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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Gaddafi says will arm civilians to defend Libya, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Gaddafi says will open arm depots to the masses

* Libya will exercise its right to self-defence -Gaddafi

* Says interests of countries in Mediterranean face danger

* Urges Africans, Arabs, Latin Americans, Asians to help (Adds quotes)

TUNIS, March 20 (Reuters) - A defiant Muammar Gaddafi said on Saturday he will arm civilians to defend Libya from what he called "colonial, crusader" aggression by Western forces that have launched air strikes against him.

"It is now necessary to open the stores and arm all the masses with all types of weapons to defend the independence, unity and honour of Libya," Gaddafi said in an audio message broadcast on state television hours after the strikes began.

He said Libya would exercise its right to self defence under article 51 of the United Nations charter, adding the Mediterranean and North Africa were now a battleground.

"The interests of countries face danger from now on in the Mediterranean because of this aggressive and mad behaviour," he said.

"Unfortunately, due to this (action), marine and air targets, whether military or civilian, will be exposed to real danger in the Mediterranean, since the area of the Mediterranean and North Africa has become a battleground because of this blatant military agression."

He also called on Arab, Islamic, African, Latin American and Asian countries to "stand by the heroic Libyan people to confront this aggression, which will only increase the Libyan people's strength, firmness and unity".

(Reporting by Tarek Amara in Tunis, Sarah Mikhail and Edmund Blair in Cairo; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Louise Ireland)

GADDAFI SAYS WILL OPEN STORES TO ARM PEOPLE WITH ALL TYPES OF WEAPONS TO DEFEND LIBYA

Turkey to play appropriate role over Libya -formin, Posted by Meosha Eaton

ISTANBUL, March 19 (Reuters) - NATO-member Turkey will make the necessary and appropriate national contribution to implementing a U.N. no-fly zone over Libya and measures to protect civilians, its foreign ministry said late on Saturday.

"Within that framework the necessary preparations and studies are being made by civil and military authorities in co-ordination," the statement added, giving no further detail. (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz; Writing by Alexandra Hudson)

LIBYA'S GADDAFI SAYS INTERESTS OF MEDITERRANEAN, NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRIES WILL BE IN DANGER FROM NOW ON

French planes make first strikes in Libya operation, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Jets destroy several tanks, armoured vehicles

* Sarkozy: North America, Europe, Arab partners back action

* Sarkozy says intervention will stop if Gaddafi ceases fire

* NATO, EU role in operation still unclear

(Updates, adds details, quotes)

By John Irish and Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS, March 19 (Reuters) - French warplanes destroyed tanks and armoured vehicles of Muammar Gaddafi's forces near the rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Saturday as Western powers backed by Arab states began U.N.-mandated action to protect civilians.

President Nicolas Sarkozy said an operation supported by France, Britain, the United States and Canada, and backed by Arab nations, was halting air attacks by Gaddafi's forces and would continue until the Libyan leader's forces ceased fire.

About 20 French aircraft -- including Rafale multirole war planes, Mirage 2000 fighter jets, refuelling planes and an AWACS surveillance aircraft -- were involved, French Armed Forces spokesman Colonel Thierry Burkhard told reporters.

The planes will counter attacks by Gaddafi's planes on Benghazi, enforcing a no-fly zone, and are ready to intervene against armoured vehicles threatening civilians, Burkhard said after Sarkozy led international talks to coordinate military action authorised by the U.N. Security Council on Thursday.

"It's a grave decision we've had to take," Sarkozy said after talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Arab leaders, European Union representatives and European heads of state.

"Along with our Arab, European and North American partners, France has decided to play its part before history," he said.

The first planes left France in the morning and headed for an area 62 by 93 miles (100 km by 150 km) around Benghazi and the operation was still underway in the late afternoon.

"We have set up this afternoon a no-fly zone which means that around Benghazi airforce planes are preventing all flights in accordance with the U.N. resolution," said Defence Ministry Spokesman Laurent Teisseire.

A second group of planes were also in the air to monitor movements on the ground and a defence ministry official said some Libyan targets on had been destroyed. "Yes, we have destroyed a number of tanks and armoured vehicles," he said, although he could not immediately confirm the exact number.

Aircraft from bases in eastern France at Saint-Dizier and Nancy as well as south of Paris in Dijon and Corsica were used in the operation and the ministry said aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would leave for Libya around midday on Sunday.

The carrier is able to transport twenty aircraft and will be accompanied by a submarine and several frigates.


FRANCE, BRITAIN AT FOREFRONT

It was unclear whether NATO and the EU were taking a role in coordinating the mainly French operation, although Italy offered the use of a NATO base near Naples.

Sarkozy has been at the forefront of a push to intervene in Libya in recent days as Gaddafi escalated his attacks on opposition rebels which France and others support.

Cameron told reporters that Gaddafi's breaking of a ceasefire pledged on Friday made swift action essential.

"Colonel Gaddafi has made this happen. He has lied to the international community. He has promised a ceasefire. He has broken that ceasefire," he said.

"He continues to brutalise his own people and so the time for action has come," he added. "It is better to take this action than to risk the consequences of inaction, which is the further slaughter of civilians by this dictator."

Germany is not participating in the joint operation, but Berlusconi did not rule out Italian planes being used.

"For the time being we are making the bases available, but if they request it, even military intervention (is possible)," Berlusconi told reporters.

Before Sarkozy spoke, reconnaissance planes were flying over Libya as Gaddafi's troops advanced into the edge of Benghazi.

"We are doing it to protect the civilian population from the murderous madness of a regime that in killing its own people has lost all legitimacy," Sarkozy said.

"There is still time for Colonel Gaddafi to avoid the worst, by acting without delay and without reservations in accordance with all the demands of the international community. The door of international diplomacy will open again the moment attacks end."


DIPLOMATIC CLOUT

Sources close to the talks said only France, Britain and Canada were likely to take part in initial strikes, with any participation by the United States or Arab nations coming later.

Canada said its fighter jets had only just reached the region and would need two days to prepare for any operation.

Iraq's foreign minister was at the talks, as was the Qatari prime minister and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Determined to prove its diplomatic clout after its clumsy handling of the revolt in Tunisia, Paris has sought to lead a world response to the crisis in Libya, where Gaddafi's troops outgun rag-tag and poorly armed rebel forces.

Sarkozy was the first foreign leader to recognize the opposition and drop support for Gaddafi.

NATO ambassadors met in Brussels on Saturday to discuss involvement by the 28-member military alliance in enforcing a no-fly zone, but no decision was taken. A NATO diplomat said Britain, the United States and Canada wanted NATO to take a lead in the operation but Paris was lukewarm on the idea.

"France seems to have some problem with it being a NATO operation, given NATO's reputation in the Arab world as a result of Afghanistan and given that NATO is seen as an alliance dominated by the United States," he said. (Additional reporting by Andrew Quinn, Keith Weir, Daniel Flynn and Vicky Buffery in Paris and David Brunnstrom in Brussels; Writing by Catherine Bremer; Editing by Sophie Hares)

Syrian mourners call for revolt, forces fire tear gas, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Boldest challenge yet to President Assad

* Arrests of schoolchildren helped fuel protests

* Deraa figures meet authorities, demand prisoners' release

* Assad shortens conscription period


(Adds meeting, demands)

By Suleiman al-Khalidi

DERAA, Syria, March 19 (Reuters) - Thousands of mourners called on Saturday for "revolution" at the funeral of protesters killed by Syrian security forces, in the boldest challenge to Syria's rulers since uprisings began sweeping the Arab world.

Security forces responded by firing tear gas to disperse crowds in Deraa, a region south of the capital where at least 10,000 people demonstrated on Saturday at the funeral of two protesters, among at least four who were killed on Friday.

"Revolution, revolution. Rise up Hauran," chanted the mourners in Deraa, administrative capital of the Hauran plateau, as they marched behind the simple wooden coffins of Wissam Ayyash and Mahmoud al-Jawabra.

"God, Syria, Freedom. Whoever kills his own people is a traitor," they said. Some of the mourners left a mosque and headed for the centre to protest.

The two were killed when security forces opened fire on Friday on civilians taking part in a peaceful protest demanding political freedoms and an end to corruption in Syria, which has been ruled under emergency laws by President Bashar al-Assad's Baath Party for nearly half a century.

A third man killed on Friday, Ayhem al-Hariri, was buried in a village near Deraa earlier on Saturday. A fourth protester, Adnan Akrad, died on Saturday from his wounds.

Deraa was less tense by late afternoon, with security forces using less force after a meeting at the main Omari mosque between the authorities and prominent figures in the city.

An activist who was at the meeting said officials were presented with a list of demands, most importantly for the release of political prisoners. Among them were 15 schoolchildren arrested in Deraa this month after writing slogans on walls, inspired by revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia that swept their autocratic leaders from power.

The list demands the dismantling of secret police headquarters in Deraa, dismissal of the governor, a public trial for those responsible for the killings, and scrapping of regulations requiring permission from the secret police to sell and buy property.

"If they do not respond the protests will only escalate," the activist told Reuters.

An official statement said the interior ministry had formed a committee to investigate the "regrettable events" in Deraa.

The city is home to thousands of displaced people from eastern Syria, where up to a million people have left their homes because of a water crisis over the past six years. Experts say state mismanagement of resources has worsened the crisis.

The Hauran region, once a bread basket, has also been affected by diminishing water levels, with yields falling by a quarter in Deraa last year.


ARRESTS OF CHILDREN FUEL RESENTMENT

Protests against Syria's ruling elite, inspired by revolts in the Arab world, have gathered momentum this week after a silent protest in Damascus by 150 people demanding the release of thousands of political prisoners.

At least one activist from Deraa, Diana al-Jawabra, took part in the protest. She was arrested on charges of weakening national morale, along with 32 other protesters, a lawyer said.

Jawabra, who is from a prominent tribe, was campaigning for the release of the 15 schoolchildren from her home city. Residents say the children's arrests deepened feelings of repression and helped fuel the protests in Deraa.

Assad said in a January interview Syria's leadership was "very closely linked to the beliefs of the people" and there was no mass discontent.

"The leadership have given a clear signal that they are not in any hurry to embark on fundamental political reform," said a diplomat in the Syrian capital.

In a move seen as an attempt to address the discontent, Assad issued a decree on Saturday shortening mandatory army conscription from 21 months to 18 months.

The long conscription period has generated discontent, especially among youth who resent state tactics to bring them into service, such as random ID checking, and the withholding of food aid from families whose members escape conscription. (Editing by Andrew Roche)

Professional Militaries Don’t Function as Agents----U.S Envoy, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By Williams Ekanem, MACTV NEWS
Director, Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, Ambassador William Bellamy says modern professional militaries cannot function as agents of a ruler, or a ruling family or ruling elite.

In a welcome address to participants at the 2011 Next Generation of Africa Security Sector Leaders course held in Arlington, Virginia, USA, the retired Ambassador said, “militaries do not serve families, or clans, or tribes or factions.

They do not even serve governments, they serve the nation in its broadest sense. They serve and protect the public. And for militaries to play this role, they must do within a legal and constitutional framework that has broad legitimacy.”

Describing the timing of this year’s course as very appropriate, the Centre Director made a direct reference to the political crisis in North Africa saying that, “across Africa, and indeed through areas adjacent to Africa, we are today witnessing historic events.

An upheaval that began with a single individual that began with a single individual’s protest against injustice, a small act magnified many times over by the power of modern social media, is still unfolding.”

According to him, “citizens have claimed their rights, long serving political leaders have been expelled from office. Existing political orders have been challenged, shaken to their foundations and uncertainty reigns as to what will replace them.”
Bellamy added that, “but even now, it should be clear to us that in moments of crises such as those we are witnessing, certain basic rules regarding appropriate military conduct must apply,” one of which is that professional militaries cannot function as agents.

In the keynote address to the course attendants, Chief Human Resources, South African National Defence Force, Lt. General Derick Mgwebi told the African military officers that Africa was their home and that they needed to cherish their home by transforming their societies for the better.

He said, “for us as military leaders, we must focus firstly on driving the process of professionalizing our own armed forces, re-modeling and re-positioning our armed forces to be aligned with the principles and demands of democratic societies.”

Conducted in English, French and Portuguese, the four week program was attended by mostly majors and lieutenant colonels representing 25 African nations.

Senator Rand Paul Introduces Five-Year Budget Plan, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By Williams Ekanem, MACTV NEWS

As the talks on America’s budget deficit heighten, Senator Rand Paul has introduced a five-year budget plan to cut down deficit.
Addressing Congressional Reporters during the week on his new plan, the Republican Senator said a five- year plan to reduce deficit is more appropriate than the ten year plan earlier proposed by President Barack Obama.
 Paul’s five-year budget plan is a path to a balanced budget, which includes cutting four federal government departments: Departments of Education, Energy, Commerce and Housing and Urban Development.

The proposal also calls for the repeal of “Obamacare,” leaves entitlements untouched, and he also said he is willing to make changes to the cuts, but there will have to be cuts elsewhere.

According to Paul, the five-year budget plan brings spending near historical average in the very first year, reduces spending by nearly $4 trillion relative to the President’s budget, achieves a $19 billion surplus in FY2018 and brings all non-military discretionary spending back to FY2008 levels.

In analyzing his plan, the medical doctor turned politician said it significantly reduces spending relative to both the President’s budget and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) baseline.

Said him, “the President’s budget never drops below 22.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), and the CBO baseline never gets under 23 percent of GDP, whereas this budget brings spending near the historical average of 19.6 percent of GDP in the very first-eventually getting down to 17.9 percent of GDP in 2016.”

U.S. will Help Japan Recover and Rebuild---Obama, Posted by Meosha Eaton

By William Ekanem, MACTV NEWS

On St. Patrick’s Day during the week, President Barack Obama said that the United States will help Japan to recover and rebuild.
Speaking at a luncheon at the Capitol, Obama described Japan as one of The United States finest allies, adding that as  Japan endures a terrible tragedy, “  As Americans, our first instinct naturally has been to help in any way that we can.”
Special guest at the gathering was Irish Prime Minister, Taoiseach Kenny, whose presence Obama acknowledged by saying that, “ today is a day for tens of millions of Americans of Irish descent to celebrate the tremendous influence that one small island with a big-hearted people has had on our country.”
On the funny side he told the Irish Prime Minister that, we thank you for joining us.  Your presence at this lunch virtually guarantees that any partisan clashes will be limited to who is more Irish than whom.”
Obama added, “now, speaking of ancestry, there has been some controversy about my own background.    Two years into my presidency, some are still bent on peddling rumors about my origins.  So today I want to put all those rumors to rest.  It is true my great-great-great-grandfather really was from Ireland.    It’s true.  Moneygall, to be precise.  I can’t believe I have to keep pointing this out.”
He enjoined those present at the luncheon, which were mainly political kingpins that “ as servants of the people who sent us here, we can all do better to live up to the example that Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan and others often set -– to put the differences of the day aside; to seek common ground; to forge progress for the sake of this country that we love.”
Present at the event were Speaker Boehner, leaders of the GOP and Democrats as well as top government functionaries.   

Friday, March 18, 2011

Gay Rights Debate Headed to Senate Floor


UN News: Susan Rice (USA) on Libya - Security Council Media Stakeout , Posted by Menelik Zeleke






17 March 2011

Informal comments to the media by H.E. Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations on the situation in Libya

UN News: Security Council takes 'historic' decision to protect civilians in Libya, Posted by Menelik Zeleke





18 March 2011 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the Security Council’s “historic” decision to authorize the use “all necessary measures” to protect civilians in Libya, saying the move was an affirmation of the international community’s determination to fulfil its responsibility to protect people from violence perpetrated by their own government.

The Security Council yesterday passed a resolution permitting the use of all necessary measures, including the imposition of a no-fly zone, to prevent further attacks and the loss of innocent lives in Libya, where the regime of Muammar al-Qadhafi has conducted a military offensive against citizens seeking his removal from power.

Following the adoption of the resolution, media reports stated that Libyan authorities had declared a ceasefire. Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa was quoted as saying that the truce was intended to “to protect civilians.”

The Arab League last weekend requested the Council to impose a no-fly zone after Mr. Qadhafi was reported to have used warplanes, warships, tanks and artillery to seize back cities taken over after weeks of mass protests by peaceful civilians seeking an end to his 41-year rule.

Mr. Ban said that in adopting Resolution 1973, the Council had placed great importance on the appeal of the League of Arab States for action.

“Given the critical situation on the ground, I expect immediate action on the resolution’s provisions. I am prepared to carry out my responsibilities, as mandated by the resolution, and will work closely with Member States and regional organizations to coordinate a common, effective and timely response,” the Secretary-General said in a statement issued overnight.

“Once again, I join the Council in calling for an immediate cease-fire, a halt to all attacks on civilians and full humanitarian access to those in need. Our strenuous diplomatic efforts will continue,” Mr. Ban said.

He said his Special Envoy for Libya, Abdul Ilah Khatib, yesterday met with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States in Cairo following his visit to Libya. Mr. Khatib was due to brief the Secretary-General at the weekend. “I myself will travel to the region to advance our common efforts in this critical hour,” said Mr. Ban.

Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which provides for the use of force if needed, the Council adopted the resolution by 10 votes to zero, with five abstentions, authorizing Member States “to take all necessary measures… to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamhariya, including Benghazi, while excluding an occupation force.”

The abstentions included China and Russia, which have the power of veto, as well as Brazil, Germany and India.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also welcomed the Council’s move, terming it an important manifestation of the international community’s commitment to the principle of responsibility to protect civilians.

“We are extremely worried about reprisals against opposition supporters by pro-Government forces and security agents in Libya. No one knows what has been going on in the towns that were first of all held by the opposition and then recaptured by Government forces,” Rupert Colville, the OHCHR spokesperson told reporters in Geneva.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), meanwhile, reported that the number of Libyans fleeing to Egypt has been on the rise over the past few days, with about 1,490 of the 3,163 Libyan refugees already in Egypt arriving on Wednesday.

The agency’s spokesperson in Geneva, Melissa Fleming, told reporters that UNHCR and its partners have done extensive contingency planning and are ready to work with the Egyptian Government to prepare for a massive influx of people fleeing the violence in Libya.

A total of 300,706 people, most of them foreign workers, had fled Libya to neighbouring countries as of 16 March, according to UNHCR.

Earlier, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, expressed grave concern over reports of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in Libya and called on the authorities to refraining from the use of such weapons in populated areas.

Jordanians protest against slow pace of reforms, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Protestors say government procrastinates over reforms

* Islamists say protests to continue until demands met


By Suleiman al-Khalidi

AMMAN, March 18 (Reuters) - More than a thousand Jordanian activists staged street protests on Friday urging King Abdullah to accelerate the tempo of promised political reforms, saying procrastination would only fuel growing dissent.

The pro-democracy protestors who marched in downtown Amman, mainly supporters of the mainstream Islamist Muslim Brotherhood and leftist allies, said they would continue weeks of street protests inspired by uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world, until their demands are met.

"This is a continuation of the movement to demand reforms and to accelerate it, especially since the steps taken so far are worrying and do not inspire confidence," said Jamil Abu Bakr, a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood, told Reuters.

While the U.S. ally has faced nothing like the mass uprisings that toppled veteran authoritarian leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, dissent has built up and the opposition has become more vocal in its slogans and calls for change.

"We want to reform the regime," chanted the crowd, urging the monarch to introduce constitutional changes that curb his executive powers and to provide fair representation under a new electoral law.

Many also chanted calls to dissolve parliament, a rubber-stamp assembly that ensures a comfortable government majority to pass unpopular laws.

Opponents say the election law gives a bigger voice to less heavily populated tribal areas in the provinces that are considered the backbone of support for the monarchy, at the expense of urban areas where the opposition is stronger.

Islamist, leftist, liberal and even tribal figures have called for constitutional reforms that would curb the monarch's sweeping executive powers, demanding a government elected by a parliamentary majority rather than appointed by the king.

The Islamic Action Front -- the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm and Jordan's largest party -- said this week it would not join a 52-member government-appointed panel to discuss reform because its remit did not include constitutional changes to curb the monarch's powers.

The composition of the panel has dismayed many Jordanians already angered by last month's appointment of a government led by Marouf al-Bahkit, a former military intelligence general who oversaw elections in 2007 which were marred by allegations of vote-rigging.

(Writing by Suleiman al-Khalidi; Editing by Peter Graff)

Tunisia won't join military intervention in Libya, Posted by Meosha Eaton

TUNIS, March 18 (Reuters) - Tunisia will not take part in any international military intervention in its neighbour Libya, a government spokesman said on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a visit to Tunis on Thursday that talks were underway about Arab countries playing a direct role in a military operation against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to protect civilians.

"It is out of the question," government spokesman Taieb Bakouch told Reuters when asked if Tunisia would be involved.

"We will not take part in any military intervention against Libya, we will not take part in any way," he said.

(Reporting by Tarek Amara, writing by Silvia Aloisi)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Reporting on Chernobyl: the Soviet news blackout, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Silence for three days after nuclear power plant explosion
* First news about Chernobyl left many questions unanswered
* Gorbachev took 18 days to comment publicly on disaster


By Tatiana Ustinova MOSCOW, March 17 (Reuters) - It took almost three days for confirmation to come and, when it did, the Soviet Union's official news agency issued a five-sentence dispatch saying there had been a mishap at the Chernobyl nuclear power station.

When I arrived at work on April 28, 1986, the bureau was discussing reports of a spike in radiation levels picked up by monitoring stations in northern Europe.

Something serious was obviously going on and fingers were being pointed at the Soviet Union. But how could we find out what had happened and where?

We had one main official source for live news: the printed reports from the TASS news machine. There was no mention on TASS of anything relevant.

The hours rolled by and the agency's printer finally spat out a brief report citing a failure at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Soviet Ukraine.

"Okay, nothing alarming," I thought as I took the TASS report to other members of the bureau. We exchanged glances. "Was this what all the talk was about?"

It was. The Soviet Union was admitting -- in its own way -- an accident at a nuclear power station.

TASS's dry despatch sought to reassure the Soviet people but it left many questions unanswered. There were casualties but it did not say how many. The reactor was damaged but the report did not mention radiation.

"An accident has occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. One of the reactors has been damaged," TASS said.

"Measures are being undertaken to eliminate the consequences of the accident. Aid is being given to those who have suffered injury. A government commission has been set up to investigate what happened," TASS said.

Panic was beginning to spread in Soviet Ukraine as tonnes of nuclear material were spewed out by an explosion and fire at the No. 4 reactor at Chernobyl, but we were unaware of this in Moscow.

As the story developed outside the borders of the Soviet Union, it felt in the Moscow bureau like we were living in a separate reality.

On the surface all was normal. There was no word from Mikhail Gorbachev's Kremlin. State television aired pre-planned programming about preparations for the May Day holidays.

Our correspondents decided to head to Kiev and see for themselves. But in Soviet times, foreign correspondents needed the Foreign Ministry's permission to travel outside Moscow.

A Reuters correspondent finally got to Ukraine. He had to have his trousers tested for radiation when he returned to Moscow.

It took Gorbachev 18 days to comment publicly on the disaster, using a 25-minute Soviet television address to accuse the West of telling a "mountain of lies" about the accident which he called "our misfortune".

For thousands of Soviet citizens it was a misfortune from which they would never recover. (Writing by Tatyana Ustinova, Alissa de Carbonnel and Guy Faulconbridge)

Gas Prices Worry US Senators

Radiation found on Japan passengers to Taiwan, S.Korea, Posted by Meosha Eaton

TAIPEI/SEOUL, March 17 (Reuters) - About 25 passengers arriving in Taiwan from Japan were observed with levels of slightly higher exposure to radiation, a government official said on Thursday.

Authorities in South Korea had earlier reported unusually high radiation levels on three passengers arriving from Japan.

The Taiwan official, part of the government's atomic energy council, told Reuters by telephone that the 25 passengers had arrived from various Japanese cities and had "slightly higher" levels than normal.

The official provided no further details. He said the government had set up monitoring posts to subject arriving passengers to tests. No further measures were planned.

In Seoul, the Yonhap news agency quoted officials as saying that a Japanese man in his 50s arriving at Incheon airport had a reading exceeding 1 microsievert from his hat and coat, several times the normal reading.

He was believed to have lived in Fukushima prefecture, site of the nuclear power station damaged in last week's big earthquake and tsunami.

The level posed no public health risk and officials will release the three passengers, YTN television said.

South Korea's nuclear safety agency has said it considers 300 nanosieverts per hour as the ceiling of a normal level of radiation in atmosphere. One microsievert translates to 1,000 nanosieverts.

The checks at the airport were voluntary, a Reuters photographer at the airport said.

Vice Science Minister Kim Chang-kyung told lawmakers on Thursday that officials were preparing to set up monitoring devices at the southern port of Busan soon to measure radiation levels on ferry passengers arriving from Japan. (Reporting by Jack Kim in Seoul and Rachel Lee in Taipei; Editing by Ron Popeski and Jeremy Laurence

Oil up $2 to over $112 on Middle East unrest, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Bahrain Petroleum partly shuts down production

* Japan battles to avert nuclear meltdown

* Coming Up: U.S. Feb inflation, weekly jobless claims


(Updates prices, quotes, BAPCO shutdown)

By Claire Milhench

LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - Oil rose by more than $2 on Thursday as tensions in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain fuelled fears of further supply disruption while investors weighed the impact on energy demand from quake-hit Japan.

Brent crude for May, the front-month contract after April expired on Wednesday, was up $2.13 to $112.73 a barrel at 1120 GMT. Overnight it fell as much as 1 percent to $109.45 but then rebounded Thursday morning to an intraday high of $113.12.

U.S. crude rallied more than $1, reaching an intraday high of $99.86 before slipping back to $99.71 a barrel.

"The market is seeing risks from the supply side and the demand side, and has to decide which is weighing more," said Barbara Lambrecht, a commodity analyst at Commerzbank. "It is looking for orientation -- I think we can expect more volatility."

Prices had slid about 4 percent since Japan's earthquake and tsunami six days ago, touching a three-week low of $107.35 on Wednesday. But increased tensions in the Middle East have helped prices rebound.

"The focus is back on continuing unrest in the Middle East and what will be a lot of disruption in Libya for a long time," said Christopher Bellew, an oil trader at Bache Commodities.

"The risk is more to the upside -- there was a lot of long liquidation on that sharp sell off at the beginning of the week so we will work our way a bit higher probably."

In Bahrain at least six opposition leaders have been arrested, a day after a crackdown on protests by the Shi'ite Muslim majority. A United Nations human rights official urged Bahrain to rein in its forces.

State-owned Bahrain Petroleum Co (BAPCO) has partly shutdown production due to staff shortages caused by the protests, trade sources said..

Bahrain lies less than 100 kms from the hub of the Saudi oil industry at Dhahran, including the world's largest oilfields, oil terminal and processing plant.

"The demonstrations in Bahrain are a potential threat to Saudi Arabia," said Thorbjorn Bak Jensen, oil market analyst at Global Risk Management.

Saudi Shi'ites marched in the kingdom's oil-producing east on Wednesday, demanding the release of prisoners and voicing support for Shi'ites in nearby Bahrain, an activist and witnesses said.


JAPAN, LIBYA DISRUPTIONS

The market is also focused on the quake-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan where emergency crews are battling to cool an overheating nuclear plant in efforts to avert a meltdown.

Although the Japanese reconstruction effort will be energy-intensive, manufacturing shutdowns such as that of Toshiba's LCD assembly line may reduce the immediate demand for electricity.

Any lengthy disruptions to regional production networks could spill over into global supply chains and impact economic growth, investors fear.

"With the Japanese crisis we are starting to enter an area of systemic risk where assets can see extreme fluctuations without necessarily a fundamental justification," Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix, said in a note.

Bak Jensen said risk aversion had prompted the big sell-off earlier in the week, but when Japan regains control of its nuclear reactors, oil prices should pick up again.

"Refined products such as fuel oil and gasoil are trading at premiums to Brent and that should put upward pressure on Brent," he said.

In Libya, government soldiers battled rebels on the road to the insurgent stronghold of Benghazi. The United Nations Security Council meets later on Thursday to consider its response to the escalating violence in Libya, with a vote planned on the no-fly zone.

OPEC members including Saudi Arabia have increased output partly to compensate for the loss of as much as two-thirds of Libyan supplies, at the same time eroding spare capacity.

Commerzbank's Lambrecht noted even if the Gaddafi regime quickly regains control of oilfields and exporting facilities, the sites are partly destroyed and market sanctions expected.

(Additional reporting by Alejandro Barbajosa in Singapore; editing by James Jukwey)

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

MACTV NEWS BROADCAST 03 16 2011

Surgeon General: Buying Iodide a "Precaution", Posted by Meosha Eaton

View more videos at: http://www.nbcbayarea.com.



The fear that a nuclear cloud could float from the shores of Japan to the shores of California has some people making a run on iodine tablets. Pharmacists across California report being flooded with requests.

State and county officials spent much of Tuesday trying to keep people calm by saying that getting the pills wasn't necessary, but then the United States surgeon general supported the idea as a worthy "precaution."

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin was in the Bay Area touring a peninsula hospital. NBC Bay Area reporter Damian Trujillo asked her about the run on tablets and Dr. Benjamin said although she wasn't aware of people stocking up, she did not think that would be an overreaction. She said it was right to be prepared.

On the other side of the issue is Kelly Huston of the California Emergency Management Agency. Huston said state officials, along with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the California Energy Commission, were monitoring the situation and said people don't need to buy the pills.

Obama's Littlest Constituents

"Even if we had a radiation release from Diablo Canyon (in San Luis Obispo County), iodide would only be issued to people living within a 10-mile radius of the plant," Huston added.

Santa Clara County's public health officer Dr. Martin Fenstersheib told the Mercury News he also does not recommend getting the tablets, adding some people can be severely allergic to the iodine.

"There is no reason for doing it," Fenstersheib told the paper.

Either way, the pills are hard to get. eBay prices have skyrocketed.

France says G8 will seek agreement on Libya action, Posted by Meosha Eaton

March 14 (Reuters) - Group of Eight foreign ministers will try to agree in Paris on what action should be taken in Libya, to speed up a U.N. Security Council decision on whether to impose a no-fly zone, France said on Monday.  The current G8 president, France said Libya would be a priority during talks on Monday and Tuesday between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia. 

With violence worsening, "no option could be ruled out", foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told an electronic press briefing as Muammar Gaddafi's troops battled rebel fighters for control of the oil town of Brega.  "The conclusions from the March 11 European summit and the Arab League's March 12 resolution clearly demonstrate the international community's firm commitment to protecting Libyan civilians," Valero said.  "This issue will be discussed as a priority at the foreign minister's meeting with his G8 counterparts with the aim of reaching an agreement that will enable the Security Council, which has received an official request from the Arab League, to move forward as fast as possible." 

The Arab League's weekend call for a U.N. no-fly zone seemed to satisfy one of three conditions set by NATO for it to police Libyan air space, that of regional support. The other two are proof its help is needed and a U.N. Security Council resolution.

(Reporting by Vicky Buffery; editing by Mark Heinrich)

U.S. Not Likely to Suspend Nuclear Energy Plans, Posted by Meosha Eaton


By Williams Ekanem

Although the twin explosions at nuclear power plants in Japan have created a somewhat freeze on prospecting for nuclear power by various countries, the United States may not necessarily  tow the same line of putting on hold its nuclear energy plans.
Indications to this emerged on Tuesday at the Capitol Hill when leading Senators signified their lack of support for further suspension of work on development of nuclear energy.
Republican Senator John  Barrasso told congressional Reporters while responding to question on the issue that he does not subscribe to the United States to continue waiting on the development of nuclear energy, having been doing that for about fifteen years now.
In the same manner, Senate majority Leader, Harry Reid, D-Nev  said on Tuesday that the United States should not eliminate nuclear energy right away but understudy what is going on in other parts of the world.
Talks on the possibility of a nuclear freeze resurfaced on the front burner  when in only three days, Japan  has experienced two hydrogen explosion nuclear reactor.
Reports say the cascading troubles at the Fukushina Dai-Chi complex were set in motion when last Friday’s quake and tsunami in Japan’s northeast knocked out power, crippling the cooling systems needed to keep nuclear fuel from going into full meltdown weeks after a reactor shuts down.
Consequent upon the above, some countries in the midst of development of nuclear power are considering put a freeze on their nuclear energy plans.
Associated Press reports that Switzerland has ordered a freeze on new plants or replacements. The report quoted the country’s energy minister Doris Leuthard as saying that this necessary, Until safety standards have been carefully reviewed and if necessary adapted.”
The decision put on hold the construction of nuclear power stations at three sites approved by Swiss regulatory authorities. Switzerland now has five nuclear power reactors that produce about 40 percent of the country’s energy needs; it also has nuclear research reactors.
In Germany, thed government said it is suspending for three months a decision to extend the life of its nuclear power plants.  That also means that two older nuclear power plants will be taken off the grid shortly=at least for now- pending a full safety investigation, Chancellor Angela Merkel was reported to have told reporters.
A previous government decided to shut all 17 German nuclear plants, but Merkel’s administration last year moved to extend their lives by an average of 12 years.
In Turkey, opposition in one voice renounce government’s nuclear expansion plans. And anti-nuclear groups staged rallies around France, the world’s most nuclear-dependent country as the government sought to reassure the public that the risks remain minimal.
The governments of Russia, China, Poland and even earthquake-prone Chile say they are sticking to their plans to build more reactors. Bulgaria may freeze its Belene nuclear project and instead install a Russian reactor it has already ordered at its Kozloduy plant to reduce safety risks, Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said on Tuesday.

New U.S. air rules may benefit nuclear energy, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* EPA rules could ensure reliance on nuclear

* Rules could shut aging coal plants

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - U.S. environmental regulators will propose pollution rules on Wednesday that could ensure continued reliance on nuclear power by forcing aging coal plants into early retirement.

The Environmental Protection Agency said it will unveil standards on mercury, which can damage nervous systems in babies, and other airborne toxins from power plants at 1100 EDT (1500 GMT).

Japan's battle to stop earthquake-damaged nuclear reactors from melting down has pushed some countries to be more cautious on atomic energy. Germany, which has taken the strongest stance after the disaster, plans to shut seven of its older nuclear plants, or a quarter of its atomic energy, for a three-month safety review.

The United States has said it remains committed to the technology. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said on Wednesday that federal regulators will look to boost the safety of the nation's nuclear plants after the Japan crisis.

Coal-fired plants generate nearly 50 percent of U.S. electricity while nuclear and natural gas generate about 20 percent each.

The EPA crackdown could help shut some 15 to 20 percent of aging U.S. coal-fired plants.

That could increase reliance on natural-gas-fired power plants, which can be built quickly and pollute less than traditional coal-fired power plants.

It could also ensure that the country continues to derive large amounts of power from nuclear plants, despite the Japanese crisis, because they emit virtually no gases. (Editing by Jim Marshall)

Q+A: What do latest events at Japan nuclear power plant mean? Posted by Meosha Eaton

By Elaine Lies

March 16 (Reuters) - Japan's nuclear crisis worsened on Wednesday, with workers ordered to withdraw briefly from the stricken power plant after radiation levels spiked, just hours after smoke was seen rising from the quake-crippled nuclear facility.


Q: What does the smoke mean?

A: The smoke is most likely to be steam, a natural byproduct of pouring water into the reactors to cool them down and keep the fuel rods covered. Authorities are also trying to maintain water levels at a spent-fuel storage pool at the plant's No. 4 reactor, which experts now view as the real threat.

The steam is an issue because it contains radioactive particles, but experts say these particles may not be as serious as, say, an explosion within a reactor core. So far, it appears the radiation is mostly escaping in the form of steam and some experts believe the radioactive particles could merely be dust or from rusted structures within the reactor buildings -- known as "crud" within the nuclear industry. Radiation levels have not risen significantly in Tokyo, about 240 km to the south.


Q: Why is the situation at the spent-fuel pool a worry?

A: Unlike the reactors themselves, which are inside two containers -- a massive steel container as well as one made of concrete -- the fuel pools are not, with meters of water on top of the rods providing safety only under normal circumstances. Another concern with reactor No. 4 is that the water levels in the pool could be falling, perhaps because the water is or has been boiling and is evaporating as steam.

While nobody knows exactly how much damage Tuesday's explosion did to the building, the structure does have holes and some experts have said that proposals to drop boric acid particles on the reactor suggest substantial holes in the roof.

"That's got to be protected. I'd hate to see another explosion there," said Murray Jennex, a professor at San Diego State University in California.


Q: What can be done?

A: Dropping boric acid could be helpful since it is both a fire suppressant and also absorbs radiation, while keeping water levels up in the pool is also essential. Finally, a fresh crew of workers should be sent into the plant since those who are in there are likely exhausted and may be making poor decisions, which could be adding to problems.


Q: What about the spent-fuel pools at the other reactors?

A: There are six reactors at the Daiichi complex. Three of them - no. 4 through No.6 - were offline for maintenance at the time of the quake. There are signs that water temperatures are also rising at No.5 and No.6 spent-fuel pools.

But the spent fuel at these two pools, as well as at the three reactors that were online at the time of the quake, is all older and thus less likely to pose an overheating threat.


Q: What about the other reactors?

A: There have been explosions at reactors No.1, No.2 and No.3, and suspicions that the suppression pool at No. 2 may have been damaged. But experts say that current low radiation levels suggest that the container vessels at these reactors are by and large holding, and that they're actually more optimistic about this situation than they were on Tuesday.

Doubt does remain about possible damage to the suppression pool at No. 2, but these are "overdesigned" to cope with a certain amount of damage.


Q: What do we need to watch out for?

A: Steadily rising radiation levels are the main worry, along with a fall in the water level in the spent fuel pool. Radiation levels at the plant's main gate spiked on Wednesday morning but have since fallen back, which is a good sign.

"If we have the water level doing down and rising radiation, that's a bad sign, because this means more and more of this fuel (is) exposed," said Najm Meshati, professor of civil and environmental engineering, at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles.

(Editing by Mark Bendeich

Gaddafi advances, no-fly diplomacy falters, Posted by Meosha Eaton

* Libya government forces attack Misrata, 5 reported killed

* Gaddafi son says Benghazi will fall in next 48 hours

* Kouchner berates outside world for "doing nothing"

(Recast, adds Kouchner, Saif al-ISlam, Misrata death toll)

By Mohammed Abbas

TOBRUK, Libya, March 16 (Reuters) - The Libyan army shelled a rebel-held city and closed in on the opposition bastion of Benghazi on Wednesday as diplomatic steps to stop long-serving autocrat Muammar Gaddafi crushing a rebellion ran aground.

In Geneva, former French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner berated the international community for its delay in imposing a no-fly zone, saying it was already too late to save lives.

"A no-fly zone is a minimum. It's certainly already too late," Kouchner said of Gadadfi's crackdown on the increasingly vulnerable-looking uprising, which was inspired by pro-democracy rebellions that toppled the Egyptian and Tunisian presidents.

"Even if we were able to decide today, it's so late," he told World Radio Switzerland. "We've known since three weeks that the poor civil society, the poor people, are dying. And we are doing nothing."

In Benghazi, seat of the insurgents' provisional national council, the mood was a mixture of defiance and nervousness, with some citizens predicting a bloodbath and others confident the rebels would still snatch victory against the government offensive.

Italy, a potential base for such a no-fly zone proposed by Britain and France, ruled out military intervention in the oil-exporting north African country.

"We cannot have war, the international community should not, does not want and cannot do it," Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in Rome.

The Libyan army told residents of Benghazi to lay down their arms, and one of Gaddafi's sons, Saif al-Islam, told Euronews TV that Libya's second largest city would fall whether or not world powers imposed a no-fly zone.

"Everything will be over in 48 hours," he said.

Aid organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres said the violence had forced it to withdraw its staff from Benghazi and begin moving teams to Alexandria in Egypt.

Residents in Misrata, the country's third largest city 200 km (130 miles) east of Tripoli, Gaddafi's stronghold, said his forces attacked the rebel-held city with tanks and artillery.

The shelling killed at least five people and wounded 11, a doctor at Misrata hospital told Reuters by telephone.

"Very heavy bombardments are taking place now from three sides. They are using heavy weapons including tanks and artillery ... They have yet to enter the town," said one resident, called Mohammed, by telephone.

Foreign powers have condemned Gaddafi's crackdown but show little appetite for action to support the revolt. A Gaddafi victory and the suppression of protests in Bahrain could turn the tide in the region against pro-democracy movements.

Supporters of a no-fly zone to halt Libyan government air strikes on rebels circulated a draft resolution at the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday that would authorise one, but other states said questions remained.

The draft was distributed at a closed-door meeting by Britain and Lebanon after the Arab League called on the council on Saturday to set up a no-fly zone.

German Ambassador Peter Wittig told reporters after the meeting his country still had queries, and noted that while the Arab League had called for a no-fly zone it also opposed any foreign military intervention.

NATO has set three conditions for it to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya: regional support, proof its help is needed and a Security Council resolution.

An Arab League call for a no-fly zone satisfies the first condition, but with access to most of Libya barred by Gaddafi's security forces, hard evidence that NATO intervention is needed to avert atrocities or a humanitarian disaster is scarce.

Growing numbers of Libyans are now crossing into Egypt fleeing Gaddafi's advance, the U.N. refugee agency said.


GADDAFI TAUNTS THE WEST

In a televised speech, Gaddafi taunted Western countries that have backed the imposition of a no-fly zone to come and get him.

"Strike Libya?" he asked. "We'll be the one who strikes you! We struck you in Algeria, in Vietnam. You want to strike us? Come and give it a try."

In an interview with the Italian daily Il Giornale published on Tuesday, Gaddafi said that if western forces attacked Libya, he would ally with al Qaeda "and declare holy war".

In Benghazi, where the revolt began in mid-February, residents said they had found leaflets lying in the city streets suggesting that if they gave up the fight against Gaddafi now, they would not be harmed or punished.

The leaflest accused rebels of being driven by al Qaeda and high on drugs, an allegation routinely levelled by the government against an uprising that was inspired by pro-democracy rebellions that toppled the Egyptian and Tunisian presidents.

Salah Ben-Saud, a retired undersecretary at the Agriculture Ministry, said in Benghazi that life in the town was normal and "pro-Gaddafi people have not really shown their face."

"There were rumours that he (Gaddafi) would try to take back Benghazi and that made people a bit nervous, but he didn't and people here don't think he would succeed anyway if he tried."

Thousands gathered in a square in Benghazi on Tuesday evening denouncing Gaddafi as a tyrant and throwing shoes and other objects at his image projected upside down on a wall.

The rebels' position looked highly vulnerable after government troops took control of the junction at Ajdabiyah, opening the way to Benghazi.

(Reporting by Maria Golovnina and Michael Georgy in Tripoli, Tom Pfeiffer in Benghazi, Mariam Karouny in Djerba, Tunisia, Tarek Amara in Tunis, Louis Charbonneau and Patrick Worsnip at the United Nations, James Regan, Tim Hepher, Arshad Mohammed and John Irish in Paris; Writing by William Maclean; Editing by Giles Elgood)

California Rapper/Singer Nathaniel Hale (Nate Dogg) passed away lastnight, Posted by Meosha Eaton

Rapper/Singer Nate Dogg (Nathaniel Hale) passed away last night.




"Nathaniel D. Hale, known in the music industry as Nate Dogg, died Tuesday, his family announced. The rap star, born and raised in Long Beach, Calif. was 41. Cause of death is not known. However, Hale had suffered two strokes, one in 2007 and another in 2008."

Our prayers go out to Nate and his family.

UN News: Libya: UN refugee agency calls for safe passage for civilians fleeing violence, Posted by Menelik Zeleke





A group of Sudanese huddles against the cold at the Saloum border post in Egypt after fleeing Libya
15 March 2011 – As fighting intensifies in Libya, the United Nations refugee agency today voiced concern that people needing to flee combat areas and seek refuge are either unable to go or being prevented from doing so, even as the number of refugees nears 300,000.

“We appeal again to all parties to ensure safe passage for all civilians fleeing violence,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Melissa Fleming told a press briefing in Geneva. “Typically, we would expect to see significant numbers of injured people and women and children in a mass displacement of this nature, but so far our staff at the borders with Egypt and Tunisia have seen very few.”

The situation for sub-Saharan nationals in all parts of Libya appears to be particularly critical with agency hotlines continuing to receive calls for help from trapped refugees and asylum-seekers and Eritrean refugees reporting being detained in both the eastern and western parts of the country, she added.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya, Rashid Khalikov, who arrived in Tripoli, the capital, over the weekend and met with Government representatives to discuss humanitarian matters arising from the fighting between forces loyal to Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Al-Qadhafi and opponents seeking his ouster, said today he could not as yet report much progress.

“I cannot say that I can boast about too much accomplishment,” he told UN Radio in an interview. “We wanted direct access to various parts of Libya. We wanted also to assess the humanitarian needs of the population that was affected by recent developments and it should cover both east and west of the country as well as the ability of international organizations to deliver on their mandate.”

So far “I think there was understanding of the Government on that,” but it remains to be seen if there is a concrete result, he said, voicing deep concern about the freedom of the people wanting to leave the country.

Mr. Khalikov visited the western city of Zawiya, recently recaptured by Mr. Qadfhafi’s forces, but said it was difficult to get an impression from a one-hour visit and he was not sure about the reaction of civilians. “I am not sure that they are not scared about their lives and the lives of their family,” he noted, adding that it was difficult to estimate at this point how many people need humanitarian aid.

Most of those fleeing so far have been migrant workers. To date 280,614 people have fled the violence, including over 150,000 to Tunisia, with only 12,256 of them being Libyan. Another 118,000 people have fled to Egypt, with nearly all non-Libyan.

But yesterday, of 2,250 people reaching Egypt over 1,000 were Libyans, including numerous whole families. “Many said they feared that routes out of Libya will be blocked as the combat zone closes in,” Ms. Fleming said.

Currently, some 3,500 people are stranded at the Egyptian border, the majority Bangladeshis, but the number of flights from Egypt to Bangladesh has now increased and yesterday nearly 900 Bangladeshis left. Conditions at the border continue to be harsh with very cold temperatures at night and inadequate shelter. UNHCR and partners have been distributing blankets, sleeping mats, food and water.

There are now 141 persons of concern to UNHCR at the border, including Somalis, Eritreans, Ethiopians, Sudanese from Darfur, Ivorians and Palestinians and the agency has asked the Egyptian Government to allow refugees and asylum-seekers to enter and be accommodated away from the border area until a solution can be found for them.

In Tunisia over 16,000 people at the border camp are awaiting onwards transportation or other solutions. On average some 3,000 people have arrived per day since Friday. Many of the new arrivals have told UNHCR staff that they spent many days at Tripoli airport before coming to Tunisia.

There have been 25 flights from Tunisia and Egypt since the start of the joint UNHCR- International Organization for Migration (IOM) humanitarian evacuation operation since 1 March. More than 6,000 people have already been flown home to Egypt, Bangladesh, and Mali in UNHCR-contracted planes. A further 15 flights are contracted for today to carry 3,000 people to Mali, Ghana, Chad and Niger.

The agency’s operational reserve has provided $5 million for a further 75 flights carrying 15,000 third country nationals to sub-Saharan African destinations.

Meanwhile, 47 tons of UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) supplies have arrived in the town of Ben Guerdane on the Tunisian side of the border with Libya to cover needs in the areas of health, child protection, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene.

“As more families are crossing the border to flee the violence, UNICEF and partners are stepping up their response to meet their humanitarian needs,” UNICEF representative in Tunisia Maria-Luisa Fornara said.

UNICEF is also gearing up for an immediate response inside Libya, as soon as access is allowed and the security situation permits. Supplies currently available include 300 squatting plates for latrines, 10,000 blankets, 5,000 hygiene kits and nearly 100 early childhood development kits, which include educational toys and drawing sets.

While the number of families fleeing Libya is relatively small, UNICEF said it remains concerned about the situation across the border and the impact of the violence on the well-being of women and children.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

MACTV NEWS From Captial Hill

UN News: Japan: UN stepping up assistance in wake of quake and tsunami, Posted by Menelik Zeleke





14 March 2011 – A United Nations disaster team has arrived in Japan and local officials have asked the world body to dispatch a team of nuclear safety experts as emergency operations continue in the wake of Friday’s catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

The seven-member UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team will set up an onsite operations centre to help Japanese authorities disseminate accurate and timely information on the disaster and the emergency efforts.

The team of specialists will travel to affected areas in the days ahead to assess the humanitarian needs, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). They will also assist the Japanese Government in providing advice on incoming international relief goods and services.

Numerous countries have sent specialized international search and rescue teams to help authorities mount emergency efforts in the wake of the quake and tsunami, which have killed thousands of people and left many more missing or unaccounted for.

Authorities remain concerned about the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, northeast of Tokyo, which was damaged in the disaster. Local officials pumped sea water into the reactors at the plant to prevent a meltdown, and several explosions have occurred at the site.

Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a briefing today that while “the nuclear plants have been shaken… the reactor vessels have held and radioactive release is limited.”

Staff at IAEA’s incident and emergency centre is in close contact with their Japanese counterparts to monitor the situation, and Mr. Amano said the agency can also offer technical support in such areas as radiation surveys, environmental sampling and medical support.

“In situations such as this, it is extremely important that the general public, both in Japan and internationally, is kept fully and accurately informed about the situation,” he added.

Japan formally requested that the IAEA provide expert missions and the agency is in discussions with authorities about the details, he said.

Mr. Amano spoke today with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan to discuss the latest developments.

The IAEA chief told Mr. Ban there should be minimal health consequences as a result of the release of radioactivity from the reactors so far.

Mr. Ban and Mr. Amano have also stressed the importance of next month’s international summit on nuclear safety that will take place in Kiev, Ukraine.

For its part, WHO has stated that the Japanese Government was taking necessary precautions by distributing potassium iodine to those at risk and evacuating residents of areas close to Fukushima Daiichi.

UN News: Nawaf Salam (Lebanon) on Libya, Security Council Media Stakeout , Posted by Menelik Zeleke





14 March 2011

Informal comments to the media by H.E. Mr. Nawaf Salam, Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations, on the situation in Libya and other matters.

UN News: Daily Press Briefing , Posted by Menelik Zeleke





14 March 2011

By the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

UN News: Earthquake and tsunami in Japan - Ban Ki-moon Media Stakeout , Posted by Menelik Zeleke





11 March 2011
Informal comments to the media by H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations on the earthquake and tsunami in Japan