CNN+Student+News--+March+17%2C+2011

CARLAZUZ,CNNSTUDENTNEWSANCHOR:Asia,NorthAmerica,EuropeandtheMiddleEast.We'regoingtohitthemallinthisglobetrottingeditionofCNNStudentNews.Guidingyouthroughtoday'sheadlines,I'mCarlAzuz.FirstUp:CrisisinJapanAZUZ:Heroes.That'swhatagroupofabout180Japanesepowerplantworkersarebeingcalled.They'reworkingattheFukushimaDaiichinuclearplant福岛县大熊町的第一核电站机,that'stheonewe'vebeenreportingonthisweek;theplantthatmostpeoplearebeingtoldtogetawayfrom.Butthese180workersarestayingput,potentiallyputtingtheirhealth--maybeeventheirlives--ontheline.Inthesepictures,youcanseesomeofthedamagethatthesemenaredealingwith.Fires,explosionsattheplanthavethreatenedthestabilityofthenuclearreactors.Thebiggestconcerninthisisthatthatextremelevelsofradiationcouldleakoutintotheatmosphere.AtonepointonWednesday,theradiationlevelsaroundtheplantshotwayup,andtheworkerswereforcedtogetoutofthearea.Butwhenthelevelswentbackdownagain,theworkerswentbackin.AlsoonWednesday,Japan'semperormadearareTVappearance.Theemperorisaceremonialposition;hedoesn'thaveofficialpowers.ButheisanimportantfigureinJapaneselife.Andthiswasthefirsttimethatthisemperormadeaspeechlikethisduringthiskindofnationalcrisis.Hesaid,Itrulyhopethevictimsofthedisasternevergiveuphope,takecareofthemselves,andlivestrongfortomorrow.Healsoadded,IwantallcitizensofJapantoremembereveryonewhohasbeenaffectedbythedevastationnotonlytoday,butforalongtimeafterwards.ManypeopleinJapanhavebeenforcedtoleavetheirhomes.Japanesemediareportthat450,000people--halfamillion--arelivinginshelterslikethisevacuationcenterthatwassetupinsideajuniorhighschool'sgym.ManyothersaretryingtogetoutofJapanentirely.KyungLahshowsusthepackedsceneatTokyo'sairportsandthedesertedstreetsofdowntown.(BEGINVIDEO)KYUNGLAH,CNNINTERNATIONALCORRESPONDENT,TOKYO:Windinglines,motherscomfortingbabies,noseatsanywhereatTokyo'sHanedaAirportdeparturearea.AcrosstownatTokyo'sNaritaInternationalAirport,thousandswaitingtoleavethecountry.Thisiswhatanunprecedentedmassexodusoutofoneoftheworld'smostpopulatedcitieslookslike,drivenbyconcernsaboutthenuclearemergencyinFukushima,nearly200milesaway.TheonesabletoleaveTokyoquickly,ex-patriotslikeMatthewDelboe.Areyoureallyworried?Youreallythinkthatthere'ssomethingthat'sgoingtohappen.MATTHEWDELBOE,FRENCHCITIZEN:Twodaysago,Ifelttherewasnorisk.Now,Ithinkit'sstupidtostaywhenyoucanleave.LAH:Thisisanorderlymassdeparture.Remainingcalm,amarkofJapanesecivilityeveninthefaceofcrisis.Andthisisacrisisnotedinanunprecedentedsight:Japan'semperorcomfortinghiscountryinanationallytelevisedaddress.Anation'squietanxietyevidentalloverthecity.Emptygrocerystoreshelvesasresidentsstockpilerationsforapossibleemergency,andemptystreetsindowntownTokyo.Normally,therearepeopleliningupalldownthosestairsforthatverypopularrestaurantinthisbusinessdistrict.Overhere,youwouldnormallyseepeoplealsolininguptogetfoodtocarryout.Youcanseethere'snoonehere.ThisishighlyunusualforthemiddleofthedayonaWednesday.Walkaroundoverhere,andthisisoneoftheonlyATMsinthearea.There'snormallypeopleliningupalldownthisstreet.Butyoucansee,there'snolinetoday.It'sscary,saysthisownerofanoodleshop,andlonely.Nocustomersforrestaurantstoserve,buthe'snotleaving.Ihavemyentirelifehere,hesays.Ican'tjustpullupandleave.ZACHOGURA,TOKYORESIDENT:Ithinkit's,yes,abitoverwhelming,yes.LAH:TokyoresidentZachOgurasaysTokyoishome,andhe'snotreadytoleavewithhistwosonsyet.Emphasisonyet.OGURA:Atthismomentintime,Idon'tworry.ButIdon'tknow,youknow.Withinmaybeinafewdaysorso,that's,Idon'tknow.LAH:Thatuncertaintykeepingacountryonedgeandonthemoveawayfromthebrewingthreattothenorth.KyungLah,CNN,Tokyo.(ENDVIDEO)U.S.NuclearConcernsAZUZ:TheU.S.militaryisconcernedaboutitstroopsbeingexposedtoradiation.They'reinJapanhelpingwithrecoveryefforts.Officialssaytheywon'tlettroopsgetwithin50milesofthedamagednuclearplant.IntheU.S.,there'sbeenarunonpotassiumiodide,asupplementthatcanhelppreventthebodyfromabsorbingradiation.It'sflyingofftheshelves,althoughgovernmentofficialssaythere'snoneedforAmericanstotakeit.ThissituationalsohaspeopleaskingquestionsaboutnuclearpowerplantsintheU.S.CantheywithstandanearthquakeliketheonethathitJapan?Duringacongressionalhearingthisweek,EnergySecretaryStevenChusaidAmerica'snuclearplantsaresufficientlyprotectedagainstthiskindofdisaster.Butsomelawmakersarecallingfornewsafetymeasuresattheplants.BlogReportAZUZ:WeopenedupourblogatCNNStudentNews.comasaplaceforyoutotalkaboutyourreactiontotheJapantragedyandtoshowsupportforyourfellowstudentsacrossthePacific.Alliesays,Wemaynotbesuperheroes,butweneedtostartactinglikeit.Japan'sinneed;it'stimetocometogetheranddosomething,notjustwishto.Mollysaysshe'sveryworriedaboutthepeopleinJapanandthatherschoolistakingaction:They'redoingabakesaleandthendonatingthemoneytothepeopleofJapan.Willisprayingforthefamilieswho'velostalovedone.Hissocialstudiesandcurrenteventsclasshasbeentalkingabouttheissueconstantly;hehopesthatallcountriesthatareablewillhelpJapan.Fromsomeinternationalstudents:AlbertfromSouthKoreasayspeopleinhisnationworryaboutJapan,eventhoughthetwocountrieshavehadconflictinthepast.Andinthew