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Archive - Aug 5, 2011

Cuba's highest court upholds verdict on jailed American

<p style="text-align: justify;">By Shasta Darlington, CNN. August 5, 2011 -- Updated 1648 GMT (0048 HKT) Havana, Cuba(CNN) -- Cuba's highest court upheld the 15-year sentence imposed on American contractor Alan Gross for trying to set up illegal Internet connections on the island, Cuba's state media reported on Friday.Gross, 62, was jailed in December 2009, when he was working as a subcontractor on a USAID project aimed at spreading democracy and deemed illegal by Cuban authorities. Read More

Cuba Lost to Russia in Opening Game of Women’s Grand Prix of Volleyball

<p style="text-align: justify;">2011.08.05 - 10:39:59 /radiorebelde.icrt.cu. Cuba Lost to Russia in Opening Game of Women’s Grand Prix of Volleyball. HAVANA, Cuba.-&nbsp; Cuba lost to Russia in four sets in their debut at the women’s Grand Prix of Volleyball that began on Friday and whose preliminary stage is scheduled to take place over the next three weekends in cities of seven of the sixteen participating countries.Playing in the Thai city of Nakhopathom and as part of Pool B, the Cuban squad fell to the current world champions 26-24, 18-25, 23-25 and 20-25 in spite of Wilma Salas’ 15 points and Kenia Carcaces’ 14. Read More

Chavez To Decide Whether To Return To Cuba For Chemo In "Next Hours"

<p style="text-align: justify;">DOW JONES NEWSWIRES. CARACAS -(Dow Jones)- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said early Friday that he would be making the decision "in the next hours" whether to return to Cuba for a second round of chemotherapy or remain at home for the treatment.Chavez, who made his comments during a telephone call to a state television program, said he would be meeting with his team of Cuban and Venezuelan doctors on Friday to set the location of his continuing treatment for cancer. Read More

Cuba chops agricultural costs for private farmers

<p style="text-align: justify;">Cuba chops prices of agricultural equipment for newly authorized private farmers.ap. On Thursday August 4, 2011, 9:48 pm EDT. HAVANA (AP) -- Cuban authorities have ordered cuts of up to 60 percent in prices for agricultural equipment and other farm items to stimulate newly authorized private farmers who are cultivating state land under an economic overhaul.Officials said Thursday that the reductions took effect Aug. 1 and address complaints from farmers that their costs were too high. The announcement came during the nightly round-table "Mesa Redonda." Read More

Cuba condemns UN stance on Syria

<p style="text-align: justify;">Aug 5, 2011. HAVANA - CUBA rejected on Thursday the UN Security Council's condemnation of Syria's deadly crackdown on anti-regime protesters, expressing 'confidence' the country will resolve its own internal problems. 'We reject any attempt to undermine the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity' of Syria, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcos Rodriguez said in a statement. Read More

Appeals court: ‘Havana Club’ doesn’t mean ‘made in Cuba’

<p style="text-align: justify;">South Florida Business Journal - by Paul Brinkmann. Date: Thursday, August 4, 2011, 4:30pm EDT. A federal appeals court in Philadelphia has ruled that Bacardi USA’s use of Havana Club labels for rum made in Puerto Rico does not represent false advertising. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia ruled Thursday that the label is not false advertising because it clearly says the rum is made in Puerto Rico and, “taken as a whole, the label could not mislead any reasonable consumer.” Read More

Cuba's Los Van Van postpones Conga Room gig

<p style="text-align: justify;">August 4, 2011. 1:25 pm. Pop &amp; Hiss. The L.A. Times music blog. The legendary Cuban band Los Van Van has postponed Thursday night's gig at the Conga Room in downtown L.A., citing last-minute problems for band members in obtaining U.S. travel visas.The band had to cancel a concert at the Conga Room in December for the same reason.A Conga Room spokesperson said the concert is being rescheduled for sometime in September. No further details were available. Read More

Cuba Travel Services Will Commence Non-Stops Flights to Authorized Airports in Cuba from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Houston, Texas and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

<p style="text-align: justify;">businesswire. Press Release Source: Cuba Travel Services, Inc. On Thursday August 4, 2011, 5:29 pm EDT. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cuba Travel Services, Inc. (“CTS”) announced today that it has received landing permission by the government of Cuba to begin flights from 3 new airports in the United States: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) and Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to authorized airports in Cuba. Read More

Saudi embassy opens in Havana

<p style="text-align: justify;">Underlining the increasing economic interest among Middle Eastern nations in Cuba, Saudi Arabia officially opened an embassy in Havana. The kingdom celebrated the opening with a reception in the Hotel Nacional, attended by Cuban and Saudi officials as well as the ambassadors of “friendly nations, Arab and Muslim,” according to a communique of the Cuban foreign ministry. Read More

Castro: Frozen assets to be released this year

<p style="text-align: justify;">Cuba will free the remainder of hard-currency assets owned by foreign companies that have been held back in national bank accounts since 2008, President Raúl Castro said in his closing speech after the National Assembly’s summer session. A partial restructuring of foreign debt with Cuba’s main lenders has helped “reduce hold-backs of transfers abroad and put us in conditions to approve that they will be lifted for good before the current year ends,” Castro said. Read More