Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Jennifer Smith will lead a delegation of Parliamentarians and the Clerk to the Legislature to the 50th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in Canada next week.

Ms Smith, the former leader of the Progressive Labour Party will be accompanied by the United Bermuda Party MP Maxwell Burgess, the Speaker of the Senate Alf Oughton and Senator Walwyn Hughes. Clerk to the Legislature Mrs. Shernette Wolffe will attend as Delegation Secretary.

Delegates will attend workshops on a variety of topics including "Economic Vulnerability and Resilience of Small States", "Sustainable Tourism Resources" and "Holding the Executive to Account: scrutiny in Small States".

The Conference will be held in Ottawa, Quebec City and Toronto from Tuesday through September 9.

The 12 exotic Fila Brasilero puppies illegally bred by former dog warden Gino Brangman's have been euthanised ? just hours after he dropped an injunction against Government.

The puppies became the centre of controversy after they were confiscated by dog wardens for being illegally bred last year. Originally there were 13 ? one died while in custody.

Mr. Brangman took out an injunction to prevent Government from putting the dogs to sleep while he awaited trial. Filas are on the controversial dog breed ban list, and it has been illegal to breed or import them since July 21. 2003.

When Mr. Brangman was found guilty and fined $2,500, he said: "I knew I didn't have a foot to stand on with the injunction."

He called his lawyers on Thursday, he said, and dropped the injunction. When he heard nothing from the dog wardens, he called to see what was happening ? and was told the puppies had been put to sleep on Friday. "I still can't understand why they wouldn't call and tell me that," he added.

The puppies, confiscated when they were just three days old, spent their short lives almost entirely in Government custody.

A 16-year-old visitor from the United States was robbed of $20 in cash on Monday evening by a thief on a pink pedal cycle. The youth was walking in the vicinity of Victoria St. and Parliament St. at 6.30 p.m. on Monday when he was approached by the thief, who asked for a cigarette.

The youth told the cyclist he did not have a cigarette but the man got off the cycle and pushed him backwards putting his hands in his pockets and taking $20 in cash.

The visitor, who was on a cruise ship with his father, launched a formal complaint with the Police on Monday evening. Police are investigating the incident.

Plans for the transformation of Canima, a former government ferry, into a restaurant have run aground for now, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported last week.

The former 750 passenger ferry which moonlighted as a party boat, was sold in 1999 and ended up in Shediac Bay, New Brunswick where owners Del Shultz and Stephen Hawkins hoped to refit it as a restaurant.

But the town considers that it has outstayed its welcome and has asked the owners to remove it. The boat ran aground after breaking away from its moorings during a winter storm and is now a rusting hulk in Shediac Harbour.

To make matters worse, thieves have taken away much of its fittings and destroyed its interior, Mr. Hawkins told CBC.

He added that he still plans to turn the boat into a restaurant but may take the project elsewhere. That suits Shediac Mayor Raymond Cormiac just fine. Mr. Cormiac told CBC that the 500 ton craft is ugly and could be dangerous if it breaks free again during a storm.

"We don't really care about a boat here in town," he is reported as saying.

Canima was originally heading to Cuba when it was sold to Bermuda Island Cruises, but it was later reported that it would be used as a ferry in Belize before arriving in New Brunswick, Canada.

Bermuda's juvenile dolphins have been named, thanks to more than 200 suggestions from across Bermuda and around the world.

The male and female dolphins born at Dolphin Quest Bermuda in April, have been christened Tatem and Lily.

Anne Giordano, aged nine, and Kimberley Barnes, age 23, both of Bermuda, suggested the winning names, which were chosen by Dolphin Quest Bermuda staff. Both names were picked for their Bermuda connections.

"These are the perfect names for our Bermuda babies," said Christine Mihelcic, general manager of Dolphin Quest Bermuda.

"Our little dolphins are playful and cute crowd pleasers under their moms' watchful care, and they've won the hearts of our trainers, guests and the public alike."

Lily is named after the Bermuda Lily, more commonly known as the Easter Lily, which has been cultivated on the Island since the 18th century. The name Lily was suggested by 15 people, and Anne Giordano was picked at random as the grand prize winner.

Tatem is the namesake of Samuel Tatem, one of Bermuda's early settlers, in the Warwick Tribe.

The first young Longtail chicks of the year are leaving their nests, according to the Bermuda Audubon Society.

But anyone who removes or disturbs baby Longtails may be fined under the Protected Species Act.

"If you come across a Longtail chick alone and seemingly abandoned in a nest hole in the coastal rocks, do not remove or disturb it as the adults will probably be at sea finding food for the chick and will be back for only brief periods to feed it," Audubon Society president Andrew Dobson said.

Residents should be on the lookout for baby Longtails which may be injured or unable to take on water.

"They can be taken to the rehabilitation facility at the Aquarium," Mr. Dobson said.

Because of cliff destruction and loss of nests due to Hurricane Fabian, the Audubon Society and Department of Conservation Services are installing several artificial "igloo" nests to help Longtails.

Mr. Dobson said all pets should be kept on a leash while walking along coastal areas since Longtails are vulnerable to attacks by cats and dogs.

"Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times at Spittal Pond reserve," he said.

A 21-year-old Southampton woman showed no remorse at being caught drinking and driving on January 10.

Tiffany Rode Butterfield, of Horseshoe Road, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court yesterday driving under the influence of alcohol.

When Butterfield was pulled over she told the Police: "I was on my cell phone that's why I was moving from side to side. I don't like you f**king cops anyway."

Butterfield did not apologise to the Police or the Court and Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner fined her $1,000 and revoked her licence for all vehicles for one year.

Canadian billionaire Michael DeGroote has been granted planning approval to build a wall at the border of his Paget home.

Mr. DeGroote's personal assistant, Rita Dennis, said the wall was being built due to damage caused by Hurricane Fabian.

Once a building permit is issued, the wall can be built on the shoreline of the Bellevue Lane, Paget, property.

The walls are designed to protect against further shoreline erosion.

Mr. DeGroote owns Westbury Limited, an investment company with interests in Europe and the US.