A wave of xenophobic sentiment has swept Paragon City in the wake of Rikti's containment last year, making it an uncomfortable place to live if you aren't human. Billboards, banners and media advertisements have all trumpeted a "if you aren't human, we don't want you here" message that has made some of Paragon City's resident aliens feel less than welcome.

Foreign-planet-born inhabitants of Paragon City have reported a number of attacks being made on their person and property by both villain groups and by ordinary citizens. Petty vandalism and destruction of personal property belonging to xeno-citizens has increased, while widespread graffiti containing xenophobic messages has angered many immigrants. Some xeno-citizens have even reported being assaulted by tomatoes or eggs in the course of their daily business.

"I may not be Earth-born, but I live here. Having fought and almost died on several occasions protecting Paragon City, I have earned the right to call it home!" says Xylo, exile Prince of Planet Zyffr. "I do not deserve to be stung with racial slurs and treated like some untrustworthy borgon beast!"

"We all decry what the Rikti did," adds Fone, Xylo's alien servant. "But you can't blame all of us for the actions of the few!"

Some alien heroes have also reported difficulty in joining teams or on conducting joint missions. "I have to solo almost all the time now," said one xeno-hero who did not wish to be identified. "I'm not naming who, but some teams have got downright frosty towards any non-human heroes. It's getting to the point where PRISM is the only team who will let me mission with them. No-one's thrown any plasma bolts at me yet, but I'm made to feel really alone because I'm not mammalian or an oxygen breather."

Pro-human groups Don't Need Aliens (DNA) and Human's First could not be contacted for an interview. An anonymous member of DNA did comment that "you can't trust them - they will turn on us, we've seen it before, they are just too different" but the Beholder was unable to receive an official response to any questions.

In a terrible development, a disease of unknown origin has been sweeping our fair city. Infecting heroes with the power to change their size, the disease causes them to shrink until they completely disappear. Already the city has lost such heroes as Miniman, Micro-girl and the Dragonfly.

It appears that the disease even infects those with the power to increase their size, as illustrated by the sudden shrinking disappearance of Humongous and Gyant. No hero with this power seems immune, regardless of the source of their ability. The only sign of infection is the sudden, irreversible shrinking.

"It was horrible!" says the Flea, commenting on the disappearance of the Dragonfly. "I couldn't do anything but sit and watch as she shrank down to nothing. It was over so fast. Now, I'm terrified to use my powers because I could be infected and disappear too!"

His fears are not unfounded. A spokesman for the Freedom Phalanx had this to say: "This pathogen is completely unknown, undoubtedly the work of some criminal mastermind. We cannot even detect how it is transmitted. It is our recommendation that those with size changing powers cease to use them immediately, and evacuate the city. Hopefully, one day, a cure can be found to allow them to resume their careers as heroes. Until then, to change size in Paragon City is to play Russian Roulette with your life."

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A tragic accident on Main Street has seen the area closed due to a triple hero pile-up. Witnesses say that SpeedDemon, Eagle and The Jumper collided while using their transportation powers at full capacity, resulting in multiple injuries for the victims along with structural damage to surrounding buildings.

"It was horrible!", says Wendy Wacler, a witness to the event. "I was on the other corner and could see the Eagle starting to swoop down at top speed - he may have been chasing a bagsnatcher or something. Then I saw a speedster's blur coming straight towards Eagle - I only later found out that it was SpeedDemon. Then I saw a slight glow between the two, with the next thing I know The Jumper has teleported between them! Eagle clipped the partially teleported Jumper and both of them got hit by SpeedDemon... needless to say, that's a sound I won't forget in a hurry."

Other witnesses to the accident report that the resulting collision sent Eagle into nearby buildings, breaking windows and shattering brick, while The Jumper and SpeedDemon were sent into traffic. Several cars were damaged before the heroes came to a standstill.

Emergency groups have closed the area until the devastation can be cleaned up. No members of the public were injured by the accident, while the heroes involved have been sent to hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.

"This is the third pile-up this month! Heroes have to be more careful!" says Martin Henkle of the Safe Roads Authority of Paragon City. "Flyers should avoid flying at low altitudes, speedsters need to watch where they are going at all times and teleporters should never teleport themselves into busy areas. It's just common sense!"

Members of the public that plan to use Main Street are advised to find alternate routes until the area has been re-opened.