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What Next in Military Campaign in Libya?

April 15th, 2011 at 02:17pm Under News

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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The conflict in Libya and the nuclear crisis in Japan were the two big stories this week.

President Obama discussed the situation in Libya with congressional leaders again Friday. Some in Congress say he should have sought congressional approval for American military action. Critics include members of his own Democratic Party.

But a spokesman says the president was “well within” his constitutional rights to order missile attacks on Libyan military bases. The strikes began last Saturday.

On Thursday, NATO — the North Atlantic Treaty Organization — agreed to take command of a “no-fly zone” over Libya. A Canadian general will head the alliance’s operation there.

The United Nations Security Council approved the flight ban last week to protect civilians, including those in Benghazi. That eastern city is the center of a rebellion against Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi.

Planes from an international coalition carried out new strikes Friday against Libyan military targets south of Benghazi. Earlier, the United Arab Emirates agreed to send twelve planes to help enforce the no-fly zone.

Many experts say air power alone will not protect civilians. Some wonder whether the objective should be to oust Colonel Gadhafi. But the United States says “regime change” is not the goal of the coalition.

There are diplomatic efforts to settle the crisis. Colonel Gadhafi sent a delegation to meet with African officials in Ethiopia on Friday. But the rebels did not send a representative.

Anti-government protests continued in other Arab countries, including Syria, Yemen and Jordan.

There were reports from southern Syria on Friday that security forces killed fifteen or more protesters. The protesters were trying to reach Daraa, near the Jordanian border. Similar violence was reported there earlier in the week.

Protesters demanding freedom held demonstrations Friday in several locations across Syria, including the capital. In Damascus, after Friday prayers, at least two hundred people demonstrated in support of the people of Daraa. Reuters news agency reported large numbers of arrests.

The United States has condemned what it called “brutal repression of demonstrations” in Syria. On Thursday the Syrian government said it will consider reforms including an end to years of emergency law.

In Japan, the nuclear emergency continued. The nation is dealing with new concerns that damage to the Fukushima nuclear power station could release more radiation.

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On Friday Prime Minister Naoto Kan described the situation as “very grave and serious.” People living between twenty and thirty kilometers of Fukushima have now been advised to leave the area.

Police in Japan say more than ten thousand people are now known to have died in the March eleventh quake and tsunami. More than seventeen thousand are still missing. And about three hundred thousand are living in temporary shelters.

And that’s IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I’m Steve Ember.

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Quake, Tsunami May Only Add to Economic Struggles for Japan

March 12th, 2011 at 09:18am Under News

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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The earthquake that shook Japan with historic strength on Friday created a tsunami wave ten meters high. The water washed away boats, cars and houses in coastal areas north of Tokyo. It also led to tsunami warnings across the Pacific.

Scientists recorded the magnitude of the earthquake at 8.9. The United States Geological Survey says it was the fifth largest earthquake since nineteen hundred. The largest, with a 9.5 magnitude, shook Chile in nineteen sixty.

The quake struck near the east coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island. It was centered under the sea about one hundred thirty kilometers east of Sendai. The tsunami washed away whole neighborhoods in Sendai.

President Obama offered whatever assistance Japan needs. He had already planned to meet with reporters Friday, and began by talking about the disaster.

A warehouse and vehicles are washed away in Kesennuma

BARACK OBAMA: “First and foremost, our thoughts and our prayers are with the people of Japan. This is a potentially catastrophic disaster and the images of destruction and flooding coming out of Japan are simply heartbreaking.

“Japan is, of course, one of our strongest and closest allies and this morning I spoke with Prime Minister [Naoto] Kan. On behalf of the American people, I conveyed our deepest condolences, especially to the victims and their families. And I offered our Japanese friends whatever assistance is needed. We currently have an aircraft carrier in Japan and another is on its way.”

Japanese media said the tsunami carried away a ship carrying one hundred people. Television images showed a whole community on fire.

The quake has produced powerful aftershocks. It also raised concerns about possible effects on the world’s third-largest economy. The economy was the second largest until China recently moved into that position.

Japan was already struggling to rebuild economic growth and reduce its budget deficit and government debt.

Japan has invested a lot of resources in preparing for earthquakes. Still, the nineteen ninety-five earthquake in Kobe caused an estimated one hundred billion dollars in damage.

The value of the yen dropped Friday but then recovered.

Japan is the world’s third-largest importer of oil. World prices for oil fell after the quake. This followed weeks of increases because of unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. Oil traders said prices fell because of a belief that quake damage will hurt growth in Japan and reduce demand for energy.

AP

Train passengers wait at Tokyo’s Shinagawa station after service was halted

The quake happened about three hundred seventy kilometers northeast of Tokyo. It shook buildings in the capital, halting all train and subway traffic and leaving many people unable to get home.

Joruji Shinozaki wrote on the VOA Learning English page on Facebook:Friday’s earthquake was a nightmare. Suddenly the building where I live in Tokyo shook violently and objects began to fall. I was so scared because I’ve never experienced such a strong quake before in my life.

Another Facebook user in Japan, Mitsutoshi Sato, wrote: It was a frightening experience. The blackout lasted for more than 10 hours around me. Thank each and every one of you in the world praying for Japan.

And that’s IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I’m Steve Ember.

Houses burn in a flooded area of Natori City in northern Japan after the earthquake and tsunami on Friday