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Cuba News, Breaking News, Articles and Daily Information

Cuba To Invest US$200 Million To Revive Citrus Industry

<p style="text-align: justify;">HAVANA, July 5 (Bernama) -- Cuba will invest US$200 million in the Caribbean island's ailing citrus industry to increase citrus production and re-establish it as an exporter of the tropical fruit, a top official said Monday.Luis Alberto Torres, technical director of the state-run Fruit Business Group (BFG), told China's Xinhua news agency in an interview that the programme is part of Cuban leader Raul Castro's wide-ranging reform which seeks to "upgrade" the Cuban economy, including special strategies to encourage domestic food production. Read More

Cuban Vice President Calls for Anticipating Needs of Mariel Port

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.07.05 - 12:09:12 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Mariel port. HAVANA, CUBA.-&nbsp; The First Vice President of Cuba, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, made a call today for anticipating the needs of the Mariel port, which, once operational, will be the largest container port in the Caribbean. Machado noted in the Provincial Assembly of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) in the western province of Artemisa that it should start training its work force and preparing the conditions in the field.&nbsp; Read More

Cuba Changes Manager before World Baseball Challenge in Canada

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.07.05 - 11:25:26 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. HAVANA, CUBA.-&nbsp; Eduardo Martin will be Cuba’s new manager to the World Baseball Challenge tournament to be held in the Canadian city of Prince George on July 8-17, replacing Alfonso Urquiola who was hospitalized due to a sudden illness. The announcement was made by Higinio Velez, national commissioner of the sport at a press conference on Monday night. Velez said that Urquiola was taken to the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana city, and though the first tests results are not yet available, he will have to rest. Read More

Coast Guard repatriates 15 Cubans, 82 Haitians

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel. 4:52 p.m. EDT, July 4, 2011. MIAMI. Fifteen Cubans and 82 Haitians intercepted at sea by U.S. Coast Guard officials were returned to their respective countries on Monday. The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Kodiak Island repatriated 15 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabañas on Monday after interdicting them at sea in three separate incidents since Thursday. Read More

Taiwan defeat Cuba to win first World Port title

<p style="text-align: justify;">BRINGING IT HOME:Lin Chen-hua was credited with the win against Cuba for his three innings of hitless relief, highlighted by a clutch inning-ending strikeout in the 11thBy Paul Huang&nbsp; /&nbsp; Contributing Reporter. Baseball fans wave the national flag as they cheer for Taiwan at the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Sunday.Photo: CNA Read More

Cuban rafters rescued by cruise ship remain in Coast Guard custody

<p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> By Philippe Buteau. Sun Sentinel. Contrary to earlier reports, the seven Cuban rafters rescued by a cruise ship on Friday have not been sent back to Cuba, a U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman said on Sunday. The Cuban rafters remain in Coast Guard custody, according to Sabrina Elgammal, the Coast Guard spokeswoman. Read More

Fidel Castro wishes Chavez well in 1st essay in a month

<p style="text-align: justify;">By PETER ORSI. Associated Press. HAVANA -- Fidel Castro ended a more than monthlong silence to laud President Hugo Chavez's recovery from surgery in Cuba, saying he was confident the Venezuelan leader will win his battle against cancer. In an essay published late Sunday, Castro said his country has a "close and indestructible friendship" with Chavez. "Let's give him the strongest support and confidence," the former Cuban leader wrote. Read More

Raptors pitchers play far from native Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">Roy Burton. OGDEN -- For two Ogden Raptors pitchers from Cuba, beisbol is a ticket to the American dream. For Raydel Sanchez, it was also the ticket to his dream of America. While pitching for Team Cuba in an international tournament in Edmonton, Canada, in 2008, Sanchez walked away from the team to a waiting car and defected from his birth country, eventually making his way to his brother in Miami. Read More

Cuba in Toughest Pool of Volleyball World League Quarter-finals

<p style="text-align: justify;">By: Estela McCollin. Havana, Jul 4 (Prensa Latina) Cuba hoping to improve last year's 4th place, together with Brazil, Russia and the US, make up Pool F, the toughest in the quarter-finals of the 22nd Men's Volleyball World League slated for July 6-8 in Gdansk-Sopot, Poland. Argentina, Italy, Bulgaria and Poland are in Pool E. Both groups will play a round-Robin and the two top teams will qualify for crossed semifinals Saturday and the winners will go for the crown Sunday at the Ergo Arena. Read More

CARICOM Wraps 32nd Summit

<p style="text-align: justify;">By: Estela McCollin. Basseterre, Jul 4 (Prensa Latina) The Caribbean Community wraps today its 32nd Summit following intense dialogues to reinforce the block effectiveness. All 15 members, associates and guests exchanged views on the progress in cooperation, integration, security, health, and the infant population, among other, and will map strategies to help improve general living standards.Majority support on the agenda went to relief supplies to Haiti and St. Lucia, both dealing with aftermaths of the Jan. 2011 massive earthquake and Hurricane Thomas last October. Read More

U.S. loosens travel to Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">Havana— Washington has begun issuing travel licenses that promise to bring thousands more U.S. visitors each year on legal trips to Cuba, just 90 miles off Florida but off-limits to most Americans.Nine tour operators have been granted licenses to run people-to-people exchanges since May, said a U.S. Treasury Department representative who was not authorized to be quoted by name on the matter.The representative declined to comment Friday on how many applications have been filed, were rejected or are still under consideration Read More

Colloquium on Risk Assessment in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">By: Ileana Ferrer Fonte. Havana, Jul 4 (Prensa Latina) The 3rd International Colloquium on Assessments of Hazard, Vulnerability and Risks for Disasters Reduction will be run in this capital Jul 6-8. International expects to the forum will exchange experiences on the issue, emphasizing in small island states and coastal ecosystems to face the effects of climate change.Cuban experts will present experiences as of the erosion of the island's beaches, mangrove swamps as a protection against natural disasters. Read More

George McGovern leaving Cuba without seeing Castro

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Associated Press. Posted: 07/04/2011 11:32:00 AM PDT. HAVANA—Former Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern is heading back to the United States without having seen Fidel Castro, whom he considers an old friend. McGovern says he is leaving for the airport to catch an afternoon flight and it looks like no meeting is in the cards. Read More

Cuba to Host Int’l Symposium on the Habano Cigars

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.07.04 - 13:40:03 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. HAVANA, CUBA.-&nbsp; More than one hundred researchers, museologists, collectors, journalists, and artists will participate in the Fourth International Symposium Habana-Habanos 2011 scheduled for the Cuban capital from Tuesday, July 5, through Thursday, July 7.Zoe Nocedo, director of the Cigar Museum of Old Havana and president of the event’s organizing committee, told Prensa Latina news agency that participants will learn and share experiences on the history of the habano cigar, markets, brands, design of vitolas, marketing, and other aspects. Read More

Venezuelan VP Says Ailing Chavez Will Run Again in 2012

<p style="text-align: justify;">CARACAS. Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jaua said that head of state Hugo Chavez continues to lead the nation and will be "the candidate of the revolution" in the coming presidential elections in December 2012. "We have absolute faith in God and the certainty that Hugo Chavez will be the candidate of the revolution, of the Venezuelan people, of Venezuelan patriots,and that after 2012 he will continue to be president," Jaua said Friday in an exclusive interview on Telesur. Read More

Clinton Congratulates Venezuela on Bicentennial of Independence

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Hillary Rodham Clinton. US Secretary of State. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Venezuela as you celebrate 200 years of independence this July 5.Our two countries share a close history of cooperation and respect. The idea of individual liberty and equality fueled the imaginations of our founders and led us to independence. Read More

Cuban Art in Malaysia

<p style="text-align: justify;">Bernama MediaBernama – Mon, Jul 4, 2011. MELAKA, July 4 (Bernama) -- Cuba is a republic in the Caribbean, known for producing high-quality cigars. Less known is its unique culture that is an amalgamation of African, Spanish and North American influences.The observant can, however, find such elements in its food, music and art.The Cuban Embassy in Malaysia gives Malaysians a taste of the unique blend of its culture through Casa Cuba, an exhibition gallery in Bukit Peringgit,here. Read More

Chavez returns to Venezuela from Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">IAN JAMES - Associated Press. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez made a surprise return to Venezuela from Cuba before dawn Monday, saying he is feeling better as he recovers from surgery that removed a cancerous tumor.State television showed the video of Chavez arriving about 2 a.m. local time (2:30 EDT; 0630 GMT). The station didn't air the video until a little after five hours later. Read More

Universities from Mexico and Cuba to Work Jointly on Fostering Community Projects

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.07.03 - 14:09:09 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Las Tunas, Cuba.- The 8th International Workshop on Community and Rural Development, COMUR 2011, wound up this Saturday with the signing of a Letter of Intent between the Vladimir Ilich Lenin University, of Las Tunas, and the University of Zacateca, Mexico. The two institutions agreed to foster the exchange of experiences in community work, as both universities are closely linked to social projects. Read More

Latin American Rural Women Face Common Problems

<p style="text-align: justify;">03 de julio de 2011, 09:51Por Francisco G. Navarro. Cienfuegos, Cuba (Prensa Latina) The effects of armed conflicts, the right to land, defending identity and gender equality are all common problems shared by many Latin American rural women, the focus of the recently-concluded 3rd International Conference of Rural Women. Held in the central-southern port city of Cienfuegos and sponsored by the NGO Oxfam International, the event brought together Cubans and about 20 colleagues from Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Peru. Read More

Days may be numbered for old American cars in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">Avatar for Tom Joslin. Authorities in Cuba have proposed laws that could mean an end for many of the classic American cars that are still in use in the country. Under current Cuban law, cars registered after the 1959 revolution cannot be bought or sold. As a result Cubans have used a mixture of ingenuity and backyard engineering to keep the fleet of pre-1959 American cars on the island running.Although to the rest of the world the notion of old cars lining the streets of Cuba is a romantic one, Cubans have no other choice. Read More

Ready to visit Cuba? Better be sure about that

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Chris Owen (RSS feed) on Jul 3rd 2011 at 11:00AM. The good news is that, thanks to President Obama, you can visit Cuba. Policy changes encourage more contact between Americans and citizens of Cuba. The not-so-good news is that you probably won't be lounging on the beach all day and bringing back a box of Cuban cigars. Your trip will be jam-packed with required educational opportunities and an immersive Cuban experience. Traveling to Cuba requires planning your trip through one of several groups authorized to operate the "people to people exchanges" and the rules are strict. Read More

Ernest Hemingway 'driven to suicide over FBI surveillance'

<p style="text-align: justify;">Ernest Hemingway may have been driven to kill himself because of his surveillance by the FBI, his close friend and collaborator has said. AE Hotchner said he believed the FBI's monitoring of the Nobel Prize-winning author, over suspicions of his links to Cuba, "substantially contributed to his anguish and his suicide" 50 years ago. Hotchner wrote in The New York Times that he had "regretfully misjudged" his friend's fears of federal investigators, which were dismissed as paranoid delusions for years after his death. Read More

In Cuba, black market thriving

<p style="text-align: justify;">HAVANA - Want some paprika-infused chorizo sausage? How about a bit of buffalo mozzarella? Or maybe you just need more cooking oil this month, or a homemade soft drink you can afford on paltry wages. Perhaps you are looking for something more precious, such as an imported air conditioner or some hand-rolled cigars at a fraction of the official price. In a Marxist country where virtually all economic activity is regulated, and where supermarkets and ration shops run out of such basics as sugar, eggs and toilet paper, you can get nearly anything on Cuba's thriving black market - if you have a "friend," or the right telephone number. Read More

Director of Habana Blues film is in Havana

<p style="text-align: justify;">July 3, 2011. Benito Zambrano, the director of the famous movie Habana Blues is back in Cuba to musicalize his new film called "La Voz Dormida" and counts with the collaboration of the Cuban Juan Antonio Leyva.Benito Zambrano studied at the International Film and Television School of San Antonio de los Baños. He is from Andalusia and has said he is always looking for an excuse to come to Cuba. Read More