Large Hadron Collider restarts after two-year rebuild –
The Large Hadron Collider has restarted, with protons circling the machine’s 27km tunnel for the first time since 2013. Particle beams have now travelled in both directions, inside parallel pipes, at a whisker below the speed of light. Actual collisions will not begin for at least another month, but they will take place with nearly double the energy the LHC reached during its first run. Scientists hope to glimpse a “new physics” beyond the Standard Model. [BBC]
Cristiano Ronaldo scores five as Real Madrid thrash Granada 9-1 in Easter morning La Liga clash –
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo struck the quickest hat-trick of his career on his way to netting five goals in a 9-1 drubbing of second-from-bottom Granada on Sunday, lifting Real to within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona. Portugal forward Ronaldo struck three times in eight minutes in the first half and added two headers after the break on a festive, sun-drenched afternoon at the Bernabeu to help fire Real to their biggest victory in almost half a century. [Daily Telegraph] Christiano Ronaldo
Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson are fighting on Twitter –
Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Naughty Boy are having a row on Twitter. It seemed to start when Naughty Boy posted a picture of himself and Zayn along with the caption, “Replace this” – which Zayn then retweeted. Louis then wrote: “Remember when you were 12 and you used to think those Mac filters for your pictures were cool haha ! Some people still do HA!” Zayn then replied directly to Louis, saying: “Remember when you had a life..?” Naughty Boy, who has been working with Zayn, also had his own back-and-forth row with Louis on the social network. Also see Top Twitter Trends – #TOMLINSONSLAYSAGAIN [BBC]
Spanish domestic football to be suspended-
The Spanish football federation says it is suspending indefinitely all end-of-season games in disputes with the government, including over TV rights. A federation statement said it was also unhappy with receiving only 4.55% of pools revenue, though it said it was still open to dialogue. All matches will be suspended from 16 May, including the domestic cup final. In the top division, Barcelona lead La Liga rivals Real Madrid by two points, with only three games left to play. In the statement, the RFEF federation said it had acted after three months of talks with the government had failed to resolve the dispute. It said more than 600,000 players and 30,000 matches across the country would be affected by the suspension. [BBC]
Japan: Zoo sorry for naming monkey after new princess –
The Takasakiyama Zoo, in southern Japan, was inundated with complaints after announcing the female macaque monkey’s name on Wednesday, the Kyodo news agency reports. The zoo says the name was chosen after a public vote, a tradition for their first newborn macaque monkey each year. Charlotte received the most votes, although it wasn’t exactly a runaway winner, with 59 out of 853 people choosing it. But other members of the public felt that it was disrespectful to the British royal family to name a monkey after a princess. The zoo faced a “barrage” of complaints from people wanting them to re-name the macaque, with some noting that the Japanese people might not be best pleased if a British monkey were named after one of their own royal family, Kyodo reports. The zoo has apologised in a statement on its website. [BBC]
Hot Chocolate frontman Errol Brown dies, aged 71 –
Hot Chocolate frontman Errol Brown has died aged 71, his manager said. The singer, famous for hits including You Sexy Thing and It Started With A Kiss, died at home in the Bahamas. His manager, Phil Dale, said he had suffered from liver cancer. [Daily Telegraph] (See Video of the Day and List of the Day)
Barcelona win La Liga title –
Lionel Messi’s strike gave Barcelona their 23rd Spanish title as they beat Atletico Madrid to regain La Liga. Messi’s 41st league goal of the season ensured that Real Madrid will finish second – despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Espanyol. With one game left Barca hold a four-point lead ahead of rivals Real. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his seventh hat-trick of the season to give Real Madrid victory at Espanyol. Ronaldo’s treble took his tally for the season to 45 in La Liga – four ahead of Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who hit the winner for his club. [BBC] See List of The Day Lionel Messi
Texas bikers in deadly shootout at Waco restaurant –
Police in the US state of Texas say nine people have been killed and at least 100 arrested after a shootout between rival biker gangs in Waco. The incident happened at the Twin Peaks Sports Bar and Grill in a shopping area called the Central Texas Market Place. Police said eight had died at the scene and a ninth in hospital – all were bikers. At least 18 others were hurt. Waco police said the shooting happened shortly after midday when rival gangs got into a fight, apparently over parking space near the restaurant. Up to five gangs were involved. Police spokesman Sgt W Patrick Swanton said the fight started with punches and then escalated to chains, clubs, knives and finally firearms.
Blizzard tackles World of Warcraft ‘cheats’ –
Thousands of World of Warcraft accounts have been shut down by Blizzard as it moves to stop people using “bots” to play the game Blizzard announced it had banned a “large number” of accounts in a message posted to the game’s online forums. The accounts had been discovered using programs, called “bots”, that automate gameplay, said Blizzard. Blizzard did not reveal how many accounts had been shut down. However, a widely-shared screengrab of a conversation between a player and a customer service rep suggested that about 100,000 accounts had been closed. The ban will be in force for six months, said Blizzard.
At least 9 people are killed and 18 injured, some by law enforcement and others in gunfire exchanges, in a shootout between rival biker gangsin Waco, Texas at the Twin Peaks Restaurant. (KWTX), (The Guardian)
A ‘groundbreaking’ combination of drugs which could improve the quality of life and life expectancy of cystic fibrosis sufferers is trialed. (BBC News)
Xavi departs from Barcelona by winning the Champions League again –
After playing his last game at the Nu Camp last month Xavi Hernandez played his 397th and final game for Barcelona in the Champions League Final. Barcelona beat Juventus 3-0 to secure a treble of victories following the La Liga and Copa del Rey successes. It is the fourth time Xavi has one the Champions League Title and was celebrated by his club in a tweet. See List of the Day Xavi Hernández
Frankie Dettori wins Epsom Derby on favourite Golden Horn –
Frankie Dettori capped his renaissance with a thrilling victory on favourite Golden Horn to win the 236th running of the Derby at Epsom. Dettori produced an ice-cool ride on the 13-8 favourite to beat his John Gosden-trained stablemate Jack Hobbs by three-and-a-half lengths, with Storm The Stars third. The 44-year-old jockey punched the air as he passed the line and did a trademark flying dismount in the winner’s enclosure. “It was unbelievable. The horse was brilliant,” said Dettori, riding for the first time in the race since returning from a six-month drugs ban two years ago. [BBC] Frakie Dettori
For the second time this week, a rocket fired from Gaza lands in Israel. There were no immediate reports of injuries, or claims of responsibility.(Times of Israel)
Sexy China TV drama busted, returns to air more sedate –
A Chinese television drama that was pulled off the air after the female characters appeared on screen showing cleavage has returned to the screen, though this time showing only the actresses’ heads, state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday. The drama, “The Empress of China” also known as the “Saga of Wu Zetian”, was removed by commercial satellite station Hunan TV for “technical reasons” in late December, Xinhua said. Chinese Internet users responded by complaining about the censorship on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. Several complained that they would not be able to see the hundreds of costume changes by Fan Bingbing, one of China’s most popular actresses, who plays the Empress Wu. [Reuters]
Five of the terrorists who attacked an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Punjab are reported to have been killed; mopping-up and search operations continue. National Security Guard officials state the operations will continue until the air base is made safe. (Indian Express)
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant‘s branch in Libya attacks the Libyan oil port of Sidra, which is Libya’s largest oil depot. Two members of the Petrol Facilities Guard militia, which is defending Sidra, were reportedly killed in clashes. Islamic State militants were reportedly pushed back from the port, but the group now says it controls the town of Bin Jawad, 30km west of Sidra on the road from its stronghold in Sirte. (BBC)
Saudi Arabia will end all air traffic and trade links with Iran, and demands that Iran must “act like a normal country” before it would restore severed diplomatic relations. (Reuters)
In efforts to control an influx of migrants, Denmark introduces ten days of identity checks on its southern border with Germany, while Sweden introduces similar measures on the Øresund Bridge between itself and Denmark. All three countries are subject to the Schengen Agreement on the free movement of people. (BBC)
Barcelona pip rivals Real Madrid to the La Liga title on last day –
Barcelona pipped bitter rivals Real Madrid to the La Liga title thanks to a Luis Suarez hat-trick at Granada. Barca’s fifth victory in a row ensured they won the league by one point from Real, who beat Deportivo La Coruna 2-0. Suarez tapped in, powered home a header and slotted Neymar’s pass to give him La Liga’s golden boot with 40 goals. [BBC] Luis_Suarez
Eurovision Song Contest: Ukraine’s Jamala wins competition –
Ukraine’s Jamala has won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, held in Stockholm, Sweden.
The country scored 534 points with its song 1944, about the deportation of Crimean Tatars under Josef Stalin. Australia finished second with 511 points, while Russia – which was the favourite going into the competition – was third with 491 points. Jamala is the first ever Crimean Tatar to perform at the contest and caused controversy ahead of the show over her political song. The song references the year when Stalin deported almost all of the ethnic group from its native region of Crimea in what was then Soviet Russia (later to become part of Ukraine). [BBC]
Video of the Day –
Recap of all the Eurovision Song Contest finalists
Venezuelan PresidentNicolás Maduro orders the seizure of factories that have stopped production and the jailing of their owners amid a nationwide state of emergency. During a speech to pro-government supporters in Caracas, he said the country had to recover the means of production, to counter its deep economic crisis. He also said military exercises would take place next weekend to counter “foreign threats”. (BBC)
Christiano Ronaldo
