In the news today...
Rescue teams and aid workers from around the worldare arriving in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. Manyreached Kathmandu on Monday -- two days after apowerful earthquake struck the country. The quakekilled more than 4,000 people. Several thousand otherswere hurt. Experts believe those numbers will increasewhen crews reach rural areas.
Landslides and wreckage are said to be blocking aidfrom reaching communities outside the capital.Communications links are down in some areas.
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The official death toll continues to rise as international relief arrives in Nepal. |
The United States Geological Survey says it expectsmoderate earthquakes in the area this week.
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry saidthe United States is providing an additional nine milliondollars in aid for Nepal.
The U.S. Agency for International Development said the money will be usedfor immediate assistance, including search and rescue efforts. It said themoney will also help pay for emergency shelter, clean water and wasteremoval efforts.
US calls Iran nuclear deal monitoring ‘most extensive’ ever
The United States is defending the terms of its tentative agreement with Iranto limit its nuclear activities. U.S. officials say the deal would include what theyare calling “the most extensive monitoring” the United States has evernegotiated with any country.
Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the deal would give newprotection to Israel by increasing the time Iran would have to develop anuclear weapon. She made the comments to a Jewish social justice group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes the planned nuclearagreement between Iran and world powers, including the United States. Hesays it would not stop Iran from developing an atomic weapon that wouldthreaten Israel. The nuclear negotiators are working toward completing a finaldeal by the end of June.
Negotiators from Iran and a group of six world powers have given themselvesuntil the end of June to reach a final agreement. The West believes Iran isusing its nuclear program to build atomic weapons. Iran says its nuclearprogram is being developed to provide electricity to its people.
Funeral Monday for black man who died in Police detention
Mourners filled a church in the U.S. city of Baltimore Monday. They went therefor the funeral of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died from aninjury suffered while being held by police. Mr. Gray suffered severe spinalcord injuries and died a week after his arrest. Police have not yet said whenand how he was injured.
Protesters have been demanding justice in daily demonstrations that havebeen largely peaceful. But there was some violence on Saturday.
Police officials say more information on the case is expected later this week.
Japanese Prime Minister in US
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has begun a visit to the United States.Mr. Abe will visit four cities and will meet with President Barack Obama. OnWednesday, the Japanese leader will speak to a joint meeting of the U.S.Congress.
The United States and Japan plan to expand their military cooperation. High-level officials from the two countries met in New York Monday beforeannouncing changes to a defense cooperation agreement. The measure waslast amended in 1997.
ASEAN conference begins in Malaysia
Leaders of the ten-nation member Association of Southeast Asian Nations are in Malaysia for two days of meetings. The leaders were expected to discussChina’s activities in the South China Sea.
Malaysia’s prime minister spoke to the other leaders on Monday. He said theyshould work to peacefully control territorial disputes with China withoutincreasing tensions in the area.
In his words, “Respect for international law, including the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea, must be the basis of the rules ofengagement and activities in the South China Sea.”
China has been developing the Spratly Islands. The Philippines, Vietnam,Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claimed territory in the area.
ASEAN’s members are Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos,Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Australia claims corruption in drug trafficking trial in Indonesia
Australian officials are working to save two of the country’s citizens frombeing executed in Indonesia. On Monday, Australia’s foreign ministry urgedIndonesian officials to delay the executions until reports of corruption in theirtrial could be investigated.
Australia says the judges in the case had asked for tens of thousands ofdollars to sentence the two men to less than 20 years in prison.
On Saturday, the Indonesian government informed the two and eight otherjailed drug traffickers of plans to execute them. It said they could be put todeath as early as Tuesday night.
