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OCTOBER 2007
Fallout From 1957 Windscale Nuclear Accident Underestimated
LONDON The radioactive fallout from a nuclear accident that rocked Britain 50 years ago was underestimated, scientists say.
In 1957, a fire at the Windscale nuclear reactor in Cumbria led to a release of radioactive material that spread across the UK and Europe.
But new research claims the incident generated twice as much radioactive material and caused dozens more cancers than was previously thought. The research was published in the journal Atmospheric Environment.
The Windscale site was home to Britain's first two nuclear reactors -the Windscale Piles - which were constructed to produce plutonium and other materials for the UK's nuclear weapons program.
But the rush to build them at a time when little was known about nuclear reactors led to disaster.
On October 10, 1957, a failure to properly control the temperature of
graphite control rods within the reactor sparked a devastating fire, which caused radioactive contamination to spew into the atmosphere.
The fire was eventually put out with water - a risky act which could have caused an explosion - but a radioactive cloud was already spreading far and wide. At the time of the accident the levels and spread of the radioactive materials was estimated, and measures were put in place to limit radioactive contamination.
But a new study carried out by John Garland, formerly of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and Richard Wakeford, a visiting professor at the University of Manchester, suggests the contamination of the environment may have been much higher.
The team carried out a re-analysis of data taken from environmental monitoring of air, grass and vegetation and combined this with computer models that revealed how the radioactive cloud would have spread from the reactor with the meteorological conditions at that time.
They confirmed radioactive iodine and caesium were released, as well as polonium and a very small amount of plutonium, but found that the levels would have been higher than previously thought.
John Garland said "The reassessments showed that there was roughly twice the amount than was initially assessed."
This would have also impacted the numbers of cancers that the accident would have caused, said the authors. Previously, it was thought that the radiation would have eventually led to about 200 cases of cancer, but the new contamination figures suggest it could have caused about 240.
The researchers said most of the radioactive materials released had now decayed and posed no ongoing risk, but small quantities of caesium and plutonium remained.
Paul Howarth, director of research at the Dalton Nuclear Institute at Manchester University, said a repeat of the Windscale incident would not happen today because the design of modern nuclear reactors was completely different.
Northern Rock Share Crisis
By TAMARA PASZTOR
Every country has its financial wizards who are targeted for their heinous actions and sometimes profound idiocy - Canada has the swindling Conrad Black and Britain has the officials of Northern Rock.
Mortage lender Northern Rock in southeast London experienced a drop in shares more than 30 percent per session in September.
Hundreds queued outside the branches in England and Ireland to withdraw their money before the doors opened.
Current regulations state that only the first £2,000 of British bank customers' money is fully guaranteed, while the next £33,000 is guaranteed up to 90 percent.
Treasury chief Alistar Darling is now considering American-style deposit in order to protect customers' money in the event of a bank collapse. Why wasn't this thought of beforehand, may I ask?
Apparently, the Bank of England had made funds available to Northern Rock because the company was undergoing problems getting loans from other banks who were still recuperating from the American subprime mortage market issue.
Financial expert Justin Urguhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management on the other hand claimed that savers were wrong to panic. Northern Rock possessed large assets and has the Bank of England as support.
Urguhart Stewart comments, "It is not in anyone's interest for it to go bust. But despite that, some
HUNDREDS QUEUED outside the branches of Northern Rock in England and Ireland on September 16 to withdraw their money before the doors opened.
individuals are saying: 'I'm going to take my money out'."
So, you must leave your money in because "it is not anyone's interest for it to go bust." What sort of financial advice is that?
Urguhart Stewart further adds, "I expect that in a year's time
Northern Rock will not exist. As a brand it is shot."
If that is the case, then why shouldn't both investors and customers pull out?
In the meantime, Northern Rock has been forced to borrow £3 billion in publicly funded loans.
EU Gives Up on 'Metric Britain3
European Union commissioners have ruled that Britain can carry on using imperial measurements such as pints, pounds and miles. Europe's Industry Commissioner Gunter Verheugen said, "There is not now and never will be any requirement to drop imperial measurements."
The decision will not affect current law on metric measurements, but means imperial equivalents can be used too. It follows years of wrangling between London and Brussels over metrication. The commission has continued extending the deadline for the UK to complete the full transition to the metric system, with the most recent deadline being 2010.
This would have meant setting a deadline for ending the traditional delivery of pints of milk - and the sale of pints of beer in the UK's pubs. Every one of the UK's road signs would have had to be changed from miles to kilometres - a move which opponents warned would be both expensive and confusing.
British Public Had 'False' Hope Upon Entering Iraq
LONDON - The public had "false and inflated expectations" of what British troops could achieve in Iraq, the head of the armed forces has said.
Ar Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup told The Times that the government and the military had allowed British people to hope for too much in Basra.
But to say troops had failed in Basra was "completely misjudged," he said.
Sir Jock spoke as a report claimed that major changes in UK military policy were needed to defeat al-Qaeda.
The study by the Oxford Research Group think tank said the "war on terror" had been a disaster and Britain and the U.S. should pull out of Iraq, which has become ajihadist training ground.
'Urban Centre'
Sir Jock said the public was unaware of exactly what had been achieved in Basra. He said that despite "some quite daunting odds" troops had been successful in the southern Iraqi city.
But he said it was up to the Iraqis, not the British, to rebuild Basra's society and infrastructure and "make it look like some sort of stable, secure, prosperous urban centre."
"I think we didn't do a good job, frankly, of setting out the strategic prospect. I'm talking here not just about the military," he added.
Sir Jock took over as chief of defence staff in April 2006.
He accompanied Gordon Brown on his visit to Iraq during the Conservative Party conference on October 2.
'Dangerous mistakes'
The Oxford Research Group's report said al-Qaeda had benefited from the removal of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan by coalition forces.
The terror network got a propaganda boost from the extraordinary rendition and detention of terrorism suspects, it said. The report also warned against taking any military action against Iran.
Paul Rogers, author of the Towards Sustainable Security -Alternatives to the War on Terror report, said "every aspect" of the so-called war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan has been counterproductive.
"From the loss of civilian life through to mass detentions without trial, in short, it has been a disaster," he said.
"Western countries simply have to face up to the dangerous mistakes of the past six years and recognise the need for new policies.
"Going to war with Iran will make matters far worse, playing directly into the hands of extreme elements and adding greatly to the violence across the region.
"Whatever the problems with Iran, war should be avoided at all costs -the mistakes already made will be completely overshadowed by the consequences of a war with Iran."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said, "We haven't seen this report and therefore we are unable to comment."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to address the House of Commons on October 8, following his announcement that 1,000 British troops would be returning by Christmas.
'Catastrophic Error' Led to De Menezes Shooting in London
LONDON - A series of "catastrophic" errors by police officers at all levels led to the shooting of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles De Menezes, a London court heard October 1.
The 27-year-old was blasted seven times In the head on July 22, 2005, after being wrongly identified as a terrorist. Now the London Metropolitan Police are on trial accused of "fundamental failures" in their handling of the operation.
De Menezes, an electrician, was followed from his home at Scotia Road, south London, an address linked to attempted bomber Hussain Osman.
Police were unsure if he was in fact Osman but still allowed him unchallenged onto two buses and a Tube train. Surveillance officers had asked their superiors more than once if they should arrest De Menezes but were told to wait.
One officer, code named "Ivor," followed him down into Stockwell station and when armed colleagues arrived shouted "here he is" and grabbed De Menezes.
But the armed police then turned their sights on him, pressing a weapon to Ivor's chest, as well as the driver of the Tube train, who was stopped at gunpoint after fleeing in terror down the tunnel.
In the confusion, one operations room controller feared a "blue on blue" incident of police shooting each other, ajury was told. It is alleged that the police breached health and safety law by allowing a man they believed may have been a suicide bomber onto two buses and a Tube train.
The Office of Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police denies a single charge of exposing the public to risk. The trial is expected to last six weeks.