Radio Netherlands

North and South Korea have reached an accord on restarting a reunion programme for families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War. The reunions, which begun in 2000, were shelved amid deteriorating relations since a conservative South Korean government took office in February 2008. The reunions will take place between 26 September and 1 October at a resort in North Korea.

The commander of the UN-African Union peacekeeping force in the Sudanese region of Darfur, Rodolpho Adada, says the mission has been a success. He says there are no longer any major bloodbaths and the conflict has diminished. Mr Adada does not deny that the region is plagued by instability; however, he says that ordinary bandits are the major cause of the troubles.

An attempt to mediate in Honduras by the Organization of American States (OAS) is being resisted by the interim government of Honduras. The OAS sent a delegation of top officials to negotiate the return of the ousted president Manuel Zelaya. The OAS proposed Tegucigalpa to install a government of national unity with Manuel Zelaya at its head until the November elections.

Two days from the start of the UNASUR meeting in Buenos Aires, where a regional interest in dealing with the US military presence in Colombia has been announced, President Chavez is preparing to sever relations with Colombia. President Evo Morales has expressed his opposition in a different manner by stating that “we must save Colombia from this intervention”.

The Scottish Minister of Justice, Kenny MacAskill, says Libya failed to keep its word about the return of the Lockerbie bomber last week. MacAskill said Libya had agreed on a modest reception for al-Megrahi, who was released from prison in Scotland because he is suffering from terminal cancer. However, when he arrived at Tripoli airport, he received a hero’s welcome.

The Scottish government has again defended its decision to release the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi who is suffering from terminal prostate cancer. In the US, the decision has been criticized. Scotland’s spokesperson said that: **”Compassionate release is not part of the US justice system but it is part of Scotland’s.”**

Throngs of South Koreans bid farewell to former President Kim Dae-jung. The former president, who died last Tuesday, was 85 years of age. He was interred today, Sunday. Some 24,000 people were present at his burial. The North Korean delegation that attended his funeral visited South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, delivering a message from the President of North Korea.

Scotland’s Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill released the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds. Al-Megrahi is the only man convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. MacAskill made a non reciprocal decision: compassion and mercy for Al-Megrahi although he did not show them to his victims.

A North Korean diplomatic delegation has told New Mexico’s state governor Bill Richardson that Pyongyang wants bilateral talks with the United States about its nuclear programme. Pyongyang seems to have adopted a more moderate course recently: Two US journalists were released and North Korea is sending a delegation to the funeral of former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung.

In the sixth anniversary of the bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed 22 UN staff, including special envoy Sérgio Vieira de Mello, The United Nations is holding its first World Humanitarian Day in an attempt to increase support for relief workers as well as call attention to the growing dangers they face. In 2008, 122 international aid workers were killed.