Muara Teweh!

SHIRANUI SEA, Japan - The dawn is still only a faint glow beyond distant mountains, but fisherman Akinori Mori and his wife, Itsuko, are already hard at work on their boat, reeling in nets of squid, fish and crabs.

Nothing about this placid scene reveals that Japan’s worst environmental disaster unfolded here.

Starting 50 years ago, whole neighborhoods were poisoned by mercury-contaminated fish from these waters. Thousands of people were crippled, and hundreds died agonizing deaths. Babies were born with horrifying deformities.

Today, the tragedy known as Minamata Disease is only a dim memory to the rest of the world, and few outside Japan would recognize Chisso Corp. as the company that polluted Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea with deadly methylmercury. But for Akinori, 62, and Itsuko, 58, and many of the people living along these craggy coasts, the disaster never ended. » Read more after the jump →

The number of homes sold at £1 million and above has tripled over the last five years.

£1 million pound plus mortgages in England and Wales have increased from 2,249 in June 2002 to 6,170 in June of this year, with London accounting for the highest proportion of sales at 58%.

Halifax Estate Agents surveyed 2,098 postcode districts across England and Wales, and found that 33% had recorded at least one £1 million pound property sale in the last year.

Their survey also showed that sales of million pound mortgages have more than doubled in the North of England, with the majority of these being in Cheshire.

Colin Kemp of Halifax Estate Agents, said: “Million pound property sales are now taking place right across England and Wales and not just in inner London. » Read more after the jump →

The growing fascination with DIY looks set to grow as ever increasing numbers of mortgage holders make improvements to make their homes more valuable.

Halifax figures show that nearly 25% of homeowners who carried out DIY in the last year do so in the hope that it would help increase the value of their home.

In addition, over 50% of those that did DIY believe that their work could add up to £5,000 to the value of their property.

The Halifax research found that mortgage holders think that refurbished kitchens and extensions are the most valuable changes that you can make to a property.

Patrick Sawdon of Halifax Valuers, said: “Our research shows that Britain has become a nation » Read more after the jump →

Student credit cards often have programs and other features specifically designed for young adults who are getting used to having a revolving line of credit at their disposal. These credit cards usually carry a higher interest rate than most mainstream deals, but this is normal as college students don’t typically carry much credit history for credit card issuers to reference. An individual’s credit profile will strongly influence the types of offers available to them in the future, so it is incredibly important for students who receive credit cards to stay on top of their monthly payments in order to maintain a favorable opinion with the three major credit bureaus.

Credit cards for students aren’t just about learning fiscal responsibility – they can be used for fun too! Many of the cards below come with reward programs that cater to the student lifestyle including discounts for traveling back home, exclusive local concerts & events, and other fun » Read more after the jump →

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Point guard Shawn Stockton, nephew of NBA legend John Stockton, has made a verbal agreement to play basketball at the University of Montana in the fall.

Shawn Stockton is an all-state basketball and football player at Ferris High in Spokane, Wash. He averaged 12.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game last season as Ferris capped a 29-0 season with the Washington state 4A championship. He is also the starting quarterback on the football team, which is ranked No. 1 in the state.

Steve Stockton said his son was offered scholarships by both Montana and Montana State.

“I went on a few visits to both and I really like them,” Shawn Stockton said, “but it came down to Montana just being closer, so my family could come watch me play.” » Read more after the jump →

EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) — Froney, Guinevere, Gurley and Mable can stay home to roost — after the chickens’ 10-year-old owner took on the town’s zoning board.

Town officials granted pet status to the four chickens on Tuesday night. Their owners had been told they were keeping illegal livestock, and would have to give them up.

But Sylvan Lorenz, 10, convinced the Easthampton Zoning Board the birds were not poultry.

“When we first heard our pets were illegal we were sad, but we decided we would do whatever we could to save our pets,” Sylvan told the board. “I want the town of Easthampton to be the best it can be, and not allowing people to love and care for their pets is not helping.”

Sylvan and her 8-year-old brother Finnegan have raised the birds since early this summer when the chicks were a day old. » Read more after the jump →

A little more than two years have passed since Hurricane Katrina raged and the floodwaters rose, leaving New Orleans in tragic ruin. Slowly, as the city at large recovers, it is reclaiming its teams and games — from the NFL’s Saints to college football’s Sugar Bowl to the NBA’s Hornets — reforming its footprint on American sports.

Now it seeks more.

In seven college football-dominated days in January, New Orleans hopes to re-establish itself as a destination for sports’ biggest and grandest events. The second post-Katrina Allstate Sugar Bowl kicks off in the renovated Superdome on New Year’s Night. Jan. 7, the Bowl Championship Series’ double-hosting format brings its national championship game to the same building and field.

The wounds from Katrina are far from healed or out of sight. A third of New Orleans’ displaced » Read more after the jump →