February 15th 2014

US gets D-minus for science –
A study by the National Science Foundation in the US finds that over a quarter of Americans do not know the Earth circles the Sun. 2,200 people were asked nine factual questions about physical and biological science, with the average score being just 5.8 correct answers. Only 48 per cent of those interviewed are aware that humans evolved from earlier species of animals.

21-year-old pole-vault record beaten –
Renaud Lavillenie the French pole-vaulter sets a new world record with a height of 6.16 metres (20 ft 2 1⁄2 in) Donetsk, Ukraine finally breaking the record set by Russia’s Sergey Bubka 21 years previously set on 21 February 1993 also in Donetsk.
Men_pole_vault_steeple_French_Athletics_Championships_2013_t173743Renaud Lavillenie
CLICK TO SEE MORE STUFF FROM THIS DAY…

August 19, 2015

Top News Stories –

Oscar Pistorius’ early release blocked by minister –
South Africa’s justice minister has blocked the early release of athlete Oscar Pistorius from prison on Friday. He said the decision by the parole board to free the athlete after serving 10 months of his five-year sentence was premature and without legal basis. It could now take months for the board to review its decision, legal sources told the BBC. Pistorius was convicted of manslaughter last year after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The Olympic athlete insists he mistook her for an intruder. [BBC]
Oscar_PistoriusOscar Pistorius competing

 

Athletics: Sebastian Coe elected IAAF president –
Former Olympic 1500m champion Lord Coe is the new president of the IAAF, the body that governs world athletics. The 58-year-old Briton beat rival Sergey Bubka, a former Olympic pole vault champion, by 115 votes to 92. Following his election, Coe tweeted that, after the birth of his children, this was the most “momentous moment” of his life. The former chairman of London 2012, Coe replaces 82-year-old Senegalese Lamine Diack, who has been in charge for 16 years. [BBC] See List of the Day
Sebastian Coe and Oscar Pistorius in 2011

Video of the Day –

The Martian | Official Trailer [HD] | 20th Century FOX

List of the Day –

Sebastian Coe medal record [Wikipedia]

Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1980 Moscow 1500 m
Gold medal – first place 1984 Los Angeles 1500 m
Silver medal – second place 1980 Moscow 800 m
Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles 800 m
European Athletics Championships
Gold medal – first place 1986 Stuttgart 800 m
Silver medal – second place 1982 Athens 800 m
Silver medal – second place 1986 Stuttgart 1500 m
Bronze medal – third place 1978 Prague 800 m

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 Ashley Madison Deez Nuts Ashley Madison
2 援交募集 Yvonne Craig #WorldHumanitarianDay
3 #WeLoveYouLiam #WorldPhotographyDay #WorldPhotographyDay
4 #4YearsOfLittleMix #4YearsOfLittleMix #4YearsOfLittleMix
5 #WorldPhotographyDay #WeLoveYouLiam #WeLoveYouLiam
6 #SacaLoPeorDeMiCuando Shaun King Mane
7 #MasterChefBR Kelvin Benjamin #ILookGoodOnYou
8 #Siirtte8ŞehidimizVar #CollegeIn3Words #OTRAColumbus
9 Yvonne Craig #JaredFogle Shaun King
10 Ramiro #ashleymadisonhack Let Charlotte Live

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Business and economy
Disasters and accidents
International relation
Law and crime
  • Following a July 15 hacking, user data of the infidelity-promoting dating website Ashley Madison is leaked with over 30 million users having their information compromised. (BBC)
  • Police in the American city of St. Louis, Missouri, make nine arrests and use tear gas to disperse protesters after a killing of an armed man allegedly aiming a gun at police officers earlier in the day. (CNN)
Politics and elections
Sport

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource