Tuesday, March 15, 2011

World News Briefs -- March 15, 2011 (Evening Edition)



Official: Japan's Nuclear Situation Nearing Severity Of Chernobyl -- CNN

(CNN) -- The explosion Tuesday at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has elevated the situation there to a "serious accident" on a level just below Chernobyl, a French nuclear official said, referring to an international scale that rates the severity of such incidents.

The International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale -- or INES -- goes from Level 1, which indicates very little danger to the general population, to Level 7, a "major accident" in which there's been a large release of radioactive material and there will be widespread health and environmental effects.

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MIDDLE EAST

Tumult builds in Arab peninsula.

Hundreds shot in Bahrain as emergency declared. Bahrain's Shi'ite opposition condemns martial law. Saudi soldiers sent into Bahrain. Official: Saudi soldier shot dead in Bahrain. Iran calls Saudi troops in Bahrain ‘unacceptable’.

Israeli navy intercepts Egypt-bound ship with arms. Israel intercepts suspected weapons ship -military. Israel says its navy intercepts Egypt-bound ship carrying arms off Mediterranean coast. Israel intercepts suspected weapons ship: military.

Anti-government tribesmen kill 4 Yemeni soldiers. Yemeni tribesmen keep oil pipeline ablaze.

Thousands of Palestinians rally for reconciliation.

Iraq to close controversial jail.

ASIA

Radiation level soars after Japan nuke plant fire. Japan braces for potential radiation catastrophe. Blasts, fire escalate Japan's nuclear crisis. Japan earthquake: disaster by numbers.

S. Korea leader warns of possible surprise attack.

North Korea 'ready to discuss nuclear enrichment'. North Korea says willing to discuss uranium enrichment.

North Korea agrees to return of 27 people from South.

India border guards killed in Assam rebel attack.

Pakistan delays ruling on CIA immunity. Pakistan defers ruling on C.I.A. operative.

AFRICA

Rocket fire rains on crucial Libya town as Qaddafi's forces advance. Kadhafi forces outflank rebels in Ajdabiya. Gadhafi forces overwhelm rebel city in march east. Gadhafi forces gain ground in march toward Benghazi. Gadhafi ground, air forces reach rebel stronghold. Libyan forces launch new attack on rebel-held town. Gaddafi forces press rebels, no-fly diplomacy crawls. Libyan rebels defeated in last enclave west of Tripoli as Gaddafi forces advance on Benghazi.

Huge success for Egypt's protesters: State security will be dissolved.

Niger election: Opposition's Mahamadou Issoufou wins.

Ivory Coast crisis: Gbagbo forces attacked in Abidjan. Ivory Coast's 'Invisible Commandos' attack renegade president's strongholds.

S. Sudanese rebels attempt attack on state capital. South Sudan accuses north of planning genocide.

Somali pirates get life for attack on US frigate. Will it be a deterrence? Pirates jailed in 17 nations as prosecutions rise.

EUROPE

Italy blocks ferry of Moroccans fleeing Libya.

Medvedev bans Qaddafi from Russia.

Germany shuts 7 reactors as Europe plans safety tests.

Japan nuclear crisis sends ripples across Europe, causes rethink in Germany.

France fails to get G8 accord on Libya no-fly zone.

Russia, U.S. confer on new START.

No wonder the UK lags behind America: we're a bitter and broken nation.

AMERICAS

U.S. Hispanic growth outstrips census estimates: study.

Cannon explosion at North Carolina Army base injures 10.

Special report: Big California quake likely to devastate state.

Haiti: US urges Jean-Bertrand Aristide to delay return.

Argentina's president will use Falklands as key to re-election.

Guerrillas attack military base on Colombia-Ecuador border.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Canada's RCMP charge 2 men with training as terrorists in Pakistan.

US feared British 'sharia banks' would finance terrorist groups.

Jihadi media outfit rolls out a terrorist lady mag.

Russia concerned by resumption of Guantanamo tribunals.

US Predators strike again in North Waziristan, kill 6.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

World stocks, oil slump on Japan nuclear fears.

Cuba devalues currency to match US dollar.

Japan nuclear crisis sparks selling from equities to commodities.

Japan crisis pushes up computer chip prices.

BMW raises sales outlook to more than 1.5 mn autos.

Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 9.

£1 million for 'world's most expensive dog'.

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