1. Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading on January 9 1982.
2. Her wedding to Prince William spawned a whole new range of royal memorabilia including Kate and William tea bags, dolls and even a Papa John's pizza.
3. On becoming a royal, she became the Duchess of Cambridge, and a pub in Windsor promptly followed suit and was renamed in her honour.
4. At the age of 13, she went to the £15,000-a-year Marlborough College in Wiltshire.
5. It was rumoured that at Marlborough College Kate had a poster of her future husband William on her wall.
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6. But she has quashed speculation by revealing it was in fact the "Levi's guy" who adorned her bedroom.
7. Kate is a keen photographer and took pictures for her parent's mail order business Party Pieces.
8. Amman, the capital of the Middle East country Jordan, was home to Kate and her family for a few years in the mid 1980s when she was a young child.
9. The duchess has completed her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.
10. Hobbies the royal likes to indulge in include walking, tennis, swimming, sailing, and painting.
11. Kate spent time studying at the British Institute in Florence during a gap year.
12. The royal also crewed on Round the World Challenge boats in The Solent while taking a break from studies.
13. In 2001, the Duchess enrolled at the University of St Andrews, Fife, from where she graduated in 2005 with a 2:1 in History of Art.
14. When an undergraduate she continued playing sports and turned out for the university's hockey team.
15. Kate met her future husband at St Andrews – a university where graduates have around a one in 10 chance of meeting their perfect partner and getting wed.
16. The duchess worked in London as a part-time buyer for the clothing company Jigsaw Junior.
17. Kate and William's first official event together after they got engaged was at Anglesey last February – dedicating a new RNLI lifeboat.
18. Kate followed wedding tradition, and for "something blue" had a blue ribbon sewn into the interior of her dress.
19. Her wedding dress had a 2.7m train and hand embroidered individual lace flowers.
20. After the wedding ceremony, on April 29 last year, her bouquet was placed on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey after the service, continuing a tradition started by the late Queen mother.
21. The see-through dress which sparked William's interest in Kate when she wore it at a university fashion show in 2002 was auctioned in 2011 for £78,000.
22. The Duchess is descended from a family of solicitors and landed gentry on her father's side and butchers, plasterers, road sweepers and domestic servants on her mother's.
23. Kate is allergic to horses.
24. During her tour of California and Canada during the summer of 2011 the royal wore more than 25 outfits.
25. Whenever the royal is photographed wearing high street fashion the garment quickly sells out.
26. The duchess is an official ambassadors for Team GB and Paralympic GB.
27. With her husband William she will travel to Malaysia, Singapore, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this year.
28. When in the capital Kate sometimes uses the London bike hire scheme.
29. The royal is patron of Action on Addiction and the National Portrait Gallery, and royal patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices and The Art Room.
30. She is also a volunteer with the Scout Association and in the future will join activities privately with groups in north Wales and other areas.
Monday, January 9, 2012
RI reassures Oz on visas, cattle
Top Indonesian and Australian envoys met here on Monday amid a growing number of problems involving the two neighboring states, ranging from people smuggling and cattle imports to escalating tensions in the region.
During the meeting Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd sought clarification from his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa about Indonesia’s new policy relaxing visa processing for citizens of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, formerly among 13 countries on its immigration red list.
Marty said he had told Rudd that the new policy did not mean visas-on-arrival nor visa exemptions for Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi citizens.
“The same kind of consideration will be gone through for each visa application. But this time instead of here in Jakarta it will be carried out in the countries concerned,” Marty told the press.
Australia is reportedly worried by the new policy, as it is expected to boost people smuggling and the number of refugees trying to reach Australia through Indonesia.
Marty, however, denied that Rudd had expressed any concerns from the Australian government regarding the new visa arrangements.
He only said that he and Rudd had agreed on the need to “identify the flow of people smuggling” activities so as to determine measures to curb them. Rudd said it was a challenge to both countries to make it “harder and harder for people smugglers” to conduct their activities.
Separately, University of Indonesia international relations expert Haryadi Wiryawan said the Monday meeting was likely prompted by Australia’s disappointment over Indonesia’s lack of responsiveness in dealing with refugee and people smuggling issues.
“The Indonesian government’s lack of action in addressing these issues is regarded as a reason why people smuggling continues. Australia isn’t happy with this,” Haryadi said.
Indonesia Center for Democracy, Diplomacy and Defense researcher Teuku Rezasyah, meanwhile, expressed suspicions that the US Darwin plan was actually high on agenda.
“This meeting seems out of the blue; it came as quite a surprise. I reckon it was probably held to specifically discuss the Darwin issue because of the latest situation,” Rezasyah said.
Marty however denied any specific talks concerning Darwin. Indonesia has previously suggested that a joint exercise for disaster relief involving several countries in the region, including China and the US, be held so as to counter suspicions regarding the US plan to deploy 2,500 marines in the Australian city.
Marty only said that Indonesia and Australia agreed on the need to further boost disaster relief cooperation among countries in the region, which was echoed by Rudd.
“[We discussed] a joint Indonesian-Australian initiative on cooperation on disaster management across the region so when the next big one [natural disaster] hits, we are better prepared as a region than we were last time,” Rudd said.
Rudd was also scheduled to meet with Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan and Agriculture Minister Suswono to discuss the cattle-import issue before leaving for a UN meeting in New York on Tuesday evening.
Australia is the largest supplier of live cattle to Indonesia and provides significant amounts of frozen meat to the archipelago. Last year’s decision by Australia to suspend cattle exports to Indonesia prompted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to instruct a cut in cattle and frozen meat imports from Australia.
During the meeting Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd sought clarification from his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa about Indonesia’s new policy relaxing visa processing for citizens of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, formerly among 13 countries on its immigration red list.
Marty said he had told Rudd that the new policy did not mean visas-on-arrival nor visa exemptions for Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi citizens.
“The same kind of consideration will be gone through for each visa application. But this time instead of here in Jakarta it will be carried out in the countries concerned,” Marty told the press.
Australia is reportedly worried by the new policy, as it is expected to boost people smuggling and the number of refugees trying to reach Australia through Indonesia.
Marty, however, denied that Rudd had expressed any concerns from the Australian government regarding the new visa arrangements.
He only said that he and Rudd had agreed on the need to “identify the flow of people smuggling” activities so as to determine measures to curb them. Rudd said it was a challenge to both countries to make it “harder and harder for people smugglers” to conduct their activities.
Separately, University of Indonesia international relations expert Haryadi Wiryawan said the Monday meeting was likely prompted by Australia’s disappointment over Indonesia’s lack of responsiveness in dealing with refugee and people smuggling issues.
“The Indonesian government’s lack of action in addressing these issues is regarded as a reason why people smuggling continues. Australia isn’t happy with this,” Haryadi said.
Indonesia Center for Democracy, Diplomacy and Defense researcher Teuku Rezasyah, meanwhile, expressed suspicions that the US Darwin plan was actually high on agenda.
“This meeting seems out of the blue; it came as quite a surprise. I reckon it was probably held to specifically discuss the Darwin issue because of the latest situation,” Rezasyah said.
Marty however denied any specific talks concerning Darwin. Indonesia has previously suggested that a joint exercise for disaster relief involving several countries in the region, including China and the US, be held so as to counter suspicions regarding the US plan to deploy 2,500 marines in the Australian city.
Marty only said that Indonesia and Australia agreed on the need to further boost disaster relief cooperation among countries in the region, which was echoed by Rudd.
“[We discussed] a joint Indonesian-Australian initiative on cooperation on disaster management across the region so when the next big one [natural disaster] hits, we are better prepared as a region than we were last time,” Rudd said.
Rudd was also scheduled to meet with Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan and Agriculture Minister Suswono to discuss the cattle-import issue before leaving for a UN meeting in New York on Tuesday evening.
Australia is the largest supplier of live cattle to Indonesia and provides significant amounts of frozen meat to the archipelago. Last year’s decision by Australia to suspend cattle exports to Indonesia prompted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to instruct a cut in cattle and frozen meat imports from Australia.
Anwar freed in sodomy case
KUALA LUMPUR: In a stunning climax to a two-year-old trial, a Malaysian court on Wednesday acquitted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy charges, and admittedly the surprised former deputy premier immediately set his sights on pushing out the long-serving ruling coalition.
High court Judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah took just three minutes to deliver his most-awaited judgement to a packed court house finding him not guilty of sodomising 26-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari, his former aide.
A relieved 64-year-old opposition leader announced outside the court room that he intended to visit India and Turkey soon. Anwar said his surprise acquittal could be linked to government fears that a guilty ruling would have left PM Najib Razak's image tarnished abroad.
The verdict, which is likely to give a boost to opposition alliance ahead of the general elections, were followed by three small explosions outside the court where a tight security arrangement was in place. But the police blamed it on firecrackers.
A government statement said the judgement highlighted the free nature of the judiciary in the nation. Delivering the judgement, the judge said there were no corroborating evidence to support Saiful's testimony, citing unreliable DNA evidence. "The court cannot be 100% certain that DNA was not contaminated ," he said.
"And because it was a sexual offence, the court is reluctant to convict on uncorroborated evidence," he said.
However, there was no written judgement. Anwar's supporters shouted "Allahu Akbar" , or "God is great" after the judge finished reading the verdict. Anwar immediately hugged his children who were crying over the verdict . He also shook hands with the prosecutors.
"Thank God justice has prevailed," said a jubilant Anwar. "I have been vindicated . To be honest, I am a little surprised... My focus now will be at the coming elections ," Anwar said.
Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh said the court's decision was based on merit and should not be appealed. "This is very good win for Anwar ," he said.
The verdict comes ahead of elections that are due in 2013 but are widely expected to be called later this year.
High court Judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah took just three minutes to deliver his most-awaited judgement to a packed court house finding him not guilty of sodomising 26-year-old Mohd Saiful Bukhari, his former aide.
A relieved 64-year-old opposition leader announced outside the court room that he intended to visit India and Turkey soon. Anwar said his surprise acquittal could be linked to government fears that a guilty ruling would have left PM Najib Razak's image tarnished abroad.
The verdict, which is likely to give a boost to opposition alliance ahead of the general elections, were followed by three small explosions outside the court where a tight security arrangement was in place. But the police blamed it on firecrackers.
A government statement said the judgement highlighted the free nature of the judiciary in the nation. Delivering the judgement, the judge said there were no corroborating evidence to support Saiful's testimony, citing unreliable DNA evidence. "The court cannot be 100% certain that DNA was not contaminated ," he said.
"And because it was a sexual offence, the court is reluctant to convict on uncorroborated evidence," he said.
However, there was no written judgement. Anwar's supporters shouted "Allahu Akbar" , or "God is great" after the judge finished reading the verdict. Anwar immediately hugged his children who were crying over the verdict . He also shook hands with the prosecutors.
"Thank God justice has prevailed," said a jubilant Anwar. "I have been vindicated . To be honest, I am a little surprised... My focus now will be at the coming elections ," Anwar said.
Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh said the court's decision was based on merit and should not be appealed. "This is very good win for Anwar ," he said.
The verdict comes ahead of elections that are due in 2013 but are widely expected to be called later this year.
N. Korea to free prisoners to mark Kims' birthdays
SEOUL — North Korea announced Tuesday it would grant an amnesty for prisoners to mark the upcoming birth anniversaries of its late leaders.
The official news agency said a parliamentary decree had authorised the amnesty from February 1, embodying the "noble, benevolent and all-embracing politics of President Kim Il-Sung and leader Kim Jong-Il".
It said the amnesty would apply to "convicts" but did not elaborate on who would benefit or give numbers.
International rights groups say more than 200,000 men, women and children are held in prisons and labour camps, mostly for political and not criminal reasons.
The 70th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-Il, who died on December 17 after nominating his son Jong-Un as successor, is on February 16.
The 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim's father and founding president Kim Il-Sung falls on April 15.
"The cabinet and relevant organs will take working measures for those to be released thanks to the amnesty to work and live under stable conditions," the report said.
The official news agency said a parliamentary decree had authorised the amnesty from February 1, embodying the "noble, benevolent and all-embracing politics of President Kim Il-Sung and leader Kim Jong-Il".
It said the amnesty would apply to "convicts" but did not elaborate on who would benefit or give numbers.
International rights groups say more than 200,000 men, women and children are held in prisons and labour camps, mostly for political and not criminal reasons.
The 70th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-Il, who died on December 17 after nominating his son Jong-Un as successor, is on February 16.
The 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim's father and founding president Kim Il-Sung falls on April 15.
"The cabinet and relevant organs will take working measures for those to be released thanks to the amnesty to work and live under stable conditions," the report said.
US citizen sentenced to death in Iran
An Iranian court has convicted a US man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death, according to a state radio report.
The report on Monday further ratcheted up a war of words between Iran and the United States as tensions flare over Tehran's nuclear programme and threat to close the crucial Gulf of Hormuz oil transit route.
Iran says that Amir Mirzaei Hekmati received special training and served at US military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission.
The radio report on Monday did not say when the verdict was issued. Under Iranian law, Hekmati has 20 days to appeal.
The US denied that Hekmati was a CIA spy, and criticised Iran for what it called a pattern of arresting innocent people for political reasons.
PJ Crowley, former US state department spokesman, told Al Jazeera that an actual execution of Hekmati "would be very tragic and would really close the door on any normalised relations between the US and Iran".
"The crack is not wide as it is," he said. "We can never predict that it cannot get worse but it obviously can."
Nuclear 'escalation'
The Iranian court's decision came on a day the US gave warning that if Iran was enriching uranium to 20 per cent at an underground facility at Fordo, this would be a "further escalation" of its pattern of violating obligations under UN Security Council resolutions.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, confirmed on Monday that Iran had started enriching uranium up to 20 per cent at the site at Fordo, near the city of Qom, and that all atomic material there was under its surveillance.
"If they are enriching at Fordo to 20 per cent, this is a further escalation of their ongoing violations with regard to their nuclear obligations," said Victoria Nuland, the state department spokesperson, at her daily briefing.
She also repeated the US appeal to Latin American countries not to have close relations with Iran and impress upon it that its course in the nuclear dialogue "is the wrong one."
The appeal was made as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, met with Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, in Caracas at the start of a tour of Latin America that is also set to take him to Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador.
"We think it's in the interest of all countries, including the countries that he's visiting in Latin America, that Iran proves the peaceful intent of its nuclear program to the world," said Nuland.
Ahmadinejad's travels in Latin America are seen as an effort to side-step growing international tensions and find new markets as the European Union considers an outright embargo on Iranian oil. The US could impose sanctions on foreign countries doing business with its central bank, which would also seriously block the inflow of money for its major export, oil.
Purported confession
The 28-year-old former military translator being held in Iran was born in Arizona and graduated from high school in Michigan. His family is of Iranian origin.
His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.
The Iranian court convicted Hekmati of working with a hostile country, belonging to the CIA and trying to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorism, Monday's radio report said.
In its ruling, a branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court described Hekmati as a mohareb, an Islamic term that means a fighter against God, and a mofsed, or one who spreads corruption on earth. Both terms appear frequently in Iranian court rulings.
In a closed court hearing in late December, the prosecution asked for the death penalty for Hekmati.
The US government has called on Iranian authorities to grant Swiss diplomats access to him in prison. The Swiss government represents US interests in Iran because the two countries don't have diplomatic relations.
Hekmati is a dual US-Iranian national, but Iran considers him merely Iranian since the country's law does not recognise dual citizenship.
The Marine Corps said "Amir Nema Hekmati" served between 2001 and 2005, including one deployment to Iraq in 2004 and a stint at the military language institute in Monterey, California.
The Marine records do not indicate any deployment to Afghanistan. It was not clear why the middle name was listed differently.
On December 18, Iran's state TV broadcast video of Hekmati delivering a purported confession.
In a statement released the same day, Iran's intelligence ministry said its agents had identified Hekmati at Bagram air field in neighbouring Afghanistan. Bagram is the main base for American and other international forces outside Kabul, the Afghan capital.
It is not clear exactly when he was arrested, although Iranian news reports have said he was detained in late August or early September.
At the time of his trip to Iran, Hekmati had been working in Qatar as a contractor for a company "that served the marines", his father said, without providing specific details.
The report on Monday further ratcheted up a war of words between Iran and the United States as tensions flare over Tehran's nuclear programme and threat to close the crucial Gulf of Hormuz oil transit route.
Iran says that Amir Mirzaei Hekmati received special training and served at US military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission.
The radio report on Monday did not say when the verdict was issued. Under Iranian law, Hekmati has 20 days to appeal.
The US denied that Hekmati was a CIA spy, and criticised Iran for what it called a pattern of arresting innocent people for political reasons.
PJ Crowley, former US state department spokesman, told Al Jazeera that an actual execution of Hekmati "would be very tragic and would really close the door on any normalised relations between the US and Iran".
"The crack is not wide as it is," he said. "We can never predict that it cannot get worse but it obviously can."
Nuclear 'escalation'
The Iranian court's decision came on a day the US gave warning that if Iran was enriching uranium to 20 per cent at an underground facility at Fordo, this would be a "further escalation" of its pattern of violating obligations under UN Security Council resolutions.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, confirmed on Monday that Iran had started enriching uranium up to 20 per cent at the site at Fordo, near the city of Qom, and that all atomic material there was under its surveillance.
"If they are enriching at Fordo to 20 per cent, this is a further escalation of their ongoing violations with regard to their nuclear obligations," said Victoria Nuland, the state department spokesperson, at her daily briefing.
She also repeated the US appeal to Latin American countries not to have close relations with Iran and impress upon it that its course in the nuclear dialogue "is the wrong one."
The appeal was made as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, met with Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, in Caracas at the start of a tour of Latin America that is also set to take him to Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador.
"We think it's in the interest of all countries, including the countries that he's visiting in Latin America, that Iran proves the peaceful intent of its nuclear program to the world," said Nuland.
Ahmadinejad's travels in Latin America are seen as an effort to side-step growing international tensions and find new markets as the European Union considers an outright embargo on Iranian oil. The US could impose sanctions on foreign countries doing business with its central bank, which would also seriously block the inflow of money for its major export, oil.
Purported confession
The 28-year-old former military translator being held in Iran was born in Arizona and graduated from high school in Michigan. His family is of Iranian origin.
His father, a professor at a community college in Flint, Michigan, has said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested.
The Iranian court convicted Hekmati of working with a hostile country, belonging to the CIA and trying to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorism, Monday's radio report said.
In its ruling, a branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court described Hekmati as a mohareb, an Islamic term that means a fighter against God, and a mofsed, or one who spreads corruption on earth. Both terms appear frequently in Iranian court rulings.
In a closed court hearing in late December, the prosecution asked for the death penalty for Hekmati.
The US government has called on Iranian authorities to grant Swiss diplomats access to him in prison. The Swiss government represents US interests in Iran because the two countries don't have diplomatic relations.
Hekmati is a dual US-Iranian national, but Iran considers him merely Iranian since the country's law does not recognise dual citizenship.
The Marine Corps said "Amir Nema Hekmati" served between 2001 and 2005, including one deployment to Iraq in 2004 and a stint at the military language institute in Monterey, California.
The Marine records do not indicate any deployment to Afghanistan. It was not clear why the middle name was listed differently.
On December 18, Iran's state TV broadcast video of Hekmati delivering a purported confession.
In a statement released the same day, Iran's intelligence ministry said its agents had identified Hekmati at Bagram air field in neighbouring Afghanistan. Bagram is the main base for American and other international forces outside Kabul, the Afghan capital.
It is not clear exactly when he was arrested, although Iranian news reports have said he was detained in late August or early September.
At the time of his trip to Iran, Hekmati had been working in Qatar as a contractor for a company "that served the marines", his father said, without providing specific details.
Hints 'extinct' giant Galapagos tortoises live on
IT MAY be the ultimate paternity test for a reptile believed lost to history.
US scientists say an iconic tortoise that has been presumed extinct in the Galapagos Islands for 150 years may still exist, based on DNA blood samples from the giant creatures' living children.
The reptile in question is a majestic tortoise known as Chelonoidis elephantopus, which can weigh up to 400kg and live for a century in the wild.
However, they were only known to exist on Floreana Island in the Galapagos and were presumed extinct shortly after Charles Darwin's historic voyage there in 1835.
But researchers at Yale University have sampled DNA from 2000 tortoises of a related species, C. becki, on nearby Isabella Island, and found what they say are unmistakable traces of C. elephantopus in their parentage.
Eighty-four of the tortoises have DNA that indicates their ancestry is a mix between C. becki and C. elephantopus, said the research published in Current Biology's January 10 edition.
By comparing the living hybrids' DNA to that in museums, "the newly sampled individuals can only be explained if one of their two parents were C. elephantopus", said the research.
Since the lumbering tortoises are land-bound reptiles, humans may have transferred them from island to island via ship, the study said.
However, lead author Ryan Garrick said it would take quite a stroke of luck to come across an actual C. elephantopus.
"To our knowledge, this is the first report of the rediscovery of a species by way of tracking the genetic footprints left in the genomes of its hybrid offspring," said Garrick.
"These findings breathe new life into the conservation prospects for members of this flagship group."
Genes from recently extinct species can live on in mixed ancestry creatures, but these data showed the parentage must be closer than simply a remnant of a bygone species.
In fact, the data showed that some of the breeding must have been quite recent because 30 of the 84 tortoises were under 15 years old.
And given the genetic diversity of the sample, scientists believe the minimum number of contributing purebred C. elephantopus parents would be 38.
If conservationists could locate the original purebreds, they could help revive the giant tortoises' numbers through targeted breeding, Garrick said.
"If found, these purebred C. elephantopus individuals could constitute core founders of a captive breeding program directed towards resurrecting this species."
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/hints-extinct-giant-galapagos-tortoises-live-on/story-e6frfku0-1226240434959#ixzz1j0ggwlEQ
US scientists say an iconic tortoise that has been presumed extinct in the Galapagos Islands for 150 years may still exist, based on DNA blood samples from the giant creatures' living children.
The reptile in question is a majestic tortoise known as Chelonoidis elephantopus, which can weigh up to 400kg and live for a century in the wild.
However, they were only known to exist on Floreana Island in the Galapagos and were presumed extinct shortly after Charles Darwin's historic voyage there in 1835.
But researchers at Yale University have sampled DNA from 2000 tortoises of a related species, C. becki, on nearby Isabella Island, and found what they say are unmistakable traces of C. elephantopus in their parentage.
Eighty-four of the tortoises have DNA that indicates their ancestry is a mix between C. becki and C. elephantopus, said the research published in Current Biology's January 10 edition.
By comparing the living hybrids' DNA to that in museums, "the newly sampled individuals can only be explained if one of their two parents were C. elephantopus", said the research.
Since the lumbering tortoises are land-bound reptiles, humans may have transferred them from island to island via ship, the study said.
However, lead author Ryan Garrick said it would take quite a stroke of luck to come across an actual C. elephantopus.
"To our knowledge, this is the first report of the rediscovery of a species by way of tracking the genetic footprints left in the genomes of its hybrid offspring," said Garrick.
"These findings breathe new life into the conservation prospects for members of this flagship group."
Genes from recently extinct species can live on in mixed ancestry creatures, but these data showed the parentage must be closer than simply a remnant of a bygone species.
In fact, the data showed that some of the breeding must have been quite recent because 30 of the 84 tortoises were under 15 years old.
And given the genetic diversity of the sample, scientists believe the minimum number of contributing purebred C. elephantopus parents would be 38.
If conservationists could locate the original purebreds, they could help revive the giant tortoises' numbers through targeted breeding, Garrick said.
"If found, these purebred C. elephantopus individuals could constitute core founders of a captive breeding program directed towards resurrecting this species."
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/hints-extinct-giant-galapagos-tortoises-live-on/story-e6frfku0-1226240434959#ixzz1j0ggwlEQ
Nick Cannon released from hospital
Nick Cannon has been released from hospital.
The 'America's Got Talent' host - who was treated for "mild kidney failure" while holidaying in Aspen, Colorado, last week, before being transferred to a Los Angeles medical facility - is "resting and recovering at home" with wife Mariah Carey, and will return to work later this month.
His representative said in a statement: "Nick Cannon was released over the weekend to be with his family. He is resting and recovering at home and would like to thank everyone who has expressed concern, well wishes and prayers.
"He plans to return to his live morning radio show broadcast 'Rollin' with Nick Cannon' on 92.3 NOW FM on January 17."
On Saturday (07.01.12), Nick explained he had undergone a surgical procedure and predicted he will recover to be "stronger" than before.
He tweeted: "Just left the operating table and I was awake during the whole procedure. #OUCH Recovering... about to be stronger than ever! #Ncredible!"
Mariah revealed Nick had been taken ill on her twitter page last Wednesday (04.01.12) and asked fans to pray for her "brave" spouse.
She tweeted: "Please pray for Nick as he's fighting to recover from a mild kidney failure. #mybraveman (sic)."
The 'America's Got Talent' host - who was treated for "mild kidney failure" while holidaying in Aspen, Colorado, last week, before being transferred to a Los Angeles medical facility - is "resting and recovering at home" with wife Mariah Carey, and will return to work later this month.
His representative said in a statement: "Nick Cannon was released over the weekend to be with his family. He is resting and recovering at home and would like to thank everyone who has expressed concern, well wishes and prayers.
"He plans to return to his live morning radio show broadcast 'Rollin' with Nick Cannon' on 92.3 NOW FM on January 17."
On Saturday (07.01.12), Nick explained he had undergone a surgical procedure and predicted he will recover to be "stronger" than before.
He tweeted: "Just left the operating table and I was awake during the whole procedure. #OUCH Recovering... about to be stronger than ever! #Ncredible!"
Mariah revealed Nick had been taken ill on her twitter page last Wednesday (04.01.12) and asked fans to pray for her "brave" spouse.
She tweeted: "Please pray for Nick as he's fighting to recover from a mild kidney failure. #mybraveman (sic)."
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