| May 20 , 2008 |
| HIGHLIGHTS |
World Malaria Day
25 April 2008 marks the first World Malaria Day. Initially known as Africa Malaria Day from 2001–2007, it was designed to raise global awareness of the disease. However in May 2007, the World Health Assembly concluded that global awareness still remained low, despite malaria’s high death toll and financial costs. Hence, the Assembly deemed April 25 an international annual event to educate the general public on the disease and on ways malaria can be prevented. |
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Greenpeace Efforts to Protect Marine Life
A Taiwanese shipping vessel was escorted out of international waters near the Solomon Islands after Greenpeace activists discovered tuna and hundreds of frozen shark fins and tails onboard. The activists on board the Greenpeace vessel, Esperanza, embarked Nian Sheng 3 on April 21 to inspect its contents as part of Greenpeace efforts to preserve the Pacific Commons.
Greenpeace reports that each year, an estimated one million sharks are caught as bycatch when fishermen fish for tuna in the Western and Central Pacific. However, activists report that the fishermen do not throw the sharks immediately back into the water, but rather cut their fins and tails off before throwing the rest of the body back into the sea to die. Greenpeace reports that the Taiwan’s tuna fleet operations in the Western and Central Pacific have led to overfishing in the region and may cause both the bigeye and yellowfin tuna to face extinction. |
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Congratulations to Munem Wasif!
ASIAN Geographic’s contributor Munem Wasif (“Toil Tale”, Black & White photo annual) is a Silver Prize winner in the Daily Life and Excellence Award in War and Disaster News category of China International Press. He has also won Honourable Mention in “Environmental Picture
Story and Enterprise Picture Story” under “The Best of
Photojournalism” category. |
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Cyclone Nargis Claims Nearly 22,500 Lives
The death toll from Cyclone Nargis has been raised to nearly 22,500 with 41,000 still missing as of 7 May 2008 reported the Myanmar’s military government. The massive storm surge that swept into Yangon on 2 May is considered the worst disaster in Burma’s history.
United Nations’ World Food Programme has started emergency relief operations by doling out rice in Yangon, in addition to the first batch of more than $10 million worth of foreign aid that arrived from Thailand. However, a lack of specialised equipment slowed distribution.
Foreign aid are still continuously pouring in, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in New York stating that it was
prepared to make available a $5 million grant from its central emergency response fund. |
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Tiger Cubs Spotted in Indian Sanctuary
Fourteen tiger cubs have been sighted regularly over the past few weeks in Ranthambore National Park in western Rajasthan, India. This is a rare piece of good news in the country’s fight to protect its dwindling population of tigers from poachers and habitat destruction. The cubs are reported to be around three-and-a-half months old and they belong to six or seven different mothers.
There are also two more pregnant tigresses that are under close surveillance to ensure that they are safe from poachers, as the threat of being poached still remains for the tigers both inside and outside the parks. www.planetark.com |
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Olympus - Orpheus Dive Underwater Shootout
Held from 20–23 March 2008, Olympus Imaging Singapore in collaboration with Orpheus Dive held their inaugural Olympus – Orpheus Dive Underwater Shootout. The event held at Flora Bay Resort, Perhentian was designed for scuba divers who have not taken into underwater photography to be given a chance for trial and be introduced to the simplicity of underwater photography with Olympus’s compact digital cameras. Equiped with cameras sponsored by Olympus, the participants captured their dive moments and the beautiful underwater life for their first time. Winning entries were rewarded with generous sponsorships from the organisers and a new batch of underwater photographers was born. |
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Japan Sets Goal to Cut Emissions by 2050
Japan, the world’s fifth biggest polluter, will announce its target in June for a reduction in domestic greenhouse gas emissions of 60–80 percent from current levels by the year 2050. This target is higher than Japan’s current proposal to halve emissions by 2050 and is aimed at boosting its leadership in climate talks as host of the Group of Eight summit in July, reported the Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun newspapers.Nikki said Japan has plans to create a carbon credit exchange, where companies can trade emission rights.
Japan’s proposal for a “sectoral approach” to targets, sets greenhouse gas curbs on industries such as steel and cement. China said the approach was an essential tool in combating climate change but stopped short of a full endorsement. The Mainichi Shimbun said African nations would support Japan’s proposal and welcomes its plans to provide $10 billion to aid developing countries fight climate change. |
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