LA Times News

LA Times News

Japan urges residents near nuclear plant to leave

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:26 PM PDT

New information suggests one of the reactors at the Fukushima complex may have been breached, although some U.S. experts say some data contradict that.

Japan's government urges residents within 18 miles of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant to leave their homes, as new information suggests that the core of reactor No. 3 may have been breached.

EU approves permanent bailout fund amid fears over Portugal

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:57 PM PDT

The European Union hopes the announcement of a permanent $700-billion safety net will boost investor confidence and demonstrate the bloc's commitment to the euro.

European leaders agreed Friday to set up a permanent $700-billion rescue fund to try to contain the continent's debt crisis as fear mounted that Portugal will soon be forced to seek a bailout.

As Kadafi's rocket hits, singing Libya rebels scatter

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:00 PM PDT

The rocket attack by forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi is a response to attempts by rebels to negotiate a withdrawal of government forces that have bombarded the key city of Ajdabiya.

Strumming a guitar, a grenade launcher slung over one shoulder and a machine gun over the other, Massoud Bwisir crooned a soulful version of his latest revolutionary song, "My Home Is Strong and Free."

Protesters in Bahrain defy ban on rallies

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:46 PM PDT

At least one person dies, dozens are injured and some are arrested as protesters, mainly in Shiite villages, hold rallies against the ruling Sunni dynasty, according to a number of reports.

Bands of protesters in more than a dozen villages Friday defied Bahrain security forces and the government's ban on demonstrations to press for the ouster of the country's ruling family.

Kadafi's propaganda machine harps on civilian casualties from airstrikes

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:06 PM PDT

Libyan officials allege that more than 100 civilians have been killed in airstrikes, but few credible details are provided. The effort is part of Moammar Kadafi's strategy combining propaganda with aggressive fighting.

The stories about the lone civilian injured in a coalition airstrike didn't quite match. A man who claimed to be her father, Rajab Mohammad, said she was 18, and injured when she fell on her back after an errant bomb landed on the family farm.

Japan's disaster / fertile ground for haikuists / pain in a few words

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 04:26 PM PDT

Japan's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis have inspired many to turn to the time-honored tradition of haiku poetry.

About the nuclear power plant/too much detail I hear/such unhappiness

Japan nuclear plant's tortured road to stability

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:09 PM PDT

Every step forward at the Fukushima Daiichi plant seems to have been accompanied by a setback. Experts say reestablishing the cooling systems remains the key goal, which would help the plant become stable enough to handle any further crises.

Each time workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant make some headway in their attempts to get the damaged facility under control, a new problem seems to arise. This week, for instance, observers celebrated when electrical power was partially restored. But by Friday, the discovery of highly radioactive water led to fears that radiation was leaking from a damaged reactor core.

Japan considering daylight saving time as a means of conserving energy

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 03:19 PM PDT

Japan has resisted daylight saving time for nearly 60 years, but Japanese industry minister Banri Kaieda says changing the clocks might help avoid major blackouts in the summer.

Japanese officials are considering introducing daylight saving time to help cope with severe power shortages that likely will last for months.

Dozens reported killed in attacks on Syria protesters

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:48 PM PDT

Widespread protests against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad drew a severe response from security forces, who fired on demonstrators, witnesses say. Deaths are reported in Dara, Latakia, Hims and Sanamein.

For four decades, the Assad family has used secret police and informants to rule Syria with an iron fist.

Yemen's president hints he might step down

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 03:36 PM PDT

President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in a speech to thousands of supporters, says he may conditionally step aside and hand the nation over to 'safe hands.'

Pro- and antigovernment demonstrators swept through the Yemeni capital, Sana, on Friday as President Ali Abdullah Saleh said he may conditionally step aside and hand the nation to "safe hands" to avert further bloodshed after weeks of protests.

Military campaign hasn't stopped Moammar Kadafi's forces from killing Libyans, U.S. admiral says

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 02:20 PM PDT

The U.S.-led bombing campaign in Libya has not yet produced a 'change in behavior' among Moammar Kadafi's troops, Vice Admiral William Gortney says. He says the regime forces have suffered losses but remain a 'battlefield threat.'

WASHINGTON — A week into the aerial bombardment of Moammar Kadafi's forces, a U.S.-led military coalition has been unable to stop the Libyan regime from killing its own people, a senior military official said, despite a dramatic increase in the number of airstrikes.

Japan steps up nuclear plant precautions; Kan apologizes

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 05:33 AM PDT

Residents within 18 miles of the Fukushima plant are urged to leave; the previous limit had been 12 miles. The prime minister urges people to summon their courage and apologizes to farmers and business owners near the plant.

Japan's government Friday urged residents living within 18 miles of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant to voluntarily leave their homes and suggested that officials could expand the mandatory evacuation zone.

Confucius is a hometown hero again

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 12:07 AM PDT

The Chinese city of Qufu is leading a revival of the philosopher, once scorned but now embraced by communist leaders.

Confucius says, "Study the past if you would define the future."