Friday, May 15, 2009 American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) announced plans Friday to shut down about 1,100 of its dealerships, in an effort to evade bankruptcy and lower its expenditures. GM’s move comes a day after Chrysler, another U.S. car maker, released a list of 789 dealerships that it was closing. Unlike Chrylser, GM…
Canada’s west coast battles high winds
Thursday, November 16, 2006 Currently, there are blackouts, heavy rain, and high winds in British Columbia. Over 220,000 BC Hydro customers have no power. Buildings have already collapsed and trees have been knowed down. Five Vancouver rivers were in danger of flooding, which rain fell at 10 mm an hour for more than six hours…
Finnish police isolate ports in Helsinki
Saturday, August 6, 2005 The Finnish police isolated the ports of Katajanokka and Länsisatama on Saturday. The ports were isolated at around 9.30 p.m. local time and the isolation was called off at around 11.30 p.m. Finnish police received reports from Estonia that a shipping container loaded with explosives could be coming from Estonia Saturday…
Blow out sales prices likely on mattresses as new U.S. fire-resistant standards take effect
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 If you are in the market for new bedding, and not too concerned with the new United States guidelines for mattress fire resistance, now might be a good time to buy. Mattresses sold in the U.S. must meet new federal guidelines for flammability starting on July 1. The peak heat release…
500 stranded melon-headed whales rescued in Philippine bay
Saturday, February 14, 2009 Philippine fishermen, volunteers and authorities with dozens of fishing boats have joined hands in guiding back to sea about 500 disorientated melon-headed whales that were stranded in the shallow waters near the mouth of Manila Bay delta in the Bataan Peninsula. The gentle mammals were first spotted swimming back and forth…
Broken pipes cause flood in Darwin D. Martin House in Buffalo, New York
Correction — February 13, 2008 The break was a broken sprinkler head in a crawl space above the shop, according to Jeffrey A. Salmon Facilities Manager of the Martin House Restoration Corporation. Not a pipe. Tuesday, February 12, 2008 Buffalo, New York —According to radio communications by the Buffalo, New York Fire Department, at approximately 10:15…
China offers Africa financial aid including $10 billion in loans
Sunday, November 8, 2009 China has offered Africa concessional loans worth US$10 (€6.5) billion as part of a host of new measures aimed at improving the economy of African nations. The announcement was made at the opening of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Leaders of nearly 50 African countries are…
Immigration Detainees on Hunger Strike in Oxford UK
Thursday, June 15, 2006 One hundred and twenty detainees at an immigration removal centre in Oxford, UK, are on hunger strike. The protest started when some detainees refused breakfast on Wednesday 14th June 2006. A letter from the hunger strikers explaining why they are seeking to draw attention to their plight in this way has…
Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder of PETA, on animal rights and the film about her life
Tuesday, November 20, 2007 Last night HBO premiered I Am An Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA. Since its inception, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has made headlines and raised eyebrows. They are almost single-handedly responsible for the movement against animal testing and their efforts have raised the suffering animals…
Buffalo, N.Y. hotel proposal delayed further
Buffalo, N.Y. Hotel Proposal Controversy Recent Developments “Old deeds threaten Buffalo, NY hotel development” — Wikinews, November 21, 2006 “Proposal for Buffalo, N.Y. hotel reportedly dead: parcels for sale “by owner”” — Wikinews, November 16, 2006 “Contract to buy properties on site of Buffalo, N.Y. hotel proposal extended” — Wikinews, October 2, 2006 “Court date…