Castro welcomes "new generation" of leaders of Cuba, but called old guard - Christian Science Monitor

Mexico City

The theme of the sixth Congress of the party in Cuba seemed clear enough: President Raul Castro, opened the Summit Saturday saying that a new generation of Cuban politicians was necessary to ensure that the Socialist Revolution.

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Even former Cuban leader Fidel Castro seemed to embrace the message. "The new generation is called to correct and change everything without hesitation that must be corrected and changed", he wrote in the journal of State Granma.

But at the time where as the wrapped Congress Tuesday, the new leaders have been appointed to the Communist Party, and none of the three top positions went to any person under the age of 78, leaving the old guard in power and thwart these hungry Cubans of a political reorganization.

"Raul Castro said they had to bring new leaders, bring the new generation," says Wayne Smith, senior fellow at the Center for International policy in Washington and former American diplomat in Cuba. "But he appointed its long date no. 2 No. 2".

The Congress is important because Fidel Castro was appointed not the head of the party for the first time since its formation in 1965. Instead, Raul Castro will formally assume this role.

Cuban watchers were anxious to see if a young leader could be chosen as a position for a long time of Raul Castro as Second Secretary. But the veteran José Ramón Machado Ventura, 80, will take place, while Ramiro Valdes will resume the No. 3 role. Both have worked with the Castro brothers since at least the 1950s.

Raul Castro discussed the apparent contradiction in his closing speech. "We have kept several veterans of the historic generation, and it is logical from the consequences of the errors that have been made in this area," he was quoted by the Associated Press said in his closing speech. "These have stolen us a rear bench of mature substitutes with enough experience to take on the top positions of the country.".

Two young politicians were appointed to executive positions, including Marino Murillo, who oversees economic reform in Cuba. They could later groomed first positions. And even only rhetoric is a change that Mr. Smith sees as important.

"" At least they speak of the need to highlight the young generation, and do not have the same leaders decade after decade "says Mr. Smith." "" At least it is a sign encouraging that [Raul Castro] is talking about. ?

The Congress was the first in 14 years and comes in the midst of the economic changes that Raul Castro has made, including the announcement last fall that half million jobs a million State will be reduced. Delegates debated some 300 economic proposals, but few details were released. Instead, they stressed their commitment to future changes.

"It could have been a Congress that declared new policies with annexes to them... who appointed a bunch of new people," said Philip Peters, an expert at the Institute of Lexington from Cuba. "Instead of this he was a Congress who expressed commitments for future action."

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Campaigns of leaders will resume following debates

The Canada federal party leaders occur again campaign trail Thursday, after the days of low laying in preparation for the discussions of the heads back.

Conservative leader Stephen Harper introduces his first day back with a campaign in Beaupré, Quebec, event followed a rally in Etobicoke, Ont., Thursday night.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff is set to visit a local company and to make an announcement in Gatineau, Quebec, followed by a barbecue with liberal candidates to St. Isadore, have.

Jack Layton, leader of the new Democratic Party, will spend the day in Montreal, including a gathering of op and photo campaign. Layton will wrap the day watched the match from the Montreal Canadiens playoffs.

Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe will speak at a luncheon of campaign in Gatineau, followed by a press briefing at the headquarters of the candidate Richard Nadeau.

During this time, Green party leader Elizabeth may will be once again spend the day in British Columbia Colombia, courting votes in and around his home on Vancouver Island port. It is scheduled to attend a rotary meeting, rock the Vote event and a meet and greet.

May is also scheduled to hold a press conference calling for a national plan for affordable housing and to attend the meeting of the candidate for all on Pender Island.

All four party leaders have done their best to seduce the Canadian electorate during the French and English television debates of heads.

May was excluded debates by the consortium of broadcasting on the basis that in the last federal election, the party did not get a seat in Parliament.

During the debate in English on Wednesday, the question of a coalition Government began the event.

Ignatieff promised to work with other parties in a minority situation, but not as a coalition.

Duceppe then demanded to know where Harper would have cut to eliminate the deficit, but Harper said, the Government would seek efficiency gains, not cuts and said the economy needs a strong hand.

Jack Layton has used an analogy of hockey to go after Duceppe, saying that the block is as a team with only defenders and the NDP was the only party "goals."

The leader of the Bloc fired back that his party has more players on the ice than the NDP. Harper has done its best to attract Quebec voters who choose the block because they do not like the Liberals, saying that a vote for the Bloc is a vote for Ignatieff as Prime Minister.

Things were just as heated in the course of the English debate of two hours in downtown Ottawa on Tuesday where issues such as the G8/G20 Summit expenses controversy, corporate tax cuts and measures concerning the institution of Parliament dominate the conversation.

Ignatieff blasted Harper on the latest corporate tax cuts, but the Chief conservative, from the rear, saying that the increase in corporate tax rates would send a negative message to investors and affect job creation.

Layton also intervened in the fray, slamming Igantieff for supporting the tax cuts in previous Conservative budgets.

Leaders sparred also in the mission in Afghanistan, immigration, crime and health care.

All four party leaders declared they victorious debates.

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Bric leaders say increasing commodity prices poses threat to global growth - Bloomberg

BRIC leaders called for "more attention to the risk of massive cross-border capital flows" and said that the Monetary Fund International should continue to look to overhaul the role of special drawing rights as an international reserve currency system. Photographer: Nelson Ching/Bloomberg.

The leaders of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, said excessively volatile commodity prices pose a threat to the global economy and called for greater regulation of derivatives markets.

Volatility "poses new risks for ongoing recovery of the global economy," the leaders said, according to a news release from their Summit at Chinese station of Sanya. The BRIC countries, such as the five is known, also called for greater vigilance on the impact of the movement of capital from developed economies in emerging markets and agree on a plan to make more loans in local currency.

Rising food and of fuel, prices are inflexible importers like China and the India to maintain low prices for their 2.6 billion people. Export of the country such as the Brazil, the Russia and the South Africa benefit from trade, but are concerned will that rely too heavily on resources stifle diversification of their economies, leaving vulnerable should stop the application.

"Budgetary prospects for emerging economies are more favourable, but this partly reflects the rear high asset and the prices of raw materials, low interest rates and strong capital inflows," International Monetary Fund said in a report this month. A "the reversal could leave exposed posts."

China is the largest importer in the world of soybeans and consumption of energy, according to oil imported to stimulate economic growth. In India, where hundreds of millions of people live in poverty, also said concerned about rising food prices.

"Regulation of the market for derivative products should therefore be strengthened to prevent activities capable of destabilizing the markets," said the document.

Corn, coffee and cotton prices were all more than doubled on the global markets last year, while crude oil prices are up 42% in London. Chicago Wheat futures are likely to increase by $8.60 a bushel before 31 December, 31% up from brokerage low, based in Paris this year, said OTCex group earlier this month. Corn can reach a record $ 10 per bushel, Alex Bos, an analyst of Macquarie Group Ltd. said on 6 April.

This year China expects to import of 57 million tonnes of soybeans, or almost 60 percent of world trade of animal feed and ingredient in tofu.

The release of BRICS called for greater cooperation on food safety to the lack of reliable information and timely time on the supply and demand. The international community was needed to work together to increase production, increase technological support and financing for the developing countries in "create a more equitable and just world."

In a separate agreement, the heads of the five development banks agreed on working a plan to increase the use of local when currencies make loans to the other.

"We talked about how to move more quickly to the use of national currencies," said Medvedev. "I just had a meeting with the President of the Brazil, and we have agreed to intensify work on a possible switch." We could think of such a system with the BRICs. ?

The combined gross domestic product of the five so-called BRICS nations Eclipse the economy of the United States at the end of 2014, International Monetary Fund projected published this week. The euro area will be exceeded this year, data showed. By 2016, the BRICs will have a combined GDP of $ 21 billion from a projection of 18.8 billion for the United States, according to the IMF.

Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, said that more than US $100 barrel of oil prices are discouraging Russia diversify its economy. Ivanov, said the current price was unsustainable and that the budget of the Russia will fall into a deficit when it falls.

"When the rain of gold is poured over your head, you did are not motivated to diversify," Ivanov said in an interview on April 7 in Miami. "I would say I hate high oil and gasoline prices, but I am not happy with them.".

Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, said that it expects crude to decline later this year, as increases in prices curb demand.

Brent on average US $94 per barrel in the fourth quarter, analysts at the Bank, led by Blanch in Francisco based in New York, said in a report earlier this week. It is approximately 23% less than the current level of prices.

Gross Brent advanced to more than $127 a barrel on the ice London futures exchange this week, the highest level since August 2008 and approximately $20 price record of the year for 147.50 Brent $ per barrel.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders of bric also called for "more attention to the risks of cross-border capital flows" and said that the Monetary Fund massive International should continue to examine the role of special drawing rights as a system of reviewing international reserve currency.

"The structure of management of international financial institutions should reflect changes in the global economy, increasing the voice and representation of emerging economies and developing countries," said the press release.

At the Summit of Sanya, HU is joined by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, South African President Jacob Zuma and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

To contact the reporter on this story:

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Ben Richardson at brichardson8@bloomberg.net

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' Sad show:' can the leader's debate

The Green party leader Elizabeth May, excluded from debate of the leaders of Tuesday, the broadcast Consortium dazzled the event as a "sad show of the chiefs in partial debate."

In a conference press after the event, may called the event put in scene and in bad faith.

"I thought it was a spectacular set non-binding, flat, predictable trade," she said.

"I think it's a fairly safe bet that by the next federal election campaign, the media consortium has be packed in and nobody will trust never run a debate yet because it is a parody."

May blown the choice of topics and issues of the Viewer.

"I believe deeply that we need in Canadian policy is to move away from the scripted from the supporter, heads of political parties and the media to determine what Canadians want to hear," she said.

"[We need to] reopen and remobilise the democracy so that Canadians can ask questions directly... the event may become more spontaneous and less than a script and... the issues that are orphaned by political elites can return to the forefront.".

May, said the list of issues left to take the heat out the debate is long, including questions of First Nations, the position of the Canada in Libya, food policy, homelessness, energy, arts funding policy and the environment.

"This will be, I think, by the history books the memory of a dark day for Canadian democracy," said.

"We can have a debate with the leaders of the Federal Party of four out of five of the political background, serious - that the debate can concentrate on a handful screened problems, without spontaneity - and I think that, for most of the voters."that this debate does not encourage to get involved in Canadian democracy. ?

In a live chat online with CBC News in the debate, may has been very critical of the conservative party, criticizing their tough on crime approach and urges the Government to take steps to fight white collar crime and organized crime.

May has also advocated working toward a restorative justice system to defend the victims and "redirect the resources of a strategy of cannabis prohibition Act failed to where we need resources to cope with the threats of violent crime."

Also weighed on immigration during the chat, may say "backlogs in the immigration system grew up under the Harper Government because they do not rename people for Immigration Appeal committees".

She added that the Government Harper has "tampered with the immigration system" by moving fairly, of "cherry-picking some potential immigrants with some skills."

It has also blown Harper for saying there is that no corporate tax cuts in the conservative budget.

"This Government has regularly cut and plans to do so still 16.5% this year to 15 percent next year."

May also advocated a new approach for the firearms registry, "Canadian SW of rural and First Nations do not feel criminalized by owning a gun fire long." Greens believe that we must listen to those who find the onerous system to make this work better for them. ?

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Leaders do discuss land, trade barbs

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Conservative Leader Stephen Harper appealed for Canadians to elect him to lead a majority government, but spent much of on the defensive from attacks by his three political rivals on his record as prime minister.

During the two-hour debate in downtown Ottawa, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe accused Harper and the Conservative Party several times of not telling the truth to Canadians on issues like the G8/G20 summit spending controversy, corporate tax cuts and respecting the institution of Parliament.

But Harper rejected the charges and insisted his government has been a strong steward of Canada's fragile economic recovery, while his opponents were "bickering" in the House of Commons and forcing an unneeded election.

"Canada's got the strongest recovery of any country on Earth, and suddenly it's plunged into a fourth election in seven years, and Canadians don't know why," Harper said.

But Ignatieff attacked Harper over the latest corporate tax cuts, saying that the Conservative leader is ignoring the needs of Canadians while corporations bring in record profits.

"Nobody can understand why that makes sense in the middle of the toughest deficit we've seen because of your waste and mismanagement," Ignatieff said.

"That's why we're having an election, because you didn't tell the truth."

Harper defended his government's choices, saying, "We have balanced policies to move us all forward together."

'You are a man who will shut down anything you can't control. That's the core of your vision of government ... and it's hostile to the values of democracy upon which this country is based.'—Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff to Conservative Leader Stephen Harper

Harper told Ignatieff that raising corporate tax rates would "send a negative message to investors" and hurt job creation while Canada's economy continues to recover from the global recession.

The Liberals have promised to pay for any new programs by returning the corporate tax rate to 2010 levels of 18 per cent.

The current corporate tax rate is 16.5 per cent and would drop to 15 per cent in 2012, under the Conservatives.

The debate, hosted by TVO's Steve Paikin, kicked off with a viewer's question about corporate tax cuts, which prompted Duceppe to call on Harper to release the auditor's general's report after a leaked draft alleged the Conservative government lavished millions on cabinet member Tony Clement's riding and misinformed Parliament.

Duceppe also mocked Harper’s tightly-controlled rally appearances by congratulating the Conservative leader for "answering a question from a citizen for the first time in this campaign."

Harper insisted all money from the summits is accounted for and said the auditor general has cautioned Canadians not to draw conclusions from a draft report leaked to The Canadian Press earlier this week. Harper also said he supported the auditor general to release the final report.

But Layton accused Ignatieff of being Harper's "best friend" for supporting corporate tax cuts in previous budgets and that he couldn't be trusted on the issue.

'You're Mr. Harper's best friend, and now you're offering yourself as an alternative'—NDP Leader Jack Layton

"There you were, supporting Mr. Harper on this massive program corporate tax cuts, and suddenly you're against them," Layton said. "You're Mr. Harper's best friend, and now you're offering yourself as an alternative."

Layton and Ignatieff also sparred over the mission in Afghanistan, with Layton saying the troops should be brought home immediately.

Ignatieff responded that Canada has a responsibility to help the international mission in Afghanistan for three more years.

"We are where we are … You can’t walk away," said the Liberal leader.

On a question about foreign policy, Ignatieff slammed Harper for being the first prime minister to fail to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council and shutting down some Canadian foreign aid programs over ideological reasons.

"You are a man who will shut down anything you can't control. That's the core of your vision of government ... and it's hostile to the values of democracy upon which this country is based," Ignatieff said.

'We have to get Parliament back to work, focused on the economy and passing the good measures for people that were in our budget, that we can afford without raising taxes'—Conservative Leader Stephen Harper

But Harper flatly rejected Ignatieff's claims and defended his government's foreign aid record, saying they have not reduced money to third world countries.

Ignatieff also accused Harper of prompting an election by being in contempt of Parliament by failing to provide details to the House of Commons on a number of issues.

But Harper shot back that the election was simply a result of the three parties ganging up on the Tories to outvote them.

He said Canadians will decide whether the actions of the three parties with the contempt motion were "valid, or whether what we should have been doing is focusing on the economy."

"We have to get Parliament back to work, focused on the economy and passing the good measures for people that were in our budget, that we can afford without raising taxes," Harper said.

The leaders also weighed into the issue of a coalition government, with Duceppe and Layton accusing Harper of being prepared to seize power through such an agreement after coming second to Paul Martin's Liberals in 2004.

Duceppe and Layton said they got together with Harper and drafted the letter to tell then-Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson that Harper was prepared to form a government if Martin lost the confidence of the House of Commons.

Harper has made the idea of a coalition an issue during the campaign, hitting the opposition leaders hard over what he says is a plan to form a coalition government if his party can't form a majority.

"I hope this time — and I'm being quite frank — I hope it is a majority," Harper said.

He rejected the accusation by Duceppe and Layton that he was ready to form a government in 2004, insisting that the leader of the party that wins the most seats in an election should be prime minister.

Harper also insisted he would never enter into a coalition with party like the Bloc committed to the breakup of Canada.

"The reason Mr. Duceppe and Mr. Layton are changing their stories now is in 2008, they tried to put in power the Liberal Party, which had lost the election. That's not how democracy works," Harper said.

Although Ignatieff again rejected a coalition, Harper also claimed that Ignatieff has not ruled out forming a government with the NDP and Bloc if the Tories fail to win a majority.

On immigration, both Ignatieff and Layton took aim at the policies of the Conservatives. Ignatieff said his father might not have been able to enter the country under the Tories polices, while Latyon echoed that his mother-in-law may also not have been welcomed.

"How can we regard it as somehow acceptable that a family has to wait for 10 years for their mother or father to come and join them? That is just so wrong," Layton said

The New Democrat leader said he looks to the example of his wife Olivia Chow’s mother "who lives with us, lived with us for 20 years." "Thank goodness she wasn’t applying to come here now because she might never have got to see my granddaughter," Layton said. "That’s simply wrong and it’s tearing families apart."

But Harper denied that the Tories are keeping families apart and that their record on immigration is strong.

"We've been increasing categories across the board in terms of family class. There will be as many family class admitted this year as in the previous year," Harper said.

"There will always be far more people willing to come to Canada than we can admit in any year," Harper said. But he added "our economy needs [immigration.] Our society needs it and we’re all better for it."

On crime, Ignatieff criticized Harper for wanting to take a U.S. style approach to the issue by focussing on mandatory-minimum sentencing and building mega-prisons.

But Harper said a number of Tory crime initiatives have been stalled by the election and that Canadians have repeatedly said they want the punishment to fit the crime. The leaders also raised the issue of the issue of the long-gun registry, with Harper, who opposes the project, charging that the program will do nothing to prevent crime.

The leaders’ last question was on health care, with Layton saying that Canadians don’t trust his party on the issue and that they only recently jumped on the bandwagon of properly funding health care. He also accused Harper of wanting to privatize healthcare.

Harper said that he has been working in co-operation with the provinces and had brought in wait time measures and will work to make sure health-care dollars are spent effectively.

Harper said Layton has a different definition of what he considers privatization, saying instead he won't wave his finger at provinces who want to experiment with delivery of services. Harper also insisted that all Canadians will always have access to health care.

All parties have vowed to maintain the annual six-per-cent increase after the current health-care funding accord with the provinces expires in 2014.

The debate was divided into six segments. Each segment started with a question from a Canadian voter, leading to a six-minute one-on-one debate between two leaders, before concluding with an open debate on the same topic.

The French-language debate, using the same format, is set for 8 p.m. ET Wednesday.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was left out of the debate after the broadcast consortium, which includes CBC and Radio-Canada, decided to invite only the leaders whose parties are represented in the House of Commons.

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French leaders debate bumped by NHL playoffs

Politics and hockey went head to head Sunday and, ultimately, pastime of winter the nation held the biggest stick.

The parties and the consortium of broadcasting producing this week televised leaders debates decided to move the French debate - originally scheduled for Thursday - until one day after a conflict has arisen with the NHL playoffs.

The French debate is set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. (et), with the English-language debate set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. (et).

Wednesday was supposed to be a day off.

As any change with the defeat of Canadians of Montreal from the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night and the finalization of the annex to the NHL Conference is Play-off.

First match: Montreal Canadians vs. the Boston Bruins Thursday at 7 p.m. et.

A rivalry of old of several decades - at the same time, Federal leaders were programmed to take their French-language debate.

Head of the Bloc Québécois Gilles Duceppe said Sunday morning was there was no point in politicians trying to compete with that.

"I want Quebec to have the same opportunity to listen to the debate which Canadians will have," said Duceppe.

"We all know hockey is very popular in Quebec, and the Canada also and I think it would be a better choice to have this debate Wednesday, so that the people who love hockey and (will be) have the opportunity to see the debate and then listen hockey match Thursday evening"Duceppe told."."

"I think that the ratings are important," Duceppe has continued, but democracy is more important than ratings. ?

The debates are produced and transported by a consortium of broadcasters comprised of the CBC, CTV, Global and TVA in Quebec.

Block sent a letter to the consortium Sunday formally requesting the French debate to move one day to Wednesday, saying that the conflict of programming is "heartbreaking" many québécois.

Duceppe has called the other party leaders to present a United front to pressure the broadcast consortium to make the change - and the other parties were not about to disagree.

Leader of the NDP, Jack Layton said that he suspected "a very large number of people" would choose to watch the match between Montreal and Boston.

"If I was not in this election, I could well make the same decision," he joked.

Dimitri please, spokesman for the Conservative leader Stephen Harper, echoed comment Layton in a post on Twitter Sunday: "these decisions can be found with the television networks." We will be there the day they choose. ?

Martin Cauchon, Liberal candidate in the riding of Montreal in Outremont, told reporters that the Liberals strongly support the debate moved.

"This is important - and we must ensure as many people as possible watch"debates, Cauchon."said."

The two-hour debates will be divided into six segments. Each segment begins with a question asked by a Canadian voter, leading to an individual debate of six minutes between the two leaders, before concluding with an open debate on the same subject.

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