FP morning post 4/20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flights begin to take off as new cloud threatens Britain

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Top News: Europe's air travel crisis showed some signs of easing on Tuesday as airplanes began to gradually take off, but a new cloud of volcanic ash may continue to make lives difficult for 6.8 million travelers affected by the 95,000 flights already cancelled.

France, Germany, Italy Scotland, and the Netherlands, among others, allowed limited flights to take off on Tuesday. Other countries chose to open up their airspace but keep their airspace closed. 55 to 60 percent of scheduled flights are predicted to ahead as normal today, according to the Eurocontrol air traffic agency. Close to normal takeoffs are predicted for Friday.

However, while eruptions from the Eyjafjallajokul volcano are now weaker than they were over the weekend, wind patters appear to be pushing the ash back toward Britain, forcing British authorities to postpone plans to lift restrictions over England and Wales, including the London area.

Sports: An International Luge Federation report blamed driver error -- among other factors -- for the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili in a training run before the Vancouver Olympics.

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Asia The deputy mayor of Kandahar was killed by insurgents while praying in a mosque. Violent protests by supporters of ousted president Kurmanbek Bakiyev are breaking out throughout Kyrgyzstan. Without mentioning North Korea, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak pledged to pursue those responsible for sinking a South Korean navy destroyer last month. Middle East Iraq claims to have killed a third senior al Qaeda member in only three days. The U.S. State Department has summoned Syria's top envoy to discuss the alleged transfer of Scud missiles to Hezbollah. Turkey has offered to act as a mediator to resolve a diplomatic deadlock over Iran's nuclear program. Africa Two opposition parties in Eastern Sudan conceded defeat while accusing President Omar al-Bashir's government of fraud. Somali pirates hijacked three Thai fishing boats nearly 1,200 miles off the coast of Somalia. Djibouti's parliament approved a constitutional amendment to allow President Ismael Omar Guelleh to run for a third term. Americas Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is hosting a summit of Latin American leftist leaders. Mexico's government unveiled an economic relief package for the earthquake-hit city of Mexicali. Cuba's catholic cardinal called on the U.S. to restart dialogue with the Castro government. Europe and Caucasus The volcanic ash cloud has forced officials to put off a planned E.U.-IMF meeting on the Greek financial crisis. Azerbaijan has postponed a planned joint military drill with the United States, possibly over the U.S. stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.   -By Joshua Keating

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