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Wikinews has learned that access to the Chinese Wikinews website has been blocked in China. Wikinews can also confirm that the English version of the website is still available in China. Users using the social networking site called Twitter have reported that the site was "blockade[ed] today by the mainland" of China. Others, writing on the Wikimedia Foundation's mailing list also state that the Chinese version of Wikinews is blocked in major Chinese cities such as Beijing. The reason for the blockade is not yet known. Wikinews contacted the

The United States Geological Survey said a 6.1 Mw earthquake struck on Thursday, at 01:21:34 p.m. local time (6:21:34 p.m. UTC) in northern Costa Rica, a Central American country, 30 kilometres (19 mi) NNW of San José and near the volcano Poás. The epicenter was at 20 miles (32 kilometers) north-northwest of San Jose at a depth of 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers), with Coordinate 10° 11′ 49.2″ N, 84° 9′ 32.4″ W, and Decimal 10.197,-84.159. Causing widespread panic and damage, it was felt all over Costa Rica as well as in southern central Nicaragua,

Sheila Dixon, the mayor of Baltimore, was indicted yesterday on 12 different counts of fraud, theft, and perjury. This came after a three-year investigation by the state of Maryland that covered the time that she was president of Baltimore's city council to the time when she became Baltimore's first woman mayor in 2007. Dixon has been accused of stealing over $2,000 worth of gift cards donated to the city by organizations for needy families. She then failed to disclose the purchases that she made with these gift cards, including a Playstatio

Somali pirates have released the MV Sirius Star, the biggest ship ever hijacked, after a ransom payment was made. Five pirates drowned while leaving the 330 metre oil tanker. The vessel was hijacked 500 miles from the Kenyan coast on November 15 with two million barrels of crude oil, worth $100 million. It was then anchored off the coast of Somalia at Haradhere, a coastal town used by pirates. It was released yesterday after a ransom of $3 million was paid by owner Saudi Aramco, significantly less than the $25 million originally demanded. Aft

Global chemical manufacturer LyondellBasell — the third-largest private chemical company in the world — has collapsed. The firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, as well as the Dutch equivalent. They had failed to meet a January 4 deadline on postponed debt payments, and talks with creditors failed. Headquartered in The Netherlands, LyondellBasell is owned by private equity tycoon Len Blavatnik, who had already refused the company a loan to help deal with debt resulting from a $12.7 billion merger between Basel

The United Nations (UN) suspended all of its operations in Gaza from yesterday, after the bombing of a convoy of UN aid trucks which killed one Palestinian driver, and wounded three others. Thursday was the second day of attacks on UN targets after three UN schools housing refugees were bombed on Tuesday, killing over 50 civilians. "UNRWA decided to suspend all its operations in the Gaza Strip because of the increasing hostile actions against its premises and personnel," Adnan Abu Hasna, a Gaza-based spokesman for the United Nations Relief an

Marvel Comics announced Thursday that an upcoming issue of a Spider-Man comic will feature United States President-elect Barack Obama meeting the web-slinging superhero. A six-page tongue-in-cheek story, to appear in The Amazing Spider-Man issue 583, "Spidey Meets the President!" is created by Zeb Wells, Todd Nauck and Frank D'Armata. The issue features Peter Parker visiting Washington, D.C., on photo assignment to cover the Presidential and Vice Presidential inauguration ceremony. The Chameleon is also in town, hoping to sabotage the ceremony

The Florida Gators defeated the Oklahoma Sooners by a score of 24 to 14 last night's FedEx BCS National Championship Game to win the Division I title of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's American college football league. Florida, ranked Number 1 in the nation, were led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. "I promised the guys that I would go out and play with all my heart. I was so motivated tonight," said Tebow. They were matched up against a Number 2 ranked Oklahoma team with a powerful offense, including this year's

An Israeli rocket has struck the Press TV building in the Gaza Strip. According to the news agency, other television news stations called Al-Alam and Al Arabiya are also based inside the building. At least two people have been injured. The attack occurred at about 15:40 GMT. There was no warning prior to the attack and only journalists were inside the building when the rocket hit. Press TV states that some of their broadcasting equipment on the building's roof was damaged in the blast. According to live video being broadcast by Press TV, journ

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has urged the United Nations Security Council to call for Israel to immediately cease aggression in the Gaza Strip. He also called for the lifting of the "suffocating siege" of Gaza. Israel began ground operations in Gaza on Saturday. "I call on the council to take the first necessary step to save my people in Gaza: a resolution calling for an immediate full cessation of Israeli aggression," he told the 15-member council. According to medics, the Israeli invasion has cost the lives of 660 Palestinians, 220 o

Electronic Gaming Monthly is now dead. EGM was one issue away from its 20th anniversary in February 2009. An internal email leaked to industry website Gamasutra on Tuesday revealed that EGM was to be closed following the acquisition of the online element of the 1UP network by competitor Hearst Corporation's UGO Entertainment and that the January 2009 issue (with Wolverine on the cover) would be the final printed issue of the iconic magazine. Ziff Davis's sale, brokered by GCA Savvian Advisors also includes Mycheats.com, Gametab.com, and GameVid

At least four Katyusha rockets were fired into northern Israel from Lebanon, injuring at least five people. The rockets landed just six miles from the Israel-Lebanon border in the Israeli city of Nahariya. Following the attack, the Israeli military fired at least five mortars into Lebanon in an attempt to take out the launch site. No one was injured. So far no group or individuals have claimed responsibility for firing the rockets. Some news reports speculate that the rockets may have been fired by Hezbollah, but PressTV reports that Hezbollah