Tropical Cyclone Hits Australia

A child plays in an uprooted tree after Cyclone Larry destroyed much of Innisfail, 22 March 2006. Prisoners with building and other trade skills will be used to assist in the clean-up of areas of north-eastern Australia hit by the devastating tropical, a government official said(AFP/File/Torsten Blackwood)

A car drives through a battered rain forest at Mission Beach Friday, March 24, 2006. Cyclone Larry hit Monday March 20, 2006, packing winds up to 300 kph (185 mph), ripping roofs off buildings across Australia's northeastern coast but also devastating the age old rain forests in the region. This rain forest is habitat for thousands of bird and animal species, including the critically endangered cassowary. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service estimates that fewer than 1,500 of the large, blue-headed, emu-like birds remain in the wild and wildlife workers worry the birds now won't have enough to eat for a while. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

The remains of a public telephone booth stand on the main street of the cyclone-damaged town of Silkwood, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of Cairns March 24, 2006. Restoring power to Australia's storm-devastated far northeast coast is the main concern, Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday as survivors of powerful Cyclone Larry began giving vent to frustrations. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Power poles that were damaged by Cyclone Larry lean at angles on a residential street of Innisfail, about 80 km (48 miles) south of Cairns, March 24, 2006. Restoring power to Australia's storm-devastated far northeast coast is the main concern, Prime Minister John Howard said as survivors of powerful Cyclone Larry began giving vent to frustrations. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

A power pole that was damaged by Cyclone Larry leans at an angle on a residential street of Innisfail, about 80 km (48 miles) south of Cairns, March 24, 2006. Restoring power to Australia's storm-devastated far northeast coast is the main concern, Prime Minister John Howard said as survivors of powerful Cyclone Larry began giving vent to frustrations. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Cartwright Road disappears under flood water near Innisfail, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Cairns March 23, 2006. Restoring power to Australia's storm-devastated far northeast coast is the main concern, Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday as survivors of powerful Cyclone Larry began giving vent to frustrations. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Storm clouds gather over graves and trees damaged by Cyclone Larry at Innisfail cemetery, about 80 kilometres (49 miles) south of Cairns March 23, 2006. Restoring power to Australia's storm-devastated far northeast coast is the main concern, Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday as survivors of powerful Cyclone Larry began giving vent to frustrations. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

An Australian military helicopter flies over the cyclone damaged town of Silkwood, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Cairns March 23, 2006. Restoring power to Australia's storm-devastated far northeast coast is the main concern, Prime Minister John Howard said on Thursday as survivors of powerful Cyclone Larry began giving vent to frustrations. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Cyclone damaged power poles stand at various angles in a street in the northern Queensland town of Innisfail 84 kilometers (52 miles) from Cairns, Thursday, March 23, 2006. Cyclone Larry ripped roofs off buildings across Australia's northeastern coast Monday March 20, packing winds up to 290 kph (180 mph), leaving an unknown number of people homeless but causing only a handful of minor injuries. Innisfail was hardest hit by the cyclone disrupting power, water and sewage in the region. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

A house damaged by a tree blown over by Cyclone Larry in Innisfail, about 100 km (62 miles) south of Cairns, is visible from the air, March 22, 2006. Thousands of Australians on the cyclone-devastated far northeast coast patched up homes with tarpaulin on Wednesday as Prime Minister John Howard unveiled a multi-million dollar aid package. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Banana trees destroyed by Cyclone Larry lie on the ground near Babinda, about 80 km (48 miles) south of Cairns in Northern Queensland March 22, 2006. Thousands of Australians on the cyclone-devastated far northeast coast patched up homes with tarpaulin on Wednesday as Prime Minister John Howard unveiled a multi-million dollar aid package. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Clayton, right, and Matthew Hoy wade through flood waters surrounding their family home outside Innisfail, 84 kilometers (52 miles) from Cairns, Wednesday, March 22, 2006. The Hoy family farm, a 100-acre banana plantation, was destroyed by Cyclone Larry and then flooded by heavy rains, which where hampering the relief effort and clean up procedures. The category 5 storm, which hit Monday, ripped roofs off buildings across Australia's northeastern coast packing winds up to 290 kph (180 mph), leaving an unknown number of people homeless. Innisfail was hardest hit by the cyclone. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Debris surrounds houses after a cyclone hit the northern Queensland town of Innisfail, 84 kilometers (52 miles) of Cairns, Australia, Tuesday, March 21, 2006. Cyclone Larry ripped roofs off buildings across Australia's northeastern coast packing winds up to 290 kph (180 mph), leaving an unknown number of people homeless but causing only a handful of minor injuries. Innisfail was hardest hit by the cyclone disrupting power, water and sewage in the region. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

A satellite photo made available by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology shows Cyclone Larry over northeastern Australia. Troops are heading for cyclone-devastated northeast Australia, as Prime Minister John Howard pledged quick aid for those left homeless or without power by the country's worst storm in decades(AFP/HO)



A house lies completely destroyed in the northern Queensland town of Innisfail, 84 kilometers (52 miles) from Cairns, Tuesday, March 21, 2006. Cyclone Larry ripped roofs off buildings across Australia's northeastern coast packing winds up to 290 kph (180 mph), leaving an unknown number of people homeless but causing only a handful of minor injuries. Innisfail was hardest hit by the cyclone disrupting power, water and sewage in the region. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

A man looks into destroyed shops on the main street of Innisfail in northern Queensland, 84 kilometers (52 miles) from Cairns Tuesday, March 21, 2006. Cyclone Larry ripped roofs off buildings across Australia's northeastern coast packing winds up to 290 kph (180 mph), leaving an unknown number of people homeless but causing only a handful of minor injuries. Innisfail was hardest hit by the cyclone disrupting power, water and sewage in the region.(AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Watching the catwalk

A spectator watches the models present the Autumn-Winter 2006-2007 collection of Portuguese designer Luis Buchinho at the Portugal Fashion show in Porto, northern Portugal. (AFP/Miguel Riopa)

Volcanoes

NASA satellite image released in October 2004 shows a plume of ash from an eruption of the Manam volcano in Papua New Guinea. A volcano on the remote Papua New Guinea island of Manam was quieter after erupting for two days, officials said.(AFP/NASA/File)


In this photo provided by the Alaska Volcano Observatory /University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute, steam rises from the summit of Mount Augustine Volcano in Alaska, Wednesday, Jan. 18 2006. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Alaska Volcano Observatory /University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute, John Eichelberger)


This file photo released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS ) shows smoke and ash rising from the crater of Mount St. Helens in this Oct 1, 2004 file photo. A trail to the south rim of the Mount St. Helens crater, closed since a slow eruption began in late September 2004, may reopen this year, officials say. (AP Photo/USGS, John Pallister, File)


In this 1964 photo released by Department of Conservation, the volcano on Raoul Island, a nature reserve in the remote Kermadecs islands group of New Zealand is seen erupting. The volcano erupted on the remote island Friday, March 17, 2006, tossing mud, rocks and steam high into the air and prompting the evacuation of conservation workers in the area. One person was missing, officials said. (AP Photo/Department of Conservation, Don Merton, HO)


Mount Merapi volcano spews lava and hot clouds from its crater as dawn breaks as seen from Ngepos observatory in Muntilan subdistrict, Magelang, in February 2001. Vulcanologists have upgraded an alert on Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano on densely-populated Java island after it recorded increased activity.(AFP/Patmawitana )


Photo taken by the rescue helicopter pilot John Funnell of the area effected by the volcanic eruption on Raoul Island, Friday, March 17, 2006. A conservation worker was missing and feared dead after a remote New Zealand volcano unexpectedly burst into life as he was checking its crater lake, officials said Saturday. The man, in his early 30s, left his five co-workers at the accommodation block on volcanic Raoul Island around 7:30 a.m. local Friday (2030 GMT Thursday) to walk to Green Lake, said Rolien Elliot, area manager for the Department of Conservation. An hour later the volcano erupted. (AP Photo / NZPA, John Funnell)


A Javanese farmer works in his rice field in the shadow of the active volcano, Mount Merapi. Scientists are closely monitoring Mount Merapi on Indonesia's densely populated island of Java after registering increased activity over the weekend, officials said(AFP/File/Choo Youn-Kong)


Smoke rises as liquid mud flows down a glen on Mount Meakandake in Hokkaido, Japan, Tuesday afternoon, March 21, 2006. The volcano, about 890 kilometers (555 miles) northwest of Tokyo, erupted at about 6:28 a.m. on Tuesday (2128 GMT Monday), spewing a small amount of ash into the air, the Meteorological Agency said. (AP Photo/Kushiro Local Metrological Observatory via Kyodo News)


Volcanic eruption in 2004. A Philippines volcano spewed a column of ash nearly a mile (1.5 kilometres) into the sky, raising fears of a major eruption.(AFP/File)


Smoke rise from the existing big crator, background, and a newly-created small one in a glen, foreground, on Mount Meakandake in Hokkaido, Japan, Wednesday, March 22, 2006. The volcano, about 890 kilometers (555 miles) northwest of Tokyo, erupted Tuesday morning, spewing a small amount of ash into the air. (AP Photo/Kyodo News, Takuro Yabe)

Deadly Freeze Grips Europe

A snow-covered car in a street of Besancon, eastern France. Heavy snow and high winds lashed Europe over the weekend, causing the deaths of at least 17 people in weather-related accidents and avalanches in Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland.(AFP/Bruno Ferrandez)


A boy waves a banned Belarusian flag during a rally on a main square in central Minsk, Belarus, Tuesday, March 21, 2006 with an image of the flag of the European Union seen at right. Several hundred protesters braved freezing temperatures for the third day Tuesday to camp out in a central Minsk square in a show of defiance against authoritarian Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's extension of his rule. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Ice Sea Hunting

Canadian sealers navigate their boats through an ice floe in the Gulf of St. Lawrence during the annual seal hunt in this April 1, 2005 file photo. The federal department of Fisheries and Oceans announced March 23, 2006 that the annual seal hunt will commence this Saturday with an overall catch quota of 325,000 seals. REUTERS/Paul Darrow


A ice floe stretches through the Gulf of St. Lawrence Friday March 24, 2006. Despite poor ice conditions throughout the area the annual harp seal hunt will start Saturday where 325,000 seals harvested. (AP Photo/CP,Jonathan Hayward)


A ice floe stretches through the Gulf of St. Lawrence Friday March 24, 2006. Despite poor ice conditions throughout the area the annual harp seal hunt will start Saturday where 325,000 seals harvested. (AP Photo/CP,Jonathan Hayward)


ATTENTION EDITORS - GRAPHIC CONTENT Rebecca Aldworth, of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), moves up to a seal carcass that was discarded by sealers after they removed its pelt on the first day of the seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, March 25, 2006. REUTERS/Paul Darrow


In this photo released by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), a hunter drags a seal back to his boat after it was shot on the first day of the 2006 Canadian commercial seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada on Saturday March 25, 2006. IFAW experts were onsite to observe and document the hunt. (AP Photo/IFAW, Stewart Cook, HO)


Blood soaks through a ice pan in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, where a harp seal was killed Saturday March 25, 2006. The annual harp seal hunt started today where some 325,000 harp seals will be harvested. (AP Photo/CP,Jonathan Hayward)


Sealers search the ice floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, Saturday March 25, 2006 for harp seals. The annual harp seal hunt started Saturday where some 325,000 harp seals will be harvested. (AP Photo/CP, Jonathan Hayward)


Sealers use a small boat to scout for seals on the ice pans in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, March 25, 2006. Saturday marked the first day of the east coast seal hunt. Canadian hunters started shooting and clubbing harp seal pups on Saturday at the start of an annual hunt that is the focus of a tech-savvy protest by animal rights groups. This year, 325,000 young seals will be killed on the ice floes off the East Coast where the animals gather. (Paul Darrow/Reuters)

A seal boat passes a harp seal in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the opening day of the hunt, March 25, 2006. (Paul Darrow/Reuters)

A sealer drags a seal off an ice pan during the first day of the annual seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada March 25, 2006. Saturday marked the first day of the east coast seal hunt. Canadian hunters started shooting and clubbing harp seal pups on Saturday at the start of an annual hunt that is the focus of a tech-savvy protest by animal rights groups. This year, 325,000 young seals will be killed on the ice floes off the East Coast where the animals gather. REUTERS/Paul Darrow

sprays insecticide

A worker from the Ministry of Health sprays insecticide around homes in a bid to stem an outbreak of the crippling mosquito-borne virus, Chikungunya in Port Louis, Mauritius March 16, 2006. Chikungunya fever has infected more than 180,000 people, mostly in Reunion but also in Mauritius, Seychelles, Mayotte and Madagascar, all located off the southeast coast of Africa. Picture taken on March 16, 2006. REUTERS/Nita Bhalla

Exploring Mexico's Freshwater Sinkholes

Divers make their way through a freshwater sinkhole, known as a cenote, in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula in this undated photo. The cenotes, deep sinkholes in limestone that have pools at the bottom, are yielding scientific discoveries including possible life-saving cancer treatments. To match feature Environment-Mexico. REUTERS/Henry Watkins & Yibran Aragon

Remains of Centuries-Old Ship Uncovered

The remains of a ship believed to be a 1590s-era Spanish vessel are seen on the grounds of the Pensacola Naval Air Station, Thursday, March 23, 2006, in Pensacola, Fla., after they were recently uncovered during construction. (AP Photo/Tony Giberson)

Huge pans of ice

Two sealing boats push their way through pans of ice in search of seals during the annual Canadian seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada March 25, 2006. Canadian hunters started shooting and clubbing harp seal pups on Saturday at the start of an annual hunt that is the focus of a tech-savvy protest by animal rights groups. This year, 325,000 young seals will be killed on the ice floes off the East Coast where the animals gather. (Paul Darrow/Reuters)

Fireworks illuminate

Fireworks illuminate flags of all countries involved in the World Baseball Classic as the national teams of Cuba and Japan line up before the final game of the international tournament in San Diego, March 20, 2006. REUTERS/Jeff Topping

Killer Whale

A keeper trips in the air as she was tossed by a jumping false killer whale off its head during a show at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium-amusement park complex in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, Saturday, March 18, 2006. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Ice Sculpture

German tourists Tanja Jolk and her daughter Emma view the ice-sculpture unveiled outside Canada House in London's Trafalgar Square that shows a hunter about to strike a seal with his hakapik March 14, 2006. The sculpture was a protest at the annual Canadian seal hunt and was commissioned by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor

Cruise ship spray

A Carnival cruise ship is seen in an undated file photo. Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise line operator, on Thursday said its first-quarter profit fell as higher fuel costs offset gains in revenue. (Handout/Reuters)

Flames engulf a Falla

Flames engulf a Falla in front of a fireman as the city of Valencia celebrates the finale of its 'Fallas' festival which welcomes Spring and honours Saint Joseph's Day on March 20, 2006. Fallas are giant elaborate sculptures and effigies made of wood and plastic. The finale sees the last day of the week-long spectacle of processions, fireworks, music and dancing. REUTERS/Heino Kalis

Snow covered Seoul

A South Korean woman walks through one of Seoul's snow-covered parks in February 2006. South Koreans were advised to stay home or wear masks outside as yellow sand mixed in snow fell across the western part of the Korean peninsula.(AFP/File/Jung Yeon-Je)

Crocodile with chicken

A saltwater crocodile is given a chicken at a reptile park in October 2000. The outbreak of bird flu in Israel has led the owners of a wildlife farm to remove chicken from the menu of some of their hungriest charges -- a 200-strong congregation of crocodiles.(AFP/File/Torsten Blackwood)

Lost

Undated publicity handout of a controversial Australian tourism advertisement. Just days after Britain's television advertising regulator lifted its ban on the ad, which centres on the slightly risque phrase 'bloody hell', Australian Tourism Minister Fran Bailey said Canadian regulators had now lost their sense of humour. (Tourism Australia/Handout/Reuters)