Wikinews Shorts: December 1, 2008

A compilation of brief news reports for Monday, December 1, 2008.

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150 beached whales die

 
File photo: Beached whales in New Zealand in 2006.

Approximately 150 whales have died after being beached in a remote coastal area of Australia's Tasmania island state. They were discovered on Saturday. Many of the whales had been badly cut by jagged rocks lying on the shore.

Rescuers managed to save a pod of thirty whales that were trapped in shallow reefs by shepherding them out to the open sea by boat.

Last week another 60 whales were also stranded on another part of the island.

Sources


Gunmen kill 8 at Mexican restaurant

 
File photo: Downtown Juárez

A group of at least twelve gunmen have murdered eight people at a seafood restaurant in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, a city along the border with the United States.

According to Chihuahua state prosecutor's office spokesman Alejandro Pariente, the gunmen arrived at the restaurant in three separate cars, approached a group of people, and started shooting. Pariente added that no arrests were made.

Juárez has seen escalating levels of violence this year, mostly connected to the illegal drug industry.

Sources


PD-L takes lead in Romanian elections

 
Flag of Romania

The Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L) claimed victory in the first nationwide Romanian national elections since the country joined the European Union. With 71% counted, the PD-L has 33% of the vote.

Preliminary results suggest that the Social Democratic Party obtained approximately 32% of the vote, while the National Liberal Party received 18%. Voter turnout in the election was about 39%.

The results are not yet official.

Sources