Cuban politician denied US visa

The United States has denied a visa to the president of the Cuban National Assembly, Ricardo Alarcon, preventing him from attending an international conference in New York.

Mr Alarcon, one of the highest ranking officials in the Cuban government, was planning to go to the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting that begins on Wednesday.

Although Cuba and the US have limited diplomatic contacts, Cuban officials are permitted to attend United Nations meetings in New York.

A State Department spokesman said the conference was not a UN event.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service