KARADZIC ARREST: Serbia will extradite former Bosnian Serb leader and war crimes suspect Radovan
Karadzic to the Hague tribunal to face charges of genocide and crimes against
humanity.Serbian officials made the announcement during a news conference
today in Belgrade, saying a judge ruled all conditions for
extradition had been met.Karadzic -- one of the world's most wanted men
-- now has three days to appeal the decision.Serbian security forces
arrested the former Bosnian Serb leader Monday as he tried to leave Belgrade for
another location.Officials say Karadzic had been hiding in the city,
practicing alternative medicine at a clinic under an assumed name.
ZIMBABWE: Diplomatic sources say talks will begin today in South Africa between Zimbabwe's ruling party and its main opposition in an effort to end the country's violent political crisis. The talks are part of an agreement signed Monday in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare Monday by President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. It was the first face-to face meeting between the political rivals in a decade. South African President Thabo Mbeki, the chief negotiator between the two sides, attended the ceremony.The document gives the parties two weeks to complete the talks, which will focus on the formation of a government of national unity and the cessation of violence.
OBAMA - IRAQ: U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama visited Iraq's Anbar province today (Tuesday) for meetings with Sunni tribal leaders who helped turned the tide against al Qaeda insurgents in the province.Obama was meeting with leaders of the Awakening Council, who aligned with U.S. forces to combat Islamic extremists and successfully brought stability to the province. His visit to Anbar province comes a day after a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad. The Illinois senator released a statement late Monday saying Iraqis want an "aspirational timeline" for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.Senator Obama also said Prime Minister Maliki stated his hope that "U.S. combat forces could be out of Iraq in 2010."
CAMBODIA - THAILAND: The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations failed to resolve a simmering border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand during an emergency meeting today.Diplomats said both countries presented their side of the issue during a lunch meeting, but no progress was made.Cambodia has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to mediate the military standoff with Thailand over disputed territory around a historic temple.The appeal to the world body today came a day after talks between top defense officials from Thailand and Cambodia failed to end the stalemate.
BURMA - CYCLONE AID: The United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) say Burma needs more than one billion dollars in aid over the next three years to recover from Cyclone Nargis.The organizations, along with Burma, made the estimate in a joint report released Monday. The figure focuses on Burma's most urgent needs -- food, agriculture and community-rebuilding.U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon thanked ASEAN for its "constructive role" in helping create the report, saying he hoped the organizations could work together in the future.Cyclone Nargis tore through Burma's Irrawaddy Delta region in early May, killing more than 84-thousand people and leaving more than 53-thousand missing.
BANGLADESH - ADB: The Asia Development Bank says it is providing Bangladesh with a 170-million dollar loan to help the country deal with food shortages and rising food costs.The loan is part of a program called the Emergency Assistance for Food Security project, which provides food aid to countries hit by natural disasters.Bangladesh was severely affected by two floods and a devastating cyclone last year, which killed more than three thousand people.The bank says it is also issuing a 600-thousand dollar grant to help Bangladesh's government improve its ability to plan and carry out interventions to improve food security.
INDIA - NUCLEAR: India is to hold a confidence vote today, which could decide the fate of the coalition government and its proposed nuclear deal with the United States.The vote pits the Congress-led coalition against former communist allies and Hindu nationalists.Under the nuclear deal, India would open its civilian reactors to international inspections in exchange for nuclear fuel and technology.The communists are opposed to the nuclear deal, saying it will bind India too closely with Washington, and could compromise India's national security.If the government loses the vote, elections will be held early and it will have to abandon the nuclear deal.
RUSSIA - CHAVEZ: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Moscow today where he is expected to purchase arms and strengthen his ties with Russia. Mr. Chavez is scheduled to hold meetings with both Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Russia media are reporting that the tally for Venezuela's arms purchases could reach at least one billion dollars. Caracas has bought four-billion dollars worth of arms from Moscow in recent years. The Venezuelan president is also expected to meet with military and business leaders.
NEPAL POL: Nepal's maoists rebels say they have decided not to try to form a new government after lawmakers rejected their candidate for the ceremonial post of the presidency.Ram Baran Yadav of the Nepali Congress was elected as the new president Monday. He is a 61-year-old physician from southern Nepal's ethnic Madheshi community and a former health minister.The Maoists had hoped to hold both the presidency and the premiership. The former rebels won the most votes in a historic election in May, but fell short of a majority in parliament.
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