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Tunnel Between Life and Chaos

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:59:00 +0100

A mile-long tunnel through the mountains of Japan separates devastated fishing neighborhoods from the rest of Japan, and from the world it once belonged to.

Dozens of Reactors Sit on Fault Lines

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:59:00 +0100

Dozens of nuclear reactors operate in earthquake-prone regions around the world, including at least 14 in high-hazard areas, a Wall Street Journal analysis shows.

PM thanks Queen for quake donation

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:56:00 +0100

Prime Minister John Key today thanked Queen Elizabeth II for her personal donation to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.The donation was generous and gratefully received, he said."I am sure New Zealanders will join me in...

AIG says Japan, other disaster claims to top $1 billion

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:54:00 +0100

OFUNATO, Japan (March 15, 2011) - Claims from Japan's earthquake, tsunami and related damage alone will cost AIG $700 million. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew M. Bradley/Released) (MC1 Matthew Bradley) (AP) NEW YORK -- American International Group Inc.

Yen rise curbed after G-7 pledges to support Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:50:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — The yen backed away from historic highs and Japanese shares rose Friday after the Group of Seven major industrialized nations promised coordinated intervention in currency markets to support Japan's recovery from a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

Canada, U.S. play down fears of radiation in imports

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:48:00 +0100

Nissan announces it will test its Japanese vehicles for export to reassure consumers

Japan has always transformed its traumas into fantastical history

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:48:00 +0100

A string of islands in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan has seen more than its fair share of catastrophic disasters.

Global economy faced with a new recession

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:48:00 +0100

Just when the world looked as if it was on the path to recovery, a handful of crises may set the stage for another financial meltdown

Testing finds no health threat along West Coast

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:43:00 +0100

Federal and state officials sought Friday to dispel fears of a wider danger from radioactivity spewing from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors, saying testing indicated there were no health threats along the West Coast of...

Worries about a big earthquake jolting California have shoppers stocking up on survival supplies

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:43:00 +0100

Preparing for the Big One, anxious Californians go shopping for first-aid kits, gas masks and other survival supplies. The people want gas masks. Also flashlights, batteries, iodine tablets and machetes. And Ovi Lalo is their reluctant supplier.

Gasoline prices in California edge lower, but $4 a gallon is still widespread

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:43:00 +0100

The drop of one-tenth of a penny Friday to $3.966 from the day before is little comfort to motorists in Southern California, where prices seen include $4.29 at a gas station in Santa Monica.California's average gasoline price eased to $3.966 a gallon Friday, down one-tenth of a penny from the day before, after several days of increases.

Radiation Plume Reaches U.S., but Is Said to Pose No Risk

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:40:00 +0100

Traces of very low levels of radiation from the stricken nuclear complex have been detected in Sacramento, Calif., European officials reported Friday.

Kids react with kindness toward suffering in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:39:00 +0100

From selling lemonade and art work in the United States, to $10 bracelets in quake-ravaged Haiti, children find ways to help

Politics › Kan thanks public for acting calmly, but says nuclear crisis not over

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:37:00 +0100

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that Japan's nuclear crisis still does not warrant optimism, but he believes the problems at the Fukushima Daiichi power…

Sports › Players' union renews call for delay in CL season start

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:37:00 +0100

The baseball players' union has called on the Central League to reverse its decision to open the season as scheduled on March 25 as the…

Testing finds no health threat along West Coast (AP)

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:36:00 +0100

AP - Federal and state officials sought Friday to dispel fears of a wider danger from radioactivity spewing from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors, saying testing indicated there were no health threats along the West Coast of the U.S.

Middle East crises, is it a trend? Now Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:27:00 +0100

Alarm over Japan's nuclear disaster grew on Thursday with more foreign governments advising citizens to flee Tokyo as army helicopters dumped water on the overheating plant at the centre of the crisis. Six days after a massive earthquake and tsunami plunged Japan into its worst crisis since World....

One week in, Japan pins hopes on power cable

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:24:00 +0100

Cable to deliver electricity hoped to restart reactor's cooling systems connected, while emergency measures press on Complete Coverage

Testing finds no health threat along West Coast

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:20:00 +0100

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Federal and state officials sought Friday to dispel fears of a wider danger from radioactivity spewing from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors, saying testing indicated there were no health threats along the West Coast of the U.S. Driven by winds over the Pacific Ocean, a....

Foreign Office to begin evacuating Brits from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:19:00 +0100

The Foreign Office will begin evacuating Britons from disaster-struck Japan this evening as efforts continue to bring its nuclear emergency under control. Smoke billowed from the crippled Fukushima ...

Japanese royals to miss British prince's wedding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:19:00 +0100

Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton because of the earthquake and tsunami, a report said yesterday.An ...

HBT: Ichiro donates $1.2 million to ravaged Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:16:00 +0100

That works out to around $1.2 million, depending on the current conversion rate. According to Baker the Mariners have also announced plans to match any donations made by fans or front office staffers up to $100,000 and the team’s majority owner, the Nintendo corporation, has donated around $3.7 million.

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:15:00 +0100

* Engineers engaged in race against time to repair affected power plant * Half a million people spend chilly nights under open skies TOKYO: Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis on Friday, with engineers working to restore power to a stricken power plant in what the UN’s top atomic expert said was a ‘race against time’.

Quake, super moon have Californians shopping for survival gear

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:13:00 +0100

Gas masks, freeze-dried food and machetes are being snapped up amid fears of radiation poisoning, local quakes and dark whispers about the largest moon in 20 years.The people want gas masks. Also flashlights, batteries, iodine tablets and machetes. And Ovi Lalo is their reluctant supplier.

2 from Ky. Air Guard to help in Japan relief

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:13:00 +0100

Associated Press - March 18, 2011 7:04 PM ET LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Two members of the Kentucky Air National Guard are heading to Hawaii to help the U.S.

Production affected by Japan crisis, at a glance (AP)

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:06:00 +0100

How auto companies have been affected by Japan's disaster: In Japan: • Toyota Motor Corp., which builds the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury cars in Japan, has shut its assembly plants there through at least Tuesday at the cost of about 110,000 cars and trucks. Among Japan's automakers, the company will likely be the least affected by the disaster.

Deere & Co. warns of delays due to Japan disaster (AP)

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:06:00 +0100

AP - Deere & Co., the world's largest maker of agricultural equipment, says it expects delivery delays for excavators as a result of last week's earthquake and tsunami on Japan's northeast coast.

Hiroshima survivors fear new nuclear fallout

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:01:00 +0100

The cities flattened by last week's earthquake look eerily similar to the decimated buildings Shigeko Sasamori saw after an atomic bomb was dropped on her hometown in 1945.

Japan: Record of Aftershocks After Recent Quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:01:00 +0100

1 8 de marzo de 2011, 17:06 Tokyo, Mar 18 (Prensa Latina) Japan registered a record 262 aftershocks of 5.0 or higher degrees on the Richter scale after last Friday's terrible earthquake, followed by a devastating tsunami, specialized sources reported on Friday.

Executives May Have Lost Valuable Time at Damaged Nuclear Plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:52:00 +0100

With plant workers and soldiers struggling to re-establish cooling at the crippled Japanese nuclear power plant, the question is whether time is working for them or against them.

Lessons for Japan’s Survivors: The Psychology of Recovery

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:52:00 +0100

To move past a catastrophe, people usually need to tell themselves a clear story about what happened.

Leaked radiation enters Japan's food chain

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:40:00 +0100

FUKUSHIMA, Japan - In the first sign that contamination from Japan's stricken nuclear complex had seeped into the food chain, officials said that radiation levels in spinach and milk from farms near the tsunami-crippled facility exceeded...

UN: too early to sound all-clear in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:30:00 +0100

As emergency crews struggled to stop further radiation leaks from Japan's crippled nuclear plant, senior U.N. officials on Saturday said some progress was being made but warned that it was too early to pronounce that the worst was over.

Govt to check all bridges, buildings

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:30:00 +0100

by Jeric Lopez THE rampage continues. Smart-Gilas Pilipinas stood its ground in the final period to subdue Rain or Shine, 99-94, and stretch its surge to five wins in the 2011 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Astrodome in Pasay City last night.

Nuclear plants’ mistakes covered up for decades

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:30:00 +0100

Clear skies reveal 'super moon'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:23:00 +0100

Clear skies revealed a "super moon" phenomenon on Saturday night as the Moon reached its closest point to the Earth for almost two decades.

Quake rocks Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:09:00 +0100

OSAKA: A 6.1-magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture, south of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, on Saturday, shaking buildings in Tokyo. But no tsunami warning was issued. Flights at the capital's Narita airport were suspended. — AFP Printer friendly Copyright � 2011, The Hindu.

Indian school in Tokyo closed for now

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:09:00 +0100

SINGAPORE: The Tokyo-based Global Indian International School (GIIS) has been shut down for three weeks to prepare it to face the new situation caused in Japan by a chain of disasters – a massive earthquake, a powerful tsunami, and a civil-nuclear emergency.

Japan connects power cable to troubled reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 21:07:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan: Engineers at a stricken nuclear plant in Japan managed to connect an electricity cable to one of the reactors on Saturday and battled to restore power to the cooling system to avert a full-blown meltdown.

Clear skies reveal 'super moon'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:57:00 +0100

Clear skies revealed a "super moon" phenomenon on Saturday night as the Moon reached its closest point to the Earth for almost two decades.

Tsunami survivors in town that vanished search for hope and shelter

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:52:00 +0100

On one of the most badly hit parts of Japan's coast, roads have been cleared and a supply chain is being rebuilt Yasuo Kono is digging. So are his daughter and two grandchildren. They scrape deep into the gravel beside a block of concrete that is all that remains of their former home. It is tough and, so far, unrewarding work.

Japan's exhausted nuclear staff make breakthrough

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:52:00 +0100

A fearless band of scientists and workers trying to stop a meltdown have inspired the entire country Exhausted engineers attached a power cable to the outside of Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear plant on Saturday. The operation raised hopes that it may be possible to restart the pumping of water....

Food Contamination Fears Could Harm Japanese Brands

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:50:00 +0100

Japan’s list of casualties, already long, could soon include two of the country’s iconic brands: sushi and Kobe beef.

Stress Test for the Global Supply Chain

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:50:00 +0100

Modern global supply chains are like the human body: remarkably resilient, but also vulnerable at some points. The crises in Japan expose some of those weaknesses.

Japan's radioactive food found in major local producer

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:43:00 +0100

The disclosure Saturday by Japanese authorities that milk and spinach have shown higher-than-normal levels of radiation contamination has raised concerns about food safety and supplies in one of Japan's most heavily populated regions.

Sports › Rakuten foreign players take temporary leave

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:40:00 +0100

Rakuten Eagles pitchers Kim Byung Hyun, Kelvin Jimenez and Juan Morillo have left Japan to see their families, who are worried about the effects of…

Business › Boeing says suppliers in Japan are shipping parts

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:40:00 +0100

Boeing Co says its Japanese suppliers are still shipping some of its airplane parts, and it has several weeks' worth of parts in its inventory.…

Business › Petronas to ship emergency LNG supply to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:40:00 +0100

Malaysia's state-owned oil company Petronas said Saturday it will immediately ship additional supplies of liquefied natural gas to Japan to help meet urgent demands in…

Politics › Gov't to revise child allowance, expressway tolls for quake relief

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:40:00 +0100

The government and the ruling coalition parties have decided to revise some key policies planned for fiscal 2011, including child allowances, to secure funds for…

Radioactive iodine found in Tokyo water

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:21:00 +0100

As looming nuclear crisis threatens Japan, the government says small amounts of radioactive iodine have been detected in tap water in Tokyo and five other areas, Press TV reported.

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:21:00 +0100

In the first sign that contamination from Japan's stricken nuclear complex had seeped into the food chain, officials said Saturday that radiation ...

N. Korea boosts observation system to deal with future earthquakes

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:13:00 +0100

BEIJING - North Korea has strengthened its nationwide seismological observation system to deal with possible q...

'Whale Wars' activist survives quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:13:00 +0100

Edmonds, Washington (CNN) -- Scott West went to Japan expecting trouble. A veteran anti-porpoise hunting activist, West documents and protests the killing of the mammals. His actions are deeply unpopular in many of the Japanese coastal communities that cling to the tradition of catching and eating whale.

Angolan embassy temporarily closed

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0100

Luanda, Luanda The embassy of Angola to Japan has temporarily suspended its services due to the crisis hitting the Asian country, following the earthquake, tsunami and an explosion in the Fukushima nuclear plant, 250 kilometres of the capital, Tokyo. The information was released by the embassy’s....

Japan's earthquake, radiation threats take toll on tourism

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:50:00 +0100

The devastating earthquake and tsunami, a growing death toll and search for missing persons, and an evolving nuclear radiation threat are causing many travelers to cancel trips to Japan.

Japan - latest update

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:50:00 +0100

Transport Buses from Sendai to Tokyo The British Embassy has now operated five buses from Sendai to Tokyo. They have carried 61 British Nationals, 15 dependents and 31 people of other nationalities. Our Ambassador and consular staff have welcomed passengers on arrival in Tokyo and helped British nationals with onward travel arrangements.

West Sussex firefighters talk of "concentrated destruction"

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:46:00 +0100

Sussex firefighters heading home from their rescue mission in Japan said they had never seen such concentrated destruction before.

Kenyan evacuees arrive from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:44:00 +0100

The first group of Kenyans evacuated from Japan arrived in the country on Saturday.

Quake, tsunami toll nears 20,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:42:00 +0100

THE number of people confirmed dead or listed as missing in Japan neared 20,000 today, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

Japan 'eight-day survivor' was evacuee returning home

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:38:00 +0100

A man thought to have survived for eight days in the rubble of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami zone was actually an evacuee who had returned to his house, a military spokesman said Saturday.

MMDA holds quake preparedness drill

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:37:00 +0100

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said they have a contingency plan in place if a major earthquake occurs in the Philippine capital of Manila.

Melindo scores 1st Round KO in Pinoy Pride

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:37:00 +0100

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino flyweight Milan “Metodico” Melindo stopped his Mexican foe in just 1 round in the main event of Pinoy Pride 4 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel on Saturday.

Radiation found in Japanese milk, spinach

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:35:00 +0100

Japanese officials said Saturday that radiation levels in spinach and milk from farms near the tsunami-crippled facility exceeded government safety limits.

In harbor town, Japan begins to control chaos

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:21:00 +0100

What a difference just four days can make. As the full might of Japan's industrial and technological prowess descends upon the earthquake- and ...

5.9 quake hits south of stricken Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:14:00 +0100

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

Power hopes rise at Japan plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:14:00 +0100

Engineers at a stricken nuclear plant in Japan managed to connect an electricity cable to one of the reactors today and battled to restore power to the cooling system to avert a full-blown meltdown.

Sports › JRA back on track in Hanshin, Kokura

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:09:00 +0100

The Japan Racing Association held its first races since last week's earthquake on Saturday at the Hanshin and Kokura tracks, with the proceeds going to…

Time to take arms against a sea of troubles: the world may be too weak ...

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:00:00 +0100

and resulting that struck Japan on March 11 could be one of the costliest earthquakes in Japan's , if not the , said the Insurance Information Institute. "Losses from today's earthquake are going to be measured in the many billions of dollars. The question is where will 2011-03-14 Business Insider Bill Witherell, Cumberland Advisors | Mar.

Japan's dead, missing toll nears 20,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:53:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed dead or listed as missing in Japan neared 20,000 on Saturday, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami.

Fear of epidemics among earthquake survivors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:52:00 +0100

Doctors fear that thousands who survived the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami are at risk.

Honda suspends May orders from US dealers

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:49:00 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — Honda is suspending May orders for Japan-made vehicles from U.S. dealers following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The carmaker told Honda and Acura dealers an e-mail Thursday vehicles produced in May might be needed to fill existing orders that have been delayed due to the disruption.

Japan sees some stabilisation in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:44:00 +0100

One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilise as Japan raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a greater catastrophe.

Japan earthquake: Key developments

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:43:00 +0100

Following are the main developments after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated northeast Japan and crippled a nuclear power station, raising the risk of uncontrolled radiation. - Engineers successfully attach a power cable to the outside of the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant in a first step....

UPDATE1: Yang asks Kan, Matsumoto to visit China later this year

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:42:00 +0100

KYOTO - (EDS: ADDING DETAILS) Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Saturday invited his Japanese...

Japan: Aid agencies stress need for psychosocial support, help for the elderly - OCHA sitrep #8

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:41:00 +0100

Date: 19 Mar 2011 Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

IAEA: Japan mulls food ban near nuclear plant due to radioactive contamination

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:38:00 +0100

Taken as pills or syrup, stable (non-radioactive) iodine can be used to help protect against thyroid cancer in the event of radiation exposure in a nuclear accident. "Though radioactive iodine has a short half-life of about eight days and decays naturally within a matter of weeks, there is a....

Japan: New Concerns in Nuclear Crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:38:00 +0100

19 de marzo de 2011, 11:40 Tokyo, Mar 19 (Prensa Latina) New concerns were added to the nuclear crisis in Japan on Saturday after excessive radiation in food was reported, while the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami stood at more than 7,300.

Radiation Contaminates Japanese Foods

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:37:00 +0100

Japan is considering halting the sale of all food products from around the site of a nuclear power plant damaged by a tsunami a week ago, according to the UN nuclear watchdog.

How big was the Tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:36:00 +0100

This picture taken by a Miyako City official on March 11, 2011 and released on March 18, 2011 shows a tsunami breeching an embankment and flowing into the city of Miyako in Iwate prefecture shortly ...

Market volatility goes beyond Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:36:00 +0100

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have created economic aftershocks around the world, with markets swaying and wobbling. But the ebb and flow of North American stocks this week should not be ...

Japan earthquake: Survivors battle disease and hunger

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:21:00 +0100

Japan's emergency services are struggling to cope as freezing weather, a lack of medicines and insanitary conditions make survival a challenge.

Taiwan to take extra measures in dealing with Japan disaster: official

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:20:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Taiwan will take additional contingency measures in the wake of the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang said yesterday.

Power to nuke plant's cooling system almost restored: gov't agency

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:20:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Exhausted engineers attached a power cable to the outside of Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear plant on Saturday in a desperate attempt to get water pumps going that would cool down overheated fuel rods and prevent the deadly spread of radiation.

Gov't to help local sectors affected by Japan quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:20:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The government will provide assistance to Taiwan industries affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, helping with matters such as obtaining loans and finding alternative markets, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.

Earthquake fails to end political feuding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:20:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japan tried and failed on Saturday to form a crisis cabinet to tackle its biggest challenge since World War II, unable to overcome a political divide even in the face of an epic natural disaster.

1st undersea quake detection system to be installed: CWB

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:20:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) announced yesterday that Taiwan will complete installation of its first undersea quake detection system in June and put it into operation in October.

Fukushima water tested above safe limit 2 days ago

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:19:00 +0100

Japan's Health Ministry says radioactive iodine in drinking water in Fukushima prefecture was at one point above government safety limits.

Actions of Apache, Broncos unacceptable

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:18:00 +0100

It's understandable that the Sendai 89ers, whose home region was devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, won't continue play this season. But the Tokyo Apache and Saitama Broncos, Sendai's Eastern Conference rivals in the bj-league, appear to have not thought things through or come up....

Nuke leaks reach food, water, milk

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:12:00 +0100

The Japanese government has revealed that leaking radioactivity has reached the food chain.

Meltdown risk fades, Japan food tainted

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:02:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 19 (UPI) -- Japanese officials said Saturday radiation has been found in milk and spinach but voiced hope of avoiding a meltdown in the Fukushima reactors.

Japan disaster dead, missing toll top 18,600

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:58:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan: The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police agency topped 18,600 on Saturday, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

IAEA warns of risks in radioactive tainted food

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:58:00 +0100

VIENNA - UN nuclear watchdog IAEA warned Saturday of the risks to humans of ingesting contaminated food products, after Japan said it had detected abnormal levels of radioactivity in milk and spinach.

Japan earthquake and tsunami: Radiation found in food and water near Fukushima nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:50:00 +0100

Workers are close to connecting cooling systems to a new power line at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, as radiation from the plant was found in spinach and milk.

The 175,000-tonne ship lifted up and dumped on the harbour side like a bit of driftwood by the Japanese tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:50:00 +0100

This is the 175,000-tonne ship that was lifted up by Friday's tsunami and dumped on top of a pier in Japan. The Asia Symphony lies on the dock promenade Kamaishi.

The Caucus: Obama’s N.C.A.A. Bracket Is One of the Best

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:49:00 +0100

The president’s N.C.A.A. men’s basketball bracket is 16th among thousands of NYTimes.com entries.

Japan cites progress stabilizing nuclear plant; radiation found in milk, spinach

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:46:00 +0100

Japanese officials said progress was being made in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant even as trace radiation contamination was found in milk and spinach in nearby areas

Japan Britons to get iodine tablets

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:38:00 +0100

British Embassy officials are distributing iodine tablets to Britons in Japan as “a precaution” in case radiation levels increase following the earthquake that devastated the country, the Foreign Office said today.

Engineers close to restoring power at Fukushima

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:35:00 +0100

Japanese engineers on Saturday inched closer to connecting power at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear plants, north of the Japanese capital, so as to restore the damaged cooling system to the dangerously overheated nuclear fuel.

AIT to resume visa application service Monday

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:34:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) will resume routine visa services for Taiwanese citizens on Monday, March 21, after closing for one day on March 18 to provide support for Americans evacuated from disaster-stricken Japan, it said yesterday.

Japan nuclear crisis: Closer to stabilization, but what about food supply?

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:33:00 +0100

The most dangerous of Japan’s stricken nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant appeared to stabilize Saturday, according to Japanes authorities.

New Yorkers express solidarity

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

NEW YORK (Kyodo) More than 100 New Yorkers and others from the international community crammed into a church in front of the United Nations on Friday to show their support for Japanese victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami at a prayer service, which was followed by a candlelight vigil.

Oita fires coach Hepp after American players leave

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

L.J. Hepp wanted to set the record straight about his unexpected departure from the Oita HeatDevils. This took place during a late-night conversation on Friday with The Japan Times, when the basketball coach said the team fired him earlier in the week due to events beyond his control.

Lowdown on nuclear crisis and potential scenarios

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

Frantic efforts to cool down the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant's overheating reactors and spent fuel rods are continuing, as workers rush to prevent highly toxic radiation from being released into the atmosphere. Below are questions and answers regarding the stricken reactors and spent fuel pools:

Magnitude 5 aftershocks broke record

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

A record 262 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater were registered in the seven days following the 9.0-magnitude Tohoku temblor on March 11, according to the Meteorological Agency. The frequency of aftershocks of that magnitude until noon Friday was the highest recorded in Japan and more than 2.5 times the frequency detected after a magnitude 8.

Kano plans to compete in NYC

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) Yuri Kano will carry with her the scenes of devastation from Japan when she runs in the New York City Half-Marathon. And she hopes her performance Sunday will boost the spirits of those back home. Kano had been struggling to concentrate on running after last Friday's earthquake and tsunami and started to think of how she could help.

Horse racing back on track

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

OSAKA (Kyodo) The Japan Racing Association held its first races since last week's earthquake on Saturday at the Hanshin and Kokura tracks, with the proceeds going to the victims of the nation's worst natural disaster. Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture will remain closed at least until the end....

MLB family reaching out to help Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

The relationship between Japan and Major League Baseball stretches back over a century with a number of highs and lows dotting the landscape along the way. So after seeing the destruction wrought by last week's 9.0 magnitude earthquake and the devastating tsunami that followed, MLB has stepped to....

ISU gives JSF deadline on new plan for worlds

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:32:00 +0100

ROME (AP) The International Skating Union will consider moving the world figure skating championships if Japanese organizers are unable to commit to hosting the event at a later date by Monday. The championships were scheduled to begin next week in Tokyo but were postponed due to the earthquake and tsunami that have left the country in crisis.

The 175,000-tonne ship lifted up and dumped on the harbour side like a bit of driftwood by the Japanese tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:28:00 +0100

No matter how bad things get, life always goes on - even among survivors in the rubble strewn wastelands of north east Japan.

Japan disaster toll tops 18,600

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:26:00 +0100

THE number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police has topped 18,600.

Dominican Republic should improve its structures to seismic hazards

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:23:00 +0100

Santiago.– Dominican and foreign experts who gathered in Santiago de los Caballeros to discuss the effects of

Super Full Moon to Grace Bulgaria Sky

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:20:00 +0100

Assuming clouds don't get in the way, people across Bulgaria will be able to gaze Saturday night at the biggest full moon in nearly two decades. "The Moon will rise just after the sunset, in a direction opposite to the direction of the sunset. So people can look for it over the eastern horizon,"....

Japan's nuke leak reaches food chain

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:18:00 +0100

Japan's government has revealed that radioactivity leaking from a stricken nuclear plant has reached the food chain.

Japan: charities work under threat of nuclear meltdown

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

As charities work to help the millions affected by Japan's tsunami, Save the Children's Andrew Wander writes for Channel 4 News about the challenges of making "child friendly spaces" amid the carnage.

Iran sends plane to bring back nationals from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:13:00 +0100

Iran's national carrier Iran Air has sent an emergency plane to bring back Iranian nationals from Japan, after the country was hit by a devastating quake and tsunami, Press TV reported.

FOCUS: Disaster takes focus off Japan's rows with neighbors, may improve ties

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:11:00 +0100

By Maya Kaneko, KYOTO - The gigantic earthquake and subsequent tsunami that inflicted an unprecedented crisis on Japan could...

Japan earthquake and tsunami: Fukushima nulear plant radiation leak could kill people

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:06:00 +0100

The boss of the company behind the devastated Japanese nuclear reactor today broke down in tears as his country finally acknowledged that some of its citizens will die from the radiation spewing from the over-heating reactors and fuel rods.

PayPal And eBay Users Raise $1M Towards Japan Earthquake And Tsunami Relief

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:06:00 +0100

Similar to the relief efforts surrounding the Haiti earthquake last year, technology companies are actively encouraging their users to donate to campaigns coordinating relief efforts in Japan, which suffered a massive earthquake and tsunami a little over a week ago.

Japan crisis adds to volatile mix of global growth threats

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:04:00 +0100

Middle East could turn back the global economy at a time when recovery remains extremely fragile. Private economists have been largely sanguine about the global repercussions of the devastating ...

France evacuates 977 nationals from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:01:00 +0100

PARIS, March 19 (KUNA) -- France said Saturday that it has evacuated 977 of its remaining nationals in Japan, after the country was affected with a severe earthquake and radiation leakage from damaged nuclear sites. Some six flights over a two-day period were provided to French nationals, who were....

Japan Britons are handed iodine

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:56:00 +0100

Officials are distributing iodine tablets to Britons in parts of Japan in case radiation levels increase after a quake damaged a nuclear power plant.

Japan sees some stabilization in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:55:00 +0100

TOKYO - One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilize Saturday as Japan raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a catastrophic release of radiation. Engineers reported some rare

Routine among the rubble: The 420,000 homeless tsunami survivors making do with life in the waste lands of Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:51:00 +0100

No matter how bad things get, life always goes on - even among survivors in the rubble strewn wastelands of north east Japan.

Solace for some in the nuclear science

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:47:00 +0100

The few, seemingly miraculous, stories of survival are passed on from person to person, and some are given as much media coverage as the horrific devastation. The rescue of a 60-year-old man from the roof of his house, washed 15 km out to sea; the survival of a 4-month-old girl who was swept away....

Japanese lessons on reducing disaster risk

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:47:00 +0100

MANILA — The March 11 earthquake-tsunami is the worst natural disaster to hit Japan in modern times. Nobody who has watched the events of recent days can fail to be moved by the unprecedented scope of the tragedy and its toll on human lives and property — a toll that continues to climb.

Planning pays off as NHK takes its quake news global

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:47:00 +0100

"The Shibuya, Tokyo, studio is now shaking extremely strongly. The Shibuya, Tokyo, studio is shaking strongly." So said announcer Kenzo Ito after turning to face a studio camera that had just gone live on NHK. It was 2:48 p.m. on the afternoon of March 11.

This awful tragedy will show Japan's true character to the world

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:47:00 +0100

Some people look for moral lessons in disasters, concentrating on a baby pulled out of the rubble of an earthquake days after it struck and calling it a "miracle." But a tsunami of the scale that crashed against the manmade seawalls along the Pacific Coast of the Tohoku region in northeast Japan left no room for morality or miracles.

Local broadcasters remain calm during the quake crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:47:00 +0100

More than a week after the massive earthquake and tsunami of March 11, Japan's commercial broadcasters are still weighing the crisis as it develops. The weekend following the catastrophe, all planned programming was canned for round-the-clock coverage of the tragedy, and whatever you want to say....

Blackouts expose ill-preparedness

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:47:00 +0100

About a year ago I was in Bali, Indonesia, when the electricity suddenly went off in my district of Ubud. It was a rolling blackout because of a power shortage. Are the managers of Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s grid at the same level of Bali? Yes, there was a once-in-a-lifetime earthquake followed by a....

Tourists gone, bikes back in once-popular Japan town

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:37:00 +0100

TONO, Japan - More than a week after an earthquake and tsunami smashed much of Japan's northeast coast to pulp, a small tourist town tucked safely between mountains has ground nearly to a halt.

PM signs book of condolence for Japan quake victims

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:37:00 +0100

Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong on Saturday signed a book of condolence at the Japanese Embassy to Laos in Vientiane, to express sympathy for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 1. More

Japan cites progress in efforts to stabilize Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant; radiation found in milk, spinach

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:34:00 +0100

Japanese officials said Saturday that progress was being made toward stabilizing the rapidly deteriorating Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant even as radiation contamination was found in milk and spinach in nearby areas

Power line connected to stricken Japan reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:29:00 +0100

Crews fighting to cool reactors at a stricken Japanese nuclear plant managed to connect a power line on Saturday as the government revealed that leaking radioactivity had reached the food chain.

Japan Britons to get iodine tablets

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:23:00 +0100

British Embassy officials are distributing iodine tablets to Britons in Japan as "a precaution" in case radiation levels increase following the earthquake that devastated the country, the Foreign Office has said.

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:21:00 +0100

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) Japan said radiation levels in spinach and milk from farms near its tsunami-crippled nuclear complex exceeded government safety limits, as emergency teams scrambled Saturday to restore power to the plant so it could cool dangerously overheated fuel. The food was taken from farms as far as .

Japan earthquake and tsunami: Toshihito Aisawa, 9, searching for his family in Ishinomaki

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:20:00 +0100

Clutching hand-written signs bearing the names of his missing relatives, Toshihito Aisawa has spent the past week wandering the corridors of refugee centres.

Wolf Blitzer's Notebook: Behind the scenes on Clinton's trip

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:19:00 +0100

The democracy revolution in North Africa and the Middle East started here when an unemployed college grad set himself on fire, dying in his protest of the lack of jobs in Tunisia.

Survivors Attempt Dignified Farewell For Deceased

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:18:00 +0100

The earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Japan's northeast have torn the social fabric of many communities and wrought havoc on the normal cycles of life and death. In the northern city of Kesennuma, members of the community are struggling to maintain dignity and respect as they send off the deceased.

Japan halts sale of food from near Fukushima

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:13:00 +0100

VIENNA (Reuters) - Japan has halted sales of food products from near a crippled nuclear plant because of contamination by a radioactive element which can pose a short-term health risk, the U.N. atomic agency said on Saturday.

Quake-hit Japanese towns overwhelmed with bodies

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:04:00 +0100

Quake and tsunami ravaged communities in northeastern Japan struggled to cope with an influx of bodies Saturday while a glimmer of hope was short-lived when news of a rescue from the rubble eight ...

Radiation levels high in food, Japan fights n-fallout

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:04:00 +0100

Japan Saturday said radiation levels in food items were much higher than normal limits near its tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant as workers struggled to restore power to it to prevent a ...

In Japanese Port Town, Hope Rises Amid Devastation

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:47:00 +0100

Prime minister vows to ‘rebuild nation from scratch’ as estimates of cost of earthquake, tsunami reach upward of $120 billion

Disaster in Japan: Latest developments, Mar. 19

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:46:00 +0100

Up-to-date information on the continuing crisis following the catastrophic March 11 quake and tsunami

Japan earthquake and tsunami: Toshihito Aisawa, 9, searching for his family in Ishinomaki

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:43:00 +0100

Clutching hand-written signs bearing the names of his missing relatives, Toshihito Aisawa has spent the past week wandering the corridors of refugee centres.

UPDATE3: Kan's grand coalition offer shunned by opposition leader

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:41:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan tried unsuccessfully Saturday to talk opposition leader Sadakazu Tanigaki i...

Remarks to media by Japan, China, S. Korea foreign ministers

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:41:00 +0100

KYOTO - The following is an excerpt of remarks made by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto, Chinese ...

Remarks to media by Japan, China, S. Korea foreign ministers -2-

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:41:00 +0100

KYOTO - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi: ''I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the effor...

Background briefing of Japan, China, S. Korea foreign ministerial meeting

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:41:00 +0100

KYOTO - The following is an unofficial translation of an excerpt from the background briefing of a meeting o...

Putin in Sakhalin to discuss energy, aid to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:40:00 +0100

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is visiting the Far Eastern island of Sakhalin to discuss the development of local energy enterprises and also to check the impact of the Japanese nuclear disaster on the Russian...

Springtime excitement in the garden

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:37:00 +0100

Hepatica acuitloba is a delightful spring-flowering perennial with dainty flowers and glossy foliage. It creates a sense of quiet joy and excitment when it blooms after a hard winter. Courtesy of Gene Bush By / March 19, 2011 Gene Bush It is said that a teacher will appear when you are ready to learn.

Some Coal-Fired Plants Back Online

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:37:00 +0100

A major unit at one of Japan's largest coal-fired power plants was brought back online early Saturday, helping ease power shortages that have crippled Japan's industrial activity and hampered cleanup efforts since the March 11 earthquake.

Japan earthquake: Why the Asian nation will rebound from temblor and tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:37:00 +0100

The Japan earthquake and tsunami will take years to recover from. But few peoples are as resilient and socially cohesive as the Japanese.

Report: 26 killed in Libya after Gadhafi forces strike rebel-held Benghazi

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:33:00 +0100

The United States cannot and should not immerse itself in every conflict but we cannot afford to do nothing either. History has shown that only when America takes the lead have brutality, oppression, and genocide ended. It was America whose strength brought down Hitler’s Germany, the Facists in....

Japan Quake Death Toll Stands at 7,197

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:30:00 +0100

19 de marzo de 2011, 09:19 Tokyo, Mar 19 (Prensa Latina) The death toll from JapanÂï¿½s earthquake and tsunami now stands at 7,197, while 10,905 people were still missing, police reported Saturday.

IAEA: Japan halts sale of Fukushima area food products

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:25:00 +0100

VIENNA - Japan confirmed the presence of radioactive iodine contamination in food products from near a crippled nuclear plant and ordered a halt to the sale of such products from the area, the U.N. nuclear body said on Saturday. In what it called another

Fukushima: Situation still a worry

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:22:00 +0100

A woman is helped by relatives as she walks towards a makeshift morgue to identify a body in Rifu, Miyagi prefecture on March 19 eight days after a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan. "After a week of overall deterioration, we are now in a position of stabilisation which....

Radioactive traces in Tokyo water

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:20:00 +0100

Discovery comes after Japan banned sales of some food from the area of the Fukushima power plant and engineers battled to cool a overheated reactor The Japanese government has reported that trace amounts of radioactive iodine have been detected in tap water in Tokyo and five other areas, amid....

Japanese Crematoriums Overwhelmed By Demand

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:17:00 +0100

Latest Japan numbers reveal nearly 7,200 dead and 11,000 missing (AHN)

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

(AHN) - According to Japanese authorities nearly 7,200 are dead and more than 10,900 are missing after last week's powerful earthquake and deadly tsunami.

Japan connects power cable in race to stop radiation

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:09:00 +0100

03/20/2011 OSAKA — Engineers at a stricken nuclear plant in Japan yesterday managed to connect an electricity cable to one of the reactors and battled to restore power to the cooling system to avert a full-blown meltdown. The announcement offered some hope of a breakthrough in efforts to prevent a....

Japan says food produced near leaking nuclear plant may have unsafe radiation

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:09:00 +0100

While the radiation levels exceeded the limits allowed by the government, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano insisted the products “pose no immediate health risk.” Firefighters also pumped tons of water directly from the ocean into one of the most troubled areas of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear....

Japan halts sale of food from near Fukushima

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:09:00 +0100

Japan has halted sales of food products from near a crippled nuclear plant because of contamination by a radioactive element which can pose a short-term health risk, the UN atomic agency said on Saturday.

AIG unit forecasts Japan quake loss of $700-M in Q1

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:07:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - Insurer AIG said Friday that Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami disaster would cost its Chartis subsidiary $700 million in the first quarter of 2011.

German leader urges common EU nuclear safety standards

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:03:00 +0100

) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Saturday for common safety standards at all Europe's nuclear plants to avoid incidents such in Japan, which fears a reactor meltdown after a huge ...

Japan boosts efforts to regain control of unstable Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0100

Japanese emergency workers ramped up efforts Saturday to stabilize the rapidly deteriorating Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, racing to restore electrical power to portions of the facility and setting up an automated water cannon to drench two reactors for up to seven consecutive hours.

Japan halts sale of Fukushima area food products

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:59:00 +0100

Japan confirmed the presence of radioactive iodine contamination in food products from near a crippled nuclear plant and ordered a halt to the sale of such products from the area, the U.N. nuclear body said on Saturday.

GM to assess Japan parts problems in 2 weeks

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:54:00 +0100

The largest US carmaker is assessing possible bottlenecks that Japan's woes could cause for GM factories around the globe.

Japan tragedy seared into the world's imagination

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:51:00 +0100

There are events in history that sear themselves into the world's collective imagination, and enter the realm where myth meets heartbreaking reality.

Japan tsunami video: Moment coast guard crew spot wave after earthquake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:50:00 +0100

Video has emerged of a Japanese coast guard vessel being hit by the tsunami in the Pacific. The vessel safely crests the wave, but its crew can only warn their countrymen.

Japan crisis adds to volatile mix of growth threats

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:49:00 +0100

The decision by G7 countries to intervene against the yen reflects growing concern that Japan's nuclear disaster and conflicts in Libya and the oil-rich Middle East could turn back the global economy at a time when recovery remains extremely fragile.

IAEA: Japan halts sale of Fukushima area food products

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:42:00 +0100

VIENNA (Reuters) - Japan confirmed the presence of radioactive iodine contamination in food products from near a crippled nuclear plant and ordered a halt to the sale of such products from the area, the U.N. nuclear body said on Saturday.

FM annotates condolence register at Japan's Embassy

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:40:00 +0100

{mosimage}TUNIS, March. 19, 2011 (TAP) - Foreign Minister Mouldi Kéfi went on Saturday morning to Japan's Embassy in Tunis to annotate the condolence register, opened at the Embassy after the violent earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan recently .

Stark differences in TMI, Japan nuclear crises

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:35:00 +0100

Japan's nuclear crisis has transported residents of central Pennsylvania back 32 years, when the partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant raised fears that a massive amount of radiation could be released...

Japan Death Toll Rises Above 7,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:32:00 +0100

Police said Saturday they have confirmed the death of 7,300 people, but nearly 11,000 more are still missing

Prince William tours disaster hit Australia

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:29:00 +0100

Britain’s Prince William toured northeast Australia Saturday, commiserating with locals during a low-key tour officials hope will boost spirits after a series of natural disasters.

Japan tsunami video: Moment coast guard crew spot wave after earthquake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:20:00 +0100

Video has emerged of a Japanese coast guard vessel being hit by the tsunami in the Pacific. The vessel safely crests the wave, but its crew can only warn their countrymen.

Death toll in Japan exceeds 7000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:18:00 +0100

March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 7,348 people dead and 10,947 others unaccounted for in Japan.

Pakistanis living around nuclear plants in Japan move to safer places : FO Spokesperson

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:14:00 +0100

Tehmina Janjua said there was neither an emergency situation in Japan nor the government has announced so, however, with regard to incidents at nuclear plants, the government has taken numerous safety measures. Responding to queries in a private TV Channel programme, she said Pakistanis in affected....

Malaysian seaman stranded in Sendai returns home

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:10:00 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian seaman who was stranded in Japan after his ship left Sendai port following the massive e...

UPDATE3: Relief efforts for victims, nuke crisis continue in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:10:00 +0100

TOKYO - Relief efforts for the survivors of the massive earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Japan's northeas...

Background briefing of Japan-China foreign ministerial meeting

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:10:00 +0100

KYOTO - The following is an unofficial translation of an excerpt from the background briefing of a meeting o...

Gist of Japan-China foreign ministerial meeting

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:10:00 +0100

KYOTO - The following is the gist of the bilateral meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumo...

UPDATE2: S. Korea vows maximum support for quake-hit Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:10:00 +0100

KYOTO - South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kim Sung Hwan vowed Saturday that Seoul will offer '...

Power restored at one of plant's reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:07:00 +0100

ENGINEERS were last night able to restore electricity to one of the reactors at the crippled Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant.

Elderly succumb to cold in poorly heated shelters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:07:00 +0100

THE death toll from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami climbed to more than 7300 yesterday with fears for more than 11,000 people still missing.

Japanese struggle in aftermath of earthquake and tsunami - in pictures

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:06:00 +0100

Lastest images from Japan as its people deal with the hardship caused by the 11 March disaster

Indian equities slide on rate hike, political turmoil

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:04:00 +0100

Benchmark indices of Indian equities markets closed deep in the red for the second consecutive week amid acute volatility as political uncertainty coupled with interest rates hike and the Japan crisis dampened investor sentiment.

Japan crisis adds to volatile mix of global growth threats

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:04:00 +0100

Japanese search the rubble for dead before cleanup

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:01:00 +0100

ONAGAWA, Japan (AP) — A cold wind blowing at her back, Tayo Kitamura knelt beside her mother's body and pressed her palm against the blue plastic tarp rescue workers had just wrapped the corpse in. She leaned in as if to hug the body, then closed her eyes tightly as tears slid down her cheeks.

Japan tragedy seared into the world's imagination

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 14:01:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — There are events in history that sear themselves into the world's collective imagination, and enter the realm where myth meets heartbreaking reality. Japan's tragedy is one of those events. Already, it seems reasonable to surmise it could prove one of the most significant calamities of....

JAPAN - Bishop of Sendai: Thank you for your prayers and support

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:52:00 +0100

Aid centre to help "bear witness to God's love" to those affected and suffering. Special issue of the Catholic weekly on the disaster, only distributed on the Internet because it impossible to print and post. March 24 a special bishops meeting on the emergency. Battle to cool the reactor in Fukushima continues.

Cautious optimism in Japan's nuke crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 19 (UPI) -- Japanese officials expressed cautious optimism Saturday about the struggle to avoid a nuclear meltdown in three damaged reactors in Fukushima.

Cautious optimism in Japan's nuke crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:44:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 19 (UPI) -- Japanese officials expressed cautious optimism Saturday about the struggle to avoid a nuclear meltdown in three damaged reactors in Fukushima. Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa told the Kyodo news agency conditions at the reactors...

Radiation in food up to 65 miles from Japan plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:42:00 +0100

Gov't cites radiation in milk, spinach, but says not enough to pose health risk Complete coverage

Peninsula in Japan moves 5.3 meters since earthquake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:41:00 +0100

The Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture has moved 5.3 meters and dropped 1.2 meters since the devastating March 11 earthquake.

Bodies deluge quake-hit Japanese towns

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:40:00 +0100

photos available Tokyo - Quake- and tsunami-ravaged communities in north- eastern Japan struggled to cope with an influx of bodies on Saturday while a glimmer of hope was short-lived when news of a rescue from the rubble eight days after the quake proved unfounded. Morgues and crematoria in the disaster zone have been overwhelmed with bodies.

German leader urges common EU nuclear safety standards

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:39:00 +0100

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Saturday for common safety standards at all Europe's nuclear plants to avoid incidents such in Japan, which fears a reactor meltdown after a huge quake.

Nuclear fears compound misery of Japan survivors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:36:00 +0100

MIYAKO - The nuclear crisis in Japan has struck fear and disbelief into quake and tsunami survivors who can barely take in the idea that a third life-threatening disaster might come their way.

Quake hits south of Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:34:00 +0100

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake has rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture, but no tsunami warning was issued.

New earthquake near Japan nuclear station

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:33:00 +0100

3/19/2011 - 11:36:55 AM Northern Japan has been hit by an earthquake, not far from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. First reports give it a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale. There are no immediate reports of damage and no tsunami threat. Earlier, engineers at Fukushima managed to put in a....

Clear skies to reveal 'super moon'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:33:00 +0100

3/19/2011 - 11:30:02 AM Clear skies are expected to reveal a "super moon" phenomenon today as the Moon reaches its closest point to the Earth for almost two decades. Star gazers will be hoping to see a bigger and brighter Moon than normal as it reaches the closest point to the Earth, referred to as a lunar perigee, since 1992.

We should always fear our unstable planet

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:31:00 +0100

There are no major unstable fault lines running through Ireland. We never get an earthquake so bad that it couldn't be mistaken for a bus going past. The disaster in Japan presents a ...

McGowan helpless as pal searches for missing family members in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:25:00 +0100

Actress ROSE MCGOWAN is feeling a special connection to the earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan - her stunt double has lost family members in the tragedies.

Another earthquake hits Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:20:00 +0100

19.03.2011, 14.57 TOKYO, March 19 (Itar-Tass) -- Another earthquake with magnitude 6.1 took place on Saturday in the area to the north-east of Tokyo, where the growth of seismic activity was registered during the past few days, the national weather forecasting service reports.

Japan connects power cable to troubled reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:19:00 +0100

Engineers at a stricken nuclear plant in Japan managed to connect an electricity cable to one of the reactors Saturday and battled to restore power to the cooling system to avert a full-blown meltdown.

A Tale Of Two Dogs Is Testament To Japan's Humanity

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:15:00 +0100

An animal rescue group says, "helping the pets in Japan is to help people. All of us who are animal lovers can relate to what it would feel like to be reunited with a pet after a disaster."

5.9-magnitude quake hits south of stricken Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:12:00 +0100

OSAKA - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

South Korea Steps Up Aid Effort to Japan After Disasters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:09:00 +0100

Despite often rocky relationship between two nations, Koreans eager to help Japanese victims, aid groups say

Death toll tops 7,000, still 11,000 missing from Japan''s quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:05:00 +0100

(With Photos) TOKYO, Mar 19 (KUNA) -- The confirmed death toll from a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami on March 11 that hit northeastern and eastern Japan has jumped to 7,197 and 10,905 others people remained missing as of Saturday, the government announced.

M 6.1 quake jolts Tokyo vicinity

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:05:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 19 (KUNA) -- A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale shook eastern Japan near Tokyo on Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. There were no immediate reports of casualties. No tsunami warning was issued for the 6:56 p.m. (0956) quake, the agency said.

National › Lower temperatures reported at nuclear reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0100

Officials on Saturday reported some stability and lower-than-anticipated temperatures at crisis-hit reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant as anticrisis efforts continued. Chief Cabinet Secretary…

Kenya closes embassy in Japan over nuclear radiation

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:57:00 +0100

Kenya has temporarily closed its embassy in Japan following high levels of nuclear radiation which is as a result of last week's earthquake and Tsunami. A statement from Kenya's Foreign Affairs Ministry on Friday further advised Kenyans living in Japan to consider leaving the country.

Private Companies on Standby to Aid in Evacuations From Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:54:00 +0100

Security firms that specialize in civilian rescue ops say despite horrific scenes, country better prepared than almost any other nation

US Military Sends Ships, Aircraft to Japan Relief Effort

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:47:00 +0100

Some of the thousands of US troops stationed in Japan are also involved in the relief effort

JAPAN : Power line connected to Fukushima nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:41:00 +0100

Japan Engineers were able to connect a power line to the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant on Saturday, raising hopes that the damaged reactors could be cooledto avoid a meltdown, and further radiation contaimnation. Relief efforts continue amid fuel shortages in the north of the country for the....

Gov't to revise child allowance, expressway tolls for quake relief

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0100

TOKYO - The government and the ruling coalition parties have decided to revise some key policies planned for...

UPDATE2: Kan's bipartisan offer shunned by opposition leader

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan tried unsuccessfully Saturday to talk opposition leader Sadakazu Tanigaki i...

UPDATE1: S. Korea vows maximum support for quake-hit Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0100

KYOTO - South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kim Sung Hwan vowed Saturday that Seoul will offer '...

UPDATE4: Tainted foodstuffs but also some good signs found in Japan nuke crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0100

TOKYO - Excessive radiation was found Saturday in milk and spinach in Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures, whi...

Opening remarks at Japan-China foreign ministerial meeting

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0100

KYOTO - The following is an unofficial translation of remarks by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto...

Yang asks Kan, Matsumoto to visit China later this year

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0100

KYOTO - Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Saturday invited his Japanese counterpart Takeaki M...

Matsui donates 50 million yen for Japan quake relief

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 +0100

TOKYO - Oakland Athletics designated hitter Hideki Matsui has donated 50 million yen to the Japanese Red Cro...

Nuclear engineers plan for doomsday scenario

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:39:00 +0100

JAPANESE engineers have conceded that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation release.

6.1-magnitude quake jolts north-eastern Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +0100

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake shook eastern Japan Saturday, the Meteorological Agency said.

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near Fukushima n-plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +0100

Japanese govt has reported the first report of food contamination from the n-accident.

German leader urges common EU nuclear safety standards

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:34:00 +0100

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Saturday for common safety standards at all Europe's nuclear plants to avoid incidents such in Japan, which fears a reactor meltdown after a huge quake.

Quake hits south of stricken plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:33:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police agency has topped 18,000, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

Hopes dashed as survival tale unravels

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:33:00 +0100

THE story of a ''miracle survivor'' pulled from the rubble eight days after Japan's strongest ever earthquake and tsunami raised the spirits of search teams yesterday, but turned out to be a false note of hope.

Power line connected to stricken Japan reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:33:00 +0100

Crews fighting to cool reactors at a stricken Japanese nuclear plant managed to connect a power line on Saturday as the government revealed that leaking radioactivity had reached the food chain.

Another earthquake strikes Japan Saturday, March 19, 2011 12:00 CET A 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Ibaraki area south of Fukushima in Japan this morning. ...

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:33:00 +0100

There was no damage reported and no tsunami warning issued, but flights at Narita Airport in Tokyo were briefly suspended for safety checks before resuming. Meanwhile, officials reported that the power is close to being restored to the cooling systems at the quake-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Japan dead, missing toll tops 18,600

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:33:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police agency topped 18,600 on Saturday, eight days after the quake.

Japan quake toll rises to over 7,300

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:30:00 +0100

The toll in the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan has gone up to 7,320 people, a police report here said ...

New quake rattles eastern Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:28:00 +0100

A fresh tremor measuring 6.1 jolted eastern Japan on Saturday, but no major damage was reported, Kyodo news said.

Powerless against nature: The moment Japanese coast guard crew spotted tsunami in the open ocean

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:27:00 +0100

Video has emerged of a Japanese coast guard vessel being hit by the tsunami in the Pacific. The vessel safely crests the wave, but its crew can only warn their countrymen.

France: UNESCO, partners to conduct full-scale simulated tsunami alert

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:26:00 +0100

Paris, France - Following the devastating tsunami that struck Japan, 33 countries are preparing to participate, on 23 March, in the first full-scale simulated tsunami alert exercise in the Caribbean. The goal is to test the Tsunami and other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and....

5.9 quake hits south of stricken Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:26:00 +0100

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued. The quake shook buildings in Tokyo, but no damage was immediately reported, public broadcaster NHK said,....

Japan quake fails to put an end to political feuding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:23:00 +0100

TOKYO - Japan tried and failed on Saturday to form a crisis cabinet to tackle its biggest challenge since World War Two, unable to overcome a political divide even in the face of an epic natural disaster. Prime Minister Naoto Kan had

Crisis in Japan's evacuation shelters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:18:00 +0100

Many survivors were left without their regular medications when the tsunami waters destroyed their houses and swallowed entire picturesque towns in northeast Japan over a week ago. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, at least 15 survivors, most of them elderly, have died since the disaster....

Taiwan raises $30m for Japan quake relief

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:18:00 +0100

TAIPEI - Taiwan has raised about $30 million in two star-studded televised fundraisers this week for quake-hit Japan, organisers said Saturday. An elderly tsunami survivor who was a being treated at a hospital at the time of the tsunami now lies in a bed at shelter for earthquake victims in Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture on March 17.

Updated: 5.9 quake hits south of stricken Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:17:00 +0100

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant today, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued. The quake shook buildings in Tokyo, but no damage was...

5.9 quake hits south of stricken Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

OSAKA: A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

Singapore's Prime Minister conveys condolences to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:12:00 +0100

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday that his country stands in solidarity with the government and people of Japan. Lee conveyed this in a message written Saturday afternoon at the Japanese Embassy, in the condolence book for the March 11, 2011 Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake....

Australian military transport aircraft to stay an extra week in Japan: DM

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:12:00 +0100

Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith on Saturday announced that military transport aircraft will stay in Japan for an extra week. Smith said Australian personnel and the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF's) Boeing C-17A Globemaster aircraft had been providing much needed airlift support to....

6.1 quake hits Japan, no tsunami concerns: NHK

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:08:00 +0100

The quake shook buildings in Tokyo, but no damage was immediately reported and no tsunami warning was issued, public broadcaster NHK said.

Nuclear engineers plan for doomsday scenario JAPANESE engineers have conceded that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation release. However, rather than resort to the method used to seal Chernobyl in 1986, they still hope to end....

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:08:00 +0100

Nuclear engineers plan for doomsday scenario JAPANESE engineers have conceded that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation release. However, rather than resort to the method used to seal Chernobyl in 1986, they still hope to end....

New quake near Fukushima

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:07:00 +0100

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant on Saturday but no tsunami warning was issued.

Quake rattles region near nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:06:00 +0100

A 5.9 MAGNITUDE earthquake has rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima No 1 nuclear plant.

Japan sees some stabilization in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0100

One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilize on Saturday as Japan raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a greater catastrophe.

6.1 quake hits Japan, no tsunami concerns: NHK

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:48:00 +0100

The quake shook buildings in Tokyo, but no damage was immediately reported and no tsunami warning was issued, public broadcaster NHK said.

Aig releases preliminary estimate for catastrophe losses at chartis ..

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:48:00 +0100

[ Zaterdag 19 maart 2011 | American International Group ] NEW YORK, Mar 18, 2011 -- American International Group, Inc

Japan sees some stabilization in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:44:00 +0100

One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilize on Saturday as Japan raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a greater catastrophe.

Japan quake fails to put an end to political feuding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:42:00 +0100

Japan tried and failed on Saturday to form a crisis cabinet to tackle its biggest challenge since World War Two, unable to overcome a political divide even in the face of an epic natural disaster.

Japan quake fails to put an end to political feuding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:41:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan tried and failed on Saturday to form a crisis cabinet to tackle its biggest challenge since World War Two, unable to overcome a political divide even in the face of an epic natural disaster.

Japan sees some stabilisation in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:41:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilise on Saturday as Japan raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a greater catastrophe.

Japanese vessel takes on two quake-triggered waves and wins

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:41:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - The crew of a Japanese coastguard vessel took on two massive waves triggered by an earthquake head-on, pointing the bow directly at the walls of water and living to tell the tale.

Power cable connected to troubled Japan reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:40:00 +0100

Engineers at a stricken nuclear plant in Japan have connected an electricity line to one of the reactors and are working to restore power for its cooling system, officials said today. The cable has been linked to reactor No. 2 at the troubled...

Updated: Another quake in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:40:00 +0100

A strong 6.1 magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, the country's meteorological agency said, but no tsunami warning was issued. The quake shook buildings in Tokyo, but no...

Japan races to start nuclear plant cooling system

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:38:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan - Engineers at a stricken nuclear power plant in Japan were close to restoring power to vital cooling systems Saturday as they scrambled to prevent a full-blown meltdown, officials said.

Radiation found in food near Fukushima plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:38:00 +0100

Radiation levels in spinach and milk exceed safety limits following nuclear accidents at a tsunami-stricken nuclear plant, Japan's top government spokesman said today.

Japan reports rising radiation levels in spinach and milk

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:38:00 +0100

Food scare comes as engineers battle to cool dangerously overheated fuel at Fukushima power plant and evacuation of Britons is stepped up Japan has reported elevated radiation levels in spinach and milk from farms near the crippled Fukushima nuclear power station.

6.1-magnitude quake hits south of stricken Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:38:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan - A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake rattled Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture south of the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, the country's meteorological agency said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

Quake fails to put an end to political feuding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:38:00 +0100

Japan tried and failed today to form a crisis cabinet to tackle its biggest challenge since World War Two, unable to overcome a political divide even in the face of an epic natural disaster.

Man rescued alive from rubble in north-east Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:37:00 +0100

A young man was today pulled alive from a crushed house, eight days after the earthquake and tsunami devastated north-east Japan.

Japan sees some stabilisation in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:35:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilise on Saturday as Japan discovered the first food contaminated by radiation and raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to prevent a greater catastrophe.

Japan disaster dead, missing toll tops 18,600

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:31:00 +0100

OSAKA: The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan’s national police agency topped 18,600 on Saturday, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

Advocates Intensify Push for NOAA's Tsunami Center in Puerto Rico

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +0100

The nickname reflects a truth that Bill Proenza, the southern regional director of the National Weather Service, has been studying for years. Tsunamis in the Atlantic Ocean only occur every 20 years or so, he said, but they can be just as deadly as the one that hit Japan last week. "That's exactly what we're facing: It's the forgotten danger.

Japan earthquake: stories from across the disaster zone

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +0100

A week after the deadliest disaster in modern Japanese history, Shigeki Matsumoto has moved from terror and tragedy to a determined search for closure. Last Friday, a massive earthquake shook his world, then a tsunami took his mother. Since then, he has travelled across the mountains every day in a....

Japan dumps water on stricken reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +0100

Japanese military helicopters have dumped water on an overheating nuclear plant damaged by last week's deadly earthquake. Cooling functions at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, about 220km north of Tokyo, have been damaged and workers are engaged in a desperate bid to avert a nuclear meltdown.

Divine Retribution? Japan Quake, Tsunami Resurface God Debate

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +0100

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara said Monday that the calamity that hit his country was "tenbatsu," or divine punishment, for the wickedness of the Japanese people. "We need a tsunami to wipe out egoism, which has rusted onto the mentality of Japanese over a long period of time," he said.

Nagatomo, Uchida set for historic European Champions League matchup+

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:28:00 +0100

matchup+ (AP) - LONDON, March 19 (Kyodo)-;Either Yuto Nagatomo or Atsuto Uchida will make history for Japan as defending champions Inter Milan and Schalke 04 were drawn together in the European ...

No IMF bail out needed for Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:28:00 +0100

The IMF has indicated that Japan has not asked for an IMF bail out and is unlikely to require on in the short or long-term ...

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:27:00 +0100

The first word on contaminated food in the crisis came as Japan continued to grapple with overwhelming consequences of the cascade of disasters unleashed by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake on March 11. The quake spawned a tsunami that ravaged Japan's northeast coast, killing more than 7,200 people, and....

5,9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:25:00 +0100

An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale jolted off the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 10:22 Tokyo Time (0122 GMT) on Saturday, Xinhua news agency quoted the US ...

A 5.3 magnitude tremor shakes Dominican Republic

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:22:00 +0100

SANTO DOMINGO. - A 5.3 magnitude tremor shook Dominican Republic at 9:37 a.m. Wednesday, the Santo Domingo State University’s UASD Seismology Institute reports.

Warmer weather relieves quake misery

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:21:00 +0100

A WARM front in northeast Japan has brought some respite to hundreds of thousands of homeless tsunami victims after days of freezing temperatures carpeted the region in snow and ice.

Radiation falloutreaches the US

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:18:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach western Europe.

A calm after the waves from hell

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:18:00 +0100

On the destroyed town of Noda, on Japan's once beautiful Pacific coast, a woman was gathering together her worldly belongings. Selection was relatively easy -- virtually everything she owned and cared for had been swept away when the two-metre high tsunami wave crashed through her neighbourhood.

The President Announces Economic Lessons to be Learned from Countries on the Latin America Trip

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:17:00 +0100

Release Time: For Immediate Release WASHINGTON In his weekly address, President Obama discussed his trip to Latin America and the importance of strengthening our economic partnership with the region to create good jobs at home. He expressed a need to open more global markets and increase exports as a way of expanding the U.

10:07 Progress seen in nuclear battle

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:14:00 +0100

Japan has reported some progress in stabilising one of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Engineers are racing to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a greater catastrophe. Fire trucks sprayed water for about three hours on....

Background briefing of Japan-S. Korea foreign ministerial meeting -2-

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:09:00 +0100

KYOTO - Then, at the plenary meeting, the topic of the earthquake was touched upon once again in the beginni...

Background briefing of Japan-S. Korea foreign ministerial meeting

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:09:00 +0100

KYOTO - The following is an unofficial translation of an excerpt from the background briefing of a meeting o...

Radiation found in food in tsunami-stricken Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:07:00 +0100

Radiation levels in spinach and milk exceed safety limits following nuclear accidents at a tsunami-stricken nuclear plant, Japan’s top government spokesman said today.

Japan sees some stabilization in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:05:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilize on Saturday as Japan raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a greater catastrophe.

Death toll rises to 7,320 in Japan following March 11 great quake: police

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:02:00 +0100

The National Police Agency said Saturday that the catastrophic March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 7,320 people dead and 11,370 others unaccounted for in Japan by 3:00 p.m.(0600 GMT).

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:01:00 +0100

Japan reported elevated radiation levels in spinach and milk from farms near its tsunami-crippled nuclear complex, as emergency teams scrambled ...

Power cable attached to Fukushima reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:00:00 +0100

Engineers in Japan have successfully attached a power cable to a reactor at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant and are working to restore power for its cooling system.

Japan sees some stabilisation in nuclear crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:57:00 +0100

One of six tsunami-crippled nuclear reactors appeared to stabilise on Saturday as Japan raced to restore power to the stricken power plant to cool it and prevent a greater catastrophe.

Japan death toll reaches 7,200

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan’s national police agency topped 18,000 on Saturday, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

Hurricane Katrina vs. Japanese tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0100

The US Justice Department has published a report detailing the findings of a 10-month long investigation of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). The need for such investigation arose when after the August September 2005 Hurricane Katrina numerous cases of unjustified violence by the police against the local population were reported.

Not all hope abandoned in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0100

The number of victims of the devastating earthquake and the tsunami is growing every day. According to an official report as of Friday, 16 thousand people are either dead or missing. Rescuers from many countries including Russia continue to probe debris hoping to find survivors.

Russian aid to Japan continues

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0100

Japan has worked out a delivery route for humanitarian aid from Russia according to the Russian ambassador to Tokyo, Mihail Bely. According to him, on Friday, an Emergency Situations Ministry plane, an IL-76 delivered fuel to Japan.

Japan's earthquake’s death toll exceeds 7,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0100

In Japan, the number of those who died following recent powerful earthquake has exceeded 7,000. More than 10,000 people have been listed as missing. ";This is the most tragic natural disaster in the post war history of Japan";, the national police department said in a statement Friday.

Social media faux-pas and Nikita Mikhalkov and the Russian bloggers

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0100

Yesterday I continued talking about the Internet phenomenon of Charlie Sheen, an embodiment of the new age social marketing. Among other things, the whole ordeal spawned T-shirts, Internet memes, websites, like a Sheen-esque text generator and well, he's generally everywhere online.

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:56:00 +0100

Rescuers in Japan pulled a man out from under the rubble eight days after a devastating earthquake . It was reported today by the representatives of the national defense forces, who are searching for survivors.

Japanese vessel takes on two quake-triggered waves and wins

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:48:00 +0100

19 Mar 2011 09:10 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - The crew of a Japanese coastguard vessel took on two massive waves triggered by an earthquake head-on, pointing the bow directly at the walls of water and living to tell the tale.

Japan Says 2nd Reactor May Have Ruptured With Radioactive Release

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:45:00 +0100

Japan’s nuclear crisis intensified again Wednesday as authorities lacked a clear picture of whether one of the reactors was still on fire.

Henfield artist "predicted" Japanese quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:42:00 +0100

An artist has said she predicted the Japanese earthquake and explosion at a nuclear plant more than a year before it happened.

Huawei makes 1st post-quake shipment to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:42:00 +0100

Huawei Technologies Co, the world's second-biggest maker of mobile-phone networks, said it completed its first shipment of "essential" communications equipment to Tokyo since the earthquake in Japan. Technical teams from Huawei are working to help repair and restore infrastructure, Jessie Pan, a....

Japanese tsunami and earthquake: Nuclear fuel rods exposed

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

This shot shows spent nuclear fuel rods leaking radioactivity into the atmosphere through a gaping hole in the wall of reactor building number four at the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant.

Japan disaster dead, missing toll tops 18,000: police

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

Japanese soldiers check water for bodies in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture on March 16, 2011 days after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated the coast of eastern Japan. PHOTO/ AFP TOKYO, March 19, 2011 (AFP) - The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police....

Japan denies news of 'eight-day survivor'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

In this photo released by the US Navy, an aerial view on March 18, 2011 of damage to Sukuiso, Japan, a week after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated the area. AFP PHOTO / US NAVY / Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord OSAKA, Japan, March 19, 2011 (AFP) - A....

Teams race to reconnect Japan nuclear reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:32:00 +0100

Emergency teams racing to cool dangerously overheated nuclear fuel have scrambled to connect Japan's crippled reactors to a new power line.

Japan quake and tsunami deaths top 6,911

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0100

BEIJING, March 19 (Saba) -- On Friday, people across Japan commemorated the one-week mark since the earthquake struck, by offering silence and prayers for the victims.

Japan says power restored at two Fukushima reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0100

Workers have restored power to cooling systems at two of the six reactors at Japan's quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the NHK television reported. A cooling pump at reactor 5 and an emergency diesel generator at reactor 6 have "resumed operations," Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency told a news conference on Saturday.

Radiation found in Japan food

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0100

3/19/2011 - 8:36:08 AM Radiation levels in spinach and milk exceed safety limits following nuclear accidents at a tsunami-stricken nuclear plant, Japan’s top government spokesman said today. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said checks of milk from Fukushima prefecture, where the plant is....

Radiation fallout reaches US west coast

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:17:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach western Europe.

Disaster forces Japan royals to skip Prince William's wedding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako had planned to attend the wedding of Prince William and fiancée Kate Middleton on April 29.

Radiation found in food near Fukushima reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

Radiation levels in spinach and milk exceed safety limits following nuclear accidents at a tsunami-stricken nuclear plant, Japan's top government spokesman said today.

PM Lee conveys condolences to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore stands in solidarity with the government and people of Japan.

Disaster forces Japan royals to skip Prince William's wedding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:57:00 +0100

(Reuters) - Japan's crown prince and princess will skip Britain's royal wedding next month because of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeast Japan last week, Kyodo news ...

Denmark sends experts to Japan as part of coordinated EU relief effort

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:57:00 +0100

Prince William and Obama both conducting important foreign tours this week

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:57:00 +0100

Acting as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II of the UK, Prince William will this week tour Queensland in Australia, while President Obama of the US is heading for Latin ...

Teams race to restore power to Japan nuke complex

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:57:00 +0100

Backup power systems at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant had been improperly protected, said Hidehiko Nishiyama of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, leaving them vulnerable to the tsunami ...

Japan's main opposition not to join in Kan's cabinet

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:56:00 +0100

Sadakazu Tanigaki, leader of main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said on Saturday that his party will not join in Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet in rebuilding the country following the catastrophic March 11 earthquake and ensuing the tsunami.

Romania sends first plane to evacuate citizens from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:56:00 +0100

The Romanian government decided on Friday to send a special flight to Japan to evacuate Romanian citizens there amid fears of nuclear leaks after last Friday's earthquake and tsunami. According to the Foreign Ministry, the national air carrier TAROM dispatched on Friday afternoon a special flight....

Denmark sends experts to Japan as part of coordinated EU relief effort

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:56:00 +0100

Denmark is sending a nuclear expert and logistical support staff to Japan as part of a European Union coordinated emergency aid mission, the Defense Ministry said Friday. An expert in radiology and nuclear radiation from the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), an emergency response....

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:56:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Spinach and milk taken from farms near Japan's crippled nuclear plant exceeded government-set safety limits for radiation, the government said Saturday, in the first report of food contamination from the accident.

Japanese media pull story of "miracle" tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:56:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - It seemed too good to be true. A young man pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Norway arranges two flights for citizens to leave Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:56:00 +0100

The Norwegian government has arranged two flights to bring its citizens home from Japan following last week's devastating earthquake, tsunami and the subsequent nuclear disaster. The Foreign Ministry said Friday that two flights would leave Tokyo on Saturday.

UN nuclear agency to meet on Japan crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:56:00 +0100

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will convene a meeting at its headquarters in Vienna on Monday to brief UN member states on the nuclear emergency in Japan, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said on Friday. "Director General Yukiya Amano will brief member states on....

Politics › Kan asks ex-DPJ leaders to cooperate on post-quake measures

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:54:00 +0100

Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Saturday called on former leaders of the Democratic Party of Japan to assist him in addressing the aftermath of last…

Entertainment › Members of AKB48 to appear at Hilton Guam Concert for Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:54:00 +0100

Members of AKB48, Japan’s top-selling all-girl pop group, will join with six local bands and an island cultural dance group to headline “Japan Aid,” an…

'India can tackle disasters better than Japan'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:49:00 +0100

In the aftermath of Japan's earthquake as nations review their disaster management plans, our National Disaster Management Authority says India has little to worry about. Post the 2004 tsunami, the government has pulled up its socks and can handle a disaster much better than most other nations. Sahim Salim reports.

Maldives holds events to raise funds for Japanese earthquake victims

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:39:00 +0100

The Maldives has held a series of events intended to raise money for victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last weekend.

Malaysia's Petronas to ship emergency LNG supply to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:38:00 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's state-owned oil company Petronas said Saturday it will immediately ship additional suppli...

UPDATE1: Opposition leader shuns 'vice premier' offer by Kan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:38:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan tried unsuccessfully Saturday to talk opposition leader Sadakazu Tanigaki i...

Japan earthquake: Radiation found in food near nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:35:00 +0100

Comtaminated in milk and spinach has been found to exceed safe levels 20 miles from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex..

Japan PM considers "grand coalition" to tackle quake disaster

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:35:00 +0100

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan plans to sound out the opposition on joining a grand coalition to handle reconstruction policy following last week s quake and tsunami and amid the ongoing nuclear crisis.

Tourists gone, bikes back in once-popular Japan town

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:35:00 +0100

More than a week after an earthquake and tsunami smashed much of Japan s northeast coast to pulp; a small tourist town tucked safely between mountains has ground nearly to a halt.

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:32:00 +0100

Spinach and milk taken from farms near Japan's crippled nuclear plant exceeded government-set safety limits for radiation, the government said Saturday, in the first report of food contamination from the accident.

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:31:00 +0100

Japan's main opposition not to join in Kan's cabinet

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +0100

Attempt to restore power at nuclear plant fails

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:23:00 +0100

TOKYO Engineers missed a deadline to restore power to the crippled Fukushima Dai-Ichi atomic plant, prolonging efforts to prevent more radiation leaks as Japan’s government told people nearby to cover up and avoid the rain.

We stand in solidarity with Japan: PM Lee

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:23:00 +0100

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today visited the Japanese Embassy in Singapore and penned his condolence message for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the death toll for which has eclipsed

Disaster-hit Japan hopes to tame reactors soon

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:22:00 +0100

Japanese engineers fighting to cool overheating reactors laid a power line into a stricken nuclear power plant on Saturday as sick and hungry quake-tsunami survivors endured desperate conditions in the frozen north. In an updated toll, national police said at least 18,000 were dead or missing in Japan's worst natural disaster in 88 years.

Apple could face iPad 2 component shortages

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:11:00 +0100

Apple could face iPad 2 component shortagesApple could face shortages of components for the iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, according to a research firm.

Medical crisis in Japan shelters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:02:00 +0100

Overworked doctors are struggling to provide care to the sick and infirm evacuated from hospitals to ill-equipped shelters after the Japanese earthquake.

Teams race to restore power to Japan nuke complex

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:58:00 +0100

Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated nuclear fuel scrambled Saturday to connect Japan's crippled reactors to a new power line, ...

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:56:00 +0100

Japan's top government spokesman says radiation levels in spinach and milk exceed safety limits following nuclear accidents at a tsunami-stricken nuclear plant.

New power cables successfully attached at Fukushima

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:54:00 +0100

Engineers at Japan’s earthquake-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant have successfully attached a new power cable. Efforts to stabilise temperatures in the reactors had been hampered after back-up electricity generators failed. They’re now expected to try to restore power to four of the reactors in the....

Power cable attached to Fukushima plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:52:00 +0100

Engineers in Japan have successfully attached a power cable to the outside of the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant as a first step to help cool reactors and stop the spread of radiation.

Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe breaks down in tears

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:51:00 +0100

HARARE, March 18, 2011 - THERE was drama here when the Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe, Koichi Morita, openly wept before invited guests gathered to witness the signing ceremony of a US$5,6 million grant his country was giving Zimbabwe for various infectious diseases protection for children.

Tsunami washes away feathered victims west of Hawaii

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:51:00 +0100

The massive waves that churned across the Pacific after the Japan earthquake last week swept away nests protecting seabird chicks unable to fly, leaving scores dead west of Hawaii.

Japanese media pull story of "miracle" tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:38:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - It seemed too good to be true. A young man pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Power line hopes for nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:37:00 +0100

Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated nuclear fuel are scrambling to connect Japan's crippled reactors to a new power line, as a safety official suggested faulty planning at the complex helped trigger the crisis.

Fire engines resume dousing nuclear reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:36:00 +0100

Specially equipped vehicles from the Tokyo Fire Department this morning resumed water-spraying operations at the number three reactor at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, NHK reported. Tonnes of water have been used to douse overheating...

JAPAN - Fukushima emergency overshadows tsunami survivor "misery"

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:35:00 +0100

Aid still has not reached many areas. Children and elderly people could die from lack of water, medicine, heating. Night temperatures below freezing. Message from the Bishop of Osaka to all Catholics appealing for solidarity. The difficulties of the Anglican Church. The country stops for a minute's silence in memory of the dead.

Disaster-hit Japan hopes to cool reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:34:00 +0100

Japanese engineers fighting to cool overheating reactors laid a power line into a stricken nuclear power plant on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of quake-tsunami survivors endured desperate conditions in the frozen north.

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:33:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's top government spokesman says radiation levels in spinach and milk exceed safety limits following nuclear accidents at a tsunami-stricken nuclear plant. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said checks of milk from Fukushima prefecture, where the plant is located, and of spinach....

Power line hopes for nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:33:00 +0100

We all know the slogan Keep Calm and Carry On, but would we? | Ian Jack

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:33:00 +0100

We think of stoicism as a very British virtue – all Blitz spirit and 'women and children first' – but would we react to a disaster with the kind of resilience the Japanese have? In the centenary year of his birth, Terence Rattigan's reputation has climbed far higher than it stood for quite a large part of his life.

Speech by CS at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference of Rotary International District 3450

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0100

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference of Rotary International District 3450 held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this afternoon (March ...

Japan aftershocks at record as joy over rescue short-lived - 2nd Update

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:27:00 +0100

aftershocks, construction of temporary housing Tokyo - The death toll in Japan's biggest quake on record rose over 7,000 Saturday as the number of strong aftershocks were recorded in the hundreds, a record, and a glimmer of hope was short-lived after news of a rescue from rubble eight days after the disaster proved unfounded.

Japanese media pull story of "miracle" tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:26:00 +0100

watch It seemed too good to be true. A young man pulled alive from the rubble today eight days after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami. Hours after the man made international ...

Radiation spread still limited

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:26:00 +0100

BEIJING, March 18, (RTRS): The World Health Organization believes the spread of radiation from a quake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan remains limited and appears to pose no immediate risk to health, the WHO’s China representative said on Friday. ...

Power line hopes for nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:25:00 +0100

Japanese 'miracle' rescue a misunderstanding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:25:00 +0100

Last Updated: Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:53:00 +1100 A young man reportedly pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami, had in fact returned home the day before. Hours after the man made international headlines on Saturday, a glimmer of hope in....

Japan earthquake and tsunami: as it happened

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:23:00 +0100

A 60-year-old man has been found on the roof of his floating house nearly 10 miles out at sea, two days after the tsunami that devastated the north-east coast of Japan . Hiromitsu Shinkawa must have resigned himself to his fate when he was swept away by the retreating tsunami that roared ashore in....

Power line hopes for nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:19:00 +0100

Destructive course of Japan tsunami mapped [PHOTOS/VIDEO]

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:11:00 +0100

Even as Japan reels under the destruction caused by the tsunami triggered by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the Pacific Coast, the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has mapped the course of the tsunami.

Opening remarks at Japan-S. Korea foreign ministerial meeting in Kyoto

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:07:00 +0100

KYOTO - The following is an unofficial translation of remarks by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto...

Kan asks ex-DPJ leaders to cooperate on post-quake measures

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 08:07:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Saturday called on former leaders of the Democratic Party of Japan to as...

Press digest

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:59:00 +0100

The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press: The Times quotes the prime minister saying that the safety of Malta is government’s priority. It also says that Libya is insisting it is respecting the truce ordered by the...

Power line hopes for nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:57:00 +0100

Toll rises to over 7,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:56:00 +0100

The toll in the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan has left over 7,000 people dead, a police report said ...

Power line hopes for nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:55:00 +0100

Toll from Japan disasters nears 7,200

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:54:00 +0100

Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated uranium fuel scramble to connect Japan's crippled reactors to new power line

From Haiti to Japan: Is looting economic or cultural?

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:53:00 +0100

A street vendor tries to keep the crowd from stealing her goods in Port-au-Prince on January 24, 2010. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT /AFP/Getty Images) Why aren't the Japanese looting? It is a question that some people are asking, in response to Japan's response to the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

Bhutan chips in

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:52:00 +0100

Special prayers offered for the departed and bereaved Monks of the central monastic body perform Dolma Jigpa Gyedchob ceremony for the Japan earthquake and Tsunami victims at the Tashichhodzong. The ceremony that started yesterday will be performed across the country for the next two days Japan....

Evacuation of Britons gathers pace

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:48:00 +0100

The evacuation of Britons from Japan is gathering pace as emergency workers continue their efforts to bring a stricken nuclear plant under control.

Japan dead, missing toll tops 18,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:48:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police agency has topped 18,000, eight days after the earthquake.

Japanese media pull story of "miracle" tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:47:00 +0100

19 Mar 2011 04:31 Source: reuters // Reuters (Recasts) TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - It seemed too good to be true. A young man pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami. Hours after the man made international headlines on Saturday, a glimmer....

Disaster forces Japan royals to skip Prince William's wedding

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:47:00 +0100

19 Mar 2011 06:34 Source: reuters // Reuters March 19 (Reuters) - Japan's crown prince and princess will skip Britain's royal wedding next month because of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeast Japan last week, Kyodo news agency said. Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako....

Experts race to power up N-plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:47:00 +0100

Stocks & Bonds: A Volatile Week Ends Higher on Wall Street

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:43:00 +0100

A cease-fire in Libya and global intervention to stabilize the Japanese yen send the major indexes up.

News reports about man rescued 8 days after quake found inaccurate: Kyodo

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:41:00 +0100

News reports about a man rescued from his house eight days after the mega earthquake in Japan on Saturday were fund inaccurate, Kyodo News Agency said. Kyodo said it has been found that the man had returned home the previous day after staying at an evacuation center, according to his family.

Experts race to power up N-plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:40:00 +0100

Bullock joins Hollywood pack in aid to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:35:00 +0100

LOS ANGELES – Hollywood has made plenty of disaster movies, but the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan is no fiction and the entertainment industry has responded to the dire situation there with generosity.

Information on charter flights and precautionary measures for those staying in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:34:00 +0100

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all non-essential travel to Tokyo and the North East of Japan. British nationals in these areas should consider leaving.

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:33:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis on Friday, with engineers working to restore power to a stricken power plant in what the UN said was a "race against time".

Man pulled from house in Japan's disaster zone

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:32:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — Military search teams pulled a young man from a crushed house Saturday in Japan's disaster zone but a news report later said he returned there a week after the quake and tsunami struck and that he was trapped only for one day. The young man, found in the rubble in Kesennuma city, was....

Emergency workers trying to restore power to Japan crippled nuke plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:32:00 +0100

PanARMENIAN.Net - Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated nuclear fuel scrambled Saturday, March 19, to connect Japan's crippled reactors to a new power line, as a safety official suggested faulty planning at the complex helped trigger the crisis.

Japan restores some power

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:28:00 +0100

Japanese engineers have restored limited power to a stricken nuclear power plant as rescuers in the north pulled a man alive from the rubble eight days after the quake.

Japan quake death toll tops 7,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0100

The confirmed death toll from last Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan has risen to 7,197, police told Kyodo news on Saturday.

Japanese Prime Minister tells public to look to the future

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:25:00 +0100

Facing its gravest days since the US dropped atomic bombs on Japan at the end of World War Two, the most advanced nation in Asia is now preparing for a post-earthquake and post-tsunami ...

Scientist calls Supermoons link to natural disasters loony

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:18:00 +0100

Supermoon, a full - or new moon in astrology that coincides with a close approach by the Moon to the Earth, will not trigger natural disasters.

Japan crisis taking its toll on manufacturers

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:18:00 +0100

The impact of plant shutdowns across Japan following the quake, tsunami and nuclear crisis threatens supplies of everything from semiconductors to car parts to manufacturers around the world

Toll from Japan disasters nears 7,200

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:15:00 +0100

Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated uranium fuel scramble to connect Japan's crippled reactors to new power line

Tsunami triggered by earthquake washes away seabirds west of Hawaii

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:12:00 +0100

The massive waves that churned across the Pacific after the Japan earthquake last week swept away nests protecting seabird chicks unable to fly, leaving scores dead west of Hawaii.

NZ team returning from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0100

New Zealand's Fire Service Urban Search and Rescue team is returning from earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan tomorrow.Fire Service national commander Mike Hall said the team has been working with international and Japanese searchers...

Man pulled from rubble in Japan disaster zone

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0100

Doubts have been raised about a Japanese survivor pulled from the rubble of a building this morning, eight days after an earthquake and tsunami hit the country.Kyodo News identified the man, in his 20s, as Katsuharu Moriya.Military...

Japanese media pull story of "miracle" tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:04:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - It seemed too good to be true. A young man pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

RAAF C-17 to stay an extra week in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0100

An Australian military transport aircraft is to stay an extra week in Japan but an urban search and rescue team is winding up its operations.

Japan denies news of 'eight-day survivor'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0100

A man thought to have survived for eight days in the rubble of Japan's earthquake was actually an evacuee who had returned home, a military spokesman says.

'Rescued man' had already evacuated

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0100

A man thought to have survived for eight days in the rubble of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami zone was actually an evacuee who had returned to his house, a military spokesman said on Saturday.

Prince William tours disaster hit Australia

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Britain's Prince William met crowds in cyclone-hit northeast Australia Saturday as part of a low-key tour officials hope will boost spirits after a summer of natural disasters.

Japan disasters deaths exceed 7,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:56:00 +0100

TOKYO: The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police agency topped 18,000 on Saturday, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

Prince William visits disaster-hit Australia

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:56:00 +0100

CARDWELL, Australia: Britain's Prince William met crowds in cyclone-hit northeast Australia Saturday as part of a low-key tour officials hope will boost spirits after a summer of natural disasters.

Teams race to restore power to Japan nuke complex

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:54:00 +0100

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated nuclear fuel scrambled Saturday to connect Japan's crippled reactors to a new power line, as a safety official suggested faulty planning at the complex helped trigger the crisis.

'Survival' story too good to be true

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:48:00 +0100

MAN pulled from rubble - initially lauded as a miracle survivor - had been at an evacuation centre and only returned home yesterday.

Japan Races To Reconnect Power To Nuclear Plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:40:00 +0100

A crucial mission to rebuild power lines to the radiation-leaking Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant inched forward, but once the power is reconnected, it is not clear if the cooling systems will still work.

UPDATE1: Man rescued in Kesennuma 8 days after quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:35:00 +0100

TOKYO - A man in his 20s was rescued Saturday morning from a partially collapsed house in Kesennuma, Miyagi ...

UPDATE1: Rescue reports found to be inaccurate

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:35:00 +0100

SENDAI, Japan - News reports about a man rescued from his house eight days after the mega earthquake in Japan made u...

Iran to send relief workers to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:26:00 +0100

Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Director Abolhassan Faqih says the first group of Iranian relief workers will be dispatched to Japan in the near future, Press TV reported.

Was Japan's volcano eruption linked to its earthquake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:25:00 +0100

The Shinmoedake volcano on Japan's southern island of Kyushu, 950 miles from the epicenter of last week's magnitude 9 earthquake, spewed ash and rocks up to 2.5 miles into the air March 13. The ...

Kan rallies nation ... We will rebuild Japan from scratch

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:25:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18, (Agencies): Sirens wailed Friday along a devastated coastline to mark exactly one week since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear emergency, and the government acknowledged it was slow to respond to the disasters that the pr...

Disaster-hit Japan hopes to cool reactors soon

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

Japanese earthquake, tsunami toll rises to 18,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan's national police agency has topped 18,000, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

Japan hopes to cool reactors soon

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:13:00 +0100

KITAKAMI, Japan: Japanese engineers fighting to cool overheating reactors laid a power line into a stricken nuclear power plant on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of quake-tsunami survivors endured desperate conditions in the frozen north.

Japan denies news of 'eight-day survivor'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:13:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan: A man thought to have survived for eight days in the rubble of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami zone was actually an evacuee who had returned to his house, a military spokesman said Saturday.

Japan disaster dead, missing toll tops 18,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:13:00 +0100

TOKYO: The number of people confirmed as dead or listed as missing by Japan’s national police agency topped 18,000 on Saturday, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck.

14,227 Chinese nationals confirmed safe following March 11 earthquake: embassy

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

The Chinese embassy in Tokyo said Friday that the safety of up to 14,227 Chinese nationals has been confirmed by 6:00 p.m.(0900 GMT ). Regarding the Chinese rescue team in Japan, the embassy said that the Chinese rescuers were still in Ofunato city of Iwate prefecture, helping with the clearance work in the worst-hit areas.

Death toll rises to 7,197 in Japan following massive quake, tsunami: police (2)

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

&$ &$Evacuee Kazuko Hiraushi, who lives in an evacuation center with her husband after their house was destroyed in the massive earthquake and tsunami which struck Japan a week earlier, cries after observing a minute's silence in memory of the victims near a devastated area in Rikuzentakata, north Japan, March 18, 2011.

News Analysis: Japan faces new era of economic, socio-political turmoil

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

A week after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake battered northeastern Japan and ensuing tsunami claimed the lives of tens of thousands in the region, the gravity of the task now facing Prime Minister Naoto Kan and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) is escalating by the hour.

WMO says winds to become variable over Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

A high-pressure weather system was expected to cover most of Japan soon, causing the winds to become more variable compared with the prevailing northern breezes of the past few days, forecasters said Friday. The region also can expect some relief in about 24 hours in the way of warmer weather....

Flood risks increase in Japan's quake areas

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

Japan faces a new threat as a result of last week's devastating earthquake, with the World Meteorological Organization warning Friday of an increased flood risk on the Pacific coast. The WMO cited information gathered from member association the Japanese Meteorological Agency, saying the 9.

Myanmar launches radiation inspections on air passengers from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

The Myanmar authorities are carrying out inspections on incoming passengers arriving Yangon International Airport from Japan to check if they carry radioactive substances following the series of explosions of Fukushima nuke plant reactors in Japan hit by massive earthquake and tsunami.

Japanese PM says situation severe but nation will rebuild itself

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said in a nationally televised press conference Friday that the situation at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant remained severe and appealed for continued solidarity among the people in overcoming the disaster. The premier said that the workers at the stricken plant....

Obama says jobs at top of his Latin America tour

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that creating jobs at home is "at top of" his Latin America agenda when he starts a five-day tour of Brazil, Chile and El Salvador on Saturday. "In recent weeks, we've seen how turmoil and tragedy around the globe can affect our own prosperity and security,....

Record aftershocks occur following 9.0-magnitude quake in Japan: Kyodo

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

A record 262 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater were registered in the seven days following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake off northeastern Japan on March 11, Kyodo News quoted the Japan Meteorological Agency as saying Friday. Meanwhile, there were three aftershocks of magnitude 7 or greater, including one magnitude 7.

Death toll rises to 7,197 in Japan following massive quake, tsunami: police

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:11:00 +0100

&$ &$A group of rescue workers observes a minute of silence to mourn for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Rikuzentakata, Iwate prefecture March 18, 2011. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)&$ &$ The National Police Agency said Saturday that the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami that took....

Japanese media pull story of "miracle" tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:03:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - It seemed too good to be true. A young man pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Doubts cast on miraculous Japanese rescue

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 06:00:00 +0100

Romania sends first plane to evacuate citizens from Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:53:00 +0100

Bucharest. The Romanian government decided on Friday to send a special flight to Japan to evacuate Romanian citizens there amid fears of nuclear leaks after last Friday's earthquake and tsunami, Xinhua reported. According to the Foreign Ministry, the national air carrier TAROM dispatched on Friday....

Teams race to reconnect power to Japan nuke plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0100

Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated uranium fuel scrambled Saturday to connect Japan's crippled reactors to a new power line, with electricians fighting tsunami-shattered equipment to restart the...

Australian rescuers leaving Japan with hopes dashed

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0100

Sydney - Australia's 76-strong search and rescue team was readying to leave Japan after giving up hope of finding anyone alive after its magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami, officials said Saturday. The team, which flew to Tokyo a week ago on a military transport plane and set up its base in the....

Thai exports up 31 per cent in February

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:51:00 +0100

Bangkok - Thai exports hit 18.9 billion dollars in February, up 31 per cent from the same month a year earlier, indicating that 2011's exports might exceed the government target of 10-per-cent growth, news reports said Saturday. Imports in February reached 17.1 billion dollars, up 22.

David Thomson on Films: Can You Watch?

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:50:00 +0100

We are looking down on a plain building, without distinction or appeal. Its one point of interest seems to be that rapid, rushing water surrounds it to the height of ten feet or so. Then, the story begins. On the current of this water, a sequence of empty automobiles reverse tidily round the corner....

Authorities work to restart reactors' cooling systems, gain upper hand

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:50:00 +0100

Efforts accelerated Saturday to restore power to nuclear reactors' cooling systems at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, with government and power company officials citing a need to increase the limit of permissible radiation exposure for those working to avert further crisis.

Rescuers in Japan pull man from wrecked home

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:49:00 +0100

Military search teams pulled a young man from a crushed house Saturday in Japan’s disaster zone but a news report later said he returned there a week after the quake and tsunami struck and that he was trapped only for one day.

Tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:38:00 +0100

ABC - AP Residents observes a moment of silence for victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at a... Residents observes a moment of silence for victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at a shelter in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, at 2:46 p.m.

Man pulled from house in Japan's disaster zone

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:36:00 +0100

Military search teams pulled a young man from a crushed house Saturday in Japan's disaster zone but a news report later said he returned there a week after the quake and tsunami struck and that he was trapped only for...

Kyodo withdraws story on miracle tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:35:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese news agency Kyodo News withdrew a startling story on Saturday of a young man pulled alive from the rubble eight days after a massive earthquake set off a 10-metre high tsunami that ripped through northeast Japan, killing thousands.

Hu Jintao offers condolences at Japan's embassy

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:35:00 +0100

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's President Hu Jintao offered condolences to the victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami during an unusual visit to the country's embassy, state media reported.

Teams race to reconnect power to Japan nuke plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:31:00 +0100

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Emergency workers racing to cool dangerously overheated uranium fuel scrambled Saturday to connect Japan's crippled reactors to a new power line, with electricians fighting tsunami-shattered equipment to restart the complex's cooling systems.

Power back at nuclear plant in disaster-hit Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:27:00 +0100

Japanese engineers restored limited power to a stricken nuclear power plant on Saturday as rescuers in the frozen north pulled a young man alive from the rubble eight days after a quake-tsunami disaster swept away entire towns.

Power restored at Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:23:00 +0100

KITAKAMI, Japan: Japanese engineers restored limited power to a stricken nuclear power plant on Saturday as rescuers in the frozen north pulled a young man alive from the rubble eight days after a quake-tsunami disaster swept away entire towns.

6.0-magnitude earthquake hits off east coast of Japan's Honshu

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:23:00 +0100

Beijing. An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale jolted the waters off the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 9:22 a.m. Beijing Time Saturday, according to the China Earthquake Network Center, Xinhua informs. The epicenter, with a depth of 10 km, was monitored at 39.7 degrees north latitude and 143.

Medical crisis in Japan's evacuation shelters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:23:00 +0100

KESENNUMA: Overworked doctors are struggling to provide care to the sick and infirm evacuated from hospitals to ill-equipped shelters after the giant earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Japan.

State Department expands voluntary evacuation area

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:21:00 +0100

The State Department is expanding the area for voluntary evacuations for family members of U.S. personnel in Japan.

Sports › MLB clubs to aid Japan's relief efforts

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:10:00 +0100

Several Major League Baseball clubs announced plans this week to aid Japan's relief efforts in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck the country's…

Searches continues in Japan as death toll rises

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:10:00 +0100

As searches for survivors continued Saturday, police in Japan said more than 7,100 people had died since the monster earthquake and ensuing tsunami struck.

World › Testing finds no health threat along U.S. West Coast

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:10:00 +0100

U.S. and California officials sought Friday to dispel fears of a wider danger from radioactivity spewing from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors, saying testing indicated there…

Japan plans up to $127 billion in lending after quake: Nikkei

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:07:00 +0100

The Japanese government plans to dedicate up to 10 trillion yen ($127 billion) in crisis lending to businesses to help them finance day-to-day operations and repair damage from last week's deadly earthquake and tsunami, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Saturday.

Japan news agency withdraws miracle rescue story

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:06:00 +0100

Japanese news agency Kyodo has withdrawn an earlier story that reported rescuers had found a young man alive in the rubble of the Miyagi prefecture, in the north-east of the country.

Kyodo withdraws story on miracle tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:03:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese news agency Kyodo News withdrew a startling story on Saturday of a young man pulled alive from the rubble eight days after a massive earthquake set off a 10-meter high tsunami that ripped through northeast Japan, killing thousands.

Japan: Mission To Prevent Nuclear Fallout

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:03:00 +0100

Exhausted engineers are attempting to restore power to Japan's crippled nuclear plant as they continue efforts to prevent the spread of deadly radiation.

Japan still struggling to restore power to cool down reactors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:02:00 +0100

In Fukushima, earthquake survivors and rescue workers observe a moment of silence to mark the week since the temblor and tsunami. The death toll tops 7,000, surpassing that of the 1995 Kobe quake.Fighting exhaustion and radiation fears, engineers struggled anew Saturday to complete the crucial task....

New Yorkers express solidarity with Japan, one week after deadly quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:02:00 +0100

NEW YORK - More than 100 New Yorkers and others from the international community crammed into a church in front...

Japan rescue team pulls man from rubble alive

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:01:00 +0100

A man was pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami, the military said. The man, in his 20s, was in shock and unable to speak when he was found in Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture, one of the regions hardest hit by the magnitude 9.0 earthquake, a spokesman said.

Miracle rescue after eight days in rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.A military official said the young man was rescued this morning from the rubble in Kesennuma,...

Alive!: Miracle of man pulled from wreckages of his house EIGHT days after tsunami crushed it

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:55:00 +0100

Troops from the civil defence department were stunned to find the young man, shocked and unable to speak, in the ruins of the house in the town of Kesennuma.

Man rescued 8 days after massive quake in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:54:00 +0100

A man was rescued Saturday morning from a partially collapsed house in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, eight days after the massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan's northeastern coast, Kyodo News said, citing the Self-Defense Forces.

Emergency power cable reaches Japan nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:52:00 +0100

Young man pulled from rubble in Kesennuma, while at Fukushima nuclear plant there are hopes of restarting cooling systems Engineers rolling out an emergency power cable have reached Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant and are preparing to try and restart water pumps to cool down overheated fuel rods that are threatening to melt down.

'Crude and LNG prices set to increase'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:51:00 +0100

Indian economy as well, according to reports. Other countries like Germany has also decided to shut down its atomic power reactors, which are producing 7,400 megawatt of electricity. According to ...

In Japan, workers struggling to hook up power to Fukushima reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:51:00 +0100

Fighting exhaustion and radiation fears, engineers struggled anew Saturday to complete the crucial task of hooking up a damaged nuclear plant to the electricity grid to help cool damaged reactors. ...

Automakers feel worsening effects of Japan crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:50:00 +0100

DETROIT: A week after the disaster in Japan erupted, its impact on automakers around the world is worsening.

Survivor of Japan quake in shock as pulled from rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:50:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - A man was pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami, the military said.

Oil prices fall as Libya promises ceasefire

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:50:00 +0100

NEW YORK: Oil prices settled slightly lower Friday after a volatile day marked by a U.N. resolution to use force to stop Moammar Gadhafi's violent attacks on rebels followed by a Libyan announcement of a cease-fire in hostilities.

Analysts predict iPad 2 shortages after earthquake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:50:00 +0100

SEATTLE: Market research group IHS iSuppli said Friday that last week's earthquake in Japan could cause shortages of Apple Inc.'s iPad 2 tablet computer.

AIG says Japan, other 1Q claims to top US$1bil

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:50:00 +0100

NEW YORK: American International Group Inc. says claims from disasters including last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan will cost the insurer more than $1 billion in the first quarter.

EXTRA: Man said to be rescued had not spent 8 days in Japan rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:48:00 +0100

Tokyo - Reports of a man rescued Saturday from the rubble in Japan eight days after a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami were mistaken, the Kyodo News agency reported. The man, Katsuharu Moriya, had been staying in an evacuation centre and decided to return to his home Friday to clean it up, Kyodo said, citing his family.

Candlelight Vigil Held At Vanderbilt For Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:48:00 +0100

There was a special candlelight vigil on the Vanderbilt University campus Friday night to support Japan following last week's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

Survivor of Japan quake pulled from rubble after eight days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:45:00 +0100

19 Mar 2011 01:21 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - A survivor of Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami was pulled from the rubble on Saturday eight days after the disaster, NHK reported, citing the military. The young man was found in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture, which was one of the hardest-hit regions.

Kyodo withdraws story on miracle tsunami survivor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:45:00 +0100

19 Mar 2011 03:29 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - Japanese news agency Kyodo News withdrew a startling story on Saturday of a young man pulled alive from the rubble eight days after a massive earthquake set off a 10-metre high tsunami that ripped through northeast Japan, killing thousands.

Survivor of Japan quake in shock as pulled from rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:45:00 +0100

19 Mar 2011 02:43 Source: reuters // Reuters (Adds details on health) TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - A man was pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami, the military said. The man, in his 20s, was in shock and unable to speak when he was found....

Interview: Japan grateful for China's assistance to quake-hit areas: FM

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:41:00 +0100

Japan greatly appreciates the assistance and sympathies the Chinese government and people have offered after the catastrophic March 11 earthquake, said Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto on Friday. "Chinese leaders such as President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao as well as the Chinese people....

President Hu visits Japanese embassy to convey condolences

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:41:00 +0100

&$ &$Chinese President Hu Jintao (Front) visits the Japanese embassy to convey a message of condolences for the victims of last Friday's massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Japan, in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2011. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)&$ &$ Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a visit....

Man rescued eight days after Japan quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:40:00 +0100

Rescuers pulled a man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan on Saturday, eight days after a massive earthquake and tsunami, a Self Defence Forces spokesman said.

Best pictures from the past 24 hours

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:36:00 +0100

Akane Ito hugs her dog Mei at an evacuation center in Natori, near Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, Friday. Mei was returned to her today, seven days after she went missing following the earthquake triggered tsunami on March 11. A woman cries as she visits the grave of her relative at a cemetery....

Japan has always transformed its traumas into fantastical history

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:36:00 +0100

A string of islands in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan has seen more than its fair share of catastrophic disasters.

China's president offers condolences at Japan's embassy

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:35:00 +0100

BEIJING - China's President Hu Jintao offered condolences to the victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami during an unusual visit to the country's embassy, state media reported.

Laos donates to relief effort in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:34:00 +0100

Several large companies in Laos have donated funds to the relief effort in Japan through the External Relations Committee of the Party Central Committee's Office in Vientiane after it announced on Tuesday it was accepting donations. . More

Man rescued 8 days after Japan's quake-tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:33:00 +0100

Rescuers pulled a man alive from a wrecked house eight days after Japan's earthquake and tsunami Saturday as a crucial mission inched forward to rebuild power lines to a radiation-leaking nuclear plant crippled in the...

Alive!: Miracle of man pulled from wreckages of his house EIGHT days after tsunami crushed it

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:26:00 +0100

Troops from the civil defence department were stunned to find the young man, shocked and unable to speak, in the ruins of the house in the town of Kesennuma.

Man rescued 8 days after Japan's quake-tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:23:00 +0100

FUKUSHIMA CITY, Japan (AP) — Rescuers pulled a man alive from a wrecked house eight days after Japan's earthquake and tsunami Saturday as a crucial mission inched forward to rebuild power lines to a radiation-leaking nuclear plant crippled in the disaster.

Experts: Japan’s Nuclear Problems Could Greatly Affect Global Energy Policies

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:22:00 +0100

Scaling down of nuclear energy could have damaging effect on efforts to curb pollution from other sources

Prime Minister condoles Japan’s losses

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:18:00 +0100

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung Thursday visited the Japanese embassy in Hanoi to express his grief over the suffering caused to the people of Japan by last week’s massive earthquake and tsunami.

Man rescued from rubble eight days after Japan disaster

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:17:00 +0100

government's focus on caring for survivors Tokyo - Rescue teams pulled a man from rubble Saturday in north- eastern Japan, eight days after the region was devastated by a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami, the Kyodo News agency reported. The survivor, a man in his 20s identified as Katsuharu....

Man pulled alive 8 days after quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:09:00 +0100

A survivor of Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami was pulled from the rubble of a partially collapsed house on Saturday eight days after the disaster, local media reported.

Man pulled alive from Japan rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:06:00 +0100

Japanese rescuers have found a young man alive in the rubble of the Miyagi prefecture, in the north-east of the country, eight days after the country was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Survivor of Japan quake pulled from rubble after eight days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:05:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - A survivor of Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami was pulled from the rubble on Saturday eight days after the disaster, NHK reported, citing the military.

Survivor of Japan quake in shock as pulled from rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:02:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - A man was pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami, the military said.

Survivor of Japan quake in shock as pulled from rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:02:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - A man was pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami, the military said.

Survivor is pulled from the rubble 8 days after Japan quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:01:00 +0100

Rescue workers in Kesennuma, Japan, pulled a young man from the wreckage wrought by last week's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the Japan Self-Defence Forces said Saturday, offering an astonishing story of survival in a country beset by tragedy.

Japanese man rescued from rubble eight days on

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

Japan's Shattered Mirror

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

After centuries of natural and human disasters, the nation has learned that what comes down can be rebuilt, says Ian Buruma.

Bid to 'Protect Assets' Slowed Reactor Fight

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

Crucial efforts to tame Japan's crippled nuclear plant were delayed by concerns over damaging valuable power assets and by initial passivity on the part of the government.

Was Japan's volcano eruption linked to its earthquake?

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:58:00 +0100

The eruption of the Shinmoedake volcano hundreds of miles away may be linked to the quake, but it's difficult to prove, one scientist says. In general, though, one can easily affect the other.The Shinmoedake volcano on Japan's southern island of Kyushu, 950 miles from the epicenter of last week's....

Nuclear fears compound misery of Japan survivors

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:57:00 +0100

MIYAKO, Japan: The nuclear crisis in Japan has struck fear and disbelief into quake and tsunami survivors who can barely take in the idea that a third life-threatening disaster might come their way.

Survivor pulled from Japan rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:56:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:55:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Experts Try To Solve Japan Nuclear Crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:55:00 +0100

As authorities in Japan try to work out the best way to tackle the nuclear emergency, Sky News invited British nuclear experts to analyse the crisis.

Man rescued eight days after quake, tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:53:00 +0100

Rescue teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house, eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Survivor pulled from Japan rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:53:00 +0100

Rescue teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house, eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Japanese man survives 8 days under quake rubble - TV

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:53:00 +0100

Rescuers have found a survivor of Japan's earthquake eight days after the disaster, followed by a devastating tsunami, hit coastal areas in the northeast of the country, Japan's NHK television reported on Saturday.

Man rescued eight days after Japan quake: media

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:53:00 +0100

Rescuers pulled a man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan on Saturday, eight days after a massive earthquake and tsunami, media reports said.

Survivor pulled from rubble eight days after Japan’s quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:50:00 +0100

Kazunori Takada Tokyo— Reuters Published Friday, Mar. 18, 2011 10:38PM EDT Last updated Friday, Mar. 18, 2011 10:46PM EDT A man was pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday eight days after Japan’s powerful earthquake and tsunami, the military said. The man, in his 20s, was in shock and unable to....

Japan quake survivor pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:49:00 +0100

Military search teams pulled a young man from a crushed house Saturday, eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

AIG forecasts US$700m in Japan quake loss

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:49:00 +0100

WASHINGTON: Insurer AIG said Friday that Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami disaster would cost its Chartis subsidiary $700 million in the first quarter of 2011.

TEPCO hikes radiation limits as workers' exposure rises

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:46:00 +0100

The owner of the stricken nuclear power complex in northeastern Japan said Saturday that it will hike the radiation exposure limit for its workers at the plant from 100 millisieverts per shift to 150 millisieverts, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported.

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:43:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Man rescued from rubble eight days after Japan quake: NHK

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:43:00 +0100

Last Updated: Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:46:00 +1100 Japan's public broadcaster NHK has reported rescuers have pulled a young man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan, eight days after the earthquake and tsunami. NHK says the man is in a stable physical condition, but in a state of shock and unable to speak.

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:43:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Survivor pulled from Japan rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:42:00 +0100

Official says man was transferred to nearby hospital, but is too weak to talk, as death toll reaches nearly 7,200

Kenyans evacuated in Japan nuclear scare

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:41:00 +0100

The first group of 15 Kenyans evacuated from Japan is expected to arrive in Nairobi on Saturday morning as the government temporarily closed its embassy in the tsunami-ravaged country.

Japanese PM optimistic as nation battles a nuclear and humanitarian crisis

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:41:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis today, with engineers working to restore power to a stricken power plant in what the UN’s top atomic expert said was a “race against time”.

Undeterred by Fallout Fears, U.S. and Chile Sign Nuclear Accord

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:41:00 +0100

The agreement focuses on training nuclear engineers and cooperation in the areas of safety, radioactive waste management and scientific exchange.

Technology › Analysts predict iPad 2 shortages after earthquake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:40:00 +0100

Market research group IHS iSuppli said Friday that last week's earthquake in Japan could cause shortages of Apple Inc's iPad 2 tablet computer. The iSuppli…

Japan tsunami survivor found as power cable reaches nuclear plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:36:00 +0100

Young man pulled from rubble in Kesennuma, while at Fukushima nuclear plant there are hopes of restarting cooling systems Engineers have attached an emergency power cable to Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant and are preparing to try and restart water pumps to cool down overheated fuel rods and try and halt the spread of radiation.

Survivor pulled from Japan rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:32:00 +0100

Military search teams pulled a young man from a crushed house Saturday, eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

URGENT: Man rescued 8 days after quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:30:00 +0100

SENDAI, Japan - A man was rescued Saturday morning from a partially collapsed house in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture,...

Japan tsunami fallout: Apple could face iPad 2 component shortages

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:26:00 +0100

Apple could face shortages of components for the iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, according to a research firm.

Toll from Japan disasters nears 7,200

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:26:00 +0100

Japan's police agency says nearly 7,200 are dead and more than 10,900 are missing after last week's earthquake and tsunami.

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:25:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Survivor pulled from rubble 8 days after quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:23:00 +0100

A survivor of Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami was pulled from the rubble on Saturday eight days after the disaster, NHK reported, citing the military.

Japan's death toll climbs to nearly 7,000

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:23:00 +0100

Japan documented more deaths Friday as Prime Minister Naoto Kan sought to reassure a nation reeling from disaster, saying that he is committed to taking firm control of a "grave" situation.

Police: Death toll rises to 7,197 in Japan following massive quake, tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:22:00 +0100

The National Police Agency said Saturday that the catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami that took place on March 11 have left 7,197 people dead and 10,905 others unaccounted for in Japan by 9:00 a.m.(0000 GMT) Saturday, Xinhua reported.

AIG says Japan, other disaster claims to top $1 billion

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:20:00 +0100

OFUNATO, Japan (March 15, 2011) - Claims from Japan's earthquake, tsunami and related damage alone will cost AIG $700 million. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class ...

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:20:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Quake Rocks Tech Stocks

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:20:00 +0100

IDG News Service - The devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 took a tragic toll on human life but also rocked markets this week, sending shares of businesses, including ...

Survivor pulled from Japan rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:15:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — Military search teams pulled a young man from a crushed house Saturday, eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan. The young man, found in the rubble in Kesennuma city, was too weak to talk and was immediately transferred to a nearby hospital, said a military official.

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:12:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

$700,000 Donated To Japan Relief Efforts Via Causes, Salesforce Pledges $25K Matching Grant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:11:00 +0100

As Japan works to recover from the horrendous earthquake and tsunami that struck last week, many companies and citizens are donating what they can to help. One of the easiest ways to help is to send a text message to the Red Cross (text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation), but there are plenty....

Survivor pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:11:00 +0100

TOKYO: Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

International rescue teams struggle to find more victims

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:10:00 +0100

VICTIMS of the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and snow blizzard are still being found by humanitarian groups and are receiving food, water and medical attention.

Government admits slow pace of its response

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:10:00 +0100

SIRENS wailed along a devastated coastline to mark exactly one week since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear emergency, and the government acknowledged it was slow to respond to the disasters that the prime minister called a “great test for the Japanese people.”

Man pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:09:00 +0100

Military search teams have pulled a young man from a crushed house eight days after an earthquake and tsunami wrecked northeast Japan.

Prince to visit cyclone-hit towns

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:06:00 +0100

Prince William will visit hurricane-ravaged parts of Australia on a tour that has taken in areas of New Zealand devastated by last month's earthquake.

Man rescued eight days after Japan quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:06:00 +0100

Rescuers have pulled a young man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan, eight days after a massive earthquake and tsunami.

Man rescued eight days after Japan quake: NHK

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:06:00 +0100

Rescuers pulled a young man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan on Saturday, eight days after a massive earthquake and tsunami, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Japan races to cool crippled nuke plant

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:06:00 +0100

Firefighters will resume pumping in water to cool the crippled Fukushima nuclear power station as Japan raises the severity rating of the crisis to level five.

Man rescued eight days after Japan quake: NHK

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:06:00 +0100

Rescuers pulled a young man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan on Saturday, eight days after a massive earthquake and tsunami, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Survivor found 8 days after quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:02:00 +0100

RESCUERS have pulled a young man from the rubble of a destroyed building in northeast Japan, eight days after a massive earthquake and tsunami, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Survivor of Japan quake pulled from rubble after eight days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 03:01:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - A survivor of Japan's powerful earthquake and tsunami was pulled from the rubble on Saturday eight days after the disaster, NHK reported, citing the military.

Survivor of Japan tsunami found

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:51:00 +0100

Rescuers in Japan find a survivor of the earthquake and tsunami, eight days after the disaster that devastated coastal areas in the north.

Survivor of Japan quake pulled from rubble after eight days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:50:00 +0100

TOKYO, (Reuters) – A survivor of Japan’s powerful earthquake and tsunami was pulled from the rubble last night eight days after the disaster, NHK reported, citing the military. The young man was found in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture, which was one of the hardest-hit regions.

Decisive action shows power of G7 unity

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:48:00 +0100

By Robin Harding in Tokyo and Robert Cookson in Hong Kong Published: March 18 2011 22:01 | Last updated: March 18 2011 22:01 The decision to launch co-ordinated currency intervention for the first time in a decade is a turning point for both Japan and the Group of Seven industrialised countries.

S. Korea plans to inspect its nuke plants

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:43:00 +0100

SEOUL, March 18 (UPI) -- The South Korean government announced Friday its 21 nuclear reactors will be inspected to avoid possible problems like those at Japan's Fukushima plant. Nine of the reactors are more than 20 years old and will be subjected to...

Tokyo in rush hour eerily quiet after earthquake and tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:41:00 +0100

TOKYO’S usually jam-packed subway and streets are eerily quiet as people stay indoors

Japan earthquake: How Japanese have always drawn strength from disaster

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:41:00 +0100

One of the most common expressions in Japanese, as common as ‘it’s only fair’ in English, is shikata ga nai, or ‘it can’t be helped’.

Try-Anything Strategy In Nuclear Crisis Draws Criticism, and Sympathy

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:41:00 +0100

Japan’s efforts to cool the hobbled nuclear reactors in Fukushima have seemed, at least to a world watching on television, to be decidedly low-tech.

Japan’s Automakers Expect Longer Delays

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:41:00 +0100

Nissan, Honda and Toyota are all carefully reviewing how they will get back to normal and make up for delays in deliveries to their overseas dealers and factories.

In Japan’s Danger Zone, the Stranded Await the Merciful

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:41:00 +0100

Thousands of Japanese are stranded near the stricken reactors — many too old or infirm to move — and residents are criticizing the government’s lack of help.

'Survivor Found' Eight Days After Japan Quake

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:40:00 +0100

A survivor has been pulled from rubble in Japan eight days after the country was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami, according to reports.

Contamination hasn't spread beyond 30km radius: US

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:39:00 +0100

Authorities in Japan have failed to cool the pools for spent fuel at the Fukushima nuclear plant, where normally water circulates continuously , keeping racks of spent nuclear fuel rods at a benign temperature.

Japan: Quake survivor pulled from rubble after 8 days

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:39:00 +0100

Nearly 7,000 confirmed dead and 10,700 missing; engineers race to prevent deadly radiation at tsunami-crippled nuclear station.

'Crude and LNG prices set to increase'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:39:00 +0100

Crude oil and coking coal prices are likely to go up due to the nuclear crisis in Japan. This will directly affect the Indian economy as well, according to reports.

China tightening marches on with 6th reserve rate rise

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:33:00 +0100

China raised banks' required reserves again in a decision on Friday, the latest installment in its monetary tightening cycle that many had thought would be put on hold after Japan's devastating earthquake.

S. Korea plans to inspect its nuke plants

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:25:00 +0100

SEOUL, March 18 (UPI) -- The South Korean government announced Friday its 21 nuclear reactors will be inspected to avoid possible problems like those at Japan's Fukushima plant.

POINT OF VIEW/ Kazuhisa Ogawa: Japan needs an emergency command center team

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:23:00 +0100

The crux of crisis management is best described by the proverb, "Speed is the essence of war." Countermeasures against disasters don't need to be perfect. The government can both refine the system and provide relief while it is running. For some time now, I have insisted that setting up a command....

Apple could face iPad 2 component shortages

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:18:00 +0100

Apple could face shortages of components for the iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, according to a research firm.

Wall Street bets against a meltdown

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:13:00 +0100

The relatively small loss in U.S. stock indexes suggests investors believe Japan's nuclear crisis won't lead to catastrophe. The focus may turn back to the Middle East.U.S. financial markets seem to think they know how Japan's nuclear-reactor crisis will be resolved: with Armageddon avoided.

Agency: Japanese nuclear crisis on par with 3 Mile Island

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 02:13:00 +0100

The problems at Japan's earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are more serious than initially thought, the country's nuclear safety agency indicated Friday as it adjusted its assessment of the disaster.

In Japan, workers struggling to hook up power to Fukushima reactor

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:58:00 +0100

Engineers continue effort to restore electricity, but it's unknown if the cooling systems at the Fukushima plant will work. A moment of silence is observed to mark one week since the 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami; the official death toll in Japan is now more than 6,900.

Baseball: MLB clubs vow donations for Japan's relief efforts

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:58:00 +0100

NEW YORK - Several Major League Baseball clubs announced plans this week to aid Japan's relief efforts in the w...

Japanese crisis: Premier Kan tells his people: We will rebuild our nation from scratch

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:56:00 +0100

PRIME minister Naoto Kan yesterday urged the Japanese people to help rebuild their country "from scratch" as his government acknowledged it had been overwhelmed by the

Conspiracy theorists take fright at rare 'supermoon'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:56:00 +0100

A RARE "supermoon" will appear in the night sky tonight as the Moon orbits the Earth more closely than it has for over 18 years.

More sideways trading pattern

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:50:00 +0100

REVIEW: Overnight Dow reversed early weakness to post modest gains, advancing 59.79 points to 12,044.40 the previous Friday, as investors shook off fears of the quake's impact on Japan and on relief that an unrest in the Middle East did not engulf top oil producer Saudi Arabia.

Japan’s damaged facilities hamper demand recovery

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:50:00 +0100

SINGAPORE: Japan is in urgent need to import coal, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil products to restore energy consumption, but damaged storage tanks, ports and refineries render the country incapable of absorbing all the fuel and raw materials foreign suppliers might want to rush in.

How a nuclear meltdown matters to Malaysia

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:50:00 +0100

JUST days following the magnitude 9 earthquake off the coasts of Sendai sent a tsunami to the north-east coasts of Japan’s main Honshu island, analysts have been calculating how much this will cost and how this will impact the country’s economy.

INTERVIEW - Japan crisis is much worse than Three Mile

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:50:00 +0100

DETROIT (Reuters) - The man who became the face of the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster in 1979 says he had it easy compared to those trying to regain control of Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant this week.

SNAP ANALYSIS-Power connection may mark Japan turning point

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:42:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 21:35 Source: reuters // Reuters * Loss of power set off crisis at Daiichi plant * Utility will test cooling infrastructure at one reactor * If test succeed, reactor may take only few hours to cool By Bernie Woodall and Scott DiSavino NEW YORK, March 18 (Reuters) - Japan may have....

Elderly said to suffer worst in disasters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:41:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, March 18 (UPI) -- Researchers say data from past disasters suggest the oldest segment of Japan's population will be hardest hit by the recent earthquake and tsunami. "Japan's population -- with the highest proportion of older people...

Japan's earthquake: If tragedy and comedy can coexist, how and when?

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:38:00 +0100

Comedian Gilbert Gottfried was fired as the voice of the Aflac duck for joking about Japan's earthquake in the days after the tragedy. But that doesn't mean humor isn't helpful in horrific times.

Salt panic sparks in China from Japan radiation risk

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:38:00 +0100

Salt panic-buying sparks across China and other neighboring countries from fears of radioactive contamination.

Loyal dog saves pal from rubble

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:38:00 +0100

A SHAKING and mud-splattered spaniel emerges from rubble to lead rescuers to a stricken pal in this heartwarming video from devastated Japan. The exhausted animal had loyally remained with his four-legged chum since the earthquake and tsunami obliterated his home six days ago.

Nuclear plant may be buried

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:38:00 +0100

TOKYO: Japanese engineers conceded yesterday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986, may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release.

The lonely vigil of children who lost mum and dad

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:37:00 +0100

The nine-year-old boy stares at the camera, his haunted eyes contrasting with the chubby cheeks and warm clothes that speak of a childhood of love and comfort. But now Toshihito Aisawa is on a lone vigil, travelling from one shelter to the next searching for the family he last saw being engulfed by Japan's tsunami.

The man who survived two tsunamis: 'I feel as if my family is being chased'

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:37:00 +0100

Someone up there is looking after Zahrul Fuadi, who has survived two tsunamis that were among the worst natural disasters of the past century.

PM mulls Chernobyl's 'concrete coffin' option

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:37:00 +0100

A week since a massive earthquake plunged Japan into its worst crisis since the Second World War, its Prime Minister yesterday vowed to "rebuild the nation from scratch" as technicians battled to cool radioactive fuel at a nuclear plant 155 miles away.

Nukes: Improve them, but don’t even think of abandoning them

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:33:00 +0100

Nukes are the cleanest, safest answer to giving developing nations the power to lift people out of poverty

MSF may pull team out of nuclear plant area

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0100

VIENNA, Austria - The medical aid organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) may pull its emergency team out of the area near a stricken nuclear plant in Japan if the situation escalates, Eric Ouannes, the head of its office in Japan, said on Thursday.

Sato's Family safe

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0100

BEIJING - While Atsushi Sato's situation still remains unclear, his wife and daughter are safe, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday, citing one of his relatives who did not want to be identified.

Ten Australians unaccounted for in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0100

The federal government remains concerned for 10 Australians still unaccounted for in the most devastated areas of Japan.

'Huge difficulties' at Japan nuclear plant, as race to cool reactors continues

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0100

JAPAN battles crisis as engineers work to restore power to stricken plant in what top atomic expert says is a "race against time".

Fears deepen for missing Aussies in Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0100

Federal Government says 10 Australians are still unaccounted for in quake and tsunami ravaged Japan.

Dozens of Reactors in Quake Zones

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:29:00 +0100

Dozens of nuclear reactors operate in earthquake-prone regions around the world, including at least 14 in high-hazard areas, a Wall Street Journal analysis shows.

Kids react with kindness

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:25:00 +0100

From selling lemonade and art work in the United States, to $10 bracelets in quake-ravaged Haiti, children find ways to help Japan

Kalam for review of nuclear facilities

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:20:00 +0100

Pune: The former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Friday supported a review of the country's nuclear facilities in the wake of the Japan crisis, even as his associate and former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Anil Kakodkar, stressed that there was no need for knee-jerk reaction.

Japan crisis underlines need to revisit nuclear strategy: PM

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:20:00 +0100

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday the nuclear crisis in Japan underlined the need to revisit strategies for safety of atomic plants and added that he had already ordered a “thorough review.” “The tragic nuclear incidents in Japan in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and....

Residents of Japan quake region wonder where the government is

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:19:00 +0100

There may be radioactive particles wafting out of the sky, but Masahiro Hamaguchi has a more pedestrian concern about the air around him: the dribble of cold, wet snow. A week after the deadly ...

Westminster Abbey to hold Chch memorial

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:19:00 +0100

Westminster Abbey will hold an official service later this month to mark the devastating earthquake that struck Christchurch on February 22. The service in London on March 27 would reflect on the ...

Sutter Health Supports Relief Efforts for Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0100

SACRAMENTO, Calif. March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sutter Health today announced a $500,000 donation to the American Red Cross in support of relief efforts in Japan , following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that swept the region last week. "There's an overwhelming need for basic supplies in....

Oil Markets Cope with Libya and Japan Crises

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0100

LONDON March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Oil markets work well when they are allowed to. Major unexpected disruptions to energy infrastructure over the last month, first in Libya , then after the tragic and devastating earthquake in Japan , have shown this, according to analysis by leading energy price reporting agency Argus.

Malaysian interpreter happy to get out of Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:05:00 +0100

SEPANG: Living just 50km from Sendai – the hardest-hit earthquake and tsunami area in Japan – all Malaysian Yeoh Lian Chun wanted to do was flee from the disaster zone.

Girl Guides launch fund to help victims of twin disasters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:05:00 +0100

PUTRAJAYA: The Girl Guides Association of Malaysia is spearheading an initiative to lend a hand to the Japanese people struck by tragedies that have moved the global community.

Club trying to locate Malaysian

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:05:00 +0100

PETALING JAYA: The Tokyo MCA Club is trying to locate a Malaysian woman and her family who lived near the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

Urgent orders from Japan prioritized

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

Earthquake-hit cities desperate to receive extra food supplies SHANGHAI - Food companies in East China's Zhejiang province have been gearing up to provide products to earthquake-hit Japan. Since the massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami hit Japan on March 11, the Jiaxing Niandai Instant Frozen Food....

Hu offers sympathy to victims

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

BEIJING - President Hu Jintao paid a visit to the Japanese embassy in Beijing on Friday afternoon to convey condolences for the victims of last Friday's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Japan quake prompts PetroChina M

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

The company's president pledges to accelerate its global expansion plans HONG KONG - PetroChina Co pledged to accelerate acquisitions of energy assets and develop the country's domestic resources of natural gas as demand for the fuel rises following Japan's nuclear reactor crisis.

US to review safety of all its nuclear plants

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

WASHINGTON -The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a "comprehensive review" of the safety of all nuclear plants in the United States following a dangerous and complicated situation at Japan's damaged Fukushima Daiichi reactors.

Earthquake, tsunami evacuees too shocked to contemplate future

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

YAMADA/RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan - A week after their lives were turned upside down by the biggest recorded earthquake in Japan's history, many survivors are too shocked to contemplate the future.

Huawei makes its first post-quake shipment to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

BEIJING - Huawei Technologies Co, the world's second-biggest maker of mobile-phone networks, said it completed its first shipment of "essential" communications equipment to Tokyo since the earthquake in Japan.

Japan 'overwhelmed' by twin disasters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

YAMAGATA, Japan - Japanese authorities said on Friday they were overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin disasters, slowing the response to the mounting nuclear crisis triggered by the earthquake and tsunami, which have left at least 17,000 people dead or missing.

Elderly said to suffer worst in disasters

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, March 18 (UPI) -- Researchers say data from past disasters suggest the oldest segment of Japan's population will be hardest hit by the recent earthquake and tsunami.

Thai exports at record high in February

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

BANGKOK: Thailand's exports in February hit a record monthly high at a value of $18.86 billion, government figures showed Friday, although the crisis in Japan was expected to hit short-term trade. Thai shipments jumped 31 percent from a year earlier -- boosted especially by demand for agricultural....

Bullock joins Hollywood pack in aid to Japan

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Hollywood has made plenty of disaster movies, but the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan is no fiction aand the entertainment industry has responded to the dire situation there with generosity. Oscar winner Sandra Bullock became the latest to join the cause when the American Red Cross said....

Official: Japan's nuclear-plant battle may last weeks

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:58:00 +0100

The situation at Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant is "very serious," but at the moment it does not appear to be deteriorating, a senior ...

Video: Japan's desperate measures to cool nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:56:00 +0100

The reactors at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant damaged by the earthquake and tsunami were bombarded with water from helicopters to try to cool them off and prevent a meltdown. Bill Whitaker reports that it is not clear these desperate measures will work.

Preparing for disaster builds resilience

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:55:00 +0100

LONDON, March 17 (UPI) -- Psychological trauma for some earthquake and tsunami survivors will be felt for some time to come, a psychology expert in Britain says.

Obama requests nuclear review, sees risk in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:46:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday he had requested a comprehensive review of U.S. nuclear facilities, maintaining his support for atomic energy while seeking to apply lessons from the crisis in Japan.

VIDEOS from IMF available on thenewsmarket.com: IMF on Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:45:00 +0100

NEW YORK March 17, 2011 -- Get content from IMF at: The International Monetary Fund expressed condolences to the people of Japan following last week's earthquake and tsunami. In a press briefing, spokeswoman Caroline Atkinson said that although the short-term and long-term effects of the disaster....

Isolated evacuees muster up strength to live in self-sustaining way

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:43:00 +0100

By NORIYUKI SUZUKI, HIGASHIMATSUSHIMA, Japan - Evacuees on an island in the quake-hit northeastern part of Japan, cut off from the mainland after a...

Nuclear emergency: As it happened

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:37:00 +0100

HOW news.com.au reported the nuclear emergency at Fukushima No.1 plant and the humanitarian crisis throughout the rest of Japan.

Workers try to cool Japan's overheated reactors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:36:00 +0100

Emergency workers seemed to try everything they could think of Thursday to douse Japan's most dangerously overheated nuclear reactors: helicopters, heavy-duty fire trucks, even water cannons normally used to quell...

Global demand for commodities still strong

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:33:00 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR: Commodity prices are expected to be remain high supported by supply constraints, continuous strong demand as well as Japan’s massive reconstruction after last week’s earthquake and tsunami.

CORRECTED - SPECIAL REPORT - Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:33:00 +0100

To read this story in multimedia PDF format, click here: http://link.reuters.com/guz58r By Kevin Krolicki TOKYO (Reuters) - By Thursday morning the last line of defense came down to this: a police water cannon, a helicopter maneuver designed for wildfires and a race against time to get the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant rewired to the grid.

Bullock donates $1m for Japan crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:33:00 +0100

Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million to help victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami crisis, the latest celebrity to pledge aid, the American Red Cross said.

Timber stocks dominate trading on Bursa

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:33:00 +0100

PETALING JAYA: Timber-related counters dominated trading on the local bourse yesterday as demand and prices for logs and plywood are poised to escalate following the disaster in Japan.

Yen hits record high vs US$

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:33:00 +0100

PETALING JAYA: The yen soared to a record high against the US dollar yesterday amid expectations that Japanese investors were redeeming foreign assets to pay for the rebuilding of local businesses destroyed in the recent major earthquake and tsunami.

FACTBOX - Travel warnings after Japan's earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:33:00 +0100

AUSTRIA: - "All Austrians, especially families with children in the greater Tokyo/Yokohama area, are advised to leave the country temporarily or leave the greater Tokyo/Yokohama area," the Foreign Ministry website says. -- Austrian diplomatic staff have moved to the consulate in Osaka from the....

Prince William to attend NZ quake service

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:31:00 +0100

Dominqiue Schwartz and Philippa McDonald Last Updated: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:03:00 +1100 Britain's Prince William will be attending a New Zealand national memorial service to honour the victims of last month�s devastating earthquake which killed 182 people.

Radiation data from Japanese disaster starts to filter out

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:30:00 +0100

Confidential data held by nuclear test ban organisation emerging as key to monitoring Fukushima radiation.

(Map) Japan: Nuclear Power Plants - Tsunami and Earthquake Affected Areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:29:00 +0100

Date: 17 Mar 2011 Type: Natural Disaster Keyword(s): Technological Disaster; Natural Disaster; Earthquake; Tsunami; Population and Demographics; Disaster Assessment Format: With the exception of public UN sources, reproduction or redistribution of the above text, in whole, part or in any form, requires the prior consent of the original source.

South Korea Steps Up Aid Effort to Japan After Disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:29:00 +0100

South Korea plans to dispatch more emergency assistance to Japan, which is in dire need of humanitarian supplies in the wake of last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Could California be next?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:29:00 +0100

LOS ANGELES - Chile: Feb 27, 2010. New Zealand: Feb 22, 2011. Japan: March 11, 2011. Is California next? With these three "corners" of the Pacific Plate - the oceanic tectonic plate that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean - hit by devastating...

Workers try everything to cool Japan's reactors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:25:00 +0100

YAMAGATA, Japan (AP) — Emergency workers seemed to try everything they could think of Thursday to douse Japan's most dangerously overheated nuclear reactors: helicopters, heavy-duty fire trucks, even water cannons normally used to quell rioters. But they couldn't be sure any of it was easing the peril at the tsunami-ravaged facility.

Japan rejected early US help on nuclear disaster, claims report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:25:00 +0100

Some ruling party and govt officials pointed that the country could have avoided the current crisis if Prime Minister had accepted the US offer.

Japan dumps water on overheating nuclear reactor

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:24:00 +0100

* US increasingly worried about Japan’s nuclear crisis * Water in spent fuel rod pool has run dry * G7 to discuss market turmoil TOKYO: Japanese military helicopters and fire trucks doused an overheating nuclear plant with water on Thursday while the United States said it was sending aircraft to....

Top in Category › Hawaii braces for downturn in travelers from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:22:00 +0100

A tsunami spawned by the deadly earthquake in Japan caused tens of millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses and boats in Hawaii after…

World › U.S. screening passengers, cargo from Japan for radiation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:22:00 +0100

The Department of Homeland Security is screening passengers and cargo entering the United States from Japan for "even a blip of radiation," Homeland Security Secretary…

Commentary › Quake response showcases Japan's resilient spirit

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:22:00 +0100

Close to the epicenter of Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami, workers at a warehouse hauled out cans of coffee and soda this week to offer…

Politics › Obama says Fukushima nuclear risk substantial; offers more support to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:22:00 +0100

U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday the damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant posed ''a substantial risk'' to people nearby and pledged more support…

Business › Japanese nonlife insurance industry to pay record benefits over quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:22:00 +0100

Japan's nonlife insurance industry may have to pay record earthquake insurance benefits for last Friday's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, exceeding the past record of 78.3…

Japan : Defiance in our hearts

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:19:00 +0100

ETSUKO KOYAM lived on the third floor of an apartment building in Japan. That was until last Friday when she saw water tearing through her apartment floor. She ran for dear life holding her dear daughter’s hand.

JLPGA Golfer Jeon Mi-jeong Donates 10 Million Yen to Disaster Victims in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:18:00 +0100

Korean golfer Jeon Mi-jeong, who plays in the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour, donated 10 million yen to the victims of the deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan. "It's nothing compared to the support I've received from my Japanese fans," she said. "I hope it will be help...

U.S. Military Sends Ships, Aircraft to Japan Relief Effort

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:18:00 +0100

The U.S. Navy has 14 ships off the coast of Japan, providing humanitarian assistance to victims of last week's earthquake and tsunami, and a command ship is expected in the area on Thursday. Some of the thousands of U.S. troops stationed in Japan are also involved in the relief effort. At...

CH-47 Chinook helicopters begin dumping water on nuclear reactor

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:18:00 +0100

CH-47 Chinook helicopters, heavy-duty fire trucks, and water cannons dump water on one of Japan's dangerously overheated nuclear reactors. Emergency workers couldn't be sure any of it was easing the peril at the tsunami-ravaged facility.

Exposed to the elements: Nuclear fuel in meltdown

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:16:00 +0100

Open to the elements after its walls were blown away, overheating fuel rods in a dried-up storage pool are threatening a nuclear meltdown at Japan's stricken Fukushima power plant.

Sauber to show support for Japan at opening Formula One grand prix

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:15:00 +0100

Formula One team Sauber will feature a message of support for the people of Japan on the livery of their cars at the opening grand prix of the season.

ShelterBox mobilizes quickly for Japanese families

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:15:00 +0100

After a deadly earthquake and tsunami struck Japan last Friday, response team members from ShelterBox were on the ground within 24 hours.

Don't panic the people

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:15:00 +0100

In the decorous chambers of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Wednesday a U.S. bureaucrat launched a tsunami of panic that has spread further worldwide than the real tsunami that devastated much of Japan on March 11.

US bringing all available resources to monitor Japan nuclear disaster - Obama

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:11:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, March 17 (KUNA) -- The United States is bringing all available resources to bear to closely monitor the nuclear disaster in Japan, and protect American citizens who may be in harm's way, President Barack Obama said on Thursday. "Even as Japanese responders continue to do heroic work, we....

Britons to be flown home free after Japan earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:01:00 +0100

Britons affected by the Japanese disaster will be flown home to the UK free of charge on charter planes from Tokyo, the Government announced today. Flights from the capital to Hong Kong will be ...

Japan still 'racing against the clock' to prevent nuclear meltdown at Fukushima

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:59:00 +0100

The head of the UN's nuclear safety body said Japan was still "racing against the clock" to prevent a meltdown at the Fukushima power plant after he arrived in the country for a first-hand briefing on the crisis.

Officials work to calm nuclear fallout fears

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:56:00 +0100

VIENNA - Diplomats and UN officials are trying to dispel fears of a wider danger from radioactivity spewing from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors, saying there were no hazards to health outside of the immediate vicinity.As emergency...

Canadian blasts embassys evacuation plan for tsunami-struck Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:49:00 +0100

Christian Paauwe couldn't feel sorry for himself when the massive earthquake and tsunami smashed his adopted hometown of Sendai in the northeast of Japan last week. He and his wife and infant ...

Japanese officials overwhelmed by quake and tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:49:00 +0100

Sirens wailed Friday along a devastated coastline to mark exactly one week since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear emergency, and the government acknowledged it was slow to respond to ...

‘Super Moon' Will Light Up Sky Saturday Night

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:42:00 +0100

A rare full moon will be the biggest and brightest that it's been in many years on Saturday night. They're calling it a Super Moon.

Gold rises on G7 yen intervention

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:38:00 +0100

NEW YORK, March 18 (UPI) -- Gold moved higher on the Comex after the Group of Seven nations intervened to bolster the yen, battered by last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Markets gain as yen drops

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:38:00 +0100

NEW YORK, March 18 (UPI) -- Wall Street rose Friday after Libya announced a cease-fire and the Group of Seven said it would intervene to help stabilize the yen.

Radiation levels in Japan not harmful: IAEA

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:38:00 +0100

The IAEA has sent a radiation monitoring team to Japan to help authorities determine whether any dangerous radiation has been released from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, 250 kilometres northeast of Tokyo.

Action plan for village

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:36:00 +0100

VILLAGERS living along the Coral Coast have an evacuation plan in place in case a tsunami strikes.

Couch Potato Briefing: Need for Speed Edition

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:36:00 +0100

Here is Global Spin's latest installment rounding-up movies that tell you the week's news. Suffice to say, it's been a dark, gloomy seven days. Compiled by Ishaan Tharoor and Tony Karon.

Japanese-Americans pitch in for quake relief (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:35:00 +0100

AP - Japanese-Americans and others are opening their hearts and their wallets this week to the victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami.

Analysts predict iPad 2 shortages after earthquake (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:35:00 +0100

AP - Market research group IHS iSuppli said Friday that last week's earthquake in Japan could cause shortages of Apple Inc.'s iPad 2 tablet computer.

Private Companies on Standby to Aid in Evacuations From Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:35:00 +0100

Security firms that specialize in civilian rescue ops say despite horrific scenes, country better prepared than almost any other nation

Gold rises on G7 yen intervention

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:34:00 +0100

NEW YORK, March 18 (UPI) -- Gold moved higher on the Comex after the Group of Seven nations intervened to bolster the yen, battered by last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Gold nearly recovered all of the week's losses, closing up $11.90 to...

Nissans get radiation check before leaving Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:27:00 +0100

Associated Press - March 18, 2011 6:15 PM ET FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) - Before leaving Japan, Nissans are being checked for radiation. Nissan Americas spokesman David Reuter said Friday the...

World's richest nations step in to save Japan's stricken economy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:25:00 +0100

The world's richest nations staged a dramatic intervention in the foreign exchange market to prop up Japan's stricken economy. In a co-ordinated move, the G7 group of industrialised nations sold around £22bn of yen in a bid to halt a damaging surge in the Japanese currency following last week's earthquake and tsunami.

Edited by Rica Asuncion-Reed :“Chernobyl” Live

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:25:00 +0100

Approximately 10 years ago, New York’s twin towers collapsed before the world’s eyes, of which anti-Americans could have said, “Well, they deserved it.” But this time, the entire world (including rivals Russia, China and South Korea) clearly supports Japan, more than it has supported the U.S. since 2001.

Decisive action shows power of G7 unity

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:25:00 +0100

The decision to launch co-ordinated currency intervention for the first time in a decade is a turning point for both Japan and the Group of Seven industrialised countries. It matters most to Japan: a decisive action to drive down the yen has countered one of the biggest economic threats that arose....

UN nuclear agency to meet on Japan crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:20:00 +0100

United Nations. The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will convene a meeting at its headquarters in Vienna on Monday to brief UN member states on the nuclear emergency in Japan, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said, as cited by Xinhua "Director General Yukiya Amano will....

U.S. pension funds stay put in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:18:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- A growing humanitarian and nuclear crisis emerging in Japan in the wake of a massive earthquake and tsunami is not scaring U.S. pension funds into dropping their Japan ...

Japan's horror reveals how thin is the edge we live on | Bill McKibben

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:18:00 +0100

Climate change may not be responsible for the tsunami, but it is shrinking our margin of safety. It is time to shrink back ourselves It's scary to watch the video from Japan , and not just because of the frightening explosions at the Fukushima plant or the unstoppable surge of tsunami-wash through the streets.

Equity fund flows hit after Japan crises

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:18:00 +0100

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Globally tracked equity funds collectively suffered their biggest weekly outflow in more eight months, according to data released Friday, as investors grappled with the ...

As US military pitches in, families fret back home

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:14:00 +0100

As about 1,000 U.S. sailors began flying out of Japan on Friday, relatives in the United States expressed concerns about service members still in the country after last week's devastating earthquake and nuclear disaster.

UN, diplomats seek to dispel nuclear anxiety

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:11:00 +0100

VIENNA (AP) — Diplomats and U.N. officials sought Friday to dispel fears of a wider danger from radioactivity spewing from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors, saying there were no hazards to health outside the immediate vicinity. As emergency efforts to reduce the dangers of increased radiation from....

Video: Reporter nearly run over during liveshot

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:09:00 +0100

San Diego sports reporter Ben Higgins was nearly run down by an SUV while he was on live TV. Luckily, Higgins' photographer spotted the vehicle and stepped in.

After earthquake, Japan asks how a nation prepares for the unimaginable

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:08:00 +0100

Japan has been widely praised for its disaster readiness, but the magnitude 9.0 earthquake has the country asking how it can be better equipped to handle the next big one.

National › Crown prince declines invitation to Prince William's wedding due to quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako have declined an invitation to British Prince William's wedding next month following the massive earthquake that hit northeastern…

Entertainment / Arts › Japan Society exhibit says goodbye to Hello Kitty

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

In a catalog essay for a new exhibition at the Japan Society in New York, curator David Elliott talks about a pervasive anxiety in Japanese…

Radiation levels in Japan not harmful: IAEA

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

VIENNA - Radiation levels currently detected in Japan and beyond in the wake of the nuclear crisis after last week's massive earthquake do not pose any harm to human health, an IAEA expert said Friday.

Politics › Kan thanks public for acting calmly during crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that Japan's nuclear crisis still does not warrant optimism, but he believes the problems at the Fukushima Daiichi power…

Sports › Ichiro donates Y100 million for Japan quake relief

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro has donated 100 million yen to the Japanese Red Cross Society for earthquake relief efforts in the country, his management company…

Motorcycling: Stoner fastest in Qatar practice

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

LOSAIL, Qatar : Honda's Australian rider Casey Stoner set the fastest time in the final practice session for Sunday's Qatar MotoGP at the Losail circuit here on Friday.

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:04:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Automakers feel worsening effects of Japan crisis (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:03:00 +0100

AP - A week after the disaster in Japan erupted, its impact on automakers around the world is worsening.

Pick of the Clicks: Nature's worst brings out Human nature's best

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:03:00 +0100

Last week, it was while writing a POTC about the Apocalypse that one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded triggered a tsunami so powerful that even now it leaves us clueless as to the human cost. In the time since – rightly or wrongly – the world’s focus has turned from the very real human....

21:47 on 18 March, 2011 UTC

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100

A week of mourning in Tonga for victims of Japan’s quake and tsunami Posted at 21:47 on 18 March, 2011 UTC The Japanese Embassy in Tonga is holding a week of mourning for people affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami. The Prime Minister of Tonga, Lord Tu’ivakano says his sorrow and prayers are offered to the government and people of Japan.

Delaware woman makes contact with daughter in Japan who was reported missing

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100

The Delaware mother whose daughter was reported missing in the quake-damaged region of Japan has made contact with her after a week of worry and anxiety.

Japan battles nuclear and humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

Last Updated: Sat, 19 Mar 2011 07:23:00 +1100 Japan is battling a nuclear and humanitarian crisis with engineers working to restore power to a stricken power plant in what the UN's top atomic expert says is a "race against time". Global concerns remain focused on the crippled Fukushima No.

Donors use texts, social media for Japan relief

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

In the early hours of the Japan crisis, Satomi Dohi turned to her mobile phone for two reasons: to check in with family in Fukushima and text message a donation.

Westminster Abbey to hold Chch memorial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:54:00 +0100

Westminster Abbey will hold an official service later this month to mark the devastating earthquake that struck Christchurch on February 22.The service in London on March 27 would reflect on the loss of life suffered as a result...

Japan raises nuclear crisis level

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:54:00 +0100

Japanese authorities have raised the rating of the nuclear crisis to a Level 5 from a Level 4 on a seven-point international scale. That puts it on par with the 1979 Three M

Japan crew fixes power cable in race to stop radiation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:49:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Exhausted engineers successfully attached a power cable to Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear station on Saturday in a race to prevent deadly radiation from an accident now rated at least as bad as America's Three Mile Island in 1979.

Lack of food, water and medicine as infectious diseases start to spread

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:48:00 +0100

TOKYO - The lack of sufficient food, water, medicine and heating supplies is taking its toll on survivors of last week's quake and tsunami, who face the spread of influenza and other infectious diseases in their temporary shelters. Conditions...

Aftershocks from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:48:00 +0100

The devastation - both human and physical - from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is unfathomable. It is impossible at this point to gauge the full extent of the damage with any degree of precision. But we can nonetheless begin to assess its potential...

Japan lays power cable in race to stop radiation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:48:00 +0100

An external transmission line has been connected to Japan's stricken nuclear power plant and authorities say electricity can now be supplied.

Japan to test food for radioactive contamination

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:48:00 +0100

TOKYO - Japan will test agricultural products and exports, including wagyu beef and rice, for radioactive contamination as the nation struggles to deal with the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has...

Crisis caps decades of faked reports

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0100

The unfolding disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant follows decades of falsified safety reports, fatal accidents and underestimated earthquake risk in Japan's atomic power industry.

Survivors too shocked to contemplate future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0100

A week after their lives were turned upside down by the biggest recorded earthquake in Japan's history, many survivors are too shocked to contemplate the future.

Just imagine big Tokyo earthquake, 23 years later

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0100

Back in 1988, I left a job on Wall Street to write for a living. Amazed that magazine editors would pay me to travel anywhere in the world so long as I could convince them there was a story to be told about the place, I began casting around for stories about places I wanted to go.

Agreement inked despite fears spreading in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:43:00 +0100

Published Date: March 19, 2011 Chile, US sign nuclear accord SANTIAGO: Chile and the US signed a nuclear energy accord yesterday, despite fears of radiation spreading in Japan after a devastating earthquake and tsunami severely damaged some of its nuclear reactors.

Residents of Japan quake region wonder where the government is

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:43:00 +0100

Most victims have endured their privations with stoicism, but anger is rising over lack of basic services. For many, the slow response is reminiscent of that to the quake in Kobe in 1995.There may be radioactive particles wafting out of the sky, but Masahiro Hamaguchi has a more pedestrian concern....

Romania sends first plane to evacuate citizens from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:42:00 +0100

GE engineers in Japan working on nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:42:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 20:02 Source: reuters // Reuters * Hitachi leading communications with TEPCO * GE engineers in Japan helping to control Fukushima plant (Adds GE-Hitachi engineers in Wilmington, North Carolina) BOSTON, March 18 (Reuters) - General Electric Co

International Medical Corps Team in Hardest-Hit Coastal Communities Finds Severe Shortages of Food, Water, Medicines; Acute Need for Mental Health Support

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:42:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 20:30 Source: member // International Medical Corps March 18, 2011, Los Angeles, Calif. International Medical Corps’ emergency response team is assessing the post-disaster needs of isolated coastal villages north of Sendai that have yet to receive humanitarian assistance.

Automakers feel worsening effects of Japan crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:40:00 +0100

DETROIT (AP) — A week after the disaster in Japan erupted, its impact on automakers around the world is worsening. Most of Japan's auto industry is shut down. Factories from Louisiana to Thailand are low on Japanese-made parts. Idled plants are costing companies hundreds of millions of dollars. And U.

Misery and Uncertainty Fill Up Shelters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:39:00 +0100

In stricken communities across Japan, tsunami refugees have gathered in hundreds of schools, hospitals and public gyms that have been converted into makeshift shelters.

Radiation Spread Seen; Frantic Repairs Go On

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:39:00 +0100

The first readings from American data-collection flights over the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan show that the worst contamination has not spread beyond the 19-mile range of highest concern established by Japanese authorities.

Week in Review: The Limits of Safeguards and Human Foresight

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:39:00 +0100

Japan is a rich, high-tech nation but the earthquake and tsunami showed the limits of even the best preparation.

City carries out its duty to students

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0100

LAUTOKA City has reached out to comfort those devastated by the crisis their homeland is facing.

Japanese store extra food, donations pour in

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0100

THE low stock of some food items, like instant noodles, rice and bread in some Japanese shops was spurred by fear over a shortage of food.

No nuke threat

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0100

THE World Health Organisation says that following the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that strike Japan on March 11, it has been working closely with the Japanese government, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and other authorities.

Tremor effect

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0100

The earthquake of March 11 which rocked Japan also shook the world economy. Although Japan was beaten by China early this year to third place in the list of world's largest economies, it still ranks as one of the most innovative nations. High productivity based on admirable work ethics and....

Radiation worries

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0100

JAPANESE students studying in Fiji are worried about reports of radiation they want to return home to be with their families.

Fiji safe from nuke radiation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0100

FIJI is not in any immediate threat of being affected by radiation from the nuclear meltdown in Japan following last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Happy despite dad's loss

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0100

AN expatriate student from a region hit by the devastating tsunami says she is glad her family is safe.

U.S. Seafood Industry Braces For Japan Crisis Impact

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

On the import side, there are fears that American sushi customers will steer clear of Japanese fish. As for exports, the broken infrastructure in northeast Japan will make it much harder for producers in the Pacific Northwest to get fish to consumers.

Will GPS Systems Be Affected by Japan's Earthquake? (LiveScience.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

LiveScience.com - Apart from the horror of the recent earthquakes and tsunami waves that devastated Japan is a sense of awe over geophysical changes wrought by the event. Northeastern parts of Honshu, Japan's main island, moved eastward about 13 feet (4 meters) and dropped about 2 feet (0.6 meter), while the Earth's figure axis shifted by about 6.

AIG Releases Preliminary Estimate for Catastrophe Losses at Chartis for the First Quarter 2011

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

NEW YORK - (Business Wire) American International Group, Inc. (AIG) today released a preliminary pre-tax insurance loss estimate for Chartis, its property casualty insurance unit, of $1.0 billion, or $0.9 billion after tax – 1.1 percent of total AIG shareholders' equity as of December 31, 2010 – net....

G7 cenbanks in rare currency action after yen surge (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

Reuters - A coordinated move by central banks of rich nations to stabilize the yen appeared to be working on Friday, tamping its value down after Japan's devastating earthquake and nuclear crisis triggered a yen surge and raised fears about the global economy.

GM to assess Japan parts problems in two weeks: CEO (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

Reuters - General Motors Co will only learn the impact of Japan's earthquake and nuclear crisis on its supply chain within a week or two, Chief Executive Daniel Akerson said on Friday, as shortages of components and other supplies deepen.

United Flight Attendants Support Humanitarian Efforts in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

Flight Attendants First Responders in Japan Crisis CHICAGO March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Airlines Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA), are always prepared for our role as first responders.

Tracking The Latest At The Fukushima Nuclear Plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

The situation at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been changing rapidly and growing increasingly complex since the earthquake and tsunami hit on Friday, March 11. Here, the latest updates on each of the reactors at the stricken power facility.

Weyerhaeuser Community Fund Contributes $500,000 To Aid Recovery Efforts in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:33:00 +0100

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - (Business Wire) The Weyerhaeuser Community Fund today announced it is donating $500,000 to the American Red Cross to help those on Honshu Island affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The entire contribution will assist in immediate, short-term relief efforts coordinated by the Japanese Red Cross.

New iPad faces delivery backlogs in disaster aftermath

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:32:00 +0100

Key components in revamped tablet made in Japan, where repeated quake aftershocks preventing new production

Agency: Japanese nuclear crisis on par with 3 Mile Island

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:30:00 +0100

PhotoBlog: Outside the frame

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

AP photojournalist David Guttenfelder shares his experience covering the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I was inside a shelter on a hill above the leveled city of Minamisanriku. I heard a helicopter from the USS Ronald Reagan approaching outside. Several Japanese troops and I ran out into a muddy field where it landed.

Nuclear crisis slams stocks in Japan, around world

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

Japan's Nikkei stock index nose-dived nearly 11 percent Tuesday as the earthquake-shattered country faced an unfolding nuclear crisis after a radiation leak was detected at a crippled power plant and residents were warned to stay indoors. Panic-selling sent shares lower across the globe.

Insurance industry shielded from Japan quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

Japan’s massive earthquake is likely to be the costliest natural catastrophe on record, but the impact on the insurance industry will be muted by a government backstop and liability limits.

Brain scan overdose offers glimpse of radiation threat

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

A medical mistake left Marcie Iseli a victim of radiation poisoning, with some of the same symptoms and possible long-term effects that may face workers now exposed to high levels of radiation at Japan’s ailing nuclear plant.

Woman, 70, found alive 4 days after tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

Rescuers pulled a 70-year-old woman from her toppled home Tuesday, four days after an earthquake-spurred tsunami tossed the house off its foundation in Japan's northeast.

Triple whammy slows Japan relief effort

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

Relief efforts after the Japanese nuclear disaster are being stymied as relief workers struggle with the physical devastation of last week's earthquake and tsunami, the specter of radiation dangers and harsh weather conditions.

Hawaii tsunami damages jump to tens of millions

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

Lost homes, sunken boats and damaged piers caused tsunami damage estimates to jump into the tens of millions of dollars in Hawaii and California.

Panic grips Tokyo as radiation levels rise

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:28:00 +0100

Panic swept Tokyo on Tuesday as radiation levels surged, causing some to leave the capital and others to stock up on food and supplies before levels dropped by evening.

Japan Marks One Week Since Twin Disasters As Nuclear Threat Level Raised

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:24:00 +0100

Sirens and a moment of national silence in Japan today marked the one-week anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that has killed an estimated 10,000+ people and left more than a half a million homeless.

Radiation spikes slow work at reactor

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:14:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Work at Japan's crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima was slowed Friday by interruptions because of high radiation levels, officials said.

Japan battles nuclear crisis 20:52 Exhausted engineers scramble to fix power cable to two reactors at stricken Fukushima plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:14:00 +0100

Exhausted engineers attached a power cable to the outside of Japan's stricken nuclear station today in a race to prevent deadly radiation from an accident now rated at least as bad as America's Three Mile Island in 1979. Further cabling inside was underway before an attempt to restart water pumps....

Iftikhar calls on Japanese Consul General

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:13:00 +0100

F.P. Report PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minsiter for Information and Public Relation and spokesman of the provincial government, Mian Iftikhar Hussain ...

Symbol of a nation's agony: The boy of nine searching shelters for his family after Japan's tsunami wipes out his town

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:10:00 +0100

Clutching hand-written signs bearing the names of his missing relatives, Toshihito Aisawa has spent the past week wandering the corridors of refugee centres.

25 return from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:04:00 +0100

At least 25 Bangladeshis returned home early yesterday from Japan amid fears of radiation spreading from a nuclear power plant and shortage of food and water following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Apple could face iPad 2 component shortages (AFP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:02:00 +0100

AFP - Apple could face shortages of components for the iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, according to a research firm.

Sneaky 'Slow' Earthquakes Can Cause Outsize Tsunamis (LiveScience.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:02:00 +0100

LiveScience.com - The Tohoku earthquake that caused the devastating tsunami in Japan was massive the 9.0-magnitude quake is the fourth-largest ever measured. As far away as Tokyo, some 230 miles (370 kilometers) from the rupture zone along the seafloor, skyscrapers swayed and shook like small trees in a wind.

Race against clock at Japan nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:02:00 +0100

Japan was still "racing against the clock" to prevent a meltdown at the Fukushima power plant, the head of the UN's nuclear safety body said on Friday.

In rapidly aging Japan, the elderly suffer the most in incomprehensible tragedy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:00:00 +0100

In a nation that is rapidly aging, the elderly have suffered disproportionately in the unprecedented disaster that has befallen Japan.

Symbol of a nation's agony: The boy of nine searching shelters for his family after Japan's tsunami wipes out his town

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:55:00 +0100

Clutching hand-written signs bearing the names of his missing relatives, Toshihito Aisawa has spent the past week wandering the corridors of refugee centres.

Currency markets: Yen tumbles after intervention

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:53:00 +0100

Currency markets reversed some of the gains of the yen after the G-7 announced that they would intervene to reduce the value of the yen. The Japanese currency lost nearly two yen against the dollar on currency markets.

Powerline connected to stricken nuke plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:48:00 +0100

An external transmission line has been connected to Japan's stricken nuclear power plant and authorities say electricity can be supplied.

Oil prices fall as Libya promises ceasefire

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:47:00 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices settled slightly lower Friday after a volatile day marked by a U.N. resolution to use force to stop Moammar Gadhafi's violent attacks on rebels followed by a Libyan announcement of a cease-fire in hostilities. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery fell 35 cents to settle at $101.

Chile, US diplomats sign nuclear energy accord

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:47:00 +0100

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chile and the U.S. signed a nuclear energy accord Friday even as fears of radiation spread in Japan after a devastating earthquake and tsunami severely damaged some of its nuclear reactors. A day earlier, White House officials wouldn't even confirm the long-awaited signing,....

Libya cease-fire, yen plan pulls stocks higher

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0100

Stocks were set to end a down week with slight gains Friday after government forces announced a cease-fire in Libya and a group of the world's seven largest countries announced a plan to bring the yen down from historic highs. Japan's currency has soared since an earthquake struck the country a week....

Could US nuclear plants withstand a tsunami?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:41:00 +0100

Operators of California's two nuclear plants say they are well prepared for a possible tsunami strike. Some experts, however, are calling for new risk assessments that take into account the deadly earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan.

Japan crew fixes power cable in race to stop radiation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:38:00 +0100

Engineers successfully attach cable to nuke station in hopes of restarting the water pumps needed to cool overheated nuclear fuel rods.

Japan crew fixes power cable in race to stop radiation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:38:00 +0100

Engineers successfully attach cable to nuke station in hopes of restarting the water pumps needed to cool overheated nuclear fuel rods.

Politics › Welfare minister Hosokawa hints at child allowance cut

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:36:00 +0100

Welfare minister Ritsuo Hosokawa indicated Friday that child allowances, a policy priority for the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, would have to be cut to…

Business › Western Japan firms urged to boost activity for economy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:36:00 +0100

Industry minister Banri Kaieda called on companies in western Japan on Friday to boost economic activity to prevent the country's economy from slowing down quickly…

Health Risk Fears Escalate as Japan Nuclear Plant's Radioactive Release Remains Uncertain

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:35:00 +0100

Infinitesimal radioactive isotopes can be carried along on the breeze, landing unseen on the ground, clothes and skin. These tiny products of nuclear reactions are capable of causing large-scale damage in the body if they make it inside through inhalation, ingestion or even a cut.

Taking Waves: Nation's First Tsunami-Resistant Building Could Be Built on the Oregon Coast

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:35:00 +0100

Plans to build the nation's first tsunami-resistant building are unfolding in Cannon Beach, Ore., in a region that is almost identical, seismically, to the subduction zone that triggered the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last week. Elevated 4.5 meters off the ground, the building would provide an....

Japan fire trucks cool atomic plant in 'race against time'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:32:00 +0100

TOKYO : Japan deployed a fleet of fire trucks day and night to cool a quake-hit nuclear plant to avert a catastrophe in what the head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency called "a race against time".

Golf: Choi donates to Japan relief effort

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:32:00 +0100

PALM HARBOR, Florida : South Korean golf star K.J. Choi donated $100,000 to Japan earthquake and tsunami relief efforts by the American Red Cross through his foundation on Friday.

Motor Racing: Button eyes third straight win in Melbourne

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:32:00 +0100

PARIS : Jenson Button has not ruled out a third straight win in the Australian Grand Prix despite his new McLaren car's mediocre performance in pre-season testing.

Japan crew fixes power cable in race to stop radiation (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:31:00 +0100

Reuters - Exhausted engineers successfully attached a power cable to Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear station on Saturday in a race to prevent deadly radiation from an accident now rated at least as bad as America's Three Mile Island in 1979.

Stoner fastest in MotoGP Qatar practice (AFP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:31:00 +0100

AFP - Honda's Australian rider Casey Stoner set the fastest time in the final practice session for Sunday's Qatar MotoGP at the Losail circuit here on Friday.

Japan crew fixes power cable in race to stop radiation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:30:00 +0100

Japan earthquake: stories from across the disaster zone

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:27:00 +0100

Although the bulldozers and earthmovers have begun their work, the terrible memories and loss will not be so easy to sweep away A week after the deadliest disaster in modern Japanese history, Shigeki Matsumoto has moved from terror and tragedy to a determined search for closure.

Relief Efforts Coming Up Short for Japan Disaster Victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:27:00 +0100

Officials say heightened radiation levels in the area of the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant are hampering relief efforts

Japan: Nuclear Plant's Third Blast Sparks Meltdown Fears

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:19:00 +0100

A third explosion at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has damaged a containment vessel, causing a spike in radioactivity levels and heightening the risk of a full-fledged disaster

Markets close up after Libya cease-fire

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:10:00 +0100

A cease-fire in Libya and an international plan to bring the yen down from historic highs pushed Wall Street higher Friday.

Turkey send aid to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:09:00 +0100

A Turkish team comprised of 33 search and rescue, and technical experts left for Tokyo, Japan on Friday in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami, Anadolu agency reported.

Study: Japanese tsunami was 23 metres high

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:04:00 +0100

3/18/2011 - 7:26:32 PM A study has revealed that the tsunami which devastated Japan last week was at least 23 metres high. Japan's biggest-ever tsunami was recorded at 38.2m high when a massive earthquake struck back in 1896. However, an official said that without the coastal levee that did not....

Canadian blasts embassy’s evacuation plan for tsunami-struck Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:01:00 +0100

Christian Paauwe says Canada wasn’t ‘doing anything at all’ to help Canadians stuck in tsunami-ravaged zone

'Supermoon' Rises: Biggest Full Moon in 18 Years Occurs Saturday Night (SPACE.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:01:00 +0100

SPACE.com - Thanks to a fluke of orbital mechanics that brings the moon closer to Earth than that it has been in more than 18 years, the biggest full moon of 2011 will occur on Saturday, leading some observers to dub it a "supermoon."

Choi donates to Japan relief effort (AFP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:01:00 +0100

AFP - South Korean golf star K.J. Choi donated $100,000 to Japan earthquake and tsunami relief efforts by the American Red Cross through his foundation on Friday.

Blitzer's Notebook: Behind the scenes on Clinton's Mideast trip

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:59:00 +0100

The democracy revolution in North Africa and the Middle East started here when an unemployed college grad set himself on fire, dying in his protest of the lack of jobs in Tunisia.

In Japan, Mormon network gathers the flock

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:55:00 +0100

The only thing that rivals the Mormon church’s ability to spread the word is its ability to cope with emergencies. Msnbc.com's Kari Huus reports.

Experts: Radiation may spread uncontrollably from damaged Japan nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:53:00 +0100

"If you look at the photos of the Fukushima Daiichi facility in northeastern Japan, "you see at least two pools are exposed to the open sky," Alvarez said. One of the immediate problems facing Japan is the cooling water in the pools may already have drained partially or completely.

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:48:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Quake cleanup could swamp Japan with debt

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:47:00 +0100

A firefighter walks around rubble near a burning factory hit by an earthquake and tsunami in Sendai, northeastern Japan. The damage to factories struck by the disaster likely will pale in comparison ...

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:42:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:40:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Stocks rally after Libya cease-fire called

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:39:00 +0100

A cease-fire in Libya and an international plan to bring the yen down from historic highs pushed Wall Street higher Friday.

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:34:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:33:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:32:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis Friday, with engineers working to restore power to a stricken power plant in what the UN's top atomic expert said was a "race against time"

G7 central banks in rare currency action after yen surge (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:29:00 +0100

Artificially Intelligent Rockets Could Slash Launch Costs (LiveScience.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:29:00 +0100

LiveScience.com - Researchers in Japan hope to make rocket launches a smoother, less expensive process by equipping the next generation of launch vehicles with artificial intelligence (AI).

Missing American's family: 'We just want to find her'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:23:00 +0100

The parents and sister of a 24-year-old teacher from Richmond, Va., last seen bicyling away from the school she was teaching at in Japan shortly before the tsunami struck on March 11, are conducting an increasingly desperate long-distance search for her. Msnbc.com's Miranda Leitsinger reports.

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:23:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Japan radiation fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:19:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached the US, with experts saying there is a small chance it could soon reach Britain.

Radioactive fallout reaches Calif., source says

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:19:00 +0100

But first readings are far below levels that could pose health hazard, says diplomat with access to U.N. radiation tracking

Japanese officials overwhelmed by quake and tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:16:00 +0100

As US assists with nuclear complex, Japanese government admits it was slow to respond to disaster

'Levee prevented biggest ever tsunami'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:11:00 +0100

THE tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan was at least 23 metres high, according to a Japanese study.

Review ordered for US nuke plants

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:11:00 +0100

THE US will conduct a "comprehensive review" of the safety of all its nuclear plants amid growing concerns.

Japan ups nuclear alert level to five Friday, March 18, 2011 19:35 CET The alert level at Japan's quake-damaged nuclear plant has been raised from four to five on a seven-point international ...

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:05:00 +0100

The alert level at Japan's quake-damaged nuclear plant has been raised from four to five on a seven-point international scale of atomic incidents. The crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi site which was previously rated as a local problem is now considered to have wider repercussions.

Radiation Data from Japanese Disaster Starts to Filter out

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0100

By Declan Butler Nature revealed earlier this week than an international agency set up to detect nuclear tests, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), is transmitting detailed data on the spectrum of radionuclides and their levels in the air in and around Japan and the....

Business › Japan's crude steel output in Feb rises 5.7%

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0100

Japan's crude steel production rose 5.7% from a year earlier to 8.93 million tons, marking the 16th straight month of increase, an industry body said…

Sports › Another golf tournament canceled amid quake shocks

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0100

The Yamaha Ladies Open scheduled for April 1-3 in Shizuoka Prefecture has been canceled due to the aftermath of last week's massive earthquake in northeastern…

Politics › Japan to discuss antidisaster cooperation with China, S Korea

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0100

Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto said Friday he will discuss Saturday with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts cooperation in disaster preparedness in East Asia and…

Japan battles nuclear crisis, power effort crucial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0100

By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Yoko Nishikawa TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - Exhausted engineers scrambled to fix a power cable to two reactors at Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear station on Saturday in a race to prevent deadly radiation from an accident now rated at least as bad as America's Three Mile Island in 1979.

Entertainment › Clint Eastwood to donate $1 million to earthquake relief

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0100

Actor and director Clint Eastwood, 80, will donate a share of the proceeds from DVD and Blu-ray sales of his movie, "Hereafter," to earthquake relief…

U.S. nuclear panel urged to give daily Japan updates

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A lawmaker on Friday called on the top U.S. nuclear regulator to provide daily briefings assessing the nuclear crisis in Japan to ensure the public is getting accurate assessments of the conditions on the ground.

GE defends nuclear plant design

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:59:00 +0100

WASHINGTON : General Electric defended its 40 year old Mark 1 reactors at the center of Japan's nuclear crisis Friday, saying that early questions about reactor's safety had long been addressed.

Agency: Japanese nuclear crisis on par with 3 Mile Island

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:59:00 +0100

The worst problems at Japan's earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are more serious than initially thought, the country's nuclear safety agency indicated Friday as it adjusted its assessment of the disaster.

UN, diplomats seek to dispel nuclear anxiety (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0100

AP - Diplomats and U.N. officials sought Friday to dispel fears of a wider danger from radioactivity spewing from Japan's crippled nuclear reactors, saying there were no hazards to health outside of the immediate vicinity.

Analysts predict iPad 2 shortages after earthquake (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0100

AP - Market research group IHS iSuppli said Friday that last week's earthquake in Japan could cause shortages of Apple Inc.'s iPad 2 tablet computer.

Japan death toll nearing 7,000; thousands remain missing

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0100

The official death toll from Japan’s huge earthquake-tsunami tragedy is approaching 7-thousand, already exceeding the 6,434 who died in the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995, according to Japan’s National Police Agency.

Myanmar donates $100,000 to disaster victims in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:54:00 +0100

YANGON - Myanmar government has donated $100,000 to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the s...

A week after quake, Japan's leader vows to rebuild

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:53:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) Sirens wailed Friday along a devastated coastline to mark exactly one week since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear emergency, and the government acknowledged it was slow to respond to the disasters that the prime minister called a "great test for the Japanese people."

US to review safety of all its nuclear plants

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:53:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a "comprehensive review" of the safety of all US nuclear plants following what U.S. officials are calling the dangerous and complicated situation at Japan's damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors.

Analysts predict iPad 2 shortages after earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:53:00 +0100

SEATTLE (AP) — Market research group IHS iSuppli said Friday that last week's earthquake in Japan could cause shortages of Apple Inc.'s iPad 2 tablet computer. The iSuppli analysts, who regularly do "teardown" analyses to determine what components are used inside consumer electronics, said they have....

Japan agency hikes Fukushima accident level to 5

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:53:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan - Japan's nuclear safety agency on Friday raised the Fukushima crisis level to five from four on the international scale of gravity for atomic accidents, which goes to as high as seven.

A lonely drive north along the highway to desolation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:49:00 +0100

Weekend Herald reporter Michael Dickison grew up in Japan and speaks the language fluently. After last week's earthquake he returned and filed this account of his odyssey through the ravaged countryside of his other homeland. It's...

Concern over global manufacturing supply chain grows

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:41:00 +0100

TOKYO/SEOUL: From Apple Inc's new iPad to Chevrolet pick-ups and many of the world's airplane kitchens, concern is spreading down the global manufacturing supply chain about the impact from Japan's earthquake last week. Plant shutdowns across Japan following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear....

Jitters over N-power may keep oil prices above US$100

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:41:00 +0100

A POSSIBLE backlash against nuclear energy - in Japan and beyond - could keep oil prices above US$100 per barrel (RM304) after world oil prices plunged in the immediate aftermath of Japan's earthquake and tsunami. Yesterday, Brent crude futures for May delivery fell 40 cents to US$114.50 a barrel by 1514 GMT, off an earlier US$117.

Harmless Japan radiation may reach Europe soon-expert

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:41:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 16:50 Source: reuters // Reuters * Radiation may be detectable in Europe in a week * Background radiation adds premium to pre-1945 steel By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent OSLO, March 18 (Reuters) - Harmless traces of Japan's nuclear accident may reach Europe in a week's time,....

Nuke alert level raised

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:41:00 +0100

Japan has raised the alert level at its quake-damaged nuclear plant from four to five on a seven-point international scale of atomic incidents.

Earthquake/Tsunami in Japan: Malteser International gives 10,000 Euros for Ichinoseki children’s home

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:41:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 17:11 Source: member // Malteser International Cologne. "It's still cold and we are in urgent need of food, gasoline and fuel oil", reports Caelina Mauer, director of the children's home in Ichinoseki, in the north of Japan. Malteser International, the relief service of the Order of....

Japan battles nuclear crisis, power effort crucial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:41:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 18:02 Source: reuters // Reuters * Engineers focus on restoring power to reactors * Fukushima accident as bad as Three Mile Island * Nearly 7,000 confirmed dead from quake, tsunami * Young and old survivors suffer in cold (Adds spraying, latest figures, IAEA) By Kiyoshi Takenaka and....

Radiation levels in Japan not harmful: IAEA

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:35:00 +0100

Radiation levels currently detected in Japan and beyond in the wake of the nuclear crisis after last week's massive earthquake do not pose any harm to human health, an IAEA expert today. "Regular dose information is now being received from 47...

The Right Word: Crisis of leadership | Sadhbh Walshe

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:33:00 +0100

Conservative radio hosts doubt Obama's ability to withstand a tsunami. But seismic splits threaten the Republican party, too As turmoil sweeps the globe, the crisis of leadership at all levels in America continues to dominate conservative opinion-makers.

Get ready to get mooned

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:33:00 +0100

The moon will come closer to Earth than it has been in more than 18 years this weekend; Read how to best spot the "Supermoon"

Russia, U.S. agree to share data on Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0100

Russia and the United States agreed on Friday to share information on developments at Japan's troubled Fukushima nuclear plant.

Japan Raises Severity Level Of Nuclear Crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0100

Japan's Nuclear Safety Agency has raised the severity level of the Fukushima nuclear accident from a 4 to a 5.

Japan pledges more information on nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0100

Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, vowed to give more detailed information to the international community on the unfolding crisis at a quake-crippled nuclear plant in the country's northeast.

Japan Crisis Causes Drop in U.S. Mortgage Rates

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0100

The 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated Japan last week sent a ripple through the U.S. mortgage markets causing interest rates to lower this week.

Fuel meltdown, radiation leak still prospect

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0100

Fuel meltdown, radiation leak prospect still haunting Japan 21:47 17/03/2011 MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - The water level in a spent nuclear fuel pool at Fukushima No. 1 plant has dropped, creating the possibility of a meltdown, the container of the No. 3 reactor has possibly been damaged and the fuel in the No.

31st MEU arrives off the coast of Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0100

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 11, with a combined total of more than 4,000 Marines and Sailors, arrived off of the west coast of mainland Japan March 18.

Japan marks week since quake; toll 7,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:26:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Japanese stood in silent memorial one week after the earthquake Friday as the official death toll neared 7,000.

iPad2 may have a supply problem

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:26:00 +0100

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 18 (UPI) -- Electronic parts monitor iSuppli said production of Apple's recently launched iPad2 could be curtailed due to the earthquake in Japan.

Aussies left families to help in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:26:00 +0100

WITH the nation's flag proudly adorning their shoulders a team of 76 Australian rescue workers have joined the search for quake victims.

Japan's nuke, humanitarian battles

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:26:00 +0100

JAPAN is battling a nuclear and humanitarian crisis, with engineers working to restore power to a stricken power plant in what the UN's top atomic expert says is a "race against time".Japan is battling a nuclear and humanitarian crisis, with engineers working to restore power to a stricken power....

PepsiCo Foundation Commits $1.5 Million Toward Japan Disaster Relief and Recovery

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:25:00 +0100

PURCHASE, N.Y. March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The PepsiCo Foundation announced today its commitment of $1.5 million to non-profit partners leading relief and recovery efforts in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami. This commitment will support PepsiCo's humanitarian and business....

Japan struggles to cool N-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:23:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

It's a 'supermoon' rising, the biggest in 18 years

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:22:00 +0100

Thanks to a fluke of orbital mechanics that brings the moon closer to Earth than it has been in more than 18 years, the biggest full moon of 2011 will occur on Saturday, leading some observers to dub it a "supermoon."

President urges Maldivians to help disaster-hit Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:21:00 +0100

MALE, March 18 (HNS) – President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives has urged all Maldivians to participate in the events being held to raise funds to help the people of Japan. Making the request in his weekly radio address broadcasted this morning, the President underscored Japan’s continuous....

Ono and Reed to play tsunami benefit shows

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:19:00 +0100

YOKO ONO, LOU REED and SONIC YOUTH are to perform at special fundraising gigs to boost aid efforts in tsunami-hit Japan.

Adams hoping for big-name Japan Aid concert

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:19:00 +0100

Canadian rocker BRYAN ADAMS is hoping one of his high-profile peers puts together plans for another Live Aid to help the earthquake and tsunami survivors in Japan.

Supply fears grow as Japan lacks parts, power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0100

MADRID/PARIS From Apple Inc's new iPad to Chevrolet pick-ups, concern is spreading down the global manufacturing supply chain about the impact of Japan's earthquake last ...

FTSE edges higher after G7 yen move, but Arm falls on Japan supply concerns

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0100

has continued its recent volatile run, with the chip designer's shares falling 4% even as the rest of the market managed to shake off the turmoil around the globe to move higher for the second ...

Caterpillar warns of disruptions

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0100

Caterpillar Inc. said disruptions in its supply chain in Japan could sporadically affect the company’s assembly plants elsewhere in the world. The Peoria-based manufacturer of construction ...

Japan struggles to cool N-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.Japan's nuclear safety agency ...

Russia ready to provide jobs for Japanese in Far East - Medvedev

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0100

Russia is ready to provide employment in Siberia and Russia's Far East for Japanese left homeless by last week's earthquake and tsunami, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday. A ...

Japan struggles to cool N-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:12:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

'We will rebuild from scratch': As Japan struggles to get back on its feet, the bodies are gathered in makeshift morgues

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:09:00 +0100

As Japan marked exactly one week since its north east coast was hit by a devastating tsunami, the bodies were still coming in to makeshift morgues across the country.

Japan fire trucks cool atomic plant in 'race against time'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:08:00 +0100

Japan deployed a fleet of fire trucks day and night to cool a quake-hit nuclear plant to avert a catastrophe in what the head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency called "a race against time".

Japan struggles to cool N-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:07:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

'Supermoon' over UK tomorrow

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:05:00 +0100

CLEAR skies to reveal 'super moon' tomorrow with Moon closest to Earth for two decades

Spain sends plane to Tokyo to evacuate citizens March 20

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:03:00 +0100

MADRID, March 18 (KUNA) -- The Spanish government has an airplane ready to evacuate citizens wishing to leave Japan, Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said Friday, noting that the aircraft would leave Tokyo on Sunday. Around 300 Spaniards have expressed desire to return to Spain following....

Japan crisis is much worse than Three Mile

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:03:00 +0100

Libya cease-fire, yen plan pulls stocks higher

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:02:00 +0100

A cease-fire in Libya and an international plan to bring the yen down from historic highs pushed stocks higher in early trading Friday

Japan Nuclear Threat Level Raised, and Exodus Continues

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:02:00 +0100

As officials raise the severity rating of Japan's nuclear crisis to Level 5, people continue to evacuate their homes -- and worry for those they have left behind

Japan struggles to cool nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:01:00 +0100

3/18/2011 - 5:01:56 PM Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. Japan’s nuclear safety agency raised the alert level for the Fukushima crisis, reclassifying the nuclear accident....

Japan earthquake: 30 pictures of boats and ships swept ashore by the tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:58:00 +0100

A fishing boat, the Myojinmaru number 3, lies on a road in the city of Kesennuma after being pushed by the tsunami Picture: AFP/GETTY http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/8390718/Japan-earthquake-30-pictures-of-boats-and-ships-swept-ashore-by-the-tsunami.

Japan PM promises to rebuild nation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:55:00 +0100

As food and petrol reach disaster zone, Naoto Kan tells people to look towards reconstruction after quake and tsunami The Japanese prime minister, Naoto Kan, has vowed to rebuild his nation from scratch after the country's deadliest disaster since the second world war.

Michael Monroe To Host Charity Concert For Victims Of Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:52:00 +0100

Finland's frontline artists gather funds for the casualties of Japan earthquake and tsunami in Helsinki at Tavastia on Sunday, March 27.

Japan struggles to cool N-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

Japanese in NZ desperate to extend visas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0100

Japanese citizens in New Zealand are worried about returning home and are seeking ways to extend their stay here.Immigration New Zealand says it will view each case "sympathetically" and use "common sense and empathy" in arriving...

Christchurch earthquake: City unites on day of healing

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0100

The girl in yellow teared up, just for a bit, when Hayley Westenra sang Amazing Grace.For others it was when How Great Thou Art echoed across Hagley Park. Or it might have been during prayers - perhaps the Muslim prayer, or...

Paul Holmes: Never mind the heat, this was truly a special day

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0100

I'm writing this in the Koru Club at Christchurch Airport. The place is crawling with politicians. Maurice Williamson has just told me I look dishevelled. I guess I do. It's been a long day in the sun at Hagley Park, where I did the...

Tsunami warning exercise for Caribbean next week

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0100

Thirty-three countries will take part next week in the Caribbean region’s first full-scale tsunami warning exercise as part of United Nations-backed efforts to test and strengthen the region’s defences against such calamities. A UNESCO release on Thursday said that next Wednesday’s exercise, Caribe....

Anxious NZ parents waiting to make contact with son caught up in the chaos

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:48:00 +0100

The Auckland family of an English language teacher who is believed to be staying at an evacuation centre in a devastated part of Japan are still waiting for details about what happened to him.Steven Brooking's parents, Gary and...

Helping Japan - one cupcake at a time

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:46:00 +0100

Professional and amateur bakers in the U.S. are banding together to put on a nationwide bake sale to raise money for the relief organization Peace Winds Japan. But is it in poor taste?

GM to suspend work in Shreveport, La.

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:44:00 +0100

SHREVEPORT, La., March 18 (UPI) -- General Motors Co. said it would close down an assembly plant in Shreveport, La,. Due to a parts supply disruption caused by the Japanese earthquake. The plant produces the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon, both...

iPad2 may have a supply problem

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:44:00 +0100

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 18 (UPI) -- Electronic parts monitor iSuppli said production of Apple's recently launched iPad2 could be curtailed due to the earthquake in Japan. The firm said at least five critical parts of the tablet computer were made in...

Japan marks week since quake; toll 7,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:44:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Japanese stood in silent memorial one week after the earthquake Friday as the official death toll neared 7,000. The moment of silence was observed at 2:46 p.m. Friday, exactly a week after the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami,...

'We Urgently Need Help': A Japanese Hospital's Struggle to Confront Disaster

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:42:00 +0100

Hospitals in the areas of Japan most devastated by last week's earthquake and tsunami are treating a steady stream of injured victims. But, faced with increasing shortages of manpower, food and supplies -- and a tense situation in nearby Fukushima -- they must also battle their own nerves.

'We will rebuild from scratch': As Japan struggles to get back on its feet, the bodies are gathered in makeshift morgues

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:39:00 +0100

As Japan marked exactly one week since its north east coast was hit by a devastating tsunami, the bodies were still coming in to makeshift morgues across the country.

Tupperware Brands springt bij met hulpinitiatief voor Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:39:00 +0100

[ Vrijdag 18 maart 2011 | Business Wire ] Tupperware Brands Corporation lanceert een hulpprogramma voor de slachtoffers van de aardbeving en de tsunami in Japan

(Map) Japan: Earthquake and Tsunami - Affected Population of Tohoku (as of 18 March 2011)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:37:00 +0100

Date: 18 Mar 2011 Type: Natural Disaster Keyword(s): Affected Population; Natural Disaster; Tsunami; Earthquake; Internally Displaced Persons; Population and Demographics; Technological Disaster Format: With the exception of public UN sources, reproduction or redistribution of the above text, in....

Quake cleanup could swamp Japan with debt

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:36:00 +0100

As it begins rebuilding from the worst natural disaster in history, Japan's economy faces an even bigger threat than the destruction of a relatively small portion of its industrial output: debt.

Japan Raises Nuclear Crisis Warning Level Retroactively

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0100

The decision to raise the level came two days after an American warned publicly that the situation at the plant was much bleaker than Japanese officials had indicated.

South and Central Asia: Media Roundtable

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0100

Media Roundtable Press Conference Robert O. Blake, Jr. Assistant Secretary , Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Beijing, China March 18, 2011 ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: Thank you very much. Let me first of all say it’s a pleasure to be back here in Beijing and to see many of you again.

Japan: One week on and struggle to cool nuclear plant continues

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:34:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

Japan struggles to cool N-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:32:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

Japan struggles to cool N-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:32:00 +0100

Emergency crews are still battling to cool overheated nuclear fuel at a stricken nuclear plant a week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

YouTube Launches Channel To Help Japan Quake Victims Communicate (Mashable)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:25:00 +0100

Mashable - In the response to the devastating earthquake in Japan, YouTube has launched a special Missing Person Finder channel with video messages from the various shelters and those affected by the quake.

Japan's Surging Death Toll Complicated by Missing Persons (Time.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:25:00 +0100

Time.com - As the death toll from Japan's 9.0 earthquake and tsunami last Friday continues to rise, thousands of people remain unaccounted for, making it likely that large gaps exist between official and unofficial counts

Nuclear plant chief weeps as Japanese finally admit that radiation leak is serious enough to kill people

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:24:00 +0100

Malaysian survivor of tsunami returns home from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:23:00 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR - Yeoh Lian Chan arrived home in Malaysia on Friday with his family after surviving last week's earthq...

UPDATE2: Japan's nuclear crisis still doesn't warrant optimism: Kan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:23:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that Japan's nuclear crisis still does not warrant optimism, bu...

UPDATE6: Moment of silence held for victims a week after quake, death toll nears 7,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:23:00 +0100

TOKYO - Evacuees, rescuers and officials in earthquake-ravaged areas of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectu...

UPDATE7: Moment of silence held for victims a week after quake, death toll nears 7,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:23:00 +0100

TOKYO - Evacuees, rescuers and officials in earthquake-ravaged areas of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectu...

Latest in Japan's nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:22:00 +0100

Japanese authorities have raised the rating of the nuclear crisis to a Level 5 from a Level 4 on a seven-point international scale. That puts it on par with the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania.

Developments in Japan's quake, nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:22:00 +0100

GE engineers in Japan working on nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:18:00 +0100

BOSTON (Reuters) - General Electric Co has had engineers in Japan helping to bring the tsunami-hit Fukushima reactors under control since the quake hit a week ago, a GE spokesman said on Friday.

Japan battles nuclear crisis, power effort crucial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:18:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Exhausted Japanese engineers scrambled to fix a power cable to two reactors at a tsunami-crippled nuclear power station on Saturday as they fought to prevent a deadly radiation release in the world's worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster.

Europe rethinks as alarm bells ring out

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:15:00 +0100

WHILE the true scale of the nuclear disaster in Japan's Fukushima reactor is still emerging, Europe has responded with unprecedented alarm, closing down ageing power stations and rethinking the ...

Japan agency raises Fukushima crisis level

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:07:00 +0100

Japan's nuclear safety agency has raised the Fukushima crisis level to five from four on the seven point international scale of atomic accidents.

Kazakhstan Says Uranium Price May Be Volatile on Japanese Crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:04:00 +0100

The nuclear crisis in Japan and a halt of seven reactors in Germany may trigger "short-term fluctuations" in the price of uranium in Kazakhstan, according to the deputy minister for economic development and trade.

GM to suspend work in Shreveport, La.

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:01:00 +0100

SHREVEPORT, La., March 18 (UPI) -- General Motors Co. said it would close down an assembly plant in Shreveport, La,. Due to a parts supply disruption caused by the Japanese earthquake.

ISU gives Japan a Monday deadline for World Championships

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:01:00 +0100

ISU to consider alternative plans if earthquake ravaged nation cannot commit to hosting of World Championships

Japan's Surging Death Toll Complicated by Missing Persons

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:01:00 +0100

As the death toll from Japan's 9.0 earthquake and tsunami last Friday continues to rise, thousands of people remain unaccounted for, making it likely that large gaps exist between official and unofficial counts

Disasters overwhelmed Japan gov't: official

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The Japanese government acknowledged Friday that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis that was triggered by the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead.

Japanese quake had little impact on Taiwanese notebook makers: firms

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Taiwan's notebook computer manufacturers said yesterday that the recent earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan has had little impact on their sector, despite concerns that the catastrophe could take a toll on the supply of parts and components.

Shippers confident Japanese ports will continue operating

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Shipping companies are confident of keeping goods moving through Japan's ports, using spare capacity at the largest to deal with cargo displaced from those devastated in last week's earthquake and tsunami.

Supply worries grow as crisis continues

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - From Apple Inc.'s new iPad to Chevrolet pickups and many of the world's airplane kitchens, concern is spreading down the global manufacturing supply chain about the impact from Japan's earthquake last week.

Disaster drills to be held in 7 cities, counties

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Premier Wu Den-yih said yesterday that the government will hold multiple disaster drills in seven cities and counties in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged northeastern Japan on March 11.

NCC considers Cell Broadcasts for disaster alert

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The National Communications Commission (NCC) is considering sending earthquake warnings via text message — as an instantaneous natural disaster alert — although it is highly implausible that such an initiative could be implemented within the next six months, according to local telecommunication service providers.

Tsunami alert system to be tested in Caribbean

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The Caribbean's readiness for the type of natural disaster that recently struck Japan will be tested when its tsunami warning system undergoes a simulated emergency.

MOFA defends decision to evacuate expatriates

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The foreign minister yesterday noted that the government has been conducting the evacuation of expatriates in Japan ever since the neighboring country was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami last week.

France evacuates citizens from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The French government and Czech military have evacuated some of their citizens from Japan on special flights and Britain is planning the same, as international worries grew about health risks from Japan's leaking nuclear plants.

Aid groups say most of Japan displaced have basics

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - International humanitarian groups are finding pockets of suffering in northern Japan, but say most victims of the earthquake, tsunami, and snow blizzards are keeping warm and getting food, water and medical attention.

S. Korea mulls volcano research offer from North

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - South Korea will consider a proposal from Pyongyang for joint research into volcanic activity in the peninsula's highest mountain, potentially a rare cross-border project, Seoul said Friday.

M'sian: I grabbed wife and kids and ran for for dear life

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:58:00 +0100

The Kedah-born factory interpreter described it as a most horrific experience which would not easily be forgotten.

Magnitude of disaster to test Japan's mettle anew

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:58:00 +0100

It's among the best-prepared countries when it comes to disaster, and for good reason. Japan has played host to some of history's worst calamities: the 100-foot tsunami that killed 27,000 people in 1896, the 1995 Kobe earthquake and the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima during World War II.

Watch out for Japan donation scams

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:56:00 +0100

Police yesterday warned the public to be wary of scammers preying on sympathetic people wanting to donate money to the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. Namdaemun Police yesterday questioned two people for allegedly violating a donation collection law by running an online charity without the government’s permission.

Two Koreas may collaborate on Baekdu volcano

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:56:00 +0100

Seoul has agreed to consider a request by Pyongyang on Thursday to discuss joint cooperation on a possible eruption of Mount Baekdu, a volcano straddling the North Korea-China border that hasn’t erupted since 1903. Thursday’s request from Pyongyang said the discussions would be on joint research of....

President has date with Warren Buffett

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:56:00 +0100

President Lee Myung-bak plans to meet billionaire investor Warren Buffett next week to talk about the global economic situation, Lee’s aides said yesterday. Buffett, chairman and CEO of U.S. conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, is scheduled to visit Korea to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the....

Quake insurance attracts attention

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:56:00 +0100

The devastating aftermath of last week’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan has caused many local citizens to wonder about their own security in the face of sudden disaster. And now, experts and companies in Korea’s insurance industry have begun calling for government insurance that covers damage from earthquakes.

An offer of relief through music

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:56:00 +0100

When singer Kim Chang-wan heard that a magnitude-9.0 quake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan on March 11, he knew he had to do something to help. The 57-year-old held a charity concert entitled “Why on Earth” yesterday evening at V-Hall near Hongik University in Seoul.

YouTube helping with search for missing in Japan (AFP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:55:00 +0100

AFP - Google offered up YouTube on Friday to help victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami find missing loved ones.

Supply concerns grow as Japan lacks parts, power (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:55:00 +0100

Reuters - From Apple's new iPad to Chevrolet pick-ups, concern is spreading down the global manufacturing supply chain about the impact of Japan's earthquake last week.

A week after quake, Japan's leader vows to rebuild (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:55:00 +0100

AP - Sirens wailed Friday along a devastated coastline to mark exactly one week since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear emergency, and the government acknowledged it was slow to respond to the disasters that the prime minister called a "great test for the Japanese people."

16:46 Japan battles nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:55:00 +0100

Japanese engineers scrambled to fix a power cable to two reactors at a stricken power station today as they fought to prevent a deadly radiation release in the world's worst nuclear incident since Chernobyl. The dangerous and complex challenge for about 300 workers at the Fukushima plant in....

Japanese PM: Condolences and Resolve To Rebuild Nation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:55:00 +0100

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan told his nation Friday that together they would "create Japan once again from scratch." He said that the earthquake-tsunami disaster coupled with the nuclear crisis was a "great test" for the people of Japan, but that the nation would overcome the tragedy and recover.

Chile, US diplomats sign nuclear energy accord

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:49:00 +0100

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chile and the U.S. signed a nuclear energy accord Friday, despite fears of radiation spreading in Japan after a devastating earthquake and tsunami severely damaged some of its nuclear reactors. A day earlier, White House officials wouldn't even confirm the long-awaited....

The Longest Week: Photos of Mayhem, Meltdown and Mourning in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:46:00 +0100

Rikuzentakata, Japan, March 18, 2011 Dust and sand blow through a town levled by the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan on March 11.

Polish aid organisations rally for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:45:00 +0100

The Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH) and the Catholic Caritas are asking Poles to help Japan earthquake and tsunami victims.

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:45:00 +0100

The Japanese government has admitted it was overwhelmed by the scale of the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis.The twin disasters have officially left more than ...

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:45:00 +0100

Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe breaks down in tears

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:42:00 +0100

HARARE, - THERE was drama here when the Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe, Koichi Morita, openly wept before invited guests gathered to witness the signing ceremony of a US$5,6 million grant his country was giving Zimbabwe for various infectious diseases protection for children.

Japan tsunami: Video of woman dragged to safety as the tsunami hit

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:39:00 +0100

The video is just one of a number which have emerged online showing the terrible power of the black tidal wave which swept away tens of thousands of people.

Japanese tsunami and earthquake: U.S. fears as nuclear fuel rods exposed

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:39:00 +0100

Spent nuclear fuel rods are leaking radioactivity into the atmosphere through a gaping hole in the wall of reactor at the Fukushima plant in Japan, as Barack Obama calls for calm in the U.S.

Air India brings back over 1,600 Indians from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:36:00 +0100

With 337 more persons arriving today, Air India has brought over 1,600 Indians from quake-hit Japan and has carried over 25 tonnes of relief material, including 20,000 blankets, to that country.

Japan’s Try-Anything Nuclear Response Draws Criticism, and Sympathy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:34:00 +0100

Japan’s efforts to cool the hobbled nuclear reactors in Fukushima have seemed, at least to a world watching on television, to be decidedly low-tech.

Russia opens up labor market for disaster-hit Japanese

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:33:00 +0100

Russia is ready to send more humanitarian aid to Japan and may be willing to help Japanese citizens who have been left without employment following last week's earthquake and tsunami.

A week after quake, Japan's leader vows to rebuild

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:31:00 +0100

Sirens wailed Friday along a devastated coastline to mark exactly one week since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear emergency, and the government acknowledged it was slow to respond to the disasters that the prime...

Nuclear plant chief weeps as Japanese finally admit that radiation leak is serious enough to kill people

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:31:00 +0100

"We will rebuild Japan once again" - Japanese PM

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:29:00 +0100

(With photos) TOKYO, March 18 (KUNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday urged the public to jointly overcome what he calls Japan's worst crisis in the postwar period and rebuild the disaster-hit country. In a nationally televised address a week after a magnitude 9.

A week after quake, Japan's leader vows to rebuild

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:27:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — Sirens wailed Friday along a devastated coastline to mark exactly one week since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear emergency, and the government acknowledged it was slow to respond to the disasters that the prime minister called a "great test for the Japanese people." The admission came as Japan welcomed U.

Japan earthquake: Japanese royals to miss Prince William's wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:27:00 +0100

Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton because of the earthquake and tsunami.

In Northeastern Japan, A 'Very Unsettling Time'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:27:00 +0100

The town of Noda used to sit on the Pacific Coast near the top of the main island of Japan. But the waves following the 9.0 earthquake on March 11 flattened much of Noda. Its citizens now struggle with debris piles more than two stories high, no power and limited fuel.

Japan battles nuclear crisis as foreigners flee (AFP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:24:00 +0100

AFP - Teams of Japanese workers and troops Friday battled to prevent meltdown at a quake-hit nuclear plant as alarm over the disaster grew with more foreign governments advising their citizens to flee.

Japanese ambassador cries as Zimbabwe donation ceremony cancelled

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:18:00 +0100

Harare - Japan's ambassador to Zimbabwe broke down Friday after telling guests at a grant-signing ceremony that the money could not be handed over due to the current crisis in his home country. "I have to congratulate the people of Zimbabwe on their solidarity message. Thank you very much," ambassador Koichi Morita said.

Patients short on painkillers, food, treatment

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

Two surgical operations were under way at Tohoku University Hospital in Sendai on March 11 when Japan's strongest earthquake on record cut off the power. One was stopped and the patient stitched up. The other was completed with in-house power generation.

Prefectures open shelters for tsunami survivors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

SAITAMA — Governments in the Kanto region opened shelters Thursday for people who have evacuated from northern Japan. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government opened the Tokyo Budokan arena in Adachi Ward and Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu for 1,600 evacuees. Officials also secured three places in central....

25% of national ethylene production disrupted by earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

About 25 percent of domestic production of ethylene, a key material for petrochemical products, has been halted following last week's earthquake, the head of the petrochemical industry body said Thursday. "One-quarter of domestic manufacturing capacity of ethylene has stopped," said Kyohei....

What it means to be 'prepared'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

Japan has repeatedly been referred to as the "most prepared nation in the world" for an earthquake or tsunami disaster. The government has been praised for its readiness via earthquake/tsunami drills, for the prompt organization of the Self-Defense Forces, and for its preparedness to send in doctors and volunteers.

U.S. preps 450-member crisis team

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The U.S. military may send to Japan a 450-member-strong unit trained in radiation management to help the country deal with its cascading nuclear crisis, Adm. Robert Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, said Thursday. A nine-member advance team has already been....

GDP to drop 0.2%: Daiwa Institute

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

The effects of last week's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami are likely to push down the gross domestic product by a net 0.2 percent or more in fiscal 2011, which starts next month, Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd. said Friday. The institute said factors including a slump in economic activities in....

Valentine supports relief efforts

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:17:00 +0100

NEW YORK — Bobby Valentine has been working on little sleep since Japan was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami last week, devoting much of his time to tracking down friends and former players and figuring out a way to help from thousands of kilometers away.

Situation in Japan having some impact

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:15:00 +0100

+2.24% said Friday that while its plants in Japan are not damaged by the earthquake and tsunami last week, the situation in the country is having some impact on production. For the time being, the ...

Japan may have to bury nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:14:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986.

One Week After Earthquake,Tsunami Japan Ponders Future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:10:00 +0100

From the massive earthquake, tsunami, and potential meltdown of nuclear plant, Japan's government begins to look at what comes next

The Super Moon drives people mad

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:09:00 +0100

Last week;amp;amp;#34;s events of Japan have dramatically shifted people;amp;amp;#34;s perception of the phenomenon that will take place at the end of this week. On Saturday, the Earth will be the closest to the Moon it has been in the last 20 years, at a distance of just 356,578 kilometers.

Supply fears grow as Japan lacks parts, power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:04:00 +0100

From Apple Inc's new iPad to Chevrolet pick-ups, concern is spreading down the global manufacturing supply chain about the impact of Japan's earthquake last week.

UN watchdog: Japan nuke crisis stabilizing

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:04:00 +0100

"The situation at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plants remains very serious but there has been no significant worsening since our last briefing" on Thursday, Graham Andrew, a senior official of the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

Apple iPad 2 supplies 'threatened by Japan disaster'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:59:00 +0100

The Japanese earthquake and tsunami are threatening supplies of iPad 2 components as Apple prepares to launch the device worldwide.

Japan PM: Situation at nuclear plant 'very grave'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:58:00 +0100

Japan's nuclear safety agency today raised the treat level at a damaged nuclear power plant, putting it on par with the crisis at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island.

Elderly hospital patients left to die in Japan's nuclear zone as more than 400,000 fight to survive in tsunami humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:54:00 +0100

As the official death toll hit 6,539, it emerged that soldiers found 128 pensioners deserted by medical staff at a hospital six miles from the Fukushima N-plant. Fourteen died

Maldives raises funds to help disaster-hit Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:52:00 +0100

A child donates cash during the children’s evening held on March 18, 2011 as part of the activities being held to show the Maldives’ solidarity with the people of Japan. HAVEERU PHOTO/ NASRULLA SOLIH MALE, March 18 (HNS) – The Maldives, a tiny island nation in the Indian Ocean, is showing its....

Record aftershocks registered in Japan after March 11 quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:52:00 +0100

TOKYO - A record 262 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater were registered in the seven days following the m...

123 nations, regions offer help to quake-hit Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:52:00 +0100

TOKYO - A total of 123 countries and regions, and 33 international organizations had offered assistance to J...

CHINA: Sympathy for Japan Drowns Out Historic Hate

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:51:00 +0100

Despite deep historic tensions between the two Asian powers, a surge of sympathy has emerged among Chinese toward victims of last week's earthquake and resulting tsunami in northern Japan, which has left an estimated 10,000 dead or missing.

Japan's disaster dead, missing toll tops 17,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:48:00 +0100

TOKYO - The number of people confirmed dead in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan has hit 6,911, surpassing the toll from the massive tremor in Kobe in 1995, police said Friday.

Japan tsunami was at least 23 metres high: report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:48:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan - The tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan in the March 11 earthquake was at least 23 metres (76 feet) high, according to a Japanese study, the Yomiuri daily said Friday.

PBS’ “NOVA” Science Series Producing “Japan’s Killer Quake” to Air on March 30, 2011, on PBS Stations Nationwide

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:47:00 +0100

PBS' “NOVA” Science Series Producing “Japan's Killer Quake” to Air on March 30, 2011, on PBS Stations Nationwide BOSTON - (Business Wire) The NOVA science series announced today plans to team up with Pioneer Productions to produce Japan's Killer Quake an original one-hour documentary that takes....

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:46:00 +0100

The Japanese government has admitted it was overwhelmed by the scale of the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis.

Japan tsunami: Video of woman dragged to safety as the tsunami hit

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:46:00 +0100

Footage obtained by Channel 4 shows a Japanese news crew who survived the tsunami after fleeing their taxi and then saved the lives of people stranded after the great wave hit.

Thank you Singaporeans, for opening your hearts

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:46:00 +0100

I just wanted to show my gratitude in the form of a letter for the efforts mounted by Singaporeans to help the victims of the earthquake/tsunami. As a Japanese-American who grew up in Singapore (and thus, is Singaporean at heart), these acts of charity and...

Number of Dead, Missing in Japan Climbs over 17,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:45:00 +0100

A week after the disastrous 9.0 Richter magnitude earthquake jolted Japan, triggering a vast tsunami wave, the total number of dead and missing has climbed to 17 227, according to the Japanese Police Agency. The death toll has reached 6,911, while the number of those still unaccounted for has risen to 10,116.

Bulgarian Consul Fled Japan without Telling

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:45:00 +0100

Bulgaria's consul in Tokyo, Chavdar Gradinarski, has left Japan without coordinating it with Bulgarian authorities, Vesela Cherneva, spokesperson for the Balkan country's Foreign Ministry, said. This will have serious consequences for his diplomatic career, Cherneva declared.

Oil soars as UN acts over Libya

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:45:00 +0100

OIL prices soared after the United Nations Security Council authorised military force against Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

BREAKINGVIEWS-Japan's virtues may help Kan solve its problems

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:41:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 15:16 Source: reuters // Reuters -- The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own -- By Martin Hutchinson WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The Japanese concept of 'wa' -- or harmony -- may help Prime Minister Naoto Kan to solve his country's mounting problems.

Japan Quake Survivors Too Shocked To Contemplate The Future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:40:00 +0100

YAMADA/RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan, March 18, 2011 - A week after their lives were turned upside down by the biggest recorded earthquake in Japan's history, many survivors are too shocked to contemplate the future.

Zim/Japan signing ceremony cancelled As Japanese Ambassador Openly Weeps

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:40:00 +0100

Russian rescuers continue their work in areas of Japan, affected by the earthquake and tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:35:00 +0100

Rescuers are fully found. There are no problems with fuel, as well as water and food supplies. The rescuers have reserve fuel. In addition, the extra fuel has been purchased from the Japanese side.

Provision Of Logistics Services To Support The Government Of Japans Response To The 11 March Earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:35:00 +0100

On March 11, 2011 an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale occurred of the northeastern coast of Japan. The earthquake caused a devastating tsunami that has left an estimated 10,000 people dead or missing and caused massive destruction along the coast of northeast Honshu Island.

The Lede: March 17 Updates on Japan's Nuclear Crisis and Earthquake Aftermath

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:32:00 +0100

On Thursday, The Lede continues to supplement reporting from our colleagues in Japan on the aftermath of last week's devastating earthquake, including efforts to regain control of a damaged nuclear plant.

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:31:00 +0100

The Japanese government has admitted it was overwhelmed by the scale of the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis.

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:30:00 +0100

The Japanese government has admitted it was overwhelmed by the scale of the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis.

Earthquake Disrupts Auto Production In U.S., Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:26:00 +0100

General Motors says that a lack of parts from Japan will force it to halt production at its pickup plant in Shreveport, La. Meanwhile, Japan's major automakers are trying to find alternative parts suppliers and some dealers are raising prices for cars that are in short supply.

Japan earthquake victims remembered - in pictures

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:26:00 +0100

Search for survivors continues as Japan holds a minute's silence at 2.46pm, exactly a week after the earthquake that caused a tsunami hit the country's north-east

Islands like Tuvalu need help to prepare for tsunamis | Lan Marie Nguyen Berg and Florent Baarsch

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:26:00 +0100

There is little the inhabitants of this island state could have done to protect themselves against a tsunami if one had struck after Japan's earthquake, say Lan Marie Nguyen Berg and Florent Baarsch The radio station broadcast the tsunami warning at 10pm local time last Friday, after the earthquake in Japan.

Americans still bound for Japan despite dangers

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:25:00 +0100

Each day, a trickle of hearty Americans, determined to stick to their long-scheduled vacations and business trips, touch down and willingly step into the chaos: food and gas shortages, rolling electrical blackouts and potentially dangerous radioactive material spewing from the damaged Fukushima....

Japan nuclear crisis a 'race against time'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:24:00 +0100

UN atomic energy chief Yukiya Amano says Japan's battle to stabilise a crippled nuclear power plant is "a race against time".

Japanese nuclear fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:24:00 +0100

RADIOACTIVE fallout from crippled nuclear plant reaches Southern California, but first readings are far below harmful levels.

Above Japan nuclear plant is a no-go for US Navy (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:23:00 +0100

AP - The U.S. Navy is keeping all but critical missions from flying through a wide stretch of airspace above Japan's overheating nuclear plant.

US not prepared for 'mega-disaster': official (AFP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:23:00 +0100

AFP - The United States is not as prepared as it should be for a disaster on the scale of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, a former top emergency response official said Thursday.

Toshiba, Hitachi Halt LCD Production in Japan (Mashable)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:23:00 +0100

Mashable - Due to damage from the devastating earthquake in Japan, Toshiba has been forced to close down its LCD assembly line at a plant near Tokyo for a month, a Toshiba spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:21:00 +0100

The Japanese government has admitted it was overwhelmed by the scale of the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis.

Diplomat says minuscule fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:17:00 +0100

Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached Southern California but the first readings are far below levels that could pose a health hazard, a diplomat said Friday. The diplomat, who has access to radiation tracking by the U.N.'s Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization,....

Russia ready to provide jobs for Japanese in Far East - Medvedev

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:14:00 +0100

Russia is ready to provide employment in Siberia and Russia's Far East for Japanese left homeless by last week's earthquake and tsunami, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.

Japan: situation in Tokyo getting back to normal

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:14:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (Itar-Tass) - Seven days have passed since the moment of the earthquake with magnitude 9, the strongest in the history of Japan, which hit the north-eastern part of the Honshu Island. A “minute of silence” ceremony was held in all the offices at 14.46, local time (08.46, Moscow time).

Obama heads to Latin America

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:13:00 +0100

Amid unrest in the Middle East and the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, President Barack Obama is staying the course by going ahead with his five-day trip to Latin America.

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:12:00 +0100

The Japanese government has admitted it was overwhelmed by the scale of the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis.

Oil drops sharply as Libya declare ceasefire

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:11:00 +0100

Oil prices fell after the Libyamn government said it would halt all military action to quell civil unrest in the country.

Renault to cut Korea output after Japan quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:09:00 +0100

Renault said it would cut output at its factory in Busan, South Korea, by 15-20 percent after disruptions to Japanese supplies following earthquake & tsunami.

Toll from Japan disasters tops 6,900

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:05:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) Japan's police agency says more than 6,900 are dead and more 10,700 are missing after last week's earthquake and tsunami.

Evacuations from Japan gather pace

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:04:00 +0100

The process of evacuating Britons from Japan continued in earnest on Friday with buses and planes being used to ferry people to safety.

Crescent City, Calif. Tsunami Damage Report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:04:00 +0100

In a fact sheet released by the U.S. Coast Guard, it was reported that the tsunami from the earthquake in Japan resulted in the sinking of 16 vessels in the Port of Crescent City, Calif.

Japan radiation stays low down, air travel fine - U.N.

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:02:00 +0100

GENEVA (Reuters) - Radiation leaking from a damaged nuclear plant in Japan has not reached the upper atmosphere, leaving air travel safe except for in the immediate area around the plant, a UN weather expert said on Friday.

Crescent City, Calif. Tsunami Damage Report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:01:00 +0100

In a fact sheet released by the U.S. Coast Guard, it was reported that the tsunami from the earthquake in Japan resulted in the sinking of 16 vessels in the Port of Crescent City, Calif.

Disaster response slow, says Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:57:00 +0100

3/18/2011 - 2:33:43 PM The Japanese government says it was overwhelmed by the scale of to the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis. The twin disasters have left at least 10,000 people dead. The admission came as Japan welcomed US help in stabilising its....

Japan 'overwhelmed' by disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:57:00 +0100

The Japanese government has admitted it was overwhelmed by the scale of the huge earthquake and tsunami, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis.

Japan earthquake: Foreign Office update

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:56:00 +0100

Staff at the British Embassy in Tokyo marked today’s one week anniversary of the earthquake with a minute’s silence. Buses from Sendai to Tokyo On Thursday 17 March, the British Embassy chartered two buses from Sendai to Tokyo, carrying 55 passengers, including 24 British nationals and 9 dependents.

Russia Steps Up Radiation Monitoring

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:56:00 +0100

Russia stepped up radiation monitoring and other precautions in Far East regions near Japan, as officials sought to reassure nervous residents that the Fukushima reactor disaster doesn't pose any risk at the moment.

Prince William urged to start family

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:54:00 +0100

Prince William has been urged to start a family by a Maori elder who welcomed the Prince to a national memorial service to honour those killed in the Christchurch earthquake.

Japan tsunami was at least 23-metres high

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:51:00 +0100

The tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan in the March 11 earthquake was at least 23 metres (76 feet) high according to a Japanese study, the Yomiuri daily said today. The Port and Airport Research Institute recorded the massive ...

Japan hikes Fukushima crisis level to 5

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:49:00 +0100

03/19/2011 OSAKA — Japan’s nuclear safety agency on Friday raised the Fukushima crisis level to five from four on the international scale of gravity for atomic accidents which goes to as high as seven. The decision by the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) puts Fukushima on the same level....

Japan supply chain concerns grow

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:46:00 +0100

Shortages of key components from Japan could hit major technology companies in the three months, analysts suggest.

Op-ed by President Obama in USA Today: Jobs at top of Latin America agenda

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:45:00 +0100

Release Time: For Immediate Release The full text of the op-ed by President Barack Obama is printed below. The piece titled, “Jobs at Top of Latin America Agenda” was published in today’s USA Today. The text can be read online HERE . Jobs at top of Latin America agenda USA Today March 18, 2011 By....

Magna International Donates to Japan Disaster Relief Fund

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:44:00 +0100

AURORA, ON March 18 - Magna International announced today that the company is donating $250,000 USD 20,157,400 JPY ) to the Japan Red Cross to assist disaster relief efforts in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami which occurred on March 11, 2011 .

Scope of Japan humanitarian crisis becomes clear

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:44:00 +0100

American Red Cross representative: survivors suffering in cold temperatures, they're "completely dazed and overwhelmed"

InsureMyTrip.com and HCC Medical Insurance Services Join Forces to Support Japan-Bound Aid and Family Assistance Travelers

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:44:00 +0100

WARWICK, R.I. March 18, 2011 -- In the wake of last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan , premier travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip.com and travel medical provider HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC ( HCCMIS ) have launched a special initiative providing medical and evacuation coverage at reduced rates for U.

Russia, U.S. agree to share data on Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:43:00 +0100

Russia and the United States agreed on Friday to share information on developments at Japan's troubled Fukushima nuclear plant, Russian state-controlled nuclear corporation Rosatom said. The ...

Libya cease-fire, yen plan pulls stocks higher

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:40:00 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — A cease-fire in Libya and an international plan to bring the yen down from historic highs pushed stocks higher in early trading Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average gained more than 100 points, its fourth straight day of large swings. Stocks rose across the board.

APNewsBreak: Source: minuscule fallout reaches US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:40:00 +0100

VIENNA (AP) — Radioactive fallout from Japan's crippled nuclear plant has reached Southern California but the first readings are far below levels that could pose a health hazard, a diplomat said Friday. The diplomat, who has access to radiation tracking by the U.N.

U.S., others in G-7 sell yen to support Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:40:00 +0100

Finance officials from the Group of Seven major industrialized countries have agreed on coordinated currency intervention to support Japan's ...

Japan raises severity of nuclear accident to level of Three Mile Island

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:40:00 +0100

The Japanese government acknowledged Friday that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing the response ...

A cloud of uncertainty

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:32:00 +0100

The nuclear threat makes assessment of the earthquake's economic impact difficult.

Iron Maiden selling t-shirts to aid Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:30:00 +0100

IRON MAIDEN are selling off limited-edition t-shirts to raise funds for the relief effort in Japan, following last week's (ends13Mar11) devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Response to the earthquake and nuclear plant situation in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:24:00 +0100

Since the devastating earthquake which struck Japan on Friday 11 March, the European Union is fully mobilised to translate its solidarity in concrete support. On 11 March, President Barroso and President Van Rompuy issued the following statement: "We are deeply concerned at the news of the....

Sarkozy offers support to Japan over quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:21:00 +0100

TOKYO - French President Nicolas Sarkozy offered Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday any support that Japan n...

UPDATE1: Japan's nuclear crisis still doesn't warrant optimism: Kan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:21:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that Japan's nuclear crisis still does not warrant optimism, bu...

Video of Loyal Dog in Japan Reveals Canines' Social Roots (LiveScience.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:20:00 +0100

LiveScience.com - A partially wet and muddied dog, seeming to shiver from both confusion and cold, runs toward a cameraman in the Arahama area of Sendai, Japan, leading him over to an injured fellow canine, lying among the wasteland of debris caused by the earthquake and tsunami that hit on March 11.

Japanese fend for themselves as aid trickles in

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:19:00 +0100

SHIZUGAWA, Japan (AP) An American helicopter crewman shouted above the din of the rotor: "What do these people need? Do they need food? Do they need medicine?"

Japan tsunami town's hilltop crematorium struggles to cope

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:15:00 +0100

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (Reuters) - Life is brutally hard for survivors of last week's earthquake and tsunami, as is the business of death.

Than Shwe and 'Top Six' Appear at Buddhist Ceremony

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:15:00 +0100

Burmese junta supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe appeared in photographs in the state-run media on Friday alongside six leading officials in the military hierarchy, all of whom are expected by observers to remain with the State Supreme Council in the near future.

Woolly Windsors: Best-Selling Guide Lets You Knit the Royal Wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:15:00 +0100

It took Waity Katie nearly 10 years to pry a marriage proposal out of Prince William. But he can be yours in just five hours.

Japanese leader urges country to unite

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:13:00 +0100

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan urged his nation to unite to rebuild their earthquake-ravaged country in a television address on Friday.

Japan's dead, missing toll tops 17,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed dead in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan has hit 6911.

Germany idles seven of its nuke plants

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

BERLIN, March 18 (UPI) -- Germany temporarily shut down seven of its nuclear plants for precautionary safety checks in the wake of Japan's nuclear crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

This week at the Foreign Office

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

18 March 2011 A look at the work of the Foreign Office and its embassies overseas this week. The key areas of focus for the Foreign Office this week were Libya, providing consular assistance to British nationals affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the ongoing situation in Bahrain.

And now it's time for the hard decisions

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

JAPANESE authorities in charge of recovery and reconstruction after last Friday's earthquake and tsunami will soon face tough decisions about how devastated areas should be rebuilt and what to do with hundreds of thousands of people left homeless, Australian experts say.

V-shape recovery hangs under a nuclear cloud for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

What would a nuclear catastrophe near an enormous city in one of the world's biggest economies cost? That's a question economists and investors have pondered since disaster struck Japan. Matt Wade reports.

Sick and elderly abandoned in fallout zone

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

As the body search continues, citizens are deprived of simple comforts, writes Ben Doherty in Tokyo.

After all the dithering, it may still be too late to turn the brutal tide

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:11:00 +0100

Forgive the scepticism, but what if all the hairy-chested talk at the United Nations was too little? What if the world's statesmen could find it in themselves to act only when they knew it was too late?

Japan: UN atomic body to hold extraordinary meeting

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:08:00 +0100

As Japan's nuclear body raises the level of the nuclear crisis from 4 to 5 on a scale of 7, the International Atomic Energy Agency announces it will meet on Monday.

NDRRMC says ready for 7.2 quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:04:00 +0100

MANILA, Philippines - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Friday said that that local communities up to the barangay level should come up with their own earthquake and tsunami preparedness plan.

'Hong Leong Yamaha output not afffected'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:03:00 +0100

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn Bhd foresees no disruption to production in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan last week. "Most of our parts are sourced locally and some production has been shifted within Asean.It is only a small portion that we source from Japan," its managing director Ng Choong Hai said.

Radiation monitors being used at Malaysian airports

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:02:00 +0100

PUTRAJAYA: Radiation portal monitors are being used at all international entry points in the country, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said today.

Flood risks increase in Japan's quake areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:01:00 +0100

Japan faces a new threat as a result of last week's devastating earthquake, with the World Meteorological Organization warning Friday of an increased flood risk on the Pacific coast.

Radiation background in Azerbaijan is two times less than norm

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:01:00 +0100

Radiation background in Azerbaijan is two times less than norm, the Director of the Radiation Problems Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (ANAS), Adil Garibov, told Trend on Friday.

Death toll rises to 6,911 in Japan following March 11 great quake: police

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:01:00 +0100

The National Police Agency said Friday that the catastrophic March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 6,911 people dead by 7:00 p.m.(1000 GMT).

Apple iPad 2 parts said squeezed by Japan quake-report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:01:00 +0100

Electronics maker may have trouble obtaining iPad 2 batteries; some parts available from alternative sources, report say

At Japan's radiation checkpoints, relief when tests are clean

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:58:00 +0100

Though radiation levels are higher than normal in Japan with leaks due to the Fukushima nuclear plant, 'No one has been found with levels that pose a threat to health,' said checkpoint organizers.

Japanese electronics manufacturers uncertain about future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:58:00 +0100

Japan is a leading producer of electronics components for the global market. Since the earthquake, many factories have been shut down indefinitely and others say they haven't been affected yet at all.

Oil prices top $103 per barrel again

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:57:00 +0100

(AP) Oil prices rose above $103 a barrel Friday as traders worried the United Nations' authorization of military strikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi could prolong the conflict and threaten crude exports. By midday in Europe, benchmark crude for April delivery was up $1.71 at $103.

How to Trade on G7 Plan to Weaken the Yen (TM, SNE, HIT, EZJ, JYF)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:54:00 +0100

The Japanese stock market led most Asian stock markets higher after the G7 group of industrialized nations announced that its members would intervene in the foreign exchange markets in order to bring a rising Japanese yen under control.The Japanese yen began climbing after an earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan last week.

Japan's dead, missing toll tops 17,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:52:00 +0100

DEATH toll from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan has hit 6911, surpassing the toll from the massive tremor in Kobe in 1995.

'Supermoon' Rises: Biggest Full Moon in 18 Years Occurs Saturday Night (SPACE.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:50:00 +0100

Japan quake hits Vic Falls tourism

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:50:00 +0100

THE Victoria Falls has experienced “100 percent cancellations” of tours by Japanese visitors in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami which killed thousands of people, tour operators said. Shearwater Adventures, one of the biggest tour operators in Victoria Falls, said Asian visitors were....

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant; tries to restore power (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:50:00 +0100

Reuters - Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986.

Calls spike at Winnipeg clinic in quake's wake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:48:00 +0100

A Manitoba clinic specializing in the treatment of mood disorders is seeing more people show up to support-group sessions since an earthquake and resultant tsunami hit Japan.

"Overwhelmed" Japan raises nuke crisis severity

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:41:00 +0100

Gov't requests direct U.S. assistance; U.N. warns Japan can't recover from "extremely serious accident" alone Complete coverage

U.S., others in G-7 intervene in currency markets for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:38:00 +0100

Finance officials from the Group of Seven major industrialized countries have agreed on coordinated currency intervention to support Japan's ...

2 Japanese admit slow response

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:38:00 +0100

The Japanese government acknowledged today that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis that was triggered by the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead. Japan raised the incident level at a disaster-hit....

13:03 Japanese admit slow response

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:38:00 +0100

UK Tsunami Rescue Team Found No Survivors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:37:00 +0100

The UK search and rescue team sent to Japan to help locate survivors of last week's tsunami are returning home after failing to find anyone alive.

The Age of Miracles, the earthquake novel that has shaken the publishing world

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:35:00 +0100

Sold for £500,000 in Britain and £620,000 in the US: the debut book eerily prescient of the Japanese disaster An eerily prescient novel in which a giant earthquake knocks the earth from its axis has netted a £500,000 deal reminiscent of the heady days before the economy took a nosedive and publishers' advances plummeted.

Japan raises threat level at nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:34:00 +0100

Japan today raised the threat level for the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant from a 4 to 5 -- putting it on par with the 1979 crisis at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island.

Japan: Earthquake & Tsunami, Situation Report No. 7

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:34:00 +0100

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. http://ochaonline.un.org 1 Japan • Earthquake & Tsunami

Earthquake/Tsunami in Japan - Malteser International: 10,000 Euros for Ichinoseki childrens home

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:34:00 +0100

Cologne. "It's still cold and we are in urgent need of food, gasoline and fuel oil", reports Caelina Mauer, director of the children's home in Ichinoseki, in the north of Japan.

Yen rise curbed after G-7 support for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:31:00 +0100

The yen backed away from historic highs Friday after major industrialized nations promised coordinated intervention in currency markets to support Japan's recovery.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:30:00 +0100

The Japanese government ackowledged Friday that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis that was triggered by the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead.

Japan: Rush to deliver humanitarian aid to evacuees and survivors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:29:00 +0100

Date: 18 Mar 2011 Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Sarkozy offers more assistance to Japan for nuclear problem

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:19:00 +0100

PARIS, March 18 (KUNA) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday offered more assistance to Japan to help with the looming nuclear catastrophe in that country, officials said. In a telephone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, the French leader said that he wanted to express....

Girl Guides-Maybank Disaster Fund for Japan launched

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:16:00 +0100

PUTRAJAYA: The Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor today launched the Girl Guides-Maybank Disaster Fund to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Oil prices retreat after Libya says ceasefire

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:16:00 +0100

Oil prices are tumbling after Libya's foreign minister declared a ceasefire and said the government would stop military operations.

Hope and defiance among Japan's tsunami homeless

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:11:00 +0100

As Japanese refugees are sheltering in community centers, where they have no electricity, no gas and no running water after their homes get swept away by a catastrophic tsunami, villagers now ready to seek ways to reclaim their plot of earth from the sea. ‘It's my land. I've been here all my life.

Japan's death toll climbs to nearly 7,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:11:00 +0100

Japan documented more deaths Friday as Prime Minister Naoto Kan sought to reassure a nation reeling from disaster, saying that he is committed to taking firm control of a "grave" situation.

Japan's wagyu beef exports, rice output under threat

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:11:00 +0100

Agricultural production and exports by Japan, including wagyu beef and rice, are under threat of radioactive contamination.

Aussie firefighter bitten during rescue

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:07:00 +0100

AS devastation in Japan stuns even experienced disaster workers, an Aussie firefighter has been attacked by a dog during a rescue.

Fukushima one week on: Situation 'stable', says IAEA

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:05:00 +0100

The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear powerplant in Japan, badly damaged during the extremely severe earthquake and tsunami there a week ago, continues to stabilise. It is becoming more probable by the day that public health consequences will be zero and radiation health effects among....

Prince tours New Zealand quake areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:02:00 +0100

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, March 18 (UPI) -- Prince William, visiting New Zealand's earthquake-damaged Christchurch, said the city's residents understand the "full horror" of the disaster in Japan. The prince attended a memorial service along...

Evacuees may be moved to other regions

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:02:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Some of Japan's 380,000 quake-tsunami evacuees now in shelters may be moved elsewhere because of the difficulty in building temporary housing, an official said. As of Friday, 380,000 people were living in about 2,100 shelters...

Amid further challenges at nuclear plant, Japan raises severity level

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:01:00 +0100

Japan's nuclear agency on Friday raised its severity rating of the emergency at the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant from 4 to 5, as the military renewed efforts to douse a dangerous spent-fuel storage pool with water to prevent it from spewing radiation.

Japan agency raises Fukushima accident level

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:56:00 +0100

Japanese engineers have conceded that burying the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation release.

Child on breathing machine to leave Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:55:00 +0100

A Canadian toddler in earthquake-ravaged Japan who needs a reliable power supply to be able to breathe will soon be flying to Toronto.

Foreign Office plane leaves Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:55:00 +0100

The first plane chartered by the Foreign Office for Britons wanting to leave Japan is heading to Hong Kong.

Politics › Kan urges nation to unite and rebuild; vows to disclose more info on nuclear ...

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:53:00 +0100

Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday night called on all the nation to unite in rebuilding the country from scratch. In a live television address,…

Oil nears $103 in Asia as UN authorizes strikes in Libya

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:53:00 +0100

Oil prices rose to near $103 a barrel Friday in Asia as traders worried the United Nations' authorization of military strikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports.

Japanese fend for themselves as aid trickles in

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:53:00 +0100

An American helicopter crewman shouted above the din of the rotor: "What do these people need? Do they need food? Do they need medicine?"

National › Moment of silence held for victims a week after quake; death toll nears 7,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:53:00 +0100

Evacuees, rescuers and officials in earthquake-ravaged areas of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectures observed a moment of silence at 2:46 p.m. Friday, exactly a week…

Earthquake shuts down Alpine Electronics base in Japan but production ongoing at Hungary unit

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:50:00 +0100

The Japanese company’s Hungarian base continues to operate and is actually taking over parts of the parent’s functions.

UPDAE1: China's Hu offers condolences to quake victims in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0100

BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Friday and offered his condol...

UPDATE5: Moment of silence held for victims a week after quake, death toll nears 7,000

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0100

TOKYO - Evacuees, rescuers and officials in earthquake-ravaged areas of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectu...

OPINION: Tragedy to be occasion for new kind of Japanese politics

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0100

By Francis Fukuyama, TOKYO - Everyone in the United States has been watching with horror and sympathy the terrible events that ha...

Osaka business leader calls for discussions on relocation of capital

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0100

OSAKA - Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Shigetaka Sato on Friday called for discussions on t...

Moment of silence held for victims a week after quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0100

SENDAI/OTSUCHI/FUKUSHIMA, Japan - Evacuees, rescuers and officials in earthquake-ravaged areas of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima prefectu...

URGENT: Japan's nuclear crisis still doesn't allow for optimism: Kan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:49:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday that Japan's nuclear crisis still does not allow for optimism, ...

Multinationals warn over Japanese supplies

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:48:00 +0100

-- Multinational companies in several sectors are warning of supply-chain disruptions, after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan. General Motors became the first international group to announce a direct impact on production after the disasters.

Sandra Bullock donates $1 million to Japan (Daily Caller)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

Daily Caller - Never short on generosity, this weekÂ Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock provided a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross Japan for earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, reports CNN.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) The Japanese government acknowledged March 18 that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis that was triggered by the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead.

Evacuees may be moved to other regions

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Some of Japan's 380,000 quake-tsunami evacuees now in shelters may be moved elsewhere because of the difficulty in building temporary housing, an official said.

Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System Explained (Time.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

Time.com - A professor from Sendai walks our reporter through the basics of the country's earthquake-preparedness program

Japanese fend for themselves as aid trickles in (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

AP - An American helicopter crewman shouted above the din of the rotor: "What do these people need? Do they need food? Do they need medicine?"

Russia to spend $700 bln on new weapons

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

MOSCOW (AP) President Dmitry Medvedev says Russia will spend the equivalent of $700 billion by 2020 to modernize the military's aging arsenals, but sternly warned arms industries from jacking up prices.

Prince tours New Zealand quake areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 +0100

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, March 18 (UPI) -- Prince William, visiting New Zealand's earthquake-damaged Christchurch, said the city's residents understand the "full horror" of the disaster in Japan.

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant; tries to restore power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:46:00 +0100

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Japanese engineers conceded today that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986. But they still hoped to solve the crisis by fixing a power cable to two reactors [.

China nuclear plan slowed, not stopped, by Japan quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:44:00 +0100

DAYA BAY, China (Reuters) - Japan's nuclear crisis has delayed, not halted, power-hungry China's ambitious nuclear reactor-building plans, but an understaffed regulator and incomplete laws are too weak to dispel the risk of accidents.

PhotoBlog: Boy, 9, searches for family in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:43:00 +0100

Toshihito Aisawa's father, mother, grandmother and two cousins are all missing. For days the 9-year-old has been desperately searching for them at evacuation centers in the Japanese city of Ishinomaki, holding up hand written signs pleading for information. On one is written their names, on the other the simple message "I will come again tomorrow.

Japan royal couple won't attend British wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:42:00 +0100

TOKYO -; The government says Japan's crown prince and princess will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton next month following a destructive earthquake and tsunami. The ...

Russia, U.S. agree to share data on Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:42:00 +0100

Russia and the United States agreed on Friday to share information on developments at Japan's troubled Fukushima nuclear plant, Russian state-controlled nuclear corporation Rosatom said.

Evacuations from Japan gather pace

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:41:00 +0100

The process of evacuating Britons from Japan continued in earnest on Friday with buses and planes being used to ferry people to safety.

Japanese Embassy opens Book of Condolences

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:38:00 +0100

As the nuclear crisis in Japan worsens, a book of condolences for the victims of the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami has opened at Dublin's City Hall this morning.

Hutchison Port falls on SGX debut

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:37:00 +0100

SINGAPORE - Shares in the China port unit of Hong Kong giant Hutchison Whampoa fell almost six percent on their debut in Singapore on Friday, hurt by the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:37:00 +0100

The Japanese government acknowledged Friday that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis that was triggered by the earthquake and tsunami that...

Taiwan's disaster relief efforts for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:37:00 +0100

TAIPEI : People in Taiwan are pitching in for Japan's disaster relief effort. Locals and foreign students all across the island have come together to do what they can to help. Students at the National Taiwan Normal University are busy folding paper cranes. Many are foreigners who are in Taiwan to study Chinese.

RUSSIA - JAPAN - Patriarchate of Moscow launches collection for Orthodox in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:37:00 +0100

One of the bishops of the Japanese Orthodox Church wrote to the Kirill: extent of damage is still uncertain, there has been no news of the parishes on the Pacific coast in Sendai.

Religious groups and firms raise funds for Japan quake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:37:00 +0100

SINGAPORE : Help for Japan continues to pour in, with religious groups as well as companies initiating their own fund-raisers.

Evacuation from Japan gathers pace

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:36:00 +0100

The process of evacuating Britons from Japan continued in earnest today with buses and planes being used to ferry people to safety.

Japan raises nuclear threat level

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:35:00 +0100

But they still hoped to solve the crisis by fixing a power cable to two reactors by Saturday to restart water pumps needed to cool overheating nuclear fuel rods. Workers also sprayed water on the No.3 reactor, the most critical of the plant’s six. It was the first time the facility operator had....

Japanese royals to miss Prince William, Kate wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:33:00 +0100

Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton because of the earthquake and tsunami.

Cyber criminals cash in on Japan disasters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:33:00 +0100

MANILA, Philippines - Cyber criminals are taking advantage of Japan's twin earthquake and tsunami disasters to steal not only money, but personal data, from concerned Internet users.

Japan's 'race against time'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:32:00 +0100

Japan deployed a fleet of fire trucks to cool a quake-hit nuclear plant in what the head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency called "a race against time".

JAPAN: Toll soars as Japanese race to cool reactor

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:31:00 +0100

Japan The death toll Japan following the 11 March earthquake and tsunami has reached 6,539. Another 10,354 people are unaccounted for, and 2,513 people were injured. Meanwhile fire engines have been sent in Friday to cool Fukushima nuclear plant. A survivor walks through debris in Rikuzentakata,....

Food, Fuel and Medicine Run Short in Shelters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:30:00 +0100

Japan on Friday was dealing with the logistics of attending to half a million people in shelters.

Oil above $103 as UN authorizes Libya strikes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:29:00 +0100

Oil prices rose above $103 a barrel Friday as traders worried the United Nations' authorization of military strikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi could prolong the conflict and threaten crude exports. By midday in Europe, benchmark crude for April delivery was up $1.71 at $103.

Zim/Japan signing ceremony cancelled!

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:28:00 +0100

...As Japanese Ambassador openly weeps before invited guests HARARE - THERE was drama here when the Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe, Koichi Morita, openly wept before invited guests gathered to witness the signing ceremony of a US$5,6 million grant his country was giving Zimbabwe for various infectious diseases protection for children.

Japanese tsunami and earthquake: U.S. fears as nuclear fuel rods exposed

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:28:00 +0100

Spent nuclear fuel rods are leaking radioactivity into the atmosphere through a gaping hole in the wall of reactor at the Fukushima plant in Japan, as Barack Obama calls for calm in the U.S.

Supply concerns grow as Japan lacks parts, power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:25:00 +0100

TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - From Apple Inc's new iPad to Chevrolet pick-ups, concern is spreading down the global manufacturing supply chain about the impact of Japan's earthquake last week.

Japan Airports' Fuel Stocks Dwindle

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:23:00 +0100

Airlines were urged to use fuel supplies in Japan efficiently as stocks at some airports fell to 10 days' worth of supply.

Japan weighs burying nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:23:00 +0100

Japanese engineers have conceded that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release.

Japan government 'overwhelmed'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:23:00 +0100

A top Japanese official has acknowledged that the government was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing its response to the ongoing nuclear crisis.

Five Ways How Japan Quake May Hit iPad 2 Supply

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:22:00 +0100

Apple may face supply chain disruptions for its newly launched iPad 2 as a 9 magnitude earthquake in Japan impacted several component makers for the tablet.

Japanese leader urges people to unite, rebuild

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:22:00 +0100

Japan's prime minister is calling on all the nation to unite in rebuilding the country from scratch.

Oil above $103 as UN authorizes Libya strikes (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:17:00 +0100

AP - Oil prices rose above $103 a barrel Friday as traders worried the United Nations' authorization of military strikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi could prolong the conflict and threaten crude exports.

Supply concerns grow as Japan lacks parts, power (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:17:00 +0100

Reuters - From Apple Inc's new iPad to Chevrolet pick-ups, concern is spreading down the global manufacturing supply chain about the impact of Japan's earthquake last week.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:14:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese government acknowledged Friday that it was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin natural disasters, slowing the response to the nuclear crisis that was triggered by the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead. The admission came as Japan welcomed U.

PhotoBlog: Boy, 9, desperately searches for family in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:12:00 +0100

Powerful Earthquake in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:12:00 +0100

Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant has been hit by a series of explosions since last week's massive earthquake and tsunami © REUTERS/ Kyodo 21:29 17/03/2011 By Andrew Roth in Moscow, Tom Balmforth in Japan 20:39 15/03/2011 RIA Novosti economic commentator Vlad Grinkevich 22:17 14/03/2011 RIA Novosti....

Japan raises nuclear alert level at crippled plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:12:00 +0100

Japan on Friday raised the alert level at quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to five from four on a seven-point scale, the UN nuclear watchdog reported.

Japan raises nuclear threat level, weighs need to bury plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:11:00 +0100

Engineers concede that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release.

Lack of parts from Japan halts GM production

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:09:00 +0100

General Motors forced to suspend pickup production at La. plant after massive quake, tsunami slam supplier

Report: 128 elderly found dead in Japan hospital

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:09:00 +0100

The Guardian: Japanese troops discover abandoned elderly, many on death's doorstep, near stricken-nuke plant

Japanese tsunami and earthquake: Nuclear fuel rods exposed

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:09:00 +0100

This shot shows spent nuclear fuel rods leaking radioactivity into the atmosphere through a gaping hole in the wall of reactor building number four at the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant.

Underwater sounds of Japanese earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:08:00 +0100

The Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics at the University of Catalonia recorded the sound of the earthquake that hit Japan last week, as it sounded underwater.

Why China's help to Japan carries weight

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:02:00 +0100

18 March 2011 Disasters usually bring out the best and the worst in people. At Beijing Language and Culture University this week, it's the best. Japanese and Chinese students gathered on campus.

Japan may bury crippled nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:56:00 +0100

Burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986.

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant; tries to restore power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:55:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be a last resort to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986.

EOC to participate in Region-wide Tsunami Warning Exercise

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:50:00 +0100

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) � The Office of Disaster Management will be partaking in a Caribbean region-wide tsunami warning exercise on Wednesday, March 23.

Fleeing Continues as Japan Raises Its Nuclear Threat Level (Time.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:45:00 +0100

Time.com - As officials raise the severity rating of Japan's nuclear crisis to Level 5, people continue to evacuate their homes -- and worry for those they have left behind

US Official: Nuke crisis still not a threat to US (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:45:00 +0100

AP - The No. 2 official at the Energy Department says Americans shouldn't be alarmed about the Japanese nuclear crisis, but says people should stay informed about it.

Japanese fend for themselves as aid trickles in

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:45:00 +0100

An American helicopter crewman shouted above the din of the rotor: "What do these people need? Do they need food? Do they need medicine?"

IAEA: Japan in race against time

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:44:00 +0100

UN nuclear chief urges Japan to provide more information as trucks douse reactor at Fukushima Daiichi facility with water The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has warned that Japan's battle to regain control at a failing power plant was a race against time, as the crisis entered a second week.

Japanese leader urges people to unite, rebuild

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:43:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's prime minister is calling on all the nation to unite in rebuilding the country from scratch. Prime Minister Naoto Kan told a national television address Friday that, "We will rebuild Japan from scratch. We must all share this resolve.

No change in radiation level in Bulgaria: agency

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:42:00 +0100

Rome. Bulgarians in Italy want to help the people injured in the earthquake in Japan. FOCUS News Agency has received an e-mail from the Bulgarian Pepa Vlaykova, who tells about the intent of the Bulgarians working in Rome. She says that on Italy�s national holiday, March 17, the Bulgarian emigrants decided to accommodate homeless Japanese people.

Japanese band launches charity concert series in Stockholm

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:39:00 +0100

A Japanese rock group in Sweden when their homeland was struck by disaster has organised a series of charity concerts across Europe to raise money for earthquake and tsunami relief.

Cathedral makes first donations to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:36:00 +0100

Belfast Cathedral has made its first donations from their "Barrel of Hope for Japan" collection.

US Official: Nuke crisis still not a threat to US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (AP) — The No. 2 official at the Energy Department says Americans shouldn't be alarmed about the Japanese nuclear crisis, but says people should stay informed about it. Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman tells CBS's "The Early Show" there's still no reason to believe any U.S.

Japan Raises Severity Rating of Nuclear Disaster

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +0100

Severity of the crisis at the Fukushima site raised from 4 to 5 on a 7-point international nuclear event scale

Japanese tsunami and earthquake: Nuclear fuel rods exposed

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:27:00 +0100

This shot shows spent nuclear fuel rods leaking radioactivity into the atmosphere through a gaping hole in the wall of reactor building number four at the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant.

Alert level raised at crippled nuke plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:22:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- The alert level near the crippled nuclear plant in Japan was raised from four to five on a seven-point scale, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Friday.

UPDATE2: Power-saving efforts continue amid low supply capacity

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

TOKYO - Tokyo Electric Power Co. continued its rolling blackout program Friday for the fifth consecutive day...

China president offers condolences to quake victims in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on Friday and offered his condol...

Japan to discuss antidisaster cooperation with China, S. Korea

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

TOKYO - Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto said Friday he will discuss Saturday with his Chinese and South K...

All 162 Chinese interns in Onagawa confirmed safe

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

SENDAI - All 162 Chinese interns working in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, survived the March 11 earthquake and ...

Philippine official heads to Japan to check on Filipinos

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

MANILA - Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario flew to Japan on Friday to personally check ...

Update on Japanese earthquake, nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

ATTEMPTS TO COOL REACTORS: Military fire trucks spray seawater for a second day on the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex in a desperate attempt to prevent its fuel from overheating and spewing dangerous radiation. A U.S. military fire truck joins six Japanese vehicles, but is apparently driven by Japanese workers.

Kan may visit quake-hit areas next Monday

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:16:00 +0100

TOKYO - Prime Minister Naoto Kan may visit northeastern Japan next Monday to inspect the latest situation of...

Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System Explained (Time.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:14:00 +0100

Time.com - A professor from Sendai walks our reporter through the basics of the country's earthquake-preparedness program

Five Critical iPad 2 Components at Risk After Quake: iSuppli (PC Magazine)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:14:00 +0100

PC Magazine - The effects of the Japanese earthquake may affect Apple's production of the iPad 2, according to market researcher IHS iSuppli.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:13:00 +0100

Sandra Bullock sends $1 million for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:13:00 +0100

Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the Red Cross said Thursday.

Fleeing Continues as Japan Raises Its Nuclear Threat Level

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:12:00 +0100

As officials raise the severity rating of Japan's nuclear crisis to Level 5, people continue to evacuate their homes -- and worry for those they have left behind

Japan royal couple not to attend British wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:10:00 +0100

TOKYO (AP) -- The government says Japan's crown prince and princess will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton next month following a destructive earthquake and ...

'Suicide squad' mans Japan's n-plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:10:00 +0100

Personnel attempting to cool down Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant have been dubbed a 'suicide squad' with their families accepting their fate like a 'death ...

U.S. stock futures rise after G-7 action

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:10:00 +0100

MADRID (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures rose Friday, with investors inspired by coordinated action by the Group of Seven to halt the Japanese yen's rise after last week's devastating ...

Airfares zoom as people flee Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:08:00 +0100

The earthquake and Tsunami in Japan has led to a shocking spike in airfares from Tokyo to other parts of the world including India, while inbound fares have dropped.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:08:00 +0100

YAMAGATA, Japan (AP) A top Japanese official acknowledged Friday that the government was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin disasters, slowing its response to the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead and led to a major nuclear crisis. The admission by Chief Cabinet .

Lab records underwater sounds of Japanese earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:04:00 +0100

The Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics, a unit of Spain's Polytechnic University of Catalonia, recorded the sound of the earthquake that hit Japan last week, as it sounded under water.

Japan: more information needed

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:04:00 +0100

Call comes as trucks douse reactor at Fukushima Daiichi facility with dozens of tonnes of water in renewed attempt to cool reactor The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog has urged Japan to provide more information on its "extremely serious" crisis as the battle to regain control of a failing power plant enters a second week.

Japan employs new tactics to avert nuclear catastrophe (2)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0100

Meanwhile, TEPCO engineers are laboring through the night to lay a power line to the No. 2 reactor in hopes of restoring the cooling system that pumps water into the fuel rods pool. Japan's nuclear safety agency said early Friday TEPCO had managed to get a power line into the facility, but it would....

Death toll rises to 6,539 in Japan following March 11 great quake: police

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0100

The National Police Agency said Friday that the catastrophic March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 6,539 people dead and 10,354 others unaccounted for in Japan by 2:00 p.m. (0500 GMT) Friday. &$ &$Source: Xinhua &$ &$ &$

S. Korea understands need for cooperation with DPRK regarding Mt. Baekdu

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0100

South Korea said Friday it recognizes the need to cooperate with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) regarding potential volcanic activities at Mount Baekdu, according to the Ministry of Unification in Seoul. The DPRK on Thursday proposed talks with South Korea about conducting joint....

S Korea's Lee visits Japanese embassy to express condolences

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0100

South Korean President Lee Myung- bak on Friday extended his condolences to Japanese earthquake victims in his visit to the Japanese embassy in Seoul, his office said. The president, who was greeted by Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Masatoshi Muto, said situations in Japan, hit by last week's....

Japan expands efforts to cool nuke reactors, restore infrastructure (3)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0100

The National Police Agency said Friday that the number of dead and unaccounted for was upwards of 16,000, with 6,405 deaths confirmed and 10,259 people still unaccounted for following last Friday's magnitude 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit northeastern Japan.

Cambodian PM, ministers pay homage to Japan quake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0100

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday led his cabinet's ministers to pay a deep respect to the victims in the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan last week. Prime Minister Hun Sen and his deputies, as well as senior ministers and ministers were welcomed by Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Masafumi Kuroki.

How 24-hour news affects your investments

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:01:00 +0100

As markets react to crisis in Japan, investors who can keep their heads could benefit

Japan agency raises Fukushima accident level to 5

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0100

OSAKA, Japan - Japan's nuclear safety agency on Friday raised the Fukushima accident level to five from four on the international scale of gravity for atomic accidents, which goes as high as seven.

Japan earthquake: minute of silence held for victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:54:00 +0100

People across Japan observe a minute's silence in memory of victims of the earthquake and tsumani that struck exactly one week ago.

Prince William offers sympathy to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:52:00 +0100

Prince William has offered condolences for the "horror" engulfing Japan, as he pays tribute to victims of last month's Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand.

Japan Raises Severity Level Of Nuclear Crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:49:00 +0100

Japan's nuclear safety agency has raised the rating of the country's nuclear crisis to five from four on the seven-point international scale of gravity of nuclear accidents.

Japan royal couple not to attend British wedding (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:44:00 +0100

AP - The government says Japan's crown prince and princess will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton next month following a destructive earthquake and tsunami.

Japan royal couple not to attend British wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:42:00 +0100

The government says Japan's crown prince and princess will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton next month following a destructive earthquake and tsunami. The Imperial Household Agency said Friday Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako initially planned to attend the April 29 wedding.

Japanese official admits disaster response was lacking

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:40:00 +0100

"In hindsight we could have moved a little quicker," says Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano. The nation reclassifies its nuclear accident from Level 4 to Level 5 on an international scale of seven.A top Japanese official acknowledged Friday that the government was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's....

Japan earthquake: Barack Obama pleads for calm as radiation may hit US today

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:39:00 +0100

Radiation was detected on passengers who had fled Japan on planes for the U.S. while experts warned that particles from the cloud cross the Atlantic.

Elderly hospital patients left to die in Japan's nuclear zone as more than 400,000 fight to survive in tsunami humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:39:00 +0100

As the official death toll hit 6,539, it emerged that soldiers found 128 pensioners deserted by medical staff at a hospital six miles from the Fukushima nuclear plant. Fourteen of the pensioner died

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:32:00 +0100

A top Japanese official acknowledged Friday that the government was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin disasters, slowing its response to the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead and led...

IT WORLD : Apple bruised, and again

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:26:00 +0100

Apple is among tech companies whose supply chain is threatened by rolling electricity blackouts in disaster-hit Japan, while the iPhone maker is also feeling bruised by Google's Android, after losing out in speed tests. Apple executives are discovering that you can run, but you can't hide.

Japanese face painful nuclear dilemma

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:26:00 +0100

Amid rolling blackouts and food and fuel shortages, Japanese in the danger zone of radiation fallout face a stark choice between believing repeated government assurances it's safe to bunker down or leaving their homes to join the foreign exodus. While foreign media have been accused of....

Nuclear crisis continues

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:24:00 +0100

One week after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, people there have been standing in silence for a minute to remember the victims. The number is now officially higher than that of the Kobe earthquake in 1995. More than 16,000 people have died or are unaccounted for. Meanwhile the problems at the Fukushima nuclear plant continue.

Agency: Japanese nuclear crisis on par with 3 Mile Island

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:22:00 +0100

Japan's nuclear and industrial safety agency on Friday raised the level for the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant from a 4 to 5 -- putting it on par with the 1979 incident at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island.

Japan royal couple not to attend British wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:18:00 +0100

The government says Japan's crown prince and princess will not attend the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton next month following a destructive earthquake and tsunami.

Japanese fend for themselves as aid trickles in

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:18:00 +0100

SHIZUGAWA, Japan (AP) — An American helicopter crewman shouted above the din of the rotor: "What do these people need? Do they need food? Do they need medicine?" The answer — one week after an earthquake and tsunami wiped out much of Japan's northeast coast — is: They need everything.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:12:00 +0100

AP - A top Japanese official acknowledged Friday that the government was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin disasters, slowing its response to the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead and led to a major nuclear crisis.

NKorea proposes joint volcano research with South (AP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:12:00 +0100

AP - North Korea, apparently spooked by the earthquake in Japan, has proposed conducting research with rival South Korea on volcanic activity at their highest mountain, considered sacred by the North.

Japan increases nuclear alert level

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:12:00 +0100

Japan's nuclear safety agency has raised the rating of the country's nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi complex from 4 to 5 on a 7-level international scale.

Yen cools, Asian markets gain

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:12:00 +0100

Asian markets posted gains Friday, and the yen retreated from historic highs after the world's seven major industrial nations intervened in currency markets to help earthquake-stricken Japan.

Bullock’s $1 Million Japan donation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:11:00 +0100

She donated a Million dollars to Haiti a year ago and now Sandra Bullock has just donated another million dollars to Japan to try and help some of the victims of the tsunami and earthquake The Black Eyed Peas have also dedicated their latest video to the victims saying they were very close to being [.

Japan official: Disasters overwhelmed government

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:10:00 +0100

YAMAGATA, Japan (AP) — A top Japanese official acknowledged Friday that the government was overwhelmed by the scale of last week's twin disasters, slowing its response to the earthquake and tsunami that left at least 10,000 people dead and led to a major nuclear crisis.

Japan Bond Risk Drops Amid Efforts to Contain Radiation Leaks

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:10:00 +0100

Five-year credit-default swaps on Japan’s government decreased 13 basis points to 104.5 basis points as of 3:08 p.m. in Tokyo after climbing to a record 130 yesterday, according to Citigroup ...

UK to start citizens'' evacuation from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:06:00 +0100

LONDON, March 18 (KUNA) -- The UK Foreign Office (FO) was beginning evacuating Britons from disaster-struck Japan this evening as efforts continue to bring its nuclear emergency under control, it was announced Friday. Smoke billowed from the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi today as crews worked to....

A week after quake, death toll in Japan climbs past 6,500

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:05:00 +0100

The death toll in Japan climbed past 6,500 on Friday as search teams continued to comb through the rubble a week after a monster 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the country.

Japanese crown prince to miss Prince William's wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:01:00 +0100

Tokyo - Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako have declined an invitation to Prince William's wedding in Britain in April because of last week's massive earthquake and tsunami that rocked north-eastern Japan, the government said Friday.

Accident Level At Nuclear Plant Is Raised

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:58:00 +0100

Japan has raised the nuclear accident level at the Fukushima 1 plant from four to five - the same as at Three Mile Island in 1979.

Apple delays Japan iPad 2 launch

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:53:00 +0100

Apple says the launch of its iPad 2 tablet in Japan will be delayed indefinitely as the country struggles to recover.

Hu visits Japanese embassy to convey condolences

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:53:00 +0100

Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a visit to the Japanese embassy in Beijing Friday afternoon to convey a message of condolences for the victims of last Friday's massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Japan.

Libya fears push oil prices up

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:52:00 +0100

Oil prices rose to nearly 103 US dollars a barrel today as traders worried that United Nations authorisation of military strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's forces could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports. Benchmark crude for April...

Japan 'should give more information'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:50:00 +0100

A decade of disasters - get the key data

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:50:00 +0100

As the 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Japan has brought the focus on to world disasters that have affected thousands, we take a look at a decade of disasters and all the key data • Get the data In the days since disaster first struck Japan, comparisons with the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti have been quick to emerge.

Elderly hospital patients left to die in Japan's nuclear zone as more than 400,000 fight to survive in tsunami humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:49:00 +0100

As the official death toll hit 6,539, it emerged that soldiers found 128 pensioners deserted by medical staff at a hospital six miles from the Fukushima nuclear plant. Fourteen of the pensioner died

Japan Faces Mistrust as Nuclear Efforts Continue

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:49:00 +0100

The U.S. government moved to evacuate U.S. citizens and set up its own channels of information, as Japanese officials reported continued progress at the stricken nuclear site.

NKorea proposes joint volcano research with South

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:47:00 +0100

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea, apparently spooked by the earthquake in Japan, has proposed conducting research with rival South Korea on volcanic activity at their highest mountain, considered sacred by the North. North Korea's earthquake bureau sent a letter to South Korea's weather agency....

Nagasaki bomb survivor says people must remain calm

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:46:00 +0100

Kazuko Yamashita was five when the atom bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, destroying her home in a second and leaving her with a lifelong fear that every time she becomes ill, this time it is finally cancer.

Libya tension sees oil price increase

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:44:00 +0100

Oil prices rose to nearly $103 a barrel today as traders worried that United Nations authorisation of military strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's forces could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports.

Japan earthquake: Barack Obama pleads for calm as radiation may hit US today

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:42:00 +0100

Radiation was detected on passengers who had fled Japan on planes for the U.S. while experts warned that particles from the cloud cross the Atlantic.

Efforts continue to prevent Fukushima catastrophe

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:42:00 +0100

It's exactly a week since Japan was hit by an earthquake and tsunami. Japanese engineers have conceded that burying the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation release. Officials are still trying to fix a power cable to at least....

Toll from Japan disasters tops 6,500 deaths

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

Japan's police agency says more than 6,500 are dead and more 10,000 are missing after last week's earthquake and tsunami. A week after the disasters devastated the northeast coast, the National Police Agency said Friday that 6,539 people died and 10,354 were missing. Some of the missing may have been out of the region at the time of the disaster.

Obama seeks to calm US radiation fears, calls for nuclear safety review (The Christian Science Monitor)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

The Christian Science Monitor - The United States is doing all it can to protect its citizens in Japan and is rushing support to a Japanese government beset by natural disaster and nuclear crisis, President Obama said Thursday.

Apple iPad 2 parts said squeezed by Japan quake: report (Reuters)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

Reuters - Apple Inc may face shortages of key components for its newly-released iPad 2 as a result of the earthquake in Japan, according to a report released on Thursday.

Japan's Earthquake Warning System, Explained (Time.com)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

Time.com - A professor from Sendai walks our reporter through the basics of the country's earthquake preparedness program

Facebook can help in disasters: academic (AFP)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:41:00 +0100

AFP - An Australian academic Friday praised the increasing use of social media during disasters, saying there had been a "beautiful display of humanity" on Facebook during recent catastrophes.

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant; tries to restore power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:40:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear plant in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation release, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986.

Chinese keen to invest in quake-hit Japan property market

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:39:00 +0100

Investors in China's Shanghai city are still interested in the property market of Japan that was hit by a giant tsunami following a massive earthquake, a media report said ...

Huhne 'nuclear judgement' caution

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:38:00 +0100

Energy Secretary Chris Huhne warns people not to "rush to judgement" about the safety of nuclear power in the UK after the Cabinet discusses the future of UK policy.

Japan's crown prince declines invitation to Prince William's wedding

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:38:00 +0100

TOKYO - Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako have declined an invitation to British Prince Willia...

1,000-year event

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:38:00 +0100

Tsunamis on the scale that hit north-east Japan last week may strike the region about once every 1,000 years, a leading seismologist has said. Dr Roger Musson said there were similarities between the last week's event and another giant wave that hit the Sendai coast in 869AD.

Authorities in Buddhist Japan consider burying quake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:38:00 +0100

Authorities in Buddhist-majority Japan have given the green light for some of the 6,500 people killed by last week's earthquake and tsunami to be buried, citing fuel shortage, a government spokesman said on Friday.

'Supermoon' to Come Closest to Earth on Saturday

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:32:00 +0100

On March 19 the Moon will be 356 577 km away from the Earth, which is as close to our planet as it has been in 18 years. The lunar phenomenon, the so-called Supermoon, is a new or full moon that coincides with a close approach by the Moon to the Earth.

Japan to repair undersea cables

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:31:00 +0100

Aftershocks are preventing Japan's telecoms firms from repairing undersea cables, damaged by the earthquake and tsunami.

Japan supply chain issues emerge

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:31:00 +0100

Apple, Sony Ericsson and General Motors are among international manufacturers facing likely shortages of parts from Japan.

Tsunami aftermath

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:31:00 +0100

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan describes his country's current situation as "the most severe crisis since World War II". The death toll from Friday's earthquake and tsunami in the north-east of the country is expected to exceed 10,000, but so far comparatively few bodies have been found among the....

Japan tsunami touches New Zealand

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:31:00 +0100

Such was the scale of last Friday's tsunami that sizeable waves reached right across the Pacific to New Zealand and the Antarctic, say NZ researchers.

'Radiation' text message is fake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:31:00 +0100

A fake text message warning users that a radiation cloud from Japan is heading to the Philippines has caused panic across Asia.

Message to Japan: Fast info a must in midst of nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:29:00 +0100

Japanese officials came under fire Friday over the lack of timely information on the unfolding nuclear situation as they battled for a second week to contain the crisis.

Japan deaths pass 6,500 as infrastructure repairs progress

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:29:00 +0100

Tokyo - The death toll in Japan's earthquake and tsunami disaster rose to over 6,500 on Friday as some vital infrastructure was restored, media reports said. The National Police Agency put the latest number of confirmed fatalities at 6,539, Kyodo News reported, surpassing the 6,434 deaths in the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

Japan quake death toll tops 6,500

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:28:00 +0100

More than 6,500 are dead and more than 10,000 missing after last week's earthquake and tsunami, Japan's police agency has said.

Western Union offers no-fee money transfers to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:28:00 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR: The Western Union Company, a leader in global payment services, in cooperation with its Agents, has activated a limited-time "No Transfer Fee"* programme for money transfers sent to Japan from participating Agent locations around the world.

Japan quake death toll tops 6,500

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:27:00 +0100

More than 6,500 are dead and more than 10,000 missing after last week's earthquake and tsunami, Japan's police agency has said.

A vainglorious Malaysia

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:25:00 +0100

Whenever confronted with hard truths, Malaysian ministers used to simper a lame excuse. Now they have digressed even further by either standing still and looking silly, or just blaming their predecessors. After the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami caused a nuclear emergency on an unprecedented....

Japan dead, missing toll steadily rising

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:22:00 +0100

The number of people confirmed dead in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan has hit 6 539, surpassing the toll from the massive tremor in Kobe in 1995, say police.

California student from Japan finds family alive on YouTube

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:18:00 +0100

Akiko Kosaka, a student from Japan attending the University of California at Riverside, had lost all hope for her family in Minami Sanriku, the fishing village where more than half of the 17,000 residents are missing and feared dead in the aftermath of last week's tsunami.

Sandra Bullock sends $1 million for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:18:00 +0100

Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the Red Cross said Thursday.

Editor's Choice: Annie Lennox: Daughters could follow in my footsteps as charity campaigners

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:16:00 +0100

SONG legend Annie Lennox OBE revealed her daughters Tali and Lola could follow in her footsteps by campaigning to highlight the plight of people infected with AIDS/HIV.

Business News: Oil price soars on fears of Libya air-strikes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:16:00 +0100

OIL prices rose to nearly 103 US dollars a barrel today as traders worried military strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's forces could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports.

Disaster in Japan: Scottish rescue team arrives in Tokyo and prepare to help in search for survivors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:16:00 +0100

A RESCUE team from Scotland were in Tokyo last night waiting to be sent to the disaster areas.

UK & World News: Disaster in Japan: Scots rescue team hit out at Foreign Office after being forced to return home

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:16:00 +0100

FURIOUS Scots rescuers last night blasted the Foreign Office for turning their Japanese mercy mission into a farce.

UK & World News: Prince William tells New Zealand 'be strong' as nation mourns earthquake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:16:00 +0100

PRINCE William today urged the earthquake-stricken city of Christchurch to "be strong".

Libya tension sees oil price increase

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:14:00 +0100

3/18/2011 - 8:44:30 AM Oil prices rose to nearly $103 a barrel today as traders worried that United Nations authorisation of military strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's forces could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports. Benchmark crude for April delivery was up $1.53 dollars at $102.

Japan quake death toll tops 6,500

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:14:00 +0100

More than 6,500 are dead and more than 10,000 missing after last week's earthquake and tsunami, Japan's police agency has said.

Japan nuclear crisis needs global response: UN rep

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:14:00 +0100

The crisis at an overheated nuclear complex in Japan is a race against the clock that demands global co-operation, says the UN's atomic energy chief.

A lesson in empathy and loyalty – from a dog

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:13:00 +0100

A video of two orphaned dogs caught up in the middle of a tsunami-stricken area in Japan has stolen the hearts of thousands of people on the net who were touched by the beautiful demonstration of unconditional love and loyalty. The video, which was posted on website Jezebel and other sites, shows a....

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:13:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant while the toll of dead and missing from the quake and tsunami topped 16,000.

Bishops appeal for prayers

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:13:00 +0100

The bishops of Malta and Gozo called for prayers for the people of Japan for the sufferings they face in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami, and the consequences they left, including the danger of radiation. The bishops asked for prayers for those who died or were injured, for the relatives who are....

Liberia: President Sirleaf Consoles Japanese Prime Minister

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:12:00 +0100

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a message of profound sadness and condolence to the Prime Minister, Government and people of Japan following the massive earthquake on Friday, March11, 2011 that triggered a tsunami causing extensive destruction with loss of lives and property.

Japan's "Fukushima 50" get reinforcements

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:12:00 +0100

Reinforcements joined the emergency crew struggling with the overheating reactors in north-eastern Japan Friday, the plant's operator said.

Wisdom the albatross survives tsunami onslaught

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

The Japanese tsunami killed thousands of albatrosses and other species when it struck a nature sanctuary on Midway atoll, northwest of Hawaii.

Memorial held for victims of Christchurch quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - A memorial service held Friday for victims of last month's Christchurch earthquake saw participants,...

Hutchison shares slump on debut

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

Shares of Hutchison Whampoa, the world's largest shipping container terminal operator, slide on their market debut.

Nissan resumes Japan production

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

Nissan resumes some of its car production in Japan, less than a week after an earthquake and a tsunami severely damaged the country.

UPDATE4: Efforts to cool reactors continue in Japan nuke crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

TOKYO - Efforts to cool down the overheating reactors and spent fuel continued Friday at the Fukushima Daiic...

Ichiro donates 100 million yen for Japan quake relief

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

TOKYO - Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki has donated 100 million yen to the Japanese Red Cross Soci...

Japan nuclear plant progress slow

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

Emergency workers in Japan struggle to stabilise reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant, as a minute's silence is held one week after the quake.

UK quake rescuers to leave Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

UK rescuers are to begin withdrawing from Japan after extensive searches of rubble following last Friday's earthquake did not lead them to any survivors.

Long-haul pick-up lifts Lufthansa

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

Lufthansa reports a bigger-than-expected profit for 2010, thanks to cost-cutting and a pick-up in long-haul traffic.

William attends NZ quake memorial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

Prince William offers condolences to the people of Japan, while paying tribute to victims of last month's earthquake in New Zealand.

Automakers shut plants after earthquake, tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

Toyota, Honda and Nissan halted production in Japan for most of the week after a devastating earthquake and tsunami. The companies are suspending production to assess damage to plants, ports and roads following the natural disaster, which was centred in northern Japan, killing thousands, destroying....

Nuclear report due in two months

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:00 +0100

The details of a review of UK nuclear safety ordered after the Japanese crisis will be published by the middle of May, officials say.

Japan quake death toll tops 6,400 - police stats

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

The confirmed death toll from last Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan has risen to 6,405, police told Kyodo news on Friday.

Japan pledges more information on nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, on Friday vowed to give more detailed information to the international community on the unfolding crisis at a quake-crippled nuclear plant in the country's northeast.

Relatives of trapped Russian sailors in Japan plea for rescue

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

Relatives are begging emergency workers to step up efforts to evacuate 15 Russian sailors trapped for a week on a tsunami-damaged vessel in Japan's Ofunato port.

U.S. auto giant halts production at Louisiana plant over Japan quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

U.S. automobile giant General Motors has interrupted production of pickup trucks at its plant in Louisiana until March 21 because of the lack of parts for assembly due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Japan seeks more Indonesian energy supplies after quake cripples plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

Japan has asked Indonesia for additional oil and gas supplies after its electricity generating capacity was severely reduced by a series of blasts and fires at a quake-crippled nuclear plant.

Japan to move part of hi-tech production to Mexico in wake of disaster

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

A number of large Japanese electronics companies damaged by the strong earthquake and tsunami last week plan to move part of their production lines to Mexico in the near future, President of the National Chamber of Electronics Industry Fernando Sierra Ortiz said.

Global consequences of Japanese quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

The earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 will have serious consequences for the global economy and nuclear energy.

Britons to be evacuated from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

The Foreign Office (FCO) will begin evacuating Britons from disaster-struck Japan later on Friday as efforts continue to bring its nuclear emergency under control.

Japan quake death toll tops 6,500

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:09:00 +0100

More than 6,500 are dead and more than 10,000 missing after last week's earthquake and tsunami, Japan's police agency has said.

Earthquake likely to affect Japanese automakers in Wuhan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

Auto plants of two China-Japan joint ventures in Wuhan are still operating normally in the aftermath of Japan's severe earthquake and tsunami, but production will possibly be affected starting next month, according to reports from Dongfeng Nissan and Dongfeng Honda.

Italy tightens control over Japanese-imported food

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

Health Minister Ferruccio Fazio says Italy will tighten controls on food imports from Japan due to possible radiation contamination. The government said Wednesday it will limit Japanese-imported food packaged and shipped before March 11, when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit the country and an ensuing tsunami damaged the Fukushima No.

More Chinese evacuated from Japan's worst-hit areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

&$ &$A Chinese man waits for evacuation at Narita airoprt in Tokyo, Japan, March 17, 2011. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaoyong) &$ &$ China on Friday continued to withdraw its nationals from the worst ravaged areas in Japan amid fears of nuclear leaks after a devastating earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

Algeria to evacuate nationals from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

Algeria has decided to bring back its nationals living in Japan, following the devastating earthquake which hit the country and provoked blasts in nuclear plants, the state-owned radio channel reported Thursday. The Algerian government has decided to send a special plane to Japan to transport the....

Frantic Repairs Go On at Plant; Little Progress in Cooling Fuel

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

Brazil to rescue more nationals stranded in Japan's Sendai

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

The Brazilian embassy in Japan announced on Thursday it would launch a new operation to evacuate Brazilian nationals living in Sendai, one of the hardest hit region in last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. According to the embassy, the operation will take place on Saturday.

Turkey to send rescue team to quake-hit Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

Turkey said Thursday that it will send a 33-member rescue team to Japan to help the country grapple with the triple disaster of a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, the ensuing tsunami and an ongoing nuclear crisis. The team will depart from the Turkish city of Istanbul on Friday afternoon for Tokyo upon the....

Big earthquake inevitable in California but tsunami unlikely, says seismologist

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0100

A big earthquake is expected to hit California sooner or later from now till the next 30 years, but it is unlikely to trigger devastating tsunami similar to what happened in Japan, says a seismologist at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Seismological Laboratory.

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:05:00 +0100

TOKYO : Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis Friday as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant while the toll of dead and missing from the quake and tsunami topped 16,000.

NTUC Fairprice to help raise funds for Japan quake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:05:00 +0100

SINGAPORE: Supermarket cooperative, NTUC FairPrice, has partnered the Singapore Red Cross to rally the community to reach out and help victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck cities in Japan.

They Don't Need Nice China: William and Kate Launch Charity Registry

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

Rather than sending Prince William and Kate Middleton an unnecessary wedding gift, you now have a more sensible option: The Royal Wedding Charity Fund

Obama Calls for Nuclear Safety Review

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

President Barack Obama is calling for a comprehensive safety review at the 104 nuclear reactors in the U.S. in the wake of the Japanese disaster

After a Disaster, What Defines a Country's Resilience?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

The unfolding crisis in Japan is marked by uncertainty, but seasoned emergency responders have a clear mission: to promote resilience in survivors. Resilience, in this sense, is a metaphor for the quality of an elastic object that springs back into shape after being deformed.

Japan's Nuclear Crisis: Dread as Plant Staff Face Setbacks

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

The workers struggling to contain the fallout at Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant faced further setbacks Wednesday

In Japan's Disaster, Lessons for the U.S. on Foreign Aid

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

One lesson U.S. policymakers should learn from the Japan earthquake: development money spent now can help stave off calamity later

Aftermath: How Japan Will Recover from the Quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

To make their nation whole after the terrible tsunami, the Japanese will need resilience and fortitude. They have deep reserves of both.

In Northern California, Some Flee the Tsunami, Others Surf It

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:04:00 +0100

The tidal force from the Japanese earthquake caused $2 million in damage in Santa Cruz but one local decided to ride the wave in

Foreign Office to start evacuation from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:38:00 +0100

The Foreign Office (FCO) will begin evacuating Britons from disaster-struck Japan this evening as efforts continue to bring its nuclear emergency under control.

Japan asks for US help in nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:38:00 +0100

UN atomic energy chief calls tsunami disaster 'race against the clock' that demands global cooperation. Survivors observe minute of silence marking one week since devastating earthquake hit Japan

No radiological impact on India from Japan nuclear plant leak: AERB

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:38:00 +0100

AERB today said that there was no radiological "impact" on India due to radiation leak from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.

Japan’s Jews pitch in on disaster relief

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:35:00 +0100

"American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee gave grant of $10,000, efforts now towards fund raising from own members and overseas."

US Jewish group sends aid to Japan via local community

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:35:00 +0100

ZAKA to send team when situation on ground stabilizes; JDC says it has sent money to provide victims of quake, tsunami with relief.

Prince attends NZ quake memorial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +0100

Prince tells New Zealanders to 'be strong' at memorial service for victims of last month's earthquake Prince William has urged the people of Christchurch to "be strong" as he addressed a crowd of tens of thousands at a memorial service for victims of last month's earthquake in New Zealand.

Market rebounds on economic reports

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:28:00 +0100

Signs that the US economy is improving have helped investors put aside fears over Japan’s nuclear crisis, if only temporarily.

Japan quake survivors too shocked to contemplate the future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:27:00 +0100

YAMADA/RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (Reuters) - A week after their lives were turned upside down by the biggest recorded earthquake in Japan's history, many survivors are too shocked to contemplate the future.

Many Japanese mark minute's silence for quake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:27:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Relief workers held a minute's silence at 2.46 p.m. (0546 GMT) on Friday in memory of the victims of the massive earthquake, which struck northeast Japan exactly a week earlier, and tsunami.

Bullock donates $1 million to Japan relief fund

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:26:00 +0100

Actress Sandra Bullock has donated $1 million to the American Red Cross to help earthquake and tsunami victims in ...

China's tightening pause to be temporary -analysts

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:23:00 +0100

China's central bank will re-assess its tightening policies in the wake of Japan's earthquake, but any pause will be temporary because inflation remains elevated, analysts said on Friday.

'Need for global review of nuclear safety systems'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:19:00 +0100

Manmohan Singh Friday called for a re-examination of civil nuclear safety systems in the world following the nuclear disaster in Japan.

Japan asks for US help in nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:19:00 +0100

UN atomic energy chief calls tsunami disaster 'race against the clock' that demands global cooperation. Survivors observe minute of silence marking one week since devastating earthquake hit Japan

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:18:00 +0100

Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear reactor in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation leak, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986.

A week after quake, death toll in Japan tops 6,500

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:18:00 +0100

The death toll in Japan climbed past 6,500 on Friday as search teams continued to comb through the rubble a week after a monster 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the country.

Azerbaijani FM urges citizens not to travel to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:17:00 +0100

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry warned the country's citizens about the complex situation in Japan. The ministry urged them to refuse from trips to this country.

Death toll rises to 6,539 in Japan following March 11 great quake: police

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:17:00 +0100

Ambassador: Several Azerbaijanis leave Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:17:00 +0100

Several Azerbaijani citizens temporarily residing and studying in Japan have already left the country and returned home after the natural disaster, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Japan Azer Huseyn told Trend.

Oil heads to $103 as UN authorizes Libya strikes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:12:00 +0100

SINGAPORE (AP) — Oil prices rose to near $103 a barrel Friday in Asia as traders worried the United Nations' authorization of military strikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports. Benchmark crude for April delivery was up $1.53 at $102.

Hutchison Port IPO Sees Tepid Debut

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:10:00 +0100

Hutchison Port Holdings Trust made a lackluster debut on the Singapore exchange, falling 6% below its initial public offer price in the largest ever listing on the Singapore bourse.

Facebook can help in disasters: academic

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:08:00 +0100

SYDNEY, Australia - An Australian academic Friday praised the increasing use of social media during disasters, saying there had been a "beautiful display of humanity" on Facebook during recent catastrophes.

Japan quake survivors too shocked to contemplate the future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:07:00 +0100

YAMADA/RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (Reuters) - - A week after their lives were turned upside down by the biggest recorded earthquake in Japan's history, many survivors are too shocked to contemplate the future.

Russians to be evacuated from Tokyo

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:07:00 +0100

An airplane of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry has flown from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Tokyo for the evacuation of Russian citizens. It can deliver home 162 people. Meanwhile, the number of victims of the devastating earthquake in Japan on March 11 and the subsequent tsunami has exceeded 15 thousand people.

Japan observes minute’s silence for quake, tsunami victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:07:00 +0100

The Japanese people and foreign rescuers have observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the disastrous quake and tsunami that occurred a week ago. The commemorative event was held at 14:46 local time (or 08:46 Moscow time), when Japan was first hit by a 9.0 Magnitude earthquake seven days ago.

Russian rescuers in Japan move to Ishinomaki

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:07:00 +0100

Russian rescue workers have moved to another quake-affected area in Japan, the city of Ishinomaki, where they are also searching for people that have found themselves under the wreckage following a destructive earthquake and tsunami. According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, the....

Japanese elderly bear brunt of tsunami's force

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:05:00 +0100

Katsuo Maiya is 73, his wife Masako 67. They are looking for her 71-year-old sister Taeko Kanno and Kanno’s husband. They rushed from their home in the hills when the tsunami surged into Rikuzentakata, only to find the town had become a muddy wasteland with barely a building standing.

WHO: Radiation risk from Japan remains localized

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:00:00 +0100

BEIJING (AP) The World Health Organization offered reassurances March 18 that the radiation risk from Japan's nuclear crisis remains highly localized, with no sign it threatens anywhere else in Asia.

Myanmar donates cash to Japan for quake, tsunami victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:59:00 +0100

Yangon - Military-run Myanmar has donated 100,000 dollars to earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan's hard-hit Sendai area, media reports said Friday. Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win passed the donation to Japan's Ambassador Takashi Saito in a ceremony held in Naypyitaw, 350 kilometres north of....

Expat Welsh decide to stay put despite UK warnings

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:58:00 +0100

MANY Welsh people living in Japan say they are determined to stay in the country – despite Foreign Office warnings that British people should return to the UK.

FOK Czech orchestra holds charity concert for Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:56:00 +0100

ČTK A charity concert of the Prague Symphonic Orchestra (FOK) in aid of the earthquake-hit Japan will be held in the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House in Prague centre on March 27.

Czech firefighter to lead international team helping Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:56:00 +0100

ČTK Professional firefighter Vladimír Vlček will head a ten-member international team heading to Japan to assist with the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami.

Asian stocks higher amid G7 pledge to restrain yen

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:54:00 +0100

A foreign exchange worker sit at their desk as the Nikkei stock average is shown below the conversion rate of the U.S. dollar against the Japanese yen at a foreign exchange firm on Thursday, March ...

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:54:00 +0100

EU's efforts to help Japan (updated 17 March)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:53:00 +0100

On 17 March Hungarian Presidency has convened an extraordinary Energy Council meeting to address recent international developments (in particular situation in Japan and in North Africa) and their impact on the world energy markets and the EU energy sector. The Council will also exchange views...

Latest post-earthquake update from Nissan Motor on Japan operations

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:53:00 +0100

Japan's leading automaker Nissan Motor's statement regarding status of Japanese earthquake and impact on Nissan's European operations.

WHO: Radiation risk from Japan remains localized

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:49:00 +0100

BEIJING (AP) — The World Health Organization offered reassurances Friday that the radiation risk from Japan's nuclear crisis remains highly localized, with no sign it threatens anywhere else in Asia. "To date, we don't have any information of a significant spread of radioactive material beyond the....

NRC to review safety of all US nuclear plants

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:48:00 +0100

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a "comprehensive review" of the safety of all U.S. nuclear plants following what U.S. officials are calling the dangerous and complicated situation at Japan's damaged...

New Zealand: Prince William attends Christchurch quake memorial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:47:00 +0100

He went on to say that the Christchurch community would understand "the full horror" of the unfolding disaster in Japan and "our prayers are with them, too." Tens of thousands of Christchurch residents attended the solemn ceremony, held on a sunny afternoon, which included a two minutes' silence and a traditional Maori welcome.

Many Japanese mark minute's silence for quake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:43:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 05:50 Source: reuters // Reuters TOKYO, March 18 (Reuters) - Relief workers held a minute's silence at 2.46 p.m. (0546 GMT) on Friday in memory of the victims of the massive earthquake, which struck northeast Japan exactly a week earlier, and tsunami.

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant; tries to restore power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:43:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 06:42 Source: reuters // Reuters * Japan nuclear agency says aware of "Chernobyl solution", to bury reactor * Engineers still trying to restore power to reactors * U.S. nuclear official says reactor cooling could take weeks * G7 agrees rare concerted intervention to restrain yen rise * Japan's Nikkei index ends up 2.

Japan radiation localised, no immediate threat - WHO

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:43:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 06:24 Source: reuters // Reuters (Adds quote, details) (Adds quote on basis of WHO information, paras 4-5) By Sui-Lee Wee BEIJING, March 18 (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation believes the spread of radiation from a quake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan remains limited and appears....

SPECIAL REPORT-Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:43:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 05:07 Source: reuters // Reuters (Repeats, with no text changes) To read this story in a multimedia PDF, click here: http://link.reuters.com/guz58r By Kevin Krolicki TOKYO, March 17 (Reuters) - By Thursday morning the last line of defense came down to this: a police water cannon, a....

Japan quake survivors too shocked to contemplate the future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:43:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 07:13 Source: reuters // Reuters (Adds government considering moving survivors) By Chang-Ran Kim and Yoko Kubota YAMADA/RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan, March 18 (Reuters) - - A week after their lives were turned upside down by the biggest recorded earthquake in Japan's history, many survivors are too shocked to contemplate the future.

National › Efforts to cool reactors continue in nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:37:00 +0100

Efforts to cool down the overheating reactors and spent fuel continued Friday at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was crippled a week ago by…

Auckland memorial service moved due to rain

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:36:00 +0100

Tonight's Auckland memorial service for Canterbury earthquake victims has been moved inside the War Memorial Museum due to heavy rain.The hour-long Auckland memorial service will take place at 7pm, following today's national memorial...

Oil up above $103 as UN authorizes Libya strikes (updated)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:34:00 +0100

SINGAPORE (AP): Oil prices rose above $103 a barrel Friday in Asia as traders worried the United Nation's authorization of military strikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports.

NRC to review safety of all US nuclear plants

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:33:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a "comprehensive review" of the safety of all U.S. nuclear plants following what U.S. officials are calling the dangerous and complicated situation at Japan's damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors.

Japan: The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku earthquake - Situation Report 3

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0100

(14:46 JST), the death toll is still raising and reached 5,692 today. The casualties and missing are expected to exceed 15,000, the worst number of loss Japan has experienced since the WWII, as there is still great number of people who are not reachable.

Japan: World Vision distributing supplies

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0100

By World Vision staff On 11 March, Japan was hit by the largest earthquake in its history. The 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami swept away entire villages with walls of water more than 30 feet high.

International Medical Corps Emergency Response Team in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0100

March 17, 2011, Los Angeles, Calif. – An International Medical Corps emergency response team is on the ground in Sendai, Japan and is coordinating with local officials to support response efforts, fill critical gaps and deliver supplies.

AmeriCares Prepares First Aid Shipment, Urgent Supplies for Shelters

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0100

The Japanese government has deployed 100,000 troops to the northeast coast for emergency operations, with numerous national and international search and rescue teams joining the effort on the scene of epic devastation.

Government affirms Sudan stand in Support of Japan to overcome earthquake disaster

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0100

Khartoum, March 17 (SUNA) - The State Minister at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr.

Death toll rises to 6,405 in Japan following March 11 quake: police

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0100

Japan's National Police Agency said Friday that the catastrophic March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami have left 6,405 people dead and 10,259 others unaccounted for in Japan by 9:00 a.m.(0000 GMT). &$ &$Source: Xinhua &$ &$ &$

Myanmar offers cash assistance to Japanese quake, tsunami victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0100

Myanmar government has donated cash as humanitarian assistance through the Japanese embassy here to the victims of the recent massive earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern parts of Japan, the official daily New Light of Myanmar reported Friday. The donation of 100,000 U.S.

IAEA chief in quake-hit Japan amid rising death toll

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0100

Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, arrived in Japan on Friday to check the worsening nuclear crisis in Fukushima, as the death toll of the March 11 powerful earthquake and ensuing tsunami rose in the country amid a grave nuclear leak threat.

S. Korea to offer water, blankets to quake-devastated Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0100

South Korea will offer water and blankets to quake-ravaged Japan in another batch of emergency relief aid, the government said here Friday. The government will on Saturday send 100 tons of bottled water and 6,000 blankets to Japan at the request of the Japanese government, and will continue....

Fiji lack of time in response to massive quake: official

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0100

Fiji does not have much time to execute emergency measures and evacuation in the event of a cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami, a senior official of Fiji's Mineral Resources Department has warned. Local daily newspaper Fiji Times' online quoted the department' s Director Malakai Finau as saying that....

Full-scale simulated tsunami alert to involve 33 countries in Caribbean

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0100

An exercise, named Caribe Wave 11, is due to test the warning systems of 33 countries in the Caribbean region on March 23 by issuing the first full-scale simulated tsunami alert, the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on Thursday.

Indonesia to send more volunteers to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +0100

Indonesia will send more volunteers to Japan to help the country recover after being hit by a massive 9.0 earthquake and a strong tsunami, an Indonesian Foreign Ministry official said Friday. "There are another 54 SAR (search and rescue) members who will be sent by the National Disaster Mitigation....

Cold worsens Japan's woes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:29:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant while the toll of dead and missing from the quake and tsunami topped 16 000.

US to review safety of all its nuclear plants

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:28:00 +0100

Nuclear community snubbed reactor safety message: expert

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:28:00 +0100

A US nuclear expert says the creator of the Light Water Reactor (LWR), a design which is being used in the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, foresaw the problems with its design and advocated for a safer, more efficient alternative.

Moment of silence in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:24:00 +0100

A moment of silence has been observed in northeast Japan, exactly one week after a huge earthquake struck, sending a devastating tsunami crashing into the coast.

Expert: US not ready for big disaster

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:24:00 +0100

The US is not as prepared as it should be for a disaster on the scale of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, an expert has claimed.

Panicked Chinese mistakenly hoarding iodized salt

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:23:00 +0100

China's economic agency told shoppers Thursday to stop panic buying salt, blaming baseless rumors that the iodine in it can stop radiation sickness.

UPDATE1: Western Japan firms urged to boost activity for economy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:23:00 +0100

TOKYO - Industry minister Banri Kaieda called on companies in western Japan on Friday to boost economic acti...

S. Korea's president visits Japanese Embassy to express condolences

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:23:00 +0100

SEOUL - South Korean President Lee Myung Bak visited the Japanese Embassy and offered condolences Friday to ...

Asian editorial excerpts -3-

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:23:00 +0100

JAKARTA - Selected editorial excerpts from the Asia-Pacific press: REPERCUSSIONS FROM JAPAN (The Jakarta Post,...

Japan radiation fears spark panic salt-buying in China

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:20:00 +0100

Long lines and mob scenes ensue at stores amid a clamor for iodized salt fueled by rumors of a radioactive cloud from Japan's quake-damaged nuclear plant and the belief that the salt would protect against radiation poisoning.China tried to quell panic buying of iodized salt Thursday after grocery....

Japan races to restore cooling at nuke plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:19:00 +0100

Time is running out for emergency workers in Japan seeking to restore electricity to the quake-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant to re-power the reactor’s cooling systems and avert a catastrophe.

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:18:00 +0100

But Tokyo Electric Power Co. says ‘our priority right now is to try and cool them down first’

Thank you Kuwait for support - Japanese Ambassador

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:17:00 +0100

On behalf of the government and the people of Japan, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude and appreciation to the government and all the people of Kuwait for their profound sympathy and support for the people of Japan on the destruction...

Hutchison shares slump on debut

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:16:00 +0100

Shares of Hutchison Whampoa, the world's largest shipping container terminal operator, slide on their market debut.

Japan Pushes Efforts To Cool Damaged Reactors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:14:00 +0100

Japanese crews are pushing forward with emergency operations aimed at reconnecting electricity to cooling systems at a quake- and tsunami-damaged nuclear plant in hopes of averting a catastrophic release of radiation from the overheating reactors.

History Of Tsunami: The Word And The Wave

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:11:00 +0100

"Tsunami" is originally a Japanese word, but today it's common in English. And it's been all over the news since a powerful earthquake sent a wall of water into northeastern Japan last Friday. The word "tsunami" dates from more than 1,000 years ago.

Hutchison shares slide on debut

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:09:00 +0100

Shares of Hutchison Whampoa, the world's largest shipping container terminal operator, slide on their market debut

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:06:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis Friday as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant while the toll of dead and missing from the quake and tsunami topped 16,000.

Death toll from Japanese tsunami reaches 6,400

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:06:00 +0100

The official number of dead from last week’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan has topped more than 6-thousand-400. More than 10-thousand others are still missing. Reports suggest the toll could eventually be much higher – with grim updates coming out of the east coast islands of Honshu. More than 55-thousand homes and other buildings were [.

Japan quake toll at 6,539

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:06:00 +0100

The confirmed dead in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan has hit 6,539, more than the toll from the massive quake in Kobe in 1995.

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:06:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis Friday as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant while the toll of dead and missing from the quake and tsunami topped 16,000.

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant, tries to restore power

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:05:00 +0100

Japan uses helicopters, water cannons in desperate bid to cool reactor fuel

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:05:00 +0100

Authorities struggle to avert full meltdowns and to cool fuel rods at the earthquake-crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant as U.S. and Japanese authorities appear to disagree over the magnitude of the nuclear crisis. Public anger mounts over lagging quake relief efforts.

Emergencies ministry aircraft evacuates Russians from Tokyo

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:01:00 +0100

Japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 08:01:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers conceded on Friday that burying a crippled nuclear reactor in sand and concrete may be the only way to prevent a catastrophic radiation leak, the method used to seal huge leakages from Chernobyl in 1986.

Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:59:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis Friday as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant while the toll of dead and missing from the quake and tsunami topped 16,000.

Engineers work to stem radiation leaks

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:59:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Workers at Japan's quake-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant worked Friday to re-power the cooling systems in damaged reactors to prevent massive radiation leaks.

Netanyahu to Japanese PM: Israel stands behind you

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:58:00 +0100

PM offers "any assistance" to earthquake-ravaged country, expresses "deep sorrow" over recent events, says Israel prepared to send aid.

Headlines online: March 18, 2011

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:56:00 +0100

The escalating nuclear crisis in Japan still hogs the headlines in the newspapers today.

Crisis prompts U.S. scramble for emergency kits

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:53:00 +0100

The twin catastrophes in Japan have prompted many in United States to look at their own homes, wonder if they are prepared for a disaster — and realize they're definitely not. In fact, many aren't even sure how to start putting an emergency kit together.

Japan's scramble to avert nuclear crisis enters second week

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:53:00 +0100

Japanese authorities' urgent attempts to avert a nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant entered a second week Friday as workers resumed ground efforts to douse the fuel pool of one particularly perilous reactor.

UN nuclear energy agency chief says Japan racing against the clock

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:53:00 +0100

Yukiya Amano gave the critical assessment after flying into Tokyo and being briefed by Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

Japan n-plant worker's daughter

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:52:00 +0100

The families of experts battling to cool Japan's Fukushima plant are a worried lot, with a worker's daughter saying: 'My father says he has accepted his fate much like a death ...

Bulgarian Red Cross receives Japan aid proposals

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:50:00 +0100

Sofia. Hundreds of Bulgarian citizens have expressed their solidarity with the people injured in the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan. The headquarters of the Bulgarian Red Cross has been receiving inquiries and proposals for aid, the NGO announced. The organization activated its relief telephone number 1255.

Japan radiation localised, no immediate threat - WHO

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:40:00 +0100

BEIJING (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation believes the spread of radiation from a quake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan remains limited and appears to pose no immediate risk to health, the WHO's China representative said on Friday.

IAEA urges Japan to give more information on nuclear crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:38:00 +0100

The message came as trucks doused a reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi facility with dozens of tonnes of water in a renewed attempt to cool the reactor The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog has urged Japan to provide more information on its "extremely serious" crisis as the battle to regain....

Thailand gives iodine to Japan travelers

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:37:00 +0100

BANGKOK, March 18 (UPI) -- Thailand began handing out iodine tablets free of charge Thursday to air travelers departing for Japan as a precaution against exposure to nuclear radiation. Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said the pills were mostly...

Engineers work to stem radiation leaks

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:37:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Workers at Japan's quake-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant worked Friday to re-power the cooling systems in damaged reactors to prevent massive radiation leaks. While an extraordinary mission to fill the reactors' pools holding...

Kao Named One of the 'World's Most Ethical Companies' for Five Consecutive Years

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:30:00 +0100

2011/03/18 -- Kao (President and CEO: Motoki Ozaki) was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies 2011, announced by Ethisphere Institute, a U.S. think tank, on March 16, 2011 (U.S. time). Since the first listing in 2007, Kao is the only Japanese company that has been included in the lists for five consecutive years.

Japanese car makers face struggle as earthquake hits suppliers

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:29:00 +0100

At 11am on Tuesday, workers at Toyota's car plant in Derbyshire paused for two minutes to pay their respects to the victims of the Japanese earthquake.

Japan: Number of dead over 4,000; over 9,000 missing

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0100

Nation Police Agency says 4,255 dead, 9,194 missing; Russian atomic chief says nuclear crisis developing according to the worst case scenario.

Away from north, much of Japan lives in eerie normalcy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:26:00 +0100

JPOST correspondent: We wonder, amid the nuclear risk: Is the West exaggerating the danger, or is Tokyo underplaying it?

Japan Holds Minute's Silence To Mark Disaster

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:24:00 +0100

Japan has held a minute's silence to mark exactly one week since the country was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Yen falls after G7 support pledge

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:16:00 +0100

The yen has fallen from historic highs after the Group of Seven major industrialised nations promised coordinated intervention in currency markets to support Japan's recovery from a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

Facebook 'display of humanity' in crises

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:09:00 +0100

AN Australian academic has praised the increasing use of social media during disasters, saying there had been a "beautiful display of humanity" on Facebook during recent catastrophes.

Copper in the Aftermath of Japan’s Earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:09:00 +0100

Certain commodities are positioned to withstand the aftermath of the natural disaster and ensuing nuclear threats. Copper is one of the top picks. In an interview with Copper Investing News, Wayne Atwell, Managing Director at Casimir Capital L.P., discussed his outlook for the performance of copper, zinc and aluminum.

Equity Markets in Japan Earthquake Aftermath

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:09:00 +0100

The massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan last week has the potential to recalibrate our world's geopolitical context. At the moment, the world is waiting to find out if the damage to Japan's nuclear generators will result in another Chernobyl or Three Mile Island.

Stocks & Bonds: Shares Rally as Panic Over Japan Eases

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:08:00 +0100

“When we didn’t have a nuclear meltdown overnight, cooler heads prevailed,” said Tobias Levkovich, chief United States equity strategist of Citigroup.

Tepid Debut Awaits Hutchison Port IPO

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:08:00 +0100

Hutchison Port Holdings may see a lackluster debut on the Singapore exchange due to the impact of the destructive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan.

Yen falls after G7 support pledge

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0100

Yen falls after G7 support pledge

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Yen falls after G7 support pledge

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:59:00 +0100

Thailand gives iodine to Japan travelers

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:58:00 +0100

BANGKOK, March 18 (UPI) -- Thailand began handing out iodine tablets free of charge Thursday to air travelers departing for Japan as a precaution against exposure to nuclear radiation.

Gov't mulls moving evacuees far from quake-hit areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:52:00 +0100

TOKYO - The government is considering moving some of the hundreds of thousands of evacuees living in shelter...

UPDATE2: Efforts to cool reactors continue in Japan nuke crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:52:00 +0100

TOKYO - Efforts to cool down the overheating reactors and spent fuels continued Friday at the Fukushima Daii...

Yen falls after G7 support pledge

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:51:00 +0100

Attention given to tragedies only with dramatic footage

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:49:00 +0100

In-depth media coverage of Japan's calamity is being watched by millions around the world. However, when the cameras are not there to catch dramatic footage, it can be a very different story.

Japan's urgent attempts to avert nuclear crisis enter second week

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:47:00 +0100

Japan races to restore power at reactors but long battle looms

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:47:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers toiled frantically to avert a catastrophic release of radiation from a crippled nuclear power plant north of Tokyo on Friday, but the United States said it could take weeks to cool the facility's overheating fuel rods.

Q+A: What's the U.S. military doing in Japan?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:47:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military is ramping up relief operations in Japan even as families of troops stationed there weigh whether to leave the country under a voluntary evacuation program.

Yen falls after G7 support pledge

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:46:00 +0100

Japan nuclear plant progress slow

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:44:00 +0100

Emergency workers battle to cool and restore power to reactors at Japan's quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant but say progress is slow.

Gillard shocked, saddened by quake damage

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:34:00 +0100

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been shocked and saddened by the scale of devastation inside Christchurch's quake-hit CBD.

Toll rises as Japan battles nuclear, humanitarian crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:34:00 +0100

Japan battled a nuclear and humanitarian crisis Friday as engineers worked to restore power to a stricken atomic plant while the toll of dead and missing from the quake and tsunami topped 16,000.

Pacific Tsunami and Japan earthquake, Factsheet #7

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:31:00 +0100

KEY DEVELOPMENTS - The earthquake and tsunami have resulted in 5,692 deaths and left 9,522 people missing, as reported by the Government of Japan (GoJ) on March 17. The disasters have damaged or destroyed more than 86,000 buildings and 1,200 roads. - On March 17, U.S.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Update - Thursday, March 17, 2011

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:31:00 +0100

Overview A powerful 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Friday (March 11) at 1446 local time (0546 GMT), unleashing massive tsunami waves that crashed into Japan's northeastern coast of Honshu, the largest and main island of Japan, resulting in widespread damage and destruction.

Japan: 50,000 Meals expedited

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:31:00 +0100

Despite news reports of countries encouraging their citizens to leave Japan because of escalating concerns over radiation, Convoy of Hope is pressing forward with plans to deliver emergency supplies to victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Help Japan by donating online.

Supermoon to make closest pass by Earth on Saturday

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:30:00 +0100

Supermoon: The moon will makes its closest approach to Earth on Saturday, appearing closer and larger to the naked eye. The last supermoon was eighteen years ago.

Japan battles to avert nuclear meltdown

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:24:00 +0100

More governments advice nationals to stay away as local authorities struggle to cool down quake-hit reactors.

Japan races to restore power to nuclear reactors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:23:00 +0100

Nuclear agency: "Chernobyl solution" may be necessary; US says cooling could take weeks; death toll nears 6,000, 9,000 still missing.

Loyal dog stands by its injured friend

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:20:00 +0100

HEARTBREAKING video shows a shivering dog bravely guarding its injured companion in a tsunami-ravaged landscape.

Gillard saddened by quake damage

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:20:00 +0100

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has been shocked and saddened by the scale of devastation in Christchurch's quake-hit CBD.

Obama orders safety review of US n-plants

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:18:00 +0100

US President Barack Obama has ordered a thorough review of safety at nuclear plants in the country in response to the emergency unfolding at the Fukushima power plant in ...

Japan death toll reaches 6,400 as infrastructure repairs

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:17:00 +0100

The death toll in Japan's earthquake and tsunami disasters rose to over 6,400 on Friday as some vital infrastructure was restored.

U.S. nuclear officials suspect Japanese plant has a dire breach

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:15:00 +0100

A leak in a spent fuel pool at the Fukushima nuclear plant would be an unprecedented problem with no clear remedy, experts say.U.S. government nuclear experts believe a spent fuel pool at Japan's crippled Fukushima reactor complex has a breach in the wall or floor, a situation that creates a major....

Japanese economy capable to recover: IMF

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

The Japanese economy is strong enough to recover from the impact of devastating earthquake and massive tsunami, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Thursday. "We believe that the Japanese economy is a strong and wealthy society and the government has the full financial resources to address....

Mix of factors exacerbated New Zealand Christchurch earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

&$ &$A splitted road is seen in east suburb of Christchurch after the earthquake, March 1, 2011. (Xinhua File Photo/Li Qiuchan) &$ &$ A rare combination of factors are being blamed for the New Zealand Christchurch magnitude-6.3 earth quake, the latest scientific investigations into Feb. 22 earthquake show.

DPRK Proposes S. Side to Conduct Joint Research into Volcanic Activities

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The director of the DPRK Bureau of Earthquake sent a letter to the Chief of the Weather Office of south Korea Thursday, proposing the north and the south to jointly promote the researches into the volcanic activities on Mt. Paektu in the common interests of the nation.

Japanese post-quake economy won't collapse: Ernst

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

The Japanese economy would not collapse despite the triple strike of earthquake, tsunami and radioactive leaks, Ernst & Young Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James S. Turley said on Thursday. In the short term, the calamities would do serious harm to the Japanese economy and trade, in....

1,4121 Chinese nationals confirmed safe following March 11 great earthquake: embassy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

The Chinese embassy in Tokyo said Friday that the safety of up to 1,4121 Chinese nationals has been confirmed by 7:30 a.m. Friday (2230 GMT Thursday). On Thursday the embassy confirmed that one Chinese national was killed in Ishinomaki city of the worst-hit Miyagi Prefecture when the quake-triggered tsunami hit the area.

Japan races to restore power at reactors but long battle looms

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0100

Japanese engineers toiled frantically to avert a catastrophic release of radiation from a crippled nuclear power plant north of Tokyo on Friday.

Death toll in Japan tops 6,400

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:13:00 +0100

The death toll from the monster 9.0-magnitude earthquake and massive tsunami that hit Japan climbed past 6,400 Friday as search teams continued to comb through the rubble.

Obama orders nuclear review, sees risk in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:12:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said on Thursday he had ordered a comprehensive review of US nuclear facilities, maintaining his support for atomic energy while seeking to apply lessons from the crisis in Japan.

Japan hopes to restore power at two crippled reactors Friday

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:07:00 +0100

Japanese engineers raced to restore a power cable to a quake-ravaged nuclear power plant on Friday in the hope of restarting pumps needed to pour cold water on overheating fuel rods and avert a catastrophic release of radiation.

Mazda to Extend Production Suspension to March 21 in Wake of Major Earthquake in Northeast Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:00:00 +0100

March 17, 2011, Hiroshima, Japan -- Mazda Motor Corporation previously announced the suspension of production at its Hiroshima and Hofu plants from the night shift on March 14, until March 20, in the wake of the major earthquake in northeast Japan. Mazda has decided to extend the suspension until March 21 for both plants.

Oil up above $103 as UN authorizes Libya strikes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:58:00 +0100

SINGAPORE (AP) — Oil prices rose above $103 a barrel Friday in Asia as traders worried the United Nation's authorization of military strikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi could prolong the conflict and threaten oil exports. Benchmark crude for April delivery was up $1.59 at $103.

US admiral optimistic on Japan's nuclear danger

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:57:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (AP) The top officer overseeing U.S. military assistance to Japan says he is cautiously optimistic that Japan will avert a worst-case nuclear disaster by preventing a full meltdown of its crippled reactors.

Japan Society exhibit says goodbye to Hello Kitty

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:57:00 +0100

NEW YORK, New York (AP) In a catalog essay for a new exhibition at the Japan Society, curator David Elliott talks about a pervasive anxiety in Japanese culture. He links it to Japan's history as the only nation to endure an atomic bombing and to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which makes....

Nagasaki survivor calmly waits out nuclear crisis in Tokyo

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:57:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Kazuko Yamashita was five when the atom bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, destroying her home in a second and leaving her with a lifelong fear that every time she becomes ill, this time it is finally cancer.

Japan readies new water dump at nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:56:00 +0100

TOKYO: Japan prepared to resume a huge water-dumping operation at a quake-hit nuclear plant Friday, as workers racing against time to prevent catastrophe ran an electricity supply cable to the site.

Japan quake: Missing Malaysian found

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:53:00 +0100

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Paul Tiong Lee Foong, 24, has been found well and alive after going missing at Sendai Port following the earthquake-cum-tsunami disasters in Japan on March 11.

WHO finds Japan radiation spread localised, no immediate threat

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:53:00 +0100

BEIJING (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation believes the spread of radiation from a quake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan remains localised and does not pose an immediate risk to human health, Michael O'Leary, the China representative of WHO said on Friday.

Quake's long-term economic impact unclear: official

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:52:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - The short-term impact of the Japanese earthquake will be limited for Taiwanese manufacturers, yet its long-term impact remains to be seen, said an economics official yesterday.

IT firms assessing supply chain situations

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:52:00 +0100

(ChinaPost.com.tw) - IT firms across the global are still assessing their supply chain situations in the wake of a magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan, and the best thing for investors to do right now is to wait, said an analyst with Merrill Lynch yesterday.

Heavy Lifting Down Under: Australia Acquires 5 C-17s

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:49:00 +0100

interviews]: “And separately, this week, the government’s also formally decided that we should acquire another C-17 large aircraft, and we’ll do that as quickly as we can. And this has been – this has arisen in part because of the great utility we’ve got out of our current C-17 fleet in disaster....

Japan death toll reaches 6,400 as infrastructure repairs start

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:45:00 +0100

Tokyo - The death toll in Japan's earthquake and tsunami disasters rose to over 6,400 on Friday as some vital infrastructure was restored, media reports said. The National Police Agency put the latest number of confirmed fatalities at 6,405 at 9 am (0000 GMT), Kyodo News reported. Some 10,259 were officially classified as missing, the police said.

Imada pledges Japan aid, asks rivals to help

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:44:00 +0100

Japanese golfer Ryuji Imada will donate $1,000 for his every birdie at this week's PGA Transitions Championship to charities aiding disaster relief in his homeland.

Asian stocks higher amid G7 pledge to restrain yen

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:43:00 +0100

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian markets posted solid gains Friday, and the yen retreated from historic highs, after the world's seven major industrial nations agreed to intervene in currency markets to help earthquake-stricken Japan. The benchmark Nikkei 225 in Tokyo rose 3.2 percent, or 285.81 points, to 9,248.

WHO finds Japan radiation spread localised, no immediate threat

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:40:00 +0100

18 Mar 2011 02:55 Source: reuters // Reuters BEIJING, March 18 (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation believes the spread of radiation from a quake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan remains localised and does not pose an immediate risk to human health, Michael O'Leary, the China representative of WHO said on Friday.

Why China's help to Japan carries weight

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:39:00 +0100

Editor's note: "Jaime's China" is a weekly column about Chinese society and politics. Jaime FlorCruz has lived and worked in China since 1971. He studied Chinese history at Peking University (1977-81) and served as TIME Magazine's Beijing correspondent and bureau chief (1982-2000).

Regional shares rally on currency intervention

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:27:00 +0100

Both the Nikkei and Australian market have gained strongly on news that the G7 will help lower the Japanese yen through coordinated selling.

Prince Wills Honours Those Killed In NZ Quake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:23:00 +0100

Prince William has paid a moving tribute to those who lost their lives in the Christchurch earthquake.

IAEA chief says Japan's crisis extremely serious

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:23:00 +0100

The International Atomic Energy Agency chief says he views Japan's nuclear crisis as an extremely serious accident requiring international cooperation.

Stocks climb back from lows to end higher

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:15:00 +0100

Dow average gains 161 points as traders send stocks up broadly. Dow is now positive for the year.

World Vision Relief Distribution Begins for Thousands in Hard-Hit Japanese Coastal Area

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:15:00 +0100

TOKYO March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As Japan approaches the one-week mark since the destructive 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, World Vision relief distribution operations began today in the city of Tome and tomorrow will reach Minami Sanriku, one of the hardest-hit coastal towns in the country.

Vietnam offers aid to Japan, evacuates citizens

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:08:00 +0100

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has instructed the Vietnam Red Cross Society to raise donations for remediation efforts following last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan

A Charitable Rush, With Little Direction

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:05:00 +0100

Many groups are quickly raising money in the aftermath of the disaster without really knowing how it will be spent.

Japan earthquake and tsunami: Obama warns radiation 'plume' could hit U.S. by tomorrow

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:04:00 +0100

Radiation was detected on passengers who had fled Japan on planes for the U.S. while experts warned that particles from the cloud cross the Atlantic.

NPP Japan about the earthquake in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:03:00 +0100

NPP Japan would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victims of Friday's earthquake and tsunami devastation in Japan. We hope well meaning people across the world would join hands and resources to help Japan get back on its feet.

Govt on standby to evacuate Malaysians in the event of any fallout

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0100

PUTRAJAYA: Current radiation levels in Tokyo and its surrounding areas do not warrant an immediate evacuation of Malaysians living there, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili.

Death toll in Japan from quake, tsunami tops 6,400

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:59:00 +0100

The death toll from the monster 9.0-magnitude earthquake and massive tsunami that hit Japan climbed past 6,400 Friday as search teams continued to comb through the rubble.

Japan battles nuclear meltdown

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:53:00 +0100

More governments advice nationals to turn away from the capital city as battle to cool down nuclear reactors continues.

S. Korea to send radiation specialist to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:52:00 +0100

SEOUL: South Korea will send a radiation specialist to Japan to better protect its earthquake rescue team from radioactive fallout, the government said Friday.

Why Does N.Korea Want to Talk About Mt. Baekdu?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:51:00 +0100

North Korea on Thursday called for talks with South Korea to discuss the possibility of Mt. Baekdu erupting. One possible aim is to shift the focus from last year's attacks on the Navy corvette Cheonan and Yeonpyeong Island to disaster prevention in attempts to resume dialogue with the South.

IAEA chief says Japan's crisis extremely serious

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:49:00 +0100

YAMAGATA, Japan (AP) — The International Atomic Energy Agency chief says he views Japan's nuclear crisis as an extremely serious accident requiring international cooperation. IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said Friday that he plans to meet with top Japanese officials and to visit the area struck by the....

Russia’s Emergency aircraft flies to Japan to evacuate Russians

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:45:00 +0100

An airplane of Russia’s Emergencies’ Ministry has flown from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Tokyo for the evacuation of Russian citizens. It can deliver home 162 people. Meanwhile, the number of victims of the devastating earthquake in Japan on March 11 and the subsequent tsunami has exceeded 15 thousand people.

Quake shifted Japan 2.4 meters east

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:44:00 +0100

The massive earthquake that devastated northeastern Japan has shifted the country more than 2 meters away from the neighboring Korean Peninsula, scientists said. The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASSI) said the Korean Peninsula moved east up to five centimeters while Japan shifted some 2.

Death toll rises to 5,429 in Japan following great quake: police

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:44:00 +0100

&$ Residents search through rubble in an area hit by an earthquake and tsunami in Yamada, Iwate Prefecture, days after the area was devastated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami March 17, 2011. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) &$ The National Police Agency said Thursday that Friday's catastrophic quake....

Unisem assessing impact on supplies

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:37:00 +0100

Unisem Bhd, Malaysia's second-biggest listed semiconductor assembler, is assessing whether there will be any long-term impact on raw material supplies from Japan following last week's earthquake and tsunami, AmResearch Sdn Bhd said in a report today. The company has no immediate material supply concerns, AmResearch said.

Most-Damaged Areas Await Food, Aid

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:37:00 +0100

Across large parts of Japan's earthquake and tsunami disaster zone, blizzards, blasted-out roads, worries over radiation exposure, fuel shortages and a host of other logistical problems have stalled humanitarian aid from reaching families that need it.

Google '20-percent time' going to help Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:37:00 +0100

SAN FRANCISCO - Legions of Google workers are devoting a fifth of their work time or more to building technology to help to deal with the disaster in Japan.

Ta Ann shares rise to 32-month high

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:37:00 +0100

Ta Ann Holdings Bhd, a Malaysian timber company, rose to a 32-month high in Kuala Lumpur trading after the stock was upgraded to "outperform" at Credit Suisse Group AG with a RM6.50 share forecast. The Sarawak-based company climbed 2.9 per cent to RM5.64 at 10:42 a.m. local time, set for its highest close since July 9, 2008.

03:03 on 18 March, 2011 UTC

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:34:00 +0100

A week of mourning in Tonga for victims of Japan’s quake and tsunami Posted at 03:03 on 18 March, 2011 UTC The Japanese Embassy in Tonga is holding a week of mourning for people affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami. The Prime Minister of Tonga, Lord Tu’ivakano says his sorrow and prayers are offered to the government and people of Japan.

From blankets to satellite phones, UN rushes help to tsunami-stricken Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:31:00 +0100

17 March 2011 â From blankets to emergency communications equipment to technological expertise, United Nations agencies are rushing assistance to Japan to help cope with the multi-front disaster caused by last week's devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant breakdown.

Global crises pushing up energy costs for small firms

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:26:00 +0100

SMALL and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland and other parts of the UK are facing a sharp rise in their energy bills because of the unrest in North Africa and the Middle East as well as the nuclear crisis in Japan, a leading impartial energy brokerage service warned yesterday.

Soames weighed up job as binman

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:26:00 +0100

RUPERT Soames, chief executive of FTSE-100 powerhouse Aggreko and the grandson of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, confessed yesterday that after a period of unemployment he had once considered becoming a binman.

British rescue bid called off as hopes of finding survivors fade

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:26:00 +0100

BRITISH rescuers abandoned their search for survivors in the devastated region north east of Tokyo yesterday, as any further hope of finding people alive in the wake of the disaster ended.

Disputes with Japan and Relief Efforts 'Separate Matters'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:21:00 +0100

The Foreign Ministry is treating aid to earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan as a wholly separate issue from a dispute over historical distortions in Japanese textbooks, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said Thursday. "The outpouring of support to help Japanese earthquake victims and the...

Prince William offers sympathy for Japan's "horror"

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:20:00 +0100

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: Prince William offered condolences Friday for the "horror" engulfing Japan, as he paid tribute to victims of last month's Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand.

Japan disaster dead, missing toll tops 16,600

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:20:00 +0100

TOKYO: The official number of dead and missing after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened Japan's northeast coast a week ago has topped 16,600, with 6,405 confirmed dead, police said Friday.

Veteran rescuers stunned by Japan damage

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:19:00 +0100

The veterans of devastating earthquakes in New Zealand and Haiti, as well as Hurricane Katrina, are part of the first response wave to Japan.

Japan disaster dead and missing hit 16,600

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:19:00 +0100

The official number of dead and missing after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened Japan's northeast coast a week ago has topped 16,600.

Hope and defiance among Japan's horror

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:19:00 +0100

Less than a week after watching his home get swept away by the tsunami, Shiroyuchi Kumagai is ready to reclaim his land.

Concerns deepen for UK citizens caught in Japan's disaster zone

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:12:00 +0100

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said yesterday there were "severe concerns" about British citizens who have not been located in Japan since last week's earthquake and tsunami, ...

Supercomputer charts killer tsunami's course

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:11:00 +0100

The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) has run simulations that show how the tsunami triggered by last Friday's 9.0 Miyagi earthquake in northeastern Japan propagated across the Pacific Ocean. It took a huge amount of energy to create what is now known as the Honshu....

Memorial Service: 'Kia kaha', says Prince William

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:10:00 +0100

Kia kaha.With the simple Maori phrase for "be strong", Prince William drew applause and tears from tens of thousands of mourners at today's service to honour victims of the Christchurch earthquake.His address in North Hagley...

Japan hopes to restore power at two crippled reactors Friday

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:06:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers raced to restore a power cable to a quake-ravaged nuclear power plant on Friday in the hope of restarting pumps needed to pour cold water on overheating fuel rods and avert a catastrophic release of radiation.

Extend aid to Japan victims, Malaysians urged

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:06:00 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak called on Malaysians to extend material and moral support to the people of Japan whose lives have taken a dramatic turn following the March 11 earthquake.

Reactions Around the World to Japan's Earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:04:00 +0100

Outpourings of comfort, encouragement, and solidarity for Japan’s earthquake tragedy continue to come from all over the world.

NYC: Twitter? Mayor’s Gaffes Come the Old-Fashioned Way

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:04:00 +0100

Mayor Bloomberg luckily doesn’t use the messaging system that has enabled high-profile people to instantly show insensitivity.

U.S. Workers Being Evacuated From Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:01:00 +0100

Some U.S. government workers are being evacuated from Japan for fear that the worst should happen with the nuclear problems following the earthquake and tsunami.

Death toll rises to 5,429 in Japan following great quake: police (2)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

&$ A woman walks through a destroyed residential area in Rikuzentakat, Iwate Prefecture, days after the area was devastated by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami March 17, 2011. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) &$ &$ 【1】【2】 &$&$

Indonesia searching for 139 missing citizens in disasters-hit Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

Indonesia is continuing efforts to find the whereabouts of its 139 citizens in earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said here on Thursday. "The figure of missing citizen in Japan disasters has been decreasing.

Chinese approve of relief aid to Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

Nearly 80 percent of Chinese respondents said they support the government's efforts to aid Japan despite frictions between the two Asian neighbors, a survey suggests. The survey, conducted by the news portal ifeng.com, polled more than 1.5 million netizens on the devastating earthquake in Japan last....

Obama says does not expect harmful radiation to reach U.S.

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

&$ &$U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a statement on the earthquake in Japan in Rose Garden of the White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, March 17, 2011. Obama said on Thursday that he does not expect harmful radiation sparked by the crippled Japanese nuclear plant will reach the U.

China sends 10 tonnes of drinking water to Japan quake-hit areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

&$ &$A staff member prepares the relief matierals at an airport in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, March 17, 2011. A total of 10 tonnes of drinking water assisted by Changchun City will be transported to quake-hit areas in Japan on Thursday.

China sends drinking water to Japan quake-hit areas

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

China delivered ten tonnes of bottled drinking water to Japan's earthquake-hit areas on Thursday in the country's latest round of relief donations sent to assist Japan's rescue and recovery efforts. The water, packaged in 800 boxes, was air-lifted from China's northeastern city of Changchun, Jilin....

More countries grow more cautious after Fukushima nuclear accident

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

More countries, while rushing aid to Japan, adopted a cautious attitude towards their own nuclear programs on Thursday amid fears of massive nuclear leakages caused by last week's destructive earthquake and ensuing tsunami. As the National Police Agency said the disaster had left 5,429 people dead and 9,594 others unaccounted for by 4:00 p.

World continues to extend aid to quake-hit Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

The international community continues to send aid and assistance to Japan in various ways as the country deals with aftershocks and radiation leaks after a massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami. The National Police Agency said that the disaster had so far left 5,692 people dead and 9,506 others unaccounted by 8 p.

News Analysis: Global recovery to stay intact as Japan reels

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

&$ Empty boxes are seen at a morning market in Hakodate city, north Japan's Hokkaido Prefecture, March 17, 2011. The market was ravaged by waves brought by tsunami on March 11. (Xinhua/Ren Zhenglai) &$ While Japan reels from the double whammy of a major tsunami and an earthquake that set off a....

China believes Japanese people will overcome difficulty, rebuild home: FM

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

China believes the Japanese people will overcome difficulty and rebuild their home after a 9-magnitude quake and an ensuing tsunami hit the country on March 11, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday. "At the request of the Japanese government, the Chinese government decided to provide 10,000....

Aftermath of megaquake continues to plague Japan; fears of radiation remain

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

Seven days after earthquake and ensuing tsunami devastated Japan, efforts to search for victims continued amid difficulties brought about by cold weather and energy shortage. Temperatures in the quake-hit areas in northeastern Japan dropped to midwinter levels Thursday, marking 5.9 degrees below zero in Morioka, Iwate, 2.

Japan pledges big projects in Indonesia despite disaster at home

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:59:00 +0100

A senior Japanese government official said on Thursday that his government would continue the Japan-assisted infrastructure projects in Indonesia despite devastating disaster at home. Metropolitan Areas (MPA) was one of the Japan-assisted projects in the country.

Japan dead, missing toll tops 16,600

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:52:00 +0100

THE official number of dead and missing after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami has topped 16,600, with 6405 dead.

“Save Japan” Initiative At SXSW 2011 (And How You Can Help Without Being There)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:43:00 +0100

I am currently in Austin at SXSW 2011, but mentally absent: I was at Tokyo airport on Friday to fly off to Texas, on my way to the gate, when the earthquake hit Japan (where I am based). As everybody knows by now, the quake marked the biggest disaster in Japan's history after WWII, leaving thousands of people dead, wounded or homeless.

Well-meaning gestures that create more problems than they solve

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:43:00 +0100

Gifts in kind are among the well-intentioned things that can make a crisis worse, not better

Business › Lights out for Tokyo's vending machines following earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:40:00 +0100

The soft drink and beverage industry has initiated a scheme to switch off vending machine lights 24 hours a day in Tokyo and earthquake-affected areas.…

Obama signs condolences book at Japanese embassy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:40:00 +0100

US President Barack Obama paid a surprise visit to the Japanese embassy in Washington Thursday to sign a book of condolences to the victims of last week's earthquake and ...

National › GLOBIS & Project KIBOW collaborate to gather donations for earthquake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:40:00 +0100

Following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan, GLOBIS University has decided to call for donations from concerned people, including faculty, alumni,…

8,000 Vancouver buildings vulnerable to quakes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:37:00 +0100

A Vancouver city councillor says it's time to find out specifically which buildings in the city would survive an earthquake, following a decades-old report that suggests thousands of buildings wouldn't.

Prince William offers sympathy for Japan's 'horror'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:33:00 +0100

Britain's Prince William offered condolences to Japan on Friday for the "horror" engulfing the nation, as he paid tribute to victims of last month's Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand.

Japan death toll 16,000, say police

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:31:00 +0100

Last Updated: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:28:00 +1100 Toll update Japanese police say the toll for dead and missing has now reached 16,600. The official death toll stands at more than 5,600 following last week�s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and 10-metre tsunami in Japan. Reports have indicated this will continue to rise significantly.

Obama says US is safe, even as his nuclear chief gives bleak appraisal of Fukushima nuclear plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:30:00 +0100

AFTERNOON LATEST TOKYO - United States President Barack Obama yesterday reiterated that the Japan crisis posed no risk to any American territory - although he nevertheless ordered a comprehensive review of domestic nuclear...

Japan earthquake and tsunami: Obama warns radiation 'plume' could hit U.S. by tomorrow

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:28:00 +0100

Radiation was detected on passengers who had fled Japan on planes for the U.S. while experts warned that particles from the cloud cross the Atlantic.

Jang Dong-gun Donates to Japan Through World Food Programme

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:20:00 +0100

Actor Jang Dong-gun, who is a goodwill ambassador for the World Food Programme, has donated W200 million to help the victims of Japan's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami through the charitable organization (US$1=W1,134). The WFP plans to use the money to provide the neediest victims wit...

Prince William offers sympathy for Japan's 'horror'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:19:00 +0100

Christchurch. Prince William offered condolences Friday for the "horror" engulfing Japan, as he paid tribute to victims of last month's Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand, AFP reported. "This community, more than any other in the world, can appreciate the full horror of what is unfolding in Japan.

William attends NZ quake memorial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:19:00 +0100

Prince William offers condolences to the people of Japan, while paying tribute to victims of last month's earthquake in New Zealand.

Apple may have trouble over iPad 2 batteries

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:18:00 +0100

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc may face shortages of key components for its newly-released iPad 2 as a result of the earthquake in Japan, according to a report released on Thursday.

Prince lauds quake city's courage

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:16:00 +0100

PRINCE William has paid tribute at a memorial service in Christchurch to the courage of New Zealanders caught up in the city's devastating earthquake.

After A Series Of Big Time News Events, Ustream Hits 10M Broadcasters, 60M Monthly Unique Viewers

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:13:00 +0100

Video service Ustream has seen an interesting six months, between broadcasting the Chilean miner rescue , the newsfeeds of revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, the debut of the Charlie Sheen show and the news surrounding the Japanese Tsunami and earthquake last Friday.

Japan is truly a disaster on a biblical scale, but are we right to worry about the nuclear angle?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:13:00 +0100

The Japanese nuclear plants have performed magnificently in the past few days despite being hit by a disaster vastly greater than they were designed to withstand.

Radiation levels around nuclear plant drop

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:05:00 +0100

AN operation to cool one of the reactors at Japan's troubled nuclear power plant appeared to be working today.

'Scars that will never be erased'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:05:00 +0100

Prime Minister John Key has addressed tens of thousands of mourners at this afternoon's National Memorial Service for the victims of February 22's deadly Christchurch earthquake.Mr Key spoke of the strength of the quake that devastated...

Radiation Spread Seen; Frantic Repairs Go On

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:03:00 +0100

Fuel Costs and Storms Reduce FedEx Earnings 3%

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:03:00 +0100

FedEx, an economic bellwether, reported its sixth consecutive money-losing quarter but said it would return to be profitability in its fourth quarter.

Hope dwindles one week after disasters in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:59:00 +0100

A week after an earthquake and tsunami devastated parts of Japan, hopes for finding more survivors are vanishing.

Prince William attends New Zealand quake memorial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:54:00 +0100

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Prince William has expressed sympathy for those in disaster-stricken Japan while speaking at a memorial service for the victims of last month's New Zealand earthquake. He addressed more than 40,000 people thronged in leafy Hagley Park on Friday near the devastated....

Obama reassures: Japan's radiation won't reach

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:50:00 +0100

President Barack Obama declared Thursday that "harmful levels" of radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster are not expected to reach the U.S., even as other officials conceded it could take weeks to bring the crippled nuclear complex under control.

Quake puts dent in rebounding Hawaiian tourism

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:50:00 +0100

HONOLULU (Reuters) - Hawaiian tourism, a keystone of the state's economy just starting to rebound from a long slump, is taking a new hit from a plunge in Japanese leisure travel after the devastating earthquake and tsunami there.

Japan battles nuclear crisis as foreigners flee

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:49:00 +0100

Tokyo. Teams of Japanese workers and troops Friday battled to prevent meltdown at a quake-hit nuclear plant as alarm over the disaster grew with more foreign governments advising their citizens to flee, AFP reported. At the stricken Fukushima No. 1 plant, 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Tokyo,....

Jang Dong-gun Donates to Japan Through World Food Program

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:49:00 +0100

Actor Jang Dong-gun, who is a goodwill ambassador for the World Food Program, will donate W200 million to help the victims of Japan's catastrophic earthquake and tsunami through the charitable organization (US$1=W1,134). The WFP plans to use the money to provide the neediest victims with ...

Prince William tells Kiwis to be strong

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:48:00 +0100

Prince William has told the people of quake-hit Christchurch that their courage and understated determination in the face of adversity have inspired him.

US not prepared for 'mega-disaster': official

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:43:00 +0100

WASHINGTON: The United States is not as prepared as it should be for a disaster on the scale of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, a former top emergency response official said Thursday.

VERSACE: U.S. will feel ripples from Japan's distress

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:39:00 +0100

ANALYSIS/OPINION: Last week, Japan was hard hit by an earthquake and tsunami and subsequent damage as the natural disasters' effects are felt most notably thousands of injured and dead, nuclear concerns and strong aftershocks. Simply horrific. Given the damage and massive rescue efforts, it comes as no surprise that .

US admiral optimistic on Japan's nuclear danger

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:39:00 +0100

The top officer overseeing U.S. military assistance to Japan says he is cautiously optimistic that Japan will avert a worst-case nuclear disaster by preventing a full meltdown of its crippled reactors.

Obama requests nuclear review, sees risk in Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:37:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 23:27 Source: reuters // Reuters * Obama says sees urgent need to help Japan * White House: confident Japan aware of crisis severity * Regulators to meet Monday to discuss U.S. review (Adds comment from Nuclear Energy Institute, paras 11-13) By Jeff Mason and Patricia Zengerle....

Q+A: What's the U.S. military doing in Japan?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:37:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 23:27 Source: reuters // Reuters By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. military is ramping up relief operations in Japan even as families of troops stationed there weigh whether to leave the country under a voluntary evacuation program. [ID:nN17211566] Here are some questions and answers about the U.

INTERVIEW-Quake won't boost Japan rice imports-USDA economist

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:37:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 23:29 Source: reuters // Reuters * Under 10 percent of Japan's rice region hurt by quake * Some rice stocks likely affected but supplies seen ample By Christine Stebbins CHICAGO, March 17 (Reuters) - Japan will not need any significant boost in rice imports this year based on current....

Lufthansa CEO 'Shocked' by Japan Crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:37:00 +0100

March 17 (Bloomberg) -- Deutsche Lufthansa AG said today that the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan have left the airline industry in shock, as British Airways became the latest ...

Japan quake survivors too shocked to contemplate the future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:37:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 23:34 Source: reuters // Reuters By Chang-Ran Kim and Yoko Kubota YAMADA/RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan, March 18 (Reuters) - - A week after their lives were turned upside down by the biggest recorded earthquake in Japan's history, many survivors are too shocked to contemplate the future. "My house does not exist anymore.

U.S. Sticks to Relief Mission Amid Nuclear Fears

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:35:00 +0100

The local U.S. military commander of Operation Tomodachi, the joint mission with Japan to supply aid to the disaster-displaced, said the nuclear crisis won't stop the effort.

'It's like a disaster movie'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:32:00 +0100

"THIS is terrible, I don't think they can rebuild this airport any more. Sendai needs a new airport," said driver and guide Kaneo Hayagawa, 61, as he walked through what was left of the terminals yesterday.

Engineers Race To Supply Emergency Power To Crippled Japanese Nuclear Plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:20:00 +0100

Steady supply of power could enable workers at Fukushima plant to get water pumps working again to cool off overheated nuclear fuel rods

Lack of parts forces GM to halt pickup production

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:20:00 +0100

DETROIT: General Motors Co. said Thursday that a lack of parts from Japan will force it to halt production at its pickup plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, next week.

Shutdowns in Japan Threaten Global Parts Supply

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:19:00 +0100

Japanese electronic components maker Mitsubishi Gas Chemical has been unable to operate plants in Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures since the massive earthquake last Friday. MGC produces bismaleimide triazine resin, a key material in manufacturing smartphones and tablet PCs and accounts for 50 pe...

POINT OF VIEW/ Tetsuo Takashima: Support around-the-clock work to prevent nuclear catastrophe

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:15:00 +0100

I was in Kobe when a powerful earthquake flattened the port city in Hyogo Prefecture in January 1995. My house in Kobe didn't collapse, but neighboring areas across a river were reduced to rubble. Several days after the quake hit, I walked around the city to search for my friends.

Toyota extends suspension of production

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:15:00 +0100

Toyota Motor Corp. has extended suspension of its vehicle assembly until Tuesday, but could face further delays from a lack of parts because of damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake. The automaker stopped assembling vehicles at all its plants and affiliates on Monday after the magnitude-9.0 temblor and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan.

A signboard at a Tokyo foreign exchange dealer, Gaitame.Com Co., displays the yen's surge on Thursday. (Hiroshi Kawai)

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:15:00 +0100

The yen surged to a postwar high on Thursday, at one point hitting the 76-77 yen range to the U.S. dollar, despite concerns about the effects on the Japanese economy of last week's mega-earthquake, catastrophic tsunami and an unfolding nuclear crisis. Speculative funds are flowing into markets,....

Full text of Obama's message in condolence book at Japan embassy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:14:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - The following is the full text of a message that U.S. President Barack Obama wrote Thursday in a con...

Japan's nuke-plant battle may take weeks, US says

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:14:00 +0100

Emergency workers seemed to try everything to douse Japan's most dangerously overheated nuclear reactors: helicopters, heavy-duty fire trucks, even water cannons normally used to quell rioters. But they couldn't be...

Despite crisis, yen rises sharply against dollar

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:05:00 +0100

WASHINGTON The crisis in Japan has pushed the U.S. dollar to its lowest levels since World War II, a trend that could give American exporters an advantage and help strengthen the U.S. ...

Nuclear plant 'not out of woods'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:05:00 +0100

Professor Andrew Sherry, director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester, said the situation at the Fukushima power plant was very serious - but events seemed to be moving ...

Brazil Mines Minister Lobao Says Iron Ore Prices May Rise On Japan Crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:05:00 +0100

Dow Jones )- Brazil's Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobao said Thursday that international iron ore prices may rise further due to the crisis in Japan. Prices for the steelmaking raw ...

'What the hell is going on?': Fukushima frustration grows

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:03:00 +0100

World anger and frustration is growing at "misinformation" surrounding the deepening nuclear crisis in Japan from the company that operates the ravaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi power plant.

Canon may pull out IPL ads

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:01:00 +0100

As the crisis in Japan deepens, Canon India, a subsidiary of the Japanese imaging and optical products major, has pressed the panic button.

Silence honours NZ quake victims

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 02:01:00 +0100

Phillipa McDonald Last Updated: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:25:00 +1100 Two minutes' silence has been observed in New Zealand in honour of the victims of the Christchurch earthquake. A lone piper played the lament and international dignitaries, including Prince William, have joined tens of thousands of people at the National Christchurch Memorial Service.

Tokyo in rush hour eerily quiet after earthquake and tsunami

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:58:00 +0100

TOKYO'S usually jam-packed subway and streets are eerily quiet as people stay indoors

Devastation recalled at NZ quake service

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:46:00 +0100

SOLEMN-faced and silent, Julia Gillard has joined other dignitaries and thousands of Christchurch residents to mourn the "death" of the quake-hit city.

ADDING and REPLACING Cabot Statement on Impact from Japan Earthquake

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0100

BOSTON and TOKYO - (Business Wire) Add after last graph of release: Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in the press release regarding Cabot's business that are not historical facts are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.

Japan's nuke-plant battle may take weeks, US says

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:45:00 +0100

YAMAGATA, Japan (AP) — Emergency workers seemed to try everything to douse Japan's most dangerously overheated nuclear reactors: helicopters, heavy-duty fire trucks, even water cannons normally used to quell rioters. But they couldn't be sure any of it was easing the peril at the tsunami-ravaged facility.

Copters drench reactor

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:44:00 +0100

TOKYO: Military helicopters and fire engines doused an overheating nuclear plant with water yesterday while the United States said it was sending aircraft to help Americans worried about the spreading radiation to leave the country.

Our message to a friend

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:44:00 +0100

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat yesterday unanimously passed a special motion tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the earthquake and tsunami which devastated northeast Japan.

THE MOTION

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:44:00 +0100

THAT, the government and people of Malaysia extend our sympathies and deepest condolences to the government and people of Japan as well as to all victims of the calamity, including their families and friends;

Elderly population presents Japan with tough challenges

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:39:00 +0100

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan | The elderly couple fled their home on foot as the warning sirens blared. But they could not keep up with their neighbors and fell behind as the tsunami rushed in. Nearly a week later, 71-year-old Taeko Kanno and her husband are still missing. "I think there is ...

U.S. authorizes first evacuations of Americans

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:39:00 +0100

ASSOCIATED PRESS The United States has authorized the first evacuations of Americans out of Japan, taking a tougher stand on the deepening nuclear crisis and warning U.S. citizens to defer all nonessential travel to any part of the country as unpredictable weather and wind conditions risk spreading radioactive material.

Battle to prevent meltdown could take weeks, says US

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:38:00 +0100

THE race to prevent total meltdown of reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan could take weeks, the chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission warned yesterday.

Japan Response to Crisis Breeds Mistrust

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:34:00 +0100

The U.S., signaling distrust of reports from Japan about the nuclear crisis there, moved to evacuate U.S. citizens and set up its own channels of information—a step echoed by some American companies.

'It's all lost; it's all gone' – the devastation of a town defeated by nature

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:32:00 +0100

two days before the massive tsunami roared in over the coastline of north-eastern Japan, Kit Miyamoto was delivering a lecture in Tokyo about the challenge of defending communities against earthquakes.

Concerns deepen for UK citizens caught in Japan's disaster zone

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:32:00 +0100

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said yesterday there were "severe concerns" about British citizens who have not been located in Japan since last week's earthquake and tsunami, as the evacuation of all foreign nationalities increased.

A father's goodbye: 'Live well. I cannot be home for a while'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:32:00 +0100

"Please continue to live well. I cannot be home for a while." These words have come to encapsulate the struggle of the emerging heroes of Japan's nuclear crisis.

HK Health Chief: salt panic buying unnecessary

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0100

Hong Kong's Secretary for Food & Health York Chow on Thursday denied rumors that iodized salt would help to protect people from radiation, and said it is no necessary to buy large quantities of iodized salt.

Apple iPad 2 parts said squeezed by Japan quake: report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:31:00 +0100

Apple Inc may face shortages of key components for its newly-released iPad 2 as a result of the earthquake in Japan, according to a report released on Thursday.

Sharing the pain

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:30:00 +0100

The emotional fallout in China from Japan's disaster offers a walk down memory lane of Sino-Japanese love-hate attitudes.

Chinese firms still producing Japanese cars

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:30:00 +0100

BEIJING - Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co and Honda Motor Co said car production in China was unaffected after the strongest earthquake on record in Japan forced parts makers to halt plants.

Get them out now: order given for UK airlift from Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:29:00 +0100

The evacuation of Britons from Japan will begin tonight when planes chartered by the UK government will fly away from a nuclear crisis that seems to be deteriorating despite a

Japan: the many aftershocks | Editorial

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:28:00 +0100

The country has a nuclear crisis, a fuel crisis, hundreds of thousands homeless, millions without power and water, and any one of these would test the strongest of nations A week after an earthquake powerful enough to shift the earth's axis by 6.5 inches, shorten the day by 1.

Oil prices soar above US$101 a barrel

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:26:00 +0100

NEW YORK: Oil prices soared more than 3.5 percent, climbing back above $101 per barrel Thursday after a crackdown on protesters in Bahrain and the U.S. stepped up pressure for U.N. action against Libya's Moammar Gadhafi.

Japan's humanitarian crisis intensifies

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:26:00 +0100

Lack of information from the government, supply shortage and increased worry cause Japanese humanitarian disaster to grow

Tsunami crisis will test an already ailing Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:16:00 +0100

THE EARTHQUAKE and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11 damaged a nation already weakened by man-made problems. Japan has been stagnating, economically, politically and demographically, for two decades. Its national debt is roughly twice as big as its economy , which has been overtaken, in size, by China's.

Japanese poetry haiku gives online expression to devastation

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:16:00 +0100

The devastation in Japan has found new expression online — fittingly in haikus, the traditional three-line Japanese form of poetry.

Apple iPad 2 parts said squeezed by Japan quake: report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:16:00 +0100

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc may face shortages of key components for its newly-released iPad 2 as a result of the earthquake in Japan, according to a report released on Thursday.

Japan quake survivors too shocked to contemplate the future

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:16:00 +0100

VIDEOS and AUDIOS from The US European Media Hub, US Department of State available on thenewsmarket.com: Ambassador Roos Addresses the Media on U.S. Assistance for Japan's Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:15:00 +0100

NEW YORK March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Get content from The US European Media Hub, US Department of State at: U. S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos briefs reporters in Tokyo on U.S. expert assistance on earthquake and nuclear plant crisis. Available material includes soundbites and audio files. About thenewsmarket.

Bahrain crackdown pushes oil prices above $100

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:12:00 +0100

NEW YORK: Oil prices climbed back above $100 per barrel Thursday after a crackdown on protesters in Bahrain raised concerns that unrest there threatens to spread to Saudi Arabia and Iran, both heavyweights of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Japan's nuclear plant situation very serious but stable: U.N.

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:12:00 +0100

VIENNA: The situation at Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant is "very serious," but does not appear to be deteriorating, a senior official of the U.N. atomic agency said Thursday. As emergency workers frantically worked to regain control of the dangerously overheated complex, Graham Andrew told....

Coal prices dip

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0100

Coal bearish short-term on Japan quake PERTH: Australia's thermal coal prices, a benchmark for Asia, slipped this week as demand in quake-hit Japan tumbled for the short-term, with many coal-fired plants shut and vessels unable to discharge coal at some ports. Thermal coal on the globalCOAL Newcastle index for the week to date was $ 125.

Gold tracks equities lower, ETF holdings inch up

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0100

SINGAPORE: Gold dropped to stay below $1,400 on Thursday as mounting fears about a nuclear catastrophe in Japan prompted investors to sell bullion to cover losses in other markets, but a rise in ETF holdings suggested weaker prices had spurred buying interest. Premiums for gold bars rose further to as much as $1.

Scientists say quartz is key to understanding quakes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0100

Underground quartz deposits worldwide may be behind earthquakes, mountain building and other continental tectonics, a discovery that may aid in predicting tremblers, according to a study released on Wednesday. The findings by Utah State University geophysicist Anthony Lowry and a colleague at the....

Oil up $2 to over $112 on Mideast unrest

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:09:00 +0100

LONDON: Oil was up over $ 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 $ 1.96 to $ 112.

Eagle Vision imagery supporting Japan recovery efforts

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:08:00 +0100

Eagle Vision imagery collection team rushed into action within hours of the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Northeast Japan March 11.

31st MEU inserts to begin helping Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:08:00 +0100

31st MEU inserts to begin helping with Japan relief operations US Marine Corps News 3/17/2011 By Cpl. Michael A. Bianco, 31st MEU SEA OF JAPAN Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit left the flight deck of the USS Essex (LHD 2) to establish a forward command center for the unit, March 17.

High-level radiation prevents use of water hoses

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:08:00 +0100

on Japan nuclear reactor - TV 16:35 17/03/2011 MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - High levels of radiation are preventing police from using water cannons to douse the overheated Fukushima-1 nuclear reactor in Japan, NHK TV said on Thursday. There is no information on the exact level of radiation at the reactor.

Fuel meltdown, radiation leak prospect still haunting Japan

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:08:00 +0100

The water level in a spent nuclear fuel pool at Fukushima No. 1 plant has dropped, creating the possibility of a meltdown.

Radiation remains high at Japanese plant

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:08:00 +0100

despite cooling effort 09:24 17/03/2011 TOKYO, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - Radiation levels remain high at the quake-stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant in east Japan, the plant's operator said, as efforts continue to cool the reactors from the air. Army helicopters have been dropping tons of seawater on reactors No.

Japan battles nuclear crisis as foreigners flee

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:06:00 +0100

TOKYO - Teams of Japanese workers and troops Friday battled to prevent meltdown at a quake-hit nuclear plant as alarm over the disaster grew with more foreign governments advising their citizens to flee.

TEPCO asked to pull workers from nuclear plant: report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:06:00 +0100

TOKYO - Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) asked the Japanese government earlier this week to permit a full withdrawal of its employees from the troubled nuclear plant now facing fears of a meltdown, a daily said Friday.

Japan rejected early US help on nuclear disaster: report

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:06:00 +0100

TOKYO - Japan turned down a US offer to provide technical support for cooling fuel rods at nuclear reactors hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami, a newspaper reported on Friday.

‘Japan sharing information with India'

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:02:00 +0100

Sujay Mehdudia NEW DELHI: Japan was sharing all information on the nuclear radiation it was facing in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami with India and a mechanism was in place to take care of the goods coming from that country. This was stated by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand....

Indian school in Tokyo closed for now

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:02:00 +0100

P. S. Suryanarayana SINGAPORE: The Tokyo-based Global Indian International School (GIIS) has been shut down for three weeks to prepare it to face the situation in Japan, according to Atul Temurnikar, Singapore-based Chairman of the GIIS organisation which runs a network of schools in eight....

Bits: IPad Case Makers: Smart Cover Won't Kill Us

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

Makers of iPad cases say that Apple's smart covers won't provide enough protection.

Radiation Fears and Distrust Push Thousands From Homes

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:01:00 +0100

The spreading panic is caused in part by distrust that the Japanese government is telling the full truth about the nuclear accidents and how widespread the danger is.

Reaching out to others in times of crisis

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

No horror film can match the news from Japan this week: the devastating earthquake, the deadly tsunami, and the unfolding nuclear crisis.

Quake 'shifted nation' 2.4 m east

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

SEOUL - The massive earthquake that devastated northeastern Japan has shifted the country more than 2 meters away from the neighboring Korean Peninsula, scientists said.

Tsunami triggers alert bells for ocean

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

BEIJING - The massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami that slammed into Japan's northeast coast has triggered alarm bells in China, where work is being undertaken to develop a marine economy.

Woes mount for tsunami survivors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Thousands eke out existence with scant food, no water or electricity OTSUCHI, Japan - Nearly a week after their home town was annihilated in a catastrophic tsunami, the 1,000-plus survivors of the small Japanese fishing town of Otsuchi are hanging by a thread.

Japanese abroad struggle to cope

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

SYDNEY - The eyes of the world are on Japan's people as they struggle to cope with an unfolding disaster, but tens of thousands of Japanese expats around the globe are also deeply affected by the tragedy. Japanese living far from home are anxiously scanning newspapers, Twitter and Facebook for news....

Disasters, science and lunacy

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

Our modern world is making our lives better each day, and we need to be aware of what allows us to progress and what retards advances. The spreading of rumors across the world is a throwback from the Dark Ages, pre-science, and has no place in 2011, especially in modern media such as the Internet.

Choppers dump water on reactor

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

TOKYO - Japanese military helicopters dumped water on an overheating nuclear plant on Thursday as US officials warned the situation was deteriorating.

China continues aid for Japanese earthquake survivors

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

CHANGCHUN - China delivered 10 tons of bottled drinking water to Japan's earthquake-hit areas on Thursday in the country's latest round of relief donations sent to assist Japan's rescue and recovery efforts.

Amid disaster, every meter counts

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 01:00:00 +0100

OFUNATO, Japan - In the devastated Japanese fishing port of Ofunato, the distance between normality and mayhem can be measured in meters. Just ask Masako Sawasato.

Chinese approve of relief aid to Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:59:00 +0100

Nearly 80 percent of Chinese respondents said they support the government's efforts to aid Japan despite frictions between the two Asian neighbors, a survey suggests.

Japan nuclear plant: exposed to the elements - nuclear fuel in meltdown

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:57:00 +0100

Pictured: storage pool where overheating fuel rods threaten nuclear meltdown at the stricken power plant.

Markets post gains in shaky week

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:55:00 +0100

NEW YORK, March 17 (UPI) -- U.S. markets staged a comeback Thursday after three days of losses suffered in concert with the plight of Japan, devastated by Friday's earthquake.

Loud explosions heard in Benghazi

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:50:00 +0100

LOUD explosions and anti-aircraft fire were heard today in Benghazi, an AFP correspondent said.

Emergency Power Reaches Crippled Japan Nuclear Plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:48:00 +0100

Japanese engineers through the night Thursday to extend an emergency power cable to a nuclear reactor complex crippled by the country's earthquake and tsunami a week ago. A steady supply of power could enable workers at the Fukushima plant to get water pumps working again in their urgent ...

Japan rejected early US help on nuclear disaster, claims report

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:43:00 +0100

Some ruling party and govt officials pointed that the country could have avoided the current crisis if Prime Minister had accepted the US offer.

Japan Nuke Disaster Could Be Worse Than Chernobyl

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:39:00 +0100

A global nuclear disaster potentially worse than Chernobyl may be underway in Japan as hundreds of tonnes of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel are open to the sky, and may be on fire and emitting radioactive particles into the atmosphere.

Newsquiz: Week of March 14

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:35:00 +0100

March 18, 2011 Media Literacy Question of the Day What kind of training do you think that journalists might receive before venturing into a region experiencing conflict or a natural disaster? Fill in the blank - The following sentences relate to events that were covered this week on CNN Student News.

22:21 on 17 March, 2011 UTC

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:34:00 +0100

Wildlife staff to check tsunami impact on birds on Hawaiian chain Posted at 22:21 on 17 March, 2011 UTC U.S. wildlife officials are planning to fly over the northwestern Hawaiian islands to see the full extent of damage to birds and wildlife from last week’s tsunami.

France to restrict export of reactors after Japan-PM

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:34:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 19:49 Source: reuters // Reuters PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - France will only sell nuclear reactors to countries with sufficient technical capability and the capacity to handle crises like the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Thursday.

Disaster Weighs on Steel

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:32:00 +0100

Weak demand for steel in Japan is further depressing spot prices for iron ore and some steel products throughout the world following last week's earthquake.

Parts crunch forces GM to shut plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:31:00 +0100

With the Japanese auto industry effectively hobbled, a lack of parts from the quake-damaged region will force the U.S. automaker to halt production at its pickup plant in Shreveport, La.

Q+A: Risks at each reactor of Japan's stricken plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:29:00 +0100

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant at the center of Japan's crisis has six reactors. The plant is operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO).

Japan impact on 3M not yet known

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:29:00 +0100

It's too early assess the impact of the Japan earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis on 3M's earnings, the company said during a day-long analyst conference in St. Paul ...

Obama Orders Review of U.S. Nuclear Plants

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:29:00 +0100

Obama Thursday he has asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is in charge of safety regulations at U.S. nuclear power plants, to perform a comprehensive review of U.S. plants in light of Japan's disaster.

Britons to be evacuated from Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:29:00 +0100

The evacuation of Britons from disaster-struck Japan will begin on Friday evening, the Foreign Office (FCO) has said amid a warning the nuclear situation is deteriorating. Increasingly frantic ...

Setting an example even while facing disaster

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:26:00 +0100

The Japanese say that they will recover shortly. Foreigners closely following Japan agree. The factor engendering such confidence is obvious: it’s the Japanese character.

International relief mobilises for Japan victims

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:17:00 +0100

International humanitarian organisations are helping Japan mobilise a massive relief effort in the aftermath of a massive earthquake and tsunami that has displaced nearly a half a million people so far, UN and US officials say.

Obama reassures: Japan's radiation won't reach US

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:14:00 +0100

President Barack Obama, trying to reassure a worried nation, declared Thursday that "harmful levels" of radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster are not expected to reach the U.S., even as other officials conceded it...

Emergency Power Reaches Crippled Japan Nuclear Plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:13:00 +0100

Steady supply of power could enable workers at Fukushima plant to get water pumps working again to cool off overheated nuclear fuel rods

Concerns raised over Washington reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:11:00 +0100

The crisis at a Japanese nuclear plant is raising new concerns in B.C. about a similar nuclear reactor in Washington, about 400 kilometres southeast of Vancouver.

Q&A: The Economic Impact Of The Crisis In Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

Is the crisis in Japan an economic disaster? And what will it mean for the U.S. economy?

Column : Even age isnt on Japans side

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:06:00 +0100

Japan continues to grapple with uncertainty on the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake, tsunami and escalating nuclear crisis.

Aussies could be among dead in Japan: govt

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:03:00 +0100

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is concerned Australians could be among those killed in Japan's deadly earthquake and tsunami.

GM Idles U.S. Truck Factory

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:02:00 +0100

GM became the first U.S. auto maker to close a factory because of troubles in Japan, saying it would idle a Louisiana pickup-truck plant because of a parts shortage.

U.S. Flights Over Plant Gather Crucial Data

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

Readings from American flights over the stricken nuclear plant show that the worst of the contamination has not spewed past the 18-mile range established by Japan.

'We're staying and fighting'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

This is a translation of a diary entry on a Mixi account, the Japanese equivalent of Facebook, belonging to 22-year-old Michiko Otsuki, who works at the Fukushima nuclear plant. By yesterday, the March 15 posting had been translated and reproduced on...

'MAS may stand pat in April policy'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) may refrain from further monetary tightening at its next policy review next month and keep further gains of the Singapore dollar in check as it waits to see if disasters in Japan threaten the global...

Disaster hacks should stick to the facts

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

As if the twin calamities of a huge earthquake followed by a devastating tsunami were not enough, much of the coverage and commentary relating to recent events in Japan has displayed a distasteful desire to project a third - nuclear - catastrophe onto the...

Narita gridlock delays delivery of relief supplies

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

SINGAPORE - Plans by the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) to deliver its first batch of relief supplies to victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan have been delayed, even as more donations are pouring in. The Japanese Embassy has alerted the...

The Learning Network: Poetry Pairing | March 17, 2011

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

This week we put three pieces together: the poem "The Word That Is a Prayer," a photograph from a Times slide show of over 100 images of the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and a March 11 blog post by the Op-Ed columnist Nicholas D. Kristof, "Sympathy for Japan, and Admiration."

Hollywood hearts Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:59:00 +0100

In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, celebrities and a number of entertainment companies have announced humanitarian aid programmes for the beleaguered country. The support ranges from direct charitable giving and donations...

Japan toll 15,000 dead or missing

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:55:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 17 (UPI) -- Almost 6,000 deaths from the earthquake and tsunami have been confirmed and 9,500 people are listed as missing, Japanese police said Thursday.

U.S. radiation suits donated to Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:55:00 +0100

MIAMI, March 17 (UPI) -- A Florida company says it has donated 200 full-body nuclear radiation protection suits to aid power plant workers and rescue teams in Japan.

Cooling efforts suspended at nuclear plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:55:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 17 (UPI) -- Efforts to cool down crippled Japanese nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant were suspended Thursday because of high radiation levels, officials said.

Obama reassures: Japan's radiation won't reach US

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:54:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama, trying to reassure a worried nation, declared Thursday that "harmful levels" of radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster are not expected to reach the U.S., even as other officials conceded it could take weeks to bring the crippled nuclear complex under control.

Japanese nuclear disaster: lessons to be learned

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:50:00 +0100

The scientific community is trying to learn the lessons from Fukushima. The disaster in Japan has highlighted areas where nuclear plants might be vulnerable, especially those that have been in operation for a while. Experts want to learn how to protect future generations from disasters like this one, that put entire populations in danger.

Japanese engineers strive to restore power to avert catastrophe

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:46:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers worked through the night to restore a power cable to a crippled nuclear power plant in the hope of restarting pumps desperately needed to pour cold water on overheating fuel rods and avert a catastrophe.

Despite crisis, yen rises sharply against dollar

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:46:00 +0100

The crisis in Japan has pushed the U.S. dollar to its lowest levels since World War II, a trend that could give American exporters an advantage and help strengthen the U.S. economy.

Recovery may break nation's dogged stagnation

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:45:00 +0100

Provided the natural disasters do not turn into nuclear disasters, then the crisis in Japan does offer the authorities an opportunity, albeit for the worst possible reasons, to boost and reform their economy.First, the reconstruction...

Savage headwinds for Air New Zealand

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:45:00 +0100

It's been said that a week is a long time in politics, but the same could be said for a month in business.In just four weeks, Air New Zealand's earnings outlook has turned to custard.In that time, the airline has had to endure...

Business › Toyota, Panasonic to postpone recruiting activities after quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0100

Toyota Motor Corp and Panasonic Corp said Thursday they will postpone the launch of recruiting activities for students seeking to join the companies in the…

Business › Gov't seeks to address gasoline shortage in quake-hit areas

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0100

The government said Thursday that it has called on oil companies in western Japan to send 20,000 kiloliters of gasoline and light oil per day…

National › 14 elderly die after evacuating Iwate hospital

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:44:00 +0100

First came the tsunami, which killed many elderly people unable to flee their homes. Then came the radiation, which forced a hospital to evacuate some…

Vitesse Statement Regarding Japan Earthquake Impact

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:43:00 +0100

CAMARILLO, Calif. - (Business Wire) Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: VTSS) today confirmed that all of its employees in Japan are safe and that its office in Tokyo is undamaged and functional, following last week's disastrous earthquake and tsunami.

Japan Disaster: UNICEF Tips on How to Help

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:43:00 +0100

NEW YORK March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is raising funds to help children in Japan impacted by the recent earthquake and tsunami. Because of the unprecedented nature of the epic disaster and its impact on children, resources are going to be critical in helping provide for the very unique needs of children .

Special report: Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:42:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - By Thursday morning the last line of defense came down to this: a police water cannon, a helicopter maneuver designed for wildfires and a race against time to get the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant rewired to the grid.

Multinationals warn over Japanese supplies

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:41:00 +0100

By Andrew Parker in London and Daniel Schäfer in Stuttgart Published: March 17 2011 21:03 | Last updated: March 17 2011 21:03 Multinational companies in several sectors are warning of supply-chain disruptions , after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear became the first international group to....

Algerians prepare to flee Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:40:00 +0100

In response to the nuclear meltdown threat in Japan, the Algerian government decided to dispatch a special plane to repatriate Algerian citizens, APS...

Japan earthquake: Fukushima plant workers increasingly desperate

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:39:00 +0100

They had said they would do whatever it took to prevent a nuclear meltdown, and on Thursday the workers at Fukushima reverted to increasingly desperate methods to stop nuclear fuel rods overheating.

Covidien verklaring over impact van aardbeving in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:38:00 +0100

[ Donderdag 17 maart 2011 | Business Wire ] Covidien (NYSE: COV), toonaangevend internationaal leverancier van producten voor de gezondheidszorg, bevestigt in een update over zijn Japanse locaties dat alle ongeveer 1500 werknemers veilig zijn en het kantoor in Tokio onbeschadigd en operationeel is

Japanese head home with fear and everyday worries

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:37:00 +0100

SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM - Unnoticed in the crush of foreigners scrambling to leave Tokyo on extra flights is a trickle of Japanese workers, foreign contractors and students returning on half-empty planes to an altered homeland.

Shippers see Japan ports able to keep cargo flowing

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:37:00 +0100

SINGAPORE - Shipping companies are confident of keeping goods moving through Japan's ports, using spare capacity at the largest to deal with cargo displaced from those devastated in last week's earthquake and tsunami.

International relief mobilizes for Japan victims

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:37:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – International humanitarian organizations are helping Japan mobilize a massive relief effort in the aftermath of Friday’s earthquake and tsunami that has displaced nearly a half-million people so far, U.N. and U.S. officials said today.

U.S. radiation suits donated to Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:35:00 +0100

MIAMI, March 17 (UPI) -- A Florida company says it has donated 200 full-body nuclear radiation protection suits to aid power plant workers and rescue teams in Japan. Meanwhile, Radiation Shield Technologies of Medley is working full-time to keep up with orders from companies in Japan, The Miami Herald reported Thursday.

At Japan Plant, Minor Progress, Much Frustration

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:35:00 +0100

U.S. officials expressed frustration Thursday with obtaining information about the deepening crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. Meanwhile, the U.N. nuclear watchdog announced a bit of progress in efforts to reconnect power to one troubled reactor.

Japan's Quake May Result In Huge Insurance Claims

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:35:00 +0100

Insurance claims stemming from the earthquake, and its aftermath will likely total tens of billions of dollars — making this one of the worst natural disasters from a claims perspective. Much of the money will be paid by domestic Japanese companies — though global re-insurance firms are facing big payouts too.

Japan toll 15,000 dead or missing

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:35:00 +0100

TOKYO, March 17 (UPI) -- Almost 6,000 deaths from the earthquake and tsunami have been confirmed and 9,500 people are listed as missing, Japanese police said Thursday. The National Police Agency said 380,000 people are living in shelters, Kyodo News reported.

Vitesse Statement Regarding Japan Earthquake Impact

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:32:00 +0100

(PR-inside.com) Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: VTSS) today confirmed that all of its employees in Japan are safe and that its office in Tokyo is undamaged and functional, following last week’s disastrous earthquake and tsunami. The Company extends its profound condolences as the Japanese....

Japan situation serious but stable - IAEA

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:30:00 +0100

The situation at Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant is very serious," but does not appear to be deteriorating, a senior official of the UN atomic agency says.

Japanese earthquake takes heavy toll on ageing population

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:22:00 +0100

Shocking stories of deaths emerge as the military is enlisted to help at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant The devastating impact of the Japanese earthquake on the country's ageing population was exposed on Thursday as dozens of elderly people were confirmed dead in hospitals and residential homes as heating fuel and medicine ran out.

Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:21:00 +0100

By Thursday morning the last line of defense came down to this: a police water cannon, a helicopter maneuver designed for wildfires and a race against time to get the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant rewired to the grid.

Special report: Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:19:00 +0100

Tokyo. By Thursday morning the last line of defense came down to this: a police water cannon, a helicopter maneuver designed for wildfires and a race against time to get the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant rewired to the grid, Reuters reported. As a crew of about 100 Japanese workers and....

Oil, gold and copper prices soar

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:18:00 +0100

Oil prices soared more than 3.5 per cent, climbing back above $US101 per barrel, while gold rose $U8.10 to settle at $US1,404.20 an ounce.

Cenovus supports relief efforts in Japan with $50,000 donation to Canadian Red Cross

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:13:00 +0100

Source: Cenovus Energy PRESS RELEASE: (3BL Media / theCSRfeed) March 17, 2011 - Cenovus Energy Inc. is responding to the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan with a $50,000 donation to the for relief efforts. Canadian Red Cross "As a caring company, this donation supports our belief in helping....

Choppers to douse crippled reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:12:00 +0100

EMERGENCY workers frantic to regain control of Japan's dangerously overheated nuclear complex have turned to increasingly elaborate methods to cool nuclear fuel rods at risk of spraying out more radiation.

Corrected: Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:10:00 +0100

Corrected - Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:10:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - By Thursday morning the last line of defence came down to this: a police water cannon, a helicopter manoeuvre designed for wildfires and a race against time to get the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant rewired to the grid.

15 000 Dead, Missing since Japan Quake, Tsunami

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:05:00 +0100

Japanese officials have announced that more than 15 000 people were either killed or missing by the devastating earthquake and tsunami, which struck the country last week. There are more than 5400 deaths and nearly 9600 missing. Another 387 000 people had been evacuated from their homes and were....

Fukushima plant now reasonably stable - IAEA

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:03:00 +0100

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said the situation at the Fukushima nuclear plant is now reasonably stable, but warned that it could get worse.

Oil prices settle above $101 per barrel again

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:00:00 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices soared more than 3.5 percent, climbing back above $101 per barrel Thursday after a crackdown on protesters in Bahrain and the U.S. stepped up pressure for U.N. action against Libya's Moammar Gadhafi. Prices also rose on the expectation that Japan will boost fuel imports as....

Lack of parts forces GM to halt pickup production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:00:00 +0100

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. said Thursday that a lack of parts from Japan will force it to halt production at its pickup plant in Shreveport, La., next week. It's the first time a U.S.-based automaker has stopped production in North America over parts shortages following last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

CL schedule unchanged

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

The Pacific League has postponed the start of its 2011 season to April 12 due to the aftermath of last week's massive earthquake in northeastern Japan, while the Central League will go ahead as planned with the March 25 opening. Nippon Professional Baseball's two leagues made the announcement Thursday.

Getting relief to survivors

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

People who have taken shelter at evacuation facilities in northeastern Japan since the March 11 quake and tsunami are finding themselves living under harsh conditions. The central and local governments must make strenuous efforts to deliver aid and personnel to those places as soon as possible.

Regular-season play begins again for bj-league

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

Nearly a week after the devastating destruction in Tohoku due to the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that killed several thousand people, followed by the Fukushima nuclear plant's ongoing radiation crisis, the bj-league has decided to resume competition this weekend to lift people's spirits. But nothing else has been officially determined yet.

Blackouts ravaging faltering economy

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

As the havoc wreaked by the massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami last week becomes clearer day by day, one critical problem for Japan's already fragile economic recovery has emerged: a lack of electricity. In the aftermath of the devastating magnitude 9 earthquake on March 11, the world's....

Tourists steer clear amid radiation fear

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

Ros Airey says she loves Japan, yet fears of radiation leaks from the stricken Fukushima nuclear facility made her postpone her fourth visit in a decade. "As long as there is a threat of radiation and concern for my safety I won't go," Airey, 63, of Melbourne, said as she pondered what to do with the nonrefundable tickets for a trip in June.

Indie scene aims for normalcy in unusual situation

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

As I write this on Tuesday afternoon, four days after the earthquake that hit northeastern Japan on March 11 and with the continuing drip, drip, drip of nerve-shaking news from the damaged nuclear reactors in Fukushima forming background noise to life in Tokyo, I see on the BBC news feed that....

Power demand surge prompts Tokyo blackout fears

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

The government warned that a massive sudden blackout could occur in the Tokyo area Thursday evening and night as cold temperatures increased power demand, although a major blackout was likely to be averted. The development came even though Tokyo Electric Power Co.

Japan's musicians show their hearts

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

A mid a flurry of cancellations of festivals and other concerts around the nation since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster, there has been a growing number of domestic artists, labels and event organizers — both big and small — who are making use of their music to do what they can to aid a country in crisis.

Miyagi coastal whaling port pulverized, little more than memory

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

AYUKAWA, Miyagi Pref. (Kyodo) A coastal whaling base in Miyagi Prefecture has been virtually destroyed by the powerful tsunami triggered by last Friday's massive earthquake, which washed away a whale-processing facility. In the city of Ishinomaki, in the district of Ayukawa on the southern tip of....

Insurers face record benefits

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

Nonlife insurers may have to pay record earthquake insurance benefits for the Tohoku catastrophe, exceeding the ¥78.3 billion paid for the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, an industry leader said Thursday. "I'm sure that benefit payments would reach an all-time high," said Hisahito Suzuki, chairman of the General Insurance Association of Japan.

Museums close to cope with earthquake damage and fallout

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

The tragedy of Friday's massive earthquake and following tsunami in northeast Japan has shaken the nation. And as Japan attempts to assess the damage and send relief, the country's art world is attempting to recover and show support. The Agency of Cultural Affairs announced on March 14 that more....

Remarks by the President on the Situation in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

Release Time: For Immediate Release Location: Rose Garden 3:35 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everyone. Over the last several days, the American people have been both heartbroken and deeply concerned about the developments in Japan. We’ve seen an earthquake and tsunami render unimaginable....

Disaster clobbers a helper

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:59:00 +0100

NEW YORK, UNITED NATIONS — The massive earthquake and tsunami that rocked and ravaged large parts of northern Japan have caused near apocalyptic devastation to the land and the environment. The 9.0-magnitude shock, the largest ever recorded in the earthquake-prone country, was brutally magnified by....

Car maker halts pick-up production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:57:00 +0100

American car giant General Motors has said a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company to halt production at a pick-up assembly plant in the US next week.

Japan's nuke-plant battle may take weeks, US says

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:52:00 +0100

Emergency workers seemed to try everything they could think of Thursday to douse one of Japan's dangerously overheated nuclear reactors: helicopters, heavy-duty fire trucks, even water cannons normally used to quell...

Japanese head home with fear and everyday worries

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:51:00 +0100

SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Unnoticed in the crush of foreigners scrambling to leave Tokyo on extra flights is a trickle of Japanese workers, foreign contractors and students returning on half-empty planes to an altered homeland.

Japan earthquake and tsunami – interactive guide to the humanitarian disaster

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:46:00 +0100

The numbers of people killed, missing, rescued and evacuated in each area of the north-east coast hit by the tsunami

Come earthquake or tsunami, there's always a celebrity there to help

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:46:00 +0100

P Diddy and Khloé Kardashian are praying hard for Japan, while former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger seems to make the most of a marketing opportunity Say what you like about the world's celebrities, they're nothing if not redoubtable in a crisis. No sooner had the Japanese earthquake struck than....

Japan's nuke-plant battle may take weeks, US says

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:44:00 +0100

YAMAGATA, Japan (AP) — Emergency workers seemed to try everything they could think of Thursday to douse one of Japan's dangerously overheated nuclear reactors: helicopters, heavy-duty fire trucks, even water cannons normally used to quell rioters. But they couldn't be sure any of it was easing the peril at the tsunami-ravaged facility.

Go for the experience, manager urges students

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0100

University of the South Pacific (USP) students have been encouraged to apply for student exchange schemes with Japan.

JICA assists volunteers

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0100

THE Japan International Cooperation Agency ù an organisation that draws in Japanese volunteers to the country ù is trying to establish whether relatives of its volunteers were affected by the tsunami that struck Japan over the weekend.

Car maker halts pick-up production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0100

American car giant General Motors has said a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company to halt production at a pick-up assembly plant in the US next week.

Effective communication vital

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0100

Information dissemination via the radio and telephone is by far the most effective way of communication with the maritime islands in the event of natural disasters, the Mineral Resources Department said.

Toys"R"Us Children's Fund Donates $500,000 to Save the Children to Support Relief and Recovery Efforts in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0100

WAYNE, N.J. March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund today announced a $500,000 donation to Save the Children to help provide relief to children and families impacted by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami that recently struck the northeast coast of Japan In....

Quake advice

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:43:00 +0100

FIJI does not have much time to execute emergency measures and evacuate in the event of an onslaught of a cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami, the Mineral Resources Department has warned.

Japanese authorities to stop water dumping operation on № 3 Fukushima reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:42:00 +0100

Japanese authorities have decided not to continue on Friday the water dumping operation on № 3 reactor housing of "Fukushima-1" NPP with use of emergency vehicles equipped with powerful hoses. This could jeopardize the health of the staff, considering the high levels of radiation near the target area, reports NHK TV channel.

Car maker halts pick-up production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:38:00 +0100

American car giant General Motors has said a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company to halt production at a pick-up assembly plant in the US next week.

Cable reaches Japan nuclear plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:37:00 +0100

Engineers have connected a power line to Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, allowing cooling pumps to be restarted, the IAEA says.

Japanese nuclear crisis: an issue of trust?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:36:00 +0100

As Japan struggles to keep the nuclear crisis from spiralling out of control, Krishnan Guru-Murthy looks at the way facts has been controlled and asks whether officials have concealed information.

Salt shame

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:35:00 +0100

Panicked shoppers stripped stores of table salt in Hong Kong - and in cities across the mainland - amid internet claims that it can ward off radiation exposure from Japan. The alarm sparked calls from Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok for people to be level-headed and stop listening to false rumors.

19:51 on 17 March, 2011 UTC

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:34:00 +0100

Wildlife staff to check tsunami impact on birds on Hawaiian chain Posted at 19:51 on 17 March, 2011 UTC U.S. wildlife officials are planning to fly over the northwestern Hawaiian islands to see the full extent of damage to birds and wildlife from last week’s tsunami.

Car maker halts pick-up production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:34:00 +0100

American car giant General Motors has said a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company to halt production at a pick-up assembly plant in the US next week.

Choppers douse crippled Japan reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:33:00 +0100

Emergency workers frantic to control Japan's dangerously overheated nuclear complex have turned to increasingly elaborate methods to cool the plant.

U.S. Officials: Japan Plant Crisis 'Very Dangerous'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:33:00 +0100

U.S. officials speaking at the White House about the nuclear crisis in Japan said the plant's troubles are serious but pose no risk to the United States at this time. They also expressed frustration with the difficulty in obtaining information from the site.

For Japanese reactors: It’s a race for water

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:30:00 +0100

Robert Bazell, NBC News Chief Science Correspondent, is in Tokyo covering the disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant and the growing fears of a massive radiation leak. He spoke to msnbc.com by phone Thursday morning to discuss the crisis. There seems to be a lot of confusion over what is happening at Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.

Hawaii braces for downturn in travelers from Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:29:00 +0100

HONOLULU (AP) — A tsunami spawned by the deadly earthquake in Japan caused tens of millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses and boats in Hawaii after the waves roared ashore last week. Now the islands are bracing for another hit — a loss in travelers from Japan. Gov.

Hawaii braces for downturn in travelers from Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:28:00 +0100

A tsunami spawned by the deadly earthquake in Japan caused tens of millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses and boats in Hawaii after the waves roared ashore last week. Now the islands are bracing for another hit -...

Hawaii braces for downturn in travelers from Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:28:00 +0100

A tsunami spawned by the deadly earthquake in Japan caused tens of millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses and boats in Hawaii after the waves roared ashore last week.

Car maker halts pick-up production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:26:00 +0100

American car giant General Motors has said a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company to halt production at a pick-up assembly plant in the US next week.

UK quake rescuers to leave Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:23:00 +0100

UK rescuers are withdrawing from Japan after extensive searches of rubble following last week's earthquake and tsunami did not find any survivors. The International Search and Rescue (ISAR) ...

EU energy expert concerned about Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:23:00 +0100

Destruction is seen in the wake of last week's 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Ofunato, Iwate prefecture, Japan, on March 17, 2011. UPI/Keizo ...

Japan nuclear situation 'serious but stable'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:21:00 +0100

UN's atomic agency says quake-damaged reactors have not deteriorated further, amid desperate moves to avert meltdown.

Tsunami alert system to be tested in Caribbean

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:19:00 +0100

Washington. The Caribbean's readiness for the type of natural disaster that recently struck Japan will be tested when its tsunami warning system undergoes a simulated emergency, AFP reported. Thirty-three countries are preparing to participate in the March 23 exercise, organized by a branch of the United Nations in response to the 9.

IAEA says Japan situation serious but stable

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:14:00 +0100

VIENNA (AP) — The situation at Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant is "very serious," but at the moment does not appear to be deteriorating, a senior official of the U.N. atomic agency said Thursday. As emergency workers frantically worked to regain control of the dangerously overheated nuclear....

Trend Micro Global Operations and Support Intact

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:13:00 +0100

TOKYO March 17, 2011 -- Trend Micro Tokyo headquarters came through the recent Japanese earthquake with minimal damage and no injuries or loss of life. Despite continuing difficulties with transportation, and land and cellular telephone communications in the Tokyo area, Trend Micro Japanese as well as global operations and support are intact.

Car maker halts pick-up production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:13:00 +0100

American car giant General Motors has said a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company to halt production at a pick-up assembly plant in the US next week.

Radiation remains high at Japanese plant despite cooling effort

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:11:00 +0100

Radiation levels remain high at the quake-stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant in east Japan, the plant's operator said, as efforts continue to cool the reactors from the air.

Obama seeks safety review of US nuclear plants

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:11:00 +0100

President Barack Obama is calling for a comprehensive safety review at the 104 nuclear reactors in the U.S. in the wake of the Japanese disaster.

31st MEU inserts to begin helping with Japan relief operations

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:11:00 +0100

Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit left the flight deck of the USS Essex to establish a forward command center for the unit, March 17.

High-level radiation prevents use of water hoses on Japan nuclear reactor - TV

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:11:00 +0100

High levels of radiation are preventing police from using water cannons to douse the overheated Fukushima-1 nuclear reactor in Japan.

Obama seeks safety review of US nuclear plants

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:06:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is calling for a comprehensive safety review at the 104 nuclear reactors in the U.S. in the wake of the Japanese disaster. The president is asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to examine nuclear plants to ensure they can withstand earthquakes and other disasters.

Politics › Kan brings back Sengoku into gov't to beef up quake relief

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:05:00 +0100

Prime Minister Naoto Kan decided Thursday to bring back one of the most powerful ruling party lawmakers, Yoshito Sengoku, into the government to beef up…

Chinese Find New Empathy for Rival

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:00:00 +0100

Japan's disaster has triggered an unusual outpouring of sympathy and even admiration from China that has, for now at least, largely blotted out the historical antipathy many here have felt toward their neighbor.

Not closing office in Japan, business will continue: Infosys

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:59:00 +0100

Not closing office in Japan, business will continue: InfosysSoftware major Infosys said it has not shut down its office in Japan and assured clients there that it would continue to support them.

Japanese engineers aim to restore power to avert catastrophe

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:58:00 +0100

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese engineers worked through the night to lay a 1.5 km (one mile) electricity cable to a crippled nuclear power plant in the hope of restarting pumps desperately needed to pour cold water on overheating fuel rods and avert a catastrophe.

Lack of Parts From Japan Forces G.M. to Halt Work at a Plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:58:00 +0100

G.M. joins Toyota and Subaru in slowing production because of disruptions in parts shipments after the earthquake and tsunami.

Toshiba LCD plant out, Lenovo frets about supplies

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:56:00 +0100

Toshiba Corp said an assembly line in Japan making small liquid crystal displays would be closed for a month, and PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd voiced worries over parts, highlighting the threat to global supply chains from Japan's devastating earthquake.

Japan struggles to cool reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:56:00 +0100

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan's stricken reactors complex.

Obama signs condolence book at embassy

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:54:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, March 17 (UPI) -- U.S. President Obama made an unannounced visit to the Japanese Embassy Thursday, signing a condolence book for victims of the recent disasters in Japan.

TSX in broad-based rally

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:53:00 +0100

Asian markets fell on Thursday but European and North American indexes surged as commodity prices rose and concerns over a nuclear meltdown in Japan cooled somewhat. One analyst, however, cautioned ...

Japan earthquake: Russians rush to buy face masks and iodine

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:50:00 +0100

Residents of Russia's Far East have rushed to panic buy face masks, iodine tablets and dosimeters to protect themselves against possible radiation fallout from nearby Japan.

Cuche sad for Japan despite super-G success

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:48:00 +0100

Switzerland's Didier Cuche turned his thoughts to victims of the Japan earthquake after tasting success in the men's World Cup super-G here on Thursday.

Bahrain protests: Rescue flights leave empty after Britons refuse to pay £260 for tickets

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:46:00 +0100

The Foreign Office said nobody had requested a seat on the flight, which were offered following battles in Peal Square yesterday which killed five people

Lack of parts forces GM to halt pickup production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:46:00 +0100

General Motors Co. says a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company to halt production at its pickup assembly plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, next week

Senators want NRC report on U.S. nuclear plant safety

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:44:00 +0100

Three U.S. senators on Thursday called on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to answer for the safety and emergency preparedness at all nuclear facilities in the United States.

Thomson Reuters Helps Poison Control Centers and the CDC Monitor Radiation Exposure in Aftermath of Japan's Earthquake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:43:00 +0100

Ann Arbor, MI, March 17, 2011 - Thomson Reuters has provided the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) with information technology to help monitor radiation exposures related to the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Nuclear Age: Another of Humanity's Disastrous Decisions

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:43:00 +0100

Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Complex, Japan: Japan has suffered monumental destruction in the recent natural disaster; from the cumulative impacts of the high-ranking magnitude Earthquake of 9.0 and the initial tsunami to consecutive days of continued natural disaster aftermaths with aftershocks, earthquakes and secondary tsunamis.

UN-backed tsunami warning exercise for Caribbean to be held next week

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:41:00 +0100

Thirty-three countries will participate next week in the Caribbean region’s first full-scale tsunami warning exercise as part of United Nations-backed efforts to test and strengthen the region’s defences against such disasters.

Dead, missing from Japan disaster tops 15,000

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:35:00 +0100

The official number of dead and missing after a devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened Japan's northeast coast has topped 15,000, police said on Thursday.The number of confirmed dead from Friday's twin disasters rose...

Kenya: Japan Crisis Spells Doom for Giant Tech Companies

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:35:00 +0100

As the world continues to watch the unfolding events that have characterised the catastrophe in Japan, it is emerging that the country's misfortunes may not only claim countless souls, but also threaten the technology world.

U.S. Officials: Situation At Japan Plant 'Very Dangerous'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:32:00 +0100

B.C. donates $500,000 to Japanese relief

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:32:00 +0100

The Government of B.C. will provide half a million dollars to the Red Cross to support relief work in Japan, Public Safety Minister Shirley Bond announced on Thursday morning.

ANALYSIS-Without strong U.S. lead, West goes slow on Libya

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:31:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 18:54 Source: reuters // Reuters * Obama's caution has slowed West's response on Libya * U.N. resolution may come too late to stop Gaddafi * Europe divided but Franco-British action possible By Paul Taylor PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - In the absence of decisive U.S.

INTERVIEW-Russian expert says Fukushima is no Chernobyl

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:31:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 17:53 Source: reuters // Reuters * Pshakin says Japan should urgently restore power supply * Graphite burned at Chernobyl, no graphite at Fukushima * Talk of chain reaction in spent fuel pool groundless By Gleb Bryanski MOSCOW, March 17 (Reuters) - Japan should concentrate its efforts....

Japanese head home with fear and everyday worries

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:31:00 +0100

17 Mar 2011 18:57 Source: reuters // Reuters * Japanese travellers return home to uncertainty * Flights to Japan reported to be barely half full * Travellers worry about radiation, food, transport By Xue Jianyue and Ivana Sekularac SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM, March 17 (Reuters) - Unnoticed in the crush of....

Japan passengers, cargo screened for radiation

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:28:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security is screening passengers and cargo entering the United States from Japan for "even a blip of radiation," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Thursday. No harmful levels of radiation have reached the U.S.

Japan choppers, trucks douse stricken atomic plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:28:00 +0100

The Japanese military on Thursday used trucks and helicopters to dump tonnes of water onto the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant to prevent a disastrous radiation release.

Russia’s Economic Relations With Japan Faces Continued Uncertainty

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:27:00 +0100

Russian officials pledged to assist neighboring Japan, hit by an unprecedented series of disasters, but in recent months, Moscow has struggled to forge stronger economic ties with Japan. On March 14, President Dmitry Medvedev... Category: Eurasia Daily Monitor, Home Page, Featured, Foreign Policy,....

US technical experts continue aiding quake-stricken Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:22:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, March 17 (KUNA) -- A team of 11 technical experts continues to work in Tokyo to provide assistance to the Japanese government and the ambassador in Tokyo in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident that struck Japan, Greg Jaczko, chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), said on Thursday.

Japan to repair undersea cables

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:22:00 +0100

Aftershocks are preventing Japan's telecoms firms from repairing undersea cables, damaged by the earthquake and tsunami.

Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan a situation update

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:19:00 +0100

March 17, 2011 Ministry of External Affairs and the Embassy of India, Tokyo is continuously monitoring the situation in Japan. The Embassy is also in regular touch with representatives of the Indian community all across the country and the Japanese authorities.

Japan: The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku earthquake - Situation Report 2

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:19:00 +0100

Overview With the massive earthquake and the following tsunamis happened on 11 March 2011 (14:46 JST), the death toll (8,181) and missing exceed 11,000, the worst number of loss Japan has experienced since the WWII. There are 44,818 evacuees in 2,444 shelters as of the time of reporting.

International Rescue Corps team unable to join operation in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:19:00 +0100

16 March 2011 Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne has spoken after an International Rescue Corps (IRC) team travelled to Japan but was unable to join up with the official Government run rescue.

Golf: Imada pledges Japan aid, asks rivals to help

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:17:00 +0100

PALM HARBOR, Florida : Japanese golfer Ryuji Imada will donate $1,000 for his every birdie at this week's PGA Transitions Championship to charities aiding disaster relief in his homeland.

TELEHOUSE America Reports All of Its Data Centers in Japan Remain Operational

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:13:00 +0100

NEW YORK, NY -- 03/17/11 -- TELEHOUSE America ( www.telehouse.com ), the United States' leading provider of , and managed IT services , announces today that all 21 TELEHOUSE data centers located throughout Japan are operational without any unplanned outages.

Obama signs condolence book, says 'great urgency' to help Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:09:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday signed a condolence book at the Japanese Embassy in Washingt...

Japan's quake may cause $187 bln in damage - experts

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:09:00 +0100

Japan's earthquake and tsunami may cause damage of a whopping 13 trillion yen, Japanese experts said on Thursday. They were echoed by their foreign colleagues who claimed that the latest natural disasters in Japan may cause at least 187 billion dollars in damages.

N. Korea eyes inter-Korea volcanic study in wake of quake in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:09:00 +0100

PYONGYANG/SEOUL - North Korea has proposed talks with South Korea for a joint study on potential volcanic activity at ...

Lack of parts forces GM to halt pickup production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:05:00 +0100

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. says a lack of parts from Japan is forcing the company.to halt production at its pickup assembly plant in Shreveport, La., next week. It's the first time a U.S.-based automaker has slowed production in North America because of disruptions in parts shipments after last week's earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Japan struggles to cool reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:04:00 +0100

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan's stricken reactors complex.

SPECIAL REPORT - Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:03:00 +0100

Russian expert says Fukushima is no Chernobyl

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:03:00 +0100

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Japan should concentrate its efforts on restoring power to the Fukushima nuclear plant rather than trying to cool its reactors by dropping water from helicopters, a Russian nuclear expert said on Thursday.

Britons to be evacuated from Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:01:00 +0100

The evacuation of Britons from disaster-struck Japan will begin on Friday evening, the Foreign Office (FCO) has said amid a warning the nuclear situation is deteriorating.

Japan's Hardest-Hit Areas Await Food, Aid

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0100

U.S. Sees Reactor Crisis Lasting Weeks

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0100

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission chief said it may take weeks to cool and solve the problems plaguing several nuclear reactors in Japan.

Japan Claims Modest Gains on Plant

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0100

Japanese authorities claimed modest gains Thursday in their efforts to tame a heavily damaged nuclear-power plant, but increasing international skepticism and troublesome levels of radiation on the ground underscored the difficulties.

Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's crisis

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0100

Oil prices settle above $101 per barrel again

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:57:00 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices soared more than 3.5 percent, climbing back above $101 per barrel Thursday after a crackdown on protesters in Bahrain and the U.S. pressed for U.N. action against Libya's Moammar Gadhafi. Prices also rose on the expectation that Japan will boost fuel imports as it recovers from its earthquake and tsunami disaster.

Japan struggles to cool reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:57:00 +0100

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan's stricken reactors complex.

Government affirms Sudan stand in Support of Japan to overcome earthquake disaster

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:55:00 +0100

Khartoum, March 17 (SUNA) - The State Minister at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Mutrif Siddiq, Thursday conveyed the condolences and sympathy of the people and government of Sudan to the friendly people and government of Japan over the earthquake and tsunami disaster that hit the people....

Japan struggles to cool reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:54:00 +0100

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan's stricken reactors complex.

Markets initiate a comeback

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:53:00 +0100

NEW YORK, March 17 (UPI) -- U.S. markets staged a comeback Thursday after three days of losses suffered in concert with the plight of Japan, devastated by Friday's earthquake.

UN Nuclear Agency Says Situation in Japan Serious but Stable

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:49:00 +0100

Agency says there has been "no significant worsening" in the past 24 hours at the tsunami-crippled nuclear reactor

Japanese nuclear plant 'serious but stable'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:48:00 +0100

UN's atomic agency says quake-damaged reactors have not deteriorated further, amid desperate moves to avert meltdown.

Sandra Bullock sends $1 million for Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:47:00 +0100

Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the Red Cross said Thursday.

Hearings on Canadian nuclear plants to go ahead

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:47:00 +0100

Hearings into the building of new nuclear reactors in Ontario and the refurbishing of existing ones in Quebec are scheduled to go ahead despite calls to delay them.

Food from Japan being checked for radiation

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:45:00 +0100

The FDA says there's no sign food imported from Japan is tainted. But the agency is examining food products that originated in Japan or passed through the country, a spokeswoman says.There's no indication that food imported from Japan has been tainted by radiation as the country grapples with a....

Crisis at Fukushima: As it happened

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:44:00 +0100

HOW news.com.au reported the nuclear emergency at Fukushima No.1 plant and the humanitarian crisis throughout the rest of Japan.

Britons to be evacuated from Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:42:00 +0100

The evacuation of Britons from disaster-struck Japan will begin on Friday evening, the Foreign Office (FCO) has said amid a warning the nuclear situation is deteriorating.

Japan struggles to cool reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:42:00 +0100

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan's stricken reactors complex.

Russian coal for quake-ravaged Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:39:00 +0100

Speaking to reporters in Moscow on Thursday, Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said that Russian coal producers may soon increase shipments to Japan, hit by a devastating earthquake and a tsunami late last week. The talks to this effect are expected in the coming days, Shmatko said, adding that Russia....

Japan struggles to cool reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:38:00 +0100

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan's stricken reactors complex.

Efforts to cool reactor continue

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:35:00 +0100

3/17/2011 - 6:02:58 PM Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan’s stricken reactors complex. They tried with police water cannons, heavy-duty firetrucks and military helicopters dropping bucket after enormous bucket of water onto the plant.

Japan crisis 'serious but stable'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:35:00 +0100

3/17/2011 - 6:00:50 PM The situation at Japan’s stricken nuclear plant is “very serious,” but does not appear to be deteriorating, says a senior official of the UN atomic agency. As emergency workers frantically worked to regain control of the dangerously overheated nuclear complex, Graham Andrew....

[News & Analysis] Japan Disaster: Devastating Earthquake Defied Expectations

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:32:00 +0100

The astonishing power and unexpected location of last week's devastating earthquake in Japan expose the futility of forecasting where and when the next Big One will hit, geophysicists say. Author: Dennis Normile

[News & Analysis] Japan Disaster: Waves of Destruction

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:32:00 +0100

Most deaths and much of the destruction from last week's powerful earthquake in Japan were the handiwork of the tsunami: Many victims knew the waves were coming but could not escape or didn't try until it was too late. Author: Dennis Normile

Japan radiation sets off O'Hare airport alarms

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:31:00 +0100

CBS News Chicago station reports trace amounts of radiation clinging to flights from country ravaged by earthquake, tsunami

Sauber to show support for Japan at opening Formula One grand prix

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:31:00 +0100

Formula One team Sauber will include a message of support for the people of Japan on the livery of their cars at the opening grand prix of the season.

Japan: Workers continue struggle to cool reactor

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:30:00 +0100

Emergency workers are continuing frantic efforts to cool nuclear fuel at Japan’s stricken reactors complex.

Japanese govt faces flak as food lines grow

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:29:00 +0100

As it struggles to gain control of a nuclear crisis and feed and shelter the thousands of people left homeless by last week's devastating tsunami, the Japanese Government is facing a growing chorus of criticism for its handling of...

Japan tsunami: Snow adds to difficulties for NZ rescue team

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:29:00 +0100

Members of New Zealand's Urban Search and Rescue team are working in near-freezing conditions in a small Japanese town that was all but obliterated by the earthquake and tsunami.The team of 48 is helping to search through snow-covered...

YouTube video helps Japanese student find family

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0100

Akiko Kosaka's family resides in Minamisanriku, a fishing village where half the residents are feared to be dead as a result of last week's tsunami, but thanks to a YouTube video, she knows that her relatives are alive and safe.

Some nuclear reactors in EU will fail tests: energy chief

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:22:00 +0100

The "stress tests" European nations will conduct on nuclear reactors will likely expose safety shortcomings in some of them, the EU's energy chief said Thursday, angering nuclear-friendly France.

Japan earthquake and tsunami: Tokyo becomes ghost town

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:21:00 +0100

Nobody wanted to venture out, by day or by night - everyone, it seemed, sharing the same opinion that something very bad was happening at the Fukushima nuclear power plant 148 miles away and nobody wanted to breathe the air if it could be avoided, writes RICHARD SHEARS.

As Japan strives to cool reactors, UN warns situation 'very serious'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:21:00 +0100

Denies U.S. warnings that the plant may be on the verge of spewing more radioactive material

Japan uses helicopters, water cannons in desperate bid to cool reactor fuel

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:18:00 +0100

Japanese authorities made desperate new attempts to avert full-scale meltdowns at a quake-battered nuclear plant Thursday, dispatching helicopters to drop tons of water on the reactors and using ...

‘No Major Threat’ to Europe’s Insurers from Japan Crisis

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:18:00 +0100

European insurers face no major threat from the turmoil ensuing from last week’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the European Union’s insurance watchdog said on Thursday. ';From a ...

Nissan resumes Japan production

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:18:00 +0100

Carmaker Nissan has restarted some of its manufacturing in Japan. "We've managed to get our two plants in Kyushu to restart production," Nissan's Andy Palmer told the BBC. The ...

The situation on the ground in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:18:00 +0100

Vehicles travel along the destroyed landscape after the earthquake and tsunami in Minamisanriku City, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, March 17, ...

IAEA says Japan situation serious but stable

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:18:00 +0100

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS VIENNA -- A senior official of the U.N. nuclear agency says the situation in and around the tsunami-stricken Japanese nuclear plant remains "very serious" but ...

Japan steps up efforts to avert meltdown

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:15:00 +0100

Japan says it is stepping up efforts to cool overheating fuel at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Nuclear report due in two months

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:14:00 +0100

The details of a review of UK nuclear safety ordered after the Japanese crisis will be published by the middle of May, officials say.

Britons to be evacuated from Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:13:00 +0100

The evacuation of Britons from disaster-struck Japan will begin tomorrow evening, the Foreign Office (FCO) said tonight amid a warning the nuclear situation is deteriorating.

Sandra Bullock donates $1 million to Japan relief

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:12:00 +0100

It's the largest known donation made by a celebrity since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.

Japanese face hardships at disaster relief centres - Feature

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:12:00 +0100

Sendai, Japan - Large numbers of people carrying plastic cannisters and baskets full of empty bottles are lining up in front of the drinking water tank. A woman pulls a woollen blanket over her head to keep out the cold when a helper suddenly appears, bows, and tells the crowd apologetically: "I'm sorry, the tank is empty.

US gives protective suits to Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:12:00 +0100

The US Navy has delivered special protective suits and masks to Japan to help workers struggling to contain damage at the crippled nuclear plant.

Japan tsunami touches New Zealand

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:06:00 +0100

Such was the scale of last Friday's tsunami that sizeable waves reached right across the Pacific basin to New Zealand and the Antarctic, say NZ researchers.

Special report: Mistakes, misfortune, meltdown: Japan's quake

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:05:00 +0100

Toshiba LCD plant out, Lenovo frets about supplies

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:05:00 +0100

TOKYO/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp said an assembly line in Japan making small liquid crystal displays would be closed for a month, and PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd voiced worries over parts, highlighting the threat to global supply chains from Japan's devastating earthquake.

Ukraine will help Japan mitigate outcomes of disaster in every possible way

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:01:00 +0100

President Viktor Yanukovych visited Embassy of Japan in Ukraine and made an entry in the book of condolences in connection with the crash in Japan.

Critics Pressure Japan on Hazard Data

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:57:00 +0100

International criticism about the adequacy of Japan's radiation monitoring and disclosure are spotlighting the government's handling of potential hazards to the public.

Atomic official says Japan situation 'serious' but stable

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:55:00 +0100

A senior official of the U.N. nuclear agency says the situation in and around the tsunami-stricken Japanese nuclear plant remains "very serious" ...

Oil prices top $101 per barrel again

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:55:00 +0100

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices soared more than 3 percent, climbing back above $101 per barrel Thursday after a crackdown on protesters in Bahrain increased concerns that unrest there threatens to spread to OPEC heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Iran. Prices are also rising as Japan is expected to boost....

Fukushima Crisis Worsens as U.S. Warns of a Large Radiation Release

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:54:00 +0100

The top U.S. nuclear regulator, Gregory Jaczko, gave a dire assessment of Japan's nuclear crisis yesterday, saying that lethal radiation from uncovered spent fuel above one of the reactors could force emergency workers to abandon their fight to prevent meltdowns of damaged reactor cores at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Ukraine will help Japan mitigate disasters in every possible way

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:53:00 +0100

President Viktor Yanukovych visited Embassy of Japan in Ukraine and made an entry in the book of condolences in connection with the crash in Japan.

Feds move more radiation monitors to West Coast

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:46:00 +0100

EPA acts out of "abundance of caution" to allay American concerns that Japan's nuclear disaster could reach U.S. shores

California nuclear plants have no earthquake plans

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:42:00 +0100

US regulators insist American nuclear facilities can withstand major earthquakes, but the fact remains the plants are not required to include earthquakes in their emergency response plans.

LivingSocial and Its Members Join Forces with The American Red Cross to Aid Relief Efforts in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:42:00 +0100

WASHINGTON March 17, 2011 LivingSocial , the online source for people to find handpicked experiences at a great value, today announced a US Daily Deal benefiting the American Red Cross. When a LivingSocial member makes a $5 donation, LivingSocial will match that donation up to $1 million "This....

AFP moves bureau in Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:42:00 +0100

PARIS - (Business Wire) AFP has decided to remain in Japan for the time being to continue its mission to provide complete news coverage while applying strict security measures to ensure the safety of its team, which remains flexible so as to be able to change course at a moment's notice.

Helicopters and fire engines pour water on nuclear fuel 17:11 International Atomic Energy Agency says situation at power plant 'has not worsened'

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:39:00 +0100

Japanese military helicopters and fire trucks poured water on an overheating nuclear facility today and the plant operator said electricity to part of the crippled complex might be restored in a bid to avert catastrophe. Washington and other foreign capitals have expressed growing alarm about....

IAEA says Japan situation serious but stable

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:39:00 +0100

VIENNA (AP) — The situation at Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant is "very serious," but at the moment it does not appear to be deteriorating, a senior official of the U.N. atomic agency said Thursday. As emergency workers frantically worked to regain control of the dangerously overheated....

UPDATE6: Debris clearance progressing in quake-hit areas

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:38:00 +0100

TOKYO - The search for victims of Japan's massive earthquake has gradually expanded across a wider area, wit...

Food and fuel short in quake-hit areas of Japan

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:36:00 +0100

Queues of several kilometres long have been reported, as petrol runs short in the areas of Japan hit by last week’s earthquake and tsunami. Conditions are hard in Sendai but anyone who wants to follow official advice and leave will find it hard. As well as the lack of petrol, there is no public transport out of the city.

Gingrich tests political waters in New Hampshire

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0100

NASHUA, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited the key primary voting state of New Hampshire on Thursday to test the political waters, joking that he was "contemplating the possibility of thinking about" a White House bid in 2012.

Japan crisis 'terrible' for Hawaii tourism

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0100

HONOLULU, March 17 (UPI) -- Hawaii's loss of Japanese tourism dollars after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis is "going to be terrible," Hawaiian Gov. Neil Abercrombie said. Japanese, who spent $2 billion last year and are Hawaii's No. 2 tourist group after Americans, will likely cut back travel significantly, Abercrombie said.

Japan dumps water on overheating reactor