Jordanian paper's April Fool's UFOs spark panic

[muriel_volestrangler]

A Jordanian newspaper's April Fool's Day report chronicling a late-night visit by 10-foot-tall aliens in flying saucers sparked public panic and almost led to the town's emergency evacuation, officials said Monday.

The Al Ghad newspaper published a front-page article April 1 about the fake UFO landing near the desert town of Jafr, some 185 miles (300 kilometers) from the capital, Amman. The report said the UFOs lit up the whole town, interrupted communications and sent fearful residents streaming into the streets.

Jafr's mayor, Mohammed Mleihan, got caught up in the paper's prank and said he sent security authorities in search of the aliens.
...
Mleihan said he may sue the daily for its "big lie," but added that the paper had called to apologize for the inconvenience caused by the joke.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hRYPIJ1wr5RKYkV8eZIQdnBg9o9wD9ET1I980

The BBC adds:

While April Fools' Day jokes appearing in the press may be a great British tradition, this is not the case in Jordan, says the BBC's Dale Gavlak in the capital, Amman.

While Egyptians are renowned as the big jokers in the Arab world, able to easily laugh at just about anything, the Jordanians are considered more serious.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8604122.stm

[47of74]

1. They should've reviewed this first

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_%28radio%29#Public_reaction