Washington - US President George W Bush Tuesday offered his last message to the people as Cuba as he prepares to leave office: keep fighting for your freedom.
Bush praised the communist island's political dissidents for their stance against the Castro regime, and reiterated his pledge to assist Havana once it agrees to a democratic transition.
"The United States stands prepared to respond to any request for assistance from a Cuba that transitions to democracy," Bush said in a statement.
Washington - US President George W Bush honoured three longtime friends and allies with the highest US civilian honour on Tuesday, bestowing the Presidential Medal of Freedom on former British prime minister Tony Blair, former Australian prime minister John Howard and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.
Washington - The US State Department Tuesday flatly rejected claims by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he intervened at the last minute to prevent Washington from backing a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack could not confirm the accuracy of Olmert's reported comments, but denied Olmert influenced Rice's decision to abstain on the resolution that was approved by a 14-0 vote on the Security Council Friday.
Riyadh - Egypt and Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday their support to the Kuwait summit to be held on January 19, refusing the Arab leaders extraordinary summit in Qatar.
A statement, released after a meeting between Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and Saudi King Abdullah, said they supported the Kuwait meeting in order to find "a way to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza," reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Tehran - Islamist students in Tehran on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Swiss embassy, shouting slogans in solidarity with Palestine and burning pictures of US president-elect Barack Obama and Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak.
According to the ISNA news agency, the students hoisted the Palestinian flag in front of the Swiss embassy which acts as a intermediary of the United States with Iran, as Washington and Tehran have had no diplomatic ties for three decades.
Riga - The rush hour trend in the Latvian capital Riga was reversed Tuesday as thousands gathered in the central Dome Square at 5:30 pm (1530 GMT) to call for the dissolution of parliament and fresh elections.
The demonstration, backed by around 20 civil groups and opposition parties, was the idea of Aigars Stokenbergs and Artis Pabriks, former government ministers and founders of the a new opposition party called the Union for Different Politics.
Washington - US President George W Bush Tuesday offered his last message to the people as Cuba as he prepares to leave office: keep fighting for your freedom.
Washington - US President George W Bush honoured three longtime friends and allies with the highest US civilian honour on Tuesday, bestowing the Presidential Medal of Freedom on former British prime minister Tony Blair, former Australian prime minister John Howard and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.
Washington - The US State Department Tuesday flatly rejected claims by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he intervened at the last minute to prevent Washington from backing a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Riyadh - Egypt and Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday their support to the Kuwait summit to be held on January 19, refusing the Arab leaders extraordinary summit in Qatar.
Tehran - Islamist students in Tehran on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Swiss embassy, shouting slogans in solidarity with Palestine and burning pictures of US president-elect Barack Obama and Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak.
Riga - The rush hour trend in the Latvian capital Riga was reversed Tuesday as thousands gathered in the central Dome Square at 5:30 pm (1530 GMT) to call for the dissolution of parliament and fresh elections.
