News & Reports 2011-04-09

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In This Edition

Japanese authorities say the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was severely 1 disrupted in last month's devastating 2 earthquake has not suffered any additional damage from the latest 7.1magnitude aftershock.

Libya's Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim reacts positively 3 to alleged 4 Turkish proposal of a roadmap for peace in Libya, which urges the establishment of humanitarian 5 aid corridors and democratic change.

The European Union will discuss the size and terms of Portugal's bail-out after receiving a formal request for aid.

People who send fraudulent text messages may face up to 10 years in jail according to the new legal explanation in China.

Hot Issue Reports

Water Leaks out from Japan's Aftershock-hit Nuclear Plant

Water has leaked out of spent fuel pools at the Onagawa nuclear plant in northeast Japan after a 7.1 magnitude aftershock struck the region, but so far there has been no change in the radiation levels outside the plant.

Deputy Director General of Japan's Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency Hidehiko Nishiyama confirmed the news.

"According to the most recent information coming from Onagawa, we've had reports that there were anomalies near reactors 7 2 and 3 following the tremors 9. As far as reactor 6 2 is concerned we've determined 10 that it's due to the sloshing about of water during the earthquake in the recycled waste pool and that splashed on to the floor."

Japanese authorities say the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was severely disrupted in last month's devastating earthquake has not suffered any additional damage from the aftershock.

So far, the aftershock has cut off all the power in the affected 11 region. Local transport has been resumed after hours of repairs.

Now the tremor 8 has claimed three lives and injured more than 130 locals.

Japan Easing Food Restrictions 12 Triggers Worries from Neighbors

Japan says that it plans to lift sales restrictions on certain foods grown in some areas around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after levels of radiation in some places had appeared to be consistently low.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano says Japan will lift restrictions on milk produced in Kitakata, Fukushima prefecture, as well as on spinach 14 and other vegetables from neighboring Gunma prefecture.

"For all the applications received (to lift the shipment ban), I have been told that there has been no problems with the radiation tests, and that will fulfill 15 the requirements in order to lift the shipment ban. It has been made clear from various monitoring results that the level of radiation in the atmosphere is decreasing, and even if you are exposed to the rain, there will be no harmful effects to the human body."

Despite government assurances about decreasing radiation, concerns about radiation fallout from Japan's nuclear disaster triggered concern in some of Japan's neighbors.

China has expressed concern over Japan's move to discharge radioactive water from the crippled nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean since small amount of radioactive materials have been found in the atmosphere and some vegetables around China.

The plant's operator Tokyo Electric Power Company has released 11,500 tonnes of low radioactive water into the sea earlier this week.

An Apparent NATO Air Strike Struck Libya's Rebel Forces

NATO has admitted that its airstrikes have hit rebels using tanks in their fight with the government forces in eastern Libya, but said it would not apologize for the deaths.

An apparent NATO air strike has slammed into a rebel combat convoy 16 in Libya, killing 17 at least five fighters and sharply boosting anger among anti-government forces.

The attack brought fresh questions about coordination 18 between NATO and the patchwork 19 of rebel militias 20.

Tensions between the rebels and NATO were flaring 21 even before the latest incident, with the fighters criticizing the alliance for doing too little to help them.

A rebel leader Abdel-Fatah Younes described the attack as a likely NATO accident. He urged the alliance to explain the seemingly mistaken air strikes.

"We are really and generally not questioning the intentions from NATO, since they are supposedly here to help us, and to protect the civilians 22, but we would like to receive some answers regarding what happened today."

Meanwhile, Turkey has proposed a roadmap for peace in Libya, urging forces aligned 23 with Moammar Gadhafi to withdraw from besieged 24 cities, the establishment of humanitarian aid corridors and comprehensive democratic change.

Libya's Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim reacted positively to Turkey's offer, but said Libya had not officially received any details.

"This is expected from the Turkish government because of the historic relationship. We were expecting the same from Italian government but Italian government decided 25 to resign from its expected role in Libya."

Libya has embarked 26 on a wide attempt to find a diplomatic way out of its crisis, reaching out to governments within the coalition 27 like Britain and the US, and some outside who they perceive could open avenues of dialogue with the coalition forces confronting them.

But the main sticking point remains 28 the future of the Libyan leader Colonel Moammar Gadhafi and his family, with western powers demanding they relinquish 29 all power and leave the country.

American Public Concerned over Possible Government Shutdown

"Government shutdown" have been the hottest words in Washington this week. In a few hours, if the US government and the Congress still couldn't reach an agreement on the 2011 fiscal 30 year budget, the federal government shutdown will begin at Friday midnight. Though losing patience on this drama, ordinary people seem not to be worried too much about such a scenario 32. Our Washington correspondent Shanshan has the story.

A deadline is looming 33, as the US Congress' top Democrats 34 and Republicans accusing each other in budget cut negotiations 35, risking a government shutdown. The US President Barack Obama cancelled a trip to Indianapolis and spoke 36 in separate phone calls with congress leaders.

Retired 37 physician Igal Silber says, both the government and the Congress are acting 38 immature 39.

"The whole discussion is very infantile. I think all the parties involved have to be blamed, half-half."

Teacher Dorothy Shillings says, this is a testimony 40 to the failure of Washington politics.

"It seems like it's more of a political issue, getting the two sides come to an agreement, than it is about actually making a difference financially. It's frustrating 41 when it comes to that."

Republicans have been seeking $40 billion in government spending cuts, while democrats and the Obama administration worry this may cripple the fragile economic recovery. Difficult discussions have been going on for days, but an agreement remains elusive 42. If the government is to be shut down, 800,000 federal employees in "nonessential" departments could be furloughed, and some 3.6 million federal employees on "essential" posts such as in diplomacy 43, army or police, might work without pay.

Gilbert Gramm works for a government contractor 44, and worries about the possibility of being forced to stop working.

"I work for a contractor, so they probably will shut us down too. But at some point, we're all gonna have to buy for politics."

Economists 46 hold different views as to how the possible shutdown could affect the economy. Cary Leahey, senior economist 45 with the Decision Economics Consulting Group says the impact can't be undermined.

"The impact on the economy will probably be about 5 billion dollars per week. That might be worth as much as two tenth of one percent on quarterly GDP growth."

Richard Vedder, with the think-tank American Enterprise Institute, expects the impact to be modest.

"We had a previous experience of a government shutdown in 1995, and the impact was really very modest. Indeed, it was amusing that when the shutdown occurred, the stock market actually rose. So I'm not anticipating any great dislocation or anything happen. It's unlikely the shutdown will last for more than a week, given the nature of the American political process. "

Now, everybody in the Congress is saying they are making every effort to a shutdown at midnight. People on the street are still hopeful a last-minute agreement could be reached.

Here is Igal Silber again.

"I think most probably they will come to an agreement in the last minute. If they decide to do so, it can only be implemented 47 on Monday, so we expect to know the answer by Monday. I don't think it's gonna affect my personal life, but it may affect people in the public service. "

If the shutdown happens, a dozen government-funded museums in Washington, as well as some 400 national parks across the country will be closed. People will have few choices to relax during the weekend.

SS, CRI news, Washington.

23-year-old Gunman Kills 12 Children in Brazil

A gunman has shot dead at least 12 children and wounded another 12 at a school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before killing himself.

It's the worst school shooting in Brazil.

Rio police say when the 23-year-old former student Wellington de Oliveira first entered the school, he told staff members he was there to give a lecture.

"When I arrived at the school, I heard the shooting. The shooter saw me and aimed a gun at me. I shot him in the legs, he fell down the stairs and then shot himself in the head."

No motive 48 is known, but the shooter left a rambling 49 letter at the scene indicating he wanted to kill himself.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff wept as she condemned 51 the school massacre 52, the first of its kind in Brazil.

"Today we have to mourn what happened in Realengo with innocent children. This kind of crime is not usual here in our country and that's why I think that everyone here, all of us, men and women, must unite to condemn 50 this act of violence, to condemn this violence against unprotected children."

The school, in an impoverished 53 neighborhood of Rio, is attended by pupils aged 13 nine to 14.

Eurozone Interest Rates Raised to 1.25% by ECB

Eurozone interest rates have been raised to 1.25% from the record low of 1% by the European Central Bank.

ECB president, Jean-Claude Trichet.

"Based on its regular economic and monetary 54 analysis, the governing council decided to increase the key ECB interest rates by 25 basis points after maintaining them unchanged for almost two years at historically low levels."

Trichet says that the rate rise is in response to the risk of accelerating inflation, adding that rates are still very low.

He calls the decision a "balancing act", amid concern the move worsens debt problems for Portugal and others.

Portugal Bail-out Terms Discussed by Finance Ministers

The European Union will discuss the size and terms of Portugal's bail-out after receiving a formal request for aid.

EU finance ministers at a two-day summit in Budapest are likely to consider the scope of a potential deal.

But there is doubt about whether Portugal's interim 55 government can agree to the austerity measures that would be a prerequisite 56 for the loans.

Jose Socrates' government fell because he could not pass austerity measures.

Portuguese 57 banks have now taken the unprecedented 58 step of warning the government that they might stop buying its debt.

Joao Pereira Leite is the head of investment for Banco Carregosa, a leading financial brokerage of Portugal.

"This bailout will help us in the short term, our financial needs, but in long term will not be very useful. We have a long list of new austerity measures to be implemented, so growth will be lower, taxes will probably be higher, income will be lower. There is a rough road ahead for the Portuguese consumer, for the Portuguese companies and we will have a hard time for the next three four years, so recession ahead but in mid 31 to long term it's good news."

Meanwhile, at the EU finance minister's meeting in Hungary, Spain's finance minister has continued to stress that her country will not need bailing 59 out.

Telecom Fraud to Get Harsher Penalties

People who send fraudulent text messages may face up to 10 years in jail. The new legal explanation issued by China's top court and top prosecuting 60 authority regulates that anyone who sends more than 5,000 fraudulent text messages will be held criminally accountable.

Our reporter Wang Jing takes a look.

The problem of fraud with the use of mobiles or land-lines is becoming increasingly prevalent. Tricks include sending text messages or using mobile or landline phones, telling receivers they have won a prize, owed money for phone bills or credit cards, or pretending to be long-lost friends asking for emergency help.

The so-called telecom fraud is believed to have caused 1 billion yuan or about $150 million US dollars worth of property in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong in the year 2009.

Hu Yunteng, director of the research office of Supreme 61 People's Court, says these fraud cases have long been tricky 62 to deal with.

"Telecom frauds are different from common fraud cases, as swindlers do not meet with target victims, it would be difficult to crack down the scams if we resort to the current legal terms on fraud."

Sun Jungong, the spokesperson from Supreme People's Court, says the new guideline is an effective way for judicial 63 organs to prevent fraud and punish would-be swindlers.

"In cases that the exact amount of property losses is unclear, the new rules regulate that people who send more than 5000 fraudulent text messages, make over 500 fraudulent phone calls or use excessive tactics, could be pursued criminal responsibility as attempted frauds."

Under the Criminal Law, if a person is convicted of common fraud, he or she may be jailed for up to three years. If the amount of money involved is between 30,000 and 100,000 yuan, sentences can range from three to 10 years.

Meanwhile, the regulations say people who provide criminals with credit cards, mobile phone cards, communication tools and network technology that support the crimes will also be held criminally accountable and charged with fraud.

For CRI, I'm wangjing.

Shanghai Disneyland Starts Construction

After about a decade's negotiations the groundbreaking ceremony at Shanghai Disneyland took place Friday morning. Experts say the theme park will promote local economic growth as well as the development of regional tourism industry. Wu Jia has the story.

With the announcement by Yu Zhengsheng, top party official of Shanghai Municipal Government, the groundbreaking ceremony of Shanghai Disneyland got underway. It was held Friday morning in Pudong New Area. Robert Iger, CEO of Walt Disney Co. says Shanghai Disneyland will present a different Disenyland with Chinese characteristics.

"That will be authentically 64 Disney and the distinctly Chinese. Working together with our Shanghai partners, we are building an extraordinary destination, one that gathers the uniqueness and beauty of China with the legendary 65 quality and brilliance 66 experience of Disney."

Ye Hang, director of the Economic Department at Zhejiang University, says this program will stimulate 67 local economic growth.

"Its large scale investment and long term construction cycle will promote more investment and employment in Shanghai. After it opens, it will form a large tourism consumer market, boosting relative industries such as restaurants and shopping."

However, Ye Hang says it doesn't mean the project is sure to make a big profit. Hongkong Disneyland has been in a deficit 68 situation since it opened in 2005.

Shi Peihua, former deputy director of China Tourism Academy, believes that Shanghai attracts Disney for the following reasons.

"First, China is a huge market, and the Yangtze River Delta 69 region is the most realistic and supportive market in the country. At the same time, Shanghai is an international metropolis 70. It has a huge tourist flow with complete urban services."

Shi Peihua points out that Shanghai Walt Disney will help upgrade Chinese theme parks. Few theme parks in this country are as influential 71 as Walt Disney is in the world.

Shanghai Disneyland is expected to be completed in five years. The direct cost of the first phase will be 24.5 billion yuan, or nearly 4 billion US dollars.

It will be the second Disneyland in China, and the 6th one in the world. When it is completed, China will become the first country to own two Disneylands outside of the US.

For CRI, this is Wu Jia.

Newspaper Picks

Employees in Shanghai finished top in the country for the strongest willingness to work overseas, according to a recent survey.

However, Shanghai employees are the most unwilling 72 to move to other cities on the Chinese mainland.

The survey, conducted by employment specialist 'Kelly Services', found 45 percent of Shanghai employees are willing to work in overseas countries and regions, higher than the national average of 34 percent.

However, those willing to work in other mainland cities only accounted for 16 percent, much lower than the national average of 48 percent.

Mark Hall, the general manager with Kelly Services, said that people in Shanghai have more opportunities to contact international corporations.

He said they usually look forward to learning from Western countries and companies as overseas work offers attractive pay and the experience can help with their future career development.