World News Post: Apr 5, 2011

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

JAPAN - The time to pull together

The fact that the antenna mounted atop the Tokyo Tower has been twisted by the earthquake of March 11 is reminiscent of the great earthquake of 1855, which had distorted the tip of the five-story pagoda of the temple Sensoji in Asakusa, Tokyo. This deterioration of a symbol of Japan's capital was a reflection of the crisis atmosphere that reigned in the country.

In 1853, the "black ships" of Commodore Perry had entered the port of Uraga and the following year, Japan was hit by two major earthquakes. While the company was experiencing the disorder, the earthquake of 1855, which occurred south of the capital, had made thousands of victims. The city became a place of debauchery, where fights were common.

Fighting continues in Abidjan while Gbagbo is strong in his palace

Abidjan / Paris. .- The forces of the elected president of the Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, has acknowledged that neither control nor the presidential palace and residence of his rival, outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo, in the city of Abidjan. "The Republican forces have said they do not control nor the presidential palace in the Plateau district, or the presidential residence in Cocody district, reported from the scene correspondent television news channel France 24.

The large pulse of Berlusconi against judges

Silvio Berlusconi today will cast a large pulse of judges from Parliament. The Chamber of Deputies will be the scene within hours of two votes that can rid the Italian prime minister for several of the four lawsuits pending, the last of which, the so-called 'Ruby process ", where" Il Cavaliere 'is alleged to have paid an underage prostitute in order to start tomorrow with him in the Court of Milan.

LATIN AMERICA - Obama has stolen the spotlight

For his first official tour of the Latin American continent, the U.S. president has visited a favela in Rio de Janeiro, recalled of Orfeu Negro, quoted the Communist poet Pablo Neruda, lit a candle on the tomb of Archbishop Romero (Salvadoran Archbishop assassinated in 1980 by a group of extreme right), spoke with Mauricio Funes, a leftist president, elected under the banner of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation (FMLN ex-guerrillas).

The radiation from the sea in Fukushima exceeds the permitted 7.5 million

Tokyo. .- The electric company that manages the Fukushima nuclear power plant, TEPCO, on Tuesday reported the detection of radioactive iodine level 7.5 million times greater than allowed in seawater near one of the reactors of this facility the most affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami on 11 March in northeastern Japan.

As indicated by TEPCO, 300,000 on Saturday were detected iodine-131 becquerels per cubic centimeter of water samples taken near a gap in a concrete pit in reactor No. 2. As for the other reactors, as recorded by the agency Jiji, the level of radioactive iodine was 480,000 times higher than that fixed by the Government on the reactor 1, 380,000 times by the reactor 3, and 350,000 times near the reactor 4.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 shakes Indonesia

An earthquake measuring 5.4 degrees on the Richter scale struck Tuesday the Sunda Strait, Indonesia. The earthquake shook buildings in the capital, Jakarta. As a specialized agency of the country, the quake took place about 83 kilometers southeast of Ujungkulon, on the island of Java, and there was 23 kilometers deep.

The earthquake occurred after the Indonesian authorities canceled a tsunami warning for an earthquake the previous Sunday, at 7.1 degrees, which also affected the island of Java. The country is a set of islands that lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of high volcanic and seismic activity.

Libya: Gaddafi is looking for a diplomatic way out

The newspaper "New York Times reported that the sons Saif al Islam Gaddafi, and Saadi had offered to overthrow their father and to initiate a democratization of the country.

Berlusconi fails to close in Tunis an agreement on the immigration crisis

Tunisia / Rome .- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, visited Tunis on Monday to address the influx of illegal immigrants to Italy with his Tunisian counterpart, Beyi Essebsi Caid, who, despite the willingness to cooperate shown, failed to a deal. Following his meeting with Tunisian Prime Minister, Berlusconi said that the signing of cooperation agreement between the two countries must still wait and it is expected that tomorrow the Italian owner Interior, Roberto Maroni (also found on Monday in Tunis), return to country North African to "verify the results" of the commission working on the text.

Fukushima begins to pour 11,500 tons of radioactive water into the ocean

The Japanese company TEPCO, which operates the nuclear plant in Fukushima battered, has begun to shed the 11,500 tons of radioactive water from the plant it plans to launch the Pacific Ocean, according to a company spokesman, who regretted the "suffering" that are causing the inhabitants of the area.

Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said that the concentration of radioactivity in water is one hundred times the legal limit, which considered relatively low. According to the website of Japanese newspaper Yomiuri ', 10,000 tons come from special deposits of the nuclear plant, while another 1,500 were inside the reactors 5 and 6.

VENEZUELA - The damage of capitalism on Mars by Chavez

"It would not be surprising that there was a civilization on Mars, and that capitalism has succeeded so far, that imperialism also and they have wiped out all life on this planet," suggested Chairman Venezuela in comments reported by local daily El Nacional. Hugo Chavez was speaking on television on the occasion of World Water Day, cautioning against the depletion of water resources on our planet.

Mars (wikipedia) Hugo Chávez (wikipedia) Bolivarian revolution (youtube)

The "brain" of the 11-s will be tried in a military tribunal at Guantanamo

New York .- The U.S. attorney general, Eric Holder, announced Monday that the self-proclaimed organizer of the attacks of September 11, 2001, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, appear before a military tribunal at Guantanamo to answer charges of crimes war against him and could cost him his death sentence, according to U.S.

broadcaster CNN. In recent months there was speculation the possibility that Mohamed, arrested on March 1, 2003 in Rawalpindi (Pakistan), was tried before a civil court in New York as he wanted U.S. President Barack Obama, according to the average U.S. . However, Holder was forced to stop this decision because of popular pressure, among other reasons.

The work of an aqueduct in Jordan can cause untold damage

Two giant projects to address the chronic problems of water in Jordan, one of the ten driest countries in the world, causing concern for the impacts to the environment. The first plans are to draw water from the Disi groundwater reserves, located in the area Mdawwara, and transported over 300 km from the capital Amman.

The second project includes the drilling of a 200-km canal linking the Dead Sea to the Red Sea. The former head of the Jordan Valley Authority, Dureid Mahasneh, said that "projects such as the Disi are harmful to the environment." The first project involves the drilling of 55 wells and construction of storage facilities in Amman, where daily water consumption is 160 liters per person.

RUSSIA - Chernobyl movie

"This film should be seen by many people as possible," wrote the Russian online daily Gazeta. ru before its screening at the Berlin Festival in February. V soubbotou [Saturday], a Russian-Ukrainian co-Belarussian-German, directed by Russian director Alexander Mindadze with celebrity chef-operator Romanian Oleg Mutu (Four months three weeks and two days, Palme d'Or Cannes in 2007), is the first film ever made about the tragedy of Chernobyl.

Israel calls for pulling the Goldstone report to the dustbin of history

"I was wrong," she told Judge Richard Goldstone Cast Lead investigated the operation on behalf of the UN. The judge chose the Washington Post to declare that "we now know that Israel did not attack civilians (in Gaza) intentionally" and "Hamas, however, he did with malice aforethought." Goldstone added that "If I knew then what I know now, Goldstone (who accused the two parties to" be suspicious "of war crimes in the offensive that began in December 2008 and concluded in January 2009) would be different" .

The elections in Nigeria is not entrain

The most ambitious election-with 73 African and a half million registered voters, not end of track. Nigeria yesterday postponed the legislative elections, presidential and governor a week respectively, a decision that responds to "logistical problems" but take a pitcher of cold water on the high expectations created in the Nigerian electoral process scheduled to take place along this month.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, had made good democratic image of your country one of its main goals since coming to power in May 2010 after the death of his predecessor, Umaru Musa Yardua, died from health problems. However, the sudden decision to postpone a week the electoral process that will last for three consecutive weeks, has shattered the hopes and promises in the new Electoral Commission, whose charge is the prestigious academic Attahiru Jega.

JAPAN - An earthquake that is expensive

The invoice of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the country on March 11 could rise to 25,000 billion yen [200 billion] for the next three years, said the Japanese government. For comparison, the cost of damage caused by the earthquake in Kobe in 1995, had been close to 10 000 billion yen, said the Wall Street Journal.

The amount advanced by the authorities is the damage to housing, infrastructure and businesses in the north-east. The government said the disaster should cause a contraction of GDP during the first half of fiscal 2011-2012, while the reconstruction spending will support growth.

The largest port in Europe monitored the radioactivity in the vessels of Japan

The Hague .- The port of Rotterdam, the busiest in Europe, control the levels of radioactivity in the vessels from Japan, after the catastrophe at the Fukushima nuclear plant, said today that port entity. "We will apply the controls in the sea before the ships reach port, but still do not know how they are made," Monday said port spokesman Tie Schellekens, who announced that next Wednesday is expected to give more details.

A baby black for a chocolate ad

A baby who appears in the ad campaign is the son of two employees of a franchise bakeries in Namibia Raddatz, apparently delighted with the idea that your child participate in the promotion of the new pastry released by the chain of bakeries and bears the name "chocolate dream." But as product advertising has been exhibited in Germany, has aroused a storm of protest because customers consider it "racist" and "pedophile", as can be read in several paintings.

CHAD - Call for a boycott of the presidential

Three major opponents to President Idriss Deby announced at a press conference that they were withdrawing from the presidential race to be held April 24, reports Fasozine. Saleh Kebzabo, Abdelkader Kamougue Ngarlegy Yorongar and also call on Chadians to boycott the poll. Pattern, irregularities that marred the legislative elections held last February 13.

They were won by the MPS, the party's head of state, to power. Ex-candidate question the impartiality of the Constitutional Council validated the results despite their protests. They believe that all guarantees for transparent presidential elections are not met.

At least ten killed in the crash of a United Nations aircraft at the airport in Kinshasa

Kinshasa .- More than 30 people were on board the UN plane crashed on Monday while trying to land at the airport in Kinshasa, capital of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as reported by the international organization in a statement . At least ten people have died because of this incident, according to a first balance carried by a UN source.

"The plane landed lead, broke in two and caught fire," said the source, who asked not to be identified. The aircraft took off from the town of Kisangani in the northeast of the DRC, according to Mondo Kipela Pelli, deputy director of Radio Okapi, which involved the mission of UN peacekeepers in the African country (MONUSCO).

The Prosecutor of Milan Berlusconi calls for prosecution of the case Mediatrade

The Milan prosecutor on Monday asked the trial of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for alleged tax fraud and embezzlement in the case Mediatrade. The petition was presented by prosecutors at the preliminary hearing session held today in Milan and Berlusconi did not attend because they were in Tunisia.

The petition is part of the investigation into the alleged purchase by Mediatrade, a subsidiary of Mediaset, owned by the Berlusconi family, the movie rights to a U.S. wholesaler through the intermediary Frank Agrama and Wiltshire business to increase after the prices and allow your money to repurchase evade taxes.

Silvio Berlusconi (homepage) Silvio Berlusconi (wikipedia) Berlusconi: "Meglio appassionato di belle ragazze che gay" (youtube) Berlusconi Obama Suntanned - English Subtitles (youtube) Nichi Vendola - videolettera a Silvio Berlusconi - Il teatro della virilità (youtube)

BENIN - Re-election of President Yayi challenged

The National Autonomous Electoral Commission (CENA) announced March 18, the victory of incumbent President Boni Yayi reveals Le Potentiel. He would have won the first round with nearly 53% of the vote against his main opponent, Adrien Houngbedji who have collected 35% of the vote. The results were validated by the Constitutional Council despite the protests of the losing candidate who claimed victory and declared himself president-elect.

Riddle the Israeli-Palestinian theater director Juliano Mer Khamis

Jerusalem. .- The well-known theater director Palestinian with Israeli citizenship Juliano Mer Khamis was killed today in the West Bank town of Jenin by a group of armed men opened fire on their vehicle, local media reported. The son of a Jewish militant and a Palestinian Communist leader, Mer Khamis ran the Liberty Theater, which he founded in the Jenin refugee camp to provide a peaceful alternative to combat Israeli occupation.

France reinforces its presence in Ivory Coast by sending more troops

France has sent Monday to 150 troops to Ivory Coast to protect its citizens in the capital, Abidjan, as announced in Paris on the Army. Gallic troops of the mission 'Licorne' are in coordination with the UN mission in the country [UNOCI] and yesterday took the capital airport in the midst of civil war between 'presidents' who suffers the African country.

By sending 150 soldiers and a recent 300, the mission 'Licorne' has a total of 1,650 men in Côte d'Ivoire. However, the outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo has said that such concern is unnecessary by the gala, because their soldiers are ready to "insure the safety of French citizens living in Ivory Coast", as reported on state television RTI controlled by Gbagbo, the loser of the last election and not willing to hand over power.

SYRIA - Deraa stand still in power

The Syrian security forces have attacked in the early hours of March 23, the mosque of the town of Dera where hundreds of Syrian opposition did a sit-in. There are five dead and dozens injured, said the pan-Arab website Elaph. The Syrian authorities had previously cut the power, leaving the rebel city in the dark.

Moreover, in Damascus, al-Atrash Muntaha, spokesman of the Syrian Organisation for Human Rights, was arrested. For the Syrian opponent Maamoun Homsi interviewed on Al-Arabiya, the regime in Damascus would have appealed to Lebanese Hezbollah to help quell the insurgency.

"TEPCO did not do enough in Fukushima", says IAEA

VIENNA .- The IAEA on Monday criticized the company operating the Fukushima nuclear plant after finding that did not take appropriate measures to prevent nuclear power plant accident that caused by the earthquake of March 11. "In hindsight, the measures taken by the operator were not sufficient to prevent this accident", said the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, at a press conference in Vienna.

BAHRAIN - Welcome to the island in ghosts

For more than a month, instead of the pearl is the center of events. It began with the movement of 14 February. That day, police blocked access to that place to the protesters, before allowing the next day. Two days later, police stormed into the night to get them [there were four dead and the area around the square were then blocked by tanks].

On 19 February, new shift of authorities: the Crown Prince has ordered the withdrawal of the army and allowed the demonstrators to return. They then installed on site with their tents. That lasted less than three weeks until the police returned to the charge on March 16 and dislodged again.

The EU fears that Europe will become a target in Ivory Coast

Brussels .- The European Union on Monday acknowledged its concern for the safety of European citizens who are in Ivory Coast and especially the possibility that "foreign nationals being targeted" in the midst of the fighting that has been intensified between supporters of President-elect, Alassane Ouattara, and outgoing president, Laurent Gbagbo, which refuses to recognize the victory of his opponent.

The Bahraini authorities suspended the publication of the main opposition newspaper

The Bahraini authorities have suspended the publication of the newspaper 'Al Wasat' main opposition media in the country, considering that is disseminated false information about the protests for weeks remain divided to the two social groups in the country, the Shia majority, and the Sunnis, the ruling elite.

"The newspaper has endorsed the fabrication, falsification and plagiarism as its guiding principles to deceive their readers by publishing stories and photographs made" includes the official news agency, BNA. In this sense, the Bahraini authorities have considered that the paper represented "a direct and deliberate threat to the security and stability of the kingdom", which is experiencing one of its most convulsive periods after the outbreak of the pro-democracy riots.

YEMEN - The military account for the revolution

I want to talk about these kids that everyone already seems to have forgotten when they are the ones who risked everything to start the protest movement in Yemen two months ago. It was they who were the first, called the fall of the regime. They chanted "Ali Saleh, go away!", "No to the partisan, non-parties!", "For a modern state, not to the tribes, not the military!", Besides "The people want the fall of diet! " [Chanting the slogan in all Arab revolt].

Libyan rebels made their first shipments of oil this week

LONDON (Reuters) .- The Libyan rebels on board this week its first shipment of crude oil from a ship that started the revolt against the regime of Muammar Qaddafi, which have caused a complete suspension of the country's oil exports, according to Monday news agency Platts. The oil tanker 'Equator', Liberian flag, docked on Monday in the port of Tobruk, a city east of the country in rebel hands, to ship a cargo of oil from the mixture Serir / Meslan, said Wahid Bougaighis, president of the newly created oil company.

Two sons of Qaddafi proposed a democratic transition without a father

At least two sons of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi proposed a period of transition to a constitutional democracy that provides for the withdrawal of power from his father, according to The New York Times. Citing a diplomat and a Libyan official, whose name has not been provided, the American Journal indicates that the transition would be controlled by one of the sons of Colonel Qaddafi Saif al Islam.

ECONOMY - For a Vibrant Africa

While the countries of North'Afrique are prey to the convulsions of the rebellion, repression and war, the time seems ripe to question the future of the continent. It is precisely the objective of the first CEO Summit organized by the African Times, held on 22 March and London in which occur between the other president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, President of Gabon, Ali Bongo and British Foreign Minister, William Hague.

58% of Americans believe that their nuclear plants are safe

New York .- The 58% of Americans believe that nuclear plants are safe in their territory, against 36% who do not believe, according to a Gallup poll published Monday. This support has increased over 2009 figures, which indicated that 56% felt safe plants. However, the survey reflects that, before the nuclear crisis erupted in the central damaged Fukushima-1 by the earthquake and tsunamidel past day 11, seven out of ten Americans are more concerned about a possible nuclear disaster in their country.

Kazakh elections did not meet democratic standards

The mission of observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Monday that the presidential elections in Kazakhstan on Sunday did not correspond to democratic standards. "These elections show that, unfortunately, democratic institutions in Kazakhstan are not developed to the same extent that economic," said the head of the OSCE mission, Holland's Daan Everts, in a press conference in Astana, according to said the Kazakh capital from the Russian agency Interfax.