Japan to recover from nuke disaster...] 2769 ]

Editorial: Gov't must listen to communities striving to recover from nuke disaster

In this photo taken Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, a worker prepares bags of radiation contaminated soil for shipment to a dumping ground, at a school sports field in Hirono, outside Japan's nuclear exclusion zone. (AP Photo/Greg Baker)

Mainichi Japan 6-3-12-

Restoration work has moved into high gear in municipalities where most of the residents were forced to evacuate because of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

The Hirono Municipal Government, which had temporarily moved its functions to two nearby municipalities, resumed business at its own town hall on March 1. The Kawauchi Municipal Government, which became the first crisis-hit local body to declare that it would return all the residents to their homes, also returned to its village office and reopened local schools.

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In February, the whole Kawauchi Village Hall, which was badly damaged by the March 11, 2011 earthquake, was hidden beneath green tarp. Now, work to restore the structure is under way. These moves have demonstrated that Fukushima Prefecture has been hit by not only the nuclear disaster.

"We were desperate to respond to the disasters while supporting village residents who were evacuated. The memory of some events has faded," says Kawauchi Mayor Yuko Endo, describing the past turbulent year. "I'm now preoccupied with considering what to do from here on out."

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All of the some 3,000 residents of Kawauchi were evacuated after the entire village was designated as an emergency evacuation preparation zone following the outbreak of the nuclear crisis. The designation was lifted in September last year, but only about 200 residents have returned home so far, while most of the others are still refugees.

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Mayor Endo declared on Jan. 31 that he would return all the residents to their homes. However, he respects the choice of individual residents whether to come back or not. "Those who can return should come home, and those who are still worried can wait to see how the situation develops," he says.

A municipal government survey conducted on all the residents showed that about 60 percent either want to stay away from the village for the time being or are unsure of what to do, suggesting that a majority are feeling uneasy about the future.

A radiation monitor indicates 131.00 mSv per hour near the Unit 3 and 4 reactor buildings at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s tsunami-crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, northeastern Japan, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Kimimasa Mayama, Pool)
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The central government will review the current no-go and planned evacuation zone designations as early as April, and improve the living environment in areas where the annual radiation dose is below 20 millisieverts so that residents can return home.

Many affected municipalities will certainly face various challenges, such as decontamination, ensuring the health of residents including children, as well as the safety of their food, securing jobs and the maintenance of local communities.

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In particular, difficulties must be overcome to effectively decontaminate areas tainted with radioactive substances leaking from the nuclear station. The government is currently carrying out model projects, but is still searching for truly effective decontamination methods.

A road map released by the government sets the deadline for decontaminating areas with annual radiation levels less than 50 millisieverts at March 2014. However, it stops short of setting a numerical target for lowering radiation levels.

Municipalities affected by the nuclear disaster have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the costs of decontaminating farmland and forests.

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To ensure food safety and dispel concerns about health effects, the Kawauchi Municipal Government is set to install 11 radiation counters for food at schools and community halls to allow residents to test their food free of charge. The village has examined all residents aged up to 18 for internal radiation exposure, and is poised to continue monitoring their conditions. It has also begun to track the conditions of residents' thyroids.

These measures have set an example of steps affected municipalities hit by the nuclear crisis should take to ensure the health of residents.

Mayor Endo, who has been playing a leading role in working out and implementing these measures, criticizes the national government for its slow response to the disaster.

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"It took too long for the government to extend assistance and provided information to affected residents," he says, and we urge the government to listen to the opinions of local communities hit by the disasters, and promptly announce specific policy measures.

In this July 24, 2011 photo, an abandoned bicycle rests on a road partially blocked by ships that washed ashore in the town of Namie, inside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, in northeastern Japan. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
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At the same time, the government must build temporary storage facilities for soil contaminated with radioactive substances while consulting with the local communities that will be asked to host such facilities.

The government is planning to build such a storage facility in the Futaba district of Fukushima Prefecture, where the Fukushima No. 1 plant is located. However, a meeting scheduled by the government to exchange opinions on the matter with the mayors of the district's eight municipalities was abruptly cancelled.

Critics have said that local communities' deep distrust of the national government lay behind the cancellation. The government must take such criticism seriously.

Jupiter From the Ground...[ 2768 ]

Image of the Jupiter From the Ground

This image of Jupiter and its moons Io and Ganymede was acquired by amateur astronomer Damian Peach on Sept. 12, 2010, when Jupiter was close to opposition. South is up and the "Great Red Spot" is visible in the image.

Ground-based astronomy will play a vital role in the success of NASA's Juno mission. Because Jupiter has such a dynamic atmosphere, images from amateur astronomers will assist the JunoCam instrument team predict what features will be visible when the camera's images are taken.

With its suite of science instruments, the Juno spacecraft will investigate the existence of a solid planetary core, map the planet's intense magnetic field, measure the amount of water and ammonia in the deep atmosphere and observe the planet's auroras.

Image Credit: NASA/Damian Peach

Iran Sanctions ...[ 2767 ]

Russia Seeks Compromise on Iran Sanctions

Ria Novosti / 13:01 06/03/2012

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MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will push for talks to scrap unilateral sanctions against Iran if it allows the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to control Iranian nuclear activity, Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergey Ryabkov said on Tuesday.

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“[The lifting of Iranian sanctions] can be used in talks…if we reach this agreement, the international community may cancel the sanctions, including unilateral ones,” Ryabkov told a press conference.

The diplomat also said that Russia would discuss the issue with the six international mediators on the controversial Iranian nuclear program.

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The Iran Six, which is made up of Russia, the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany, has been trying to convince Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program and to alleviate concerns about its nuclear ambitions since 2003.

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In late February, UN nuclear inspectors were in Iran to visit an alleged explosives testing facility at Parchin, southeast of Tehran, however, they claim they could not access the key Iranian military site. Iran’s IAEA envoy Ali Asghar Soltanieh said that the nuclear inspectors chose not to visit Parchin.

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Ryabkov also expressed hope that Russian-Iranian relations would remain friendly after Russian presidential elections secured a landslide victory for Vladimir Putin.

“We have controversy, relating to the fact that Russia shares the international community’s concerns about some aspects of the Iranian nuclear program…but we will do everything to solve them without damaging Russian-Iranian relations.” Ryabkov said.

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Iran is already the subject of a wide range of international sanctions because the West, led by the United States, accuses Tehran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program. However, the Islamic Republic insists its nuclear power needs are for civilian purposes only.

Yemen Fighting...[ 2766 ]

139 Dead in Yemen Fighting, 55 Troops Held Captive

By AHMED AL-HAJ Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen March 5, 2012 (AP)

 

   Photo from archives-

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Sneaking across the desert behind army lines, al-Qaida militants launched a surprise attack against military bases in south Yemen, killing 107 soldiers and capturing heavy weapons they later used to kill more troops, officials said on Monday.

The military officials said at least 32 of the militants were killed in Sunday's fighting in Abyan province and scores were wounded from both sides. 

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Medical officials in the area confirmed the death toll figures. They said the poor services in local hospitals accounted for the death of many soldiers who suffered serious wounds but could have survived had they been given better medical care.

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AP /Protestors attend prayers during a rally... 

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The high death toll among the troops is believed to be the highest on record in battles fought by the army against al-Qaida militants, who have been emboldened by the political turmoil roiling the impoverished Arab nation for more than a year.
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The militants' attack appeared to be al-Qaida's response to a pledge by Yemen's newly inaugurated President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to fight the Yemeni branch of the terror network.

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The military officials said the militants' surprise attack outside Abyan's provincial capital Zinjibar also led to the capture of 55 soldiers. The captives were paraded on the streets of Jaar, a nearby town that, like Zinjibar, has been under al-Qaida's control for about a year.

The officials spoke on Monday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to rep

Australia : Muslim veils...[ 2765 ]

Australian state toughens law for Muslim veils

Published March 05, 2012

| Associated Press nShar

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CANBERRA, Australia –  Muslim women in Australia's most populous state will have to remove veils to have their signatures officially witnessed under the latest laws giving New South Wales officials authority to look under religious face coverings.

New South Wales state Attorney General Greg Smith said in a statement Monday that beginning April 30, officials such as justices of the peace and lawyers who witness statutory declarations or affidavits without making identity checks will be fined $236.

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"If a person is wearing a face covering, an authorized witness should politely and respectfully ask them to show their face," Smith said.

The face coverings also include motorcycle helmets and masks.

The government on Monday began an information campaign to ensure the public and officials are aware of the new penalties before they come into force.

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The laws are a response to a court case last year in which a Sydney woman was convicted of falsely claiming that a traffic policeman had attempted to remove her niqab -- a veil that reveals only the eyes.

A judge overturned the conviction because the official who witnessed the false claim did not look under the veil of the person who made it, so the judge was not certain that the defendant was responsible.

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The latest laws were passed Dec. 23 by the state parliament. They follow New South Wales laws passed last year that introduced a $5,900 fine and a 12-month prison sentence for anyone who refuses to remove face coverings when requested to do so by police.

Ikebal Patel, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and an advocate for Australian Muslims, said while some Muslims regarded the laws as a knee-jerk reaction to the court case, the majority did not object.

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"I don't object as long as the laws are enforced with respect and sensitivity," Patel said.

Patel said he was also a justice of the peace and would never witness a document without seeking proof of the author's identity.

He said Muslim women can find female justices of the peace working at most post offices.

Women who object to showing policemen their faces have an option of being taken to a police station where their identities can be confirmed by a female official.

New South Wales laws demanding the removal of religious face coverings are an Australian first, although other states including Victoria and Western Australia are considering similar legislation.

Muslims are a rapidly growing minority of 400,000 within Australia's Christian-majority population of 23 million.