January 27, 2010

Top Stories –
Apple introduce the “iPad” –
Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs introduces the “iPad” a new tablet with no keyboard or mouse. Designed for browsing the internet, it is 0.5 inches (13mm) thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds (680g). The iPad, which will launch in March for $499 (16Gb version), includes 12 new apps and will run most of the 140,000 apps in the App Store. Jobs described the iPad as “a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price.”
Steve Jobs with the iPad

Throw out the running shoes –
Dr Daniel Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University reveals that running barefoot is better than wearing running shoes. The researchers found that people who run barefoot tend to land on the ball or the middle of the foot, moving smoothly, but those who run in shoes tend to land on the heels, sending shockwaves through the body.

Bubble Wrap hits middle age –
Bubble Wrap is 50 years old. It was first invented by Marc Chavannes and Al Fielding as textured wallpaper and there are more than 250 dedicated Facebook pages. Sealed Air who owns the patent and manufactures Bubble Wrap makes more than $4bn a year.

Top Video –
The first Mackintosh commercial (1984)

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February 9, 2010

Top News Stories –

Chubby hedgehogs sent to ‘fat club’ to diet –
A group of overweight hedgehogs are to be given a helping hand in losing their winter weight thanks to a special ‘fat club’. The hedgehogs started piling on the pounds because they spent longer than usual in the care of the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fife. They were kept in their warm enclosures during the severe weather conditions which hit the country in December and January, because the cold could have killed them. (See List of the Day) [Daily Telegraph]
A European Hedgehog

Chinese police admit enormous number of spies –
A Chinese police chief has said he uses more than 12,000 spies to inform on a remote county of just 400,000 people, an admission that lays bare the enormous scale of China’s surveillance network. Liu Xingchen, the 56-year-old assistant to the head of Kailu County, a farming region in Inner Mongolia, said his vast network of informants meant he could be “very sensitive” to any signs of dissent and protest. In an interview with Xinhua, the government-run news agency, Mr Liu described how he was able to “quickly and accurately discover all sorts of information that might destabilise society”. “Every policeman and auxiliary policeman, no matter their division or particular police station, has to establish at least 20 informants in their community, village, work unit and so on. Altogether, these add up to 10,000 spies. “Then the actual criminal units, the economic crimes unit, the Domestic Security Department, the Public Information Security Supervision and so on will establish a further five ‘eyes and ears’.
“At the latest count, our bureau has established 12,093 informants,” he said. [Daily Telegraph]

Google Buzz takes on Facebook and Twitter –
Google has launched a new tool that will allow users of its email service to share their feelings with other users, in an effort to take on social networking giants Facebook and Twitter head-on. Google Buzz, as the new application is called, essentially allows Gmail users to write status updates which other users can see, but goes further by allowing them to aggregate other services in an attempt to make it easier to operate in the increasingly frustrating information-heavy online environment. Buzz goes a number of steps further, however, by allowing users to create a Google profile page, which can be seen not just by friends but by the entire web if so desired, and will guide users to follow the people they email and chat with the most. It will also allows posts to include links, YouTube videos, pictures from Google’s Picasa hosting service. (See Video of the Day) [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Google Buzz for mobile

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January 13, 2012

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.
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
David Warner
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February 14, 2014

February 14th 2014

Mars doughnut rock mystery solved –
Pictures from Mars taken by the Mars Rover last month showing a piece of white-rimmed and red-centred rock that appeared seemingly from nowhere, is explained by NASA. It turns out the Mars Rover, Opportunity drove over a larger rock, a doughnut shaped piece broke off and appeared in the later picture. The rock (called Pinnacle Island) contains high levels of manganese and sulphur, providing further reason to believe there could be water on Mars.
Before and after images of the area.

Are you Gender Questioning? No problem –
Facebook users can now choose up to 50 gender options when they sign up to an account in the US from “agender” and “two-spirit”. The fifty options are shown below.
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February 20, 2014

February 20th 2014

Earthquake stirs the west country –
An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale strikes the Bristol Channel off the west coast of England the strongest to hit Britain in six years. The last significant earthquake was on February 27, 2008 at Market Rasen in Lincolnshire, measuring 5.2.

Facebook buys WhatsApp for $19 billion –
Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook buys messaging service WhatsApp for around $19 billion. The deal consists of Facebook shares worth $12billion for the purchase and another $3billion of restricted stocks as a windfall for WhatsApp’s co-founders and their 50 employees. About 450m people around the world use the instant messaging service each month.
Mark Zuckerberg
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November 30, 2014

Top News Stories –

US boy missing for four years found alive hidden behind fake wall –
A 13-year-old boy reported missing by his mother four years ago was found hidden behind a false wall in his father’s home. After a tip-off police raided a detached suburban house with an immaculately kept garden in Jonesboro near Atlanta, Georgia. They discovered the fake wall behind some towels and it disguised a passage to a space above the garage. The boy’s father Gregory Jean, 37, and stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, 42, and three other people in the house, were charged with obstruction, false imprisonment and cruelty to children. [Daily Telegraph]

‘Hot Selfie’ competition dubbed Facebook’s most narcissistic challenge CANCELLED after one hopeful is ‘intimidated’ after posting their photo –
A ‘hot selfie’ competition where posers paid to enter in the hope of winning $10,000 has been shut down before a winner could be chosen.
The narcissistic photography challenge was abandoned after ‘entrant tampering’, according to the competition’s website.Brisbane-based company Serious Selfie set up the competition which offered a cash prize for the best pout. A statement on the Hot Selfie website said: ‘It was with regret that Serious Selfies PTY. LTD. terminated the Hot Selfie Competition, ahead of its end date, as a result of entrant tampering. ‘Unfortunately, one of our entrants had been contacted and intimidated outside of the Facebook platform.’ [Daily Mail]
Entrant in the Hot Selfie Competition

Video of the Day –

Lego Star Wars The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer

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January 13, 2015

Top News Stories –

Beer with balls –
The Stedji brewery in Iceland has announced its new beer will be flavoured with smoked fin whale testicles. The Hvalur 2 beer is being sold for a limited period to mark the Icelandic midwinter month of Thorri. The fin whale is the second-largest living mammal after the blue whale and can grow up to 27m (88ft).

Trevor “Dozy” Ward-Davies dies –
Trevor Ward-Davies, best known as Dozy from the 60s pop group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, died today at the age of 70 after a short illness. The bass guitarist was a founder member of the band that had hits in the 60s with “Hold Tight!”, “Bend It!” and the legendary UK number one “The Legend of Xanadu” complete with whip-crack sound effects. Between 1965 and 1969, the group spent more weeks in the UK singles charts than the Beatles.
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich in 1967

Model restaurant –
A restaurant in Zhengzhou, central Henan province, China, can get their meal for free if they are selected by staff from a cosmetic surgery as one of the best-looking within a group of diners. People have their photos taken on arrival and the five diners judged most attractive get a free meal.

Video of the Day –

Tall Tales Part 2 from Kilogramme on Vimeo.

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January 29, 2015

Top News Stories –

Russian planes buzz UK airspace –
Britain’s Foreign office have said that two Russian Tu-95 Bear H aircraft came within 25 miles of UK airspace in the last 24 hours. They travelled from the north, past the west coast of Ireland and to the English Channel before turning and going back the way they had come. British typhoon fighters were scrambled after the the bombers did not file a flight plan, did not have their transponders switched on and “weren’t talking to air traffic control”.

Taylor Swift trademarks lyrics –
Taylor Swift has trademarked phrases from her current album, 1989 in the United States. The phrases include “this sick beat” and “we never go out of style”, and the trademark ruling stops the use of the lyrics on merchandise. Rihanna successfully sued Topshop earlier this month for using her image on a t-shirt.

Murray’s girlfriend tells it like it is –
Tennis player Andy Murray’s fiancé Kim Sears is caught on camera apparently swearing about Murray’s semi-final opponent Tomas Berdych’s. Lip readers allege she said “Take that you flash Czech fucker”, when Murray won a crucial point. Murray later defended Sears, saying: “In the heat of the moment, you can say stuff that you regret.”

Video of the Day –

Taylor Swift – Shake it off

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March 16, 2015

Top News Stories –

Ronaldo has most Facebook likes after going ahead of Shakira –
Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has overtaken Shakira to become the most followed person on Facebook. The 30-year-old star now has 107,096,356 likes compared to 107,087,100 for the Colombian singer. Ronaldo became the first sportsman to cross 100 million likes last October after joining the site in 2009. He also has 34 million followers on Twitter but is only 13th on that list with Katy Perry leading on 66.6 million followers. [BBC]
Christiano Ronaldo

Flintoff wins Australia’s I’m A Celebrity –
Andrew Flintoff has been crowned Australia’s king of the jungle after winning their version of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Flintoff beat Australian Football League player Barry Hall and TV personality Chrissie Swan to the title in the South African jungle. After winning, Freddie said: “As an Englishman winning something in Australia, it’s unheard of.” On the show he ate a rat’s tail and was covered in elephant manure. He also drank fermented milk laced with cockroaches and flies and fell out of a helicopter. [BBC]
Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff

Vladimir Putin reappears in public for first time in 10 days –
President Vladimir Putin has made his first public appearance for over ten days, scotching rumours of a Kremlin coup and even his own death. All eyes were on the Russian city of Saint Petersburg on Monday as Mr Putin met with the President of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, for talks as planned. Commenting on suggestions that he had been forced to lie low because of ill health, Mr Putin said that life without rumours would be boring. “It would be boring without gossip,” Mr Putin, 62, said in his first public appearance since March 5. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Breaking Rules from BIBI LOU on Vimeo.

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March 27, 2015

Top News Stories –

George Clooney wants 12-seater cinema at his country estate by the Thames –
George Clooney wants to add a 12-seater home cinema and luxurious swimming pool to his 17th century country estate in Sonning-on-Thames, plans submitted on Friday revealed. A new pool house, pergola and hot tub will be built onto the back of the existing riverside boat house, allowing George and his new wife Amal to luxuriate by the estuaries of the River Thames. Plans have been submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council’s planning department to extend an annexe of Clooney’s countryside mansion in Sonning Eye, Berkshire. [Daily Telegraph]
George Clooney

Facebook completes first drone flight above UK, Mark Zuckerberg confirms –
Solar powered drones which provide internet access to rural and remote areas have been trialled in UK for first time by Facebook. They “have a wingspan greater than a Boeing 737 but will weigh less than a car”, according to the social network’s chief Mark Zuckerberg. The drones, developed by Somerset-based company Ascenta which Facebook bought last March, will beam down laser-guided internet signals to those below. Solar panels attached to the wings of the drones mean that they will be able to keep going at altitudes of 60,000 ft for months at a time.
Mark Zuckerberg

Dermot O’Leary quits the X Factor –
After eight years, Dermot O’Leary has announced through Twitter he is stepping down as presenter of the long-running talent show, and is now joint favourite to replace Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear – bookmakers William Hill currently has O’Leary joint with Jodie Kidd as the 4/1 favourite. O’Leary recently danced continuously for 24 hours to raise money for Comic Relief.

Dermot O’Leary

Italy court clears Knox and Sollecito –
Italy’s top appeals court has overturned the convictions of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito for the murder of UK student Meredith Kercher.
The decision is the final ruling in the long-running case. The pair were found guilty in 2009, then freed in 2011 after the convictions were overturned. Their convictions were reinstated by another court last year. Ms Kercher was found dead in 2007 in a flat she shared with Ms Knox.
The couple had always maintained their innocence and the decision by the Court of Cassation puts an end to their long legal battle. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

SUNDAYS from PostPanic on Vimeo.

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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)

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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April 28, 2015

Top News Stories –

Clinton logo goes rainbow for same-sex marriage arguments –
Hillary Clinton on Tuesday changed the colors of her presidential campaign logo Tuesday on social media to the rainbow colors symbolizing the gay rights movement, less than an hour before the Supreme Court on Tuesday was set to hear oral arguments on same-sex marriage. Clinton, who is now seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, announced in 2013 her support for the right of same-sex couples to get married after leaving her post as Secretary of State. Clinton’s logo changed on her Facebook and Twitter pages Tuesday morning shortly before 9 a.m. Facebook pages for individual state branches of the Clinton campaign also changed their logos, though the main logo on HillaryClinton.com, remained the usual red and blue logo. [CNN] The hashtag #SCOTUS relating to the court case trended on Twitter.

Hilary Clinton Twitter (April 28 2015)

Baltimore police enforce curfew –
Police fired gas to enforce a curfew on the streets of Baltimore, a night after violence and arson rocked the city. After an evening of largely peaceful protests, a few hundred people defied the (local time)deadline of 22:00. But in the face of thousands of troops on the city streets, the remaining crowds later dispersed and police said the curfew was working. The protests have gone on daily since the death of Freddie Gray in police custody on 19 April. [BBC] (See Top Twitter Trends)

Sam Smith cancels Australian tour and Logie Awards show –
Sam Smith has been forced to pull out of his Australian tour due to bleeding on his vocal cords. The singer is just half way through an eight-date tour. He was also due to perform at the TV Week Logies, the annual Australian television industry awards. Writing on the tour website, Sam said having to cancel the tour “killed” him, but that he was on doctor’s orders to rest.
Sam Smith

Victoria’s Secret unveils 10 new models –
Victoria’s Secret added 10 new models to its roster, which had recently been whittled down to five (Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, and Lily Aldridge). The lingerie company provided a 15-second clip introducing their new employees, and handy dandy summary of each new model’s bona fides, which include, variously, racket sports, salsa dancing, and trying new meals. [Fox News] (See Video of the day and List of the day)

Video of the Day –

And the 10 Newest Victoria’s Secret Angels Are…

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May 3, 2015

Top News Stories –

Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn split up –
Former world number one golfer Tiger Woods and his girlfriend, US Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn, say they have ended their relationship.
Both blamed the pressure of their busy schedules for the split. Ms Vonn said on Facebook that the decision was mutual. In a statement on his website, Mr Woods said he would “always cherish our time together”. The sports stars first publicly announced they were an item in March 2013 following weeks of speculation. “After nearly three years together, Tiger and I have mutually decided to end our relationship,” Ms Vonn, 30, said on her Facebook page. [BBC]

In January Vonn won her 63rd World Cup downhill title and Woods lost a tooth in the media scrum.
Lindsey Vonn

Chelsea win Premier League: Jose Mourinho attacks critics after capturing league title at Stamford Bridge –
Eden Hazard’s goal confirmed Chelsea as champions for this first time in five years and manager Mourinho rejected any suggestions his side are not worthy winners or that they have been helped by the failure of others. “The people who have a big face to say we don’t deserve it are the ones who, in my country, say the dogs bark and the caravan goes by,” said Mourinho. This is the first title Mourinho has won with Chelsea since returning to the club since 2013 and his third with the club in total. (See List of the Day)
Jose Mourinho

Video of the Day –

“Fight of the Century” considered a disappointment so…
FLOYD MAYWEATHER PUNCH-OUT!!!

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May 28, 2015

Top News Stories –

‘Buy button’ to be added to Google search results –
Google has confirmed that it is to introduce a “buy button” to its search results imminently. The button would give Google Search users the option to purchase without needing to visit a separate website. The company’s chief business officer, Omid Kordestani, said he wanted to reduce “friction” for users so they buy more things online. Google faces significant competition from Amazon, where many people now begin their search to buy products. [BBC]

Hashtag is ‘children’s word of year’ –
Hashtag has been declared “children’s word of the year” by the Oxford University Press. OUP analysed more than 120,421 short stories by children aged between five and 13 years old, submitted to the BBC’s 500 Words competition. According to the OUP, new technology is increasingly at the centre of the children’s lives but how they are writing about it is changing fast. Words including email, mobile and Facebook are in decline, it said.
They are being replaced by the likes of Instagram, Snapchat and emoji. And the word television has now been superseded by phone. The report also notes a sudden new arrival in children’s sentences. The use of the hashtag symbol # to add an extra meaning or comment at the end of a sentence has become commonplace. #IblameTwitter #AndInstagram. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

The A-Z of YouTube: Celebrating 10 Years | #HappyBirthdayYouTube

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	EU TE AMO LOUIS	#NationalBurgerDay	#WorkingClassTories
2	#FelizJueves	Justin and Selena	#ClickBaitAMovie
3	FIFA 16	Kung Fury	Derek Hatton
4	#TeenChoice	#io15	FIFA 16
5	#GeziyiUnutma	#AskPOTUS	#jamesyouareperfect
6	#ParaSiempre	Cheryl Lynn	Sevilla
7	Riley Curry	FIFA 16	#NationalBurgerDay
8	Justin and Selena	George Pataki	#TeenChoice
9	#اكتب_مقوله_مق�…	#ClickBaitAMovie	#HappyBirthdayRyan
10	#ClickBaitAMovie	Riley Curry	#bressure

Other News Stories –

Arts and culture

88th Scripps National Spelling Bee
- Vanya Shivashankar of Olathe, Kansas and Gokul Venkatachalam of Chesterfield, Missouri are declared co-champions of the Scripps National Spelling Bee held in National Harbor, Maryland. It is the second consecutive year that there have been two co-champions. (Sports Center via Twitter), (CNN)

Business and economy

The Solicitor General of the United States sides with Oracle in a much-watched copyright dispute with Google over Java APIs. (IDG News Service).

Disasters and accidents

The United States Air Force says that as many as 22 people have been inadvertently exposed to anthrax during a laboratory training exercise atOsan Air Base in South Korea. (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Tornadoes of 2015 and 2015 Texas–Oklahoma flood and tornado outbreak
- The death toll from the recent storms in the American states of Texas and Oklahoma rises to 21 with 11 people missing. Fourteen more people have been killed in northern Mexico. (AP via ABC News)
2015 Indian heat wave
- The death toll from the Indian heat wave rises to over 1,400 with over 1000 dead in Andhra Pradesh state alone. (CNN)
Seventeen students are killed and five injured when a truck carrying them to school overturns on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. (AFP via Abram Online)

International relations

The Hellenic Coast Guard rescues 218 migrants off the coast of Greece who sailed illegally from Turkey making the total number of people arriving more than 1,500 in a week. (AFP via Daily Star)

Law and crime

Former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Dennis Hastert is indicted for allegedly trying to evade banking reporting requirements and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigations. (CNBC)
Independent lawmaker Catherine Murphy raises fresh allegations in Ireland’s Dáil against billionaire Denis O’Brien, prompting criticism over the silence of the country’s media (much of it owned by O’Brien). (RTE) (Broadsheet) (UP Report)

Politics and elections

Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016
- Former Governor of New York, George Pataki, announces that he is seeking the Republican Party nomination for the 2016 presidential election. (CNN)

Science and technology

NASA awards Boeing a commercial contract to build and fly the next passenger spacecraft, the CST-100. (Fin24)

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July 12, 2015

Top News Stories –

Wimbledon 2015: Novak Djoković beats Roger Federer in final –
Defending champion Novak Djoković saw off seven-time champion Roger Federer in four sets to win his third Wimbledon and ninth Grand Slam title.
The Serb, 28, won 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (10-12) 6-4 6-3 to overtake the likes of Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Ivan Lendl in the all-time list of major winners. Federer, 33, had hoped to become the first man to win Wimbledon eight times. The Swiss won a thrilling second set tie-break but Djoković came through to win in two hours and 56 minutes. [BBC] No-one in the crowd proposed to his girlfriend unlike Djoković’s match in January 25, 2015.
Novak_Đoković

Woman, 30, changes name to log in to Facebook –
A woman has told how she has been forced to change her name by deed poll to match her “ridiculous” Facebook pseudonym after being locked out of her account. Jemma Rogers, 30, a holistic therapist, from Lewisham, south-east London, set up a profile on the social network in 2008. Wanting to avoid annoying friend requests from old friends and strangers, she created the profile under the pseudonym Jemmaroid Von Laalaa. But last month she got a message from Facebook asking her to send identification to prove it was a genuine name and account. In a desperate bid to get the profile back, she changed her name by deed poll and is now officially Ms Von Laalaa. What’s more, despite her extreme efforts, she’s still locked out of her account even after sending over her new ID to Facebook. [Daily Telegraph]

$1 million reward offered for Judy Garland’s stolen ruby slippers –
An anonymous donor has offered a $1 million reward for credible information leading to the recovery of a pair of Judy Garland’s sequined, ruby red slippers stolen from a museum in her Minnesota hometown. The late actress wore the slippers in “The Wizard of Oz.” Three other pairs still exist, including one on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. John Kelsch, executive director of the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, says the donor is from Arizona and is a huge fan of Garland and the 1939 movie. The reward offer requires the exact location of the slippers and the perpetrator’s name.

Video of the Day –

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Comic-Con Trailer

List of the Day –

Novak Djokovic Grand Slam record

Tournament	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	SR	W–L	Win %
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open	1R	1R	4R	W	QF	QF	W	W	W	QF	W	5 / 11	50–6	89.29
French Open	2R	QF	SF	SF	3R	QF	SF	F	SF	F	F	0 / 11	48–11	81.36
Wimbledon	3R	4R	SF	2R	QF	SF	W	SF	F	W	W	3 / 11	52–8	86.67
US Open	3R	3R	F	SF	SF	F	W	F	F	SF		1 / 10	50–9	84.75
Win–Loss	5–4	9–4	19–4	18–3	15–4	19–4	25–1	24–3	24–3	22–3	20–1	9 / 43	200–34	85.47

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	El Chapo	El Chapo	#UFC189
2	#WimbledonFinal	#WhatIdTell18YearOldMe	Ojuelegba
3	#UFC189	#NoteToSelf	Robbie Keane
4	#AlgoQueMeEncantaEs	#WimbledonFinal	#WimbledonFinal
5	Justin and Selena	Jaden	El Chapo
6	#حزب_الي_ما_تجي…	Camille Cosby	#WhatIdTell18YearOldMe
7	#OTRASantaClara	#FaceTimeMeNash	Justin and Selena
8	オナネタ	#OTRASanDiegoWasLouder	#placenameamovie
9	#HoyDomingoPintaPara	#NerdistSDCC	Suicide Squad
10	SAI2	Satoru Iwata	Brian Toomey

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen (2015-present)
- Saudi-led coalition forces bomb Houthi targets in several provinces of Yemen, killing at least 15 people, despite a UN-brokered truce.(Business Standard)
2015 Sousse attacks
- Tunisia arrests 127 people suspected of being members of terrorist groups following last month’s attack. (Al-Arabiya)
- Tunisia’s Interior Minister Najem Gharsalli claims that the country has targeted the al-Qaida-linked Oqba Ibn Nafaa brigade. (AP)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- A suicide car bomb kills 25 people and wounds 10 in southeastern Afghanistan close to a U.S. base. (Reuters)
Colombian conflict (1964–present)
- The Government of Colombia and FARC announce plans to negotiate a ceasefire to end the fifty year old dispute. (AP)

Business and economy

Greek government debt crisis
- A European Union leaders’ summit to discuss the Greek debt crisis is cancelled due to failure of finance ministers to agree on Greek proposals. However, Eurozone leaders do meet, with discussions continuing into the night. (BBC), (Sky News) (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

2015 Pacific typhoon season
- Typhoon Chan-hom weakens as it heads to northeastern China. (Xinhua)

Law and crime

War on Terror
- An independent report reveals that the American Psychological Association was complicit in the participation of its members with the use oftorture during the Iraq and Afghan wars, such as in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. Many experts suspected that the bizarre torture and humiliation were not “a few bad apples” but meticulously planned techniques. (The Guardian)

Sports

2015 Wimbledon Championships
- In tennis, Novak Djokovic defeats Roger Federer in the mens singles in four sets to claim his third title. (BBC), (BBC)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

July 15, 2015

Top News Stories –

Kim Kardashian on the cover of Rolling Stone? It’s the death of rock’n’roll! –
Kim Kardashian has been accused of many things over the years, but this week brought a new addition to the charge sheet: killing rock’n’roll. The accuser? Sinéad O’Connor, who adduced that the presence of Kardashian and her cleavage on the cover of US magazine Rolling Stone was evidence that “music has officially died”. “Bob Dylan,” she added, “must be fucking horrified.” [Guardian]
Rolling Stone magazine cover

Donald Trump declares personal wealth of more than $10 billion –
Donald Trump, the property mogul turned US presidential candidate, has declared his personal wealth to be over 10 billion dollars (£6.4bn) in his official forms submitted to the US government’s election commission. In a typically flamboyant statement extolling his own vast wealth, Mr Trump complained that the Federal Election Commission forms did not have sufficient boxes to accommodate a man of his stature. “This report was not designed for a man of Mr. Trump’s massive wealth,” said a statement issued by Trump campaign headquarters. [Daily Telegraph]
Donald Trump

Video of the Day –

The Death Of Bees Explained – Parasites, Poison and Humans

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#JustinBieberComeBackTo1D	#PrimeDay	#OhNoLouis
2	あなたの精神年齢	Best Buy	Nick Cave
3	#OhNoLouis	#GrowingUpUgly	#GrowingUpScottish
4	#MasterChefBR	Wellington	#woofwoofwednesday
5	Aimar	Major Garrett	Briana
6	#FelizMiercoles	#5ONTHEWALL	#BackTheBBC
7	#HappyBirthdayLuke	#ESPYS	#PMQs
8	プラカード	#JustinBieberComeBackTo1D	#5ONTHEWALL
9	#5ONTHEWALL	#JimmyV	#JustinBieberComeBackTo1D
10	Best Buy	#DailyLifeIn4Words	Theresa May

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Boko Haram
- At least 33 people are killed in Boko Haram attacks in recent days in northeastern Nigeria. (CNN)
Yemeni Crisis (2011–present)
- Loyalists of exiled President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi capture Aden International Airport after four months of being under Houthi control. (Al-Arabiyah)

Disasters and accidents

A preliminary report from the Dutch Safety Board of the investigation of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) disaster points to pro-Russian rebels as being responsible for the shooting down of the passenger flight on 17 July 2014. (CNN)

Business and economy

Greek government-debt crisis, Greek government-debt crisis timeline
- The Hellenic Parliament votes to approve the Greek bailout package despite many senior lawmakers from the ruling Syriza Party refusing to vote for the deal. (AP via New York Times), (BBC)
Puerto Rico government debt crisis
- Standard & Poor’s cut the credit rating of Puerto Rico‘s Government Development Bank to ‘CC’, saying a near-term default is a virtual certainty.(Reuters)
Pabst Brewing Company announces plans to brew again at their historic brewery located in Milwaukee. (JS)
Spanish manufacturer Talgo announces Saudi Arabia’s cancellation of a $201-million contract for six high-speed trains. (Reuters via Arabian Business)

Health

Two South Korean airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, will resume flights to Japan after suspending flights during the recent MERS outbreak.(TASS)

Law and crime

Oskar Gröning, known as the “Auschwitz book-keeper”, is sentenced to four years imprisonment for being an accessory to the murder of 300,000Jews. (BBC)

Politics and elections

President of Russia Vladimir Putin signs a law that sets the date for an early parliamentary election on 18 September 2016. (Bloomberg)

Science and Technology

The circumnavigation attempt of Earth by the solar-powered Solar Impulse plane, currently in Hawaii, has been suspended for the rest of 2015 in order to perform necessary repairs. (BBC)
NASA publishes the first close up photos of Pluto from the New Horizons spacecraft. They show geologically young mountains made of water ice.(The Guardian), (Wired)

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July 31, 2015

Top News Stories –

Facebook unveils solar-powered drone that can beam the internet down to earth –
Facebook has unveiled a full-scale prototype of its Aquila drone – the high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft that the Californian tech giant wants to use to beam internet to people in parts of the world that are not yet connected. Aquila, which is solar-powered and named after the eagle in Greek mythology that carried Jupiter’s thunderbolts, is based on technology developed by Somerset-based company Ascenta, which Facebook bought in March 2014 for an estimated £12.5m. “Aquila has the wingspan of a 737 but weighs hundreds of times less, thanks to its unique design and carbon-fiber frame,” said Jay Parikh, vice president of global engineering and infrastructure at Facebook, in a blog post. [Daily Telegraph] See Video of the Day

Naomi Campbell guilty of assault on Sicilian paparazzo –
Naomi Campbell was convicted of assault by a Sicilian court on Friday after she scratched the eye of a paparazzo photographer who took pictures of her and her former boyfriend. The incident occurred in August 2009 when the British supermodel and her then partner Russian billionaire Vladimir Doronin moored their yacht off the Sicilian island of Lipari to visit the local town. They had just arrived from St Tropez. A photographer, Gaetano Di Giovanni, took several photos of Campbell as she walked through the narrow streets. Campbell then hit photographer with her handbag, scratching one of his eyes. [Daily Telegraph]
Naomi Campbell

Beijing to host 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics –
Beijing has been chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, beating the bid of Kazakhstan’s Almaty. Having hosted the 2008 Olympics, the Chinese capital will be the first city to host both a summer and winter Games. Beijing and Almaty were considered outsiders when the 2022 bid race opened two years ago. But after a host of European cities withdrew for political or financial reasons, the Chinese bid beat Almaty by 44 votes to 40 with one abstention. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Inside Facebook’s Connectivity Lab

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#MilGanasDe	#LiesMenTell	#fridayfeeling
2	#DragMeDown	#DragMeDown	#DragMeDown
3	#حرقوا_الرضيع	#GotDumpedBecause	#WannaKnow
4	#SiempreMePasaQue	#BlueMoon	Rickie Lambert
5	#AysunAltay	#HappyBirthdayJKRowling	#HappyBirthdayJKRowling
6	San Félix	Russell Wilson	#ChoiceYouTuber
7	永遠の0	Cespedes	#LeaveAMark
8	Hayırlı Cumalar	Lynn Anderson	#HappyBirthdayBeau
9	ブルームーン	Roddy Piper	#AskMadison
10	#MeVendriaEstupendoQue	Supa	#LiesMenTell

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
- Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the Haqqani Network, is reported as having died in 2014. (BBC)
Turkey–PKK conflict
- Two Turkish police officers and two PKK militants are killed following a PKK raid on a police station in the south-eastern town of Pozantı. Also, in the eastern province of Kars, PKK militants bombed a railway line and then fired at repair workers, leaving one dead. (BBC)
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- Houthi shelling kills four Saudi Arabian soldiers and wounds eight others in the Saudi town of Aseer near the volatile Yemeni border. Jazeera)

Business and economy

Swiss National Bank reports a first half loss of 50 billion CHF as a result of the franc to euro peg removal earlier this year. (BBC)
Russian financial crisis (2014–present)
- The Central Bank lowers interest rate to 11%, while the ruble falls 1.5% on the day to close at 60.60 against the dollar. (Reuters UK)

Disasters and accidents

Four people including members of the Bin Laden family are killed in a business jet crash close to Blackbushe Airport in the United Kingdom.(BBC), (BBC)
More than 21 people are killed in Myanmar Flood and up to 150,000 people are displaced.

Law and crime

2015 West Bank Arson attack
- Suspected Jewish settlers set fire to a West Bank home and burned a sleeping Palestinian toddler to death in an attack that drew Palestinian rage and widespread Israeli condemnation. (KLTV)(NY Times)

International relations

India and Bangladesh have swapped control of some 160 small pockets of land on each other’s territory. Residents were asked to choose where they wanted to live and which nationality they would prefer. Most of them decided to change nationality and stay where they live. (BBC)
France agrees to pay Russia €1.16bn in refund and compensation after the cancellation of the sale of two warships following the military intervention in Ukraine. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Philippine presidential election, 2016:
- President Benigno Aquino III endorses the presidential candidacy of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas in 2016. (Rappler),(AP via Yahoo! News)
- Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas announces his presidential candidacy in 2016. (Rappler)

Sports

The International Olympic Committee selects Beijing as the host city for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Lausanne in Switzerland is chosen as the host city for the 2020 Youth Olympic Winter Games. (The Guardian). (USA Today)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

August 6, 2015

Top News Stories –

Facebook launches live video for celebrities in Mentions app –
Facebook has launched a live video function for celebrities on its Mentions app. The feature will allow any star with a verified account to broadcast to fans who follow them. It’ll be in competition with services like Periscope and Meerkat and will appear in people’s News Feed.
The Facebook Mentions app allows athletes, musicians, politicians and other stars to talk with their fans and each other. [BBC Newsbeat]

George Cole, Arthur Daley in Minder, dies at 90 –
Stars of stage and screen have been paying tribute to “immaculate” and “unforgettable” Minder actor George Cole following his death at the age of 90. Cole, whose showbusiness career spanned 70 years, is best remembered for his portrayal of small-time wheeler dealer and crook Arthur Daley in the TV show Minder, alongside his likeable bodyguard Terry McCann, played by Waterman. He died yesterday in hospital with his family at his side after a short illness, it was announced today. [Daily Telegraph]

Apple Music signs 11 million up to free trial in first five weeks –
Apple has signed up 11 million users to a free trial of Apple Music since the service launched at the end of June. Jimmy Iovine, who co-founded the Beats Music streaming service bought by Apple before it launched Apple Music, told USA Today he was “pleasantly shocked” by the service’s growth in its first five weeks, while Eddy Cue, the company’s senior vice president of internet software and services, said: “We’re thrilled with the numbers so far.” Should all of the trial members choose to keep paying for their subscriptions, Apple Music will have accumulated the equivalent of around half of rival streaming service Spotify’s paying membership – some 20 million – within three months. [Daily Telegraph]
Jimmy Iovine

Video of the Day –

Husband shocks wife with pregnancy announcement!

Top Twitter Trends –

1	Chano	#GOPDebate	#secschoolinnigeria
2	#OTRAMETLIFE	Patrick Kane	#Hiroshima
3	#تفجير_طواري_ع�…	#Hiroshima	#ThankYouThursday
4	River	#GLS15	Jamaicans
5	#لماذا_السعودي…	#SuperVillainCelebs	George Cole
6	BET Uncut	#DebateQuestionsWeWantToHear	#OTRAMETLIFE
7	#FelizJueves	Jennifer Aniston	#Ashes2015
8	#Hiroshima	#WelcomeBackToTexas1D	#EatAn80sBand
9	#LaVidaNoValeNadaSin	#VRA50	#NashsNewVideo
10	Jennifer Aniston	Lizzie McGuire	#tubestrike

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- A suicide bomber kills at least eight people and injures twelve in the city of Pul-i-Alam in Logar Province. (AP via ABC News America)
Terrorism in Saudi Arabia, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant
- A suicide bomb attack kills at least 15 people at a mosque in the south-western Saudi city of Abha. IS claims responsibility. (Reuters), (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Syrian Civil War
- Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant conquers the key transport hub Al-Qaryatain, allowing its forces in the Qalamun region to be supplied through this city. (The News Hub)
Russian hackers are suspected of infiltrating the U.S. Pentagon e-mail system last week. (The Daily Telegraph)

Arts and culture

American news satire program The Daily Show airs its last broadcast with comedian Jon Stewart as host. (The New Yorker)
Many people throughout the world commemorate the 70th anniversary of the dropping of an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.(Reuters via Melbourne Age)

Disasters and accidents

At least 17 people, including 12 Afghan army soldiers were killed following a helicopter crash in the southern province of Zabul. (Al-Jazeera)
A Pakistani military helicopter crashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province resulting in at least 11 deaths. (AP)

International relations

Yemeni Civil War:
- Saudi Arabia sends new military equipment including tanks from Sharura into northern Yemen to support government forces fighting Iran-backed Houthi militants. (Voice of America)

Politics and Elections

The Republican Party candidates for President of the United States debate, in two events (top tier candidates and lower-tier candidates separated) in an informal kick-off event for the 2016 campaign. (LA Times)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

August 22, 2015

Top News Stories –

7 Dead as Fighter Jet Crashes Into Highway at British Airshow –
A fighter jet taking part in a British airshow on Saturday crashed into a highway, killing seven people. The crash took place at the Shoreham Airshow in West Sussex, on England’s southern coast, at 1:20 p.m. Video footage showed the jet soar, loop and then plunge before it could complete a second loop. It crashed into a busy road, the A27, near the airfield where the show took place. Hours after the crash, the police had no comment about the pilot’s fate. Beyond the fatalities, one person was seriously hurt and 14 others had minor injuries, according to a statement from the Sussex Police. [NY Times]

Facebook and Instagram remove Project Harpoon page –
Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram have taken down the pages run by Project Harpoon. The internet movement sees people digitally edit pictures of women to make them appear thinner.
Now if you try to look at Project Harpoon on these social media sites, you are met with an error message. The online group started on Reddit, in a thread called Thinner Beauty which says it is not about “hate” but wants to provide people with “health goals”. [BBC Newsbeat]

Video of the Day –

Match Head Bomb at 2500fps – The Slow Mo Guys

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	BeliebersVoteForJustin	#TrueButYouShouldntSayIt	#MakeAFilmBroke
2	#ALDUBAgainstALLODDS	#ProtestPP	#Beijing2015
3	#SiMePagaranPor	#MakeSomeonesDayIn3Words	Neymar
4	#DragMeDownMusicVideoIsOut	#1989TourLA	Louise Mensch
5	Iñaki	Yeezys	Shoreham
6	#HoyViernesNoSalgoPorQue	#MakeAFilmBroke	#DragMeDownMusicVideoIsOut
7	#كلام_اخير_للا�…	#LLSYouTube	#bigbloggerconference
8	#طلعت_ريحتكم	#FocusOnMeIsComing	Callum Wilson
9	#TodosConNicolas	#UnauthorizedFullHouse	Pogba
10	#WelcomeToManilaArianaGrande	Mike Fiers	US Marines

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

South Korea evacuates residents near the North Korean border as tension escalates. High level talks are held in Panmunjom to defuse tensions. (Yonhap) (Yonhap)
War in Somalia (2009–present)
- An al-Shabaab suicide bomber attacks a Somali military training base in Kismayu with at least 16 people dead. Another five people are killed in a suicide bombing in Mogadishu. (Reuters)
Iran launches a new surface to surface missile called the Fateh 313. (Haaretz)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- An Afghan suicide bomber attacks a NATO convoy in Kabul killing at least twelve people and injuring 66. (CBS)
Syrian Civil War
- Over 50 people are killed in the Syrian rebel-held town of Douma near the capital Damascus following missile strikes by pro-Assad forces. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Mei Xiang, a female giant panda at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., delivers two cubs. (Washington Post), (Zoo’s Facebook page)
The 2015 Hugo Award winners are announced in Spokane, United States. (Hugo Awards)

Disasters and accidents

2015 Pacific typhoon season
- Typhoon Goni leaves seven people dead and two people missing as it moves from the Philippines towards Taiwan and Okinawa, Japan. (AP via Hindustan Times)
2015 Tianjin explosions
- The State Council of the People’s Republic of China orders a thorough investigation of the explosions as the death toll rises to 121. (Xinhua via icrossChina), (AP via Fox News)
Shoreham Airport disaster
- A Hawker Hunter aircraft crashes during an airshow after failing to pull out of dive at Shoreham Airport, West Sussex, United Kingdom. Seven people are killed with 15 injured. (BBC News Online)(News24)
An explosion occurs at a chemical warehouse in China’s Shandong province, with nine injured according to Chinese media. (RT)
Three people are dead and eight missing after a landslide in China‘s Yunnan Province. (Xinhua)

International relations

The Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev visits the disputed Kuril Islands prompting a protest from Japan. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Law and crime

Indian police arrest Jammu and Kashmir separatist Shabir Shah ahead of a meeting with Pakistani National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz. (iBN Live)
A second journalist is killed in the Philippines in a week. (CNN)
Fourteen members of the Barrio 18 street gang are killed in the Quetzaltepeque penitentiary in El Salvador; the killings are believed to be a result of a power struggle within the gang. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Politics

President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas resigns from the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation along with 11 ministers to force an election. The last time there were elections in the Palestinian authority was in 2005. (Jerusalem Post)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

August 26, 2015

Top News Stories –

Ex-Broadcaster Kills 2 on Air in Virginia; Takes Own Life –
He was a fired television reporter with a history of conflicts at work and rage apparently stoked by racial grievances. And when he sought revenge on Wednesday, gunning down two former colleagues, he used the tools of social media to ensure that his crime was broadcast live, recorded from multiple angles and posted online. Vester Lee Flanagan II, 41, identified by the authorities as the gunman, waited until Alison Parker and Adam Ward, young journalists at WDBJ in Roanoke, were on air, then killed them while recording on his own video camera. Mr. Flanagan shot himself in the head hours later, the authorities said, but as the chase for him was on, he wrote about the shooting on Twitter, uploaded his video to Facebook and sent a manifesto to ABC News that spoke admiringly of mass killers and said that as a black, gay man he had faced discrimination and sexual harassment. [NY Times]
Alison Parker and Adam Ward

Theater shooter Holmes gets 12 life sentences, plus 3,318 years –
A Colorado judge formally sentenced James Eagan Holmes to multiple life terms plus thousands of years in prison for the Aurora movie theater massacre that killed 12 and wounded 70. Holmes, a 27-year-old former grad student, received one life term for each person he killed, plus 3,318 years for the attempted murders of those he wounded and for rigging his apartment with explosives. He is not eligible for parole. Prosecutor George Brauchler said he believed the sentence was the fourth longest in U.S. history. He described the judge’s command to promptly remove Holmes from the courtroom as “the right exclamation point” to bring a painful, difficult trial to a close. [CNN]

James_Holmes_2012

Burger King is trying to make the McWhopper happen –
Lovers of fast food burgers are in for a treat: why choose between the Big Mac and the Whopper when you can have both in one mouthful and save the world at the same time? Burger King has approached McDonald’s about combining their star burgers for one day only, in a bid to raise awareness of Peace Day, the day of global unity recognised by the United Nations held annually on September 21. The McWhopper would be six parts Big Mac (top bun, all-beef patty, cheese, lettuce, special sauce and middle bun) and six parts Whopper (tomato, onion, ketchup, pickles, flame-grilled patty and bottom bun). The limited edition burger would be available in a co-branded pop-up restaurant in Atlanta, the mid-way point between McDonald’s headquarters in Chicago and Burger King HQ in Miami. [Daily Telegraph] See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

Burger King | McWhopper Proposal

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#5monthswithoutzayn	#SolveMyProblemsIn4Words	#ask5sos
2	#RelationshipGoalsIn3Words	#RelationshipGoalsIn3Words	#RelationshipGoalsIn3Words
3	#Tucumanazo	Vick	#charitytuesday
4	#فتاه_تغتصب_شاب	#5monthswithoutzayn	House of Fools
5	#NuncaMePasoEsoDe	Curt Schilling	#1YearOfMyEverything
6	BeliebersVoteHottest	Aaliyah	#5monthswithoutzayn
7	#SolveMyProblemsIn4Words	#ask5sos	#TravelTuesday
8	LANA EU TE AMO	#BornToRun	Colin Fry
9	#FelizMartes	You Oughta Know	Harvey Proctor
10	NCAE	Jorge Ramos	Greg Rutherford

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- Two NATO soldiers are shot dead by two men in Afghan military uniforms. (AFP via France24)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- ISIL has destroyed two historic Muslim shrines in Palmyra. (CNN)

Arts and culture

The smaller of mother Mei Xiang’s two giant panda cubs born on Saturday at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. dies. (Smithsonian)

Disasters and accidents

A Swedish rescue crew finds 51 dead migrants in the hold of a boat off the coast of Libya during a rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea that has saved 439 other people. In addition, three women are found dead in another migrant boat and another corpse is found during ten rescue operations on Wednesday that have saved around 3,000 people, according to the Italian coast guard. (Reuters) (AP via Columbus Republic)

Law and crime

Anti-corruption campaign in China, 2015 Tianjin explosions
- The People’s Republic of China sacks its workplace safety chief Yang Dongliang for alleged corruption following an investigation triggered by the Tianjin explosions. (Reuters)
Murders of Alison Parker and Adam Ward
- A U.S. television reporter and her cameraman, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, are shot dead during a live broadcast in Moneta, Virginia; the woman they were interviewing, Vicki Gardner, is wounded. The alleged shooter, Vester Lee Flanagan II, later uploads a video of the murder and commits suicide. (WTKR)
2012 Aurora shooting
- James Eagan Holmes is formally sentenced to 12 consecutive life sentences plus 3,318 years for the murder of 12 people and injury of 70 others at a Century movie theatre in the U.S. city of Aurora, Colorado. (AP via US News and World Report) (CNN)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

August 27, 2015

Top News Stories –

Facebook sets user record as more than 1bn people log on in single day –
Facebook has revealed that more than 1bn people used the site on Monday – the first time the social network has hit the milestone. Mark Zuckerberg, who founded the company in 2004 while studying at Harvard, said he felt “proud” that one-in-seven people on Earth logged on to the website during the day. The 31-year-old wrote in a post on Facebook:

Mark Zukerberg tweet
Although Mr Zuckerberg did not specify what had caused the rise in the number of users, the website has consistently attracted more followers. Last month Mr Zuckerberg revealed Facebook had 1.49bn monthly active users, up 13pc from a year earlier. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

LEVEL from joe pease on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

The top ten most unexpected words added to the online Oxford dictionary [according to the Daily Telegraph]
1. manspreading (noun): the practice whereby a man, especially one travelling on public transport, adopts a sitting position with his legs wide apart, in such a way as to encroach on an adjacent seat or seat

2. awesomesauce (adjective): extremely good; excellent

3. bants (noun): playfully teasing or mocking remarks exchanged with another person or group; banter

4. fat-shame (verb): cause (someone judged to be fat or overweight) to feel humiliated by making mocking or critical comments about their size

5. Brexit (noun): a term for the potential or hypothetical departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union

6. bruh (noun): a male friend (often used as a form of address)

7. cakeage (noun): a charge made by a restaurant for serving a cake they have not supplied themselves

8. fatberg (noun): a very large mass of solid waste in a sewerage system, consisting especially of congealed fat and personal hygiene products that have been flushed down toilets

9. Grexit (noun): a term for the potential withdrawal of Greece from the eurozone (the economic region formed by those countries in the European Union that use the euro as their national currency)

10. hangry (adjective): bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#1dfansaregorgeous	#NationalBurgerDay	#1dfansaregorgeous
2	Smelly Cat	#MakeSexAwkwardIn5Words	#MakeSexAwkwardIn5Words
3	#bieberisback	Smelly Cat	#NationalBurgerDay
4	#MeEncantaQue	#jetblackheart	#NameTheNextBoyBand
5	#1DayUntilWhatDoYouMean	#1dfansaregorgeous	#bieberisback
6	#jetblackheart	Darryl Dawkins	#jetblackheart
7	Derrick Rose	#BoringComicBookPlots	Smelly Cat
8	#D5ComingSoon	Usain Bolt	Spitman
9	#لو_قالوا_اختا�…	#NameTheNextBoyBand	#UCLdraw
10	コミュニケーショ��…	#ShesKindaHotEP	Kevin Nolan

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraq War (2014–present)
- Two generals of the Iraqi Army and 3 soldiers are killed and 10 wounded when an Islamic State suicide bomber detonates in northern Ramadi. (Los Angeles Times)
Gaza–Israel conflict
- In retaliation to a rocket attack on Southern Israel, Israel Defence Forces destroy a Hamas weapons manufacturing facility located within the Gaza Strip. (Haaretz)
The Government of India deploys the Army to the state of Gujarat after two days of caste-related violence results in seven deaths. (Reuters via Daily Mail)
War in Donbass
- Seven Ukraine servicemen have died and 13 were wounded in skirmishes with pro-Russian separatists in the past day. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Walmart will stop selling the AR-15 and other semi-automatic rifles allegedly because of sluggish customer demand. (Reuters)
Panasonic will stop making lithium-ion batteries for phones and cameras in Beijing, China, with a cut of 1,300 jobs. The company will instead refocus on higher-margin products such as electric car batteries. (Reuters)
The U.S. National Labor Relations Board ruling in the Browning-Ferris case uses an expanded definition of joint employer when determining if a parent company shares responsibility for workers hired by a subcontractor or franchisee. Democratic appointees on the panel split 3-2 with Republicans on this decision that upended the traditional arms-length relationship that had been in place since 1984. The Republican-controlled US Congress responded to arguments from businesses such as the International Franchise Association by adding another NLRB-related rider to the budget to block implementation of this latest ruling. Browning-Ferris can appeal the decision to a federal appeals court. The ruling could affect current unionization and pay efforts at McDonald’s franchises. (Wall Street Journal) (International Business Times), (Forbes) (Chicago Tribune) (Washington Post)
Oilfield services provider Schlumberger agrees to acquire construction company Cameron International in a $12.71 billion deal. (AP via Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Disasters and accidents

European migrant crisis
- Two boats carrying migrants capsize off of the coast of Zuwarah, Libya, with hundreds feared dead. (BBC)
- Austrian police discover as many as 50 dead refugees in a truck. (Reuters)
A sinkhole in China swallows five people. (AP)
2015 Atlantic hurricane season
- Four people are killed on the Caribbean island of Dominica as a result of floods and landslides caused by Tropical Storm Erika. (WRAL)

Law and crime

David H. Murdock, the CEO and chairman of Dole Food Company, along with a fellow confidant, are ordered to pay $148 million for misleading directors and shareholders. (AP via Washington Post)

Politics and elections

Vassiliki Thanou-Christophilou, the head of the Court of Cassation, is appointed as interim Prime Minister of Greece for the duration of the upcoming election. She is the first woman to hold the post. (AP via Roanoke)
Thousands of protesters joined a Guatemalan national strike Thursday demanding the resignation of President Otto Pérez Molina for corruption. Five of 13 cabinet ministers have resigned since Friday, and Tuesday, the Supreme Court unanimously approved a motion to impeach the president. (Bloomberg) (Bayou Buzz) (The Weather Space)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

September 16, 2015

Top News Stories –

Blackjack-addicted Buddhist monk accused of stealing $150,000 –
A Buddhist monk with an expensive blackjack addiction has appeared in court in New York, charged with stealing around $150,000 (£97,000) in donations to fund his habit. Khang Nguyen Le, 45, was paid $1,000 a month for his role as the most senior monk at the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Southwest Louisiana, based in the town of Lafayette. But over the past four years he had found himself with a growing gambling addiction and, according to court documents, stole from the organisation to feed his habit. He is accused of spending up to $10,000 every two or three days at the blackjack tables, and hiding in the corners of the casino so no one would spot him. [Daily Telegraph]

Naomi Campbell tries to #freethenipple, fails –
The supermodel joined the controversial campaign, then felt the wrath of Instagram’s strict nudity policy. The fashion icon posted a topless picture to her Twitter and Instagram accounts on Wednesday, both accompanied by the #freethenipple hashtag. However, despite the fact she looks amazing and really not very offensive, Instagram wasn’t having it. Within a few hours, the site had removed the image for violating its strict terms of use. In other words, there was a little too much nipple.The black and white portrait, taken from Garage magazine, is a sneak peek of her upcoming two volume TASCHEN book, and was shot by renowned photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. [Dazed Digital] The picture remained on Cambell’s Twitter feed below:
Naomi Cambell Free the Nipple Tweet

Dislike button: Why Facebook wants to know what makes you sad –
It has finally happened. “Today is a special day” declared Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a live “in-person townhall” event. Almost casually, he dropped a bombshell that has ignited technology commentators overnight: Facebook is getting a new button. Yes, alongside “like” will be something else. It almost certainly will not be a “dislike” button. The widespread news is that Facebook will twin “like” with “dislike”, long one of the most popular suggestions from Facebook users. However, if you actually listen to what Zuckerberg said, he rules this out: “we didn’t wanna just build a dislike button…[where] people were voting up or down people’s posts…what they really want is an ability to express empathy”. [Daily Telegraph]
Mark Zuckerberg

Video of the Day –

Escaping Anderson Springs during Valley Fire

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#IStandWithAhmed	#IStandWithAhmed	#IStandWithAhmed
2	カッコの中	#GOPDebate	#PMQs
3	#MasterChefBR	#TheNewBrokenScene	Luke Shaw
4	#TheNewBrokenScene	#MalikPositivity	#TheNewBrokenScene
5	#SerMexicanoEsOtroPedo	#BadMovieMashups	National Anthem
6	#ALDUB2ndMonthsary	Viva Mexico	#AskACurator
7	#iOS9	Steve Rannazzisi	#HorribleWaysToStartAStory
8	#BadMovieMashups	iOS 9	#BadMovieMashups
9	ツイッター国勢調査	Chile	#AskBritney
10	#UnPlacerDeLaVidaEs	SABMiller	William Hague

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Turkey–PKK conflict
- PKK attacks kill five Turkish police officers in the southeastern Mardin and Hakkâri provinces. The Turkish Army claims to have killed nine militants. (Daily Sabah), (Reuters via Daily Star)
2015 Burkinabé coup d’état
- Soldiers detain the interim president and prime minister of Burkina Faso as well as a number of cabinet ministers sparking fear of a coup d’etat. A joint statement by the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States states that the presidential guard should immediately release the leaders of the interim government. (Al-Jazeera), (Reuters)

Business and economy

Hewlett-Packard, which has struggled for years in a declining PC market, will cut up to 33,300 jobs over the next three years, mostly in its enterprise business. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

One person is dead and fourteen missing after floods hit Huaping County in China‘s Yunnan province. (Xinhua)
Tropical cyclone effects in Europe
- The remnants of former Tropical Storm Henri combines with another storm in western Europe to cause heavy rains and possible floods in the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Portugal. (AccuWeather)
The death toll rises to 16 from this week’s “once-in-a-century” flash flood along the Utah – Arizona border in the United States as four more bodies were found in Utah’s Zion National Park with another three people still missing. (Christian Science Monitor)
An earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale occurs in the Pacific Ocean near Chile sparking a tsunami warning. At least five people die. (AP via ABC News America), (USGS), (CNN)

Health

A cholera outbreak kills at least 16 people in three camps for displaced people fleeing Boko Haram in Nigeria. (France 24)

International relations

European migrant crisis
- Dozens of migrants reach the border of Serbia and Croatia which has become the new route for migrants denied entry to Hungary. (BBC)
- Hungarian riot police and migrants clash at the now-closed border crossing near Horgos. (BBC)

Law and crime

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit denies Kim Davis‘ request to have same-sex marriage licenses delayed, but does not toss out her appeal entirely. (AP via MSN)

Sports

The International Olympic Committee announces the bidding cities for the 2024 Summer Olympics: Budapest, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Paris, and Rome. (CNN)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

September 23, 2015

Top News Stories –

Facebook launches 360 video with Star Wars exclusive –
A short, exclusive Star Wars clip is among the first 360-degree videos to be posted on Facebook. The sequence, created by Lucasfilm’s special effects team ILMxLAB, allows users to look in all directions as the camera whizzes through the sci-fi scene. When watched on a normal computer, the mouse is used to move the view. On mobile devices, a user can move the device around to alter the perspective. Other 360 videos posted include content from Discovery, GoPro, NBC and Vice.[BBC]

All About That Bass writer says he got $5,679 from 178m streams –
Kevin Kadish, who wrote All About That Bass, says he made just $5,679 (£3,700) from 178 million streams of the song. “I’ve never heard a songwriter complain about radio royalties as much as streaming royalties,” Mr Kadish said. “That was the real issue for us, like one million streams equals $90 (£59).” Mr Kadish co-wrote All About That Bass with singer Meghan Trainor. She became the first act to enter the UK top 40 based purely on streams of All About That Bass. Streaming now accounts for one-third of the US music industry’s income, which remains relatively flat, with total revenue down 0.5% to $3.17bn (£2.05bn). [BBC Newsbeat]
Meghan Trainor

Video of the Day –

The Angry Birds Movie – Official Teaser Trailer

List of the Day –

List of most streamed songs in the United Kingdom – [from Wikipedia]

Song title	Artist	Released	Streams (millions)
“Radioactive“	Imagine Dragons	October 2012	19.7+
“Pompeii“	Bastille	February 2013	32.0+
“Let Her Go“	Passenger	February 2013	21.7+
“Get Lucky“	Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams	April 2013	24.5+
“Counting Stars“	OneRepublic	June 2013	19.7+
“Blurred Lines“	Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams	May 2013	20.7+
“Wake Me Up!“	Avicii	July 2013	21.4+
“All of Me“	John Legend	August 2013	38.7+
“Happy“	Pharrell Williams	November 2013	40.0+
“Timber“	Pitbull featuring Kesha	December 2013	21.0+
“Rather Be“	Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne	January 2014	41.0+
“Take Me to Church“	Hozier	January 2014	50.8
“Waves“	Mr Probz	February 2014	32.1+
“Stay with Me“	Sam Smith	April 2014	29.1+
“Thinking Out Loud“	Ed Sheeran	June 2014	60.1
“Uptown Funk“	Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars	December 2014	60.0
“Love Me like You Do“	Ellie Goulding	February 2015	30.0
“Cheerleader“	OMI	April 2015	40.0
“See You Again“	Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth	April 2015	29.5

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#NoQuieroEnamorartePero	#LameApocalypses	Happy Diwali
2	#MessageToSelf	#AvengersAgeOfUltron	#MOBOAwards2014
3	#ReContraDaPara	#OttawaShooting	Lille
4	Happy Diwali	Halloween	Harry Roberts
5	Nathan Cirillo	Diwali in India	Age of Ultron
6	#NothingBeatsFIRST	#SheNeverLeft	Balotelli
7	#AngGustoKoLangNaman	Between Two Ferns	Alvin Stardust
8	#AklımdaykenSöyleyeyim	#AgeofUltron	#AgeofUltron
9	Diwali in India	#ICryAtRavesWhen	#OttawaShooting
10	Between Two Ferns	Avengers 2	MOBOs

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Colombian conflict (1964–present)
- The President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and the leader of FARC Timoleón Jiménez will announce a deal on justice for crimes committed in the fifty-year-long conflict. (BBC)

Arts and culture

Pope Francis’ visit to the United States
- Pope Francis makes his first ever visit to the U.S. and becomes the third Pope to visit the White House. He was received in an official welcome ceremony by President and Mrs. Obama and is scheduled to meet with a bishops’ conference of the United States and hold mass and canonize Junipero Serra at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, near the Catholic University of America. (AP via MSN), (The New York Times), (Washington Post), (CNN)

Business and economy

Volkswagen emissions violations
- Martin Winterkorn resigns as the CEO of Volkswagen as a result of an emissions cheating scandal. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Two trains collide in Central Jakarta, Indonesia. (Tempo)

Law and crime

Egypt pardons al-Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, who have been recently sentenced to three years in prison. (BBC)
European migrant crisis
- Slovakia mounts a legal challenge to mandatory quotas decided in a European Union ministerial summit yesterday. (BBC)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

September 25, 2015

Top News Stories –

Fifa: Sepp Blatter faces criminal investigation –
Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Sepp Blatter, the head of football’s world governing body Fifa. The attorney general’s office said he was suspected of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal and of a “disloyal payment” to European football chief Michel Platini. Mr Blatter was being questioned, and his office was searched, it added. Fifa said it was co-operating with the investigation. Mr Blatter, 79, has run Fifa since 1998 and has always denied any wrongdoing. [BBC] In July FIFA turned down a request for Blatter to Attend U.S. Senate Panel hearing
Sepp Blatter

London Zoo love triangle: Meerkat keeper glassed rival over llama handler –
A meerkat keeper has been found guilty of assaulting a monkey keeper in a vicious brawl at London Zoo’s Christmas party which saw the two love rivals fight over the llama keeper. Caroline Westlake, who will be sentenced next month, hit her colleague Kate Sanders in the face with a glass leaving a wound that required stitches, a court heard on Friday. Miss Westlake claimed that it was an accident, and that Miss Sanders had already punched her, held her backwards over a 30 ft balcony and then spat at her. [Daily Telegraph]

Netflix adds gender reassignment to staff benefits list –
Netflix has added gender reassignment surgery to its list of staff benefits. The streaming entertainment service is not the only one – other technology companies including Facebook and Tesla also offer the option, along with hormone therapy, in a bid to be as diverse as possible. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11886148/Netflix-adds-gender-reassignment-to-staff-benefits-list.html [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#6MonthsWithoutZayn	#6MonthsWithoutZayn	#fridayfeeling
2	Boehner	#DonaldTrumpsGoogleHistory	#MacmillanCoffeeMorning
3	#MeMolestaMuchisimo	Boehner	#6MonthsWithoutZayn
4	#BuenViernes	#VVS15	#BUYSECRETSONITUNES
5	#SOADnoMultishow	#NewNFLTeams	Bond
6	#HTGAWM	Bryson Tiller	Sepp Blatter
7	Bond	Kevin McCarthy	#bbcqt
8	#ALDUBPreparationDay	#fridayreads	Nigel Farage
9	ゴジラ	Johns Island	#JapaneseGP
10	#ALDubEBforLOVE	#DrugTVShows	#secretsinlondon

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

2015 Burkinabé coup d’état
- Burkina Faso’s cabinet dissolves the elite presidential guard behind last week’s coup d’état, creates a commission to investigate these events, and dismisses the minister in charge of security. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War
- New Syrian Forces trade American supplied equipment to the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front in return for safe passage. (Reuters via Daily Mail)

Business and economy

The People’s Republic of China will launch a cap and trade policy creating a carbon market in 2017. (The Guardian)
Ukraine selectively bans certain Russian airlines such as Aeroflot and Transaero from flying to and through Ukraine. (Ukraine Today)

Disasters and accidents

2015 Hajj stampede
- King Salman of Saudi Arabia orders an investigation into the stampede near Mecca which has claimed over 700 lives and caused 800 injuries. (AFP/BBC via ABC News Australia)
2015 Southeast Asian haze
- Singapore closes its primary and secondary schools as smoke from the Indonesian fires raises air pollution to hazardous levels. (CNN)
Thirty-nine people are injured after an earthquake in the waters off the coast of the Indonesian province of West Papua. (New York Daily News)

Health

The BBC reports that Nigeria will be removed from the list of countries where polio is endemic. (BBC)

Law and crime

2015 FIFA corruption case
- The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opens criminal proceedings against the President of FIFA Sepp Blatter. (CNN)

International relations

European migrant crisis
- Croatia reopens its border with Serbia. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Hakubun Shimomura resigns as Japan‘s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology due to the design for the stadium for the 2020 Summer Olympics being abandoned. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
John Boehner schedules his resignation from the position of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and from Congress for the end of October. (The New York Times), (Washington Post)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

October 13, 2015

Top News Stories –

Chess gets ‘sexy’ in million dollar Las Vegas tournament
The cerebral, centuries-old pastime of chess is not something normally associated with the glitz of Las Vegas. But amid the neon lights of the Planet Hollywood casino some of the world’s greatest grandmasters gathered to battle it out for $1 million in prize money at the game’s most lucrative ever tournament. There were tears and tantrums, controversial rulings, and stunning upsets – and that was exactly what the organisers wanted. The competition, called Millionaire Chess, was a concerted effort to “sex up” the favorite hobby of nerdy schoolboys, and ultimately turn it into a money-spinning television sport. To that end a Big Brother-style “confessional” booth was installed where players revealed their inner turmoil to a camera between moves and “trash talked” their opponents. The tournament was eventually won by [World number 2] Hikaru Nakamura. Following the biggest payday of his stellar chess career he said: “I want to thank the organisers. They have tried to make chess sexy and that’s what chess needs. There are so many stereotypes out there about chess. This is very special.” [Daily Telegraph]
Hikaru Nakamura

Playboy Magazine abandons nudity –
Playboy magazine is stopping publishing pictures of totally nude women because the internet has made them outdated, its US owners say. It’s a break with a 62-year format that has had a significant impact on American culture. Every month since 1953, fold-out spreads of fully nude women have filled Playboy. The glossy adult men’s magazine boasts a plethora of celebrity conquests in its portfolio. Madonna, Sharon Stone and Naomi Campbell were photographed at the peak of their fame. Kate Moss posed for its front cover in a bunny outfit. Lindsay Lohan and Pamela Anderson have also graced it. [BBC] Coincidentally today is international “No Bra Day” – See Top Twitter Trends

Facebook Briefly Bans The Phrase ‘Everyone Will Know’ –
Facebook blocked the phrase “everyone will know” for more than a day, but users are now once again able to post the seemingly innocuous three words. “This was a mistake with our spam filter and our engineers have resolved the issue,” Melanie Ensign of Facebook security communications told The Huffington Post. HuffPost also independently confirmed that the phrase can now be posted. “We’re constantly updating the rules used by our spam-fighting engine and this particular phrase erroneously got caught in the mix,” she explained. Ensign didn’t know exactly how long the phrase had been banned. On Friday, someone asked on Question.com, “Why can’t you post ‘everyone will know’ on Facebook?” Another user replied they also were unable to post the phrase as a status. On Sunday, a Reddit thread was filled with people claiming they were unable to post the phrase as a status or in a comment. [Huffington Post]

Video of the Day –

Because he can

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	Martes 13	#GiveTwitterASlogan	#NoBraDay
2	#NoBraDay	#DemDebate	#GiveTwitterASlogan
3	#SabesQueTeQuiereCuando	#NoBraDay	#AdaLovelaceDay
4	Emilia Clarke	#AMAs	#theatreheroesday
5	#WeArePerfectDay2	#BetterDebateQuestions	#RAW
6	Vick	T.I.	Royal Mail
7	#كلمه_اول_ماتع�…	Jennifer Lawrence	#PAKvENG
8	#AMAs	#AdaLovelaceDay	#BritishProblemsNight
9	#Martes13	Nudes Are Old News	Diane Abbott
10	#ZaynWeAreReadyForYourMusic	Pitchfork	Danny Cohen

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War, Russian involvement in the Syrian Civil War
- Two shells hit the Russian embassy in Syria‘s capital Damascus, as hundreds of pro-government supporters rallied outside in support of Russian airstrikes. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the shelling as “a terrorist act.” (BBC)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Palestinian political violence
- Two stabbing attacks take place in Ra’anana: one outside city hall in which one man is injured and the attacker is subdued by civilians; in a second incident, the attacker stabs civilians in front of a cafe, injuring one critically and three lightly until he is subdued by civilians. (The Jerusalem Post)
- In Jerusalem two men attempted to stab passengers on a bus before being shot; one person was killed and another wounded as a driver rammed into a crowd and the attacker reportedly stepped out of the crashed vehicle and attempted to stab the wounded before being subdued by police; in a separate incident two male passengers were killed and three others suffered gunshot wounds in a combined shooting and stabbing attack on a bus in the neighborhood of Armon Hanatziv in southern Jerusalem. (The Times of Israel)

Arts and culture

Jamaican author Marlon James wins the 2015 Man Booker Prize for his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings inspired by the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in the 1970s. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

The Dutch Safety Board releases their final report into the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) disaster that concludes that the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot-down by a Russian-made Buk missile system on 17 July 2014 killing 298 people.(Sky News) (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (9News)
At least 13 people are killed as a rockslide hits shanties in the Gulistan-i-Jauhar in the Pakistani city of Karachi. (Dawn)

Business and economics

InBev agrees to buy its main rival SABMiller for £68 billion ($104 billion) in biggest beer deal ever. (CNN)

International relations

Relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
- The Governor of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, revokes permission given by a predecessor for landfill work to replace a United States Marine Corps base. (Japan Times)
Iran‘s Islamic Consultative Assembly approves the deal on its nuclear program agreed with six world powers. (BBC)

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- United States and Australia warn China they remain committed to freedom of navigation in the waters of the South China Sea and express strong concerns at China’s construction of artificial islands in the disputed waters. (Channel News Asia) (The New Daily) (Time)

Politics and elections

Burkina Faso‘s presidential and parliamentary elections are deferred to November 29 due to a recent coup. (Yahoo! News)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

November 4, 2015

Top News Stories –

Brazilian prison inmates using a mouse to courier drugs –
As prison guards in one of Brazil’s notoriously overcrowded and chaotic jails, the officers in Barra da Grota prison probably thought they had seen it all. But last week they saw something that shocked even their hardened heads: a mouse, they noticed, was being used by inmates to courier drugs. The animal was seen scurrying along the corridor with tiny bags of drugs tied to its tail, running between the cells. Gean Carlos Gomes, director of the central Brazil prison, 1,100 miles inland from Recife, said the mouse was being used as a “bridge” between cells. “They attached a hook to the mouse’s tail and then used it to carry the drugs and other goods from one cell to another,” he said. “When the animal arrived at its destination, the prisoner took the mouse and removed the hook from its tail.” [Daily Telegraph]

Vladimir Putin is Forbes magazine’s most powerful person in the world –
Vladimir Putin has been named the world’s most powerful person for the second year running by Forbes magazine. Of the 73 listed, 28 are billionaires. Thirty of the individuals are Americans. And only nine are women – the same number as last year. The 63-year-old Russian president has, unsurprisingly, retained his position at the top of the Forbes ranking of the world’s most powerful people. Forbes says the decision is made on the amount of money they control; the number of people they impact; their total spheres of influence; and how actively they wield their power. And in all areas Mr Putin has triumphed; he dominates one of the world’s largest countries, and his actions in Ukraine and Syria are changing the course of history. [Daily Telegraph] See List of the Day
Vladimir Putin

WARNING: Do Not Post Your Winning Ticket On Social Media –
Chantelle from Perth won $900 [Australian] by betting on 100-to-1 shot Prince Of Penzance in the Melbourne Cup yesterday… Like many punters around the country Chantelle celebrated the win by posting a selfie with her victorious ticket on Facebook. Little did Chantelle know, the photo of the barcode could be used at an automated machine to claim the cash – which is exactly what someone did. “To the low life who is obviously my friend on Facebook and used my photo to claim our winnings. You’re a massive dick. You ruined my day,” Chantelle wrote on Facebook. Chantelle told Triple M that police were able to track where the money was claimed and are confident of finding the person responsible. [Triple M]
Chantelle winning ticket Facebook post

Video of the Day –

Emirates: #HelloJetman
Armed with unguarded ambition and the vision to push boundaries beyond the unthinkable, Jetman Dubai and Emirates A380 take to the skies of Dubai for an exceptional formation flight.

List of the Day –

Forbes Most Powerful People Top Ten 2015 [Forbes]

Rank	Name	Organization	Age
#1	Vladimir Putin	Russia	63
#2	Angela Merkel	Germany	61
#3	Barack Obama	United States	54
#4	Pope Francis	Roman Catholic Church	78
#5	Xi Jinping	China	62
#6	Bill Gates	Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation	60
#7	Janet Yellen	Washington, United States	69
#8	David Cameron	United Kingdom	49
#9	Narendra Modi	India	65
#10	Larry Page	Google	42

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	告白の日	#YouHadMeAt	#NationalStressAwarenessDay
2	#9DaysUntilMITAM	#NationalStressAwarenessDay	#GrantsNotDebt
3	#QueVuelvaElFav	#9DaysUntilMITAM	#cipd15
4	#احتجاج_الهلال…	#NerdyCountryMusic	Gerrard
5	Briana	#CMAawards	#PMQs
6	#NationalStressAwarenessDay	UC Merced	Dapper Laughs
7	Benzema	Hump Day	#IPBill
8	#MasterChefBR	McDavid	Ashley Young
9	#felizmiercoles	#MyStonerConfession	#TwitterHeart
10	Valbuena	Bayern	Chris Powell

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Kogalymavia Flight 9268
- Flights between the United Kingdom and the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh are suspended due to concerns of the British government that the crash was caused by an “explosive device”. (ITV)
- CNN reports that intelligence sources suggest that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant or an affiliate organisation planted explosives on the plane. (CNN)
- Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh airport chief Abdel-Wahab Ali is replaced; he is now an assistant to Adel Mahgoub, chairman of the country’s air transport service. (AP)
Kunduz hospital airstrike, Afghanistan War
- The United States says that last month’s airstrikes in Kunduz hit three locations, mistakenly including the Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) (MSF) hospital where at least 30 were killed. Afghan commanders, whose forces were actively engaged with the Taliban, requested the attacks. The Washington Post reports a warehouse and a mansion in two densely populated residential areas were “pulverized” without loss of civilian lives. According to residents, earlier their neighborhoods had been conflict zones, but no militants were there the time of the attacks. “Together, the three attacks raise questions about the quality and reliability of the intelligence that Afghan security forces are providing to their American partners, as well as U.S. decisions to act on that intelligence,” writes the Post. (Washington Post)
- Médecins Sans Frontières held memorials around the globe Tuesday, the one month anniversary of the bombing, to reaffirm their request for an independent investigation. U.S. officials resist an independent probe, pledging that the three investigations underway, by the Pentagon, NATO, and Afghan officials, will be thorough and transparent. Thomas Nierle, head of MSF Switzerland, told AFP that he had little hope the inquiries would ultimately see any wrongdoers punished. (The Hill) (DW Akademie) (AFP via Yahoo News)

Business and economics

Keystone XL Pipeline
- The United States State Department formally denies Calgary-based TransCanada Corporation’s request, made Monday, to pause the review of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline. Reuters states this is expected to lead to the project’s rejection by theObama administration. (Reuters) (AP via Chicago Tribune)
Whole Foods, the Texas based food retailer, announces that it will buy back $1 billion of its shares, and increases its dividend. [1]

Disasters and accidents

Ash from Indonesia’s Mount Rinjani volcano closes Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, the country’s third busiest. Nearly 700 flights are cancelled. Officials will re-evaluate the situation tomorrow. Mount Rinjani started spewing ash last weekend.(Reuters) (International Business Times)
2015 Juba plane crash
- A cargo plane crashes shortly after takeoff from Juba International Airport in Juba, South Sudan. 41 people have reportedly died. The five Armenian crew members were killed. (Reuters Africa) (RT) (Al Jazeera English) (AFP via Rappler) (Daily Mail)
2015 Lahore factory disaster
- A building collapses in the Pakistani city of Lahore resulting in at least 18 deaths, at least 75 injured and around 150 people still trapped. (AFP via France24) (Al Jazeera English) (BBC Online)

International relations

Cross-Strait relations, 2015 Ma–Xi Meeting
- The presidents of China and Taiwan are scheduled to meet in Singapore on November 7th, the first such meeting since the Chinese Communist Revolution. (New York Times) (BBC)
An Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Malaysia fails to agree on a joint communique following disagreement between China and other nations over the South China Sea. (AP)
South Korea and China agree to establish an emergency navy and military hotline. (UPI)
Territorial disputes in the South China Sea, China–United States relations, Malaysia–United States relations
- U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and his counterpart from Malaysia will visit the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) as it cruises in the South China Sea, this in the wake of China’s dismay over a U.S. Navy ship’s sailing in the vicinity of artificial islands constructed by China in the Spratly Islands. (Stars and Stripes)
European migrant crisis
- European Union president Donald Tusk and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfvén, in a joint news conference, announce Sweden will ask to transfer some migrants to other European countries under an EU relocation plan. Sweden has taken the highest number of asylum-seekers per capita in the 28-member bloc. (AP) (The Local)

Law and crime

UC Merced stabbing spree
- Police, at the University of California, Merced campus, shoot and kill a male student who went on a stabbing rampage that wounded four people. The University closed its campus, except for housing, and cancelled classes for Wednesday and Thursday. The school reported all of the wounded are expected to recover. (KGO) (UC Merced) (Los Angeles Times) (AP via Houston Chronicle)
Police have the gunman in custody and San Diego International Airport flights resume. The airport closed after police encountered a man with a high-powered gun shooting in a Bankers Hill apartment complex, east of the approach path to the airport. Also known as Lindbergh Field, the airport is frequently cited as one of the scariest because of its downtown location. (AP update) (Reuters) (Airfare Watchdog)
The Mexican Supreme Court, in a 4-1 decision, rules that people have the right to grow and distribute marijuana for their personal use. The decision challenges the country’s current substance abuse laws. Fox News Latino and The New York Times point out the ruling only covers the plaintiffs in one case, a group that wants to form a “Pot Club.” A precedent will be established if the court approves five similar petitions. (Fox News Latino) (Reuters)
James Tran of Sacramento County is arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide in the October 8 stabbing of Airman Spencer Stone near a bar in Sacramento California. Stone had helped foil the 2015 Thalys train attack but officials believe it was just a drunken bar fight. (MSN)

Politics and elections

Colectiv nightclub fire
- Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta and his government resigns after tens of thousands took to the streets to protest over the Colectiv nightclub fire that killed 32 people. Mircea Dușa has been proposed to be installed as Acting Prime Minister.(Euronews) (BBC News) (The Guardian)
Canadian government
- Justin Trudeau is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Canada along with his ministry. (Toronto Star)
- Trudeau announces an ethnically diverse cabinet which for the first time is equally balanced between men and women (15 each). (The Guardian)
Belizean general election, 2015
- Voters in Belize go to the polls with the United Democratic Party led by Dean Barrow hoping for a third consecutive term. (Voice of America)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

November 5, 2015

Top News Stories –

Facebook launches music sharing app called Music Stories –
Facebook has announced a new post format which allows people to listen to the first 30 seconds of a song shared on the site. It will be called Music Stories and Facebook says it is aimed at “enabling better music discovery and sharing”. The previews will be streamed from Spotify and Apple Music and fans can link through to buy or save the music. [BBC Newsbeat]
Facebook Music share tweet

Facebook ‘takes on Apple’s News with news app Notify’ –
Facebook will launch its own news aggregator app featuring stories drawn from numerous media partners next week, according to reports. The standalone new app, reported to be called Notify, will act as a direct rival to Apple’s News app, which recently launched in the UK. The social network has partnered with publishers including the BBC, the New York Times and NBC, according to the Financial Times. Users can subscribe to specific news organisations and receive notifications once stories are published. Reports first emerged the social network had been testing the app over the summer. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Le Petit Chef – Bouillabaisse from Skullmapping on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#8DaysUntilMITAM	5th of November	#BonfireNight
2	5th of November	#NationalDoughnutDay	#StressIn5Words
3	H&	#YouWereSoHotUntil	#museums2015
4	#CMAawards	#StressIn5Words	H&
5	#شي_جميل_يبداا_…	#8DaysUntilMITAM	#MillionMaskMarch
6	#StressIn5Words	Faisal Mohammad	Lewes
7	Elio Rossi	Martha Ford	Sam Burgess
8	#Empire	Chris Paul	Melissa Mathison
9	#مشكله_الاسكان…	Seth Rollins	Guy Fawkes
10	Rolling Stones	#TheSuperheroWeActuallyNeed	Benzema

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict (2013–present)
  - Canada‘s Department of Foreign Affairs says it’s aware of reports that a Canadian national, John Robert Gallagher, has died while fighting in Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, John Robert Gallagher was killed while fighting alongside the Syrian Democratic Forces against Islamic State militants in the northeast Al-Hasakah Governorate. (CBC News)
- Syrian rebels seize control of Murak, a town located north of the city of Hama on a strategic highway that is crucial to control of western Syria, following clashes with pro-government forces. Murak was the scene of heavy fighting last year when government forces took control of the town in October 2014. (Reuters)
- Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
  - Russia sends antiaircraft missile systems to Syria, where more than 50 Russian aircraft are stationed and its bombing campaign in support of the Assad regime has been in progress since late September. (Radio Free Europe)
Military intervention against ISIL
- British Prime Minister David Cameron, under pressure from Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and the Foreign Affairs Committee, will not ask for a vote by Parliament to join the U.S. airstrikes in Syria. (Military.com)
- France announces that it will deploy its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the eastern Mediterranean to boost its efforts against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq and Syria. (Independent)

Disasters and accidents

Minas Gerais dam disaster
- An iron ore tailings dam bursts in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais flooding a valley, causing mudslides in the nearby village of Bento Rodrigues and causing up to 17 deaths and 45 missing. The dam is operated by Samarco Mineração, a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Vale. (Bloomberg), (Reuters via SBS Australia), (AFP via Yahoo! News), (Al Jazeera English)

Law and crime

European migrant crisis
- Greek police say they came under fire on the country’s northeastern border with Turkey during the arrest of two suspected migrant smugglers who had just ferried 22 people across the Evros river that runs along the Greek-Turkish border. (AP via New Europe)
NetCracker and Computer Sciences Corporation agree to pay fines amounting to over $12 million, settling a Justice Department investigation into the firms’ sub-contracting of computer coding work to Russian sources. The programs were subsequently installed on secure U.S. government computer networks. (The Daily Beast)
University of California, Merced stabbing attack
- The Merced County Sheriff identifies the attacker of four students at the University of California, Merced as freshman Faisal Mohammad. (Merced Sun Star)

Politics and elections

Belizean general election, 2015
- Belizean Prime Minister Dean Barrow wins a record third term in Wednesday’s snap general election in the Central American nation as his United Democratic Party (UDP) gains a clear majority in parliament. The UDP won 19 constituencies and Francis Fonseca’s People’s United Party (PUP) took 10, with two constituencies yet to report. Belize is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II, the symbolic head of state. (Reuters) (Newsweek)
The President of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, declares a state of emergency suspending civil rights and giving sweeping powers to security forces. (The Guardian)
- The United States, Amnesty International, and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the country’s main opposition party, sharply criticize the state of emergency, concerned it might lead to a new crackdown on dissent. MDP had scheduled a protest rally for this Friday, demanding the release of its jailed leader, and former Maldivian President, Mohamed Nasheed. The government order cancels that action. (Washington Post) (AP via U.S. News & World Report)
Myanmar general election, 2015
- Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi says she would be “above the president” if her National League for Democracy party (NLD) gets the expected win in the Sunday, November 8, 2015, election. The 2008 constitution, drafted by the military without NLD participation, bars her from becoming President. (Reuters) (Time)

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December 11, 2015

Top News Stories –

Tokyo police are using drones with nets to catch other drones –
Tokyo’s police force has introduced an elite fleet of interceptor drones designed to chase and catch suspicious-looking drones in nets flying over sensitive locations amid concerns for the prime minister’s safety. Riot police will control the camera-equipped interceptor drones to chase after private drones they feel may be spying on buildings, including the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s office, and ensnare them in large nets before returning to the ground. Those controlling the force drone will first warn the suspicious drone’s operator to cease the flight, before pursuing them. A four-propellor drone carrying trace amounts of radioactive caesium was intercepted on the top of the prime minister’s office in April, raising terror concerns in the capital. Police said radioactivity levels were only a maximum of 1 microsievert of gamma rays per hour, a level that is not harmful to humans. [Daily Telegraph]

Google Chrome extension replaces all mentions of Donald Trump with Voldemort –
When JK Rowling said Donald Trump was worse than Lord Voldemort, after the former’s proposal that all Muslims should be banned from entering the US, the Harry Potter author inspired one person to take the idea that little bit further. A Google Chrome user has released an extension for the web browser that turns all mentions of Trump into various aliases for Harry Potter’s nemesis. A series of Trump-related Chrome extensions have filled the web. The Trumpweb inserts quotes from the man himself in between “Donald” and “Trump”, and another removes any mentions of him from Facebook. You can also change any mentions of Trump to “your drunk uncle”. [Daily Telegraph] A petition started on December 6 to ban Trump from entering Britain has now reached over half a million signatures.
Donald Trump

Video of the Day –

TIMEDRIFT II from Martin Heck | Timestorm Films on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#SextaCampuseirosClubSdv	#FlashbackFriday	Ian Bell
2	#ParaEl2016MeEncantariaQue	#ICantStopSmilingBecause	Arnold Peralta
3	#زد_رصيدك28	#CouldBeOniTunes	#FridayFeeling
4	#من_عيوب_تويتر	#WomenInMusic	#DanielHoltzclaw
5	#ALDUBMaiDenMoment	#WelcomeToCanada	#RuinAChristmasMovie
6	#PraNamorarComigoÉPreciso	#XMenApocalypse	#SNERVOUS
7	#BirŞeySöyleyeceğim	#ewaGlobal	#pantoday
8	#WatchBoomChaOnAnahiVEVO	#RuinAChristmasMovie	#InternationalMountainDay
9	#MiFraseDeBorracho	#YouAreInDenialIf	#bbcqt
10	#XMenApocalypse	#NewMusicFriday	#DiamondBall

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- The Taliban claims responsibility for a car bomb attack near the Spanish embassy in Kabul. At least one Spanish security officer is killed. (Reuters)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict (2015),
- Three Palestinians are killed by Israeli forces, two in Hebron, one of whom reportedly tried to ram his car into soldiers and the other during a violent demonstration in the West Bank city. A third Palestinian died in clashes with Israeli troops at the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel. (Today) (AP via Stars & Stripes)
2015 Burundian unrest
- Burundi’s army repels attacks on military barracks in the capital, Bujumbura, in the worst violence since this spring’s unrest that developed after President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to seek a third term in office. According to an army spokesman, at least 12 gunmen are killed and 20 captured. Reports that at least five soldiers have been killed are denied by the army, which says the soldiers were wounded. Two southern sites, a police station and an army camp, were also attacked, with no report on casualties. Kenya Airways and RwandAir cancels its flights to Bujumbura. (Al Jazeera) (Bloomberg)
Syrian Civil War, Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict (2013–present)
- A triple truck-bomb attack on the Kurdish YPG militia-controlled town of Tell Tamer in Syria‘s northeast Al-Hasakah Governorate leaves as many as 50 people dead and 80 others wounded. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility for the attacks, saying in an online statement that three of its fighters driving three separate vehicles had detonated the suicide bombs targeting “bases” belonging to Kurdish fighters. (Reuters via NBC News)
Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant‘s branch in Libya (Libya Province) seizes control of the western Libyan town of Sabratha, after storming it in retaliation after two of their men were arrested in a house nearby; however they then set up checkpoints around the town, with little opposition from the local militias that were supposed to be in control of the area. There are now fears that the militant group could destroy the town’s Roman amphitheatre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (The Telegraph)
Swiss police in Geneva, following yesterday’s CIA tip, arrest two Syrian nationals. Apparently, traces of explosives were found in their car. President Simonetta Sommaruga says, “There is currently no indication that there was a concrete attack planned.”(Sky News)

Business and economy

Chinese tycoon Guo Guangchang, founder and chairman of Fosun, is reported missing amid the Chinese anti-corruption campaign. (The Guardian)
Two of the U.S.’s oldest and largest companies, DuPont and Dow Chemical Company, will merge in an all-stock deal valued at $130 billion. The deal, which includes future plans for DowDuPont to split into three independent, public companies, is expected to face intense scrutiny from federal antitrust regulators, who will examine the impact on prices and the availability of vital seeds and herbicides.(Reuters) (The Washington Post)
China’s Alibaba Group Holding Limited acquires Hong Kong’s largest English-language newspaper, the South China Morning Post, in a deal reported to be worth about $100 million. (UPI)

Disasters and accidents

2015 South Indian floods
- Major UK-based reinsurance broker Aon Benfield estimates India has suffered over US$3 billion (over Rs. 200 billion) worth of losses as a result of the flooding, and rates them as the costliest floods and the eighth-costliest natural disaster of 2015.(Business Standard)

International relations

2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference
- French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announces the world climate talks (COP 21) will be extended to at least Saturday. (AP)
Syrian Civil War
- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he will not negotiate with armed groups, a day after the Syrian opposition’s multi-group, two-day meeting in Riyadh agreed on a framework for future negotiations to end the conflict. Assad’s statement also appears to put a damper on peace talks Russia and the United States are working to set up. (Reuters) (Syria Online)
War in Donbass
- The United States and Russia exchanged charges concerning U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Šimonović’s presentation at the U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine. While violence between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels has lessened since September’s agreement, Šimonović warned of the massive civilian toll if major hostilities re-erupt. OCHA’s John Ging said locals face unacceptable physical hardships and indignities, and that the suspension of humanitarian programs and expulsion of humanitarian workers in non-government controlled areas must end. (Reuters) (UN)

Law and crime

Hannibal Gaddafi, son of Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was kidnapped by militants, is released in Baalbek, Lebanon. Gaddafi’s abductors said they were seeking information on the fate of Shiite cleric Imam Moussa al-Sadr, who disappeared during a trip to Tripoli in 1978. (AP via ABC News) (Epoch Times) (AP via NBC News-update)

Politics and elections

Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- Martin Kobler, United Nations envoy to Libya, announces the country’s two rival parliaments agreement to set a target date of Dec. 16 to sign a U.N.-sponsored agreement on forming a national unity government. (AP via ABC News) (Reuters)

Science and technology

Washington State University researchers report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society that they have invented a new catalyst that promises to enable production of bio-based chemicals and plastics. In the future, products could be made from bio-based ethanol rather than superheated crude oil. Other uses for this new catalyst are being explored. (UPI) (Phys.org)

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December 27, 2015

Top News Stories –

Eiffel Tower joins Twitter and receives a warm welcome from Statue of Liberty and Taj Mahal –
When a 126-year-old woman took to Twitter for the first time this week, the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty were so impressed that they sent her tweets to congratulate her. But this was no ordinary old lady – it was the Eiffel Tower, the world’s most visited monument, taking its first steps on the wildly popular microblogging site. “Parisian since 1889, now I am sparkling on Twitter!” said one of the first tweets, in both English and French, on the official account of the 1,063 ft-high tower nicknamed La Grande Dame by its creator, Gustave Eiffel. The tower that each year attracts more than seven million visitors from across the globe, already has around 1.7 million fans on its Facebook account but until this week had kept away from Twitter. Its arrival there this week, under the username @LaTourEiffel, was quickly hailed by direct tweets from the official accounts of other world-renowned monuments. [Daily Telegraph]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens becomes fastest to take $1bn –
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has become the fastest film to take $1bn (£674m) at the global box office. JJ Abrams’ film achieved the feat in 12 days, beating the previous record of 13 days set by Jurassic World in June.
But while Jurassic World had the benefit of record takings in China over the period, The Force Awakens has yet to open there. Star Wars also scored the biggest US Christmas Day box office takings in history with $49.3m (£33.2m). The film took $153.5m (£103.5m) in the US in its second weekend, bringing its total domestic haul to $544.6m (£367m). [BBC]

Christmas time storms, tornadoes kill at least 43 in U.S. –
Storms hit the U.S. South, Southwest and Midwest over the Christmas holiday weekend, unleashing floods and tornadoes that killed at least 43 people, flattened buildings and snarled transportation for millions during a busy travel time. The bad weather, or the threat of it, prompted the governors of Missouri and New Mexico to declare a state of emergency for their states. Flash floods killed at least 13 people in Missouri and Illinois. In Missouri, emergency workers have evacuated residents from their homes and conducted dozens of water rescues, Governor Jay Nixon said on Sunday. He said at least eight people had been killed and numerous roadways had been closed. [Reuters]

British soldiers aid evacuation in flood-hit northern England –
British soldiers helped evacuate hundreds of people from rising floodwaters in the historic city of York on Sunday, after heavy rainfall inundated towns and cities across northern England. Prime Minister David Cameron pledged more military help for the region as the army was deployed to move 300 to 400 people from their homes in York, where the River Ouse was expected to continue rising until Monday, the local council said. Some 100 soldiers were also helping emergency services in the hardest hit areas of West Yorkshire, including Leeds, police said, after the region suffered its worst flooding in 70 years. [Reuters]

Video of the Day –

The Christmas Human – Wishing you a very Christmas merry! from Andre Maat on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Google Trends 2015 –
Top Searches – Global News

1 Charlie Hebdo

2 Paris

3 Hurricane Patricia

4 Isis

5 Nepal

6 El Chapo

7 Greece

8 Baltimore Riots

9 San Bernardino

10 Hurricane Joaquin

Source: Google

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#زد_رصيدك44	Peyton Manning	#yorkfloods
2	가요대전	#DepressABeatlesSong	#RecipeWizard
3	#ANECUP	#GBvsAZ	#AndThenThereWereNone
4	#ÚltimoDomingoDoAnoSdvDTr	#MichaelIsOurSafetyPin	#BigGame8
5	#FelizDomingo	#mattylovesya	#DepressABeatlesSong
6	#TeamBernardoFordGoesToJapan	Chyna	#SAvENG
7	#MyBebeLoveDay3	#5SOSIsDeadParty	#2015bestnine
8	#حكمه_انت_ماشي_…	#PlatonicActivity	#5SOSIsDeadParty
9	#علمتني_الرياض…	#2016PopCulturePredictions	Lynton Crosby
10	#5SOSIsDeadParty	#ThinkBIGSundayWithMarsha	COBRA

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- Battle of Ramadi
  - The Iraqi Army declares victory over Islamic State militants as their forces retake an important government compound in Ramadi. (Reuters) (CNN)
Boko Haram insurgency
- Boko Haram militants attack the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers. At least 15 people are reportedly killed but the death toll is expected to be much higher. (AP via The Washington Post)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm season
- Storm Eva
  - Thousands of people are evacuated from their homes as flood waters continue to rise across large parts of northern England, with York particularly badly affected. (BBC)
Tornadoes of 2015, 2015–16 North American winter, 2015–2016 El Niño event
- At least 11 people are killed as tornadoes strike Dallas, Texas, and five people die in a flash flood in Illinois. A total of 34 people have died in this week’s smörgåsbord of storms that started Wednesday. Mark Wiley of the National Weather Service says this rare run of December tornado storms in the South and Midwest, and spring-like temperatures across much of the North and East, in part to a strong El Niño. (USA Today) (AP via The Greeneville Sun)
- Missouri governor Jay Nixon declares a state of emergency as widespread flash flooding continues to impact the midwestern state. (Fox2Now)

Sports

Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps will coach the sport at Arizona State University upon his presumed retirement following the 2016 Olympics. (NPR) (The Arizona Republic)

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January 7, 2016

Top News Stories –

Igloo built in middle of downtown Chicago road stumps the internet –
An igloo built in the middle of a busy road in downtown Chicago has captivated the internet and left people passing by a little confused. Internet users speculated the 5ft-tall igloo home built under a streetlight near a busy intersection had been constructed by a homeless person. However the person who created the home from slabs of ice has been identified as local resident David Sudler. He built the chilly fort over two nights using the ice blocks and a milk crate to stack the slabs and create the roof. [Daily Telegraph]
Adam Robinson Tweet

Facebook wants to kill off your phone number –
The days of the phone number are, quite literally numbered, thanks to the inexhorable rise of the company’s Messenger app, according to David Marcus, Facebook’s vice president of messaging products. “Think about it: SMS and texting came to the fore in the time of flip phones. Now, many of us can do so much more on our phones; we went from just making phone calls and sending basic text-only messages to having computers in our pockets,” Marcus wrote in a blog post. “With Messenger, we offer all the things that made texting so popular, but also so much more,” he said. “Yes, you can send text messages, but you can also send stickers, photos, videos, voice clips, GIFs, your location, and money to people. You can make video and voice calls while at the same time not needing to know someone’s phone number.” [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Dillon Francis – Not Butter from Brandon Dermer on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

People’s Choice Music Award winners:
Favourite male artist: Ed Sheeran
Favourite female artist: Taylor Swift
Favourite group: Fifth Harmony
Favourite breakout artist: Shawn Mendes
Favourite male country artist: Blake Shelton
Favourite female country artist: Carrie Underwood
Favourite country group: Lady Antebellum
Favourite pop artist: Taylor Swift
Favourite hip-hop artist: Nicki Minaj
Favourite R&B artist: The Weeknd
Favourite album: Title by Meghan Trainor
Favourite song: What Do You Mean? by Justin Bieber
Favourite music icon: Madonna

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	unavailable	#UnpopularMusicOpinionhour	#CharlieHebdo
2	unavailable	#NationalBobbleheadDay	Tom Allin
3	unavailable	$675 Million	#BirdCelebs
4	unavailable	Tila Tequila	#WasteHisTime2016
5	unavailable	#ZaynOnBillboard	#PeoplesChoiceAwards
6	unavailable	#IdolPremiere	Craig David
7	unavailable	#okquake	#bodyshockers
8	unavailable	Zora Neale Hurston	#PCAs
9	unavailable	#DirectionersShazam	#selfieforseb
10	unavailable	#BirdCelebs	#GreatBarrierReef

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- Zliten truck bombing
  - At least 65 people are killed after a truck bomb hit a police training center in the Libyan town of Zliten. (Reuters)
Terrorism in Egypt
- Gunmen open fire on tourists at a hotel close to the Giza pyramids. There were no casualties in the attack, which caused some damage to the hotel, and the attackers were arrested shortly afterwards.(BBC)
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- Iran says last night, Saudi warplanes bombed its embassy in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, wounding several of its guards. The Associated Press reports there is no visible damage to the building. A Saudi-alliance spokesman promises to investigate the accusations. (RT) (The Washington Post) (AP) (Reuters)
- Saudi-led coalition airstrikes today reportedly hit the presidential palace and a mountain military base to the south of Sana’a, causing children and teachers in several schools to flee. There were no immediate reports of casualties. (Reuters)
Militia occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
- Tribal chair Charlotte Rodrique of the local Burns Paiute Tribe has joined in asking the occupiers to leave saying “The protesters have no claim to this land”. Charlotte further cites a treaty that was never ratified by the United States Congress giving ownership of the land to the tribe. (The Washington Post) via MSN)
French police shoot dead a knife-wielding man, who was shouting “Allahu Akbar”, outside a police station in Goutte d’Or, located in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. A piece of paper with an Islamic State flag and claim for the attack written in Arabic was found on his body. The incident is noted for taking place on the anniversary of last year’s Charlie Hebdo shooting. (BBC)

Business and economy

2015–16 Chinese stock market crisis
- Trade is suspended on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange for a second time in a week after share prices tumble following the devaluation of the yuan. (Business Insider)
- The Chinese securities regulator introduces legislation limiting the sale of shares by shareholders. (Reuters)
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average declines by just under 400 points as a result of concerns over the Chinese economy. (Fox Business)

Disasters and accidents

2009–16 Oklahoma earthquake swarms
- In the United States, a swarm of 30 (and counting) earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater struck Oklahoma from Wednesday evening through Thursday mid-afternoon. The biggest, a magnitude 4.8, happened yesterday at 10:27 p.m. CST, 32 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of Fairview, Oklahoma. (The Weather Channel)

International relations

2016 North Korean nuclear test
- South Korea says it will resume cross-border propaganda broadcasts and limit entry to the Kaesong Industrial Region in response to yesterday’s nuclear test at the North’s Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site.North Korea considers the propaganda broadcasts to be “an act of war”. (The Guardian)
Iran–Saudi Arabia relations
- Iran bans imports of all products made in Saudi Arabia and reiterates that the ban on Iranians traveling to the Saudi holy city of Mecca remains in place.(Reuters via Haaretz) (news.com.au)

Law and crime

The bodies of six people are found in a rural village in Guerrero state in southern Mexico. (La Prensasa)
Scotland Yard confirms that they are investigating a triple murder in relation to the death of British actress Sian Blake and her two sons after the discovery of their dead bodies on Tuesday. (AAP via News Limited)

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February 6, 2016

Top News Stories –

How Facebook updated ‘six degrees of separation’ (it’s now 3.57) –
If you pick any two Facebook users, it’s been calculated there’s an average of 3.57 “degrees of separation” between them. The maths has been done using the social media giant’s handy data set of 1.6 billion people. Facebook wanted to test the age-old “six degrees of separation” theory to mark its 12th birthday. “This is a significant reflection of how closely connected the world has become,” the firm says. “When people connect, powerful things happen and lives are changed. “We see this on Facebook every day, whether it’s an exchange with an old friend that brings a smile to your face or a new connection that changes your life path, or even the world.” It means that each person in the world (at least among the 1.59 billion people active on Facebook) is connected to every other person by an average of three and a half other people. Find out your own degrees of separation at Facebook’s blog page. [BBC Newsbeat]

Video of the Day –

“NFL 2016: Part One” — A Bad Lip Reading of the NFL

Part 2 available here

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#RIPTwitter	#SixWordBernieStory	#SixNations
2	#FelizSabado	#RIPTwitter	#flowersofmanchester
3	#HappyBirthdayCrystalReed	#NationalLibrariesDay	#WalkOutOn77
4	#CarnavalComBDTSDV	#caturday	Taiwan
5	#Goya2016	#HDM2016	#Sydney7s
6	#سنحترم_حقوق_ا�…	#ShawnWorldTourOnsale	Edgar Mitchell
7	#PorTuAmorYo	Jay Electronica	#RIPTwitter
8	#IPLAuction	#NFLHonors	#CBBFinal
9	#MueroPor	George Karl	#B12hr
10	#ALDUBYouGoodbye	#Formation	#GrahamNorton

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

An al Qaeda affiliate has freed Jocelyn Elliott, an Australian woman kidnapped in Burkina Faso along with her husband. (ABC News Australia)
Syrian Civil War
- Northern Aleppo offensive (2016)
  - The Syrian Army, backed by the Russian Air Force, takes control of the town of Ratyan in the Aleppo Governorate, after defeating Al-Nusra Front and Ahrar ash-Sham fighters. (Xinhua)

Arts and culture

Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan gives birth to a son, the heir apparent of the Bhutanese throne. (Kuensel)

Disasters and accidents

2016 Kaohsiung earthquake
- A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck southern Taiwan. Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported that 14 people were killed and 484 injured. (CNN) (Metro) (AP) (AFP/Reuters via ABC News Australia)
- The earthquake toppled two high-rise buildings in the city of Tainan with at least 160 people rescued and many more trapped inside. (AP)
Five people are killed in an avalanche that buried 17 Czechs in Austria. (NBC News)

International relations

North Korea brings forward the date of a potential satellite launch to as early as tomorrow. (BBC)
Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
- Tunisia completes the construction of a 200km (125 mile) barrier along its border with Libya, intended to keep out terrorists trained in Libya. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Twitter claims to have closed down 125,000 accounts linked to ISIL. (Reuters via ABC News Australia)

Sports

In American football, eight people are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame including Oakland Raiders former quarterback Ken Stabler, Former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr., Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, Green Bay Packers former quarterback Brett Favre, Los Angeles Rams former linebacker/defensive end Kevin Greene, Indianapolis Colts former wide receiver Marvin Harrison, St. Louis Rams former offensive tackle Orlando Pace and Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins former guard Dick Stanfel. (CNN)

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The 2010s

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