Man Sentenced Over eBay Ivory Dealing

A man has been sentenced to 10 months after being convicted for attempting to sell elephant products including ivory on eBay. Francis Benyure, 38 of Launceston Close, Romford, Essex, had his sentenced suspended for 18 months, ordered to undertake 150 hours unpaid and fined £500 costs. Benyure was convicted at Basildon Crown Court on Monday. The court heard that in March 2009, the Metropolitan Police Service's Wildlife Crime Unit received information that an eBay user known as "Arts-Craft-Gallery" was offering elephant hair bracelets and elephant ivory products for sale. In September 2009, information was received that an eBay user known as "Great Towers" was also offering elephant hair bracelets for sale. Enquiries with eBay identified the two eBay sellers as the same person - the defendant Francis Benyure. Checks with the UK Management Authority show that Mr Benyure did not have the required Import Certificates or Article 10 Certificates. The elephant hair and ivory that was recovered from his house after a search was then examined by the Natural History Museum and proven to be from an elephant. Benyure was subsequently charged with 24 offences of trading the products to the USA, China & Africa.

BP Unveils £4.5bn Shetland Oil Drill

BP has been given the go ahead for a £4.5bn oil project west of the Shetland Islands. The BP-operated scheme is an extension of the existing Clair oil field, and will also include investment by fellow oil firms Shell, ConocoPhillips and Chevron. David Cameron said the news was a "massive boost for jobs and growth". However, the project has been opposed by pressure group Greenpeace, who said Energy Secretary Chris Huhne should refuse to approve BP's plans. The group revealed that BP's contingency plans indicate Shetland would probably be hit hard by any oil spill from the well, which will lie at a depth of more than 4,000 feet. Their worst scenario would see 75,000 barrels of oil leaking every day for 140 days. BP said it and its partners were now investing almost £10bn in North Sea oil and gas work over the next five years.

Exec Quits After Wall Street Journal 'Buys Circulation'

A top executive at the Wall Street Journal has resigned over it emerged the Murdoch owned title was buying copies of itself to boost circulation. Andrew Langhoff, Rupert Murdoch's most senior European executive, resigned after inquiries by the Guardian into the alleged circulation scam at News Corporation's flagship newspaper, the Wall Street Journal. According to reports on Thursday, the influential Journal had been channelling money through European companies in order to secretly buy thousands of copies of its own paper at huge discounts, misleading readers and advertisers about the Journal's true circulation.

(DW/BMcC)