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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

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

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

Katie Hill: I’m from New South Wales.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KH: Yes.

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

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

((WN)) Who’s here for you?

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

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

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

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

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

((WN)) Thank you very much.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

At 12:41 p.m. local time (UTC-5), a man opened fire at Dawson College, in Westmount, Quebec, Canada; the college is located near the heart of downtown Montreal. Police report at least 20 people being injured. The gunman was reportedly killed at the scene by police. Students told reporters that they heard several shots in the building at about 12:45 local time. One student told a local radio station that she saw two people who had been shot, including one who was hit at the neck. The student said a friend told her four people had been shot.

Hundreds of students fled the building, and the area has been cordoned off. Nearby Plaza Alexis Nihon and Westmount Square were evacuated and the Green line of the Montreal Metro was shut down between Lionel-Groulx and Peel. Police officers wearing bullet-proof vests are keeping people away from the college. “They’re telling me, ‘Go the other way, lady, you’re in the line of fire,'” said CBC News reporter Nancy Wood, who reported from the scene.

Local media have reported police hotlines have been established for loved ones to gain more information: +1-(514)-280-2880, +1-(514)-280-2805, and +1-(514)-280-2806. The Montreal General Hospital has also set up a hotline at +1-(514)-843-2839.

Police have reported that the situation has been neutralized as of 20:06, September 13, 2006 (UTC). Police have been told to stand down and are no longer looking for new victims or shooters.

Dawson College is a CEGEP that hosts about 10,000 students.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

“18 hours of mass hysteria” (according to the Sunday Times of India) broke out last Friday in Mumbai as hundreds of residents flocked to Mahim Creek, one of the most polluted creeks in India that receives thousands of tonnes of raw sewage and industrial waste every day after reports that the salt water had suddenly turned “sweet”.

Television reports showed people drinking water on the spot with their hands, and others bathing, apparently to wash away their sins with the “holy” water.

At the height of the hysteria, bottled mineral water was selling for Rs 50 (RM4.50), with people buying the mineral water simply for the bottles, pouring away the mineral water and filling the bottles with water from the creek.

News reports of the Mahim Creek incident sparked further mass hysteria at Gujarat within hours, with residents there claiming that seawater at Teethal beach in Valsad had also turned sweet. About 400 people had gathered by the beach in the evening.

In the aftermath of the incident, local authorities stated that they were being were extra vigilant because of the possibility of a severe outbreak of water-borne diseases, such as gastroenteritis as a result of so many people drinking contaminated water. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board had warned people not to drink the water, but despite this many people had collected it in bottles, even as plastic and rubbish had drifted by on the current. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai had ordered a bacteriological report into the “sweet” water, but suspected that “contamination in the water might have been reduced due to the waters from Mithi River flowing into the mouth of Mahim Bay“.

By Saturday morning, the hysteria had died down, as the taste of the water had returned to normal.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

In February 2017, the Iranian Chess Federation announced two teenage chess players, Dorsa Derakhshani and her younger brother Borna Derakhshani, were banned from representing the national team. The federation announced their decision although Dorsa Derakhshani had previously decided and informed the chess federation she did not wish to play for Iran.

Dorsa Derakhshani is currently 21 years old and holds the International Master (IM) as well as Woman Grand Master (WGM) titles. Her brother, Borna, plays for the English Federation and holds the FIDE Master title.

Dorsa Derakhshani was banned since she did not wear a hijab, an Islamic headscarf, while competing at the Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival in January 2017. Under the laws of Islamic Republic of Iran, hijab is a mandatory dress code. Her brother Borna Deraskhsani was banned for playing against Israeli Grand Master (GM) Alexander Huzman at the same tournament. Iran does not recognise the existence of Israel, and previously, Irani athletes have avoided playing against Israeli athletes.

Mehrdad Pahlavanzadeh, the president of the country’s chess federation, explained the decision to ban the players saying, “As a first step, these two will be denied entry to all tournaments taking place in Iran and in the name of Iran, they will no longer be allowed the opportunity to be present on the national team.” ^{((fa))Farsi language: ?????? ????? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??? ????? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ?? ?? ????? ? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ????? ??????? ? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??????? ????.} He further stated, “Unfortunately, something that should not have happened has happened and our national interest is paramount and we have reported this position to the Ministry of Sports.” ^{((fa))Farsi language: ????????? ?????? ?? ????? ????????? ?????? ??? ? ????? ??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????.}

IM Dorsa Derakhshani, who currently studies at Saint Louis University in the United States and plays for the United States Chess Federation, discussed her chess career, time in Iran and the 2017 controversy, and her life in Saint Louis with a Wikinews correspondent.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Tyler Currie is running as an Progressive Conservative candidate in the Ontario provincial election, in the riding of Trinity-Spadina. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed him regarding his values, his experience, and his campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.