Snippets
• African country Chad has ordered two major foreign oil firms, US firm ChevronTexaco and Malaysia's Petronas, responsible for 60 per cent of its oil production, to quit the country in a row over taxes. The decision now leaves only Exxon Mobil in the consortium, which handles the country's oil production.
• Thousands of prisoners in Philippines recently shaved their heads to donate hair to help mop up around 200,000 litres of oil that has spilled off the central island of Guimaras. The collection was in response to a nationwide drive to amass tonnes of hair and feathers to absorb the oil.
• Thailand has halted plans to swap five endangered Asian elephants with China for white tigers and other animals, citing concerns that the pachyderms may have been smuggled into the country.