Here are today’s top headlines.
US trade officials say Trump’s tariff threat is real
The top US trade negotiator said Monday that the Trump administration will be moving forward on President Donald Trump’s threat to escalate tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods effective Friday.
Met Gala 2019: See all the red carpet looks
The Met Gala’s red carpet is known for delivering some of the most daring fashion statements of the year. The charity benefit, which costs upwards of $30,000 a head to attend, has a rich history of attracting risqué outfits.
Royal baby name: What will it be?
Meghan and Harry will undoubtedly have been considering baby names for some time and may have already decided on their favorites.
Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar released after more than 500 days
Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar under the country’s Official Secrets Act for reporting on a massacre of Rohingya civilians have been freed after more than 500 days.
China denies having ‘concentration camps,’ tells US to ‘stop interfering’
Beijing has rejected US accusations of operating “concentration camps” in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, with a government spokesman telling Washington Monday to “stop interfering in Chinese domestic affairs.”
French telecom company and former CEO face trial over wave of suicides
French telecom company Orange and its former chief executive have gone on trial in Paris, accused of pursuing a strategy to destabilize employees that resulted in a wave of suicides a decade ago.
Someone left a coffee cup in a ‘Game of Thrones’ shot
‘Game of Thrones’ viewers spotted something out of place in Sunday night’s season eight, episode four – a modern coffee cup left on a table in the great hall of Winterfell in the realm of Westeros.
Amy Schumer welcomes son
Say hello to Amy Schumer’s own “royal baby.”
Erdogan defends re-run of Istanbul election
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says there was “illegality” in Istanbul’s local elections, after the country’s electoral body ordered them to be re-held. “We sincerely believe there is… organised corruption and complete illegality,” he said on Tuesday. The decision to re-run last month’s vote, which returned a slim win for the opposition, sparked protests on Monday.
Niger fuel tanker blast kills dozens
A fuel tanker lorry has overturned and exploded near the airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, killing at least 58 people, authorities say. Many of the victims had gathered to collect fuel after the vehicle overturned close to railway tracks as it tried to park. Another 37 people were injured in the explosion late on Sunday evening.
Congratulations pour in after royal birth
Congratulations have poured in from around the world following the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son. The newborn was delivered at 05:26 BST on Monday, with Prince Harry saying the baby boy was “absolutely to die for”. The Palace said the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales were all “delighted with the news”.
Taipei’s tasty ‘House of Stink’
I was about to cross the road in Taipei’s upscale Xinyi District when a pungent and rotten stench smacked me in the face. That’s how I knew I was getting close to Dai’s House of Stinky Tofu, one of the Taiwanese capital’s most popular and putrid-smelling restaurants.
When articles scream ‘Spoiler alert!’, I click
Fans of TV dramas – from Game of Thrones to Killing Eve – are desperate to be kept in the dark about plot twists. But what about those who not only don’t mind spoilers, they actively seek them out? Here, three spoiler-lovers explain why they do it.
Instagram to demote posts based on fact-checking like Facebook
Days after Facebook and Instagram banned a litany of prominent far-right voices, it looks like the latter of the two apps is stepping up its anti-fake news efforts. Instagram will start using a similar fact-checking process as Facebook to demote posts that spread bad information, rather than remove them entirely.
‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ director promises design changes after fan backlash
After Paramount Pictures released the first trailer for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ and got backlash from fans, director Jeff Fowler is promising changes.
It’s not just you. Gmail’s having problems.
Go ahead, ignore all those high-priority emails. You have a legit excuse: Gmail is acting up. The Google-provided email service has been a bit finicky, with reports of unspecified service disruptions affecting users in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City.
No one was the MVP on ‘Game of Thrones’. Literally no one. WTF.
Game of Thrones is bad, actually? What other explanation is there for Season 8’s fourth episode? It confusingly bears the title “The Last of the Starks” even though the A-plots, such as they were, focused very little on Winterfell’s children. Even if we’re still calling Jon a Stark – a generous designation at this point – the title fails.
How ‘Game of Thrones’ forgot how to write a real twist
Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 4 had all the hallmarks of classic Thrones – secrets revealed, a shocking twist, the death of a major character – but unlike the show’s previous success in delivering big moments, all of them fell flat in “The Last of the Starks.”
In ‘Fortnite,’ a volcano erupted and a whole city was wiped out
Yet another new era for Fortnite has begun. A weeks-long, community-wide scavenger hunt concluded on Saturday at roughly 3:00 p.m. ET with a giant bang. The smoking volcano situated in the northeast corner of the map erupted, and flying debris laid waste to a number of popular locations, including the city of Tilted Towers and the Retail Row shopping district.
The new ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ trailer has a huge Phase 4 tease
There are lots of reasons to see Avengers: Endgame, and now you can add “watching the new Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer” to that list. Tom Holland’s next adventure as Peter Parker marks the end of Phase Three and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we currently know it.
