Owner and manager of Moroccan factory arrested over 55-fatality fire
May 25, 2020
Sunday, April 27, 2008 Police have arrested the owner of a mattress factory in Hay Hassini, Casablanca, Morocco which burned down in a disaster that claimed 55 lives. His son, who was the factory's manager, was also arrested. Those killed — 35 of whom were women — were trapped inside by locked fire exits, which were barricaded to stop theft during working hours. "The people who died were either asphyxiated or burned," commented a firefighter. 17...
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Canada’s Scarborough East (Ward 44) city council candidates speak
May 23, 2020
This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter. See the collaboration page for more details. Saturday, November 4, 2006 On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward's councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto's ridings is Scarborough East (Ward 44). One candidates responded to Wikinews' requests for an interview. This ward's candidates include Donald Blair, Diana Hall, Mohammed Mirza, Ron Moeser, Kevin Richardson, Richard Rieger, Richard Ross, and...
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Blow out sales prices likely on mattresses as new U.S. fire-resistant standards take effect
May 19, 2020
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 If you are in the market for new bedding, and not too concerned with the new United States guidelines for mattress fire resistance, now might be a good time to buy. Mattresses sold in the U.S. must meet new federal guidelines for flammability starting on July 1. The peak heat release rate is limited to 200 kW during a 30 minute test. The total heat release is limited to 15 MJ within...
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Utah bill requiring divine design education withdrawn by Senator Chris Buttars
May 19, 2020
Monday, July 18, 2005 Utah Senator Chris Buttars has decided not to introduce a bill requiring the teaching of "divine design" in Utah schools, at least for this year. Buttars withdrew after State Board of Education director Patti Harrington assured him that Utah public school curriculum does not teach that man descended from apes. Buttars had hoped his divine design proposal would escape the controversy of creationism or intelligent design. "The only people who will be...
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Clash of cultures: Somali and Latino workers at U.S. meat packing plants
May 19, 2020
Friday, October 17, 2008 Muslim Somali workers at a meat packing plant in Grand Island, Nebraska wanted to pray. Their colleagues from Latin America wanted to work. A dispute over the company's break schedule led to formal discrimination claims, mass job walk-offs and public protests by both sides last month, and a reported 200 firings. Tensions at the plant began after a Federal government raid in December 2006 removed 200 undocumented workers. An equal number of...
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Asbestos controversy aboard Scientology ship Freewinds
March 10, 2020
Friday, May 16, 2008 Controversy has arisen over the reported presence of blue asbestos on the MV Freewinds, a cruise ship owned by the Church of Scientology. According to the Saint Martin newspaper The Daily Herald and the shipping news journal Lloyd's List, the Freewinds was sealed in April and local public health officials on the Caribbean island of Curaçao where the ship is docked began an investigation into the presence of asbestos dust on the...
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Swine flu: recent developments worldwide
February 26, 2020
Saturday, June 6, 2009 The H1N1 swine flu virus has now spread to 66 different countries throughout the globe, with at least 19,273 confirmed cases and 117 deaths having been reported according to the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) tally. A majority of the cases were reported by the United States, which now has at least 10,053 confirmed infections from the disease. Egypt, Bulgaria, and Nicaragua each reported their first case, while Lebanon reported three. The...
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Wikinews Shorts: February 3, 2010
February 22, 2020
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 A compilation of brief news reports for Wednesday, February 3, 2010. Contents 1 Christmas day bomber cooperating 2 Fire in Hyderabad hospital; 1 dead 3 China begins urgent sweep for tainted milk 4 Karachi violence escalates, section 144 imposed The Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas day with hidden explosives is cooperating with investigators and providing fresh intelligence after the U.S. enlisted the help of his...
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