Monday 30 November 2015

Tubers like humans


.......Farmer Ben Fletch claims this sweet potato is too sexy for his dinner plate!

Man charged for allegedly shooting and killing toddler while cleaning his gun

Henry Bartle has been charged with criminally negligent homicide

A man has been charged with shooting a seven-month-old baby dead after his gun went off as he cleaned it. Henry Bartle, who lives with his girlfriend Selena Hitt - the mother of the child - allegedly had the 12-gauge shotgun on his lap with the barrel pointing at the tot when the tragedy happened. After loading the firearm and fitting an accessory grip, the 18-year-old attempted to stand up. As he did the gun went off hitting Nathaniel who was just a few feet away, the Mirror reports.
The incident was witnessed by the mother and another man who had been visiting their home in Rome, New York.

Kenyan university’s anti-terror drills leaves 1 dead and many injured

       An injured woman being helped by paramedics      (C)Reuters

Although blasts and shooting at a Nairobi university proved to be nothing more than anti-terror drills, they caught unaware students and staff by surprise, causing panic and a rush to the exits in which at least one woman died and 20 students were injured.
“We confirm that we have one fatality, this evening. One staff member by name Esther Kidemba, 33, has died from severe head injuries,” the university’s Director of Communication, Betty Ngala, said in a statement, as cited by Daily Nation. The victim is said to have jumped from the third floor.
More than 20 students were wounded in the stampede or jumping from upper floors, three of them critically.
“Most of those we received had fractures while some sustained head and chest injuries,” said Dr. Evans Mwenda of Nairobi West Hospital.

Beijing issues orange alert as it experiences its highest level of smog


Beijing has issued an orange alert and has urged residents to stay indoors because of heavy smog which has covered the capital. This is the highest-level smog alert so far this year, and the warning level is second only to ‘red’ in terms of its severity. The orange alert was issued a day after the level of small particles (so called PM 2.5 particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less) reached 274 micrograms per cubic meter. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers only 25 micrograms to be a safe level.

Robert Lewandowski receives four Guinness World Record certificates for his exploits

Robert Lewandowski with his four GWR certificates   (C)@FCBayernEN

Bayern Munich has revealed at a special news conference that Robert Lewandowski has finally been bestowed with not one, not two, but four official Guinness World Record certificates all attained as a result of his incredible five-goal haul against Wolfsburg back in September. Having come on as a half-time substitute, the Polish striker wasted little time in steering home five goals in the space of just nine minutes -- thus breaking a series of long-standing domestic records.
First came the fastest Bundesliga hat trick (3 minutes, 22 seconds), swiftly followed by the fastest four goals in a Bundesliga match (5 minutes, 42 seconds) and the fastest five goals in a Bundesliga match (8 minutes, 59 seconds).
In the process, he also topped off his quick-fire afternoon's work by breaking the record for the most goals scored by a substitute in a Bundesliga match (five).

Sunday 29 November 2015

Man murders father, stabs mother because he wasn’t included in the fast food they ordered

            32-year-old Ronald Pritchett                       (C)PoliceHandout

Authorities say a man has been charged in Louisiana with killing his father and stabbing his mother because they ordered fast food and didn’t get any for him. John Fortunato, a sheriff’s spokesman in Jefferson Parish, says 32-year-old Ronald Pritchett faces charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and auto theft. In Mississippi, Lamar County Sheriff Danny Rigel says Pritchett was arrested Thursday at a relative’s home near the town of Purvis and has waived extradition to Louisiana.
Fortunato says 58-year-old Percival Pritchett and his wife, 57-year-old Renta Pritchett, were stabbed Wednesday at their home in unincorporated Gretna. University Medical Center spokeswoman Aleis Tusa says Renta Pritchett was released after treatment.

Warning: Extremely hot conditions expected in parts of South Africa


The South African Weather Service has issues a warning as extremely high temperatures are expected on Monday. SA Weather Services said extreme high fire danger conditions are expected for the interior of the Northern Cape, West Coast District, Cape Winelands and the Central and Little Karoo of the Western Cape as well as the north eastern parts of the Eastern Cape.
A heat wave with persistently high temperatures is expected over the West Coast District interior and Overberg until Monday, as well as over the Central Karoo persisting until Tuesday.
SA Weather Services said hot and humid weather will result in extremely uncomfortable conditions over the north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal too.


Message of the day


MTN’s $5.2bn fine: Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Jacob Zuma to meet

Presidents Muhammadu Buhari (left) and Jacob Zuma

The presidents of Africa’s two biggest economies plan to meet in Johannesburg this week to discuss MTN’s $5.2bn fine in Nigeria, reported the Sunday Times. President Jacob Zuma and his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari are expected to meet and discuss the fine along the sidelines of the Forum of China-Africa Co-operation, the newspaper reported on Sunday. The event takes place on December 4-5 at the Sandton Convention Centre. Meanwhile, the expected meeting between the two heads of state comes after Nigeria’s communications technology minister Adebayo Shittu told newspapers in the West African country that Buhari will decide on MTN’s fate regarding the fine.

Chimney ‘stuck’ burglar dies when unsuspecting homeowner lit a fire



Police say a suspected burglar died after becoming stuck in the chimney of a California home Saturday afternoon when the unsuspecting homeowner lit a fire. It was reported that the homeowner heard someone yell after lighting a fire in his fireplace. Pursell said the homeowner called 911 and also tried to put out the fire as his house began to fill with smoke. Firefighters who rushed to the chaotic scene used jackhammers to break open the brick chimney in an attempt to rescue the man.
However, the suspected burglar, who was not immediately identified, had died during the attempted rescue. Pursell said the man was responsive during the rescue and appeared to be breathing and moving inside of the chimney.

Father accused of allegedly killing son and feeding his body to pigs

Micheal Jones is suspected to have killed his son and fed the pigs with his body

Michael Jones, 44, is in the Wyandotte County Jail in Kansas held on a $10million bond. At this stage he has been charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated battery and child abuse, but could face more pending further investigation. Investigators think the dad beat his son, seven, so much that he died. Officers were called to the home in Piper where he lives with his 29-year-old wife, Heather Jones and eight children aged between one and 11. Police arrived following reports Michael Jones attacked his wife and firing a gun at her.

Graphic Pictures: Over a dozen killed in Gauteng crash

               Scene of the accident                           (C)ArriveAlive
Paramedics are on the scene of a major accident on the R28 towards Vereeniging. ER24 spokesperson Chitra Bodasing told News24 a minibus taxi and a truck are believed to have collided.
"ER24 paramedics are attending to patients on scene. It is understood that at least 15 people have died."
The minibus taxi caught alight. Passengers were also ejected. The injured, some in a critical condition, are being treated. Paramedics have since dispatched further resources to the scene, including a medical helicopter.
More pictures after the cut

Picture of the day

......candid camera!

Russian lawmaker killed when husband set off grenade during sex in car

Oksana Bobrovskaya, 30 died along with her husband

Oksana Bobrovskaya, 30, a member of Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party, was killed alongside hubby Nikita Bobrovsky, when he reportedly set off a bomb in  a jealous rage, police said. The couple are said to have been enjoying a late night romp near her office in temperatures of -6C when the explosive went off. It is thought they were rowing at the time and he had previously accused her of cheating on him with a wealthy lover, according to police sources.
NIkita was holding “a kind of grenade or a piece of TNT”, reports claimed.
Eyewitnesses who rushed to the scene of the blast said the pair were both in the back seat of the white Toyota RAV4. All the windows except the front windscreen were blown out. When the bodies were removed from the car, both the politician and her husband were “naked below the belt”. The couple had a four-year-old daughter who was orphaned by the tragedy. Mrs Bobrovskaya was a regional legislative deputy in Novosibirsk, Siberia.

Mother and boyfriend charged in the death of toddler who was roasted in the oven by siblings

Racqual Thompson, 25, and Cornell Malone, 21, have been charged for the death of J'zyra (C)HPD

A Houston mother and her boyfriend have been charged in connection with the death of her 19-month-old daughter, who was burned alive in an oven when she and her three young siblings were left home alone (You can read the story here). Racqual Thompson, 25, and Cornell Malone, 21, are each facing four counts of endangering a child after J'zyra Thompson was put in the oven by one of her siblings while they went out to get pizza
Both remain jailed on Tuesday, each with bonds totaling $36,000, after their arrests Tuesday morning. Court records didn't list attorneys for the pair. KTRK-TV reported last week that according to court records, J'zyra Thompson's two three-year-old siblings told Child Protective Services that one of them put J'zyra inside the oven and that they made the oven 'hot.'

Saturday 28 November 2015

Jamie Vardy breaks over 10 years old Premier League record by scoring in eleven consecutive games

Jamie Vardy celebrating his feat
The England striker's goal in Leicester's game against Manchester United takes him past former Red Devils man Ruud van Nistelrooy, who previously held the record. The Dutchman notched in ten successive matches between March and August 2003, his strikes spread over two seasons. Vardy has now bettered that feat, going on a sensational scoring spree since his late equaliser away to Bournemouth on 29 August.
He went on to net against Aston Villa, Stoke, Arsenal, Norwich, Southampton, Crystal Palace, West Brom and Watford, before drawing level with Van Nistelrooy in the 3-0 demolition of Newcastle – a result that put Leicester top of the league heading into this weekend's action.

Mum arrested for giving cannabis and beer to young girls at her teenage daughter's party

32-year-old Mandy Wells was arrested for giving cannabis and beer to young girls


A mum has been arrested after allegedly giving cannabis and beer to eight young girls at her daughter's slumber party. Mandy Wells, 32, is accused of giving each of the girls - aged between 12 and 14 - two cans of Coors Light and marijuana in a 'Hello Kitty' pipe. The allegations are listed in an affidavit following the mum-of-three's arrest in Springtown, Texas, US.
Police swooped after being alerted to pictures of the girls smoking what appeared to be marijuana on Instagram. One of the girls is reported to have told police Wells offered them the cannabis after saying it helps her own daughter with depression to self-medicate with marijuana because her prescribed medication 'does not work'.

Wladimir Klitschko slumps to defeat as Tyson Fury is crowned the new world heavyweight champion

Tyson Fury is crowned the new heavyweight champion

Fury broke down in tears in the ring after he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko with a deserved unanimous decision as he outboxed the Ukrainian. Klitschko looked all his 39 years as the judges awarded the fight to Fury 115-112, twice, and 116-111. Fury was overcome with emotion and thanked God for helping him become Britain's first white heavyweight world champion since Bob Fitzsimmons in the 1890s. True to his word, he then sang 'I don't want to miss a thing' to his fans from the ring to round off a remarkable night for him and British boxing. Typical of Fury, controversy was not far away and a row broke out just hours before the fight over the canvas.

Russia unveils body armor to keep police dogs safe

A sample of the body armor

A Russian defense company has released a new design of body armor to keep terror-sniffing police dogs safe in the wake of the death of French police dog Diesel, who died during a police raid in Paris following the Friday 13th terror attacks.
'At first, of course, the dog did not like the vest. Then gradually she realized that it was for her own good and protection,' Vladimir Khitrykh said in front of a pack of snapping photographers.
We taught her with the help of incentives. We can put the armored vest on the dog in just one minute,' he said.

Panic as Arabic graffiti is found painted on fuel tank panels of easyJet planes



EasyJet staff are on high alert after Arabic graffiti was found daubed next to fuel tanks on four jets parked at French airports. Airline workers have been warned to take extra precautions around Europe after the messages were found on supposedly secure parts of the planes. The finds, made at different French locations within the past week, have sparked fears that something more dangerous than writing could be planted on a plane in future. The scare comes less than a month after a Russian passenger jet headed home from Egypt was destroyed in mid-air.

Friday 27 November 2015

Relationship turns sore as Russia set to halt visa-free status for visiting Turks

                             Turkish protest against Russia                           (C)AP

Moscow is to suspend its visa-free agreement with Turkey at the beginning of next year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said. Friday's announcement comes as tensions mount after the downing of a Russian fighter jet by Turkey earlier this week. Russia has ruled out any military response against NATO member Turkey, but it has pledged broad retaliatory measures targeting entire sectors of the Turkish economy, including tourism, agriculture and investments.
On Thursday, two Turkish businessmen with investments in Russia told Al Jazeera that Russian police have been raiding Turkish companies in different regions of the country and, in some cases, have suspended their operations. Moscow has also started sending back Turkish trucks loaded with exports at the border and stopped Turkish tourists - who normally do not need visas  - entering the country, at least two businessmen said.

Australian man sets world record for most lights on an artificial Xmas tree

The tree has 518,838 twinkling lights

Guinness World Records confirmed that David Richards had broken the record for the most lights on an artificial Christmas tree that had been held for five years by Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, by illuminating a tree in downtown Canberra with 518,838 twinkling lights. Richards, a Canberra lawyer and businessman, brought together a team of volunteers including an electrical engineer, structural engineer, welders, carpenters, masons and steel fixers to erect the dazzling display on a 22-meter (72-foot) steel tree. Richards creates such Christmas extravaganzas to raise money for Canberra's Sudden Infant Death Syndrome charity, SIDS and Kids, by drawing large crowds and inviting them to donate.

Yay or Nay?


Paul Walker’s dad sues Porsche after claims that the actor was responsible for his own death

Paul Walker died in a tragic accident in 2013

Paul Walker's father sued Porsche for negligence and wrongful death on Wednesday over the 2013 accident that killed the Fast & Furious star. Walker's father, who is the executor of his son's estate, filed the lawsuit claiming that the Porsche Carrera GT that his son was riding in lacked safety features that could have saved the actor's life. The lawsuit cites features included in other pending lawsuits against the automaker over the crash that might have saved the actor's life, including a stability control system, side-door reinforcements and a breakaway fuel line to help prevent the car from bursting into flames after a collision.

Putin insists Turkey knew the downed plane was Russian

                                                                                                        (C)BBC

Russia has rejected Turkey's claims that it did not know the plane it shot down on the Syria border was Russian. According to BBC, President Vladimir Putin said Russian planes were easily identifiable and the jet's flight co-ordinates had been passed on to Turkey's ally, the US. Turkey's president said earlier if it had known the plane was Russian "maybe we would have warned it differently".
Russia and France have agreed to co-operate more closely in fighting terrorism in Syria. The two countries will exchange intelligence on Islamic State - and co-ordinate air strikes. But differences remain over the fate of the Syrian leader. President Hollande made it clear that Bashar al-Assad could play no role in his country's future. President Putin said that was up to the Syrian people to decide. And there is no sign of the kind of "grand coalition" against terror that France had been calling for, one that would include America.

Nigeria has lost $250 million this year as a result of pipeline vandalism of a single pipeline

Fuel scarcity has hit the country in recent days

Thieves have stolen nearly $250m (£165m) of oil from a single pipeline this year, Nigeria's state oil company says. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said half a billion litres were taken from the pipeline that runs north-east from Lagos. Governments blame pipeline vandalism and theft in the oil sector for fuel shortages and damaging the economy. An NNPC subsidiary told a Senate committee that "incessant hacking" of the System 2B pipeline had "made the task of providing seamless flow of petroleum products to retail outlets more burdensome".
The pipeline stretches 250km from the financial hub Lagos to the city of Ilorin. The company said it was working to resolve the issue.

Thursday 26 November 2015

Heard of the ‘Three Squeaks’ delicacy?


“Three Squeaks” is the literal translation from the Chinese name of this dish and hails from a variety parts of China, mainly in the Guangdong (Canton) Provence. The reason why it is called “Three Squeaks” is due to the sounds made when eating this dish. Contrary to some popular belief, this is not an urban legend dish.
The appetizeresque dish are newly born mice (still hairless and barely able to open their eyes). It is typically served with some type of cold soy based sauce. The first squeak is when the mouse/rat is picked up with the chopsticks. The second is when the mouse/rat is dipped into the sauce (temperature change causing the squeak). The third is when the mouse/rat is placed into your mouth (another temperature change).
Do you care to try it?

Travel relief as Lufthansa cabin crew calls off strike



Lufthansa cabin crew called off a strike set down for later this week amid signs of progress in talks with the German airline. The flight attendants' union Ufo said on Wednesday that it was cancelling action planned for Thursday, Friday and Monday following a meeting with members of the Lufthansa board. The union has been locked in a long-running battle with the German air carrier over the airline's pension plans and job security.
Earlier this month, Ufo staged the longest strike in Lufthansa's history when cabin crew walked off the job for sevens days, leading to the cancellation of 4 700 flights, affecting 550 000 passengers.

New smart parking in Qatar mall

The vertical parking can accommodate 16 vehicles in two conventional parking space

A new smart parking system has been rolled out at Villaggio Mall that can accommodate up to 16 vehicles in the equivalent of two conventional parking lot spaces. The scheme, known as “rotary parking,” is located near the VIP entrance of the mall and will be tested by the shopping center for free for six months. If it is successful, those behind the system hope to introduce it across Doha to help tackle the city’s severe parking crunch.
Speaking to Doha News, Mohamed Magdy, senior sales manager at My City for Technical Solutions (MCTS), said that since the scheme was launched at Villaggio last week, many people have expressed interest in the system and wanted to know more about how it works.

South Africa: No preferential treatment for visa rules

SA Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba


SA Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, who was addressing the media in Parliament on the implementation of cabinet concessions to the immigration regulations on Wednesday has said that if the president can respect the country's visa regulations, then surely a superstar, no matter how famous, has to respect them too, News24 reports. This comes after award-winning British actor Idris Elba reportedly cancelled a trip to South Africa at the last minute after his daughter, Isan, failed to meet the new immigration requirements passed into law earlier this year.
Elba played the role of Nelson Mandela in the award-winning film based on the icon's life, Long Walk to Freedom. Gigaba said that as Elba was a British national, he did not have to apply for a visa and therefore only found out when he was told by an airline that he could not travel with his daughter without the proper birth certificate and permission from the mother.

Pst. Chris Oyakhilome and other religious leaders threatened with jail time by South African government

Pst. Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy

The South African government has threatened a jail term for Chris Oyakhilome if his church, Christ Embassy, fails to release its financial records, the South African-based News24 is reporting. The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities said several religious leaders in the country could be jailed if they fail to comply with the demands of the commission. ‎The commission said it was investigating the commercialization of religion and abuse of people’s beliefs and had summoned several churches to appear before it with their ordination certificate, registration certificate, bank statements, and annual financial statements from 2012.
Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said the commission had been forced to take a legal route because some of the church leaders had failed to comply with her commission’s directive.

Hilton hotels warns customers after being hit by cyber attack


US hotel chain Hilton revealed Tuesday that hackers infected some of its point-of-sale computer systems with malware crafted to steal credit card information, reports News24. Hilton would not disclose whether data was taken, but advised anyone who used payment cards at Hilton Worldwide hotels between November 18 and December 5 of last year or April 21 and July 27 of this year to watch for irregular activity on credit or debit card accounts. Malicious code that infected registers at hotels had the potential to take cardholders' names along with card numbers, security codes and expiration dates, Hilton said in an online post.

Hacked ISIS website on the dark web is replaced with an advert for Viagra and prozac

The site was replaced with an advert for medication

An ISIS propaganda website on the dark web has been hacked and replaced with an advert for a service selling prozac and viagra tablets which told extremists to 'calm down.' The site for the terror group appeared on the Tor browser of the dark web last week in a bid to get extremists to join up. However, less than a week later, the site had been hacked and visitors to the page were greeted with a message for the medication.
It read: 'Too much ISIS. Enhance your calm. Too many people are into this ISIS-stuff. Please gaze upon this lovely ad so we can upgrade our infrastructure to give you ISIS content you all so desperately crave.'

UEFA Champions League week 5 result


EPL week 13 results


Wednesday 25 November 2015

ISIS claims responsibility for Tunisian presidential guard bus bomb attack

Scene of the explosion


The body of a suspected suicide bomber was found at the scene of an attack on Tunisia's presidential guard, and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility Wednesday for the attack that left 13 people dead. Tuesday's attack on a bus carrying Tunisia's presidential guards involved about 22 pounds of military explosives, the Interior Ministry said.  The blast rattled the country after a particularly violent year. If ISIS was indeed behind it, it is the latest of several major attacks in Europe and the Mideast seeding terror well beyond its base in Syria and Iraq.
Tunisian authorities discovered the body of a 13th person in the bus, believed to be the "terrorist who caused the explosion," the Interior Ministry said in a statement Wednesday. Ministry spokesman

State of emergency declared as Tunisian presidential guard bus bombed

The scene of the explosion                    (C)Reuters

At least 13 people have died after a bus carrying the Tunisian presidential guard was blown up on a main road in Tunis in an "act of terror". The blast occurred on Mohamed V Avenue, at the heart of the Tunisian capital, according to a spokesman for the North African country's Interior Ministry. In the hours following the attacks, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi declared a state of emergency throughout the country and curfew in the capital city. Speaking in a televised address to the nation, Essebsi said: "I want to reassure the Tunisian people that we will vanquish terrorism."

Unveiling the new 20 euro note


Yannis Stournaras, governor of the Bank of Greece, on Tuesday unveiled a new 20 euro note at the institution’s museum in the presence of a group of school pupils. The 20 euro bill going into circulation, the European Central Bank boasts will include enhanced security features to better protect against counterfeiting. The bill, being introduced across the 19-country eurozone Wednesday, is the third in a new series, with two of its security features carrying the portrait of Europa, a figure from Greek mythology.
The 5 and 10 euro notes are already in circulation and the higher-denomination bills will gradually follow. The new bills are similar in color to their predecessors but have security features that can be checked with the "feel, look and tilt" method. These include a special paper with raised print, a portrait window and security thread, a silver stripe that reveals a portrait of Europa, and an emerald number that reflects light.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Monday 23 November 2015

Picture of the day


.....taking a turn on the swing!

Girl gets beaten for refusing to smell her boyfriend’s armpit

Robinson Pinilla-Bolivar is being held on a $25,000 bond

A man in Texas is accused of assaulting his girlfriend after she refused to smell his armpit. CBS7 reports that Robinson Pinilla-Bolivar’s girlfriend said the argument started while she was washing dishes and he asked her to smell his armpit. When she refused, an argument reportedly ensued where she was hit in the back of the head with a closed fist and held up against a knife. The victim says Pinilla-Bolivar then fled the scene and she called officials.
Pinilla-Bolivar was arrested Nov. 13 at a traffic stop. He told authorities he did not threaten the woman and that he threw the knife into the sink angrily. He is being held at Midland County jail on a $25,000 bond.


Mystery behind an egg inside an egg


A woman was left shell-shocked when she cracked open an egg only to find another one perfectly intact inside. Smallholder Chris Keast, 60 thought his wife Jane, 55 was cracking up when she made the amazing discovery while preparing their tea. The Cornwall couple couldn't believe their eyes when she broke the extra-large egg and the second one simply rolled out into her frying pan.
When she told husband Chris he thought she was joking but ended up reaching for his mobile phone to take a picture when he looked at the pan. The inner-egg was the size of a 2p piece and its shell was still in one piece. Jane cracked it open and found there was no yolk inside, just the egg white. Experts say the rare phenomenon is just a quirk of nature and can occur if the hen receives a shock during egg production.

Russia bans Scientology as court argued that it is not a religion

The movement is said to have about 8 million members worldwide

Russia has banned the Moscow branch of the Church of Scientology following a court hearing.
The country's Ministry of Justice (MoJ) argued that since the organisation has registered its name as a US trademark it cannot operate as a religion. This claim was then backed up by Moscow's City Court, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti. A spokesman for Russia's MoJ said: "The representatives of the Church of Scientology have created many legal conflicts by themselves by restricting the religious freedom through the use of trade marks."
Judge Mikhail Kazakov ruled: "The suit filed by the ministry of justice for the liquidation must be enacted.”

US issues worldwide terror alert as thanksgiving draws near



The US has issued a worldwide travel alert for its citizens in response to "increased terrorist threats". The state department said "current information" suggested the Islamic State [IS] group, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and others continued "to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions". The alert, it said, will remain in place until 24 February 2016. France, Russia, Mali and several other countries have seen deadly attacks in the past month. They have advised everyone to take caution in public places, during holidays and at large gatherings such as sporting matches or concerts, the BBC reports.

Ahmed Mohamed’s family, the homemade clock teen seeks $15 million in damages

Ahmed Mohamed                       (C)Corbis

The family of a Texas Muslim teenager arrested for bringing a homemade clock that was mistaken for a bomb to school (You can read the story here) demanded $15 million in damages and an apology from the city of Irving and its schools to avoid a lawsuit, lawyers said on Monday. The lawyers represent the family of Ahmed Mohamed, 14, a student who dabbles in robotics and attended a Dallas-area high school. His arrest in September sparked controversy, with many saying he was taken into custody because of his religion.
In separate letters to the city of Irving, located west of Dallas, and the Irving Independent School District, lawyers said the ninth grader was wrongfully arrested, illegally detained and questioned without his parents. The Mohamed family is asking for $10 million from the city and $5 million from the school district or they will file civil lawsuits within 60 days, the letter said.

New Zealand makes historic decision on new flag

                                                       (C)NewZealandGovernment

New Zealanders have just under a month left to decide which of five new flags best represents their country, or if they're happy to stick with what they have got. Kiwis will have to submit their ballots by December 11, electing one of five proposed new designs, three of which feature the fern, an unofficial but frequently featured symbol for New Zealanders. A fourth one features the curving Koru Maori emblem and the fifth is a white chevron with red, black and blue triangles.
One of the most striking aspects of the shortlist is that none of the options include the Union Jack, which of course features in their current flag. The fifth flag, ‘Red Peak,’ was included in the vote after a social media campaign was launched asking it be proposed to the public.

Going cheap can be costly as Poundworld is fined £70,000 for selling non-reflective £1 'High Vis' jackets


Poundworld has been fined more than £70,000 for selling High Vis jackets which carried the logo 'be safe, be seen' despite not being reflective. The discount retailer sold 95,700 of the Chinese-made £1 vests but tests carried out on one of the jackets revealed its reflective characteristics was no more than 2.4 per cent of what it should have been. And the product, which was withdrawn from sale, prompted a national recall on all jackets.
At St Albans Crown Court, prosecutor Andrew Johnson said that Joe Tyler, from Hertfordshire Trading Standards, made a test purchase from Poundworld on Watford High Street in March last year. He said: 'Whilst the produce purported to be a high visibility safety vest, it was in fact no such thing. It was little more than an item of clothing.

SA Springboks loses second sponsor


The South African Springboks have lost a second sponsor in a matter of days with German car company BMW joining Absa in not renewing their contract. Diederik Reitsma, spokesperson for BMW, told Netwerk24 on Monday that they will not be renewing their sponsorship with the Boks when it expires in December this year. BMW's five-year sponsorship included the addition of the BMW brand mark to the left leg of the players’ shorts in official matches as well as the provision of BMW vehicles to the Springboks while on Test match duty in South Africa.

Harvard produces first deaf and blind graduate

Haben Girma

Eritrean-American Haben Girma, who is the first deaf-blind graduate at Harvard Law School’s story is a true inspiration. Girma’s extraordinary story highlights her courage and determination despite physical challenges, and she is living proof that disability is certainly no barrier to achieving academic excellence. Girma is an attorney who “advocates for the civil rights of persons with disabilities. A celebrated speaker, she provided the introductory remarks for the 25th Anniversary of the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] at the White House”.

Sunday 22 November 2015

What do you think is happening here?


American Music Awards 2015 winners

The Artist of the Year: One Direction     (C)REX Shutterstock
See the list of the winners below:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
•    Luke Bryan
•    Ariana Grande
•    Maroon 5
•    Nicki Minaj
•    One Direction - WINNER
•    Ed Sheeran
•    Sam Smith
•    Taylor Swift
•    Meghan Trainor
•    The Weeknd