Brazilian boy's custody granted to U.S. father

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A Brazilian court ruled Monday evening that the boy Sean Goldman, whose custody is being disputed by his American father and Brazilian stepfather, is to return to the United States.

The court ruling said the child's stepfather Joao Paulo Lins e Silva with whom Sean has been living so far, must return the boy in 48 hours. The Federal Police will monitor the family to avoid an escape attempt.

Nine-year-old Sean have lived in the U.S. with his parents, David Goldman and Bruna Bianchi, until he was four. After the parents divorced in 2004, the mother was granted full custody and moved back to Brazil.

Since then, a fierce court battle has been occurring with the father alleging that Bianchi kidnapped his son. Last year, the case took a new direction when Bianchi died of complications from the birth of her daughter.

The Goldman case became famous over the years after David Goldman appeared in several U.S. talk shows. In March, when Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited Washington D.C., he discussed the case with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama, saying Sean's case was to be decided by the courts only.

Sean's stepfather Lins e Silva said he will appeal against the judge's decision. According to his lawyer Sergio Tostes, the judge did not take into consideration Sean's repeated statements that he wished to stay in Brazil with his sister and stepfather.

"It is a violence never seen before in the Brazilian courts," Tostes said.

Man stands trial for murdering wife in New Zealand

WELLINGTON, June 2 (Xinhua) -- A man stood trial on Tuesday in Auckland on charges of murdering his wife and abandoning his young daughter at a railway station in Melbourne.

Nai Yin Xue, 55, of Chinese origin, was charged with murdering his wife An An Liu, 28, in September 2007.

When asked to enter a plea in the High Court in Auckland on Tuesday, Xue denied that he was guilty, saying that he was innocent, Radio New Zealand reported.

The jury has been selected and is made up of 12 women.

Qian Xun Xue, 3, was found alone in Melbourne a few days before her mother's body was discovered in the boot of a car in Auckland, according to the report, which did not tell when the body was found.

Xue was arrested months later in the United States.

No further reports about the case are available.

Priest dismissed for beating drug patients

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhuanet) -- A Serbian Orthodox priest -- who headed a drug addiction treatment centre -- was fired by the Serbian Orthodox Church after a video showed him beating and punching patients with a shovel.

Bishop Artemije announced Wednesday dismissal of priest Branislav Peranovic at the Crna Reka center, about 300km southwest of Belgrade,Wednesday.

Artemije saidan investigation has been ordered into Peranovic's activities and the centermay be shut down if investigators determine violence occurs there.

It is open for the time being, after numerous pleadings by the patients -- there are around 200 people currently receiving treatment at the centre -- and their parents, the Bishop said.

"We are also asking state authorities to investigate the matter and punish those responsible," hesaid.

(Agencies)

Panda Lin Hui in Thailand delivers first baby

BANGKOK, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Lin Hui, the female panda in a zoo of Thailand's northern province of Chiang Mai delivered her first baby on Wednesday morning, Thailand's Zoological Park Organization Director Sophon Damnui said.

Earlier, local media reported that Lin Hui delivered twin babies, but later the zoo officially announced that it was not the twin pandas, but it was only a baby panda.

Shortly after shaking and pushing, Lin Hui delivered her baby at 10:39 a.m., local time, Prasertsak Boontrakulpoonthawee, head of the zoo's panda section, said.

The newly-born panda is estimated to weight 200 grams, according to Sophon.

However, the zoo could not identify the gender of the newly-born panda since Lin Hui does not let zoo officials to get close to it, Sophon said.

In February 2009, Lin Hui was impregnated with artificial insemination.

Lin Hui's delivery was already reported to China's government and has asked China to send baby panda experts to Chiang Mai, said Prasertsak.

On Thursday at 2.0 p.m. Thailand's time, two experts of baby pandas from China will arrive at Thailand to take care of the newly-born pandas in Chiang Mai, said Sophon.

Female panda Lin Hui and male panda Xuang Xuang have been on loan from China to Chiang Mai zoo since 2003, as part of a panda research program.

The loan agreement will see the two pandas and their offspring returned to China after 10 years.

Hero horse recommended for bravery medal in Australia

SYDNEY May 27 (Xinhua) -- A retired police horse which saved four sheep and two goats from being burned to death during a fierce bushfire in Australia in February has been recommended for a bravery medal on Wednesday.

The big Clydesdale horse named Paddy rounded up the smaller animals and had them stand under his massive frame as the bushfire raged through their paddock on February 7 in Victoria.

The terrible bushfires killed 173 people and countless livestock, making it the deadliest bushfire in Australian history, but the heartwarming story of Paddy the hero horse is one bit of good news.

Paddy served in police parades as a drum horse and was retired to the farm of former police officer Mike Salmon at Happy Valley north of Melbourne.

Salmon said he released the sheep and goats from their pens into Paddy's paddock, hoping they would evade the fire.

He watched in amazement as the big horse rounded up the animals and sheltered them under his great frame.

Salmon hosed the horse down every half hour or so but Paddy never moved as embers fell from the sky.

"If the sheep moved Paddy rounded them up and brought them back to the corner where they waited under him," Salmon told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio network.

The horse has been recommended for a bravery award with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.