Bird flu killing most of those who catch it

By SCOTT MacLEOD and NZPA
The Asian bird flu is killing three out of every four people who catch it, says a New Zealand virus expert at the World Health Organisation.

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Source http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3546243&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

Courtesy Tammy & Ken J.

Cop shot dead by farm caretaker in Marikina

By Non Alquitran
The Philippine Star

A policeman was shot dead Wednesday by a farm caretaker over a quarrel regarding fighting cocks in Marikina City.

The victim, PO1 Romeo Abenir, 34, of Cruz St., Barangay Parang and detailed at the Police Community Precinct 11 sustained nine bullet wounds in the body. He died on the spot.

His assailant, identifed only as Aldog, a caretaker of the Astig Farm in Barangay Parang, escaped after the incident.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., Marikina City police chief, said Abenir was sharing some of his fighting cocks at the Astig Farm owned by Samer Padao, better known for his aliases Andy, Boy Tangkad and Boy Muslim.

During the past cockfights, Abenir's fighting cocks lost and the policeman suspected that Aldog, has not been religiously been doing his job.

At about 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, Abenir arrived at the farm and confronted Aldog, triggering a verbal tussle.

At the height of the heated argument, the suspect reportedly grabbed a caliber 9mm automatic pistol and emptied it on Abenir.

Nine empty shells, a deformed slug for a 9mm pistol and a live caliber .45 pistol ammunition were recovered at the crime scene.

Rojas said the suspect escaped taking with him the handgun.

He said the suspect could not have used Abenir's gun because it was locked in his locker in the nearby police station at the time of the incident.

Abenir's body was brought to the crime laboratory of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame for autopsy.

Rojas said they are investigating reports that a number of armed men were seen inside the farm in the past.

Rojas' deputy Superintendent Romeo Abaring said that Aldog admitted shooting Abenir in a cellular phone chat with a fellow Muslim who is now coordinating with him for the safe surrender of Aldog.

Source http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200401306310.htm

Second arrested for cockfight

By J.D. Davidson
The Times-Journal

Published January 29, 2004

A second man has been arrested after DeKalb County authorities raided a cockfight near Collinsville on Jan. 17.

Jimmy Van Johnson, 40 of Sylvania, turned himself into to DeKalb County Sheriff Cecil Reed on Tuesday to face gambling charges relating to the cockfight.

Earlier, deputies arrested Allen Dabbs, 69 of Munford, for operating a cockpit.

Deputies raided the cockfighting pit near Collinsville. There were between 250-300 people who paid a $20 admission fee to enter the barn-like building. There were also at least 20 children at the event.

According to Reed, people traveled to the fight from at least five states, including Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.

U.S. attorneys filed papers last week defending laws that allow authorities to punish people who ship fighting birds across state lines or out of the country.

The United Gamefowl Breeders Association, a national cockfighting group, sued the government last May. The group is arguing that the laws trample on the rights of New Mexico and Louisiana - the last two states where cockfighting is legal - and discriminate against people from cultures that accept cockfighting.

U.S. District Judge Rebecca F. Doherty in Lafayette has not heard arguments in the case, which is considered a serious legal challenge by animal rights advocates.

The suit takes issue with amendments Congress attached in 2002 to the Animal Welfare Act that make it a crime punishable by up to $15,000 in fines and one year in jail to ship any fighting rooster from one state to another or to a foreign country. The new laws went into effect last May.

The suit asks Doherty to throw out the laws, saying they are unconstitutional.

The plaintiffs contend that Louisiana stands to lose $206 million in business as out-of-state cockfighters will not be allowed to bring their birds to the state to fight.

The plaintiffs also allege that the new laws discriminate against people from cultures where cockfighting is an integral part of life - such as Cajuns, Hispanics, Filipinos and Japanese.

The old laws, the government's brief states, allowed cockfighters to "elude prosecution in states where the practice is illegal by claiming that they are raising fighting birds for shipment to states where it is legal."

"This loophole, Congress found, undermined and compromised the ability of the federal government ... from enforcing laws against cockfighting," the brief states.

The new laws do not trample on states' rights because the shipment of birds is a commercial practice that can be regulated by Congress, the government's brief contends.

The cockfighting industry, already pummeled by a move to make the blood sport a felony in some states, could see its profits seriously damaged by the new laws. Cockfighters estimate that there are about 100,000 people who breed fighting birds in the United States.

- The Associated Press contributed to this story

Source http://www.times-journal.com/report.lasso?WCD=1737