10: Environmental Investigation Teams and biohazard Control Squads are still looking into the possibility of a link between the destruction by fire of the town of Tall Rock and the unexplained death of the entire population of the nearby town of DeWitt. No statements have yet been released and press and T.V crews have been forbidden to enter the area. Unconfirmed rumours from sources within the Pentagon suggest that the secrecy shrouded trouble shooting Department D13 may have been activated to deal with the situation, but as always the Reagan Administration have denied all knowledge of the groups existence.
24: Glasgow police today announced that they have found new evidence in the Gough Murder Case, linking the triple murder at Professor Gough's Glasgow flat to the death of horse breeder and suspected drug baron Davirr Cullough, whose Fort Augustus home was destroyed in mysterious circumstances on the night of October 14th. When asked why the hunt for the armed gang seen leaving Professor Gough's flat was being called off, Donald McCrimmon, Glasgow's controversial new chief superintendent had this to say: "We now have firm reason to believe that Professor Gough and his associates innocently stumbled across Cullough's drug smuggling activities while conducting investigations in the area on the legend of the Loch Ness Monster. Cullough probably realised that the Professor could pose a serious threat to his livelihood and decided to have him 'removed'. I have personally uncovered evidence to suggest that the armed men seen leaving the flat at the time the bodies were discovered were not in fact the murderers, but were friends of the Professor, come to aid him when he realised just what kind of danger he was in. We also have reason to believe that these men had more than a little to do with Mr Cullough's death and the destruction of his house, and while I as a Police Officer cannot condone their actions, I cannot help but admire their efficiency. Davirr Cullough was a clever man and a ruthless one. We suspect that almost a quarter of the unsolved drug related murders in this country are down to him, and I personally shall not mourn him. As for his killers, well, if we find them we'll arrest them... but I'm not going to look too hard"
21: No explanation has yet been found for the mysterious communications blackout that struck the West Midlands city of Coventry on the night of Saturday, November 13th, continuing through to the dawn of Monday 15th. All television, radio and telephone communication was cut off for a period of approximately thirty six hours, and a ring of fog is said to have surrounded the outskirts of the city for the duration of the blackout. Though the emergency services called in to deal with the situation as it occurred are being unusually close-mouthed, it has been discovered that various attempts were made to penetrate the fog bank, but these proved uniformly unsuccessful, as police and army units sent in simply emerged at the other side a short time later, reporting no break in the fog and that the city had apparently ``disappeared''. As yet Downing Street has yet to release a statement concerning this apparent brief vanishing of an entire city, but unofficial sources within Whitehall have stated that the Prime Minister and a party of M.O.D officials are slated to tour the affected area within the next week. Coventry police are still investigating several deaths that occurred during the blackout, including the murder and mutilation of retired local priest Father Colin Greaves, the apparent suicide of Father Brian Fergusson, the bizarre on-stage death of Dr Andrew Jones; otherwise known as Mento the Magnificent and the horrifying suicide pact death of five Polytechnic students at their lodgings in Stoke Green. Also under investigation is the vandalism of several shop frontages in the Main Shopping Precinct and the possibly ritualistic Disinterment of several bodies buried undetected beneath the lawn of the Lanchester Polytechnic administration block in Priory Street. The West Midlands Meteorological Bureau have still failed to find any satisfactory explanation for the so-called "scarlet rain" that fell on the city over a period of twenty minutes on the night of Saturday 13th. An estimated nine hundred thousand gallons of what was later proved to be 'O' type blood fell over the city, though from what source no-one can tell. Sources at the Central Police Forensic Labs have confirmed hat the blood is human and, as far as it is possible to tell, from the same person, all of which is patently impossible. Showers of this kind are not unknown in the world, but this is the first time that the resultant matter has been able to have been scrutinised with all the microscopic precision of today's science.
14: A new Supernova has been discovered 70 million light years away from earth, so large that it can be seen with the naked eye. The supernova was caused by the sudden explosion of star NGC7606.
19: The music biz was shaken today as mega-band "The Lords of the New Dead" split up in a blaze of acrimony. Lead singer Andrew Blood announced the formation of his own group "Bloodlords", apparently the cause of the split. A later press release stated that the Bloodlords would be touring Britain in April.
1: Blaine Evans, famous psychic and T.V personality died today from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head. The note he left behind simply said "It's on it's way. I can't face it."
11: The new WorldNet Communications Network goes on-line today, linking every telephone and radio link network on the planet together for the first time.
13: Doonrae reactor B "runs away" , going critical for a period of twenty minutes. A technician, working near the central core was killed, vapourised by the heat.
16: Police are still looking into the mysterious disappearance of world famous computer expert Carter Mayall from his home in Wiltshire early this morning.
20: Today was the coldest recorded day in Britain for the last hundred and fifty years. Meteorologists are still baffled by the freak weather conditions prevailing over most of the Northern Hemisphere.
22: An investigation has been ordered into the accidental death of Robert Smith, a technician working for British Telecom. Smith was electrocuted in mysterious circumstances while performing routine maintenance on the Durham automated telephone exchange.
23: Three guards were killed and two injured in the course of a daring robbery on the Gems Section of the British Museum, in which the fabulous "Kali Stone" (the third largest diamond in the world) was stolen. The ingenious thieves managed to bypass the sophisticated security system in a fashion as yet unknown to the police and remove the Stone from its case without damaging the glass or the locks. The deaths occurred when the thieves were surprised by an irregular security patrol. No description has been issued of the thieves as yet, though a Police spokesman said today that "arrests were expected in the near future".
24: America's worst recorded winter continues with the death toll rising into the hundreds. The most bizarre of these deaths was the discovery an unidentified man in the cab of a pickup in the Arizona Desert this morning. The pickup was buried beneath a 12foot snow drift, the man having frozen to death a number of hours earlier.
26: Tidal waves continue to lash the east coast of Scotland and Northern England, and the cost in lives and property rises rapidly. Over 40 people have been lost, presumed dead, in the freak weather conditions, and it is feared that the death toll may rise even further.
26: Widespread panic struck Western Australia today when NASA scientists announced that the newly launched communications satellite TELCOMSTAR 4 had failed to reach it's assigned orbit and was falling to Earth in that region. The emergency services, though quick to take action, failed to successfully evacuate the remote town of Samsonville, which it had been predicted was to be the impact zone. The resulting explosion devastated the town leaving a total of 23 people dead, and 14 seriously injured. Scientist's at NASA have found no reason for the failure of the satellite and an inquiry has been launched by both the American and Australian Governments.
8: The Daily Record Newspaper was brought to a standstill today by the shock news of the death of Jonathan Wyatt, one of Fleet Street's most colourful characters. Wyatt, otherwise known as "Gypsy John" was the papers longest running daily Astrologers and was counted as being one of the people responsible for starting the current vogue in Astrology. Police sources state that Wyatt had died by his own hand, after brutally murdering his two year old daughter Amanda and his wife Paula.
29: The Russian press had a field day today after they announced that the U.S controlled WorldNet Communications link was being used to spy on Russian Military Communications. This accusation was strenuously denied by the White House.
30: The World Health Organization made an appeal for immediate help for the crisis in Ethiopia. The unexpected mass locust swarms in the area have meant that the crops growing in the already blighted area have been destroyed, presenting many thousands of people with the prospect of assured, rather than possible, starvation.
31: An "Unnamed Source" within the Pentagon reveals that for a period of 5 hours yesterday, the massive STRIKE computerised missile control computer "ran away", due to the interference of an external "hacker". The Computer system began to register the presence of several hundred enemy missiles where there were none, and it took the combined efforts of the Pentagon Computer staff to regain control. The source states that security staff are mystified at how the "hacker" managed to gain access to the machine.
2: 452 people were killed in Los Angeles in the worst air disaster for 5 years, as a Boeing 747 loaded with passengers collided in mid air with a half full DC10. Air traffic controllers put the crash down to computer failure, but an ATC who wishes to remain anonymous had this to say: "I don't know about computer failure. I was at my terminal watching the Jumbo when something popped up on my screen. Five words, and then - ping! The system goes down. The words said "Thou hast served me well"... thats it".
3: Reports are still unconfirmed concerning what may be one of the most explosive maritime disasters ever. The United States nuclear submarine Kraken was reported overdue 4 days ago, and search helicopters have reported a substantial rise in background radiation in the area where the sub last reported from. The U.S Admiralty have refused to comment at this point.
4: Mayor Koch of New York City called for a "shoot-on-sight" policy to deal with the increasing wild dog problem within the city suburbs. This call comes after the horror of the last three days, when two people died and one was severely injured in attacks by packs of wild dogs.
6: The Art world held a day of mourning after the announcement of the tragic suicide of world famous artist Louis Basseliere. Basseliere apparently hung himself after completing his latest canvas. His wife has agreed to sell the painting, the profits to go to charity. The picture, executed in the style of Heironimous Bosch is titled "Bend Sinister, Kale' Yaga".
8: The Australian Government are refusing to give any comment about the apparent state of emergency in the small town of Samsonville, Western Australia. The Australian Army has thrown a high security cordon around the town and the surrounding land, and all news coverage has been banned. Speculation about the situation is rife, and the possibility of a link between the present emergency and the crash landing of the failed Telcomstar Satellite last month has not been ruled out.
10: Mt Polamar observatory today released the news that a large planetoid has been detected moving into the solar system from interstellar space. The planetoid, measuring approximately 500 miles in diameter will intercept the Earths orbit in late May, though scientists say that there is no risk of collision.
16: Pope John Paul II was today admitted to hospital after he was seen to be bleeding during a speech on contraception. No source for the injuries could be seen, but the wounds - head, wrists, feet and left side - were seen to be bleeding copiously. The Pope's condition is said to be "stable".
24: The American Government have denied accusations of secret weapons tests today, after it was revealed that an entire mountain in Arizona had mysteriously vanished after a massive explosion last night. Emergency teams summoned to the area detected no radiation higher than the background level, ruling out the possibility of a Nuclear Weapon, but an inquiry has been launched into the incident. It has been confirmed that agents of the government department D13 will be amongst those conducting the inquiry.
27: The Government refuse to comment on the disappearance of a tanker lorry containing over 24,915 gallons of the highly toxic substance Dioxin during the heavy fog that brought the M5 to a standstill this morning.
2: Police have no clues as yet to the whereabouts of the world famous rock guitarist Jackson Jammer, who was abducted from his suite at the Albany Hotel Birmingham earlier today by persons unknown. As yet no ransom demand has been received.
3: New York police pathologist Jefferson Smith was attacked and killed by what eyewitnesses described as "Damn big dogs" in the main Forensics Lab of the Metropolitan New York Police pathology department.
4: The Westphalian town of Gronau, West Germany experienced it's third meteor shower in a month last night. The showers, each lasting exactly 25 minutes, have occured every ten days for the last month. Research teams from nearby Munster University have been assigned to investigate the impact site, which has been the same for each shower.
8: The French Oceanographic Research Vessel Katrina today confirmed reports from fishermen off the Japanese coast of mysterious lights beneath the sea, but poured scorn on the rumours that the lights are the lanterns of local sea gods.
11: A Social Services report out today shows an alarming upturn in the number of unexplained suicides over the last two months. The actual number of suicides went up by well over 43%.
13: Marengo, a small town in San Salvador, became the centre of a bizarre mystery today, when the entire population was stricken by an epidemic of the phenomenon known as 'Speaking in tongues'. The event lasted for over an hour, and tapes of the 'tongues' spoken made by an American missionary in the area have been sent to the Parapsychology Department of Berkeley University, California, for study.
30: The village of Auchburn, Scotland, was tragically destroyed by fire today. The cause of the fire and the subsequent explosions has not yet been determined, and as yet no survivors have been found. An investigation is being instigated by the Army, and the death toll is estimated to be almost 100.
9: The city of Manchester has been sealed off and put under Martial Law after the devastating explosion that rocked the city last night. The vast explosion is reported to have destroyed a circular area of the cities extensive warehouse district leaving a crater almost a mile wide and half a mile deep. Casualties are reported to be in the hundreds, though no more information is being released at this time. The explosion is thought to be non-nuclear and similar to the one that destroyed the Silvertown ammunition Factories in London in 1944.
15: Chicago was today struck by the biggest electrical storm in the city's history.
22: The Saxonbury Blade, a priceless antique sword from the 12th Century, was today stolen from it's display case at the British Museum. Police still have no clues as to how the thieves managed to bypass the security system and gain entry to the museum.
26: A NHS report released today stated that the number of abortions performed due to embryonic abnormality in the last quarter went up by almost 64\%.
30: Megavoid Promotions announce the dates of the long awaited Bloodlords concert tour. The tour starts in Britain at the N.E.C in Birmingham on Monday May 23rd, where they play for three days, then moves to Wembley on Saturday May 28th. The tour then moves on to Paris and through Europe.
1: Paris police are mystified at over the theft last night of an obscure antique book from the library at the Louvre art gallery and museum. The book ,a copy of a legendary mystical text known only as 'The Darkhold' was kept in the museum under the tightest security available , and it is still a puzzle as to how the thieves made their entrance and exit undetected.
2: Four tramps found half eaten in New York subway tunnel. Subway workers have since refused to enter the tunnels again, stating that 'there' things down there no sane man could even dream about'.
5: There was an explosion today at the U.S Armies main munitions factory in Nevada, causing a fire which totally destroyed the base and claimed the lives of forty three soldiers and technicians. The base was a major Research and Development Centre as well as producing the MX missile and solid fuel for the Space Shuttle. Foul play is not suspected.
10: Sudden localised earthquakes caused havoc today in the Vatican City, causing the deaths of an estimated 2,000 people. Damage to buildings may run into millions, but all this may be eclipsed by the damage to the many priceless texts contained within the Vatican Library which was leveled during the quakes.
12: Russian authorities today announced the destruction of their missile factory at Pavlograd, responsible for the production of their train based SS-20 missile system. Military specialists predict that this event will prove to be a major setback to the Soviet Arms Program. An enquiry has been set up, but many Soviet sources already say that no evidence of sabotage has been found.
17: The horribly torn remains of a man, named as one Harry Mansfield, were found in his room in Manchester by friends this morning. Police sources refused to comment on the bizarre nature of Mansfield's death. He leaves no family.
18: A freak earth tremor struck the Oxford area today, causing minimal damage, though siesmologists at the University are baffled as to the disturbances cause. One of them stated that "We've been picking up traces of minute quakes throughout Britain for the last month or so, but they are behaving in such an odd manner that they are almost impossible to predict. The worrying thing is that they appear to be getting stronger."
19: The lives of an Oxford farmer and his family were tragically lost today when their farmhouse was burned to the ground in the early hours of this morning. Reports by witnesses of a distorted shape seen flying away from the scene have not yet been confirmed, and police say that there is no evidence as yet to link this incident with the increasing number of sheep killings and disappearances in the area.
20: No progress has been made in discovering the identity of the man found naked and unconscious at the docks in Edinburgh last night. The man himself has not yet awoken from his coma, and police are appealing for friends of the man to come forward.
28: The rock music industry was shocked and saddened by the tragic deaths of the chart topping new band ,The Bloodlords, in a plane crash this morning as they were flying from their studio in Berlin to prepare for their Wembley concert tonight. The plane apparently encountered an unexpected patch of bad weather and lost control over the North Sea. A search has been launched, but hopes are slim. No bodies have yet been found.
29: The hunt goes on for Kane Roberts today, with the shock news of the savage rape and murder of an unarmed, plain clothes woman police officer. The officer, Louise Halpern, was apparently ambushed by Roberts - also known as Kane Stevens - whilst trailing him and waiting for back-up. Halpern - twice decorated for bravery - leaves a husband and two children.
30: As the hunt for Kane Roberts goes on news arrives of another brutal murder by the fugitive. PC Timothy Sparks (aged 25) was thrown from a moving train by the murderer and horrifically impaled upon a wooden fence. Sparks is reported to have died several hours later, in great pain.
31: Kassim O'Leary, a convicted pimp and dealer in drugs, was found murdered in his New York apartment, apparently the latest victim in the bizarre series of killings known as "The Dogwalker Murders". O'Leary was killed in the same unusual fashion as the other victims - torn apart by what police specialists suspect may be a pack of trained attack dogs.
2: A dramatic chase involving helicopters and a stolen police van took place in the hills of Wales today, following reports that wanted terrorist, rapist and multiple murderer Kane Roberts had been sighted in the area. Roberts, wanted in connection with an extensive list of terrorist crimes, allegedly hijacked the surveillance van that was tailing him and successfully used it to avoid capture. It has also been reported that the wanted man has now taken a hostage, named as military intelligence Captain Vincent Shaw, though their current location and the Captains condition are not known.
5: No progress has been made in the continuing hunt for wanted IRA bomber Kane Roberts, and his hostage Captain Vincent Shaw, who vanished after the dramatic chase of last Thursday. Rumours that a Commons select committee will be looking into alleged mistakes made during the hunt are being firmly denied.
6: Prison Authorities are at a loss to explain the bizarre riot that occurred at Her Majesty's Prison Dartmoor today, when prison inmates and guards alike attacked and allegedly killed a number of private security personnel employed by British based Omega Electronics PLC. As yet, no bodies have yet been found, and stranger still, both guards and inmates have referred to the security men as being "inhuman" and "monstrous" in both deed and appearance.
12: Japanese scientists have voiced considerable concern over the possibility of undersea nuclear testing in the Japan sea, though this has been dismissed as an "understandable" case of "Atomic Hysteria" by the United Nations. The concern arose after the spate of bad seas, sudden storms and minor earthquakes that have struck the island country since the disastrous Tokyo Earthquake of May 24th.
30: 49 New Yorkers were hospitalized today when the Greyhound bus they were riding was attacked by what appeared to be a pack of wild dogs. The condition of the wounded was described as "stable" by a hospital spokesman. There were no fatalities, and police have refused to rule out a possible link between the attack and the so-called "Dogwalker" killings of recent months.
29: New Yorkers applauded the dramatic entry of a hero into their city today when a stricken 747 from London pancaked into the harbour waters after being crippled in a sudden storm. Eye witnesses state that the plane began to sink rapidly, but all of the passengers and crew managed to make it out of the plane, including Texan Oil millionaire Winston Collins, who was saved by the prompt action of hero Paul Horowitz, an electrical engineer from England. Collins - who is wheelchair bound - was trapped in the plane which was now fully underwater. Tug pilot Ozzie Craig had this to say; " I ain't seen as brave a thing in my life. That British guy just turned'n'dove straight back into the water when he figgered there was someone back there. Didn't hesitate fer a second. He deserves a medal." Horowitz then swam into the submerged plane and freed Collins, bringing him to the surface just in time to receive medical attention. He then left the scene, refusing to talk to the thronging pressmen.
31: New York City Police are still refusing to answer questions on the bizarre events of last night, during which the 49 survivors of the Greyhound "Dogwalker" attack of June 30th were reported dead, a wooded area in the Lowsden area of New Jersey burnt to the ground, a couple were seen being chased on a speeding motor bike through the dense traffic of Times Square by a pair of what eye-witnesses described as "Bloody big dogs", and the Commissioner of Police and his wife were reported missing.
1: Multi-billionaire Winston Collins, President and founder of Petrochemical giant Collinco, passed away peacefully in his sleep early this morning. Collins, thought to be one of the three wealthiest men in America, leaves a vast estate, the size of which has yet to be revealed, to an as yet un-named beneficiary.
13: Over 1,000 people were killed and 400 were injured when unidentified terrorists attacked the open air Evangelical Church Meeting held by Dr Benjamin Reed at the Hollywood Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles. Police have yet to discover the reason behind the attack, in which flame throwers and incendiary bombs were used against the crowd of revivalist Christians. The names of the casualties have not yet been released, but a spokesman for the Oral Roberts College of Christian Thought has stated that Dr Reed had been counted amongst the dead.
19: 455 people miraculously escaped death today when the Jumbo jet in which they were attempting to land at Denver was struck by lightning. The ensuing explosion destroyed the port wing, causing the plane to tumble from the sky towards the packed airport over which it had been circling. Apparently at this point Traffic Control picked up a small radar distortion moving at high speed towards the falling plane. The plane and the distortion appeared to meet, and the plane's descent began to slow, until it landed perfectly on the runway that had been cleared for it. Eye-witness reports state that a "glowing, man-sized shape" appeared to be "holding up the plane". After the plane was safely on the ground, the glowing shape, which apparently corresponded to the radar disturbance, flew away into the clouds and was lost on radar. Further enquiries are being discouraged by Air force Officials, who are looking into the matter.
21: No hope was extended for the 314 people trapped in a burning tenement building on the outskirts of Brasilia today, when the frantic prayers of the Emergency Services were apparently answered. Rescue workers report feeling a sudden wind blow past them at great speed towards the building, where it began to snuff out the roaring flames that were consuming it. Eye-witness reports that those trapped by the fire began to appear one by one at the base of the building have been dismissed by the Brazilian Government as "sheer folly", though the mystery of how they escaped the flames still remains. One survivor states adamantly that a "shining wind" scooped her out of her blazing 10th floor room and carried her to safety, whilst a soothing mental voice assured her that all would be well. Since many of the rescued seem to attribute their survival to divine intervention, the Vatican City has released a statement saying that a special investigation of the circumstances surrounding the so-called "Brasilia Miracle" will be dispatched within the week.
26: Heavy storms have paralysed most of Illinois for the last few days, immobilising airports and cutting off small communities. Now that the storms, which took the weather men by suprise, are dissipating the emergency services have stated that there were few casualties.
28: All trains from Euston station were stopped this evening for a period of two hours, due to the discovery of a man's body in a compartment on the Non-Stop Express from York. The man's name has not yet been released to the press, but sources on the station's staff have stated that a large number of uniformed Army officers were involved in the investigation, indicating a possible link between the murdered man and the Intelligence Services.
30: Four people were injured (one severely) and a building destroyed today, when a gas main in the grounds of the Roswell Study Institute in Oxford exploded. Gas board officials are mounting an investigation into the reasons for the explosion, and the Institute has stated that it will be taking no legal action. The most seriously injured of the four to be hurt has been named as Professor Leonard Griffin, noted author and authority on ancient religions. His condition is described as "Stable".
31: The quiet Lancashire town of Greater Mallingsport was rocked this morning by a mysterious explosion that leveled an area of woodland just outside the town. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence has blamed the explosion on "decaying chemicals buried on M.O.D grounds within the woods before the war." It has also been revealed that a major enterprise grant has been allocated to Greater Mallingsport to help give the town a much needed boost. During Prime Ministers Question Time in the House of Commons today, Mrs Thatcher called those who criticised the re-allocation of the Urban Development Grant as a publicity stunt "heartless cynics" who would "rather see those whose lives were disrupted by the careless actions of a former Labour government suffer than act in a caring, charitable and human fashion." When asked by Labour MP Tam Dalyell exactly why so many places seemed to be exploding unexpectedly these days, the PM was less forthcoming.
7: Australian Security Forces have refused to explain the high security alert that occurred at the Samsonville Secure Zone this morning. All traffic into and out of the Zone was stopped, armed helicopters were put on standby, and at least two divisions of troops were moved into the area, though all these men were moved out again later in the day. Unconfirmed reports state that a number of casualties occurred , but the circumstances surrounding these are still cloudy, and are likely to remain so.
14: New York suffered its first total power blackout for over twenty years today, as power lines across the east coast shut down due to an as yet untraced overload at 9:47 pm. Though looting and other criminal activities were contained due to the quick action of both the City Engineers and the N.Y.P.D. approximately fifty people died in accidents prompted by the power cut.
21: The brutally slashed and mutilated corpse of a young woman was today discovered in an alleyway outside the "Jumping Bean" night club in Harlem. The woman - later identified as Chevaughn M'Boko, a known prostitute - had apparently been virtually disembowelled, though forensic experts have since stated that they believe the killer was interrupted.
23: Louise Sharp, an alleged prostitute was found brutally murdered today in her Southside apartment, apparently another victim of the vicious "New York Slasher". The woman was said to have been ritually disembowelled, though Captain Jean Sawyer of the N.Y.P.D's Special Crimes Unit refused to comment on the significance of this.
25: The body of another Slasher victim, Clara Eddowes, was found near Grand Central Station late today. Eddowes - aged 19 - is believed to have been running away to New York when she encountered the killer.
28: N.Y.P.D. were triumphant today after announcing that the notorious serial killer known as the "New York Slasher" had been killed in a desperate apartment building showdown involving police Captain Jean Sawyer and a group of unnamed associates. The Slasher is reported to have blown himself up along with the building rather than be taken into custody. Captain Sawyer - three times decorated for bravery - barely escaped with her life but characteristically passed it off as nothing. When asked how she had tracked down the killer, she told our reporter "I had help".
2: IS THE NEW YORK SLASHER STILL ALIVE? In the three days since the announcement of his death concern over the disappearance of three apparently respectable and stable individuals has prompted the question "Does this herald the return of the killer we all thought was dead?" At present police are refusing to comment but friends of Captain Jean Sawyer have quoted her as saying "If that bastard's still alive then I'm Rumplestiltskin. The Apple is full of creeps and another one has just crawled out of the sewer". When asked whether the disappearances might be connected with the sudden drop in the number of drug peddlers on the streets police spokesmen refused to comment.
4: No progress has yet been made in solving the mystery of the incident that occurred earlier today at St. Armagast Hospital, Dockside when an armed gang led by what appeared to be a man in a monster suit broke in and proceeded to fire randomly about, killing several staff and patients. When asked if they were disturbed at the apparently unprovoked attack a spokesman for the Special Crimes Unit said "You've seen the weird stuff that's been going down in this city, and you can still ask that with a straight face?".
17: Emergency Services were still picking through the ruins of the Winthorpe Institute of Dream Research in Clauson, Colorado today after the spectacular explosion - possibly caused by a failure of the delicate equipment used there - that levelled the place late last night. The Institute's director, Lawrence Winthorpe - one of the only two to survive the destruction - said "I can only guess that the storm last night must have blown our generator. I don't know, I'm just glad to be alive."
26: Southern England today suffered the worst storms since last year as winds in excess of gale force 12 were recorded.
27: Tech Tower, corporate headquarters of world leader Empire Technologies, was severely damaged earlier this evening as it was struck repeatedly by lightening from a freak storm. The storm, possibly caused by pressure inversions as a result of last night's high winds, dissipated after fifteen minutes, leaving the fire service to deal with the damage to the tower. A spokesman for David Dorian, owner and president of Empire Tech, emphatically denied rumours that this would herald a move for the corporation, even though it is reported that Dorian himself was injured in this evening's incident. "No way", he said, "we've invested far too much to back out now. You can bet your life that Empire Tech is here to stay."
8: The Kremlin today refused to comment on the American allegation that one of the USA's spy satellites, used to enforce the new Arms Limitation Treaty, had been shot down on purpose as it passed over a remote area of Siberia previously declared to be free of all relevant military bases.
9: Metropolitan Police are today looking into widespread reports of a ghost, whose tastes apparently run towards hamburgers! The ghost, described as a man in tattered clothing and wreathed in blue flames, was seen by over fifty lunchtime customers of the Oxford Street Wimpy, and has not yet made another appearance. Though management has yet to release a statement one of the witnesses is quoted as saying "It was probably the relish that got him". Later: Police are attempting to trace an enterprising gang of very ambitious thieves, who appear to have stolen an entire house. The house, owned by banker Laurence Montpellier, was first reported as missing at 7.05 pm this evening. A police spokesman said "Beats me!".
13: Siberia suffered a major earthquake today, measured in Leningrad at 7.4 on the Richter Scale. Such a powerful quake in an area known for its geological stability has been used by Seismologists as warning of a bigger quake to come, possibly further south.
21: Calais Port Authorities are refusing to comment on the so-called "Miracle rescue" that occurred during the small hours of this morning, when the Sealink Passenger Ferry "Princess Beatrix" began to ship water in the midst of a force 10 gale. Coast Guard radio operators picked up the ferry's distress call at 3AM GMT, but little hope was extended for the 500 passengers and 30 crew as all rescue helicopters within range were grounded by the high winds , and the seas were too rough for the Calais lifeboats. What happened next is uncertain, but both passengers and crew of the "Princess Beatrix" all agree that a sudden impact at the rear of the ship seemed to throw it forwards through the water. Within minutes, the stricken ferry was seen speeding out of the gale into Calais harbour, where a similar impact brought it to a halt. There were no casualties. No statement has yet been released by either Sealink or the French Coast Guard, but several eyewitnesses claim to have seen a shining man-like figure hovering above the harbour for a few moments before flying off to the west, leading some to postulate a link between this rescue and similar "miracles" in Brazil and Los Angeles.
28: "CARTOONIST EXPLODES OUTSIDE RAUNCHY ROCK STAR'S LONDON LOVE NEST!!"
29: "MOODY POP BRAT BELTS BREEZY BRITISH MILKO!!"
30: New York Police were today investigating the explosion that devastated an uptown apartment building yesterday evening. A spokesman for the Special Crimes Unit said "I'm going on holiday".
4: Sudden storms over Belfast yesterday crippled the city, bringing it to a standstill and even interfering with the National Grid. Amongst those trapped by the storm was an unnamed pilot who managed to land his plane safely despite severe engine damage and a sudden reduction in the number of wings.
6: Parisian emergency services are still engaged in counting the dead after yesterday's supposedly peaceful student demonstration turned into a nightmare as students turned on each other outside the Administration Building of the Sorbonne University. The University Chancellor said "I have never seen anything like it. They simply started to fight amongst themselves using anything that came to hand, they were like animals". As yet no reason has been found for the violence, as the surviving students all claim to have no memory of the incident. More disturbing perhaps are reports that local police, drafted to keep order at the protest, were seen joining in with the violence.
13: Seismologists registered shock and bewilderment at their failure to predict the eruption - and subsequent destruction - of Mount Cholka, a volcano on the South American isle of Conta Mana. The volcano, previously thought extinct, blew itself up in the early hours of this morning, in an explosion that could be seen for a distance of almost fifty miles.
Corresponding with the time of the explosion was the sudden rash of migraine headaches which seems to have affected most of the population of Conta Mana and the surrounding islands, which scientists believe was possibly caused by the explosion's pressure wave.
On a lighter note, Brazil and Argentina suffered another kind of headache last night; a rash of flying saucer sightings. Over fifty thousand people claimed to have seen four small silvery craft and one huge black "Mother ship" flying towards the north in a regular formation. Sources in the military of both countries state that nothing was sighted on radar, and the respective air forces have both dismissed the sightings as "rubbish".
17: The Malaysian Coast Guard have today reported the recovery of the missing tramp steamer, S.S. Ogan, found drifting in the Straits of Malacca. Of the crew and passenger there was no sign though there was evidence of some form of struggle on board ship. A Coast Guard spokesman stated that piracy still thrives in the area and that a sudden raid was probably behind the ship's abandonment. Lloyds of London however have said that though pirates do still flourish off the coast of Malaya, they rarely attack ships of the size of the S.S. Ogan. The last time a ship of the same size was lost in the area was 1948.
23: A spokesman for the Usher Armaments Corporation today stated that there had been an "industrial accident" involving a large quantity of high explosives on the Usherland Estate at Asheville, near Boston yesterday. The explosion is said to have claimed the lives of three of the Usher family, as well as several of the estate staff. The only surviving family member, Roderick Usher, now president of the world's largest munitions corporation, has pledged full cooperation in the federal investigation that is to follow.
28: Clean-up operations are now in progress after the city-wide riots in London last night. Emergency services were hampered by the thick fog that straddled the city, making it difficult to respond to the unexpected and apparently unprovoked outbreaks of arson and looting, which have since been quelled. The riots claimed over five hundred lives and, combined with the fog, caused over twenty-five million pounds worth of damage. Many fires were started, including one at the East India Dock Complex which spread to a nearby gas meter. The resultant explosion devastated the surrounding area, and fire services were still struggling to contain the blaze this morning. No explanation has yet been found for last night's chaos, but some sources have linked the violence with the sudden appearance of the fog, postulating that it may have contained a hallucinogenic gas. This theory may have been given some credence by the many reported sightings of "walking dead men" from around the city, particularly as there is no physical evidence to support these sightings.
8: Tokyo was witness to some of the worst crowd violence seen in Japan for over twenty years as the audience at a sumo wrestling contest suddenly, and for no apparent reason, began to fight amongst themselves. The fighting spilled out onto the street and began to spread, until most of the Okun district of the city was involved. The cities police force has since managed to quell the unrest, but the cost in lives and property damage has yet to be calculated.
10: In a statement to the Senate High Committee investigating allegations by the Christic Institute that the CIA was involved in cocaine and heroin smuggling operations, General David Olivier categorically denied rumours that a secret organisation composed of American war criminals existed within the Pentagon. He also denied accusations of personal involvement in drugs parties, extortion rackets and a so-called "lunatic fringe" religious cult.
16: London's Flying Squad was today involved in a dramatic shoot-out when a domestic argument became something infinitely more tragic. Thirty one year old mother of three, Elaine Dillon was shot dead at her flat in the East End of London today, along with her three children, by her estranged husband John. John Dillon, a thirty two year old computer analyst from Manchester was later gunned down by police after firing from the flat's window at passing cars. There were no other casualties. Friends of the family stated that the couple had been having marital problems, as Elaine had often complained of her husband's inability to satisfy her, and they had been living apart for several months.
17: The European Space Agency Reusable Space Plane Scorpio lifted off on schedule at 8.45 this morning. Several hours into the flight, all systems are go on this, the most ambitious part of the European space programme.
18: There was concern at ESA Mission Control early this morning when Scorpio flight commander Gordon McAfee reported that the shuttle had just passed through a "glowing cloud". Aside from a slight jump in external radiation levels the shuttle has experienced no difficulties. ESA scientists have refused to speculate on the nature of the cloud.
19: ESA Mission Control reported this afternoon that a serious malfunction aboard Scorpio prevents voice and image communication with the shuttle craft for the time being. ESA spokesmen emphasised that telemetrical communication continues, and that the flight of Scorpio is not threatened. Later: Reports continue to circulate throughout the Arab-speaking world, claiming that the communications breakdown suffered by Scorpio was fabricated by NATO and the United States, in order to test a nuclear targeting device over the Persian Gulf. A NATO spokesman indicated that there was no basis to the rumours, terming them so ridiculous as not to need formal comment. Scorpio prompted riots have broken out in Cairo and Karachi, and a major protest and rally is scheduled in Tehran this afternoon.
20: Rescue Operations in the city of Lima, Peru, are commencing after the unexpected earthquake which shook the city late last night. The 'quake, which measured 4.8 on the Richter Scale, was centred on the Nazca Desert, and while casualties are low, archeologists state that incalculable damage has been done to the famous Desert Lines. Later: The US government reacted angrily to events occurring at the protest rally in Tehran today, when the Ayatollah's right-hand man, Hassan Nantur, claimed that "it is every Muslim's duty to work towards the death of the West", and that Iran was to "declare war on the evil of Christianity".
22: General David Olivier, formerly held on trial by Senate High Committee, was fully acquitted today when the prosecuting counsel for the Christic Institute failed to produce the necessary evidence and their star witness. The witness, Colonel James Shand, died at 4.30 this morning at All Saints hospital, Washington, after choking on a fish bone at dinner.
25: Soldiers of the Kansas National Guard and scientists from the Disease Control Agency have quarantined the town of Gove, Western Kansas, after tests confirmed that anthrax had broken out amongst local cattle. A spokesman said "the situation is completely under control and, since we detected the outbreak early on, we should be able to lift the quarantine in a few days". He emphasised that there is no danger of the outbreak spreading as long as the quarantine is strictly observed.
6: The monarchy of the wealthy independent Eurasian state of Terraphur has been toppled in a bloody and unexpected coup. Though no clear political faction can be seen to be behind the revolution, it is clear that the authorities have no hope of restoring order. The capital city is reported to be in flames from end to end with no fire service available to quash the blaze, and five of the countries six oil refineries have been set alight. Though the country is in chaos, reports have been received confirming the death of Terraphur's royal family in unknown circumstances.
8: Reports are coming in that the Afghan Mujahadeen guerrillas have taken advantage of the chaos just across the border in the beleaguered country of Terraphur. The rebels are assumed to be using the country as a base and recruiting ground, free from interference from the Afghan army. Unconfirmed reports state that the guerrillas have been seen using high-tech military hardware purchased for the armed forces of the formerly wealthy and influential Maharajah of Terraphur, who died under mysterious circumstances two days ago.
11: A brutal gun battle between rival IRA factions in central Belfast today left fifteen terrorists dead, and five civilians injured. An RUC spokesman stated that at the current time no reason was known for the discord in the terrorist organisation but "as long as they shoot each other and not us, we are happy".
13: The Minister of Defence was reported as being in a stable condition this morning, after narrowly avoiding death in a horrific car crash on the M1 when his car collided with a loaded petrol tanker. The statement was made by Deputy Minister Harold Carnivean, who survived the crash unscathed and will be assuming the Minister's duties for the duration of his recovery.
15: Welsh police are looking for a gang of men they believe to be responsible for a series of bizarre incidents that occured in the Holyhead area last night. The gang, seen flying over the area in an unregistered helicopter, are believed to have detonated a bomb of unspecified size in the car park of the Holyhead Ferry Port, injuring an unnamed man who was taken to hospital for treatment and later disappeared. The gang are also hunted for the brutal murder of Dr William Ashe at Holyhead Cottage Hospital as well as the theft of a range rover and the bombing of a moving articulated lorry, causing a major motorway pile-up.
16: The investigation into the activities of the bizarre cannibal drug cult, thought to be responsible for the deaths of over 100 local children in the Devil's Cauldron area of Los Angeles, enters a new stage today, as L.A.P.D officers reported the capture of Cuban Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo, the "Padrino" of the cult.
17: Victorious Afghan rebels rode into the capital city of Khabul today after the beseiged government finally surrendered in the face of superior fire power. Western experts have claimed that the triumph of the guerrillas would have been impossible without the sudden availability of military resources from the recently overthrown neighbouring country of Terraphur, though the leader of the rebels denies this stating that the victory of the Mujahadeen was inevitable. There has been considerable concern over reported declarations that "the USSR will pay for the needless slaughter of the many loyal Afghans who died fighting their tyranny", made by the revolutionary government's newly appointed Minister for War Ravich Namtar.
20: Scientists at Mt Polamar observatory have reported sighting mysterious "cracks" on the surface of Thanos, the wandering asteroid that entered our solar system last February. The asteroid, measuring almost 500 miles across, was meant to have intersected the earth's orbit late last May, but has instead taken up position in the asteroid belt between Earth and Mars. Astronomers and geologists have theorized that the cracks may be due to water or some other liquid below the surface of the asteroid heating up as it gets closer to the sun, and expanding. A spokesman at Jodrell Bank Radio Observatory said that it was entirely possible that Thanos had a liquid core, since spectroscopic examination had proved the asteroids mass to be considerably lower than a similar sized solid object.
24: Israeli air force sources are denying any knowledge of the surprise attack on a Libyan oil field this morning in which over a hundred and forty seven people are reported to have died. The Libyan government claims that two war planes were involved in the attack, both of which were destroyed when they flew into a mountain side shortly after the attack.
25: Unconfirmed reports from Red Cross personnel in Afghanistan state that fighting has broken out across the border in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Uzbek, between Russian forces and the newly equipped Mujahadeen, in what appear to be reprisal strikes for the U.S.S.R's role in the guerrilla war. Casualties are reported to be high,and western experts predict that Moscow will have no choice but to send troops into Afghanistan. This situation is exacerbated by the current internal crisis in Russia, which will force the Kremlin's hand by making them appear to be ignoring their satellite states if they refuse to re-enter a war that has already been branded the "Soviet Vietnam". N.A.T.O. strategists have claimed that if the Soviet Army does enter Afghanistan, they may have a better chance of defeating the Mujahadeen while they remain centrally located in Khabul.
28: Over thirty women protestors were shot and killed today by soldiers at the Greenham Common Missile Base in southern England this morning. The women were apparently engaged in a peaceful demonstration at the Base gates and were seen joking with the guards a few minutes before the soldiers opened fire on the crowd. Before the soldiers could be apprehended by Military Police, they turned their weapons upon each other. None survived.
30: No word has yet been given on the condition of U.S President George Bush after it was announced that he was in a coma, caused by a mistake during a routine operation to correct a vision defect. The mistake came when the anesthetic was administered incorrectly, causing the President to suffer cyanosis. Police and the F.B.I. are searching for the anesthetist, Sergio Martinez Selima, who disappeared from the hospital shortly after the operation went wrong. Until the president's condition can be fully diagnosed and treated, Vice president Dan Quayle will take charge of the Oval Office.
31: Panic struck the world's financial markets today when for the first time since its introduction, the Worldnet Communications Network went down. Reports of a catastrophic accident at the Worldnet Central Processing building in Boston have been categorically denied by Empire Technologies, the multinational corporation behind Worldnet. The system, which links every major communications network in the world, was down for a total of thirty seven minutes while back-up procedures went into operation.
2: Syrian Defence Secretary, Omar Cresil, has refused to explain why twelve Syrian attack helicopters engaged in escort duty for two Russian destroyers suddenly attacked and sank the ships off Port Tartus. Attempts by senior air force officers to interrogate the pilots of the helicopters were foiled when the helicopter crews locked themselves inside their base armoury. When a security force succeeded in entering the armoury, it was found that the crews had killed themselves. A slogan left on the wall and painted in what appeared to be human blood has led to speculation that the attack was the work of an extremist religious group existing within the Syrian armed forces.
3: Geologists in America are still trying to explain why they failed to predict the eruption of the formerly dormant Mount St Helens, which exploded spectacularly yesterday, covering most of the state with hot ash, and killing 148 people. Meteorologists are predicting that the explosion will cause major weather disruption for many months to come. Later: Reports indicate that the fighting in Afghanistan between Soviet troops and the Army of the Revolutionary Government (formerly the Mujahadeen) is spreading outwards from the capital city of Khabul. As the conflict neared her borders, the government of Pakistan called to the U.S.A. to intervene. Unofficial sources within the Pentagon and the White house have indicated that Acting President Dan Quayle is studying the situation with an eye to complying with the request. Thus while Russia claims merely to be securing her borders, western experts see only hostility.
4: A United Nations Investigative Task Force is looking into the latest allegations of Israeli cruelty on the occupied West Bank after an Israeli border patrol drove into a Palestinian village and killed over five hundred people. The members of the patrol have been counted amongst the dead though the villagers were unarmed, and army sources are strongly denying that the men killed themselves.
5: Over fifteen thousand American "Military Advisors" have been flown into Pakistan in response to that government's call for aid. Though the White House has strenuously denied that this troop movement has anything to do with the current Russian incursion into Afghanistan, sources within the Pentagon have confirmed that the "Advisory Task Force" is fully equipped to fight a full scale war.
6: Word has been received that the Soviet Bloc Nation of Rumania was rocked by another earthquake this morning, registering a deadly 8.4 on the Richter Scale. This is the third quake to hit the area in two years, though mounting Soviet/American tensions make it difficult for Western sources to get an accurate picture of conditions behind the Iron Curtain.
7: Officers of the Environmental Protection Agency have ordered the evacuation of New Jersey and the surrounding counties after a massive gas leak at the Empire Chemicals plant in Newark. The emergency services have been unable to stop the release of highly toxic pesticide into the atmosphere; one hundred and twenty people are already dead.
8: The Soviet News Agency, TASS, has released a statement concerning an apparent assassination attempt upon the Russian Premier Mikhail Gorbechev. According to the statement Mr Gorbechev was attacked in his office by a man dressed in a Red Army uniform. The attack was foiled by the personal intervention of Mr Gregor Nitibus, Mr Gorbechev's Personal Advisor. The Russian Premier is said to have suffered no injuries.
9: Accusations by the Russian Premier's Personal Advisor Gregor Nitibus that evidence has been discovered to link yesterdays assassination attempt to America's CIA have been greeted with derision by the American government. However, it is apparent that the Russian government is taking this information very seriously as all Western Diplomatic staff have been given forty eight hours to leave the country.
11: The Pentagon and NATO have cancelled all military leave, though sources insist the action was part of a scheduled exercise and not a response to a reported build-up of Soviet troops along the Border areas in Western Europe. Still, rumours persist regarding the bilateral stockpiling of US and Soviet nuclear weapons, with both sides issuing strong denials of wrong doing and counter-accusations.