On the evening of 13 May, the Central American country Costa Rica, was hit by a 6.0 quake. The epicenter is near the Arenal volcano.
Then, in the early morning of 14 May, Japan was hit by a 6.2 quake (some reports say 5.7), near the same spot as 11 March 9.0 earthquake, off the coast of Fukushima. Initially a tsunami warning was issued, but was canceled. No word on any damage to the nuke plants in Fukushima.
The first death connected to the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has occurred. A 60 year old man working for a subcontractor, fell unconscious while removing nuclear waste.
Tokyo Electric Power Company officials say he was wearing a full protective suit, and claim he was not exposed to radiation. It’s reported that the worker complained of feeling ill before collapsing. He was rushed to a hospital where he died.
An audio recording of Gaddafi was played on Libyan TV May 13. He state that he was alive and called the West “cowards”. For weeks Italian media speculated that he was wounded or dead.
“I thank all the presidents, ministers, ambassadors and all the people of the world who have expressed their deep concerns on my life after the attack.”-Muammar Gaddafi
Italian officials reporting that Libyan Catholic Bishop, Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, says Gaddafi has left Triopli, and is wounded.
For weeks the Italian media reported that Gaddafi was dead. Libyan government denies both claims.
General Kahlid Shamim Wynne, Pakistan’s Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, canceled his planned six day visit to the United States.
The General has not yet given a reason.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani, said in an interview on May 12, that communication between the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, and Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence has broken down.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, and Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency officials, announced that a shield will be built to entomb Reactor 1, at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
It was discovered that Reactor 1 did indeed experience fuel rod melt down! To try and reduce the amount of radiation spewing from the reactor a shield will be built around it. Construction will start in June. TEPCo still has to deal with contaminated water pouring from the building.
U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter was summoned to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, where an official protest was issued to him.
Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Secretary, Salman Bashir, officially stated that the May 2 operation to assassinate Osama bin Laden was an attack on Pakistan. He added the Pakistan will not tolerate any future operations from the U.S., without consultation.
Ambassador Munter said it was regretful that the U.S. did not consult with the Pakistani government before the operation.
The May 2 operation, and the fact that U.S. drone attacks continue, is splitting the Pakistani government. Several political parties in the Pakistani Parliament, are calling for an end to relations with the U.S.
Since the supposed assassination of Osama bin Laden, the United States has actually increased the number of drone attacks in Pakistan.
Since May 2 there have been four attacks.
An unnamed official says the assassination of bin Laden will not affect U.S. policy in Pakistan: “There are absolutely no plans at present to cease or scale back U.S. counter terrorism operations in Pakistan.”
As if the United States and Europe aren’t doing enough for the Libyan Civil War. Today, May 13, Libyan rebel reps are meeting with President Obama, to ask for more money.
Mahmoud Jebril, with the rebel’s National Transitional Council, is asking that Obama turn over the frozen assets of Gaddafi. Jebril is a U.S. educated technocrat, who is helping to lead the rebel campaign against the Libyan government.
Jebril says that if the rebel Council doesn’t get more money soon, they will not be able to pay their mercenaries, I mean rebel troops. The implication is that the so called rebel freedom fighters would walk away.
In the rebel controlled city of Berga, at least 16 civilians were killed, 40 wounded, after NATO planes bombed them.
Witnesses say most of the victims were Muslim clerics. They were holding a religious meeting at a home in the city. Many rebels now doubt that NATO is acting to protect civilians in rebel held territory. They point out that NATO rarely acts when they need them, and, as in the recent airstrike on Berga, NATO has bombed civilians on several occasions.