A look at today’s top stories.
Trump’s shutdown nightmare: Choosing between the economy and the wall
If the government shutdown lasts much longer, President Donald Trump’s only way out may involve a choice between two pillars of his political viability — his border wall and his purring economy.
Democrats target Trump’s State of the Union address in shutdown fight
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking to move the day of the State of the Union address or deliver it in writing, citing security concerns from the ongoing government shutdown.
Canadian’s death sentence leaves Beijing and Ottawa trapped in a crisis
There’s no easy way out in the darkening diplomatic feud between China and Canada over the detention of a Huawei executive — even as a man’s life now hangs on the outcome.
This diet could help save lives, and the planet
Scientists have developed a diet to boost health but also ensuring we live sustainably — without depleting the earth’s natural resources – to improve global health and curb climate change.
At least 21 killed as Kenya hotel siege is declared over
Men armed with guns and explosives burst into a hotel complex in Nairobi, killing at least 21 people in an attack that lasted hours and ended Wednesday morning.
The world’s most popular coffee species are going extinct
Savor that cup of coffee while you can. New research shows 60% of coffee species found in the wild could soon go extinct.
Ronaldo back to winning ways with Italian Super Cup final triumph
It took just over six months, but Cristiano Ronaldo has won his first trophy with Juventus.
Nine arrests over Kenya hotel attack
Nine people have been arrested in Kenya following an attack on a luxury hotel compound in the capital Nairobi that killed at least 21 people. All five militants who stormed the DusitD2 hotel and business complex on Tuesday have been killed, officials say, and a major hunt is under way to find those who helped organise it.
Football bribes investigator shot dead
A Ghanaian undercover journalist has been shot dead as he drove home, after a politician called for retribution against him. Local media reports say unidentified men on motorbikes shot Ahmed Hussein-Suale three times in the capital Accra. He was a member of Tiger Eye Private Investigations and had investigated corruption in Ghana’s football leagues.
Hitachi to halt work on UK nuclear plant
Hitachi has announced it will suspend work on a £20bn nuclear plant in the UK because of rising construction costs. The decision puts thousands of jobs at risk if the Wylfa Newydd facility in Anglesey, north Wales, is scrapped.
Woman mauled to death by pet crocodile
An Indonesian woman has been mauled to death by a pet crocodile in Sulawesi after she fell into its enclosure. Deasy Tuwo, 44, had reportedly been feeding the crocodile at the pearl farm where she worked, and where the animal was being kept illegally.
Does tidiness really equal a clean mind?
If you haven’t heard of Marie Kondo yet, it won’t be long before you do. Thanks to her new Netflix programme, the Japanese tidying guru has become January’s “It girl”. Chance is, you already know someone who is using her “KonMari” method, which promises not only a de-cluttered house, but also a clean mind.
Agency That Approved Trump’s Hotel Lease Ignored The Constitution: Report
A “constitutional cloud” hangs over President Donald Trump’s lease to operate a hotel out of the government-owned Old Post Office Building in Washington, D.C., according to a new government report. The General Services Administration’s inspector general found Wednesday that the agency ignored the Constitution’s emoluments clauses when it reviewed the 2014 deal in light of Trump’s 2016 election win.
Microsoft Will Loan Up To $500 Million To Address Seattle’s Housing Crisis
Microsoft announced Wednesday it would loan up to $500 million to address homelessness and help build affordable housing in the Seattle area, which has been plagued by skyrocketing real estate prices as tech companies have taken over the Emerald City.
Opinion | Can Black People Be Racist?
As a white mom raising white kids in middle America, I pride myself on being as conscious as possible when it comes to racism. I ensure my kids embrace differences and teach them not to be colorblind.
Massive Great White Shark Takes Lunch Break In Oahu As Divers Watch In Awe
People in Hawaii were mesmerized by the sight of a decaying whale surrounded by tiger sharks last week ― until a celebrity crashed the party. Deep Blue, considered one of the biggest great white sharks ever caught on camera, was spotted on Sunday off the southern coast of Oahu where other sharks have been feeding on the carcass of a dead sperm whale.
Theresa May Survives No-Confidence Vote In Her Government
Theresa May has survived a no-confidence vote in her government and fended off Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s attempt to force a general election. MPs voted by a slim margin of 19 votes to express their confidence in the prime minister’s government despite her historic defeat on her Brexit deal a day earlier.
Netflix admits to using real footage of train derailment that killed 47 for a scene in ‘Bird Box’
Netflix’s Bird Box is inciting new outrage among viewers-and this time it has nothing to do with that dangerous viral challenge. The company has confirmed to Mashable that footage used in one of the film’s disaster scenes depicts the very real aftermath of a 2013 train derailment in Quebec, which resulted in a widespread fire that killed 47 people and destroyed much of the surrounding town of Lac-Mégantic.
Nearly 22 million unique passwords leaked in ‘Collection #1’ data breach
It’s time to change your password again. More than 87GB of passwords and email addresses have been leaked and distributed in a folder dubbed “Collection #1” by hackers in a significant data breach. As detailed by security researcher Troy Hunt, the trove of nearly 22 million unique passwords and more than 772 million email addresses was hosted on cloud storage service MEGA.
Disney reaches out to terminally ill Avengers fan
They are “discussing options.”
Cardi B is not cool with employees not getting paid during the shutdown
Yeah, so you’ve heard plenty of opinions about the U.S. government shutdown, but you haven’t heard someone give them like Cardi B. In a very sweary video posted to Instagram on Wednesday night, the singer hit out at Trump and the decision to make furloughed workers continue their jobs without getting paid.
Michelin-starred restaurant invites Clemson football team to dinner after White House fast food fest
Move over, hamberders.o The crew at Alinea, the world-renowned Chicago restaurant, have invited the Clemson Tigers to their establishment for a night of stellar cuisine after bearing witness to the national college champions’ fast food feast with President Donald Trump. On Tuesday evening, Alinea co-owner Nick Kokonas tweeted the invite out to the team.
