New Zealand man's love runs deep in search for ring

Reuters - Wed Aug 19, 11:26 pm ET

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – A New Zealand man has been dubbed the Lord of the Ring after he searched and found his wedding ring more than a year after it slipped off his finger and sank to the sea floor.

The ring was lost for 16 months in the harbor of the country's capital city, Wellington, before Aleki Taumoepeau found it shining on the sea floor, the DominionPost newspaper reported on Thursday.

"The whole top surface of the ring was glowing," Taumoepeau, an ecologist, said.

Taumoepeau had been married for just three months when he lost the wedding ring while conducting an environmental sweep of the harbor.

He roughly marked the spot where the ring had flown from his finger, but was unable to find it despite returning to the area many times.

Taumoepeau's wife offered to buy another ring, but he refused, pledging to find the ring.

But, equipped with new global satellite based coordinates and offering up a quick prayer, he found the ring after an hour's search.

"I couldn't believe that I could see the ring so perfectly," Taumoepeau said.

He said those with him on the boat at the time the ring flew off his finger had likened it to a similar, slow motion shot from The Lord of the Rings, much of which was filmed in Wellington by local director Peter Jackson.

(Reporting by Michael Dickison; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

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Mongolia Expects More Harvest This Year

Written by Ch.Sumiyabazar
Tuesday, August 18, 2009.



Mongolia’s main agricultural region, Selenge province, is expected to harvest 210,000 metric tons of crops this year alone compared to last year’s nationwide figure of 200,000 tons of crop thanks to the Government’s agro-promotion campaign Atar-III.

Prime Minister S.Bayar last week visited the northern province to get introduced with preparation works of the nearing harvesting season that starts from August 25 to October 1.

Two years ago, Mongolian agricultural farmers supplied 25 percent of its own domestic needs of wheat, a little progress of the agro industry after the complete collapse of socialist regime, during which Mongolia used to supply 100 percent of its domestic needs of wheat, potatoes and vegetables.

Last year, fifty percent of the domestic needs of wheat has been supplied by domestic farmers, while other half is relied on import from foreign country.

“This year 75 percent of local demands for wheat and vegetables will be supplied by our local farmers,” cabinet head said in Nomgon valley of Selenge aimag.

“By 2010, Mongolia will supply 100 percent of its own domestic needs with its home-grown wheat and vegetables,” Bayar said.

The Government will purchase a minimum of 150,000 metric tons of wheat from farmers for a state reserve fund for the use of next year’s seeding. Purchase price is currently under talks with the farmers and flour makers.

There are 1,084 business entities and individuals got registered in agricultural farming industry, around 30 of them are large private companies that have more than 3,000 hectares of land each.

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