Armenia works to erase traces of deadly earthquake

Memories of 1988 quake linger as Armenia rebuilds

In this story: Armenia works to erase traces of deadly earthquake Image of girl brings message of peace to South Korea Jordanians spruce up attractions for tourists Extra Y2K cash brings other worries to Philippines Brazil ready to remove alligators from endangered list South African youth counter violence with nature Thai waters site of procession fit for a king About CNN World Report RELATED STORIES, SITES

Eleven years ago, the earth beneath Armenia rumbled with the force of a 6.8 magnitude earthquake, a disaster that left tens of thousands dead. International aid flooded into Armenia in the days and weeks following the 1988 catastrophe, providing immediate first aid and shelter for the victims of the earthquake. But that effort still continues, years after that fateful day.

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Armenian Television looked at the current state of earthquake relief in the Caucasus nation. Aid programs have helped rebuild numerous buildings and have helped people return to a semblance of normal life. Yet the scars remain, both emotional and physical: Many Armenians fear a repeat of the massive earthquake, and some 20,000 are still homeless.

Reporter Julia Hakobyan says the American Red Cross is playing a key role in the process of rebuilding, and last month the organization helped build 15 new structures with more than 100 apartments. Hakobyan says the elimination of visible scars of the earthquake is helping Armenians look toward the future and overcome the trauma of the disaster. "Progress with the reconstruction of the damaged towns and villages increases chances for people to forget that devastating catastrophe," she says.

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Arirang News, South Korea reports Phan Thi Kim Phuc now spends time telling others about the pain and suffering of war. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

The photograph of a young Vietnamese girl, running down a road naked and burned, is perhaps one of the most striking images of the horror of the Vietnam War. The girl, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, was one of a group of Vietnamese villagers whose dwellings were mistakenly bombed with napalm by South Vietnamese planes.

The woman who spoke with South Korea's Arirang News recently bears little outside resemblance to that little girl: Kim Phuc, now 36, has done a remarkable job overcoming the agony of that experience. She was in Seoul, South Korea, to share her message about the horrors of war at a photo exhibition that displayed pictures from the Vietnam War.

Many New Year's revelers are planning to seek out exotic locations from which to ring in the turn of the millennium. But some celebrants plan to mark the start of the new era in a more spiritual manner. Religious sites, particularly in the Middle East, anticipate large numbers of visitors who want to begin the new millennium in a holy place.

Madaba's merchants bank on improvements to tourist sites

Jordan Television (JTV) told CNN World Report viewers the city of Madaba wants to host hundreds of thousands of tourists, and recently it received recognition from a very influential source: Pope John Paul II. The Vatican issued its seal of approval to designate two sites in Madaba as official pilgrimage destinations. Those sites are Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have died, and the palace of King Herod.

JTV reporter Samer Faraj says that because of the Vatican designation, the city has undertaken a complete facelift project just in the past six months, a time frame that has required plenty of hard work. The city's residents are pitching in on the project, and work is on track to upgrade facilities in the area.

Businesses hope the facelift will enable them to bring in more tourism money as the surroundings become more attractive. "At a time when holy places can serve both the spirit and the economy, the city is slowly but surely taking advantage of the treasure it has," Faraj said.

Preparing for Y2K shortages may strain Filipino economy

We've been hearing plenty about the so-called "Y2K bug" ... the potential computer glitch caused by the date rolling over to 2000 at the end of the month. Fear that banks and automatic teller machines could succumb to the problem and prevent easy access to money has prompted the Philippines government to print and circulate 50 percent more bank notes than usual.

But as the Philippines' ABS-CBN reported, what may appear to be a logical fix to counter the threat of insufficient cash may carry a problem of its own: Inflation. Some Filipino economists are concerned the country may see a repeat of 1983, when the Central Bank issued more banknotes to offset Peso devaluation, and the inflation rate shot up.

ABS-CBN's Cathy Yang told CNN World Report viewers an even greater worry is that interest rates may rise in the Philippines due to the extra money in circulation. "Economists fear an upsurge in interest rates if people decide to spend all the cash they've withdrawn," Yang said.

Scientists began a major study of alligators in the Anavilhanas region of northern Brazil nearly a decade ago, and now authorities say the results are forcing them to rethink how alligators are protected.

Brazil's Amazon Network traveled with scientists as they captured young alligators to mark them with identification tags. The researchers have been closely monitoring alligator populations by tagging infant reptiles and following their growth and reproduction.

Protection gone overboard? Brazilian scientists say alligators plentiful

Amazon Network's Marcela Rosa spoke with researchers who say the large numbers of alligators they're tracking don't warrant the endangered species status currently afforded the alligators in Brazil. "They can be found by the millions in some parts of the state of Amazonas. In a single night we can spot five to six thousand alligators. That's why we don't believe they should be on the extinction list," one researcher said.

Brazil's Institute for Environmental Protection says it will consider allowing some hunting of alligators, and it plans to experiment with limited hunting of mature alligators in selected areas.

South Africa is plagued with some of the highest crime rates in the world, and that country's young people are suffering from the trauma of violence for years and years. Now a program called Wilderness Adventure Therapy hopes to use an outdoors experience to help the youngsters deal with their traumatic past.

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) accompanied a recent excursion along the nature trail. It followed 13 children from crime-ridden areas in Kwa-Zulu Natal province. On the expedition, volunteer counselors help the children learn to trust themselves, their environment, and others.

As SABC correspondent Ingrid Martens discovered, the nature program revealed a surprising twist: The counselors began to recognize and work through some of their own nightmares as they assisted the children. Trail leader Richard Magodzho remembers his own violent and aggressive youth. "I didn't know, but now I know, since I have been through this counseling process," he said. "I've been to the wilderness. I can tell now that I had trauma from those things."

Chanting and rhythmic rowing make for regal birthday celebration

An ancient ceremony came to life recently in Thailand as the country paid tribute to King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the occasion of his birthday. The King was honored with a royal barge procession, an ancient custom in the southeast Asian nation, and Thailand's Army TV-Channel 5 was on hand for the celebration.

The procession featured 52 barges decorated with intricately carved animal figures. One particularly outstanding barge reflected its namesake, the Golden Swan.

"The beauty of the flotilla formation, the oarsmen's paddling styles and the chanting of rhythmic barge songs echoing all over the river combine to make this royal barge procession a charming event in which all the grandeur and splendor of Thai arts and culture are presented," said reporter Yongyuth Maiyalarp.