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Afghan’s Karzai vows inclusive governmentReutersWednesday, November 4, 2009 | |
(Reuters) Ń Re-elected Afghan President Hamid Karzai vowed on Tuesday to form an inclusive government after stern warnings from Western supporters he would have to work harder to root out corruption. Afghan election officials on Monday canceled a needless presidential run-off vote after Karzai’s rival, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew citing serious concerns about the election. The outcome leaves Washington and other Western supporters to work with a partner whose legitimacy has been questioned, while Karzai himself faces a newly strengthened opposition. Karzai’s return removes at least one obstacle as President Barack Obama weighs whether to send up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, where violence this year reached its worst levels since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001. Faced with stern warnings from Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other Western leaders, Karzai vowed to form an inclusive government. “My government will be for all Afghans and all those who want to work with me are most welcome,” Karzai said in a nationally televised victory speech.
Pakistani forces say enter a main Taliban base
(Reuters) Ń Pakistani soldiers have entered a main Taliban stronghold in South Waziristan near the Afghan border and are searching the area, the military said on Tuesday. The army launched an offensive on October 17 aimed at rooting out and defeating Pakistani Taliban militants in their South Waziristan bastions. Soldiers are advancing from three directions toward main bases, including the town of Sararogha, which the army said soldiers had entered. “A search and clearance operation is on,” the army said.
North Korea says has made more arms-grade plutonium
(Reuters) Ń North Korea said on Tuesday it had completed reprocessing spent fuel rods at its Yongbyon nuclear plant and turned it into arms-grade plutonium, giving the mercurial state more material to produce atomic arms. The announcement comes after the reclusive North, hit with fresh U.N. sanctions to punish it for a nuclear test in May, has warmed up to the outside world in recent months and indicated it could return to stalled international nuclear talks. “We have finished reprocessing 8,000 spent fuel rods as of August. We have made substantial achievements in weaponizing plutonium from the extraction,” North Korea’s official KCNA news agency said.
Japan minister calls off pre-Obama U.S. visit
(Reuters) Ń Japan’s foreign minister has called off a trip to Washington meant to smooth ties ruffled by a feud over military bases ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit next week, the top government spokesman said on Wednesday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano told reporters the cancellation was due to scheduling difficulties and denied it would affect ties, though investors have expressed concern about relations since the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) took power in August.
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