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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 2004)
Today Wednesday Thursday High: 56 High: 58 High: 58 Low: 44 Low: 44 Low: 47 Precip: 80% Precip: 10% Precip: 40% IN BRIEF Sea otter spotted at Oregon coast CHARLESTON — A lone sea otter spotted at Simpson Reef on Cape Arago might be a sign that the species is beginning a natural recol onization of the Oregon coast, nat uralists said. “There were thousands of them here once, and I think we’ve got room for dozens of them today,” said Wendell Wood, Southern Oregon field representative for the Oregon Natural Resources Council. The last official sighting of the otter, who spent at least six months in the area, came on Labor Day weekend, when the season ended for volunteers who staff the over look there. A student at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology in Charleston looked earlier this month but didn't spot the otter. The otter could still be there, said Jan Hodder, the institute mammalo gist. It will take multiple failed sight ings before reaching the conclusion that the animal has left, she said. In the past decade, confirmed sight ings of sea otters along the Oregon coast have noticeably increased, said Roy Lowe, project leader for the Ore gon Coast National Wildlife Refuge. In addition to several sightings near Simpson Reef, sea otters have been spotted at Cape Blanco, Yachats and Yaquina Bay in recent years. This particular otter is the only one that has stuck around for a while, as far as anyone knows. The only suit able habitat in Oregon for sea otters is on the south coast, near shore reefs where kelp beds attract their favorite foods, sea urchins and abalone. Sea otters are the smallest marine mammals, growing to four feet long and ranging from 45 to 65 pounds. Their fur — 600,000 to 1 million hairs per square inch — is the thickest of any animal and was highly prized by fur hunters. The animal was hunted to extinction in Oregon in 1906. Democrats signing up more new voters The Democrats appear to be gain ing the upper hand in the battle to sign up new voters in the all-impor tant swing states, an Associated Press analysis said. The AP analysis of the most up-to-date figures from across the country found that, in every state where complete data is available, the Democrats have regis tered more new voters than Repub licans. They have the edge in Ari zona, Iowa, New Mexico, Nevada and New Hampshire. Anglicans criticize U.S. Episcopal Church LONDON — On Monday an Angli can church commission urged the U.S. Episcopal Church not to elect any more gay bishops and called on conservative African bishops to stop meddling in the affairs of other dioce ses. The commission, created last year after the consecration of V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hamp shire, called for apologies from both sides and for reconciliation among the world’s Anglican churches. Foreign student enrollment declines in Oregon College campuses nationally are struggling to attract foreign students because of concerns about terrorism and heightened security require ments and Oregon schools are no exception. At Lane Community College, the number of foreign students has stayed flat for the past three years. Before Sept. 11, 2001, the number was growing at more than 6 percent per year. And the University has seen its in ternational enrollment drop from a peak of almost 1,700 in 1997 to an es timated 1,170 this year. Colleges want international stu dents for two reasons: for the diversi ty of their backgrounds and because they typically pay high nonresident tuition and fees. For example, if Lane Community College, were to increase its enroll ment of international students by 200, it would bring in an estimat ed $345,689 in annual revenue after expenses, according to a staff analysis. Oregon campuses are now debating whether to spend the money to active ly recruit such students, but it's not clear that even that will be enough to boost international enrollment. Residents of many Islamic coun tries now face demanding, time consuming background checks, and if they plan to study in one of a number of technical fields deemed sensitive by the State Department, they face further hurdles and often are denied. And in certain non-Is lamic countries such as China, po tential students also are finding it difficult to get a visa. Magid Shirzadegan, director of international student and scholar services at the University, said the number of students coming to the University from places such as Chi na,' the Middle East and Indonesia has been on an especially notice able decline. The Associated Press Iraq introduces weapons buyback to disarm cities Iraqi forces ready to fight terrorists, Prime Minister Allawi said following a recent eruption of violence BYTINITRAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced plans Monday to extend a cash-for weapons program for Shiite fighters in Baghdad’s Sadr City to cities na tionwide in an attempt to disarm the country. The announcement came as fresh violence erupted in Baghdad and Mosul. Multiple car bombs over a two-day period claimed at least 12 lives, and a militant group, the Islam ic Army in Iraq, claimed to have be headed two Macedonian hostages. U.S. forces also reported fresh at tacks against alleged terrorist strongholds in Fallujah. The government launched the cash-for-guns program in Sadr City as part of a deal to end weeks of fighting in the Shiite district of Baghdad and has twice extended the deadline for fighters to hand in their weapons. On Monday, Allawi told the Na tional Council, a government over sight body, that the program is go ing so well he wants to extend it to the rest of Iraq. "The government is determined to disarm cities and neighborhoods because our forces are now ready to fight terrorists and there’s no justification for people to keep weapons at home,” Allawi said. Iraqi officials hope that Sunni Muslim leaders in the insurgent torn city of Fallujah can be persuad ed to negotiate a similar weapons buyback deal. But Fallujah, the focal point of the Sunni rebellion, presents a tougher challenge. The U.S. military announced late Monday that it had destroyed sever al safehouses and weapons storage sites linked to terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The state ment did not specify whether the attacks were airstrikes, although such attacks have been launched frequently against the insurgent stronghold in recent weeks. Iraqi officials insist they are seeking a peaceful solution to the standoff in Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad. But hopes that peace talks could re sume there quickly were dashed when the city’s chief negotiator, Sheik Khaled al-Jumeili, ruled out any quick resumption of talks despite his release Monday from U.S. custody. “I’m negotiating on behalf of Fal lujah people — civilians, kids, women — who have no power ex cept by being represented by some body,” al-Jumeili told Al-Arabiya STANDOFF, page 7 You w< Now thro locations ■ but are not participating in the free food giveaway Diablo’s Downtown Lounge alzone I Cozmic Pizza No purchase necessaiy Lhtv* one pei customer No substitutions Additional chaiges may apply for toppings Otter valid through 10/25/04 We le^erve ttie light to suspend o« cancel this promotion at any time and to prohibit orders that we believe violate any ot oui restrictions See website for details
