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  1. Blackleaf

    Could London Mayor Boris Johnson one day become US President?

    Could Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, who has been the Tory Mayor of London since 2008 and who is decended from King George II and King James I (VI of Scotland) and is a distant cousin of David Cameron, one day become President of the United States? He is, after all, eligible. Johnson was...
  2. Blackleaf

    Florence Nightingale's tomb repaired after storm damage

    The tomb of Florence Nightingale at St St Margaret's Church in East Wellow, Hampshire, has been repaired after it was damaged in a storm. The tomb was damaged, including having a tree fall on it, during the St Valentine's Day storms. Nightingale, who nursed injured and sick British troops...
  3. Blackleaf

    The 18th Century four-minute mile

    Roger Bannister was credited with being the first person to run a mile in under four minutes - but 18th Century runners are reported to have got there first. Why are they not recognised? The 18th Century four-minute mile...
  4. Blackleaf

    Britain has more billionaires than any other country

    The 2014 Sunday Times Rich List has showed that the number of billionaires living in Britain has topped 100 for the first time. There are 104 billionaires living in Britain. This means that Britain has more billionaires per head of population than any other country. London also has more...
  5. Blackleaf

    Planetary scientist Colin Pillinger, the man behind Beagle 2, dies aged 70

    British planetary scientist Professor Colin Pillinger, the man behind Britain's 2003 Beagle 2 Mars rover, has died aged 70. Prof Pillinger was at his home in Cambridge when he suffered a brain haemorrhage and fell into a deep coma. His family said he later died at Addenbrooke's Hospital...
  6. Blackleaf

    888,246 ceramic poppies to fill Tower of London moat

    The moat at the Tower of London is to be filled with almost 900,000 poppies to mark the centenary of the start of WWI. From August 5 to November 11, the dry moat will be turned into a sea of red, with one large ceramic poppy for each of the 888,246 British soldiers killed during the...
  7. Blackleaf

    Ptolemy's atlas on sale for £90,000 in London

    One of the world's first printed atlases is on sale at Bloomsbury in London for £90,000. The atlas of the known world is an interpretation of the works of Roman mathematician, astrologer and geographer Claudius Ptolemy, who lived between 90 and 168AD. It contains a barely recognisable...
  8. Blackleaf

    Former British number one tennis star Elena Baltacha dies aged 30

    The former British number one tennis star Elena Baltacha died on Sunday from liver cancer at the age of just 30. Baltacha, who was born in Ukraine and emigrated to Britain at the age of five with her professional footballer father (Ipswich Town, St Johnstone and Inverness Caledonian Thistle)...
  9. Blackleaf

    Death knell for AGW

    50 Great Climate Change Predictions Which Failed 1. “Due to global warming, the coming winters in the local regions will become milder.” Stefan Rahmstorf, Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research, University of Potsdam, February 8, 2006 **** 2. “Milder winters, drier summers: Climate...
  10. Blackleaf

    Eurovision 2014

    Yes, it's that time of year again. This Saturday night it's the 59th Eurovision Song Contest, the cheesy popfest which will be broadcast live globally. As last year's winner, Denmark - which won it for the first time since 2000, with 1963 being their one other victory - is hosting this...
  11. Blackleaf

    Uffington White Horse re-chalked by volunteers

    More than 100 people are taking part in the re-chalking of the Uffington White Horse. Set in the beautiful countryside of the parish of Uffington in Oxfordshire (previously in neighbouring Berkshire) the Uffington White Horse is thought to date back up to 1000BC, measures 374 feet in length...
  12. Blackleaf

    Five places Richard III may have wanted to be buried (and none of them are Leicester)

    The result of a judicial review over where the remains of Richard III should be buried is expected this month. The judicial review will examine Justice Secretary Chris Grayling's decision to authorise the exhumation and reinterment of the monarch’s remains in Leicester. It has been brought by...
  13. Blackleaf

    Scottish independence setback after Salmond calls Scots "drunks" and backs Putin

    Scottish independence setback after Salmond calls Scots "drunks" and backs Putin A new poll in Scotland has revealed a surge against Scottish independence after Alex Salmond, the Scottish First Minister and the leader of the SNP, the party campaigning for Scottish independence, pledged his...
  14. Blackleaf

    Stonehenge's Amesbury in Wiltshire confirmed as oldest UK settlement

    The Wiltshire town of Amesbury has been confired as the UK's oldest settlement. The town, notable for being the location of Stonehenge, has been continually occupied since around the year 8820BC, experts have found. The news was confirmed following an archaeological dig which also unearthed...
  15. Blackleaf

    The pen which can draw in thin air

    Tired of writing with traditional pen and paper? Then you'll want to pay attention to Lix's device. Their 3D printing pen enables you to write and draw in the air by melting plastic. This means at the touch of a button you can create freestanding objects in a matter of seconds. London-based...
  16. Blackleaf

    Norfolk hawk death reveals 'royal' hunt

    A "rare" 16th Century "royal" silver vervel found in a Norfolk field has revealed the hunting habits of Charles Brandon, the first duke of Suffolk. The 23mm (0.9in) ring, found in December 2012, was worn by a bird of prey around its foot to identify its owner. Adrian Marsden, finds officer...
  17. Blackleaf

    Norfolk silver 'cotton bud' reveals medieval hygiene habits

    The medieval equivalent of a cotton bud has been declared treasure after being found in Norfolk. The 1 inch (28mm) "ear scoop" and sheath handle were discovered by a metal detector enthusiast in Fincham. The "toilet implement" was among a number of items to appear at a treasure inquest in...
  18. Blackleaf

    Derek

    Here's a bittersweet British comedy you should watch. It is funny but also packed with touching, tender moments. Like a previous work of Ricky Gervais's - The Office - this show is presented in mockumentary style. Series 2 has just started. Here are the first two episodes from last year's...
  19. Blackleaf

    The troubled lives of our Hanoverian monarchs

    2014 marks 300 years since the House of Hanover took to the Throne of the new nation of Great Britain. The 1701 Act of Settlement decreed that Roman Catholics cannot ascend the British throne, and so took all Catholics out of the Line of Succession. The Act was prompted by the failure of...
  20. Blackleaf

    Cricket team is humiliated after being bowled out for just three runs

    When a cricket team bowled out their opposition for a low score, they must have gone into bat confident of an easy victory. However, Wirral Cricket Club, who play in the Cheshire League Division Three, did even worse. In fact, they were bowled out for just THREE runs against Haslington, who...