The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 38 years old. The person has a postgraduate / professional degree. The person earns 42000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 3.5 in openness, 7.0 in conscientiousness, 6.5 in extraversion, 5.5 in agreeableness, and 6.5 in stability.

Bid for strongest protection for all African elephants defeated at wildlife summit —  A bid to give the highest level of international legal protection to all African elephants was defeated on Monday at a global wildlife summit. But the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), meeting this week in Johannesburg, passed other new measures for elephants that conservationists say will add vital protection. All 182 nations agreed for the first time that legal ivory markets within nations must be closed. Separately, a process that could allow one-off sales of ivory stockpiles was killed and tougher measures to deal with nations failing to control poached ivory were agreed. More than 140,000 of Africa’s savannah elephants were killed for their ivory between 2007 and 2014, wiping out almost a third of their population, and one elephant is still being killed by poachers every 15 minutes on average. The price of ivory has soared threefold since 2009, leading conservationists to fear the survival of the species is at risk. Ambitious Great Elephant Census finds nearly one-third of continent’s largest elephants were wiped out between 2007-14, largely due to poaching for ivory The acrimonious debate over elephant poaching has split African countries. Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, which host about a third of all remaining elephants, have stable or increasing populations. They argue passionately that elephant numbers are also suffering from loss of habitat and killings by farmers and that they can only be protected by making money from ivory sales and trophy hunting. However, a group of 29 African nations, which host about 40% of all elephants and are led by Kenya and Benin, have smaller and plummeting populations and countered that poaching and the illegal trade in ivory is the greatest threat. Most African elephants already have the highest level of international legal protection – a Cites “appendix 1” listing – which bans all trade. But the elephants in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, are listed on “appendix 2”, a lower level of protection. On Monday a proposal to add the elephants in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana to appendix 1 was defeated. Critics said the proposal would do little to protect elephants as all international trade is already banned, but proponents argued it was a crucial signal to poachers and criminals of a global crackdown on the illegal ivory trade. Botswana has the world’s largest elephant population, about a third of all elephants, and it is growing. But it broke ranks with Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe and argued vehemently for appendix 1 protection. Tshekedi Khama, Botswana’s minister of environment, said: “There is concerning evidence that elephant poaching is moving south. The criminal networks that facilitate much of this trade are highly organised and fluid, operating over several regions in the continent. Therefore no population should be considered secure. Put simply, a threat to elephants anywhere is a threat to elephants everywhere.” The Cote D’Ivoire delegate said it was absurd to have some elephants on appendix 1 and some on appendix 2: “An elephant that crosses a border may have protection on one side and not on the other. Elephants do not have passports.” Lee White, the British-born director of Gabon’s national parks and Cites delegate, said poachers were now shooting on sight at his rangers. The upgrading of all elephants to the highest protection would have sent “a signal that we will come down as hard on poaching as we do on the trafficking of drugs, arms and people”. However, Namibia’s delegate threatened to withdraw entirely from Cites protections for elephants if the all populations were upgraded the highest levels. “It is completely fallacious that legal ivory trade covers illegal trade,” he said, a statement flatly rejected by other nations. South Africa’s environment minister, Edna Molewa, said rural communities must benefit from elephants if they are to tolerate the damage caused to crops and the lives sometimes lost. “We dare not ignore their voices,” she said. “Trophy hunting is the best return on investment [in elephant protection] with the least impact.” The EU, which with 28 votes is a powerful force at Cites, also opposed the upgrade to appendix 1. It said that Cites rules meant the highest level protection is reserved for populations that are in steep decline, and that this did not apply to the elephants in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Some scientific and conservation groups agreed with this, including WWF, Traffic and the Zoological Society of London, arguing the integrity of the Cites was at risk. The EU delegate to Cites said: “The proposal does not meet the biological criteria. [But] this does not mean in any way we are not concerned about the decline of elephants across the continent.” Several nations said cutting the demand for ivory, through education, and better enforcement against poachers were key. The issue was forced to a vote and was defeated, leaving the southern African elephants on appendix 2. Earlier on Monday, Namibia and Zimbabwe had attempted to legalise the trade in ivory from those countries. Namibia said its elephant population had doubled to 20,000 in the last 15 years. Charles Jonga, from the Campfire Programme, a rural development group in Zimbabwe, told the Cites summit: “The people in my community say: ‘These elephants they eat our crops, they damage our houses, what benefit do we get?’ If they get benefits, they will protect and not poach.” But Patrick Omondi, Kenya’s delegate, said: “Poaching levels and trafficking in ivory are at their highest peak. History has shown the ivory trade cannot be controlled. We are reaching a tipping point and need to give elephants time to recover.” Both Namibia’s and Zimbabwe’s proposals, supported by Japan but opposed by the EU and US, were soundly defeated. Observers believe Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa did not expect to unpick the ban on the ivory trade at this summit, but wanted to keep the debate open, in the hope of future success. Another proposal, from Swaziland, to legalise the trade in its rhino horn was heavily defeated. Advertisement Many conservation groups wanted all elephants to get the highest protection, but Tom Milliken, an elephant expert from wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic, said: “Where elephants fall on the Cites appendices is inconsequential to their survival. All the paper protection in the world is not going to compensate for poor law enforcement, rampant corruption and ineffective management.” He said the real success of the summit were measures to crack down on countries failing to halt illegal trade. But Kelvin Alie, at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said the failure to put all elephants on appendix one was a disaster: “This is a tragedy for elephants. At a time when we are seeing such a dramatic increase in the slaughter of elephants for ivory, now was the time for the global community to step up and say no more.”

I find it sad that elephants are still being poached and killed just for their tusks.  Like some of the experts said though I'm not sure how much difference this action would have made.  I think they need to focus more on cracking down on poachers and enforcing that behavior as well as the ivory trade.  Really I don't know enough about this topic to comment on it in an intelligent way.  Supposedly the elephant populations are growing and a nuisance to the local people?  I find that surprising, but I guess it is better that they are growing than declining.


The person is male. Racially, the person is hispanic / latino. The person is 32 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 35000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 5.0 in openness, 5.5 in conscientiousness, 2.0 in extraversion, 5.5 in agreeableness, and 4.5 in stability.

I feel sad that elephants can't even be protected how they should be. The fact that a bid to give them high level protection was defeated tells me that money rules overall and it has been that way and will always be that way and it is something I can not just grasp my head around and accept as a fact of life because it just is not fair.


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 46 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 22000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 5.5 in openness, 6.5 in conscientiousness, 2.5 in extraversion, 5.0 in agreeableness, and 5.0 in stability.

The killing of elephants for ivory just makes me so angry. I can't help but wonder if anyone is really taking the possible extinction of them seriously. While the poachers are a definite problem, I think we need to also be worried about those that are buying the ivory. If we remove the demand, perhaps that will go a long way to helping stop the killing. I think cracking down on both sides of this issue is the only way we will see real change.


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 27 years old. The person has a went to technical / vocational school. The person earns 25000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.0 in openness, 6.0 in conscientiousness, 6.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 6.0 in stability.

Any tyoe of animal poaching and killing just really hurts my heart. It is disgusting that this kind of thing is still happening and that not everyone can agree to fiercly protect these gentle giants. I get that these countries are poor and this kind of hunting and trading brongs in big money for them but I think they need to look at the bigger picture and more countries should help build these countries up in others ways so they dont have to rely on this for there people and economy. I also agree with the conservationist that say all the paper laws in the world cant cut down on the killings if you dont control illigal trade that is were the focus needs to stay on.


It is sad to hear what is happening with the elephants.  Seems they are innocent victims here and nobody is doing much to help out.  It seems too like a problem with such a huge scope that there is not much people can do.  It is sad that they are suffering, I don't think any animals should have to suffer at the hands of humans especially just for the need to make money which is all this was avbout.  Really a tragedy.


Horrific crash kills Yu Xu, 1st woman to fly China's J-10 fighter —  One of China's first female fighter pilots and a member of the country's air force aerobatics team was killed in a training accident over the weekend, according to Chinese state-run media.   Capt. Yu Xu, 30, died Saturday during a routine training flight with the aerobatics team, according to the reports. The Chinese military did not provide details of the accident in Hebei province, but state-run media, citing military sources and witnesses, said Yu ejected from her aircraft after it collided with another during the training. After the ejection, the wing of another plane hit Yu, killing her, according to a report from China Daily. Yu's male co-pilot ejected safely and survived, the report said. The other jet also landed safety. The flight data recorder, or black box, from Yu's jet was recovered as authorities investigate the accident, China Daily reported. Yu: 'I have become a real fighter pilot' Yu was the first of four women who are certified to fly the J-10, a single-engine multi-role jet that entered service in 2004 and is considered the first Chinese domestic fighter to rival Western fighters in its capabilities. Yu flew a J-10 fighter with China's August 1st Aerobatics Team. Her last performance was at Airshow China in Zhuhai earlier this month. J-10 fighters from China's August 1st aerobatics team perform at Airshow China in Zhuhai on November 4, 2016. The show was Capt. Yu Xu's last public performance. J-10 fighters from China's August 1st aerobatics team perform at Airshow China in Zhuhai on November 4, 2016. The show was Capt. Yu Xu's last public performance. "I think the acrobatics are quite difficult, with high requirements and standards made in all aspects. Our condition is quite satisfactory, but we need more trainings if we want to be better," Yu said of her performances in an interview with China's CCTV. Yu, 30, joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in September 2005. She qualified as a fighter pilot in 2009 and qualified to fly the J-10 in 2012, when she soloed in the fighter. A Chinese Air Force J-10 fighter on display an Airshow China in Zhuhai November 2016. A Chinese Air Force J-10 fighter on display an Airshow China in Zhuhai November 2016. "I'm quite happy with myself, because this solo flight means that I have become a real fighter pilot," she told CCTV. Wan Ying, a friend of Yu's, told CNN that Yu was "a very positive, humble and nice person who loved taking care of friends." She was also an avid reader, Wan said.  Wan said she and Yu had talked only two days before the deadly crash about meeting up for dinner. Capt. Yu Xu described herself as "a real fighter pilot" after she qualified to fly the J-10. Capt. Yu Xu described herself as "a real fighter pilot" after she qualified to fly the J-10. Yu saluted as a hero Yu's death Saturday saw many in China questioning in online forums whether women should be fighter pilots and if they were getting the right training. "I only want to know the cause of the incident. What should be to blame for, problems with the plane or lack of training?" one poster wrote on the Chinese social website Weibo. But state-run Global Times quoted a Chinese aviation expert, Wang Ya'nan, as saying Yu and other women in the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force were trail blazers. "China is a pioneer in training female aerobatic pilots. When the program started, there was no foreign experience to borrow from or statistics to rely on from other countries. From this perspective, Yu Xu and other female aerobatic pilots have taken greater risks, which deserve more of our respect," Wang was quoted as saying. On Weibo, Yu was saluted as a hero. "Yu Xu is our most proud female pilot. Her death is a great loss for our country," wrote one poster. "Yu is the Hua Mulan (legendary woman warrior) of our era, a rare heroine," wrote another. The website for the All-China Women's Federation reported Monday that 60 million users of the Weibo site had clicked on Yu's story by Sunday night.

It's sad that the young woman died.  I feel sad for her family and friends who have lost a loved one.  It does sound kinda like an unnecessary death but I guess she knew the risks when she decided to become a fighter pilot.  It seems like a dangerous profession and like these things could easily happen.  I guess they could easily be avoided just by avoiding this career altogether but anyway.  It is what it is.  Very sad anytime a person dies.


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 46 years old. The person has a postgraduate / professional degree. The person earns 41000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 7.0 in openness, 4.5 in conscientiousness, 3.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 1.0 in stability.

I just read a story about the death of a Chinese female fighter pilot. It wasn't made clear exactly what happened - apart from a plane crash - but she is being hailed a hero. I was amazed that China would allow women to hold that kind of position - shockingly modern of them. And that she was widely respected warms my heart.


The person is female. Racially, the person is asian / pacific islander. The person is 44 years old. The person has a postgraduate / professional degree. The person earns 70000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 7.0 in openness, 4.5 in conscientiousness, 1.5 in extraversion, 7.0 in agreeableness, and 1.5 in stability.

China's first female fighter pilot died in an aerobatics crash. I wonder if she would have ever seen any other flight than performing in shows. I've definitely got mixed feelings about this. On the one hand she's definitely a trailblazer for women in her country. On the other hand, for what purpose?


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 29 years old. The person has a went to college but did not get a degree. The person earns 39000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.5 in openness, 6.0 in conscientiousness, 1.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 5.5 in stability.

I just read an article about China's Yu Xu. She was one of the first female fighter pilots cleared for a solo flight. The state run media is very tight lipped about the cause of the accident and the comments attributed to Yu seem very sterile and highly suspect. She was even compared to Mulan at the end of the article. I just don't know about communist governments. The whole thing seemed like lip service to mask a technical failure.


This was sad!   Being one of four fighter jet pilots who are female is a pretty big deal so she definitely accomplished a lot.  I guess the hope would be that others could learn from this tragedy.  Whether it was an issu with the jet itself or a lack of training, hopefully they can figure out what caused this tragedy so it can be prevented in the future.  I feel sad for her family and loved ones who lost a close friend.  Very sad and it sounded like she was a good person too.


French school bullying deaths stir intense debate —  Two stories about two French girls who killed themselves after being bullied at school have prompted an emotional response and intense debate about how teenagers can be better protected. Emilie, 17, took her life in January and a graphic account of the torment she suffered emerged this week when her diary appeared in a newspaper. It was immediately followed by a French TV dramatisation of the story of Marion Fraisse, who died three years ago. The France 3 film was poignantly entitled Marion, 13 ans pour toujours - Marion, Forever 13. The question for France is whether their deaths will help change the way bullying is tackled. It starts so gradually, you hardly notice it. In a classroom of rowdy students, Marion is marked out as one of the good girls. Over the course of the 90-minute drama, she loses her friends, is the victim of rumours, insults and isolation, and then is cornered by a group of boys in the corridor, who grab her, pin her down and throw her shoes away. "She was asking for it," says a passing girl. Marion breaks down and cries. From there the drama follows her descent into desperation, depression, and finally suicide. The film was adapted from a book by Marion's mother, Nora, who found a letter from the teenager after her death and decided to tell her story. A poignant act, because one of the most striking elements of that story is how Marion's parents knew about what was happening to their daughter at the time. Interviewed by a French newspaper to mark the launch of the dramatisation, actress Julie Gayet, who plays Nora, said the film had two points of view: Marion's and her mother's. The script "shows that parents never really know their child. Half a child's life escapes them". More than four million people tuned in to watch the drama, which was followed by a one-hour debate. Many took to social media afterwards to share their stories and express their anger. "It's not a suicide, it's murder," wrote one Twitter user, called Sara. Another suggested that the film be shown in schools. Others wrote of their own experiences of bullying, with some saying the experience had haunted them for years after they had left full-time education. For help and advice on bullying, visit BBC Advice BBC iWonder: How do we talk about teen suicide? Read more here: * French Periscope death stirs social media fears * Quarter of bullied children bully others How France has tried to address bullying According to official figures, 700,000 pupils are bullied each year in France, and activists say more than 90% of children have access to social networks. France has tried to improve awareness of bullying in schools, as well as support for the victims. In 2014, a new anti-bullying law was brought in, and a hotline set up for pupils to report incidents. But activists say France is still not tackling the problem effectively. "The authorities' response is improving very slowly," says psychologist and campaigner Catherine Verdier. "But France is dragging behind other countries. If you look at Finland, Sweden, where it's a national cause, there was a real impulse from the top to change things." "A few schools have improved, but not enough," says Willy Pierre who runs 'You Are Heroes', set up after Marion's death to break the taboo around bullying. "The hotline is only open in school hours, and it can take weeks or months to find a designated adult for the child to talk to face to face." The problem has also grown to encompass cyber-bullying and harassment outside the school gates. The solution, he says, is for parents, teachers and pupils to talk openly about the problem. Emilie's story Emilie was four years older than Marion when she died in January after jumping out of a window at her father's house. A bright pupil at a private school in the northern city of Lille, Emilie's parents say she endured years of terror up to the age of 13 because she was not considered cool and trendy and loved reading. Eventually she snapped and they pulled her out of the school. For three years she tried other schools and distance learning, but she developed a phobia of schools and her parents believe her death was linked to depression as a result of the bullying. ________________   Excerpts from Emilie's diary Dodging blows, being tripped up and spat at. Closing your ears to insults and mockery. Keeping an eye on your bag and your hair. Holding back the tears. Again and again Hey, you know what? a boy exclaimed loud enough for everyone in the class to hear but the teacher. Apparently they're going to award a prize to the ugliest clever-clogs in every country. Oh yeah? his neighbour tittered. I bet you we've got the winner in the class I don't want my parents to know how pathetic I am, and think they've given birth to a piece of crap The diary was published in La Voix du Nord (in French) ________________   A report by Unicef two years ago found that bullying was a worldwide problem that "exists at some level and in some form in every country". Children who are bullied, it says, are prone to a vast range of negative effects "including depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide". One mother told a French newspaper that her daughter's school had responded to the problem of bullying with "a conspiracy of silence". But after days of debate about the sad lives of two French teenagers, those taboos may finally be crumbling. Are you being bullied? Useful contacts * BullyingUK - Tel 0808 800 2222 * Childline - Tel 0800 1111 * Bullying at school - UK government website * Non au harcelement - French government website - Tel 3020

I just read about two young women in France who took their lives after being bullied. I remember being bullied and I can't tell you how glad I am that we did not have social media back in the 80s. The cruelty of kids towards other kids is horrifying. We ask where the parents are for the bullied, but where are the parents of the bullies?


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 30 years old. The person has a went to college but did not get a degree. The person earns 27000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 4.0 in openness, 3.0 in conscientiousness, 6.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 6.5 in stability.

I wasn't bullied much as a child but I can really sympathize with people who there. You're a lot more narrow minded as a child and getting bullied can make it seem like your entire life is ruined. I think it's a bigger problem now because of technology. Before a child would only get bullied during school hours, hopefully outside of the sight of a teacher. Now children can be bullied 24/7 through technology since everyone has a cell phone and uses social media. It's a hard problem to solve.


I just read an article about bullying in France. Apparently, the suicide of a 17 year old French girl has caused the country to reevaluate its approach toward bullying. I personally have never experienced intense bullying or ridicule first hand or even second hand. I guess I was a pretty likable kid after all. I think the key to solving problems like this is most definitely inclusion. The reason children feel this way is because they perceive themselves to be absolutely alone.


This is such a sad story. To think these girls have been driven to take their own lives because of bullying is appalling. Why can't we seem to do more to stop this behavior and why do kids and even adults feel that bullying behavior is acceptable. We have to start punishing kids for this behavior, make them be accountable for their actions and take a strong stand that says we won't tolerate this kind of behavior any longer.


Bullying isn't a new thing and it is something that must be dealt with swiftly. We must find a way to fix this stuff because it is not new and keeps happening around us. Not only in France but all around the world kids suffer from this and it leads to many suicides. The pressure from other kids is huge.


The person is female. Racially, the person is black / african american. The person is 22 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 100000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 4.5 in openness, 5.5 in conscientiousness, 3.5 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 6.0 in stability.

'My whole family has been wiped out': Victims of Dreamworld tragedy revealed as witnesses recall heartbreaking cries of girls who watched their mothers die on Thunder River Rapids ride —  Two young girls, aged 10 and 13, were miraculously thrown to safety from the doomed Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on Australia's Gold Coast and watched in horror as the four adults in their raft were killed. A malfunction with the ride's conveyor belt is suspected to have caused the six-person raft to flip, crushing and drowning two men, aged 38 and 35, and two women, aged 42 and 32, about 2.20pm on Tuesday. Those killed include Canberra woman Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, 35, his partner Roozi Araghi, 38, and another woman.  The New Zealand Herald has named Cindy Low, 42, from Kawerau, as the fourth victim. She was believed to be holidaying in Queensland at the time.  One of the children thrown to safety from the raft was Ms Goodchild's daughter. She howled in horror as she watched her mother die, according to News Corp.  Top police officials said it was 'almost a miracle that anybody came out of that', saying they may have escaped through 'the providence of God or somebody'.   Both girls were recovering in hospital on Tuesday night. The tragedy happened after the raft the six people were riding on turned over and flipped, Assistant Queensland Police Commissioner Brian Codd said.   '(It fell) back on top of those persons and those persons (were) variously caught in machinery.' The catastrophe was captured on CCTV cameras and the footage would be reviewed as part of the investigation. The theme park is closed indefinitely.   The mother of the Dorsett siblings, Kim, took to Facebook to express her grief.  'My family have been completely wiped out,' she said. 'I have three children and two of them are now gone. 'My eight-month-old granddaughter is never going to know her mother and that truly breaks my heart.' Ms Dorsett's husband, daughter, and newborn baby girl, had to be consoled by paramedics. Families were being informed of the tragedy on Tuesday night.    Radio broadcaster Dom Knight, an old university friend of Mr Araghi, remembered him as a 'passionate, funny, brilliant man with an unquenchable love of retro pop'.  Other friends described Mr Araghi and Mr Dorsett as the 'most loving couple', 'intelligent and witty, filled with life and hope'.   Witnesses to the tragedy said they saw a young girl was wandering alone at the ride's exit calling out for her mum shortly afterwards.  A woman could be seen 'hanging by her foot, crushed from the ride'. Bystander Claire Wooley said she helped a child she believed was the daughter of one of those killed,Sunshine Coast Daily reported. Another witness said 'there were kids on board screaming while their mum was like trapped under'. A malfunction with the ride's conveyer belt was believed to have caused the tragedy, Queensland Ambulance acting supervisor Gavin Fuller told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. flume be turned over and flipped, resulting in it falling back on top of those persons and those persons being variously caught in machinery - and I don't want to go into too much graphic detail.    The four adults and two children were in a raft that collided with an empty raft that had become stuck, Courier Mail reported. Reports suggest their raft flipped, crushing two of the adults. The other two adults were trapped in the conveyor belt underwater. Visitors to the theme park have claimed the ride had been plagued by mechanical issues earlier in the day. Lisa Walker said she had tried to board the ride with her daughter Kaylah, 25, and said rafts were piling up against each other, she told The Australian. 'Earlier in the day it had broken down,' the same witness told Sydney Morning Herald. 'It had broken down and we went back a couple of times to this particular ride. 'We were standing on the bridge watching and the water had stopped. 'There was no rapids.' The accident happened 10 minutes after she and her daughter left the scene, Lisa said. Another woman told Nine News engineers were called to the ride earlier in the day. 'They drained all the water out and then had to refill it back up, and then we were allowed to go. But, yeah, we were stuck there for about 30-40 minutes at least,' the woman said. Todd Reid, Inspector Regional Duty Officer, could not confirm reports the ride had been faulty earlier in the day. 'I'm not aware [if that's true], but that will be part of the investigation and that will be one of the aspects we will be looking at,' he said. The horrific accident happened towards the end of the ride. Mr Fuller, of Queensland Ambulance, would not elaborate on any of the injuries the four adults suffered. 'They sustained injuries incompatible with life,' he said. Dreamworld staff had drained water from the ride in an attempt to save the trapped passengers and desperately tried to treat two of those injured before paramedics arrived. The park was evacuated and hundreds of shocked patrons streaming out. Dreamworld will be closed until further notice. CEO of the theme park, Craig Davidson, said the team was 'deeply shocked and saddened by this and our hearts and our thoughts go to the families involved and to their loved ones'. The ride's annual maintenance, conducted by independent workplace health and safety engineers, had been done just three days before the accident, a Dreamworld spokesperson said. A certification was provided, which Daily Mail Australia has requested a copy of. Specialist forensic and scientific officers, as well as detectives were at the scene on Tuesday evening. Investigators have been interviewing a number of witnesses at nearby police stations with support services also being offered. The State Coroner and the Queensland Government's Forensic Pathologist also attended the scene. Police will prepare a report for the coroner. Dreamworld owners Ardent Leisure shares fell 7.8 per cent on news of the tragedy. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was 'very saddened to learn of the tragic accident'. 'Theme parks are a place for family fun and happiness, not tragedy. This is a very, very, sad, tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives,' Mr Turnbull said in a statement. 'This is a very sad day, and we trust there will be a thorough investigation into the causes of this accident over the days to follow.' Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the news was 'heartbreaking'. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she had heard the scene was 'horrific' and said counsellors were being rushed to Dreamworld to calm the 'many, many witnesses'. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said it was a 'very sad day for our city' in a statement. 'Our thoughts are with the families of those affected – and the emergency staff in attendance.' Shocked US Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz said he had been on the ride just a few minutes before the accident. 'Dude, just got off a ride 15 mins ago that has 1 person seriously injured and 2 others trapped,' he wrote on Twitter. A similar Dreamworld ride called Rocky Hollow Log Ride was shut down in April for a weekend after a man almost drowned, according to The Courier Mail. A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said at the time the man swallowed water after he fell from the ride. The Thunder River Rapids ride was built in 1986 and is said to be a 'moderate' with a maximum speed of 45km/h, according to Dreamland. Visitors as young as two-years-old are allowed to go on the ride. People sit on circular rafts that seat six.

The heartbreaking cries of girls who watched their mothers die on Thunder River Rapids ride: Two young girls, aged 10 and 13, were miraculously thrown to safety from the doomed Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on Australia's Gold Coast and watched in horror as the four adults in their raft were killed. A malfunction with the ride's conveyor belt is suspected to have caused the six-person raft to flip, crushing and drowning two men, aged 38 and 35, and two women, aged 42 and 32, about 2.20pm on Tuesday. Those killed include Canberra woman Kate Goodchild, 32, her brother Luke Dorsett, 35, his partner Roozi Araghi, 38, and another woman. The New Zealand Herald has named Cindy Low, 42, from Kawerau, as the fourth victim. I was really devastated by this event.


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 34 years old. The person has a high school degree or diploma. The person earns 50000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 3.5 in openness, 6.5 in conscientiousness, 1.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 7.0 in stability.

Did you read this article? It's so heartbreaking I cannot take it. News stories don't affect me unless there is kids involved and the image of the little girls wandering around calling for her mum and the two children that lost their mother. It's horrific. It's also making me rethink rides like these because you know I love the kali river rapids at Disney which this sounds similar too. Maybe I should just stay away from rides all together. They just aren't safe.


I think this is a terrible tragedy because the victims at dreamworld were there to have fun not to die. More needs to be done to test these roller coasters to make sure that it does not happen anymore. Unfortunately it happens too often more than it should and we do not hold these park authorities accountable.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 29 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 52000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 7.0 in openness, 6.5 in conscientiousness, 5.0 in extraversion, 6.5 in agreeableness, and 6.0 in stability.

Hello friend. It's with a heavy heart that I'm typing this. The story of what happened to those people is really pathetic and saddening. I feel really terrible about the event. Accidents of such nature are highly predictable and can be easily avoided but because of negligence and greed, operators won't properly maintain their machines. It's just sad


Wow, how sad!  This is truly terrible that this happened.  What an absolutely horrible situation!  I just can't imagine the horror of the people watching as well as those involved.  It must have been a terribly scary scenario for everyone, including the people watching and especially the people involved.  The children who lived will obviously be permanently scarred and have lost their parents which is even worse.  I really found this heartbreaking.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 30 years old. The person has a high school degree or diploma. The person earns 30000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.5 in openness, 6.0 in conscientiousness, 4.0 in extraversion, 4.0 in agreeableness, and 5.5 in stability.

Investigators say tragedy should serve as warning after boy falls from apartment window —  Police in Willoughby Hills are investigating the tragic death of a 2-year-old boy, who fell from the 11th floor of an apartment building early Wednesday morning. Investigators said the window of the child's bedroom was open and he was able to push open the screen. Officers and paramedics rushed to the Willoughby Hills Towers apartment complex on Chardon Road after a security guard reported a small child fell out of the window and onto the parking deck below. "There were two residents on the back of the building. I came to the back of the building, and they said they just came outside and the child was laying right there," the 911 caller told dispatch. Detectives said 2-year-old Anthony Suttles Jr. was rushed to the hospital, but pronounced dead a short time later. They said the child's mother put him and a sibling to bed about an hour before he pushed the screen out and fell from the window, which had been left open. Police said the mother and father were in the living room, unaware he had fallen. "Thus far, our investigation has shown this was a pure accident. You know we have not received any type of information that tells us otherwise," Det. Ron Parmertor said. Investigators said the tragedy should serve as a warning to other parents about the dangers of open and unlocked windows in high-rise apartments. "Just know that 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, you know, they're climbers. Just think about when your kids are in their cribs," he said. "How many children climb out of their cribs? You know, that's one of the first instincts that they learn how to do."

I am not really sure how I feel about this article. I kind of think that parents in this situation should face some type of consequences. Not always jail time but community service or being forced to partake in educational classes so as to avoid these situations in the future. As hard as it is to say this, the parents are at fault as this is a clear case of negligence.


I am writing as regards my thoughts on a tragic death of a 2-year-old boy, who fell from the 11th floor of an apartment building early Wednesday morning. Investigators said the window of the child's bedroom was open and he was able to push open the screen. Officers and paramedics rushed to the Willoughby Hills Towers apartment complex on Chardon Road after a security guard reported a small child fell out of the window and onto the parking deck below. This is a tragic incident that got me really sad.


The person is male. Racially, the person is asian / pacific islander. The person is 29 years old. The person has a high school degree or diploma. The person earns 44000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.0 in openness, 5.5 in conscientiousness, 4.5 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 5.0 in stability.

Dear friend,I am writing to tell you about a horrific story and article that I have just read. A small two year old boy fell out of his bedroom window and died while his parents thought he was asleep in his room. The window was open and he pushed the screen out and fell and died shortly after. It is such a horrible story.


The person is male. Racially, the person is black / african american. The person is 37 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 40000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 5.5 in openness, 7.0 in conscientiousness, 1.0 in extraversion, 6.5 in agreeableness, and 6.0 in stability.

I do not know how to feel about this story. It is one of  those stories where I blame the parents and do not blame the parents at the same time. I naturally  worry all the time and would had made sure that the window was not open enough for the 2 year old to fall out and I do know that accidents happen. The parents must be heartbroken.


This poor child I just feel so bad. You would think someone would check the windows and make sure there secure with children is an apartment building off the ground. If it was me I would have some sort of safety lock on them because I know children can do anything. Maybe the parents were just not educated on the dangers but it seems irresponsible they didnt check or know that was happening. That poor child died such a painful death it is hard to even fathem. Thankful for the guard who called 911 so someone didnt find the body later on. Im sure the parents feel horrible and blame themselves that is very sad to me.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 29 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 85000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.75 in openness, 6.75 in conscientiousness, 6.75 in extraversion, 6.75 in agreeableness, and 7.0 in stability.

Tragedy as father and son die after falling off a cliff during hike on a California trail —  A father and son have died after falling off a cliff during a hike. The two plunged to their death while on a trail next to Shaver Lake in Fresno, California. Though deputies attempted to get to the hikers, there was a helicopter power failure during a refueling and they made an emergency landing, meaning they couldn't get to the pair, ABC 30 reported.  The report said a search-and-rescue crew is going out Sunday morning for the two victims' bodies.   The names of the father and son have not been publicly revealed.

I thought that the article was a bit sad. I feel like being in cars is a serious situation and everyone should be safe. I also think that the parents tried the best that they could to do everything they can in the situation. The sitatuion made me feel a bit sad and a bit concerned as well. It makes me feel like doing something to help them out.


I wish there was more details...How did this happen? Did maybe the kid fall off the cliff and when his father tried to save him, he also fell off? Were they running and didn't realize they were able to fall off a cliff? This is just a strange and really sad story. I hope that somebody puts fencing alongside where they fell, so this doesn't happen to anyone else.


I just read an article about a father and son who fell from a hiking trail and expired. I actually had a friend who met a similar fate a few years ago. He was a ranger in a national park that fell into a crevasse and ended up being eaten by bears. It's a terrible way to shed one's mortal coil. My heart goes out to their family.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 25 years old. The person has a went to college but did not get a degree. The person earns 29000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.0 in openness, 6.0 in conscientiousness, 5.5 in extraversion, 6.5 in agreeableness, and 3.0 in stability.

So I just read an article about how a father and his son died from a fall while hiking because there was a problem with the rescue chopper and they couldn't get to them in time. I think that is completely unacceptable. Why wasn't there a second rescue chopper? Is there no such thing as a back up? The loss of life could have been prevented.


I think that the article was very sad and got me worried. The fact that they coudln't find the father and his son is very sad. To think about their family members and the mother as well as what she is currently going through makes me feel awful. The father and son were both probably just trying to bond and having this happen is traumatizing.


Suicide deaths on the rise in kids —  Since 2007, the rate of suicide deaths among children between the ages of 10 and 14 has doubled, according to new government data released Thursday.   The death rate data, published in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, measured children's fatalities due to motor vehicle traffic injury, homicide and suicide between the years 1999 and 2014. On a positive note, the number of deaths due to motor vehicle traffic, or car crashes, has improved significantly through the years, the report says. In 2014, vehicle fatalities decreased by 58% from 1999, when there were 4.5 deaths per 100,000 children, to 1.2 deaths in 2014. Deaths from homicide have also declined over the same time period, though less dramatically, decreasing from 1.2 fatalities in 1999 to 0.8 in 2014. Conversely, the suicide death rates fluctuated from 1999 to 2007 but rose sharply after 2007. The lowest rate of suicide fatalities was 0.9 deaths per 100,000 kids in 2007, but that number doubled to 2.1, or 425 deaths, in 2014. Dr. Lisa Boesky, a private clinical psychologist and author who studies adolescent suicide, says younger kids will often take their own lives impulsively. Young kids may attempt to harm themselves for different reasons than teens. Most of the time, bad relationships between family and friends provoke kids to hurt themselves, Boesky says. On the other hand, a 14-year-old may kill herself because of a fight with her boyfriend. When looking for the warning signs for suicide in kids, "many people look for signs of depression," Boesky explained. "Teens (who attempt suicide) typically show mood swings and depression, but younger children are much more likely to suffer from (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). "Many people, including medical professionals, think suicide is a teenage problem," Boesky said. "But suicide can happen at very young ages, and we have to talk about this problem with all children." Though it can be more difficult to predict suicide in children, Boesky notes several warning signs. Any increased sadness, irritability or anger should be monitored. Guardians should also pay attention to children who suddenly lose interest in their friends or activities, or begin to isolate themselves more. Finally, adults should tune in to what kids are saying. Take heed if they start saying mean or derogatory things or if they say things like, "I wish I were dead" or "I wish I could go to sleep forever." "These sayings are not normal," Boesky emphasized. For parents, if children start displaying these behaviors, Boesky advises talking to the kids about their feelings and questioning why they feel that way. If the actions worsen, parents may want to contact a pediatrician or counselor. She added, "Although it is important to talk to your children, it is even more important to listen." There is very little research regarding suicide in children in the 10 to 14 age group and younger, according to Boesky. She hopes that the CDC's report will highlight the problem of suicide rates increasing in kids and that both medical professionals and parents will be better prepared to prevent harm before it happens. "This is a wakeup call for more research on why young children are taking their lives and how we can intervene," Boesky said.

I just read an article about suicides in children between 10 and 14. Even though I as not aware of the recent spike in these types of fatalities, I am aware that they happen. Years ago when I was visiting my relatives in OK there was buzz around the town about a boy of only 12 that hung himself after he was punished by his father for misbehaving. To think of someone that young taking their own life is absolutely heartbreaking.


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 25 years old. The person has a went to college but did not get a degree. The person earns 55000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 5.5 in openness, 5.5 in conscientiousness, 3.5 in extraversion, 4.5 in agreeableness, and 4.0 in stability.

It's pretty heartbreaking to hear and read stories about suicide. I have always felt like there is more that can be done for mental health with young and older people these days.  It's not only the youth that struggle with it but it seems so normalized at a younger age. I feel strongly that there is no excuse for someone to kill themselves.  Anything can be prevented and anyone can be helped. It's a hard time and age though and usually those kids feel like there is nothing left for them to live for when in reality they have an entire wonderful life ahead of themselves, regardless of past experiences. But that's just my opinion.


We need to stop bullying of kids because in my opinion it is the main culprit in kids committing suicide! We need to find a way to stop that because kids dont deal with peer pressure like us adults do! The faster we find a way to stop this the quicker we find a solution to deaths of kids by suicide methods!


The person is male. Racially, the person is black / african american. The person is 33 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 64000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 7.0 in openness, 6.5 in conscientiousness, 3.5 in extraversion, 4.5 in agreeableness, and 7.0 in stability.

It is some what saddening that suicide rates among young children have increased, but not surprising. I believe there is a correlation with the increased prevalence of social media and the rise in this kind of phenomena. Social media use is correlated with mental illnesses such as depression, which in turn are linked to suicides.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 41 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 28000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 2.0 in openness, 2.5 in conscientiousness, 1.5 in extraversion, 2.0 in agreeableness, and 1.0 in stability.

A few thoughts about this.  First, amazing how far down the car accident death statistics are.  That's amazing.  Second, I find it interesting that 2007 is when young suicides spike.  That's the same year the iPhone was introduced.  I'm sure there are other factors, but I think pervasive internet and social media have certainly not helped.  I also laughed when the lady said that it's not normal for kids to say things like, \I just wish I could go to sleep forever.\"  I've been saying that for decades.  That's like my personal mantra.  I guess I've always been one of those people who thinks about suicide and believes it's a solution.  I've always felt I'd die that way.  Like it was preordained or something."


Nigeria investigates reports that officials raped displaced women —  Nigeria has launched an investigation into reports alleging that government officials raped and sexually abused women and girls who survived Boko Haram violence.   The move comes after Human Rights Watch published a report detailing accounts by dozens of women and girls who said they were sexually abused or coerced into sex. The women said they were raped or abused by camp leaders, vigilante group members, policemen and soldiers at camps in Borno State's capital, Maiduguri. The camps were set up to offer aid to people displaced by fighting in Nigeria's northeast. Nigeria's Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has set up a special team "to immediately commence thorough Investigation into all cases of alleged sexual abuses, exploitation, harassments, gender-based violence and professional misconduct," a statement from the inspector general's office said Thursday. Police: Security at camps to be beefed up Some of the victims had escaped captivity by terror group Boko Haram, only to become victims at the camps where they sought refuge, the rights group said. Many of the women were impregnated by their abusers at the camps. Several victims were drugged before they were raped. The inspector general called on HRW to make available to the investigation team any additional information about the 43 cases of abuse featured in the report that could assist the police inquiry. He has taken measures to beef up security at the camps and said any acts that violate the human dignity of displaced people by individuals or groups in the camps or anywhere in the country will be handled in accordance with the law, according to the statement. Borno State governor: 'We must act now' Following the HRW report, Borno State Gov. Kashim Shettima has revealed plans to request law enforcement agencies to deploy female and male undercover detectives to all camps for internally displaced people in Borno State "to spy on culprits and bring them to book," according to a statement from his office. "Sadly and very sadly indeed, the (Internally Displaced People) camps have become avenues that horrible stories of sexual slavery, prostitution rings, drug peddling and other social vices are emanating from," the governor said. "Sexual harassment of female IDPs is a desperate situation," he said. "None of us would fold arms if his or her daughter is in position to be sexually harassed, so we must act now." Displaced by fighting Dubbed the world's deadliest terror group, Boko Haram has launched attacks in northern Nigeria and surrounding areas for years. More than 20,000 people have been killed since 2009 when the conflict began. Nearly 2.5 million have been displaced. Boko Haram, which in the local Hausa language means "western education is sin," wants to institute a strict form of Sharia law in Nigeria. Its mass abductions and attacks on soft targets, including schools, mosques and churches, have prompted stark international condemnation.

The things that people do in the name of perversions of faith are absolutely sickening. Religion, something that is used to foster hope, charity and goodwill in the poor and downtrodden is used to exploit and control by those in power. The victims of Boko Haram will most likely see no justice. The rapists, drug dealers and murders will walk free and righteous despite their atrocities. The whole thing makes me sick to my stomach.


What happened in the article was very upsetting to read. I felt really bad for the women that got raped. It was also terrible because it stated that many of them were impregnated by these soldiers and there was pretty much nothing they could do about it. It's so damaging not only for the woman but for the unborn child as well.


The person is male. Racially, the person is hispanic / latino. The person is 32 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 35000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 5.0 in openness, 5.5 in conscientiousness, 2.0 in extraversion, 5.5 in agreeableness, and 4.5 in stability.

Unfortunately in countries like these the officials are so corrupt you can't expect any justice to be made. I feel like overall it is what makes the most sense to me. Not expecting justice is a normal thing in Nigeria. I feel like there is no two ways about it and overall I feel disappointed that us as a world can only sit back and watch and not do anything about it.


I think it is a testimony to the inefficacy of the Nigerian state that sex crimes should be so pervasive in the refugee camps. The government should have done a much better job of screening the people who would be placed in these critical positions of authority. The guards should been majority if not exclusively female.


I do not really know how to feel exactly about this situation. This is one of the worse things that I could imagine a person doing. Taking advantage of another person that just left a really traumatic situation is one of the worst things that I could imagine a person doing. These people come to you for help and trust you only to have their trust broken in the worse possible way.


Animals Rescued From the 'World’s Worst Zoo' —  An animal-welfare organization reflects on its nerve-wracking rescue—and what it might mean for troubled zoos around the world. Update: October 14—This story has been updated to include more information about the care of animals at the zoo, and to clarify the nature of the 2014 conflict between Hamas and Israel. When a rescue team arrived to evacuate a closing zoo near the Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis in late August, just 15 animals were still alive—the survivors from what had once been a collection of hundreds of animals. They included Laziz, a nine-year-old Bengal tiger that is the last tiger in Gaza, according to Four Paws, the Vienna-based animal-welfare nonprofit that led the rescue. There were also five monkeys, an emu, a pelican, two buzzards, two porcupines, two tortoises, and a doe. The doe had lost her fawn to wounds shortly before the rescuers arrived. Opened in 2007 on three and a half acres next to an amusement park, the Khan Younis Zoo has long been called “the world’s worst zoo” by animal-welfare groups such as Four Paws and various international media outlets. Animals there were reported to have starved to death during military conflicts between Gaza’s Hamas-led government and neighboring Israel. And last year, the surviving animals began sharing their cramped cages with the dead: More than 50 dead animals—including Laziz’s mate—were taxidermied by the zoo staff. (See "Tiger’s Death Raises Question: What Makes a Good Zoo?") A seven-week conflict in 2014 hastened the decision to close the zoo. The conflict stemmed from the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers on the West Bank. Israel linked the crimes to Hamas, and began making hundreds of arrests in the case, including many of Hamas’ West Bank leaders. Hamas later began firing rockets at civilian areas in Israel, which retaliated by bombing sites in Gaza. The United Nations reported that nearly 2,200 people were killed in the conflict, more than 2,100 of them Palestinians. It’s unclear precisely what led to the animals’ deaths at the zoo. The zoo itself was not bombed during the 2014 conflict, and animal-welfare groups say it had a troubled history of caring for animals. Abu Diab Oweida, the Palestinian businessman who owned the zoo, said many animals died during that conflict, and that the mummifications were an effort by the zoo’s staff “to prove to the whole world that even animals (were) affected.” Oweida previously blamed a 2009 conflict for the death of several animals in the zoo, some of which also were mummified. How It Happened Four Paws and its director of emergency response, Amir Khalil, had sought for months to close the zoo and transfer the animals to sanctuaries. In late August of this year, the ambitious rescue plan became reality. “The idea to close (the zoo came in) April of last year,” said Khalil, an Egyptian-born veterinarian who lives in Austria. “It was a concept last September. It was a plan this April. It was a mission in August.” Khalil needed to negotiate with four people: Oweida and three of his sons. In May they agreed on the concept of evacuating the zoo. (Also see "Animals Starving in Venezuela Zoos.") “I decided to donate the animals to save what remained of (them), to live safely inside a nature reserve and in peace and security,” Oweida said. (Read about the tunnels of Gaza in National Geographic magazine.) The rescue itself was complicated, “a complex coordination between Israeli, Palestinian, and international officials,” according to a spokesperson for the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, a branch of the Ministry of Defense that works with the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, and with international organizations working in both territories. Israel has not occupied Gaza since 2005, but retains various controls of its trade, border traffic, sea traffic, and air space. The rescue “was not easy,” Khalil said. “To be neutral is not easy. I think Four Paws was a form of mediator between three, four countries”—Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian governments of Hamas and Fatah Khalil and Four Paws carried out the multiday rescue in the midst of a military conflict this past August, crossing disputed borders as unseen Israel Defense Forces aircraft dropped bombs on military targets in the Gaza. Khalil has worked to save animals from crisis situations before, including the 2011 Libyan uprising that toppled Muammar Qaddafi. But the Khan Younis mission, he says, was one of the toughest. “In terms of the (mission), it went quite well,” team member Ioana Dungler says. “In terms of time, it was quite exhausting. On a (difficulty) scale of 1 to 10, it was an 8.” Animal Rescue The plans for the mission began to take shape in April 2015, when Khalil first visited Khan Younis and was horrified by the mummified animals. He soon began negotiating with Oweida and three of his sons. First, Four Paws would pay for the animals’ feeding. Next, it would cover all of the zoo’s operational costs, including staff salaries. It also removed the cadavers from public view. The final condition was that Oweida agreed not to work with animals again upon closure of the zoo. (See "Opinion: Killing Healthy Zoo Animals Is Wrong—And the Public Agrees.") Finally, in mid-August, Khalil led a 14-person team to the zoo. The team departed from the Erez border crossing in southwest Israel. Shortly before they crossed the border, a rocket from Gaza landed in the Israeli city of Sderot. Khalil said he could see smoke from the Erez border crossing. As the rescuers headed to the zoo, the Israel Defense Forces launched 50 retaliatory airstrikes at Hamas targets in Gaza. Nevertheless, Khalil said the team felt “safe and secure.” “Four Paws was checking what was going on,” he explained. “Locally, we were informed of anything happening. ... I was not worried about security, but about the mission.” (Also see "Jerusalem Zoo Struggles to Remain Common Ground for Israelis, Palestinians.") The team arrived at Khan Younis on August 22 to heartbreaking news: A baby deer, which had suffered during its few weeks of life, had died the day before. Four Paws prepared the surviving animals for their journey to new homes. The group spent August 23 loading the animals into crates, placed on a truck. The rescue became official when the team crossed back into Israel early on August 25. From there, team members escorted the animals to their new homes. Where Things Stand Four Paws has also transferred five Gaza lions and 15 other wild animals to sanctuaries. Now four active zoos remain in the Strip. Khalil says that Palestinian authorities are hoping to close them all. Alan Knight, chief executive of the U.K.-based International Animal Rescue, says the Khan Younis mission was a milestone in animal rights. “We are of course delighted that this terrible zoo has finally been closed and the surviving animals have been saved, thanks to Four Paws,” Knight said. “The success of the rescue operation proves that … extraordinary things can be achieved with passion and determination. Suffering animals should not be forgotten or overlooked, even in the midst of human conflicts or natural or man-made disasters. “We must all continue to strive to drive up the welfare of animals in world zoos. And if they can’t meet even the most basic standards, we must work toward getting them closed down.” Ahmad Safi, executive director of the Palestinian Animal League, also praised the rescue but tempered his words with concern about unresolved issues in Gaza. “While we are delighted that the individual animals have now been moved to safety and can begin to enjoy life in a sanctuary environment,” he says, “we are concerned that simply removing animals while failing to acknowledge and tackle the wider issues at play — such as wildlife trafficking and commercialization of wild animals in the Gaza Strip — means that these animals may be replaced and the good work done recently will simply be part of a vicious cycle which continues.” Khalil added that local authorities in Gaza have expressed interest in creating new legislation on wild animals. At the moment, “there is no legislation, no law”—a situation that results in “wild animals [being] smuggled and kept in poor cages.” “There are no current plans for assistance,” he adds, though “we asked the authorities in Gaza to … issue a regulation to keep wild animals in captivity [and] stop [animal] smuggling from Egypt.” A New Life for Rescued Animals Of the Khan Younis survivors, Laziz had the longest journey to his new home—the Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa, where he’ll live on a hectare with grass, trees, and a bathing area. Lionsrock, run by Four Paws, is fenced in and patrolled regularly for poachers. The buzzards may eventually be released into the wild. All of the other Khan Younis animals except the monkeys—four vervets and a macaque, which are bound for the Israeli Primate Sanctuary Foundation—went to the New Hope Centre sanctuary in Jordan. They’ll eventually move to Al Ma’wa for Nature and Wildlife, a Jordanian sanctuary run by Four Paws and the Princess Alia Foundation. But the animals’ problems may not be over. “Our experience rescuing and rehabilitating wild animals that have spent years in captivity—often in appalling and traumatic conditions—has taught us that this can lead to a wide range of physical and psychological problems,” Knight says. “Some animals have suffered lengthy periods of starvation and need treatment for malnutrition and dehydration. Others, like the tiger in Gaza, have been fed an entirely unsuitable diet”—Laziz was fed chicken, which Dungler says tigers should not eat—“that, coupled with constant confinement and an inability to exercise, leads to obesity and the many diseases associated with that. “On a positive note,” he adds, “we have also learned that with expert treatment and care, in time even the most damaged animals can be rehabilitated and given a second chance in life. Some, but not all, can even be returned to the wild.” What’s Next for Zoo Survivors The two Palestinian governments, Hamas and Fatah, have recently approached Four Paws about creating a sanctuary in Gaza. But “how far it is from reality,” says Khalil, “I don’t know.” There are currently just 12 veterinarians in the Gaza Strip, with four set to retire soon. (Five veterinarians assisted Four Paws during the rescue, with Khalil and his team providing on-hand training.) Khalil says he’s worried about the remaining Gaza zoos—and about other zoos in conflict zones that require immediate attention. Some of these, he says, can be found in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and Venezuela. But that’s a very partial list. “There are,” he says, “hundreds of such zoos worldwide.” Time will tell if Four Paws’ inspiring work can be replicated at some of them.

I think it is absolutely saddening that these animals  were neglected in such a bad area of the world. Not only were a lot killed/starved but they were in a warzone! Who thought it was a good idea to put a zoo right in one of the most fought over areas in the middle east? Those poor animals had to suffer for people's enjoyment in a horrible place.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 28 years old. The person has a postgraduate / professional degree. The person earns 165000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 5.75 in openness, 6.25 in conscientiousness, 3.25 in extraversion, 6.75 in agreeableness, and 6.0 in stability.

Why do human have to be so wicked? I capture innocent animal from their homes, enslave them and deprive them of the right treatment. It is a very sad and wicked situation. We should leave things the way they are if we know we are not capable of affording these animals what nature will give them. We dont have to keep spoiling everything the nature begot in the name of domination. It is not right!!!


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 28 years old. The person has a two year associate degree. The person earns 50000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.0 in openness, 6.0 in conscientiousness, 5.0 in extraversion, 4.5 in agreeableness, and 3.5 in stability.

A zoo named world zoo was the home to many suffering animals. This zoo was located on the Gaza strip. Very bad circumstances lead to animals dying of hunger. thankfully a rescue group made it's way there to rescue these poor animals. they did not deserve to live in such a bad place where there was no food. it is truly sad.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 30 years old. The person has a high school degree or diploma. The person earns 55000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 5.0 in openness, 6.5 in conscientiousness, 5.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 7.0 in stability.

At least 239 migrants believed drowned in Mediterranean, U.N. says —  BRUSSELS — At least 239 migrants are believed to have drowned this week in two shipwrecks off the coast of Libya, the United Nations refugee agency said Thursday, adding to the toll in what was already the deadliest year on record in the Mediterranean Sea. Survivor accounts suggest that two crowded boats broke up just off the Libyan coast Wednesday, said Carlotta Sami, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The 31 survivors were taken Thursday to the Italian island of Lampedusa, which has become a rescue hub amid an ever-deadlier crisis as migrants depart Africa’s northern shores trying to reach Europe. The reports from the survivors could not be independently confirmed, but it is common for migrant ships to be filled far beyond capacity, and hundreds have perished in past sinkings. If true, the latest shipwrecks bring the toll of dead and missing in the Mediterranean to 4,220 this year, the highest on record, Sami said. “This is an absolutely appalling figure,” she said.  According to Sami, the 29 survivors of the first wreck said they capsized after wooden planks at the bottom of the rubber dinghy broke apart several hours after departing Libya around 3 a.m. Wednesday. Pregnant women and at least six children were on board, survivors told the UNHCR, but no children were saved in the rescue, which took place about 25 miles off Libya’s coast. One woman lost her 2-month-old baby, Sami said, and 12 bodies were recovered. The survivors said they were in the cold waters for hours before being rescued about 3 p.m. Wednesday. They said more than 140 people were aboard the boat. Two survivors of a second shipwreck were rescued in a separate operation, Sami said. They said at least 120 had been on board their boat, which had problems immediately upon setting out and broke apart off the Libyan coast around 5 a.m. Wednesday. The remaining passengers are believed to have drowned, Sami said. No further rescue operations are being performed at the location of those shipwrecks. “I am deeply saddened by another tragedy on the high seas. . . . So many lives could be saved through more resettlement and legal pathways to protection,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a statement Thursday. “The Mediterranean is a deadly stretch of sea for refugees and migrants, yet they still see no other option but to risk their lives to cross it.” Most of the migrants appear to have come from sub-Saharan Africa, Sami said, but she said details were still being checked. She did not immediately know which agency carried out the rescue. The European Union is conducting a search-and-rescue operation in the western Mediterranean that is temporarily being offered logistical help from the NATO military alliance. “In this, the deadliest year for boat migration to Europe, the E.U. remains focused on deterrence over protection,” Judith Sunderland, associate Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement Thursday. “The E.U. should be pressing Libyan authorities for permission to operate in Libyan waters, so they can help those in distress and bring them safely to Europe.” Rescued migrants have told the UNHCR that smugglers along the route were telling migrants that responsibility for rescues would soon shift to Libya, and that any rescued refugees would be returned to Libya rather than carried onward to Italy, the agency said. That could be a cause of the current spike. Migrant traffic across the Mediterranean has changed significantly in the past year, after more than 1 million people made the passage in 2015. Most of them came via Turkey to Greece and then pressed onward into Europe. The sea portion of that journey was shorter and safer than the perilous passage from Libya to Italy. But the Turkish government largely shut down the migrant flow in the spring, closing off the main pathway for people fleeing the conflicts in Syria and Iraq into Europe. This week, the Gambian soccer federation announced that one of its stars had died at sea while trying to reach Europe. Fatim Jawara, 19, the goalkeeper on the country’s women’s national team, drowned when her boat went down off the coast of Libya several weeks ago. Traffic from Libya and northern Africa has increased and grown deadlier, according to U.N. figures. Last year, 153,846 people arrived in Italy via the central Mediterranean route — a figure that has just been surpassed in 2016. The arrivals in Italy last month were more than triple those of a year earlier. The shifting migration patterns have been a boon to smugglers, as demand has increased across the trickier North African route. Smugglers are sending out large groups in several ships at once, complicating rescue efforts if multiple boats capsize, UNHCR spokesman William Spindler said in October. It was not immediately clear whether Wednesday’s sinkings were connected to a single smuggling operation. Kevin Sieff in Kigali, Rwanda, contributed to this report.

it's a shame that this keeps happening,but it's the quasi \acceptance\" of economic migrants that causes this to happens.As long as these people have incentive they will put themselves in dangerous situation to migrate to Europe. European leaders need to take a stand and tell these people to stay home because they will not be allowed to remain if they come in unauthorized ways. "


Another shipwreck isn't this sad? A women lost her two month old baby. How heartbreaking. I can't even imagine what she must be feeling and going through. It is odd to me though that we live in a day where we have so much technology yet things like this can still happen. You'd think they would have ways to prevent this stuff now.


It makes me sad that people have to risk their life to get help. It makes me madder that those people are turned away for their search for a better life. It is human history for people to be able to move around and search for a better life. Now with boarders people are stuck in the place that they are born.


I cannot see how a situation like this should happen in the modern world. Countries have become so closed off that they are not even willing to let people seek asylum in their country. They would rather people die making the dangerous trip to safety rather than open the gates. This just makes me want to fight for migrant rights. So many countries were build upon immigrant populations giving their support to country's that they arrive in and now people want to close the doors.


The person is male. Racially, the person is white. The person is 29 years old. The person has a went to college but did not get a degree. The person earns 39000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.5 in openness, 6.0 in conscientiousness, 1.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 5.5 in stability.

Just got finished reading an article about the number of refugees who are perishing while trying to traverse the Mediterranean sea on their way from war torn countries. Apparently, the E.U. is still more focused on preventing these people from reaching their shores than they are trying to protect them. Personally, I think that the U.S. and Russia should be taking more than their fair share of these displaced people.


Food, water fears remain year after Brazil mine dam disaster —  COLATINA, Brazil — One year after a dam ruptured and sent a giant wave of metal-laden mud gushing into one of Brazil’s most important rivers, people who live along the banks won’t drink the water and fishermen are afraid to eat their catch. Upward of 10 billion gallons of mud filled with mining waste buried towns in the Nov. 5 dam break that has been described as the worst environmental disaster in Latin America’s largest country. Nineteen people perished. Across 5,000 acres — about six times the size of New York City’s Central Park — the onslaught of mud crushed thousands of trees and wildlife. In the river, more than 14 tons of fish died, mostly after mud got stuck in their gills. An equally large amount of aquatic plants died when turbid waters blocked out the sunlight needed to survive. The environmental damage was so vast that even a year later, many people in the area won’t drink or cook with water from their faucets because, unlike the groundwater, it’s connected to a network of reservoirs the Doce River feeds into. On a recent day, construction worker Samuel Alves de Andrade was among several people lining up outside a hut for well water sourced by an aquifer in the city of Colatina, about 407 miles (655 kilometers) northeast of Rio de Janeiro. “This water is a lot better than what comes from the river. We have to do what’s best for us,” he said as he filled plastic jugs for family members. Fishermen say they’re staying away from the river because they keep finding fish with red spots and wart-like bumps, prompting environmental authorities to launch their own studies. A judge has ordered Samarco— a venture between giants Vale of Brazil and BHP Billiton of Australia— to pay for independent studies, but it’s unclear when results will be released. “I have been fishing in the Doce River waters for more than 30 years, but now I don’t have the guts to eat that fish,” said Jose de Fatima Lemes, president of the Colatina fishermen’s association. Residents and environmental experts say subsequent cleanup efforts by mega mining company Samarco have been slow and ineffective. Doubts also persist about the local government’s assurances that Doce River’s water is safe to consume. “The mud is still all over the banks,” said Andre Dos Santos, a biologist at the Federal University of Sao Carlos who has collected samples along the Doce River since the disaster. “The river will never be the same.” Rich in history and commerce, the Doce River had long been a reliable source of water and food for millions of residents and thousands of companies along its banks. Samarco’s chief officer for sustainable projects, Maury de Souza Jr., said the company is advancing in its cleanup and has not found any water quality problems. Ubaldina Isaac, of Brazil’s environmental ministry, said a key government priority now is to reforest the banks to prevent rainwater from dragging back into the river the mine waste that remains wedged in the dirt. One recent morning, Isaac gestured to some recently planted bushes that had already died or rooted out even before the rainy season had fully kicked off in November. She said the plants should have lasted through the wet season that stretches into the first months of the year. Without sufficient vegetation “we have no system to hold the waste, and so it continues flowing into the river,” she said. Rio Doce was initially feared by Portuguese gold explorers because of the difficulties they encountered navigating its zig-zagging path. But in the 19th century, communities formed along the river’s path through the thick Atlantic rainforest as mining activity and cattle ranching gradually increased. Today, many businesses operate along the Doce, including fishing, steelmaking and companies that produce paper and charcoal. Hundreds of fishermen who lost their livelihood in the disaster receive a monthly compensation of about $400 from Samarco, plus $80 more for each of their dependents. Some say they used to sell their fish for as much as $1,200 a month. On a recent afternoon, fisherman Diomar Lordes visited the river with his son and they sat on the broken wooden boat that carried him through the waters for decades. “I have no hope I will fish here again,” Lordes said. “It’s like we lost a relative. A life ended.” Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

It's really sad what happeend to the people after reading the article. I felt like the people that were living in that area did not deserve what happened to them. They must have been struggling deeply. They probably had no water for a long time and the children there were probably very thirsty. I also think that climate change has a big factor in this.


I just read an article about the contamination of the Doce river in Brazil. Are there no lengths that man won't go to in order to voice his contempt for nature? An entire river has been rendered fruitless because of man's greed and irresponsibility. Whole livelihoods have been cut short and a once rich and vibrant place has been bathed in the sludge of industry. Why aren't we responding to this kind of thing in an organized fashion?


Its a sad thing when this happens in teh world. I feel like these disasters can always be prevented but they rarely are. I think overall we need to be more careful and do measures to prevent these things from happening. I feel like the water when it comes from the river is better like it was said in the article.


See how people are being wasted. It is always a very sad situation. Where is humanity? I hope we can be much more cautious and take necessary precautions when we should. The life we have is just one and we only live it once. More attention should be paid to guarding it judiciously. It is sad the way the life was lost...I wish I can help prevent it though.


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 27 years old. The person has a went to technical / vocational school. The person earns 25000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 6.0 in openness, 6.0 in conscientiousness, 6.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 6.0 in stability.

I feel so bad that this effected so many creatures and the enviroment on such a grand scale. From the food, to the drinking water, to the economy. This river was a main source of life for everyone and it has been ruined forever. I feel for the guy who said it feels like he lost a family memeber a life lost because its been a source of life for so many for so long. It is very unfair that the clean up is so slow going and that they are taking so long to fix there wrong. I also feel bad for the fish who died because mud was stuc in there gills its such a slow painful death. I would never drink or eat from that river again as who knows how that can effect people and if itll ever really be clean.


Airstrikes kill more than 40 and wound scores in Yemeni port city —  CAIRO — Fighter jets from a U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition struck a security complex in the western Yemeni city of Hodeidah late Saturday night, killing at least 43 and injuring scores more, according to Yemeni officials and local news reports. Many of those killed were inmates being held in prisons on the site, located in the city’s al-Zaydiya enclave. Hodeidah, a port city on the Red Sea, is held by the rebel Houthis, who also control the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen. Saba, the government news agency, reported that 43 were killed and that dozens were wounded. According to other news reports, the death toll is at least 60. Images of bodies covered in blankets, purportedly from the attacks, were shown on local news channels and on social media. In a statement, the Saudi-led alliance said the Houthis were using a building at the complex “as a command and control center for their military operations” and said “targeting protocols and procedures were followed fully.” In Yemen’s civil conflict, which began in March 2015, the Houthis are aligned with loyalists of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United States and other Western powers, is trying to restore Yemen’s internationally recognized president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, to power. Hadi was driven into exile last year, and he is now based in the southern port city of Aden. Saudi Arabia’s Sunni Muslim monarchy entered the war in large part because of concerns of Iranian influence in the region. That Shiite theocracy is widely perceived to be backing the Shiite Houthi rebels. The airstrikes in Hodeidah come on the same day Hadi rejected a new U.N. peace proposal that would have sidelined him and given the Houthis prominent roles in a new government. More than 10,000 people have died in the conflict, many of them civilians who were killed by Saudi-led coalition bombings, according to the United Nations. Millions more are suffering from hunger, illness and displacement as the nation is now in the throes of a humanitarian disaster. Earlier this month, Saudi-led coalition airstrikes killed more than 100 people, most of them civilians, when warplanes targeted a funeral hall in Sanaa. The coalition later claimed responsibility, saying that the bombings were a result of receiving faulty information. Speaking after meeting U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, Hadi said that the agreement would “reward” the Houthis and that it “only opens a door towards more suffering and war and is not a map for peace,” according to the Saba news agency.

This conflict is a mess but I also don't really care about it.  These people are largely animals and I don't really care whether the Houthis are killed or the civilians are killed.  The lowlife people get what they deserve.  The Houthis are backed by Iran, however, so I'm obviously cheering for the coalition, since this is basically a proxy war between Iran and people less awful than them (which is literally everyone).  But the thing is, I think war should be war.  We won WW2 by showing no mercy . We leveled towns.  We nuked Japan twice.  You either fight to win, and that means killing civilians, or you shouldn't bother.  And I think we should bother.  We should just level Yemen and let them pick up the pieces with the rightful government.


WE keep fighting avoidable battles that leads to avoidable wars thereby losing lives and properties. We gather to scatter, we build to destroy. It is sad that the bigger countries keep maltreating the smaller ones and expect them to be silent about it. We all should embrace love and unity. That is where the strength of the world is.


The person is female. Racially, the person is black / african american. The person is 22 years old. The person has a college or university degree. The person earns 100000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 4.5 in openness, 5.5 in conscientiousness, 3.5 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 6.0 in stability.

I'm showing my concerned and thoughts as regards the fighter jets from a U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition struck a security complex in the western Yemeni city of Hodeidah late Saturday night, killing at least 43 and injuring scores more, according to Yemeni officials and local news reports. This is really sad and unacceptable.


Dear friend,                                                                       I have recently finished reading an article about airstrikes that killed over 40 people and injured many more in Cairo. It is very heartbreaking to hear this news. I feel so bad for the people of the middle east who have to live every day of the their lives scared of missiles and bombs and gunfire.


The state in the middle east is a mess. I wish we are not involved as it is not our business, but fo course we must be the world police. I do not think we should be picking sides in pollitical struggles that do not pertain to us. By doing so we just create more needless death. Let them settle their own problems.


'Utter devastation' after major quake, aftershocks hit New Zealand —  A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake pummeled central New Zealand early on Monday, killing at least two people, damaging roads and buildings and setting off hundreds of strong aftershocks.   Emergency response teams flew by helicopter to the region at the epicenter of the tremor, which struck just after midnight some 91 km (57 miles) northeast of Christchurch in the South Island, amid reports of injuries and collapsed buildings.   "It's just utter devastation, I just don't know ... that's months of work," New Zealand Prime Minister John Key told Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee after flying over the coastal town of Kaikoura, according to Brownlee's Twitter account. He described landslips in the area as "just horrendous". In a statement seen by Reuters, Key said of the likely damage bill: "You’ve got to believe it’s in the billions of dollars to resolve."   Powerlines and telecommunications were down, with huge cracks in roads, land slips and other damage to infrastructure making it hard to reach the worst-affected areas.   A tsunami warning that led to mass evacuations after the original quake was downgraded after large swells hit New Zealand's capital Wellington, in the North Island, and Christchurch.   Wellington was a virtual ghost town with workers ordered to stay away while the city council assessed the risk to buildings, several of which were damaged by the tremor. There were concerns that loose glass and masonry could be dislodged by severe weather hitting the capital, with 140 km per hour (85 mph) winds forecast.   Hundreds of aftershocks, the strongest a 6.2 quake at about 1.45 p.m. local time (0045 GMT), rattled the South Pacific country, fraying nerves in an area where memories of a deadly 2011 quake are still fresh.   Christchurch, the largest city on New Zealand's ruggedly beautiful South Island, is still recovering from the 6.3 quake in 2011 that killed 185 people.   New Zealand's Civil Defence declared a state of emergency for the Kaikoura region, centered on a tourist town about 150 km (90 miles) northeast of Christchurch, soon after Monday's large aftershock.   Kaikoura, a popular spot for whale watching, appeared to have borne the brunt of the quake. "Our immediate priority is ensuring delivery of clean water, food and other essentials to the residents of Kaikoura and the estimated 1,000 tourists in the town," Brownlee said.   The Navy's multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury was heading to the area, he said.   Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) said a 20-person rescue team and two sniffer dogs had arrived in the town. A second team was on standby in Christchurch, USAR said in a statement.   Police in the area around Christchurch reported 19 burglaries of homes and commercial properties after the quake as residents headed for higher ground.   "It is extremely disappointing that at a time when people are facing such a traumatic event and communities are coming together to support one another, there are others who are only interested in taking advantage,” Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said in a statement.   TWIN QUAKES   Hours after the quake, officials said a slip dam caused by the quakes that had blocked the Clarence River north of the town had breached, sending a wall of water downstream.   A group of kayakers missing on the river was later reported safe.   New Zealand's Geonet measured Monday's first quake at magnitude 7.5, while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.8. The quakes and aftershocks rattled buildings and woke residents across the country, hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter.   Geonet said four faults had ruptured, with one at the coast appearing to have slipped as much as 10 meters (33 feet). Government research unit GNS Science said the overnight tremor appeared to have been two simultaneous quakes which together lasted more than two minutes.   New Zealand lies in the seismically active "Ring of Fire", a 40,000 km arc of volcanoes and oceanic trenches that partly encircles the Pacific Ocean. Around 90 percent of the world's earthquakes occur within this region.   Stock exchange operator NZX Ltd said markets traded normally, although many offices in the capital were closed. The New Zealand dollar initially fell to a one-month low before mostly recovering.   Fonterra, the world's biggest dairy exporter, said some its farms were without power and would likely have to dump milk.   Prime Minister Key postponed a trip to Argentina, where he had planned to hold a series of trade meetings ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in Peru this week, as he met disaster officials.   At least one of those killed was found in a house in Kaikoura that "collapsed like a stack of cards", Kaikoura Hospital's Dr Christopher Henry told Fairfax media. Two other people were pulled alive from the same building.   New Zealand media reported one of the pilots taking rescuers to the area was Richie McCaw, the recently retired captain of New Zealand's world champion All Blacks rugby team.   "At one point, the railway was way out over the sea - it had been pushed out by (land) slips. It would not have been a nice place to be at midnight last night," McCaw told the New Zealand Herald after helping fly the USAR team to Kaikoura.

I am expressing my total concern over the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake pummeled central New Zealand early on Monday, killing at least two people, damaging roads and buildings and setting off hundreds of strong aftershocks. This is really sad and i hope something of such can be stopped from further happening.


I've personally been involved in a major quake when I was In Mexico City on vacation a few years back. The floor scrambling under me was quite scary and overall one of the most fearful thing. I think it was one of the most dangerous things I have seen in quite some time. I also felt a lot as a kid in california.


I just read about a tremendous earthquake that happened in New Zealand a few years back. There were only two deaths but the amount of damage to infrastructure was crippling. Do places that fequently deal with natural disasters like this have some kind of insurance or initiative that helps pay for damages? The estimated cost was said to be in the billions. Where does all this money come from?


The person is female. Racially, the person is white. The person is 34 years old. The person has a high school degree or diploma. The person earns 50000 dollar per year. According to the Big Five personality test, on a scale of 10, the person has scored 3.5 in openness, 6.5 in conscientiousness, 1.0 in extraversion, 6.0 in agreeableness, and 7.0 in stability.

Hey check this out. Another big earthquake in New Zealand. I feel horrible for those that live their and the devastation they must be feeling. At least there wasn't a lot of deaths with this one. They have a long road ahead with repairs and rebuilding. It's so sad, my heart just goes out to them and what the people there are going through.


It is really hard to read stories about natural disasters that impact nations on a major scale. There are only so many things that can be done to prepare for something like this and most of the time the preparations only mitigate minimal damage. It is a bit sickening to see the response that some people have in these situations. Rather than help their neighbors, they pillage and rob the resources from others that are dealing with the natural disasters.