International News
Roy Moore Threatens Lawsuit With Campaign Under Fire
The Alabama Republican vying for the US Senate promised to sue after the Washington Post published a story detailing allegations of sexual misconduct against him made by four women who were teens at the time. Speaking to a crowd in Alabama Sunday evening, Moore said claims he was “involved with a minor child are completely false and untrue.” One woman alleged Moore touched her inappropriately when she was 14.—AP
NSA Investigating Breach of Hacking Tools
The National Security Agency and the FBI have reportedly spent the past 15 months trying to understand how a group called “the Shadow Brokers” obtained NSA cyber-weapons. Some officials said they believe Russian hackers are the chief suspects, but investigators are also looking into the possibility of an internal leaker. One former NSA hacking team employee described it as “a disaster on multiple levels.”—The New York Times
Joe Biden Goes Cold on 2020 White House Bid
The former vice president said he was “not sure it’s the appropriate thing” for him to run for the presidency in 2020. Referring to the need for political change, Biden told Snapchat’s Good Luck America show: “I’d much prefer to be helping someone turn it around than being the guy trying to turn it around.”—CBS News
Lebanese Leader Returning Home to Resign
Currently in Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he would be back in Lebanon this week to “resign in the constitutional manner.” Both Iran and its Shia allies in Lebanon’s Hezbollah faction have claimed the Saudis are holding Hariri against his will. But Hariri, a Sunni, has insisted he is free to leave and blamed Hezbollah for “destroying the country.”—BBC News
Venezuela Set for Crisis Talks with Creditors
President Nicolas Maduro has insisted his country will not default on its debts ahead of a crucial meeting with international creditors Monday. Despite growing repayment obligations and US economic sanctions, Maduro said he was confident Venezuela would “renegotiate and refinance all the debt.”—AP
North Korean Soldier Shot While Defecting
A member of North Korea’s military was shot and wounded as he crossed the demilitarized zone into South Korea to defect. The soldier is now in recovery at a hospital in South Korea, having made it through the Joint Security Area, according to the South Korean military.—Bloomberg
Everything Else
Brand New Frontman Apologizes for ‘Mistreating’ Women
The band’s singer Jesse Lacey admitted in a Facebook post that his “addictive relationship with sex” meant he had “hurt people [and] mistreated them.” It follows Nicole Elizabeth Garey’s accusation Lacey had asked her for nude photos when she was 15.—Noisey
‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Holds Box Office Top Spot
The Disney and Marvel Studios’ movie claimed $56.6 million USD in its second week, taking its North American earnings to $211.6 million USD. Daddy’s Home 2 exceeded industry expectations, earning second place with $30 million USD.—The Hollywood Reporter
Bill Gates Gives $100 Million to Fight Alzheimer’s
The Microsoft founder pledged $50 million USD to the Dementia Discovery Fund, an enterprise aimed at finding treatments for Alzheimer’s. Gates will donate a further $50 million USD to start-ups researching the brain disease.—Reuters
Punk Rock Legend Fred Cole Dies at 69
Fred Cole, singer and guitar player with bands Dead Moon and Pierced Arrows, has died following a battle with cancer. Record label Voodoo Doughnuts Recordings described Cole as “the real fucking deal. No one lived life to its fullest like Fred did."—Noisey