June 8, 2015

Top News Stories –

Apple reveals new Music app to rival Spotify –
Apple has announced [at their Worldwide Developers Conference (#WWDC15 – see Top Twitter Trends)] a new app that combines a streaming song and music video library, an internet radio station and a way for artists to share unreleased tracks and other material. It includes a recommendation system that uses both human curators and computer algorithms to suggest songs. The [Apple Music] service is set to challenge Spotify, Tidal and other music apps. Apple also announced several new features that will appear in the next version of its Mac operating system, called OS X El Capitan. [BBC]

Fifa film flops at the box office –
A vanity film about the history of Fifa has flopped in the US, taking just $607 (£397) in its opening weekend. United Passions was funded by about £17m of Fifa cash, and was completed before corruption charges were made against 14 of its officials in May. Starring Tim Roth as Sepp Blatter and Gerard Depardieu as Jules Rimet, the hagiography of football’s governing body has had damning reviews. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the FilmBar cinema in Phoenix reported takings of just $9, meaning only one person bought a ticket. [BBC] See List of the Day
Tim-RothTim Roth

Video of the Day –

Ares 3: Farewell

List of the Day –

Biggest film losses adjusted for inflation (according to Wikipedia)

Biggest box office bombs adjusted for inflation
Rank Title Estimated losses
(constant $)
Year
1 The 13th Warrior $97,896,514—182,838,584 1999
2 47 Ronin $151,923,973 2013
3 Cutthroat Island $137,346,554 1995
4 Mars Needs Moms $136,816,444 2011
5 The Adventures of Pluto Nash $126,461,993 2002
6 The Fall of the Roman Empire $126,417,784 1964
7 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within $125,776,050 2001
8 The Lone Ranger $95,926,537—121,237,251 2013
9 Sahara $121,194,169 2005
10 Heaven’s Gate $120,953,664 1980

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #confessionnight #NationalBestFriendsDay #MondayMotivation
2 #NationalBestFriendsDay #WorldOceansDay #WorldOceansDay
3 PREP #WWDC15 #CarersWeek
4 #BuSeçiminSonucu #MondayMotivation Kate Moss
5 #TonyAwards #USWNT Sol Campbell
6 El FMI #DADDYDALLASLAX #McKinney
7 #WWDC15 Alex Morgan #NationalBestFriendsDay
8 #اين_كنت_الساع�… #HAPPYBIRTHDAYMAMAWHITESIDES #WWDC15
9 #BuenLunes #confessionnight #confessionnight
10 iOS 9 #YoureNotInvitedBecause Ten Walls

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Arts and culture
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Health
Law and crime

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July 6, 2015

Top News Stories –

Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro held at gunpoint for second time in year as robbers steal his car –
Armed thieves carjacked Rio de Janeiro’s archbishop, making off with his car and briefly holding the driver hostage in the 2016 Olympic host city’s latest brazen act of street crime. Archbishop Orani Tempesta was returning home with two Italian friends late on Sunday after celebrating Mass when his car was attacked in northern Rio, police and the archbishop’s office said on Monday. [Daily Telegraph]

Rory McIlroy sustains major ankle injury in build-up to Open –
World number one and defending champion Rory McIlroy is a doubt for the Open after totally rupturing an ankle ligament playing football with friends. The 2015 Open begins in nine days’ time at St Andrews in Scotland. McIlroy, 26, wrote on Instagram: “Total rupture of left ATFL (ankle ligament) and associated joint capsule damage in a soccer kickabout with friends. “Continuing to assess extent of injury and treatment plan day by day. Rehab already started.” [BBC]
Rory-McIlroy/Instagram
Rory-McIlroy/InstagramRory McIlroy Instagram

Astronomers discover ‘monster black holes’ –
Five monster black holes that were previously hidden by dust and gas have been uncovered by astronomers. The British-led discovery suggests there may be millions more “supermassive” black holes in the universe than were previously thought. Supermassive black holes are powerful cosmic “drains” sucking material into a point of infinite density formed from the compressed mass of hundreds of thousands to billions of suns. High energy X-rays emitted from around the newly identified black holes revealed their presence at the centre of five galaxies. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Elsewhere from Stefaan De Croock on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #ConEsteFrioYo #mondaymotivation #MondayMotivation
2 #FelizLunes #HappyBirthdayAshton Hope Solo
3 東京女子大学篠崎��… #RipRosalind #InternationalKissingDay
4 #HojeÉoDiaDoBeijoEEu #NationalFriedChickenDay Carli Lloyd
5 #HappyBirthdayAshton #musicmonday #USAvJPN
6 Hope Solo Bill Cosby #HappyBirthdayAshton
7 飼育難易度 Frank Ocean Yanis Varoufakis
8 #QuieroYa Rory McIlroy Alex Morgan
9 Alex Morgan #WeekendRegretsIn5Words #iofnfc
10 #お前らしくないツ�… Kourtney and Scott Kourtney and Scott

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Disasters and accidents
International relations
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Sports

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