<p lang="en-US">The latest business venture of social media tycoon Mark Zuckerberg – which involves raising “world-class” beef cattle by feeding them beer and nuts in his luxurious Hawaiian hideaway – was derided by the netizens as out of touch and environmentally hazardous.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday (Jan 10), the Meta CEO shared a picture of himself eating a steak, which was medium rare, with no sides, and was made using beef from his Ko’olau ranch, which is a 1,400-acre compound located on Kauai, the oldest island of Hawaii.<br />
<br />
Taking to Instagram, Zuckerberg wrote, “Started raising cattle at [the] Ko’olau ranch on Kauai, and my goal is to create some of the highest quality beef in the world.”<br />
<br />
The post updated the world with how the sixth richest man in the world is farming wagyu and Angus cattle which yield some of the most expensive meat in the world.</p>

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<p>“Each cow eats 5,000-10,000lbs of food each year, so that’s a lot of acres of macadamia trees. My daughters help plant the mac trees and take care of our different animals. We’re still early in the journey and it’s fun improving on it every season. Of all my projects, this is the most delicious,” said Zuckerberg, whose wealth stands at $129 billion currently, as per Bloomberg.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meta-to-provide-more-age-appropriate-content-to-teens-limit-harmful-items-678613">Meta to provide more ‘age appropriate’ content to teens, limit harmful items</a></p>

<p lang="en-US">The cattle will be fed&nbsp;macadamia nuts and beer. They will be reared in a $100 million compound, which will also have an underground bunker and energy projects, as per a recent investigation conducted by Wired.<br />
<br />
“Raising cattle on water-intensive macadamia nuts and beer is just a billionaire’s strange sideshow. We need real agriculture reform to address the inequities in our food system and the reality of a warming climate,” said Mitch Jones, policy director at Food &amp; Water Watch, a national legal and policy nonprofit, as reported by The Guardian.<br />
<br />
“We need to promote the viability of small and medium-sized farms that work to feed everyone, not just wealthy celebrities,” he added.</p>

<h2 lang="en-US"><strong>Social media users mock Zuckerberg</strong></h2>

<p lang="en-US">The users on social media platform X, which is owned by Zuckerberg’s rival Elon Musk, mocked the new career of Zuckerberg.</p>

<p lang="en-US"><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg building an apocalypse-proof bunker in Hawaii?</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meta-founder-mark-zuckerberg-building-an-apocalypse-proof-bunker-in-hawaii-670443/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p lang="en-US">Animal rights group Peta's Shalin Gala criticised Zuckerberg for being stuck in the “dark ages”.<br />
<br />
Another critic, with the account name coloradotravis, wrote: “The absolute stones it must take post ‘I’m growing a macadamia orchard to feed my artisan wagyu’ during an era of rising populism.”</p>

<p lang="en-US"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The latest business venture of social media tycoon Mark Zuckerberg – which involves raising “world-class” beef cattle by feeding them beer and nuts in his luxurious Hawaiian hideaway – was derided by the netizens as out of touch and environmentally hazardous.

The latest business venture of social media tycoon Mark Zuckerberg – which involves raising “world-class” beef cattle by feeding them beer and nuts in his luxurious Hawaiian hideaway – was derided by the netizens as out of touch and environmentally hazardous. On Wednesday (Jan 10), the Meta CEO shared a picture of himself eating a steak, which was medium rare, with no sides, and was made using beef from his Ko’olau ranch, which is a 1,400-acre compound located on Kauai, the oldest island of Hawaii. Taking to Instagram, Zuckerberg wrote, “Started raising cattle at [the] Ko’olau ranch on Kauai, and my goal is to create some of the highest quality beef in the world.” The post updated the world with how the sixth richest man in the world is farming wagyu and Angus cattle which yield some of the most expensive meat in the world. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Zuckerberg (@zuck) × “Each cow eats 5,000-10,000lbs of food each year, so that’s a lot of acres of macadamia trees. My daughters help plant the mac trees and take care of our different animals. We’re still early in the journey and it’s fun improving on it every season. Of all my projects, this is the most delicious,” said Zuckerberg, whose wealth stands at $129 billion currently, as per Bloomberg. Also read: Meta to provide more ‘age appropriate’ content to teens, limit harmful items The cattle will be fed macadamia nuts and beer. They will be reared in a $100 million compound, which will also have an underground bunker and energy projects, as per a recent investigation conducted by Wired. “Raising cattle on water-intensive macadamia nuts and beer is just a billionaire’s strange sideshow. We need real agriculture reform to address the inequities in our food system and the reality of a warming climate,” said Mitch Jones, policy director at Food & Water Watch, a national legal and policy nonprofit, as reported by The Guardian. “We need to promote the viability of small and medium-sized farms that work to feed everyone, not just wealthy celebrities,” he added. Social media users mock Zuckerberg The users on social media platform X, which is owned by Zuckerberg’s rival Elon Musk, mocked the new career of Zuckerberg. Watch: Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg building an apocalypse-proof bunker in Hawaii? Animal rights group Peta's Shalin Gala criticised Zuckerberg for being stuck in the “dark ages”. Another critic, with the account name coloradotravis, wrote: “The absolute stones it must take post ‘I’m growing a macadamia orchard to feed my artisan wagyu’ during an era of rising populism.” (With inputs from agencies)

Zuckerberg plans to feed beer to cows to produce 'high-quality' beef, critics hit back

<p>A White House official on Friday said that "steady progress" has been made in talks over increasing the United States&nbsp;debt ceiling at a time when President Joe Biden is in Japan to attend the G7 summit.<br />
<br />
The US government is hoping to hit the legal borrowing limit earliest by June 1, increasing the chances of the largest economy in the world&nbsp;to default on debt repayments for the first time in history.<br />
<br />
A default on the $31.8 trillion debt of the United States would unleash turmoil for global markets if no agreement is finalised between Republicans and Democrats, who are asking for deep spending cuts before there is an increase in the debt limit.<br />
<br />
Biden "requested and received an update this morning from his designated negotiating team" informing him that "steady progress is being made", the official stated.<br />
<br />
"The president directed his team to continue pressing forward for a bipartisan agreement," the official added. "He remains confident that Congress will take necessary action to avoid default,” he further stated.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-debt-limit-crisis-spooks-other-g7-member-nations-592544">US debt limit crisis spooks other G7 member nations</a></p>

<h2><strong>Can see 'path'&nbsp;to breakthrough and avert default, says McCarthy</strong></h2>

<p>Top US Republican Kevin McCarthy on Thursday stated that he can see "the path" to reach a breakthrough in talks and finally avert a default, even though his party's hard right has signalled that they will not negotiate their spending-cut demands.<br />
<br />
"We're not there - we haven't agreed to anything yet - but I see the path (where) we could come to an agreement," said the House speaker, in his most upbeat assessment yet made of such high-stakes standoff between Biden and Republicans in Congress.<br />
<br />
"I think we have the structure now and everybody's working hard,” he added.<br />
<br />
"We're on such a short timeline. It makes it almost harder. But there's one thing you know, for me, I never give up. I have the grit, the perseverance and we're gonna get it done,” McCarthy had further stated.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US may face debt limit deal aftershocks</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-may-face-debt-limit-deal-aftershocks-593958/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p><br />
Earlier, Biden had said, “We're going to come together because there's no alternative. To be clear, this negotiation is about the outlines of the budget, not about whether or not we're going to (pay our debts). The leaders (of Congress) have all agreed: We will not default. Every leader has said that.”<br />
<br />
Democrats have pointed out the multiple revisions made in the debt limit without budget negotiations, and have accused the Republicans of taking the US economy "hostage".</p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


A White House official on Friday said that "steady progress" has been made in talks over increasing the United States debt ceiling at a time when President Joe Biden is in Japan to attend the G7 summit.

A White House official on Friday said that "steady progress" has been made in talks over increasing the United States debt ceiling at a time when President Joe Biden is in Japan to attend the G7 summit. The US government is hoping to hit the legal borrowing limit earliest by June 1, increasing the chances of the largest economy in the world to default on debt repayments for the first time in history. A default on the $31.8 trillion debt of the United States would unleash turmoil for global markets if no agreement is finalised between Republicans and Democrats, who are asking for deep spending cuts before there is an increase in the debt limit. Biden "requested and received an update this morning from his designated negotiating team" informing him that "steady progress is being made", the official stated. "The president directed his team to continue pressing forward for a bipartisan agreement," the official added. "He remains confident that Congress will take necessary action to avoid default,” he further stated. ALSO READ | US debt limit crisis spooks other G7 member nations Can see 'path' to breakthrough and avert default, says McCarthy Top US Republican Kevin McCarthy on Thursday stated that he can see "the path" to reach a breakthrough in talks and finally avert a default, even though his party's hard right has signalled that they will not negotiate their spending-cut demands. "We're not there - we haven't agreed to anything yet - but I see the path (where) we could come to an agreement," said the House speaker, in his most upbeat assessment yet made of such high-stakes standoff between Biden and Republicans in Congress. "I think we have the structure now and everybody's working hard,” he added. "We're on such a short timeline. It makes it almost harder. But there's one thing you know, for me, I never give up. I have the grit, the perseverance and we're gonna get it done,” McCarthy had further stated. WATCH | US may face debt limit deal aftershocks Earlier, Biden had said, “We're going to come together because there's no alternative. To be clear, this negotiation is about the outlines of the budget, not about whether or not we're going to (pay our debts). The leaders (of Congress) have all agreed: We will not default. Every leader has said that.” Democrats have pointed out the multiple revisions made in the debt limit without budget negotiations, and have accused the Republicans of taking the US economy "hostage". You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

‘Steady progress’ in talks on raising US debt limit, avoiding default: White House

From Palestinians marching in the village of Kafr Dan to Zelensky taking part in flag raising ceremony, here are some impactful images from around the world on 14 September 2022.

World in Pictures: Palestinians march in Kafr Dan; Zelensky takes part in flag raising ceremony

<p dir="auto" title="Bank of England cuts rates for first time since 2009, restarts bond purchases">The Bank of England cut interest rates for the first time since 2009 on Thursday and said it will&nbsp;buy 60 billion pounds of government debt to ease the blow from Britain&#39;s June 23 vote to leave the European Union.</p>

<p>The central bank said it expected the economy to stagnate for the rest of 2016 and suffer weak growth throughout next year,&nbsp;and lowered its main lending rate to a record-low 0.25 per cent from 0.5 per cent, in line with market expectations.</p>

<p>But it also launched two new schemes, one to buy 10 billion pounds of high-grade corporate bonds and another - potentially worth up to 100 billion pounds - to ensure banks keep lending even after the cut in interest rates.</p>

<p>Most MPC members also expected to cut Bank Rate again this year to a rate &quot;close to, but a little above zero&quot;, if the economy performed as poorly as forecast</p>

<p>&quot;Following the United Kingdom&#39;s vote to leave the European Union, the exchange rate has fallen and the outlook for growth in the short to medium term has weakened markedly,&quot; the central bank said in its quarterly Inflation Report.</p>

<p>Policymakers were not completely united on how to respond. The cut in Bank Rate and the measure intended to ensure banks passed it on to consumers, known as the Term Funding Scheme (TFS), gained unanimous support.</p>

<p>But three policymakers, Kristin Forbes, Ian McCafferty and Martin Weale, opposed raising the target for quantitative easing government bond purchases to 435 billion pounds from the 375 billion total reached in late 2012.</p>

<p>Forbes also opposed the purchases of corporate debt - something the BoE did briefly after the financial crisis, but more to aid market functioning than to boost growth.</p>

<p>Many economists had expected Forbes to oppose a rate cut after she said last month that the central bank should not panic and instead wait for more data on the scale of Britain&#39;s economic slowdown.</p>

<p>While many business surveys show Britain&#39;s economy has slowed sharply and may even be entering recession, it is too soon for official data on how the EU vote is affecting output.</p>

<p>The BoE left its forecast for growth this year steady at 2.0 per cent, as the economy expanded faster in the first half of 2016 than it had expected in May.</p>

<p>But 2017 brings a sharp downgrade to growth of just 0.8 per cent from a previous estimate of 2.3 per cent, the biggest downgrade in growth from one Inflation Report to the next, exceeding what was seen in the financial crisis. The growth outlook for 2018 was cut to 1.8 per cent.</p>

<p>The BoE also revised up its inflation forecasts sharply, due to the big fall in sterling since the financial crisis, predicting it will hit 2.4 per cent in 2018 and 2019. The MPC said the costs of trying to bring it back to its 2 per cent target in the immediate future would exceed the benefit.</p>

<p>The Monetary Policy Committee launched the Term Funding Scheme to make sure that the lower levels of interest rates now set by the Bank of England are reflected in the costs commercial banks charge households and companies to borrow funds.</p>

<p>The Bank said it does not expect the scheme to lead to significantly faster aggregate loan growth, but to offset any hit to lending from a cut in official interest rates closer to zero.</p>

<p>Eligible institutions will be able to borrow four-year central bank reserves for an initial period of 18 months at rates close to the Bank Rate.</p>

<p>The lowest cost of funding, the 0.25 per cent Bank Rate, will be for banks that maintain or expand net lending to the economy and the BoE will charge a penalty rate if banks reduce net lending.</p>

<p>The MPC said it could adjust the terms and length of the scheme, which is funded by central bank reserves, and that the value of lending will be determined by usage of the scheme and could reach around 100 billion pounds.</p>

<p>New finance minister Philip Hammond, who replaced George Osborne last month, authorised the bond purchases and the TFS.</p>

<p>&quot;Alongside the actions the Bank is taking, I am prepared to take any necessary steps to support the economy and promote confidence,&quot; Hammond said in a letter to the central bank.</p>

<p>&quot;The government will set out its fiscal plans at the Autumn Statement in the normal way.&quot; released alongside its quarterly economic forecasts.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


The central bank said it expected the economy to stagnate for the rest of 2016 and suffer weak growth throughout next year

The Bank of England cut interest rates for the first time since 2009 on Thursday and said it will buy 60 billion pounds of government debt to ease the blow from Britain's June 23 vote to leave the European Union. The central bank said it expected the economy to stagnate for the rest of 2016 and suffer weak growth throughout next year, and lowered its main lending rate to a record-low 0.25 per cent from 0.5 per cent, in line with market expectations. But it also launched two new schemes, one to buy 10 billion pounds of high-grade corporate bonds and another - potentially worth up to 100 billion pounds - to ensure banks keep lending even after the cut in interest rates. Most MPC members also expected to cut Bank Rate again this year to a rate "close to, but a little above zero", if the economy performed as poorly as forecast "Following the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union, the exchange rate has fallen and the outlook for growth in the short to medium term has weakened markedly," the central bank said in its quarterly Inflation Report. Policymakers were not completely united on how to respond. The cut in Bank Rate and the measure intended to ensure banks passed it on to consumers, known as the Term Funding Scheme (TFS), gained unanimous support. But three policymakers, Kristin Forbes, Ian McCafferty and Martin Weale, opposed raising the target for quantitative easing government bond purchases to 435 billion pounds from the 375 billion total reached in late 2012. Forbes also opposed the purchases of corporate debt - something the BoE did briefly after the financial crisis, but more to aid market functioning than to boost growth. Many economists had expected Forbes to oppose a rate cut after she said last month that the central bank should not panic and instead wait for more data on the scale of Britain's economic slowdown. While many business surveys show Britain's economy has slowed sharply and may even be entering recession, it is too soon for official data on how the EU vote is affecting output. The BoE left its forecast for growth this year steady at 2.0 per cent, as the economy expanded faster in the first half of 2016 than it had expected in May. But 2017 brings a sharp downgrade to growth of just 0.8 per cent from a previous estimate of 2.3 per cent, the biggest downgrade in growth from one Inflation Report to the next, exceeding what was seen in the financial crisis. The growth outlook for 2018 was cut to 1.8 per cent. The BoE also revised up its inflation forecasts sharply, due to the big fall in sterling since the financial crisis, predicting it will hit 2.4 per cent in 2018 and 2019. The MPC said the costs of trying to bring it back to its 2 per cent target in the immediate future would exceed the benefit. The Monetary Policy Committee launched the Term Funding Scheme to make sure that the lower levels of interest rates now set by the Bank of England are reflected in the costs commercial banks charge households and companies to borrow funds. The Bank said it does not expect the scheme to lead to significantly faster aggregate loan growth, but to offset any hit to lending from a cut in official interest rates closer to zero. Eligible institutions will be able to borrow four-year central bank reserves for an initial period of 18 months at rates close to the Bank Rate. The lowest cost of funding, the 0.25 per cent Bank Rate, will be for banks that maintain or expand net lending to the economy and the BoE will charge a penalty rate if banks reduce net lending. The MPC said it could adjust the terms and length of the scheme, which is funded by central bank reserves, and that the value of lending will be determined by usage of the scheme and could reach around 100 billion pounds. New finance minister Philip Hammond, who replaced George Osborne last month, authorised the bond purchases and the TFS. "Alongside the actions the Bank is taking, I am prepared to take any necessary steps to support the economy and promote confidence," Hammond said in a letter to the central bank. "The government will set out its fiscal plans at the Autumn Statement in the normal way." released alongside its quarterly economic forecasts. (Reuters)

Bank of England cuts rates for first time since 2009, restarts bond purchases

<p>After shooting dead a&nbsp;gorilla&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Cincinnati&nbsp;Zoo to save a 3-year-old boy, zoo officials said they had collected a sample of his sperm, raising hopes among distraught fans that Harambe could sire offspring even in death.</p>

<p>Officials at the main U.S. body that oversees breeding of zoo animals, however, said it was highly unlikely&nbsp;that the Western lowland&nbsp;gorilla&#39;s contribution to the nation&#39;s &quot;frozen zoo&quot; of&nbsp;genetic material of rare and endangered species would be used to breed.</p>

<p>&quot;Currently, it&#39;s not anything we would use for reproduction,&quot; Kristen Lukas, who heads the Association of Zoos and Aquariums&#39; (AZA) Gorilla&nbsp;Species Survival Plan, said on Wednesday. &quot;It will be banked and just stored for future use or for research studies.&quot;</p>

<p>Lukas&#39; statement undercuts a weekend statement by&nbsp;Cincinnati&nbsp;Zoo director Thane Maynard that the death of the 17-year-old young silverback, who had been too young to breed, was &quot;not the end of his gene pool.&quot;</p>

<p>Zoo officials did not respond to calls on Wednesday seeking more detail on their plans for Harambe&#39;s sperm.</p>

<p>There are currently 350&nbsp;gorillas of Harambe&#39;s species in US&nbsp;zoos, according to the AZA, which accredits zoos, including&nbsp;Cincinnati&#39;s and approves breeding plans. That population is large enough to maintain a breeding program so robust that many female gorillas&nbsp;of child-bearing age are given hormonal contraceptives.</p>

<p>Zoo officials have stood by the decision to shoot Harambe dead on Saturday, saying the 450-pound (200-kg) animal could have easily&nbsp;slain&nbsp;or grievously injured the toddler.</p>

<p>But their decision to kill the&nbsp;gorilla&nbsp;has drawn criticism online and sparked a&nbsp;Cincinnati&nbsp;police investigation into the boy&#39;s family.</p>

<p>The highly charismatic animals are closely related to humans, making them popular zoo attractions. Major US&nbsp;zoos from New York&#39;s Bronx Zoo to the San Diego Zoo rely on&nbsp;gorillas as a major draw for visitors.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>INTO THE &#39;FROZEN ZOO&#39;</p>

<p>Harambe&#39;s sperm will&nbsp;likely&nbsp;go into a collection of samples taken from&nbsp;gorillas and other animals that are preserved in liquid nitrogen and typically viable for hundreds of years, said the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians director Robert Hilsenroth.</p>

<p>&quot;We call it the frozen zoo,&quot; said Hilsenroth. &quot;It&#39;s nice to have that in your pocket just in case.&quot;</p>

<p>Given the numbers of&nbsp;gorillas in captivity, Harambe&#39;s&nbsp;genetic&nbsp;material would&nbsp;likely&nbsp;be drawn on only in the event of some new disease that took a heavy toll on the population, the AZA&#39;s Lukas said.</p>

<p>&quot;In a dire situation like that, we would then be able to continue the population,&quot; Lukas said.</p>

<p>There are about 175,000 of the&nbsp;gorillas in the wild, but habitat destruction, hunting and disease are resulting in a rapid decline in the population.</p>

<p>The practice of breeding&nbsp;gorillas in captivity has been criticized by animal rights groups.</p>

<p>&quot;In theory, conserving is great but without a habitat what&#39;s the point,&quot; said Julia Gallucci, primatologist for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.</p>


After shooting dead a?gorilla?at the?Cincinnati?Zoo to save a 3-year-old boy, zoo officials said they had collected a sample of his sperm for future use

After shooting dead a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo to save a 3-year-old boy, zoo officials said they had collected a sample of his sperm, raising hopes among distraught fans that Harambe could sire offspring even in death. Officials at the main U.S. body that oversees breeding of zoo animals, however, said it was highly unlikely that the Western lowland gorilla's contribution to the nation's "frozen zoo" of genetic material of rare and endangered species would be used to breed. "Currently, it's not anything we would use for reproduction," Kristen Lukas, who heads the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA) Gorilla Species Survival Plan, said on Wednesday. "It will be banked and just stored for future use or for research studies." Lukas' statement undercuts a weekend statement by Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard that the death of the 17-year-old young silverback, who had been too young to breed, was "not the end of his gene pool." Zoo officials did not respond to calls on Wednesday seeking more detail on their plans for Harambe's sperm. There are currently 350 gorillas of Harambe's species in US zoos, according to the AZA, which accredits zoos, including Cincinnati's and approves breeding plans. That population is large enough to maintain a breeding program so robust that many female gorillas of child-bearing age are given hormonal contraceptives. Zoo officials have stood by the decision to shoot Harambe dead on Saturday, saying the 450-pound (200-kg) animal could have easily slain or grievously injured the toddler. But their decision to kill the gorilla has drawn criticism online and sparked a Cincinnati police investigation into the boy's family. The highly charismatic animals are closely related to humans, making them popular zoo attractions. Major US zoos from New York's Bronx Zoo to the San Diego Zoo rely on gorillas as a major draw for visitors. INTO THE 'FROZEN ZOO' Harambe's sperm will likely go into a collection of samples taken from gorillas and other animals that are preserved in liquid nitrogen and typically viable for hundreds of years, said the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians director Robert Hilsenroth. "We call it the frozen zoo," said Hilsenroth. "It's nice to have that in your pocket just in case." Given the numbers of gorillas in captivity, Harambe's genetic material would likely be drawn on only in the event of some new disease that took a heavy toll on the population, the AZA's Lukas said. "In a dire situation like that, we would then be able to continue the population," Lukas said. There are about 175,000 of the gorillas in the wild, but habitat destruction, hunting and disease are resulting in a rapid decline in the population. The practice of breeding gorillas in captivity has been criticized by animal rights groups. "In theory, conserving is great but without a habitat what's the point," said Julia Gallucci, primatologist for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Slain Cincinnati gorilla likely to live on in genetic 'frozen zoo'

<p>Turkey&#39;s president warned Germany on Tuesday that its plans to declare the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide would damage bilateral ties, raising new concerns about an EU-Turkey migrant deal championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel.</p>

<p>German lawmakers are expected to approve a symbolic resolution on Thursday that labels the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces &quot;genocide&quot;, a description that Turkey strongly rejects.</p>

<p>The vote had been scheduled to take place over a year ago, on the 100th anniversary of the massacre, but Merkel&#39;s allies in parliament pushed it back repeatedly out of concern that it could hurt relations with Ankara.</p>

<p>Now they have run out of time and may be wishing they had let the vote take place sooner.</p>

<p>The opposition Greens have pushed the resolution onto the agenda at an extremely awkward time for Merkel, the driving force behind an agreement between the EU and Ankara that has helped slash the number of illegal migrants entering Europe.</p>

<p>The deal has eased political pressure on Merkel at home. But it has been under a cloud since its strongest proponent in the Turkish government, Ahmet Davutoglu, was pushed out as prime minister this month. Since then, President Tayyip Erdogan has questioned aspects of the agreement and some of his allies have even threatened to unleash a new wave of refugees on Europe.</p>

<p>In comments to reporters before he left for an official visit to&nbsp;Africa, Erdogan lashed out at those who he said were trying to &quot;deceive&quot; Germany over the 1915 events, without accusing anyone in particular.</p>

<p>&quot;If Germany is to be deceived by this, then bilateral diplomatic, economic, trade, political, and military ties - we are both NATO countries - will be damaged,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The comments came after he spoke to Merkel by telephone to express his concern about the resolution. Sources in both capitals said Erdogan had initiated the call.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>GERMAN HISTORY</p>

<p>The resolution, which is formally supported by Merkel&#39;s conservative bloc, the centre-left Social Democrats and the Greens, uses the word &quot;genocide&quot; in the headline and text.</p>

<p>&quot;The fate of the Armenians is exemplary in the history of mass exterminations, ethnic cleansing, deportations and yes, genocide, which marked the 20th century in such a terrible way,&quot; it reads.</p>

<p>The resolution also touches on the &quot;inglorious&quot; role of the German Empire, a military ally of the Ottomans, because it did nothing to stop the massacre.</p>

<p>Turkey argues that the there was no organised campaign to wipe out the Armenians, who are Christian, and no evidence of any such orders from the Ottoman authorities.</p>

<p>Cem Oezdemir, a leader of the Greens with Turkish roots, told Reuters he had experienced weeks of personal attacks from Turkish nationalists on social media and via email because of his role in championing the resolution.</p>

<p>&quot;It wasn&#39;t our goal to hold this vote now,&quot; Oezdemir said. &quot;But the timing is not that important. The Bundestag is doing this because this is also a part of German history. The Ottoman and German empires were essentially brothers in arms.&quot;</p>

<p>The vote coincides with deepening public scepticism in Germany towards Turkey and Erdogan in particular. Critics accuse Merkel of going soft on Ankara over human rights because of her desire to stem the flow of migrants.</p>

<p>Last month she drew fire for allowing German prosecutors to look into charges against a comedian who mocked Erdogan in a crude poem. The comedian, Jan Boehmermann, has accused Merkel of serving him &quot;up for tea to a highly strung despot&quot;.</p>

<p>Merkel and other top ministers are expected to vote for the resolution, although some, including Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, have questioned the wisdom of it in public.</p>

<p>Some officials fear it could stir tensions with the roughly 3 million people of Turkish origin who live in Germany.</p>

<p>Last year, German President Joachim Gauck condemned the killings of Armenians as &quot;genocide&quot; in a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacres. Germany had previously avoided using the term in connection with the massacre.</p>


Turkey's president warned Germany on Tuesday that its plans to declare the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide would damage bilateral ties, raising new concerns about an EU-Turkey migrant deal championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel

Turkey's president warned Germany on Tuesday that its plans to declare the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide would damage bilateral ties, raising new concerns about an EU-Turkey migrant deal championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel. German lawmakers are expected to approve a symbolic resolution on Thursday that labels the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces "genocide", a description that Turkey strongly rejects. The vote had been scheduled to take place over a year ago, on the 100th anniversary of the massacre, but Merkel's allies in parliament pushed it back repeatedly out of concern that it could hurt relations with Ankara. Now they have run out of time and may be wishing they had let the vote take place sooner. The opposition Greens have pushed the resolution onto the agenda at an extremely awkward time for Merkel, the driving force behind an agreement between the EU and Ankara that has helped slash the number of illegal migrants entering Europe. The deal has eased political pressure on Merkel at home. But it has been under a cloud since its strongest proponent in the Turkish government, Ahmet Davutoglu, was pushed out as prime minister this month. Since then, President Tayyip Erdogan has questioned aspects of the agreement and some of his allies have even threatened to unleash a new wave of refugees on Europe. In comments to reporters before he left for an official visit to Africa, Erdogan lashed out at those who he said were trying to "deceive" Germany over the 1915 events, without accusing anyone in particular. "If Germany is to be deceived by this, then bilateral diplomatic, economic, trade, political, and military ties - we are both NATO countries - will be damaged," he said. The comments came after he spoke to Merkel by telephone to express his concern about the resolution. Sources in both capitals said Erdogan had initiated the call. GERMAN HISTORY The resolution, which is formally supported by Merkel's conservative bloc, the centre-left Social Democrats and the Greens, uses the word "genocide" in the headline and text. "The fate of the Armenians is exemplary in the history of mass exterminations, ethnic cleansing, deportations and yes, genocide, which marked the 20th century in such a terrible way," it reads. The resolution also touches on the "inglorious" role of the German Empire, a military ally of the Ottomans, because it did nothing to stop the massacre. Turkey argues that the there was no organised campaign to wipe out the Armenians, who are Christian, and no evidence of any such orders from the Ottoman authorities. Cem Oezdemir, a leader of the Greens with Turkish roots, told Reuters he had experienced weeks of personal attacks from Turkish nationalists on social media and via email because of his role in championing the resolution. "It wasn't our goal to hold this vote now," Oezdemir said. "But the timing is not that important. The Bundestag is doing this because this is also a part of German history. The Ottoman and German empires were essentially brothers in arms." The vote coincides with deepening public scepticism in Germany towards Turkey and Erdogan in particular. Critics accuse Merkel of going soft on Ankara over human rights because of her desire to stem the flow of migrants. Last month she drew fire for allowing German prosecutors to look into charges against a comedian who mocked Erdogan in a crude poem. The comedian, Jan Boehmermann, has accused Merkel of serving him "up for tea to a highly strung despot". Merkel and other top ministers are expected to vote for the resolution, although some, including Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, have questioned the wisdom of it in public. Some officials fear it could stir tensions with the roughly 3 million people of Turkish origin who live in Germany. Last year, German President Joachim Gauck condemned the killings of Armenians as "genocide" in a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of the massacres. Germany had previously avoided using the term in connection with the massacre.

Erdogan warns Germany ahead of Armenian genocide vote

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