Nigeria to implement UNEP report on Wetlands – Minister

The Federal Ministry of Environment said there were plans to implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on the designation of Niger-Delta as Wetlands.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed in Abuja on Tuesday, on the occasion of the 2016 Wetlands Day.

A wetland is an area of land where water covers the soil – even for only part of the year.

Wetlands can be natural or artificial. The water in them can be still or flowing, fresh, salty or in-between (brackish).

World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on Feb. 2 which marks the date on which the Convention on Wetlands was adopted in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar.

The minister said that some the efforts being made to manage wetlands in the country included preparation of National Wetlands Management Policy.

She also said that there were plans to designate more wetland sites of international importance for conservation and sustainable use as well as sensitising the public to sustainable use of wetlands.

Others, she said are promotion of international cooperation on wetland management and development of wetlands poverty reduction initiatives towards improving the livelihoods of wetland communities.

The minister said this was in line with government’s development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Ramsar Convention had designated 11 wetlands of international importance for Nigeria

They are Apoi Creek Forests, Bayelsa, Baturiya Wetland, Kano, Dagona Sanctuary Lake, Yobe, Foge Islands, Kebbi, Lake Chad Wetlands, Borno and Lower Kaduna-Middle, Niger Floodplain, Kwara, Niger.

Others are Maladumba Lake, Bauchi, Nguru Lake (and Marma Channel) complex, Jigawa, Yobe, Oguta Lake, Imo, Pandam and Wase Lakes, Plateau and Upper Orashi Forests, Rivers.

The theme of the 2016 World Wetlands Day celebration, which is selected to demonstrate the vital role of wetlands to humanity and the new sustainable development goals, is “Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods.’’

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'Rambo' the Elephant gores Scottish tourist to death during Thailand island vacation

An elephant dubbed “Rambo” may have been startled or overwhelmed by the heat when it gored a Scottish tourist to death, Thai authorities said.

The pachyderm launched its attack Monday on the resort island of Ko Samui, throwing Gareth Crowe, 36, and his daughter, Eilidh Hughes, to the ground. Rambo then gored Crowe with his tusk and stomped on him.

The animal — who's also known as Golf — became enraged after its trainer, or mahout, climbed off to take a picture of the tourists.

Crowe had a prosthetic leg and was unable to run away from the elephant, officials say.

Hughes and the trainer, Zaw Win Tun, were injured in the deadly attack.

There was speculation that the elephant might have been in a state of musth, when it becomes more aggressive during its mating cycle, but authorities said that was not the case.

"We suspect that the hot weather made the elephant angry and that he was not accustomed to his mahout," Paiboon Omark, Samui district chief, told AFP.

The elephant has been chained to a tree since Monday so officials can monitor its behavior, the Bangkok Post reports. Officials say Rambo will take a 15-day break from work and then be moved to another branch of the trekking company.

Elephants are Thailand's de facto national animal and were once featured on the country's flag. Their numbers have declined in recent decades as expanding human settlements have reduced their natural habitats. Thailand now has fewer than 3,000 wild elephants and about 4,000 domesticated elephants, according to the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.

The animals once were used for logging, but deforestation and a subsequent ban on most logging has led to many elephants now being used as tourist attractions.

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An evil gang of swans is terrorizing villagers

An evil pair of swans have been ‘terrorizing’ the townspeople of Gloucestershire, England — and there's nothing anybody can do about it.

The tormenting team has been ruthless in their quest for destruction — attacking kids, chasing postmen, vandalizing cars and property — generally wreaking havoc and making the villagers’ lives a living nightmare.

According to an old British law penned in the 12th Century, swans are officially protected by the British Monarchy and thus are exempt from punishment.

Elderly residents living in a nearby residential park said they feared the swans’ wrath so much, at times they were too scared to even leave the house.

"I’m scared to leave the house at times," resident Angela Helbrow, 53, told Metro UK.

Helbrow lives next to the river where the swans hang out and intimidate locals.

"I can’t even go outside to hang up the washing anymore,” Helbrow said. “I was doing my knitting last week and they came right up from the river to the patio doors and began pecking on the window.”

The severity of the situation has gotten so bad that locals have begun to arm themselves with water pistols, garden hoses, and shovels, to fend off the sinister sownder of swans.

"I think the entire community would like to see these swans moved to a more suitable location. I’m sure we and the swans would benefit," local Barbara Morse, 66, said.

A spokesman for the swans' stomping ground said that their perilous attitude is partly to do with mating season.

"For ten months of the year, they are perfectly OK. It is just nature taking its course," he said.

"What can you do? They are protected birds. There is nothing we can do," he said.

Pope Francis to make acting debut in spiritual movie, becomes first pope to do so

His Holiness is coming to a theater near you.

Pope Francis is set to making his movie debut in a religious family movie called “Beyond the Sun,” Variety magazine reported.

The role will be the first film appearance for a head of the global Catholic church.

The pontiff will play himself in the feature film — from Rome-based distribution and production company Ambi Pictures — about family adventures based on the Gospels.

“Our excitement and gratitude toward His Holiness, Pope Francis participating in this film is beyond words,” AMBI co-founder Andrea Lervolino told the magazine.

While originally reported to feature significantly in the film, AMBI’s site only says it will feature “an epilogue from Pope Franis telling children how and where to find Jesus.”

Additionally, a spokesman for the Vatican told the Guardian, “the pope is not an actor.”

The news of the spiritual film comes after the Pope asked movie makers to find ways to communicate Jesus’ message to children.

The story will focus on children of various cultures who “emulate the apostles” as they search for Jesus in their world, AMBI said on their site.

All profits from the family movie will be donated to two Argentinian charities for at-risk children and young adults.

The film is expected to begin production soon in Italy.



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Wenger on the attack after Gunners misfire

Arsene Wenger shrugged off criticism that he should have signed a world-class goalscorer in the January transfer window despite acknowledging that Arsenal’s finishing has been rather poor in recent weeks.

The Arsenal manager cut a frustrated figure at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday as the Gunners created plenty of chances in a 0-0 draw with Southampton, but ultimately were denied on numerous occasions by the sheer brilliance of Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

It has often been said that, in pursuit of winning a first Premier League title since 2004, the north London club should have invested heavily in a proven striker.

Wenger, though, batted away such claims after his side fell to fourth place, five points behind leaders Leicester.

“If you had found a world-class striker, who could have strengthened the team, then you should have told me,” he said.

“Believe me, they do not walk in (off) the street and say: ‘I am a world-class striker’.

“They are already at a big club and under contract and not available. We have Walcott, Giroud, Ozil, Sanchez and Welbeck, who is coming back.

“Tonight, I don’t think that a miracle man would have come in and scored for us. As a team, we can score goals.

“I don’t like to say it was one of those nights. We are all disappointed because we had enough chances to win the game.

“The most disappointing thing is that some players missed chances that they usually take.

“Our finishing is very poor at the moment. We have played three Premier League games now without scoring a goal.

“Forster had a brilliant game. But you’d expect that. The rate and quality of chances created was high for a Premier League game but the quality of finishing was poor.

“Finishing is a bit cyclical, up and down at the moment. It’s very down for us now.

“We have a difficult programme, especially away from home, but we need to respond.”

– Magic –
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman paid tribute to Forster, who kept his fourth successive clean sheet since returning from a knee injury last month.

“Our goalkeeper is magic and he was magic tonight,” Koeman said.

“It’s always difficult when you are out for more than nine months. Knowing you need rhythm and games.

“But since coming back he was the same. Credit to the medical staff and credit to Fraser.

“He is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and maybe one of the best in Europe.”

Koeman was quick to admit that his team had enjoyed their fair share luck given the sheer amount of chances created by Arsenal.

But he emphasised how well Southampton have played away to the supposedly prominent Premier League clubs.

“Not one team in my one-and-a-half years managing Southampton created what Arsenal created against us,” he said.

“So you need to be lucky first and you need to have a goalkeeper who is saving everything and that’s maybe what explained what happened.

“Normally it’s more difficult for opponents to create that many chances against us.

“We didn’t play well but we had unbelievable spirit. In the counter-attacking, we didn’t have the quality.

“But to get one point away to Arsenal, three points at Manchester United, to beat Chelsea away, one point against Liverpool at Anfield is amazing, a dream for a club like Southampton.”

Koeman revealed that his new striker Charlie Austin suffered a “knock” on the eve of the match.

But the recent signing from QPR should be available for the home match with West Ham on Saturday.

“It was risky in my opinion to put him on the pitch. It’s not a serious injury,” he said.

“Normally he’ll be available. If you know his past, he had been out for five or six weeks.

“So I’d prefer to wait one week to ensure the player is back.”

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