24 July, 2008 - Published 11:33 GMT

BBC Caribbean News in Brief

Civil Society group denounces EPA

There's more opposition coming out of St Lucia, to the economic partnership agreement Caricom countries and the Dominican Republic have negotiated with the European Union.

The Civil Society Network of St Lucia, which groups some four civil society organisations, says the island should not sign the agreement.

The country's opposition leader Kenny Anthony has already called for more consultation on the EPA and warned against St Lucia rushing into signing the pact.

His comments followed objections to the arrangement by Guyana and labour groups.

Now President of the Civil Society Network in Castries - Flavia Cherry, says the EPA would be bad for the country, because it contains provisions which would put St Lucia at a disadvantage.

Bahamian unions favour pact

The EPA is receiving a more favourable reception from the labour movement in the Bahamas.

The National Congress of Trade Unions there is giving conditional support to the arrangement.

The Congress says while it has some concerns, signing the EPA would be a step in the right direction for the Bahamas if the government in Nassau adheres to the recommendations it has outlined.

Another group there however - Bahamians Agitating for a Referendum on Free Trade, is calling for a renegotiation of the accord.

Trade talks make some progress

Urgent talks to salvage a global trade deal made some progress in the early hours of Thursday, according to ministers at the Geneva session.

	Mr Mandelson says progress is being made

But officials warned that the mood was dark behind closed doors at the World Trade Organisation.

However European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said some issues were nearer solution, while others were clearer and better understood.

He admitted though that there was some way to go before the gaps are bridged.

Fidel weighs in

Former Cuban president Fidel Castro has weighed in on the bombers controversy between Russia and the United States.

He said Havana owed no apologies to Washington over reports that Russia might start flying long-range bombers to Cuba.

Earlier this week a US general responding to a report in a Russian newspaper, warned Moscow against basing nuclear-capable bombers in Cuba.

Commenting on that matter, Mr Castro wrote "what we need are nerves of steel in times of genocide, and Cuba has them, the United states knows that".

His comment appeared to be a reference to previous Cold War era confrontations between the two countries.

On Wednesday the Cuban authorities said they had no knowledge of the Russian plans, and that Havana would prefer to normalise relations with Washington.

Help to quit smoking

A campaign aimed at tackling smoking in the developing world has been launched by two of the richest men in the world - Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

	Smokers in the developing world to get help

They say they'll be donating half a billion dollars over the next five years to programmes that will help people quit smoking, and warn them about the dangers of tobacco.

Mr Bloomberg said that many people in the developing world had little understanding of the dangers of smoking, and he wanted to see everyone made aware of the destructiveness of tobacco.

Philippino soldiers heading for Haiti

The authorities in Manila say the Philippines will send 320 soldiers to Liberia and Haiti next month for UN peacekeeping missions.

The soldiers will serve for six months.

165 are to head for the troubled West African nation on the first of August, while 155 others will leave for Haiti in mid-August.