NPR 2011-03-13

The Japanese government is mobilizing a huge relief effort to help the people hit by the earthquake and tsunami 1 in the country’s northeast. NPR’s Rob Gifford is on his way to the disaster zone and reports the initial estimate of more than 1,000 dead is bound to rise sharply.

Fighters said they were hit by tank shells, aerial bombardment and heavy artillery 2 at the oil port of Ras Lanuf. The pro-Gaddafi forces have stepped up the intensity 3 of their barrages 4 in recent days, pushing the front line farther east. The rebels appear to be running low on weapons, with new volunteers showing up daily with nothing more than knives, looking desperately 5 for a weapon to join the fight. The severe military advantage of the pro-Gaddafi forces has given fresh urgency to calls for a no-fly zone, but the wills of international diplomacy 6 continue to turn slowly. The Arab League is debating the issue today, after which the focus will return to Europe, the United Nations and Washington. So far, only France has been outspoken 7 about the need to intervene, including air strikes against Gaddafi’s military machine if necessary. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Benghazi.

That report obviously on the Arab League’s decision to call on the UN Security Council to impose a no-fly zone on Libya, an idea that’s been endorsed 8 by Britain and France. And now to our report from Japan and NPR’s Rob Gifford.

The earthquake epicenter being offshore 9 gave news helicopters time to get airborne and capture the tsunami on film as it headed towards the shore. Cars, trees, airplanes, whole buildings were washed before the wall of water and mud. Some areas are still flooded, where water levels have receded 10, a thick layer of slud still carpets the ground. Power and phone reception have been cut while hundreds of people lined up outside a few stores open to buy food and water. Many residents in the main city of the region Sendai spent last night outdoors for fear of aftershocks or because their homes have been too badly damaged. Rob Gifford, NPR News, Osaka, Japan.

Defense 11 Secretary Robert Gates paid a brief visit to Bahrain today while thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators marched on the royal palace. Gates says governments facing popular uprisings need to move quickly toward democratic reforms or risk giving Iran a chance to exploit their instability.

Cuba’s media report a guilty verdict for an American contractor 12 for crimes against the state and a sentence of 15 years in prison. After a two-day trial in Havana, a Cuban court says Alan Gross was working on a subversive 13 program funded by the US government. He was arrested more than a year ago.

A reminder 14 about springing forward — daylight saving time begins in most of the country at 2 am Sunday morning. You’ll lose an hour in the process as you set your clock ahead.

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A deadly bus accident in the Bronx today — officials say 13 people are dead; eight are seriously injured. NPR’s Brian Reed is at the site.

I’m looking at a tour bus that has flipped 16 over, and it has run into this kind of a sign post. And the sign post has cut it like a knife, almost all the way entirely 17 through the bus, and police here are swarming 18 the scene, and the driver told them that a tractor-trailer clipped the bus and caused it to flip 15. It later fled the scene, and they’re looking for that tractor-trailer right now.

NPR’s Brian Reed in New York City.

The Wisconsin Capitol in Madison is once again a gathering 19 point for pro-labor demonstrators. They say they’re fighting back after Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed a new law yesterday that curbs 20 public workers’ collective bargaining rights. Farmers have driven tractors to the Capitol and are surrounding it. Demonstrators say they’re now focusing on recalling from office Republican lawmakers who pushed through the law.

In his weekly address, President Obama discussed issues surrounding equality for women. He says he’ll continue the fight to help women win fair wages, escape poverty and break the glass ceiling.

“It’s something I care about deeply as the father of two daughters, who wants to see his girls grow up in a world where…”

In the Republican address, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski criticizes Democrats 21 for taking the wrong approach to energy production.

“Democrats have repeatedly sought to increase taxes and fees while slowing the permitting process. That won’t solve any problems, but it will mean less production, more imports and higher prices.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski.