Castro calls for tight finances in Cuba

Sunday was a day of commemoration in Cuba — the 56th anniversary of the start of the Cuban Revolution — but the message from President Raul Castro was not all celebratory. The island nation will face a second round of belt-tightening as a result of the global financial crunch, Castro said in a speech marking Revolution Day. He said that on Tuesday he would hold a meeting of the Council of Ministries “dedicated to the analysis of the second cost adjustment in this year’s plan, due to the effects of the global economic crisis, especially on the reduction of revenues from exports and the additional restrictions on accessing external financing.” The global economic downturn has hit Cuba hard.

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Former S. Korean President Roh commits suicide

Former South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun committed suicide Saturday by leaping to his death from a hill behind his house, the South Korean government announced. He was 62. Roh, who was president from 2003 to 2008, had gone hiking near his home with an aide around 6:30 a.m.

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Legend Player leads Augusta farewells

Golfing legend Gary Player and 1979 winner Fuzzy Zoeller bade emotional farewells to the Masters while Greg Norman, quite possibly the best player never to win the hallowed major, may well have played his last competitive round at Augusta as he narrowly missed the halfway cut. Three-time champion Player was playing his 52nd Masters, finally giving in to Old Father Time at a still spritely 73, but taking in the unique atmosphere for one last time. The South African was cheered to the rafters at every hole and received a standing ovation as he walked up 18 on Friday — 17-over-par but nobody cared.

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