World IN BRIEF : MEXICO : Snow Decimates Monarch Butterflies

Heavy snows in the main sanctuaries of the monarch butterfly in the central mountains have killed millions of the distinctive orange and black insects, environmentalists said. The nation has been swept by a cold wave since late last week. Estimates vary, but the weather may have killed 30% to 50% of the delicate butterflies in certain areas. Environmentalists say that deforestation in sanctuaries set up for the butterflies--which migrate south from the U.S. and Canada each year--has damaged their breeding grounds, ruining the cover that allows them to survive bad weather.