■PAKISTAN
Security forces kill 21
A government official says security forces repulsed a militant attack against an army checkpoint in a northwestern tribal region and killed 21 insurgents. Samiullah Khan, a senior government administrator in the Orakzai region, says troops and artillery successfully defended the checkpoint. Orakzai is a Pakistani Taliban stronghold.
■INDONESIA
Sumatran rhino miscarries
An endangered Sumatran rhinoceros, whose pregnancy was hailed by conservationists, has miscarried, an Indonesian veterinarian said yesterday, adding that experts hoped she might still give birth someday. Conservationists will learn what they can from the failed pregnancy of a rhino named Ratu. Her baby would have been only the fifth known born in captivity. “We regret the loss ... but we are going to work hard in order for Ratu and Andalas to mate again,” said Andriansyah, a veterinarian at Indonesia’s Sumatra Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park on Sumatra Island. Andriansyah uses only one name, which is common in Indonesia. There are only an estimated 200 Sumatran rhinos remaining in the wild in Indonesia and Malaysia, which is half the number of 15 years ago. Another 10 live in captivity.
■JAPAN
Secretaries to talk beef
The US agriculture secretary heads to Japan this week in a renewed attempt to settle a long-running beef trade dispute that has created friction between the close allies. Japan, once the biggest buyer of US beef, stopped the imports after mad cow disease was detected in a US herd in late 2003 and has only resumed limited imports since then. Senators from US farm states have fumed that the restrictions are “scientifically unfounded,” with no new cases of the disease detected for years. During the recent controversy about Toyota’s faulty gas pedal systems, Republican Senator Mike Johanns from Nebraska charged that, by the same logic, the US could halt all Japanese car imports. Limited US imports from cattle under 20 months are allowed, except for high-risk parts such as brains and spine bones. US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is expected to push to include cattle up to 30 months old.
■NEW ZEALAND
Racing teen killed
A 15-year-old girl has died after the speedway car she was driving crashed into a concrete wall at a dirt-track meet on New Zealand’s North Island. Samantha Mouat was driving in a ministocks event at the Kaikohe Speedway on Saturday when she lost control of her vehicle. Members of Mouat’s family were among the crowd who saw the crash. Ambulance service spokesman Keith Hall said paramedics were quickly on the scene, but Mouat could not be revived.
■AUSTRALIA
Scientists to create skin
Scientists are working toward creating a living, full-thickness replacement skin for burn victims and hope to begin animal trials later this year. Research is underway to reproduce in the laboratory fully functioning skin for transplant, which could transform the lives of those left with serious burn injuries, a spokeswoman for the Sydney Burns Foundation said yesterday. Burns victims are currently treated with skin grafts. However, laboratories can only grow epidermis — the thin outer layer of skin — and this can cannot stretch, perspire, grow hair or have normal feeling or movement.
■EGYPT
Book publisher arrested
An official said police have arrested a publisher and confiscated copies of a book calling for political change and lauding the former head of the UN nuclear agency, Mohammed ElBaradei. The official said police on Saturday raided the home and business of Ahmed Mahanna, owner of Dawin publishing. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media, refused to provide details. Mahanna published the book ElBaradei and the Dream of a Green Revolution. It places hope for political change in Egypt on ElBaradei, the Nobel Peace Prize winner whom some want to see run for president.
RSS