Cuba Headlines

Cuba News, Breaking News, Articles and Daily Information

Archive - Jul 2011

July 2nd

Venezuela condemns U.S. human trafficking report

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Associated Press. CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela has condemned a U.S. State Department report that lists the country among those failing to combat human trafficking.Venezuela's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the government will begin an investigation to "determine the responsibility" of U.S. Embassy officials in preparing such reports. It said such work would go beyond the normal diplomatic functions for which U.S. Embassy officials are accredited. Read More

Venezuelan Dollar Bonds Rally After Chavez Says He’s Fighting Cancer

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Daniel Cancel and Leon Lazaroff - Jul 1, 2011 9:43 AM GMT-0400. Venezuelan bonds rallied on speculation Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez may not seek another term after he said he is being treated for cancer in Cuba, sparking speculation a new government may reverse policies that made the country’s debt the riskiest in emerging-markets. Read More

Cuban Specialists Worried about Invading Exotic Plants

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.06.30 - 19:14:30 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Havana, Cuba.- More than 300 foreign exotic species inhabit the Cuban ecosystems and other 200 will potentially invade them in the near future, specialists of the Cuban Botanical Society (SOCUBOT) recently warned.Among the most commonly-found “outsiders” are the marabou bush, Malay apple, ipil-ipil, casuarina, African tulip, melaleuca, albizia, and even the mariposa flower. Read More

Cuban Spirit Takes up First Habanos Lounge in Egypt

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.07.01 - 14:10:13 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Cuban Spirit Takes up First Habanos Lounge in Egypt Havana, Cuba. -&nbsp; The unmistakable smell of cigar prevailed at the inauguration of the Habanos Embassy Cigars Lounge, the first one of its type opened in Cairo, Egypt. The lounge, located at the Kempinski Nile Hotel, is reserved basically for a select group of diplomats and local and foreign businessmen and was designed to become an exclusive place for gathering and talk business. Read More

Messi’s Argentina for the Glory in America Cup

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.07.01 - 14:13:49 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. The America Cup, the world’s oldest football national team’s event, kicks off this July 1st in several Argentinean cities, and will bring to the continent some of its best players that usually play in Europe. The main attraction of this event will be, undoubtedly, host Lionel Messi, a gifted player that reminds us of former Argentinean star Diego Maradona, one of the Four Magnifecents along Pelé, Cruyff and Di Estefano . Read More

US must step up Cuba oil spill readiness - experts

<p style="text-align: justify;">Fri Jul 1, 2011 9:47am EDT. By Jeff Franks. HAVANA, July 1 (Reuters) - With Cuba preparing to explore for oil 60 miles (96 km) from Florida, the complicated politics of U.S.-Cuba relations are impeding U.S. efforts to get ready in case of a BP-style accident, analysts and oil experts said. The Obama administration must do more to ensure that U.S. companies can quickly mobilize safety and containment equipment should a well blow out, which could do catastrophic damage to the Florida coast, the experts said in recent interviews. Read More

US issuing licenses for increased Cuba travel

<p style="text-align: justify;">Peter Orsi, Associated Press, On Friday July 1, 2011, 1:28 pm EDT. HAVANA (AP) -- 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 so-called people-to-people exchanges since May, said a U.S. Treasury Department spokesperson who was not authorized to be quoted by name on the matter. Read More

July 1st

Cuba: 110 meter Hurdler Dayron Robles Wins in Lausanne

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.06.30 - 19:04:44 / radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Havana, Cuba. - Olympic champion Dayron Robles won the 110 meter hurdles event when he stopped the clocks at 13.12 seconds in the Athletissima meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.Robles, world record holder with 12.87, finished 4 hundredths of a second ahead of Jamaican Dwight Thomas and 5 of American Jason Richardson, in this Diamond league event, though he didn’t receive points for his performance. Read More

Cuba details upcoming law on sale of homes, cars

<p style="text-align: justify;">Peter Orsi, Associated Press, On Friday July 1, 2011, 9:00 am. HAVANA (AP) -- Cuba has announced the first details a highly anticipated new law meant to loosen rules on the buying and selling of homes and cars, which have been tightly controlled since soon after the 1959 revolution. The law is still being crafted and will take effect by the end of the year, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported Friday.The rules are meant to help ease a severe housing shortage and legalize unofficial title transfers that are commonly used to skirt the state's rigid rules. Read More

Analysts: Chavez illness sparks power struggle in Venezuela

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN. July 1, 2011 -- Updated 0904 GMT (1704 HKT) (CNN) -- With no heir-apparent to Venezuela's presidency waiting in the wings, politicians are jockeying for power as President Hugo Chavez undergoes medical treatment in Cuba, analysts said.The Venezuelan leader has kept a notably low profile in the nearly three weeks since officials first announced that doctors operated on him, sparking rampant speculation about his health and the country's political future. Read More