October 13, 2005 The free-content news source that you can write! Page 1

Top Stories Wikipedia Current Events The mission is more ambitious than the previous Shenzhou V, Syrian Interior Minister dead • CNN reports that the Louisiana which made China only the third from apparent suicide attorney general is investigating nation to launch a manned space The Syrian Interior Minister, the possibility that mercy killings mission. Shenzhou VI will carry Ghazi Kanaan, has committed of critically ill patients by staff two taikonauts (Chinese suicide - according to the official medical professionals at Memorial astronauts), Nie Haisheng and Fei Syrian News Agency SANA. Medical Center in New Orleans Junlong, compared to the previous Kanaan had been under occurred during Hurricane mission which only carried a single investigation two weeks earlier by Katrina. taikonaut, Yang Liwei. The newest a United Nations team probing German Chancellor Gerhard taikonauts will also stay in orbit the assassination of former • Schröder resigns. He criticizes longer, five days compared to the Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al- the United States for its response 21 hour, 14 orbit flight of Hariri. to Hurricane Katrina and "Anglo- Shenzhou V. saxon economic policies," while Moderate earthquake hits stressing the importance of Indonesia Franco-Germanic ties. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 has hit the Northern • At least 30 people die following Sumatra region of Indonesia. No an insurgent suicide bomb attack news yet on casulties or damage. in Talafar, North Western Iraq, the second such attack in as many days. Featured story Scale model of Shenzhou African Union hostages freed •The People's Republic of China spacecraft by Darfur rebels launches the manned Shenzhou 6 spacecraft. Fei Junlong and Nie The director of the Chinese Space Forces from the Sudanese rebel Haisheng will spend five days in Crew Training program, Chen group, the Justice and Equality orbit in their Shenzhou Shanguang, explained to the Movement (JEM), have assisted spacecraft. media that the country would send a woman to Space within five in liberating 38 African Union Iraq's Constitutional referendum: • years. "Women are more patient (AU) personnel that were taken the prospects of the proposed compared with male astronauts, hostage on Sunday. The Iraqi constitution being approved their psychological qualities are kidnapped–which consisted of the in Saturday's referendum are more stable and they face isolation original 18 hostages, and later a boosted by a deal struck with a better" according to Chen. 20 man rescue team–were major Sunni Arab party, the Iraqi released on Monday. Initially, two Islamic Party. hostages remained but were US Homeland Security freed following a reported Department doubts credibility shootout with the kidnappers. of New York subway threat China successfully launches Wikipedia Current Events Shenzhou VI manned rocket The US news agency CNN is reporting that the recent New York • Syria's interior minister, Ghazi BBC News is reporting that the subway terrorist threat this past Kanaan, who was head of the People's Republic of China has weekend was based on "false country's military intelligence in successfully launched its second information." The original tip lead neighboring Lebanon for nearly manned space flight, Shenzhou VI. to the arrest of three men in Iraq 20 years, has committed suicide. with suspected ties to the plot;

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit e n . wikinews.org Thursday, October 13, 2005 Wikinews Page 2 however, under interrogation equals regular conversation. constitution and is urging people which included lie detector tests, to vote 'Yes'." Iraq's parliament investigators discovered they had This move, announced on moved immediately to ratify the no knowledge of any planned Wednesday, would mainly focus changes just days before the terror attacks on the New York on earlier forms of instant nationwide constitutional subway system. messaging, like sending text referendum on October 15th. messages to other people via the The Department of Homeland internet. This arrangement is Until today, an ongoing bombing Security (DHS) was skeptical of expected to start around June campaign by Sunni extremists the threat since it was first 2006. aimed at derailing the referendum announced last week. More led many outside observers to recently, Russ Knocke, a The agreement will allow the believe that Iraq's fragile new spokesman for the DHS, said "The companies to compete against the democracy was falling prey to intelligence community has been popular AOL Instant Messenger sectarian violence. A suicide able to determine that there are service (AOL), and Google Talk, bomber today killed another 30 very serious doubts about the Google's relatively new instant Iraqis at an army recruiting credibility of this specific threat." messaging service that was center. The Bush administration opened to the public in beta form welcomed the news of a Responding to the new comments in September. The companies said breakthrough; State Department from the DHS, New York City that this relationship is the fruit of spokesman Adam Ereli said the Mayor Bloomberg replied, "We've many years of negotiation. agreement, "Shows, frankly, that got to take every threat seriously the political process in Iraq is and that is what we are going to Until now, AOL has been able to working." do." Even before the new move and develop the IM market questions about the tip's accuracy, at its own pace, due to its Other Sunni political groups have Mayor Bloomberg was already widespread use within the United maintained their opposition to the defending his decision to increase States. With this arrangement in constitution and are urging either security and promised that the place, this freedom might end. The a boycott or a "No" vote on measures will remain in place for number of users of the Yahoo! and Saturday, arguing that the charter at least the near future. Mayor Microsoft services combined will could break up the state and hand Bloomberg explained that, while rival the number of AOL's too much power to Shi'ites and he did not believe he made a customers. Kurds. mistake in calling for increased security, "If I'm going to make a Microsoft had previously held talks Syrian Interior Minister dead mistake you can rest assured it is with AOL over possible from apparent suicide on the side of being cautious." partnerships in the instant New York City Police messaging field. However, the The Syrian Interior Minister, Ghazi Commissioner Ray Kelly agreed, status of these negotiations is Kanaan, has committed suicide– adding, "We did exactly the right unknown. according to the official Syrian thing." News Agency SANA. The suicide Iraq Sunni party embraces has caused much controversy, as Microsoft and Yahoo team up constitution some Middle Eastern analysts to make IM clients compatible suggest he may have been A last minute constitutional deal executed as a sacrificial lamb. Microsoft and Yahoo have agreed has been struck that brings some to make their instant messaging Sunni political leaders into the Kanaan had been under programs, Yahoo Mesenger and political mainstream and reduced investigation two weeks earlier by MSN Messenger, work together. fears that Iraq was descending a United Nations team probing the Instant messaging, or IM as it into civil war. The Iraqi Islamic assassination of former Lebanese commonly known, is becoming an Party, decided on Tuesday to Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. The increasingly popular support the new constitution; assassination of Hariri took place communication service, mainly according to a party source, on February 14, 2005 when because of the speed of "Some of our demands were met explosives equivalent to around communication which almost so the party has endorsed the 1000 kg of TNT were detonated as

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit www.wikinews.org Thursday, October 13, 2005 Wikinews Page 3 his motorcade drove past the St. Singapore Exam Board sets George Hotel in the Lebanese mathematically-impossible Other students were happy with capital, Beirut. Syrian President question the compensation. "I'm very very Bashar al-Assad told CNN that he happy that they are giving us two was not aware of any evidence The Exam Board of Singapore marks." suggesting Hariri's death was not handled many complaints about suicide. "If indeed there is a the incorrectly-written math The Exam Board stated than it had Syrian national implicated in it, he question on an end-of-the-year carried out at least 5 rounds of would be considered a traitor and examination. checks by experienced examiners. most severely punished," the It also assured parents and President said. The Primary School Leaving students all exams would be Examinations (PSLE) are taken thoroughly checked to be error- "The minister of interior died in his nationwide and determine what free in the future. office this afternoon after secondary school students enter. committing suicide, and the The secondary schools are ranked Heating bills, oil price rise authorities are investigating the by the average score of the predicted incident," the SANA report stated. students. Based on this system, It is reported that the suicide was Singaporeans commonly A US government report was carried out by shooting himself in determine how 'smart' a student is issued Wednesday predicting the the mouth. based on what school they got rise of heating bills due to colder into. temperatures and impacts Earlier in the day, Kanaan went on Hurricanes Rita and Katrina had Lebanese radio station, Voice of "This is ridiculous," said a on the nation's energy production. Lebanon, denying that he showed secondary student. the U.N. investigators cheques Local forecasters predict that most paid to him by the late Hariri. Question 13 of the Math exam of the US will have a warmer- Kanaan was Syria's most powerful required students to calculate the than-expected winter this year. intelligence chief in Lebanon, area of triangle C based on the However, households that heat which was ruled by Syria until its area of triangle A and B. The their homes by gas can expect to military withdrawal earlier this dimensions of the rectangle of pay 29.8% more in heating bills. year. He returned to Damascus in which the triangles were in and In the case of colder-than- 2002 as political intelligence chief the triangles themselves are expected weather, an increase of and joined the cabinet in 2004. inconsistent. Based on these 66% in household heating costs is calculations, it is mathematically likely. In typical weather, prices The UN report on Hariri's impossible to draw that diagram. will rise about 47.6%. Households assassination is expected to be out that use electricity can expect a at the end of October. The UN All students have been given two rise of about 5% from last year. investigator, Detlev Mehlis, marks regardless of their answer. NOAA's 2005-2006 U.S. Winter questioned senior Syrian officials However, some parents and Outlook calls for warmer-than- in Damascus during a visit at the students in top schools remain normal temperatures across much end of September. The United unsatisfied. of the central and western United States froze Kanaan's assets in the States, including Alaska and country during July saying he had "I do not think it is fair because Hawaii. The Midwest, the Southern aided terrorism in Lebanon. those who got it correct, actually it Californian coast and the East will still be the same with the Coast have equal chances of Some parties have suggested that others. They don't deserve it and warmer, cooler or near-normal Kanaan's death was arranged to maybe we do," said one student. temperatures this winter. protect others involved in the "A lot of people might have spent assassination of Hariri, thus a lot of time on that question and Around one third of the US crude preempting action against others not have time to check on the oil and one fifth of the natural gas as a result of the pending UN other questions but then everyone outputs in Mexico still remain report. gets two marks. 89 is an A1, 91 is closed due to hurricane-related an A star so there is quite a lot of damage. Seven oil refineries difference." remain offline.

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and the US provide assistance in Thomas Schelling and Robert The Energy Information the form of money, doctors, tents, Aumann win Nobel Prize in Administration predicts that the blankets, and disaster relief Economics price of oil will rise to around $64 teams. per barrel (42 gallons or 158.97 Thomas Schelling and Robert litres) in 2006, with $58 being the United Nations officials are Aumann won the Nobel Prize in average for this year. warning of a growing threat of Economics "for having enhanced measles, cholera, and diarrhea our understanding of conflict and Bad weather makes life outbreaks among the millions of cooperation through game-theory tougher for quake survivors survivors. analysis".

While Aid starts to pour in to the There have been no reports of This is the third time Israeli worst hit areas of South Asia epidemic outbreaks so far, but the scientists win the Nobel Prize, after Earthquake that has killed more area's health infrastructure has Daniel Cahanman won the Nobel than 30,000 people, bad weather completely collapsed, Prize in Economics in 2003, and is hampering the relief efforts with Vandemoortele said. Avrham Hershko and Arahon snow falling on the peaks of the Ciechanover won the Nobel Prize in earthquake-devastated areas of Bali nine lawyer challenges Chemistry in 2004. Pakistan. police on legality of drug case Yahoo launches new Podcast The measure of human suffering The lawyer for one of the Search can’t just be measured in the members of the so called Bali death toll, which officially stands at Nine is claiming he will challenge Yahoo! announced in its blog 23,000, but also in the 4 million the legality of the indictment Sunday the beginning of a public who have been made homeless, against his client. beta test of its new Podcast search hungary and cold with 1 million in service. The new service makes it acute need, facing certain death Adnan Wirawan, the lawyer of easier for people to find and listen without outside assistance. In Martin Stephens from to podcasts. Indian-ruled Kashmir, authorities Wollongong, says his client has say at least 1,300 people are been unfairly accused as being Podcasts are short downloadable known to have died, but officials the ring leader of an alleged audio shows, very similar to a fear the number will rise. conspiracy to smuggle drugs: radio show. Podcasts are most "He's a human suitcase... he was commonly downloaded to portable ABC Australia reports of a man in being told what to do." mp3 players such as the iPod for Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which they are named, but they who has been cut from aid, saying Stephens appeared in Denpasar can be listened to on a computer "I find that we are alone now. We District Court on Wednesday. The or burned to a CD as well. have nothing. We are finished." prosecution claimed that Stephens and Renae Lawrence, from “Yahoo Podcasts offers a Choppers are the main lifeline of Newcastle, had their hotel and trip comprehensive directory of support; trucks are unable to to Bali paid for by the accused podcast series and individual deliver relief supplies due to mastermind, Andrew Chan. shows from across the web, looting and general mayhem on complete with detailed search the ground. The more snow, the Stephens' mother, Michelle, was results, most popular and highest- less able aid agencies are to make in court for her son's first rated lists, editorial picks, and a their way to those in the direst appearance and says she will full collection of tools you can use. need. support him throughout his trial: These community tools include "I'm here to support my son, and ratings, reviews, and the ability to Jan Vandemoortele, U.N. Resident I love him and I believe in him. tag audio content, or view the tags Coordinator for Pakistan, said key And that's all I can say." that other people add,” Lee Ott roads into the quake zone have wrote in the Yahoo blog. been reopened, as 30 countries including Australia, France, Japan, Yahoo! is the first the large web Jordan, China, Russia, Iran, Syria company to offer a podcast search

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit www.wikinews.org Thursday, October 13, 2005 Wikinews Page 5 services. Podcast search is will be decided if there are African Union hostages freed currently offered by several grounds for taking it to trial. If the by Darfur rebels smaller websites including court finds against the defendants Podcast.net, Blinkx, and Odeo. they face a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison and up “This is something we’ve been to 200,000 baht (approx. 5,000 working on for a while, it’s a great US dollars or 4,000 euros) in way for people to find, listen to, fines. and consume podcasts as they grow more popular.” said Yahoo! Australian senator Barnaby spokesperson Meagan Busath. Joyce crosses floor

Thai PM sues newspaper for Canberra, Australia – Barnaby 500 million baht Joyce, an Australian National Darfur refugees Party member of Parliament The Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin crossed the floor in the Australian Forces from the Sudanese rebel Shinawatra, has filed criminal and Senate October 11 over legislation group, the Justice and Equality civil suits against Manager Media proposed to permit mergers Movement (JEM), have assisted in Group plc, the publisher of a Thai- without the agreement of the liberating 38 African Union (AU) language daily newspaper, competition watchdog body, the personnel that were taken hostage Phujadkarn (Manager). At issue is Australian Competition and on Sunday. The kidnapped–which the publishing of a sermon by the Consumer Commission. He has consisted of the original 18 well-respected Buddhist monk not, however, changed his party hostages, and later a 20 man Luangta Maha Bua that compared membership. rescue team–were released on the Thai Prime minister to Phra Monday. Initially, two hostages Devadhat, the Thai Buddhist The question over the proposed remained but were freed following equivalent of the devil. changes was put at 9.26pm when a reported shootout with the Joyce crossed the floor to vote kidnappers. Mr Sinawatra's lawyer, Noppadol against them. The vote was tied Meewanna, filed the two lawsuits with 32 for and 32 against and A splinter group of JEM was on the Prime Minister's behalf, thus the question was not carried blamed for the attack, but citing the newspaper, manager by the government (the President Mohamed Saleh, the head of the Saowalak Theeranuchanyon, and of the Australian Senate does not dissident faction, has denied the editor Khunthong Loseriwanit as hold the casting vote as in the allegations. defendants. This civil suit demands Australian House of 500 million baht (approx. 12 Representatives). Saleh was the military head of JEM million US dollars or 10 million when it signed a ceasefire euros). The associated criminal The Australian Liberal agreement in April, but later split case seeks to have charges of libel Party/National Party coalition of with the group's leadership. It is brought against the defendants. which Joyce is a member holds a said that he now commands The complaint argues that the narrow majority of one seat in the "thousands" of troops in the Darfur defendants should have edited the Senate and Joyce has stated that region, and is looking for a seat at sermon text to remove potentially he has chosen to exercise his vote the ongoing peace talks. He libellous sections. in support of the promises made accused the AU of taking sides, to his electorate prior to the and stated that he will not honour Deputy Prime Minister, Wissanu election, rather than be obedient the ceasefire. Krean-gam, stated that there was to the directions of the party no active policy of persecuting the executive. This is the first time While speaking with Reuters, Saleh media and that Mr Sinawatra was Joyce, a recently elected senator, said, "We want the AU to leave, acting in a personal capacity in has crossed the floor in the and we have warned them not to bringing these cases. Senate, and Joyce has suggested travel to our areas. We don't know that this may not be the last. and don't care what is happening The criminal case is due to be to the AU, they are part of the reviewed on November 18, when it conflict now."

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Today in History About Wikinews Violence in the region has 54: Claudius was fatally poisoned continued to rise. According to by his wife Agrippina the younger, We are a group of volunteer BBC correspondent Jonah Fisher, making her seventeen-year-old journalists whose mission is to hostilities toward AU peacekeepers son Nero the next Roman create a diverse community are becoming more common. It Emperor. where citizens from around the has been noted that aid agencies 1307: Thousands of members of globe (including you) can are refusing to travel with African the Knights Templar (pictured) collaborate to report the news on Union personnel, stating that the were simultaneously arrested by a wide variety of current events. mere presence of the agents of Phillip the Fair and By making our content peacekeepers may draw fire. subsequently tortured into perpetually available for free "admitting" heresy. redistribution and use, we hope Kofi Annan, at a press conference 1812: War of 1812: British troops to contribute to a global digital in Geneva, responded to the rising and Mohawk warriors repelled an commons. violence by suggesting aid to the American invasion from across the Got news and no computer? region may be partially suspended. Niagara River in the Battle of Call the Wikinews Hotline "Both rebels and government must Queenston Heights. +1-866-653-4265 understand that, if these incidents 1843: The Independent Order of (toll-free in the U.S.) continue, it will impede B'nai B'rith, the oldest continually- +1-202-742-5918 humanitarian assistance and operating Jewish service (outside the U.S.) delivery." organization in the world, was founded in New York City. License This weekend marked the first 1943: World War II: With a new This work is licensed under the time the African Union has government led by General Pietro Creative Commons Attribution suffered casualties in the region. Badoglio, parts of Italy switched License. Articles published in this Three personnel were killed in sides to the Allies and declared Print edition were created by attacks believed to be perpetrated war on the Axis Powers. Wikinewsies. by the Sudan Liberation Army October 13 is a Festival dedicated (SLA). Despite the violence, the to Fontus (Roman Empire) To view a copy of this license, visit: SLA, JEM, and the AU have http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ promised to continue the peace Quote of the Day or send a letter to talks which are being held in "Tragedy blows through your life Creative Commons Abuja. like a tornado, uprooting 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor San Francisco, California, 94105, USA everything, creating chaos. You wait for the dust to settle, and Audio Wikinews then you choose. You can live in Audio Wikinews is a public the wreckage and pretend it's still domain, non point-of-view news the mansion you remember. Or radio program recorded daily. you can crawl from the rubble and http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Audio slowly rebuild." ~ Kristen Bell, as About Wikinews Print Edition "Veronica Mars" For more information about Wikinews Print Edition visit: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Print

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