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10A – Daily News – Saturday, June 12, 2010 WORLD BRIEFING Oil spill likely to harm even more wildlife GRAND ISLE, La. (AP) — The mind-boggling news that the oil leak at the bot- tom of the sea may be twice as big as previously thought could have major repercus- sions for both the environ- ment and BP’s financial health, killing more marine life and dramatically increasing the amount the company must pay in fines and damages. Scientists now say the blown-out well could have been spewing as much as 2 million gallons of crude before a cut-and-cap maneuver started capturing some of the flow, meaning more than 100 million gal- lons may have leaked into the Gulf of Mexico since the start of the disaster in April. That is more than nine times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, previously the worst oil spill in U.S. history. The larger estimates, while still preliminary and considered a worst-case sce- nario, could contribute to breathtaking liabilities against BP. Penalties can be levied against the company under a variety of environ- mental protection laws, including fines of up to $1,100 under the Clean Water Act for each barrel of oil spilled. Based on the maximum amount of oil possibly spilled to date, that would translate to a potential civil fine for simple discharge alone of $2.8 billion. If BP were found to have commit- ted gross negligence or will- ful misconduct, the civil fine could be up to $4,300 per barrel, or up to $11.1 billion. ‘‘It’s going to blow the record books up,’’ said Eric Schaeffer, who led the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency’s enforcement office from 1997 to 2002. Flash floods kill at least 20 in Arkansas CADDO GAP, Ark. (AP) — Floodwaters that rose as swiftly as 8 feet an hour rushed into a remote Arkansas valley early Fri- day, killing at least 20 peo- ple, many of them campers who became trapped by a devastating wall of water. Dozens more were missing and feared dead. Heavy rains caused the normally quiet Caddo and Little Missouri rivers to climb out of their banks dur- ing the night. Around dawn, floodwaters barreled through the Albert Pike Recreation Area, a 54-unit campground in the Ouachita National Forest that was packed with vacationing families who were probably still asleep when their tents began to fill with water. The water poured through the valley with such force that it overturned RVs, peeled asphalt off roads, and swept away tents and their occupants. Two dozen people were hospitalized. Authorities rescued 60 others. Marc and Stacy McNeil of Marshall, Texas, survived by pulling their pickup truck between two trees and standing in the bed in waist- deep water. Van der Sloot heads to prison LIMA, Peru (AP) — Angry Peruvian onlookers shouted ‘‘Disgrace!’’ and ‘‘Murderer’’ at Joran van der Sloot on Friday after a judge ordered him jailed on first- degree murder and robbery charges in the violent killing of a 21-year-old Lima woman. Prosecutors said the Dutchman, who was taken to a segregated block of an eastern Lima prison, acted with ‘‘ferocity and great cru- elty’’ in killing business stu- dent Stephany Flores in his hotel room after they met playing poker. Van der Sloot remains the lone suspect in the 2005 disappearance of U.S. teen Natalee Holloway on the Caribbean resort island of Aruba, and Peru’s criminal police chief says the defen- dant told interrogators he knows where her body is. Aruba’s attorney general, Taco Stein, told The Associ- ated Press on Friday he is skeptical Van der Sloot was telling the truth about Hol- loway’s body. He said Aruban officials will decide whether to sent investigators to Peru to question him once they learn exactly what he is offering. Lima Superior Court Judge Juan Buendia issued a detention order before dawn for Van der Sloot on the murder charge. He was first taken with other prisoners in an armored truck to Lima’s judicial palace, then alone to the maximum-security Cas- tro Castro prison. Rescue boats heading to 16- year-old sailor CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A 16-year-old sailor on a round-the-world journey alone was drifting in the frigid, rough southern Indian Ocean on Friday as rescue boats headed toward her yacht, damaged by 30- foot waves that knocked out her communications and prompted her to set off a dis- tress signal. After a tense 20 hours of silence, a search plane launched from Australia’s west coast made radio con- tact with Abby Sunderland on Friday. Her boat’s mast was bro- ken — ruining satellite phone reception — and was dragging with the sail in the ocean, said search coordina- tor Mick Kinley, acting chief of the Australia Maritime Safety Authority that char- tered a commercial jet for the search. But the keel was intact, the yacht was not taking on water and Sunderland was equipped for the conditions, he said. ‘‘The aircraft (crew) spoke to her. They told her help was on the way and she sounds like she’s in good health,’’ Kinley told reporters in Canberra. Pope begs forgiveness VATICAN CITY (AP) — Addressing the clerical abuse scandal from the heart of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI begged forgiveness Friday from victims and promised to ‘‘do everything possible’’ to protect children at a Mass celebrated by 15,000 priests from around the world. While symbolic, Bene- dict’s pledge failed to satisfy victims groups who said promises were useless with- out a clear-cut action plan to root out pedophile priests, expose the bishops who pro- tected them and change the Vatican policies and culture that allowed abuse to contin- ue. His comments came dur- ing a Mass at St. Peter’s Square marking the Vati- can’s Year of the Priest — a year marred by revelations of hundreds of new cases of clerical abuse in Europe, Latin America and else- where, as well as cover-ups by bishops and evidence of long-standing Vatican inac- tion. It was the first time Bene- dict had spoken of the crisis from St. Peter’s Basilica, the center of the church. Benedict implied the devil was behind the timing of the scandal, saying the Year of the Priest was sup- posed to have been a year in celebration of the priesthood and encouragement for new vocations. New health care law will force changes WASHINGTON (AP) — Over and over in the health care debate, President Barack Obama said people who like their current cover- age would be able to keep it. But an early draft of an administration regulation estimates that many employers will be forced to make changes to their health plans under the new law. In just three years, a majority of workers — 51 percent — will be in plans subject to new federal requirements, according to midrange pro- jections in the draft. Republicans said Obama broke his promise. Employ- er groups were divided. It’s more evidence that the law will raise costs, said the U.S. Chamber of Com- merce. But the Business Roundtable — representing CEOs of major firms — saw encouraging signs of flexi- bility, though it’s withhold- ing final judgment. Some experts believe increased regulation will lead to improved benefits for con- sumers. ‘‘On the face of it, having consumer protections apply to all insurance plans could be a good thing for employ- ees,’’ said Alex Vachon, an independent health policy consultant. ‘‘Technically, it’s actually improved cover- age.’’ Wall Street NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones industrial average has logged its first winning week in a month. The Dow rose 39 points Friday and ended the week with a gain of 2.8 percent, its best weekly advance since mid-February. The market slid in morning trading on disappointing retail sales numbers but started to pare its losses after a report found consumers are gaining con- fidence in the economy. The market climbed in the last hour of trading to end near the highs of the day. Treasury prices rose, pushing down interest rates, after spiking on Thursday. The preliminary Reuters/University of Michigan consumer senti- ment index for June showed consumer confidence rose to its highest level since Janu- ary 2008 and came in well ahead of forecasts. The jump in confidence was an encouraging sign, but still doesn’t signal the all-clear for the economy, said Michael Sheldon, chief mar- ket strategist at RDM Finan- cial Group in Westport, Conn. ‘‘We recovered some lost ground, but there is still some ways to go,’’ Sheldon said. That was evident in the disappointing retail sales report, which initially sent stocks lower. The government report- ed that retail sales fell 1.2 percent in May. It was the first drop in eight months. It was a surprise to economists who had predicted the pace of growth would slow between April and May, but still rise. Companies depen- dent on consumer spending fell after the report. Proctor & Gamble Co., which makes Tide detergent and Gillette razors, lost 1.5 per- cent. J.C.Penney Co. fell 1.1 percent, while Macy’s Inc. shares also slipped. Technology shares got a boost after handset maker Motorola Inc. settled a patent dispute with Research In Motion Ltd. Motorola climbed 4 percent, while Research In Motion added less than 1 percent. The mixed reports come a day after stocks surged on upbeat global economic fig- ures.