Latest from the Guardian UK's Japan liveblog:

[marmar]

6pm: The latest news on the state of each of the reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant:

• No 1: Cooling failure, partial melting of core, vapor vented, hydrogen explosion, seawater pumped in.

• No 2: Cooling failure, seawater pumped in, fuel rods fully exposed temporarily, vapor vented, damage to containment system, potential meltdown feared.

• No 3: Cooling failure, partial melting of core feared, vapor vented, seawater pumped in, hydrogen explosion, high-level radiation measured nearby.

• No 4: Under maintenance when quake struck, fire caused possibly by hydrogen explosion at pool holding spent fuel rods, pool water level feared receding.

• No 5: Under maintenance when quake struck, temperature slightly rising at spent fuel pool.

• No 6 - Under maintenance when quake struck, temperature slightly rising at spent fuel pool.

5.54pm: The US Republicans backing nuclear power aren't about to give up the struggle because of events in Japan. Meet Republican congressman Devin Nunes of California, who wants 200 new power plants and thinks the events in Fukushima strenthens the argument for more nuclear plants: .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/mar/15/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-japan

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. I was shocked to hear -

that the rods in one reactor had been exposed for six hours. Heard that on a Japan TV report this morning. :(