A look at the top stories today.
How a political board game is revealing Indians’ true feelings about the election
As India embarks on the world’s biggest democratic exercise, a new board game is simulating the campaign process, offering players both the standard and the sleazier electoral strategies.
US military mission in Somalia could take seven years to complete
This week President Donald Trump signed an executive order extending a presidential declaration of a national emergency concerning Somalia for another year, calling the Islamist insurgency plaguing that country an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the US.
‘Arab Spring 2.0’ is a reboot full of bugs
The acts of hope and courage shown in Algeria and Sudan over the past weeks felt ever so fleetingly like a reprise of 2011’s broad social awakening across the Arab world. But “Arab Spring 2.0,” as it has been called, is a reboot full of bugs that many users may seek to uninstall.
Why did Ecuador give up Assange after seven years?
Hours after Julian Assange was ousted from his diplomatic refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, the country released a laundry list of alleged transgressions which brought the WikiLeaks founder’s seven-year residency to an end.
Shakespeare home in London, where he wrote ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ found by historian
The location of William Shakespeare’s London home where the playwright wrote “Romeo and Juliet” has been identified for the first time, according to new research. Theater historian Geoffrey Marsh spent a decade meticulously researching the home of the English dramatist and poet by cross-referencing official records to pinpoint where exactly Shakespeare lived during the 1590s.
Sudan will prosecute Bashir but won’t hand him over, military says
Sudan’s ruling military council will prosecute deposed President Omar al-Bashir but will not extradite him, a military officer said Friday.
The world’s largest plane just flew for the first time
After years of development in the high desert north of Los Angeles, a gigantic, six-engined megajet with the wingspan of an American football field has flown for the first time.
How A Facebook Page Dedicated To Fighting Anti-Semitism Became A Hub For Anti-Muslim Content
A popular Canadian political Facebook page that promotes the far-right Jewish Defence League uses a deceptive technique that evades Facebook’s content bans and drives traffic to anti-Muslim websites. Never Again Canada, which has nearly 235,000 followers, posts dozens of images, videos, and articles every day.
Trump Got What He Wanted – Transgender Soldiers Are Now Banned From The Military
President Donald Trump finally got to implement a ban on transgender people in the military on Friday – nearly two years after he shot off tweets declaring the military “will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity.” Lt. Col. Carla M.
It Could Be Years Before Julian Assange Steps Foot In The United States
WASHINGTON – Julian Assange’s dramatic arrest this week by United Kingdom authorities at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and the unsealing of an indictment in federal court in Virginia ended years of speculation about whether the WikiLeaks founder would face criminal charges in the United States.
The 9/11 row embroiling a US congresswoman
A Democrat congresswoman says she will not be silenced after facing a barrage of criticism over comments she made about the 9/11 attacks – including from Donald Trump. The US president tweeted “WE WILL NEVER FORGET” alongside a video showing footage of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks spliced with a speech by Representative Ilhan Omar.
Why airlines make flights longer on purpose
In the 1960s it took five hours to fly from New York to Los Angeles, and just 45 minutes to hop from New York to Washington, DC. Today, these same flights now take six-plus hours and 75 minutes respectively, although the airports haven’t moved further apart. It’s called “schedule creep”, or padding.
Harry and Meghan’s child to pay US taxes?
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their first child and along with the excitement and nerves of being new parents could come an unwanted tax bill. As US citizens, Meghan – and her child – are liable to pay US taxes.
Is Uber really worth $100bn?
Everything about Uber is big. The taxi app and delivery business is America’s biggest venture capital-backed company. It is forecast to raise $10bn ($7.6bn) when it sells its shares on the New York Stock Exchange – one of the largest amounts on record.
Star Wars land will sell blue milk, lightsabers and … space Coke?
When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in Disneyland next month (and Disney World in August), we’ll finally see how many details Lucasfilm and Disney Imagineers have sweated to make the experience – set in a Resistance base called Black Spire Outpost – extremely immersive.
Facebook investors desperate to boot Mark Zuckerberg from chairmanship
The call to oust Mark Zuckerberg is coming from inside the house. A group of investors have teamed up in an effort to replace the Facebook CEO and board chairman with an independent voice. The plan, put forth in an April 12 SEC filing, doesn’t mince words in its critique of the 34-year-old fan of smoked meats.
‘Game of Thrones’ deaths: How much blood has been shed?
It seems a lifetime ago that we were issued the prime directive of Game of Thrones: You win or you die. Since then, we’ve watched our favorite characters (and a whole lot of expendable randos) compete valiantly or end up stabbed, shot, frozen, and burned in the ensuing unpleasantness.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ directors worked with ‘Captain Marvel’ team to create the MCU’s Carol Danvers
Captain Marvel was the first time we saw Captain Marvel. But it wasn’t Brie Larson’s first time playing her. Because Avengers: Endgame shot back-to-back with Avengers: Infinity War, it was completed before Captain Marvel began production – which meant that figuring out who Captain Marvel would be in their movie required a bit of outside help.
HQ Trivia is replacing popular host Scott Rogowsky and users miss him already
Scott Rogowsky is parting ways with HQ Trivia, marking the end of an era for the popular mobile game. On Friday, TMZ reported that Rogowsky – the man who’s hosted the app and graced users with his peppy digital presence and occasionally stylish blazers over the years – is leaving the company to host DAZN’s new MLB show, ChangeUp.
Netflix is developing a print magazine
It will have a “wide” array of content.
