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Changes across
the Globe
The world is continuously changing, be it
the weather, fashion, food or gas prices. The
thmg that brings about the most life altering
changes is those in government. 20 years
from now, 2011 will go down in the history
books as the “Year of Surprising Change.”
What is News?
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, re
cently made a comment about how well the
Al-Jazeera, an Arabic News Group, covers
important news in the Middle East. She then
related how in the United States, American
journalists focus more on celebrity melt
downs like Charlie Sheen. Do people re
ally want to watch pver paid celebrities
lives go up in flames over real crisis? It is a
shame when people know more about Chris
Browns new hairdo than life changing events
throughout the world.
Ireland Political Parties Working to
gether
After being bailed out by the European
Union (along with the Bank of Europe and
other resources) for 92 billion dollars, Ire
land’s two largest political parties have de
cided to cooperate and establish a new gov
ernment. The Labor Party and the Fine Gael
party are working together to try to cut the
deficit and create jobs. Similar to the situa
tion here in the U.S., with the exception that
they are talking about a complete govern
ment overhaul.
Qadhafi in Libya
Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, ruler of Lib
ya, is being asked to step down by several
nations. Libya has been in a state of civil
unrest since mid-January. The protests were
influenced by those in Egypt, Tunisia and
Yemen. The people are protesting against
his 41 year reign as a dictator, high poverty
rates and for basic human rights. The pro
tests started peacefully, but soon escalated.
Qadhafi is reported to have called for snip
ers to shut down protests and even hired
African mercenaries. The mercenaries were
described by the Libyan people as French
speaking Africans, who “shoot to kill and
nothing else.”
France is worried about the influx of
refugees that'may be seeking to move there,
because of the violence against protestors
in Libya. Qadhafi has reportedly used air
strikes and other such war tactics to
keep the “peace” since the pro
tests began. However, Qadhafi
states that he only used them
to bomb military bases.
Recently, Qadhafi has re
portedly started bomb
ing oil fields captured
by the rebels. As the
largest producer of
oil in North Af
rica, this means
trouble for other
nations. The
price of crude
NEWS®
A GLANCE
oil is going up rapidly.
Nations like Great Britain, US and now
ihe Arab League, have called for a “No Fly
Zone” over Libya. Libyan rebel forces have
been calling for a no fly zone, in order to
weaken Qadhafi’s military power and would
give them a better chance at fighting back.
Qadhafi has done several interviews with
the U.S. and British press, in which he states
that “His people love him and are willing to
die for him.” Among other things he blames
the West for not backing him up, even though
he states he has served with
them in the War against ter
rorism. Qadhafi relates how
other nations have no proof
of the said violence, and
that they have not killed that
many people. While the pro
testors estimate that at least
1000 people have lost their
lives in their fight for change.
The U.S. has publically taken a stand
against Libyaii ruler Qadhafi. The Obama
administration has begun to put in place
several plans to handle the situation, includ
ing setting military forces around Libya and
going to North Atlantic Trade Organization
(NATO). President Obama has repeatedly
called for Qadhafi to step down and is look
ing for ways to help the Libyan people. Sec
retary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is
scheduled to meet with Libyan opposition
forces in Paris on Monday. Nations involved
in the NATO pact are furiously working to
come up with a game plan to
Qadhafi overwhelmed opposition forces
and is recapturing territory previously taken
by rebel forces. Last week, opposition forces
captured two cities that held large oil fields.
These areas are now back under the control
of the existing Lybian government. Qadhafi’s
troops have begun firing heavy artillery and
rocket fire over large tracts of land and then
sending in ground troops to take care of the
surviving rebels. The opposition forces are
very much under armed and do not have the
supplies needed to fight back.
Allied forces are nervous about setting up
a no fly zone, for fear of being dragged into
a difficult conflict. The U.S. fears that it will
be left with the responsibility of monitoring
the warring nation. France, the UK and Arab
League were scheduled to meet on Mon.
March 14 to discuss measures on how to
handle Libya.
Pirates
CHARNELL
HARRIS
Captain Jack Sparrow, Barbosa and Davy
Jones, even they wouldn’t last long with
the new breed of pirates who are constantly
making headlines across the globe. They are
attacking oil ships from Iran, taking hos
tages and hijacking ships fi-om private fam
ily yachts to oil tankers and terrorizing the
coasts of India. Nearly a dozen Americans
have died in 2011 at the hands of pirates.
The most recent headline was when a pirate
ship attacked and took hostage a family of
five from Denmark. Authorities are trying
to locate and negotiate with
the pirates for the family’s
safe return; however, even
if they are located officials
were forewarned about at
tempting to board the hi
jacked boats of pirates. All
recent documented cases
have ended in death for the
hostages. The pirates airfol-
low a similar pattern in their attack methods,
first hijacking a ship and either killing those
on board and taking the ships contents or tak
ing hostages and holding them for ransom.
The average ransom demand for being re
leased is at 5 million dollars. Governmental
authorities ask citizens to stay away from
certain areas such as the Agean Sea and Indi
an Ocean, the two most commonly hit areas.
Guy-Greenbrier Earthquake Swarm
800 earthquakes since September, Arkan
sas has definitely seen better months. Most
were not felt and caused no serious damage.
Yet, the state has had several that reached
over 3.4 on the Richter scale. They were no
' small tremors. The biggest earthquake to
date happened on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 11 pm
which registered at 4.7. This is the largest
earthquake to hit Arkansas in 35 years. Sci
entists believe that the cause for this rare oc
currence could be because of local injection
wells. Seismologist based in Arkansas expect
that this is not the end of the tremors and that
citizens could be in store for a quake that will
measure at leasst 5.0 to 5.5.
Disaster in Japan
The biggest earthquake ever to hit the is
land nation of Japan, struck and devastated
its citizens on March 11. The quake regis
tered in at 8.9 on the Richter scale. It makes
this the fifth largest documented earthquake
in the world. It exerted almost 8,000
times as much force
as the recent
quake
that hit New, Zealand. The death toll is cur
rently estimated intoJiundreds, yet they
expect it to quickly rise into the thousands.
Public transportation shut down in all the
major cities like Tokyo, leaving many people
stranded. Services were restablished last Sat
urday. Damages from the quake consist of
houses being shaken off of their foundations
and buildings being severely damanged.In
the wake of the tragedy Japan is now left to
deal with what may be considered as an even
more devestating aftermath. Workers and
government ofiBcials are now focused on Nu
clear plants scattered across the Northeastern
coast of Japan. They are fighting to prevent
nuclear reactor melt downs and maintain
the integrity of the containment. One of the
plants has been reported to have suffered a
hydrogen explosion on Saturday. Japanese
officials,are working to prevent further ex
plosions. Already over 170,000 people have
been evacuated from their homes. Evacua
tions will continue throughout the week until
officials stop detecting radiation outside of
the plant and in the surrounding areas. Peo
ple who have evacuated were taken to shel
ters where they can be scanned for radiation
and to see if they are infected. Because of the
nuclear plants, it was reported that as of Sun
day, a state of emergency was filed with the
United Nations Nuclear Agency. Labeled as
a Level 4 nuclear incident, it is projected that
the consequences and aftermath of this event
is greater than the initial quake. Because of
the location of the earthquake, Japan’s indus
trial cities were not devastated. Thanks to the
nations infi-astructure the damage .was not as
extensive as it could have been.
Disaster in the Pacific
Tsunamis hit the coast of Northeastern Ja
pan after an 8.9 major earthquake on Friday.
The quake hit at 2:46 p.m. Japan time. W
Waves were reported to have measured at 30
feet. They barreled in fi-om the Pacific and
crashed into the coast. In the Miyagi Prefec
ture (state). Water came as far as six miles
inland. Houses and people were found more
than 60 miles off the coast. With most of the
coast still under muddy water, officials were
unable to accurately document the death toll.
Witnesses say there are hundreds of bodies
scattered across the area. The tsunamis sent
minor waves towards Hawaii, Hawaii still
evacuated citizens as a precaution. Waves
also reached Southern California, were one
man reportedly was swept into the sea and
believed to be died. The destruction effects
of the eathquake and tsunamis left thousands
of homes devestated and entire cities were
wiped out, leaving only foundations.