NPR 2010-04-19

Poland mourns the death of a president. Lech Kaczynski and his wife were laid to rest today more than a week after they were killed in a plane crash in Russia. They were among 95 people who died. Many of the others were also members of Poland’s political elite 1. NPR’s Eric Westervelt has more on today’s elaborate state funeral in Krakow.

Polish citizens filled the streets and the square in and around St. Mary’s Basilica. Speakers and video screens allowed people to follow the Catholic funeral Mass. Many prayed and sang along with the choir 2.

Camilla Konoushka was one of the estimated 150,000 who turned out. “I wanted to be here to document this historic event for my family,” she said, “and to pay my respects to the president.” The bodies of the first couple were then carried by military Humvee in a slow funeral procession across Krakow’s Old Town and up the Wawel Hill, the historic Polish fortress 3 1,000-year-old cathedral overlooking the Vistula River. The couple was buried inside the cathedral alongside Polish nobility and some of the nation’s most revered 4 figures. Eric Westervelt, NPR News, Krakow.

Many world leaders including President Obama could not attend the state funeral because of widespread flight disruptions in Europe due to spreading ash from a volcanic 5 eruption 6 in Iceland and this marks day four of such flight disruptions. There has been a massive worldwide domino effect including in Africa. NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.

Regional air hubs in Africa are dealing 7 with flight cancellations to and from Europe and juggling 8 thousands of stranded 9 passengers at airports and hotels all over the continent. African exporters who airfreight fruit, vegetables and cut flowers to European supermarkets predict the loss of millions of dollars worth of perishable 10 produce with more to come if the dust cloud lingers. Kenyan blooms account for about 1/3 of cut flower imports into the European Union. That could spell serious problems for some of the world’s most vulnerable economies. African tourism is another sector 11 hard hit by the Icelandic volcano eruptions 12. Botswana’s Okavango Delta 13, Kenya, Senegal and other tourist destinations that were expecting spring visitors are now contemplating 14 empty hotel beds. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Accra.

Thailand’s military is threatening to punish anti-government protesters who march in Bangkok’s main shopping district breaking an emergency government decree, also raises fears of more deadly violence. The army’s responding to demonstrators’ threats yesterday to make the area their “final battleground” in their campaign to oust 15 Prime Minster Abhisit Vejjajiva. The “Red Shirts” made up of mainly rural and poor residents have been staging protests in the capital since mid-March.

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Queen Rania who’s been a driving force for better education in Jordan is now extending a program to disadvantaged Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem. Dale Gavlak has more from Jordan.

Over the past two years, Rania’s Madrasati (My School) initiative has revitalized nearly 300 schools and stepped up tech, health and business know-how 16 to 110,000 impoverished 17 students throughout Jordan. With Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, she unveiled to reporters a similar program for some 94,000 poor Palestinian students in East Jerusalem. Many whose schools come under Jordan’s Religious Affairs Ministry 18. She said the program will redress 19 rising drop-out rates and out-of-school children by giving students skills to become successful learners to enable them to complete their education. For NPR News, I’m Dale Gavlak in Amman.

A presidential candidate seeking broad autonomy for Turkish Cypriots is declaring victory in today’s election. Dervis Eroglu told supporters at a rally that he will pursue negotiations 20 to reunify the divided island, but some fear the hardliner may torpedo 21 peace talks and jeopardize 22 Turkey’s bid to become a member of the European Union.

Bad weather could keep space shuttle Discovery in orbit an extra day. The crew is scheduled to return to Florida tomorrow morning, but the landing may be delayed because of possible rain. Discovery is returning home from delivering spare parts and supplies to the International Space Station. It was in space for about two weeks. The shuttle mission is among the last from NASA. The space agency plans to retire its shuttle fleet later this year.