That was 2011...in news

STUDYING journalism at University, it is essential to keep updated on the latest news around the world, no matter if it has any influence on you.  2011 has been one of the most dramatic news years in recent times, but sadly – there were a lot of dark forces and the stories don’t lie.  Natural disasters, media revelations, economic crisis, uprisings in a new world and man-made riots made it a fairly depressing year for many.

         The heart of Japan was ripped out in March by a devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country.  An 8.9 earthquake on the Richter scale; the most powerful in Japan’s history was followed by a 30ft tsunami which swept away everything in its path.  Cars, people, buildings stood absolutely no chance against Mother Nature’s deadly power.  Many thousands were killed and it is unlikely that the total death toll will ever be recorded, due to the sheer destruction.  It was a year when natural disasters sadly came right to the forefront again.  Flash flooding recently has claimed the lives of 500 people in the Philippines; Brazil was hit by massive landslides which left 15,000 homeless in January.  Australia had to bring in the military following widespread flooding in Queensland and Brisbane, which left at least 25 people dead and nearby neighbours New Zealand were left reeling by the earthquake in Christchurch in February which left over 100 dead.   

         Back at home and the media had its own cross examinations, in the form of a gulfing scandal.  The phone hacking scandal not only stained the reputation of the British print industry, but it has left it with a lot of damage to attempt recovery from.  Andy Coulson, who was David Cameron’s former press aide, was arrested and the chief executive of News International, Rebekah Brooks, eventually resigned from her tainted position.  The Murdoch’s faced severe interrogation from MPs over the actions of rogue journalists, which spelt the end for the News of the World newspaper in July.  The voicemails of murdered teen Milly Dowler were hacked into and many celebrities, including Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller and Andy Gray reported cases of their conversations being taped.  The Leveson enquiry into this summer’s distasteful events is being held at the moment, but the implications are still far reaching for the press sector of media.

         In America, the former doctor of Michael Jackson, Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.  He has since been sentenced to four years in prison.  Meanwhile, student Amanda Knox was cleared on appeal on the murder of fellow British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia.  Knox had spent four years in jail, having been initially convicted in 2007.  

      America also said goodbye to the Space Shuttle, as Atlantis made its final mission in July.  Having been in service for 30 years, the reusable spacecraft has been retired after some success and devastating disasters in American space exploration history.  In Europe, an economic meltdown has seen the Euro on the brink of collapse.  Greece, Ireland and Portugal have asked for emergency bailouts and a recent EU treaty proposal was rejected by David Cameron, which has left Britain playing a dangerous game, but a correct game against Europe.  It has seen tensions rise in the coalition though.  The Liberal Democrats might be at war with the Conservatives with this, but they also lost the AV vote referendum and suffered severe losses in May’s local elections.  In 2010, Nick Clegg was on a crest on a wave, but now, he is among one of the most unpopular politicians ever to have walked in Downing Street!

        The springtime brought about a changing of the guard in the Arab world.  It started with the rebellion in Tunisia, which led to their president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fleeing to Saudi Arabia.  Bahrain’s government also faced upheaval, but survived.  Hosni Mubarak wasn’t so lucky and after weeks of tense fighting and standoff in Cairo, he fled from his position as Egyptian president.  However, there is still great uncertainly about Egypt’s future direction.  Syria, Algeria and Saudi Arabia have also seen scenes of demonstrations in 2011, but it was Libya where the biggest change happened.  Colonel Gadaffi’s cruel regime finally came under stiff attack as world leaders called for him to depart graciously.  Gadaffi held on and declared war; Cameron, Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy reacted and air strikes began on the country, with NATO been called in to help out.  After months of struggle, Gadaffi was captured and killed in September and a new dawn of promise and hope for Libyans might well be on, after years of torture and doom.     

          At the beginning of May, international terrorism came back into the headlines and the world became just a little bit safer.  Barack Obama confirmed the news that Osama Bin Laden was dead.  The Al-Qaeda figurehead was captured and shot dead by US troops in Pakistan; a decade after the search for him began following the September 11^th terrorist attacks.  Ten years on, it will never bring back those who died in the appalling mass murder in America; nor those who suffered in Bali, Istanbul and London in years gone by, but a sense of justice could now be felt.  Despite Bin Laden’s death, terrorism still remains at the forefront of our lives.  In July, Anders Behring Breivik blew up government offices in Oslo, Norway and then, dressed as a policeman, committed a shooting rampage on Utoya Island, where many youngsters were spending a summer holiday at camp.  Around 70 people were thought to have been killed in the two attacks.  More recently, a man threw explosives in Liege, Belgium.  Four died and the gunman took his own life after the four explosions rocked the city centre.    

         In April, Britain had a wonderful day, as millions watched in London and on TV the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  It was a perfect day and put a lot of affection back into our hearts for the Royal Family.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are now officially known brought a tear to many people’s eyes to show that our country can really do something that we should be proud of.

     Four months later, the dark side really came to the force as the UK riots stunned us all.  The shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham began a chain of events within London and spread across many other areas of the UK on a miserable Monday evening in August.  Businesses were destroyed, damage estimated to be in the billions and the leadership seemed to be lacking from the coalition; all on holiday at the time the riots escalated.  Several people died and record arrests were made, as police struggled to control the loonies who were causing such destruction on our country.  The riots disgusted many and brought shame on a worldwide scale.  The cost is still being felt now. 

       One of the greatest geniuses died in October, as founder and visionary of Apple, Steve Jobs lost his battle against pancreatic cancer.  The world also said goodbye to singer Amy Winehouse, found dead in her London apartment in July.  Elizabeth Taylor, the renowned actress passed away from ill health in March, as did Coronation Street icon Betty Driver in October.  Sport also lost three heroes in Wales’s football manager Gary Speed, who took his own life, former heavyweight world champion Joe Frazier to cancer and double Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon, killed in a horrific 15 car pile-up at the IndyCar season finale in Las Vegas. 

           2011 has been a year full of revelations, rebellion and change.  It has brought some cheer, some justice but also, a lot of devastation and uncertainly.  That was 2011….in news.

Double disaster rocks Japan

JAPAN is reeling from the double disaster on Friday which has left tens of thousands still missing and hundreds more dead.     

     The most powerful earthquake in Japan’s history, measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale was followed by a 30ft tsunami which was similar to the devastating Boxing Day Asian tsunami off the coast of Indonesia in 2004.  The tsunami swept away people, crushed cars and destroyed buildings at speeds akin to a passenger jet plane.  The human cost is yet to emerge.  The Japanese government has declared a state of emergency across the country and has already confirmed that at least 400 people have been killed.  Tragically, the death toll is this set to rise into the thousands, especially as many communities and villages have simply been obliterated by this excessive force of nature.

     It isn’t just this that has caused concern for the shocked people of Japan.  Fears have grown over a possible nuclear meltdown after a cooling tower failed at the Fukushima power station. Over 300,000 people have been evacuated in this area and yesterday, a controlled explosion took place at the plant, which has released some radioactive gases into the air.  Although there are still fears for the longevity of the nuclear plant, any reporting of a similar catastrophe following the Russian Chernobyl blast of April 1986 are wide of the mark.  After the Japanese devastation, tsunami warnings were given out all over the Pacific Ocean.  Luckily, areas on high alert such as Samoa, Hawaii and Mexico seemed to have escaped with very little damage.

     Japan is one of the best prepared countries for earthquakes.  After all, it experiences nearly 200 of them a year.  However, it wasn’t prepared for Friday’s utter carnage.  Japan lies on three plates, and Friday’s quake came because the Pacific Plate went underneath the Eurasian Plate.  This produced a jolt as deep as 15 metres, hence the strength of the earthquake and resulting tsunami.  The quake struck at 4pm Japanese local time, when many parents are picking up children from school, and workers are slowly shutting down for the relaxing weekend.  Consequently, it struck at its busiest time, unlike the morning earthquake which devastated Kobe in January 1995.  The epicentre was just off the main coast of Tokyo and had a power 8,000 times more than the earthquake that devastated Christchurch in New Zealand just two weeks ago.

     The island of Sendai was the worst hit, as the port and airport were practically wiped out by the tsunami.  At the airport, passengers ready for departure were forced onto the terminal rooftops to escape the worst.  Masonry fell from buildings in Yokohama, as workers ran for their lives, quickly realising that this wasn’t just a normal earthquake.  At Ibaraki airport, the ceiling collapsed in the departure lounge, again leaving passengers running away in sheer terror.  Two trains and one ship are missing, with hundreds aboard and unaccounted for.  An oil refinery burned in Tokyo, thanks to the burst gas and electric lines.  The ferocity of the fire meant there was little that could be done but let the refinery burn into the dark sky.  Even a meeting of the Japanese parliament was interrupted.  The floor shook and the chandelier lights went crazy, which left major politicians stunned.

     The rescue will face major challenges to deal with.  As road and rail networks have literally been paralysed, it will only make things harder.  An expert on earthquakes David Rothery insists it was the tsunami that did the damage; “This earthquake didn’t actually cause much damage.  However, it was the resulting tsunami that the quake will be remembered for.”  Since records began in 1900, this was the seventh most powerful earthquake ever, with only the 2004 Asian Tsunami greater at 9.1.  As Japan is a hi-tech and more advanced country, it is likely to get back onto its feet far quicker than lesser developed countries, such as Haiti after their earthquake which destroyed the country last January.

     David Cameron, Pope Benedict XVI and Barack Obama were among the first to send their condolences to the Japanese people who have been affected.  The USA, Britain and Russia have already pledged to send out rescue teams, should the Japanese need extensive help.  At a press briefing in the States, US secretary of state Hilary Clinton pledged her support to help Americans stuck in Japan; “Obviously, the US is offering immediate relief.  We will assist 24/7 to help those Americans stuck in Japan and the Japanese government with the aftermath.  Also, we are deeply involved with the Japanese to help control the nuclear reactor failure at Fukushima.”

     

Seeing the pictures and videos of the sheer devastation in Japan on Friday certainly shook me up, and reminds everyone of the force that Mother Nature can leave yet again on the world.  It puts all personal events into perspective, because at least the majority of us can count our blessings that we don’t suffer earthquakes in this country, unlike those citizens in Japan.  My thoughts go out to all those whose lives in Japan have simply been turned upside down.

The helpline for the Foreign Office should it be required is +44 0 20 7008 0000

Chile's Deadly Earthquake - Mother Nature Strikes Again

Less than two months after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the world was shook up again by another deadly earthquake on Saturday morning, as Mother Nature took her path again into the path of destruction.  Struck this time was the South American country of Chile, one of the wealthiest countries in the region.  One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded has left the country in shock and ruins, but fortunately, not quite in the mess and trauma that happened to the people of Haiti.

Measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale, the death toll by last night had reached at least 700 people and is likely to rise in the next few days.  The outgoing President Bachelet, who has ten days left in office, has put the country in a state of national mourning and a state of emergency.  Tsunami warnings went sent across the Pacific after the quake, reaching as far as Japan and Australia.  Fortunately, these were stood down yesterday morning and people returned to their homes, especially in Japan, who had a powerful earthquake, themselves on Friday, which recorded 7.3 on the Richter scale, but didn’t cause much damage.  So, why has the earthquake in Chile been less damaging that the Haiti quake yet was more powerful?

The answer is simple; Chile is a dangerous earthquake zone, as it is on the border of Argentina and the Pacific.  The city of Valdivia was struck in 1960 by the most powerful earthquake ever, recording 9.5 on the Richter scale and claimed 600,000 lives.  Since then, the majority of the buildings in Chile have been made earthquake resistant, meaning though the damage is still horrific, it doesn’t look as bad as it did in Haiti.  The main reason for that is Chile’s resources are far greater than Haiti, which has always struggled on a global basis.  Nevertheless, up to 17 aftershocks have been recorded in the worst-hit areas, recording the highest of 6.6 on the scale and there is the fear that more buildings will collapse because of this.

Many survivors have lost their possessions and been starved of food for two whole days.  Looting has taken place already and the Chilean Army has been brought in to try and keep things under control.  The worst hit area in the country was the seaside resort of Concepcion, where the trouble has taken place.  The capital Santiago, also took a hit, with at least 40 people dead, buildings collapsed and the international Airport shutdown.  Only the Asian Tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 was more powerful on the Richter scale than this quake in the last thirty years. 

Bachelet has called the disaster as a “catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort for Chile to recover.”  Prime Minister Gordon Brown has vowed to send out aid to the battered country, should it be requested.  Throughout the country, power supplies have been heavily disrupted, with damage from this latest disaster already estimated into the excess of £20billion.  More than half a million homes have been destroyed and 2million people displaced.  Rescue efforts have begun in a desperate attempt for the death toll not to rise.

Once again, my thoughts go out to the people of Chile, as no-one deserves this deadly disaster to strike them and I hope the public are just as generous as we were with Haiti to help rebuild people’s shattered lives in the country.  What I’m concerned about is the spate of recent earthquakes that have struck the world.  It is estimated by geologists that the Nazca Plate is moving eastward beneath the South American Plate (where Chile is situated) at approximately 8.9cm a year.  Does this mean that we will be hearing more tragic tales of this kind of horrific damage in the next few years; I hope I’m wrong but my fears are it is likely to be the case.  What can anyone do, when nature decides to cause such destruction…?

Haiti - Miracles & Stories of Pain

This was first posted on January 25th at http://happydude88.livejournal.com/

In a world where most of us live in fear with the genuine threat of international terrorism, anti-social behaviour issues and the financial meltdown that could potentially last for years to come, it is when natural disasters occur that makes us stop and think: ‘How lucky are we?’

In the late hours of Tuesday 12th January UK time, a powerful earthquake struck to country of Haiti. It measured 7.0 on the Richter scale, one of the most powerful of recent times and it was Haiti’s worst quake for almost two centuries. Buildings were shattered, hospitals collapsed, prisons crumbled and access roads cut off in one of the poorest countries in the North America area.

Predictions of 2million have been made homeless by the earthquake and the Prime Minister recently confirmed a prediction of 200,000 thought to have been killed. This is unofficial though, and with several aftershocks striking the region after the disaster and a fear of disease striking the thoughts of many, that figure could sadly significantly rise.

In a flash, news reporters across the globe covered the story so quickly. The devastation by the many video feeds and pictures of homeless people clearly suffering has stunned many – especially yours truly. Personally, I haven’t seen such trauma and pain from a natural disaster since the Asian Tsunami on Boxing Day 2004. Generations further back could maybe recall the horrific earthquakes that struck Mexico City in 1985 and Kobe, Japan in 1995.

In an instant, relief and aid were one of the most important items needed for the suffering. Like the Tsunami tragedy of five years ago, the world has opened its arms into doing what it can. Charities such as Oxfam, Unicef, the British Red Cross and many more have workers over in Haiti, doing all they can to support those who need the help the most. Today, it was revealed that donations from the UK have reached £46million, after another generous donation figure of £4million over the weekend. It is a staggering effort from the UK, considering we are meant to be in the midst of a recession that is still causing financial issues for many.

Last Thursday, Simon Cowell revealed he will be getting music stars from around the world to record a charity song, with all donations going to the earthquake appeal. This week, the likes of Kasabian, Florence & the Machine, Leona Lewis, JLS, Alexandra Burke, Rod Stewart, Cheryl Cole & Susan Boyle are set to record a version of R.E.M’s 1980’s hit ‘Everybody Hurts.’ The single is expected to make millions and storm the UK charts for the next few weeks. Across the globe in America, actor George Clooney and singer/rapper Wyclef Jean have already led a benefit concert on Saturday. Stars from Hollywood took personal calls for donations in a concert called ‘Hope for Haiti Now.’ It was streamed live to millions on the video-sharing site, YouTube. Once again, America has done its bit to help others who need it.

The capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince has been the main base for reports to come in of tales of sorrow, woe and miraculous escapes. The villages of Jacmel and Petionville have also been severely hit or majorly affected, almost completely wiped out the map. Remarkably, eleven days after the earthquake, William Extantus was pulled out of the rubble from the remains of the Napoli Inn Hotel, alive. It is these stories that fulfil both a nation and a world’s hope that more can be found alive, however unlikely that is. Miracles are possible.

With the main prison collapsing in the quake, there have been concerns over riots in Haiti, which has had a history for political unrest. The hostile scenes broadcast on TV make the desperation for aid, such as basic utilities like water and food a necessity. Some are looting the remaining local shops still standing, in a desperate attempt to feed their families. Although this is morally wrong, it is quite understandable in these precarious circumstances. Former US president, Bill Clinton, worked for the UN over in Haiti has been worried about the amount of aid coming through. This has been a concern, but everyone is trying to do the best they can in a scenario, which for many is almost unimaginable.

Personally, I have been left shocked to the core by the events in Haiti; I have made a small donation myself to the earthquake appeal, because it is desperately needed to help those who are most unfortunate in this world. These people have done nothing wrong; they don’t deserve what has happened to them. Unfortunately, it is another case of ‘Mother Nature taking its course.’ My thoughts are with all the survivors of the disaster and those who have lost loved in such a sorrow catastrophe. It could take Haiti years, maybe even decades to rebuild from the shattered remains and it might not even recover. However, like the incredible story of William Extantus this weekend, we can only believe there can be more stories of relief and miracles to come from this shocking earthquake.

For more information and how to donate, visit www.google.co.uk and follow the link for more information.