| New pro football league to have SEC flavor
The devotion to college football in the Southeast is about to get put to the test. The All American Football League, with four of its six teams based in SEC strongholds, will hold its first draft Saturday in Atlanta. Former Florida quarterback Chris Leak, Nebraska Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch and ex-Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick are among the biggest names in the league, which will play its games from May through June. "I can't give you odds" if the league will succeed, said former ACC commissioner Gene Corrigan, a member of the league's board. "All I can say is, up to this point, I think they've done very well." The league's unique plan is to give college fans an opportunity to watch their favorite college players.
Binmen to decide next move
Once these latest negotiations are over union chiefs will speak to the crews and hold a mass vote to decide what action should be taken next. Unison branch secretary Dave Smith believes the talks could go either way, saying that there is a 50-50 chance of further strikes. Mr Smith said: "Whatever happens today a decision will be made. Realistically I'd say there was a 50-50 chance of us having to strike again but lets hope we can resolve this without having to do that." Binmen have already taken to the picket line for a total of three days following the introduction of changes to work practices by Eastleigh Borough Council. .
China on edge over BHP Billiton-Rio Tinto merger
CHINA'S biggest aluminium producer and a senior government official have added their voices to a growing chorus of Chinese concern about the proposed merger of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. The concerns have fuelled speculation that Chinese interests will try to intervene in the proposed $400 billion tie-up of the two giant miners. Aluminium Corp of China -- also known as Chalco -- yesterday expressed worries that a combined BHP (bhp.ASX:Quote,News) and Rio (rio.ASX:Quote,News) would concentrate raw material supplies and wield too much pricing power. "Someone told me that if they combine copper ore and iron ore, prices may double next year," Chalco president Luo Jianchuan told Bloomberg. "It makes us worried." On Monday, China's minister of land and resources told a mining conference in Beijing that a handful of multinational mining giants "dominate the global commodities trade and have more say in the price-setting mechanism".
Owners lose home, and pets suffer, too
Once an animal has been adopted, the previous owner has no claim to the animal. A pet owner who surrenders an animal also runs the risk, in some shelters, that the animal will be euthanized if a home can't be found. Some shelters try to minimize euthanization by capping the number of animals they take. Several said they have run up against those limits this year, even in the typically slow winter months, as owners are forced out of homes. The toll on the surrendering pet owners is immense, shelter officials say. .
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