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Monday, April 12, 2010

Obama Seeks Global Support for Nuclear Crackdown at Summit


The nuclear security summit in Washington, D.C., this week is the largest gathering of world leaders hosted by a U.S. president since the 1945 conference founding the United Nations. But the historic, two-day gathering of representatives from 47 countries is not expected to result in a bold new strategy. Rather, the summit will showcase President Obama's eagerness to lead on the issue, according to top administration officials. Obama invited world leaders to Washington as a key step toward his declared goal of one day ridding the world of nuclear weapons. And the president hopes to use the gathering to focus heads of state on what he sees as one of the most serious nuclear proliferation threats of their time: the ability of terrorists and terror networks like Al Qaeda to steal or buy nuclear material. "We don't believe the threat from nuclear terrorism comes from states," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on ABC's "This Week." "Our biggest concern is that terrorists will get nuclear material." Iran and North Korea were not invited to the summit, though both nations' nuclear programs are likely to be discussed during the Washington summit Monday and Tuesday. Clinton said in the interview aired Sunday that "we fear" North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons and Iran's pursuit of them because "they are unpredictable." 

Polish President Kaczynski proved a controversial figure


Polish President Lech Kaczynksi will be remembered as a man with traditional values that sharply divided European opinion. Kaczynski was frequently vilified by those on the left of the political spectrum for his policies, which included banning a gay pride parade when he was mayor of Warsaw. However, his tough stance on law and order and emphasis on family values gained him support among many Poles, especially older voters. The Polish president died, along with his wife and many of Poland's political elite, in a plane crash on Saturday, close to the Russian city of Smolensk. Kaczynski became Poland's president in 2005 and was expected to run in new elections in autumn this year. He formed a political double act with identical twin brother Jaroslaw and the pair's right-wing nationalist stance was disquieting to many in Poland and the rest of Europe.

Sudan faces uncertain future as it goes to the polls


Sudan's elections have been billed as the first multi-party polls since 1986. But only minor opposition parties will be standing against President Omar al-Bashir and his party in the north. This after the Umma Party's pull-out and the announcement by the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) - the main political force in Southern Sudan - that it would only contest the south.  The boycott, which comes after allegations of vote rigging, means al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide, is almost certain to win the presidential poll.

19 killed, 834 injured in Thailand political violence


At least 19 people were killed while over 800 injured in a clash between security forces and ‘red shirt’ protesters in Bangkok, Thailand. The protesters called upon the government to step down and called for an early election. Among the killed are 14 civilians, including a Japanese TV cameraman and five soldiers. Both sides accused the other of using live ammunition. The mostly-poor protesters are of the view that the government is illegitimate because it came to power with military backing in 2008 after a court ousted Thaksin's allies from power.  ‘Red Shirt’ protesters called on Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej to intervene in order to prevent further violence.

Polish president's body flown home


The body of the Polish president has arrived back in Warsaw a day after after he and 95 others were killed in an air crash in western Russia. Lech Kaczynski's coffin arrived on a military flight from Smolensk, where he had been travelling to a memorial service when his jet crashed in thick fog on Saturday. The president's twin brother, Jaroslav Kaczynski, Bronislaw Komorowski, the acting president; and Donald Tusk, the prime minister, joined other officials to meet the coffin at the military airport after its short flight from Russia, where Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, saw the flight off after a short ceremony.