MidWest United States, Ferocious Thunderstorms & Scorching Heat

DAN STRUMPF
AP
Scorching
Ferocious thunderstorms, heat and humidity added to the Midwest's flooding misery Friday as thousands of people returned to damaged homes, many without electricity to run fans or pumps.

Michigan was pounded for a second straight day by storms that killed a motorcyclist there and spawned a tornado that ripped out hundreds of trees.

The storm system had struck Chicago on Thursday night with a sudden downpour and 70 mph wind that tore down trees and damaged buildings. In the city's suburbs, part of an industrial facility's roof collapsed, injuring 40 people.

"Out of nowhere, the sky just went black," said Kimber Hall, 20, who was riding her bike along Chicago's Lake Michigan shore when the storm hit. "Sheets of rain. Lightning hit a tree about 25 feet away from me. A branch hit me in the face."

Friday morning, another band of thunderstorms was drenching communities from Missouri, through Iowa and into Illinois and Wisconsin.

Most of southern Iowa was under a flash flood watch through evening as as much as 8 inches of rain fell, the National Weather Service said. In Ottumwa, residents were asked to conserve water because the rain had backed up sewers and flooded a pump room at the water plant. The tap water wasn't contaminated yet, but the city's 25,000 residents were advised to boil it.

Flooding slowed drivers on northern Indiana's busy Interstate 80/94, where officials shut down a 3-mile stretch of the eastbound lands and some of the westbound lanes. Several cities were redirecting traffic because of flooded streets.

In Illinois, forecasters warned residents in the northern part of the state to prepare for flooding as another 2 inches of rain was expected Friday afternoon and evening.

"That's what we're worried about right now," said weather service meteorologist Nathan Marsili. "It could turn out to be a pretty bad flooding situation for the area."

Nearly a week of powerful storms, heavy rain and devastating flooding across the upper Midwest has damaged hundreds of homes and has been blamed for at least 17 deaths.

The powerful storms that hit Illinois blew over a tree in rural Knox County, killing one man on Thursday. In Michigan, a 77-year-old motorcyclist died when his bike hit a fallen tree in Kalamazoo County, the sheriff's office said. Flooding in Ohio was blamed for the death of a 92-year-old man who drowned trying to get to safety after his car became trapped in floodwater near Findlay.

About 310,000 homes and businesses in northern Illinois, 100,000 in Michigan and 30,000 in northern Indiana were without power afterward. ComEd spokesman Tom Stevens said it could take days to restore power for some customers north of Chicago.

While other storms lashed Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana on Thursday, hard-hit Ohio finally got a break, at least from the rain. Instead, the state got temperatures in the upper 90s, making that the cleanup from widespread flooding even more of a struggle.

In Findlay, which saw its worst flooding in nearly a century, people tried to pump water from their basements and tally their losses.

"Most of it's ruined," Joe Lamb said as he sorted through a bin of soaked NASCAR memorabilia, hosing off the mini Dale Earnhardt collector cars and tossing the rest. "Our Christmas stuff, everything."

A day earlier, firefighters and volunteers in boats and canoes had navigated the waist-deep floodwater to rescue their neighbors. Some residents were still stuck in a shelter, where 200 people slept Wednesday night.

In Chicago, a few businesses found a bright side to the storm Thursday night.

"People would not leave," said bartender Nick McCann. "We had $2 margaritas, and people were getting hammered."

About 500 flights at O'Hare International Airport were canceled Thursday evening and others delayed for more than 2 1/2 hours, Chicago Aviation Commissioner Nuria Fernandez said.

Strong wind also knocked down a hangar under construction at the Gary/Chicago International Airport leaving just "a pile of metal," Gary Jet Center president Will Davis said.

In southwestern Wisconsin, the National Guard pumped water to relieve pressure on at least one dam, said Mike Goetzman, a spokesman for Wisconsin Emergency Management. The earthen dam had been eroded earlier this week by water from the weekend thunderstorms.

Iowa officials were keeping a close eye on the Des Moines River, and In the river town of Fort Dodge, crews scrambled to shore up a levee.

At Fox Lake, in northern Illinois, residents were busy stacking sandbags to protect their houses from the rising Fox River, said Ami McEwan, assistant administrator for Lake County.

"Most of them are sandbagging and keeping it at bay," she said.

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Mel Gibson Complies With Terms Of Probation

Hollywood star Mel Gibson has complied with the terms of his probation following an arrest for drink-driving last year which saw him unleash an anti-Semitic tirade, a court heard today.

At a brief hearing in Malibu, Gibson's lawyers provided documentation showing that the 51-year-old Oscar-winning director of Braveheart had regularly attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since his arrest.

Gibson was arrested in July last year after being caught speeding along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu while drunk.

It later emerged he had made a string of anti-Semitic and sexist remarks to police officers during his arrest.

He pleaded no contest to a charge of driving under the influence and was given three years probation, ordered to pay $US1400 in fines and told to attend AA meetings for four-and-a-half months.

Gibson, who did not appear in court for today's progress hearing, has made a series of public apologies for the remarks.

Judge Lawrence Mira said Gibson must attend court for his next hearing scheduled for February 15.

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Former ABC Manager Jailed over $600,000 Fraud

A former ABC manager has been jailed for a maximum eight years for defrauding the broadcaster of more than half a million dollars.

Mark John Williams, 51, was operations manager in the ABC's news division when, over a period of two years from November 2002, he embezzled around $600,000.

Parramatta District Court was told that with the assistance of a co-accused, Peter Bell, Williams siphoned the money by issuing false invoices.

He also forged credit card signatures and used petty cash and taxi vouchers.

Williams, of Newport, pleaded guilty to the charges.

Judge Mark Marien jailed Williams for eight years, with a non-parole period of four years and nine months.

He will be eligible for parole in April 2012.

Bell, a Melbourne company director, was jailed for at least three years and 10 months, with a maximum six years and six months for his role.

He was also ordered to pay reparations of $248,088 to the ABC, while Williams owes $357,329.

Bell will be eligible for release in May 2011.

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25 Prisoners Die In Fire Incidence In Brazil

Some 25 inmates in a Brazil prison burned to death overnight after prisoners set fire to mattresses in the jail during a clash between rival gangs.

The fire broke out during a dawn riot at the prison in Ponte Nova, some 180km southeast of the city of Belo Horizonte.

"We can confirm the death of 25 prisoners,'' a spokesman for the Minas Gerais state said.

A group of prisoners escaped from one part of the prison and entered another wing of the jail where they surrounded a rival gang, setting the mattresses in cell number eight on fire, he said.

Police used water cannon and tear gas to end the riot, and officials said none of the inmates had escaped the prison during the blaze.

Security has been stepped up inside and outside the jail which houses around 175 inmates, even though its capacity is only 87.

Prison officials said the fire had completely destroyed the top floor of the building, and the prison would now be evacuated with the remaining 148 detainees, including eight women, sent to other state penitentiaries.

Observers blamed severe overcrowding for the events.

"It's a complicated situation. We are short of some 100,000 places in the country's prisons,'' Jose Carlos Brasileiro, from the Rio de Janeiro human rights office, told AFP.

"In the Miracema women's prison for example, there are eight prisoners to a cell that measures some 1.5m by 2m. The women don't even have mattresses and there are rats and cockroaches.''

"Over-crowding and boredom are behind the violence and mutinies in the prisons.''

The fire in Ponte Nova came three days after the Brazilian government launched a national program against violence.

More than 40,000 people are murdered every year across the country, and the country's Catholic church has estimated that there is a prison riot every 36 hours.

The new national security program, which mainly targets young people from poor areas, envisages building some 160 new prisons within the next four years.

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Lindsay Lohan: "My Life Has Become Completely Unmanageable"

US actor Lindsay Lohan has admitted she is addicted to alcohol and drugs after today being sentenced to 24 hours in prison for drink-driving.

Lohan will also serve 10 days of community service and complete a drug treatment program under the deal reached overnight at the Beverly Hills Superior Court.

"She's getting what everyone else would get," Los Angeles deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers said after an hour-long hearing.

Lohan was charged with seven misdemeanour counts following her twin drink-driving arrests.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said Lohan faced two counts each of driving under the influence, driving with excessive alcohol and being under the influence of cocaine.

The 21-year-old star of Herbie Fully Loaded and Georgia Rule also faced one count of reckless driving.

But Lohan, who has been enrolled in an intensive program at a Utah rehabilitation centre since her second arrest in July, was spared felony drug possession charges which could have led to a substantial prison sentence.

The district attorney's office said that while Lohan had been found in possession of cocaine at both of her arrests in May and July, the amounts involved were below the 0.05 grams required for felony charges.

Lohan released a statement today admitting she was "addicted to alcohol and drugs", Entertainment Tonight reported

"It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs. Recently, I relapsed and did things for which I am ashamed. I broke the law, and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case.

"No matter what I said when I was under the influence on the day I was arrested, I am not blaming anyone else for my conduct other than myself. I thank God I did not injure others. I easily could have.

"I very much want to be healthy and gain control of my life and career and have asked for medical help in doing so. I am taking these steps to improve my life. Luckily, I am not alone in my daily struggle and I know that people like me have succeeded. Maybe with time it will become easier. I hope so."

Lohan was first arrested on May 26 after smashing her Mercedes into a curb in Beverly Hills before being accused of driving under the influence.

Within days, Lohan had enrolled in a detox program at the Promises rehabilitation centre in Malibu.

It was her second stint in rehab of 2007; she was admitted for treatment in January after reportedly being discovered passed out in a hotel corridor following the Golden Globes awards.

However, within days of leaving rehab, Lohan was arrested for drink-driving again when she was stopped in Santa Monica on July 24.

Lohan was alleged to have chased the mother of her personal assistant, who called police to report the incident.

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Chemical Ali Threw Shiites From Helicopter

A WITNESS overnight accused "Chemical Ali", Saddam Hussein's most notorious hatchet man, of killing her sons by throwing them out of a helicopter during the crushing of an Iraqi Shiite rebellion.

Laila Kathum, testifying in the trial of 15 Saddam aides accused of crimes against humanity over the repression of the 1991 rebellion in southern Iraq, vented her fury against Ali Hassan al-Majid, widely known as "Chemical Ali".

Speaking from behind a curtain, Ms Kathum accused Saddam's army of arresting her relatives and said Majid himself had killed her two sons.

"The army detained my two sons, my brother and my niece on March 3, 1991," she told the court on the third day of the trial.

"Nine days later, my brother and niece were released and they told me that Ali Hasan al-Majid had executed my two sons."

"My niece Maitham told me that my two sons were executed by Ali Hassan al-Majid by tying their legs with a heavy brick and throwing them out of a helicopter into the Gulf."

Iraqi prosecutors allege the 15 accused oversaw the killing of up to 100,000 Shiites as Saddam's troops turned on them after their defeat at the hands of the US-led coalition forces in Kuwait in the first Gulf War.

The troops massacred people around the holy Shiite cities of Najaf and Karbala and in the Hilla and Basra regions.

Many Shiites who participated in the uprising say they had expected US forces to back them, but former US president George Bush instead ordered a halt at the Iraqi border, leaving the rebels at the mercy of Saddam's forces.

Another witness who also spoke behind the curtain and did not give his name told the court how he and his friend from Basra were tortured in prison.

He said the guards used to "count to 10 as they led us to baths".

"Anyone who missed the count and did not finish the bath used to be beaten."

He said the guards also used to "bet on who could punch us hard".

Witness Tahir Malhi Humadi said his son and daughter were killed when the army bombed his town near Basra.

"On March 19, 1991, the Republican Guards attacked and bombed my town and my son Walhan and daughter Majida were killed in the bombing," he said before chief judge Mohammed al-Khalifah al-Oreibi adjourned the trial to September 24.

Majid, Saddam's cousin and former defence minister, is the most high profile defendant in the trial.

He and two co-accused - Sultan Hashim al-Tai, also a former defence minister, and Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti, ex-armed forces deputy chief of operations - have already been sentenced to death at a previous trial for genocide and crimes against humanity.

An appeals court is reviewing the death sentences imposed on them for their role in the brutal massacres of Kurds during the so-called Anfal campaign of 1988, and is expected to give its decision soon.

If the panel upholds the sentence, the three will have to be executed within 30 days under Iraqi law. In that case, all charges against them in connection with the Shiite uprising would be dropped.

Officials say around 90 victims and witnesses are expected to testify against the defendants.

Since the March 2003 US-led invasion, experts have exhumed dozens of mass graves of victims killed in the uprising, and their reports are expected to be the key evidence during the trial.

Overnight, the Basra city council handed relatives the remains of 28 victims of the uprising who were killed and buried in a mass grave discovered recently.

"The remains were of 26 young men, a child who was less than two years old and a woman of 30," said Saleh al-Batat, a member of the council.

Shiites, a minority in the Muslim world, comprise 60 per cent of Iraq's population and were ruled for decades by Saddam's Sunni-led regime.

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Sex-Mad Koala Loaned To Australian Zoo

A sex-mad koala recruited from Scotland to teach his counterpart in an Austrian zoo about the birds and the bees is finding himself very much in demand.

When romantic music, erotic movies and aphrodisiac food failed to entice their male koala, Bilyarra, to mate with female Mirali, staff at Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo sought the help of Edinburgh Zoo's resident stud, Chumbee.

The five-year-old male koala and his super-active libido arrived on loan in the Austrian capital in March and zoo managers are confident they will soon be hearing the patter of tiny koala paws after Bilyarra started to get in on the action.

"Chumbee hasn't stopped since he got here," said Schoenbrunn Zoo manager Helmut Pechlaner.

"It has been almost non-stop sex in the koala enclosure ever since, and now even our own male is joining in."

Zoo vet Hanna Vielgrader said Chumbee could not restrain himself.

"The only break is to eat or sleep, other than that there's no stopping them," she said.

Several other zoos have been in touch in the hope Chumbee might be able to invigorate their koala colonies.

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Aussies Should Have A Say In Nuclear Plants Location

People should be able to vote in local plebiscites to choose whether their communities had nuclear power plants, Prime Minister John Howard said today.

His comment comes a day after Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile said locally binding plebiscites could decide the future of nuclear power in Australia.

Speaking at the Nepean Rowing Club in Penrith in Sydney's west, Mr Howard told reporters the nuclear question was at least a decade away.

"When the time does come for plants to be considered in particular parts of Australia, I believe local communities should be given a vote and I think having a plebiscite in a local community would be a good demonstration to the rest of the nation," he said.

Just last week, Mr Howard told parliament that commercial investors, not politicians, would determine the location of nuclear reactors.

"(It is my) opinion that in 10, 15, 20 years time, public opinion will have shifted on this issue and people will see nuclear power as a very sensible alternative," he said today.

Treasurer Peter Costello also said today that local communities should be consulted before a reactor was built in their area.

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Seven Killed In Cannabis Affected Driving

THE main cause of a crash that killed seven people in Victoria's northwest was the cannabis-affected driving of one of the motorists, a coroner has found.

Max Purdue was among the four adults and three children killed when the car he was driving smashed into a van on the Borung Highway, near Donald, on September 26, 2006.

Chief Magistrate Ian Gray said toxicological evidence showed Mr Purdue and a passenger, Dan Kelly, had been smoking cannabis before the smash.

"The principal cause of the collision was the cannabis drug-impaired driving of Maxwell Purdue," Mr Gray said.

But Mr Gray said the aspects of the road design, including signage, increased the risk of collisions at the intersection.

"This intersection was deceptive and dangerous," he said.

"I accept that the signs were appropriately positioned, but they did not, either separately or in combination, give explicitly clear warning to drivers that the intersection was dangerous."

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Postman - Key Suspect To Queen Elisabeth's Missing Mail

A POSTMAN has been arrested by British police on suspicion of stealing mail addressed to the Queen.

Citing an unidentified Royal Mail source, The Sun tabloid said the 60-year-old man was seen burying items destined for the monarch in the grounds of the Queen's Sandringham home in eastern England.

"A 60-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of intending to delay mail contrary to the Postal Services Act," a local police spokeswoman was quoted as saying by the paper.

According to The Sun, a Sandringham gamekeeper noticed a van parked in woodland that surrounded the residence, and alerted police, who set up a surveillance operation.

A spokesman for Royal Mail told the tabloid that the company had "zero tolerance" for dishonesty of that kind.

"We will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority of people who abuse their position of trust."

The man was apparently questioned by police officers before being released on bail, and has been suspended by Royal Mail.

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Unsafe Soyabeans From US Found In China

China said Wednesday it had discovered many safety problems with soybeans imported from the United States, urging US authorities to deal with the problem.

"Inspection and quarantine units in various areas have discovered a large number of quality and safety problems with imports of US soybeans," the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said.

"We have reported this to the US side, demanding that it look into the causes and adopt effective measures to ensure that a situation like this does not repeat itself," it said on its website.

It detailed a series of safety problems, including the discovery of sorghum halepense and other exotic harmful weeds among the soybeans.

There was no mention in the statement of any plan to restrict or halt imports of US soybeans.

Recent global scares over the safety of China's exports -- ranging from toys to clothes to toothpaste -- have not made major headlines in the nation's state-run media.

However, frequent reports have emerged about safety problems in goods imported into China, especially from the United States.

On Monday, China said it had returned 272 heart pacemakers imported from the United States after they failed quality inspections.

The Xinhua news agency quoted the general administration as saying the pacemakers posed potential threats to patients' lives as they could cause misdiagnoses.

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Gwen Stefani Goes Modest For Her Malaysian Show

Gwen Stefani was a good girl in Malaysia, just like she promised. The 37-year-old pop star wowed fans in Muslim-majority Malaysia on Tuesday, performing in costumes that showed almost no skin after Islamic critics claimed that her revealing clothes could corrupt the country's youth.

She burst onto the stage wearing a black leotard under a white short-sleeved shirt and black-and-white striped hot pants suit, with black gloves up to her elbows.

"I am very inspired tonight," Stefani told some 7,000 cheering fans at an indoor stadium.

She changed costumes for every song, remaining fully covered as she belted out tunes such as "The Sweet Escape," "Rich Girl," "Wind it Up" and "Hollaback Girl."

Stefani had promised to dress modestly after the 10,000-member National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students charged that her skimpy outfits and cheeky performances clashed with Islamic values.

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The opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party also accused her of promoting promiscuity and corrupting the country's youth.

In an interview with Galaxie, a local entertainment magazine, Stefani said she had made many changes for Malaysia, calling it a "major sacrifice."

"I've been in the music industry for 20 years and this is the first time that I'm facing opposition from people who have misunderstood me," she was quoted as saying.

"I'm not a bad girl," she said.

Media photographers weren't allowed to take pictures for copyright reasons, and those attending the show had to leave their cameras outside.

Most fans in the stadium said protesters had gone overboard with their criticism.

"I think they were making a big ho-ha for no reason.

Even the local artists, they dress even much worse, much more indecent," said Denise Chan, a 15-year-old ethnic Chinese.

Fans also said Stefani had shown respect for Malaysia's cultural values.

"All international artists have to dress down a bit to respect our religion," said Linda Yusof, 33, a Malay Muslim.


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Under government guidelines, a female artist must be covered from the top of her chest, including shoulders, to her knees. No jumping, shouting or throwing of objects onstage or at the audience is allowed. Performers also cannot hug or kiss, and their clothes must not have obscene or drug-related images or messages.

Ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60 percent of Malaysia's population of 26 million, with ethnic Chinese, who are Christians and Buddhists, making up 25 percent. Ethnic Indians, most of them Hindus, are about 10 percent.

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Mars Petcare Recall Dog Food Over Salmonella

Some bags of Krasdale Gravy dry dog food may be contaminated with salmonella, which could affect both pets and their owners, Mars Petcare U.S., Inc. announced Tuesday. The company is recalling the product and asking pet owners who purchased it to throw it away and bring the bags in for a refund.

The new recall applies to five-pound bags of dog food sold in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania with the UPC code 7513062596 and a "best by" date of July 16, 2008 or July 17, 2008, according to a news release from the company.

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The announcement follows a massive pet food recall in March, when an unknown number of pets were sickened or died after eating products made in China that included the chemical melamine _ a contaminant that's a byproduct of several pesticides.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and cats. Pets with the infections could be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting.

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Even healthy animals with the infection can pass it to other animals or humans, who could experience the same symptoms. Salmonella is especially dangerous to children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems.

Food and Drug Administration officials detected salmonella in a sample of the product during a recent review, prompting the voluntary recall from the company.

Two spokeswomen for the company did not immediately return phone calls.

A list of previously recalled dog foods by the FDA are:
ALPO
Americas Choice, Preferred Pet
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Blue Buffalo (RICE GLUTEN)

Bruiser
Cadillac
Canine Caviar Pet Foods (RICE GLUTEN)
Champion Breed Lg Biscuit
Champion Breed Peanut Butter Biscuits
Co-Op Gold
Companion
Companion's Best Multi-Flavor Biscuit
Compliments
Costco/Kirkland Signature (RICE GLUTEN)
Demoulas Market Basket
Diamond Pet Food
Diamond Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Doctors Foster & Smith
Doctors Foster & Smith (RICE GLUTEN)
Dollar General
Eukanuba Can Dog Chunks in Gravy
Eukanuba Pouch Dog Bites in Gravy
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Gravy Train
Grreat Choice
Hannaford
Happy Tails
Harmony Farms (RICE GLUTEN)
Harmony Farms Treats (RICE GLUTEN)
Health Diet Gourmet Cuisine
Hill Country Fare
Hy Vee
Hy-Vee
Iams Can Chunky Formula
Iams Can Small Bites Formula
Iams Dog Select Bites
Jerky Treats Beef Flavored Dog Snacks
La Griffe
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Master Choice
Meijer's Main Choice
Mighty Dog
Mixables
Mulligan Stew Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Balance (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Life
Natural Way
Nu Pet
Nutriplan
Nutro
Nutro - Ultra
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nuture
Ol' Roy
Ol' Roy 4-Flavor Lg Biscuits
Ol' Roy Canada
Ol' Roy Peanut Butter Biscuits
Ol' Roy Puppy
Ol'Roy US
Paws
Perfect Pals Large Biscuits
Performatrin Ultra
Pet Essentials
Pet Life
Pet Pride / Good n Meaty
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority Canada
Priority US
Publix
Roche Brothers
Royal Canin (RICE GLUTEN)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (RICE GLUTEN)
Save-A-Lot Choice Morsels
Schnuck's
Schnucks
Shep
Shep Dog
Shop Rite
SmartPak (RICE GLUTEN)
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Brothers
Stater Brothers Large Biscuits
Stop & Shop Companion
Tops Companion
Triumph
Truly
Weis Total Pet
Western Family Canada
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet

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Dog Food in Wal-Mart Stores Found Tainted With Melamine

Walmart quietly stopped selling two brands of Chinese imported dog treats after customers complained the treats sickened their dogs. Wal-Mart is the latest US firm to get embroiled in the quality problems with Chinese products.

Tests of two Chinese brands of dog treats sold at Wal-Mart stores found traces of melamine, a chemical agent that led to another massive pet food recall in March, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Wal-Mart quietly stopped selling Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading in July, after customers said the products sickened their pets. Company spokeswoman Deisha Galberth said 17 sets of tests done on the products found melamine, a contaminant that's a byproduct of several pesticides.

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"There were very small amounts of melamine found," Galberth told The Associated Press. "The amounts were so small the laboratory recommended more testing."

Galberth said she couldn't say if the amount would be enough to sicken or kill a dog that ate the suspect products. Philadelphia television station WPVI reported last week that a woman claimed her 2-year-old Chihuahua died after eating some of the products. The station reported that an autopsy found the dog died of an infection caused by toxic bacteria.

Galberth said the world's largest retailer would expand its testing of the jerky strips to see if tests detected melamine. A statement Tuesday by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said customers should be especially wary of jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading with the UPC number 0087784900006 and an item number 839751.

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The Bentonville-based company has urged customers who bought one of the products to return it to the nearest store for a full recall.

The Food and Drug Administration did not list the two products on its recall Web site Tuesday. As recently as 2005, the Food and Drug Administration blocked some pet treat imports from Pingyang Pet Product Co. because of contamination with salmonella.

Galberth said she was not aware of the FDA's previous concerns with Pingyang Pet Product Co., but said the company was working with the FDA and manufacturers. She said she did not immediately know where the Chinese companies were based.

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Wal-Mart pulled the products from shelves July 26 and placed a computerized block on all cash registers to prevent workers from selling the products. Galberth said she did not know how many stores sold the treats.

"Generally, we won't do a pull-and-hold unless most stores are impacted," she said. "There's a high likelihood many of our stores would have been impacted by this one."

A list of previously recalled dog foods are:

ALPO
Americas Choice, Preferred Pet
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Blue Buffalo (RICE GLUTEN)
Bruiser
Cadillac
Canine Caviar Pet Foods (RICE GLUTEN)
Champion Breed Lg Biscuit
Champion Breed Peanut Butter Biscuits
Co-Op Gold
Companion
Companion's Best Multi-Flavor Biscuit
Compliments
Costco/Kirkland Signature (RICE GLUTEN)
Demoulas Market Basket
Diamond Pet Food
Diamond Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Doctors Foster & Smith
Doctors Foster & Smith (RICE GLUTEN)
Dollar General
Eukanuba Can Dog Chunks in Gravy
Eukanuba Pouch Dog Bites in Gravy
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Gravy Train
Grreat Choice
Hannaford
Happy Tails
Harmony Farms (RICE GLUTEN)
Harmony Farms Treats (RICE GLUTEN)
Health Diet Gourmet Cuisine
Hill Country Fare
Hy Vee
Hy-Vee
Iams Can Chunky Formula
Iams Can Small Bites Formula
Iams Dog Select Bites
Jerky Treats Beef Flavored Dog Snacks
La Griffe
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Master Choice
Meijer's Main Choice
Mighty Dog
Mixables
Mulligan Stew Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Balance (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Life
Natural Way
Nu Pet
Nutriplan
Nutro
Nutro - Ultra
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nuture
Ol' Roy
Ol' Roy 4-Flavor Lg Biscuits
Ol' Roy Canada
Ol' Roy Peanut Butter Biscuits
Ol' Roy Puppy
Ol'Roy US
Paws

Perfect Pals Large Biscuits
Performatrin Ultra
Pet Essentials
Pet Life
Pet Pride / Good n Meaty
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority Canada
Priority US
Publix
Roche Brothers
Royal Canin (RICE GLUTEN)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (RICE GLUTEN)
Save-A-Lot Choice Morsels
Schnuck's
Schnucks
Shep
Shep Dog
Shop Rite
SmartPak (RICE GLUTEN)
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Brothers
Stater Brothers Large Biscuits
Stop & Shop Companion
Tops Companion
Triumph
Truly
Weis Total Pet
Western Family Canada
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet

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Crocodile Smuggler Busted By Chinese Police

Chinese police have caught a smuggler trying to bring 70 crocodiles into the country, state media reports.
The haul of crocs, each about 70 centimetres and weighing 1.5kg, along with baby turtles was made in Guangdong province in the country's far south, a part of the world where locals have famously adventurous eating habits.
But the report by Xinhua news agency said the crocodiles were "ornamental" and were caught with 3,000 baby turtles in the port city of Zhuhai. It did not say where they came from or what happened to the smuggler.
Southern China has long been the favourite stamping ground of smugglers who, before a crackdown several years ago, easily slipped cars, televisions, luxury goods, and even dismantled bowling alleys into the country.
The captured animals have been handed over to quarantine officials who will test them for disease and "assess their environmental impact," the report said.

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100-Man Mob Attack Police Station In England

A 100-STRONG mob attacked a police station in eastern England overnight hurling beer and wine bottles at the building after three people were arrested as they headed towards a nearby illegal music event, officers said.
The "major incident" broke out at the building in the coastal resort of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk shortly after midnight after police detained three people on suspicion of driving a vehicle carrying sound equipment.
Soon afterwards officers said they were called to an unlicensed music party taking place at a warehouse in the town's Harfreys industrial estate.
More than 100 officers from Norfolk and three neighbouring counties were brought in to deal with the trouble.
Chief Superintendent Bob Scully said the three detained people were not involved in the "shameful" attack on the police station during which officers had narrowly avoided "serious injury".
But he said the two incidents were linked.
"We acted swiftly to control the situation and to restore order. What occurred was entirely unacceptable, large scale antisocial behaviour carried out by a large group of people, and is inexcusable," Supt Scully said.
Police said they had arrested 15 people outside the police station and at the warehouse, premises belonging to Thermaglow, a company that makes electric heating elements.
The arrests were for public order offences, possession of illegal drugs and taking a vehicle without consent.
Officers, who also seized 44 vehicles, were also investigating a burglary at Thermaglow, where a "substantial amount of property" was missing.

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Friends, Family Members and Dignitaries Mourn Merv Griffin in Beverly Hills

Hundreds of friends, family members and dignitaries gathered in Beverly Hills on Friday to mourn the death of entertainer Merv Griffin, including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former first lady Nancy Reagan.
Griffin, a former television talk show host and creator of popular game shows "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune," died earlier this week of complications from cancer at age 82.
He hosted "The Merv Griffin Show" for more than 20 years on TV, and was known for his wit, charm and friendly demeanor as he chatted with Hollywood's biggest stars.
Speaking to a packed church, Schwarzenegger remembered his first appearance on Griffin's show in 1974, when the actor-turned-politician was still a champion bodybuilder.
"My English wasn't that good at the time -- not that it is perfect today -- but it was scary to get on his show because it was the first talk show I'd ever done in America," said Austrian-born Schwarzenegger. "But I tell you that he took really good care of me."
Reagan, a longtime friend of Griffin, sat in the front row with the entertainer's son, Tony, his wife and kids. Behind them were Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver.
Hollywood celebrities included Pat Sajak and Vanna White, who both star on "Wheel of Fortune," as well as "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek. Also at the funeral service were actors Dick Van Dyke, Jack Klugman and Dick Van Patten.
Rev. George O'Brien of the Church of the Good Shepherd, where the memorial service was held, also noted Griffin's grace and wit when eulogizing the well-liked entertainer.
"In a world where there is precious little affability and friendship and concern and compassion ... his life is a reminder that maybe we ought to act differently," O'Brien said.
Griffin rose to fame singing the 1950 novelty hit "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," and he spent 23 years hosting the talk show that for years was the most successful syndicated U.S. TV program.
He parlayed his celebrity into a billion-dollar fortune as a businessman, owning game shows and developing numerous hotels, resorts and other real estate ventures.
In mid-July, Griffin entered a Beverly Hills hospital after being diagnosed earlier this year with a recurrence of prostate cancer that he had beaten more than a decade ago.

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Australia Shipping Uranium To India To Boost Its Nuclear Capability

AUSTRALIA has decided to start uranium shipments to India with the condition that Australian inspectors be allowed to check on-site that the yellowcake is used only for peaceful purposes and electricity generation.
The Australian nuclear safety inspectors would check the "chain of supply" of nuclear material from Australia to India to ensure none was siphoned off into weapons programs.
India not a signatory to nuclear treaty

The National Security Committee of federal cabinet decided last night, after more than two hours, to allow the uranium shipments to India, despite the subcontinental nuclear power not signing the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Australia has only recently decided to ship uranium to China for the first time.
The National Security Committee discussed ways for Australia to export uranium to India without contributing to nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan or assisting the spread of nuclear weapons.
John Howard will contact his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, who is also Minister for Atomic Energy, to explain the conditions before formally announcing the agreement.
The cabinet committee was under pressure to both allow India access to uranium - a process the US has offered to assist with - and defend its record on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Howard to contact Indian PM
It is understood Mr Howard will be personally contacting Mr Singh as soon as possible.
Labor has accused the Howard Government of being prepared to water down strict controls on uranium exports and move away from the international agreements limiting nuclear weapons.
Pakistan has also asked for uranium to power its domestic electricity grid if India is sold it.
The Australian Government wants to help India with its peaceful energy needs but does not want to contribute to the nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan.
The decision comes as the ALP has committed to a scare campaign over nuclear power reactor sites in Australia.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said yesterday the fact India already had nuclear weapons meant "there is no risk" of contributing to nuclear proliferation by exporting uranium to the energy-hungry economy.
"I think the reverse in fact is the case - that the more you can get the India civil nuclear program under UN inspections and under the UN protocols of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the better," Mr Downer told the ABC.
"I think that creates a safer and more secure environment for those power stations."
Labor attacks export plan
Labor foreign affairs spokesman Rob McClelland said any step towards uranium exports to India would be moving away from the NPT signed by Australia.
"We see that the Government is prepared to further undermine the NPT by selling uranium to India while that country remains outside the non-proliferation regime," he told the UN Association of Australia last night.
"The bottom line is that the Howard Government is worse than ambivalent when it comes to nuclear non-proliferation - it is positively obstructive."
Even the uranium industry has reserved judgment on the Government's support for uranium exports to India until it hears how the NPT can be protected.
Michael Angwin, executive director of the Australian Uranium Association, said Australia's policy of exporting uranium only to signatories to the treaty had been successful to date.
India now needs to win IAEA approval of its planned safeguards, the support of an international grouping of nuclear suppliers, and ratification of its nuclear co-operation agreement with the US. Only then can it do a bilateral deal with Australia to allow the uranium trade and start negotiating with local miners.
Last week Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs, Ejaz ul-Haq, said Australia should consider selling uranium to Pakistan as well. He rejected concerns Islamabad would use the uranium in nuclear weapons.
But Mr Downer ruled out selling uranium to Pakistan.

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World's Oldest Person, Dies At 114

The world's oldest person, a Japanese woman who counted eating well and getting rest as her hobbies, has died Monday at age 114, a news report said.
Yone Minagawa, a widow who lived in a nursing home but was still sprightly late in life, died "of old age" Monday evening, Kyodo News reported.
There was no immediate answer to a telephone call placed to city hall in her town in southern Fukuoka prefecture.
Born on January 4, 1893, Ms Minagawa was already in her 50s when Japan surrendered in World War II.
She had been certified as the world's oldest person by the Guinness Book of World Records after Emma Faust Tillman, the daughter of freed American slaves, died in January.
Despite her advanced age, Ms Minagawa was said to enjoy eating sweets and counted eating well and getting a good night's sleep as the secrets of her longevity.
Her nursing home said Ms Minagawa had celebrated becoming the world's oldest person earlier this year with a Western-style lunch of bread, stew, salad and a dessert.
Japanese women are the world's oldest living people, in what experts attribute to a traditionally healthy diet and high standard of medical care.
Their life expectancy was a record 85.81 years in 2006, the government says.

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Flat-Chested Paris Hilton Gets A New Look

SHE vowed she'd never get plastic surgery , but famously flat-chested Paris Hilton has raised eyebrows with her newly heavy chest.

Hilton says it's a booster swimsuit featuring an internal push-up bra that has emphasised her newly curvaceous figure.

But speculation is rife that the heiress has gone under the knife, despite declaring her anti-surgery stance last year.

Hilton once considered breast augmentation surgery before being talked out of it by her father, Rick.

At the time she said: "I don't need it and I would never get it. It's gross - and it always ends up looking really fake. But if a girl is miserable and that's the only way to make her happy, then that's fine.

"Years ago I asked my dad for a boob job and he said it would cheapen my image. So I decided not to do it."

Hilton, 26, who was released from jail in June, has been criticised for trying to attract further attention by altering her body shape.

Apart from a stream of media commentary in the US and Britain, Hilton's changing body shape has prompted a barrage of comments on the internet.

"Her only talent is attracting attention," wrote one fan on a Hilton website.
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