U.N. Laments copter dearth for Darfur push
UNITED NATIONS — Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said Thursday that the refusal of countries to donate helicopters for the joint African Union-U.N. peacekeeping force in Darfur was endangering the scheduled start of operations in three weeks.
“Without the mobility and transportation, it will be extremely difficult for us to deploy our forces,” Ban told reporters outside the Security Council chamber. “And even if they are deployed, without effective additional mobility capacity, we will not be able to protect the civilians — and even our own soldiers.”
Asked what reasons countries had given for resisting his pleas, Ban said: “I think it is a matter of political will. I know that, and I appreciate the circumstances where many countries, potential contributing countries, are overstretched in their critical assets.”
Meeting slated on Russia- Belarus union
MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian and Belarus officials will consider next week a proposed framework for the long-debated merger of the two countries, officials said Thursday.
The move, coming at a time of uncertainty over Russia’s political future, raised speculation that Putin may seek to become leader of the new country created by the merger. That would permit him to step down as Russian president in May, as required by the constitution, but become chief of the enlarged nation.
Belarus’ presidential office said Putin would attend a Dec. 13-14 meeting in the Belarusian capital of Minsk that would focus on a draft constitution of a Russia-Belarus union.
Tanker leaks 15,000 tons of oil after collision
SEOUL, South Korea — A Hong Kong-registered oil tanker collided with another vessel in seas off South Korea’s west coast today and leaked about 15,000 tons of crude oil, an official with the Maritime and Fisheries Ministry said.
It was believed to be South Korea’s largest offshore oil leak, according to the official, who spoke on customary condition of anonymity.
The collision left three holes in the 146,000-ton tanker Hebbei Spirit. The leaked oil amounts to 110,000 barrels, the official said.
The tanker was at anchor about 5 miles off Mallipo beach, carrying about 260,000 tons of crude oil when it was hit by another vessel, the official said.
The official could not give more details, including whether the leaking was still continuing or the extent of its damage to humans or wildlife.
Artificial-heart recipient dies.
Peter Houghton, the world’s longest-surviving recipient of an artificial heart, died Nov. 25 at a hospital in his home city of Birmingham, England. He was 68.
The cause of death was multiple organ failure, but physicians had to disconnect the battery on the artificial heart before he could be declared dead.
Houghton received the Jarvik 2000 artificial heart in June 2000, three years after he had suffered a massive heart attack caused by the flu. It was the first time the pump developed by Dr. Robert Jarvik had been tested in a human.
The Jarvik pump is designed to support the body’s blood circulation until a donor heart becomes available for a transplant, but Houghton’s age and medical condition ruled him out as a transplant recipient.
At the time of the surgery, his heart had deteriorated until it had only 10 percent of normal function, he was barely able to walk and doctors gave him only a few weeks to live. Two weeks after surgery, he went for a 2-mile walk.
