Disasters

Japanese choppers dump water on stricken reactor
Military helicopters dumped loads of seawater onto Japan's stricken nuclear complex Thursday, turning to combat-style tactics while trying to cool overheated uranium fuel that may be on the verge of spewing out more radiation.
Helicopters dump water to cool reactor in Japan
Nuclear plant operators trying to avoid complete reactor meltdowns said Thursday that they were close to completing a new power line that might end Japan's crisis, but several ominous signs have also emerged: a surge in radiation levels, unexplained white smoke and spent fuel rods that U.S. officials said could be on the verge of spewing radioactive material.
Hope and loss in Japan's search for 8,000 missing
Five days after the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, the official death toll is more than 4,300. More than 8,000 people are still missing, and hundreds of national and international rescue teams are looking for them.
Poor flying weather Wednesday hampered U.S. efforts to aid victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami in a massive humanitarian mission already fraught with challenges.
Japan's nuclear crisis
Japanese officials race the clock to contain radiation, five days after the earthquake damaged some of it's nuclear plants. What impact is this having on meeting America's energy needs and addressing global warming?
Japan considers spraying water, acid into reactors
Japan was considering spraying water and boric acid over a stricken nuclear plan in a desperate measure to contain radiation after officials said Wednesday that many fuel roads were damaged, in an escalating crisis caused by last week's earthquake and tsunami.