The first direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority for 20 months opened in Washington with a remit from President Obama to reach an agreement on a two-state solution within one year. Most observers considered that the talks were unlikely to succeed.
In an interview with a Mexican newspaper the former Cuban President Castro said he regretted the persecution of gays and lesbians in the 1960s and 70s and took responsibility for it. He also said he had been at death's door with the intestinal illness that led him to hand the presidency to his brother.
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he intended to seek an amendment to the country's constitution to enable him to stand for a third term of office in 2016. Critics said it was further evidence of Sri Lanka's drift to dictatorship.
In Australia the Green Party agreed to support prime minister Julia Gillard's Labor government in return for her undertaking to do more on climate change issues. Gillard still needs one or two more independent votes to give her a working majority in parliament.
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