Huge blast at Japan nuclear power plant

A massive explosion has rocked a Japanese nuclear power plant after Friday's devastating earthquake.

A huge pall of smoke was seen coming from the plant at Fukushima and several workers were injured.
Japanese officials say the container housing the reactor was not damaged and that radiation levels have now fallen.

A huge relief operation is under way after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and the tsunami it triggered, which is thought to have killed at least 1,000.
The offshore earthquake triggered a tsunami which wreaked havoc on Japan's north-east coast, sweeping far inland and devastating a number of towns and villages.

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan declared a state of emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini (also known as Fukushima 1 and 2) power plants as engineers try to confirm whether a reactor at one of the stations has gone into meltdown.

The emergency declaration is an automatic procedure after nuclear reactors shut down in the event of an earthquake, allowing officials to take rapid action.

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Saudi Arabia police open fire at protest in Qatif

Police in Saudi Arabia have opened fire to disperse protesters in the eastern city of Qatif, a day before planned countrywide anti-government protests.
Witnesses said police also beat demonstrators with batons injuring at least seven people.
Protests are illegal in Saudi Arabia, which has had an absolute monarchy since its unification in the 1930s.
The protesters, from the Shia minority, were demanding the release of prisoners they say have been held at no cost.
He was released last weekend, but comparatively small-scale protests have continued in the Eastern Region, where much of the country's crude oil is sourced.
But last month the arrest of Shia cleric Sheikh Tawfiq al-Amer, detained reportedly for calling for a constitutional monarchy, sparked outrage and drew crowds on to the streets.
The protesters have been demanding the release of nine Shia prisoners who they say have been held without trial for over 14 years.

A witness in Qatif told AFP news agency the crowds had one times again been demanding the prisoners' release.
Other accounts said the police had also used stun grenades and had beaten the protesters with batons, injuring plenty of over seven.
Rights groups have accused the police of beating protesters in the work of earlier rallies in Qatif.
"As the procession in the heart of the city was about to finish, soldiers started shooting at the protesters, and seven of them were wounded," the witness said.
The spokesman added that seven people, including a policeman, had been injured.
An interior ministry spokesman told reporters that police had fired over the heads of protesters on Thursday.

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Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

Japanese tv showed cars, ships & even buildings being swept away by a gigantic wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake.
A gigantic earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan, triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive destroy.

The shake has sparked fires in several areas including Tokyo, & numerous casualties are feared.
It struck about 250 miles (400km) from the capital at a depth of 20 miles. There's been powerful aftershocks.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Middle said the wave could extend as far as Chile.
The tremor hit at 1446 local time (0546 GMT). Seismologists say it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for lots of years.
The tsunami warning was extended to the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Pacific coast of Russia & Hawaii.
Tsunami waves hit Japan's Miyagi & Fukushima prefectures, officials said, damaging dozens of coastal communities.
Japan's NHK tv showed a gigantic surge of debris-filled water sweeping away buildings, cars & ships & reaching far inland.
Farmland around the coastal city of Sendai was submerged & the waves pushed cars across the runway of the city's airport.
Motorists could be seen trying to speed away from the wall of water.

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Dalai Lama to resign as political leader of the exiled Tibetan movement

The Dalai Lama said Thursday it was giving up his political leadership of the Tibetan government in exile.

Speaking here at the 52nd Anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, the Dalai Lama said: "During the next session of eleven of the fourteen Tibetan Parliament in exile, which begins on March 14, formally propose the necessary amendments to was made to the Charter for Tibetans in exile, which reflects my decision to attribute my formal authority elected leader. "

As early 1960, the Dalai Lama has repeatedly stressed that Tibetans need a leader, chosen freely by the Tibetan people, who could delegate the power.

"Now, we have clearly time to put this into effect," said the Tibetan leader.

"Since I made my intention clear that I have received several requests and serious, both from within and outside Tibet, to continue to provide political leadership. My desire to delegate authority has nothing to do with the desire to avoid responsibility. is in the interests of Tibetans in the long term. It is because I feel discouraged. The Tibetans have so much faith and trust in me as one of them, so I'm committed to playing my part in the just cause of Tibet. I hope Little by little, people will come to understand my intention, the support of my decision and therefore let come into force, "said the Dalai Lama.

He recalled that one of the goals he had cherished since childhood was the reform of the social and political structure of Tibet, and in the few years when he held the real power in Tibet, he managed to make some fundamental changes. "Although I could not go further in Tibet, I have done everything possible to make and which came into exile. Today, in the framework of the Charter of Tibetans in exile, the Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister Tibet facto), political leaders and the people's representatives are elected directly by the people. We were able to implement democracy in exile, which is consistent with the standards of an open society, "he said.

The exiled leader refers to the recent non-violent struggle for freedom and democracy in various parts of North Africa and elsewhere. He said: "I am a firm believer in nonviolence and the power of the people, and these events have demonstrated once again that certain nonviolent action can actually bring positive change. We must all hope that these changes lead to inspire true freedom, happiness and prosperity for the peoples of these countries. "

In its efforts to resolve the issue of Tibet, the Dalai Lama recalled that it had consistently applied the approach of middle mutually beneficial manner, he had a genuine autonomy for Tibetans within the People's Republic of China. "In our discussions with officials of the Chinese government's United Front Work Department have made clear the Tibetan people's hopes and aspirations. The lack of a positive response to our reasonable proposals makes us wonder if it was fully and accurately conveyed higher authorities, "the Dalai Lama complained.

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France Recognizes Rebels Libya

 

France has become the first country to recognize the rebel leadership Libya, the Libyan National Council (NLC) as the legitimate government of the country.

NATO is not set to discuss military options in Libya, including a possible conflict-fly zone.

There is growing concern about the bombing of rebel-controlled areas by the forces of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

In recent days, the pro-Gaddafi, have tried to regain ground in the east, and have bombed the rebel forces in the city of Zawiya, 50 km (30 miles) west of Tripoli.

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11 killed in Muslim-Christian clashes in Egypt

Clashes between Muslims and Christians in Cairo, the Egyptian capital has killed 11 people and wounded more than 90 security officers and the hospital said Wednesday.

The clashes erupted late Tuesday when a mob of Muslims attacked thousands of Christians protested against the burning of a church in Cairo last week. Muslims set fire to the church in the midst of escalating tensions between the two religious groups more of a love story between a Muslim and a Christian who unleashed a violent dispute between the families of the couple.

Officials said Wednesday that the dead were six Christians and Muslims in five years, all died from gunshot wounds. They said 94 people were injured - 73 Muslims and Christians 21.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The fighting added to a sense of ongoing chaos in Egypt after the rise of democracy momentous 18 days that toppled veteran leader, Hosni Mubarak, on 11 February. The uprising left a security vacuum when the police have withdrawn from Cairo and other cities three days after the uprising.

Police have yet to fully reclaim the streets, which has left room for a wave of violent crime and lawlessness in some parts of the nation.

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Suicide bomber kills 37 at Pakistan funeral

At least 36 people have died in a suicide bombing at a funeral in northwest Pakistan.

Officials said the funeral was for the wife of a pro-government ethnic Pashtun tribal elders in the village of Adezai in the restive province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

I was being attended by many anti-Taliban militants in the region. At least 40 people were injured.

Several anti-Taliban tribal groups have their headquarters in the area and are often targeted by insurgents.

A Taliban spokesman told that he had carried out the attack. He said it was in retaliation for the support by local tribal militia of the continuing anti-Taliban operation by Pakistan's security forces

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Gaddafi attacks by rebels in western city

Forces loyal to Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, approached the rebels in the western city of Zawiyah Wednesday that surround them with tanks and snipers on the main square, a resident and a rebel fighter, said.

"We can see the tanks. The tanks are everywhere," said one rebel fighter told Reuters by telephone from inside Zawiyah, the most rebellious city to the capital Tripoli.

"They have surrounded the square, snipers and tanks. The situation is not so good. It's very frightening. There are plenty of snipers," one resident said.

With the international community still have questions about how to respond to the crisis in Libya, a counter-offensive of the supporters of Gaddafi has stopped a rebel advance in this and other abandoned in the western cities of Zawiyah and Misrata.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear that Washington believes that the imposition of a no-fly zone is a competence of the UN and U.S. should not be a Led initiative.

The rebels fighting in Zawiyah, named Ibrahim, said that Gaddafi loyalists were in control of the main road and the suburbs. Rebel forces still controlled the square and the enemy was about 1,500 meters (yards) away, he said that army snipers on top of most buildings, who dared to fire their homes.

"Many people can not even dead and buried. Zawiyah is deserted. There is nobody on the streets. No pets, even birds in the sky," he said.

A government spokesman said the troops were mostly in control of Zawiyah, but there was still a small group of fighters. "Maybe 30 to 40 people, hidden in the streets and in the cemetery.'re Desperate," he said in Tripoli.

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