NIC: Japan Government ‘Is At Last Beginning to Wake Up to the Reality of the Scale of the Disaster’

By Michio Nakayama and Aaron Sheldrick – “… [T]he government widened the surrounding evacuation zone yesterday … [and] ‘is at last beginning to wake up to the reality of the scale of the disaster,’ said Philip White, International Liaison Officer at the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center, a Tokyo-based group opposed to atomic energy. ‘Its belated move to evacuate people from a larger area around the nuclear plant, likewise, is a recognition that the impact on public health is potentially much greater than it first acknowledged.’…

Level 7 means there has been a ‘major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects requiring implementation of planned and extended countermeasures,’ the factsheet says.”  Read more.

 

Prominent Imam Speaking Out Against Violence is Sprayed With Bullets

“MOSCOW (AFP) – A prominent imam who discouraged youth from joining Islamic militants has been shot dead in his home in the strife-torn southern Russian republic of Dagestan, news reports said Saturday.

Magomed Saiputdinov was slain by automatic gunfire in a nighttime attack near the Chechen-border town of Kizlyar, agencies quoted a spokesman for the local interior ministry as saying.

‘He was widely known for his uncompromising stand against any forms of violence, condemning the murder of innocent people and other atrocities of the Chechen underground,’ Interfax quoted a police statement as saying.”  Read more.

Mosque Sells Anti-Semitic Book While ‘Dispelling Myths Surrounding Islam’

“A MOSQUE in western Sydney was selling copies of the inflammatory anti-Semitic book The Protocols of the Elders of Zion on the same weekend it opened its doors to the wider community to dispel some of the myths surrounding Islam.

The bookstall on the ground floor of the Lakemba Mosque had in stock about 15 bright-pink paperback editions of The Protocols for sale for $8.

The Protocols is a hoax document first published in Russia in 1903 that purports to be an account of a meeting of Jewish leaders discussing plans for economic world domination.” Read more.

France: Man Assaulted Over ‘Jewish Appearance’

“A 21-year-old man from the city of Villeurbanne in southern France was severely injured last week after being assaulted by two men of North African origin, the European Jewish Press reported Monday.

According to the report, Thursday’s violent incident occurred as the man headed home from a Torah class at the local synagogue.

The two aggressors allegedly approached the man and asked for his name. After hearing his response, the two told him: ‘You don’t look to be named Antoine, you look Jewish, you are a Jew.'”  Read more.

 

Possible Seven Wisconsin Tornadoes May Be Record

By John Rondy – “MILWAUKEE, Wis (Reuters) – A powerful storm system that moved through the nation’s midsection over the weekend caused what may be a record-breaking seven tornadoes in Wisconsin, officials said Monday.

‘It’s one of the most significant tornado outbreaks in April,’ said Rich Mamrosh, meteorologist for the National Weather Service. He said if confirmed, the number of Sunday night storms may have broken a record for a single day in April in the state — the previous record was six.

Mamrosh said a strong low pressure system moved from South Dakota to northern Wisconsin Sunday, moving warm, moist air into the state, which was followed by a cold front, producing the storms.”  Read more.

 

Japan Officially Raises Fukushima Nuclear Crisis Level to 7, Matching Chernobyl

“The Japanese government’s nuclear safety agency has decided to raise the crisis level of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant accident from 5 to 7, the worst on the international scale.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency made the decision on Monday. It says the damaged facilities have been releasing a massive amount of radioactive substances, which are posing a threat to human health and the environment over a wide area.

The agency used the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, or INES, to gauge the level. The scale was designed by an international group of experts to indicate the significance of nuclear events with ratings of 0 to 7.”  Read more.

Livestock Farmers in Kenya Lose 17,000 Animals Since January Due to Drought

“ISIOLO/MANDERA, 6 April 2011 (IRIN) – Thousands more heads of livestock have died in Kenya’s arid Northeastern province as La Niña drought conditions worsen and water shortages become more acute.

Drought monitoring and assessment reports indicate that the hardest-hit areas are Marsabit, Moyale and Mandera. Livestock farmers in the three regions have lost more than 17,000 animals since January, according to officials from the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and the government’s Arid Lands and Resource Management Project (ALRMP).

Mass deaths of livestock began in February, but the average daily loss of animals has risen in the last three weeks as crucial water sources dried up. Many of the remaining water sources are contaminated, leading to increased incidents of water-borne diseases such as typhoid, amoeba and diarrhoea.” Read more.

 

6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes East Coast of Japan Near Tokyo

“A STRONG earthquake has struck Tokyo, a day after a monster aftershock shook the country.

The 6.4 magnitude quake struck just 77km east of Tokyo off the coast of Chiba prefecture at 9.08am (AEST).

There was no chance of a tsunami, say authorities.

Tokyo residents reported strong shaking. The city’s subway system has stopped.”  Read more.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency Issues Warnings of Potential Volcanic Cataclysms for Japan

By Gang Phan – “Japan’s Meteorological Agency on Friday warned the country’s 20 volcanoes has become alive due to the massive March 11 earthquake, and a study said [an] earthquake over 9.0-magnitude might hit Japan.

The Agency said volcanic explosion[s] occurred after earthquake[s] several times in history and people should maintain vigilance against this tendency.

The number of earthquake[s] above 6.0 M reached 77 on March.  And 74 out of them occurred in [the] quake-hit region, were aftershock[s]. The number is 50 times over the same period last year.

The largest aftershock on April 7 [that] hit Japan has killed 4 people, injured at least 166, and caused a power outage [for] over 2.61 million households, according to Japan’s police officials. The Meteorological Agency warned aftershocks above 6.0 M like the April 7 earthquake probably would hit Japan again.”  Read more.

 

 

Hundreds of Fish Die in North Jacksonville, Florida Pond

“JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Alonza Dicks feeds the fish the Oak Brook retention pond everyday.

‘They’re sort of like my pets,’ says Dicks.

He and his family put more than a thousand fish in the pond 5 years ago when they moved into the North Jacksonville neighborhood.

‘Normally if they were in there, they’re like paranas,’ he added.

But, now there’s not bites and no fish.

‘No the only thing I’m feeding is the birds,’ said Dicks.”  Read more.

Hundreds of Dead Fish Line Cove’s Banks in Iowa

By CINDY TOOPES – “OTTUMWA — Why are there hundreds of dead fish lining the banks of a cove along the Des Moines River near Eddyville?

Local residents don’t have that answer, but they did report the finned casualties to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. One of them, Stephenie Dobson, reported the oddity to the Courier and sent along a photo on Facebook.

David Dobson of Eddyville said he likes to fish the area that’s south of Hardfish Landing and west of the railroad trestle, both on the eastern side of the river.”   Read more.

50 Birds Fall Dead In Kansas Yard

“STERLING, Kan. – A central Kansas family hopes to learn what caused the deaths of dozens of birds that fell from trees outside their house.

Elizabeth Stange says it started with one or two birds tumbling to the ground Thursday afternoon, followed by dozens more. The Sterling woman told KWCH-TV that the birds all died within minutes of each other.

By evening, Stange says, she and her family collected about 50 birds from their driveway and yard.”  Read more.