NPR News 2011-03-16 加文本

NPR News 2011-03-16

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Carol Van Dam.

Japan's Transportation Ministry has imposed a no-fly zone over a 20-mile radius around the badly damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. A military spokesman says the fears of more radioactive particles leaking from the complex after a fire in three explosions prompted the decision. The zone does not apply to helicopters that could be sent into the plant to spray water over a reactor where a cooling pool for spent-fuel rods might be overheating. Officials have told residents in the area to stay inside their homes. Doualy Xaykaothao in nearby Koriyama City says many coastal residents apparently don't feel safe at home.

The lines continue. People are essentially moving away from the coast regardless of the 20-mile radius which the government says is safe. And the prime minister said stay inside, but people in fact are disregarding that, putting themselves in their cars and driving away from the area.

Doualy Xaykaothao reporting. Japanese officials are scrambling to address the safety breaches at four out of six reactors at the nuclear complex following Friday's earthquake and tsunami.

Iran has denounced the movement of Saudi troops into Bahrain. NPR's Mike Shuster reports from nearby Iraq that the Iranian government had tough words for the Saudi government.

"Unacceptable." That's how Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman characterized the Saudi move during a news conference in Tehran. On Monday night, some 1,000 Saudi troops rode into Bahrain in small armored carriers. They came via the causeway that separates the tiny island kingdom from Saudi Arabia. The king of Bahrain asked for the troops despite pressure from the US to negotiate with demonstrators who have taken to the streets to demand democracy. Bahrain's people are mostly Shia but the Sunni minority rules. Iran has often criticized Bahrain's government for its treatment of the Shia. The Iranian spokesman said the arrival of Saudi troops, in his words, will further complicate the issue. He added: "Violent confrontation is not the solution to the legitimate demands of the people." Mike Shuster, NPR News, Baghdad.

The Fed's keeping its monetary policy unchanged. Steve Beckner reports.

The Fed's policymaking Federal Open Market Committee in a unanimous vote is keeping the federal funds rate near zero, where it's been for more than two years, and repeats it will keep that key short-term interest rate exceptionally low for an extended period. What's more, Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues plan to keep buying treasury bonds through midyear to hold down long-term rates. Making no mention of Middle East turmoil or earthquake damage to Japan's important economy, the Fed says the recovery is on a firmer footing. While acknowledging oil prices have risen significantly, the Fed says that's likely to be transitory and calls underlying inflations "subdued", even low relative to the Fed's target. For NPR News, I'm Steve Beckner in Washington.

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is telling Egyptians to seize the moment and build on the success of the revolution that has ousted long-time autocratic leaders across the region. Speaking in Cairo today, she said it's going to be hard, work to continue demanding democratic reforms, but says America will help. Clinton says the transition that's happening right now is as important as the peaceful protests that led to the fall of Hosni Mubarak's 31-year leadership.

Owsley Stanley has died. He was known for producing large quantities of LSD during the 1960 and for his sound recording work with the Grateful Dead. NPR's Margot Adler reports Stanley was killed in a car crash in Australia at the age of 76.

Owsley Stanley became famous for his LSD, which included names like White Lightning and Monterey Purple. Owsley acid was considered the purest in quality. Stanley was also a very good sound engineer, who worked for the Grateful Dead and was their financial backer. Lyrics sung by the Dead, by Jimmy Hendrix and Frank Zappa have references to Stanley and his brushes with the law. Stanley was never repentant about his role in producing the drug and spent two years in prison. He told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2007: "What I did was a community service, the way I look at it." Stanley moved to Australia in the 1980s, convinced that an ice age was coming to the Northern Hemisphere. A family statement says Stanley is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Margot Adler, NPR News.

In Miami, the mayor could be recalled from office after a campaign led by a billionaire car dealer mobilized thousands upset over property tax increases and a raise for county workers. Carlos Alvarez was twice-elected mayor of Miami-Dade.

On Wall Street, the Dow Industrials are down 136.

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