Premise: No longer just primetime entertainment for people tired of the cookie cutter sitcom barrage, the show has grown enough of a following (casual viewers as well as its near-rabid fanbase) to warrant its own feature length film. The journey from television to theater at the show's 18th year of existence—The Simpsons is one of the longest-running TV shows in history—wasn't necessarily a sure thing. Matt Groening, the show's creator, initially imagined that a movie would surface once the series ended. But with the proverbial fat lady still waiting in the wings, it seems as if now's as good a time as any to let Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie take the stage.

Hypothesis: The Simpsons was created by Matt Groening.


Premise: Ernie Barnes, whose drawings and paintings of athletes, dancers and other figures in motion reflected his first career as a professional football player, died on Monday in Los Angeles. He was 70. The cause was complications of a blood disorder, his personal assistant, Luz Rodriguez, said. Mr. Barnes was an offensive lineman in the old American Football League, playing four seasons in the 1960s for the New York Titans, the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos. He would often say later that even during his playing days, his heart was more in the painting and sketching he had been doing since he was a child.

Hypothesis: Ernie Barnes was an athlete.


Premise: Mr. Lieberman is part of the new government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and his conservative Likud Party, which was sworn in late Tuesday. Mr. Lieberman leads the hawkish party, Yisrael Beiteinu, an important partner in the governing coalition and the third largest party in Parliament. Critics of Mr. Lieberman were outraged at the outcome of the recent coalition negotiations, which put Yisrael Beiteinu in charge of the Ministry of Public Security, which is responsible for the police.

Hypothesis: Lieberman is the new Foreign Minister of Israel.


Premise: ALBANY, N.Y. — New York's rural 20th Congressional District becomes the center of the American political world this week in a special election that's piqued the interest of both major parties. Tuesday's election will pit Republican Jim Tedisco, a 58-year-old state legislator for 27 years, against Democrat Scott Murphy, a 39-year-old businessman who has the backing of President Barack Obama and influential unions. Voters will choose the successor to Kirsten Gillibrand, who is now a U.S. senator. The special election has come to symbolize issues far beyond the sprawling district along New York's Hudson River Valley.

Hypothesis: Barack Obama is 39 years old.


Premise: SEOUL, South Korea—North Korea's state news agency says that leader Kim Jong Il observed the launch of the country's satellite. The Korean Central News Agency says in a reported dated Sunday that Kim visited the General Satellite Control and Command Center and observed the liftoff. North Korea launched a rocket Sunday that flew over Japan. The country says it was a satellite and that it successfully went into orbit. The U.S. says all parts of the rocket ended up in the ocean.

Hypothesis: Kim Jong-il is the leader of North Korea.


Premise: The doctor who supervises Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix has been under suspension in the run-up to this year's race, the BBC has learned. Dr Amjad Deeb Obaid has headed the F1 medical unit in Bahrain since 2007, with responsibility for a team of 150 medical professionals. He was suspended this year after the death of a patient he had discharged. Bahraini health ministry officials had found "professional deficiencies in [Dr Obaid's] medical ability".

Hypothesis: Amjad Deeb Obaid worked at Salmaniya Medical Complex.


Premise: Monitors from the IAEA, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, left North Korea on Thursday after being ordered out by Pyongyang, which has raised regional tensions by saying it will abandon atomic disarmament talks and restart an aged nuclear complex it had agreed to shut in an aid-for-disarmament deal. The U.N. Security Council unanimously condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on April 5, saying the action contravened a U.N. ban.

Hypothesis: The International Atmospheric Energy Agency is called IAEA.


Premise: The government of Niger and Tuareg rebels of the Movement of Niger People for Justice (MNJ) have agreed to end hostilities, according to reports. Libyan state news agency Jana said two days of talks in Tripoli ended with both sides committing themselves to "total and comprehensive peace". There has been no confirmation from the Niger government but a rebel website said everyone supported reconciliation. The rebels are seeking a greater share of the region's uranium resources.

Hypothesis: MNJ is a group of rebels.


Premise: Lib Dem justice spokesman David Howarth said the footage showed a "sickening and unprovoked attack" by police. The IPCC is investigating and said it would examine the footage. The pictures, shot at 1929 BST (1829 GMT) at Royal Exchange Passage, initially show Mr Tomlinson, who was not protesting, walking away from a group of police officers. He then receives a two-handed push from an officer, landing heavily before remonstrating with the police. Mr Tomlinson collapsed and died of a heart attack after walking to nearby Cornhill, where he received first aid from police. A New York fund manager recorded the footage, believed to be the last showing Mr Tomlinson alive.

Hypothesis: Mr. Tomlinson was a fund manager.


Premise: The tiny Swiss canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden has voted to prohibit the phenomenon of naked hiking. Anyone found wandering the Alps wearing nothing but a sturdy pair of hiking boots will now be fined. Appenzell is considered one of the most conservative regions of Switzerland, it only gave women the vote in 1990. Locals have been outraged by an apparent upsurge of hikers who think the best way to appreciate the mountains is with their clothes off. The vote was taken with a show of hands at Appenzell's annual Landsgemeinde; an open air meeting of all registered voters in the town square.

Hypothesis: The Swiss canton of Appenzell has prohibited naked hiking.


Premise: Barack Obama made history on 4 November 2008 when he defeated Republican rival John McCain to become the first black president of the United States. He had already broken new ground in his White House campaign, as the first black candidate to become the presidential choice of either major US party. To many people, Mr Obama seemed to come from nowhere. Although he had served in the Illinois state senate for eight years, it was only in 2004 that he shot to national prominence, with a speech that stirred the Democratic National Convention.

Hypothesis: Barack Obama was a Republican candidate for the US presidency.


Premise: Former Ontario premier Bob Rae received a boost today in his bid to win the leadership of the federal Liberal Party of Canada when rival candidate Maurizio Bevilacqua announced he was dropping out of the race in order to back Rae. "I'm convinced that Bob Rae is the best person to lead the Liberal Party to victory. He has the experience and the intelligence and the vision to lead Canada into the 21st century," Mr. Belivacqua said at a news conference, Monday. Bevilacqua is a six-term Liberal MP representing the riding of Vaughan, Ontario and was seen as a centrist on economic issues.

Hypothesis: Maurizio Bevilacqua is a supporter of Bob Rae.


Premise: In an election on Saturday, the Social Democratic Alliance and Left-Green Movement have won 34 of 63 seats in the Althing, the Icelandic parliament. They share approximately 52% of the popular vote. In February 2009, the centre-right Icelandic government, led by the eurosceptic Independence Party, resigned following mass protests following the collapse of the island's economy. The Social Democrat Alliance and Left-Green Movement formed an interim government under Johanna Sigurdardottir. The Social Democrat Alliance is eager to start negotiations with the European Union regarding membership and adoption of the Euro. Their partner, the Left-Green Movement, wants a referendum about EU membership, and whilst the Social Democrats have said they will honour this, analysts predict this result will place pressure on the Left-Green Movement.

Hypothesis: The Social Democratic Alliance is allied with the Left-Green Movement.


Premise: A Boeing 737 with 69 people on board safely made an emergency landing at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, after the crew noticed excessive vibrations in the aircraft's left engine shortly upon takeoff. There were no reports of injuries or damage. The airplane circled around the airport to burn spare fuel in order to make the landing safer, according to Interfax. Fire crews and ambulances were at the scene when the jet landed. "After the plane took off, a vibration of the left engine was detected, after which it was decided to return back to Vnukovo," (Translated from Russian) a spokesperson for the airport told Interfax. "The airplane made an emergency landing. None of the 69 people on board were hurt." The plane had taken off from Vnukovo and was en route to Sochi on the Black Sea.

Hypothesis: 69 people were injured during an emergency landing at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow.


Premise: A court in Paraguay has completed its trial over the worst fire disaster the country has ever seen. The Ycuá Bolaños supermarket fire in Asunción left 374 dead, 450 others injured and nine missing, presumed dead. Store owner Juan Pio Paiva, 64, received 12 years imprisonment whilst his son Daniel Paiva, 40, was given 10 years. A security guard, Daniel Areco, was given a five-year sentence while three business associates of the Paivas were cleared of any criminal activity.

Hypothesis: Daniel Paiva was born in Paraguay.


Premise: A team of European and American astronomers say that a recently discovered extrasolar planet, located not far from Earth, contains oceans and rivers of hot solid water. The team discovered the planet, Gliese 436 b, which is roughly the size of Neptune, using the Geneva Observatory and it is roughly 33 light-years away from Earth. "The water is frozen by the pressure but it's hot. It's a bit strange — we are used to water changing conditions because of temperature, but in fact water can also be solidified by pressure. It's not a very welcoming planet," said one of the astronomers who discovered the planet, Frederic Pont.

Hypothesis: Gliese 436 b was found by scientists from America and Europe.


Premise: Brazil - Denunciations of political corruption threaten the Brazilian government. The most recent case involves a deputy of the political party PTB (who supports the government of the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) in a scandal of the services of post office. Lula's government representatives said that they will investigate all the denunciations and affirmed that the government is a victim of political enemies.

Hypothesis: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is a member of PTB.


Premise: The explosion happened at about 9:45pm local time, at the 'Rizk Plaza' shopping mall. It is understood from local media that a bomb was placed in the underground parking area below the complex, although there has been no official confirmation from security services. Sources on the ground say that the actual commercial center occupied the ground floor, with upper stories occupied by inhabited apartments. Located in the Metn range of mountains east of Beirut, Broummana is about half-hour's drive from the capital and is popular with tourists, particularly those from the Gulf states.

Hypothesis: Beirut is near Broummana.


Premise: Fitzpatrick (42), of Larkfield Close, Lucan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to fraud and making a false report to gardai at his store on June 13, 2007, at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Martin Nolan called it a "case of desperation" and sentenced Fitzpatrick to two years, suspended for three years. Garda Claire O'Malley told the court she responded to a call from Mr Fitzpatrick and found him standing outside his shop in a distressed state. He showed her the empty clothes railings and said two men had come in and ordered him to go into the back office. He said they told him to stay there while they took €20,000 worth of clothes. He claimed he emerged 30 minutes later and phoned gardai. Two witnesses reported seeing the men load the clothes into a white van and were able to give gardai the registration number.

Hypothesis: Fitzpatrick is accused of robbery.


Premise: Brazilian federal police arrested Jesse James Hollywood, aged 25, in Saquarema city, Rio de Janeiro, on March 8. James had been sought by the FBI for more than four years. According to the police, he was living in Saquarema with a woman who is pregnant. His arrest occurred while they were in a mall. James was deported to the United States for trial. The two countries do not have a formal extradition treaty.

Hypothesis: Jesse James was arrested in Hollywood.


Premise: Since breaking off from San Francisco local legends, mk Ultra, Vanderslice has produced six critically-acclaimed albums. His most recent, Emerald City, was released July 24th. Titled after the nickname given to the American-occupied Green Zone in Baghdad, it chronicles a world on the verge of imminent collapse under the weight of its own paranoia and loneliness. David Shankbone recently went to the Bowery Ballroom and spoke with Vanderslice about music, photography, touring and what makes a depressed liberal angry.

Hypothesis: Emerald City is a part of the Green Zone.


Premise: State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers are doorknocking and advising residents to leave. Bruce Gunn from the Queensland cyclone warning centre says the cyclone will coincide with a high tide. "We are talking seawater a couple of metres above the high-tide mark, possibly more than that, with waves on top, so this is a very serious situation we are talking about," he said. Mr Gunn told the ABC that severe weather will be experienced several hours before the cyclone reaches the coast. "While we are saying the coastal crossing will be between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. AEST, the few hours leading up to that will be rather bumpy - not very nice to experience," he said.

Hypothesis: Bruce Gunn was raised in Queensland.


Premise: Former city manager of Largo, Florida and transsexual Susan Stanton, has been hired as the new city manager for Lake Worth. Stanton, formerly named Stephen, was allegedly fired from her job as Largo's city manager in 2007 when her sex-change operation became public knowledge. "We said all along that we'd pick the best candidate regardless and that's what it's all about, we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't," said Jeff Clemons, the mayor of Lake Worth. He added that the city's commission voted in favor of Stanton 4 to 1.

Hypothesis: Susan Stanton works for Lake Worth.


Premise: British actor Daniel Craig has been confirmed as the man to follow Pierce Brosnan as the sixth James Bond. Producer Barbara Broccoli and director Martin Campbell called Craig 'a superb actor who has all the qualities needed to bring a contemporary edge to the role'. "It is a huge iconic figure in movie history, and those things don't come along very often," Craig said. The role makes Craig the second Englishman to act as the British spy code-named 007, based on the famed literary character created by novelist Ian Fleming in 1953.

Hypothesis: James Bond is a British citizen.


Premise: NAOSC is an Alberta-based oil company founded in 2001. It manages 1,110 square kilometres of oil sands leases located in northern Alberta. It is estimated that the NOASC oil sands hold approximately 2.2 billion barrels of oil reserves. The company is planning to develop an extraction project and an upgrading facility. When the project is completed, NAOSC expects it to produce over 200,000 barrels of bitumen per day. The upgrading facility would then process the bitumen into synthetic crude oil.

Hypothesis: NAOSC is located in Alberta.


Premise: In March of 2007, Wikimedia was named in a lawsuit filed in Superior Court of Monmouth, New Jersey, along with 20 other defendants which included operators of the Absolute Write web site and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America who authored the list. Wikinews has learned that Bauer's Wikipedia article was deleted some time during the course of the proceedings, along with the edit history of her article and its talk page as a "courtesy." During the investigation, Wikinews found that all edits to her article, and edits to pages requesting it to be deleted were deleted by Wikipedia administrator MaxSem.

Hypothesis: Fantasy Writers of America is an operator based in New Jersey.


Premise: Australia's emergency telephone service, triple-0, which is operated by Telstra, has been lost in Southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory following damage to two optical fibre cables. It is believed that in two separate incidents, optical fibre cables were cut at Gundagai and Narrandera in Southern NSW. In addition to the loss of the triple-0 service, 34 mobile base stations in the region have also been affected. According to Telstra, local calls are still possible, and they recommend that people dial their local fire, ambulance or police station in case of an emergency.

Hypothesis: Narrandera is situated in Australia.


Premise: A suicide attacker detonated a bomb near the home of a prominent Pakistani Shia Muslim cleric in Karachi yesterday, killing the cleric and two other people, police said. The death of Allama Hassan Turabi is likely to raise tensions in Karachi, which is often the scene of violence between Shias and Sunnis. Allama Turabi had narrowly escaped an attempt on his life in April 2006 when a bomb was exploded just after his car crossed the area. He was the leader of a Shia party, Islami Tehreek Pakistan, and a vice provincial chief for Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal Sindh (MMA), an opposition religious coalition.

Hypothesis: Allama Hassan Turabi was a member of the Pakistani Shia Muslim in Karachi.


Premise: Since premiering on March 26, 1973, Y&R has become a worldwide cultural institution in its own right, racking up an impressive 100 Emmy Awards between the writers, producers, cast and crew since 1974. The show has aired in over 100 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey, and reaches a worldwide audience of ten million daily. So far-reaching was Y&R's appeal that Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci chose the serial's theme song as accompanying music to her floor exercises at the 1976 Summer Olympics. In Australia, where Y&R has aired since 1974, the show was canceled by the original network that aired it in 2007, prompting a widespread fan backlash in that country. It was quickly moved to a pay channel.

Hypothesis: Nadia Comaneci is a native of Romania.


Premise: PepsiCo has acquired Poland's Star Foods, a leading maker of snacks, for an undisclosed sum. The deal strengthens its position in Poland in snacks sales such as potato chips. More than half of PepsiCo's total sales is from snacks, less than 20% is from soft drinks. Star Foods was selling potato chips under the brand Star Chips, and corn snacks under the brand Mr. Snaki. Star Foods was privately held by the Mitzalis family, Advent International, Copernicus Capital Partners, and Cazolico S.A.

Hypothesis: PepsiCo holds Star Foods.


Premise: Garnett scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, with 13 of those points coming in the final 6:20 of the period. "It's just about being a presence," Garnett said. "It's about making them have to deal with me. I will continue to take that approach." In addition to his 44-point night, Garnett helped his team by not turning the ball over at all during the game. Such a performance was not the case for Steve Nash, who turned the ball over an uncharacteristic five times during the game. The Suns had 14 turnovers as a team. It was a case of Garnett and the Timberwolves taking full advantage of the mistakes the Suns made and turning it into an opportunity to win. However, the loss certainly didn't leave the Suns or their coach, Mike D'Antoni, discouraged. "We'll start another [streak]. This is fun."

Hypothesis: Garnett plays for the Timberwolves.


Premise: After being contacted by Barton, the school's resource officer interviewed Portillo about the incident. According to police spokeswoman Michelle Steele, the teacher said Alex had been sent to the office earlier that day, and when he came back to class, Portillo asked the students if they were ready for him to return. She allegedly had told her class that the vote was part of a lesson on tallying. Portillo, who has taught in St. Lucie County for 12 years, has been reassigned out of the classroom at the district offices for the time being. Alex's mother believes that Portillo has "no business being near children at all" and should be fired, calling her reassignment "just a slap in the face". The school board has advised Portillo not to speak with the press.

Hypothesis: Michelle Steele is friends with Portillo.


Premise: It's seven a.m. and I'm on a mini-bus heading east on the M4 motorway from Cardiff toward London. I'm riding with seventeen members of the Cardiff Socialist Party, of which Saunders is branch secretary for the Cardiff West branch; they're going to participate in a march that's part of the protests against the G-20 meeting. Before we boarded the minibus Saunders made a speech outlining the reasons for the march. He said they were "fighting for jobs for young people, fighting for free education, fighting for our share of the wealth, which we create." His anger is directed at the government's response to the economic downturn: "Now that the recession is underway, they've been trying to shoulder more of the burden onto the people, and onto the young people...they're expecting us to pay for it."

Hypothesis: Saunders belongs to the Socialist Party.


Premise: Two brothers aged 10 and 11 were accused Tuesday of the attempted murder of two other boys — becoming some of the youngest people ever charged with such a serious crime in Britain. The victims, 11 and nine, say they were robbed and beaten in an area of fields and woodland in Edlington, northern England, on Saturday. Neighbours said the younger victim was found wandering a road covered in blood. The older boy was discovered semiconscious in a wooded ravine nearby. Neighbours who found them told the British media that they appeared to have been beaten, slashed and burned with cigarettes. The 11-year-old victim was in intensive care with serious head injuries. The nine-hear-old needed surgery on his arm. Crown Prosecution Service spokesman Chris Hartley said each suspect faced two charges of attempted murder and two of robbery. They are accused of stealing a mobile phone and five pounds from the victims.

Hypothesis: Edlington is in the north of England.


Premise: Secretary of State of the Vatican City, Cardinal Tarcisio said that the Pope apologized for the way his remarks made during a speech at the University of Regensburg in Germany on September 12 2006 were interpreted saying, "the Holy Father is very sorry that some passages of his speech may have appeared offensive to Muslims and were interpreted in a way he hadn't intended them to be. [The speech was supposed to reflect] the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come."

Hypothesis: The Pope works with Cardinal Tarcisio.


Premise: The police requested the arrest of four suspects. Two are the alleged gunfighters Eduardo and Fogoió, one is a man called Tato who supposedly contacted the gunfighters and the other one is a farmer, Vítor Miro Bastos de Moura, known as Bida who is believed to have contracted the assassins. The Brazilian police also found a body of another man 500 meters from the place were they found the body of the nun. The murdered man was identified as the peasant Adalberto Xavier Leal, known as the Cabeludo or the Hairy Man. He was working for a farmer who had already invaded the area of the PDS maintained by sister Dorothy.

Hypothesis: Vítor Miro Bastos de Moura is the employer of Adalberto Xavier Leal.


Premise: Residents and business owners in the Elmwood Avenue neighborhood and surrounding area in Buffalo heard a competing proposal for development in their neighborhood at the February 22 meeting held at the Burchfield-Penney Art Gallery, at Buffalo State College. The meeting, attended by at least 140, was originally to consider the Elmwood Village Hotel but also included a new revitalization proposal from Rocco Termini which would increase retail space, but involves less demolition and no hotel.

Hypothesis: Elmwood Avenue is in Buffalo.


Premise: On Thursday in Canada, the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee delivered petitions with over 10,000 signatorys to the Premier of British Columbia's office. The petitions ask that the government cancel the Gateway Program's highway expansions components and invest more in transit instead. The Gateway Program is a transportation infrastructure project that includes over 260 km of new highway lanes. Over a dozen activists rallied outside the office in downtown Vancouver including two dressed as polar bears. The premier's office initially declined to accept the invitations. After the activists attempted to enter the nearby convention centre where the premier was speaking, staff working with the Premier agreed to accept the petitions.

Hypothesis: The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation is against the Gateway Program.


Premise: On Friday, August 4, bride-to-be Julianna Redd's parents, Lemeul and Julia Redd, told her that she was going on a shopping trip but instead she was driven 390 km (240 miles) from Provo, Utah to Grand Junction, Colorado by her parents trying to talk her out of getting married. Her now husband, Perry Myers, called the police when Julianna and her parents did not attend the pre-wedding dinner. The Redds spent the night in Colorado before going to Provo the day the couple were supposed to be married at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hypothesis: Julia Redd has a daughter called Julianna.


Premise: Akwasi Osei-Adjei is Ghana's foreign minister. He tells VOA reporter Peter Clottey that President Kufuor is concerned about the tensions in Kenya. "Basically, the president has been invited to Kenya to see for himself the situation and offer advise as to how the two leaders can come together to stop what is happening in Kenya. As you know, people are being killed and there are a lot of disturbances in Kenya and Kenya is like a pillar of a democratic country is now blowing up in our faces. And I don't think it is for any African country to stand by and more so the chair of the AU (Africa Union) to sit by for such a thing to happen to Kenya. He (president Kufuor) is going there to offer advice," Osei-Adjei noted.

Hypothesis: Peter Clottey is employed by President Kufuor.


Premise: Last year gave local vendors plenty to think about. Dr. Conway reported the total impact on the local economy at $2.5 million. Regardless of the actual figure, the local Kwik-E-Mart started taking furry fandom seriously when shelves started coming up bare. This year, vendors thought themselves better-prepared. The Steel City Diner printed 100 shirts celebrating the convention, only to run out on Friday afternoon. The diner met their weekly sales target by Wednesday, and doubled that by Friday night, working through Sunday to keep up with demand.

Hypothesis: The Steel City Diner belongs to Dr. Conway.


Premise: Cancer survivors, who were a mean age of 4.6 years when first diagnosed, often had more physical, visual and hearing disability impairments as complications of treatment, but they did not have a higher rate of grade repetition. Indeed, the rates between the cancer and non-cancer groups were similar, at about 22 per cent. Another positive finding was that there were no significant differences in achievements on Grade 12 provincial exams between the study groups. Lead investigator Mary McBride and radiation oncologist Dr. Karen Goddard said in an interview that radiation treatment has helped improve childhood survival outcomes (to 80 per cent in the past decade) but it is also a leading culprit as far as educational difficulties go.

Hypothesis: Cancer survivors often suffer from visual impairments after treatment.


Premise: Ed Stelmach has won the race to lead Alberta's governing Progressive Conservative party beating out former Treasurer Jim Dinning and Ted Morton. Stelmach, now premier-Designate of Alberta, will be sworn in as Premier of the Canadian province once outgoing leader Ralph Klein leaves office later this month. Stelmach placed third on the first ballot of the party's leadership election last Saturday behind Dinning, the favourite, who was in first place and former university professor Morton who was in second place. The top three contenders in the eight candidate race proceeded to the second ballot vote which occurred yesterday.

Hypothesis: The leader of the Progressive Conservative party in Alberta is Ed Stelmach.


Premise: Authorities were unaware of Bush's identity until after his arrest and booking when they observed his Florida Driver License. Governor Bush appearing with his wife at a Miami museum reception bristled at reporters' questions Friday evening when the issue was mentioned saying, "I'm not going to discuss it on the public square with 30 cameras." Several members of the Bush family have received considerable press coverage for perceived or abusive use of alcohol and other substances, including George W. Bush's DUI, Jenna and Barbara Bush's underage drinking, and Jebby's sister Noelle arrest for forging a Xanax prescription.

Hypothesis: Jenna Bush is a relative of Governor Bush.


Premise: Google has not complied with the request prompting US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to request a court order from a federal judge in California. Google has nevertheless stated that it would fight the order. Nicole Wong, the associate general counsel for Google, said "Google is not a party to this lawsuit and their demand for information overreaches," and that "We had lengthy discussions with them to try to resolve this, but were not able to and we intend to resist their motion vigorously."

Hypothesis: Alberto Gonzales was engaged to Nicole Wong.


Premise: Sweden has plans to open a virtual embassy in Second Life, the virtual world home to thousands of netizens. Companies like Dell are already selling computers via the virtual world, but Sweden would become the first country to have a cyber-embassy in Second Life. The embassy would not provide visa or perform diplomatic tasks, but would provide information on how and where to get these documents in the real world, as well as giving cultural and tourist information about the country. Visitors will also be able to chat with embassy personnel. A spokesperson explained that it would be an easy and cheap way to reach young people. The idea came from The Swedish Institute, an agency of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Sweden with providing information about Sweden as a key purpose.

Hypothesis: The Swedish Institute has purchased Dell computers.


Premise: Local president Ramzan Kadyrov, son of former Chechen leader Akhmad Kadyrov who died in a bomb blast in 2004 in Grozny, is satisfied with the situation. He is now expecting more foreign investment and a better economic growth in the area. He declared April 16 as a future holiday in Chechnya. Human rights organisations, on the other hand, accuse him of letting his own militia torture and kill his opponents. In the meantime, the local president Ramzan Kadyrov has informed the heads of the regional administration about the end of the operation and advised them yesterday to let the former militants return to a peaceful civilian life, Vesti.ru reports. But at the same time he settled that the rule should not apply to those rebels who had become extremists. These people — according to Kadyrov mostly living in the mountains — would not deserve any amnesty and not any public pardon, Kadyrov said.

Hypothesis: Akhmad Kadyrov is the father of president Ramzan Kadyrov.


Premise: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police bungled the case of Maher Arar leading to an innocent man being tortured in Syria following his deportation from the United States, according to the findings of the federal inquiry into the affair. Justice Dennis O'Connor's report, released yesterday, reveals that the RCMP erroneously told the United States that Arar was linked to Al Qaeda and wrongly described him as an "Islamic extremist individual". "The potential consequences of labelling someone an Islamic extremist in post-9/11 are enormous" wrote O'Connor. Based on information received from the RCMP, Arar was detained on September 16, 2002, during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York City. After being held in the US for two weeks he was deported to Syria under the US policy of "extraordinary rendition" and was detained in a Damascus prison for a year without charges and tortured before being returned to Canada.

Hypothesis: Al Qaeda is connected to the United States.


Premise: The Australian federal and New South Wales governments will not be selling their shares in Snowy Hydro Limited (the owner and operator of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme). Snowy Hydro Limited's major shareholder is the NSW government with a 58 percent shareholding. The Victorian government owns 29 percent and the federal government has a 13 percent stake. NSW Premier Morris Iemma announced in December 2005 that he wished to sell the state's share in Snowy Hydro that caused the federal and Victorian governments to follow. The proposed sale has attracted immense criticism by those who believed that the sale would affect the environment and water supplies along the Snowy River, this was reinforced yesterday when 58 eminent Australians presented a petition to the government opposing the sale.

Hypothesis: Morris Iemma is the prime minister of New South Wales.


Premise: Krasnov said the new spacecraft will be capable of carrying a crew of six and a payload of 500 kilograms to orbit around the Earth. The Soyuz can only carry a crew of three. Krasnov told reporters last week that the new spaceship should also be capable of delivering a crew of four to lunar orbit. "We want the new ship to be a step into the future, not just a scaled up version of the Soyuz," he said. Russia plans to start construction next year of Vostochny, a new space launch facility in the far eastern Amur region near China. The new cosmodrome is expected to host launches of unmanned spacecraft beginning in 2015 and the first manned missions starting in 2018. Russia currently uses the Soviet-built Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for all of its manned space missions and most important commercial launches.

Hypothesis: The Soyuz spacecraft is built in China.


Premise: A lack of thorough and consistent measures to pick the White House press corps members has led many to question the reason a little-known conservative reporter had access to sensitive documents and the President of the United States. Jeff Gannon, whose real name is James Guckert, has been operating under an assumed name while attending White House press briefings. Gannon/Guckert was a reporter for the news service Talon News, a website believed by some to be a branch of the GOPUSA, up until his recent resignation due to the incidents surrounding him.

Hypothesis: Talon News paid James Guckert's salary.


Premise: On October 14, 2008, Canadians will be heading to the polls for the federal election. Christian Heritage Party candidate Ron Gray is standing for election in the riding of Langley. Wikinews contacted Ron Gray, to talk about the issues facing Canadians, and what they and their party would do to address them. Wikinews is in the process of contacting every candidate, in every riding across the country, no matter their political stripe. All interviews are conducted over e-mail, and interviews are published unedited, allowing candidates to impart their full message to our readers, uninterrupted. Mr. Gray has been leader of the Christian Heritage Party since 1995. He first ran for office in 1988.

Hypothesis: The Christian Heritage Party has won the 2008 Canadian federal election.


Premise: On Sunday Memoirs: 1939-1993 a memoir written by former Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney will be released. The 1,152 page tome outlines Mulroney's version of events during his time as prime minister. CTV will broadcast a documentary on Brian Mulroney on the eve of his book launch. In addition, the network plans to air Triumph & Treachery: The Brian Mulroney Story on Sunday, CTV says the 90-minute special will be the most complete interview the former prime minister has ever given and his first comprehensive interview since leaving office in 1993.The Quebec French language TVA network will air a similar documentary exclusively in French later that night.

Hypothesis: Brian Mulroney is the author of a memoir.


Premise: Henan province has registered seven dead children and 4,761 HFMD cases. Shandong has reported five children dead from HFMD and 3,280 cases to deal with. HFMD can start from a variety of viruses of which Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) is the most common, followed by the Coxsackie A virus (Cox A16). There is an Incubation period from time of contact to appearance of symptoms between three to seven days.

Hypothesis: Shandong is not far from Henan province.


Premise: Nepal's 10-year civil war has come to a peaceful conclusion with the signing of a historic accord between Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Prachanda, leader of the Maoist rebel faction that had been fighting for political change. The deal was signed in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The deal would allow the Maoists into the Nepalese government, and place both Maoist and government weapons under UN scrutiny. The Maoists had been observing a ceasefire since its declaration more than six months previously. Prachanda said that the peace agreement would end the 238-year old feudal system. He added that his party would work with new responsibility and make new strong Nepal.

Hypothesis: Girija Prasad Koirala is the leader of a Maoist rebel faction.


Premise: Four paintings were stolen in broad daylight from a branch of the Pinacoteca Museum located in São Paulo, Brazil. In this, the second high-scale art robbery in São Paulo in less then a year, the three armed robbers overpowered three unarmed museum guards before walking out with the paintings, frames and all, in two large bags. The combined value of the four paintings has been put between US$568,400 and $612,000. The paintings were Pablo Picasso's "The Painter and the Model" and "Minotaur, Drinker and Women", both insured at $4,200, and two paintings by Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, "Women at the Window" insured at $500,000 and "Couple" insured at $60,000. All works stolen were owned by the Jose and Paulina Nemirovsky Foundation. This comes just several months after a December 20 robbery in São Paulo in which another Picasso painting, as well as a painting by Candido Portinari, were stolen after-hours. The paintings were recovered January 8.

Hypothesis: The painter and women is a painting of Picasso.


Premise: Jaslene Gonzalez is not your typical model. She rose to fame after winning Cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model, and since then, has been aggressively tapping into the fashion industry. As a result of her Latin background, Gonzalez has been successful at marketing herself both in the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking worlds. However, Gonzalez is much much more - a fighter, a humanitarian, and a good Latin granddaughter. Born in Chicago to a Latina mother, and a Puerto Rican-born father, Gonzalez had, in many ways, a typical U.S. Latino experience - her tight knit family, grandparents, and spirituality played an intrinsic part in her upbringing.

Hypothesis: Jaslene Gonzalez is a member of the Latino community in the US.


Premise: According to Reporters Without Borders (RWB, or Reporters Sans Frontières), a Paris-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, the sentence imposed was "a serious violation of free expression." The group has expressed concern at the use of the Lèse majesté laws to suppress political discussion and dissenting voices. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Thai police filed a lèse majesté case against Dr. Giles Ji Ungpakorn, 55, a political science professor at Chulalongkorn University and Thailand's leading leftist political analyst. "The government, the prime minister, should order that they (the lese majeste laws) cease being used against people and that a whole review of the law should take place," Giles said.

Hypothesis: Reporters Without Borders is based in Paris.


Premise: Clarence Ray Allen, convicted of ordering a hit in 1980 that resulted in the deaths of the target and two bystanders, was executed just after his 76th birthday, making him the second-oldest man in U.S. history to be executed. He had been in prison for ordering the murder of his son's girlfriend when he ordered the hit that resulted in the death penalty conviction. However, appeals caused him to remain on death row for 23 years. His lawyers had attempted to make the case that it would be cruel and unusual to execute the man, attempting to save his life under the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. However, the courts rejected the appeal, and the Supreme Court refused to hear the case, upholding the death penalty conviction.

Hypothesis: Clarence Ray Allen was killed by his girlfriend's son.


Premise: Contrary to Steven Harper's plan to put Canada's newly created Civil Marriage Bill back on the floor of the House of Commons for a free vote, The Bloc Quebecois plans to oppose any attempts by the Conservatives to revisit the issue when Parliament returns in the fall. "It is simply believed that the debate has taken place and it is not relevant to start it again," said Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe.

Hypothesis: Steven Harper is a conservative.


Premise: Local activist Frank Del Vecchio asked Posner if she would appear in the eight-minute Close the Loophole video, directed by Emmy award-winning documentarian Robyn Symon, to state her belief that a loophole that allows popular local restaurants such as Prime One Twelve and Devito South Beach to exist in her residential neighborhood should be amended to limit the amount of seats in the establishments in proportion to their number of rooms. Her segment began, "Hi, I'm Trisha Posner. I'm a journalist and columnist for Ocean Drive magazine. I am married to Gerald Posner, the author." Within a few hours after her appearance, she was fired by Ocean Drive publisher Jerry Powers.

Hypothesis: Gerald Posner is the spouse of Trisha.


Premise: Indeed, he has. Wolfson was lead counsel before the Supreme Court in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, the case arguing against the expulsion of gay scoutmasters. As an intrepid young assistant district attorney in Brooklyn, Wolfson worked on People v. Liberta to end the exemption that allowed women to be raped by their husbands legally, a right in New York State as early as 1984. And he helped end the practice of choosing jurors based upon their race. Wolfson's entire career has been at the center of the most explosive legal and cultural issues of the last 30 years in the United States, and his influence has been profound. David Shankbone sat down with him to discuss some of the recent decisions affecting gay marriage, gender in marriage and reactions in the gay community to his fight for their rights.

Hypothesis: Wolfson now lives in Brooklyn.


Premise: A bid made by Singapore Airlines for a 24% stake in China Eastern Airlines was turned down by minority shareholders. Talks about a sale started in March 2007 when Singapore Airlines and China Eastern started negotiations about a possible deal. According to Forbes the deal would have helped China Eastern's earnings and accelerate the consolidation and would have improved the market position of China's third-largest airline. Talks went on throughout the year and both companies suspended trading of their shares on May 21, 2007, according to a AFP press release.

Hypothesis: China Eastern Airlines is owned by Singapore Airlines.


Premise: During the large demonstration against the impending so-called First Employment Contract law (in French: Contrat de Première Embauche - CPE) on Saturday in Paris, one of the demonstrators was perilously injured in the head. Now, allegations have been brought against the French riot police Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS). Eyewitnesses report that officers of the CRS kicked 39-year-old Cyril Ferez while he was lying on the ground. A report of a CRS-officer draws a different picture of the incident. The incident happened during the evacuation of the Place de la Nation by the CRS at the end of the demonstration against the first employment contracts at about 8.30 p.m. Cyril Ferez works for the Orange telecommunication company in Torcy and is a member of the trade union Sud-PTT, which represents workers at post offices and telecommunication companies.

Hypothesis: Cyril Ferez set up his residency in Paris.


Premise: Robin Williams recently suffered a heart surgery that, fortunately for the wonderful actor, was a success. The decision of making this surgery was made while he was on his 'Weapons of Self-Destruction' comedy tour this month. Feeling shortness of breath, he consulted the doctors who programed him for surgery. The 56 years old actor is now recovering at Ohio's renowned Cleveland Clinic. According to his doctor "his heart is strong and he will have normal heart function in the coming weeks with no limitations on what he'll be able to do."

Hypothesis: Robin Williams suffered from heart attack.


Premise: He also told the outlet, he stressed how such bans were blocking Chinese perspectives in the global media. "[The] Chinese people would like to contribute to Wikipedia to give the Chinese point of view for the entire world to see. And China needs to be better understood by the rest of the world." The third block of Wikipedia, which was implemented 19 October 2005, was issued without explanation or an expected length. Wikipedia has been blocked twice before, the first from 2-21 June 2004, due to the 15th anniversary of the Tian'anmen Square Incident. A website called baidu.com runs a self-censored wiki-based encyclopedia website, called baidubaike.com, launched in April of this year. Wikipedia is a project of the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organisation based out of St. Petersberg, Florida. Its 2007 annual convention, Wikimania, is set to take place in Taipei.

Hypothesis: Wikimedia foundation is located in Florida.


Premise: Alexei Krasnov, the chief of manned space programs for the Russian space agency, said last week that the prospective Russian spacecraft is set to make its maiden flight before 2020, without elaborating. James Oberg, an experienced aerospace engineer who worked on NASA's space shuttle program and is now a space consultant, wrote in a commentary that the new Russian space program could help NASA win funds for its plan to return astronauts to the moon. "This will give NASA a long hoped for boost in Congress by echoing the space race motivations of the 1960s," Oberg said. Energiya beat the other leading state-controlled spacecraft builder, the Khrunichev company, for the prestigious order. It was announced on a government website. Energiya has until June 2010 to complete the initial design. The company builds the Soyuz and its unmanned cargo version, named Progress, which are not reusable.

Hypothesis: Alexei Krasnov is the builder of the spacecraft Energiya.


Premise: Scott David Dover, 45, a father of two young boys in Cedar City, Utah, was arrested on Thursday and charges against the father could be filed today. Police say he used electric dog collars to discipline his children. Conviction could result in up to 15 years in prison. Dover is being held in Iron County Jail; bail was set at ten thousand dollars. Police Sgt. Jerry Womack said that the boys, both about six years old, did not have any burns or marks on them and that it was not known whether the collars had ever been placed around their necks. He also said, however, that Dover admitted to using the collars on his sons. "It sounds bad, but it actually administers a mild shock. He just felt that was an option for discipline. We disagree vehemently," said Womack. Cedar City Police were contacted on Wednesday by the Department of Child and Family Services.

Hypothesis: Scott David Dover is accused of using electric collars on his sons.


Premise: The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, had praise for Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, and the state's Department of Natural Resources. They secured a commitment from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to seek a cap on commercial harvesting of Atlantic Menhaden. A coalition of recreational anglers and environmentalists, called Menhaden Matter, also joined the debate by saying coast-wide population of Atlantic Menhaden has fallen to near record lows. They are also against an encroachment by Omega into Chesapeake waters.

Hypothesis: The Chesapeake Bay Foundation includes Robert Ehrlich among its members.


Premise: A magnitude 8.1 undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami that has killed at least fifteen people, including six children, in the Solomon Islands. Tsunami warnings have been issued for parts of Australia as well. According to the US Geological Survey, the magnitude 8.0 quake struck Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 20:39:56 (UTC) about 45 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Gizo, New Georgia Islands, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 10 km.

Hypothesis: Solomon Islands are in the South-southeast of Gizo.


Premise: To raise funding and awareness for children living with AIDS in Africa, the tallest mountain peak in every state in the United States will be scaled this spring. The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA), in partnership with the American Alpine Institute, is sponsoring "Climb Up the 50." Funding from this synchronized climb-a-thon will pay for the uphill battle to support children with AIDS. Funds raised will cover AIDS-related medication, supplies, and food for children infected with the disease in the hardest-hit countries, including Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The program includes Climb Up the 50, Climb Up the World, and Climb Up Kilimanjaro. Climb Up the 50 is based in the United States, with participants climbing or hiking up the highest point in their state sometime during May 23-31. Other teams of people will join them to climb the highest peak in their state.

Hypothesis: Climb Up the 50 is sponsored by The American Foundation for Children with AIDS.


Premise: Emmy Award winning American actress Estelle Getty has died at the age of 84. Getty had been previously diagnosed with dementia which had been in its advanced stages. She died while at her home in Hollywood, California early Tuesday morning. "She was loved throughout the world in six continents, and if they loved sitcoms in Antarctica she would have been loved on seven continents. She was one of the most talented comedic actresses who ever lived," said her son Carl Gettleman.

Hypothesis: Estelle Getty was the recipient of an Emmy Award.


Premise: Baines' father, a black born in 1863, two years before the end of the U.S. Civil War, was likely a slave, Young said. Baines has outlived her entire family. Her only daughter died of typhoid fever when she was a toddler. Featured on local television newscasts in November when she cast her ballot for Barack Obama for president, Baines said she backed him "because he's for the coloured." She said she never thought she would live to see a black man become president. Baines received a letter from Obama, wishing her a happy birthday. Baines worked as a maid in Ohio State University dormitories until her retirement, and has lived at the Los Angeles convalescent hospital for more than 10 years. Since 1986, Young said, the world's oldest person title has been held by a woman for all but 44 days.

Hypothesis: Baines died of typhoid fever.


Premise: Supermodel Naomi Campbells billionaire Russian boyfriend Vladislav Doronin is married, it has emerged. The catwalk queen and Doronin have been dating since last May, and the 46-year-old tycoon himself talked about buying her an engagement ring. However, Ekaterina, who claims to be his wife and the mother of his 12-year- old daughter, has told friends that she will not divorce her hubby. This is just a ridiculous affair. Vladislav is married to me and we are still a couple, the News of the World quoted her, as saying. Naomi is deluding herself if she thinks she can take my husband. But it is adultery and Naomi is flaunting it. It is sick and it is embarrassing, she said. She added: Vladimir and I are not even legally separated. How can she possibly think she can get engaged to my husband when he is married to somebody else?

Hypothesis: Naomi Campbell is married to Vladislav Doronin.


Premise: The owner of the Santika Club, site of the 2009 Bangkok nightclub fire, is to be charged along with twelve other directors over the disaster. 62 people were killed and 229 injured by the blaze, thought to have been triggered by New Year fireworks on the stage, although investigations are ongoing. "I feel very sorry for what had happened. I want to apologise to victims' family members," said Mr Setsawat, the club's owner. The club had just three exits, of which one was known only to staff and another locked. A number of people died in the stampede for the door. There was also only one fire extinguisher and the venue was only licensed as a snack bar closing at midnight.

Hypothesis: Mr. Setsawat is the proprietor of the Santika Club.


Premise: The magazine states that she has been on the set of the soap opera at CBS Television City since March 11. For a while, she didn't even tell her husband, former Guiding Light actor Michael Tylo, where she was really going. She told him that she was just going on "a lot of auditions," and that if she told sooner than she did, the news might slip out accidentally. Her husband currently teaches a class at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and she couldn't afford any accidental hints that his students could have picked up on.

Hypothesis: Michael Tylo is an employee of CBS Television.


Premise: In Norway, the Oslo and Akershus County Medical Officer has announced that it is launching an inquiry into a possible scientific hoax, involving cancer researchers from Norway, the U.S. and Finland. In October 2005, the Norwegian researcher Jon Sudbø along with 13 co-authors published the study in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet. The study claimed to detect a positive effect of ibuprofen in preventing oral cancer in smokers, based on a controlled case-study, entailing several hundred patients. On the basis of this study, a broader prospective multicenter study was to be started in 2006, partly funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Hypothesis: Cancer researchers from Finland collaborate with researchers from Norway and the U.S.


Premise: Over 2,000 NATO troops stood at attention at Kandahar Airfield Monday morning to mourn the death of the fifth Canadian soldier in a week to die in Afghanistan. Master Cpl. Raymond Arndt, a 32 year-old reservist from Peers, Alberta, was killed in a traffic accident August 5th when the G-Wagon he was travelling collided head-on with a civilian truck 35 kilometres southeast of Kandahar. The vehicle was part of a convoy delivering medical supplies. Three other soldiers were injured in the crash which occurred as the military was preparing to transport home the bodies of four other Canadian soldiers who were killed August 3rd during heavy combat with Taliban insurgents.

Hypothesis: Raymond Arndt is the killer of three other soldiers.


Premise: Andry Rajoelina, who ousted Madagascan ex-president President Marc Ravalomanana earlier this week, officially became the leader of the country, after being sworn in on Saturday. National television broadcast the inauguration, which occurred at a soccer field in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. Tens of thousands of people attended the event, although approximately 2,000 supporters of Ravalomanana held protests in the capital's Democracy Square.

Hypothesis: Marc Ravalomanana was born in Madagascar.


Premise: The eruption happened at around 1:30 PM local time, the United States Geological Survey reported. The volcano had erupted four times on Friday, billowing ash up to 51,000 feet up into the air. These are the latest in a series of eruptions from Mount Redoubt, which started on March 22. The volcano had not erupted since a four-month period in 1989-90. The Alaska Volcano Observatory set its alert level at red, the highest possible level, meaning that an eruption is imminent, and that it would send a "significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere."

Hypothesis: Mount Redoubt is located in Alaska.


Premise: In the latest attempt to evict Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ahead of next week's election, tens of thousands of protesters have rallied in Bangkok, Thailand. Officials say as many as 10,000 police have been mobilised for the protest against the Thai PM. Another 10,000 officers are on standby. Police estimated the crowd at 30,000 people. Organisers had hoped the rally would draw one million people, but officials said about the same number of monks were chanting prayers for peace and unity nearby - far fewer than the 100,000 that attended earlier demonstrations. Thaskin has called a snap election three years early in hopes of ending the crisis.

Hypothesis: Thaksin Shinawatra is a citizen of Thailand.


Premise: Hydrogen fluoride is a hazardous and highly corrosive chemical compound used mostly for industrial purposes. It is also an ingredient in high-octane gasoline, refrigerants and light bulbs. The driver of the truck, Raymond Leblanc, 54, of Harrow, Ontario, was treated at Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg for minor injuries and released Saturday. A passenger, Joseph Dault, 51, of Ontario, was not hurt.

Hypothesis: Joseph Dault is Raymond Leblanc's best friend.


Premise: A major security hole was discovered in the pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) of the Debian version of OpenSSL. OpenSSL is one of the most used cryptographic software, that allows the creation of secure network connections with the protocols called SSL and TLS. It is included in many popular computer programs, like the Mozilla Firefox web browser and the Apache web server. Debian is one of the most used GNU/Linux distributions, on which are based other distributions, like Ubuntu and Knoppix. The problem affects all the Debian-based distributions that were used to create cryptographic keys since the September 17, 2006. The bug was discovered by Luciano Bello, an argentine Debian package maintainer, and was announced on May 13, 2008.

Hypothesis: Luciano Bello lives in Argentina.


Premise: At first, after the earliest attacks, the government seemed to blame the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MeK) organization. It later expanded its accusations to allege U.S. facilitation and imply infiltration via U.S. occupied Iraq or Afghanistan, both of which share extensive borders with Iran. The MeK, which formerly operated under Saddam Hussein's protection in Iraq, has claimed bombings in the past, but vehemently denies participating in the recent spate of attacks. The group seems to have moved away from violent acts in recent years as it tries to curry favor with Western governments and shed its terrorist image (the group is currently listed on U.S. and many European terrorist watch lists). The affiliated National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has also denied involvement.

Hypothesis: Saddam Hussein is connected to Mojahedin-e-Khalq.


Premise: Maori Party co-leader, Doctor Pita Sharples, has said that gangs are again starting to imping on on society like in the 1970s. He says we should include gangs into society, instead of disrupting them. Wikinews previously reported on a letterbox for sale on New Zealand internet auction site, TradeMe, which has now reached a bid of $26.03 by Eliz "polysstew".

Hypothesis: Pita Sharples participates in internet auctions.


Premise: Paris Hilton is out of jail, after serving three weeks in the same. She was imprisoned due to a violation of her probation, which came as a result of a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge. Reuters reported that her face expressed joy at her release as she left the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California, where she served 23 days, at 12:15 a.m. PT. Hilton also reportedly left the jail looking a few pounds thinner than when she entered.

Hypothesis: Paris Hilton lives in California.


Premise: Brawn-Mercedes driver Jenson Button wins FIA Formula One 2009 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. The race was suspended by red flag due to heavy rain after 33 laps and later stopped after more than half an hour of waiting the track to dry up. All drivers earned only half possible points counted after 31 laps. Nick Heidfeld on his KERS-equipped BMW Sauber car placed second from 11th place on the starting grid. Both Toyota drivers Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli ended up behind Heidfeld. Button's teammate Rubens Barrichello finished 5th. Mark Webber's Red Bull gained one place from the start, finishing 6th.

Hypothesis: Jenson Button was born in Malaysia.


Premise: The Russian space agency has ordered design work to start for a next-generation spaceship capable of flying missions to the moon, setting the ground for a potential new space race with the United States. The space agency granted the state-controlled RKK Energiya company a US$23 million contract for initial work on a new, reusable craft to replace the 40-year-old Soyuz. The as-yet-unnamed Russian spaceship could emerge as a potential competitor to NASA's prospective Orion spacecraft. Design requirements for the Russian craft appear similar to Orion's specification, prompting some experts to nickname it "Orionski." Orion is scheduled to carrying humans to the International Space Station beginning in 2015, and to the moon by 2020.

Hypothesis: Orion is produced by the Russian space agency.


Premise: Thousands of residents are evacuating coastal areas of far north Queensland (QLD), set to be lashed by Cyclone Larry tomorrow morning. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology warns that the "very destructive core of Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry, with extreme gusts up to 280 km/hr (174 mph) should cross the coast between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. AEST on Monday (Sunday, 2100 to 2300 UTC). Destructive winds are expected to commence along the coast between Ingham and Port Douglas. Gales are already being experienced along the exposed coast in the warning area."

Hypothesis: Port Douglas is located in Australia.


Premise: Stock markets around the world, particularly those in the United Kingdom, have increased dramatically today. This is due to the ongoing events in the financial world, including the United States government's announcement that it would buy billions of dollars of bad loans from US banks. The primary UK index, the FTSE 100, rose in value by 8.04%, which is 392.50 points, to above the 5000 mark at 5272.50. The Dow Jones, was up 3.10% at 14:58 UTC, an increase of 330.89. The Dow Jones currently has a value of 11350.58 points. The NASDAQ index has risen by 2.53% to 2248.63, while the Dax was 5.06% higher than the start of the day as of 14:58 UTC.

Hypothesis: Dax has risen to above the 2000 mark.


Premise: A Spanish court is considering opening a criminal investigation into whether six former George W. Bush administration officials gave legal cover for torture at Guantanamo Bay. Baltasar Garzón, a Spanish judge with an international reputation for bringing cases against high-profile alleged human rights violators, sent the case to the prosecutor's office to review whether it has any merit. Among the officials identified in the potential case is former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Hypothesis: Baltasar Garzón set up his residency in Spain.


Premise: Pop music producer Phil Spector, who produced a large number of hit records in the 1960s and 1970s, has been convicted of second-degree murder in the 2003 shooting of actress Lana Clarkson at the L.A. Superior Court in Los Angeles, California. Spector, currently 68, faces a minimum of 18 years in prison. Clarkson died February 3, 2003 at Spector's mansion, the "Pyrenees Castle", in Alhambra, California, after returning home with Spector for a drink after they met during her shift at a nightclub where she worked as a hostess. Spector was arrested after police were called to the mansion, finding Clarkson dead of a gunshot wound; Spector insisted that her death was an "accidental suicide"

Hypothesis: Actress Lana Clarkson killed music producer Phil Spector.


Premise: The memorandum came in a series of agreements between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during Jiabao's state visit to India April 9-12 at Singh's invitation. India is expected to provide the funding, architectural design, landscape planning, a Buddha idol and other materials for the completed temple. China is offering to provide official cooperation and permits, and facilitate the travel of Indian architects and other construction experts to the site. The temple is planned to be located on 2,667 square meters of land provided by the Chinese government.

Hypothesis: Manmohan Singh is employed by India.


Premise: Senator Dunn started off the meeting by thanking the panelists and parents for showing their support by attending. "We are trying to address a very, very important issue. What's the issue? We have high rates of cancer, leukemia, and respiratory problems in our children. Why are our kids sick? This is a very difficult question," he said. "What's causing the sickness in our children, and how can we avoid it? We can all agree that no one wants to see another sick child in Santa Ana." The audience applauded. "Three weeks ago, we heard from two parents and a teacher, they told us about some deaths."

Hypothesis: Senator Dunn was born in Santa Ana.


Premise: A stadium disaster has claimed well over a dozen lives in the Ivory Coast. A crush, which may have occured after a wall collapse, took place today at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan and according to interior minister Desire Tagro killed 22 people and wounded 132 others.

Hypothesis: Desire Tagro is employed at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium.


Premise: According to the DNC chairman Howard Dean, Senator Clinton has cancelled a speech at a Democratic National Committee meeting in Vienna, Virginia and all other events today to deal with the situation. Her husband, former US President Bill Clinton canceled a speech in New York City. Senators Barack Obama and John Edwards also have campaign offices down the street which have been closed and locked down along with the rest of downtown Rochester. Clinton's campaign offices located in Des Moines, Iowa have also been closed on a temporary basis. "Unfortunately as some of you know, there is a hostage situation in New Hampshire involving a Clinton campaign staff person. The details are sketchy at this time, but understandably Sen.

Hypothesis: Bill Clinton used to be President of the United States.


Premise: After the murder of Grace's fiancee in 1979, she became a prosecutor in her native Georgia and later hosted her own show on Court TV, followed later by her CNN tenure. Grace, however, has been criticized for her sense of ethics and allegedly playing fast and loose with the facts, both in the courtroom and on the air. Grace's heated interview, however, was not without proper motive. The police had long suspected Melinda Duckett of involvement in her son's disappearance, due to her behavior and contradictory statements. After Duckett's suicide, police named her as a prime suspect in her son's disappearance. Recently, they have announced that they have reason to believe that Trenton Duckett is still alive.

Hypothesis: Grace was born in Georgia.


Premise: The primary camera on the Hubble Space Telescope has shut down and is likely to only be restored to partial functionality, according to reports from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The camera on the telescope, known as the "Advanced Camera for Surveys" or ACS, can be reactivated but will be restored to only one-third of its operating capacity. The restoration will probably take place in mid-February. The camera shut down over the weekend, probably due to a failure of its backup power supply. It was the third such shutdown of the camera in the past calendar year. The camera had been operating on its backup power since June 30, 2006, when engineers switched from the primary power supply ("Side A") to the backup ("Side B") due to a malfunction. A review board was convened on January 29 to assess all options and to decide on a course of action. Their findings will be reported to NASA on March 2, 2007. The ACS, developed jointly by four American agencies, was installed in March of 2002.

Hypothesis: The Hubble Space Telescope was built in 2002.


Premise: The art consultant, who lived at the Bailey, Howth, Co Dublin, died in August 2004. According to his will, which went to probate last week, he left an estate of €4,607,478. Mr Hunt, a father of three who left everything to his wife Patricia, had items valued at €1.7m on loan to the V&A Museum in London and items on loan to the HSE valued at €300,000. His own collection was valued at €1m plus and he had items on loan to the Hunt Museum valued at €487,000. He also had almost €1m in various accounts.

Hypothesis: Mr. Hunt died in August 2004.


Premise: Bill McMaster is running for the Family Coalition Party in the Ontario provincial election, in the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding. Wikinews' Nick Moreau interviewed him regarding his values, his experience, and his 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.

Hypothesis: Bill McMaster is a resident of Middlesex.


Premise: The United States will become the 67th signatory to the non-binding document, which was proposed by France and the Netherlands and "condemn[s] the human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity wherever they occur, in particular the use of the death penalty on this ground, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, arbitrary arrest or detention and deprivation of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health". Accepting the proposal, which according to US State Department spokesman Robert Wood "commits us to no legal obligations", would nonetheless be a reversal from the Bush administration's refusal to sign.

Hypothesis: Bush is in favor of the death penalty.


Premise: At 11:38 a.m. the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili announced the mobilization of reserve troops to withstand what he called "a large-scale military aggression" by Russia, and called Russia to stop the "bombardment of Georgian towns." Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin said that, "it is regrettable that on the day before the opening of the Olympic Games, the Georgian authorities have undertaken aggressive actions in South Ossetia."

Hypothesis: Vladimir Putin is the President of Georgia.


Premise: Dr. Roger Vickers team used radar to locate three chambers within the rocky hill atop of which is the Temple of Taposiris Magna dedicated to the goddess Isis. The temple was constructed about 300 BC by Ptolemy II. The Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) expedition led by Hawass has yet to excavate the burial chambers 40 feet (12 meters) underground where they hope to find a crown or Egyptian hieroglyph cartouches revealing the names of royalty. The team will employ radar again on April 22. The Supreme Council of Antiquities expedition consists of Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the SCA, and Martinez who has extensively researched the life of Cleopatra.

Hypothesis: Temple of Taposiris Magna is dedicated to Ptolemy II.


Premise: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Local caterers get ready for big business, as almost three thousand fans converge on the David L. Lawrence Convention Center over the Independence Day weekend for the world's largest ever furry convention, Anthrocon 2007. Many hope to renew acquaintances, or meet new friends. Others look to buy from dealers and artists, or show off new artwork or costumes. Some attend to make money, or even learn a thing or two. But one thing unites them: They're all there to have fun.

Hypothesis: The David L. Lawrence Convention Center is located in Pittsburgh.


Premise: Authorities say a parking enforcement officer issued a ticket for a pickup truck outside an Alabama emergency room while a woman lay dead inside the vehicle. Authorities say Rebecca Kate Haley, 25, had been dead for at least seven hours when a ticket for illegal parking was put on the windshield. Police spokesman Sgt. Johnny Williams says the officer didn't see Haley because she was slumped over in the truck's cab. Drug paraphernalia was found in the truck but Williams said Tuesday that Haley's cause of death had not been determined. About an hour after the ticket was issued at 10:15 a.m. Monday outside the UAB hospital, a passer-by spotted Haley. Police do not suspect foul play, but are investigating whether someone else was in the truck before she died.

Hypothesis: Rebecca Kate Haley was a drug user.


Premise: In the 2006 municipal elections in Belgium, the political party Vlaams Belang ("Flemish Cause") advanced in almost all municipalities, just like the last elections. But its rise was brought to a halt in the cities Mechelen and also in its stronghold Antwerp. Vlaams Belang is considered by observers and opponents as a far right party, supporting Flemish independence from Belgium and restricted immigration.

Hypothesis: Mechelen is not far from Antwerp.


Premise: A TORY Island hotelier who built a car park on the remains of a 150-year-old holiday home which burnt down may have to pay damages to its former owner. A High Court judge who is presiding over a legal row over a holiday home which allegedly "disappeared" and became a car park for an adjoining hotel yesterday said the case may be dealt with on the basis of unjust enrichment by the hotel. This requires someone who has obtained a benefit at the expense of another, without a legal justification, to provide compensation or restitution for their loss. Film maker, Neville Presho (61) has brought a High Court action against hotelier Patrick Doohan and his hotel, Ostan Thoraigh Comhlacth Teoranta, for ongoing trespass and physical damage to his one-time holiday home on Tory Island, off the Donegal coast.

Hypothesis: Patrick Doohan is the owner of a hotel on Tory island.


Premise: President Nicolas Sarkozy of France married the supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni at the Elysée Palace on Saturday, witnesses said. The Italian news agency ANSA quoted Bruni's mother, Marisa Borini, as confirming the wedding had taken place. Two French radio stations said the marriage conducted by François Lebel, mayor of Eighth Arrondissement of Paris, where the Elysée Palace is situated. "The bride was wearing white and was ravishing," Lebel told Europe 1 radio without naming the couple. "The bridegroom wasn't bad, either." Sarkozy and Bruni indicated last month that they planned to marry and made it clear that any wedding would be a private affair, far from the eyes of the media. A French newspaper report on Jan. 14 that they had married proved unfounded.

Hypothesis: Nicolas Sarkozy is married to Carla Bruni.


Premise: Japan has welcomed Greenpeace's decision to leave the Southern Ocean. Hideki Moronuki from Japan's Fisheries Agency is pleased the whaling mission will no longer be obstructed: "Although Greenpeace say that they're activities are peaceful, their activities are really dangerous and illegal," he said. Protesters spent much of their time in the Southern Ocean in inflatable Zodiac boats, placing themselves precariously between harpoons and whales. They escaped serious injury when the Japanese allegedly rammed their vessel, and when a protester was pulled overboard by a harpoon rope. Activists were also blasted out of boats by water cannons.

Hypothesis: Fisheries Agency is the employer of Hideki Moronuki.


Premise: Iraqi terrorists extended the ultimatum by calling Romanian Prima TV, the station where two of the kidnapped journalists worked. The news director of Prima TV Dan Dumitru, said he received a call from Iraq on late Tuesday, in which he spoke both to the kidnappers and the journalists. The kidnappers gave the government a further 24 hours to withdraw their troops, while the kidnapped journalists told Dumitru to put pressure on the Romanian government for the withdrawal of the troops. The three made a "final appeal" to the Romanian president, Traian Basescu, to withdraw the troops, saying that the time of their killing was set on Wednesday, at 14:00 UTC.

Hypothesis: Primia TV is based in Romania.


Premise: American Major League Baseball relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees returned a call to his sister after an 8-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox Sunday night. After speaking with his sister who was in Lincoln, Nebraska, he was in tears and being consoled by manager Joe Girardi. Joba's father, Harlan Chamberlain, 55, collapsed at his home in Lincoln, and is currently at St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center. Although the exact nature of his collapse is unknown, Harlan, a full-blooded Winnebago Native American, has struggled with post-polio syndrome since childhood. He has been known to be in declining health in recent years.

Hypothesis: Joba Chamberlain is the son of the 55-year-old Harlan.


Premise: The two primes were announced by GIMPS on September 16. Before these two discoveries, the two previously largest known prime numbers were discovered by UCMO professors Curtis Cooper and Steven Boone in Missouri, United States, and their record lasted almost three years. Historically, prime numbers discovered by GIMPS are larger than the one previously found. The only other exception was when the 29th Mersenne prime was discovered after the 30th and 31st were found. Founded by M.I.T. graduate George Woltman in 1996, GIMPS has found 12 Mersenne primes, or about one per year on average. Volunteers who wish to help find primes can download a program called Prime95, which runs in the background. Smaller prime numbers, such as those with a few hundred digits, are often used in cryptography.

Hypothesis: GIMPS was founded by George Woltman.


Premise: Barack Obama is due to end his first overseas trip as US President today. Mr Obama has attended a series of engagements in Europe over the past week, including the G20 summit in London, a NATO meeting in Strasbourg and a conference of EU leaders in Prague. He is currently in Turkey, where he has been seeking to reach out a hand to the Islamic world. Mr Obama is due to head back to the US this afternoon after visiting two of Istanbul's most historic buildings, the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Church.

Hypothesis: Barack Obama is an EU leader.


Premise: Despite international appeals, North Korea has gone ahead with a long publicised rocket launch. Authorities from the United States, Japan, and South Korea confirm that the rocket lifted off at 11.32 local time (02.32 GMT) on Sunday April 5, 2009. "A short time ago a flying object appeared to have been launched from North Korea," read a statement by the Japanese government. The rocket seems to have passed over the Japanese capital of Tokyo and headed over the Pacific Ocean. Two parts of the rocket, the first and second stages, fell either side of the Japanese home islands, falling into the Sea of Japan and the Pacific. A statement by the North Korean official news agency said that the rocket had successfully launched a satellite which is now broadcasting "data" and North Korean propaganda songs.

Hypothesis: Tokyo is the capital of Japan.


Premise: Friends have said Poplawski was concerned about his weapons being seized during Barack Obama's presidency, and friends said he owned several handguns and an AK-47 assault rifle. Three officers killed. Autopsies show Sciullo, 37, died of wounds to the head and torso. Mayhle, 29, was shot in the head. A witness awakened by two gunshots told investigators of seeing the gunman standing in the home's front doorway and firing two to three shots into one officer who was already down. Sciullo was later found dead in the home's living room, and Mayhle near the front stoop, police said. A third officer, Eric Kelly, 41, was killed as he arrived to assist the first two officers. Kelly was in uniform but on his way home when he responded and was gunned down in the street. Kelly's radio call for help summoned other officers, including a SWAT team.

Hypothesis: Sciullo was killed by Poplawski.


Premise: While hybrid vehicles have found considerable popularity in the United States since their introduction, one difficulty associated with the rollout of a fully electric car has been the comparably high price and poor performance, compared to an internal combustion engine-driven car of similar size. Tesla Motors claims that their Model S, a sedan which runs solely on electricity, will be more affordable. Tesla first entered the automobile market in 2006, with a prototype of an electric vehicle designed on the roadster style. While the car, whose exterior design was based on the Lotus Elise, accelerated well and had considerable range, its cost of US$109,000 was prohibitive for many and to date only 300 have been sold, with a thousand more ordered.

Hypothesis: Model S is produced by Tesla Motors.


Premise: Mount Redoubt, a volcano in Alaska, erupted on Saturday, sending out clouds of ash thousands of feet high. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport was shut down after ash reached the airport. Jeremy Lindseth, a spokesman for the airport, said that only small amount of ash reached the airport, but was significant enough to disrupt operations, as ash can cause engine problems for aircraft. He said that he was uncertain of how many flights were affected due to the eruption. The eruption happened at around 1:30 PM local time, the United States Geological Survey reported. The volcano had erupted four times on Friday, billowing ash up to 51,000 feet up into the air. These are the latest in a series of eruptions from Mount Redoubt, which started on March 22. The volcano had not erupted since a four-month period in 1989-90.

Hypothesis: Mount Redoubt is in Alaska.


Premise: EW reports at least two characters will be killed during this season, which ends in May 2009. During a January interview with New York magazine, Mitchell said of the Shakespearean roots in her name, " I'm certain it's not random because they're never random. It does seem to me that she's pretty much destined for tragedy, whichever way she goes, no matter how hard she tries to fight against it."

Hypothesis: Shakespeare is a relative of Mitchell.


Premise: The "House of Sweden" as it will be called, will be modelled on the new Swedish embassy in Washington with the same name. The opening is expected in a few weeks. Second life has over 3 million registered accounts. On an average day, the maximum of people logged in at the same time peaks at 25,000. In September 2006, Second Life was reported to have a gross domestic product of $64 million. Some schools in the United States and Canada have virtual classrooms on the site. People like Ailin Graef a.k.a. Anshe Chung have developed virtual businesses in Second Life, and earn thousands of real dollars there.

Hypothesis: Ailin Graef is a Swedish citizen.


Premise: The wife and children of Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi, a Libyan man convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, were amongst other relatives and friends of prisoners protesting against alleged miscarriages of justice in Edinburgh yesterday. The airliner came down over Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988, killing 270 people. Megrahi is due an appeal against his conviction next year. Also present at the unprecidented "Silent Walk For Justice" was the family of Jason MacIntyre, a champion cyclist killed when Robert McTaggart ran him down in a van in January, for which he received a six month driving ban after conviction of careless driving. MacIntyre's wife said McTaggert should have instead been charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Hypothesis: Robert McTaggart killed Jason MacIntyre.


Premise: The names of 77 reporters, photographers and broadcasters were added to a memorial to honor slain journalists in the Newseum in Washington, D.C. "These 77 individuals were brought together in a fellowship that none of them would have chosen, a fellowship created by their commitment, their courage and, ultimately, their sacrifice," said Chris Wells, vice president of the Freedom Forum, which runs the Newseum. The Newseum Journalist's Memorial contains the names of 1,913 journalists dating back to 1837. Thirteen of the names added Monday were journalists killed in Iraq in 2008, which has been the most dangerous country for journalists since the Iraq War began in 2003. Mexico was the second deadliest country for journalists last year, with five journalists being killed due to drug violence. According to Newseum records, Mexico had not been so dangerous for journalists in at least five years.

Hypothesis: The Newseum was founded in 1837.


Premise: Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl and her musician hubby Josh Kelley are adopting a baby from Korea, so says the National Enquirer. The Emmy-winning bombshell, 29, has decided that instead getting "Knocked Up" she and Josh will start their family with an adopted bundle of joy. "They've finally decided adoption is the best option for them right now. Katherine's got several movie projects in the pipeline and a pregnancy would bring her career to a halt for a while." Welcoming a baby from Korea holds special meaning for Katherine, whose doting big sister Meg was adopted from the country more than 30 years ago. "Meg has had a profound impact on Katherine's life, which is why she and Josh are trying to adopt a Korean child."

Hypothesis: A Korean child is going to be adopted by the "Grey's Anatomy" movie.


Premise: Violence has erupted in Guadeloupe after a month-long general strike protesting the high costs of food and fuel. A union official, Jacques Bino, has been reported killed by armed youths at a barricade in Pointe-à-Pitre, the largest city. Three police officers were injured when they tried to reach the scene. "He was killed at a roadblock held by rioters, a group of youth who were mostly wearing masks," Prefect Nicolas Desforges told France Info. "He wasn't killed in a confrontation with police." Guadeloupe is an overseas department of France. The French government urged calm and called for a meeting between the disputing parties. Workers in Guadeloupe are seeking a $250 per month pay raise. French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie said that France is sending 260 National Gendarmerie officers to quell the violence.

Hypothesis: Guadeloupe is a French region.


Premise: A man has come forward to say he is the owner of a Thai ship that was being hijacked by pirates then sunk by the Indian navy. The incident took place in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of the African nation of Somalia on November 18. The owner, Wicharn Sirichaiekawat, says that the boat was a fishing trawler, but the pirates had just got on board the vessel when it was fired upon.

Hypothesis: The Gulf of Aden is near the coast of Somalia.


Premise: On October 14, 2008, Canadians will be heading to the polls for the federal election. Christian Heritage Party candidate Ron Gray is standing for election in the riding of Langley. Wikinews contacted Ron Gray, to talk about the issues facing Canadians, and what they and their party would do to address them. Wikinews is in the process of contacting every candidate, in every riding across the country, no matter their political stripe. All interviews are conducted over e-mail, and interviews are published unedited, allowing candidates to impart their full message to our readers, uninterrupted. Mr. Gray has been leader of the Christian Heritage Party since 1995. He first ran for office in 1988.

Hypothesis: The Christian Heritage Party supports Ron Gray's candidacy.


Premise: The upcoming 2006 Brampton municipal election, to be held November 13, features an array of candidates looking to represent their wards in city council or the council of the Peel Region. Wikinews contributor Nick Moreau contacted many of the candidates, including Mathew Njenga, asking them to answer common questions sent in an email. This ward's incumbent is John A. Hutton; also challenging Hutton is Derrick Coke, Navdeep Gill, Jim Howell, Joyce Rodriguez, and Doug Whillans.

Hypothesis: Joyce Rodriguez is a resident of Brampton.


Premise: Yigal Amir, the student who assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, began a hunger strike on June 28th in protest against "the basic human rights abuse by Israel's prison authorities", as he describes it. According to the prison service, he's not in a proper hunger strike because he drinks 5 liters of sweet raspberry-flavoured drink (otherwise known as "petel") every day. Disputing that (according to updates from Larisa Trembovler journal) Yigal Amir in a phone conversation insists that it is a lie and he is not given anything near 5 liters of drinks a day. Also regardless of prison service definitions he continues with the hunger strike. The issue of contention is denial of recognition of his marriage to Larisa Trembovler by Israeli Prisons Service.

Hypothesis: Yitzhak Rabin was killed by Yigal Amir.


Premise: The seemingly eternal flame of the American soap opera Guiding Light has been extinguished. CBS, the network which airs the serial drama in the United States, has announced its cancellation after 72 years. Guiding Light, which entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running dramatic series in the world, started on radio in 1937 as a series of stories about faith, in which characters beset with troubles would talk to trusted Reverend Ruthledge, the keeper of "the guiding light" which shone from his window. Over the years, the theme of "the guiding light" became more muted and the series shifted focus to a middle-class German immigrant family, the Bauers. The show has been produced on television and seen nearly every weekday since June 30, 1952.

Hypothesis: CBS is an American TV network.


Premise: The Egyptian Health Ministry reported on Sunday that a six-year-old Egyptian boy contracted bird flu, the sixth such incident in a month. The child was hospitalised on March 28, reported to be in critical condition after treatment, and is breathing with an artificial respirator. The state news agency MENA revealed that the boy's name was Ali Mahmoud Ali Somaa, and that he was from Qalyubia, a province located along the Nile Delta, located about forty kilometres north of Egypt's capital of Cairo. The death toll of the cases of the bird flu virus in humans in Egypt is 23, with the first incident reported in March 2006. Statistics from the World Health Organisation's (WHO) website say that 413 people in fifteen countries have been infected with the H5N1 virus; out of those, 256 have died.

Hypothesis: Qalyubia is an Egyptian province.


Premise: Miriam Stucky' is running for the Green Party of Ontario in the Ontario provincial election, in the Peterborough 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.

Hypothesis: Miriam Stucky is a member of the Green Party of Ontario.


Premise: The campaign offices for 2008 United States presidential candidate John McCain in Centennial, Colorado and Manchester, New Hampshire have been evacuated after receiving letter threats in the U.S. mail. Office staff state that the Centennial envelope contained an unknown white powder. "We immediately notified local and federal law enforcement agencies and are looking to cooperate with them. We have put all of our offices on highest alert. They're looking for anything suspicious and all staff has been quarantined as of right now," said Jeff Sadosky, a spokesman for the McCain campaign.

Hypothesis: Centennial is a part of New Hampshire.


Premise: On Wednesday, American film director Steven Spielberg withdrew from his position as artistic adviser to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. "Conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual," he said. "Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these ongoing crimes but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more to end the continuing human suffering there," Spielberg's statement said. "China's economic, military and diplomatic ties to the government of Sudan continue to provide it with the opportunity and obligation to press for change."

Hypothesis: Steven Spielberg is a resident of Beijing.


Premise: Human rights group Karapatan recorded more than 700 leftist activists, farmers, community organizers and journalists killed since Mrs. Arroyo came to power in 2001. The latest victim, Dominador L. De Luna, 51, an employee of the National Food Authority (NFA) in Samar, was gunned down just when the necrological mass for Jose Maria Cui, a professor at University of Eastern Philippines who was shot in front of his students, was being held last January 29.

Hypothesis: Dominador L. De Luna was killed in Samar.


Premise: Hunter Thompson, the author of "Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Doctrine, and the Downward Spiral of Dumbness", once discussed on radio the possibility that he would be murdered to shut him up - and that it would be made to look like a suicide. Paul William Roberts, a friend of Thompson and a well known travel writer, in an obituary played on this possibility for dramatic effect. Roberts related the fact that Thompson was working on a story relating to the World Trade Center demolition, and did say he was going to be murdered, and that the murder would be identified as a suicide. Roberts says in the second paragraph that Thompson did, however, commit suicide, and was not murdered.

Hypothesis: Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Doctrine, and the Downward Spiral of Dumbness was created by Paul William Roberts.


Premise: Researchers from the University of Sydney, University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge have pinpointed a single neurochemical - serotonin - as the cause of an instinctive behavioural change from the locusts' solitarious phase to become gregarious and form disastrous swarms of millions. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract of animals including humans. Serotonin is also found in many mushrooms and plants, including fruits and vegetables.

Hypothesis: University of Sydney is not far from the University of Oxford.


Premise: Ramos Horta explained that "in the next days, maybe already tomorrow morning, they [the Australian, Malaysian, New Zealand and Portuguese forces] will do some coordination training, in way to assure that the four forces know exactly what each one will do". "Since some are from the Army and the others [Portuguese Republican National Guard] are a specialized police and that they never worked together, its useful to carry out some practical exercises", he added. In another subject, Ramos Horta explained that the Australian soldiers that are in Maubisse, next to a rebel group lead by major Reinado, and in Gleno, Ermera, next to another group of "military opponents", are there "containing those elements"

Hypothesis: Ramos Horta lives in Maubisse.


Premise: A supposed "pregnancy pact" at Gloucester High School in Gloucester, Massachusetts has drawn international attention to the small Massachusetts fishing city which is considered to be one of the oldest settlements (1623) in the American continent. The story, which was broken by TIME magazine and the Boston Globe, involved the fact that 17 girls, all sixteen years old or younger, got themselves pregnant as part of a "pregnancy pact", so that the teenage mothers could raise their babies together.

Hypothesis: Boston is in Massachusetts.


Premise: The President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, offered his condolences to the victims of the disaster. "On behalf of the government, I express my condolences to the families of the dead victims and may their souls be accepted by God almighty," he said. Indonesia's Vice President Yusuf Kalla has visited the scene of the incident. "We will provide emergency help to the victims. For those whose homes were destroyed, the government will help with the repairs," he told Metro TV.

Hypothesis: Yusuf Kalla is the President of Indonesia.


Premise: When it comes to paying taxes to the state it doesn't count if you are dead of alive. One proof of that is Angelina Jolie's mother who died in 2007. Now, after more then 2 years, the state of California still fills a claim against Marcheline Bertrand and asks for $60,000 in back taxes. Here is how they come out with this amount: she owes $43,699 in back taxes, plus $10,924.75 in penalties and $8,304.95 in interest, for a grand total of $62,928.70. One explication could be that somebody messed up the files filling taxes for the entire 2007, when she died in January.Also, according to her will, Jon Voight (Angelina's father) owns thousands of dollars in back child support. Marcheline trying to get that money through a lean on Voight's property and assets could be another explication.

Hypothesis: Angelina Jolie's mother was born in California.