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The Nuclear Danger Escalates in Japan
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The Nuclear Danger Escalates in Japan

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The danger of Japan's nuclear crisis has been raised to the level of Three Mile Island, the American plant that partially melted down in 1979. We hear about the reaction in Tokyo and about fear of radiation in the only nation ever bombed with nuclear weapons. Also, Libya declares a cease-fire, and President Obama addresses the situation in Libya.

Banner image: Momoko Onodera prays as she talks about her husband who died in the tsunami at an evacuation center on March 18, 2011 in Kesennuma, Japan. Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

Making News

Libya Declares Cease-fire as West Prepares for Air Strikes ()

After weeks of reluctance by the United States, the UN Security Council last night authorized "all necessary measures" to protect Libyan rebels and other citizens from Moammar Gadhafi's Army. Gadhafi then declared "an immediate cease-fire." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was skeptical. Borzou Daragahi is in the Libyan capital of Tripoli for the Los Angeles Times.

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Main Topic

The Nuclear Danger Escalates in Japan ()

As workers battle to cool spent fuel rods and damaged reactors, Japan's nuclear safety agency raised the assessment of danger to 5 on a scale of 7. That makes the crisis comparable to the partial meltdown at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island reactor in 1979, but not to the total meltdown at Chernobyl in 1986. In the only country ever struck by atomic bombs, is there residual fear of radiation — even for medicine? What must it be like for the workers trying to control one of history's worst nuclear calamities? We speak with former inspector who blew the whistle on the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, a Hiroshima survivor and others.

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Reporter's Notebook

Is the US Headed Toward Another War? ()

After the UN Security Council authorized "all necessary measures" to protect citizens in Libya, Colonel Moammar Gadhafi declared a cease-fire. While President Obama voiced agreement with European and Arab allies that a cease-fire must be implemented immediately, he vowed that the US will not "deploy ground troops into Libya."

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