Over our spring break, a ton of news broke out across the world. From the disaster in Japan to U.S. intervention in Libya, right now is a critical moment for us all to be paying attention to the headlines.
TO RECAP: Japan
An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 hit Japan on March 11th followed by a massive tsunami. Then, the country was further devastated by a nuclear crisis that began the next day with an explosion in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Radiation spiked to 1,000 times the normal level and some citizens tested positive to that radiation exposure. Overall, there are an estimated 10,000 dead and 17,500 still missing, along with thousands more forced to evacuate the 19-mile radius around the nuclear plant that still is not under control. The only good news to come out of the “Land of the Rising Sun” recently is that the levels of radioactive isotopes found in Tokyo’s water supply continue to fall, but officials say it will be a long road to recovery for Japan.
BU’s RESPONSE
It was also good news when President Brown sent out an email on March 14th stating that all of the BU faculty and students abroad in Japan were safe. Still, many on our campus have been effected, especially the members of the Japanese Student Association. “It’s really personal,” member Mika Kinoshitaa said. “A lot of our friends and family are back in Japan.”
If you would like to help, stop by the GSU link between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. any day next week to buy a “Pray for Japan” wristband. Proceeds will go to the Red Cross. Also, the Japanese Student Association has its biggest cultural show coming up on April 3rd and would like to donate two dollars of every ticket sold to help spread awareness about the Japanese tragedy. For more information, check out the Facebook event here.
TO RECAP: Libya
Rebels in Libya have been seeking to oust Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. On March 18th the United Nations Security Council voted to authorize military action and a no-flight zone. President Obama, with the backing of Britain and France, then issued an order to Qaddafi to implement a cease-fire. But the next day, he did not comply and American forces began firing missiles on Libya. The allies continue to remain split on a goal and exit strategy in Libya, but members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have agreed to take control of the no-fly zone, lessening the leadership role of the United States.
BU’s RESPONSE
BU Professor and long-time ABC News correspondent Bob Zelnick weighed in on the recent events in Libya when he appeared on Fox 25. Based on his experience covering the first Persian Gulf War, Zelnick says that even if this war ends up being a mistake, the “U.S. won’t pay for it” because we didn’t go in alone. To watch the interview in its entirety, click here.
Another BU connection to the unrest in Libya is that one of the four New York Times journalists held captive by the Libyan government was Tyler Hicks, a photojournalist who graduated from the College of Communication in 1992. Thankfully he and his colleagues were released to Turkish diplomats on Monday. To read the story they wrote about their experiences, click here.