Latin America

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.

by Suvendrini Kakuchi HAVANA TIMES, March 12 (IPS) — Heightened tension on Saturday after a blast at a nuclear facility

On Saturday afternoon NHK, Japan’s national television, reported grave news of a possible radioactive leak from a nuclear accident at one of Fukushima’s nuclear power reactors. It quoted experts calling for calm and saying there is no threat to the public.

Analysis by Jim Lobe* HAVANA TIMES, March 11 (IPS) — Rarely, if ever, has a post-World War II U.S. president

India’s Supreme Court has questioned clearances to industries on the basis of environment impact assessments (EIAs) carried out by private consultants in the pay of project proponents.

As the tide of battle appeared to shift for the first time Thursday in favor of forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, the United States and its European allies moved closer toward intervening – if not yet militarily – on the side of the insurgency.