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Tuesday, July 3, 2007

David Hempleman-Adams left St. John’s at approximately 9:30 p.m. local time on July 2, 2007 from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador in a small helium filed balloon in an attempt to make the Trans-Atlantic crossing in the smallest balloon ever to make such a crossing. The final destination of the landing is not known and will be determined as the flight nears its end. The craft is made of light weight material with just enough space for necessary equipment and cooking implements. The basket is small and has openings in the side for Hempleman-Adams to extend his legs as he sleeps. Hempleman-Adams is hoping to make the crossing in three to four days and reach Europe by July 5 or 6th.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Actor David Tennant made an announcement Wednesday at the National Television Awards in the United Kingdom that he will end his time portraying the Tenth Doctor on the long-running BBC science fiction drama Doctor Who in 2009. The announcement came as part of Tennant’s speech accepting the outstanding drama performance award at the program.

Tennant, 37, is currently portraying the lead in a production of Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and accepted the award by videolink. He was up against Doctor Who co-star Catherine Tate, who portrayed his companion Donna Noble. Doctor Who was recognized with the award for most popular drama program.

“I love this part, and I love this show so much that if I don’t take a deep breath and move on now I never will, and you’ll be wheeling me out of the Tardis in my bath chair,” said Tennant in his address to the audience in attendance at the Royal Albert Hall. “TARDIS” refers to the time machine and spacecraft operated by Tennant’s character known only as “the Doctor”, and stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space.

Tennant will again inhabit the TARDIS as the Tenth Doctor for the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special, “The Next Doctor“, and will portray the Doctor in four additional specials set to air in 2009. A new actor will play the Doctor for the program’s 2010 series.

Tennant had initially been interested in portraying the Doctor in the 2005 series, but that role went to Christopher Eccleston. The series had previously been dormant since 1996, with Paul McGann in the lead role. Tennant has said that it was his childhood dream to play the Doctor. This is not his first time being recognized at the National Television Awards for his role as the Doctor. In 2006 he received the award for most popular actor, and again in 2007. In 2006 Tennant beat out actor Tom Baker as the favorite doctor, in a survey of readers of Doctor Who Magazine.

The Doctor comes from a race of Timelords, and has the ability to “regenerate” and change appearance when his health is failing. Actors including Russell Tovey, James Nesbitt, Paterson Joseph, John Simm and David Morrissey have been mentioned in the media as possibilities to portray the 11th incarnation of the Doctor.

Russell T. Davies, the program’s current executive producer, commented to BBC News on the end of the Tenth Doctor and his work with Tennant: “I’ve been lucky and honoured to work with David over the past few years – and it’s not over yet, the Tenth Doctor still has five spectacular hours left! After which, I might drop an anvil on his head. Or maybe a piano. A radioactive piano. But we’re planning the most enormous and spectacular ending, so keep watching.” Steven Moffat will replace Davies as executive director of Doctor Who in 2010.

Tennant began his work as an actor with roles in theatre, and progressed to starring roles on television programs including Blackpool and Casanova. He has recently returned to theatre roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and has received praise for his work in Hamlet and Love’s Labour’s Lost.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Isaac Hayes has quit his role in Comedy Central’s animated series South Park, where he has been the voice of Chef since 1997.

Hayes, an outspoken Scientologist, said “There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins,” in reference to the “Trapped in the Closet” episode which mocked the Church of Scientology and several celebrity followers.

Matt Stone, a co-creator of South Park, told the Associated Press that “This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology… He has no problem — and he’s cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians.”

Stone claimed that “[Hayes] wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin.”

Trey Parker had earlier explained that Hayes was the only reason Scientology had not been the subject of a South Park episode sooner. He said, “To be honest, what kept us from doing it before was Isaac Hayes. We knew he was a Scientologist and he’s an awesome guy. We were like, ‘Let’s just avoid that for now.'”

Stone & Parker decided to create the episode after hearing that comedian Penn Jillette had been barred from poking fun at the controversial religion on his cable show Penn & Teller: Bullshit!.

In January of 2006, Comedy Central’s United Kingdom affiliate removed the episode Trapped in the Closet from its broadcast schedule, reportedly to avoid legal action by actor Tom Cruise.

According to an article by Roger Friedman at Foxnews on March 20th, Hayes might not have quit South Park himself. Friedman questions the statement of Mr. Hayes, and points to the information that Mr. Hayes suffered from a minor stroke on January 17th, and may not have been alone in the decision.

Thursday, October 5, 2006

The upcoming 2006 Brampton municipal election, to be held November 13, features an array of candidates looking to represent their wards in city council or the council of the Peel Region.

Wikinews contributor Nick Moreau contacted many of the candidates, including Mathew Njenga, asking them to answer common questions sent in an email. This ward’s incumbent is John A. Hutton; also challenging Hutton is Derrick Coke, Navdeep Gill, Jim Howell, Joyce Rodriguez, and Doug Whillans.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Sunday, the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks drafted Brisbane, Australia native nose tackle Jesse Williams in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Going into the draft, there were some expectations by the Brisbane Times and other media outlets that Williams might be selected in the first round. Injuries, which resulted in Williams being unable to participate fully in the NFL Combine, likely were reasons why he was not selected higher.

Gridiron football is not the most popular football code in Australia, with rugby league, rugby union, soccer, and Australian rules football all being more popular participation sports. Williams’ youth sporting career reflected this, with Williams playing rugby union until he was 15 years old at which time he switched codes and joined the local gridiron team, the Bayside Ravens. A year later, his playing ability earned him a scholarship offer from the University of Hawaii. He could not meet the university’s academic standards so eventually he attended Western Arizona Community College instead. In 2011, he transferred to the University of Alabama and played for the Alabama Crimson Tide for two seasons. Both seasons, his Crimson Tide team won the national championship.

Williams’ selection is unique amongst Australians as most Australians who have played in the NFL have been kickers. He is also only the second Australian ever to be drafted in the NFL Draft.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Former Salt Lake City mayor and human rights activist Rocky Anderson took some time to discuss his 2012 U.S. presidential campaign and the newly-created Justice Party with Wikinews reporter William S. Saturn.

Anderson served as mayor of Salt Lake City for eight years (2000–2008) as a member of the Democratic Party. During his tenure, he enacted proposals to reduce the city’s carbon emissions, reformed its criminal justice system, and positioned it as a leading sanctuary for refugees. After leaving office, Anderson grew critical of the Democratic Party’s failure to push for impeachment against President George W. Bush, and for not reversing policies on torture, taxes, and defense spending. He left the party earlier this year and announced that he would form a Third party.

Anderson officially established the Justice Party last week during a press conference in Washington D.C.. He proclaimed “We the people are powerful enough to end the perverse government-to-the-highest-bidder system sustained by the two dominant parties…We are here today for the sake of justice — social justice, environmental justice and economic justice.” The party promotes campaign finance reform and is attempting to appeal to the Occupy Wall Street movement. It is currently working on ballot access efforts, and will hold a Founding Convention in February 2012 in Salt Lake City.

Among other issues, Anderson discussed climate change, health care, education, and civil liberties. He detailed his successes as mayor of Salt Lake City, stressed the importance of executive experience, and expressed his views on President Barack Obama and some of the Republican Party presidential candidates. He spoke in depth about former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, with whom he worked during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and fellow Utahan, former governor and U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Jr..

Sunday, July 24, 2022

Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the ninth President of Sri Lanka at a ceremony in the country’s Parliament in Colombo on Thursday.

Wickremesinghe, who has served as acting president in his predecessor’s absence, defeated rival candidates for the presidency by 134 votes to 82, with support from MPs of the ruling Sri Lanka People’s Front.

The former president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled Sri Lanka for the Maldives on July 13 and tendered his resignation from Singapore the following day. This came after months of unrest and protests over a devastating economic crisis which saw soaring inflation, blackouts and shortages of many essential supplies.

Wickremesinghe initially offered to resign alongside Rajapaksa; however following the president’s exodus he assumed the role of acting president. Wickremesinghe served as prime minister under Rajapaksa, and the BBC reports many view his administration as complicit in mismanaging the economy.

Nevertheless, the transition of power drew relatively few protests. “He is here — and we will see what his actions are. If we don’t get any food, any medicine, we’ll be on the streets,” a former protestor told the BBC.

Anbarasan Ethirajan, writing for the BBC, reported other protesters’ disappointment, worrying Wickremesinghe would gradually crack down and forcibly end the protests. For his part, Wickremesinghe said he supports peaceful demonstrations, but warned against occupying government buildings and attempts to overthrow the government.

Wickremesinghe has held many senior positions during his 45-year political career, including serving six terms as prime minister. He unsuccessfully ran for President twice. Local media reports the next cabinet is expected to include ministers from opposition parties, who have agreed to work with Wickremesinghe.

The new president will strive for stability ahead of resuming talks with the International Monetary Fund for a $3 billion bailout.