February 5, 2016

Top News Stories –

X Games biker and BMX star Dave Mirra dies –
Police in the US say X Games biker Dave Mirra has died aged 41. Officers in North Carolina say his body was found early on Thursday with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dave Mirra was a former BMX champion and one of the most decorated athletes in X Games history. He won a medal every year from 1995 to 2008, picking up 14 golds. His one-time record of 24 career medals was only broken in 2013 by Bob Burnquist. Only Shaun White has won more X Games gold medals than him. [BBC Newsbeat] See Top Twitter Trends (UK)
Dave Mirra in 2010

New York crane collapse kills at least one person –
A large construction crane has collapsed in lower Manhattan in New York City, killing one person and injuring at least two others. The Fire Department of New York confirmed the fatality and is on the scene responding to the accident. The collapse happened along West Broadway early on Friday morning in the Tribeca neighbourhood. The downed crane, which filled the street, fell onto numerous parked cars. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the victim was sitting in a parked car at the time of the accident, and that it was caused by high winds. Workers were in the process of lowering the crane due to the high winds when it collapsed. No workers were injured. [BBC] See Video of the Day

1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti breaks auction sale for racing car at $32 million –
A 1957 Ferrari driven by the great British motor racers of the 1950s broke the record for the world’s most expensive racing car sold at auction after fetching just over €32 million (£24.7 million) on Friday. Despite the stratospheric price at the Artcurial auction in Paris, the buyer cannot use the vehicle on the roads as it was designed purely for racing. Only four Ferrari 335 S Spider Scagliettis were ever produced, and this one had been in the hands of a private French collector for more than 40 years – hence the feverish excitement at the Rétromobile classic car show in Paris, where the auction took place. The 335S is purely a racing car, unlike the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which was a dual purpose vehicle also homologated for road use.[Daily Telegraph] See List of the Day

Video of the Day –

Crane collapse in New York – original footage by Glenn Zito

Copyright Glenn Zito.

List of the Day –

Cars sold at auction for over $10 million (source Wikipedia]

Date	MY	Car	s/n	Auctioneer	Locale	Original price	Adjusted
August 14, 2014	1962	Ferrari 250 GTO	3851GT	Bonhams	Carmel, California, United States	US$38,115,000	$38,098,927
February 5, 2016	1957	Ferrari 335S	674	Artcurial	Paris, France	US$35,711,359	$35,711,359
July 12, 2013	1954	Mercedes-Benz W196	196 010 00006/54	Bonhams	Goodwood, West Sussex, United Kingdom	US$29,600,000	$30,069,371
December 10, 2015	1956	Ferrari 290 MM	626	RM Sotheby’s	New York City, New York, United States	US$28,050,000	$28,050,000
August 17, 2013	1967	Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider	10709	RM Auctions	Monterey, California, United States	US$27,500,000	$27,936,071
August 16, 2014	1964	Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale	6701	RM Auctions	Monterrey, California, United States	US$26,400,000	$26,388,867
February 6, 2015	1961	Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider	2935GT	Artcurial	Paris, France	US$18,500,000	$18,500,000
June 27, 2014	1954	Ferrari 375-Plus Spider Competizione	384	Bonhams	Goodwood, West Sussex, United Kingdom	US$18,400,177	$18,392,418
August 13, 2015	1964	Ferrari 250 LM	6105	RM Auctions	Monterey, California, United States	US$17,600,000	$17,600,000
August 17, 2015	1961	Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider	3095GT	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$16,830,000	$16,830,000
August 17, 2015	1962	Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale	3269GT	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$16,500,000	$16,500,000
August 21, 2011	1957	Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa	0666TR	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$16,390,000	$17,241,019
August 16, 2014	1961	Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider	2903 GT	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$15,180,000	$15,173,599
November 21, 2013	1964	Ferrari 250 LM	6107	RM Auctions	New York City, New York, United States	US$14,300,000	$14,526,757
December 10, 2015	1962	Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato	DB4GT/0186/R	RM Auctions	New York City, New York, United States	US$14,300,000	$14,300,000
August 13, 2015	1998	McLaren F1 ‘LM-Specification’	SA9AB5AC4W1048073	RM Auctions	Monterey, California, United States	US$13,750,000	$13,750,000
August 13, 2015	1956	Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’	0557GT	RM Auctions	Monterey, California, United States	US$13,200,000	$13,200,000
August 14, 2015	1953	Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight	XKC 052	RM Auctions	Monterey, California, United States	US$13,200,000	$13,200,000
May 25, 2013	1953	Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta ‘Competizione’	0320AM	RM Auctions	Tivoli, Lazio, Italy	US$12,812,800	$13,015,974
May 17, 2009	1957	Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa	0714TR	RM Auctions	Maranello, Emilia-Romagna, Italy	US$12,402,500	$13,679,879
August 19, 2012	1936	Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster	130949	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$11,770,000	$12,131,681
August 15, 2014	1964	Ferrari 250 LM	6045	RM Auctions	Monterrey, California, United States	US$11,550,000	$11,545,129
October 14, 2015	1960	Ferrari 250 GT SWB	1995GT	H&H Classics	Duxford, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom	US$11,440,968	$11,440,968
August 19, 2012	1960	Ferrari 250 GT California LWB Competizione Spyder	1639 GT	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$11,275,000	$11,621,471
August 17, 2012	1968	Ford GT40	P/1074	RM Auctions	Monterey, California, United States	US$11,000,000	$11,338,020
May 18, 2008	1961	Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider	2377GT	RM Auctions	Maranello, Emilia-Romagna, Italy	US$10,894,900	$11,974,287
May 18, 2008	1961	Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider	2377GT	Sotheby’s	Maranello, Emilia-Romagna, Italy	US$10,894,900	$11,974,287
August 21, 2011	1931	Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe	2478	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$10,340,000	$10,876,885
August 17, 2015	1982	Porsche 956	956-003	Gooding & Company	Pebble Beach, California, United States	US$10,120,000	$10,120,000
August 16, 2014	1967	Ferrari 275 GTB/4	10621	RM Auctions	Monterrey, California, United States	US$10,175,000	$10,170,709

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#UnaMujerNuncaPeroNunca	#FlashbackFriday	Dave Mirra
2	#VemSextaChegouClubeSDV	#WorldNutellaDay	#FridayFeeling
3	#WorldNutellaDay	#GoRedForWomen	Harry Harpham
4	#NoHayNadaPeorQue	#nationalweatherpersonsday	Maurice White
5	#BuenViernes	#NewMusicFriday	#WorldNutellaDay
6	#CarnavalChegouEeu	#FromTheGroundUp	#totp
7	#A35MesesDeTuSiembraComand…	#ImUp	#ImGoingTheVampsBIRMINGHAM
8	#ALDUBPangalawangPagsubok	#PTOGW	#CBBFinal
9	#ConfissoesDeIgreja	Ryan Leaf	#FlashbackFriday
10	#CizredeKatliamVar	#MakeAFilmHip	#AesopRFH

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Army and its allies capture the town of Ataman, near the city of Daraa. (Reuters)
- Fifteen thousand Syrians mass at the border with Turkey as a result of the Syrian Government offensive in the Aleppo Governorate. (BBC)
Northern Mali conflict
- The United Nations mission in Mali confirms that the Malian armed forces had retaken a UN Police base in Timbuktu from unknown assailants that attacked it earlier in the day. (The Daily Star)
War in Somalia
- al Shabaab militants claim to have captured the port of Merca (Marka) after African Union and Somali Armed Forces withdraw. (AAP via News Limited)
Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- Clashes between local tribal forces and Sudanese fighters in Libya‘s southeastern Cyrenaica region around the town of Kufra leaves around 30 dead. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

The President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe declares a state of disaster in most rural parts of the country due to a prolonged drought. (AAP via News Limited)
One person is killed, and two are seriously injured when a construction crane collapses in Lower Manhattan‘s Tribeca district. (NY Daily News)
Japan‘s Sakurajima volcano erupts prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a warning not to approach it. The volcano, located in the southern Kagoshima Prefecture, is situated 50km from theSendai Nuclear Power Plant. (RT)
At least 37 people die in the Indian state of Gujarat after a passenger bus plunges off a bridge over the Purna River. (Hindustan Times)
Three miners are missing but dozens have been rescued following a gold mine collapse in South Africa. (ABC)

Health

Zika virus outbreak in the Americas (2015–present)
- Three people die in Colombia after contracting the Zika virus and developing Guillain–Barré syndrome. (AFP via Daily Star)
- Puerto Rico declares a state of emergency due to the ongoing Zika virus outbreak. At least 22 people have been reported to have been infected with the Zika virus in the U.S. territory. (ABC News)

Law and crime

A shooting at a boxing match weigh-in between Jamie Kavanagh and Antonio João Bento in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, leaves one person dead and two others injured. The gunmen were reportedly dressed as police officers and armed with AK-47s. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Wei Hong is removed as the Governor of China‘s Sichuan province due to perceived disloyalty to the Communist Party. (AP via Las Vegas Sun)
White supremacists in the U.S. create a super PAC to support U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump‘s presidential campaign. (CNN)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

February 9, 2016

Top News Stories –

‘Airbnb for sex’ – Entrepreneurs set up KinkBNB for lovers to book guiltless sexcapades –
People who own a Fifty Shades-esque red dungeon of pain, and want to find a use for it when they are on holiday, or who own a honeymoon-worthy castle could now find themselves a lucrative new source of income. KinkBNB is marketing itself as the sex-positive Airbnb – and tenants and renters alike know what they are getting into when they sign up for the site. The Airbnb-style homesharing website now lets lovers book sex-focused getaways without stressing about waking up the next door neighbours or being landed with a hefty damages charge. Its layout is similar to the traditional homesharing site – listing amenities such as washing machines, gardens and swimming pools.

Google boss becomes highest-paid in US –
The chief executive of Google, Sundar Pichai, has been awarded $199m (£138m) in shares, a regulatory filing has revealed. It makes him the highest-paid chief executive in the US.
Mr Pichai became chief executive of the search engine giant following the creation of its parent, Alphabet. The founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, have amassed fortunes of $34.6bn and $33.9bn, according to Forbes. Mr Pichai, 43, was awarded 273,328 Alphabet shares on 3 February, worth a total of $199m, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The new award of shares takes Mr Pichai’s total stock value to approximately $650m. [BBC]
Sundar Pichai

Video of the Day –

Tongue in a Mouse Trap – The Slow Mo Guys –

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#TercaSemTedioClubeSDV	#NationalPizzaDay	#PancakeDay
2	#FelizMartes	#TLOP	#NationalPizzaDay
3	#الدوري_يا_اهلي	#BroncosParade	#wpfut16
4	Pangako Ng Hustisya	#SaferInternetDay	#BestFanArmy
5	#وجهه_كلمه_للي_…	#StateOfNASA	#BrexitRisks
6	#BestFanArmy	#FatTuesday	#ThankYouDanielBryan
7	#FatTuesday	I Miss Barack Obama	#NestaHealthLab
8	#NationalPizzaDay	#TWUG	#DebateTech
9	肉の日	#SaaStrAnnual	#SID2016
10	#PancakeDay	#PancakeDay	Jamz

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- A suicide bomb attack in Syria‘s capital Damascus, kills at least 10 people. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility. (The New York Times) (AP)
- Doctors without Borders reports three people were killed and at least six others wounded in Friday’s airstrikes, source not identified, that hit the Tafas field hospital in Dara’a Governorate near the Jordanianborder. (UPI) (Médecins Sans Frontières)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- The United States sends more troops to Afghanistan‘s southern Helmand province to shore up security forces who are facing sustained attacks from the Taliban. (Reuters)
Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- Iraqi Armed Forces announce the complete recapture of the city of Ramadi in western Iraq’s Anbar Province from the Islamic State, along with the reopening of the Ramadi-Baghdad road. (UPI) (Iraqi News)

Business and economy

Dubai says that it will continue with its Mall of the World project, despite the financial pressures created by falling oil prices. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2016 Taiwan earthquake
- The death toll from Saturday’s earthquake in Taiwan rises to 41 with 109 people missing. (Focus Taiwan)
- Taiwan authorities arrest three construction company executives of the Wei-guan Golden Dragon Building, which collapsed Saturday, on suspicion of negligent homicide. Almost all of those killed have been recovered from the rubble from this building; the 100-plus missing are likely buried in the debris. (Reuters) (AP via The Washington Post)
Bad Aibling rail accident
- Two passenger trains collide in the German town of Bad Aibling in the state of Bavaria. At least ten people are dead, one person is missing and presumed dead, about 80 are wounded, and 17 are seriously or critically injured. The rescue is difficult- resembling a mountain-type rescue- because of a nearby river and a steep incline and a curve in the tracks; rescue helicopters had to be used. It is one of Bavaria‘s and Germany‘s deadliest-ever railroad accidents. Human error is being examined as a possibility. (BBC) (CNN)
One Indian soldier, buried in the snow for six days, is rescued from last week’s Siachen Glacier avalanche, however the other nine soldiers from the army post in the Himalayan region of Kashmir didn’t survive. (AP via Appeal-Democrat)
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Ovalle in Chile’s central region. No injuries or damage have been reported. (AP via ABC News)

Law and crime

2016 Mong Kok civil unrest
- Clashes break out in the Mong Kok district of Hong Kong as police try to close down illegal food vendors. (BBC)
The Maryland House of Delegates and Senate override Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of a bill extending felons’ voting rights to those who have not completed the terms of their probation or parole. The law goes into effect March 10, 2016. (UPI)
Warner/Chappell Music agrees to return $14 million collected in copyright fees for the song Happy Birthday to You which a federal judge ruled in September belongs in the public domain. (UPI)

Politics and elections

Philippine presidential election, 2016
- The campaign period for the election begins in what international media dubs as a “cliffhanger” between five candidates: Jejomar Binay, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Rodrigo R. Duterte, Grace Poe, and Mar Roxas. (Deutsche Welle), (The Daily Mail)
United States presidential election, 2016, New Hampshire primary
- Voters in the state of New Hampshire go to the polls for the first primary election in this year’s presidential cycle. (BBC)
- New York businessman Donald Trump wins the Republican Party primary while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic Party. (NBC News)

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March 3, 2016

March 2, 2016

Top News Stories –

Kanye West appears to have torrent site Pirate Bay open in a photo he’s tweeted –
Kanye West is in trouble over his tweets – again – after the background to a photo he posted made it look like he was illegally downloading files. He sent out a picture on Twitter showing him listening to a Sufjan Stevens track on YouTube, but fans quickly spotted other tabs he had open. One of them says “Xfer Records Serum”, but is next to others saying “Pirate Bay Torrent Xfe” and “MediaDownloader”. Deadmau5 hit out at Kanye, saying: “@kanyewest – can’t afford Serum?” Kanye’s original tweet simply said “Day 3” alongside the photo. [BBC Newsbeat]
In September 2015 West announced he will be running for US President in 2020.
Kanye West

Emirates A380 makes longest non-stop flight as airlines launch long-haul battle –
An Emirates superjumbo touched down in Auckland, New Zealand, on Wednesday, after spending more than 17 hours in the air from Dubai – making it the world’s longest commercial scheduled flight. The Emirates A380 covered a route of about 8825 miles, before turning around and doing it all again on the way home. It beat the previous record – Qantas’s Dallas to Sydney route – by about 250 miles. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

STREET SWEEPER from Rupert Walker on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#QuartaFeiraNoClubeSDV	#TwoWordTrump	High School Musical 4
2	#FelizMiercoles	#WCH2016	#WednesdayWisdom
3	#HaydiSURaAblukayıKaldır…	#TexasIndependenceDay	#HappyValley
4	#QuienMeConoceSabe	Sports Authority	#BackInTimeForTheWeekend
5	#ALDUBMysteryBox	#WednesdayWisdom	#DolanTwinsNewVideo
6	#PrendeOCunhaSTF	#TroyeOnHits1	#MorningsWouldBeBetterIf
7	#WednesdayWisdom	#StopTheSham	European Super League
8	#كفايات_المعلم…	#1linewed	#borntobedifferent
9	#حلوه_الحياه_لما	#ICON16	#digifest16
10	High School Musical 4	#ReadAcrossAmerica	#ExOnTheBeach

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

One Chinese national is killed and three others injured in a possible militant attack on a Chinese-invested company in Laos, the official Xinhua News Agency reports. (Reuters)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Two Palestinian teenagers, from the nearby village of Qaryout, got into a Jewish settlement and stabbed an Israeli settler at his home in the Eli settlement near Nablus in the occupied West Bank. They were stopped and killed by the army. The injured settler was taken to a hospital. (Reuters)(AFP via i24news)
Spillover of the Syrian Civil War
- Jordan says an overnight raid on an ISIL cell in the city of Irbid has left seven militants and one security officer dead, with five others injured. Those killed were planning to blow up civilian and military targets in the country, according to the General Intelligence Directorate (GID). (BBC)
War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- Nine people are killed in an attack on the Indian consulate In Jalalabad, Afghanistan. (NDTV)
Libyan Crisis (2011–present)
- The Tunisian Army kills five suspected ISIL militants near the town of Ben Gardane after they infiltrated across the border from neighboring Libya. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Mining company Samarco agrees to pay $4.4bn reais (£804m) in compensation to victims of the Bento Rodrigues dam disaster in Brazil. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Iraqi engineers warn that the Mosul Dam could collapse at anytime, resulting in a catastrophic flash flood that could kill up to one million people along the Tigris, with the major Iraqi cites of Mosul, Tikrit,Samarra and Baghdad all at risk. The U.S. embassy in Baghdad has urged American citizens to leave the area. (The Guardian)
2016 Sumatra earthquake
- The Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency of Indonesia (BMKG) and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issue tsunami warnings, after an undersea 7.9 magnitude earthquakestrikes southwest of Sumatra, in the Indian Ocean. (RT) (BOM)

International relations

South China Sea disputes
- Philippines Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario says Chinese coast guard ships that were sighted two weeks ago near the disputed Jackson Atoll in the northeast Dangerous Ground are no longer there today. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said ships were dispatched to the area in late 2015 to salvage a fishing vessel that posed a risk to navigation. Chinese ships, “… persuaded fishing boats to leave the waters in an effort to ensure safety conditions for normal navigation,” Hong said. In addition to China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei also lay claim to theSpratly Islands waters. (AP via The Washington Post)
European migrant crisis
- The European Union launches a new aid program worth an initial 700 million euros (US$760 million) to address the growing refugee crisis in Greece. EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides says the so-called Emergency Assistance Instrument will be used to help migrants trapped in Greece and, if needed, in other countries on the migration route front lines. Approval by a majority of EU members is required. The next EU meeting is scheduled for Monday. (The New York Times) (Reuters) (Kathimerini)
The Gulf Cooperation Council formally designates Lebanon‘s Hezbollah militia a terrorist organization. The GCC member states are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.(The Washington Post)
The United Nations Security Council adopts the toughest sanctions on North Korea in twenty years due to continued efforts to develop a nuclear weapons program. (Fox News)

Politics and elections

Spanish general election, 2015
- The conservative People’s Party (PP) and the left-wing Podemos party, which together hold 192 seats in Spain’s 350-seat parliament following December’s election, confirm they will vote against Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sánchez’s candidacy to form a new government. (AP via The Washington Post)

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March 9, 2016

Top News Stories –

Anti-PC Effort #TheTriggering Explodes on Twitter –
#TheTriggering, a hashtag meant to ridicule politically correct attitudes, exploded on Twitter and became a major trending topic in the United States. Activist Lauren Southern came up with the idea a few months ago: [mediaite.com]

See Top Twitter Trends

Kim Jong-un says North Korea has miniaturised nuclear warheads –
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says his scientists have successfully miniaturised thermo-nuclear warheads to place on a ballistic missile and create a “true” deterrent, state media said on Wednesday. While Pyongyang has boasted of mastering miniaturisation before, this is the first time Kim has so explicitly claimed a breakthrough that experts see as a game-changing step for the North’s nuclear capabilities. Kim also stressed that the warheads were “thermo-nuclear” devices, echoing the North’s claim that the fourth nuclear test it conducted in January was of a more powerful hydrogen bomb. “The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them,” Kim noted during a visit with nuclear technicians, the North’s official KCNA news agency said. [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

The Most Interesting Man in the World Embarks on His Greatest Adventure Yet – Adios Amigo

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#QuartaDetremuraSdv	#TheTriggering	#TheTriggering
2	#TheTriggering	#1DayTilDangerousWoman	Lilly Wachowski
3	#WednesdayWisdom	Clara Rockmore	#SundayTrading
4	Welcome Purpose Tour	George Martin	#WednesdayWisdom
5	George Martin	#WednesdayWisdom	#nosmokingday
6	#FelizMiércoles	#DStrong	#SDinGov
7	#1DayTilDangerousWoman	#1linewed	#IfTrumpWins
8	#المغربيه_احلي…	#NationalMeatballDay	#JuniorDoctorsStrike
9	#CompiYogui	#GreenwoodExplosion	George Martin
10	#ALDUBTheCompromise	#IfTrumpWins	Nick Clegg

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- Taliban militants attack government offices in the southern Helmand Province of Afghanistan, with at least 10 killed, including seven of the attackers. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
War in Somalia (2009–present)
- U.S. special forces, landing in two helicopters, stage an overnight raid on the al-Shabaab-controlled town of Awdhegele in Somalia‘s Lower Shebelle region. Al-Shabaab spokesman, Sheik Abduasiz Abu Musab, confirmed the raid saying “The helicopters landed outside town and the ground forces entered, there was heavy fighting and they were forced to flee”.”They were masked and spoke foreign languages which our fighters could not understand,” Abu Musab told Reuters. “We do not know who they were but we foiled them.” (AFP via Yahoo! News)(Reuters)
North Caucasus clashes
- A group of nine human rights activists and journalists, heading to Grozny, Chechnya, in a small bus, are attacked on the Kavkaz federal highway near the Ordzhonikidzovskaya settlement at the Ingushetiaborder. About 20 masked men assaulted the group, confiscated some mobile phones, and set their vehicle on fire. Two of the journalists, the NGO lawyer, and the bus driver were hospitalized. A Committee to Prevent Torture representative said this is the first press tour that was not organized by the Chechen government. (AP via WSOC-TV) (AFP via Yahoo! News)(Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union)

Disasters and accidents

At least 30 people are killed after a five-storey building still under construction collapses in Lagos, Nigeria. (Reuters)
Seattle, Washington (U.S.), fire crews, responding to reports of a natural gas leak, are caught in an explosion that injures nine firefighters. The explosion blew out windows in businesses and storefronts in the surrounding blocks. Three businesses were destroyed and a fourth was heavily damaged. “There’s nothing but rubble and bricks,” a resident said. Search dogs are working to ensure no one else is under the rubble. The Seattle Police Arson Bomb Unit and Puget Sound Energy are investigating the cause of the explosion. (The Washington Post) (KING-TV) (Seattle Fire Department)

Health and medicine

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends physicians ask about basic needs to screen for poverty-related health risk factors, participate in programs that help children develop resilience, assist families in identifying and maximizing protective factors, and advocate for safety net programs that assist children. (The Washington Post) (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (2 Minute Medicine)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- North Korea’s state media reports Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, in comments released today, states the country has miniaturized nuclear warheads to be mounted on ballistic missiles, and has ordered improvements in the power and precision of its arsenal. (Reuters)
European migrant crisis
- Macedonia says it will no longer let any migrants through its southern border with Greece, effectively blocking the Balkan route for migrants. The decision came after Slovenia barred access to migrants transiting the country. There are around 13,000 migrants now stranded at the Macedonia-Greece border. (BBC)

Law and crime

Shahbaz Taseer, the son of Pakistani Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer who was murdered in 2011 for criticizing the country’s blasphemy laws, is reunited with his family four-and-a-half years after his kidnapping. Tuesday, Shahbaz was rescued by Pakistani secret service and counter-terrorism operatives in Kuchlak, Balochistan Province. He had been abducted in Lahore in August 2011, seven months after his father’s murder by bodyguard Mumtaz Qadri. Qadri was executed on February 29, 2016. His death was claimed as the reason for the deadly Taliban suicide bombing in Shabqadar two days ago.(Reuters) (GEO TV Lahore) (The Express Tribune)
Niqāb in Egypt
- The Parliament of Egypt drafts a law which will ban women from wearing full-face veils such as the niqāb and burqa in public places and government institutions. The move comes after Cairo Universityrecently banned nurses and doctors from wearing veils in medical schools and in teaching hospitals, arguing the ban would “protect patients’ rights and interests”. (The Independent)

Politics

Peruvian general election, 2016
- Peru’s electoral court bans two leading candidates – Julio Guzman and César Acuña Peralta – from participating in next month’s election due to breaches of electoral law. (BBC)

Science

Solar eclipse of March 9, 2016
- A total solar eclipse occurs in Indonesia, and later, east of the international date line, in the northern Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse occurs in northern Australia, South-East Asia, and the Pacific. (ABC News)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

March 18, 2016

Top News Stories –

Hulk Hogan awarded $115m in Gawker sex tape case –
A Florida jury has awarded Hulk Hogan $115m (£79m) after the gossip news website Gawker published a sex tape of the retired professional wrestler. Mr Hogan’s legal team argued the New York-based website violated his privacy and the video was not newsworthy. The case, which pitted freedom of the press against a celebrity’s right to privacy, has been closely watched. The video was posted in 2012 after Mr Hogan was secretly recorded having sex with his friend’s wife. Mr Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, said the release of the sex tape hurt his career. He was one of the most popular professional wrestlers of the 1980s and 1990s and later starred in his own reality television show with his family. [BBC]
Hulk Hogan

Sport Relief raises ‘a record’ £55m –
More than £55m has been raised so far for charity on Sport Relief’s live TV show, ahead of a weekend of fundraising. David Walliams, Alesha Dixon, Gary Lineker and Greg James were among those who hosted the BBC show, broadcast from London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Highlights included a Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em sketch featuring tennis siblings Andy and Jamie Murray. The total of £55,444,906 breaks the previous on-the-night record of £51m. [BBC] See List of the Day

Iain Duncan Smith quits over planned disability benefit changes –
Iain Duncan Smith has dramatically resigned from the [UK] Government in protest at George Osborne’s proposed cuts to benefits for the disabled. The former Conservative leader said that plans to cut the benefits paid to the disabled by more than £1 billion were a “compromise too far” and said that welfare for pensioners should be cut instead. He added that they are “not defensible” when announced alongside a budget that benefits higher earning taxpayers. Mr Duncan Smith [a former Conservative Leader] also accused the Chancellor of forcing through cuts to welfare for “political” rather than national economic reasons. [Daily Telegraph]
Iain Duncan Smith

Australia Senate passes reforms after farcical all-nighter –
Monty Python references, a colonoscopy analogy and a pyjama-clad senator featured during an all-night sitting of Australia’s upper house. The Senate has finally passed changes to how its members are elected after 28 hours of debate. The changes will disadvantage so-called micro parties that have gained increasing power in the Senate. The ruling conservative Coalition formed an unlikely partnership with the Greens party to pass the reforms. But the opposition Labor Party and micro party senators, who opposed the laws, dragged out the debate with filibuster tactics and amendments. During the all-night debate, Labor senators consistently spoke off-topic to delay votes to the legislation giving voters greater control over where their preferences were allocated. The laws eventually passed by a margin of 36-24. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

Proof of evolution that you can find on your body

List of the Day –

Total charity donations “on the night” by BBC Sport Relief

2004	£11,078,359
2006	c. £18,000,000
2008	£19,640,321
2010	£31,633,091
2012	£50,447,197
2014	£51,242,186
2016	£55,444,906

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#SextaTopNoClubeSdv	#FlashbackFriday	#FridayFeeling
2	#BuenViernes	Tray Walker	#SportRelief
3	#VemPraDemocracia	#WorldSleepDay	#WriteAPoemAboutTories
4	#18Mart1915	#Daredevil	#WorldSleepDay
5	#LasGordasNoMerecenAmor	#DoYourJobFriday	#CSEDay16
6	Día Mundial del Sueño	#ULTRALIVE	#AddOneLetterRuinAMovie
7	#SportRelief	#NewMusicFriday	#NUSScot16
8	#يوم_الجمعه	Salah Abdeslam	#SYP2020
9	Salah Abdeslam	#SpringBreakIn4Words	#TechNorthTalent
10	#LaMujerPerfecta	#GetWellSoonDylan	#SkyF1

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
- Boko Haram and al-Qaeda kill four security force personnel in two separate attacks in Niger. (BBC)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff and a U.S. defense official report that North Korea fired two ballistic missiles from the South Pyongan Province. One flew 800 kilometers (497 miles) into the Sea of Japan. The other disappeared at an altitude of about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles). (Sky News) (CNN)
European migrant crisis
- European Union leaders offer Turkey a detailed package of cash and incentives to agree that all migrants attempting to cross the Aegean Sea by raft or boat would be sent back to Turkey which, in effect, becomes the region’s migrant holding center. A number of stumbling blocks remain, such as raising the amount of aid from 3 billion euros to at least 6 billion euros; reducing the “72 arduous conditions” the Turks must meet to implement visa-free travel for Turkish citizens; Europe agrees to accelerate talks with Ankara on its EU bid; etc. Human Rights Watch protests the proposed fast-track collective expulsions that fail to take individual circumstances into account and breach peoples’ right to seek asylum. (The Washington Post) (Journal of Turkish Weekly)
- European Union and Turkish officials agree on how to handle the flood of refugees. The deal, to return irregular migrants to Turkey, includes acceleration of the country’s long-stalled bid for membership in the union; billions of euros in extra aid, 3 billion euros now, another 3 billion by 2018; and, visa-free travel for Turks once the country satisfies the EU criteria. Europe will be taking in thousands of Syrianrefugees directly from Turkey. Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) strongly condemns the deal as “ugly and illegal.” The agreement is set to go into effect Sunday, March 20, 2016.(CNN) (Middle East Eye) (Reuters)

Health and medicine

Swiss research, published in the medical journal The Lancet, found that paracetamol — sold as Tylenol and as a generic, acetaminophen, in the United States — was not effective at reducing pain or improving movement in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. The analysis examined 74 randomly-selected trials published between 1980 and 2015 with 58,556 patients who had osteoarthritis. The study did find the prescription drug diclofenac, sold in the U.S. as Cataflam or Voltaren, is the most effective NSAID available. McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the makers of Tylenol, disagree with the study’s conclusions.(CBS News) (The Lancet)
2016 United States Elizabethkingia outbreak
- A rare bacterial infection from bacterium Elizabethkingia anophelis may have contributed to the deaths of 17 people since November 2015. (Patch) (Star Tribune)

Law and crime

Geert Wilders, the leader of the Dutch far-right political party Party for Freedom, goes on trial again for making anti-Islam remarks. He is being accused of inciting hatred against the Moroccan-Dutch minority.(The Guardian)
2016 Brussels police raids
- Salah Abdeslam, the alleged suspect and primary perpetrator of the November 2015 Paris attacks is shot and arrested by Belgian authorities in a Brussels raid. (The Guardian)
Censorship in China
- Jia Jia, a columnist for China’s Tencent media company is reported missing after not being heard from since Tuesday, when he was on his way to Hong Kong. He was last heard from when he tried to warn a friend about publishing an anonymous letter calling for President Xi Jinping’s resignation. (BBC)
Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016
- The FBI‘s Joint Terrorism Task Force, United States Secret Service and New York City Police Department are investigating a letter containing a suspicious white powder and a threatening note which was sent to the home of Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, in New York City. The handwritten note within the letter said: “If your father does not drop out of the race, the next envelope won’t be a fake.” It was signed “X”. (ABC News)
Bollea v. Gawker
- A Florida jury awards Hulk Hogan $115m after the gossip news website Gawker published a sex tape of the retired professional wrestler. Mr Hogan’s legal team argued that the New York City-based website violated his privacy and that the video wasn’t newsworthy. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Former President Pervez Musharraf travels to Dubai for medical treatment of his back and leg, before moving on to either the U.S. or U.K. for additional treatment, spokesperson Aasia Ishaque said. Musharraf, 72, will return to Pakistan to face all pending legal cases. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government implemented the Supreme Court ruling, and lifted the 2013 ban that barred Musharraf from international trips. (Bloomberg)
Iain Duncan Smith resigns his position as the United Kingdom‘s Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in opposition to cuts in disability benefit proposed by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. (BBC)
2015–16 protests in Brazil, Operation Car Wash
- Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes rules Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should be stripped of a ministerial role in President Dilma Rousseff’s Cabinet so he can be investigated in connection with the state oil company Petrobras’s alleged kickback scheme. Earlier today, injunctions suspending Lula’s appointment as chief of staff were overturned at Attorney General José Eduardo Cardozo’s request for a Supreme Court ruling on the motions. (The Globe and Mail) {Toronto Star)
- Brazil’s lower house of Congress, which yesterday overwhelmingly approved (433-1) a 65-member investigatory, presidential impeachment committee, was in session today — unusual since lawmakers are generally away from the capital on Fridays. The charge alleges President Rousseff broke budget rules to boost public spending in the run-up to her re-election in 2014. The president has 10 lower house sessions to present her defense. Friday’s session means that clock has started and she now has nine sessions. (Reuters) (Reuters via Swiss Broadcasting Corporation)
- Supporters of the governing Workers’ Party took to the streets, in a sense answering the massive anti-government gatherings since Sunday, in all of Brazil’s 26 states. Organizations from both sides of the protests have called for people opposed to the Workers’ Party to stay home Friday to avoid a repeat of Thursday’s clashes. (The Washington Post) (Fox News Latino)

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March 26, 2016

Top News Stories –

Rolling Stones treat Cuba to spectacular and historic gig –
Hundreds of thousands thronged to the Ciudad Deportiva stadium to see the British rockers, who follow hard on the heels of a visit by Barack Obama, in a week that few on this island are ever likely to forget. Amid growing hopes of reform and further opening, the Stones frontman emphasised how far the country has already come in cultural opening from the 1960s, when their songs were considered ideologically divergent. “We know that years ago, it was difficult to listen to our music in Cuba, but now here we are in your beautiful land,” Jagger said in Spanish. “I think that, finally, the times are changing. That’s true, no?” The crowd roared their agreement. [The Guardian]
Mick Jagger in 2014

Video of the Day –

Helios – Embrace from Sean Pecknold on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

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1	#FelizSabado	#HolySaturday	#BirdieSanders
2	#TeGanasMiCoraSi	#10YearsOfAmazingPhil	Gazza
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9	#MafiaSemUnfSdv	#SpeedDatingPickupLines	#gogglebox
10	GO HARMONIZERS	#DCRebirth	#MorganTrump

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- Palmyra offensive (March 2016)
  - Syrian troops advance into Palmyra on multiple fronts with the help of Russian airstrikes and take several neighbourhoods, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. However they were unable to encircle the city. (BBC)

Arts and culture

British rock band The Rolling Stones performs in Havana, Cuba, the first Western band to play an open-air free concert in the country, in what has been called a “historic moment.” Western music used to be banned in Cuba as being “ideologically divergent.” (The Guardian)
Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Robert De Niro announces the film, Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe, will not be screened at the 2016 Festival as previously announced. “Grace [Hightower] and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined,” Mr. De Niro said. “… (our) Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community … do not believe (this film) contributes to or furthers the discussion (about autism) I hoped for,” the actor/producer said. (USA Today)

Business and economics

British newspaper The Independent publishes its last print edition. (Sky News)

Health and medicine

Zika virus outbreak
- Chile confirms its first case of sexually transmitted Zika virus. The case involves a 46-year-old woman whose partner was infected while in Haiti. (Reuters)
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises women exposed to Zika, which means traveling to South American (or other) countries where the disease is rampant, have protected sex for at least two months before attempting to get pregnant. Men exposed should not have unprotected sex for at least six months. (UPI)

International relations

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford makes a proposal to President Barack Obama to increase the number of American troops in Iraq, so as to help the Iraqi Army with advisors closer to the front lines and to recapture Mosul, which fell to ISIL in June 2014. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Politics and elections

United States presidential election, 2016, Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2016
- Voters in the U.S. states of Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington gather for Democratic Party caucuses. (Washington Times)
- Senator Bernie Sanders is the projected winner in Alaska and Washington. (U.S. News & World Report)

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March 28, 2016

Top News Stories –

Harrison Ford auctions Han Solo Star Wars jacket in honour of daughter with epilepsy –
Harrison Ford is auctioning his Star Wars: The Force Awakens jacket for charity. The 73-year-old actor – who reprised his role as Han Solo in the latest installment of the sci-fi franchise – donated the iconic garment which he wore in his first scene in the 2015 movie to raise money for epilepsy research. The signed garment will benefit the NYU Langone Center and FACES (Finding A Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures), with bidding starting at $18,000 on ifOnly. But the actor – whose 26-year-old daughter Georgia suffers from the condition – joked the director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at the New York clinic, Dr. Orrin Devinsky, had taken a shine to the jacket. [Daily Mirror] In February 2016 the production company behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens was being prosecuted over a filming incident in which Harrison Ford broke his leg.
Harrison Ford

FBI finds method to hack gunman’s iPhone without Apple’s help –
The FBI has managed to unlock the iPhone of the San Bernardino gunman without Apple’s help, ending a court case, the US justice department says. Apple had been resisting a court order issued last month requiring the firm to write new software to allow officials to access Syed Rizwan Farook’s phone. But officials on Monday said that it had been accessed independently and asked for the order to be withdrawn. Responding to the move, Apple said: “From the beginning, we objected to the FBI’s demand that Apple build a backdoor into the iPhone because we believed it was wrong and would set a dangerous precedent. As a result of the government’s dismissal, neither of these occurred. This case should never have been brought.” [Daily Telegraph]

Video of the Day –

We’ve hit peak lens flare. Here’s how it started.

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
1	#SegundaQSonoDTremuraSdv	#MondayMotivation	#StormKatie
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9	#My5WordRomanceNovel	#EasterEggRoll	#ontopictalkshow
10	#insanlık	#Happy3YearsOnVineMatt	#Thirteen

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- Taliban fighters fire explosives at Afghanistan’s Parliament while it is in session. Members of Parliament said no one was wounded while a Taliban spokesperson claims it caused heavy casualities. (Al Jazeera)
War in Somalia (2009–present)
- At least 115 Al-Shabaab militants are killed and a further 110 are captured following heavy fighting with pro-government forces in the Galmudug region of Somalia, according to the regional government. There has been no independent confirmation of this claim. (BBC)
Aftermath of the Brussels bombings
- Belgian prosecutors release Faycal C., a man charged in connection with last week’s deadly Brussels bombings. The prosecutor’s office says the evidence which led to his arrest has not been backed up by the ongoing investigation. (Reuters)
2016 Lahore suicide bombing
- Pakistan officials tell Reuters its forces will launch a paramilitary crackdown on Islamist militants in Punjab. Sunday’s attack was Taliban-affiliated Jamaat-ul-Ahrar’s fifth bombing since December. (Reuters)

Business and economics

Stamford, Connecticut’s, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide says the $15 billion offer from China’s Anbang Insurance Group is “reasonably likely” to win out over the $13.6 billion cash-and-stock offerU.S.-based Marriott International submitted last week. (AP) (Reuters) (UPI) (The Washington Post)

Disasters and accidents

2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm season
- The United Kingdom‘s Met Office warns of major travel disruption due to heavy rain, flooding and “damaging” high winds as Storm Katie moves in from the Atlantic Ocean bringing winds of up to 75mph.(Sky News)
The Alaska village of Nelson Lagoon is coated in volcanic ash after an especially vigorous and ongoing eruption of Mount Pavlof. (Alaska Dispatch News)
- Alaska Airlines cancels 41 flights to and from six cities across the state, Barrow, Bethel, Fairbanks, Kotzebue, Nome, and Prudhoe Bay, due to Pavlof’s “massive ash cloud.” The carrier announces flights will remain grounded pending Tuesday’s assessment of flying conditions. (KTUU-TV)

International Relations

Senkaku Islands dispute, China–Japan relations
- As part of its wider military build up along the Japanese archipelagos in the East China Sea, Japan activates a new radar station on the island of Yonaguni that is close to the disputed Senkaku Islands.(Reuters)

Law and crime

A three-year-old girl is decapitated in an apparently random killing by a man with a cleaver in Taipei, Taiwan. The man was arrested shortly afterwards. (The Guardian)
The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. is on lockdown following reports of shots fired at the Capitol Visitor Center. The White House, in what appears to be an unrelated incident, was briefly locked down this afternoon. (CNN)
- Police lift the lockdown. An armed man was shot by police, is in police custody, and is undergoing surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. A female bystander suffers what appears to be a minor injury. (The Washington Post)
FBI–Apple encryption dispute
- Federal prosecutors announce the case against Apple Inc., concerning encrypted data on an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters, has been dropped since the FBI has found a means to access the data without compromising any information on the phone. (Los Angeles Times) (Los Angeles Times²)
A U.S. federal district court, in a case filed by retailer Wal-Mart Stores. Inc., strikes down a Puerto Rican tax increase for on-island companies, with more than $2.75 billion in revenues that buy goods from off-island “related parties,” because the levy clearly discriminates against interstate commerce. (Reuters)
The United States Secret Service, responding to an online petition demanding Quicken Loans Arena revoke its ban on open carrying of firearms, says only law enforcement officers will be allowed to haveguns inside the Republican National Convention to be held in the Cleveland, Ohio, arena on July 18–21, 2016. (USA Today)
The American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal file a federal lawsuit against a new North Carolina law that bars transgender people from choosing bathrooms consistent with their gender identity, arguing the measure is discriminatory and threatens individuals’ personal safety. (Reuters)
Ferguson unrest
- A Missouri court strikes down parts of a law, meant to address concerns raised after the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, that limit cities’ ability to profit from traffic tickets and court fines. The judge wrote the law unconstitutionally targeted St. Louis-area municipalities with caps on revenues from traffic fines that were lower than other cities in the state. (AP)

Politics and elections

Thousands of protestors rally in front of the Parliament of Pakistan in Islamabad in support of Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of reformist Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer in 2011 who was subsequently executed last February. The Pakistan Army was called in to control the situation. (BBC) (Al Jazeera)
Governor Nathan Deal, of the American state of Georgia, vetoes a religious liberties bill that would have protected people whose religious beliefs don’t include same-sex marriage. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) (The Washington Post) (ESPN)
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs an order banning all non-essential travel to North Carolina, i.e., travel not necessary for the enforcement of New York state law, public health, and/or safety, following the state’s passage of a law blocking local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances. (CBS News)

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March 29, 2016

Top News Stories –

Chocolate shortage sparks violence at Easter family fun day in Skegness –
A volunteer at an Easter family fun day in Skegness was attacked by a visitor who became enraged when organisers ran out of chocolate eggs. Families paid £5 to attend Church Farm Museum’s “Easter Eggstravaganza”, which was raising funds for Bury-based charity Annabelle’s Challenge for Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. The fee included access to the site, billed as Lincolnshire’s only open air farming museum, along with a falconry display, an Easter bonnet competition, and an egg hunt. Families were also given an Easter egg – until supplies ran out. “We were handing them out and there were some people who got aggressive when we said we had run out of eggs. “A lady with her large family was aggressive and she grabbed my volunteer by the scarf round her neck, she pulled her across the counter and demanded her money back. [Daily Telegraph]

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	Worldwide	USA	UK
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9	#PeroNoTeRifas	#ThingsIWantSiriToSay	#NCSYesLive
10	#EgyptAir	#WomenOfCourage	Kyrie

Other News Stories –

Armed attacks and conflicts

2016 Brussels bombings
- Belgium officials lower the official death toll from 35 to 32, with nearly 100 still hospitalized. (UPI)
- Brussels Zaventem International Airport CEO Arnaud Feist says the airport will reopen at less than a quarter capacity Wednesday, as ongoing tests determine which flights can resume. It could take months for the airport to return to full capacity, Feist added. (UPI)

Business and economics

The U.S. Supreme Court’s even split among the current eight justices turns down a group of California teachers’ challenge to agency fees public sector unions representing government employees charge employees for collective bargaining costs, whether or not they choose to join the union. Twenty-four other states and the District of Columbia have a similar provision. The ninth circuit federal appellate court ruling in the union’s favor stands. Employees challenging the law may bring the appeal again, once the vacancy on the nation’s highest court is filled. (Boston Herald)
The U.S. National Labor Relations Board files an official complaint against a California warehouse after finding evidence it violated workers’ rights to organize. The allegations of wrongdoing submitted by a worker group against California Cartage Company, LLC, which serves Amazon.com, Inc., Lowe’s Companies. Inc., New Balance, and Sears Holdings Corp., will be heard by an NLRB administrative law judgein June 2016. None of the retailers were named in the NLRB complaint. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Alaska Airlines cancels additional flights, due to the ongoing eruption of Mount Pavlof on the Alaska Peninsula. (Alaska Dispatch News)
2016 Aero Teknic MU-2 crash
- Seven people die in a plane crash on the Magdalen Islands in the Canadian province of Quebec. Former minister Jean Lapierre was one of the people on board the plane. (CBC), (CTV News)
A United States Air Force F-16 crashes during takeoff from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. The pilot ejected safely and was recovered by coalition forces, according to a U.S. military statement. (Reuters)

Health and medicine

Terminix, in the U.S. District Court in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, admits it “knowingly” applied fumigants including methyl bromide, which the EPA banned for residential use in 1984, at a resort in St. John that seriously sickened a family of four, and agrees to pay $10 million in fines and restitution. (NBC News) (NBC News²)
New research, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, finds women who have endometriosis, the abnormal growth of uterine tissue outside the uterus, may face a 60 percent higher risk of developing heart disease than women without the disorder. The potential risk was especially high for women 40 or younger. At least 10 percent of women of reproductive age suffer from endometriosis (endo) says Dr. Stacey Missmer of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who co-authored the study. (UPI) (NBC News)

International relations

Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute
- A United Nations commission rules in favour of Argentina to expand its maritime territory in the South Atlantic Ocean by 35% to include the Falkland Islands and beyond despite Argentina and the United Kingdom still having an unresolved dispute over the islands. (The Guardian)
Turkey–United States relations
- The United States State Department and the Pentagon order families of U.S. diplomats and military personnel to leave posts in southern Turkey due to “increased threats from terrorist groups” in the country. This order comes two days before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s arrival in the U.S. for security meetings. (AP via New York Post)
Iran and weapons of mass destruction
- Reuters reports the United States and its European allies have notified the UN that Iran’s launching of nuclear-capable missiles violated United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 which endorsed the Iran deal, i.e., the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), last year. (Reuters)

Law and crime

The Indonesian foreign ministry says 10 Indonesian nationals are being held hostage after their tug boat and coal barge was hijacked in Philippine waters. Islamist militant group, Abu Sayyaf is demanding a ransom. (AP)
EgyptAir Flight 181
- A hijacked EgyptAir flight lands in Cyprus. All hostages have been released, and the hijacker has no evident ties to any terrorist organizations. (The Guardian)
Corey Lewandowski, campaign manager for U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, is charged with battery for allegedly grabbing former Breitbart News journalist Michelle Fields on March 8. (New York Times) (The Palm Beach Post)
Transgender rights in the United States
- Dozens of chief executive officers of major U.S. technology, biotech, and financial companies urge North Carolina to repeal a new state law forcing transgender people to use rest-rooms and changing-rooms according to the gender on their birth-certificate.(AP via WBT)
- North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) says he will not defend the new state law in court. This year, Cooper is the state Democratic Party’s candidate for governor. Republican Senate Leader Phil Berger says the attorney general should resign if he will not defend the law. (AP)
- The NC Values Coalition, which worked to get Charlotte‘s nondiscrimination ordinance overturned by the state legislature, says hundreds of North Carolina businesses support the new state law, though fear retaliation if they make that support public. The coalition did list 17 businesses willing to be identified as supporting the new law. (AP)
Obamacare constitutional challenges, Zubik v. Burwell
- In a move designed to head off a 4-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court directs lawyers for the Obama administration, and for the religious groups who challenge it, to submit written briefs on a possible remedy to the case: whether coverage could be provided through the group’s insurance companies without any actual notice to the government. A 4-4 decision would not set a national precedent, and would let stand the preceding decision in each case. In these seven cases, the appeals court in six upheld the government mandate. (NBC News)
Samuel Moreno Rojas, the former mayor of the Colombian capital Bogota, is jailed for 18 years for taking bribes to award ambulance contracts. (AP via Town Hall)
El Salvador declares a state of emergency in seven prisons and transfers 299 prisoners in a crackdown on gang violence. (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

2015–16 protests in Brazil
- A legal request has been filed to impeach Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff for obstructing justice and fiscal accounting tricks, the second impeachment request against her. In response to the request,Minister of Tourism Henrique Eduardo Alves turned in a resignation letter while the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party is expected to hold a party vote on whether or not to leave Rousseff’s coalition government. (Al Jazeera)
- The Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, the country’s largest party, decides unanimously to leave President Rousseff’s governing coalition. While Rousseff will remain in office, it’s likely she could be impeached in a matter of months, which would make Vice President Michel Temer president. (Reuters)
- Chief of staff Jaques Wagner says President Rousseff will announce a new governing coalition before the end of the week. The President has an opportunity to form a new coalition for her remaining two years and nine months in office, Wagner added. (Reuters²)
Tanzanian general election, 2015
- The Millennium Challenge Corporation, a United States foreign aid agency, pulls $472m of funding for a Tanzanian electricity project after concluding that the election held in Zanzibar “was neither inclusive nor representative”. Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, held a rerun of its election that was boycotted by the opposition after it was previously annulled because of supposed fraud. (BBC)
In the United States, the Tennessee state Senate will vote on a bill, which narrowly passed the House last year, to declare the Holy Bible the official book of Tennessee. Governor Bill Haslam (R) was among those who opposed the bill in 2015. (AP) (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
United States presidential election, 2016, Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016
- Candidate Donald Trump says he will no longer honor his pledge to support the eventual Republican Party pick for president because, “I have been treated very unfairly.” (AP) (Fox News)
- At the CNN Town Hall in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich also back away from earlier pledges to support the eventual Republican nominee. (CNN) (UPI)
2014–16 Venezuelan protests
- Two police officers are killed and four others are wounded in the western Venezuelan city of San Cristóbal after they were run over by a bus driven by young men protesting a hike in public transport fares, according to government officials and Reuters witnesses. (Reuters)

Science and technology

U.S. Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly says, during a speech at the American Action Forum, that Netflix‘s admission last week that it has been intentionally slowing its video streaming transmission on some wireless mobile carriers for five years “deeply disturbing” which might warrant an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission and/or Congress. (UPI)

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March 30, 2016

Top News Stories –

Europe’s largest floating solar farm to open –
The biggest floating solar farm in Europe is being constructed on a reservoir. More than 23,000 solar photovoltaic panels are being laid on the surface of the Queen Elizabeth II reservoir near Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. The farm, which will be the size of eight football pitches, is expected to generate 5.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity in a year. The energy will be used to part power a nearby water treatment works. Thames Water said construction of the solar farm, which is about eight miles (13 km) from Heathrow airport, will be completed by the end of March. The floating pontoon will be 57,500 sq m in size. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

The Largest Floating Solar Farm In Europe

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3	#شيي_جميل_بحرف_…	#1lineWed	Jean Charles de Menezes
4	D’Angelo Russell	#Every66Seconds	#architecturemw
5	#FelizMiercoles	#WorldBipolarDay	5SOS DAY
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9	#WednesdayWisdom	#RightsCon	#ModernCollectiveNouns
10	#كل_مغرد_يوصف_ن…	#NationalDoctorsDay	#MurderedByMyFather

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- Blasts and gunfire are reported in Tripoli. (Reuters)
Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
- At least seven Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel are killed in an IED attack on their vehicle in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh‘s Dantewada district. Naxalite insurgents are suspected to have been behind the attack. (International Business Times)

Business and economy

Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn agrees to buy 60% of the Japanese Sharp Corporation for 389 billion yen ($3.5 billion). (Bloomberg)

Disasters and accidents

Thailand and neighbouring countries suffer from the worst drought in decades as an El Niño-induced water shortage reduces reservoirs to critical levels. (Al Jazeera)
At least nine people are injured in severe storms that spawned multiple tornado touchdowns in northeastern Oklahoma and sections of the Southwestern United States. One patient is in critical condition; the others suffered serious injuries, according to the Emergency Medical Services Authority. Parts of Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas are also impacted. A flash flood watch has been issued through Thursday evening. Two (2) to 4 inches of rain is expected, with perhaps 6 inches in some locations. (AP)

Health and medicine

A new study by researchers at McGill University and the University of California, Los Angeles, finds that each additional month a woman has paid maternity leave is associated with decreased infant mortalityby more than 10 percent. Researchers noted that paid maternity leave reduces stress because of the guarantee of income and job security, increases the chances for breastfeeding and other infant care, and allows a mother to seek more medical attention for herself. (UPI) (PLOS Medicine)
The United States Food and Drug Administration announces it has relaxed its official requirements regarding the use of the abortion drug Mifeprex (RU-486). The current guidelines were based on 1990s medical evidence. Changes include reducing the number of physician visits required by abortion-seeking women, reducing drug dosage, and allowing women to take the drug for three weeks longer — now a total of 70 days. (UPI)
Air pollution in Mexico City
- Mexico City, facing the capital’s worst air-quality crisis in over a decade, issues a temporary order that all cars remain idle one day a week. Today, authorities report a pollution index of 108 (bad) after low readings during Holy Week. Vehicles will also be forced from the roads one Saturday a month. The measure will begin next Tuesday, April 5, and run until Thursday, June 30, 2016. Starting July 1, improved technology will be in place at smog-check centers where all vehicles must be tested every six months. (AP via Fox News)

International relations

The Wallenberg family files an application to formally declare Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg (born in 1912) to be dead. Wallenberg saved the lives of thousands of Jews in World War II only to disappear at the hands of the Soviet forces. (Times of Israel)
Russia–Ukraine relations
- The Ukrainian parliament votes to ban all Russian films released after January 1, 2014, saying the move is aimed at improving “national security”; more than 430 Russian films and TV series fall under the new measures. Last month, the State Committee in Television and Radio-broadcasting in Ukraine removed 15 Russian TV channels from being broadcast in Ukraine. (RT)
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, at the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., will announce a three-way deal with the United States and Euratom, the European Union nuclear agency, to turn nuclear waste into medical isotopes to help fight cancer. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

A Bangladesh Court issues an arrest warrant, the second one so far, for former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and 27 opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party members over political violence, mostly petrol-bomb attacks, that occurred during anti-government protests last year that killed at least 120 people. (Al Jazeera)
EgyptAir Flight 181
- A Larnaca, Cyprus, court orders that 59-year-old Seif Eddin Mustafa, who was arrested by Cypriot police yesterday, remain in local police custody for eight days to assist Cyprus’s own investigation. Mustafa faces charges of hijacking, illegal possession of explosives, kidnapping, and threats to commit violence. It’s unclear if Mustafa had any explosives; the bomb belt he wore was fake, and officials are waiting for testing results on unidentified liquids found among his possessions. (AP via The Daily Courier)
- Egypt General Prosecutor Nabil Sadek formally requests Mustafa’s extradition from Cyprus. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

United States presidential election, 2016:
- The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), which organizes some 16,500 border patrol agents, endorses Donald Trump for President of the United States, NBPC’s first-ever endorsement in a presidential election. (CNN)
Myanmar general election, 2015
- In Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw, Htin Kyaw is sworn in by House Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than as the first civilian president in 54 years. Htin Kyaw, a close aide to Aung San Suu Kyi, takes power from former general Thein Sein. (Daily Mail)
The government of Pakistan warns that it will push to clear the Islamist protests occurring in Islamabad. Protests have broken out in the capital and other cities ever since Mumtaz Qadri was executed last February for his role in killing Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer in 2011 because he opposed Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- The United Nations-backed Libyan Presidential Council arrives in Tripoli despite warnings by hardliners opposed to any unity government that they will attempt to keep them out of the city. (The Guardian)
The opposition controlled National Assembly of Venezuela passes an amnesty bill that could potentially free over 70 opposition leaders and activists jailed during protests last year, including prominent leaderLeopoldo López. (BBC)
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro vows to veto this amnesty bill. The opposition can override the veto since it holds a supermajority in the National Assembly. Maduro can also send the bill to theSupreme Tribunal to determine its constitutionality. (UPI)
- The opposition plans to generate a recall referendum that would ask voters if President Maduro should be removed from office. The Constitution states a recall referendum can be held once the president has served half of his six-year term (Maduro became President on April 19, 2013) and at least 20 percent of registered voters sign the petition. (UPI²)

Sports

Two Russian cyclists, former world champion Anastasia Chulkova and Pavel Yakushevskiy, test positive for meldonium. (AP)
Three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel announces his retirement. (Louisville Courier-Journal)

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March 31, 2016

Top News Stories –

Ronnie Corbett, best known for The Two Ronnies, dies aged 85 –
Entertainer Ronnie Corbett, best known for BBC comedy sketch show The Two Ronnies, has died aged 85. His publicist said: “Ronnie Corbett CBE, one of the nation’s best-loved entertainers, passed away this morning, surrounded by his loving family. “They have asked that their privacy is respected at this very sad time.” Corbett was one of the UK’s best-loved comedians and along with Ronnie Barker, their double act was one of the most successful of the 1970s and ’80s. [BBC] See Video and List of the Day
Ronnie Corbett in 2010

Video of the Day –

The Two Ronnies. Four Candles

List of the Day –

Ronnie Corbett’s best jokes

A man was marooned on a desert island. One day a beautiful woman arrives in a wet suit. ‘When did you last have a smoke?’ she asks. ‘Five years ago.’ So she gets out a cigar and he smokes it. She unzips her wet suit a bit and says, ‘When did you last have a drink?’ He said, ‘Five years ago.’ So she gets out a bottle of Scotch and he has a drink. Then she unzips her wet suit a bit more and says, ‘And when was the last time you played around?’ He looks at her in amazement and says: ‘You’re not telling me you’ve got a set of golf clubs in there?’
A cement mixer collided with a prison van on the Kingston by-pass. Motorists are asked to be on the look-out for 16 hardened criminals.
We will be talking to an out of work contortionist who says he can no longer make ends meet.
There was a fire at the main Inland Revenue office in London today, but it was put out before any serious good was done.
All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my right hand.
For some time, my wife’s had this ridiculous idea that I’m playing too much golf. Actually, it came to a head at about 11.30 last night. She suddenly shouted at me: “Golf, golf, golf. All you ever think about is bloody golf!”. And I’ll be honest, it frightened the life out of me. I mean, you don’t expect to meet somebody on the 14th green at that time of night.
This is a message for seven honeymoon couples in a hotel in Peebles: Breakfast was served three days ago.
French wine growers fear that this year’s vintage may be entirely spoiled due to the grape treaders’ sit-in.
West Mercia police announced tonight that they wish to interview a man wearing high heels and frilly knickers, but the chief constable said they must wear their normal uniforms.
It was revealed in a government survey published today that the prime minister is doing the work of two men, Laurel and Hardy.
We’ll be talking to a car designer who’s crossed a Toyota with Quasimodo and come up with the Hatchback of Notre Dame.
After a series of crimes in the Glasgow area, Chief Inspector McTavish has announced that he is looking for a man with one eye. If he doesn’t find him, he’s going to use both eyes.
We’ve just heard that in the English Channel, a ship carrying red paint has collided with a ship carrying purple paint. It is believed that both crews have been marooned.
A grandfather has gone missing after eating four cans of baked beans, two cauliflowers and a jar of gherkins. His family have made an emotional appeal for him not to come home for at least a fortnight.
Today is our anniversary. It’s just 12 years ago today when she said “I do”. It certainly surprised me, because I didn’t think she did.
That was the night when I leapt onto the dancefloor and did my rather racy impression of John Travolta. I suppose it must have been the animal in me. Well, I had a ferret down my trousers.
This new controller thinks I am the funniest man in Britain. He’s been told to stay in bed and take things easy for a while.
I remember that day clearly, because it was the one day there wasn’t a sale at Allied Carpets.
This joke dates back to 256 BC which, as scholars of ancient Egypt will know, was the year of the famous wildcat strike by the amalgamated union of eunuchs and allied sopranos, in a dispute over severance pay.
Since the last joke, I’d like to thank all those of you who have written in with suggestions about what I can do with my act, one or two of you with diagrams.
Offers of work have been flooding in. Last week I was invited to go on a round-the-world cruise. By the chairman of the Flat Earth Society.
This week I was asked to do a very important after-dinner speech. I said: “Do you want me to be funny?” They said: “No, just be yourself.”

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2	#IndvsWI	#TDOV	#UFC200
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4	만우절	April Fools	#newsnight
5	エイプリルフール	#Miitomo	#TDOV
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9	#BrasilContraOGolpe	#UndergroundWGN	#SignsYoureABernieSupporter
10	#عشان_احقق_حلم�…	#USWNT	#TOWIE

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Israeli–Palestinian conflict (2015–present)
- Israeli security forces arrest 16 Palestinian suspects on the West Bank. (Jerusalem Post)
War in Somalia
- A suicide bomber in Somalia’s Puntland region detonates while hugging Saeed Ali, the treasurer of Galkayo, killing him and several police officers guarding him. Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab claims responsibility. (International Business Times) (Reuters)
PKK rebellion, Turkey–ISIL conflict
- A car bomb, targeting an armored vehicle transporting police personnel, explodes close to a bus terminal in the Bağlar district of Diyarbakır, Turkey, killing at least seven police officers and wounding 27 more people, including 13 officers, according to a joint statement by Turkish officials and the police. The attack comes one day before Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s scheduled visit to the city. There has been no claim of responsibility. CNN points out both Kurdish rebels and ISIL militants have claimed similar recent incidents. (Al Jazeera) (CNN) (AP) (Arab News)
Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports a drone attack, “most likely operated by the US-led coalition,” kills Abu al-Hija, a high-ranking Tunisian ISIL commander, near the Islamic State’s de factoSyrian capital Raqqa. (Al Arabiya)

Business and economics

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission files an anti-trust suit against Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and several other drug companies for using pay-for-delay settlements to block consumers’ access to lower-costgeneric versions of pain medications, Opana ER and Lidoderm. (StreetInsider.com)
A consortium led by China’s Anbang Insurance Group announces it will walk away from its $14 billion takeover bid for Starwood Hotels. This restores Marriott International as the highest bidder ($13.6 billion).(CNBC) (Bloomberg)

Disasters and accidents

2016 Kolkata overpass collapse
- At least 21 people are killed, 70 injured and up to 150 people are feared trapped after a half-built overpass collapses in the Indian city of Kolkata. (Indian Express) (NBC News)

International relations

2016 Nuclear Security Summit
- More than 50 heads of state as well as representatives from international organizations attend the annual Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., with the notable exception of Russia, which declined to attend. The main agenda of the two-day gathering is the discussion of North Korea and the threat it poses with its nuclear weapons and the possibility of ISIS extremists getting a nuclear weapon. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Law and crime

Yugoslav Wars
- Former Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and nationalist politician, Vojislav Šešelj, is acquitted of all nine charges of committing atrocities in Bosnia and Croatia during the early 1990s by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. (The Guardian)
A U.S. official announces that The Pentagon plans to transfer about a dozen inmates from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to at least two countries that have agreed to take them, in the latest move inBarack Obama’s final push to close the facility. The official declined to name the countries ready to take them in. (The Guardian)
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
- A Malaysian court dismisses Malaysia Airlines’s bid to throw out a lawsuit filed by relatives of three people who went missing on Flight 370. The company argued that the disappearance of MH370 on March 8, 2014, occurred before the company came into existence as Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) on September 1, 2015, and therefore has no liability to relatives. The court ruled MAB’s liability would be determined in a trial. (UPI) (Malay Mail)
A 37-year-old Virginia State Police trooper taking part in a police training mission is killed by a gunman inside the Greyhound bus station in Richmond, Virginia. Two officers standing nearby return fire and fatally strike the suspect. Two civilian women are injured. (WTVR) (NBC News)

Politics and elections

Vietnam elects Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân chairwoman of the National Assembly. Ngân, who won 95.5 percent of the votes, is the first woman to lead Vietnam’s legislature. In January, she was re-elected to the powerful Politburo at the Communist Party Congress. (AP)
The Constitutional Court of South Africa delivered a unanimous judgement that President Jacob Zuma and the National Assembly failed to uphold the country’s constitution by ignoring the findings of the Public Protector regarding public expenditure on Zuma’s private homestead. (Daily Maverick)
United States presidential election, 2016, Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016
- Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court upholds the previous court ruling that dismissed the case against Ted Cruz which challenged his eligibility to appear on the state’s GOP primary ballot, and serve as president. (ABC News)
- Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida forcibly reject, as has the White House, candidate Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. military be withdrawn from Japan and South Korea with nuclear weapons replacing them. A small minority in South Korea, such as the think tank Sejong Institute, agree with Trump on this issue, but this is not mainstream policy. (CNN) (Vox Media)
  - Another Trump statement, “South Korea is a money machine but they pay us peanuts,” is greeted with “howls of inaccuracy” from the South Korean Foreign Ministry and the White House. U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert says “Seoul pays for 55% of all non-personnel costs.” (CNN)
Venezuela’s National Assembly, responding to last month’s Central Bank of Venezuela report that the country experienced a 180.9 percent inflation increase in 2015, passes legislation, The Law of Bonds for Food and Medicine for Retirees and Pensioners, that could make it easier for pensioners and retirees to pay for food and medicine. The approved bill has been forwarded for President Nicolás Maduro’ssignature. (UPI)
Italy‘s Minister of Economic Development, Federica Guidi, resigns amid allegations that she passed along confidential information to her boyfriend that helped his business interests. (AP via Fox News)
Brazil protests
- Brazil’s Supreme Court voted 8-2 to take over the corruption investigation of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Silva alleges Judge Sérgio Moro unfairly targets him. The court also overruled Moro’s decision to release the recording of Silva’s call with President Dilma Rousseff, since it is the only court that can authorize a wiretap on presidential conversations. The full court is still to rule on the injunction that prevents Silva from taking office as the President’s Chief of Staff. (AP via ABC news) (Reuters)
- Today, thousands of demonstrators gathered in more than 20 states in support of Silva and Rousseff. (Reuters²) (AP via ABC news)
- Brazil sports minister George Hilton resigns and will be replaced on an interim basis by Ricardo Leyser, a senior official in the ministry. Leyser, 45, has worked in the sports ministry since 2003, and has been heavily involved with the Olympic Games, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, August 5-21, 2016. (The Rio Times) (insidethegames)

Science and technology

Astronomers’ study reveals the surface of exoplanet 55 Cancri e has a 2500°C liquid face, constantly facing its star 55 Cancri, while the other side is relatively colder and solid. (Discovery via ABC News)

Sport

Five U.S. women’s national soccer team players file federal wage discrimination complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). In the filing, the players cite 2015 USSF figures which show they were paid nearly four times less than men’s players despite generating nearly $20 million more revenue. A U.S. Soccer statement says, “… we are disappointed about this action.” (The Washington Post) (ESPN)

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April 1, 2016

Top News Stories –

Hello! Magazine apologises for ‘fabricated’ Clooney interview –
Hello! Magazine has apologised for running an “exclusive” interview with George Clooney that the actor says was completely fabricated. The UK-based magazine said it purchased the interview from an entertainment news agency called Famous, which they have worked with in the past. Hello! said it thought the article was accurate and has removed the piece from its website. Mr Clooney said the interview never took place. He said in a statement: “The problem is that I have not given an interview to Hello Magazine and the quotes attributed to me are not accurate. In my experience, being misquoted is not unusual but to have an ‘exclusive interview’ completely fabricated is something new. And a very disturbing trend.” [BBC]
George Clooney

Video of the Day –

Introducing the self-driving bicycle in the Netherlands – (only available on April 1st!)

Top Twitter Trends –

	Worldwide	USA	UK
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9	#EnTwitterNuncaFalta	#NewMusicFriday	#JokerWasHere
10	#BuenViernes	#AprilFools	#ONALondon

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports airstrikes on the village of Deir al-Asafir, Rif Dimashq Governorate, have killed at least 30 people and left dozens more injured. (The Telegraph)
War in Donbass
- International monitors from the OSCE report that fighting has intensified in Eastern Ukraine as a second year of a shaky truce begins. The worst of the fighting is located between government-controlledAvdiivka and separatist-controlled Yasynuvata. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
War in Somalia (2009–present)
- A U.S. drone strike reportedly kills a key Al-Shabaab leader, Hassan Ali Dhoore, and two other militants, near the town of Jilib, Somalia, according to several U.S. officials. (AP)

Disasters and accidents

In a second day of severe weather, at least seven people are injured as tornadoes sweep across the Midwestern and Southern part of the United States, with more severe weather expected. (Al Jazeera)

Health and medicine

Health authorities in Fiji are urging people to observe strict personal hygiene as the country goes through a massive outbreak of conjunctivitis. In the past 14 days alone the number of cases of the virus in one district of Suva have jumped from 700 to 5000 cases. (Radio New Zealand)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- North Korea fires another ballistic missile off its east coast, according to South Korean officials. This occurred while world leaders are attending the annual Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., where North Korea is on the agenda for discussion. (The Guardian) (Yonhap)

Politics and elections

Moldovan presidential election, 2016, 2015–16 protests in Moldova
- The Parliament of Moldova announces that the country will hold a Presidential election on October 30. A court in early March ruled in favor of having a direct national election to choose a president rather than a vote in parliament, a concession to protesters who have been demonstrating for months against the political elite. This will be the first time since 2001 that the public will choose their country’s president directly. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
2015–16 protests in Brazil
- President Dilma Rousseff loses another key member of the country’s 2016 Summer Olympics organization. Colonel Adilson Moreira of the National Public Security Force, who was in charge of organizing security, in an email to his colleagues reportedly criticizes the President and other senior officials, saying he is ashamed of the country’s being led by an “unscrupulous group.” Brazilian officials, who earlier received Sports Minister George Hilton’s resignation, say the planning for the Olympic Games will not be affected. (BBC) (International Business Times)

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April 13, 2016

Top News Stories –

Russian warplanes ‘aggressively’ pass US missile destroyer –
Two Russian planes flew close to a US guided missile destroyer almost a dozen times, American officials have said. The Sukhoi SU-24 warplanes, in international waters in the Baltic Sea, had no visible weaponry and the ship took no action. One official called the events on Monday and Tuesday “one of the most aggressive acts in recent memory”. The commander of the missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, described the flights as a “simulated attack”. The passes were “unsafe, potentially provocative” and “could have caused an accident,” officials said in a release. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

French Horn Rebellion – Foolin’ Around (Official Video) from Ariel Fisher on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide	USA
#DiaDoBeijo	#MambaDay
#MambaDay	#WednesdayWisdom
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#CaravanaDelPueblo	#MyAdviceToTrump
#شي_حلو_من_خمس_�…	#WHScienceFair
#SDVQuartaComChalanco	Hump Day

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Donbass
- The Ukrainian Army says eight of its soldiers were wounded in fighting against Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country during the previous 24 hours. A military spokesman said there had been 29 shelling incidents around Mariupol. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Moro Conflict
- Battle of Tipo-Tipo
  - ISIL claims responsibility for clashes between militants linked to the group and the Philippine Army that claimed 23 lives. (Reuters via Trust)

Business and economics

Peabody Energy, the largest privately-owned producer of coal in the world headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, files for bankruptcy court protection due to high debts and a drop in world prices. (Reuters)(ABC News Australia)

Disasters and accidents

At least 15 people are killed and 20 injured following a road accident in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad. (Samaa)
2016 Myanmar earthquake
- A magnitude 6.9 earthquake strikes Myanmar 396 kilometers (246 miles) north of the capital, Naypyidaw, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (AP via CBS News)
The government of Malawi declares a state of emergency across the country over worsening food shortages caused by a severe drought that is affecting much of Southern Africa with about 2.8 million Malawians, or 20% of the population, facing food insecurity. (Al Jazeera)
2014–16 El Niño event
- Indian officials report, with 24 deaths today, the heatwave in the eastern state of Odisha has killed 135 people. Temperatures of 105.5 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded yesterday at 19 locations across the state. Meteorologists say the heat, an after-effect of El Niño, has delayed the traditional April rains. (UPI)
A Britten-Norman Islander light aircraft crashes in the Papua New Guinea town of Kiunga resulting in the deaths of all twelve people on board. (ABC News Australia)

Health

Zika virus outbreak (2015–present)
- The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that the Zika virus causes birth defects like microcephaly. (Fox News)

International relations

Russia–United States relations, Cold War II
- Two unarmed Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 jets flew simulated attacks on United States Navy destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, according to a U.S. official, who described it as one of the most aggressive interactions in recent memory. A Russian Kamov Ka-27 naval helicopter also made seven passes around the USS Donald Cook, taking pictures of the warship. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Recognition of same-sex unions in China
- A judge rules against a gay couple in China’s first same-sex marriage case. (AP)
November 2015 Paris attacks
- Three people arrested yesterday in connection with last year’s attacks in Paris are released without charge. (AFP/Reuters via ABC News)
LGBT rights in the United States
- Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signs an anti-discrimination order protecting the rights of gay and transgender people that rescinds one his immediate predecessor, Bobby Jindal, signed that sought to limit same-sex marriage rights and the ability of transgender people to choose which public restrooms they may use. (Reuters via Huffington Post)

Politics and elections

South Korean legislative election, 2016
- Voters in South Korea go to the polls for a legislative election with the ruling Saenuri Party losing seats in a surprise setback. (AP) (Bloomberg)
- The opposition Minjoo Party of Korea wins the most seats in the Parliament. (BBC)
Syrian parliamentary election, 2016
- Voters in mostly government controlled areas of Syria will head to the polls to elect 250 members to the People’s Council of Syria. (RT) (TeleSUR)
2015–16 protests in Brazil
- The Progressive Party announces it is leaving President Dilma Rousseff’s coalition government and that its 47 politicians would support her impeachment. (Al Jazeera)
Papua conflict
- Massive demonstrations in support of the Free Papua Movement take place in various cities in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. The demonstrations voice support for the Liberation Movement to become a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. (Radio New Zealand)
A number of people were injured in clashes between police and several thousand protestors in Skopje, Macedonia, with demonstrators breaking into President Gjorge Ivanov‘s offices. (RT)

Sport

The World Anti-Doping Agency advises that WADA-accredited laboratories are currently conducting studies on meldonium excretion rates since existing data is lacking. Meldonium became a banned substance on January 1, 2016. A large number of athletes, including grand-slam tennis champion Maria Sharapova, had taken the medication in the past, and have tested positive this year. The new data will address how long meldonium stays in the body and determine if athletes were provided a reasonable amount of time to adhere to the new restrictions prior to testing. The drug was used by many Soviet-bloc athletes since the 80s. (Reuters) (WADA)
2015-16 NBA season
- In basketball, the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors team sets a new NBA record for regular season wins with 73 wins this season. The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls previously held the record with 72. (Washington Post)
- Kobe Bryant plays his last game in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers. He sets a new points record for a final match scoring 60 against the Utah Jazz. (Washington Post)

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April 14, 2016

Top News Stories –

US basketball star Kobe Bryant shines in final game –
One of basketball’s biggest stars, Kobe Bryant, has retired from the sport after a career spanning two decades with a stunning final performance. He scored 60 points to help the LA Lakers make a dramatic comeback against the Utah Jazz in Los Angeles. Bryant, 37, spent his entire career with the Lakers, winning five NBA titles and recording the third highest total number of points in the sport. Tickets for his final match changed hands for up to $27,500 (£19,315). Bryant scored 23 points in the fourth quarter to help his team overcome a 15-point deficit to win the game. [BBC]
Kobe Bryant

Video of the Day –

French Horn Rebellion – Foolin’ Around (Official Video) from Ariel Fisher on Vimeo.

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Worldwide	USA
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Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
- Taliban militants kill eight people, including a police commander, in an ambush in northern Afghanistan. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- A Palestinian wielding an ax attacks an Israeli soldier near Hebron and is shot dead while two 12-year-old Palestinians in Jerusalem are arrested by Israeli Police with three knives concealed in their coats on suspicion of planning to carry out a stabbing attack. (The Times of Israel)

Arts and culture

Authorities in Ukraine recover four Dutch Golden Age paintings stolen from a museum in the Netherlands a decade ago. (AP via Seattle Times)

Disasters and accidents

2016 Kumamoto earthquake
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes near Kumamoto, Japan, collapsing several buildings killing at least four people and injuring 400. However, no tsunami warning was issued and local nuclear power plants reported no problems. (Reuters), (CNN), (Japan Today)
At least 18 people are killed after a 80-tonne crane collapses on a temporary structure during a thunderstorm in the city of Dongguan, China. (The Times of India)

International relations

North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- North Korea deploys one or two intermediate-range ballistic missiles on its east coast, possibly preparing for launch on or around Friday, the anniversary of the birth of the country’s founder Kim Il-sung, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. (Euronews via Reuters)

Law and crime

The People’s Republic of China announces that it will prosecute 357 people for the illegal sale of vaccines. (BBC)
The U.S. company Microsoft has sued the United States, alleging that it has been prevented from disclosing warrants to the company’s customers in violation of the company’s constitutional rights. (NYT)

Politics and elections

The Verkhovna Rada appoints Volodmyr Groysman as the Prime Minister of Ukraine, replacing Arseny Yatseniuk. (Reuters)
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir impose a curfew around the capital of Srinagar, Handwara, and neighbouring villages as protests turn violent. People began to protest last Tuesday when allegations were circulated by residents in Handwara that an Indian Army soldier tried to sexually assault a teenage schoolgirl. (Al Jazeera)
Hong Kong’s June 4th Museum, the first museum dedicated to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, is to close down. Organizers say they believe they are being targeted for political reasons. It comes at a time when concerns are growing in Hong Kong that Beijing is tightening its grip on the city. (The Guardian)
Thousands of opposition supporters rally in Harare, Zimbabwe, against President Robert Mugabe and the deteriorating economy. The rally was banned by the police, however, it went ahead after a ruling by the High Court sanctioned the protest. (BBC)

Sports

In basketball, the WNBA draft is held in Uncasville, Connecticut. The top pick is Connecticut’s Breanna Stewart, followed by her college teammates Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck. This marks the first time in any major North American sports draft that a single school produced the top three selections. (ESPN)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

April 21, 2016

Top News Stories –

Prince Dies at 57: Iconic Musical Genius Found Dead in Paisley Park –
Prince died today at age 57 at his Paisley Park home and studio in Minneapolis, his publicist confirmed to the Associated Press. TMZ first reported the news. According to a press release sent from the Carver County Sheriff’s Department this afternoon, deputies arrived at Paisley Park at 9:43 a.m. and found Prince unresponsive in the elevator. After CPR attempts were unsuccessful, he was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m. The cause of death has not yet been determined, and Carver County with assistance from Hennepin County Sheriffs and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating. Prince was hospitalized last week after his plane for was forced to make an emergency landing in Moline, Ill. Released a few hours later, a rep told TMZ that he had been battling a bad case of the flu. One of the most iconic musicians in music history, Prince’s extensive career grew out of the music scene of his native Minneapolis, where he lived his entire life. His 1978 debut album For You and self-titled second LP, released in October 1979, kicked off an incredibly prolific run of albums that included 1999, Purple Rain, Around The World In A Day, Sign O The Times and Batman, among others, throughout the 1980s at a clip of nearly one per year, evolving with each release. [Billboard]
Prince in 2008

Queen’s 90th birthday: Beacons lit amid UK celebrations –
The Queen has lit the first of more than 900 beacons lighting up across the UK and overseas as part of her 90th birthday celebrations. Prince Philip, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall then joined the monarch at a private dinner in Windsor Castle. Earlier, cheering crowds lined the streets in Windsor as the Queen took part in a walkabout. At the lighting of the beacon in Windsor, the Prince of Wales, referring to his mother, said: “I find it very hard to believe that you’ve reached your 90th year and I suddenly realised the other day that I have known you since you were 22 years old. “But this, ladies and gentleman, is a very special occasion and this beacon that her majesty is about to light will also represent – as it lights other beacons across the nation – the love and affection with which you are held throughout this country and the Commonwealth. [BBC]

Solar plane slowly soaring from Hawaii to California –
A solar plane on an around-the-world journey has reached the point of no return over the Pacific Ocean after departing Hawaii, and now it’s California or bust. The plane was cruising over the cold northern Pacific late Thursday at about 20,000 feet with a nearly-full battery as night descended, according to the website that’s documenting the journey of Solar Impulse 2. After some uncertainty about winds, the plane took off from Hawaii and was on course to land in Mountain View, California, in about three days. The crew that helped it take off was clearing out of its Hawaiian hangar and headed for the mainland for the weekend arrival. Pilot Bertrand Piccard is flying this leg of the journey. [AP]

Video of the Day –

Alone in Paris from Mathieu Stern on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Prince Discography

Studio albums

For You (1978)
Prince (1979)
Dirty Mind (1980)
Controversy (1981)
1999 (1982)
Purple Rain (1984)
Around the World in a Day (1985)
Parade (1986)
Sign o’ the Times (1987)
Lovesexy (1988)
Batman (1989)
Graffiti Bridge (1990)
Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
(Love Symbol Album) (1992)
Come (1994)
The Black Album (1994)
The Gold Experience (1995)
Chaos and Disorder (1996)
Emancipation (1996)
Crystal Ball (1998)
The Truth (1998)
The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale (1999)
Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999)
The Rainbow Children (2001)
One Nite Alone… (2002)
Xpectation (2003)
N.E.W.S (2003)
Musicology (2004)
The Chocolate Invasion (2004)
The Slaughterhouse (2004)
3121 (2006)
Planet Earth (2007)
Lotusflow3r (2009)
MPLSound (2009)
20Ten (2010)
Plectrumelectrum (2014)
Art Official Age (2014)
HITnRUN Phase One (2015)
HITnRUN Phase Two (2015)

Live albums

One Nite Alone… Live! (2002)
One Nite Alone… The Aftershow: It Ain’t Over! (2002)
C-Note (2004)
Indigo Nights (2008)

Remix albums

Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic (2001)

Compilation albums

The Hits 1 (1993)
The Hits 2 (1993)
The Hits/The B-Sides (1993)
Girl 6 (1996)
The Very Best of Prince (2001)
Ultimate Prince (2006)

The New Power Generation albums

Goldnigga (1993)
Exodus (1995)
Newpower Soul (1998)

The NPG Orchestra albums

Kamasutra (1998)

Madhouse albums

8 (1987)
16 (1987)

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide	USA
#TiradentesDayClubeSDV	#HappyBirthdayYourMajesty
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#EstadoIslamicoLevaOMCGui	#RIPAmy
#RIPChyna	#NationalTeaDay
#NationalTeaDay	Jimmy Johns
#NoHayNadaComo	#FelizJueves
Selamat Hari Kartini	#420Celebs
#SaveTheEarthIn4Words	Prince

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Sudanese nomadic conflicts, Ethnic violence in South Sudan
- The Ethiopian Army crosses the border into South Sudan with the latter’s approval in search of more than 100 children who were kidnapped and spirited across the border in a surprise attack by unknown assailants that also killed 208 people a few days ago. (Al Jazeera)
Northern Mali conflict
- Ansar Dine, an Islamic extremist group claims responsibility for kidnapping three International Committee of the Red Cross staffers this weekend in Abeïbara in northeastern Mali. (AP)
Amnesty International says the Nigerian Army killed 350 members of the Islamic Movement and secretly buried them in mass graves in the city of Zaria in Kaduna State. (The Guardian)

Arts and culture

Elizabeth II, queen regnant of the United Kingdom and Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, celebrates her 90th birthday. (BBC)
Bongbong Marcos admits that his family is blocking the release of their alleged ill-gotten wealth, which included masterpiece paintings accumulated during the reign of his father, Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos. (ABS-CBN News)
The Bunyadi, a London pop-up restaurant where diners will be encouraged to eat in the nude, has a reservation waiting list of more than 13,000 people for its June opening. The restaurant will operate for three months. (UPI)
Musician Prince dies at his home at Paisley Park in the Minneapolis suburb of Chanhassen, Minnesota. (News Limited)

Business and economy

Volkswagen emissions scandal
- Volkswagen reaches a deal with the United States government that includes vehicle buybacks and cash compensation. (AP via Fox News)
The Vatican suspends PricewaterhouseCoopers’ audit of its finances over questions whether proper procedures were followed when the December 2015 contract, reportedly worth $3 million, was enacted. Analysts say this move exposes the rift between the church’s old guard and supporters of financial reform, and raises questions about the Catholic Church’s commitment to cleaning up its finances. (Reuters)(The Guardian) (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

More than 100 are feared dead in an early summer heatwave in India which has forced the closure of schools. (Reuters)
At least 24 people are killed, 136 others injured, and eight workers still missing from yesterday’s blast at the major Clorados 3 petrochemical plant of Petroquimica Mexicana de Vinilo. Nineteen people remain hospitalized, with 13 in serious condition. The plant is run by Mexichem under agreement with Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the national petrochemical company, in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, on the country’s southern Gulf of Mexico coast. Pemex had an earlier fire at the same facility in February 2016 that killed one worker; also that month, an offshore Pemex Gulf platform fire killed two and injured eight.(Reuters) (AP)
At least two people are killed after an oceanfront stretch of an elevated bike lane in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, collapses when it was hit by a strong wave. Two other people were rescued alive, while another may be missing. The bike lane was among the projects built in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympics. No Olympic event will be held on the path. (AP) (AP² via CBS News) (Hindustan Times)

International relations

Australia-Philippines relations, Philippines-United States relations, Philippine presidential election, 2016
- Presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte said that Australia and the United States should go ahead and cut their ties with the Philippines if he was elected president, following critical comments of their ambassadors on his rape remarks. (Rappler)
Gulf Cooperation Council Summit
- United States President Barack Obama, at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Saudi Arabia, says the United States will continue to deter and confront aggression against Gulf Arab states; joins others in warning the fragile cease-fire in Syria is on the verge of collapse; pledges vigilance about Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Middle East; wants Gulf allies to offer more democratic reforms and improve human rights; and, says the U.S. and its Gulf partners should wait to see whether Iraq can resolve its political crisis before committing more financial aid which is impeding the fight against ISIL. (AP)(Reuters)
Syrian peace process
- Staffan de Mistura, U.N. envoy to Syria, says there has been “real but modest” progress in the country’s humanitarian situation, despite the shaken ceasefire. Aid convoys have reached 560,000 people in hard-to-reach and besieged areas; six areas still remain off limits. Yesterday, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent medically evacuated 515 people from four communities—Zabadani, Madaya, Kfarya, and Foua—besieged by government and rebel groups. (AP)
United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union
- U.S. President Barack Obama, in an op-ed in London’s Daily Telegraph, urges Britons to keep the U.K. in the European Union. Tomorrow, Obama is scheduled to have lunch with Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth, who celebrated her 90th birthday today. He then will hold talks with Prime Minister David Cameron. (Reuters) (Bloomberg) (The Daily Telegraph)
Philippines-United Kingdom relations, Philippines-United States relations
- The United States and the United Kingdom issue travel alerts for their citizens to avoid the Sulu Archipelago in the southwestern Philippines where a wave of kidnappings by Abu Sayyaf militants has occurred. (AP)

Law and crime

Crime in El Salvador
- The government of El Salvador unveils and deploys a new heavily armed special forces unit to fight criminal gangs in rural areas of the country. Officials say it will target gang leaders who left the cities because of a government crackdown. (BBC)
Six high ranking Pakistan Army officers, including a lieutenant-general and major-general, are sacked by Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif amid corruption allegations within the army. Sharif said corruption had to be uprooted to fight terrorism. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Philippine general election, 2016
- Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte says he shot a fellow law student at San Beda College. The victim, Octavio Goco, who was also a Lex Talionis fraternity brother of Duterte, survived the assault. Duerte was not allowed to participate in his graduation ceremony. (Rappler) (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Russia–Ukraine relations
- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signs legislation banning all Russian films made after January 1, 2014. The legislation also bans movies produced by Russia after 1991 if they “glorify the work of government bodies” of Russia, citing such movies to be a threat to national security. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
2016 Macedonian protests
- The European Union cancels mediation talks on resolving the political crisis in Macedonia after that country’s main political opposition, led by Zoran Zaev, declined to take part. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Chadian presidential election, 2016
- The incumbent President of Chad Idriss Deby is reelected for a fifth term amid allegations of fraud. (Voice of America)

Science and technology

Solar Impulse 2, a plane powered only by the sun, takes off from Kalaeloa, Hawaii, USA, on the ninth leg of its around-the-world journey. This portion of the trip will cover 2,542 nautical miles and, in about three days, is scheduled to touch down in Mountain View, California. The journey originated in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on March 9, 2015, and, after another 8,130 nmi, will complete the circle when it lands in Abu Dhabi. (AP)

Sport

2016 Summer Olympics
- The Olympic flame is lit outside the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, by Greek actress Katerina Lehou. Brazilian volleyball legend Giovane Gávio starts the relay that will reach the capital Brasilia on May 3 for transport throughout the South American country by 12,000 torchbearers, arriving at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 5. (AP via WMAR-TV)
Zika virus outbreak
- Some Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball players, who are scheduled to play a two-game series the end of May in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to honor Pirates Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, are concerned about being exposed to the Zika virus. About 400 cases have been confirmed in the Commonwealth. (AP via ESPN) (The Sporting News) (Yahoo! Sports)

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April 24, 2016

Top News Stories –

Astronaut Tim Peake smashes the Guinness World Record for a space marathon –
British astronaut Tim Peake ran the London Marathon while aboard the International Space Station in a world record time. The spaceman is the second person to complete the 26.2 mile distance while on the ISS. However, Peake’s time of three hours, 35 minutes and 21 seconds was far faster than US astronaut Sunita Williams of four hours, 23 minutes and ten seconds. Williams ran her race in 2007 at the same time as the Boston Marathon. [Daily Mail]

Video of the Day –

Hello Tokyo from Christoph Gelep on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide	USA
#NiallDay	#NiallDay
#الهلال_الاهلي	Rachel Roy
#DomingoDetremuraSdv	#GameofThrones
#البنات_اوصخ_ش�…	#RedBullKumite
#UFC197	#HappyBirthdayKehlani
#توقع_واربح_كا�…	#LondonMarathon
#MiPrimerAcoso	#ClassicWrestlerFilms
#KathNielAtHimigHandog2016	#CanAnyoneExplainToMe
#ماذا_تعرف_عن_ع…	#TwitterWouldBeGreatIf
#LondonMarathon	#WhatTwitterTaughtMe

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi Civil War
- At least 14 people have been killed in suicide bombing attacks in Baghdad. (Daily Times)
Yemeni Civil War
- Saudi-led air strikes kill at least ten al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters in southern Yemen. (Reuters)
- Yemeni and United Arab Emirates troops capture the seaport of Mukalla from al Qaeda. The Saudi Arabia led coalition claims to have killed more than 800 militants(Reuters), (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War
- Rockets fired by ISIL from northern Syria hit a poor neighborhood and a mosque in the Turkish city of Kilis, killing one person and injuring 26 others. Turkish security forces responded by returning fire into Syria. (Euronews) (Reuters)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations
- North Korea reportedly deploys 300 new multiple launch rocket systems along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. (Yonhap)
Syrian Civil War
- U.S. President Barack Obama rules out deploying U.S. ground troops in Syria and says military efforts alone cannot solve the country’s problems. He also said he did not think that ISIL would be defeated in his last nine months of office. (BBC)
- U.S. officials report President Obama will announce plans to send as many as 250 more U.S. troops to Syria to help fight ISIL militants. The troops are likely to include special operations forces and medical or intelligence support personnel, an official added. The decision is scheduled to be announced around noon tomorrow in Hanover, Germany, during the President’s farewell tour of Europe. (CBS News) (Reuters)
North Korea-United States relations
- President Barack Obama says the United States isn’t taking North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong’s proposal to halt nuclear activity seriously. Pyongyang would “have to do better than that,” he added.(AP)

Law and crime

Ebru Umar, a Dutch journalist of Turkish descent, is arrested in Kuşadası, Turkey, for tweets deemed critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This comes as a political storm erupted this week over reports that the Turkish consulate asked Turkish organizations in the Netherlands to forward emails and social media posts which insult Erdoğan or Turkey. (The Guardian)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Following an appeal, 12-year-old Dima al-Wawi is freed from an Israeli prison. She is believed to be the youngest female Palestinian ever imprisoned. Israeli civil law, which does not allow anyone under 14 to go to jail, did not affect her imprisonment. Palestinian residents in the occupied territories are subject to military law that can sentence suspects as young as 12 to prison. (AP via ABC News)

Politics and elections

Austrian presidential election, 2016
- Austrians vote in the first round of electing the next president. Preliminary estimates indicate FPÖ‘s Norbert Hofer won the first round with 36 percent of the vote. Greens‘ Alexander Van der Bellen, who is supported by the Green Party, garnered 20%, and another independent, Irmgard Griss, took 18.5 percent. President Heinz Fischer was not eligible to be re-elected. Candidates representing the two leading parties, that have ruled for the past 70 years, were eliminated. Hofer and Van der Bellen will compete in the runoff election on May 22, 2016. (Bloomberg) (Election website) (Deutsche Welle), (Euro News)
Equatorial Guinean presidential election, 2016
- Equatorial Guinean voters go to the polls with incumbent Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo expected to win as the opposition boycotts the election. (Voice of America) (Al Jazeera)
Japanese House of Representatives by-elections, 2016: By-elections were held for two seats controlled by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. (Japan Times)
- Hokkaido 5th district by-election, 2016: LDP candidate Yoshiaki Wada staved off the competition from independent candidate Maki Ikeda. Despite the LDP’s winning margin decreasing from 14% (in 2014) to 2%, this win is seen as a boost for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the upcoming upper house election.
- Kyoto 3rd district by-election, 2016: The newly formed Democratic Party wrested back the seat from the LDP after their candidate and former MP for the district Kenta Izumi won by a landslide.
Philippine presidential election, 2016.
- The final leg of the Philippine presidential debate series is held in Dagupan. (The Manila Bulletin)
Serbian parliamentary election, 2016
- Serbians elect a new parliament under the backdrop of its accession to the European Union. Preliminary results indicate the incumbent, pro-EU populists sweeping the election. (Bloomberg) (AP via The Washington Post)
2015–16 protests in Moldova
- Protests continue in Moldova as thousands of anti-government protesters demonstrate in the capital Chișinău despite concessions given to the protesters last month by the government. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Around 1,000 people stage a rare public protest in the Kazakh city of Atyrau, rallying against the government’s decision to sell land in auctions amid a heavy police presence, though they did not forcibly disperse the rally. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

News from Wikipedia – please support this valuable resource

April 26, 2016

Top News Stories –

Beautiful People dating site data sold online –
Data stolen from a dating website aimed at “beautiful people only” has been traded online. The details of more than a million members including their weight, height, job, and phone numbers were discovered unencrypted online in December 2015. They have now been sold on the black market, said security expert Troy Hunt. The firm said the data belonged to members who joined before July 2015 and that no passwords or financial information were included. Security researcher Chris Vickery, who originally discovered it, told the BBC the firm acted quickly after he notified them – but by then, data had already been sold on. People hoping to join the Beautiful People website submit photographs which are then rated by existing members of the opposite sex for 48 hours. If they get enough positive votes, they are then granted membership. [BBC]

Video of the Day –

RISE from David Karlak on Vimeo.

Top Twitter Trends –

Worldwide	USA
#ProjectHomeHarryDay	#alienday426
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July 10, 2016

Top News Stories –

Andy Murray wins Wimbledon by beating Milos Raonic –
Britain’s Andy Murray became Wimbledon champion for the second time with a superb performance against Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic in the final. The Scot, 29, dismantled the Raonic serve in a 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) victory to repeat his triumph of 2013 and claim a third Grand Slam title. Murray is the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon singles titles since Fred Perry in 1935. “I’m proud to have my hands on the trophy again,” said Murray. [BBC]
Andy Murray

Euro 2016: Portugal beats France 1-0 in extra-time through Eder wondergoal to claim first title –
A dramatic wondergoal from striker Eder has won Portugal its first European championship, breaking French hearts with a 1-0 win at the Stade de France. After a goalless 90 minutes, most notable for an early injury to Cristiano Ronaldo and the influx of moths that took over the stadium, Portugal began to take over the match in extra-time and substitute Eder proved the match-winner. After cutting inside past two French defenders, the Lille striker unleashed on his right boot past Hugo Lloris, stunning the vocal home crowd and sending the Portugal bench into euphoria.

Eder (R)

Video of the Day –

NB Underground from New Balance Numeric on Vimeo.

List of the Day –

Wimbledon Mens Champions in Open Era

Year	Country	Champion	Country	Runner-up	Score in the final
1968	AUS	Rod Laver	AUS	Tony Roche	6–3, 6-4, 6–2
1969	AUS	Rod Laver	AUS	John Newcombe	6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–4
1970	AUS	John Newcombe	AUS	Ken Rosewall	5–7, 6–3, 6–2, 3–6, 6–1
1971	AUS	John Newcombe	USA	Stan Smith	6–3, 5–7, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4
1972	USA	Stan Smith	ROU	Ilie Năstase	4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5
1973	TCH	Jan Kodeš	URS	Alex Metreveli	6–1, 9–8^(7–5), 6–3
1974	USA	Jimmy Connors	AUS	Ken Rosewall	6–1, 6–1, 6–4
1975	USA	Arthur Ashe	USA	Jimmy Connors	6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4
1976	SWE	Björn Borg	ROU	Ilie Năstase	6–4, 6–2, 9–7
1977	SWE	Björn Borg	USA	Jimmy Connors	3–6, 6–2, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4
1978	SWE	Björn Borg	USA	Jimmy Connors	6–2, 6–2, 6–3
1979	SWE	Björn Borg	USA	Roscoe Tanner	6–7^(4–7), 6–1, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
1980	SWE	Björn Borg	USA	John McEnroe	1–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–7^(16–18), 8–6
1981	USA	John McEnroe	SWE	Björn Borg	4–6, 7–6^(7–1), 7–6^(7–4), 6–4
1982	USA	Jimmy Connors	USA	John McEnroe	3–6, 6–3, 6–7^(2–7), 7–6^(7–5), 6–4
1983	USA	John McEnroe	NZL	Chris Lewis	6–2, 6–2, 6–2
1984	USA	John McEnroe	USA	Jimmy Connors	6–1, 6–1, 6–2
1985	FRG	Boris Becker	ZAF	Kevin Curren	6–3, 6–7^(4–7), 7–6^(7–3), 6–4
1986	FRG	Boris Becker	TCH	Ivan Lendl	6–4, 6–3, 7–5
1987	AUS	Pat Cash	TCH	Ivan Lendl	7–6^(7–5), 6–2, 7–5
1988	SWE	Stefan Edberg	FRG	Boris Becker	4–6, 7–6^(7–2), 6–4, 6–2
1989	FRG	Boris Becker	SWE	Stefan Edberg	6–0, 7–6^(7–1), 6–4
1990	SWE	Stefan Edberg	FRG	Boris Becker	6–2, 6–2, 3–6, 3–6, 6–4
1991	GER	Michael Stich	GER	Boris Becker	6–4, 7–6^(7–4), 6–4
1992	USA	Andre Agassi	CRO	Goran Ivanišević	6–7^(8–10), 6–4, 6–4, 1–6, 6–4
1993	USA	Pete Sampras	USA	Jim Courier	7–6^(7–3), 7–6^(8–6), 3–6, 6–3
1994	USA	Pete Sampras	CRO	Goran Ivanišević	7–6^(7–2), 7–6^(7–5), 6–0
1995	USA	Pete Sampras	GER	Boris Becker	6–7^(5–7), 6–2, 6–4, 6–2
1996	NED	Richard Krajicek	USA	MaliVai Washington	6–3, 6–4, 6–3
1997	USA	Pete Sampras	FRA	Cédric Pioline	6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1998	USA	Pete Sampras	CRO	Goran Ivanišević	6–7^(2–7), 7–6^(11–9), 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
1999	USA	Pete Sampras	USA	Andre Agassi	6–3, 6–4, 7–5
2000	USA	Pete Sampras	AUS	Patrick Rafter	6–7^(10–12), 7–6^(7–5), 6–4, 6–2
2001	CRO	Goran Ivanišević	AUS	Patrick Rafter	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 2–6, 9–7
2002	AUS	Lleyton Hewitt	ARG	David Nalbandian	6–1, 6–3, 6–2
2003	SUI	Roger Federer	AUS	Mark Philippoussis	7–6^(7–5), 6–2, 7–6^(7–3)
2004	SUI	Roger Federer	USA	Andy Roddick	4–6, 7–5, 7–6^(7–3), 6–4
2005	SUI	Roger Federer	USA	Andy Roddick	6–2, 7–6^(7–2), 6–4
2006	SUI	Roger Federer	ESP	Rafael Nadal	6–0, 7–6^(7–5), 6–7^(2–7), 6–3
2007	SUI	Roger Federer	ESP	Rafael Nadal	7–6^(9–7), 4–6, 7–6^(7–3), 2–6, 6–2
2008	ESP	Rafael Nadal	SUI	Roger Federer	6–4, 6–4, 6–7^(5–7), 6–7^(8–10), 9–7
2009	SUI	Roger Federer	USA	Andy Roddick	5–7, 7–6^(8–6), 7–6^(7–5), 3–6, 16–14
2010	ESP	Rafael Nadal	CZE	Tomáš Berdych	6–3, 7–5, 6–4
2011	SRB	Novak Djokovic	ESP	Rafael Nadal	6–4, 6–1, 1–6, 6–3
2012	SUI	Roger Federer	GBR	Andy Murray	4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4
2013	GBR	Andy Murray	SRB	Novak Djokovic	6–4, 7–5, 6–4
2014	SRB	Novak Djokovic	SUI	Roger Federer	6–7^(7–9), 6–4, 7–6^(7–4), 5–7, 6–4
2015	SRB	Novak Djokovic	SUI	Roger Federer	7–6^(7–1), 6–7^(10–12), 6–4, 6–3
2016	GBR	Andy Murray	CAN	Milos Raonic	6–4, 7–6^(7–3), 7–6^(7–2)

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

South Sudanese Civil War
- An estimated 272 people have been killed between rival Sudan People’s Liberation Army factions as clashes in the capital, Juba, continue. According to a spokesman for rebel leader and Vice PresidentRiek Machar, South Sudan is “back to war” despite a peace deal being reached last April. (Al Jazeera) (BBC)
Hamza bin Laden, the son of the slain Osama bin Laden, threatens a genocide against the United States to retaliate for his father’s killing. (News.com.au)

Arts and culture

An ancient Philistine cemetery has been unearthed in Israel. (BBC)

International relations

Foreign relations of the United States
- The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain issue a travel warning for their citizens heading to American cities where protests are occuring following ethnic tensions in the country. This comes after The Bahamas issued its own travel warning yesterday, after the shooting of Dallas police officers. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

Kem Ley, a popular Cambodian political commentator and frequent critic of Prime Minister Hun Sen, is shot dead at a gas station in Phnom Penh. (Cambodia Daily)

Politics and elections

Japanese House of Councillors election, 2016
- Voters in Japan go to the polls with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its Komeito partners looking for a two-thirds majority that will allow them to put forward a referendum to change the constitution. The governing parties won 70 of the 121 seats. (AAP via SBS), (Bloomberg), (AP via Crossroads Today)
Australian federal election, 2016
- The Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, concedes defeat as continued counting in marginal seats indicates that the governing coalition of the Liberal Party and National Party will either win a narrow majority or be able to govern with the support of independents. Malcolm Turnbull will continue as Prime Minister of Australia and has claimed victory. (Reuters), (The Guardian)
Shooting of Alton Sterling and Shooting of Philando Castile
- Protests continue in multiple cities across the United States following the death of two black men by police. Numerous confrontations and arrests have been reported. (Reuters)

Sport

2016 Wimbledon Championships – Men’s Singles
- In tennis, Andy Murray of Scotland defeats Canadian Milos Raonic in the finals of the men’s singles to win his second Wimbledon championship. It is the first time that a men’s Wimbledon final has not featured Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic since 2002. (Wimbledon official live updates)
UEFA Euro 2016 Final
- In football, host nation France plays against Portugal for the 2016 UEFA European Championship at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Portugal wins 1–0 with an Éder goal in extra time. (UEFA official)(BBC), (ABC News Australia)

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July 26, 2019

Top News Story –

US Supreme Court gives go-ahead for Trump wall funding

The US Supreme Court has said that President Donald Trump can use $2.5bn (£2bn) of Pentagon funds for a section of wall on the southern border.

The court ruled by five votes to four to block a ruling by a federal judge in California that barred the president from spending the money on the wall.

The wall, dividing the US and Mexico, was Mr Trump’s major campaign promise during the 2016 election.

It is fiercely opposed by Democrats.

The decision by the Supreme Court means that the money will be used for wall projects in California, Arizona and New Mexico.

The court in California had argued that Congress had not specifically authorised the funds to be used for constructing the wall.

In a tweet, Mr Trump described the ruling as a “big victory”.

Twitter post by @realDonaldTrump: Wow! Big VICTORY on the Wall. The United States Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, allows Southern Border Wall to proceed. Big WIN for Border Security and the Rule of Law!

Twitter trends [from Trendinalia] – today from USA

Other News Stories –

Business and economy

The U.S. Department of Justice approves a $26 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint. If finalized, they will become the third-largest mobile network operator in the nation. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Heavy rains in Al Haouz Province, Morocco, trigger a landslide, resulting in the deaths of 15 people. (The New York Times) (Morocco World News)
Two people die and more than 17 are injured when an internal balcony collapses at a nightclub in the South Korean city of Gwangju. (BBC)
At least nine people are killed and 60 others injured when two earthquakes strike the province of Batanes in the Philippines. (InquirerNet)

Health and environment

Saudi Arabia suspends visas for Hajj pilgrims arriving from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amid safety concerns regarding the ongoing Ebola epidemic in Kivu. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

A man from the Bronx, New York City, is arrested for attempting to join the Taliban. (ABC News)
Sixteen American marines are arrested at Camp Pendleton, California, on suspicion of aiding human smuggling and drug charges. (CBS News)

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July 29, 2019

Top News Story –

India’s tiger population rises to 3,000 despite cities expanding

India’s tiger population has grown to nearly 3,000 and has been described by the country’s prime minister as a “historic achievement”.

India estimates its tiger population every few years and the number for 2018 was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

The tiger population was 2,226 in 2014 and just 1,400 about 15 years ago.

Mr Modi said the number of protected areas for tigers rose from 692 in 2014 to 860 last year while the number of community reserves went from 43 to 100 over the same period.

“With around 3,000 tigers, India has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for them in the world,” he said.

Belinda Wright, founder of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, based in New Delhi, said India “still has a long way to go to secure a long-term future for wild tigers”.

But she also said India should, nevertheless, be pleased with the results of what was the largest and most thorough estimation of the tiger population.

(SKY News)

‘Definitely weird’: man bites snake

An Indian man who was bitten by a snake got his revenge on the reptile by biting it back and killing it, the man’s father said on Monday.

The man, Raj Kumar, was relaxing at home, enjoying a drink on Sunday, when a snake slithered into his house in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, and bit him, said his father.

“A snake bit him. So, in turn, he bit it and chewed it into pieces,” said the father, Babu Ram.

The man’s family took him to hospital where media said his condition was critical. The snake that bit him was reported to have been a rat snake, which experts regard as usually not venomous.

“This is definitely weird,” said Raj Kumar’s doctor, N.P. Singh.

“I’ve seen people coming in with snakebites, but never somebody who bit a snake and then brought it with him in a bag.”

(Reuters)

Twitter trends [from Trendinalia] – today from USA

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Afghanistan
- An Afghan National Army soldier kills two U.S. service members in a suspected “insider attack” in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (BBC)
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
- Ten civilians, including children, are killed after a Saudi Arabian-led coalition air strike hits a market in northern Yemen. (The Washington Post)
2018–19 Sudanese protests
- Five students are shot dead after security forces open fire in the city of El-Obeid during a protest. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

Billboard reports that Lil Nas X has broken the all-time record on the Billboard Hot 100 with his song “Old Town Road“, as it spends its seventeenth week atop the chart; the previous record-holders are Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men with “One Sweet Day“, and Luis Fonsi with “Despacito” featuring Daddy Yankee. (Billboard)

Business and economy

International sanctions during the Venezuelan crisis
- Venezuelan officials are accused of using the cryptocurrency Bitcoin in order to circumvent United States sanctions. (Yahoo Finance)
Capital One announces that a major data breach occurred on July 19, 2019, by one individual who compromised the data of about 106 million people in the United States and Canada. The Federal Bureau of Investigation have a made an arrest after the alleged hacker, 33-year-old Paige Thompson from Seattle, boasted about her actions online. (BBC)

Law and crime

An eight-year-old boy is killed and his mother injured after being pushed by a man into the path of an oncoming train at Frankfurt‘s main station, in Hesse, Germany. The attacker, a 40-year-old immigrant Eritrean man, also attempted to knock a third person onto the tracks. The suspect and the victims did not appear to have known one another. (Sky News)
2019 Altamira prison riot
- At least 57 people are killed, including sixteen who were beheaded, during prison riots in Pará, Brazil, which saw rival gangs battle for five hours. (BBC)

Politics and elections

After two FARC leaders go into hiding from drug trafficking charges in Colombia and the United States, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro makes a public statement saying they are welcome to take refuge in his country. He also welcomes other FARC rebels to Venezuela, calling them “leaders of peace”. (Reuters)
2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests
- The Chinese government‘s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office condemns protests in Hong Kong as “evil and criminal acts committed by the radical elements”, saying that Hong Kong’s top priority is to “punish violent and unlawful acts in accordance with the law”. Hong Kong legislators and journalists reject the statement from Beijing, expressing concern that this will worsen tensions. (BBC)

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July 30, 2019

Top News Story –

Chinese vlogger who used filter to look younger caught in live-stream glitch

Fans of a popular Chinese video blogger who called herself “Your Highness Qiao Biluo” have been left stunned after a technical glitch during one of her live-streams revealed her to be a middle-aged woman and not the young glamorous girl they thought her to be.

The revelation has led to discussions about standards of beauty across the country’s social media platforms.

The blogger, who initially boasted a follower count of more than 100,000 on Douyu, is believed to have used a filter on her face during her appearances, and had been renowned for her “sweet and healing voice”.

China’s Global Times said she had been “worshipped” as a “cute goddess” by some members of her loyal audience with some fans even giving her more than 100,000 yuan ($14,533, £11,950).

However, live-streaming platform Lychee News says the incident happened on 25 July, during a joint live-stream with another user, Qingzi on the Douyu platform.

The Global Times reports that all was as normal and that her fans urged her to show her face and remove her filter but she refused, instead apparently saying: “I can’t show my face until I receive gifts worth 100,000 yuan ($11,950). After all, I’m a good-looking host.”

Followers began to send her donations with the largest reported to be 40,000 yuan ($5,813, £4,780) during the session.

However, at some point, it seems the filter being used by the vlogger stopped working and her real face became visible to her viewers.

She is reported to have noticed only when people who had signed up to her VIP access room started exiting en masse.

Many of her original followers – especially men – are said to have stopped following her and withdrawn their transactions after seeing her true identity.

Your Highness Qiao Biluo without a filter and with a filter — Your Highness Qiao Biluo’s real appearance (left) and her filtered face (right) on Douyu

(BBC)

Twitter trends [from Trendinalia] – today from USA

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in North-West Pakistan
- Four are killed and over 20 injured in a bomb blast near a police station in Quetta, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

At least 18 people, including thirteen civilians and five crew members, are killed and 12 others injured after a small military plane crashes into a residential area near the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Al-Sultan Abdullah is crowned as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur. (Berita Harian)
Romanian Interior Minister Nicolae Moga resigns just six days into office amid outrage and protests over the slow response by police to the disappearance, rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl near the city of Caracal. (RFERL)

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August 1, 2019

Top News Story –

Milky Way galaxy is warped and twisted, not flat

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is “warped and twisted” and not flat as previously thought, new research shows.

Analysis of the brightest stars in the galaxy shows that they do not lie on a flat plane as shown in academic texts and popular science books.

Astronomers from Warsaw University speculate that it might have been bent out of shape by past interactions with nearby galaxies.

The new three dimensional map has been published in the journal Science.

The popular picture of the Milky Way as a flat disc is based on the observation of 2.5 million stars out of a possible 2.5 billion. The artists’ impressions are therefore rough approximations of the truer shape of our galaxy, according to Dr Dorota Skowron of Warsaw University.

“The internal structure and history of the Milky Way is still far from being understood, in part because it is extremely difficult to measure distances to stars at the outer regions of our galaxy,” she said.

(BBC)

Twitter trends [from Trendinalia] – today from USA

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War
- At least 36 security forces, including Southern Movement commander Munir Al Yafi, are killed and scores wounded in a rocket attack on a military camp near the city of Aden, Yemen. In an earlier attack, 13 people are killed by a suicide bomber in Sheikh Othman. The rocket attack was claimed by Houthi movement, while the suicide bombing was claimed by Islamic State. (Anadolu Agency)
Somali Civil War
- Mayor of Mogadishu Abdirahman Abdi Osman dies from injuries he sustained during the 24 July 2019 Mogadishu bombing. (The New York Times)

Business and economy

China–United States trade war
- President of the United States Donald Trump announces in a tweet that the United States will impose import tariffs of 10% on US$300 billion worth of Chinese exports starting September 1. (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

The town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, England, is evacuated after heavy rain and flooding causes structural damage to the nearby dam at the Toddbrook Reservoir amid fears the dam could collapse. A severe flood warning has been issued for communities situated along the River Goyt. (BBC)

International relations

2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis
- U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says that the United States has “a blueprint” to recover Venezuela’s economy if Nicolás Maduro leaves office as the nation’s disputed President. (Wall Street Journal)
- U.S President Donald Trump says that he is considering a blockade of Venezuela as the U.S increases pressure on President Maduro to step down.(Reuters)

Science and technology

List of nearest exoplanets
- Astronomers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy announce the discovery of red dwarf star GJ 357 and its three confirmed exoplanets in the Hydra constellation, one of which (GJ 357 d) is highly likely to be a super-Earth planet located in the system’s circumstellar habitable zone where life can exist. The discovery was made using NASA‘s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). (The Independent)

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The 2010s

The story of a decade

Tag Archives: USA

February 5, 2016

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July 10, 2016

July 26, 2019

US Supreme Court gives go-ahead for Trump wall funding

July 29, 2019

India’s tiger population rises to 3,000 despite cities expanding

‘Definitely weird’: man bites snake

July 30, 2019

Chinese vlogger who used filter to look younger caught in live-stream glitch

August 1, 2019

Milky Way galaxy is warped and twisted, not flat