Archive | April, 2011

Report: Hamas to move Headquarters from Damascus to Qatar

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal

LONDON (KATAKAMI.COM / Ma’an / Ynet / Haaretz) — Hamas will soon relocate its political headquarters to Qatar from Damascus, Palestinian sources told the Arabic-language newspaper Dar Al-Hayat in a report published Saturday (April 30, 2011).

The London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat reported Saturday that Hamas Leader Khaled Mashaal and other senior Hamas members will soon relocate their headquarters to the Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar.

More than 15 members of Hamas’s Political Bureau have been operating in exile in Damascus since 1999. 

According to the report, Qatar agreed to “permanently host” the Politburo, but refused to grant Hamas’ top military echelon the same privilege.

Hamas’ military echelon will relocate to the Gaza strip. There was no mention of a reason for the relocation, which will come just days after Hamas and the leading West Bank party Fatah signed an historic reconciliation deal.

On Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement hammered an historic reconciliation deal with the rival Hamas group, agreeing to form an interim government and fix a date for general election within the year.  

The deal, which took many officials by surprise, was thrashed out in Egypt and followed a series of secret meetings.

Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar insisted that Hamas was united in its move toward a unity government, however, it is still unclear how widespread that agreement is.

Abbas has been making a heavy push for reconciliation with Hamas, with which it held a unity government that collapsed during a five-day civil war in 2007 and ended with the Islamic militant group seizing power in the Gaza Strip. Fatah had already signed the reconciliation agreement in October 2009, but Hamas had until now refused to give up on demands it had set before the rival group.

Restoring Palestinian unity is seen as crucial to reviving any prospect for a Palestinian state based on peaceful co-existence alongside Israel. Fatah, the mainstream Palestinian movement until a 2006 election victory by Hamas, backs negotiated peace but the Islamists reject it. 

(*)

Semanis Senyum Ratu Elizabeth Semanis Itulah Senyum Kate Memikat William

Pangeran William membawa sang isteri yang baru dinikahinya, Kate Middleton, untuk memberikan hormat kepada Ratu Elizabeth II seusai Misa Pernikahan, 29 April 2011

UK’s Clarence House : Prince William and Catherine Middleton have written their own prayer

Jakarta, 30 April 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM) — Ada 3 perempuan yang tak hadir dalam pesta akbar pernikahan Pangeran William dan Kate Middleton pada hari Jumat, 29 April 2011.

Pertama Ibunda dari Ratu Elizabeth II yaitu Ibu Suri “Queen Mother” Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite) yang wafat tanggal 30 Maret 2002.

Kedua Ibunda dari Pangeran William sendiri ( Putri Diana ) yang wafat tanggal 31 Agustus 2007.

Ketiga Sarah Ferguson ( Fergie ) yang merupakan mantan isteri dari Pangeran Andrew, yang mengumumkan perpisahannya dengan pangeran tampan yang menjadi anak kedua dari Ratu Elizabeth pada tanggal 30 Mei 1996.

Tetapi dari ketiga perempuan ini, catatan tersendiri yang harus diketahui oleh semua orang bahwa Fergie memang tidak diundang oleh Keluarga Kerajaan Inggris untuk hadir dalam pernikahan William dan Kate. Sehingga ketidak-hadirannya memang sudah sangat pantas terjadi sebab ia sudah bukan menjadi bagian yang resmi dari anggota Kerajaan Inggris.

Dan kalau mau jujur, pernikahan William dan Kate memang menjadi terasa kurang lengkap dengan ketidak-hadiran Ibu Suri “Queen Mother” ( Ibunda dari Ratu Elizabeth ).

File picture : The new Royal Mail stamp issue on 18 April 2006 marks Her Majesty the Queen's 80th Birthday. To celebrate the occasion we feature stamps issued in commemoration of significant royal birthdays for the late Queen Mother and for our future king, Prince William. Born in August 1900, the late Queen Mother was one of the longest surviving members of the Royal Family and even received a telegram from her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, on her 100th birthday. On the day of her funeral in April 2002, more than a million people lined the streets outside Westminster Abbey and along the 23 mile route to her final resting place at Windsor Castle.

Ibu Suri adalah sosok figur perempuan Inggris yang sangat tegas, berani dan mumpuni.

Ia adalah seorang perempuan yang pantas dikagumi.

Sehingga untuk sebagian orang yang memang sangat mengagumi sosok Ibu Suri ( Queen Mother ), ketidak-hadirannya dalam prosesi pernikahan William dan Kate membuat pemandangan dari Kerajaan Inggris terkait pernikahan akbar itu terasa bagaikan ada sesuatu yang “hilang”.

Tak akan pernah terhapuskan dalam sejarah, cerita tentang segala keberaniannya sepanjang menjadi isteri dari seorang Raja Inggris. Caranya memberikan dukungan moral kepada Bangsa Inggris sepanjang menjalani Perang Dunia kedua dan segala keberaniannya yang barangkali akan sulit ditemui pada era kekinian.

Adolf Hitler bahkan sampai harus memberikan julukan bahwa Ibu Suri adalah perempuan Eropa yang paling berbahaya.

Tentu julukan ini harus diartikan bahwa sosok Ibu Suri adalah perempuan yang tak akan bisa ditandingi keberaniannya mengejar dan memperjuangkan kemenangan dalam pertempuran yang seberat apapun di medan perang.

Dalam perhelatan akbar yang seperti apapun dalam Kerajaan Inggris, Ibu Suri selalu hadir dan ia pasti akan selalu mendapat tempat di hati media massa Inggris sehingga foto-foto kehadirannya tetap akan terpampang.

Ibu Suri wafat dalam usia 101 tahun ketika ia ditemukan sudah meninggal dunia tahun 2002.

Sehingga sangat wajar bila ketidak-hadirannya tetap dianggap sebagai sebuah kehilangan ketika William dan Kate melangsungkan pernikahan akbar mereka yang ditonton oleh seluruh dunia.

Ratu Elizabeth II didampingi Pangeran Philip (Duke of Edinburgh) dalam perjalanan ke Istana Buckingham dengan menggunakan kereta kuda seusai menghadiri Misa Pemberkatan Pernikahan dari Pangeran William dan Kate Middleton, Jumat 29 April 2011.

Pernikahan William dan Kate memang menjadikan Ratu Elizabeth sebagai fokus perhatian yang sangat sentral dalam seluruh rangkaian prosesi sepanjang hari Jumat (29/4/2011).

Ratu Elizabeth mengenakan busana dan topi senada yang berwarna kuning.

Inilah perempuan yang sebenarnya paling pantas disebut sebagai perempuan yang paling powerful di dunia ini.

Walau pemimpin kerajaan tak dimungkinkan untuk ikut berpolitik tetapi seorang Ratu di Inggris diberi otoritas untuk memberikan perintah dan keputusan apapun kepada para pemegang eksekutif di Inggris.

Sehingga keputusan politik dan kebijakan luar negeri apapun yang keluar dari Inggris maka tak perlu diragukan lagi bahwa suara Ratu Elizabeth akan sangat diakomodir dalam kebijakan-kebijakan itu.

Yang paling fenomenal adalah bisik-bisik tentang tidak diundangnya sejumlah pemimpin dunia dalam pernikahan William dan Kate.

Keputusan ini tentu keputusan Ratu Elizabeth.

Tetapi, lihatlah cara Ratu melakukan sesuatu untuk menetralisir sorotan terkait kontroversi undangan pernikahan cucu yang sangat dicintainya.

Pangeran William dan Kate Middleton berciuman di balkon Istana Buckingham, Jumat 29 April 2011.

Hanya beberapa hari menjelang pernikahan William dan Kate, nama 2 orang mantan Perdana Menteri Inggris tidak termasuk dalam daftar undangan resmi Kerajaan Inggris yaitu Gordon Brown dan Tony Blair.

Sehingga debat atau komentar apapun yang mau dikeluarkan terhadap Kerajaan Inggris tentang mengapa sejumlah pemimpin dunia yang sebenarnya bersekutu atau berkawan baik dengan Inggris tak diundang, akan menjadi mentah kembali sebab Kerajaan Inggris pun tidak mengundang 2 orang Mantan Perdana Menterinya.

Bisa dispekulasikan bahwa keputusan untuk tidak mengundang 2 mantan Perdana Menteri Inggris ini adalah salah satu keputusan cantik dari Ratu Elizabeth untuk menetralisir keadaan.

Tony Blair memegang peranan yang sangat penting atas nama Inggris dalam kelompok Kwartet yang mengurusi proses perdamaian di Timur Tengah.

Jadi tentang diundang atau tidak diundangnya siapapun ( apapun posisinya ), itu adalah “hak prerogatif” dari Kerajaan Inggris, dalam hal ini Ratu Elizabeth.

Pernikahan ini adalah domain keluarga.

Sangat pribadi sifatnya.

Ratu Elizabeth punya hak penuh untuk menentukan siapa yang ingin diundang dan siapa yang tak perlu diundang.

Sehingga tak bisa dicampuri atau dijadikan fokus perdebatan yang tak berkesudahan.

Kerajaan Inggris sungguh berhasil mengemas pernikahan William dan Kate menjadi tampilan yang benar-benar sempurna dan menyentuh hati.

Pernikahan yang terkesan sederhana itu mampu mengubah citra Kerajaan Inggris yang selama ini banyak dikaitkan dengan kegagalan mempertahankan rumah tangga.

Semua harus mengakui bahwa pernikahan William dan Kate benar-benar luar biasa.

Dari sudut pandang apapun, pernikahan ini terlihat dan terdengar sempurna.

Perdana Menteri Inggris DAVID CAMERON, paling kanan, bersama sang isteri SAMANTHA CAMERON, lalu tampak juga Ed Miliband ( paling kiri ) yang merupakan Pemimpin Partai Buruh yang menjadi oposisi pemerintah, yang sedang berbincang dengan Wakil Perdana Menteri Inggris, NICK CLEGG, seusai menghadiri Pemberkatan Pernikahan Pangeran William dan Kate Middleton di Gereja Westminster Abbey, London, Jumat 29 April 2011

Mengatur prosesi pernikahan agar tepat waktu dari awal sampai akhir, adalah sesuatu yang sangat sulit sebenarnya. Tetapi lihatlah, bagaimana Kerajaan Inggris mengatur detail prosesi pernikahan itu. Seluruh dunia menyaksikan pesta akbar yang sangat fenomenal ini.

Dan Ratu Elizabeth sangat pantas jika kini ia merasa lega sebab cucu yang disayanginya telah berhasil dinikahkan lewat sebuah perhelatan akbar dengan sebuah kesimpulan “zero accident”.

Tak ada satupun hal ihwal yang menghambat atau mengganggu jalannya pesta pernikahan William dan Kate.

Kini semua berpulang kepada William dam Kate.

Mampukah mereka menjadi ikon baru yang mempunya tugas sangat berat yaitu membantu memulihkan citra Kerajaan Inggris yang memiliki sederetan kegagalan anggota Keluarga Kerajaan mempertahankan rumah tangga mereka.

Sebab, sedikit saja ada hal-hal sepele yang disengaja atau tidak disengaja dari penampilan atau tutur kata William dan Kate yang dipandang negatif ( pasca pernikahan ini ), hal itu akan merusak keindahan pesta pernikahan mereka yang sungguh sangat indah dan sempurna.

Kate harus mampu menunjukkan kepada publik ( rakyat Inggris khususnya ) bahwa ia tak sekedar mempunyai senyuman yang manis.

FILE PICTURE : Queen Mother with Queen Elizabeth Princess Margaret the Duke of York Prince Charles Princess Diana and Prince Harry on her birthday August 1992

Jika ia hanya mengandalkan senyuman yang manis maka Kate harus tahu bahwa dari mulai nenek buyut William ( yaitu Ibu Suri ) sampai ke nenek Pangeran William yaitu Ratu Elizabeth, termasuk juga mendiang Putri Diana yang melahirkan William, semua perempuan-perempuan bangsawan ini sudah ditakdirkan mempunyai SENYUMAN YANG SANGAT MANIS.

Sehingga, untuk menjadi anggota Kerajaan Inggris, modal senyum manis tak akan cukup untuk membuktikan kesungguhan dalam mengabdikan diri dan menunjukkan kemurnian cinta yang abadi kepada Pangeran William.

Kate harus mampu lebih eksis dalam mencari kesibukan dan berkonsentrasi penuh dalam bidang kemanusiaan yang manfaatnya memang nyata.

Kate tidak boleh kalah atau bahkan gagal menandingi perhatian yang sangat besar dari Putri Diana dalam masalah-masalah kemanusiaan di berbagai belahan dunia.

Kate tidak boleh kalah atau bahkan gagal menandingi perhatian, yang  juga tak kalah besar dari William dan Harry adiknya, dalam masalah-masalah kemanusiaan guna mengikuti jejak sang ibu mereka yaitu mendiang Putri Diana.

Mau membandingkan dari sisi manapun, garis keturunan yang ada dalam diri Pangeran William adalah terdiri dari perempuan-perempuan yang sangat hebat.

Putri Anne, putri dari Ratu Elizabeth, tiba di Gereja Westminster Abbey untuk menghadiri pemberkatan pernikahan keponakannya yaitu Pangeran Willian yang menikahi Kate Middleton, Jumat 29 APril 2011

William lahir dari keluarga besar yang terdiri dari perempuan-perempuan pemberani yang punya totalitas penuh dalam masalah-masalah kemanusiaan.

Nenek buyut Pangeran William ( Ibu Suri ) , Nenek kandungnya ( Ratu Elizabeth ),  Tantenya ( Putri Anne ), bahkan Ibu kandungnya ( Putri Diana ), semua berkecimpung penuh dalam bidang kemanusiaan yang sangat berskala dunia.

Dan sekedar untuk menjadi informasi, salah satu donatur yang memberikan perhatian dan bantuan penuh untuk masyarakat Aceh pasca bencana alam Tsunami yang terjadi tanggal 26 Desember 2004 adalah KERAJAAN INGGRIS.

Lewat dua Yayasan yang dikoordinir Kerajaan Inggris, Save the Children dan Islamic Relief, Putri Anne datang langsung ke Nangroe Aceh Darussalam pada tanggal 25 September 2005.

Putri Anne menggelar pertemuan tertutup untuk mendengarkan langsung perkembangan dari bantuan-bantuan yang diberikan kepada masyarakat Aceh yang terkena musibah Tsunami yang menewaskan ratusan ribu orang.

Tentu kedatangan Putri Anne ke Indonesia periode tahun 2005 yang membantu Indonesia saat tertimpa musibah hebat Tsunami, tak boleh dilupakan begitu saja.

Jadi dengan kata lain, Kate Middleton harus mampu mengimbangi kecantikan dan senyuman manisnya, dengan sejuta prestasi kemanusiaan yang terlihat secara nyata di mata rakyat Inggris ( dan syukur- syukur kalau bisa terlihat berkarya untuk komunitas internasional di bidang kemanusiaan ).

Kisah dari Kerajaan Inggris, sesungguhnya tak boleh hanya dilihat dari kisah-kisah rumah tangga dari putra dan putri Ratu ELizabeth sebab itu sudah memasuki ranah pribadi yang sangat pribadi.

Tetapi karena mereka adalah public figure yang sangat mendunia tingkat kepopulerannya maka mau tak mau, hal-hal pribadipun sering menjadi konsumsi publik.

Kalau mau jujur, satu hal yang harus dihargai dari peran Ratu Elizabeth sebagai ibu dan nenek dari seluruh keturunannya yaitu ia mengharuskan setiap anggota Kerajaannya berkecimpung dalam masalah kemanusiaan.

Foto perbandingan ekor gaun pengantin antara Kate Middleton dan Putri Diana

Lalu untuk anggota Kerajaan yang laki-laki, diwajibkan untuk bertugas di Dinas Kemiliteran Inggris.

Pangeran Charles, Pangeran Andrew, Pangeran William dan Pangeran Harry, semua sudah melewati program wajib masuk dan mengabdikan diri dalam Dinas Kemiliteran Inggris.

Tak ada yang diperbolehkan menolak kewajiban yang paling fundamental ini.

Bahkan Pangeran Harry, sudah pernah menjalani tugasnya untuk ikut bergabung dalam Pasukan Koalisi untuk Perang di Afghanistan.

Hal ini membuat pribadi-pribadi yang menyandang gelar Pangeran dan Putri dari Kerajaan Inggris menjadi pribadi-pribadi yang lebih bermakna dan berkarya penuh.

Usai sudah perhelatan akbar Kerajaan Inggris yang sudah menyihir dunia dengan prosesi pernikahan yang sangat indah dan berkesan.

Kini masing-masing harus kembali ke dunia nyata.

Mata dunia akan tetap tertuju pada sosok Kate Middleton.

Kali ini, tak akan ada lagi menyoroti berapa panjang ekor gaun pengantinnya, siapa perancang gaun pengantinnya, bagaimana polesan make up dan dandanan rambutnya saat menjadi mempelai perempuan di Gereja Westminster Abbey dan berapa kali ciuman mesra di bibir mereka pertontonkan ke hadapan rakyat Inggris dan komunitas internasional.

Semua kini menantikan peran positif apa yang akan dikerjakan dan ditunjukkan oleh Kate Middleton yang kini mempunyai gelar resmi Duchess of Cambridge.

Semanis senyuman Ratu Elizabeth, semanis itu jugalah ternyata senyuman Kate Middleton yang akhirnya mampu memikat dan membuat Pangeran William mempersunting dirinya di hadapan dunia tanggal 29 April 2011.

Tetapi apakah Kate Middleton akan mampu menyamai, menandingi atau bahkan mengalahkan catatan panjang kehebatan dalam konotasi yang sangat positif dan keberanian dari perempuan-perempuan dari Kerajaan Inggris, waktulah yang akan menjawabnya.

Jadi, mari sama-sama kita lihat dan saksikan.

Selamat William dan Kate, Duke & Duchess of Cambridge.

Congratulations !

(MS)

Photostream : Prince William and Catherine Middleton kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

Prince William and Kate Middleton kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Friday ( April 29, 2011). Prince William and Kate Middleton have kissed twice on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding service in Westminster Abbey. They were watched and cheered by thousands of well-wishers who gathered outside the palace, as an RAF fly-past took place. Some 1,900 guests watched the couple exchange their vows in the abbey, with many millions watching at home. Kate Middleton will now be known as the Duchess of Cambridge. The Queen is hosting a buffet reception at the palace for 650 guests. (Photo : ABC World News )

In this image taken from video, Britain's Prince William, right, kisses his wife, Kate, the Dutchess of Cambridge, from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Royal Wedding in London on Friday, April, 29, 2011.

Watched by one of the bridesmaids, Prince William and his wife Kate Duchess of Cambridge, kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London,Friday April 29, 2011, following their wedding at Westminster Abbey.(AP Photo/John Stillwell, pool)

Britain's Prince William kisses his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Royal Wedding in London Friday, April, 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

John Paul II removed from grave in Vatican Grottos

John Paul II removed from grave in Vatican Grottos

VATICAN CITY, April 29, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / RADIO VATICAN.ORG) — The coffin of Pope John Paul II was removed from his grave in the Vatican Grottos on Friday as the city of Rome prepares for his Beatification on Sunday.

The ceremony involved the reading of the Litany of the Saints as well as other prayers. Attending the ceremony were Cardinals Angelo Comastri, Tarcisio Bertone, Giovanni Lajolo, and Stanislao Dziwisz, as well as members of the Curia as well as members of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps and Swiss Guards.

The coffin will be placed in front of the Main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, will it will be viewed by the faithful after the beatification.

On Monday evening, after the Basilica is closed, the coffin will be moved to the chapel of Saint Sebastian, near the front of the church. The tombstone which covered John Paul II’s grave in the Vatican grottoes will later be sent to Krakow, where it will be housed in a church be dedicated to the new Blessed.  (*)

Pope John Paul body exhumed ahead of beatification

A girl (L) poses next to a picture of Pope John Paul II during an exhibition by the city of Rome in downtown Rome April 20, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi

VATICAN CITY, April 29, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / Reuters) — Pope John Paul’s coffin was exhumed on Friday ahead of his beatification as tens of thousands of people began arriving in Rome for one of the biggest events since his funeral in 2005, REUTERS reported.

The Vatican said the coffin was removed from the crypts below St Peter’s Basilica while top Vatican officials and some of the late pope’s closest aides looked on and prayed.

Those present at the ceremony included Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, his personal secretary and right-hand man for decades, and the Polish nuns who ran the papal household for 27 years.

The wooden coffin will be placed in front of the main altar of St Peter’s Basilica. After Sunday’s beatification mass, it will remain in that spot and the basilica will remain open until all visitors who want to view it have done so.

It will then be moved to a new crypt under an altar in a side chapel near Michelangelo’s statue of the Pieta. The marble slab that covered his first burial place will be sent to Poland.

The pope is being beatified on the day the Church celebrates the movable Feast of Divine Mercy, which this year happens to fall on May 1, the most important feast in the communist world.

The coincidence is ironic, given that many believe the pope played a key role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.

As the Vatican prepares to move the late pontiff one step closer to sainthood this Sunday, Rome has been caught up with beatification fever.

The city is festooned with posters of the pope on buses and hanging from lamp posts as the city where he was bishop for 27 years awaits one of the largest crowds since his funeral in 2005, when millions came to pay tribute.

Large television towers are being erected along Via Della Conciliazione, the boulevard leading from the Tiber to the Vatican.

At least several hundred thousand people are expected at the mass in St Peter’s Square on Sunday when John Paul’s successor Pope Benedict XVI will pronounce a Latin formula declaring one of the most popular popes in history a “blessed” of the Church.

“MIRACLE CURE”

At least 16 heads of state and 87 official delegations from around the world will attend the beatification, the last step before sainthood in the Roman Catholic.

The Vatican has deemed that the otherwise inexplicable cure of a French nun, Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, who was suffering from Parkinson’s disease, was due to John Paul’s intercession with God to perform a miracle, thus permitting the beatification to go ahead.

Another miracle will have to be attributed to John Paul’s intercession after the beatification in order for him to be declared a saint.

Beatification-related activities begin on Saturday night in Rome’s Circus Maximus, the sprawling oval used by the ancient Romans for chariot races.

An all-night prayer vigil will be held in the oval, during which Normand, Dziwisz and Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the pope’s long-time spokesman, will describe their experiences with him.

John Paul’s beatification has set a new speed record for modern times, taking place six years and one month after his death on April 2, 2005.

While the overwhelming number of Catholics welcome it, a minority are opposed, with some saying it happened too fast.

Liberals in the church say John Paul was too harsh with theological dissenters who wanted to help the poor, particularly in Latin America. Some say John Paul should be held ultimately responsible for the sexual abuse scandals because they occurred or came to light when he was in charge.

Ultra-Conservatives say he was too open toward other religions and that he allowed the liturgy to be “infected” by local cultures, such as African dancing, on his trips abroad. (*)

Photostream : The Royal Wedding Prince William and Catherine Middleton

Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton were married at Westminster Abbey at 11:00 local time on Friday in the presence of 1,900 guests, and watched on TV by an estimated two billion viewers, in what will be remembered as the social event of the new century. Prince William and Kate Middleton will now receive the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Prince William was dressed in the uniform of the Irish Guards, and his brother Prince Harry took part as best man in the uniform of his regiment, the Blues and Royals. The arrival of the bride was keenly awaited, after huge media speculation over what her dress would look like. ( RIA NOVOSTI)

Royal Wedding Prince William and Kate Middleton ring exchange. As reported by VOA on Friday ( April 29, 2011), Britain's Prince William and his bride, Catherine Middleton, have taken their wedding vows, in a gala wedding not seen in Britain since the 1981 wedding of William's parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. The young couple appeared solemn but calm as they said "I will" in front of 1,900 guests and an estimated 2 billion viewers on television, the Internet, or other media. And hundreds of thousands of people are filling the streets of London for a glimpse of the royal couple. Photo : VOA / AFP

Prince William and Kate Middleton have been pronounced man and wife at Westminster Abbey, BBC reported on Friday. They spent a private moment together with their families, as they signed the marriage register. Some 1,900 guests watched the couple exchange their vows, with many millions watching at home. The service is expected to finish at 1215 BST. Thousands of people are lining the procession route the couple will take to Buckingham Palace after the wedding. The service has run smoothly so far but there was a tiny moment of drama as the prince struggled to place the wedding ring on Miss Middleton's finger. Following a long tradition, the ring has been fashioned from Welsh gold given to Prince William by the Queen. After the couple said their vows, in which she did not promise to obey William, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Rowan Williams, declared: "I pronounce that they be man and wife together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." ( Photo : ABC World News )

Prince William and Kate Middleton have been pronounced man and wife at Westminster Abbey on Friday (April 29, 2011). BBC reported Some 1,900 guests watched the couple exchange their vows, with many millions watching at home. They left the Abbey, with Kate Middleton now the Duchess of Cambridge, amid cheers from thousands of well-wishers lining the procession route. They are now at Buckingham Palace where the Queen is hosting a buffet reception for 650 guests. The couple travelled in an open-topped 1902 State Landau carriage for the procession, which was used by Prince William's parents for their wedding in 1981. (Photo : BBC)

The newly married Prince William and his bride Catherine, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have exited Westminster Abbey, prompting wild and prolonged cheers from crowds of onlookers. As reported by VOA on Friday, they rode an open-air carriage to Buckingham Palace for a luncheon hosted by Queen Elizabeth. Contrary to the weather forecast, skies are clear and the sun is shining brightly. William and Catherine took their wedding vows in a spectacular ceremony not seen in Britain since the 1981 wedding of William's parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana. The young couple appeared solemn and slightly nervous as they said "I will" in front of 1,900 guests and an estimated 2 billion viewers on television, the Internet, or other media. Hundreds of thousands of people are filled the streets and parks of London for a glimpse of the royal couple on video screens. (Photo ; VOA)

UK’s Clarence House : Prince William and Catherine Middleton have written their own prayer

Prince William and Kate Middleton

London, April 29, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / CLARENCE HOUSE) —- Britain’s Prince William and Catherine Middleton have written their own prayer:

God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage.

In the busyness of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy.

Strengthened by our union help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen. (*)


SOURCE : CLARENCE HOUSE

Wills and Kate to become the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge

Prince William and Kate Middleton

London, April 29, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / THE SUN) — Kate and Wills will become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they tie the knot today.

Prince William was given the title — the highest rank in British peerage — by his grandmother, the Queen.

Commoner Kate Middleton will now become Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge when she marries the Prince in Westminster Abbey.

William, 28, will also become the Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus, which means Kate will become the Countess of Strathearn and Baroness Carrickfergus.

All titles are a gift from the Queen and it was up to the monarch to choose which one to bestow on her grandson and his new wife.

But William’s thoughts will also have been taken into account by the Royal matriarch in a private discussion between the Prince and his grandmother.

Tradition dictates that Royal men receive a title on their wedding — and often more than one.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince William of Wales.

“His titles will be Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.

“Prince William thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Miss Catherine Middleton on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.”

As well as a duchess, Kate, 29, is also technically Princess William of Wales.

According to protocol, she is not officially Princess Catherine as she was not born a princess in her own right.

Instead she adopts her husband’s first name, in the same way as Princess Michael of Kent, who married the Queen’s cousin Prince Michael of Kent.

But it is likely that in the eyes of the media and public, she could always be known as Princess Catherine or Princess Kate.

The Duke of Cambridge was seen as the favourite for William’s new title in the run-up to the wedding.

The Queen even paid a visit to the city just two days ago.

Charles Kidd, editor of Debrett’s Peerage, said of the dukedom: “It’s a well-known place and I think it will have some resonance with the public.”

The last Duke of Cambridge was a famous military figure who wed a commoner for love but then also kept a mistress for more than 30 years.

Born in 1819, Prince George, a grandson of George III, married actress Sarah Louisa Fairbrother in 1847 when she was pregnant with their third child but his marriage was never recognised by his cousin Queen Victoria.

Like William, this Duke of Cambridge joined the Army. He served in the Crimean War and was promoted to commander-in-chief in 1887.

Once married, the newlyweds will pass a statue of the Duke sat on a horse close to the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall in their carriage procession.

The last Duchess of Cambridge was the glamorous German-born Princess Augusta Wilhelmina Louisa of Hesse-Cassel, married to Prince Adolphus Frederick, the 1st Duke of Cambridge and mother to Prince George, the 2nd Duke of Cambridge.  (*)

SOURCE : THE SUN.CO.UK

Indonesian Palace welcomes Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao attends a wreath laying ceremony at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, April 29, 2011. Wen is on a three-day visit in the country. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Jakarta, April 29, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / THE JAKARTA POST) — President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled on Friday to welcome visiting Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao at the State Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta.

According to the presidential schedule obtained by The Jakarta Post on Friday, Premier Wen is expected to arrive at the palace at 3 p.m., where he will be met by the President and Cabinet ministers.

After the welcoming ceremony, delegates from Indonesia and China will attend a meeting, which is will be wrapped up with the signing of a memorandum of understanding.

Later in the afternoon, Yudhoyono and Wen are expected to issue a joint press statement.

On Friday evening, both leaders are to attend a state banquet.

Premier Wen will be in Indonesia for three days. (*)

SOURCE : THE JAKARTA POST

Here they come: Kate and William ready to wed

Royal enthusiasts camp in front of Westminster Abbey in London, Thursday, April 28, 2011. Revelers are camping outside the Abbey where Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton are due to get married on Friday, April 29. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

LONDON, April 29, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / AP)  —  With the two simple words “I will,” Prince William and Kate Middleton are ending months of buildup and sealing their love with the most public of spectacles, a wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey that holds the promise of a royal renaissance.

A third of the planet was expected to watch Friday as the future king and queen of England start their lives as husband and wife.

Clarence House : After their marriage, Prince William and Catherine Middleton will become The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

All the clamoring about seemingly every detail — the wedding dress, her hair, her makeup, the romantic kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony, the honeymoon — finally will be answered.

Save perhaps for the biggest question of all: Is this one royal couple who will live happily ever after?

Will their union endure like that of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, now in its 64th year, or crumble like that of Prince Charles and Lady Diana?

Recent history augurs badly: The first marriages of three of the queen’s four children ended in divorce. But the couple’s chemistry brings confidence that this one will work.

William and Kate look fantastic together, seeming to glow with happiness in each other’s company, and unlike Charles and Diana they’ve had eight years to figure out they’re made for each other.

But the fate of their marriage will depend on private matters impossible for the public to gauge amid the hoopla. A beautiful bridal gown and eye-popping sapphire and diamond engagement ring do not guarantee a happy ending. Money, power, beauty — it can all go wrong if not carefully nurtured.

The morning newspapers in Melbourne show the keen interest shown by Australia's media in the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011. AFP PHOTO/William WEST

Much will depend on whether 28-year-old William and 29-year-old Kate can summon the things every couple needs to make a marriage work: patience, love, wit and wisdom. But they face pressures most of us don’t: the twin burdens of fame and scrutiny.

These are the thorny issues upon which the fate of the monarchy rests, as the remarkable Queen Elizabeth II, now 85, inevitably ages and declines.

With just hours to go, dedicated royal watchers camped outside got an unexpected surprise — a visit from Prince William.

The groom-to-be emerged from his residence Thursday night to greet the hordes of well-wishers gathered along the processional route. Dressed in khakis and grinning broadly, William shook countless hands as his photo was snapped on cell phones and digital cameras.

By dawn on Friday, crowds were awake and waving flags for television cameras under steely gray skies. Technicians ran last-minute checks on huge television screens that will broadcast the ceremony at Trafalgar Square.

Everything is set: The rehearsals have been held, the cakes have been baked, the toast of the best man (William’s brother Harry) written, suits and uniforms pressed, hats carefully chosen, shoes buffed, flowers arranged and the champagne put on ice for two exclusive receptions at Buckingham Palace.

Hundreds of street parties are planned as Britons celebrate part of the heritage that makes them unique — and overseas visitors come to witness traditions they’ve admired from afar.

“It’s part of history,” said Norene Shultis of Madison, Wis., who arrived in London Thursday after an overnight flight.

“It’s so different from the United States. We don’t have royalty. And we think William and Kate will be a good couple and do lots of good things and live happily ever after.”

The government has declared a national holiday, universally welcomed by schoolchildren, and there has been a marked proliferation of Union Jacks in the last week as London spruces up for the big event, which has drawn thousands of journalists and tens of thousands of visitors from overseas.

Some 1,900 immaculately dressed guests, including fellow royals from around the world, a smattering of pop stars, sports idols and dignitaries, will jam Westminster Abbey.

A number of famous people were left off the guest list, including President Barack Obama and most other world leaders. Also not invited were Britain’s last two prime ministers, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, in a snub to their Labour Party, which traditionally is not as strong a backer of the monarchy as the ruling Conservatives. The invitation for Syria’s ambassador was rescinded Thursday because of Britain’s unhappiness with the bloody government crackdown in his country.

The wedding is expected to be watched by 2 billion people across the globe and draw a million well-wishers — as well as some protesters — into the historic environs surrounding Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and other London landmarks.

Britain's Prince Andrew and his daughter Princess Eugenie arrive for a pre-wedding dinner ahead of the wedding of Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London April 28, 2011. REUTERS/Tony Gentile

The celebration will be British to the core, from the freshly polished horse-drawn carriages to the sausages and lager served at street parties. Some pubs were opening early, offering beer and English breakfasts — sausages, beans, toast, fried eggs and bacon — to wedding fans who wanted to watch it on TV.

The public festivities reflected Britons’ continuing fascination with the royal family, which despite its foibles remains a powerful symbol of unity and pride.

Prime Minister David Cameron touched on that theme Thursday.

“It’s that mixture of the good-looking prince and the beautiful princess, but it’s so much more than that,” he said. “It’s this institution that’s helped bind the country together. And it’s got this amazing history that goes way, way back.”

But the wedding, like any wedding, is fundamentally about two people. Will their lives together, starting with such high hopes, be blessed by good fortune?

In ways large and small, theirs is a very ordinary romance carried out under extraordinary pressure: Two young people fall in love in college and experience a deep attraction and fondness for each other that ripens over time. They decide to make it official, to become a family, not just lovers who share a home.

Like so many couples, they likely face some doubts as they give up their single status and contemplate starting a family.

It is the most personal, most intimate of decisions, but carried out against a backdrop of intense public interest, simply because William is second in line to the British throne, born to be king.

The royals fervently hope that a joyous union between William and Kate will rub out the squalid memories of Prince Charles and Princess Diana embarrassing each other and the nation with a string of accusations and confessions as their marriage slid toward divorce.

The young couple must sometimes wonder why they cannot simply be left alone to cope with William’s demanding and dangerous work as a Royal Air Force helicopter rescue pilot. Instead they are tasked with reviving a monarchy, burnishing a nation’s pride, and helping boost public morale at a time of austerity.  (*)

SOURCE : The Associated Press

U.S. : Any Palestinian government must renounce violence, recognize Israel

FILE PICTURE : U.S. President Barack Obama walks down Cross Hall with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to make joint statements in the East Room of the White House in Washington September 1, 2010. REUTERS/Jason Reed

WASHINGTON DC, April 28, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / HAARETZ) — The United States believes any Palestinian government must renounce violence, respect past peace deals and recognize Israel’s right to exist if it is to play a constructive role, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, HAARETZ reported.

The official was commenting on reports that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement has struck an agreement with bitter rival Hamas on forming an interim government and fixing a date for a general election.

The United States supports the reconciliation on “terms which promote the cause of peace”, the State Department said following the announcement.

“We have seen the press reports and are seeking more information. As we have said before, the United States supports Palestinian reconciliation on terms which promote the cause of peace,” the State Department said.

“To play a constructive role, any Palestinian government must accept the Quartet principles by renouncing violence, accepting past agreements, and recognizing Israel’s right to exist.”

The White House said it was seeking more information about the reported deal, calling Hamas terrorists.

“The United States supports Palestinian reconciliation on terms which promote the cause of peace. Hamas, however, is a terrorist organization which targets civilians,” White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement.   (*)

Israeli PM Netanyahu Responds to the Palestinian Authority-Hamas Agreement

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, April 28, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the anticipated agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.

In a statement released by his office on Wednesday, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu said :

“The Palestinian Authority needs to choose between peace with Israel and peace with Hamas.  Peace with both is impossible because Hamas aspires to destroy the State of Israel and says so openly.   It fires missiles at our citiesit fires anti-tank rockets at our children.

I think that the very idea of this reconciliation shows the weakness of the Palestinian Authority and causes one to wonder if Hamas will seize control of Judea and Samaria like it seized control of the Gaza Strip.

I hope that the Palestinian Authority chooses correctly, i.e. that it chooses peace with Israel.  The choice is in its hands.”  (*)

SOURCE : PMO

Hamas makes deal with Fatah

Palestian Flag


PALESTINE, April 29, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / DEUTSCHE WELLE / AFP ) — The rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah have agreed to form a unity government. If implemented, the surprise accord could be a first step towards Palestinian statehood, Deutsche Welle reported on Wednesday.

Officials say rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah have reached an agreement on forming an interim unity government and holding general elections.

They said the deal was brokered by Egypt and followed secret talks between the two sides.

The head of Fatah’s negotiating team in Cairo said elections for the unity government were to begin in eight months’ time.

“Nationalist” figures

A senior Hamas leader who took part in the talks, Mahmoud al-Zahar, told Al Jazeera television the agreement covered five points, including elections, forming a government made up of “nationalist” figures and combining security forces.


He also said Hamas and Fatah had agreed to free prisoners held by each side.

The accord is due to be implemented after an official signing ceremony in Cairo that is expected to take place in early May.

Tense rivalry

The two groups, always rivals, have been even more at loggerheads since 2006, when the secular Fatah party, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, was defeated by the Islamist Hamas in democratic parliamentary elections.

Feuding between the sides culminated in Hamas taking over the Gaza Strip by force in 2007.

Since then, Fatah has controlled the West Bank, while Hamas continues to rule the Gaza Strip.

Observers say the split is a major obstacle to Palestinian statehood.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to reports of the deal by calling on Abbas to “choose between peace with Israel or peace with Hamas.” Israel has long opposed any moves by Fatah to form a government with Hamas, as Hamas refuses to recognise Israel and renounce violence.

Washington also warned that any Palestinian unity government must renounce violence.   (*)

Prime Minister Netanyahu plans political talks in London

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel, April 27, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / THE JEWISH CHRONICLE ONLINE) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to visit the UK next week for meetings with British politicians, The Jewish Chronicle Online reported on Wednesday.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office would not say what was on the agenda beyond political matters.

Mr Netanyahu is also expected to visit France while in Europe.  (*)

William and Kate in final royal wedding rehearsals

Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton in Darwen, northern England April 11, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Adrian Dennis/Pool/Files

London, April 27, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / Reuters) – Last minute rehearsals for this week’s wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton got under way before dawn in central London on Wednesday with the royal couple expected to put the final touches to their preparations, Reuters reported.

Roads around Buckingham Palace and along the route the couple will take from Westminster Abbey after Friday’s service were closed as about 1,000 members of the armed forces took part in a full-scale practice for the couple’s big day.

Carriages that will carry members of the wedding party also took part alongside mounted cavalry, with a full dress-rehearsal involving the clergy and broadcasters scheduled for Thursday.

The abbey itself has already been closed off to the public, and William and Middleton will be there for some final rehearsals on Wednesday, although royal officials declined to give details.

“As with anybody’s wedding, you can imagine rehearsals happening up until the eve of the wedding,” a spokesman for William said.

Across the capital, bunting is going up and flags are beginning to be hoisted, while a small army of media from around the world has descended on makeshift studios set up outside Buckingham Palace and along the route.

The ceremony is predicted to attract a global TV audience of some two billion people.

“We have been coming over in waves, we have a cast of thousands,” said NBC Washington news anchor, Wendy Rieger.

“I called back to work yesterday, and said the only Americans I can find here right now are people with cameras on their shoulders, you know. The media is bumping all over each other,” she told Reuters TV outside Westminster Abbey.

Some royal fans have already begun camping outside the abbey to secure the best spots to watch Friday’s events, and hundreds of thousands of people are expected to start arriving in London in the next days.

MORE THAN A MILLION VISITORS

VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, is predicting an extra 600,000 tourists in the capital on the day, meaning there would be a total of some 1.1 million visitors with 40 percent of those coming from abroad.

“That could bring anything up to 50 million pounds,” a spokesman said.

The number of in-bound flights to Britain for the weekend had risen by 244 percent while online travel booking company Expedia said hotel bookings had surged 266 percent when the wedding date was announced, the spokesman added.

London and Partners, the agency which promotes the city, said it expected there would be 600,000 people actually lining the streets, the same number as came to watch the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles to Princess Diana.

Despite the interest, those planning last minute trips could still find somewhere to stay.

“From what we’re being told by contacts in the industry there are still rooms available,” a spokeswoman said.

However, anyone coming to London to watch the procession or camping out could be in for a cold and wet experience, with weather forecasters predicting showers and a brisk wind.

On Tuesday, police appealed to the public to help them spot any potential troublemakers, while promising that they would not tolerate any attempt to disrupt the event.

Some 5,000 police officers will be on duty to deal with potential threats ranging from international Islamist militants to anarchists and stalkers.

Meanwhile the one-and-a-half mile processional route has undergone a deep clean to get it looking spic and span.

A team of 130 street cleaners including 80 sweepers along with 30 vehicles are being lined up to deal with the 140 tonnes of waste expected to be left by those watching on Friday.  (*)

World Bank Grants $75 Million to West Bank & Gaza for Building Institutions and Economic Opportunity

Palestine Flag

Washington, April 27, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / WAFA NEWS AGENCY)  —  The World Bank Board of Directors agreed on Tuesday to advise the Board of Governors to authorize the transfer from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development surplus the amount of $75 million to replenish the Trust Fund for West Bank and Gaza in which the World Bank has, since 1993, invested some $675 million, WAFA News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The World Bank support to West Bank and Gaza since 1993 has focused on helping the authorities build the necessary institutions of a future state while also helping build an economy that can create the jobs and opportunities needed by citizens. Recent World Bank reports have consistently noted achievements by the Palestinian Authority in delivering public services and institution building. Those same reports have also consistently flagged the bleak prospects for economic growth in a territory crisscrossed by barriers to trade and as a result heavily donor dependent, according to a news release by the World Bank.

It said that projects to support policy reform and development in West Bank and Gaza have contributed in the past to better targeting of assistance to poor people and expanding opportunities for young people in higher education.  Others have improved public financial management and increased domestic tax collection.

It added that today’s $75 million replenishment will continue to target efforts to strengthen fiscal systems and improve public financial management.  In addition, the funds will be used to improve the management of municipalities and finance a new regional waste-water program.  Around a quarter of the funding— $20 million—represents extraordinary assistance, earmarked for projects to improve  the quality and reliability of electricity provision, as well as water and sanitation services to people in the Gaza Strip.

“Past spending out of the trust fund has seen notable results in some of the basics of service delivery,”said Mariam Sherman, Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza. “As sustainability is a central pillar of our aid strategy, the establishment of physical infrastructure is closely accompanied by the development of local institutions capable of managing it independently and efficiently. Our project portfolio is also designed to assist the Palestinian people in maintaining their remarkable human development achievements so we direct some aid to the most vulnerable segments of the population which are still feeling the effects of the instability of the previous decade.”

The release also said that there are currently 14 active projects valued at $213 million in sectors ranging from education, energy to social development and protection. In addition, the World Bank administers the Palestinian Recovery and Development Plan Multi Donor Trust Fund which since its inception in March 2008 has disbursed $590 million in budget support.

The World Bank’s financial assistance is provided together with technical assistance and capacity building activities for the Palestinian Authority, it added.  (*)

Arnold Schwarzenegger tipped to star in fifth Terminator movie

Arnold Schwarzenegger

April 27, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / RIA NOVOSTI / DEADLINE.COM) — Hollywood star and former politician Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to return to his Terminator days by starring in a sequel to the four-part action movie, the DeadLine.com entertainment website reported.

Schwarzenegger gained worldwide fame for his leading role in the original 1984 science fiction action movie directed by Oscar winner James Cameron.

Schwarzenegger, born in Austrian town of Graz, held the main role in two sequels of the Terminator movies. The second film earned over $54 million over a single weekend in July 1992.

The film still has no scriptwriter, according to DeadLine, but Schwarzenegger is attached to a Creative Artists Agency rights package for the movie.

Schwarzenegger stepped down as California Governor in January amid low approval ratings in the debt-mired U.S. state. He served two terms from October 2003.

Despite a vow to relinquish his acting career when he became governor, Schwarzenegger starred in action movie The Expendables in 2010.  (*)

South Korea Says China Agrees on Path to Six-Party Talks

SOUTH KOREA, April 27, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / VOA) — South Korean officials say China’s top nuclear negotiator has endorsed their view that North and South Korea should establish a bilateral dialogue in advance of renewed six-party talks on the North’s nuclear programs, VOA reported.

South Korean media quote an unidentified official saying Seoul and Beijing also agree that direct talks should take place between North Korea and the United States before the other countries — including Russia and Japan — are brought into the discussion.

The official briefed reporters Wednesday in Seoul, where Chinese negotiator Wu Dawei has been meeting with South Korean officials. A high-level private delegation led by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter is due in the city Thursday after meetings with senior officials in Pyongyang.

North Korea’s official news agency said the delegation, which includes three European former heads of state, met Tuesday evening with North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun. Japan’s Kyodo news agency said the group met Wednesday with Kim Young Nam, the country’s second-ranking official.

Mr. Carter said before traveling to Pyongyang that his group hoped to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and his son, Kim Jong Un.

South Korean media quoted a foreign ministry official saying the Chinese negotiator, Wu, accepted Seoul’s position that progress must be made in nuclear talks between the two Koreas before any resumption of the six-party process, under which North Korea would receive economic aid in exchange for scrapping its nuclear programs.

China previously proposed a three-step process in which Pyongyang would establish dialogues first with South Korea and then with the United States before the six-party talks resume. The South Korean official was quoted Wednesday as saying Beijing and Seoul have “reached agreement on the steps toward dialogue.”

South Korean officials said Tuesday they had few expectations from the Carter delegation’s visit to Pyongyang. Mr. Carter is accompanied by Finland’s former president Martti Ahtisaari, the former prime minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland, and former Irish president Mary Robinson.  (*)

Japan’s royal couple visits disaster-stricken town

Japan's Emperor Akihito (R) and Empress Michiko (L) look at the area which was devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami as they stand near the playground of Isatomae Elementary School in Minamisanriku town, Miyagi Prefecture April 27, 2011. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko paid their first visit to the northeastern Japan on Wednesday since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami devasted the Tohoku region. REUTERS/Toru Yamanaka/Pool

MINAMI-SANRIKU, Japan, April 27, 2011  (KATAKAMI.COM / AP)  – Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Japan’s tsunami-battered northeastern coast on Wednesday, offering encouragement to residents who lost homes and loved ones in last month’s disaster, AP reported on Wednesday.

The deeply respected royal couple visited a school gymnasium where 200 people live in the town of Minami-Sanriku, 250 miles (400 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo. Excited crowds began gathering almost two hours before their arrival.

“I’m thankful he has come so far. It makes me so happy,” said Mitsuko Oikawa, 73, who has been living at the shelter since the tsunami. Her house was washed away by the powerful waves, she said, shaking her head.

“I saw it happen right before my eyes,” she said. “It hurts just to think about it.”

But the emperor’s visit gave her strength, she said.

The royal couple spent about 30 minutes at the gymnasium, speaking to evacuees sitting amid stacks of blankets and futons.

Last week, they visited Kita-Ibaraki, a port that was wrecked by the tsunami, which left about 27,000 people dead and missing and is thought to have caused $305 billion in damage.

Nearly seven weeks after the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan, some 130,000 people are still living in about 2,500 shelters. The government has promised to build 30,000 temporary homes for them by the end of May and another 70,000 after that.

But volunteer Shin Kageyama, a Yokohama resident who came to Minami-Sanriku to help, said the government seems to be preoccupied with the nuclear accident in Fukushima prefecture and has neglected the humanitarian needs of the region.

While the emperor brought hope and joy to the evacuees, “if the prime minister came, we’d all just feel like punching him,” Kageyama said.

“Maybe it’s taboo to say this, but the emperor is truly like a god,” he added.

Akihito’s father Hirohito publicly renounced the idea he was divine after World War II, but the imperial family continues to be widely respected and treated with great deference.

One teenager who spoke with the emperor was 15-year-old Kazuna Abe. The gym was off-limits to anyone other than evacuees, but she said a friend sneaked her in. Her house was damaged but is still livable, she said.

Akihito, 77, asked about tsunami damage at her high school and told her to stay strong, she said.

“All I could say was ‘thank you.’ My heart was racing,” she said.

“I still can’t believe it,” she said. “I wonder if it was OK that I took pictures with my cellphone.”  (*)

PM Benjamin Netanyahu Convenes Security Cabinet for Flotilla & ‘Nakba Day’

File picture : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands with naval commandos during his visit to the Atlit naval base near the northern city of Haifa October 26, 2010. Saying "I salute you," Netanyahu on Tuesday visited the base of Israeli naval commandos who killed nine pro-Palestinian Turks on a Gaza-bound aid ship in May. REUTERS/Dan Balilty/Pool

ISRAEL, April 27, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM / ISRAELNATIONALNEWS.COM / YNET) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) reportedly met with his security cabinet Wednesday morning with plans to discuss the upcoming Gaza aid flotilla from Turkey and the possibility of “Nakba Day” protests.

New Gaza flotilla postponed

As reported by Ynet on Wednesday, pro-Palestinian activists organizing the next Gaza flotilla said Tuesday they are having a hard time recruiting activists, vessels and crew members.

Apparently many fear a confrontation with thewas set to sail to the Gaza Strip in late May, the first anniversary of the raid, but it could be delayed, partly because it clashes with Turkish election campaigning.

IHH officials, an Islamic aid group that operates the Mavi Marmara, announced they plan to postpone the flotilla until after the June 12 parliamentary elections.

IHH, which says it plans to send 100 to 150 people on the flotilla, is inclined to launch its ship after the vote for fear controversy could disrupt the election debate. The group communicates closely with the Turkish government, but says it does not need “permission” to send its boat to Gaza.

However recent reports claimed there is another reason for the delay: Many of the activists who signed up for the mission canceled after learning the flotilla is illegal and might lead to their arrest by Israel.

It also turns out the Turkish organizers have been largely unsuccessful in raising donations to fund the operation. Many ship owners refused to loan their vessels for the cause, fearing they might be confiscated by Israel. Now the activists are forced to buy the ships themselves.

Organizers said they expect at least 1,000 people to participate this year, adding that the new effort includes activists from Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Canada and the United States.

(*)

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