US hopes Cuba will release jailed American

<p style="text-align: justify;">By PAUL HAVEN, Associated Press. HAVANA (AP) — A senior U.S. diplomat said Washington hopes an American government contractor imprisoned in Cuba will be released, even as the Maryland native was making a final appeal Friday to have his 15-year prison sentence be reduced or dismissed.Alan Gross has been held since his arrest in December 2009, accused of bringing satellite and other communication equipment into the country illegally. He has acknowledged he was working on a USAID-funded democracy program, but says he meant no harm to the government and was only trying to help the island's small Jewish community. Read More

---

The Long Distance Run-Around

<p style="text-align: justify;">Posted: 7/21/11 05:48 PM ET. Margarita Alarcon. Havana-based Media Analyst. A number of years ago I was having lunch in Havana with a group of friends one of whom is Puerto Rican and one could say a quasi member of my family. During the meal the Puerto Rican asked with certain stupefaction: "Is it really true that Florida controls US politics regarding Cuba?" One of the Cubans at the table pretty much guffawed and spat out: "Of course not! Read More

---

Scratch Cuba Off the Bucket List With These New Cuba Tours

<p style="text-align: justify;">By: Sue Brages. Published: July 21, 2011 at 10:26 am. While pending legislation that would allow open travel to Cuba works its way through Congress, travel companies are not waiting to launch tours. In 1999, President Clinton implemented People to People, an initiative that allows Americans to travel to Cuba, as long as they take part in cultural experiences, putting them in direct contact with the locals in the hope of learning more about the people and customs of the country. This was suspended by President Bush in 2004, and then reversed by President Obama. Read More

---

On a mission: Bring new skateboards to Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">By SARAH ELDER. U/Miami News Service. Daniel Abril likes the sound of the wheels rolling down the road then smacking onto the pavement after he jumps a curb. At 27, the avid skateboarder knows what it means to be passionate about the street sport.That’s why he had no problem giving his board away — in Cuba.“Cuba has zero skate shops,” said Abril, who was in Havana last year on a business trip with his 30-year-old brother, Joshua. They observed the patinetas — Spanish for skateboarders — riding makeshift boards held together with nails. Read More

---

Chavez complains about call in Venezuela’s loss

<p style="text-align: justify;">CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)—Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Thursday commiserated with his country’s football fans saying the national team was “robbed” of a goal in the Copa America semifinal loss to Paraguay. Chavez, who is undergoing cancer treatment in Cuba, posted a string of messages on his Twitter account Thursday morning, saying Venezuela should complain to CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football. Read More

---

Socialist civil society can contribute much to Cuba’s culture

<p style="text-align: justify;">Pedro de la Hoz. A meeting of representatives from cultural foundations and associations convened by the Nicolás Guillén Foundation, to commemorate its first two decades, demonstrated the undeniable contributions – and above all, the undeveloped potential – of these entities, which are part of Cuba’s socialist civil society.Emphasizing this last concept is important. As part of tendentious manipulations disseminated by enemies of the Revolution, some communications media have echoed the presumed existence of a civil society which lies outside of the country’s legal margins, and which is counterpoised to popular values and aspirations. Read More

---

Congresswoman says curbs on travel to Cuba ignored

<p style="text-align: justify;">The chairwoman of the House Foreign Relations Committee is pressing the Obama administration to enforce U.S. laws limiting tourist trips to Cuba, after discovering that a Louisiana travel agency is promoting trips to the communist-ruled island. “Not only is the Obama administration easing sanctions on the Cuban regime, but it would appear they are also ignoring the regulations in place,” Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Florida Republican, said this week. Read More

---

Australia holds talks with Cuba about Pacific aid

<p style="text-align: justify;">Last Updated: Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:45:00. Parliamentary Secretary for the Pacific, Richard Marles in Vanuatu. [Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade] Australia is looking to establish stronger development ties with Cuba, anAustralian government official says. Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles is visiting Cuba this week to hold meetings about Cuba's ties to development in the Pacific. Read More

---

Paraguay to Copa America Final without Winning a Single Game

By: Osmany González Tocabens.&nbsp; 11:12La Plata, Argentina, Jul 21 (Prensa Latina) Paraguay had a closed victory over Venezuela on Thursday in the second semifinal of the 2011 Copa America tournament, in a game decided with 5-3 in penalties. Once again Paraguayan goalkeeper Justo Villar led his team to victory after stopping one penalty kick at the Argentine Malvina Stadium in the city of Mendoza. Read More

---

Mexico: Pastors for Peace´s Humanitarian Aid for Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">By: Ileana Ferrer Fonte.09:08Mexico City, Jul 21 (Prensa Latina) The 22nd Pastors for Peace caravan arrives in the port city of Tampico, on Thursday, where they will board ships to Cuba with over 100 tons of humanitarian aid collected in 130 U.S. cities. After arriving in Mexico, the group of more than 100 activists reaffirmed its defiance of the U.S. blockade of Cuba, saying "love is our license," in memory of the late Rev. Lucius Walker Jr. Read More

---