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STAFF

Security the main focus for Obama in S Korea
United States President Barack Obama will be in Seoul today on the latest stop of his Asian tour. Security will top the agenda when Obama meets South Korean President Park Geun-hye after the US leader stated yesterday that North Korea was the most destabilising factor in the Asia-Pacific region. Obama will also address US service members and meet with business leaders before flying to Malaysia on Saturday.
 
Australian naval chief marks Anzac Day
Australian Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in Central today during a service to commemorate Anzac Day. The day marks the ill-fated landing of forces of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in Gallipoli, Turkey, during the first world war. Griggs will later officiate at a student service at the Australian International School in Kowloon Tong.
 
Ukraine tops Germany-Poland agenda
The situation in Ukraine is likely to be the main focus of talks when German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin today. Some 130 American soldiers arrived in Poland on Wednesday, after Washington said it was sending a force of 600 there and to the Baltic states amid rising tensions with Russia over the crisis. Poland, a Nato member, shares a 529-kilometre border with Ukraine.
 
Financial Secretary makes flying visit to Beijing
Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah will pay a quick visit to Beijing today to attend the Fourth Economic & Financial Forum. The lawmaker will also meet officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development & Reform Commission before returning to Hong Kong later today.
 
Fifa shows progress of World Cup stadiums
Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke meets with reporters in Rio de Janeiro today as part of a visit to four World Cup host cities. Organisers have been dogged by delays to construction and Valcke admitted earlier this week that the hosts are "running against time" to get all stadiums ready before Brazil and Croatia kick the tournament off at the as yet unfinished Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo in just 49 days time.
 
Anger on 40th anniversary of Portuguese coup
Today is the 40th anniversary of Portugal's carnation revolution, when junior army officers dislodged a four-decade dictatorship in an almost bloodless coup that brought democracy, labour rights, public education and health care. However, the mood in Portugal today is one of anger. The annual public holiday is this year providing a lightning rod for those Portuguese keen to voice their discontent at how the financial crisis and its associated austerity measures are stripping away some of those cherished entitlements.


Talking points

South Korean President Park Geun-hye

German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke

Opinion

Comment

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...


US President Barack Obama will be in Seoul today on the latest stop of his Asian tour. Security will top the agenda when Obama meets South Korean President Park Geun-hye after the US leader stated that North Korea was the most destabilising factor in the Asia-Pacific region.
