Scientific American Vol. 288 No. 2 February, 2003:
1. Religion in America - Church Attendance Has Dipped, But Faith Remains Strong by Rodger Doyle: p. 26.
Not long ago many believed that the spread of science and education would cause religion to wither, but although churchgoing has diminished, Americans generally retain their religious affiliations. Church attendance in the U.S. is higher than in any European country except Ireland and Poland. ... Since at least the end of World War II, Protestantism has declined, reflecting a weakening of mainline denominations. A likely cause may be the lower fertility seen since the early 20th century, when women from these denominations became active in the family-planning movement. In comparison with evangelicals, who emphasize saving souls, mainline -Protestants have been less active in recruiting new members. Despite the decline, members of the "Protestant establishment" churches-Episcopalians, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Quakers and Unitarians-continue to hold positions of power in business, government, white-collar professions and the arts far out of keeping with their numbers. Although their importance, as measured by listings in Who's Who, fell during the 20th century, in the early 1990's they still had more entries than Catholics and Jews combined.
[Summary: The two-column, illustrated article gives details and suggests reasons for trends in each of a number of religious groups, noting "The 1990's saw a substantial increase in the proportion of Americans with no religious preference, mostly because of a shift in demographics, not a rise in religious skepticism."]

2. The Olmec's Write Stuff: p.24.
Recently discovered artifacts-plaque fragments and a seal- contain intriguing scripts that may be remnants of the first written language in the New World. The pieces, found near the Gulf coast of Tabasco, Mexico, belonged to the Olmec people and date to 650 B.C. ... The artifacts are described in the December 6, 2002, Science. -Philip Yam. [Science, Vol. 298, No. 5600, 6 Dec. 2002 contains a brief note at p. 1843, a well-illustrated 3-page article at pp. 1872-1874, and a more technical illustrated article on pp. 1984-1987 -Ed.]

3. Satellite-Guided Munitions by Michael Puttré
- Highly accurate yet affordable strike weapons, proved in Afghanistan, are the latest upgrades to America's arsenal. pp. 66-73. [Brief: A quite detailed, well-illustrated article conveys a sense of the immense power which such destructive weaponry places in the hands of the military.]

Globe & Mail, Jan. 16, 2003:
Copyright law endorsed - Supreme court ruling is Disney victory by Mark H. Anderson and Philip Shishkin.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favour of lengthier copyrights protecting the profits of songs, books and animated characters' figures - a major victory for entertainment companies like Walt Disney Co. The 7-2 decision ends a challenge to the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act, which lengthened the copyright companies can hold on artistic material to 95 years from 75... . [Brief: A 3-column article elaborates on the ruling.]

Globe & Mail, Jan. 17, 2003:
America plays God - Mr. Bush sees his wars in religious terms, and critics can go to hell. His actions may take us all there, says novelist John LeCarre.
[Brief: A 5-column article illustrates this thesis.]

Globe & Mail, Jan. 23, 2003-
"Iraq's twisted British roots - The British created Iraq after the Versailles peace treaty of 1919, and gave rise to a nightmare. The U.S. may make it worse, warns historian Margaret MacMillan.
[The 5-column article is illustrated by a photograph of King Faisal I of Iraq: bearing the caption 'After the British authorities had thoughtfully arrested (or bought off) opponents to Faisal's candidacy, a Council of State unanimously asked for him to be their king.' The author scans the history of the area from the era of Nebuchadnezzar through the Ottoman Empire and post W.W. I British manipulations to the present prospects under U.S. dominance.]

The Weekly Telegraph, No. 599, Jan. 15-21, 2003:
1. Obituary - Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, OM -
Statesman and political biographer who sought to realign British politics by leaving the Labour Party in 1981 to found the SDP - [Brief: Aged 82, he was one of the most successful politicians of the post-war years - a notably effective Labour minister, President of the European Commission and the principal begetter of the Social Democratic Party. A 6-column, illustrated article gives copious details.]

2. Virgin Mary documentary fury -
A BBC documentary which suggested that the Virgin Mary was raped by a Roman soldier has provoked more than 1,000 complaints. The documentary, screened on the Sunday before Christmas, questioned nearly every aspect of the Nativity story and was condemned by the Vatican and Roman Catholic bishops.

3. Province told to drop flag -
NORTHERN Ireland should ditch its traditional flag in favour of one that appeals to all sides of the community, it was suggested last week. The cross-community Alliance Party suggested the "Ulster flag", with its cross of St. George and sovereign's crown, should be replaced. The party said the existing flag was more representative of the unionist community because it also contained the red hand of Ulster, adopted by several loyalist terrorist groups, and a six-pointed star to signify the six counties.

4. Malaysia brings English back -
MALAYSIA has put the language of its old colonial master back into the heart of its education system almost 30 years after expelling it. For decades schools for the country's different communities have taught in Malay, Chinese or Tamil but now all maths and science classes will be in English. Mahathir Mohamad, the Malaysian prime minister, who frequently rails against Western "imperialism" was behind the U-turn.

The Weekly Telegraph, No. 600, Jan. 22-29, 2003:
1. Obituary - General Leopoldo Galtieri -
Argentine dictator who ordered the invasion of the Falkland islands to distract attention from the economy. [Brief: Aged 76 - He ordered the invasion of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, suffered the consequences when the islands were recaptured by Britain two months later. Was eventually sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment.]

2. Banana 'will be extinct in 10 years' by Robert Uhlig, Farming Correspondent
Buy your bananas now: scientists are claiming that the world's favourite fruit could be extinct within 10 years because it is unable to fight off a plague of pests and disease. [Brief: 2 columns amplify the subject.]

3. Test-tube link with birth defect -
Scientists have called for an investigation into the safety of artificial fertility techniques after a study showed that test-tube babies were more likely to be born with a rare genetic disorder than children conceived naturally. A team of British researchers found that in vitro fertilisation babies were at greater than average risk of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, a condition that can cause birth defects and childhood cancer.

4. Find may prove Bible narrative -
THE APPEARANCE of an inscribed stone tablet in Jerusalem has sharply divided Israeli experts who say it is either the most sensational archaeological discovery in the Holy Land since the Dead Sea Scrolls or an ingenious fraud. If proved genuine it would be the first independent proof of the biblical narrative about Solomon's temple.

5. Spain's oldest British cemetery faces closure by Isambard Wilkinson in Madrid -
THE ENGLISH Cemetery in Malaga, last resting place of British poets, retired officers and rogues since 1831, faces closure within weeks. [Brief: Lacking finances, the beautiful cemetery must close. An appeal for funds has been launched.]

6. Wellington leads Brussels assault -
THE first Duke of Wellington's proudest claim was that he never lost a battle. If the same is to be said of the present Duke, Britain will have to leave the European Union. The 87-year-old Duke and several high-profile chums have founded a campaign group - quaintly titled Defenders of the Realm - which aims to force secession from the EU. The Defenders - who also include novelist Frederick Forsyth, actor Edward Fox and Guinness Book of Records founder Norris McWhirter - claim that the Nice Treaty is unconstitutional. They have raised £200,000 to fund their legal campaign. ... Forsyth comments: "My curiosity overcame me.
This case will determine whether the Queen has been forced to betray her Coronation Oath by Parliament."

Globe & Mail, Jan. 24, 2003: Obituary -
Bill Mauldin, 1921-2003 - Cartoonist gave GI's view of war. Pulitzer winner showed grim wit of war through the eyes of battle-weary Willie and Joe. [Brief: 5-col., illustrated. Appreciated by W.W. II Vets.]

Globe & Mail, Jan. 25, 2003:
Wave of immigration changes face of Canada. By Gloria Galloway. [Brief: 6-col. Illustrated article examines the portrait of Canadian immigration.]

Focus, The American Geographical Society, Fall, 2002 Vol. 47 No. 1: Special theme issue on Mongolia: pp. 26-29.
The Mongolian Wild Horse - a romantic and elusive species by Judith Kolbas. [Brief: Beautifully illustrated. The horse used by Chinggis Khan, (and which Scythians probably rode -Ed.).]

Science, American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science, Vol. 299 No. 5606, 24 Jan. 2003:
1. Bioterrorism - Go Slow With Smallpox Shots, Panel Says - pp. 486-487.
2. Paleontology - Four-Winged Dinos Create a Flutter - p. 491
3. Tower Power - The world's tallest structure may soon be looming over the Australian outback.
A "green energy" company called EnviroMission plans to erect a 1000-meter tower-twice the height of Toronto's CN Tower-to generate solar power in the Buronga district of New South Wales. The tower will be surrounded by a 5-kilometer-diameter greenhouse. As hot air flows up the sloped greenhouse roof, it will power 32 giant turbines capable of producing enough energy to serve 200,000 homes. [Brief: It already has government backing. If successful, 4 more will follow.]

Globe & Mail, Jan. 28, 2003: Obituary -
Hugh Trevor-Roper, 1914-2003 -Historian who investigated The Last Days of Hitler in his most famous book, but sullied his own reputation by incorrectly authenticating ["Hitler diaries."]

Globe & Mail, Jan. 30, 2003:
Ottawa stood behind King in darkest hours of 1936. U.K. documents shed new light on Edward abdication crisis that shook the Commonwealth. [Brief: 6-column illustrated page.
Also in The Weekly Telegraph No. 602, Feb. 5-11, 2003]

Top Baby Names -
A 1% sample of U.S. Social Security card applications for births from January through August 2001 yielded the top 100 for each sex. Topping the boys: Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher, Nicholas, Andrew, Joseph, Daniel and William. For Girls: Emily, Madison, Hannah, Ashley, Alexis, Samantha, Sarah, Abigail, Elizabeth and Jessica. The Classic Baby Store.com

Globe & Mail, Feb. 1, 2003: Obituary -
Allan Nunn May, 1911-2003, By Nigel Fountain and Richard Norton-Taylor. - Scientist spy exposed by Gouzenko. Physicist working on Manhattan Project in Montreal passed nuclear weapons data to the Soviets. [Brief: 6-columns, illustrated. Also covered in The Weekly Telegraph No. 602, Feb. 5-11, 2003.]

The Canadian Geographer, The Canadian Association of Geographers, Vol. 46 No. 3, Fall, 2002:
Residential segregation of visible minorities in Canada's gateway cities by Harold Bauder and Bob Sharpe pp. 204-222. [Brief: Immigration to Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver receives a detailed and scholarly treatment.]

The Weekly Telegraph No. 601, Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2003:
1. Roman clue to Greater Londinium -
Demolition of pub reveals important settlement outside ancient city walls, writes David Millward. THE MAP of Roman London will have to be redrawn after the discovery of a settlement including a palace or military headquarters about a mile outside the city walls. A site roughly the size of a football pitch was found after the demolition of a theme pub in Shadwell, east of the Tower of London, previously thought to be Londinium's boundary. [Brief: 6-columns, illustrated.]

2. Afghan women drive again -
AFGHAN women are being allowed to drive again after a 10-year ban. Thirty women from the women's affairs ministry have completed a course and received licences. A second group, of women hospital doctors, also took the course.

Jane's Intelligence Digest, 31 January, 2003, Editor's notes -
JID's analysis of intelligence reports indicating Pakistan is the most likely supplier of nuclear technology to North Korea has aroused the interest of the mainstream media. Pakistan's foreign minister repeated his denials that his country has supplied nuclear know-how to Pyongyang.

Globe & Mail, 7 Feb. 2003: Fifteen suicide bids made at Guantanamo:
Washington. The Pentagon said yesterday that a suicide attempt among suspected terrorists imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is the fifth in the past three weeks. An Amnesty International official has called for an investigation. Five new cases of prisoners trying to kill themselves have been confirmed since Jan. 16. Officials would not say whether the cases were five separate ones or cases of multiple attempts by the same man or men. Including the 10 attempts in 2002, the new cases bring the total to 15 since high-security facilities were built on the U.S. naval base a year ago to house men captured in the fight against terrorism. AP

Science, Vol. 299 No. 5607, 31 Jan. 2003:
1. X-ray Lightning pp. 621, 669-670, 694-697. [Brief: Reports discovery of intense bursts of x-ray emission from rocket-triggered lightning. The most likely source of these x-rays is the runaway breakdown of air, a process in which electrons are accelerated to relativistic energies by strong electric fields.

2. Archaeology - Impending War Stokes Battle Over Fate of Iraqi Antiquities p. 643. [Brief: The possible loss of archaeological treasures worries archaeologists.]

3. How a Scribe Learned Math. ca. 1800 B.C.:
pp. 650-651. Suen-apil-Urim lost patience with the gods when he was forced to redo his homework. After writing out in tedious detail the results of multiplying 24 by various numbers, the aspiring Sumerian scribe ended his clay tablet with a flourish. "Praise Nisaba and Ea!" he added, in honor of two Sumerian gods. Alas, the scribe got some values wrong and had to repeat the exercise 4 days later. His second tablet mentions only Nisaba, leaving the water god Ea with no praise at all. Nearly 4 millennia later, Suen-apil-Urim's scribe-school exercises have given historians an unexpected new insight into the practice of ancient mathematics. The tablets, which scholars believe came from the Sumerian city of Larsa (near An Nasiriyah in the southeast of modern-day Iraq), show how long it took scribes to learn to multiply numbers. ... The clay tablets were among hundreds housed at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, but they were uncatalogued until last year. ... Tablets by this student are dated, and show how long the learning took.

4. Evolution and Education - The Emperor's New Design -
p. 664. - A 3-column review of a new book, Where Darwin Meets the Bible - Creationists and Evolutionists in America by Larry A. Witham, Oxford University Press, New York, 2002. 338 pp. $30. £25. ISBN 0-19-515045-7.

Science, Vol. 299 No. 5608, 7 Feb. 2003:
1. Drilling on the Trojan Plain -
The location of Troy and the accuracy of Homer's descriptions of the Trojan war in The Iliad have been examined and questioned for ages. In the late 1800's Schliemann laid claim to having unearthed the ancient city on the west coast of Turkey, near the mouths of the Dardenelles and the Simois and Scamander rivers. Nonetheless, many descriptions in The Iliad do not correspond to the landscape of the region as seen today, more than 5000 years after the battle. Tectonic activity and sedimentation in the delta plain, and the construction of levees and canals along the rivers have greatly modified the geography, and the coastline is several kilometers from the ancient city. Kraft et al. Have used a series of dated drill cores in the region to reconstruct the changes in this landscape from about 7000 years ago to the present, covering the time of the Trojan war. This paleogeography correlates well with the descriptions in The Iliad of several battles around Troy. -BH Geology 31, 163 (2003)

2. Perceptions of Science Face Values: How Portraits Win Friends and Influence People - Patricia Fara -
[Brief: Using portraits of Sir Isaac Newton as the focus, the full-page article provides interesting biographical information of the subject.]

The Weekly Telegraph No. 602, Feb. 5-11, 2003: Kangaroo fights for a place on coat of arms by Mark Chipperfield in Sydney.
IF REPUBLICANS in Australia get their way the lion and the unicorn will disappear from the country's coat of arms to be replaced with kangaroos, dolphins or other native wildlife. [Brief: 4 col. Illustrated.]

Globe & Mail Feb. 12, 2003:
1. Knew of Oklahoma threat before bombing: officials.
Washington. The FBI and ATF had information before the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing suggesting that white supremacists living near that city were considering an attack on government buildings, but the intelligence was never passed on to federal officials residing in the state, documents and interviews show. Federal Bureau of Investigation officials in Washington were so concerned that white separatists might lash out on April 19, 1995 -the day Timothy McVeigh did choose- that they questioned a reformed white supremacist familiar with an earlier plot to bomb the Alfred P. Murrah federal building which Mr. McVeigh ultimately selected. AP

2. An inexpensive pair of glasses "would be lifeblood to as many as 100 million people worldwide who don't currently have them."
Optometrist Brien Holden tells the New Scientist magazine: "In India, 12 per cent of the blind and 55 per cent of the visually impaired are that way because of a lack of spectacles. In Africa, half the kids in blind institutes aren't blind. They just need glasses. Some read Braille not by touching it, but by holding it up close to their eyes so they can 'read' the dots."

The Weekly Telegraph No. 603, Feb. 12-18, 2003:
1. God is banished from Europe's constitution by Ambrose Evans-Prichard in Brussels -
GOD has been banned from the European constitution to avoid causing offence. All references to divinity were expunged from the newly revealed Article 2 on Europe's values and "the liberty and the rights of man", much to the dismay of Polish Catholics. Dutch Muslims and France's orthodox Jews, all united in deploring the spiritual emptiness of the new Europe. Valery Giscard d'Estaing, president of the Convention on the Future of Europe, offered some consolation, allowing that a reference to the Almighty might creep into the Constitution's preamble, though carefully disguised as a cultural adornment competing with Zeus, Minerva and the Norse god Wotan. But he offered no hope that Article 2 would be changed, confirming fears that the rest of the highly federalist text is already written in stone. The derisory treatment of religion is a snub for the Pope, who interceded personally with M Giscard not to forget the "cement of that extraordinary religious, cultural and civic heritage that has made Europe great". But it was backed by socialist politicians and the Turkish government, which fears that any tilt towards religion could foster a sense of Europe as a "Christian club".

2. Rasputin crusade splits church -
A BITTER rift has opened in the Russian Orthodox Church over a campaign to canonise Rasputin ... and Ivan the Terrible. The movement, which leading Orthodox officials have sought to quash, is spearheaded by a growing revisionist movement in the Church. It believes the notorious monk was victim of a Jewish conspiracy and that Ivan the Terrible was a deeply religious and humble man.

3. Obituary: Canon Geraint Vaughan-Jones,
who has died, aged 73, was instrumental in rescuing from oblivion the ancient Welsh carol singing tradition of plygain. [Brief: Plygain is a survival of a pre-Reformation Christmas service modified to suit the new Protestant conditions. It began as early as 3am and lasted beyond daybreak, as first one family, then another, stepped forward to sing. The carols were sung unaccompanied, often in complex three and four-part harmonies. A dozen families or more would contribute during the course of the service. The words were handed down the generations, and were often jealously-guarded elements of a family's heritage.]

Globe & Mail, Feb. 24, 2003:
Newton predicted world will end in 2060. Jerusalem. Sir Isaac Newton predicted that the world will end in 57 years, a television network says, based on a document from a Jerusalem archive. The seventeenth-century mathematician's prediction was unearthed by Canadian researcher Stephen Snobelen as part of a British Broadcasting Corp. documentary, Newton: The Dark Heretic. During the program, to be aired on March 1, the BBC said it will show a handwritten document predicting the end of the world in 2060, according to calculations Newton based on the Bible. AP