Here are today’s top stories.
Flyboard inventor Franky Zapata fails in bid to cross the Channel
A French inventor has failed in his bid to cross the English Channel on a flyboard. Franky Zapata missed a landing platform mounted on a boat as he tried to land midway for refuelling. He was unhurt after the fall. Zapata had been heading to St Margaret’s Bay in Dover after taking off from near Calais around 10 minutes earlier.
LIVE: Boris Johnson holds first cabinet as Brexiteers take control
Latest updates as the new prime minister gathers his top team for the first time before addressing the House of Commons.
North Korea fires two short-range missiles into sea, says South Korea
North Korea has fired two short-range missiles into the sea, South Korea’s military has said. The missiles flew about 267 miles (430km) and reached an altitude of 30 miles (50km) after being launched near the city of Wonsan on Thursday, according to an official from South Korea’s defence ministry.
Nissan to cut 12,500 jobs worldwide as profits tumble
Nissan is to cut 12,500 jobs worldwide by 2022 as it slashes production by 10%, the car maker said.
‘Hyper-cautious’ Mueller evidence results in political stalemate
Washington was expecting a blockbuster. In reality, two polarised and packed rooms got a book they had already seen, read out loud. Robert Mueller made clear from the outset that he wasn’t going to divert from the findings in his 448-page document and he didn’t. He was laconic and undramatic.
Rutger Hauer: Dutch actor known for Blade Runner dies
The Dutch actor Rutger Hauer, known for his role in the film Blade Runner, has died at the age of 75. He died at his home in the Netherlands following a short illness, and his funeral was held on Wednesday, his agent said.
Facebook to pay record $5bn fine to resolve US privacy probe
The settlement relates to alleged violations of commitments Facebook gave ahead of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Pair of rare early Nike trainers sell for record-breaking £350k at New York auction
Some of the first trainers Nike ever made – for Olympics trials in 1972 – have been sold at auction for a record $437,500 (£350,000). The handmade Moon Shoes with a waffle sole were one of only 12 pairs ever produced – handmade by one of Nike’s first employees, Geoff Hollister.
Democrats plot post-Mueller plans without clear path to impeachment
After being built up for months, former special counsel Robert Mueller’s highly anticipated testimony Wednesday does not appear to be the turning point that will take Democrats — and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — down a path toward impeachment.
A$AP Rocky charged with assault after Stockholm brawl
American rapper A$AP Rocky has been charged with assault after a confrontation in Stockholm in June, prosecutors said.
Is Boris Johnson the British Trump? Evidence suggests otherwise
Britain’s new Prime Minister Boris Johnson is often compared to Trump — but it’s not a comparison that Johnson will be pleased about.
Boeing says it might have to shut down 737 Max production
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg warned investors Wednesday that the company might need to further slow or temporarily halt its 737 Max production.
A bison charged a 9-year-old girl in Yellowstone National Park and injured her, video shows
A 9-year-old girl was injured after a bison charged her in Yellowstone National Park on Monday, the park’s public affairs office said.
US Navy sails warship through contested waterway as Beijing warns Taiwan
The US Navy sailed a warship through the Taiwan Strait Wednesday, a move that came on the same day Beijing warned that it would not rule out using force against self-governed Taiwan to block any move toward formal independence.
Netflix tries to end its subscriber problem with $3 mobile plan for India
Indian streaming fans are being offered the world’s cheapest Netflix subscription as the company tries to capture a bigger slice of the country’s 400 million smartphone users.
Confessions of a private jet flight attendant
(CNN) – For many, the thought of catching a plane is far from luxurious: from spending countless hours lining up at security, to wrestling arm rests with other passengers as you face a crammed long-haul flight in economy.
Netflix’s ‘The Great Hack’ is essential viewing for the privacy complacent
Broadly speaking, people like me are the problem – or, at least, we’re part of it. Sitting ducks with a fondness for instant gratification, tech consumers like myself are often aware of the world’s rapidly worsening privacy problem, but regularly fail to act on the warnings given to us by journalists, policymakers, and human rights advocates attempting to protect us from ourselves.
Melania chose the middle of Mueller’s testimony to announce… her Christmas plans
Tis’ the season to distract Americans, fa la la la la la la la la. If you’re wondering why we’re singing Christmas carols in July, it’s because the actions of Melania Trump’s husband are currently being discussed before Congress, and she’s tweeting about… Christmas.
Cersei had a chilling response to Boris Johnson becoming UK prime minister
Lena Headey, much like her Game of Thrones character, is not one to mince her words. The actor has previously hit out at Donald Trump on Twitter, and now she’s turned her attention to the UK’s incoming prime minister, Boris Johnson.
Trevor Noah mocks Trump’s failed attempts to intervene in the A$AP Rocky situation
There are some stories that seem almost too bizarre to be true. Donald Trump’s attempt to intervene in rapper A$AP Rocky’s incarceration in a Swedish prison is one clear example of this. “This is one of those moments where I genuinely cannot believe that we’re living in real life,” says Trevor Noah in the Daily Show clip above.
