May 11, 2015

Top News Stories –

Picasso’s Women of Algiers smashes auction record –
Picasso’s Women of Algiers has become the most expensive painting to sell at auction, going for $179.3m (£115m) at Christie’s in New York. Eleven minutes of prolonged bidding from telephone buyers preceded the final sale – for much more than its pre-sale estimate of $140m. The evening sale also featured Alberto Giacometti’s life-size sculpture Pointing Man, which set a record as the most expensive sculpture, at $141.3m. The buyers chose to remain anonymous. The Picasso oil painting is a vibrant, cubist depiction of nude courtesans, and is part of a 15-work series the Spanish artist created in 1954-55 designated with the letters A to O. [BBC] See Video of the Day
Les_femmes_d’Alger,_Picasso,_version_OPicasso’s Women of Algiers

Ukip rejects Nigel Farage’s resignation as party leader –
Nigel Farage is to stay on as leader of the UK Independence Party after the party’s ruling board rejected his resignation. Mr Farage quit as Ukip leader last Friday, delivering on a pledge to resign if he failed to be elected as leader of South Thanet. The news risks making Ukip into a laughing stock because Mr Farage had raised the stakes about his future by insisting he would resign. Mr Farage’s decision to stay on also raises questions over whether Douglas Carswell, Ukip’s only MP, will quit the party to become an independent MP after he suggested Mr Farage should not lead Ukip again. Mr Carswell later repeatedly refused to endorse Mr Farage’s return to the Ukip leadership after speaking at an event in central London. [Daily Telegraph]
Nigel-Farage Nigel Farage

James Corden can’t believe the Late Late Show is still on the air –
James Corden’s appearance at the Bafta TV awards was just a flying visit. In fact, his time on home soil (19 hours) was less than the time he spent in the sky travelling to and from Los Angeles for it (23 hours). “I’ve genuinely had some of the best nights of my life at this event,” he told us on the red carpet. Since he took over the Late Late Show in March, America’s latest chat show host has been grabbing headlines with his big name guests and viral videos. But he admitted to Newsbeat that it’s “mostly mystifying” as to why the show is still on the air. “No-one could have predicted the show would be received in such a manner. It’s beyond all of our wildest dreams.” [BBC]
James-CordenJames-Corden

David Cameron unveils ‘blue collar’ Cabinet –
David Cameron has unveiled his “blue collar Cabinet” as he promoted the son of a milkman, the daughter of a garage-owner and the Tory Party’s “champion of the people” to senior Government roles. In a bid to put making the Conservatives “the real party for working people” at the centre of the next five years of Government, Mr Cameron promoted Robert Halfon, Sajid Javid, Greg Clark and Priti Patel to senior ministerial roles. It means that 43 per cent of Cabinet ministers were educated in comprehensive schools – a rise from 21 per cent in Mr Cameron’s first Coalition Cabinet in 2010. [Daily Telegraph] See List of the Day for the complete Conservative cabinet.

Video of the Day –

The bidding for the most expensive painting in the world –

CLICK TO SEE MORE STUFF FROM THIS DAY…

January 16, 2016

Top News Stories –

Obama issues order lifting nuclear-related sanctions on Iran –
U.S. President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Saturday lifting sanctions on Iran related to its nuclear program after Tehran fulfilled requirements under a nuclear agreement with world powers, the White House said. Obama determined that Iran’s implementation of the pact “marks a fundamental shift in circumstances with respect to Iran’s nuclear program,” he wrote in the order, released by the White House. [Daily Mail]

Video of the Day –

Sia | Draw My Life

List of the Day –

100 jokes by 100 comedians

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 Burkina Faso Tony Stewart #MakeMeThinkIn5Words
2 #زد_رصيدك64 #ChangeAConsonantSpoilAMovie Lord Bramall
3 #FelizSabado #StartupIndia Burkina Faso
4 I LOVE ZAYN #IranDeal #fab16
5 #StartupIndia #ImplementationDay #PutNamesInSongs
6 #MakeMeThinkIn5Words Aaliyah Alan Rickman
7 #ALDUB6thMonthsary I LOVE ZAYN #StartUp2016
8 #SabadoDetremuraSdv #MakeMeThinkIn5Words #NationalHatDay
9 #MeEnfermaEsoDe Hagelin Nancy
10 ちんぽ10連ガチャ #DoYourJob #ZoellaTo10MillionMeetUp

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Disasters and accidents
International relations
Politics and elections
Sports

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

February 19, 2016

Top News Stories –

EU deal gives UK special status, says David Cameron –
David Cameron says a deal struck with EU leaders will give the UK “special status” and he will campaign with his “heart and soul” to stay in the union. The agreement, reached late on Friday after two days of talks in Brussels, gives the UK power to limit some EU migrants’ benefits. It also includes a treaty change so the UK is not bound to “ever closer union” with other EU member states, he said. EU exit campaigners said the “hollow” deal offered only “very minor changes”. [BBC]
David_CameronDavid Cameron

John McAfee offers to unlock killer’s iPhone for FBI –
Anti-virus software creator John McAfee has said he will break the encryption on an iPhone that belonged to San Bernardino killer Syed Farook. Mr McAfee made the offer to the FBI in an article published by Business Insider. Apple has refused to comply with a court order asking it to unlock the device, dividing opinion over whether the firm should be compelled to do so. Mr McAfee said he and his team would take on the task “free of charge”. The offer came as Mr McAfee continues his campaign as a US presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party. “It will take us three weeks,” he claimed in his article. Security expert Graham Cluley cast doubts on Mr McAfee’s idea that he could use “social engineering” to work out the pass-code of Farook’s locked iPhone. This is a process by which hackers try to find out login credentials by tricking people into giving them away. “In a nutshell, dead men tell no tales,” said Mr Cluley. “Good luck to Mr McAfee trying to socially engineer a corpse into revealing its pass-code.” “The FBI isn’t interested anyway, they want to set a precedent that there shouldn’t be locks they can’t break,” he added. [BBC]
John_McAfeeJohn McAfee

Video of the Day –

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #TypeOfPeopleIAvoid #FlashbackFriday #EUSummit
2 #FelizCumpleCFK #TypeOfPeopleIAvoid #FreeKesha
3 #Clausnitz #FreeKesha #FridayFeeling
4 #BuenViernes #MakeAnActionFilmTedious #TypeOfPeopleIAvoid
5 #SLFLNagoya #SLFLNagoya #MakeAnActionFilmTedious
6 #ComandoTagSegueVc #NewMusicFriday Marc Jacobs
7 #MakeAnActionFilmTedious #Indy500 #bbcqt
8 #FreeKesha #AmericaTogether #BUCSNationals
9 #FacebookMelhorQueTwitter #BlackMenGreetings #askjessica
10 #DeMexicanoEs Tila Tequila #SLFLNagoya

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Business and economy
Disasters and accidents
Health
International relations
Law and crime
Politics and elections

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

March 11, 2016

Top News Stories –

Progressive rock legend Emerson dies –
Keith Emerson, the co-founder and keyboardist of progressive rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer, has died aged 71, according to his former band mates. “We regret to announce that Keith Emerson died last night at his home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles,” read a statement on the band’s Facebook page. Yorkshire-born Emerson was one of the top keyboardists of the prog rock era. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Santa Monica police confirmed to the BBC. His death was being investigated as a suicide, police added. [BBC]
Keith_Emerson_&_Moog_15May10 Keith Emerson performs on his Hammond and Moog synthesizer during the Emerson & Lake Tour 2010.

Apple customer goes to the top for iPhone battery answer –
The head of Apple’s operating system iOS confirmed that open but unused apps do not affect iPhone battery life after a customer emailed boss Tim Cook. The customer from Ohio, known as Caleb, asked Mr Cook whether closing down “multitasking apps” improved battery life and whether it was something the chief executive did himself. Senior vice-president Craig Federighi replied “no and no”. However, other smartphone batteries can benefit from app closure. While many Apple users do shut down apps in the belief it extends the iPhone battery this is not advice explicitly given by the firm itself. It only recommends disabling apps from carrying out background refreshes in a list of tips about saving power. [BBC]

Rafael Benitez: Newcastle United appoint Spaniard as Steve McClaren’s successor –
Rafael Benitez has been named as Newcastle’s new manager, following the sacking of Steve McClaren. The former Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Valencia boss takes over with the Magpies a point from safety with 10 games left. The Spaniard, 55, has signed a three-year contract, which is understood to contain a break clause should Newcastle be relegated at the end of the season. “C’mon Toon Army. The club and I need your total involvement,” he said. [BBC]
Rafael_Benitez_2015Rafael Benitez

Video of the Day –

Drawcard from Antonio Oreña-Barlin on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Clubs Managed by Rafael Benitez [Wikipedia]

Teams managed
1993–1995 Real Madrid B
1995–1996 Valladolid
1996 Osasuna
1997–1999 Extremadura
2000–2001 Tenerife
2001–2004 Valencia
2004–2010 Liverpool
2010 Internazionale
2012–2013 Chelsea (interim)
2013–2015 Napoli
2015–2016 Real Madrid
2016– Newcastle United

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #SextaDetremuraSdv #FridayFeeling #MemeHistory
2 #OMundoSeriaMelhorSe #FlashbackFriday #IWillSmileTodayBecause
3 #BerkinElvan #IWillSmileTodayBecause Ben Carson
4 #MemeHistory #SnapchatDay #FridayFeeling
5 #ALDUBAngPagdalaw #SSAC16 #FlashbackFriday
6 #MeDuele #SXSW2016 #bbcqt
7 #IWillSmileTodayBecause Joe’s Crab Shack #newmusicfriday
8 #يوم_الجمعه Dog Whisperer #BuyDangerousWomanOniTunes
9 #GloboGolpista #LIKEIWOULDTONUMBER1 Archbishop of Canterbury
10 #東日本大震災 #TLConf2016 LGBT FANS DESERVE BETTER

 

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Business and economics
Disasters and accidents
International relations
Politics and elections
Science and technology
Sport

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

April 8, 2016

Top News Stories –

Springsteen cancels North Carolina concert over bathroom bill –
Rock star Bruce Springsteen on Friday canceled a concert scheduled for this weekend in North Carolina to protest a new state law restricting bathroom use by transgender individuals, as country music stars decried similar legislation proposed in Tennessee. Springsteen said in an online statement that the North Carolina law was “an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress.” Tickets for the concert that was to be presented on Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina, would be refunded, according to Springsteen’s website. PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL.O) cited the discriminatory nature of the law when it canceled on Tuesday a new operations center that was to employ 400 workers in Charlotte. [Reuters] In March Springsteen signed a late note for a schoolboy who came to one of his concerts
Bruce_SpringsteenBruce Springsteen

SpaceX reusable rocket lands on ocean platform –
The US aerospace company SpaceX has successfully landed a resusable rocket on an ocean platform, after four previous attempts failed. Mission controllers cheered as the Falcon 9 rocket remained upright on the platform off Florida. It was returning from delivering an inflatable habitat into space for Nasa. The inflatable room will attach to the International Space Station (ISS) for a two-year test and become the first such habitat to for humans in orbit. It is due to reach the ISS around 09:00 GMT on Sunday along with other freight aboard the Dragon capsule. Built by Nevada company Bigelow Aerospace, the habitat is intended to pave the way towards the use of such rooms for long space trips, including to Mars. [BBC] See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

SpaceX lands rocket at sea, makes history –

Worldwide USA UK (London)
1 #SextaDetremuraSdv #FlashbackFriday #FridayFeeling
2 #سعادتي_هي Josh Pastner #AskZac
3 #resigncameron #NewMusicFriday #resigncameron
4 #8AnosAtrás #resigncameron #FlashbackFriday
5 #BuenViernes #ColorofSurveillance #dontstreamanddrive
6 #EsDePobres #OpeningDayDET #NewMusicFriday
7 #AmaneciConGanasDe Sanders Over the Edge #SLFLLondon2
8 #ALDUBProblemaNiLola Vatican Danny DeVito
9 #FridayFeeling #FridayFeeling #LadiesDay
10 #جسر_الملك_سلمان #lovesick7days #IAMW16

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Arts and culture
Business and economics
Disasters and accidents
International relations
Law and crime
Politics and elections
Science and technology
Sport

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

May 22, 2016

Top News Stories –

Naked sleepwalker helped back to Manchester hotel –
A man was helped back to his hotel after sleepwalking into the street in Manchester city centre without any clothes on, police have said. The naked man was spotted outside his hotel on Chorlton Street, at about 04:30 BST. Greater Manchester Police said it was a “genuine case of sleepwalking”. GMP tweeted: “We checked with officers; was proper somnambulism, not a dare. Person grateful for our help + saw the funny side themselves.” The man’s identity has not been revealed by police. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Everything is a Remix: The Force Awakens from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Arts and culture
Disasters and accidents
International relations
Law and crime
Politics and elections
Science
  • NASA projects that 2016 will have the warmest global temperature average on record, breaking the previous record high set in 2015. This year would be the third record-breaking year in a row. Per NOAAannals, April marked the 12th record warmest month in a row. (Scientific American)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

May 27, 2016

Top News Stories –

UK Royal Mail unveils stamps to mark 50 years of Pink Floyd –
A set of stamps celebrating 50 years of British rock group Pink Floyd have been unveiled by Royal Mail. Ten stamps will be on sale on 7 July, marking five decades since the band turned professional. The collection include the band’s most famous album covers as well as live performance shots. Pink Floyd became known for its innovative album covers, which were made in collaboration with leading graphic designers and photographers. [BBC]
Royal Mail Pink Floyd stampsRoyal Mail Pink Floyd stamps

Jose Mourinho: Man Utd confirm former Chelsea boss as new manager –
Jose Mourinho has been officially confirmed as Manchester United manager and has signed a three-year contract. He replaces Dutchman Louis van Gaal, who was dismissed on Monday, two days after the club’s FA Cup win. “Jose is quite simply the best manager in the game today,” said United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. Mourinho, 53, said: “To become Manchester United manager is a special honour in the game. It is a club known and admired throughout the world.” Mourinho has been out of work since being sacked as boss of Premier League rivals Chelsea in December. [BBC]
Jose-MourinhoJose Mourinho

Video of the Day –

Does Having A “Wingman” Actually Help You Get A Date?

Other News Stories –

Health and medicine
International relations
Law and crime
Politics and elections

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

December 27, 2016

Top News Stories –

Carrie Fisher, Star Wars actress, dies aged 60 –
US actress Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series, has died aged 60, days after suffering a cardiac arrest. Fisher was taken ill on a flight from London to LA on Friday and was taken to hospital when the plane landed. But a family statement said with “deep sadness” she died on Tuesday morning. As well as starring in other films such as The Blues Brothers and When Harry Met Sally, Fisher also wrote four novels and three memoirs. The daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher made her film debut opposite Warren Beatty in 1975’s Shampoo. But far greater fame was to follow when she played Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, a role she reprised in last year’s reboot The Force Awakens. She endured a difficult private life, and has often discussed her years of mental illness and drug addiction. [BBC]
carrie_fisher_mark_hamill__harrison_fordFisher with fellow Star Wars actors Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, July 2015

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks
Arts and culture
Business and economy
Disasters and accidents
International relations
Law and crime
Science and technology
  • The cheetah faces extinction after it is discovered that only 7,100 specimens are left alive in the wild as a result of a sudden crash in population. (BBC)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

November 7, 2017

Twitter is giving everyone longer tweets, but you probably won’t use them –
The test is over — 280-character tweets are here for good. Twitter announced on Tuesday that it’s rolling out longer tweets to virtually* all of its users, doubling the traditional 140-character limit to 280 characters. Twitter has been testing longer tweets since September, and claims the test proved out the company’s theory — that giving more people room to tweet results in more engagement. Twitter has been thinking about longer tweets for years, but got cold feet the last time it considered expanding the limit in early 2016. When Twitter first announced that it was testing longer tweets this fall, the service’s users freaked out, worried that giving people more room to write would ruin the brevity that makes Twitter Twitter. Shockingly, it looks like that reaction was overblown. Twitter says that just 5 percent of tweets sent by users in the test group were longer than the traditional 140-character limit. Only 1 percent of those tweets actually used all 280 characters. [Recode]

Paddington swear? Marks & Spencer Christmas advert raises eyebrows –
Marks & Spencer has been forced to defend its Christmas advert starring Paddington Bear after complaints it contains bad language. In the 90-second ad, Paddington And The Christmas Visitor, the duffle coat-wearing bear unwittingly thwarts a burglar stealing presents on Christmas Eve. After forcing the thief to return the gifts, Paddington gives him a marmalade sandwich and receives a hug in return. But the response he gets from actor Mark Benton has been heard by some viewers as less than polite. Thirlwall 14 wrote on Instagram: “Something doesn’t sound right in this new M&S advert.” Rob Souza tweeted: “I swear the burglar says “F*** you little bear” to @paddingtonbear.” As festive adverts jostle for attention, both on the screen and on social media, it is unlikely to be the sort of reaction the family-friendly retailer was hoping for. But a Marks & Spencer spokesperson told Sky News: “He’s saying, ‘thank you little bear’. We think it’s really clear. We wouldn’t change the ad.” [Sky News]

Top Video –


M&S Christmas TV Ad 2017 | Paddington & The Christmas Visitor #LoveTheBear

Twitter Trends –

Worldwide UK
1 #TuesdayThoughts #WebSummit
2 #ElectionDay David Moyes
3 #FelizMartes #TuesdayThoughts
4 #زد_رصيدك36 #CapitalJBB
5 #名作を1文字変えて… #LoveTheBear
6 #OTDirecto7N #PFSFestival
7 #TercaDetremuraSDV #SnapchatDown
8 Ed Westwick #Nigella
9 #CosasQueNoSirvenParaNada #UniversityChallenge
10 #DateRuim #TelegraphFoB

 

Other News –

Health and environment
International relations
Law and crime
Politics and elections

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

December 12, 2017

Crypto-currency Bitcoin has hit a record high of $17,300 on the Bitstamp platform –
The decentralised currency has spiked since Chicago-based derivatives exchange Cboe Global Markets launched Bitcoin futures late on Sunday. This was the first time investors could get exposure to the bitcoin market via a large, regulated exchange. [BBC Business Live]

Twitter trends [from Trendinalia] – today from UK

Other News Stories –

Business and economy
Disasters and accidents
Law and crime
Health and environment
International relations
Politics and elections
Science and technology
Sports

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource