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Thursday, September 13, 2007

Having worked as an aide, advisor, and Executive Assistant to municipal and provincial politicians, Sheila White is running for the Ontario New Democratic Party in the Ontario provincial election, in the Scarborough-Rouge River riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed her regarding her values, her experience, and her campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

The Internet group Project Chanology today held protests critical of the Church of Scientology. The protests marked what would have been the 49th birthday of Lisa McPherson, who is claimed to be a victim of the Church of Scientology’s practices. Lisa died in 1995 during a running of what Scientologists refer to as an Introspection Rundown, a procedure intended to help Church members deal with a psychotic or deeply traumatic event.

Protests were planned throughout the day in 14 countries and over 50 different cities. The estimation of total protesters world wide for Feb. 10, 2008 is 9,250 people.

Wikinews had correspondents at a number of protest locations to report on the events. This article was updated throughout the day with reports from around the globe.

Friday, March 11, 2011

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Japan’s government has declared its first ever “nuclear emergency” after pressure rises in the No. 1 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, combined with a minor radiation leak, caused a 10 km radius around the plant to be evacuated. An attempt to relieve the pressure inside the containment vessels of the plant has been delayed.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company’s 40-year old nuclear facility, 270 km NE of Tokyo, reported mechanical difficulties with its cooling system, although the automated shutdown systems worked correctly. With the core reaction shut down the plant is no longer actively generating heat, but the fuel rods continue to generate excess heat and radiation and need constant cooling.

The cooling system runs a constant flow of water to take the heat away from the submerged fuel rods, but the pumping system requires electricity to operate even after the plant is no longer producing electricity itself—generally from back-up diesel or natural gas generators.

Friday, May 5, 2006

Australian Prime Minister John Howard and federal industry minister Ian MacDonald today announced that the federal government would be providing Ford Australia with a AU$52.5 million (US$40.4 million) “financial assistance package”. Additional assistance will also be provided by the Victorian state government.

According to Mr Howard, the injection will secure Ford’s manufacturing operations in Australia “for the long term”.

From the package, AU$40 million will be used for the design and manufacture of Ford’s next model Falcon and Territory vehicles, which will be built in Australia.

Despite being given a major facelift in 2002 and another in 2005, the Falcon’s bodyshell dates back to 1998. The current Falcon will need to serve the company until at least 2007 when the new model is anticipated. In the meantime, it will face stiff competition from the completely new Holden Commodore (the Falcon’s major competitor) which will be released in the second half of this year.

The additional AU$12.5 million will be spent on the development of a light commercial vehicle platform, which will be built overseas and marketed to around 80 countries. Mr Howard said that the light commercial project would involve construction of a research and development centre, which will become the base for R&D projects in the region.

Mr MacFarlane said that the research facility was exciting for Australia and that it would put the Australian automotive in the spotlight.

“The funding has helped Ford Australia secure the largest automotive R&D project ever undertaken in Australia which is equally exciting news for local Ford employees and Australian component producers” he said.

“The project will see Ford Australia become a centre for automotive design and engineering excellence in the Asia Pacific region which will bring spin-off benefits for the broader industry,”

“This opportunity will put both Ford Australia, and the Australian automotive and components sectors on the world map as far as our automotive design and engineering capabilities are concerned.” Mr MacFarlane said.

Mr Howard claims that the projects will create 273 jobs and secure the future of the “iconic” Ford Falcon, which has been built in Australia since 1960.

The financial package is conditional upon Ford Australia giving the Australian automotive component industry an opportunity to supply components for the vehicles produced by the two projects.

Monday, July 11, 2005

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has promised that his government will do whatever it can to assist Schapelle Corby’s legal team. He said this as part of a three page letter sent in response to a request from Corby herself.

“Let me assure you that the Australian Government will continue to provide every assistance it can under our legal system, consistent with our approach to date,” he said.

Corby was recently sentenced by an Indonesian court to 20 years in jail for attempting to smuggle four kilograms of marijuana into the island of Bali. The case has been controversial in Australia, with many people believing she is innocent and that the legal process was unfair.It has been alleged that the drugs were planted in Ms. Corby’s luggage by baggage handlers, as part of a smuggling ring internal to Australia, and that they were not collected by the intended “pick up”, leaving them in Ms. Corby’s possession when she arrived in Bali. The Bali High Court decided during an appeal that new evidence should be heard in the case. During the original case a number of key witnesses were not called.

Corby’s lawyers are now collecting new information and preparing for the case. Mr Howard pledged to support them in this process.

“Looking ahead, the Australian government will do what it can to support your legal team as they work to collect further evidence in Australia”, he said.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

The Czech government on Monday announced its diplomats had secured the release of a Polish citizen imprisoned for terrorism in Syria. The Polish foreign ministry on Tuesday confirmed the release of Leszek Panek, 54, from Wroc?aw.File:???????? – panoramio (4).jpg

Polish media reports Panek, who vanished in late 2015 after crossing into Syria via Lebanon, suffers ill mental health. He had previously been travelling around Poland to warn of impending nuclear Armageddon. A statement from the Czech Presidential office said Panek’s condition was “satisfactory”.

Panek requires crutches after he was shot during his arrest by the Syrian army in Homs. He faced the death penalty after being accused of “activities linked to terrorism”. The Czech statement said he was released for humanitarian reasons. When Polish authorities learned of Panek’s location last year they tried to negotiate his release before seeking Czech help.

The Czech embassy is the only representation of any European Union nation in Syria and as such it represents all other EU members as well as the United States in the nation. Hynek Kmoní?ek, head advisor on foreign policy for the Czech President, said Ambassador Eva Filipi in Syria and her counterpart in Lebanon secured the release with their “empathy and energy”. Filipi has been praised by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad who last year spoke of her commitment to Syria despite danger and political turmoil.

Kmoní?ek travelled to Beirut to witness Panek’s transfer to the Polish embassy in Lebanon. The Polish foreign ministry says he is expected home imminently, and that he went to Syria in order to convert people away from Islam to instead follow Christianity. A Czech Presidential spokesperson said negotiators worked in both Prague in the Czech Republic and Damascus in Syria, where the Czech embassy is located, for several months.