A look at today’s biggest stories.
US is putting a knife to China’s neck, says trade negotiator
China’s deputy trade negotiator on Tuesday acknowledged the challenge in resuming negotiations with the US, saying: “How could you negotiate with someone when he puts a knife on your neck?”
Chinese admiral cancels meeting with US counterpart amid tensions
China’s top naval officer canceled a visit to the US to meet with his American counterpart less than 48 hours before the meeting was scheduled to occur, according to two US defense officials.
Instagram founders are stepping away from the company
“We’re planning on taking some time off to explore our curiosity and creativity again,” Systrom said in a blog post late Monday. “Building new things requires that we step back, understand what inspires us and match that with what the world needs; that’s what we plan to do.”
Air Force awards $2.4B contract for new helicopters to guard nukes
The US Air Force has awarded a $2.38 billion contract to Boeing for new helicopters as part of an effort to replace the Vietnam-era “Hueys” that have been helping to secure America’s nuclear missile sites.
Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein to meet Trump Thursday
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will meet with President Donald Trump Thursday amid mounting questions about his future and what a dramatic Justice Department shake up would mean for special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
‘Amazing’ treatment helps paralyzed people walk again
Kelly Thomas is paralyzed from the chest down and can consciously control her ability to walk, researchers say, thanks to a stimulation device in her lower back. Two studies released Monday show three paralyzed patients can walk again.
‘Modicare’: India’s PM promises free health care for half a billion
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the world’s biggest healthcare program, with the rollout of free coverage for an estimated half a billion of India’s poorest citizens ahead of national elections early next year.
Fan Bingbing’s disappearance shows no one is safe from Beijing
We know that China often disappears and abuses human rights defenders but when it can disappear even one of its most famous celebrities, the threat of enforced disappearance looms over anyone China claims within its jurisdiction.
Ted Cruz Heckled Out Of DC Restaurant By Anti-Kavanaugh Activists
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was heckled out of a Washington, D.C., restaurant by activists opposed to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as they chanted, “We believe survivors!” on Monday night.
‘Progressive’ Nike And Workers Donated 3 Times More Money To GOP Than Democrats
Nike made a bold move to feature Colin Kaepernick in its provocative new ad campaign this month, one that infuriated people on the right. But it turns out the company and its employees donated more than three times as much money to Republicans than Democrats this year, a new report shows.
Baby In The Road! Jersey Driver Saves Little Boy From Close Call
Driver Cory Cannon spotted something out of the ordinary in the middle of a busy New Jersey road over the weekend. He was stunned when it turned out to be a baby crawling across the dividing line as cars whipped by at 40 mph.
Fake Photo Of Trump ‘Rescuing’ Flood Victims Goes Viral
An edited photo that appears to show President Donald Trump floating in a raft, extending a red Make America Great Again hat to a flood victim, has gone viral in the wake of Hurricane Florence.
Instagram co-founders leave firm
The co-founders of photo-sharing giant Instagram, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, are both leaving the firm. Mr Systrom, chief executive, said they were departing to “explore our curiosity and creativity again”. Instagram was purchased by Facebook in 2012 for $1bn (£760m) in cash and stock and has more than one billion users.
Why I was sentenced to 5,000 years in jail
In our series of letters from African writers, Rodney D Sieh, editor of Liberia’s FrontPageAfrica, reflects on what his career says about the state of journalism in West Africa. My claim to infamy was being sentenced to 5,000 years in prison for failing to pay libel damages of $1.6m (£1.2m) won by a former minister who sued my paper after we published the findings of a government audit.
Former Facebook content moderator sues company for giving her PTSD
The mental toll of moderating unsettling content on the internet is well-noted, and now it’s the subject of a lawsuit against Facebook. Former content manager Selena Scola has lodged a suit against the social media company, claiming “constant and unmitigated exposure to highly toxic and extremely disturbing images” had left her with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Michelle Obama is just as tired of politics as you are
If there’s anyone feels as exhausted as we do about the current “nastiness” of the political cycle, it’s former First Lady Michelle Obama. Ahead of her upcoming book tour, Obama spoke at a When We All Vote voter registration rally in Las Vegas on Sunday, where she expressed her own frustration over “the chaos” in politics and encouraged voters to turn out for the upcoming midterm elections.
Google Search gets a slew of new features on its 20th anniversary
It’s been 20 years since Google Search first arrived on the web, and the company is updating its core product with a slew of new features for the anniversary. The throughline for the features is AI.
WhatsApp hires Grievance Officer to fight deadly fake news in India
In recent months, fake news on WhatsApp in India has inspired citizens to form deadly lynch mobs. Take that in: false articles, spread on WhatsApp, have driven Indian citizens to murder. To address this startling problem, WhatsApp has created the role of Grievance Officer, according to the Times of India .
‘Game of Thrones’ to turn filming locations into decked-out tourist attractions
If you’ve been to Northern Ireland to see where Game of Thrones films – well, you’re going again. HBO announced Monday that Thrones’ Northern Irish filming locations will be reopened as fully outfitted tourist attractions as the show concludes in 2019.
J.J. Abrams’ produced ‘Overlord’ beats up Nazis and wins over audiences at first screening
Director Julius Avery’s Overlord screened for the first time at Fantastic Fest on Saturday, and the jam-packed war thriller has audiences buzzing with excitement. Collider praises the film’s blend of gore and drama and its commitment to genre.
