Latin America

A global nuclear disaster potentially worse than Chernobyl may be underway in Japan as hundreds of tons of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel are open to the sky, and may be on fire and emitting radioactive particles into the atmosphere.

On the eve of President Barack Obama’s first-ever visit to South America, administration officials and independent analysts say that the emphasis throughout his five-day trip will be very much on the positive aspects and possibilities of U.S.-Latin American relations.

Also on Wednesday, a strong 6.0 magnitude earthquake was felt across large areas of eastern Japan, the U.S. Geological Survey said, with the force strong enough to sway buildings in the capital Tokyo.

Day five of Japan’s post-earthquake, post-tsunami life dawned dismally Tuesday, with soaring radiation levels from the Fukushima Daiichi power plants and a relentlessly rising death toll in the four worst-affected prefectures.

The king of Bahrain has declared a state of emergency for three months on the island following weeks of anti-government protests, as deadly clashes continued across the country.

With Libyan government forces advancing towards the rebel capital of Benghazi, the time for possible military intervention by the U.S. and its NATO or other allies appears to be running short.

Desperate efforts by the government to avoid the looming nightmare of a nuclear meltdown in tsunami damaged Fukushima nuclear plants, 240 kilometers north of Tokyo, have brought no relief to the public who face the possibility of another explosion that could spew deadly radiation across the country.

Anti-nuclear campaigners in India see the earthquake that hit Japan last week, which threatens the meltdown of the Fukushima atomic power facility there, as a wakeup call for this country’s ambitious nuclear power program.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi claims Al-Qaeda and other Muslim extremists are behind the recent rebellion to oust him from power. Salem Geber, the most well-known cleric in Benghazi, Libya’s second-largest city, says this explanation is not only wrong, but a vintage Gaddafi tactic to inspire fear.