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TopFinds: Cold damaging grapes, the rise and fall of Flappy Bird

David Silverberg

Published

February 15, 2014

As we do every week, we’ve collected the top news stories and compiled them on one page. Digital Journalists reported on environmental news, the latest Sochi updates, reviews of intriguing theatre shows and much more.

We also highlight some of the major topics Digital Journalists have been covering recently. Note you can see the trending topics at the top of any page on our news network, in the black bar.

Hot topics on Digital Journal

• Winter Olympics
• Phoenix news

Top Digital Journal Reports

13-year-old defies ‘big brother’ and refuses to be fingerprinted (Includes interview) by Justin King

Since 2012, over 800,000 children have had their biometric data taken by the government in the United Kingdom via the school system. One 13-year-old girl is refusing to comply with the demands.

Miss Reese’s ‘Opus’ (Includes interview) by W. Mark Dendy

Rhina Reese loved music since she was “about eight or nine,” an interest that culminated in a desire to be a music educator.

Dow sues activists in India over Bhopal protest (Includes interview) by Justin King

Dow has filed its fourth lawsuit against activists in India that are seeking compensation for the 1984 gas leak at a Union Carbide Corporation facility in Bhopal.

Protester carries a photo of imprisoned American activist Jeremy Hammond during Bhopal protest.

Sanjay Verma

Review: Nina Raine’s drama about deafness, ‘Tribes’, debuts in Toronto (Includes first-hand account) by Jeff Cottrill

Winner of a few major 2012 awards in both London and New York, Nina Raine’s play “Tribes” is a powerful examination of communication issues between the deaf and the hearing. Too bad that Canadian Stage’s new production doesn’t always get it right.

Review: ‘Vampire Academy’ doesn’t totally suck (Includes first-hand account) by Kristal Cooper

It would be easy to pick on a movie based on a popular Young Adult fiction series featuring a complicated cast of supernatural characters. After all, it’s been (rightly) done before with the uber-popular yet uber-maligned Twilight films.

Top Images

Patrick Chan during men’s free skating program at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics

� David Gray / Reuters, Reuters

Team USA’s Oshie scores on the team’s fifth shootout attempt against Russia’s goalie Bobrovski during their men’s preliminary round ice hockey game at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games

Grigory Dukor / Reuters

France’s Lamy Chappuis speeds down the jump during a training session for the large hill ski jumping portion of the Nordic combined individual 10km competition at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games

MICHAEL DALDER, Reuters

Team USA’s Ryan Callahan scuffles with Russia’s Yevgeni Medvedev during the first period of their men’s preliminary round hockey game at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games

MARK BLINCH, Reuters

Canada’s Charles Hamelin and Eduardo Alvarez of the U.S. fall as Russia’s Victor An (R) skates past during the men’s 1,000 metres short track speed skating quarter-finals race at the Iceberg Skating Palace at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games

ERIC GAILLARD, Reuters

China’s Zhou Yang leads as she takes a curve during a women’s 1,500 metres short track speed skating heat event at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

ALEXANDER DEMIANCHUK, Reuters

Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu at the kiss and cry zone during the Men's Figure Skating Short Program during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 13, 2014

Yuri Kadobnov, AFP

Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu performs during the Men's Figure Skating Short Program at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 13, 2014

Jung Yeon-Je, AFP

Christensen of the U.S. performs a jump during the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle finals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor

DYLAN MARTINEZ, Reuters

Russia's Tatiana Volosozhar and Russia's Maxim Trankov perform their Figure Skating Pairs Free Program at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 12, 2014

Damien Meyer, AFP

Netherlands' Stefan Groothuis kisses his partner Esther after winning the gold medal in the the Men's Speed Skating 1000 m at the Adler Arena during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 12, 2014

Damien Meyer, AFP

Hendrickson of the U.S. through the air during the women’s ski jumping individual normal hill event of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor

KAI PFAFFENBACH, Reuters

White of the U.S. reacts after the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, in Rosa Khutor

MIKE BLAKE, Reuters

Switzerland’s Podladtchikov celebrates with team mates during the men’s snowboard halfpipe final event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, in Rosa Khutor

DYLAN MARTINEZ, Reuters

Shaun White of U.S.crashes during men’s snowboard halfpipe qualification round at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor

LUCAS JACKSON, Reuters

Canada’s Yuki Tsubota crashes during the women’s freestyle skiing slopestyle finals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor

MIKE BLAKE, Reuters

Ice hockey spectators, some waving the Russian flag, watch the women’s preliminary round hockey game between Germany and Sweden at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games

� Mark Blinch / Reuters, Reuters

Winner Canada’s Alex Bilodeau and his brother Frederic celebrate following freestyle skiing moguls competition at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor

MIKE BLAKE, Reuters

Winner Canada’s Justine Dufour-Lapointe and her second placed sister Chloe celebrate during flowers ceremony after the women’s freestyle skiing moguls final competition at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor

DYLAN MARTINEZ, Reuters

Russian President Putin poses with the gold medal-winning Russian figure skating team during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

LUCY NICHOLSON, Reuters

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada’s figure skating team compete during the Team Ice Dance Free Dance at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics

LUCY NICHOLSON, Reuters

Italy’s third-placed Christof Innerhofer (C) does a somersault on podium in front of Switzerland’s winner Sandro Viletta during a flower ceremony after the men’s alpine skiing super combined event during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, February 14, 2014

Poland’s Kamil Stoch soars through the air during the final round of the men’s ski jumping large hill individual final of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, at the RusSki Gorki Ski Jumping Center in Rosa Khutor, February 15, 2014

Winner Poland’s Kamil Stoch (C), celebrates with team members Jan Ziobro (R) and Maciej Kot after his victory in the men’s ski jumping large hill individual final of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, at the RusSki Gorki Ski Jumping Center in Rosa Khutor, February 15, 2014

Old Strathcona Farmers Market

Paula Kirman

This Chinese couple partly hide behind the huge bouquet he gave his sweetheart

Lonna Lisa Williams

Anti-government protestors take part in a protest rally in front of the prosecutor general building in Kiev, on February 14, 2014

Yury Kirnichny, AFP

A protester helps another bathe on Independence square in Kiev, on February 14, 2014

Martin Bureau, AFP

Anti-government protestors of the “14 Hundred Self-Defense” group face police as they take part in a protest rally in front of the Prosecutor General building in Kiev on February 14, 2014

Yury Kirnichny, AFP

An anti-government protester lights a candle in front of riot police forces in Kiev, on February 13, 2014

Martin Bureau, AFP

An activist wearing a pan on her head bearing a poster reading “Don't make Maidan angry” holds a poster of jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko during mass rally of the opposition on Independence Square in Kiev on February 9, 2014

Sergei Supinksy, AFP/File

Police stand guard outside the Russian embassy as opposition activists set symbolic “golden toilets” prepared as chairs for talks between Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Kiev on February 7, 2014

Sergei Supinsky, AFP

A protester’s helmet decorated with an icon is seen in front of barricades on Grushevsky street in Kiev on February 9, 2014

Genya Savilov, AFP

Two girls take pictures of each other on an opposition barricade in Kiev on February 8, 2014

Martin Bureau, AFP

Cycle paths and walkways are under deep water in an area close to a supermarket in Corey’s Mill, nr Gravely, in Hertfordshire

Kev Hedges

Emergency services personnel help local residents as they travel in a boat along a flooded road from the village of Muchelney on the Somerset Levels, near Langport in south west England January 30, 2014

Britain’s Prince Charles speaks with members of the local community in the village of Stoke St Gregory on the Somerset Levels in south west England February 4, 2014. The prince visited flood-hit communities in the south west of England

A police vehicle drives past emergency flood pumps near the village of Moorland in south west England February 7, 2014

A couple walk their dog close to a large area of flooded land near Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels in south west England February 4, 2014. Swathes of the mainly rural area of south west of England have been under water for over a month

Emergency services personnel are carried by tractor at dusk through flooded land in the village of Burrowbridge in south west England February 7, 2014. Many areas of the Somerset Levels have been underwater for over a month

In the Media

Nine facts about Valentine’s Day by Tim Sandle

Valentine’s Day has arrived. Putting aside questions about the commercial nature of the day, here are nine interesting, and surprising, Valentine’s Day related facts.

Skater Michael Christian Martinez advances to free skate in Sochi by Leo Reyes

Michael Christian Martinez, the lone Filipino figure skater to compete on Men’s Singles in the XXII Olympic Winter Games (Sochi) 2014, advances to the free skate program, keeping hope for the Philippines to grab a medal in the ongoing Olympic competition

Viral short film ‘Oppressed Majority’ reverses roles (Video) by Anne Sewell

Imagine a world where it was the men who were sexually harassed and abused in the streets by women and the men who were in charge of child care. A French director put together a short video showing just this scenario and it is going viral.

Review: ‘All is Lost’ is no more than a man in a boat by W. Mark Dendy

Robert Redford’s latest starring role movie, “All is Lost,” is an adventure story that begins with the end of the adventure and which quickly finds Redford in survival mode.

The movie was released on DVD and Blu-Ray Feb. 11.

Some species of crocodiles can climb trees by Megan Morreale

The belief that you can climb a tree to escape a hungry crocodile has been proven moot by The University of Tennessee that says some species of crocodile can climb trees.

“This is an alligator in a tree in Mississippi. Turns out, tree-climbing in crocodiles and alligators is common.”

Kristine Gringas

‘Flappy Bird phones’ for sale on eBay reach $90,000 by D.M. McGrory

Despite being pulled from sale by its developer, gamers are still desperate to play the now infamous Flappy Bird with the most desperate hunting for versions downloaded to old smartphones.

MLB Trade Rumors: Jeff Samardzija to Toronto Blue Jays? by Larry Seely

The start of spring training is just around the corner, but the Toronto Blue jays are still searching for help in their starting rotation. With a couple big name free agents still available, the team is in limbo, but a trade could be the best option.

NFL Rumors: Eric Decker to New Orleans Saints? by Larry Seely

For the second time in the last three years, New Orleans failed to reach the NFC Championship, despite having one of the top offenses in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean the front office will look to just upgrade the defense this off-season.

Water gushes over crumbling dam wall in Zimbabwe by Amanda Payne

A new dam being built on the Tokwe river in the Masvingo area of Zimbabwe is close to bursting as water from heavy rains is finding its way through gaps in the uncompleted dam wall.

NBA Rumors: Spencer Hawes to Toronto Raptors? by Larry Seely

With less than two weeks until the NBA trade deadline, Toronto is surprisingly in buying mode as the Raptors are holding tight in a third place tie in the Eastern Conference.

Bitter cold damages Ontario Canada grape vines by Ken Hanly

The extremely cold weather in Ontario may have hurt Ontario grape production although the actual damage will not be known until this June.

Proposed legislation makes major changes to Canadian citizenship by Arthur Weinreb

Under a new bill, acquiring Canadian citizenship would be more difficult and take longer to become eligible to apply. The bill would also provide for the revocation of Canadian citizenship for dual nationals who take part in terrorist acts.

Child movie phenomenon Shirley Temple dead at 85 by Barry Ellsworth

Shirley Temple, the 1930s silver screen superstar who wowed the world with her performances, died Monday at her California home.

Actress and former diplomat, Shirley Temple Black, 77, accepts the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievem..

� Mario Anzuoni / Reuters, Reuters

Op-Ed: Why is Floyd Mayweather stalling on decision to face Amir Khan? by Leo Reyes

The fight between Floyd Mayweather and Amir Khan appears to have been sealed even before the unbeaten champion traveled to South Africa to help revive boxing in the country where the sport once enjoyed immense popularity.