The World

10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

By Harriet Barovick, Ishaan Tharoor, Alexandra Silver, Claire Suddath, Frances Romero, Kayla Webley and Josh Sanburn Monday, Oct. 04, 2010

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    Relations between historical rivals Japan and China deteriorated further after Chinese officials said their Premier Wen Jiabao would not meet with his Japanese counterpart while both were in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly. As anti-Japanese sentiment rose in China, Japan called for talks to end the row over a trawler that Tokyo says rammed into its naval vessels while in waters claimed by both sides. The boat's captain was still being held, which prompted China to suspend senior-level ties on Sept. 19.

    * What They're Dropping in Guam: Since they were introduced to the island by World War II--era military transports, brown tree snakes have nearly eliminated Guam's indigenous bird population. To combat the invasive species, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun to air-drop dead mice stuffed with the generic equivalent of Tylenol (which is deadly to the reptiles) into the forests surrounding Naval Base Guam. The mice are attached to two pieces of cardboard and a streamer; scientists hope the rodents will get caught in tree branches, where the snakes can easily find and eat them.

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