Hong Kong’s leader CY Leung says he will not step down, amid calls from pro-democracy protesters for him to resign. CY Leung said his government was willing to hold talks with the protesters. The protesters are angry at China’s plan to vet candidates for elections in 2017, and say they want full democracy. They have… Continue reading Hong Kong protests: CY Leung refuses to resign
Year: 2014
Lynsey de Paul dies following suspected brain hemorrhage aged 64
British singer Lynsey de Paul has died at the age of 64, following a suspected brain hemorrhage. Lynsey de Paul represented the UK in the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Rock Bottom. She became the first woman to win an Ivor Novello award for songwriting. Lynsey de Paul, who broke into the music… Continue reading Lynsey de Paul dies following suspected brain hemorrhage aged 64
Photographer asked to cease harassing Prince George and nanny
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s lawyers have asked a photographer to “cease harassing” Prince George and his nanny. A Kensington Palace statement said they were prompted to take action after the man was spotted near 14-month-old Prince George in a central London park. The statement said: “No parent would tolerate the suspicion of someone pursuing… Continue reading Photographer asked to cease harassing Prince George and nanny
George Clooney’s wedding celebrations cost $13 million
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s four-day wedding celebrations in Venice cost an estimated 10 million euros ($13 million). The wedding celebrations involved pool-side cocktail parties, dinners in five-star hotels and a lavish wedding reception on the Grand Canal. More than 100 guests, including Matt Damon, Sandra Bullock and Cindy Crawford, converged on Venice for the… Continue reading George Clooney’s wedding celebrations cost $13 million
Kim Jong-un weight gain: North Korean leader broke both ankles and is hospitalized
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has become so fat while in office that his ankles have fractured under his own weight, it was reported. Kim Jong-un, 31, who has looked increasingly portly since taking power, had to undergo a hospital operation after putting too much strain on his ankles during a gruelling round of official… Continue reading Kim Jong-un weight gain: North Korean leader broke both ankles and is hospitalized
Mila Kunis gives birth to baby girl at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher welcomed a baby girl on Tuesday, September 30, TMZ reported. Mila Kunis delivered at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. A source close to the couple claims the couple arrived Tuesday morning at about 6 a.m. The source also told TMZ Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher went directly into the… Continue reading Mila Kunis gives birth to baby girl at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles
Bulgaria gunpowder plant explosion: At least 15 people feared dead in Gorni Lom blast
At least 15 people are feared dead after an explosion devastated Gorni Lom gunpowder plant north of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. Civil defense force head Nikolay Nikolov said: “There are no signs of life at the site of the explosion.” “After the examination we made, the hopes to find survivors have completely vanished,” said Nikolay… Continue reading Bulgaria gunpowder plant explosion: At least 15 people feared dead in Gorni Lom blast
Five reasons you’re tired all the time
If you find yourself counting down the minutes to bedtime as soon as you wake, yawning your way through the working day and struggling to stay awake on the journey home, you are not alone. As many as one in five of us feel unusually tired at any one time. If you feel constantly fatigued,… Continue reading Five reasons you’re tired all the time
Security solutions: the importance of hosted backup
Having effective IT backup systems in place is a must for businesses these days. Without such security measures, companies stand to lose potentially valuable data, and this could have disastrous consequences. Highlighting just how much data is being generated around the world, a 2013 report produced by a team at Stanford University in the US… Continue reading Security solutions: the importance of hosted backup
Ukraine: Rebels conduct offensive to capture Donetsk airport
Ukraine’s rebel forces are conducting an offensive to capture the government-held airport in Donetsk, officials say. Pro-Russian rebels have tried several times in recent weeks to take the airport, which lies to the north-west of the city. The insurgents continued an offensive – begun on Wednesday, October 1 – on “a broad front”, the Ukrainian… Continue reading Ukraine: Rebels conduct offensive to capture Donetsk airport
Zimbabwe: Chenjerai Hove calls on First Lady Grace Mugabe to hand back PhD
Zimbabwean writer Chenjerai Hove has called on First Lady Grace Mugabe to hand back her PhD. The wife of President Robert Mugabe was awarded a doctorate from the University of Zimbabwe last month. There has been confusion over when Grace Mugabe enrolled, with some sources saying it was only two months ago – and students… Continue reading Zimbabwe: Chenjerai Hove calls on First Lady Grace Mugabe to hand back PhD
Sierra Leone: Five new Ebola cases per hour
Leading charity Save the Children has warned that a rate of five new Ebola cases an hour in Sierra Leone means healthcare demands are far outstripping supply. Save the Children said there were 765 new cases of Ebola reported in Sierra Leone last week, while there are only 327 beds in the country. Experts and… Continue reading Sierra Leone: Five new Ebola cases per hour
Julia Pierson resigns as Secret Service director
Secret Service Director Julia Pierson has resigned following several high-profile security lapses. Julia Pierson offered her resignation to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on October 1. On September 30, Julia Pierson faced angry questions in Congress about a major breach of White House security. News of another incident involving an armed man… Continue reading Julia Pierson resigns as Secret Service director
Sandy Hook Elementary School in Monroe evacuated following bomb threat
Sandy Hook Elementary School in Monroe, Connecticut, attended by survivors of the 2012 shooting massacre, has been evacuated following a bomb threat. The threat was called in to the school at about 9.30 a.m., Lieutenant Brian McCauley said. Students were evacuated and taken to a nearby school where they will be reunited with their parents. Lt.… Continue reading Sandy Hook Elementary School in Monroe evacuated following bomb threat
Texas school children monitored for Ebola
Texas school children have come into contact with the first patient to be diagnosed with Ebola on US soil, Governor Rick Perry has said. At a news conference at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Gov. Rick Perry said the children were being monitored “at home” for symptoms. The patient is thought to have contracted… Continue reading Texas school children monitored for Ebola
FAA orders airlines to replace Boeing cockpit display units
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered airlines to replace or modify the cockpit display units fitted to hundreds of Boeing jets. The US air safety regulator said that tests had indicated that mobile phone and computer signals could cause the screens to go blank. The affected planes are typically fitted with several screens, each… Continue reading FAA orders airlines to replace Boeing cockpit display units
Malcolm Young suffers from dementia
Malcolm Young, who recently left AC/DC due to ill-health, is reportedly suffering from dementia. 61-year-old Malcolm Young, AC/DC guitarist and founder member, has been replaced in the band by his nephew, Stevie Young. A family statement to People magazine said: “Malcolm is suffering from dementia and the family thanks you for respecting their privacy.” AC/DC… Continue reading Malcolm Young suffers from dementia
Generations: South Africa’s most popular show on hiatus after cast sacking
Generations fans have been cut off from South Africa’s most popular show following the August sacking of its cast for demanding better pay. The last available episode of Generations was broadcast on September 30. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said it would be at least two months before a “revamped” version of the show… Continue reading Generations: South Africa’s most popular show on hiatus after cast sacking
Tom and Jerry cartoons to be presented with cautionary note about ethnic and racial prejudices
Classic Tom and Jerry cartoons on TV will be accompanied by a warning that they may depict scenes of “racial prejudice”. The cartoons, some made more than 70 years ago, carry a warning for subscribers to Amazon Prime Instant Video. There have been claims of racist stereotyping in the depiction of a black maid in… Continue reading Tom and Jerry cartoons to be presented with cautionary note about ethnic and racial prejudices
Hong Kong protests: Huge pro-democracy rallies on National Day
Hong Kong protesters are preparing for huge pro-democracy rallies on the National Day as leader CY Leung has urged them to back electoral reforms set out by Beijing. Speaking early on the National Day holiday, CY Leung said Hong Kong should work with Beijing to achieve progress. The protesters want Beijing to withdraw plans to… Continue reading Hong Kong protests: Huge pro-democracy rallies on National Day
International Day of Older Persons 2014
On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated October 1st as the International Day of Older Persons. This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing – which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing – and endorsed later that year by the UN… Continue reading International Day of Older Persons 2014
Global AgeWatch Index 2014: Norway is the best place to grow old
According to an index of the quality of later life in 96 countries, Norway is the best place to grow old. HelpAge International’s Global AgeWatch Index measures the social and economic welfare of those over 60. Published on the UN International Day of Older Persons, it ranks Australia, Western Europe and North America highly, and… Continue reading Global AgeWatch Index 2014: Norway is the best place to grow old
Daniel Crespo: Bell Gardens mayor shot dead by wife Levette Crespo
Daniel Crespo, the mayor of California suburb Bell Gardens, has been fatally shot at home and his wife taken into custody. Mayor Daniel Crespo, 45, got into an argument with his wife, Levette Crespo, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Crystal Hernandez said. Levette Crespo is thought to have shot her husband after the couple’s 19-year-old… Continue reading Daniel Crespo: Bell Gardens mayor shot dead by wife Levette Crespo
Barack Obama shared elevator with armed ex-convict in Atlanta
President Barack Obama rode in an elevator this month with an armed security contractor who had assault convictions, in what appears to be another security lapse. It happened on September 16 when Barack Obama visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. The incident came to light on September 30, hours after… Continue reading Barack Obama shared elevator with armed ex-convict in Atlanta
First Ebola case on US soil confirmed in Dallas
The first Ebola case diagnosed on US soil has been confirmed in Dallas, Texas. According to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital officials, the unidentified patient is being kept in isolation. The man is thought to have contracted the virus in Liberia before travelling to the US nearly two weeks ago. More than 3,000 people have already… Continue reading First Ebola case on US soil confirmed in Dallas