Sculpture to homage Habanos Cohiba

An installation componed by three humidors and a sculpture will give homage to Cuban tobacco brand COHIBA during the next Habano Festival, said the fine arts Cuban artist Raul Valladares. Valladares, creator of the sculpture, is the author since 1995 of the works delivered to the Habano Festival Awards, and is working on a work of art for the closing of the ninth edition this year. Read More

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Cuban National Anti-Doping Program Consolidated

The Anti-Doping Laboratory of Cuba, opened in 2001, consolidates the national program against drugs in sports, said scientific bulletin En Red. En Red said that during 2006, 2,000 tests were done in the installation, and Mario Granda, its director, assures no Cuban athlete was punished for using illegal substances, though there were cases to whom other tests were necessary. Read More

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Cuba Today: jazz havana and beyond

Fans of Cuban jazz may think first of pianist, composer and producer Chucho Valdés, who presides over the Havana Jazz Festival and the steady flow of North American jazz artists to the island. Those who've traveled to woodshed, network and sometimes record in Cuba include Jane Bunnett, George Benson, Terence Blanchard, Steve Coleman, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, David Murray, Nicholas Payton and Wynton Marsalis, among others. Read More

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Planetarium of advanced technology set up in Cuba

A Planetarium of advanced technology made in Japan, will be set up in the venue of old Cinema Havana, as part of Old Havana Cultural Project of Science and Technology, sponsored by City Historian Office and Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment CITMA. With capacity for 80 people, the one called Cosmic Theater, 10 meters diameter round, will make possible to fly imagination to observe celestial constellations by means of several representations of the space, Cuban Agency News, reported. Read More

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Cuban official projects growth in 2007

Cuba's economy should follow two strong years of economic growth with an expansion of at least 10 percent, Economy Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez said. Rodriguez again defended Cuba's claims of 12.5 percent growth in gross domestic product for 2006, despite giving figures that indicated a slight slip in tourism " the Cuban economy's chief income earner. Read More

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Indian minister to co-chair Indo-Cuba JCM in Havana

India's Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma will co-chair the Indo-Cuban Joint Commission Meeting in Havana on February 12-13. The Joint Commission will review and expand cooperation in areas such as Information Technology, Biotechnology, Energy, Sports and Science and Technology. Read More

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Argentina donates Cuba 250,000 books

Argentine government donated Cuba 250,000 books, within a collection of five anthologies, as a token of the close ties of friendship between both countries. Aique Group Editor director Teresita Valdettaro, which is in charge of donating the copies, told media representatives accredited to be at 16th International Book Fair that anthologies have 50,000 volumes each. Read More

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Trip to Cuba was an eye-opener for Champion

He was pitching coach for Team USA. In two decades in the minor leagues, Chicago White Sox minor-league pitching coordinator Kirk Champion has seen plenty of pressure situations. But even Champion wasn't prepared for the lofty status baseball holds in Havana, Cuba. Champion was pitching coach last summer when Team USA nailed down a spot at the 2008 Summer Olympics by beating Cuba in the championship game of the Tournament of the Americas regional qualifier. Read More

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Half million of Latin Americans recover vision in Cuba

Over half a million of Latin Americans recovered their vision thanks to an ophthalmologic program Operacion Milagros developed between Cuba and Venezuela since 2004. Among those receiving the benefits there are 306 thousand Venezuelans and 100 thousand Cubans, expressed the Island Deputy Foreign Minister Yiliam Jimenez to the full session of the 9 International Meeting on Globalization and Development Problems. Read More

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Russian tourists flocked to Cuba in 2006

Cuba confirmed in 2006 its leading position as Russia's chief tourist destination in Latin America and the Caribbean. Carlos Oscar Hernathendez, representative of Cuban Ministry of Tourism in Russia, said last year the island registered a growth of 34.5% (27,842 visitors) while some 30,000 tourists are expected to visit Cuba in 2007, reports PL news agency. Read More

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