September 10, 2008 The free-content news source that you can write! Page 1

Top Stories Top Stories Wikipedia Current Events 50,000 people refuse filing false DMCA requests, could Comedian Al Franken wins a evacuation after flooding in lead to criminal charges. primary election for the India caused by river Minnesota Democratic-Farmer- Records reveal US Senator changing course Labor Party to challenge John Sununu had ties to The Kosi River changed course incumbent Senator Norm convicted lobbyist one week ago to a path which it Coleman in the Minnesota Senate Wikinews has learnt that on has not taken for over one election. October 24, 2001, convicted hundred lobbyist and four •Military of Sri Lanka said 12 of its years. At Alexander Strategies Group soldiers and 1 policeman were that time associates donated $1,000 each killed in Tamil Tiger's suicide 900,000 to the Rely on Your Beliefs Fund. attack in Mullaittivu. people were This political action committee in evacuated •The Prime Minister of Malaysia turn donated $3,000 to by rescue Abdullah Ahmad Badawi states Representative John Sununu's Credit: Manoj nav workers, that the governing United Malays primary campaign in New CC-BY 3.0 although National Organization will punish Hampshire on the same day, new data has revealed that a party official for a series of through the political action 50,000 people have refused to statements he made about committee Team Sununu. The leave their homes. These people Malaysia's ethnic Chinese Greenberg Traurig lobbying were from the town of Saharsa. population. company, which also employed Abramoff, gave $1000 to Team Alleged 'rights group' involved Sununu on December 16, 2002 Records reveal US Senator with removal of anti- for purposes of 'debt retirement.' John Sununu had ties to Scientology videos from convicted lobbyist YouTube doesn't exist; says US presidential candidate On October 24, 2001, convicted EFF John McCain now leads lobbyist Jack Abramoff and four On September 4 and 5, at least slightly in the polls Alexander Strategies Group 4,000 anti-Scientology videos presidential associates donated $1,000 each to were removed from the video candidate John McCain now the Rely on Your Beliefs Fund. This sharing website, YouTube. The retains a lead over Barack Obama political action committee in turn videos removed were done so by in several polls conducted in the donated $3,000 to Republican a single Digital Millennium past few days. Both Zogby Representative John Sununu's Copyright Act (DMCA) notice by International and Rasmussen primary campaign in New an alleged 'rights group' called Reports have McCain with a Hampshire on the same day, the American Rights Counsel LLC, slight, but not statistically through the political action which Wikinews has confirmed, significant lead. The most recent committee Team Sununu. The does not exist beyond the scope Gallup tracking poll has McCain Greenberg Traurig lobbying of those requests. In an exclusive with a statistical lead of 5.0 company, which also employed interview with Wikinews the percent. The Day to Day Politics Abramoff, gave $1000 to Team Electronic Frontier Foundation Poll Average also has a slight, but Sununu on December 16, 2002 for (EFF) acknowledged that they not statistically significantly lead purposes of 'debt retirement.' "don't know anything about" the of 0.4% for McCain. Counsel and that any attempt to According to a report by the U.S. intentionally commit fraud by Senate Indian Affairs Committee,

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit en .wikinews.org Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Wikinews Page 2

Jack Abramoff commonly told Approximately 1.2 million people Native American tribal clients to The Alexander Strategy Group was are estimated to have had their divert their funds through the shut down in January due to ties homes flooded by the disaster. 42 Alexander Strategies Group. with Jack Abramoff and former people have been confirmed dead, Earlier that October, Jack Abramoff House majority leader Tom DeLay. although The Australian has had met with the legislative The Rely On Your Beliefs Fund, reported that the actual death toll director of the Saginaw Chippewa owned by former Rep. Roy Blunt, is likely to be much higher. tribe in Michigan. Representative has already donated to charity John Sununu, now a sitting $8,500 equivalent to the amount The incident started when gushing senator from New Hampshire, had personally contributed by Jack waters quickly overflowed the served on the Appropriations Abramoff in 2006. In November channel boundaries on both sides Committee that helped draft the 2004, Gannett News Service had at a rate of about 200 meters per Department of Interior funding bill. reported that Abromoff directed day, flooding vast tracts in Supaul, In the section on Native American the Tigua tribe to contribute to the Araria, Saharsa, Madhepura, water claims, land claims, and Rely On Your Beliefs Fund. In Purnia, Katihar, parts of Khagaria miscellaneous payments, over January 2006, John Sununu and northern parts of Bhagalpur, $6,000,000 in funding was given donated to charity $3000 he had as well as adjoining regions of to Michigan fishing in the Great received from the Saginaw Nepal. About 2.7 million people are Lakes. Chipewa from the Daniel Webster affected by this flood disaster of PAC. massive dimensions, with about The event occurred a day before 900,000 people in the affected the presentation of a Department 50,000 people refuse areas having moved to 285 relief of Interior funding bill to President evacuation after flooding in camps and 249 health centers. An George W. Bush for signing, and a India caused by river changing estimated 100,000 are still week after the conference report course trapped in various villages without settling differences between the The Kosi River changed course one food or drinking water since House and the Senate. Abramoff week ago to a path which it has several days ago when the crisis wrote to fellow lobbyist Michael not taken for over 100 years. began. Scanlon on October 4, 2001 via e- While 900,000 people were mail, "I had dinner tonight with evacuated by rescue workers, new During the last 250 years, the Kosi Chris Petras of Sag Chip. He was data has revealed that 50,000 has moved its path up to 150km salivating at the $4-5 million people, from the town of Saharsa, westward on multiple occasions, program I described to him (is that have refused to leave their homes. leaving behind a series of enough? Probably not)." paleochannels. The river is a Advertisements in local tributary of the Ganges, with Jack Abramoff was sentenced to newspapers have been used to catchment areas in the Nepal four years in federal prison earlier encourage the people who are still Himalayas, one of the fastest this month. He had admitted to remaining in the area to leave rising mountain chains, flowing conspiring to defraud four Native soon. People are encouraged to go through a 150-kilometer wide and American tribes that either to one of many camps, which are 180-kilometer long alluvial fan. operated or were interested in funded by the government, to seek Fast silting of the channels by the operating casinos. The other three refuge from the continued tons of annuvium brought down by donors to the fund linked to flooding. the river makes it drift off so often Sununu were all members of the that it is often cited as one of the Alexander Strategy Group, People have also started to return text book examples of a dynamic including its founder, former Tom to their homes, due to the fact river system to geologists. DeLay chief of staff . that they have seen the water Donor Jim Ellis had led the group level drop by over half of a metre Alleged 'rights group' involved Preston Gates & Ellis, which also in some areas. This is despite with removal of anti- employed Jack Abramoff. A fourth statements by officials Scientology videos from contributor was J. Thomas Smith, emphasizing that people may need YouTube doesn't exist; says Jr., who had served as the to stay in the camps for up to six EFF Alexander Strategy Group's months. On September 4 and 5, at least lawyer. 4,000 anti-Scientology videos were

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit www.wikinews.org Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Wikinews Page 3 removed from the video sharing groups who were affected by the website, YouTube. The videos The EFF is investigating the mass take-down. removed were done so by a single incident, and it is not yet known Digital Millennium Copyright Act who or what was behind the DMCA US presidential candidate John (DMCA) notice by an alleged request. Some have speculated McCain now leads slightly in 'rights group' called the American that the Counsel is a front for the polls Rights Counsel LLC, which Scientology operated by a Dr. United States presidential Wikinews has confirmed, does not Oliver Schaper. In an exclusive candidate John McCain now retains exist beyond the scope of those interview with Wikinews, Schaper a lead over Barack Obama in requests. denied any involvement with the several polls conducted in the past DMCA requests and also denied few days. Both Zogby In an exclusive interview with having any knowledge whatsoever International and Rasmussen Wikinews the Electronic Frontier of the Counsel. Reports have McCain with a slight, Foundation (EFF) acknowledged but not statistically significant that they "don't know anything "As many other people, and even lead. The most recent Gallup about" the Counsel and that any members of the Church of tracking poll has McCain with a attempt to intentionally commit Scientology received information statistical lead of 5.0 percent. The fraud by filing false DMCA about a company that removed Day to Day Politics Poll Average requests, could lead to criminal anti-Scientology content from also has a slight, but not charges. YouTube, shit hit the fan and statistically significantly lead of members of Anonymous went on a 0.4% for McCain. "We don't know anything about full attack on me. I still have to this group. However, if these this date no information about the Obama had a 6.0 percent lead in DMCA notices were sent American Rights Counsel and I the Day to Day Politics Poll improperly, there could be legal have no connection, knowledge or Average after the Democratic remedies. The particulars would involvement in this company which National Convention, but now is depend on the particulars of the I have been informed of does not trailing after the Republican situation," Rebecca Jeschke, a even exists," Schaper said. National Convention and the spokeswoman for the EFF, told announcement of Sarah Palin as Wikinews. Producer of XenuTV Mark Bunker McCain's running mate. This is the defends Schaper and does not first time McCain has led Obama in The EFF first broke the story believe he is responsible. Bunker the poll average since the two regarding the requests. YouTube also believes that the Counsel is a candidates emerged as their received the notice all at once, in a fraud and called the DMCA party's presumptive nominees single request. When Wikinews requests a crime. after the primaries. asked the EFF if they knew the names or links to the material in "I next did a Google search for After McCain chose Palin, the question, they stated that they do American Rights Counsel LLC current Governer of Alaska, as his not know the names and that they which brought up absolutely no vice presidential candidate and the have not seen the notice filed with results so clearly this was fraud Republican National Convention, a YouTube. from the beginning. I had never Gallup poll had shown that the heard of Schaper before he was percentage of Republicans who are According to Jeschk, the "EFF accused of this. I don't know enthusiastic about voting has fights abuse of the DMCA. ..." but anything about him other than he increased by 18%. The Democrats did not state where the EFF heard contacted me and said he was not enthusiasm has only increased by about the request. involved. I don't know who was 10% since the addition of Joe responsible. 4000 deletions in a Biden to the nomination ticket and "We have not seen the notices, matter of hours is a pretty major after the Democratic National merely heard about them [and] we feat. It would be worth a subpoena Convention. don't know enough to know if the to find out who committed this DMCA has been abused here. crime," Bunker said. The Day to Day Politics Poll However, only copyright holders Average for the past week used can issue DMCA takedowns," Currently the EFF does not the Gallup Tracking poll, the Jeschke said. represent any of the users or Rasmussen Tracking poll, the CNN

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit www.wikinews.org Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Wikinews Page 4 poll, USA Today/Gallup, would later abolish the death About Wikinews Hotline/FD, the CBS News and the penalty in 1981. To view a copy of the GFDL, visit: Zogby poll. 1990 – Pope John Paul II http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html consecrated the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Wikipedia Current Events Wikipedia Current Events http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events Côte d'Ivoire, one of the largest The United Nations decides to Today in History churches in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page withdraw aid workers from Tamil September 10 is National Day in Quote of the Day Tiger held areas of Sri Lanka. http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Main_Page Gibraltar (1967) Word of the Day •Hurricane Ike makes its second http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Main_Page landfall on Cuba, near San Quote of the Day About Wikinews Print Edition Cristóbal, north of the Isle of Better to write for yourself and Youth, on its way into the Gulf of have no public, than to write for For more information about Wikinews Print Edition visit: http://en.wikinews.org/ Mexico. the public and have no self. ~ Cyril wiki/Wikinews:Print Connolly •A Thai court rules that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej must Word of the Day be removed from office for ventriloquist n receiving payment for appearing 1. Someone, especially an on a television cooking show. entertainer, who practices •US President George W. Bush ventriloquism. pledges 4500 troops to Afghanistan over the next few About Wikinews months and orders 8000 Iraq We are a group of volunteer journalists toops home by February. whose mission is to create a diverse •Apple Inc. unveils the revamped community where citizens from around iPod line-up including the the globe (including you) can collaborate to report the news on a redesigned, fourth-generation wide variety of current events. By iPod Nano. making our content perpetually available for free redistribution and use, Today in History we hope to contribute to a global digital commons. 1798 – At the Battle of St. George's Caye, a small force of Got news and no computer? British settlers called Baymen Call the Wikinews Hotline defeated an invading force from +1-866-653-4265 Mexico who were attempting to (toll-free in the U.S.) claim what is now Belize for Spain. +1-202-742-5918 (outside the U.S.) 1897 – A peaceful labor +44-871-218-6397 demonstration made up of mostly (U.K. / Europe) Polish and Slovak anthracite coal License miners in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA, was fired upon This work is licensed under the Creative by a sheriff's posse comitatus in Commons Attribution License. Articles the Lattimer Massacre. published in this Print edition were created by Wikinewsies. Other content 1898 – In an act of "propaganda of released under the GNU Free the deed", Italian anarchist Luigi Documentation License. Lucheni fatally stabbed Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Geneva, To view a copy of the CC-BY license, Switzerland. visit: 1977 – Hamida Djandoubi became http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ the last person to be guillotined in or send a letter to Creative Commons France, the official method of 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor execution in that country. France San Francisco, California, 94105, USA

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit www.wikinews.org