Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Russia’s Foreign Minister to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. A senior Russian official says that further sanctions against Iran would be “counterproductive,” and Clinton agrees that “we are not at that point yet.”

Russia and China agree to a framework for the export of Russian oil and gas supplies to China. The deal is part of $3.5 billion worth of trade agreements signed at a meeting between leaders of the two countries in Beijing.

Romania’s Democratic Liberal Government falls after loosing a vote of no confidence in parliament; the first such collapse since the end of Communist rule in 1989.

South African police fire tear gas and rubber bullets as thousands protest demanding basic services such as sanitation, electricity and housing in several northeastern townships.

Thirty Afghan civilians are killed when their bus, traveling on the dangerous main road from Herat to Kandahar, hits a roadside bomb.

An E.U. report is expected to conclude that Georgia started last year’s war with Russia by attacking separatists in South Ossetia, but that Russia had set the stage by encouraging separatists in both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Georgian territories recognized as sovereign nations by only Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

After killing at least 240 people in the Philippines, Typhoon Ketsana moves on to Vietnam, where at least 32 people have died and 170,000 people have been urged to evacuate their homes.

Members of the Iranian opposition clash with the supporters of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s ruling party during the annual al-Quds Day demonstrations. Al-Quds Day, meaning Jerusalem Day, is a day of pro-Palestinian marches traditionally held on the last Friday before the end of Ramadan. See photos of the demonstrations on flickr.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praises President Obama for canceling the Bush-era antiballistic missile system that was planned to be built in Eastern Europe, calling the decision “right and brave.” Putin did not say whether Russia would respond with concessions on nuclear proliferation.

Marking the anniversary of the military coup that followed a pro-democracy uprising in 1998, Burma’s military government announces that it will free 7,114 prisoners, but it is unclear if any of those granted amnesty are political prisoners.

A suicide car bomber in Mosul, Iraq, kills at least 30 people as they leave a Shi’ite Muslim mosque, while a series of bombs in Baghdad kills six Shi’ite pilgrims in the latest of several attacks this week on Shi’ite religious gatherings. The attacks may reignite sectarian violence after a calm since U.S. forces withdrew from urban areas in June. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki orders the removal of concrete blast walls that line Baghdad’s streets.

China evacuates more than 20,000 people from the southeast coast of Fujian Province where typhoon Morakot is predicted to land on Saturday. The medium-strength tropical storm causes limited damage as it passes over Taiwan after killing 11 people and triggering flash floods in the Philippines.

U.S. Senator Jim Webb says he plans to visit Burma (Myanmar) this month, making him the first member of Congress to travel to the Southeast Asian country in more than a decade. Webb chairs a Senate subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific affairs and leaves on Sunday for a five-nation, two-week trip to explore opportunities to advance U.S. interests in Burma and the region.

Facebook confirms that Thursday’s “massively coordinated” attack on websites including Google, Facebook and Twitter was directed at one individual. The company says the strike was aimed at a pro-Georgian blogger known as Cyxymu. The blogger says he thinks the Russian government wanted to silence his criticism over the country’s conduct in the war over the disputed South Ossetia region, which began a year ago today.

Iran media reports that more than 5,000 security forces guard the block outside President Ahmadinejad’s swearing in ceremony and use tear gas against nearby demonstrators who shouted “death to the dictator.” When the U.S., France, Britain and Germany refused to send a customary congratualtory message, Ahmadinejad replies that, “the Iranian nation neither values your scowls and threats, nor your smiles and greetings.” His next step is to introduce his new cabinet, which must be approved by members of parliament, many of whom boycotted his inauguration.

While urging American companies to invest in Africa at a trade conference on the first stop on her tour of the continent, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. is disappointed at the slow pace of prosecuting the masterminds of post election violence in Kenya. At least 1,000 people were killed and about 650,000 were evicted from their homes as a result of the violence.

Delegates nearly come to blows during the first Fatah General Conference in two decades after participants demand information on the 20 years of the Palestinian political party’s activities and finances since the last conference, and discover that the Central Committee prepared no reports for the conference. President Mahmoud Abbas opens the conference in the West Bank city of Bethlehem by saying, “It is a miracle that Fatah is still standing strong in spite of all that has happened.”

Russian military officials suspect Georgia is planning new military action, and say unnamed third countries are helping Georgia rebuild its military potential. Last August’s war saw Russian forces expel invading Georgian troops from South Ossetia amid accusations on both sides of human rights abuses. Russia eventually recognized the independence of both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another former Georgian republic.

Former president and senior Iranian cleric, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani calls for the release of jailed post-election protesters. At his first Friday sermon since the presidential vote, Rafsanjani requests the end of media restraints and makes an appeal for a broadcast debate about the disputed vote.

Chechnya’s president Ramzan Kadyrov denies responsibility in the murder of Russian human-rights activist Natalia Estemirova. Estemirova was kidnapped outside of her home in the Chechen capital, Grozny, and her body was found on Wednesday in the neighboring region of Ingushetia. Oleg Orlov, the head of Memorial human rights group for which she had documented hundreds of cases of abuse in Chechnya, accused the president of her murder.

Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is acquitted of the hijacking charges that have legally kept him from running for public office. Sharif was convicted in 2000 of hijacking after attempting to prevent the landing of an aircraft in Pakistan carrying former president Pervez Musharraf, who was head of the military at the time. Sharif went into exhile in Saudi Arabia after being deposed in a coup in 1999.

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir chooses not to attend the Smart Partnership Dialogue conference in Kampala, Uganda, after he was warned of the arrest warrant for seven charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity ordered by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague in March. The African Union, which includes Uganda, decided earlier this month not to cooperate with al-Bashir’s arrest warrant.

U.S. President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sign a joint statement that supports a “new, comprehensive, legally binding agreement on reducing and limiting strategic offensive arms to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which expires on December 5, 2009.” The agreement requires both countries to reduce their strategic warheads to between 1,500 to 1,675 and warhead-delivering missiles to between 500 and 1,000.

Honduran authorities prevent ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya, traveling from Washington with United Nations General Assembly president Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann and a few advisers, from landing in the capital of Teguicigalpa. Zelaya lands in the capital city of El Salvador, San Salvador, after a stop in Managua, Nicaragua, to refuel and meet with allies Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. One Zelaya supporter is killed and at least eight people are injured in a confrontation with national soldiers on the tarmac in Tegucigalpa while awaiting the former president’s arrival, according to rescue officials.

Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi, the head of Iran’s judiciary, calls for a suppression of Iranian television and Internet media that is critical of the government. Iranian state television quotes Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi as saying, in an address to the judiciary, “[t]hose who co-operate with such websites and television channels will face prosecution.”

Former Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara dies at the age of 93. He is known mostly for his role in leading the U.S. into war with Vietnam. He also directed hundreds of military missions from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and increased the role of the defense secretary in domestic and international affairs.

At least seven bombs explode throughout Iraq as a rise in violence continues ahead of the planned withdrawal of 133,000 U.S. troops from Iraqi cities by June 30.

Air France says the bodies of two crew members have been recovered from the crash of the passenger jet that plunged into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil. Rescue teams have found about 50 bodies so far from the flight.

The Chinese Health Ministry implements sharp restrictions on Internet access to medical research papers on sexual subjects as part of an “anti-pornography campaign” that may lead to a broader crackdown on freedom of expression. Google access is also blocked overnight in China.

Russia’s Supreme Court overturns the acquittal of four men accused of involvement in the murder of the investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and orders a new trial.

Meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu agrees to resume talks with the Palestinians, but only if they recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Sri Lankan Army General confirms the death (warning: graphic) of Vellupille Prabhakaran, leader of the Tamil Tigers. The Tamil Tigers insist he is safe and accuse Sri Lanka of killing unarmed political leaders.

The Peruvian army is authorized to move against indigenous groups in the Amazon protesting the opening of their lands to exploration by foreign oil companies.

Lithuania elects its first female president, E.U. budget chief Dalia Grybauskaite.

The number of Pakistan civilians fleeing fighting in the Swat Valley grows to 1.5 million.

The United States and Russia start talks on replacing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) which expires in December.

Bangladesh arrests another five hundred border guards suspected in a February uprising, bringing to over 2,000 the number of guards facing charges of sedition.

Sudanese rebel leader Bahar Idress Abu Garda appears before the International Criminal Court in The Hague to face charges of complicity in the deaths of twelve African Union peacekeepers in Darfur.

Japan’s opposition party selects Yukio Hatayama as its leader in the run up to parliamentary elections in the fall.

Twenty six people die in a massive mudslide in the Philippines.

President Barack Obama announces the resumption of controversial military tribunals against terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, while granting prisoners new rights.

Tens of thousands of Pakistan civilians take advantage of the suspension of a curfew to flee the Swat Valley.

Gay activists planning a gay pride parade in Moscow to coincide with the Eurovision Song Contest face violence from anti-gay groups. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has banned the parade, calling it “satanic” and accusing homosexuals of spreading HIV.

South Africa reverses course and allows the Dalai Lama to visit. Critics have contended South Africa bowed to pressure from China in initially denying him a visa.

Hundreds of foreign militants are joining the fight against the Somali government.

Security forces kill sixty-four militants in fighting in Buner and Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan.

Russia announces that it will expel two NATO envoys in retaliation for the expulsion of two members of the Russian misson to NATO who were accused of spying.

Jacob Zuma is formally sworn in as President of South Africa.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/uncategorized/world-links/4688/feed/ 0 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/uncategorized/world-links/4684/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/uncategorized/world-links/4684/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 17:40:42 +0000 lucy kennedy http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/?p=4684 Georgia sends tanks to a military base near the capital, Tbilisi, to quash what it says is a Russian-backed mutiny attempting to undermine upcoming NATO exercises.

Half-a-million people are expected to flee Pakistan’s Swat Valley to escape fighting between the army and militants.

Fifteen activists from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party are rearrested for plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe’s government.

A UN report is critical of Israel’s raids on Gaza four months ago, and recommends further investigation into possible war crimes.

Seventeen people are killed in Maoist attacks on polling centers during today’s general elections in India.

At least sixteen Iraqi soldiers are killed in a suicide bombing on an airbase in Anbar province.

President Obama heads to Mexico to meet with his Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderón ahead of this weekend’s Summit of the Americas in Trinidad.

A Pentagon report says that China’s military power is disrupting the military balance in Asia; Beijing reacts angrily, calling the report “Cold War thinking.”

The Russian Soyuz space capsule blasts off from Kazakhstan, carrying billionaire space tourist Charles Simonyi on his second trip to the International Space Station.

The French government announces plans to ban stock options and bonuses for executives at companies that have been bailed out with taxpayer money.