First up, an exchange of prisoners in the Middle East. You’ve heard us discussed the conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians. This latest news has both sides celebrating. It was a trade of one Israeli soldier who was released yesterday for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners who will be released in two stages. Why one person in exchange for more than one thousand?

 

Well, the Israeli soldier named Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian fighters five years ago. So, his release means a great deal to a great number of Israelis. The Palestinian have been held in Israel for a wide variety of offenses, so their release means a great deal to a great number Palestinians. Outside countries are hoping that this exchange of prisoners will help ease tensions between the two sides. 

 

Next story * take us to North Africa, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stopped by Libya yester, and met with the nation’s temporary leader. There was a lot of security at Secretary Clinton’s visit. She’s the first U.S. cabinet level official to visit the new Libya, and the country is still fighting a civil war with people who support the new government, battling fighters who want Moammar Gadhafi back in power. Gadhafi is Libya’s former dictator. U.S. was among several countries that helped kicking him out over the summer. Libya’s new leader thanks Secretary Clinton and America for their support. U.S. hopes Libya will become a democracy in the near future.

 

They are still dangerous. They are still radioactive. But some of Japan’s damage nuclear reactors could be shut down a month ahead of schedule. This is at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a place badly damaged by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. The Tokyo electric power company was hopping to have the reactor shut down and sealed off by January. Now they are saying it could be done by December. 80,000 people had to be evacuated because of this. Experts say it could take decades to clean up all of the dangerous nuclear material that sealed into the oil and the environment.