IRN MORNING PREP

<i>Thursday 4th October 2012</i>

IDOL JUDGES CLASH

The presenter of "American Idol" says feuding judges shouldn't be seen as bad
news for the show.

Nicki Minaj reportedly said that she was no longer putting up with "her
Highness" Mariah Carey when the pair clashed earlier this week.

But the show's host, Ryan Seacrest, thinks the programme needs some
"passionate debate." 


LIAM IS BACK ONE MORE TIME

Liam Neeson says the Taken sequel will be the last in the series.

The actor - who returns as Bryan Mills in the thriller - says he was surprised
they thought up a way to do a sequel.

The 60 year old says he still enjoys making action movies - but he just can't
imagine there will be another Taken.


SIR DAVID TO RELEASE MEMOIR

Sir David Jason has signed a deal to publish his memoir after almost half a
century in the entertainment world.

The 72-year-old's autobiography will hit bookshelves in the run-up to
Christmas 2014.

Sir David says it will allow him to "share the journey" of his life with fans.


RATINGS WAR

The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing will briefly go head to head in the TV
schedules as the battle for Saturday night ratings
heats up.

Channel bosses are usually at pains to ensure the two hit shows do not cross
over.

But there will be a five-minute overlap next Saturday night.


<i>NEWSPAPERS </i>



NATIONAL 'VIRTUAL ID CARD' SCHEME SET FOR LAUNCH
The Government will announce details this month of a controversial national
identity scheme which will allow people to use their mobile phones and social
media profiles as official identification documents for accessing public
services. People wishing to apply for services ranging from tax credits to
fishing licences and passports will be asked to choose from a list of familiar
online log-ins, including those they already use on social media sites, banks,
and large retailers such as supermarkets, to prove their identity.
(The Independent)


BAE CHIEF TO MAKE 18 MILLION POUNDS FROM SELL-OFF
The boss of defence giant BAE Systems stands to make 18 million pounds almost
overnight if the firm's controversial merger goes through. Chief executive Ian
King is sitting on millions of lucrative share options which would usually take
years to mature. But in what critics branded a 'scandalous' twist, they would
pay him the giant windfall straight away if the Â£30billion deal to combine
forces with the French and German-controlled aerospace conglomerate EADS is
approved.
(The Mail)


THE 300 MILLION POUND TRAIN CRASH
Rail passengers face years of uncertainty over who will run some of Britain's
busiest train routes after the Government admitted a huge blunder in awarding
the franchise for the West Coast Main Line, an error that could eventually cost
300 million pounds. Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, was in talks
last night with Virgin Trains in an attempt to settle the route's immediate
future after he cancelled new franchises when officials found serious flaws in
the bidding process. 
(The Times)


PLEASE FIND MY LITTLE ANGEL
The heartbroken mum of missing April Jones collapsed in tears yesterday as she
begged: "Please, please help find her." Distraught Coral Jones, 40, sobbed
uncontrollably during a TV appeal to trace her "beautiful little girl" as she
faced a third night without her. The five-year-old girl has not been seen since
a pal she was playing with just 400 yards from home spotted her climbing into a
van at 7pm on Monday. April has mild cerebral palsy and irritable bowel syndrome
and requires daily medication.
(The Star)


THE GREAT TRAIN OMNISHAMBLES
The total cost to the taxpayer of disastrous failings in the Government's rail
franchise programme could exceed 100 million pounds, industry experts warned
last night, as the Transport Secretary launched an urgent review into the
fiasco.
(The i)


PLEASE, PLEASE HELP FIND HER
The distraught mother of missing April Jones yesterday made a heartbreaking
plea for her daughter's safe return. Coral Jones, 40, struggling to keep her
composure, whispered: "We are desperate for any news. April is only five years
old. Please, please, help find her." Speaking as police continue to quiz suspect
Mark Bridger, 46, she added: "It's been 36 hours since April was taken from us.
There must be someone out there who knows where she is and can help the police
find her."
(The Express)


VIRGIN BACK ON TRACK IN RAIL SHAMBLES
The Department for Transport has been left reeling after three senior civil
servants were suspended over the collapse of the west coast main line franchise
deal, leaving Britain's most lucrative train service in limbo and Sir Richard
Branson's Virgin group triumphantly vindicated. Shortly after midnight on
Wednesday, the government was forced to concede that serious flaws meant the
competition to operate the west coast line would have to be re-run, less than
two months after FirstGroup had triumphed over Virgin Rail with a
multibillion-pound bid.
(The Guardian)


DOCTORS 'REGARD PATIENTS AS CONDITIONS, NOT PEOPLE'
Patients suffer poor care in NHS hospitals because they are viewed by doctors
and nurses as "medical conditions" to be dealt with instead of people, a Royal
College warns today. Medical staff frequently have such little time to deal with
them, that patients' full medical and emotional needs are not met, they say. The
lack of time and attention paid to patients means that serious mistakes are
being made, warn the Royal College of Physicians.
(The Telegraph)


IS THIS HER KIDNAPPER?
Police hunting missing April Jones last night released this picture of a man
by a river near where kidnap suspect Mark Bridger was arrested. The shot was
taken by a TV crew shortly before officers held the 46-year-old. Volunteers
looking for April, five, claim they saw Bridger walking on the bank minutes
before the footage of the man fitting his description was taken at 1.45pm on
Tuesday by a Channel 4 News team. It is believed he asked one of the searchers
if they had heard any news about the hunt for April.
(The Mirror)



TEARS, CLUES, A MAN IN CUSTODY...BUT STILL NO APRIL
It shows a picture of a carefree April Jones plays happily on her beloved pink
bike - at the spot where she was snatched. The five-year-old - who has cerebral
palsy - was still missing last night after being lured into a vehicle near her
home in Machynlleth, Mid Wales, on Monday. Distraught mum Coral, 40, broke down
as she begged: "Please, please, help find her." Police yesterday released a
photo of arrested suspect Mark Bridger, 46, and his Land Rover.
(The Sun)



<u>TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS</u>

1931 - Sir Terence Conran, English designer, restaurateur, retailer and writer
- The Habitat man (81)

1937 - Jackie Collins, British author and Joan's younger sister - famous for
her amazing literary talent that's brought us classics like "The Stud" and "The
Bitch" (75)

1941 - Anne Rice, American writer, famous for her book "Interview with The
Vampire", which was turned into a film (71)

1942 - Johanna Sigurdardottir, the current Prime Minister of Iceland and the
world's first openly gay head of Government (70)

1946 - Susan Sarandon, Oscar-winning American actress and activist - Star of
"The Witches of Eastwick", "Thelma and Louise" and "Dead Man Walking" - she
recently split after being with actor Tim Robbins for 23 years (66)

1947 - Ann Widdecombe, British ex-Tory politician, TV personality and
"Strictly Come Dancing" star (65)

1947 - Jim Fielder, American bassist with the band Blood, Sweat and Tears (65)

1949 - Armand Assante, American actor, starred as Goldie Hawn's love interest
in "Private Benjamin (63)

1957 - Russell Simmons, American entrepreneur, co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of
the hip-hop label Def Jam (55)

1958 - Barbara Kooyman, US musician with the band Timbuk 3, who had a 1987 UK
No.21 single with 'The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades' (54)

1958 - Anneka Rice, British TV presenter of "Challenge Anneka", "Treasure
Hunt" and other shows too trivial to mention (54)

1959 - Chris Lowe, the quiet Pet Shop Boy (53)

1959 - Tony Meo, English ex-snooker player - a childhood friend of Jimmy White
- He was on the single "Snooker Loopy" (53)

1962 - John Secada, US singer, had a 1992 UK No. 5 single with 'Just Another
Day' (50)

1967 - Marcus Bentley, The Geordie Big Brother voiceover man (45)

1967 - Liev Schreiber, American actor, he starred in the "Scream" trilogy and
directed the underrated movie "Everything is Illuminated" (45)

1976 - Alicia Silverstone, American actress who found fame starring in the
movie "Clueless" and played Batgirl in "Batman and Robin" (36)

1977 - Richard Parry, Canadian musician - member of the indie rock band Arcade
Fire, where he plays double bass, celesta, keyboards, drums, electric guitar,
and accordion (35)

1979 - Rachael Leigh Cook, American actress known for her role in the romantic
comedy "She's All That" (33)

1979 - Stefan Booth, British actor, was in "Eastenders", once played Jamie
Nash in Hollyoaks and Sergeant Rollins in The Bill. Also the 2006 "Dancing on
Ice" runner up (33)

1980 - Kristina Lenko, Canadian ice skater, one of the pros on "Dancing On
Ice" (32)

1980 - TomÃ¡Å¡ RosickÃ½, Czech footballer who plays in midfield for Arsenal,
when he's not injured (32)

1984 - Lena Katina, Russian singer with the girl duo T.a.t.u. Russia's most
successful band to date - They had a 2003 UK No.1 single with 'All The Things
She Said' (28)

1989 - Dakota Johnson, American actress and model, the daughter of Don Johnson
and Melanie Griffith (23)

1989 - Stacey Solomon, English singer and X-Factor star who's almost beyond
parody - Good voice though. Winner of "I'm a Celebrity" in 2010, getting over
80% of the public vote in the final (23)


<u>THIS DAY IN HISTORY</u>
THE FULL LIST
1537 - The first complete English-language Bible (the Matthew Bible) was
printed
1582 - Pope Gregory XIII implemented the Gregorian Calendar. In Italy, Poland,
Portugal, and Spain, October 4 of this year was followed directly by October 15.
1795 - General Napoleon Bonaparte led the rout of counterrevolutionaries in
the streets of Paris, beginning his rise to power.
1824 - Mexico adopted a new constitution and became a federal republic.
1830 - The creation of the state of Belgium took place after the separation
from The Netherlands
1853 - In the Crimean War, the Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia
1881 - The player piano (that played itself) was invented by Edward Leveaux of
Sussex
1883 - The first run of the Orient Express train took place
1883 - The first meeting of the Boys' Brigade took place, in Glasgow
1887 - James Gordon Bennett Jr. published the first issue of the International
Herald Tribune newspaper
1895 - The first U.S. Open Men's Golf Championship was played in Newport,
Rhode Island
1905 - Orville Wright became the first to fly an aircraft for over 33 minutes
1911 - Britain's first public escalator was switched on at Earl's Court
underground station
1927 - Gutzon Borglum began sculpting Mount Rushmore, which has the faces of
four US Presidents carved into it
1940 - A meeting between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini took place at the
Brenner Pass
1950 - Snoopy the dog made his first appearance in Charlie Brown comic strip
by Charles Schultz
1957 - Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth, was
launched by the Russians
1958, - BOAC (now British Airways) began operating the first transatlantic
passenger jet service
1958 - The Fifth Republic of France was established
1961 - Aspiring singer-songwriter Bob Dylan played a showcase at New York's
Carnegie Hall to just 53 people
1963 - The Beatles made their first appearance on the UK ITV pop show 'Ready
Steady Go!'
1965 - Pope Paul VI visited New York to address the UN becoming the first pope
to visit the USA.
1966 - Basutoland became independent from the United Kingdom and was renamed
Lesotho
1969 - The Beatles 'Abbey Road' album went to No.1 on the UK chart
1970 - US singer Janis Joplin was found dead at the Landmark Hotel Hollywood
after an accidental heroin overdose
1973 - The BBC broadcast the 500th edition of 'Top Of The Pops'. Slade, Gary
Glitter and The Osmonds all appeared
1976 - The official launch of the Intercity 125 High Speed Train in Britain
took place
1980 - Carly Simon collapsed on stage during a show in Pittsburgh suffering
from nervous exhaustion
1982 - The Smiths made their live debut at the Ritz in Manchester
1983 - Briton Richard Noble set a new land speed record of 633.468 mph,
driving Thrust 2 at the Black Rock Desert of Nevada
1988 - Bavarian environment minister Alfred Dick asked people not to yodel in
the Bavarian Alps as it was harmful to the environment and scared off golden
eagles and other rare birds
1990 - German lawmakers met in the Reichstag in Berlin for the first meeting
of reunified Germany's parliament.
1993 - A Russian Constitutional Crisis took place in Moscow, as tanks
bombarded the Russian parliament, while demonstrators against President Boris
Yeltsin rallied outside
1993 - Albania's first traffic lights were installed
1999 - It was reported that the sister of Jimi Hendrix was planning to exhume
her brothers body and move it to a pay-to view mausoleum
2000 - Craig David picked up the awards for Best R and B Act Best UK Newcomer
and Best UK Single for 'Fill Me In' at the Mobo awards
2002 - Briton Richard Reid pleaded guilty in a federal court in Boston to
trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives hidden in his shoes
2003 - Alex Parks won the second series of the BBC's Fame Academy, beating
Alistair Griffin in the final
2003 - Illusionist Roy Horn, of the superstar duo Siegfried and Roy, had
surgery after a tiger mauled him in Las Vegas.
2004 - SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X Prize for private spaceflight, by
becoming the first private craft to fly into space
2007 - The Rolling Stones set a new record for the top grossing tour of all
time with their A Bigger Bang tour, which ran from late 2005 to August 2007, and
earned the band Â£247 million
2010 - The record for the biggest gathering of people dressed as superheroes
was broken, with 1,580 lining the streets of Los Angeles.

<i>**</i>

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