February 29, 2016

Leap Day – one of only two in this decade.

Top News Stories –

Peter Rabbit to feature on 50p coin to mark Beatrix Potter anniversary, Royal Mint announces –
Beatrix Potter’s mischievous Peter Rabbit is to become the first children’s literary character to appear on a UK coin. In a move certain to infuriate Mr McGregor, the anthropomorphic vegetable thief will feature on a silver 50p released to mark the 150th anniversary of the author’s birth in 1866. The Royal Mint said three more Potter characters will feature on special edition coins released later in the year to complete a four-piece set. [Daily Telegraph]
Peter Rabbit 50pPeter Rabbit 50p

Blossom fans break into Chinese prison grounds –
A Chinese prison compound has been attracting hordes of visitors keen to see the site’s blossoming trees in full bloom – with some scaling walls in order to get in, it’s reported.
Members of the public had previously been allowed onto the site, in the southern city of Guilin, to wander among a huge grove of peach trees planted in an area housing jail staff. Guards say in past years they’ve only seen a trickle of visitors, but this year’s spectacular display means thousands have turned up, forcing prison authorities to limit access to people visiting inmates or staff, the local Nanguo Zaobao newspaper reports. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

How leap year works

List of the Day –

Leap Day Events [from Wikipedia]

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain
2 #SegundaDetremuraSdv #LeapDay #LeapDay
3 #FelizSemGlobo #NotYourMule #UnifiedResponse
4 #منشن_شخص_يستا�… #RareDiseaseDay #RareDiseaseDay
5 #LeapDay #DayItForward #ScotMAWeek16
6 #FelizLunes #NHLTradeDeadline Raspberry Pi 3
7 #شيرين_عبدالوه… #Budget2016 #Oscars
8 #BugünBeşiktaşınMaçıVar #HappyBirthdayJustinBieber #OlivierAwards
9 #QuedaChavismoPaRato #OneNationOneTeam #WGT16
10 #29deFebrero George Kennedy #bondconf

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Business and economy
  • China says it expects to lay off 1.8 million state workers in the coal and steel sectors, or about 15 percent of the industries’ workforce, as part of efforts to reduce industrial overcapacity. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
International relations
Law and crime
Politics and elections

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January 2, 2017

Top News Stories –

Argentina: Uproar as new year message omits disputed Falklands –
A new year’s message by Argentina’s social development ministry has caused uproar after it excluded the disputed Falkland Islands from the country’s map. Former combatants and social media users said the message was offensive to those who died in the 1982 war. The ministry has apologised, saying it was a mistake by the design team. The islands are a British territory in the Atlantic claimed by Argentina, where they are known as the Malvinas. President Mauricio Macri, who took office in December 2015, promised a “new kind of relationship” with the UK, a step seen as aimed at boosting Argentina’s flagging economy. [BBC]

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Disasters and accidents
Law and crime
  • 2017 Manaus prison riot
  • In New Haven Connecticut, two men are suspected of approaching a man claiming to have a gun, took his cellphone and wallet. Then they stole his SUV and apparently lost control as they were killed when their stolen SUV accidentally crashed into and seriously damaged a synagogue (Hartford Courant)
  • In Dearborn Michigan the driver and passenger of a minivan being pursued by police for missing plates were killed when they struck a car, lost control and hit several parked vehicles. (Huron Daily Tribune)
  • In Detroit, Michigan an African American man was shot in the head driving a car which crashed, police are searching for two men who ran from the car after the crash (WXYZ)
  • A first-year New Rochelle Police officer crashed his Jeep into a tree, killing passenger Isaac “Hooshie” Ward. He will be charged with vehicular manslaughter as his Blood Alcohol Content was above the legal limit (newrochelletalk)
  • Huzaifa Shafeeq was arraigned on burglary charges after police say the stole from a Long Island mosque charity box on Christmas and New Years Day. Islamic Center board member said the amount taken wasn’t large, but called police as the thief needed help. (ABC7NY)

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