No Trophy Kills On South African Airways

Africa's largest airline has banned the shipment of endangered animal trophies on its flights.
That’s right. There will be no more leopard-skins or elephant heads allowed onboard South African Airways (SAA).
Take that, trophy hunters!
SAA country manager Tim Clyde-Smith: "SAA will no longer support game hunters by carrying their trophies back to their country of origin. The vast majority of tourists visit Africa in particular to witness the wonderful wildlife that remains. We consider it our duty to work to ensure this is preserved for future generations and that we deter activity that puts this wonderful resource in danger."
No exception will be made, even if the hunter holds a valid permit issued by the relevant authorities to transport the animal.

This news comes after the recent revelation that the rate of rhinos poached last year in South Africa was bigger than ever.
Conservationists are onboard with the idea, seeing it as a bold and positive move to limit human-induced mortalities.
Wouldn't it be great if other international carriers made similar moves...

Icelandic Ahab Tries It Again

Kristjan Loftsson is at it again!
In a move both highly controversial and provocative, Iceland's sole fin whaler is preparing to ship 1,700 tonnes of fin whale meat to Japan via the port of Luanda in Angola, off the SW coast of Africa.
His whaling company Hvalur loaded the meat - the entire catch from last year's whaling season - onto the Winter Bay around a fortnight ago, but the ship remains in harbour at Hafnarfjordur, south of Reykjavik...allegedly due to mechanical problems.
(This time last year, Loftsson shipped 2,000 tonnes of fin whale meat to Japan aboard the Alma, taking a circuitous route around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid protestors.)

Winter Bay still in harbour...

Icelandic whalers hunt both fin and minke whales under a disputed 'reservation' to the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling. This year's minke whaling season has already started, with at least 2 whales killed, and the fin whaling season opens in June. Last year, 137 endangered fin whales and 24 minke whales were killed.
Meanwhile the Icelandic media is heavily critical of the bloodsoaked billionaire's recent re-election as Chairman of seafood giant,

HB Grandi. One of the Board's first actions was to award itself a 33.3% pay rise: by comparison, his workers were awarded a paltry 3.3%.
Loftsson's attempts at damage limitation, including tv interviews during which he attempted to crack jokes, did not go down well and were not helped by the revelation that HB Grandi workers had been rewarded for their hard work and extra productivity with...an ice-lolly!

Catholic Cathedral Construction Plans

It's been several speculative post-EQ years in the making...
But today, major plans for Christchurch's historic Catholic cathedral will be announced.
For those not familiar with the city, we're not talking the Anglican cathedral in the Square - this is the spectacular white Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on Barbadoes Street.
Catholic leaders have decided to deconstruct the most quake-damaged parts of the cathedral but keep other sections. The deconstructed parts will then be rebuilt in stages but would not replicate the original cathedral.
The plan will cost about $14 million (including the deconstruction), compared to $120-$170m to restore the whole building. Previous estimates have put the cost of a modern cathedral at about $40m.
The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is a Heritage NZ Cat.1 building, completed in 1905. It's considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance-style architecture in NZ and was innovative for its use of a concrete structure with Oamaru stone cladding.
The front facade of the cathedral partially collapsed in the Feb.2011 EQ. The back of the building has since been partially deconstructed, with removed masonry, copper detailing and windows stored off-site.
Heritage expert Ian Lochhead: "The building is the grandest of all the Roman Catholic cathedrals constructed in NZ in the 19th and early 20th centuries."
More details will be announced at a press conference at 11am today.

Update: The details, as released today...