A senior U.S. State Department official said Tuesday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's actions against protesters are "completely inconsistent with those of a responsible leader." U.S. diplomats are talking to European allies about new sanctions targeting the Syrian ruling circle.
Officials here stop short of saying that Assad has lost his legitimacy to rule. They are ratcheting up their criticism of the Syrian leader, however, amid reports that the death toll in 40 days of protests against the Damascus government may now exceed 400.
In a talk with reporters, the State Department's Director of Policy Planning Jake Sullivan called the Syrian government's crackdown "brutal and reprehensible" - and said it must respect and adhere to universal rights of freedom of speech and assembly.
He said Assad, who the Obama administration originally hoped would be a dialogue partner on Middle East peacemaking, has clearly taken the wrong path in dealing with the country's worst political crisis in decades.
"President Assad is on the wrong track and that he has to change course," said Sullivan. "We have also made the case that the actions he's undertaking are not consistent with the actions of a responsible government. And we will continue to make that case publicly, and we will make it privately to the Syrians, as Assistant Secretary Feltman has done, as Ambassador Ford has done, and as we have done through statements going up to, and including, the President of the United States."
The Obama administration battled heavy opposition in Congress to posting a full U.S. ambassador to Damascus and ended up sending envoy Robert Ford to Syria in a so-called recess appointment, circumventing Senate action, that expires at the end of the year.
Sullivan, a close advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, stressed the continued utility of high-level dialogue with Syria, saying that Ford has directly registered U.S. concern about the crackdown this week with top Syrian officials.
He said Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman called in Syria's envoy in Washington to the State Department Monday to lodge a similar complaint.
Sullivan said the Obama administration is consulting with key European allies about a joint imposition of new targeted sanctions on Syrian leaders aimed at prodding them to change course.
The United States already has various sanctions in place against Syria related to that country's presence on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism. But Sullivan said U.S. officials still believe that properly-focused sanctions can affect Syrian behavior.
"I would say the notion of targeted sanctions, aimed at those who are responsible for perpetrating this violence, can sharpen the choice for those people, and can sharpen the choice for the regime," said Sullivan. "And that is the theory behind exploring this potential alternative. And I stress that it is not something we have decided to do yet."
U.S. and European diplomats are reported to be circulating a draft U.N. Security Council statement condemning the Syrian violence and calling for an independent inquiry into the deaths of demonstrators, as a possible prelude to sanctions.
The United States ordered the departure late Monday of non-emergency embassy personnel and dependents from Damascus, while urging U.S. citizens to defer all travel to Syria, and advising Americans already there to leave while commercial transportation is still available.
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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the continuing violence against anti-government protesters in Syria, specifically the use of tanks and live fire that have killed and injured hundreds.
The U.N. chief called for an independent inquiry into the violence. Members of the U.N. Security Council are expected to meet Wednesday to discuss a joint statement condemning the crackdown.
U.S. State Department official Jacob Sullivan has said that, for now, Washington will limit its response to diplomacy and possible sanctions.
Truckloads of troops deployed early Wednesday into a suburb near the capital, Damascus, while soldiers bolstered their positions in the flashpoint town Daraa.
More than 400 people have been killed since pro-democracy protests erupted last month. The Syrian rights organization Sawasiah says at least 500 people have also been arrested.
President Bashar al-Assad last week ended the country's 48-year-old emergency law - a key demand of protesters - and abolished a state security court. But the government then took other steps to crush demonstrations.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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Japan's emperor and empress were in devastated Miyagi prefecture Wednesday to view earthquake damage and comfort survivors.
It was the first visit to the hardest-hit areas by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, though they have visited evacuation centers closer to Tokyo. The couple flew early Wednesday to an air base in Miyagi. The prefecture suffered thousands of people killed and about $80 billion in property damage, according to a new estimate by the Development Bank of Japan.
At the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, which has been leaking radiation since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, workers continue efforts to remove highly radioactive water from the basements and utility tunnels at the six reactors.
National NHK television said the latest concern is a possible leak of water from a pool where spent fuel rods are stored at the number four reactor. It said workers have been pouring from 140 to 210 tons of water into the tank in each of the last few days, but water levels remain 10 to 40 centimeters lower than expected.
The fuel rods must be kept covered with water to prevent them from becoming overheated and emitting dangerous radiation.
On Tuesday, about 200 farmers from Fukushima prefecture demonstrated outside the Tokyo offices of the plant's operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Company. They were demanding that TEPCO get control of the plant and quickly compensate them for their economic losses.
About 70 of the nation's most successful sumo wrestlers, meanwhile, agreed at a meeting Tuesday that each will donate about $120 every month for the next 10 years to support children in quake-stricken areas.
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Thai and Cambodian forces exchanged fire for a sixth day Wednesday as politicians argued over the failure of proposed peace talks.
Small arms and artillery fire were reported from the border area around two ancient Hindu temples, where the countries have been clashing since Friday. Thai officials said a civilian was killed by Cambodian shelling overnight, bringing the death toll in six days of fighting to 14.
On Tuesday, gunfire was exchanged for the first time in the latest flare-up at Preah Vihear, another temple complex 160 kilometers to the east where the countries fought for four days in February.
Proposed peace talks between the countries collapsed late Tuesday when Thai Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwon canceled a trip to the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said during a visit to the border area Wednesday that Prawit pulled out because of earlier plans to visit China. He said Thailand wants to hold talks, but that Cambodia must stop attacking before that can happen.
Cambodia, for its part, accuses Thailand of provoking the fighting. A government spokesman says that Cambodia wants a cease-fire as soon as possible.
The poorly demarcated border between the two countries has long been a source of friction, but there is no obvious reason for the latest fighting.
Each side accuses the other of starting it, while analysts suggest that hardline nationalist groups and military elements in the two countries may have political motives. Thailand is facing contentious national elections later this year.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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Syria has intensified its bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators, as international criticism against the government's action mounts.
Gunfire continued Tuesday in the flashpoint city of Daraa, where an armed assault to end anti-government protests was in its second day.
Human rights activists say at least 34 people have been killed and dozens more arrested since Syrian troops and tanks entered the city at dawn Monday to crush the demonstrations.
Residents were said to be too afraid to venture out in Daraa. Electricity, water and telecommunications to the city remain cut.
Also Tuesday, thousands of riot police deployed near the coastal city of Banias and in two areas on the outskirts of the Syrian capital. Activists say clashes have been especially brutal near the town of Douma. Demonstrators who attempted to enter Damascus from there during the last two weeks were met with bullets.
More than 400 people have been killed since pro-democracy protests erupted last month. The Syrian rights organization Sawasiah said Tuesday the government has arrested at least 500 people during the ensuing crackdown.
Also Tuesday, the international response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's brutal crackdown intensified.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations accused the Syrian leader of "disingenuously blaming outsiders" for the protests.
Susan Rice also reiterated that Washington has evidence of active Iranian support for what she called Syria's "abhorrent and deplorable" crackdown on peaceful demonstrators. She said the "outrageous use of violence to quell protests" must end now.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned "the continuing violence against peaceful demonstrators," including the use of tanks and live fire that have "killed and injured hundreds of people." The U.N. chief has called for an independent inquiry into the violence.
But Syria's U.N. envoy said Damascus is capable of undertaking its own transparent investigation into the deaths of anti-government protesters, rejecting outside assistance.
Bashar Ja'afari also said the U.N. Security Council "should not rely on media reports" when making its decisions. Britain, France, Germany and Portugal asked the council to condemn Syria's crackdown in a draft statement circulated on Tuesday.
Ja'afari told reporters Syria regrets civilian casualties, but said the unrest has "hidden agendas," adding that some foreign governments are attempting to destabilize the country.
Earlier Tuesday, ltalian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged Syria to "show moderation" and halt the "violent repression" of peaceful demonstrations.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan telephoned Mr. Assad and urged him to show restraint. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the European Union is exploring possibilities for action against Syria, including asset freezes and targeted travel bans on the country's leadership.
While U.S. officials have condemned the violence against Syrian citizens, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his British counterpart, Liam Fox, played down the likelihood of a Libya-style intervention in Syria.
At a joint news conference in Washington Tuesday, Fox said the world's response to popular revolts across the Middle East and North Africa must reflect the circumstances in each country. Gates made a similar point, saying that although the U.S. applies its values to all countries in the region, its actions will not always be the same.
A U.S. State Department official said Tuesday that, for now, Washington will limit its response to diplomacy and possible sanctions.
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As Japan struggles with its own nuclear crisis at the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said no nation can overcome the consequences of such a catastrophe on its own.
Marking the first visit to Chernobyl by a Russian president, Medvedev called on the international community to work together toward unified nuclear safety guidelines to ensure that disasters like those at Chernobyl and Fukushima are not repeated.
His words echoed the remarks by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In a statement released Tuesday, Ban highlighted the need to strengthen global nuclear safety. He also praised the heroism of emergency workers who responded to the Chernobyl disaster and the plight of millions of people affected by the accident.
Earlier, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill led a commemoration service in Kyiv. He struck a bell at the exact moment of the Chernobyl explosion on April 26, 1986. The bell tolled 25 times, once for each year since the accident.
The Chernobyl anniversary was also remembered by protesters in several European countries. Thousands took part in demonstrations across Germany on Monday.
The Chernobyl explosion released 400 times more radiation than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. It sent a cloud of radioactive fallout into Russia, Belarus and over a large portion of northern Europe.
The 1986 disaster has left a 30-kilometer area around the Chernobyl plant largely uninhabitable. Environmentalists any crops grown in the surrounding area could pose a threat to human health.
Thousands of sickened workers involved in the cleanup have protested in Kyiv against cuts in the benefits and compensation they receive for their exposure to radiation. They say their monthly pensions recently were cut, leaving them with barely enough money to pay for food and needed medication.
A donors conference in Kyiv last week raised more than $785 million, short of the $1.1 billion goal to build a new containment shell to replace the now-decaying original shell that was built over the damaged reactor.
The disaster fueled a global debate about the safety of nuclear energy as a power source, a debate that has renewed since last month's earthquake and tsunami damaged the Japanese plant.
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Officials say Afghan and international forces have recaptured 65 of nearly 500 inmates who escaped from a jail in southern Afghanistan, in a massive security breach claimed by the Taliban.
The prisoners, mostly Taliban militants, streamed out of Kandahar province's Sarposa prison overnight Sunday through a 300-meter long tunnel built over a five-month period.
On Tuesday, local officials said a joint Afghan and NATO force recaptured some of the escapees. Afghanistan's justice minister, Abibullah Ghalab, said it was likely that the prisoners escaped with help from guards or officials inside the jail.
Meanwhile, NATO announced Tuesday that its forces have killed the second most wanted insurgent in Afghanistan.
The coalition says that an April 13 airstrike in Kunar province killed Abu Hafs al-Najdi, also known as Abdul Ghani. NATO says Nadji's death "marks a significant milestone" in its efforts to disrupt al-Qaida.
NATO says the Saudi man was responsible for coordinating numerous high-profile attacks and used a network of insurgents to target security forces in the eastern province. The coalition says Nadji also trained fighters to make explosive devices and organized al-Qaida finances.
The airstrike killed several other insurgents, including another al-Qaida leader whom NATO says frequently worked with Nadji to coordinate attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
Elsewhere in the east, officials say the governor of Paktia province, Juma Khan Hamdard, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy. Three police officers and a civilian were wounded in the blast.
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Hundreds of people were arrested in Syria as the government continued its crackdown on an anti-government protest movement on Tuesday. Witnesses say that Syrian army troops are also tightening their grip on the city of Daraa, continuing a military assault that began Monday.
Witnesses say that sporadic gunfire crackled in the flashpoint town of Daraa Tuesday, and that life remained paralyzed in most of the city. Electricity was cut, as well as telephone landlines and mobile phones. Grocery stores, bakeries and other shops were closed.
Witness reports say snipers and special forces' sharpshooters fired at random and prevented residents from leaving their houses. Funerals of those killed the previous day could not be held due to the government crackdown.
Residents of Jassem in southern Syria marched in the streets to protest the army attack on Daraa. Opposition websites spoke of protests in several other towns, but it the reports could not be independently verified.
Syrian government television slammed foreign media, claiming it was "inciting revolution and violence." It also said that "criminal, armed gangs [were] wreaking destruction" across the country.
Syrian state television also broadcast funerals of 15 soldiers and policeman it claimed were killed by "armed terrorists."
At least a dozen people from several Syrian towns and cities were videotaped saying that the government must restore order and defeat terrorists.
But at a joint press conference in Rome, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and French President Nicolas Sarkozy denounced the Syrian crackdown.
Sarkozy said that both he and Berlusconi believe the situation in Syria has become unacceptable and that Syria cannot use brutality or deploy the army against demonstrators seeking freedom and democracy.
United Nations officials also condemned the Syrian military intervention. The Security Council is due to meet later in the day to discuss the situation in Syria.
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Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi launched an intense, all-day bombardment on the port area of rebel-held Misrata Tuesday, in a surprise assault against the city's sole lifeline to the world.
At least three African migrant workers were reported killed and up to 20 wounded in the shelling. They were among at least 1,500 migrants, mainly from Niger, awaiting evacuation from Misrata.
The fighting forced a ship chartered by the International Organization for Migration to wait offshore. The Albanian passenger ferry, Red Starr 1 is carrying 10 shipping containers of aid and two ambulances for the battered city.
Rebel officials in Misrata said they alerted NATO, which responded late Tuesday by pounding pro-government targets in desert terrain east of the city.
Loyalist forces also continued military strikes on ethnic Berber towns in the western mountains region Tuesday.
The commander of NATO operations in Libya, Lieutenant General Charles Bouchard, denied government claims that an allied airstrike late Sunday in a complex where Mr. Gadhafi lives was an assassination attempt.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the coalition of straying from the U.N. mandate to protect civilians. Without naming them, he said certain "officials" had reversed earlier claims that they were not targeting Mr. Gadhafi.
Earlier Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would not support any U.N. Security Council resolution that might escalate the conflict. Last month, Russia abstained from voting on a resolution authorizing the no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians.
At a meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Libya called on the African Union to hold an emergency summit to discuss how to deal with Western airstrikes.
Libyan Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi said the 53-nation AU should invoke its mutual defense pact in response to the strikes. Obeidi and rebel representatives have been meeting separately with AU officials in Addis Ababa to discuss an end to the war.
The AU has proposed a solution calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities followed by a transitional period and political dialogue. The rebels rejected the plan earlier this month, saying any settlement must include the departure of Mr. Gadhafi and his sons. The AU's commissioner for peace and security, Ramtane Lamamra, accused the West of failing to support the bloc's peace proposal.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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Voting is underway in Nigeria after last week's presidential election touched off rioting in some northern states.
Nigerian voters were accredited at polling stations Tuesday before casting their ballots for state-wide offices. It is the third and final round of voting in nationwide elections to choose lawmakers and a president as well.
Goodluck Jonathan was re-elected president in a vote last week after which supporters of opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari attacked churches, homes and police stations, sparking reprisal attacks by Christians.
The human rights group, the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, says at least 500 people were killed in that violence.
Police say Easter Sunday bomb blasts in the city of Maiduguri that killed three people and wounded 14 were the work of the Islamic group Boko Haram, which has been fighting for the past two years to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.
There were three more bombs in Maiduguri Tuesday, but police say there were no casualties. The group is attacking police and religious leaders because it says they wrongly associate with a federal government that it is trying to sabotage Islam.
President Jonathan has increased security ahead of these elections for Nigeria's powerful state governors.
Voter Faith Ororo says security was better than during the presidential poll.
"Not like before, the security arrangement is very, very OK," said Ororo. "Voting materials are all complete. There is no problem. I am very satisfied. Everything is going to be free and fair. It is going to be one man, one vote."
Electoral commission chief Attahiru Jega postponed voting in the northern states of Kaduna and Bauchi until Thursday because he says that will allow for the "further cooling of tempers" and for the security situation in those states to improve.
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The Korean peninsula this week is seeing an increased amount of diplomatic activity.
One of China's senior diplomats, Wu Dawei, is back in Seoul. He is promoting a resumption of dialogue between the two Koreas as a prelude to again starting wider talks with four other nations aimed at getting Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.
Beijing's top nuclear negotiator began his discussions here hours after a high-profile international group of statesmen touched down in Pyongyang for a three-day visit. They are former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, Finland's former president Martti Ahtisaari, the former prime minister of Norway, Gro Brundtland, and former Irish president Mary Robinson. They were greeted at the airport by North Korean Vice Foreign minister Ri Yong Ho.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan says he does not hold high expectations from the trip.
Kim says Seoul does not need the help of third parties to communicate with Pyongyang.
In Beijing, on Monday, Carter said the group hoped to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and his son and heir apparent, Kim Jong Un.
The visiting quartet's members said they want to discuss the stalled nuclear disarmament talks and learn about food shortages.
Many who are rallying in Seoul this week hope the high-profile visitors to Pyongyang will also raise the issue of human rights.
Thousands of South Koreans are participating in events marking North Korean Human Rights Week.
A rally was held at Seoul's main train station, Tuesday.
Participants chanted in support of a human rights law regarding North Korea under discussion here. The proposal would further restrict humanitarian aid and set up a government office to examine the human rights situation in the North.
The demonstrators also demanded that Pyongyang abolish its prison camps, where they say North Koreans are being killed.
Woo Dae-sik, a member of the South Korean Veteran's Association, says these matters need to be reflected in his government's policies.
Woo says rallies such as this one do make a difference. And, that the issues have to be raised for the sake of Korean re-unification.
Multi-nation talks about North Korea's nuclear disarmament have been stalled for nearly two-and-a-half years. Those discussions involve both Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.
Efforts to revive high-level talks between Seoul and Pyongyang have also been deadlocked. South Korea has repeatedly insisted North Korea must first apologize for the sinking of one of its coastal warships, last year. Forty-six South Korean sailors died.
North Korea has rejected the conclusion of an international investigation which blamed the ship's explosion on a North Korean torpedo.
Inter-Korean relations went into an even deeper chill, five months ago, when the North shelled a frontier Yellow Sea island, killing four South Koreans.
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Despite differences in opinion on a host of individual issues, China and the United States are going ahead with various meetings as the two countries work to emphasize the importance of maintaining stability in the overall Sino-American relationship.
The first set of meetings, due to start Wednesday in Beijing, focuses on human rights, followed by high level strategic and economic talks in Washington next month.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei listed some of the topics the Chinese side expects to discuss in two days of human-rights meetings with US officials.
He says they will discuss new progress in human rights in both countries and human rights cooperation in the United Nations.
But he said China is against any country using human rights as an excuse to interfere in China's internal affairs.
He acknowledges there are differences between China and the United States on human rights. But he said the two countries can increase mutual understanding through dialogue, on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
In a brief statement issued last week, the Department of State said the discussions will focus on human rights developments, including the recent negative trend of forced disappearances, extralegal detentions, and arrests and convictions in China. It added that other U.S. concerns include rule of law, freedom of expression, religious freedom, labor rights and minority rights.
Chinese authorities have netted dozens of human rights activists and lawyers in a crackdown on dissent that began after Internet postings urged Chinese people to hold protests similar to the Jasmine Revolution demonstrations that brought down governments in the Middle East. There have been few signs of actual protest, but the Chinese government has reacted harshly.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities also have cracked down on worshippers at an unregistered evangelical church in Beijing and prevented them in recent weeks from holding meetings outdoors. Congregation members say hundreds of people have been put under house arrest.
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U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, who is due to leave China at the end of this month, recently gave a farewell address in which he emphasized the importance of communication on contentious issues like human rights.
"Where we have differences, we owe it to ourselves and to future generations to speak respectfully, but also candidly and honestly," he said. "And the best way to do this is to maintain a consistent dialogue at all levels throughout the highs and lows in our relationship."
The United States has been among the countries calling for China to free detained dissidents, including well-known artist Ai Weiwei.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner host their Chinese counterparts for several days of high-level strategic and economic talks next month in Washington.
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A study by the Asian Development Bank finds that domestic food prices in many regional economies have risen on average 10 percent in early 2011.
Xianbin Yao, director general of the Regional and Sustainable Development Department at the Asian Development Bank, says these steep price increases could push an additional 64 million people into extreme poverty.
"Asia, despite its rapid growth, and it is still home to a majority of the worlds poor. We have about 900 million in this, absolute poverty. And, it is for this group of people, they are spending on about average two thirds, more than two thirds on foods. So, with a 10 percent increase on food prices their real income eroded," Yao said.
Some food inflation was expected, but the report says that fast and persistent increases in the cost of many Asian food staples, coupled with sharply rising oil prices, could weaken Asian economies.
If the global food and oil price hikes seen in early part of 2011 persist for the remainder of the year, the report says, economic growth in the region could be reduced by up to 1.5 percent.
The report says many of the conditions that drove up food prices in 2008 are at work again. These include rising demand from wealthier developing countries; competing uses for food grains; shrinking available agricultural land; and, stagnant or declining crop yields. Also this year, a weakened dollar and production shortfalls caused by bad weather could push prices higher.
To avert a looming crisis, Yao says Asia countries with surplus supplies of grain or rice should refrain from imposing export bans on food.
"ADB, the Asian Development Bank, has been working with this group of countries to establish such a system to help deal with the future emergencies -- when one country requires importing food and other countries can provide, so more of a cooperative approach rather than a competitive approach," Yao stated.
He says, in the long term, Asian economies must invest more in agriculture to increase crop production and expand storage facilities.
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The eyes of the world are on Britain as it gears up for the royal wedding on Friday and it is not just well wishers who are showing an interest. Those who oppose the British government or its monarchy may see the royal wedding as an ideal target.
Anarchists
Not everyone in Britain is a fan of the monarchy. Take anarchist Charlie Veitch for example. He brought a megaphone to London's Trafalgar Square and told the public what he thinks about the upcoming royal wedding.
"What I have an issue with is when the state creates the biggest public spectacle the world has ever seen and charges us, the tax payer, millions and millions of pounds to pay for the security, when so many people in this country are against it," Veitch said.
He told VOA, Britain's monarchy is a system of domination.
"When I open my passport it does not say British 'citizen' it says British 'subject' because I am still subject to the crown and to the Queen, and I reject that 100 percent," Veitch said.
His anarchist group, the Love Police, plan to demonstrate Friday in Trafalgar Square, the same day Prince William and Kate Middleton are to wed.
Veitch says the Love Police will be using words to bring down the monarchy.
"We want to show them that we can actually defeat this monstrous system of consensus and obedience and subservience and being blown away by the spectacle of the royal wedding, by using words," Veitch explained.
But words are not everyone's mode of action.
Security threats
International Center for the Study of Radicalization co-director John Bew says Britain's security services will be dealing with two main categories of threat on the day of the wedding.
"On the one hand you have fear of civil disorder or protest on the day," Bew noted. "On the other hand you have a fear of a more serious actual terrorist threat or attempted terrorist attack on the wedding itself."
Late last year, demonstrations against a hike in student fees turned aggressive. Buildings were smashed and Britain's heir to the throne, Prince Charles, was caught up in the uproar.
Protesters threw paint at his car, the same Rolls Royce that will be bringing Kate Middleton to her wedding on Friday.
Terror target
Terrorists have also long targeted Britain. Hundreds of people were killed or injured when London's transport system was bombed in 2005. And the dissident group the Real IRA has waged an ongoing battle to end British control of Northern Ireland.
Analyst Bew says the risks are high.
"For a terrorist organization such as al-Qaida or the Real IRA, the royal wedding obviously is a very attractive target," Bew said. "It is a symbol of Britain or British power - particularly in the case of the Real IRA, regarding the crown or the monarchy as really the symbol of 800 years of historic oppression."
He says the royal wedding is also an ideal target because the eyes of the world will be on Britain. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pack London's streets and top dignitaries from around the world are set to attend.
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But Bew says Britain's security services are well trained in how to keep major events like the Royal Wedding secure.
"The British security services have a lot of experience when dealing with this type of threat," Bew said. "Members of the royal family have been attacked and killed by the IRA in previous years, such as Lord Mountbatten, the Queen's cousin who was killed in 1979, so there is experience of this. There is a standard protocol. There are operations in place. It should not be anything too out of the ordinary."
Security sweep
Police have already begun combing the processional route for weapons and explosives. Sniffer dogs will be searching the pews of Westminster Abbey, where the church service is to be held, while police helicopters will be monitoring the day's events and about 5,000 police officers will patrol on the ground.
And with a tight security operation in place, it may be Charlie Veitch's battle of words that causes the most disruption to Friday's ceremony.
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Attracted by its growing economy and huge middle class, several U.S. restaurant chains are heading to India to sell sandwiches and burgers, pancakes and sausages, coffee and ice cream. They follow in the footsteps of international fast food chains which have already established their presence here. Brisk business
Business is brisk at a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet in a New Delhi market as customers line up at lunchtime to place orders.
U.S. restaurant chains like KFC, Pizza Hut, and McDonald's are cashing in on India's growing appetite for fare being sold at western food chains - pizzas, burgers and sandwiches.
The market is driven by a country where about 700 million people are under 30, are earning larger pay packets thanks to a buoyant economy, and are quickly acquiring a taste for Western fast food and global brands.
"In our day five to six hours we always spend out of our office, so keeping lunch, making our luggage heavy, so it is better to just go outside and have food," one customer said.
"Specially, for college students it is very economical, and the crowd is very happening, because we usually find youngsters over here," another customer said.
Eating out
Yum Restaurants India runs eating outlets like Pizza Hut and KFC. Its Chief Marketing Officer, Sandeep Kataria, says dining out is catching on in a big way.
"As people do become a little bit more affluent, they are looking at places to be able to go out, have a good time, also break away from the routine of everyday eating at home. Honestly, the opportunities, the options available in India for leisure are limited. What does a typical family end up doing in India currently is to mix shopping along with a movie along with eating out. That therefore is a great opportunity for companies like us," Kataria said.
It seems business will only get bigger and better. Increasing numbers of nuclear families and hectic work schedules are also helping fast food gain popularity in a country where home-cooked meals and traditional curries have ruled the roost for decades.
The huge potential of this market has whetted the appetite of restaurant chains which are not present in India. Earlier this month, representatives of several U.S. based food chains like Denny's Corp, Wendy's, Pollo Tropical, and CKE Restaurants visited major cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad and New Delhi to scout for franchise partners. Others like Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts are set to launch in the coming months.
They want to sell sandwiches and burgers, pancakes and sausages, coffee, crepes and ice cream in a country of 1.2 billion people.
Room for more
A senior retail consultant in New Delhi, Raghav Gupta, says there is room for more players in an industry which is growing at around 20 to 25 per cent a year.
"Because of lesser time available with people to necessarily have a functioning kitchen at home, so that is driving people to eat out more and more. As a result in India, eating out has always been driven by occasions, so people eat when there is a birthday or something to celebrate. But I think eating out which is occasion-driven is now changing to necessity-driven eating out as well," Gupta stated.
That does not mean that pleasing the Indian palate is an easy task. Many items on menus in Western countries have been knocked out by chains like McDonalds because the predominantly Hindu population does not eat beef. And insipid food is not always palatable to people who have grown up on spicy curries.
Customized menus
So the menus have been indigenized to include Indian favorites such as onions, garlic, and the Indian version of cottage cheese. Kataria of Yum Restaurants says burgers and pizzas have been customized for local tastes. "Indians do like food more spicy. The other is that a lot of Indians are vegetarians or vegetarians most of the week. And therefore our menus reflect that. A lot of the vegetarian innovation has happened in India," Kataria explained.
Many of the new restaurant chains heading to India plan to take a leaf out of outlets already in India, and adapt their cuisines to suit local tastes.
While those heading to India initially plan to set up shop in the big cities, the ones already established like McDonalds and Pizza Hut are expanding at a fast pace, by both increasing their outlets in big cities and making a foray into smaller towns.
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St. James's Palace in London has published a detailed review of all the aspects of the April 29 wedding between Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Here are some of the highlights:
Who Is Paying?
The Royal family, with a private contribution from the millionaire Middleton family, is paying for wedding including the service at Westminster Abbey, the flowers, dresses, carriage procession, reception and dinner. Britain's government is picking up the tab for all other costs associated with the wedding.
When Does it all Start ... and End?
07:15 UTC: the general congregation will start arriving at the Great North Door of Westminster Abbey. 09:15 UTC: the bridegroom arrives at the Abbey. Half an hour later, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive. 09:51 UTC: the bride is to leave the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey. 10:00 UTC: the marriage service begins, and will be relayed by audio speakers along the procession route. 11:15 UTC: the wedding procession leaves Westminster Abbey for Buckingham Palace. 12:25 UTC: the queen, and the wedding couple appear with their families on the balcony of the palace. 12:30 UTC: fly past by the Royal Air Force.
Who Made The Invite List?
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Around 1,900 people have been invited to the service at Westminster Abbey. Around 650 people have been invited to the lunchtime reception for the new royal couple at Buckingham palace, hosted by Queen Elizabeth. Some 300 people have been invited to dinner at the palace, hosted by the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles.
In case you didn't get one, the invitations were die-stamped in gold, with gilded edges.
How Are They Getting There?
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Middleton and Prince William will travel separately to the service. She has chosen a Rolls Royce Phantom VI, and he will arrive in a Bentley. After the wedding, the couple will travel in the gold and crimson 1902 State Landau -- the same carriage used by Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981. If it rains, they will use the Glass Coach, built in 1881, followed by four more horse-drawn carriages.
Security
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It has taken 22 weeks to plan the security for the event, which will be provided by some 5,000 officers, including 911 officers along the procession route. Some 11,000 barriers will be set up and 35 specially trained sniffer dogs will be on duty. In comparison, there were 5,213 officers deployed for the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.
The Service and The Clergy
The Dean of Westminster will conduct the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury will marry the royal couple, and the Bishop of London will give the address. The Bishop is a personal friend of the Prince of Wales and has known Prince William for years. He also officiated at the memorial service for Prince William's late mother, Lady Diana.
The Music
There will be some specially commissioned pieces, but what they are is still a mystery. What is known is that there will be two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams performing the music at the wedding.
With This Ring ...
The wedding ring that Prince William will place on Catherine Middleton's finger is made of Welsh gold, given to the prince shortly after the couple were engaged. There will be only one ring. The wedding rings of the late Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth and the late Princess Margaret were all made from the same nugget of Welsh gold.
Wedding Gifts!
No crystal, dishes or vases for the royal couple. They have asked that anyone considering giving a gift to instead contribute to a number of charities personally chosen by Prince William and Middleton.
Let There Be Cake
The wedding cake is a multi-tiered fruit cake designed by Fiona Cairns, who started her baking business out of her kitchen 25 years ago. The cake will be decorated with flowers made of cream and white icing. A second cake for the reception at Buckingham Palace will be made by McVitie's, and is a chocolate biscuit cake made based on a royal family recipe.
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Gunfire was reported Tuesday in the flashpoint Syrian town of Daraa, as a military siege there to end pro-democracy protests entered its second day.
The crackdown with tanks and troops showed no signs of easing amid an international outcry over violence against demonstrators. Residents are reportedly too afraid to venture out in Daraa. Human rights groups also report dozens of people are being detained by Syrian forces nationwide.
Witnesses and human rights activists say at least 20 people were killed Monday when hundreds of Syrian troops and tanks entered Daraa to quell demonstrations.
Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague is urging Syria to end the crackdown, adding that his country is working with its international partners to persuade Syrian authorities to respect basic and universal human rights.
The United States has condemned the violence against Syrian citizens, calling it "completely deplorable."
The State Department has issued a travel warning advising U.S. citizens and non-emergency embassy personnel to leave Syria while commercial transportation is still available.
More than 350 people have been killed during Syria's crackdown since pro-democracy protests erupted last month.
President Bashar al-Assad last week ended the country's 48-year-old emergency law - a key demand of protesters - and abolished a state security court. But the government then took other steps to crush demonstrations.
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