Fresh tests on Shroud of Turin - Telegraph

Interesting still think its a fake though.

Fresh tests on Shroud of Turin - Telegraph
26/02/2008

Mysterious Sea Creatures Found In Antarctic Waters

Mysterious Sea Creatures Found In Antarctic Waters

ScienceDaily (Feb. 21, 2008) — The return of the last of three Antarctic marine science research vessels marks the culmination of one of Australia's most ambitious International Polar Year projects, a census of life in the icy Southern Ocean known as the Collaborative East Antarctic Marine Census (CEAMARC).

Australia's Aurora Australis and collaborating vessels L'Astrolabe (France) and Umitaka Maru (Japan) have returned from the Southern Ocean, their decks overflowing with a vast array of ocean life including a number of previously unknown species collected from the cold waters near the East Antarctic land mass.

While the French and Japanese ships have been examining the mid and upper ocean environment over the past two months, Aurora Australis had her eyes fixed on the ocean floor, using both traditional and innovative sampling equipment to capture the diversity of life.

Aurora Australis voyage leader Dr Martin Riddle says that their expedition uncovered a remarkably rich, colourful and complex range of marine life in this previously unknown environment.

"Some of the video footage we have collected is really stunning – it's amazing to be able to navigate undersea mountains and valleys and actually see what the animals look like in their undisturbed state," he said.

CEAMARC is part of the international Census of Antarctic Marine Life, coordinated by the Australian Antarctic Division, which will see some 16 voyages to Antarctic waters during this, the International Polar Year (2007-2009).

The Census of Antarctic Marine Life will survey the biodiversity of Antarctic slopes, abyssal plains, open water, and under disintegrating ice shelves. The census aims to determine species biodiversity, abundance and distribution and establish a baseline dataset from which future changes can be observed.

Giant Ababil birds terrorize US?

Apparently a number of reports on Arabic websites have claimed the recent spate of sightings of giant birds in US is due to Allah sending his dreaded Ababil birds to punish America.

Ababil birds are a race of enormous birds described in the Koran as being sent by Allah to drop red clay bricks on the army of elephants sent by the king of Yemen to attack the city of Mecca in the year (571 AD) when the prophet Mohammed was born. "They had snouts like the beaks of birds and paws like the paws of dogs.'' More details of the birds here.

According to these recent Arabic reports "a number of returning US servicemen and their relatives have died in car accidents caused by being driven off the road by attacks from Abbail birds dropping clay stones and swooping at them. When the Abbail birds are seen at night the divine angelic light surrounding the birds has led to them being misidentified as UFOs leading to a recent spate of UFO sightings. The most notable incident was over Stephenville, Texas. The birds have engaged in dogfights with American fighters successfully outflying the planes and baffling the USAF airforce. Embarrassed by this defeat the US government is trying cover up the Ababil birds' victory in the skies which is apparently why the US media isn't covering this."

It is claimed the bird's reign of terror will only end when US forces withdraw from Iraq.

Of course it might be the birds do not exist but I guess this idea is inspired by stories like these:

Sightings Of Mysterious Giant Bird Continue In San Antonio

July 2007

“Man blames car wreck on prehistoric winged reptile,” Saturday, December 29, 2007.

The latter case blames a crash on what appears to be a Pteranodon. I can't find much evidence to support the more dramatic versions of the Ababil bird's activities only there have been reports of UFO dogfights recently. It seems the Taliban called for Ababil birds in Afghanistan but I can't find any reports of them actually doing anything there :)

We're not alone...MoD reveal the number of reported UFO sightings in the UK has risen | the Daily Mail

A 50 percent increase.

We're not alone...MoD reveal the number of reported UFO sightings in the UK has risen | the Daily Mail