Seoul Nuclear Summit kicks off
The second Nuclear Security Summit has just kicked off in Seoul, South Korea.
A welcoming ceremony has been held for the leaders and representatives of 53 nations and international organizations, including Chinese President Hu Jintao, US President Barack Obama, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, and European Council President Herman van Rompuy. The reception, the first event of the two-day Summit, will be followed by a working dinner among the leaders on Monday evening.
The leaders will begin official discussions on responses to nuclear terrorism, protection of nuclear materials and facilities as well as prevention of illegal trafficking of nuclear materials.
President Hu Jintao is due to deliver a speech Tuesday morning to elaborate on China’s position, including the nation’s efforts to strengthen nuclear security. He will review the achievements of the past two years in strengthening international cooperation and technical improvement in the nuclear field.
The Seoul gathering is the second Nuclear Security Summit, following the inaugural event in Washington in 2010.
China: No decision yet on attending Syria meeting
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hong Lei says that under the current situation, China has not considered attending the second "Friends of Syria" meeting scheduled to convene in Istanbul in April.
Hong said, "We think actions taken by the international community regarding Syria should help ease the tension there, promote political dialogue, resolve disputes and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.
The resolution of the Syrian crisis requires the participation of, and dialogue between, major parties involved, and the international community should create favourable conditions for that. China will continue to work with all sides and play an active and constructive role in finding a peaceful and proper resolution to the Syrian issue.
At the invitation of the Chinese government, the UN-Arab League’s joint envoy on Syria Kofi Annan will visit China from March 27th to 28th.
China values and supports Annan’s mediation efforts and hopes to discuss political solutions for Syrian crisis during his visit."
Tiger Woods ends title drought at Bay Hill to warm up for Masters
Arnold Palmer Invitational final leaderboard (par 72)
- -13: T Woods (US)
- -8: G McDowell (NI)
- -6: I Poulter (Eng)
- -5: R Moors (US) B Cauley (US), K Na (US), B Davis (Eng), B Watson (US), E Els (SA), J Wagner (US)
Tiger Woods turned his thoughts to trying to win a fifth Masters title after claiming his first PGA Tour title since September 2009 at Bay Hill.
The former world number one warmed up for the first major of the year with a five-shot victory over Graeme McDowell at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
"I'm excited about the Masters," said the 36-year-old, who has won 14 majors.
"It's always fun to play there and I'm looking forward to going to Augusta with the momentum I've built here."
Woods, who moved up to sixth in the world rankings with the win, pulled out of his last event two weeks ago with an Achilles tendon strain that initially seemed likely to threaten his participation at Augusta.
Chasing a seventh Bay Hill title, and 98th professional victory, Woods held a one-shot lead over Northern Ireland's McDowell going into the final round in Florida and carded a final-day two-under 70 to wrap up the win.
Starting the day on 11 under, the American again dropped a shot at the second, as he had done on Saturday. But he made up for it with birdies on the next two holes.
In contrast, McDowell, who came from four back to beat Woods at the 2010 Chevron World Challenge, ran up a double-bogey six at the second before the unexpected bonus of a 45-footer from the fringe of the third to get back to nine under.
McDowell then holed from 50 feet at the long sixth to reduce the lead to two. But, by the turn, the gap had grown to four as Woods birdied the difficult eighth after a brilliant approach over the water to two feet and McDowell missed a four-foot par putt at the next.
The 2010 US Open champion reduced the deficit to three with a 23-foot putt on the 11th but took six on the 12th and though Woods bogeyed the short 14th, so did McDowell, and the gap remained four when Woods saved par with a 12-foot par putt on the next.
It stayed that way until the short 17th when McDowell overshot the green and made bogey as he closed with a two-over-par 74.
"I never got close," admitted McDowell. "He really nailed home his comeback. Great to have a front-row seat watching maybe the greatest of all time doing what he does best - winning golf tournaments."
England's Ian Poulter, who has recovered from a recent bout of pneumonia, was third, his best finish of the year but Ernie Els shot a 75 to miss out on Augusta.
The South African needed to finish outright third or better to qualify for the Masters by climbing back into the world's top 50.
However, he had to settle for a seven-way tie for fourth place in a group including Englishman Brian Davis, who enjoyed one of his best Tour finishes.
Woods went over two years without a win anywhere following revelations about his private life before capturing the Chevron World Challenge in December.
"[Winning again] is down to a lot of hard work but it was great to have so much support out there," he added.
--BBC
Series tied Valiant Windies go down to Aussies
A valiant West Indies fought to the end but their dreams of beating Australia in a one-day series for the first time in nearly two decades, ended in disappointment with a 30-run loss in the fifth and final match here yesterday.
Set an imposing 282 for victory, feeble batting returned to haunt the Windies at the Beausejour Cricket Ground, as they were dismissed for 251 off 47.2 overs.
The regional side did not surrender without a fight, however, as captain Darren Sammy produced an electrifying career-best knock of 84 from a mere 50 balls, which threatened to snatch a breathtaking come-from-behind victory.
Sammy clobbered six fours and six sixes, a combination of tremendous straight hits and searing ground strokes, to ignite a recovery after the Windies had been knocked to the canvas at 118 at seven in the 32nd over.
He instigated a record eighth-wicket stand of 101 with exciting all-rounder Andre Russell who carved out a robust 41 from 33 balls with six fours.
The partnership, which required just 59 balls, shocked the Aussies and injected a renewed hope into the team and the capacity crowd.
However, when Russell was trapped lbw to left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty in the 41st over, the Windies dream ended as Australia quickly wiped out the tail to rescue some pride from the series with a 2-2 result.
Veteran speedster Brett Lee claimed three for 42, while Shane Watson
(2-44), Doherty (2-60), and Clint McKay (2-68) finished with two wickets apiece. West Indies bowlers had earlier hit back late to rein in Australia's scoring and restrict them to 281 for nine, after they galloped to 193 for two in the 37th over, seemingly well poised for a total in excess of 300.
Yet again, however, the Windies showed their resilience, producing excellent fielding and taking wickets at critical points to limit Australia to 65 runs off the last 10 overs.
Seamer Russell finished with four 61, while pacer Kemar Roach captured three for 53, including two wickets in the final over that cost just two runs.
Off-spinner Sunil Narine claimed two for 55.
David Warner slammed 69 and captain Shane Watson got 66, to get the Aussies off to a flyer with a stand of 118 for the first wicket.
Peter Forrest followed up with 53 at number three before the Aussies lost their way.
West Indies' run chase was off to a dreadful start when they slipped to five for two in the third over.
Without a run on the board, opener Johnson Charles skied the fifth ball of the innings for Lee to take an easy return catch and Marlon Samuels, searching for his first score of note in the series, edged the second ball he faced -- a beautiful away swinger from Lee -- through to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade.
Adrian Barath, who struck 42 from 74 balls with six fours, played freely collecting the bulk of his runs with crashing off-side strokes.
He put on 32 for the third wicket with out-of-form left-hander Darren Bravo who spent 21 balls over three before feathering the faintest of edges behind off seamer Clint McKay, in the 13th over.
His older brother Dwayne Bravo sparked another small partnership with Barath, once again getting a start as he busily gathered 19 from 22 balls.
However, he gifted his wicket in the 18th over, driving an innocuous Watson delivery to George Bailey at short extra cover. The pressure of gathering a mere 10 runs from his previous 26 balls then got to Barath and he miscued a slog at left-arm spinner Doherty into the hands of Bailey at mid-on.
Carlton Baugh (13) top-edged Lee to Ben Hilfenhaus at fine leg and Kieron Pollard looked dangerous in scoring 33 from 40 balls with two fours and two sixes before whipping seamer Watson into Mike Hussey's lap at deep mid-wicket.
There seemed no way back for the Windies at this stage but Sammy and Russell changed the tempo with a scintillating partnership.
Playing with gay abandon, Sammy smashed two fours and a six off Lee's seventh over which went for 16 and then helped himself to two fours and two massive sixes off McKay's eighth which cost 22.
In the process, he reached his half-century from just 20 balls to equal his own record for the fastest ODI 50.
Russell was rollicking along as well, striking hefty some blows when he leaned forward, missed a straight ball from Doherty and was lbw at 219 for eight at the end of the 41st. The decision was given on review after umpire Peter Nero had initially given a not out verdict.
Sammy then farmed the strike to get Windies within striking distance but the challenge proved too much
and he fell to a catch in the deep off Hilfenhaus.
--JO
England on top in Sri Lanka despite Jayawardene century
A cultured unbeaten 168 from Mahela Jayawardene lifted Sri Lanka to 289-8 after the opening day of the two-Test series against England in Galle.
Sri Lanka were 15-3 after three wickets fell in 10 balls, Kumar Sangakkara out first ball to James Anderson (3-56).
The skipper survived four chances, two badly spilled late on by Monty Panesar, but revived his side with 20 fours and three sixes in his 30th Test hundred.
Panesar was one of three spinners, with Samit Patel taking 2-27 on his debut.
When England lost the toss on a cloudless day in searing heat at a ground on which they had never won, they might not have relished tackling a Sri Lanka side containing three players with Test averages in excess of 50.
Any anxieties would have been exacerbated in the opening over when they lost the first of their two reviews, an lbw referral rejected as the ball had pitched outside leg-stump.
However Anderson utilised the shine superbly, shaping the new cherry both ways in an opening spell of 2-6 in 10 overs.
Lahiru Thirimanne edged to second slip and Sangakkara, who has two centuries and six fifties against England, attempted an ambitious drive to a similarly pitched delivery moving away outside off-stump.
Former skipper Tillakarate Dilshan seemed set to play with his usual abandon but departed in the next over when he prodded suspiciously at a well-directed full length ball from Broad and was smartly snaffled at first slip.
The situation called for consolidation and Sri Lanka had the perfect exponents of the art.
Jawawardene exuded calm authority, reminding Swann that he was not content to merely block by taking a step down the wicket and lofting majestically over long-on for six.
He had the ideal ally in Thilan Samaraweera, who scored only a single from his first 48 deliveries but when the opportunity arose dispatched the ball in classical fashion to the boundary as the fifty stand was recorded from 154 balls.
However in the second after lunch a firm straight drive from Jayawardene was flicked into the stumps by Anderson in his follow-through and left Samaraweera short of his ground at the non-striker's end, out in the most unfortunate circumstances.
It was a timely breakthrough for England as batting had begun to look easier with the softening of the ball, superbly illustrated by Jayawardene, who clipped three boundaries in an over from Anderson with exquisite timing.
Panesar bowled economically, probing with persistence but little threat, and only occasional slow turn.
With Swann also largely failing to trouble the batsmen, Patel was given an opportunity with his slow left-armers, in England's first three-pronged spin attack since 1987.
Having got off the mark by swiping Panesar for six, Dinesh Chandimal took a similarly ruthless approach against Patel's rather innocuous round-arm, almost whirling himself off his feet with another big hit over the ropes at long-on.
But the cavalier batsman attempted one bold shot too many and on 27, the second best score of the day, sliced to cover to give a jubilant Nottinghamshire all-rounder his first wicket.
Patel was then unceremoniously taken out of the attack in favour of Panesar, who produced a stunning delivery to the new batsman that turned violently away from the outside edge.
Coincidentally Swann then found dramatic turn and bounce from round the wicket to surprise Jayawardene, the ball brushing the glove and squeezing through Anderson's fingers, but it proved the exception to the rule and it was to be an unproductive day for England's first-choice spinners
After tea, Anderson began to find some prodigious inswing and trapped Prasanna Jayawardene lbw, a decision upheld following a review, while Suraj Randiv fell to a direct hit from Strauss close in.
Deceiving Jayawardene with a cleverly disguised slower ball, Anderson failed to grasp a straightforward return catch, and the Sri Lanka captain nonchalantly dispatched the next ball into the leg-side for six and reached his century from 200 balls in the next over with a delicate fine sweep.
Patel returned to trap Herath lbw for five and end a partnership of 62 but his reward was again to be immediately taken off as England took the second new ball.
But Panesar returned to his dark fielding days of old when the ball went inexplicably through his hands to reprieve Jayawardene twice, firstly on the square-leg boundary off Anderson on 147 and again when the ball followed him to mid-on off Broad.
However unfortunate, the failure to dismiss the captain will have taken some gloss from England's day, and it remains to be seen how significant the dropped catches prove to be.
--BBC
Manchester United timing title bid perfectly - Ferguson
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says his side are perfectly placed to beat rivals Manchester City to the Premier League title.
United can go three points clear if they beat Fulham on Monday night.
"We are in the right place, at the right time and, most importantly, with the right players," the 70-year-old manager told United Review.
"It's neck and neck now and I'd say it was an ideal time to be up with the leaders with only nine matches to go."
While City currently top the table on goal difference, their 1-1 draw with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday has given United a chance to open a gap when they play at Old Trafford on Monday night.
"After weeks trailing in second place, we got our noses in front," Ferguson continued.
"I am sure our players are ready to put the pressure on again.
"Our guys have been flogging away and perhaps wondering if they would ever catch up before we hit the finishing line.
"Well, we did and they are capable of going in front again. It's neck and neck now and I'd say it was an ideal time to be up with the leaders with only nine matches to go."
After suffering with a succession of injuries during the winter, Ferguson now has the vast majority of his squad to call on for the final stretch.
Winger Nani and striker Michael Owen are set to further boost the Scot's options when they return to training this week.
Voting time again! - JLP, PNP confident of victory in Jamaica
JAMAICANS head to the polls today for the second time in three months, to cast their ballots for local government representatives in 228 divisions across 63 constituencies.
A total of 478 candidates were nominated on March 5, with the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) fielding 228, one more than the governing People's National Party (PNP), said the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).
Today voters will also have the choice of giving the nod to 15 Independents -- six candidates from the Marcus Garvey People's Progressive Party; one hopeful running on the Family Reunion House ticket; and another fielded by the Jamaica Alliance Movement.
Three candidates -- an independent, and one each from the JLP and PNP -- will also seek a 'thumbs-up' from voters to serve as mayor of the Portmore Municipal Council.
Director of Elections Orette Fisher said it's all systems go for today, promising smooth voting at 6,630 polling stations.
"Pretty much everything is in place with the polling stations opening at 7:00 am and closing by 5:00 pm," he told the Observer yesterday.
As for the Electronic Voter Identification and Ballot Issuing System (EVIBIS), which some voters blamed for lengthy delays in casting their ballots during the December 29, 2011 General Elections, Fisher said the system will be used in the exact same locations they were used but was confident it would not be problematic.
"I maintained that the EVIBIS performed as expected in terms of processing, so whatever challenges there were, they did not relate to the system," he said.
Meanwhile, Fisher said the accessibility of polling stations to physically challenged persons is not something that can be readily addressed as the EOJ has to use the public buildings which are available.
"We, however, use as many of the buildings on the ground floor," he said, explaining also that the EOJ has significantly reduced the number of tents it used as polling stations in the past.
The EOJ said the November 30, 2011 voters' list that was used in the December 29, 2011 poll, will be used today. The list has a total of 1,648,036 voters.
The two major political parties have also been signalling their readiness ahead of today's poll with both confident of victory.
Opposition Leader Andrew Holness said the party machinery is ready to contest this Local Government Election despite the crushing defeat in the December 29, 2011 poll and members are in a more energised state than expected.
"December 29 is behind us and so the worker core, councillor candidates, members of parliament and all the functionaries of the party are re-energised," Holness told journalists at a press conference on Friday. Thirty per cent of the party's candidates are new, with some 20 per cent being females.
"I have gone around the island and from what I have seen, the workers and supporters of the party are determined to have a good showing in this Local Government Election," he said.
"I am looking at a higher than normal voter turnout," Holness said, insisting that a large proportion of the electorate who did not vote in December for whatever reason will exercise that right today.
"It is wise for the country to focus on balancing the power by ensuring there is a JLP local government that sends a powerful signal that they (central government) can't engage in any extreme measures, frolic of their own, or any carelessness that could cost us on the national level," Holness added.
Up to late yesterday the PNP was doing final preparations to mobilise its supporters to turn out for the local polls which normally attract a low voter turnout.
PNP Deputy General Secretary Julian Robinson, who was at a workers meeting putting final arrangements in place, said the party is also confident of victory.
"We remain confident we will win majority divisions based on the results of the general elections, and the fact that we have been doing our work going from door to door to convince persons of the importance of coming out for local government, since we know we don't get the same level of voter turnout as in the general elections," he said.
Robinson dismissed the JLP's appeal for voters to balance power by putting the Opposition in charge of local government.
"The JLP has shown very little regard for local government reform and the process, and it's a non-argument to come now and say that, because the PNP has been committed to empowering councillors, ensuring they have the autonomy to deal with the issues," he said.
Jamaicans last elected local parish representatives on December 5, 2007, three months after the JLP won the general elections after more than 18 years in Opposition.
The JLP won all but four of the 13 parish councils then with the Manchester, Westmoreland, Hanover and St Ann councils going to the PNP. The party won 133 of the 227 divisions, while the PNP won 94 divisions. The number of divisions have since been increased by one.
Meanwhile, all public schools remain closed today as the majority of them will be used as polling stations.
"Schools are, however, asked to ensure that arrangements are made to recover this additional day, so that the 190 days (per school year), stipulated by the Code of Regulations can be honoured," said Acting Director for Communications in the Ministry of Education Sheryl Bromfield.
In the meantime, the police yesterday warned against traditional traffic breaches by drivers including allowing passengers to hang from the doors of motor buses, sit on top of motor vehicles, or have any part of the body protruding as parties bring out their supporters.
--JO
Dudus' lawyer stands firm
The lawyer representing convicted Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke is standing by controversial statements alleging complicity between United States (US) authorities and the Jamaican government in bringing charges against, and subsequently extraditing, his client.
Notwithstanding that the claims have outraged the Jamaican Diaspora here, attorney Stephen H Rosen, in an interview with the Observer, was adamant he is correct in his assessment.
Rosen said the only part of his comments that he was prepared to retract was a reference to the US Secretary of State not wanting the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to win the last general election.
"I meant the State Department, not Secretary of State," he said in a follow-up interview last week.
Rosen said that the previous People's National Party (PNP) government had a close relationship with the US State and Justice Departments and charged that politics was responsible for Coke's arrest and subsequent extradition.
He said that the US government "has always seem to favour the People's National Party".
"One of the first acts by the US after the JLP took office was to issue a request for Mr Coke's extradition," the attorney noted.
Asked if he could provide evidence to support his charges, Rosen referred to the controversial 'wiretap' Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) between the Jamaican and US governments, as well as information on the matter which he said are contained in documents from the Supreme Court of Jamaica.
The matter of the MOU's, signed by Dr Peter Phillips under the previous PNP administration, allowing the US to eavesdrop on local telephone calls, are pivotal to the prosecution's case against Coke.
"I don't know anything about Jamaica's internal politics. I have never sat in a room with a Jamaican politician," Rosen said.
"These are (pieces of) information that were gathered by our lawyers in Jamaica and which is available for all to see. I don't make up these things, I am just a simple lawyer working to provide the best representation for my client," he said.
Rosen also accused the previous PNP government of misleading the Supreme Court on the wiretap evidence.
Outside a Manhattan courtroom where he first made most of his charges two Fridays ago, Rosen sought to debunk claims that Coke's removal from Jamaica had led to a reduction in crimes there.
"They moved him out, an election is called, the old government is voted out and a new one takes over, yet there's more murders in the first few days than before," he charged.
But in a sharp response, Irwin Clare, who heads the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board for the Northeast United States, described Rosen's comments as "an insult to the intelligence of Jamaicans".
He said that there was no evidence of US interference by way of preference in the last elections, which he described as fair and clean.
Clare said that while he understands Rosen's right to do the best for his client, he should not use his position to "attack our democracy and democratic institutions".
But Rosen said that "we can prove the charge of complicity". He said that Coke's defence team is now awaiting the next move by prosecutors in the case.
A week ago, Friday, the Coke defence team seemed to have won a major victory when Judge Joseph P Patterson ruled that prosecutors had not provided sufficient evidence to support their request for the imposition of the maximum 23-year prison sentence being sought under a plea-bargain agreement.
The parties are to return to court on May 22. Rosen has indicated that the defence could go into the discovery process if evidence to back certain claims by prosecutors are produced.
Guatemala's president urges debate on drug legalisation
Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina has said the war on drugs has failed, and it is time to end the "taboo" on discussing decriminalisation.
He was addressing a Central American summit in the Guatemalan city of Antigua.
Mr Perez Molina convoked the meeting to consider decriminalisation as a way of reducing drug-related violence.
But the presidents of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras all cancelled their attendance at short notice.
Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, Mauricio Funes of El Salvador and Porfirio Lobo of Honduras decided not to attend.
All three countries were represented by senior officials, and Mr Perez Molina was joined by President Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica and Ricardo Martinelli of Panama.
"We have seen that the strategy that has been pursued in the fight against drug trafficking over the last 40 years has failed," he said.
"We have to look for new alternatives. We must end the myths, the taboos, and tell people you have to discuss it," he added.
Central America is a major transit route for South American cocaine heading north to the US.
The rising power of drugs gangs has fuelled corruption and soaring murder rates in the region, with Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador particularly affected.
'High price'
President Perez Molina caused widespread surprise when he announced in January that he thought it was time to consider decriminalising the consumption, production and trafficking of drugs.
The former army general was elected last November after promising an "iron fist" approach to organised crime.
But he has argued that the price Central America pays in human lives for the war on drugs is too high.
Mr Perez Molina is the first Latin American president to propose decriminalising drugs while in office, though several prominent former leaders have backed the idea.
The subject is also likely to be discussed at the Summit of the Americas in Colombia on 14-15 April.
The US has made clear its continued opposition to legalisation of drugs, while acknowledging it as a legitimate subject for debate.
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez returns to Cuba for radiotherapy
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he has started radiotherapy treatment for cancer in Cuba.
Mr Chavez, 57, had surgery in Cuba last month to remove a tumour in his pelvic area after a recurrence of cancer first treated last year.
The Venezuelan leader's illness has cast doubt on his ability to campaign for re-election in October.
Mr Chavez arrived in Havana a day before Pope Benedict XVI, who begins a three-day visit there on Monday.
He said he had had his first session of radiotherapy shortly after arriving in Cuba and that there had been no problems of any kind.
After completing five sessions, he plans to return to Venezuela for a three-day break on Thursday, before returning to Cuba for the next round.
Before he left Venezuela, Mr Chavez told a televised cabinet meeting that he had decided to begin the treatment immediately, on the recommendation of medical and political advisers.
He said the treatment would complement the surgery he had a month ago and that he was recovering well from it.
Given the nature of the treatment, he said he would be "coming and going" and that it was also possible some therapy sessions might take place in Venezuela.
Speculation
Last year, the Venezuelan leader had surgery and four rounds of chemotherapy in Cuba, after a baseball-sized growth was detected in his pelvic region.
He has never revealed the exact nature of his cancer, fuelling speculation that his health may be worse than officially stated.
He has told Venezuelans to ignore the rumours which he says are aimed at destabilising the country.
In October's election, he is facing a strong challenge from opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski.
Mr Chavez, in power since 1999, is seeking another six-year term to continue his programme of "socialist revolution".