Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/27432
8A – Daily News – Friday, March 18, 2011 WORLD BRIEFING Unclear whether copters, fire trucks aiding reactor battle YAMAGATA, Japan (AP) — Emergency work- ers seemed to try every- thing they could think of Thursday to douse one of Japan’s dangerously over- heated 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. Three reactors have had at least partial melt- downs, but an even greater danger has emerged. Japanese and U.S. con- cerns were increasingly focusing on the pools used to store spent nuclear fuel: Some of the pools are dry or nearly empty and the rods could heat up and spew radiation. It could take days and ‘‘possibly weeks’’ to get the complex under con- trol, U.S. Nuclear Regula- tory Commission Chair- man Gregory Jazcko said. He defended the U.S. decision to recommend a 50-mile evacuation zone for its citizens, a much stronger measure than Japan has taken. A senior official with the U.N.’s nuclear safety agency said there had been ‘‘no significant worsening’’ at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant but that the situation remained ‘‘very serious.’’ Graham Andrew told reporters in Vienna that nuclear fuel rods in two reactors were only about half covered with water, and in a third they were also not completely submerged. If the fuel is not fully covered, rising tempera- tures and pressure will increase the chances of complete meltdowns that would release much larger amounts of radioactive material than the failing plant has emitted so far. Obama: Japanese radiation won’t reach United States WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama, trying to reassure a worried nation, declared Thursday that ‘‘harmful lev- els’’ 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 con- trol. The situation remains dangerous and complicated at the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors in north- eastern Japan, U.S. officials said. ‘‘We’ve seen an earth- quake and tsunami render an unimaginable toll of death and destruction on one of our closest friends and allies in the world,’’ Obama said in brief remarks at the White House after a visit to the Japanese Embassy. Obama said he had asked the Nuclear Regula- tory Commission to con- duct a ‘‘comprehensive review’’ of the safety of all U.S. nuclear plants. ‘‘When we see a crisis like the one in Japan, we have a responsibility to learn from this event and to draw from those lessons to ensure the safety and securi- ty of our people,’’ Obama said. UN Security Council to vote on no-fly zone over Libya UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council scheduled a vote Thursday on a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and authorize ‘‘all necessary measures’’ to protect civilians from attacks by Moammar Gad- hafi’s forces. France’s U.N. Ambas- Drug violence in Acapulco claims 5th child victim ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Police early Thursday found the body of a 4-year-old girl who had been shot in the chest — the fifth child killed in drug-related violence in this Mexican resort city in less than a week. The child was in a car sador Gerard Araud said he expected more than one of the council’s 15 members to abstain when the vote took place at 6 p.m. EDT (2200 GMT), but council diplo- mats said they did not expect the resolution to be vetoed. The resolution needs nine ‘‘yes’’ votes and no veto by a permanent mem- ber to be adopted. Russia and China, which have veto power, have expressed doubts about the United Nations and other outside powers using force against Gadhafi, and diplo- mats said other council nations reacted cautiously including Germany, India, Brazil and South Africa. Even if all six countries abstained, the resolution would still have the mini- mum nine ‘‘yes’’ votes. Senate sends 3-week funding bill cutting $6B to Obama WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress approved an additional $6 billion in spending cuts Thursday, passing legislation to keep the government run- ning through April 8 and allow time for talks on a larger package of reduc- tions demanded by Republicans. ‘‘The president is opti- mistic that Congress can get this done,’’ White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said in a state- ment. The measure brought the total of cuts to $10 bil- lion since Republicans took control of the House in January on a promise to rein in the federal govern- ment. It cleared the Sen- ate on Thursday on 87-13 vote one day after passing the House. Administration offi- cials have already met with top aides to House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry, Reid, D- Nev. to discuss a compro- mise package of cuts that would be included in a longer-term bill funding the government for the six months remaining in the budget year. The House has passed a bill calling for $61 bil- lion in cuts, but it lacks enough support to pass in the Senate, and Obama has threatened to veto it. House votes to cut off funding for National Public Radio WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thurs- day voted to end federal funding to National Pub- lic Radio. Republican supporters said it made good fiscal sense, and Democratic opponents called it an ideological attack that would deprive local stations of access to programs such as ‘‘Car Talk’’ and ‘‘All Things Considered.’’ The bill, passed 228- 192 along mainly partisan lines, would bar federal funding of NPR and pro- hibit local public stations from using federal money to pay NPR dues and buy its programs. The prospects of support in the Democratic-con- trolled Senate are slim. Seven Republicans broke ranks to vote against the bill. NPR received almost $5 million in federal fund- ing in fiscal year 2010. In that year its revenues also included $2.8 million in dues and $63 million in programming fees from local stations, its largest single source of revenue. Under the bill, stations would still be allowed to buy NPR programs using private funds and use fed- eral funds to produce their own programs. ‘‘It is time for Ameri- can citizens to stop fund- ing an organization that can stand on its own feet,’’ said Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., the sponsor. He said it was not a question of content — which many conserva- tives say has a liberal bias — but whether taxpayer dollars should go to nonessential services. ‘‘As a country we no longer have this luxury.’’ Other Republicans also denied that the measure was a vendetta against NPR, although the organi- zation left itself open to conservative attacks last week when an executive, talking to conservative activists posing as mem- bers of a fake Muslim group, was caught on camera deriding the tea party movement and say- ing the NPR would be better off without federal funding. Both the execu- tive and the president of NPR resigned after the incident. Strawberry Class Blueberry Class March 19th @ 10am March 26th @ 10am COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR Red Bluff Garden Center 527-0886 All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES 766 Antelope Blvd. (next to the fairgrounds) Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2595 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. next to a woman who had been shot three times in the back, Guerrero state police said in a statement. Police did not release the identities of the victims or discuss a possible motive for their slayings. At least five young people have died in drug violence in Acapulco since Sunday, including a 2-year-old boy and a 6- year-old boy killed with an elderly woman who tried to shield them when gunmen opened fire at their home. Police found more than 200 shell casings at the scene in a poor neighbor- hood in Acapulco, which has been the scene of bloody drug cartel turf battles. Witnesses told police a man being chased ran inside the house min- utes before gunmen start- ed shooting. It was not clear what happened to the man. That same day two 15- year-olds were killed in separate attacks. Translation of NIV Bible draws critics NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — In the old transla- tion of the world’s most popular Bible, John the Evangelist declares: ‘‘If anyone says, ’I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar.’’ Make that ‘‘brother or sister’’ in a new translation that includes more gender- neutral language and is drawing criticism from some conservatives who argue the changes can alter the theological message. The 2011 translation of the New International Ver- sion Bible, or NIV, does not change pronouns refer- ring to God, who remains ‘‘He’’ and ‘‘the Father.’’ But it does aim to avoid using ‘‘he’’ or ‘‘him’’ as the default reference to an unspecified person. The NIV Bible is used by many of the largest Protestant faiths. The trans- lation comes from an inde- pendent group of biblical scholars that has been meeting yearly since 1965 to discuss advances in bib- lical scholarship and changes in English usage. Before the new transla- tion even hit stores, it drew opposition from the Coun- cil on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, an orga- nization that believes women should submit to their husbands in the home and only men can hold some leadership roles in the church. A Clean, Reliable, Trustworthy, Chimney Company... Possible? ”Their tarps are always clean and my home is always clean afterward. What I like best is their reliability and quality.” “I can trust them!” Dr. Evan Reasor Flue Season 527 3331 THE Chimney Professionals