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Brazil calls on Israel not to expel Arafat 
The Brazilian government on Friday called on the Israeli government to give up its decision to expel Yasser Arafat, president of the National Authority of Palestine. 

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the decision by the Israeli government could "irremediably" compromise the Middle East peace process. 

"We regretted the decision of the Israeli Cabinet to expel Arafat," said the document. "Brazil recognizes President Arafat as a legitimate and democratically-elected authority (of Palestine)." 

The statement called on both Israelis and Palestinians to be moderated and return to the negotiation table -- the "only space where a fair and lasting solution could come in the regional conflict." 

The Israeli security cabinet on Thursday accused Arafat of being an "obstacle" to peace in the Middle East, citing Tuesday's two suicide bombings in Israel. It decided to "remove this obstacle in a manner and at a time which will be decided afterwards." 

The threat has drawn a barrage of criticism from the international community, including Washington and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. 

Cuba opposes trade liberalization at WTO meeting 
Cuba voiced opposition Friday to the liberalization of world trade at the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Cancun, accusing it of thwarting poor countries to develop. 

During the WTO plenary session, Cuban Interior Minister Ricardo Cabrisas said that only when an unfair exchange disappeared and the poor countries obtained fair prices for their products, would the international trade serve to speed up development. 

Otherwise, the liberalization of world trade could not contribute to the development of poor countries, nor could it help raise their living conditions, he said. 

In his opinion, the results of trade liberalization turned out to be far from expectations. The commercial exchange was growing more and more unfair. 

The minister then cited some data to support his assertion. 

Since the creation of WTO, the price of basic non-oil products, like sugar, dropped at an annual average rate of 1.3 percent between 1995 and 2002. As a consequence, the earnings of five principal developing countries depending on the export of sugar declined about 3.4 billion US dollars in the same period. 

Today, a growing number of financial resources were in the hands of rich countries, which were getting richer, but poor countries were left to struggle with their deteriorating conditions, the minister added. 

At the meeting, the Cuban official also condemned the US embargo imposed on his country. 

The 5th ministerial meeting of WTO, scheduled from Sept. 10-14 in the Mexican resort of Cancun, attracted participants from 146 members. 

Venezuela's Chavez wins another round
Caracas, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez won another round in Venezuela's bitter power struggle as election authorities threw out an opposition petition for a referendum on ending his rule. 

The National Elections Council ruled Friday that opponents violated Venezuela's Constitution by conducting the petition drive before the midpoint of Mr. Chavez's six-year term — Aug. 19. 

Organizers collected more than 3 million signatures. 

It was another victory for a president who survived an April 2002 military coup attempt and a long general strike earlier this year that accelerated Venezuela's economic recession. 

Mr. Chavez, loved by many poor Venezuelans as the first leader to speak for their rights but despised by middle class citizens as a power-monger, vows never to allow the return of corrupt traditional political parties that crumbled with his rise to power. 

A new uncertainty arose in the crisis-wracked nation as Chavez foes and followers argued over whether Venezuela's Constitution allows opponents to petition again for a recall. 

Several leaders of Mr. Chavez's Fifth Republic Movement party insisted opponents, by failing to obtain approval for their petition, had given up their chances for ever holding the vote. 

The constitution "is very clear in establishing that a request for a recall can only be made once," said Fifth Republic lawmaker Cilia Flores. 

Opponent leaders vowed to launch another signature drive Oct. 5, insisting the constitution says no such thing. 

They said the council's decision was in some way a victory for the opposition because the rules of the game had become clearer. 

"We are closer than ever to the end of violence and anxiety," said opposition Governor Enrique Mendoza. 

Venezuela's Constitution allows citizens to petition for a recall halfway through a president's term. But it is vague on many details. 

National Elections Council President Francisco Carrasquero promised to issue regulations on the referendum process next week. 

But he said the Supreme Court should decide whether opponents can introduce a new petition. 

The United States has angered Mr. Chavez's government by supporting the referendum as a means of ensuring stability in the world's No. 5 oil exporter. 

Washington is uneasy about the Venezuelan leader's unabashed admiration for Cuban President Fidel Castro and his criticism of free trade. 

A retired lieutenant colonel who staged a failed coup in 1992, Mr. Chavez was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000 after pushing through a new constitution he promised would bring a "revolution" to empower the poor. 

Critics said he eliminated checks on his power. 

Mr. Chavez's rise rekindled the hopes of millions of Venezuelans frustrated with decades of corrupt governments and economic decline. 

But recent independent polls indicate Venezuelans would vote 2-1 to oust Mr. Chavez in a referendum, disappointed with his failure to create jobs and fight crime. 

Mr. Chavez insists his own polls say he has 70 per cent popular support and that most Venezuelans blame a "coup-plotting" opposition for the country's problems.