Here are some of the stories making headlines today.
US Vice President Pence set to inflame China tensions: ‘We will not be intimidated’
US Vice President Mike Pence is set to ramp up Washington’s criticism of Beijing in a speech Thursday, accusing China of “reckless harassment” of US military forces in the South China Sea, and vowing to improve US relations with Taiwan.
UK blames Russian military for ‘reckless’ cyber attacks
Britain, Australia and New Zealand have accused Russian military intelligence of carrying out a worldwide campaign of “malicious” cyber attacks, including the hacking of the US Democratic National Committee in 2016.
Putin: Sergei Skripal is a scumbag and traitor who betrayed Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the furor over the Salisbury nerve-agent poisoning, calling former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal a “traitor” and a “scumbag.”
Yale roommate says Kavanaugh lied under oath about drinking and yearbook
James Roche, one of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s freshman year roommates at Yale, said Wednesday that Kavanaugh lied under oath about his drinking and about the meaning of his yearbook entries.
Standing desk recommendations based on weak science
The science behind the standing desk movement isn’t standing up to criticism.
When pads are a luxury, getting your period means missing out on life
Roughly 1.8 billion people around the world menstruate. Some can’t afford sanitary products. Others have nowhere to buy them. And even if price isn’t an issue, stigma and taboo still stop many from fully participating in work and school during their periods.
More than 250 people around the world have died taking selfies since 2011
Snapping the perfect selfie can be fun. But if it involves holding a loaded handgun or standing on slippery rocks near the top of a waterfall, you may want to think twice.
Trump says Saudi King wouldn’t last ‘two weeks’ without US support
Donald Trump told supporters Tuesday that Saudi Arabia and its King would not last “two weeks” in power without American military support, and appeared to call on the country to pay more for its own defense.
Cristiano Ronaldo denies rape allegation
Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has “firmly” denied raping a woman in a US hotel room almost a decade ago. The Juventus forward, 33, said he was calm over “any and all investigations” as he had a “clear” conscience over the allegation he attacked Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009.
China has made a game show about its president
It’s dinnertime in China, the evening news has just aired, and primetime TV-watchers are settling down for the real entertainment of the night. “Let’s listen to President Xi’s speeches and comprehend his thought,” enthusiastically declares the host of a game show called, yes, “Studying Xi in the New Era”.
‘Whirlpool’ kills six rescue divers
Six rescue divers have drowned while trying to save a teenager from a disused mining pool in Malaysia. They were searching for a 17-year-old boy who is thought to have fallen into the body of water while fishing with his friends on Wednesday.
I was on a diet for 18 years. Here’s what I learned… – BBC Three
N/A Diet culture is dead. Long live diet culture Alexandra Jones I’ve been on a diet since I was 12. I was fat, with a round face and soft, thick thighs which spread and spilled over the sides of chairs when I sat down.
FBI report on Brett Kavanaugh nears completion
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The FBI’s report on sexual misconduct allegations against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh neared completion late on Wednesday as the battle over his selection by President Donald Trump approached a new turning point. The Senate was expected to receive the report by early on Thursday two sources familiar with the matter said.
Comcast secures over 75 percent of Sky shares
LONDON (Reuters) – Comcast () said it had secured over 75 percent of Sky’s () shares, bringing it closer to finalizing the $40 billion takeover of the British pay TV group. U.S. cable company Comcast has previously said it hoped the acquisition would complete by the end of October.
U.S. warns of new hacking spree from group linked to China
The U.S. government on Wednesday warned that a hacking group widely known as cloudhopper, which Western cybersecurity firms have linked to the Chinese government, has launched attacks on technology service providers in a campaign to steal data from their clients.
Lawyers For Cristiano Ronaldo Accuser Say They Have Evidence He Raped Her
Attorneys for Kathryn Mayorga, the Las Vegas woman who says Cristiano Ronaldo raped her in 2009, told reporters Wednesday that they may publicly release evidence against the soccer star. Mayorga’s lawyers said members of the press had requested several documents pertaining to Mayorga’s claims that they were “carefully reviewing for possible release.”
I Attend A Sex Party In NYC Every Month. Here’s What Happens There.
“Hello. I’m a polyamorous, bisexual woman who enjoys swinger parties.” This isn’t the first thing I’ll tell you if we meet, but depending on the circumstances that brought us together, and the kind of person you are, it may arise at some point.
California Was About To Set A Major Precedent In Abortion Laws. It Fell Short.
Jessy Rosales was a 20-year-old student at the University of California, Riverside, when she got pregnant. She had used protection and was not ready to become a mom, so she went to her campus health center to ask about the abortion pill – actually a combination of two medications that can safely end a pregnancy.
Dwayne Johnson posts first peek at ‘Hobbs and Shaw’ with Jason Statham
Staring competitions from this day forth have no power whatsoever, after Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s latest Instagram. The star of upcoming Fast and the Furious spinoff Hobbs and Shaw posted a first look at the new film, appearing with his co-star Jason Statham.
The presidential alert meme is here for all of your emergencies
Got an announcement to make? The presidential alert meme is here for you. Americans got a text from none other than Donald Trump at 2:18 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Sort of. Phones lit up with the Wireless Emergency Alert system’s first nationwide test.
How microscopes are opening a door into an invisible universe brimming with life – Genius Moments
When magnified, our mundane everyday world attains a sense of magic. And it also adds a bit of perspective about our own place in the universe. Meet Dr. Elizabeth Haynes and Jiaye “Henry” He. Their tiny zebrafish video just won first prize in the annual Nikon Small World in Motion Competition.
Most Expensive iPhones Ever
Are iPhones not pricey enough for you? Try decking them out in gold and diamonds.
