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Wikinews:Water cooler/miscellaneous/archives/2009/November

Millbot-VoA
I've finished the bot for VoA in general. It added articles from Africa and Americas... I am waiting for your comments until turning it on. Note that there will be always some errors. My parser is extremely cheap (in a couple of hours I've solved generically VoA for all languages) and thus it makes errors from time to time. However, I think that the level of errors (1 in 5 articles need manual garbage deletion). However, if you don't think so, please let me know. Other comments are welcome as well. --millosh (talk) 21:23, 20 October 2009 (UTC)

Created articles are: --millosh (talk) 21:23, 20 October 2009 (UTC)
 * Talks on Fate of Deposed Honduran President Stall
 * Meatpackers Agree on Amazon Deforestation Moratorium
 * IOM Launches New Campaign to End Human Trafficking
 * Hurricane Rick Strongest Pacific Storm Since 1997
 * Rio Drug War Erupts; Police Helicopter Shot Down
 * 'Dangerous' Hurricane Rick Reaches Category Five
 * Zelaya: Honduran Coup Talks Suspended
 * Hunger Casts Dark Cloud Over World Food Day
 * Honduran Businesses Suffer as Political Crisis Continues
 * Zelaya Sets Monday Deadline for Agreement
 * Paris AIDS Conference Confirms Modest Protection by Trial Vaccine
 * Zimbabwe Cabinet Meets Without MDC Ministers
 * Zimbabwe PM Begins Regional Tour
 * El Niño Rains Begin in East Africa
 * Watchdog Says Media Freedom in Europe Plummeting
 * US, East African Nations Begin Major Military Exercise
 * Guinea Military Defends Chinese Mineral Deal
 * Africa to Adopt Refugee/IDP Convention At Kampala Summit
 * New Sudan Referendum Deal Raises Fresh Challenges
 * ECOWAS Suspends Niger in Dispute Over Constitution

Some of them are already fixed. --millosh (talk) 21:23, 20 October 2009 (UTC)

 * Looks good! I've already published one of the bot's articles. This is much easier than manually copy-and-pasting from VOA. One suggestion though, perhaps develop should be at the top of the page, not at the bottom. Also, i've noticed the bot adding continent templates such as Africa, which aren't generally used outside of portals - maybe that shouldn't be included. Tempodivalse [talk]  21:27, 20 October 2009 (UTC)
 * Also, the dates are wrong on some of those; many are days old, while the bot imported them under October 20. – Juliancolton  | Talk 21:44, 20 October 2009 (UTC)
 * I agree that develop should be at the top, not at the bottom. Cirt (talk) 22:14, 20 October 2009 (UTC)

Everything is fixed. (Juliancolton, I didn't realize that I fixed date during one phase of bot development. Dates for the most of already added the news should be manually checked; new news will have valid dates) In this moment sections "TopStories", "Africa", "Americas" and "Arts and Entertainment" are included in scheduled bot tasks (every 10 minutes). I'll be adding other categories during the next couple of days because avoiding instant pressure for editors who are working on developing articles. --millosh (talk) 09:29, 21 October 2009 (UTC)

 * Per Tempo's comment, we could probably do with looking at where we're inconsistent with infobox template naming. I assume Millosh has some criteria to 'guess' the appropriate infobox, that just needs clarified, and then infoboxes reviewed to make sure the right ones pop up for these articles. --Brian McNeil / talk 23:37, 25 October 2009 (UTC)

 * Would it be feasible to have the bot automatically delete its articles if they haven't been edited by anyone after a week (or some other period of time)? That way, the newsroom wouldn't be overcrowded with hopelessly out-of-date VOA articles. I've been manually deleting the stale articles myself, but it's rather time-consuming, and I thought perhaps it would be more efficient to have a bot do it instead. Tempodivalse [talk]  17:17, 29 October 2009 (UTC)
 * This is why we have admins; to use human judgement in making decisions. And why the job's symbol is a mop; it's not a glorious position, it's work cleaning up. -  Amgine | t 18:43, 29 October 2009 (UTC)

Yes, it is possible to make a bot which would delete stale articles. I am working now on a new engine, which should do a number of other things (like categorizing, adding some images, making wikilinks and so on) and when I finish it, I'll make a bot for deleting staled articles. However, if it is necessary to do it immediately, I may do it. --millosh (talk) 08:30, 2 November 2009 (UTC)

current Sitenotice
Am I the only one who cannot make any sense to the current "Are you Wikinewsie on Twitter?" notice? The "Twitter" wikilink doesn't expand on what is "The list", if all "wikinewsies" can join or only those reporting news there, etc... Is it possible to either only display such items in plain English or to keep them on the noticeboards where you can use more than 140 characters to explain what you mean exactly? Lucasbfr (talk) 11:12, 2 November 2009 (UTC)

 * It makes perfect sense. If you contribute in any way to Wikinews and are registered on Twitter, fire off an @reply on there. 'The list' is in inverted commas. I'd advise you to learn what these are. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 11:40, 2 November 2009 (UTC)

Wikinews being used at other news sites
I was looking around Google News earlier today, and found it interesting that at least one news source, Jackson NJ News, has been reproducing a lot of our content (this, this, and this, for instance). I know that blogs copy us fairly frequently, but this is the first time that i've seen a news agency cite and copy our stuff. Just thought someone would find that interesting. Is there any other news outlet that reproduces our content? Tempodivalse [talk]  19:56, 25 October 2009 (UTC)
 * I don't think it's a news agency. The list of contributors is interesting, I think the local police and fire people have access to what seems to be a WordPress install. I couldn't find a contact address, so I posted a comment on one of our articles they've copied saying thank you, and politely asking them to 'shape up' in terms of how they credit us. --Brian McNeil / talk 23:33, 25 October 2009 (UTC)
 * Found a contact email. "Send your letters, comments, press releases and anything else Jackson related to news@jacksonnjonline.com." -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 05:17, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Emailed. --Brian McNeil / talk 16:07, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

Back in black
Hi all, just wanted to drop by and say I'll have more time for Wikinews now. Over at en:wiki there was a thing called the WikiCup that ate up time for most of the year (more time than expected). It's over now, which is Wikinews's gain. Cheers all, Durova (talk) 15:55, 6 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Welcome back! Nice to see you around and editing again. Cheers, Tempodivalse [talk]  16:00, 6 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Thank you very much. Want a review that'll make you chuckle?  Olympic condoms auctioned: "faster, higher, stronger". :) Durova (talk) 18:28, 6 November 2009 (UTC)

Interviews
* Copied from Tempodicalse's Talk Page*

I have been able to get an interview with the CDC regarding the swine flu pandemic, but now I am at a loss of which question to ask. Could you possibly help me? Thanks,  The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 00:43, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Hmm, let's see. Just a few ideas, off the top of my head: 1.) What measures are going to be taken to combat the swine flu? 2.) Are current anti-flu vaccines effective? How much supply of vaccine is there? 3.) What can you advise us to do to reduce our chance of being infected? 4.) Just how deadly is swine flu?

 * There are probably better questions, but that's the best i could come up with for the moment. Why don't you ask about this at the water cooler? You'd get a larger audience that way, perhaps someone will think up something. Tempodivalse [talk]  02:21, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Thanks, I'll copy this to the water cooler also. I'm hoping this interview with Mr. Dimond goes good. -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 05:00, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

What I have as of now:

1. How does the CDC feel the media has handled the H1N1 flu pandemic? 2. What measures are the CDC taking to combat the swine flu? 3. What areas around the world are affected most by the swine flu? 4. Are the current anti-flu vaccines effective and how sufficient is the current supply? 5. How can one avoid infection and how deadly is this disease? 6. What efforts have the CDC made to insure vaccines are available for those with no or poor health-care? 7. If someone suspects they have swine flu what would the best course of action be? 8. When will the swine flu die down and cease being a pandemic? 9. Besides the CDC, what other entities, governmental and private, are involved in stopping this disease and how? 10.Is there a significant risk of H1N1 mutating with other viruses and becoming stronger?

-- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 05:09, 4 November 2009 (UTC)

My question:
 * 1) What efforts will the CDC make to provide A (H1N1) vaccines available to those who have little or no access to healthcare? I'm thinking of huge areas of Africa and Asia so this question probably needs to be formulated a little better. --Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 11:09, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Thanks. I added one and it sparked another. -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 23:53, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
 * One suggestion, about question number three: since swine flu has spread to very many places in the world now, maybe a more specific question would be "what areas around the world have been affected the most by swine flu?" or something like that. Tempodivalse [talk]  00:05, 5 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Thank you. I think it is almost done, -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 00:11, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

My question: – Juliancolton  | Talk 00:40, 5 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Is there a significant risk of H1N1 mutating with other viruses and becoming stronger?
 * Thank you. That makes an even ten, so that should be good. -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 00:52, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Well, I love the good, in depth answers emailed to scoop!    Tris   20:14, 6 November 2009 (UTC)

Happy 5th Birthday Wikinews
Today, November 8th, 2009 marks the 5th anniversary of the English Wikinews (the first and most awesome of all Wikinews). So happy birthday to us, and here's to 5 more years of pain and suffering Journalism! -- Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 07:22, 8 November 2009 (UTC)

Unblock request from User:Poetlister
UNBLOCK REQUEST

Can you please reverse your block on Wikinews. I believe that the block is unjustified because I have done nothing whatsoever wrong on Wikinews. As you may know, I have no global ban. For example, I am not blocked on Wikisource. I have never heard of another case in which someone was blocked on a wiki solely because of a block elsewhere. Have you? On the contrary, there are cases in which someone is blocked on one wiki while holding high positions elsewhere; Aphaia is a good example.

In any case, can you please remove the block on my e-mail on Wikinews to make it easier to contact people rather than having to do it via other wikis.

Poetlister

 * I got the above email via Wikisource. -- Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 22:39, 11 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Right. Ask around. This is a user with an — ahem — previous elsewhere. Realistically, they would be better starting off with a new username to avoid importing enemies or getting undue attention because of the issue. --Brian McNeil / talk 23:10, 11 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Do we usually block users based only on negative actions elsewhere? Imho, barring another Grawp or JarlaxeArtemis, users should only be blocked on wikis they've abused. I agree with Brianmc though that this user might be better off creating a new account. Tempodivalse [talk]  23:19, 11 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Do we? Yes. If someone is a problem everywhere they show up, I see no problem with preemptively banning them, and I do, on occasion.  Not for little shit, but for big issue people.  I dont know anything about this user and I didn't ban them, hence the copy/pasta here. -- Shakata Ga Nai  ^_^ 23:37, 11 November 2009 (UTC)

 * The instant "case against". I have little interest in trawling through Wikipedia's dirty laundry. History of talk page prior to that was not unreasonable - but large gap up to the block. --Brian McNeil / talk 01:04, 12 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Not appropriate to unblock at the moment, given their previous history of disruptive actions on other projects. – Juliancolton  | Talk 01:50, 12 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I'd tend to agree here with, but I'd rather simply defer to community consensus about this. Cirt (talk) 21:27, 13 November 2009 (UTC)
 * The user should be unblocked, imho. I disagree with blocking users based solely on the fact that they have had a bad history elsewhere (unless it's someone like grawp). The blocking policy doesn't say we can block users just because of bad behaviour on other projects. Poetlister has, in the past, been a constructive and even helpful user: Special:Contributions/Poetlister. I think he should only be blocked here if/when he makes inappropriate/disruptive actions here. Tempodivalse [talk]  23:00, 13 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Not sure what the community thinks about it, but there was this, , . Cirt (talk) 23:02, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

I got a new email today:
 * Thanks. I note you say "I dont know anything about this user and I didn't ban them".  The reason I contacted you was because of this:

 * http://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&type=block&page=User%3AQuillercouch

 * 04:47, 24 September 2008 ShakataGaNai (Talk | contribs) blocked Quillercouch (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of indefinite (account creation disabled, e-mail blocked) ? (Sockpuppetry: Cato/Poetlister - per User talk:Poetlister and http://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Wikiquote:Requests_for_adminship&oldid=820302#Cato.2C_Poetlister_and_Yehudi)
 * If you are saying that the Quillercouch account is not connected to me, all the more reason for you to reverse the ban!

 * Cheers

I read that as "Yes, I'm an asshole, and that is my account but I'm not gonna cop to it". So, IMHO -- Shakata Ga Nai  ^_^ 23:19, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

Just as a note, I received the following unblock request via Wikisource from Poetlister (I don't check that email account often, so I only noticed it today, but it was sent yesterday):

 * UNBLOCK REQUEST

 * I note your comment "I agree with Brianmc though that this user might be better off creating a new account." I can only say to you what I said to him. Were I to create a new account without being unblocked, that would be block evasion. I'm not going to do that.

 * Meanwhile, can you please allow me to e-mail on Wikinews. It's pretty pointless having a block since i can just use Wikisource but it is irritating.

Thoughts? Tempodivalse [talk]  23:33, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Despite what Shaka rightly sees as assholishness, I think we can let the guy have a chance. It might be wise to run a quiet CU every few months, though. First sign of trouble and he ain't coming back. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 23:37, 14 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I concur. He hasn't been disruptive here (yet, at least), so he shouldn't be blocked. A checkuser could be made at the first sign of suspicious activity. Tempodivalse [talk]  23:42, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

Comment by uninvolved FT2
I don't often post here, but do so as a WikiNews occasional editor, and the Wikimedian most familiar with the case.

One line version: Poetlister was, in his time on Wikipedia, one of the most unscrupulous of the serious sock-users we have had. I'm aware that is a damning verdict.

Poetlister edits profusely and indeed (often) positively. However his edits were often socked, stacked, often POV pushing, and on minor projects (after his ban on Wikipedia) often used as a bridge to facilitate a stepping stone somewhere else.

For example, when banned on one project he tried to return by positive editing via another minor project - in that case WikiQuote. He had previously gained adminship on Wikipedia, he has run a large number of sock-puppets on multiple sites; he knows how to play games "behind the scenes" and play people off against each other or manipulate the impressionable and unaware; he knew how to edit in a way that got him high approval at Wikiquote. Gaining sysophood and later cratship there, he leveraged those to a campaign that he was wrongly banned elsewhere, and (partly because there was no obvious misconduct recently) was given a second chance in May 2008.

It didn't last long. By August 2008 I was in contact with WMF, checkusers and stewards on 5 projects, and external persons Poetlister had impersonated on Wikipedia and elsewhere, ascertaining the extent of his sock ring.

Wikiquote, the smaller project he had used to return and that had trusted him, was by that time riddled with 3 admin-accounts and a checkuser-sock of his. And a new sock ring of almost a dozen socks on Wikipedia. The checkuser sock had been used to check his own sock run through selected proxies would be unlikely to be identified as a sock, at Wikiquote RFA. So much for trust.

Until conclusively challenged, Poetlister tried to use his stance on those projects to argue that anyone else was against him for no good reason and seek others to battle for him.

His stance right to the end (in email at that point) was completely unrepentant. He affected care and self-pity - where useful for his own benefit - and affected the attitudes and personas needed to convince others to enable and trust him, but so far as I could assess under the surface, he at no time showed any actual genuine care regarding harm done to any wiki-project, any users falsely accused, any third parties impersonated or potentially harmed, his own family who suffered as a result, or indeed anyone - except himself.

John Vandenberg (enwiki Arbcom) and Aphaia (wikiquote Checkuser) are worth speaking to if this last area needs discussion.

FT2 (Talk 01:44, 15 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Unblock Poetlister would be a very bad idea, and I think previous incidents indicate that. Tiptoety  talk 06:28, 15 November 2009 (UTC)

Article published with massive factual accuracy problems
Please see this. Whoever reviewed - I've made a point of not looking - made a serious cockup on this one. The issues are serious enough to raise them here - are people taking reviewing seriously enough? Blood Red Sandman (Talk)   (Contribs) 11:37, 14 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I certainly take reviewing very seriously, and I'm sure most other reviewers feel the same way about it. I think inaccuracies like these are going to happen once in a while, as we're only humans, and even the most competent reviewer might forget to check for a key detail, due to distraction by other things, fatigue, etc. (e.g. I published an article with some VOA-POV problems recently and didn't notice it until later due to being tired.) One way we can help reduce the chance of this happening again is to have two people, not one, check the article and only publish it if they both think it's OK. (That would significantly increase already long waits in the review queue, though.) Tempodivalse [talk]  15:07, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

 * We all screw things up, it was the amount of mistakes packed into such a short article that made me bring this up. I don't think I blame the reviewer as such - well, obviously the reviewer bears the blame, but there's more to it. This article should never have slipped through the net. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 23:46, 14 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I reviewed it, and none of the teams ever made it to the top, as it states by NASA. Actuallyt to be honest, I thought I had fixed all that. DragonFire1024 (Talk to the Dragon) 00:53, 15 November 2009 (UTC)
 * The 2nd para from NASA states that the team managed it four times in the first two days. It was only on the third day that no-one managed. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 01:00, 15 November 2009 (UTC)

Interview with Jimmy Wales on AP, Wikipedia and (briefly) Wikinews
This may be of interest to people: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=173537 the wub "?!"  19:41, 16 November 2009 (UTC)
 * FTA "Wales: Wikinews has struggled for years, and you identify one of the key reasons for it. Wikinews remains an experiment which has yet to fulfill its potential."
 * Well yea we've strugled because Wikipedia wont (As Per Usual) enforce its own rules. Oh, and because no one wants to even attempt to help us (Those that claim otherwise: Google News, nuff said) -- Shakata Ga Nai  ^_^ 20:02, 16 November 2009 (UTC)

Infobox DPL issue
I created Football today from the corresponding sport infobox. It would appear many infoboxes haven't been updated to handle Flagged Revisions, or to restrict listed pages to the main namespace.

If you're using an infobox, please check the Wikicode to see the DPL uses stablepages. --Brian McNeil / talk 13:39, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm more suprised to hear that any of the infoboxes/portals use stable pages only. Bawolff ☺☻ 17:59, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Heh. Seriously, without it there is an avenue of abuse. --Brian McNeil / talk 18:04, 19 November 2009 (UTC)

Task Force: Expanded Content - Thinks Wikinews is useless
"Topical information (Wikinews): Given that Wikipedia already provides topical content, does its presence precludes the need for Wikinews? If not why not? If so, what should be done with Wikinews?" FTFA. Sigh, I hate people. -- Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 22:20, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Strategy:Thread:Talk:Task force/Expanding Content/Wikinews is useless, huh? - I rage
 * Strategy:Thread:Talk:Task force/Expanding Content/"Concerning" language in reference to Wikinews BrianMc rages -- Shakata Ga Nai  ^_^ 23:00, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I was trying to be somewhat diplomatic while extremely pissed off. --Brian McNeil / talk 23:03, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I've had my say too and I invite everyone else to post their views --Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 23:22, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Me too. I see now I wasn't the only person who read that as "Wikinews isn't useful". Tempodivalse [talk]  23:24, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

(<--)I may not be the most active user, but Wikinews, useless!? That makes me sick. And here I am am planning on resurrecting Audio Wikinews in a new format, when the WMF says this project is useless... -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 05:41, 19 November 2009 (UTC)

Rant #1

 * Really, what the hell is it with these people? "Policy wonks" is the polite label. I don't doubt the WMF staff are making a well-meaning contribution to the stratergy (sic) concept; but, every 'tard from Wikipedia who has been beaten about this crap before seems to have found a home where they can demonstrate why they're the slimy little *****bleeeeeeeeeps***** who used to be dropped in Usenet killfiles for wanking instead of moving things forward. I even saw the name River in some of the associated pages. Is that the bitch that stood for board on a platform of closing everything but Wikipedia? I tell ya, 'some people are only alive because it is illegal to kill them. --Brian McNeil / talk 23:14, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Struck per request; N.B. Comment is a quote from a comedian whose name currently escapes me. This was intended as an expression of frustration and anger — not an intent to kill, or wish for others to do so. --Brian McNeil / talk 14:21, 20 November 2009 (UTC)
 * If i recall, she proposed closing only us (she's active with toolserver and dev side of things I think). It was someone else who wanted to close everything. Bawolff ☺☻ 23:25, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

 * See, it's not all the WMF staff, it's just a select few vocal screw ups. People like Jimbo (granted he isn't WMF any more) simply don't help our cause.  What they should be saying instead of "lets shut down Wikinews" is "Lets see if we can get the Wikipedia people to put the news in the CORRECT location" and get the WP Cabal to crack down on their own and send them over here.  I know our system isn't the same, but it isn't that fuckin difficult.  The reason why we struggle to gain momentum is that we have to KEEP WORKING and not slack off like the fucks on Wikipedia.  WP can boast about it's 3 million articles, because they are all "relevant" (Depending on what you're looking up).  WN, all people care about is how many articles we publish in the last 24 hours.  It's hard work people, but for the fact that we put out (on average) 1 article per day for every 3 active users, we don't do such a bad job.  -- Shakata Ga Nai  ^_^ 23:24, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

 * That (above comment) does seem about right... I mean Wikipedia is a great project, but so is Wikinews, so is Simple English, so is Wiktionary, and so are all the WMF projects, but all projects are volunteer work and do require effort to maintain. I’ve been doing some audio at Wiktionary for pronunciations, and that’s effort for the most backed up Category I’ve seen since Wikipedia’s Clean-up.  -- The New   Mikemoral  ♪♫ 05:49, 19 November 2009 (UTC)

This is a disgrace. WMF should apologize to us IMO. Really I don't know what to say here, but I did reply to the thread above. What an insult to us. DragonFire1024 (Talk to the Dragon) 05:59, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Jason, please stop mixing up the Wikimedia Foundation with random plonkers from Wikipedia. Remember, even Jimmy isn't really WMF anymore; he's more focussed on Wikia and the 'rubber-chicken circuit'. Wikipedians do have a tendency to just see the one project; they are not expressing WMF policy in doing so, just ignorance, stupidity, selfishness, and any other grab-bag of adjectives you may care to append. --Brian McNeil / talk 14:13, 19 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I think it important to point out that despite the presentation as "WMF should apologize to us..." or "Wikimedia says this project is useless", the WMF didn't say that.  It's a QUESTION.  The very idea of those questions is to stir discussion.  It appears to be working.  WMF has not said Wikinews is useless. I have tried over and over to get Wikinews folks to participate in strategic planning, with multiple posts here and personal approaches.  User:Tempodivalse is a valued contributor who has given countless hours to the strategy project and has represented you well there, but the only way to have a voice in the process is to show up.  I hope that those of you who have ranted will choose to remain engaged.  I really, truly do hope so.  Philippe (talk) 13:30, 20 November 2009 (UTC)
 * With less than 20 people active every day it really should be understandable why there is less Wikinews participation. Wikipedia has the luxury of being able to see contributors take a break long enough to give the strategy process the attention it deserves. --Brian McNeil / talk 14:23, 20 November 2009 (UTC)

Obituaries - some thoughts
I'd been blissfully unaware a remake of The Prisoner had been done, but finding out prompted me to look up Patrick McGoohan. The one point that caught my attention was one of the sources Wikipedia uses - http://www.palisadespost.com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=4587 - this is an obituary nine days after the man's death. Certainly, there are some elements within it which might not fit within Wikinews, but it is more what people expect when they read an obit.

How could Wikinews do similar? We do already get comments on noticeably older articles - this is an example where the subject's Wikipedia article needs the news story, and the news story stands distinct. --Brian McNeil / talk 15:59, 21 November 2009 (UTC)
 * What do you suggest? Cirt (talk) 16:00, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

 * An initial obit - "(Wo)man dies aged xy" - should show up within the standard timeframe. However, we can gather a week of comments together while putting in more background to report "Tributes paid to man" or "Woman remembered". That would end up as roughly the sort of thing you link to. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 16:08, 21 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I like it! :) Cirt (talk) 20:22, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Me too, this sounds like a good approach. Tempodivalse [talk]  22:50, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

Time for some Deops/Decrats?
I dont think we've got a solid policy on idle-ness, but I just happened to be looking through the list of 'Crats and noticed was still on there. I checked, he's had 4 edits in 2008 & 2009, I'd say that calls for decrating/admining. There is no point in us having a ton of admins/crats, who are never around (plus this will help with the argument of "we've already got enough 'crats" that we go through every time one is up for election). Anyone have any problem with putting admins & crats up for rights revocation who haven't been active in the last year? I could even be convinced to warn them first.... -- Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 21:27, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

 * I say just do it. Worst that happens is the community shoots you down, but I doubt it somehow. You should email them, though. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 21:31, 21 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Yeah, I'd say send them an e-mail first. If they don't intend to become more active just deflag. – Juliancolton  | Talk 21:49, 21 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I disagree with desysoping inactive admins/bureaucrats and WN:IP. But if we're going to consider deflagging, it should go through WN:RFP. Tempodivalse [talk]  22:43, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Sure, through RFP, but Eloquence does not need the rights on this project any more. Even having them could be seen as a conflict of interest for the Deputy-CEO. --Brian McNeil / talk 23:47, 21 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes to the RFP. I guess I should have specified that specifically, I just thought it was worth feeling out here briefly first. Most projects have an inactive policy that is fairly well enforced.  Commons it is by actually admin actions, not just edits (though it is fairly easy to find 5 files to delete on Commons). -- Shakata Ga Nai  ^_^ 07:52, 22 November 2009 (UTC)

Audio Wikinews
I have noticed the Audio Wikinews pages is extremely disorganized and since it it linked in the Main Page, I thought it would be best for a group of editors to fix up the mess that is Audio Wikinews. I'm willing to help also. -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 04:31, 11 November 2009 (UTC)

 * It's new content is the issue. I'm looking at the Wikimedia Radio concept again; for that a really short brief put out regularly (like at least 2 times a day) would be ideal. I'm running a test on http://1radio.org on Monday (0200 - 0400 UTC). If you hate The Grateful Dead, then suggest some other music to play. I'm interested in using live stuff like bootlegs while I get some experience with this. Yes, anyone else interested in doing this can bug me for a how-to in setting up Ubuntu to do it. Windows/Mac? You're on your own. --Brian McNeil / talk 14:02, 19 November 2009 (UTC)

 * I am still working on a show idea. I am working on setting up my Windows for broadcasting. Maybe later this month I can produce my first test run. How did the broadcast go? Which software did you use to stream? I like the Wikimedia Radio idea and may use that as a template, but of course change it up a bit. -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 03:17, 24 November 2009 (UTC)
 * The broadcast was a breeze. I'm using Ubuntu Linux with some "tweaks", I ran a two hour show, and I had zero dropouts. Given Wikinews' current contributor levels though, the thing is to look for content syndication. If Wikinews can have a 5-10 minute bulletin updated ever 12-24 hours then places like http://1Radio.org will 'syndicate' it. Part of the lead-up to establishing that sort of use is Wikinewsies running broadcasts on such freebie/trial stations with these news items as insets. --Brian McNeil / talk 04:01, 24 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Add adding these to iTunes and Archive.org work well too. I think I could use Wordpress also. Maybe that weekly news thing could also be revived. -- The New  Mikemoral  ♪♫ 04:52, 24 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Unfortunately I didn't see this thread until too late-Brian, is the show going to be a regular? Do you have a recording of it-I'd quite like to have a listen.  1Radio sounds like a really cool idea-how long has it been going?     Tris   08:22, 24 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Not sure how long 1Ragio has been running; it's the PRS registration that makes it interesting. You can play mainstream music. As long as the tags on the file are correct and sent when broadcasting, you're fine. --Brian McNeil / talk 10:54, 24 November 2009 (UTC)


text:
Edward Woodward, English actor, dies aged 79

November 16, 2009

English actor Edward Woodward has died today, aged 79. The actor was unwell for several months, suffering from a number of illnesses including pneumonia. He died in hospital in Cornwall, England.

Born in Croydon, London, Woodward was perhaps best known for his role as Sergeant Howie in the 1973 cult British horror film The Wicker Man. The director of that film, Robin Hardy, described him as "one of the greatest actors of his generation" and "an extremely nice human being". His appearance in the Australian film Breaker Morant was also highly acclaimed.

He began his career in theatre, starting out in 1946. He later worked across the country and internationally, appearing in the West End, London and Broadway, New York. In 1963 he was cast in Noël Coward's Broadway production High Spirits. Coward described him as "One of the nicest and most co-operative actors I have ever met or worked with. He is the only one who has given me no trouble at all."

Woodward later appeared in over 2,000 television productions, notably starring in the American show The Equalizer in the 1980s, in addition to Callan on ITV in Britain. Outside of film and television, he recorded three albums of poetry and several LPs.

Despite having triple heart bypass surgery in 1996, and being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003, he continued to work. His final television appearance was in six episodes of the British soap opera EastEnders earlier this year.

"He was a delight to work with, and delivered a characteristically touching and layered performance," said Diederick Santer, the executive producer of EastEnders. "Our thoughts are with his family."

Woodward had two sons and a daughter from his first marriage, to Venetia Mary Collett in 1953. All three became successful actors. In 1987 he married the actress Michele Dotrice, with whom he had a daughter.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text: User:ArthurBot

title: User:ArthurBot


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User talk:ArthurBot

I'm a bot. I don't need any welcome messages. :-) --ArthurBot (talk) 20:33, 16 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:ArthurBot


text:
User talk:Doodleface

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  20:43, 16 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Doodleface


text: User talk:AddThreeAndFive

title: User talk:AddThreeAndFive


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User talk:Dburleigh

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  22:00, 16 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Dburleigh


text:
British rapper Derek B dies at age 44

November 17, 2009

British rapper Derek B has died at the age of 44 after a heart attack, according to reports released today.

The hip-hop artist, who was born by the name of Derek Boland, was born in London, England, was believed to have become the first "home-grown" artist in his music genre to appear on British televised music programme Top of the Pops, and was one of the first hip-hop artists in the United Kingdom to have significant chart success in the UK Singles Chart, achieving songs that reached the top 20 of the chart, including the likes of "Good Groove" and "Bad Young Brother" in 1988. He was also partly responsible for writing the Anfield Rap, which was a track recorded for Liverpool F.C., an English football club. The record reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart.

The man released a debut album called "Bullet From A Gun" in 1988, which, at its peak, reached number 9 in the UK Album Chart. It remained in the chart for a total of nine weeks. Ben Chijioke, who is another British hip-hop recording artist known normally by his stage name Ty, spoke to BBC News about the effect which this artist had on the music world. "He definitely broke the door down," he said. "He was one of the first artists that I saw get to such a level through rap, and be on Top of the Pops, be on children's programmes, be on the world stage. He was one of the ones to do it first, when it was thoroughly unacceptable from the mainstream perspective. At the time, he was absolutely groundbreaking. He definitely broke the door down."

Zane Lowe is a disc jockey on BBC Radio 1. On his page on social networking website Twitter, he has been quoted as saying the following: "Oh man. Derek B was a massive album for me. Sad day RT. RIP DEREK BOLAND (WAG CLUB) :(". In a separate message sent three hours later, Zane wrote the following: "Respect to Derek B. Bad Young Brother on R1. Sounded huge."

title: British rapper Derek B dies at age 44


text:
Talk:British rapper Derek B dies at age 44

Original reporting
I found some of the unsourced information from Wikipedia, which is why I put in the link. The fact that the Anfield Rap got to number 3 in the UK Singles Chart is mentioned on the Wikipedia entry for the Anfield Rap here. The quotes from Zane Lowe can be found at the link to his Twitter page here:

 * Hmmm... I'm not sure we should use Wikipedia for OR, it's not a reliable source. Anyway, I can confirm that Anfield Rap reached number 3 in the charts (14 May 1988) - thanks to my big fat Complete Book of the British Charts ISBN 0-7119-7670-8. Also, here are permalinks to Zane Lowe's comments: . the wub  "?!"  22:38, 16 November 2009 (UTC)


text:
User:BarkingFish

Profile
My name is Thor Malmjursson, I'm 38, and my main areas of interest are South Pacific, Natural disasters (the two of which often go together) as well as general interest material from the UK.

Should you need to contact me, please use the "Email this user" thingy in the toolbar, or leave a post on my talkpage.

Stories broken by this contributor
Al-Qaeda threaten to kill British Prince Harry in Iraq

Aerial collision over Austria kills 8

British actor Inman dead at 71

Bus crash in Victoria, Australia injures twenty, some critical

Magnitude 7.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Morgan Freeman in serious condition after car accident

Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer murdered

Papua New Guinea Culture and Tourism minister charged with attempted murder (With Audio)

Prime Minister of Italy to remain in hospital

School Children and Teachers taken hostage in Philippines

Six-year-old drowns on family holiday (As my SUL Username, Iceflow)

World's first double arm transplant undertaken in Munich with collaboration from Kju, from de.wikinews.org

1000 homes evacuated in Plymouth, England, after bomb find

Stories added to by this contributor
Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi assaulted

title: User:BarkingFish


text: Talk:Edward Woodward, English actor, dies aged 79


text:
User talk:169.241.28.194

Welcome
Thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles may disrupt the site's working and will be reverted quickly. , welcome to Wikinews! Please refrain from using content pages for testing. Here are a few good links for newcomers on how to edit Wikinews:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 23:02, 16 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Neutral point of view - tell every side to a story in a fair and balanced way
 * Cite sources - everything in a Wikinews article must be sourced
 * Introduction - overview of the site
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 * Existing articles need expanding and checking for spelling and mistakes
 * The front page lead articles often need updating
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 * Discussions need your input
 * And of course, stories need writing!

title: User talk:169.241.28.194


text:
Poaching in Zimbabwe on the rise

November 17, 2009 A wildlife official in Zimbabwe said today that the amount of animal in the country has increased substantially this year, blaming an international crime syndicate. He said that 65 and 30 rhinoceroses have been killed this year by poachers.

"From January to October this year we have lost 65 elephants through poaching," said Vitalis Chadenga, the operations director of the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority. "In the same period we have lost 24 black and six white rhinos. It is true that we have witnessed an escalation of poaching nationwide, particularly on private farms."

"We do have a group of international gangsters, who are funding poachers around this part of the world and taking away many horns and it is a major problem," the director continued; "we have arrested 2,500 poachers in the same period, ten poachers have been shot dead since the beginning of this year."

Zimbabwe is one of four countries in Africa that are home to large numbers of rhinos, the others being Kenya, Namibia, and South Africa. About 100,000 elephants live in Zimbabwe, and Chandenga said that the numbers have been growing in past years.

title: Poaching in Zimbabwe on the rise


text:
Talk:Poaching in Zimbabwe on the rise

Review of revision 912982 [Passed]

 * Wow! That was quick, less than a minute. :-0 Thanks for the speedy review. :-) Tempodivalse [talk]  01:11, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: Talk:Poaching in Zimbabwe on the rise


text:
Rebels say 626 Ethiopian troops killed in clashes

November 17, 2009 A rebel group in Ethiopia's Ogaden region said today that it has killed 626 government troops after heavy fighting near the border with neighboring Somalia. The government, however, has dismissed the claim, calling it "a complete fabrication".

A communiqué sent to news agencies by e-mail announced that a multi-front offensive launched by the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) on November 10 is still in progress. The communiqué, believed to be sent from ONLF offices in Europe, says 626 Ethiopian troops have died, and the statement says the battlefields are littered with bodies of soldiers. It described ONLF casualties as "minimal", but gave no details.

A rebel communiqué issued on Friday said the rebels had captured seven towns along the border with Somalia.

"The operation involved thousands of ONLF troops and resulted in two days of heavy fighting. A significant number of Ethiopian troops have been killed and their military hardware captured or destroyed," read a statement by the ONLF.

They said that they entered the towns of Boodhaano, Galadiid, Gunogabo, Hamaro, Higlaaley, Obolka, and Yucub, where the Ethiopian government had stationed troops and military hardware. "ONLF forces were warmly welcomed by the population in these areas and are administering medical care to those civilians killed by retreating Ethiopian occupation forces," the statement continued.

The reports could not be independently verified, as journalists are not permitted into the region. Ethiopian government spokesman Shimelis Kemal, however, called the ONLF claims completely false. In a telephone interview with the Voice of America news agency, he described the communiqués as a desperate measure used occasionally by the rebels to portray the region as being in turmoil.

"This group used to make exaggerated claims," said Shimelis Kemal. "This is the usual lie, deliberately fabricated by this terrorist group." He also told the Agence France-Presse news agency that the rebel's announcements were "baseless claim, blank propaganda. This terrorist group is currently disbanded from government campaigns."

Shimelis denied any government troops had been killed, and said the current fighting is between the rebels and local militia groups. "The rebels were expelled and defeated by the local militia," said Shimelis. "The army was not involved there."

Ethiopia calls the rebels "terrorists" backed by neighboring rival Eritrea, and with ties to the Somali group al-Shabab. Eritrea and the ONLF both denied the links, and there is no independent verification of the charges.

Government troops launched a fierce offensive against the ONLF in early 2007 after the rebels attacked a Chinese-owned oil exploration field in Ethiopia's Ebole district, killing 74 people. The ONLF accused the troops of conducting a "scorched earth" campaign, a claim that was strongly denied by the government.

The United Nations twice requested access to the region to conduct independent human rights assessments, but Ethiopia refused the requests.

Government spokesman Shimelis said that 2007 offensive effectively ended the ONLF's military capability. "Since the Ebole incident, the ONLF bandit group is on the run," he said. "Recently however, they have tried to raid some administrations in the localities, and that attempt had been effectively defeated by the local militia."

Ethiopia has recently attempted to assure oil companies the ONLF no longer has the ability to threaten exploration and production in the Ogaden region. However, Ethiopia's mines and energy minister was quoted this week as saying no petroleum reserves had been found in the country, despite years of search.

The ONLF has been fighting for greater autonomy or independence for the Ogaden since Ethiopia seized the mostly Somali-speaking region in a war with Somalia more than 30 years ago.


text:
Four dead after explosion at police station in Peshawar, Pakistan

November 17, 2009 At least four people have been killed and another 26 wounded after a suspected suicide bomb attack near Peshawar, Pakistan killed four people today, according to police.

The explosion occurred at a police station in Badaber, located about twelve kilomtres from Peshawar. The blast damaged the station and a mosque, and completely destroyed several shops and other buildings located nearby.

"The death toll is four and there are 26 injured," commented a doctor for the Lady Reading Hospital, Zafar Iqbal. Liaqat Ali Khan, a local police official said to the Associated Press news agency that security officials started shooting at a vehicle as it drove up to a checkpoint near the police station. The driver, however, managed to set off the explosives.

"We have beefed up checks at entry and exit points to and from the tribal areas and that's why these blasts are taking place at our checkposts and our men are laying down their lives," Khan told the Associated Press.


text:
User talk:Jcwf

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  02:47, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Jcwf


text: Talk:Four dead after explosion at police station in Peshawar, Pakistan


text:
User:Alainr345

Hi, / Bonjour, / Hola,  AlainR345                                      TechnoWikiGeek

Robert Giguère scandal
Look at... / Regardez... / Favor mirar...

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikip%C3%A9dia:Demande_de_restauration_de_page#Robert_Gigu.C3.A8re.C2.A0.28d.C2.A0.C2.B7.C2.A0h.C2.A0.C2.B7.C2.A0j_.C2.A0.C2.B7.C2.A0.E2.86.B5.29

--Alainr345 (talk) 05:11, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Varia
My personal website is located at: / Mon site internet perso est à : / Mi sitio web está en: http://www.alainrenaud.ca

( curriculum vitae, resume , informatique , programming , java , geomatique , GIS , maitrise , lidar , cpx , girih , 3dinks , ecolocal , genealogie , BD , animation , 3D , jeu , gaming , photographie , art , economie , politique , ebenisterie , voile , nuclear )

--Alainr345 (talk) 05:23, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

The Never Ending Story
A great idea... --   A l a i n  R 3 4 5  Techno-Wiki-Geek    20:16, 24 October 2009 (UTC)

Another great idea...

es:User:Alainr345 fr:User:Alainr345

title: User:Alainr345


title: User:Alainr345/click


text:
User:Alainr345/Menu

Find me on Wikipedia    On Commons     On Wikibooks     On Wikinews     On Wikiquote     On Wikisource     On Wikiversity     Not on Wiktionary

title: User:Alainr345/Menu


text:
Egypt registers first domain name in Arabic

November 17, 2009 Egyptian Communication and Information Technology Minister Tarek Kamel announced on Sunday that the country had filed an application for the ".misr" (".Egypt") top-level domain (مصر in Arabic) and that registrations for second-level domains would begin as of midnight (2200 UTC) at an Internet conference sponsored by the United Nations. According to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) chief executive Rod Beckstrom, six countries have applied for top-level domains in three languages since the Internet coordinator opened up the use of non Latin scripts yesterday.

"Now we can really say that Internet will speak Arabic," said Kamel at the start of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)'s fourth conference at Sharm el-Sheikh.

The expansion of Internet domain names with Internationalized Domain Names (IDN), containing non-Latin characters is the fruit of six years of discussions and technical work, resulting in the ICANN voting on October 30 to allow the new domain names. It has been called the move the "biggest change" to the Internet "since it was invented 40 years ago".

"Over half the Internet users around the world don't use a Latin-based script as their native language," commented Rod Beckstrom, president of the ICANN. "IDNs are about making the Internet more global and accessible for everyone."

The IGF conference will address access to the Internet, notably local content reflecting different cultures and languages. Other key topics are cybercrime and safe Internet usage. The theme of the conference is "Creating Opportunities for All", reflected in a speech by the United Nations Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Sha Zukang. "The voice of developing world must be heard," he said.

ICANN, a non-profit, private organisation, currently limits the application for new domains to national governments or territories, although domain names will be available to individuals at a later date via national registries.


text:
User talk:94.182.70.33

I have removed your edits to At least 32 dead after snowstorms in China, as en-Wikinews is written in English for English speakers, and as such, your comments are not comprehensible to all. If you have comments on the article, please use the Discussion page, bearing in mind that if you want people to understand them, they will have to be in English. Please note that Wikinews does exist in other languages, if you are uncomfortable with writing in English. Regards --Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 09:03, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:94.182.70.33


text: Talk:Rebels say 626 Ethiopian troops killed in clashes


text:
Talk:Egypt registers first domain name in Arabic

This is confusing
...filed an application for the ".misr" (".Egypt") top-level domain name (مصر in Arabic) - Well did they register .misr, .Egypt, or. ? Also is this just for tld (one would assume so, since i was always under the impression that other level domain names could be internationalized for quite some time now, and ICANN only controls tld's, but its unclear from the article). Bawolff ☺☻
 * A couple of copyedits have been made, which I hope make things clearer. What is new, but perhaps not clear from the article, is that the tlds can now be in scripts other than Latin, in this instance, Arabic. --Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 14:17, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

Concern copied from comments
Someone posted a message on the comment page that I think would be better here, I've copied it below:

"The title of the piece should read as follows:

Egypt is first to apply for top-level domain name in Arabic.

or

Egypt applies for first lop-level domain name in Arabic.

Reason: there is no "registration" process for top-level domain names. It is a formal application process involving substantial amount of work and documentation. Registration of domain names is what a registrar performs and what the announcement specifies the Egyptian registry will start providing."

-Tempodivalse [talk]  03:02, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

 * Thank you for moving it to the right place. A further comment, the article calls ICANN a regulator, which is an expression that ICANN would likely not support. It creates the image of a governmental entity.  It should be replaced with coordinator or manager or something similar. Kbrose (talk) 03:16, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Changed regulator to coordinator per their website --Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 05:52, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

How to add new category?
I want to add the Category:ICAAN. Is that possible? Mattisse (talk) 16:33, 19 March 2011 (UTC)


text:
Zambian "porn" journalist found not guilty

November 17, 2009A Zambian journalist accused of distributing pornography because she sent officials photographs of a woman forced to give birth in a carpark outside a hospital was found not guilty yesterday in Lusaka. The accused, Chansa Kabwela, faced a prison sentence of five years; she contested that she had only mailed the photos to highlight the effects of a strike at hospitals throughout the country. The baby shown in the photos had died because of lack of medical attention.

President Rupiah Banda had said that the photographs were pornographic, but magistrate Charles Kafunda said the prosecution had not proved that the photographs corrupted morals, and they were therefore not obscene. "The pictures fall outside the circumstances of determining obscenity. I have had recourse to the photos in question," he said.

The Post newspaper, for whom Kabwela is a news editor, had not published the photos. Instead, she forwarded them to vice-president George Kunda and non-governmental organisations. Speaking to German Press Agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur she stated she had acted in good faith and had attempted to bring attention to the effects of the strike. "I'm happy that the court has vindicated me. This is a victory for the media," she said.

According to Kabwela and other press freedom campaigners, the case was political. Since President Banda's election in October 2008, he has had a difficult relationship with the press, in particular with The Post, whom he accuses of conspiring with the opposition by reporting false stories about his government; The Press has made a number of accusations of government corruption.


text:
Daimler acquires stake in winning team Brawn GP, changes its name to Mercedes Grand Prix

November 19, 2009

On Monday Daimler AG announced a deal to buy a 75.1% stake in Brawn GP.

As a result, the team who won both the 2009 Drivers’ and Constructors' championships this year with Mercedes-engined cars, would be rebranded as Mercedes Grand Prix from 2010 Formula One Season onwards. The team could possibly use its legendary 'Silver Arrows' livery again since a crash at Le Mans in 1955, ending Mercedes' 55 year absence in the sport as a sole team.

Daimler purchase went in partnership with Aabar Investments, who now own 30% of the shares. The rest of the shares will stay for Ross Brawn, who will remain as team principal, and Nick Fry.

The team still will be headquartered in Brackley (United Kingdom) which is close to Mercedes F1 engine plant at Brixworth, led by Norbert Haug, Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

Mercedes will also continue to supply McLaren with engines until at least 2015, but sell its 40% stake in two years.

Mercedes is now up to decide their drivers for the next season as Rubens Barrichello already signed a contract with Williams and Jenson Button could run for McLaren together with Lewis Hamilton.


text: Talk:Zambian "porn" journalist found not guilty


text:
Czechs and Slovaks celebrate twenty years since Velvet Revolution

November 18, 2009 Czechs and Slovaks yesterday celebrated the twenty-year anniversary of the so-called "Velvet Revolution", which brought down the then Czechoslovakian Communist regime, with thousands re-enacting the demonstration that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall, and elections in Poland and Hungary.

David Gaydecka, one of the organisers, was thirteen when he went with his father to participate in the demonstration. "I didn't really understand what was happening, but I could sense something in the air. I knew this was something important," he said. "The Wall had come down in Berlin, they were holding elections in Poland and Hungary. Everyone knew that it would come here too, but nobody knew how to  do it. It was embarrassing for the Czechs; we were almost the last ones."

Former dissident and playwright Václav Havel, who went on to become President of Czechoslovakia (and first president of the Czech Republic) joined 5,000 students, past and present, who retraced the march. Originally officials had sanctioned the march, but groups splintered away in an attempt to reach Wenceslas Square. The Communist leaders ordered riot police to seal off streets, leading to beatings and two hundred people injured.

This was to prove the government's downfall with anger throughout the country motivating opposition and the old regime broke down shortly afterwards. "The atmosphere that day was terrible, like a war," Michael Kocáb, Czech Minister for Human Rights and Minorities, who played a major role in the transition from a totalitarian regime to democracy. "I was just a few yards away when I saw the police beating people. It was the first time that the police did not leave an escape route  for us. By then we were used to clashes but somehow we felt that day that it  would be an important moment that would lead to change and have an impact on  the regime."

Havel, along with current Czech President Václav Klaus, Prime Minister Jan Fischer and hundreds of participants laid flowers and lit candles at a memorial in memory of the violent clashes. "The march set history into motion," said Havel.


text:
User talk:Bennettbrennan6

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  14:07, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Bennettbrennan6


text:
User talk:Dwr3593

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  14:11, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Dwr3593


text: Talk:Amnesty International calls for police justice in Mozambique


text:
Israel announces settlement expansion plans

November 17, 2009

The Israeli Interior Ministry has announced today that 900 new housing units are slated to be built by Israeli officials at the Gilo settlement located in East Jerusalem.

A press release by the Interior Ministry read, "The planning and construction committee has authorised the construction of 900 housing units in the Gilo neighbourhood in Jerusalem." Annexed after the 1967 war, East Jerusalem is what Palestinians still hope to make the capital of their future state. However, the current Israeli government has made claim to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "Jerusalem is Israel's capital and will remain as such," said government spokesman Mark Regev.

Earlier this month the Palestinian Authority insisted that all negotiations with Israel would be put permanently on hold until settlement expansion and home demolitions were halted. The UN reports that 1,500 home demolition orders in East Jerusalem are currently pending in Israeli courts. At least 600 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in East Jerusalem since the beginning of this year. Nearly 500,000 Israelis live in more than 100 different settlements located in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

U.S envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, asked President Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel settlement expansion plans, however his request went unheeded. Settlement expansion has soured relations between the U.S and Israel, however Israel is still the largest recipient of U.S aid annually. Responding to requests by the U.S government that settlement expansion be halted Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said that he, "strongly objects to the American demand to halt construction in Jerusalem and will allow construction for Jews, Muslims, and Christians in any part of Jerusalem without prejudice. The demand to halt construction by religion is not legal in the United States or in any other free place in the world."

Under international law building settlements in occupied territory is illegal. The UN has deemed Israeli settlements to be a violation of the Geneva Convention.


text:
User talk:Lyoko2198

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  17:04, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

Confusing section
Hi there. On your userpage, you state that "If I Notice Anything Inapropiate Of Demeaning About Me, My Family, Or About The Services Or The Computers I Use, I Will Delete It On Sight". That's a bit confusing to some people since only administrators can delete pages; while I'm sure you mean delete it from your talk page some people might not realise. Caould you change it to say something like "I will delete the comment" so no-one thinks you mean deleting entire pages from Wikinews? Blood Red Sandman (Talk)   (Contribs) 16:58, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

 * Reading on, your talk about complaints is also concerning. Hopefuly nobody will, but if someone comes to complain they won't even look at your userpage but instead come straight here. More worrying is you saying you will report any complainers who aren't sysops to a sysop. Well, I'm a sysop (we call them admins here more often than sysops) and you can take it from me that everyone's opinion is judged on its own merits. We don't even require an account for editing. I would hope if someone has a problem then instead of running to the admins you would engage in a conversation and try and sort things out. Read the links in the welcome message; they should help explain things to you. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 17:03, 4 December 2009 (UTC)

 * The long wait isn't much of a problem, since you weren't going around and editing or anything. It would be an issue if you were active and just ignoring me. I'll leave it to you to change it. Blood Red Sandman  (Talk)   (Contribs) 21:10, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

title: User talk:Lyoko2198


text:
User talk:86.108.88.141

Welcome
Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 17:12, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

Welcome
Thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles may disrupt the site's working and will be reverted quickly. , welcome to Wikinews! Please refrain from using content pages for testing. Here are a few good links for newcomers on how to edit Wikinews:

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title: User talk:86.108.88.141


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Family seeks prosecution over loss of UK Nimrod jet in Afghanistan

November 17, 2009 Following a new report into the loss of a Nimrod jet belonging to the UK's Royal Air Force over Afghanistan the family of one of the victims is seeking a criminal prosecution. Sergeant Ben Knight, aged 25, was among the fourteen killed when Nimrod XV230 crashed in 2006.

Knight's parents have applied via their lawyers Smithfield Partners to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider evidence contained in a report by Charles Haddon-Cave QC, who is due to appear before the House of Commons next month. The Loss Of RAF Nimrod XV230, A Failure Of Leadership, Culture And Priorities stated that the accident was preventable and that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) made spending cuts a priority over safety. A 2005 review into Nimrod safety was "riddled with errors," the report found.

Smithfield Partners have also written to the Health and Safety Executive, asking for the MoD to be investigated for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The letter was addressed directly to deputy chief executive Kevin Myres.

XV230 had shortly completed air-to-air refueling on September 2, 2006, when it was destroyed by an explosion. "We had a 25-year-old healthy son, who used to play squash and, to put it bluntly, he ended up as a plastic bag full of bits," said Graham Knight. "That is something which is very hard to cope with."

The Knights met Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell in London yesterday. Rammell said he was unable to comment on possible legal action against individuals, but promised to provide answers to other questions posed by the Knights and other families. The Crown Prosecution Service has promised consider the matter, and the Health and Safety Executive said it could not comment this early on in developments. The latest report names five people in the MoD, three with BAE Systems and two with defence company QinetiQ, as responsible.


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Iraq threatened with expulsion from world football by FIFA

November 17, 2009

The governing body of world football, FIFA, has threatened Iraq with expulsion after the Iraqi Olympic Committee (IOC) took control of the country's governing body of football and disbanded it. FIFA has given the country 72 hours to restore the Iraq Football Association (IFA); if this is not done, the case is to be referred to FIFA’s emergency committee.

The IFA and the IOC have disputed over who controls the game in the country for several years. The IOC has blamed the IFA for the FIFA ban on the country not being allowed to host international friendly matches due to security reasons. Since the 2003 invasion by American forces, Iraq has hosted two internationals matches, both against Palestine. They are due to play against the United Arab Emirates tomorrow, but the general ban still remains in place.

A statement was released on the FIFA website said: "FIFA appeals once more to all stakeholders in Iraq to respect the autonomy of sport in general and the IFA in particular and to allow IFA to conduct its affairs according its statutes and those of FIFA."

Should the case be passed over to FIFA’s emergency committee, it would most likely result in a ban from the sport.


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User talk:Troggy3112

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  20:39, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

Duplicate article
Thank you for your contributions to Wikinews! I noticed that you are developing a story, which should probably be merged into Daimler acquires stake in winning team Brawn GP, changes its name to Mercedes Grand Prix, as there is a large crossover of information between the two. The latter article has not yet been published, so it would be great to get any information from your article before it goes lives. Regards --Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 07:22, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Troggy3112


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Talk:Iraq threatened with expulsion from world football by FIFA

followup
What happened? Griffinofwales (talk) 22:26, 22 February 2010 (UTC)

Categories
edit protected Please add this article to Category:FIFA and localize the link of the same name. Thank you. Green Giant (talk) 21:25, 8 October 2015 (UTC)
 * ✅ --Pi zero (talk) 00:05, 10 October 2015 (UTC)


text: Talk:Family seeks prosecution over loss of UK Nimrod jet in Afghanistan


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Rockets kill ten civilians in Afghanistan

November 17, 2009 Insurgents in eastern Afghanistan fired rockets into a marketplace on Monday, killing ten civilians in an area where French armed forces were meeting with tribal elders.

French and Afghan officials said the attack, which was in the town of Tagab in the Kapisa province, wounded at least 28 people. Two rockets hit the market as the commander of French troops in eastern Afghanistan, General Marcel Druart, was meeting tribal chiefs nearby.

"The Taliban fired the rockets from Badrab, where they have a base. They are strong there," said deputy police chief Haji Mohammed Akbar.

French and US medical teams evacuated the wounded by helicopter to hospitals for treatment. No French personnel were reported hurt.

The French commander attended the gathering of tribal elders, known as a "shura," as part of NATO efforts to win the trust of Afghan civilians in a region with a strong Taliban presence. French troops have been fighting the Taliban northeast of the capital, Kabul, to try to secure towns and roads threatened by the militants.


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User talk:Censor-oYo

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  21:29, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

translated to pt
em uma pagina Wiki. mas sem e
 * Â© Wiktionary. Lançado em CC-BY-SA 3.0
 * Não preocupe-se com urls, eu posso traduzi-las.
 * Erro:
 * Â» Mais
 * Nota: Recorde-se o(a) Â» Talvez não seja uma boa idéia dependendo de tua linguagem.
 * Â» Criar
 * Não pode recuperar definição de $1.
 * Não preocupe-se com urls, eu posso traduzi-las.
 * Nota: Recorde-se o(a) Â» Talvez não seja uma boa ideia dependendo de tua linguagem.

title: User talk:Censor-oYo


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50 dead after ferry in Myanmar capsizes

November 17, 2009 As many as 50 people have been killed after a wooden ferry capsized in the Irrawaddy delta region of Myanmar on Sunday night, according to officials.

The Nay Win Tun ran into an oil barge in the Irrawaddy delta, causing it to sink. The ferry, travelling from the town of Pathein to Thetkelthaung, is said to have had about 200 passengers on board at the time of the accident. The barge didn't sink, authorities said.

"The boat sank after colliding with an oil barge. We have recovered 34 bodies and there are at least another 16 people missing who are believed to have drowned. The other passengers were rescued from the water and have gone back to their home villages," said an unnamed official in the area.

Another official commented that "there is very little chance of finding those missing alive. Most of them are women and children."

Ferry accidents in Myanmar are not infrequent, as most of the country's population relies on old, frequently crowded water vessels for transportation, which are sometimes not well maintained.

title: 50 dead after ferry in Myanmar capsizes


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User talk:65.35.194.239

Thanks!
Thank you for your productive and helpful edits on Wikinews. We really appreciate what you've done. Wikinews needs more good editors like yourself; please consider getting an account! We'd be very happy to have you. Tempodivalse [talk]  21:37, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:65.35.194.239


text: Talk:50 dead after ferry in Myanmar capsizes


text: Talk:Rockets kill ten civilians in Afghanistan


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User talk:WellbeingNewslineEditor

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  22:20, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:WellbeingNewslineEditor


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User talk:THE AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY

Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 23:03, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:THE AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY


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User talk:AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY

Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 23:03, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:AUDACITY OF HYPOCRISY


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User talk:Bethany halpin

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  23:09, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Bethany halpin


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User talk:Totie

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  23:35, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Totie


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Talk:Israel announces settlement expansion plans

Source of UN report?
82.80.144.26 (talk) 17:55, 23 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Uh, what? Can we have a coherent question please? --Brian McNeil / talk 18:06, 23 November 2009 (UTC)


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Comments:One million protest against Spanish abortion liberalisation

u.decide
aren't you glad your mother didn't abort you?


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User talk:Abussie64

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  00:06, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Abussie64


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Illinois tollway worker jailed for stealing fines

November 18, 2009

A former employee of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority was sentenced on Monday to one year in prison for stealing fines from the agency.

Thirty-four-year-old Uganda T. Harris from Bellwood was accused of embezzling over $36,000 from the tollway authority in a period of six months. She pleaded guilty to the charges in June. She is to report to the DuPage County jail on November 30 to begin a one-year work-release program that only allows her out to work 40 hours per week. She will also serve four years of probation and will be required to pay the agency $1,000 for insurance coverage in addition to the more than $36,000 she allegedly stole.

Harris had worked as a customer service representative since June 2007. An audit by the tollway authority's inspector general's office revealed that she incorrectly classified the fines she collected as coming from I-PASS users, who pay lesser fines, and pocketed the cash. The Illinois State Police later caught Harris with $1,100 in marked $20-bills they used to pay a phony fine during an undercover investigation. She claimed that she did this only rarely and to help those people in desperate need of relief from what she saw as high tollway fines.


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User talk:74.4.202.45

Thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles may disrupt the site's working and will be reverted quickly. Thank you. Tempodivalse [talk]  02:11, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:74.4.202.45


text:
Template:Test-s

Thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles may disrupt the site's working and will be reverted quickly. Thank you.

title: Template:Test-s


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User talk:60.20.53.155

Thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles may disrupt the site's working and will be reverted quickly. Thank you. Tempodivalse [talk]  02:35, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Hi, please don't keep adding foreign-language content to Wikinews, as this is the English Wikinews. The Chinese Wikinews is here. Please make all tests at Sandbox. Thanks. (您好，请不要再添加新的外语内容，在这里，因为这是英文维基. 中方维基新闻在这里. 谢谢您. ) Tempodivalse [talk]  02:38, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:60.20.53.155


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Comments:Egypt registers first domain name in Arabic

Title is incorrect
The title of the piece should read as follows:

Egypt is first to apply for top-level domain name in Arabic.

or

Egypt applies for first lop-level domain name in Arabic.

Reason: there is no "registration" process for top-level domain names. It is a formal application process involving substantial amount of work and documentation. Registration of domain names is what a registrar performs and what the announcement specifies the Egyptian registry will start providing.

thats cool!

goo arbic domain
Bold text walahy 100%100 good finally after 10 years to do that


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User talk:Kbrose

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  03:01, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

Thanks!
Thank you for the edit on the Egypt Arabic TLD article. The links in the above welcome template may go some way to explaining why that did not go live immediately. Wikinews uses Flagged Revisions to try and ensure some quality checks are in place; please consider following the newly published articles on Twitter, Facebook, or via RSS so you can help enforce a high standard of writing in a timely manner. --Brian McNeil / talk 04:48, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * no problem, I understood the process right away. I'll look in once a while if I have something to contribute here. Kbrose (talk) 20:14, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Kbrose


text:
User talk:204.100.192.11

Thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles may disrupt the site's working and will be reverted quickly. Thank you. Tempodivalse [talk]  03:03, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:204.100.192.11


text:
User:Kbrose

WikiNoose hangs it all out there...

title: User:Kbrose


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UN criticises Israel's latest settlement plan, angry reaction from US and UK

November 19, 2009United States and United Kingdom spokespeople have added to criticism from United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that Israel's decision to authorise a further 900 homes in east Jerusalem will "undermine efforts for peace and cast doubt on the viability of the two-state solution".

A spokesperson for Ban Ki-moon stated, "The Secretary-General deplores the Government of Israel’s decision today to expand Gilo settlement, built on Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 war."

The US rebuked Israel for their decision. "We are dismayed at the Jerusalem planning committee's decision to move forward on the approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem," said White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs. "At a time when we are working to relaunch negotiations, these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed," he said, referring to the attempts by the US to lead the peace process. "Neither party should engage in efforts or take actions that could unilaterally pre-empt, or appear to pre-empt, negotiations."

US Department of State spokesperson Ian Kelly added, "We object to this, and we object to other Israeli practices in Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes."

The British consulate in Jerusalem issued a statement on behalf of Foreign Secretary David Miliband that read, "The Foreign Secretary has been very clear that a credible deal involves Jerusalem as a shared capital. Expanding settlements on occupied land in East Jerusalem makes that deal much harder. So this decision is wrong and we oppose it."

According to Israel Army Radio, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a request from the US Middle East envoy George Mitchell on Monday to halt building in the area on the grounds that that Gilo was "an integral part of Jerusalem". "Prime Minister Netanyahu […] is willing to adopt the policy of the greatest possible restraint concerning growth in the West Bank, but this applies to the West Bank," said the Prime Minister's spokesperson Mark Regev. "Jerusalem is Israel's capital and will remain as such."

Following the suspension of peace talks last year, the Palestinian National Authority has demanded a halt to all construction of settlements before it will return to negotiations. President Mahmud Abbas said that the breakdown in talks left him with no choice but to seek international recognition of a Palestinian state unilaterally, despite requests from the United States and the European Union to resume peace talks. "We feel we are in a very difficult situation," he said in Cairo after talks with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak. "What is the solution for us? To remain suspended like this, not in peace? That is why I took this step."

This comes as another blow to United States President Barack Obama, whose attempts at brokering a deal to halt settlement expansion are meeting with little success. With the credibility of the US leader diminishing, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has recently started meeting with a number of Middle East leaders in the past week, attempting to reconcile with Syria and meeting with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.


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Comments:50 dead after ferry in Myanmar capsizes

There is an error about image. The image shows İstnabul, Turkey. It is not about Myanmar.

Ayhan ÇELİK


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User talk:Emarketingegypt

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  14:00, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

Hello,

Your recent contributions are considered to be spam and have been reverted or deleted. Should you believe that your contributions are not spam, please argue your case on your talk page, or in WN:ALERT.

Further spamming may result in your editing privileges being removed. Please contribute to Wikinews in a constructive fashion instead. Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 09:43, 3 August 2010 (UTC)

title: User talk:Emarketingegypt


text:
User talk:Sinus meridiani

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  14:22, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Sinus meridiani


text:
Comments:Israel announces settlement expansion plans

You need to expand this article to a much larger framing to make this have even a semblance of neutrality. In order for me to respect this site, this must be done. Articles on Israel have been cut short to a few lines, whereas to make them accurate, a great deal of history, knowledge of various biases of organizations including the UN, and various groups not usually represented. If you truly believe in media accuracy and do not seek to control the masses, you will represent all sides of the issues fairly and equitably. If you do this, I will read wiki news. I will continue to check up on you.
 * Alternatively, you could provide all that information yourself so that it fits your biased standard for neutrality. Bear in mind, however, that not every article needs a history lesson attached to it - that's what Wikipedia is for.

It is terrible that 150 houses are pending for destruction in East Jerusalem. As for the rest of your article, either you attach all the information, or leave it to commentators to decide what your opinion should be. It is hardly up to you, invisible guider of public opinion. "International law building settlements in occupied territory" the occupied territory you refer to is officially part of Israel. While you do cite an accurate statement, your application of this law is incorrect. "It would be far more accurate to describe the West Bank and Gaza Strip as "disputed territories" to which both Israelis and Palestinians have claims." (from the article on Wikipedia on Palestinian territories. You are disregarding an entire constituent of a nation's, one of the two nations involved no less, view.) "The current Israeli government has made claim to Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel." This is a frame of the "claim" that Jerusalem is the capitol of Israel, as if it were a debate. In the end, a two state solution will require one country and one country only to hold Jerusalem, as neither is mature enough to go without attacking the other. Israel holds Jerusalem, so it is not merely a claim. It is a fact. It is ludicrous to describe Washington, D.C. as a "claimed" capitol, when America was going through its infant stages, which Israel is not. In short, your article is biased and unfounded in several large aspects, although they are disguised as subtleties. Please correct your article and show more deference to multiple views in the future.

 * The international community with the sole exception of the U.S and off and on Australia and Britain recognizes the occupied territories to be Palestinian land illegally occupied, including Jerusalem. If I don't call them occupied territories it is bias, if I neglect to mention that settlement building in Jerusalem is illegal under international law I leave out context.  I know you want me to leave out context, the decisions of all neutral international bodies, human rights organizations, and every voice except for the nation of Israel, but I'm not going to write my articles that way.Soapy (talk) 01:03, 19 November 2009 (UTC)

Some buildings built, some buildings that were built without permits are destroyed. Is this news?
East Jerusalem was taken from Jordan after it bombed Israel from there. Should Jews be banned from there? Should it be given back so that terrorists can bomb the capitol? 82.80.144.26 (talk) 17:53, 20 November 2009 (UTC)

Sorry, I was agitated. Giving it to the Palestinians wouldn't be "giving it back". And even if it was, the result would be the same as it was after the Disengagement, only worse. 82.80.144.26 (talk) 11:11, 21 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Should any theocracy be tolerated? That includes the Knesset — just to make sure we're clear on this. --Brian McNeil / talk 12:29, 21 November 2009 (UTC)
 * This is new. Care to explain how Israel is a theocracy, or are you reaching for new buzzwords? I also don't understand why you refer specifically to the Knesset, a parliament with members of four different religions.82.80.144.26 (talk) 20:28, 22 November 2009 (UTC)
 * With it's form as-laid-out in the Jewish holy book. And, the fundamental idea that a religion entitles you to be there. --Brian McNeil / talk 20:38, 22 November 2009 (UTC)


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User talk:Chineds

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  16:36, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Chineds


text:
User:Curseo15

lights. Curseo15 (talk) 17:46, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User:Curseo15


text:
User talk:119.153.13.77

Tempodivalse [talk]  17:52, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:119.153.13.77


text:
User talk:Curseo15

Welcome
Tempodivalse [talk]  17:52, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

title: User talk:Curseo15


text:
User talk:89.235.19.214

Tempodivalse [talk]  18:51, 18 November 2009 (UTC)

Welcome
Thanks for experimenting with Wikinews. Your test worked, and has now been reverted or removed. Please use Sandbox for any other tests you want to do, since testing in articles may disrupt the site's working and will be reverted quickly. , welcome to Wikinews! Please refrain from using content pages for testing. Here are a few good links for newcomers on how to edit Wikinews:

Our key policies - if you read anything, read these! Here a few pointers to help you get to know Wikinews: There are always things to do on Wikinews: By the way, you can sign your name on Talk pages using four tildes ( ~~~~ ), which produces your name and the current date. If you have any questions, you can ask them at the water cooler or to anyone on the Welcommittee, or ask me on my Talk page. Again, welcome! Shakata Ga Nai ^_^ 21:44, 18 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Neutral point of view - tell every side to a story in a fair and balanced way
 * Cite sources - everything in a Wikinews article must be sourced
 * Introduction - overview of the site
 * Writing an article - how to write and publish a complete article
 * Content guide - what's suitable for Wikinews
 * Style guide - how an article should look before publishing
 * Contents - the contents page.
 * Existing articles need expanding and checking for spelling and mistakes
 * The front page lead articles often need updating
 * Developing stories need finishing and publishing
 * Discussions need your input
 * And of course, stories need writing!

title: User talk:89.235.19.214


text:
Mobile operator Orange bills French doctor €160,000 for one month of Internet use

November 19, 2009 In a third case of staggering sums billed for "unlimited" Internet access reported this week, a French emergency-room doctor from Fontainebleau beats all records with a €159,212 (US$237,417) bill. The telephone-number-sized bill covers one month's use of an unlimited 3G dongle on Orange's network; the beleaguered Dr Jean Spadaro has been battling this for six months.

"To begin with I thought it was a joke", said Spadaro, confirming a story from l'Observateur du Valenciennois; The same newspaper that revealed last week a similar case — Eric Gernez, a café owner in Petite-Forêt near to Valenciennes — who received a bill for €45,000. Christophe Aupy-Fargues, head of an insurance brokerage firm in Saint-Herblain, west of Nantes, and another unlimited 3G dongle user, confirmed to Ouest-France on Monday the blocking of payment on a bill for €39,500 demanded by Orange.

"I subscribed in November 2008 to a basic internet access by 3G dongle at €30 per month [...] seeing my bills reach sums going up to €860 in April, I decided in May to subscribe to unlimited access by 3G dongle with Orange business at €50 per month. When I saw my bill for May, I couldn't believe my eyes: €159,212, for one month's connection, it's impossible, especially as we don't use it all of the time" added Spadaro, the father of two children, aged sixteen and nineteen.

On opening the envelope in June, he expected to read an amount neighbouring the cost of his subscription; but, to his horror, it was €159,212; a demand large enough to make an emergency-room doctor's head spin.

Spadaro claims France Télécom (Orange's parent company) never explained to him that the "unlimited" package only related to the time spent surfing on the Internet — not the volume of traffic — limited to one Gigabyte per month. The package's quota corresponds to moderate usage (reception of simple emails for example). As normal Internet users, the members of the Spadaro family surfed Facebook, YouTube, sent emails with attachments, received same, &c. That volume of traffic proved to be costly. €0.17 per Megabyte, or €170 per Gigabyte. Until the bills arrived, the Spadaro family were using the Internet, ignorant of the cost being incurred.

The doctor's bills, not listed in detail, are €53 for February, €346 for March, €860 for April before soaring to more than €159,000 in May. Spadaro also claims, with evidence of his letters in hand, he had increased the number of protest actions and received, in response, "warnings with threats of seizure".

Battle-weary after six months of contacting his operator, Spadaro has lost all patience. "Since June, I've spent hours writing emails, letters or calling Orange to ask for an explanation. I've been passed from call centre to call centre, from customer services to debt collection. No one at Orange was able to give me the slightest clarification. A real wall", he said. He has never contacted a consumer association, "due to lack of time and also because I trusted the people with whom I was speaking".

At the end of last week he stumbled upon the article on the Observateur du Valenciennois internet site concerning the case of Eric Gernez. He then also threatened Orange with the press. "The result did not tardy", he continues. "A customer services representative and a debt collector immediately contacted me by email November 16. And immediately afterwards I received a credit for €136,529". A first credit having already been sent to him in June, Orange now considers the dossier as "definitively resolved".

This resolution does not satisfy Jean Spadaro at all, who simply wishes that the bill be cancelled. "I have been a client with Orange for 17 years. I don't want to attack their image, but here, enough is enough. It's a question of principles", he says, highlighting that "on forums, dozens of subscribers tell similar stories". Furthermore, the two credits do not reimburse him for all of the additional fees he has incurred. "The following months, Orange tried to debit the sum from my account, causing rejection fees from my bank and unpaid fees from the operator. Around €35 each time".

Exasperated by the whole affair, Spadaro awaits the end of his current contract with Orange in February next year. "I will cancel all of my subscriptions to Orange: 3G+ dongle, but also mobile telephone and internet", he promises. He has been a client with the operator since 1997.

Orange has promised to work with each case of overbilling. Interviewed on France 2 on Wednesday, Jean-Paul Cottet, director of the business market for France, said that the number of problems were marginal. According to him, 4,000 professionals have opted for a package with a 3G key. It is "a 24/24 but not unlimited offer. Out of these 4,000 cases, there are 1% which are a problem" he explained, listing about thirty such "absurd bills". "We will correct that", he promised. "We will work with each client".

Jean-Paul Cottet pointed out that the general public offers better protection to the client. Once the authorised download limit is reached, the service quality diminishes but there is no overbilling.

Asked about the information given to clients about the conditions of billing elements not included in the package, Elizabeth Alvez, communications representative for the regional department for the North of France, said that "all the tarification information is available at points-of-sale and on orange.fr. This information is given as part of the dialogue between the client and the vendor. We are obliged to communicate the prices." Nevertheless, one must first of all take the time to read the entire contract with the salesperson before signing.


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Somali pirates attack US-flagged ship, vessel evades capture

November 19, 2009 The Maersk Alabama, a US-flagged container ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates seven months ago, was attacked off the coast of Somalia. The pirates, however, could not capture the vessel.

The US Navy's 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, reported that four pirates riding in a fast skiff came within 270 meters of the container ship. The Maersk Alabama was about 965 kilometers off the northeast coast of Somalia and was steaming toward the Kenyan port city of Mombasa when it came under attack.

The Navy said the crew of Maersk Alabama undertook evasive maneuvers and deployed long-range acoustical devices, which make noise painful to the human ear. The crew also responded with small-arms fire after pirates fired automatic weapons at the ship. The pirates abandoned the attack without causing injuries or damage to the vessel.

Abdullahi Nor, who said he was a spokesman for the pirates, commented on the incident. "We have attacked a ship with an American flag — we tried to throw our ladders for climbing [but] it sped and [has] gone away. It narrowly escaped and opened fire on us. One of our colleagues was injured in the attack." Nor claimed to have communicated with the ship's attackers via satellite telephone.

US Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, from the Naval Forces Central Command, issued a statement in which he praised Maersk Alabama's owner and crew for following maritime industry's best practices, including having a security team on board to help prevent a hijacking.

"Due to Maersk Alabama following maritime industry’s best practices, such as embarking security teams, the ship was able to prevent being successfully attacked by pirates. This is a great example of how merchant mariners can take pro-active action to prevent being attacked," he remarked.

In April, the 155-meter vessel made international headlines when it was seized by pirates who held captain Richard Phillips hostage at gunpoint for five days in a lifeboat. He was freed by US commandos who killed three of the pirates.

A spokesman for the European Naval Force described the second attempted hijacking of the Maersk Alabama as "pure chance."

Wednesday's attack came soon after a report released by the United Nations, which said the presence of international warships off the coast of Somalia, as well as improved efforts by ships to protect themselves, have considerably reduced the number of successful hijackings in the region this year, especially in the Gulf of Aden.

But the report, submitted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, noted that intensified anti-piracy activity in the Gulf of Aden is also forcing pirates to hunt for targets in the Indian Ocean, closer to the island nation of the Seychelles.

Since the beginning of October, seven of the eight vessels seized by pirates have been in the vicinity of the Seychelles. Recently, the government began allowing the US Navy to use the airport in the capital Mahe to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles to combat piracy. The Seychelles also signed an agreement last week to allow European warships and military personnel to pursue pirates from the high seas into Seychellian waters and to use necessary force.


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European Union to train Somali security forces

November 18, 2009 The European Union said on Tuesday that it plans to train hundreds of Somali security forces and possibly expand its anti-piracy mission off Somalia's coast, in an effort to bring stability to the war-torn Horn of Africa nation.

The agreement to train Somali forces was reached during a meeting of European Union defense ministers in Brussels, Belgium. The details of the plan remain sketchy, but the idea is to train the Somalis in Uganda in close collaboration with the Ugandan government - a main supplier of African Union peacekeeping troops in Somalia.

At a press conference on Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said up to 2,000 Somali security forces had requested special training to fight against a growing armed insurgency in Somalia.

"How much we're going to do [train] and how much it's going to be [must be discussed] with the forces of the African Union and Uganda in particular is something to be discussed. and the same thing goes with the duration," he said. "Then what is the speed of the distribution of tasks between Ugandan trainers and our trainers. But it will not be a big operation in the sense it will not require trainers in the thousands. It will probably be in the hundreds, not the thousands."

EU officials remarked that they do not believe the Somali operation will dilute separate efforts to build up a European police training mission in Afghanistan.

The EU also plans to extend its own anti-piracy mission off Somalia's shores into 2010. Solana said that the 27-member bloc is also considering broadening the operation to target Somali ports and so-called "mother ships" that provide support to the pirates.

"Now some ideas have been placed on the table on making some focalization of the ports in which we know the pirates operate and something with the mother ships, which are really deep into the sea, where [...] some pirates get their help from there," he noted. "This is going to analyzed by the military authorities and by us to see if something can be done."

Somali pirates have attacked hundreds of vessels in recent years, and are now expanding their terrain. On Tuesday, an EU naval force reported that Somali pirates had captured a chemical tanker with a North Korean crew off the Seychelles Islands. Separately, Spain announced Somali pirates had release a trawler after holding a crew of 36 hostage for more than six weeks.