■THAILAND
Zoo in new insemination bid
A zoo has again resorted to artificial insemination of its giant pandas after pornography, low-carb diets and even a spell out in the cold failed to inspire the pair. Chiang Mai zoo’s Chuang Chuang and partner Lin Hui have showed no interest in reproducing since they arrived from China in 2003. But determined zoo officials, despite failing in a previous attempt at sperm donation two years ago, said they were hopeful a second try could finally produce a cub. Hopes were first raised among zoo officials this year when cold weather in January prompted an unusually frisky response from Lin Hui. Authorities took the pair out of their usual climate-controlled environment in the hope that the chilly climes would provoke a steamy response during the pandas’ mating season.In 2006 Chuang Chuang, who had been deemed too heavy to mate with Lin Hui, lost 7kg on a low-carb diet, and was shown video clips of pandas mating, to no avail.
■NEW ZEALAND
Manilow versus mall rats
The city of Christchurch hopes that putting US crooner Barry Manilow’s tones into the mix of music to be broadcast through the central mall district can pacify unruly teens who congregate there. “The intention is to change the environment in a positive way ... so nobody feels threatened or intimidated,” Central City Business Association manager Paul Lonsdale said. “I did not say Barry Manilow is a weapon of mass destruction.” A group of young people regularly get intoxicated, use drugs, swear and intimidate patrons at the outdoor mall, he said. The city council, police and local property owners agree that easy listening music might change the teens’ behavior.
■NEW ZEALAND
Pensioner fights off intruder
A pensioner fought off a 15-year-old intruder who broke a window at her Hamilton home by hitting him over the head three times with a rolling pin, police said yesterday. She called police who found the youth crying after he had wet his pants, said Constable Chris Mankelow. “He’d had a wee accident and stripped down to his boxers and was pretty keen to be taken away,” he said.
■AUSTRALIA
Body image a big problem
The government yesterday commissioned a group of fashion industry leaders to address “epidemic” levels of body dissatisfaction among the country’s youth. The group will develop a voluntary code of practice for portraying body image in the media. The clear labeling of digitally retouched or modified images, greater diversity of body shapes and sizes and mandatory model age limits are among the issues under consideration by the group.
■AUSTRIA
Official charged over death
German state premier Dieter Althaus was charged with manslaughter by negligence after being involved in a fatal skiing accident in Austria, a prosecutor in the Austrian town of Leoben said on Monday. According to a press release by prosecutor Walter Ploebst, Althaus had submitted written testimony in which he “assumed responsibility for the death of Beata Christandl,” who died after colliding with Althaus on a slope in the province of Styria on New Year’s Day. According to the prosecution, Althaus had entered onto a slope against the direction of traffic shortly before crashing into the Slovakian-born woman, who died of severe head injuries.
■UNITED KINGDOM
Speeding dad jailed
A motorcyclist has been sentenced to six months in jail after he was caught speeding at 196kph with his 14-year-old son clinging to the back. A police video shows Robert Bennett speeding down a road in southern England. Police clocked the motorcycle going more than twice the 60mph (97kph) limit. It also showed images of Bennet’s son, who was not wearing proper protective gloves or pants. Attorney David Sapiecha says Bennett was going that speed for less than 1km and that he was sorry.
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