Cuban president vows to defend socialism

Havana is ready and willing to start a dialogue with Washington, Cuban President Raul Castro said in a speech to parliament Saturday, but warned that political and regime change are not up for negotiation. “They didn’t elect me president to restore capitalism in Cuba, nor to surrender the revolution,” Castro said to loud applause. “I was elected to defend, maintain and continue perfecting socialism, not to destroy it.” He added that those expecting political change after the death of former President Fidel Castro and his generation were “condemned to fail.” Castro ceded the presidency to his younger brother, Raul, last year but has retained leadership of the Communist Party, the only legal political party in Cuba.

Share

Judge: ‘Gripping temptation’ to let Madonna adopt

A judge who barred Madonna’s second adoption from Malawi on Friday said she had "a gripping temptation" to approve the adoption, but decided doing so would open doors to child trafficking, court records show. The American pop star had filed a petition to adopt a girl, Chifundo James, 3

Share

Alibi undermined in Kercher murder trial

A grocer has told a court in Italy that an American woman accused of murdering British student Meredith Kercher was in his shop the morning after the death, contradicting the timeline she had previously given. Amanda Knox, 21, has said she was at the home of her former boyfriend and co-accused Raffaele Sollecito, 24, until 10 a.m. on the day after Knox’s roommate, Meredith Kercher, was stabbed to death

Share

Man guilty of killing ‘Harry Potter’ actor

A habitually violent young man was convicted Wednesday of the murder of teenage actor Rob Knox, who had starred in the latest "Harry Potter" film. Karl Bishop, 22, attacked Knox and four friends with two kitchen knives outside a bar in Sidcup, south east London, last May. He stabbed them 10 times in less than two minutes, the Old Bailey court in central London heard

Share

FDA says India plant falsified generic drug data

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it has stopped reviewing drug applications from an India-based pharmaceutical plant, alleging that officials there falsified data and test results in applications, some of which the agency has already approved.

Share

All-American team to join F1 grid next year

An all-American team is set to enter Formula One in 2010 — bucking the global economic downturn which has forced motorsport’s elite category to introduce a series of cost-cutting measures. Ivan Cameron, six, passed away early Wednesday, the UK’s Press Association reported a Conservative Party spokesman as saying. “It is with great sadness that David and Samantha Cameron must confirm the death of their six-year-old son Ivan,” the spokesman said according to the agency.

Share