Mass Driver Accident Kills Over 2,000
APR - Ibadan, Nigeria
The historical first delivery of ore from the Zhou Enlai Lunar Mining Complex ended in tragedy today when a targeting error resulted in the payload slamming into the outskirts of the city of Ibadan in Nigeria. Thousands died in the initial blast that was compared to a small nuclear bomb as the payload impacted in a sparsely populated suburb, while thousands more were left disoriented, homeless, and without power or water in the wake of the explosion.
Chinese officials have halted all other deliveries from the Zhou Enlai Complex and are working with both the United Nations and officials from McMoran Global Steel to determine the cause of the error. McMoran Global Steel was responsible for the construction of the mass driver, winning the contract from Page Industries in a heated bidding war.
"Obviously we took the utmost precautions in building the Zhou Enlai driver," said spokesperson Sean Murphy. "But something has gone terribly wrong. Our only real response as this point is to offer our condolences?and aid to the people of Ibadan, and insure that such an event never occurs again."
Canal Road Tunnel Collapse
Hong Kong Standard
Explosions rocked the Wan Chai district two days ago as fighting between warring Triads resulted in the cave-in and flooding of the Canal Road Tunnel, effectively halting almost all access to and from the Wan Chai area. While the fighting occurred in the early hours of the morning and traffic was light, a number of bystanders were trapped during the fighting and subsequently presumed dead. The names of the deceased have not been released at this time.
Police have barricaded the area at the Wan Chai terminal and forbidden any access until a thorough forensic analysis can be made and the bodies removed. In a statement released earlier today the police declined to name any suspects, though Chief Joey Leung expressed that the "reprehensible nature of this crime will not go unanswered by the Hong Kong police."
"Gray Death" Cases Misdiagnosed
Hong Kong Standard
Authorities confirmed today that a number of mysterious illnesses reported at area clinics were not cases of "Gray Death" as had been previously feared, but merely a seasonal outbreak of influenza.
Dr. Chang Lam of the People's Health Administration headed the inquiry. "I can say with complete certainty that these cases exhibit absolutely none of the symptoms of the so-called 'Gray Death,' -- cases which, I might add, have so far only been reported in the less well managed cities of America and Europe. Those malcontents who have spread rumors to the contrary are merely feeding upon the unjustified fears of the hardworking men and women of Hong Kong."
Dr. Lam went on to say that anyone observed making such claims should be reported to local party leaders for counseling.
UNATCO Responds to Terrorist Attack
New World Press - New York City
A terrorist strike on Liberty Island was blunted this past week when UNATCO forces moved swiftly to neutralize the threat. The attack, the result of a poorly organized attempt to break security at UNATCO Headquarters by the National Secessionist Forces (NSF), was characterized by one unidentified source as a "futile gesture." Walton Simons, Director of FEMA, worked closely with UNATCO to coordinate both US and UNATCO forces in a joint operation to root out the remaining elements of the terrorist network in New York.
"Terrorism is very much a snake that slithers out of the tall grass," said Simons. "It is our responsibility to always remain alert to the danger it presents, and to act decisively when it appears."
Authorities are currently attempting to locate four individuals named Travis, Sin, Shade and CryoZ, the main terrorist leaders who escaped in the aftermath of the attack.
