July 7th 2014

Le Shuttle est terminée –
A Channel tunnel “Le Shuttle” train carrying cars with 382 passengers on board stopped in the tunnel while travelling from the Ashford Terminal in Kent to Calais, France. The evacuated passengers had to enter central pedestrian tunnel before boarding a train that had come from Calais in the other main tunnel. A fault in the overhead power cables was to blame.
256px-Course_Channeltunnel_en.svg

Sony question FIFA Qatar decision –
One of FIFA’s main sponsors, Sony, have asked football’s governing body to carry out an “appropriate investigation” into the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. The announcement that Qatar was to hold the tournament was made in 2007.
2014_FIFA_Announcement_(Joseph_Blatter)_Sepp Blatter at the 2014 FIFA Announcement in 2007
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February 6, 2015

Top News Stories –

One underscores the other doesn’t score –
Father Michael Duffy a New York priest has been receiving Twitter messages congratulating him on signing for Celtic Football Club. In fact another Michael Duffy who was transferred to the Scottish football champions from Derry City club has the same twitter handle as the priest, but the footballer has an underscore at the end. Father Duffy has gained many new followers and today tweeted:
copyright @michaelduffy twitter

Painting sells for $300m, a world record –
One of French artist Paul Gauguin’s most famous paintings showing to Tahitian ladies is sold for $300m (£197m), making it the most expensive work of art ever sold. Entitled Nafea Faa Ipoipo, or When Will You Marry?, was painted in 1892 by the French Post-Impressionist and has apparently been sold to a museum in Qatar.
256px-Paul_Gauguin_138

Phantom of the Opera apprehended –
Austrian police arrest a 63-year-old man who has become known as the Phantom of the Opera at the Vienna State Opera House. Security guards have been trying to catch the man, who buys a cheap ticket and then sits in expensive seats, for months. When he was seen in the best seat in the house, the police were called, but he made a run for it and then punched one of the police officers after he was cornered in the Gustav Mahler Hall. He was arrested and given a ban from all future performances at the State Opera.
By Morgaledh at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

Left shark designer hit with cease and desist order –
Fernando Sosa who is selling the design for a 3D-printer model of the “Left Shark” dancer from Katy Perry’s Super Bowl half-time show has received a letter from Perry’s lawyers saying, “Your unauthorised display and sale of this product infringes our client’s exclusive rights.” Left Shark became a viral hit after forgetting its steps during the performance of Teenage Dream and California Gurls.
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May 21, 2015

Top News Stories –

F1’s Ecclestone in legal challenge over £1bn tax move –
Formula 1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone has gone to court to challenge the basis of assessments that have left him facing a UK tax claim of more than £1bn. The 84-year-old, at the F1 helm for 40 years, wants the assessments quashed, and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) held to an earlier April 2008 agreement. The new figure is believed to cover the period from the tax year ended 5 April 1996 to tax year ending 5 April 2006. The case revolves around the Ecclestone family’s Bambino trust which was set up in Liechtenstein in 1997 for the benefit of Mr Ecclestone’s now ex-wife, Slavica, and daughters Tamara and Petra. The UK tax authorities re-opened their investigation of Bambino after a high-profile bribery case in Germany last year, said the judge. [BBC]
Bernie_EcclestoneBernie Ecclestone

Black Sabbath celebrate at Ivor Novello awards –
Black Sabbath have received a lifetime achievement prize at the Ivor Novello songwriting awards. Guitarist Tony Iommi picked up the trophy, confirming the heavy metal band would embark on their “final tour” next year. Ed Sheeran was named songwriter of the year, while Boy George picked up an outstanding contribution award. Clean Bandit beat Sam Smith and George Ezra to win the prize for most performed song for Rather Be. The Ivor Novello awards are voted for by songwriters, with judges this year including Gary Barlow, Guy Chambers, Nik Kershaw, Shaznay Lewis and Kim Appleby of ’80s pop group Mel & Kim.[BBC]
Tony-IommiTony Iommi of Black Sabbath

Video of the Day –

List of the day –

Ivor Novello Award winners and nominees –
Best song musically and lyrically

  • Take Me to Church – Hozier
  • Above the Clouds of Pompeii – Bear’s Den
  • I Forget Where We Were – Ben Howard

Best contemporary song

  • Rather Be – Clean Bandit, featuring Jess Glynne
  • Every Other Freckle – alt-J
  • Two Weeks – FKA Twigs

Best album

  • So Long, See You Tomorrow – Bombay Bicycle Club
  • Royal Blood – Royal Blood
  • Present Tense – Wild Beasts

PRS for Music most performed work

  • Rather Be – Clean Bandit, featuring Jess Glynne
  • Stay With Me – Sam Smith
  • Budapest – George Ezra

Best original film score

  • ’71 – David Holmes
  • Mr Turner – Gary Yershon
  • The Boxtrolls – Dario Marianelli

Best television soundtrack

  • The Honourable Woman – Natalie Holt and Martin Phipps
  • The Mill (Series 2) – Samuel Sim
  • The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Beyond the Pale – Edmund Butt

Lifetime Achievement: Black Sabbath

Outstanding Song Collection: Albert Hammond

PRS for Music Outstanding Contribution to British Music: Boy George

PRS for Music Special International Award: Paul Williams

Songwriter of the Year: Ed Sheeran

The Ivors Classical Music Award: Judith Weir

The Ivors Inspiration Award: Manic Street Preachers

The Ivors Special Anniversary Award: Midge Ure and Bob Geldof, Band Aid

BASCA Fellowship: Annie Lennox

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #MeDanGanasDe #RedNoseDay Sunderland
2 Santa Fé #TakeAMovieToBreakfast #ENGvNZ
3 황교안 #RejectedUniversityClasses #NXTTakeOver
4 #TypeYourNameWithYourNose #ThanksDave #PPAFestival
5 JR Smith Josh Duggar Jamie Vardy
6 #えっちからの予測�… Maggie Gyllenhaal Aidy Ward
7 #ElSecretoDeLaFelicidad #CultProblems #SelfieForJames
8 #ThanksDave #TylerOnEllen #AstonGetStupid
9 #حصه_ال_الشيخ_ت… #BuyBlackMagicOniTunes Scrabble
10 #BuyBlackMagicOniTunes Boy Scouts #TakeAMovieToBreakfast

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Arts and culture
  • Robert Gates, the President of the Boy Scouts of America, calls on the movement to end the ban on gay adult leaders and says the movement will no longer revoke the charters of chapters that accept gay male leaders. (Yahoo News)
Health
Law and crime
Sports

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