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Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region has stopped its oil exports accusing the central government of failing to pay. It’s the latest clash in a long-running dispute over oil rights. Tensions between the two sides have risen since October when Exxon Mobil signed a deal to explore for oil in Kurdistan which Baghdad claims is illegal.
More about: Baghdad, Iraq, Kurdistan, Oil market

Twelve immigrant workers have died in a fire overnight at a covered market in southern Moscow, say the Russian authorities.
The fire swept through a warehouse next to the market in which the workers were housed. It’s thought they came from one of the former Soviet republics.
A city spokesman said they had no way out to the street and were trapped by the flames.
More about: Fire, Moscow, Russia, Victims

The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged at a record low of one percent on Wednesday.
Recent grim economic indicators and renewed concerns about the public finances in Spain have fuelled worries that the eurozone is in a mild recession and that the sovereign debt crisis may flare up again.
ECB President Mario Draghi said: “Downside risks to the economic outlook prevail, they relate in particular to a renewed intensification of tension in euro area debt markets, and their potential spillover to the euro area real economy.”
The ECB wants time for its support measures to take full effect and boost the region’s fragile economic recovery.
Sagging orders hit businesses in March, however a new business survey released on Wednesday showed companies more confident that better times lie ahead.
Draghi dismissed a German-led push for the bank to start planning a retreat from emergency crisis-fighting, but stressed it was keeping a close eye on inflation.
The ECB has pumped over one trillion euros into the financial system with the twin three year funding operations, or LTROs, to head off a credit crunch that late last year risked exacerbating the euro zone crisis and jeopardising the currency project.
On the push to begin preparing an exit from the ECB’s crisis mode, Draghi said: “Given the present conditions of output and unemployment, which is at historical high, any exit strategy talking for the time being is premature.”
He added bluntly: “I think the president of the ECB is the one who has the last word on this.”
More about: Banking, ECB, Interest rates

On his third and final day in Cuba, Pope Benedict has called for an end to the 50-year-long US trade embargo while urging the communist island to change.
Throughout his visit the Pope has made thinly-veiled references to Cuban dissidents, and the need for economic reforms.
On his departure his last message was aimed at the United States.
“Cuba could build a society of broad vison, renewed and reconciled,” he said, but it was more difficult “when restrictive economic measures, imposed from outside the country, unfairly burden its people.”
Earlier Benedict had welcomed Fidel Castro at the Vatican embassy in Havana. The 85-year-old is the brother of president Raul Castro and the island’s first revolutionary leader. During the half-hour meeting, Castro asked the Pontiff to choose a book for him to read and to reflect upon.
More about: Benedict XVI, Catholicism, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Religion, Vatican Do you think?�Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba will:
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help to open the regime (20%)  legitimise the regime (8%)  change nothing (68%)  i don't know (4%)  // pollTS[0]) { pollTS = cookie; cValid = true; }; }; warning.parentNode.removeChild(warning); if(cookie && cValid) { for(var i = 1; i < pollTS.length; i++) { votes += parseInt(pollTS[i], 10) || 0; }; var total = 0; for(var i = 1; i < pollTS.length; i++) { per = pollTS[i] > 0 ? Math.round(pollTS[i] / (votes / 100)) : 0; if(total + per > 100) { per = 100 - total; total = 100; } else { total += per; }; output[output.length] = '' + questions[i - 1] + ' (' + per + '%) '; }; pollHTML += "" + output.join("") + ""; }; if(!cookie) { pollHTML = ' help to open the regime legitimise the regime change nothing i don’t know'; }; if(pollHTML) { content.innerHTML = pollHTML; }; })();// ]]>

She shot to international stardom in 2009, thanks to her appearence on the Britain’s Got Talent television show.
Now Susan Boyle’ rags-to-riches story – from her difficult childhood and life in a small Scottish town to her breakdown after her sudden celebrity has been turned into a musical called – appropriately enough – I Dreamed A Dream.
Scottish actress Elaine C Smith, of TV’s Rab C Nesbitt, co-wrote the show.
More about: Celebrity News, Musical

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has given his first speech since the government published its 2012 budget last week, promising his austerity policies would create jobs and economic recovery in the end.
It was the country’s toughest budget in living memory, but as Rajoy said the worst his government could do would be nothing.
“I’m not here to give the Spanish people good news. Now is the time to establish the foundations for the recovery of the Spanish economy, so that we can soon create new jobs,” he insisted.
Pressure remains high on Spanish banks, so although Rajoy can play tough to keep investors happy, the fundamentals remain the same; many sick banks make for an unhealthy economy, and if one should go critical, well, then no-one is sure what will happen.
More about: Mariano Rajoy, Markets, Spain, Spanish debt, Spanish economy

Germany’s jobless rate has fallen to its lowest since the reunification of East and West as unemployment dropped for a fifth consecutive month in March.
Just 6.7 percent of the workforce is without a job according to official figures, adjusted for seasonal factors such as weather.
That is in contrast to other eurozone countries, and will likely lead to higher wages boosting consumption in Europe’s largest economy.
The unadjusted rate — which is the headline figure used in Germany — fell to 7.2 percent from February’s 7.4 percent.
The data is good news for German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble whose budget plans are based on strong tax revenues.
More about: Germany, Jobs, The world of work, Unemployment

Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic, is one of the poorest countries in Central Asia. On Norouz, the first day of the Persian New Year, Emomali Rahmon the President of Tajikistan spoke to euronews on the situation in the country 20 years after independence, relations with Russia and Iran and democratisation in the country.
euronews: Your Excellency Emomali Rahmon President of Tajikistan, happy new year. Do you see the Norouz as an occasion to celebrate the national identity of the Tajikistan? Are the Norouz ceremonies these days the beginning of the restoration of Tajik identity which was so damaged by the former Soviet Union?
President Emomali Rahmon:
During the Soviet era, there were huge restrictions on performing traditions and national customs. These celebrations were banned and those who practised them were persecuted. But this celebration is in the heart of our people. Even during more than 70 years of domination, the soviet regime could not abolish this tradition.
The same thing had happened even before the USSR, as it was thought to be against Islam, but finally it was accepted. Norouz is the celebration of the victory of virtue over the vice. It encourages good deeds. It is about forgiveness. Such a celebration is one of the rarest in the world.
euronews:
Iran has been under increasing international sanctions. Have they had an impact on relations between Tajikistan and Iran?
President Emomali Rahmon:
As far as we know, the Islamic Republic of Iran does not intend to buy or make nuclear weapons. Iran has progressed, the country has developed. All the problems regarding the nuclear issue must be solved solely through dialogue and diplomatic means.
These sanctions have, of course, had an effect on us. I think not only Tajikistan, but many of developed countries such as European countries and Japan have been affected as well. The price of oil and gas have increased. This benefits the oil-producing countries and not those consuming oil. Many of the developed countries which used to buy Iran’s oil have been affected by these sanctions, negatively. The increase in world oil and gas prices has, of course, damaged our economy.
euronews:
Roughly one million Tajik migrants work in Russia. Has this caused problems for Tajik society and has it possibly helped Russia to continue its influence in Tajikistan?
President Emomali Rahmon:
About a million Tajik labourers and workers live and work in Russia. Well, that is true, but where else can they go in the region? Through their work, they help their families and also help the economy of their country. The Government of Tajikistan has very good arrangements with the Russian authorities to support the rights and interests of the Tajik migrant workers in the Russian Federation.
I don’t believe that our relations and our strategic cooperation with Russia have restricted Tajikistan, that is not the case. We have a foreign policy of open doors.
euronews:
Recently, Russia held presidential elections. As the President of Tajikistan do you believe that simply holding elections in a country means there is democracy?
A government that has had the same policy and the same ideology for 70-80 years, cannot change in just 10-20 years into the model of a democratic and civilised society. It takes time to change the mentality of people.
This process has started in Russia and other former Soviet republics. During the Russian elections – in which political groups could freely express their opinions – did that not show some progress, moving towards democracy? But you know that mistakes and errors are inevitable in the beginning. An American or European style democracy in Russia or other former soviet republics in just a year or so, is impossible, it is just a dream. euronews:
What is your opinion of human rights during these 20 years since Tajik independence. Do you think the situation is satisfactory now?
President Emomali Rahmon:
I remember in 1990-91, in the first year of independence, there were only 4 private newspapers, we had just one TV station, and there was just one state-owned news agency. But now there are more than 3000 active organisations, political parties, and NGOs.
Around 500 newspapers and magazines are published, 60% of which are privately-owned. There are 44 television stations, just 4 of which belong to the government. Little by little, we have done a lot of work to protect human rights in Tajikistan. As you know we have many problems and this process regarding growth and development of our society will find its way, step by step.
euronews:
Tell me about security on the border between Tajakistan and Afghanistan? How is this security provided? and what of drug smuggling across the border? President Emomali Rahmon:
If you compare today’s situation with ten or eleven years ago, there is a huge difference. I must say that the security situation is much better now.
The big problem is drug smuggling. The authorities in charge both in the Republic of Tajikistan and in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are cooperating to fight this both at the borders and inside Afghanistan, but we need help from the international community.
Like problems of international terrorism and extremism, drug smuggling is a global problem. It is not limited to Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia. Why should we talk about this?
There are chemicals sent to Afghanistan to help production of chemical drugs. There are no such factories manufacturing these chemicals in Tajikistan, or Afghanistan so where do they come from? Through which countries are huge volumes of these materials smuggled? In the future, this is where efforts must be targeted.
More about: Afghanistan, Human Rights, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan