December 3, 2015

Top News Stories –

Oscar Pistorius verdict changed to murder –
Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of murder after a South African appeals court overturned an earlier manslaughter verdict. He killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013 after shooting her four times through a locked toilet door. He is currently under house arrest after spending one year of his original five-year sentence in jail. Pistorius will have to return to court to be re-sentenced, for murder. [BBC] Pistorius started community service in November 2015
Oscar_PistoriusOscar Pistorius competing

UK Trading Standards officers seize 15,000 unsafe hoverboards –
More than 15,000 unsafe hoverboards – otherwise known as self-balancing scooters – have been seized at ports and airports around the UK. Trading Standards officers said the boards were in danger of overheating, exploding or catching fire. The London Fire Brigade said at least three house fires were caused by such devices over 10 days in October. Many have plugs without fuses, faulty cables or chargers that can burst into flames, according to Trading Standards. It said that 88% of the hoverboards it seized around the UK were found to be defective. [BBC]

Black Friday breaks record with 185K gun background checks –
More Americans had their backgrounds checked purchasing guns on Black Friday than any day on record, according to data released by the FBI this week. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System processed 185,345 requests on Nov. 27, one of the largest retail sales days in the country. “This was an approximate 5% increase over the 175,754 received on Black Friday 2014,” wrote Stephen Fischer, the FBI’s chief of multimedia productions. “The previous high for receipts were the 177,170 received on 12/21/2012.” [USA Today]

Video of the Day –

The First Hope from Jeremy David White on Vimeo.

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February 18, 2016

Top News Stories –

Hairy panic sets in as homes are swallowed in masses of tumbleweeds –
Bizarre images have emerged of houses inundated with tumbleweeds in rural Victoria after extreme dry conditions cover homes in clouds of ‘hairy panic’. Residents have been left frustrated and exhausted trying to rid their properties of the ghost-like weed, which has engulfed front and back yards, gardens and garages. Named hairy panic, the weeds of Wangaratta are world-class, holding their own against Texas tumblers. Locals say the tumbleweed has been around for a couple of years but, with dry conditions, this summer is by far the worst. They suspect it’s coming from a nearby paddock that a farmer has failed to maintain. The council can’t help because the situation is not considered a fire risk, which has left homeowners to clean up indefinitely. [Yahoo News Australia]
Hairy panic tweet

‘Unauthorised trousers’ kill Canadian zoo’s otter –
A Canadian zoo is under scrutiny following the death of an otter which had been given a pair of trousers to play with in its enclosure. Logan, a 12-year-old American river otter, drowned at Calgary Zoo after being given the article of clothing as an “unauthorised enrichment item”, the Calgary Sun newspaper reports. The zoo’s general curator, Colleen Baird, says Logan got trapped in one of the trouser legs, and two employees have subsequently been disciplined following an investigation into the incident. “It was human error and we take animal deaths very seriously,” she tells the paper, but refuses to be drawn on who was responsible. “It’s irrelevant how exactly the pants got in there, it’s more that the pants got in there in the first place.” [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Skylight

Skylight from Chris Pritchard on Vimeo.

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  • At least 71 people are killed in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Ghana. (Sky News) (BBC)
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  • A man sues an Oklahoma gun range after he is told to leave after identifying himself as a Muslim. The gun range owners though claim that the man was acting belligerent. (Associated Press via MSN)
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February 24, 2016

Top News Stories –

Jeremy Clarkson apologises to Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon –
Jeremy Clarkson has apologised to the Top Gear producer he punched after settling a £100,000 racial discrimination and injury claim. Oisin Tymon launched the action against the presenter and the BBC after a “fracas” last March that left Mr Tymon with a bloody lip. “I would like to say sorry, once again, to Oisin Tymon for the incident and its regrettable aftermath,” Clarkson said. The presenter was dropped by the BBC following the assault. Clarkson, 55, added: “I want to reiterate that none of this was in any way his fault. Mr Tymon’s lawyers said the case had been settled but did not give details of the settlement. It is understood to be in excess of £100,000 ($140,000), an amount to which both Clarkson and the BBC contributed. [BBC]
In October 2015 Clarkson was threatened with three years in jail as Argentina reopened Falklands row probe.
Jeremy-ClarksonJeremy Clarkson

Brit Awards 2016: Adele dominates with four awards –
Adele has been crowned Queen of the Brits, winning four prizes including best British female and best album. “To come back after so long away and be so warmly received means so much,” she said. One Direction’s victory in the fan-voted best video category robbed Adele of the opportunity to become the most-garlanded artist in a single Brits ceremony. As it stands, her total of four awards is equalled only by Blur, who won the same number in 1995 for their album Parklife. Adele became more emotional as the ceremony continued, bursting into tears after accepting the global success prize – which recognises success overseas. “I got really lost for a while and I didn’t know if I’d ever come back,” she said, referencing the writer’s block that delayed her much-anticipated third album. [BBC] See List of the Day

Sepp Blatter & Michel Platini lose Fifa appeals but bans reduced –
Outgoing Fifa president Sepp Blatter and suspended Uefa boss Michel Platini have had bans from all football-related activities upheld. But the suspensions have been reduced from eight to six years by Fifa’s appeals committee. Both were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) “disloyal payment” to Platini. They both deny any wrongdoing and have said they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Blatter and Platini said the payment honoured a verbal or gentleman’s agreement made in 1998 for work carried out by the Frenchman when he was a technical advisor for Blatter. Blatter, 79, added in a statement that he was “very disappointed by the appeal committee of Fifa”. Platini, 60, said it was “insulting and shameful” and a “political decision”. The committee said “activities and services rendered to Fifa, Uefa and football” was a mitigating factor. [BBC]
In September 2015, the Swiss Police launched an investigation into Blatter over criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal.
Michel_PlatiniMichel Platini

Video of the Day –


70MM of Hateful from Andrew Walker on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

The Brits Awards Winners

British male solo artist
James Bay
Aphex Twin
Calvin Harris
Jamie xx
Mark Ronson

British female solo artist
Adele
Amy Winehouse
Florence + the Machine
Jess Glynne
Laura Marling

British group
Coldplay
Blur
Foals
One Direction
Years & Years

British breakthrough act
Catfish and the Bottlemen
James Bay
Jess Glynne
Wolf Alice
Years & Years
Critics’ choice
Jack Garratt
Izzy Bizu
Frances

Brits global success award
Adele

British single
Adele – Hello
Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep Is Your Love
Ed Sheeran & Rudimental- Bloodstream
Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
James Bay – Hold Back The River
Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand
Little Mix – Black Magic
Olly Murs ft Demi Lovato – Up
Philip George – Wish You Were Mine
Years & Years – King

British album of the year
Adele – 25
Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
Florence + the Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
James Bay – Chaos and the Calm
Jamie xx – In Colour
British producer of the year
Charlie Andrew – winner
Mark Ronson
Mike Crossey
Tom Dalgety

British artist video of the year
One Direction – Drag Me Down
Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep Is Your Love
Ed Sheeran – Photograph
Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
Jessie J – Flashlight
Little Mix – Black Magic
Naughty Boy ft Beyonce & Arrow Benjamin – Runnin’ (Lose It All)
Adele – Hello
Sam Smith – Writing’s On The Wall
Years & Years – King

International male solo artist

Justin Bieber
Father John Misty
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
The Weeknd

International female solo artist
Bjork
Ariana Grande
Courtney Barnett
Lana Del Rey
Meghan Trainor

International group
Tame Impala
Eagles of Death Metal
Major Lazer
Alabama Shakes
U2

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June 5, 2016

Top News Stories –

French Open: Novak Djokovic completes grand slam collection –
The first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four straight grand slams. The eighth man to complete the career grand slam. The first man to claim the first two majors in a calendar year since Jim Courier in 1992. Novak Djokovic made plenty of history Sunday when he beat Andy Murray 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 in the French Open final. Djokovic, especially in the past two seasons, never hid how desperately he wanted to win the world’s premier clay-court tournament. He had lost three finals, including last year to Stan Wawrinka. When Murray sent a backhand into the net on a third match point, Djokovic fell to the court on his back. Finally the Coupe des Mousquetaires was his. [CNN]
Novak-ĐokovićNovak_Đoković

Video of the Day –

How Mosquitoes Use Six Needles to Suck Your Blood | Deep Look

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  • English/American comedian John Oliver buys and then forgives $15,000,000 (USD) in medical debt to about 9,000 people, making it the biggest ever giveaway in television history. (CNN)
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