Thursday, January 27, 2011

Mutant mosquitoes

Mutant mosquitoes: Malaysia release of genetically modified insects sparks fears of uncontrollable new species

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:50 PM on 26th January 2011

Malaysia has released 6,000 genetically modified mosquitoes into a forest in the first experiment of its kind in Asia aimed at curbing dengue fever.
The field test is meant to pave the way for the official use of genetically engineered Aedes aegypti male mosquitoes to mate with females and produce offspring with shorter lives, thus curtailing the population.
Only female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes spread dengue fever, which killed 134 people in Malaysia last year.
Malaysia has released 6,000 genetically modified Aedes aegypti male mosquitoes into a forest in the first experiment of its kind in Asia aimed at curbing dengue fever
Malaysia has released 6,000 genetically modified Aedes aegypti male mosquitoes into a forest in a bid to curb rates of dengue fever
However, the plan has sparked criticism by some Malaysian environmentalists, who fear it might have unforeseen consequences, such as the inadvertent creation of uncontrollable mutated mosquitoes.
Critics also say such plans could leave a vacuum in the ecosystem that is then filled by another insect species, potentially introducing new diseases.
A similar trial in the Cayman Islands last year - the first time genetically modified mosquitoes have been set loose in the wild after years of laboratory experiments and hypothetical calculations - resulted in a dramatic drop in the mosquito population in a small area studied by researchers.
Government authorities have tried to allay the concerns by saying they are conducting small-scale research and will not rush into any widespread release of mosquitoes.
The Malaysian government-run Institute for Medical Research said it released about 6,000 non-biting sterile male lab mosquitoes in an uninhabited forest area in eastern Malaysia on December 21.
Another 6,000 wild male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were also placed in the area for scientific comparison, it said in a statement.
The plan has sparked criticism by some environmentalists, who fear it might have unforeseen consequences, such as the inadvertent creation of uncontrollable mutated mosquitoes in the section of Malaysian forest
The plan has sparked criticism by some environmentalists, who fear it might have unforeseen consequences, such as the inadvertent creation of uncontrollable mutated mosquitoes in the section of Malaysian forest
The institute provided few details of the experiment, but said it was 'successfully' concluded on January 5, and that all the mosquitoes were killed with insecticide.
It was not planning to release any more mosquitoes until it had analysed the results of the lab mosquitoes' life span and extent of their dispersal in the wild.
It was the first such trial in Asia, an official in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to make public statements.
In the Cayman Islands, genetically altered sterile male mosquitoes were also set loose by scientists in a 40-acre region between May and October last year.
By August, mosquito numbers in that area dropped by 80 per cent compared with a neighbouring area where no sterile mosquitoes were released.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said last year the project was an 'innovative' way to fight dengue after a lack of success in campaigns urging Malaysians to keep neighbourhoods free of stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed.
The number of dengue-linked deaths in Malaysia increased by 52 per cent last year from 88 deaths in 2009. The total dengue infections rose 11 per cent from 2009 to more than 46,000 cases last year.
Dengue fever is common in Asia and Latin America. Symptoms include high fever, joint pains and nausea, but in severe cases, it can lead to internal bleeding, circulatory shutdown and death. There is no known cure or vaccine.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1350708/Genetically-modified-mosquitoes-released-Malaysia-sparks-fears-uncontrollable-new-species.html#ixzz1CC3fGf21

Friday, January 21, 2011

Mafia Family

The Mafia family tree: FBI flowchart reveals
127 'mobsters' arrested in biggest ever blitz on New York's crime empires

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:38 AM on 21st January 2011
  • Members of New York's five Mafia families targeted in raids
  • Two former police officers held and arrest made in Italy
  • No police station big enough, so suspects held at army base Fort Hamilton
  • Army of 800 officers take in part in dawn raids
A remarkable FBI organisation chart which reveals the hierarchy of the main New York mafia families was revealed yesterday after federal agents made more than 100 arrests in the biggest organised crime crackdown in history.
The colour-coded chart shows how organised the crime syndicates bear more of a resemblance to a corporate line-up than that of notorious crime families.
The red bars highlight the top mafiosi that were arrested yesterday in New York, New Jersey and New England.
Scroll down for video report
Crime families: This remarkable FBI chart, set up today at Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton in which the 127 suspected mobsters are being held, names members of the seven families linked to the Mafia (aka Cosa Nostra)
Crime families: This remarkable FBI chart, set up today at Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton in which the 127 suspected mobsters are being held, names members of the seven families linked to the Mafia (aka Cosa Nostra)
Who's in charge: The colour-coded organisational chart shows the hierarchy of some of the most feared Mafia families in New York - the boss, underboss, captains and soldiers are depicted on different levels of the chart
Who's in charge: The colour-coded organisational chart shows the hierarchy of some of the most feared Mafia families in New York - the boss, underboss, captains and soldiers are depicted on different levels of the chart
Who's in charge: The colour-coded organisational chart shows the hierarchy of some of the most feared Mafia families in New York - the boss, underboss, captains and soldiers are depicted on different levels of the chart
Among them are street boss Andrew Russo and acting underboss Benjamin Castellazzo from the Colombo family, and Bartolemeo Vernace and Joseph Corozzo from the Gambino family.
The 'boss' is seen as the undisputed leader of the organisation with the underboss a powerful second-in-command.
The green colour-coded panels depict those of the captains in the crime families. Also known by their Sicilian name of 'capos', captains are similar to a military captain who commands his soldiers.
Arrested: Federal agents question a shackled Mafia suspect in New York today after this morning's dramatic raids
Arrested: Federal agents question a shackled Mafia suspect in New York yesterday after this morning's dramatic raids involving up to 800 officers
Seized: Federal agents process the suspects after dawn raids were carried out today in New York City, Long Island and New Jersey.
Seized: Federal agents process the suspects in Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton army base after dawn raids were carried out today in New York City, Long Island and New Jersey
Shackled: A suspected member of one of the New York crime families is led away by a female FBI agent after today's raids in New York
Shackled: A suspected member of one of the New York crime families is led away by a female FBI agent after yesterday's raids in New York and New Jersey
Along with high ranking members of the some of the most feared families, union officials and two former police officers were also arrested.
It is the FBI's biggest ever raid on New York's organised crime families.
Most of the 127 arrests were made in New York City, New Jersey and New England on charges of murder, extortion and drug trafficking. One arrest was made in Italy.
Powerful leaders of the Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Bonanno and Colombo families, along with the DeCavalcante of New Jersey, were among those arrested and were being held at Fort Hamilton, an U.S. Army base in Brooklyn - because there was no police station big enough to hold them.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told a press conference this morning that the charges cover decades worth of offences, including hits to eliminate rivals, a killing during a botched robbery and double shooting in a ballroom dispute over a spilled drink.

MENACE TO THE MAFIOSI: THE CHARGES AGAINST THE GAMBINOS...

Name: BARTOLOMEO VERNACE, 61. Known as 'Bobby Glasses'
Title: Ruling Panel, Gambino Family
Charge: Extortion and racketeering
As a member of the administration of the Gambino family he was said to be involved at the highest level in dispersing funds illegally obtained from extortion and racketeering.
Also charged with conspiracy to murder John D'Agnese and Richard Godkin in 1981, two men who were gunned down in the Shamrock bar in Queens - allegedly over a spilled drink. Though Vernace was initially identified as being one of the three who carried out the killings, he managed to escape prosecution for nearly two decades.

Name: JOSEPH CORROZZO,
Title: Consigliore, Gambino Family
Charge: Racketeering and drug distribution
He was allegedly involved in distribution of tonnes of marijuana and cocaine throughout the US.

Name: LOUIS MASTRANGETO
Title: Captain , Gambino Family
Charge: Racketeering and drug distribution
Said to be involved in running illegal gambling dens in New York city and the distribution of drugs.
Name: ALPHONSE TRUCCHIO, 34
Title: Captain, Gambino Family
Charge: Racketeering
Allegedly the youngest man ever inducted into the Gambino family as a 'made man'.
He is the son of a former Gambino captain Ronald Trucchio, known as 'One-Armed Ronnie' after his arm was partially paralysed in a car accident. Alphonse is believed to have helped run a $30million a year illegal betting operation. Trucchio has already served time for racketeering after his arrest in 2002.
In addition to the charges against the senior mafiosos at the head of the Gambino and Colombo families were charges against a mafioso whose reach extended beyond New York:
Name: LUIGI MANOCCHIO, 83
Title: Former leader of Patricara Family in New England
Charge: Extortion and extortion conspiracy
He was arrested in Florida where he was allegedly collecting 'protection' money from strip clubs in Fort Lauderdale.
Usually based in Providence, Rhode, Island, and is alleged to used intimidation and implied threats to induce owners and operators of adult bookstores and strip clubs in Providence to provide 'protection'.

... AND THE ALLEGED CRIMES OF THE COLOMBOS

Name: ANDREW RUSSO, 79. Known as 'Mush'
Title: Street boss of Colombo Family in New York
Charge: Murder
Russo is alleged to have ordered the murder of Joseph Scopo in the 1993 during a vicious power struggle for control of the Colombo family.

Name: BENJAMIN CASTELLAZZO, 73
Title: Acting underboss of the Colombo Family
Charge: Racketeering and racketeering conspiracy
As the No 2 in the family it alleged it was his responsibility to collect money from businesses seeking protection.

Name: RICHARD FUSCO, 74. Known as 'The Claw'
Title: Consigliore of Colombo Family
Charge: Racketeering and racketeering conspiracy
He is alleged to have held one of the senior positions in the family and ruthlessly carried out the orders of Russo.He is a former friend of singer Frank Sinatra.

Name: THEODORE PERSICO Jr, 46. Known as 'Teddy'
Title: Former ruling panel, Colombo Family
Charge: Extortion
He is accused of being involved in an extortion scheme on a trucking company removing debris from the site of the 9/11 terror attacks. He was secretly recorded threatening company employees after they failed to pay.
Name: JOSEPH CARNA, 47. Known as 'Junior Lollipop'
Title: Captain, Colombo Family
Charge: Extortion
With other senior members of the Colombo family he was said to be involved in laundering money from illegal gambling operations.
Name: DENNIS DELUCIA. Known as 'Fat Dennis' or 'The Beard'
Title: Captain, Colombo Family
Charge: Extortion and racketeering.
He is accused of being involved with helping to launder money gained from illegal gambling activities in New York.
Name: REYNOLD MARAGNI, 54
Title: Captain Colombo Family
Charge: Racketeering and extortion.
Based in Florida he was allegedly involved in money laundering for the Colombo family.
Name: Anthony Russo, 55. Known as 'Big Anthony' Title: Acting Captain, Colombo Family
Charge: Conspiracy to commit extortion
He was allegedly involved in money laundering for the family.
Anatomy of the mob: This flowchart, published on the FBI website, details the hierarchy of A New York organised family and the military-style roles of its members
Anatomy of the mob: This flowchart, published on the FBI website, details the hierarchy of A New York organised family and the military-style roles of its members
Authorities say the massive investigation was aided by informants who recorded thousands of conversations by suspected mobsters.
Federal agents said those taken into custody ranged from small-time bookmakers and crime family functionaries to a number of senior mob figures and several corrupt union officials.
The murder charges are believed to date back to the 1980s and 1990s.
Many of the charges are expected to relate the Mafia families' multi-million dollar incomes from union corruption, loansharking and gambling.
Other charges include corruption among dockworkers who were forced to kick back a portion of their holiday bonuses to the crime families.
Holder called the arrests an 'important step forward in our nation's fight against organised crime.' He added that it will 'disrupt' the mafia.
One of the defendants is a former New York City police officer.
A source told the New York Post that 'basically the whole administration of the Colombo family' had been targeted. Huge investigation: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder held a press conference this morning to detail the charges against the crime familes that span decades including murders, robberies and drug offences
Huge investigation: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder holds a press conference this morning to detail the charges against the crime familes that span decades including murders, robberies and drug offences
Among those arrested was believed to be Bartolomeo Vernace, a captain in the Gambino family.
Also arrested was Luigi Manocchio, the reputed head of New England's Patriarca crime family.
He was arrested in Fort Lauderdale and is accused of collecting money from owners of strip clubs.
Also arrested was Thomas LaFrate, who worked as a bookkeeper for strip clubs and set aside money for Manocchio, prosecutors said.
An army of 800 officers from the FBI, NYPD and State Police officers carried out this morning's raids.
In a statement, Diego Rodriguez, Special Agent in Charge with the FBI in New York, said: 'Early this morning FBI agents, along with our law enforcement partners, began arresting over 100 organised crime members for various criminal charges.'
Described as the biggest Mafia crackdown in New York history, the simultaneous raids represent a massive blow to the five organised crime families who have controlled many parts of the city for decades.
Arrested: Among those seized in today's raids was alleged mobster Luigi 'Baby Shanks' Manocchio
Arrested: Among those seized in the raids was alleged mobster Luigi 'Baby Shanks' Manocchio
The mafia empires have been decimated by federal probes in recent years and have seen many of their leaders jailed for lengthy prison sentences after informants testified against them.
Last week 93-year-old Colombo boss John 'Sonny' Fanzese was jailed for eight years for racketeering charges.
Federal prosecutors were seeking a jail term of at least 12 years for the underboss of the Colombo crime family.
An FBI agent testifed that Franzese had bragged about killing 60 people over the years and once thought about putting a hit on his own son for co-operating with the government.
Mafia turncoat Salvatore Vitale was sentenced to time served in October after prosecutors praised his his co-operation with authorities and his betrayal of his criminal group.
Assistant U.S. attorney Greg Andres said that Vitale's evident helped to crush the Bonanno crime family after providing useful information upon his arrest in 2003.
'The mafia today is weaker because of his co-operation', Mr Andres said. 'Mr Vitale provided lead after lead. The results speak for themselves.'
There had been concerns of a possible resurgence or organised crime in the city leading up to the arrests.
Acting Lucchese family boss Alphonse D'Arco admitted to 'cooperating with the federal government from 1991.
Gambino family leader Salvatore 'Sammy the bull' Gravano also became an informant that year and provided information in return for a reduced sentence.
This testimony led to notorious kingpin John Gotti finally being convicted. He had been known as Teflon Don for his ability to not have charges against him stick using loopholes in the law.
In 2008, more than 80 suspected members of organised crime gangs were charged.
Among those targeted was John 'Jackie the Nose' D'Amico and other alleged leaders of the Gambino crime family after a series of raids in the U.S. and Italy.
Today's takedown has eclipsed that of the highly publicised assault on the Gambino crime family in 2008 when 62 suspects were arrested.
Temporary: The alleged mobsters are being held in the brig at Fort Hamilton army base in Brooklyn until they are arraigned later today
Temporary: The alleged mobsters are being held in the brig at Fort Hamilton army base in Brooklyn until they are arraigned later today
Mob movie: 1997 film Donnie Brasco starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino is said to have been inspired by the Mafia's Bonanno family detailing how an FBI agent was able to work undercover with the mob and almost became a 'made' man
Mob movie: 1997 film Donnie Brasco starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino is said to have been inspired by the Mafia's Bonanno family detailing how an FBI agent was able to work undercover with the mob and almost became a 'made' man
All but one of those rounded up entered guilty pleas.
The FBI has aggressively pursued and convicted leaders of New York's five main Italian mob families in the past.
But ambitious underlings have gone on to fill the vacancies, said Janice Fedarcyck, head of FBI's New York office.
'We deal in reality, and the reality is that the mob, like nature, abhors a vacuum', Ms Fedarcyck said.
But federal agents have recently managed to better infiltrate the Mafia by grooming a crop of mafiosos who were willing to wear wires and record their fellow gangsters.
The turncoats' testimony was then used against mob figures in return for a more lenient sentence in their own cases.
housands of conversations were recorded and investigators also tapped several mobsters' phones.
The Mafia are known for using colourful nicknames. In the 16 federal indictments monikers like Bobby Glasses, Vinny Carwash, Jack the Whack, Johnny Cash and Junior Lollipops were listed.
Charges of murder, extortion, arson, racketeering, arson and prostitution are amongh the list of crimes, some dating back decades.
Some corruption charges even include dockworkers in New York and New Jersey forced to kick back part of their holiday bonuses to crime families.

REAL-LIFE SOPRANOS: LUCCHESE FAMILY'S REIGN OF TERROR

Victor Amuso, 76, remains the official Boss of the Lucchese family despite serving life in prison.
The Lucchese crime family was originally put together by Gaetano 'Tommy' Reina in the early 1920s until his murder in 1930.
Gaetano 'Tommy Brown' Lucchese took control in the 1950s and teamed with Carlo Gambino to control crime in New York City together.
The family profited from labor and construction racketeering, illegal gambling, loansharking and murder for hire.
The Lucchese family is deemed the smallest of the five crime families with 100 members but is not the weakest.
The New Jersey faction of the Lucchese family was the main inspiration for HBO show The Sopranos' DiMeo crime family.
Victor Amuso, 76, (pictured) remains the official Boss of the Lucchese family despite serving life in prison.
Acting Lucchese boss Alphonse D'Arco admitted to 'cooperating with the federal government' from 1991.

GENOVESE CLAN KNOWN AS ROLLS ROYCE OF ORGANISED CRIME

Oddfather: Genovese crime family leader Vincent 'the Chin' Gigante pretended he was insane and walked dishevelled around Greenwich Village wearing a bathrobe and talking to himself
The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the Ivy League and the Rolls Royce of organised crime.
The found new ways to make money in the past few years by using the housing spike to conduct a number of mortgage frauds.
The group was founded by Lucky Luciano but in 1957 it was renamed after Vito Genovese - he was extradited from Italy to New York and acquitted of the 1936 murder that drove him into exile.
The family was run for years by the 'Oddfather' Vincent 'the Chin' Gigante (pictured) who pretended he was insane and walked dishevelled around Greenwich Village wearing a bathrobe and talking to himself.
When Gigante died in 2005, power went to Daniel 'Danny the Lion' Leo.
The FBI convinced Genovese mobsters Anthony Arillotta and Felix Tranghese to become government witnesses.

DeCAVALCANTE FAMILY BUILT ITS REPUTATION ON MURDER FOR HIRE

Simone DeCavalcante became family boss in 1964. DeCavalcante was seen as an 'old school' and calculated Don whose character resembled The Godfather's Don Corleone.
The DeCavalcante crime family is the leading mafia clan in New Jersey despite operating in New York City.
It maintain a strong relationship with many of the Five Families in New York plus crime families in Philadelphia, Providence and most of New England.
They have profited from labor racketeering, hijacking, construction violations and murder for hire.
With its origin in the prohibition era and passed down through many people over the years, Simone DeCavalcante (pictured) became family boss in 1964.
DeCavalcante was seen as an 'old school' and calculated Don whose character resembled The Godfather's Don Corleone.
A heating and air conditioning company was used as a legal front for the illegal dealings and he was nicknamed 'Sam the Plumber'.
Acting boss Francesco 'Frank' Guarraci was promoted in 2006 after Stefano 'Steve the Truck Driver' Vitabile was sentenced to life imprisonment.

COLOMBO EMPIRE TORN APART BY THREE BLOODY FAMILY WARS

Colombo family leader Dino Calabro became a government informant last year after facing trial for murdering a New York police officer
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the 'Five Families', originally formed in 1928 by Joseph 'The Olive Oil King' Profaci.
The family has endured three family wars over the years - the second of which brought the family under the power of Joseph 'Joe C' Colombo.
The third war erupted in 1991 when member Joseph Orena undermined Carmine Persico who was in prison - the family split into two separate factions.
Twelve family members were killed in the in-fighting and the family never fully came back to prominence.
The family recently turned to Ralph DeLeo to run the family for imprisoned Persico.
Two years ago several members of the Colombo family were indicted on multiple racketeering charges  and three murders dating back to the family wars.
Capo Dino Calabro (pictured) became a government informant last year after facing trial for murdering a New York police officer.

HOW THE GAMBINO FAMILY BECAME AMERICA'S MOST NOTORIOUS CLAN

John Gotti became the leader of the Gambino family in 1985 - he was known as Teflon Don because of charges never sticking to him
The Gambino crime family prides itself on being one of America's most notorious criminal empires.
The family's rein can be traced back to the Italian mafioso in the early 20th century.
Its main criminal activities include racketeering, extortion, money laundering and prostitution.
The family's rise to power in America started in 1957 when Albert Anastasia was assassinated while sitting in a barber chair in Manhattan.
Carlo Gambino is believed to have helped organise the hit to take over the family.
Infamous John Gotti (pictured) proclaimed himself the leader of the Gambino family in 1985.
Gotti was nicknamed Teflon Don because charges against him did not stick for years but he was finally sentenced to life in prison in 1992 and died in 2002.
The movie Goodfellas based some of its characters on members of the Gambino family.

BONANNO FAMILY'S REIGN OF TERROR INSPIRED DONNIE BRASCO

The Bonanno crime family was named after Joseph Bonanno - their family was first to be expelled from The Commission for actively dealing in heroin.
The classic Mafia movie Donnie Brasco tooks its inspiration from the reign of terror imposed by the Bonanno crime family.
The New York criminal empire was named after Joseph Bonanno (pictured) and was the first family to be expelled from The Commission for actively dealing in heroin.
The Commission is the council of the crime bosses brought together to maintain order in the Mafia.
Bonanno boss Joseph 'Big Joe' Massino was boss from early 1990s to 2004 - he then became the first official boss from New York to become an informant.
Massino turned against members of his own family to avoid the death penalty.
Donnie Brasco is the story of how an FBI agent was able to work undercover with the Bonanno crime family and almost became a 'made' man.
The family became the top New York crime family but defections have left it less powerful.
 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1348951/100-suspected-mobsters-arrested-biggest-crackdown-New-York-mafia.html#ixzz1BetV512H

Revenge of the Rooster

Champion rooster slashes its owner's throat for being asked to fight once too often

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:04 PM on 20th January 2011

A cockfighting rooster appears to have taken deadly revenge on its trainer for forcing it back into the ring too soon.
The bird is said to have attacked owner Singrai Soren and slit his throat with razor blades he had attached to its legs.
Villagers in Mohanpur, West Bengal, were warned not to approach what police described as ‘an unknown rooster with black and red feathers’.
Roosters brandishing deadly blades on their legs square up to each other at a cockfight which is popular with gamblers
Roosters brandishing deadly blades on their legs square up to each other at a cockfight
One of the dead man’s friends, known only as Dasai, said: ‘The rooster tried to get away from the ring several times, but Soren pushed it into the ring repeatedly.
‘This upset it and it attacked Soren.’
Roosters are usually given a break of at least an hour before taking on another opponent, he explained.
‘Most masters are satisfied with the cash reward of £28 for every fight and a dead opponent to feast on,’ Dasai added.
A cockfight in progress in front of a large audience in Thailand
A cockfight in progress in front of a large audience in Thailand
‘But Soren wanted the rooster to go to the ring within a few minutes of its first fight and that is when it got upset.’
Officers want to find the bird to strip it of the razor blades it killed with on Thursday.
But they believe their chances are slim. They think the rooster – which has won four fights – is being kept by a rival trainer keen to put it back in the ring

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Australia floods

Death toll in Australia floods reaches 22 as water in Brisbane 'swallows up' the city

By Richard Shears
Last updated at 2:53 AM on 13th January 2011
  • Thousands forced to evacuate under threat of rising flood waters
  • Queensland Premier says situation is 'deeply serious' and that death toll will more than likely increase
  • Cost of flood now put at £10b, but disaster could cut one per cent off GDP
Brisbane resembles a ghost town this morning after thousands fled to escape an approaching deluge of biblical proportions.
The usually bustling centre of Australia’s third most populous city was gradually sinking from view as the Brisbane River burst its banks and a 50-mile wide flood spewed out millions of gallons of filthy brown water and huge amounts of debris.
Unconfirmed reports say that at least 22 people have so far died in the north-eastern state of Queensland and a further 67 remain missing from tsunami-like flash floods that tore through townships west of the city this week. 
Scroll down for a video report
Waterworld: Homes near Ipswich are swallowed up by rising water
Submerged: Homes near Ipswich are swallowed up by rising water. The town's mayor described the scenes as 'heartbreaking'
Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh has warned that the death toll is likely to rise as rescue officials gain access to the devastated areas.
Water levels in Brisbane were rising at the rate of a foot every two hours during the course of yesterday, peaking last night at a total depth of more than 14ft and engulfing up to 70,000 homes, creating a waterworld out of what is normally a busy shopping and commercial hub for two million residents.
'I am feeling a sense of horror and awe at the power of the river. Sadly in the coming hours we will see bits of people's homes float down the river,' Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman said, warning the torrent could take three to four days to subside.            
Raw sewage began spilling into the river and creeks, prompting authorities to warn of a heightened disease risk as damaged water treatment works polluted the flood waters.    
Traffic diversion: The Ipswich motorway, west of Brisbane, is cut off by flood water. At least 22 people have so far died in the Queensland floods
Traffic diversion: The Ipswich motorway, west of Brisbane, is cut off by flood water. At least 22 people have so far died in the Queensland floods
In danger: Waters from the Brisbane River threaten the city's skyscrapers
In danger: Waters from the Brisbane River threaten the city's skyscrapers
It has been estimated that up to 45,000 people will be affected by the floods.

Dams built to protect Brisbane and outlying towns were spilling floodwaters into swollen rivers. The Port of Brisbane was closed, shutting down Australia's third-busiest container port and a five-million-tonnes-a-year coal-loading facility. 

Some of the scenes in Brisbane yesterday were surreal, with early-morning joggers trying to carry on as normal, even though parts of their routes were underwater. Others were distraught.  
'This is my whole life, everything is gone. I never thought it would get this bad,' said Kim Hung, manager of the Salt 'n' Pepper catering business, as two friends floated a coffee machine toward higher ground. 
Boats and pontoons were ripped from moorings in the Brisbane River and smashed into bridges as the muddy brown tide gathered strength.             

At flooded intersections people paddled surfboards through floodwaters, balancing their possessions on the deck of the boards, while boats ferried evacuees to dry ground.    
No escape: A trapped cow and two horses seek refuge on a rooftop
No escape: A trapped cow and two horses seek refuge on a rooftop
Sunk: An entire shopping mall is submerged outside Ipswich, west of Brisbane
Sunk: An entire shopping mall is submerged outside Ipswich, west of Brisbane
The surging, muddy waters reached the tops of traffic lights in some parts of the city.

Rescue crews took advantage of some rare sunshine yesterday afternoon to look for the dozens still missing, feared dead in the flood waters. The military is running relief flights with helicopters and C-130 transports.   
'We can take no comfort from that blue sky,' Premier Bligh said.

'The water and the rain have already done their damage. This is a deeply serious natural disaster.'

Brisbane resident Rob Minshull gave a first-person account of living through the floods.

‘Right now I’m looking at a car floating past my house,’ he said.

‘I can see fridges, furniture, sofas – there’s even been a report of a shark sighted.

‘It was a bull shark and it was spotted in a suburban street. We do have sharks in the Brisbane River; they have obviously come over the flood barriers and come looking for food.’
Life-saver: A Blackhawk army helicopter crew member carries a baby to dry land in Gatton, west of Brisbane, after she was rescued and airlifted from floodwaters
Life-saver: A Blackhawk army helicopter crew member carries a baby to dry land in Gatton, west of Brisbane, after she was rescued and airlifted from floodwaters. It appears as if the child's name has been written on her arm by the rescuers for later identification purposes
Flood waters surround a house in Lawrence. Some 200,000 people have been affected by the disaster which has caused billions of pounds of damage
Stranded: Flood waters surround a house in Lawrence. Some 200,000 people have been affected by the Queensland disaster, which has caused billions of pounds of damage
Whole buildings were washed away by the force of the water, described by meteorologists as a ‘once in a century event'. The last time Brisbane was hit by serious flooding was in 1974, when 14 people were killed.
Around the city, emergency evacuation centres were mobbed by people – many clutching their pets – who had abandoned their homes rather than risk drowning. Charity groups provided them with air mattresses and hot food.
Among those who chose to remain in and around the city there was a rising sense of panic, isolated outbreaks of violence – and even reports that a bull shark had been spotted swimming in the centre of town.
In suburbs lying just above the level of the rapidly rising Brisbane River fights broke out in supermarkets as the food began to run out.
Other ugly scenes involved a man pointing a shotgun at a police officer who tried to force him to leave his home west of Brisbane for his own good, while in other towns reports came in of homes being looted.
Rescue workers yesterday were able to reach the small town of Grantham, 60 miles west of Brisbane, which had been virtually cut off for some days. They were stunned by the destruction they found.
The town’s pub had been demolished, a house had been carried away by the flood waters, cars were piled on top of one another and mountains of debris had become trapped against trees.
Brisbane Street in Ipswich city centre has been partially submerged with deep flood water, meaning local residents have to use boats to get about
City swells: Brisbane Street in Ipswich city centre has been partially submerged with deep flood water, meaning local residents have to use boats to get about
Businesses in the Brisbane suburb of Milton sit under several feet of water after the devastating floods
Paddle-through: Businesses in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, including a McDonald's, sit under several feet of water after the devastating floods
Takeaway: A shopkeeper salvages a coffee machine from his flooded shop in the Brisbane suburb of Milton
Takeaway: A shopkeeper salvages a coffee machine from his flooded shop in the Brisbane suburb of Milton
Vast damage has also been done to Ipswich, a satellite town to the west of Brisbane, which is home to 15,000 people.            
'The water is rising and swallowing up the city. It's really heartbreaking,' said Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale.
He added that if anybody was caught looting they would be ‘used as flood markers’ – a reference to the poles placed in rivers to show the depth of the water.
A house finds its resting place after floating away in flood waters in the town of Grantham, west of Brisbane
Mobile home: A house finds its resting place after floating away in the raging floods in the town of Grantham, west of Brisbane
Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium has been flooded
Soggy pitch: Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, which hosts international rugby games, is flooded with muddy, chest-deep water
The trouble started after drenching rains in Australia's north-eastern state of Queensland that began in November sent swollen rivers spilling over their banks, inundating an area larger than France and Germany combined.
The crisis escalated when a violent storm sent a 26-foot, fast-moving torrent - described as an 'inland instant tsunami' - down the Lockyer Valley, crashing through the city of Toowoomba and smaller towns to the west of Brisbane on Monday.
The overall cost of the floods, which have covered much of Queensland for the past three weeks, is expected to be at least £10billion.
A man rescues a kangaroo that was helplessly drifting in floodwaters near the bridge at One Mile in Ipswich
Samaritan: A man rescues a kangaroo that was helplessly drifting near the bridge at One Mile in Ipswich
Police in the Brisbane inner city suburb of West End wade through water as they check for stranded residents
Door-to-door: Police in the Brisbane inner city suburb of West End wade through water as they check for stranded residents
Teenagers make their way through a flooded street in the Brisbane suburb of Breakfast Creek. Thousands of residents of Australia's third-largest city have been evacuated from their homes
Without a paddle: Teenagers make their way through a flooded street in the Brisbane suburb of Breakfast Creek. Thousands of residents of Australia's third-largest city have been evacuated from their homes
The state’s £20billion tourism sector has been devastated and food prices are rising after the floods ruined crops and hit distribution networks.
The biggest floods in a century have crippled the coking coal industry in the mining state, destroying infrastructure, putting a brake on the economy and sending the local currency to four-week lows.
Australia is the world's biggest exporter of coking coal, which is used in steel manufacturing and accounts for more than half of global exports, and is also the second-biggest exporter of thermal coal used for power generation. 
Watch this space: Floodwaters stretch towards the skyscrapers of Brisbane, seen in the distance, from the outer south-western suburbs
Watch this space: Floodwaters stretch towards the skyscrapers of Brisbane, seen in the distance, from the outer south-western suburbs
Breaking point: The swollen Brisbane River, which is struggling to contain excess water, is ready to burst its banks onto the central business district
Breaking point: The swollen Brisbane River, which is struggling to contain excess water released from local dams, is ready to burst its banks onto the central business district 
One central bank board member last night said that the disaster could cut one per cent off growth - equal to almost $13billion, double the previous highest estimate.
The Australian dollar sank to a fresh four-week low of $0.9803 on the comments from Warwick McKibbin, an academic and a member of the central bank's policy-making board.       
Treasurer Wayne Swan in November forecast GDP growth of 3.25 per cent in fiscal 2010-11, up from a three per cent projection, but said spending would be cut to ensure a surplus of A$3.1 billion or 0.2 per cent of GDP in 2012/13.  
Flood victims evacuated to the RNA Showgrounds lie down on makeshift beds. Evacuations are underway in several towns and suburbs in and around Brisbane
Shelter: Flood victims evacuated to the RNA Showgrounds lie down on makeshift beds. Evacuations are underway in several towns and suburbs in and around Brisbane
Spent: An exhausted resident of the suburb of Rocklea collapses after retrieving his family photos and other prized possessions
Spent: An exhausted resident of the suburb of Rocklea collapses after retrieving his family photos and other prized possessions
Map showing the major areas affected by the flood
Map showing the major areas affected by the flood      
Food prices are surging around the country as the floods ruin Queensland crops and distribution networks. Prices for tomatoes have leapt about 200 per cent in two weeks, while beef is up 11 per cent and wheat has risen four per cent in four months.        
Power company Energex shut power to some low-lying areas of Brisbane, including parts of the financial district, for fear that live power lines could electrify floodwaters. Some 78,000 homes in the southeast of Queensland are without electricity.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1346374/Death-toll-Australia-floods-reaches-22-water-Brisbane-swallows-city.html#ixzz1Atx4Qz7J

Friday, January 7, 2011

Aflockalypse!

It's the Aflockalypse: More mass animal deaths see thousands of fish found floating in Florida and 200 birds dead on Texas bridge

By Wil Longbottom
Last updated at 1:54 PM on 6th January 2011
  • Thousands of fish found floating in Florida after cold snap
  • 200 birds found dead on highway bridge in Texas
  • 50 dead jackdaws found on city street in Sweden
  • 100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish wash up dead on Brazilian coast
  • Hundreds of fish dead in New Zealand
  • And in Britain, 40,000 devil crabs join list of casualties
More and more animals are being found dead as the mysterious spate of mass bird and fish deaths has turned into a global phenomenon.
The latest two separate incidents saw thousands of fish found floating in a creek in Florida and 200 birds found dead on a highway bridge in Texas.
Experts were yesterday carrying out tests on around 50 jackdaws found dead in a street in Falkoping, Sweden, that appear to have suffered the same fate as thousands of their cousins who fell from the sky in separate incidents in the U.S.
dead fish in florida
Problem on a large scale: Thousands of dead fish have washed up on the shores of Spruce Creek in Port Orange, Florida
dead birds in texas
Road to nowhere: Dead birds litter a bridge on Highway 155 in Texas
  Locator map showing dead wildlife in USA, New Zealand, Sweden, England and Brazil

The plot thickens: Rescue chief Christer Olofsson holds a dead bird in Falkoping, Sweden. Dozens of jackdaws were found dead on the street
The plot thickens: Rescue chief Christer Olofsson holds a dead bird in Falkoping, Sweden. Dozens of jackdaws were found dead on the street
Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, residents found 50 to 100 jackdaws on a street in Falköping, southeast of Skövde
Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, residents found 50 to 100 jackdaws on a street in Falköping, southeast of Skövde
Flock: Two mass bird deaths within days of each other have baffled experts, with some blaming fireworks for confusing the birds or parasites
Flock: Two mass bird deaths (above, in Louisiana) within days of each other have baffled experts, with some blaming fireworks for confusing the birds or parasites
Swedish experts have said the shock of fireworks being let off near the city, in the south-east of the country, and difficulty finding food may have led to the deaths of the jackdaws.
Many of the birds are believed to have died from stress or as a result of being run over by vehicles while disoriented.
And scientists have also been left baffled by at least 100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish washing up dead along the Brazil coastline near Paranaguá.
There were more fish deaths reported today in New Zealand, while in England, the carcasses of 40,000 devil crabs are strewn across a beach in Kent.
Hundreds of dead starlings and robins were found scattered in backyards in the Kentucky town of Gilbertsville while an estimated two million dead fish have washed ashore in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
They are the latest in a spate of incidents which are being blamed on New Year fireworks, thunderstorms, cold weather, parasites and even poisoning.
The internet has been abuzz with conspiracy theories about secret government experiments being behind the deaths, or it being a sign of a looming Armageddon at the end of the Mayan calendar next year.
The mass deaths include:
  • 450 red-winged blackbirds, brown-headed cowbirds, grackles and starlings found littering a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • 3,000 blackbirds on roofs and roads in the small town of Beebe, Arkansas
  • Thousands of 'devil crabs' washed up along the Kent coast near Thanet
  • Thousands of drum fish washed along a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River
  • Tens of thousands of small fish in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
  • Thousands of dead fish found floating in warm Florida creek
  • Hundreds of snapper fish found dead in New Zealand
  • Scores of American Coots found dead on Texas highway bridge
Tests are being carried out on the dead animals, but results are not expected for several weeks.
Mystery: A starling lies along the Morganza Highway in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Experts said hundreds of birds may have died after hitting power lines
Mystery: A starling lies along the Morganza Highway in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Experts said hundreds of birds may have died after hitting power lines
Confused: A worker stoops to pick up one of the many birds' carcasses which littered Beebe, Arkansas. Numerous theories are being put forward as to what may have killed them
Confused: A worker stoops to pick up one of the many birds' carcasses which littered Beebe, Arkansas. Numerous theories are being put forward as to what may have killed them
Post mortem: Dr Brandon Doss examines dead red-winged blackbirds. Bad weather, parasites or poisoning may also have caused the mass deaths
Post-mortem examination: Dr Brandon Doss takes a close look at red-winged blackbirds brought into his lab as part of research being carried out to find out what killed them
Thousands of Brazilian fishermen are struggling to make ends meet after the sale of seafood was temporarily suspended when masses of fish were discovered dead in Paranaguá, Antonina and Guaraqueçaba Pontal do Paraná.
Experts have speculated that cold weather or chemical leaks could be behind the deaths.
Edmir Manoel Ferreira, president of the Federation of Fishermen's Colony of Parana, said the deaths had been discovered since Thursday last week.
Gruesome: New Year revellers watched in horror as the birds rained down on houses and cars in Beebe
Gruesome: New Year revellers watched in horror as the birds rained down on houses and cars in Beebe
Creepy: Thousands of dead drum fish were also discovered just miles away lining the shores of the Arkansas River
Creepy: Thousands of dead drum fish were also discovered just miles away lining the shores of the Arkansas River
'On Thursday we began to find a lot of dead fish. One community had to bury 15 tons alone.
'We are experiencing a very sad situation on the coast.'
Samples of the dead fish have been sent to the Centre for Marine Studies at the Universidade Federal do Parana.
One of the latest incidents saw thousands of fish found rotting and floating in Spruce Creek, Florida, after a period of cold weather.
Mullet, ladyfish and catfish have been washing up as winds cause the carcasses to gather on bends along the creek.
And 200 birds were found dead on a highway bridge crossing Lake O' the Pines in Big Cypress Creek, Texas.
Experts believed the birds had been hit by passing vehicles while walking or apparently trying to roost on the bridge.
The cold weather in Britain has also been blamed for the deaths of 40,000 Velvet swimming crabs - also known as 'devil' crabs - found littering beaches in Thanet.
Last year, the Environment Agency set up an inquiry into unexplained numbers of deaths amid fears a mystery virus could be to blame.
But it concluded the crab deaths were linked to the cold weather.
Tony Childs, Thanet Coast Project Manager, said: 'We had a crash in numbers last year and we hadn't expected such a large population.
'As happens with the circle of life in nature, we expect the crabs to be naturally dispersed from our shores very quickly by our local seagulls.
'We are hopeful the crab population will soon recover.'
Scientists blamed fireworks for confusing blackbirds in Beebe, Arkansas, with then crashed into homes, cars and each other as people celebrated the New Year.
Another 450 birds were also found dead along a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They are believed to have hit power lines after becoming disoriented.
Fifty of the creatures were found near a power line 30ft from Louisiana Highway 1. A second group was discovered stretched from the power line across the highway just a quarter of a mile away.
Dan Cristol, a biology professor and co-founder of the Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, said the Louisiana birds may have been ill or startled from their roost before hitting the power line.
'They don't hit a power line for no reason,' he said.
Thousands of them: Crabs washed up at Palm Bay, Margate, are thought to have died of hypothermia
Thousands of them: Crabs washed up at Palm Bay, Margate, are thought to have died of hypothermia
A healthy specimen: A live devil crab in its favourite pose, by a rock under the sea... in warmer conditions
A healthy specimen: A live devil crab in its favourite pose, by a rock under the sea... in warmer conditions
New Year's revellers spent the holiday weekend cleaning up dead red-winged blackbirds in Beebe. Some blamed the bad weather, while others said one confused bird could have led the group into a fatal plunge.
Experts in Beebe said fireworks may have caused frightened birds to fly lower than normal, where they crashed into homes and other objects.
Karen Rowe, an ornithologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said: 'The blackbirds were flying at rooftop level instead of treetop level.
'Blackbirds have poor eyesight and they started colliding with things.'
Wildlife officials in both Arkansas and Louisiana have sent the carcasses to researchers at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and the University of Georgia.
In 1999, several thousand grackle birds fell from the sky and staggered around before dying in north Louisiana.
It took five months to get the diagnosis - an E. coli infection of the air sacs in their skulls.
It comes after 100,000 drum fish were discovered in the Arkansas River, just 100 miles from Beebe.
Officials said the deaths were not related to the birds, and they had likely been affected by illness as it was one species.
They blame the deaths - affecting menhaden, spots and croakers - on the stress of cold water.
Tens of thousands of small fish have also been discovered dead in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
Another explanation was that violent thunderstorms may have disoriented the flock.
Red-winged blackbirds are among North America's most abundant birds, with somewhere between 100million and 200million nationwide, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.
A few grackles and a couple of starlings were also among the dead. Those species roost with blackbirds, particularly in winter.

Down by the (green) riverside...
Nature lovers were startled when they recently went down to the river in Goldstream Provincial Park in Vancouver Island, Canada.
For some reason, the water had turned fluorescent green.
The mysterious colouring lasted for about an hour, flowing down into the environmentally sensitive estuary.
Green green grass... and water: This river in Goldstream Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, Canada turned a mysterious colour for an hour before returning to normal
Green green grass... and water: This river in Goldstream Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, Canada turned a mysterious colour for an hour before returning to normal
And then the river, known for its dramatic salmon runs, eagles and other wildlife, was back to its normal colour.
Ministry of Environment teams have begun an investigation and samples have been collected for analysis.
No dead fish or animals have yet been found.
Although not yet confirmed, the authorities believe it was a prank carried out using water-testing dye.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344345/Animal-death-mystery-Jackdaws-Sweden-fish-Brazil-New-Zealand-crabs-England.html#ixzz1AJtO0hSx