Tag Archives: Ukraine

February 15th 2014

US gets D-minus for science –
A study by the National Science Foundation in the US finds that over a quarter of Americans do not know the Earth circles the Sun. 2,200 people were asked nine factual questions about physical and biological science, with the average score being just 5.8 correct answers. Only 48 per cent of those interviewed are aware that humans evolved from earlier species of animals.

21-year-old pole-vault record beaten –
Renaud Lavillenie the French pole-vaulter sets a new world record with a height of 6.16 metres (20 ft 2 1⁄2 in) Donetsk, Ukraine finally breaking the record set by Russia’s Sergey Bubka 21 years previously set on 21 February 1993 also in Donetsk.
Men_pole_vault_steeple_French_Athletics_Championships_2013_t173743Renaud Lavillenie
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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_ZuckerberMark Zuckerberg
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October 10, 2015

Top News Stories –

Malala and Kailash Satyarthi win Nobel Peace Prize –
Pakistani child education activist Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian child rights campaigner, have jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize. At the age of just 17, Malala is the youngest ever recipient of the prize. The teenager was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in October 2012 for campaigning for girls’ education. She now lives in Birmingham in the UK. Malala said she was “honoured” to receive the award, saying it made her feel “more powerful and courageous”. She revealed she found out the news after being called out of her chemistry class at her school in Birmingham. [BBC]
Malala-YousafzaiMalala Yousafzai

Barack Obama gets a job offer at Paltrow fundraiser –
A technology entrepreneur has offered President Barack Obama a job for after he leaves the White House. With speculation mounting abut what Mr Obama will do when he exits the presidency Ariel Jalali became the first employer to make an offer of a new post. The offer was made during a fundraising event at actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s house in Los Angeles. Paltrow told the crowd she was one of the president’s “biggest fans, if not the biggest” and gushed: “You’re so handsome that I can’t speak properly.” [Daily Telegraph]
Gwyneth-PaltrowGwyneth Paltrow

Video of the Day –

Kosmonauta

Kosmonauta from Mirjam Veske on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #alwayssupportluhan #CheeseSongs Not Available
2 Cem Garipoğlu #MalalaYousafzai Not Available
3 #QueLindoSeria Keke Palmer Not Available
4 #ifChoiSiwonistheCEOofSM Jan Hooks Not Available
5 Kailash Satyarthi #shawshooting Not Available
6 #PersonasImportantes #NobelPeacePrize Not Available
7 Jan Hooks JJ Watt Not Available
8 #CheeseSongs Amanda Bynes Not Available
9 #Get1DonEllenHauntedHouse #5SOSGOODGIRLSMUSICVIDEO Not Available
10 #NobelPeacePrize Gurley Not Available

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Armed conflicts and attacks
Health
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November 12, 2014

Top News Stories –

Ecstatic reaction as Rosetta spacecraft mission lands on comet –
The Rosetta spaceship, which was launched in 2004, has landed on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in a mission which could reveal the origins of life on Earth. The spacecraft’s thrusters failed to work during the mission prompting fears that the lander could simply bounce off the comet and back into space. But the Philae landing craft managed to land safely. The small probe took pictures as it descended as well as monitored chemical levels. The European Space Agency’s ground-breaking £1 billion mission to chase, orbit, and execute a soft landing on a moving comet has been called one of the most extraordinary achievements in space history. [Daily Telegraph] See Video of the Day
Artist's impression of the Philae landerArtist’s impression of the Philae lander

Video of the Day –

Philae Lands On Comet! – Mission Control Celebrates | Video

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide USA UK
1 #HomeToMama #BreakTheInternet Dapper Laughs
2 #WishKoSaPasko #CometLanding #CometLanding
3 Weather Update #WeCanLandOnACometButWeCant Christmas
4 Happy Veterans Day #RejectedMuppets Ched Evans
5 #MeCambiaElDiaSi Zoboomafoo Jalen McMillan
6 #Supernatural200thEpisode Gruber #HousingDay
7 Carol Ann Susi #Supernatural200thEpisode #HomeToMama
8 #HariAyah Christmas Warren Clarke
9 99 iPhones Too Many Cooks #BreakTheInternet
10 #CometLanding Kim K Newsnight

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November 26, 2015

Top News Stories –

Angelina Jolie: Ed Miliband’s mansion tax ‘could put me off’ buying home in UK –

Angelina Jolie said she would like to move to England but Labour’s proposed mansion tax could put her off. The actress addressed rumours that she was looking at properties around London and had recently viewed a £25 million Marylebone penthouse close to the Chiltern Firehouse restaurant. But Jolie hinted that Ed Miliband’s plan to levy a tax on people who own houses worth more than two million pounds could discourage her from buying a British home. The actress told Channel 4 News: “I’m quite responsible about money” and that the tax “could put me off” moving to the UK. [Daily Telegraph]
Angelina_JolieAngelina Jolie

Peruvian man gets married to tree for second time on ‘green tour’ –
A Peruvian man has married a tree for the second time in a bid to raise awareness about man-made environmental problems around the world. Serial tree-hugger Richard Torres tied the knot in front of a small crowd at a national park in Bogota, Colombia. After the symbolic ceremony, involving the placing of fruit offerings at the base of the tree, the environmental activist called for rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces to plant trees instead of starting war. The actor also called for Colombians to care more their green surroundings and promised to keep spreading the message in other Latin America countries. Mr Torres married his first tree bride in Argentina in 2013. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

Snooze Time from Ivan Barge on Vimeo.

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November 27, 2014

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

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

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

Video of the Day –


Introducing Carrot from Carrot on Vimeo.

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December 2, 2014

Top News Stories –

(Nasty) Thought for the day –
Professor Stephen Hawking, the British scientist who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has said that efforts to create thinking machines pose a threat to our very existence. The BBC quotes him as saying “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate but humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”
Stephen_HawkingStephen Hawling

Scarlett gets secretly married –
Scarlett Johansson has revealed that she and her partner Romain Dauriac got married in secret on October 1st 2015 in Philipsburg, western Montana.
Scarlett JohanssonScarlett Johansson

Strike that off the list –
The UK Government has introduced legislation banning sex acts like spanking and caning from online porn videos filmed in the UK. A list of sex acts are now on a list of ‘harmful’ content that has been prohibited and paid-for online porn videos must now stick to the same rules as content produced for sex shop-type videos. (See List of the Day)

Video of the Day –

Scarlett Johansson banned commercial

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December 3, 2014

Top News Stories –

Google gets down with the kids –
Google reveals it is developing child-friendly versions of some of its products and is likely to include the Chrome browser and YouTube (which it bought for $1.65bn (£883m) in October 2006). The intention is to make the internet safer for under-12s.

Boris plays peacemaker –
London mayor Boris Johnson attempted to calm down an abusive passenger on a Malaysian Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Heathrow but the crew had to handcuff the man and strap him to his seat. The man was arrested when the plane landed.
Boris_Johnson_FT_2013Boris Johnson

Pope dismissing head guard –
Colonel Daniel Anrig, the commander of the 110 Swiss Guards that protect the pontiff is losing his job when his commission ends at the end of January 2015. Although no official reason has been given, Pope Francis is apparently unhappy at the officer’s strict authoritarian style.

Video of the Day –

FILM_FX L3.0 (2014) from ISART DIGITAL on Vimeo.

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December 18, 2014

Top News Stories –

Putin’s point –
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a message of defiance and ire towards the West at an annual news conference in Moscow in the face of the financial turmoil that has gripped the country. Mr. Putin put the blame on “external factors,” including Western sanctions and falling oil prices, for the collapse of the ruble.
Vladimir_PutinVladimir Putin

Closed lot –
Sony have cancelled tours of their Los Angeles studios after it was found pass codes were part of the hack recently discovered and blamed on North Korea.

Republican dig heels in on Cuba –
Republicans in Congress are trying to find a way to stop or at least slow President Barack Obama’s plan to normalize U.S. relations with Cuba. The biggest obstacle to normal ties with Cuba is the 1996 embargo and with Republicans due to take control of both houses of Congress in January, the chances of changing this look unlikely.

Mandy Rice-Davies dies
Mandy Rice-Davies the woman who was at the centre of the so-called Profumo spy/sex scandal (along with her friend Christine Keeler) that threatened to topple Harold Macmillan’s government has died at the age of 70. Rice-Davies lived with Keeler, whose affair with war minister John Profumo prompted his resignation in 1963. She also claimed to have an affair with Lord Astor, but he denied it in court to which Rice-Davies famously replied “Well he would, wouldn’t he.”

Video of the Day –

Snooze

SNOOZE from molly dickson on Vimeo.

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December 19, 2014

Top News Stories –

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

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

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

Video of the Day –

Postcards from Pripyat, Chernobyl from Danny Cooke on Vimeo.

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December 22, 2014

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Sunny smile –
Kent student Jess Smith reveals that she was the baby who played the sun on the Teletubbies, a BBC TV show in the 80s & 90s.

Joe Cocker dies –
Joe Cocker, famous for his version of the Beatles “With A Little Help From My Friends” which reached number one in 1968, has died from cancer.
Joe_CockerJoe Cocker

Total indulgence –
Costa Coffee in the UK is selling 100,000 sticky toffee latte a week during the festive season. The largest ‘massimo’ size has around 598 calories, contains up to 75g of sugar – nearly 19 teaspoons, or twice the amount in a can of Coke.
Costa-logo

Beep-beep –
Google launch the second version of their self-driving car which has been described a toy police car.

Tit-for-tat attack? –
North Korea internet shut down for 9 hours and just days after the state was accused of a major hack on Sony Pictures in the state. Speculation is that the US government caused the outage in retribution.

Video of the Day –

Joe Cocker – With A Little Help From My Friends

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December 23, 2014

Top News Stories –

Tough to chew –
Netflix is to release a documentary film in 2015 which affirms that Michael Rockefeller, the youngest son of former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, was eaten by cannibals in New Guinea in 1961.

Tornado chaos in south USA –
At least five tornadoes were reported in the southern United States, leading to four deaths and fifty people injured. The twisters also caused massive damage to homes, commercial buildings and vehicles. Mississippi was among the worst hit. If the tornadoes are confirmed, it will be the deadliest December tornado outbreak since 1953. [The Weather Channel]

Video of the Day –

Biolapse

Carnivora Gardinum from chris field on Vimeo.

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December 26, 2014

Boxing Day –

Top News Stories –

10 years since the tsunami –
Memorial services are being held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

Bieber Bell battle continues –
The Justin Bieber v Drake Bell fans battle continued today with a Belieber hacking into Drake’s Instagram account. Retaliation for Bell baiting one of Justin’s fans
Bieber-and-BellJustin Bieber and Drake Bell

Video of the Day –

Celluloid from ARTJAIL on Vimeo.

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December 28, 2014

Top News Stories –

Another tragedy in the skies? –
AirAsia Flight QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore has gone missing with 162 people on board. It was later found to have crashed into the sea in bad weather.

And at sea –
An Italian ferry catches fire on route to Italy with 478 people on board and is being evacuated amid choppy seas and high winds. At least ten people lost their lives.

Bad idea debate –
Three rival hacking groups call a ceasefire after admitting their Christmas attack on Xbox and Playstation gamers ‘took it too far’. Lizard Squad, rival hackers from the Anonymous group, Finest Squad group, and internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom discussed the attack in a YouTube video.

Video of the Day –

Playgrounds Titles 2014 from bif on Vimeo.

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January 6, 2015

Top News Stories –

Prince Ali challenges for FIFA presidency –
Fifa vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein will challenge incumbent Sepp Blatter for the leadership of world football’s governing body on 29th May 2105. The Jordanian Prince, son of the late King Hussein and the late Queen Alia will stand as a candidate at Fifa’s presidential election where Blatter, 78, will seek a fifth term of office. Prince Ali said: “It is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport. “The headlines should be about football, not about Fifa.” Former diplomat Jerome Champagne, who joined Fifa in 1999, is the only other challenger to run for the presidency.
Prince Ali bin Al HusseinPrince Ali bin Al Hussein

This is Quite Interesting –
QI presenter Stephen Fry is to marry his partner, Elliott Spencer. The 57 year-old has given formal notice to wed Mr Spencer, 27, at a registry office in Dereham, Norfolk, near where he grew up. He confirmed it to his 8 million plus followers on Twitter (@StephenFry) after The Sun newspaper revealed the marriage plans. Fry said: “Oh. It looks as though a certain cat is out of a certain bag. I’m very very happy of course but had hoped for a private wedding. Fat chance!”
Stephen Fry twitter 01

Footballing giant –
His football (soccer) team lost 2-1 to Liverpool in yesterday’s FA Cup but Adebayo Akinfenwa (@daRealAAkinfenwa), Wimbledon FC centre forward not only scored but set Twitter alight with over 39,000 related tweets. The 5’11”, 16 stone (224lb) striker known as the Beast is the world’s strongest player according to the FIFA 15 game. Before the match, the man who can bench press 180kg (392lb) warned team-mates “I want Steven Gerrard’s shirt,” he said before the match. “I’ve told the boys that if anyone gets his shirt before me we are going to have a problem.” He got Gerrard’s shirt.
AdebayoAkinfenwa

Lance Percival dies –
Actor Lance Percival, who starred in British hit comedy in Up Pompeii, has died at the age of 81.
Lance Percival

Nike shoes accepted as bail –
A man in the US state of Massachusetts has avoided jail for failing to pay court fees by leaving a pair of $85 (£55.94) Nike trainers as a bail bond. Judge Douglas Stoddart offered Jason Duval, who is charged with drug offences, the chance to “be creative”. He can get the shoes back by paying $100 or doing 10 hours of community service.

Video of the Day –

Toronto Skyline Porn from Ryan Emond on Vimeo.

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January 7, 2015

Shootings at Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris –
Gunmen have attacked the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo killing 12 and wounding 4. Witnesses report the gunmen shouted “we have avenged the Prophet. Editor-in-chief Stephane Charbonnier is among the dead.
2011-11-02 Incendie à Charlie Hebdo - Charb - 06Stephane Charbonnier

Second shooting in Paris –
Possibly connected with the Charlie Hebdo attack, a gunmen has killed a policewoman and seriously injured a civilian in the south of Paris.

LA Galaxy get their man –
Los Angeles Galaxy have confirmed that Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard will the club in July 2015. The former England midfielder, 34, will play for the Major League Soccer club after his contract at Anfield expires. Gerrard, is the second England captain to join LA Galaxy, after David Beckham played for them between 2007 and 2012.
Steven Gerrard in 2014

Fast charger –
A new kind of battery charger has been revealed by Israeli start-up Storedot CEO Doron Myersdorf at the CES exhibition in Las Vegas that can recharge a modern smartphone in less time than it takes to boil a kettle. However the phone needs to have a completely new type of battery, which contains specially synthesised organic molecules so existing phones cannot be used.

Video of the Day –

Charlie Hebdo Shootings

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January 13, 2015

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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 & TichDave 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 21, 2015

Microsoft launch Windows 10 and the HoloLens-
Microsoft reveals the HoloLens holographic headset that will project the new Windows 10 OS over views of the real world. Windows 10 will also introduce its voice-controlled assistant Cortana to PCs. The OS upgrade will be offered free of charge for devices running Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Phone in its first year of release. The Internet Explorer web browser will be replaced by a new program codenamed Project Spartan.
copyright MicrosoftThe HoloLens

Most dangerous sexual position –
Researchers in Brazil report that the woman-on-top position during intercourse is responsible for half of all penile fractures sustained during sex in cases recorded at three hospitals. Positions involving the woman on all fours was involved in 29 per cent of fractures and the safest position in the bedroom is the man-on-top ‘missionary position’. See List of the Day below.

No s**t Sherlock –
Australia’s National Rugby League has apologised after publishing players’ favourite swear words on its website. Shaun Johnson, Kurt Gidley and Sam Thaiday were among those asked to reveal their chosen profanities as part of their player profiles, but they were quickly removed.
Shaun Johnson 2013 (cropped)Shaun Johnson

Liam Neeson criticised by gun company –
PARA USA the firearms company that provided the guns for Liam Neeson’s movie Taken 3 has said they have “regrets” about working with him after he said that there are “too many… guns out there, especially in America.” The company will cut ties with the Taken franchise and recommended other companies to do the same. Leeson also said the gun problem was not connected to Hollywood’s action movies.
Liam Neeson Deauville 2012 2Liam Neeson

Madonna hacking arrest –
An Israeli man who appeared on one of the country’s talent shows has been arrested on suspicion of hacking into singer Madonna’s computers and selling unreleased songs online. Madonna had to release some new songs early in December 2014 after demos from her new album Rebel Heart were discovered online.
Madonna à Nice 17 edit

Shazam worth $1 billion-
Shazam, the mobile music recognition service, has raised $30m in a funding round that pushes its valuation to $1bn. The $30m investment takes equity raised to $125m over the past eight years, during which its revenue has risen from £2.5m in 2007 to £31m in 2013. But the company has not made a profit in that period and in 2013 it lost £2m.

Video of the Day –

Shazam Top 20
X Factor Winner Marlisa Sings Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud

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January 24, 2015

Top News Stories –

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.
Shinzō Abe April 2014Japanese 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.
Churchill V sign HU 55521Winston 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.
José Mourinho'14 Jose Mourinho

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January 28 2015

Top News Stories –

Luis Figo enters FIFA presidential race –
Luís Figo the former Portuguese football who famously played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona has entered himself to stand for the FIFA presidential election and claims to have the required five nominations from among FIFA’s 209 members. He joins Prince Ali of Jordan, the Dutch FA president Michael van Praag, Jérôme Champagne and David Ginola facing up to current president Sepp Blatter.UEFA TT 7209Luis Figo

Apple now have enough money to own the largest navy in the world –
Apple the tech company reports the biggest quarterly profit of any company in the world ever with revenues of $74.6bn and a net profit of $18bn. It’s cash holdings are now $178bn which according to The Guardian newspaper “is enough to commission 40 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, giving Apple more force capability than every other navy in the world – combined”.USS Nimitz in Victoria Canada 036USS Nimitz (planes not included in price)

Cat survives car crash and burial –
A cat in Florida that was buried in a shallow grave after being apparently killed by a car has managed not only to survive but to dig its way out of the grave. Bart the zombie cat as he is now known was found by a neighbour and is now recovering after surgery on a broken jaw and damaged eye.

Video of the Day –

Sommersby Cider – The Somersby Store

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January 30, 2015

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Suge Knight arrested after fatal car incident –
Marion “Suge” Knight who founded Death Row Records with Dr Dre in 1991, gives himself up for arrest after a fatal hit-and-run incident in Compton, Los Angeles. Police and witnesses said Knight drove his truck over two men in the car park of a restaurant killing one (his friend Terry Carter, a record label owner in Compton) and injuring the other (Cle “Bone” Sloan). Bail is set at $2m. In 1996 Knight was driving a BMW in Las Vegas in 1996 when gunmen in another vehicle shot his passenger, the rapper Tupac Shakur who later died.
SugeSuge Knight

Jay Z takes on Dr Dre in world of streaming –
Rapper and entrepreneur Jay Z who earned over $60 million in 2014 places a $56m bid for Scandinavian company Aspiro, the company behind streaming services WiMP a direct rival to Spotify in Scandinavia. Aspiro also have a higher-resolution version called WiMP HiFi that was rebranded as Tidal when it launched in the UK and US in October 2014. If Jay Z succeeds in the bid he will be competing with Dr Dre’s Beats Music, the streaming service bought by Apple as part of a $3bn acquisition of its parent company Beats Electronics in 2014.
Jay-Z 2011Jay Z

Out of the woods but into a cactus –
Tiger Woods records the worst round of his professional career with an 11-over-par 82 in the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Woods carded six bogeys, two double bogeys, a triple bogey and two birdies and left the ball in the middle of a cactus.
Tiger Woods June 2014 (cropped)Tiger Woods

David Ginola pulls out of the Fifa presidential election –
David Ginola fails to secure the backing of five football associations, a requirement for standing in the FIFA presidential election and hpulls out of the challenge. Ginola was paid £250,000 by betting firm Paddy Power, which denied the campaign was a publicity stunt.
David Ginola Deauville 2014David Ginola

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January 31, 2015

Top News Stories –

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.
Flickr Whitney Houston performing on GMA 2009 5
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 at the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2014
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.
Serena Williams Australian Open 2015 (cropped)
Serena Williams

Video of the Day –

The Imitation Game trailer

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February 10, 2015

Top News Stories –

Homocide of young muslims in US ignored by press –
Three young American muslims are shot and killed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US by a lone gunman but there is very little coverage in the local or national press, causing a reaction on social media with #ChapelHillShooting trending worldwide. The dead are Deah Barakat (aged 23), his wife Yusor Abu-Salha (21), and her sister Razan Abu-Salha (19). A man suspected of the shooting is arrested.

Premier League TV rights go for £5.136 BILLION!!!
The right to show live English Premier League (EPL) matches in the UK for three years starting in 2016 is shared between Sky TV and BT Sport. Sky have bid £4.176bn to keep the maximum possible number of matches – 126 – almost double the £2.28bn it paid two-and-a-half years ago. BT Sport bid £960 million for 42 games (after paying £897m for Champions League rights in 2014). The average cost of a televised game is £10.2 million. Sky have satellite boxes in over 10 million UK homes.
Pellegrini-Prem-TrophyManuel Pellegrini with the Barclay’s Premier League trophy

R&A reveals first women members –
The first seven female members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club are announced. Princess Anne receives an honorary membership despite her well known dislike of the game, while former golfing champions Laura Davies, Swede Annika Sörenstam, Americans Louise Suggs and Renee Powell, France’s Lally Segard and Scotland’s Belle Robertson make up the exclusive club. For 260 years the Royal and Ancient golf club also known as St Andrews has not accepted female members, but this was overturned on September 18th 2014.
Annika_Sorenstam_tee_shotAnnika Sörenstam

Mugabe punishes bodyguards for his slip-up –
The Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe allegedly suspends 27 bodyguards after they failed to stop him falling down steps at the country’s Harare airport last week. The 90-year-old was apparently unhurt physically but upset by the media humiliation.
Robert-Mugabe-2008President Robert Mugabe

Video of the Day –

Pharrell Williams performing “Happy” at yesterday’s Grammy Awards show

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February 11, 2015

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Costa Concordia captain convicted of manslaughter –
The captain of the Costa Cordordia cruise ship that ran aground and capsized on January 13th 2012 off the island of Giglio has been convicted of manslaughter and given a 16-year jail sentance. Francesco Schettino was accused of taking the ship too close to the shore to impress his lover, Domnica Cemortan, who was with him at the helm. He then abandoned the ship with passengers and crew still on board. 32 people died in the accident but Costa Crociere, the company that owned the ship, avoided possible criminal charges by agreeing to pay a $1.3m (€1.1m; £860,000) fine in 2013.
Collision_of_Costa_ConcordiaThe Costa Concordia after the accident

Korean Air nut rage ends with jail sentence –
A South Korean court finds Cho Hyun-ah (aka Heather Cho) a former executive of Korean Air guilty of breaking aviation law. She forced her Seoul-bound plane to turn back to the gate at JFK airport in New York and offload a steward because she did not like the way she had been served nuts. Cho, the daughter of Korean Air president, was found guilty of obstructing aviation safety and jailed for one year, much less than the possible maximum sentence of 10-years.

Smoking in private cars with child passengers banned in England –
The British government votes 342 to 74 to ban smoking in cars when there are children in the vehicle in England and Wales, but doesn’t apply to convertibles with the roof down. Anyone stopped for breaking the law can be fined £50 on the spot when it becomes law in October 2015 but Scotland is not included. Bans on smoking in cars when children are present already exist in some US states as well as in parts of Canada and Australia.

Video of the Day –

Raising the Costa Concordia: A Time Lapse

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February 13, 2015

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North Korean issues wide-ranging advice-
North Korea leader Kim Jong-un issues a new set of 310 patriotic slogans including battling rhetoric “Long live the great victory in the war against Japan!” to practical advice “Grow vegetables extensively in greenhouses!”. Some make it sound as if the leader has been watching episodes of Star Trek “Let us model the entire army on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism!”

Can you change the oil, a nappy and a light bulb?
Betting company William Hill release a list of 50 things every man should be able to do. They range from the date of his wedding anniversary to how to fix a toilet (easy call a plumber) and what exactly is the offside rule (in soccer). It was produced from a survey of 2,000 adults. Full list below.

Voulez-vous tweet?
An investigation by the Canada’s commissioner of official languages finds that tweets by former Foreign Minister John Baird and Public Security Minister Steven Blaney fell foul of the law because they were mainly in English. Now Canada’s most senior politicians must now tweet in both French and English. Over the course of two months, 181 out of 202 of Mr Baird’s tweets were only in English but about 30% of the Canadian population can speak French, with more than seven million describing it as their mother tongue.

Video of the Day –

How to (not) change a lightbulb –

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February 14, 2015

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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.
Sophie-Hunter-and-Benedict-Cumberbatch

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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February 17, 2015

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Haitian carnival accident kills 16 –
At least 16 people are killed when a power-line connected with a carnival float in Haiti’s capital Port au Prince. Some died through electrocution, others in the panic that ensued. Around 78 others were injured.

Where there’s make-up, there’s brass –
YouTube beauty blogger Zoe Sugg, known as Zoella, buys a five-bedroom £1 million home in Hove, East Sussex, England, with her boyfriend Alfie Deyes. Zoella has seven million subscribers on her beauty blogs and charges advertisers £20,000 a month to place ads on her vlogs. She also features in the celebrity edition of The Great British Bake Off.
Zoe_SuggZoe Sugg A.K.A. Zoella

Sony start taking orders for SmartEyeglass –
Sony announce that their “augmented reality” smart glasses will go on sale in ten countries in March 2015 and pre-orders for the SmartEyeglass, costing $840 (£620), are now being taken in the UK and Germany. The glasses work with recent Android operating systems but also come with a software kit so developers can design apps for it. It includes an accelerometer, gyroscope, electronic compass, brightness sensor and two microphones.
Sony SmartEyeglassSony SmartEyeglass

Apple Watch not that exclusive –
Apple orders between 5 and 6 million Apple Watches to be produced in time for their release in April 2015. The Apple Watch is the first unique product Apple has launched since the iPad in 2010. There are 3 versions – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition.

Video of the Day –

The Apple Watch trailer

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February 20, 2015

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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-Canadian-MPPat 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
RihannaRihanna

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Riding on Thin Air: Kelly McGarry + Jeremy Lyttle Take on Khardung La from Mercedes-Benz Films on Vimeo.
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February 22, 2015

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The top winners at the Oscars are Eddie Redmayne (Best Actor in The Theory of Everything), Julianne Moore (Best Actress in Still Alice) and Birdman (Best Picture, Best original screenplay, Best cinematography and Best director).
Eddie_Redmayne_at_TIFF_2014Eddie Redmayne

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Birdman Spoof – Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell | 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards

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February 23, 2015

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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.

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¡MONSTRO! from Chris Romano on Vimeo.
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March 4, 2015

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Blurred Lines makes $16.68m –
Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams made more than $5m (£3.26m) each from Blurred Lines, according to figures revealed during a copyright trial. Total profits for the biggest track of 2013 are $16.68m (£10.87m), with rapper TI getting a $704,000 (£459,000) share according to the Hollywood Reporter. The trio are being sued for copyright infringement by Marvin Gaye’s family, over similarities to Got to Give It Up. [BBC]
Robin_Thicke

American footballers to donate brains to science –
Two American Football stars say they will donate their brains for medical research after their deaths. New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford and former Seattle Seahawks receiver Sidney Rice want to support studies into brain injuries. Many former players in the sport suffer degenerative brain disease. “There are a lot of issues that stem from brain injuries and it’s not just professional athletes. This affects everybody,” Weatherford said. Rice won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks last year before retiring – at the age of 27 – over fears for his long-term health after absorbing so many blows to the head. Both he and Weatherford said they hoped their commitment could persuade others to support research into brain injuries. [BBC]
Sidney_Rice
Seattle Seahawks receiver Sidney Rice

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NASA | Satellite Tracks Saharan Dust to Amazon in 3-D

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