Angolan strife spurs wave of refugee flight

Displaced children caught up in Angolan conflict eke out existence in refugee camps

By Kevin Grieves
CNN World Report

In this story: Double-decker deployment of aid departs Egypt for Iraq Greek goodwill ambassador reaches out to suffering children Ski patrol keeps slopes of Switzerland's resorts safe  Canadians dreaming of a white winter as mercury rises "Primate Picasso" shows flair for canvas creations RELATED VIDEO RELATED STORIES, SITES

Thousands of refugees from Angola have been streaming across the borders of neighboring Zambia and Namibia, fleeing ongoing fighting between the troops of the Angolan government and UNITA rebel forces.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says Zambia has registered more than 20,000 people displaced from Angola since the conflict heated up last October. UNITA has been battling the ruling party in Angola since the country gained independence in 1974.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) recently examined the prospects for an end to the Angolan conflict, which some observers say has taken on the characteristics of a full-scale guerrilla war. SABC correspondent Jeremy Michaels pointed out the growing severity of the refugee situation in Angola, given the continued fighting.

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Michaels says as many as 2 million people may be internally displaced, and getting aid to the refugees is problematic. The Angolan government evicted a United Nations mission under allegations of partiality in the conflict; now the UN is negotiating with the government to return to Angola.

Meanwhile, Michaels says, international aid organizations also face an uphill struggle to get assistance to the country, and they hope the U.N. mission will pave the way for them to help the refugees. "While the prospects for peace in Angola seem remote, humanitarian organizations say they have to remain optimistic," he says.

Four-year-old Mariam Hamza of Iraq was suffering from leukemia, but unable to receive proper treatment because of the political situation in her homeland.

The girl attracted international attention after a member of Britain's parliament, George Galloway, arranged for the girl to be flown to a hospital in Scotland for medical care.

Galloway subsequently issued the so-called "Mariam Appeal," a call to help the civilian population of Iraq secure food and basic medical supplies despite the sanctions imposed on Iraq.

Humanitarian visitors from London draw curious glances during Cairo stopover

Some people in the Arab world are answering the appeal to aid Iraqis by putting their help on wheels. A double-decker bus, straight out of a London street scene, stopped in Cairo recently, where a crew from Egypt's Nile TV caught up with the traveling humanitarian team.

The bus had spent the past 7 weeks on the road collecting aid for Iraq, and "Mariam Appeal" organizers were busy loading supplies onto the bus in Egypt.

Nile TV reporter Sami Zeidan noted the publicity value of the unusual conveyance, which he says has succeeded in drawing a good deal of media attention to the suffering of Iraqi civilians.

But driving an English double-decker bus down the highways of the Middle East from Cairo to Baghdad was not without its glitches. "Just getting a double-decker to Iraq was not always an easy task. The bus sometimes caused road chaos and attracted unwelcome attention," Zeidan says.

Cancer is a disease that strikes fear into the hearts of most people... a disease that shows no mercy as it crosses gender and racial lines.

Cancer also knows no difference between young and old, and children are among those victimized by the various forms of cancer. Cancer is the leading cause of death for children (other than accidents) in many industrialized nations around the world.

Marianna Vardinoyannis comforts a Greek child undergoing chemotherapy at new clinic

One place where something is being done to ease the suffering of child cancer patients is Greece. Marianna Vardinoyannis is using her influence as newly appointed goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to push for assistance to cancer-stricken children.

UNESCO TV introduced her program to viewers, a program called Elpida, from the Greek word for "hope." That seems a fitting name for an effort to treat Greek children close to home with the creation of a new clinic, eliminating the need for the youngsters to leave the country for hospitalization.

UNESCO TV says Elpida staffers have recognized the emotional stress of cancer treatment for children, which can be just as distressing as the physical trauma of the disease. Family support is fostered by providing a guest house next to the new clinic, where parents can be close by to "make the best out of a difficult situation," according to UNESCO's report.

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CNN's World Report spends a day with a Swiss ski rescue team. Windows Media 28K 80K

Snow-covered alpine slopes combined with a glamorous reputation draw crowds of skiers to the mountains of Switzerland each winter. But the ski runs can be treacherous, as numerous winter sports enthusiasts discover each season: twisted ankles and broken legs put a quick stop to the outdoor fun.

Swiss TV-SRI introduced viewers to the people who come to the rescue of injured skiers, no matter where on the mountain they meet their fate.

The Ski Rescue Patrol of Saas Fee, Switzerland, keeps busy as members respond to the medical needs of up to 10,000 skiers per day. Reporter Michael Morris followed the Patrol to find out how rescuers balance working in extremely cold and dangerous conditions with providing a quick response to skiers in trouble.

Snowmobiles wait in vain for winter tourists in Canada's northern reaches

Winter in northern Ontario usually means deep snow drifts, frozen lakes and frigid temperatures. But skiers, snowmobilers and ice-fishermen are few these days, as many parts of the northern hemisphere are experiencing unusual weather conditions.

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences says it has completed a study of world climate data that points to strong evidence of global warming. The study issues a warning that the trend of rising temperatures will likely continue, with potentially disastrous consequences.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) told CNN World Report viewers that the lack of a "real" winter is already causing damage to Canada's tourism industry.

Businesses that depend on wintry conditions to attract dollars are suffering from the absence of snow. Bill Jones rents and sells snowmobiles, and lamented the rise in temperatures to CBC reporter Raj Ahluwalia. "When you're in a recreational business that really depends on weather, it is whether you stay in business or whether you can pay for the mortgage or food on the table. It is very important," Jones says.

While many Canadians are holding out hope for snowflakes, at least one man is not too disappointed in the unusually warm conditions: Gary Welsh, an official with the city of Toronto, doesn't have to send city crews out to plow streets, thereby saving plenty of money in overtime wages.

Jodi puts finishing touches on her latest masterpiece in New Zealand

Jodi began demonstrating her creative streak already as a baby, when she took to crocheting and drawing with great enthusiasm. Now that Jodi has started painting, the 22-year-old New Zealander's talents are drawing quite a bit of attention. That is primarily because Jodi is a chimpanzee.

TVNZ reporter Mauricio Olmedo-Perez visited Jodi in the Wellington Zoo for a chance to witness the artist at work. The chimp is paintings are decidedly abstract, but she clearly has a creative eye, and her paintings so impressed the humans around her that they decided to put the works on display.

"It is very colorful. She uses her imagination, which is something special about her. Not many animals have the attention span to sit there and do a painting," exhibition organizer Jennifer Griffin told TVNZ.

Jodi's future in the world of art looks promising, especially considering something zookeepers have noticed about her behavior: The chimpanzee has a tendency to be rather temperamental.