November 27, 2014

Top News Stories –

Cricketer Phillip Hughes dies –
Australian batsman Phillip Hughes has died 2 days after being struck by a ball at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Hughes was making a fine case for his Test recall, unbeaten on his old home ground at the SCG on 63 when he missed an attempted hook at Sean Abbott and was hit on an area of his lower head and neck which was unprotected by his helmet as he swivelled. He fell to the ground, and was rushed to hospital where he never regained consciousness. [Daily Telegraph]
Phil_Hughes Phillip Hughes in 2010

Twitter misrepresents the real world, computer scientists warn –
Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook should not be used to gauge human behaviour or trends because they are too biased, scientists have warned. Increasingly, social researchers and media organisations use sites to glean information about public views and interests. But computer scientists at McGill University in Montreal and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh warn that the data omits the opinion of large portions of the population who are either under-represented, or who choose not to engage in social media. [Daily Telegraph]

Sheep flock to Eiffel Tower as French farmers cry wolf –
French farmers flocked to the Eiffel Tower on Thursday, sheep in tow, to express their frustration over increasing attacks by wolves which some say have been “overprotected” by the government. Sheep lazily grazed at the foot of the French capital’s most famous monument as the farmers gathered under grey skies to demand an effective plan to stop the wolf attacks. “Today farmers, tomorrow unemployed,” read one banner, while one of the protesters dressed as a wolf carried around a lamb. [Daily Telegraph]
Tour_EiffelThe Eiffel Tower

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Introducing Carrot from Carrot on Vimeo.

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December 19, 2014

Top News Stories –

Half a million going to university in UK –
In 2014, for the first time, the number of UK university entrants passed 500,000. Among 18-year-olds, 34% of women were allocated university places, compared with 26% of men, the widest ever gap, making women a third more likely to enter higher education than men, Ucas admissions service figures show.
Radcliffe_square

Extreme deep sea fishing –
The Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, Falkor, on an international expedition to the Mariana Trench has discovered a strange-looking creature, new to science, 8,145m beneath the waves, beating the previous depth record by nearly 500m.

Rotten to the core –
Senior Apple executive Jeff Williams says the company is “deeply offended” by a BBC Panorama investigation into conditions for workers involved in manufacturing its devices. Rules on workers’ hours, ID cards, dormitories, work meetings and juvenile workers were routinely breached, the programme witnessed.
Apple_logo

Video of the Day –

Postcards from Pripyat, Chernobyl from Danny Cooke on Vimeo.

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January 1, 2015

Top News Stories –

Happy New Year! –
5 years done, 5 to go in the decade that still hasn’t earn’t a name. Onesies, Deccies, Tennies – what will it be?

2014 was The Year Of… –
The Selfie. The ultimate one was, of course, by Ellen DeGeneres at the Oscars [see March 13th 2014]
Photo: Ellen Degeneres - public domain

2015 will be…? –
2015 was year in which the film Back to the Future was set, so expect hoverboards and DeLorean cars to be big this year. October 21st is the magical day.

Very fast wedding –
Formula 1 driver Jenson Benson, who has retained his seat for McLaren in 2015 tweeted that he has married his partner of 7 years, lingerie model, Jessica Michibata in Hawaii.
Jenson Button bahrain 2012

Captain Fantastic –
Steven Gerrard captain of Liverpool FC announces he is leaving the club to play overseas at the end of the English Premier League season. Gerrard who is 34 made his debut for the club in 1998 is likely to go to MLS club LA Galaxy.
Steven Gerrard in 2014

Rouble to Euro –
Lithuania becomes the nineteenth state to join the Euro and in doing so gets its fourth currency in 25 years – after the Soviet rouble, the talonas and the litas.

Video of the Day –

Show me your Hoverboard from Jørgen Håland on Vimeo.

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June 14, 2015

Top News Stories –

Philae comet lander wakes up, says European Space Agency –
The European Space Agency (Esa) says its comet lander, Philae, has woken up and contacted Earth. Philae, the first spacecraft to land on a comet, was dropped on to the surface of Comet 67P by its mothership, Rosetta, last November. It worked for 60 hours before its solar-powered battery ran flat. The comet has since moved nearer to the Sun and Philae has enough power to work again, says the BBC’s science correspondent Jonathan Amos. An account linked to the probe tweeted the message, “Hello Earth! Can you hear me?” On its blog, Esa said Philae had contacted Earth, via Rosetta, for 85 seconds on Saturday in the first contact since going into hibernation in November.
@Philae2014/Twitter
Artist's impression of the Philae landerArtist’s impression of the Philae lander

Jurassic World takes $511m in record opening weekend –
The fourth instalment in the Jurassic Park series has become the first film to take more than $500m at the box office on its opening weekend. Jurassic World was the most popular screening in all 66 countries where it was released. The film made $204.6m (£131.4m) in the US, according to the firm Exhibitor Relations. It took $100m in China and $29.6m (£19m) in the UK and Ireland as part of the record global total of $511.8m. The Universal Pictures release had the second-highest grossing opening weekend in the US. The record is held by Marvel’s The Avengers, which took $207.4m in 2012. [BBC] See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

Jurassic World – Official Global Trailer

List of the Day –

Biggest Worldwide film openings since 2002 [from Wikipedia]

Rank Film Year Opening (USD)[1]
1 Jurassic World 2015 $511,800,000
2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 2011 $483,189,427
3 Furious 7 2015 $397,627,459
4 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 2009 $394,022,354
5 Marvel’s The Avengers 2012 $392,538,708
6 Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015 $392,471,109
7 Transformers: Dark of the Moon 2011 $382,425,000
8 Spider-Man 3 2007 $381,660,892
9 Iron Man 3 2013 $372,553,677
10 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 2011 $350,653,677
11 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End 2007 $343,972,864
12 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 2012 $340,667,634
13 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 2007 $332,715,157
14 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 2010 $330,017,372
15 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 2005 $303,949,700
16 Transformers: Age of Extinction 2014 $302,138,390
17 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 2011 $291,022,261
18 The Twilight Saga: New Moon 2009 $274,939,137
19 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 2014 $273,897,634
20 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008 $272,150,927
21 X-Men: Days of Future Past 2014 $262,866,321
22 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2003 $250,000,534
23 The Dark Knight Rises 2012 $248,887,295
24 Avatar 2009 $241,571,046
25 The Da Vinci Code 2006 $232,074,037
26 2012 2009 $230,470,474
27 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse 2010 $228,893,465
28 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2012 $222,617,303
29 Iron Man 2 2010 $220,766,270
30 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 2009 $219,921,171
31 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 2009 $218,430,064
32 The Hunger Games 2012 $211,785,747
33 Alice in Wonderland 2010 $210,101,023
34 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 2013 $209,845,197
35 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004 $207,197,367
36 War of the Worlds 2005 $203,061,125
37 Man of Steel 2013 $201,981,486
38 The Matrix Revolutions 2003 $201,390,000
39 Iron Man 2008 $201,174,140

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #ARGENTINARMY Roc Nation Toke
2 #AskRachel #zayniscomingback #GETWELLSOONCALUM
3 #ComoOdioAEsosQue #FlagDay Rolf Harris
4 Bolivia #ICouldUseALittleMore Snowden
5 Fede Bal #NWC2015 #zayniscomingback
6 Jurassic World #RedFlags #UFC188
7 Dave Grohl #MITB #SLOvENG
8 #GoodForYou Tbilisi Michael
9 #AssistamTeuOlharFLY Good Sunday #HappyBirthdayJesy
10 Vuoso #GETWELLSOONCALUM Townsend

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December 16, 2015

Top News Stories –

Amazon tells customers: Get rid of your exploding hoverboards –
Customers who bought hoverboards as Christmas gifts have been urged to “dispose” of them and accept refunds after three of Britain’s biggest retailers suspended sales. In an email seen by The Telegraph, internet giant Amazon has asked customers to take the self-balancing, two-wheeled scooters to a local recycling point for electronic equipment. Estimates suggest around 500,000 people in Britain have bought hoverboards as Christmas gifts. A further million are considering it, according to the watchdog Electrical Safety First. More than 15,000 of 17,000 self-balancing scooters analysed at borders since October 15 have been deemed unsafe and detained. [Daily Telegraph]

Germany: Star Wars-themed service at Berlin church –
A church in Berlin has announced it will hold a special pre-Christmas service devoted to Star Wars. Excitement is building in Germany ahead of the release of the franchise’s latest installment, The Force Awakens, on Thursday. But the Zion Church, located in the capital’s central Mitte district, is taking inspiration for its Sunday morning service from one of the classics – Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Those attending the event will be shown scenes from the 1983 film, and there’s also the promise of organ music inspired by the score, the local church district says on its website.
The idea came from two young pastors-in-training, Ulrike Garve and Lucas Ludewig, who see parallels between the George Lucas films and the Bible. “In the key scene of Episode VI, Luke Skywalker is drawn onto the side of the emperor, of evil,” says Mr Ludewig, described as a theologian and Star Wars expert by the church. “Luke resists with the words: I will never belong to the dark side.” That sentiment, he says, is reminiscent of a passage from Romans: “Do not let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” [BBC]

Last round pound coin minted –
The Royal Mint is producing the final round pound coin on Wednesday. It is more than 30 years since the now familiar gold-coloured coins were first minted. The new-look replacement will be brought into circulation in 2017. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Jimmy Fallon, The Roots & “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Cast Sing “Star Wars” Medley (A Cappella)

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #felizmiercoles #ThisIsNotTheAlbumTOMORROW #NXTTakeOverLondon
2 #اطردو_السعودي… #NXTTakeOverLondon #1DCarpoolKaraoke
3 #Que2016MeTraga #ChildhoodHits #donttellthebride
4 #1DCarpoolKaraoke #1lineWed #fracking
5 #PSYSaPilingMo Gilbert Arenas #GOPDebate
6 #زد_رصيدك33 #IfYoureReadingThisThen #Luther
7 #ALDUB5thMonthsary #JetBlackHeartVideo #mostexpensivechristmas
8 #CizreyeSilopiyeSesVer #1DCarpoolKaraoke Jane Austen
9 #QuartaComOClubeSDV #MyParentsForgotToMention #conf15
10 #LoTeniaQueDecir #FedDecision #APSMartyrs

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March 1, 2016

Top News Stories –

It’s Kylie Minogue versus Kylie Jenner in a battle for who owns their name –
Kylie Minogue is trying to stop Kylie Jenner from using “Kylie” as a trademark in America. And the singer’s lawyers aren’t pulling any punches. They’ve filed documents describing the Keeping up with the Kardashians star as a “secondary reality television personality” who participates in “photo exhibitionism”. They also say giving Kylie J the trademark could damage Kylie M and her other trademarks. The legal papers from KDB refer to her as a “home-schooled graduate,” saying her “photographic exhibitionism and controversial posts have drawn criticism from, for example, the disability rights and African-American communities”. [BBC Newsbeat]
Kylie Minogue and Kylie JennerKylie Minogue (L) and Kylie Jenner (R)

Sam Smith ‘taking a break from Twitter’ after Oscars row with Dustin Lance Black –
Sam Smith says he’s taking a break from social media. It’s after Dustin Lance Black criticised him on Twitter for claiming that he was the first openly gay man to win a prize at the Oscars. Sam Smith made the comment during his acceptance speech after winning the Academy Award for best song for the theme tune to James Bond movie Spectre. “I read an article… by Sir Ian McKellen and he said no openly gay man had ever won an Oscar,” he said. “I want to dedicate this to the LGBT community all around the world. “I stand here tonight as a proud gay man and I hope we can all stand together as equals one day.” But the comments didn’t go down well with director Dustin Lance Black, who won an Oscar in 2009 for his film Milk. After all the online drama, the British singer said it was time to “log off for a while”.
Sam Smith tweet March 2016Sam Smith tweet

Video of the Day –

Son Lux: Change Is Everything from Nathan Johnson on Vimeo.

 

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Worldwide USA UK
1 #MarçoDaDetremuraSdv #WomensHistoryMonth #WhatItsLikeToBeADesiGirl
2 #FelizMartes #HappyBirthdayJustinBieber #HappyBirthdayJustinBieber
3 #YoTePropongo #NationalPigDay #SuperTuesday
4 #كلمه_للي_سابك Troy Ave #FutureTalentConf
5 #МартовскийНа�… #MorningsWouldBeBetterIf Happy New Month
6 #HappyBirthdayJensenAckles Legends of the Hidden Temple #IPBill
7 #OtegiFree #StDavidsDay #StDavidsDay
8 #ParecoNormalMas #SuperTuesday #LawsonMoneyBundle
9 #HappyBirthdayJustinBieber #RIPHarmonizerMandy #GIMS
10 #ماهي_قاعدتك_ب�… #MyMotherAlwaysSaid Freedom of Information Act

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Armed conflicts and attacks
Disasters and accidents
  • At least 18 people are killed and 16 others injured in a multi-vehicle accident involving a bus near Nahdah in northwestern Oman. Six of the dead were from Oman, four from Saudi Arabia, two from Pakistan, and one from Yemen. Five others are unidentified. (AP via ABC News)
  • The Peruvian Army is deployed on the country’s northern and southern coasts to help cope with El Niño-related floods that have killed at least two people and left thousands homeless. (Euronews)
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March 13, 2016

Top News Stories –

Paris St-Germain score 9 as they win French title –
Paris St-Germain were crowned French champions with two months to spare as Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored four in a 9-0 demolition of bottom side Troyes. Edinson Cavani, Javier Pastore and Adrien Rabiot put them 3-0 up inside 19 minutes before Ibrahimovic struck three within 10 minutes in the second half. Matthieu Saunier scored an own goal and Cavani made it 8-0 before Ibrahimovic added his fourth. [BBC]

  • Paris St-Germain won the league with 62 days and eight games to spare, a record for any of Europe’s ‘big five’ domestic leagues.
  • In 115 appearances in Ligue 1, Zlatan Ibrahimovic now has 102 goals and 35 assists.
  • This win was the sixth time this season that PSG have scored four goals or more in a Ligue 1 game.
  • This title is PSG’s sixth overall and their fourth in a row

Zlatan_IbrahimovicZlatan_Ibrahimovic

Video of the Day –

Jailbreak from HouseSpecial on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

French Ligue 1 title winners

Year Winner[2][21][22] Runner-up Third place
2015–16 Paris Saint-Germain
2014–15 Paris Saint-Germain Lyon AS Monaco
2013–14 Paris Saint-Germain AS Monaco Lille
2012–13 Paris Saint-Germain Marseille Lyon
2011–12 Montpellier Paris Saint-Germain Lille
2010–11 Lille Marseille Lyon
2009–10 Marseille Lyon Auxerre
2008–09 Bordeaux Marseille Lyon
2007–08 Lyon Bordeaux Marseille
2006–07 Lyon Marseille Toulouse
2005–06 Lyon Bordeaux Lille
2004–05 Lyon Lille AS Monaco
2003–04 Lyon Paris Saint-Germain AS Monaco
2002–03 Lyon AS Monaco Marseille
2001–02 Lyon Lens Auxerre
2000–01 Nantes Lyon Lille
1999–2000 AS Monaco Paris Saint-Germain Lyon
1998–99 Bordeaux Marseille Lyon
1997–98 Lens Metz AS Monaco
1996–97 AS Monaco Paris Saint-Germain Nantes
1995–96 Auxerre Paris Saint-Germain AS Monaco
1994–95 Nantes Lyon Paris Saint-Germain
1993–94 Paris Saint-Germain Marseille Auxerre
1992–93 [nb 3] Paris Saint-Germain AS Monaco
1991–92 Marseille AS Monaco Paris Saint-Germain
1990–91 Marseille AS Monaco Auxerre
1989–90 Marseille Bordeaux AS Monaco
1988–89 Marseille Paris Saint-Germain AS Monaco
1987–88 AS Monaco Bordeaux Montpellier
1986–87 Bordeaux Marseille Toulouse
1985–86 Paris Saint-Germain Nantes Bordeaux
1984–85 Bordeaux Nantes AS Monaco
1983–84 Bordeaux AS Monaco Auxerre
1982–83 Nantes Bordeaux Paris Saint-Germain
1981–82 AS Monaco Saint-Étienne Sochaux
1980–81 Saint-Étienne Nantes Bordeaux
1979–80 Nantes Sochaux Saint-Étienne
1978–79 Strasbourg Nantes Saint-Étienne
1977–78 AS Monaco Nantes Strasbourg
1976–77 Nantes Lens Bastia
1975–76 Saint-Étienne Nice Sochaux
1974–75 Saint-Étienne Marseille Lyon
1973–74 Saint-Étienne Nantes Lyon
1972–73 Nantes Nice Marseille
1971–72 Marseille Nîmes Sochaux
1970–71 Marseille Saint-Étienne Nantes
1969–70 Saint-Étienne Marseille Sedan
1968–69 Saint-Étienne Bordeaux Metz
1967–68 Saint-Étienne Nice Sochaux
1966–67 Saint-Étienne Nantes Angers
1965–66 Nantes Bordeaux Valenciennes
1964–65 Nantes Bordeaux Valenciennes
1963–64 Saint-Étienne AS Monaco Lens
1962–63 AS Monaco Stade Reims Sedan
1961–62 Stade Reims RCF Paris Nîmes
1960–61 AS Monaco RCF Paris Stade Reims
1959–60 Stade Reims Nîmes RCF Paris
1958–59 Nice Nîmes RCF Paris
1957–58 Stade Reims Nîmes AS Monaco
1956–57 Saint-Étienne Lens Stade Reims
1955–56 Nice Lens AS Monaco
1954–55 Stade Reims Toulouse Lens
1953–54 Lille Stade Reims Bordeaux
1952–53 Stade Reims Sochaux Bordeaux
1951–52 Nice Bordeaux Lille
1950–51 Nice Lille Le Havre
1949–50 Bordeaux Lille Stade Reims
1948–49 Stade Reims Lille Marseille
1947–48 Marseille Lille Stade Reims
1946–47 Roubaix–Tourcoing Stade Reims Strasbourg
1945–46 Lille Saint-Étienne RC Roubaix
1939–45
Suspended due to World War II
1938–39 Sète Marseille RCF Paris
1937–38 Sochaux Marseille Sète
1936–37 Marseille Sochaux RCF Paris
1935–36 RCF Paris Lille Strasbourg
1934–35 Sochaux Strasbourg RCF Paris
1933–34 Sète Fives Marseille
1932–33 Olympique Lillois Cannes

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1 #FelizDomingo #WeNeedMusicBecause Bonkaz
2 #13MValencia #DaylightSavingTime #WeNeedMusicBecause
3 #GetWeirdTourCardiff Proud of Obama’s Presidency #GetWeirdTourCardiff
4 #احب_اشوف_سناب�… #GetWeirdTourCardiff #ldconf
5 #VemPraRuaBrasil #SelectionSunday #WhyIDidntGetIntoHeaven
6 #나한테_평소에_못��… Someone Will Die #ArianaOnSNL
7 #DaylightSavingTime #GoodSam500 #WWERoadblock
8 #هل_تتزوجين_ولد #NASPA16 #TheVoiceUK
9 #DomingoDetremuraSdv #WhyIDidntGetIntoHeaven #bathhalf
10 #لا_تتزوج_معلمه #ArianaOnSNL Lukaku

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May 21, 2016

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Manchester United win FA Cup and replace their manager –
Manchester United came from behind and survived Chris Smalling’s sending-off to beat Crystal Palace and win the FA Cup at Wembley through Jesse Lingard’s extra-time strike. As Wembley was awash with growing speculation this this would be Louis van Gaal’s final match as United manager – with BBC Sport understanding he will be replaced by Jose Mourinho next week – he was able to add English football’s most glamorous cup to his honours list. United looked on course to end the season empty-handed as well as missing out on Champions League football when substitute Jason Puncheon’s powerful far-post finish put Palace ahead with 12 minutes left. It was harsh on United, who had hit the woodwork through Marouane Fellaini and Antony Martial, but they responded within four minutes with a brilliant run from Wayne Rooney that ended with Juan Mata scoring from close range. United lost Smalling to a second yellow card for hauling back Yannick Bolasie in extra time – but Lingard took the trophy to Old Trafford when he lashed home a first-time strike from Damien Delaney’s half-clearance after 110 minutes. [BBC]
Louis_van_GaalLouis van Gaal

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Cruising with Tesla’s Autopilot in Houston traffic

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June 20, 2016

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Finding Dory breaks US box office record –
Finding Dory has taken $136.2m (£93.3m) on its opening weekend – making it the most successful launch for an animated film in US box office history. The sequel to Finding Nemo has unseated Shrek the Third – which took $121.6m (£83.1m) on its release in 2007. It is also the second most successful opening weekend of 2016, behind Marv el’s Captain America: Civil War. Ellen DeGeneres voices the lead character in Finding Dory. [BBC]
Photo: Ellen Degeneres - public domainEllen DeGeneres (and others)

Video of the Day –

Why Don’t We Ever See Baby Pigeons? | Dolan Life Mysteries

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June 28, 2016

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Japan uses anime to target young voters –
Japanese cities are using manga and anime to persuade young people to vote in forthcoming elections. The popular formats feature in local electoral commission materials aimed at newly enfranchised 18- and 19-year-olds, which explain why going to the polls is important, The Japan Times website reports. Last year, Japan lowered the voting age from 20 to 18 – the first change in seven decades. An election on 10 July to choose members of the upper house of parliament will be the first national poll since the law changed. Officials in the city of Nara have created a five-minute-long anime video on the importance not only of voting, but of making an informed decision at the ballot box. It shows three girls celebrate turning 18, two of whom don’t intend to use their votes. Other characters then warn the girls that it’s never been more important to make their voices heard. It ends with what the paper describes as a “perky, off-key song” about nearing adulthood and thinking for yourself. [BBC]See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

エンジェルは選挙権がお好き / 井上涼 【18歳選挙権】- Nara City Voting video

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