- Ted Kennedy In Surgery: Ted Kennedy is at the Duke University Medical Center this morning undergoing surgery [1] for his cancerous brain tumor. The surgery comes after the 76-year-old senator was diagnosed [2] last month with a malignant glioma, an especially lethal type of brain tumor. He's being operated on this morning by one of the nation's top neurosurgeons, Dr. Allan Friedman, and the surgery will be followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Kennedy will recuperate in NC for a week, before moving to Massachusetts General for the rest of his treatment. Kennedy said of the support he's received, ''I am deeply grateful to the people of Massachusetts and to my friends, colleagues and so many others across the country and around the world who have expressed their support and good wishes as I tackle this new and unexpected health challenge. I am humbled by the outpouring and am strengthened by your prayers and kindness.''
- Mugabe at UN Food Summit: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe presence at a United Nations food summit has raised eyebrows and hackles and is being called [3] "obscene". Australia's foreign minister said of the embattled leader's arrival, "this is the person who has presided over the starvation of his people." It's Mugabe's first visit to Europe since the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won a majority in parliamentary elections in March. He still faces a presidential run-off [4] on June 27 against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
- Gates to Myanmar, "Criminal Neglect": US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday [5] that Myanmar was guilty of “criminal neglect” for blocking international aid to cyclone victims [6], and warned that more civilians would perish unless the military regime reversed its policy. Because of the stonewalling, he said it was probably a matter of days before the Pentagon withdrew four Navy ships carrying supplies that have been “steaming in circles” for days in the waters off Myanmar’s coast, waiting for permission to unload their cargo of aid. Gates said, “it’s becoming pretty clear that the regime there is not going to let us help. I’d say that unless the regime changes its approach, changes its policy, more people will die.”
