Sunday, December 4, 2016

A gunman last night killed Tiina Wilen-Jappinen, Social Democratic town council leader, and two journalists in Imatra, Finland.

The trio had just left a restaurant in the southeastern border town’s nightlife centre when they were shot. A 23-year-old suspect was immediately, peacefully arrested. Police believe the attack was random and not political or religious.

The male suspect did not own the lawfully-registered hunting rifle used in the shooting. The shooting at around midnight killed all three female victims at the scene. The women were shot in their heads and torsos. Candles were left at the scene. Police have yet to confirm the journalists’ identities, but said one was in her 50s and the other in her 30s.

South Karelia health and social care spokesperson Saara Raudasoja said “We decided to open a crisis centre after the shooting occurred right in the middle of the town centre near restaurants and nightclubs[…] In such a small place, it’s quite a huge incident and many people were shocked.” The town is home to around 28,000 people.

Police said the attacker outside the restaurant opened fire when the victims left. He then stayed in his car awaiting police. Southeast Finland police Sgt Heli Jämsén-Turkki said the attack was so rapid the victims were most likely chosen at random. Lead investigator Saku Tielinen said the suspect had prior convictions for violence and theft.

“It seems the gunman and victims didn’t know each other,” said Tielinen. Police said four or five shots were fired. The suspect, who lives locally, tested negative for alcohol and other tests are pending.

Bloodstains were visible in the snow. A church service was planned for tonight. Officials including Prime Minister Juha Sipila have expressed respects online.

Finland enjoys one of Europe’s lowest crime rates and has one of the highest levels of gun possession. The country has strong hunting traditions. Of 5.4 million inhabitants, 650,000 have registered ownership of firearms. Two school shootings led to a recent increase in gun control nationally.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Americans pay twice as much for heart-bypass surgery as the socialized Canadian system, with no difference in outcome, according to today’s issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine in a study funded by American drug company, Pfizer Inc.. The research found that heart bypass surgery costs an average of $10,373 in Canada, compared with $20,673 in the United States. Even though the costs were double in the United States, the rate of complications and death following bypass surgery was similar.

High administrative costs and overtreatment are usually blamed for the higher cost in the profit-driven U.S. system. Americans spent $5,635 per capita on health care in 2003, while only $3,003 was spent by Canadians. Health spending accounts for almost 15 per cent of gross domestic product in the U.S. and just under 10 per cent in Canada; while at the same time, all Canadian residents are full covered. In addition, the average Canadian lives 2 years longer than the average American.

This is one of the first studies directly comparing the costs of surgery in Canada and the United States and it reinforces the view of Dr. Mark Eisenberg, head of cardiovascular epidemiology at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal; “The conventional wisdom is that health care is much more expensive in the U.S. and the conventional wisdom is right.” by finding that Canada’s socialized system is far more cost efficient than the U.S. model.

The cost of medications used to treat bypass patients were as much as 68 percent greater in the U.S. than in Canada and the cost of a surgical bed was 36 percent greater in the U.S.. In Canada, nursing accounted for 44 percent of the treatment costs, compared with 21 percent in the U.S. and patients stayed longer in hospital following surgery in Canada.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Meteorites that fell to Earth during a meteor shower in July of 2011 have been confirmed to be from Mars. The rocks, discovered in Morocco, were likely ejected off the surface of the planet during an ancient asteroid impact.

This is believed to be the fifth time in history that people have observed what turned out to be chemically confirmed martian material falling to Earth. Out of the approximately 24,000 known meteorites to have fallen to Earth, only about 34 have been verified to be martian in origin. Fifteen of these rocks are attributed to the meteorite shower last July. Some of the rocks, which are very rare on Earth, are being sold from US$11,000 to $22,500 per ounce, which is about ten times more than the cost of gold.

Meteorites confirmed to be from Mars fell to Earth in 1815, 1865, 1911 and 1962. The sooner the rocks are recovered after landing on Earth, the less they are contaminated by its natural processes. This allows scientists to examine specimens and gain insight about the geology of Mars. “Because it’s so fresh, if you find organics in this sample, you can be pretty sure those organics are Martian,” Carl Agee, director of the Institute of Meteoritics at the University of New Mexico, told Space.com.

Scientists postulate that a large object’s impact into Mars millions of years ago was the cause of the material’s ejection from the surface of the planet.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Charles Martin, 66, of Union Township, Ohio called 911 on Sunday saying, “I just killed a kid. I shot him with a goddamn .410 shotgun, twice. He’s laying in the yard.”

Police say Martin shot and killed Larry Mugrage, 15, a high school freshman, for walking onto his lawn on Sunday.

“I’ve been harassed by him and his parents for five years. Today just blew it up,” Martin told dispatchers when he called 911.

Martin has been charged with murder.

On Monday, Judge James Shriver ordered that Martin be held without bail. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Journalist, counselor, painter, and US 2012 Presidential candidate Joe Schriner of Cleveland, Ohio took some time to discuss his campaign with Wikinews in an interview.

Schriner previously ran for president in 2000, 2004, and 2008, but failed to gain much traction in the races. He announced his candidacy for the 2012 race immediately following the 2008 election. Schriner refers to himself as the “Average Joe” candidate, and advocates a pro-life and pro-environmentalist platform. He has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles, and has published public policy papers exploring solutions to American issues.

Wikinews reporter William Saturn? talks with Schriner and discusses his campaign.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Yesterday, the United States House of Representatives voted to effectively reject the Senate version of a bill, passed with bipartisan support, to extend a payroll tax cut two months past its year-end expiration date. The House voted instead to create a conference committee to settle differences between members of both bodies.

Although the tax cut extension itself has support among Republicans and Democrats, lawmakers disagree on how Congress should go about compensating for the cost of extending the cut and the policy changes it would entail.

During an appearance yesterday, President Obama condemned opposition to the Senate-passed version of the bill, accusing Republicans in the House of trying to negotiate on matters unrelated to the bill. Republicans, in response, say there is still time to negotiate the bill, insisting that lawmakers ought to concentrate on a year-long plan rather than a two-month extension. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, however, says he will not agree to negotiate the tax cut extension until the Senate-approved bill is passed by the House.

If the tax cut is not extended and instead expires on December 31, approximately 160 million Americans will be affected by the tax increase; President Obama insists the only way to prevent the tax hike beginning January 1 is for the House to pass the Senate bill. In response, House Speaker and Republican John Boehner wants Obama to “call on the Senate to return” to negotiate. The Senate, shortly after passing the bill, adjourned for the Holiday break.

Also included in the bill is a provision that would require President Obama to make a decision regarding the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, a pipeline that would transport oil from Canada to Texas.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi blamed the congressional year-end impasse on “Tea Party Republicans.” In a letter to President Obama, Speaker Boehner requested he galvanize the Senate to negotiate on the bill’s provisions, writing “The differences between the two different bills can be quickly reconciled to provide the American people the certainty of a full-year bill. There are still 11 days before the end of the year, and with so many Americans struggling, there is no reason they should be wasted. You have said many times that Congress must do its work before taking vacation”.