Top Stories – Not like clockwork –
A Swiss millionaire is given a record speeding fine of $290,000 (£180,000) after he caught driving a red Ferrari at 137km/h (85mph) through a village. The penalty based on the unnamed motorist’s wealth – assessed by the court as $22.7m (£14.1m) – and because he was a repeat offender.
New Brand for Perry –
It’s revealed that Russell Brand and Katy Perry got engaged when on holiday in India. Katy Perry and Russell Brand
Girl survives plane crash –
A seven year-old girl who survived the plane crash that killed her parents in Kentucky, US, managed to walk a mile through dense woodland to raise the alarm. Air traffic controllers lost contact with the Piper PA-34 aircraft after the pilot reported engine problems.
Fancy a quick test drive? –
Former Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell now runs a Mitsubishi dealership on the British island of Jersey in the Channel Islands. The 1992 world champion raced for Renault Williams, Ferrari and Lotus as well as winning the CART title in the US in a Lola-Ford. He is running the franchise with his son.
Worth its weight in gold –
A fish owner in Norfolk, England paid £300 in vets’ fees when his pet goldfish became constipated. He took his fish to Toll Barn Veterinary Centre in North Walsham where vet Faye Bethell used anaesthetised water to knock out the goldfish before removing the blockages.
Elvis’ planes under the hammer –
A pair of jets that Elvis Presley called “Lisa Marie” and “Hound Dog II” are being auctioned off in Beverley Hills, California. The Convair 880 and Lockheed Jetstar were owned by Presley from 1975 just two years before he died. Neither can fly but the successful bidder has an option to buy a few acres of land by Graceland to display them.
Miss Universe asked to negotiate with rebels –
Newly crowned Miss Universe Paulina Vega is invited by the Colombian rebel group Farc militia to help their peace negotiations with the government in a statement on their website. During interviews prior to winning the title on January 25th 2015, Ms Vega, who is also Miss Columbia, had said she wanted to see peace in Colombia. So far she has not responded to the offer. Paulina Vega
NBC Nightly News anchor embarrassment –
Brian Williams, “the most-watched” news presenter in the US temporarily steps down from his NBC Nightly News anchor role after he admitted his story about being in a helicopter that was shot down in Iraq was false. He revealed that he was actually in an aircraft following the one shot down after veterans who were in the helicopter recalled he wasn’t on the flight. Williams blamed a “fog of memory” for the lapse. Brian Williams
Price gets it right –
Katie Price formerly known as the model Jordan wins UK TV Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother despite only being in the “house” for 10 days when other contestants had been in for a month. She beat ex-Apprentice candidate Katie Hopkins into second place; Calum Best came third. Katie Price
Classic Ferrari sells for $16 million –
A classic California Spyder Ferrari found in a French farmhouse under a load of magazines is sold at a Paris auction for €14.2m (£10.5m; $16.2m). Only 37 of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB were made and this dark blue one had been owned by French actor Alain Delon but was hidden for over 50 years. In May 2008 British DJ Chris Evans paid a reported £5.6 million for a 1961 250GT short-wheelbase California Spyder that once belonged to Hollywood actor James Coburn. A 1961 250 GT California Spyder Alain Delon in 2013
Video of the Day –
Miss Columbia Paulina Vega’s Miss Universe interview
China blocks pollution documentary –
The authorities in China have a removed from websites a popular documentary which highlights the country’s severe pollution problem. Under the Dome explains the social and health costs of pollution, and was watched by more than 100 million people online, sparking debates. It was removed just two days after Premier Li Keqiang called pollution a blight on people’s lives. [BBC]
NASA probe reaches Ceres –
The US space agency’s Dawn probe has gone into orbit around Ceres, the largest object in the Solar System between Mars and Jupiter. A signal from the satellite confirming its status was received by ground stations at 13:36 GMT. Ceres is the first of the dwarf planets to be visited by a spacecraft. Scientists hope to glean information from the object that can tell them about the Solar System’s beginnings, four and a half billion years ago. Dawn has taken 7.5 years to reach its destination. Its arrival has seen it pass behind the dwarf to its “dark side”. [BBC] The Dawn probe (by NASA)
“25 0” licence plate sells for £518,000 –
When the auctioneer’s hammer came down, classic car dealer John Collins was looking at a bill of £518,000. But it was not a rare Ferrari that he had bought. It was a number plate. The registration plate “25 O” is the most expensive ever bought at a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) auction. Even so, Mr Collins, who owns classic Ferrari dealer Talacrest, says he would have bid more at the auction for the plate which matches the 250 model. [BBC]
Cricket World Cup 2015: Australia crush New Zealand in final –
Australia overwhelmed New Zealand to win the World Cup for a fifth time at an ecstatic Melbourne Cricket Ground. New Zealand lost influential captain Brendon McCullum to the fifth ball of the match and were bowled out for 183. Grant Elliott resisted with 83, while Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner shared eight wickets. Australia rarely looked troubled, sealing a seven-wicket win in 33.1 overs, with captain Michael Clarke scoring 74 and Steve Smith 56 not out. [BBC]
Jess Glynne scores UK number one –
Jess Glynne has topped the UK singles chart for the first time as a solo artist with her track Hold My Hand. The 25-year-old Londoner got two number ones last year as a guest vocalist on Clean Bandit’s Rather Be and Route 94’s My Love. “To get a number one in my own name is one of the most insane feelings,” she said. The singer outsold her nearest rival, James Bay’s Hold Back the River, by 40,000 copies. (See video of the day) [BBC]
Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel beats Lewis Hamilton to shock Malaysia win –
Sebastian Vettel took a sensational maiden victory for Ferrari as he won a straight fight with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Vettel, who joined Ferrari this year as Fernando Alonso’s replacement, won a strategic battle as Mercedes struggled with tyres in the tropical heat. Hamilton’s team-mate Nico Rosberg was third from Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who fought back from an early puncture. [BBC] Sebastian Vettel
Italian parking: £300,000 Ferrari destroyed by attendant –
A garage attendant in Italy accidentally rammed a £300,000 Ferrari 599 GTO into a shop front after mistaking the accelerator for the brake. The attendant was supposed to be delivering the rare supercar, which can accelerate from a standing start to 60mph in three seconds, to its owners, a Dutch couple who had taken part in a meeting of Ferrari enthusiasts in Anzio, south of Rome. The owners were staying just a few streets away from where the car was being stored. [Daily Telegraph] Ferrari 599 GTO
Justin Bieber’s New Album Leaked? Fans Freak Out Over New Music –
Justin Bieber lovers woke up to a very exciting surprise on April 1 — the pop star had released his first new album in nearly three years! #JustinYourAlbumLeaked immediately began trending on social media, but it didn’t take long for fans to figure out what was really going on.(See Top Twitter Trends) [HollywoodLife.com] Justin Bieber
India police seek cow ‘mugshots’ to enforce beef ban –
Police in a west Indian township have asked cattle owners to supply photographs of their animals to help enforce the state’s tough new ban on beef, an officer said yesterday. Nearly 100 farmers and other owners in Malegaon have so far complied with the request for mugshots along with a dossier on the cows, said Sunil Kadasne, additional superintendent of the city. “After the new law, commercial slaughter has largely stopped but this programme will help us to stop all killing by helping trace any animal thefts faster,” Mr Kadasne told AFP. The Maharashtra state government introduced a tough ban in March on killing and selling cows, while even possession of beef could land you in jail for five years. [AFP/Daily Telegraph]
CERN discovers Star Wars “The Force” but it is April 1st –
The Force – the mysterious energy field used by the Jedi in Star Wars – has been discovered by researchers at the Cern laboratory. The European research centre announced its spoof discovery with pictures showing its scientists using The Force in everyday life. It was one of many April Fools jokes seen on websites around the world. Smartphone maker Samsung produced a spoof page for a Blade edge version of its Galaxy smartphone that, it claimed, was designed for cooks. The limited edition handset incorporates a diamond-edged blade so the phone can also be used to chop food when it is not being used for calls, texts, or browsing the web.
HTC joined in with fake product pages for the Re-Sok – the “world’s first truly smart sock”. The technology-enhanced footwear is engineered with GPS so pairs of socks can easily find each other and have an automatic hole warning system to alert owners when their intelligent footwear is running thin. For its April Fools parody, Motorola went to the trouble of making a lavish video showing two craftsmen producing selfie-sticks out of wood and leather. New York-based footwear maker Miz Mooz joined in and produced a pair of shoes that have smartphone docking ports in each toe so each one can be used to take selfies.
Alex Jones accidentally flashes her nipples in see-through top as she Hosts the One Show –
BBC TV’s The One Show host Alex Jones left viewers with more than they bargained for on Friday night, when she accidentally showed her nipples live on air. The gorgeous brunette telly presenter suffered the awkward wardrobe malfunction in a sheer white blouse which turned see-through under the BBC studio lights. Alex, who wore her hair in a chic French plait seemed completely oblivious to her wardrobe malfunction. [Daily Mirror] The presenter quickly found herself trending on Twitter. Alex Jones
Sandra Bullock’s 911 call from inside closet as she hid from stalker –
The emergency call made by Sandra Bullock as she hid in a wardrobe from a stalker, has emerged after it was played in court. Joshua Corbett, the man accused of breaking into the Oscar-winning-actress’ Los Angeles home, appeared in court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing on felony charges of burglary, stalking and possession of a machine gun, and 19 additional felony weapons charges. The audio played in court was taken from her June 8, 2014, call to police. In it, a frantic and fearful Bullock is heard describing the events. “Someone has broken into my house. I’m hiding in the closet,” says Bullock, in the recording. “I’m locked in my closet. I have a safe door in my bedroom, and I’ve locked it, and I’m locked in the closet right now,” she adds. Sandra Bullock
Chinese GP: Man arrested after running on to track –
A man who ran across the track during practice for the Chinese Grand Prix has been arrested. He crossed the main straight shortly before a car, climbed the fence and ran into the pits before trying to enter Ferrari’s garage. He is reported to have said he wanted to try a car, before being apprehended by security and handed to police. Formula 1 bosses will investigate how the tight security measures, which are imposed at all races, were breached. A Ferrari spokesperson said the man headed straight for the team’s garage, but did not make it inside after he was stopped on the threshold by two mechanics. He was then handed over to security and then the police. [BBC]
Hatton Gardens heist: Metropolitan Police could have to pay millions in compensation –
Scotland Yard could face compensation claims running into millions of pounds after admitting that officers failed to respond to a burglar alarm during the Hatton Garden heist, insurance experts warned. Angry jewellers who fear they may have lost a fortune when 70 safe deposit boxes were looted during a daring raid last weekend have warned they may sue the Metropolitan Police over alleged incompetence. [Daily Telegraph]
Google unveils surprise restructuring under Alphabet –
Google has unveiled a surprise restructuring, creating a new parent company called Alphabet Inc. Under the rebranding, Google will retain its best-known businesses, such as search, apps, YouTube and Android. Some of the newer entities, such as the investment and research divisions, the “smart-home” unit Nest, and the drone arm will be run under Alphabet. Google founder Larry Page said it would create a simpler structure for what had become a diverse group of businesses. The name Alphabet was chosen for two reasons, Mr Page said. It represents language, “the core of how we index with Google search”, and because Alpha-bet means “investment return above benchmark, which we strive to do”. [BBC]
Tom Davies, 19, becomes ‘youngest person to cycle the world’ –
A British teenager is thought to have become the youngest person to cycle around the world. Tom Davies, 19, from Battersea, England, finished an 18,000-mile journey on Sunday raising more than £50,000 for several charities. Around 100 of his family and friends welcomed him home. During the six months he was away, he had to run away from a group of monkeys, was chased by dogs in Albania and raced an emu in Australia.
A scientific study, part of the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey, examined huge blocks of space as distant as several billion light years away and concluded that the universe is “slowly dying” as more stars gradually go out faster than they are being replaced by light-emitting active ones. In cosmological terms, the demise of the universe -age calculated at approximately 13.8 billion years- is billions, perhaps trillions of years away. (The Guardian, via MSN)(CNN)(South African Times Live)
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X Games biker and BMX star Dave Mirra dies –
Police in the US say X Games biker Dave Mirra has died aged 41. Officers in North Carolina say his body was found early on Thursday with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dave Mirra was a former BMX champion and one of the most decorated athletes in X Games history. He won a medal every year from 1995 to 2008, picking up 14 golds. His one-time record of 24 career medals was only broken in 2013 by Bob Burnquist. Only Shaun White has won more X Games gold medals than him. [BBC Newsbeat] See Top Twitter Trends (UK) Dave Mirra in 2010
New York crane collapse kills at least one person –
A large construction crane has collapsed in lower Manhattan in New York City, killing one person and injuring at least two others. The Fire Department of New York confirmed the fatality and is on the scene responding to the accident. The collapse happened along West Broadway early on Friday morning in the Tribeca neighbourhood. The downed crane, which filled the street, fell onto numerous parked cars. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the victim was sitting in a parked car at the time of the accident, and that it was caused by high winds. Workers were in the process of lowering the crane due to the high winds when it collapsed. No workers were injured. [BBC] See Video of the Day
1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti breaks auction sale for racing car at $32 million –
A 1957 Ferrari driven by the great British motor racers of the 1950s broke the record for the world’s most expensive racing car sold at auction after fetching just over €32 million (£24.7 million) on Friday. Despite the stratospheric price at the Artcurial auction in Paris, the buyer cannot use the vehicle on the roads as it was designed purely for racing. Only four Ferrari 335 S Spider Scagliettis were ever produced, and this one had been in the hands of a private French collector for more than 40 years – hence the feverish excitement at the Rétromobile classic car show in Paris, where the auction took place. The 335S is purely a racing car, unlike the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which was a dual purpose vehicle also homologated for road use.[Daily Telegraph] See List of the Day
Video of the Day –
Crane collapse in New York – original footage by Glenn Zito
Copyright Glenn Zito.
List of the Day –
Cars sold at auction for over $10 million (source Wikipedia]
Clashes between local tribal forces and Sudanese fighters in Libya‘s southeastern Cyrenaica region around the town of Kufra leaves around 30 dead. (Reuters)
Puerto Rico declares a state of emergency due to the ongoing Zika virus outbreak. At least 22 people have been reported to have been infected with the Zika virus in the U.S.territory. (ABC News)
Law and crime
A shooting at a boxing match weigh-in between Jamie Kavanagh and Antonio João Bento in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, leaves one person dead and two others injured. The gunmen were reportedly dressed as police officers and armed with AK-47s. (BBC)
Katy Perry and Russell Brand
