Britain approves nuclear plants

Britain joins a growing list of countries rethinking the long-unpopular nuclear option, driven by global warming, geopolitical uncertainty, and rising fuel prices. Environmentalists condemned the move as an expensive and dangerous folly that would divert resources from the search for genuinely clean forms of energy.

Britain will move from producing most of its own energy to importing much of its oil and gas by 2020 as North Sea supplies run out. - AP

Independent Kosovo to get nod

In a recent conversation about Kosovo, a Serbian province under U.N. administration since 1999, President Bush and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany agreed it was vital to recognize Kosovo to stabilize the western Balkans, European officials said Wednesday evening. After months of failed negotiations, Kosovo is expected to declare independence after the second round of Serbian elections, planned for Feb. 3.

The European officials said the United States was aggressively pressing the EU to ensure that recognition of Kosovo was not delayed by even a week. They spoke on condition of anonymity because diplomatic negotiations were continuing. Serbia and Russia, an ally, vehemently oppose Kosovo independence. - N.Y. Times News Service

Bosnian suspect's family grounded

His wife, daughter, son-in-law and son, suspected of helping Karadzic to evade capture for more than a decade, were ordered to surrender their passports.

Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb leader during the country's 1992-95 war, is wanted on genocide and other charges, some involving the slaughter of up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in 1995. He and his military commander during the war, Ratko Mladic, who is also charged with genocide, have eluded capture for 11 years. NATO officials believe the two are receiving help and money from supporters. - AP

Elsewhere:

An Air Canada Airbus 319 carrying 88 people from Victoria, British Columbia, to Toronto made an emergency landing in Calgary yesterday after 10 people were injured when the plane hit turbulence. The injuries were not life-threatening.

Cargo boats laden with 500 tons of Neapolitan garbage steamed toward Sardinia, which has agreed to take some of Naples' trash to ease a decades-long problem. Scattered protests took place at Sardinian ports.