Thursday, March 17, 2011 – my comments are in italics

Initial Jobless Claims: Survey: 388 Actual 385 Prior 397 Revised 401

Libya – DEBKA is reporting that US officials increasingly are making plans for air strikes against
Libya and have sought out Egyptian permission to use some of the airfields in that country from which to
base flights. – DEBKA/CNN There is a vote in the UN today on a broad resolution but it’s not clear what
action the US will take in the event of a Chinese or Russian veto. – Russia vetoed a proposal to enforce a
no-fly zone on the basis that they wanted a clearer stance from the Arab League. The Arab League has
requested a no-fly zone while objecting to foreign intervention. (Source)
The State Department announced Wednesday night that it would arrange charter flights to
evacuate family members of U.S. diplomats from Tokyo and other parts of northern Japan.
Undersecretary Patrick Kennedy said the flights may also be made available to private U.S. citizens who
are unable to get flights out of the country. – Washington Post
The systemic breakdown of the Fukushima 1 nuclear plant and cascade of other effects
following Japan’s March 11 earthquake mean that the boost from reconstruction efforts will not
outweigh the economic damage wrought by the earthquake in the year following the disaster. – Roubini
Global Economics
Osaka Hotel Occupancy Surges as People Flood in From Tokyo – Bloomberg
Yen strengthens on speculation intervention will be delayed and on repatriation expectations -
Bloomberg