From Washington, this is VOA News.
President Obama calls on Congress to pass a transportation bill in his weekly address. And Syrian troops have fired mortar rounds in Homs. I’m Joe Paulker reporting from Washington.
U.S. President Barack Obama is heading to South Korea today for next week’s Nuclear Security Summit.
Keeping the world’s nuclear weapons under control and out of (the hands of terrorists) is one of the main goals for more than 50 leaders gather in the Korean capital. They hope to build on the commitments they made at the first Nuclear Security Summit, hosted by President Obama two years ago in Washington. (Top priority) in Seoul is to keep highly enriched uranium away from terrorists. White House officials say the participating countries will discuss their efforts since the last summit to strengthen cooperation against the (smuggling) of nuclear materials. Pyongyang has denounced the summit as an “unpardonable crime” and an “intolerable grave provocation.” Kent Klein, VOA News, the White House.
A White House statement Friday said President Obama will also meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to review efforts to support an Afghan-led (reconciliation process) with the Taliban.
North Korea announced today it will hold an annual parliamentary session next month around the time of a planned rocket launch that has sparked (widespread condemnation). The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said the Supreme People’s Assembly would convene on April 13. Analysts say the parliament will likely promote the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, to chairman of the National Defense Commission.
Activists say Syrian troops have fired mortar rounds in the central Syrian city of Homs. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the Khaldiyeh district of Homs has felt the shell (onslaught) since early Saturday. It was not immediately clear if there were casualties. Homs has seen some of the heaviest fighting in Syria’s year-long uprising.
One teenager was shot and at least 18 others injured in the northern Egyptian city of Port Said in (clashes) that erupted between security forces and thousands of angry soccer fans. Large-scale protests began late Friday after the Egyptian Football Association said that the soccer club would be banned for two seasons and Port Said Stadium closed for three years in response to a deadly (soccer riot) last month. The clashes continued into Saturday, with security officials firing shots into the air to disperse thousands of people blocking roads and protesting outside the Suez Canal Authority building.
The African Union has suspended Mali’s membership and condemned the recent coup that ousted President Amadou Toumani Toure. Meanwhile, the Malian coup leader Amadou Sanogo has denounced (looting) by soldiers and police officers, but denies his men are responsible. Speaking on national television late Friday, Sanogo blamed “ill-intentioned” people trying to undermine support for the military takeover saying those doing the looting were wearing uniforms of the police.
Six astronauts at the International Space Station took refuge in (escape pods) Saturday when a chunk of debris flew dangerously close. The U.S. space agency NASA said in its Twitter feed Saturday this is the third time a space station crew has had to evacuate because of orbiting space junk.
Pope Benedict has arrived in Mexico for a five-day visit which will also take him to Cuba. Church bells rang out as the papal plane touched down at Mexico on Friday. While on board, the pope told reporters that the Church must do all it can to prevent people in Mexico from joining (drug cartels).
From the VOA News Center in Washington, this is Joe Paulker.