Archive for March 2011

Reflections from Pax Christi

Lent 2011:  Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Lent from Pax Christi USA:


1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a  |  Ephesians 5:8-14  |  John 9:1-41
The passages today are linked by a common reference to sightor seeing. The first reading has God explaining to Samuel, “God does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” In John’s gospel, Jesus approaches a man who is blind from birth. Neglecting to answer the question the disciples ask regarding the man’s sinfulness, Jesus instead seizes the opportunity to do the work of the one who has sent him. He covers the man’s eyes with clay and spittle and instructs him to wash in the pool of Siloam. The man returns able to see.


But the reaction of the man’s neighbors is telling. They reveal how deeply marginalized this blind beggar was by noting, though they regularly would see him, that they weren’t sure if this was the same man. Before, they had barely raised their eyes to even look at him! Instead of rejoicing over his newfound sight, they promptly march him off to the Pharisees. The Pharisees quickly interrogate him, insult him and accuse him of lying. Even his parents maintain their distance for fear of sharing in the trouble his sight has brought him!

However, on the second visit to the Pharisees, we see a transformation in the man born blind. No longer is he a passive object in these events, only present to be acted upon by others. Now he “sees” the situation for what it really is. Now he becomes the active agent in the drama, challenging the Pharisees and even purporting to teach the teachers! The change from marginalized spectator to empowered disciple is complete.

In the wake of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, many people began to ask questions about why someone would do such a thing to the United States. Our government’s ready answer was that others are simply jealous of the freedom we enjoy. Americans were encouraged to go back to business-as-usual, to leave the hard questions to our leaders and to our do our duty, which they primarily define as consuming to support the economy. For decades we have been blind to how U.S. economic and military policies impoverish and threaten millions around our planet, but now more of us are starting to see. May our sight convert us into agents for gospel transformation in our world, so that no one will live in fear or amid violence, and all may live in dignity and peace. Amen.

This reflection is from Rise, and Do Not Be Afraid: Reflections for Lent 2002 by Johnny Zokovitch, Director of National Field Operations for Pax Christi USA.


http://paxchristiusa.org/2011/03/30/lent-2011-reflection-for-fourth-sunday-of-lent/

Taking On

Below is a selection from Giving Up & Taking On: A Lenten Devotional, a publication from Shift, a ministry of the Young Adult Council, the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church. 

To view the whole resource, visit http://www.bwcumc.org/files/pdf/shiftlentendevotional2011.pdf.

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Taking On: Matthew 11: 25-30


Have you ever taken on something that seemed impossible? Maybe you were the first in your family to go to college. Maybe you completed a marathon to raise money for an important cause. Perhaps you have accepted all of the responsibilities of marriage, or taken on the challenge of raising children. At least a few times in our lives, most of us will rise to a major challenge, because we believe that the rewards will be worth the struggle.

These challenges can be some of the most difficult things we attempt in life. Yet, they are also defining moments in our lives. People who complete major athletic endeavors often say that the moment of achieving their goal is worth all of the struggle and pain it takes to get there. Despite the many challenges of raising children, most parents can not imagine their lives without their sons and daughters. Most college graduates will say that the things they learned , the friendships they formed, and the pride of receiving their degree was worth all of the hard work along the way.

The same can be said for following Jesus. Living a Christian life is perhaps the greatest challenge that any of us will ever face. Taking on the yoke of Jesus is a serious commitment, a defining moment in our lives. Yet Jesus promises that, sooner or later, we will rest in the rightness and peace of that decision. Once we truly accept the challenge of living with Jesus, we will not be able to imagine life without Him.

Prayer: Jesus, following you is not always easy. Please grant me the courage to accept your challenge, the strength to persevere, and the peace that comes from knowing I am on the right path. Amen.


For information, please check out www.bwcumc.org/youngadults or contact us at yac@bwcumc.org.

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries/territories participating. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.
Earth Hour - Chile
In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries/territories officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.
On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.
Earth Hour 2011 will take place on Saturday 26 March at 8.30PM (local time). This Earth Hour we want you to go beyond the hour, so after the lights go back on think about what else you can do to make a difference. Together our actions add up.

Source: Here

SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT

A Lenten Reflection from Busted Halo

A short, but meaningful post from Busted Halo from their Fast Pray Give Lenten Calendar:
 
http://www.bustedhalo.com/dailyjolt/lent-2011-march-25

Pollutions Are Everywhere


Sources of Pollutions


Smoke from industries can pollute the air that can cause haze..



Smoke from the vehicle also contribute to pollute the air..


Open burning is one of the source to pollute the air..


Oil spill can cause pollution in the water..


Throw rubbish everywhere can effect the content of soil

Effects from Pollution


We can see the marine life died..Do u imagine this pollution happen continously..it will effect our food sources


Do you want our children sleep with face mask?? How pity they are..we must save environment


Look..the haze will cover the air..it can make we harder for breathe..

We still can save our environment..these pollutions are coming from us..think about it..

SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT!!

Africans who sought refuge in Libya especially vulnerable

From Catholic News Service and National Catholic Reporter:


SASKATOON, Saskatchewan -- Africans who sought refuge in Libya before the recent turmoil are particularly vulnerable and need protection now, said Ellen Erickson, refugee sponsorship representative for the Diocese of Saskatoon.

An already bad situation in Libya for refugees worsened with the outbreak of the internal conflict and Western airstrikes, said Erickson.

While other foreign nationals fleeing the fighting can be repatriated, refugees, including many from Somalia and Eritrea, have nowhere to go, she said.

Erickson told Catholic News Service March 22 that the previous day she had received phone calls from Eritrean refugees in Tripoli, Libya's capital. They had been approved for resettlement to Canada and had been waiting for a flight out of the country when the unrest began in February, so they did not flee to the border. Now they are stuck in the capital with nowhere to go and no organizations to help, she said.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and Canadian officials are at the borders, but refugees would have to make it to the border, she said.

"There's no one there. They can hear the bombs falling," she said. "People have some real tough choices to make."

The Diocese of Saskatoon is one of the Canadian organizations expressing grave concerns about refugees in Libya, some of whom have connections to Canada, she said.

The Canadian Council for Refugees reports that sub-Saharan Africans are particularly vulnerable in Libya. Reports that the Libyan government was using mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa reinforced existing racial discrimination, leading to vicious attacks on black Africans. Many refugees were in hiding.

Some 8,000 refugees were registered in Libya with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and about 3,000 more were seeking asylum.

Erickson described the plight of eight Eritreans living in one room in Tripoli. Four of them had been accepted in principle for resettlement to Canada. Since the beginning of the revolt, they had only once dared leave the room. They were giving money for food to an elderly Libyan woman, but they were running out of money because it was not safe to go out for work.

One of the men fled Eritrea more than two years ago. He was imprisoned several times in Libya before he was granted a U.N. refugee identity card. His aunt is a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Saskatoon and was part of a group sponsoring him to come to Canada, said Erickson.

Some refugees managed to escape Libya and were stranded in one of the neighboring countries.
Bishop Giovanni Martinelli of Tripoli told Vatican Radio March 22 that the Western airstrikes and explosions go on all night, making it impossible to sleep.

"The city has become a ghost town. There is silence, death, humiliation," he said. "Many people have left the city to go to their family's villages because it's impossible to stay in the city. Really, it has the air of a cemetery."

Bishop Martinelli said it is time "to put an end to the bombardments, fix a cease-fire and try to see if it is possible -- through mediation, through contacts with people close to the Libyan government -- if there is a solution."

He said that while most people -- including almost all of the Catholics -- who were able to flee did leave, "a little remnant of the people of God remains. I cannot leave, we can't leave the people. It's not just the Christians, but also our Libyan friends who tell us, 'Thank you for staying with us. Thank you for giving us hope.'"

Canada has already been active in its response to the Libyan crisis, including granting $5 million in humanitarian aid. Canadian immigration officials were trying to finalize the cases of privately sponsored refugees who have made it to the Libyan border with Tunisia. UNHCR was working with Canadian officials to move these cases to Canada as soon as possible.

The Canadian Council for Refugees asked the Canadian government to work with other governments and international organizations to promote the evacuation and protection of all affected refugees. In addition, the council urged the government to include refugees with a pending application to Canada in the measures to evacuate Canadian citizens and to fast-track refugee and immigration applications to Canada from refugees affected by the Libyan crisis.

The Diocese of Saskatoon and Jesuit Refugee Service were among those that endorsed the recommendations.

Recipes for Lent

Every Lenten season, Catholic Relief Services helps us to focus on the "almsgiving" part of Lent.  We take our extra change and put it in the Operation Rice Bowl box which goes to support the work of CRS in the poorest countries in the world.

To go along with that, they have posted a list of simple, meatless recipes from those countries where they serve.  Take a look at the recipes and try one out as a way to be in solidarity with those in the developing world.

http://orb.crs.org/resources/recipes/

They Touch the Very Heart of God: A Reflection on Romero

Dear friends, 
As we approach the 31st anniversary of the assassination of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, please take the time to read this reflection from our friends at Christians for Peace in El Salvador . - Adam
Every March, we reflect on the meaning of Archbishop Oscar Romero in our lives, and most especially at CRISPAZ, in our mission. Today we consider the words of Romero, below, taken from his diary in March of 1980, and we consider the meaning of his words in the reflection below his diary entry.
"Once more the Lord asks Cain: Where is your brother Able? And although Cain answers the Lord that he is not his brother's keeper, the Lord replies, 'The blood of your brother is crying out to me from the earth. Because of that, this land curses you, it has opened his mouth to receive from your hands the blood of your brother. Although you till the land, it will not reward you with its truthfulness, you will wander lost in the world,' words from Genesis chapter 4 (10-12). And this continues to be the principal concern of the church, this is what obliges it to raise its voice incessantly, untiringly, week after week, as if crying in the wilderness. This is nothing so important to the church as human life, as the human being. Especially the person of the poor and oppressed, who besides being human beings, are divine beings, so that, as Jesus said, anything that is done for them, he regards as done for him. And this blood, the blood, the death which is there beyond all politics, touches the vey heart of God and makes it impossible for either the agrarian reform, or the nationalization of the bank, or other measures that have been promised to bear fruit if there is blood."
Archbishop Oscar Romero, from his diary of March 16, 1980, just more than a week before his murder in San Salvador. From "Through the Year with Oscar Romero: Daily Meditations," translated by Irene B. Hodgson, Ph.D.
Archbishop Oscar A. Romero called Salvadorans, and indeed all members of the universal church, to liberation throughout two years of ministry dedicated to a stand against injustice that culminated in his death in March 1980. He denounced injustice, the impoverishment of the many against the riches of the few, and he called for an accompaniment of his people during their own struggles for dignity and the right to be treated as human beings. He was, quite simply, a prophet. (See a video of Romero by clicking here.

The truth of Romero's call to accompaniment remains the same today as it was 31 years ago; only circumstances have changed. An oppression of the poor still permeates society in El Salvador, now manifested in the form of gang violence and heightened crime in general; the raping of the land and natural resources by "first world" enterprises so that the few can be enriched; and a spiraling maelstrom of poverty that is multiplied by the forces of globalization and treaties such as the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement.
As Romero knew and preached, oppression can only be addressed and therefore canceled by those with influence. Those of you receiving this e-zine letter are among those that Romero was speaking to when he asked that people of faith join hand-in-hand with his Salvadoran flock. And as Romero reminded us above, the poor and oppressed, besides being human beings, are divine beings; anything that is done for them is done for Christ. And any oppression against them is oppression against the Lord as well.
We are grateful for the sacrifice of Archbishop Romero. We remember him again this March 24, the anniversary of his martyrdom for his beloved Salvadoran people.

Can Imagine If Rain In Malaysia Consist Radiation?

Hye everybody..today we will discuss about the effects of radiation..i know maybe some of you do not know their effects..so, i will share to you about it..


Effects on Humans

Certain body parts are more specifically affected by exposure to different types of radiation sources. Several factors are involved in determining the potential health effects of exposure to radiation. These include:
  • The size of the dose (amount of energy deposited in the body)
  • The ability of the radiation to harm human tissue
  • Which organs are affected
The most important factor is the amount of the dose - the amount of energy actually deposited in your body. The more energy absorbed by cells, the greater the biological damage. Health physicists refer to the amount of energy absorbed by the body as the radiation dose. The absorbed dose, the amount of energy absorbed per gram of body tissue, is usually measured in units called rads. Another unit of radation is the rem, or roentgen equivalent in man. To convert rads to rems, the number of rads is multiplied by a number that reflects the potential for damage caused by a type of radiation. For beta, gamma and X-ray radiation, this number is generally one. For some neutrons, protons, or alpha particles, the number is twenty.

Hair

The losing of hair quickly and in clumps occurs with radiation exposure at 200 rems or higher.

Brain

Since brain cells do not reproduce, they won't be damaged directly unless the exposure is 5,000 rems or greater. Like the heart, radiation kills nerve cells and small blood vessels, and can cause seizures and immediate death.

Thyroid

The certain body parts are more specifically affected by exposure to different types of radiation sources. The thyroid gland is susceptible to radioactive iodine. In sufficient amounts, radioactive iodine can destroy all or part of the thyroid. By taking potassium iodide can reduce the effects of exposure.

Blood System

When a person is exposed to around 100 rems, the blood's lymphocyte cell count will be reduced, leaving the victim more susceptible to infection. This is often refered to as mild radiation sickness. Early symptoms of radiation sickness mimic those of flu and may go unnoticed unless a blood count is done.According to data from Hiroshima and Nagaski, show that symptoms may persist for up to 10 years and may also have an increased long-term risk for leukemia and lymphoma. For more information, visit Radiation Effects Research Foundation.

Heart

Intense exposure to radioactive material at 1,000 to 5,000 rems would do immediate damage to small blood vessels and probably cause heart failure and death directly.

Gastrointestinal Tract

Radiation damage to the intestinal tract lining will cause nausea, bloody vomiting and diarrhea. This is occurs when the victim's exposure is 200 rems or more. The radiation will begin to destroy the cells in the body that divide rapidly. These including blood, GI tract, reproductive and hair cells, and harms their DNA and RNA of surviving cells.

Reproductive Tract

Because reproductive tract cells divide rapidly, these areas of the body can be damaged at rem levels as low as 200. Long-term, some radiation sickness victims will become sterile.

Dose-rem
Effects
5-20Possible late effects; possible chromosomal damage.
20-100Temporary reduction in white blood cells.
100-200Mild radiation sickness within a few hours: vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue; reduction in resistance to infection.
200-300Serious radiation sickness effects as in 100-200 rem and hemorrhage; exposure is a Lethal Dose to 10-35% of the population after 30 days (LD 10-35/30).
300-400Serious radiation sickness; also marrow and intestine destruction; LD 50-70/30.
400-1000Acute illness, early death; LD 60-95/30.
1000-5000Acute illness, early death in days; LD 100/10.
                                                              

SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT!!

Issues About Japan Disaster Still Hot

19 March 2011 -- However, travellers should avoid travel to the areas most affected by the earthquake and tsunami because of disruptions to essential services, such as transport and electric power, and the ongoing disaster relief activities. WHO is providing answers like this to the general public's frequently asked questions concerning exposure, food, shelter and individual protective measures on the radiation incident in Japan.



As we know..we still do not allow to visit Japan..Please beware!!


SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT!!

Beginning to Begin Again

By Adam Brown


The child’s tugs at my shirtsleeve were incessant. “What are you giving up for Lent? What are you giving up?” He repeatedly asked as I stared dumbfounded, surrounded by books and moving boxes, a heavily stickered guitar case and other items I had acquired over the last few years.

Moving out of seminary and into the home of some friends, taking a job, and trading in clerical shirts for collar stays and ties made sacrificing chocolate seem like another life. “Not sure,” I said, and made another trip up the stairs.

My answer was a dismissive, but the boy would not be silenced. He kept hammering his point home until I made something up and continued my trek to the attic.

For many Catholics, the season of Lent can become a script that reads like the conversation I had with my friend’s son. We are living out the burdens of transition. We find that being over committed turns us into people we may not want to be. Still, the Church is tugging at our shirt sleeve, asking what we are doing to unite our suffering with the suffering and death of Jesus.

Some of the best Lenten advice I received during my volunteer year with the Gateway Vincentian Volunteers was from a board member who gave a presentation to our group. She said we had submitted to God’s will through our actions by giving a year of our lives to help others. She reminded us that through our service we had seen the face of Christ in the poor and touched others in ways that we may not have known. She emphasized we would benefit most from Lent by continuing to be open to the call of God and being gentle with ourselves.   

That changed my perspective on Lent from being strictly a time of sacrificing for the sake of the Church to being a time of transforming ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Religious discipline and self-transformation are not opposed to one another. Rather they are complementary and help us to become whole.

Becoming a daily communicant deepens one’s relationship with the Word of God and works to develop a person’s sense of the Paschal Mystery. Taking time to pray and think about ways we can improve key relationships in our lives will give a person a sense of the other and will help to ground relationships. And yes, giving up sweets will make us more healthful.

But the key is not what we do. It is who we are. Our faith is at once a witness to the mercy of God and a flourishing that we perform and perfect during our time on earth. During the season of Lent, make an effort to be open to the call of God, be open to loving the difficult people in your life, and try to be gentle with yourself.

Sign up for our Job Bank

Our Pallotti Center Job Bank is a weekly service that sends Catholic employment opportunities directly to your inbox! Check it out today. - Adam

A Letter of Introduction

Dear Pallotti Center blog followers:

My name is Adam Brown, and I have just been hired as the new Program Director for the Pallotti Center. Prior to coming to the Pallotti staff, I spent three years as a Catholic seminarian for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, which covers the entire state of West Virginia.

After graduating with a B.A. in Journalism from Marshall University, I completed a year of full-time Catholic volunteer service as a Gateway Vincentian Volunteer in St. Louis, Missouri. I look forward to working with you in the future and if you ever have questions please don’t hesitate to call or email.

Sincerely,
Adam Brown
adambrown@pallotticenter.org

John Dear on Japan's Tsunami, the Stations of the Cross and Resurrection

Jesuit peace activist John Dear discusses Japan's tsunami, the stations of the cross and resurrection in his weekly National Catholic Reporter column:
  
"Lent is a time to hear Jesus’ call to repent from our participation in systemic injustice and to welcome God’s reign of justice and peace with all our hearts. His call to repentance certainly means turning away from personal sin back toward his grace, but it also includes turning away from social, national, global institutionalized sin. Jesus wants us to reject the systemic injustice that kills millions around the planet. He wants us to change our lives, to start down a whole new path of love, service, nonviolence, and peace." - John Dear


Do You Know Side Effect of Japan Nuclear


Health effects

What are the acute health effects of radiation exposure?

  • If the dose of radiation exceeds a certain threshold level, then it can produce acute effects, such as skin redness, hair loss, radiation burns, and acute radiation syndrome (ARS1).
  • In a nuclear power plant accident, the general population is not likely to be exposed to doses high enough to cause such effects.
  • Rescuers, first responders and nuclear power plant workers are more likely to be exposed to doses of radiation high enough to cause acute effects.

What long-term effects can be expected from radiation exposure?

  • Exposure to radiation can increase the risk of cancer. Among the Japanese atomic bomb survivors, the risk of leukaemia increased a few years after radiation exposure, whereas the risks of other cancers increased more than 10 years after the exposure.
  • Radioactive iodine can be released during nuclear emergencies. If breathed in or swallowed, it will concentrate in the thyroid gland and increase the risk of thyroid cancer. Among persons exposed to radioactive iodine, the risk of thyroid cancer can be lowered by taking potassium iodide pills, which helps prevent the uptake of the radioactive iodine.
  • The risk of thyroid cancer following radiation exposure is higher in children and young adults.

ARS is a set of signs and symptoms that may develop after whole-body doses above 1 Sv (i.e. about 300 times the annual dose to background radiation). It is related to the damage of the bone marrow, where the blood cells are produced. At higher doses (>10 Sv) other organs may be affected (e.g. gastrointestinal, cardiovascular).
Do you imagine..if the radiation happen in Malaysia..that too dangerous..we hope this radiation do not enter our country..pray for our safety..amin..
SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT!!

Ash Wednesday, Revisited

This is a little late, but below is a great article written by Sister Joan Chittister, OSB that was listed on The Huffington Post:


Ash Wednesday and Lent: Beginning Again Always

Ash Wednesday signals the beginning of that season of the church year that is most commonly associated with penance. But there is a danger lurking in that definition. If penance is all that Lent is about, the season, if not almost useless, is at least somewhat trivial. It makes the spiritual life some kind of arithmetical balancing act. I do so many penances for so much human misadventure and payback time is over. The important thing is that I remember to come out even.


But Lent is a much greater moment in life than that. Today's readings make the distinction stark and clear.

The scripture for the opening of Lent, Joel 2:12-18, takes us back to a time of great danger in Israel. The land has been ravaged by locusts, the crops are failing. The very life of the population is in question. The prophet Joel, convinced that the people have brought the disaster upon themselves by virtue of their unfaithfulness, summons the House of Israel to repent its ways. But, interestingly enough, he does not call them to attend penance services in the synagogue. He does not require them to make animal sacrifices in the temple. He does not talk about public displays of remorse, the time-honored tearing of garments to demonstrate grief. No, Joel says instead, "Rend your hearts and not your clothing."

Lent is a call to weep for what we could have been and are not. Lent is the grace to grieve for what we should have done and did not. Lent is the opportunity to change what we ought to change but have not. Lent is not about penance. Lent is about becoming, doing and changing whatever it is that is blocking the fullness of life in us right now.

Lent is a summons to live anew.

The first challenge of Lent is to open ourselves to life. When we "rend our hearts" we break them open to things we are refusing for some warped reason to even consider. We have refused for years, perhaps, to even think about renewing old commitments that we've allowed to go to dust -- spending time with the children, visiting our parents, exercising, taking time to read good books. We've closed our minds, maybe, to the thought of reconciling with old friends whom we have hurt. We've refused to put the effort into reviving old spiritual practices like visits to church, meditation in the morning, the memorization of the psalms, that we allowed to die in our youth but failed to substitute for as we aged. We've failed to repent old abrasions, quick words, harsh judgements made in haste and expiated never. We have closed the doors of our hearts, as time went by, to so many of the things we need to live full and holy lives.

Lent is the time to let life in again, to rebuild the worlds we've allowed to go sterile, to "fast and weep and mourn" for the goods we've foregone. If our own lives are not to die from lack of nourishment, we must sacrifice the pride or the sloth or the listlessness that blocks us from beginning again.

Then, as Joel promises, God will have pity on us and pour into our hearts the life we know down deep that we are lacking.

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sister-joan-chittister-osb/beginning-again-always_b_830218.html)

The Latest News For Japan Disaster



5pm: The Japanese public is being asked not to resort to panic buying of fuel.
"The situation of supply of fuel such as gasoline, heavy oil and light oil is worsening in the quake-hit areas, and we are doing our best to secure and deliver them to these places," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.
Edano also made a call to the public to save energy as a shortage of power supply is expected for the time being due to the quake-induced accidents at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.
4.19pm: China is ordering strengthened radiation monitoring of shipments arriving at its ports in the wake of Japan's nuclear emergency.
The order was issued from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. It aims to track any goods contaminated by leaks from the nuclear plants damaged from Friday's earthquake and tsunami.
China is Japan's largest trading partner.
4.12pm: Efforts to find survivors and recover bodies from one of the most devastated areas of Japan have been bolstered by New Zealand Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) workers, Japanese media report.
The USAR team has arrived at the town of Minamisanriku, which was nearly completely destroyed in Friday's tsunami, NHK news reports.
It has been joined by other teams from countries including Australia and Sweden, the agency says.
Japanese officials have said more than half of Minamisanriku's 17,000 residents are missing.
Of all its buildings, only three have been left standing - the hospital, a wedding store and a school - despite the town's location several kilometres from the coast.
Fire Service national manager of special operations and team leader Jim Stuart-Black yesterday said he, the Australian USAR taskforce leader and Japanese emergency officials were discussing their planned operations in tsunami-affected areas.
"The team morale is great and we are very focused on the work ahead. We are setting up our base of operations and preparing to begin searching for survivors," he said.
The team was "well aware" of the nuclear power plant issues emerging 130km south of their base, he said.
"We have good information on the situation and are being kept well informed of all developments.
"We also have our own equipment and are constantly monitoring the atmosphere. The radiation levels here are the normal background levels."

3.41pm: Japan's top government spokesman says that a surge in radiation means workers are unable to continue even minimal efforts at Fukushima Daiichi. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said work on dousing reactors with water was disrupted when workers were forced to withdraw after radiation levels surged early in the day.
3.33pm: Two members of an Australian search and rescue team in Japan have been exposed to low level radiation during an unexpected landing at Fukushima airport.
The airport is 20 kilometres outside the exclusion zone mandated in the wake of damage to a nuclear power plant from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan on Friday.
"Two of the team ... were tested for contamination and they did show very low levels of contamination on their boots," Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard told reporters in Canberra.
Ms Gillard said search and rescue teams trained for dealing with contamination and the two men undertook decontamination procedures at their base more than 100 kilometres from the reactor site.
"The clear advice to me is that these two personnel are safe and well," she said.
3.25pm: South Korea says it will send some of its reserve boron to Japan after a request from Tokyo, Reuters reports.
Boron is being mixed with seawater to and being poured into Japan's crippled nuclear reactors as an emergency measure to limit damage .
It is the main material that goes into control rods used to halt or slow down fission reactions at nuclear reactors.
An economy ministry official said South Korea would send 52.6 tonnes of boron to Japan from its reserves of 310 tonnes.
A sample of the metalloid would be sent to Japan immediately for assessment.

2.59pm: Some 80,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel and police officers have been mobilised in Japan's most devastated areas, where temperatures have dropped to midwinter levels. The National Police Agency said it has confirmed 3,676 deaths in 12 prefectures, including Iwate and Miyagi, while 7,558 people remained unaccounted for in six prefectures.

2.44pm: Smoke is billowing from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japanese media report.
An NHK news helicopter hovering 30km away from the plant was streaming footage of the white smoke.
It was unclear which of its four damaged reactors it was coming from, the agency said.
2.03pm: The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant is considering spraying water and acid by helicopters and fire trucks into its troubled reactors to prevent further radiation from leaking. Masami Nishimura, a spokesman for Japan's nuclear safety agency, said Tokyo Electric Power Co. was considering the measures after a string of explosions and fires.
2pm: Apple has decided to postpone its planned launch of the iPad 2 in Japan, according to Kyodo News.
The company initially planned to put the tablet on sale on March 25, as well as in Europe and other markets, following its release in the United States last Friday.
A new release date in Japan has yet to be determined, company officials said.
"We are delaying the launch of the iPad 2 in Japan while the country and our teams focus on recovering from the recent disaster," the company said in a statement.
1.52pm: The Bank of Japan on is injecting 3.5 trillion yen into money markets to ease the negative impact on the country's financial system following Friday's earthquake. In the first 15 minutes of trading today, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average jumped 512.04 points, or 5.95 percent, following the biggest two-day sell-off on the Nikkei index for 24 years on fears of the threat of a nuclear meltdown.
1.48pm: A widely circulated blog post entitled "Why I am not worried about Japan's nuclear reactors" has been shown not to have stood up to scrutiny, a Salon reporter says.

The blog, written by Dr Josef Oehmen, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher, had said there was no chance of radiation being leaked for the Fukushima Daiichi plant and criticised media coverage of the crisis.
The post was widely quoted by other bloggers and in social media and was picked up by pro-nuclear power proponents.
However, Salon writer Justin Elliott today wrote that Dr Oehman was not a researcher in the university's nuclear engineering department, but rather works in Lean Advancement Initiative, which focuses on business management issues.
The post has since been moved from Dr Oehmen's blog, where he has since justified the contents of the post.
1.40pm: Japan's Self-Defence Force has rescued about 19,000 people between since the earthquake struck, mainly from coastal regions, NHK World reports.
1.23pm: Japan's nuclear safety agency says 70 per cent of the nuclear fuel rods in one of the plant's reactor may have been damaged.
Minoru Ohgoda said the damage occurred in Unit 1.
"It's likely that roughly about 70 per cent of the fuel rods may be damaged."
But he added: "We don't know the nature of the damage, and it could be either melting, or there might be some holes in them."
1.19pm: The latest fire to break out at Fukushima Daiichi has gone out of its own accord, the government says. "We have received information from TEPCO (the plant's operator) that the fire and smoke is now invisible and it appears to have gone out of its own accord," said Minoru Ogoda, a spokesman for the state nuclear safety agency.
1.15pm: Almost 150 Australians are still missing following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
There are 3715 Australians registered as being in Japan. Of those 3230 have been confirmed as safe, including 119 in the worst affected areas of the country.
However, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said 144 Australians remained unaccounted for and that number was in flux.
"I'd rather not say it's (the number) gone up or it's gone down, it's bouncing around," he told ABC Television.
About 250 government officials are on the ground in Japan.
12.40pm: Iodine tablets aimed at warding off radiation poisoning have been distributed to evacuation centres around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan.
Japanese authorities have been handing out the pills, which are designed to prevent cancer by shielding the thyroid from radiation, to those who were close to the fire and explosion-hit plant.
They have confirmed an evacuation of the area around the plant is complete, with no residents within 20km of its reactors.
All residents still within 30km of the plant have been urged to take cover indoors.


12.33pm: Flames are no longer visible at the Fukushima Daiichi unit 4 reactor, NHK World reports. No injuries have been reported.
12.25pm: MFAT has now confirmed 1815 New Zealanders are safe and well in Japan.
In a statement, the ministry said it had specific concerns around the safety of one last New Zealander, whom it would not name.
Consular staff are at Narita International Airport in Tokyo and Sendai in the northeast to assist New Zealanders.
It said those wishing to leave Japan should do so by commercial means.
All Kiwis in Japan should monitor developments via media, and follow the instructions of local authorities.
Anyone concerned about their safety should contact the embassy on +81 3 3467 2271 or the MFAT crisis centre on +64 4 439 8000.
12.11pm: Tokyo Electric Power Co says fire broke out again at its No. 4 reactor unit because the initial blaze was not completely extinguished.
11.35am: Local TV networks say about 50 workers are battling the blaze at the Fukushima power plant. CNN weather expert Chad Myers says there is some good news - the weather has changed and the wind will blow any radiation out to sea and away from Tokyo.
11.05am: A fresh fire has broken out at a reactor in the crippled Fukushima power plant.
Tokyo Electric Power Company confirmed flames were seen coming out of the building at 5.45am (9.45am NZT).
TEPCO has informed the fire service, however the building is reportedly inaccessible due to high radiation levels.
A fire at the same unit yesterday led to a sharp rise of radiation levels at the plant.
Meanwhile, national nuclear safety agency spokesman Masami Nishimura told AFP two workers missing from the plant disappeared after the quake and tsunami struck, not after the blast at the unit 2 reactor yesterday.
11am: Americans on two military bases south of Tokyo have been advised to stay indoors as much as possible and some have been given anti-radiation pills.
The US Navy said it was redirecting three ships to work in the Sea of Japan on the country's west coast rather than risk the hazards of radiation and the debris field in the waters off the east coast.
Sensitive air monitoring equipment on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington detected low levels of radioactivity from the Fukushima power plant as the carrier sat pier-side at Yokosuka, Commander Jeff Davis, a spokesman for the US 7th Flee, said.
Davis said that while there was no danger to the public from the radiation levels, the commander recommended as a precaution that military personnel and their families at the two bases, Yokosuka and Naval Air Facility Atsugi, limit their outdoor activities and seal ventilation systems at their homes as much as possible.
10.47am: The United Nations General Assembly has paused for a minute's silence to remember the victims of the disaster in Japan, BBC News reports.
Assembly President Joseph Deiss said the members had met to discuss disaster risk prevention only a month ago.
"Since then, reality in the form of the earthquake in New Zealand, now the disaster affecting Japan has reminded us of the importance of prevention, but also the difficulty of predicting every danger," Mr Diess said. "Even Japan, one of the best prepared countries can be devastated."
10.40am: The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says it has scrapped a plan to use helicopters to pour water into an overheated reactor.
A blaze which broke out yesterday has been extinguished but fears remain that water may boil away and the rods could be dangerously exposed.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. spokesman Hajimi Motojuku said helicopters were deemed impractical, but that other options were under consideration, including fire engines.
10.31am: US president Barack Obama is defending nuclear power as an important source of energy in the US.
In an interview with a Pittsburgh television station, Obama said nuclear facilities in the US were closely monitored and are designed to withstand certain levels of earthquakes.
He said he had been assured that Hawaii and the US West Coast will not be affected by radiation released from the damaged plant in Japan
.
10.20am: Canada has warned against travel to Japan, while downplaying radiation risks from a damaged reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
"We continue to advise Canadians not to take unnecessary travel to Japan. But there are no plans for an evacuation at this time," Prime Minister Stephen Harper told a press conference.
"There continues to be normal commercial airline service from Japan,'' he added. "If people want to leave, they have that option."
Fearing a nuclear meltdown, Canadians living on the Pacific Coast this week have ignored health authorities and emptied pharmacies of anti-radiation medicines.
10.13am: Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe says its 50 employees based in the country are in good shape.
But he was worried about New Zealand crews who stay overnight in Osaka and Tokyo.
One of the reasons he is in Japan is to reassure them the situation on the ground was quite different from what some media portrayed.
10.10am: The US-based Institute for Science and International Security agrees with the assessment of France's Nuclear Safety Authority that the incident at Fukushima should be classified as level 6 on the International Nuclear Event Scale, one below the Chernobyl disaster.
ISIS said the situation has "worsened considerably" following the third reactor blast yesterday and was now closer to a level 6 event - and may yet reach a level 7.
Fukushima is currently classified a level 4 incident.
"A level 6 event means that consequences are broader and countermeasures are needed to deal with the radioactive contamination," ISIS said. "A level 7 event would constitute a larger release of radioactive material, and would require further extended countermeasures. The international community should increase assistance to Japan to both contain the emergency at the reactors and to address the wider contamination. We need to find a solution together."
9.55am: There have been more than 460 aftershocks since the quake, three larger than magnitude 7 and around 50 larger than magnitude 6.
9.34am: Fukushima Daiichi plant operators are considering removing panels from the reactor buildings of units 5 and 6 to prevent a possible build-up of hydrogen in the future, the IAEA says.
Hydrogen build up led to the explosions at units 1, 2 and 3.
Units 5 and 6 were both shut down prior to the time of the earthquake, however both reactors are currently loaded with fuel.
Unit 4 was shut down for a routine, planned maintenance outage in November of last year and all fuel was transferred to the spent fuel pool following the earthquake. A fire at Unit 4 occurred yesterday and lasted two hours. The IAEA is seeking clarification on the nature and consequences of the fire.
9.18am:China became the first government to organise a mass evacuation of its citizens from Japan's northeast on Tuesday, local time, while other foreigners left the country following radiation leaks at an earthquake-damaged nuclear power plant.
Austria said it is moving its embassy from Tokyo to Osaka, 400 kilometres away, due to radiation concerns. France recommended that its citizens leave the Japanese capital, while the US government advised Americans to avoid travel to Japan.
The Chinese Embassy in Tokyo said on its website that it was preparing to send buses to remove its nationals from Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki and Iwate prefectures, the hardest-hit provinces.
The embassy said the evacuation was necessary "due to the seriousness of and uncertainty surrounding the accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant at present."
8.54am: An 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Eastern Honshu overnight was not connected to the 9 magnitude earthquake on Friday, the Japanese Meteorological Agency says.
The quake struck at a depth of 10km and was centred in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture at 10.31pm last night Japan time (2.31am today NZT).
The quake's magnitude was upgraded from an earlier the 6.2 earlier reported.
8.47am: Japanese PM Naoto Kan is reportedly losing faith in nuclear plant operators Tokyo Electric Power Company.
News agency Kyodo reported Kan was unhappy not have been told about the blast at Fukushima Daiichi's number 2 unit yesterday.
"The TV reported an explosion, but nothing was said to the prime minister's office for more than an hour," Kan was reported to have said. "What the hell is going on?"
8.13am: A 30km no-fly zone has been established around the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the IAEA says. The Japan Coast Guard has also established evacuation warnings within 10km of Fukushima Daiichi and three kilometres of Fukushima Daini. An evacuation of the population from the 20-kilometre zone around Fukushima Daiichi is in effect. Japanese authorities have advised people within 30km stay indoors. Iodine tablets have been distributed to evacuation centres but no decision has yet been taken on their administration.
8.09am: Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara apologised yesterday after remarking the earthquake and tsunami were "divine punishment" for the Japanese people, who he said were tainted with egoism, Japan Timesreported.
"Japanese politics is tainted with egoism and populism. We need to use tsunami to wipe out egoism, which has rusted onto the mentality of Japanese over a long period of time," Ishihara told media.
"I think [the disaster] is 'tembatsu' (divine punishment), although I feel sorry for disaster victims."
Ishihara, who is seeking re-election for a fourth term in April, said he should have thought about the feelings of the victims.
"I will take back (the remark) and offer a deep apology," he said.
7.39pm: A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck in Eastern Honshu at 10.31pm last night Japan time (2.31am today NZT) , the United States Geological Agency reported.
The quake struck at a depth of 10km and was centred in the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Six people were hospitalised for falls and powerlines were downed, NHK World reported.
The Hamaoka nuclear power plant is sited around 100km from the epicentre, however authorities have confirmed the plant continues to operate safely.
Units 1 and 2 are decommissioned, Unit 3 is under inspection and not operational, and Units 4 and 5 remain in safe operational status after the earthquake, the IAEA said.
7.33pm: Japanese police say the death toll is now 3,373, and more than 7,000 remain unaccounted for, NHK reported.
7.27pm: A man and an elderly woman have been rescued more than 90 hours after the earthquake struck, NHK World has reported.
The man was rescued from a collapsed building in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, 96 hours after the quake, the TV station reported.
Four hours earlier a 70-year-old woman was rescued from the wreckage of her home in Otsuchi Town, Iwate Prefecture.
She is being treated at a hospital in Kamaishi City suffering from hypothermia but is in stable condition.
This is the latest update from Japan Disaster..u can see how face this problem..we hope this situation will be fine as soon as possible

NEVER SAY NEVER..peace!!