Messenger arrives successfully

MERCURY: After travelling almost five billion miles over the past six and a half years, NASA’s Messenger spacecraft arrived in the orbit of Mercury last week, the CBC reported. Launched in 2004, Messenger will now stay in Mercury’s orbit at a height of about 120 miles, providing detailed images and information to help scientists understand the planet’s development and how it behaves in its close proximity to the sun. Scientists are especially interested to confirm previous speculations that ice water may exist in some of Mercury’s craters. The Messenger spacecraft cost NASA $446 million and is about the size of an office desk.

Charles Taylor war crimes trial ends

NETHERLANDS: The trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor wrapped up last week at an international court in the Hague, eight years after Taylor was first indicted for war crimes, Al Jazeera reported. While the 44-month trial has ended, including seven months of Taylor on the witness stand, it will likely be several months before the verdict is delivered. Taylor faces 11 charges, including instigating murder and rape as well as conscripting child soldiers, all stemming from a series of conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone between 1991 and 2002. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and, if convicted, faces the maximum life sentence.

Chavez halts nuclear plans

VENEZUELA: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced last week that his country would discontinue plans to develop nuclear energy, BBC reported. The move came one week after an earthquake and tsunami in Japan caused serious problems at one nuclear facility. Chavez said the incident shows the danger of nuclear energy even in a technologically advanced country. Meanwhile Chile, which, like Japan, sits near a volatile seismic zone on the Pacific Ocean, decided to continue its process of nuclear development. Chavez observed that the global fear of nuclear energy will create increased demand for Venezuelan oil.

West Bank settlement a political message

ISRAEL: The Israeli government lifted a freeze on West Bank settlements last week and gave the go-ahead to hundreds of homes to be constructed in the occupied region, Al Jazeera reported. The controversial decision came one day after five members of a settler family were killed in a knife attack. Israeli president Binyamin Netanyahu said the new developments were intended as a political message to Palestinians in response to the attack. The Palestinian Authority (PA) condemned the attack and said the settlement plans would jeopardize peace talks and lead to problems. The PA called for international intervention to stop any settlement plans.

Airbus, Air France investigated

FRANCE: Reuters reported last week that both air service provider Air France-KLM and airplane manufacturer Airbus are under investigation for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2009 crash of Air France flight 447, which killed 228 people. The plane went down in stormy weather en route between Rio and Paris. Both parties objected to the investigations, calling them “premature” and “unfounded.” Searches along the Brazilian coast scheduled for March 20 are the fourth so far and are being jointly funded by Air France and Airbus at a cost of nearly $13 million. Passengers from 32 nations were victims of the crash.

Published in Volume 65, Number 24 of The Uniter (March 24, 2011)