THAILAND POL: Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has threatened to use force
against protesters who forced the cancellation of a summit of Asian
leaders, invaded the grounds of the Interior Ministry, and attacked the
Thai leader's car earlier in the day.
In a televised statement Sunday, Mr. Abhisit said if anti-government
violence continues to escalate, police and the military will take
further action under Bangkok's state of emergency.
Violence broke out in Bangkok earlier Sunday after the government
declared a state of emergency in the capital and surrounding areas.
SOMALIA PIRATES: Negotiations are continuing in the effort to free an American cargo
ship captain who is drifting off the coast of Somalia in a lifeboat
with his pirate captors.
U.S. officials say the enclosed lifeboat carrying Richard Phillips and
the Somali pirates was about 32 kilometers off the coast of Somalia as
of early Sunday. They say negotiations for his release are ongoing,
though it is unclear who is conducting the talks.
AFGHANISTAN UNREST: Afghanistan officials say Afghan and U.S-led forces killed 22 Taliban militants in southern Afghanistan Saturday.
However, U.S. military officials separately reported that Afghan and
coalition forces killed four militants in the same area. It was not
immediately clear if the reports referred to the same incidents.
The U.S. statement said the troops were attacked by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades while patrolling in Zabul province.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan police say Taliban militants have set fire to about 10 trucks
carrying cement to Western forces in neighboring Afghanistan.
Authorities say the trucks were in terminals near the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar.
Officials say gun battles erupted at the scene early Sunday. Media
reports say several guards or truck drivers were wounded in the attack.
Militants in Pakistan frequently attack cargo terminals and other stops
used by vehicles taking supplies to Western troops in land-locked
Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass.
UN-NOKOR MISSILE: The U.N. Security Council says it is set to adopt a statement as early
as Monday condemning North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that
flew over Japan this month (April fifth).
The Council's five permanent members -- the United States, Britain,
France, China and Russia -- plus Japan reached an agreement on the
draft statement during a rare Saturday session.
The draft orders North Korea to comply with Security Council Resolution
1718, which bans such launches, or face further sanctions. It also
calls for the resumption of six-party disarmament talks.
