Polish president Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria, along with high-ranking officials in a delegation, were killed after their plane crashed on approach to Smolensk airport in western Russia. Army chief of staff, General Franciszek Gagor, National Bank President Slawomir Skrzypek and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Kremer were on the passenger list.

The plane — a Tupolev Tu-154 — apparently attempted to land several times in fog and clipped some treetops on approach.

The delegation was on its way to attend a World War Two memorial service.

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The US test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic Trident missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads from Saudi territory during a joint military exercise during the last week of March 2010.

The missile test marks the first time in Middle East military history that a nuclear-capable missile was fired from the Saudi Arabia toward the Persian Gulf and Iranian shores. The test is reported to be a response to Saudi and Gulf Arab concerns over America’s failure to halt Iran’s evolving nuclear weapon program.

SOURCE: DEBKAfile: ME game-changer: US nuclear shield for Saudis, Gulf emirates

For the first time in history, the United States is explicitly committing not to use nuclear weapons against nonnuclear states that are in compliance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, even if they attacked the United States with biological or chemical weapons or launched a crippling cyberattack.

The release of a new nuclear weapons strategy, known as the Nuclear Posture Review, opens an intensive nine days of nuclear diplomacy geared toward reducing weapons. President Barack Obama plans to fly to Prague to sign a new arms-control agreement with Russia on Thursday and then next week will host 47 world leaders in Washington for a summit meeting on nuclear security.

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Bomb attacks in northwest Pakistan killed 41 an wounded 80 in an attack on a political rally of the secular Awami National party in Timergarah in the Lower Dir district, next to the Swat valley.

In a separate attack of car bombs and grenades, Islamist militants attacked the US consulate in Peshawar, the region’s main city, with car bombs and grenades in an apparent attempt to storm the heavily fortified compound. Four of the attackers were killed and three other people died — a paramilitary soldier, a private security guard and a civilian.

Video of bomb exploding near U.S. Consulate — Islamist militants attacked a U.S. consulate in northwest Pakistan with car bombs and grenades, killing three people, hours after 41 people died in a suicide attack on a political rally.

RAW VIDEO: Four bombs explode near U.S> Consulate in Peshawar.

Wikipedia: Peshawar | Timergarah (also Timergara or Timargarha) | Awami National Party

guardian.co.uk Dozens killed in Pakistan bomb attacks