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Article 1: David Carradine in 2005 American actor David Carradine was today found dead in a hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand. The 72-year-old actor had been in Thailand for production of his latest film, Stretch. According to Bangkok police, the star of 1970's cult TV series Kung Fu was found half-naked in a wardrobe, a cord around his neck and body; the discovery was made by a hotel maid. One of Thailand's daily papers, The Nation, reports that police state there was no evidence of an intruder, positing that the actor had hanged himself. Carradine's biggest recent success was his appearance in Quentin Tarrantino's movie, Kill Bill. In the 2003 film he played the title character Bill. His other considerable body of work in the entertainment business included around 100 other film appearances and nominations for four Golden Globe Awards. His personal manager, Chuck Binder, told the press the news was "shocking and sad". He described the actor behind the iconic Caine character as, "...full of life, always wanting to work... a great person." Carradine leaves behind wife Annie Bierman and three children, two of which have followed the family tradition and become actresses. es:David Carradine es encontrado muerto en un hotel de Bangkok fr:Le décès brutal de David Carradine suscite bien des interrogations nl:David Carradine (72) overleden David Carradine é encontrado morto em um hotel em Bangkok sr:Глумац Дејвид Карадин пронађен је обешен у хотелској соби Article 2: A screenshot from Space Battleship Yamato Japanese Yoshinobu Nishizaki has died at the age of 75 after he fell out of a boat just off the Space Battleship Yamato. Nishizaki co-created Space Battleship Yamato with Tohoku-shinsha Film Corp. Nishizaki's career was sometimes controversial; in the 1990s he was placed on after he was caught with multiple illegal substances. It has been alleged that he smuggled arms including an assault rifle and grenade launcher from the Philippines whilst bailed. In 1999 he was again arrested, this time for drug and firearms charges. He later handed over his weapons to the police. Eight people are currently being questioned over the circumstances of Nishizaki's death.

Article 1: File photo of Mark Everson Former U.S. Mark Everson took some time to talk with Wikinews about his campaign for the U.S. Republican Party's 2016 presidential nomination. Everson served as Commissioner of Internal Revenue, the administrative head of the George W. Bush administration. After his departure, he briefly served as CEO of the Governor of Indiana|governor alliantgroup. He announced his candidacy this past March with a sixteen-page open letter in which he outlined the six pillars of his campaign: amnesty for illegal immigrants, reinstatement of the , a promise to serve only a single presidential term, and calls for tax reform, deficit reduction, and corporate responsibility. He was excluded from the August 6 Republican Party presidential debates, 2016|Republican presidential debate and has been excluded from most presidential polls. However, he is listed on the Republican Party's website as one of 18 candidates and filed a (FEC) complaint against Fox News for his exclusion from the August 6 debate. With Wikinews reporter William S. Saturn‎, Everson discusses his 2016 campaign, the media blackout of his campaign, and his views on the presidency and the possible Everson administration. * 'What qualifications do you have that will assist you in executing the duties of president?' :: While I have not held elective office, my public service credentials meet or exceed those of many of the candidates in the race. My federal executive branch experience (at USIA, DOJ, OMB, and the Treasury) is greater than that of any candidate in the GOP contest. I managed the nation's immigration system under President Reagan, and in the administration of President George W. Bush was instrumental in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and directed the nation's tax system as Commissioner of Internal Revenue. Immigration, homeland security and taxes are issues of critical importance to the country and central to the 2016 election. * 'How much campaigning have you done so far?' :: I have campaigned in 26 counties across Iowa and also made campaign stops in New Hampshire. I have been interviewed on radio shows across the country. * 'What are your thoughts on your fellow Republican presidential candidates?' :: I think it is a strong field and that the vigorous policy debate underway in the party is good for the country. * 'Would you ever consider running as a third party or independent candidate?' :: I am running as a Republican and am not contemplating a third party or independent candidacy. * 'If elected, what would constitute a successful presidency for you?' :: The specifics include a rewrite of the tax code to take 150 million Americans off the income tax rolls; holding Wall Street and the big banks accountable to following the law, and taking regulatory actions to increase lending; institution of a program of national service; real, balanced reforms to our entitlement programs to assure their continued viability; rewriting our immigration laws to control our borders and reinforce our tradition of assimilation; and taking reelection politics out of Oval Office decision-making by serving only a single term. More broadly, I would consider an Everson presidency successful if we restore faith in our government at home and abroad, and Americans once again put national interests ahead of self-interest. * ' Which individuals would you like to see in an Everson administration?' :: I know many qualified individuals who would do an excellent job serving the nation, but believe it serves no purpose to disclose particular names at this early date. Article 2: __NOTOC__ Licking Cat in Largo di Torre Argentina, Rome (cropped).JPG|A cat of the Andou|left|300px|thumb On Tuesday, Wikinews reporter Ash Thawley interviewed Steven Meserve, founder of Loving Cats Worldwide (LCWW), with one of its Cat Extravaganza cat shows slated for December in Birmingham, UK. LCWW is an organisation whose stated goal is to "increase the visibility of all CATS, educating EVERYONE to do their part with the overwhelming rescue situation, preserving our breeds and protecting our ethical breeders, all while organizing ground-breaking interactive Cat Extravaganzas in a city near you". Other Cat Extravaganzas this year were scheduled for the United Kingdom's Maidstone, Liverpool and Scotland, while Peru, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Colombia were to host others. By April, videos of the events had amassed at least millions of views on . Loving Cats Worldwide was founded to increase the visibility of all cats! Dogs have taken centre stage for too long and it's time for cats to be put into the spotlight! There isn't enough education around cat ownership, or awareness for the overwhelming rescue population, so in 2015 I began Loving Cats to make a real difference and put all cats onto a global stage. 'I see on your website that you support "ethical breeding". How would you define that term? For any breeder to be ethical they must go through proper genetic and health testing, keep their cats in excellent condition and research all there is to know about their breed. Potential cat owners must also do their due diligence when purchasing a kitten. Ethical breeders will ensure their kittens are vaccinated with a Rabies vaccine|vaccine, microchipped, dewormed, Neutering|neutered/spayed before going to their new home (once the kitten is a minimum of 13 weeks old). 'What steps does your organisation take to promote ethical breeding?' We have a strict set of guidelines for any breeder to be associated with LCWW, and at lcwwgroup.com you will find a database of ethical breeders named 'LCWW Cats and Kittens'. Loving Cats is a hub of information and advice, we create informative content and give huge visibility to these issues across our digital platforms. For anyone wanting more information, we're available to give advice over email or social channels! 'There's a common saying on social media, "adopt don't shop". How do you feel about this mentality?' Adopt Don't Shop and Pedigree Cats have always been opposing ideas. I believe we are the first company ever to be bridging the gap! There is definitely a space for both, working alongside the rescue and adoption centers is the most effective way to make an impact. We have an informative video about our stance on Adopt Don't Shop on our YouTube channel! 'What does your organisation hope to achieve with Cat Extravaganzas?' At a Cat Extravaganza and Rescue Awareness Events visitors can support local charities and rescues, witness an International Cat Competition, see the most beautiful cats in the world strut the cat walk, see who wins in Best in Show, learn all about cats and more, and get their own furry friend a gift from our amazing shopping village! With every Cat Extravaganza we help more people come to love and appreciate these amazing animals in a deep and meaningful way, and strengthen our goal to increase the visibility of all cats worldwide. 'For your upcoming Birmingham event, why did you choose to host at the National Exhibition Centre?' We are so proud and excited to be bringing the Birmingham Cat Extravaganza and Rescue Awareness Event to the NEC this December 2-3. The NEC is one of the most incredible venues in the UK and we are so excited to be there! It is of course also home to the amazing , but now it's time for cats! 'What do you see in the future for your organisation?' We will provide continued support to local rescues, charities, and for ethical breeders. We also hope to continue to grow the Meserve foundation mission by education and implementation, to reduce the numbers in need and ensure a brighter future for all cats.

Article 1: Romani population average estimate - the size of the wheel represents the average estimate of Roma population in that country. Romani people in Lviv Ukraine. Rallies against the Roma ethnic minority in eight Czech Republic cities Saturday have resulted in 75 to 100 far-right activists being detained. Violent clashes occurred between police and the demonstrators, some of who threw stones at the police forces. The largest rally occurred in the city of where between 600 and 800 protestors attacked the police and at least 60 were detained. Seven other cities, including Prague, saw similar protests. Amnesty International confirmed that the demonstrations had been planned in advance and warned the Czech Republic government earlier this month. “We have seen a deeply worrying trend over the past year with entrenched discrimination against Roma reaching new heights. This is a fundamental issue that the Czech authorities can’t ignore,” Amnesty International’s John Dalhuisen said. There are between 250,000 and 300,000 Roma people within the Czech Republic. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights conducted a poll in 2011 that found over 80 per cent of the Roma people surveyed had been subject to discrimination in the past year. * * Article 2: In a significant development, Rohan Jaitley, a prominent advocate and the son of the late Arun Jaitley, former BJP leader and Union Finance Minister, has been appointed as the Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) for the Delhi High Court. The appointment, effective immediately, is slated for a tenure of three years, beginning from March 13, 2024. The Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, issued the official order regarding this appointment. Delhi High Court This announcement comes following the recent engagement by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, who appointed Rohan Jaitley among other seasoned legal practitioners as Central Government Standing Counsels to represent the government before the Delhi High Court. Rohan Jaitley boasts a rich legal background, primarily practicing before the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court. Apart from his legal pursuits, he also serves as the President of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, showcasing his multi-faceted involvement in diverse spheres. Having pursued his legal education in India and attained a Master's in Law from Cornell University, Jaitley brings a blend of academic excellence and practical expertise to his role as the Central Government Standing Counsel. His appointment underscores the government's commitment to securing proficient legal representation in crucial judicial matters, particularly in the dynamic legal landscape of the Delhi High Court.

Article 1: File photo of an Air France Airbus A330 Aircraft and water vessels from the French, American, and Brazilian military were searching the Atlantic on Monday after an Air France passenger jet with 228 people on board disappeared over the ocean. Search teams from Brazil mainly focused on the area north of , an island located approximately two hundred miles off the coast of Brazil. France's military, meanwhile, was several hundred miles away, searching the waters near Cape Verde. Airplanes from Senegal and Spain have also been sent out to help out in the search effort. French officials have also asked for United States satellite data to help with the search. "We want to try to reach the last point where the aircraft made contact, which is about 1,200km 745 miles north-east of Natal located in Brazil," said Colonel Jorge Amaral, a spokesman for the Brazil air force. The intended route of Flight 447.French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he was pessimistic that any survivors would be found. "This is a catastrophe the likes of which Air France has never seen before. I said the truth to them: the prospects of finding survivors are very low," the president said to reporters at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France. The Pentagon has also ordered aircraft to assist in finding the plane. The had departed from Rio de Janeiro on Sunday night, with a dozen crew members and 216 passengers on board, according to a spokeswoman for Air France. The jet was in a normal cruise at 840 kilometres per hour at about 10,700 metres above sea level when it disappeared, almost four hours after having departed. No problems were apparent when the aircraft made its last radar contact. Air France said that the aeroplane "crossed through a thunderous zone with strong turbulence" at about 23.00 local time (02.14 GMT). Approximately fourteen minutes later, an automated message was sent saying that the cabin had lost its pressurisation and that the electrical system of the aircraft had failed. If no survivors are found, then this would be the worst aviation disaster since the November 2001 crash. Article 2: File photo of Arkadiusz Milik whose goal helped Poland enjoy their first victory in UEFA Euro turnament On Sunday, day three of UEFA Euro 2016, Turkey lost to Croatia 0–1; Poland defeated Northern Ireland 1–0; and world champions Germany defeated Ukraine 2–0. In the second half, Turkish player Emre Mor, making Mor the youngest Turk to feature in a UEFA Euro tournament. Volkan Şen was shown a yellow card. Croatia collected three points in stadium. This was Poland's first victory in a Euro tournament. After the match, Milik said, "I finally did my job... I'm happy that I scored but it's the victory that counts the most." __NOTOC__ * * * * * * Poland Northern Ireland Germany Ukraine

Article 1: The logo of Jet Airways The largest private Indian airline Jet Airways has posted its biggest quarterly loss in three years. The Indian air industry was recently hit by rapidly increasing fuel costs. The airline lost Rs 384 crore (€61,000,000) this quarter, compared to a Rs 28 crore profit (€4,500,000) in the same period last year. There was an increase in expenditure of 143% on fuel costs to wipe out a 45% income increase. The total cost of fuel has risen from Rs 696 crore (€110,700,000) last year to Rs 1690 crore (€268,800,000), and income rose from Rs 2,254 crore (€358,400,000) to Rs 3,258 crore (€518,150,000) in the same period. Faced with an economic slowdown and surging fuel prices, last month Jet entered an alliance with Kingfisher Airlines. The pair hope to offset their crippling costs by collaboration. Article 2: Both suspects in the death of Savanna Greywind have entered not guilty pleas in court in Fargo, North Dakota, United States. On Tuesday, William Hoehn, acting through his lawyer, pled not guilty to counts of conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, and giving false information to the police. On Thursday, his girlfriend Brooke Crews did the same, procedurally. Hoehn's next hearing is scheduled for December and Crews' for January. "At this point, Ms. Crews chose on my advice not to specifically enter a plea. The judge entered a not guilty plea, procedurally to move the case forward," Crews' lawyer, Steven Mottinger, told the press. Savanna Greywind, 22, whose body was found wrapped in plastic by kayakers in the Red River on August 27, was eight months pregnant when her relatives called the police to report her missing. According to court documents, the police first responded to a call at 2825 9th St. N. #2 in Fargo on August 19, and spoke to the man and woman who lived at #5, Brooke Crews and William Hoehn, but did not execute a search warrant until August 24, at which time they found Brooke with a baby girl. Hoehn would later tell police he had discovered Crews in their bathroom wiping up blood, and she showed him the infant and told him, "This is our baby. This is our family." Crews would tell the police Greywind had given her the baby. Both told police the girl is Greywind's daughter, and a DNA test was performed to confirm the child's identity. Greywind worked as a nursing assistant at the Eventide Fargo senior center in Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. According to her boyfriend, Ashton Matheny, they had planned to name their daughter Haisley Jo, and had recently leased an apartment where they planned to live with their child. Now, Matheny says, he plans to move to the Spirit Lake Reservation northwest of Fargo to raise his daughter near family. He and Greywind both belong to the Spirit Lake Tribe. Ashton and Greywind's parents were permitted to visit the child in the hospital pending confirmation of her identity, and Matheny has since been awarded full custody. Matheny, in remarks to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, said "I've been waiting to be a father for a while... She's the only good thing that came out of this. She looks like Savanna." Earlier in September, tribal leaders sent an open letter to North Dakota's US congressional delegation with several demands regarding Greywind's case and the violence faced by Native Americans nationwide. Among other things, they asked that the establish a cross-jurisdictional task force to establish a clear system for investigating the deaths and disappearances of Native American women. The tribal leaders' letter reads in part: "During the gatherings and prayers for Savanna, we heard story after story from families who also have women in their families missing or with unsolved murders... The murder of Savanna illustrates a much larger problem of epic proportions." * * Crime and lawNorth DakotaCat:United States

Article 1: The famous sci-fi and fantasy writer Andre Norton dies aged 93 of congestive heart failure at her home in Murfreesboro, a Nashville suburb. Alice Norton (17 February 1912 – 17 March 2005) was born Alice Mary Norton in Cleveland, Ohio. She published her first novel, The Prince Commands, in 1934. A famous science fiction writer, she was the first woman to receive the Grand Master of Fantasy Award from the SFWA in 1977, and she won the Nebula Grand Master Award in 1984. Norton requested before her death that she not have a funeral service, but instead asked to be cremated along with a copy of her first and last novels. Article 2: Former Brazilian association football player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as , died in São Paulo of multiple organ failure Thursday. Pelé, whose country's government declared him a "national treasure" in 1961, was 82. Pele by John Mathew Smith.jpg|thumb|left|Pelé in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1995. A post by Pelé's official Instagram account announced the death of "The King": "Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away today...he enchanted the world with his genius in sport, stopped a war, carried out social works all over the world and spread what he most believed to be the cure for all our problems: love." Pelé was born on October 23, 1940, in Minas Gerais, into an impoverished family. Pelé himself worked as a shoeshiner, playing informally; he acquired the nickname "Pelé" from his incorrect pronunciation of "Bilé", the name of a local association football player. When he was 15, Santos, a local association football club, recruited Pelé for its juvenile team, and eventually promoted him to the adult team. In 1956, at the age of 16, he joined the Brazilian national team. The national team brought Pelé, 17, as a reserve during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden; while the Brazilian team was playing in the final, they moved him onto the field. Pelé punted the ball over one of the opposing team's defenders, then wheeled around the other man and propelled it into the opponents' goal, scoring. This was voted among the best plays in the history of association football, and Pelé was proclaimed the winner of the Cup. Pelé suffered an injury and was largely unable to play in the 1962 World Cup in Chile, although he still won. A 1969 Brazilian stamp depicting Pelé celebrating his thousandth goal. Brazil also advanced to the 1966 Cup in England. Although the Associated Press later said that he was "already considered the world’s top player" by 1966, Brazil was ejected in the group stage; Pelé swore never to return to the World Cup. England won the tournament. Pelé nevertheless played in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, his last Cup. Brazil advanced to the final, facing Italy, with Pelé making the first goal for his team in that game and winning once again. In 1972, Pelé retired from Santos FC. European clubs invited him to play for them, but he declined. In 1975, Pelé made a comeback playing for the in the new North American Soccer League. After a 1976 game between the Cosmos and Santos, his old club, of which he played half with each team, Pelé announced he was again retiring from professional association football. Pelé wrote an autobiography in 1977, My Life and the Beautiful Game, which the Associated Press credited with the popularization of that nickname for the sport. Pelé had been hospitalized more than a month ago in Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo while undergoing treatment for colon cancer, which he developed in 2021; the hospital attributed the multiple organ failure that killed him Thursday afternoon to this cancer. After the announcement, current Brazilian footballer posted to Instagram, "Pelé changed everything. He transformed football into art, entertainment...Football and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure. Pelé is eternal!” French footballer tweeted, "The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten...RIP KING." National day of mourning|days of national mourning. , the President-elect, tweeted, "few Brazilians carried the name of our country as far as he did." , the President of France, tweeted, "The game. The king. Eternity."

Article 1: San Miguel prison during the fire. A huge fire at a Chilean prison in San Miguel has killed at least 81 inmates, and injured another 14, including a firefighter and three gendarmerie officers, the Chilean Health Minister tracheal intubation|intubated with mechanical ventilation in different hospitals." Pedro Hernández, representing the Chilean gendarmerie officers union said that "they are trying to identify the 81 dead inmates now." President Sebastián Piñera went to the Santiago's Central Post where five inmates are being attended. During a press conference, Piñera announced the creation of new jails with more facilities for the inmates. Piñera also confirmed that 83 inmates had died, and that another 21 were injured, 7 of them due to minor asphyxiation. The fire is considered the worst accident in the country's jail history. Fifteen corpses have been identified, Interior Minister reported. A football match between Club de Fútbol Universidad de Chile was canceled by ANFP (Professional Football National Association) after the fire. It was going to take place today at 16:00 local time (19:00 UTC) in the . Article 2: PopTech In a paper published earlier this week, the US-based wrote that excess deaths in India during the COVID-19 pandemic are believed to number between 3.4 to 5 million between May 2020 and June 21, 2021. The figures in the paper were calculated using death certificates in seven states, international estimates of age-specific infection rates compared to data from antibody tests, and a consumer survey which records deaths. While not all of these deaths were necessarily caused by COVID-19, excess deaths can be used to help calculate the impact of the pandemic. The researchers said the death toll was "likely to be far greater than the official count" and "likely to be in several millions". , a co-writer of the report, said that "after the first wave, which was more spread out, there was a sense that India had escaped the worst because there was this undercounting of deaths, and that led to a culture of complacency. But in the second wave, with all the horrendous images that we saw, that really galvanised Indian society to get to the bottom of the numbers." Subramanian also added that the figures only went up to May and didn't include all of June or any of July, meaning the true death toll may still be undercounted. More than 414,000 COVID-19 deaths have been officially recorded in India, the third-highest total in the world. There is no official record of excess deaths in India during the pandemic.

Article 1: 24 years ago Iraq and Syria severed diplomatic relations because Syria accused Iraq of giving support to the Muslim Brotherhood who were causing disorder in Syria. Now, as an outcome of meetings between Walid Moallem the Syrian Foreign Minister, the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, relations will be restored. Both countries are agreed that the borders between them should be sealed more tightly to prevent the flow of fighters, arms and ammunition to Iraq, Syria saying that Iraq should do more to secure the border than it has been doing lately. The two countries are agreed that US troops are needed in Iraq at present but that they should leave as soon as they are no longer needed. Syria wants a timetable for the progressive withdrawal of US forces. The steps needed to establish full diplomatic relations and to open embassies in Baghdad and Damascus are set out in an agreement signed today in Baghdad. Zebari proclaimed "We will hoist the Iraqi flag in Syria and the Syrian flag in Iraq”. 200px Meanwhile, President Talabani has agreed to meet Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Saturday to discuss security matters. Although the British Prime Minister has been encouraging more positive relations between Iraq and its neighbors, Syria and Iran, the United States has been critical of both of them. Last week, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she was opposed to including Syria and Iran in talks about security in Iraq. She accused Syria of having aligned itself with "the forces of extremism" and expressed frustration that despite repeated talks with Syria, nothing seems to have influenced their behavior. Regarding Iran, she said she could see nothing in its behavior that suggested it could contribute to stability in the area. She expressed the view that Iraq must take more responsibility for its own security. Today, the White House welcomed the news of the rapprochement between Syria and Iraq. The spokesman for the US National Security Council saying "We’ve always encouraged Iraq’s neighbors to take a role in supporting and assisting the unity government in Iraq”. President Bush met the Iraq Study Group, headed by former secretary of state James Baker on Monday. The Democrats in the Group said that, in order to encourage the Iraqi government to face its responsibilities, there should be a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, starting now. The President rejected this suggestion, remarking that this was a military matter and depended upon the situation on the ground. Recommendations from the bi-partisan study Group are expected to be delivered to the President and Congress sometime in December this year. The group is composed of five Democrats and five Republicans. Article 2: Daniels and Avenatti in 2018 Yesterday, former lawyer mail and wire fraud|wire fraud and dollars from

Article 1: In the past two days, at least two rockets fired from Syria have landed in northern Israel, according to the Israeli military. Both rockets landed in the mortar shells also hit the same area yesterday. No damage to buildings was reported and no one was injured in any of the incidents. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) believe that the rockets and mortars were strays intended for "villages inside Syria and are part of the ongoing internal conflict." An official of the Syrian government denies knowledge of fighting with rebels so close to the Israeli border and says "the Syrian army does not fire rockets against the rebels." Earlier this year, Wikinews reported the Syrian army fired several rockets or mortar shells at residences, near the position of a in Homs, Syria. The attack injured or killed an unknown number of civilians and badly damaged several homes. The IDF has filed a formal complaint about the incidents of the past two days with the United Nations. Article 2: Cathedral Square, Sydney — The United States won the Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations Series against Australia and New Zealand at Cathedral Square in Sydney today. Game Four, played at 12:30 yesterday, was played between the New Zealand Wheel Blacks and the Australian Steelers before a lunchtime crowd. Australia scored six straight goals in second quarter, to lead 29-44 at half time, and eventually came out the winners 41-57. The game featured an unusual duel between two 3.5-anchor=Classification|point players, Australia's and New Zealand's Barney Konerferisi. In Game Five, played under lights at 17:30 yesterday, the United States proved too good for New Zealand, winning 36-62. Game Six followed immediately after at 19:30. This game, between Australia and United States attracted a sizable and animated crowd that filled the venue. Australia had only beaten the United States once in the last seven years. The Steelers managed to win gold at the London without having to play them. Australia opened the game with three straight goals, but the United States caught up, and the score was 14-15 at quarter time, after a last second United States score was counted. While the United States frequently rotated its players, the Steelers had Ryley Batt, Chris Bond, Ryan Scott and on the court the whole time. Their strong defence caused timeouts and subsequent turnovers. Low-pointer Ryan Scott became an unlikely hero by prompting two turnovers. Australia won 64-53. Game Seven was the Semi-Final, between Australia and New Zealand, and was played at 12:00 today. The weather was warm and sunny. The New Zealanders performed a , but it did not bring victory. This time Australia rotated its players, and Bond and Batt were on the court together only briefly just before half time, and again in the last four minutes. Australia won handily, 62-45. The Final game was therefore between the United States and Australia under lights at 17:00 on today. The commentators called it "Friday Night Footy". Australia once again played Bond, Batt, Erdem and Scott together, and took off to a three-goal lead, but the United States fought back with good defensive plays, tying the score at 14-all at quarter time. The United States scored three goals straight in the second quarter to take a 29-25 lead at half time. Hopes that Australia could repeat its win of the night before were dashed. The United States team had tight discipline and made few mistakes, in the end, winning 58-54. Medals were presented to the players, coaches and team staff by Most Valuable Player of the series, which went to Ryley Batt. This is believed to be the first time that an international wheelchair rugby tournament has been held outdoors.

Article 1: Logo of the Единая Россия Tens of thousands protested yesterday in United Russia, the ruling political party, led by current Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The exact number of protesters present is unknown; estimates for the Moscow protest vary from twenty thousand to one hundred thousand, and rallies on a more minor scale also took place in other Russian cities—including Saint Petersburg. Dissolution of the Soviet Union|dissolution of the Soviet Union. Police estimated that ten thousand people were present at demonstrations in St. Petersburg. Corruption and a rejection of Putin were the most commonly-cited grievances from questioned protesters. Opposition leader Echo of Moscow host described the protesters as "the new generation, the Putin generation". These people "voted, had their votes stolen, and now they want a fair system", said Venediktov. Konstantin Kosachyov, a United Russia parliamentarian, dismissed the concept of discussions with the protest organisers. "With all respect for the people who came out to protest, they are not a political party," he stated. Student Daniil Klubov, a leader of the St. Petersburg rally, told the BBC that he does not "belong to any political movement" and is "just a student who is tired of all these lies". Last week, Russian police arrested an estimated 1,600 people after street protests. In anticipation of yesterday's protests, fifty thousand police and riot police were drafted into Moscow. Under one hundred arrests were made across the country during the day of protest. Television stations operated by the Russian government provided no coverage of protests in Russia from last week's election, but lifted the blackout one week on, broadcasting images of thousands filling a Moscow park, spilling over a bridge and covering a facing embankment. On Friday, Moscow authorities declared an obligatory test for all high school students, scheduling it for the exact time of protests on Saturday; protest leader Russian Ground Forces cautioned that they would be observing, looking for instances of draft evasion as protesters walked through metal detectors. Although United Russia were declared victors in last Sunday's polls, the percentage of votes in their favour decreased significantly—down from 64% to 49%. In March next year, Putin himself will face voters, seeking a new six-year term as Russian President. VoA reported last week that his presidential bid looked likely to succeed; however, that outcome now seems less predictable. de:Massenproteste gegen Wahl in Russland fr:Russie : protestations massives contre les résultats électoraux pl:Rosja: po wyborach do Dumy protestowało kilkadziesiąt tysięcy osób Article 2: A group of volcanologists from the UK and USA have traveled to North Korea to assist them with conducting scientific investigations and installing equipment near the volcano . Wikinews interviewed Dr. Robert Kelly of University of California who has visited the Chinese side of Mount Paektu. Given that the UK, USA have strained political relations with North Korea, what is the purpose of these scientists working together? ::'Dr. Robert Kelly': Mt Paektu erupted massively about 1100 years ago and has been dormant since. Recently there has been seismic activity, and should it explode again, it could be gigantic — and devastating. It is everyone's interest in East Asia to know about such a possibility, so this kind of cooperation can be above politics. But it is also always good to engage North Korea to try to draw them out. Such engagement can occur in nonpolitical, technical areas like this most easily. Does North Korea understand that it needs the specialism of British and American scientists to plan for when the volcano erupts? ::'RK': It does. North Korea does actually engage in various track II programming, including student and administrative exchanges. This is not well-known due to the nuclear issue however. The North Korean government is aware of its technological backwardness, and they often dangle concessions to other states in exchange for tech transfers like this. The North Korea underground nuclear test site is very close to the volcano, do you think this affected North–South Korean relations? ::'RK': Not very much. It does upset South Koreans somewhat, because Mt. Paektu is actually a national landmark. It is the mythological birthplace of the Korean people. And there is some scientific concern that major seismic activity could impact nuclear facilities. Do you think that the field work being carried out by the scientists, being near a militarised border is very difficult? ::'RK': No, because it is in the interest of all local parties — NK, Chinese, even Russian — that Mt. Paektu is properly monitored. Indeed, I could imagine that, behind the scenes, the Chinese pushed North Korea toward this cooperation, as this is somewhat unusual for NK. A file photo of Mount Paektu. May the North Koreans be wary and suspicious of their British and American counterparts, given the secretiveness of the state? ::'RK': Absolutely. I have been to NK, and I can say positively that the scientists will be monitored and accompanied at all times they are away from their hotels. They will also be isolated from the NK wider population. They will only interact with specially chosen minders who speak excellent English and have proven their loyalty to the state. And there will be security personnel with them at all times outside their hotels too. Do you think that Western scientists collaborating together with the North Koreans could set as an example of political things to see in the future? ::'RK': Not really. I hope so, but North Koreansic has a tendency to pretend to open itself, and then to re-close after it gets what it wants. All sorts of interaction with North Korea gets hyped as 'a new beginning' or a 'historic opening,' only to come to naught. That does not mean it could not happen, just that I am skeptical. Instead, NK is likely to continue to interact when and where it has certain specific needs, as in this case. And that interaction will be tightly monitored. Fifteen years ago, at the start of the Kaesong Industrial Region|Kaesong industrial zone. But in fact, the North Koreans tightly controlled Kaesong to capture its gains and limit spillovers. I imagine the same will happen here. Do natural hazards pay attention to international political differences? ::'Dr. Jim Gill': Of course not. Is there a high risk and increased seismic activity in relation to Mount Paektu? ::'JG': Not currently. There was unrest at the volcano during 2002–05 but it has returned to normalcy. Would an eruption of Mount Paektu have consequences for multiple countries? ::'JG': Yes. The most likely widespread consequence will be an interuption of air traffic between North Asia and North America and Europe. More locally, the tourist industry on the Chinese side of the border will be very impacted. Most ash fall will be in the DPRK. ::For perspective, there was an extremely large eruption of the volcano at about 940 AD — one of the largest historical eruptions anywhere on Earth. It is uncertain how often it has erupted since, and how large the eruptions were, but nothing has been big enough to cause serious problems scores of kilometers away. So yes there is risk — it is large mountain with a long history of eruptions — but nothing indicates a high level of concern now.

Article 1: The tsunami alert issued for certain areas of Russia and Japan after an 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck near the north coast of Japan have been lifted. While the tsunami alert has been lifted, Japan's Meteorological Agency's web site is still showing watches in affect for most of the eastern Pacific coast of Hokkaido. A small 40cm (15.7 inches) wave did wash up in some areas of the eastern coast of Japan, but this was nowhere near the 200cm (6.5 feet) wave that had been feared. Article 2: Al Franken of the US Democratic Party), has formally won the United States Senate seat representing Minnesota, which had been contested ever since the November 4, 2008

Article 1: A rather unimpressive Dublin side narrowly beat an even less impressive Westmeath side last night in front of a capacity (10,000) crowd at Dublin's Parnell Park to bag two points in the Allianz NFL Division 1A match. The first half included a succession of poor wides by Dublin's forwards, but Westmeath failed to capitalise on the mistakes of their opponents, finishing the half with just three points. The second half was a slightly better contest with a sudden burst of energy by the Westmeath forwards producing several points to bring the game back to level pegging at 0-8 to 0-8. However with several chances squandered and consistently poor passing, Westmeath fell two points behind in the final few minutes of the game. Article 2: Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey on April 20, 2021. Wikinews extended invitations by e-mail in the first week of May to Philip Sturm, a candidate running in the mayoral election of the US city of Minneapolis, Minnesota set to take place November 2 alongside that for city council, two seats of the Board of Estimate and Taxation and nine seats of the . Sturm discussed information about his campaign and policies with Wikinews. Philip Sturm in 2021. Sturm is a veteran who served from 1999 to 2003 in the US Marine Corps, stationed on Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party|DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party), District 62 in 2005 and a member of Veterans for Kerry. He was a volunteer special deputy in 9-1-1 emergency helpline workgroup for the 9/11 and

Article 1: The adjudicatory chamber of (International Federation of Association Football)'s independent ethics committee has opened up proceedings against former FIFA Vice-President . In a statement released on Wednesday the ethics committee recommended Mr Webb receive a lifelong ban from all footballing activities for multiple violations of the articles of the FIFA Code of Ethics. Mr Webb was indicted on corruption charges by the United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice, and pled guilty in November to one count of racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three of money laundering conspiracy. He is the former President of , the confederation for North America, Central America and Caribbean footballing associations, Vice-President of FIFA, and President of the . Mr Webb is to be given the opportunity to submit his position before a ruling by FIFA is handed down. * * * Article 2: Dr. Joel Smithers, undated booking photo On Wednesday, a United States federal judge sentenced a doctor based in opioid|opioids illegally, after prescribing over half a million doses. He was given a fine of US$86,000. Three years of supervision after release was also mandated. Dr. Joel Smithers was found guilty in May on 859 counts of illegally distributing opioids. This included prescriptions for oxymorphone tied to a West Virginia woman's death. Prosecutors said Smithers gave out the prescriptions to patients from five different states, some driving to his office from hundreds of miles away, from 2015 to 2017. Thomas T. Cullen said Smithers "perpetuated, on a massive scale, the vicious cycle of addiction, despair, and destruction." Judge United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon, handed down the sentence. Mandatory sentencing called for at least 20 years in prison and up to life in prison. The judge recommended mental health treatments and a prison near his family, according to . Smithers, 36 years old, is married and has five children. Smithers testified in his own defense, claiming some patients deceived him. He also filed in court his intent to appeal.

Article 1: Comparing the girl before and after makeup, hair, and digital manipulation. An advertisement for Dove beauty products has been viewed by well over three million people, without ever being on television. A copywriter from Ogilvy Toronto, the advertising agency that created a spot named "evolution", uploaded the advertisement to video sharing website YouTube. While the official upload of the ad itself has been viewed 1,119,262 times, there are dozens of copies of the ad on YouTube, adding to a minimum of 3,059,546 views. The official copy of the video is the website's 12th most viewed this month, 53rd of all time. Unofficial uploads have each received high levels of viewership, with 449595, 445322, 207906, 201670, 195265, 116501, and 102634 plays. The agency did not originally intend to upload the video to YouTube, only display it on the company's homepage. Staff member Tim Piper uploaded it to his account on October 6, about a week before it first got media coverage on Good Morning America. The ad begins with a woman walking into a photo shoot. From there, she is primped and plucked by hair and makeup artists, then tweaked on a Photoshop-like program. The photo-manipulation is then posted on a billboard for the fictional "Easel Foundation Makeup" brand. Two young, teenage girls walk past, glancing at the board. "No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted" ends the ad in text, "Every girl deserves to feel beautiful just the way she is." The creative team for the ad included Tim Piper, Mike Kirkland, Janet Kestin, Nancy Vonk, directors T Piper (treatment and post production) and Yael Staav (live action) from Reginald Pike, Soho post production, Rogue editing, Vapor music, Gabor Jurina and Make-up: Diana Carreiro, and Reginald Pike. The official French copy of the ad has only received 132 views, although it was only uploaded on November 2, 2006. Article 2: The 18th International Guitar Festival of Great Britain has been running on the Wirral since 10/11/2006 and continues until 30/11/2006 Guitarists covering early and classical periods to jazz, rock, pop and extreme electronics. The concerts take place across Wirral in pubs, theatres, warehouses and concert halls. Pacific Road Arts Centre, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside.

Article 1: Space scientists located on three continents have published a survey of hot flow anomalies (HFAs) observed at the of Venus, in solar wind, were found to have much larger repercussions for Venus than for Earth. While the common HFA magnetosphere, Venus does not have such a reliable protection against the constant solar wind. Venus's balance with the outside from the solar wind, and is regularly disrupted by the anomalies. The survey was conducted using data collected during roughly three Venusian days (about two Earth years) by the European Space Agency's , expanding on an initial case study of a HFA at Venus published in 2012. "Not only are they gigantic," said Glyn Collinson of NASA, the first author of the papers published in 2012 and 2014, "but as Venus doesn’t have a magnetic field to protect itself, the hot flow anomalies happen right on top of the planet. They could swallow the planet whole." Seven events were observed during the surveyed time. * * * * * * Article 2: An overturned tanker exploded in , South Sudan yesterday, killing dozens. Motorcycles and a truck on a dirt road in South Sudan. The country has few paved roads. The death toll is unclear. At least 85 died according to presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny, citing "local authorities". Charles Kisagna of the local government said at least 100 died. County commissioner Wilson Thomas Yanga in remarks to the BBC put the toll at a minimum of 176. The Red Cross said it had sent two burn kits to local rescuers in Radio Tamazuj spoke to a doctor who reported reserves of painkillers, oxygen, and other consumables were being exhausted. Some casualties may have fled the scene. Reportedly, after the driver walked away from the crash to seek assistance, local residents began stealing petrol. South Sudan has few paved roads. Mass casualty fuel explosions are common in poor regions of East Africa. * *

Article 1: The Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization which administers online collaborative websites including Wikipedia and Wikinews, announced yesterday that its Cyber Rights|Cyber Rights: Defending Free speech in the Digital Age, Godwin is a former fellow at the Yale Center for Internet Studies and staff counsel for the who has served as chief lawyer for the Wikimedia Foundation since July 2007. Mike Godwin at Wikimedia 2010.jpg|thumb|left|Mike Godwin in 2010 Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation Sue Gardner announced the news in a public email. She wrote, "Hi folks, I want to let you know that as of this Friday, October 22, 2010, Mike Godwin will be leaving his role as General Counsel for the Wikimedia Foundation. Mike’s transition out of the role will be a fairly lengthy one: he will continue to be available to the Wikimedia Foundation to provide information and advice for several months to come." Gardner stated in a "Q and A" below the text of her email that Godwin was leaving the organization due to "a confidential personnel issue", and explained that the foundation would not elaborate upon this due to privacy concerns. Gardner noted, "The Wikimedia Foundation believes Mike has always acted in what he believes to be the Wikimedia Foundation’s best interests." Godwin has focused his legal career in the areas of free speech and Internet law. In an article regarding his 1999 selection as a fellow at the Yale Center for Internet Studies, characterized Godwin as "a noted cyberspace lawyer and civil libertarian". He is noted for writing "", an Internet maxim which states, "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one." Godwin became the first attorney to join the Electronic Frontier Foundation after its formation in 1990. In a 2007 interview with defamation online, "The fear of defamation on the Internet is very strong. We’re going to be riding that social panic for a little bit." He described his role at the Wikimedia Foundation, "Part of my job is to prevent restrictive rules from being put in place that prevent people from participating in massively democratic participatory media. And then let the new norms settle." He acknowledged he empathized with others that had been criticized on the Internet, "Look, I have been smeared online. I know how bad it feels. It hurts. If democracy were comfortable, everybody would have it." Article 2: logo A US soldier has been sentenced by a South Korean court to ten years in prison for raping a teenager. Although the court declined to identify the 21-year-old pending a possible appeal, media has named him as Pfc. Kevin Flippin. Flippin stood accused of breaking into the eighteen-year-old's rented accommodation and raping her for hours, stealing 5,000 won (4.50). The allegations date to September 24, with the indictment coming that month. The US government was quick to hand Flippin over and issued an apology following the incident in . Flippin has a week to appeal starting from yesterday's sentencing. His sentence also requires 80 hours of sexual violence education, and will be public for a decade. The soldier had been part of a major US presence 35 km (22 miles) north of Seoul as part of a 28,000-strong force the US maintains in the nation to help protect its ally from North Korean hostilities, augmenting 650,000 active local soldiers. Although the US military is generally welcomed by the public, anti-US sentiment has been known to flare after incidents involving US troops. One prominent example in 2002 involved two schoolgirls killed by a US vehicle, with US soldiers acquitted by their country in a court martial. Prosecutors in District Court had sought a fifteen-year sentence, which would match that handed to a US soldier in 1992 for rape and murder. That case saw calls for greater local powers over foreign soldiers and protesters demanded US troops leave the nation. Presiding justice Park In-sik said Flippin "satisfied his sadistic and perverted sexual desire for three hours, while the victim was forced to endure fear and shame at her own home, where she was entitled to have her peace." He ruled the case was severe enough to warrant a sentence at the top end of the range, adding that Flippin's occupation was not a factor in the court's considerations. * * *

Article 1: left London, England — In the first match of China|Chinese women defeated 3 sets to 0 in a half empty arena with minimal press in attendance. The game was the last one in pool play for both teams and China left the game at the top of their group in group play. With spectators equaling half the total who watched the Great Britain versus match earlier at the Games, China won the first set 25–12 before a crowd full of home town fans. In the press area, volunteers assisting with the games — so-called Games Makers — outnumbered the press, which included three Slovenes and Wikinews at the start, before they were joined by a trio of Chinese reporters who showed up half way through the first set. The limited partisan support available for one of the teams on the court was found in the corner, and the Slovenes were waving their flag during time outs and when Slovenia scored. China went on to win the second set 24–15, with the Slovenes able to fight back and narrow the score at times but never seriously challenge the Chinese lead. A Chinese supporter with a flag made their presence known during Slovenia's second time out in the second set by waving it when asked which side fans were supporting. The Slovenes were in it early in the third set, only behind 5–4 at one point before leveling at 6–6 and going ahead 6–7, which was their first lead of the game. With Slovenia holding a lead of 7–8, a long volley followed which ended with Slovenia celebrating a point only for it to be awarded to China, which tied the score again and China came back for scores to sit at 13–8. At this point, Slovenia called their second time out. The relatively quiet audience only got loud with commentator direction. While two Chinese flags waved during timeouts, the Chinese media who showed up midway through the first set left the press tribunes by midway through the third set. The Slovenes attempted to stay in it, but ended the set 25–16. Entering the tournament as the number-one ranked team in the world, China came into the game having beaten the Brazil by the same total. In contrast, the Slovenes who are ranked fifth in the world went down to the United States 0 to 3 in straight sets, then down to Brazil by 2 sets to 3. Other sitting volleyball games scheduled today include men's games with Great Britain playing Bosnia and Herzegovina playing Iran playing Brazil, women's games with the Japan, the United States playing Brazil. Article 2: On Monday, astronomers at the Ohio State University, Columbus, revealed the discovery of an exoplanet, named Nature (magazine)|Nature journal. Artist's impression of KELT-9b orbiting its star, KELT-9. The astronomers say the planet's surface temperature is more than 4000°C (7232°F), nearly as hot as the Sun. The planet takes about 36 to 48 hours to orbit around its star, KELT-9. KELT-9 is about two and a half times larger than the Sun and nearly twice its temperature. The star is about 650 A-type main-sequence star|A-type star, which shines brightly but, unlike some other stars such as our own Sun, their life span is on the order of millions rather than billions of years. About a year ago, NASA reports, at the in Arizona, observers using the KELT-North telescope noticed a minute drop in KELT-9's brightness — about 0.5%. This pattern was observed once every one and a half days, implying the planet comes in between the line of sight of the star from Earth, meaning the planet completes one revolution in that time period. Observations using the Hubble telescope could reveal whether the planet possesses a comet-like tail, which could help the astronomers estimate how long the planet may live. Professor Gaudi told the BBC the planet KELT-9b "is about three times the mass of Jupiter and twice as big as Jupiter." He said the team discovered the planet in 2014. He added, "it took us this long to finally convince ourselves that this truly bizarre and unusual world was in fact a planet orbiting another star". Much like the Moon is to the Earth, KELT-9b is tidally locked to its star; with one side of the planet always exposed to its star. Due to tidal locking, the planet's surface temperature facing the star is roughly 4300°C (7772°F), more than the surface temperature of an average Red Dwarf star. Its close proximity to its parent star exposes it to ultraviolet radiation, and according to the calculations, the planet loses planetary material anywhere between ten billion to ten trillion grams each second. Professor Gaudi said, "It's a planet by any of the typical definitions of mass, but its atmosphere is almost certainly unlike any other planet we've ever seen just because of the temperature of its dayside". According to Keivan Stassun, a professor of physics and astronomy at Lehigh University, and the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope. Professor Gaudi told the BBC that it was named "as a joke". * *

Article 1: P.W. Botha, the hardliner who led apartheid-era South Africa for much of the 1980s, died yesterday at the age of 90. Known as the "Great Crocodile", Botha defied an international effort to force South Africa to give up white minority rule and also free African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela from prison. Botha led the country first as Prime Minister, then as President, from 1978 until 1989 when a stroke forced him from office. He presided over a State of Emergency in an attempt to suppress the growing resistance movement to give South Africa's black majority the vote but also introduced some reforms in an attempt to satisfy critics. "While to many Mr Botha will remain a symbol of apartheid, we also remember him for the steps he took to pave the way towards the eventual peacefully negotiated settlement in our country," said Mandela in a statement. fr:Afrique du Sud : décès de l'ancien président Pieter Willem Botha Article 2: Albanian Prime Minister Rama (51243860092) (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|Edi Rama at a signing ceremony in Brussels, 2021. On Saturday Albania's Interior Ministry blamed Iranian actors for a Albanian Police|national police's computer systems. Albania reported a previous attack in July. The ministry said in a statement "the national police’s computer systems were hit Friday by a cyberattack which, according to initial information, was committed by the same actors who in July attacked the country’s public and government service systems". The attack comes days after Iran was blamed for the attack in July. The statement also said the authorities had deliberately closed down their border crossing management software "in order to neutralise the criminal act and secure the systems", with local media reporting queues at border crossings. On Wednesday the Albanian Prime Minister accused Iran of directing the attack against Albanian institutions on July 15, stating it was a bid to "paralyse public services and hack data and electronic communications from the government systems". While Rama went on to say that the attack failed in its purpose, he also stated that Albania was severing diplomatic ties with Iran, giving Iranian embassy staff 24 hours to leave the country. The Associated Press called this the first known case of diplomatic ties being cut over a cyberattack. Iran called the accusations "baseless" and deemed the cutting of diplomatic ties to be "ill-considered and short-sighted". On Friday the US imposed sanctions against the Iranian intelligence agency in response to the July attack. NATO, of which Albania is a member, and the European Union also denounced the attack. Iran and Albania have been foes since 2013 when Albania agreed to host members of the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran, also known as Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), at the request of the US and United Nations. MEK is an Iranian opposition group, and considered a terrorist group by Iran.

Article 1: Overview map of the French TGV network and connections to other high-speed rail services in Europe.Bernard Thibault, CGT France's state-owned railway operator, SNCF, said the four main TGV lines serving Paris were sabotaged in what appeared to coordinated pre-dawn attacks. The acts of sabotage included a very large fire, said SNCF. TGV service faced extensive delays on Wednesday, which was exacerbated by the ongoing November 2007 strikes in France. SNCF says that 23% of its workers remain on strike. "These actions are the work of hardliners and show total irresponsibility," said the SNCF, blaming militant strikers. Several smaller fires were started by stuffing a burning rag into cable storage boxes, disrupting the rail signals and forcing authorities to reroute service. The large fire damaged some 30 km (18.6 miles) of cable along the TGV Atlantic line. Union leaders immediately distanced themselves from the sabotage and said the acts were "committed by cowards." Bernard Thibault, head of the Confédération générale du travail (CGT), said it was possible the acts were committed to discredit the unions. According to Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau, who was speaking to France 2, said that President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered an investigation with the aim to punish the culprits "with the utmost severity." Prime Minister François Fillon said, "Those responsible for these acts of sabotage no doubt believed they could interrupt the negotiations and the return to work that is under way at the SNCF," in a speech to the Parliament of France. "Well, I'm telling them they are very much mistaken," he continued. Negotiations with the unions began at 3:00 p.m. CET (UTC+1) on Wednesday. "There have been a number of advances, of announcements," said Didier Le Reste, who heads up CGT's rail division. "I trust railway workers to take decisions that are appropriate." President Sarkozy said that while he will not back down on the issue of early retirements, he is willing to make other concessions to the unions. He also encouraged workers to return to work as negotiations have begun. "Everyone must ask whether it is right to continue a strike which has already cost users—and strikers—so dear," he said. Meanwhile, teachers and other civil servants, who yesterday started a 24-hour work stoppage in their own protests against government reforms, returned to work. University students, however, continued disruptions in a protest against education reform. New today, was a street demonstration by tobacco shop owners, who are protesting a proposed smoking-ban in bars. es:El 'sabotaje' en el transporte afecta Francia it:Francia: le ferrovie denunciano sabotaggi, in Corsica si scontrano due treni Article 2: North Korea (orange) and China (green) on a map. In an article published by Human Rights Watch late last week, over 1100 North Koreans living in China are described as being at risk of being sent back to North Korea. According to the article, around 50 and escapees were recently sent back to their place of origin following their arrest by Chinese police and border authorities. An anonymous witness told that "The Dandong customs office was opened just for today and they Chinese border authorities sent about 50 North Korean escapees back to North Korea on two buses." The witness also added that "dozens of police officers lined up in front of the customs office to block public access and ensure nobody was filming." As a reaction to the sudden spread of COVID-19, North Korea closed its borders totally, which halted the repatriation of defectors. The recent repatriation was the first of its kind since January 2020, when North Korean authorities closed the Yalu and Tuman rivers into China before the pandemic occured. This repatriation action caught the eye of the United States' Department of State, with an official spokesperson saying that "We are particularly concerned by recent reports that nearly 50 North Koreans were forcibly repatriated." The spokesperson said that the United States urges China to "fulfill its international obligations as a party to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its UN Convention Against Torture." Radio Free Asia's article cites that some among the 50 repatriated were soldiers and pilots who had served in the North's Air Force. Returning such refugees to North Korea, where they face imprisonment and torture from the authorities, is a violation of the United Nations' 1951 Refugee Convention, 1967 Protocol and the UN Convention against Torture. According to the article by Human Rights Watch, at least 1170 North Korean people are held in various prisons in China's Liaoning provinces, where they face deportation after being charged with criminal offenses. Both countries maintain a friendly relationship, with both leaders having exchanged greetings on July 11, as reported by state newspaper . A 1986 bilateral border protocol signed by both nations warrants the deportation of any and all defectors and other North Koreans illegaly staying in China. According to data reported by South Korea's , only two defectors from the North reached South Korea between April and June of this year, the lowest number ever recorded since the Ministry started recording the inflow of defectors. Such a decrease in the amount of defectors is mainly being attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, as North Korea entirely stopped people from leaving or entering the country, while still claiming to have no cases of the virus. North Korean defectors often transit through China to reach either South Korea or another safe country, as the Sino-Korean border is easier to cross than the North-South border. The closest defector-friendly country accessible by land to defectors is the South-East Asian country of Vietnam.

Article 1: Television star Air America Radio Network starting April 1. He says the new deal will not affect his popular television program, which will continue to be produced. After initially being carried by only 45 stations nationwide, the host of the long-running syndicated program, will eventually have his radio show heard on all 51 Air America affiliates. The show also is planned to be broadcast by the Sirius and XM satellite radio services. Springer said he is committed to making his radio show a success. "Progressive, populist voices need to be a part of our nation's dialogue," Springer said in a press release. "I hope I can make a contribution." Although best-known for his low-budget, tongue-in-cheek talk show, Springer does have a political pedigree. He was a Democrat mayor of Cincinnati in 1977 and made a failed bid for governor of Ohio in 1982. Article 2: The Mozilla Foundation released the second major security update this week for their flagship browser Firefox. The fix patches a serious flaw in the way Firefox handles animated GIF image files. Firefox browsers infected by malicious code could experience a buffer overflow, temporarily locking up or "freezing" a user's computer, or even executing arbitrary code which could take over a user's computer. The flaw was discovered and reported by Internet Security Systems, Inc. The upgrade was the second major security fix in less than a month for the browser, which has grown in popularity to ten percent of the browser market in the United States. Although there were no known exploits of the bug, Chris Hoffman, director of engineering at Mozilla, told reporters, "because Mozilla is committed to delivering the most secure product possible, we decided to quickly issue an update to patch the bug." The Mozilla Foundation did not offer any details about the issue of vulnerability, but a second major security overhaul in such a short time underscores challenges faced by the nonprofit foundation as it goes head-to-head with the market leading Internet Explorer browser by Microsoft. The new release, Firefox version 1.0.2, "illustrates the dedication of the strong community of developers working on the product," according to Hoffman. "...we’re able to turn around patches much faster than a traditional corporation," he added. Users can download the update at no charge, and can find additional information at the Mozilla website. * *

Article 1: Don Blankenship Businessman Don Blankenship of West Virginia, the U.S. Constitution Party's 2020 presidential nominee, answered some questions about his campaign from Wikinews accredited reporter William S. Saturn. Blankenship, reportedly nicknamed the "king of coal", was chairman and CEO of 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster occurred, which resulted in the deaths of 29 miners. A jury convicted Blankenship of misdemeanor conspiracy to violate safety standards willfully, and he received a one year prison sentence in 2016. He maintains his innocence and blames federal regulators for the disaster. After his release from prison, Blankenship ran unsuccessfully for the Republican Party's US Senate nomination in West Virginia. He subsequently sought the Constitution Party's nomination for President. At the virtual 2020 Michigan Taxpayers Party chairman as his running mate. Mohr spoke about Blankenship with Wikinews in June, describing him as "a good man with vast knowledge in the political field who stands firm on his positions, aligns well with the party platform and has an abundance of ability to lead this nation in the direction it needs to go." Mohr lauded Blankenship's "ability to influence leaders around him" and claimed the nominee "has a backbone superior to most men and will be the strongest President we have seen in decades." The Constitution Party was founded in 1991 as the U.S. Taxpayers Party. It changed to its current name in 1999. The party advocates Darrell Castle received 203,091 votes (0.15 percent) with ballot access in 24 states. The Blankenship-Mohr ticket is on the ballot in 18 states with write-in access in a few others. With Wikinews, Blankenship discussed his background, the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on his campaign, what a Blankenship presidency would entail, and policy matters. Additionally, he delivered his final plea to voters ahead of Election Day. President George Washington. : 'Which past U.S. president(s) do you most admire and why?' ::'Blankenship': .  Put his life where his mouth was. : 'How have your past experiences prepared you for the job of President?' ::'Blankenship': I have dealt with the government and know its flaws. I have been poor. Rich. In federal prison. Defamed. And I have beat the evil of the establishment over and over.  I know what we need to do if we are to save America from the politicians. : 'How would you describe your style of leadership? How does it compare to the leadership styles of President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama?' ::'Blankenship': My leadership is based on truth and conviction. I set the example by standing for what is right when what is right is not popular. ::Neither Trump nor Obama are leaders. They are misleaders. : 'If you were president, how would you have handled the coronavirus pandemic differently than President Trump?' ::'Blankenship': I would have insisted that those with symptoms be quarantined. I would have protected the elderly and allowed the youthful strong to work. : 'How has the pandemic affected your campaign and your ability to reach out to voters?' ::'Blankenship': The pandemic greatly limited our opportunity to gain ballot access. It is hard to get petition signatures when you cannot get within six feet of someone. : 'In 2016, Constitution Party presidential nominee received 203,091 votes, a record for the party. Based on your general feeling on the ground, about how many votes do you expect to receive in the 2020 election?' ::'Blankenship': We should do some better. But were we on the ballot in West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania; we would have gotten twice the votes we will now get. : 'What would a Blankenship administration look like? Which specific individuals would you ask to be in your cabinet?' ::'Blankenship': It would look smaller as we would have fewer cabinet positions. The cabinet would be made up of individuals who have not worked in government before but rather individuals from outside DC who have had to reckon with the government. : 'Who would you nominate to the Supreme Court? Would you apply any litmus tests? Should the number of justices remain at nine?' ::'Blankenship': Constitutional loyal judges.  The only litmus test would be whether their prior decisions were based in law or politics.   : 'As president, how would you work with Congress to avoid gridlock and pass your agenda?' ::'Blankenship': Common sense pressure. No drama allowed. No allowed. Facts not fantasy. : 'What should be done, from the government's perspective, to combat global climate change?' ::'Blankenship': Nothing.  Our country has much more pressing and certain challenges than climate change.  We need to save America before we engage in preventing a half degree increase in temperature in the next century.   : 'What are your views on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan? What would you do as president to help resolve the conflict and how does that comport with your overarching philosophy on foreign affairs?' ::'Blankenship': We need to stop policing the world and allow other countries to manage their own affairs. We need to withdraw our troops from all but a very few foreign countries. Armenia and Azerbaijan should be given the freedom to solve their own issues. : 'Are you concerned about the social media censorship of notable conservatives and libertarians? How would you address this issue as president?' ::'Blankenship': Free speech has to be fully protected unless it endangers others or is clearly defamatory. Social media platforms should be just that. They provide electronic assembly of the people. They enable what the Constitution calls freedom of assembly. ::There should be no censoring other than profane and similar talk. : 'What can you do, as president, to improve race relations in the United States?' ::'Blankenship': Stop granting "privileges" to one race which impede on the "rights" of another race. Equalize education but by neighborhood not by race. Recognize that there are more poor white people than black people. Accept that the problem is mostly a black issue not a race issue. Use facts, not drama and rhetoric, as the basis for action. End illegal immigration. : 'Election Day is quickly approaching and early voting has already started in some states. What is your final plea to voters?' inauguration: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." ::'Blankenship': My final plea to voters is to understand that all your rights, your American way of life, your medical care, and your kids' future depend on America's survival. President John F. Kennedy's words are critical if we are to remain a bastion of freedom: "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country." Article 2: Portrait of Donald Mackay. Voters in the Scottish Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency)|Airdrie and Shotts are to go to the polls on May 13 to elect a replacement member of parliament (MP) to the United Kingdom House of Commons. The outgoing MP for the seat is Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency)|2019 general election|anchor=Elections in the 2010s, winning 13.1% more than the second placed candidate Helen McFarlane of the Scottish Labour party, who received 32.0% of the votes. One of the eight candidates running in this constituency is the leader, secretary, and immigration spokesman of United Kingdom Independence Party Scotland (UKIP), Donald Mackay. On their party website, UKIP says since their beginning in 1993, they have campaigned to take Britain out of the European Union, and claim "it was the efforts of UKIP that forced former Prime Minister David Cameron's hand into holding an In/Out Referendum on 23rd June 2016". After party leader Richard Braine's resignation in 2019, Peter Walker, writing for The Guardian, wrote that UKIP was "now polling at less than 1%, having been largely supplanted by Nigel Farage|Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party", now . Two polls conducted shortly after the resignation by Panelbase and Deltapoll showed UKIP at 0.499% and 1%, respectively, compared to the Brexit Party at 8% and 11%. Wikinews spoke to Mackay about key political issues in the electorate. UKIP are a mainstream party and should have a candidate in all elections. 'What are your thoughts on how the coronavirus pandemic has been handled by Westminster?' Been handled very badly. Destroying small businesses through a lockdown is not the answer. 'What do you think needs to be done to improve transport services in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency?' No real comment on this. 'Do you support the idea of a second independence referendum?' I am a Unionist. If the people of Scotland wish to be politically independent, that is their prerogative, but my belief is that Scotland is already to some extent independent (it has, after all, a so-called government) and I would prefer to see Scotland as an integral part of the United Kingdom. 'Do you think the Conservative government is doing enough to combat climate change?' I am not interested in climate change, being a sceptic on the matter. 'As the leader of UKIP Scotland, what does your party stand for?' The party stands for: * Scrapping Holyrood parliament * Total commitment to freedom of speech. * No more lockdowns or invasion of individual freedom of movement. 'Your party's 2020 manifesto references "Cultural Marxist social engineering of society". Do you stand by that, given that term has been described as an antisemitic conspiracy theory?' Not sure I would use the phrase cultural Marxism but the politicisation of our schools/public sector/police/football teams is something I firmly oppose. 'How does your party distinguish itself from the similarly anti-EU Reform Party?' As far as I am aware Reform UK do not propose the abolition of the Scottish parliament. 'What is a local issue that you think isn't being addressed that should be?' Local sensible investment to make Airdrie a more attractive town to live/work in. 'If you're elected, what's one thing you'd like to change about the law?' Primarily to remove any restraint on the freedom of speech/thought.

Article 1: Japanese beef consumers have presented a petition to bring back American beef. Shortages of beef in Japan prompted consumers to submit a petition with about 1.19 million signatures to Japan's Agriculture Minister Yoshinobu Shimamura on Tuesday. The petition was presented by a group led by Takashi Sakamoto, president of a chain of used book outlets. Japan has banned imports of U.S. beef for 15 months, citing concerns about mad cow disease after authorities discovered a cow with the disease in the United States. Japanese health and agriculture ministers said they would ask their country's food safety commission to approve lifting the ban. "We will ask the commission to decide if resuming U.S. beef imports is safe based on safety measures taken in the U.S.," said health minister Makoto Kanie. Analyst Kazuhiko Saito says this may cause a delay "until later this year", telling Bloomberg, "The Commission has been very slow on reviewing domestic mad cow tests and will also be slow to review the U.S. beef import plans." U.S. lawmakers and diplomats have pressed Japan to re-open their market, and some Washington lawmakers have even threatened Japan with sanctions should beef imports not resume soon. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice brought up the matter earlier this month during her visit to Japan. So far, the Japan Food Safety Commission has only taken the step of loosening inspection rules, such that mad cow testing is not required for all imported live cattle. Japan has dealt with 14 cases of mad cow disease of their own. Japoneses perguntam: onde está o meu bife? Article 2: File photo of Shinzo Abe in 2010. A Japan government panel met last Tuesday and is drafting a report aimed to urge Japan to loosen restrictions on participation in military combat — restriction of military to self-defense — imposed in its since the end of World War II. They expected to finalize the report after April. North Korea reacted by calling the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, an "Asian Hitler" on Wednesday. The government panel — fourteen members headed by Shunji Yanai, former ambassador to the US — sought ways to reinterpret the constitution on the grounds there was not enough public support for revising, or rewriting, the constitution itself. Shinzo Abe said he was motivated to help keep international peace — by protecting other nations' troops, which was beyond the scope currently allowed under the constitution. He interpreted it as a country's right, commenting, "it's about whether we can exercise this right that every country has". During the Tuesday meeting, Abe also expressed a concern that the country's was not ready for potential regional conflicts: "Japan's preparation for national security threats in the region is not sufficient. We must cover all the bases to protect the people's lives and safety in any possible scenario". Yousuke Isozaki, a security policy adviser to Mr Abe, said a revised military policy would strengthen Japan's ties with allies, the US in particular. The editorial, saying Abe was trying to conjure up fears of North Korea using missiles or nuclear weapons to help justify expanding Japan's military. The Korean Central News Agency were likening Abe to Hitler. The editorial followed a comment by , the ruling party — — newspaper, which described Abe as a "militarist maniac" last month. The reaction was also inspired by Abe's visit to in December. Under Japan's pacifist constitution, the country has not been able to engage in militaristic combat since the end of World War II. Commenters related the move to escalated tensions with China, who had set up an East China Sea, including Japan's , in November last year.

Article 1: Italian police of the US$134 billion (€96 billion) of United States bearer bonds at the border with Switzerland at Article 2: On Monday, Texas police identified Rodris Webster, 25, as a person-of-interest in the recent disappearance of a 19 year-old woman. The woman, Alicia Benefield, of DeBerry, Texas, was reported missing on Friday. File photo, Waskom Volunteer Fire Department Webster is described as Benefield's boyfriend. He was arrested in January and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Benefield was the complainant in that charge according to media reports. Webster remained jailed until Benefield dropped the charge on March 5. Police investigators inspected a trash dumpster located in the nearby town of Waskom on Sunday morning. In it they reportedly found Webster's wet, muddy with Benefield's keys in the pocket. Police interviewed Webster for 5 hours on Sunday, but released him around 6pm. The woman, still missing on Tuesday morning, is described as , about 110 pounds, with a nose piercing and a tattoo on one arm saying "Wanda Ree". She was last seen wearing a white sweater and brown tights. A police official told reporters Webster had not confessed to any criminal activity: "The story is out there that he has confessed and we do not have a confession". Benefield's mother told reporters she expects her daughter to call her. "She is going to call. I'm going to be the first one she calls, matter of fact. I don't care how mad she thinks I am. She's going to call me." * *

Article 1: On Wednesday night more than 1,000 protesters, most of them part of the LGBT community, staged a dance protest they called the "Queer Rager" outside the Leows Hotel in Philadelphia's Center City, where the U.S. Republican Party has arranged a retreat. Gay rights and health care featured amongst the issues raised. Protesters expressed concerns about traditional gay issues, but Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's impending repeal of the , law enforcement, climate change and other issues were also visible. Signs included "Health Care Is a Human Right," "BROWN BLACK LGBTQ LIVES MATTER," and "Trans Bodies Are Beautiful." Titled "Queer Rage(r): Guerrilla Dance Party," participants were invited to dance and carry signs. Like the Women's March last Saturday, this protest was organized partially through Facebook. Event organizer Hanako Franz told ABC Channel 6, "The focus for tonight is to call attention to the ways in which queer and trans, especially queer and trans black and brown people, do not have access to a lot of healthcare." "Get ready to WERK it out," reads the event's official Facebook page. "As they try to take away our health care, to police Black, Brown, Trans and Queer bodies, to regulate our bodies, we’re here to say #WeAreQueer #WeAreHere #WeWillDance." This is part of several events, including a rally by health care professionals, expected to continue until today, when the retreat ends. One event, which has been given the go-ahead by the city of Philadelphia, is expected to draw 3,000 participants. * * * * Article 2: Vladimir Kara-Murza (Junior) Toronto Legislature 2018.jpg|thumb|left|Kara-Murza addressing the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada in 2018. On Monday, a Moscow, Russia judge sentenced political activist Russian ruble|rubles (~US$4,900). Kara-Murza is a dual citizen of Russia and the United Kingdom. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office summoned Russian Ambassador James Cleverly said: "Vladimir Kara-Murza bravely denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine for what it was — a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter". UN Commissioner for Human Rights said the conviction was "another blow to the rule of law and civic space in the Russian Federation." Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also condemned the verdict, which the judge took minutes to issue. Diplomats and foreign journalists were not allowed into the courtroom, but watch the proceedings on screens from in another room at the courthouse. "I know that the day will come when the darkness engulfing our country will dissipate," Kara-Murza said in court. "This day will come as inevitably as spring comes to replace even the frostiest winter." Russian spokesperson declined to comment on the case to the Associated Press. A speech Kara-Murza delivered in Arizona, United States in March 2022 was involved in the charges. During this speech, he told Arizona legislators Russia was committing war crimes in Ukraine, including "bombing of maternity hospitals and schools". According to the BBC, his allegations were independently verified, but Russia deemed them "false information". Russia instituted criminal penalties for the dissemination of false information about its military days after invading Ukraine. Poisoned in 2015 and 2017, Kara-Murza was an associate of , who was assassinated in 2015.

Article 1: On Wednesday, automobile company announced all of its cars to be released in 2019 onwards are to use some form of battery-powered engine, leaving conventional petrol-only vehicles altogether. The decision comes after Volvo announced in May their intent to cease production of diesel vehicles. The Volvo S90, one of Volvo's current cars available in hybrid. The chief executive of Volvo Cars, , said, "People increasingly demand electrified cars". Volvo aims to release five new electric vehicle models between 2019 and 2021. While little has yet been revealed about them, the company has stated two of them are to be high-performance electric vehicles, branded as Polestars. Other car models from 2019 may be mild hybrid" systems. Mercedes-Benz are also releasing mild hybrid cars for the European market. "This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car. Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1m electrified cars by 2025. When we said it we meant it. This is how we are going to do it," Samuelsson said. Volvo is owned by Chinese automotive giant , and China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has said by 2025 they want new vehicle sales to be 20 percent "new energy vehicles". Article 2: Energy mix of Ireland.svg|thumb|left|According to BP, fossil fuels comprised 83% of Ireland's energy consumption in 2021. Price hikes set by Ireland's €48.25 extra on electricity and €43.80 on gas each month. This came after similar announcements by competitors

Article 1: UN Headquarters in New York. Yesterday, the United Nations General Assembly's Third Commission passed resolution L29 against capital punishment; the project was presented by New Zealand and Brazil, and was defended vigorously by Italy. With 99 votes in favor, 52 against and 33 abstentions, the necessary majority was met, needed in order to pass the resolution. Italy had proposed a resolution against capital punishments several times – in 1994, 1999, and in 2003 – but had been denied in all cases. , Italian Minister of State and Vicepresident of the Council, did not hold and expressed his content towards the result: es:La ONU aprueba resolución que condena a la pena de muerte it:Onu: voto favorevole alla moratoria contro la pena di morte Nações Unidas aprovam resolução contra a pena de morte Article 2: Seminole County Florida.png|Map of Florida highlighting Seminole County

Article 1: 2013 photo of a Ukrainian Railways train departing Kiev for the Crimea Despite the intervention in parts of Crimea, Ukraine by forces connected to Russia in the past few days, the rail border between the countries remains open today. Neither Ukrzaliznytsia, the Ukrainian national railway, nor have any announcements on their website regarding any changes in service. According to uk|Ukrainian language|На перонах залізничних станцій, в межах пунктів пропуску (контролю) встановлюються додаткові режимні заходи, організовано взаємодію з лінійним відділом міліції на транспорті щодо можливості локалізації вірогідних конфліктних ситуацій.|additional steps are being organized in relation to regional transport police to deal the possibility of localization of possible conflicts. If the guards suspect people are entering for the purpose of destabilizing the country, the police reserve the right to deny them entry to the country. The reports that Russians traveling via train between the two countries have been turned away at the border including a man traveling from Simferopol, a . The 2014 Winter Paralympics are scheduled to start Friday in Sochi, Russia and some attendees, including Wikinews reporters, are scheduled to arrive at the Games via trains between Russia and the Ukraine. Article 2: Releasing recommendations on Tuesday, the (APA) urged parents to provide teenagers with guidance and training on social media usage, while placing limits on its duration. The APA offered 10 suggestions for teenagers' safe and responsible use of social media. According to the report, before teenagers use social media, parents should provide guidance on social media literacy and support for psychological development. The advisory described a deficiency of literature examining the effects of social media use on "youth from racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, socioeconomic or differently abled populations, and/or youth with chronic developmental or health conditions," calling for increased funding for research. The APA assembled a panel of experts who reviewed research on social media use and wrote the recommendations. APA CEO Dr. Arthur C. Evans, Jr. said: "We hope these recommendations will be helpful as we all try to keep pace with the rapidly shifting social media ecosystem." "Social media is neither inherently harmful nor beneficial to our youth," the Association's President, Dr. , stated.

Article 1: File photo of Tony Stewart Auto Club Speedway, the race track where the race was held. Tony Stewart, who qualified twenty-second, won the 2010 Pepsi Max 400 held on October 10, 2010 at Fontana, California|Fontana, California, United States. This became his second win of the season. Stewart was chased by Chase for the Sprint Cup. Pole position winner had a couple problems earlier in the race, which prompted him to a seventeenth place finish. Richard Petty Motorsports team, clinched the fourth position, after leading no laps during the race. Mark Martin could only manage sixth. Denny Hamlin, Davis Reutimann rounded out the top ten finishers in the race. Other drivers in the Chase, such as Greg Biffle finished in forty-first. Johnson maintained the Drivers' championship lead with 5,673 points, thirty-six points ahead of Denny Hamlin. Manufacturers' сhampionship standings is lead by Chevrolet with 221, 42 points ahead of Toyota and 80 ahead of Ford. Once the race concluded, Stewart commented, "We're doing everything we can do. We're going to need some help, but we're doing everything we can do. I'm proud of these guys, and just so thankful ... they refuse to give up, they refuse to back down. We'll just keep doing what we're doing here." Article 2: WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikers in June. Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) officials Friday held their first meeting, in California, US, after the beginning of a writers' strike on May 2, with participants speaking on a framework for negotiations and "a preview of the issues each side intends to bring back to the table upon resumption." The WGA's representatives said in a memo to unionists there was "no agreement" as "the AMPTP said they needed to consult with their member studios". The AMPTP declined to comment to . The WGA claimed the AMPTP planned to propose the parties replicate, on issues common to both disputes, the AMPTP agreement with the in June. The WGA has rejected this idea. The WGA memo said Lombardini "stated they were willing to increase their offer on a few writer-specific TV minimums – and willing to talk about AI – but that they were not willing to engage on the preservation of the Residual (entertainment industry)|residuals." The AMPTP has rejected the WGA's proposals on the writers' room question as a "hiring quota". "She did not indicate willingness to address screenwriter issues, Appendix A issues, and many of the other proposals that remain on our list," the WGA continued. The WGA memo said if it and the AMPTP come to agreement first, it planned to let members continue striking until actors' union 's dispute also concluded. After the meeting, the WGA said the AMPTP demanded a on it but leaked word to industry magazines. Alliance President Carol Lombardini, the AMPTP's top representative at the meeting, initially said it should not occur; among them Sony Pictures CEO Puck (media company)|Puck.

Article 1: London, England— Five Paralympians were inducted into the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame in a ceremony in London last Thursday. The five were Roberto Marson, Frank Ponta, and Chris Holmes. Between them, they have won 100 Paralympic medals. The ceremony was hosted by Chris Wadell, a Paralympic skier who was himself inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Philip Craven|Sir Philip Craven, the current President of the (IPC). Australia|Australian Paralympic wheelchair racer, won thirteen Paralympic medals – including nine gold medals, was presented by Sir Philip Craven with a set of pins from the last six summer Paralympics. She noted that she had been to all of them, and is currently in London as a coach. Two of her new protégées attended the Hall of Fame induction. Roberto Marson was an Italian athlete, fencer, and swimmer who won 26 Paralympic medals, including sixteen golds in his career, died last November. His award was a posthumous one, accepted on his behalf by his daughter. United States, is the most successful Paralympian of all time, having won 55 medals, of which 41 were gold. Her medal tally also included nine silver and five bronze. Today, she works with the ; helping disabled veterans to achieve their potential. Wadell noted this brings the Paralympics full circle, the Games having began with disabled servicemen. Frank Ponta was an Australian athlete, swimmer, fencer, and basketball player, who was influential in the development of wheelchair sport in Australia. As an athlete, he won a silver medal at the first Paralympic games in in 1960; as a coach, he trained the likes of Louise Sauvage and Priya Cooper. He died in June last year, and was another posthumous inductee. Finally, Chris Holmes, a British swimmer who won sixteen medals, including nine golds, during his Paralympic career. He is very busy these days with, in his words, "a sporting event that is going on in London at the moment". This is the fourth time that Visa have hosted such an event. For the first time, the IPC invited members of the public to nominate athletes and coaches. Nominations also came from the national Paralympic committees, and international sporting bodies. The inductions are conducted every two years, alternating between winter and summer Paralympics. According to Sir Philip Craven, the Hall of Fame is both a way of celebrating sporting achievement, and of creating a sort of corporate memory. To be eligible, nominees must have competed in at least two games, the more the better; and won, or coached athletes who have won, multiple medals, again the more the better. They must have retired before the previous games, in this case before Beijing in 2008. However, the award also recognizes sportsmanship and service to the Paralympic community. Article 2: Reports yesterday indicated Russian President Vladimir Putin views the arrival of US troops in Poland as "a threat". US troops and tanks in Poland in 2015, as part of an earlier deployment under Sgt. Christina Dion ( Earlier this week around a quarter of 4,000 troops earmarked for Poland crossed into Poland from Germany. Also included were trucks, tanks, and Żagań, where Polish Prime Minister Antoni Macierewicz are scheduled to ceremonially welcome them tomorrow. Part of M1 Abrams|Abrams tanks, M109 howitzer|Paladin artillery. It is the largest deployment of US troops to Europe since the ended. The presence of US assets "threatens our interests and our security," according to Putin. "It's a third country that is building up its military presence on our borders in Europe," he told the BBC. "It isn't even a European country." Outgoing US President Barack Obama authorised the move in response to Russian intervention in Ukraine in 2014, in which Warsaw last year. Tomasz Szatkowski, Polish Undersecretary of State for Defence, noted "large exercises" by Russia near the Polish border as another reason the troops were needed. Szatkowski also mentioned Russian action in Ukraine, which he called "aggressive actions in our vicinity". Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Mechkov, however, said the incoming troops and vehicles were a "factor destabilising European security". Russian Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed Putin, saying the troops are "a threat. These actions threaten our interests, our security. Especially as it concerns a third party building up its military presence near our borders. It's the US, not even a European state." Ties between Russia and the US are strained. Last month the US expelled 35 Russian diplomats accused of espionage, and sanctioned Russian intelligence agencies. This was in response to a CIA report issued two weeks earlier that concluded the Russian government hacked servers belonging to the U.S. Republican and Democratic parties. The CIA report said this was to turn the 2016 presidential election toward president-elect Donald Trump. Since Szydło took office in 2015, Poland has also suffered a decline in relations with Russia. Within a week of the Law and Justice Party coming to power in Poland, it removed web pages featuring the results of an investigation into the Smolensk air disaster in Russia in 2010. The cause of the crash, which killed dignitaries including Polish President , is disputed. A Polish probe concluded the Polish pilots put safety second in their determination to get their passengers through dense fog. It also placed blame on Russian controllers for failing to divert the aircraft. Russian investigators blamed the pilots alone. The flight was carrying high-profile political figures to attend a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union|Soviets. Russia has refused to return wreckage, encouraging conspiracy theories about the crash. In 2015 Szydło said in response to the vanishing investigatory findings "the website has been closed and will simply remain closed." In recent months tension has mounted further as Russia deployed missiles to nuclear-capable

Article 1: New measures to counter the threat of terrorism in UK are expected in the Queen’s Speech. Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan police chief, in a speech in Berlin, highlighted the scale of disaffection among the Muslim community, pointing to reports that between 40,000 and 120,000 Muslims believed that the London bombings, when four British suicide bombers killed 52 civilians, were justified. He believed that this disaffection was related to the very negative way in which many in the Muslim community perceived the country’s foreign policy. This view had been expressed last month by Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and by the Head of MI5, Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, earlier in the week. However, Prime minister Tony Blair contested the strong connection to foreign policy, saying that the problem has "grown up over a generation". Sir Ian outlined where he thought new legislation was needed. Despite the fact that the measure had caused the Government to be defeated in the last session of Parliament, he wanted the extension of the 28 days suspects can be held without charge to be reconsidered. He wanted the law restricting the reporting of court proceedings relaxed to let people, particularly in the communities from which those on trial come, to see justice being done. As things stand, once they have charged a suspect, the police have no right to continue questioning; this should be changed, he said. He also wanted phone tap evidence to be allowed in court and flag burning to be made illegal. Home Secretary John Reid will have an opportunity of introducing new legislation in the Queen's Speech. Following Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller’s statement that MI5 has the task of keeping track of 1,600 suspects engaged in 30 known terrorist plots with a staff of 2,800, and that disaffection is increasing as never before, it is expected that more resources will be provided to support her department’s work. Patrick Mercer, the shadow homeland security minister said that both the intelligence and security servcies needed a substantial increase in resources. Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown has said that his first priority as Prime Minister would be to head anti-terrorism measures personally. In his present post he has responsibility for the allocation of resources to government departments. The opinion poll findings quoted by Dame Eliza are questioned by the 1990 Trust (a charitable trust supported by the Rowntree Trust, Comic Relief, CRE and others). Introducing an internet survey conducted between the 8th and 27th September 2006, Karen Chouhan of the 1990 Trust said "This (referring to Dame Manningham-Buller’s speech) is nothing short of irresponsible politicking and journalism which is designed to create a moral panic to pave the way for renewed legislative assaults on civil liberties and can only serve to fuel fears and hostility towards Muslim communities in the UK". The specific criticism of the use being made of the ICM/Sunday Telegraph Poll, that has been widely reported, is that "some sections of the media have conflated Muslim respondents answering positively to the question of whether they have sympathy ‘with the feeling and motives of those who carried out the attacks’ (20% of those polled in the same ICM/Telegraph survey of February 2006 answered affirmatively) with the violence itself. To understand the motive behind an action cannot be equated with violence itself, and the media have a responsibility to create a clear demarcation". A Report from the Joseph Rowntree Trust, by Professor Stuart Weir, Director of Democratic Audit at the University of Essex, Dr Andrew Blick and Tufyal Choudhury was published today November 13, 2006. It concludes that "the government’s counter terrorism legislation and rhetorical stance are between them creating serious losses in human rights and criminal justice protections...and so are prejudicing the ability of the government and security forces to gain the very trust and cooperation from individuals in those communities that they require to combat terrorism." Parliament resumes its work next week when the Queen’s Speech will indicate what new anti-terrorist and anti-racist legislation the Government intends to propose. Article 2: A wind turbine at the Nick Pitsas A proposal for a 33-turbine Victorian planning minister

Article 1: A train derailed on Sunday and fell into a ravine where it caught fire, according to Lualaba Province, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. By varying reports 33 or more people were killed. The train, with cargo including tanks of flammable fuel, was traveling from the country's second-largest city of to the town of Luena. After the thirteen-carriage train derailed and fell into the ravine, Associated Press reported, eleven carriages caught fire. Early on, the Minister of Mines, Jean-Marie Tshizainga, confirmed eight deaths in the crash, according to Radio Okapi. By one report, the dead and injured, who suffered severe burns, were . The chief medical officer of Richard Muyej Mangez, said the number of dead likely would rise. * * * Article 2: Strawberries in picking season at a Queensland farm. Australia's piece work|piece rate are required to be paid the minimum rate for casual workers under the Horticulture Award, or A$25.41 per hour. In their ruling, the Commission unanimously "expressed the view that the existing pieceworker provisions in the Horticulture Award are not fit for purpose", and determined "the insertion of a minimum wage floor in clause 15.2 of the Horticulture Award is necessary to ensure that the Horticulture Award achieves the minimum wages objective". Clause 15.2 is the section of the Horticulture Award which concerns the rate of pay for piece rate workers. The United Workers Union, Uniting Church of Australia, and 88 Days and Counting, as well as the state governments of Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia. AWU secretary Dan Walton told ABC News after the ruling, "Too many farmers have been able to manipulate the piece rate system to establish pay and conditions far beneath Australian standards. Now it will be easy for workers — even if they don't have good English language skills or Australian connections — to understand if they're being ripped off." Walton also declared the ruling was "among the great victories of our union's 135-year history". This stance was opposed by several other organisations, including The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance, National Farmers' Federation (NFF), according to the Commission, with ABC News reporting the NFF specifically was against the ruling on the grounds farmers could go out of business as a result, and that piece work was beneficial for productivity.

Article 1: According to a report from the Red Cross today, about 60 people were still missing after a house collapsed during a heavy rain storm on Friday in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Flag of the Red Cross Ten were known dead on Saturday, and a surviving man was dug out of the house after ten hours. The house was reportedly just two years old and had at least six floors. Local building has widespread problems with poor materials and not following Kenyan construction rules. Interior Minister said on Saturday, hospitals had treated 80 people. Another seven people reportedly died in the storm. Kenya's Red Cross said the flooding affected more than 800 homes. * * * Article 2: On Monday, Chilean president Michelle Bachelet signed a bill to legalise same-sex marriage. The bill awaits approval from the two houses of congress to pass, which would also permit LGBT couples to adopt children. File photo of Michelle Bachelet Currently, only marriage between a man and a woman is recognised in Chile. Two years ago, Chile legalised civil unions of same-sex couples. The bill was signed at La Moneda Palace, the presidential palace. LGBT activists attended the signing ceremony; at least 200 attendees were expected. Chile is a largely Roman Catholic country, and the Roman Catholic Church has been against the idea of same-sex unions. During the signing ceremony, Bachelet said, "it is not ethical nor fair to put artificial limits on love". She tweeted, Under Bachelet's presidency, Chile saw changes in the abortion laws last week. Abortions are now allowed for cases like pregnancy from rape, or conditions endangering the mother's life or where the foetus cannot survive. Chile saw a total ban on abortion in 1989 under General Pinochet. Bachelet's term is to end in March. Former president and candidate in November's Chilean presidential election Sebastián Piñera is against the legalisation of same-sex marriage, and said: "There should not be discrimination, but at the same time the essence of an institution such as marriage should be respected, which has always been about conserving the human race". Sex among partners of the same gender has been legal in Chile since 1999. Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay are among South American countries where same-sex couples are allowed to marry. * * * * * *

Article 1: In the early morning on Friday, Musudan, BM-25, according to reports. An anonymous defense official placed the attempt at 5:03 local time (2033 on Thursday ). According to South Korean news agency kilometre|kilometers (about 1850 to 2500 miles), enough to reach the Guam. A statement from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said "North Korea appears to have tried to shoot, this morning, a missile from the area of the East Sea, but it is presumed that the launch failed." According to Yonhap, North Korea did not notify the of the launch. Friday was the 104th birthday of the founder of North Korea and grandfather of present leader Kim Il-sung, which is celebrated with military parades and events. Article 2: __NOTOC__ Yesterday in UEFA Euro 2016, Wales defeated Russia 3–0 and Slovakia versus England ended in a goalless draw. Wales and England have qualified for the Last 16 knockout phase. File photo of Gareth Bale who scored three goals in this tournament Wales won the match 3–0 to qualify for the Last 16 knockout phase as Group B table toppers, while Russia have been eliminated, after finishing fourth in the group with just one point. England have qualified for the Last 16 knockout phase, finishing second in the group with one victory and two draws. Slovakia finished third with four points. * * * *

Article 1: On Saturday, in the Copa América match for third place, Colombia defeated hosts United States in the , in Arizona. File photo of David Ospina, who won Man of the Match. USA had more shots than Colombia, but the Colombians had slightly better ball possession. Colombian striker Tim Howard just after the half an hour mark as Los Cafeteros were 1–0 up at half time. Two players — one of each team — were sent off. of USA was booked in the 88th minute and later sent off. Colombian collected two yellow cards in two minutes and was sent off along with Orozco. Goalkeeper won the Man of the Match award making two saves and two clearances. ---- Copa América Football (soccer) Sports Colombia United States Arizona Article 2: Argentina's football captain Lionel Messi spoke of retirement from international football after losing 4–2 to Chile in the penalty decider in Copa América Centenario final on Sunday. Since then, many players including his present FC Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez, former teammates Ronaldinho, former Argentina captain Mauricio Macri have expressed disappointment, some urging him to stay. File photo of Lionel Messi after a loss in 2014. Messi missed the penalty kick after Chilean 's spot kick was stopped by Javier Mascherano and Sergio Agüero scored their spot kicks for Argentina, but after Claudio Bravo, scored the winning penalty for Chile. Messi was crying after the match, and later told news reporters, . He added, . Today, Suárez speaking to Radio Tenfield said, "Knowing Leo, I'm sure it was said in a moment of sadness and helplessness. It would be a shame for football if he took this decision, but I'm sure he will reconsider and change his mind." Yesterday, president Mauricio Macri and Maradona urged him to think about his decision. Messi's former teammate said, "It's very bad news for soccer. Messi is the best player in the world. ... I don't know what happened in his mind... I know he's strong, a professional player, he's sure now disappointed because he lost one more final in penalty kicks again." Ronaldinho, former Brazilian player and ex-Barcelona player, told he respects Messi's opinion and he would be always with him. Five time World Player of the Year Messi has lost four finals on the international stage, of which three defeats came in the last three years — 2014 FIFA World Cup loss to Germany, last year's loss to Chile, and this year's. Sergio Agüero told Argentine newspaper Olé other players were also deciding weather to hang up their boots. Messi played for Argentina when they won the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal. ---- Argentina Chile Lionel Messi Football (soccer) Sports Copa América South America United States New Jersey

Article 1: In Gambia, current president thumb|left|150px|File photo of Gambian president Article 2: As part of peace talks between Israel and the , Israel released on Tuesday early in the morning 26 Palestinian prisoners imprisoned before the 1994 for murder or attempted murder of Israelis. As a prerequisite for the peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians led by the , Israel committed in July to free 104 prisoners imprisoned before the Oslo accords. In this wave, the third out of four, Israel freed 26 Palestinian prisoners out of 'Ofer' prison in Israel. The prisoners, who had been in Israeli prison for 19–28 years, were released to the , to the , and to Ramallah were welcomed by the president of the Palestinian National Authority, , at the presidential residence, and put flowers on Palestinian leader 's tomb. Abbas, speaking before thousands of people gathered for the prisoners' release, said, "We will not sign a final peace deal with Israel before all the prisoners are released". Israel confirmed the release on Saturday, but delayed it until Tuesday for an Israeli court appeal by victims' families to prevent it. The appeal filed by the 'Almagor' organization representing the Israeli victims' families was not accepted. Addressing the issue, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said at the meeting of his party, "Leadership is judged by the ability to implement decisions, difficult as they may be. We were not elected to make easy decisions". The United States congratulated Israel on the move and a State Department Deputy Spokeswoman, Marie Harf, told Al Jazeera the Secretary of State, John Kerry, expressed "his appreciation for Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to release the third tranche of prisoners ... The Israeli government's commitment to release Palestinian prisoners helped enable the start ... and the continuation of the final status negotiations, and we believe this is a positive step forward in the overall process". Kerry himself is expected to arrive during this week to Israel to promote the peace talks. * * *

Article 1: On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward's councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto's ridings is Scarborough-Agincourt (Ward 40). One candidate responded to Wikinews' requests for an interview. This ward's candidates include 'Sunny Eren', Norm Kelly (incumbent), George Pappas, and Winston Ramjeet. For more information on the election, read . 'Q:' Describe the three most important issues in your campaign. : 'A:' I think the three most important issues facing my ward are; Infrastructure/TTC services, Youth and Poverty. Since amalgamation the roads and TTC have been failing to meet the demands of a growing city. The city has grown by leaps and bounds and yet the only expansion has been the Sheppard Subway Line. In a stop gap effort to resolve the demand versus capacity issue, the city has elected to put more buses on the street. This lack of expansion with increased demand has led to only one outcome: more cars on the road with more traffic, pollution and aggravation. Our roads were never designed to handle the volume we have now, which is the reason for the current sorry state of repair. I feel that the youth have been alienated in our city with lack of parks and recreational spaces, which give young people a more robust life. These people represent our future after all. Finally, crime is important issue - I do feel that poverty feeds into a cycle and that proper support to help people rise out of poverty, along with engaging our youth, will have an effect of lowering crime. 'Q:' What one election issue do you feel is most relevant to your ward in this election? : 'A:' To me TTC is one of the greatest issues facing our Ward; we all need a strong and connected public transit. It reduces pollution, traffic, and congestion. It's the primary means of transport for the majority of our Ward's citizens. People from the suburbs ride it through our Ward, and as the GTA increases in population, so too must the TTC expand. Yet I feel it's been stagnating, and it's been a growing problem for a while now. 'Q:' Why have you chosen to involve yourself in the political process? : 'A:' I felt that I could no longer in good conscience just sit back and watch the city waste away, that I needed to do something to change the city for the better. I know a lot of people love to sit and complain but I felt it would be better to actually try to make a difference. That's why I threw my name in for city Councillor. 'Q:' Why do you want to represent this particular ward on council? : 'A:' This is where I live, I have my home here, and it is where my wife and I decided to start our life together. I intend to start a family and raise my children. Sure I could run in any Ward especially if there is no incumbent but this is where I am and this is where I want to change things. 'Q:' How are you currently involved in the community? : 'A:' Currently I sit on the Board of Directors of Streetlights. It's a non-profit charity that helps women escape prostitution and break the cycle of living in such a lifestyle. I also sit on the board of directors in my condominium corporation, where I reside. I have been involved in other activities such as raising money for the Hospital for Sick Children through a convention () I helped put on. Recently I have been helping different Chinese community groups secure volunteers and get their issues publicized. 'Q:' Which council decision (since the 2003 election) do you feel the city/your ward should be most proud of, and which was least desirable? : 'A:' Well number one is the pay raise. Council voting itself a pay raise when the city is experiencing a budget crunch was not the best idea. I do think the St. Clair right of way was a good idea but the public felt disenfranchised from the discussion of the issue. People need to feel they have a say in the decision making. 'Q:' Which council decision (since the 2003 election) do you feel the city/your ward should be most proud of, and which was least desirable? : 'A:' Well number one is the pay raise, not only did the same council voted themselves a pay raise which despite the city is in a budget crunch was not the best idea. I do think the St. Clair right of way was a nice idea but the public felt disenfranchised to the political process and thus rejected that idea. I do endorse the City's Bike Plan and Clean up the City initiatives, but I think the city should get a failing grade when it came down to the Budget and Garbage issue. 'Q:' If you were elected as a "rookie" councillor, what would you bring to the table beyond the incumbent? : 'A:' Well first off I am quite young and I believe that I represent the Ward not myself. I intend to reach out to the community and try to meet everyone and help them. I don't belong to any network of old boys in a back room. I have youth, energy and a stubborn determination to really try to help people. In this way I can only hope to meet the needs and wants of everyone in my Ward. That why I think I am the better choice for Ward 40. 'Q:' What does Toronto mean to you? : 'A:' Well Toronto is my home, I have spent time in other cities in Asia and North America, but Toronto is where I feel safe and at home. I truly believe Canada is the best country in the world and that Toronto is the best city within Canada. Article 2: The European Union budget for 2012 has been increased by two per cent, despite European authorities targeting a budget increase of approximately five per cent for next year. The budget will now stand at €|129,000,000,000 (US$174,000,000,000 or £110,000,000,000). Negotiators at the EU reached this decision after fifteen hours of discussions on the matter. The European Parliament was aiming to achieve an increase of 5.2%. Such targets were objected to by the governments of various EU member countries; they were considered "unrealistic". The UK government welcomed the result, describing it as "excellent". British Mark Hoban explained: "We have stopped the European Commission and European Parliament's inflation-busting proposals and have delivered on the government's promise to freeze the EU budget in real terms". One argument the British government has maintained for objecting to the European Commission and European Parliament's requests is, "with member states facing tough decisions on spending at home, we could not afford these unrealistic demands", according to Hoban. European Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget|EU Budget Commissioner, has described the outcome as "clearly an austerity budget" and has expressed concern about the "serious risk that the European Commission will run out of funds in the course of next year, and will therefore not be able to honour all its financial obligations towards beneficiaries of EU funds". Now, concern should be given towards the discussions about the long-term budget of the EU between the years 2014 and 2020, Hoban believes. Press Association, the Commission wants to increase the budget by eleven per cent in comparison to the seven years prior.

Article 1: A typical US school bus A Georgia, United States, earlier today on Article 2: As many as 47 people are reported dead and 113 wounded as bombs and shooting erupted across Iraq Sunday. Baghdad and , particularly, each sustained multiple blasts. The United Nations says violence in Iraq July killed over 1,000 people, more than in any other month since 2008. militants are reportedly gaining strength in Iraq. Amongst the incidents: A car bomb near a Baquba housing complex killed 11 and wounded 34, according to police. Military sources said five soldiers were killed at a fake checkpoint near Qiyara, north of Baghdad, and their bodies were burned. In , two separate bombings reportedly killed seven and injured 30. Two explosions also rocked the capital, Baghdad, killing an additional twelve people and wounding 45, according to officials. A car bomb in killed at least four and wounded several more, including a judge who was driving past. No group has claimed responsibility for the incidents. * * *

Article 1: Irish budget airline Ryanair have stated intent to sue the UK's Channel 4 over a documentary broadcast Monday night which discussed safety at the airline. Secrets of the Cockpit focused strongly on fuel policy and featured interviews with pilots. A Ryanair Boeing 737 pictured in 2006. Part of the Dispatches series, the show reported on an incident in Spain last year where three Ryanair jets declared fuel emergencies after being diverted to . Pilots interviewed for the programme said they felt pressured to save fuel, the cost of which has hit Ryanair's profits. The described Ryanair flights usually landing with a bare minimum of fuel, in a report the airline dismissed as "manifestly inaccurate and factually untrue". Ryanair say their planes carry more fuel than European Union legislation requires and point out the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) monitor their safety record, including fuel policy. Ryanair has never had a fatal accident and the IAA called Secrets of the Cockpit a "misguided attack" which was "based upon false and misleading information". The IAA itself was accused of failing to respond to concerns from Ryanair pilots and one interviewee said his "personal belief is that the majority of Ryanair pilots do not have confidence in the safety agencies and that is a pretty critical issue". An IAA statement yesterday morning read "The IAA has responded to personal letters and reports from Ryanair pilots, this included several meetings and face-to-face interviews with pilots and their legal and professional representatives." The statement added "Ryanair Plc fully complies with all European and international regulations in all areas of its operations". Channel 4 promised to see Ryanair in court, saying "We stand by our journalism, and will robustly defend proceedings if they are initiated." Ryanair called the documentary "false and defamatory". Other claims in the documentary included that twelve had been wiped after serious incidents, which Ryanair blamed on and said is a common occcurence in aviation, and that a survey by Ryanair Pilots Group (RPG) found widespread safety concerns at the airline. RPG is not recognised by the airline which calls the group "lacking any independence, objectivity or reliability". The airline says they conducted their survey, which polled 1,000 flight crew, as part of a long campaign to unionise Ryanair pilots. The airline makes heavy use of , which do not guarantee work and which the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association describe as offering some of aviation's worst employment conditions. According to the RPG survey almost 90% of respondents said the safety culture was nontransparent. Two-thirds said they felt uncomfortable raising safety issues. Ryanair had told pilots anybody signing a "so-called safety petition" might be dismissed. One anonymous pilot interviewed by Channel 4 accused the airline of "threats and bullying". Over 90% of those surveyed wanted a regulatory inquiry, with RPG saying the survey results were passed to the airline and the IAA. RPG chairman Evert van Zwol, also a recent Dutch Airline Pilots Association president, said zero-hour contracts tended to make pilots choose to fly when unwell and keep quiet if they had safety concerns. In 2005 a Polish Ryanair pilot became lost near a few days after attending his son's funeral, while his Dutch co-pilot was seeing his first experience of navigating severe weather. In the 2005 incident intervened to keep the flight safe from midair collisions. The Polish pilot told Italian investigators he feared losing his job if he took extra time off work. The investigation concluded in 2009 he had been unfit to fly. Ryanair denied he would have been fired for taking time off to recover. * * * * * * Article 2: A file photo of Stephen McKay A ScotRail train travelling from Glasgow to the towns of Oban and Ardlui. Two sets of points at had been incorrectly set. The train hit them at 19:50 at sufficient speed to potentially damage them, although the train was able to reverse after they had been inspected. The service was stranded at the station for some time. Although much of the train snaked away from the platform, the rearmost door was still aligned with the platform, allowing passengers including our correspondent to get off and see the situation for themselves. Several passengers photographed and videoed the surreal scene on mobile phones. No other trains were struck in the incident, but the train to Glasgow in the opposite direction was also left waiting at the platform while the situation was resolved. The diverted train ultimately reversed off the points and away from the station, then realigned itself with the platform. It was able to continue with a 30 minute delay. The incident adds to troubles on the Crianlarich, where the train joins with the Mallaig service to form a single train heading to Glasgow. More serious incidents occurred in 2012, when a train heading from Oban to Glasgow struck a landslip caused by heavy rains but did not derail, and in 2010, when a train derailed, caught fire, and was left dangling over a nearby road. Trains travelling both to and from Glasgow struck trees on the line on the same day in 2011, one near Crianlarich and one near Ardlui. * *

Article 1: In the Last 16 knockout phase of UEFA Euro 2016, Italy defeated the defending champions Spain 2–0, and Iceland eliminated England winning 2–1, on Monday. Italy is to face the World Champions Germany in the quarter-finals. Italian defender Graziano Pellè's shot shortly before the referee brought the match to an end. Italy is to play Germany in the quarter-finals. After the match, Italian coach said, "We showed that an idea can beat talent." File photo of Roy Hodgson, who resigned as England manager after their loss to Iceland. Winning an early penalty kick, England were 1–0 up in the 4th minute as Wayne Rooney scored from a spot kick. Kolbeinn Sigþórsson scored the second goal for the Icelanders in the 18th minute as they won the fixture and advanced to the next knockout phase. England manager the Football Association. He said, "we are still recovering and I am very fragile today. It wasn't a good night for everybody." "Anybody who is out there who has played football will have some idea of how I feel today", said the ex-manager. Iceland is to face hosts France in the quarter-finals. * * * * * __NOTOC__ __NOTOC__ Article 2: Ukraine Solidarity protest organised in Brandenburg Gate lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian Flag. On Sunday, a suspected Russian missile strike was carried out on a civilian oil terminal located in 39 from Kyiv. Apart from this, Russian troops were spotted in different locations in and around the city of Kharkiv. A gas pipeline was also blown up by Russian troops in Kharkiv yesterday before daybreak. The Oleh Synyehubov advised citizens not to go outside and stated "the Russian enemy's light vehicles have broken into Kharkiv, including the city centre". On Saturday, Russian troops conducted a missile strike on a high-rise residential building in Kyiv which injured at least 6 people. Video footage showing the missile strike in Kyiv on Saturday. The President of Ukraine|Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Belarus was complicit in the invasion and Ukraine would like to hold talks elsewhere. Today, Ukraine has accepted the proposal for talks with the Russian Federation on the Belarusian border. The Ukrainian Presidential Office has confirmed the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had called Zelensky earlier Sunday. The United States and its allies have initiated the transfer of arms and weapons to support Ukraine and imposed numerous sanctions to affect Russia financially. On Saturday, it was announced several Russian banks would be removed from the SWIFT international payment system, resulting in its disconnection from the international financial system. It was also decided to impose 'restrictive measures' on the to prevent it from undermining the impact of the sanctions from the West. The leaders of the European Commission and the United States said in a joint statement they "will hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin". Google and Facebook have barred the Russian state-controlled media outlet RT News from receiving money from advertisements. The Kremlin said Russian troops were advancing "in all directions" and Putin thanked the Russian Special Forces who were carrying out the operation in Ukraine. Sources also reveal Putin directed his nuclear deterrence forces to stay on high alert, citing “aggressive statements” by NATO and tough financial sanctions from the West and its allies. The Ukrainian presidential advisor, Mykhaylo Podolyak, said over 3,500 Russian troops were killed in action or wounded. Russia has not yet released any casualty figures.

Article 1: On Sunday, in the Last 16 knockout phase of UEFA Euro 2016, France defeated the Republic of Ireland 2–1, Germany defeated Slovakia 3–0, and Hungary lost to Belgium 0–4. Antoine Griezmann equalised for France minutes before the hour mark. Moments after the hour mark, Griezmann scored the second goal and France led the game for the first time. The Irish team was reduced to ten men in the 66th minute, when fouled Griezmann. France advanced to the quarter-finals conceding just two goals in the tournament, both penalty kicks. maintained another . Germany is yet to concede a goal in this tournament. Belgium advanced to the quarter-finals winning the Last 16 by a big margin. * * * * * * __NOTOC__ Article 2: On Saturday, announced the signing of Spanish defender Aleix Vidal from defending LaLiga champions FC Barcelona. Via their official website, Barcelona said they were to receive €8.5 million transfer as well as two million in variables. File photo of Aleix Vidal. ( CC BY-SA 3.0) 28-year-old Vidal had joined Barça three seasons ago, from Sevilla. Since moving to the Catalan-capital, Vidal had played 49 games for the club. During his tenure at Copa del Rey and one each of UEFA Super Cup as well as the UEFA Europa League with Sevilla. Previously, Barcelona announced the transfer of French defender to English club Everton FC. Barcelona announced the transfer of Aleix Vidal shortly after they announced signing Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich. According to a report by Marca, Aleix Vidal was to sign a four-year contract with Sevilla. * * * *

Article 1: Hidroelectrica, Romania's largest hydroelectricity company, has introduced a new flood warning system, according to the Romanian Ministry of the Economy and Commerce. The system will be installed at the hydroelectric power station in Bistriţa, and will include 52 sound flood warning stations on the Bistriţa River Valley. They will warn individuals by code signals in case of a flood alert. The system will be tested on in the following two days. Especially in the Bistriţa region, floods continue to be quite a frequent problem, even though they are not particularly severe. Article 2: The CBC has raised new security concerns over the instant scratch tickets sold by the OLGC. CBC's the fifth estate reported in a special investigation on October 25 the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's (OLGC) tickets are not being given to lottery winners and are claimed more often by the retailers who sell them averaging at CAN$500,000. The report investigated several aspects of the lottery retail trade, including a report that tickets were stolen by the clerks of convenience stores. One reported case involved a convenience store clerk who, after checking the ticket bought by a customer who brought suit, said he did not win. Retailers appeared to win prizes more often than the general public. However it also appeared that retailers were a core audience of the lottery games and due to that, statistically, could be expected to win more than the general public. The study found that the retailers were winning about 2.5 times more than the general audience and spending almost twice as much on their tickets. Retailers spent CAN$23.30 over the past four weeks. The average person spends CAN$12.30. "We are here to make sure that all of our players have confidence in our process," OLG chief executive Duncan Brown said. "Lottery retailer means, in our broad definition, anybody that works for a lottery retailer or is related to a lottery retailer. That’s 140,000 people ... in Ontario....What was missing from the fifth estate’s numbers was the frequency of play by the retailers." There were 30 complaints referring to the instant scratch tickets from 1999 to 2006. Only once ware charges laid by police. Nine cases had special investigations, winnings totaling at CAN$3,629. Retailers could, in a process called "pin pricking," attempt to uncover codes printed on the instant scratch tickets under a latex coating that show which card is the winner. In the wake of earlier allegations, OLG devices were installed for anyone who wanted to check their own tickets, for security reasons. "Any time someone connected with the OLG tries to claim a prize we conduct a higher level of investigation than what we would do with somebody who is not associated with OLG. And this includes looking at the tickets very carefully, especially in the case of scratch tickets," Teresa Roncon, a spokeswoman for the OLGC said.

Article 1: The Arcadia leaving Southampton in 2006 Cocaine with a street value of £1.2 million (US$2 million) was seized as the United Kingdom P&O Cruises' ship Arcadia arrived in its home port of Southampton, on the south coast of England, early yesterday. Seven people from the Manchester and Birmingham areas of the country were arrested on the dockside, with four of them being remanded in custody. Between them, the four allegedly had 30 kilograms of the Class A drug strapped to their bodies. The detained four appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court earlier today charged with the importation of a Class A drug. The other three have been released on bail pending an appearance at the same Court on 27th October. The four, none of whom are crew members of the 1,952-passenger Arcadia, have been named as Mrs Quinn, 26, of Rochdale, Lancashire; Mr Hylton, 41, of Manchester; Mrs Dyce, 25, Handsworth, Birmingham; and Mrs Dupee, 19, of Handsworth, Birmingham. The arrests were carried out in a joint operation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigators and UK Border Agency officers; dozens of personnel were involved. Peter Avery, the Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation of HMRC, said: "Drugs devastate lives and communities and we are determined to prevent them reaching UK streets. Our investigations will not only focus on those transporting the cocaine, but also those that finance and mastermind this illegal trade." The three-year-old ship had just returned from a 23-day cruise around the Caribbean, having stopped in Antigua, St Lucia, Grenada and Barbados among other islands. A P&O spokesperson said that this was the first time they were aware of P&O passengers being arrested for smuggling cocaine. Article 2: London Metropolitan Police cars The Ealing Broadway station|Ealing Broadway region of the city about 1505 UTC while examining bus tickets. The man stabbed the two in an attempt to evade arrest. The pair were subsequently transported to hospital by ambulance. The police community support officer was seriously injured, having been stabbed in the arms. However, he was not thought to have suffered life-threatening injuries. The police officer was stabbed in the neck. His injuries were considered life-threatening. The alleged attacker, a 30-year-old male, was arrested at the scene of the attack. According to reports, he was wanted by the police for recall to prison. When it became clear that he was going to be arrested, he drew a knife and stabbed the two. Koon Midam, a witness to this incident, commented: "The man was asked to show a valid ticket and went into a violent rage. Very quickly the problem escalated as he drew his knife and made a few quick slashes. It was more of a shock for the first few moments and then there were the cries, the Pc dropping to the floor and the man lashing out again." Another male witness described the events. "I could see two policemen sprinting to the back of a police car to retrieve a green first aid kit," he said. "They rushed back to assist a policeman who had blood on him. I then noticed another policeman who was walking slowly and then collapsed on the pavement. His arm fell to his side. As I drove away I also noticed a number of policemen pinning a man to the ground. He was shouting. What disturbed me most of all was the amount of blood on the pavement, it was clear that someone was very seriously injured." Mayor of London, has uploaded a message to the social networking website Twitter regarding this incident. In the tweet, Johnson states: "Shocked by the stabbing of a police officer & a PCSO in Ealing. No place for this on the streets of London".

Article 1: According to a documentary about journalism students at the University of British Columbia tracking electronic waste (e-waste), details of United States defense contracts and confidential military data were left on a donated hard drive which was purchased for US$35 in Ghana. The purchased hard drive was a donation by Northrop Grumman Corporation, an American aerospace and defense technology company. The PBS investigative documentary, Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground, tracked what happened to donated or discarded electronics. The journalism students randomly purchased seven hard drives in Tema, Africa. "We plugged them and in and started reading files … They were just sitting there," said Klein. As part of the international reporting course the students then submitted the hard drives to Enoch Kwesi Messiah, a computer scientist at Regent University to see if any of the previous owners had erased the data on their hard drives before disposal. Messiah stated, “I can get your bank numbers and I retrieve all your money from your accounts. If ever somebody gets your hard drive, he can get every information about you from the drive, no matter where it is hidden.” The graduate journalism students under Professor Peter Klein travelled to the Korle Lagoon in Accra the capital of Ghana. Beside the polluted waters is Agbogbloshie, the largest collection of e-waste, useless electronic donations. “Life is really difficult; they eat here, surrounded by e-waste,” said Mike Anane, a local journalist, “They basically are here to earn a living. But you can imagine the health implications.” The e-waste is burned and rendered down for copper, iron, or gold from the components. "It's essentially this charred toxic wasteland," said Blake Sifton, one of the students. "It's incredibly difficult to breathe because there's usually between five and six and seven fires going at any time .… and there's tons and tons of this black, sticky, acrid smoke coming out of them." Article 2: On Thursday, the total number of cases of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections surpassed one million worldwide, data indicated. At least 52 thousand deaths were linked to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The milestone came the same day Malawi confirmed its first coronavirus infections and Zambia had its first coronavirus-related death. North Korea claimed, as of Thursday, it was one of the few countries remaining free of coronavirus infections. By yesterday, the World Health Organization reported 1,051,635 confirmed cases, including 79,332 cases in the twenty four hours preceding 10 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time|UTC) on April 4. In the United States, over 244 thousand coronavirus cases were recorded, linking to at least 5,900 deaths. CBS News reported, citing Johns Hopkins University data, there were over 1,000 US deaths on Wednesday caused by coronavirus infections. Around the world, countries announced stricter measures to inhibit the disease from spreading. On Thursday, Medina to last the entire day; previously, the curfew was only in effect between 3 p.m. and 6 a.m. Thailand planned to implement a curfew between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. The governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, announced the state had extended its stay-at-home order until May 1. * * *

Article 1: A movement known as Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution|4th Amendment to the US Constitution|Constitution, are to hold protests countrywide on July 4. The planned protests come in the wake of information about NSA surveillance leaked last month, notably the PRISM surveillance program and the collection of phone records. Wikinews interviewed Jett, a national organizer from this recently created movement. First of all, could you explain what Restore the Fourth is all about? ::'Jett': At its core, RestoreTheFourth is about protecting citizens' constitutional rights. Specifically, we're dedicated to bringing awareness and action to the expanding overreach and elimination of the 4th Amendment to the US Constitution. Logo of the PRISM surveillance program. What is your role at Restore the Fourth? ::'Jett': My job at RestoreTheFourth could be summarized as 'project coordinator'. Every person who wants to help can help in a tremendous way. I simply make sure that their skills get used in a way that would be most beneficial to the movement: web development, public relations, etc. I also field questions from the press and promote knowledge of our cause. What are your plans for direct action, outreach, etc.? ::'Jett': Our press release includes a list of 'demands' for what we want to see in order to restore our privacy rights, including reform of the PATRIOT Act and increased accountability for public officials. In the very short term, these protests and demonstrations bring awareness to the issue, something that's really important in enacting reform. In the long term, however, we expect to create a legal organization dedicated to restoring these rights inherent to every American. By partnering with various other organizations that share our moral values, we can further these goals. ::On July 4, we will have over 100 protests in all 50 states, showing that the citizens of America are truly serious about protecting their rights. By what means do you hope to achieve such change? ::'Jett': This movement started only a few weeks ago, and since then we've experienced exponential growth and progress. Since the movement is still very young, plans diverge in the long term on what we hope to achieve. Personally, I'd like to see a combination of legislative and litigative action (something like what the ACLU does), and others want to see further plans of action. With organizations such as the BORDC, stopwatching.us and the EFF behind us, I feel that we can achieve all of this and much more. Is the movement US-only or will it extend to other jurisdictions as well? Do you think it would be fair for the US to spy on non-citizens? ::'Jett': I believe that rights are inherent to all humans, not only United States citizens. In the long term I'd certainly like to see people of all nations protected from the slow elimination of privacy that we're all experiencing. What do you think about 's whistleblowing? ::'Jett': I think that too much attention is being given to his personality instead of what he fought for. He's being treated as a 'martyr' of sorts. It seems to distract from what he truly believed in — transparency for the government and inherent privacy for all Americans. What do you think about his future, given the legal grey zone in which he currently is? ::'Jett': Hard to say. He may be captured by any number of agencies, or he may live a free man. Whatever happens, he has the eyes of millions of people on him, all of whom will yell very loudly if anything occurs. Thank you very much for your time. ::'Jett': Thanks for the opportunity. Article 2: A group of volcanologists from the UK and USA have traveled to North Korea to assist them with conducting scientific investigations and installing equipment near the volcano . Wikinews interviewed Dr. Robert Kelly of University of California who has visited the Chinese side of Mount Paektu. Given that the UK, USA have strained political relations with North Korea, what is the purpose of these scientists working together? ::'Dr. Robert Kelly': Mt Paektu erupted massively about 1100 years ago and has been dormant since. Recently there has been seismic activity, and should it explode again, it could be gigantic — and devastating. It is everyone's interest in East Asia to know about such a possibility, so this kind of cooperation can be above politics. But it is also always good to engage North Korea to try to draw them out. Such engagement can occur in nonpolitical, technical areas like this most easily. Does North Korea understand that it needs the specialism of British and American scientists to plan for when the volcano erupts? ::'RK': It does. North Korea does actually engage in various track II programming, including student and administrative exchanges. This is not well-known due to the nuclear issue however. The North Korean government is aware of its technological backwardness, and they often dangle concessions to other states in exchange for tech transfers like this. The North Korea underground nuclear test site is very close to the volcano, do you think this affected North–South Korean relations? ::'RK': Not very much. It does upset South Koreans somewhat, because Mt. Paektu is actually a national landmark. It is the mythological birthplace of the Korean people. And there is some scientific concern that major seismic activity could impact nuclear facilities. Do you think that the field work being carried out by the scientists, being near a militarised border is very difficult? ::'RK': No, because it is in the interest of all local parties — NK, Chinese, even Russian — that Mt. Paektu is properly monitored. Indeed, I could imagine that, behind the scenes, the Chinese pushed North Korea toward this cooperation, as this is somewhat unusual for NK. A file photo of Mount Paektu. May the North Koreans be wary and suspicious of their British and American counterparts, given the secretiveness of the state? ::'RK': Absolutely. I have been to NK, and I can say positively that the scientists will be monitored and accompanied at all times they are away from their hotels. They will also be isolated from the NK wider population. They will only interact with specially chosen minders who speak excellent English and have proven their loyalty to the state. And there will be security personnel with them at all times outside their hotels too. Do you think that Western scientists collaborating together with the North Koreans could set as an example of political things to see in the future? ::'RK': Not really. I hope so, but North Koreansic has a tendency to pretend to open itself, and then to re-close after it gets what it wants. All sorts of interaction with North Korea gets hyped as 'a new beginning' or a 'historic opening,' only to come to naught. That does not mean it could not happen, just that I am skeptical. Instead, NK is likely to continue to interact when and where it has certain specific needs, as in this case. And that interaction will be tightly monitored. Fifteen years ago, at the start of the Kaesong Industrial Region|Kaesong industrial zone. But in fact, the North Koreans tightly controlled Kaesong to capture its gains and limit spillovers. I imagine the same will happen here. Do natural hazards pay attention to international political differences? ::'Dr. Jim Gill': Of course not. Is there a high risk and increased seismic activity in relation to Mount Paektu? ::'JG': Not currently. There was unrest at the volcano during 2002–05 but it has returned to normalcy. Would an eruption of Mount Paektu have consequences for multiple countries? ::'JG': Yes. The most likely widespread consequence will be an interuption of air traffic between North Asia and North America and Europe. More locally, the tourist industry on the Chinese side of the border will be very impacted. Most ash fall will be in the DPRK. ::For perspective, there was an extremely large eruption of the volcano at about 940 AD — one of the largest historical eruptions anywhere on Earth. It is uncertain how often it has erupted since, and how large the eruptions were, but nothing has been big enough to cause serious problems scores of kilometers away. So yes there is risk — it is large mountain with a long history of eruptions — but nothing indicates a high level of concern now.

Article 1: The UK Audit Commission has delivered a report that questions the reappointment of Mike Storey, the former leader of Liverpool City Council. It also brings into question the conduct of his replacement as leader, Warren Bradley. This follows a report from KPMG, which the council has refused to release. Earlier in 2006 the council was the subject of a series of reports from alleged council insiders via a blog. These allegations have surfaced again on several other blogs. Article 2: In the United Kingdom, the BBC has received in excess of twenty-one thousand complaints after Jeremy Clarkson, the presenter of BBC television programme The One Show and made comments about the UK public sector workers on strike, which British trade union thumb|left|150px|Jeremy Clarkson in 2008.

Article 1: Little Man):' "I want to more closely associate humans with the other animals, because if we took Biology 101 we know we are all animals. It’s just that we decide we’re gods, they’re trash. That’s just invalid, wrong from every point of perspective: scientific, moral and everything else. I want people to relate to the other animals."Last night HBO premiered I Am An Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA. Since its inception, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has made headlines and raised eyebrows. They are almost single-handedly responsible for the movement against animal testing and their efforts have raised the suffering animals experience in a broad spectrum of consumer goods production and food processing into a cause célèbre. PETA first made headlines in the Silver Spring monkeys case, when Alex Pacheco, then a student at George Washington University, volunteered at a lab run by Edward Taub, who was testing neuroplasticity on live monkeys. Taub had cut sensory ganglia that supplied nerves to the monkeys' fingers, hands, arms, legs; with some of the monkeys, he had severed the entire spinal column. He then tried to force the monkeys to use their limbs by exposing them to persistent electric shock, prolonged physical restraint of an intact arm or leg, and by withholding food. With footage obtained by Pacheco, Taub was convicted of six counts of animal cruelty—largely as a result of the monkeys' reported living conditions—making them "the most famous lab animals in history," according to psychiatrist Norman Doidge. Taub's conviction was later overturned on appeal and the monkeys were eventually euthanized. PETA was born. In the subsequent decades they ran the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty against Europe's largest animal-testing facility (footage showed staff punching beagle puppies in the face, shouting at them, and simulating sex acts while taking blood samples); against Covance, the United State's largest importer of primates for laboratory research (evidence was found that they were dissecting monkeys at its Vienna, Virginia laboratory while the animals were still alive); against General Motors for using live animals in crash tests; against L'Oreal for testing cosmetics on animals; against the use of fur for fashion and fur farms; against Smithfield Foods for torturing Butterball turkeys; and against fast food chains, most recently against KFC through the launch of their website kentuckyfriedcruelty.com. They have launched campaigns and engaged in stunts that are designed for media attention. In 1996, PETA activists famously threw a dead raccoon onto the table of Anna Wintour, the fur supporting editor-in-chief of Vogue, while she was dining at the Four Seasons in New York, and left bloody paw prints and the words "Fur Hag" on the steps of her home. They ran a campaign entitled Holocaust on your Plate that consisted of eight 60-square-foot panels, each juxtaposing images of the Holocaust with images of factory farming. Photographs of concentration camp inmates in wooden bunks were shown next to photographs of caged chickens, and piled bodies of Holocaust victims next to a pile of pig carcasses. In 2003 in Jerusalem, after a donkey was loaded with explosives and blown up in a terrorist attack, Newkirk sent a letter to then-PLO leader Yasser Arafat to keep animals out of the conflict. As the film shows, they also took over Jean-Paul Gaultier's Paris boutique and smeared blood on the windows to protest his use of fur in his clothing. The group's tactics have been criticized. Co-founder Pacheco, who is no longer with PETA, called them "stupid human tricks." Some feminists criticize their campaigns featuring the Lettuce Ladies and "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ads as objectifying women. Of their Holocaust on a Plate campaign, Anti-Defamation League Chairman Abraham Foxman said "The effort by PETA to compare the deliberate systematic murder of millions of Jews to the issue of animal rights is abhorrent." (Newkirk later issued an apology for any hurt it caused). Perhaps most controversial amongst politicians, the public and even other animal rights organizations is PETA's refusal to condemn the actions of the Animal Liberation Front, which in January 2005 was named as a terrorist threat by the United States Department of Homeland Security. David Shankbone attended the pre-release screening of I Am An Animal at HBO's offices in New York City on November 12, and the following day he sat down with Ingrid Newkirk to discuss her perspectives on PETA, animal rights, her responses to criticism lodged against her and to discuss her on-going life's work to raise human awareness of animal suffering. Below is her interview. Article 2: Johnson (visible) at a November 13, 2020 gathering to commemorate the departure of a special adviser in a partially-censored photograph published in the Sue Gray report into Partygate. Chair of the Jonathan Evans, Baron Evans of Weardale|Jonathan Evans criticised United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson's proposed changes to the Partygate revelations on Wednesday as "highly unsatisfactory". The watchdog slammed revisions presented last week, which allow ministers to remain serving after breaching the code and continues to restrict the ethics adviser from launching investigations without the Prime Minister's consent. Evans said that unless the adviser, currently Lord Geidt, is allowed to scrutinise ministerial conduct independently, "suspicion about the way in which the ministerial code is administered will linger." Evans wrote in a blog article published on that the Committee proposed code infractions be tied to a series of graduated sanctions, rather than the "all-or-nothing approach" that gave past prime ministers unease. However, he continued, the government's reforms include the variable penalties whilst retaining the requirement investigations into the code are contingent on the Prime Minister's approval. Evans wrote the graduated sanctions, specified to be either a public apology, fine or request for resignation, was "part of a mutually dependent package of reforms, designed to be taken" alongside greater autonomy for the ethics adviser. Johnson (centre) gathering in the Cabinet Room on June 19, 2020 beside Chancellor of the Exchequer 10 Downing Street Johnson dismissed Geidt's remarks there was a "legitimate question" over whether Johnson's receiving a fixed penalty notice for breaching Covid-19 restrictions in June 2020 constituted an infraction. In a letter Tuesday, the Prime Minister wrote: "taking account of all the circumstances, I did not breach the code", and in clearing the parliamentary record "followed the principles of leadership and accountability". Geidt criticised the "circular process" that "could only risk placing the ministerial code in a place of ridicule", and reportedly considered resigning Tuesday. He said he told Johnson's advisers the PM "should be ready to offer public comment on his obligations under the ministerial code" to no avail. Evans agreed, elaborating "an adviser who believes their advice will be rejected will simply not put forward advice at all, with the precedent already established that this will lead to the adviser’s resignation." Conservative Party MPs have continued to submit letters of no-confidence to the Graham Brady. A compilation by the BBC on Wednesday counted 28 MPs of the 54 MP threshold who have publicly urged Johnson to resign, though some may not have submitted letters. Those listed are diverse: they include past ministers, committee chairs and backbenchers on either side of the Brexit debate. said at least thirty wanted the PM out. One of the most recent rebel MPs, Simon Fell for Barrow and Furness, Scotland wrote to constituents: "It beggars belief that when the government was doing so much to help people during the pandemic, a rotten core with an unacceptable culture carried on regardless of the restrictions placed on the rest of us". Another, Gosport (UK Parliament constituency)|Gosport expressed no-confidence with the remark that Johnson "has stated that measures have been put in place to achieve systemic change, but until I see real evidence of leadership that is listening and changing, I’m afraid I am not prepared to defend it". Frontbench ministers accused breakaway Tories of doing "the opposition's work", according to culture minister Priti Patel said focussing on dissenters is "a sideshow, quite frankly, rather than focusing on the real challenges", telling fellow MPs to "forget it". Johnson overruled the judgment of Geidt's predecessor Sir when he concluded Patel had "not consistently met the high standards expected of her" in 2020. In response, Sir Alex stepped down, acknowledging "it is for the Prime Minister to make a judgment on whether actions by a minister amount to a breach of the ministerial code" but adding "I feel that it is right that I should now resign". Associate director for the Tim Durrant told The Guardian: "The fact that behaviour and propriety have been such an issue for this government has really exposed the limits of the code, and of Lord Geidt’s role."

Article 1: The Peruvian flag. Peruvians living near the site of a release of mercury are preparing to sue a U.S. mining company, announcing last Saturday that they will bring their case before a Denver judge. On June 2, 2000, a serious accident in the province of Cajamarca, in Peru, poisoned many residents with mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal. A truck from Newmont Mining Company dumped two metal canisters of mercury along an Andean highway, in the communities of San Juan, Choropampa, and Magdalena. Curious townspeople (mostly children) picked up the silvery droplets, and some even drank some of it. Many residents became sick from severe mercury poisoning. Some of those who came in contact with the mercury suffered blindness, and one even had a purplish rash on her body. Over 300 people directly suffered the effects of mercury poisoning. As the owners of the Yanacocha mine which produced the mercury, Newmont Mining offered up to US$6 thousand to more than 700 local residents, but over 1,100 others are still engaged in a legal battle with Newmont over the case. In today's global economy, many international businesses have looked overseas to maintain their profits, but environmental law professor James Otto is asking about the cost to the environment and public health. "Any company that wants to mine internationally now must not only have the legal right to mine but also a 'social license' to operate," he said. "Peru has been a wake-up call." As the Peruvian residents gear up for their lawsuit against Denver-based Newmont Mining, the world's largest gold mining firm, some of these important questions may finally be answered. After the breakdown of mediation talks with Newmont on January 20, the residents and their lawyer decided to stop negotiating behind closed doors and take their case to the public. Last Saturday, March 5, 2005, they announced that they are bringing their suit before Denver District Judge Robert Hyatt. "If successful," states Ken Krowder who represents the plaintiffs, "this would mark the first time an American firm is held accountable for environmental damages overseas." This is not the first time Newmont Mining has had trouble with an emerging Third World environmental movement. Recently, in August 2004, a US$543 million lawsuit was filed against Newmont Mining by the Indonesian Environmental Ministry and local villagers. They claim that pollution caused by the company’s mining activities has caused serious illnesses and other health problems, including skin disease, tumors, birth defects, and a decline in fish stocks, a staple food. One particular mining practice used frequently by Newmont Mining in Indonesia is submarine tailings disposal, a waste disposal method for mercury and arsenic that is outlawed in the United States. At least six Newmont Mining managers, including an American and an Australian, face up to 15 years in a Jakarta prison for environmental and corporate crime in that case. The local Peruvian residents are continuing their fight for safer mining practices and compensation for existing damage and injuries. Thousands of local townspeople protested against the Yanacocha mine last fall, demanding protection for the local water supply. Newmont Mining officials have blamed the June 2000 mercury spill on a contractor, and have lost the battle to keep the case out of the American court system. * * * SAN JUAN, CHOROPAMA AND MAGDALENA, PERU - MERCURY SPILL OF 2 JUNE 2000, Mineral Resources Forum, 2002 Article 2: Cimaron making landfall Typhoon Cimaron, known to those in the Philippines as Typhoon Paeng, made landfall on October 29 in USD|United States dollars (USD). One of those deaths may have been when waves spawned by Cimaron swept away a 19 year old female student, identified as Clarissa Otrera, while swimming near the shore, drowning her. Her two companions, one 18 years old, the other 20, were also swept away, and are still missing. Another girl, Gretchen Bautista of 15 years of age, was also swept into the open ocean along with Clarissa. Otera and Bautista were rescued right away and taken to Magsingal District Hospital, where Otera was declared dead. A search and rescue is under way for the two missing students. A farmer of 29 years of age drowned when his boat overturned in Isabella, police said. In addition, a 28 year old woman was killed along with her 6 year old child in . Their hut was swept away by the powerful currents. Three more people drowned in the town of Neuva Vizcaya province. A four year old girl was killed by a landslide in Bugias, Benguet province, as was a man of 53 years of age in Kalinga province. In , a house with a mother and her two daughters was buried in landslide, injuring all of them, according to fire official Senior Superintendent Carlito Romero. A woman died in a road accident that also injured seven other people in La Union province. Another 13-15 people are currently missing, and at least 41 more people not mentioned above were injured to some degree. In all, Cimaron affected more than 177,000 people. Over 1,872 houses were damaged, while at least 72 homes were destroyed, 300 of the houses in Baguio City were damaged by powerful winds. The power in Aurora province was out since Sunday night, but whether or not the electricity has been restored is unknown. The country's Department of Agriculture has said that up to 30% of rice and corn harvests may have been ruined. Original total damage estimates were placed at $400 million pesos, or $8 million United States Dollars, but were revised to $139 million pesos, or $2.79 million USD in total damage. Of that total, $114.39 million pesos, or $2.3 million USD, was from agriculture|agricultural damage, mostly from the . The remaining money was $22.8 million pesos, or $458,600+ USD in damage to roads and bridges and damage to school buildings was worth $2 million pesos, equivalent to $40,230 USD. Since then, the damage has been reassessed at $443 million pesos, or $8.8 million USD Other reports of damage include uprooted trees, fallen electrical posts, and numerous blackouts in Luzon. Power has been confirme to have been restored in most of Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) stated that the Army, the Coast Guard, and the Navy were told to give assistance to the victims of the typhoon. The noted that many of the agency's different branches were assisting the storm victims since Monday morning. Vietnam is being very careful with this system, andplanned on evacuating 200,000 people from the country, even though it is expected that Cimaron will continue west-northwest and then curve northward. Due to the size of the system, the outer rainband of the cyclone may be felt in Vietnam. On November 1, the evacuations were put on hold when the Vietnamese realized that Cimaron would have little impact on them. *See the latest JMA advisory in English on Typhoon Cimaron. *See the latest JTWC advisory on Typhoon 22W.

Article 1: File photo of Ivan Rakitic, who scored the last goal of the match. On Wednesday, Catalonia-based football club FC Barcelona defeated Italian Serie A football club A.S. Roma 3–0 in the 2015 Article 2: The Jordanian Ministers for Interior and Justice resigned yesterday after they were found violating anti-coronavirus lockdown measures. File photo of now ex-Minister of Justice Bassam Talhouni. Both Interior Minister Samir Mobeideen and Justice Minister Jordanian dinar|dinar (~US$140) fine on those not wearing face masks. Their resignations were accepted by Prime Minister Tawfiq Kreishan to run the Ministry of the Interior and State Minister for Legal Affairs to run the Ministry of Justice. A recent surge in new infections by variants of the coronavirus has led to at least 4627 deaths and over 300 thousand cases in the nation of ten million, Reuters reported. Officials attribute it to Jordanians not obeying the restrictions, and have arrested dozens for breaching stay-at-home orders; hundreds of businesses have also been closed, Reuters further added in the report. eo:Eksiĝis du jordaniaj ministroj pro malobeo de reguloj pri trudizoliĝo es:Dos ministros jordanos renuncian tras romper las medidas de emergencia Dois ministros jordanianos pegos violando medidas de bloqueio renunciaram

Article 1: Yesterday at Atlético de Madrid in this year's edition of the Madrid derby. Atlético de Madrid had last defeated Real Madrid in La Liga play in 1999. Diego Costa scored the game's only goal, following an early ten minutes where Real Madrid dominated on possession. Following the goal, Real Madrid was unable to keep up possession and Atlético successfully shut down much of Real Madrid's passing game. Atlético players also slowed down the play with a number of players falling to the ground. Real Madrid's fans shouted that miracles were happening because after Atlético players rolled around on the ground, they would get up and be able to walk and run within seconds. Article 2: __NOTOC__ Russian Wikinews attended Russian travel writer Viktor Pinchuk's August 21 presentation at the Sevastopol, Crimea on his book , about his visit to the Asian nation. The author described that travel, then presented photographic works — he had separately exhibited photos from the trip — and explained his method, similar to backpacking. Pinchuk took audience questions. Indian dreams, poster.jpg|A poster for the presentation. Tolstoy Sevastopol Central City Library (2023).jpg|The Leo Tolstoy Library the same day. Indian Dreams — Индийские сны (cover of book).jpg|The book. Presentation of the book "Indian Dreams" (2).jpg|Photo viewing. Presentation of the book "Indian Dreams" (3).jpg|Questions and answers. Presentation of the book "Indian Dreams" (4).jpg|Pinchuk inscribing a copy of the book for donation to the library. Presentation of the book "Indian Dreams" (5).jpg|Books Pinchuk has donated to the library.

Article 1: A woman appeared today in the in Croydon, London accused of a racially aggravated public order charge after a video was watched by over 11 million people on YouTube allegedly showing her shouting racial abuse at passengers on a tram. Emma West, 34, a resident of , cried and bowed her head while the footage was played in court. To protect West's safety, an application of bail was denied. She has been remanded in custody until January 3. West's case will be transferred to the to be heard by a judge and jury. Her plea status is unclear; earlier reports of her saying "not guilty" are, according to the BBC, a court error with her not actually having pled. Article 2: On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined the calls by United Kingdom officials asking the United States to waive diplomatic immunity for Anne Sacoolas. Sacoolas, who has immunity as a diplomat's wife, was involved in a traffic collision which killed motorcyclist Harry Dunn on August 27. She subsequently left the UK and returned to the US. Prime Minister Johnson was questioned about the case while speaking to the press at a hospital in . He said, "I think everybody's sympathies are very much with the family of Harry Dunn and our condolences to them for their tragic loss. I must answer you directly, I do not think that it can be right to use the process of diplomatic immunity for this type of purpose." Johnson continued, "And I hope that Anne Sacoolas will come back and will engage properly with the processes of law as they are carried out in this country. That's a point that we've raised or are raising today with the American ambassador here in the UK and I hope it will be resolved very shortly. And to anticipate a question you might want to raise, if we can't resolve it then of course I will be raising it myself personally with the White House." The White House refers to the United States president's office. Harry Dunn, a 19-year-old motorcyclist was struck by a traffic camera footage. The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. BST (1930 UTC) on August 27. He died from his injuries at RAF Croughton which is a intelligence base used by both the Royal Air Force and the US Air Force. Northamptonshire police were able to determine the Volvo had come from RAF Croughton and spoke with Anne Sacoolas as a suspect. She informed police she had diplomatic immunity, but "that she had no plans to leave the country in the near future". Normally, only embassy workers — and their spouses — in London have diplomatic immunity, but in a 1994 agreement it was extended to all US workers at RAF Croughton. Despite the assurances, she and her husband Jonathan Socoolas left the country, police revealed on Saturday. Northamptonshire's chief constable Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner|Police and Crime Commissioner United States Department of State. Foreign Secretary urged the embassy to reconsider and spoke with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the case. The State Department gave its "deepest sympathies" and said immunity cases were afforded "intense attention at senior levels and are considered carefully given the global impact such decisions carry". Dunn's mother, Charlotte Charles, said on TV, "She didn't purposely drive on the other side of the road... if she'd have stayed and faced us as a family we could have found that forgiveness... but forgiving her for leaving, I'm nowhere near." Charles told the Daily Mail, "All we need to do is ask her to come back. It’s not much to ask. She’s left a family in complete ruin. We’re broken."

Article 1: Location of Angola within Africa. Health authorities from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of Angola have revealed that bromide poisoning may be the source of a mystery illness first reported in early October. The outbreak of over 400 reported cases of a neurological disorder was centred in the Cacuaco district of Angola's capital city Luanda. A majority of the afflicted have been children under the age of 15. There have been no deaths attributed directly to the disorder. According to a statement in the state-run AngolaPress, symptoms have included "sleepiness, blear-eyedness, dizziness and difficulty to speak, walk and extreme tiredness." WHO described the drowsiness as being so severe that the patient would require "painful stimuli" to be awoken. Sodium bromide. Results from laboratory tests carried out in London and Munich indicated elevated levels of bromide present in the blood and kitchen salt samples examined. It is suspected that sodium chloride (table salt) may have been contaminated with sodium bromide, an agent used in pharmaceuticals and industry. However, authorities caution that more investigation is required to determine the source and cause of the illness. Consequently, further testing of blood, food and water has been initiated. On Wednesday, WHO dispatched additional technical and support personnel to Angola to assist local health officials. Article 2: Stock markets around the world have fallen dramatically today. This is following the ongoing events in the financial world, including the US Government's $700 billion bail out of the financial sector. As of 14:48 UTC, the primary UK index, the FTSE 100, dropped in value by 6.50% (323.65 points) to a point even further below the 5000 mark at 4656.60. The Dow Jones, was down 3.76% at 16:08 UTC, a slight increase from earlier today. The Dow Jones currently has a value of 9936.94 points, below the ten thousand mark. The Nasdaq index has fallen by 100.12 points to 1847.27, while the DAX was 6.62% lower than the start of the day as of 16:08 UTC. The Dow Jones index was one that fared particularly poorly today, as not one of its companies increased its share price. The same is true for the CAC 40 index. The Merval index is another one that fared badly today. It dropped in value by 10.12%, while the affiliated Merval 25 index dropped by nearly as much, 10.03%. One of the worst faring indexes of the day was the Brazilian Bovespa index. It has already fallen by 14.45% today, despite the fact that it is not even half way through the trading day. de:Finanzkrise: Dow-Jones stürzt unter 10.000 Punkte ab es:Las bolsas se hunden por temor a una crisis financiera mundial it:I piani di salvataggio non piacciono alle Borse: crolli in tutto il mondo fi:Finanssikriisi: Hurja lasku pörssikursseissa ympäri maailman zh:道指4年首次收市跌穿萬點

Article 1: High-resolution image of McMurdo Station taken by Landsat 7. Scientists at NASA have recently released the most detailed map of Antarctica ever. NASA's Landsat 7 satellite took 10,000 photographs of the continent over a period of two years, from 1999 to 2001. 1,100 pictures were chosen to form the mosaic map. Officially titled the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA), the map reveals Antarctica's geography in high definition and with accurate colors. Details as small as half the size of a basketball court are visible. NASA created the map to coincide with the International Polar Year of 2007-2008. Robert Bindschadler, chief scientist of the Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, remarked, “This innovation is like watching high-definition TV in living color versus watching the picture on a grainy black-and-white television.” The map represents a tenfold improvement over previous Antarctic imagery databases. Landsat 7 managed to capture 80% of the continent in high definition. While the satellite was not able to take photographs of the South Pole due to its orbit path, lower-resolution images helped fill in the gap. The map will help scientists plan and carry out expeditions on the notoriously difficult terrain. The new, intensely detailed information will also facilitate the tracking of environmental changes such as the calving of ice shelves. Researchers will be able to use such data to better understand phenomena like global warming in such amazing detail that even relatively small changes will be visible. Geologists, on the other hand, will be able to use the maps to study Antarctic rock formations. Comparison of the same Antarctic landscape taken by the older MODIS instrument in lower resolution (left), and the newer Landsat 7 satellite (right). The LIMA images are available to the public via the internet. The National Science Foundation contributed nearly US$1 million to create the website. The Landsat 7 satellite will continue to document Antarctica from space through to 2011. Subsequently, NASA will launch the Landsat Data Continuity Mission. Information from both projects will update the map. Article 2: In an attempt to speak with as many candidates as possible during the 2008 Canadian federal election, Wikinews has talked via email with Larry R. Heather. Heather is a candidate in Alberta's Calgary Southwest riding, running under the Christian Heritage Party of Canada (CHP) banner. The CHP is a minor, registered political party running a significant number of candidates across the country, looking to earn its first ever seat in the House of Commons. Best known as an anti-abortion activist, this shipper-receiver holds a Bachelor of Religious Education from Saskatchewan's Briercrest College and Seminary, and a BA in religion from Calgary's Rocky Mountain College. He hosts the Gospel Road program on AM1140 in High River, and is remembered by many for his ketchup-soaked run-in with abortion law activist Henry Morgentaler. He has run in the federal election of 1984 (Calgary South, ind.), 1988 (Calgary Southwest, ind), 1993 (Calgary West, CHP), 1997 (Calgary Southwest, CHP), 2004 (Calgary Southwest, CHP), and 2006 (Calgary Southwest, CHP), provincial elections of 1986 (Calgary Glenmore, ind), 1989 (Calgary Elbow, ind), and 2004 (Calgary Glenmore, Alberta Social Credit), and for various public school board ridings in 1989 and 1992. He has run against some big names, including Ralph Klein (1989), Preston Manning (1997), and Stephen Harper (1993, 2004, 2006). His 2006 campaign featured controversial and graphic images, to illustrate his pro-life and anti-same sex marriage messages. His major opponent in the riding is economist and lecturer Stephen Harper, a Conservative, who just so happens to be the current Prime Minister. Harper previously represented Calgary West. Other names on the ballot include Liberal Marlene Lamontagne, New Democrat Holly Heffernan, Libertarian Dennis Young, and Green Party candidate Kelly Christie. The riding is any part of Calgary that is west of the Canadian Pacific rail line, and south of the Glenway Trail. The following is an interview with Heather, conducted via email. The interview has had very limited editing, to eliminate in-text mentions of website addresses, but is otherwise left exactly as sent to Wikinews. 'Previous to this campaign, have you been politically involved? How will you apply your previous work/volunteer/life experience to serving your constituents?' : This is my seventh federal campaign for member of Parliament, two as an independant sic, and five as a Christian Heritage Party Candidate. Six of the runs were in Calgary Southwest, one in Calgary West. I have also run for public school board and MLA for the Alberta provincial elections in the past, both as an independant sic and for the Alberta Social Credit Party. : I have participated in a number of community and Christian ministry positions, both in leadership, and on the member volunteer level. I have a wide base of reading and research into various issues affecting the welfare of citizens. I am always looking towards learning new approaches and solutions that deal with reality and the world we truly must live in. 'As you campaign around your riding, it's likely that some issues are mentioned more often by voters, than other issues. What would you say are the three hottest topics this election, in your riding? What would you and your party do to address these issues?' : I believe the management of the economy under ethical free enterprise is the primary concern of the voters in Calgary Southwest. Also troubling to many is the proper management of health care, and general respect for the value of innocent human life under the barrage of a compromised justice system. The disrepect shown to the pre-born and the traditional definition of marriage, has many wondering whether the decision makershave not abandoned all sense of moral rationality. 'Are there any misconceptions about you, your leader, or your party and platform?' : Any examination of the full policy of the Christian Heritage Party will show a complete response of policy to the major areas of federal responsibility. Because we talk about critical issues that no other party will mention, it is wrongly perceived that we are strumming a one string banjo. This is not true, and exactly the reason why our Party Leader, Ron Gray—should be included in the national leaders television debates - where the full range of issues will not be censored out. Check out our platform at chp.ca, or go to my campaign website for my applications to the specifics of issues in Calgary Southwest. or interact with me on my Calgary Southwest blog or my Facebook page. 'There are more ways than ever to get your message out, from the traditional campaign fliers and lawn signs, to new media like websites, Facebook, and YouTube. The tried-and-true routes get the message out to the masses much easier, but digital alternatives are much more measurable in how many are seeing or interacting with your campaign. What seems to be the most effective, from your experience?' : The blog and Facebook for me, are just in their beginnings, but I see from the start, the willingness of people to see their input put on public sites where their opinion and allegiances can be made known is evident. The door to door brochure is still the mainstay source for most, the doorknocking and personal face to face encounter the most effective as time allows. But electronic interaction is the way most active people will have a chance for direct interaction with the Candidate in this busy day and age.

Article 1: An analysis of melatonin studies has upheld the controversial supplement's effectiveness as a sleep aid. The analysis, which included 17 peer-reviewed scientific papers, was aimed at determining whether supplements of the hormone can improve sleep among insomniacs, older adults and others. "A meta-analysis essentially tells 'yes' or 'no'—that a treatment does or does not have a significant effect," says Richard Wurtman of MIT, the study's principal investigator. "When a meta-analysis says 'yes,' there should no longer be any controversy about whether the treatment works." Previous studies by Wurtman and colleagues showed that small doses of melatonin, about 0.3 milligrams, are necessary for restful effects. The researchers found, however, that commercially available melatonin pills can contain 10 times the effective amount. At that dose, says Wurtman, the hormone's effects end after a few days because melatonin receptors in the brain become unresponsive when exposed to too much of the hormone. Such inadvertent overdosing, say the researchers, has contributed to controversy over melatonin's efficacy. But the new meta-analysis shows that melatonin does indeed have positive effects on sleep—even though some of the analyzed studies also involved high doses of the hormone. The research is reported in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews. Article 2: Yesterday the Dutch Defence Ministry said a Dutch sergeant, whose identity was not disclosed, may have gone to Syria from the Netherlands because he wanted to join extremist militant group ISIS. Prosecutors are investigating the sergeant. File photo of F-15E aircraft flying over Iraq. The Netherlands has agreed to send six fighter jets (not as pictured) to fight ISIS. Jeanie Hennis Plasschaer, Dutch Defence Minister, called the act of leaving one's country to join ISIS "irresponsible" and "punishable". "Every case of radicalisation is one too many. It is disappointing if it appears that someone joins evil while colleagues risk their lives for the freedom of another." The United Nations has imposed sanctions on ISIS under a resolution covering people and organisations associated with Al-Qaida. The United States leads an international coalition against ISIS. The Netherlands, which has agreed to send six fighter jets to fight ISIS, is a part of the coalition. * * *

Article 1: On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward's councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto's ridings is Scarborough-Agincourt (Ward 39). Two candidates responded to Wikinews' requests for an interview. This ward's candidates include 'Wayne Cook', 'Mike Del Grande' (incumbent), Samuel Kung, Lushan Lu, Sunshine Smith, and John Wong. For more information on the election, read Toronto municipal election, 2006. 'Q:' Describe the three most important issues in your campaign. : 'A:' :* Crime: I support Mayor Miller's record, by adding 450 new Police Officers in the City, during the past 3 years. Further, as Ward 39 Councillor, I would work with Mayor Miller to add another 600 new Police Officers, over the next 4 year term. As a Council, we need to create recreation and job training opportunities hat help divert youth away from gang culture. This is our "Community Safety Plan". :* Traffic Congestion/Public Transit: We need to make an investment into public transit and alternative ways to get around our city (bike, walking, etc.). TTC service must be improved to provide an alternative to cars. :* Parking: Locally, I will work with Council, to remove driveway barriers, which serve no real purpose. Also, I do not support "Speed Humps", as proposed on Canongate. Finally, families who choose to rent out a basement apartment, should not be harassed by being identified as a "Rooming House". True "Rooming Houses" need to be removed, but within the legal definition. 'Q:' What one election issue do you feel is most relevant to your ward in this election? : 'A:' Locally, traffic congestion, TTC service and driveway parking is the related issue raised most during our canvassing. 'Q:' Why have you chosen to involve yourself in the political process? : 'A:' In my community, there is a sense that our neighbourhoods have deteriorated, over the past 3 years. I want to work with the community to turn this situation around. 'Q:' Why do you want to represent this particular ward on council? : 'A:' This has been my home for 14 years. 'Q:' How are you currently involved in the community? : 'A:' From 2004-2005, I was an intern in the Hon. Jim Karygiannis M.P.'s office in Scarborough-Agincourt. During that time, I was involved in community work in the Heathwood Community and on the traffic congestion issues on Steeles. For many years, I have been a volunteer with the Heathwood Ratepayers Association, delivering newsletters in our community. In 1997, I raised the issue that two residents had been killed, because there was no Railway Crossing at Passmore. After many weeks of canvassing door to door, the M.P., M.P.P. and City Councillors agreed to erect a Rail Way Crossing. Over my 14 years in our community, I have been active in a number of initiatives related to the environment, bikes paths, walking trails, saving trees slated to be chopped down, etc. 'Q:' What does Toronto mean to you? : 'A:' Toronto means "Meeting Place" and this is true, as we are the home to so many people, from so many countries around the world. 'Q:' Which council decision (since the 2003 election) do you feel the city/your ward should be most proud of, and which was least desirable? : 'A:' Proud: Decision to invest in new subway cars, which are made in Canada. : Least Desirable: A local issue related to removing street parking, which has resulted in front yard parking on grassy areas. 'Q:' If you were elected as a "rookie" councillor, What would you bring to the table beyond the incumbent? : 'A:' I will listen to the community, NOT just send messages from City Hall. I want to see community driven solutions. 'Q:' Describe the three most important issues in your campaign. : 'A': Crime: This community has experienced a significant increase in violent crime. In addition, the number of unreported crimes is an issue. A number of constituents have told me that they have been victims but have been too afraid or ashamed to report it. : Traffic: Everyone wants speed humps as motorists are becoming more irresponsible with excessive speeds. : City Services: A general unhappiness with the level of service for the taxes paid. 'Q:' What one election issue do you feel is most relevant to your ward in this election? : 'A': The decay of the City is very self evident whether it be with crime, garbage/litter or general state of City services. Residents are frustrated that taxes get increased but no noticeable improvement seen. 'Q:' Why have you chosen to involve yourself in the political process? : 'A': As a 23 year resident and volunteer, it becomes evident that the same old gang at City Hall have not succeeded in their stewardship of the City. I want to use my experience and talents to try to break a log jam at City Hall in the way we operate and the way we provide service to our residents. 'Q:' Why do you want to represent this particular ward on council? : 'A': I live here, I volunteer here, I own a home here and I want to see the area become a neighbourhood that people want to move to. 'Q:' How are you currently involved in the community? : 'A': Community Association co-president, Volunteer with local schools, past volunteer with Boy Scouts, Neighbourhood Watch, Block Parent. Past School Trustee, Volunteer Treasurer with one of the local churches and Volunteer Teacher. 'Q:' What does Toronto mean to you? : 'A': Toronto is where I was born and raised. Toronto means being the envy of the world, prosperous, with safe neighourhoods, good transportation and a good business climate to create jobs and wealth. 'Q:' Which council decision (since the 2003 election) do you feel the city/your ward should be most proud of, and which was least desirable? : 'A': Council decisions have been inconsistent and unfairly applied. The Ward is happy that I take a tough stand to ensure sound management and policy practices. 'Q:' If you were elected as a "rookie" councillor, What would you bring to the table beyond the incumbent? : 'A': I am the incumbent "rookie councillor". What I brought and still bring is a passion to do the right thing in the right way for my ward and the rest of the City. Article 2: The remains of three children were discovered in a bucket at a home at 1302 Sandford Street in London, Ontario in Canada on Saturday, June 6, 2009. The bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition, so much so that it was originally thought to be a single corpse until further investigation revealed that it was actually the remains of three children. "He came outside and told everybody he discovered this bucket," a neighbour of the resident who discovered the remains, told CBC News. "He said his girlfriend had this bucket for two years with gardening stuff in it, and he opened it on Saturday, and it was filled with bloody clothes and a blanket, and he called the police." Onmsxlondon.PNG|thumb|left|125px|London Ontario "Due to the decomposition it was difficult to see that there was more than one there. The bodies have been decomposing, it could be over a number of years," said London Police Detective-Superintendent Ken Heslop, "We won't know anything until, I'm hoping, Thursday or Friday, depending on how long the examinations take." Jennifer Sinn, 32, a former resident of the building has been charged with concealing a child's body and offering an indignity to a dead human body. Neighbours have described her as a recluse staying to herself with parents delivering meals to her. Neighbours have also come forward saying that a young child about one year old has not been seen for awhile and that there had also been two older children. Police are seeking any further information in the case. There is no report of charges against the man who called the police to report the bodies, who is believed to be the ex-boyfriend of Sinn, who is charged with the crime. Reportedly, she had moved out of the building two weeks prior to the discovery of the bodies. The London police are following up with local police at various locations where the young lady had resided before. The provincial forensic pathology unit in Toronto, Ontario will undertake the full autopsies. Constable Amy Phillipo said, “The investigation into the cause and manner of death of the three infants is continuing."

Article 1: CAI is a Massachusetts-based ink manufacturer and deliverer. According to outgoing Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, an explosion that was "equivalent to a 2,000 lb. bomb" and registered 0.5 on the Richter scale decimated an area of Danvers and is also a "Thanksgiving miracle." The explosion occurred around 2:45 am EST, this morning in the Danversport area of Danvers, Massachusetts at the plant for solvent and ink manufacturer, CAI Inc. The explosion, which was caught on security camera and was heard up to over 25-50 miles away in southern Maine and New Hampshire. The explosion damaged over 90 homes, blowing out windows and knocking some houses off their foundations. Officials believe that some of the more extensively damaged houses will have to be leveled and rebuilt. Some of the buildings damaged included a bakery, boats at a close by marina and the New England Home for the Deaf, an assisted-living facility for people who are deaf or deafblind and elderly residents requiring constant care. "These people are extremely fragile," said state Rep. Ted Speliotis, D-Danvers, whose district includes the affected area. "Many of them have Alzheimer's and other illnesses. It's clear they can't stay here long, but it's clear they won't be able to return for quite a while." Danvers Fire Chief James P. Tutko toured the area by helicopter and said many residents would be kept from their homes for the foreseeable future. "It looks like a war zone, that's the only thing I can say," Tutko said. When asked about the loss of no life at all, he responded "Somebody out there likes us." Finally, he said that finding out the cause of the explosion would take days. Outgoing governor Mitt Romney toured the area and said the explosion was a "Thanksgiving miracle" as the explosion was "equivalent to a 2,000 lb bomb going off in a residential neighborhood," and that no one was killed and only about 10 people suffered only minor injuries in area that included over 300 residents. Residents of the area have been evacuated to the Danvers High School where temporary shelter has been set up by the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay. Donations are being taken for residents affected by the explosion. Residents are also being told to start filing insurance claims right away and to keep track of their expenses for items bought. There were minor environmental concerns due to water runoff of chemicals. According the Environmental Protection Agency's on-scene coordinator Mike Nalipinski, preliminary tests showed low levels of toluene, a solvent, but said it was nothing of significance. Water runoff from the water used by firefighters left a purple sheen on the river and tests were being conducted. However, the water is not a local drinking water supply and the chemical evaporates quickly. Chief Tutko said there was no risk of toxic fumes getting into the air. An Eastern Propane facility was also located near the area, however, it was not the source of the explosion. A spokesman for the company said that although the property suffered some minor damage, their tanks are secure. According to WHDH television, a person who answered the telephone at CAI's Georgetown, Massachusetts headquarters refused comment, and a telephone message left at the company president's home was not immediately returned. Article 2: A midair collision has been narrowly averted between two commercial airliners over Indiana, United States. A Midwest Airlines plane carrying 24 people and a United Express aircraft carrying 31 people came within 600 vertical feet and 1.3 horizontal miles apart. The eastbound Midwest Airlines jet was accidentally directed to descend into the direct path of the westbound United Express flight. The mistake was made after an air traffic controller erroneously removed the latter aircraft's identification aircraft tag in preparation to handing off the aircraft to the air traffic control centre for a neighbouring sector of airspace. The Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) installed in the cockpits of both aircraft sounded emergency warnings advising the pilots to take evasive action. The Midwest Airlines plane promptly pulled up out of danger. Had TCAS not activated, it is believed the jets would have struck each other. "If they didn't suddenly climb, there would have been a convergence," said Midwest spokeswoman Carol Skornicka. Had the aircraft struck each other, they would have been traveling at a combined speed of about 700 m.p.h. Airspeed would normally be higher, but congestion around O'Hare International Airport had slowed things down. The incident occurred at the end of a rush period, during a change in shift at the control centre. Jeffrey Richards, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told reporters that pilots had mentioned three times in the course of the flight how close aircraft were coming, quoting them as saying to air traffic control on one occasion "Center, you really lined us up on that last clearance." Near air misses are classified on a scale of D to A by the Federal Aviation Authority, A being the most serious. The incident was classed as a B, the third incident of such severity in just six weeks caused by mistakes at Chicago Centre. The minimum permitted distance for aircraft traveling at an altitude of 25,000 feet, as these two were, is five horizontal miles and 1,000 vertical feet. Richards said that on the night of the incident controllers at Chicago Centre had been working close to the two hour working limit between rest breaks. "These controllers are fatigued from working such long stints and very few breaks compared to just three years ago," said Richards, who added that this was particularly true of the 26-year-old veteran who made the mistake. "Each of his sessions were right up to the two-hour limit," Richards said, adding that he was nearing the end of his shift and had returned from a break just minutes before the near-collision. Richards said that at the time the building contained a staff of 11 controllers, five trainees and one supervisor, which is one supervisor and one controller lower than usual. He went on to say that before a retirement wave, 17 controllers monitored the airspace. He says this is a part of a larger issue whereby retirements are exhausting the supply of skilled operators, in what he describes as "a systemic problem,". This latest incident raises important safety issues at Chicago Centre, which is currently undergoing a dispute between the controllers union and management over how many controllers are adequate to run the centre. The site is soon to have to handle large quantities of traffic as an annual holiday season starts. However, the FAA says that it currently has no issues with staffing at the facility, although Richards contends that low levels of staff and increasing workloads have long been a worrying factor at the facility. Skornicka said of the incident that it was "part of a bigger debate taking place," and that she felt "this is just one situation that highlights the need for modernization and overhaul of the air traffic control system."

Article 1: Spanish budget air carrier LTE International Airways has suspended all of their flights due to financial trouble. Around 800 passengers have been stranded by the move and are being accommodated in hotels while alternative transport is arranged. The airline was founded in 1987 and has been known as both LTU and Volar Airlines in the past. The company's fleet of seven Airbus A320 aircraft were used for scheduled and chartered passenger services, and available for lease to other businesses. "LTE is doing everything to minimize the impact of this suspension of services on its clients and providers. After 20 years operating with maximum dedication to our clients it just was not possible to avoid this situation given world events lately," read a statement on LTE's website. The airline flew from Spain to destinations such as Italy, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. The news comes just one day after Spanish airline FlySur, Andalusia's first airline, filed for bankruptcy after just forty-five days. The airline's one plane had at times flown with just one passenger. Article 2: In the Celtic F.C.|Celtic Football Club have defeated Aberdeen Football Club 9 - 0. The game took place in in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday. Celtic scored four goals during the first half. Gary Hooper scored the second and third goals at 28 and 33 minutes respectively. In the second half, Aberdeen player Joe Ledley scored the seventh goal at 71 minutes and Anthony Stokes scored the eighth goal of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League game at 74 minutes. scored the ninth and final goal for the team after 85 minutes; it was another penalty shot.

Article 1: Steve Fossett, piloting the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, has set the record of being the first person to fly around the world unrefueled, solo. He is also got the record for longest unrefueled flight of a jet aircraft. Steve departed from Salina Kansas 18:47 CST on Monday and has successfully crossed the Africa, the Asia. He then crossed the Pacific moving from Hawaii, then went on to Southern . From there her crossed the Southwest United States, and landed back in Salina Kansas at 13:50 CST on Thursday. One major problem has been encountered during this trip. Somewhere in the first several hours of the flight 2600 pounds of fuel was lost. The engineers have two theories on what caused this loss. One is an extreme case of the fuel evaporation. It was expected to evaporate, but not at anything approaching this rate. The other possibility is that there was a leak or other type of error in the plumbing. Because the aircraft had never been flown fully fueled before, there was no previous data on what could be causing this. Steve Fossett is already in the record books for being the first to pilot a balloon around the world. He has also been unsuccessfully attempting to achieve a record altitude for a glider for the last four years. The aircraft was built for Sir Richard Branson and his Virgin Atlantic Airways. It was constructed by Burt Rutan. Burt also designed the Voyager airplane which was piloted by his brother Dick Rutan and Jenna Yeager on the first unrefueled flight around the world. Burt is also the designer of Space Ship One, the first private craft to enter space. * Article 2: Two engineers, Andrea Alù and Nader Engheta of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia have come up with a 'plasmonic cover' which they claim could render objects "nearly invisible to an observer". The idea is still in its infancy, but it is said not to violate any obvious laws of physics. John Pendry, a physicist at Imperial College in London, UK: "The concept is an interesting one, with several important potential applications. It could find uses in stealth technology and camouflage." Earlier attempts at constructing an invisibility screen resulted in the chameleon-principle: screens were coloured to match their background, rendering them hard, but not impossible to see, but usually from only a limited point of view. The principle on which the technology is founded can be explained as follows: an object can be seen because light scatters from its surface back to our eyes. If the scattering of light could be prevented, the object could not be seen. By making a screen resonate in tune with the light, scattering of light would be prevented. This can be achieved by using plasmons, waves of electronic density caused by electrons in a metalic surface moving in sync. If the frequency of the light is close to that of the shield, the light scattered by the object will be negligible compared to the light scattered by the shield. For visible light, silver and gold can be used as metals, for other frequencies, such as infrared and ultra-violet, other metals will have to be used.

Article 1: The Arcadia leaving Southampton in 2006 Cocaine with a street value of £1.2 million (US$2 million) was seized as the United Kingdom P&O Cruises' ship Arcadia arrived in its home port of Southampton, on the south coast of England, early yesterday. Seven people from the Manchester and Birmingham areas of the country were arrested on the dockside, with four of them being remanded in custody. Between them, the four allegedly had 30 kilograms of the Class A drug strapped to their bodies. The detained four appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court earlier today charged with the importation of a Class A drug. The other three have been released on bail pending an appearance at the same Court on 27th October. The four, none of whom are crew members of the 1,952-passenger Arcadia, have been named as Mrs Quinn, 26, of Rochdale, Lancashire; Mr Hylton, 41, of Manchester; Mrs Dyce, 25, Handsworth, Birmingham; and Mrs Dupee, 19, of Handsworth, Birmingham. The arrests were carried out in a joint operation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigators and UK Border Agency officers; dozens of personnel were involved. Peter Avery, the Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation of HMRC, said: "Drugs devastate lives and communities and we are determined to prevent them reaching UK streets. Our investigations will not only focus on those transporting the cocaine, but also those that finance and mastermind this illegal trade." The three-year-old ship had just returned from a 23-day cruise around the Caribbean, having stopped in Antigua, St Lucia, Grenada and Barbados among other islands. A P&O spokesperson said that this was the first time they were aware of P&O passengers being arrested for smuggling cocaine. Article 2: On Monday, US-based tech company Apple, Inc. confirmed acquisition of UK-based song identification application . According to reports, the deal is worth US$400 million. Shazam iOS screenshot.PNG|left|thumb|Screenshot of Shazam after identifying the song Un Poco Loco from Pixar's Shazam "We are thrilled that Shazam and its talented team will be joining Apple ... and we can't imagine a better home for Shazam to enable us to continue innovating and delivering magic for our users.", Shazam spokesperson Giovanni Bossio said. Shazam has over one hundred million users. Founded in West London in 1999 by Avery Wang, Chris Barton, Dhiraj Mukharjee, and Philip Inghelbrecht, Shazam creates a "digital fingerprint of the audio" and recognises a song, and provides other information including artist's name, album, lyrics, release year and record label company. It also provides links to music streaming services including , and . Shazam generates revenue from advertisements and commission from streaming services. Shazam is integrated with Apple's voice assistant . Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr said, "Apple Music and Shazam are a natural fit, sharing a passion for music discovery and delivering great music experiences to our users. We have exciting plans in store, and we look forward to combining with Shazam upon approval of today's agreement." Apple Music has about 27 million subscribers, while its competitor Spotify has about 60 million. California-based company Apple, Inc. acquired 's three years ago for US$3 billion. * * * * * *

Article 1: Julian Assange 20091117 Copenhagen 1.jpg|thumb|left|Julian Assange, founder of the whistle-blowers' website Wikileaks, is suspected of rape. International police cooperation organization Interpol has put Julian Assange, founder of the whistle-blowers' website Wikileaks, on its most-wanted list after a court in Sweden announced he was wanted for alleged sex crimes. Wikileaks is this week releasing more than 250,000 secret "cables" between US diplomats. Two weeks ago, Swedish authorities ordered the arrest of Assange for suspected rape, sexual molestation and illegal use of force. Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, yesterday released a "Red Notice" calling for Assange's arrest. Interpol stated that this type of notice is not an arrest warrant, but a request "to assist the national police forces in identifying or locating those persons with a view to their arrest and extradition." The incidents are alleged to have occurred in August of this year, several weeks after Assange released 75,000 documents detailing US military actions in Afghanistan. "The background is that he has to be heard in this investigation and we haven't been able to get a hold of him to question him," said Marianne Ny, director of prosecution in Sweden. It was first reported that he was suspected of rape later in August, when he described the allegations as part of a "smear campaign" against Wikileaks. Wikinews reported at the time that he said "the charges are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing." A statement posted on Wikileaks' website after the charges were announced defended Assange. "We are deeply concerned about the seriousness of these allegations. We the people behind WikiLeaks think highly of Julian and he has our full support. While Julian is focusing on his defenses and clearing his name, WikiLeaks will be continuing its regular operations." Assange's lawyer, Mark Stephens, said that the allegations against him were made after the two women he is alleged to have raped found out that he was in relationships with both at the same time. "Only after the women became aware of each other's relationships with Mr. Assange did they make their allegations against him," Stephens said in a statement. Stephens added that he had not "received a single written word, at any time, in any form, from Swedish authorities on the Swedish investigation against our client," and he and Assange had only learnt about the case through reports in the media. "This is a clear contravention to Article 6 of the European Convention, which states that every accused must be informed promptly, in a language which he understands and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him," he added. Assange is currently residing in an unknown location. It has been reported he has attempted to disguise himself by cutting and dying his hair. He told Forbes magazine recently that Wikileaks has obtained documents containing evidence of corruption within a major US bank. He has reportedly been paying in cash and with friends' credit cards. Speaking about the release of the cables, he told : "US officials have for 50 years trotted out this line when they are afraid the public is going to see how they really behave." It was reported on Wednesday that Ecuador, a country which critically opposes US policies, has offered Assange residency. Along with the arrest, Assange is facing mounting pressure in the US over the leak of the cables. A retired CIA agent, Peter King, said Wikileaks should be designated a "terrorist organisation," and called for Wikileaks and Assange to be prosecuted for the release. On Monday evening, Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, condemned the publishing of the files, thought to be leaked by , who served as an intelligence analyst with the US Army before being arrested. "It is an attack on the international community, the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations, that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity," Clinton said. "There is nothing laudable about endangering innocent people, and there is nothing brave about sabotaging peaceful relations between nations on which our common security depends." She added that the US "deeply regrets" the leakage of the files. HillaryPA.jpg|150px|thumb|Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, condemned the publishing of the files. Speaking to Time magazine on the internet, Assange defended the release of the files. "It is not our goal to achieve a more transparent society, it's our goal to achieve a more just society," he said. He also confirmed that Wikileaks has obtained more classified material, saying:"We have a lot of source material that ... remains unpublished." Assange added that it was "very important" to him that "the law is not what, not simply what, powerful people would want others to believe it is." Assange said in the interview with Time that all the documents had been reviewed and all names of informants had been redacted "carefully." He said: "They are all reviewed, and they're all redacted either by us or by the newspapers concerned." He also said that Wikileaks "formally asked the State Department for assistance with that. That request was formally rejected." He was asked whether he was concerned that publishing the files could be considered . "Not at all. This organization Wikileaks practices civil obedience, that is, we are an organization that tries to make the world more civil and act against abusive organizations that are pushing it in the opposite direction," he said. "We have now in our four-year history, and over 100 legal attacks of various kinds, been victorious in all of those matters." de:Interpol fahndet nach WikiLeaks-Gründer Assange fr:WikiLeaks : Julian Assange recherché par Interpol Article 2: Johnson Space Center. Pictured at center right is NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock, commander. Also pictured (from the left) are Russian cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexander Kaleri; NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Shannon Walker; along with Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, all flight engineers. The remaining members of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which will return the station to its full complement of 6 persons. They will launch in the Russian Soyuz TMA-01M vehicle and dock on Saturday. According to Space Fellowship there is only one Soyuz capsule currently docked to the station, for emergency escape. Currently there are three astronauts on the station: Commander Doug Wheelock and Flight Engineers Shannon Walker and Fyodor Yurchikhin. The additional crew scheduled to join them are Flight Engineers Oleg Skripochka, Alexander Kaleri, and Scott Kelly. The three crew now on the station were part of Expedition 26. While the astronauts wait for their counterparts' arrival, they continue work on the station. Wheelock and Walker both participated in an experiment to study the long term effects of exposure to microgravity on crew members. Wheelock was collecting biological samples to place into the Human Research Facility which is a science rack in the station's Destiny module. Meanwhile, Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin was working in the Russian segment of the station, swapping mechanical gear and installing new software. He also updated the station's inventory management system. The crew is also doing daily exercises to strengthen their muscles and bones to compensate for the effects of microgravity. The exercise machines include a cycle ergometer, a treadmill, and a device that simulates free-weights on and pistons in vacuum cylinders. * *

Article 1: "Chess is life in miniature. Chess is battles, chess is struggles." - Garry Kasparov "Chess is life in miniature. Chess is battles, chess is struggles." said the longtime world champion Garry Kasparov at the height of his career. In a surprise announcement Friday, the grandmaster said he will retire. He went public with his intentions from Linares, Spain after winning a prestigious tournament there. The news comes as Kasparov, now 41, declared an ambition to devote his energy into the politics of his native Russia. Alternately known as brash, emotional and brilliant, the maverick Kasparov could be a formidable opponent in the realm of politics. He will partner with the Russian group known as the Committee 2008 (Komitet 2008), whose members are attempting to influence the 2008 Russian election that will replace Putin. The champion said he also wants to write books, with chess being among the subjects, but he will not play any more at the professional level. Always mercurial in defeat, Kasparov lost his final game in tournament play in a stunning upset by of Bulgaria. The upset did not take away his victory at the tournament, but his announcement came after being bitterly stung in defeat. At age 22, Kasparov became the youngest person ever to hold the title of world champion when he won it from fellow Russian, Anatoly Karpov, in 1985. The two players dominated the field until infighting in 1993 caused Kasparov to break away from the Professional Chess Association (PCA). In this forum he defeated British challenger . For a period of time, Kasparov, of the PCA, and Karpov, who reclaimed the top spot of the FIDE, both claimed to be world champions. However, the ratings system developed by FIDE held that Kasparov was the stronger player. The PCA eventually fell apart in 1995. In 1996, Kasparov was at the top of his game, when a team led by IBM introduced Deep Blue, the strongest of a new class of chess playing computers. In a highly publicized face-off of man vs. machine, Kasparov won the 6 game match. A year later, against an enhanced version of Deep Blue, he lost. He blamed the loss on a variety of factors, including fatigue against his tireless opponent. While the machine found a new place in the chess world, and while a new generation of chess players favored , where the fast pace of play does not allow for deep calculation, Kasparov turned his attention to taking on the world. The Kasparov vs. the World online chess game in June 1999 brought together chess players from around the world in a cooperative effort to beat the reigning world champion. With more than 50,000 individuals submitting move votes, Kasparov vs. the World was one of the largest interactive gaming events in history. Kasparov won this match. Article 2: The angry "Why don't you shut up?" that King Juan Carlos I of Spain uttered against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez a week ago on Saturday has apparently reached a cult status in Spain and Venezuela. The incident took place at the Ibero-American summit in Santiago de Chile on November 10. A mobile phone ringtone remix of the quote text has been downloaded 500,000 times (generating some €1.5 million revenues). The ringtone features a voice actor (avoiding legal issues) with beats and a loop effect emphasising the 'shut up'. A student group from the Venezuelan capital of Caracas which opposes the President has downloaded the ringtone too. "It's a form of protest, it's something that a lot of people would like to tell the president. Now, whenever we call each other, that's what we hear," said Laura Solorzano, 21, in a telephone interview with the Miami Herald. Today, the internet domain name of the quote was sold on eBay for €10,200 to a Spanish power seller called 'daikoku-design'. Juan Antonio Morales, 34, of Almería, Spain, had reserved the domain shortly after news of the dispute broke. The video on YouTube has been viewed over 1.3 million times, and there are numerous parodies using the quote. T-shirts and coffee mugs with the slogan are also selling well. The phrase has also become notable enough to merit an article on Wikipedia. At the Ibero-American summit in Santiago, Chile on November 10, Chávez called the Spain's former prime minister, José María Aznar, a "fascist". Current Prime Minister of Spain José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero tried to reply, but Chávez, although his microphone was switched off, kept interrupting him. The Spanish King first pointed a finger at Mr. Chávez, with the words "Y tu" (and you). Then, while Zapatero still tried to reply, he said “¿Por qué no te callas?” while making a gesture with his hand. Note that the King used the informal 'te callas' instead of the formal and polite third-person form. Zapatero finally replied that "...in a forum where there are democratic governments ... one of the essential principles is respect. You can disagree radically, without being disrespectful." ' The rare outburst of the King has led to some disturbance in political relations between the countries; Chávez demanded an apology from the King but said he did not want a political conflict with Spain, while Spanish diplomats hope the situation will soon normalise. The Spanish PM stressed the incident was magnified by of the media attention it received. In statements to the press, the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, minimized the incident between Hugo Chávez and the King of Spain: "There is little difference in opinion between King Juan Carlos and Chavez. There are many other differences between heads of State. Divergence is part of a democratic meeting." The situation brings attention to changes Chávez has proposed to the Venezuelan constitution, which would lift the restriction on the number of terms for the President of Venezuela. "Bronca do Rei" vira toque de celular

Article 1: Two Oxford Tube coaches At least seventeen people were admitted to an Stagecoach_in_Oxfordshire#Oxford_Tube|Oxford Tube service, overturned while exiting the Thame, Saturday evening. There were no other vehicles involved according to . The incident took place at around 2300 GMT Saturday night at junction seven of the M40 near Milton Common, when a coach, belonging to the Oxford Tube service, overturned on a slip road. A police spokesperson stated "The exit slip at junction seven was closed, as well as the A329 in both directions either side of the M40. The coach is in the process of being recovered from the motorway." The motorway itself remained open. Sergeant Steve Blackburn of Thames Valley Police stated that "The vast majority of passengers were walking wounded or not injured at all and were released either at the scene or shortly after receiving some treatment." John Nixon from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue noted that the coach was lying on its side on an embankment, stating that his crews' priority had been to stabilise the coach. He added, "There were people laid on the side of the embankment, on the road, covered in space-type blankets to keep them warm" Although there were no fatalities, five of the injured required surgery, which was undertaken at Oxford's John Radcliffe hospital. Of the other admissions, a number were discharged by Sunday morning. A spokesperson for the Oxford Tube was quoted by the BBC as stating that, "Safety is our absolute priority and our immediate thoughts are with those who have been injured in the accident." They added, "We will be carrying out our own internal investigation and assisting the police in any way that we can with their inquiries into the accident." Police have already begun an investigation into the cause of the accident and have requested witnesses come forward. * * * Article 2: Sir David Frost The British broadcaster and journalist Sir has died of a heart attack, aged 74. Best known for an interview with former President following the Watergate scandal, Frost died on Saturday night aboard the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, where he was due to give a speech. "His family are devastated, and ask for privacy at this difficult time," said a statement released from Frost's family. Frost got his start in the early 1960s presenting on satirical BBC show The Frost Report in the mid-60s. Frost famously interviewed former US President Richard Nixon in 1977, during which Nixon apologized for the Frost/Nixon (film)|Frost/Nixon in 2008, with Frost played by . Frost wrote 17 books, produced eight films and started the British television networks TV-am. He became Sir David after being knighted in 1993, and won numerous awards for his work throughout his time. Frost is survived by his wife Carina and their three sons. * *

Article 1: , New South Wales — Sunday, Australian opposition leader Australian Parliament|Member for the Michael McCormack (Australian politician)|Michael McCormack, amongst over 2000 runners and walkers. After the warm-up by the Workout Wagga girls, Abbott started at the front of the pack but was quickly overtaken by the faster runners, crossing the finishing line with a time of 46 minutes 49 seconds. After crossing the line Abbott mingled and posed for photographs with the public. Abbott was interviewed by Leigh Spokes; when asked about the event, he stated that it was a "great community event" but found the course "hard going". Shortly after the interview and talking to people, Abbott and his advisors left the event due to his tight schedule. A total of 2988 people competed, with 788 bicycle riders and 2200 runners and walkers, a 20 per cent increase from last year and making this year’s fun run the largest since the first Lake to Lagoon was held in 2006. In the open men's category, first place went to James Davy who finished across the line at 30 minutes 15 seconds, second place went to Matthew Ho finishing in 31 minutes 16 seconds, and in third place was Caleb Noble at 31 minutes 50 seconds. In the open women's category, first place went to Rachel Stanton who finished across the line at 36 minutes 39 seconds, second place went to Carmel Kahlefeldt, and in third place was Jessie Wythes at 40 minutes 9 seconds. Article 2: Gaetz' official 2020 portrait. On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives voted 321–103 against a resolution that would require the president to withdraw the roughly 900 US troops stationed in Syria. Republican Representative introduced the resolution on February 21. Gaetz stated: "I do not believe what stands between a caliphate and not a caliphate are the 900 Americans who have been sent to this hellscape with no definition of victory." The Associated Press noted a US operation in Syria four days earlier had wounded four US servicemembers, while killing a senior Islamic State leader. On his congressional website, Gaetz argued: "Congress has never authorized kinetic participation of U.S. Armed Forces in Syria." Representative United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs|House Foreign Affairs Committee and a Republican, argued withdrawing forces could lead to a resurgence of the Islamic State. "Withdraw of this legal, authorized US troop deployment must be based on the total defeat of ISIS," he continued. Representative , the Foreign Affairs Committee's top Democrat, said: "This measure forces a premature end to our mission at a critical time for our efforts." However, he expressed opposition to an indefinite presence of US forces in Syria. The US has conducted military operations in Syria against the Islamic State since September 2014 as part of Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001 (AUMF) and the . The 2001 AUMF, the longest continuously-used AUMF in US history, was originally passed to authorize military action after the September 11 attacks, while the 2002 AUMF first authorized the Iraq War. Congressional efforts to enact new authorization for anti-Islamic State operations began in late 2014, according to a report. On June 17, 2021, the House of Representatives passed H.R.256, voting to repeal the 2002 AUMF. Meeks said then: "Repeal is crucial because the executive branch has a history of stretching the 2002 AUMF's legal authority." The bill did not pass the US Senate. On Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 13–8 to approve a repeal of the 2002 AUMF and a 1991 AUMF, clearing it for a vote before the full Senate.

Article 1: Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt has been pronounced guilty under the Arms Act for possession of illegal weapons, in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case by a TADA court in Mumbai . The Special TADA court in Mumbai found the actor guilty of charges framed under the Sections 3 (possession of firearms and ammunition, i.e. registered 9 mm pistol, without proper license) and 7 (have in his possession for transferof prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition, i.e. AK-56 rifle) read with Section 25 9imprisonment of maximum of 3.5 years or with fine, or with both) of the Arms Act. Judge Pramod Kode gave the decision in the 11-year trial on the series of blasts on March 12, 1993, that killed 257 people. He did not find Dutt to be a terrorist or destructor. 47-year-old Sanjay Dutt has been charged under Section 120B IPC (rigorous imprisonment for a term of minimum two years for criminal conspiracy), Section 3 (3) of TADA (P) act (for conspiring to facilitate the commission of a terrorist act, minimum imprisonment of five years). The minimum punishment for these charges would be five-year sentence. Before being granted bail Dutt has already spent almost 18 months in the jail as an undertrial. Meanwhile, co-accused Yusuf Nulwala and Kersi Adajania were also found guilty under the arms act. Other accused persons are Samir Hingora, Ibrahim Moosa, Manzoor Ahmed, Zebunissa, Rusi Mulla and Ajay Marwah. Dutt was in possession of one AK-56 rifle and its ammunition, a 9 mm pistol and its cartridges. The appeals for TADA court could be made in Supreme Court within 28 days. According to legal experts, Dutt's lawyers would try and move High Court, saying he has been convicted not under TADA act, but the Arms Act. After hearing a petintion moved by Dutt's lawyers, the court granted him an interim relief of twenty days. Now he has to surrender himself to the Mumbai police by December 19. Article 2: __NOTOC__ Early results in the Australian federal election held today show that the opposition Labor Party led by Kevin Rudd looks set to take government. Such a result would end 11 years under the leadership of the Liberal/National coalition led by John Howard. Early results indicate a 5.25 percent swing to Labor, with 12 percent of the vote counted. If the pattern is continued through the night, Labor could end up with a ten seat majority in the Australian House of Representatives allowing Mr Rudd to form government. Mr Howard may also face an uphill battle to hold onto his Sydney seat of Bennelong, with Labor recruit Maxine McKew 47.3 percent of the primary vote to Mr Howard's 42.7 percent. Mr Howard also continues to fight for his seat of Bennelong, with the Labor candidate leading Mr Howard 45.95 to 45.19 on the primary vote. "On the numbers we're seeing tonight, Labor is going to form a government," she said. Officially, Labor has won 71 seats, the coalition 50 with 27 undecided. 63.84 percent of the vote has been counted. Labor has received a 5.89 percent swing against the incumbent coalition. fr:Australie : victoire des travaillistes aux législatives

Article 1: A memorial service was held Thursday for Adrienne Nicole Martin, the model found dead two weeks ago in the Missouri, US mansion of former August Busch IV. Martin, of Native American ethnicity, was 27 years old when she died of unknown causes, said investigators. A promotional image of Adrienne Martin from her iStudio.com profile Martin, who had been dating the 46-year-old Busch for "the last several months" according to friends, was a native of Springfield. She had previously been married to 45-year-old doctor Kevin J. Martin until February 2009, when they divorced, and had joint custody of their eight-year-old son. Adrienne Martin had a profile on iStudio, a modeling website, where she said she wanted to become an art therapist. She also expressed a desire to "to do beer advertising" and work in the modeling industry. At the time of her death, Martin had been working toward a master's degree in art therapy. The memorial service for Martin was held at South Haven Baptist Church in Springfield. Busch was not among the estimated 100 people attending the service, nor was he mentioned during it. The only speaker was the church's pastor, Scott Watson, who read letters from Martin's friends. Her son and other relatives sat in the front row while she was remembered as a gifted artist and dedicated mother. Lacy Elet, one of Martin's friends, later said Martin was happy that "her life was finally in order." Her obituary in the called Busch "the love of her life." However, one of Martin's uncles, Andy Eby, said after the service, "There are too many questions and not enough answers." Martin was found unconscious by Michael Jung, who worked at Busch's mansion, at 12:30 p.m. local time (18:30 ) on December 19. At 1:12 p.m., Jung called emergency services, saying, "This girl's just not waking up." When asked if she was breathing, Jung responded with, "We don't know. It's dark back there. I'm gonna get a light and try and see." At 1:26 p.m., Martin was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency workers. Law enforcement officials said the room was dark because there were blackout "curtains drawn in the bedroom." An toxicology report, expected to take several weeks, will likely be used to determine the reason Martin died. Police said Martin's body did not exhibit any "apparent signs of trauma or other indications of cause of death." According to her ex-husband, Adrienne Martin had a rare heart condition, called palpitation|palpitations and . Kevin Martin said his ex-wife never sought medical advice on her condition and did not talk about it with friends. Police said that Busch was home at the Frontenac, Missouri|Frontenac Police Department and the Huntleigh, Missouri|Huntleigh residence and that there is "absolutely nothing suspicious" surrounding her death. Article 2: After 171 years of existence, telegram services were permanently stopped in Belgium as of yesterday. The service was launched in 1846, and about 9000 telegrams were sent across the country from January 2017 to November 2017. Telegrams sent in Belgium per year, approximate, data from proximus.com. On December 12, Belgian telecommunication company Proximus, who provided telegram services in the country, announced they "will definitively end our telegram service" on December 29. Jack Hamande, board member of the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications, said, "It is mainly 10 customers using the telegram in Belgium today ... in finance, judicial services and insurance". The first telegram line was laid from Belgium's capital Brussels to . Usage of telegram has decreased enormously over the decades. According to Proximus's statistics, about 1.5 million telegrams were sent during the early 1980s, with many telegrams coming from Italy, but the number dropped to fifty thousand in the early 2010s. Sending a twenty-word message via telegram in Belgium would cost around €16 (about US$19). Hamande said, "Most of the current users of telegram will shift to registered mail ... we see no reason to force the company to maintain this service." Telegram is still functional in Italy. It was invented in Great Britain in the 1830s, but was stopped there in 1982. The United States stopped telegram services in 2006, and the last telegram in India was sent on July 14, 2013 which began in 1850. In the mid-1980s, about 600 thousand telegrams were sent across India each day. "If you ask young people ... they don't know what a telegram is", Hamande said. * * * * nl:België gestopt met verzending telegrammen es:Bélgica detiene sus servicios de telegrafía

Article 1: "Terror bill" passed after thirty hour debate After an unprecedented thirty hour debate in the United Kingdom between the elected government and the main opposition party, the Conservatives, the Prevention of Terrorism Bill was passed by the House of Lords. Despite the new legislation being passed, the Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed victory, as the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, made a last minute compromise on several details of the bill. The lengthy debate was the third longest in the history of the House of Lords. The new bill will replace the current Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 sv:2005/03/12: Ny brittisk anti-terroristlag antagen efter 30 timmars debatt Article 2: Alice Cooper pictured without his famous stage makeup in 2006. Solo American hard shock rock artist Alice Cooper has commented that The Osbournes, a reality TV show starring heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, ruined the career of the Black Sabbath frontman. Cooper said he felt that by allowing daily life in his house to be broadcast to the world, he destroyed the mystery that had previously surrounded him. "Most fans thought he lived in a big, dark castle with skeletons in the cellar." said Cooper. "When that show aired they knew he was just some guy who potters around his Beverly Hills mansion. "It was meant to be some kind of comedy but the audience was laughing at Ozzy, not with him. And as a close friend, that made me very sad." Ozzy Osbourne performing live in 2007. Meanwhile, both artists have related news this week. Finnish solo symphonic power metal soprano Tarja Turunen, most famous as the former Nightwish frontwoman, has released a 30-second preview of her cover version of Alice Cooper's top ten hit Poison, which will feature on her upcoming album My Winter Storm. Cooper himself has stated that during an upcoming tour he will replicate a mock hanging for the first time after a near-fatal accident performing the same stunt in 1988, only this time he will also be wearing a straightjacket. Meanwhile, Ozzy has blamed illegal music downloads for poor sales of his latest album Black Rain, saying that the low sales have forced him into a 90-gig world tour that he has admitted he can barely cope with. <!-- not sure this is necessary

Article 1: After a magnitude 8.7 earthquake rocked 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|tsunamis of December 26, 2004, that killed 273,000 people as they scoured the shores and seaside areas of countries exposed to the , although three hours later with only one small tsunami observed the threat had passed. Still, according to reports, thousands of coastal residents near the Indian Ocean were evacuating to higher ground for the night in case the experts were wrong. Reports also say Sri Lankan authorities urged islanders near the coast to move at least two kilometres inland. "It looks like many people have left the coasts. I don’t know exactly how many people but they are moving away from the sea shores to the interior areas," Dr. Unni Krishnan, coordinator for relief agency Action Aid said in an interview with a reporter from The Scotsman. Minutes after data from the earthquake started coming in, half-way around the world from Sumatra, an emergency response center kicked into action. The Hawaii issued a tsunami alert - advising "immediate action" and evacuation procedures were advised for some coastal areas. "Authorities in those regions should be aware of this possibility and take immediate action. This action should include evacuation of coasts within 1,000 kilometers of the epicenter and close monitoring to determine the need for evacuation further away," the PTWC alert said. The PTWC said they did detect a small tsunami that stuck the south of the quake's epicenter. However the PTWC went on to say that if no tsunami activity was observed within three hours of the 4.10pm UTC quake, there was no further danger. That time has passed. A spokesman for the United States Geological Service in an interview with the AFP said when such a large quake strikes, the U.S. government sends out e-mails, faxes and telephone messages to nearby agencies warning them of possible aftershocks, or likely tsunami activity. Article 2: Italian police of the US$134 billion (€96 billion) of United States bearer bonds at the border with Switzerland at

Article 1: left London, England — Yesterday, Wikinews interviewed Michael Hartung, the Australian Deputy Chef de Mission at the Australian team quarters in the Paralympic Village. What does the Deputy Chef de Mission do? ::'Michael Hartung:' Makes the chef look good! (laughter) No, my role here is in support of our Chef de Mission and the team. There's two of us, myself, and Kate McLoughlin is the other Deputy Chef de Mission. She focuses on the operations side of things, the logistics and travel and all that sort of stuff, the foundations of preparing the team and really getting here and back home safely with all their gear. The part of the team that I look after is the performance side of things, so in my particular area I have guys in the sports science and sports medicine grew, which is managed by Alison Campbell. We have classification in my area which is managed by Geoff Han. We've got high performance and coach support, which is Chris Nunn, and the media guys fit under my side of things, and they are managed by Tim Mannion. All of those guys are all staff at the APC, and they've been working with us for a considerable amount of time. They are all experts in their areas so as far as the performance elements of the team are concerned we've got a great bunch of people that come in here and its a continuation of the the job that we prepare for and that we do every day. So that's been good, we're not a bunch of outsiders who've come together just for this team. We're professionals who work in these fields, doing these jobs day in and day out, so we should be experts when we get to the games in how it should be delivered. Is everything going according to plan for you guys? You've got more gold medals than you got in Beijing. ::'Michael Hartung:' Yep. Still not there yet in total but we're happy. Our goal coming into this, one main goal was to finish top five, and we're just hanging on. It's tough. That's the reality of Olympic sport. We're having a really good games at the moment. The sub goal of ours was to just beat the medal tally at Beijing which we've achieved on gold, which is terrific, and we should achieve on total as well if things keep going the way they are for the next couple of days. That's a terrific result and it just shows the strength of the Paralympic movement, and the strength of our competitors that there are so many nations fighting it out to be in that top five, and we're certainly not there by any means. The nation that's just behind us, the USA, is a traditional powerhouse of Paralympic sport, and a nation that has done extremely well over the history of Paralympic sport. So where we are right now is in a really good position and if we stay where we are now, and pick up a few more medals, we'll be really happy with the performance of the team and where it's gone on the medal tally. In the lead up to this there was a lot of coverage of how much money the government gave you for stuff like the recovery centre inside here. How fundamental has that government support been towards this? ::'Michael Hartung:' The Federal government provides us with basically all the funding that we give to the sport programs to deliver sport programs to athletes. And without the Federal government's support, we cannot do the job that we do. It is essential, and without their investment we certainly wouldn't be seeing the results that we have here. That been said we've also had great support in addition to funding from ministers and senators that have come across here and supported the team. Senator Kate Lundy is here. She's departing tonight, but has been here for most of the games. It's been terrific for us and the team to have had that sort of support for us here. Classification has been a big issue in these games. To an extent the Americans lost some... Oscar's classification's been a big deal... There hasn't been much Australian news related to classifications. ::'Michael Hartung:' No, which is a really good sign. I think that shows all the work we've put in over the years to classification. We've got a program that's been led by Jim MacMahon that we consider to be a world leading program. Which means that our policies and procedures and our work at a national level to ensure that people know where they fit in the classification spectrum, and no doubt early on is very important to us. So we minimise the risk of an athlete turning up and having a change in classification. This is really the Big Show. This is where it really matters, and for athletes to come here and not be 100% sure about their classification is something that we absolutely want to avoid. We should know where they sit, and there is a lot of money that is now invested through Federal funding and through the states' institutes and academies and so on. A lot of money gets invested and we need some surety about where that investment is going, and which athletes are prospects for medals when they turn up. We've talked to the Oceania people who've said they've got tremendous support from the APC with the Wales thing. Are you guys going to continue to do that support? Because they couldn't say enough nice things about the APC and the coaches talking to their athletes. ::'Michael Hartung:' Yeah, that's terrific. I think that we certainly have an ongoing role that we have played and continue to play in Oceania in helping those countries really develop. New Zealand's doing great and they're certainly self-sufficient, and here as a great sporting nation, but for some of our other, smaller neighbors, it's great that we've been able to provide support. We've provided opportunities for them to come and be part of the Cardiff staging environment we set up for our team. We started preparations for that back in 2007. So they joined us there, and hopefully that's helped then achieve their great results here, with Fiji winning a gold medal. That's a tremendous achievement for Oceania as a whole, not just Fiji, and that's been terrific to know that the staging camp has assisted with that, along with the other support that we provide. We helped establish the Oceania Paralympic Committee not so long ago. We have Paul Bird, one of our Vice Presidents, as the President of the Oceania Paralympic Committee, and so we have a really close working relationship with those nations. It's terrific to see them succeed, and to be successful. Have you had a chance to see many of your athletes compete? And has there been any performance that has really stood out, Australian or not Australian? ::'Michael Hartung:' Yeah! I've been fortunate to see a lot of our guys compete, right across the board. There's many, many highlights for me. I don't think there's been one stand out performance. Jacqueline Freney|Jacqui Freney's performances here to win seven gold medals has been amazing, and she's had a great meet here. Matt Cowdrey breaking the record and becoming the athlete to win the most gold medals for Australia has been a real achievement. But then seeing some of the things we've seen on the track and track cycling, Michael Gallagher and the other guys, they've had a great performance here at the games, incredibly well, and I think the most satisfying element of all of those performances is knowing the work that's gone into supporting those athletes from the the people around them, but the work that those individual athletes have put into achieving success, because coming here, you can see that this is an elite sporting environment, and only the best in the world will achieve success, and you don't become the best by doing it half arsed; you have to give it 150%, and that's what it takes. No one wins unless they do that. Anything else that we should know? ::'Michael Hartung:' Apart from what we've just spoken about, I think that the London Organising Committee has done a terrific job with these games. They've made a sensational environment. Every games has its challenges, but the challenges here have been quite minor, and haven't caused any major disruptions. It enabled us to create an environment here which is really performance based. That's what the Australian Paralympic Committee is working on all the time is to create the best environment for our athletes. So that's been great. The crowds here have been tremendous and the support of the British public, and that started long ago with the acknowledgment of both Olympic and Paralympic. Whenever they say things, they say "Olympic and Paralympic". It's not been just about one games, primarily the Olympic Games or whatever, and that's been really good in terms of the psyche of the British people, because they know about Paralympic sport. They're a very knowledgeable audience, and that's been really great for the crowds here. They've cheered really loudly for the British athletes, but they've also been giving all the other athletes a big cheer as well, which is wonderful. And taking away from these games, the crowd, and the involvement and the support of all the athletes that have competed has been wonderful. Full audio of the interview with Hartung, assistant Chef de Mission for Australia while in London Article 2: left Listen to the raw interview London, England — On Wednesday, Wikinews interviewed Duncan Campbell, one of the creators of . You're Duncan Campbell, and you're the founder of... ::'Duncan Campbell:' One of the founders of wheelchair rugby. And you're from Eh|anchor=Canada|eh? ::'Duncan Campbell:' Yes, I'm from Canada, eh! (laughter) ? ::'Duncan Campbell:' Winnipeg, . You cheer for — what's that NHL team? ::'Duncan Campbell:' I cheer for the Jets! What sort of Canadian are you? ::'Duncan Campbell:' A fan! (laughter) I don't know anything about ice hockey. I'm a fan. Twenty five years ago... ::'Duncan Campbell:' Thirty five years ago! They said twenty five in the stadium... ::'Duncan Campbell:' I know better. So it was 1977. You look very young. ::'Duncan Campbell:' Thank you. We won't get into how old I am. So how did you invent the sport? ::'Duncan Campbell:' I've told this story so many times. It was a bit of a fluke in a way, but there were five of us. We were all quadriplegic, that were involved in sport, and at that time we had the Canadian games for the physically disabled. So we were all involved in sports like table tennis or racing or swimming. All individual sports. And the only team sport that was available at that time was basketball, . But as quadriplegics, with hand dysfunction, a bit of arm dysfunction, if we played, we rode the bench. We'd never get into the big games or anything like that. So we were actually going to lift weights one night, and the volunteer who helped us couldn't make it. So we went down to the gym and we started throwing things around, and we tried a few things, and we had a volleyball. We kind of thought: "Oh! This is not bad. This is a lot of fun." And we came up with the idea in a night. Within one night. So all wheelchair rugby players are quadriplegics? ::'Duncan Campbell:' Yes. All wheelchair rugby players have to have a disability of some kind in all four limbs. When did the classification system for wheelchair rugby kick in? ::'Duncan Campbell:' It kicked in right away because there was already a classification system in place for wheelchair basketball. We knew basketball had a classification system, and we very consciously wanted to make that all people with disabilities who were quadriplegics got to play. So if you make a classification system where the people with the most disability are worth more on the floor, and you create a system where there are only so many points on the floor, then the people with more disability have to play. And what that does is create strategy. It creates a role. Was that copied off wheelchair basketball? ::'Duncan Campbell:' To some degree, yes. I assume you're barracking for Canada. Have they had any classification issues? That made you ::'Duncan Campbell:' You know, I'm not going to... I can't get into that in a major way in that there's always classification issues. And if you ask someone from basketball, there's classification issues. If you ask someone from swimming... There's always classification issues. The classifiers have the worst job in the world, because nobody's ever satisfied with what they do. But they do the best they can. They're smart. They know what they're doing. If the system needs to change, the athletes will, in some way, encourage it to change. Do you think the countries that have better classifiers... as someone with an Australian perspective they're really good at classification, and don't get theirs overturned, whereas the Americans by comparison have had a number of classification challenges coming in to these games that they've lost. Do you think that having better classifiers makes a team better able to compete at an international level? ::'Duncan Campbell:' What it does is ensures that you practice the right way. Because you know the exact classifications of your players then you're going to lineups out there that are appropriate and fit the classification. If your classifications are wrong then you may train for six months with a lineup that becomes invalid when that classification. So you want to have good classifiers, and you want to have good classes. When you started in 1977, I've seen pictures of the early wheelchairs. I assume that you were playing in your day chair? ::'Duncan Campbell:' Yes, all the time. And we had no modifications. And day chairs at that time were folding chairs. They were Earjays or Stainless. That's all the brands there were. The biggest change in the game has been wheelchairs. When did you retire? ::'Duncan Campbell:' I never retired. Still play. I play locally. I play in the club level all the time. When did you get your first rugby wheelchair? ::'Duncan Campbell:' Jesus, that's hard for me to even think about. A long time ago. I would say maybe twenty years ago. Were you involved in creating a special chair, as Canadians were pushing the boundaries and creating the sport? ::'Duncan Campbell:' To a degree. I think everybody was. Because you wanted the chair that fit you. Because they are all super designed to an individual. Because it allows you to push better, allows you to turn better. Allows you to use your chair in better ways on the court. Like you've noticed that the defensive chairs are lower and longer. That's because the people that are usually in a defensive chair have a higher disability, which means they have less balance. So they sit lower, which means they can use their arms better, and longer so they can put screens out and set ticks for those high point players who are carrying the ball. It's very much strategic. I'd noticed that in wheelchair basketball the low point player actually gets more court time... ::'Duncan Campbell:' ...because that allows the high point player to play. And its the same in this game. Although in this game there's two ways to go. You can go a high-low lineup, which is potentially two high point players and two very low point players, which is what Australia does right now with Chris Bond. They have two high point players, and two 0.5 point players. It makes a very interesting scenario for, say, the US, who use four mid-point players. In that situation, all four players can carry the ball; in the Australian situation, usually only two of them can carry the ball. Because we know you are going soon, the all-important question: can Canada beat the Australians tonight? ::'Duncan Campbell:' Of course they are. (laughter) Because Australians love to gamble, what's your line on Canada? ::'Duncan Campbell:' It's not a big line! I'm not putting a big line on it! (laughter) I'd say it's probably 6–5. Is your colour commentary for the Canadian broadcast? ::'Duncan Campbell:' That was for the IPC. I did the GB–Sweden–France game on the last day. Are you happy with the level of coverage the Canadians are providing your sport? ::'Duncan Campbell:' No. Thank you for an honest answer. ::'Duncan Campbell:' Paralympic Sports TV is their own entity. They webcast, but they're not a Canadian entity. Our Canadian television is doing... can I swear? Yeah! Go ahead! ::'Duncan Campbell:' No! (laughter) They're only putting on an hour a day. A highlight package, which to me is... It's better than the US. ::'Duncan Campbell:' Yes, I've heard it's better than the US. At the same time, it's crap. You have here in Great Britain, they've got it on 18 hours a day, and it's got good viewership. When are we going to learn in North America that viewership is out there for it? How many times do we have to demonstrate it? We had the Vancouver two years ago, the Winter Paralympics, and we had crappy coverage there. There was an actual outburst demand to put the opening ceremonies on TV because they weren't going to do it. And they had to do it, because everybody complained. So they did it, but they only did it in BC, in our home province, where they were holding it. The closing ceremonies they broadcast nationally because the demand was so high. But they still haven't changed their attitudes. I have one last question: what did it mean for you when they had a Canadian flag bearer who was a wheelchair rugby player? ::'Duncan Campbell:' I recruited that guy. It was fantastic. I recruited him. Found him playing hockey. And that guy has put in so much time and effort into the game. He absolutely deserves it. No better player. Thank you! Thank you! Much appreciated.

Article 1: A stampede today has killed over 717 Muslim pilgrims, officials say, in Mina, outside Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Muslims' holy city, where the pilgrims gathered to throw stones at one of the three walls to symbolize the stoning of the devil, a ritual performed during the Hajj. The cause of the stampede is uncertain. Civil defence of Saudi Arabia mentioned the death toll is continuing to rise, and 863 pilgrims were injured during the incident, and also mentioned rescue operations are under way with, as of earlier today, 4000 personnel along with more than 200 emergency and rescue units present at the scene. This is reportedly the worst Hajj pilgrimage disaster in 25 years. A similar incident in Mina in 2006 killed more than 350 pilgrims. * * * * Article 2: Interview with George Bagshaw on March 6, 2022. Cricket match ups on Australia's Sunshine Coast have been set, with many being made through washed out semi finals. Three games scheduled the be played at Morayfield, and Moreton Bay Region|Moreton Bay Council, closed access to any sporting grounds in their region. The games affected were the Division 3 game between Burpengary and USC, the Division 1 game between Caboolture and , and the Division 4 game between Wamuran-Stanley River and Palmwoods. No play was possible on either ground at the grounds, as the sports club that controls the facilities did not allow them access. Games affected were the Division 4 game between Glasshouse and Maroochydore, and the Division 5 game between Glasshouse and USC. One ground in Cooroy- at the Palmwoods Sports Reserve nearly had a first innings result on day 1. The home side batted first scoring 92. Cooroy were 52 for the loss of 9 wickets. Palmwoods would get the last wicket on Sunday. Final scoreboard for the USC-Palmwoods game The main ground in , Read Park, was deemed too water logged after an inspection by both teams in the Division 1 game between Tewantin Noosa and Glasshouse. Tewantins Division 6 side managed to get 61 overs in on Sunday against Yandina before lighting became a factor. That match concluded in a draw. USC and Palmwoods got enough play in for a first innings result. The home side chased down the 86 required for that result an hour before the scheduled lunch break. Palmwoods would concede the match about 20 minutes prior to the interval. USC George Bagshaw said: "We bowled well, bowled them out for about 86 and yeah, did the rest with the bat. We certainly dug in; Me and Travis Bell put on a good partnership and, yeah, good for the rest of the boys to get it done this morning."

Article 1: Sporting Braga of Portugal held Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw today. The draw along with Bolton's draw with Aris keeps Bayern at the top of Group F. 'Ottmar Hitzfeld:' “We came here to win today, and we went out and controlled the play accordingly. Braga had a couple of decent chances before half-time, but otherwise we had much more possession. I felt we lacked the absolute will to win, however. We should have tackled more aggressively in the first half, and we never found a way through up front. We were in the driving seat at 1-0 up, then Demichelis slipped and we conceded the equaliser. We can’t be entirely satisfied, because we came here intending to win.“ 'Miroslav Klose:' “We never really got going today. We were basically in control, but we didn’t dominate enough to create many chances. We’re at home in our last game, and that’s a must-win match.“ 'Mark van Bommel:' “You can’t be happy with the draw after taking the lead here. We were totally in control and scored straight after half-time. In normal circumstances we’d have gone on and taken the points, but Braga aren’t a bad side. People think we’ll win all our matches, but it’s just not as simple as that.“ 'Roland Linz (Braga goalscorer):' “Scoring against Bayern is always special. The draw was very, very important for us. It was pretty evenly-matched over the 90 minutes, although we had one or two very good chances. I reckon the draw was the right result. It rates as a success for us, but it was definitely less than Bayern were hoping for.“ Article 2: B777 Continental Cibao.jpg|thumb|left|A Continental Airlines Boeing 777-200ER in the Dominican Republic. A Boeing 777 operated by Continental Airlines managed to safely land at Liberty Airport in Newark, New Jersey, today after the pilot died from natural causes en route, reports from officials say. The flight had departed from Belgium, and safely landed at 11:49 A.M. Eastern Time. "The captain of Continental Flight 61, which was en route from Brussels to Newark, died in flight, apparently of natural causes," said a spokeswoman for the airline in an email. According to the airline, there was an additional relief pilot on board who took over control of the plane after the initial pilot died. 247 people were on board. There are no reports of any injuries. es:Murió un piloto de Continental Airlines en pleno vuelo Piloto da Continental Airlines morre em pleno voo

Article 1: Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Brazil on April 25, 2007. The votes for the 2007 election in Denmark have been counted. Of the 179 Folketing seats, 2 represent Greenland and 2 represent Faroe Islands as part of the Danish commonwealth. The results are as follow: Party Votes (national total) Seats Percent A. Socialdemokraterne 881,530 45 (-2) 25.5 % F. Socialistisk Folkeparti 451,065 23 (+12) 13.0 % B. Det Radikale Venstre 177,148 9 (-8) 5.1 % Ø. Enhedslisten 74,781 4 (-2) 2.2 % K. Kristendemokraterne 30,004 0 (+0) 0.9 % V. Venstre 908,831 46 (-6) 26.3 % O. Dansk Folkeparti 479,281 25 (+1) 13.8 % C. Det Konservative Folkeparti 359,394 18 (+0) 10.4 % Y. Ny Alliance 97,064 5 (new) 2.8 % The minority incumbent coaltion of Venstre and Konservative secured just enough votes to score a majority with the support of Dansk Folkeparti and stay on as the government. Speculation about the results centered on whether the government would have had to curry the favor of new-comer, Ny Alliance who won 5 seats, to stay in power. es:Rasmussen se reconfirma como Primer Ministro danés it:Elezioni in Danimarca: Rasmussen si riconferma premier pl:Dania: w przedterminowych wyborach parlamentarnych zwyciężyła koalicja liberalno-konserwatywna Rasmussen é reeleito na Dinamarca Article 2: The Newtown Graffiti A 17-year-old boy has died and a 16-year-old boy is in a serious condition in hospital after a fight broke out at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, Australia, on Monday at around 8 p.m. Sydney time (10:00 ). According to New South Wales Ambulance Inspector Mark Whittaker, the 17-year-old, who worked at the event, went into cardiac arrest after being stabbed in the chest in front of his parents. Paramedics performed CPR on the teenager before loading him into an ambulance. He died while being transported to . The 16-year-old suffered stab wounds to his leg and is undergoing treatment. A 15-year-old boy was arrested at the show and was taken to Auburn Police Station for playing a small role in the stabbing, according to police. He appeared in a juvenile court and was granted bail on charges of affray, carrying a knife in public and being armed with intent. Strike force detectives are still trying to track down others involved in the stabbing. They believe the stabbing was not a random attack, and instead was a planned confrontation between two groups. The carnival's adult section was closed to allow forensics teams to inspect the area. The show's manager Murray Wilton denied claims that event security failed. He said it was impossible to check the bags of all attendees, and they had decided to carry out random bag checks instead. Event organisers have promised full refunds will be offered for people who no longer wish to attend the show. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison gave his condolences and said: "All our kids will be going to the Royal Easter Show. My kids will be going to the Royal Easter show. We want them to be safe. This is a very distressing event. The violence that is there, that has no place. It has no place in this country. It has no place at an event where people are coming to enjoy themselves." Superintendent Danielle Emerton of the has reassured people the show is still safe and asked for the public's help to find others involved in the stabbing. She said: "We know that there were thousands of people at the show last night and we know that there's a lot of vision that is out there," urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

Article 1: Ashley Todd, a campaign volunteer for John McCain, who on Wednesday reported that she was attacked by an Obama supporter while using an ATM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, admitted on Friday that she had made up the story. Todd had described her attacker as a tall, "dark-skinned African-American," who pressed a knife against her neck while she was using an ATM. She claimed that after she gave him $60, he noticed a McCain sticker on her car and proceeded to beat her before pinning her down and scratching a backwards "B" for "Barack" into her cheek with the knife. He then fled the scene, she said, though later she could not recall to which direction he fled. He wanted to teach her a lesson, she said, and make her a Barack Obama supporter. "It’s not like her cheek was carved out," a police spokeswoman said of the mutilation, referring to it as a "scratch" or "scrape." Todd did not seek medical attention, instead leaving for a friend's apartment and calling police almost an hour after the time she said she had been attacked. The Pittsburgh Police Department administered a polygraph test on Todd after spotting several inconsistencies in her story and finding that bank and video records showed she had not used the ATM machine. Police Commander Larry Ross said Todd's story began to change with subsequent interviews. "She added other things to it that we didn’t have at first, that she didn’t tell the initial officer," he said. Todd had added that the alleged attacker had "fondled" her in a follow-up interview, and later changed her story to say that she had been unconscious during the attack. Police say that Todd has suffered "mental problems" in the past. They do not believe anyone made her pull this hoax. The story received widespread attention across the internet and mass media outlets, and was featured in a massive headline on conservative news aggregation website Drudge Report. The McCain campaign said McCain and Palin had both spoken to her over the phone, offering their condolences. Obama later condemned the attack and called for the attacker to be brought to justice. Article 2: Texas yesterday executed murder convict Arturo Diaz hours after the US Supreme Court turned down a final appeal. It marked the state's first use of lethal injection. "Let's go warden. I'm ready" were his last words. He and co-defendant Joe Cordova were found guilty of the 1999 murder of Michael Ryan Nichols, stabbed 94 times over a $50 debt. Witnesses and forensic evidence linked them to the crime. At trial a psychologist told the court Diaz had low IQ, childlike communications skills, and head injuries from fights and a car crash that were liable to "impair his ability to control and regulate his judgment and perceive reality". Lawyers for Diaz yesterday told the Supreme Court his defense had failed to ask relatives to tell the trial about Diaz's childhood, during which he had tendencies, and was therefore deficient. Lawyers also told the Supreme Court Diaz's original appeal attorneys were also ineffectual, and that a possible had not been properly explained to him. The court rejected an argument that prior rulings meant Diaz and others with allegedly defective legal representation should have their cases reexamined. Diaz and Nichols were at a party the night before when the victim borrowed $100 from a girl there; he only repaid half. Diaz and Cordova headed to the McAllen apartment where Nichols and a co-worker were staying. Both were tied up with bedsheets and shoelaces and stabbed; the co-worker survived by feigning death. The offenders stole $50 and fled. Structural formula of pentobarbital, the drug texas switched to for lethal injections this month. In addition to the surviving co-worker, who escaped the next morning after passing out overnight, another witness told the trial of helping the accused dispose of bloody clothing. A beer bottle found at the scene had Diaz's on it. Diaz was put on death row; Cordova received a life sentence. His death marks the thirteenth Texas execution this year with four more planned. Texas is among several US states with difficulties sourcing drugs for lethal injections. Texas previously used Hospira ceased manufacturing it. Used as an assisted suicide drug, pentobarbital is also hard to source with Danish manufacturer opposed to its product being used to execute. State authorities refused to identify the supplier of the pentobarbital used yesterday, which replaces stocks of execution drugs that expired last month. * * *

Article 1: Hugo Chávez and Lula walk to the official photo shoot of the 17th Ibero-American Summit (Valter Campanato / ABr). In statements to the press on November 14, the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, defended the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, and minimized the incident between him and the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I during the 17th in Chile. According to Brazil Agency, Lula said after meeting with the president of the Guiné-Bissau: "There is little difference in opinion between King Juan Carlos and Chavez. There are many other differences between heads of State. Divergence is part of a democratic meeting." The Brazilian President stressed that "Venezuela is a democratic country" and compared it with the United Kingdom: "You can criticize Chavez for anything but lack of democracy in Venezuela. In Venezuela, there were three referendums, three elections, four ... Why did nobody lament when Margaret Thatcher remained in power for so many years? It's continuity, there is nothing different. Only the system is slightly different, the system of presidential regime to . But what matters is not the system, but the exercise of power." de:Lula sagt, dass es in Venezuela „nicht an Demokratie fehlt“ es:Lula dice que en Venezuela "no falta democracia" it:Lula: «Al Venezuela non manca la democrazia» pl:Lula da Silva: Wenezuelska demokracja nie jest zagrożona Lula diz que na Venezuela "não falta democracia" Article 2: Military intervention with Bolsonaro in power on December 30, 2022. Supporters of far-right former president National Congress of Brazil|Congress and the Supreme Court and surrounded the presidential palace in Brazil's capital Brasília today, a week after the inauguration of leftist opponent Lula da Silva. Police have now retaken the buildings and detained hundreds of those in the mob. In a scene that recalled the 2021 storming of the US Capitol, a mob, donned in Brazil's national colours green and yellow, marched from the army headquarters to the Three Powers Plaza that connects the government buildings. Footage from national television and social media show an estimated three thousand protesters smashed windows, climbed on roofs and broke through barriers, while police used tear gas but failed. Once inside, they smashed furniture, committed acts of vandalism and erected barricades to stop security from entering. Neither house of Congress are in session and da Silva (Lula) is in São Paulo state, however some staffers were at the presidential palace and are awaiting aerial evacuation, according to . Justice Minister pt|Portuguese language|Essa absurda tentativa de impor a vontade pela força não vai prevalecer. O Governo do Distrito Federal afirma que haverá reforços.|This absurd attempt to impose their will by force will not prevail. The government of the and confirmed he was at the ministry's headquarters. Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco separately confirmed he was in 'permanent contact' with Governor of the Federal District pt|Portuguese language|está concentrando os esforços de todo o aparato policial no sentido de controlar a situação.|is concentrating the efforts of the entire police apparatus in order to control the situation. World leaders have offered condemnation and sympathy for Lula: Spain's Gabriel Boric denounced a "cowardly and vile attack on democracy" and Colombia's said: "Fascism decides to conduct a coup." Lula defeated army captain Bolsonaro in a fraught October 30 election that many protesters dispute, believing results to be unreliable. One, named Lima, told Agence France-Presse: "We need to re-establish order after this fraudulent election." Previously, Bolsonaro had made unfounded allegations against the electronic voting system and stopped short of conceding defeat. On the eve of Lula's inauguration January 1, Bolsonaro left the country; a staunch ally of Donald Trump, he is currently in Florida. His supporters previously camped outside military barracks to incite support for a military coup. On December 13, protesters set busses and cars alight as they tried to storm a failed to storm the police headquarters. The Associated Press has suggested today because Congress and the Supreme Court would have less security on a Sunday. On January 6, 2021, supporters of Donald Trump attacked the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. to block congressional certification of Joe Biden's victory in the past year's presidential election. In August, Thomas Shannon, the US ambassador to Brazil under Barack Obama, told The Guardian: "Bolsonaro and his team have looked very closely at what happened on January 6 trying to understand why it was that a sitting president failed in his effort to overturn election results".

Article 1: Hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets of cities across Egypt to protest against a possible fifth term of President Hosni Mubarak. Activists are campaigning to prevent Mubarak from gaining another term after 24 years in power. They are also calling for his son Gamal not to stand in elections in September and also that reforms are made to the country's constitution. Hundreds of Kifaya ("Enough") protesters were met by thousands of riot police in Cairo and were prevented from reaching the parliament buildings. Protests in Alexandria were called off after security forces sealed off all routes in to the area of the planned protest. People later said that the police allowed a pro-Mubarak rally shortly afterwards. The security chief of Cairo has stated that the police will no longer tolerate such protests. He is quoted by BBC News as saying "If we are getting to the stage of getting used to violating the rules, then the principle is that legal regulations must be implemented." Street demonstrations have been illegal since laws were enacted after the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat. One leader of Kifaya was reported as saying the large deployment of security personnel had turned Cairo into "a military zone". * Article 2: At least twelve bodies have been recovered from the rubble of an apartment building in Alexandria, Egypt. Ten people were hospitalized after the four-storey structure, which was illegal, collapsed in at around 1:00 a.m. Tuesday. No survivors have been pulled out since an eleven year old girl was rescued this morning. Search and rescue operations hare scheduled to end tonight. The 53-year-old building was illegally modified in 1997 with the addition of two extra floors by owner Majdi al-Ishaqi. Two years ago, a court ordered the extra floors to be demolished but this never happened. Another subsequent order for renovations was also ignored. Structural alterations were demanded but never made. "It was not in keeping with housing regulations. This is the third building to collapse in the district. The municipality cannot be exonerated," said Saleh Subhi of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood. "The building was already ready to collapse." Two neighbouring apartment blocks were also evacuated, one suffering a partial roof collapse. One survivor, Samih Nazmi, said he and his parents escaped their ground floor dwelling relatively unscathed as the ground floor remained largely intact. He also described a sound akin to that of an exploding gas canister as the building came down.

Article 1: The following is the third edition of a monthly series chronicling the 2020 United States presidential election. It features original material compiled throughout the previous month after an overview of the month's biggest stories. This month's spotlight on the campaign trail includes interviews with the vice presidential nominees of the , the Bread and Roses Party, and the Unity Party of America. Kanye West speaks at a campaign rally in Charleston. In a July 9 speech in Pennsylvania, Biden introduced an economic plan called "Build Back Better" designed to reinvigorate the US economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. "Build Back Better" is, like Trump's "America First" plan, a form of 2020 Republican National Convention|Republican National Convention planned for Jacksonville. Instead, like the Democratic National Convention Republicans opted to hold their convention in a largely virtual format. The Libertarian Party held the second half of its convention partially in-person in Orlando. Although the party had already nominated the ticket of professor Spike Cohen for vice president at the virtual convention in May, party business still needed to be completed. At the same time, the Green Party held its national convention virtually and nominated the ticket of party co-founder and union leader Angela Nicole Walker|Angela Walker for vice president.   Nancy Pelosi speaking at the funeral of John Lewis 02.jpg|thumb|left|Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks at the funeral of John Lewis. In mid-July, Trump commuted the prison sentence of confidante Roger Stone. Stone had been found guilty of several crimes including false statements to investigators as part of Special Counsel investigation (2017–2019)|investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election. Trump called Stone's 40 month sentence "unjust." The Biden campaign criticized the commutation as an abuse of power, pointing to the "ballot box" as the only way to stop Trump. Several days later, Trump's niece Mary Trump released the tell-all book SAT for him before his admission to the Pam Shriver, said her husband had told her Trump had not met Shapiro until being admitted to Wharton. The July 17 death of Democratic Congressman Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth as potential candidates. Trump did not attend Lewis's viewing or funeral. Three former presidents including Barack Obama attended the funeral. During his eulogy, Obama took a veiled shot at Trump for his attacks on mail-in voting, which critics, like Obama, have said amounted to voter suppression. As the funeral progressed, Trump tweeted about possibly delaying the 2020 election due to his concerns about potential fraud from widespread mail-in balloting instituted due to the pandemic. Biden attacked Trump for the tweet, claiming he used it to distract from Lewis's funeral. In honor of Lewis, Biden said once in office he would immediately sign the renewal of the Voting Rights Act, renamed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act. On the day of the funeral, the co-chair of Black Voices for Trump and 2012 presidential candidate, Herman Cain, who, like Trump, ran for president on his business credentials, died from COVID-19. He had attended Trump's Tulsa rally in June without a mask and first received hospital treatment for COVID-19 on July 1. Trump lauded Cain as a "powerful voice of freedom." As July came to a close, Biden’s lead over Trump in the RealClearPolitics average slightly decreased, with Biden registering 49.9 percent to 42.1 percent for Trump. The party was founded in 2011 as the Christian Democratic Party. It changed to its current name ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The party is based on Roman Catholic social teachings, advocating for , environmentalism, and "a consistent life ethic" including opposition to abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment. It has grown ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Last September the party nominated Carroll for president over past Wikinews interviewee Indian immigrants, is a high school teacher in the Chicago suburbs. He converted to Catholicism in 1993 and engaged with the Article 2: Burlington Union Station on September 7, 2013. The US train operator

Article 1: A report released by the US House White House had "used the political affairs office to orchestrate an aggressive strategy to use taxpayer-funded trips to help elect Republican candidates" during the 2006 Congressional elections. The actions of the White House may have breached the Article 2: The following is the third edition of a monthly series chronicling the 2020 United States presidential election. It features original material compiled throughout the previous month after an overview of the month's biggest stories. This month's spotlight on the campaign trail includes interviews with the vice presidential nominees of the , the Bread and Roses Party, and the Unity Party of America. Kanye West speaks at a campaign rally in Charleston. In a July 9 speech in Pennsylvania, Biden introduced an economic plan called "Build Back Better" designed to reinvigorate the US economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. "Build Back Better" is, like Trump's "America First" plan, a form of 2020 Republican National Convention|Republican National Convention planned for Jacksonville. Instead, like the Democratic National Convention Republicans opted to hold their convention in a largely virtual format. The Libertarian Party held the second half of its convention partially in-person in Orlando. Although the party had already nominated the ticket of professor Spike Cohen for vice president at the virtual convention in May, party business still needed to be completed. At the same time, the Green Party held its national convention virtually and nominated the ticket of party co-founder and union leader Angela Nicole Walker|Angela Walker for vice president.   Nancy Pelosi speaking at the funeral of John Lewis 02.jpg|thumb|left|Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks at the funeral of John Lewis. In mid-July, Trump commuted the prison sentence of confidante Roger Stone. Stone had been found guilty of several crimes including false statements to investigators as part of Special Counsel investigation (2017–2019)|investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election. Trump called Stone's 40 month sentence "unjust." The Biden campaign criticized the commutation as an abuse of power, pointing to the "ballot box" as the only way to stop Trump. Several days later, Trump's niece Mary Trump released the tell-all book SAT for him before his admission to the Pam Shriver, said her husband had told her Trump had not met Shapiro until being admitted to Wharton. The July 17 death of Democratic Congressman Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth as potential candidates. Trump did not attend Lewis's viewing or funeral. Three former presidents including Barack Obama attended the funeral. During his eulogy, Obama took a veiled shot at Trump for his attacks on mail-in voting, which critics, like Obama, have said amounted to voter suppression. As the funeral progressed, Trump tweeted about possibly delaying the 2020 election due to his concerns about potential fraud from widespread mail-in balloting instituted due to the pandemic. Biden attacked Trump for the tweet, claiming he used it to distract from Lewis's funeral. In honor of Lewis, Biden said once in office he would immediately sign the renewal of the Voting Rights Act, renamed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act. On the day of the funeral, the co-chair of Black Voices for Trump and 2012 presidential candidate, Herman Cain, who, like Trump, ran for president on his business credentials, died from COVID-19. He had attended Trump's Tulsa rally in June without a mask and first received hospital treatment for COVID-19 on July 1. Trump lauded Cain as a "powerful voice of freedom." As July came to a close, Biden’s lead over Trump in the RealClearPolitics average slightly decreased, with Biden registering 49.9 percent to 42.1 percent for Trump. The party was founded in 2011 as the Christian Democratic Party. It changed to its current name ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The party is based on Roman Catholic social teachings, advocating for , environmentalism, and "a consistent life ethic" including opposition to abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment. It has grown ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Last September the party nominated Carroll for president over past Wikinews interviewee Indian immigrants, is a high school teacher in the Chicago suburbs. He converted to Catholicism in 1993 and engaged with the

Article 1: A report released by Allan Gyngell of the Lowy Institute on Monday, revealed many Australians view US Islamic fundamentalism. It also found that 58 percent of the population had a positive view of the United States. The Lowy Institute, established in 2003 with a $30 million endowment from Australian philanthropist , claims it is "an independent, non-partisan think tank." The report, entitled "Australians speak 2005: public opinion and foreign policy", showed that global warming and nuclear proliferation were greater foreign policy concerns than terrorism and illegal immigration. 70 per cent of Australians were worried about global warming, the report stated, while only 63 per cent were worried about international terrorism. The report also noted most Australians believed improving the global environment should be Australia's number one foreign policy goal. Mark Wakeham of Greenpeace said, "Clearly Australians understand the warnings from scientists about greenhouse pollution far better than our governments do. Once again, the community is leading and governments will be pulled into line." He continued by saying, "Scientists tell us that, to avoid dangerous warming of more than two degrees, we have to cut our greenhouse pollution by at least 60 per cent by 2050. This means moving rapidly and decisively away from dirty coal to clean, renewable sources of energy like solar, wind and energy efficiency." The Lowy Institute surveyed 1000 randomly selected people to interview for the report. * * * * Article 2: Former champion Gisela Dulko beat her, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Dulko faces 10th-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel, 6-3, 6-2. . Second-seeds Serena Williams of the United States have advanced to the third round of the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships in London. Williams took advantage of her big serve and powerful ground strokes Wednesday as she dominated Australia's Jarmila Groth, 6-2, 6-1. Federer eliminated Spain's , 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Federer is trying to pass American as the sport's most successful major tournament winner by capturing his 15th Grand Slam title. Eighth-seeded Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania by the so-called "double-bagel" score of 6-0, 6-0. In men's play, fourth-seeded Simon Greul, 7-5, 6-1, 6-4. His next opponent will be number-28 American Janko Tipsarevic (6-4, 3-6, 6-1 ,6-4).

Article 1: Federal marshals seize killer beds on behalf of the FDA On behalf of the FDA, U.S. Federal marshals have begun seizing beds which have killed at least seven patients out of about 30 who had become trapped by the products. Three versions of the bed were found to be "dangerous to health" by the FDA, with the specific danger of, "placing patients at an increased risk of entrapment and asphyxiation." The model numbers of the faulty beds include the Vail 500, 1000, and 2000 Enclosed Bed Systems. The beds are made by Toledo, Ohio-based Vail Products, Inc. In a government press release, the FDA pointed out that Vail had failed to heed two previous warnings issued by the agency, asking the company to comply with regulations regarding proper labeling and usage directions. The FDA also said that Vail had failed to supply required documentation to the agency to comply with the Medical Device Reporting and Reports of Corrections and Removals regulations. At the time this story was filed, the Vail web site made no mention of today's FDA announcement. Toledo's WTOL News 11 reported that, "Company officials say their beds aren't dangerous if used properly." The Vail corporate web site claims that the beds allow, "the patient to move about freely within a safe, padded environment" and "control wandering." The FDA is the U.S. agency responsible for regulating food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. * * * Article 2: Wellington. The (RBNZ) raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 0.75% during its last policy meeting of the year yesterday, after the rate of consumer price inflation was recorded at 4.9% in the third quarter, the highest since December 2007. The hike to the national (OCR) was widely expected by economists and the markets alike: 21 of the 23 economists surveyed in a November 15-19 Reuters poll predicted an increase of 25 basis points, while the other two projected an increase by 50 basis points, to 1%. New Zealand's handling of COVID-19 included injecting "huge amounts of fiscal and monetary stimulus" into the economy, according to The Guardian, in line with other major economies, which has pushed the unemployment rate to the lowest and inflation to its highest in over a decade. Stimulus spending and low interest rates, along with a shortage in housing led home prices to double in the last seven years, the least affordable of the OECD nations, according to Reuters. A statement from the Reserve Bank said the "near-term rise in inflation accentuated by higher oil prices, rising transport costs and the impact of supply shortfalls" are risking "generating more generalised price rises", as reported by ABC News. The RBNZ forecasts rates would rise to 2.5% by 2023, and still higher by 2024, according to Reuters; however, medians from a Friday article predicted the OCR would reach only 2% by year-end 2023, below what it was in 2014. More recent projections include to 2% by mid-2022 according to economist at Ben Udy, to a high of 3% by Q3 2023 according to acting chief economist at Westpac Michael Gordon, including a 0.5% rate hike during the RBNZ's next meeting in February, as reported by The Guardian. Yesterday's announcement came after a widely-expected rate hike from 0.25% to 0.5% on October 6, the first in seven years, as part of the RBNZ's tightening cycle initially slated to begin August but pushed back due to the Delta variant of COVID-19 and lockdown in the largest city Auckland. Senior market strategist at the Jason Wong told Reuters then: "We're on a path towards a series of rate hikes and the market is well priced for that." RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr told reporters yesterday "we see steady steps of 25 basis points back to levels where the OCR is marginally above the neutral rate as the most balanced approach we can take", though Reuters reports the bank had considered a range of options, including a 50 basis point hike. Orr added on housing, "Homeowners who have just entered the market with extremely high leverage levels have to be incredibly wary and have to understand they have to weather the higher interest rates", after earlier taxes levied on property investors failed to cool rising house prices, which Reuters reports the RBNZ believes are above their sustainable level, and at increased chance for a correction. He also defended the stimulus but noted the growth in household debt ensuing. Federal Reserve. While countries globally are winding down pandemic-related stimulus measures, according to Reuters, there has been pushback from some countries when it comes to raising interest rates: in the United States, the inflation rate recently rose to 6.2%, the highest in 31 years, which has led some economists to put pressure on Jerome Powell to accelerate the process of tapering its monthly bond purchases, according to the Associated Press. The Bank of England and European Central Bank (ECB) also both withstood criticism for a forecasted rise in inflationary pressures, according to The Guardian and Reuters. ECB President told the European Parliament on November 15 "an undue tightening of financing conditions is not desirable, and would represent an unwarranted headwind for the recovery", adding "if we were to take any tightening measures now, it could cause far more harm than it would do any good", as reported by Reuters. Australia's Philip Lowe told an Australian Businesses Economists lunch last week "the latest data and forecasts do not warrant an increase in the cash rate in 2022", and for one to be considered by the board "the economy and inflation would have to turn out very differently from our central scenario", according to ABC News. However, several central banks have increased rates ahead of even New Zealand: Reuters names Norway, the Czech Republic and South Korea, which is expected to raise rates again in a meeting today. Reuters reports the fell 0.6% due to some investors predicting a higher hike, and both 2- and 10-year government bonds slipped by 10 basis points each.

Article 1: Evangelist Kent Hovind and his wife, Jo, was found guilty on all counts of tax fraud concerning merchandise and amusement park admission sales. The trial began at United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida on Tuesday October 18, 2006, and prosecutors rested their case against Hovind on November 1. Defense lawyers rested their case on the same day without presenting evidence or calling witnesses; Hovind claims that he runs a church, and thus should not have to pay taxes, while prosecutors claimed that he was actually running a business. Hovind faces a maximum of 288 years in prison while his wife faces up to 225 years. The charges against his wife are "aiding and abetting her husband with 44 counts of evading bank-reporting requirements." Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Heldmyer said Dinosaur Adventure Land, a theme park, "grew and grew and grew," grossing as much as $2 million a year. Whereas Hovind was paid in cash for his speeches, and then got cash for mechandise he sold at his lectures, Jo "was handling the money." This includes, as the Pensacola News Journal noted, "on Dec. 20, 1999, she cashed a check from the Creation Science Evangelism account for $7,500 at 1:15 p.m. She returned at 2:50 p.m. to cash another check from the same account for $7,500." Also "On the day the IRS searched the Hovind home, Kent Hovind withdrew $70,000 from the Creation Science Evangelism account. Half in a check; the other in cash." Hovind's defense had insisted that experts assured him he was right, but "he sought out only the people who agreed with him, not the people who knew better," Heldmyer said. Mark O'Brien of the Pensacola News Journal wrote, "The saddest thing: Had they cooperated with the agents, they probably wouldn't be worrying about prison sentences now." The couple will be sentenced on January 9, 2007 and Hovind is expected to remain in custody until then. Heldmyer said Kent Hovind was a flight risk and a "danger to the community." Article 2: Two students and a school employee have been injured following a shooting at Rigby Middle School in Idaho, United States, on Thursday, with a sixth grader in custody. According to Jefferson County sheriff Steve Anderson, the sixth grader — who attends the middle school and lives in — pulled out a handgun from her backpack, firing the gun both in and outside the school, with a teacher managing to disarm the student. Police were called to the school at about 9:15AM local time, and the suspect was taken in the custody of the local sheriff's office. The trauma medical director at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Dr. Michael Lemon, has stated the three injured people had non-life threatening injuries to the extremities. The school employee has been treated and released from medical care. A warrant has been issued against an Idaho Falls residence in relation to the shooting. School was cancelled in the district for Friday. The local school superintendent, Chad Martin, told "this is the worst nightmare a school district could ever face", and "our hearts and our prayers go out to the victims and their families and all those involved". A student at the school — 12-year-old Yandel Rodriguez — told the Associated Press "me and my classmate were just in class with our teacher — we were doing work — and then all of a sudden, here was a loud noise and then there were two more loud noises. Then there was screaming".

Article 1: Prime Minister of Grenada, A Grenadian cabinet Minister has resigned after he boycotted his own swearing-in ceremony. Tillman Thomas, the yesterday. Church boycotted the ceremony after he was demoted from Minister of Labour, Social Security and Ecclesiastical Affairs. He was then given the post of Junior Minister in the Ministry of Works, Physical Development and Public Utilities. Church was demoted after he made a visit to Italy with a former trade advisor without the government's consent. He then boycotted the ceremony along with two other ministers. Peter David and Glynnis Roberts also had their posts changed in the cabinet reshuffle. They have since accepted their new posts. Prime Minister Tillman issued a statement on Church's decision to leave the cabinet. He said "It is always a traumatic experience for a government to lose one of its members, especially at a time when all hands are needed in the rebuilding of our nation." Article 2: London, England — Yesterday Wikinews had the opportunity to tour the 2012 Summer Paralympics|Paralympic Village in London. It is one of a network of workshops at every Paralympic venue. They are run by Ottobock, which has been repairing wheelchairs at the Paralympics since 1988. The workshop opened on August 22 and will remain until September 10. The Ottobock employees include people from 20 countries. Between them, they speak 23 languages. They liken themselves to the motor sport — except that they have no idea what sort of equipment they will have to work with. The store room contains 15,000 spare parts, with everything from spare running blades to spare tyres — over 2,000 of them. They stock Ottobock parts and their competitors' too, as they have no idea what will arrive at the workshop next. Athletes from around the world bring in all manner of equipment. The prosthetic technicians have to deal with everything from flat tyres to broken spokes to full-scale rebuilds. They have to be expert problem solvers. They frequently collaborate on determining how best to effect a repair. The objective is to get the wheelchair repaired and back in service as soon as possible. Wheelchairs vary somewhat in design, depending on the sport. Those for wheelchair rugby|rugby have cambered wheels so they can spin around. titanium parts are used for strength. Ottobock has a welding workshop where frames are repaired; the teams' equipment managers understandably cannot bring such heavy equipment with them to the games, so they rely on the workshops. When a repair job is required, it is often required in a hurry. At the Turkey vs United States game, a chair was repaired during the match. In addition to wheelchairs, the workshops handle all manner of work with prostheses. Carbon fibre running blades are adjusted. Broken feet and legs are a challenge. The Chinese team brought in its power chairs to have the electronics adjusted. In that sport, having the controls working perfectly is all-important. There are 4,200 athletes at the Paralympic games. So far, the workshops have carried out 1,100 repairs.

Article 1: An overturned tanker exploded in , South Sudan yesterday, killing dozens. Motorcycles and a truck on a dirt road in South Sudan. The country has few paved roads. The death toll is unclear. At least 85 died according to presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny, citing "local authorities". Charles Kisagna of the local government said at least 100 died. County commissioner Wilson Thomas Yanga in remarks to the BBC put the toll at a minimum of 176. The Red Cross said it had sent two burn kits to local rescuers in Radio Tamazuj spoke to a doctor who reported reserves of painkillers, oxygen, and other consumables were being exhausted. Some casualties may have fled the scene. Reportedly, after the driver walked away from the crash to seek assistance, local residents began stealing petrol. South Sudan has few paved roads. Mass casualty fuel explosions are common in poor regions of East Africa. * * Article 2: On Tuesday, in UEFA Euro 2016, Poland defeated Ukraine 1–0, Germany defeated Northern Ireland 1–0, Czech Republic lost 0–2 to Turkey and Croatia defeated Spain 2–1. Poland, Germany, Spain, and Croatia have all qualified for the Last 16 knockout phase. File photo of Mario Gomez In the second half, Spain won a penalty, but Spanish captain Danijel Subašić. In the 87th minute, scored the winning goal for Croatia, and they qualified for the Last 16 stage by finishing first in the Group D table. Croatia were undefeated in the group stage. Spain, second in Group D, also qualified for the knockout phase. * * * * * * * * __NOTOC__

Article 1: Yesterday, the draw for the Last 16 for the 2017–18 Nyon, UTC). The draw took place in two pots, one consisting of the respective group winners, and the second of the runners-up. Winners of the Last 16 play in the quarter-finals. UEFA Champions League is the competitive league of Europe in which football clubs topping their respective leagues play for the trophy. 32 clubs across the continent played in eight groups, and the winner and runner-up of each group qualified for the Last 16 knockout round. 'Draw result' Group runners-up Group winners Juventus (ITA) (ENG) (SUI) Manchester City (ENG) (POR) Liverpool FC (ENG) (ESP) Manchester United (ENG) Real Madrid (ESP) Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) AS Roma (ITA) Chelsea FC (ENG) FC Barcelona (ESP) Bayern Munich (GER) Beşiktaş JK (TUR) Defending champions Tottenham Hotspur, are to face Paris Saint-Germain. English capital football club Tottenham are to play last season's finalists and Italian giants Juventus. Juve has finished runners-up in two out of last three Champions League finals — against in 2014–15 and against Madrid last season. Spanish English champions Article 2: United States radio personality, television host, and philanthropist College Station, Texas|College Station, Texas after being hospitalized since lung disease. He was 79. Don Imus publicity photo Imus' syndicated radio show Time's 25 most influential Americans, and was inducted into the

Article 1: Location of Uttar Pradesh within India. Five bombs went off nearly simutaneously in three Indian cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Court houses in Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad were rocked. The attack on the justice system killed 13 people and injured another 61. "These are all soft targets. Weapons and explosives are no more a challenge for these groupings," said Ajai Sahni, an executive director of the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management. "Uttar Pradesh has long been a target because it's a poorly administered state and a poor state." Police in New Delhi have increased security at bus stands, airports, shopping areas and railway stations. According to CNN IBN, the government will pay Rs.200,000 to the families of those killed. Those who were injured will receive Rp.50,000. In Lucknow, an unexploded device with a timer was found. All the other bombs went off at around 1:30 p.m. IST (UTC+5:30). "It's too early to say who are behind the blasts, but it is very clear that the blasts were pre-planned," according to Shriprakash Jaiswal, a junior home minister. "The investigating agencies have got down to the job." es:Cinco bombas en tres ciudades de India dejan 13 muertos it:India: cinque bombe esplodono nell'Uttar Pradesh, 12 morti Article 2: Parts of the Indian state of Gujarat have been under curfew since Tuesday. At least seven are reported dead, with over 100 buses and dozens of police stations burned, after protests over job quotas turned violent in several major cities including Surat, and . The violence is thought to have started after a brief attempt by police to arrest protest leader Hardik Patel, 22 or 21. There have been weeks of protests by members of the caste, with the most recent involving an estimated half a million people. Ahmedabad, the largest city in the state, has seen the closure of public transport, internet access, schools, and businesses. Ahmedabad is being patrolled by 400 military personnel. The national government has deployed several thousand paramilitary personnel to assist the state government. The Patel caste, who form up to a fifth of the state population, are generally seen as being affluent businesspeople. However, they want their community to be given the status of Reservation in India|reserved jobs. They feel they are under-represented in higher education and are suffering in a regional economic downturn. Amongst those calling for an end to the violence was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said "each and every issue can be resolved through talks" during a televised broadcast. He was elected last year and was previously the 2002 Gujarat riots|sectarian violence in 2002 which resulted in about a thousand deaths.

Article 1: Bill Gates, founder of the software giant Microsoft, has been made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his business skills and work on poverty reduction. He received the title on Wednesday, March 2, at a private meeting with Queen Elizabeth. Now at age 49, Bill Gates is the world's wealthiest man, according to Forbes Magazine. Bill Gates rose to fame in the early nineties as the CEO of Microsoft, the maker of Microsoft Windows 95, the world's best selling computer operating system at the time. Though Mr. Gates has now been knighted, he cannot use the term Sir since he is not a citizen of the United Kingdom. He can instead place the letters KBE after his name. If he chooses to become a subject of the Queen in the future, he can have his title upgraded to Sir. pl:Bill Gates otrzymał tytuł szlachecki Rainha Elizabeth torna Bill Gates cavaleiro Article 2: Sergio Mattarella on December 30, 2021. The incumbent President of Italy was re-elected for a second seven-year term yesterday in the eighth round of voting for a potential successor. Aged 80, Mattarella repeatedly expressed his desire to leave the position, including renting an apartment in Rome in anticipation of a move from the presidential Mario Draghi, urged him to stay on for the "stability" of the Republic. His first term was set to expire on February 3. Parliamentarians who went to Quirinale to ask him to remain quoted Mattarella as saying "I had other plans, but if needed, I am at your disposition". Seven rounds of fruitless voting to determine a successor involved an electoral college of 1009 "grand electors". They comprise 321 Senators, 630 Members of the Chamber of Deputies (MPs) and 58 regional delegates. Sergio Mattarella (left) and Mario Draghi (right) on February 3, 2021. Reuters characterised the Parliament's failure to rally around a compromise candidate as leaving "deep scars, with potentially dangerous repercussions for political stability" in the Draghi-led party coalition. Reuters added there was "loud and prolonged applause" in the Chamber of Deputies when Mattarella did break the two-thirds majority needed to secure re-election. He won with a total of 759 votes. Party leaders' statements issued yesterday were generally in favour of Mattarella staying in power. Lega per Salvini Premier, said "Italians don't deserve more days of confusion". He confirmed "President Mattarella at the Quirinale and Draghi at the government". Draghi was himself a candidate who was "tipped for the job" according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). He said after the election it was "splendid news for Italians" and he was "grateful to the President for his decision to go along with the extremely strong will of Parliament". Salvini, who Enrico Letta, who heads the centre-left Democratic Party and Minister of Health Article One (political party)|Article One. Former Prime Minister, president of centre-right party Forza Italia and presidential candidate Silvio Berlusconi also endorsed Mattarella, around whom he said "unity today can only be found". However, the decision was sharply criticised by Brothers of Italy. Meloni said in a statement "Parliament has shown it is not fit for Italians". Accusing allies of "bartering away" the role of the presidency, she called for the bloc to be "re-founded". Meloni tweeted last evening "I would be surprised if #Mattarella agreed to be re-elected after having repeatedly rejected this hypothesis." She instead favoured Draghi to take the office. This course would leave the Prime Minister's seat vacant and potentially invoke early elections. Sergio Mattarella (left) and Giuseppe Conte (right) on August 20, 2019. Five Star Movement told reporters "Mattarella is the guarantor of everybody, impartial, authoritative". Conte resigned as Prime Minister in 2021 over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Though mostly ceremonial, the President is charged with appointing the Prime Minister and dissolving Parliament, which the BBC says means the office "takes on great power during times of political crisis". This comes in the context of intense fragmentation in Italian politics that means governments typically survive about a year. Mattarella was praised for his role in ending the brief European debt crisis, was tasked to remedy the worst economic disaster Italy has faced in decades. Wolfango Piccoli of advisory firm Next Italian general election|next general election." BBC Rome correspondent Antonio Tajani said in a BBC interview. Mattarella as MP for Sicily in 1994. Mattarella, seen as a traditional but quiet and unassuming President according to Reuters, was first elected in 2015. He had previously served as Minister of Public Education, Minister of Defence, Deputy Prime Minister and judge of the Constitutional Court. He additionally served as MP for two decades. His father helped found the Christian Democracy party, while his brother served as President of Sicily before being assassinated in 1980. Other candidates for the post indicated by the AFP last week included former Prime Ministers Paolo Gentiloni and former Chamber of Deputies President Italian Minister of Justice|Ministers of Justice Paola Severino and Senate President .

Article 1: Whiteshark-TGoss1.jpg|thumb|left|Based on Ransom's injuries, it is thought that he was attacked by a Terry Goss A nineteen-year-old California teenager, Lucas Ransom, was killed on Friday when he was attacked by a Santa Barbara Police Department|Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department stated that they believed the shark was between 14 and 20 feet (4.3 and 6.1 meters) long. The pair had been in the water for about 45 minutes when a shark appeared and pulled Ransom under the waves, Garcia added. There was no warning. The shark appeared to be about 18 to 20 feet long. Ransom looked at his friend a couple of feet away and said "Help me, dude," before getting lost in the waves, Garcia said. Ransom's parents confirmed that the shark tore his leg from his pelvis and Garcia attempted to revive Ransom with chest compressions, but he died from loss of blood. Witnesses told officials that the teenagers were about 100 yards (90 meters) from the shore when the shark attacked. Firefighters from the pronounced Ransom dead at the scene. "He was a great guy and great friend," Garcia said. Officials immediately closed local beaches after the attacks and they will remain closed for at least three days. Wildlife officials are still trying to determine what type of shark was involved, but based on the boy's injuries it is thought to have been a seal. Shark attacks are extremely rare on the west coast of the United States. * * * Article 2: Crocus City Hall after the attack. Armed gunmen killed more than 133 people and injured more than 145, including children, at a music concert at Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, Russia on Friday evening. (ISIS-K or IS-KP) released a statement claiming its members were responsible for "killing and wounding hundreds and causing great destruction to the place" on their Telegram channel. Some of the attackers threw explosives, which caused a large fire in the complex. The fire grew out of control, trapping people inside and ultimately lead to the collapse of the roof. Russian news media reported that at its largest, the fire was estimated to be 139,000 square feet (12,900 square meters). The National Guard of Russia deployed units to assist in the search for the terrorists. reported eleven people were detained and four of those were suspected of participating directly in the attack. On Saturday, Russian President stated in a public address: "All the perpetrators and organisers behind this crime will, inevitably, face a just punishment. Regardless of who they are, and who was directing them, we will identify and punish everyone who was behind this terrorist attack." A national day of mourning was declared on Sunday.

Article 1: The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled more products over the last few days, though not all because of excessive lead. While American toy companies have been rocked in the last few months by numerous unsafe Chinese-made products, mostly due to excessive amounts of lead in paint, a few of the latest recalls were actually due to design flaws. Also recently recalled are sunglasses and toy cars from the Dollar General chain of price-point retailers. ; Curious George Plush Dolls : About 175,000 units have been made by Marvel Toys of New York, New York. The reason for the recall is "Surface paint on the toy’s plastic face and construction hat contain excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard." They were sold at toy and discount department stores nationwide from December 2005 through August 2007 for about $15. Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Marvel Toys to receive a full refund. For additional information, contact Marvel Toys at (800) 352-2064 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.regcen.com/curiousgeorge ; Dizzy Ducks Music Box : About 1,300 units have been made by Schylling Associates of Rowley, Massachusetts. The reason for the recall is "Surface paints on the wooden base of the music box contain excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard." People with the product are to contact Schylling to receive a refund or free replacement toy. Their hotline—(800) 767-8697—is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. There have been no reported injuries as result of this product. ; Dragster and Funny Car toy : About 7,500 units have been made by International Sourcing Ltd (ISL), of Springfield, Missouri. The reason for the recall is "Surface paint on the wheels and engine of the toys contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard." The product was sold at National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) events through Schumacher Racing, and by Matco Tools through door to door sales by its representatives from March 2007 through September 2007. Consumers should immediately take the toy away from children, and return it to International Sourcing Ltd. for a full refund or replacement product. For additional information, contact International Sourcing Ltd at (877) 404-1584 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.islpromotions.com ; Duck Family Collectable Wind-Up Toy : About 3,500 have been made by Schylling Associates of Rowley, Massachusetts. The reason for the recall is "Surface paints on the ducks contain excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard." People with the product are to contact Schylling to receive a refund or free replacement toy. Their hotline—(800) 767-8697—is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. There have been no reported injuries as result of this product. ; "Robot 2000" collectable tin robot : About 2,600 have been made by Schylling Associates of Rowley, Massachusetts. The reason for the recall is "Surface paints on the robot contain excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard." People with the product are to contact Schylling to receive a refund or free replacement toy. Their hotline—(800) 767-8697—is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. There have been no reported injuries as result of this product. ; "Skippy" Pool Toys : About 31,000 have been made by Swimways Corp., of Virginia Beach, Virginia. The reason for the recall is "The elastic tongue of the fish can break and forcefully come out and cut the users' hands during launching of the toy." Swimways has received 24 reports of the pool toy breaking during use. There were five reports of injuries to children including one requiring stitches to a child’s hand. Another child’s thumb nail was ripped back from the nail bed. Products were sold at mass merchandisers and independent pool supply stores nationwide from February 2007 through September 2007 for about $10. Consumers should take the toy away from children immediately and contact Swimways for a free replacement toy. For additional information, contact Swimways toll-free at (888) 559-4653 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.swimways.com ; Winnie-the-Pooh Spinning Top : About 3,600 have been made by Schylling Associates of Rowley, Massachusetts. The reason for the recall is "Surface paint on the wooden handle of the top contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard." People with the product are to contact Schylling to receive a refund or free replacement toy. Their hotline—(800) 767-8697—is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. The products feature the classic Pooh illustrations, not the Disney characters. There have been no reported injuries as result of this product. This follows a previous recall of circus, Thomas and Friends, and Curious George brand tops back in August, by the same company. Article 2: Andy Williams in 2006. Singer Branson, Missouri|Branson, Missouri. Williams recorded eighteen gold- and three platinum-certified albums. He owned the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri. Williams had a variety show on television called from 1962 to 1967 and 1969 to 1971. Williams also hosted Christmas specials. His songs included Can't Take My Eyes off You, and Christmas song . 40th Ronald Reagan said Williams' voice was "a national treasure". Williams was born Howard Andrew Williams on December 3, 1927 in Wall Lake, Iowa. His older brothers Robert, Donald, and Richard and he formed the Claudine Longet in 1961 and they divorced in 1975. In 1991, he married Debbie Haas. * * * *

Article 1: Dr. Jerald Block is a psychiatrist based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Dr. Block has attracted some media attention due to one theory of his - the idea that Internet addiction can be viewed as a distinct mental condition. In an interview with Wikinews, Dr. Block discusses this theory, including what needs to be done about it, and the alleged violent response that can arise from an addict's withdrawal. Below is the full exclusive interview. :I have been working in this area since 1993. Earlier, really. I was initially trained as an Industrial Engineer before becoming a MD. I remember reading and writing about the impact of technology on people for an ergonomics class in college, way back in 1985. Even then, I found the topic fascinating. 'Do you have any ideas for how Internet addiction could be treated?' :Harshly vs. gently. The hardball approach is to punish for excessive use and restrict/limit access. Perhaps send the individual to a computer-free outdoor camp for several weeks. Some practitioners do this and think highly of the method. My concern with it is (1) it generates tremendous anger; (2) there is a high relapse rate, since the restriction is to something enormously common in society, enjoyable, and the limits are imposed rather than self-endorsed; (3) what behavior will take the place of the computer? Is it any better? :The gentle approach is to talk about the issue, come to some agreement about whether it truly is a problem, and then try to negotiate some sort of mutually-agreed on treatment plan. This method also has its difficulties: it is time consuming, expensive, and does not guarantee the target behavior, the computer use, will ever be adequately addressed (at least from society's viewpoint). :Finally, both these methods can be helped along with the conservative use of meds, all of which would be "off-label" and targeted at OCD/Depressive sxs. 'Activities such as gaming and viewing pornography predate the Internet, as does the potential to be addicted to them. What is different about it when it is online?' :Well, with regards to porn, there are the three As -- Anonymous, Affordable, and Accessible. One has the illusion of anonymity so, when looking at porn or researching one's own paraphilia, individuals may no longer feel the shame that they might have in the past. And, the porn is cheap and readily available. :With gaming, I'd modify the list somewhat but it remains mostly true. I'd also add that games (and porn, sometimes) provide an effective outlet for aggression that is (1) time consuming, (2) socially acceptable, (3) entertaining, (4) empowering, and (5) engaging. In moderation, the preoccupation can prevent people from acting on angry impulses. However, over time, it may exacerbate such issues and make things worse. 'What do you want to see governments do in response?' :The government can help by channeling interest into the topic and more research through the CDC, NIH, and special investigative bodies. At present, the game and porn industry has no stake in seeing research conducted and it is not clear who does. As a result, there is little money budgeted to exploring the issue using the standard methods we use in science. Then, ironically, it is claimed that there are no "good" studies...well, of course not -- there is no money to pay for them. :Actually, though, there have been some good studies...if you understand their limitations. For example, Nick Yee's work is interesting but his sampling methods are clearly non-random. We also have several consulting firms, like Nielsen or NPD. They have done some huge RANDOM studies which they issue news releases on. However, research which documents things like some recent ones from NPD...that some 4- 5 million people play 45+ hours per week in the USA and buy around two new titles each week... are sold for thousands of dollars and inaccessible via libraries. They are written for the game industry to clarify their sales strategy and target consumers, not for the medical community, and almost entirely unavailable to clinicians. :I do not believe the government should get into mandating content, censorship, or any of that. It is a waste of time, money, and resources. I do think, however, that the government should phase in a requirement that games or the computer's OS come with the ability to limit access to porn or games, as the computer's owner directs. People should be able to ask the system to budget or cut themselves off of games or porn, as they wish. The limits could be around time and/or content and would be reversible, with time, effort, or money. 'What advice would you give to someone who is addicted to the Internet, assuming treatment is unavailable?' :Advice... I do not have generic advice -- it really is case specific. Obviously, the patient needs to figure out how serious they are about wanting to "cut back" and then what, specifically, is stopping them. With excessive porn use, often I prescribe SSRIs or related medications. We need to develop clear protocols to treat computer-related pathology. 'Why do you think there is a lack of major studies or official policy on Internet addiction?' :Major studies cost lots of money. In the USA, any study needs to pay for the IRB, the researcher's time, the technology, the statistical analysis, the fixed costs, etc.. In addition, this is complicated in the USA since there are few funding sources with a clear mandate to research this topic. Those that do exist are often intertwined with ethical or political agendas which pull investigators away from conducting unbiased research. Finally, I think what research dollars are available have been distracted by a secondary issue: the concept that violent media creates violent people. This may (or may not) be true but, at best, the effect size seems to be small and costs in addressing it are huge. It seems to me that a more immediate and dangerous issue is that of compulsive computer use. :That being said, in Asia, pathological computer use is recognized as a BIG problem and several governments have funded research. Thus, some of the best studies have come out from there. 'If someone was addicted, they likely would remain housebound and online, making detection difficult. How would you suggest identifying people in need of treatment could be located?' :People who need treatment usually know it long before others. They berate themselves for staying awake until 5 AM playing Spore or some such thing and, at 5:05 AM, they very well KNOW that they have a problem. The key is to make accessible to them some sort of self-selected limit that they could activate AT THAT TIME -- at 5 am -- to restrict themselves in the future. :Outside of that I am interested in seeing if we can detect any increase, societally, in pulmonary emboli or deep vein thromboses. Being sedentary all day/night can cause either of these life-threatening issues. Also, I am interested in complaints of "delayed sleep cycle" to pulmonologists in sleep clinics. Finally, I am interested in episodes of violence that occur after computer limits are set, such as I have written about with the school shootings at Columbine. Article 2: In findings published on Monday in University of Vienna|University of Vienna and Venus of Willendorf came from northern Italy, hundreds of miles from its origin, on the other side of the . The Venus of Willendorf, all sides. The 30 thousand-year-old sculpture is one of the oldest examples of human art. It stands about tall. Like many prehistoric statuettes, it shows a female figure with a large stomach and breasts. However, while most of these other examples were carved from ivory or bone, the Venus is made of a stone called limestone. Scientists believe it was carved by people of the flint tools. Scientists named it after Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Scientists compared rock samples from as west as France and as east as Ukraine to microscopic views of the Venus. Because oolite is a Jurassic period, though the stone itself would have been harvested and carved much later. Unlike previous examinations of the Venus, which evaluated only the exterior of the work, scientists used computed tomography to look inside the statue without damaging it. The scan showed the Venus had little resemblance with oolites near Willendorf, but that it was almost identical to those from Alps and the 350 away. A less possible site of origin is in Ukraine, over east of where the statue was found in 1908, in , Austria. Lead author Gerhard Weber speculated the stone may have moved during a migration: "When the climate or the prey situation changed, people moved on, preferably along rivers," he said. The scientists say these findings have implications for the way prehistoric humans in and around the Alps traveled from place to place. The study was funded by the state of .

Article 1: citizen journalism to be "spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night". British journalist blogger|bloggers by suggesting they are "inadequate, pimpled and single." Marr, who was formerly the BBC's political editor, also said that Cheltenham Literary Festival, saying: "A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed young men sitting in their mother's basements and ranting. They are very angry people." Marr, who now hosts a flagship Sunday morning show, Prime Minister of Great Britain|British Prime Minister David Cameron and ousted BP executive , added: "OK – the country is full of very angry people. Many of us are angry people at times. Some of us are angry and drunk". His comments sparked outrage from bloggers, one of whom dismissed them as "stupid generalisations." Another said that they were "sure that Andrew Marr did not mean all bloggers, but it is unfortunate that he did not seem to make much of a distinction in his statement." Another blogger, writing on Twitter, said they supported Marr's arguments. "Just read Andrew Marr's comments on blogging," they said. "I blog and I agree with most of what he says. I don't read blogs for news, doubt I ever will." Other journalists also criticised the comments. Channel 4 News, said that it is "true that flicking through the comment section of some political blogs can easily make you think the blogosphere is populated by obnoxious trolls. But there are plenty of thoughtful, insightful people writing online too: you just need to find them. They might not be household names, or worthy of a slot on Radio 4, but to dismiss them out of hand seems wrong. As for bloggers being 'inadequate, pimpled and single,' that's no way to talk about . He isn't single." "We know our viewers want commentary and analysis alongside their news and our blogs help us give more of that," Murthy said. "Obviously we can't give opinion in the way bloggers who aren't also public service broadcasters can, but we enjoy reading other people's opinions and the best blogs are much more than rants, often breaking stories, too. And anyway, I like reading the occasional rant. But as a blogger if you offer up something to the wider world you should expect people to say what they think of it." City University London, and former editor of the , said: "Aside from the paradox of him indulging in a rant to complain about other ranters, it is the one-sidedness of his argument that is so striking. None of us who write blogs are unaware of vituperative contributions from people who like to remain anonymous ... It's the price we bloggers pay –a small price, in my view– for a communications system that allows for public participation." Greenslade added that he thought Marr "seems to be damning the whole blogosphere when, as we all know, there are thousand upon thousand of bloggers who are making valuable public interest contributions on the net day by day, even hour by hour. Marr, to use an archaic but apposite idiom, simply can't see the wood for the trees." Article 2: A court in Moroccan girl Safia S. to six years in prison on Thursday for an attempted murder. Safia stabbed a 34-year-old police officer in February last year using a vegetable knife in a train station in

Article 1: David ShankboneTwo prominent South Carolina supporters of Barack Obama pressured the state Democratic council to keep Stephen Colbert off the primary ballot. The Council voted 13-3 last week against Colbert's placement on the ballot. According to an anonymous member of the council who felt pressured, one of those people was State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum, who admitted she had made the calls. "I think lobbying was too strong a word," she said in an interview with CNN. "I called them to see what they were thinking, and if they had made up their mind. I am a volunteer in that campaign, and so I am not a staffer. And I thought it could have taken votes away from a lot of people." Another Obama supporter, state Representative Bakari Sellers, also admitted to making the calls. "I placed the calls as a concerned Democrat, realizing that we are a country in despair," Sellers told CNN. "It is not a time for games or to make a mockery of the process." Yesterday Colbert officially withdrew from the race. “I am shocked and saddened by the South Carolina Democratic Executive Council’s 13-to-3 vote to keep me off their presidential primary ballot,” he said in the statement. “Although I lost by the slimmest margin in presidential election history — only 10 votes — I have chosen not to put the country through another agonizing Supreme Court battle. It is time for this nation to heal.” According to Tenenbaum, the reason she did not want Colbert on the ballot was financial and not political. For every name the Democrats put on the ballot in South Carolina, they have to pay US$20,000 to the state election commission. The Obama campaign denied any connection to the phone calls. In related news, at a book signing at Borders Book Store in New York City last night, a protester posing as a member of the press disrupted the event, demanding Colbert make statements about 7 World Trade Center. Despite preliminary findings by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology that fire caused them, some conspiracy theorists believe the dramatic building collapses on September 11, including that of building seven, were the result of controlled demolition. NIST has "found no evidence of a blast or controlled demolition event", though in its final report on building 7, they would "like to determine the magnitude of hypothetical blast scenarios that could have led to the structural failure of one or more critical elements." "What about World Trade Center Number 7, Stephen?" shouted the protester. "What are you going to say about that? Why don't you give us a witty remark and make a joke about it? Keep smirking, Stephen!" The protester was removed by the book store's security. Article 2: On Tuesday, Democratic Party (US)|Democratic and Republican primaries, where voters could vote for the candidate of their choice and presidential candidates can earn delegates so they can move on to the Donald Trump obtained 51 of the 57 Republican delegates, while on the Democratic side, obtained at least 42 of the state's 83 pledged Democratic delegates; the Democratic party also has unpledged superdelegates who are free to vote as they choose. Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, now needs only 200 more delegates for the Republican nomination. On the Democratic side, despite Sanders's win, still has 92% of the delegates she needs for the Democratic nomination. Sanders said, "the Clinton campaign thinks this campaign is over. They're wrong." John Kasich also suspended his campaign. This makes Donald Trump the presumptive Republican nominee. Additionally, some conservative groups who oppose Donald Trump are reportedly considering having a candidate run against him in the general election. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders celebrated his Indiana win. "The world has changed... More and more people are independents and I think it makes no sense for the Democrats to say to those people, ‘You can’t help us.’ For Democrats to do well in a national election, they’re going to need a lot of independents and I would not think it’s a good idea to push those people away," Sanders said, complementing Indiana's open primaries. However, in order to secure the nomination, Bernie Sanders would need 66% of the Democratic Party's remaining pledged delegates.

Article 1: A LET 410, similar to the crashed aircraft, pictured from file in 2000. Two planes carrying parachutists collided this morning in western Slovakia, near the Czech Republic. Of around 40 on board, seven are confirmed dead. The crash site near Let L-410 Turbolet|LET L-410s. An eyewitness told he saw people leaping from one aircraft as it went down. The parachutists were practising over the Slavnica this weekend. Health Minister Robert Kaliňák visited the site. The aircraft collided at around 8:30a.m. at a height of around 5,000ft (1,500m). Photos of the scene show scattered wreckage, some of it aflame. * * * Article 2: On Saturday, England defeated two-time world champion Germany by 1–0 in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup|2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, which was held in Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada, and won the bronze medal. Germany had a greater possession of the ball against England in the match. Three English players were yellow carded in the match with 30 fouls committed. Nobody scored in either half of the match. Karen Bardsley, and of the English team were booked in the 77th, 83rd, and 90+2nd minutes respectively. As the scores were 0–0 at the end of 90 minutes of game play, the match proceeded in extra time. In the 108th minute, England won a penalty kick. Karen Bardsley denied the Germans to claim the bronze medal. ----

Article 1: Late on Sunday, the Kurdish-led 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria|military offensive into north-eastern Syria on Wednesday. According to Syrian state media, government forces began deploying into previously SDF controlled territory yesterday. Also on Sunday, the United States announced a complete withdrawal from the region, beyond the withdrawal from the "immediate area" first announced seven days earlier on October 6. In a statement, the SDF said, "An agreement has been reached with the Syrian government — whose duty it is to protect the country's borders and preserve Syrian sovereignty — for the Syrian Army to enter and deploy along the Syrian-Turkish border to help the SDF stop the Turkish aggression". The Tell Tamer and yesterday according to state media. The SDF said hundreds of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) fighters escaped following Turkish airstrikes from a camp at Ain Issa. On October 6, US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on the phone. Then both nations issued statements speaking of an imminent incursion into northeast Syria, and the US statement spoke of Turkey assuming the duty of guarding captured ISIS militants. On Wednesday, Turkey began a military offensive with airstrikes followed by a ground invasion. Erdoğan said the invasion was "to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area." He named it "Operation Peace Spring" and named both the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and (YPG) as terrorists. PKK is a banned militant organization in Turkey; YPG is the main fighting force of the SDF, largely Kurdish and, according to Turkey, supportive of the PKK. The operation was condemned by members of the European Union. Erdoğan cited anchor=Article 5|Article 5 of the NATO treaty and said, "They need to stand by us", while addressing the press yesterday. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg wrote, "I count on Turkey to act with restraint & ensure that the gains we have made in the fight against ISIS are not jeopardised." Article 2: Daniels and Avenatti in 2018 Yesterday, former lawyer mail and wire fraud|wire fraud and dollars from

Article 1: Explosion injures 11 in BeirutA large explosion rocked an industrial area in the largely Christian area of Bawshriyeh, east of the Lebanese capital of Beirut. The blast occurred at approximately 21:30 local time on Saturday. It is believed that five people have been wounded, two have died, and that three buildings were set ablaze. An unnamed Lebanese security source stated that a car rigged with explosives was the cause of the explosion. No group has of yet claimed responsibility. This is the third blast to have targeted Lebanese Christians in a little over a week, and the anti-Syrian opposition representatives were quick to blame Syrian-backed elements. Opposition leader Walid Jumblatt told Lebanese television channel LBC, "They will use all means to try to destroy national accord. It is true that today they are targeting Christian areas but before that they targeted Hariri." Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in February after a car-bomb attacked his convoy. Hariri had been a vocal critic of the Syrian presence in Lebanon. The attack intensified internal and international pressure on Damascus for a withdrawal of Syrian forces. There had been around 14,000 Syrian troops stationed in Lebanon. Article 2: In a mayoral election held Tuesday in Buffalo, New York, United States, votes tallied as "write-ins" led the race over Democratic Party challenger 59 percent to 41 percent, with all precincts' votes reported. The city's four-term incumbent mayor, , did not secure the nomination in its earlier Democratic primary election to be placed on the general election ballot, but led an extensive write-in candidate campaign against his fellow Democrat. Walton's name was the only one printed on the ballots in the general election for the mayoral race. On Wednesday, the democratic socialist Walton conceded the race to Brown. In a statement posted to Twitter, Walton wrote, "However, while we anticipate that the margins will narrow, it seems unlikely that we will end up with enough votes to inaugurate a Walton administration in January", adding, "This was a special campaign. Our volunteer operation was unprecedented in Buffalo political history. We raised over one million dollars from thousands upon thousands of small dollar donors." Brown's campaign distributed thousands of stamps for his supporters to apply his name to their ballots. After the election, Brown rebuked Walton's post-election statement. He said to CNN on Thursday, "I think it clearly is a rebuke of , it is a rebuke of socialism, and I think there were those from outside the city of Buffalo that underestimated the Buffalo community. They tried to come in and tell us who to vote for, and the people fought back, and we won". Ballot counting is expected to be a slow process while the local elections board for Erie County tallies the votes from the handwritten names on the ballots. Under state law, officials have 25 days to tabulate and release a certified vote count. The Erie County 's office said it was investigating alleged tampering by poll inspectors, who may have produced pre-stamped ballots. A statement read, "Our office was contacted by the Board of Elections to investigate an allegation that poll workers may have misused a stamp at one polling location yesterday. We cannot comment further while the matter remains under investigation." According to Erie County elections commissioners Ralph Mohr and Jeremy Zellner, the inspectors suspected of tampering were removed and replaced at the polling place.

Article 1: On Sunday, Filipino-US chess grandmaster Tata Steel Chess Tournament, held in Magnus Carlsen with 8.0 points. Nepomniachtchi castles offering a pawn sacrifice. Wesley So won five games and drew the remaining eight. A player gets a point for each win, half a point for a draw and no points for a loss. He is currently on a 56 lossless game streak. In the final round, Wesley So was paired against Russian grandmaster Castling|castled offering a pawn sacrifice which was accepted. Despite being ahead in material his opponent threatened to capture his queen. However, he was able to defend using his extra central pawn and prevent counter-play forcing the Russian to resign|anchor=Resigning. He won last year's Sinquefield Cup and and coming second in the Leuven Grand Chess Tour. Magnus Carlsen won four, tied eight and lost a game against Russian Article 2: Portrait of Dr Naomi Martisius. Last month, a study conducted by archæologist Dr. Naomi Martisius and other researchers concluded Neanderthals living in Europe tens of thousands of years ago were more sophisticated than previously thought. The now-extinct species used to carefully select bones from a particular animal species to manufacture their bone tools, the research showed. The research was published on May 8 in Nature's journal. Bone tools used by Neanderthals. Dr Martisius and her team used five bone tools discovered from Neanderthals' sites in southwest France for this research. Four of these bone tools were found in a site called Combe-Capelle|anchor=Haut de Combe-Capelle ou abri Peyrony|Abri Peyrony and the other one was from Grottes du Pech-de-l'Azé|Pech-de-l’Azé I. These tools were just a few centimetres in size and were about 50 thousand years old, Dr Martisius told Wikinews. Microscopy analysis of these bone tools called lissoirs (smoothers) suggested Neanderthals used these tools for working animal skin to leathers. The study stated the fauna of the sites were primarily medium-sized ungulates such as reindeer, in one layer nearly 90%. Despite the overabundance of medium-sized ungulates, Neanderthals used ribs of large foreign=suppress|ZooMS). Video description of how ZooMS analysis is conducted. Instead of damaging the bone artefacts in order to discover its origins, the researchers collected peptides by using a chemical enzyme called . Example of a MALDI-ToF spectra. After the trypsin has broken collagen fibres into peptides, it is analysed using a technology called Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) Time-of-Flight mass spectrometer (ToF MS). The assisting matrix is a coloured compound. The acidic peptide is combined with the matrix, vapourised, and peptides are released. Some of them are positively-charged particles which travel across a vacuum tube in an electric field. Depending on the weight of the peptides, these molecules reach the end of the vacuum tube at different instances of time, forming a spectrum. These graphs are like unique fingerprints of a species: they are different for different species of animals. Looking at the database of such graphs, taxonomic identifications of the collagen proteins came be made. Watch the entire interview with Dr Naomi Martisius. All four bone tools from Abri Peyrony gave positive results and showed that the bones were made from large bovids, even though reindeer were more abundant during that time. One of the advantages of using bovid ribs over reindeer's thin ribs was the bovid ribs would be more resistant to breaking during flexion, Dr Martisius said. Dr Martisius said such non-destructive ZooMS analysis was previously conducted, but for tools no older than a few centuries. She said such an analysis had never been previously conducted for artefacts so ancient. Wikinews caught up with Dr Martisius to discuss this research in-depth. A skull of a European Neanderthal 'What prompted your interest in archæology?' Okay. Well, I guess that goes back all the way to my childhood; it's sort of a lifelong thing for me. My father was very interested in history. So I think that sort of inspired me to study ancient humans, I guess. But specifically archæology: I really had no idea what archæology is. And I think that the general public also doesn't really have an idea of what archæology is. And so, it wasn't until I got into school, started studying it, that I figured out what archæology was. You know, it's so much more than history, or studying to interpret history, right? History is more so, about what is written down, what the prominent people in society wrote down, right? And archæology is about figuring out what normal everyday people did. So, I think it's — I think it's really cool what we can learn doing archæology. 'What was the initial purpose of this study?' So. The initial purpose, really, was just to find out what animals the bone — I was studying bone tools for my , and, there's all sorts of different things one can learn, studying bone tools. But, to specifically figure out what animals these bones came from would be a little more difficult studying bone tools because bone tools are transformed, either through manufacturing or through use, or both depending on which bone tools they are. But these were small little fragments, really really hard to identify based on morphological characteristics alone. So we wanted to apply this method ZooMS to look at the — well, to study the collagen in the bone, to then assess what animals these bones came from. The bone tools used for this study came from locations in Southwest France 'Could you briefly explain the study and its findings?' I don't know how brief I can be, but, I'll try to be brief. laughs Like I mentioned in the previous question, I was studying these bone tools; they're specifically bone tools that Neandertals made and used; and we just had five of these. They came from two different sites in the southwest of France. One artefact came from this one site called Grottes du Pech-de-l'Azé|Pech-de-l’Azé I, and then four came from another site Combe-Capelle|anchor=Haut de Combe-Capelle ou abri Peyrony|Abri Peyrony; and these bone tools were found actually across three different archæoological layers; there are two different archæoological layers at Abri Peyrony. Marcus Sümnick So, these five bone tools are all pretty similar. They all looked very similar, they had a similar size, similar shape; they all came from some sort of animal rib, we can tell that by doing a morphological analysis — but we wanted to use Zooarchæology by Mass Spectrometry to try to assess what animal species the bones came from. I mentioned the one, from this other site Pech-de-l’Azé: we didn't get any results from that one artefact; but then the four from Abri Peyrony, they all came back with positive results, all actually having the same ID, either coming from aurochs; so, some sort of large . The layers from where bone tools were obtained were dominated by the skeletal remains of reindeers. And then, there's so much more involved in the study too; those are the main results. But then we compared the results from the ZooMS analysis to the zooarchæoological analysis from all of the remains at the site. And what was really cool was that in one of the archæoological layers, where three of these bone tools came from, the layer was dominated by , having ninety per cent reindeer remains in the site. The fauna distribution of identified specimen at the Abri Peyrony site; as mentioned in the research paper. Just thinking about that — we did a whole too, but — just thinking about that: 90 per cent reindeer, and then three of these bone tools come from this large bovid, really really seems like Neandertals specifically chose to use the large bovid's ribs as their tool of choice; and then like I say we also did a statistical analysis that supported that as well, that Neandertals were selecting these large bovid ribs. Naomi Martisius with a bone tool. 'How did you get involved in this study?' So, that actually started back quite a while ago now, for me. It was before I even got into UC Davis, so that's where I've been for a while: University of California Davis. And as an I took a zooarchæology course from Teresa Steele, who would then turn out to be my centimetres or less 1 cm = about 0.39 in size. And then when I was doing that work I actually found one of these bone tools. And so then, one thing led to the next: I get to grad school, then I get to study these bone tools, and, well, now here we are. But, that was like, was it ten? I guess that was nine years ago when I first started working with Dr Teresa Steele. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.png|left|thumb|Leipzig, Germany, where a part of the research was conducted. 'How many institutes were involved in this research?' So, on the paper, I think it lists seven different institutes. But two of the institutions were the main institutions I would say. So University of California Davis, where I got my dissertation, where my advisor also is a professor. But then, the is where the — for the most part — where the ZooMS analysis was conducted; and then several researchers are also affiliated with the Max Planck Institute. And then there are some other institutions that some of the other researchers are affiliated with. But, I would say, the majority of work either happened at UC Davis or at the Max Planck Institute. Naomi Martisius (centre) excavating at the site of Abri Peyrony in the southwest France. 'What activities did this study involve?' What activities. So, the main activities I would say would be the ZooMS analysis; the zooarchæological analysis, or the study of the fauna; and then the statistical analyses. But in addition to those, I mean there's so many different things that are involved in a study like this, things that happened even before we started doing the study: just having to the site, and gather the artefacts, and wash them, and various things like that. But then also, you know, writing, and brainstorming, and emailing colleagues, and data organisation; there's all sorts of different things that go on. 'What was the timeline of this study?' Yeah. It's even hard for me to remember right now actually laughs. But I think when we first decided to do a study like this, it would have been back in 2017. And then from there, I think some of the first results were obtained at the end of 2017. — When I say results, I mean the first ZooMS results were obtained at the end of 2017. And that's when I started comparing the ZooMS results to the rest of the fauna at the site: which species of fauna were found at the site. Not all of the bone tools had ZooMS results right away. So that, trying to get more ZooMS results took several tries, several more months, and then I think by the end of 2018, we had a solid draft about ready to submit for publication. But then; well, this is getting into a whole lot of other things. But anyway, we had to then collect more data. We decided to generate more ZooMS data on just the fauna from the site, to compare the results: non-destructive results from the fauna, to the morphological identifications to see if those were corroborated. And so that was mostly done in 2019. And then at the end of 2019, we had... pretty much our final draft — or, near-final draft — of the paper ready to go before it was submitted for publication. So anyway, several years. 'What were the roles of other people involved in the study?' So: there were, um, three researchers on this study. The last three listed on the paper — Teresa Steele, Shannon McPherron, and Marie Soressi — they're all my dissertation advisors. I already mentioned Teresa Steele as my main dissertation adviser but the two other, also, were external advisors for me. And they helped a lot in constructing the design of the research. So that was a big role that they played there. Frido Welker: I think it says right at the top of the paper that he contributed equally to this research as I did. So Frido is the ZooMS expert on this paper: so I'm not. ... I'm the bone tool expert, and Frido Walker is the ZooMS expert. So he did the initial ZooMS analyses. And then he also got one of his grad students involved — Virginie Sinet-Mathiot — and she did some subsequent ZooMS analyses. And then they also had someone named Arndt Wilcke, I don't know if I'm pronouncing that right, he also helped with some of the ZooMS analyses. And then, Tamara; and I always say her last name wrong; Dogandžić, I think. She was one of the archæoologists at Abri Peyrony: so she helped with context — site context — where these bone tools came from, in the site. And then, William Rendu worked at the Pech-de-l’Azé I site. So he helped with context there, and the fauna there. And then, did I miss anyone? Oh! Mark Grote! He was a very important person on this paper. He was the . And so I worked closely with him doing the statistical analysis. I think I got everyone. 'Which activity took the most time and attention?' Which activity took the most time? And attention. Um. I mean this might not be the answer you were looking for, but probably just coordinating everyone's schedules. laughs And getting everyone on the same track. Yeah. I mean, actually when you go and do something: one thing doesn't necessarily take all that long. But then, it builds up to taking a lot of time altogether. 'What was the most difficult part of the study?' The most. Difficult. Part. Um. pause Well, I think it would probably have to do with validating our results. So since we conducted a non-destructive study, then that brings in the big issue: how do we know that our results are actually what we say they are. Since it's non-destructive, were we even testing something that came from the bone. So really really conducting a lot of separate analyses to make sure samples weren't contaminated and making sure that our results were actually coming from the bones: I think that was probably the most difficult part. 'How long did it take to conduct the research?' Well, like I said, we started back in 2017. So, with all the various aspects put together, it's probably two and a half years. But then, like I said in a previous question, there's a lot of things that happened even before we decided to do this study. So I don't know; it depends laughs exactly what you're asking. Cloven hooves of a deer. 'Were you anticipating this outcome?' Um. Yeah, that's a good question. Because — So these bone tools were found before I was even involved in this study, or, some of the bones were, right? I told you that I found one — actually found two — myself. But some of these other ones were found before I was even involved. And I think that the general consensus of the researchers at that time was that these probably came from medium-sized hoof|hooved animals. So like a Human evolution|time periods. And after looking at those, I had an that they were actually larger bovids — some sort of large bovids — but I couldn't prove it. Just, that's what I figured at that point. And so, it was just exciting to see that I predicted it correctly, even though I didn't say it anywhere in publication or anything but just in my mind — that's what I thought it was. Membrane box used for curating Abri Peyrony lissoir, AP-7839, for more than five years. 'What was the most fascinating aspect of this study?' So. For me it is, like, truly fascinating that we can test plastic that once touched a bone. And so there is this transfer of collagen from the bone to the plastic: and so we can get this result — get the collagen off of the plastic — so that's just like — when I first even heard about the idea, considered doing it, it just seemed fantastical to me. So, that was really cool. 'What were the challenges that the team faced during the research?' Actually I think I've mentioned this in one of those previous questions, but: I think the main challenge had to do with validating our results. And just proving that our results are what we say they are. Neanderthals used retouchers like these to modify their stone tools. 'How frequently did the Neanderthals used bones to manufacture tools?' So, in general, when Neandertals were living in Europe, and in the opportunistic bone tool: you just pick up a piece of bone and use it. But, the type of bone tool that was in this study — I don't even think I've said the name yet — , which means "smoother". Those were extremely uncommon; and so far they've only been found at a handful of sites. And I think there are some other bone tools that Neandertals used in later time periods, so the latest Neandertals before they go extinct. But I would say for the most part they don't seem to be using, or they didn't seem to be using bone tools very frequently. 'You mentioned the bones were obtained from two different sites. Geographically, how far were these sites located from each other?' They're about 35 kilometres almost 22 miles away in this nice little quaint region of the southwest of France, on different of a river the Dordogne in the southwest of France. Skull of a neanderthal child found at Pech-de- l'Azé. Skeleton of "The Man of Combe-Capelle". The skull of "The Man of Combe-Capelle". 'What do we know about the history of these sites and the bone tools?' So. Both these sites were actually excavated several times. The Pech-de-l’Azé site is actually a complex of sites; so this one is Pech-de-l’Azé I, and I believe they have II, III, IV, and V. I'm not sure if they all have archæology found at them. Yes, I'd have to go back and look at the literature about that. But I know the Pech-de-l’Azé complex of sites was excavated over a hundred years ago. And I know back in 1909, there was the remains of a Neandertal child found. So that's probably what that site is most famous for. And then, the other site Abri Peyrony is again, a site in a complex of sites. But the complex there is called the Combe-Capelle sites. I think it was originally published back in 1925; the first excavations would have happened a few years before that. And then it was re-excavated in the 90s, and then again in — around 2010. Maybe 2009–11, something like that. And that was the most recent excavation there. 'How old are the tools that you and your team studied?' So, these bone tools are about the same age at both sites: about 50 thousand years old. 'How did you obtain those specimens?' How did we obtain them. Well, so they were found either during excavation on-site, or they were found after excavation when all the artefacts were being cleaned. Once we excavate a site, we collect them all, we tag them all, and then they go with the rest of the collection. But because they were potential bone tools, they were kept aside, and then I just needed permission from the two PIs on these two different sites. And so, the two PIs were; I mentioned them earlier; Shannon McPherron — when I say PI: — Shannon McPherron is the PI on Abri Peyrony. And Marie Soressi is the PI for Pech-de-l’Azé I. 'You mentioned the result from one of the sites did not give any positive results. What could be the reason for that?' So, most of the time, it has to do with just collagen preservation. So that particular bone likely did not have enough collagen left in it to then test. I guess I can't say that with 100% confidence because we didn't destructively sample that one. Maybe we would have had result if we actually destructively sampled it. We just did the non-destructive method and we couldn't get results. So, chances are it did have less collagen than the other ones. 'What do we know about lissoirs? And do we know how neanderthals manufactured lissoirs?' So, lissoir: we can say that's the typological — type of tool. So it's a category of tool that Neandertals made and used. This particular category of tool was actually found in archæoological sites that are a little younger than these Neandertal sites. So it was known for a very long time in some of these other sites made by anchor=Adjective|distal working end that often exhibits polish. So these Neandertal-made ones, found at this Neandertal site, fits really well into this category with these other ones used by Homo sapiens in subsequent time periods. And we know that they were manufactured because if you use a striation|striations|anchor=Noun — parallel striations — at the tip of the tools, and along the edges of the tools that are consistent with scraping and grinding against a stone tool. So a stone tool would have been used to shape the end of it. 'How did you confirm the lissoir was used for working animal skin to leather?' So. There was a study back in 2013 that I was actually a co-author on, but I hadn't done any of the analyses on the bone tools yet at that point. There were other people doing the analyses on the bone tools at that point. And so, one of the co-authors on that paper, back in 2013, that was published in PNAS, did what they call a use-wear of microwear analysis on the Pech-de-l’Azé I piece. And so, she used a high-powered microscope and compared the of the bone tool to a microtopography of an experimental tool that was used on leather. And they looked very very similar. So in general, the changes that happen to the surface of the bone looked very very consistent with use on something soft and like leather. And then, since 2013, for my dissertation I have done a very similar study myself and would say for the most part the other tools look pretty similar. Yeah. That stuff isn't published yet. But hopefully, it will be published soon. 'Do we know how Neanderthals used the leather?' Um, no. And that would be really really difficult to get it. I imagine it was used as clothing. And probably even footwear. Maybe turned into shoes of some sort. This clothing and footwear would be pretty simple. We know they didn't have anything sophisticated, like needles for sewing anything tailored. But probably some sort of clothing, I would say. But the leather probably was used for other things as well, like you know: you could make a bag out of it. Or you could use it as shelter over a cave opening or something. Um, a blanket yeah, when they were sleeping. There's probably all sorts of different uses. 'Which technologies were used for the study?' So do you mean specifically to study the artefacts? Technologies on the artefacts? 'Yes.' For this study I would say no, it was just the ZooMS that was done on the artefacts. 'Could you briefly explain how ZooMS technology works?' Sure. ZooMS analyses the collagen from ancient bones. Collagen is an organic that degrades over time; so depending how well this collagen is preserved, in this archæological bone, you may or may not have enough collagen to study. But then, if you do have enough collagen — ZooMS can basically be used as a chemical fingerprint to identify a species that the bones came from. So the collagen gets broken down into DNA when you have certain genes there: the presence of a gene means something — in ZooMS the presence of a particular protein, or the combination of a couple different proteins, means it belongs to a certain animal. So, if you just have one protein present, you know, it might be kind of difficult to say what animal it came from; but the more you have, then you can be more confident in what animal, or type of animal it's coming from. Reindeer-skeleton-tasersuatsiaq.jpg|thumb|300px|Skeleton of a reindeer in Greenland. 'What were the advantages of using bones from bovine animals over reindeer's?' So, I think it mostly has to do with the size. These large bovids are definitely larger than reindeer. Reindeer actually have pretty thin and flimsy ribs. And large bovids like cattle, or bison, they have really really robust ribs. And so, they're thicker, they're stronger, and they're gonna be more resistant to breaking during . And probably the action of using this tool would cause it to bend under pressure. And so when you have this thicker rib, then there's less chance that it's gonna break during use. 'Apart from the strength, how do the rib bones of bovines differ from those of reindeers?' I guess they'd be a little longer as well. I mean it's a bigger animal so they're gonna be longer. The morphology is probably gonna be slightly different. I would say, in general, ungulates — I mentioned that term before: hoofed animals — they have pretty similar rib morphologies: flatter ribs. If you just had a piece of the rib on the side of the animal, then you might not be able to tell what it came from. But if you have a piece preserved, like the head of the rib, or near the of the rib, there will be some slight morphological differences, where you'd be able to tell what animal it came from. 'Did the Neanderthals use reindeer bones for some other purposes?' As far as we know, they weren't used for specific purposes. I mentioned the retouchers before: bones just used to sharpen a lithic edge. I'm sure there were lots and lots reindeer rib — not ribs — but reindeer leg bones used to resharpen stone tools. But those probably weren't selected for a specific purpose. That was just 'cause it was there to use. 'Does this imply Neanderthals were inclined towards using bones from one species or the other?' So, I think there would need to be more research to say something like that. But in my opinion, I don't think so. I think it has more to do with the size of the animal, in their environment, at that time, these large bovids were the larger animals on the landscape. So I think that's why they used those ribs, as opposed to the reindeer, or something else that was more abundant. Yeah. Lissoir (AP-4209) from Abri Peyrony. The top row displays the complete spectrum in the m/z range 1000 – 3500. The bottom row displays a close-up view of the m/z range around peptide marker P1 (1105 m/z) and A (1208 m/z for Bos sp./Bison sp.) 'How did you make sure this available data is not ?' Yeah. Okay. So I suppose it could be, an issue of preservation: the only ones that happen to be preserved were the larger bovid bones. I suppose that could be an issue. But we did look at all of the fauna from the site and specifically looked at all the ribs from the site as well. And there are plenty of rib fragments from reindeer, or from smaller species and those do not seem to be preserved any less frequently than the large bovid ribs. So I don't think that is an issue at the site. 'ZooMS usually involve drilling the artefacts. How did your team come to the idea that you would rather use the collagen stuck to the walls of the containers?' The inspiration for the analysis was really from another team that did it first. I was at a conference in 2017, and I saw that another team had done this. And I talked to my colleagues, and we decided that we would try this on our bone tools too. 'For how long were these bone tools exposed to the plastic containers?' It was various amounts of time depending, well, depending on a number of things, how long the artefacts had been found; what they had been curated in before — because not all of them were curated in something plastic beforehand, but most of the Abri Peyrony ones were sitting in a plastic box for about five years. One of them had been found more recently, and it was only in its plastic box for about two months. And then, we tested the Pech-de-l’Azé one after it had been in a plastic bag for about five months. Bone tools that were studied in the other research focusing on Iroquoian bone tools. 'Has this type of non-destructive ZooMS been used for studying bones and artefacts dating back millennia?' Not back millennia. I mentioned this other team, who did it first, and they did it non-destructively on Iroquoian bone tools: so that would be a couple hundred years old. But so far this particular type of non-destructive ZooMS hadn't been done on anything older. 'How did the team make sure the samples gathered from the walls of these containers were not contaminated?' So. As I mentioned before, validating our results and ruling out contamination: it was a big issue for us. And so we took lots and lots of different measures to do this. And in the paper, we mentioned seven different ways, how we did this. When you run the ZooMS samples, you always leave a sample blank. So, one where you don't have any collagen in it. If you get results at the end, and there is some sort of collagen, then you know your samples are all contaminated. But that one was blank, so that was good. We also tested the empty boxes — similar boxes that never held any archæoological specimens before — those came back empty of any collagen as well. Next, we tested the washing water that artefacts — when we excavate, they're covered in dirt, most of the time. So we always wash them to get this dirt off. And, especially for the teeny tiny bone fragments, those get washed together, because they're all in a bag together; they're really teeny tiny, less than two centimetres; small pieces. So those get washed together in the little water bath. And then we tested that water to see if any collagen was contaminating the water, or if there could be any chance of cross-contamination during this washing process. So then, the third way was — well, when we were doing the identifications, all the IDs came back as one animal. If it was contaminated you would have IDs that didn't make sense, you know? Like proteins popping up from, you know, not just these large bovids, but also reindeer, something else in there. Then, the next way was to look to see if there were any peptides from keratin. And there wasn't anything like that, so we ruled out any contamination from the skins that may have been worked by these tools. And then, two more ways that we did. Since we didn't want to destroy these objects, we couldn't confirm our results destructively. So we got a sample from the other fauna at the site. Most of those we had good morphological identifications on, identifications based on morphology; we can say, "yes this piece is a reindeer; we know that. 100% certainty." And we also did destructive ZooMS as well as non-destructive ZooMS, and — that didn't always work; sometimes we didn't get results at all; but when we did get positive results, for the most part it was all confirming each other. And then, the last way that we ruled out contamination was, we looked at the calculations of the collagen, and it showed that the collagen was degraded and therefore ancient. So, then we were able to rule out modern contaminants in there as well. 'Do we know which animals that Neanderthals used for making leather?' No. Not at all. We don't know that at all. 'Is it possible the bones which were from different locations gave different results because of the contamination? As you mentioned one of the sites didn't give any positive results. Could it be possible because it was contaminated?' No, if it was contaminated, then we would have some other results. We just, we didn't have any results. That wouldn't be related to contamination. 'How did you make sure that everything was pointing back to the same result, provided the number of specimens were not that much?' Mm. Yeah, so sample size is always gonna be an issue in archæology. It is. So anybody who's reading the paper is gonna have to take the results, I guess, with a grain of salt. Because when you start adding more and more samples, maybe the results will start to change. But just based on the samples that we have, they were all one thing and I mean, I think that's fairly good results for a small sample size. 'In your blog post about this research, you had mentioned Neanderthals "did not necessarily manufacture bones into specific objects". What could be the reason? And can you please explain that?' Yeah, so I think when I said that in the blog post, I was thinking about those retouchers that I mentioned earlier. So they are just the bones that you'd pick up and use to sharpen a stone tool. So those bones don't need to be shaped into any particular object. Those bones are just used the way they are to do a very particular task. And for the most part, Neandertals — they didn't really make many other bone tools. And that's what we find in the archæoological record: for most of the time Neandertals were alive, hardly any bone tools are found from their archæoological sites. And the reason for that — lots of people have different reasons for this. Some people say "oh it's because Neandertals couldn't make bone tools". But now we know with these lissoirs that they could — they did shape them into somehting to use them. Also, at very very few sites some of the latest Neandertals that ever lived did make some other bone tools. So they definitely were able to make bone tools. But why they didn't make them all the time: that's something harder to get at. Maybe they just didn't need them for their specific purposes. 'What does this tell us about their behaviour?' Wait; what specifically? 'The process that Neanderthals follow for making tools from bones — what does that tell us about the behaviour?' So do you specifically mean these ones? The lissoirs from this study? 'Nods.' Okay. Well, it tells me that they knew what they were doing. They had a clear idea about what type of bone in a certain type of animal would work for a certain purpose. So they obviously had a lot of forethought. And they really understood the raw material properties of the particular tools that they were using. 'In your career, you had previously worked on a study which stated Neanderthals used sophisticated tools made of bone before humans ever did. Could you tell us more about it?' Yeah, so I believe you're referring to the 2013 study from PNAS. These are the same bone tools. It's just, that paper described the discovery of these tools, and this current paper is describing one particular aspect: the raw material selection of these tools. I guess I just want to comment on that question a little bit. It's not just that they made these tools — they made them before humans were making them in Europe; because Neandertals were in Europe before humans migrated into Europe. So that was the main thing about that. 'So you used the same artefacts for that research as well?' Yes. The same artefacts. And then, I found an additional one during my dissertation studies. 'So what are the inferences of this study?' Well, I think I probably said it a couple times now: Neandertals were definitely selective in their raw material for making these bone tools; and this selection really shows that they had knowledge of the raw material properties of these ribs and knew what they wanted for their particular tasks. A suspected Neanderthals jewellery. 'Are we aware of some other bone tools used for some other purposes by Neanderthals?' Well I mentioned the retouchers before. Those are very very common at Neandertal sites. So they're not shaped pieces of bone, they're just bone fragments and then you can see by little impact marks on these bones that they were used to sharpen lithic tools. And then, in just a few sites in southwest France — the technology I guess we can say, is . So it would be the very latest latest Neandertals that lived in Europe. They were making other bone tools then, right before they went extinct. So they made awls, elongated pointed objects likely for piercing, possibly, animal skins. They also made some pendants made out of animal teeth, possibly worn as jewellery or something like that. But that was very very rare, only found at a very small number of sites, and even that is controversial. Not everyone actually believes that Neandertals made those. Yeah; there's been debate about that. 'Are there any downsides of using a non-destructive ZooMS procedure?' So, I would say the main downside would be that your results might be ambiguous, or maybe you don't even get results at all. Your results are definitely going to be better using the destructive methods. 'What does the success of this study mean for the future of archæology, especially for using non-destructive ZooMS procedure?' Oh, I think a lot of researchers are probably gonna be pretty excited about this. Because now, there's the possibility to test all sorts of precious artefacts that nobody ever wanted to sample before. And so now we can at least try to sample these artefacts and see if we can get some results for that. 'Are there any future plans to explore more about the preferences of Neanderthals from other sites, or maybe some other peculiar habits they had?' So, if you're speaking of bone tools specifically, I would say: I don't have any specific plans at this moment, but I would love to keep doing that, if there are more bone tools to study in this way. I would love to do a study on the retouchers that I mentioned several times now, to see if there was some sort of preference with those. There are plenty of other researchers out there, working on raw material selection in Neandertals, but on stone. So for the most part, what we find in the archæoological record, especially in Neandertal times, is a bunch of stone tools. And so there's actually been lots and lots of research on what Neandertals were using for their stone tools. 'What lies ahead in this field of study?' I think there needs to be a lot more experimental work done. If you look at all of our results, including the fauna from the two sites, a lot of the pieces didn't have any positive results at all. We had a lot of empty spectra. So, trying to figure out how this actually works, I guess laughs, that's a big thing. In what circumstances, and using which plastics — because there are different types of plastics, and maybe certain plastics pull the collagen out of the bone better and stick to the plastic better. So there's all sorts of different experimental things that can be done. Working on the plastic; various lengths of time; touching the plastic; if it's rubbing on plastic in a particular way. Yeah, there's various things that can be done with that. Bacho Kiro cave in Bulgaria. 'What are the other researches you are already working on?' I guess the main thing that I'm working on right now, I actually just started as a Leipzig, Germany; although I'm in California right now. But I will get over to Leipzig as soon as the world starts opening up again. But my main reason for being hired by them to work in Leipzig is to study the bone artefacts from a site called Bacho Kiro in Bulgaria. And I was actually in Bulgaria for five months, starting in October, studying the bone artefacts there as well as animal teeth pendants. And then I went back to California because I was in Bulgaria on a Fulbright fellowship that ended; but then, I'm gonna try to get back to Europe to continue that study. So that's the main thing I've been working on, I would say. 'What was your role at the UC Davis?' So, for the past: well, starting in 2012 — I guess it was — 2012 to 2019, I was a graduate student. I obtained my PhD last year, and I'm still an associate researcher for UC Davis. So I still have all my connections there; and I will retain the status of associate researcher for the next couple years. 'Those were all the questions I had for you. Is there anything you would like to add?' Oh! Is there anything else? You know, as I was talking, I was thinking, "oh I should have said this, and that, and the other thing", but now when you ask me that I can't remember. laughs I think the main thing I wanted to get across, and maybe I said it a couple times during this talk: Just thinking about Neandertals: When Neandertals were living — mostly in Europe, also in the Near East — for a couple hundred thousand years, during this whole time period, they hardly used bone tools. Or if they did, it was very opportunistically. They only made a handful of shaped bone tools for specific purposes. And when they did do that, they were able to do it in a very professional way. They knew what they were doing; it wasn't just like "oh let's just try this thing and see what happens", right? So, I guess the main thing I would like to impart, to the general public, is: often, in popular media, whatever, Neandertals kind of get a as these, I don't know, subhuman type of ancient people, but they were very very sophisticated in many many ways. And with these bone tools, that's just one of the ways. A candid shot during interview with Dr Naomi Martisius 'Thank you for agreeing for this discussion. It was a great pleasure discussing this with you.' Yeah! Thank you. I enjoyed it as well. 'Okay. Goodbye. Have a good night.' Okay you too. Have a good day. * * * * * __NOTOC__

Article 1: Irish budget airline Ryanair have added newspaper publishers and to their legal targets in a High Court defamation action filed yesterday in Dublin that also targets Channel 4. A Ryanair Boeing 737 pictured in 2006. The move confirms the carrier's expression of intent to sue Channel 4 after the UK broadcaster screened Secrets of the Cockpit, a documentary about safety at the airline, on Monday night. Part of the Dispatches series, the show reported on an incident in Spain last year where three Ryanair jets declared fuel emergencies after being diverted to . Fuel policy was a strong focus for the documentary. Pilots interviewed for the programme said they felt pressured to save fuel, the cost of which has hit Ryanair's profits. The described Ryanair flights usually landing with a bare minimum of fuel, in a report the airline dismissed as "manifestly inaccurate and factually untrue". Ryanair have also sacked veteran pilot John Goss for appearing on the show, the only pilot interviewed who did not seek anonymity. Ryanair have stated intent to sue Goss and claim he confirmed in the weeks before the show that he had no issues with his employer's safety. Goss is a member of Ryanair Pilots Group (RPG), which the airline call a union front. Channel 4 previously promised when threatened with legal action to see Ryanair in court. "We stand by our journalism, and will robustly defend proceedings if they are initiated," a spokesperson said. was also sued but the action has been dropped after the Northern Irish publication issued an apology. The paper had published a story titled "Are budget airlines like Ryanair putting passengers at risk?". Associated Newspapers are behind The Daily Mirror, its Sunday sister, and . Secrets of the Cockpit also examined an RPG poll of 1,000 Ryanair flight crew, dismissed by the airline as part of unionisation efforts. According to the RPG survey almost 90% of respondents said the safety culture was nontransparent. Two-thirds said they felt uncomfortable raising safety issues, with a pilot interviewed by Channel 4 accusing Ryanair of "threats and bullying". Ryanair had told pilots anybody signing a "so-called safety petition" might be dismissed. Over 90% of those surveyed wanted a regulatory inquiry, with RPG saying the survey results were passed to the airline and the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). The IAA has already called the programme a "misguided attack" on Ryanair, saying "Ryanair Plc fully complies with all European and international regulations in all areas of its operations". The IAA itself was accused of failing to respond to concerns from Ryanair pilots and one interviewee said his "personal belief is that the majority of Ryanair pilots do not have confidence in the safety agencies and that is a pretty critical issue". The authority responded "The IAA has responded to personal letters and reports from Ryanair pilots, this included several meetings and face-to-face interviews with pilots and their legal and professional representatives." Ryanair makes heavy use of , which do not guarantee work and which the Irish Airline Pilots' Association describe as offering some of aviation's worst employment conditions. RPG chairman Evert van Zwol, also a recent Dutch Airline Pilots Association president, said zero-hour contracts tended to make pilots choose to fly when unwell and keep quiet if they had safety concerns. In 2005 a Polish Ryanair pilot became lost near Rome a few days after attending his son's funeral, while his Dutch co-pilot was seeing his first experience of navigating severe weather. In the 2005 incident intervened to keep the flight safe from midair collisions. The Polish pilot told Italian investigators he feared losing his job if he took extra time off work. The investigation concluded in 2009 he had been unfit to fly. Ryanair denied he would have been fired for taking time off to recover. Secrets of the Cockpit also reported that in twelve separate serious incidents data from had been wiped before investigators could access it, which the carrier says is a common occcurrence in aviation and attributed to . In Sweden a report into a Ryanair emergency landing concluded this week an airline employee wiped the cockpit voice recorder and sister=w:sv|Södermanlands Nyheter recordings were reset by a technician trying to repair the aircraft after consultation with Ryanair's technical department, who did not think the recordings needed saving. Ryanair, which has never suffered a fatal accident, says the documentary is "false and defamatory", and the IAA says it is "based upon false and misleading information". "We have been instructed to vigorously prosecute these libel proceedings," said a statement from Ryanair's lawyers, who promised "other litigation is pending". Article 2: Five-day forecast as of 08:00 a.m. AST (1200 UTC) Today, as Hurricane Lorenzo hit the Azores, , the national meteorological service for Ireland, issued weather alerts as the storm approached from the west. Yellow warnings were issued nationwide, while six counties on the coast received orange warnings. The warnings apply from tomorrow night into Friday morning. The Azores — autonomous islands of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean — closed schools and non-essential public services. "The situation will worsen in the next few hours", said miles per hour|mph (about 160 km/h) and high waves. The orange warning issued by Met Éireann applied to County Mayo, County Cork, County Limerick and starts at 6 p.m. local time (1700 UTC) tomorrow. Though Lorenzo was forecast to diminish from a hurricane to a gale force winds and heavy rain. Hurricane Lorenzo reached Category 5 on the this past Saturday, but was downgraded to Category 1 as of this morning. According to reports, Lorenzo is the largest and strongest tropical cyclone to reach this far into the northeastern Atlantic in recorded history.

Article 1: Yuri Kravchenko, a former Interior Minister in Ukraine, has been found dead in his home just hours before questioning for the case of murdered journalist Georgiy Gongadze. Early reports indicate that he committed suicide, but the circumstances of his death will most likely result in further investigation by the authorities. Yuri Kravchenko was the Ukraine's Interior Minister in 2000 when Mr. Gongadze was murdered. Mr. Gongadze's headless body was buried in the woods near but his head was never found. Nobody has yet been arrested for the murder, but it was believed that Mr. Kravchenko's evidence could have led to an arrest. de:Ehemaliger ukrainischer Minister tot aufgefunden Ex-Ministro da Ucrânia é encontrado morto Article 2: A map showing Transnistria (red) within Moldova (yellow). Moldovan officials Thursday denied Russia's claim Ukraine was plotting to attack Transnistria, a breakaway internationally recognized as Moldovan territory. MP dismissed the Russian allegations as "aggressive disinformation," while Secretary of State Valeriu Mija called Russia's statement a "psychological operation" and not a "real plan". On its Telegram channel, the Moldovan government urged citizens to be calm and heed "information...from official and credible sources of the Republic of Moldova". On Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Defence had released a statement claiming Ukraine was amassing a "significant amount of personnel and military vehicles" on its border with Transnistria ahead of an invasion, which it alleged presented "a direct threat" to the Russian troops stationed in the pro-Russian breakaway state. "The armed forces of the Russian Federation will adequately respond to the impending provocation of the Ukrainian side," the Ministry continued. A separatist social media account claimed earlier this week it had evidence for a Ukrainian military buildup, but uploaded a photograph depicting a Ukrainian flag and a few small armored vehicles. For weeks, Western-leaning Moldova has warned Russia may be plotting a coup d'état in the former. On February 22, Russia backtracked from a 2012 decree recognizing Moldovan sovereignty, further concerning the small nation. In 1990, Russian-speaking Transnistria declared independence from Moldova, prompting a two-year war between them. Since the war's end, Russia has maintained approximately 1,500 peacekeepers in Transnistria.

Article 1: Security footage of the ladies. Two elderly women whose CCTV pictures were shown in newspapers across the UK on Thursday after they were caught on camera stealing a bag at a railway station in Sunderland have turned themselves in. The police has announced that women admitted the offence and have received an official caution in a case variously dubbed the "Grey Train Robbery" and "Gran Larceny." The women contacted police services after the case received major newspaper and media coverage under headlines such as "Nans on the Run" and "Artful Codgers." A security camera image released by police showed two grey-haired women, in their 60s or 70s, wearing knee-length skirts, white blouses and overcoats at Sunderland station. Police had appealed for help in finding the women after a student's bag was stolen from a station platform. "They handed themselves in," police announced in a statement. "They subsequently were interviewed and admitted the offence. Both received police cautions." * * Article 2: Traces of radioactive material that apparently killed former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko were found at restaurants where he met other spies just before falling ill and at his home, Scotland Yard said Friday. Litvinenko, a former KGB agent who was investigating the death of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya suddenly fell ill on November 1. In interviews, he stated that he had met with two former KGB officials earlier in the day, and then had had lunch at Itsu, a sushi restaurant on Piccadilly in London. He died two days later at the age of 44. "Traces of Polonium-210 were found at the Itsu sushi restaurant in Piccadilly, the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square, and at Mr. Litvinenko's home in Muswell Hill, London," Scotland Yard said in a statement. "We are not prepared to discuss further." Roger Cox, head of the HPA's radiation protection branch, confirmed that the radiation was found in Litvinenko's body. "A large quantity of alpha radiation from polonium-210 was found in the urine of Mr. Litvinenko", Cox said, adding that it was "unlikely" that the radioactive material came from natural sources. Litvinenko, in a statement written before his death and read Friday, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being behind his murder, a charge Putin denied. "You may succeed in silencing one man but the howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr. Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life," Litvinenko said in his statement. Doctors all around the world have been explaining to the media how harmful Polonium-210 can be to a person. "Only a very, very small amount of polonium would need to be ingested to be fatal, but that depends on how pure the polonium is," said Dr. Mike Keir, a radiation protection adviser at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Article 1: Lebanon is occupied by Syrian troops. The US and France are repeating their calls for Syria to completely withdraw from Lebanon. The two countries are leading an international campaign, based upon the UN Security Council Resolution 1559. Syria's president Bashar al-Assad promised to gradually withdraw his troops from the region, but the US State Department is calling Bashar al-Assad's promise "insufficient" and demanded an "immediate and full withdrawal". The French Foreign Ministry issued a statement which read, "We note the announcement by the president of the Syrian republic of his decision to apply" UN Resolution 1559. "We, therefore, expect him to fully withdraw his troops and services from Lebanon as soon as possible." Bashar al-Assad has announced a "two-phase" withdrawal of Syria's troops, but the timetable is not yet determined. Syria's troops have occupied Lebanon since 1976. "The Syrian army wants to pull out quickly ... as soon as possible logistically," said Syrian cabinet minister Buthaina Shaaban. Other countries shared the concerns of the US and France: * Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew stated, "Today's announcement by Syria of a redeployment of its troops to the Beka'a Valley and from there to the Syrian-Lebanese border falls short of Syria's obligations and the requirements of the people of Lebanon and the international community". * Jordanian Foreign Minister Hani al-Mulqi said, "Implementation of the resolution should result in a stronger Lebanon and a Lebanon that is undivided." * Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said that a complete Syrian withdrawal "will allow free and democratic elections, letting the Lebanese elect their own leaders creating an independent country, not vassal state, and maybe in the near future leading ... to a greater understanding and maybe even peace with Israel." Lebanese opposition leader Walid Jumblatt welcomed Bashar al-Assad's announcement, calling it a "positive start", but other leaders, such as former President Amin Gemayel are concerned that "the Syrian army will stay in the mountain range within the Lebanese border". The international campaign to ask Syria to withdraw from Lebanon has gained increased publicity since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, in Beirut, on February 14. :EUA e França pedem para que Síria saia do Líbano Article 2: A ballot referendum to amend the Virginia Bill of Rights that denies to same-sex and unmarried couples any legal status that approximates that granted to married couples was approved by state voters during the U.S. midterm election by a 57% to 43% margin. The Virginia result, along with voters from seven other U.S. states who decided on similar constitutional amendments, brings the total to 27 states that now constitutionally ban the recognition of same-sex unions at the state level. Arizona voters failed to pass a similar ballot initiative this election cycle, making it the first and only U.S. state to reject a constitutional ban. Both the governor of Virginia, Tim Kaine, and Senator-elect, Jim Webb, publically opposed the amendment before the vote. Governor Kaine said the broad language against the recognition of the "legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals” within the referendum might have negative consequences on the state's business climate. Further, that "it would invite protracted court challenges in areas including contracts, custody cases and end-of-life decisions." The Attorney General of Virginia, Robert F. McDonell argued that the rights of unmarried individuals are still protected, because such legal protections flow from common law, not solely from marriage. However, the Bill of Rights is the basis and foundation of government. Thus, as discussed by Raymond A. Warren, any portion of common law that is determined by the seven-member Virginia Supreme Court to be in conflict with the amendment would no longer provide any such protection within Virginia. The amendment establishes a section that explicitly prevents the government from recognizing the legal status of any relationships outside of heterosexual marriage. Though paragraph one of the amendment specifically bans same-sex marriage, paragraph two prevents the government from recognizing the legal status of any relationship of unmarried individuals that would in anyway approximate marriage. Judge Warren argues that this modification affectively transfers broad power to the 7-member Supreme Court to interpret how this amendment affects the existing laws, benefits and rights that unwed partners currently enjoy. This would be in contrast to instead creating public policies, which could be adjusted through democratic processes as social understandings of the underlying issues evolve. The Judge’s argument, which is consistent with Tim Kaine’s and Senator-elect Jim Webb’s position, is that there will be significant costs to the society and many years of uncertainty, as these issues are worked-out in the courts. For instance, the domestic partner benefits that are offered by many companies operating in Virginia are a concern. Since corporate policies must be consistent with Virginia law, these domestic partner benefits are at risk. This uncertainty may then discourage both the talent and the employers who need to attract that talent from doing business in the state. Making “murky” modifications to the very foundation of government, which in-turn underlies the most complex social system in history, argues for prudence and pause. For example, in 2004 Ohio passed a similar amendment with practically identical language. They also had a 27-year-old domestic-violence law that was applied to all domestic partners. But on May 30, 2006, Ohio’s Third Appellant Court ruled that that law was now unconstitutional due to Ohio’s 2004 “Defense of Marriage” amendment. Though Ohio’s Supreme Court must still hear this case, it does demonstrate how the amendment threatens the stability of existing laws concerning unwed relationships. An excerpt from the ruling follows: Since the recognition of same-sex marriage represents a significant departure from these traditions, Virginia law has prohibited same sex marriage for over 30 years. Judge Warren argues that it would have been unlikely that Virginia's rather conservative judges would have changed the definition of marriage, even without the amendment. However, supporters of the amendment are also concerned that the recognition of new standard form relationships, such as same-sex unions could have unintended consequences. For example, a writer of The Weekly Standard, Stanley Kurtz, a fellow at the Hudson Institute, blames same-sex marriage in the Netherlands for an increase in parental cohabitation contracts. He asserts that same-sex marriage has detached procreation from marriage in the Dutch mind and would likely do the same in the United States. However, in the 1999 case of Baker v. State, the Vermont court rejected as illogical and lacking empirical support, the argument that giving the same benefits to same sex and heterosexual couples would have unpredictable effects on the institution of marriage(Buckley and Ribstein). However, it stopped short of requiring the recognition of same sex marriage. The court noted that arguments about destabilization of the institution of marriage are “not altogether irrelevant. A sudden change in the marriage laws or the statutory benefits traditionally incidental to marriage may have disruptive and unforeseen consequences.” Rights differ fundamentally from other instituted laws. Individual Rights are an inherent power or liberty, not awarded by human power, to which one is justly entitled and which cannot be legally deprived or restricted by government. Laws, on the other hand, are the obligations and restrictions instituted by governments that are needed to secure those rights. Since rights are considered superior to laws, the judicial branch should necessarily strike down the passage of any law that violates any of these rights. The state Supreme Courts of Massachusetts in 2003 and of New Jersey last month, have ruled that anti-same-sex marriage laws were unconstitutional because they found that the state had to give the same rights to gay couples as they did to heterosexual couples. To avoid this outcome, proponents of preserving only heterosexual marriage as an acceptable partnership, have chosen to amend marriage laws, which carried the risk of being found unconstitutional, into the Bill of Rights. The following sections of the Virginia Bill of Rights may be in conflict with the “Marriage” amendment: The Bill of Rights is also a vehicle whereby Virginia decided what is a right. * * * * * * __NOTOC__

Article 1: Following the expiry of broadcast corporation Philippine government issued a cease and desist order dated yesterday, forcing the shut-down of broadcasting operations by the company. Later in the evening, the network signed off and went off-air. The last time the Philippine government ordered the network to shut down was during the martial law imposed by former Philippine President Article 2: The moment Kamala Harris announced the final vote result on Thursday afternoon. On Thursday, the United States Senate confirmed Supreme Court, becoming the first

Article 1: Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2008, along with the Prime Minister, Viktor Zubkov (left), and Deputy Prime Minister, Alexander Zhukov (right). Russia's Interior Ministry confirmed yesterday that the police will enforce the law banning "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" during the 2014 Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi in February. The statement said "law enforcement agencies can have no qualms with people who harbour a nontraditional sexual orientation" so long as they do not promote homosexuality to minors, "do not conduct any kind of provocation and take part in the Olympics peacefully." The statement continued: "Any discussion on violating the rights of representatives of nontraditional sexual orientations, stopping them from taking part in the Olympic Games or discrimination of athletes and guests of the Olympics according to their sexual orientation is totally unfounded and contrived." RIA Novosti: "If a person does not put across his views in the presence of children, no measures against him can be taken. People of nontraditional sexual orientations can take part in the competitions and all other events at the games unhindered, without any fear for their safety whatsoever." The stated last week they would seek clarification from the Russian government after calls from gay activists to relocate the event. Stephen Fry in 2008. Last week, British actor Adolf Hitler|Hitler did Jews". Fry argued "anti-gay beatings, murders and humiliations are ignored by the police. Any defence or sane discussion of homosexuality is against the law." Fry attended a protest in on Saturday against the Russian laws on homosexuality. At the protest he said: "All homophobic regimes say this — they say they do it for the children. They do this to stop children being propogandised at by gay people. That's not the situation at all. What they have done is unleashed thugs who have done unspeakable things to teenagers, lured them, beaten them, humiliated them, tortured them. This continues to be the case." On Twitter, David Cameron responded to Fry's call for a relocation of the Games: "Thank you for your note @stephenfry. I share your deep concern about the abuse of gay people in Russia. However, I believe we can better challenge prejudice as we attend, rather than boycotting the Winter Olympics." Lord , head of the British Olympic Association, also rejected the call for a boycott or relocation: "only damage one group of people, and that is the athletes. It is an issue that needs to be addressed, but not an issue that is one of a boycott." Coe also argued the Olympics and other sporting events help promote social change: "International sport is not an inhibitor of social change, it actually has quite strong catalytic effects. I am a profound believer that the relationships developed through international sport are often in the infancy of social change." U.S. President Barack Obama has also rejected a call for a boycott. At a press conference at the White House last week, he stated: "I want to just make very clear right now: I do not think it’s appropriate to boycott the Olympics... We’ve got a bunch of Americans out there who are training hard, who are doing everything they can to succeed. Nobody’s more offended than me by some of the anti-gay and -lesbian legislation that you’ve been seeing in Russia." * * * * * * * Article 2: Nationals Park earlier this month. Three people were shot outside Nationals Park in the U.S. capital city of Washington, D.C. during a baseball game Saturday night between the Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres at the bottom of the game's sixth inning. The game was suspended until the next day. The District of Colombia's (D.C.) Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said the shooting happened outside the ballpark's third base gate on South Capitol Street, telling the The Washington Post that one woman was shot and two others took themselves to the hospital. All three have non-life-threatening injuries. On Twitter, The Washington Post's Sam Fortier wrote "stadium employees are saying this appeared to be a drive-by shooting." D.C. police said gunfire was shot from one vehicle to another. Early reports by the police said four people were injured by gunfire, but this was later revised to three. A joint statement from D.C. Mayor Mark D. Lerner said, "While MPD's investigation is ongoing, it appears the incident involved a dispute between individuals in two vehicles. MPD does not believe the Washington Nationals, the ballpark or fans were the target". Gunshots were reportedly audible within the stadium which led many to disperse, with players exiting the field right after and some spectators fleeing the stadium through the park's gates. Padres players Manny Machado opened the gate to the field allowing parkgoers into the dugout, the The Washington Post's Andrew Golden said on Twitter. Both Tatis and Machado along with Padres players Jurickson Profar helped pull family members and spectators into the dugout's safety. Spectators were first told to remain within the stadium, but was later being encouraged to leave through the outfield. The park was emptied out by 10:05 P.M. ET (0205 ). In a statement, the Washington Nationals team said, "During the incident last night outside of the ballpark, you handled yourselves in a very admirable manner. You stayed calm. You helped one another. We have always known that we have the best fans in baseball. Last night, you showed it. Davey Martinez said it best—our fans are our family. Thank you." At the game's suspension, the Padres were leading eight points to four. The suspended game resumed yesterday at 1:08 P.M. EST (1708 UTC), where the Padres beat the Nationals 10–4, gaining two additional runs after Saturday's postponement. The Nationals rallied and won the game already scheduled for that day against the Padres 8–7, which ended a six-game streak of losses for the Washington team.

Article 1: Nancy Pelosi was chosen by Democrats|foreign=suppress in the U.S. House of Representatives to take the title and role of House Speaker on Thursday. Unanimously chosen, Pelosi will be the first woman Speaker in US history. While calling for unity within the Democratic party as the party votes as to who gains leadership positions within the House and Senate for the first time in 12 years. Within moments of being officially chosen Speaker-Elect she pushed forward her nomination of Representative John Murtha for the No. 2 post in the House — majority leader. Voting is now going on in this contested race between Murtha and Representative Steny Hoyer, the current Democratic Party second-in-command. Pelosi takes the position in January, taking over for . Hastert confirmed that he would not seek election as House Minority Leader in 2007. Article 2: Dozens of tax investigators raided Google's offices in French capital Paris yesterday as part of a probe into the company's alleged tax evasion. The raid was conducted by investigators from the state financial prosecutor's office assisted by 25 information technology (IT) experts, according to officials. "The investigation aims to verify whether Google Ireland Ltd has a permanent base in France" the prosecutor's office said, "and if, by not declaring parts of its activities carried out in France, it failed its fiscal obligations...". Google, a subsidiary of , reports most of its sales in Ireland. Google claims most sales contracts are closed in its Dublin offices. If investigation finds sales are being concluded in other countries, Google may need to pay additional taxes in these countries. In 2014 Google reported a total yearly revenue in France of €225.4 million with a profit of just €12.2 million, paying only €5 million in corporate tax according to the . A Google spokesperson said the company is co-operating with French authorities and fully complies with French law. According to Reuters, a source from the French finance ministry said French tax authorities are also separately pursuing Google for €1.6 billion in back taxes. Europe Google Crime and law Economy and business Paris France

Article 1: On Monday, the US embassy in Turkey's capital Ankara released a statement on their website announcing they are to resume accepting new requests for non-immigrant visas on a limited basis in the country. Shortly after the announcement, the Turkish embassy in the US capital Washington DC also announced they are to continue processing a limited number of non-immigrant visas. Last month, after a Turkish employee at the US embassy was arrested, the embassy introduced this measure to minimise how many visitors they received while they "assessed the commitment of the Government of Turkey to the security of our diplomatic facilities and personnel." Monday's statement by the US embassy said they had "received initial high-level assurances from the Government of Turkey that there are no additional local employees of our Mission in Turkey under investigation." They had also "received initial assurances from the Government of Turkey that our local staff will not be detained or arrested for performing their official duties", the statement said. Turkey's embassy, in their statement, said and said none of the Turkish employees working for the US embassy were under investigation for their service. However, the detained employees of the US embassy had "very serious charges" and has pending cases, Turkey said. Turkish officials arrested two staff members this year. Metin Topuz, a Turkish employee at the embassy, was arrested on October 4 for alleged ties with . Gülen is currently in the US, in exile from Turkey. According to the Turkish government, Gülen played a major role in last year's failed coup which led to the deaths of more than 250 people. Last month, Ankara's US embassy ambassador John Bass said, "We have been unable to determine why it occurred or what, if any, evidence exists against the employee." On March 7, Turkish police arrested Hamza Uluçay. Uluçay was a translator in the US consulate in , and was accused of belonging to the , which the Turkish government has labelled a "terror organisation". John Bass explained the ban was not to prevent Turkish citizens from entering the US. Turkish citizens who already have a US visa could visit the country. And they could apply for visas from embassies outside Turkey, Bass clarified in the statement. In regards to the latest assurance from the Turkish government, the US embassy said "the security posture has improved sufficiently to allow for the resumption of limited visa services in Turkey." * * * * * * * * * Article 2: On Saturday, England defeated Sweden 2–0 in the FIFA football World Cup quarter-finals and the hosts Russia lost to Croatia 3–4 on penalties. Croatia are to play England for the spot in the finals. In the second half, Sweden got a chance to equalise, but England's goalkeeper saved 's header. Just before the one-hour mark, assisted , and Alli scored a goal from a header, doubling the lead for England. Marcus Berg's attempt to open the scoring for Sweden from 's assist was blocked by Pickford. Lingard had a chance to triple the lead in the 82nd minute from Harry Kane's assist but was blocked. In the 85th minute, England made a substitution when replaced . The match ended 2–0 as England advanced to the semi-finals. After the match, England's coach said, "I can't speak highly enough of the whole squad and whole group of staff because it is so united in there. The level of work has been great and their commitment to each other, you don't get through with just 11 players. They are all top people and are the reason we are in the semi-final just as much as any other." In the second half, Ivan Perišić missed an opportunity in the 60th minute to double the score for Croatia as his shot rebounded from the woodwork. Russia replaced Cheryshev with in the 67th minute. Croatia's Mateo Kovačić came on for Kramarić in the 88th minute. The second half ended with both sides tied to one goal and the match progressed to extra time. In the 100th minute, Croatia doubled their score as scored a goal from Luka Modrić's assist. In the 114th minute, was yellow-carded for a handball and Russia won a free kick. scored a header from 's free-kick as both sides were tied with two goals at the end of extra time and the match went on to penalties. The Croatian goalkeeper saved Smolov's penalty while Fernandes missed his, sending the ball to the left. , Modrić and Vida scored their penalties for Croatia, while Kovačić's kick was saved. and scored for Russia, and Ivan Rakitić scored the winning goal for Croatia. After the match, Croatia's coach said, "Congratulations to my lads but also to the Russia team, who fought well. This was not a beautiful game, it was a fight, a battle for the semi-final. We were lucky." Dalić added, "Of course there is some power left for the English. We do not want to stop, we will try to play our best game. We have two matches to play and we are very motivated. We're giving our all. It will be a battle again but I trust us, I have belief in us." ---- ---- * * * * * * __NOTOC__