It’s hump day! If you can just get to noon, you’re on the back half of the week. Kill 10 minutes of the morning with a cup of coffee and these news headlines.
1. Boom
North Korea claims that is has detonated a hydrogen bomb, a claim that, if true, indicates an alarming escalation in the nuclear threat from that country. It would be North Korea’s fourth nuclear test; the first three have been met with extreme international condemnation. South Korean President Park Geun-hye called this alleged fourth test, which would be a violation of UN Security Council Resolutions, a “grave provocation.” The consequences will depend largely on the reaction from China and Russia, which both have veto power in the Security Council, and which are generally friendlier to North Korea than other members. Friendlier. I mean, no one really wants to sit next to North Korea at the lunch table. — The Washington Post
More: 10 Ways to find happiness in the new year
2. Moved to tears
Yesterday, while unveiling his plan to curb gun violence in the United States in a passionate speech, President Obama wiped away tears. He struck out at Republicans for opposing expanded background checks and other measures, and Republicans, of course, fired back (no pun intended), even accusing him of faking the tears. An unlikely defender, Donald Trump, actually said he thinks the tears were sincere. — CNN
3. Skirting the issue
Is it “womenswear” if a man’s wearing it? Jaden Smith, the 17-year-old son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, is the new model, the “new face,” of Louis Vuitton clothes. Though to be clear, it’s his body that’s drawing fire — his male body modeling female clothes. Internet condemnation was swift, both from commenters who think that a boy in girls’ clothes is abhorrent and from commenters who think Smith is appropriating a trans identity without actually coming out as trans. Still others say that we’re at a new level entirely — one in which a skirt is just a skirt. — The Independent
4. Cover up in style
Dolce & Gabbana is launching a high-end (natch) line of abayas and hijabs, so Muslim women following the religious dictates to cover up can spend a lot of money doing so. D & G is just the latest of the fashion houses to launch a line catering to Muslim women, who are projected to spend in the hundreds of billions of dollars on clothes in the next three years. Watch for a lot less skin on the runways this year. — Elle
More: Improve your finances in 6 weeks with these simple goals
5. Bed head
In an exciting development for travelers and narcoleptics everywhere, the “hoodie with a built-in inflatable pillow” has exceeded its $30,000 Kickstarter goal by $60,000. It seems a lot of people want their clothes to double as a bed, so they can nap where they are, so to speak. I mean, I know millennials were more nomadic, less tethered to home and hearth, all that, but this is ridiculous. — TechInsider
6. Cruz con-troll
No one was going there, until now: Donald Trump is questioning Ted Cruz’s eligibility to be president based on his citizenship. Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother, which most legal scholars believe is sufficient to meet the “natural born” citizenship requirement for the presidency. Trump was largely responsible for keeping the issue of Obama’s birth certificate in the news for years and appears poised for a reprise. Cruz responded by tweeting a video clip of Fonzie jumping the shark, which is funny but kind of beside the point. All Trump does is jump the shark. — CNN
More: 20 Foods most craved by pregnant women
7. Addiction issues
Jeb Bush opened up about his daughter’s struggle with addiction at an event at Southern New Hampshire University yesterday. Speaking to a room of about 100 people gathered to discuss the country’s heroin epidemic — particularly problematic in New Hampshire — Bush described his feelings about his daughter’s drug problems and the “extraordinary” moment she completed the Florida drug problem. Drug addiction has been front and center this campaign season, as many candidates described family and friends’ struggles with substance abuse. For once, politicians have something in common with the general population. — The New York Times
Leave a Comment