To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Noah's Ark/Flood
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 08:53:43 -0500

The explorer who discovered the wreck of the Titanic wants to find Noah's
Ark. Robert Ballard [see below] will look in the Black Sea near the
Bosphorous where a cataclysmic flood is believed to have occurred 7,500
years ago. Ballard, 57, will use a sonar exploration vessel, undersea search
equipment, and a fleet of submarine robots, the Los Angeles Times said. He
has discovered the wrecks of the Lusitania, the Nazi battleship Bismarck,
U.S. and Japanese warships in the Pacific, and ancient Roman and
Phoenician ships. Work begins in a few months.

Religion News Today
Feb 17, 2000
http://www.religiontoday.crosswalk.com
--------------------

Religion Today
News Summary Archive: Friday, November 19, 1999

Dramatic new evidence supports the Bible's account of Noah's Flood. Deep-
sea explorers have discovered a coastline on the floor of the Black Sea,
providing evidence of a sudden catastrophic flood about 7,500 years ago that
spread almost overnight over thousands of square miles of land.

...Explorers led by Robert Ballard and funded by the National Geographic
Society captured the first sonar images of a coastline 550 feet below the
surface of the sea. It had been submerged undisturbed for thousands of
years, according to radiocarbon dating that placed the remains of freshwater
mollusks dredged from the beach at 7,500 years, and saltwater species at
6,900 years, The Washington Post said. Ballard said the findings indicate
the flood occurred during that 600-year gap. Analysis of Ballard's evidence
was done by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.

...The discovery offers independent verification to an idea advanced by
geologists William Ryan and Walter Pitman of Columbia University. They
have theorized that the Black Sea, between Ukraine and Turkey, formed
when melting glaciers raised the sea level until it broke through a natural
dam at what is now the Bosporus strait, which separates the Mediterranean
Sea from the Black Sea.

...That created a deluge that quickly submerged massive amounts of land
overnight, probably killing thousands of people and billions of animals, the
geologists say. Ballard's discovery backs up the theory, which is based on
30 years of research. Ballard found the ancient coastline this summer,
almost exactly where Ryan and Pitman said they would.

http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/NewsSummary/view.cgi?file=19991119.brf.html

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Infobeat News item
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 08:59:14 -0500

*** Judge forbids pregnancy for woman

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A woman convicted of endangering her unborn
child by taking drugs was ordered Wednesday not to get pregnant for
ten years. As part of her sentence, Dawn Marie Spinkle of Helena was
instructed by Judge Dorothy McCarter to take a pregnancy test every
two months. If she tests positive, the judge said Sprinkle could be
jailed. "I don't want another damaged baby born because we didn't do
enough to supervise that woman," the judge said. "If she wants to
drug herself to death, fine. But we can't have her taking drugs when
she's pregnant." Sprinkle, 29, was given a three-year deferred
sentence by McCarter last year after she gave birth to a boy at St.
Peter's Community Hospital in 1998. A urine test conducted on the
newborn indicated amphetamines in his system. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2564338172-156

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Israel statement on the Vatican-PLO agreement
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 09:00:48 -0500

Israel statement on the Vatican-PLO agreement

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Wed Feb 16,2000 -- "Israel expresses its great displeasure with the
declaration made today in Rome by the Holy See and the PLO, which
includes the issue of Jerusalem, and other issues which are subjects of the
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on permanent status. The agreement signed
by these two parties constitutes a regretful intervention in the talks between
Israel and the Palestinians. There is no denying that Israel safeguards
freedom of conscience and freedom of worship for all, and provides free
access to the holy places of all faiths. Similarly, there is no question that the
religious and cultural character of Jerusalem is being preserved, as are the
rights of all the religious communities and their institutions in the city.
Consequently, Israel flatly rejects the reference to Jerusalem in the
aforementioned document. Jerusalem was, is, and shall remain the capital of
the State of Israel, and no agreement or declaration by these or any other
parties will change this fact.

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Contents of Holy See-Palestinian Basic Agreement
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 09:31:41 -0500

[This is as close as I can get to reading the actual agreement. If anyone
knows where we can see it, please send it along.--Moza]

CONTENTS OF HOLY SEE-PALESTINIAN BASIC AGREEMENT

VATICAN CITY, FEB 15, 2000 (VIS) - The Basic Agreement between the
Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, signed this morning in
the Vatican by representatives of each side, consists of a Preamble and 12
Articles. Article 11 states: "Done in two original copies in the English and
Arabic languages, both texts are equally authentic. In case of divergence,
the English text shall prevail."

The Preamble states that both sides: are "deeply aware of the special
significance of the Holy Land"; have "reviewed the history and development of
the relations between the Holy See and the Palestinian People"; re-affirm
"the need to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East";
and call "for a peaceful solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which
would realize the inalienable national legitimate rights and aspirations of the
Palestinian People."

It also affirms: "Declaring that an equitable solution for the issue of
Jerusalem, based on international resolutions, is fundamental for a just and
lasting peace in the Middle East, and that unilateral decisions and actions
altering the specific character and status of Jerusalem are morally and
legally unacceptable."

In conclusion the Preamble says: "Calling, therefore, for a special statute for
Jerusalem, internationally guaranteed, which should safeguard the following:
a. Freedom of religion and conscience for all. b. The equality before the law
of the three monotheistic religions and their institutions and followers in the
City. c. The proper identity and sacred character of the City... . d. The Holy
Places, the freedom of access to them and of worship in them. e. The
Regime of 'status quo' in those Holy Places where it applies."

The two parties then list the 12 Articles upon which they agree. Article 1
includes the PLO's "permanent commitment to uphold and observe the
human right to freedom of religion and conscience," the Holy See's
affirmation of "the commitment of the Catholic Church to support this right"
and a reiteration of the Church's respect "for the followers of other religions."

Articles 5 and 6 affirm that the PLO recognizes both "the freedom of the
Catholic Church to exercise her rights to carry out ... her functions and
traditions," and "the rights of the Catholic Church in economic, legal and
fiscal matters." Article 7 says: "Full effect will be given in Palestinian Law to
the legal personality of the Catholic Church and of the canonical legal
persons." .../AGREEMENT PALESTINIANS/... VIS 000215 (390)

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/dinamiche/c3_en.htm

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Arutz-7 News items (2/17/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 18:58:42 -0500

IDF OFFICER STANDS UP (TO) ARAFAT-AIDE

A high-level IDF officer cancelled his meeting with a senior
Palestinian Authority leader, after the latter compared Israel's
policies to Nazism. Brig.-Gen. Yosef Mishlav, Deputy Coordinator
of Activities in Judea and Samaria, called off a routine meeting
scheduled for next week with Arafat-aide Mahr al-Kurd, who said
in Ramallah last week, "Israel is turning Gaza into a
concentration camp and is implementing Nazi policy."

RELIGIOUS-SOCIAL DEBATE

MK Nachum Langental (NRP) explained today why he is planning to
submit for legislation a new bill that will create a new
status-quo in matters of public religious observance in Israel:
"The problem is that the status-quo that already exists is
basically non-existent. More and more stores are opening on
Shabbat, and soon people, including Jews who define themselves
as 'traditional,' may face tough choices, and may feel they have
to choose between Sabbath observance and making a living. The
late Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote about the catastrophic
situation faced by Jews in the U.S. in the early 1900's in this
area. I have spoken to several very secular Knesset Members,
and they are willing to agree to a total ban, anchored in
Knesset legislation, on the opening of stores and businesses and
Shabbat. In addition, this law will stipulate that conversions
will be performed only in Rabbinical Courts, in accordance with
the Ne'eman committee recommendations; that Judaism will be
taught in all schools; and other things. In return, of course,
we will have to 'give' something, in the area of public
transportation and entertainment on Shabbat - which in any event
is close to impossible to stop - and the issue of those who
can't be married according to Jewish law." Former MK Alex
Lubotsky later explained that this refers not only to Jews who,
for various reasons, are not permitted to marry one another, but
"for instance, to two Russian immigrants who wish to marry, but
both of their fathers are Jewish and their mothers are not - the
new law will recognize their relationship, even if it doesn't
call it marriage."

MK Rabbi Benny Elon, objecting to the above recommendations,
explained that one of the main problems is anchoring these
proposals in law: "Once you do that, you open the door to
different interpretations, and given the present Supreme Court,
anything will be possible - they may even recognize same-sex
marriages under the 'relationship-recognition' clause." In
addition, Elon said, "even now we have trouble enforcing the
Shabbat laws - every time an inspector comes to stores that are
not allowed to be open and levies fines upon them, the press and
the Kibbutzim and everyone else is up in arms. So why does he
[Langental] think that we'll be able to enforce his new Shabbat
laws?" Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, former Rishon Letzion, was more
critical of the new plan, speaking yesterday of those who "think
they have to correct the Torah."

RABBIS' DECLARATION

Hundreds of rabbis of the religious-Zionist movement convened in
Jerusalem yesterday, and declared that the government has no
authority to relinquish parts of Eretz Yisrael. Former
Sephardic Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu said, "Who allows you
[the government] to give of this Land to others? And to whom
are you giving - to a friend? You're giving to one who was an
enemy, is an enemy, and will remain an enemy! Just yesterday,
Esau and Yishmael walked together against Jerusalem... What do
they want? To throw us out of here!" Rabbi Zalman Melamed said
that a government that bought its way into power has no ethical
basis to make fateful and historical decisions.

MAJORITY AGAINST UPROOTING YESHA TOWNS

The Yesha Council apparently chose well, and its new slogan,
"Uprooting Settlement Will Tear the Nation Apart," has
apparently succeeded in effecting a change in public opinion.
Whereas before the beginning of the campaign, 54% of the public
felt that the uprooting of Yesha settlements would in fact cause
a major rift in the nation, that number now stands at 65%.
There is a majority even among Barak voters - 55% - for this
position. 61% of the public feels that uprooting the Golan
settlements will cause a similar split in the nation.

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Thursday, February 17, 2000 / Adar Aleph 11, 5760

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Russia's floating nuke plants: cheap now, costly later?
From: bpr-list@philologos.org("Moza")
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 18:59:45 -0500

Russia's floating nuke plants: cheap now, costly later?

Naysayers cite potential for accidents and weapons proliferation
from Russian mobile power stations.

Judith Matloff

Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

MOSCOW

To Washington's consternation, Russia is building floating
nuclear stations that are meant to bring cheap energy to remote
areas - but are potential waterborne "Chernobyls" that easily
could be raided by terrorists.

The units would serve as huge atomic batteries moored off
coastlines. Each would be able to provide enough power for a
town of 50,000. Construction has begun for components of the
first mobile station, which is due to start up within four years
in Pevek, 600 miles west of Alaska.

If successful, it would be followed by half a dozen more in
Russia's far east and extreme north - and possibly others in
Indonesia and the Philippines.

This unnerves Russian ecologists, who warn that the stations
equipped with the same type of reactors as nuclear-powered
icebreakers are accident-prone. A leak during a monsoon or
earthquake, or near an Arctic ice floe, could leak radiation
across the planet.

Dangerous 'ifs'

Just as dangerous, they say, is the risk of nuclear
proliferation to politically unstable or rogue countries. It
would be difficult to safeguard the units. And the uranium to be
used is 60 percent enriched - which could be reprocessed to
build bombs.

"These floating stations would be absolutely dangerous from the
ecological point of view," says Andrei Yablokov, one of Russia's
leading environmentalists. "The project does not envisage how to
guard these stations against terrorists. They could spread
nuclear weapons throughout the world, changing the geopolitical
picture."

The project is illegal as well as hazardous, he says. He cites
four Russian federal laws that have been violated because the
work is proceeding without requisite approval by independent
environmental experts.

Other objections are cited by Vladimir Kuznetsov, a former state
nuclear inspector turned whistle-blower on the project.

"Where would the nuclear waste be dumped? Who would make up the
crews? Who would train them? Who would protect the stations?
They could be stormed under water. Plus there has been
inadequate research into the danger of heat emissions," he says.

Moneymaker for Russia

Officials from the Nuclear Ministry and Malaya Energetika, the
state enterprise developing the stations, refused to comment,
saying that they feared bad press. But in the past, they have
stressed convenience and low energy costs.

Each unit would fetch $200 million to $300 million, including
transport. This is a bargain compared to the $1 billion needed
to build conventional land stations. Russian authorities insist
that nuclear technology has improved since the 1986 accident at
Chernobyl, Ukraine, when an exploded reactor killed thousands of
people.

Russian authorities say customers would not have to worry about
radioactive waste. Every 12 years the stations would be towed
back to Russia to dump it and carry out repairs. There is also
the potential for powering desalination for drinking water via
the mobile stations, something Mediterranean and African
countries are especially interested in.

The arguments have been enough to convince authorities where new
units are planned after Pevek - in Dudinka (Kara Sea), Tiksy
(Laptev Sea), Equekinot and Providenya (Bering Sea), Ensk
(Okhotsk Sea), Vilyuchinsk (Kamchatka peninsula) and Rudnaya
Pristan (Sea of Japan).

Potential client countries

Indonesia has expressed serious interest too, pending success at
Pevek. The Philippines is another possible client. Kuznetsov
said other countries registered interest at a 1995 presentation
by Russia, attended by representatives from Algeria, Sudan,
Morocco, Malaysia, India, and Egypt.

But the negatives outweigh the pluses and the US has made that
clear, says Chuck Serpan, a US liaison officer with the
International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. "In principle it's
a neat idea. But there are too many ways for it to go wrong and
too few for it to go right," he says. "Their systems are not
safe. They are old Soviet designs, only somewhat upgraded."

Indeed, Russia's naval nuclear record has been dismal. There
have been seven major accidents on nuclear submarines since the
Soviets launched their first 46 years ago. These incidents
killed 40 people and contaminated at least 1,000 others.
Authorities report 25 icebreaker accidents since 1965, with no
statistics available on casualties.

That's the official story. Ecologists believe that the full
extent of nuclear damage has been covered up. The KGB-successor
Federal Security Service discourages those who spill the beans
with harassment, jail, or raids. Former Navy Capt. Alexander
Nikitin and Navy Capt. Grigory Pasko were arrested after
exposing mishandling of radioactive materials. They were charged
with treason but later acquitted.

Despite growing opposition, Russia appears determined to press
ahead with the floating stations. They are part of a larger
strategy to increase nuclear exports, including
multibillion-dollar plans to build nuclear plants in India,
China, and Iran.

Profits, not safety, are what matter to the Nuclear Ministry,
says Igor Forofontov, a nuclear expert from Greenpeace Russia.

"Its logic is that official statistics show more victims from
smoking than from nuclear energy."

http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2000/02/17/fp7s1-csm.shtml

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