Premise: On Halloween night, October 31, during a 2-hour long live episode of NBC show Phenomenon, famed magician Criss Angel told Uri Geller and Jim Callahan, "I will give you a million dollars of my personal money right now if either one of you can tell me specific details of what's in [this envelope] right now." While Geller ignored Angel's challenge, Callahan started to confront Angel in a hostile manner, as host Tim Vincent held him back and Geller held Angel back.

Hypothesis: Criss Angel is a magician who challenged Jim Callahan.


Premise: 2,000 charges had been laid province-wide in Ontario for highway traffic act offences over the Labour Day weekend. More than 100 charges for people not wearing seatbelts. 17 drivers have been charged with impaired driving, 17 others received 12-hour suspensions. Remnants of tropical storm Ernesto in southern Ontario could have caused accidents. OPP Sgt. Cam Woolley said on Sunday that about 130 crashes could be attributed to "people going too fast in the rain and hydroplaning."

Hypothesis: Ernesto is the name given to a tropical storm.


Premise: The Zambian government has previously been criticised by some for its annual ban on fishing during December. It is unclear whether this policy, which was widely applauded by environmentalists and implemented to protect sensitive fish stocks, will be affected by the new agricultural policy.

Hypothesis: The Zambian government has ordered to plant potatoes.


Premise: "If Iraqi women take part in Sunday's poll, who are they to vote for? Women's rights are ignored by most of the groupings on offer," she writes. "In reality, these elections are, for Iraq's women, little more than a cruel joke. Amid the suicide attacks, kidnappings and US-led military assaults of the 20-odd months since Saddam's fall, the little-reported phenomenon is the sharp increase in the persecution of Iraqi women. Women are the new victims of Islamic groups intent on restoring a medieval barbarity and of a political establishment that cares little for women's empowerment.

Hypothesis: Islamic groups want to restore medieval barbarity against women.


Premise: His opposition is the incumbent Mr Yanukovich, who is seen as pro-Moscow, a sensitive issue in a former territory of the Soviet Union. The Telegraph quotes Yuschenko as saying to deputies: "Ukraine is on the threshold of a civil conflict. We have two choices: either the answer will be given by the parliament, or the streets will give an answer."

Hypothesis: Yuschenko is a banker.


Premise: On Thursday three individuals accused of involvement in the October 2006 killing of journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya were acquitted by a 12-person Russian jury. Not present for the trial nor among the defendants was Rustam Makhmudov, the accused trigger man, suspected to be hiding out abroad. Makhmudov's two brothers, Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov, were accused of acting as accomplices in the murder. Former police officer with the Moscow Directorate for Combating Organized Crime Sergei Khadzhikurbanov was the final defendant in the trial, charged with engaging the Makhmudov brothers for the contract-style killing and providing the pistol with silencer used.

Hypothesis: Politkovskaya was killed.


Premise: Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo, considered to be one of the successors of the former "boss of bosses" Bernardo Provenzano (arrested in April 2006), was arrested at 9:30 a.m. CET (UTC+1) in a villa in Giardinello, between Cinisi and Terrasini on Sicily. He had been on the run since 1983. His son Sandro Lo Piccolo and two other top mafiosi, Gaspare Pulizzi and Andrea Adamo, were arrested as well. All four men were among Italy's top 30 most wanted Mafia suspects, according to police officials.

Hypothesis: Salvatore Lo Piccolo is involved with the Mafia.


Premise: The closure of a mathematics summer camp in Sirince, Izmir, Turkey by Turkish authorities has drawn scorn from scientists around the world. Professor Alexandre Borovik, who organized some of the opposition, said "We are shocked to learn that the Summer School of Mathematics initiated by Professor Ali Nesin was shut down by local authorities. We found it surprising that such an esteemed mathematician such as Professor Nesin needs a specific permit each time he wants to teach math, as we saw that one of the reasons for shutting the camp down was the lack of such a permit, especially considering how this contradicts the fact that the summer schools organized every year by Professor Nesin are sponsored by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK), Turkish Mathematics Association and many respected Turkish universities."

Hypothesis: Turkey closed a mathematics summer camp.


Premise: Cathal Ryan, an early board member of Irish non-designated flag carrier, and son of late co-founder Tony Ryan, has died. He was 48, and had been diagnosed with cancer. Cathal became one of Ryanair's first pilots, having trained as one in the 1980s in Sri Lanka, when his father set up the airline in 1985 in trust for his three sons, of which Cathal was the eldest. He left the Far East specifically to join the airline.

Hypothesis: Garreth Ryan was Cathal's father.


Premise: Today marks the 80th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose reign has lasted over 54 years. Her Majesty became the first female to become the sovereign since Queen Victoria, who died in 1901 after a 64-year reign. She was crowned on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey. It was the first coronation that was televised live. She is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms, which includes the United Kingdom.

Hypothesis: Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the Commonwealth.


Premise: Alexandre Lomaia, the head of the Georgian security council, said that President Saakashvili's proposal states that the Georgian troops will withdraw from Tskhinvali, and will stop reacting to the Russian bombings. The crisis broke out after days of heavy fighting in the region. On August 7, Georgian troops launched an offensive against the Ossetian town of Tskhinvali. Russia responded to these actions by sending their own troops into South Ossetia on August 8.

Hypothesis: Russian forces have bombed the town of Gori.


Premise: British pop star Leona Lewis has broken Billboard records in the United States to become the first female British pop star to reach a number one spot on the music charts in over 20 years and became the third solo British artist ever to reach the top charts. Lewis made the number one spot with her new hit single Bleeding Love. According to Billboard.com her single ranks number one in the top 100, the pop 100 and hottest digital songs.

Hypothesis: Leona Lewis had a number one single in America.


Premise: When the budget was tabled last month, Harper initially said his party would support the bill. He now says the party will oppose it unless the Liberal government removes the amendment. Environment Minister Stéphane Dion, who is attempting to have a $10 million Kyoto implementation plan in place by April 4, said he would be "very, very pleased" to fight an election over climate change. The NDP and Bloc Québécois have both said they will oppose the bill. The Liberal Party of Canada has 133 seats, so its defeat seems certain if all four parties hold their positions.

Hypothesis: In Canada Mr. Harper and his party will support the budget bill.


Premise: Police officers and officials at an emergency meeting have voted to ballot every United Kingdom police officer over the right to strike. They also called for the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, to resign over the current dispute and further passed a vote of no confidence in the home secretary's ability to deal with pay and conditions.

Hypothesis: Police officers in England trust Jacqui Smith.


Premise: Russian President Vladimir Putin said he will accept a nomination for Prime Minister of Russia, as Dmitry Medvedev has suggested he will do, if he wins the presidential election. Meanwhile, the United Russia ruling party, which is backed by Putin, officially nominated Medvedev for presidency today. The intention was declared on December 10, being the long-awaited answer to the question on "Putin's successor". The next day Medvedev, who is the current deputy prime minister of the Russian government and the chairman in the board of directors of Gazprom gas giant, offered Putin the Prime Minister position in case of winning the election, which is forecasted to happen.

Hypothesis: Vladimir Putin does not support Medvedev.


Premise: Honda's Civic and Ridgeline truck won the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards at the International Auto Show in Detroit. This is the first time a company has won both awards in the same year. The finalists were the Ridgeline, the Ford Explorer SUV and the Nissan Xterra. The awards are intended to recognize vehicles for their innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, and value.

Hypothesis: Honda won the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.


Premise: According to reports, two United States Senators, Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd, suffered medical problems during a luncheon with new U.S. President Barack Obama. Kennedy collapsed as a result of a seizure and was taken away by paramedics in a wheelchair. In May, Kennedy was diagnosed with brain cancer, which required an operation. Kennedy is at Washington Hospital in Washington, D.C. where his family says he is awake and talking. At the time of his collapse, he was reported to be sitting with John Kerry, another Massachusetts Senator, 2004 presidential candidate, and close friend of Kennedy.

Hypothesis: Ted Kennedy is dead.


Premise: A mathematical summer school in Turkey run by mathematics professor Ali Nesin has been closed by the authorities apparently for "teaching without a permit" and "founding an illegal institution". The attention of the international scientific community was attracted to this action on the blog of a mathematics professor at Manchester. Alexandre Borovik's "Mathematics under the microscope" blog had previously written in glowing terms about the summer camp at which he also taught. The story was broken with a photo of a "Blackboard under arrest" and carried a photograph of a board covered with advanced mathematics surrounded by police tape.


Premise: In a written statement ABC Radio Networks president Jim Robinson said "Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation's history. As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households." Former president George W. Bush in a statement condoled Harvey's death by saying "Laura and I are saddened by the death of Paul Harvey. Paul was a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans. His commentary entertained, enlightened, and informed. Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Hypothesis: Paul Harvey was an American broadcaster.


Premise: In an interview on NBC's Today show with Matt Lauer, Tom Cruise aggressively defended his opposition to psychiatry and anti-depressive drugs. This occurred after being asked questions about his criticism of Brooke Shields, who has been taking drugs, including Paxil, for postpartum depression. Cruise is usually known for keeping his cool in interviews, but recently he has been slightly more unbound. Cruise's statements, including "Psychiatry is a pseudoscience", and "There is no such thing as a chemical imbalance in a body", reflect the beliefs of the Church of Scientology, of which he is a member. The interview became particularly tense when Lauer mentioned that he knew people who had been helped by taking Ritalin, an attention-deficit disorder drug.

Hypothesis: Scientology is against psychiatry.


Premise: Mr Gonda credited the pub's success to the "excellent brewers we deal with, our faithful and supportive pub regulars, and our invaluable staff members." It was this community support which helped the pub recover so quickly after the 2007 flooding, with Mr Wraith describing the day the waters entered the pub. "The funny thing was that it was difficult to get the customers to evacuate. They just wanted to keep on drinking, but we did have to get them out eventually and some of them did get wet." Flood defences were erected after the customers left, but to no avail; Mr Wraith stayed in the pub overnight, despite the flooding and the lack of electricity.

Hypothesis: Mr. Gonda is the manager of The Kelham Island Tavern.


Premise: Seven miners have been killed and seven more are missing after a coal mine flooded in north China's Hebei province. The Xinhua news agency reports the latest coal mine disaster occurred around 5:00 a.m. on Saturday in Xingtai City.A reason for the accident has not yet been given. Owners of the coal mine have been detained by local police and the investigation into the cause of the flooding is underway. State media reports say the disaster occurred at a pit in Xingtai City, but gave few other details.

Hypothesis: A coal mine accident killed more than 73 people in China.


Premise: Firefighters have confirmed that the large James Bond sound stage at Pinewood Studios has been destroyed by fire. It is thought eight fire engines were called to the scene near Iver Heath in Buckinghamshire on Sunday morning, where filming for Casino Royale, the latest Bond movie, has been completed. Jen McVean witnessed the event, and she said the stage was "completely on fire". The set had been transformed into a replica of the Italian city of Venice, but Mrs McVean, who owns a firm at the studios, said: "Nothing is salvageable and there are many, many fire engines there." One spokesman said around 40 to 50 firefighters were at the scene.

Hypothesis: James Bond was created by Ian Fleming.


Premise: Constable Erwood will return to his job on Monday but has been given the job in North Taranaki as rural liaison officer. He will start on February 5. Mr Lammas said: "Rural police officers in small and somewhat isolated communities in particular, have a fine and sometimes difficult balance to achieve - in being active members of their community but also being seen to be impartial in the discharge of their duties as a police officer."

Hypothesis: Mr. Erwood drives when he's sober.


Premise: Rosa Parks, the African American woman who served as a catalyst to the American Civil Rights Movement, died of natural causes on Monday night at her home in Detroit, Michigan. She was 92. Parks was best known for her refusal to yield her seat to a white man who demanded it on a city bus. Her defiance led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama in 1955.

Hypothesis: Rosa Parks died on Monday.


Premise: Fans of the American hard rock band Aerosmith have launched legal action against the band in response to a late cancellation of a scheduled concert on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. Attorney Brandee Faria filed a class action suit in Hawaii Circuit Court on October 19. The suit alleges that the band's cancellation cost fans between US$500,000 (€349,944) and $3 million (€2.1 million) in travel and accommodation costs, as well as other related expenses.

Hypothesis: Aerosmith have cancelled a concert in Maui.


Premise: Australian senator Barnaby Joyce (Nationals, Queensland) has moved to oppose the government's planned changes to the country's petrol retail industry. The National Party, of which Senator Joyce is a member, governs Australia in coalition with the Liberal Party. The government plans to amend regulations governing the petrol industry to allow oil companies to own more than five percent of petrol stations. Senator Joyce has given notice to disallow regulations that would force the government to debate them in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Hypothesis: Mr. Joyce is an Australian Senator.


Premise: The Bolivian President, Evo Morales, 49, has claimed victory after voters ratified a new leftist constitution, granting more power to the country's indigenous majority. "The indigenous farmers, the most marginalized sector throughout the history of the republic, are now recognized as people with the same rights as any citizen. Here begins the new Bolivia. Here we begin to reach true equality," Morales told a crowd in front of the flag-draped balcony of Palacio Quemado in La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia.

Hypothesis: Morales is the President of Bolivia.


Premise: U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, formerly the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee with responsibility for Southeast Asia, commented: I offer my deepest condolences for the loss of Benazir Bhutto and to the families of those killed today. This is a terrible loss to her supporters, the people of Pakistan and for democracy. I hope and pray that that the people of Pakistan and President Musharraf can avoid further bloodshed and continue down the road to democracy. Pakistan has been a good friend to the United States in fighting fundamentalist terrorism, and I sincerely hope we can continue to work together. Pakistan needs to continue to work toward a peaceful, stable and democratic nation if they hope to maintain our strong friendship.

Hypothesis: Sam Brownback is not a Republican.


Premise: An appeals court in Eastern France has confirmed the Swedish car manufacturer Volvo is guilty over the deaths of two schoolchildren aged nine and ten and the serious injury of a third after a brakes failure caused an accident in 1999. The Volvo 850 TDI was being driven by a local teacher when it struck the children, who had been on their way to school. Driver Catherine Kohtz later asserted that the brake pedal had become stiff and the brakes themselves unresponsive as she traveled along the steep road.

Hypothesis: Volvo is a car manufacturer from Finland.


Premise: BELFAST, UNITED KINGDOM - Thieves have gotten away with money believed to be in excess of £20m ($39m) from the headquarters of Northern Bank, a subsidiary of National Australia Bank, in Northern Ireland. Other sources have stimated the total to be as much as $58m. In what appears to be a meticulously planned operation, the families of two executives were held hostage on Sunday night by armed gunmen. The two executives were made to go to work yesterday as if everything was normal, after closing the bank they opened the vault for a number of robbers who then proceeded to empty the contents into a waiting truck over a two hour period.

Hypothesis: Belfast is in the UK.


Premise: It is the first time in the history of the Volvo Adventure Award that a Kenyan project has been selected as an international finalist. Emwatsi Primary School is a member of the Lake Victoria Schools Agroforestry & Environmental Education Network, which is facilitated by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) within the framework of the 'Farmers of the Future' initiative.


Premise: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters that China is protesting Japan's plan to allow drilling for gas and oil in disputed waters in the East China Sea, characterizing the move as "a serious provocation". On Wednesday, Japan announced that they would begin processing applications to allow oil and gas drilling firms to explore in the disputed area, east of the "demarcation line" which has held up applications to drill in the area for decades.

Hypothesis: China won't receive money from Japan.


Premise: With online gaming in persistent worlds becoming more prevalent, a US congressional committee has begun to look into the tax implications of these booming online economies. Games such as World of Warcraft and Second Life have large player driven economic systems in which - either following the rules or against them - real world currencies are exchanged for in-game currencies. With the GDP of some of these economies rivaling that of some small countries, the US government is wondering if it is missing out on a potential source of tax revenue: or as some gamers might put it, the IRS is asking "You buy gold?"

Hypothesis: The US Congress may re-establish luxury taxes.


Premise: The Kelham Island Tavern in Sheffield's Kelham Island Quarter was in a "semi derelict" state when it was purchased in 2001. After it was re-opened in 2002 by licensee Trevor Wraith and manager Lewis Gonda, business quickly picked up and the pub has been awarded Sheffield CAMRA's local Pub of the Year award for the past four years. The pub won the award despite six weeks of closure a year and a half ago when the pub's cellar and floor were affected by the flooding of the River Don and the nearby Kelham goit. The pub also received Yorkshire CAMRA's Pub of the Year award in 2004 and 2007.


Premise: The police have cordoned off roads around Upper Woburn Place following a massive explosion on a bus in the vicinity. Traffic is at a standstill in many places in the capital. Defra's security branch are reporting that police are advising everyone in London not to use any public transport and the Cabinet Office are advising staff to remain in offices until further notice. A further email sent to all staff by Defra's permanent secretary indicates that Charing Cross and Waterloo mainline railway stations have been closed down for police searches, and that other stations could close for similar reasons later today.

Hypothesis: Charing Cross is in London.


Premise: James Horwitz, Chairman of the UTA Department of Physics was contacted by the Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to study the new ball. Horwitz asked UTA physics professor Kaushik De to lead the project. De's team found that the new balls are tackier when dry, but become much more slippery than leather balls when they get damp. Traditional leather basketballs provide more grip when they are slightly wet.

Hypothesis: Mark Cuban is a billionaire.


Premise: Movie studio company, New Line Cinema has announced that movie director Peter Jackson will never be allowed to work on another New Line film. This announcement will also mean that Mr Jackson will not be allowed to film the prequel titled The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings films he directed. The announcement was made mainly because New Zealander Mr Jackson and his partner, Fran Walsh, filed a law suit against New Line in 2005 as they believed New Line owed them much more money than they received for The Lord of the Rings trilogy as shown to them by a partial audit of The Fellowship of the Ring. Mr Jackson described it as "financial anomalies," which New Line refused to account for. "Fundamentally, our legal action is about holding New Line to its contractual obligations and promises." The film trilogies have so far managed to earn US$3 billion in ticket sales since 2001.

Hypothesis: New Line wants to work with Peter Jackson.


Premise: One of the most visible Satanic organizations-though one that was never a suspect or charged in any of the Satanic Panic cases-is the Church of Satan, founded by Anton LaVey. Members of the Church, such as Peter H. Gilmore, Peggy Nadramia, Boyd Rice, Adam Parfrey, Diabolos Rex, and musician King Diamond, were active in media appearances to refute allegations of criminal activity and the FBI would later issue an official report debunking the criminal conspiracy theories of this time.

Hypothesis: Peter Gilmore is a member of a satanic organization.


Premise: CNET editor, former Fresh Gear contributor, and Lab analyst James Kim has been missing since Saturday. Police have opened a missing person investigations and called on those, especially from the Oregon area, having any information on the whereabouts of the missing family to contact them. The information below is from the official investigation by the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) - missing family members include: James, Kati, Penelope (age 4.5) and Sabine (6 months).

Hypothesis: James Kim worked for CNET.


Premise: John Yelenic was found dead in his home on April 13, 2006, one day before he was planning on signing his divorce papers. Prosecutors said Foley killed Yelenic after going to the dentist's house to confront him over the terms of the divorce. Prosecutors claim Foley slashed Yelenic several times with a knife and pushed his head through a small window, causing a further gash on his neck. Yelenic bled to death.

Hypothesis: Yelenic molested his adopted son.


Premise: Frank was a Jewish girl who was hiding from the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II and often referred to the tree as being "comforting" as she looked out the hidden apartment skylight. Officials for the city of Amsterdam and the Anne Frank Museum state that the tree is infected with a fungus and poses a public health hazard as they argue that it was in imminent danger of falling over. It had been scheduled to be cut down on Tuesday, but was saved after an emergency court ruling.

Hypothesis: America won World War II.


Premise: At least 28 people drowned and were confirmed dead, 46 were rescued, while 34 others remain missing on Sunday, after an overcrowded passenger motorboat capsized off waters in Ballesteros, a town of 17,000 people, the Cagayan police reported. 'M/B Mae Jan', a wooden-hulled ferry, was carrying 102 passengers, after an eight-hour voyage from Calayan Island in the Luzon Strait for Appari when it capsized less than 300 meters (984 feet) from its destination, at 8:30 p.m. Its bamboo outrigger broke due to strong waves, as it reached the mouth of the Cagayan River ('Bannag' Rio Grande de Cagayan, 'Ilog ng Kagayan'), along Barangay Linao, about 50 meters from the shoreline of Pallog village.

Hypothesis: More than 800 people died in a ferryboat accident in the Philippines.


Premise: After the aeroplane pulled up abruptly, it then pitched down at an angle of 31 degrees, rolling left and right, partially upside-down. This sort of stall is known as an aggravated stall, and it can be very difficult to return the aeroplane to normal flight from one. In this case, the pilot had less than two thousand feet to do so before the aircraft crashed into the ground. The pilot's training has now been put into question, and it was discovered that the captain, Marvin Renslow, aged 47, had logged only 110 hours in this particular aircraft, though he had thousands of hours in similar aircraft. Experts say his experience should have adequately prepared him.

Hypothesis: A daily commuter flight crashed in Buffalo.


Premise: The movie is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 license; this allows people to use, edit, or share the movie in any way (except commercially) as long as they credit the creators. All of the raw unedited footage, including audio files, is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license; as long as the creators are credited, users can do whatever they want with the files privately or commercially.

Hypothesis: "Boy Who Never Slept" is the title of an open source movie.


Premise: The first major hurdle is Turkish recognition of Cyprus. EU leaders, including European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, have made recognising the island member-state a key pre-requisite for talks, however, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously said that he would not bow to demands to recognise the nation citing this as one of four "red lines" he will not cross. Erdogan has said that recognition is entirely dempendent upon the Greek-Cypriots accepting a United Nations peace plan to re-unify the island, which previously they rejected.

Hypothesis: During the EU summit, there will be talks with Turkey.


Premise: "You cannot dial 911 because you are unhappy with your burger, ok. I know you don't seriously think that the police need to make Burger King give you food faster," says the operator as Fortune continued to complain. "If it takes 15 minutes to cook, it takes 15 minutes to cook, ok. You don't need to call 911." It turns out, after nearly three minutes of arguing with the operator, Fortune never even placed an order. "Have you given them any money?," asks the operator. Fortune replies "no." The operator then asks Fortune, "have they given you any food?" Again Fortune replies "no." The operator then tells Fortune that he is able to "just drive away" from the situation, but he disagrees and tells her he will "just move [his] car". The operator warns Fortune that the police are on their way and then tells him to not block the drive-thru.

Hypothesis: Eating in fast food restaurants is not healthy.


Premise: Sheikh Hasina (Shekh Hasina Oajed) was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001. She has been the President of the Awami League, a major political party in Bangladesh, since 1981. She was the second female prime minister of Bangladesh. Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh), is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma (Myanmar) to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south. Together with the Indian state of West Bengal, it makes up the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal.

Hypothesis: Sheikh Hasina was Bangladesh's Prime Minister.


Premise: Two British Army soldiers have been killed in a gun attack outside an army base in County Antrim, Northern Ireland,The attack occurred at 21:40 GMT outside the Massereene army base, home to 38 Engineering Regiment, 16 miles north west of Belfast. According to the police four others, two other soldiers and two civilians, have been hurt, one critically.

Hypothesis: Real IRA is not responsible for gun attacks.


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

Hypothesis: Brian Mulroney was Prime Minister of Canada.


Premise: Reggie Bibbs is a 43-year-old-man living in Houston, Texas. Mr Bibbs was born with a genetic disease called neurofibromatosis (NF), which causes him to develop tumors on his body (see infobox on the right). NF can be a subtle disease, but in Bibbs' case it has left him with a disfigured face and deformed leg. But he is happy with the way he looks, and doesn't want to change his appearance to please other people. He has launched a successful campaign entitled "Just Ask", and that's just what Wikinews did in a video-interview.

Hypothesis: Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disease.


Premise: President Barack Obama of the United States had his first full interview since his inauguration, on Al Arabiya television. The Dubai television network in the United Arab Emirates had exclusive access to the President. Barack Obama in his historic interview on Al Arabia. During the interview, Obama repeated a campaign promise to deliver a speech in a Muslim capital, and urged that the peace process between Israel and Palestine resume. "We cannot tell either the Israelis or the Palestinians what's best for them. They're going to have to make some decisions. But I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people," Obama said.

Hypothesis: Barak Obama is the 44th President of the United States.


Premise: Five policemen and two bystanders were killed and seven members of the Sri Lankan cricket team have been injured in a coordinated gun and rocket attack by 12 to 14 gunmen in Lahore, Pakistan at about 8.00 a.m local time. The Sri Lankan players were ambushed en route to the Gaddafi stadium to play the third day of the second test, near the liberty round about. According to eye witnesses the team convoy was stopped by two vehicles blocking their path.

Hypothesis: Seven members of the Sri Lankan Cricket team have been injured in Lahore.


Premise: Long John Baldry, English-born blues legend, passed away at the Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday evening after fighting a severe chest infection for the past four months. Baldry was considered an innovator and inspiration in blues music in the 1950s and 60s and is credited with inspiring other music legends such as Elton John, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, and The Rolling Stones.

Hypothesis: A musician has died at the age of 60.


Premise: The Canadian Conservative Party plans to reject the federal budget. A recently amended provision allowing the government to control greenhouse gas emissions is "completely unacceptable," says its leader Stephen Harper. Harper said Thursday his party plans to vote against the omnibus budget bill if it includes the amendment to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. It would add greenhouse gas emissions to the list of controlled substances, allowing the Canadian government to regulate those emissions, he contends. "This is an attempt by the government to get unlimited power to impose multimillion-dollar fines on any basis, without any parliamentary approval or discussion, whatsoever." Harper said.

Hypothesis: In Canada Mr. Harper and his party will support the budget bill.


Premise: It can be difficult to be John Reed. Christopher Hitchens called him a "Bin Ladenist" and Cathy Young editorialized in The Boston Globe that he "blames the victims of terrorism" when he puts out a novel like Snowball's Chance, a biting send-up of George Orwell's Animal Farm which he was inspired to write after the terrorist attacks on September 11. "The clear references to 9/11 in the apocalyptic ending can only bring Orwell's name into disrepute in the U.S.," wrote William Hamilton, the British literary executor of the Orwell estate. That process had already begun: it was revealed Orwell gave the British Foreign Office a list of people he suspected of being "crypto-Communists and fellow travelers," labeling some of them as Jews and homosexuals. "I really wanted to explode that book," Reed told The New York Times. "I wanted to completely undermine it."

Hypothesis: Christopher Hitchens described John Reed as a "Bin Ladenist".


Premise: "This tells us we've got water ice within reach of the arm, which means we can continue this investigation with the tools we brought with us," said  primary investigator for Phoenix's stereo imager, Mark Lemmon. Scientists are planning to examine the substance and the soil surrounding it more closely. They plan to test it for signs of organic material and  minerals, and hope to find out if the ice was ever a liquid which could have supported microbial life.

Hypothesis: A robotic arm has been used for scientific discoveries.


Premise: Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said, "I am very glad to welcome Tony Blair into the Catholic Church ... For a long time he has been a regular worshipper at Mass with his family and in recent months he has been following a programme of formation to prepare for his reception into full communion ... My prayers are with him, his wife and family at this joyful moment in their journey of faith together."

Hypothesis: Blair belongs to the Church of England.


Premise: The available information about the phosphorous cloud following the railway accident in the Ukraine last Monday is becoming more and more cryptic. The political involvement of most media and other factors are causing contradictions among official sources that are making press work extremely hard. Moreover, no one is permitted to enter the accident location. The site of the accident was closed to visitors following the injury of three TV journalists who got too close.

Hypothesis: A railway disaster caused a fire.


Premise: The Saint Paul Winter Carnival in Saint Paul, Minnesota suffered a brief thaw on Monday, with Monday's 41°F afternoon temperature plummeting below zero twenty four hours later. On Sunday, judging of both ice and snow sculptures had taken place. By Monday afternoon, temperatures above freezing had greatly damaged the outdoor sculptures. In Rice Park, fallen ice from sculptures mixed with chunks left from the previous day's carving. Snow sculptures at the State Fairgrounds were also significantly damaged.

Hypothesis: The Winter Carnival in Minnesota suffered from a temporary thaw.


Premise: On Tuesday, February 24, Hilda Solis was sworn in as the new United States Secretary of Labor. Solis reported for her first day as the new Secretary after having been confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 80-17 on February 24. Wikinews was there for her first appearance as Secretary on Wednesday. After being confirmed, she resigned from her position as a House Representative for California and was sworn into her new position that same evening.

Hypothesis: The United States Secretary of Labor is Hilda Solis.


Premise: Former Chilean President Augusto Pinochet, 91, has suffered a heart attack early this morning. His son, Marco Antonio, declared that his father had received his last rites from a Catholic priest and that "he is in the hands of God and the doctors". Pinochet underwent a bypass surgery in the Hospital Militar in Santiago and his condition is reported to be critical but stable. Doctors have reported he is also suffering from pulmonary edema.

Hypothesis: Augusto Pinochet was a former Chilean President.


Premise: 22-year-old Sierra is a resident of Tampa and reached the final of the show's fourth season in 2005. The film she stars in will be released as a full-length DVD entitled Jessica Sierra Hardcore. The tape shows her having sex with a man thought to be Sierra's boyfriend. Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of Vivid, who are also responsible for a recent release featuring Kim Kardashian, said in a statement, "This title contains the most explicit sex we've ever seen in a celebrity video. Jessica clearly has more talent than just singing."

Hypothesis: Jessica Sierra once reached the finals of "American Idol".


Premise: Rother points out that Social Security benefits, which currently equal 42 percent of the earnings of an average worker retiring at age 65, would be reduced to 20% of pre-retirement earnings for future retirees, thus potentially freezing retirees into today's standard of living. However, Rother says that price indexing has to be linked to Bush's private investment accounts as income from the accounts give retirees the chance to make up the shortfalls.

Hypothesis: Social Security benefits might be reduced.


Premise: "Three detainees in Villawood remain on voluntary starvation," an immigration department spokesman said. "Two Villawood detainees have agreed to stop their hunger strike. Australian refugee advocates say they are concerned about the welfare of the Chinese men, who have been on a hunger strike since October 20 at Sydney's Villawood Immigration Detention Centre. Three of the six men from mainland China are continuing to refuse food at the centre.

Hypothesis: Detainees in Australia are refusing food.


Premise: The bodies of five women within the United Kingdom have been found in or around the county of Suffolk in the east of England. The latest victims were found on 12 December 2006 in a rural area a few hundred meters apart, and one body discovered within 40 minutes of the other. Detectives investigating the murders have confirmed that the last body discovered was that of 29 year old Annette Nicholls. Five women have been found dead within 10 days and authorities face an "unprecedented" murder investigation.

Hypothesis: Five women have been found dead in England.


Premise: Mr Lu was later found to have survived but suffered serious injuries. Mr Lu has told the Guardian that he was battered unconscious and later driven hundreds of miles to his home town where he is now recuperating. Civil rights lawyers said they were considering a legal case against his attackers, thought to be a group of thugs hired by the local authorities to put down an anti-corruption campaign against the chief of Taishi village.

Hypothesis: Mr. Lu suffers from the H5N1 virus.


Premise: An unnamed 27-year-old man has been arrested and charged with "public order offenses" after he threw a shoe at the Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao while he was giving a speech at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom on Monday February 2. The speech was related to China's and the world economy titled See China in the Light of Her Development. Wen was on a seven day tour of Europe, his final stop being the University.

Hypothesis: A man threw a shoe at the Prime Minister.


Premise: In 2004, the same Cleveland Clinic, became the first institution to approve this surgery and test it on cadavers. In October 2006, surgeon Peter Butler at London's Royal Free Hospital in the UK was given permission by the NHS ethics board to carry out a full face transplant. His team will select four adult patients (children cannot be selected due to concerns over consent), with operations being carried out at six month intervals. In March 2008, the treatment of 30-year-old neurofibromatosis victim Pascal Coler of France ended after having received what his doctors call the worlds first successful full face transplant.

Hypothesis: Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disease.


Premise: According to Bogota's newspaper El Tiempo, Uribe asked for Castro's help on January 21. Castro responded with surprising speed and effectiveness. On January 21 Castro sent the chancellor Felipe Perez Roque to Caracas where he met with Chávez and then returned to Havana, informing Castro on the results of the encounter. After midnight Castro communicated by telephone with Uribe for two hours. They decided that Castro would send his Vice-chancellor with a letter detailing what they had talked about to Chávez.

Hypothesis: Alvaro Uribe is the current President of Colombia.


Premise: Former United States football player O.J. Simpson was sentenced to prison for 15 years yesterday morning, on charges of kidnapping and armed robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers at a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Simpson's accomplice in the crime, one Clarence Stewart, was also given a thirty-three year sentence. Both will be eligible for parole in five years. Simpson, aged 61, was arrested on twelve charges of kidnapping and armed robbery in which he and his accomplices used firearms to force two sports memorabilia dealers to give him several items that Simpson felt had been stolen from him.

Hypothesis: O.J. Simpson was released in Las Vegas.


Premise: Djibouti and Eritrea have spoken to the United Nations security council on Thursday to discuss a border dispute. Djibouti has said that unless the UN intervenes there will be war. The dispute dates back to June when violence erupted between the nations in the border region of Doumeira. The resulting clashes killed an estimated 35 people. The unmarked border remains disputed, and the nations have built up troops on each side of the border, keeping the situation tense.

Hypothesis: There may be a war between Djibouti and Eritrea.


Premise: A Japanese whaling ship, the Keiko Maru, will be docking in Hobart on December 24 to transfer a sick crew member to hospital. The crew member is suffering from appendicitis. Greenpeace has called on the Australian government to prevent the ship from refuelling. The government stated it is opposed to commercial whaling, but that taking such action would be "counter-productive". Greenpeace CEO Steve Shallhorn said that it is an opportunity for Australia to demonstrate its opposition. "The Australian Government does have control over port authorities and we believe it does have the possibility to refuse to allow the ship to be refuelled," he said.

Hypothesis: Greenpeace wants to protect whales.


Premise: After discovery by a blogger, Microsoft has announced that on their next operating system, Windows 7, users will have the ability to remove Internet Explorer and other select Microsoft programs. Microsoft has been accused of forcing users to run their own software while competitor products get pushed out of the market because of this.

Hypothesis: Users of Windows 7 will not be able to remove Internet Explorer.


Premise: Michele Yelenic is expected to testify that Foley was home with her when the alleged murder occurred. Krastek told the jury DNA under Yelenic's fingerprints will ultimately link him to the murder, as will bloody shoe prints found at the crime scehe that match athletic shoes Foley is known to wear. Monzo also said authorities have failed to investigate several other suspects, including Yelenic's neighbor. Monzo said Yelenic was on very friendly terms with the neighbor's wife, which could have given him a motive to commit the murder.

Hypothesis: Yelenic molested his adopted son.


Premise: Protests have continued after Manchester United defeated Lille in the Champions League round of 16. A free kick by Ryan Giggs in the second half of the game caused great controversy, as Lille was setting up their wall as the ball went into the back of the net. Lille players nearly walked off the pitch at the time, but they were goaded back onto the field, and the game ended 1 - 0 for Manchester United.

Hypothesis: Lille has defeated Manchester United.


Premise: Italy and Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi revealed the slur he said to Zinedine Zidane at last year's FIFA World Cup in Germany, which led to Zidane's headbutting of Materazzi and subsequent red card for Zidane. Materazzi said in an interview with the TV Sorrisi e Canzoni magazine that the insult was: "I prefer the whore that is your sister." The Interview is set to be released on Monday.

Hypothesis: Materazzi insulted Zidane.


Premise: Kansas senator Sam Brownback said "It's stunning to me that we would outsource the production of these airplanes to Europe instead of building them in America. I'll be calling upon the Secretary of Defense for a full debriefing and expect there will be a protest of the award by Boeing." Todd Tiahrt, a Kansas representative, said "We should have an American tanker built by an American company with American workers. I cannot believe we would create French jobs in place of Kansas jobs."

Hypothesis: Sam Brownback is not a Republican.


Premise: The actress was crowned winner of Celebrity Big Brother, following confrontations with fellow housemates Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd who were accused of bullying and racism. Despite denying the claims, all three lost most of their major endorsements and Jade and Danielle's partners are said to have left them. Politicians became embroiled in the proceedings when media regulator Ofcom received more than 40,000 complaints from viewers. This resulted in the row reached both the House of Commons and India, where chancellor Gordon Brown's bridge-building visit was overshadowed by controversy caused by the programme.

Hypothesis: Jade Goody is a contestant in Celebrity Big Brother.


Premise: "The CBBA is calling on the Federal Government to commit $14 million in new funding for content production, infrastructure, training and sector co-ordination and planning," Ms Walch says. "With $10.4 billion being spent on 'strengthening the economy' this is highly targeted $14 million will assist in skills development and employment pathways for many volunteers involved in local stations as well as strengthening local communities ability to sustain themselves in tough times."

Hypothesis: CBAA stands for Community Broadcasting Association of Animals.


Premise: Robinho is considered one of the best Brazilian forward players at the present time and he is an important player for Santos. The authorities are cautious to release any information concerning the case, as this could jeopardize both the investigations and Ms. Souza's life.

Hypothesis: Ms. Souza is Robinho's sister.


Premise: Mr. P V Narasimha Rao, former prime minister of India, passed away this morning after suffering cardiac arrest in a private hospital in New Delhi. He had been in critical condition for the past few days. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on December 9 after he complained of breathlessnes.

Hypothesis: Mr. Rao had cancer.


Premise: A statement given by Dr. Lee Schwamm and Dr. Larry Ronan of Massachusetts General Hospital stated, "Over the course of the last several days, we've done a series of tests on Senator Kennedy to determine the cause of his seizure. He has had no further seizures, remains in good overall condition, and is up and walking around the hospital."

Hypothesis: Ted Kennedy is dead.


Premise: Two fossilized trees with their roots, trunks and heads still attached, and are said to be over 380 million years old, have been found in the state of New York inside a rock quarry near Gilboa, New York in the USA. Researchers call the extinct tree a Wattieza and this particular tree stood over 30 feet tall and used spores to reproduce rather than seeds. It may have even looked like many palms trees that exist today, but did not have any leaves. Instead they had fronds much like a fern.

Hypothesis: Fossilized trees have been found in the USA.


Premise: A private security guard attached to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie pulled out his revolver to threaten a lensman in Pune, India. The Associated Press photographer was also roughed up by the guard, Sunil Singh, who works for Tops Securities. Defamer.com, a tabloid in Los Angeles, however, says that two guards were involved in the attack. The incident occurred at the Sindh Society area in the suburb of Aundh.

Hypothesis: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have a daughter.


Premise: Two court filings in response to a lawsuit brought by Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers were filed on behalf of God, according to John Friend, clerk of the Douglas County District Court in Omaha, Nebraska. "This one miraculously appeared on the counter. It just all of a sudden was here — poof!" said Mr. Friend. In one filing, St. Michael the Archangel is listed as a witness.

Hypothesis: Senator Ernie Chambers has sued God.


Premise: Russia has made delivery of its first shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr facility, which is also being built by Russia. Both the Kremlin and the White House say that this should allow Iran to shut down its controversial uranium enrichment program. The Russian company, Atomstroiexport, said that the shipments began on Sunday. It was also confirmed by Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

Hypothesis: Iran received nuclear fuel from Russia.


Premise: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay made a visit to MacKay's Nova Scotia riding, Pictou, Nova Scotia, yesterday. Rice spent 23 hours in Canada. She thanked people in Atlantic Canada who helped thousands of Americans stranded when their planes were forced to land in the region. Rice and MacKay travelled together to and from the riding. It was a a 90-minute drive each way from Halifax.

Hypothesis: Condoleeza Rice went to Nova Scotia.


Premise: "Oxfam has estimated that for all developing countries to adapt to climate change will cost at least $50 billion a year," she said. "And for that to be done with justice we believe that the rich and the most polluting countries should pay the vast share of the money to make possible for those countries most vulnerable and least responsible for causing the problem to cope with the new realities they have to deal with."

Hypothesis: Oxfam is the name of an anti-poverty group.


Premise: Today Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone with access to the Internet can edit, was the victim of an onslaught of practical jokes, as April Fool's Day kicked in various timezones around the world, at least those parts which follow the Gregorian calendar. It is believed that Wikipedia contributors were kept busy tidying up and removing prank articles and changes made by other Wikipedia contributors, and were expecting to be cleaning up the aftermath for days afterwards.

Hypothesis: All internet users can edit Wikipedia.


Premise: A Russian journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, who received wide acclaim and prominence for her critical coverage of the Chechen war and opposition to the Putin administration, was found shot dead at her apartment building in Moscow today. Coincidentally, October 7 is the birthday of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Anna Politkovskaya worked for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper. She rose to fame for her coverage of the human costs of the Chechen conflict and her harsh criticism of the Kremlin's policies on Chechnya. She was also one of the people who went into the Moscow theatre during the 2002 hostage taking to attempt negotiations, at the behest of the Chechen militants.

Hypothesis: Politkovskaya was killed.


Premise: The group's tactics have been criticized. Co-founder Pacheco, who is no longer with PETA, called them "stupid human tricks." Some feminists criticize their campaigns featuring the Lettuce Ladies and "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ads as objectifying women. Of their Holocaust on a Plate campaign, Anti-Defamation League Chairman Abraham Foxman said "The effort by PETA to compare the deliberate systematic murder of millions of Jews to the issue of animal rights is abhorrent." (Newkirk later issued an apology for any hurt it caused). Perhaps most controversial amongst politicians, the public and even other animal rights organizations is PETA's refusal to condemn the actions of the Animal Liberation Front, which in January 2005 was named as a terrorist threat by the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Hypothesis: PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.


Premise: On Sunday, suicide bombers killed 11 African Union (AU) peacekeepers in Somalia and injured at least 15 others. Two bombers drove a truck loaded with explosives into the AU camp housing Burundi soldiers in Mogadishu and detonated it. "These attacks have reached today an unprecedented level, resulting in the killing of 11 Burundian soldiers, while 15 others have sustained serious injuries," the African Union said in a statement. Troops were unloading supplies for their camp when militants drove a truck into the camp, then detonating it.

Hypothesis: Eleven African Union peacekeepers were killed in Somalia.


Premise: Twenty-four people, among them seven children, were killed on Sunday after their airplane crashed in a river in Brazil. Four people survived the crash, including a 9-year-old boy. The aircraft, which was a twin-engine Embraer turboprop chartered by Manaus Aerotaxis, was carrying 26 passengers and two crew members when it crashed.

Hypothesis: 26 people died in Brazil on Sunday.


Premise: A whale that became stranded in the River Thames has died after a massive rescue attempt to save its life. The 18ft (5m) northern bottle-nosed whale was first spotted in the river on Friday and rescuers began an attempt to save it on Saturday morning. But the whale died at about 1900 GMT on Saturday as rescuers transported it on a barge towards deeper water in the Thames Estuary.

Hypothesis: A whale died in the River Thames.


Premise: The incident reached the scale that it did due to operator error after the initial rupture. The 8 5/8-inch diameter steel pipeline, which was operated by Enterprise Products Operating L.P., burst at 11:15 a.m. in an agricultural area about 6 miles east of Kingman, Kansas. A drop in pipeline pressure, indicating abnormal conditions or a possible compromise in pipeline integrity, set off alarms displayed on the computerized pipeline monitoring system. Shortly after the first alarm the pipeline controller, in an attempt to remedy the low pressure, increased the flow of anhydrous ammonia into the affected section of pipeline. A total of 33 minutes elapsed between the time when the first alarm indicated a problem with the pipeline and the initiation of a shutdown.

Hypothesis: NTSB is responsible for investigating transportation accidents in the United States.


Premise: A new medal has been created for New Zealanders who helped in recovery efforts after the Boxing Day Tsunami. Called the New Zealand Special Service Medal (Asian Tsunami) it recognises the work of New Zealanders who went to the region after the tsunami; locating the missing, identifying the dead, and assisting those left behind. Defence Minister Phil Goff says New Zealanders who served in the devastated areas in the first two months after the tsunami, are to receive the medal.

Hypothesis: A medal for special services has been created in New Zealand.


Premise: Petroleum Safety Authority Norway said in a press release that it is demobilizing disaster teams and beginning to prepare for its investigation of the incident. It will also closely follow StatoilHydro's clean-up. Statfjord is 200 km (124 miles) off the coast of Norway, located to the east of Bergen. It is an oil and gas field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, though approximately 15% of it is in the United Kingdom's waters. At peak production, it produces over 700,000 barrels of oil per day. The field is one of the largest known under-sea oil fields in the world.

Hypothesis: Statfjord is located to the west of Bergen.


Premise: Charles Chibitty, the last surviving member of the group of 17 who served in World War II as the Comanche "code talkers" died in a Tulsa, Oklahoma nursing home July 20. He was 83. Chibitty was among the 14 Comanches who landed with the D-Day invasion of Normandy Beaches where they reported by radio to division headquarters on the progress of the landings. The Comanche were dubbed code talkers because the American Indian language has no written record, and it was never broken by the Germans during the war.

Hypothesis: America won World War II.


Premise: Last night HBO premiered I Am An Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA. Since its inception, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has made headlines and raised eyebrows. They are almost single-handedly responsible for the movement against animal testing and their efforts have raised the suffering animals experience in a broad spectrum of consumer goods production and food processing into a cause célèbre.


Premise: Between the hours of 3:00 pm and 8:45 pm GMT on Monday, March 24, 2008, an 87-year-old woman was raped in her own home in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Specially trained officers interviewed the victim, who is described as being in a vulnerable state, and a team of 20 detectives are working on the case. House-to-house inquiries are being made in the area of the attack between St Peter's Road and Victoria Road, Great Yarmouth.

Hypothesis: An 87-year-old woman was raped in Norfolk.


Premise: Gordon Brown has become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II invited him to form a government in a meeting at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon. Brown, who has been Chancellor of the Exchequer for the past ten years, succeeds Tony Blair who tendered his resignation to the Queen earlier on Wednesday. In an emotional Prime Minister's Questions, Blair received a standing ovation from MPs and tributes from opposition leaders.

Hypothesis: Blair was Prime Minister before Brown.


Premise: 632 Air Canada flight attendants will lose their jobs in November as the airline is eliminating flights and routes. 332 of the jobs will be lost due to the closure of flight attendant base offices in Halifax and Winnipeg. Another 300 jobs will be lost at Vancouver due to major reductions in Air Canada's Pacific-based international flights. Air Canada Embraer jet taking off.Dramatic increases in fuel prices are widely blamed for the airline's cutbacks. The flight attendant layoffs are part of an overall plan to reduce 2000 jobs at Air Canada.

Hypothesis: European Airlines are cutting jobs.


Premise: Sam Brownback is perplexed. The U.S. Senator from Kansas and Presidential candidate is a Republican whose politics-he is against marriage for gay people, he is against abortion, and he has a clean image in a party tainted by scandal-should speak favorably to the party's base. But it has not. "I'm baffled by that myself," Senator Brownback told Wikinews reporter David Shankbone. "We haven't been able to raise money."

Hypothesis: Sam Brownback is not a Republican.


Premise: Actress Claire Danes appeared Wednesday in Toronto on the television series MuchOnDemand, to promote her new film, Stardust. Danes appears in the fantasy epic Stardust opposite Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro, and Sienna Miller. The film is based on Neil Gaiman's novel of the same name. Danes plays a striking girl named Yvaine, who is a fallen star. Pfeiffer, DeNiro, and Charlie Cox are all pursuing her.

Hypothesis: Claire Danes is an actress who played in "Stardust".


Premise: The Simpsons has been on television for 17 seasons and FOX confirms that it will run at least two more seasons. The show is currently contracted through FOX until 2008 and is the longest running television show on prime-time in the United States. An estimated over nine million people watch the show every Sunday night, but that number is down from earlier peak viewer numbers.

Hypothesis: The Simpsons is a show broadcast in America.


Premise: Prosecutors said they could call as many as 70 witnesses to try and prove Foley wanted Yelenic to die. The trial, at the Indiana County Courthouse, is expected to last about three weeks. Foley, who is on unpaid suspension from the Pennsylvania State Police, is charged with criminal homicide. The jury has the option of convicting him of first-degree murder, which could put Foley in prison for life without parole, or of a lesser degree charge, like manslaughter.

Hypothesis: Yelenic molested his adopted son.


Premise: Ion Mihai Pacepa, an ex-head of Romanian intelligence, and Terry McAuliffe, an aide to Bill Clinton, have unrelated claims that Arafat was homosexual. It has been alleged that the PLO's leader may have contracted HIV as the result of risky homosexual behavior in the years preceding the AIDS scare of the late 1980s. Arafat's sexual proclivities may have been largely ignored by Arab, and indeed other, state leaders.

Hypothesis: Arafat, leader of the PLO, may have had HIV.


Premise: The BBC's correspondent Alan Johnston based in Gaza has been freed after almost four months in captivity. The BBC broadcast images of Alan Johnston leaving a building in Gaza and entering a white car. Hamas police surrounded a building where it was believed Johnston was being held. Earlier, Hamas had captured several members of the Army of Islam and continued to put pressure, by threat of force, on the captors. An intervention by another militant group, the Popular Resistance Committees, led to a breakthrough in negotiations between Hamas and the Army of Islam.

Hypothesis: Alan Johnston is now free.


Premise: The Real IRA has claimed responsibility for a gun attack last night that killed two British soldiers and wounded two. The Sunday Tribune received a telephone call, using a known code word, claiming responsibility on behalf of the Real IRA's South Antrim Brigade. The spokesman defended their actions and said they "...made no apology" for an attack against occupiers and their collaborators.

Hypothesis: Real IRA is not responsible for gun attacks.


Premise: Reports say that the host of the United States television game show Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek, 67 is being hospitalized after suffering from a minor heart attack. "Alex Trebek, host of 'Jeopardy!,' has had a minor heart attack. He is resting comfortably in a Los Angeles, California hospital, and he will be back in the studio for the next scheduled tapings in January," said a spokesman for the show in a statement posted on the show's website.

Hypothesis: Jeopardy is the name of an American TV show.


Premise: A small team from Britain's Scotland Yard has arrived in the Pakistani capital to help with a government investigation into last week's assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins in Islamabad has more. Pakistani officials say the Scotland Yard team will lend forensic and technical expertise to the investigation, which is being carried out by the government as controversy swirls around the death of Ms. Bhutto.

Hypothesis: Benazir Bhutto is dead.


Premise: The current Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, said that former president Saddam Hussein confessed to various crimes and killings which were committed during his regime. Some of these cases are currently under investigation. Mr. Talabani stated that a judge had told him of these alleged confessions, which he revealed he knew about on Iraqi national television. Details are few, but one example of a confessed crime is the mass killing of the Kurds in the late 1980s, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Kurds.

Hypothesis: Jalal Talabani agrees to divide Iraq.


Premise: J K Rowling, the author of the "Harry Potter" series, has revealed the release date of the seventh and final installment - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - July 21, 2007. Mary GrandPre, the illustrator of the first six books, will return to illustrate the new novel. The book will be released worldwide at midnight by the publisher Scholastic. Huge crowds are expected around the world, and the book, since its first appearance on Amazon.co.uk, had risen to the number one sale for pre-orders. After the new book was announced, Amazon.com reported a surge of traffic occurred on their website. Amazon.com has called the novel "one of the most eagerly awaited books of all time"

Hypothesis: J.K. Rowling is the author of "Harry Potter".


Premise: The forest was estimated to contain trees that were more than 130 feet high. It also contained a variety of smaller trees, shrubs and ferns. One fossil was shaped like an asparagus stalk, but was the size of a small tree. It is believed that the forest was buried in nearly a flash after the land was pushed downward, below sea level, after a massive earthquake burying the forest "forever." "The fossilized forest was preserved following a major earthquake 300 million years ago. The quake caused the whole region to drop below sea level whereupon the forest became buried in mud, preserving it forever," added the press release.


Premise: A Helios airliner (Boeing 737, flight HCY 522) with 115 passengers and 6 crew onboard has crashed into a mountain at 09:04 UTC (12:04 p.m. EEST) near Grammatiko, 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Athens, while approaching the capital's airport. All on board perished. The plane was travelling from Larnaca, in the southeast of Cyprus (Greek:Kypros) and scheduled to arrive in Prague after a stop in Athens. In-flight events Immediately after take-off, the pilots reported a problem with the air conditioning system of the aircraft and requested to stay at a low altitude. A few minutes later, the pilots alerted the station that the problem had been fixed and requested permission to ascend. This information however has been denied by the Director of Helios Airways. As the plane approached Athens, all communication abruptly ceased, and the plane never issued a mayday distress signal. Two Greek F-16 military aircraft were assigned to observe the plane. The pilots of the F-16s noted that one airliner pilot appeared to be unconscious and the other was not in the cockpit.

Hypothesis: 26 people died in an airplane crash.