The FBI has announced it has identified the militant in the videos depicting the killings of two US journalists and a British aid worker. However, FBI Director James Comey says the agency will not yet release the name of Islamic State fighter, so-called Jihadi John, who seemed to speak with a British accent. UK Foreign… Continue reading Jihadi John: FBI identifies masked militant in ISIS’ killings videos
Year: 2014
9/11 Ground Zero illness: Three FDNY firefighters die from cancer on the same day
Three retired FDNY firefighters who worked at Ground Zero have died on the same day from cancer. According to experts, the illness might be connected to toxic World Trade Center dust released on September 11, fire officials said on September 25. Lt. Howard Bischoff, 58, and firefighters Robert Leaver, 56, and Daniel Heglund, 58, died… Continue reading 9/11 Ground Zero illness: Three FDNY firefighters die from cancer on the same day
Eric Holder to resign as US General Attorney
US Attorney General Eric Holder is resigning after six years on the job. Eric Holder is the nation’s first black attorney general. The White House said that President Barack Obama would announce Eric Holder’s departure later Thursday, September 25, and that Holder planned to remain at the Justice Department until his successor was in place.… Continue reading Eric Holder to resign as US General Attorney
Kim Kardashian attacked by Vitalii Sediuk at Paris Fashion Week event
Kim Kardashian was apparently jostled by someone waiting in a large crowd outside her car at a Paris Fashion Week event on September 25. Kim Kardashian, 33, had just exited her car at the posh Hotel Salomon de Rothschild when the kerfuffle erupted around 3 p.m. In a video posted on TMZ.com, Kim Kardashian appears… Continue reading Kim Kardashian attacked by Vitalii Sediuk at Paris Fashion Week event
Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa to divorce after 14 months of marriage
Amber Rose filed for divorce from Wiz Khalifa after just 14 months of marriage, TMZ reported. Reportedly citing irreconcilable differences, Amber Rose, 30, is looking to gain full custody of the couple’s son Sebastian, whom they welcomed in February 2013. The gossip website alleges that the breakup is a bitter one, and infidelity may be… Continue reading Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa to divorce after 14 months of marriage
Diana Krall cancels US fall tour due to pneumonia
Diana Krall has canceled her US fall tour to give herself time to recuperate from a severe case of pneumonia. Diana Krall said in a statement released by her publicist she’s “deeply saddened” about the postponement, but is “under doctor’s orders to rest for the next few months in order to regain my strength and… Continue reading Diana Krall cancels US fall tour due to pneumonia
Britney Spears launches her first lingerie line
Britney Spears launched her debut collection of lingerie and sleepwear, called The Intimate Britney Spears, in London on September 23. The line, which the singer describes as “romantic, feminine and subtle,” has been two and a half years in the making. “It’s been a really long process but it’s been a lot of fun,” said… Continue reading Britney Spears launches her first lingerie line
Ebola outbreak: Sierra Leone quarantines another one million people
Sierra Leone has widened the Ebola quarantine to include another one million people in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease. President Ernest Bai Koroma has announced that northern districts of Port Loko and Bombali, and Moyamba in the south will be sealed off immediately. Nearly 600 people have died of the virus… Continue reading Ebola outbreak: Sierra Leone quarantines another one million people
Shellshock bug: New security vulnerability is bigger than Heartbleed
Experts have discovered a new security vulnerability – dubbed Shellshock bug or Bash – affecting hundreds of millions of computers, servers and devices. The flaw has been found in a software component known as Bash, which is a part of many Linux systems as well as Apple’s Mac operating system. Shellshock bug can be used… Continue reading Shellshock bug: New security vulnerability is bigger than Heartbleed
Marlene Pinnock: Woman punched by CHP officer gets $1.5 million
Marlene Pinnock, who was repeatedly punched in the face and head by a police officer at the side of the road, will receive $1.5 million in compensation. Footage posted on YouTube in July 2014 shows a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer straddling the woman and hitting her many times. The settlement agreed on September 24… Continue reading Marlene Pinnock: Woman punched by CHP officer gets $1.5 million
Cyprus: Salamis Filoxenia cruise ship rescues 300 people stranded in boat off Paphos
Three hundred people have been rescued by Salamis Filoxenia cruise ship off Cyprus after their boat ran into trouble in rough seas. The stranded are thought to be Syrian refugees. The refugees were taken aboard the Salamis Filoxenia, Limassol port master Girgos Pouros said. All are said to be in good health. Most of the… Continue reading Cyprus: Salamis Filoxenia cruise ship rescues 300 people stranded in boat off Paphos
iOS 8.0.1: Apple publishes support document and apologizes for iOS 8 update bug
Apple has issued an apology after an update to its iOS 8 left some iPhones users unable to make or receive calls. Users who had installed iOS 8.0.1 on the iPhone 6 models also complained it had caused problems for the handsets’ Touch ID fingerprint facility. The update had been released less than a week… Continue reading iOS 8.0.1: Apple publishes support document and apologizes for iOS 8 update bug
US and coalition airstrikes target ISIS-held oil refineries in Syria
New US and coalition airstrikes have targeted ISIS-held oil refineries in Syria. The raids killed 14 ISIS fighters and five civilians in eastern Syria, activists said. The US military said the refineries generated as much as $2 million per day in revenue for ISIS. President Barack Obama has vowed to dismantle the ISIS “network of… Continue reading US and coalition airstrikes target ISIS-held oil refineries in Syria
Dengue fever: Brazil releases mosquitoes contaminated with Wolbachia bacteria
Brazil has released thousands of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria that suppress dengue fever. Researchers hope the good mosquitoes will multiply, breed and become the majority, thus reducing cases of the disease. The initiative is part of a program also taking place in Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia. The intercellular bacteria, Wolbachia, being introduced cannot be… Continue reading Dengue fever: Brazil releases mosquitoes contaminated with Wolbachia bacteria
Barack Obama’s Coffee Salute Condemned on Twitter
Many Americans took to Twitter to condemn President Barack Obama after he appeared to salute Marine Corps guards outside his helicopter while holding a coffee cup in his right hand. The uproar began after the White House posted a video on Instagram of Barack Obama disembarking from Marine One on September 23, as he arrived… Continue reading Barack Obama’s Coffee Salute Condemned on Twitter
Richard Branson offers employees as much vacation as they want
Virgin’s Richard Branson is offering his personal staff as much vacation as they want. On his website, Richard Branson said that his staff of 170 could “take off whenever they want for as long as they want”. He added that there was no need to ask for approval, nor say when they planned to return,… Continue reading Richard Branson offers employees as much vacation as they want
Los Angeles raises minimum hotel wage to $15.37 per hour
Los Angeles has raised the minimum wage at large hotels to $15.37 per hour. In a 12-3 vote, the LA city council approved the rise for hotels with more than 300 rooms on July 1, 2015, and for hotels with more than 150 rooms a year later. The new wage floor would be one of… Continue reading Los Angeles raises minimum hotel wage to $15.37 per hour
Ferguson protests: Five people arrested and two police officers injured in renewed violence
Five people were arrested and two police officers injured in renewed violence overnight on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri. The renewed violence sparked in the town after a fire destroyed a shrine to Michael Brown, the black teenager killed by a police officer last month. Police in Ferguson have said they will not tolerate further… Continue reading Ferguson protests: Five people arrested and two police officers injured in renewed violence
Vince Vaughn and Colin Farrell confirmed for True Detective Season 2
Vince Vaughn and Colin Farrell have been confirmed as the new stars of the second season of True Detective. Eight episodes will be made with Colin Farrell starring as a detective and Vince Vaughn as a criminal, HBO has confirmed. First time around, Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey took centre stage, earning them critical plaudits… Continue reading Vince Vaughn and Colin Farrell confirmed for True Detective Season 2
Tony Stewart cleared by grand jury in Kevin Ward Jr’s death case
NASCAR driver Tony Stewart will not face criminal charges in the crash that killed 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on August 9, a grand jury in Ontario County (N.Y.) ruled Wednesday afternoon, following two days of hearings. “This week an Ontario County grand jury has been meeting… Continue reading Tony Stewart cleared by grand jury in Kevin Ward Jr’s death case
The Role of eBooks in Environmental Responsibility
eBooks have many advantages, and most people are familiar with some of the key benefits: affordability, instant gratification, large print capabilities, audio capabilities, educational interaction, and saved space, to name a few. However, many people remain unaware of the very important and unique advantage eBooks have concerning the environment. To learn more about how eBooks… Continue reading The Role of eBooks in Environmental Responsibility
Bob Dylan to be named 2015’s MusiCares person of the year
Bob Dylan will be named 2015’s MusiCares person of the year at the special pre-Grammys event in February. Jack White, Neil Young, The Black Keys, Willie Nelson and Crosby, Stills and Nash will perform at the gala to celebrate Bob Dylan, 73. Carole King and Bruce Springsteen are among the honor’s previous recipients. Bob Dylan… Continue reading Bob Dylan to be named 2015’s MusiCares person of the year
Samsung stops laptop sales in Europe
Samsung is ending its laptop sales in Europe, the company has announced. The move includes its Chromebook model, which had previously been one of the category’s best-sellers. The South Korean company’s decision follows Sony’s announcement earlier this year that it was selling its Vaio division and pulling out of PC sales altogether. However, other companies… Continue reading Samsung stops laptop sales in Europe
Right Livelihood Award 2014: Edward Snowden wins alternative Nobel Prize
Edward Snowden has won the 2014 Right Livelihood Award, described as Sweden’s “alternative Nobel Prize”. The fugitive US intelligence leaker splits the honorary award with Alan Rusbridger, editor of UK newspaper The Guardian, which wrote extensively on government surveillance, based on his leaks. Cash prizes went to three activists from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the… Continue reading Right Livelihood Award 2014: Edward Snowden wins alternative Nobel Prize
iPhone 6 bending: Apple’s new handset bends when carried in trouser pocket
More and more Apple users claim that the company’s new iPhone 6 handsets are prone to bend when carried in trouser pockets. Several members of the public have posted photos to the MacRumors site that appear to show the problem. A reporter for the Geek.com news site also reported his phone had warped. Other mobiles… Continue reading iPhone 6 bending: Apple’s new handset bends when carried in trouser pocket