In Cuba, holiday cheer from Uncle Sam

<p style="text-align: justify;">Reuters. By Marc Frank Marc Frank. HAVANA (Reuters) – Cubans who receive money from the United States are getting a cash bonus this holiday season from an Obama administration decision that should also cut the flow of underground cash between the two countries. Read More

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Top court takes up death-sentence appeal

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Cuban Supreme Court on Tuesday began hearing an appeal from Humberto Eladio Real Suárez, an exile from Miami who was sentenced to death in 1996 for killing a Cuban guard during a raid in Villa Clara. Read More

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Telecom Italia will sell its shares in Etecsa back to the Cuban government, paper says

<p style="text-align: justify;">From the Italian business daily Il Sole 24 Ore: Telecom Italia is preparing to bid farewell to Cuba. According to rumors, the sale of its stake in Etecsa, the Cuban telecommunications company, is in the final stretch.Telecom's 27-percent share, which in the last six months Telecom valued at 367 million euros, would be acquired by the&nbsp; Cuban government, which has control over the rest of the capital.<br /> <br /> Read More

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Popular fiesta in Cuba's largest province bids farewell to 2010

<p style="text-align: justify;">Camagüey, Dec 28. – Day and night time dance parties in all the boroughs, boisterous street parties and activities in recreational facilities are options that Camagüey residents and visitors will be able to enjoy by these days, on the occasion of the advent of the New Year and the 52nd anniversary of the Revolution.Sir Clown group will present on Thursday a show entirely dedicated to children at their habitual Castillito del Casino Campestre in the city of Camaguey. Read More

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Cambrian volleyball women training in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">Local Sports. By MIKE ROBERTS. The Cambrian women's volleyball team is training in Cuba, hoping to find the secret ingredient that will help lead them to an Ontario College Athletic Association championship.The team left Sudbury in a bus on midnight Boxing Day evening, headed for Toronto.The Golden Shield boarded an early morning flight on Dec. 27 at Pearson International Airport, leaving for Cuba where they will be training for the next week. Read More

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Lukoil pondering refinery investment

<p style="text-align: justify;">Russian oil company OAO Lukoil is pondering whether to invest in the construction of new refineries in Cuba, a Russian economy ministry official told news agency RIA-Novosti.The company is also investigating whether to get involved in offshore drilling in Cuba, according to the same source.Two years ago, Lukoil decided not to invest in the reactivation and expansion of a refinery in Cienfuegos. Cuba eventually partnered with Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA in the Cienfuegos project. Read More

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Barber day celebrated in Havana, Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">Barber day celebrated in Havana, Cuba.Dec 28, 2010. By imamid. In the capital city Cuba at HAVANA, today is celebrated as the barber. People gathered at Plaza Vieja for their hair cutting.The gathering was organized to celebrate the Barber day in Havana. Three hundred hair-stylists were also present at this occasion, with Scissors in hand, to celebrate this day. Read More

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Wrestler Mijain Lopez named best athlete in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">18:55, December 28, 2010. Heavyweight greco-roman wrestler Mijain Lopez was named Best Athlete in Cuba for 2001-2010, the weekly newspaper "Trabajadores" reported on Monday.Lopez, categorized at 120kg, is the first four-time world champion in Cuban fighting, having won Budapest 2005, Baku 2007, Herning 2009 and Moscow 2010. He also won the Olympic Games at Beijing 2008.Other athletes selected include Osleidys Menendez in javelin, Yumisleidis Cumba in shot put, Yipsi Moreno in hammer throw and Dayron Robles in 110m hurdles. Read More

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Cuba’s plan to shop talent may not help MLB

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports.Pedro Luis Lazo retired from baseball the day after Christmas. A horse-drawn carriage took him into the stadium in Pinar Del Rio where he and Jose Contreras(notes) once formed the most fearsome pitching duo in the history of the Cuban league, Serie Nacional. Nearly a decade ago, Contreras fled Cuba for the riches of Major League Baseball. Lazo stayed. Read More

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Cubans hail new US rules on money transfers

<p style="text-align: justify;">Cubans hail new US rules that let remittances avoid 10 pct exchange surcharge.Andrea Rodriguez, Associated Press, On Monday December 27, 2010, 4:58 pm EST. HAVANA (AP) -- Cubans who rely on remittances from abroad are hailing a U.S. policy change that means they now can receive transfers in the island's convertible currency instead of dollars, sidestepping a 10 percent exchange surcharge. Read More

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