Top Stories
Japan to request IAEA inspection of quake-damaged nuclear plant Japanese officials have agreed to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency in to survey the damage that occurred at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant as a result of a recent magnitude 6.8 earthquake. Politicians call for action after floods cause havoc in the UK Politicians in the UK have started calling for action after months of heavy rainfall have left parts of Britain in crisis from flooding and electricity and water shortages. Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young has called for an increased budget of around £1 billion a year.

Featured story
Fox News security hole exposes 1.5 million users' personal information A security hole on the Fox News web server Sunday exposed sensitive content to the public, including login information that allowed hackers to access names, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least 1.5 million people.

Wikipedia Current Events
Drew Carey announces that he will replace Bob Barker as the host of the popular CBS game show The Price Is Right during a taping of Late Show with David Letterman. Approximately 60 Taliban and 6 NATO troops die in two days of heavy fighting. Former King of Afghanistan Mohammed Zahir Shah dies after prolonged illness. Up to a million Britons could be affected by floods with both the Severn River and Thames River threatening to break their banks. Up to 350,000 people in Gloucestershire could be without running water for two weeks with some people unable to move back to their homes for a year. Japan allows International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant shut down after the recent 2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake. Flash floods and landslides in central Indonesia kill at least 30 people. The Taliban sets a new deadline for the South Korean captives. Storms continue in China with floods and landslides with 150 deaths occurring last week in the country due to storms.

Fox News security hole exposes 1.5 million users' personal information
A security hole on the Fox News web server Sunday exposed sensitive content to the public, including login information that allowed hackers to access names, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least 1.5 million people.

Wikinews has learned that an FTP server belonging to publishing company Ziff-Davis could be accessed with a username and password found on the Fox News site, with customer details among the internal data publicly available.

The FTP site, used for collaboration between different global aspects of Ziff-Davis business, contains data ranging from expense sheets to resumes to opt-out lists used by customers who wish to avoid receiving unsolicited emails. Many of the compromised files make reference to Acxiom, a data management company that in 2003 experienced a similar theft of personal information. Unlike in the 2003 breach, however, it is not believed that the files exposed due to the Fox News security oversight contain customer Social Security numbers or bank accounts. However, telephone and address details appear in the data. A number of the email addresses appearing on the list end in .gov or .mil, suggesting the named individual is a member of the U.S. government or military, respectively.

Internet vandals were quick to leave their mark on the compromised Ziff-Davis server, uploading pornography and claiming to have come from popular Internet comedy site eBaum's World.

The Ziff-Davis access details are believed to have been on the Fox News server as a part of collaboration between the two media companies for technology news coverage.

Security expert David Hutter says the Fox News mistake is an example of "sloppiness", though the hole had been patched by noon Monday. Neither Fox News nor Ziff-Davis have commented on the breach.

Minor league baseball coach killed on field in United States
An United States man from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was killed by a baseball during a game in North Little Rock, Arkansas, against the Arkansas Travelers. Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh, 35, was struck and killed by a line drive while coaching first base.

He leaves his wife, Mandy, and two young sons, Jacob and Joseph. Mandy is expecting a daughter who is to be named "Mandy" as well. Coolbaugh played spent seventeen years in professional baseball. He played Major League Baseball for two seasons and Minor League Baseball for the remainder, before becoming a coach.

Coolbaugh was coaching first base in the ninth inning when a line drive off the bat of Tino Sanchez struck Mr. Coolbaugh in the head causing him to lose consciousness. CPR was administered on the field. An ambulance transported Coolbaugh to Baptist Medical Center where he fell into respiratory arrest. He later died at the hospital at 10:47pm.

The game was then called off in the ninth inning with the Drillers behind 7-3. No make up date has been announced.

The North Little Rock Police Department are currently conducting an investigation, though all indications are that it was an accident.

Work begins on "Lisbon Treaty"
European Union foreign ministers today opened an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) beginning work on on a new treaty for the 27-member bloc. Portugal, the presiding country of the Union during the negotiations, presented its first draft of the 145 page document (with an extra 132 pages of protocols) to foreign ministers in a short ceremony opening the conference.

A mandate for the new Reform Treaty was agreed last month after drawn out European Council negotiations in Brussels. Under the German Presidency of the Union, leaders agreed to drop the proposed Constitution and its state-like elements, yet retain many of its institutional reforms: described by Angela Merkel (German Chancellor and then-Council President) in the terms “The fundamentals of the Constitution have been maintained in large part … We have renounced everything that makes people think of a state, like the flag and the national anthem.” This mandate is now going to be taken by the IGC, composed of national and European government officials, and converted into a legal text.

Negotiations are expected to go smoothly. Poland had originally intended to kick up a storm over the chosen voting system, as it stood to loose from the proposed QMV system and favoured keeping the old system or using an alternative. The negotiations concluded that the implementation of the new system would be delayed until 2014. Poland also claimed it had secured a Gentlemen's agreement that it could veto decisions for a further two years, but this was denied by other members. Isolated, Poland relented and agreed to back official agreement, with a minister stating: "Our priority is not to block decisions - we're interested in easier decision-making because we want the Union to function properly." The Polish Prime Minister stated that despite some opposition in Poland, there is no threat to governments' ability to ratify the document.

The IGC should conclude in Lisbon during October of this year and would shortly after be signed in the city; therefore, the city will give its name to the treaty. This will allow ratification throughout 2008 so it can come into force before the 2009 European elections. Most national ratification is expected to take place without referenda, to avoid a repeat of the "no" votes that halted the European Constitution.

Cricket: England draw Test series opener with India
Play was suspended due to bad light and rain just before tea on the final day with England needing just one wicket, and India on 282-9, 98 runs short of the 380 needed for victory. Rain continued to wash out the evening session and the game was forced to end as a draw.

Before play started on the first day, England won the toss and captain Michael Vaughan chose to bat first.

England took advantage of the inexperienced Indian bowling attack to quickly score 40 runs off the first five overs, the only wicket of the morning session coming when Alastair Cook (36) fell lbw to Sourav Ganguly. Andrew Strauss, sharing a partnership of 142 with Vaughan, just missed out on a century when he was caught at first slip on 96. India took two wickets late on day one, with Vaughan out for 79 and Paul Collingwood recording his first Test duck. England finished day one on 268-4 after stoppages for bad light.

Heavy rain delayed the start of the second day, and play got underway in the early afternoon. England soon collapsed to 298 all out, adding just 30 runs to the overnight total. In one incident, Kevin Pietersen started to walk off believing he had edged to Dhoni before replays showed otherwise, only to be caught making the same mistake minutes later. Sreesanth was the pick of the Indian bowlers, taking 3-67.

In response, England took two quick wickets to reduce India to 27-2 in their first innings, with Dinesh Karthik and Rahul Dravid falling cheaply. James Anderson took the key wicket of Sachin Tendulkar (37), while Test debutant Chris Tremlett caught and bowled Wasim Jaffer (58) to record his first Test wicket, leaving India on 145-4 at the close of day two.

England's bowlers reduced India to 201 all out by lunch on day three, with James Anderson taking 5-42 and Ryan Sidebottom 4-65, to leave England with a first innings lead of 97. England's second innings was disrupted by rain in the afternoon, and Zaheer Kahn took two wickets in quick succession. At the close of play England were 77-2, leading by 174 runs.

A century from Kevin Pietersen (134) pushed England's lead past 350 runs on day four despite 5-59 from R P Singh and two wickets in two balls from Zaheer Khan. England were all out for 282 runs, a lead of 379, and Chris Tremlett went for a Pair in his first Test match. India, with a second innings target of 380, lost key batsmen Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar cheaply. However they reached 137-3 by the end of the fourth day with help from a Dinesh Karthik half century.

India faltered at the start of the final day, losing Sourav Ganguly (40) and Dinesh Karthik (60). However V V S Laxman and Mahendra Dhoni (76 not out) shared a partnership of 86 to frustrate England, and gloomy conditions stopped play just before tea with England needing just one wicket for victory.

Libya lifts death sentences for nurses but makes demands
Last week, Libya lifted the death sentence for five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinean doctor in the case about the HIV infection of hundreds of Libyan children. The deal called for a US$460 million settlement for the families of the children.

However, now Libya is holding out for a better deal. According to reports, Libya is seeking more money for the treatment of the children, as well as normalized relations with the European Union. Another sticking point in making a deal has been that Bulgaria and the EU are unwilling to strike any deal that admits the guilt of the medics, whose innocence they insist upon.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin spoke to reporters in Brussels. "We are at the stage now where the decision is purely political," he said. "I hope there will be enough will from the Libyans' side today in order to finalise talks ... If they show this will, then the transfer can be done very quickly."

"Allow me not to go into any details because that would make all the efforts that are being made in Libya right now meaningless," Kalfin was quoted to have said later in the day, according to Bulgarian national television.

AKP secures mandate in Turkish general election
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey secured a solid mandate in Turkish general election, held yesterday. Although Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could celebrate getting 46.5% of the vote, more than 12% better than the last poll in 2002, his party will have to settle for slightly fewer seats in Turkey's parliament, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. AKP will now have 340 seats versus 353 formerly.

“The only danger at the moment is failure to reach an accord over the presidency” —Erdal Saglam, Hürriyet

Before a cheering crowd, Erdoğan said yesterday: "We've passed an important test of democracy that is an example to the world. The people have pronounced the Justice and Development Party as the central political power in Turkey."

AKP called this election, ahead of schedule, after opposition parties boycotted the vote on AKP's presidential candidate, Abdullah Gül, and the Constitutional Court annulled the result. Speaking about the issue of the presidency, Erdoğan told a news conference: "We will resolve this matter without causing tensions."

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Miliband, said: "It's very important that across Europe we reach out to the new government in Turkey when it is formed. A stable and secure Turkey is massively in our interests."

In Washington, spokesperson Tony Snow said: "It was a free and fair election, and Turkey remains an important ally of the U.S."

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the government must move forward on reforms as EU entry talks have stalled. "We expect the new government will be formed swiftly. It is essential that the new government will re-launch the legal and economic reforms with full determination and concrete results," he told reporters.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), saw the greatest growth in support. Although in 2002, they pulled nearly 6% in support it was not enough for any seats. The 14.3% achieved in this election, got the MHP 71 seats. The general secretary of the party said it won't seek to create tensions.

The Republican People's Party {CHP) saw the biggest setback in the election. CHP saw an erosion in support that cost them 66 seats, leaving them with 112.

"The only danger at the moment is failure to reach an accord over the presidency," said election observer and columnist for Hürriyet, Erdal Saglam.

Tour de France: Alexandre Vinokourov wins stage 15
Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan has won stage 15 of the 2007 Tour de France in a time of 5h 34' 28".

Michael Rasmussen of Denmark kept his overall lead by 2' 23' over Alberto Contador of Spain. The two extend their lead on Cadel Evans of Australia by 1' 37", and more on the rest of the contenders.

Today's 196 km stage is one of the major stages of the Tour, with no fewer than five major mountain passes - including the Col de Port, the Col de Portet d'Aspet (5.7 km climb at 6.9%), the Col de Menté (7.0 km climb at 8.1%), the Port de Balès (19.5 km at 6.2%), (the first time this climb has featured in the Tour), and finally the Col de Peyresourde (9.7 km climb at 7.8%) with a downhill finish in Loudenvielle.

Tomorrow is a rest day for the Tour.

“Yesterday, I admit, was a terrible day. It really affected my mind and that’s one of the reason I finished so far behind the peloton at Plateau de Beille. When I got back to the hotel last night I realized that the hope of victory in the Tour de France was over for me. The team asked me if I wanted to abandon but I told them I’d never give up. I spoke with the guys and they all said they’d support me with my new goal, a stage victory.

“Since the crash, I haven’t been able to fully recover but I’m always optimistic. Today was indeed a good day. It’s no time for regrets about the general classification I just had a bit of bad luck but that’s race.	”— Alexandre Vinokourov, Astana Team

“It was a good day for me. It turned out to be a spectacular stage and I wanted to manage a good place. Other than what happened in front, it ended well for me. I tried to attack and I hoped to be able to drop Rasmussen but he continues to prove that he’s really strong.

Each time I attacked he was able to come back to me, but I have to take inspiration from the last two days because we have taken time out of the time trial specialists and Rasmussen and I have a good lead in the general classification and there’s still another very tough mountain stage yet to come. This is my first Tour and it was meant to be a learning experience but I’ve had great support from my team. It’s an honor to ride for Discovery Channel because I always admired the way they controlled the race. My hero is Lance Armstrong because of the way he won seven Tours but also because of the way he beat cancer. I had an operation on my brain a few years ago and there was a lot of doubt about how I would be but now I’m back on the bike and that’s when I’m happiest.”

— Alberto Contador, Discovery

Channel Pro Cycling Team

“My team was fantastic today and I owe a lot to them all but especially to Michael Boogerd who was exceptional. I can’t thank my team enough. To have Menchov in the escape at the start and then come back to help was a great display of commitment from the whole Rabobank squad. The pace Boogerd set on the last two climbs made it difficult for anyone to attack me until Alberto Contador took charge. And when he went, nobody could respond and I certainly had a tough job just staying on his wheel.

My big objective today was to control the race today and stay with Contador if he attacked, which is something we’ve learned that he’s likely to do. He attacked multiple times and each time it was really, really fast. He has a fantastic acceleration which I could not follow but I was able to fight my way back each time but he had a bit of an advantage because he was so fast that he caught the motorbikes a couple of times at the top of the Col de Peyresourde which made it even more difficult for me. In the end, I managed to stay with him until the top but if I hadn’t, I would have been in trouble because Contador had the benefit of having Hincapie waiting for him at the top of the final climb. Contador has the best acceleration in the whole peloton and I was under pressure but I still stayed with him and I’m happy with that effort. We still have the hardest stage of the entire race remaining. On Wednesday we finish on top of the Col d’Aubisque so nothing is final yet.” — Michael Rasmussen, Rabobank

Today in History
1411 – Forces of Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Macdonald, fought an army commanded by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar at the Battle of Harlaw near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots was deposed by Protestant rebels and was replaced on the Scottish throne by her 1 year old son King James VI.

1847 – After 17 months of travel, Brigham Young led the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley of Utah, at the time a part of Mexico.

1911 – In the Peruvian Andes, American explorer Hiram Bingham re-discovered Machu Picchu, then thought to be the "Lost City of the Incas".

1943 – World War II: RAF Bomber Command started Operation Gomorrah, the strategic bombing of Hamburg, Germany that spanned over several days and eventually killed at least 50,000 and left over a million others homeless.

2001 – Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the last Tsar of Bulgaria when he was a child, was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bulgaria, becoming the first monarch in history to regain political power through democratic election to a different office.

July 24 is Tisha B'Av in Judaism (2007), Pioneer Day in Utah, Simón Bolívar Day in Ecuador and Venezuela.

Quote of the Day

New beginnings and new shoots

Spring again from hidden roots

Pull or stab or cut or burn,

Love must ever yet return.

~ Robert Graves ~

Word of the Day

goober; n

(Southern US) A peanut.

About Wikinews
We are a group of volunteer journalists whose mission is to create a diverse community where citizens from around the globe (including you) can collaborate to report the news on a wide variety of current events. By making our content perpetually available for free redistribution and use, we hope to contribute to a global digital commons. Got news and no computer? Call the Wikinews Hotline +1-866-653-4265 (toll-free in the U.S.) +1-202-742-5918 (outside the U.S.) +44-871-218-6397 (U.K. / Europe)
License
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. Articles published in this Print edition were created by Wikinewsies. Other content released under the GNU Free Documentation License. To view a copy of the CC-BY license, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ or send a letter to Creative Commons 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor San Francisco, California, 94105, USA To view a copy of the GFDL, visit: http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html Wikipedia Current Events http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events Today in History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Quote of the Day http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Main_Page Word of the Day http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Main_Page
About Wikinews Print Edition
For more information about Wikinews Print Edition visit: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Print

Tuesday, July 24, 2007	Wikinews	Page 5

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit www.wikinews.org

July 24, 2007	The free-content news source that you can write!	Page 5

If you would like to write, publish or edit articles, visit en.wikinews.org

Wikinews Back Page

2007-07-23T20:27:46