Zookeeper killed in tiger attack in New Zealand

WELLINGTON, May 27 (Xinhua) -- A zookeeper died on Wednesday after being attacked by a white tiger at a wildlife park near New Zealand's North Island city of Whangarei, Radio New Zealand reported on Wednesday.

Police said Dalu Mncube was killed by a white tiger while cleaning an enclosure with another keeper at the Zion Wildlife Gardens.

Despite the best efforts of the other staff members who rushed to his aid, the male tiger would not let Mncube go and he died at the scene from "tearing" injuries to his head, torso and lower leg, the radio reported.

The white tiger, one of only 120 in the world, has been put down and the park has been closed, while police and Department of Labor staff investigate further.

Eight foreign tourists on a tour of the park have witnessed the attack. The park is home to 42 rare lions and tigers.

White House asks for $1.5 bln for fighting swine flu

WASHINGTON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The White House asked Congress to approve 1.5 billion U.S. dollars on Tuesday in a response to the fast spreading swine flu outbreak that has sickened over 60 in the United States.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told a press conference that President Barack Obama raised the request to Congress in a letter "out of an abundance of caution" in order to "enhance our nation's capability to respond to the potential spread of this outbreak."

Obama said in the letter that the funds could be used to build up antiviral stockpiles, develop a vaccine, support the U.S. public health response to the outbreak and help international organizations stem its spread.

It could also go to supplementing the international response to the outbreak, with cases detected as far a field as Europe, Israel, and New Zealand, he added.

The United States has geared up its response after the swine flu outbreak beginning in Mexico more than two weeks ago spread to several American states including Texas, California and New York and has left at least 65 sick.

The U.S. government has declared a Public Health Emergency as a precautionary tool to ensure that it has the necessary resources to respond quickly and effectively.