Michael Jackson died
According to many sources, Michael Jackson the king of pop is dead. »»
Air France flight 447 missing with 228 people on board
An Air France Airbus which was flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris disappeared on the night of Sunday to Monday with 228 people on board. »»
Last Titanic survivor Millvina Dean dies
The last survivor of the ocean liner Titanic, which sank on in April 1912 making hundred of victims, died at a nursing home near Southampton, England at the age of 97. »»
Massive 7.5 earthquake strikes Indonesia
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) a major magnitude 7.5 earthquake has struck Sulawesi, Indonesia, causing a tsunami warning to be issued. The USGS originally reported the quake as a 7.8. Local seismologists in Indonesia put the magnitude at 7.7. »»
Scotland denies bail to terminally ill man convicted of Lockerbie bombing
Scotland has refused bail to the Libyan man convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 despite his terminal cancer, as he can receive treatment in prison. Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi was jailed in 2001 for the 1988 bombing of the transatlantic airliner, killing 270 people, but is seeking to have his conviction overturned. »»
Turbulence likely cause of Mexico jet crash that killed ministers
Wake turbulence from a larger aircraft is believed to be the cause of a crash of a Mexican government Learjet 45 into rush-hour traffic in Mexico City earlier this month. All nine on board, including Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, and five on the ground were killed. »»
Barack Obama elected 44th President of the United States
The 2008 presidential Democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, 47, is projected to win at least 349 electoral votes, enough to clinch the Presidency of the United States. Obama is the first African American to be elected President in U.S. history. His Republican opponent, Arizona senator John McCain is projected to win at least 155 electoral votes. McCain has phoned Obama to concede the election. »»
Grandmother of Barack Obama dies at 86
Madelyn Dunham, the maternal grandmother of United States 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama, has died of cancer at 86, just one day before the election. »»
DNA tests confirm bones found are Steve Fossett's
According to California's Madera County Sheriff's office, DNA tests performed on bones found at the site of a plane crash in October, are confirmed to be those of adventurer Steve Fossett. »»
Anti-Scientology protest material removed from YouTube following threats of legal action
The video sharing website YouTube has removed several anti-Scientology videos following threats of legal action. Wikinews found that at least 11 videos have been removed from the site following Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices served on YouTube by Dr. Oliver Schaper, Scientologist and self-described advocate of the Church of Scientology's rights to free speech. Schaper, in an interview with Wikinews reporter Jason Safoutin, denied involvement in a previous run of DMCA requests involving similar video material. However, the videos in question bear a message that Schaper was the originator of the request. »»
Controversial book publisher's house petrol bombed
Four people have been arrested on terrorism charges in Islington, London, England, after a suspected petrol bombing on the house of Martin Rynja, owner of book publishing company Gibson Square. »»
School shooting in Kauhajoki, Finland kills eleven
At approximately 11:00 a.m. Finnish time, a man in his twenties entered the Kauhajoen koti- ja laitostalousoppilaitos vocational school in Kauhajoki, Finland with a gun and began to open fire, killing 11 people. »»
American war deserter given stay of deportation in Canada
An American soldier who served in Afghanistan, Jeremy Hinzman was granted a surprise stay of deportation by the Federal Court of Canada one day before he was scheduled to be sent back to face trial for desertion in the United States. The move has put the issue of American deserters who fled to Canada following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq back in the national spotlight. »»
South African couple killed after being hit by train while having sex
A South African couple has died after being hit by a freight train while having sexual intercourse on railroad tracks. The couple, who are yet to be identified, were having intercourse on the tracks in the Mpumalanga Province of the African country. The engineer yelled warnings at the couple to move, but according to him, they ignored them. South Africa's national freight railway is called Transnet. »»
Somali pirates seize Greek freighter, 25 crew in the Gulf of Aden
According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), pirates have seized a Greek bulk carrier en route to Kenya with 25 crew on board in the Gulf of Aden some 370 kilometers from Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. »»
50,000 people refuse evacuation after flooding in India caused by river changing course
The Kosi River changed course one week ago to a path which it has not taken for over 100 years. While 900,000 people were evacuated by rescue workers, new data has revealed that 50,000 people, from the town of Saharsa, have refused to leave their homes. »»
Church of Scientology in France accused of fraud; ordered to stand trial
According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Church of Scientology in France will be facing a court trial, being accused of "organized" fraud. The AFP also states that seven other Scientologists will be charged with illegally prescribing prescription medication. If found guilty, Scientology could be banned in France. »»
South Ossetia says it will join North Ossetia-Alania as a federal subject of Russia
As the parliament of Georgia voted to approve closing the nation's embassy in Moscow and severing diplomatic ties with Russia, officials in the breakaway territory of South Ossetia are stating that their ultimate goal is not independence, but to be absorbed into Russia. »»
Small plane crashes in Utah, USA killing all aboard
A small twin engine Beechcraft King Air A-100 plane has crashed in Southeastern Utah near Arches National Park killing all 10 people aboard. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Canyonlands Field airport at around 5:55 p.m. (mountain time) on Friday evening. »»
Russia withdraws from Georgia
Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, announced the withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia. In a statement made on August 12, Medvedev declared that the reason for Russian withdrawal was the humanitarian crisis in the region. »»
Russia advances into Georgia from Abkhazia
On Monday, Russian troops advanced roughly 25 miles into Georgia. The Interior Ministry of Georgia said that Russian units had moved from the self declared republic of Abkhazia, to the town of Senaki, within Georgian territory. »»
Roadside bomb in Turkey kills nine soldiers, injures two
At least nine Turkish soldiers were killed and two others injured after their military vehicle ran over a roadside bomb near a bridge in Kemah, Turkey. Originally, eight were reported dead, but one of the injured later died at a local hospital. »»
Eight killed in suicide bombing in Algeria
A suicide bomber killed 8 people and wounded 19 others according to Algerian public radio. »»
Two small planes collide in Wyoming, USA, killing three
At least three people are dead after two small planes collided in a remote area of Wyoming in the United States. »»
Russian minister: South Ossetia reporting biased in Western media
Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin accused Western countries and media of anti-Russian bias and that the pro-Georgian position in the South Ossetia-Georgian conflict might restrain future relations. »»
Several large explosions reported in Xinjiang, China
According to the Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency for the People's Republic of China, "several explosions" have been reported in the Xinjiang province of the country. Adnkronos.com is reporting at least nine people are killed, with several in critical condition at a hospital. At least two police officers are among the dead with Reuters and AFP reporting that there were five suspects who were killed. »»
Georgia wants ceasefire in Ossetia war
On Saturday Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Georgia, called for a ceasefire in the South Ossetian war. "I call for an immediate ceasefire," said Saakashvili, speaking in Tbilisi. "Russia has launched a full scale military invasion of Georgia." »»
Maine resident arrested in Florida for death threats to Bush, Obama
On Thursday, a man was charged with threatening to assassinate United States (U.S.) Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. »»
US government points to dead scientist as 'lone anthrax attacker'
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has alleged that Bruce Ivins, a government bioweapons scientist, was the sole person responsible for the biological terrorism attacks in the USA in 2001 which came shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Ivins committed suicide July 29, 2008. »»
Train hits collapsed bridge in Czech Republic, killing ten
An express train struck a collapsed motorway bridge in the Czech Republic, leaving 7 people dead and 70 injured. The EuroCity train, which was en route from Kraków, Poland to Prague, derailed after it collided while traveling at 140km/h (87mph). »»
American tourist killed in Beijing
Two relatives of a coach for the American Volleyball team, and their tour-guide, were attacked by a Chinese man Saturday. »»
Georgian President declares country is in 'state of war'
Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Georgia, has declared that his country is now in a state of war. "I have signed a decree on a state of war. Georgia is under a state of total military aggression by the Russian navy, air force, large-scale ground operations," he said in a televised meeting that was broadcast on national television. »»
Wisconsin gunman named, could be charged in two states
The man who police allege killed three young adults may face charges in two states. »»
At least seven mountaineers die while climbing K2
At least seven mountaineers have died while climbing K2, the second highest mountain in the world. The accident was reportedly caused by a rock slide or an avalanche that severed all the ropes used for ascent and descent. »»
Explosion in Turkey kills seventeen
Reuters, AFP, the Associated Press are reporting that a gas explosion in a Turkish school killed at least seventeen girls Friday. »»
188 Fatah supporters permitted to enter Israel
On Saturday, 188 supporters of Fatah were allowed to enter Israel from the Gaza Strip, said one IDF spokesman. The Fatah supporters were fleeing after a bloody conflict in Gaza City. Defense minister Ehud Barak was the one who gave the permission for the Palestinians to enter Israel. »»
Bush claims violence in Iraq down to lowest level for four years
George W. Bush, the current President of the United States yesterday claimed that the level of violence in Iraq has decreased to the lowest level since Spring 2004. In a speech made yesterday, Bush claimed that "Violence is down to its lowest level since the spring of 2004, and we're now in our third consecutive month with reduced violence levels holding steady." He then said that "a significant reason for this sustained progress is the success of the surge." »»
Gunman kills three in Wisconsin shooting
The Associated Press reported early Friday that a camouflaged gunman opened fire, killing three, on a northeast Wisconsin river Thursday night. »»
Suspect in 2001 anthrax attack dies of apparent suicide
A man about to be indicted by the United States Department of Justice died Tuesday. His lawyer has called the death a suicide. »»
Man decapitated on Greyhound bus in Manitoba
According to a Canadian Press report published today, a 40-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing and decapitating a fellow passenger on a Greyhound bus in Manitoba, Canada on Wednesday night. »»
British hacker may face Guantanamo, 60-year sentence
Beleaguered British computer hacker Gary McKinnon has vowed to fight U.S. extradition proceedings through the European Court of Human Rights. This follows on from yesterday's rejection of an appeal to the the U.K's Law Lords. »»
Southern Minnesota plane crash kills eight
At least eight people have been killed in a plane crash near the southern Minnesota town of Owatonna, the Associated Press and local media reported Thursday morning. »»
Earthquake strikes southern California
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck southern California in the Chino Hills area (San Bernardino County) near Los Angeles California, east of Highway 142. It occurred at about 11:42 a.m. (PDT), and lasted approximately one minute. »»
US father kidnaps daughter, may flee country in yacht
Clark Rockefeller, a former director of the Algonquin Club in Boston, Massachusetts, has allegedly abducted his 7-year-old daughter, Reigh Boss, during a supervised weekend visit. The weekend visit was supervised by a social worker, and Rockefeller got away in a black SUV, affixed with Red Sox stickers, driven by another man. »»
Qantas ordered to check oxygen cylinders
Australian Transport Safety Bureau announced that an oxygen cylinder which was located near the area of the explosion on Qantas flight QF30 from London, England to Melbourne, Australia was unaccounted for but said that it was too early to say that an oxygen cylinder could be the cause of the mid-air explosion. »»
Two dead, seven others wounded in church by gunfire in Tennessee, United States
On Sunday morning, at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, a gunman identified as 58 year old Powell, TN resident Jim Adkisson fired a number of shots with a .12 gauge shotgun, killing two people, and wounding seven others. He was finally tackled by two parishioners and restrained until the authorities arrived. »»
EU maintains ban on Indonesian airlines amid accusations of political motivation
The European Union has maintained its ban on all 51 of Indonesia's airlines on the grounds of safety concerns. The Indonesian foreign ministry, which had earlier believed its plan to "fast-track" safety improvements for three airlines would see them back in the EU by July's end, suggested that the ban may have political overtones. »»
Hole in fuselage causes Qantas flight to make emergency landing
A Boeing 747-438, Qantas airways flight number QF30 from London, England to Melbourne, Australia, had to make an emergency landing at Manila International Airport after a door panel popped open, creating a massive hole in the plane's fuselage. »»
Two nuclear leaks in two weeks trigger security and safety reviews in France
On July 7 and again on July 23, there were accidental leaks at the Tricastin Nuclear Power Center in France, which is a collection of sites in four different communes: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and Pierrelatte in Drôme, and Bollène and Lapalud in Vaucluse. »»
Obama's private prayer published in Israeli newspaper
When Barack Obama visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray on Thursday, July 24, he left a prayer on a sheet of paper in the cracks as is traditional. A orthodox seminary student took the note and gave it to Israel newspaper, Maariv. »»