
India’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal to prevent forest rangers from killing a “man-eating” tigress in the western state of Maharashtra.
George Weah: President in surprise return for Liberia
Liberia president George Weah made a surprise return to football on Tuesday — playing in his country’s 2-1 defeat to Nigeria.
Mass evacuation from ‘storm of a lifetime’
Highways in US East Coast areas braced for Hurricane Florence are congested with motorists fleeing “the storm of a lifetime”. Up to 1.7 million people have been ordered to evacuate across South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. South Carolina authorities have turned four motorways into one-way routes away from the coast to speed the exodus.
Mark Wahlberg reveals gruelling regime
Mark Wahlberg has revealed a punishing daily routine, involving getting up in the middle of the night to work out. The 47-year-old, known for keeping in shape, detailed his regime while answering fans’ questions on Instagram. On a typical day, the actor rises at 02.30 before half an hour for prayers.
Are CGI models taking over fashion?
These three models are the faces of Balmain’s new campaign. They have the perfect angular cheekbones and ooze glamour most could never manage. But Shudu, Margot and Zhi don’t exist. They’re the latest in a line of computer-generated models being used in advertising. Balmain worked with British photographer Cameron James-Wilson, who created digital supermodel Shudu last year.
Girl, 9, protests at Australian anthem
A nine-year-old girl has stirred controversy after refusing to stand for Australia’s national anthem in protest at alleged institutional racism. Harper Nielsen claimed the song “Advance Australia Fair” ignored the nation’s indigenous people. “When it says ‘we are young’ it completely disregards the Indigenous Australians who were here before us,” she told ABC news Australia.
Tom Watson ‘reversed’ type-2 diabetes
Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has revealed he was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes but has “reversed” the condition through diet and exercise. He has now come off medication after losing seven stone (44.5kg) since last summer. He cut out junk food, starchy carbohydrates and refined sugar and took up cycling and running.
Cryptocurrencies are now worth less than $186 billion, the lowest level this year
The collective market cap of all cryptocurrencies has plunged to $186 billion on Wednesday – its lowest level this year, and the lowest it’s been since Novermber 2017. It’s a long, painful drop for the crypto market from its January peak of $831 billion, and while everything’s possible in crypto, currently there’s no end in sight.
Ryan Gosling visits cafe that went viral for its Ryan Gosling cutouts
Sometimes, to make a dream come true, all you need is persistence and a life-size cardboard cutout. Enter Toronto’s Grinder Coffee. They were so keen to get Ryan Gosling to visit their cafe during the Toronto International Film Festival that they spent 10 days campaigning for it on social media.
Trump’s odd 9/11 fist pumping started a Photoshop battle, obviously
Who knows why Donald Trump did a double fist pump before a 9/11 memorial. The president has been criticized for the move before a service remembering the terrorist attack in Pennsylvania, which goes without saying, is a period for solemn reflection. But anyway, here he was looking pumped.
YouTube removes pro-Syrian government channels as Bashar al-Assad mounts attack
YouTube shut down several accounts connected to the Syrian regime amid rumors spreading of a possible chemical attack in Syria over the weekend. The channels include PresidencyCy, an account frequently used to promote Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and an account promoting the Ministry of Defense.
You spent $999 on an iPhone X. Here’s how much you can get for it.
Every product here is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our work. Apple is expected to reveal three new iPhones at its Sept. 12 “Gather Round” event.
