civilcelebrant.net

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The president of Egypt has suffered a “devastating blow” after the country’s army announced they would not use force against their own people, who continue to protest against the government tonight. The news came hours after six journalists who reported on the protests were released from custody.

Hosni Mubarak yesterday announced a new cabinet, which does not include several figures who protesters largely do not approve of. Analysts have, however, suggested little had changed within the government; many positions, they say, are filled with military figures.

In a statement broadcast on state media in Egypt, the army said: “To the great people of Egypt, your armed forces, acknowledging the legitimate rights of the people … have not and will not use force against the Egyptian people.” A BBC correspondent in Cairo said the announcement meant it “now seems increasingly likely that the 30-year rule of Mr Mubarak is drawing to a close.”

“The presence of the army in the streets is for your sake and to ensure your safety and wellbeing. The armed forces will not resort to use of force against our great people,” the statement added. “Your armed forces, who are aware of the legitimacy of your demands and are keen to assume their responsibility in protecting the nation and the citizens, affirms that freedom of expression through peaceful means is guaranteed to everybody.”

Earlier today, six journalists from the independent news network Al-Jazeera were released from custody after being detained by police. The U.S. State Department criticized the arrests; equipment was reportedly confiscated from the journalists.

Egyptian officials yesterday ordered the satellite channel to stop broadcasting in the country. Al-Jazeera said they were “appalled” by the government’s decision to close its Egyptian offices, which they described as the “latest attack by the Egyptian regime to strike at its freedom to report independently on the unprecedented events in Egypt.”

In a statement, the news agency added: “Al-Jazeera sees this as an act designed to stifle and repress the freedom of reporting by the network and its journalists. In this time of deep turmoil and unrest in Egyptian society it is imperative that voices from all sides be heard; the closing of our bureau by the Egyptian government is aimed at censoring and silencing the voices of the Egyptian people.”

On Friday, Wikinews reported the government had shut off practically all Internet traffic both out of and into the nation, as well as disrupting cellphone usage. A spokesperson for the social networking website Facebook said “limiting Internet access for millions of people is a matter of concern for the global community.”

A reported 50,000 campaigners, who are demanding the long-time leader step down and complaining of poverty, corruption, and oppression, filled Tahrir Square in Cairo today, chanting “We will stay until the coward leaves.” It is thought 100 people have so far died in the demonstrations. Today there have been protests in Suez, Mansoura, Damanhour, and Alexandria.

Speaking to news media in the area, many protesters said the new cabinet did little to quell their anger. “We want a complete change of government, with a civilian authority,” one said. Another added: “This is not a new government. This is the same regime—this is the same bluff. [Mubarak] has been bluffing us for 30 years.”

In Tahrir Square today, protesters played music as strings of barbed wire and army tanks stood nearby. Demonstrators scaled light poles, hanging Egyptian flags and calling for an end to Mubarak’s rule. “One poster featured Mubarak’s face plastered with a Hitler mustache, a sign of the deep resentment toward the 82-year-old leader they blame for widespread poverty, inflation and official indifference and brutality during his 30 years in power,” one journalist in the square reported this evening.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

US officials have announced new security policies for all international flights bound for the US. The move will replace the mandatory screening of passengers from fourteen countries, implemented after the failed bombing of a flight to Detroit, Michigan last Christmas by a Nigerian man. The change comes after President Barack Obama ordered a review into the matter.

The move is intended to lower the amount of air travellers taken for extra screening, and will be based on information obtained from intelligence agencies, such as if they match a description given by officials. Formerly, additional security were done based on one’s passport or nationality.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano commented that the plan will “utilize real-time, threat-based intelligence along with multiple, random layers of security, both seen and unseen, to more effectively mitigate evolving terrorist threats. […] Of course, after the events of December 25, I think it reminded everyone that aviation remains a target of Al-Qaeda and how important it is going to be for us to work in a variety of ways to keep improving aviation security.”

“[I]t’s much more tailored to what the intel[ligence] is telling us, what the threat is telling us, as opposed to stopping all individuals of a particular nationality or all individuals using a particular passport,” commented a senior administration official who wished to remain anonymous to media. He added that the former measures were a “blunt-force instrument”.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

London, England — Yesterday, following her team’s 62–37 win over Mexico in the quarterfinals, Wikinews interviewed Katie Hill of Australia’s women’s national wheelchair basketball team.

((Laura Hale)) Katie Hill, we know you’ve won a bronze medal before. What state are you from?

Katie Hill: I’m from New South Wales.

((WN)) Do you play for a club?

KH: Yeah! I play for the Sydney Uni Flames.

((WN)) You guys played Mexico in the lead up to this?

KH: Yeah. We just had a tournament in the Netherlands, in Europe, and we got to play them there, which is good preparation.

((WN)) You guys dominated in a painful way, embarrassingly for Mexico. You guys did a full court press and half court press and really jammed them up. Was that intentional?

KH: Of course! We had a strong game in our last game against the Netherlands, and obviously we’re a bit fired up, and we want to be here so, you know, we want to play as strong as we can and prepare ourselves for the strongest teams that we can play. So, if we get to practice those kind of things and it works really well, then that’s what we are aiming to do

((WN)) You’re going to meet either the USA or Canada. As an American, I find that terrifying. Do you guys think you have a real shot at the [semifinals]?

KH: Obviously, there’s a lot of good teams in this competition. I think that anyone could win it on their day. As long as we’re playing as well as we can, sure! Definitely!

((WN)) You seemed to have all the answers to the Netherlands yesterday. Every tactic that they tried, you had a counterattack.

KH: They’re a familiar team for us. We’ve been playing them for a while, and I think yesterday’s win was probably the first time we’ve beaten them in quite a long time. So it was nice to finally make that happen now, and have that be a good win for us and put us in a good position.

((WN)) Now’s a good time to find real form.

KH: Exactly! So, we’re saving it all up for when it counts!

((WN)) You did really well in Sydney in that tournament.

KH: Yes.

((WN)) You have that huge fan base with all those gliders shirts. How big a difference does it make on the court?

KH: Oh, it’s unreal. It’s amazing to come out. When you come out here, to many of the girls it’s their first time out, and you come out and there’s a whole big stadium full of people, all you want to do is find your family, and know where they’re sitting, and sometimes that’s really hard. So we’ve got them all in their yellow shirts and they’re all sitting there so they’re all recognisable and it just is amazing to feel so comfortable that all those people are behind you.

((WN)) Who’s here for you?

KH: I have my mum, my dad, my auntie, and also my dad’s girlfriend is here as well.

((WN)) Are you enjoying London, and the food and all?

KH: Yeah! This is the first time I’ve actually been to London. I’ve been through it a few times on our travels elsewhere, but it’s been fantastic, and we’re really enjoying it.

((WN)) Do you plan to continue on to Rio? Or are you going to be like other Paralympians and retire on top?

KH: I don’t plan to retire any time soon. It’s not like this is my last shot and then I’m going to have a rest. But I’m also focused on now and not really in four years time. I’ll see how I’m going then. I like to play basketball so I’m not going to quit.

((WN)) Thank you very much.

Friday, November 3, 2006

On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward’s councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto’s ridings is Scarborough-Agincourt (Ward 39). Two candidates responded to Wikinews’ requests for an interview. This ward’s candidates include Wayne Cook, Mike Del Grande (incumbent), Samuel Kung, Lushan Lu, Sunshine Smith, and John Wong.

For more information on the election, read Toronto municipal election, 2006.