Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/16/2011

The Japanese are pursuing a three-pronged strategy to try to contain the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima plant and keep radiation levels from getting any higher. Helicopters are hauling enormous buckets of seawater and dumping them on the most dangerously exposed fuel rods. A new road is being bulldozed in so that water cannons may be brought up and used to shoot water into the pools containing the fuel roads. And a new power line is being rapidly constructed so the electricity can be restored to the existing coolant-pumping system.

In other news, police fired upon Shi’ite demonstrators in Bahrain, killing five of them. Police also reportedly attacked a hospital to prevent it from treating the wounded demonstrators, even going so far as to slash the tires of ambulances to prevent them from carrying the victims in for treatment. Bahrain has now outlawed all public gatherings. The crisis has spread to Oman as well, with renewed demonstrations there.

Meanwhile, supported by air cover, forces loyal to Col. Moamar Qadhafi are advancing towards the last major stronghold of the rebels in Benghazi.

To see the headlines and the articles, open the full news post.

Thanks to AC, C. Cantoni, DL, Gaia, Insubria, JD, JP, Mary Abdelmassih, Zenster, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Commenters are advised to leave their comments at this post (rather than with the news articles) so that they are more easily accessible.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.