THAILAND PROTEST: Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat says he accepts a verdict by the
country's constitutional court that bars him from politics for five
years and dissolves his party.
Speaking in the northern city of Chiang Mai, where he has been
governing since protesters took over Bangkok's main airports last week,
Mr. Somchai told reporters his duty was over and that he is now an
ordinary citizen.
WORLD ECONOMY: Stock markets in Asia and Europe headed lower today (Tuesday) in response to lower commodity prices and forecasts for a deepening global recession.
Oil reached a three year low in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange as investors reacted to slowing demand.
Tokyo's Nikkei index closed down more than six percent, while Hong
Kong's Hang Seng index ended nearly five percent lower. European
markets opened down more than one percent.
INDIA-PAKISTAN: India has demanded that Pakistan hand over 20 suspected terrorists believed to be living in the country.
Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters the request was made
in a letter given to Pakistan's ambassador to India during a meeting
Monday.
Among those on the list is Dawood Ibrahim, who is the alleged
mastermind of a 1993 bombing in Mumbai that left some 250 people dead.
BUSH INTERVIEW: U.S. President George Bush says in a new interview that he came to
office unprepared for war, and that his biggest regret is the flawed
intelligence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
Mr. Bush made his comments to the ABC television network, which
broadcast portions of the interview on Monday. The president said he
wishes the intelligence on Iraq had been different, because many people
staked their reputations on that flawed information.
SUDAN DARFUR: Fifteen human rights organizations say in a joint report released today (Tuesday), the Sudanese government is lying about improvements in the situation in Darfur.
Human Rights Watch, Save Darfur Coalition and 13 other rights
organizations say the Sudanese government continues to conduct
large-scale military attacks against populated areas, harass aid
workers, and allow impunity for the worst crimes committed in Darfur.
Sudan wants the U.N. Security Council to suspend the International
Criminal Court's consideration of an arrest warrant against Sudanese
President Omar Hassan al-Bashir
