February 1, 2006.
Baghdad Bombing.
Sixty Dead.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
The Islam the world does not know, which Osama bin Laden has destroyed.
The Islam the world should be endearing.
Morning Papers - continued
The Gulf News
Iran vows to fund Hamas government
Agencies
Tehran: Iran pledged to provide financial assistance to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority following threats by Western nations to halt aid to a Hamas-controlled government.
"We will definitely help this (Palestinian) government financially in order to resist America's cruelty to this country," Iranian National Security Council chief Ali Larijani said on Wednesday after a meeting with the Hamas political leader Khaled Mashal, who is touring regional countries in search of financial support.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iran/10020678.html
Early release unlikely for Guantanamo detainee
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: The country's most famous detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Juma Al Dossari, will be held for at least another year in the US-run detention facility, his lawyer told Gulf News yesterday.
"Detainees have received written decisions from the Administrative Review Boards (ARB) and Juma was told that he would be held at Guantanamo for at least another year," Joshua Bryan-Colangelo, a trial attorney and an associate with Dorsey & Whitney LLP in New York, said.
The board assesses whether detainees are "continuing threats" to the United States and should be held or released.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10020447.html
UN role in internal politics ruled out
Manama: The interior minister played down an attempt by radical activists in Bahrain to involve the UN in their rejection of the 2002 constitution.
"The UN and other international organisations help outline and coordinate policies between states and respect the domestic policies of all countries, including the sovereignty to draft their constitutions and laws and to amend them according to a well-defined constitutional and legal process. These organisations do not interfere in the exercise by sovereign countries of their legislative, executive and judiciary rights," Shaikh Rashid said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10020450.html
Editor defends paper's action
Agencies
Muslim uses 1933 blasphemy law against editor
A Norwegian Muslim has reported a newspaper editor who published cartoons of the Prophet to the police for violating a blasphemy law last used in 1933 against a poet who called Christians cannibals.
In January a Norwegian Christian paper published the drawings, which originated in Denmark. That sparked attacks on Norwegian interests in the Middle East and Asia.
"I have been reported to the police for blasphemy. We will have to see what happens as this law has not been used since 1933," Verbjoern Selbekk, editor of newspaper Magazinet, told Reuters by telephone from Spain, where he was on holiday.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/General/10020600.html
OIC asks EU to legislate to protect Islam
By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
Islamabad: Citing the jailing of a British historian in Austria for denying the Holocaust, the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu here on Tuesday urged Europe to legislate similar safeguards against maligning Islam in the name of freedom of expression.
"We need the same protection from European law," the chief of the 57-nation Islamic body said while talking to reporters following a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
Right-wing historian David Irving was sentenced to three years in prison by an Austrian court on Monday on charges he had denied extermination of six millions Jews by the Nazis during World War II.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10020552.html
Tehran spurns Russian demand for freeze on nuclear enrichment
Reuters
Moscow: Iran showed few signs yesterday that it was ready to strike a deal with Russia that could allay fears it wants nuclear arms and avert possible UN sanctions.
Russian foreign ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin, quoted by Itar-Tass news agency, said Moscow had again stressed that Iran must restore the enrichment moratorium.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tehran would press ahead with its nuclear work with or without the Russian plan.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iran/10020641.html
Blast destroys prominent Shiite shrine in Iraq
Agencies
Baghdad: An explosion destroyed a sacred Shiite shrine in the Iraqi town of Samarra north of Baghdad on Wednesday, the US military said.
There were no reports of casualties and the military said the cause of the explosion was being investigated.
"Gunmen entered the shrine at dawn and planted bombs and blew it up," Abdullah Al Jubaara, deputy governor of Salaheddine Province which includes Samarra, told reporters.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10020675.html
The Grand Ayatollah called for protests. Not retaliation? Protests. Interesting. And the Cleric that seeks him as a mentor is al Sadr. I see. And Cleric al Sadr has been successful in putting to gether a military/militia to protect protesting Shi'ites. I doubt sincerely the USA military will send troops to enforce crowd control although they should. Hm. Interesting. Cleric al Sadr has great merit.
Al Sistani call for protests
Agencies
Baghdad: Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, called on Wednesday for protests over the blast that destroyed a Shiite shrine in the town of Samarra.
A statement from his office said Sistani also called for seven days of mourning over the destruction of the shrine, where two revered Shiite imams are buried.
Prime Minister Ebrahim Al Jaafari declared three days of mourning after the blast which he described as an attack on all Muslims.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10020677.html
Top Christian leader presses for Lahoud resignation
Reuters
Beirut: Lebanon's top Maronite Christian cleric yesterday joined calls for the removal of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, who had previously refused to resign.
An anti-Syrian bloc that dominates government and parliament launched a campaign last week to oust Lahoud by March 14 to complete Lebanon's emergence from Syria's shadow.
Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir appeared to throw his considerable influence behind the effort, delivering his most scathing attack against Lahoud to date.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Lebanon/10020647.html
Annan to address meeting
Reuters
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan made a last-minute decision to address a meeting in Qatar on Sunday in an effort to calm violence triggered by the publication of the cartoons, his spokesman said on Monday.
Annan intends to speak at a session in Doha of the UN-backed Alliance of Civilisations and address issues raised by the cartoons and ways to combat extremism, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Qatar/10020598.html
Riyadh to name first woman diplomat
By Mariam Al Hakeem Correspondent
Riyadh: A Saudi woman could well become the country's first 'ambassador-at-large', said the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A Saudi diplomatic source told Gulf News that efforts are on to appoint at least five Saudi women in higher posts in the ministry. "The concerned ministerial committee is engaged in shortlisting well-qualified women academics in this regard. Names of those appointed for the posts will be announced within a few weeks," he said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Saudi_Arabia/10020569.html
$1.56m allotted for geo-hazard mapping plan
By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief
Manila: President Gloria Arroyo allotted P80 million ($1.56 million) for a comprehensive geo-hazard mapping equipment that will help local government units ban settlers from staying in identified landslide prone areas nationwide.
She ordered the budget department to release the funds immediately.
Arroyo said she did not want a repeat of the massive landslide that destroyed a mountain and buried a whole village in Ginsahugon on Friday. A minor landslide occurred in Zamboanga del Sur in the southern Philippines on Sunday.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10020472.html
Saudi tabloid closed for printing cartoons
Agencies
Riyadh: A Saudi newspaper was shut down on Monday following the printing of some of the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as part of a campaign for more action against Denmark, where the drawings first appeared.
The tabloid Shams (Sun) aimed at a youth audience in the Kingdom had printed the cartoons three weeks ago alongside an interview with Saudi cleric Salman Al Awdah who sought to widen a boycott of Denmark and other countries where the offending cartoons were printed.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Saudi_Arabia/10020422.html
New report blames Syria
Agencies
United Nations: UN chief investigator Detlev Mehlis' latest report cited evidence further implicating top Syrian officers in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
The 25-page report was released to UN council members and to the public on Monday, the same day that anti-Syrian lawmaker Gibran Tueni was killed by a car bomb.
The latest report said that another witness had approached the commission in October, submitting a "comprehensive and coherent statement" regarding the assassination plans.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Lebanon/10004605.html
Martina too strong for Mirza
By Alaric Gomes, Staff Reporter
Dubai: Former World No.1 Martina Hingis handed India's Sania Mirza a lesson in tennis with a sound 6-3, 7-5 win to advance to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Women's Open last night.
Played before a packed centre court at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Hingis was in complete control as she completed her domination on her comeback trail in one hour and 27 minutes.
http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Tennis/10020495.html
GCC club championships to have foreign presence
By Yasir Abbasher, Staff Reporter
Abu Dhabi: As expected, the Chairmen of the GCC Olympic Committee approved the participation of foreign players in the GCC clubs championships from April 1.
One foreign player will take part in the GCC club championships for basketball, volleyball and handball from this season.
The mechanism and rules of these professionals are left to be decided by the GCC Organising Committee for each sport.
The UAE is the only GCC country where professional foreign players do not take part in its domestic competitions of the three sports while they take part in football only.
http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/General/10020610.html
Australia to send 200 more troops to Afghanistan
Agencies
Canberra: Australia will almost double its troop numbers in Afghanistan by sending a 200-member security and reconstruction team to the country's volatile south, Prime Minister John Howard said on Tuesday.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) troops will be deployed from late July and work alongside Dutch soldiers as part of a NATO force preparing to expand peacekeeping and reconstruction operations.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Afghanistan/10020423.html
The Boston Globe
Utilities official warns record number of homes face shutoffs
February 22, 2006
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --A record number of families could lose their gas and electricity when a state ban on shutoffs expires April 15, according to James Lanni, associate administrator for operations at the Division of Public Utilities.
When the ban expired last year, the number of shutoffs reached a nine-year high, Lanni told the state Emergency Management Agency this week. This year, even more households could lose power and heat, he said.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2006/02/22/utilities_official_warns_record_number_of_homes_face_shutoffs/
Scientists focus on tiny ice worms
February 21, 2006
PARADISE, Wash. --A tiny worm that lives in glaciers and snowfields is drawing attention for what it could reveal about life on other planets.
The ice worm inhabits glacial regions in the coastal ranges of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. The odd creature easily moves through ice, is liveliest near the freezing point of water and dissolves into a goo when warmed.
There's been increased interest in ice worms and other animals whose glacial habitat could disappear within the next 50 years due to global warming.
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2006/02/21/scientists_focus_on_tiny_ice_worms/
Could Tony Blair be having an effect already? Musharraf does not want an invasion. If he doesn't come up with people who seek to kill Londoners he just might have one !
Pakistan gets intel in Taliban hunt
By Munir Ahmad, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan --Pakistan was hunting for more than 100 Taliban fugitives whose names were on a list provided by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, officials said Wednesday.
Karzai gave the list to Pakistan last week during a visit, Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao told The Associated Press. "We did receive information about these suspects, and we will capture them, if they are here," he said.
Sherpao declined to say how many names were on the list or provide other details about the fugitives, believed to be hiding in Pakistani cities or in rugged tribal regions near Afghanistan.
But a security official told the AP that between 100 and 150 suspects, mostly Taliban remnants, were listed and authorities have begun searching for them. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
After returning home from a trip to Pakistan last week, Karzai denied that he gave Pakistan a list of 150 names. But he said he gave the Pakistanis documents with details about suspects and their whereabouts.
"We are hopeful that measures should be taken from both sides -- from their side and from our side," he told reporters.
Afghan officials have said that Taliban chief Mullah Omar and his associates are hiding near the Pakistan-Afghan border, a claim Pakistan has said lacks evidence.
Pakistan, once a Taliban supporter, is now a key U.S. ally in the war on terror. It has deployed thousands of troops along the Afghan border and says it has done everything it can to flush out remnants of the Taliban regime and al-Qaida.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/02/22/pakistan_gets_intel_in_taliban_hunt/
Highlights from NBC's Olympic coverage
By David Bauder, AP Television Writer February 22, 2006
Smart announcers know that keeping quiet can often be the wisest choice. Figure skating play-by-play man Tom Hammond is the chief reason NBC's unusual four-person broadcast team has worked. Hammond skillfully sets a stage with morsels of information and stands back to let the powerful analyst lineup of Sandra Bezic, Dick Button and Scott Hamilton do its job.
LOWLIGHT: That said, Hammond figured into NBC's oddest moment. The network opened Tuesday's broadcast with a routine by Turkish figure skater Tugba Karademir. She's not a medal contender, but NBC liked the compelling story of how her family gave up virtually everything to advance her career. Then, after a commercial, NBC dropped Karademir, failing to show her scores or tell whether she qualified for Thursday's program. For the record, she did.
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2006/02/22/highlights_from_nbcs_olympic_coverage_1140608954/
Harvard's brief era
February 22, 2006
DRENCHED IN controversy over his disputes with some members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University president Lawrence H. Summers resigned yesterday. He will step down at the end of the academic year, closing the book on a contentious phase of Harvard's history.
Summers was a tornado. At his best he tried to shake up Harvard, to make it a better home for undergraduates and academic excellence. He wanted students to be scienti fically literate. He pushed campus growth into Allston, and laid plans to make Harvard the leading center of stem cell research. And he wanted to break down the old boundaries that still separate Harvard's many schools.
"My sense of urgency has stemmed from my conviction that Harvard has a special ability to make a real difference in a world desperately in need of wisdom of all kinds," Summers wrote in his resignation letter.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2006/02/22/harvards_brief_era/
Protect upstream waters
February 22, 2006
THE ROBERTS court can demonstrate its respect for Supreme Court precedents by finding two Michigan developers' intrusions on wetlands in violation of the Clean Water Act and by rejecting a partial-birth abortion ban that includes no exemption for the health of the woman. Yesterday, the court heard arguments on the wetlands cases and agreed to hear an appeal on the abortion law, which three lower courts have found in violation of previous Supreme Court rulings.
At issue in the Michigan cases is whether Congress in the 1972 Clean Water Act meant to protect just ''navigable waters" and abutting streams and wetlands, or the upstream wetlands that feed into them as well. Congressional reports from 1972 make it clear that Congress wanted the law to have the broadest sweep. The Supreme Court reflected that view in 1985 when it ruled unanimously to give the government authority over wetlands in a case similar to the ones before it now. A federal appeals court has ruled against both Michigan developers.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2006/02/22/protect_upstream_waters/
No-pain energy plan
February 22, 2006
PRESIDENT BUSH has been visiting Michigan, Wisconsin, and Colorado this week to extol the benefits of alternative energy sources. His emphasis on independence from foreign oil is welcome, but the rhetoric should not obscure the reality that his comparatively small programs will do little to accomplish his goal.
Bush says he wants to raise spending on researching new technologies for clean energy by 22 percent. An analysis of his 2007 budget by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute in Washington paints a different picture. Work on geothermal energy would be eliminated, weatherization assistance programs would be cut, and the total budget request, at $1.76 billion, would barely exceed the appropriation for the current year.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2006/02/22/no_pain_energy_plan/
Eradicating slavery in Sudan
By John Eibner February 22, 2006
FOR 20 YEARS, Abuk Ater was a slave in northern Sudan. She was a young, childless, married woman when she was captured and enslaved by a member of an Arab militia backed by Sudan's government. Her master, Mohammed El Nur, raped her, called her ''slave," and forced her to convert to Islam. He renamed her ''Howah."
This month, Abuk, her four children, and 162 other slaves were repatriated to southern Sudan by the government's showcase Committee for the Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children. Government officials loaded Abuk and the others like cattle into open-topped, seatless trucks for a three-day journey in 100-degree-plus heat. Despite the bleak prospect of having nothing to eat but leaves, Abuk is relieved to be free, living with her own people, in her own land.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/02/22/eradicating_slavery_in_sudan/
Miners' families threaten to rush pit
By Olga R. Rodriguez, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
SAN JUAN DE SABINAS, Mexico --Family members desperate for word on the 65 coal miners trapped underground in Mexico threatened to rush past soldiers guarding the pit, as rescue workers scratched away at walls of debris in their increasingly hopeless attempt to reach them.
Almost three days after a gas explosion filled tunnels with fallen rock, wood and metal, rescuers have found no sign of the workers -- either dead or alive -- in the Pasta de Conchos mine, about 85 miles southwest of Eagle Pass, Texas.
But officials late Tuesday did not rule out the possibility, however slim, of finding survivors. Coahuila state Civil Protection Director Arturo Vilchis said officials "can't speculate on the condition of the miners."
http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2006/02/22/miners_families_threaten_to_rush_pit/
Simmons calls on U.S. Navy to back Taiwan submarine sales
By Peter Enav, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
TAIPEI, Taiwan --A Connecticut congressman whose district includes a major submarine manufacturer, said Wednesday the U.S. Navy should do more to support President George W. Bush's plan to sell eight diesel submarines to Taiwan.
Connecticut Republican Rob Simmons, speaking on a visit to Taipei, told an American business group the vessels, included in a $16 billion U.S. arms package, are crucial to the self-governing island's ability to defend itself against a possible attack by rival China.
Simmons said China is investing heavily in its own submarine fleet with a view toward using it against Taiwan, from which it split amid civil war in 1949.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/02/22/simmons_calls_on_us_navy_to_back_taiwan_submarine_sales/
Three planes avoid runway crash in L.A.
February 22, 2006
LOS ANGELES --Two planes came within a few hundred feet of each other last week when a controller at Los Angeles International Airport mistakenly cleared three planes for the same runway, officials said.
"It was pretty close," said Les Dorr, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman, said. "We'll be looking to find out what all happened, and how we can prevent it in the future."
Friday's episode began when the controller directed a departing Skywest turboprop to taxi onto the same runway on which he had cleared a Southwest Airlines jet to land. He also told an Air Canada jet that it could cross the same runway on its way to the terminals.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/22/three_planes_avoid_runway_crash_in_la/
Calif. execution postponed indefinitely
By Lisa Leff, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
SAN QUENTIN, Calif. --A convicted killer's execution was postponed for the second time in less than a day amid continuing concerns over the constitutionality of the state's lethal injection policy.
An hour before Michael Morales was to be strapped to a gurney in the death chamber at San Quentin Prison, officials called off the execution, saying they could not comply with a judge's recent order to have a medical provider administer the fatal dose of barbiturate.
"We were not able to find a licensed professional that was willing to inject medication intravenously, ending the life of a human being," San Quentin spokesman Vernell Crittendon said Tuesday evening.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/22/calif_execution_postponed_indefinitely/
Disputes over medical research growing
By Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer February 22, 2006
WASHINGTON --Dr. Aubrey Blumsohn was stunned: Research results were submitted to a scientific meeting under his name -- yet the British bone specialist insists he not only hadn't written or reviewed the report, he wasn't sure it was accurate.
The incident turned into a public feud when Blumsohn charged that the U.S. drug company paying for the study rebuffed his attempts to personally analyze the data.
It's the latest in a string of controversies about pharmaceutical industry control of medical research, from hidden antidepressant risks to the undercounting of heart attacks in a critical study of the painkiller Vioxx.
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/aging/articles/2006/02/22/disputes_over_medical_research_growing/
Co. unsure how bird's head got in beans
February 20, 2006
EATON, Ind. --The manager of an Indiana canning plant said Monday that he did not know how it could have produced a can of pinto beans with a bird's head inside as claimed by an Illinois woman.
Chicago-based La Preferida Inc. announced a voluntary recall on Friday of a limited number of its cans as it investigated how the head ended up in the 15-ounce can.
David Morrow, general manager of Eaton-based Meridian Foods, said he was eager for answers about the discovery last week by a DeKalb, Ill., woman who reported buying the can at a grocery store in nearby Aurora, Ill.
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/02/20/co_unsure_how_birds_head_got_in_beans/
Boston archbishop is named a cardinal
New appointment will be solemnized at ceremony next month
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff February 22, 2006
Pope Benedict XVI today announced in Rome that Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley will be made a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in a ceremony at the Vatican late next month.
O'Malley is among 15 new cardinals included in the first set of appointments by Benedict of so- called "princes of the church." The new cardinals -- who will receive the red hats, or birettas, that signal the rank at a ceremony in Rome March 24 -- will help oversee the Vatican's bureaucracy through service on oversight committees, and ultimately many of them could have a vote in the selection of Benedict's successor.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/02/22/boston_archbishop_is_named_a_cardinal
Pope names new cardinals, including Hong Kong, Krakow and Boston
February 22, 2006
VATICAN CITY --Pope Benedict XVI named 15 new cardinals on Wednesday, including prelates from Hong Kong, Boston and Krakow, Poland, adding his first installment to the elite group of churchmen who will elect his successor.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/02/22/pope_names_new_cardinals_including_hong_kong_krakow_and_boston/
Former stripper not typical evangelical
February 20, 2006
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --Heather Veitch is not your typical evangelical Christian.
The 31-year-old married mother of two visits one strip club a month, paying for lap dances so she can talk to the strippers about God.
The Web site for the ministry she formed with two other women -- JC's Girls Girls Girls -- features glamour shots of the three that were taken by a porn film director.
The three attend porn conventions, where they pass out Bibles wrapped in T-shirts that read Holy Hottie.
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/02/20/former_stripper_not_typical_evangelical/
Old faces bring new life to 'General Hospital'
By Matthew Gilbert, Globe Staff February 22, 2006
Except for cable's breaking-news helicopter coverage of car chases, daytime soap operas are about as ephemeral as TV gets.
No disrespect, of course; in an earlier life, more than one employer questioned my ''late lunch" policy. What I mean by ''ephemeral" is that soaps such as ''General Hospital" air for hours and hours each weekday, the TV equivalent of a running faucet. But they usually air only once. While most series have a significant afterlife in repeats and on DVD, the soaps go directly down the electronic drain, their torrid moments forever robbed of eternity.
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2006/02/22/old_faces_bring_new_life_to_general_hospital/
Family gives seven kids presidential names
February 21, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas --If someone were to ask Richard and Regina Scheppler's children to name seven of the country's presidents, they wouldn't have any problem. They'd just have to think of their siblings.
The Schepplers' children all have presidential names. There's Tyler, Grant, McKinley, Kennedy, Harrison, Madison and Regan -- although Regan's name is spelled differently than Ronald Reagan and wasn't intended as a reference to the 40th president.
"We named the first one Regan because her name meant princess; Regina's was queen; and Richard means king," Richard Scheppler said in a story in Monday's Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/02/21/family_gives_seven_kids_presidential_names/
Fireman who spoke after being in coma dies
By Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
BUFFALO, N.Y. --A brain-injured firefighter who suddenly spoke after nearly a decade in a stupor, giving hope to families of countless other patients, died Tuesday. He was 44.
Donald Herbert was injured in December 1995, when the roof of a burning home collapsed on him. Deprived of oxygen for several minutes, he ended up blind, was largely mute and showed little awareness of his surroundings for years.
But on April 30, 2005, he shocked his family with a 14-hour talking jag. Since then, he spoke only sporadically, his progress hampered by a fall out of bed that caused bleeding on his brain, his doctor said.
Herbert was hospitalized again on Sunday with an infection.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/22/fireman_who_spoke_after_being_in_coma_dies/
The New Zealand Herald
Disease threatens Philippine mudslide survivors
22.02.06 1.00pm
GUINSAUGON, Philippines - Concerns rose today for the welfare of survivors from a deadly Philippine landslide as chickenpox and other infectious diseases broke out in packed evacuation centres.
"The health concern is more within the evacuation centres," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said on television, adding that, so far, medics had diagnosed nine cases of chickenpox, three cases of measles and three cases of sore eyes.
"The stench of recovered bodies could be a cause of concern."
Friday's landslide, triggered by five times the region's normal rainfall over two weeks, obliterated Guinsaugon, a farming village of about 1800 people which stood about 675km southeast of Manila.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369537
Peters causes diplomatic flurry, will take message to US
22.02.06 1.00pm
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he hopes to visit the United States later this year to press his case for greater recognition for New Zealand.
Mr Peters caused a minor diplomatic flurry yesterday by suggesting the US undervalues New Zealand's work in the Pacific and Britain isn't pulling its weight in the region.
Today, Mr Peters said that his unscripted comments were intended to underline New Zealand's role in the Pacific and the international arena to those who may not have noticed.
"All I was saying was that in the time we meet this year in the United States in Washington, I intend to remind them of the many growing and complex things that we are involved in that they may not be valuing to the extent that they should," Mr Peters said on National Radio this morning.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369551
NZer detained over Polish roof collapse
22.02.06 11.15am
A New Zealand man is being questioned in Poland today over the collapse of a crowded exhibition hall in the south of the country last month in which 65 people died.
Bruce Robinson, managing director of Expomedia, the London-based parent company of International Katowice Fairs (MTK) which owned the building, was picked up in Warsaw yesterday and taken to Katowice for questioning by a prosecutor.
Two other members of the management team have been detained with him.
The snow-laden corrugated iron roof of the vast exhibition hall in the southern industrial town of Chorzow caved in on January 28 when about 200 people were inside attending one of Europe's biggest racing pigeon shows.
The death toll made the collapse Poland's worst building accident.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369541
Bush pushes wind, solar power, cutback on oil use
22.02.06 11.20am
GOLDEN, Colo - President George W Bush called today for tapping renewable energy sources like wind and solar power to contend with surging energy costs but environmental groups questioned his commitment to easing US oil dependence.
Bush also told employees at a key laboratory for renewable energy research that he regretted "mixed signals" that had led the Colorado facility to announce job cuts earlier this month because of budget cuts.
He visited the National Renewable Energy Laboratory a day after his administration rushed the transfer of US$5 million ($7.7 million) to the lab to enable it to restore the jobs and resolve what could have been an embarrassing situation.
Democrats had cited the job cuts as a sign of lack of real commitment by the government to energy independence initiatives that Bush, a former oil company executive, announced with great fanfare in his State of the Union speech on January 31.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369518
Austria appeals for longer jail term for Irving
22.02.06 1.00pm
VIENNA - Austria's state prosecutor filed an appeal today to lengthen the three-year jail term given to British historian David Irving for denying the Holocaust during a 1989 lecture tour in the country.
Irving had already appealed for a reduction in the sentence in his Vienna criminal court trial yesterday, arguing that he had changed his mind after further research in the past 15 years and now acknowledged that Nazi Germany killed millions of Jews.
Walter Geyer, spokesman for the state prosecutor's office, said it had lodged an appeal to have the sentence increased. The prosecutor had argued that Irving had only pretended to moderate his views to try to escape a jail term.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369520
Jail term for Holocaust denial 'going too far', says PM
21.02.06 4.00pm
The sentencing of British historian David Irving for denying the Holocaust showed how seriously Austria regarded that time in its history, but most people would have thought a jail term was going too far, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
Irving was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday by an Austrian court which convicted him of denying the Holocaust -- a crime in Austria.
Irving had pleaded guilty and insisted he had had a change of heart, now acknowledging the Nazis' World War 2 slaughter of six million Jews.
Before the verdict, Irving conceded he had erred in contending there were no gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp.
He had faced up to 10 years behind bars.
The Prime Minister today said the verdict showed how seriously the Holocaust was taken in Austrian law.
"Austria has a tragic past in terms of the fact that that country was tied up with Nazism in the 1930s and '40s.
"I think most people would feel that being jailed for the offence was probably going too far but nonetheless it does underline how seriously Austria deals with that part of its history."
Irving ran up against New Zealand's immigration law when he tried to come here in 2004.
He was barred from boarding a flight from Los Angeles to Auckland after a passenger processing system alerted the airline Irving was not welcome in New Zealand.
He was not automatically entitled to a visa because he had been deported from Canada some years earlier.
Irving then lodged an application at the New Zealand High Commission in London for a special permit to enter the country but that was also refused.
Questioned today about Irving's sentencing being another example of the free speech argument that has reared its head in the Prophet Muhammad and Bloody Mary cartoon controversies, Helen Clark said that was a question for each country and its laws to judge.
New Zealand permitted freedom of speech.
Mr Irving was not able to come here because he was struck out under immigration law.
"But nonetheless he did go to Austria, he presumably knew what the law was and he's run up against that country's laws."
- NZPA
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369411
Eichmann papers convinced Irving Holocaust happened
21.02.06 1.00pm
VIENNA - British historian David Irving pleaded guilty today to charges of denying the Holocaust 17 years ago, but told an Austrian court that the personal files of Nazi mastermind Adolf Eichmann had changed his views.
The 68-year-old Irving faces up to 10 years in jail in Austria in a case based on remarks he made in a 1989 interview and in speeches when he visited Austria, where denying the Nazi genocide on Jews is a crime.
"I'm not a holocaust denier. Obviously, I've changed my views," Irving, a historian who has published many books on the history of Nazi Germany and World War Two, told reporters on his way into the Vienna courtroom.
Asked by the presiding judge Peter Liebetreu whether he had denied in speeches in 1989 that Nazi Germany had killed millions of Jews, Irving said he had until he had seen the personal files of Adolf Eichmann, the chief organiser of the Holocaust.
"I said that then based on my knowledge at the time, but by 1991 when I came across the Eichmann papers, I wasn't saying that anymore and I wouldn't say that now," Irving said.
"The Nazis did murder millions of Jews," said Irving, who answered the court in fluent German.
Irving's answers failed to impress state prosecutor Michael Klackl, who called Irving in his opening statement a falsifier of history who was dressed up as a martyr by right-wing extremists.
"The David Irving I heard today in the court was not the David Irving I got to know in preparing for this trial," Klackl told Reuters after the court adjourned for lunch.
"The court will have to decide whether Irving has made an honest confession or is merely engaged in tactics (to reduce his sentence)," he said.
The historian was detained in November on an arrest warrant issued in 1989. He faces between one and 10 years in jail, and prosecutor Klackl said Irving's confession could persuade the court to go for a less drastic penalty.
Irving's lawyer Elmar Kresbach asked the court for leniency because Irving had changed his views and was no threat to Austria's democracy.
However, the prosecutor said Irving remained an icon for neo-Nazis and revisionist historians worldwide.
A court of eight lay jurors and three judges is expected to give its verdict on Monday.
Irving was arrested when he was on his way to address Austrian radical right-wing student fraternity Olympia, and has attended meetings of Holocaust denying historians even after the time of his professed insight into the Holocaust's truth.
A British High Court ruling in 2000 rejected Irving's libel suit against an American professor and her publishers, declaring Irving "an active Holocaust denier ... anti-Semitic and racist".
The Viennese court will hear the reporter who interviewed Irving back in 1989 on Monday as its sole witness, and the prosecutor said he expected it to issue its verdict later today.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369376
Tension over torture, death of Jewish man in Paris
22.02.06
PARIS - Tempers are reaching boiling point in the French Jewish community after the torture and murder of a young Jewish man by a suburban gang calling itself "the barbarians".
Police say the gang kidnapped Ilan Halimi, 23 - using a beautiful, young, blonde woman as bait - to extort money from his family. The victim's family and many other Parisian Jews are convinced the crime was, at least partially, racially motivated.
A Parisian MP, Claude Goasguen, said yesterday that the city could face "extremely serious intra-community violence" unless the authorities abandoned their "persistent silence on the real motives for this murder". At the weekend, a mainly peaceful protest was marred by violent actions by radical young Jewish men.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369439
Church outrage as cartoon to air tonight
22.02.06
By Errol Kiong and Martin Johnston
A row between Catholics and media firm CanWest has escalated with the controversial "Bloody Mary" episode of South Park screening on television tonight, weeks ahead of schedule.
The Catholic Church says the move is "provocative and inflammatory".
At least one advertiser has pulled its advertising from CanWest's radio stations. The move by CanWest to screen the episode seven weeks early follows an open letter from seven bishops on Sunday urging Catholics to boycott TV3's news and advertisers should the company go ahead with the screening on its sister channel, C4.
The church's communications director, Lyndsay Freer, said she was handed a press release at 5pm yesterday announcing the decision to run the episode today, and was asked to comment for the 6pm news.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369513
Danish PM sees cartoon row calmer, rejects inquiry
22.02.06 1.00pm
COPENHAGEN - Denmark's prime minister said today the row over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad was calming down after weeks of violent protest, while he rejected opposition calls for an inquiry into his handling of the crisis.
"It is my impression that the development during the last few days has gone in the direction of more subdued demonstrations and statements in large parts of the Muslim world," said Prime Minister Anders Fog Rasmussen.
But the centre-right leader said at a weekly news conference that, while calmer, the crisis was far from over. More than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured in protests around the world, with Nigeria as the latest focus of violence.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369539
Aristide hopes to return to Haiti 'soon'
22.02.06 1.20pm
JOHANNESBURG - Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide said today he was discussing with officials in Haiti the possibility of returning to the Caribbean country "as soon as possible".
"I do believe I will be back as soon as possible," Aristide said in an interview with SABC television in South Africa, where he fled into exile following a 2004 uprising against his rule.
The comments marked the first by Aristide following this month's Haitian elections which were won by his one-time protege Rene Preval.
Aristide said he was talking with both his South African host President Thabo Mbeki and others about his return, with the intention of preventing any possible political trouble.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369552
Pressure on Iran as hopes fade of deal with Russia
22.02.06
MOSCOW - Iran faced growing international pressure over its nuclear plans on yesterday as hopes faded of striking a deal with Russia that would ease Western suspicions that it is trying to build an atomic bomb.
Russian and Iranian negotiators discussed for two days a Moscow proposal to enrich uranium for Iran, seen as one of a dwindling number of diplomatic options for defusing the nuclear row before Western governments seek UN sanctions.
Both sides said more talks would take place in Tehran.
Interfax news agency reported the Iranian delegation was about to leave Moscow but had no word on any progress. A top Iranian official in Tehran earlier ruled out a return to a moratorium on uranium enrichment, which Russia had demanded.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369502
Nation begins to question Mao's cultural atrocity
22.02.06
By Clifford Noonan
BEIJING - The frightened figure in the picture is a Chinese opera star. His hair is grasped tightly in a Red Guard's fist and he is being denounced during the Cultural Revolution, the ideological frenzy which destroyed millions of lives in China between 1966 and 1976.
The image is one of hundreds of engravings on cold grey tablets that make up the exhibits in China's first Cultural Revolution museum, near Shantou in the Guangdong district.
"There is Chinese proverb which says you should use history as a mirror," Peng Qian, a former Deputy Mayor of Shantou, said. Peng, persecuted during the revolution, was the driving force in setting the museum up.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369489
Mutations in virus more deadly for birds
22.02.06 7.20am
Mutations in the H5N1 bird flu virus are making it more deadly in chickens and more resistant in the environment but without yet increasing the threat to humans, the World Health Organisation said.
The changes, which all viruses undergo, have affected patterns of transmission amongst domestic poultry and wild birds, with ducks, for example, able to pass the virus on without getting ill.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369499
Bird flu spreads, thousands tested in India
22.02.06 1.00pm
BRUSSELS - The H5N1 strain of bird flu was confirmed in Hungary and Croatia today as the deadly virus spread around the globe, while EU officials considered measures to vaccinate millions of birds in France and the Netherlands.
In India, where officials are scrambling to contain a major outbreak in poultry, hundreds of people turned up for screening at medical camps in areas where bird flu has been reported.
At least 15 nations have reported outbreaks in birds this month, an indication that the virus, which has killed more than 90 people, is spreading faster.
Migratory birds are thought to be at least one way the disease is being carried and more than 30 countries have now reported cases since 2003, seven of them recording human infections.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369540
Middle-aged men winners in the bedroom
22.02.06
By Arifa Akbar
The cliche of the average man entering middle age is one in which he spends his weekends in leather trousers mounting a Harley-Davidson as a substitute for a libido in fast decline.
But the reality is quite the opposite.
Men in their 50s are more satisfied with their love lives than those who are one or two decades younger, despite their decline in sexual performance, a medical study has found.
According to research conducted by experts at the University of Oslo, the University of Bergen and Harvard Medical School, middle-aged men had similar levels of contentment to those who are physiologically in their sexual prime, aged between 20 and 29.
The average 50-year-old achieves sexual contentment despite increased problems with sexual functions such as attaining, and sustaining, an erection.
Researchers in the US and Norway interviewed 1185 men aged from 20 to 79.
"Our results show that although men experience more problems and less sexual function as they get older, it doesn't necessarily follow that they are less satisfied with their sex lives as a result," said Professor Sophie Fossa, who helped conduct the research. The findings were published in BJU International, the British Journal of Urology.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=314&objectid=10369440
continued...
Iran vows to fund Hamas government
Agencies
Tehran: Iran pledged to provide financial assistance to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority following threats by Western nations to halt aid to a Hamas-controlled government.
"We will definitely help this (Palestinian) government financially in order to resist America's cruelty to this country," Iranian National Security Council chief Ali Larijani said on Wednesday after a meeting with the Hamas political leader Khaled Mashal, who is touring regional countries in search of financial support.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iran/10020678.html
Early release unlikely for Guantanamo detainee
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: The country's most famous detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Juma Al Dossari, will be held for at least another year in the US-run detention facility, his lawyer told Gulf News yesterday.
"Detainees have received written decisions from the Administrative Review Boards (ARB) and Juma was told that he would be held at Guantanamo for at least another year," Joshua Bryan-Colangelo, a trial attorney and an associate with Dorsey & Whitney LLP in New York, said.
The board assesses whether detainees are "continuing threats" to the United States and should be held or released.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10020447.html
UN role in internal politics ruled out
Manama: The interior minister played down an attempt by radical activists in Bahrain to involve the UN in their rejection of the 2002 constitution.
"The UN and other international organisations help outline and coordinate policies between states and respect the domestic policies of all countries, including the sovereignty to draft their constitutions and laws and to amend them according to a well-defined constitutional and legal process. These organisations do not interfere in the exercise by sovereign countries of their legislative, executive and judiciary rights," Shaikh Rashid said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10020450.html
Editor defends paper's action
Agencies
Muslim uses 1933 blasphemy law against editor
A Norwegian Muslim has reported a newspaper editor who published cartoons of the Prophet to the police for violating a blasphemy law last used in 1933 against a poet who called Christians cannibals.
In January a Norwegian Christian paper published the drawings, which originated in Denmark. That sparked attacks on Norwegian interests in the Middle East and Asia.
"I have been reported to the police for blasphemy. We will have to see what happens as this law has not been used since 1933," Verbjoern Selbekk, editor of newspaper Magazinet, told Reuters by telephone from Spain, where he was on holiday.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/General/10020600.html
OIC asks EU to legislate to protect Islam
By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
Islamabad: Citing the jailing of a British historian in Austria for denying the Holocaust, the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu here on Tuesday urged Europe to legislate similar safeguards against maligning Islam in the name of freedom of expression.
"We need the same protection from European law," the chief of the 57-nation Islamic body said while talking to reporters following a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
Right-wing historian David Irving was sentenced to three years in prison by an Austrian court on Monday on charges he had denied extermination of six millions Jews by the Nazis during World War II.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Pakistan/10020552.html
Tehran spurns Russian demand for freeze on nuclear enrichment
Reuters
Moscow: Iran showed few signs yesterday that it was ready to strike a deal with Russia that could allay fears it wants nuclear arms and avert possible UN sanctions.
Russian foreign ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin, quoted by Itar-Tass news agency, said Moscow had again stressed that Iran must restore the enrichment moratorium.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tehran would press ahead with its nuclear work with or without the Russian plan.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iran/10020641.html
Blast destroys prominent Shiite shrine in Iraq
Agencies
Baghdad: An explosion destroyed a sacred Shiite shrine in the Iraqi town of Samarra north of Baghdad on Wednesday, the US military said.
There were no reports of casualties and the military said the cause of the explosion was being investigated.
"Gunmen entered the shrine at dawn and planted bombs and blew it up," Abdullah Al Jubaara, deputy governor of Salaheddine Province which includes Samarra, told reporters.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10020675.html
The Grand Ayatollah called for protests. Not retaliation? Protests. Interesting. And the Cleric that seeks him as a mentor is al Sadr. I see. And Cleric al Sadr has been successful in putting to gether a military/militia to protect protesting Shi'ites. I doubt sincerely the USA military will send troops to enforce crowd control although they should. Hm. Interesting. Cleric al Sadr has great merit.
Al Sistani call for protests
Agencies
Baghdad: Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, called on Wednesday for protests over the blast that destroyed a Shiite shrine in the town of Samarra.
A statement from his office said Sistani also called for seven days of mourning over the destruction of the shrine, where two revered Shiite imams are buried.
Prime Minister Ebrahim Al Jaafari declared three days of mourning after the blast which he described as an attack on all Muslims.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10020677.html
Top Christian leader presses for Lahoud resignation
Reuters
Beirut: Lebanon's top Maronite Christian cleric yesterday joined calls for the removal of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, who had previously refused to resign.
An anti-Syrian bloc that dominates government and parliament launched a campaign last week to oust Lahoud by March 14 to complete Lebanon's emergence from Syria's shadow.
Maronite Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir appeared to throw his considerable influence behind the effort, delivering his most scathing attack against Lahoud to date.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Lebanon/10020647.html
Annan to address meeting
Reuters
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan made a last-minute decision to address a meeting in Qatar on Sunday in an effort to calm violence triggered by the publication of the cartoons, his spokesman said on Monday.
Annan intends to speak at a session in Doha of the UN-backed Alliance of Civilisations and address issues raised by the cartoons and ways to combat extremism, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Qatar/10020598.html
Riyadh to name first woman diplomat
By Mariam Al Hakeem Correspondent
Riyadh: A Saudi woman could well become the country's first 'ambassador-at-large', said the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A Saudi diplomatic source told Gulf News that efforts are on to appoint at least five Saudi women in higher posts in the ministry. "The concerned ministerial committee is engaged in shortlisting well-qualified women academics in this regard. Names of those appointed for the posts will be announced within a few weeks," he said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Saudi_Arabia/10020569.html
$1.56m allotted for geo-hazard mapping plan
By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief
Manila: President Gloria Arroyo allotted P80 million ($1.56 million) for a comprehensive geo-hazard mapping equipment that will help local government units ban settlers from staying in identified landslide prone areas nationwide.
She ordered the budget department to release the funds immediately.
Arroyo said she did not want a repeat of the massive landslide that destroyed a mountain and buried a whole village in Ginsahugon on Friday. A minor landslide occurred in Zamboanga del Sur in the southern Philippines on Sunday.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10020472.html
Saudi tabloid closed for printing cartoons
Agencies
Riyadh: A Saudi newspaper was shut down on Monday following the printing of some of the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as part of a campaign for more action against Denmark, where the drawings first appeared.
The tabloid Shams (Sun) aimed at a youth audience in the Kingdom had printed the cartoons three weeks ago alongside an interview with Saudi cleric Salman Al Awdah who sought to widen a boycott of Denmark and other countries where the offending cartoons were printed.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Saudi_Arabia/10020422.html
New report blames Syria
Agencies
United Nations: UN chief investigator Detlev Mehlis' latest report cited evidence further implicating top Syrian officers in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
The 25-page report was released to UN council members and to the public on Monday, the same day that anti-Syrian lawmaker Gibran Tueni was killed by a car bomb.
The latest report said that another witness had approached the commission in October, submitting a "comprehensive and coherent statement" regarding the assassination plans.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Lebanon/10004605.html
Martina too strong for Mirza
By Alaric Gomes, Staff Reporter
Dubai: Former World No.1 Martina Hingis handed India's Sania Mirza a lesson in tennis with a sound 6-3, 7-5 win to advance to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Women's Open last night.
Played before a packed centre court at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Hingis was in complete control as she completed her domination on her comeback trail in one hour and 27 minutes.
http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Tennis/10020495.html
GCC club championships to have foreign presence
By Yasir Abbasher, Staff Reporter
Abu Dhabi: As expected, the Chairmen of the GCC Olympic Committee approved the participation of foreign players in the GCC clubs championships from April 1.
One foreign player will take part in the GCC club championships for basketball, volleyball and handball from this season.
The mechanism and rules of these professionals are left to be decided by the GCC Organising Committee for each sport.
The UAE is the only GCC country where professional foreign players do not take part in its domestic competitions of the three sports while they take part in football only.
http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/General/10020610.html
Australia to send 200 more troops to Afghanistan
Agencies
Canberra: Australia will almost double its troop numbers in Afghanistan by sending a 200-member security and reconstruction team to the country's volatile south, Prime Minister John Howard said on Tuesday.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) troops will be deployed from late July and work alongside Dutch soldiers as part of a NATO force preparing to expand peacekeeping and reconstruction operations.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Afghanistan/10020423.html
The Boston Globe
Utilities official warns record number of homes face shutoffs
February 22, 2006
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --A record number of families could lose their gas and electricity when a state ban on shutoffs expires April 15, according to James Lanni, associate administrator for operations at the Division of Public Utilities.
When the ban expired last year, the number of shutoffs reached a nine-year high, Lanni told the state Emergency Management Agency this week. This year, even more households could lose power and heat, he said.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2006/02/22/utilities_official_warns_record_number_of_homes_face_shutoffs/
Scientists focus on tiny ice worms
February 21, 2006
PARADISE, Wash. --A tiny worm that lives in glaciers and snowfields is drawing attention for what it could reveal about life on other planets.
The ice worm inhabits glacial regions in the coastal ranges of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. The odd creature easily moves through ice, is liveliest near the freezing point of water and dissolves into a goo when warmed.
There's been increased interest in ice worms and other animals whose glacial habitat could disappear within the next 50 years due to global warming.
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2006/02/21/scientists_focus_on_tiny_ice_worms/
Could Tony Blair be having an effect already? Musharraf does not want an invasion. If he doesn't come up with people who seek to kill Londoners he just might have one !
Pakistan gets intel in Taliban hunt
By Munir Ahmad, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan --Pakistan was hunting for more than 100 Taliban fugitives whose names were on a list provided by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, officials said Wednesday.
Karzai gave the list to Pakistan last week during a visit, Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao told The Associated Press. "We did receive information about these suspects, and we will capture them, if they are here," he said.
Sherpao declined to say how many names were on the list or provide other details about the fugitives, believed to be hiding in Pakistani cities or in rugged tribal regions near Afghanistan.
But a security official told the AP that between 100 and 150 suspects, mostly Taliban remnants, were listed and authorities have begun searching for them. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
After returning home from a trip to Pakistan last week, Karzai denied that he gave Pakistan a list of 150 names. But he said he gave the Pakistanis documents with details about suspects and their whereabouts.
"We are hopeful that measures should be taken from both sides -- from their side and from our side," he told reporters.
Afghan officials have said that Taliban chief Mullah Omar and his associates are hiding near the Pakistan-Afghan border, a claim Pakistan has said lacks evidence.
Pakistan, once a Taliban supporter, is now a key U.S. ally in the war on terror. It has deployed thousands of troops along the Afghan border and says it has done everything it can to flush out remnants of the Taliban regime and al-Qaida.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/02/22/pakistan_gets_intel_in_taliban_hunt/
Highlights from NBC's Olympic coverage
By David Bauder, AP Television Writer February 22, 2006
Smart announcers know that keeping quiet can often be the wisest choice. Figure skating play-by-play man Tom Hammond is the chief reason NBC's unusual four-person broadcast team has worked. Hammond skillfully sets a stage with morsels of information and stands back to let the powerful analyst lineup of Sandra Bezic, Dick Button and Scott Hamilton do its job.
LOWLIGHT: That said, Hammond figured into NBC's oddest moment. The network opened Tuesday's broadcast with a routine by Turkish figure skater Tugba Karademir. She's not a medal contender, but NBC liked the compelling story of how her family gave up virtually everything to advance her career. Then, after a commercial, NBC dropped Karademir, failing to show her scores or tell whether she qualified for Thursday's program. For the record, she did.
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2006/02/22/highlights_from_nbcs_olympic_coverage_1140608954/
Harvard's brief era
February 22, 2006
DRENCHED IN controversy over his disputes with some members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University president Lawrence H. Summers resigned yesterday. He will step down at the end of the academic year, closing the book on a contentious phase of Harvard's history.
Summers was a tornado. At his best he tried to shake up Harvard, to make it a better home for undergraduates and academic excellence. He wanted students to be scienti fically literate. He pushed campus growth into Allston, and laid plans to make Harvard the leading center of stem cell research. And he wanted to break down the old boundaries that still separate Harvard's many schools.
"My sense of urgency has stemmed from my conviction that Harvard has a special ability to make a real difference in a world desperately in need of wisdom of all kinds," Summers wrote in his resignation letter.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2006/02/22/harvards_brief_era/
Protect upstream waters
February 22, 2006
THE ROBERTS court can demonstrate its respect for Supreme Court precedents by finding two Michigan developers' intrusions on wetlands in violation of the Clean Water Act and by rejecting a partial-birth abortion ban that includes no exemption for the health of the woman. Yesterday, the court heard arguments on the wetlands cases and agreed to hear an appeal on the abortion law, which three lower courts have found in violation of previous Supreme Court rulings.
At issue in the Michigan cases is whether Congress in the 1972 Clean Water Act meant to protect just ''navigable waters" and abutting streams and wetlands, or the upstream wetlands that feed into them as well. Congressional reports from 1972 make it clear that Congress wanted the law to have the broadest sweep. The Supreme Court reflected that view in 1985 when it ruled unanimously to give the government authority over wetlands in a case similar to the ones before it now. A federal appeals court has ruled against both Michigan developers.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2006/02/22/protect_upstream_waters/
No-pain energy plan
February 22, 2006
PRESIDENT BUSH has been visiting Michigan, Wisconsin, and Colorado this week to extol the benefits of alternative energy sources. His emphasis on independence from foreign oil is welcome, but the rhetoric should not obscure the reality that his comparatively small programs will do little to accomplish his goal.
Bush says he wants to raise spending on researching new technologies for clean energy by 22 percent. An analysis of his 2007 budget by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute in Washington paints a different picture. Work on geothermal energy would be eliminated, weatherization assistance programs would be cut, and the total budget request, at $1.76 billion, would barely exceed the appropriation for the current year.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2006/02/22/no_pain_energy_plan/
Eradicating slavery in Sudan
By John Eibner February 22, 2006
FOR 20 YEARS, Abuk Ater was a slave in northern Sudan. She was a young, childless, married woman when she was captured and enslaved by a member of an Arab militia backed by Sudan's government. Her master, Mohammed El Nur, raped her, called her ''slave," and forced her to convert to Islam. He renamed her ''Howah."
This month, Abuk, her four children, and 162 other slaves were repatriated to southern Sudan by the government's showcase Committee for the Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children. Government officials loaded Abuk and the others like cattle into open-topped, seatless trucks for a three-day journey in 100-degree-plus heat. Despite the bleak prospect of having nothing to eat but leaves, Abuk is relieved to be free, living with her own people, in her own land.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/02/22/eradicating_slavery_in_sudan/
Miners' families threaten to rush pit
By Olga R. Rodriguez, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
SAN JUAN DE SABINAS, Mexico --Family members desperate for word on the 65 coal miners trapped underground in Mexico threatened to rush past soldiers guarding the pit, as rescue workers scratched away at walls of debris in their increasingly hopeless attempt to reach them.
Almost three days after a gas explosion filled tunnels with fallen rock, wood and metal, rescuers have found no sign of the workers -- either dead or alive -- in the Pasta de Conchos mine, about 85 miles southwest of Eagle Pass, Texas.
But officials late Tuesday did not rule out the possibility, however slim, of finding survivors. Coahuila state Civil Protection Director Arturo Vilchis said officials "can't speculate on the condition of the miners."
http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2006/02/22/miners_families_threaten_to_rush_pit/
Simmons calls on U.S. Navy to back Taiwan submarine sales
By Peter Enav, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
TAIPEI, Taiwan --A Connecticut congressman whose district includes a major submarine manufacturer, said Wednesday the U.S. Navy should do more to support President George W. Bush's plan to sell eight diesel submarines to Taiwan.
Connecticut Republican Rob Simmons, speaking on a visit to Taipei, told an American business group the vessels, included in a $16 billion U.S. arms package, are crucial to the self-governing island's ability to defend itself against a possible attack by rival China.
Simmons said China is investing heavily in its own submarine fleet with a view toward using it against Taiwan, from which it split amid civil war in 1949.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/02/22/simmons_calls_on_us_navy_to_back_taiwan_submarine_sales/
Three planes avoid runway crash in L.A.
February 22, 2006
LOS ANGELES --Two planes came within a few hundred feet of each other last week when a controller at Los Angeles International Airport mistakenly cleared three planes for the same runway, officials said.
"It was pretty close," said Les Dorr, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman, said. "We'll be looking to find out what all happened, and how we can prevent it in the future."
Friday's episode began when the controller directed a departing Skywest turboprop to taxi onto the same runway on which he had cleared a Southwest Airlines jet to land. He also told an Air Canada jet that it could cross the same runway on its way to the terminals.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/22/three_planes_avoid_runway_crash_in_la/
Calif. execution postponed indefinitely
By Lisa Leff, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
SAN QUENTIN, Calif. --A convicted killer's execution was postponed for the second time in less than a day amid continuing concerns over the constitutionality of the state's lethal injection policy.
An hour before Michael Morales was to be strapped to a gurney in the death chamber at San Quentin Prison, officials called off the execution, saying they could not comply with a judge's recent order to have a medical provider administer the fatal dose of barbiturate.
"We were not able to find a licensed professional that was willing to inject medication intravenously, ending the life of a human being," San Quentin spokesman Vernell Crittendon said Tuesday evening.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/22/calif_execution_postponed_indefinitely/
Disputes over medical research growing
By Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer February 22, 2006
WASHINGTON --Dr. Aubrey Blumsohn was stunned: Research results were submitted to a scientific meeting under his name -- yet the British bone specialist insists he not only hadn't written or reviewed the report, he wasn't sure it was accurate.
The incident turned into a public feud when Blumsohn charged that the U.S. drug company paying for the study rebuffed his attempts to personally analyze the data.
It's the latest in a string of controversies about pharmaceutical industry control of medical research, from hidden antidepressant risks to the undercounting of heart attacks in a critical study of the painkiller Vioxx.
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/aging/articles/2006/02/22/disputes_over_medical_research_growing/
Co. unsure how bird's head got in beans
February 20, 2006
EATON, Ind. --The manager of an Indiana canning plant said Monday that he did not know how it could have produced a can of pinto beans with a bird's head inside as claimed by an Illinois woman.
Chicago-based La Preferida Inc. announced a voluntary recall on Friday of a limited number of its cans as it investigated how the head ended up in the 15-ounce can.
David Morrow, general manager of Eaton-based Meridian Foods, said he was eager for answers about the discovery last week by a DeKalb, Ill., woman who reported buying the can at a grocery store in nearby Aurora, Ill.
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/02/20/co_unsure_how_birds_head_got_in_beans/
Boston archbishop is named a cardinal
New appointment will be solemnized at ceremony next month
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff February 22, 2006
Pope Benedict XVI today announced in Rome that Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley will be made a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in a ceremony at the Vatican late next month.
O'Malley is among 15 new cardinals included in the first set of appointments by Benedict of so- called "princes of the church." The new cardinals -- who will receive the red hats, or birettas, that signal the rank at a ceremony in Rome March 24 -- will help oversee the Vatican's bureaucracy through service on oversight committees, and ultimately many of them could have a vote in the selection of Benedict's successor.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/02/22/boston_archbishop_is_named_a_cardinal
Pope names new cardinals, including Hong Kong, Krakow and Boston
February 22, 2006
VATICAN CITY --Pope Benedict XVI named 15 new cardinals on Wednesday, including prelates from Hong Kong, Boston and Krakow, Poland, adding his first installment to the elite group of churchmen who will elect his successor.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/02/22/pope_names_new_cardinals_including_hong_kong_krakow_and_boston/
Former stripper not typical evangelical
February 20, 2006
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --Heather Veitch is not your typical evangelical Christian.
The 31-year-old married mother of two visits one strip club a month, paying for lap dances so she can talk to the strippers about God.
The Web site for the ministry she formed with two other women -- JC's Girls Girls Girls -- features glamour shots of the three that were taken by a porn film director.
The three attend porn conventions, where they pass out Bibles wrapped in T-shirts that read Holy Hottie.
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/02/20/former_stripper_not_typical_evangelical/
Old faces bring new life to 'General Hospital'
By Matthew Gilbert, Globe Staff February 22, 2006
Except for cable's breaking-news helicopter coverage of car chases, daytime soap operas are about as ephemeral as TV gets.
No disrespect, of course; in an earlier life, more than one employer questioned my ''late lunch" policy. What I mean by ''ephemeral" is that soaps such as ''General Hospital" air for hours and hours each weekday, the TV equivalent of a running faucet. But they usually air only once. While most series have a significant afterlife in repeats and on DVD, the soaps go directly down the electronic drain, their torrid moments forever robbed of eternity.
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2006/02/22/old_faces_bring_new_life_to_general_hospital/
Family gives seven kids presidential names
February 21, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas --If someone were to ask Richard and Regina Scheppler's children to name seven of the country's presidents, they wouldn't have any problem. They'd just have to think of their siblings.
The Schepplers' children all have presidential names. There's Tyler, Grant, McKinley, Kennedy, Harrison, Madison and Regan -- although Regan's name is spelled differently than Ronald Reagan and wasn't intended as a reference to the 40th president.
"We named the first one Regan because her name meant princess; Regina's was queen; and Richard means king," Richard Scheppler said in a story in Monday's Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/02/21/family_gives_seven_kids_presidential_names/
Fireman who spoke after being in coma dies
By Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press Writer February 22, 2006
BUFFALO, N.Y. --A brain-injured firefighter who suddenly spoke after nearly a decade in a stupor, giving hope to families of countless other patients, died Tuesday. He was 44.
Donald Herbert was injured in December 1995, when the roof of a burning home collapsed on him. Deprived of oxygen for several minutes, he ended up blind, was largely mute and showed little awareness of his surroundings for years.
But on April 30, 2005, he shocked his family with a 14-hour talking jag. Since then, he spoke only sporadically, his progress hampered by a fall out of bed that caused bleeding on his brain, his doctor said.
Herbert was hospitalized again on Sunday with an infection.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/02/22/fireman_who_spoke_after_being_in_coma_dies/
The New Zealand Herald
Disease threatens Philippine mudslide survivors
22.02.06 1.00pm
GUINSAUGON, Philippines - Concerns rose today for the welfare of survivors from a deadly Philippine landslide as chickenpox and other infectious diseases broke out in packed evacuation centres.
"The health concern is more within the evacuation centres," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said on television, adding that, so far, medics had diagnosed nine cases of chickenpox, three cases of measles and three cases of sore eyes.
"The stench of recovered bodies could be a cause of concern."
Friday's landslide, triggered by five times the region's normal rainfall over two weeks, obliterated Guinsaugon, a farming village of about 1800 people which stood about 675km southeast of Manila.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369537
Peters causes diplomatic flurry, will take message to US
22.02.06 1.00pm
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he hopes to visit the United States later this year to press his case for greater recognition for New Zealand.
Mr Peters caused a minor diplomatic flurry yesterday by suggesting the US undervalues New Zealand's work in the Pacific and Britain isn't pulling its weight in the region.
Today, Mr Peters said that his unscripted comments were intended to underline New Zealand's role in the Pacific and the international arena to those who may not have noticed.
"All I was saying was that in the time we meet this year in the United States in Washington, I intend to remind them of the many growing and complex things that we are involved in that they may not be valuing to the extent that they should," Mr Peters said on National Radio this morning.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369551
NZer detained over Polish roof collapse
22.02.06 11.15am
A New Zealand man is being questioned in Poland today over the collapse of a crowded exhibition hall in the south of the country last month in which 65 people died.
Bruce Robinson, managing director of Expomedia, the London-based parent company of International Katowice Fairs (MTK) which owned the building, was picked up in Warsaw yesterday and taken to Katowice for questioning by a prosecutor.
Two other members of the management team have been detained with him.
The snow-laden corrugated iron roof of the vast exhibition hall in the southern industrial town of Chorzow caved in on January 28 when about 200 people were inside attending one of Europe's biggest racing pigeon shows.
The death toll made the collapse Poland's worst building accident.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369541
Bush pushes wind, solar power, cutback on oil use
22.02.06 11.20am
GOLDEN, Colo - President George W Bush called today for tapping renewable energy sources like wind and solar power to contend with surging energy costs but environmental groups questioned his commitment to easing US oil dependence.
Bush also told employees at a key laboratory for renewable energy research that he regretted "mixed signals" that had led the Colorado facility to announce job cuts earlier this month because of budget cuts.
He visited the National Renewable Energy Laboratory a day after his administration rushed the transfer of US$5 million ($7.7 million) to the lab to enable it to restore the jobs and resolve what could have been an embarrassing situation.
Democrats had cited the job cuts as a sign of lack of real commitment by the government to energy independence initiatives that Bush, a former oil company executive, announced with great fanfare in his State of the Union speech on January 31.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369518
Austria appeals for longer jail term for Irving
22.02.06 1.00pm
VIENNA - Austria's state prosecutor filed an appeal today to lengthen the three-year jail term given to British historian David Irving for denying the Holocaust during a 1989 lecture tour in the country.
Irving had already appealed for a reduction in the sentence in his Vienna criminal court trial yesterday, arguing that he had changed his mind after further research in the past 15 years and now acknowledged that Nazi Germany killed millions of Jews.
Walter Geyer, spokesman for the state prosecutor's office, said it had lodged an appeal to have the sentence increased. The prosecutor had argued that Irving had only pretended to moderate his views to try to escape a jail term.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369520
Jail term for Holocaust denial 'going too far', says PM
21.02.06 4.00pm
The sentencing of British historian David Irving for denying the Holocaust showed how seriously Austria regarded that time in its history, but most people would have thought a jail term was going too far, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
Irving was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday by an Austrian court which convicted him of denying the Holocaust -- a crime in Austria.
Irving had pleaded guilty and insisted he had had a change of heart, now acknowledging the Nazis' World War 2 slaughter of six million Jews.
Before the verdict, Irving conceded he had erred in contending there were no gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp.
He had faced up to 10 years behind bars.
The Prime Minister today said the verdict showed how seriously the Holocaust was taken in Austrian law.
"Austria has a tragic past in terms of the fact that that country was tied up with Nazism in the 1930s and '40s.
"I think most people would feel that being jailed for the offence was probably going too far but nonetheless it does underline how seriously Austria deals with that part of its history."
Irving ran up against New Zealand's immigration law when he tried to come here in 2004.
He was barred from boarding a flight from Los Angeles to Auckland after a passenger processing system alerted the airline Irving was not welcome in New Zealand.
He was not automatically entitled to a visa because he had been deported from Canada some years earlier.
Irving then lodged an application at the New Zealand High Commission in London for a special permit to enter the country but that was also refused.
Questioned today about Irving's sentencing being another example of the free speech argument that has reared its head in the Prophet Muhammad and Bloody Mary cartoon controversies, Helen Clark said that was a question for each country and its laws to judge.
New Zealand permitted freedom of speech.
Mr Irving was not able to come here because he was struck out under immigration law.
"But nonetheless he did go to Austria, he presumably knew what the law was and he's run up against that country's laws."
- NZPA
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369411
Eichmann papers convinced Irving Holocaust happened
21.02.06 1.00pm
VIENNA - British historian David Irving pleaded guilty today to charges of denying the Holocaust 17 years ago, but told an Austrian court that the personal files of Nazi mastermind Adolf Eichmann had changed his views.
The 68-year-old Irving faces up to 10 years in jail in Austria in a case based on remarks he made in a 1989 interview and in speeches when he visited Austria, where denying the Nazi genocide on Jews is a crime.
"I'm not a holocaust denier. Obviously, I've changed my views," Irving, a historian who has published many books on the history of Nazi Germany and World War Two, told reporters on his way into the Vienna courtroom.
Asked by the presiding judge Peter Liebetreu whether he had denied in speeches in 1989 that Nazi Germany had killed millions of Jews, Irving said he had until he had seen the personal files of Adolf Eichmann, the chief organiser of the Holocaust.
"I said that then based on my knowledge at the time, but by 1991 when I came across the Eichmann papers, I wasn't saying that anymore and I wouldn't say that now," Irving said.
"The Nazis did murder millions of Jews," said Irving, who answered the court in fluent German.
Irving's answers failed to impress state prosecutor Michael Klackl, who called Irving in his opening statement a falsifier of history who was dressed up as a martyr by right-wing extremists.
"The David Irving I heard today in the court was not the David Irving I got to know in preparing for this trial," Klackl told Reuters after the court adjourned for lunch.
"The court will have to decide whether Irving has made an honest confession or is merely engaged in tactics (to reduce his sentence)," he said.
The historian was detained in November on an arrest warrant issued in 1989. He faces between one and 10 years in jail, and prosecutor Klackl said Irving's confession could persuade the court to go for a less drastic penalty.
Irving's lawyer Elmar Kresbach asked the court for leniency because Irving had changed his views and was no threat to Austria's democracy.
However, the prosecutor said Irving remained an icon for neo-Nazis and revisionist historians worldwide.
A court of eight lay jurors and three judges is expected to give its verdict on Monday.
Irving was arrested when he was on his way to address Austrian radical right-wing student fraternity Olympia, and has attended meetings of Holocaust denying historians even after the time of his professed insight into the Holocaust's truth.
A British High Court ruling in 2000 rejected Irving's libel suit against an American professor and her publishers, declaring Irving "an active Holocaust denier ... anti-Semitic and racist".
The Viennese court will hear the reporter who interviewed Irving back in 1989 on Monday as its sole witness, and the prosecutor said he expected it to issue its verdict later today.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369376
Tension over torture, death of Jewish man in Paris
22.02.06
PARIS - Tempers are reaching boiling point in the French Jewish community after the torture and murder of a young Jewish man by a suburban gang calling itself "the barbarians".
Police say the gang kidnapped Ilan Halimi, 23 - using a beautiful, young, blonde woman as bait - to extort money from his family. The victim's family and many other Parisian Jews are convinced the crime was, at least partially, racially motivated.
A Parisian MP, Claude Goasguen, said yesterday that the city could face "extremely serious intra-community violence" unless the authorities abandoned their "persistent silence on the real motives for this murder". At the weekend, a mainly peaceful protest was marred by violent actions by radical young Jewish men.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369439
Church outrage as cartoon to air tonight
22.02.06
By Errol Kiong and Martin Johnston
A row between Catholics and media firm CanWest has escalated with the controversial "Bloody Mary" episode of South Park screening on television tonight, weeks ahead of schedule.
The Catholic Church says the move is "provocative and inflammatory".
At least one advertiser has pulled its advertising from CanWest's radio stations. The move by CanWest to screen the episode seven weeks early follows an open letter from seven bishops on Sunday urging Catholics to boycott TV3's news and advertisers should the company go ahead with the screening on its sister channel, C4.
The church's communications director, Lyndsay Freer, said she was handed a press release at 5pm yesterday announcing the decision to run the episode today, and was asked to comment for the 6pm news.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10369513
Danish PM sees cartoon row calmer, rejects inquiry
22.02.06 1.00pm
COPENHAGEN - Denmark's prime minister said today the row over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad was calming down after weeks of violent protest, while he rejected opposition calls for an inquiry into his handling of the crisis.
"It is my impression that the development during the last few days has gone in the direction of more subdued demonstrations and statements in large parts of the Muslim world," said Prime Minister Anders Fog Rasmussen.
But the centre-right leader said at a weekly news conference that, while calmer, the crisis was far from over. More than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured in protests around the world, with Nigeria as the latest focus of violence.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369539
Aristide hopes to return to Haiti 'soon'
22.02.06 1.20pm
JOHANNESBURG - Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide said today he was discussing with officials in Haiti the possibility of returning to the Caribbean country "as soon as possible".
"I do believe I will be back as soon as possible," Aristide said in an interview with SABC television in South Africa, where he fled into exile following a 2004 uprising against his rule.
The comments marked the first by Aristide following this month's Haitian elections which were won by his one-time protege Rene Preval.
Aristide said he was talking with both his South African host President Thabo Mbeki and others about his return, with the intention of preventing any possible political trouble.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369552
Pressure on Iran as hopes fade of deal with Russia
22.02.06
MOSCOW - Iran faced growing international pressure over its nuclear plans on yesterday as hopes faded of striking a deal with Russia that would ease Western suspicions that it is trying to build an atomic bomb.
Russian and Iranian negotiators discussed for two days a Moscow proposal to enrich uranium for Iran, seen as one of a dwindling number of diplomatic options for defusing the nuclear row before Western governments seek UN sanctions.
Both sides said more talks would take place in Tehran.
Interfax news agency reported the Iranian delegation was about to leave Moscow but had no word on any progress. A top Iranian official in Tehran earlier ruled out a return to a moratorium on uranium enrichment, which Russia had demanded.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369502
Nation begins to question Mao's cultural atrocity
22.02.06
By Clifford Noonan
BEIJING - The frightened figure in the picture is a Chinese opera star. His hair is grasped tightly in a Red Guard's fist and he is being denounced during the Cultural Revolution, the ideological frenzy which destroyed millions of lives in China between 1966 and 1976.
The image is one of hundreds of engravings on cold grey tablets that make up the exhibits in China's first Cultural Revolution museum, near Shantou in the Guangdong district.
"There is Chinese proverb which says you should use history as a mirror," Peng Qian, a former Deputy Mayor of Shantou, said. Peng, persecuted during the revolution, was the driving force in setting the museum up.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369489
Mutations in virus more deadly for birds
22.02.06 7.20am
Mutations in the H5N1 bird flu virus are making it more deadly in chickens and more resistant in the environment but without yet increasing the threat to humans, the World Health Organisation said.
The changes, which all viruses undergo, have affected patterns of transmission amongst domestic poultry and wild birds, with ducks, for example, able to pass the virus on without getting ill.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369499
Bird flu spreads, thousands tested in India
22.02.06 1.00pm
BRUSSELS - The H5N1 strain of bird flu was confirmed in Hungary and Croatia today as the deadly virus spread around the globe, while EU officials considered measures to vaccinate millions of birds in France and the Netherlands.
In India, where officials are scrambling to contain a major outbreak in poultry, hundreds of people turned up for screening at medical camps in areas where bird flu has been reported.
At least 15 nations have reported outbreaks in birds this month, an indication that the virus, which has killed more than 90 people, is spreading faster.
Migratory birds are thought to be at least one way the disease is being carried and more than 30 countries have now reported cases since 2003, seven of them recording human infections.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369540
Middle-aged men winners in the bedroom
22.02.06
By Arifa Akbar
The cliche of the average man entering middle age is one in which he spends his weekends in leather trousers mounting a Harley-Davidson as a substitute for a libido in fast decline.
But the reality is quite the opposite.
Men in their 50s are more satisfied with their love lives than those who are one or two decades younger, despite their decline in sexual performance, a medical study has found.
According to research conducted by experts at the University of Oslo, the University of Bergen and Harvard Medical School, middle-aged men had similar levels of contentment to those who are physiologically in their sexual prime, aged between 20 and 29.
The average 50-year-old achieves sexual contentment despite increased problems with sexual functions such as attaining, and sustaining, an erection.
Researchers in the US and Norway interviewed 1185 men aged from 20 to 79.
"Our results show that although men experience more problems and less sexual function as they get older, it doesn't necessarily follow that they are less satisfied with their sex lives as a result," said Professor Sophie Fossa, who helped conduct the research. The findings were published in BJU International, the British Journal of Urology.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=314&objectid=10369440
continued...
Morning Papers - continued
I'll finish the zoohealines up for this week before returning to my usual scope. Some very interesting stuff. In regard to the Panda issue. While leasing them is expensive for some zoos; those monies go to assist in the cost of the restoration project of the Panda's in China. So, it isn't as though it' s 'just a lot of money.' It's a lot of useful money.
Official: Marine World bird flu unlikely
Most cases of the potentially fatal bird flu have been found in domesticated birds, such as chickens, ducks and turkeys.
Though there are about 200 birds of 43 species at the park, Vallejo's Six Flags Marine World officials are confident no outbreak of the bird flu is likely there.
"Our top priority is to ensure the safety of our animals," Marine World spokesman Paul Garcia said. He added there are preventive measures in place.
Anyone seeking access to the park's back areas must step into a disinfecting foot bath, for instance, he said.
"All uniforms are washed here on site to avoid the risk of contamination from people's household pets," Garcia said. "It's a common procedure among all zoos and aquariums."
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/todaysnews/ci_3532074
Adoption for wild horses, burros to be held here
Need a burro or a horse? Know someone who does?
On March 9-11, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management will set up shop at the Grimes County Fairgrounds to offer wild horses and burros for adoption.
According to Paul McGuire with the BLM in Moore, Okla., these are animals that roam free on public lands in the west and are protected by federal law. Excess animals are periodically removed from the range and made available to the public for adoption.
Those considering adopting will have to be approved by the bureau, but this can be done on-the-spot at the fairgrounds.
The minimum adoption fee for most animals, according to McGuire, is $125.
On Thursday, March 9, the animals can be previewed and applications approved from 4 - 6 p.m.
On Friday, March 10, doors open at 8 a.m. and the competitive bid adoption begins at 10 a.m. Walk-up adoptions will follow until 6 p.m.
Walk-up adoptions will be held Saturday, March 11, from 8 a.m. until noon.
For more information call 1-866-4-Mustangs.
http://www.navasotaexaminer.com/articles/2006/02/21/news/news11.txt
Zoo talks continue; a new deal headed to council today
February 21, 2006
By MARISOL BELLO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's administration this afternoon plans to send the Detroit City Council a revised plan for the Detroit Zoo in the hopes that they will reconsider their previous vote to reject a proposal that would have kept the more than 75-year-old institution running.
Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams said the administration will send the council a final proposal to turn the daily operations of the Detroit Zoo over to the Detroit Zoological Society.
The council voted down the proposal Saturday night by a 7-2 vote.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060221/NEWS11/60221007
Betty White honored by L.A. Zoo
Feb 21, 2006, 19:32 GMT
LOS ANGELES, CA, United States (UPI) -- Emmy Award-winning actress and animal rights activist Betty White has been appointed 'Ambassador to the Animals' for the Los Angeles Zoo.
About 50 attended a Monday ceremony at the zoo during which White was presented with a bronze place that will be placed near her favorite exhibit -- the gorillas, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
White, 84, has worked with many animal welfare groups through the years and has been a board member of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association since 1974, the Times said.
She has written two animal-related books and received the American Veterinary Medical Association`s Humane Award in the 1980s.
The Television Hall of Famer has had a number of memorable TV roles during her 50-year career including Sue Ann Nivens on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and Rose Nylund on 'The Golden Girls.'
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
http://people.monstersandcritics.com/article_1131757.php/Betty_White_honored_by_L.A._Zoo
New exhibit at Brevard Zoo teaches students about dinosaur life
By VALERIE NIENBERG
valerie.nienberg@scripps.com
February 19, 2006
A stroll through the Brevard Zoo's new exhibit, "Extreme Dinosaurs," will make you feel like you've just stepped into Jurassic Park.
Only here, the animals won't try to eat you.
"Extreme Dinosaurs," which is open through May 14, features 12 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that growl, roar, chirp and stare you down. Set throughout a winding tropical path, they depict scenes of everyday dino life, from fighting to feasting, as well as mothering.
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/lifestyle/article/0,2821,TCP_24451_4472820,00.html
Sumatran orangutan born at zoo
January arrival of thriving baby boy applaude
Melissa Leong, National Post
Published: Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Conservation groups and ape experts around the world are buoyed by the birth of a Sumatran orangutan, a critically endangered animal, at the Toronto Zoo.
"It is a crisis for orangutans in the world. Every single birth that is successful helps with that crisis," said Dr. Rob Shumaker, lead scientist at Great Ape Trust, a research facility based in Des Moines, Iowa.
"Births and pairings are managed very carefully. Anytime there's a baby orangutan born in a good facility, it's a good reason to celebrate."
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=4e59d574-631b-4aec-ad57-1ebd9b3e872e&k=99337
Lion punctures zoo worker's hand
There is to be a full inquiry into the incident involving Indu
A Devon zoo maintenance worker had his hand punctured by a lion while trying to mend a fence.
Indu, a two-year-old Asiatic, bit the worker's hand as he replaced a fence separating the lions from tigers at Paignton Zoo.
The man, who has not been named, was taken to Torbay Hospital in Torquay on Monday and treated for two wounds to the back of his hand.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4735920.stm
Lawmaker to introduce bill to allow online betting on horses
A state representative from Blaine says he plans to introduce a bill that would authorize online betting on horses.
Republican Representative Andy Westerberg says he thinks the prospects of the bill passing this session are slim, but he wants to open up the discussion.
Westerberg says his proposal would permit, regulate and tax betting on horses over the Internet. It would only deal with horse racing. The federal government considers online casinos illegal, but hasn't been able to shut most of them down because they operate offshore.
Horse-racing advocates say online betting would allow Canterbury Park and the state government to share some of the profits being lost in Minnesota to Internet bookies.
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=119220
Local Marina Affected by Runoff from New Developments
FEBRUARY 20, 2006 -- The Carolina Beach marina that's filling up with sand and debris is starting to get some attention from town leaders.
The owner of Black's Marina says runoff from new developments is flowing through the town's drain onto her property. Mona Black says the road sludge and mud are causing her boat slips to become shallow in places.
More than a year after the problem began, town officials are investigating their responsibility for the runoff. They are sending a street sweep out daily to clean Saint Joseph Street where the marina is located. Town employees are still working on a solution to the problem.
http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?s=4527164
Humane Society announces Genesis winners
Feb 22, 2006, 3:50 GMT
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- The Humane Society of the United States will give 'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' a Genesis Award for shedding positive light on animals.
The 20th Genesis Awards will be taped March 18 at the Beverly Hilton and broadcast on Animal Planet May 6, the HSUS said in a news release.
In addition to 'Wallace & Gromit,' the feature films 'An Unfinished Life,' 'Duma' and 'The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill' will also receive Genesis Awards.
Ben Stein will host a special segment during the ceremony called 'The Heroes of Katrina.'
Among those being cited for drawing attention to the plight of animals during and after the hurricane will be CNN`s Anderson Cooper; David Jackson of KCAL-TV, Los Angeles; ABC`s 'Good Morning America;' PBS`s 'Now and Nature;' CBS` 'Sunday Morning;' KARE-TV, Minneapolis; and 'Animal Planet Heroes.'
http://movies.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1131876.php/Humane_Society_announces_Genesis_winners
Zoos might slaughter bird
Paris - Europe's zoos are drawing up plans to vaccinate, confine or, in worst-case scenarios, to slaughter their avian boarders in order to prevent the spread of the deadly strain of bird flu.
The H5N1 strain - lethal to feathered friends and humans alike - has been detected in hundreds of migratory water fowl found dead across Europe, and animal health officials worry the disease could insinuate itself into open-air bird populations in hundreds of zoos and nature preserves.
In the absence of centralised guidelines from European officials, individual zoos have adopted their own strategies for coping with the threat, ranging from vaccinating everything with feathers to confinement indoors.
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Bird_flu/0,,2-10-1959_1885736,00.html
Swiss horses dominate White Turf
Switzerland enjoyed unprecedented success at the annual White Turf horseracing meet this year, winning all but one flat race on the frozen lake of St Moritz.
A Swiss was also crowned King of the Engadine after winning all three races in the centenary edition of the skijörking competition.
The unusual setting, 6,000 feet above sea level in canton Graubünden, is home to Switzerland's only true international race meeting, attracting particular interest from around Europe
Top Swiss trainer Miroslav Weiss, who runs a stable in Urdorf, canton Zurich, hopes local success in this year's White Turf can spur on further achievements on the continent and greater recognition for the sport in Switzerland.
"The quality of horses in Switzerland has been getting better and better in recent years," he told swissinfo. "We are able to compete on more equal terms with other European countries, and my horses have won races in Italy, Germany and France in recent months.
"There are no real top quality racetracks in Switzerland and there is not enough land or interest here to build one. But Swiss horses are now making more of an impact in other countries."
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=201&sid=6491533&cKey=1140538153000
Third giraffe dies after zoo fire
Paddy the giraffe, injured in a fire which claimed the lives of his mate and a week-old calf at Paignton Zoo in Devon, has died.
Paddy was suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation and despite intensive treatment, he collapsed and died early on Saturday.
Vets had prescribed antibiotics and steroids to counter the effects of shock and ease his breathing.
Paddy was born in January 1991 and came to Paignton Zoo in 1993.
It's amazing that he lasted as long as he did
Phil Knowling, Paignton Zoo
Paddy's mate Kizi and her baby died on Sunday night in the fire, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault.
Paignton Zoo spokesman Phil Knowling said: "Veterinary experts weren't able to offer very much specialist advice because these cases are so difficult to treat.
"Animals rarely survive what Paddy went through; it's amazing that he lasted as long as he did.
"We did absolutely everything we could to help him. In the end it was quick and peaceful. This is a sad day for keepers, zoo staff and all our visitors."
Paignton Zoo has received messages of support from all over the world, as well as cards, flowers, drawings and donations since the fire.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4727274.stm
Oakland Zoo's baby giraffe makes his debut
OAKLAND, Calif. The Oakland Zoo's new bundle of baby joy weighs one-hundred-seventy pounds and stands well over six feet tall.
He's a two-week old baby giraffe born in captivity. Zoo employees are calling him "the Brave Little Toaster" after some animated children's films.
The giraffe has grown two inches and gained twenty pounds since he was born.
The giraffe has been busy getting tests and meeting a few reporters. He'll be ready to join the herd and stick his neck out to the public in a week or two.
http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=4521264&nav=9qrx
Riverbanks Zoo hosts confederate re-enactment
(Columbia) February 18, 2006 - Civil war enthusiasts paid a visit to the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden's historic site Saturday to take a trip back in time.
141 years ago, General Sherman's army crossed over the Saluda River and into Columbia over the same land where the zoo and garden are located today.
Tourists had the opportunity to visit the Confederate relic room, listen to presentations about Sherman's military strategy and see war era uniforms.
Re-enactors say the most important thing they want people to take away from today's activities is to learn more about history on their own.
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4521731
Local rancher accused of neglecting horses
Updated: Feb 21, 2006 11:04pm
A horse owner in Falls County has been given a warning for not feeding enough to his 27 horses.
Those horses are on land in Chilton without grass and have resorted to eating tree bark to survive.
The horse owner, Chuck McGinnis says drought conditions have led to extremely high hay prices. He says he can't afford the hay and is trying to sell the horses but refuses to sell the horses for slaughter.
"Most people who come out, want the horses for dog meat, and I don't sell my horses for that, I want to find them a good home," says McGinnis."
Director of the Wild Horse Foundation Ray Field says "We're here, this past Winter, because of the slow motion death we call drought. We've seen a lot of people who are facing fines or facing citations because they failed to take care of their animals in a proper way."
Field says McGinnis will be given ten days to keep the horses fed or further action will be taken.
Field also says he will help McGinnis advertise the horses for sale.
http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=9101
Tiger dies in Itanagar zoo, food poisoning suspected
SAMUDRA GUPTA KASHYAP
GUWAHATI, FEB 21: A Royal Bengal Tiger cub died under mysterious circumstances at Itanagar zoo in Arunachal Pradesh last night, a day after four tigers in the zoo fell ill following suspected food poisoning.
Sources said it has been suspected that miscreants mixed poison in the food provided to the animals on Sunday evening, which resulted in four of the big cats falling ill. The vets put in their best efforts with locally available resources, to which only three of the tigers responded positively.
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=88374
Teen Sentenced for Breaking into Wilmington Zoo
FEBRUARY 20, 2006 -- One of the teenagers arrested for breaking into a Wilmington zoo and killing animals is heading to prison.
David Ballard, 18, was sentenced to ten to 14 months in prison.
He was charged with breaking into the Tregembo Zoo on Carolina Beach Road and killing prairie dogs.
Ballard also has a separate charge of possession of a firearm by a felon. The other teens arrested for breaking into the zoo will go before a judge in March.
http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?s=4526947
"Extreme Dinosaurs," which is open through
continued ...
Zoos
The Elephant Turf War
Humans are rushing to the aid of captive pachyderms, and Woodland Park Zoo is in the path of the stampede.
In 1990, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association deemed Woodland Park Zoo's elephant forest "best new exhibit." Today, Seattle's seemingly plush pachyderm quarters have garnered a much different title. The animal-rights organization In Defense of Animals has named Woodland Park Zoo one of the country's 10 worst for elephants.
Critics say Woodland Park, and most zoos for that matter, don't offer elephants enough space, and advocating for zoo elephants has become the cause du jour for animal-rights groups and even some zoo professionals. They blame a variety of health issues that arise in captive pachyderms, including arthritis, foot disease, and neurosis, on lack of space. Woodland Park Zoo's elephant forest, which comprises about 1 acre, exceeds zoo association standards, but it falls short of the area many critics consider necessary for elephants to live comfortably.
Official: Marine World bird flu unlikely
Most cases of the potentially fatal bird flu have been found in domesticated birds, such as chickens, ducks and turkeys.
Though there are about 200 birds of 43 species at the park, Vallejo's Six Flags Marine World officials are confident no outbreak of the bird flu is likely there.
"Our top priority is to ensure the safety of our animals," Marine World spokesman Paul Garcia said. He added there are preventive measures in place.
Anyone seeking access to the park's back areas must step into a disinfecting foot bath, for instance, he said.
"All uniforms are washed here on site to avoid the risk of contamination from people's household pets," Garcia said. "It's a common procedure among all zoos and aquariums."
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/todaysnews/ci_3532074
Adoption for wild horses, burros to be held here
Need a burro or a horse? Know someone who does?
On March 9-11, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management will set up shop at the Grimes County Fairgrounds to offer wild horses and burros for adoption.
According to Paul McGuire with the BLM in Moore, Okla., these are animals that roam free on public lands in the west and are protected by federal law. Excess animals are periodically removed from the range and made available to the public for adoption.
Those considering adopting will have to be approved by the bureau, but this can be done on-the-spot at the fairgrounds.
The minimum adoption fee for most animals, according to McGuire, is $125.
On Thursday, March 9, the animals can be previewed and applications approved from 4 - 6 p.m.
On Friday, March 10, doors open at 8 a.m. and the competitive bid adoption begins at 10 a.m. Walk-up adoptions will follow until 6 p.m.
Walk-up adoptions will be held Saturday, March 11, from 8 a.m. until noon.
For more information call 1-866-4-Mustangs.
http://www.navasotaexaminer.com/articles/2006/02/21/news/news11.txt
Zoo talks continue; a new deal headed to council today
February 21, 2006
By MARISOL BELLO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's administration this afternoon plans to send the Detroit City Council a revised plan for the Detroit Zoo in the hopes that they will reconsider their previous vote to reject a proposal that would have kept the more than 75-year-old institution running.
Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams said the administration will send the council a final proposal to turn the daily operations of the Detroit Zoo over to the Detroit Zoological Society.
The council voted down the proposal Saturday night by a 7-2 vote.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060221/NEWS11/60221007
Betty White honored by L.A. Zoo
Feb 21, 2006, 19:32 GMT
LOS ANGELES, CA, United States (UPI) -- Emmy Award-winning actress and animal rights activist Betty White has been appointed 'Ambassador to the Animals' for the Los Angeles Zoo.
About 50 attended a Monday ceremony at the zoo during which White was presented with a bronze place that will be placed near her favorite exhibit -- the gorillas, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
White, 84, has worked with many animal welfare groups through the years and has been a board member of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association since 1974, the Times said.
She has written two animal-related books and received the American Veterinary Medical Association`s Humane Award in the 1980s.
The Television Hall of Famer has had a number of memorable TV roles during her 50-year career including Sue Ann Nivens on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and Rose Nylund on 'The Golden Girls.'
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
http://people.monstersandcritics.com/article_1131757.php/Betty_White_honored_by_L.A._Zoo
New exhibit at Brevard Zoo teaches students about dinosaur life
By VALERIE NIENBERG
valerie.nienberg@scripps.com
February 19, 2006
A stroll through the Brevard Zoo's new exhibit, "Extreme Dinosaurs," will make you feel like you've just stepped into Jurassic Park.
Only here, the animals won't try to eat you.
"Extreme Dinosaurs," which is open through May 14, features 12 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that growl, roar, chirp and stare you down. Set throughout a winding tropical path, they depict scenes of everyday dino life, from fighting to feasting, as well as mothering.
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/lifestyle/article/0,2821,TCP_24451_4472820,00.html
Sumatran orangutan born at zoo
January arrival of thriving baby boy applaude
Melissa Leong, National Post
Published: Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Conservation groups and ape experts around the world are buoyed by the birth of a Sumatran orangutan, a critically endangered animal, at the Toronto Zoo.
"It is a crisis for orangutans in the world. Every single birth that is successful helps with that crisis," said Dr. Rob Shumaker, lead scientist at Great Ape Trust, a research facility based in Des Moines, Iowa.
"Births and pairings are managed very carefully. Anytime there's a baby orangutan born in a good facility, it's a good reason to celebrate."
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=4e59d574-631b-4aec-ad57-1ebd9b3e872e&k=99337
Lion punctures zoo worker's hand
There is to be a full inquiry into the incident involving Indu
A Devon zoo maintenance worker had his hand punctured by a lion while trying to mend a fence.
Indu, a two-year-old Asiatic, bit the worker's hand as he replaced a fence separating the lions from tigers at Paignton Zoo.
The man, who has not been named, was taken to Torbay Hospital in Torquay on Monday and treated for two wounds to the back of his hand.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4735920.stm
Lawmaker to introduce bill to allow online betting on horses
A state representative from Blaine says he plans to introduce a bill that would authorize online betting on horses.
Republican Representative Andy Westerberg says he thinks the prospects of the bill passing this session are slim, but he wants to open up the discussion.
Westerberg says his proposal would permit, regulate and tax betting on horses over the Internet. It would only deal with horse racing. The federal government considers online casinos illegal, but hasn't been able to shut most of them down because they operate offshore.
Horse-racing advocates say online betting would allow Canterbury Park and the state government to share some of the profits being lost in Minnesota to Internet bookies.
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=119220
Local Marina Affected by Runoff from New Developments
FEBRUARY 20, 2006 -- The Carolina Beach marina that's filling up with sand and debris is starting to get some attention from town leaders.
The owner of Black's Marina says runoff from new developments is flowing through the town's drain onto her property. Mona Black says the road sludge and mud are causing her boat slips to become shallow in places.
More than a year after the problem began, town officials are investigating their responsibility for the runoff. They are sending a street sweep out daily to clean Saint Joseph Street where the marina is located. Town employees are still working on a solution to the problem.
http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?s=4527164
Humane Society announces Genesis winners
Feb 22, 2006, 3:50 GMT
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- The Humane Society of the United States will give 'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' a Genesis Award for shedding positive light on animals.
The 20th Genesis Awards will be taped March 18 at the Beverly Hilton and broadcast on Animal Planet May 6, the HSUS said in a news release.
In addition to 'Wallace & Gromit,' the feature films 'An Unfinished Life,' 'Duma' and 'The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill' will also receive Genesis Awards.
Ben Stein will host a special segment during the ceremony called 'The Heroes of Katrina.'
Among those being cited for drawing attention to the plight of animals during and after the hurricane will be CNN`s Anderson Cooper; David Jackson of KCAL-TV, Los Angeles; ABC`s 'Good Morning America;' PBS`s 'Now and Nature;' CBS` 'Sunday Morning;' KARE-TV, Minneapolis; and 'Animal Planet Heroes.'
http://movies.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1131876.php/Humane_Society_announces_Genesis_winners
Zoos might slaughter bird
Paris - Europe's zoos are drawing up plans to vaccinate, confine or, in worst-case scenarios, to slaughter their avian boarders in order to prevent the spread of the deadly strain of bird flu.
The H5N1 strain - lethal to feathered friends and humans alike - has been detected in hundreds of migratory water fowl found dead across Europe, and animal health officials worry the disease could insinuate itself into open-air bird populations in hundreds of zoos and nature preserves.
In the absence of centralised guidelines from European officials, individual zoos have adopted their own strategies for coping with the threat, ranging from vaccinating everything with feathers to confinement indoors.
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Bird_flu/0,,2-10-1959_1885736,00.html
Swiss horses dominate White Turf
Switzerland enjoyed unprecedented success at the annual White Turf horseracing meet this year, winning all but one flat race on the frozen lake of St Moritz.
A Swiss was also crowned King of the Engadine after winning all three races in the centenary edition of the skijörking competition.
The unusual setting, 6,000 feet above sea level in canton Graubünden, is home to Switzerland's only true international race meeting, attracting particular interest from around Europe
Top Swiss trainer Miroslav Weiss, who runs a stable in Urdorf, canton Zurich, hopes local success in this year's White Turf can spur on further achievements on the continent and greater recognition for the sport in Switzerland.
"The quality of horses in Switzerland has been getting better and better in recent years," he told swissinfo. "We are able to compete on more equal terms with other European countries, and my horses have won races in Italy, Germany and France in recent months.
"There are no real top quality racetracks in Switzerland and there is not enough land or interest here to build one. But Swiss horses are now making more of an impact in other countries."
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=201&sid=6491533&cKey=1140538153000
Third giraffe dies after zoo fire
Paddy the giraffe, injured in a fire which claimed the lives of his mate and a week-old calf at Paignton Zoo in Devon, has died.
Paddy was suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation and despite intensive treatment, he collapsed and died early on Saturday.
Vets had prescribed antibiotics and steroids to counter the effects of shock and ease his breathing.
Paddy was born in January 1991 and came to Paignton Zoo in 1993.
It's amazing that he lasted as long as he did
Phil Knowling, Paignton Zoo
Paddy's mate Kizi and her baby died on Sunday night in the fire, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault.
Paignton Zoo spokesman Phil Knowling said: "Veterinary experts weren't able to offer very much specialist advice because these cases are so difficult to treat.
"Animals rarely survive what Paddy went through; it's amazing that he lasted as long as he did.
"We did absolutely everything we could to help him. In the end it was quick and peaceful. This is a sad day for keepers, zoo staff and all our visitors."
Paignton Zoo has received messages of support from all over the world, as well as cards, flowers, drawings and donations since the fire.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4727274.stm
Oakland Zoo's baby giraffe makes his debut
OAKLAND, Calif. The Oakland Zoo's new bundle of baby joy weighs one-hundred-seventy pounds and stands well over six feet tall.
He's a two-week old baby giraffe born in captivity. Zoo employees are calling him "the Brave Little Toaster" after some animated children's films.
The giraffe has grown two inches and gained twenty pounds since he was born.
The giraffe has been busy getting tests and meeting a few reporters. He'll be ready to join the herd and stick his neck out to the public in a week or two.
http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=4521264&nav=9qrx
Riverbanks Zoo hosts confederate re-enactment
(Columbia) February 18, 2006 - Civil war enthusiasts paid a visit to the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden's historic site Saturday to take a trip back in time.
141 years ago, General Sherman's army crossed over the Saluda River and into Columbia over the same land where the zoo and garden are located today.
Tourists had the opportunity to visit the Confederate relic room, listen to presentations about Sherman's military strategy and see war era uniforms.
Re-enactors say the most important thing they want people to take away from today's activities is to learn more about history on their own.
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4521731
Local rancher accused of neglecting horses
Updated: Feb 21, 2006 11:04pm
A horse owner in Falls County has been given a warning for not feeding enough to his 27 horses.
Those horses are on land in Chilton without grass and have resorted to eating tree bark to survive.
The horse owner, Chuck McGinnis says drought conditions have led to extremely high hay prices. He says he can't afford the hay and is trying to sell the horses but refuses to sell the horses for slaughter.
"Most people who come out, want the horses for dog meat, and I don't sell my horses for that, I want to find them a good home," says McGinnis."
Director of the Wild Horse Foundation Ray Field says "We're here, this past Winter, because of the slow motion death we call drought. We've seen a lot of people who are facing fines or facing citations because they failed to take care of their animals in a proper way."
Field says McGinnis will be given ten days to keep the horses fed or further action will be taken.
Field also says he will help McGinnis advertise the horses for sale.
http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=9101
Tiger dies in Itanagar zoo, food poisoning suspected
SAMUDRA GUPTA KASHYAP
GUWAHATI, FEB 21: A Royal Bengal Tiger cub died under mysterious circumstances at Itanagar zoo in Arunachal Pradesh last night, a day after four tigers in the zoo fell ill following suspected food poisoning.
Sources said it has been suspected that miscreants mixed poison in the food provided to the animals on Sunday evening, which resulted in four of the big cats falling ill. The vets put in their best efforts with locally available resources, to which only three of the tigers responded positively.
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=88374
Teen Sentenced for Breaking into Wilmington Zoo
FEBRUARY 20, 2006 -- One of the teenagers arrested for breaking into a Wilmington zoo and killing animals is heading to prison.
David Ballard, 18, was sentenced to ten to 14 months in prison.
He was charged with breaking into the Tregembo Zoo on Carolina Beach Road and killing prairie dogs.
Ballard also has a separate charge of possession of a firearm by a felon. The other teens arrested for breaking into the zoo will go before a judge in March.
http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?s=4526947
"Extreme Dinosaurs," which is open through
May 14, features 12 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that growl, roar, chirp and stare you down. Set throughout a winding tropical path, they depict scenes of everyday dino life, from fighting to feasting, as well as mothering.
Zoos in Sydney and Melbourne have agreed to send 40 Australian native animals to a safari park in Thailand at which it is alleged many animals have died, Fairfax newspapers report.
In exchange Melbourne Zoo and Taronga Zoo will import eight Asian elephants.
The plan is detailed in a memorandum of agreement between the Thai government and the Victorian and NSW government signed in June 2004, the newspapers are reporting.
It was tabled in the Sydney Administrative Appeals Tribunal during a recent attempt by animal welfare groups to stop the elephant import.
One Thai activist told the Fairfax newspapers birds in the Chiang Mai Night Safari were dying every day, three out of six crocodiles had died of infection and one hyena was killed by others, while Thai media claim 104 animals have died.
In a statement, the zoos said the transfer of Australian animals to Thai zoos was not contingent on the elephant program.
The statement said zoo staff would raise the issue of the reported deaths with Thai authorities on a visit to Thailand next week
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/lifestyle/article/0,2821,TCP_24451_4472820,00.html
Zoo will go back to earlier closing time
By Jason Miller The News-Dispatch
The Washington Park Zoo will operate on traditional hours of operation next season after an experiment with different hours didn't prove profitable.
“We tried different changes, like later hours, but very few visitors took part in the late hours,” Zoo Director Johnny Martinez told the Michigan City Park Board on Thursday. “We had to have two shifts, and that just didn't work.”
As it has in the past, the zoo will operate from April 1 to Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with gates closing at 4 p.m.
Those hours, Martinez said, will make things easier on the zoo staff and on visitors.
“It will allow school kids to come in a little earlier instead of later in the day,” he said. “There won't be that madhouse at the gate. And all of our staff can stay on a one-shift schedule.”
Last year on specific days the zoo was open long enough that staff could fill the day in a normal, eight-hour shift.
“At least we tried,” Park Board President Bob McKee said about the different hours. “We're out there trying different things and that's good.”
Martinez also recommended zoo fees remain the same for 2006. He did, however, ask the board look into raising fees in the near future when a new North American Carnivores exhibit is completed.
The exhibit will house bears, river otters and mountain lions.
Currently, general admission rates for the zoo are $4.50 for those ages 12-61, $3 for seniors age 62 and older, $2.50 for children ages 3 to 11 and free for children two years old and younger.
Group rates for education groups such as schools, scouts and organizations that serve the handicapped are $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and for children.
Children two and younger are free.
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2006/02/17/news/n3.txt
Aussie animals for troubled Thai zoo
Zoos in Sydney and Melbourne have agreed to send 40 Australian native animals to a safari park in Thailand at which it is alleged many animals have died, Fairfax newspapers report.
In exchange Melbourne Zoo and Taronga Zoo will import eight Asian elephants.
The plan is detailed in a memorandum of agreement between the Thai government and the Victorian and NSW government signed in June 2004, the newspapers are reporting.
It was tabled in the Sydney Administrative Appeals Tribunal during a recent attempt by animal welfare groups to stop the elephant import.
One Thai activist told the Fairfax newspapers birds in the Chiang Mai Night Safari were dying every day, three out of six crocodiles had died of infection and one hyena was killed by others, while Thai media claim 104 animals have died.
In a statement, the zoos said the transfer of Australian animals to Thai zoos was not contingent on the elephant program.
The statement said zoo staff would raise the issue of the reported deaths with Thai authorities on a visit to Thailand next week.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Aussie-animals-for-troubled-Thai-zoo/2006/02/18/1140151839171.html
Powerball Equals Projects At Henry Doorly Zoo
OMAHA, Neb. -- Powerball equals projects at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, so Powerball fever is a welcome phenomenon.
Saturday's Powerball jackpot is a record-setting $365 million -- $2 million over the old record. When the jackpot gets large, more people buy tickets. Nebraska's law calls for lottery funs to be divided among the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund (44.5 percent), education (44.5 percent), the Nebraska State Fair (10 percent) and the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund (1 percent, plus the first $500,000 in fund proceeds each fiscal year), according to NELottery.org.
http://www.ketv.com/news/7162970/detail.html
Finally, a facelift for city zoo
Mumbai: Unnatural deaths of animals may soon become a thing of the past at the Veer Jijamata Udyan zoo. International consultant firm McKinsey & Co, which was asked by the BMC last February to study the feasibility of modernising the zoo, has given the plan a green signal.
McKinsey has proposed that the BMC float a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to undertake the Rs120 crore plan in four phases to revive the zoo spread over 50 acres at Byculla.
The BMC is set to announce next week an allocation of Rs35 crore in its annual budget.
McKinsey has suggested that the BMC appoint an international consultant to guide the SPV in carrying out the work because the civic body lacks the necessary
expertise. Besides civic officials, the SPV will have animal activists and professionals on its board.
http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1013565
Pandas too cute to let go, but too pricey to keep: US zoos
www.chinaview.cn 2006-02-18 13:27:04
BEIJING, Feb.18 -- Three US zoos – Zoo Atlanta, Memphis Zoo and San Diego Zoo – are planning to renegotiate with the Chinese government to reduce the cost of renting pandas. "If no agreement with China can be made, the zoos may have to return their star attractions" Dennis W. Kelly, chief executive of Zoo Atlanta, was quoted as saying in the New York Times this week.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/18/content_4196433.htm
Bringing the zoos to the zebras
Princeton biologist reports at AAAS on partnership with St. Louis Zoo to empower Kenyan communities in endangered Grevy's zebra conservation
Princeton biologist reports at AAAS on partnership with St. Louis Zoo to empower Kenyan communities in endangered Grevy's zebra conservation
The Grevy's zebra is the most endangered member of the horse family in the world, with an estimated 2000 left in the wild. More than 70 percent of these live in the Samburu region of northern Kenya, most of them on unprotected community lands. Now an innovative partnership between Princeton University and Saint Louis Zoo's WildCare Institute is bringing effective conservation of Grevy's zebras within reach for Samburu pastoral cooperatives.
Dr. Daniel Rubenstein of Princeton University reported on this pioneering effort at the annual meeting of the American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) in St. Louis on February 17, 2006. Rubenstein is chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and director of the Program in African Studies at Princeton University, as well as a board member and principal investigator for Earthwatch Institute. In a talk titled "Engaging and Empowering Local Communities in Conservation," Rubenstein described how data gathered by local communities are leading to important changes in attitudes toward Grevy's zebra conservation.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/ei-btz021506.php
Calgary Zoo announces Arctic Shores exhibit
Last updated Feb 16 2006 12:55 PM MST
CBC News
The Calgary Zoo has plans to build a new $100 million Arctic exhibit.
Zoo officials say the attraction will be a replica of Canada's North and will include sights and sounds of the Arctic – even a species from the Antarctic – penguins.
Grahame Newton, director of corporate affairs, says it'll put Calgary on the map in an ever bigger way.
"It is a very exciting project, it's really a showcase of life in the north and we hope to use this as a way of educating and raising awareness with visitors to the zoo; about how plant and animals and people in the north interact."
http://www.cbc.ca/calgary/story/ed-arctic20060216.html
Virginia Zoo director resigning for job in California
Lewis Greene
By DEBBIE MESSINA, The Virginian-Pilot
NORFOLK — The director of the Virginia Zoo resigned Thursday to run the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in California, where voters have approved a tax increase to pay for about $100 million in improvements.
Lewis Greene, who has led the zoo for 3½ years , called it a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a zoo professional.”
The 18-acre central California zoo has plans to more than double in size over the next decade.
“The community there voted to tax themselves for this reason,” Greene said, “so my goal is to prove their trust and investment is warranted by providing them with a good product .”
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=99743&ran=145710
Rare Kiwi Hatched at the National Zoo
WASHINGTON -- National Zoo veterinarians are celebrating a rare event at the Bird House this week.
A North Island brown kiwi -- an endangered bird -- hatched at the zoo on Feb. 13 and was the second kiwi to hatch in the zoo's 116-year history, zoo officials said.
The bird hatched after 64 days of incubation and weighed 9.7 ounces. Zoo veterinarians determined the bird was healthy and placed the chick -- whose gender is not yet known -- into an incubator, where it will remain for the first week.
http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=701438
Donate Used Cell Phones To National Zoo
Zoo Partners With Kentucky Company
POSTED: 9:21 am EST February 16, 2006
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WASHINGTON -- The booster organization at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park wants your old cell phones.
Friends of the National Zoo are joining with a Kentucky company to start a program to recycle cell phones, batteries and accessories.
Depending on each phone's resale value, the company, Eco-Cell, will donate as much at $15 to the zoo group.
The cell phones, which are being refurbished for distribution in developing countries, can be dropped off at the zoo's visitor center.
The zoo group says cell phones contain toxic materials and pollute the environment when disposed in landfills. Recycling also helps protect the habitats of endangered African gorillas where a rare metallic ore is mined in forests to be used in cell phones.
That mining has increased with the demand for more cell phones.
http://www.nbc4.com/news/7114906/detail.html
Wake County private zoo closes
WAKE FOREST, N.C. The Triangle Metro Zoo has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors over the past eight years. But the private attraction has gotten to be too much for its owner to manage, and it closed this week.
The zoo in Wake Forest is one of two private zoos in North Carolina to shut down recently. The Soco Gardens Zoo in Maggie Valley recently closed after more than 50 years.
Larry Seibel owns the Triangle Metro Zoo. He said it was just too expensive and too hard to find knowledgeable employees, and the facility never quite rebounded from a fire in 1998 that damaged several buildings.
Most of the animals are now gone to other zoos and to a couple of independent collectors.
Information from: The News and Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
http://www.wwaytv3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4511464&nav=menu70_2
Pandas prove too costly for zoos
Duke City pushes for new exhibit
By Erik Siemers
Tribune Reporter
February 16, 2006
The expense of housing a panda exhibit is proving a financial burden for the four U.S. zoos that host the rare Chinese bamboo eaters.
But that's not deterring city officials, who continue to pine for the exotic animal - and the $2 million facility it will cost to house one.
The Duke City's plans for a panda exhibit at the Rio Grande Zoo "has always been very unique," said Ray Darnell, director of the Albuquerque Biological Park, which includes the zoo. "It's as cost-effective as any animal."
However, zoo directors in San Diego; Washington, D.C.; Memphis, Tenn; and Atlanta have issued concerns with the Chinese government over the costs associated with hosting the pandas, said Dennis Kelly, president and chief executive of Zoo Atlanta.
http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/nw_local/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19858_4472161,00.html
A trunk-full of elephants
(Courtesy of The Elephant Sanctuary) :: Tarra, one elephant at The Elephant Sanctuary, roams through the lush vegetation in the woodlands. Eight elephants have been transported here after being mistreated at the Hawthorn Corporation.
By Nick Schaefer
HappyNews Volunteer Editor
Updated: 02/16/06
Transporting elephants 650 miles can be a complicated process But that is exactly what eight elephants have done. Relocating from the Hawthorn Corporation in Richmond, Ill. to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn., the elephants paired up two at a time and embarked on the 12-hour journey in a special chain free semi-trailer.
This story was written by Citizen Journalist Nick Schaefer. We encourage you to click the Tip Jar to support this writer's work.
The change of address was prompted by a United States Department of Agriculture lawsuit against the Hawthorn Corporation. According to Carol Buckley, Director and Co-founder of the Sanctuary, the USDA found the Corporation guilty on 19 counts of elephant abuse. Part of the mistreatment included the entire herd being exposed to the human strain of tuberculosis.
"We are pleased that the USDA enforced their regulations," said Buckley. "We are also pleased that the elephants were released to the sanctuary where they can live out the remainder of their lives in a more natural setting."
The Sanctuary, founded in 1995, encompasses over 2,700 acres and is the nation's largest natural habitat refuge. Intended to meet the needs of endangered African and Asian elephants, the elephants get to enjoy their natural habitat of pastures, wooded areas, streams and ponds.
http://www.happynews.com/news/2162006/A-trunk-full.htm
2 zoo levies to go before the voters on May 2
$100,000 home's tab for year put at $56.65
By ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER
After a barrage of questions and recommendations from citizen review committees, future funding for the Toledo Zoo will now be left to the voters.
Lucas County commissioners approved putting two tax levies on the May 2 ballot. The zoo is asking for both a five-year, 0.85-mill operating levy and a 10-year, 1-mill capital improvements levy.
If both are approved, the taxes will cost the owner of a $100,000 home a total $56.65 annually: $30.62 a year for the capital levy and $26.03 for the operating levy.
"The zoo does face some very significant financial challenges at this time," said Gary Smith, a member of the zoo's board of trustees. "At the same time, taxpayers have made a significant contribution to the zoo over the past years, and that's what we want to protect today."
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060215/NEWS38/602150427
Zoo Worker Attacked at the Birmingham Zoo
A Birmingham zoo keeper is in the hospital after being attacked by a lion.
Melissa Wright is an employee at the Birmingham zoo where officials say, the lion lunged at her during a feeding session Wednesday morning.
The attack happened while zoo employees were moving the animals from their overnight holding areas to their outdoor exhibits.
Melissa Wright was feeding a 19-year-old lion named Sheeba, when it attacked.
http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4509320&nav=0RdE
Price hikes linked to Katrina boosts zoo expansion costs
Associated Press
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Higher prices for building materials and fuel in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have boosted the projected cost of a city zoo expansion by $11.5 million - an increase that could force the project to be scaled back.
Mesker Park Zoo Director Dan McGinn said that the higher costs associated with the zoo's new entry complex and a South American rain forest exhibit dubbed "Amazonia" is forcing zoo officials and architects to modify their plans.
Because the alternatives generated an additional 80 pages of blueprints, they have pushed back the opening for bids on the project by two weeks until the Parks Board's March 1 session.
As an example of building-cost increases linked to Katrina, McGinn said zoo officials just learned concrete will go up March 1 by $7 a cubic yard.
"It's a bit disheartening, after three years living with this (project), that a natural disaster has reduced what we can do," he said.
McGinn said that new offices and conference rooms that had been planned for the entry building may have to be shelved to keep rain forest exhibits on track.
A 17,000-square-foot open plaza area is also envisioned as a part of the complex. The rain forest exhibit will be beneath a roof 45 feet high and will include tropical trees, birds, monkeys and a jaguar.
The improvements are being paid for by a $15.3 million bond issue. Construction is expected to take from 18 months to two years, putting the likely completion date in late 2007 or early 2008.
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/13881133.htm
Seven Sisters Join 'The Don' For Auckland Zoo Gig
1:14 PM, 16 Feb 2006
Iconic Kiwi songwriter Don McGlashan is looking forward to putting on an exuberant show with his talented new band, The Seven Sisters, during their Coca-Cola ZooMusic series performance at Auckland Zoo on Saturday 25 February.
This will be McGlashan's second time performing at the unique outdoor zoo venue, and comes just ahead of his two sell-out shows happening next month at the NZ International Arts Festival in Wellington.
Wellington band, Little Bushmen, who won much praise during their successful stint supporting Dave Dobbyn's recent national tour, will add to this top night of Kiwi entertainment. The band combines the masterful musicianship of singer/guitarist Warren Maxwell (from dub/roots acts Fat Freddy's Drop and recently defunct TrinityRoots), drummer Rick Cransen, and Joe Callwood on guitar.
http://www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=302607&catid=3008
Zoo keepers knew of gaps in temporary grill: Report
Court appoints four-member panel to probe death of 16 deer z Commissioner, Bittu Sahgal tour zoo.
Express News Service
Mumbai, February 15: It was a gap in a temporary grill, not a wire mesh, that let three stray dogs into the deer enclosure at the Byculla zoo. After the incident on Monday morning, the gap was quickly patched up with wire mesh
There were three or four such gaps in the grill at various spots, large enough for a stray to squeeze through. The animal keeper was aware of these
The temporary grill had been erected under the instructions of suspended deputy superintendent Dr M V Wani. The grill was placed around the enclosure using available material, without any consultation
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=170029
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