Tag Archives: Australia

January 7, 2010

Top Stories –
Not like clockwork –
A Swiss millionaire is given a record speeding fine of $290,000 (£180,000) after he caught driving a red Ferrari at 137km/h (85mph) through a village. The penalty based on the unnamed motorist’s wealth – assessed by the court as $22.7m (£14.1m) – and because he was a repeat offender.

New Brand for Perry –
It’s revealed that Russell Brand and Katy Perry got engaged when on holiday in India.
Katy_Perry_and_Russell_BrandKaty Perry and Russell Brand

Top Video –
Making a designer font using a car

iQ font – When driving becomes writing / Full making of from Tom Galle on Vimeo.

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January 18, 2010

Top Stories –
Baa-urp – pardon me –
Scientists in Australia trying to create a new way to tackle greenhouse gases – the burp-free sheep. The Australian Sheep Co-operative Research Centre is conducting experiments with 700 sheep from 20 different genetic lines.

Pretty tough woman –
The University of California interviewed 156 female students to gauge their temperament and how they handled conflict and found women who rated themselves as pretty displayed a “war-like” streak when fighting battles to get their own way.
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January 23, 2010

Top Story –
Bad lip syncing –
Two Chinese pop singers face fines of up to $12,000 (£7,400) for allegedly miming at a concert. Miming was banned in China after a girl was revealed to have lip-synced at the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

Top Video –
Birds on the Wires

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.
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February 3, 2010

Top News Stories –

Mel Gibson swears at television reporter –
Mel Gibson swore at a television reporter who questioned him about his controversial past, referring to him as an ——–. The actor and director snapped while being interviewed on Chicago-based station WGN about his alcohol addiction and anti-Semitic rant towards a police officers four years ago. Gibson, 54, aimed his comment at entertainment reporter Dean Richards, thinking that his microphone had been switched off. [Daily Telegraph]
Mel-GibsonMel Gibson

James Cracknell and Ben Fogle to cross Australia on foot –
James Cracknell and Ben Fogle are to embark on their latest risky adventure, retracing a Victorian expedition to cross Australia which ended in death. After rowing the Atlantic and walking to the South Pole, this time they are planning on walking 4,000 miles across the heart of Australia in the height of summer. They will be following in the footsteps of Irishman Robert Burke and Englishman William Wills, who set out in August 1860 to cross from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north. The pair made the 2,000 mile south-north leg across what was called the “ghastly blank” without too much trouble, heading an entourage that comprised 19 men, 23 horses, 26 camels and 12 tons of equipment, which included four enema kits and 12 dandruff brushes. But on the way back they perished as their support team deserted them. [Daily Telegraph]
Ben-Fogle-James-CracknellBen Fogle and James Cracknell just before the start of the Atlantic Rowing Race 2005

Video of the Day –

MK12 // Swiss International Air: LX Forty English from MK12 on Vimeo.

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February 6, 2010

Top News Stories –

UN to discuss Air Traffic Control for outer space –
An international air traffic control for outer space should be set up to prevent damage to satellites and spacecraft orbiting the Earth, according to proposal to be discussed at the United Nations next week. There are thought to be more than 19,000 pieces of debris larger than 4 inches across racing around the Earth at high speeds, while there are more than 500,000 bigger than a postage stamp. The number of particles smaller than this are thought to exceed tens of millions. Despite their relatively small size, most are travelling faster than 15,600mph and at these speeds a fleck of paint could do as much damage as a .22-calibre rifle bullet. [Daily Telegraph]

Treo the dog awarded animal VC –
A heroic military dog is to be honoured with the animal version of the Victoria Cross. Treo, an eight-year-old black Labrador, saved countless lives in Afghanistan last year by locating hidden roadside bombs. The search dog twice saved soldiers and civilians from catastrophe while out on patrol in Helmand province by sniffing out explosives which had been wired together in a daisy chain and hidden in the path. The medal was created by leading veterinary charity the PDSA and is recognised as the highest award an animal can receive for conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving in military conflict. (See List of the Day for human honours) [Daily Telegraph]

Cat owners ‘more educated than dog owners’ –
Cats have long been thought to be cleverer than dogs – and now it seems the same is true of their owners. People with cats are more likely to have university degrees than those with dogs, according to a scientific survey of pet ownership. The study also revealed that the combined cat and dog population of Britain is more than 20.8 million – 50 per cent higher than previously thought. Researchers at the University of Bristol say that the superior intelligence of cat owners is unlikely to be caused by their exposure to the famously cunning and selfish pets. Rather, more educated people tend to work longer hours and choose a pet to fit their lifestyles. Unlike dogs, cats require no walking and can manage with little human company.[Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

flight patterns from Charlie McCarthy on Vimeo.

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February 12, 2010

Top News Stories –

Australians puzzled as Queen reclaims ‘head of state’ title –
Buckingham Palace has raised eyebrows in Australia by referring to the Queen as the country’s “head of state” in an apparent break in convention. The title is usually given to the Australian Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, while the Queen is considered the country’s sovereign.
The difference is significant as the emerging role of the Governor-General has often been cited by pro-monarchists as evidence Australia does not need to become a republic. The trigger for the confusion was an announcement by Buckingham Palace that the Queen would be addressing the UN General Assembly in July. It arrived in a cable written by Gary Quinlan, Australia’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, headed: “United Nations: General Assembly – Address by Australian Head of State.” [Daily Telegraph]
Queen-Elizabeth-IIHer Majesty the Queen

Camera dropped in the ocean is returned by fisherman 18 months later –
A woman is to be reunited with a camera her husband dropped off the edge of the QM2 cruise ship after a fisherman caught it in his net and put the photographs online. Barbara and Dennis Gregory, 65, from Johannesburg, South Africa, thought they would never see the Nikon P90 again after it fell into the ocean en-route from New York to Southampton in 2008. But 16 months later Benito Estevez, a fisherman from Spain, found the camera in his nets with the photos still intact on the memory card. He decided to trace the owners and posted five pictures online which showed Mrs Gregory posing on the deck of the ship and her husband wearing a woolly tourist hat from Oxford. The story was picked up by the British media and Laura De Klein, a friend of the couple who lives in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, recognised them and got in touch. [Daily Telegraph]

Chilean mint spells country’s name wrong on coins –
The general manager of the Chilean mint has been fired after thousands of coins were issued bearing a howling error. On the 2008 batch of 50 peso coins, which are worth about 6p, the country’s name was misspelt. Instead of C-H-I-L-E, the coins had C-H-I-I-E stamped on them, the BBC reports.
If that wasn’t bad enough, no one noticed the spelling mistake until late 2009. The coins have since become collectors’ items and the mint says it has no plans to take them out of circulation. Locals have even been hoarding the coins in the hope they will rise in value. However, the mistake has cost the mint’s general manager, Gregorio Iniguez, and several other employees, their jobs. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Colorama – Makeover from UPPER FIRST on Vimeo.

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January 13th 2012

Cruise ship runs aground and capsizes –
A 290m (950ft) long cruise ship, the Costa Concordia with about 4,000 passengers and crew on board runs aground and capsizes near the island of Giglio off the coast of Italy. Passengers were enjoying their first dinner on board after leaving Civitavecchia port near Rome for a Mediterranean cruise. Early reports are of 8 people being lost but helicopters are still evacuating people.
Collision of Costa Concordia 11 The Costa Concordia

Warner hits 5th fastest test century –
Australian left-hander batsman David Warner hits the 5th fastest test century in the first day of the test against India. He reached his second test century in just 69 balls. Faster test centuries are:
Viv Richards, West Indies v England, St John’s 1986 – 56 balls
Adam Gilchrist, Australia v England, Perth 2006 – 57 balls
Jack Gregory, Australia v South Africa, Johannesburg 1921 -67 balls
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, West Indies v Australia, Georgetown 2003 – 69 balls
David Warner, Australia v India, Perth 2012 – 69 balls
Warner_playing_for_AustraliaDavid Warner
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December 9, 2014

Top News Stories –

Glitch grounds UK flights –
A major glitch in the UK air-traffic controllers system has affected flights in and out of nearly all of Britain’s airports including 89 flights cancelled at Heathrow. National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said a technical fault in the flight data system at its Swanwick centre caused the problem.
Heathrow_T5Heathrow Terminal 5

Amazon beefs up Prime
Amazon Prime launches 4K (UHD) streaming for its Amazon Prime service following Netflix into the 4K market.
Amazon.com-Logo.svg

Oz helping out Global Warming issues
Prime Minister Tony Abbott says Australia will contribute A$200 million over four years into a U.N. fund to help poor nations cope with global warming.
Australian_Prime_Minister_Tony_Abbott_and_Indian_Prime_Minister_Narendra_Modi_in_India Tony Abbott with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi

In the club (sandwich)
The British Sandwich Association has named chicken and bacon has been named the nation’s favourite sandwich filling – overtaking the BLT. (See List of the day)
Club-sandwichA chicken and bacon sandwich aka a club sandwich

Video of the Day –

Moment Abroad from Andrew Walker on Vimeo.

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December 16, 2014

Top News Stories –

Sydney siege ends –
The siege in the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Sydney is ended by Australian troops storming the building. The gunman, Man Haron Monis, and two of his hostages are killed.

Christmas back on in Delhi –
Delhi University has reversed the decision to rename Christmas Day ‘Good Governance Day’ by organising seminars and competitions on oratory.
But now, after a mass of complaints, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has asked colleges to organise the function without disturbing Christmas Day celebrations.

Unethical appeal –
FIFA ethics investigator Michael Garcia has lost his appeal against a statement by ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert on his report into bidding for the World Cups had contained “numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions”. The appeal has been declared inadmissible by FIFA’s appeals committee, who said Eckert’s statement was not a legally-binding decision and therefore could not be appealed against.

Video of the Day –

SURFING @ 1000 FRAMES PER SECOND from Chris Bryan on Vimeo.

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January 9, 2015

Top News Stories –

Paris gunmen killed after 2 sieges –
The 2 gunmen who carried out the Charlie Hebdo massacre on January 7th 2015 have been killed by French police after a brief siege at a warehouse in Dammartin-en-Goele, 35km (22 miles) north of Paris. Brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi were shot dead as they came out of a warehouse building firing at police. Two officers were injured. Simultaneously, Amedy Coulibaly, the man who killed a policewoman on 7th January, was shot dead at a kosher supermarket in Paris after he had killed 4 hostages – 15 hostages were rescued. Coulibaly knew one of the brothers and their respective partners had spoken on the phone more than 500 times. A total of 17 people plus the 3 gunmen have died in the 3 days.

Brand and Rascal to be studied –
The exam board Oxford, Cambridge and Royal Society of Arts (OCR) plan to include evidence given by Russell Brand to a Commons select committee inquiring into drugs and an interview between Dizzee Rascal and Newsnight’s Jeremy Paxman as part of the English A-level syllabus as from this September. The plans have been approved by exams regulator Ofqual amongst 37 new specifications for GCSEs and A-levels put forward by the exam board.
13-06-09 RaR Dizzee Rascal 10Dizzee Rascal

AirAsia tail section recovered –
The tail section of AirAsia flight QZ8501 that crashed while flying from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore has been recovered from the seabed using inflatable devices. Although the flight recorders are positioned in the tail it appears that the “black boxes” have been separated from it and the search continues.
The Indonesian navy has retrieved from the seabed the tail of the AirAsia plane that crashed two weeks ago.

Lucky he was a Dolphin –
Former Miami Dolphins running back Rob Konrad swam nine miles to shore after falling off his boat while fishing and his boat, which was on auto pilot, drifted away from him off the South Florida coast. Konrad, who played 82 games for the Dolphins between 1999-2004, was treated for hypothermia after it took 12 hours to swim to shore.

Saturn centre pinpointed –
Scientists have located the centre of the planet Saturn to within just 2 miles using ten antennae, known as the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), spread over an area from Hawaii to the Virgin Islands. The antenna assembly uses signals sent by the Cassini probe to monitor the position of the gas giant. Previously estimates of the positions of Saturn and its satellites used data received by tracking Cassini’s radio signal during its communications with Earth but the new calculations are about 20 times more accurate.
Saturn PIA06077

Video of the Day –

Horsepower –

Horsepower | Brett Rheeder from Mind Spark Cinema on Vimeo.

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January 10, 2015

Top News Stories –

France remembers gunmens’ victims –
Nearly a quarter of a million people held marches in France on Saturday to condemn the attacks by extremist gunmen on France that took place on Wednesday 7th January 2015 killing 17 people including 12 at the offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo. Large crowds gathered in Paris, Orleans, Nice, Pau, Toulouse and Nantes, with people holding banners that read “I am against racism”, “unity”, or “Je suis Charlie” – the latter a reference to the magazine.

#JeSuisCharlie top hashtag –
#JeSuisCharlie has become one of the most popular hashtags ever used on Twitter with between 4 and 5 millions tweets containing the phrase in 4 days.
Je suis Charlie

Dart attack –
Rioting fans in fancy dress brawled and threw chairs and tables, stopping play at an Australian darts competition. Dutchman Michael ‘Mighty Mike’ van Gerwen was playing Australia’s Simon ‘The Wizard’ Whitlock in an invitational tournament at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne when chaos broke out. Images show a man dressed as Batman’s sidekick Robin wrestling with an English knight, while security guards try to calm the situation down.
Simon Whitlock

Video of the Day –

Gold and Grey from Kyle Camarillo on Vimeo.

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January 18, 2015

Top News Stories –

Pope takes Mass with 6 million people –
Pope Francis finishes his tour of the Philippines giving Mass in front of an estimated 6 million people in Rizal Park in the capital Manila. This appears to be a record attendance for a papal event eclipsing the 5 million who saw Pope John Paul II in Manila in 1995.
Pope Francis Korea Haemi Castle 19 (cropped)

AB de Villers gets fastest ODI ton –
A new record for the fastest 100 in a one-day international (ODI) by South Africa batsman AB de Villiers who hit a century off 31 balls during an innings of 149 against the West Indies in Johannesburg. Including 8 fours and 10 sixes to beat the previous ODI record of 36 balls by New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson against West Indies on January 1st 2015 but doesn’t match Chris Gayle’s 100 from 30 balls in the Indian Premier League on April 23rd 2013. See List of the Day below.
AB de Villiers 2

Vonn’s record causes Tiger to lose a tooth –
American skier Lindsey Vonn (@lindseyvonn) has won her 63rd World Cup downhill title with a win in the super-G race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy overtaking the record set by Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell over 35 years ago. Vonn’s boyfriend is golfer Tiger Woods who surprised her by being at the podium after the event. In the media scrum to get pictures of the skier a hand-held camera knocked out one of Wood’s front teeth. She celebrated with this tweet:
copyright @lindseyvonn
Lindsey Vonn CULindsey Vonn

Video of the Day –

Wetness from The Coastal Crew on Vimeo.

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January 20, 2015

Top News Stories –

Flight QZ8501 crash possibly caused by climbing too fast –
Initial investigations believe the reason for the AirAsia QZ8501 airline crash on December 28th 2014 was because it climbed too quickly to avoid bad weather. Data collected from the “black boxes” show that the plane climbed at over 4,000 feet per minute which might have cause it to stall.

Powerful waves –
The 64-meter wide Parkes radio telescope in New South Wales, Australia has picked up a “short, sharp flash” of radio waves from a mysterious source up to 5.5 billion light years from Earth which places the source outside the galaxy. Astronomers have yet to come up with an explanation for the radio waves.

Flagging civil rights –
The Chinese version of WhatsApp called WeChat accidently sent US flag icons over the screen if the key words “civil rights” were entered. The company behind the app, Tencent, blamed the effect on a technical glitch.

Rapper AK Canserbero murder/suicide –
Venezuelan singer songwriter Tirone González known as rapper AK Canserbero has been found dead after jumping from the 10th floor of a building in Maracay he was 26. It appears he had stabbed to death Carlos Monar, the bass player of another band before committing suicide.

Video of the Day –

A FISTFUL OF WOLVES – MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK BERLIN from Danny Sangra on Vimeo.

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February 10, 2015

Top News Stories –

Homocide of young muslims in US ignored by press –
Three young American muslims are shot and killed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US by a lone gunman but there is very little coverage in the local or national press, causing a reaction on social media with #ChapelHillShooting trending worldwide. The dead are Deah Barakat (aged 23), his wife Yusor Abu-Salha (21), and her sister Razan Abu-Salha (19). A man suspected of the shooting is arrested.

Premier League TV rights go for £5.136 BILLION!!!
The right to show live English Premier League (EPL) matches in the UK for three years starting in 2016 is shared between Sky TV and BT Sport. Sky have bid £4.176bn to keep the maximum possible number of matches – 126 – almost double the £2.28bn it paid two-and-a-half years ago. BT Sport bid £960 million for 42 games (after paying £897m for Champions League rights in 2014). The average cost of a televised game is £10.2 million. Sky have satellite boxes in over 10 million UK homes.
Pellegrini-Prem-TrophyManuel Pellegrini with the Barclay’s Premier League trophy

R&A reveals first women members –
The first seven female members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club are announced. Princess Anne receives an honorary membership despite her well known dislike of the game, while former golfing champions Laura Davies, Swede Annika Sörenstam, Americans Louise Suggs and Renee Powell, France’s Lally Segard and Scotland’s Belle Robertson make up the exclusive club. For 260 years the Royal and Ancient golf club also known as St Andrews has not accepted female members, but this was overturned on September 18th 2014.
Annika_Sorenstam_tee_shotAnnika Sörenstam

Mugabe punishes bodyguards for his slip-up –
The Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe allegedly suspends 27 bodyguards after they failed to stop him falling down steps at the country’s Harare airport last week. The 90-year-old was apparently unhurt physically but upset by the media humiliation.
Robert-Mugabe-2008President Robert Mugabe

Video of the Day –

Pharrell Williams performing “Happy” at yesterday’s Grammy Awards show

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February 11, 2015

Top News Stories –

Costa Concordia captain convicted of manslaughter –
The captain of the Costa Cordordia cruise ship that ran aground and capsized on January 13th 2012 off the island of Giglio has been convicted of manslaughter and given a 16-year jail sentance. Francesco Schettino was accused of taking the ship too close to the shore to impress his lover, Domnica Cemortan, who was with him at the helm. He then abandoned the ship with passengers and crew still on board. 32 people died in the accident but Costa Crociere, the company that owned the ship, avoided possible criminal charges by agreeing to pay a $1.3m (€1.1m; £860,000) fine in 2013.
Collision_of_Costa_ConcordiaThe Costa Concordia after the accident

Korean Air nut rage ends with jail sentence –
A South Korean court finds Cho Hyun-ah (aka Heather Cho) a former executive of Korean Air guilty of breaking aviation law. She forced her Seoul-bound plane to turn back to the gate at JFK airport in New York and offload a steward because she did not like the way she had been served nuts. Cho, the daughter of Korean Air president, was found guilty of obstructing aviation safety and jailed for one year, much less than the possible maximum sentence of 10-years.

Smoking in private cars with child passengers banned in England –
The British government votes 342 to 74 to ban smoking in cars when there are children in the vehicle in England and Wales, but doesn’t apply to convertibles with the roof down. Anyone stopped for breaking the law can be fined £50 on the spot when it becomes law in October 2015 but Scotland is not included. Bans on smoking in cars when children are present already exist in some US states as well as in parts of Canada and Australia.

Video of the Day –

Raising the Costa Concordia: A Time Lapse

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February 23, 2015

Top News Stories –

These things only happen in movies… or maybe in movie theatres –
A projectionist at MetroLux 14 theater in Loveland, Colorado mixed up the films at an 11:45am screening of the latest SpongeBob Squarepants and instead put on Fifty Shades of Grey. Instead of seeing SpongeBob and his pals try to save a secret hamburger recipe, they had the opening scenes of the erotic R-rated film. After the mix-up was noticed, the screen went blank and kids’ movie trailers started showing until the right film was found.

Video of the Day –


¡MONSTRO! from Chris Romano on Vimeo.
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March 2, 2015

Top News Stories –

Bill Gates still the richest man in the world –

Bill Gates has been declared the richest man in the world for the 16th time by Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of global billionaires. The Microsoft founder once again beat Mexican businessman Carlos Slim to the top spot. Mr Gates’ net worth rose by just over $3bn (£1.94bn) in the year to 13 February, to $79bn. There are a record 1,826 billionaires in the world, Forbes said, an increase of 181 in the past 12 months. See list below. [BBC]

Bill-Gates
New image for Queen on coins of the realm –
A new portrait of the Queen to appear on coins has been unveiled, but it might be some time before the new money starts appearing in people’s wallets. The effigy, designed by Jody Clark, is only the fifth definitive coin portrait to have been created during the Queen’s reign and the first since 1998.

The new coin

The new portrait is revealed at a ceremony in London’s National Portrait Gallery. Coins carrying the design will now begin being struck, the Royal Mint said.  [Daily Telegraph]
New Zealanders confiscating bad drivers keys –
Police are urging motorists not to take matters into their own hands, following the latest removal of car keys from drivers allegedly driving dangerously. While police are encouraging the use of *555 calls, the growing trend of motorists confronting bad drivers and removing keys is on the rise nationally – almost one a day during the past week. [New Zealand Herald]

Video of the Day –

Science explains the colour of “that dress”

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March 18, 2015

Top News Stories –

30 Years of Neighbours –

On 18 March 1985, Neighbours was first broadcast in Australia. Thirty years on it’s still going strong and broadcast to more than 50 countries around the world.
Kylie-Minogue Kylie Minogue

Boris’ Dad bets on him being next PM –
Boris Johnson’s father has bet £20 on his son becoming the next prime minister. Stanley Johnson, 74, said his son is the “best man for the job” and predicted he would beat other rivals to become the next Tory leader. Bookies would have to pay out if the London Mayor entered Number 10 after Mr Cameron steps doing – potentially as early as 2017 – following an election victory next May. “Next Prime Minster After Cameron. Boris Johnson. 5/1,” read the betting slip seen by The Sun. [Daily Telegraph]
Boris_Johnson_FT_2013Boris Johnson

Video of the Day –

Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite.

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March 21, 2015

Top News Stories –

Australia unveils 35-year plan to save Great Barrier Reef –
Australia has released a long-term blueprint to try to stem the decline of the Great Barrier Reef following warnings that the famous 1,500-mile stretch of delicate coral reefs could be wiped out by extreme weather and pollution. The 35-year plan is designed to improve the poor water quality and prevent the loss of coral cover in the area, which received a world heritage listing in 1981 and is regularly listed as one of the seven wonders of the natural world. But the area’s deterioration has worried scientists and led to warnings by the United Nations heritage body that it may downgrade the reef’s heritage status to “in danger”. [Daily Telegraph]

Photoshop disaster over a disappearing umbrella in Burma –
Ridicule is raining down on government spin doctors in Burma after they released a publicity shot of a top government minister in which an umbrella had been photoshopped out but a telling shadow gave away their dastardly intervention. The picture is question showed Su Su Hlaing, the country’s deputy minister, disembarking from a plane on Tuesday afternoon at Kaw Thaung airport in the country’s south. It was posted on the Ministry of Information’s official Facebook page in an apparent attempt to boost the minister’s profile. However, internet users almost immediately spotted a glaring mistake. An umbrella-shaped shadow around the minister’s toes suggested she had been standing in the shade of a parasol, yet there was no parasol to be seen in the photograph. The reason for the deletion of an apparently harmless umbrella was not immediately clear. However, the most likely explanation was that a man shielding a woman with his umbrella was something “considered embarrassing for the former in male-dominated Burmese culture,” the The Irrawaddy website speculated. [Daily Telegraph]
copyright ‏@JonahFisherBBC Twitter ‏@JonahFisherBBC

Six Nations 2015: Ireland title glory delights coach Joe Schmidt –
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said he is “delighted and relieved” after his side retained the Six Nations title. A 40-10 win over Scotland gave Ireland the title on points difference ahead of England and Wales on a thrilling final day of the championship. Wales briefly led the Six Nations standings after hammering Italy 60-21 in Rome, resulting in Ireland needing to defeat the Scots by 21 points to go top. England required a 26-point winning margin over France to deny the Irish back-to-back titles for the first time since 1949, but they came up just short in a 55-35 victory to complete a dramatic triple-bill of action. See List of the Day. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron – TV Spot 2

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March 29, 2015

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Cricket World Cup 2015: Australia crush New Zealand in final –
Australia overwhelmed New Zealand to win the World Cup for a fifth time at an ecstatic Melbourne Cricket Ground. New Zealand lost influential captain Brendon McCullum to the fifth ball of the match and were bowled out for 183. Grant Elliott resisted with 83, while Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner shared eight wickets. Australia rarely looked troubled, sealing a seven-wicket win in 33.1 overs, with captain Michael Clarke scoring 74 and Steve Smith 56 not out. [BBC]

Jess Glynne scores UK number one –
Jess Glynne has topped the UK singles chart for the first time as a solo artist with her track Hold My Hand. The 25-year-old Londoner got two number ones last year as a guest vocalist on Clean Bandit’s Rather Be and Route 94’s My Love. “To get a number one in my own name is one of the most insane feelings,” she said. The singer outsold her nearest rival, James Bay’s Hold Back the River, by 40,000 copies. (See video of the day) [BBC]

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel beats Lewis Hamilton to shock Malaysia win –
Sebastian Vettel took a sensational maiden victory for Ferrari as he won a straight fight with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Vettel, who joined Ferrari this year as Fernando Alonso’s replacement, won a strategic battle as Mercedes struggled with tyres in the tropical heat. Hamilton’s team-mate Nico Rosberg was third from Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who fought back from an early puncture. [BBC]
Sebastian_VettelSebastian Vettel

Video of the Day –

Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand

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April 6, 2015

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Mieko Nagaoka: 100-year-old Japanese swimmer sets 1,500m record –
A Japanese woman has become the first 100-year-old to complete a 1,500m freestyle swim in a 25m pool. Mieko Nagaoka, who only took up swimming at the age of 82, already holds the record in her age category for the same distance in a 50m pool. She completed the latest feat in just over one hour and 15 minutes, using backstroke all the way. She was the only person taking part in her age range – 100 to 104 – at the competition in Matsuyama on Saturday. Nagaoka already dominates the world record board for her age group, as awarded by the international swimming federation (Fina), holding 24 titles over both short and long distances. [BBC]

Smartphones could be charged in 60 seconds with new battery –
An iPhone 6 takes around two hours to charge but could be full of power in a minute if fitted with a new aluminium battery. Smartphones could be charged in less than one minute after scientists at Stanford University invented an aluminium battery so powerful it could revolutionise the industry. The new rechargeable battery can go from flat to full in a fraction of the time it currently takes to pull in enough electricity to fully charge a phone, laptop or tablet. While an iPhone 6 takes around two hours to fully charge its in-built battery, if it was fitted with the aluminium power source it would be completely topped up in around 60 seconds. And it will keep going for more than seven times as long as a lithium-ion battery. A traditional battery can be recharged around 1,000 times, while the new one can withstand 7,500 cycles. [Daily Telegraph]

Biggest American Indian tribe in US introduces country’s first junk food tax –
As diabetes and obesity spiral out of control on their vast reservation, Navajo Nation harks back to a healthier time and starts taxing Spam and crisps. In times gone by, Navajo Indians ate whatever mother nature was generous enough to bestow, their existence intimately and spiritually bound up with the land on which they lived. Their food would have been the envy of any modern dietitian as they foraged for pinyon nuts and wild potato, and nibbled on sumac berries, yucca fruit, prickly pears and beeweed greens. Today, life is very different in the Navajo Nation, the largest American Indian reservation in America, which covers an area of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah that is the size of Scotland and has a tribal population of 300,000. The modern Navajo, who prefer to be called the Diné, are facing an intensifying health crisis fuelled by a complete transition to a diet based largely on fried potatoes, tortillas, cookies, crisps, sugary drinks and Spam. [Daily Telegraph]

[Daily Telegraph]

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April 9, 2015

Top News Stories –

Milan court shooting: Man kills lawyer, judge and co-defendant –
A gunman has killed three people in a shooting spree at the Palace of Justice in Milan in northern Italy. The suspect, Claudio Giardiello, was arrested in a suburb after fleeing the scene on a motorbike. He was reportedly a defendant in a bankruptcy case. He is believed to have shot dead a co-defendant, his former lawyer and a bankruptcy court judge. The newspaper La Repubblica, quoting officials and witnesses, said that the gunman had been attending a bankruptcy hearing when a fight broke out inside the third floor courtroom. He pulled out a weapon and shot the lawyer, named as Lorenzo Alberto Claris Appiani, as well as one of his co-defendants, named as Giorgio Erba. According to La Repubblica, Mr Appiani was a former lawyer for Mr Giardiello who was acting as a witness in the case. The gunman then left the courtroom and headed to the office of appeals court judge, Fernando Ciampi, shooting him dead. It is not known if the gunman had any links to the judge. [BBC]

Taylor Swift’s mum has cancer –
Taylor Swift has told her fans news about her mother no daughter ever wants to hear. “The results came in, and I’m saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer,” she posted on her Tumblr page. The music industry’s best-selling star said she asked her mother, Andrea Finlay, to get screened for potential health issues as a Christmas present last year, “just to ease some worries of mine.” “There were no red flags and she felt perfectly fine, but she did it just to get me and my brother off her case about it,” Swift wrote. While the 25-year-old intends to keep her mother’s exact diagnosis and condition private, she said Finlay wanted to talk publicly to encourage others to get tested. [Daily Mail] #PrayForMamaSwift becomes one of the top trending hashtags of the day. (See Top Twitter Trends)
Taylor-Swift

Richie Benaud: Australia cricket legend & commentator dies at 84 –
Former Australia captain and legendary cricket commentator Richie Benaud has died at the age of 84. A pioneering leg-spin bowler, Benaud played in 63 Tests, 28 as captain, before retiring in 1964 to pursue a career in journalism and broadcasting. His final commentary in England came during the 2005 Ashes series but he continued to work for Channel Nine in Australia until 2013. [BBC]

Google ‘looking at buying Twitter’ –
More than $1.5bn (£1bn) was added to the value of Twitter following reports Google could launch a bid for the social network. Shares in Twitter jumped 4.8pc on reports the US company had hired Goldman Sachs as an adviser to fend off approaches. Two companies are believed to have contacted Twitter with “serious” interest, according to Briefing.com, with Google identified as one of those firms. Twitter, which allows its users to post short messages online, has a market capitalisation of more than $34bn. Despite being less than 10 years old, the company has 288m monthly active users. Google launched its own social network, Google+, in 2011, but despite racking up around 300m monthly active users, it has struggled against rivals such as Twitter and Facebook. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Museum of Energy Mechanical Surface A/V Performance_santralistanbul 100th Anniversary from Ouchhh on Vimeo.

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May 4, 2015

May the Fourth (be with you) – see Video of the Day

Top News Stories –

Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Daughter’s Name Revealed – Charlotte Elizabeth Diana Windsor –
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced the name of their new bundle of joy. Just two days after the birth of the fourth in line to the British royal throne, Kate Middleton and Prince William revealed the following piece of adorable baby news:
Kensington Palace name tweet
And how should you officially great [sic] the new princess, should you ever be so lucky to meet her in person? [Celebuzz]
Kensington Palace name tweet 2

World Snooker Championship: Bingham beats Murphy 18-15 –
Stuart Bingham beat Shaun Murphy 18-15 in a gripping final at the Crucible to win his first World Championship. Bingham began the final session with a 14-11 lead and won an epic 64-minute frame at 15-15 to close in on victory. The 38-year-old made a break of 65 to go 17-15 in front and clinched the title with a brilliant 88. Bingham, from Basildon, becomes the oldest snooker world champion since Welshman Ray Reardon won the title aged 45 in 1978. [BBC] (See List of the Day)
Stuart-BinghamStuart Bingham

Video of the Day –

Giant Star Wars LEGO Super Star Destroyer Shattered at 1000 fps | Battle Damage

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May 26, 2015

Top News Stories –

Best photobomb ever? Seagull steals the show from Red Arrows display team –
An image that shows the latest addition to the world famous Red Arrows is a seagull has become an Internet hit. The amazing moment was captured by first year photography student Jade Coxon,18, as she took pictures at the Llandudno Air Show on 23 May. And, since posting the stunning snap online on Sunday, Jade is over the moon to have got more than 1 million views. The crisp pic clearly shows eight of the Red Arrows in tight formation trailing their famous vapour. But then where the ninth plane should be there is an intrepid seagull holding the formation in place and, amazingly, with his own vapour trail. [Daily Telegraph]
Red-Arrows-and-seagull Photo: SWNS GroupRed-Arrows-and-seagull (Photo – SWNS Group)

Taylor Swift enters Forbes 100 most powerful women list –
The 25 year old singer and songwriter has become the youngest woman ever to be included on the Forbes list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.
She’s included at number 64 in the list released on Tuesday because, Forbes says, she ‘has not only broken record sales and captivated the world with her fantastically honest lyrics, but she has proven herself as an impressive businesswoman.’ [Daily Mail] See List of the Day
Taylor-Swift Taylor Swift

The Charlie Charlie Challenge – what is the spooky craze? –
A strange new game is taking over Twitter, fuelled by speculation that its players can connect with a dead Mexican spirit known as Charlie. The Charlie Charlie Challenge has been played by thousands of young people after a number of videos purported to show supernatural goings-on. The game entails placing two pencils on a piece of paper in the shape of the cross with the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Participants then repeat the phrase “Charlie, Charlie can we play?” in order to connect with the demon. If Charlie is there the pencils will move to indicate his answer. [Daily Telegraph] See Top Twitter Trends 25 May 2015

Video of the Day –

Are You Consuming Your Coffee Correctly?

List of the day –

Forbes Magazine 100 Most Powerful Women in the World 2015 [Forbes]

Rank Name Age Country Category
#1 Angela Merkel 60 Germany Politics
#2 Hillary Clinton 67 United States Politics
#3 Melinda Gates 50 United States Philanthropy/NGO
#4 Janet Yellen 68 United States Finance
#5 Mary Barra 53 United States Automotive
#6 Christine Lagarde 59 France Philanthropy/NGO
#7 Dilma Rousseff 67 Brazil Politics
#8 Sheryl Sandberg 45 United States Technology
#9 Susan Wojcicki 46 United States Technology
#10 Michelle Obama 51 United States Politics
#11 Park Geun-hye 63 South Korea Politics
#12 Oprah Winfrey 61 United States Media
#13 Ginni Rometty 57 United States Technology
#14 Meg Whitman 58 United States Technology
#15 Indra Nooyi 59 United States Business
#16 Cristina Fernández de Kirchner 62 Argentina Politics
#17 Irene Rosenfeld 62 United States Business
#18 Ana Patricia Botín 54 Spain Finance
#19 Abigail Johnson 53 United States Investments
#20 Marillyn Hewson 61 United States Manufacturing
#21 Beyoncé Knowles 33 United States Celebrity
#22 Marissa Mayer 39 United States Technology
#23 Helen Clark 65 New Zealand Philanthropy/NGO
#24 Safra Catz 53 United States Technology
#25 Angela Ahrendts 54 United States Technology
#26 Ellen Kullman 59 United States Business
#27 Michelle Bachelet 63 Chile Politics
#28 Anna Wintour 65 United States Media
#29 Ursula Burns 56 United States Technology
#30 Arundhati Bhattacharya 59 India Finance
#31 Sri Mulyani Indrawati 52 Indonesia Philanthropy/NGO
#32 Ruth Porat 57 United States Technology
#33 Lucy Peng 42 China Technology
#34 Loretta Lynch 56 United States Politics
#35 Chanda Kochhar 53 India Business
#36 Federica Mogherini 41 Italy Politics
#37 Gina Rinehart 61 Australia Metals & Mining
#38 Nancy Pelosi 75 United States Politics
#39 Adena Friedman 45 United States Finance
#40 Ewa Kopacz 58 Poland Politics
#41 Queen Elizabeth II 89 United Kingdom Politics
#42 Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi 53 United Arab Emirates Politics
#43 Ho Ching 62 Singapore Business
#44 Laurene Powell Jobs 51 United States Technology
#45 Renée James 50 United States Technology
#46 Drew Gilpin Faust 67 United States Philanthropy/NGO
#47 Ertharin Cousin 58 United States Philanthropy/NGO
#48 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala 60 Nigeria Politics
#49 Samantha Power 44 United States Politics
#50 Ellen DeGeneres 57 United States Celebrity
#51 Amy Hood 43 United States Technology
#52 Bonnie Hammer 64 United States Media
#53 Mary Callahan Erdoes 47 United States Finance
#54 Angelina Jolie 39 United States Celebrity
#55 Beth Comstock 54 United States Business
#56 Phebe Novakovic 56 United States Business
#57 Sofía Vergara 42 Colombia Celebrity
#58 Donna Langley 47 United Kingdom Media
#59 Sheikh Hasina Wajed 67 Bangladesh Politics
#60 Katie Jacobs Stanton 45 United States Media
#61 Arianna Huffington 64 United States Media
#62 Margaret Chan 67 China Philanthropy/NGO
#63 Mary Jo White 67 United States Politics
#64 Taylor Swift 25 United States Celebrity
#65 Rosalind Brewer 52 United States Business
#66 Nemat (Minouche) Shafik 53 United Kingdom Politics
#67 Lubna S. Olayan 59 Saudi Arabia Business
#68 Peng Liyuan 52 China Politics
#69 Zhang Xin 49 China Business
#70 Güler Sabanci 60 Turkey Business
#71 Elvira Nabiullina 51 Russia Politics
#72 Elizabeth Holmes 31 United States Healthcare
#73 Tory Burch 48 United States Fashion and Retail
#74 Dana Walden – United States Media
#75 Diane von Furstenberg 68 United States Fashion and Retail
#76 Carol Meyrowitz 61 United States Business
#77 Mary Meeker 55 United States Technology
#78 Solina Chau 53 Hong Kong Technology
#79 Miuccia Prada 66 Italy Fashion and Retail
#80 Katharine Viner 44 United Kingdom Media
#81 Shakira Mebarak 38 Colombia Celebrity
#82 Yao Chen 35 China Celebrity
#83 Fabiola Gianotti 54 Italy Philanthropy/NGO
#84 Padmasree Warrior 54 United States Technology
#85 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw 62 India Medicine
#86 Kaci Kullmann Five 64 Norway Philanthropy/NGO
#87 Folorunsho Alakija 64 Nigeria Oil
#88 Judy Faulkner 71 United States Healthcare
#89 Patricia Harris 58 United States Philanthropy/NGO
#90 Gwynne Shotwell 51 United States Construction & Engineering
#91 Sara Blakely 44 United States Fashion and Retail
#92 Risa Lavizzo-Mourey 60 United States Philanthropy/NGO
#93 Shobhana Bhartia 58 India Media
#94 Beth Brooke-Marciniak 55 United States Business
#95 Weili Dai 53 United States Technology
#96 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf 76 Liberia Politics
#97 Raja Easa Al Gurg – United Arab Emirates Business
#98 Jenny Lee 43 Singapore Technology
#99 Greta Van Susteren 60 United States Media
#100 Lee Boo-Jin 44 South Korea Service

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 EU TE AMO HARRY Sally Ride #AlwaysInMyHeartLarry
2 #AlwaysInMyHeartLarry #houstonflood #MakeAMovieLazy
3 Brad Pitt #MakeAMovieLazy #BrandAFilm
4 #FelizMartes #MySummerin5words #ChooseDay
5 #ConEsteFrioReDa #ThickGirlAppreciationDay #BGTlive
6 #ConGanasDe Mary Ellen Mark #WelshProblemsDay
7 Leticia Sabater OTAs #GetStupid
8 #PSYAngUnangPagtingin #BadMottosToLiveBy Malcolm Bruce
9 #من_اهم_اعمالي_… Toyota Center Jony Ive
10 #MakeAMovieLazy Point Break #CharityTuesday

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June 4, 2015

Top News Stories –

Millions of US government workers hit by data breach –
Chinese hackers are suspected of carrying out a “massive breach” affecting the data of millions of US government workers, officials said. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) confirmed on Thursday that almost four million current and past employees have been affected. The breach could potentially affect every federal agency, officials said. Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said it was thought to have originated in China. The Chinese embassy in Washington warned against “jumping to conclusions”. [BBC]

Sam Smith can speak again after vocal cord operation and reschedules gigs –
Sam Smith says he can now speak again and is ready to go back on tour after his vocal cord operation. The singer posted on Instagram: “I CAN SPEAK AGAIN!!!!!!!!” with a picture of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. He also shared a photo of the doctor who helped him to reclaim his voice and publicly thanked him. Four performances that he had to postpone in April after having problems with his voice have now been announced in Australia. [BBC]
Sam-Smith-with-Doctor-Zeitels © Samsmithworld/InstagramSam Smith with Doctor Zeitels © Samsmithworld/Instagram
Sam Smith Instagram message

Tricky GCSE maths exam sees pupils take to Twitter –

A tricky GCSE maths question stumped thousands of students – but inspired them to take to Twitter to vent their anger and frustration. The equation in Thursday’s Edexcel exam was on the probability of taking two orange sweets from a bag. By the afternoon the topic was trending on Twitter and online petitions were set up calling on the board to lower the grade boundaries when marking. Edexcel’s owner Pearson said it aimed to “test the full range” of abilities. But it said it would ensure students were “treated fairly” when the papers are marked. [BBC]  See Top Twitter Trends (UK)

Video of the Day –

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Trailer 2

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #PSYAngBatasNgApi Rick Perry #EdexcelMaths
2 #MeSobranGanasDe #CheeseFilms #ProsOfDatingMe
3 #SiempreMePasaQue #PitMad #GeekPickUpLines
4 メンタルヘルス Hannah Montana #CheeseFilms
5 Rick Perry #ProsOfDatingMe #ComplimentYourselfIn4Words
6 #FelizJueves #GeekPickUpLines #OrangeFestBands
7 #KeferaNoEncontro #NBAFinals Charlotte Church
8 #SeriaRePiolaQue #HugYourCatDay Royal Mail
9 #GeekPickUpLines #DuggarInterview Skrtel
10 #شعورك_الان_بت�… Michael Ealy Chuck Blazer

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  • Officials of the ruling Syriza party in Greece say that they cannot accept a last-minute deal proposed by the country’s creditors: default deadline looms. (AP)
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Health
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Politics

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June 22, 2015

Top News Stories –

Apple Music changes policy after Taylor Swift stand –
Apple Music has reversed its payment policy, a day after the singer Taylor Swift said she was refusing to allow the company to stream her album 1989. In an open letter to Apple, Swift said she was withholding the record as she was unhappy with the three-month free trial offered to subscribers. Now Apple says it will pay artists for music streamed during trial periods. “We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple,” tweeted executive Eddy Cue. Mr Cue said he did not know if the Shake It Off singer would now make her album available on Apple Music – but he praised her for taking a stand. “When I woke up this morning and I saw Taylor’s note that she had written, it really solidified that we needed to make a change,” he told Associated Press. [BBC]
Eddie-Cue/@Cue/TwitterEddie Cue Tweet

Skinny jeans given health warning –
A 35-year-old woman had to be cut out of a pair after her calves ballooned in size, they described in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. She had spent hours squatting to empty cupboards for a house move in Australia. By evening, her feet were numb and she found it hard to walk. Doctors believe the woman developed a condition called compartment syndrome, made worse by her skinny jeans. Compartment syndrome is a painful and potentially serious condition caused by bleeding or swelling within an enclosed bundle of muscles – in this case, the calves. The condition caused the woman to trip and fall and, unable to get up, she then spent several hours lying on the ground. [BBC]

Vine’s Carter Reynolds pressures his ex for oral sex in leaked video –
An x-rated video of Vine star Carter Reynolds leaked Sunday that purportedly shows him pressuring his ex-girlfriend for oral sex, raising issues of consent and spurring Internet backlash. The video is filmed from Reynolds’ point of view, with his pants pulled down and his erect penis exposed. His ex-girlfriend, Instagram celeb Maggie Lindemann, tells him “I don’t think I can” and repeatedly stresses “I am really uncomfortable.” Reynolds tells her to “do it,” and “just pretend (the camera) isn’t there.” Lindemann eventually curls up and stops looking at the camera. It ends with Reynolds saying, “Oh my gosh, Maggie.” Lindemann is 16 years old, and Reynolds recently turned 19, leaving issues of consent and statutory rape on the table depending when and where the clip was filmed, as well as child pornography issues depending on how old Reynolds is in the video. [Daily Dot] “Carter” tops Twitter trends Worldwide –  See Top Twitter Trends below
@Carterreynolds/TwitterCarter Reynolds Tweet @Carterreynolds

 

Video of the Day –

Remove cat before flight –

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 Carter Carter Carter
2 #YoYMisSarpadasGanasDe #MondayMotivation #MondayMotivation
3 #WhenIJoinedTwitter #WhenIJoinedTwitter #WhenIJoinedTwitter
4 Léo Moura N-word Dustin Johnson
5 #MiProblemaEs #HappyBirthdayDinahJane Partick Thistle
6 #asklesbian Pete Rose Taylor Swift
7 #Superstar #ItsWorthMentioning #HappyBirthdayDinahJane
8 #GoodForYouAvailableNOW #CannesLions #CKG15
9 #妊娠からの予測変換 Diddy #CannesLions
10 舞台化 #LHHATL Cech

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August 8, 2015

Top News Stories –

Ashes 2015: England hammer Australia to regain the urn –
England regained the Ashes after wrapping up a spectacular victory over Australia on the third morning of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge. The hosts took Australia’s three remaining second-innings wickets in 39 minutes to win by an innings and 78 runs. Ben Stokes took the day’s first wicket to finish with 6-36 before Mark Wood clinched the victory by bowling Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon. England’s second successive three-day triumph gives them an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series with one match to play. After skittling Australia for 60 runs on day one, England made 391-9 declared before reducing the tourists to 241-7 at the end of day two. [BBC]

Twitter launches football ‘hashflags’ for start of new Premier League season –
Twitter has launched a new set of hashflags to coincide with the start of the new Premier League season. Tweeting the club’s hashtag will bring up that team’s crest and putting them together will bring up both images next to each other. So Liverpool is #LFC and Everton is #EFC but #EFCLFC will bring up hashflags for the Merseyside derby. Putting #BPL and #BPLKickoff in your tweet will put the Premier League trophy next to it. #FPL brings up the league’s logo. The new hashflags are available on the opening weekend of the season (until midnight on Monday) as well as key points through the year, such as transfer deadline day and the final run-in. Oh – and Twitter’s now calling hashflags Twitter emojis BTW. [BBC Newsbeat] See List of the Day below

Video of the Day –

List of the Day –

Premier League hashflags

Bournemouth – #AFCB

Arsenal – #Arsenal

Aston Villa – #AVFC

Chelsea – #CFC

Tottenham – #COYS

Crystal Palace – #CPFC

Everton – #EFC

Leicester City – #LCFC

Liverpool – #LFC

Manchester City – #MCFC

Manchester United – #MUFC

Norwich City – #NCFC

Newcastle United- #NUFC

Southampton – #SaintsFC

Stoke City – #SCFC

Sunderland – #SAFC

Swansea – #Swans

Watford – #WatfordFC

West Brom – #WBA

West Ham – #WHUFC

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #En3PalabrasTeDigoQue #InternationalCatDay #InternationalCatDay
2 #InternationalCatDay #ChristianTaylor #HappyBirthdayShawn
3 好きCP告白 Sean Price #MakeAHorrorMovieHarmless
4 #ImposibleOlvidar #HappyBirthdayShawn #thankyouforexisting
5 #AlDubWeBelongTogether Erick Erickson Chantel
6 #HappyBirthdayShawn High By The Beach #COYS
7 High By The Beach Ar Ab James Holmes
8 #CBLOL Roger Stone Courtois
9 Sean Price #MUFC FOOTBALL IS BACK
10 Chantel #thankyouforexisting #ChristianTaylor

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August 9, 2015

Top News Stories –

Australia proposes limiting Vegemite sales to prevent alcohol abuse –
Australia’s government says Vegemite sales should be limited in some communities to prevent the yeast-based spread being used to make home-made alcohol. Nigel Scullion, the indigenous affairs minister, said the spread – which is considered something of a national culinary staple – was a “precursor to misery” in communities suffering from alcohol abuse. He said he was not proposing a ban but wanted to restrict excessive sales of high-yeast products such as Vegemite in “dry” communities – typically remote Aboriginal townships where alcohol sales are banned. Vegemite, from the same family of spreads as Marmite, has been produced in Australia since 1923 and its advertising jingles have sometimes been said to be more widely known than the national anthem. [Daily Telegraph]

A woman’s bra wire saves her from bullet in German hunting accident –
A woman’s bra wire has saved her life after a bullet hit her during a hunting accident in north-eastern Germany. The tourist was cycling through woods with her husband in the Mecklenberg-Western Pomerania area of the country. According to newspaper the Gadebusch-Rehnaer Zeitung, the pair had inadvertently strayed into the middle of a boar hunt while crossing a field. The woman said she felt a pain in her chest, which turned out to be a bullet ricocheting off her bra underwire. She was taken to a doctor in nearby Gadebusch by a passing motorist and treated for severe bruising on her chest plus a small blood clot. The gun and ammunition from the hunt were also impounded and police with sniffer dogs and metal detectors searched the area. [BBC Newsbeat]

Video of the Day –

THE WILD from LIEBER FILMS on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #1DFanArmyVoteAttack #1DFanArmyVoteAttack #UFCNashville
2 #رشيدي_يتزوج_ح�… #FergusonTaughtMe Reece Oxford
3 #Elecciones2015 Frank Gifford #WomensDay
4 #احلي_مافي_الس�… #IWillGoToHellBecause #OTRABaltimore
5 #QuieroAhoraMismo Lizzie McGuire Stoke
6 #OTRABaltimore #MikeBrown #MOTD
7 #ConRockTeDigoQue #DietAMovie Clause IV
8 Pais Arsenal Arsenal
9 Harry Louis #1MonthSinceOTRASanDiego Coutinho
10 Tini NUESTRO MUNDO Stoessel Magcon Charlie Adam

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August 10, 2015

Top News Stories –

Google unveils surprise restructuring under Alphabet –
Google has unveiled a surprise restructuring, creating a new parent company called Alphabet Inc. Under the rebranding, Google will retain its best-known businesses, such as search, apps, YouTube and Android. Some of the newer entities, such as the investment and research divisions, the “smart-home” unit Nest, and the drone arm will be run under Alphabet. Google founder Larry Page said it would create a simpler structure for what had become a diverse group of businesses. The name Alphabet was chosen for two reasons, Mr Page said. It represents language, “the core of how we index with Google search”, and because Alpha-bet means “investment return above benchmark, which we strive to do”. [BBC]

Tom Davies, 19, becomes ‘youngest person to cycle the world’ –
A British teenager is thought to have become the youngest person to cycle around the world. Tom Davies, 19, from Battersea, England, finished an 18,000-mile journey on Sunday raising more than £50,000 for several charities. Around 100 of his family and friends welcomed him home. During the six months he was away, he had to run away from a group of monkeys, was chased by dogs in Albania and raced an emu in Australia.

Video of the Day –

PATAGONIA 8K from Martin Heck | Timestorm Films on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #NiallYourBodyIsWonderful #CalmYourselfIn4Words #MondayMotivation
2 Zekeriya Öz #NationalSmoresDay #AfternoonTeaWeek
3 #LaNochePintaPara #NiallYourBodyIsWonderful Ferrari
4 Fizzy #BackInTheEighties #WorldLionDay
5 Scioli Ferrari #BackInTheEighties
6 #CalmYourselfIn4Words #BelieveInMagicBall #NiallYourBodyIsWonderful
7 아육대 #Ferguson Jeremy Vine
8 #お前がの後にすと�… Alphabet #CalmYourselfIn4Words
9 #LaLluviaSeHizoPara #MondayMotivation #AlcoholCelebs
10 #تغريده_تشفع_ل�… Buddy Baker #IWillGoToHellBecause

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September 9, 2015

Top News Stories –

Queen Elizabeth II becomes longest-reigning UK monarch –
The Queen has thanked well-wishers at home and overseas for their “touching messages of kindness” as she becomes Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Speaking in the Scottish Borders, the 89-year-old monarch said the title was “not one to which I have ever aspired”. At 17:30 BST she had reigned for 23,226 days, 16 hours and approximately 30 minutes – surpassing the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. David Cameron said the service the Queen had given was “truly humbling”. The exact moment the Queen became the longest-reigning sovereign is unknown. Her father, George VI, passed away in the early hours of 6 February 1952, but his time of death is not known. [BBC] See Video of the Day and List of the Day
Queen_Elizabeth_II Queen ELizabeth II in March 2015

iPad Pro, new Apple TV and iPhone 6S handsets unveiled –
Apple has unveiled a larger iPad tablet, a TV box with its own app store and new iPhones that can detect how firmly their screens are being pressed. The firm suggested the iPad Pro was suited to work tasks, video games and both editing and watching movies. Sales of the company’s earlier iPads had been on the decline. Apple said the “3D touch” feature of its new phones “transformed” the experience of using them by making it easier to use and switch between apps. The iPad Pro has a 12.9in (32.8cm) display, making its shortest edge the length of its earlier iPad Air 2’s height. In addition, the firm announced a stylus called the Apple Pencil, which has sensors in its tip to help mimic the effect of using a real pencil on paper. The announcement is notable since the firm’s ex-chief executive Steve Jobs said in 2010: “If you see a stylus, they blew it.” [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Brief History of the Royal Family

List of the Day –

Monarchs of Great Britain and Ireland 1603 – present day [from Wikipedia]

House of Stuart

House of Hanover

House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

House of Windsor

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 iPhone 6s #AppleEvent #longestreign
2 #AppleEvent iPhone 6s #NationalFitnessDay
3 #هل_ترضي_تتزوج_… James Blake #AnnoyMeIn5Words
4 #MasterChefBR #StopIranDeal #AppleEvent
5 フォロワーA #LateShow #RuinABoardGame
6 iOS 9 #RuinABoardGame #SerenavsVenus
7 #longestreign #INBOUND15 British Airways
8 Neymar #TerribleGiftsForA4YearOld Las Vegas
9 Messi Hump Day #setgoodtuesdays
10 #OTRAOttawa #CMWorld iPhone 6s

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September 15, 2015

Top News Stories –

Michael Jordan earned more from trainers in 2014 than during entire basketball career –
It is no secret that Michael Jordan and Nike make a lot of money from Air Jordan trainers. But an infographic by PBS has revealed just how lucrative the line of sports shoes, which have obtained cult-like status among sneaker fans, is. In 2014 alone Jordan, 52, made $100 million from sales of trainers, more money than the $94 million he made in the entire of his stellar 15-year career as an NBA basktball player. His eye-watering income made him the highest-paid retired athlete in the world last year. [Daily Telegraph]
Michael_JordanMichael Jordan

Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe delivers wrong speech in parliament –
Zimbabwe’s 91-year-old president Robert Mugabe read the wrong speech at the opening of a new session of parliament on Tuesday, repeating an address he gave to the legislature last month. The veteran leader read the 25-minute-long speech through to the end, apparently unaware that he was delivering the same text he presented during his state of the nation address last month. “There has been a mix-up of speeches resulting in a situation where… the president delivered the wrong speech,” said George Charamba, the presidential spokesman. “The mix-up happened in his secretarial office,” Mr Charamba was quoted as saying in the state-owned Herald newspaper’s online edition. “The error is sincerely regretted and corrective measures are being considered.” [Daily Telegraph] In February 2015 Mugabe allegedly suspended 27 bodyguards after they failed to stop him falling down steps.
Robert-Mugabe-2008President Robert Mugabe

Vladimir Putin ‘reaches out’ to Sir Elton John after singer asks to discuss gay rights –
Sir Elton John was engaged in a bizarre war of words with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday night after the singer publicly thanked the Russian leader for “reaching out” to him to discuss gay rights – but the Kremlin then denied the conversation ever took place. The veteran rock star said Mr Putin, who recently appeared to equate homosexuality with paedophilia and urged gay people to “leave kids alone”, had called him and suggested they might meet. “Thank you to President Vladimir Putin for reaching out and speaking via telephone with me today. I look to forward to meeting with you face to face to discuss LGBT equality in Russia,” he wrote on his Instagram account. However, in a bizarre twist last night, Mr Putin’s spokesman rejected the Rocket Man’s claim. “Putin did not have a conversation with Elton John, and most importantly, we did not receive any kind of proposal for a meeting from him,” said Dmitry Peskov, Mr Putin’s spokesman. At the weekend, Sir Elton condemned the Russian strongman’s “ridiculous” stance on gay rights, which has seen a law passed banning homosexual “propaganda” among children in June 2013.[Daily Telegraph]
Vladimir-PutinVladimir Putin

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos plans to build and launch rockets from Florida’s ‘Space Coast’
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has announced plans to build and launch rockets from Flordia’s “Space Coast”. At a news conference on Tuesday, Mr Bezos announced that his Blue Origin space company will build rockets and launch them into orbit from Cape Canaveral. He plans to send up satellites first, then people – including space tourists and even himself. He predicts the first launch will occur by the end of the decade; he declined to be more specific, saying more details would be forthcoming next year. The as-yet-named rocket will launch and land vertically, the same method the company is testing for suborbital flights from remote West Texas. The first-stage boosters will be reusable to save money. The crew capsules will fly themselves and not require pilots. [Daily Telegraph]
Jeff_BezosJeff Bezos

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