Kerry Offers Talks with Pyongyang if it Moves to Scrap Nukes
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has offered to negotiate with North Korea for a peaceful resolution of tensions on the Korean peninsula if Pyongyang takes steps toward abandoning nuclear weapons.
The top U.S. diplomat said Pyongyang has a "clear course of action available to it" and will find a "ready partner" for negotiations in the United States.
Kerry made the comment Sunday, at a news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo. Both called for North Korea to act first by resuming a process of scrapping its nuclear weapons program.
But in separate remarks to a group of reporters, Kerry said he will have to consult with colleagues in Washington about what specific actions they believe Pyongyang must take.
Kerry also reiterated Washington's commitment to the defense of Japan, a key U.S. ally. North Korea has made repeated threats to attack the United States and its regional allies including Japan and South Korea in recent weeks.
Pyongyang has been angered by joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises that it sees as a prelude to an invasion of the North. Washington and Seoul have insisted the drills are defensive. North Korea also has reacted angrily to the latest U.N. sanctions imposed on it for carrying out a nuclear test in February. The United States and South Korea were among the main advocates of the sanctions.
Kerry is due to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday. The two are expected to discuss North Korea's weapons programs. Speaking Sunday on a visit to Iwo Jima, Mr. Abe said the international community must send Pyongyang a message that "provocative" acts will not bring any benefit to the North Korean people.
Japan has deployed missiles around Tokyo to intercept any North Korean rockets launched toward its territory.
In a message broadcast Sunday, North Korea dismissed the South's latest offer of dialogue as a "crafty trick." Pyongyang's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said there will be no talks unless Seoul abandons what it called a "confrontational attitude."
South Korea proposed the dialogue on Thursday, as a way of ending a crisis at the North's Kaesong industrial zone, where South Korean businesses employ cheap North Korean labor near the inter-Korean border. North Korean authorities withdrew the zone's more than 50,000 workers last week and blocked South Korean access to it, leading to a shutdown of manufacturing.
The zone is the last remaining site of inter-Korean economic cooperation.
Prior to Tokyo, Secretary Kerry visited Beijing, where he and Chinese foreign policy chief Yang Jiechi pledged to work together to resolve the Korean crisis. The two diplomats said Saturday they support the goal of a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.
Thousands Protest Spain's Monarchy
Thousands of Spanish protesters marched through the streets of the capital, Madrid, to demand the abdication of the monarchy and the return to a democratically-elected government.
Sunday's protest marked the anniversary of the country's last democratically-elected republic, which was overthrown by an army uprising, followed by a civil war and nearly four decades of dictatorship under General Francisco Franco.
King Jaun Carlos took over as head of state following Franco's death in 1975 and is credited with steering the country towards a constitutional democracy.
The royal family has come under intense criticism following a series of recent scandals, including last year's controversial elephant hunting trip by the 75-year-old king, and a corruption investigation involving his daughter, Princess Christina.
Anti-Thatcher song tops British chart
The BBC is in a bind after opponents of Margaret Thatcher pushed the song Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead to the top of the British charts in a posthumous protest over her divisive policies.
The online campaign to drive the Wizard of Oz song to the No 1 spot on the UK singles chart was launched by Thatcher critics shortly after the former prime minister died Monday of a stroke at age 87. As of Friday, the song was No 1 on British iTunes.
Still, many people say the campaign — which aims to see the song played this weekend on the BBC's Official Chart Show -- is in bad taste. Some have called on the BBC to promise it won't broadcast the song.
John Whittingdale, a lawmaker from Thatcher's Conservative party, told the Daily Mail tabloid that many would find the ditty "deeply insensitive."
"This is an attempt to manipulate the charts by people trying to make a political point," he said.
In a statement, the BBC said it had not yet decided on whether it would feature the song on its show — which normally plays all the week's best-selling hits.
"The Official Chart Show on Sunday is a historical and factual account of what the British public has been buying and we will make a decision about playing it when the final chart positions are clear," the taxpayer-funded BBC said.
Not all Tories agreed that the song should be yanked.
"No song should be banned by the BBC unless its lyrics are pre-watershed," said former Conservative lawmaker Louise Mensch, referring to British restrictions on adult content.Mensch, a prominent Conservative voice on Twitter, said in a message posted to the site that Thatcher, famously known as "the Iron Lady," would not have wanted it any other way.
"Thatcher stood for freedom," she wrote.
Source-BBC
TRINIDAD'S SHURWAYNE WINCHESTER DELVES DEEP INTO REGGAE
Fresh from his performance at this year's Bacchanal Beach J'ouvert on March 30 and again as part of the Smirnoff truck at Bacchanal Jamaica's Road March on April 7, Trinidad's soca artiste, Shurwayne Winchester, is on a roll.
The lanky artiste is wasting no time. He recently recorded and released two new reggae singles, Body Calling and My Music.
Body Calling, recorded on the Luv A Dub riddim is being described as a groovy reggae ballad with catchy lyrics and an understated sexy style, while My Music, on UIM Productions' 4 Play riddim is said to take the listener a little closer to Winchester as he shares what he views as the power of his music.
Winchester noted that he is seeking to expand his fan base in Jamaica and elevate the reach and appeal of his music.
"Jamaica is a second home to me and I admire many artistes in the genre. I want my fans in Jamaica, old and new, to see me as more of a talented, diverse singer, songwriter and performer and less of a seasonal soca artiste. I am first and foremost a soca artiste, yes, but I have so much music within me and so much I want to do and this is just one step toward achieving greater success with my music", stated Winchester.
This is not the first time that Winchester has ventured into the reggae genre.
He has worked alongside many Jamaican artistes and producers in the past and may be most known for his contribution to the Overproof Riddim, Wine On It.
His die-hard soca fans will also know and love him as the powerhouse behind some staples including Dead or Alive, Don't Stop and Can't Wait.
Winchester is currently producing the video for the My Music single, being shot in Trinidad and Jamaica.
Source-JamaicaObserver
Anger over Justin Bieber's Anne Frank message
Justin Bieber has caused outrage with his message in a guestbook at the Anne Frank Museum, saying he hoped the Holocaust victim would have been a fan.
The 19-year-old pop idol wrote: "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber."
It has provoked fierce online criticism of the Canadian singer, who is in Amsterdam as part of a tour.
The museum defended the star but added his comment "wasn't very sensible".
The Canadian singer's comment was quoted on the Anne Frank House Facebook page following his visit on Friday evening.
Anne Frank's diary, written during the two years the teenager and her family hid from the Nazis in occupied Amsterdam, made her a symbol of the suffering of Jews during World War II.
The house has been turned into a museum dedicated to the young girl, who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945 aged 15.
The suggestion that had she lived today, the teenager would have been a "belieber" - a term used by his devoted fans to describe themselves - generated thousands of horrified responses on social networking websites.
"Just saw what Justin Bieber wrote in the Anne Frank Museum guestbook. Absolutely disgusted," read one tweet.
"Way to turn an inspiring moment into something about yourself," read another.
However, museum spokeswoman Maatje Mostart defended the young star to the BBC, saying: "He's 19. It's a crazy life he's living, he didn't mean bad… and also it's nice that he made the effort, he didn't have to come."
Source-BBC
Meat Loaf pulls out of Nottingham concert
Meat Loaf has cancelled a concert in Nottingham an hour before it was due to start.
A statement on the Capital FM Arena's website said the show had to be postponed "due to medical reasons affecting several members of the band".
A spokeswoman for the arena told the BBC News website fans were told of the cancellation at 18:30 BST, ahead of the doors opening at 19:00.
The concert has been rescheduled for Monday 20 May.
All tickets for Sunday's gig will remain valid on the new date, although refunds will be given to fans who are unable to attend.
The shows are part of Meat Loaf's Last At Bat farewell tour.
He is due to play in Manchester, Sheffield, Cardiff and northern Europe before returning to the UK in May.
China economic growth lower than forecast
China, the world's second-largest economy, has seen growth slow in the first three months of this year, latest figures show.
The economy grew at an annual rate of 7.7% in the January to March quarter, down from 7.9% in the previous quarter.
Most analysts had forecast growth of closer to 8% for the period.
These are the first growth numbers to be reported after China's new leaders took charge of the country, in what is seen as a crucial time for its economy.
Beijing has been trying to spur growth after it hit a 13-year low in 2012.
Adam Scott beats Angel Cabrera in play-off
Adam Scott clinched his maiden major title and became the first Australian winner of the Masters with victory against former champion Angel Cabrera in a sudden death play-off at Augusta.
Scott, 32, holed a 15ft birdie putt in virtual darkness across the 10th green on the second extra hole to deprive Argentina's 2009 winner after both players birdied the 18th in regulation to reach nine under on a dank, drizzly day.
Australian Jason Day, runner up with Scott in 2011, was third at seven under with Tiger Woods (70) and another Australian Marc Leishman (70) tied for fourth at five under.
"It fell my way today, there was some luck there but it's incredible to be in this position. I'm honoured," said Scott, who squandered a four-shot lead with four to play to lose the Open to Ernie Els last year.
"This is the one thing in golf we hadn't been able to achieve," he added. "It's amazing that it's my destiny to be the first Australian to win."
Scott's long birdie putt on the 18th gave him a round of 69 and a one-shot lead over Cabrera, who was waiting back down the fairway in the final group. The Argentine kept his focus despite the roars from the green and hit his approach to a few feet before making his birdie for a 70 to join Scott.
Both came up slightly short of the 18th green on the first extra hole and Cabrera, playing first, almost holed his chip and tapped in from a foot for a fourScott left his chip three feet shy but holed it and they went back down the 10th. They both hit good approaches to the heart of the green but Cabrera, who won a play-off against Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry three years ago, missed his putt before Scott made his.
"That's how golf is. I came back and I had that chip on 18, I could have won it," said Cabrera.
"But Adam's a good winner. I would have been happier if I had won but he's a great player, I get along with him, we've played together in the President's Cup and I'm happy for him."
Cabrera, the joint overnight leader with Brandt Snedeker, held a two-shot lead at nine under during the first nine but on the way home he shared the lead with Scott and Day, who was two in front with three to play before bogeys at 16 and 17.
Woods was four behind at the start of the day after being penalised two shots for an illegal drop on Friday, but struggled to ignite his round and carded a two-under 70 for a seventh top four in his last eight Masters following his last win in 2005The 14-time major champion, chasing his fifth Green Jacket and first major title since 2008, said his putting cost him.
"I played well, unfortunately I just didn't make enough putts and also missed a few shots here and there," said Woods, the world number one.
"I certainly had an opportunity. If I shot 65 I thought I could win it outright, and it looked like that might be the number. I just couldn't quite get the peed right the first eight holes I left them short."
American Snedeker slumped to a 75 for four under with 23-year-old Danish debutantThorbjorn Olesen, who finished with a 68 to head the European challenge.
England's Lee Westwood once again led the British challenge and got to four under at the seventh before finishing three under with a 71. The 39-year-old, who was second in 2010 and third last year, is still chasing his first major at the 60th attempt.
"Any time you finish top 10 in a major you've got to be pleased with that," said Westwood. "There's not too many negatives to take away."
Malawi's president 'furious' after Madonna criticised
Malawi's President Joyce Banda was "incandescent with anger" over a statement labelling US singer Madonna a bully, the BBC has learnt.
She was unaware of the harshly-critical statement that was issued by her office following Madonna's recent visit to the country, senior officials have said.
The statement accused Madonna of exaggerating her contribution to the country and demanding VIP treatment.
Madonna, who was visiting her charity in Malawi, hit back at the criticisms.
She described them as lies and said she began her involvement in Malawi seven years ago "with honourable intentions".
A well-placed source told the BBC that President Banda was "incandescent with anger" when she heard about the statement, and a senior official has confirmed she knew nothing about it.
The statement issued on Wednesday, accused the star of wanting Malawi "to be forever chained to the obligation of gratitude".
It claimed Madonna believed the government should have "rolled out a red carpet and blast the 21-gun salute" upon her arrival in Malawi.
"Granted, Madonna is a famed international musician. But that does not impose an injunction of obligation on any government... to give her state treatment. Such treatment, even if she deserved it, is discretionary not obligatory," the statement said.
And, in reference to a row over whether she is building schools or classrooms, it said she "needs to learn as a matter of urgency... the decency of telling the truth".
Emily Banda, head of Malawi's NGO board, said that although President Banda "did not approve" or indeed know about the statement, there would be no apology for the mistake.
Some of the criticism of Madonna's charity work was justified, she said.
Madonna, who has adopted two children from Malawi, originally planned to build an $15m (£9.9m) girls' academy.
But two years ago she closed down the Malawian office of her charity Raising Malawi, which was headed by President Joyce Banda's sister, Anjimile Mtila-Oponyo - who now works at the education ministry - and opted to fund 10 schools instead.
Earlier this month, Malawi's education minister Eunice Kazembe said Madonna was building classrooms, not entire schools, in the country.
"She has built classrooms at existing schools... really it's a difference in terminology," the minister said.
Trevor Neilson, who is now managing Raising Malawi projects, said $400,000 had been spent on building the 10 school blocks allowing some 4,000 children, who had been learning under trees, to be taught in classrooms.
On Thursday, Raising Malawi put out a statement saying that Madonna "did not ever ask or demand special treatment at the airport or elsewhere" during her visit.
She said she saw "with my own eyes the 10 new primary schools in Kasungu province that Raising Malawi... completed this year".
"Madonna is not letting politics stand in the way of her deep commitment to help build schools there and educate as many children as possible," the statement also said.
Source-BBC
Portugal and Ireland to be given more bailout repayment time
Portugal and Ireland are to be granted an extra seven years to pay back their emergency bailout loans.
The European Union and the IMF bailed out the Republic of Ireland in 2010 and Portugal in 2011.
The 17-member group that uses the euro currency agreed to the terms at a meeting of finance ministers in Dublin.
Meanwhile, the ministers also said a 10bn euro ($13bn; £8.5bn) EU bailout loan for Cyprus was ready for approval by member states.
That could happen by the end of the month and, if the IMF also gives the go-ahead, the first bailout money could be released by mid-May.
Key extension
The plan for Ireland and Portugal is intended to give the countries' financial systems more time to recover from the debt crisis after their bailout loans run out.
Ireland's bailout money will run out later this year, and Portugal's will run out in 2014.
The Irish and Portuguese repayment extensions are expected to be backed by all 27 European Union members, which includes those outside the eurozone, later on Friday.
Eurogroup President and Dutch Finance Minister, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, said the ministers in Dublin had commended Portugal on its success in implementing the bailout programme but "asked them to maintain the reform momentum despite the difficult economic and domestic conditions".
He added: "Ireland is a living example that adjustment programmes do work, provided there is a strong ownership and genuine commitment to reforms."
The BBC's Matthew Price said that the deal could be seen as something of a reward "for good behaviour", but also as recognition that an austerity-first approach was not always the best option.
The extension is especially important for Portugal. When it received a 78bn euro bailout two years ago, it pledged to take various measures in its budget to reduce public spending.
However, last week the country's Constitutional Court ruled that several of these measures in the 2013 budget were unlawful.
If Portugal was to drop the measures because of this, it may not remain eligible for more funds under its bailout.
On Thursday, it emerged that Cyprus would need to raise an extra 6bn euros to secure the 10bn euro bailout from Brussels and the IMF.
While confirming that up to 10bn euros in loans will be provided to Cyprus, the eurozone finance ministers also rejected reports that the country might be granted more financial assistance.
Presidential spokesman Christos Stylianides said the country was not looking for more money under the bailout programme, but was hoping for support through other European support mechanisms: "What the president of the republic [of Cyprus] is discussing with European officials is the possibility of increasing European funds for growth and social cohesion."
Cyprus will ask for the money under the EU's multi-annual financial framework designed for member states suffering serious consequences from the euro crisis.
A draft document prepared by the country's creditors said the cost of the rescue had risen to 23bn euros from 17.5bn euros, with Cyprus now having to find 13bn euros of this.
Mr Anastasiades said he had spoken to EU Economy and Euro Commissioner Olli Rehn and said he would also be writing to European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and to EU President Herman Van Rompuy.
"The letter to Mr Barroso and Mr Rompuy will refer to the need for EU policy to change towards Cyprus by giving it extra assistance, given the critical times we are going through as a result of the economic crisis and the measures imposed on us," Mr Anastasiades said.
Source-BBC