World Cup kaput?

A parliamentarian who chairs the German government's agriculture committee warns that the World Cup may need to be called off in Germany this summer because of avian influenza, due to a "serious" outbreak that began there last week. Several hundred German soldiers have been deployed to the resort island of Ruegen, where the outbreak has mainly been concentrated, in an effort to contain the spread of the disease (this AP photo shows German troops decontaminating vehicles leaving the island).

Speaking of German troops, France has now gone on a "war footing" against the deadly H5N1 bird flu, which recently appeared in that country as well. Of course we all know what it means when the French go on a "war footing": you can expect them to sign a surrender agreement with the virus any time now...