Zoo man jailed for bird-eating

(First Edition)

PEKING (AFP) - A disgruntled zookeeper was sent to prison for killing and eating three rare pheasants in an act of revenge.

Zhong Gang, 20, and his girlfriend, Ma Dongmei, broke into Peking Zoo at night last April with a steel rod and clubbed three yellow-breasted tragopans, an endangered species native to southern China.

That night 'They slaughtered the birds cruelly at Ma's home and excitedly enjoyed the valuable game together,' the People's Daily said. The trouble started when Zhong was pecked by a pheasant in March and kicked the bird back, inflicting fatal injuries.

Nuku'alofa (AFP) - Tonga's pro-democracy politicians were yesterday accused of treason and trying to create revolution by the Police Minister, 'Akau'ola. In a nationwide, 52-minute broadcast on state-owned radio, Mr 'Akau'ola, who is also Tonga's hangman, pointedly reminded people what the penalty was for treason - 'the punishment is death or to be sentenced to prison for the rest of (the traitors') lives,' he said.

His speech was part of campaigning for elections today and tomorrow for the Legislative Assembly.