News for December 31, 2005
A Spirited Attempt To Save Churches [Dececmber 25, 2005]
BRISTOL, England — In front of the altar at St. Paul’s Church, two young acrobats balanced upside down with their toes pointed heavenward. Unicycles leaned against 200-year-old pews and trapezes hung from 40-foot-high scaffolding alongside stained-glass images of Moses, David and Elijah.
“I love to see the church used like this,” said the Rev. David Self, the local Church of England vicar, watching 20 teenagers training to become circus performers. “If we worship and celebrate a God who is creative, for me this is part of His work.”
New Orleans Plans to Hold Mardi Gras Despite Devastation From Hurricane Katrina [December 27, 2005]
The City of New Orleans has announced that the celebration of Carnival, known as Mardi Gras, will be held in February despite the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. The decision was made even though 75 percent of the city’s population is scattered around the country. City leaders say that putting on Mardi Gras is essential for the city’s rebirth.
Auction winner runs away with the circus [Dececmber 28, 2005]
It had been a long-time fancy of artist Vanda Harvey to run away with the circus.
So when her partner John Morgan saw the opportunity advertised as one of 12 lots in the EDP’s charity auction, he thought it was just too good an opportunity to miss.
Mr Morgan, a freelance journalist from Cromer, said: “She has always threatened to run away with the circus so I thought it would make the perfect Christmas present.”
Circus lioness puts on her own show [Dececmber 30, 2005]
In the performance, the lioness was supposed to jump on to a horse from a bench, but it failed several times and the trainer threatened it with a lash. The lioness suddenly jumped to the ground and ran away, frightening the audience.
She then ran into a convenience store at the gas station which is 20-30 meters from the circus.
Tigers maul circus trainer [December 30, 2005]
An animal trainer was in a serious condition in hospital overnight after being mauled by four tigers with the Austrian national circus on tour in Germany.
The 26-year-old trainer received serious injuries to her head and lost a large quantity of blood, police said.
Initial reports said she had gone into the cage at the Louis Knie circus in the western city of Giessen when one of the animals grabbed her arm. The other tigers then mauled her.
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