Today's Top Iran Stories (April 2, 2009)

Today's Top Iran Stories (April 2, 2009) - G-20 pledges one trillion dollars to combat recession

Leaders of the worlds largest economies on Thursday announced an agreement to combat the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, with measures worth one trillion dollars.

At a Group of 20 summit in London, the leaders also announced a tripling of the lending power of the International Monetary Fund [IMF], to around $750 billion.
Addressing a key demand from France and Germany, they also agreed to a series of measures aimed at clamping down on tax havens and at tightening financial rules.

Britains Prime Minister Gordon Brown said at the end of the summit: This is the day that the world came together to fight back against the global recession, not with words, but with a plan for global recovery.

London Police said on Thursday that they made 86 arrests during the lengthy violent protests that besieged the citys financial district ahead of todays summit. One protester died late Wednesday.

Chavez begins Iran visit, says Tehran like home
Irans President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday officially welcomed Venezuelas President Hugo Chavezs arrival in Tehran, where the two leaders are expected to discuss expansion of economic ties.

Chavez, who flew into Tehran on Wednesday, told reporters: Arriving in Tehran for us is like arriving at our own home.

The two leaders are due to inaugurate a joint development bank, which will eventually have 1.6 billion dollars in capital.

Tehran and Caracas are also studying the possibility of building two jointly owned refineries.

Chavez and Ahmadinejad, who have forged close ties, partly based on their opposition to the United States, last met in Tehran in November 2007.

Jailed Iranian journalist wins British Press award
Jailed Iranian journalist and human rights defender Mohammad Sadeq Kaboudvand on Tuesday was named International Journalist of the Year, at the 2009 British Press Awards.

Kaboudvand, who is the founder of the Human Rights Organization of ...

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