thedailyrecord--2019-10-07--Teenager, 18, who died in three-car crash in Airdrie named locally

A teenager who died following a road traffic accident near to Airdrie yesterday has been named locally as Harris Gorman.  The 18-year-old was the driver of a back Volkswagen Polo which was involved in a collision with two other vehicles – a Seat Leon and a Vauxhall Insignia on Stirling Road, near Dykehead Road, shortly before 1.15pm.  A male passenger from the Volkswagen Polo suffered non-life threatening injuries in the collision and was taken to University Hospital Monklands.  The occupants of the other two vehicles were also taken to the same hospital as a precaution.  Sergeant Simon Reilly of Police Scotland ’s road policing unit said: “We are supporting the man’s family and friends at this difficult time.  “We are carrying out enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the collision and would urge anyone with information who has not yet spoken to a police officer to come forward as soon as possible.  “Anyone with information can contact police on 101, quoting reference 1922 of October 6.”


thedailyrecord--2019-11-11--Man faces drink-driving charges after pensioner died and teen injured in car crash

An alleged drink-driver has been accused of killing a pensioner and seriously injuring a teenage girl.  Martin Henderson, 29, appeared in court in connection with a bus stop horror crash on Saturday evening.  The tragedy left a 70-year-old man dead and 18-year-old Chloe Donaldson in hospital.  Henderson, of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire , was held shortly after the dual-carriageway carnage in Bucksburn, Aberdeen.  He was arrested and charged by police and appeared in private at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.  He faced charges including causing death by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol in his system. It’s also alleged he failed to stop, report the accident and that he attempted to pervert the course of justice.  Henderson made no plea to the charges and his case was continued for further examination. He was released on bail.  The man who died has yet to be named by police.  Chloe Donaldson, who remains in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in a stable condition, told how she was standing beside the man waiting for a bus.  Both of them were flung 15ft into the air and propelled into the car park of the Britannia Hotel behind the bus stop.  From her hospital bed, Chloe said: “I’m lucky I got away.”  The tragic collision involved a dark-coloured BMW estate car, a silver Nissan Pixo car and the two pedestrians.

disaster, accident and emergency incident


thedailyrecord--2019-12-02--Pensioner dies in car crash near Faslane as police appeal for witnesses

An investigation has been launched after a serious road crash in Helensburgh earlier today.  Officers in Helensburgh are appealing for information following the fatal collision near Faslane.  The incident happened around 12pm on Monday 2 December, 2019, when a red Kia Sorrento car collided with a lorry on the B872.  A 76-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and his next of kin have been made aware.  Sergeant Archie McGuire, of Road Patrol West, said: “We are looking for anyone who may have been driving in the area at the time and may have seen this collision to get in contact with us.  “If any drivers have any dashcam footage of the incident, we would urge you to come forward and help us with our investigation.  “Those with any information can contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 1266 of 2 December 2019.


theguardianuk--2019-11-04--Teenager dies after Manchester car crash during police chase

A teenage boy has died and another male is fighting for his life after a car they were driving crashed during a police chase.  Greater Manchester police said officers tried to stop the Ford Fusion at 9.25pm on Sunday before it made off and collided with a building in the suburb of Burnage.  The two occupants of the car were taken to hospital with injuries described as life-threatening, police said. One of the men, aged in his late teens, died later in hospital and the other remains in a critical condition.  The dead teenager was named locally as Deon Simpson according to the Manchester Evening News.  Police said the incident had been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which has launched an investigation in the circumstances around the crash, in line with policy around fatal crashes following a police pursuit.  Images from the scene appeared to show the vehicle flipped on its side into the end of a row of shops at the busy junction in south Manchester. Greater Manchester fire and rescue service said its officers pulled the two men from the wreckage at the junction of Burnage Lane and Lane End Road.  DCS Jon Chadwick, of GMP’s professional standards branch, said: “I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family of the person who has passed away following the collision in Burnage last night.  “The response to the incident is still ongoing and there are a number of road closures in place in the nearby area, with the scene likely to remain for some time.  “In line with our usual policy with incidents of this nature, we have made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and they have made a decision to launch an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.”

Josh Halliday North of England correspondent


theindependent--2019-02-14--Acton car crash Couple who died after police chase were not at burglary says police watchdog

Acton car crash: Couple who died after police chase were not at burglary, says police watchdog

Two teenagers who were killed in a head-on car crash with a coach in west London following a police chase were not present at the burglary which prompted the pursuit, it has been revealed.  The newlywed couple, 19-year-old Patrick McDonagh and his 18-year-old wife Shauna, died when the car they were in moved into oncoming traffic and hit a bus on the A40 near Acton around 9pm on Sunday.  Metropolitan Police officers had begun to chase their Renault Scenic vehicle with the help of a helicopter about 20 minutes earlier, following reports of an aggravated burglary in the Harrow area.  On Thursday investigators announced that the occupants of the car – including the couple and a second man who was taken to hospital for treatment – had not been at the scene of the break-in.  The couple’s family claimed they had been expecting the birth of their daughter on Valentine’s Day and had already named decided on Sienna Marie as her name.  A family statement said: “Patrick and Shauna were a young couple who had recently got married and were very much in love.  “Patrick was a devoted husband to Shauna and they were very much looking forward to the birth of their daughter Sienna Marie who was due to be born on Valentine’s Day.”  The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it is understood officers were pursuing the car, a Renault Scenic, for about 10 minutes on the night of their deaths, but had stopped the pursuit prior to the crash.  An IOPC statement said: “It has now been confirmed, as part of a separate police investigation, that the occupants of the Renault were not present at the time of an aggravated burglary reported to have taken place in Harrow.”  The organisation said its own independent investigation would look at “the information the police had and the rationale for the pursuit”.  Accounts from officers, along with footage from the helicopter, police cars, body-worn video, CCTV and in-car data are among the evidence being gathered by investigators.  The Metropolitan Police made a mandatory referral to the IOPC on Sunday.  IOPC regional director Jonathan Green said: “My thoughts are with the families and friends of Patrick and Shauna, those injured and all those affected by this incident.  “It is important that we now establish all of the circumstances surrounding this collision.  “We have therefore launched an independent investigation into the events leading to the collision and immediately deployed our investigators to attend the scene and the post-incident procedure.”  We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.  At The Independent, no one tells us what to write. That’s why, in an era of political lies and Brexit bias, more readers are turning to an independent source. Subscribe from just 15p a day for extra exclusives, events, ebooks – all with no ads.


theindependent--2019-06-19--Boy died in car crash after mother aposlost control when spider fell on her handapos

Boy died in car crash after mother 'lost control when spider fell on her hand'

An 11-year-old boy died in a head-on crash after his mother veered on to the wrong side of the road when a spider fell on her hand, an inquest has heard.  The court was told that the mother, Cloud Younger, drove for a significant period of time on the wrong side of the road and crashed straight into another vehicle because a “spider was in the car”.  In a statement to the court, Ms Younger said the insect had scared her young daughter, Branwen, and she was “trying to calm the situation” immediately before the crash.  Her son, Tristan Keith Silver, was killed when the car hit a 4x4 vehicle towing a trailer on 4 May 2018 in Ceredigion, Wales.  The inquest heard that when she was interviewed by police in June 2018, Ms Younger answered “no comment” to every question.  Ms Younger did not give evidence at the inquest but said: “If I could remember more, I would have said more."  David Glyndwr Jones, a farmer who was driving the 4x4 vehicle, said he was “devastated with what happened”.  “I have no idea why the woman didn't slow down or go back into her lane, she had plenty of time to do it,” he told the inquest.  Mr Jones and his wife, along with Ms Younger and her daughter, suffered minor injuries.  Coroner Peter Brunton recorded a verdict of death by misadventure and the Crown Prosecution Service said no charges will be brought in relation to the incident.  “There will be cases where the finger points in one particular direction, and I'm afraid that this is one of those cases,” Mr Brunton said.  "I'm sure many motorists have had experience of a bee or a wasp entering the cabin and don't lose control because of that.  "Ms Younger was given the chance to explain what happened [to police] but did not.”  PC Matthew Fraser, a police forensic investigator, told the inquest that Ms Younger had no drugs or alcohol in her system at the time of the crash.  A forensic report found that all the people involved in the crash were wearing seatbelts and neither car had any pre-existing defects.


theirishtimes--2019-01-15--Young woman dies in Cahir car crash

Young woman dies in Cahir car crash

A young woman has died after the car she was driving hit a tree near the town of Cahir on Tuesday morning.  The single vehicle crash occured on the N24 at Ballydrehid, Cahir, at about 8.30am.  The 19-year-old driver was fatally injured and her body has been taken to University Hospital Waterford where a post mortem will take place. The local coroner has been notified.  The road was currently closed and local diversions put in place while Garda forensic collision investigators examined the site.  Gardaíare appealing for any witnesses who may have travelled the road or can assist them to contact Cahir Garda Station on 052 — 7445630, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.


newyorkpost--2019-06-30--11-year-old girl dies in multiple-car accident in the Bronx

An 11-year-old girl died last night in a five-car accident on the Major Deegan Expressway, police said.  It happened at around 10:30 p.m. when an SUV traveling south hit another vehicle, setting off a chain reaction pile up.  A man whose window overlooks the scene at the expressway and 167th St. said one of the vehicles was pinned between a retaining wall and the car that smashed into it.  People in other cars involved in the accident jumped out of their vehicles to help the injured.  Some of them performed CPR on those who appeared seriously hurt until firefighters and police arrived, said the witness, who asked not to be identified.  Firefighters used a jaws of life tool to peel off the roof of one of the vehicles to get at someone trapped inside.  The witness said another driver also appeared seriously hurt and underwent CPR at the scene.  Several victims, including children, were taken away in ambulances, the witnesses said.


thedailyrecord--2019-05-20--Man dies in fatal road accident

Man dies in fatal road accident

Around 11.50am on Saturday, May 18, a 60 year-old man, a Dutch national, was driving his red BMW motorcycle north on the B730, near Polnessan, Patna, when the vehicle left the road and collided with a telegraph pole. He died at the scene.  Sergeant Andy Johnson, Ayrshire Road Policing Unit, said: “The motorcyclist was on a touring holiday in Scotland and had left Carlisle earlier that morning, heading north.  “We are aware that there were other vehicles on the B730 near the location a short time before the crash, and I am keen to trace those drivers in particular.  “They may not have seen the crash but they may have seen him driving on that road before hand.  “I would also like to hear from anyone who may have seen him en route from Carlisle.  “We believe his journey took him north on the A77 through Girvan to Maybole then onto the B7045 Kirkmichael road and from there on an unclassified road to the A713 at Patna where he then joined the B730 just prior to the crash.  “If you have any dash cam footage, or indeed any information you think would be helpful to our enquiry, then please contact officers at Irvine Police Office via 101 quoting reference number 1273 of the 18 May 2019 when calling.”


sputnik--2019-08-07--At Least 3 People Dead 32 Injured in Road Accident Near Russias City of Novorossiysk

At Least 3 People Dead, 32 Injured in Road Accident Near Russia's City of Novorossiysk

A source said late on Wednesday that a passenger bus and a car collided and fell off a cliff near the settlement of Verkhnebakanskiy close to Novorossiysk, located in Russia's Krasnodar Territory.  "Around 32 people have been injured. They have all received medical assistance and were taken to hospitals. Three people died. All of them have been taken [from the site of the crash]," Pulikovskiy said live on Rossiya 24 TV channel.  All three people were the passengers of the car, including two minors, the regional branch of the Interior Ministry said.  "All those killed are passengers of a car — a woman and two minor children. The driver of the Volkswagen Touareg car, born in 1974, is alive with moderate injuries. He has been hospitalized," the authorities said.  Previously, a spokesperson of the regional emergencies services said that four people, including two minor children, had died and thirty others been taken to hospitals.  Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said that an emergency centre had been set up in the region to deal with the accident.  The regional branch of the Russian Investigative Committee said that investigators had been dispatched to the site of the crash to find out reasons behind the accident.  Later, the Krasnodar Territory branch of the Interior Ministry said that there are eleven children among those hospitalized.  "Twenty-seven people, including 11 children, have been taken to Novorossiysk hospitals," the press service said.  The Russian Interior Ministry's General Administration for Road Traffic Safety said that according to the preliminary information, at 10:20 p.m. (19:20 GMT) on Wednesday, a Volkswagen Touareg and a Hyundai bus collided on a highway connecting Novorossiysk and the Kerch Strait.  The authority added that after the two vehicles collided, they fell off a 30-meter (98-feet) cliff.  Meanwhile, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said there were a total of 45 people inside the two vehicles as they collided.  "There were 41 people inside the bus (39 passengers, a driver and a guide) and four people were inside the car. There were a total of 45 people," the ministry's press service said.  Earlier, the ministry reported that two people had died and 21 people been hospitalized.


sputnik--2019-12-30--Road Accident in Southern Mexico Leaves 11 Dead Including Tourists - Reports

On Saturday, at least 11 people were killed and seven sustained injuries when a car collided with a tourist van on a highway in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico, AFP reported citing local prosecutors.  The accident took place at 7:45 p.m. at kilometre 36 of the road from Ocozocoautla to Arriaga.  According to local media, the car that crashed into the tourist van was registered in the state of Guanajuato.  The tourists in the van were en route to Chiapas' San Cristobal de las Casas, one of the most visited cities in the state, AFP said.


dailyheraldchicago--2019-07-04--Tornado in northeast China kills 6 people injures 190

Tornado in northeast China kills 6 people, injures 190

BEIJING -- State media says a tornado in northeast China has killed six people and injured another 190.  State broadcaster CCTV says the tornado hit Kaiyuan, a county-level city in Liaoning province Wednesday afternoon. Television footage showed a stretch of collapsed low-rise buildings where firefighters were working through the debris.  CCTV says the tornado damaged factories and equipment in an industrial park. More than 210 people have been rescued, and another 1,600 were evacuated.  In 2016, a tornado and accompanying hailstorm killed 98 people in eastern China.


drudgereport--2019-01-28--Huge tornado in Havana kills 3 injures 172

Huge tornado in Havana kills 3, injures 172...

Dramatic photos show debris covering cars and flooding in coastal zones of the city.  Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel visited emergency crews around the city overnight and wrote on Twitter that the damage was "severe."  Strong winds damaged buildings and caused flooding in low-lying areas of Havana, according to a government statement, with the provinces of Pinar del Río, Artemisa and Mayabeque also affected. The AFP news agency reported winds of up to 62 miles per hour.  The Cuban Meteorological Institute will evaluate the extent of the damage and the intensity of the storm in the next few hours, the statement said.  Cuban actor Luis Silva said he was driving with his wife and children when the tornado struck. "I had to avoid fallen trees, floods, strong winds. Until I was able to get home!" he wrote in an Instagram post. "We had a big scare." The tornado left much of the city in darkness. Staff at the Hijas de Galicia maternity hospital evacuated the building because of storm damage, AFP reported. Locals said the tornado had "the sound of a jet engine," and they felt changes in environmental pressure as it hit, Armando Caymares of Cuba's Institute of Meteorology told AFP. Damage to infrastructure left much of the city without electricity. The island nation regularly suffers extreme weather events such as hurricanes and Atlantic storms. It sits in the Caribbean Sea, which is vulnerable to hurricanes from June 1 to November 30 In September 2017, 10 people died in Cuba as a result of Hurricane Irma, with seven of these deaths in Havana, according to state television. Irma made landfall in Cuba as a Category 5 storm, blasting into seaside towns and causing flooding in low-lying areas of Havana. Winds of 125 mph whipped roofs off buildings, ripped trees from the ground and forced evacuations along the coast.


eveningstandard--2019-01-28--Rare tornado rips through Cuban capital Havana killing three and injuring over 170

A tornado has ripped through Havana overnight killing three and injuring 172 people.  The Cuban capital was battered by a tornado and pounding rains overnight, toppling trees and bending power poles.  Dramatic images show the sheer destruction caused by the tornado.  Julio Menendez, a 33-year-old restaurant worker said his neighbourhood in Havana's 10 de Octubre municipality looked "like a horror movie."  "From one moment to the next, we heard a noise like an airplane falling out of the sky. The first thing I did was go hug my daughters," who are 9 and 12, he said.  Driver Oster Rodriguez said that amid a fierce storm, what looked like a thick, swirling cloud touched down in the central plaza of the Reparto Modelo neighbourhood "like a fireball." He saw a bus blown over, though he said the driver escaped unharmed.  The windows in the seven-story Daughters of Galicia Hospital had been sucked out of their frames by the wind, leaving curtains flapping in the breeze, and all the patients, new and expectant mothers, had to be evacuated.  In the streets, a palm tree more than 30 feet (9 meters) tall had crushed a pre-revolutionary American car.  Some of the heaviest damage from Sunday night's rare Havana tornado was in the eastern borough of Guanabacoa, where the apparent twister tore the roof off a shelter for dozens of homeless families.  Cubans enduring long waits for government housing often live in such multifamily shelters for years.  Maria Esther Linares, 54, was killed while hunting for safe shelter after the tornado broke the roof of the home where she was living with two granddaughters, said her grandson, Yoelkis Dip.  Dianabys Bueno, 31, was living in the shelter with her husband and son after they were forced to relocate by the collapse of their home in Central Havana.  Much of the housing in Havana is in dire condition due to years without maintenance, and building collapses are routine even in ordinary storms.  "This has already happened to us once," Bueno said. "I'm not going anywhere."  Around Havana, cars were crushed by fallen light posts and vehicles were trapped in floodwaters. The neighborhoods of Regla and 10 de Octubre appeared to have suffered some of the worst damage.  State media said the city had been hit by winds in excess of 60 mph (100 kph).  Leanys Calvo, a restaurant cook in the 10th de Octubre borough, said she was working Sunday night despite heavy rain and wind when she heard a rumbling noise outside and looked out to see what appeared to be a tornado touching down.  "It was something that touched down, and then took off again. It was like a tower," she said, describing it as displaying colours of red and green. "It was here for two-three seconds, nothing more. They were the most frightening seconds of my life."  The tornado tore the concrete roof off an apartment building in the Regla section of Havana and dumped it into an alleyway, briefly trapping residents in their homes.  Marlene Marrero Garcia, 77, said she was in her ground-floor apartment with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren Sunday night when she heard electrical transformers begin to explode. Then the tornado passed.  "It looked like fire, everything was red, then everything began to fall," she said.  Marrero said she and her family were trapped by debris for about half an hour before firefighters arrived.  She and other residents said two of their neighbours had been hospitalized.


eveningstandard--2019-05-29--US tornadoes Elderly man killed in Ohio and at least 130 injured as storms rip through country

US tornadoes: Elderly man killed in Ohio and at least 130 injured as storms rip through country

An elderly man has died and at least 130 more have been injured as a series of tornadoes continues to rip through the US.  The vicious storms have hit several different parts of the country, damaging homes, downing trees and power lines in its wake.  The storm hit Kansas City in the latest barrage of severe weather that saw tornado warnings as far east as New York City.  Parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey were also under tornado warnings hours after a swarm of tightly-packed twisters swept through Indiana and Ohio, smashing homes and blowing out windows.  In Celina, Ohio, Melvin Dale Hanna, 83, was killed when a parked car was blown into his home, Mayor Jeffrey Hale said.  Describing the aftermath of the deadly storm, Mr Hale said: “There’s areas that truly look like a war zone.”  The damage is said to be so severe in Ohio that authorities reportedly used snow plough trucks to clear away the mountains of debris.  A total of 130 people have also been injured across the country as a result of the storms.  US President Donald Trump, who is currently in Japan, said he was told about the destruction and told those affected "we are with you".  Mr Trump tweeted: "Storms overnight across Ohio and many other states were very dangerous and damaging.  "My team continues to update me with reports from emergency managers in the states affected. Listen to your local officials and be resiliant.  "We are with you!"  Forecasters said the storms were among 55 twisters that may have touched down on Monday across eight states, stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado.  The past couple of weeks have seen unusually high tornado activity in the US, with no immediate end to the pattern in sight.  It continued on Tuesday, as a large and dangerous tornado hit the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, late in the day, the National Weather Service office reported.  A spokeswoman at Lawrence Memorial Hospital confirmed 12 people had been treated for storm-related injuries, but none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.  Kansas City International Airport temporarily suspended flights and forced travellers and employees to take shelter in parking garage tunnels for about an hour.  A powerful twister also touched down in the nearby township of Pleasant Grove, Kansas, seriously damaging homes.  Some of the heaviest damage was reported just outside Dayton, Ohio.  Francis Dutmers said he heard “a very lour roar” on Monday night. He said: “I just got down on all fours and covered my head with my hands.”  The winds blew out windows around his house, filled rooms with debris and took down most of his trees.  Monday marked the record-tying 11th straight day with at least eight tornadoes in the US, said Patrick Marsh, a Storm Prediction Centre meteorologist. The last such stretch was in 1980.  Outbreaks of 50 or more tornadoes are not uncommon, having happened 63 times in US history, with three instances of more than 100 twisters, Mr Marsh said.  But Monday's swarm was unusual because it happened over a particularly wide geographic area and came amid an especially active stretch, he said.  As for why it's happening, Mr Marsh said high pressure over the south-east and an unusually cold trough over the Rockies were forcing warm, moist air into the central US, triggering repeated severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.


eveningstandard--2019-12-17--Three killed after tornadoes batter southern parts of US including Alabama and Mississippi

At least three people have died while several others are injured after tornadoes tore through the deep south of the United States.  Twisters have battered Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama leaving trails of destruction more than 60 miles long.  One person was confirmed dead in Louisiana after a suspected tornado strike on a home, while another two people were killed after a storm struck near the Alabama city of Huntsville.  A slew of tornado warnings were triggered by storms on Monday.  Elsewhere, some cities opened shelters as a cold front collided with warmer air over the northern Gulf Coast states and temperatures were expected to plunge.  The Louisiana death was attributed to an apparent tornado that struck a residential area in Vernon Parish, but details were not immediately available, said Chief Deputy Calvin Turner.  He said authorities feared others could be hurt in the area since crews were still trying to reach hard-hit areas where downed trees and power lines blocked roads.  "We've got damage at lots of places. We've got a church where the fellowship hall is torn all to pieces. Some homes are hit. Right now we're having trouble just getting to places because of trees that are down," he said.  In nearby Alexandria, Louisiana - about 200 miles north-west of New Orleans - the storm left roads impassable and destroyed a car lot, said Captain Phillip Jordan of the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.  Children in a church school were moved to the church before the tornado ripped off the school's roof, said Wade Bourgeois, spokesman for the Alexandria Police Department.  "Fortunately we have no reports of any deaths or serious injuries," he said of the Alexandria area.  Mr Bourgeois said some mobile homes and a few houses were damaged. Downed power lines left people stuck in homes or other buildings until rescuers could reach them, he said.  Meteorologist Donald Jones of the National Weather Service office in Lake Charles said it appeared the twister that hit part of Alexandria also struck near the town of DeRidder on an "absolutely ridiculous" path estimated at 63 miles long.  "I don't know what our records for the longest total in this area is, but that's got to be pretty damn close to it," he said.  Three people were injured, at least one of them very seriously, by an apparent tornado that hit Amite County, Mississippi, on Monday afternoon, county emergency director Grant McCurley said.  "We've got multiple houses with severe damage and a few houses that are completely destroyed," he said.  About 20,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana and Mississippi, and outages could spread as storms moved eastward.


rt--2019-03-04--At least 23 killed many injured as destructive tornadoes rip though Alabama Georgia PHOTOS

At least 23 killed, many injured as destructive tornadoes rip though Alabama & Georgia (PHOTOS)

At least 23 people have died and multiple others have been hurt in several large tornadoes that have lashed parts of Alabama and Georgia, tearing off roofs, uprooting trees, and leaving a grim trail of destruction.  An eight-year-old girl and at least 22 other people fell victim to a tornado that swept through Lee County, Alabama on Sunday, the county sheriff has confirmed. He did not specify the exact causes of their deaths.  Several tornadoes descended on Alabama and Georgia, causing extensive damage to houses and infrastructure, and leaving some 35,000 people in both states without power.  Smith Station and Beauregard, both in Lee County, and Talbotton, in Talbot County, Georgia, were the hardest-hit, with photos on social media showing debris from houses scattered everywhere and uprooted trees blocking roads. Some of homes and businesses appeared to have been razed to the ground, while others were seriously damaged.  The storm has knocked down trees in Harris County, Georgia, breaking off power lines.  ABC affiliate in Georgia, WTVM, reported that a gas station in Lee County had been severely affected by the tornado, as well other structures in its vicinity.  Large-scale search and rescue operations have been launched in Lee County, where officials reported multiple injuries.  Spokesperson for Lee County Emergency Management Rita Smith said that some 150 first responders were dispatched to help the victims and search for survivors.  "They are doing a phenomenal job. Sadly, we know that we have two known, confirmed fatalities and many, many injuries," she told AP.  Smith urged residents to stay clear of the roads and the area affected by the storm.  A series of tornado warnings along the Georgia-Alabama border was issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday.  Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!


sottnet--2019-02-01--Cubas strongest tornado in nearly 80 years kills at least four UPDATE

Cuba's strongest tornado in nearly 80 years kills at least four (UPDATE)

A killer tornado has ripped through the heart of Havana devastating homes, crushing cars and cutting off power supplies to thousands of locals.The Cuban capital - which is a mecca for tourists - was hit late last night with petrified residents saying the monster storm sounded like a "jet engine" taking off.The horror twister has left at least three people dead and dozens more injured, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez revealed this morning."The damage is severe, so far we regret the loss of three human lives and are treating 172 injured," he said on Twitter. The injury figure later hit 174.The president also posted photos of himself with survivors next to piles of debris and the wreckage of cars.He later added: "We are travelling through places affected by the storm. The damage is severe."According to reports from the scene, the affected neighbourhoods include Santo Suárez, Luyanó, Vía Blanca, Regla and Chibás.The shocking storm hit on Sunday evening bringing gusts of more than 60mph, heavy rain and hail.He told El Nuevo Herald: "The ambulance and police sirens have not stopped. We are in the dark. Everything looks desolate, like in a science fiction movie."The Daughters of Galicia Mother and Child Hospital was quickly evacuated after being battered by winds and there is reports of serious flooding in coastal areas.At around 1am local time, Canal Habana journalists reported many parts of Havana - home to two million people - were still without electricity.Tornadoes are pretty rare in Cuba, which is well used to being lashed by hurricanes and fierce Atlantic storms.After hitting the island, the twister moved north to Florida, where the National Weather Service has already issued warnings.


sottnet--2019-05-01--Storms tear through 5 states and spawn at least 2 dozen tornadoes - 2 killed in Oklahoma

'Pro-democracy protesters' set a man on fire because he wouldn't renounce his support for President Maduro's government - Caracas, Venezuela, May 20, 2017


sottnet--2019-08-29--Tornado kills 8 on Chinas Hainan island

Tornado kills 8 on China's Hainan island

A tornado has swept through Hainan island in southern China, killing eight people and injuring two others.The official Xinhua News Agency said the tornado struck Nada town in Danzhou city early Thursday morning.State broadcaster CCTV said dormitories for workers collapsed at two construction sites, killing eight people. One person was seriously injured and another slightly hurt. Both were sent to a hospital.Xinhua photos show utility poles and trees that were blown down and heavily damaged homes.A tornado in northeastern Liaoning province killed six and injured 190 people last month. A 2016 tornado and accompanying hailstorm killed 98 people in eastern China.Source: AP


sottnet--2019-12-17--3 people killed as severe weather, tornadoes hammer Deep South

Three people were killed by apparent tornadoes, one in Louisiana and two in Alabama on Monday, local authorities reported . Severe thunderstorms and high winds are expected to pummel areas of the Deep South overnight, according to meteorologists.There were few details on the extent of the damage in Vernon Parish in western Louisiana where downed power lines and trees blocked roads and impeded rescue crews, according to Deputy Chief Calvin Turner of the sheriff's department, who said a local church fellowship hall also was demolished and some homes were damaged.Another tornado was reported in nearby Alexandria, La., which tore off the roof of a church school, but no deaths or injuries were reported.Two people died, identified by local officials as a husband and wife, and several others, including a child, were injured in Town Creek in northern Alabama.The National Weather Service warned that the region will experience severe weather into Tuesday."A line of strong to locally severe thunderstorms should progress east from northeast and central Mississippi across west-central and northern portions of Alabama into far southern Tennessee this evening, offering a risk for damaging winds and a couple tornadoes," the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center reported late Monday. "An additional cluster of strong to severe storms over southwest Mississippi may eventually spread east towards southwest Alabama."


sputnik--2019-04-15--Tornadoes Reportedly Kill at Least 8 People in US South PHOTO

Tornadoes Reportedly Kill at Least 8 People in US South (PHOTO)

Tornadoes mostly hit the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, the USA Today newspaper said on Sunday, adding that dozens of people were injured in these states.  At least 25 individuals were injured in Alto, Texas and eight of them are reportedly in critical condition. Another 19 people were injured in Monroe County, Mississippi.  About 100,000 houses and commercial buildings were left without electricity because of the storm, several people are still missing.


talkingpointsmemo--2019-01-28--At Least 3 Killed 172 Injured From Tornado That Hit Havana Overnight

At Least 3 Killed, 172 Injured From Tornado That Hit Havana Overnight

HAVANA (AP) — A tornado and pounding rains smashed into the eastern part of Cuba’s capital overnight, toppling trees, bending power poles and flinging shards of metal roofing through the air as the storm cut a path of destruction across eastern Havana.  Power was cut to many areas and President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Monday at least three people were killed and 172 injured.  “From one moment to the next, we heard a noise like an airplane falling out of the sky. The first thing I did was go hug my daughters,” who are 9 and 12, he told The Associated Press.  Driver Oster Rodriguez said that amid a fierce storm, what looked like a thick, swirling cloud touched down in the central plaza of the Reparto Modelo neighborhood “like a fireball.” He saw a bus blown over, though he said the driver escaped unharmed.  The windows in the seven-story Daughters of Galicia Hospital had been sucked out of their frames by the wind, leaving curtains flapping in the breeze, and all the patients, new and expectant mothers, had to be evacuated. In the streets, a palm tree more than 30 feet (9 meters) tall had crushed a pre-revolutionary American car.  Photos posted on Twitter by Havana residents showed cars crushed by fallen light posts and cars trapped in floodwaters around the city. The neighborhoods of Regla and 10 de Octubre and the town of San Miguel de Padron had been affected by the tornado.  Leanys Calvo, a restaurant cook in the 10th of October borough, said she was working Sunday night despite heavy rain and wind when she heard a rumbling noise outside and looked out to see what appeared to be a tornado touching down.  “It was something that touched down, and then took off again. It was like a tower,” she said, describing it as displaying colors of red and green. “It was here for two-three seconds, nothing more. They were the most frightening seconds of my life.”


newyorkpost--2019-11-08--5.9 magnitude earthquake in Iran kills at least 5, injures 300

TEHRAN, Iran — A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck northwestern Iran early Friday, killing at least five people and injuring over 300 others, officials said.  The temblor struck Tark county in Iran’s Eastern Azerbaijan province at 2:17 a.m., Iran’s seismological center said. The area is some 400 kilometers (250 miles) northwest of Iran’s capital, Tehran.  Over 40 aftershocks rattled the rural region nestled in the Alborz Mountains, and residents rushed out of their homes in fear. The quake injured at least 312 people, state television reported, though only 13 needed to be hospitalized. It described many of the injuries happening when people fled in panic.  The head of Iran’s emergency medical services, Pirhossein Koulivand, gave the casualty figures to state television. There were no immediate video or images broadcast from the area.  Rescuers have been dispatched to the region, officials said. State TV reported the earthquake destroyed 30 homes at its epicenter.  The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage.  Iran is on major seismic faults and experiences one earthquake a day on average. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people.  A magnitude 7 earthquake that struck western Iran in 2017 killed more than 600 people and injured more than 9,000.


sottnet--2019-03-17--At least 5 killed by earthquake-triggered landslide on Lombok Indonesia

At least 5 killed by earthquake-triggered landslide on Lombok, Indonesia

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake on Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara, has caused a landslide in North Lombok regency, killing at least five people and injuring more than 30 - most of whom were foreign and domestic tourists.According to a statement issued by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency on Sunday afternoon, a 5.4-magnitude tectonic earthquake jolted East Lombok regency. The earthquake struck at about 2 p.m. local time, with its epicenter located approximately 20 kilometers north of the regency's Selong city. It was estimated to be 20 km deep.While the agency stated the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami, North Lombok regency administration said it had caused a landslide at the Tiu Kelep Waterfall in Bayan district. The earthquake also destroyed several houses."There were about 40 tourists affected by the landslide around the area. Most of the victims were Malaysians and domestic tourists," the administration spokesman said in a statement.The Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency and the North Lombok Health Agency dispatched four ambulances to the scene, as well as medical and rescue personnel to aid and relocate victims. As of Sunday afternoon, the team had rescued 19 people and recovered two dead bodies.Bayan district was one of several areas heavily damaged by a series of earthquakes that jolted the island between July and August last year. More than 500 people were killed while more than 1,500 were injured during that disaster.


sottnet--2019-11-08--Magnitude 6.0 earthquake in northern Iran kills at least 5, injures 300

The epicenter of the 6.0-magnitude quake was registered early on Friday some 118 km east of Tabriz at a depth of 51 km, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).According to AP, citing an emergency official, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in northwestern Iran killed at least 5 people and injured 300 others. Earlier media reports have put the death toll at 3 persons, while suggesting that only 20 people were injured.The magnitude of the tremors was later downgraded by the EMSC to 5.6, while the initial report suggested that the northwestern region of Iran had been hit by a more powerful quake.The epicenter of the quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.0, was located some 65 km (40 miles) of Herowabad.Iran is located in a seismically active zone and often suffers from powerful earthquakes . In November 2018, a disastrous 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Iran's border with Iraq leaving hundreds killed and injured.In 1990, a 7.4-magnitude quake in northern Iran killed some 40,000 people, injured 300,000 and left half a million homeless.


sputnik--2019-08-03--At Least 1 Killed 4 Injured in Indonesia Earthquake - Reports

At Least 1 Killed, 4 Injured in Indonesia Earthquake - Reports

Indonesian authorities have issued a tsunami warning after the earthquake struck. According to the USGS, it hit at a depth of 59 kilometres (37 miles) and about 227 kilometres (141 miles) from the city of Teluk Betung on the island of Sumatra.  According to Reuters, citing local authorities, one person died of a heart attack amid panic in the province of Banten on Java and at least four others were injured.  According to the disaster mitigation agency, people who took to higher ground, including about 1,000 taking shelter in the gubernatorial office in Lampung Province, have now returned home, Reuters said.  Friday's earthquake reportedly destroyed 34 houses and caused minor damage to dozens of other buildings.  Indonesia is located in a seismically active zone known as the Ring of Fire and regularly suffers from powerful earthquakes.  Hundreds of thousands died in 2004 when a powerful earthquake hit Sumatra's Aceh region, triggering a tsunami that struck several states bordering the Indian Ocean.


sputnik--2019-09-29--At Least 30 People Killed 156 Injured as Powerful Earthquake Hit Indonesia - Reports

At Least 30 People Killed, 156 Injured as Powerful Earthquake Hit Indonesia - Reports

A large 6.5 magnitude earthquake was detected eight kilometres (4.9 miles) to the southeast of the settlement of Kairatu, located in the south of Seram island, at 23:46 GMT on Wednesday. The earthquake was registered at a depth of 29.9 kilometres. Previous media reports indicated that 20 people were killed and 100 were wounded due to the quake.  About 25,000 people were forced to flee their homes for shelters, the Xinhua news agency reported.  Emergency relief works continue with a quick response task force assisting the administration of Maluku province in relief efforts, the media added.


thetorontostar--2019-11-26--Albania earthquake kills 14; rescuers hunt for survivors

THUMANE, Albania - Rescue crews used excavators to search for survivors trapped in toppled apartment buildings Tuesday after a powerful pre-dawn earthquake in Albania killed at least nine people and injured more than 300.  The 6.4 magnitude quake was felt across the southern Balkans and was followed by multiple aftershocks. In nearby Bosnia, another temblor with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 struck southeast of the capital and rattled Sarajevo. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in that earthquake.  The quake collapsed at least three apartment buildings while people slept, and rescue crews were working to free people believed trapped. There was no indication as to how many people might still be buried in the rubble.  “It is a dramatic moment where we should preserve calm, stay alongside each other to cope with this shock,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said, adding that neighbouring countries, the European Union and the United States had offered help. By late morning, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Turkey, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia were sending rescue crews to Albania.  Greece was sending about 40 rescuers, with one 26-member search and rescue team with two sniffer dogs and specialized equipment flying from Athens to Tirana on board a military aircraft, while the second team was heading to the quake zone by road from northern Greece. Italy was sending specialized urban search and rescue teams from three Italian regions while Serbia, Romania, Turkey and Montenegro were also sending search-and-rescue teams.  The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-6.4 quake, which struck just before 4 a.m. local time, had an epicenter 30 kilometres (19 miles) northwest of the capital, Tirana, at a depth of 20 kilometres (12 miles). Scores of aftershocks included three with preliminary magnitudes of between 5.1 and 5.4.  Local television stations showed footage of a young boy being pulled from a collapsed building after an excavator moved a broken slab of concrete and local men pulled mangled reinforcement bars out of the way.  “We are expecting multiple aftershocks following the main earthquake. That will pose a danger to human life. People in the affected areas should be aware of this danger,” said Akis Tselentis, director of the Geodynamic Institute of Greece, speaking in Athens.  The bodies of three people were removed from a collapsed apartment building in the coastal city of Durres, 33 kilometres (20 miles) west of the capital Tirana, while a fourth was found dead in a hotel that collapsed, the Defence Ministry said. Another three people were found dead in a collapsed apartment building in the northern town of Thumane. One person died after jumping from his home to escape shaking from the quake in Kurbin, 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of the capital, while another person died in the northern town of Lezha.  All government agencies were on alert and “intensively working to save lives at the fatal spots in Durres and Thumane,” Rama said. Authorities were setting up tents in Durres and in Fushe Kruje near Thumane in the north to house survivors left homeless by the quake.  The quake was felt along the Albanian coast as well as neighbouring Kosovo, Montenegro, Greece, and parts of southern Serbia.  Authorities reported scores of aftershocks — as strong as magnitude 5.5 — and called on people in the most affected areas to stay out of their homes and avoid driving in the affected areas to allow emergency vehicles free access. Many reported seeing cracks in their apartment walls.  At least three apartment buildings and the power distribution station were damaged in Thumane.  An earthquake in September in roughly the same area damaged hundreds of homes.  Llazar Semini reported from Tirana. Elena Becatoros and Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.

Llazar Semini And Visar Kryeziu - The Associated Press


bbc--2019-07-06--Whats it like being a female working in entertainment

What's it like being a female working in entertainment?

Three women from different areas of the industry told the BBC about their inspiration and what they think needs to change.  This video has been optimised for mobile viewing on the BBC News app. The BBC News app is available from the Apple App Store for iPhone and Google Play Store for Android.


bbc--2019-08-23--Hasbro to buy Peppa Pig owner Entertainment One for 4bn

Hasbro to buy Peppa Pig owner Entertainment One for $4bn

US toy maker Hasbro will acquire Peppa Pig owner Entertainment One for around £3.3bn ($4bn), the firms said in a statement.  Hasbro said the deal would expand its entertainment and "family-oriented storytelling" portfolio.  The deal is the latest in a string of foreign acquisitions of UK-listed firms including the £4.6bn buyout of pub chain Greene King.  Under the all-cash transaction, Entertainment One shareholders will receive £5.60 for each common share.  "Hasbro will leverage Entertainment One immersive entertainment capabilities to bring our portfolio of brands that have appeal to gamers, fans and families to all screens globally," the firms said in a statement.  The American toy giant is behind a diverse range of titles including the My Little Pony and Transformers franchises, as well as the Monopoly board game and Play-Doh.  Entertainment One makes a series of film and television titles including the Peppa Pig cartoon.  The firm said the top performing preschool programme has been translated into more than 40 languages and broadcast in over 180 territories.  It is particularly popular in China, where it was first exported in the early 2000s. The cartoon has attracted some 34 billion views on domestic online video platforms.


birminghammail--2019-01-07--Plans to turn city centre bar into all-night sex entertainment venue revealed

Plans for a strip club that will be open throughout the night on one of Birmingham's most well-known roads have been revealed.  A notice for a 'sexual entertainment venue' appeared on the window of 61 Newhall Street in the last few days for a new venue.  The building, which was home to the former Cogs nightclub, is on the corner of Great Charles Street and Newhall Street.  Michelle Monaghan, who made the application on December 18, has proposed to name the establishment La Belle's.  The hours of operation applied for are 8m until 6am every day of the week.  The notice reads: 'Notice is hereby given that I, Michelle Monaghan applied on Tuesday 18th December to Birmingham City Council, in respect of the premises known as La Belle's.  'Under the Local Government Act 1982, for the renewal of a sexual establishment license for: A sexual entertainment venue.  'For the intended days and opening hours of Monday to Sunday 20:00 Hours to 06:00 Hours.'  The application will need to be approved by a council licensing committee, and objections from the public and surrounding businesses must be taken into account.  The application has already drawn attention of a local business group who will oppose the plans.  A Colmore BID spokesman said: “Colmore Business District is the premier business area in the city and we do not feel that Newhall Street is a suitable location for a sexual entertainment venue and will therefore be making an objection to the application.”  The Colmore Business District has become aware of a notice for a licence for a sexual entertainment venue at 61 Newhall Street (on the corner of Great Charles Street and HNewhall Street, the former Cogs nightclub).


birminghammail--2019-10-11--Baseball, table golf and curling - Birmingham's craziest entertainment venue is landing in Digbeth

Revellers are being invited to smash it out the baseball park at a giant new entertainment venue that is opening in Digbeth with a mix of fun, games and social sports.  Visitors to The Floodgate will be able to hit a few soft balls, tackle an 18-hole, Pit Pat table golf course and try out the roaring Olympic sport of curling.  Cocktails, street food and music will also be part of the whirl when the urban-themed venue opens in the former Boxxed nightclub on the Custard Factory estate.  The experiential entertainment spot incorporates Bleachers baseball batting cages, Pit Pat table golf and Curl Club curling lanes under one roof, with a huge outdoor yard serving street food.  The social sports are set to a backdrop of illuminated street art murals depicting inter-connect retro characters and fantasy scenes ranging from Alice in Wonderland to Back to the Future.  Spanning 10,000 square feet in the converted warehouse, The Floodgate also has plenty of space upstairs for live music and the arts, private parties and conferences and corporate events.  Embracing Digbeth’s energy, originality and indie spirit, the venue has a ‘UV wonderland’ with illuminated street art painted by some of Birmingham’s leading exponents and over 1,000, rainbow-coloured slinkies hanging from the ceiling in the Curl Club.  The colourful backdrop has been created by leading Birmingham street artists including Gent48, who painted the 60ft mural of Peaky Blinders character Thomas Shelby on the side of the Custard Factory after it was created by Stoke artist James Mundy. The renowned painters worked through the night to make the blaze of shapes a reality, while it took two, eight-hour days to hang the slinkies.  Due to launch on November 1, The Floodgate is the brainchild of school friends Stephen O’Reilly, Mike Gregory and Chris Ross.  Going into business as The Three Ogres, they have pooled their skills and shared interest in social sports to join the up-and-coming Digbeth scene that has emerged as a vibrant alternative to the city centre.  Judging by the first images, it's a truly original, action-all-areas hang-out with awesome street art in the heart of Birmingham's creative quarter.  For more information and to book click here  Players who hire out batting cages by the half hour will be able to smash soft-balls into oblivion as they compete with friends to rack up points. The projectiles are hurled out at speeds of up to 90kph but are easily hittable. Batters can step up to the plate in the nine metre-long cages, with a graffiti backdrop evoking an urban feel worthy of Chicago, New York or Digbeth.  The Olympic sport of curling is joining Birmingham’s social sports scene for the first time. Popularised in the UK by the GB Women’s heroics at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, the game involves players competing with polished curling stones on ice-covered lanes. Known as ‘The Roaring Game’ because of the sound the stones make on the surface, the game will arrive on imitation ice over three lanes in Digbeth with an added street art and urban beats dimension.  Best described as crazy golf meets snooker, the Pit Pat craze has landed in Digbeth after being a hit in Germany and Italy. The 18-hole course is set in a nostalgic UV wonderland with glowing spray art murals immortalising famous films and people including Darth Vader, Robert De Niro and Brum’s own Ozzy Osbourne. Golfers use pool cues on billiard-style tables with different lay-outs and obstacles. It’s thought there are few, if any, Pat Pat courses in the UK, so this is a chance to be part of a Brummie first if not a UK first with an after-hours DIgbeth flavour.  Where is The Floodgate?  For more information and to book click here


birminghammail--2019-11-12--ITV set to launch new weekend entertainment show with John Bishop

The comedian will look back on the week's biggest events with the help of guest stars.  John Bishop At The Weekend will dissect the news in his own comic style.  Katie Rawcliff, of ITV, said: "We're thrilled to have John and his new show for ITV.  "With his irrepressible wit, we can't wait to see what he and his star-studded guests make of each week."  Bishop hosted the annual ITV Palooza event in London, welcoming a glittering array of stars from the TV channel's biggest shows.  Simon Cowell appeared on the red carpet, along with Amber Gill and other stars of Love Island.


breitbart--2019-09-22--Update Breitbart Entertainment Editors Book Rockets to 5 on Amazon

Update: Breitbart Entertainment Editor's Book Rockets to #5 on Amazon

Jerome’s book, released nationwide on Sept. 17, was billed by his publisher, Harper Collins, as being chock full of the facts “TV talking heads, Hollywood celebrities, your teachers, professors, your politicians, and your local paper are not likely to ever tell you and don’t want you to know:”  “Jerome is a fighter, a nightmare for Hollywood elites, and an integral part of the Breitbart family,” said Breitbart News President and CEO Larry Solov. “This book is a must-read for anyone who still cares about truth prevailing in America’s public discourse.”  Breitbart News Editor-in-Chief Alexander Marlow said, “Jerome does something invaluable with this book: he precisely and concisely gives you history and arguments you can use to combat the left, or at least understand it. I learned a lot from this book and was reminded of a lot of things I wished I remembered. Buy two copies, and give one to a friend.”  Jerome appeared on Fox News this week and called out the left’s lies on immigration, climate change, and Silicon Valley’s potential to secretly sway millions of votes.  Jerome Hudson’s book 50 Things They Don’t Want You to Know has jumped to number 7 on the Amazon best seller’s list.  Jerome’s book 50 Things They Don’t Want You to Know has now rocketed to number 5 on the Amazon best seller’s list.


breitbart--2019-10-08--Blizzard Entertainment Bans Pro Gamer, Strips of Winnings for Supporting Hong Kong Protests

Blizzard is facing backlash from consumers angry that the company banned Hearthstone eSports champion Ng Wai “blitzchung” Chung, a native of Hong Kong, for making comments in favor of the pro-democracy protests in the city.  After expressing his support for the pro-democracy protests sweeping Hong Kong, Chung was banned by the multi-billion dollar entertainment company under a nebulous catch-all conduct policy that reads:  Engaging in any act that, in Blizzard’s sole discretion, brings you into public disrepute, offends a portion or group of the public, or otherwise damages Blizzard image will result in removal from Grandmasters and reduction of the player’s prize total to $0 USD, in addition to other remedies which may be provided for under the Handbook and Blizzard’s Website Terms.  Chung spoke to the official Taiwanese Hearthstone organization wearing a gas mask in protest after his victory against South Korea’s Jang “DawN” Hyun Jae.  As soon as he was on camera, he proclaimed: “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age!” The camera was immediately cut, the casters attempted to distance themselves, and videos of the match itself have been removed. Blizzard also fired both casters for good measure.  In an official blog post, Blizzard said:  It is important to note that Blizzard is partly owned by the monolithic Chinese multinational conglomerate, Tencent Holdings Limited. Today, Tencent also announced a suspension of their ties with the National Basketball Association, after Houston Rockets’ General Manager tweeted support for the Hong Kong protesters.  Just like the NBA, Blizzard is facing a pervasive negative response from the public. Customers are boycotting the company, and declaring their support for Chung and the pro-democracy demonstrators through the #BoycottBlizzard hashtag — including numerous posted screenshots showing Blizzard products deleted from their personal computers.  The response has been so intense that Blizzard has even shut down r/Blizzard, the company’s official fan subreddit, in an attempt to silence the overwhelming criticism. Meanwhile, fellow online card game “Gods Unchained” has decided to express their support for Chung by paying out all of his lost winnings:  “@Blizzard_Ent just banned @blitzchungHS and stripped his Hearthstone winnings because they care about money more than freedom,” they tweeted early this morning. “We will pay for ALL his lost winnings and a ticket to our $500k tournament: no player should be punished for their beliefs. #freegaming”  Even Blizzard’s employees may be feeling the heat. Unconfirmed reports claim that “incensed” employees have covered up the “Think Globally” and “Every Voice Matters” values from the company’s corporate display.  Without any real chance of a South Park style “apology” from the communist corporate overlords, Blizzard is betting on silence being their best chance of escape…  It is not working.


buzzfeed--2019-08-09--Amid The Equinox Boycott Armie Hammer Called Out The Marvel Entertainment Chairman For Trump Donati

Amid The Equinox Boycott, Armie Hammer Called Out The Marvel Entertainment Chairman For Trump Donations

This week has seen Equinox and SoulCycle customers — including celebs — cancel their memberships in protest against Stephen Ross, the wealthy owner of the gyms’ parent company, hosting a Trump fundraiser in the Hamptons on Friday.  As liberals debate if they’re comfortable spending their money at places where some of it may end up supporting the president, actor Armie Hammer (Call Me by Your Name, Sorry to Bother You) on Friday sought to call attention to another wealthy Trump benefactor.  “Hey, while everyone seems to be on this Equinox thing,” he tweeted, “it might be a good time to mention that one of Trump’s largest financial contributors is the chairman of Marvel Entertainment (Isaac Perlmutter)..... jussayin."  Until September 2015, Perlmutter oversaw the development of film projects at Marvel Studios before the company went through a reorganization, effectively removing the billionaire from any substantial input on the studios’ movies.  This year, Perlmutter — who has a net worth of $5 billion, according to Forbes — gave $360,600 of his own money to the Trump Victory Committee, a fundraising enterprise between the RNC and the Trump campaign. Perlmutter’s wife, Laura, matched her husband’s donation, helping the president raise more than $100 million in campaign funds this year.  In 2016, the executive also donated $1 million to Trump’s veterans fundraiser during the election primary season that year. (Trump held the event as a televised boycott of one of the Republican primary debates when Fox News would not replace Megyn Kelly as moderator.)  But the relationship between Perlmutter and Trump goes quite deep.


buzzfeed--2019-08-11--Amid The Equinox Boycott Armie Hammer Called Out The Marvel Entertainment Chairman For Trump Donati


cbsnews--2019-05-27--Georgia hit with backlash from entertainment industry over new abortion law

Missouri's last abortion clinic may lose license this week


chicagosuntimes--2019-01-08--Alderman kills Lincoln Yards soccer stadium and live entertainment district

Alderman kills Lincoln Yards’ soccer stadium and live entertainment district

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) on Tuesday put the kibosh on two major elements of Sterling Bay’s massive Lincoln Yards development: a 20,000-seat soccer stadium and a live entertainment district controlled by LiveNation with large music venues.  In a move that’s expected to be wildly popular with his park-starved constituents, Hopkins demanded that the site earmarked for a stadium that would have been home to a team owned by the billionaire owner of the Cubs be “repurposed as open and recreational space.”  The now-nixed entertainment district would have been co-owned by LiveNation and included multiple venues seating anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 patrons.  In November, the Hideout and several other small music venues in Chicago said they were “banding together” in an effort to slow the project for fear it would starve them of talent and drive them out of business.  Hopkins’ opposition to that aspect of Sterling Bay’s plan means that the proposed entertainment district “will be eliminated from a revised plan and replaced by restaurants, theaters, and smaller venues that will be scattered throughout the site.”  LiveNation “will have no ownership interest in any of these venues,” Hopkins said.  The alderman said his decision to nix the two key elements stemmed from an avalanche of opposition to the stadium and entertainment district unleashed in a pair of neighborhood surveys and in emails, phone calls and testimony at jam-packed community hearings on the Lincoln Yards development.  “The idea of 20,000 fans coming to an event, then leaving hours later creating massive traffic tie-ups throughout the community—not just on the Kennedy. All the arterial streets in the vicinity would have become gridlocked,” Hopkins said.  “There would have been many other events besides soccer matches. Concerts and other things. In order to justify the cost of building such a structure, it became clear that it would need to be utilized somewhat regularly. That just put an undue burden on the neighborhood. There didn’t seem to be a way to solve that.”  The entertainment district raised similar concerns because of the size of the venues that would have been included, Hopkins said.  “A 6,000-seat venue, a 5,000-seat venue and a 4,000-seat venue…That was over 10,000 right there in that same location. Same impact,” the alderman said.  “In addition to that, the independent music scene in Chicago was very concerned that LiveNation was one of the owners of the district. They had an equity stake in it. They felt that would be unfair competition to the independent music venues. By removing the entertainment district, that takes LiveNation’s equity stake out. That should satisfy concerns of the independent music promoters.”  The proposed stadium would have been home to a United Soccer League franchise owned by Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts, though it would also have hosted other community and sporting events.  Dennis Culloton, a spokesperson for the Ricketts family, said the family’s “potential involvement was focused on the soccer team and contingent on city approvals.”  “While we are disappointed the concept is no longer included in the master plan, we understand the ambitious Lincoln Yards project needs to move forward,” Culloton said in a statement.  Andy Gloor, managing principal of Sterling Bay, could not be reached.  In a statement, Sterling Bay accepted Hopkins’ stand as the final verdict.  “Alderman Hopkins and residents have been very clear: they do not want a stadium. And we want to say: we heard you loud and clear,” the statement said.  “We have removed the stadium and broken up the entertainment district, allowing for assorted smaller venues throughout Lincoln Yards where all independent music operators will have the opportunity to participate. We have also heard the desire for improved transit and infrastructure in the area, a desire we share.”  Under the developer’s revised plan, the proposed Concord/Wisconsin Bridge will now be for both vehicular and pedestrian access, the statement said.  “This bridge, along with the renovated Cortland Bridge, new Armitage bridge, new Dominick bridge, and extended 606, creates five viable routes across the Chicago River,” the developer said.  “Further, Ald. Hopkins has received a commitment from CDOT that they will swiftly pursue the realignment of Elston/Armitage/Ashland.”  Hopkins’s stand appears to remove at least one obstacle to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to persuade the City Council to approve $1.7 billion in tax-increment-financing (TIF) subsidies to unlock the development potential of four megasites in and around the downtown area.  The largest subsidy — up to $800 million — would be earmarked for Lincoln Yards. That will require the city to create a new TIF.  “The project has the ability to be extremely successful without a large stadium and without an entertainment district . . . There’s a path to make this work with the kind of limited venue approach the alderman referenced,” Planning and Development Commissioner David Reifman said.  “The main direction from the mayor on this is, find that balance that is fair overall . . . This is a step toward achieving that balance . . . This opens up a path to a level of compromise to move the project forward.”


chicagosuntimes--2019-01-08--Hopkins kills Lincoln Yards soccer stadium and live entertainment district

Hopkins kills Lincoln Yards’ soccer stadium and live entertainment district

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) on Tuesday put the kibosh on two major elements of Sterling Bay’s massive Lincoln Yards development: a 20,000-seat soccer stadium and a live entertainment district controlled by LiveNation with large music venues.  In a move that’s expected to be wildly popular with his park-starved constituents, Hopkins demanded that the site earmarked for a stadium that would have been home to a team owned by the billionaire owner of the Cubs be “re-purposed as open and recreational space.”  The now-nixed entertainment district would have been co-owned by LiveNation and included multiple venues seating anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 patrons.  In November, the Hideout and several other small music venues in Chicago said they were “banding together” in an effort to slow the project for fear it would starve them of talent and drive them out of business.  Hopkins’ opposition to that aspect of Sterling Bay’s plan means that the proposed entertainment district “will be eliminated from a revised plan and replaced by restaurants, theaters, and smaller venues that will be scattered throughout the site.”  LiveNation “will have no ownership interest in any of these venues,” Hopkins said.  The alderman said his decision to nix the two key elements stemmed from an avalanche of opposition to the stadium and entertainment district unleashed in a pair of neighborhood surveys and in emails, phone calls and testimony at jam-packed community hearings on the Lincoln Yards development.  “The idea of 20,000 fans coming to an event, then leaving hours later creating massive traffic tie-ups throughout the community—not just on the Kennedy. All the arterial streets in the vicinity would have become gridlocked,” Hopkins said.  “There would have been many other events besides soccer matches. Concerts and other things. In order to justify the cost of building such a structure, it became clear that it would need to be utilized somewhat regularly. That just put an undue burden on the neighborhood. There didn’t seem to be a way to solve that.”  The entertainment district raised similar concerns because of the size of the venues that would have been included, Hopkins said.  “A 6,000-seat venue, a 5,000-seat venue and a 4,000-seat venue…That was over 10,000 right there in that same location. Same impact,” the alderman said.  “In addition to that, the independent music scene in Chicago was very concerned that LiveNation was one of the owners of the district. They had an equity stake in it. They felt that would be unfair competition to the independent music venues. By removing the entertainment district, that takes LiveNation’s equity stake out. That should satisfy concerns of the independent music promoters.”  The proposed stadium would have been home to a United Soccer League franchise owned by Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts, though it would also have hosted other community and sporting events.  Dennis Culloton, a spokesperson for the Ricketts family, said the family’s “potential involvement was focused on the soccer team and contingent on city approvals.”  “While we are disappointed the concept is no longer included in the master plan, we understand the ambitious Lincoln Yards project needs to move forward,” Culloton said in a statement.  Andy Gloor, managing principal of Sterling Bay, could not be reached.  In a statement, Sterling Bay accepted Hopkins’ stand as the final verdict.  “Alderman Hopkins and residents have been very clear: they do not want a stadium. And we want to say: we heard you loud and clear,” the statement said.  “We have removed the stadium and broken up the entertainment district, allowing for assorted smaller venues throughout Lincoln Yards where all independent music operators will have the opportunity to participate.   We have also heard the desire for improved transit and infrastructure in the area, a desire we share.”  Under the developer’s revised plan, the proposed Concord/Wisconsin Bridge will now be for both vehicular and pedestrian access, the statement said.  “This bridge, along with the renovated Cortland Bridge, new Armitage bridge, new Dominick bridge, and extended 606, creates five viable routes across the Chicago River,” the developer said.  “Further, Alderman Hopkins has received a commitment from CDOT that they will swiftly pursue the realignment of Elston/Armitage/Ashland.”  Hopkins’s stand appears to remove at least one obstacle to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to convince the City Council to approve $1.7 billion in tax-increment-financing (TIF) subsidies to unlock the development potential of four mega-sites in and around the downtown area.  The largest subsidy — up to $800 million — would be earmarked for Lincoln Yards. That will require the city to create a new TIF.  “The project has the ability to be extremely successful without a large stadium and without an entertainment district…There’s a path to make this work with the kind of limited venue approach the alderman referenced,” said Planning and Development Commissioner David Reifman.  “The main direction from the mayor on this is, find that balance that is fair overall…This is a step toward achieving that balance…This opens up a path to a level of compromise to move the project forward.”


cnsnews--2019-07-28--ABCs Matthew Dowd Bashes Media for Expecting Mueller Entertainment

ABC's Matthew Dowd Bashes Media for Expecting Mueller Entertainment

On ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, political analyst Matthew Dowd lamented that the media judged the Robert Mueller hearings on their optics or entertainment value...and forget that the Democrats told us this would be the "movie" that would bring the Mueller Report to vivid life.


cnsnews--2019-09-10--List Variety Labels Entertainments 25 Climate Movers and Shakers

List: 'Variety' Labels Entertainment’s 25 ‘Climate Movers and Shakers’

Entertainment magazine “Variety” has published a list of “25 Climate Movers and Shakers in Entertainment” – along with monikers characterizing their climate claims to fame. Actor/Rapper Jaden Smith, for example, is labeled a “Plant-based multitasker” for “launching a free vegan food truck (named, naturally, I Love You) to serve the homeless population lining Skid Row.”  The article’s list of media climate-activist “movers and shakers,” along with their “Variety” nicknames, follows:


dailyheraldchicago--2019-05-20--Des Plaines turns to familiar name in suburban entertainment to operate historic theater

Des Plaines is poised to pick a familiar name in suburban show business to operate its historic downtown theater.  The city council is expected to vote Monday on a deal to lease the Des Plaines Theatre to Onesti Entertainment Corporation, which will book shows and operate a restaurant at the 1925 Art Deco-style building at 1476 Miner St.  Ron Onesti, the president of the company, said he realizes the project is important to Des Plaines residents and business owners.  "Let me just make it clear that this is all subject to the city council approval, and if it does go through, I would consider it an honor and responsibility that I wouldn't take lightly," Onesti said.  City officials began searching for a company to run the day-to-day operations of the theater in July 2018 and interviewed three firms. The city council interviewed two of those companies and then authorized City Manager Mike Bartholomew to negotiate the lease agreement with Onesti.  Bartholomew cited Onesti's track record of success operating the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles as a reason for choosing his company as the finalist. Onesti also operates Rock 'N Ravioli Restaurant and Music Hall and the Bourbon 'N Brass Speakeasy & Jazz Club in Evanston.  "We were aligned on the vision of the theater," Bartholomew said. "We want the theater to be an experience. We want people to go to the theater, no matter what the show is."  Under the proposed five-year agreement, the city will lease the theater to Onesti for free during its first six months of operations and $10,000 per month the next six months. Rent will increase to $12,000 per month the second year, $14,000 per month the third year, $16,000 per month the fourth year and $18,000 per month the fifth year. The city has the option to renew the lease.  However, the city is less concerned about earning money and more focused on the number of people the theater can draw downtown. City leaders view the theater as the anchor of an entertainment and restaurant district and even has a grant program to give new restaurants up to $100,000 to locate there.  "The payoff isn't how much money we can make on rent," Bartholomew said. "The payoff is people."  The proposed deal is unique because Onesti will help the city decide the layout and design of the restaurant on second level, a bar concept on the first level and seating for anywhere between 600 to 900 people. The agreement stipulates the city will prepare the restaurant space to "vanilla box form" -- meaning it will install electrical, drywall and a layer of paint. The cost of installing a kitchen, tables and chairs and all other aspects of the restaurant will be paid by Onesti.  The city estimates construction could take between six and nine months.  Though Onesti is staying quiet about the type of restaurant that may open, he pointed to the shows and the overall experience at the Arcada Theatre as a blueprint for what he envisions for Des Plaines.  Typically, the Arcada books a wide variety of musical acts. For example, recent and upcoming acts include Jay and the Americans, B.B. King's Blues Band featuring Michael Lee from "The Voice," Warrant, Steven Adler of Guns N' Roses and Dwight Yoakam.  "Everything is ambience-driven, themed and upscale," Onesti said. "The experience is as important as the quality of food and the level of the cocktails."  The city entered an agreement with Rivers Casino in May 2018 to buy the shuttered theater, with the casino pledging up to $2 million to help purchase and renovate the building. The city completed the purchase of the building in June and has been completing improvements to the venue. The city council meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday at 1420 Miner St.


drudgereport--2019-05-29--POKEMON turns sleep into entertainment

POKEMON turns 'sleep into entertainment'...

A new Pokémon app called Pokémon Sleep is in development that will track player's sleep and use the data for game play.  Information about how long the user has slept for and when they wake will play a part, but it's not been made clear exactly how.  Nintendo has been capitalising on the game's appeal since Pokémon Go proved to be a global phenomenon in 2016.  "We want to turn sleep into entertainment," an exec explained.  Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo, chief executive of the Pokémon Company, Tsunekazu Ishihara, revealed the release will be next year.  It's also hoped that this new game will attract those who have an interest in sleep and a healthy lifestyle.  Other projects were announced relating to Pokémon including new games, devices and a cloud service.  More than 340 million units of various Pokémon games have been sold since 1996.  1. Pikachu's name is mix of the Japanese for sparkle, pikapika, and the sound of squeaking, which is chūchū.  2. The name of Pokémon only came about because of a copyright issue during the creation of the video game - its original name was Capsule Monsters, before it changed to CapuMon, then Pokémon.  3. Drowzee, the dream-eater Pokémon, is based on a tapir. In South American folklore, the mammal would use its long snout to eat dreams as people slept.  4. The first Pokémon to be created was actually the rhino-like Rhydon, not Pikachu.  5. The most sought-after Pokémon trading card to this day is Charizard.  Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.


drudgereport--2019-05-30--POKEMON turns sleep into entertainment


drudgereport--2019-12-14--Too much entertainment 'stressing' people out...

At first, I thought my brain was broken.  Every time I had a spare evening, I would sit down in front of my TV, open Netflix, and be presented with an array of brilliant film and TV. After 20 or 30 minutes of hemming and hawing, I'd watch something I'd already seen before.  Up until recently, I assumed I had so damaged my attention span with social media, games, and screens in general, that I had lost the capacity to engage with anything remotely smart or interesting. And maybe that's true. But last week, I tweeted about my affliction, asking if anyone else had ever felt this strange aversion to starting a new movie or show — and the response was overwhelming. Even with my modest follower count, more than 100 people chimed in with similar experiences. It was fascinating. And just as interesting were the variety of reasons people cited for their aversion to pressing play: stress, anxiety, the content of most modern entertainment, a fear of missing out, or a fear of wasting time — it was a long list.  Here we are at a moment in history where we are spoiled for choice when it comes to entertainment, and this is stressing some people out. What's going on?  My Netflix dilemma is hard to explain. The feeling I get when confronted with a decision about what to watch is almost like revulsion, as if I've been assigned a task I hate and am loath to start it. I should just pick what I want to watch and be happy with my choice. But we've become familiar with how the digital world has changed things. Now, we have the paradox of the "tyranny of choice," a concept from psychologist Barry Schwarz, which suggests abundant choice makes people miserable because it paralyzes them with too many options.  That makes an intuitive kind of sense. Not only do we now have Netflix, but also Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, regular cable TV, traditional movies, not to mention the entirety of the internet, including the seemingly limitless content on YouTube.  With such an array of content, our day-to-day choices have become loaded. Instead of there being one thing everyone you know is talking about, the fragmentation of shared culture means that in order to participate in some fashion, you have to pick one stream or another. Even now, cultural discourse is lit up with talk of Succession, Watchmen, The Mandalorian, Marriage Story, The Irishman, not to mention the films nominated now that we've reached award season. You can't watch all of them — who has the time? — so maybe it's just easier to give up.  Many people who responded to my tweet said that delving into challenging material was particularly difficult, especially given the problems on display and ever present in our various social media feeds. When it feels like fascism is on the rise or that climate change will kill us all, who wants to slog through an awkward or difficult film, when you could instead just watch reruns of The Great British Baking Show?  The tension between entertainment that is comforting and that which is challenging is centuries old. In Western literature, everyone from Sir Philip Sydney to Alexander Pope to Immanuel Kant made the argument that good work required effort to understand — that it needed critics to tease out its meaning.  That dynamic turned into its own sort of culture war: Are you going to engage with something hard and artistic, or are you going to wallow in mainstream pablum? That kind of elitism has, for a variety of reasons, fallen out of favor. But perhaps it's not just that postmodernism has reconfigured how we create hierarchies of art, but more simply that when there is too much stuff, things that are easy suddenly feel more valuable.  We tend to think art is a mirror held up to society. But in times of great change or distress, it's important to remember German playwright Bertold Brecht's rejection of that notion. He said "art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it." You would think that in these difficult times, we would want art to challenge the status quo, that we would gravitate toward film and TV that speaks to how we might react to dark forces rising. But is it possible that the rise of digital technology is changing the social function of entertainment, more sharply cleaving a line between the sort that is meant for pleasure and the kind that is meant to edify, or connect you with, the human?  That is perhaps too large a question for now. But it seems there is something about modern life that is changing how we relate to the things we previously used as distraction tools. With the infiltration of work into daily life, to-do lists pinging on our phones, and a set of digital tools designed to keep us hooked and never at rest, is it any wonder that YouTube is preferable to a hard film about a failing marriage? Maybe my brain is broken. But maybe, as 2019 draws to a close, it isn't the only thing that is.  Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.


drudgereport--2019-12-15--Too much entertainment 'stressing' people out...


eveningstandard--2019-04-03--New Tottenham stadium Fans encouraged to arrive early for pre-match entertainment

New Tottenham stadium: Fans encouraged to arrive early for pre-match entertainment

Tottenham have encouraged fans to arrive at the new stadium as early as possible this evening.  The stadium will open at 4.45pm, three hours before kick-off with the Tottenham Hotspur Marching Band set to perform a 45-minute medley of Spurs classics pitch-side from 5.30pm.  There will be live music at The Shelf, Dispensary, and White Hart bars, as well as in the north-west concourse on Level 1.  An opening ceremony, expected to include a nod to the 2011 London riots, will begin 30 minutes before kick-off. Banners will be displayed on the High Road and inside the ground fans will be given flags, as they were in the final game at White Hart Lane  Souvenir programmes will be on sale for £10.  For the game against Crystal Palace, Spurs players will wear a commemorative home shirt, inscribed with details of the fixture and Robbie Keane will be interviewed on the pitch at half-time.


eveningstandard--2019-04-04--Grand Designs The Street Solidly built rigidly structured welcome to the dream home of DIY ente

Grand Designs The Street: Solidly built, rigidly structured... welcome to the dream home of DIY entertainment

Grand Designs is a fabulously successful series that has been presented by Kevin McCloud since it first aired back in April 1999.  Tonight sees the launch of its twentieth series, not counting all the spin-offs (Grand Designs Indoors, Grand Designs Abroad, etc).  The time has surely come to evaluate exactly what the impact of Grand Designs has been on us. Quite possibly almost entirely deleterious I suspect.  The show follows a remarkably stereo- typed format. McCloud introduces us to the people, usually a couple, who have come up with a plan for making their stirringly original property dreams come real. We’re shown a model of what the place is supposed to look like when it is finished. Then he makes site visits as the build proceeds. All begins well but then there’s trouble in the form of delays, budget over-runs, construction problems and relationship bust-ups.  Finally, though, the proud owners move in and McCloud visits one last time. They weepily attest it is everything they dreamed of, he thrills them by admiring the marvels of their achieved grand design. It’s a drama more rigidly structured than a play by Racine.  On screen, McCloud’s role is to sympathise with and encourage the clients, sometimes even momentarily assisting them. In his voiceovers, however, he remains more sceptical, racking up the tension as we wonder if they will make it through to that final act.  But there is never any doubt that following your dreams and making your home express your personality is the highest aim. So, Grand Designs has encouraged millions to follow suit, if not to build complete houses, at least to put forth their very own hot tub or novel extension. I have a creeping suspicion that McCloud himself is not as keen on people expressing the originality of their personalities through buildings as the programme requires him to be. Twenty years of it would wear down Candide.  Poetry, said TS Eliot, is “not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality”, woundingly adding, “But, of course, only those who have personality and emotions know what it means to escape from these things.”  In an interview McCloud once admitted that he himself likes to stay in the same hotel he has stayed in 80 times before and eat the same food he has had 80 times before. Similarly, it might, even now, be thought that when it comes to say, a fork, a chair, or even a house, originality, the expression of personality, is not the prime desideratum. But it sure is in Grand Designs.  This series is dedicated to following self-builders at Graven Hill near Bicester in Oxfordshire, a site where planning restrictions have been relaxed so that up to 1,900 houses can be self-built to personal designs, in “a literally ground-breaking experiment”.  Tonight Terry, 65, and Olwyn, 74, put up their dream house (blue steel roof, quartz tile cladding) fairly smoothly. Though Terry gets carpal tunnel problems, the hard work helps him beat a diabetes diagnosis. Win win! Luckily, from the viewer’s point of view anyway, their neighbour Lynn (shower-room shaped like an oast-house) suffers problems calamitous enough for two, with a roof collapse and lots of sobbing.  Still, she too makes it through to completion and McCloud congratulates them both. “A remarkable house, jam-packed with personality”, he affirms to Terry and Olwyn. “It’s you, this house, outside and in — it shouts character!” he assures Lynn. Still, best not try this at home, perhaps.


eveningstandard--2019-05-15--Entertainment giant Sony in the mother of all rows over sexism

Entertainment giant Sony usually likes to make a lot of noise about what it does. It’s the film-maker behind hits including Spider-Man. Its music division’s acts stretch from Beyoncé to George Ezra. Its Playstation is the “ultimate home entertainment centre”.  But insiders at its UK offices claim there’s one thing Sony doesn’t like to talk about: the Japanese firm’s treatment of female executives here.  The allegations come from insiders working at different branches of Sony UK’s empire who claim “you have to navigate a boys’ club culture”.  One (male) senior manager at one of Sony’s biggest offices in the UK told the Standard about a “discriminatory” hiring policy where departmental budgets are cut to pay for maternity leave. That means, in his words, that “at Sony, it’s easier to hire men”.  The insider, who has over a decade of management experience at multinationals, claimed that when a member of his team went on maternity leave, he was told the cost to pay for her cover would come from his staffing budget.  “No extra money is made available — as it normally is, and has been at every major firm I’ve worked for previously — so to meet my targets I had to make significant cuts elsewhere.  “Covering the cost of just one woman’s maternity leave becomes really onerous.”  He adds: “This would never sway my hiring decisions but others might opt for not hiring women of a certain age because of Sony’s HR policy. If you’ve got two equally good candidates, one male and one female, are you going to go with the man because you then won’t potentially face this problem?”  The insider says he raised the issue three times with HR and board-level managers, “but I was told ‘it’s difficult to change things at Sony’”.  The policy is also a source of tension within teams, because the source says expenses such as travel and training have to be slashed to accommodate someone on maternity leave.  A female Sony executive, who recently left, alleged one of her managers had “said that he did not want another female colleague to go for a senior position in his team because she was a mother, as this was where her priorities were, and that she might have a second baby”.  Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, which campaigns against maternity discrimination, says: “Hiring practices across the board are skewed to encourage people to recruit men rather than women,” she says.  “Some create a budgeting system, which means that employers save money by hiring men. Other employers decide to save money and don’t recruit a replacement for the mum on leave, instead they distribute the work to current employees. This creates animosity that is directed at women, rather than the employer.  “A third of employers actively discriminate against women of child-bearing age in the recruitment process.”  Sony refused to comment on its maternity pay policies but says it “embraces diversity and the working contributions of women”, and provides “opportunities for career development and assisting the professional growth of women”.  In Japan, the company says it has set a target for women to hold 10% of management roles in the Sony Group. But each insider spoken to by the Standard said it was “a talking point how very few women are in management roles”.  Sony Europe’s pay gap report for 2018 showed men occupy almost 80% of the highest-paid jobs at the firm. Men earn, on average, 24% more than women. One ex-employee claimed she was told their manager “was frustrated that myself and another colleague had fallen pregnant at the same time”.  Other women said they had signed non-disclosure agreements and left Sony after struggling at the firm when returning from maternity leave. They said they are afraid to tell their stories for fear of court action.  Another executive, who worked at Sony for five years before leaving for a rival US tech household name, said: “I never really saw myself as different to my male colleagues until after I became a mother and went back to work at Sony. I would progress in terms of my business impact, but this was never reflected in title, recognition or team growth. Male colleagues at a lower grade than me were treated very differently.  “After I came back from maternity leave, my role had been reduced significantly, and I was overlooked in team meetings. The contractor who’d been hired to cover my leave was earning £10,000 a year more than me, despite the fact that I had more experience both within and outside of the company.  Her departure and that of others cast a bitterly ironic shadow on the corporate giant’s slogan: Be Moved.


fortune--2019-06-24--Carl Icahn Backs Eldorado Resorts 86 Billion Deal for Caesars Entertainment

Carl Icahn Backs Eldorado Resorts’ $8.6 Billion Deal for Caesars Entertainment

Eldorado Resorts Inc. is buying Caesars Entertainment Corp. for about $8.58 billion in a deal backed by activist billionaire Carl Icahn that will create the largest U.S. gaming operator.  The agreed equity value of $12.75 a share — in a mix of cash and Eldorado stock — represents a premium of about 28% to Caesars’s Friday closing price. Including debt, the deal is worth approximately $17.3 billion, the companies said in a statement.  Caesars shares rose 13% to $11.25 in pre-market trading as of 8:06 a.m. in New York. Eldorado dropped 6.8%.  Casino and hotel operator Caesars had been pushed to consider a sale by Icahn, its biggest shareholder according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Earlier discussions had focused on a deal that would have valued Caesars at $11 a share, a person familiar with those talks had said.  Caesars, whose properties include the flagship Caesars Palace and the Harrah’s chain, is still coping with the fallout of a 2008 leveraged buyout led by Apollo Global Management LLC and TPG that left it with a mountain of debt. The company completed a bankruptcy of its largest unit two years ago that brought in new board members and shareholders, including distressed-debt investors. Apollo and TPG have sold their shares.  Eldorado and Caesars said they have identified benefits of $500 million by creating a company with 60 owned, operated and managed casino–resorts across 16 states, and expect the deal to boost cash flow immediately. A parallel agreement will see VICI Properties Inc. acquire some of the companies’ real estate, generating $3.2 billion of proceeds to help pay down debt.  Eldorado’s management team will lead the new company, which will continue to operate under the Caesars name and to trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.  “We intend to allocate the significant free cash flow from the combined company to reduce leverage while investing to improve the customer experience across the platform,” said Eldorado’s Chief Executive Officer Tom Reeg.  Before Monday, Eldorado shares had risen 17% in the past year, compared with a 12% decline in Caesars’s stock. The S&P Supercomposite Casinos & Gaming Index, which tracks the performance of nine stocks including the two companies, slumped about 20%.  “While I criticized the Caesars Board when I took a major position several months ago, I would now like to do something that I rarely do, which is to praise a board of directors for acting responsibly and decisively in negotiating and approving this transformational transaction,” Icahn said in a statement.  Eldorado, which had a market value of about $4 billion as of Friday, wasn’t Caesars’s only suitor. Golden Nugget owner Tilman Fertitta proposed merging his restaurant and casino empire with Caesars last year, but was rejected by Caesars.  Eldorado, which dates back to a single casino opened in Reno, Nevada, in 1973, has grown exponentially in recent years under the direction of Tom Reeg, who is now chief executive officer. The company in recent years acquired MTR Gaming Group Inc. and Isle of Capri Casinos, and last year added Tropicana Entertainment Inc., which was controlled by Icahn.  The business, which still counts the founding Carano family as its largest shareholder, now has 26 casinos in 12 states.  —Here’s when most economists think the next recession will happen  —There are now three people worth over $100 billion  —This pot company stock is now more popular than Apple among millennials  Subscribe to Fortune’s CEO Daily newsletter for the latest business news and analysis.

Scott Deveau, Christopher Palmeri, Liana Baker, Bloomberg