Here are some of the stories making headlines today.
Addis Ababa: The city that China built
When Wang Yijun put Ethiopia’s most expensive real estate project on the market, he experienced a strange phenomenon. People preferred the lowest floors over those with panoramic city views. “Power cuts mean elevators in this city often don’t work,” explains Wang, the site manager. “So the bottom-floor flats became the most valuable.
Myanmar: Reuters journalists investigating Rohingya killings sentenced to 7 years in prison
A Myanmar court has sentenced two Reuters journalists to seven years in prison for breaking the Official Secrets Act while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslims.
‘People are afraid’: Gay caning stokes fear in Malaysia’s LGBT community
Two gay women have been caned in Malaysia amid a worsening climate for LGBT individuals in the Muslim-majority Southeast Asian nation.
US confirms death of ISIS leader in Afghanistan
US forces in Afghanistan confirmed Sunday that the head of ISIS in the country was killed in a strike a little over a week ago.
80,000 people in UK pose sexual threat to kids online, Javid to say
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid is to reveal Monday that there are up to 80,000 British pedophiles who pose a sexual threat to children online, the Press Association reported.
Williams drops set but battles into quarterfinals
Serena Williams insists her desire to win is “still incredibly high” after becoming a mom as she came through a tough test against the hard-hitting Kaia Kanepi to progress to the quarterfinals of the US Open.
Unveiling of Leonardo da Vinci’s $450M painting ‘postponed’
Written by Oscar Holland, CNN The long-awaited unveiling of the world’s most expensive painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi,” has been postponed, according to Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism. In a tweet posted Monday, the government body gave no reason for the decision, adding that “more details will be announced soon.”
Funding cuts blamed for big Rio museum fire
Officials in Brazil have blamed lack of funding for a huge fire that has ravaged the country’s National Museum. One of the largest anthropology and natural history collections in the Americas was almost totally destroyed in Sunday’s fire in Rio de Janeiro. There had been complaints about the dilapidated state of the museum.
Tributes after Instagram star’s yacht death
Friends and family have paid tribute to an Instagram blogger who died in Greece while working on a billionaire’s yacht. Sinead McNamara, 20, from Australia was found in a critical condition on the vessel on Thursday, and died while being airlifted to hospital.
The basketball boss who made billions
The BBC’s weekly The Boss series profiles a different business leader from around the world. This week we speak to US entrepreneur and basketball team owner Mark Cuban. Self-made billionaire Mark Cuban says he always dreamed of getting rich. “My priority was to be wealthy,” says the 60-year-old owner of the Dallas Mavericks.
SEX AND THE SUGAR DADDY – BBC News
In Kenya, more and more young women are using sugar daddies to fund a lifestyle worth posting on social media. Transactional sex was once driven by poverty, says film-maker Nyasha Kadandara. But now, increasingly, it’s driven by vanity.
Brazil’s 200-Year-Old National Museum Engulfed By Flames
The National Museum of Brazil, the country’s oldest scientific institution, has been engulfed by flames after a fire broke out on Sunday night. The museum, which recently celebrated its 200-year anniversary, contains more than 20 million items in its collection, including artefacts from Egypt and the oldest human fossil ever discovered in Brazil.
Folks Are Angry Over Fox News Job-Shaming Ex-‘Cosby’ Actor For ‘Bagging Groceries’
Before “The Cosby Show” ended in 1992, actor Geoffrey Owens played the character Elvin Tibideaux on NBC’s hit comedy series for five seasons. He’s continued working through the years as an actor but, as is the case in most creative industries, actors often do many other jobs to make ends meet.
99-Year-Old Man Walks 6 Miles Every Day To Visit Wife In Hospital
If you’ve ever wondered whether true love exists, look no further. Rather than hitch a ride with his daughter or wait for a bus, 99-year-old Luther Younger walks a six-mile round-trip each day to visit his wife in the hospital.
John McCain’s Casket Reaches Final Resting Place At U.S. Naval Academy
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Sen. John McCain ‘s final journey ended Sunday on a grassy hill at the U.S. Naval Academy within view of the Severn River and earshot of midshipmen present and future, and alongside a lifelong friend.
Huawei’s new flagship smartphone now has a launch date
Huawei has announced the date for the launch of its new flagship, the Huawei Mate 20. The company will be unveiling the phone in London, according to an announcement posted on its official Twitter account. In the post, Huawei confirmed that the Mate 20 will be coming with its new Huawei Kirin 980 smartphone chip.
Dave Bautista might not return to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
The ousting of James Gunn from the third Guardians of the Galaxy film has left Dave Bautista incensed. In an interview on Saturday, the Hollywood star – who plays Drax – told The Jonathan Ross Show that his future in the third film of the franchise is in doubt.
This sexy Bugatti sports car is actually made of Legos
Lego unveiled a functioning, life-size sports car modeled after the Chiron supercar from Bugatti, made with more than a million Lego Technic parts.
At least 100 pink Cadillacs showed up for Aretha Franklin’s funeral
At least 100 pink Cadillacs lined up to pay respect to Aretha Franklin on Friday in Detroit outside her funeral service – and the pictures are striking. According to the Detroit Free Press, the pink cars are part of Franklin’s funeral procession being held at the Greater Grace Temple.
