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Show WORLD NEWS 2 -- DIXIE SUN FEBRUARY 27 WEDNESDAY, Wl Castro elected I Cuba's mew presMeni' Rioters attack Raul U.S. Embassy in Serbian capital h tax Britain, Belgium, Turkey, Germany and Croatia. When it was over, central Belgrade was filled with tear gas, with one of its major avenues tittered with garbage containers and barricades that were set up by protesters and pushed aside by armored police vehicles. Nicholas Burns, the State Department's No. 3 official, told Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Serbia's foreign minister m separate phone calls that the United States would hold them "personally responsible" for the safety of embassy employees, State BELGRADE, Serbia (MCT) - A mob of several hundred people arrived at the U S Embassy Thursday with rocks and clubs. As police looked on, one of the protesters climbed to the second floor of the embassy, tore down the American flag, set it on fire and hung a Russian flag in its place. Rioters then broke into the embassy's upper level and set an office on fire. Police later found a charred body there - possibly that of one of the rioters Thursday's assault on the U.S. Embassy drew a strong protest from the Bush administration. White House spokeswoman Dana Permo said the embassy "was attacked by thugs." The attack took place during a rally to protest independence for Kosovo, which until Sunday had been formally treated as a Serbian province. The protest was organized by the Serbian government under the banner "Kosovo is Serbia," and it drew more than 150,000 people to Belgrade, the Serbian capital Workers in Serbia were given the day off, and the government and political parties organized free bus trips to Belgrade. Demonstrators - locally described as "football hooligans," best known for causing violent clashes at soccer games - rampaged through the Serbian capital for hours, attacking foreign banks and restaurants, as well as the embassies of other countries that had recognized Kosovo, among them tin an sid Ii me for ao So Su pn i cei the inc C be the So w -- 3 ler SOI 4, sui cei lerable and complained that the Serbian government had failed to provide adequate security outside the embassy. The Serbian itSf go lea 1 to yei fin leadership promised therewouldn't be a repeat of the incident, he be sui said. ha McCormack said that in all U.S. Embassy employees were accounted for ies I and that the protesters never breached the secure areas of the embassy, which will remain closed at least through Monday. Ambassador Cameron Munter on Wednesday had ordered the embassy closed at noon Thursday in advance of the protest, so most employees weren't at the complex during the attack. U.S. (c) 2008, McClatchy-Tribun- Information e St re the (MCT) Signaling that change will not come to Cuba as quickly as some would wish, newly elected leader Raul Castro Sunday said he would consult with his brother Fidel on major a issues Services. vision JOIN US AT THE QRRDHER CENTER THURSDAY, FEB. 28 P.M. 30 OR THE HAMPTON INN (ST. GEORGE BLMD 4 RIUER ROAD) F R D Fl Y FEB. I 7:30 28 P.M. FOR R QS.R SESSION BRING fl FRIEND DINNER PROVIDED notorious hardliner as his No. 2. Raul Castro, 76, was elected by the National Assembly to take Cuba's socialist revolution into its fifth decade. The assembly ended its session with shouts of "Viva Fidel!, suggesting the would continue having a voice in the new administration. "Fidel is irreplaceable, Raul Castro said in his inaugural speech, calling his brother the only true "commander er in chief." In a surprise move, hardliner Jose Ramon Machado Ventura replaced Raul Castro as first vice president, which experts say signals an entrenchment of ideals that could keep economic reforms at bay. Other leadership spots in the country's ruling Council of State went to aging members of Cuba's hard line establishment, including former an revolutionary leader and two army generals close to Raul Castro. "This is a huge missed opportunity," said Katrin Hansing, visiting associate director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University, who recently returned from living more than a decade in Cuba. "Machado Ventura represents the old guard. They've chosen to stick to hardcore There's no young blood in this." In his speech, Raul Castro stressed the need to consolidate government and make it more efficient, but warned that change hard-liner- would come slowly, I ns was no longer healthy enough to hold office, Cuban Cuban exile Santiago Portal celebrates Fidel Castros resignation. Saying he he will not seek reelection after 49 years in powers 19 Feb. that in Cubas a newspapers in letter Castro announced published nearly 19 months sidelined by illness. old-scho- to ha L v. summer and make bank! FROM v called the situation "into- of Utah 5-7:- evi JS DtAJ) Department spokesman Sean McCormack said McCormack said Burns Get out FROM cai de. V methodically and after plenty of study. "Regarding the difficulties the country faces in the domestic plane, the determination of priorities and the pace of their solution will invariably depend on the available resources and a profound, rational and collegiate analysis by the competent party, state or government organizations," he said. "I reiterate that the country will have as a priority to satisfy the basic needs of our population, both material-anspiritual, beginning from the sustained strengthening of the national economy and its productive base. But he also blasted unnamed detractors d ge sel to succeed him as! force ' of the armed Thomas Shanno; State Department diplomat for Latin America, said that promoting a hardH to the number t'nopo! tion, Castro wasiqt1 ing international for Cuba to ca . implen.-reforms- "It does signal the this Cuba regime in Cuba. Those debates, he stressed, took place Herald. "As Comrade Fidel said in one of his reflections, we do not deny them their right to express themselves, so long as it is within the framework of the law," Castro said. "But if someone attempts to exert pressure with the intention of hogging center stage, or driven by ambition, demagoguery, opportunism, deceit, or another such human weakness, we must resolutely confront him, without offense, but calling things what they are." The speech and appointments were met with widespread disappointment both in South Florida and among Cuba's small opposition movement. "I'm depressed. It's the same political misery," dissident Juan Gonzalez Leiva said by phone from Havana. "Raul is defending the government of Fidel Castro even thoqgh there is nothing in Cuba to defend He can't let go of Fidel's hand and walk alone." Several Raul confidants remained or were newly named as vice presidents of the Council: Juan Almeida Bosque, 80, a former revolutionary leader; Interior Minister Abeldardo Colome Ibarra, 68, Esteban Lazo Hernandez, 63, a longtime Communist Party leader, and Gen. Julio Casas Regueiro, 71, who was Raul Castro's No. 2 at the Defense Ministry Later m the day, Castro appointed Casas ch be or re lik di fa H th tu lv. internal dynamics t "within socialism." ou Th bi who misinterpreted recent public criticisms sa own," he told The I1 85 "It is quite pendent of what pe otr were saying Shannon said the' United States' posit will "depend on wht Raul does" and if " j pc pe l generates ar ar im "meaning space for change' "It's not a bold to a new generatior said Philip Peters, Cuba specialist will' Arlington, Va thin tank Lexington Institute. "He's stich with the histoncos lip me 1 a , lea. referring to the clos that have been in, mi the Castro brother; since the beginning the revolution. At the same time Castro noted that r number of assemb1' members under the of 30 had increased from 23 to 36. The assembly was sworr by its youngest member National Assemb President Ricardo Alarcon was alsoe-eto a third term the head of the Cut legislative body, he a' sti irr ne de re ch pe sh mi de Uf th ar as W du de that would be pushed a; ar Cl m favor of a young1 M leg1' feform-minde- d tor. (The Miami Jo Hera ac Th the nr Le in has withheld of its reporter Havana and the 80 names of Cubans Pr tb viewed, because 15 journalist lacked th media visa require th the Cuban govern tw Bachelet reported1 Washington, Mad1' and Robles from-Additional reports was provided by k lator Renato Pere story was written Robles su1 th ) M! (c) 2008, The Herald Distribute McClatchy-Tribui'- 1 Information Ser'11 |