Newsnight, Ek Tha Tiger, Martin McGuinness and When Harry Met Sally: Why are they trending?

Junior minister Chloe Smith. Ms Smith's Newsnight performance has been criticised on Twitter

A look at the trending topics on social networking sites and search engines today, to see what we’re interested in, and why.

Nora Ephron / When Harry Met Sally

Rom-com fans are mourning the death of Oscar-nominated screenwriter Nora Ephron today. Perhaps most famous as the writer of When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle she was also a prolific journalist and novelist.  @rickygervais tweeted an Ephron quote: “When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you. When you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it’s your laugh.”

Paxman / Newsnight

Government critics are gloating on Twitter over Jeremy Paxman’s “savaging” of economic secretary to the Treasury Chloe Smith on last night’s Newsnight. ITV News UK Editor, @KeirSimmonsITV tweets “Chloe Smith interview – has a minister ever gone into an interview as ill prepared as this?”

#twitterjoketrial

The trial of Paul Chambers for sending a menacing tweets resumes today. As subject close to every prolific tweeter’s heart, it’s attracting lots of comments. Comedian @ajhmurray writes: “Our fundamental submission is that “menace” is more than a threat. Use of the word threat is ‘loose language’”

#EkThaTiger

If you’re a fan of Bollywood, you’ll already know about the upcoming romantic thriller, due for release next month. It stars heartthrob Salman Khan and is likely trending thanks to the release of a new trailer.

Martin McGuinness

Anglo-Irish relations took a momentous step forward today when the Queen shook hands with Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness, the former IRA commander.

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