Morning Papers - continued ...

The Arab News

Kingdom Frees 18 Former Gitmo Detainees
Samir Al-Saadi, Arab News
JEDDAH, 27 December 2006 — The Interior Ministry announced yesterday that 18 former Guantanamo detainees that returned from the US prison camp in Cuba earlier this year have been released from custody. The announcement comes a week after 11 other former detainees were released.
Twenty-eight of these former prisoners of the so-called US “War on Terror” are Saudi nationals while one is a Saudi-born resident whose parents also live in the Kingdom.
The Interior Ministry said that the 11 men released last week had completed prison sentences for various charges related to their detention in Guantanamo, while the charges against the 18 released yesterday were dismissed. To date, 51 Saudis have been released from Guantanamo while 74 still remain at the prison.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the cooperation of the freed Saudis is vital to ensure the return of the other men still languishing in Guantanamo.
Many of the men held at Guantanamo Bay were captured in Afghanistan in the US-led war to oust the Taleban government. None of the men that ended up in Cuba have been charged with any crimes, and many of them have been denied access to legal help.


Editorial: Outside Players
27 December 2006
After fifteen years of murderous chaos, Somalia was on the brink of peace. The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) had achieved what the squabbling warlords had failed so signally to do. They had brought stability and an end to violence in the capital Mogadishu and large areas of the country. They had not managed this purely by force of arms. There has been widespread support for their advance simply because of the stability and end to insecurity that they promised. The warlords had had their chance. Even when they finally agreed a government, they were incapable of agreeing on its establishment in Somalia itself; so Somalis were treated to the ridiculous spectacle of a government that could only meet safely on Kenyan soil.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=90438&d=27&m=12&y=2006


Democracy and Its Discontents in Gaza
Ramzy Baroud, Aljazeera.net English.
It's all too convenient for the BBC website to describe the ongoing bloodshed between Hamas and Fatah supporters in the Gaza Strip as “inter-factional rivalry,” and it’s equally fitting for the Washington Post to narrate the same unfortunate events — which have left many Palestinians dead and wounded — as if they are entirely detached from their adjoining regional and international milieus.
Also puzzling are calls made by “leading moderate Arab leaders” to fighting Palestinian factions to convene in this Arab capital or that to settle their differences and to achieve an increasingly elusive cease-fire, as if they, the Arabs — who cowed to US pressure to ensure the success of the debilitating sanctions imposed against the democratic Palestinian governments — haven’t contributed, actively and knowingly to the unfolding crisis in Palestine.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&section=0&article=90436&d=27&m=12&y=2006


The Gulf News

Asian nations remember 2004 tsunami victims
Agencies
Bali, Indonesia: Thousands of people fled Indonesia’s coast on Tuesday as the country practiced its largest-ever earthquake and tsunami drill, while other Asian nations prayed at mass graves and lit candles marking the two year anniversary of the killer tsunami. Two years after an earthquake off western Indonesia unleashed a tsunami the threat still lives on as Asian residents were reminded when two powerful earthquakes struck off southwestern Taiwan, sparking a brief alert that a damaging tsunami might be on its way. However, nothing materialised. The devastating waves claimed 230,000 lives; some 167,000 of the deaths were on Sumatra's northern tip. Sri Lanka, India and Thailand also suffered major losses.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Indonesia/10092467.html


Up to 500 killed in Lagos fuel blast
Reuters
Lagos: Up to 500 people were burned alive yesterday when fuel from a vandalised pipeline exploded in Nigeria's largest city, Lagos, emergency workers said.
Hundreds of residents of the Abule Egba district went to scoop fuel using plastic containers after thieves punctured the underground pipeline overnight to siphon fuel into a road tanker, locals said.
Abiodun Orebiyi, secretary-general of the Nigerian Red Cross, said there was no official death toll but estimated that between 200 and 500 people could have been killed.
"We know it is over 200 [dead]. We are talking hundreds. We don't know if it is 300, 400 or 500," he said, adding that 60 people had been evacuated to hospital with serious burns.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Nigeria/10092454.html


Powerful quake strikes off south Taiwan
Agencies
Taipei, Taiwan: A powerful earthquake struck off southwestern Taiwan on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami warning on the second anniversary of the waves that killed more than 200,000 in southern Asia.
Two hours later, seismologists lifted the warning, saying the threat of destructive waves had passed.
The tremor was centered at sea about 23 kilometres southwest of Hengchun on the southern tip of Taiwan Hengchun Peninsula and 90 km south-southeast of Taiwan's second city Kaohsiung.
The US Geological Survey said the quake, which hit at 8:26 p.m. (1226 GMT), registered magnitude 7.1, while Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau measured it at 6.7. It was followed eight minutes later by an aftershock registering 7.0, the USGS said.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Taiwan/10092260.html


Hunters keep Boxing Day tradition alive
Agencies
London: Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, has by tradition been the best day for hunting.
Last year record numbers turned out in 2005 to show their support for the blood sport, which was banned in February of that year.
A high turnout, possibly reaching 250,000 in total, is expected again with campaigners saying support for the sport is higher than ever.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/United_Kingdom/10092370.html


Shopping mall fire kills 24 on Christmas day
By Cher Jimenez, Correspondent
Manila: Tragedy struck some parts of the Philippines on Christmas day as at least 24 people died and 21 were injured when a fire razed a one-storey shopping mall in Ormoc City in Leyte province.
The fire is believed to be caused by firecrackers.
Investigators found the charred bodies of victims, mostly shoppers. More bodies were expected to be recovered yesterday, according to authorities.
The injured were taken to two local hospitals.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10092438.html


Mumbai readies for 24-hour water cut
AP
Mumbai: Residents of Mumbai, India's commercial capital, filled buckets, pots and containers with water yesterday to prepare for a 24-hour shutdown of the city's water supply.
Officials plan to cut off the supply to the city of some 16 million people for one day starting this morning to allow engineers to lay several kilometres of new pipes to improve the water distribution network.
The work will enable the city to supply its residents with an additional 250 million litres of water per day, said A.N. Kajbaje, a senior city hydraulic engineer.
The city currently receives about 3.2 billion litres of water a day but needs close to 3.9 billion litres , he said.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/India/10092427.html


First post-1947 linguistic survey planned
IANS
Patna: India will conduct its first post-independence "National Linguistic Survey" from April next year to know the exact number of languages in this nation.
"The survey will be the first of its kind in post-independence India," said Udaya Narayana Singh, director of the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL). It will take 10 years to complete.
George Abraham Grierson, a British government official, conducted the first Linguistic Survey of India (LSI) in 1898-1927. It was then mainly conducted in southern India.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/India/10092349.html


Courts put the fear of law in high and mighty in '06
IANS
New Delhi: The year set to end will be remembered as one when the judiciary put the fear of the law in the high and mighty.
A series of high profile convictions this year sent out a powerful message that justice was not beyond the reach of the common man.
Six convictions came in quick spate in the closing months of 2006. While all of these were horrific crimes, the sentencing of the killers of two young women - Priyadarshini Mattoo and Jessica Lal - evoked a huge sigh of relief across the country.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/India/10092350.html


Blast at Peshawar airport kills one
By Rahimullah Yusufzai, Correspondent
Peshawar: A car bomb explosion yesterday outside Peshawar international airport located in a military area killed one person and injured two others.
Malik Saad, head of police in Peshawar, said it was an "act of terrorism". He said the explosion was being investigated but there were no clues yet as to the persons behind the attack.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion occurred around 7am at a time when the airport was crowded due to scheduled arrival and departure of flights to and from the Gulf countries.
The vehicle in which the bomb was planted was parked outside the airport on the road. The explosion destroyed the vehicle and damaged several other vehicles and shattered window panes of nearby buildings.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10092433.html


Islamabad to fence eastern border with Afghanistan
By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
Islamabad: Pakistan said yesterday it would fence and mine portions of its 2,400km porous border with Afghanistan to prevent militant infiltration into the neighbouring country plagued by Taliban insurgency.
"The Pakistan army has been tasked to work out modalities for selective fencing and mining the Pak-Afghan border," Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan told a news conference.
These steps "supplement the measures which are already enforced to prevent any militant activity from Pakistan inside Afghanistan", the foreign secretary said.
Khan said designated crossing points on the border would continue to work while Pakistan would strictly monitor the camps of Afghan refugees the country still shelters.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10092434.html


Lahore plans security system of global calibre
By Amir Mir, Correspondent
Lahore: The Punjab Police is planning to establish a City Information and Security System matching international standards to prevent crime, trace criminals and handle natural disasters.
According to the Punjab sources, some senior police officers visited Turkey recently to study the system designed and operated by Istanbul Police as it is considered to be more suitable for Pakistan.
The sources said the authorities were evolving a comprehensive system on the Istanbul pattern and it would be presented to the government.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10092431.html


Riaz Khan supports Tehran's nuclear bid
AP
Islamabad : Iran has the right to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said yesterday, opposing UN sanctions against the Middle East nation for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.
"Pakistan had never been in favour of sanctions against Iran," Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan said. "We always emphasised that there ought to be a diplomatic solution of the Iranian nuclear issue."
Khan's comments came after the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on Saturday to bar countries from supplying Iran with materials and technology that could contribute to its nuclear and missile programmes.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10092432.html


Tigers forced crew from ship, says captain
AP
Colombo: The captain of a Jordanian ship whose vessel was seized by Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels said yesterday the guerrillas fired shots as they boarded and ordered the crew to leave the ship.
"They boarded the ship armed and fired a total of four shots to force us to board their boats," the Iraqi captain of the ship, Ramaz S. Abdul Jabbar, told a news conference.
Three of the crew were hurt when they jumped onto the rebel boats, he said.
On Monday, the crew was brought to the Sri Lankan capital by the International Committee of the Red Cross from the rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi, where they were taken by the insurgents after being removed from the ship.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Sri_Lanka/10092278.html


Communist party calls for action against rights violators
AP
Manila: The underground Communist Party of the Philippines celebrated its anniversary yesterday by calling on rebels to recruit thousands of new militants and take action against alleged human rights violators in the police, military and government.
The military declared a nationwide alert in anticipation of guerrilla attacks on the 38th anniversary of the rebel organisation.
The party said in a statement more cadres and members were needed to "raise the revolutionary struggle to a new level". It urged its armed wing, the New People's Army, to recruit more militants, step up offensives against the government and improve command structures.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10092436.html


Army wants coup plotters kept together
By Rafael Juan, Correspondent
Manila: The Armed Forces of the Philippines is mulling the idea of placing all 28 Army and Marine officers charged in connection with the botched February 28 coup in a single detention facility.
In an interview, Armed Forces chief Gen Hermogenes Esperon Jr said having all accused in one detention centre will make their interrogation and court martial convenient.
"We are looking into that possibility [consolidating the accused in one detention facility] so it would not be too far for the Marine officers," Esperon said.
At present, the 28 accused officers, facing charges of mutiny among other offences, are housed in four separate detention facilities: Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal in eastern Manila, the Army and Naval headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in suburban Taguig City, and at Fort San Felipe in Cavite, southern Luzon.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10092437.html


British Council ends English classes in Russia
AP
Moscow: The British Council has stopped offering English-language lessons in Russia after the country's foreign ministry required that it obtain a licence to keep the classes operating, an official said.
The council, an NGO that acts as the cultural department of the British Embassy and offers education and culture exchange programmes has come under pressure over the past two years from Russian authorities who claimed it was a for-profit organisation subject to taxation.
But James Kennedy, head of British Council Moscow stressed that the decision to terminate the English-language programme was its "personal decision, a business decision".

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Russia/10092422.html


Russia-China space ties
AP
Moscow: Russia will cooperate with China on space projects, but will not transfer sensitive technologies that could enable Beijing to become a rival in a future space race, the head of Russia's space agency said yesterday.
Federal Space Agency chief Anatoly Perminov said that Moscow and Beijing would cooperate in China's robotic missions to the moon. He added, however, that Russia would maintain restrictions on sharing technology.
"The Chinese are still some 30 years behind us, but their space programme has been developing very fast," Perminov said at a news conference. "They are quickly catching up with us."

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Russia/10092423.html


Castro could govern again says doctor
Agencies
Madrid: A Spanish surgeon who examined Cuban leader Fidel Castro said he did not have cancer, was making excellent recovery and could return to govern the country. Castro disappeared from the public eye after undergoing emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding in July. Doctor Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido shunned frenzied public speculation about Castro’s health, saying the communist leader was in good condition. "His physical activity is excellent, his intellectual activity intact, I'd say fantastic, he's recovering from his previous operation," Garcia Sabrido, head of surgery at Madrid's Gregorio Maranon public hospital, told a news conference after returning from Cuba.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Spain/10092466.html


Security database worries human rights activists
By Dan Eggen, Los Angeles Times -Washington PostNews Service
Washington: The Justice Department is building a massive database that allows state and local police officers around the country to search millions of case files from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal law enforcement agencies, according to Justice officials.
The system, known as "OneDOJ", already holds approximately one million case records and is projected to triple in size over the next three years, Justice officials said. The files include investigative reports, criminal-history information, details on offences, and the names, addresses and other information about criminal suspects or targets, officials said.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/U.S.A/10092378.html


Proteins controlling cells may be key to cancer
Agencies
London: Scientists have pinpointed a possible reason why pancreatic cancer is such an aggressive disease.
A University of Liverpool team found a family of proteins involved in controlling cell movement could be key.
The study, which appears in the journal Gut, could offer a new lead on a disease which is hard to treat.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, weight loss over a period of months and nausea. It also affects appetite, makes the sufferer feel incredibly weak, and jaundiced.

http://www.gulfnews.com/world/United_Kingdom/10092369.html


Nato has little to offer to GCC
By Amir Taheri, Special to Gulf News
By the end of this month all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) were supposed to announce the number of troops they would be prepared to contribute to the alliance's force in Afghanistan.
The expected announcements were spun as the surest sign that the 57-year old alliance was determined to win its first nation-building mission.
Instead, what happened was a disappointment.
France announced that, far from contributing more troops, it was withdrawing its 200 Special Forces fighters who were engaged in anti-Al Qaida operations in southeastern Afghanistan alongside US Marines.
France's Defence Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie described the seven deaths that the French contingent has suffered in the past three years as "too high", insisting that French troops would now focus only on policing operations in and around Kabul.
Turkey, for its part, appeared to have reneged on its promise of providing 300 more men and there were persistent reports that the Dutch also plan to cut their small contingent within the next few months.
Signs that Nato may be losing in Afghanistan confirm its decline as an alliance when it reneged on its promise of helping train the new Iraqi army and police.
Many now wonder whether the alliance will exist, except on paper, five or 10 years from now. And, yet, Nato salesmen are touring the Middle East looking for new partners.
They are right; the region is a market for stability and desperate need of long-term security structures.
Major portion
Called by some observers as "the Arc of Crisis", the region, spanning from North Africa to the Indian Subcontinent, is the only major portion of the globe still threatened with long-term instability and war.
The United States is not the only power with major national interests in the Middle East. The European Union, China, Japan and India also depend on the region for the bulk of their energy needs. Instability and war in the Middle East will also affect neighbouring nations in the Subcontinent, Central Asia, Russia, the Mediterranean basin and the Horn of Africa.
It is against that background that Nato is launching its quest for regional partners for a long-term security relationship. Nato, which has one full member, Turkey, in the region, has already forged partnership ties with Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Azerbaijan.
As already mentioned, it is present in Afghanistan with which it hopes to establish durable ties. The alliance also maintains some level of cooperation with Pakistan, continuing a tradition established in the 1950s when Islamabad joined the Baghdad Pact and its successor the Central Treaty Organisation (Cento).
At the other end of the spectrum, hopes of closer Nato ties with the Central Asian republics and Armenia have been put on hold, largely because of Russian and Iranian pressure.
That leaves the Arabian peninsula as the most promising chunk of the region where Nato hopes to fish for partners. The alliance already has an informal dialogue with Yemen, one of the region's most vulnerable nations targeted by Islamist groups.
However, it is unlikely to formalise ties with the alliance anytime soon. In recent months, the alliance has directed its attention towards the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). At first glance, the six GCC members might look like a homogenous bloc.
Despite that apparent unity, however, GCC members have developed different, at times contradictory, defence doctrines. This is why Nato planners have realised that seeking a relationship with the GCC, as a bloc, might not produce results.
In that context, Nato's current efforts to forge closer ties with Kuwait and Bahrain may point to a new strategy by the alliance. Last month Kuwait hosted a joint conference with Nato to highlight similarities in the way both sides read the situation in the region.
Kuwait has despatched a high-level parliamentary delegation to meet Nato officials in Brussels and put one of its most senior diplomats in charge of relations with the alliance.
New partners
Nevertheless, chances of Nato securing new partners in the region must be rated as dim. The reason can be summed up in one word: Iraq.
Having refused to support the US-led war that toppled Saddam Hussain in 2003, the alliance has reneged on its promise of helping train the new Iraqi army and police force.
In a sense, the Iraq experience spelled the end of Nato as an alliance. Its prestige has suffered further blows in Afghanistan where several member states have engaged in Byzantine tactics to ensure their symbolic presence without obliging them to do much fighting.
Nato, originally created to face the Soviet challenge in Europe, has not succeeded in developing a new doctrine in the post-Cold War world. Its members no longer agree on the source of threats to them. Worse still, some members are prepared to sabotage the efforts of other allies to deal with perceived threats.
As far as the GCC states are concerned, association with Nato may be of interest on diplomatic grounds. Having an agreement with Nato may look like a certificate of good conduct from a bloc of Western democracies.
In terms of offering the GCC anything resembling genuine security, however, Nato has little to offer. A divided alliance cannot secure its own flanks, let alone offer outsiders effective protection against predatory powers in a chronically unstable region.

Amir Taheri is a member of Benador Associates.


Selective and unjust sanctions
By Manal Alafrangi, Staff Writer
Much of what Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says in his reactionary speech to the announcement of sanctions against his country makes sense.
Certainly, his comment that the West had lost its chance to improve relations with Iran applies.
Only recently, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was insisting that the US and his country should talk directly to Tehran regarding the escalating situation in Iraq but, following American refusal of the idea, Blair decided to pretend this suggestion never meant anything. Instead, he toured the region with a clear message: Iran is "at war" with "moderate Arab states" and "Western forces trying to bring peace and stability to the region".

http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/columns/region/10092357.html


Airbus deals can't weather the storm
Gulf News
Airbus' woes continue to mount, with Emirates and other airlines pushing for compensation for late delivery of the A380 superjumbo.
Basically, the company fell into a very basic bad business trap - over-promising and under-delivering. Already delivery of the A380 is delayed by two years, which may cost the company roughly $6 billion in profits.
The breakdown that led to the delay reads like a business comedy of errors. Miscommunication between plants in Germany and France resulted in wiring in the front and back half of the planes - which should have just snapped together - not matching.

http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/editorial_opinion/business/10092353.html


Lessons of the tsunami reconstruction
By Bill Clinton, Los Angeles Times-Washington Post
Yesterday marked two years since the 2004 tsunami unleashed untold suffering and devastation upon Indian Ocean coastal communities.
The tragic toll still resonates: more than 200,000 dead; 2 million people displaced; 370,000 homes destroyed or damaged; some 5,000 miles of coastline devastated; and 2,000 miles of roads ruined.
The tsunami was also unprecedented in the magnitude of the response by donors, the affected governments and their everyday citizens. The homeless received shelter, the hungry were fed, disease was prevented and substantial recovery has been achieved over the past 22 months.
Nearly 150,000 homes have been rebuilt or repaired and 80,000 more are being reconstructed. More than 1,600 schools and health centres have been rebuilt or are under construction, tourists are returning to the region in large numbers, and economic growth rates have improved substantially.

http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/columns/world/10092356.html


Iraqi pilgrims make a perilous journey to pray for peace
Reuters
Makkah: Divided in their troubled homeland, Iraqi pilgrims who made the journey to Makkah for Haj this week are united in their prayers for peace, stability and the loved ones they have lost.
"What other motivation would I have than to pray for the unity of our country. Only unity can bring back security and safety," said Zohra Um Mohammad.
"We pray for the Americans to leave. They are the ones who have torn us apart," added the 54-year old accountant, who braved dangerous roads on a five-day journey from Iraq's ancient city of Babel to Makkah.

http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10092366.html


'Fugitive Iraqi minister is in Jordan'
AP
Amman: A former Iraqi Cabinet minister who escaped from a Baghdad prison this month has arrived in Jordan, Jordan's prime minister said yesterday.
"Ayham Al Samaraie who escaped from his jail in Baghdad arrived in Amman as an American and on an American plane," Prime Minister Marouf Al Bakhit told reporters.
Al Samaraie, a former minister of electricity with dual US and Iraqi citizenship, was serving time for corruption when he escaped mid-December. On December 19, he called the Chicago Tribune and The New York Times and gloated over his escape, referring to US and Iraqi officials in Baghdad as "suckers."
He declined to tell the newspapers where he was, but said he was in a "a very safe place."

http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10092440.html


Miami Herald

Tornadoes slam state hard
DAYTONA BEACH - (AP) -- Four Christmas Day tornadoes damaged hundreds of Florida homes, flipped airplanes at a flight school and tore the roofs off three apartment buildings, officials confirmed Tuesday.
''It's all gone,'' said Estelle Hunter, 25, who left her home five minutes before the wind uprooted a tree and slammed it through the roof.
''All of my baby's Christmas presents are under water,'' she said as she tried to salvage what she could.
The tornado that hit Daytona Beach on Monday was an F-2, with wind speeds between 113 and 157 mph. Its wind tore the roofs off three apartment buildings, extensively damaging many of the 240 units. At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, it hurled an airplane into a wall, sparking a fire, and snapped off wings or flipped about 50 others.
''It's near miraculous that no one was killed,'' said Bart Hagemeyer, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in Melbourne.
More than 200 homes in a number of mobile home parks were damaged west of Daytona Beach around DeLand, where another F-2 tornado was confirmed, the Volusia County Property Appraiser's Office said.
An F-2 tornado also damaged about 80 homes in Pasco County north of Tampa, largely at the Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club. An F-0, bringing winds of 70 miles per hour, was confirmed in Lake County, near Leesburg.
Elaine Mandela was among those forced from their homes in Pasco County. She spent Monday night with friends, but has no future plans.
''I have no idea,'' she said. ``I'm not sure it has hit me yet.''
A squall line from a deep low-pressure system moved across Florida and southeast Georgia from the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, dumping several inches of rain.
Thousands of homes lost power, but it was largely restored Tuesday. Numerous injuries were reported, but most were minor.


Former President Gerald Ford dead at 93
BY FRANK GREVE
WASHINGTON - Gerald Rudolph Ford, an Eagle Scout from Grand Rapids, Mich., whose earnest integrity helped Americans recuperate from the devious evils of the Watergate affair, has died at age 93.
Ford, who was the longest living president, followed by Ronald Reagan who also died at 93, had battled pneumonia in January 2006 and underwent two heart treatments -- including an angioplasty -- in August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Ford was the nation's only unelected president, radiant with decency, successful without seeming ambitious, ''an ordinary man,'' according to biographer James Cannon, called to serve America in extraordinary circumstances.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16324854.htm


Ohio Gov. Taft reprimanded over ethics
ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The state Supreme Court on Wednesday publicly reprimanded Ohio Gov. Bob Taft for his ethics violations in office, a black mark that will stay on his permanent record as an attorney.
Taft, a Republican and great-grandson of President William Howard Taft, pleaded no contest in 2005 to failing to report golf outings and other gifts and was fined $4,000. He could not seek re-election because of term limits and leaves office in less than two weeks.
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel, an arm of the state Supreme Court, said in April that Taft violated Ohio's code of professional conduct for lawyers, and Taft later signed an agreement admitting the violation.
The justices agreed by a vote of 6-0 Wednesday with a recommendation from the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline to issue the public reprimand. The court could have rejected the recommendation or ordered a stronger punishment.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16328133.htm


Polar bears may be listed as threatened
JOHN HEILPRIN
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Polar bears are in deep trouble because of global warming and other factors and deserve federal protection under the Endangered Species Act, the Bush administration is proposing Wednesday.
Pollution and overhunting also threaten their existence. Greenland and Norway have the most polar bears, but almost 5,000 live mainly in Alaska and travel to Canada and Russia.
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne plans to announce later Wednesday that polar bears should be listed as a "threatened" species on the government list of imperiled species, a department official confirmed Wednesday. The "endangered" category is reserved for species more likely to become extinct.
Such a decision would require all federal agencies to ensure that anything they authorize that might affect polar bears will not jeopardize their survival or the sea ice where they live. That could include oil and gas exploration, commercial shipping or even releases of toxic contaminants or climate-affecting pollution.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16326810.htm


Sifting for solutions
Miami-Dade officials want to strike a deal to restart a dredging project on the Miami River that was halted because of a shortage of federal money.
The Miami River is like an old, sometimes forgotten workhorse: Salty river crews labor in battered boatyards as the river's cloudy, darkened waters stream toward Biscayne Bay.
But it's also an economic engine, home to $4 billion a year in cargo shipping, and city, county and business leaders have long eyed the economic potential of the 5.5-mile waterway and the land beside it.
More than two years ago, a long-awaited, federally funded dredging project got under way -- one that in the eyes of city of Miami and Miami-Dade County officials would boost cargo shipping, rid the river of polluted sediment, draw more luxury yachts and the yards to service them, and attract riverside development. As service industries grew, so would the workforce. More condos would be built.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16324310.htm


Legal, working and need a green card? It might be a few years
Immigration attorneys spend much of their time helping legal immigrants overcome obstacles to get citizenship and
Michael Bander, a Miami immigration attorney, was discussing how his client could qualify for a green card when he suddenly asked a personal question: ``Do you have a boyfriend?''
Monica Rengifo, a 28-year-old Colombian graphic designer, said she did -- but back home. Thus, her dilemma: Without an American husband, Rengifo may end up waiting years for a green card -- stuck in the same job. With an American spouse, she could get a green card in months.
Rengifo is typical of the thousands of foreigners who turn up at the offices of an ever-growing number of immigration attorneys in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and other U.S. cities. They are in the States legally, but face excessive delays in obtaining residency status or citizenship.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16325096.htm


Saddam letter urges Iraqis not to hate
CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA
Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein called on Iraqis not to hate the U.S.-led forces that invaded Iraq in 2003 in a farewell letter posted on a Web site Wednesday, a day after an appeals court upheld the former dictator's death sentence and ordered him to be hanged within one month.
One of Saddam's attorneys, Issam Ghazzawi, confirmed to The Associated Press in Jordan that the letter was authentic, saying it was written by Saddam on Nov. 5 - the day he was convicted by an Iraqi tribunal for ordering the killings of scores of Shiite Muslims in the city of Dujail in 1982.
"I call on you not to hate because hate does not leave space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking," the letter said.
Ghazzawi said the letter was released on Tuesday and published on Saddam's former Baath Party's Web site on Wednesday.
The deposed leader said he was writing the letter because his lawyers had told him the Iraqi High Tribunal which tried his case would give him an opportunity to say a final word.
"But that court and its chief judge did not give us the chance to say a word, and issued its verdict without explanation and read out the sentence - dictated by the invaders - without presenting the evidence," Saddam wrote.
"Dear faithful people," Saddam added, "I say goodbye to you, but I will be with the merciful God who helps those who take refuge in him and who will never disappoint any honest believer."
The letter was released as Saddam's last legal means of avoiding execution came under question. A spokesman for President Jalal Talabani said Wednesday the appeals court order upholding the death sentence might not require Talabani's approval to carry out the execution.
Iraqi officials had said such a decision must be ratified by Talabani and Iraq's two vice presidents. But presidential spokesman Hiwa Osman said that was not necessarily the case.
"Some people believe there is no need for his approval," Osman said. "We still have to hear from the court as to how the procedure can be carried out."
Meanwhile, some Saddam loyalists threatened to retaliate if the ousted Iraqi leader is executed, warning in a posting on the same Baath Party Web site that carried Saddam's letter they would target U.S. interests anywhere.
"The Baath and the resistance are determined to retaliate, with all means and everywhere, to harm America and its interests if it commits this crime," the statement said, referring to Baath fighters as "the resistance."
The Baath Party was disbanded after U.S.-led forces overthrew Saddam in 2003. The Web site is believed to be run from Yemen, where a number of exiled members of the party are based.
In its ruling Tuesday, the appeals court said Saddam must be hanged within 30 days for his role in the Dujail killings. The appeals court also affirmed death sentences for two of Saddam's co-defendants, including his half brother. It ruled that life imprisonment for a third was too lenient and demanded he too be sentenced to death.
Some Iraqis said Saddam should be hanged immediately, but others feared Iraq's bloodletting could escalate if the former dictator is executed at a time when sectarian attacks are already on the rise.
"Executing him now is dangerous. The situation is very bad. Things need to be calmer," said Saadia Mohamed Majed, a 60-year-old Shiite in Baghdad who wants the penalty to be postponed for at least three years. Shiites endured persecution under Saddam and his fellow Sunni Arab leaders, and many are eager to remove a symbol of the old regime.
The court's decision came on a particularly bloody day in Baghdad, when at least 54 Iraqis died in bombings and police discovered 49 apparent victims of sectarian reprisal killings.
Many Baghdad neighborhoods were jittery on Wednesday amid fears that Sunni Arab insurgents would target Shiite areas in revenge attacks. There was a heavy police presence in the downtown area of Karrada, and parents picked up their children from a school after reports of a car bomb in the area.
Violence appeared to be relatively minimal, though, with one car bomb explosion killing eight civilians and wounding 10 near an Iraqi army checkpoint in the capital, police said.
Two Latvian soldiers were also killed and three were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded under their Humvee, the Latvian Defense Ministry said. Latvia has about 130 troops serving with a Polish contingent in Diwaniyah, 80 miles south of Baghdad.
Saddam's defense lawyers, who are based in Amman, Jordan, urged Arab governments and the United Nations to intervene to stop the execution.
"Otherwise, all may be participating in what is going on, either actually or due to their silence in face of the crimes, which are being committed in Iraq in the name of democracy," the lawyers said in an e-mail statement to The Associated Press.
The statement signed by "the Defense Committee for President Saddam Hussein" said the court's rejection of Saddam's appeal was part of the "continued shedding of pure Iraqi blood by the current regime in Iraq, which (is) directly connected with the American occupation."
An expert on war crimes speculated the sentence might be carried out very quickly.
"I won't be surprised if there's just an announcement in several days saying the sentence has been carried out. The ruling says the sentence has to be carried out within 30 days, but it doesn't say you need to wait," said Michael Scharf, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Human Rights Watch, which opposes the execution, said the law creating the Iraqi High Tribunal mandates that death sentences can never be commuted. However, international law says that when a death sentence is given, there must be an opportunity for it to be commuted, the group said.
"There's some real confusion as to who has the authority to ratify the death sentence," said Richard Dicker, director of the group's International Justice Program.
The legal maneuvering in Baghdad was of little concern in the northern Kurdish city of Irbil, where people who suffered under Saddam's brutal rule celebrated the decision upholding his death sentence.
Saddam is currently in the midst of another trial, charged with genocide and other crimes during a 1987-88 military crackdown on Kurds in northern Iraq. An estimated 180,000 Kurds died during the operation. That trial was adjourned until Jan. 8, but experts have said the trial of Saddam's co-defendants is likely to continue even if he is executed.
Saddam is being held at Camp Cropper, an American military prison close to Baghdad's airport. U.S. military officials did not say whether the former dictator will now be turned over to the Iraqis in anticipation of his execution.
Saddam was captured while hiding in a hole in the ground near his home village north of Baghdad in December 2003, eight months after he fled the capital ahead of advancing American troops.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16323833.htm


Court won't force gay marriage vote
JAY LINDSAY
Associated Press
BOSTON - The state's highest court ruled Wednesday it had no authority to force lawmakers to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, but it still criticized them for not acting.
Opponents of same-sex marriage had collected 170,000 signatures to get an amendment on the 2008 ballot that would define marriage in Massachusetts as between a man and a woman, but their effort still needed the support of a quarter of the Legislature.
When lawmakers failed to vote on the question in November, the governor and angry opponents sued.
They asked the court to clarify whether the state's constitution required lawmakers to vote on a proposal that was sent to the legislature by a voter petition drive. The Supreme Judicial Court determined it could not force a vote.
"Beyond resorting to aspirational language that relies on the presumptive good faith of elected representatives, there is no presently articulated judicial remedy for the Legislature's indifference to, or defiance of, its constitutional duties," the court wrote.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16328352.htm


Ethiopian, Somali troops near Mogadishu
MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN
Associated Press
MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali and Ethiopian troops drove Islamic fighters out of the last major town before Mogadishu on Wednesday, and the government predicted that the capital and stronghold of the radical Islamists would fall without a fight.
Government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said no assault was planned on Mogadishu because the forces of the Council of Islamic Courts were crumbling so fast.
"Islamic courts militias are already on the run and we hope that Mogadishu will fall to our hands without firing a shot," he said.
The Islamic Courts movement had grown steadily in power for six months, until the dramatic entry into the war by Ethiopian troops last week. Since then, fortunes have changed dramatically with the Islamists in full retreat.
On Wednesday, thousands of Ethiopian and Somali government troops were seen in tanks heading toward Balad, only about 18 miles away from Mogadishu, said Nadifo Ali Tifow, a resident in Qalimow village, along the same road.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16323741.htm


Katrina evacuees on the clock to appeal housing decisions
MATT APUZZO
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees whose federal housing funding was cut off this summer may be eligible for renewed payments, but face a tight deadline to seek them.
Under a court order, the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent letters to about 4,000 storm victims in Texas last week, explaining why they were deemed no longer eligible for aid. A federal judge ruled the original letters unconstitutional because they contained only hard-to-decipher computer codes and agency jargon.
With the new letters, storm victims can appeal the decision to FEMA and may be eligible for renewed housing payments of about $750 a month.
But the program is set to expire at the end of February and the appeal process can take up to three months. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who has called the agency's housing program a "legal disaster" said Wednesday that he wanted to speed up the appeals.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16329108.htm


Economy is expected to slow in 2007
Consensus among economic analysts foresees slower U.S. growth in 2007. Some see recession, most don't. Housing and energy are key.
BY KEVIN G. HALL
McClatchy News Service
WASHINGTON - Analyzing the economy these days is like trying to read faint signals in thick fog: There are positive signs, but also troubling and sometimes conflicting signals.
The U.S. economy is sure to slow next year, but most experts say it probably won't slip into recession -- though some think it could be a close call.
Housing and energy prices will probably prove decisive.
Most mainstream economists are projecting that the economy will grow at an annual rate of 2 percent to 3 percent in 2007. It averaged 3.8 percent annual growth from 2003 to 2005 and slowed in 2006 to a 2 percent annual rate in the third quarter.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16323890.htm


Other states feeling the insurance pinch
OUR OPINION: CONGRESS MUST ENACT A NATIONAL CATASTROPHE POLICY
The latest news from the windstorm-insurance front is more of the same: an insurance company cutting risks, consumers left vulnerable, government standing on the sidelines like a powerless observer, watching the disaster unfold yet offering no help. This scenario is all too familiar to Floridians, but now it is playing out all over the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Higher premiums
Allstate, the nation's second-largest home and auto insurer behind State Farm, announced last week that it would reduce coverage in coastal regions of North and South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and Alabama. In some places, it will no longer write new policies. In others, it is dropping coverage altogether, essentially telling customers that it doesn't want their business. Previously, Allstate had announced cutbacks in seven other coastal states.
Because things haven't gotten as bad elsewhere as in Florida -- yet -- other insurance companies may step in for a brief period with steeply higher premiums for policyholders. But it won't end there, as Floridians know all too well.
''I have no doubt other companies will be taking action,'' said Eleanor Kitzman, director of the Department of Insurance in South Carolina. ''I am sure there will be other announcements by other companies.'' Bet on it, especially if there is a turbulent hurricane season in the offing.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/16325126.htm


New Zealand Herald

Give yourself up, police advise husband
Police hunting a murder suspect they believe killed his wife in a Christmas day of alcohol-fuelled violence have urged him to give himself up.
"This is not going to go away," Detective Senior Sergeant Richard Middleton from the Counties Manukau police in south Auckland said today.
He is leading a team hunting 43-year-old Keleti Seau who they believed stabbed his wife, Atonauga Seau, 42, to death in their Otara home on Christmas night. She had multiple stab wounds.
Police also revealed the dead woman had been granted a temporary protection order earlier this year by the Manukau District Court.
She still lived with her husband but the order allowed her to call police if she was threatened.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416933


Year's weather punctuated by polar outbreaks
The past year's weather was punctuated by polar outbreaks, the worst of which brought a big snowstorm in June which blanketed Canterbury.
MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said today that New Zealand experienced the coldest June since 1972, and that was mainly due to the "snowball storm" that hit on June 11-12.
"We had a southerly autumn, an early and slippery winter, a windy spring and then a cool start to summer," Mr McDaviit said.
Notes from his diary regularly feature what he termed "polar outbreaks" during the year.
The first came on Friday, March 3, with a southerly from the Southern Ocean.
Wind gusts reached 113km/h in Lyttelton, 137km/h in Kaikoura, and 143km/h at Mt. Kaukau. Swells up eight to 10 metres cancelled the Cook Strait ferries. Trees were snapped in Christchurch, roofs lifted in Wellington, and a warehouse fire fanned in Hawke's Bay.
Polar Outbreak No 2 happened on Anzac Day, April 25, and April 26. It was caused by rain clouds wrapping around onto south Canterbury just as a southerly arrived.
Flooding affected Oamaru, Dunedin, Mosgiel, and Taieri, and 300 homes were evacuated. Snow closed the Lindis Pass.
On Mother's Day, Sunday, May 14, Polar Outbreak No 3 struck and snow closed Milford Road, Burkes Pass and the Desert Road.
The big one, Polar Outbreak No 4, hit on Monday June 12.
"Winter started with a bang when a deepening low managed to mix moist air from the tropics with cold air fresh from the southern ocean," said Mr McDavitt.
"This low-pressure system was a large feature and MetService issued a record number of wind, rain and snow warnings. Hokitika was flooded, a gale in Auckland cut power to half the city for around five hours, and trees were toppled in Taupo and Tauranga. Snow blanketed Canterbury to a depth of 25cm at sea level (in Timaru) and up to 90cm deep around Fairlie."
This snow lasted on the inland plains for a fortnight and 10,000 homes were affected by power cuts in Canterbury, some of the cuts lasting until the end of June.
Insurance claims reached around $43 million but the snow laid good foundations for a bumper ski season that realised $75 million in revenue.
On Sunday, June 18, Polar Outbreak No 5 brought a southeasterly gale, with wind gusts up 98km/h in New Plymouth and 80 km/h to Gisborne. Both the Desert Road and the Napier-Taupo road were closed by snow.
Polar Outbreak No 6 struck on Wednesday, June 21, when another southerly brought snow that closed all the central North Island main roads and settled down to 500m in Hawke's Bay.
More snow fell on Tuesday, August 22, courtesy of Polar Outbreak No 7. The snow settled to a depth of 30cm in the Tekapo Basin, and was enough to close roads in Otago, and schools in Dunedin.
Wet, windy conditions from Polar Outbreak No 8 killed several hundred new-born lambs in Southland and Otago on Sunday, September 17.
Wellington and Wairarapa bore the brunt of Polar Outbreak No 9 on Wednesday, October 4. This southerly disrupted transport in Wellington: planes, trains, and ferries were cancelled. A rail bridge at Mauriceville, north of Masterton, was washed out.
On Wednesday, November 8, Polar Outbreak No 10 dumped snow over Southland and Central Otago.
The strongest wind gust recorded during the year happened on Saturday, September 2.
A low-pressure system deepened south of Campbell Island, producing a vigorous westerly flow over the South Island.
Mr McDavitt said trees were toppled at Athol and a car and caravan were blown off the road near Lake Tekapo. The Mid-Dome anemometer in Southland reported gusts to 195km/h, the strongest recorded wind gust of 2006.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416931


Shops busier than last year on Boxing Day
Shops running Boxing Day sales did better this year than last year, according to one measure of shopper behaviour.
Paymark, the company that accounts for 80 per cent of all electronic transactions, said Boxing Day electronic transaction volumes were up 12 per cent on last year, with over 1.2 million transactions worth $68 million.
However, trading on Boxing Day did not reach the peaks seen on the Thursday to Saturday prior to Christmas.
Transaction volumes peaked at 54 transactions per second on Boxing Day, well short of the 99.5 per second seen in the lead up to Christmas.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416930


Rain damaging Central Otago cherries
12:55PM Wednesday December 27, 2006
It's fingers crossed for Central Otago cherry growers that they don't get much more rain over the next fortnight.
Rain throughout Christmas night and Boxing Day morning has caused some damage to early cherry crops, but much of the fruit is still to mature.
In Cromwell, Duncan Mathers at Sarita Orchard said there had been a lot of rain, but damage was variable, depending on variety
"Some varieties are quite badly affected and other varieties have hardly been affected," he said today.
"It was really yesterday's rain that did the damage. We're certainly optimistic, but we'd definitely like the rain to stop."
Harvesting was in full swing with pickers and packers hard at work
"We've survived pretty well really," Mr Mathers said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416923


$350,000 retirement dream on the rocks
Thursday December 28, 2006
By Claire Trevett and Anne Beston
The collision with the reef badly damaged the launch of Graham Calvert.
The retirement dream of former dairy industry heavyweight Graham Calvert is now high and dry after his 12.2m launch, worth at least $350,000, hit rocks and sank in the Hauraki Gulf.
Mr Calvert was rescued after his boat Crystal Clear, a Genesis 400 Flybridge, struck a reef near Crusoe Rock.
His was one of 20 Boxing Day callouts for the Coastguard.
Yesterday, a 12m launch hit Glazier Rock, directly off the entrance to Puhoi River, as the owner was going into the river to collect his wife about 2.40pm.
Although he was unhurt, the boat was still stuck firm on the rocks. The Coastguard was unable to dislodge it, so had propped it up until a salvage company could remove it.
A spokeswoman said if he had been 20m to either side he would have made it through the river mouth - it is understood the man was unfamiliar with the waters.
"He was all right, but a bit shaken as owners are when their boats get stuck on rocks."
Mr Calvert said last night that he was alone when his boat hit the reef between Waiheke Island and Motuihe, leaving just its bow and part of the cabin above water.
"It took about 10 seconds, so you don't have time to be afraid," he said. "I would like to say the Coastguard performed marvellously. The whole team was good to me."
Crystal Clear was yesterday in the boatyard at Pine Harbour Marina, east of Auckland, after being pumped out and towed back.
Aucklander James Marshall was fishing nearby and saw the boat with only its bow and part of its cabin visible.
"It was a beautiful boat - looked like someone's Christmas present," he said.
Mr Calvert had the launch custom-built after he retired in 2000.
Crystal Clear was his first boat, a long-planned part of his retirement from a business life including directorships on the NZ Dairy Group, the Dairy Board and the Federated Farmers executive.
"I just take my family out on different days. I have heaps of grandchildren and they all want to have a go," he said.
It was too early to say what Crystal Clear's fate would be or how extensive the damage was.
"That is one of the debates I have in my own mind. When I bought it I was about 65 and now I'm 72. So you have to think about those things."
He told a boat magazine in 2000 that he chose it because it was comfortable enough for him and his family's needs but could be handled without an experienced crew.
The incident was one of 228 jobs for the Coastguard so far this month, compared to 217 for the whole of December last year.
"There's been a lot of mechanical problems with people taking the boat out for the first time," said spokeswoman Joanne Ottey.
"Everyone wants to get out there, but make sure you've got safety equipment on board and a means of communication."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416991


Windfarm project progress
New 5:30AM Thursday December 28, 2006
NZ Windfarms said all of the conditions for its joint venture with Babcock and Brown and National Power for the Te Rere Hau project have been satisfied.
Under the joint venture, NZ Windfarms retains a 50 per cent interest in the project, with National Power and Babcock & Brown Windpower sharing the other 50 per cent.
The conditions included transfer of contracts and property related to the project held by NZ Windfarms, and completing a contract for NZ Windfarms to provide management services.


Holidaymakers in Tairua receive unsafe-water alert
Thursday December 28, 2006By Mike Houlahan
The beautiful harbour makes Tairua popular. Photo / Lesley Staniland
Tairua holidaymakers have been warned they could contract illnesses such as diarrhoea from drinking unsafe tap water.
The Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) is playing down the "boil water" notice issued for Tairua, saying it is precautionary in case low-quality water has to be taken from local streams to meet demand.
Over the holidays the population of Tairua can increase eight to tenfold from its usual 2700.
Just before Christmas, the council told Tairua residents their tap water could be contaminated. The boil water notice has angered some business owners, who say they had to scramble to cope with the problem.
They said water shortages were a regular problem. Donna Early, who runs a dive shop, said several residents had stomach upsets.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416988


Shortage of males very real
Wednesday December 27, 2006
By Mike Dinsdale
It's official. There's a serious subject that could be troubling the women of Northland - there's a man drought, with nearly 2800 fewer men than women in the region.
The so-called "man drought" has been the stuff of rumour and urban legend for years now, but the 2006 Census results show that the fears of eligible women around the region have been confirmed - there are just not enough men to go around.
Statistics NZ has released the Census results, which give a snapshot of the make- up of our country on the night the information was collected - March 7.
The Census shows that the population of Northland has grown by 5.9 per cent since 2001, up from 140,133 residents to 148,470.
Nationally the population increased by 7.8 per cent to 4,027,947.
The Whangarei District was well ahead of the national average, with growth of 9.4 per cent, from 68,094 to 74,463.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/story.cfm?storyid=000277EF-9483-1591-B74E83027AF10017


Snapping up Fiji bargains
New Thursday December 28, 2006
New Zealanders are taking post-Christmas bargain-hunting to a new level by snapping up cheap holidays in troubled Fiji.
Post-coup deals offering 40 to 50 per cent off accommodation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' downgrading its travel risk warning have resulted in an upsurge of interest in Fiji as a holiday destination.
Flight Centre spokesman John McGuinness said Fiji was the second-most popular holiday destination for New Zealanders behind Australia.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416983


The horn of Africa - a region ringing to sound of cross-border conflict
Thursday December 28, 2006
Meles Zenawi. Photo / Reuters
Area:
A peninsula of East Africa that juts into the Arabian Sea. The term also refers to the greater region containing Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. It covers 2 million sq km and has a population of about 86.5 million. Sudan and Kenya are sometimes included.
Religion:
Somalia's main religion is Islam (Sunni), with a small Christian minority. About half of Ethiopia's population are Muslim and half Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. Nearly half of all Eritreans are Coptic Christians and most of the rest are Muslims. There are also Catholic and Protestant minorities.
Aid:
Eritrea is one of the world's most aid-dependent nations. Ethiopia receives the lion's share of European development aid to sub-Saharan Africa and foreign donors finance about one-third of its annual budget. Aid for Somalia has dropped off since a disastrous and bloody international intervention in the 1990s.
DOMESTIC TURMOIL
Somalia:
The rise of the Islamists, who control much of the south after seizing Mogadishu from United States-backed warlords in June, has threatened the Government's attempts to reimpose central rule on a country in chaos since the 1991 overthrow of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. Before the latest fighting, the interim Government was confined to the provincial town of Baidoa.
Ethiopia:
The Government arrested thousands of Opposition members and others after two bouts of violence following May 2005 parliamentary elections. At least 82 people were killed in clashes in the capital, Addis Ababa. Some have suggested nearly double that number died. Ethiopia also has active rebel groups, including the Oromo Liberation Front, which represents the country's largest ethnic group and is fighting for independence for the Oromo region. The Government of Meles Zenawi says Eritrea backs the OLF, which Eritrea denies. The Ogaden National Liberation Front, which wants self-determination for Ethiopia's ethnically Somali Ogaden region, is also active.
Eritrea:
The Government has been holding 21 politicians and journalists for five years without trial following a crackdown on dissidents and independent media. Before the September 2001 crackdown, the media had played a growing role in fostering open dissent in Eritrea, ruled by President Isaias Afwerki since the country gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a 30-year struggle.
NEIGHBOURING TENSIONS
Somalia:
Ethiopia and Somalia have been rivals throughout history. Ethiopia has sent troops into Somalia to attack radical Islamic movements, wary they could stir trouble in the ethnically Somali regions on its side of the border. Several times from 1992 to 1998, Ethiopian soldiers attacked members of al-Itihaad al-Islaami, a militant Somali group. The Islamist leader in Somalia, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, was head of its military wing during that time. The US has accused Eritrea of shipping arms to Somali Islamists. Eritrea has long denied any involvement in Somalia, but reports to the United Nations Security Council have documented numerous weapons shipments by Eritrea to the Islamists.
Eritrea/Ethiopia:
In 1998 the town of Badme was the flashpoint for the Ethiopia-Eritrea border war which caused 70,000 deaths and ended with a 2000 peace deal under which both sides agreed to accept an independent ruling on their border. It is heavily guarded by both sides and monitored by a UN mission with 2300 peacekeepers. Ethiopia rejected the border as set out by an independent commission in April 2002 and Eritrea refused to consider any changes. The commission has given Ethiopia and Eritrea a year to demarcate the border according to its proposals.
- REUTERS

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10416964


Floods claim at least 100 in Indonesia
10:15AM Wednesday December 27, 2006
JAKARTA - Floodwaters that killed scores of people in northwestern Indonesia have begun to recede, authorities said on Tuesday, as rescuers search remote areas for up to 200 people still missing.
State news agency Antara said one district official reported 500 bodies found in a remote village in Aceh province, but senior government and Red Cross officials said they had no information to confirm that.
Officials said the floods and subsequent landslides have killed at least 100 people in Aceh and neighbouring North Sumatra province, with tens of thousands forced to flee their homes for higher ground, officials said.
In Aceh, still reeling from the devastating tsunami two years ago that left about 170,000 dead or missing in the impoverished province, the death toll rose to 69, the officials said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10416915


Australia's military asked to battle cane toads
CANBERRA - Environmentalists have asked Australia's military to wage war on cane toads, which have spread across the country's north in near-plague proportions.
The toads, introduced in a batch of 101 from Hawaii in 1935 in a failed bid to control native cane beetles, have spread 3000km from northeast Queensland to Darwin in Australia's tropical north. There are now more than 200 million.
"We need as many people on the ground as we can possibly get, and if the military can work out strategies for controlling toads on their ground, well that's fine with us," Frog Watch spokesman Ian Morris told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio on Wednesday.
Cane toads are one of Australia's worst environmental mistakes, ranking alongside the catastrophic introduction of rabbits.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10416935


French Polynesia elects new president
2:15PM Wednesday December 27, 2006
PAPEETE - A politician close to France's ruling UMP party was elected President of French Polynesia on Tuesday, replacing the pro-independence former incumbent after a vote denounced by the loser as "robbery".
Gaston Tong Sang, 57, an ally of longtime regional boss Gaston Flosse, who is a friend of French President Jacques Chirac, was elected by the assembly which runs day-to-day affairs in the French territory by 31 votes to 26 for his rival Oscar Temaru.
The vote, which follows a censure motion earlier this month to oust Temaru's government, followed months of protests against high prices in the territory which includes Tahiti and is supported financially by Paris.
The former president attacked the procedure before the vote had even been taken.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10416929


Landing scare for Blair in Miami
2:39PM Wednesday December 27, 2006
Tony Blair. Photo / Reuters
MIAMI - A British Airways flight carrying 343 passengers and crew members including British Prime Minister Tony Blair overshot a runway at Miami's airport on Tuesday, the Miami Herald newspaper reported on its website.
No one was injured when the Boeing 747-400 jet arriving from London slid off the runway after landing about 6.15pm/2315 GMT, airport spokesman Marc Henderson told the newspaper.
The US Secret Service confirmed Blair and his immediate family were aboard the plane, flying in first class, according to the Miami Herald report.
They were due to vacation in the Miami area.
The Secret Service did not have any agents on the plane, but the agency is providing protection for the British government leader and his family during their South Florida visit.
The plane, which was not damaged, returned to a terminal and passengers were allowed to get off, Henderson said.
- REUTERS


Quake triggers Asian tsunami alert
9:53AM Wednesday December 27, 2006
A meteorologist at Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau in Taipei points to a graph showing the tremors of an earthquake that rattled the island. Photo / Reuters
MANILA - A major 7.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Taiwan on Tuesday set off a tsunami warning in the Pacific but there were no immediate reports of significant damage.
The quake came two years to the day after the Asian tsunami disaster, as jittery nations were remembering the devastation that left 220,000 people dead across the region.
The US Geological Survey reported two quakes, one of 7.1 magnitude and one of 7.0 magnitude.
An undersea quake reportedly hit at 8.26pm (0126 NZT) just off the southern tip of Taiwan, where authorities reported three more tremblors, measuring 6.4, 5.2 and 5.5 in magnitude respectively, following the first.
Almost two hours later yet another struck in the same area, the US Geological Survey reported, measuring 5.4.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=68&objectid=10416912


Indonesia still unprepared for tsunami two years on
Wednesday December 27, 2006By Geoffrey Lean
BANDA ACEH - Two years after the Boxing Day tsunami - which killed 230,000 people around the Indian Ocean - the area is still unprepared for a repeat.
Only a fraction of the number of hi-tech buoys and sea-level gauges designed to give early warning against a new catastrophe are in place, even though geologists warn that it could happen at any time. And most countries in the area are not sufficiently prepared to get an alarm out to coasts and beaches.
At the same time, many millions of dollars in foreign aid, promised by governments to the disaster-hit areas, have not been paid. And only a third of those made homeless two years ago have so far been rehoused.
Experts say that countless lives would have been saved from the tsunami - the worst natural catastrophe in modern times - if the Indian Ocean had had a tsunami early-warning system, like one that has been successfully operating in the Pacific for more than 35 years.
Unesco and other United

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10416868


Iran's oil problems deep-seated
Wednesday December 27, 2006
WASHINGTON - Iran's nuclear ambitions are motivated not just by a desire for regional supremacy but by a potentially devastating crisis in its oil industry, a researcher said.
Iran's image is of a muscular oil producer with plentiful reserves, but in fact it could soon face its own energy crunch owing to failing infrastructure and lack of investments, Professor Roger Stern at Johns Hopkins University said.
Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, the professor of geography and environmental engineering said Iran's oil problems have the potential to topple the clerical regime. "The regime's dependence on export revenue suggests that it could need nuclear power as badly as it claims."
Generous domestic subsidies for petrol mean that Iran's national oil company cannot make money at home and so needs to export as much as it can. But rapid population growth means that domestic demand is rising, while authorities have let their refineries and pipelines fray.
Despite being the second-biggest exporter in Opec behind Saudi Arabia, Iran has to import oil products like petrol to cope with demand. Since 1980, energy demand in Iran has risen 6.4 per cent, exceeding supply growth of 5.6 per cent. Exports have stagnated. For at least 18 months, Iran has failed to meet its quota for oil production.
The strong suggestion is that oil production is now falling.
- AFP

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10416872


Catherine Field: French high life is heading for a fall
At the gleaming counters of Fauchon in the Place de la Madeleine, Parisian ladies jab a manicured nail in the direction of the foie gras to add a succulent wedge to their New Year order.
At Le Chien Qui Fume restaurant in les Halles, oysters rushed from Brittany nestle in a bed of crushed ice and fronds of seaweed.
The autoroute to the Alps is chocka with families heading for the ski slopes. Those not going away these holidays may well be planning their break for the next holiday period, just seven weeks away. When you only work 35 hours a week and have six to eight weeks of leave, or you're a civil servant who has retired at 55, you have a lot of leisure time on your hands.
This is France in late 2006: well-heeled, high-spending, luxuriating in the good life. But how will it look at the turn of the decade?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10416963


Snow for singed Victoria
Saturday December 23, 2006
AUSTRALIA - Snow is forecast in bushfire-ravaged areas of Victoria for Christmas Day.
Temperatures over 30C and wind gusts of up to 100km/h were yesterday fanning the enormous bushfires which have placed dozens of communities at risk in Victoria's north and east.
But the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) says the four-day weather forecast holds some relief for the 4600 emergency personnel who have been battling the alpine fires.
Spokesman Duncan Pendrigh said rain was coming, "and it will be really cold on Christmas Day. Maybe even some snow, so it's crazy."
The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed it was forecasting up to 15mm of rain - the biggest rain dump this month. A cold stream of air would follow, and the bureau says this is expected to produce a light dusting of snow on Mt Buller, and other alpine peaks, on Christmas Day.
On the fire front yesterday, there were about 350 visiting firefighters from the ACT, NSW and New Zealand.
The Kiwi firefighters will return home today but a fresh contingent is due in Victoria in the first week of January.


Delight as rain ends bushfire threat
2:05PM
Monday December 25, 2006
Overnight rain has kept fire activity at a low today. Photo / Getty Images
MELBOURNE - Woods Point residents have danced in the streets celebrating Christmas rain which has ended the three-week fire threat to north-east Victorian town.
The wet weather extinguished the last of the spot fires around the town and drenched the weary locals as they let off steam.
"It rained all last night and this morning," the manager of Woods Point's Commercial Hotel, Kirrily Pay said.
"We had the biggest party, we were absolutely ecstatic, we can't believe we're still here.
"For three weeks now our lives have been on hold, you'd wake up each day and think is today the day it hits.
"We can't believe how close the fire came to us.
"We're all still in shock."
Ten days ago the locals ducked for cover as the blaze roared towards the town, pulling back at the last minute with a lucky wind change.
Since then spot fires have sprung up sporadically, burning within metres of homes.
This month's bushfires razed 871,000 hectares of mostly bushland in Victoria's northeast and Gippsland regions, destroying 32 houses and resulting in the death of a firefighter who fell off a trailer while battling the blaze.
The cooler weather and overnight rain has kept fire activity at a low today.
Similar conditions are forecast to continue for the next week, giving fire crews a chance to relax their efforts.
More than 800 fire fighters have been sent home for Christmas with 900 remaining on duty over the Christmas season.
A Country Fire Authority spokeswoman said fire front was now burning across bushland and posed no threat to homes.
No towns were alert, she said.
- AAP


Summer poll: Laws' Tonga King insult voted worst of the year
Wednesday December 27, 2006
By Juliet Rowan
Wanganui Mayor and RadioLive host Michael Laws has earned the dubious distinction of delivering the worst New Zealand insult of the year.
Among Herald readers, his calling the King of Tonga a "slug" when Taufa'ahau Tupou IV died was considered only marginally worse than Prime Minister Helen Clark labelling former National leader Don Brash "cancerous" after he attacked Labour for "corrupt" election spending.
Laws also said the King was "a despotic beneficiary of the New Zealand taxpayer" but the slug comment was considered the worst insult by 24.4 per cent of readers, compared with 22.2 per cent who thought Helen Clark went too far in comparing her then political opponent to a tumour.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10416852


NZ super eruption was double trouble, scientists say
10:15AM Monday
December 25, 2006
By Kent Atkinson
The Taupo eruption was 250,000 years ago. Photo / Daily Post
Auckland University scientists have revealed that eruptions of supervolcanoes powerful enough to change the climate and cause mass-extinction can be worse than previously thought.
Ordinary volcanoes spew lava, erupting magma, from cones or vents. But in the case of a supervolcano, the underground magma chamber bursts out in a titanic explosion with a force thousands of times that of a normal eruption and huge amounts of ash, dust, and poisonous sulphur dioxide are thrown into the atmosphere, leaving a giant crater or caldera.
Such large eruptions of greater than 100 cubic kilometres of magma are generally rare and random events worldwide.
But geologist Darren Gravley of Auckland University and his colleagues have shown that one of the largest supervolcano eruptions on record, at Taupo 250,000 years ago, was twice as big as previously thought.
They have published in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America evidence that the eruption in the Taupo Volcanic Zone was actually two supervolcanoes 30km apart which erupted within days or weeks of each other.
It is the first time such a close pairing of supervolcano eruptions has been documented and provides scientists with a new understanding of the potential linkage between geographically separate caldera volcanoes.
Each eruption belched out more than 100cu km rock and volcanic ash, creating what are now known as the Mamaku and Ohakuri volcanic deposits.
"It's possible one of these triggered the other," said Dr Gravley told the Discovery Channel. But exactly how the triggering might have worked is uncertain.
What is clear from the university's explorations is that they were created very close in time - a surprising discovery because most caldera or "supervolcano" eruptions in any one region tend to be tens of thousands of years apart, according to accepted theories.
Among the signs that the rocks from the two eruptions were piled on one another is the conspicuous lack of erosion on the first volcanic deposits -- which is striking, considering the eruptions would have been followed by heavy rains.
Previous studies that looked only at the radioisotope dates of the volcanic rocks from the eruptions missed the timing details, Dr Gravley said, because they have a margin of error of 10,000 years .
"You've got to look at the physical evidence," said Gravley. "It's really getting into the nitty-gritty. From the stratigraphy (rock layers) it's clear two were erupting at the same time. That just blows away any (regional frequency) studies out of the water."
The bad news is that double eruption represents a whole new way that supervolcanoes can threaten humanity.
Caldera researcher Gerardo Aguirre, of Mexico's National University in Juriquilla, said caldera eruptions were far less frequent than other volcanoes.
But when they did erupt, "the consequences for the surroundings and in general for the world would be enormous, because these explosive eruptions are many orders of magnitude bigger than a more common eruption from a volcano, such as Mount St Helens or Vesuvius."
Last year, other research at Taupo - on the more recent Taupo supervolcano of only 26,500 years ago - changed accepted theories that it takes hundreds of thousands of years for the reservoir of molten rock, or magma, beneath a supervolcano to build up to an eruption.
They showed the period between super-eruptions can be much shorter, perhaps a few tens of thousands of years.
Dr Bruce Charlier, from Britain's Open University, showed the build-up at Taupo was no more than 40,000 years - a relatively short time period in geological terms.
"Our findings mean that we have to reassess our understanding of the speed at which the volcano can reactivate, and this has important implications for volcanic monitoring and hazard mitigation at Taupo and similar volcanoes worldwide."
- NZPA


Dinosaurs in Spain grazed mainly on the plain
Saturday December 23, 2006
Fossilised remains of one of the world's largest dinosaurs have been discovered in Europe. Photo / Reuters
SPAIN - Europe can now lay claim to its own massive dinosaur with the discovery of a 150-million-year-old fossil of a giant leaf-eating creature which grew up to 36m long.
Scientists have discovered dozens of fossilised bones of the sauropod dinosaur at a site called Barrihonda-El Humero near the village of Riodeva in Teruel, Spain.
Fully grown, Turiasaurus riodevensis would have weighed between 40 and 48 tonnes - the combined weight of six or seven adult male elephants. Its size puts Turiasaurus on a par with some of the largest dinosaurs in the world, whose remains have been found in Africa and America but never before in Europe.
Brook Hanson of the journal Science, which published details of the discovery, said that the claw of the first digit on the dinosaur's foot was the size of an American football.
- INDEPENDENT


Bone of contention over Joan of Arc
Wednesday December 20, 2006B
y Catherine Field
Joan of Arc responded to "divine voices" to rally the forces of Charles VII against England's domination of northern France.
PARIS - Five hundred and seventy-five years after she was convicted by an English court of witchcraft and heresy before being burned at the stake, Joan of Arc faces another trial - by science.
Initial results from the most rigorous lab assessment ever made of the relics of France's teenage warrior and patron saint suggest the revered bones could be bogus.
"The chances are diminishing that these are the remains of the French heroine," says Philippe Charlier, a forensic scientist and specialist in historical pathology.
"Based on past experiences with relics that are often false, my thoughts prompt me to think we are heading towards the conclusion that this is a fake relic."
Charlier's 18-member team spent six months testing scorched-looking bones, including a 15cm chunk of rib, and a piece of linen.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10416127


Possums may hold key to male prostate problems
Tuesday December 26, 2006
The humble possum may hod the key to a medical breakthrough in men's health.
Horny possums may hold the key scientists have been looking for to help treat some prostrate problems in men.
Scientists at AgResearch and the Otago Medical School believe the prostate gland in the bush-tailed possum is anatomically identical to humans.
AgResearch said the possum's prostate gland grew and shrank seasonally and if research could identify the trigger that caused that shrinkage, it could help develop a drug which could help men.
AgResearch said the prostate gland began to grow in most men over 40 and by the time they were 60, more than half of the men had prostate problems, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10416830


Major ozone loss in south
Wednesday December 27, 2006
CHICAGO - A new study shows just how dramatic the ozone loss in the Antarctic has been over the past 20 years compared with the same phenomenon in the Arctic.
The study found "massive" and "widespread" localised ozone depletion in the heart of Antartica's ozone hole region, beginning in the late 1970s, but becoming more pronounced in the 1980s and 1990s.
United States Government scientists said that there was an almost complete absence of ozone in certain atmospheric air samples taken after 1980, compared to earlier decades.
In contrast, the ozone losses in the Arctic were sporadic, and even the greatest losses did not begin to approach the regular losses in the northern hemisphere, the researchers said.
"Typically the Arctic loss is dramatically less than the Antarctic loss," said Robert Portmann, an atmospheric scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=26&objectid=10416871

continued ...

These vortices are spinning in opposite directions (click on for 12 hour loop)

December 27, 2006

1230z - Water Vapor Satellite from UNISYS

This is an interesting image, giving very strong evidence to the fact human generated heat is fueling the demise of Earth's biota.

Let's first take a look at each vortex separately.

The vortex furthest to the east (right side of image over the Atlantic Ocean. If you don't know what right hand is or the Atlantic is, look it up.) has the highest velocity. It is counter rotation for the northern hemisphere. Normally, the north as referred to below spins/rotates counterclockwise, this supercell is spinning in a clockwise direction. It has the highest velocity because it has overcome the Coriolis effect of the rotation of Earth.

Now, let's look at the vortex furthest west/left hand side of the image over the Pacific. Of the three vortices this has the least velocity. It is less 'tight' in it's rotation and carries a wider 'area' of water vapor. This is far calmer, although still significant in it's ability to distribute heat around Earth, than the vortex furthest to the east. This vortex is spinning as it should in a counterclockwise rotation.

It is 'normal' spin, although an anomally for the troposphere. These supercells which have been a permanent aspect of the troposphere since October 4, 2002 are anomallies. They are an abberation/an immorality, of the planetary physics of Earth. They are a coping mechanism to the biotic surface that Earth is a precious commodity in a universe of violent chemical reactions and physics dynamics.

Alright, now let's take a look at the TRANSITION vortex. That is the one in the middle. Where is it? Besides the middle? Over North American continent? But, more than that. It is over the highest carbon dioxide producing nation on Earth. The United States of America.

See the difference.

Literally, what is happening is that the vortex to the west is moving ever so slowly, lumbering along if you will, to the east with the rotation of Earth. It is to itself a very powerful and ionic vortex.

BUT.

It passes over terra firma. Hm. Does it releave itself of it's heat and resolve to a minor tropospheric vortex? No. Not at all. That is reserved for the Arctic Circle where Earth maintains the ice cube called the Arctic Ocean which cools the oceans and maintains tolerable temperatures to sustain life. What happens next to the western vortex is rather interesting, isn't it? It crosses the nation of George Walker Bush's Oil Barrons and becomes a wickedly strong storm. I'll be darn.

The potential for such a transition is always present. The potential can be noted in the Pacific vortex, but, in a far less certainty and far lesser dynamic. The transition definately takes place over the USA.

This is one of the first times, if not the first time, this anomally has been raised to the extreme it is now. I have never noted in four years of vigilant observation a counter rotation vortex to this dynamic in the northern hemisphere. Human Induced Global Warming is not resolving. At all. If anything this dynamic is exponentially becoming worse without ANY indication of relenting.

This is proof that Human Induced Global Warming is real and continuing to be a threat to the lives of human beings in an exponential increase in dynamics that has shown no signs of reversal.

It is directly due to high level of carbon dioxide.

From NASA (click on)

Air tends to move from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, creating wind. In the Northern Hemisphere, the earth's rotation causes the wind to swirl into a low-pressure area in a counterclockwise direction. In the Southern Hemisphere, the winds rotate clockwise around a low. This effect of the rotating earth on wind flow is called the Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect increases in intensity farther from the equator. To produce a hurricane, a low-pressure area must be more than 5 degrees of latitude north or south of the equator. Hurricanes seldom occur closer to the equator.

Gray Brocket Deer on the left and Red Brocket Deer on the right

November 30, 2006

Beekse Bergen, Netherlands

Assessing the sustainability of brocket deer hunting in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Communal Reserve, northeastern Peru (click on title above for link)

Résumé / Abstract
Since the 1800s, brocket deer have been an important source of meat and income for subsistence and professional hunters in the Peruvian Amazon. Today, local people continue to hunt brocket deer for subsistence meat and for sale in local meat markets. Although brocket deer are not hunted as frequently as peccaries, they make a significant contribution to rural household economies. This study assessed the sustainability of hunting of brocket deer by local communities in the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Communal Reserve (TTCR), northeastern.

Peru.

We analyzed data from 1991 to 1999 using density comparisons, hunting pressures, an age structure model, and a harvest model comparing results between heavily hunted, slightly hunted, and non-hunted sites. The four approaches agreed that brocket deer are harvested sustainably. The sustainability of brocket deer hunting will depend on the continued presence of other valuable wildlife species (e.g. peccaries and large rodents), which are more preferred due to their ease of hunting and higher rates of encounters. Gross productivity indicates that brocket deer are showing resilience in the form of density dependent reproductive adjustments in the TTCR, but they may still be vulnerable to overhunting. Consequently, current levels of harvesting may be continued until further ecological and biological information on the species' population trends assist in defining more reliable sustainable offtake levels.

I believe these are Brocket Deer from South America - Peruvian Amazon

November 30, 2006

Beekse Bergen, Netherlands

Reproductive biology of female Amazonian brocket deer in northeastern Peru (Click link above)

Journal
European Journal of Wildlife Research
Publisher
Springer Berlin / Heidelberg
ISSN
1612-4642 (Print) 1439-0574 (Online)

Abstract The aim of this study was to provide information on the reproductive biology of brocket deer. Hence, we analyzed female reproductive tracts collected by rural hunters from 1991 to 1998 in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Communal Reserve, northeastern Peruvian Amazon. We characterized the basic reproductive biology of brocket deer, analyzed whether the distributions of conceptions and births are aseasonal, and compared their reproductive productivity in two different areas subject to heavy and slight hunting pressures, respectively.

We found that:

(1) red and gray brocket deer did not differ in ovulation, fertilization, and pregnancy rates;

(2) average number of fetuses per birth was 1.2 for red brocket deer and one for gray brocket deer;

(3) sex of fetuses suggests a male biased sex ratio for both species;

(4) neither species shows reproductive seasonality; and

(5) gross productivity does not differ between heavily and slightly hunted areas. Our results indicate that brocket deer exhibit reproductive characteristics similar to their conspecifics in other parts of their native distribution range.

Sun Bears (click on)

November 27, 2006

Ardmore, OK

Photographer states :: sun bear is the smallest member of the bear family. It is also the one with the shortest and sleekest coat - perhaps an adaptation to a lowland equatorial climate. They habitant in southeasr asia. These animals grow to approximately four and a half feet in length and have a tiny, two-inch tail. Their average weight is less than 100 pounds.

December 5, 2006

Escondido/Wild Animal Park, CA

Photographer states :: Don't wake up ...a sleeping Lion on a jobsite!!!

Zoos

Big deal: Florida dog is world's smallest
LARGO - (AP) -- Brandy the Chihuahua is six inches long and weighs less than 2 pounds. She's not allowed on the furniture because if she jumped off, she'd break.
She's also, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, officially the Smallest Dog in the World.
Brandy's owner, Paulette Keller, carries her around in a sheepskin-lined purse. For fun, she dresses her in a pink Hawaiian dress. You don't pet Brandy so much as rub her with a thumb and forefinger.
Brandy made the transformation from Keller's lap ornament to the Smallest Dog in the World over a year ago. The breeder told Keller she thought Brandy was smaller than the smallest dog in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Keller took Brandy to the vet, who signed papers listing her vital statistics.
So in the 2006 Guinness book, there is bug-eyed Brandy, on the same page as the dog who can fit five tennis balls in its mouth.
The perks so far have been few. Last year, the Pedigree dog food company paid to fly Ron and Paulette Keller to Reno, Nevada, where Brandy was paired with one of the largest dogs in the world for a three-day exhibit at a casino.
Keller says she doesn't care about the attention.
''I just love her,'' she told The St. Petersburg Times. ``It wouldn't matter if she's the smallest. She's just a really sweet dog.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16238288.htm


Viewfinder: Nature v. nurture
At just a few months old, it seems the last emotion a puppy like Smith, above, could evoke in humans is fear.
Yet, the headlines are common across the nation: "Man attacked by pit bull," or "Residents upset after pit bull kills other dog ."
It is not that I think the stories are unworthy of media attention. Dangerous animals must be dealt with right along with the environment that produced them.
I also believe that if you have the right training and exercise, pit bulls can be wonderful pets.
The folks at the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico and RAAP (Responsibly Adopting Albuquerque's Pit Bulls) offer a free class that is open to anybody who takes in a pit bull, or a pit bull cross, puppy.
The class is held at the association shelter, 615 Virginia St. S.E., every Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. Pit bulls and mixes under 20 weeks are eligible to attend; they must have all age-appropriate vaccines.
"There is no way in which this different than a class for any other breed of dogs," says Tristan Rehner, a certified dog trainer who teaches the class.
"It's just that we know from the statics that pit bulls are at high risk for relinquishment to the shelters, and we are trying to give people the tools to raise them properly."
Rehner should know. She has two pit bulls of her own.
Any time you adopt a animal, it is a major commitment, and pit bulls are not for everyone. Exercise and discipline are essential, and both take a good deal of time.
Do your own research, and no matter what breed you choose, take your new puppy to school. You'll both learn so much.

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/dec/04/viewfinder-nature-v-nurture/



Test-tube koalas unveiled
10.16, Tue Oct 31 2006
Three test-tube koala joeys have been unveiled by scientists in Australia.
An artificial insemination programme has been set up at the University of Queensland to help preserve the vulnerable mammal.
The scientists said the programme would lead to the creation of the world's first koala sperm bank, which will enable researchers to screen out koala diseases.
Scientists said a total of 12 koala joeys were produced using test-tube insemination.
The koalas were conceived using a new breeding technology that uses sperm mixed with a special solution to prolong the sperm's shelf-life, said Steve Johnston, the project leader and University of Queensland reproductive biologist.
"Eight of the 12 current test-tube joeys were born following the artificial insemination of freshly diluted sperm samples," he said in a statement. "The next vital step is the use of chilled sperm and then thawed frozen sperm from the sperm bank."
The koala is not classified as an endangered species but it is listed as vulnerable to extinction in parts of two Australian states, Queensland and New South Wales.
Mr Johnston said the koala sperm bank would enable a genetic background check of each koala, screening for koala diseases such as chlamydia, a parasitic bacteria, and management of the genetic diversity of koala populations.
The koala insemination programme is a joint project between the University of Queensland, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Dreamworld, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, David Fleay's Wildlife Park and the Zoological Society of London.

http://www.itv.com/news/08667a5894348d67fb97d926887c224c.html


Baby koalas make Japanese debut
3.53, Wed Dec 20 2006
Two tiny baby koalas have made their first appearance at the Saitama children's zoo in Japan.
The two six-month old males, who have not yet been named, have only recently emerged from each of their mother's pouches.
Animal lovers are now queuing up to get their first glimpse of the new arrivals. One visitor, 25-year-old Tomomi Miayano, said: "The babies are smaller and cuter than I thought."
The babies are still adjusting to life outside the pouches and they will spend up to another six months on their mothers' back before becoming able to fend for themselves.
The new additions are two of three babies who have been born this year in Japan's zoos. Saitama children's zoo has previously bred five koalas, but only one male.
Young male koalas are rare in Japan despite the country's nine zoos in which koalas are raised.
Keeper Rieko Tanaka said: "Very few young and energetic koalas are available in Japan. So it will be impossible for us to keep breeding them if nothing is done in near future. I hope some young male and female Koalas are sent here from Australia for that purpose."

http://www.itv.com/news/index_3026653fc06d47ae37a206c016d16d4c.html


MNR requires more funds to improve roadside zoo legislation, enforcement
I would like to clarify WSPA’s position on the MNR’s responsibility for captive wildlife. As mentioned in our letter printed in the Huntsville Forester on December 13, we agree that all captive wildlife facilities, including rehabilitation centres, should be regulated and inspected to ensure compliance with professional standards. This is the only way to ensure the animals are well cared for and that their eventual release back into the wild is successful.
Our concern lies with the fact that the MNR has not put the same effort into inspecting zoos. One MNR wildlife specialist informed me that he is lucky if he gets to visit the five zoos in his district once every three years. Some zoo owners have boasted that they have yet to be inspected once.
Animals are living in deplorable conditions at roadside zoos across the province because of lax legislation and inadequate enforcement. We are fully aware that the MNR is starved of funds and needs more resources to carry out these two important job responsibilities effectively. This is needed to ensure that all captive wildlife receive adequate care, regardless of whether they are released or permanently kept on display.
Melissa Tkachykcampaigns officerWorld Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA

http://www.huntsvilleforester.com/1166629472/


There is some opinion that people should not be as vindicated in pursuing animal rights. Everyone has a right to know the opinions. This article is simply a reference that provides an opportunity to reflect on a personal stand on such rights. The theory is called “Similar Minds” and it is deemed a threat by people who find compassion of other species threatening to human beings. ????????????????? If “Similar Minds” protects the rights of animals due to language barriers and different intellect how could it ever be a threat to the rights of human beings? It’s not logical. In my opinion it is simply being a grouch and not a legal advocate for people.

http://www.animal-law.org/similarminds.pdf


Elephant Exhibit May Expand at Brookfield
It was less than two years ago that the Lincoln Park Zoo went elephant-free after the deaths of several of its elephants. Detroit Zoo no longer has an elephant exhibit either. Seems it might be growing more difficult to visit elephants in the Midwest.
However, Brookfield Zoo has plans to expand its elephant exhibit five times over, the Tribune reported earlier this week. The zoo intends to build a state-of-the-art indoor house and bring in four more elephants, for a total of six. Zoo Director Stuart Strahl told the Tribune the multimillion-dollar improvements would be part of a master plan to modernize the entire zoo. The plans are in the early stages, and about seven years from implementation.
Elephants in zoos — let alone zoos in cold-weather climates like Chicago — is still a heated debate. PETA has been pushing for an elephant-protection ordinance in Chicago, which would require each kept elephant have access to five indoor acres of space and five outdoor acres.

http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2006/12/20/elephant_exhibit_may_expand_at_brookfield.php


Lizard Love a Truly Singular Sensation
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to males, it seems female Komodo (otcbb: KMDO.OB - news - people ) dragons can take 'em or leave 'em.
That's because female Komodo dragons don't need males to produce offspring, according to an article in this week's issue of the journal Nature.
The article describes parthenogenesis in two female Komodo dragons at zoos in the United Kingdom. Parthenogenesis, the production of offspring without fertilization by a male, is rare in vertebrate species.
Flora, a Komodo dragon at Chester Zoo, used parthenogenesis to produce a clutch of 11 viable eggs earlier this year. Three of the eggs were crushed during incubation and provided researchers with embryonic material for DNA tests. The remaining eight eggs are developing normally and are expected to hatch in January 2007, the article said.
Another female Komodo called Sungai -- a resident of the London Zoo -- produced four offspring more than two years after her last contact with a male. She later produced more offspring after mating with a male.
The authors of the article said these cases of "reproductive plasticity" suggest that female Komodo are able to switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, depending on the availability of a male mate. This has implications for breeding this endangered species in captivity.

http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/12/20/hscout600297.html


A film by NOVA sponsored by Google about treatment of animals in their health care system

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4640996096556117585


Two Elephants Must Relocate, Seek Good Home
The elephant Nicholas deserves much better. In the tangled tale of his unhappy limbo, that may be the only thing that everyone can agree on.
A rambunctious adolescent, Nicholas is an endangered Asian elephant who lives in a largely empty barn just north of Chicago. The barn's owner, who rents out circus animals, was ordered by the Agriculture Department to give away his 16 elephants in early 2004 because of a long list of violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Given the popularity and value of elephants, finding potential recipients would hardly seem to be a difficult task.
But nothing is simple in the troubled and contentious world of North America's elephants today, now that a growing and vocal group of advocates and some zoo directors think the social and intelligent animals are often harmed by captivity. The fact that these particular elephants had been exposed to tuberculosis, and so had to be held in quarantine, made any transfers especially difficult.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/21/AR2006122101512.html


Zoo caters to aging animalsAs collection grows, staff tries to ease aches, pains of growing older
By SALATHEIA BRYANT
THE SENIORS
Some of the oldest residents living at the Houston Zoo include:
• Radiated tortoise : Wild, caught in 1957. Estimated birth date is 1932; age 74
• Chinese alligator : Wild, caught as an adult in 1950 with an estimated birth year of 1945; age 61
• Hornbill (female) : Estimated birth date is 1964; estimated age 41 or 42
• King vulture (male) : Keepers call him "the Old Man," aka Scratch. Came to the zoo in the 1960s; estimated age around 41.
• Thai : The Asian elephant is 41.
Bruiser used to be in show business.
The Asiatic black bear performed at festivals and renaissance fairs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Youthful and fit, his picture once was featured in National Geographic.
But Bruiser isn't the bear he used to be. At 31, arthritis has slowed him down. He doesn't lift his head high or stand on his hind legs for food as a younger bear would.
Each morning, before he starts his day, a zookeeper feeds him a cup of yogurt with a crushed pain pill and a powdered supplement mixed in to help his joints. He greedily gulps it down while sitting as the keeper squats down to hold the container to his snout.
"He doesn't do anything fast," said Hollie Colahan, the Houston Zoo's curator for primates and carnivores. "It's his retirement. With these age-related things ... we have to make quality-of-life decisions. That's why we monitor."
One of several geriatric animals at the Houston Zoo, Bruiser represents a new face of the industry: aging animals in aging collections.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4425908.html


Texas sanctuary is accused of abusing hundreds of animals
SAN ANTONIO -- The sprawling private animal sanctuary nestled in the picturesque hills above San Antonio was supposed to be a place of comfort and refuge for hundreds of chimpanzees, monkeys, and other animals that had outlived their usefulness as research subjects, movie props, or pets.
And for most of the past 28 years, Primarily Primates enjoyed an esteemed national reputation in the animal-welfare community, attracting donations and support from zoos, universities, and Hollywood celebrities.
But somewhere along the line, according to the Texas attorney general, things began to go terribly wrong behind the chain-link fence that separated the animal refuge from the public. Charitable funds were misdirected, the attorney general alleged, used to buy groceries, liquor, and even a house for one of the staff members. The sanctuary's founder, Wallace Swett, allegedly began "hoarding" hundreds more animals than the facility could hold.
By the time Travis County Probate Judge Guy Herman ordered a temporary receiver to take over the charity in October, finding that the sanctuary's managers were continuing to "neglect and mistreat" the animals in their care, many of the 75 chimpanzees were sealed inside filthy cages behind metal doors that had rusted shut.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/12/24/texas_sanctuary_is_accused_of_abusing_hundreds_of_animals/


YOU SHOULD KNOW, DENNIS PATE: Improving zoo boosts tourism
Jacksonville Zoo's Dennis Pate has guided major projects
By ALISON TRINIDAD, The Times-Union
Any given day, cheetahs, rhinos and random people can peek into Dennis Pate's office. Pate, executive director of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, says he likes to peek right back.
Formerly the senior vice president of the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Pate took the reins at the Jacksonville Zoo in June 2002. His office, in the zoo's newly opened administration building, is walled with windows, making it seem as if it were in the midst of the wild - except for the train of zoo tourists that rides past.
As one of only 214 zoo directors in North America to lead an Association of Zoos & Aquariums-accredited facility (not an easy feat, given that there are about 2,500 wildlife exhibits in the country), Pate added another job to his plate: chairman of the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau's Board of Directors.
Pate spoke with the Times-Union about moving to Jacksonville, boosting tourism to the area in spite of hurricanes and having a Dec. 25 birthday. Following are edited excerpts.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/122506/bus_6720101.shtml


Philadelphia Zoo in the News
Local Elephants Sent to Maryland, Tennessee
By Marianna Bogucki
GUEST WRITER
I am not an angry person. I have in fact been called liquid sunshine on more than one occasion. My natural optimism has seen me through many annoying situations in life, and I think myself to be better for it.
I have hit a wall, however. I am angry. No, I am not angry at the president, TomKat or my roommate. I am in fact angry with zookeepers. I have a long history with the Philadelphia Zoo. Growing up an hour or so outside of the city, at least once a year I would take a field trip to the zoo, in addition to numerous family outings. During high school, my mother would sign me out of class, and then together we would spend the afternoon at the zoo, laughing at monkeys, sighing over the adorable baby cats, and heckling peacocks in an attempt to get them to open up their beautiful tails.

http://www.biconews.com/article/view/5246


Lions and tigers and zebras, too
By Goel Pinto
Yigal Horowitz, the veterinarian of Ramat Gan's Safari park, has been aiming tranquilizer darts at the park's young zebras for the past two days. He first identifies them from within the herd, which roams freely in a 1,000-dunam (250-acre) expanse, takes aim and fires. "I have been shooting [animals] for 16 years already," Horowitz says. "It is a matter of skill."
A few minutes after the dart makes contact, the animal is asleep. The park's team has been awaiting precisely this moment. The sedated animal is lifted onto a flatbed trailer hitched to a vehicle and transported to a treatment area, where it will be administered preventative medications against parasites and then woken. Eight young zebras, aged 8 months to 2 years, will be kept in a quarantine enclosure for a few weeks, until they are loaded onto a plane bound for the Chiang Mai region of Thailand, where a large safari park is being developed. The Thailand park recently contacted the Ramat Gan Safari, asking to purchase 20 zebras at $20,000 each.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/805524.html


Diabetes test to save rhino
A test developed for New Zealand diabetes sufferers is helping the critically endangered African black rhinoceros stave off extinction.
Victoria University conservation biologist Wayne Linklater is leading an international project testing the belief that high sugar levels in female black rhinos is causing a disproportionate number of male births. About 71 per cent of black rhinos born in captivity are male.
There are about 3150 black rhinos in the wild in southern and east Africa, and 250 in captivity around the world. Dr Linklater said the captive black rhino population could be extinct within 10 to 15 years unless the sex imbalance was fixed.
"We believe that female embryos in rhinos are more vulnerable than males to excess glucose in the mother.
"Moving the rhinos to zoos or game reserves seems to increase glucose levels by either increased stress from the move or better nutrition available to the mothers in resource-rich reserves or in captivity."
It seemed female embryos had higher mortality rates if their pregnant mothers were stressed, or fed a sugar-rich diet, Dr Linklater said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3908652a11.html


Red panda siblings arrive at Chattanooga Zoo
A set of three red panda siblings arrived at the Chattanooga Zoo today. The 6-month-old pandas were reunited in a special enclosure filled with bamboo plants, soft blankets and plenty of fruits, including apples and grapes.One panda had been living at the Bronx Zoo, while the other two were from the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina, where the three were born June 6.The curious, furry animals, which generally weigh between 12 and 15 pounds, explored their new surroundings by climbing a chain-linked fence, a set of pet carriers and their new keeper. “People like the red pandas,” said panda keeper David Bond, 24. “They are definitely one of our most charismatic animals.”

http://www.tfponline.com/absolutenm/templates/breaking.aspx?articleid=8762&zoneid=41


Alpine zoo likely to be moving on
Plan would give animal park 10 times more land
BIG BEAR LAKE - For decades, Moonridge Animal Park has been a top draw for visitors to Bear Valley.
It's a quaint and rarely found alpine zoo, which visitors could pass through in about 20 minutes if they wanted. The facility is on 2.5 acres.
Now, county and federal officials are working to move the zoo from the south shore of Big Bear Lake to the north shore and greatly expand it. The project is still in the proposal stage, but everyone involved in it is trying to ensure its success.
"It's no secret that the (U.S.) Forest Service supports the project," said Paul Bennett, recreation officer for the San Bernardino National Forest.
The zoo needs to move because its lease is set to expire in February 2009 and the owners have other plans for the property.
The question, Bennett explained, is whether the proposal can pass an environmental review.
San Bernardino County and Big Bear Lake officials want to build a 25-acre zoo next to the Discovery Center, which is operated by the Forest Service. The newer facility would be able to house far more animals, and one day would have a veterinary hospital and space for studies by university students.

http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_4890517


Condor exhibit part of zoo plan
Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/23/2006 12:24:48 AM PST
SANTA BARBARA — The long-awaited California condor exhibit is coming to the Santa Barbara Zoo. The city Planning Commission has unanimously approved a $10 million proposal to upgrade the zoo, including the condor exhibit; renovate several other exhibits; and build an education center.
"This is a plan that the entire city should celebrate; our zoo is really beautiful and this will make it better," commissioner Charmaine Jacobs said.
The condor exhibit overlooking the Andree Clark Bird Refuge will make Santa Barbara Zoo one of the few zoos exhibiting the endangered vultures.
"We're building tomorrow's zoo today," zoo director Rick Block said.
The zoo will act as a holding facility for condors. They'll be sent here, then assigned a mate and moved to one of the large condor breeding facilities in California, Oregon or Idaho.
"The exhibit itself is actually a functioning part of the conservation program," Block said.
The zoo is partnering with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians to incorporate information in the exhibit on the cultural significance of the bird, which is considered sacred by the tribe.


Stuff the threat, offer new plan for the zoo
December 23, 2006
I read with amusement the Blank Park Zoo folks' attempt to play chicken with the public if they don't get the lion's share of the land they want in an adjacent public park ("Zoo Says It Needs To Use Park Land," Dec. 16). It has adopted a popular private sector, shake-down-the-public-strategy: It could move the zoo if its request is denied and the expansive vision thwarted.Where would it go? Norwalk, Polk City, Pella? How about Newton? It's looking for new investments.The value of any cultural enterprise like a zoo is a function of its desirability, its drawing power and the density of demand regionally. It's already in the area of the state with densest demand, and that demand is growing smartly.Does anyone really believe that the zoo would abandon millions of dollars worth of investment value in the existing zoo just to start all over in a new area if it doesn't get its way? Even if it did, it'd still have to be in the overall metropolitan region to maintain its numbers, and in the long run, the overall central Iowa economy could just about care less where that is so long as it is reasonably accessible for most people.I'm betting its black-tailed prairie dog's bark is bigger than its bite. Rethink the strategy.- Dave Swenson,Ames.


Zoo offers Junior Zookeeper Program
12/24/2006
The Sequoia Park Zoo is offering a Junior Zookeeper Program to keep students busy through the holiday break. Participating junior zookeepers will spend a week at the zoo learning about what animals eat, assisting with food preparation and designing special activities, such as building a den for Rosemary the black bear. Interested residents can register at the zoo gift shop, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or phone 707-441-4217 for more information.

http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=18773


SAN FRANCISCO
Zoo closes Lion House after mauling
The Siberian tiger that attacked her keeper was roaming her outdoor habitat with the San Francisco Zoo's other big cats Saturday, but visitors can no longer watch the animals being fed.
That's because the zoo's popular Lion House, where the feedings take place, will remain closed indefinitely while officials try to determine what led the tiger to lunge Friday and claw the arms of a keeper who has worked at the zoo nearly 10 years.
The 350-pound cat, named Tatiana, attacked at 2:15 p.m., shortly after feeding time. The San Francisco Fire Department was called at 2:22 p.m. Zoo officials hope that accounts from employees who saw the incident -- and from the keeper, when she is ready -- will clear up what happened, zoo spokesman Paul Garcia said.
Zoo authorities would not identify the keeper, but sources told The Chronicle she was Lori Komejan. She suffered deep lacerations to her arms and underwent surgery Friday at San Francisco General Hospital. Garcia declined to comment Saturday on her condition at the family's request.
Komejan, a talented artist who likes to draw animals, has worked at the zoo since 1997.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/24/TIGER.TMP


3 Young Lions Make Debut Appearance At National Zoo
POSTED: 3:03 pm EST December 23, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Starting Saturday, visitors to the National Zoo were able to see three new lions who recently arrived from South Africa.
Three-year-old Nababiep, two-year-old Shera and one-year-old Luke came to Washington at the end of October. Since then, they've been settling in and getting to know Lusaka, the 15-year-old female who has lived at the zoo since 2003.
Nababiep and Shera, who are sisters, are each about 300 pounds. Luke is nearly 200 pounds, and he's still growing.
The new lions are very healthy, and zoo officials hope they'll breed in a few years.
For now, the new lions and Lusaka will rotate their time in the yard.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/10598730/detail.html


St. Petersburg Zoo Bird Flu Speculation Laid to Rest
It has been determined that the two geese that died in the St. Petersburg Zoo last month did not have bird flu as had been reported. The birds were tested for avian influenza and the results were negative.
Local media in the St. Petersburg area had been speculating that the two geese and three others at the zoo had been infected with an unknown type of the bird flu virus, but the reports have not been conformed by official sources. A spokesman for the zoo has announced that one of the geese died of old age and the other had an infection that was not related to Avian influenza.
St. Petersburg’s Zoo is one of the oldest in Russia and is a popular destination for families and Russian women and men on dates. The zoo was closed on Monday and Tuesday and reopened on Wednesday, prompting speculation that the closure had something to do with the death of the geese.
Tatyana Solomatina, a spokeswoman for the zoo, said the facility was closed for a dispensary check, which is done every year. Some local media outlets claimed the closure was due to an emergency inspection and bird flu vaccinations.
The zoo and St. Petersburg Veterinary Board went to city hall to discuss this situation last week and clear up any rumors. The birds at the zoo were vaccinated twice this year against bird flu and the zoo has been running a special prevention program since the beginning of 2006 to protect the residents of the zoo against the disease.

http://www.loversplanet.com/news/2006/12/23/st-petersburg-zoo-bird-flu-speculation-laid-to-rest/


Panda baby boom continues as twins born in Japanese zoo
TOKYO The 2006 panda baby boom continues.
Twin pandas have been born at a zoo in western Japan. Officials report one of the babies is considered premature, but both are in good condition. The zoo has not yet confirmed the sex of the cubs.
According to China's Xinhua (shin-wah) News Agency, that brings the number of artificially bred pandas born this year to 30, a record. But zoo officials in Japan say they're not sure whether the cubs born Saturday were the result of natural mating or artificial insemination. The zoo has two adult pandas on loan from China.
The panda is one of the world's rarest animals. About 15-hundred are thought to be living in the wild in China. Another 180 have been bred in captivity.


Indians name zoo's white buffalo
FARMINGTON - He was named Kenahkihinen, which means "watch over us.''
The white baby buffalo, born on the mountaintop on Nov. 12 at the Woodland Zoo in Farmington, was officially named during a spiritual ceremony Saturday, conducted by several American Indians who traveled from all over the United States. Oblivious to what was going on in his surroundings, the unique white calf, believed by the Indians to be a "sacred animal," was spirited throughout the ceremony, running alongside his parents in their confine, never leaving their sides, while more than 500 people gathered on a hillside for the ceremony and the anticipated naming.As the ceremony began, several Indian women chanted with ritual drumming while a hearth fire burned, providing the "smudge," the cleansing smoke, offered to the crowd.

http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17628991&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6


Don't Shop, Gawk! Toronto Zoo Free on Boxing Day
Posted by Tanja in City
Here we are... so much lead up and before you even sweep up the wrapping paper, it's boxing day.
I, for one, will be avoiding any and all shopping, 'cause really, if the merch is so ugly the stores don't want to keep it around another week, I probably don't want to own it either. Closet and room space is much too limited.
If you want to get out and do something though, here's a cheaper-than-cheap option: The Toronto Zoo is offering FREE admission today.
It's their annual Christmas Treats Walk - yes, where the animals get their holiday treats -- and not only is it free but there's hot chocolate at the end of the walk as well. The event starts at 10am and organizers are only asking that you bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank.
Other than that, the ROM is open, but the AGO is closed. Enjoy the day.

http://blogto.com/city/2006/12/dont_shop_gawk_toronto_zoo_free_on_boxing_day/


Maryland Zoo Facing Multi-Million Dollar Shortage
(AP) Baltimore, MD Facing a record budget deficit, the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is seeking an additional $4 million in state funding to maintain its operations. Rising costs and slumping attendance mean the zoo built up a $3 million deficit during the fiscal year ending in June. Zoo officials blame, in part, a lack of funding for maintenance and upgrades at the aging attraction. Funding for the zoo is mostly subsidized by the state, with a little from Baltimore and area counties. Funding has increased by an average of one percent annually since 1993. Zoo officials say the state funding has not kept pace with cost increases in everything from animal food to construction fees.

http://wjz.com/pets/local_story_360093501.html


Two ocelots will move to zoo at Burnet Park
Money needed to prepare their home and pay for their move and quarantine.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
By Delen Goldberg
Staff writer
Syracuse's zoo family will grow by two this spring when a mother-daughter pair of ocelots arrive in Central New York.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is bringing the small South American cats from their current home at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. They are expected to arrive in late spring.
The trip won't be cheap: Zoo officials need to raise about $32,000, spokeswoman Lorrell Walter said. About $24,000 will be spent to create a home for the ocelots. About $8,000 will pay for the cats' transportation and quarantine.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/news-8/116712827947390.xml&coll=1


Bhubaneshwar zoo launches snake awareness programme during Christmas holidays
Bhubaneshwar, Dec 26 (ANI): A zoo here has launched an awareness campaign about snakes in a bid to remove misconceptions about reptiles.
Officials at the Nandankanan Zoo feel that this is the best time to hold a reptile awareness drive."We want to create an awareness education about snakes," said S.C. Dinaharan, the deputy director of the zoo.Volunteers handling several dangerous snakes like the python and cobra showed people how to handle a snake without threatening it. The volunteers also made people touch and hold the creatures.

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/96929.php/Bhubaneshwar-zoo-launches-snake-awareness-programme-during-Christmas-holidays


Befriending snakes: Helpline educates people
No other reptile evokes as much fear and curiosity or is as misunderstood as the snake. There are a whole lot of myths about snakes that can land both reptiles and human beings in trouble. That is what prompted the Nandankanan Zoo near Bhubaneswar to ask the Snake Helpline people to hold a unique two-day demonstration.The demonstration is actually aimed at making people know the deadly looking reptile. Not many know that the dreaded cobra, is the most shy of all reptiles. That's what the Snake Helpline volunteers tried to impress upon thousands of visitors especially school children at the Zoo.It's fear that provokes people to kill snakes and often it's the non-poisonous ones that account for nearly 90 per cent of the snakes we see around us.

http://www.ndtv.com/features/showfeatures.asp?slug=Helpline+educates+people+on+snakes&Id=1568


Singapore Zoo's polar bear Inuka celebrates 16th birthday
By David Teo, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 26 December 2006 1517 hrs
Singapore Zoo's Inuka the Polar bear turned 16 on Tuesday and he celebrated it in style with family and friends. A polar bear ice carving and a birthday cake, made of ice, carrots and frozen fish, were presented to the birthday boy. His mother, Sheba, at 29, is four years over the average 25-year lifespan for polar bears in captivity. The Zoo has made plans to relocate Inuka to another zoo when his mother dies. It has to do this, it says, as it will now be focusing more on species from the tropical rainforest in line with its Rainforest Zoo positioning. This means, it will no longer bring in Arctic animals. Tuesday's birthday event was also part of a series of conservation and educational activities the zoo has organised from December to end of February next year. Apart from seeing Inuka and his mother, visitors would learn more about polar bears and the effects of global warming on the Arctic. - CNA/ch

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/249179/1/.html


Zoo's new attraction: a 25-kg baby hippo
CHENNAI : A newborn hippopotamus is the new attraction at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), Vandalur.
Soundarya, the seven-year-old hippopotamus, brought from the Mysore Zoo on January 31, delivered a calf weighing 25 kgon Saturday, said park authorities.
K.P.M. Perrumahl, Chief Conservator of Forests and Zoo Director, said the young one was in good health. Soundarya has not been released into the exhibit area yet, said the officials, as she was pregnant when she arrived at the Zoo . After a couple of months, both the mother and the baby would be released into an enclosure and visitors could see them.
The diet for Soundarya, after delivery, has been increased, which includes grass fodder, vegetables and wheat bran. Officials were unable to determine the sex of the newborn .
Mr. Perrumahl said: "The mother is keeping the baby close to her."
At present, the zoo houses three hippos, Kala (26), a female hippo and the oldest inhabitant Soundarya, and six and a half year-old Wamburi, a male hippo from the Basel Zoo in Switzerland.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/06/stories/2006060614920300.htm


Top-secret mission brings rare white bison to Winnipeg zoo
WINNIPEG - A rare white bison made his official debut yesterday at the Assiniboine Park Zoo after a top-secret mission to bring him to Canada in recognition of his spiritual significance to aboriginal people.
Blizzard marched solemnly before the cameras, displaying the instincts of a show horse on parade. He arrived in a blizzard in March from an anonymous American rancher and the zoo kept him a secret from the public until yesterday.
His coming is especially significant to First Nations because of a 2,000-year-old legend of the Lakota, a northern plains First Nation, which tells of a mystical maiden who appeared bearing a sacred pipe she used to teach the people to pray.
On leaving, she promised to return some day and usher in a time of great peace. As she moved away, the maiden turned into a white buffalo calf.
Scientists, who say the proper name is bison and not buffalo, say a white calf is born only once in 15 million births. The animals do not have albinism -- their colour comes from a rare surfacing of a recessive gene that goes back in time thousands of years.
One of the last was a calf named Miracle who drew pilgrimages of aboriginal people to her owner's ranch in Wisconsin a decade ago.
Zookeepers are poised for pilgrimages to Winnipeg. Never before has a white bison been linked to Manitoba, which holds the bison as its provincial symbol, said zoo curator Bob Wrigley.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=81c6edbd-4224-4684-8a08-dc6b2a16023d


Lioness in Ukrainian zoo kills man who invoked God
A man shouting that God would keep him safe was mauled to death by a lioness in Kiev zoo after he crept into the animal's enclosure, a zoo official said on Monday.
"The man shouted 'God will save me, if he exists', lowered himself by a rope into the enclosure, took his shoes off and went up to the lions," the official said.
"A lioness went straight for him, knocked him down and severed his carotid artery."
The incident occurred on Sunday evening when the zoo was packed with visitors, and was the first of its kind at the attraction. Lions and tigers are kept in an "animal island" protected by thick concrete blocks.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1713592,00050003.htm


Two deaths in two days from bird flu
// 26 Dec 2006
Two Egyptians have died from bird flu in two days, becoming the eighth and ninth victims of the disease in Egypt, according to the Ministry of Health.
The victims were a 30-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl, who may be two of the three family members reported to have bird flu only days ago.
WHO regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance Hassan el-Bushra said the infected family members were part of an extended family of 33 living in a single house in a village near the town of Zifta in Gharbiya province, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Cairo.
Bushra said the family raised ducks in their home, and that the ducks had been slaughtered after several had become sick and died.

http://www.worldpoultry.net/ts_wo/worldpoultry.portal/enc/_nfpb/true/tswo_portlet_news_singleeditorschoice1_1_actionOverride/___2Fportlets___2Fts___2Fge___2Fnews_singleeditorschoice1___2Fcontent___2FshowDetailsList/_windowLabel/tswo_portlet_news_singleeditorschoice1_1/tswo_portlet_news_singleeditorschoice1_1id/11431/_desktopLabel/worldpoultry/_pageLabel/tsge_page_home_content/index.html


Thai government under fire for zoo trading
John Aglionby, South-east Asia correspondentMonday June 5, 2006The Guardian
The first eight of 100 Thai elephants earmarked for export to Australian zoos are scheduled to leave tonight, despite fierce opposition from animal rights groups who have fought for more than a year to block the move.
They argue that the change of habitat harms the welfare of elephants and accuse the Thai government of shirking its duty to care for the country's national symbol by not taking responsibility for them.
Australia's government approved the transfer of five of the elephants to Sydney and three to Melbourne last July on the grounds that the animals would be used for breeding - despite claims that the move violates international conventions on animal trade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,,1790478,00.html


American Indian traditions helped by Scovill Zoo eagles
DECATUR - For several years, feathers from bald eagles and macaws at Scovill Zoo in Decatur have benefited American Indians.American Indian tribes see the feathers as sacred for making ceremonial headdresses and fans.Macaw feathers collected at the zoo are sent to Jonathan Reyman, curator of Anthropology at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield. Those feathers are then forwarded to the Zuni Pueblo Indians and Sandia Pueblo Indians in New Mexico and Arizona."It has been part of their religious tradition for more than a thousand years and are used to decorate clothing and ritual objects, Reyman said. "They are also used for making prayer sticks that are placed next to shrines to request blessings for rain or good health."Reyman also is founder of the Feather Distribution Project that he started two decades ago. He began gathering feathers after a Pueblo Indian man in New Mexico asked him how he could get some macaw feathers. That was in 1970.At least four times a year, a box of feathers from the zoo's two eagles, Zap and Abby, are sent to the National Eagle and Wildlife Property Repository in Commerce City, Co.The nearly 15-pound brown-feathered eagles, with their white heads and large wing, debuted at the zoo in 1998."It is illegal for any entity or individual to keep eagle feathers or any part of an eagle," said Mike Borders, director of Scovill Zoo, about the national bird that is a protected species. "Our zookeepers look for them in the exhibit each day and send them on when a full box is collected."Borders said it took a couple of years before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a permit for the zoo to adopt the two eagles from the Alaska Rapture Rehabilitation Center in Sitka, Alaska. The eagle exhibit was made possible by a $10,000 donation to the Decatur Park Foundation - other contributions came from Joe and Ramona Borders and Howard Buffett, who is renown for his wildlife photography.

http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2006/06/03/news/local_news/1015594.txt


Zoo's big cats get new home
Associated Press
Published: Saturday, June 03, 2006
PHILADELPHIA -- Thirteen big cats -- from a rare black jaguar to a trio of young snow leopards -- are enjoying spacious new digs in the city after some time away "vacationing" at other zoos.
The Philadelphia Zoo has formally opened its new $20 million US habitat, which is designed to give the animals a more natural setting and visitors a more intimate experience.
The exhibit also preaches conservation, using interactive games, video clips and other tools to describe the threats humans pose to big-cat species around the world.
Exhibits describe the human encroachment that has largely driven jaguars from the southwestern United States into Mexico and pumas -- also called mountain lions or cougars -- from the eastern United States.
The zoo also offers information on a program in Kenya it supports that teaches ranchers how to build lion-proof corrals for their herds, so they don't shoot the endangered lions.
Big Cat Falls is likely to be a summer blockbuster for the zoo, which attracts as many as 13,000 visitors on a weekend summer day and 1.2 million visitors a year. It is the first new exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo since 1999, spokeswoman Ginette Meluso said. For more information:

http://www.philadelphiazoo.org.



End of the free zoo a symptom of an underlying problem
By Dustin Block
Like many people, I was sad to hear about the Racine Zoo's decision to charge admission. I admired the zoo's long-standing tradition of opening its gates, and can't help but feel we have failed in our responsibility as a community to provide for children and families.Charging $4 for adults and $2 for children will further restrict who can attend the zoo. (I say further because even a free zoo comes with the costs of finding the time to go and figuring out a way to get there - two obstacles that prevent many hard-working families from enjoying even a free activity.) Charging 1 cent for admission will keep more people away; charging $12 for a family of four cuts out many more.Any fee is a simple solution, backed by a simple argument: Charge the people who use the zoo. Why should anyone who never goes to the zoo pay their hard-earned taxes so others can go free? It's un-American. A fee is the only reasonable way to manage a community resource.

http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2006/06/03/local/columns/iq_4047943.txt


Four Tiger Cubs Debut At Argentinean Zoo
Pups Still Feeding From Mother
POSTED: 9:58 am CDT June 2, 2006
UPDATED: 10:07 am CDT June 2, 2006
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Four new additions to an Argentinean zoo are making quite a roar.
Four tiger cubs born last month are the latest attraction at a zoo east of Buenos Aires.
The pups -- two females and two males -- are still feeding from their mother, but made their public debut on Thursday.
The zoo is considering giving local students the chance to name the baby tigers.
Zookeepers said the new cubs are spending much of their days alongside their mother.

http://www.nbc5i.com/news/9311562/detail.html


Going green at the Joburg Zoo
The Johannesburg Zoo is planning a special day for children that will be filled with entertainment - and information - to commemorate World Environment Day this year
June 1, 2006
By Tabisa Mntengwana
CHILDREN can celebrate World Environment Day a few days early this year with an activity-filled day at the Johannesburg Zoo on Friday 2 June.
Under the theme "Deserts and Desertification", activities will run from 10am to 1pm.
The event is a joint venture by the zoo, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Food and Trees for Africa, Birdlife Africa, Joburg Water, The Spider Club of Southern Africa, Rand Water and 20/20.
The zoo and its partners will set up "edutainment stalls" with information on how to take care of the environment. There will also be visits to the animal enclosures.

http://www.joburg.org.za/2006/june/jun01_enviroday.stm


Zoo guard charged with stealing from donation boxes
From Press staff reports
Published: Friday, June 2, 2006
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — An overnight security guard at the Cape May County Park & Zoo was charged with stealing money from donation boxes, according to Middle Township police.
Police charged Allen B. Smith, 32, of the Villas, with theft, burglary and official misconduct, police Capt. Scott Webster said.
Webster said park supervisors uncovered evidence that a security guard had access to donation boxes, which are located at four spots throughout the grounds.
Police said Smith allegedly took money from donation boxes while on his rounds as a security guard.
The theft occurred during a one-year period, police said.
Police said Smith has been suspended without pay from his position. Police have not said how much money may have been taken.
“At this point, it's still being tabulated, because basically you're talking donations. So the amount varies on a day-to-day basis,” Webster said.
County park employees cooperated with Middle Township police detectives in the investigation.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/capemay/story/6404201p-6257690c.html


SF Zoo Prepares Sea Pups for Release into Wild
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KCBS) -- Four elephant seal pups found abandoned and in extremely poor health on the California coast are now dining lavishly in their temporary home at the San Francisco Zoo.
The pups stay in the zoo is preparation for their return to the wild, after being nursed back to health by the Marine Mammal Center. Because of a $25 million restoration, the center cannot house the pinnipeds as it normally would.
The smallest seal pup now weighs 77 pounds, but by the time they return to the sea, the seal is expected to tip the scales at around 200 pounds. Eating is an important part of the zoo’s agenda for the pups.
“This is providing this graduate fish school, if you will, for these guys to hone their techniques and learn to compete with their brothers and sisters for fish,” said B.J. Griffin, executive director of the center, to KCBS reporter George Harris.
Nearby a group of children watched as the pups dined on herring.
“Our role here is to assist the Marine Mammal Center in getting them fattened up, getting them ready, getting them to the point where they can be re-released out into the ocean,” said the zoo’s executive director, Manuel Mollinedo.
Meanwhile the biologists from the Mammal Center plan to use the pups’ month-long tenure at the zoo to conduct research on the challenges the animals currently face in the ocean.

http://kcbs.com/pages/41997.php?contentType=4&contentId=151059


Devious Butterflies, Full-Throated Frogs and Other Liars
By CARL ZIMMER
Published: December 26, 2006
If you happen across a pond full of croaking green frogs, listen carefully. Some of them may be lying.Skip to next paragraph
A croak is how male green frogs tell other frogs how big they are. The bigger the male, the deeper the croak. The sound of a big male is enough to scare off other males from challenging him for his territory.
While most croaks are honest, some are not. Some small males lower their voices to make themselves sound bigger. Their big-bodied croaks intimidate frogs that would beat them in a fair fight.
Green frogs are only one deceptive species among many. Dishonesty has been documented in creatures ranging from birds to crustaceans to primates, including, of course, Homo sapiens. “When you think of human communication, it’s rife with deception,” said Stephen Nowicki, a biologist at Duke University and the co-author of the 2005 book “The Evolution of Animal Communication.” “You just need to read a Shakespeare play or two to see that.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/science/26lying.html?ex=1167714000&en=118b7ed69fcd5658&ei=5070&emc=eta1

concluding …