August 1, 2015

Top News Stories –

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-MiddletonCatherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Video of the Day –

Bill Nye Reading Mean Tweets– The Bill Nye Film

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 Bienvenido Agosto #NationalGirlfriendDay Bin Laden
2 #MePoneDeMalHumor #SaidNoOneEver 1st of August
3 #OTRAIndianapolis #3YearsOfAsLongAsYouLoveMe #YorkshireDay
4 #3YearsOfAsLongAsYouLoveMe Stone Mountain Michelle Mone
5 #قوه_الانثي_في How High #SaidNoOneEver
6 #فوبيا_غريبه_ت�… #Z100Loves1D #BrightonPride
7 몰랑이 Bang 3 #OTRAIndianapolis
8 #TodoDeDiezHastaQue #NBAAfricaGame #3YearsOfAsLongAsYouLoveMe
9 #ZergeleKöyündeKATLİAM ITS AUGUST #BeTheDifference
10 Rombai #OTRAIndianapolis #RIPRoddyPiper

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December 17, 2015

Top News Stories –

Jose Mourinho: Chelsea sack boss after Premier League slump –
Chelsea have sacked manager Jose Mourinho seven months after he led them to the Premier League title. The 52-year-old Portuguese had been in his second spell at the club, taking charge in June 2013. Chelsea finished eight points clear last season and won the League Cup, but have lost nine of their 16 league games so far and are 16th in the table, one point above the relegation places. Mourinho’s final match was Monday’s 2-1 defeat at leaders Leicester City. Pep Guardiola, Guus Hiddink, Juande Ramos and Brendan Rodgers have all been touted as possible successors as Blues owner Roman Abramovich begins another managerial search. [BBC]
Jose-MourinhoJose Mourinho

Pastafarian marriages approved in New Zealand –
Ever wanted to get married while wearing a colander on your head? Move to New Zealand – they just gave the right to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to perform marriage ceremonies. Members of the church call themselves Pastafarians and believe that the world was created by an airborne spaghetti and meatballs-based being, although its own website notes that some followers consider it to be a satirical organisation. The registrar-general told stuff.co.nz that the request was valid because the purposes set out by the church were educating and training people, particularly atheists and superstitious people, about Flying Spaghetti principles and practices. He said: “In considering the matter I have referred to the Objects of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, reviewed material available online about this organisation and considered other organisations already able to nominate marriage celebrants. “A review of media and the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster’s international website show a consistent presentation of their philosophies. While some claim this is a ‘parody organisation’, members have rebutted this on a number of occasions.” [Daily Telegraph] In November 2016 ‘Pastafarian’ Lindsay Miller won the right to wear colander on head in driving licence photo in Massachusetts.
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Video of the Day –

More Stuff by Blue Zoo Animation from Blue Zoo on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Vimeo presents: The Top Videos of 2015
Music:
TAME IMPALA ‘The Less I Know The Better’ from CANADA

Documentary:
“Guerilla Fighters of Kurdistan” from Joey L

Animation:
“Coda” from and maps and plans

Travel:
“Dubai Flow Motion” from Rob Whitworth

Experimental:
“INPUT/OUTPUT” from Terri Timely

Narrative:
POWER/RANGERS” from Joseph Kahn

Sports:
“Skate Heads” from Flexfit

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #GoogleDoodle #StarWarsTheForceAwakens #GoogleDoodle
2 #DetremuraSemWhatsSdv #GoogleDoodle #StarWarsTheForceAwakens
3 #Nessas48HorasEuVou #DoGreatThings #SJA2015
4 #StarWarsTheForceAwakens #WeAreAllMuslim #OneLetterOffMovies
5 #PSYTaguan #ThisIsNotTheAlbumTODAY Dylan Hartley
6 #زد_رصيدك34 #ThisIsNotTheAlbumOutNOW Muslim Brotherhood
7 #متي_كانت_اخر_ض… #SomethingSweetTONIGHT #SportingFuture
8 #らしくないツイー�… #2015Faves #TheApprentice
9 #ALDUB22ndWeeksary Martin Shkreli Peep Show
10 #17Aralık #adeletickets #Cuffs

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February 1, 2016

Top News Stories –

Alphabet – owner of Google – takes top spot from Apple –
Alphabet- Google’s parent company- has surpassed Apple as the world’s most valuable company after its latest earnings report. The company made a profit of $4.9bn (£3.4bn) for the fourth quarter, an increase from $4.7bn a year ago. The announcement sent its share price up as much as 9% in after-hours trading.
That means that Alphabet is now worth around $568bn, compared with Apple, which has a value of $535bn. [BBC] Alphabet was launched in August 2015
Alphabet_Chart Structure of Alphabet companies

Zika-linked condition: Rio Olympics ‘to go ahead’ despite virus –
There is no chance that the Rio Olympics will be cancelled because of a Zika virus outbreak, Brazil has said. The authorities said there was no risk to athletes and spectators – except pregnant women – at the August event. Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned a disease linked to Zika posed a global public health emergency requiring a united response. The infection has been linked to cases of microcephaly, in which babies are born with underdeveloped brains. Experts are worried that the mosquito-borne virus in Latin America is spreading far and fast, with devastating consequences. Meanwhile, WHO Director General Margaret Chan called Zika an “extraordinary event” that needed a co-ordinated response. The WHO alert puts Zika in the same category of concern as Ebola. It means research and aid will be fast-tracked to tackle the infection. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Flight Over Dwarf Planet Ceres
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #FevereiroDetremuraSdv #mondaymotivation #HappyBirthdayHarryStyles
2 #لو_السعاده_بي�… #hourlycomicday #mondaymotivation
3 #زد_رصيدك80 #ShawnWorldTourPresale #DeadlineDay
4 #FelizLunes #IowaTODAY #MakeAFilmScottish
5 #OhNoSimon Frederick Douglass #StormHenry
6 #BienvenidoFebrero Jeff Hornacek #GreaseLive
7 #DeadlineDay #OhNoSimon #NVRD
8 #JustinRainha1DNadinha #HappyBirthdayHarryStyles 1st of February
9 #هل_تتزوجين_سع�… #DeadlineDay #ontopictalkshow
10 #ShawnWorldTourPresale Infinite Jest #emojinal

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Health
Law and crime
  • Chinese authorities arrest 21 people involved in the Ezubao online finance scheme accused of allegedly defrauding 900,000 people of 50bn yuan ($7.6bn; £5.3bn) in a Ponzi scheme. (BBC)
  • Two men are sentenced to death for the murder of Tibetan religious leader Akong Rinpoche, his nephew and his driver in 2013. (Reuters)
Politics and elections

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June 28, 2016

Top News Stories –

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

Video of the Day –

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

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