f Benedict's visit on Monday. A Cuban Church leader said the Pope would meet government officials.The Cuban Church has played an important role in negotiating the release of dozens of political prisoners in recent years MBT shoes uk.Officials also said that Pope Benedict was considering visiting Mexico as part of the same trip mbt shoes clearance australia.The head of the Cuban Bishops Conference mbt shoes clearance, Monsignor Jose Felix Perez, said the pontiff had a special affection toward the people of Cuba for the social conditions in our country mbt shoes uk.During his 1998 visit, John Paul II called on Cuba to open to the world, and the world to open to Cuba at a packed Mass in Revolution Square in Havana.Monsignor Perez said Benedict would meet members of President Raul Castro's government.But he stressed that the primary purpose of the Pope's visit would be to honour the patron of Cuba, the Virgin of Caridad del Cobre.
US Vice-President Joe Biden has urged Iraqi leaders to work together to avert renewed sectarian strife.The White House said Mr Biden had expressed his concerns in a phone call to Shia Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.It comes after an arrest warrant was issued for Iraq's Sunni Vice-President, Tariq al-Hashemi, on terror charges.That sparked fears that Iraq's fragile year-old unity government could fall apart, shortly after the last US soldiers left the country.Fighting between Sunnis and Shia left thousands dead in the tit-for-tat attacks of 2006-2007.The entire al-Iraqiyya Sunni political bloc is boycotting parliament and the cabinet in protest at the warrant, while the Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlak has said Iraq is facing chaos and disaster.Mr Hashemi, who is now in Iraq's semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan Region, has denied any wrongdoing.'I blame Maliki'In a statement, the White House said Mr Biden had spoken separately with Mr Maliki and parliamentary Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi to discuss the political situation and to stress Washington's commitment to a long-term strategic partnership with Iraq.He told them of the importance of an inclusive governmen Related articles:

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