An Oil firm has lodged an appeal after it was convicted of an oilspill in the North Sea.
Amoco (UK) Exploration - part of the BP Group - found itself incourt after 30 tonnes of diesel gushed into the sea from the EverestPlatform in July 2003.
The spill happened when diesel was being transferred from one tankto another.
A spokeswoman today confirmed an appeal was going through …
We have created a "library commons" section in the library, which allows our library staff to assist library users in one dedicated area. Six new terminals have been installed using flat screen panel monitors, resulting in a minimal amount of space needed for the terminals. These six replace the six existing computer workstations, previously located on a large centrally located counter. Three additional terminals have been installed in the "library commons" area allowing students to access CD-ROM databases. The "library commons" area will also include a reference …
Hurricane Ike, a colossal storm nearly as big as Texas itself, began battering the coast, threatening to obliterate waterfront towns and give the skyscrapers, refineries and docks of the fourth-largest U.S. city their worst pounding in a generation.
But even as towering waves started crashing over the 17-foot (5-meter) Galveston seawall and floodwaters rose in low-lying areas Friday, it became clear that many of the 1 million coastal residents who had been ordered to get out refused to so and were taking their chances.
Authorities in three counties alone said roughly 90,000 stayed behind, despite a warning from forecasters that many of those in one- or …
A series of charity events culminated in a cheque for MacmillanCancer Support from the Freemasons.
The charity was chosen by John Morey, the Worshipful Master ofThe Brethren of Sir Thomas de Cheddre Masonic Lodge, which meets inWedmore's Masonic Temple.
Mr Morey and his wife Audrey presented Pounds 521.20 to charityfundraiser Toby Fielder on Thursday - proceeds from a ladies'festival, a …
An Air Force nurse has been punished by superiors for writing aletter to the military newspaper Stars and Stripes questioning thesafety and effectiveness of anthrax inoculations being administeredto all U.S. troops.
Capt. Debra J. Egan, a pediatric specialist, raised concerns inher Nov. 5 letter about the vaccine's possible side effects, itsimpact on fertility and its usefulness against airborne anthraxspores. Pentagon authorities dismissed her fears as groundless,noting that the vaccine has been licensed by the Food and DrugAdministration for nearly 30 years and used by many civilians as wellas military special forces.
But even if Egan's scientific position is weak, …
EAST HAMPTON, New York (AP) — Music mogul Russell Simmons and model Kimora Lee Simmons may no longer be married, but the pair came together in the name of charity at a dinner gala.
The couple hosted the fundraiser Saturday night to benefit Art for Life, a charity that supports arts programs for inner-city kids.
"We started this together 12 years ago," Lee Simmons said. "I hosted it every year forever and then I had to turn over the duties, and now we are back as a family and we are so excited. It is a great night."
The couple's two daughters attended the event, as well as Lee Simmons' partner, actor Djimon Hounsou, and their son. The Simmonses divorced in 2009.
The …
Searchers said Thursday that hope was fading for finding two missing tour boat passengers alive a day after the amphibious craft they were riding in was struck and sunk by a barge in the Delaware River.
Police and Coast Guard officials said a search for the missing duck boat passengers resumed Thursday morning near Philadelphia's Penn's Landing, with boats searching the surface and using sonar. But conditions were too dangerous to send divers underwater Thursday.
"There is no visibility whatsoever on the bottom," said Philadelphia police Lt. Andrew Napoli, speaking of his earlier dives. "The vehicle is laying upright on its wheels. There could be …
The target for the federal funds rate was increased by 25 basis points to 5 percent at the May 10 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee.
The FOMC noted that economic growth has been quite strong so far this year and the committee sees growth as likely to moderate to a more sustainable pace, partly reflecting a gradual cooling of the housing market and the lagged effects of increases in interest rates and energy prices.
"As yet, the run-up in the prices of energy and other commodities appears to have had only a modest effect on core inflation, ongoing productivity gains have helped to hold the growth of unit labor costs in check, and inflation expectations remain …
Tyler Hansbrough and a deep roster have helped top-ranked North Carolina overcome injuries and illnesses that have thinned the Tar Heels' rotation.
Hansbrough, a junior preseason All-America, had his seventh straight game with at least 20 points, getting 25 in North Carolina's 90-61 rout of Kent State on Wednesday night.
Even with three key players missing the game, the Tar Heels (14-0) managed their fourth straight victory by at least 25 points.
"For this team, it says a lot for our depth, but we'll be ready for them when we get back," said Hansbrough, who was 11-for-11 at the free-throw line.
Reserve forward Alex Stepheson …
Instead, the Bulls somehow managed to slam the door shut on themselves.
With a brutal extended offensive stretch in the second and third quarters and a string of bad plays down the stretch, the Bulls suffered a 79-74 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at the United Center.
''It's disappointing,'' guard Kirk Hinrich said of the wasted opportunity. ''But we're kind of fortunate they did …
"December 7, 1951, came and went with scant ceremony... Compare that to the wall-to-wall attention being given to the 10th anniversary of 9/11....
But there is some irony in the fact that our frenzy to memorialize is inversely proportionate to our collective capacity to extract meaning from memory....
In 1951, Americans could look back to Pearl Harbor and see its bookends in VE Day and the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri....
The war that was begun on September 11 has no bookend. We don't even know whether we are in the early, middle or late chapters - or whether we're still in the same book....
9/11 …
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek police say a boulder dislodged from towering volcanic cliffs on the resort island of Santorini has killed an American tourist and injured four foreign women.
A police statement says the 52-year-old man was hit as he was riding a hired mule on the steep cobbled path winding down to the sea from Oia village — a popular tourist destination on the brim of the island's …
An Aberdeen-born mum was engulfed in a nightmare today after herhusband killed their two daughters and hanged himself.
It is thought the news of the horrific double-murder and suicidewas broken to Theresa Reilly as she sat outside the death scene.
She had arrived to collect her two little girls from her estrangedhusband and called police when she got no reply from the house.
It has been reported officers got into the flat in New Jersey andfound Meghan, 6, and Kelly, 5, drowned in the bathtub on the firstfloor.
The girls were submerged in the water, fully clothed in shorts andfootball tops. One was still wearing her sandals.
Their dad, 46-year-old Irish builder Thomas Reilly, was hangingfrom a rafter in a third-floor attic. He was wearing a Gaelicfootball top.
Theresa, 37, who emigrated from Aberdeen as a teenager, collapsedand had to be kept overnight in hospital.
The tragedy was discovered the day after little Meghan hadgraduated from nursery in Verona, New Jersey.
It is thought the couple had argued over access to the girls.Theresa had taken out a restraining order against Reilly last monthafter he reportedly beat her up in March.
The horrific murders unfolded at 322 Claremont Avenue, a largeVictorian home in affluent Montclair, New Jersey.
Reilly's neighbour, Robert Denko said: "It seems as though he hassimply snapped after an argument with his wife over zaccess to thekids."
Powerful 6ft Reilly, originally from Cavan, Southern Ireland, moved to New Jersey around 1994 before marrying Theresa in the latethe 1990s.
ashaw@ajl.co.uk
FERRYSIDE A village family has lost more than seven stone betweenthem. When Jackie Price joined a Slimming World group she had noidea it would become a family affair.
Page 8
| EASTERN CONFERENCE |
|---|
| W L Pct GB |
| Atlanta 4 0 1.000 _ |
| Connecticut 3 1 .750 1 |
| Washington 3 2 .600 1 1/2 |
| Indiana 2 2 .500 2 |
| New York 1 2 .333 2 1/2 |
| Chicago 1 4 .200 3 1/2 |
| WESTERN CONFERENCE |
| W L Pct GB |
| Seattle 4 1 .800 _ |
| Phoenix 2 1 .667 1 |
| San Antonio 2 1 .667 1 |
| Tulsa 1 3 .250 2 1/2 |
| Minnesota 1 4 .200 3 |
| Los Angeles 0 3 .000 3 |
| ___ |
| Thursday's Games |
| Connecticut 105, Minnesota 79 |
| Chicago 84, Seattle 75 |
| Friday's Games |
| New York at San Antonio |
| Atlanta at Phoenix |
| Washington at Los Angeles |
President Hugo Chavez says his government will rewrite a new intelligence law to calm Venezuelan fears that the decree could be used to stifle dissent.
Many Venezuelans were alarmed that the law could force them to spy on neighbors or risk prison terms.
Human rights activists and representatives of Venezuela's Catholic Church have criticized the decree, saying it violates civil liberties.
Chavez on Saturday said his government would remove a clause in the law that requires citizens to act as informants if authorities believe they have information on national security threats _ or face up to four years in prison for refusing.
Chavez said the revised decree would protect civil rights.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - West Virginia football has brought newmeaning to "going long."
It's not like the good ol' streetball play design, where you'dsprint to the curbside telephone pole, then run a post. As theMountaineers play the 62nd Gator Bowl today, they've gotten a lot ofmileage out of long yardage.
Some of it is simply the talented sophomore duo of running backSteve Slaton and quarterback Patrick White, as opponents pick theirpoison. Some of it is zone blocking that confuses foes.
Against Georgia Tech (9-4) at Alltel Stadium this afternoon, 13th-ranked WVU (10-2) - even with Slaton slowed by a thigh injury - willplay pretty much the same offensive cast the Mountaineers did in aSugar Bowl victory over Georgia 364 days ago.
Offense still is WVU's bread and butter ... and jam for thatmatter. It's just that the Mountaineers could get to 11 wins for asecond straight year in different fashion.
Maybe Coach Rich Rodriguez's no-huddle spread offense should besponsored by Alltel. It's become one of long-distance plans.
Consider that WVU entered the Gator Bowl with 29 plays of 40 ormore yards this season from scrimmage (16 for touchdowns). Prettymuch the same offensive personnel a year ago produced only 12 playsof 40 or more yards (six for TDs.)
Even the 2003 and '04 WVU teams, with rangy Chris Henry catchingfloaters and Kay-Jay Harris and Quincy Wilson breaking long runs,can't keep up with the long-distance speed dialing by the currentgroup.
The '04 Mountaineers had 18 plays of 40 or more yards (fromscrimmage), one fewer than the 2003 team. The '02 Continental TireBowl team had 10.
So, WVU in 2006 has only one fewer long play than the 2004 and '05teams combined, and the same number as Rodriguez's first two of aschool-record five consecutive bowl teams.
What does that mean against the aggressive, pressure-orientedYellow Jacket defense today? It means WVU, if it is to succeed forthe first time in six Gator Bowl visits, needs more of the same -unless it's going to force turnovers like it hasn't in 2006 to thelevel of recent seasons.
Slaton's potential limited participation could play large, but ayear ago in the Georgia Dome, it was wide receiver Darius Reynaud'splay that opened eyes - as well as holes in a loosened UGa defense.
"Experience helps, but explosive players like Steve and Pat havebeen the difference," Rodriguez said on the Gator eve. "They'retaking what would maybe be a 10- or 15-yard run sometimes taking it50 or more ... that makes the coaches look good.
"We have a few new wrinkles here and there, but really, it'smostly just guys who know what they're doing, executing well."
WVU's speed is an advantage against most Big East Conference foes.Of the Mountaineers' 29 plays of 40 or more yards, 22 came in sevenBig East games.
Consider that at Pitt, Rodriguez's offense got 276 of 641 totalyards (WVU's highest total offense in 14 seasons) on five long plays(43 percent). The Mountaineers had at least three plays of 40 or morein six of seven league games.
The exception was only two in the home loss to defense-led SouthFlorida ... Hmmm.
A slowed Slaton for the Gator puts more responsibility on White tobe a playmaker as well as creator. However, all it takes is onesliver, one shiver or one second and the quarterback that Techveteran defensive tackle Joe Anoai calls "the X factor" might beramblin' through the Wreck.
"It's all the pre-snap, stopping those plays," Anoai said Sunday."You have to get yourself aligned right and the whole defense has tocommunicate ... be on the same page.
"This team can get a lot quickly if you don't play it right. If wecan take care of our gap positioning and assignments, usually bigplays like those tend not to happen."
And when they do? Well, Georgia gave up three 50-plus plays thatwere huge as WVU won its first Bowl Championship Series appearancelast year.
"They're fast guys that play fast," Rodriguez said of his tandem,"and there's some risk-taking by the teams that play us, somewhat.
"Like we've said, 'A lot of teams will blitz, and somebody'sband's going to play.' It could be theirs or ours, and hopefully it'sours more often."
This season, WVU has been playing those long notes as neverbefore.
Contact Sports Editor Jack Bogaczyk a jackb@dailymail.com or 348-7949.
As initiatives for nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation have been emerging in rapid succession, the 2010 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference is approaching. The review conference is a unique forum for evaluating the operations of the NPT "with a view to assuring that the purposes of the Preamble and the provisions of the Treaty are being realized," as the treaty puts it.
The new momentum on nuclear disarmament brings a distinct opportunity for the review process. The UN Security Council summit last September on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation laid a very strong foundation for the review. It is in the world's security interests to seize this valuable opportunity and make good use of the common understanding to promote the objectives and spirit of the NPT. The NPT parties must work together in goodwill and a spirit of compromise to reach concrete steps for strengthening the treaty regime.
Envisioning a Successful Conference
The NPT regime is multifaceted. Nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear technology are its three pillars, with each one linked to the others. Over the past 40 years, the NPT has been an important barrier against nuclear weapons proliferation and has played an important role in stabilizing international relations. Recognition of the NPT's indispensable role in international peace and stability and reaffirmation of the unequivocal commitment of member states to the treaty would be a basic success for the review conference. In addition, it should be possible to reinforce the conviction of all member states on the need to bring current efforts to their ultimate objective by eliminating all nuclear weapons.
Strengthening the enforcement mechanism of the NPT, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system, would always be an important task for a review conference. Achieving universality for the full-scope safeguards system is an undertaking that is still far from completion. Building some common ground on the significance and added value of the Model Additional Protocol could be accepted as encouraging progress if consensus could not be reached on setting it as the new verification standard. In addition, any progress on the following long-discussed issues would make the conference more productive.
FMCT and CTBT Steps or new commitments for the commencement of negotiations on a fissile material cutoff treaty (FMCT) and entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) are likely to be central to any agreement at the review conference. The two issues remain the focus of attention of the international community and constitute critical substantive measures to push nuclear disarmament forward. Either setting a time frame or getting new commitments from the key countries would be accepted as substantive progress and would bring credit to the conference.
Multilateral nuclear fuel supply mechanism. Uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing have been considered a key proliferation concern. It is not necessary and not economically feasible for all countries that plan to have nuclear power to develop their own independent enrichment or reprocessing capability. Substantive discussion on this topic is under way, and different proposals are already on the table. Because the new norms in this regard would involve rights for the peaceful use of nuclear technology, it would be appropriate for the review conference to develop a common understanding of the interpretation of the treaty provisions in this regard and pave the way for any new arrangement. It should be possible for the NPT parties to agree on recognizing the legitimate right of member states to peaceful uses of nuclear energy, emphasizing the common understanding on the proliferation risk of enrichment and reprocessing, and further exploring possible paths for collective fuel supply mechanisms or international joint efforts for the development of proliferation-resistant reactors, or something of that nature.
Treaty withdrawal. Article X of the NPT clearly recognizes the basic right of a sovereign state to join or withdraw from an international treaty. However, the NPT itself did not provide any measures for handling noncompliance. It should be a logical step that a state found to be cheating on its treaty obligation should pay a price. Any party found to be in noncompliance should not be exempted from international indictment by announcing its withdrawal from the treaty. This is important to maintain the credibility of the collective security regime. But any punishment should not undermine the basic rights of a sovereign state. Overemphasizing the punishment for treaty withdrawal would make states more hesitant about joining the treaty, and this could have a profound influence on the negotiation and entry into force of new arms control treaties. A balanced solution taking both of the above aspects into consideration is expected from the review conference.
Realistic Expectations
Although, as noted above, optimism about progress in some areas might be justified, the discouraging aspects should never be underestimated. Such aspects include the still-large number of nuclear weapons; the military doctrine of preemptive strike, including the use of nuclear weapons; the development and deployment of missile defense systems globally; the trend toward weaponization of outer space; and regional nuclear proliferation issues. These issues are linked to the nuclear posture of the world. They might create a sense of insecurity in some countries and give rise to regional instability or even cause an internationalsecurity chain reaction. These issues are major obstacles to nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
In light of the above, the international community should not be too ambitious and should not burden the conference with too many expectations.
Certain hot-button issues, such as Iran and North Korea, have figured prominently in past review conferences. The way the parties handle these issues will bear heavily on the outcome of the conference. NPT member states must realize that they should take into consideration the big picture and address the root causes, as well as problems and difficulties on the surface.
The UN Security Council has adopted a number of resolutions on the Iranian and North Korean nuclear issues. Therefore, it will be difficult for the review conference to formulate new measures to be taken. The best way to handle these issues is by providing political support to the Security Council resolutions and expressing the determination of member states to continue to enforce them. It is also necessary and appropriate for the review conference to encourage relevant existing mechanisms, such as the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program and the "P5+1" talks on Iran's program,1 to continue their efforts for a peaceful solution through dialogue and cooperation. Such an approach might avoid political disputes on those issues and leave enough space for further measures.
With regard to other regional nuclear issues such as the Middle East and South Asia, the situation remains as it was, if not more complicated. Both these issues are closely related to the regional strategic balance and broad peace processes. It is risky to overemphasize one aspect while neglecting the other. Double standards should be avoided. For the sake of safeguarding the authority and the credibility of the international nonproliferation regime, those countries possessing de facto nuclear weapons should not be granted legal status in any form for their nuclear weapons.
The Need for a Balanced Approach
With close observation, the essence of the NPT can be easily found. Nuclear disarmament, nonproliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the three equal pillars, are mutually complementary and inseparable from one another. This unique structure well explains how the treaty has withstood the test of time and become the global treaty with the widest participation. The three pillars not only summarize the goals of the treaty, but also constitute concerns of all member states. History repeatedly has showed that neglect of any of those three pillars undermines the others. The 2005 NPT Review Conference was an example. Its failure largely lay in lacking a balanced approach I in advancing the conference's work. The member states should draw lessons from the past and avoid repeating the mistake.
For quite a long period in international arms control, much emphasis had been placed on nonproliferation; the other two pillars were neglected to some extent. Perhaps the situation has improved for nuclear disarmament, as last year witnessed the commencement of the U.S.-Russian negotiation on a new nuclear arms control accord and an upgraded effort by the international community toward a nuclearweapon-free world.
However, much work remains to be done with regard to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Recent years have witnessed the renaissance of nuclear energy around the world, highlighting the need to strike a sophisticated balance between nonproliferation and peaceful use. On the one hand, nonproliferation efforts should not undermine the legitimate rights of countries; on the other hand, diversion of peaceful-use technology and material to nonpeaceful purposes should be prevented.
A balanced approach in advancing the work on the three goals of the NPT will win wide support from non-nuclear-weapon states and will facilitate a successful review conference.
In addition, nuclear security is not a new topic in the field of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. Because terrorism continues to be rampant, efforts against nuclear terrorism have a particular importance. Some initiatives in this regard have emerged. The review conference will provide an appropriate venue at the right time for all member states to consider seriously how they can effectively tighten the security of nuclear material and reduce the risk of terrorism or unauthorized access. In addition to reaffirming the existing international legal instruments on nuclear security, the parties could develop some new, tangible measures to ensure nuclear materials and nuclear facilities are being effectively protected. These measures could include concrete action plans to strengthen cooperation on fighting nuclear terrorism.
P-5 Leadership
In the cause of pursuing the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons, the five nuclear-weapon states recognized by the NPT - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - bear unique responsibility. The solidarity, coordination, and leadership of these five, which are also the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, are of great importance to guaranteeing a successful review. Taking the lead by meeting their disarmament commitments would greatly help to address proliferation and create a good atmosphere for the review process. Encouragingly, the P-5 issued a joint press release at the Third Preparatory Committee meeting for the review conference. Consultations among them have been going on since then. It is by all means a good sign, showing their willingness to work together to seek success at the review conference. Furthermore, in a best-case scenario, a substantive joint declaration by the P-5 at the review conference would undoubtedly be seen as an important component of the outcome. Key elements that such a declaration could cover are a pledge not to seek permanent possession of nuclear weapons, a willingness to redefine the role of nuclear weapons in military doctrine, a willingness to provide negative security guarantees, a commitment to bring the CTBT into force at an early date, and commitments by Russia and the United States to continue to make deep cuts in their nuclear arsenals.
Conclusion
The countdown to the review conference has begun. Political will has been emerging. The situation, however, is complicated. At this crossroads, NPT member states must realize their historic mission and opportunity. It is in the interests of all countries to take decisive actions to convert political will into practical steps so as to stabilize the NPT regime and to restore the parties' faith in the value of the treaty.
[Sidebar]
It should be a logical step that a state found to be cheating on its treaty obligation should pay a price .... But any punishment should not undermine the basic rights of a sovereign state.
[Author Affiliation]
Li Hong is secretary-general of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, a nongovernmental organization. From 2001 to 2009, he worked on arms control and disarmament issues for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2002 to 2006, he served in the Permanent Mission of China for International Organizations in Vienna and then was China's deputy representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague.
South Korea held its first-ever trial by jury Tuesday as part of reform measures aimed at promoting confidence in the judicial system.
A nine-member jury at the district court in Daegu, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of Seoul, heard the case of a 27-year-old man accused of assaulting a 70-year-old woman while trying to rob her house, said court spokesman Eum Jong-kyu.
By South Korean law, the findings of jury are nonbinding, with the final verdict still resting in the hands of a judge as in the past. Juries will be used at the request of defendants in some criminal cases.
"Still, the introduction of a jury will enhance the people's confidence in court verdicts in our country," Eum said.
After hours of deliberation, most jurors recommended a suspended jail sentence of two to four years for the defendant, only identified by his family name, Lee.
Judge Yoon Jong-ku eventually announced a suspended sentence of four years, Eum said.
"The judge concluded the jury's decision was logical," Eum said.
An attorney for Lee asked the judge for mercy, saying the defendant took the injured woman to a hospital and turned himself in to police, according to Yonhap news agency. The prosecution had sought a five-year prison term, the report said.
The nine jurors and three alternates were randomly selected from 230 local residents.
