Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, February 1, 2000
Nation/World
...to go after graduation
...to live
...to work
...to be five years from now?
While we can't tell you the answers to these questions we can tell you about being an industry leader in energy and communications and the great benefits we give our employees. But that alone won't distinguish the road to Williams from other corporations. Where we came from, where we're going and what we stand for places Williams above the rest. It's up to you to decide if you want to be a part of our adventure.
Williams is coming to the University of Kansas IT and Engineering Career Fair on Tuesday, February 1. The fair will be located in the Main Kansas Student Union. Afterwards, we will host a company presentation in Learned Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. If you are interested in learning more about Williams, we encourage you to attend. Employees will be on hand to answer questions and share with you their own Destination Williams.
Find out more about Williams at www.williams.com.
Albright says Russia unfair to Chechnya
The Associated Press
MOSCOW — Clashing openly with Russia about Chechnya, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said yesterday the conflict in the rebellious republic had inflicted an incredible amount of misery on civilians by targeting them indiscriminately and forcing them from their homes.
She appealed to Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to open a dialogue with Chechen political figures. "We believe there is no military solution to the Chechen problem," she said.
But Ivanov responded at a joint news conference that Russia had to move firmly
against terrorism, a view in which he said other governments concurred, and that no one had come up with an effective recipe to deal with the extremist threat.
He said Russia understood fully the concern its offensive had stirred abroad, but insisted that all Russia's counterparts shared the necessity to fight firmly against terrorism.
The offensive, championed by acting President Vladimir Putin and widely approved by Russian nationalists,would not extinguish terrorism and has caused diplomatic isolation for Russia around the world, Albright said.
In a gesture of cooperation despite their differences, Albright and Ivanov took a break while tackling their heavy agenda to sign an agreement designed to tighten controls on technology used in launching U.S. satellites from Russian space stations.
Also, they are working together toward a solution to a territorial dispute between two former Soviet republics, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Albright also noted that both Russian and American troops were on peace-keeping patrol in Kosovo.
hours of talks underscored the skid in U.S.-Russian relations, marked also by disagreement concerning a potential U.S. program for space-based weapons that Russia insisted would fuel a race in offensive nuclear arms.
Albright said President Clinton was prepared to make a visit to Moscow to continue the dialogue with Putin.
In Washington, however, a senior U.S. official said Clinton had no plan to visit until after Russia's national elections in March. Boris Yeltsin had extended an open invitation to the president before resigning New Year's Eve and choosing Putin as his successor.
Their open debate after more than three
Albright's visit is designed to size up Putin, to push for an easing of restrictions on antimissile defenses and to persuade the new leader to change course in Chechnya.
While Albright and Ivanov conferred at Osobnyak, the foreign ministry's guest house, delegates from the Palestinian Authority, Israel and several Arab countries began a series of meetings aimed at promoting regional cooperation.
"Russia will keep working consistently to attain durable and fair peace in the Middle East region, which can be secured through the restoration of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people," Putin said in a letter to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The presidential press service made the letter public.
Putin said he would accept Arafat's invitation to visit Palestinian-held territory as soon as circumstances permitted.
Clinton also endorsed Palestinian aspirations and declined to endorse congressional legislation affirming Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
A Putin mission was welcomed Monday night by a senior U.S. official, who said the Russian position was one that supported moving ahead.
The Moscow talks are being sponsored by Russia and the United States. In addition to Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the Palestinian Authority and Israel, they are to include representatives of Canada, the European Union, Japan, China, Switzerland and Norway.
Suicide site sparks debate
The Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A how-to guide of suicide methods on an anonymous Dutch-language Web site has sparked heated controversy in a nation that widely supports the right to die by physician-assisted suicide.
"Our society is obsessed with the problem of death," said Bart Cuvsteller of the pro-life Center for Medical Ethics.
The new Web site provoked an outcry in Parliament yesterday as members demanded for a change in the government's lax approach to regulating the Internet.
"I can imagine that someone who is seriously depressed might see this as an option," he said. "It adds to the view that suicide is normal and acceptable."
The governing Labor Party called on Prime Minister Wim Kok to take action against the site and others containing information that could pose a danger to minors.
"The fact that anyone and everyone can get access to this sort of stuff from their living rooms is the most troubling aspect of the Internet," said Willie Swildens, representative for the left-center Labor Party.
Although suicide is prohibited in the Netherlands, there is no law against providing the kind of information posted on the site, which includes macabre tips on suicide methods, and compares the success rates and pittfalls of each.
The Pink Floyd song, "Goodbye Cruel World," can be heard on the home page, along with verses from the William Butler Yeats poem, "An Irish Airman ForesSES His Death."
The site is called "Thisbe's Self-destruction Site."
A disclaimer by the author says it is not based on expert knowledge or intended to encourage anyone to kill themselves. "I refuse to accept any responsibility for the consequences of putting to use the things I have written," he says.
Although all parties in the Dutch ruling coalition were shocked by the site, they were at odds about what to do about it.
"It's extremely regrettable, but there are lots more like it." said Atzo Nicolai, Internet policy expert for the Liberal Party, which advocates self-regulation for the World Wide Web.
"Everybody must be free to communicate with each other on the Internet," said Kok, a strong proponent of free speech on the Web.
British doctor sentenced for murdering patients
The Associated Press
PRESTON, England — Jurors convicted a family doctor yesterday of murdering 15 female patients by injecting the middle-aged and elderly women with lethal doses of heroin.
Harold Shipman, 54, was sentenced to 15 life sentences — the maximum punishment in Britain, which has no death penalty.
Investigators said he might have killed dozens more patients.
"You are a wicked, wicked man," Preston Crown Court Judge Thayne Forbes told Shipman, who remained impassive.
"I have little doubt that each of your victims smiled and thanked you as she submitted to your fearful administrations." Forbes said.
The doctor, who altered medical records at his one-man practice in
northern England to cover up his crimes, also was found guilty of forging the $620,000 will of his last victim. 81-year-old Kathleen Grundy. He was sentenced to four years for that offense.
South Manchester Coroner John Pollard said police investigated up to 136 deaths of other Shipman patients, and news reports said 23 more murder charges could be filed. State prosecutor Robert Davies said he was considering other murder charges but did not say how many.
Prosecutors said Shipman killed because he enjoyed exercising the ultimate power of controlling life and death.
Investigators said his multiple murders came to an end only because Grundy's daughter, a lawyer, became suspicious about the will. It arrived the day Grundy was found dead in her house and
During his testimony, Shipman said that some of the women had hidden health problems. He also said Grundy could have been a drug addict, accounting for the high level of heroin in her blood.
Five months before his arrest, police had abandoned an investigation prompted by another doctor who became worried about how often Shipman asked his practice to provide a second signature on cremation certificates. Only one doctor's signature is required on other death certificates.
"The records looked all right, but we now know that was because Dr. Shipman had altered them with a view to covering his tracks," said Detective Superintendent. Bernard Postles said.
left her entire estate to Shipman, in supposed recognition of his work for the community.
"You are a wicked, wicked man."
Shipman went on to kill three more patients.
The doctor's wife, Primrose, who was also his receptionist, hurried from the court after the sentencing. She was accompanied by the couple's daughter and two of their three sons.
Shipman prided himself on making home visits, and his 3,000-patient practice had a waiting list.
"It is very sad ... because he was so well-liked," said Margaret Walker, who knew several of the victims. "There are still some who are very fond of him as a doctor."
Patronize Kansan Advertisers
Thayne Forbes
Preston Crown Court Judge
Hispanic American Leadership Organization
The Hispanic American Leadership Organization invites you to attend our general assembly meetings held on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in the Pioneer Room of the Burge Union.
We look forward to seeing you there.
STUDENT SENATE