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FARC leader is dead, Colombia says

(CNN) — The leader of Colombia’s largest leftist rebel group is dead, a spokesman for the nation’s defense ministry said Saturday.

Pedro Antonio Marin, known as Manuel Marulanda Vilez and nicknamed Tirofijo, is believed to have died of a heart attack, ministry spokesman Juan Manuel Santos said.

He must be in hell, Santos told a reporter from Semana magazine.

Marulanda, who was believed to be in his late 70s, has led the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, for decades.

The information that we have is that he has gone already, he added. Asked whether he was saying that Marulanda had died, Santos said, That’s what a source who has never failed us tells us.

Speaking later, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe stopped short of saying Marulanda is dead, but he also said that the news comes from a reliable source.

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Summit in Myanmar aims to boost donations

(CNN) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon flew to Myanmar on Sunday to guide a conference with international agencies aimed at boosting donations for the cyclone-struck nation, now that its ruling military junta has agreed to accept aid.

Myanmar’s ruling military junta, which has kept a tight leash on relief workers, is hosting the donor conference, involving some 50 countries.

The event was organized by the United Nations and the Association of South-East Asian Nations.

The meeting intends to encourage cooperation in providing assistance to victims of Cyclone Nargis and show that the international community is united in helping the people of Myanmar, said U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes.

The conference follows a decision by Myanmar’s government Friday to allow all aid workers regardless of nationalities into the country to help cyclone survivors, said Ban, who met with the junta’s leading figure, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, for more than two hours.

Ban toured the devastation — especially in the hard-hit Irrawaddy delta — Thursday and Friday, before briefly visiting China’s earthquake zone. He was en route to Myanmar’s capital of Yangon Sunday morning.

International aid groups have criticized Myanmar for letting comparatively few relief workers into the country despite the severity of the storm, which the United Nations says killed more than 130,000 and left more than 2 million homeless. Watch a UNICEF official describe a dire situation in Myanmar

Ban said the general made the statement in front of many senior generals, convincing him that he would keep his word.

Despite the assurance of relief workers, Myanmar will not allow foreign boats or helicopters into the country. Ban said Myanmar officials agreed to allow the Yangon airport to be used a logistical hub for aid distribution.

Word that relief workers may finally gain access to the storm-ravaged population swirled through Bangkok, Thailand, where a small army of aid workers has been waiting for permission to enter Myanmar.

It’s extremely welcome news, said Melissa Winkler, spokeswoman for the International Rescue Committee.

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Report: Ferguson to retire within 3 years

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Alex Ferguson says he will quit Manchester United within three years.

The revelation came days after winning the European Champions League — the 22nd trophy of his 22-year Old Trafford reign.

I won’t be managing here any more than three years at the very, very most, the 66-year-old Ferguson was quoted in the Mail on Sunday newspaper. Without question. I can assure you of that.

His farewell to management might not be at United, but by steering a potential British soccer team to gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Ferguson is English soccer’s most decorated manager. He already knows what can happen by making retirement plans public.

The 2001-02 season was set to have been the Scot’s last as United manager, but the team’s performance declined after the announcement and he rescinded his decision.

United rebounded to win the 2003 Premier League title and Ferguson, who is on a one-year rolling contract, has not been specific about his plans since.

Ferguson was indebted to his wife Cathy for bullying him into scrapping those retirement plans.

I think my wife deserves a bit of my time, too, he said. The older you get, the more you feel guilty about it. My wife, Cathy, was the one who talked me out of retiring last time but she wouldn’t do that now.

With its 17th English league title won earlier this month, Ferguson has guided United within one of matching Liverpool’s record of 18. Wednesday’s second European Cup triumph bettered Matt Busby’s lone victory with the Red Devils in 1968. Watch fans celebrate Manchester’s Champions League victory

I know I would find it hard to give up managing United, he said. I can’t do it, not at the moment anyway.

Ferguson lavished praise Friday on his Portuguese assistant Carlos Queiroz, but wouldn’t directly anoint the former Real Madrid coach his chosen successor.

What happens after I go is not my domain, he said. But there is no doubt I think Carlos will be here for a long time.

Ferguson previously has refused to set a timetable for his departure, but he has been discussing his exit from Old Trafford with increasing frequency in recent months.

The one-time apprentice toolmaker in Glasgow’s shipyards came close to being fired just three years into his United career.

While he had led Aberdeen to consecutive Scottish titles and a European Cup Winners Cup, guiding United to its first English title since 1967 was a struggle.

The turning point was an FA Cup triumph in 1990 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup the following season, beating Barcelona in the title match.

Then in 1992 — the first season of the Premier League — Ferguson’s United finally became England’s top side.

Spurring Ferguson’s decision to quit is his desire to explore the world — particularly America.

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Clinton, Obama court Puerto Rican voters

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico (CNN) — Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama took their campaigns to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico on Saturday in an effort to woo voters before the June 1 primary.

There are 55 Democratic delegates up for grabs, though voters cannot take part in the general election in November.

Obama campaigned early Saturday at the University of Puerto Rico in Bayamon, where he praised the nation’s veterans before Memorial Day.

It’s fitting to be here today, not just because Memorial Day is around the corner but because Puerto Ricans are such an important part of the United States military. On this island and in Puerto Rican neighborhoods across America, you can go into almost any home and find a veteran living there or a photograph of a loved one in uniform hanging on the wall, he said.

Obama also took aim at Republican Sen. John McCain over his opposition to an update of the GI Bill. The legislation passed the Senate on Thursday afternoon by a 75-22 vote and passed the House this month by a similar margin. It proposes to essentially provide a full scholarship to in-state public universities for members of the military who have served for at least three years.

I don’t understand why John McCain would side with George Bush and oppose our plan to make college more affordable for our veterans. … Putting a college degree within reach for our veterans isn’t being too generous; it’s the least we can do for our heroes, Obama said.

Shortly after Obama’s remarks, the McCain campaign hit back.

Barack Obama talks about helping veterans, but when the choice came between delivering for our military men and women and playing partisan politics, he decided politics was more important, McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said Saturday.

Later Saturday, Obama marched along a street in Bayamon, shaking hands with supporters as he walked in front of a banner that said Puerto Rico Con Obama.

This event was referred to as a caminata, a traditional parade for a candidate.

Obama remarked to the crowd, I will never forget the support and the friendship that I’ve seen here in Puerto Rico. … I am absolutely confident that if that we keep on working hard, there’s no reason why we can’t win here in Puerto Rico, and if we win Puerto Rico, we will win the nomination.

Clinton hosted a Solutions for Puerto Rico’s Families town hall meeting in Aguadilla on Saturday.

The former first lady may not have understood the language during her first campaign stop in Puerto Rico, but she certainly understood the politics.

Before a crowd of a few hundred Puerto Ricans in a muggy high school gym, Clinton pledged to make it a personal priority to resolve the statehood issue before the end of her first term.

She also vowed to clean up the former Navy testing ranges on Vieques, fund the famous Arecibo radio telescope, use federal dollars to put more cops on the streets and extend tax breaks to Puerto Rican companies.

Clinton made each of those promises in English, abandoning a translator early on, despite the growing din among distracted audience members who couldn’t understand the full content of her stump speech.

Still, enthusiastic supporters hoisted signs like Puertorriquenos con Hillary and Hillary Presidenta while chants of Hillary! Hillary! filled the room.

Despite in the language barrier, Clinton seemed to be on familiar ground.

She recalled a visit she made to the island in 1998 on behalf of her husband to inspect damage from Hurricane Georges.

She also reminded the audience that she represents more than one million Puerto Ricans in New York; this week in Florida, she jokingly referred to herself as the senator from Puerto Rico.

Clinton has done well among Hispanic voters in this year’s primaries, and she is expected to have similar success in Puerto Rico.

On Thursday, Clinton sent daughter Chelsea to campaign in Puerto Rico, a sign that she is refusing to give up the race despite the delegate math in favor of her rival.

According to CNN’s latest estimate, Obama leads Clinton in total delegates, 1,969 to 1,779.

However, Obama does not have enough delegates to secure the nomination outright. He has 1,962 delegates, including superdelegates, short of the 2,026 needed to secure the nomination, according to CNN estimates.

Obama was in Florida on Friday courting the Cuban vote, a bloc that has tended to vote Republican in past elections.

With a 70 percent turnout rate, Cuban-Americans have been a powerful force in Florida and thus, because of Florida’s role as a swing state, national politics.

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