ANXIETY IN JAPAN OVER RADIATIONIN TAP WATER
Higher than normal levels of radiation in tap water have led to a shortage of bottled water in Tokyo and thousands of people in Japan's northeast remained without access to drinking water. Also, electricity has not been restored to at least 200,000 homes. As the worry over water peaked, the government on Thursday said the number of people confirmed dead or listed as missing topped 26,000, 13 days after the twin disasters of earthquake and tsunami hit the country. The National Police Agency put the number of people confirmed to have been killed at 9,700, with a further 16,501 listed as missing. A total of 2,766 people have been listed as injured and more than 350,000 people are homeless. Radiation levels above safety norms for infants were found in the water purification system in Kawaguchi, Saitama prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo.
On Thursday, Russia, Australia, Canada, the Phillipines and Singapore became the latest countries to restrict Japanese food imports.
FRENCH JET SHOOTS DOWN A LIBYAN PLANE
A French fighter jet has reportedly attacked and destroyed a Libyan plane identified as a trainer aircraft near Misurata, a US official has said. The AP news agency cited an official as saying the Libyan plane may have been landing when it was attacked by a French Rafael fighter jet enforcing the UN-backed no-fly zone over Libya on Thursday. The incident is still under investigation. In a separate development, French fighter jets also struck an air base deep inside Libya, while NATO ships patrolled the coast to block arms and mercenaries entering the country.Coalition bombers also struck artillery, arms depots and parked helicopters on Thursday. However the coalition bombardment has failed to stop Gaddafi's forces from shelling opposition held towns. Government tanks are closing in on Misurata hospital and shelling the area.
ISRAELI ATTACKS KILL EIGHT IN GAZA
At least eight Palestinians, including children, have been killed in mortar attacks and airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The deaths occurred in two separate attacks on the eastern part of Gaza City on Tuesday, witnesses said.Two of the dead were aged 11 and 16, and four of them were from the al-Quds Brigade, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, a spokesman for the group said. Four people died when a shell slammed into a family home in Shejaiya, medical sources told AFP news agency. Several hours later, another four were killed - all of them fighters - in an air raid in the nearby Zeitun neighbourhood on Tuesday.
ATHENS NEWS
PRESIDENT CALLS FOR UNITY IN MESSAGE TO GREEKS ABROAD
In his message for Friday's March 25 national holiday, President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias said that "in the present era, the main characteristic of which is the economic crisis, a comparable unanimity and vigilance is mandatory in order for a creative response to be given to the existing challenges and difficulties we have ahead of us."Despite the adverse conditions arising both at national and international level, we do not forget that only united can we make the impossible feasible." Addressing the country's "ambassadors abroad", as he called the overseas Greeks, Papoulias stressed that they are the bridge between the homeland and the countries in which they live, work and progress.
GREECE READY FOR DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVE IN LIBYA
"Greece is ready to undertake diplomatic initiatives leading to the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1973 for a peaceful solution to the problem of Libya that will satisfy all political forces in the country and avert greater military action in the region," Alternate Defence Minister Panos Beglitis on Tuesday stressed. Speaking in an Athens private radio, he said that as regards the Greek participation "our country's and our government's position is very clear. We respect international law and we defend the UN decisions and our relations with our allies and partners". Government spokesman Yiorgos Petalotis on Tuesday stressed that Greece's role in Libya will only be supportive in nature as dictated by international conventions and underlined that Greece is in favour of peaceful solutions through the diplomatic route.
OLYMPIAKOS WINS 38th LEAGUE TITLE
Olympiakos clinched its 38th Greek league championship on Sunday by thrashing Aek 6-0 after scoring three goals in each half in front of a delirious home crowd of 33,000. Rafik Djebbour, who joined Olympiakos from Aek in January after falling out with coach Manolo Jimenez, scored twice with Olof Mellberg, David Fuster, Kevin Mirallas and Iosif Holebas adding a goal apiece in Olympiakos' biggest victory of the season. The victory also matched Olympiakos' biggest margin against AEK, set 30 years ago.
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