The amendment, sponsored by John Ashcroft, a Republican from Missouri, and supported by a bipartisan coalition of other farm-belt senators, ran into anti-Castro fury in the House and was left out of the final farm bill.

ECONOMIST: George Ryan in Cuba

Mr Simitis no doubt hopes to fend off the fury of his party's passionately anti-Turkish old guard.

ECONOMIST: Greece

Anti-kidnap marches are planned for 30 August, a sign of the growing public fury.

BBC: Mexico to combat rising violence