Politics

• Wednesday, April 8th 2009 - 05:21 UTC

  Fidel Castro meets with three US members of Congress

  

  Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has held a meeting with three members of the US House of Representatives. The event was his first known meeting with US officials since he underwent emergency intestinal surgery in 2006.

• Wednesday, April 8th 2009 - 01:59 UTC

  OECD removes all countries from tax havens blacklist

  

  The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced the removal of all countries blacklisted for alleged tax havens. “OECD welcomes recent commitments to the internationally agreed tax standard on exchange of information made by Costa Rica, Malaysia, Philippines and Uruguay”.

• Wednesday, April 8th 2009 - 01:51 UTC

  Joint Gibraltar Spanish cross-border procession for Our Lady of Europe

  

  Gibraltar’s Bishop has met a Spanish diplomat in the Campo de Gibraltar to secure Madrid’s help in the planning of a cross-border procession to mark 700 years of devotion to Our Lady of Europe. The meetings were part of a wider effort to finalise arrangements for the walk and associated events, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 12:49 UTC

  Venezuelan and Japan leaders agree to deepen ties

  

  Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez agreed Monday to deepen ties in energy, investment and trade, with Japanese companies ready to participate in gas and crude production in the Latin American country.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 11:58 UTC

  First face-to-face talks of Raul Castro with US Congress members

  

  Cuban president Raul Castro has held talks with members of Congress in his first face-to-face meeting with US politicians since he became president last year. State television showed Mr Castro talking to members of the delegation, which is in Havana to explore ways of improving US-Cuban relations.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 11:34 UTC

  Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador sign defence accord

  

  Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Ecuador signed Monday in Asuncion an agreement for cooperation in security matters which not only involves “associating” for the procurement of equipment, but defence of sovereignty and territorial integrity and preannouncement of military exercises.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 09:31 UTC

  Alfonsin magic touch could help resurgence of Argentine opposition

  

  A majority of Argentine feels that the recent death of former president Raul Alfonsin which sparked such spontaneous support for the values enshrined by the “father of democracy” could contribute to the resurgence of the country’s main opposition party to which he belonged, according to the latest public opinion poll published in the Buenos Aires press.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 06:58 UTC

  Controversial expenses anticipate “big changes” for British MPs

  

  British Members of Parliament have been warned they face “big changes” in their system of pay and expenses as Housing Minister Margaret Beckett became the latest member of the Government to become embroiled in controversy.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 05:20 UTC

  “US is not at war with Islam” Obama tells Turkish parliament

  

  During his first visit to a Muslim nation United States president Barack Obama said the US ”is not and will never be at war with Islam''. In an address to the Turkish parliament in Ankara on Monday, he called for a greater partnership with the Muslim world.

• Monday, April 6th 2009 - 10:14 UTC

  Latam airlines consider airport security costs and standards

  

  Latinamerican countries must standardize security norms in airports but without this meaning an obstacle for staff and passengers, said IATA (International Air Transport Association) regional vice-president Patricio Sepulveda during the Latinamerican Civil Aviation Conference, CLAC, and currently held in Chile.