Here are the biggest headlines today.
Welcome to the new Congress. We’ve never seen anything like it
The 116th class of Congress broke barriers before its members even set foot in Washington.
Source: Trump tells Schumer he can’t accept Dems’ offer because he’d ‘look foolish’
President Donald Trump told a group of lawmakers he can’t accept Democrats’ offer to re-open the government as the two sides negotiate border wall funding because he “would look foolish if I did that,” according to a person familiar with the exchange.
Saudi prosecutors seek death penalty for Khashoggi murder suspects
The murder trial of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi began on Thursday, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects.
A plane carrying 139 people skidded off the runway at a Ugandan airport
A plane carrying 139 people skidded off the runway when it landed Thursday at an international airport in Uganda, the airline and airport officials said.
South Africa’s Jacob Zuma lands recording deal slammed as ‘slush fund’
South Africa’s ex-President, Jacob Zuma, has inked a recording deal, adding another venture to his controversial political career.
Breath test to detect cancer early begins trial
A two-year trial into a clinical device, called the Breath Biopsy, will see if exhaled airborne molecules can be useful for earlier cancer detection.
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ actor Bob Einstein dead at 76
Bob Einstein, whose 50-year career as a comedy writer and performer ranged from “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” to Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” has died. He was 76.
A mayor in Mexico was killed less than 2 hours after taking office
The mayor of a town in the Mexican state of Oaxaca was killed less than two hours after taking office, the state attorney general’s office said.
China mission lands on Moon’s far side
China says it has successfully landed a robotic spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, the first ever such attempt and landing. At 10:26 Beijing time (02:26 GMT), the un-crewed Chang’e-4 probe touched down in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, state media said.
Apple shares down over 9% in US trading
Apple shares opened Thursday down more than 9% at $143 after chief executive Tim Cook blamed a slowdown in China sales for falling revenues. On Wednesday, the iPhone maker said it expected revenue of about $84bn (£67bn) for the last three months of 2018, down from a forecast of at least $89bn.
Man arrested after celebrity burglaries
A man has been arrested in connection with a series of burglaries targeting the homes of celebrities in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles police say. Hundreds of stolen items said to be worth millions of dollars were found when investigators searched properties linked to Benjamin Ackerman, 32.
Pope Francis shows off ball-spinning skills
The Pope was helped by a Cuban circus group who performed at his weekly general audience at the Vatican.
I met my boyfriend 12 years after giving birth to his child
When Jessica Share bought sperm from a sperm bank in order to start a family, she never imagined that more than a decade later she would meet the donor – and would feel a strong attraction to him. In 2005, when my eldest daughter was born, I became the first lesbian parent I had ever met.
Anderson Cooper Makes Striking Point About Trump’s ‘Good General’ Claim
CNN’s Anderson Cooper had some home truths for Donald Trump after the president bragged he’d have made “a good general” during Wednesday’s bizarre Cabinet meeting. “The world will never know General Trump, in part because the president never set foot in a combat theater until last week with his trip to Iraq,” said the host of “Anderson Cooper 360°.”
Barack Obama Makes Billboard Hot R&B Songs Chart Debut
And new at No. 22 on this week’s Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart is Barack Obama. The former president made his debut on the chart with his performance, alongside Christopher Jackson and gospel singer BeBe Winans, on the remixed version of ” Hamilton ” showstopper “One Last Time.”
Donald Trump Debuts ‘Game Of Thrones’-Themed Poster At Cabinet Meeting
President Donald Trump has turned his ” Game of Thrones “- inspired “Sanctions Are Coming” meme into a poster, featuring it during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday. Trump has a giant poster printed out of the “Sanctions are coming” meme sitting on the table while he talks to the press.
It’s official: iPhones are too expensive
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. Yikes! Talk about not starting 2019 off on the right foot.
McDonald’s and Greggs clap back at Piers Morgan’s vegan tweets
Like manna from heaven, the greatest gift 2019 has proffered so far is the Greggs vegan sausage roll. It’s fair to say that Brits up and down the country were already somewhat enamoured with this flaky, mouth-watering delight. But, Piers Morgan was not entirely happy when the high street bakery launched a vegan version.
Disney’s box office topped $7 billion in 2018 and half of it was Marvel movies
In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion to acquire Marvel. Less than 10 years later, in 2018, Marvel movies accounted for more than half of Disney’s $7.3 billion box office haul. I’d say that was a good investment, wouldn’t you? In Disney’s final box office tally of 2018, just three movies accounted for slightly more than $4 billion in global ticket sales.
‘Aquaman’ overtakes ‘Wonder Woman’ in global box office total
Aquaman just slid past Wonder Woman’s international box office, earning over $822 million ( Wonder Woman earned $821.8 million globally). This makes Aquaman the second-highest DC Extended Universe global box office, behind 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Trump just showed off his ‘Game of Thrones’ poster in a cabinet meeting. But he missed one key detail.
Remember that dark as hell Game of Thrones-themed poster Donald Trump tweeted in November to announce his plans to impose sanctions against Iran? Welp, it’s back. On Wednesday morning a large printout of the poster was spotted in the White House, smack dab in the middle of the Cabinet Room’s table as Trump and members of his administration held a meeting.
