Bird flu claims 147 tigers in Thailand

The Thai government killed 147 tigers during last month's operation to wipe out the bird flu virus, the Thai News Agency reported Thursday. According to the report, the tigers were killed at the Sri Racha Tiger Zoo where several tigers died from bird flu after being fed raw chicken. The government also killed more than 1.5 million chickens in the operation, the report said.

The destroyed fowls were mainly from farms and villages in the country's central and lower northern regions, where most of the bird flu cases both in poultry and human have

been found since the virus re-emerged in July, the news agency quoted a report of the National Centre Fighting Bird Flu as saying. The report cited the lack of awareness and protective equipment among rural villagers and insufficient numbers of monitoring officials as main obstacles to effectively preventing the spread of the disease.

14-year-olds can marry

AFP, MOSCOW, Dec 8: Local lawmakers in the central Russian region of Oriol have approved a new law permitting marriage from the age of 14, four years earlier than the age recommended-but not strictly mandated-by federal legislation, an official said Wednesday. "The bill was submitted by the governor and was finally adopted by deputies in late November after six months of debate in committee," Sergei Silin, chairman of Oriol's legislative committee on social policy, told AFP by telephone.While

Russia's federal family code recommends 18 as the legal age for marriage, it also stipulates that the country's various regions, many of which have distinct religious and cultural customs, may adopt their own law in this regard suited to local practices.

100 Million paper birds

AP, BANGKOK, Dec 5: Militants used a mobile phone to detonate a roadside bomb when a truck load of soldiers stopped to talk to villagers in Thailand's troubled Muslim south, wounding six of the troops and a civilian. The explosion occurred late Tuesday in Tarita village, one of three provinces bordering Malaysia where Muslim separatists have been mounting attacks since the beginning of the year. Police say the use of mobile phones to trigger bombs has become increasingly frequent in recent months. The attack came two days after the government dropped nearly 100 million paper birds over the provinces in an effort to promote peace in the restive south. But the airdrop of the Japanese-style origami cranes was spurned by many Muslims. "It was a waste of time. We Muslims do not understand such a tradition.

Anglo-Saxon coin fetches 3230 000

EXPRESS, Oct 6: An Anglo-Saxon penny fetched J230,000 at auction - breaking the world record for a British coin. Specialists at Spink auction house in London had expected it to fetch between J120,000 and J150,000. American collector Allan Davisson bought the gold coin, which was found with a metal detector near the River Ivel in Bedfordshire in 2001. It is the only known coin to bear the

name of King Coenwulf of Mercia and to show a clear regal design. Experts at Spinks had been fascinated by its reference to the "wic" of London, an Anglo-Saxon settlement outside the city walls. The previous auction record was held by a gold coin bearing the crown of George III, which raised J170,500 in 1999. In 1984, an Anglo-Saxon gold penny fetched J23,100 while an English gold penny fetched J149,500 in 1996.

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MIRROR, 16 . 11 . 04 .

Global warming could sink 3.6 million homes

Almost four million British homes face being flooded because of global warming.

Government scientific advisers warned yesterday of "devastating" damage unless drastic action is taken to combat rising water levels. And they said people's health could be at risk from sewage pollution as Victorian drainage systems in cities crumble under the pressure of persistent and heavy downpours.

The cost of water damage would rise from lbillion

a year to 21 billion by 2080 and the number of homes at risk of river and coastal flooding would leap from 1.6million to 3.6million, said a report by the experts. Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King demanded a tough and speedy response from the Government.

He wants ministers to step up efforts to reduce the levels of lethal greenhouse gases that are behind disastrous climate changes resulting in more storms, floods, droughts and heatwaves. Sir David said: "The scenarios in this report may seem a long way off, but the challenge of increased flood risk needs to be considered now."

The report called for investment in flood protection to be doubled to at least lbillion every year. And it said there must be more stringent controls on building new homes in flood plains. Areas most at risk from the flood threat are mainly along the east coast, Yorkshire, Lancashire and the South West. Some properties could become uninsurable and unsellable because of the dangers of repeat flooding.

Environment Minister Elliot Morley agreed the Government faced a challenge but insisted it was already dealing with the problem. He said: "Government spending on flood and coastal defence has risen significantly in the last three years and the UK is firmly committed to combating climate change.

The last serious floods in 2000, caused by rivers overflowing after weeks of heavy rain, resulted in 10,000 homes being engulfed. Shadow environment secretary Theresa May said: "Clearly there is much to be done and combating climate change is essential.' The Government has increased spending on coastal defences since 2000 with the current level now at J500 million per annum. While the Government has a significant flood management programme in place, in some areas the flood risk remains substantial.

NEWSDAY, 15 . 09 . 04 .

Mexicans seek cats to fight rats

Mexican health officials say they have failed in their effort to deal with a rat plague in a remote mountain village by sending in hundreds of cats.

Authorities in the state of Chihuahua came up with the plan after the people of Atascaderos appealed for help in dealing with an estimated 250,000 rats. But rodent control expert Alberto Lafon said not enough cats had been obtained and some had died soon after arrival. He said the villagers would just have to learn to live with the rats.

Residents in Atascaderos asked the authorities for help two months ago, saying at least 800 homes had become rat-infested (with an average of 200 in each home) and traditional extermination methods had failed.

Experts launched an appeal asking people to donate unwanted cats, in the hope of recruiting an attack force of up to 700 animals. In the end, however, they only managed to rustle up a mere 50 cats. Javier Lozano, director of health services in Chihuahua state, told AP that traditional poisons had not worked on the rats, because they had learned to avoid them after seeing their fellow rodents die. But he added that the authorities had now ordered a special poison that took up to four days to kill its victim. "Poison that slowly takes effect will be more effective," he said.

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C N N N E W S , 21 . 10 . 04 .