NEWS
A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN INTERNATIONAL
MONDAY. APRIL 17, 2006
Canada finds fifth mad cow
BY ROB GILLIES
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TORONTO — Canada confirmed a case of mad cow disease on Sunday at a farm in British Columbia — the country's fifth case since May 2003, when the United States closed its border to Canadian beef.
to Canadian Bee.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced Thursday it had a suspected case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.
atty, of BSE. In humans, meat products contaminated with BSE has been linked to more than 150 deaths, mostly in Britain, from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a rare and fatal nerve disease.
The 6-year-old cow was identified on a Fraser Valley farm through the national BSE surveillance program. It is the fifth case in Canada since May 2003, when the U.S. border was closed to Canadian beef after the sick cows were detected in Canada.
cows written statement, the inspection agency said the case would have no bearing on the safety of Canadian beef, because no part of the animal entered the human food or animal feed systems.
Inspectors have tested roughly 100,000 animals since Canada's first case was detected in Alberta and have said they expect to find isolated cases of the disease.
It is second animal born after a 1997 ban on cattle feed to test positive for mad cow.
positive for a Cow from an Alberta farm tested positive for the disease in January.
The cow's age raises questions about the effectiveness of the ban, because the disease is believed to spread only when cattle eat feed containing cer-
don't think it overly raises concerns. Our investigation has not found that there has been any substantive lack of compliance."
George Luterbach Veterinary official with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
"I don't think it overly raises concerns," said George Luterbach, a veterinary official with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. "Our investigation has not found that there has been any substantive lack of compliance."
tain tissues from infected cattle. Cattle protein was commonly added to cattle feed to speed growth until Canada and the United States banned the practice in 1997.
compliance.
Trade in cows younger than 30 months, as well as meat, resumed last July with the United States. The younger animals are believed to be at lower risk for the disease.
It could indicate a lack of compliance with the ban by Canadian feed plants or farmers.
Canada has invited the United States to participate in the epidemiological investigation of the latest case, and the U.S. Agriculture Department planned to send an animal health expert to Canada on Monday.
U. S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said he did not anticipate a change in status in trade between the countries.
"It is important to note that Canada's monitoring system identified this animal as one that should be removed from the food and feed supply chain, ensuring food safety continues to be protected," Johanns said in a statement.
Bet I'll find it first!
Two elementary school children search for Easter eggs together during Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Chi Omega's Easter egg hunt Friday afternoon at the Campanile. Bus loads of children from various elementary schools around Lawrence participated in the event.
Civilian deaths from conflict spark probe
BY PAUL GARWOOD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. led coalition forces using warplanes and artillery clashed with a small band of militants holed up in a house and a cave complex in eastern Afghanistan in fighting that killed seven Afghan civilians and wounded three, the military said Sundav
can troops retaliated against an attack launched by eight to 10 militants firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades, U.S. military spokes.
The U.S. military launched an investigation into the deaths inflicted during an operation involving 2,500 Afghan and coalition forces to counter an upsurge in attacks by Taliban-led militants.
militants.
The clash happened late Saturday in the Korangal Valley in the eastern Kunar province bordering Pakistan after Ameri-
human spoken
man Maj, Matt
Hackathorn
said.
gents were going back and forth between both, so we suppressed the area with a combined arms assault of close air support, ar-
U. S. soldiers on the ground called in warplanes and artillery to target militants sheltering in a house and nearby cave. Several
"Whether our direct fire was responsible (for the casualties) or close-air support or if the victims were caught in the crossfire we just don't know right now."
militants were killed while the rest sought coverage in a compound housing civilians.
"Our surveillance indicated that there was a house with a cave nearby and that the insur-
tillery and direct fire, Hackathorn said.
Maj. Matt Hackathorn U.S.military spokesman
"But once we realized there were civilians in the area, we ceased fire," he said.
said.
After the firefight ended, village elders told coalition
Hackathon Whether our direct fire was responsible (for the casualties) or close-air support or if the victims were caught in the crossfire we just don't know right now," he told The Associated Press. "We are profoundly sorry about the loss of life."
U. S. Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, the coalition's operational commander, called for an investigation, a military statement said.
The wounded civilians were treated at a coalition base in Asadabad, the main town in Kunar province.
U. S. and Afghan forces last week launched a major offensive — dubbed Operation Mountain Lion — to flush out Taliban-led militants in the region.
militants in the city. Police forces tried to go to the area during the battle but were prevented from entering by coalition and Afghan soldiers.
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