NYTimes : Japan Faces Potential Nuclear Disaster as Radiation Levels Rise,Japan Three Reactors Raise Fear of Nuclear Disaster

Japan’s nuclear crisis verged toward catastrophe on Tuesday after an explosion damaged the vessel containing the nuclear core at one reactor and a fire at another spewed large amounts of radioactive material into the air, according to the statements of Japanese government and industry officials.In a brief address to the nation at 11 a.m. Tokyo time, Prime Minister Naoto Kan pleaded for calm, but