Mexico is still battling the biggest fire in their history. The Coahuila fire has burned more than 400,000 acres (180,000 hectares). It started in mid-March, probably by lighting.
The fires have come within 62 miles (100 kilometers) of the Texas border. The fires are surrounding the cities of Acuña, Arteaga, Muzquiz, and Ocampo.
Toyota announced that they will reduce production in China, to 50%. Parts supply problems are blamed. The reduced production will last until June 3.
The Japanese government is considering drastic ways to increase government revenue to pay for rebuilding, due to the March 11 disasters.
They are considering raising utility fees, increasing existing taxes, and creating new taxes. In a recent NHK poll only 37% of people had no problem with paying higher taxes.
“I was in Tokyo when the earthquake hit, and everything stopped. Trains stopped, buses were in chaos and cars were jammed. Within that, you could just see bicycles swimming through. Some of our stores stayed open until 4 a.m. to meet the surge in demand.”-Susumu Shimoda, Asahi Co. President
Bicycle sales in Tokyo tripled thanks to the March 11 disasters. People needed a way to get home after all normal modes of transport got shut down.
For the retailer Asahi, sales surged 200%. It’s not just the disasters that are pedaling bike sales upward: “In addition to the disorder in the public transportation system, rising gasoline prices are also boosting the demand for bicycles.”-Akinori Sato, Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Company
Bike parts maker Shimano also reported increase in sales, as well as Taiwan bike maker Giant Manufacturing Company.
The United Kingdom (Britain), a member of NATO, and a United Nations coalition member supposedly enforcing UNSCR 1973, announced they are sending 20 commandos to train Libyan rebels.
UNSCR 1973 states that efforts should be made only to protect civilians.
Recently NATO members (including the United States) announced that their main objective is to get rid of Moammar Gadhafi (Gaddafi), which is also a violation of UNSCR 1973.
The United Kingdom has admitted to sending 1,000 suits of body armor, and satellite phones, to the rebels. NATO members are also considering sending the rebels electronic counter measure equipment.
The total disregard for UNSCR 1973, by coalition forces, and the lack of condemnation by the United Nations, is proof that any resolution passed by the UN is worthless.
Tokyo Electric Power Company says high radiation levels, and high humidity, is slowing up robots being used to inspected the reactor buildings at Fukushima Daiichi.
In Reactor 2 building the humidity was so high it fogged the robot’s camera lens.
In Reactor 3, there is too much debris from the hydrogen gas explosion. They will use another robot that can clear the debris, some of which weighs 100kg (220 pounds).
Officials have decided it’s too dangerous to dig through the caved in roof of the Lucky Friday mine, near Mullan, Idaho.
They will now try digging two new shafts to get to Larry Marek. He and his brother were working in the mine on Friday, when the roof caved in.
Digging the new shafts could take seven days. Temperatures inside the mine, at the depth Marek was working, can hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 Celsius).
Cuban President Raul Castro announced that Cubans can now sell, and buy homes. Up ’till now Cubans could only pass on their homes to children, or arrange complicated trades.
Raul Castro warned that Cubans will not be allowed to collected large amounts of property, under the new rules.
Fidel Castro approved of the communist party decision. The Cuban communist party also agreed to let the general population have access to credit. Since October 2010 more than 200,000 Cubans have started businesses.
The Cuban communist party also made the revolutionary statement that they will not be involved with the administration of the state government.
Fire fighters in one part of Texas are reporting a strange phenomenon in their battle to control wildfires: ‘Ice capping’.
70 miles west of Fort Worth, embers from the fires have gone so high into the atmosphere that they’ve frozen and fallen back to the ground. It’s an indicator of how hot the fires are, for embers to go that high.
The fires continue, out of control, homes burning. One family, in the city of Austin, returned from a weekend trip to find their home, and their pet gone. What makes it worse is they say their home was the only one on their street that burned: “All the other houses got saved except ours … we’re just kind of speechless right now.”-Kris Griffin
Rescuers are bringing in more equipment to dig out Larry Marek. A section of roof caved in on him and his brother last Friday, his brother got out.
The latest info is that a large diamond drill will be used to drill a hole through the debris, to try and determine if Marek is alive. It could take two days to drill through the 185 feet (56.3 meters) of dirt.
Rescue efforts are slow because the size of the collapse was underestimated. Rescuers are also waiting for parts, so they can use a bigger drone digger.
The company that owns the Lucky Friday mine, Hecla, has a good safety record going back to 2000. But there have been accidents at other Idaho mines. Last June a miner was killed when a slab of rock fell on him, while he was working at the Galena Mine.