DOOMSDAY VAULT UNVEILED

1-WORLD QUAKES LAST 2 DAYS.2-Jakarta residents survey flood. 3-Welcome rain and snow comes to the West. 4-8 feet of snow in N.Y., and more coming. 5-Putin: U.S. policies create arms race. 6-Clashes by Jerusalem holy site continue. 7-Palestinian leaders aim to sell new deal. 8-No deal yet in tough North Korea nuclear talks. 9-Dodge joins G7 chorus of concern over currency bets. 10-Merkel says world determined to stop Iran having nuclear weapons. 11-Doomsday vault design unveiled.

EARTHQUAKES

MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

WORLD QUAKES LAST 2 DAYS (USGS)

Update time = Sun Feb 11 12:02 AM EDT

FEB 11,07
MAP 4.4 CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN SEA
MAP 4.9 PAKISTAN
MAP 2.6 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

FEB 10,07
MAP 2.9 BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
MAP 2.8 BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
MAP 2.9 BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
MAP 4.7 CENTRAL EAST PACIFIC RISE
MAP 3.4 NORTHERN ALASKA
MAP 2.5 CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP 3.1 CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP 2.6 BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
MAP 2.9 VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.7 CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN SEA
MAP 5.0 CHUBUT, ARGENTINA
MAP 4.5 GUAM REGION
MAP 2.7 ALASKA PENINSULA
MAP 2.7 SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP 2.6 PUERTO RICO REGION
MAP 2.7 SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP 4.4 BONIN ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION

FEB 09,07
MAP 3.1 MONA PASSAGE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MAP 4.8 BAY OF CAMPECHE
MAP 3.3 CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP 4.7 MOLUCCA SEA
MAP 2.5 CENTRAL ALASKA
MAP 3.5 MONA PASSAGE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
MAP 2.9 PUERTO RICO
MAP 3.0 VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.6 HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION
MAP 3.4 PUERTO RICO REGION
MAP 3.2 VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
MAP 2.5 VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
MAP 2.6 PUERTO RICO
MAP 4.3 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MAP 5.1 EASTERN TURKEY
MAP 3.3 CENTRAL ALASKA

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Jakarta residents survey flood damage By NINIEK KARMINI, Associated Press Writer Sat Feb 10, 4:25 AM ET

JAKARTA, Indonesia - The death toll from massive flooding in Indonesia rose to 80 on Saturday, as some 140,000 people returned to their sodden homes in the capital to clear away piles of mud and rancid debris.Rivers overflowed in some parts of the sprawling city, much of which remains under water following last week's flooding, the worst in recent memory. But electricity and phone service have been restored to tens of thousands of homes and businesses in recent days.Many returning residents who have been living in shelters or relatives' homes for days surveyed the damage to their washed out houses for the first time on Saturday.My home and everything in it was washed away, said Titi Komala, a 38-year-old widow and mother of three. Now everything is gone and I can't do anything about it. If I had money I'd move, but I have nothing.Floods in Jakarta and its surrounding cities last week killed or have been cited as a factor in the deaths of at least 57 people. Some were electrocuted but most drowned, the government said.

Twenty-three others also died in neighboring Banten and West Java provinces last week, said National Disaster Management Coordination Board deputy chief Tabrani, who goes by one name.At the peak, officials said about half of Jakarta was covered by up to 12 feet of water. Hundreds of square miles of land, mostly rice fields, surrounding the city remained inundated.Estimates of those made homeless in Jakarta topped out at more than 400,000 out of a population of 12 million. Rustam Pakaya, chief of the Health Ministry's crisis center, said about 140,000 people returned to their homes Saturday.High water levels had prevented sanitation officials from picking up the garbage that piled up in the streets of some densely packed low-income areas, mixing with the black water during overnight rain.

That has intensified fears about diseases, with the government saying three people have contracted leptospirosis, a potentially fatal disease borne by water contaminated by rat urine. So far no cases of tetanus or other serious waterborne disease have been reported.Fire-trucks will be deployed Sunday to spray disinfectant in hard-hit areas.Residents are complaining about the stench and flies, said Joko Triyanto, an official at the Jakarta Health Department, as hundreds of soldiers helped clean knee-deep mud from the streets, houses, schools and places of worship.Indonesia is hit by deadly floods each year, and Jakarta is not immune. But this year's have been particularly bad, with some 100,000 homes, shops and businesses swamped in rich and poor areas alike.The flooding in the capital has caused an estimated $460 million in damage. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this week promised to seek more funds from the state budget to cover the cost of trying to prevent similar events in the capital in the future.

Welcome rain and snow comes to the West Wayne Verno, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel FEB 1,07

West

Active weather will continue across the western states through the weekend. A flow of moisture and a series of weather disturbances will continue to spread rain and snow across parts of the west, along with mild temperatures. Periods of rain, heavy at times, will be widespread across much of central and northern California today, including the San Francisco and Sacramento areas. A few rain showers will also develop as far south as Los Angeles. Snow will be on the increase across the Sierra Nevada, where over a foot could accumulate through Sunday. Rain and snow will also spread north and east, inland, across the interior mountains, while rain showers continue across the Pacific Northwest. Steadier rains will spread north into the Pacific Northwest later on Sunday, while showers continue across California. Temperatures will range from the 50s over the Pacific Northwest to the 60s over southern California. A few 80s will dominate the interior southwestern states, with 40s common across the Great Basin.

Midwest

Much of the Midwest and Plains will remain cold into the weekend, with a possible winter storm unfolding by early next week. High pressure across the northern Plains will keep temperatures cold today, with afternoon highs ranging from the single digits and teens across Fargo, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Cleveland, to the 20s across Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Louisville. A few lake effect snow showers will also continue across Upper Michigan and northern Lower Michigan today, where a few more inches of snow will accumulate in persistent snow bands. A weak weather disturbance will also spread snow showers across the northern Plains during the afternoon, affecting areas from Rapid City to Omaha, but accumulations should be rather light. Sunday into Monday, a winter storm will begin to take shape over the southern and central Plains. Light snow and an icy mix will spread across the Plains and into the Midwest, along and north of the interstate 70 corridor, while rain and a few thunderstorms develop south through the Mississippi River Valley. Persons from Omaha and Kansas City, east through St. Louis, Louisville and Cincinnati should monitor the latest forecast Sunday into Monday.

Northeast

More lake effect snow will continue, and then all eyes will shift to a developing winter storm early next week across the Mid-Atlantic. Lake effect snow showers continue over western New York, and during the afternoon winds will once again become favorable for another persistent heavy band of lake effect snow. Where this band sets up, could see another foot or so of snow. Partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies will dominate the rest of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast today, with afternoon highs ranging from the 20s from Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Burlington, to the lower and middle 30s from Boston and New York, to Washington, DC. The lake effect snow showers should begin to diminish a bit later Sunday, as winds begin to shift ahead of a developing winter storm over the central Plains. By Monday, snow will begin to spread up the Ohio Valley toward Pittsburgh, with a wintry mix possible as far east as Washington, DC. Persons across the Mid-Atlantic should monitor the latest forecast into early next week, as an area of accumulating snow and wintry precipitation will impact parts of the area.

South

Warmer temperatures are in store for the South in the coming days, along with a more active weather pattern. High pressure will build into the southern states today, resulting in fair weather conditions, but continued cool temperatures. Afternoon highs today will range from the 40s from Atlanta and Charlotte to Memphis, with 50s expected from Dallas and Houston to New Orleans. Warm temperatures in the 70s will continue across Florida. A few rain showers will begin to develop across south Texas, as moisture begins to return from the south, otherwise, dry weather conditions will dominate the South today. By Sunday, temperatures will begin to warm, as winds begin to shift to a more southerly direction. This will also allow rain showers to spread as far north as Dallas. A winter storm will begin to take shape over the southern Plains on Monday, pulling abundant moisture and warm air northward. Numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop from southeast Texas, into the Mississippi River Valley. These showers and thunderstorms will spread across the Southeast Tuesday, as the storm system tracks east.

8 feet of snow in N.Y., and more coming By WILLIAM KATES, Associated Press Writer Sat Feb 10,07

MEXICO, N.Y. - Before weekend squalls add to the 8 feet of snow already on the ground, the communities along eastern Lake Ontario needed the dry respite they got Friday. Have to move fast. Want to at least get it off my roof, said Ray DeLong, 75, as he carved a path to his driveway with a snowblower and two contractors pushed streams of snow from the roof of his two-story home.

Snow squalls off Lake Ontario have dumped snow by the feet onto Oswego County communities since Sunday, leading Gov. Eliot Spitzer to declare a state disaster emergency.Parish and Scriba had about 8 feet of snow since the squalls started, according to the National Weather Service. Mexico Mayor Terry Grimshaw said his village was blanketed by 7 feet.On Friday, the squalls shifted south into Syracuse and stayed there, dropping 4 to 8 inches of snow.But forecasters said heavy snow bands would return to Oswego County later Friday night and likely stall there again. The forecasts call for another 6 to 12 inches, pushing the seven-day total over 100 inches.While residents enjoyed Friday's lull, snow plows were out in full force to clear roads. An advisory against any nonessential travel remained in effect for Oswego and three nearby counties. Snow banks tower nearly 10 feet tall and have narrowed roads.

Although authorities have reported few problems because of the snow, Oswego Fire Chief Ed Geers said his firefighters have had to help three ambulances that got stuck in the snow.Schools were closed the entire week. Mexico Superintendent Nelson Bauersfeld said if the district exceeds its allotted six snow days, it would have to shorten its winter or spring breaks.We try not to get into vacations if we can help it. So lets just hope once this week is over we can get back to normal and be laughing about this come June, Bauersfeld said.More than a week of bitter cold and slippery roads have contributed to at least 20 deaths across the northern quarter of the nation five in Ohio, four in Illinois, four in Indiana, two in Kentucky, two in Michigan, and one each in Wisconsin, New York and Maryland, authorities said. There have been no deaths in Oswego County related to the snow.Tennessee and northern Alabama tasted a bit of winter weather Friday morning sleet and freezing rain iced over roadways, and some precipitation briefly turned to snow.

Putin: U.S. policies create arms race By DAVID RISING, Associated Press Writer FEB 10,07

MUNICH, Germany - Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that the United States' increased use of military force is creating a new arms race, with smaller nations turning toward developing nuclear weapons. Speaking at a conference of the world's top security officials, including the Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, Putin said nations are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations.One state, the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way, he told the 250 officials, including more than 40 defense and foreign ministers.

This is nourishing an arms race with the desire of countries to get nuclear weapons, Putin said, but did not elaborate on specifics and did not mention the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Russian leader also voiced concern about U.S. plans to build a missile defense system in eastern Europe likely in Poland and the Czech Republic and the expansion of NATO as possible challenges to Russia.The process of NATO expansion has nothing to do with modernization of the alliance or with ensuring security in Europe, Putin said. On the contrary, it is a serious factor provoking reduction of mutual trust.On the missile defense system, Putin said: I don't want to accuse anyone of being aggressive but suggested it would seriously change the balance of power and could provoke an unspecified response.U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had little to say about Putin's remarks, noting only that he was very candid.Sen. Joseph Lieberman (news, bio, voting record) said Putin's charge that the U.S. aspired to get unipolar power or acted unilaterally is just not borne out by the facts.

Even our involvement in Iraq, certainly Afghanistan, is pursuant to United Nations resolutions, said Lieberman, I-Conn. So that was provocative and wrong.Putin's spokesman Dimitry Peskov said the Russian leader did not intend to be confrontational, but acknowledged it was his harshest criticism of the United States since he was elected in March 2000.The reason for his comments is Russia's concern about the growing amount of conflicts and the malfunctioning of international law, Peskov told the AP.Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tehran needs to accept demands made by the U.N. and the International Atomic Energy Agency on its nuclear program. The United States and several of its Western allies believe that Iran is using the nuclear program to produce an atomic weapon.There is no way around this, Merkel said. What we are talking about here is a very, very sensitive technology, and for that reason we need a high degree of transparency which Iran has failed to provide and if Iran does not do so, then the alternative for Iran is to slip further into isolation.On the sidelines of the conference, Larijani defended his country's nuclear program as peaceful, saying: We are no threat to our region or other countries, while indicating a willingness to return to negotiations.

We are prepared to work together with other countries for a comprehensive peace, he said.Heading into the conference, Larijani said he planned to use the gathering as an opportunity to discuss Iran's nuclear program the first talks with Western officials since limited U.N. sanctions were imposed in December.The annual Munich Conference on Security Policy, now in its 43rd year, often is used as an opportunity for informal diplomacy. Merkel, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency, emphasized the international community's support for Israel and said there was a unified resolve to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The conference this year focuses on Global Crises Global Responsibilities, looking at NATO's changing role, the Middle East peace process, the West's relations with Russia and the fight against terrorism. Some 3,500 police were on hand to keep some 1,300 protesters in check, officials said. Scattered arrests were reported, but police said there were no major incidents. Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor and Slobodan Lekic contributed to this report.

Clashes by Jerusalem holy site continue By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer FEB 10,07

JERUSALEM - Palestinian teenagers threw rocks at Israeli police and attacked a Canadian tourist bus Saturday in a new wave of protests against Israeli construction work near a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site. The violence came a day after police stormed the disputed compound in the Old City, using tear gas and stun grenades to disperse Muslims, who rioted after Friday prayers. Protests against the construction have spread throughout the Muslim world, where demonstrators accused Israel of plotting to harm Islamic shrines.Israel denies the repair work and accompanying excavations will come anywhere near the compound, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims.Sporadic violence continued Saturday as Palestinian teenagers set large garbage containers on fire in the streets of east Jerusalem just outside the Old City and threw rocks at police nearby. Some of the rocks smashed the windows of cars parked on the side of the road. They also set fire to an Israeli flag. Other small protests broke out inside the Old City, police said.

The police, some on horseback and others in riot gear, responded by firing tear gas to disperse the protesters and arrested 15.Angry Palestinians also pelted a bus carrying vacationing Canadians on a tour of the Mount of Olives holy site in east Jerusalem.We were just driving and all of a sudden a bunch of kids started picking up rocks and whatever they could get their hands on and started throwing it at the bus, said Dave Wood, one of the tourists. This is our first day in the Holy City and it was quite disturbing to say the least.A police station in east Jerusalem was also stoned, police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said. No one was injured in the incidents Saturday, he said.Police kept a beefed-up force in the city and maintained restrictions at the holy site, barring all Muslim men under the age of 45 from praying there Saturday.In the West Bank town of Bethlehem, dozens of Palestinians threw stones at Israeli soldiers, the army said. The soldiers arrested 30 Palestinians, the army said.

In the southern West Bank city of Hebron, Palestinian youths threw stones at Israeli soldiers, who fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets, witnesses said. Six protesters were treated for gas inhalation, medical officials said.There were fears the violence could escalate and spread throughout the West Bank.On Friday, about 200 riot police streamed onto the compound and scuffled with some of the 3,000 Muslim worshippers there. Clouds of tear gas rose into the sky and sharp booms pierced the air. Outside the compound, hundreds of teenagers hurled stones, iron bars, vegetables and at least one firebomb at police, authorities said. Police responded with stun grenades.The compound a catalyst for earlier rounds of Israel-Palestinian fighting is home to the golden-capped Dome of the Rock shrine and Al Aqsa mosque and is believed to be the site where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. It is the third-holiest site in Islam.Jews venerate the compound as the site of their biblical temples, and one of its outer walls known as the Western Wall is the holiest site in Judaism.

The Israelis say the purpose of the construction project is to build a new walkway leading to the holy site to replace a ramp that was damaged in a snowstorm three years ago.But the Palestinians have expressed fears that the excavations under way are actually attempts to tunnel under the compound and damage their holy shrines.Israeli officials reject that accusation and say they are not digging under the compound, or even close to it. They insist that the replacement of a ramp would not harm the holy site about 200 feet away. The Arab League chief said Saturday the dig reflects Israeli attempts to tighten control over Jerusalem and urged the international community to intercede. There are plans to change the features of the city, Amr Moussa said in a statement distributed to the Arab representatives at an emergency League meeting in Cairo. The statement said the construction is threatening the security and stability in the region.Jordan and Egypt — Israel's sole Arab peace partners and key U.S. allies in the region — have demanded the Jewish state stop the work, as did Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. Malaysia, which chairs the 57-member Organization of Islamic Conference, urged the international community to intervene immediately to stop the illegal activities.
Associated Press writer Maggie Michael in Cairo contributed to this report.

Palestinian leaders aim to sell new deal By RAVI NESSMAN, Associated Press Writer Sat Feb 10, 7:04 AM ET

JERUSALEM - Palestinian leaders fanned out across the world Saturday in a diplomatic blitz aimed at convincing reticent world leaders to support their hard-won power-sharing deal by lifting economic sanctions on their government.

The envoys may have a hard sell.

Western governments and Israel have given only muted reactions to the agreement signed Thursday by Hamas and Fatah leaders in the holy Saudi city of Mecca. International leaders said they would have to first study the deal and see how it changes the situation on the ground, dashing hopes for a quick end to the sanctions.The Quartet of Mideast mediators — the U.S., the U.N., Russia and the European Union — had demanded that the militant Hamas group, which won Palestinian parliamentary elections last year, recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence and accept past peace deals.The Mecca deal says only that the new government pledges to respect the previous deals. It makes no reference to recognizing Israel or renouncing violence and appears to fall short of the Quartet's demands.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate Fatah leader who pushed for a deal for months, is hoping that personal diplomacy with every member of the Quartet will build momentum for his cause to end the embargo imposed on the Palestinian Authority after Hamas' election.The embargo has frozen roughly $1 billion in annual foreign aid and about $500 million in tax revenues Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinians, crippling the Palestinian government's ability to function.

We are trying to market the (Mecca) agreement and get international support for it, Abbas aide Nabil Amr said Saturday.Abbas is sending Amr to Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, for talks on the agreement. Amr will then head to Belgium to meet with Javier Solana, the EU's chief foreign policy envoy, Amr said.We urge the officials in Europe to exert efforts to lift the siege imposed on the government, he said.Abbas, who has held rounds of telephone talks with Arab leaders in recent days to try to rally them to his side, will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Jordan on Monday, Amr said. Abbas also plans to head to Egypt for talks before returning to the West Bank.On Friday, soon after the deal was reached, Abbas aides Saeb Erekat and Yasser Abed Rabbo met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington before heading to New York for a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.Abed Rabbo said Rice told him the agreement was unclear on key issues and she was skeptical Hamas would abide by it, but she would wait to see how it was carried out on the ground. America wanted the new government to stop Gaza militants from launching rockets at Israel, prevent other attacks and respect previously signed agreements, he said.The Americans are worried that Hamas will not succeed in this test, he said.

Some analysts said the United States was waiting for Israel to decide how to react to the agreement before it would decide what to do. Israel said it would not have an official response until its weekly Cabinet meeting Sunday.Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman, of the hard-line Yisrael Beiteinu party, told the German weekly Der Spiegel that he feared Hamas could be rewarded for the agreement, even though it did not give in to the international demands to moderate itself.I am worried that a Palestinian government of national unity will give Hamas the international legitimacy that it so far has lacked — without it recognizing Israel or ending the tactics of terror against us, he was quoted as saying in an interview published Saturday.Hamas, listed as a terror group by Israel, the United States and the EU, is responsible for scores of deadly suicide bombings in Israel. Previous efforts to form a national unity government have foundered, though none have ever come this far. Still, there were fears that the new deal could unravel in coming weeks as the two sides choose ministers for the government. Though Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, has five weeks to put together a Cabinet, Abbas wants him to finish the job as soon as possible, hopefully within a week, Amr said.
There are not a lot of issues to discuss because the main issues were agreed to in Mecca, he said.

It was also not clear whether Hamas and Fatah militants, whose running street battles in Gaza have killed over 130 people since May, will abide by the deal.

No deal yet in tough North Korea nuclear talks by Jun Kwanwoo and Shigemi Sato FEB 10,07

BEIJING (AFP) - Six-nation talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear programme failed to strike a deal as the US chief negotiator said only one sticking point remained. Despite a flurry of bilateral and multi-party meetings on a Chinese draft agreement, talks broke for the night with a long-awaited deal still tantalisingly out of reach.Discussions centred on the host's draft accord outlining steps the five parties would take in order for North Korea to disarm, including the aid package for Pyongyang.Chief US negotiator Christopher Hill said: There is just one paragraph that keeps on being reworked.It's very tough to predict success, the envoy told reporters at the end of the day. I'm dealing with a tough issue in this tough part of the world.He said that the remaining sticking point is basically an issue between North Korea and the five others.But we're gonna stay with this. It may take another day or two to get through this, Hill added. The problem is with North Korea. They want precise measurement of how we go.

Chief Japanese delegate Kenichiro Sasae said: There are differences of opinion among the five nations, but there are greater differences between the five nations and North Korea.Japan has vowed not to extend aid to North Korea unless there is progress on the unresolved question of Japanese who were kidnapped by the communist state in the 1970s and 1980s and are presumed to still live there.

South Korean chief negotiator Chun Yung-Woo told reporters: We still do not know when the egg can hatch. But we can confirm that it will not be an unfertilised egg, he said, referring to an agreement that has eluded the parties since late 2005.The contentious points have boiled down to one or two things. All participating countries do not easily agree on the issues because of their conflicting interest, said Chun.Under the draft agreement, North Korea would close its main nuclear-related facilities, including a five-megawatt reactor at Yongbyon, within two months in return for alternative energy sources, press reports said.A South Korean official told reporters that he could not confirm reports that North Korea had demanded large amounts of energy aid.

Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that North Korea had demanded two million tonnes of fuel oil and two million kilowatts of electricity in exchange for initial steps towards abandonment of its nuclear programs.US officials described the agreement as very different from the nuclear freeze the Clinton administration negotiated in 1994, The New York Times said.This is the Libya model, The Times quotes one senior official as saying, referring to Libya's decision in late 2003 to turn over all the equipment it had purchased from a secret nuclear network run by a Pakistani scientist.In that agreement, both the Libyans and the United States took a series of steps that eventually rid the country of nuclear technology and ended its isolation.Saturday was spent in a whirlwind of meetings at the Diaoyutai Guest House in western Beijing, scene of all six-party talks since they began in 2003.

Envoys refused to give specifics about the Chinese draft accord, but said it sought to begin implementing a six-party agreement reached in September 2005. That deal fell through within just two months over North Korean objections to US financial sanctions imposed against it for alleged money laundering and counterfeiting. In the agreement, North Korea agreed to scrap its nuclear programme in return for security guarantees, energy benefits and aid. The potential breakthrough this week comes after North Korea conducted its first atomic test in October last year, an event it said confirmed its status as a global nuclear power, but which also drew United Nations sanctions. The six-party forum began in 2003 with the aim of convincing North Korea to disarm. But it has seen many false dawns and failed to stop the regime from conducting its atomic test.

Dodge joins G7 chorus of concern over currency bets 1 hour, FEB 10,07

ESSEN, Germany (Reuters) - Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge cautioned investors on Saturday against laying one-way bets on any currency, joining a chorus of voices by Group of Seven policymakers concerned that markets will take a hit when the Japanese economy gains strength.

Clearly, we do want markets to be aware of the risks of taking one-way bets on anything and so it's there, quite clearly, to say that, Dodge told reporters, referring to the communique issued by Group of Seven finance ministers in Essen, Germany.Very simply, don't take a one-way bet on where any particular currency or pair of currency relationship is going, he said.Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said he was encouraged to see that global growth was more balanced and that the G7 members agreed to push ahead with plans to deliberates securities trade.

Merkel says world determined to stop Iran having nuclear weapons by Guy Jackson Sat Feb 10, 8:20 AM ET

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the international community was resolved to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. We are all determined to prevent the threat of an Iran with a military nuclear programme, Merkel said in a speech Saturday to the Munich Conference on Security Policy.Merkel said the Islamic republic must conform with international demands to stop enriching uranium without ifs and buts and without tricks.What we are talking about here is a very, very sensitive technology and so we need a high degree of transparency, which Iran has failed to provide, and if Iran does not do this it risks falling deeper into isolation, Merkel said.Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani is attending the annual high-level gathering and will give a speech on Sunday.Larijani has said he will also meet European officials in Munich, who, it is believed, will try to get Iran to re-engage in talks over its nuclear programme.

He will have his first meeting in five months with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, but Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach dampened hopes of a major step forward.There will be no breakthrough. It will be an opportunity for an exchange of views, she told AFP.Larijani struck a defiant tone as he arrived in Germany, saying Iran's nuclear activties were under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency and that the country was committed to its engagements under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.Iran is following a clear path in its nuclear activities and this not hidden to anyone, he told the Iranian state agency IRNA.Iran rejects a UN Security Council resolution of December 23 which imposed limited sanctions to force it to stop enriching uranium.Uranium enrichment uses centrifuges to make fuel for civilian nuclear reactors but can also be used to make material for bombs, although Iran denies it is developing nuclear weapons.

In Iran itself, hundreds of thousands of people were to rally on Sunday in an annual show of support for the Islamic revolution, with the country's leaders promising a major announcement which was expected to focus on the achievement of a new stage in uranium enrichment.In a sign of the continuing divisions between the international community over how to handle Iran, President Vladimir Putin defended Russia's friendship with Iran which includes the ongoing construction of a nuclear power station at Bushehr.We don't want Iran to feel cornered in a hostile environment. They should understand that they have some friends, Putin said in response to questions from US politicians after his speech to the Munich conference.We must all be patient and offer Iran incentives and show their leaders that it is best to avoid confrontation with the international community.

Doomsday vault design unveiled By Mark Kinver
Science and nature reporter, BBC News FEB 10,07

The final design for a doomsday vault that will house seeds from all known varieties of food crops has been unveiled by the Norwegian government. The Svalbard International Seed Vault will be built into a mountainside on a remote island near the North Pole. The vault aims to safeguard the world's agriculture from future catastrophes, such as nuclear war, asteroid strikes and climate change.

Construction begins in March, and the seed bank is scheduled to open in 2008. The Norwegian government is paying the $5m (£2.5m) construction costs of the vault, which will have enough space to house three million seed samples. The collection and maintenance of the collection is being organised by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, which has responsibility of ensuring the conservation of crop diversity in perpetuity. We want a safety net because we do not want to take too many chances with crop biodiversity, said Cary Fowler, the Trust's executive director. Can you imagine an effective, efficient, sustainable response to climate change, water shortages, food security issues without what is going to go in the vault - it is the raw material of agriculture.

Future proof

The seed vault will be built 120m (364ft) inside a mountain on Spitsbergen, one of four islands that make up Svalbard. Dr Fowler said Svalbard, 1,000km (621 miles) north of mainland Norway, was chosen as the location for the vault because it was very remote and it also offered the level of stability required for the long-term project. We looked very far into the future. We looked at radiation levels inside the mountain, and we looked at the area's geological structure, he told BBC News. We also modelled climate change in a drastic form 200 years into future, which included the melting of ice sheets at the North and South Poles, and Greenland, to make sure that this site was above the resulting water level.By building the vault deep inside the mountain, the surrounding permafrost would continue to provide natural refrigeration if the mechanical system failed, explained Dr Fowler.

Living Fort Knox

The Arctic vault will act as a back-up store for a global network of seed banks financially supported by the trust. Dr Fowler said that a proportion of the seeds housed at these banks would be deposited at Svalbard, which will act as a living Fort Knox. Although the vault was designed to protect the specimens from catastrophic events, he added that it could also be used to replenish national seed banks. One example happened in September when a typhoon ripped through the Philippines and destroyed its seed bank, Dr Fowler recalled. The storm brought two feet of water and mud into the bank, and that is the last thing you want in a seed bank.

Low maintenance

Once inside the vault, the samples will be stored at -18C (0F). The length of time that seeds kept in a frozen state maintain their ability to germinate depends on the species. The Arctic conditions will help keep the seeds in a frozen state Some crops, such as peas, may only survive for 20-30 years. Others, such as sunflowers and grain crops, are understood to last for many decades or even hundreds of years. Once the collection has been established at Svalbard, Dr Fowler said the facility would operate with very little human intervention. Somebody will go up there once every year to physically check inside to see that everything is OK, but there will be no full-time staff, he explained. If you design a facility to be used in worst-case scenarios, then you cannot actually have too much dependency on human beings.