American brings skateboarding diplomacy to Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Patrick Oppmann, CNN. January 5, 2011. Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Rene Lecour's plan started out simple: Take his son on a skateboarding trip to someplace "epic." While he and his son, Kaya, were searching the internet, they saw videos of Cuba's skateboarders making do with beaten-up and jerry-rigged boards.Economic shortages and the U.S. embargo make it difficult to get most sporting equipment there. For skateboarders, it was nearly impossible. Read More

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Kchos donations to Havana's fine arts museum

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Cubarte / [email protected] / Wednesday, 05 January 2011 13:29. Noted Cuban painter Kcho donates pieces for the people's delight. Photo: cubasi.cu. Once again Kcho is news. Three donations of works made by this creator were exhibited the 28 of December, as the last exhibition of 2010, in the lower floor of the Cuban Art building of the Cuban Fine Arts Museum, in a tribute the institution made under the title Kcho Donaciones. Read More

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Cuba to Increase Exports of Juice Concentrate

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.01.05 - 11:53:15 / [email protected]. HAVANA, Cuba.- The Cuban Vice Minister of Agriculture, Juan Perez Lamas, told ACN that the program for the recovery of fruit trees in Cuba will result in the increase of the exports of juice concentrate.Perez affirmed that with this strategy they intend to produce over 20 tons per hectare, which will suffice for national consumption and the reduction of imports, an economic priority amidst the current financial global crisis. Read More

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Reforms start in Cuba to boost economy

<p style="text-align: justify;">Workers in Cuba are coming to terms with sweeping reforms which were due to come into force on Tuesday. 500,000 jobs are set to be cut from the state payrolls by March as the island makes an historic shift towards the private sector in a bid to boost its battered economy.Its not clear if the process has begun or if government departments were still deciding who should be told to go as Ildeyarda Vasquez Guevara, security guard explained, “It’s supposed to happen today, or this week but no one has said anything yet.” Read More

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Why does health care in Cuba cost 96% less than in the US?

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Don Fitz. January 5, 2011-- Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- When Americans spend $100 on health care, is it possible that only $4 goes to keeping them well and $96 goes somewhere else? Single payer health care government-funded universal health insurance] advocates compare US health care to that in Western Europe or Canada and come up with figures of 20–30% waste in the US.But there is one country with very low level of economic activity yet with a level of health care equal to the West: Cuba. Read More

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Venceremos Brigade Fund-raiser Film Series

<p style="text-align: justify;">Sponsored by the VB Scholarship Fund and CUNY Graduate Center's AELLA. Saturday January 29, 2011 @ 3pm-6pm. 365 Fifth Avenue (corner of W. 34th St) 5th floor room 5414/Bring your ID/BYOB.El Benny: El Benny is a Cuban film released in 2006, directed and co-written by Jorge Luis Sánchez, his first feature length film. It is a fictional story based on the life of the famous Cuban musician Benny Moré. It includes new versions of his songs performed by musicians including Chucho Valdés, Juan Formell, Haila and Orishas.The film premiered in Cuba in July 2006, and was presented at the Locarno International Film Festival in August 2006, where its star, Renny Arozarena, won the Boccalino prize for best performance for protagonist in all sections of festival. Read More

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British cruise ship Thomson Dream to dock in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Thomson Dream is scheduled to dock in Havana on Wednesday. A British-owned cruise ship is due to sail into the Cuban capital, Havana, on Wednesday, the first in years to dock in the island.The arrival of the Thomson Dream in Cuba is seen as a sign that European cruise companies are starting to return to the island.The ship can carry 1,500 passengers. Read More

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A preview of Orcas Center’s upcoming season of music, theatre, and more

<p style="text-align: justify;">By MEREDITH GRIFFITH. Islands Sounder Reporter. Today, 2:13 PM. Orcas Center is ready to take audiences for a whirl around the world in 2011, filling the center stage with culture and music from Mexico, Canada, Africa, Cuba, Scotland and Hawaii. There will be some good dashes of Orcas Island talent, too. Read More

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Memorable Week at Royal Hideaway Ensenachos, Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Kevin Parkinson. If you are looking for mild winter temperatures, you might want to consider Cuba, a sub-tropical paradise with more Canadians per square mile than anywhere else in the world, except Canada.Landing in Santa Clara in central Cuba, it is amazing to see an airport smaller than a high school in a city of over 200,000 people. The kicker is that there are signs for only four airlines in the airport, all of them Canadian- SunWing, Air Canada, Air Transat and Westjet. Read More

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First VP Machado Ventura Praises Good State of Relations with Brazil

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.01.04 - 13:37:35 / [email protected]. HAVANA, CUBA.- First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura highlighted on Monday the good state of relations between Cuba and Brazil, where he participated on Saturday in the swearing-in ceremony of the new Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff.<br /> <br /> Read More

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