Free Republic

Two lion cubs born in a zoo in the Gaza Strip died Thursday two days after their birth. [....] The twin felines...were born Tuesday in the Bissan zoo after their parents had been smuggled into the coastal enclave from Egypt.... The report...cited the zoo worker as blaming Israel's blockade of the Strip for the lack of food and medicine....

DUBAI - Iran plans to build more nuclear power reactors in an earthquake-prone coastal area, Iranian media said on Wednesday, a day after a strong tremor struck the region close to its only existing such plant.

Text of report in English by independent, non-governmental Palestinian Ma'an News Agency website ["Misfired Palestinian Projectiles Kill Two, Injure Ten Gazans" - Ma'an headline] Bethlehem -Ma'an -Two young girls are dead and four others were injured after a "mysterious explosion," thought to be a misfired projectile, rocked a house in the Al-A'tatrah area of northern Gaza on Friday [26 December] medical sources said.

Iranians join Bush shoe protest By Martin Vennard BBC News Dozens of Iranians in the country's capital Tehran have held their own shoe-throwing rally in protest at US President George W Bush. They were showing support for the Iraqi journalist who threw his footwear at the American leader in Baghdad. The protesters waved their shoes in the air before throwing them at posters featuring caricatures of Mr Bush. The journalist, Muntadar al-Zaidi, is due to go on trial in Iraq, accused of assaulting a foreign head of state. 'Cruelty' The demonstration took place near Tehran university as people headed to...