News headlines in April 2009, page 24

Seven Democratic congresspersons from the U.S. concluded that it is possible to talk about any issue with Cuba and that 'it is time' to do so, at the end of a five-day visit during which they met with both Raúl and Fidel Castro.

Accelerated warming in the Antarctic Peninsula has caused the loss of over 85 percent of the ice shelves surrounding the northern half of the peninsula in the last 20 years, experts say.

On his first visit to a Muslim country this week, U.S. President Barack Obama proposed 'a new chapter' in U.S. engagement with the Islamic world. He drew much praise, while some remain skeptical.

Egyptians expressed their discontent Monday with rising prices and political stagnation in a national 'day of anger' organised by online activists. Although smaller in scope than a nationwide strike on this date last year, opposition figures say the demonstrations across the country made their point.

Orthodox Israeli settlers, backed by soldiers and police, attacked Palestinian residents of the Sa'diyya neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem Sunday evening, four days after the settler group invaded the home of the Jabir family and extra-judicially evicted them.

Human rights groups welcomed the conviction of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday on charges of murder and kidnapping.

Human rights advocates are expressing alarm about recent disclosures that medical professionals assisted the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in harsh interrogations at secret prisons overseas and at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. It has also been brought to light that judges have ignored the mental health problems of government witnesses in terror-related trials.

Despite recent overtures and the establishment of areas of common interest, Iran’s nuclear programme remains central to its goals in dealing with the U.S.

Alleged 'death squads' are responsible for hundreds of targeted killings in Davao City and other cities on the Philippine island of Mindanao, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released Tuesday.

Southern African countries remain mum on the interim economic partnership agreement (EPA), despite a letter from European Commission (EC) trade commissioner Catherine Ashton urging them to sign.