2008 Woodie Awards
News From Around the World
Jonathan Stone
Issue date: 2/23/05 Section: News
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According to CNN.com, Sellafield, a power plant located in north-west England "cannot account for nearly 30 kilograms (66 lbs) of plutonium." Authorities are saying that this potentially dangerous problem is a mere miscalculation in accounting, instead of a loss in the bomb-making element.
According to a UK Atomic Energy Authority, the plant was "within international standards of expected measurement accuracies for closing a nuclear material balance at the type of facility concerned."
"The MUF (material unaccounted for) figures for 2003/04 were all within international standards of expected measurement accuracies for closing a nuclear material balance at the type of facility concerned. There is no evidence to suggest that any of the apparent losses reported were real losses of nuclear material," the Authority added.
The plant is operated by British Nuclear Group (BNG). According to a BNG spokeswoman, "This is material that is unaccounted for, and there is always a discrepancy between the physical inventory and the book inventory. There is no suggestion that any material has left the site."
"When you have got a complicated chemical procedure, quite often material remains in the plant. We are extremely confident with the safety and security measures we have here at the site," she continued.
Former Prime Minister Hariri Dead, Family Requests Investigation
According to CNN.com, Rafik Hariri, former prime minister of Lebanon, was assassinated in a bombing that kill 16 others in Beirut on Valentine's Day. His funeral, attended by over 200,000 people, was a ceremonial walk from his house in Beirut to the Mohammed al-Amin mosque that he built at Martyr's Square.
Now, Hariri's family members have requested an international committee to be assembled with the purpose of investigating his assassination. This request is in opposition to the Lebanese government. The United Nations Security Council and the United States have both demanded that the Lebanese government take up an investigation on the bombing.
A statement by the Hariri family said, "We call upon the international community to promptly take control of this issue and form an international investigation commission, since the assassination of Rafik Hariri is a terrorist act targeting Lebanon's stability and national unity".
The statement continued, "The bastions of welfare, nationalism and humanitarian work that Rafik Hariri established will not be closed because of the crime committed by a bunch of criminals. We will not spare any effort or means to find the perpetrators of this crime no matter what their affiliation is."
Sharon Promises to Protect Rift in Israel
According to CNN.com, On Tuesday, 15 February 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he "will do everything in [his] power to prevent a rift in the nation" in regard to opposing threats to his plane of removing settlements that are in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to Sharon, "My own personal safety doesn't affect me and doesn't affect my plans. I am not concerned and I am determined to carry out a decision of the government. Such threats are intolerable. In my entire life I have never surrendered to threats and I have no intention of starting now."
Sharon feels that it is very important for the Israeli removal to go accordingly with Palestinian authority.
"I think it's very important for us because, first, I would like that the area we are leaving will not be in the future in the hands of Hamas or Islamic Jihad or any most radical terrorist organization, but in the hands of the Palestinian Authority," Sharon said.
Sharon is also dealing with an issue concerning the Russians selling weapons, including the SA-18 heat-seeker to Syria, after Russian President Valdimir Putin stated, "the SA-18...would not be sold to the Syrians because it might find its way to the hands of terrorist organizations" over two years ago.
"We are in constant contact with the Russians in order to settle this issue and ensure these weapons do not reach terror organizations located in Lebanon. Lebanon is a center of terrorism and regional instability, and we have all seen what happened yesterday in this regard," said Sharon.
Nepal to Form Anti-Graft Committee
According to CNN.com, Nepal's King Gyanendra announced that an anti-graft committee will be formed in order to inspect and imprison crooked politicians and bureaucratic government agents.
A notice was released that stated the committee would have six men, with Bhakta Bahadur Koirala in charge, and would receive a broad range of powers which would be equal to those of the courts.
"The commission can investigate and take action against any person on the basis of complaints or information received from any source in connection with smuggling or tax evasion, involvement in the dealing of illegal contracts and other actions defined as corruption by the existing laws," the notice said.
The decision was met with both congratulations and skepticism.
According to university student Sanjay Aryal, "It is about time some action was taken against these corrupt politicians who have done nothing but get fat while the country is getting poorer everyday. This commission is formed by the king, who at the moment is the highest authority in Nepal. If this fails, then there is no cure for corruption."
"We have had so many commissions in the past that has done little more than prepare a report and no action taken," said tax clerk Shreeram Shrestha.
Info From CNN.com