Top Story –
Bad lip syncing –
Two Chinese pop singers face fines of up to $12,000 (£7,400) for allegedly miming at a concert. Miming was banned in China after a girl was revealed to have lip-synced at the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.
Top Video –
Birds on the Wires
Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.
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Hope for Haiti raises $57 million –
Organisers of last nights “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon say it has raised more than $57m (£35m) for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
The event set a new record for disaster relief telethons, according to Lisa Paulsen, head of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Many stars donated including Madonna who gave $250,000 (£155,000), Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie gave $1m (£620,000) and supermodel Giselle Bundchen gave $1.5m (£0.93m). George Clooney who organised the event donated $1m during the telethon.
Giselle Bundchen
Itchy and scratchy –
Research carried out by the University of Worcester has discovered that Britons are likely to be sleeping under duvets which are full dust mites and dead skin. Tests carried out on 10 duvets at the University of Worcester found they held up to 20,000 live house dust mites.
House dust mite – dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
One in the eye –
The Black Eyed Peas were the victims of an error when they were mistakenly named best international group at France’s top music awards, the NRJ Awards in Cannes. The stars were originally declared winners but it was later revealed that an error had been made and German band Tokio Hotel were announced as the real victors.
The Black Eyed Peas
Tokio Hotel
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Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
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Haiti man alive after being buried for 14 days –
14 days after the devastating earthquake that has killed tens of thousands in Haiti, Rico Dibrivell, has been pulled alive from the rubble of a collapsed building the capital. U.S. troops rescued the 35-year-old from the ruins in Port-au-Prince.
Avatar mountain in China –
A Chinese mountain has been renamed in honour of the film Avatar, after it apparently inspired scenery in the movie. The Southern Sky Column in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, will now be known as the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain. Avatar has become the most popular film ever in China, making $80m (£50m) at the box office so far.
Top Video –
Avatar movie trailer
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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Le Shuttle est terminée –
A Channel tunnel “Le Shuttle” train carrying cars with 382 passengers on board stopped in the tunnel while travelling from the Ashford Terminal in Kent to Calais, France. The evacuated passengers had to enter central pedestrian tunnel before boarding a train that had come from Calais in the other main tunnel. A fault in the overhead power cables was to blame.
Sony question FIFA Qatar decision –
One of FIFA’s main sponsors, Sony, have asked football’s governing body to carry out an “appropriate investigation” into the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. The announcement that Qatar was to hold the tournament was made in 2007.
Sepp Blatter at the 2014 FIFA Announcement in 2007
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Ben Haenow wins X Factor 2014 –
Ben Haenow has been named this year’s UK X Factor winner after going head-to-head with Fleur East in the 2014 final at Wembley Arena. The singer from Croydon, south London, was chosen by a public vote with over 10 million votes cast. Mel B the former Spice Girl and one of the four judges, missed the final due to illness. Tulisa Contostavlos stood in as her replacement.
Mel B
FIFA dismiss complaints over report –
A complaint by US lawyer Michael Garcia who spent two years investigating World Cup corruption claims for Fifa has been dismissed by football’s governing body. Garcia’s findings were released as a 42-page summary by FIFA-appointed independent judge Hans-Joachim Eckert. Garcia said his summary was “incomplete and erroneous”. There have been calls to release the full report in the wake of Garcia’s complaint, but FIFA president Sepp Blater has said it cannot do so for legal reasons.
Sepp Blatter at the 2014 FIFA Tournament Announcement in 2007
Indecent proposal –
A Dutchman’s attempt at a romantic wedding proposal using a mobile crane has resulted in the crane falling over and smashing into a neighbour’s roof. The man had rented a crane in the central town of Ijsselstein to descend in front of his girlfriend’s bedroom window, play her a song and ask her to marry him. Despite the disaster, in which no-one was hurt, his girlfriend accepted his offer.
Video of the Day –
Our Streets –
OUR STREETS from Jared Rosenthal on Vimeo.
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It’s snow fun –
After the worse start to the Europe ski season for over ten years due to very little snow, a large drop in temperature and a snowfall of over 12 inches (30 cm) in 12 hours causes chaos in the French Alps.
Fallen Fernando –
Once the world’s top striker Chelsea’s Fernando Torres is expected to be bought by Italy’s AC Milan in January but then loaned out to Atletico Madrid so ending up back in his native Spain.
Fernando Torres
Taxing issue –
The UK overtakes France as the fifth largest economy in the world after the money made from prostitution and drugs was counted in the GDP figure for the first time.
Britain’s economy is expected to be worth a total £1.86 trillion in 2014 – up from £1.63 trillion the previous year.
First manager sacked in EPL –
Neil Warnock is the first English Premier League manager to be sacked this season after Crystal Palace dispensed with his services for a second time. It is the latest a manager has been fired in the season since 1996 (January 2nd)
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Who’s the daddy? –
A Cuban man convicted of spying in the US and committed to a double life sentence in 1998 has become a father a month after his release. Gerardo Hernandez, who was released last month by the US as part of a diplomatic thaw with Cuba, requested to have his wife artificially inseminated with his sperm while he was still in jail.
Imran bowled over –
Sportsman-turned-politician Imran Khan has married his fiance, Reham, at a small wedding ceremony at his home in Islamabad, Pakistan. Khan was Pakistan’s most successful cricket captain, playing for the Pakistani cricket team from 1971 to 1992 and leading them to victory at the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
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Team Wiggo launched –
Former Tour de France champion and Sky Team member Sir Bradley Wiggins launches his own cycling team to help preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympics. The four-time Olympic champion will try to break the individual world hour record as part of his build-up to Rio2016. Team Wiggins will operate independently of British Cycling but the governing body has given its backing to the team.
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Bradley Wiggins
App designers golden year –
Apple revealed today that app developers earned more than $10 billion in revenue in 2014, partly due to a 50 percent rise in billings. The App Store has grown to 1.4 million apps since launching in 2008, with 725,000 designed for the iPad.
Russia says drivers must not have ‘sex disorders’ –
The Russian government is tightening medical controls for drivers because the country “has too many road accidents”. Transsexual and transgender people are among those who will no longer qualify for driving licences and fetishism, exhibitionism and voyeurism are also included as “mental disorders” now barring people from driving.
Job for life but don’t turn up –
A.K. Verma, an executive engineer at the Central Public Works Department, India, was fired after last appearing for work in December 1990. Even after an inquiry found him guilty of “wilful absence from duty” in 1992, it took another 22 years and the intervention of a cabinet minister to remove him, the government said.
Video of the Day –
When you say you’re a swimmer –
“When You Say You’re a Swimmer” from Chris Shimojima on Vimeo.
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France remembers gunmens’ victims –
Nearly a quarter of a million people held marches in France on Saturday to condemn the attacks by extremist gunmen on France that took place on Wednesday 7th January 2015 killing 17 people including 12 at the offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo. Large crowds gathered in Paris, Orleans, Nice, Pau, Toulouse and Nantes, with people holding banners that read “I am against racism”, “unity”, or “Je suis Charlie” – the latter a reference to the magazine.
#JeSuisCharlie top hashtag –
#JeSuisCharlie has become one of the most popular hashtags ever used on Twitter with between 4 and 5 millions tweets containing the phrase in 4 days.
Dart attack –
Rioting fans in fancy dress brawled and threw chairs and tables, stopping play at an Australian darts competition. Dutchman Michael ‘Mighty Mike’ van Gerwen was playing Australia’s Simon ‘The Wizard’ Whitlock in an invitational tournament at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne when chaos broke out. Images show a man dressed as Batman’s sidekick Robin wrestling with an English knight, while security guards try to calm the situation down.
Video of the Day –
Gold and Grey from Kyle Camarillo on Vimeo.
Top News Stories –
Solo hopes for better time –
Hope Solo, The US women’s team goalkeeper is suspended for 30 days by US Soccer following an “incident” during a training camp. The teams head coach Jill Ellis said “Hope made a poor decision that has resulted in a negative impact on US Soccer and her team-mates.” Solo’s husband, former Seattle Seahawks NFL player Jerramy Stevens, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in Los Angeles in the early hours of January 19th 2015. Solo who appeared in the 2011 Body Issue of ESPN The Magazine tweeted:
Rick puts dicks on the runway –
Rick Owens the American designer sent four of his models down the catwalk at his Paris fashion show wearing clothes with peepholes that showed full-frontal male nudity underneath. His possibly unique idea earned him the Instagram hashtag: #dickowens.
Rick Owens
Rihanna wins court case over t-shirt-
Rihanna wins her long running legal challenge against Topshop over selling a t-Shirt with a picture from her Talk That Talk album promotional work.
Singer Rihanna has won a legal battle against high street store Topshop over a t-shirt bearing her image. Rihanna sued Topshop’s parent company Arcadia for $5m (£3.3m) back in 2013 and the Court of Appeal in London upheld a ban on the store selling the t-shirt.
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A man’s right to pee stands up in court –
A German court has ruled in favour of a man’s right to urinate while standing up after his landlord demanded €1,900 (£1400; $2,200) for damage to the marble bathroom floor caused by urine. But the Duesseldorf judge ruled that the man’s method was within cultural norms, saying “urinating standing up is still common practice” even though some public toilets in Germany have signs forbidding the standing position – but those who choose to sit are often referred to as a “Sitzpinkler”, implying it is not masculine behaviour.
Stars out against Tescos in Haverstock Hill –
Damian Lewis, Old Etonian star of Homeland has joined up with Emma Thompson, James Corden and Tom Conti and other residents of Belsize Park in London to attempt to stop Tesco building an Express branch in Haverstock Hill. This follows Russell Brand campaigning to stop building work in Hackney, London on December 1st 2014.
Video of the Day –
Batman Evolution from ThePianoGuys on Vimeo.
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Islamic State terrorists execute Japanese hostage –
Japanese prime minister Shinzō Abe has called the footage of Islamic State hostage Kenji Goto apparently holding a photograph showing the body of fellow captive Haruna Yukawa “outrageous and unacceptable”. On January 20th 2015 Islamic State said it would kill the two men unless Japan paid a ransom of $200m (£130m) within 72 hours.
Japanese prime minister Shinzō Abe
Where are the richest 1% in the world? –
According to Credit Suisse anyone who has assets worth over $798,000 (£530,000) is one of 1% of the richest people in the world. 18 million of the top 47 million richest people are in the US, 3.5m in France, 2.9m in the UK and 2.8m in Germany. Ten percent of Swiss residents, a total of 800,000, are in the top 1%.
50 years since the death of Winston Churchill –
Sir Winston Churchill, prime minister of England through World War II died 50 years ago today. He was Conservative prime minister from 10 May 1940 – 26 July 1945 and again in 26 October 1951 – 6 April 1955.
Winston Churchill
FA Cup upsets return –
In England and Wales the fourth round of the FA Cup sees some of the most surprising results for many years. Premier League leaders Chelsea are beaten on their own ground 4-2 by Bradford City after leading the League One team 2-0. Manchester City who are second in the Premier League also lose at home to Championship side Middlesborough. This followed Cambridge United holding on for a 0-0 draw against Manchester United yesterday.
Jose Mourinho
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Whitney Houston’s daughter accident –
Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of late American singer Whitney Houston is found unconscious in a bath in a house in Roswell, Georgia. She was taken to a hospital in Roswell where she was said to be breathing. Her mother was found dead in a bath on February 11th 2012 of accidental drowning due to the effects of cocaine use and heart disease.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Whitney Houston in 2009
Cumberbatch and Fry sign petition to pardon gays –
Benedict Cumberbatch and Stephen Fry sign an open letter requesting the government to pardon 49,000 men who were prosecuted for being gay. Family members of the World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing who was convicted of gross indecency in 1952 (and later committed suicide in 1954) also signed the petition. Cumberbatch played Turing in the film “The Imitation Game”.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Balloon flight record broken –
Balloon pilots American Troy Bradley and Russian Leonid Tiukhtyaev complete their crossing of the Pacific in a helium filled balloon with a sea landing off Mexico after 6 days flying from Japan. They claim to have beaten the world distance and duration records by flying for more than 137 hours and travelling more than 5,209 miles (8,383km).
Serena Williams wins 19th grand slam title –
Serena Williams beats fellow American Maria Sharapova to win the Australian Open tennis title. Williams’ 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) victory gives here a 19th grand slam crown out of 23 finals – the best percentage performance in either the men’s or women’s game.
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Serena Williams
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The Imitation Game trailer
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Miss Universe asked to negotiate with rebels –
Newly crowned Miss Universe Paulina Vega is invited by the Colombian rebel group Farc militia to help their peace negotiations with the government in a statement on their website. During interviews prior to winning the title on January 25th 2015, Ms Vega, who is also Miss Columbia, had said she wanted to see peace in Colombia. So far she has not responded to the offer.
Paulina Vega
NBC Nightly News anchor embarrassment –
Brian Williams, “the most-watched” news presenter in the US temporarily steps down from his NBC Nightly News anchor role after he admitted his story about being in a helicopter that was shot down in Iraq was false. He revealed that he was actually in an aircraft following the one shot down after veterans who were in the helicopter recalled he wasn’t on the flight. Williams blamed a “fog of memory” for the lapse.
Brian Williams
Price gets it right –
Katie Price formerly known as the model Jordan wins UK TV Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother despite only being in the “house” for 10 days when other contestants had been in for a month. She beat ex-Apprentice candidate Katie Hopkins into second place; Calum Best came third.
Katie Price
Classic Ferrari sells for $16 million –
A classic California Spyder Ferrari found in a French farmhouse under a load of magazines is sold at a Paris auction for €14.2m (£10.5m; $16.2m). Only 37 of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB were made and this dark blue one had been owned by French actor Alain Delon but was hidden for over 50 years. In May 2008 British DJ Chris Evans paid a reported £5.6 million for a 1961 250GT short-wheelbase California Spyder that once belonged to Hollywood actor James Coburn.
A 1961 250 GT California Spyder
Alain Delon in 2013
Video of the Day –
Miss Columbia Paulina Vega’s Miss Universe interview
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Cumberbatch upsets Cumberbitches by getting married –
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch has married his fiancé Sophie Hunter at a private ceremony at the 12th century St Peter & St Paul Church, near Brighstone on the Isle of Wight.
No post today?
Demonstrators in Tokyo have marched against capitalism, chocolates and St Valentine’s Day in a demonstration against the commercialisation of February 14 by men who are unable to find a partner. The protest was organised by a group called Kakuhido, which translates roughly as the Revolutionary Alliance of Men that Women Find Unattractive.
Michele Ferrero dies –
Michele Ferrero, whose chocolate product company made him Italy’s wealthiest man, dies aged 89. His company makes Ferrero Rocher chocolates, Kinder eggs, Tic Tac sweets and hazelnut Nutella spread. Mr Ferrero’s father, a pastry manufacturer, developed the forerunner to Nutella in 1946, called Giandujot, combining cocoa and hazelnuts to make a spreadable paste.
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Canadian MP suffers from reduced smalls –
A Canadian MP Pat Martin had to leave parliament urgently due to ill fitting underpants. The opposition MP found it impossible to sit through the voting process while wearing knickers bought in a half-price sale. After a swift re-adjustment he made it back in time to cast his ballot. True commando.
Pat Martin MP
Rihanna hits 27 –
Robyn Rihanna Fenty hits late thirties. She has sold over 30 million albums and 120 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time
Rihanna
Video of the Day –
Riding on Thin Air: Kelly McGarry + Jeremy Lyttle Take on Khardung La from Mercedes-Benz Films on Vimeo.
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These things only happen in movies… or maybe in movie theatres –
A projectionist at MetroLux 14 theater in Loveland, Colorado mixed up the films at an 11:45am screening of the latest SpongeBob Squarepants and instead put on Fifty Shades of Grey. Instead of seeing SpongeBob and his pals try to save a secret hamburger recipe, they had the opening scenes of the erotic R-rated film. After the mix-up was noticed, the screen went blank and kids’ movie trailers started showing until the right film was found.
Video of the Day –
¡MONSTRO! from Chris Romano on Vimeo.
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Saudi student guilty of Drug-driving in a McLaren –
A rich Saudi playboy was caught by police driving his father’s £168,500 McLaren supercar while high on cannabis through Hyde Park. Mohammad Al-Sharif, 22, confessed to smoking the drug at 7.30am that morning and was unsteady on his feet with slurred speech when questioned by officers. He pleaded guilty to driving a McLaren MP4-12c 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 Velocita Wind Edition in West Carriage Drive on December 11 last year while unfit to drive through drugs. Student Al-Sharif, who lives off a family allowance, was fined £400, with £85 costs and was ordered to pay an £85 victim surcharge. He was disqualified for twelve months. [Daily Telegraph]
McLaren MP4-12c
Highwaymen steal €9m jewels and art on motorway in France –
A manhunt is underway to catch a group of armed robbers who successfully trapped two armoured vans at a motorway toll booth in Burgundy, escaping with €9m (£6.3m) of jewels and art. French police said the heist was carried out by around 15 “heavily armed and battle-hardened” individuals, all masked, who arrived in four cars and surrounded the vans on the A6 motorway around 125 miles south east of Paris. “The group carried out the attack around midnight,” said Cristophe Crépin, a spokesman for the police, adding that the robbers had forced the drivers out, emptied the vans, and then set them on fire a short distance from the toll booth. A local prosecutor said no one had been hurt. The local newspaper said the men had made a getaway towards Paris, in four high-speed cars. [Daily Telegraph]
Google has opened its first-ever branded shop, choosing the Currys PC World on London’s Tottenham Court Road as the location. The store, to be called The Google shop, will sell the company’s range of Android phones and tablets, Chromebook laptops, and Chromecast TV services. The shop will hold tutorials showing consumers how to use the devices and hold demonstrations showing off key Google apps. It is the first time that Google has opened a shop under its own name and highlights how online companies are increasingly exploring ways to open physical stores. Amazon is thought to be considering opening a shop in a standalone location in New York. [Daily Telegraph]
Video of the Day –
Shake It Little Tina (feat. adamscarpenters) – Low Cut Connie from Adam Carpenter on Vimeo.
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Australia unveils 35-year plan to save Great Barrier Reef –
Australia has released a long-term blueprint to try to stem the decline of the Great Barrier Reef following warnings that the famous 1,500-mile stretch of delicate coral reefs could be wiped out by extreme weather and pollution. The 35-year plan is designed to improve the poor water quality and prevent the loss of coral cover in the area, which received a world heritage listing in 1981 and is regularly listed as one of the seven wonders of the natural world. But the area’s deterioration has worried scientists and led to warnings by the United Nations heritage body that it may downgrade the reef’s heritage status to “in danger”. [Daily Telegraph]
Photoshop disaster over a disappearing umbrella in Burma –
Ridicule is raining down on government spin doctors in Burma after they released a publicity shot of a top government minister in which an umbrella had been photoshopped out but a telling shadow gave away their dastardly intervention. The picture is question showed Su Su Hlaing, the country’s deputy minister, disembarking from a plane on Tuesday afternoon at Kaw Thaung airport in the country’s south. It was posted on the Ministry of Information’s official Facebook page in an apparent attempt to boost the minister’s profile. However, internet users almost immediately spotted a glaring mistake. An umbrella-shaped shadow around the minister’s toes suggested she had been standing in the shade of a parasol, yet there was no parasol to be seen in the photograph. The reason for the deletion of an apparently harmless umbrella was not immediately clear. However, the most likely explanation was that a man shielding a woman with his umbrella was something “considered embarrassing for the former in male-dominated Burmese culture,” the The Irrawaddy website speculated. [Daily Telegraph]
@JonahFisherBBC
Six Nations 2015: Ireland title glory delights coach Joe Schmidt –
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said he is “delighted and relieved” after his side retained the Six Nations title. A 40-10 win over Scotland gave Ireland the title on points difference ahead of England and Wales on a thrilling final day of the championship. Wales briefly led the Six Nations standings after hammering Italy 60-21 in Rome, resulting in Ireland needing to defeat the Scots by 21 points to go top. England required a 26-point winning margin over France to deny the Irish back-to-back titles for the first time since 1949, but they came up just short in a 55-35 victory to complete a dramatic triple-bill of action. See List of the Day. [BBC]
Video of the Day –
Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron – TV Spot 2
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Hatton Garden heist: £20,000 reward offered by police –
A £20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gang responsible for the Hatton Garden heist. On BBC One’s Crimewatch, Det Supt Craig Turner, head of the Flying Squad, appealed for witnesses to the burglary, which took place over Easter. New CCTV images of the thieves entering and leaving Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd have been released. The contents of 56 safe deposit boxes were taken in the raid. Items were removed from the premises in wheelie bins and bags during the raid in Central London. No arrests have yet been made. [BBC]
Hatton Garden road sign
Student continues Sahara marathon on broken leg but still beats Sir Ranulph Fiennes –
A student broke his leg while competing in the ‘toughest race on earth’ – but still kept going for another 100 miles to overtake the explorer Ranulph Fiennes. James Tuffnell, 20, stumbled down a sand dune on the fourth day of the six-day Marathon Des Sables, a 155 mile ‘ultramarathon’ across the Sahara desert, shattering his ankle and fracturing his tibia. Despite his injuries he carried all his own supplies including food, water and sleeping materials for the length of the race in 50 degree heat. [Daily Telegraph]
James Tuffnell [@JamesTuffnell – Twitter]
Japan: Low-level radiation in drone found on PM’s roof –
A drone carrying a tiny amount of radioactive material has been found on the roof of the Japanese prime minister’s office in Tokyo. The four-propeller device was found on top of the building on Wednesday morning [22 April], and was carrying a container of liquid which was marked with a radiation warning symbol, the public broadcaster NHK reports. The 50cm (20in) wide drone was also equipped with a small camera. Police say “minute” levels of radiation were detected on the drone, which they think is likely to be radioactive caesium, but that the amount is too low to be harmful to human health. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wasn’t in the building at the time, as he’s currently in Indonesia. [BBC] In January 2015 the prime minister called the footage of Islamic State hostage Kenji Goto apparently holding a photograph showing the body of fellow captive Haruna Yukawa “outrageous and unacceptable”.
Japanese prime minister Shinzō Abe
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6 Craziest Extinctions ever – from ASAP Science –
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Salman Khan: Bollywood star guilty in hit-and-run case –
An Indian court has found Bollywood star Salman Khan guilty of killing a homeless man in a 2002 hit-and-run driving incident in Mumbai. The man was among five people who were run over in the incident. The actor was charged with culpable homicide. Khan had said his driver was behind the wheel, but the judge said the actor was driving the car and was under the influence of alcohol at the time. His sentence is still to be announced. Khan faces up to 10 years in jail. Legal experts say the actor is bound to appeal against the verdict and the case is likely to go on for many more years. [BBC] [Later in the year Khan was cleared of the charges]
Salman Khan
Django Unchained actress to apologise to police –
An actress investigated by police after a report she had sex in a car in public must apologise to officers, after admitting disturbing the peace.
Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts had initially claimed police actions last September were racially motivated. Watts was handcuffed and briefly detained during the incident, after LA Police responded to a call about “indecent exposure”. Prosecutors made a deal to drop charges of committing a lewd act in public. The pair had been facing up to six months in jail and a $1,000 (£659) fine if convicted of committing a lewd act in public. [BBC]
Kitchen microwaves baffle Australian space scientists –
After 17 years of fruitlessly searching the galaxy, Australian scientists have discovered the source of mysterious radio signals hitting a telescope. It turns out the source was their own kitchen microwaves. PhD student Emily Petroff made the discovery at the Parkes telescope, after noticing that the signals were only received during business hours. The rays, known as “perytons”, were emitted when impatient staff opened the microwave door prematurely. [BBC]
50 Shades of Subterfuge: Rape charges as ‘male model’ offering sex in dark turns out to be balding 68-year-old –
A Frenchman masquerading as a 37-year old “male model” offering women 50 Shades of Grey-type sex dates in the dark is facing rape charges after they belatedly discovered he was a short, fat and balding 68-year old. A man calling himself Anthony Laroche attracted much female interest on several dating websites after depicting himself as a young, mysterious prince charming with a photo highlighting his smouldering gaze, square jaw and designer stubble. Adding spice to the proceedings, “Anthony” proposed a “blind” date in which the two total strangers had sex in the dark on their first encounter at his flat in Nice, southern France. [Daily Telegraph]
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Arnold Acts Out His Films In 6 Minutes – The Late Late Show with James Corden
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Supergirl’s trailer reaction split between joy and ‘walking nightmare’ –
Saints be praised: a six-minute trailer for the new CBS TV series Supergirl is here, and it is extremely good.
Gone are the memories of the cult (and largely dreadful) 1984 film version starring a rather wet Helen Slater alongside Faye Dunaway chewing every piece of scenery in sight: the new Supergirl is kooky, charming and funny. Inevitably, Twitter was divided. A DC superhero show that was fun, frothy and where nobody looked anxious? What is this! Kara Jor-El fled the planet Krypton as a girl, and, like her cousin Superman, has grown up into a sweet, geeky character (played by Glee’s Melissa Benoist) who believes that wearing a pair of black plastic glassics is a cunning disguise. [Daily Telegraph] See Video of The Day
Calista Flockhart who plays Supergirl’s boss
Swiss freediver breaks world record for holding breath underwater –
Peter Colat, a Swiss freediver, has held his breath underwater for 19 minutes and 21 seconds, smashing the world record. Colat, 38, performed the feat in a water tank in St Gallen, Switzerland. The previous Guinness World Record for oxygen-assisted static apnea was 19 seconds shorter and was set by an Italian, Nicola Putignano, last May. Colat, an experienced diver from Zurich, said the first 12 minutes was no problem. He said: “I felt the first need to breathe very late, but because of this it was even stronger.” Under the Guinness rules he was allowed to inhale pure oxygen 10 minutes prior to his attempt. See List of the day
Video of the Day –
List of the day –
Oxygen-assisted static apnea previous records
| Duration | Name | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:54 | Branko Petrović | 7 October 2014 | Dubai, UAE |
| 11:35 [2] | Stéphane Mifsud | 8 June 2009 | La Crau, France |
| 10:12 | Tom Sietas | 7 June 2008 | Athens, Greece |
| 10:04 | Stéphane Mifsud | 12 July 2007 | Hyères, France |
| 9:15 | Tom Sietas | 12 May 2008 | Mainz, Germany |
| 9:08 | Tom Sietas | 1 May 2007 | Hamburg, Germany |
| 9:04 | Herbert Nitsch | 13 December 2006 | Hurghada, Egypt |
| 9:00 | Tom Sietas | 29 August 2006 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 8:58 | Tom Sietas | 12 December 2004 | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| 8:47 | Tom Sietas | 11 June 2004 | Hamburg, Germany |
| 8:06 | Martin Štěpánek | 3 July 2001 | Miami, USA[1] |
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Cannes Film Festival ‘turns away women in flat shoes’ –
Cannes Film Festival has come under fire after reports women were turned away from a red carpet screening for wearing flat shoes instead of heels. The women – some of whom were said to be older with medical conditions – were attending the world premiere of Cate Blanchett’s new film Carol. Screen Daily said the festival had confirmed heels were obligatory for women at red carpet screenings. However the director of the festival said the “rumours” were “unfounded”. [BBC]
Cate Blanchett
Prostitute pleads guilty in Google executive heroin overdose death on yacht –
A high-end prostitute who pleaded guilty to killing a Google executive with an overdose of heroin aboard his yacht has been jailed for six years. Alix Tichelman, 27, was initially arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of Forrest Hayes, 51, a father-of-five, who was found on his 50ft boat in Santa Cruz, California in November 2013. Surveillance cameras on the yacht recorded Tichelman gathering her belongings, including heroin and needles, finishing a glass of wine, and stepping over Mr Hayes as she left. Following her arrest she was dubbed the “call girl killer” and the “harbour hooker”. [Daily Telegraph]
‘Australian Hugh Hefner’ criticised for posting photo of his wife on a leash –
A tobacco tycoon labelled “Australia’s Hugh Hefner” has been accused of creating a poisonous cult in his waterside mansion after he posted images of his wife on a leash and of his children attending raucous poolside parties. Travis Beynon, who calls himself The Candyman, lives on a £1.9 million estate in Queensland’s Gold Coast and publishes a constant stream of images of his antics on his Instagram account. But the former Australian Football league player has been criticised for his lifestyle, particularly after he posted a photo of himself leading his wife Taesha and another woman on a leash, with the caption “Candyman’s interpretation of ‘Doggy Style’”. [Daily Telegraph]
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Scream Queens Trailer
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Sweden wins Eurovision Song Contest –
Unabashed commercial dance music triumphed over kitsch and politics, as Sweden swept to its sixth victory in Eurovision, making it the most successful country in Eurovision history behind Ireland. Måns Zelmerlöw, a leather trousered hunk, with his pop anthem Heroes, beat off stiff competition from Russian (bolstered by some neighbourly votes from Eastern European nations) and Italy. Sweden won 365 points, while Russia, in second, got 303. [Daily Telegraph] Unfortunately after Eurovision went off air it was revealed that two countries had been disqualified. Montengro and Macedonia’s voting results have been disqualified after it was discovered the two countries used votes from the televoting to account for 100% of the country’s votes, rather than 50% with 50% coming from a jury, as is required. [Daily Mirror] See Video of the Day and List of the Day
Måns_Zelmerlöw from Sweden
Ireland becomes first country to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote –
Ireland has voted by a huge majority to legalise same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in the world to do so by popular vote in a move hailed as a social revolution and welcomed around the world. Some 62% of the Irish Republic’s electorate voted in favour of gay marriage. The result means that a republic once dominated by the Catholic church ignored the instructions of its cardinals and bishops. The huge Yes vote marks another milestone in Ireland’s journey towards a more liberal, secular society. Out of an electorate of more than 3 million, 1,201,607 backed gay marriage, while 734,300 voters said No. The result prompted a massive street party around the gay district of central Dublin close to the national count centre. [The Guardian]
Spanish La Liga ends with Barcelona on top but Cristiano Ronaldo with 61 goals –
Cristiano Ronaldo finished with a season’s best goals tally of 61 as his first-half hat-trick helped Real Madrid end their season by hammering Getafe 7-1. The Portuguese forward’s haul is one more than the 60 he scored in 2011-12. Barcelona had already won the title and said adios to their captain Xavi Hernández who has won eight La Liga titles with the side after joing the club aged 11 in 1991. See List of the Day 2
Xavi Hernández
Banned number plates revealed: VA61ANA banned but PEN15 allowed –
The DVLA has revealed its entire catalogue of forbidden car number plates – including some amusing selections as well as surprising omissions. It seems motorists can drive a PEN15, but not a VA61ANA, and while BL03 JOB is forbidden ORG45M is fine. The list of personalised plates the DVLA believes to be in poor taste runs to 46 pages and includes religious or homophobic words. [Daily Telegraph]
Banned number plates – how they might look
Video of the Day –
Måns Zelmerlöw – Heroes (Sweden) – LIVE at Eurovision 2015 Grand Final
List of the day 1 –
Eurovision Song Contest 2015 results
List of the day 2 –
2014-2015 Spanish La Liga final table
|
#
|
Team
|
GP
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
PTS
|
|
|
1
|
Barcelona
|
38
|
30
|
4
|
4
|
110
|
21
|
89
|
94
|
|
|
2
|
Real Madrid
|
38
|
30
|
2
|
6
|
118
|
38
|
80
|
92
|
|
|
3
|
Atlético Madrid
|
38
|
23
|
9
|
6
|
67
|
29
|
38
|
78
|
|
|
4
|
Valencia
|
38
|
22
|
11
|
5
|
70
|
32
|
38
|
77
|
|
|
5
|
Sevilla
|
38
|
23
|
7
|
8
|
71
|
45
|
26
|
76
|
|
|
6
|
Villarreal
|
38
|
16
|
12
|
10
|
48
|
37
|
11
|
60
|
|
|
7
|
Athletic
|
38
|
15
|
10
|
13
|
42
|
41
|
1
|
55
|
|
|
8
|
Celta Vigo
|
38
|
13
|
12
|
13
|
47
|
44
|
3
|
51
|
|
|
9
|
Málaga
|
38
|
14
|
8
|
16
|
42
|
48
|
-6
|
50
|
|
|
10
|
Espanyol
|
38
|
13
|
10
|
15
|
47
|
51
|
-4
|
49
|
|
|
11
|
Rayo
|
38
|
15
|
4
|
19
|
46
|
68
|
-22
|
49
|
|
|
12
|
Real Sociedad
|
38
|
11
|
13
|
14
|
44
|
51
|
-7
|
46
|
|
|
13
|
Elche
|
38
|
11
|
8
|
19
|
35
|
62
|
-27
|
41
|
|
|
14
|
Levante
|
38
|
9
|
10
|
19
|
34
|
67
|
-33
|
37
|
|
|
15
|
Getafe CF
|
38
|
10
|
7
|
21
|
33
|
64
|
-31
|
37
|
|
|
16
|
Deportivo
|
38
|
7
|
14
|
17
|
35
|
60
|
-25
|
35
|
|
|
17
|
Granada
|
38
|
7
|
14
|
17
|
29
|
64
|
-35
|
35
|
|
|
18
|
Eibar
|
38
|
9
|
8
|
21
|
34
|
55
|
-21
|
35
|
|
|
19
|
Almería
|
38
|
8
|
8
|
22
|
35
|
64
|
-29
|
32
|
|
|
20
|
Córdoba
|
38
|
3
|
11
|
24
|
22
|
68
|
-46
|
20
|
|
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Silk Road drug website founder Ross Ulbricht jailed –
The founder of online illegal drug marketplace the Silk Road has been sentenced to life in prison in the US. Federal prosecutors said Ross Ulbricht’s website, hosted on the hidden “dark web”, sold more than $200m (£131m) worth of drugs anonymously. The 31-year-old was found guilty in New York of charges including conspiracy to commit drug trafficking, money laundering and computer hacking. The site was shut down in 2013 after police arrested Ulbricht. In February he was convicted of operating the site for nearly three years from 2011. [BBC]
Sepp Blatter wins FIFA President election –
Under-fire Sepp Blatter has been voted in for four more years as Fifa president – but only after his rival inflicted a ”bloody nose” on him.
More than a third of FIFA’s 209 associations voted for Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan as significant numbers turned against Mr Blatter following the crisis that has struck the world governing body this week. The Swiss bureaucrat, 79, won the first round by 133 votes to 73, but he failed to gain a two-thirds majority, and Prince Ali, the 39-year-old Sandhurst graduate, then withdrew from the contest rather than force a second round of voting.
Sepp Blatter at the 2014 FIFA Tournament Announcement in 2007
Sepp Blatter will be ousted from Fifa, declares FA Chairman Greg Dyke –
Greg Dyke declared the fight to oust Sepp Blatter as Fifa president had only just begun after watching him defy the worst crisis in the world governing body’s history to sweep to a fifth term in office on Friday. Dyke, the FA chairman, said: “This is not over by any means. To quote the Attorney General, this is the beginning of the process not the end. I’d be very surprised if Mr Blatter was still in this job in two years’ time.”
Confirming the FA would consider joining any Uefa-led World Cup walkout, he added: “There would be no point pulling England out if everyone else stays in. But if you could pull Uefa out, that might have an impact.”
Greg Dyke
Video of the Day –
MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump
List of the day –
Presidents of FIFA
| Presidency | President | Date of Birth | Date of Death | Took office | Left office | Years Active | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Robert Guérin | June 28, 1876 | March 19, 1952 | 1904 | 1906 | 2 |  France |
| 2 |  |
Daniel Burley Woolfall | June 15, 1852 | October 24, 1918 | 1906 | 1918 | 12 |  England |
| 3 |  |
Jules Rimet | October 14, 1873 | October 16, 1956 | 1921 | 1954 | 33 | France |
| 4 |  |
Rodolphe Seeldrayers | December 16, 1876 | October 7, 1955 | 1954 | 1955 | 1 |  Belgium |
| 5 |  |
Arthur Drewry | March 3, 1891 | March 25, 1961 | 1955 | 1961 | 6 | England |
| 6 |  |
Stanley Rous | April 25, 1895 | July 18, 1986 | 1961 | 1974 | 13 | England |
| 7 |  |
João Havelange | May 8, 1916 | Living | 1974 | 1998 | 24 |  Brazil |
| 8 | .jpg) |
Sepp Blatter | March 10, 1936 | Living | 8 June 1998 | Incumbent | Present |  Switzerlan |
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Canada helicopter sex chat heard by Winnipeg public –
Canadian police have apologised after an explicit conversation was inadvertently broadcast from one of its helicopters. Whilst on patrol over Winnipeg, the chopper’s crew accidentally turned on its loudspeaker allowing members of the public below to hear them. Those listening say they heard pilots swearing and discussing oral sex. The officers were unaware that the loudspeaker was on due to the noise from the helicopter’s engine. Winnipeg Police Service say some of the “conversation was inappropriate” and have promised an internal review. [BBC]
5 Seconds of Summer fans go wild for ‘Doge Family’ hashtag after band change their Twitter profiles –
5SOS have changed their Twitter names and profile and the most bizarre hashtag is now trending. Fans have been tweeting #DogeFamily after the stars put up a photograph of a dog as their main images and changed their names, leaving us all asking: “WHAT IS GOING ON?!?” Well, we did some digging and found that ‘Doge’ is a internet meme based upon pictures of a Shiba Inus, and a slang word for dog. [Daily Mirror] See Top Twitter Trends below.
@SOS Twitter
An end to email shame? Gmail’s ‘Undo Send’ comes to the masses –
“Today we’re adding ‘Undo Send’ as a formal setting in Gmail on the web,”explained Google in a blog post as the change went live. The feature, which can prevent massive social embarrassment and help avoid long chats with the HR department about what you just mistakenly sent to a colleague, is to be a standard part of Google’s webmail. It can be turned on from within Gmail’s settings menu and enables people to set a “cancellation period” of five, 10, 20 or 30 seconds after sending any email, during which they can call it back. The feature has been available in Gmail’s experimental Labs settings for some time, and was recently added to the company’s Inbox mobile email app – so many of Gmail’s more tech-savvy users will have set it up already. [The Guardian]
Reddit celebrates its 10th birthday with a ton of wacky stats –
It’s been 10 years since Reddit first launched – basically an eternity in Web time – and it’s celebrating its birthday by looking back at its history, as well as some statistics on where the platform is today. In the ten years since its inception, Reddit has garnered over 16 billion upvotes, compared to ‘just’ 2.6 billion downvotes. It’s kind of nice to know that in a platform often infamous for its trolls, more feedback has been positive than negative. There have also been 190 millions posts, 64 percent of which are links. On these posts, there have been 1.7 billion comments, of which 0.36 percent have mentioned cats. That’s over 6 million cat comments. [The Next Web] See List of the Day
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Lexus has created a real, rideable hoverboard
List of the Day –
Statistics from the first 10 years of Reddit [Reddit]
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Avengers star Patrick Macnee dies –
Actor Patrick Macnee, star of The Avengers TV series, has died in California at the age of 93. The Briton, best known for playing John Steed in the 1960s television spy series, died at home with his family at his bedside, his son Rupert said. Macnee also played roles in theatre, appearing on Broadway, and served in the Royal Navy during World War Two. A statement on the actor’s website read: “Wherever he went, he left behind a trove of memories.” He died peacefully at his home in California’s Rancho Mirage. [BBC] See List of the Day below
Patrick Macnee in Lobster man from Mars
Clint Dempsey gets two-year US cup ban for outburst –
Clint Dempsey has been banned from the US Open Cup for two years after ripping up a referee’s notebook during a game. The Seattle Sounders forward, 33, flicked the notebook out of Daniel Radford’s hand, picked it up off the pitch and then tore it into pieces after a team-mate had been sent off. The ex-Fulham and Spurs man was duly sent off, as Seattle ended with seven men in a 3-1 loss to Portland Timbers. The US captain is banned for six games or two years – whichever is longer. [BBC]
Clint Dempsey
France cracks down on Uber service after protests –
France’s interior minister has ordered a ban on the low-cost car-sharing service UberPOP after a day of nationwide protests by taxi drivers. Bernard Cazeneuve said the service was “illegal” and ordered police and prosecutors to enforce its closure. His announcement followed a day of sometimes violent protests by French taxi drivers, who say the US-based firm Uber is stealing their livelihoods. [BBC]
US spy chief James Clapper says China lead suspect in cyber hack –
China is the “leading suspect” in the massive hack of a US government agency holding the personnel records of millions of Americans, US intelligence chief James Clapper has said. He is the highest-ranking US official to publicly implicate Beijing since news of the data breach emerged. China always dismissed suggestions that it was behind the hacking. The statement comes after three days of high-level talks in which China and the US agreed to a “code of conduct”. “China remains the leading suspects,” said Mr Clapper at a conference in Washington DC, but “the US government continues to investigate” he added, according to his office.
James_R._Clapper, US intelligence Chief
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Legacy from MURAT SAYGINER on Vimeo.
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Patrick Macnee Filmography [from Wikipedia]
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Same-sex marriage is now legal across the U.S. –
Same-sex marriage is now legal in the United States. The Supreme Court handed down a historic 5-4 ruling that state-level bans on gay marriage are unconstitutional. The court agreed to hear cases filed by gay and lesbian couples from Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan in January, setting the stage for the decision that has been highly anticipated by gay rights groups ever since. The Obama administration supported the cause. After the ruling came down, the White House changed its official Facebook photo to a rainbow variation. [The Daily Dot]
The White House Facebook Page official photo today
Hilary Clinton made a similar change to her logo when the Supreme Court was earlier ruling in April.
Hilary Clinton Twitter (April 28 2015)
British And Irish Tourists Die In Beach Horror –
A gunman disguised as a holidaymaker has killed at least 37 people, including five Britons, in an attack on a popular tourist resort. Terrified sunbathers ran for their lives as the attacker, dressed in shorts and hiding his Kalashnikov inside an umbrella, opened fire on the beach in Port el Kantaoui on the outskirts of Sousse, Tunisia. He then entered the Imperial Marhaba hotel through the swimming pool area, shooting people as he went and also threw an explosive, witnesses said. The gunman in Tunisia was a young student from the city of Kairouan who was reportedly unknown to authorities. He was later shot dead by police. [Sky News]
France attack: Man decapitated at factory near Lyon –
A van driver who was investigated for links to Islamist radicals has attacked a gas factory near the south-eastern city of Lyon, a French prosecutor says. Yassin Sali, 35, caused an explosion by ramming his car into an area containing flammable liquids and was arrested at the scene, Francois Molins said. Mr Sali’s boss, the owner of a delivery firm, was found beheaded alongside flags containing Arabic inscriptions. The attack put France back on to its highest terror alert. An investigation has been launched by French anti-terror police. [BBC]
Bobbi Kristina Brown: Legal action filed against boyfriend –
The boyfriend of Bobbi Kristina Brown has been accused of assault and theft, on the same day her family announced she was being moved into hospice care. Brown, the only child of Whitney Houston, was discovered face down in a bath at her Atlanta home in January. She has never regained consciousness. Her boyfriend Nick Gordon has now been accused of causing her “substantial bodily harm” in a $10m civil case. [BBC]
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Whitney Houston in 2009
Video of the Day –
#ProudToLove – Celebrating Marriage Equality and LGBT Pride Month [The Top YouTube video of the day]
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Taiwan Water Park Blast Leaves Hundreds Injured –
Hundreds of people were injured at a water park in Taiwan on Saturday when a cloud of colored powder ignited in the air over a crowd during an event, erupting into a huge fireball. No deaths were reported, but at least 516 people were injured, 194 seriously, including eight with life-threatening injuries, the island’s official Central News Agency reported. The injured, many suffering burns, were overwhelmingly young, in their 20s or younger, according to a roster posted on the news agency’s website. Color Play Asia bills itself as Asia’s biggest color party, an event where people dance to music while spraying each other with colored powder. A promotional video for the event on its Facebook page shows employees on a stage blasting colored powder onto the crowd. [NY Times]
Thousands attend London Pride march –
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of London for the annual Pride parade. More than 250 groups took part in the parade, which started in Baker Street at 13:00 BST. Police said there was extra security on the route following terror attacks in France, Tunisia and Kuwait on Friday. The United States flag joined Ireland and Mozambique’s at the front of the march, recognising recent gay rights progress in the three countries. [BBC] See List of the Day below
2 Charged in Confederate Flag Removal at South Carolina Capitol –
A protester climbed a 30-foot flagpole and removed the Confederate battle flag from its perch outside the South Carolina State House early Saturday, before she was arrested and the flag replaced, the police said. The protester, an African-American woman, was nearly halfway up the pole when a State Capitol police officer on routine patrol ordered her to come down. The authorities said the woman, who was wearing climbing gear, had ignored the command. She continued her climb to the top of the flagpole and unhooked and removed the flag before descending. An officer from the Bureau of Protective Services arrested her and a white male who had aided her. [NY Times] See Video of the Day
Video of the Day –
#KeepItDown Confederate Flag Takedown
List of the Day –
Legal status of same-sex marriage [from Wikipedia]
| Performed | ||
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| Recognized | ||
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One Direction release surprise single, Drag Me Down –
It’s a good day to be a Directioner. The four boys have surprised fans with their first single since Zayn Malik left the band. The song, Drag Me Down, premiered on iTunes and Spotify at 6.30am UK time. There’s no suggestion of *who* might have been dragging them down. Twitter, the home of any self-respecting One Direction fan, erupted. The hashtag #DragMeDown has been tweeted two million times in the seven hours since its release. [BBC Newsbeat]
Duchess of Cambridge qualifies as advanced diver –
Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has taken an advanced diving course that means she can keep up with her husband when he goes shark-diving in Mustique. The Duke of Cambridge has been diving for much of his life, encouraged by his father the Prince of Wales, whom he succeeded last year as president of the British Sub-Aqua Club. The Duchess’s pursuit of advanced diving qualifications, to enable her to dive to the same depth as the Duke, has until now remained a secret. Kensington Palace confirmed to The Telegraph that the Duchess has passed a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Advanced Open Water Diver qualification, meaning she can dive to a depth of 30 metres (98ft). [Daily Telegraph]
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
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Bill Nye Reading Mean Tweets– The Bill Nye Film
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Pierce Brosnan tries to board plane with 10-inch knife –
Pierce Brosnan, the former James Bond actor, has been stopped by airport security as he tried to board a plane in America with a large knife. The star had the 10-inch hunting blade confiscated from his hand luggage after it showed up during screening at Burlington International Airport, in Vermont. Brosnan, 62, was reportedly left embarrassed and angry when the knife was taken away by US Transportation Security Administration agents. [Daily Telegraph]
Pierce Brosnan
Mormons reveal Seer Stone for first time –
The Mormon Church released photographs on Tuesday of a so-called “seer stone” that members believe was used by the Utah-based faith’s founder, Joseph Smith, to write the Book of Mormon, its principal sacred text. Photos of the egg-shaped, chocolate-brown rock are in a new publication that also carries images of the first printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon, which Smith said was based on ancient records and include an account of a visit to America by Jesus Christ. The LDS Church teaches that Smith found gold plates engraved with ancient Egyptian symbols in upstate New York 185 years ago. [Daily Telegraph]
Natalia Molchanova: Freediving champion feared dead –
Russian freediving champion Natalia Molchanova is feared dead after going missing on Sunday. The 53-year-old was diving for fun off Formentera, a Spanish island near Ibiza, when she failed to surface. Search efforts have been continuing but it is feared she may have been caught up in strong underwater currents. She became “the most decorated competitive freediver in the world”, with 41 world records, said her family and the global freediving federation AIDA in a joint statement. [BBC] See List of the Day. On May 14, 2015 Peter Colat, a Swiss freediver, held his breath underwater for 19 minutes and 21 seconds, smashing the world record.
Natalia Molchanova in 2009
Video of the Day –
The Lexus Hoverboard: It’s here
List of the Day –
AIDA recognised freediving records (as of May 15, 2015)
| Discipline | Gender | Depth [m] | Distance [m] | Time | Name | Date | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static apnea (STA) | Men | – | – | 11 min 35 sec | Stéphane Mifsud (FRA) |
2009-06-08 | Hyères, Var, France |
| Women | – | – | 9 min 02 sec |  Natalia Molchanova (RUS) |
2013-06-29 | Belgrade, Serbia | |
| Dynamic apnea with fins (DYN) | Men | – | 281 | – |  Goran Čolak (HRV) |
2013-06-28 | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Women | – | 237 | – | Natalia Molchanova (RUS) |
2014-09-26 | Sardinia, Italy | |
| Dynamic apnea without fins (DNF) | Men | – | 226 | – |  Mateusz Malina (POL) |
2014-11-09 | Brno, Czech Republic |
| Women | – | 182 | – | Natalia Molchanova (RUS) |
2013-06-27 | Belgrade, Serbia | |
| Constant weight apnea (CWT) | Men | 128 | – | – | Alexey Molchanov (RUS) |
2013-09-19 | Kalamata, Greece |
| Women | 101 | – | – | Natalia Molchanova (RUS) |
2011-09-22 | Kalamata, Greece | |
| Constant weight apnea without fins (CNF) | Men | 101 | – | – |  William Trubridge (NZL) |
2010-12-16 | Dean’s Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas |
| Women | 71 | – | – | Natalia Molchanova (RUS) |
2015-05-13 | Dahab, Egypt | |
| Free immersion apnea (FIM) | Men | 121 | – | – | William Trubridge (NZL) |
2011-04-10 | Dean’s Blue Hole, Long Island Bahamas |
| Women | 91 | – | – | Natalia Molchanova (RUS) |
2013-09-21 | Kalamata, Greece | |
| Variable weight apnea (VWT) | Men | 145 | – | – |  William Winram (CAN) |
2013-09-03 | Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt |
| Women | 127 | – | – | Natalia Molchanova (RUS) |
2012-06-06 | Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt | |
| No-limits apnea (NLT) | Men | 214 | – | – |  Herbert Nitsch (AUT) |
2007-06-14 | Spetses, Greece |
| Women | 160 | – | – |  Tanya Streeter (GBR) |
2002-08-17 | Turks and Caicos |
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France train shooting: Americans overpower gunman –
Three people have been hurt after a heavily armed man opened fire on a train in northern France, before being overpowered by American passengers. The incident happened on the high-speed Thalys service near Arras, and the attacker was arrested at Arras station. US President Barack Obama praised the passengers, who included two off-duty US military personnel. [Later named as Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and non-military friend Anthony Sadler] The man arrested was a 26-year-old Moroccan. Anti-terrorist officers have taken over the case. The weapons were said to include a Kalashnikov, a knife, an automatic pistol and cartridges. French authorities said three people were injured, two of them seriously – one with a gunshot wound, the other a knife wound. [BBC]
Spotify says sorry after privacy policy anger –
Spotify chief executive Daniel Ek has apologised following anger over the music streaming service’s new data privacy policy. Some users said they were leaving the music service over changes in its terms and conditions. The new terms included access to pictures, contact phone numbers and sensor data stored on the user’s smartphone. Mr Ek apologised in a blogpost for the “confusion” the changes had created. He promised an “update” to the new policy in order to clarify it but did not suggest that the terms themselves would be changed. “We should have done a better job in communicating what these policies mean and how any information you choose to share will – and will not – be used,” Mr Ek wrote. He said Spotify would not access or import people’s photos, contacts, sensor or GPS data without their permission. [BBC]
Daniel Ek
One Direction release space-themed Drag Me Down video –
One Direction have released their first music video without Zayn Malik and it’s out of this world, kind of. Niall, Liam, Louis and Harry play astronauts in their video for Drag Me Down. Astronauts. Drag Me Down. Gravity. Space. Get it? Anyway, Nasa let 1D film the video at their headquarters in Houston, Texas. Libby Jackson, an astronaut flight education programme manager for the UK Space Agency, reviewed the promo for Newsbeat. “The guys went out to Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre and filmed at their facilities there – so it’s a fairly accurate portrayal of some of the elements of human spaceflight. “It’s obviously impossible to fit an entire astronaut’s training into a three minute video, but they’ve certainly given a flavour. “You see One Direction trying out a prototype Mars rover, which astronauts would need to learn drive for their missions,” she said. [BBC Newsbeat] See Video of the Day and Top Twitter Trends.
Malala celebrates string of top GCSEs –
Among those celebrating exam success is girls’ education campaigner, Malala Yousafzai who gained a string of As and A*s in her GCSEs. Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, took to Twitter to list Malala’s grades which include A*s in GCSE and iGCSE maths. “My wife Toor Pekai and I are proud of Malala getting 6A*s and 4As. #education for every child,” wrote Mr Yousafzai. Malala was shot by the Taliban after writing a diary about life under their rule in North-West Pakistan. Last year, she became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. [BBC]
Malala Yousafzai
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One Direction – Drag Me Down
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