Follow the new Obama administration's First 100 Days in office. Join us online
for daily news, slideshows, blogs and more - and join the discussion. You can
also follow VOA on Twitter! As always, VOANews.com, with its community site
USAVotes2008.com, will continue to provide you with the latest coverage. Also
check out VOA's coverage of the global economic crisis.
Israeli President Asks Netanyahu to Form New Government
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6C5:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
Netanyahu calls on political rivals to join 'national unity government;'
Kadima's Livni says opposition preferable to far-right government
Israeli Pres. Shimon Peres (R) and Likud Party's Benjamin Netanyahu at a press
conference in Jerusalem, 20 Feb 2009Israeli President Shimon Peres has asked
right-wing leader Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next Israeli government.In a
televised ceremony at the president's office, Mr. Netanyahu accepted the
invitation to form a ruling coalition. He called on his moderate rivals,
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, to join him in
what he called "a broad national unity government."Livni, who had hoped to
become prime minister herself, has shown little inclination to join Mr.
Netanyahu's government and has indicated that she will likely take her Kadima
party into opposition.Mr. Netanyahu will have six weeks to put together a
government. If Livni refuses to join him, he will most likely form a coalition
of nationalist and religious parties that take a much more hard-line approach
to possible peace talks with the Palestinians. In his remarks after being named
to head the next government, Mr. Netanyahu said he views Iran as the greatest
threat to Israel's security, reviving a familiar refrain from his
campaign.Friday's announcement came after Mr. Peres met separately with Mr.
Netanyahu and Livni, whose Kadima party won one more seat than Likud in
parliamentary elections earlier this month but did not have enough support to
form a government on its own.On Thursday, Mr. Netanyahu won a major endorsement
from a leading far-right party led by Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beiteinu
party finished third in last week's parliamentary elections and was seen as the
key to any coalition government.Kadima Party leader Tzipi Livni, (file
photo)Livni reacted by telling Kadima members the foundation for a far-right
government led by Mr. Netanyahu has been set. She said she would rather become
the political opposition than be part of such an alliance.Livni has been
leading Israel's negotiations with the Palestinians, and is determined to
continue those peace talks.Mr. Netanyahu, a former Israeli prime minister, and
Lieberman are far more conservative in their approach to peace talks.
Lieberman is an ultra-nationalist whom critics have called a fascist.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
------------------------------------------------------
US Secretary of State Begins Visit to China
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6C6:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
China is final stop of four-nation tour of Asia focusing on global economic
crisis, climate change, North Korea's nuclear program
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives at airport in Beijing, 20 Feb
2009U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the debate with China over
human rights should not get in the way of progress in other areas.Speaking with
reporters Friday before arriving in Beijing, Clinton said the two countries
should not let their differences get in the way of engagement on climate
change, the global financial crisis and security threats.Clinton arrived in
Beijing Friday evening local time, the final stop of a four-nation tour of
Asia.On Saturday, she has a busy day of diplomacy including meetings with
Chinese President Hu Jintao, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and a dinner with her
Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.On Sunday, she will attend church services and
meet with women and civil society leaders then head back to
Washington.Clinton's trip has already taken her to Japan, Indonesia, and South
Korea.During her stop in Seoul, Clinton focused on growing tensions between
North and South Korea and efforts to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.
Speaking at news conference Friday with her South Korean counterpart Foreign
Minister Yu Myung-Hwan, the two also urged the North to return to border talks
and resume its dialogue with Seoul.Late last month, North Korea announced it
was canceling all political and military agreements with South Korea. Tensions
have been increasing on the Korean peninsula. U.S. and South Korea have warned
that North Korea is planning to test launch a long-range ballistic missile
possibly capable of reaching the United States.Some information for this report
was provided by AFP.
------------------------------------------------------
NATO Countries to Boost Presence in Afghanistan
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6C7:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says about 20 NATO members pledged new
commitments to Afghanistan
US Secretary for Defense Robert Gates during a round table session at NATO
defense ministers meeting in Krakow, Poland, 19 Feb 2009U.S. Defense Secretary
Robert Gates said more countries engaged in Afghanistan are increasing military
and civilian contributions, as the U.S. presses for greater cooperation in the
fight against a renewed Taliban insurgency.Gates said on Friday that about 20
countries pledged new commitments to Afghanistan during two days of meetings
with NATO defense ministers in Krakow, Poland.The American defense secretary
has been urging NATO members to contribute more troops to the security effort
in Afghanistan as it readies for national elections in August.He said if NATO
allies are unable to increase their military commitment, then civilian
contributions would be welcome. That includes helping the Kabul government by
building Afghanistan's infrastructure, or providing other assistance.The talks
in Poland follow President Barack Obama's announcement that the United States
plans to send 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan, bringing the total U.S. force
there to about 55,000 soldiers.The international force in Afghanistan includes
another 30,000 foreign troops, mainly from NATO countries.Germany and Italy
both have announced that they will deploy more troops ahead of the upcoming
Afghan elections. Germany says it will send another 600 soldiers, and Italy
pledged another 500.NATO'S secretary-general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, told
ministers Thursday the alliance's intervention in Afghanistan is not "where we
had hoped to be by now." He urged a regional approach to fight both terrorism
and corruption.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
------------------------------------------------------
Blast in Pakistan Targets Shi'ite Funeral
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6C8:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
Police, eyewitnesses say hundreds of Shi'ites were attending funeral of local
leader in Dera Ismail Khan when suicide bomber hit procession, killing least 28
people, wounding scores of others
Family members help a person injured by a bomb attack at a local hospital in
Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, 20 Feb 2009Pakistani police say that a powerful
suicide bomb blast hit the funeral of a slain Shi'ite Muslim leader in a
northwestern town on Friday, killing at least 28 people and wounding scores of
others. Police and eyewitnesses say hundreds of Shi'ites were attending the
funeral of a local leader in the town of Dera Ismail Khan when a suicide bomber
hit the procession. The powerful explosion is said to have killed most of the
people instantly. Hospital officials say that a number of people are critically
wounded and the death toll is expected rise. No one claimed responsibility but
police and leaders of the minority Shi'ite community suspect Sunni Muslims are
behind the violence. Witnesses say gunfire broke out in the city when outraged
members of the Shi'ite community fired on police rushing to the scene. The
rioting left several people dead. A top government official, Syed Mohsin Shah,
says that the civil administration has called up troops to bring the situation
under control. He says a curfew has been imposed and soldiers have started
patrolling the streets to discourage rioting. Sectarian tensions have been
running high in Deral Ismail Khan for many years. But, in recent months, Sunni
militants have introduced a new pattern of attacks on rival Shi'ite groups.
They first kill a local Shi'ite leader and then a suicide bomber hits the slain
man's funeral procession. Critics say that rising sectarian attacks could
further weaken the security situation in northwestern Pakistan where the
government is already under intense international pressure to crack down on
pro-Taliban militants. In recent days, the northwestern scenic valley of Swat
has been the focus of international concern because of a peace deal signed by
Pakistani authorities and local Taliban militants. Under the agreement, the
government will facilitate installation of an Islamic system of justice if
militants lay down their arms.Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit
has rejected international criticism of the peace deal, saying the
understanding is part of the government's efforts to eliminate extremism.
"Establishing peace, security and stability are matters of highest priority for
the [Pakistani] government. Pakistan will use all necessary means to achieve
these objectives," he said. "Therefore, speculation in the matter [peace deal]
will not be helpful."Richard Holbrooke (File)U.S special envoy for Afghanistan
and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke has said that militants in Swat pose a direct
threat to Pakistan and the United States. In a television interview on
Thursday, the senior American diplomat said that as he puts it, Washington is
worried the agreement with militants in Swat will turn into surrender.
Holbrooke says that he raised these concerns during a phone call with Pakistani
President Asif Ali Zardari. He says that the Pakistani leader has assured him
the deal was an "interim arrangement" to stabilize the region. Most of the area
in the northwestern district of Swat is said to be under the control of the
Pakistani Taliban who have long demanded introduction of their strict version
of Islamic law. However, the fate of the peace deal depends on the outcome of
talks between militant leaders and representatives of an outlawed Islamic group
that signed the agreement with the provincial government on behalf of the
Taliban.
------------------------------------------------------
Zimbabwe's New PM Seeks Assistance in South Africa
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6C9:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
Reuters news agency quotes Morgan Tsvangirai as saying country may need as much
as $5 billion for long-term recovery
Morgan Tsvangirai talks during a press conference in Cape Town, S.
Africa, 20 Feb 2009Zimbabwe's new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is in South
Africa seeking assistance for his country's battered economy.Mr. Tsvangirai and
his finance minister in Zimbabwe's new power-sharing government, Tendai Biti,
met Friday in Cape Town with South African leaders, including President Kgalema
Motlanthe, to discuss a possible $1 billion aid package.The Reuters news agency
quotes Mr. Tsvangirai as saying Zimbabwe may need as much as $5 billion for its
long-term recovery. The nation is suffering staggering inflation, soaring
joblessness and a run-down infrastructure.Despite the economic woes, an 85th
birthday bash is being planned Saturday in Zimbabwe for long-time
post-independence leader Robert Mugabe. Regional economic analysts have been
quoted as saying the celebration is out of place.Zimbabwe is also going through
a deadly cholera outbreak. The latest reported figures by the French news
agency, AFP, indicate there have been more than 80,000 cases since the outbreak
began last August. More than 3,700 people have died of the disease. The
power-sharing government was finally formed last week after months of
negotiations that followed the opposition winning legislative elections last
year.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
------------------------------------------------------
UN Member States Begin Talks on Security Council Reform
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6CA:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
Many countries want to see 15-member council expanded to include broader
regional representation and additional permanent members
UN Security Council United Nations member states met informally on Thursday to
begin talks on key issues of reforming the body's powerful Security Council.
Many countries want to see the 15-member council expanded to include broader
regional representation and additional permanent members. The subject of
Security Council reform and expansion is not new. It has been discussed along
these corridors for more than 15 years. But on Thursday, member states finally
met to get down to business.Diplomats say the private meeting was devoted
mostly to procedural issues and that substantive negotiations will begin early
next month.At issue is the makeup of the Security Council's membership, who
gets veto power, regional representation, how big an enlarged council would be
and what would be its working methods, and the relationship between the
Security Council and the 192-member General Assembly.In the past, regional
rivalries and national interests have stalled the process and it remains to be
seen whether that will happen again.Pakistan's Ambassador, Husain Haroon, is
optimistic, saying there has been a great deal of divisiveness in the past, but
that views are starting to converge. "I think the negotiations, despite the
worst pundit beliefs, I think will go well," said Husain Haroon. "And I think
people are going to listen to each other. And I think that if we work in that
spirit of cooperation, we'll have a much better United Nations."Strong regional
powers Germany, Japan, India and Brazil have long-sought permanent seats on an
expanded 25-member Security Council, but without immediate veto rights.
African Union countries are also seeking to permanent seats council.A separate
proposal put forward by a group of mid-ranking countries seeks an additional 10
non-permanent seats on the council, doubling the current number.The United
States has said it would support Japan and Germany joining the council as
permanent members. In the text of her statement to the closed-door meeting,
U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said the United States believes that the long-term
viability and legitimacy of the Security Council depends on its reflecting the
world of the 21st century.The council's balance of power still largely reflects
the state of the world following World War II, with Britain, China, France,
Russia and the United States holding permanent veto-wielding seats. Ten other
countries are elected to two-year terms.Substantive negotiations on the issues
of membership, veto power and regional representation will start on March 4.
------------------------------------------------------
UN: Food Shortages, Poverty Forcing Rohingya to Flee Burma
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6CB:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
WFP calling on Burma's military government to ease transport restrictions in
country to improve overall food security
The United Nation's World Food Program says food insecurity and malnutrition
faced by Burma's Muslim Rohingya people, remains a key reason for thousands of
Rohingya fleeing the region each year. The WFP is calling on Burma's military
government to ease transport restrictions in the country to improve overall
food security.The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) blames poverty and
chronic food shortages as a key factor behind the ongoing exodus of Burma's
ethnic Muslim minority, Rohingya, despite more than a decade of international
assistance to the region.The Rohingya people, largely live in Burma's northern
Rakhine State, the most western region of the country bordering on Bangladesh.
Most have been denied citizenship. The WFP has been providing food relief to
the Rohingya Rakhine state since 1994.World Food Program regional spokesman,
Paul RisleyPaul Risley, WFP's regional communications advisor, says the levels
of food shortages and malnutrition is adding to a sense of desperation among
the Rohingya community."Poverty is still the greatest challenge," he said. "The
people in Rakhine State are often found to be without food between harvests.
There is a growing sense of desperation that's measured by the very high
malnutrition rates we found in the recent assessment."Recent WFP briefing
papers say one third of Burma's children under five are underweight, with over
100,000 of them dying each year.Currently the WFP plans to provide some 1.6
million people across northern Rakhine state, Shan state and the Magway
Division - covering Chin and Kachin states - with food assistance.The WFP is
already providing food relief for over one million people in the Irrawaddy
Delta region devastated by cyclone Nargis in May last year. The cyclone claimed
thousands of lives.Risley called on Burma's authorities to ease restrictions on
the movement of goods and food from elsewhere in the country where the WFP and
other non-government organizations are currently operating."Simple markets,
that allow food grown in one area to be sold in areas where food is not
present; that is the greatest factor that is holding back proper food security
and an end to high malnutrition rates for people in Burma today," he said.The
WFP also said that other restrictions placed on the Muslim population were
adversely affecting livelihoods, leaving them "vulnerable."The Rohingya plight
has been highlighted over recent months as hundreds of the Muslim minority have
fled Burma and Bangladesh by boat in the hope of finding work in Southeast
Asia, in particular Malaysia.Hundreds in the boats have washed up along the
shoreline of Thailand and Indonesia triggering widespread debate and
accusations of law enforcement and military abuses in forcing boatloads of the
refugees back into open waters.Thailand, preparing to host the regional summit
of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) this month, is calling
on regional governments to look to solutions to the problems of the Rohingya in
the run up to the meeting.
------------------------------------------------------
US-Funded Emergency Medical Services Launched in Sri Lanka's War-Hit North
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6CC:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
Services are part of much wider effort by US, other countries to help rebuild
parts of Jaffna District crippled by 25 years of conflict between troops and
Tamil tiger rebels
Sri Lanka's war has devastated much of the country's north. As the conflict
appears to be winding down, projects for reconstruction and development are
gearing up. And that includes services like emergency medical care. An
ambulance service and a 24-hour hot line for life-threatening emergencies were
recently launched in Sri Lanka's Jaffna District, seen as the heartland of the
country's ethnic Tamil population. The first 110 call came within 24 hours of
opening the hot line. A teenage student had injured his leg playing cricket and
one of his teachers, who happened to be a member of the program's community
health training, called the hot line and provided first aid until an ambulance
arrived. The ambulance and paramedics was there within three minutes, and they
transferred the patient to a nearby hospital for X-rays.Services like these
have been available for years in Sri Lanka's larger cities like Colombo, Kandy
and Galle. Why were they so slow in coming to big population centers like
Jaffna?"Jaffna like the rest of northern Sri Lanka - also eastern Sri Lanka -
has traditionally lagged behind the rest of the country in terms of economic
development. The same is true of its health services," says James Moore, deputy
chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka. "In addition, in the case of
Jaffna, the Jaffna Peninsula has been cut off for several years from the rest
of the country as a result of the conflict." Sri Lankan troops move into
action at Elephant Pass, the isthmus that connects the northern Jaffna
peninsula to the rest of the country, 24 Jan 2009The new services are part of a
much wider effort by the United States and other countries to help rebuild
parts of the country's north crippled by 25 years of conflict between Sri
Lankan troops and rebels from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has
been fighting for a separate Tamil homeland in the north.Sri Lanka's neighbor,
India, also has offered to help rebuild and develop much of the north. Donnie
Woodyard is head of the Medical Teams International, a U.S.-based medical aid
group that is helping spearhead emergency health services in Jaffna. "The
equipment was pretty much lacking," said Woodyard. "So you had ambulances
without essential equipment. And you had personnel. And so we took the
ambulances and the personnel and we started out by training the people. And
with the USAID grant we were able to get - and meet the gap for - equipment:
the blood-pressure cuffs, oxygen, bandages and spinal boards. We were able to
get that and equip the ambulances to meet [World Health Organization]
standards."He says at least 33 ambulances are being upgraded with medical
supplies. He says more than 100 people are being trained as paramedics, and
about 12,500 people in the community are being trained in basic first aid to
treat anything from broken bones to snake bites.Much of the funding for the
program comes from the United States Agency for International Development, or
USAID, the foreign aid arm of the U.S. government, which contributed about
$200,000. The rest came from American donors and the World Health Organization,
or WHO, the U.N.'s agency for health. The U.S. is one of Sri Lanka's biggest
donors of humanitarian and developmental aid.Meanwhile, as reconstruction
efforts get under way in Jaffna, fighting continues in the northeast as Tamil
Tiger fighters struggle to hold on to an ever-shrinking sliver of territory.
The Human Rights Watch released a report Friday saying that about 2,000
civilians have been killed in recent fighting, and another 5,000 injured. The
human rights group called on Sri Lanka's government and the LTTE to stop
attacking civilians.As many as 200,000 civilians remain trapped by the
fighting, aid groups say, a number the Sri Lankan government says is
exaggerated.
------------------------------------------------------
Child-Friendly Anti-Malarial Drug Introduced Across Africa
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6CD:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
Health officials hope launch will help cut number of infant deaths from
malaria, by making treatment easier, more effective
A new, child-friendly version of an anti-malarial drug has been launched across
fourteen countries in Africa. Health officials hope the launch will help cut
the number of infant deaths from malaria, by making treatment easier and more
effective.The Swiss drug company Novartis, in conjunction with Geneva-based
non-profit Medicines for Malaria Venture, launched a new version of the
anti-malarial drug Coartem at a conference in Dakar. As the promotional video
for the drug explains, the new medicine, tested in conjunction with the
Tanzanian Ministry of Health, has been proven as effective as the previous
version, but has been given a new child-friendly flavor, and can be
administered in child-size doses. The drug comes in tablets, which are
dissolved in a small amount of water, becoming a fruit flavored drink.
Children often refused the previous version because of its bitter taste.
Malaria continues to be one of Africa's most deadly diseases for children,
responsible for nearly twenty percent of deaths of children under the age of
five, according to UNICEF.
Gianfranco Rotigliano, UNICEF's director for West and Central Africa, says
malaria is still ubiquitous in Africa, and though adults develop antibodies to
the infection, children under five are especially vulnerable. He says that
while the child-friendly medicine is an advance, a coordinated effort in
administering the drug properly will be just as important.Experts say new
campaigns, including the launch of the child-friendly Coartem, are being
monitored closely by health officials. Children must complete a three-day
course of the drug to be fully cured. Though the child is likely to feel
better after the first day of treatment, the disease is likely to return and
even worsen if the full course is not completed. Novartis says they going to
great lengths, alongside health officials, to educate the public and health
workers about the proper use of the drug.Senegal's Minister of Health Safiatou
Thiam Sy says the stakes are high in Senegal as well as the rest of
Africa.Thiam Sy says malaria weighs heavily upon not only the health of the
region, but also its productivity and economic development. Treating malaria
in children, she says, is key to the development of Senegal and Africa as a
whole.UNICEF estimates that malaria may negatively effect economic growth by
1.3 percent of annual gross domestic product in the hardest hit Sub-Saharan
African countries. The organization says the key to fighting the disease is a
combination of programs including wider usage of bed nettings and a more
effective distribution system for medicines.
------------------------------------------------------
Scientists Discover Ancient Fossil of Mammoth Near Los Angeles
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=226B6CE:2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8&;
Scientists uncover treasure trove of Ice Age animal bones at La Brea Tar Pits
Scientist at the Page Museum cleans a mammoth tuskScientists in Los
Angeles have uncovered a treasure trove of Ice Age animal bones, including the
nearly complete fossil of a huge Columbian mammoth. The discovery at the La
Brea Tar Pits should reveal more about life in the region up to 40,000 years
ago.The La Brea Tar Pits are asphalt deposits that contain the preserved
remains of ancient animal and plant life, and they have shed light on life in
the Ice Age since excavations started in 1913. This is the biggest find since
then. The newly discovered fossils are collectively called Project 23, after
the 23 large crates in which excavators placed the compacted fossils, soil and
tar for later analysis. Scientists have so far identified more than 700
specimens, including the skull of a prehistoric American lion and the bones of
dire wolves, saber-tooth cats, ground sloths and bison. The most impressive
find is the nearly complete skeleton of a huge Columbian mammoth. A
mammoth jaw boneColumbian mammoths are ancient cousins of the modern elephant,
and they have been extinct since the end of the last Ice Age more than 10,000
years ago. This one, named Zed by scientist John Harris, has two intact tusks
more than three meters long. Harris is chief curator at the Page Museum, which
houses treasures from the tar pits. He says only partial remains of mammoths
were found at this site before, and Zed is largest ever found here. Zed was a
male who stood three meters high at the hip. He was from 47 and 49 years old
when he died, says Harris, judging from the skeleton."It's relatively
complete," he said. "It's got nearly all of its bones, with the exception of
the bones from one leg. It's got a skull, it's got its jaw and its teeth and
its tusks. And to have something that complete from the tar pits is very
unusual because normally in the tar pits, you'll find the bones all jumbled up
together."Excavators discovered this cache of Ice Age remains as an old parking
garage was being demolished to make way for a new one. So renovations could be
completed, scientists pioneered a new technique to excavate the bones. The
earth was removed intact and packed in oversized crates, which scientists will
examine in a slow and careful process.Christopher Shaw, the Page Museum's
collections manager, says that plant and animal remains from the La Brea Tar
Pits have already shown what life was like in Ice Age Los Angeles. The region
was cooler and wetter than it is today. He says the new discoveries from 16
separate deposits may shed more light on the region's ecology and give us
insight into subjects like climate change."The 16 deposits hopefully will be 16
different ages and if that's the case, we will be able to see some kind of
changes in the populations of plants and animals through time, through the last
40,000-45,000 years of time represented here at the tar pits," Shaw said. "So
it's a very exciting prospect." Aisling Farrell The Page Museum's Aisling
Farrell points to rows of shelves inside the museum, which contain specimens
from the late Pleistocene Era, when these Ice Age creatures lived. She says it
is a kind of reference library, consisting of fossils."We have a collection
currently of about three and a half million specimens, and with our new
project, we're estimated to double that collection," she said.As workers remove
dirt and isolate specimens in the packing crates, others inside a so-called
Fishbowl laboratory polish the jawbone and a tusk of the newly discovered
mammoth. Curious schoolchildren watch through the windows.Collections manager
Shaw says they are sharing in the excitement that scientists feel as they
uncover these remnants of ancient life."Because you come in every day not
knowing what you're going to uncover, what you're going to discover that hasn't
seen the light of day for 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 45,000 years," he said. "So
to me, that aspect has always been exciting."Scientists have barely scratched
the surface of Project 23. They have started excavating three crates, including
the largest, but are barely half a meter deep into the compacted soil, tar and
animals remains in a crate that measures 50 cubic meters. They hope to
catalogue the millions of fossils still in the packing crates over the next
five years.
------------------------------------------------------
If you have questions about this E-mail newsletter send an e-mail to:
[email protected]
Click here to unsubscribe from the VOA Daily World News Summary2:
http://enews.voanews.com/u?id=2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8
Forward this E-mail:
http://enews.voanews.com/bin/ftaf?id=2DA063D257D4393167439BC8A06141F3B3350E090FE6A6E8
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"News" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/newsfcv?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
