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Pakistan’s second nuclear plant is unsafe: Expert ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: Pakistan’s second nuclear power plant which is scheduled to become operational early next year has locational and manufacturing. ....more Cuban jet plane skids GUETTAMALA, Dec 22: At least 26 people, most of them feared to be students of medical school here, were killed. .....more High level inquiry ordered into Karachi oil spill ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: The Pakistan Government has ordered a high-level inquiry into two heavy oil spills along the Karachi...more AVIANO, ITALY, Dec 22: U.S. Secretary of Defence William Cohen said that American military bases worldwide......more |
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Russia discusses
MOSCOW, Dec 22: With the December 24 deadline for taking over Grozny fast approaching, Kremlin has begun.....more Need for higher nuke standards, says IAEA SINGAPORE, Dec 22: Japan’s worst nuclear accident earlier this year highlights the need for tighter international....more Whatever happened to the balkan stability pact ? ATHENS, Dec 22: The citizens of Southeastern Europe, the war-ravaged Kosovar Albanians and Serbs.....more Bethlehem holds its breath as Christmas approaches BETHLEHEM,
(WEST BANK), Dec 22: There were few tourists to be seen
wandering around Bethlehem as Christmas approached....more |
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Pakistan’s second nuclear plant is unsafe: Expert ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: Pakistan’s second nuclear power plant which is scheduled to become operational early next year has locational and manufacturing flaws which makes it unsafe and may lead to a major nuclear disaster, a leading Pakistani expert has warned. Participating in a panel discussion here Dr A H Nayyar, Associate Professor of Physics in the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, presented his study of the recently completed but yet to be operational nuclear plant at Chashma, which is barely 100 kms from here. Speaking on the safety of the plant, which has been almost entirely built by the Chinese experts, Dr Nayyar warned that the plant has not only been built at a, very dangerous site but it also has design flaws and in case of a disaster large number of human life as well as marine life in the Indus River would be affected. He said that the plant is situated close to the banks of indus river which is an active earthquake zone as he quoted a recent survey of the area conducted by Columbia University as saying, the seismic risk at the Chashma site is quite severe. Dr Nayyar further said that according to the report the underground water table under the plant makes it even more dangerous and prone to damages by the earthquakes. He also raised doubts over the safety of the design built by the Chinese experts saying that the plant has been built on the model of Chinese Qinshan reactor which faced a severe problem only last year for which China had to call outside help. In his presentation well-known physicist Dr A H Nayyar, an associate professor in the Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University said the Chashma reactor’s vulnerability to earthquake damage is increased by its location on the sandy banks of the Indus river. "The ground there is silt and sand, deposited by the flooding of the river over countless years, and water is so close to the surface that the ground may be almost saturated," he pointed out. "These characteristics make the area susceptible to ‘liquefaction’, a phenomenon where, in response to an earthquake, the ground loses all its strength and flows as if it had suddenly become a liquid." From the very beginning the project’s proximity to the Chashma barrage — a vital irrigation link on the river — some 30 kms South of the city of Mianwali in Central Punjab province, has been a problem. Dr Nayyar restated that independent experts have said the reactor is located in an earthquake prone zone. A study of tremblors between 1973 and 1999 show that there were 24 whose epicentre was within 100 kms of the reaction site, and five earthquakes struck within 40 kms. "These records are for large earthquakes that can be reliably detected at great distances. There are many smaller earthquakes that can only be observed close to where they take place. Sometimes, these small earthquakes are a sign that a large earthquake may be possible in that area," he added. He warned that "earthquakes and their magnitudes cannot be predicted". Dr Nayyar was also critical of the design of the plant saying it is modelled on Chinese Qinshan reactor with some key components manufactured in China for the first time. "(The) Qinshan reactor faced a serious problem last year. The problem was in the design. The Chinese nuclear industry was unable to repair the problem. Chinese do not seem to trust their own manufacturing capability for their future nuclear power." In addition, the physicist who’s also prominent in the anti-nuclear bomb movement said the nuclear regulatory process in Pakistan was not independent. Operators themselves are regulators and an independent environmental impact analysis has never been done. Siddique agreed with Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Board (PNRB) was not independent and the country’s Atomic Energy Commission has been lobbying for legislation to make it autonomous and transparent. He said the environment impact assessment, which is mandatory under the law, has been carried out but admitted that the power plant did have a problem regarding the long-term disposal of nuclear waste. About the design flaw, he said that it had been rectified and the Energy Commission’s installations are open for inspection to international experts. The campaign in Pakistan to make its Atomic Energy Commission more accountable was spearheaded by Zia Mian, a physicist from Princeton University (USA), and a visiting fellow at the Islamabad-based SDPI. Last week he wrote in ‘The News’, a leading English-language daily: "Given the scale of possible dangers, and having spent almost a decade building the Chashma reactor, it is surely worth taking the time to judge matters calmly and thoughtfully before the real risks are run. "If after a proper and informed debate the risks from Chashma are judged too great, then the reactor should be abandoned. Certainly money will have been wasted, but such mistakes have been made before. Better money lost than people’s lives or the integrity of their environment, which are priceless." (AFP) |
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Cuban jet plane skids off, 26 students killed GUETTAMALA, Dec 22: At least 26 people, most of them feared to be students of medical school here, were killed when a Cuban Airlines charter jet skidded off a rain-slicked runway on landing and crashed into a working class neighbourhood. The Cubana De Aviacion DC-10 jet was carrying 314 people on board, including 18 crew when it crashed yesterday, authorities said adding that among the victims nine died on the ground itself. Most of the passengers were Guatemalan students of Latin American Medical Science School in Havana who were returning home for Christmas. (AP) |
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High level inquiry ordered into Karachi oil spill ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: The Pakistan Government has ordered a high-level inquiry into two heavy oil spills along the Karachi coastline that could cause serious damage to the fragile ecosystem in the area. The probe was ordered after Federal Environment Minister Omar Asghar Khan visited Port Qasim authority to inspect efforts aimed at controlling damage from the two spills which are threatening to choke marine life. "I have ordered an investigation into both the incidents to fix responsibility and determine the extent of damage, Mr Asghar Khan said after his two-hour visit which was prompted by warnings that the slick could move out into the open sea if immediate preventive steps were not taken." The Environment Minister said a high powered committee had been formed to outline a coordinated response to deal with such emergencies in the future. Headed by federal secretary, environment, the committee would submit a weekly progress report on follow up efforts to the minister. Both Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) have been directed to suck out the spilled oil as quickly as possible to minimize damage to mangrove plantations and marine life, he said. The second spill from Government-owned facilities in three weeks, officially put at 1,000 tons of furnace oil, could actually be much larger and could move out into the Arabian sea as the tide turns. The oil spillage occurred on December 15, at a jetty which receives oil supplies from ships. Earlier, on November 24, a furnace oil leak from the nearby KESC S Bin Qasim Thermal Power Plant, that blackened mangrove trees across an area of 7,000 to 10,000 hectres around Port Qasim, had raised hackles of environmentalists and fishermen. No effort was made by the port authorities to contain the spill, local fishermen said. "What they are doing there is fire-fighting," the minister said. "That is all well. But what we need to ensure is a strong preventive strategy to avoid such incidents from occurring in the first place." The port authorities have blamed the latest spill on "mechanical fault," the reasons for which are still being investigated. Initial attempts by the port authorities to contain the slick failed due to lack of expertise. The Sindh Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has now been called in to help combat the deadly effects of the spill. "If they fail to contain the spill, it is likely to cause serious damage to an ecologically sensitive area," said Brig (retd) Akhtar Zamin, a top port official. The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has also been called in. "Soon after the incident was reported to us, we asked the KPT to extend whatever help they can," the Marine Pollution Control Board said. A favourable low tide was keeping the oil from moving into the open sea, officials said. "We have deputed about 100 men who are working hard to prevent the oil from getting into the sea," a PSO spokesman said. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, a representative body of the local fishing community, has threatened litigation to claim damages. "For long our precious marine resources have been destroyed by careless polluters," said Mohammad Ali Shah, a spokesperson of the organisation. "This time we plan to test the power of the environmental tribunals to get compensation for the criminal damage to our resources." (UNI) |
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AVIANO, ITALY, Dec 22: U.S. Secretary of Defence William Cohen said that American military bases worldwide have been put on alert for possible millennium-eve terrorists attacks. It’s an alert we’ve put out to all base commanders, and they’re watching it closely, Cohen, who began a three-day swing to visit U.S. troops in Italy and the Balkans, said yesterday. The Defence Secretary said military families living on or near bases abroad should take precautions similar to those recommended in a recent State Department safety advisory that warned Americans traveling abroad that they could be targets for terrorists during the holiday season. Cohen said that evidence found after the recent arrest of alleged associates of exiled Saudi militant Osama Bin Laden alerted officials that there might be attacks. Each of the bases has been advised of the general threat, said Cohen, speaking to reporters inside a hangar at the Aviano, the NATO base in Northeast Italy used as the staging ground for the alliance air war during the Kosovo conflict. We follow it every day through intelligence reports ... (terrorists) want to find weaknesses so we must avoid having any weaknesses, he said. (AP) |
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Russia discusses plans for surrender of Chechen rebels MOSCOW, Dec 22: With the December 24 deadline for taking over Grozny fast approaching, Kremlin has begun talks with 20 influential rebel field commanders to finalise plans for the peaceful surrender of the remaining separatist militants in the breakaway Chechen Republic. The Southern Army headquarters again declared yesterday that the heavily fortified capital would be taken over by the federal troops before December 24. However, it said the city would not be stormed, as the task of overpowering of the entrenched rebels would be carried out by the newly-raised local militia consisting of local Chechen volunteers led by former Grozny Mayor Beslan Gantamirov, ‘Voice of Russia’ disclosed here. Meanwhile, inspite of many setbacks, the defiant Chechen separatist commanders have not given up hopes of survival. This was substantiated by reports indicating that fresh contingents of mercenaries from Yemen have been sent to Pakistan for receiving advanced military training before joining Chechen rebels in their hideouts in the mountainous regions of Chechenya, Novosti has reported. Russian Defence Minister Igor Sergeev yesterday strongly refuted local media reports about a fierce fighting taking place in Chechenya between the federal troops and the rebel armed formations. "It is disinformation," he said in a statement. He added that "in any case, the federal troops are going to free Grozny without much bloodshed." Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has once again dismissed the idea of any international mediation in the Chechen conflict. "It is not viable and simply unacceptable," Moscow radio quoted him as saying. The Russian Air Force carried fresh air strikes on the exit and entry routes being used by Chechen rebels and foreign mercenaries, Novosti said. "Federal troops have cut them off from borders connecting Chechenya with Georgia and Azerbaizan," Novosti claimed. Radio Moscow said yesterday’s heavy pounding of rebel bases by Russian helicopters in the high mountains was lethal and inflicted heavy casualties. Chechen Field Commanders, in order to divert the main thrust of federal forces from Chechenya to adjoining Russian states, are reported to have raised a detachment of 300 armed volunteers in Daghestan, whose mission is to unleash guerilla war in the Daghestani regions. Besides, foreign mercenaries are being sent to carry out subversive and terrorist acts in various parts of Russia, federal forces press centre disclosed here. Voice of Russia said power and gas supply has been restored in major Chechen cities now in the hands of federal authorities. TV stations and relay centres have also begun functioning, it added. (UNI) |
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Need for higher nuke standards, says IAEA SINGAPORE, Dec 22: Japan’s worst nuclear accident earlier this year highlights the need for tighter international standards of training and technology in the industry, the head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has said. "We need to tighten international standards, we need to make sure that the continuing training to avoid any sense of complacency, and we need to continue to improve the technology," IAEA director general Mohammad El-Baradei said in an interview yesterday. Mr Baradei said the Vienna-based atomic watchdog had told Tokyo it was ready to hold an international evaluation meeting on the accident at a uranium processing plant at Tokaimura, 140 km North of Tokyo on September 30. He said the Government had not yet responded. In an interim report released last month, the IAEA said the accident was due to human error and poor design at the plant. Global nuke industry ready for Y2K. Mr Baradei, who is on a tour of South East Asian countries, repeated that the global nuclear industry was ready for any potential threat from Y2K computer bug problems but several plants in the former Soviet Union, especially those in Ukraine and Armenia, needed to resolve longer-term issues. "There is still some long-term work but immediate work which has direct relevance to safety has been taken care of," he said. Mr Baradei said he did not see the need for nuclear plants to follow Israel’s lead and shut down for the new year. "I’m not sure that is required. If people feel there are certain risk then they can do it, but I’m not sure that is required," he said. No word from Iraq. Mr Baradei said the IAEA had not received any word from Iraq on an overdue annual inspection visit under a 1968 treaty. "We are late on our inspection. I hope we will get a reply soon on our request...", he said. IAEA inspectors were due to visit Iraq by December 14 under a nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Mr Baradei said the IAEA would withhold major components needed to build two North Korean reactors if the Communist state failed to fully disclose its nuclear history. "They will not get the major components before we are satisfied that we have come to a conclusion or come to closure of the past programme," he said. The IAES would only allow the project to be completed when it was satisfied that all nuclear material produced in North Korea, prior to Pyongyang’s agreement in 1994 to freeze its nuclear activities, had been declared to the agency, he said. (REUTERS) |
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Whatever happened to the balkan stability pact ? ATHENS, Dec 22: The citizens of Southeastern Europe, the war-ravaged Kosovar Albanians and Serbs, the divided communities of Bosnia, the Croats, and their needy neighbours, the Romanians and Bulgarians, are all glumly expecting a Christmas stocking that will be virtually empty. The Serbs, who are in everyone’s bad books, may not even receive that proverbial lump of coal. Last July at Sarajevo, the leaders of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) who had ostensibly intervened to end a brutal conflict in Kosovo all took up the theme of war reconstruction, regional investment and development, and the area’s eventual integration into the European Union (EU). This idea had been first put forward by German Foreign Minister Joschka Fisher while the bombs were falling. He called it the ‘Balkan stability pact’ - an agreement between the EU and Washington to bind up the wounds of war, to advance the economic development of all of the countries affected by the trauma of conflict and transition to capitalism. Pledges were made amounting to several billion dollars. The area would not be permitted to fester in poverty and old hatreds. The Balkans, the scene of innumerable wars, would be up-lifted, dressed-up, and reformed. It would finally sit at the same table with a wealthy Western Europe. In the six months since Sarajevo less and less is being heard about the pact except for periodic announcements from various officials that this or that study is being undertaken and that project approvals by the EU and its European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will be a lengthy process. Georgos Zavvos, a greek consultant for Balkan reconstruction with the European Commission (EC-the EU’s executive branch) also recently reminded potential contractors that the bidding process required by the commission is a lengthy one. Those hoping to do business rebuilding the Balkans will have to prove that they not only have the expertise to do the job - but also the capital to undertake expensive contracts in what may prove to be very difficult operating conditions. Just when the contractors will be paid remains a little unclear, but chances are they will be major companies from the EU - not for example - a small, or middling construction company from Macedonia. Since Sarajevo, part of the problem with the stability pact is that the US and Britain have insisted that Yugoslavia - really Serbia - must be excluded from any reconstruction aid, that full economic sanctions must be kept clamped on. (IPS) |
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Bethlehem holds its breath as Christmas approaches BETHLEHEM, (WEST BANK), Dec 22: There were few tourists to be seen wandering around Bethlehem as Christmas approached. Manger square, the church of the nativity and the special, newly opened Christmas market showed little sign of pre-Christmas bustle. Even local residents are scarce on the ground. But this, says Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Nasser, "is normal". The Christmas "season" in Bethlehem, he explains, begins only two or three days before December 25 and ends on December 31. The town then goes quiet again, only to pick up again around easter. It may be a normal situation for a regular Christmas, but it is decidedly unusual for the last Christmas of the millennium, and reflects, say observers, the uneasy atmosphere in the region caused by the slow movement of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. For all that, there is a palpable sense in the city that this Christmas will be something special. "This is a very important and remarkable occasion," says Mayor Nasser. "We feel that we will be newly born by the end of this millennium." Store-owners in the city are, perhaps understandably, more concerned with temporal matters. "We hope that business will pick up at Christmas and in the new year," one souvenier shop owner on manger square said yesterday. The city plans to ensure that this Christmas will be celebrated like no other. Special day-long religious celebrations and other activities are planned, beginning with the traditional parade of the Catholic Churches and ending with a midnight mass at the church of nativity. Several world leaders are expected to join the anticipated 40,000 pilgrims who will flood the city to celebrate the birth of Christ. But while this Christmas has a special meaning for Bethlehem, it also brings with it certain anxieties, in light of reports that members of "doomsday" cults may be planning some desperate acts in the place that tradition says was Christ’s birthplace. Mayor Nasser believes that it is Israel’s job to make sure that potential troublemakers stay out of the country. Israeli police fear that doomsday cultists will try to enter the country to carry out some action, possibly mass suicides, in either Jerusalem or Bethlehem, on the belief that this will hasten the second coming of Christ. The authorities have already arrested and deported dozens of alleged cult members as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Bethlehem’s Palestinian Christians, who according to Nasser now make up only 35 per cent of the 30,000 population, as compared to 95 per cent in 1948, will celebrate Christmas with their families as usual, hoping that what happens outside their homes will prove a blessing for their city, not a curse. (DPA) |
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