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Saturday, March 1, 2008

While nearly all coverage of the 2008 Presidential election has focused on the Democratic and Republican candidates, the race for the White House also includes independents and third party candidates. These parties represent a variety of views that may not be acknowledged by the major party platforms.

Wikinews has impartially reached out to these candidates, throughout the campaign. We now interview independent Presidential candidate Frank Moore, a performance artist.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Italian goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini has been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in London. The player, who plays for Tottenham Hotspurs, was involved in a collision with a car at 10:30 GMT. The football club reported that he has fractured his wrists and injured his pelvis.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police released a statement saying “A 36-year-old male suffered injuries described by the London Ambulance Service as possibly life-changing and was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital for further assessment and treatment”. No arrests have been made.

Cudicini crashed his motorcycle into a Ford Fiesta with a female driver and a child passenger. Neither the driver or passenger were injured in the accident.

Cudicini is the son of former AC Milan goalkeeper Fabio Cudicini. During his career he has played for Lazio, AC Milan and Chelsea. He played for Chelsea for 10 years until he was transferred to Tottenham in January. He made one appearance for the Italian national team.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Seven Canadians were killed, and six others were in critical condition, after an Israeli raid in Lebanon on Sunday, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay announced. The deaths were believed to be the first recent casualties in Lebanon from any G8 country.

Associated Press reports anonymous Lebanese officials saying the family of Canadians were killed at their home in the town of Aitaroun. Many Lebanese citizens have emigrated to Canada and often return to spend their summers in the south of Lebanon.

Sixteen thousand Canadians have registered with the embassy in Beirut, but MacKay said the number of those present could be as high as 40,000. “We’re calling for restraint in all sectors right now and hope to be able to have those ships in place and citizens moving out of Lebanon as quickly as possible.” MacKay said.

Parliament Hill demonstrators in Ottawa on Sunday protested the Harper government’s position regarding the ongoing strikes. One placard declared, “Killing children is not a ‘measured response’,” referring to the G8 statement released earlier.

During a protest in Montréal on Sunday, one woman said she had just been informed that two of her family members were killed in the Israeli air strike. The unnamed woman screamed “My father, my uncle — they’re dead. What’s happening?” She said her family members were in the Middle East for a summer vacation.

The deaths occurred on the fifth day of Israel’s military attacks in Lebanon, instigated by the capture of 2 Israeli soldiers and killing of 8 others by the Shiite Hezbollah in a cross-border attack. The fighting has caused at least 148 fatalities in Lebanon and 23 in Israel.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Coinciding with Easter Sunday, Glasgow Cannabis Social Club’s annual 420 event was held on Glasgow Green, under sunny blue skies, and overlooking the river Clyde. Despite the city’s council attempting to revoke permission for the gathering at the last minute, police were happy for it to go-ahead with approximately a dozen officers attending in high-visibility vests.

The Daily Record reported five arrests were made for minor offences, likely smoking and possession of small quantities of cannabis. Taking a less-sensational — and more accurate — line of reporting, the Monday edition of Glasgow’s Evening News stated five were referred to the Procurator Fiscal who is responsible for deciding if charges should be brought.

Official figures provided by the police were that 150 attended. With people coming and going, Wikinews reporters estimated upwards of 200 attended, compared to nearly 700 who had signed up for the event on Facebook. Hemp goods were advertised and on sale at the event, and some attendees were seen drinking cannabis-themed energy drinks.

“I was searched and charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act (which is a lot of bollocks)” one attendee noted online, adding “not fair to happen on a brilliant day like it was, other than that I had a great day!” A second said they were openly smoking and ignored by police, who “were only really focusing on people who looked particularly young”.

Cannabis seeds were openly and legally sold at the event and a hydroponics supplier brought a motortrike towing an advertising trailer. Actually growing cannabis is, however, illegal in the UK.

With the event openly advocating the legalisation of cannabis, speakers put their arguments for this to a receptive crowd. Retired police officer James Duffy, of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, spoke of the failed United States alcohol prohibition policy; stressing such policies needlessly bring people into contact with criminal elements. Highlighting other countries where legalisation has been implemented, he pointed out such led to lower crime, and lower drug use overall.

One speaker, who produced a bottle of cannabis oil he had received through the post, asserted this cured his prostate cancer. Others highlighted the current use of Sativex by the National Health Service, with a cost in-excess of £150 for a single bottle of GW Pharmaceuticals patented spray — as-compared to the oil shown to the crowd, with a manufacturing cost of approximately £10.

Similar ‘420’ pro-cannabis events were held globally.

Sunday, May 22, 2005

“Communism was much better,” said Tsahiriin Daariimaa Saturday on the eve of Mongolia‘s presidential elections. Polls predict that many Mongolians plan to vote for their former communist rulers — the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP).

Under communism, “everyone worked for the collective farm,” Daariimaa said. None of her children has a steady job these days.

Myatav Choijav is a Mongolian who shares that view; “Now, some people are very rich and some are very poor. In the old times, the government took better care of us ordinary people,” Choijav said. “Now, the government is very far away from us, especially if you live in the countryside and take care of sheep. Everyone was equal under communist rule,” Choijav said.

Tseveenjav, a 70-year-old sheep herder, agrees: “I will support the MPRP. They always do the right thing.”

Tseveenjav wears the traditional Mongolian thick boots and hat while sitting upon his horse with a dead marmot hung from his saddle. Falcon and Tiger, his sheepdogs, help him keep watch over 500 sheep.

Sambuu Ganbaator, a member of the Democratic Party, has a different opinion from most of his neighbors.

“Too many people forget what the MPRP did to Mongolia,” he said. “They kept Mongolia under a brutal dictatorship. You weren’t allowed to speak your mind.” Now, he said, “you can say anything you want to say and do what you want to live a happy life.”

The MPRP’s candidate, Nambariin Enkbayar, leads the polls and the ex-communist party has said that it is now committed to democracy.

Sunday, November 6, 2005

Authorities are looking for USD$75,000 in frozen bull semen stolen Sunday from liquid nitrogen tanks at a farm in Frederick County, Maryland. Eric Fleming, the owner, says the semen took 4 to 5 years to collect from 40 to 50 bulls. He had planned to sell the semen at an upcoming Denver cattle show.

The collection and storage of semen can be a very profitable business—the ease of transportation reduces the costs normally associated with insemination, namely the transport of bull and cow to one another. Collection can be tricky, however, as bulls do not always produce as expected and the process is not particularly easy.

“I will give a nice fat reward for any information on semen that was stolen from my tank today,” Fleming posted to a livestock breeder’s message board. “It was a mother load of semen.”

Friday, May 5, 2006

U.S. Representative Patrick J. Kennedy (D–RI), son of Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, was involved in a traffic accident near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Capitol Hill Police reported that Kennedy was alone his 1997 Ford Mustang when the accident occurred Thursday at about 2:45 a.m. EDT (0645 UTC) near the 100 block of C Street SE. Police say his eyes were red and watery, and he was unbalanced and had slurred speech. Police also say that Kennedy had received three “notices of infractions” that are connected with the crash.

According to the police report, Kennedy drove his car into a security barrier near the Capitol building. When questioned by the police, he told them that he was “headed to the Capitol to make a vote,” when no votes were scheduled for that time of the morning.

Kennedy said in a written statement that he had returned home around midnight and had taken the sleep aid Ambien and the anti-nausea drug Phenergan, both of which are known to cause drowsiness and sedation. He awakened a couple hours later and was “disoriented” when the incident occurred. He also said that “at no time before the accident” did he take alcohol, and pledged to cooperate in any investigation.

Today, Kennedy said, “Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication” and that he “never asked for any preferential treatment.” He also announced that he is checking himself into the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

“I know I need help. As in every recovery, each day has its ups and downs.,” added Kennedy. This is not the first time Kennedy has been to the Mayo Clinic. Last Christmas, Kennedy spent time at the clinic and went back to work after he was “feeling focused and in good shape.”

However; Robin Costello, spokeswoman for Kennedy said, “we have no knowledge of any citations,” but she did admit that a report was filed.

Capitol Police have not commented on the report or allegations, but Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, Capitol Police spokeswoman did say, “The United States Capitol Police are continuing to investigate.”

It is not known whether any sobriety test or arrest was made. Kennedy was not injured.

Friday, February 10, 2006

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) will meet in Canberra today for its first meeting of 2006. Members of COAG are the Prime Minister, State Premiers, Australian Capital and Northern Territory Chief Ministers, and the President of the Australian Local Government Association. COAG is chaired by the Prime Minister.

On the agenda is a wide range of issues such as health, economic reform, regulation, and education.

The state leaders (all of whom are members of the Australian Labor Party), met last night to develop a strategy for dealing with John Howard, Australia’s Prime Minister.