Here are the top stories making global headlines today.
What shooting down a $110M US drone tells us about Iran
While America’s military is by no means threatened in the long term by Iran, instances like the downing of the drone show that Tehran can sometimes have an outsized effect with narrowly-focused efforts, and is an adversary certainly capable of keeping its opponents off balance.
Iranian president says White House is ‘suffering mental disability’ over sanctions
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the White House is “suffering from mental disability” and behaving as “no sane person,” in the wake of new sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump earlier this week which an Iranian spokesman said have closed the “channel of diplomacy forever.”
What you need to know about the US-Iran crisis
Tensions between the US and Iran are at their highest level in years after Tehran shot down an American drone last Thursday.
Meghan and Harry spent £2.4m of taxpayers’ money on new home
Meghan and Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, spent £2.4 million (about $3 million) of British taxpayers’ money on renovations to their new home.
Dementia risk tied to these commonly prescribed drugs, study says
There was nearly a 50% increased odds of dementia among adults aged 55 and older in the UK who took a strong anticholinergic medication daily for at least three years, according to a new study.
Murdoch lieutenant ordered removal of New York Post story on Trump sexual assault allegation, sources say
The New York Post’s former top editor, a supporter of President Trump and an old lieutenant of Rupert Murdoch who returned to the conservative tabloid as an adviser in early 2019, ordered the removal of a story about writer Jean Carroll’s sexual assault allegations against President Trump, two people familiar with the matter told CNN Business.
FedEx sues US Commerce Department over export restrictions that affect Huawei
FedEx has filed a lawsuit against the US Commerce Department over import and export restrictions, saying it can’t be required to screen packages for regulatory violations.
Mike Pence’s unbelievable answer on whether climate change is a threat
Sometimes you have to read something to believe it. Vice President Mike Pence’s pretzel-twisting when asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper whether climate change is a threat to the United States is one of those times.
SpaceX Falcon Heavy: Elon Musk’s rocket company launches its ‘most difficult’ mission to date
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, the most powerful launch vehicle in the world, roared into the sky overnight for what CEO Elon Musk called the “most difficult launch” his rocket company has ever attempted.
Bill Gates reveals the biggest mistake of his career
Bill Gates has a resume of career highs, but he calls Microsoft’s failure to become Apple’s chief iOS rival his “greatest mistake.”
‘Climate apartheid’ looms, UN expert warns
A UN expert has warned of a possible “climate apartheid”, where the rich pay to escape from hunger, “while the rest of the world is left to suffer”. Even if current targets are met, “millions will be impoverished”, said Philip Alston, the UN’s special rapporteur on extreme poverty.
Ethiopia mourns top general killed ‘in coup bid’
Ethiopia has held a memorial for the army chief of staff, Gen Seare Mekonnen, who was shot dead in an alleged coup attempt on Saturday. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed joined soldiers at a ceremony in Addis Ababa to honour the general, a key ally.
Africa Live: Nigeria footballers refuse to train over pay
The antics of a white man supporting Tanzania at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt have cheered Tanzanians up after their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Senegal on Sunday. Bongo Zozo, as he is known on YouTube, can be seen walking around Cairo in the Tanzanian kit and waving the country’s flag while speaking Swahili with other Tanzanian fans.
Iran president derides new US sanctions
Iran’s president has responded with defiance to the latest sanctions imposed by the US, saying they show it is lying about wanting dialogue. Hassan Rouhani said the measures against Iran’s supreme leader unveiled by President Donald Trump on Monday would be “useless” and denounced US plans to target his foreign minister.
Drones disrupt flights at Singapore Changi airport
Unauthorised drone flying has prompted disruptions at Singapore’s Changi Airport for the second time in a week. The country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAS) said 18 flights had been delayed, and seven flights diverted due to drones and bad weather. Last week, one runway was suspended at Changi and dozens of flights delayed after drone sightings.
10 brands that tried too hard during Pride Month in 2019
It’s Pride Month, the time of year when corporations do their very best to prove just how supportive they are. Rainbows are everywhere: in clothing stores, on public storefronts, and on nearly every brand logo on Twitter.
Microsoft’s foldable Surface could support Android apps
Microsoft’s next Surface could be unlike any other, and not just because it will be foldable. A new report in Forbes reveals more details about the rumored device, and it sounds like the next-generation Surface will be a serious departure from previous versions of the product.
Man submerges self in giant water balloon, which explodes in glorious slow motion
Never has the phrase “don’t try this at home” been more appropriate. Of all the stunts The Slow Mo Guys (a.k.a. Dan and Gav) have attempted over the years – many with a cheerful disregard for Dan’s safety – this one has to be the most nerve-wracking to watch.
Everything we learned about computer viruses from 90s films
If you know how to protect your mainframe from the backdoor trojan worm that’s duplicated the virus code malware drive in the reboot server, uh, code, then this article isn’t for you. If it sounds made up and like a movie script from the ’90s, then keep reading unless you want your identity stolen and used on the dark web to buy caviar and rhino horn.
Jake Paul and Tana Mongeau got engaged and no one is sure if it’s real
YouTube’s loudest couple is engaged, and honestly nobody surprised. Jake Paul proposed to fellow vlogger Tana Mongeau during a weekend trip to Las Vegas to celebrate her 21st birthday. At around 1:30 a.m. at a club on Monday, he brought out a three-tier cake decorated with an enormous ring and the words, “Will you marry me, Tana?”
Twitter ‘choose your own adventure’ makes you Beyoncé’s assistant. Don’t get fired!
Every so often, life serves up a reminder of why we don’t just quit social media entirely. Today’s reminder comes in the form of a Twitter game. Twitter user Green Chyna put together an incredibly clever “choose your own adventure” story that casts you as Beyoncé’s personal assistant. The goal?
Bill Gates reveals his greatest mistake
During a “fireside chat” with the venture capital firm Village Global, Bill Gates got extremely candid about what he considers his “greatest mistake ever” while running Microsoft. Apparently, Gates regrets letting Google become the dominant non-Apple mobile operating system.
How to download and install the iOS 13 public beta on your iPhone
iOS 13 doesn’t come out until the fall (likely in September when new iPhones are released), but you can now try it early with the public beta. Originally expected to arrive in July, Apple’s just released the first public beta version of iOS 13 for iPhone SE, iPhone 6S (and newer) and iPod touch (7th-generation) as an over-the-air update.
Samuel L. Jackson goes off after spotting mistake in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ poster
Let’s take a moment of silence for the graphic designer who’s probably packing their desk up right now. Samuel L. Jackson took to his Instagram to call out a major and easily-avoidable mistake in a promotional poster for Spider-Man: Far From Home.
