Wikinews Shorts: November 18, 2008

A compilation of brief news reports for Tuesday, November 18, 2008.

On Saturday, 2 US soldiers were killed when their OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter crash landed when it hit overhead cables while attempting to land in Mosul. This is one of a number of aviation crashes that have happened in Iraq in recent months.

Sources

  • “U.S. helicopter down in Iraq’s Mosul, two dead” — Reuters, November 16, 2008
  • Associated Press. “2 US soldiers killed in aircraft accident in Iraq” — International Herald Tribune, November 15, 2008

At least 66 people are dead after a bus and truck collided with one another on Saturday in the western African country of Burkina Faso. 66 people were reported dead by officials; 30 further victims were being treated in hospital on Saturday.

The bus is reported to have been bound for Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), when the collision occurred near the city of Boromo. Many of the bodies were badly burned.

Sources

  • “At least 66 killed in Burkina Faso road accident” — AFP, November 15, 2008
  • “Dozens die in Burkina Faso crash” — BBC News Online, November 15, 2008

After Friday’s counts, Democratic Party candidate Mark Begich increased his small lead over his Republican rival for the US Senate, Ted Stevens, to 1,022 votes. The final counts are scheduled for today. Around 24,000 Alaskan votes remain to be counted from the November 4 election. The State Division of Elections said that it postponed counting of some votes in order to verify questioned and absentee ballots.

Three weeks ago, incumbent Stevens was found guilty of failing to disclose gifts, and so could be the first convicted felon elected to the Senate.

Related news

  • “Three US Senate seats still undecided”. Wikinews, November 12, 2008
  • “US Senator Ted Stevens convicted on 7 counts” — Wikinews, October 27, 2008

Sources

  • “2008 Alaska general election results” — Anchorage Daily News, November 15, 2008
  • Press Release: “Final Counting Schedule Determined” — State of Alaska Division of Elections, November 13, 2008 PDF (90.86 KB)
  • “Democrat Takes Lead in Alaska Senate Race (radio show transcript)” — Democracy Now!, November 13, 2008
  • Sean Cockerham and Kyle Hopkins. “Begich takes lead in latest vote count” — Anchorage Daily News, November 13, 2008