April 4, 2006. Georgetown, Minnesota. Photographer states :: Flooding all along the Red River Valley has things backed up, here is another flooded bridge just north of Georgetown, Minnesota Here there is a half a mile before you can even get to the bridge. 
April 4, 2006. Fargo, Minnesota.Photographer states :: In Fargo, North Dakota earthen dikes have been built to keep the water out. This stretch of dike continues for many blocks through the middle of town. The crest in Fargo should come sometime today at almost 37.5'By GREGG AAMOT
HENDRUM, Minn. Apr 5, 2006 (AP)— The Red River and Wild Rice River crept toward flood crests Wednesday near this small northwest Minnesota town, but a stout earthen dike kept the community mostly dry, allowing flood-fighters to focus on sandbagging around farmhouses.
Workers pumped away water that seeped through the levee forming a square around Hendrum, one of many towns that beefed up flood protection after the disastrous flood of 1997.
"We are still sitting pretty dry in town," said Mike Smart, who serves as both police chief and flood coordinator in the town of about 315 people.
Melting snow and heavy rain pushed the Red River quickly above its banks this spring, causing anxiety all along the river that serves as the state line between Minnesota and North Dakota.
Hendrum sits in a precarious spot in the broad valley, sandwiched between the Red River a mile to the west and the Wild Rice River a mile to the east.
The Red River had been rising steadily at Fargo, N.D., but the National Weather Service said it had crested and by Wednesday morning was just over 37.1 feet; flood stage is 18 feet. It was expected to start slowly receding later in the day, but meteorologists said it would not drop below 30 feet until next week.
It's still too early to "pass the champagne and cigars," said Fargo's public works director, Dennis Walaker. He said it would take at least six days before the city reaches a comfort level.
Cass County's emergency manager Dave Rogness estimated flood damage to roads and bridges in the county surrounding Fargo could total more than $1 million.
Downstream from Fargo, in Grand Forks, the Red was expected to crest Wednesday afternoon at 47.7 feet about 20 above flood stage, but not above the city's levee protection level.
Showers were forecast in the southern fringe of the Red River basin that could prolong the high water river levels but weren't expected to cause new problems, said Lynn Kennedy, a hydrometeorological technician with the National Weather Service.Governors tour flooded Red River ValleyFlood preparations are finished in Fargo-Moorhead and people are waiting for the river to crest in the next day. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven both toured the area Tuesday. The governors say the flood fight appears to be well in hand.Officials say it appears rain forecast for this week will not push the river significantly higher.Red River Threatens to Flood N.D., Minn. Staff and agencies04 April, 2006
By DAVE KOLPACK, 25 minutes ago
FARGO, N.D. - Farm land sat under water and city residents stacked sandbags Tuesday as the Red River, swollen with melting snow and heavy rain, spread across its broad valley.
"Right now, it‘s a lake," Gov. John Hoeven said after flying over the Red River Valley. "I mean, it just spread out. There‘s a lot of water."
In the surrounding rural area, officials sent out boats to check on residents whose homes were no longer accessible. They had already shut down dozens of roads, said Cass County Commissioner Vern Bennett.
Just across the Red River, near Moorhead, Minn., about a dozen homes were surrounded by water, and residents were using boats to get supplies, Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist said. Moorhead officials built a dike in a park on the city‘s south side, where about 100 homes were at risk.
Weather forecasters had some unwelcome news Tuesday, as well: More rain is expected in the area later in the week, and it could extend the flooding in some areas, said National Weather Service meteorologist Greg Gust.
The Wild Rice River was expected to crest there Wednesday about 13 feet above flood stage, though a levee and temporary dike were expected to keep the city dry, said Kevin Ruud, environmental services director for the county.
In Grand Forks, Mayor Mike Brown declared an emergency although officials said they expected no major problems.
April 3, 2006. Waynesville, North Carolina.Photographer states :: Cell phone image, 5:00am this morning: Was woken up here in the North Carolina mountains to one of the most violent storms I have ever been through. This is the leading edge of the system that killed 8 people in Tennessee earlier tonight. Nickle sized hail covers my back porch. Then, as suddenly as it started, it was done. Wicked. ASHEVILLE – A band of severe thunderstorms moved through Western North Carolina overnight, dropping hail as large as an inch in diameter, according to the National Weather Service.
A tornado watch was cancelled at 11 a.m. There were no reports of tornados in the mountains and the storm system moved east of the mountains into the piedmont by 8 a.m., meteorologist Larry Lee said.
The reports of hail started Sunday night and continued through the early morning hours, coming from Waynesville, Asheville, Marshall, Marion and other locations, he said.There were no reports of damage from the hail, but the storm knocked out power to about 1,000 Progress Energy customers in the area, spokesman Ken Maxwell said.
A wind advisory is in effect for the region until 6 p.m. as a strong cold front moves through the Southeast. Windy conditions will exist across most of the area by afternoon. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph are possible, with gusts up to 50 mph at the higher elevations.
A high wind watch is in effect from this evening through late tonight, with gusts up to 60 mph possible.
Sunday’s weather was much more severe in the Midwest. Thunderstorms packing tornadoes and softball-sized hail left a path of destruction across six Midwest states, killing 15 people in west Tennessee and at least four others in Missouri and Illinois, officials said.
The Sunday storms caused a clothing store to collapse in Illinois, overturned mobile homes in several states, and pelted thousands of concertgoers with rain in downtown Indianapolis. Power was knocked out to at least 300,000 customers in Illinois, Missouri and Indiana.
Half a dozen tornadoes and softball-sized hail were reported in northeast Arkansas, where about half of the town of Marmaduke had evacuated because of gas leaks and other concerns, police said.
In Tennessee, eight people died near Newbern in Dyer County and seven in neighboring Gibson County, local emergency officials said.
New Zealand Herald
Forecasters see busy hurricane season
05.04.06 1.00pmBy Michael Christie
The 2006 hurricane season will not be as ferocious as last year when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and other storms slammed Florida and Texas, but will still be unusually busy, a noted US forecasting team said today. The Colorado State University team, led by Dr. William Gray, a pioneer in forecasting storm probabilities, said it expected 17 named storms to form in the Atlantic basin during the six-month season, which officially begins on June 1. Nine of the storms will strengthen into hurricanes, with winds of at least 74 mph, the team said, reaffirming an early prediction made in December and updated to include current trends like the La Nina weather phenomenon, cool Pacific waters and an abnormally warm Atlantic. The Colorado State forecasters said five of the hurricanes were likely to be major storms, reaching at least Category 3 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity, and boasting winds of at least 111 mph. Storms of Category 3 strength and above cause the most destruction. But they also said there were likely to be fewer major storms making landfall in the United States compared to 2005, when virtually every hurricane record was broken, and also 2004, when Florida was bashed by four consecutive hurricanes. "Even though we expect to see the current active period of Atlantic major hurricane activity to continue for another 15-20 years, it is statistically unlikely that the coming 2006-2007 hurricane seasons, or the seasons that follow, will have the number of major hurricane US landfall events as we have seen in 2004-2005," Gray said in a statement. HARD TO PREDICT Gray's predictions are valued by companies but their accuracy can be difficult to gauge because they are revised regularly as a season progresses. The Colorado State team, for example, initially predicted 13 storms for 2005 and raised the forecast in May last year to 15. It wasn't until August 5 -- almost halfway through the season-- that Gray increased the prediction to 20 storms. In the event, 2005 saw a record 27 named storms, of which 15 became hurricanes. Last year was the costliest and most destructive season ever, with $80 billion in damages from Katrina alone. Hurricane Rita hammered Texas and Hurricane Wilma became the most intense Atlantic hurricane observed before slamming into the Mexican resort of Cancun and then curving back over South Florida, where it caused $10 billion in damage. Hurricane Stan, meanwhile, killed up to 2,000 people across Central America. The long-term statistical average is for around 10 named storms per season, of which six become hurricanes. Gray is a leading skeptic about human-induced global warming and believes that heightened Atlantic hurricane activity since 1995 reflects a natural variation in water temperatures and atmospheric conditions that may last for up to 20 more years. Climatologists have found few indications that global warming could be linked to the increasing number of Atlantic storms. But there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that warmer sea surface temperatures are already causing hurricanes in the Atlantic, and typhoons and cyclones in the Pacific, to become more powerful. Gray and CSU team will update their forecast on May 31, August 3, September 1 and October 3. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issues its hurricane season forecast on May 22.
Scientists divided over Chernobyl ecosystem
05.04.06 1.00pmBy Steve Connor
When top predators such as wolves and eagles return to a damaged habitat, it is a sure sign that the ecosystem is once again healthy and vibrant. For several years, ecologists have reported many sightings of rare species within the Chernobyl exclusion zone which are hardly ever seen in other parts of Europe. Robert Baker, a biologist at Texas Tech University who has made more than a dozen scientific excursions into the zone, said the diversity of wildlife around the stricken plant was what might be expected in a nature park dedicated to conservation. "The benefit of excluding humans from this highly contaminated ecosystem appears to outweigh significantly any negative cost associated with Chernobyl radiation," Dr Baker said. In a comprehensive assessment of the damage caused by the Chernobyl accident, the British ecologists Jim Smith and Nick Beresford point out that radiation levels considered potentially dangerous to humans have little if any effect on wildlife. "Nearly 20 years after the accident there is some (often contradictory) evidence of continuing radiation damage to organisms, but this appears to be relatively minor (although poorly understood)," they say in their book, Chernobyl - Catastrophe and Consequences. "Radiation is considered to be a risk to humans when there is a small, but significant, probability of cancer induction in later life. Though cancer induction in animals is possible, a small additional cancer risk does not affect wild populations as a whole. Animals in the wild are less prone to cancer than human populations. They are most likely to be killed by natural predators or starvation before they reach an age at which cancer risk increases," they say. Not all scientists accept this assessment. Anders Moller and Timothy Mousseau studied swallows in the exclusion zone and found they carry a significantly higher level of "germline" mutations in their sperm and eggs compared to swallows elsewhere. "Our work indicates that the worst is yet to come in the human population. The consequences for generations down the line could be greater than we've seen so far," said Dr Mousseau, a biology professor at the University of South Carolina.
Program designed to reduce risk of radiation treatment
04.04.06By Errol Kiong
Auckland researchers are developing new technology that reduces the amount of healthy tissue cancer patients expose during radiotherapy. A computer program called Carina can reduce the amount of healthy tissue exposed to radiation by 30 per cent. Its potential is particularly important in more delicate cases such as brain, neck and prostate tumours, where radiotherapy aims to kill the tumour while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Auckland University researchers believe Carina can calculate the best treatment for patients undergoing intensity modulated radiotherapy - often used for more complicated tumours.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10375963
'Incurable' illness falls to gene therapy
04.04.06By Steve Connor
Gene therapy has repaired the immune systems of two men who were born with an "incurable" genetic disorder that made them almost defenceless against bacterial and fungal infections. Sixteen months after an operation to repair a defective gene, the once severely ill patients show signs of complete recovery. Scientists believe the latest success will lead to further operations to treat many other chronic and incurable conditions resulting from the inheritance of defective genes. Gene therapy involves altering a person's genome to repair or replace a mutated gene. After years of hype and hope, the technique seems finally to have proven its potential with a handful of successful operations.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10375893
Reeves the turtle paddles 500km for taste of home
06.04.06By Errol Kiong
Reeves just wanted to come home. For nearly a year, the green turtle found stranded at Muriwai Beach was fed a diet of squid, mussels and fish while recovering at Auckland's Kelly Tarlton's Underworld World. The good life must have been hard to give up. When he was released back into the wild at Parengarenga Harbour in the Far North on March 1, Reeves decided to make the 500km journey back to Auckland. Yesterday, the satellite tag that researcher Dan Godoy put on the turtle's shell traced him to the Waitemata Harbour, just 500m from Kelly Tarlton's. But the juvenile turtle's journey is still considered "cruisy", said Mr Godoy; adults are known to travel 2000km between foraging and breeding sites. Mr Godoy is tracking turtles as part of his PhD at Auckland University of Technology, hoping to build up a better understanding of the endangered creatures - of which little is known. Sick turtles are rehabilitated at Kelly Tarlton's, and released the following summer in New Zealand's northernmost waters. "We never knew what happened to them. We didn't know whether they survived, migrated back to the tropics, or whether they stayed in New Zealand," said Mr Godoy. Reeves was one of the first to have a $3500 tag attached to his shell, enabling researchers to track his movements. For the first few weeks after being released, Reeves - named after the actor Christopher Reeve for his battler spirit - could be seen slowly making his way south.By Tuesday night, the tag placed the 22kg "big boy" off Takapuna Beach. Overseas research has shown that turtles can detect changes in the earth's magnetic field, enabling them to form a mental map by which they navigate. Mr Godoy believed the time Reeves spent recuperating at Kelly Tarlton's left an imprint in his mind. When he was released in the Far North, he returned to the marine centre, believing it to be home. Mr Godoy said Reeves' return has implications for turtle rehabilitation. None of the world's seven turtle species - all endangered or critical - are known to make New Zealand waters home. "Historically, those that end up here are stragglers. They are those that become disoriented doing a migration." But there is anecdotal data that a population of greens may have established here, he said. He is trying to build up a genetic database of marine turtles here, as part of a South Pacific turtle conservation programme. www.sealab.co.nz
Food companies withdraw support for Japanese whaling
05.04.06 1.00pmBy David McNeill and Michael McCarthy
TOKYO/LONDON - Japan's ruthless push for the return of commercial whaling received a significant setback yesterday when pressure from green campaigners forced five big food companies to pull out of supporting the Japanese whaling industry. The five firms, led by Japanese seafood giant Nissui and its wholly-owned US frozen foods subsidiary Gortons, said they will divest their total one-third share in Japan's largest operator of whaling ships, Kyodo Senpaku. Nissui owns 50 per cent of shares in New Zealand food processing company Sealord.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10376170
Government acts to close border loopholes
06.04.06By Angela Gregory
The Government is looking at tough new immigration rules that will make it harder to get into New Zealand and easier to kick people out. Border inspection tools such as fingerprinting or eye scanning are among the proposals. Immigration officers may get greater powers to find and detain suspect visitors. People who have been removed from other countries or who are considered a serious threat to public safety may be automatically expelled. Immigration Minister David Cunliffe yesterday outlined suggested changes to the Immigration Act 1987 which are being put out for public discussion. Mr Cunliffe said it was part of a review of the immigration system to ensure New Zealand attracted skilled workers, had secure borders, and that migrants settled well here. He said the objectives were in the national interest and he hoped the "political football" of immigration could finally be punctured.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10376292
Air NZ starts direct Shanghai flights
05.04.06 1.00pm
Air New Zealand is launching a new three-times-a-week direct service to Shanghai later this year. Peter Elmsly, currently Air New Zealand's general manager for eastern region, has been appointed as regional manager for Greater China from May 1. The direct Auckland to Shanghai service will start later this year. Based in Shanghai, Mr Elmsly will be responsible for China and Hong Kong operations, including the launch of the Shanghai service. China is New Zealand's sixth biggest source of visitor arrivals with more than 88,000 visitors to New Zealand in the year ending February.
Sinn Fein spy death treated as murder
05.04.06 1.00pm UPDATEBy Paul Hoskins and Michael Smith
DUBLIN - Police have launched a murder inquiry after finding the mutilated body of former Sinn Fein member Denis Donaldson who last year admitted spying on fellow Irish nationalists on behalf of British security forces. The IRA denied it was behind a killing that risks heightening mistrust two days before a fresh bid by Dublin and London to end a political stalemate in the province. "The Gardai (police) are treating it as a homicide not a suicide," Irish Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said. "They found the body on the floor with a bullet wound to the head," he told Sky Television. "There is damage to his right forearm ... it is almost severed." Police in the Republic of Ireland confirmed they were investigating the discovery of a man in his mid-50s in Donegal.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10376143
Golf: Campbell goes high-tech to improve drive
05.04.06 4.00pmBy Bernie McGuire
New Zealand's Michael Campbell has tapped into into missile-launch technology in preparation for the US Masters golf championship starting on Friday (NZ time). His coach, Jonathon Yarwood, revealed they spent two days last week using the high-tech facility at Yarwood's Ritz-Carlton Sarasota club base in Orlando. "The system we have at Sarasota is actually designed to test missiles and it provides so much information on the ball, the speed of the club, on the energy transfer and on the efficiency of the club motion," Yarwood said. "It's fascinating stuff but it's more for my knowledge than Cambo's, but the bottom line is the ball goes further and straighter.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=4&ObjectID=10376183
Judge rules video game law unconstitutional
05.04.06 4.00pm
A US District Court judge has ruled that a Michigan law that bans the sale of violent video games to minors is unconstitutional. Federal District Judge George Caram Steeh said in court documents that video games were protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The law, signed by Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm last year, imposes civil and criminal penalties for anyone who knowingly distributes violent video games to a minor. Steeh said in the ruling the state "lacked substantial evidence to show violent video games cause minors to have aggressive feelings or engage in aggressive behavior."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&ObjectID=10376190
Farm Safety course tutor
05.04.06By Philippa Stevenson
Name: Murray HoltAge: 37Job title: Farm Safety course tutor, lifestyle block course designer and tutorWorking hours: 8am-5pm but variable and some weekend workEmployer: Agribusiness Training, other training providersQualifications needed: common sense, people skills, practical and/or farm background, qualifications in adult education, moderating, writing assessments and first aid What do you do?I tutor three days a week because I also do course designing work. We have a large variety of clients - farmers, prisons, schools, and regional councils - for courses including tractor, ATV, farm bike and chainsaw safety. Depending on whether you're taking a theory or practical course the day can be quite different. You might be organising to take tractors some place or a PowerPoint projector if it's a theory day. Why did you choose this job? It sort of snuck up on me. I was sharemilking and the man that owns this business came to do a case study on the farm. We got talking and he said there was an opportunity there for me. I'd already been doing some consultancy with some Japanese and had been to Japan. I was a registered Agriculture ITO assessor. Early on I did ITO courses and then I employed ITO cadets and students and from that became an assessor.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/11/story.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10376055
Liquid bubble gum recalled
05.04.06 1.00pm
A liquid bubble gum called Qifeng Blow Bubbles has been recalled by its manufacturer because of concerns about the effects of it being swallowed undiluted. Universal Trade said the liquid gum, which is sold in bottles, should not be consumed and should be returned for a full refund. The gum was sold in dairies throughout Auckland, Whangarei and Dunedin. Consumers are asked to call 0800 275 472 for refund details.
'Minimal' health risk from toxic ground, council tells parents
05.04.06By Derek Cheng and David Eames
The toxic contamination in land where several Auckland preschools now stand carries minimal health risks, worried parents have been told. "There is cause for concern, but no cause for alarm," Auckland City Deputy Mayor Bruce Hucker said last night after a private meeting between council officials, health officials and about 70 parents. Parents last week withdrew 30 children from the Auckland Central Playcentre in Freemans Bay after tests revealed the presence of benzo-a-pyrene, which can cause respiratory upsets, skin irritation and, on rare occasions, cancer. Between one in 100,000 children and on in 10 million children could contract cancer, Dr Hucker said. "It's a very low risk ... [but] it's sensible for children to have their blood tested for lead, a marker for benzo-a-pyrene." He said the council had agreed to give a grant to the Auckland Playcentre Association to reimburse parents for the $21 test. Interim results yesterday showed that the site of Freemans Bay Early Learning Centre would need to be treated, but that would not be finalised until today. Dr Hucker said there was no risk once the sites were cleaned, and the council would continue monitoring. "Two of our grandchildren attended [affected] sites, so I'm personally assessing this information very carefully." Rae Wilkin, who has researched the dangers of benzo-a-pyrene - which is from a chemical group identified in a Columbia University report as a possible cause of "chromosomal aberrations" and childhood cancers - told the Herald she was worried the council was "politicising" the matter at the expense of public safety. "If any of my grandchildren were there, I would be really worried about it." She said the council was wrong to ban the media from last night's meeting, as it was important the public learned as much as possible about the chemical. In all, 185 council-owned sites are thought to be contaminated.
Be on ice with the Penguins
28.03.06
Celebrate the release of MARCH OF THE PENGUINS by going in the draw to be ON THE ICE with the penguins at Kelly Tarlton’s! Three lucky winners will get an ON THE ICE experience which includes: a behind the scenes tour of the penguin enclosure, a photo on the ice inside the Antarctic enclosure with the penguins and a complimentary coffee and muffin with the Penguin minders at Kelly Tarlton’s! Plus the three winners will receive a family pass to MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. A once in a lifetime experience so don’t miss out on your chance to experience this amazing prize! 20 runners up will also win a family pass to MARCH OF THE PENGUINS To be in to win, write your name, address and phone number on the back of an envelope and post to: MARCH OF THE PENGUINS Competition, NZ Herald, Marketing Dept, PO Box 3290, Auckland. Entries must be received by 5pm on the 17th April.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/promotion/story.cfm?c_id=500848&ObjectID=10374860
Dog microchipping costs much exaggerated say vets
03.04.06
Opponents of compulsory dog microchipping have been exaggerating the cost of the procedure, the Veterinary Association says. Farmers have been lobbying to have their dogs exempted from the new law, saying the dogs don't leave the farm and costs will be high because farmers usually own several dogs. But Veterinary Association chief executive Murray Gibb said the heated debate surrounding the issue had not been helped by misinformation about the costs. Vets were charging between $35 and $75 all-up for chipping dogs, depending on whether it was a stand alone procedure or included as part of a consultation for other reasons. It included the cost of the chip as well as lifetime registration on Australian databases.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10375782
Thai PM's foes mistrust his pledge to quit
05.04.06 1.00pmBy Ed Cropley
BANGKOK - Thailand's opposition is accusing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of sleight-of-hand after he finally promised to quit after an election and weeks of protests but failed to spell out when he would go. Even after Thaksin announced his departure in a nationally televised address, the opposition remains suspicious whether a man they say plundered the economy and perverted democracy to benefit his friends in big business really meant what he said. "He's trying to dictate the terms of his departure," said Korn Chatikavanij of the opposition Democrat party, which spearheaded a boycott of Sunday's snap election -- one that went badly wrong for the telecoms billionaire.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10376164
Pirates seize trawler off Somalia
05.04.06 3.20pm
SEOUL - A South Korean trawler fishing off Somalia has been sized and its crew of 25 held captive, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement today. The crew of the 361-tonne fishing vessel named 628 Dongwon-ho includes eight South Koreans, nine Indonesians, five Vietnamese and three Chinese, it said. The South Korean fishing vessel was seized by eight armed assailants in two speed boats on Tuesday, the ministry said. Other South Korean ships that were also fishing in the area signalled for help. Dutch and US naval vessels tried to intervene but gave up their pursuit after the fishing ship entered Somali waters, it said. The ministry has set up a special task force for the matter. Pirates from Somalia frequently attack ships they say have strayed into territorial waters and hold them for ransom. East Africa's waters are rich in yellow fin tuna and other fish.
Niger blocks foreign press reporting food crisis
05.04.06 11.20am
NIAMEY - Niger has said it will deny accreditation to foreign journalists who reported alleged food shortages in the central African state after criticising three BBC journalists for their "negative" coverage. The BBC said on Monday a team of its journalists had their permission to work withdrawn by the government in Niamey after finding evidence of food shortages in the Maradi region in central Niger, hard hit by last year's humanitarian crisis. But Niger's government denied it had stripped the journalists of their accreditation, saying it had summoned them to explain that their coverage was one-sided and did not present the country's efforts to solve its problems. "We did not expel the BBC. We summoned the team to say their report had caused shock and Niger is more than just recurring food shortages," said Fogue Aboubacar, secretary-general at the Culture, Arts and Communication Ministry. "Niger is also about the authorities attempts to solve these problems and one must stop focusing on the negative side," he added. "That is what happened in 2005 and we are not going to tolerate it, especially as harvests have been good. "Be it the BBC, CNN or any other media, we will not hand out more accreditation on the food situation," he said. During 2005, an estimated 3.6 million people -- over a third of Niger's population of 12 million -- were left short of food, including some 800,000 children suffering from malnutrition. In November, Niger accused aid agencies such as the World Food Programme of exaggerating the threat of severe food shortages this year to boost their funds. Rates of malnutrition run at 10.5 per cent in the country as a whole, rising to as high as 21.3 per cent in Maradi.
Rice takes the floor in bed diplomacy
05.04.06
When it came time to grab a few hours' rest before landing on a secret mission in Baghdad, Condoleezza Rice insisted that Jack Straw take the bed in the private cabin in her aircraft. The British Foreign Secretary was horrified when he woke up to find that the United States Secretary of State had slept on the floor so that her guest was more comfortable.
Donkeys 'make better companions' than wives
05.04.06
A textbook used at schools in the Indian state of Rajasthan compares housewives to donkeys and suggests the animals make better companions as they complain less and are more loyal to their "masters", the Times of India reported.
Cartoon war curdles Jakarta's view of Canberra
05.04.06By Greg Ansley
CANBERRA - A cartoon war has soured relations between Australia and Indonesia and undermined diplomatic efforts by Canberra to contain the damage caused by the granting of temporary visas to Papuans seeking political asylum. Incensed by an Australian cartoon depicting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as a dog having sex with a Papuan and public claims of atrocities by the Papuan asylum-seekers in Melbourne, Jakarta will review all its relations with Canberra. Mr Yudhoyono described as "obscene and destructive" a cartoon in the Weekend Australian depicting him as a dog mounting a Papuan, drawn in retaliation for an earlier Indonesian cartoon in the tabloid Rakyat Merdeka of Prime Minister John Howard mating with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and declaring: "I want Papua, Alex" - reflecting Indonesian fears that Australia is trying to engineer Papuan independence in a repeat of East Timor's separation.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10376129continued …
March 27, 2006. Shanghai, China.
March 27, 2006. Shanghai, China.
April 4, 2006. Brevard Zoo in Viera, Florida.
April 1, 2006. Elk in Calgary, Canada forest.
April 1, 2006. Sunrise in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
ZoosGroup Urges Association to Order Immediate End to Breeding at Member Zoos in Order to Make Room for Surplus Animals For Immediate Release:April 4, 2006
Contact:Jackie Vergerio 757-622-7382Québec City — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent an urgent letter to Rob Purdy, president of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), imploring him to take responsibility for the approximately 800 animals at the recently closed Québec City zoo and make sure that they are all transferred to accredited zoos and sanctuaries. PETA points out that CAZA’s failure to do so could mean suffering and death for many of the animals if they are expediently sold to exotic-animal dealers, who profit from buying, breeding, selling, and exploiting animals.
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=8124
Zoo association dismisses PETA call for end to breeding at zoosMONTREAL (AP) - Animals orphaned by the closure of the Quebec City zoo could still find homes elsewhere in Canada even if zoos continue regular acquisitions and animal breeding, the association representing Canadian zoos said Tuesday. The association was responding to calls from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which said stopping breeding and acquisitions would allow the association to send some 750 birds and animals from the Quebec City zoo to similar facilities elsewhere in the country. Bill Peters, national director of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums, said the other 23 Canadian zoos could probably take the birds and animals in a worse-case scenario. "But we're a long way from that at this point," Peters said in an interview from Toronto on Tuesday. "I know a lot of our members have contacted the zoo people directly and offered to assist, if and when that assistance is required." Peters said the animals in Quebec City are still being fed and cared for even though the zoo closed last Friday after posting $5 million deficits in each of the last three years. PETA said it believes a refusal by the association to send the animals to member zoos will result in their death. - Gerard Kennedy to quit cabinet to clear way for Grit leadership bid: sources
Lehigh Valley Zoo joins facilities at top of their gameAnimal park gets accreditation, nod as 'quality operation.' By Joanna Poncavage Of The Morning Call Pennsylvania now has one more zoo that meets industry standards. On Friday, the Lehigh Valley Zoo received accreditation from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, joining seven others that include the Philadelphia Zoo, ZooAmerica in Hershey, the Pittsburgh Zoo and the Erie Zoo.''It is indeed a great honor to be recognized among the top 10 percent of zoos in the country,'' Stephen Marks, a veterinarian and president and chief executive officer of the Lehigh Valley Zoo, said in a news release. Marks was in Florida last week for the zoo association's regional conference.
http://www.mcall.com/sports/college/all-5zooapr03,0,6922702.story?coll=all-sportscollege-hed
Scandinavia’s First Baby Gorilla
A baby gorilla was born at Sweden’s largest zoo Saturday. He is the first gorilla to ever be born in Scandinavia.
What to name the new baby? Sven? Anders? Perhaps Björn?According to the Kolmården Zoo, 150 kilometers south of Stockholm, a contest will be held to name the bouncing new baby boy.
Zoo officials say mother Naomi is acting as expected, keeping her pride and joy close at hand, but the public will be allowed to see mother and son when Kolmården opens for the summer May 6th.
http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&Nyheter=&artikel=829513
Looming addition high-light for zoo
Excitement is rising as the long-awaited and planned pregnancy of one the city biggest residents reaches the halfway point, Calgary Zoo officials said yesterday.
Mardi the giraffe, a long-term Calgarian, became pregnant for the third time after zoo officials brought in a male giraffe they hoped would mate with Mardi and strengthen the gene pool of the giraffes' specific breed.
The 16-year-old's pregnancy, which will reach full term at the end of the year, was confirmed last October, said African Savannah keeper Mona Keith. "If everything goes smoothly, we should have a baby in November 2006," she said.
The father of the expected baby is Tenga, a 10-year-old African giraffe that was brought to Calgary from Ontario's African Lion Safari for breeding purposes, Keith said.
Zookeepers started noticing the signs of pregnancy last fall, and although Mardi has been pregnant for eight months, she's not yet showing, Keith said. But Mardi will give birth to a baby that will weigh 100 to 120 lb. and measure five- to six-feet tall.
Pandas too hot for Taiwan to handleBy Tsai Ting-I TAIPEI - If China's intention was to polarize opinion in Taiwan by offering a present of two pandas, it certainly succeeded. Ruan Ming, a national policy adviser and former special assistant to the late general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Yaobang, said that Beijing's panda diplomacy had successfullyhighlighted divisions in society in Taiwan. Ruan obtained Taiwanese citizenship in 2002. On Friday, after months of debate, Taiwan's Council of Agriculture said Taiwan could not accept the pandas because they would not receive proper care on the island as required by animal-protection laws and international accords. According to a poll conducted by the pro-Beijing United Daily News, 50% of the Taiwanese interviewees endorsed the idea of accepting the pandas, 34% opposed the idea and 16% said they had no preference. Similarly, the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and pro-Beijing media have campaigned hard for the pandas to be accepted, accusing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration of politicizing the offer. President Chen Shui-bian has said the mainland's offer was a propaganda ploy, as Beijing really wanted to attack Taiwan. Chen's party backs a separate identity for Taiwan, while the KMT supports eventual unification. The KMT's chairman and mayor of Taipei, Ma Ying-jeou, has argued that pandas are outstanding animals and the DPP should have taken them. "If the reason for rejecting the pandas is political, we regret it. We will try to get the government to reverse its ruling, because 23 countries have received pandas from China and it is stupid for Taiwan to reject them," Ma said.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/HD04Ad02.html Child killed in wolf attack in Russia's Far EastVLADIVOSTOK, April 2 (RIA Novosti) - An eight-year boy was killed by a wolf in an attack in a city-center zoo in Russia's Far East, a local police spokesman said Monday.
A preliminary investigation showed two eight-year-old boys had approached the wolf enclosure in the zoo in the city of Nakhodka, and one boy stretched out his hand to stroke the animals. One wolf bit the boy, and another seized hold of his leg. Although the child escaped, he was unable to run away. His friend escaped but told no-one.
The boy was found dead early in the morning.
An investigation is continuing, police said.
Lehigh Valley Zoo Gets AccreditationALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - April 3, 2006 - The Lehigh Valley Zoo has received accreditation from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
It joins seven other accredited zoos in Pennsylvania – zoos in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Erie and Hershey.
The 29-acre animal park is surrounded by the Trexler Game Preserve in Lowhill and North Whitehall townships. Officials had worked toward accreditation for more than five years.
Zoo spokesman Chris Keelty says most of what had to be fixed involved property issues and perimeter fencing. Keelty says most of the animals aren't dangerous, but two fences were required between the animals and the outside world.
The zoo, which has about 150 animals, also made improvements to its veterinary hospital.
Naples Zoo a new home for a dozen alligatorsNAPLES, Florida (AP) — Add a dozen alligators to the Naples Zoo's collection.
The alligators have joined the nine other gators who already lived at the southwest Florida zoo.
The seven male and five female alligators, ranging from six to ten years old, were transported from St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park this weekend.
Naples Zoo officials say the expansion is part of the zoo's goal of educating the public on the official state reptile.
St. Augustine, which also provided three alligators to Naples Zoo six years ago, has more than 650 alligators at its zoo.http://www.tampabays10.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=28117
City zoo reestablishment mulled
BAGUIO residents and tourists alike may soon be able to observe animals in a local zoo, just like other people did in the city during the mid-part of the 1900s. Nicolas Cawed, supervising head of the Baguio Botanical and Zoological Garden, said the closure of the park resulted when the animals kept there before started to die one after the other before the 1970s. Cawed said the former Baguio Botanical and Zoological Park was renamed Imelda Park, after former first lady Imelda Marcos appropriated funding for the place during the term of former mayor Luis Lardizabal. Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr., meanwhile, said that although Baguio remains to be one of the favorite destinations, "the city was wanting in new innovations in terms of tourist activities." "During this fast-paced global era, there is a need to put up tourist come-ons and one such idea is the erection of an animal zoo in the city," he said. Yangot proposed that the ordinance be known as the law providing for the creation of a family-oriented and child-friendly zoo in the city. "A zoo shall be put up at an appropriate place in the city to be identified by the City Environment and arks Management Office, and the operation and maintenance of the zoo shall be bid out in accordance with the mandate of Republic Act (RA) 9134," he said. "The terms of reference shall be prepared by the appropriate committee in the City Council so that the zoo shall contain all the necessary facilities, implements and animals of all sorts. The amount generated from the zoo's operation shall accrue to a trust fund, which shall be used for the preservation of the remaining parks in the city," he said. (ENO)
Erratic power supply affects water serviceIRREGULAR POWER rostering in the city causes immense difficulties to the people in general and patients and zoo inmates in particular.
They all suffer from acute shortage of water due to KESCo’s erratic power supply. Sometimes the power supply is snapped at midnight for a period of five hours while on the other occasion from 3.30 am to 5.30 am. It is once again imposed from 8 am and continued till 2 in the afternoon.
It becomes very difficult for the hospital and the zoo authorities to store adequate water for the daily use. Storage of water in the zoo or in the hospitals is managed through tubewells, which could not be run for want of power.
Though these departments have generators but they do not have enough funds to run them.
Besides fixing of duty of the employees for storing water also becomes a tedious job. The departments have to incur overtime expense because often the employees had to stay after the duty hours to ensure storage of water.
In the hospitals, the attendants have to buy bucketful of water at high premium to meet the water requirements. But, in zoo it becomes impossible to meet the requirement of water for the animals during summer. The zoo authorities have to take tedious exercise to replace water in wet moats and in the ponds created for Rhinos, Hippos and bears.
For ordinary citizens who do not have facility of generators and tubewells, the water availability becomes very acute. According to KESCo the Jal Sansthan is exempted from the power rostering.
But, the storage tanks in different localities are run with the rostering-hit power lines and when the roistering starts, the water supply in the localities is also stopped.
Jal Sansthan supplies water in the fixed hours in the morning and evening.
It does not supply water during the day. Maximum period for water supply is two to three hours, which is quite inadequate to cater to the needs of millions of people of the city. Most of the roadside pumps are either lying dry or idle and are of no use to the citizens.
Animal attractions: Potter Park zoo pushes its surprisesMidday update
By Mike Hughes Lansing State Journal
A sort of pop-media star was greeting his public.
He was standing bolt-upright, to his full height of 12 inches or so. The public approved.
"There's a meerkat," Mike Maksymetz of Portland said. "Remember? From 'Lion King'?"
His kids, ages 4 and 7, seemed pleased by the encounter. It's one of the unexpected sightings at the Potter Park Zoo.
"People love meerkats," said Gerald Brady, the zoo director. "They're gregarious."
Such surprises are important now as zoos struggle to maintain their place in life and in Michigan. This winter:
The Detroit Zoo almost closed for budget reasons; it was saved by a late compromise. "I was really shocked by that," said Kevin Hile, who is writing a history of the Potter Park Zoo and has been a volunteer at both. "Detroit has a world-renowned zoo."
The Potter Park Zoo was tossed around during Lansing's budget talks. There are proposals to make it an Ingham County operation with a separate millage.
Find out more about the zoo and its surprises in Tuesday's Lansing State Journal Living section.
Mysore Zoo’s draft master plan readyA draft of the master plan of the century-old Mysore Zoo is ready and it will be presented before the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) for approval. The master plan will perhaps be the first exercise by any zoo in India to be done based on the guidelines of CZA.
A draft of the master plan of the century-old Mysore Zoo is ready and it will be presented before the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) for approval. The master plan will perhaps be the first exercise by any zoo in India to be done based on the guidelines of CZA. A high-level delegation of CZA will be at Bhubaneshwar in Orissa for a national debate on the standards to be maintained by the zoos across the country for animals in captivity. Incidentally, Bhubaneshwar Zoo has done its master plan.http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr42006/state191016200643.aspHIGHLIGHTS A scientifically-designed animal enclosure blue print for future. Animal collection plan. A guide for visitor friendly and systematic development. Takes into consideration the projected visitor needs of 20 to 25 lakh annually, by 2020. Better health care management and research programmes. Breeding of selected endangered and exotic species in congenial atmosphere.Envisages steps to introduce innovative education programmes for fulfilling conservation aims. Development of Karanji Lake Nature Park. Achieving self sufficiency by consolidation of additional revenue.
Cocoon -- Hair-Doo Zoo
Cocoon Branding, located in Winnipeg, Canada is a branding agency offering full service integrated product design. They have recently developed a playful new image for Canadian-based children's hair salon Hair Do Zoo's retail product line. The interactive bottles entice children with the notion of play, hopefully making bath time seem worthwhile enough to remove dirt, boogers, and other types of kid-sludge. The bright, colorfully branded bottles showcase the products' environmentally friendly water-based ingredients, appealing to both parents and their young'ns. Furthermore, the packaging extends its lifetime by staying in the user's possession after the product has run out. The building-block design is collectable and highly functional as a toy, benefiting both the user and the salon with the wonders of repeat-consumerism.More info: www.cocoonbranding.com http://www.core77.com/bullitts/2006/04/Cocoon-Hair-Doo-Zoo.asp?current_bullitt_id=434 Growing Pains at Fresno's Chaffee ZooApril 3, 2006 - More is known about why the American Zoo Association decided to delay the Chaffee Zoo's bid for accreditation.
The outside agency that handles taxpayer's money is just now starting to gel with the people who run the zoo.
Nine days after the Zoo Corporation began running the Chaffee Zoo, a major cleanup was underway. Behind the scenes, the Zoo Corporation board was hiring a director, filling board vacancies, seeking budget approval from the county tax authority and being inspected by the AZA.
But its fledgling track record was just too short, says Chaffee Zoo Corporation Board Chair Shari Rainwater, "They were happy with what's been done. They just wanted to let the system get rolling."
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=4051399
Support the new Myrick EcoCenter
By GARY J. VAN DOMELEN / La Crosse
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In honor of the 100th anniversary of Rotary International and the opening of Myrick Park, the local Coulee Region Rotary clubs and Hixon Forest Board have begun a project to renovate Myrick Park Zoo.For many generations, the zoo has been a source of enjoyment and learning for children. Having a sense of history helps understand the importance of the zoo.Monkey Island was dedicated Aug. 26, 1929. A Tribune story announcing the opening stated “Big Crowd on Hand for Dedication.”The zoo was planned, built and funded by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. A committee composed of common council members provided additional oversight, expertise and support. Having completed their service overseas in WWI, these veterans decided to do something outstanding closer to home.And, the result was truly spectacular. The city was handed the keys to a new zoo free of charge with exhibits, walkways and plans for lighting that exceeded everyone’s expectations. According to the chairman for the VFW, the project came in under budget due in large part to the generous contributions of local contractors and craftsman.Little did these veterans know in August 1929 that the country was about to plunge into a decade long depression followed by another world war.However, during those turbulent times the zoo provided a constant source of low-cost enjoyment in times when travel elsewhere was expensive and difficult. These veterans were truly visionary.Unfortunately today the zoo is in need of a major overhaul. The animals need dedicated care and better living conditions.Today we also can enhance the interaction and learning experience for the viewers by updating the exhibits, adding new animals and providing opportunities for students to observe zoo personnel and veterinarians care for and feed the animals. Left untended and without outside funding, Monkey Island will have to be closed.The new zoo will be called an EcoCenter because the mission is being broadened to include new environmental and other educational programs and expanded exhibits.By adding a nature center, and otter, aquarium and nocturnal exhibits, and by showcasing our natural assets like the bluffs, marsh and Hixon Forest trails, the combined park will have significantly more to offer than it does at present. It will attract school children and visitors from a 150-mile radius.When the zoo was dedicated, the VFW committee was quoted as having said “this is merely a start of what will eventually develop into an attractive display of all varieties of animals harboring in this section of the country.”Let’s continue the terrific work of these veterans and support the city, local Rotary clubs, the Hixon board, local businesses and the greater Coulee Region community in rebuilding the zoo into an EcoCenter we can be proud of for many generations to come.Gary J. Van Domelen is a member of Rotary East, and chairman of the Myrick Eco Park Building and Planning Committee.He is an attorney with Wagner, Falconer & Judd, Ltd., in La Crosse.
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2006/04/04/opinion/02myrick0404.txt
Wells Under Montgomery Zoo Test Positive for TCECity officials say they found a chemical known as TCE while testing ground water recently at the Montgomery Zoo. They had hoped to use the water in the zoo's new elephant exhibit, but the discovery forced a change in plans.
The underground wells in question are no longer in use. Instead, the water surrounding the elephant exhibit is coming from city pipes.
TCE is the same substance found in 2001 under several nearby subdivisions. The state department of transportation admitted to dumping the chemical years ago.
The TCE contamination in that area is referred to as the coliseum plume because it's located near the city coliseum. The department of transportation has since settled with homeowners and tests indicate the chemical does not pose a health threat.
"We are monitoring the health of the elephants on a regular basis," said city spokesman Michael Briddell. But he admits the elephants never came in direct contact with the chemical. Even if they had, Briddell says the concentration level would not have harmed them.
"You and I can go swimming in water that's 500 parts (of TCE) per billion. We can eat fish in water that's 70 parts per billion," Briddell explained. "The water that came from the well was 40 parts per billion and it dissipated in concentration once it hit the atmosphere."http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4721245&nav=0RdEcontinued ...
A man and a woman, a baby strapped to her back and a toddler trailing behind, share the weight of a sack of grain as they walk home in southeastern Ethiopia. The Call for Mobilization (Click on)
Horn of Africa Drought Analysts say Climate, Poverty Exacerbate Drought in Horn of AfricaBy Angel Tabe Washington,DC04 April 2006Humanitarian agencies say the drought situation in East Africa is not getting better. They say droughts are becoming more frequent, damaging food crops and putting millions of people at risk. Valerie Julliand is the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, for central and east Africa. English to Africa reporter Angel Tabe asked about the severity of the drought: “The three most affected are Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya and, to a lesser extent but still in a severe manner, Burundi and Djibouti. The drought actually goes beyond the Horn of Africa, because some countries of the Great Lakes region, like Tanzania and Burundi, are also affected.”Julliand says the region is arid in nature, underdeveloped, with a high poverty rate, and generally marginalized. There is also very little education and health care, and there are a number of conflicts. “What caused the drought is lack of development, escalating poverty, environmental degradation, population pressure, and sporadic and tragic conflicts.”She says the main impact of the drought is a lack of water, which is essential for humans as well as animals. “And since the affected populations are pastoralists…if they lose their animals, they lose their lives…. People go to other places to find pastures, and these movements create an increased risk of resource-based conflicts.”Julliand notes that very little can be done about the climate, especially with the drought cycle changing, not for the better. For the populations’ recovery, she recommends that alongside immediate response measures, long-term measures, which do not disrupt their pastoral lives, be implemented. “We have to initiate immediately longer-term recovery to help these people live where they are. We just can’t impose that they go some place else and become poor in urban centers. This drought comes on the heels of another one. The cycle that used to be every ten years is now every two years. So the people have no time to recover. What has to be initiated is a whole program of education.” Asked whether drought resistant crops could be cultivated and commercialized to provide alternative income, Julliand said that could be part of recovery efforts, but she prefers more emphasis on the cattle culture. “When we talk about pastoralists, they‘re people on the move all the time. Their wealth is not in crops. We have to consider also that some types of crops need a lot of water to be eaten…. What is important is that both long- and short-term approaches be done jointly, because while we save lives, we can at the same time help them build their resilience so that if there is another shock, they won’t be exhausted, and then they can be sustainable.”
The Horn of Africa DroughtThe circumstances have worsen since this 2003 image.
