Japan trying to contain Potential Nuclear Crisis

A explosion an earthquake-hit nuclear plant in Japan has sparked fears of a radiation leak at.

The walls and roof at Fukushima Number 1 nuclear power plant were destroyed in the blast which was confirmed by the Japanese Government.  

White smoke billowed into the sky and its feared that several worker  at the plant have been injured.  An evacuation radius has been extended to 12 miles and residents of the region have been urged to stay indoors, turn off air conditioning units and not to drink tap water.  Radioactivity in the control room at the plant is 1,000 times the normal level - and eight times the normal level in the area immediately outside the site.

All this as a result of the earthquake and resultant Tsunami only yesterday!  

Its a measure of the amount of natural and man-made disasters that seem to hit the world these days by how quickly aid of various descriptions leaps into action like well-oiled machinery.

Take for instance "Shelterbox" - this UK (Cornwall) based charity saw a gap in the aid responses and in 1999 one man, Tom Henderson, took the steps to fill that gap.  He saw the aid response to most disasters was in the form of food and medicine.  But there was very little assistance given in terms of proper shelter.

The Mission:  To provide shelter, warmth and dignity to families who have been affected by disasters worldwide.

So with the Japanese earthquake made so much worse by the Tsunami and now the possibility of nuclear fall-out its charities like these that charge to the rescue. 

Tom Henderson, ShelterBox Founder and CEO, said: ‘At present the scale of the disaster is difficult to measure. What we do know is that the combination of such a large earthquake followed by the tsunami has the potential to cause significant damage across the Pacific Rim.

‘We have aid pre-positioned locally and a member of the ShelterBox Response Team stationed in the Philippines enabling an immediate response.’

So for Japan the world rallies to help and the people of Japan can only wait and watch the result of the latest disaster - the explosion at the Nuclear Plant.  

Is this too much for one nation to bear in less than two days?

Like all charities - Shelterbox needs funds - and what better place to give your donation?  (or volunteer help).

Follow the link and DONATE now! 

Did UK Aid free Hostages?

Paul and Rachel Chandler freed from their traumatic experience at the hands of Somali pirates describe their ordeal. 

The retired couple may have been were reportedly freed on the strength of a ransom paid by a mixture of Somali Government and private investors.  The Chandlers were freed on Sunday after more than a year in captivity.  The Government have been quick to deny reports that at least some of the money put up came from British aid paid the African country's government.

A spokeswoman for the Department for International Development (DfID) said "No part of the UK aid budget has been used to help secure the Chandlers' release, nor to benefit pirates. The British Government does not pay ransoms to hostage takers."  However, in the last couple of years the DfID gave more than £30 million to Somalia which was earmarked for humanitarian relief, health and education.


The couple were snatched more than a year ago during a round-the-world sailing trip when their yacht was overtaken by armed pirates.
 
They were taken to the British High Commission in Kenya to prepare for a flight back to the UK. The 60-year-old said: "We're fine. We are rather skinny and bony but we're fine."  Medical check-ups were available in Nairobi for them.  The Chandlers revealed details of their ordeal. Mr Chandler said: "The worst time was when we had to abandon our home and boat... in the ocean."  His wife agreed that was a terrible time and the other really bad time was when they tried to separate the husband and wife. 

"We were really distraught, we were very frightened at that point. We refused to be separated and we were beaten as a result. That was very traumatic."

The Chandlers had only the vaguest idea of their rescue.  They were told by their captures of their imminent release but having been told similar lies over the 13 months that they were held captive the did not give it much weight.

Mr Chandler, 60, said they had been driven across Somalia, then were left locked in a car to sleep overnight.
"Just after dawn, about 7 o'clock, we were asked to leave and join our rescuer. It was hard to have any feelings really, almost disbelief, it was too good to be true,"


Today Paul had to cope with some sad news.  They have asked the media to give them and their families some time and space to come to terms with the death of his father whilst they were held captive.

They are expected to return to the UK tomorrow.