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Next  Cuba says jailed US man still under investigation Thursday, June 17, 2010 (Reuters) -- A US contractor jailed in Cuba since December on suspicion of espionage has committed "serious crimes" but remains under investigation, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Wednesday. His comments indicated that Alan Gross is likely to face trial at some point. v read more... Cuba rejects US accusations of trafficking in persons Wednesday, June 16, 2010 (ACN) -- The head of the North American Department at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, Josefina Vidal, categorically rejected the inclusion of Cuba in a report released on Monday by the US State Department accusing the island of human trafficking. Countries covered in the report are placed in three categories. read more... China interested in Cuban oil refinery expansion Wednesday, June 16, 2010 (ACN) -- Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Liu Yuqin said her country had great interest in large-scale investments, such as in the Camilo Cienfuegos Oil Refinery, in its second phase expansion to refine 150,000 barrels per day. The diplomat referred to the approach of Chinese companies... read more... Cuba promotes its tourist products in Mexico Wednesday, June 16, 2010 (ACN) -- The tourist caravan Autentica Cuba (Authentic Cuba) started a tour throughout Mexico to promote the Cuban rest and recreation tourism for Mexicans. The caravan started its journey in the Mexican city of Monterrey, and the launching of this publicity campaign, which already visited Europe... read more... EU will make decision on Cuba ties in September Tuesday, June 15, 2010 LUXEMBOURG (AFP) -- EU foreign ministers decided Monday to examine in September whether to improve relations with communist Cuba, the Spanish EU presidency said. Spain, which holds the EU's rotating presidency till the end of the month, has called for full relations to be restored. read more... After dissident's release, US presses Cuba for more Tuesday, June 15, 2010 WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) -- The United States on Monday welcomed Cuba's release of a paraplegic political prisoner, Ariel Sigler, but urged Havana to release all such detainees in the Americas' sole one-party communist regime. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley hailed Sigler's release. read more... Cuba prepares for BP oil spill Wednesday, June 16, 2010 (Reuters) -- Cuba is making preparations to protect its coast as the BP oil spill continues spreading through the Gulf of Mexico, Cuban officials said on Tuesday. They offered few specifics about the preparations, but said Venezuela, Cuba's oil-rich ally, has sent a team of spill-fighting experts to help. read more... Freed paraplegic dissident vows 'freedom, democracy' for Cuba Monday, June 14, 2010 (AFP) -- A frail, paraplegic political prisoner freed after landmark talks between the Catholic Church and President Raul Castro vowed on Saturday to push hard to win "freedom and democracy" for Cuba. Ariel Sigler Amaya, 46, had been in prison for more than six years. read more... US to hold new round of immigration talks with Cuba Monday, June 14, 2010 (AFP) -- US and Cuban negotiators will meet on Friday for the third round of immigration talks since President Barack Obama took office, a spokesman at the US Interest Section in Havana announced. US and Cuban representatives will meet on June 18 in Washington. read more... Paraplegic dissident to be released, says Catholic Church Saturday, June 12, 2010 (AFP) -- Cuba is to release a jailed paraplegic political dissident as a result of talks between the Catholic Church and President Raul Castro, the office of the Archbishop of Havana said late Friday. The dissident, Ariel Sigler Amaya, 46, has been in prison since 2003. Six other dissidents will also be moved. read more... Over 47,000 Haitians benefit from Operation Miracle Saturday, June 12, 2010 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (ACN) -- A total of 47,753 eye surgeries have been performed here since the implementation in Haiti of the Operation Miracle program in August, 2006, as part of Cuba’s cooperation with the Haitian people. This was announced by Dr Violeta Herrera, director of Renaissance Hospital. read more... EU resists pressure to normalise with Cuba Friday, June 11, 2010 BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) -- EU foreign ministers will agree on Monday to prolong Europe's insistence that Cuba make progress on human rights and democracy before ties are normalised, diplomats said. Opposition comes from countries including France, Sweden and the Czech Republic. read more... UN torture expert says Cuba fails to accept dates for visit Thursday, June 10, 2010 GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) -- The UN human rights expert on torture said on Wednesday that the Cuban government had failed to agree on a date to allow him into the country to examine the human rights situation there. Manfred Nowak said Havana had informed him that it would not be able to accommodate his mission. read more... Cuba urges Europe to change 'obsolete' policy Thursday, June 10, 2010 PARIS, France (AFP) -- Cuba called on the European Union on Thursday to drop its "obsolete" stance toward the island-nation, saying it amounted to meddling in its internal affairs. "The (EU) common position must change because it amounts to interference and is obsolete," said the Cuban Foreign Minister. read more... Pastors for Peace announce next US-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan Thursday, June 10, 2010 (ACN) -- The 21st United States-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan will tour 130 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico starting next July 3 to 22. According to the website of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization – IFCO/Pastors for Peace, the caravan will travel in... read more... Cuba and Dominican Republic strengthen commercial bonds Thursday, June 10, 2010 (ACN) -- Representatives from 30 Cuban enterprises from various sectors are visiting the Dominican Republic to coordinate actions with the Center for Exports and Investments (CEI-RD). With the purpose of increasing business links and boost investment, the delegation will stay in Santo Domingo until Sunday. read more... Governor of US state of Georgia urges more US-Cuban trade Wednesday, June 9, 2010 (AFP) -- The United States should boost trade with communist Cuba and allow US nationals to travel to the neighboring country freely, the governor of the US state of Georgia argued in Havana on Tuesday. Sonny Perdue arrived in the Cuban capital on Monday at the head of a 37-strong delegation. read more... Cuban singer Rodriguez wistful and polemical in US show Tuesday, June 8, 2010 NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) -- Cuban folk singer Silvio Rodriguez, a leading musical voice of the Cuban revolution, launched his first US tour in 30 years in a concert blending wistful ballads with his criticism of the imprisonment of five Cubans convicted in the United States of spying. He performed on Friday night... read more... Fidel Castro claims US sank South Korean warship Saturday, June 5, 2010 (AFP) -- US navy commandos sank a South Korean warship in March in order to blame North Korea, raise tensions and convince Japan to keep US forces in Okinawa, Cuban former president Fidel Castro wrote in an editorial on Friday. Castro blasted Washington's "cynicism" and "lack of scruples". read more... Dominican Republic president attends launch of Caribbean digital encyclopedia Friday, June 4, 2010 (ACN) -- President Leonel Fernandez attended on Wednesday the launch in the Dominican Republic of the digital and interactive encyclopedia “Caribbean History and Culture” that will be available as of June 4. The project is the result of an initiative between the Juan Bosch Chair of the... read more... Fidel Castro says Obama could allow nuclear strike on Iran Thursday, June 3, 2010 (AFP) -- Cuban ex-president Fidel Castro wrote in an article published on Wednesday that it was unlikely that US President Barack Obama would be re-elected without first letting the US military or Israel launch a nuclear attack on Iran. Castro writes regular columns commenting on world events. read more... US has visited man arrested by Cuba as a 'spy' Thursday, June 3, 2010 WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) -- US authorities have been able to visit on five occasions the American contractor arrested in Cuba in December whom Havana claims is a spy, despite a US denial, a State Department spokesman said on Wednesday. "We have been granted access to Alan Gross in Cuba five times... read more... US is following Cuba's political prisoner relocations Thursday, June 3, 2010 WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) -- The United States is aware that Cuba has relocated some of its political prisoners closer to their families, and urges Havana to free all such detainees, a State Department spokesman said. So far, the Cuban government moved six political prisoners to jails closer to their families. read more... Facing political fallout, Cuba moves political prisoners Wednesday, June 2, 2010 (AFP) -- Cuba's communist government started relocating political prisoners Tuesday closer to their families after church-government talks aimed at ending politically embarrassing hunger strikes, dissident and family sources said. The action came after church-government talks launched May 19. read more... Cuba and China to build new hotel in Havana Wednesday, June 2, 2010 (ACN) -- Cuba and China will begin the construction of a 117-million-dollar luxury hotel in Havana later this year. The economic and trade advisor at the Chinese embassy in Cuba, Chen Feng, told the Opciones weekly that the investment will consist of 51 percent Chinese capital and 49 percent Cuban. read more... Woman claims Cuban diplomat bit her in Oslo Wednesday, May 26, 2010 OSLO, Norway (AFP) -- A female artist has accused a Cuban diplomat of biting her during a protest outside the Cuban embassy in Norway's capital, leaving her needing to take antibotics, media reported on Tuesday. Alexandra Joner, a 19-year-old Norwegian-Cuban, alleged that the diplomat had attacked her. read more... Cuba to move prisoners, treat the sick Monday, May 24, 2010 (AFP) -- Cuba's government will begin moving political prisoners to jails in their home provinces and provide the sickest inmates with hospital treatment, a dissident on a three-month hunger strike said. The decision appears to be a step towards Guillermo Farina's demand for sick detainees to be freed read more... Cuba receives 100,000 tons of Russian wheat Monday, May 24, 2010 (ACN) -- A Russian ship is unloading at the Cuban city port of Cienfuegos a wheat cargo that completes the 75 000 tons which is part of a 100 000 donation made to Cuba. Granma newspaper points out that this free shipments show the solidarity of the Russian Federation to the Cuban people. read more... Cuba to open tour of sunken Spanish-American War vessels Saturday, May 22, 2010 (AFP) -- Cuba plans to open underwater excursions to view six sunken vessels wrecked in 1898 off the island's shores during the Spanish-American War, the state-run Cubatur tourism firm said Friday. From October 1, visitors will be able to dive around the wrecks of five Spanish warships. read more... OAS secretary general welcomes dialogue between government and church leaders in Cuba Saturday, May 22, 2010 WASHINGTON, USA -- The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, expressed satisfaction for the dialogue in Cuba between the government of President Raul Castro and church leaders on the internal Cuban situation and the fate of ill inmates who are on hunger strike. read more... Cuban drag queens, from closet to public stage Friday, May 21, 2010 (AFP) -- For 23-year-old Charlimar it was a dream come true, gyrating like Latin pop star Shakira on an outdoor stage before 2,000 cheering people, in the first government-sanctioned drag show in the communist country. Organized by the daughter of President Raul Castro, Mariela... read more... Castro ready to resolve political prisoners issue Friday, May 21, 2010 (AFP) -- President Raul Castro is ready to consider resolving the thorny issue of Cuba's jailing of political dissidents, though talk about releasing them was off the table for now, a Catholic Church official said Thursday. "This issue was talked about and I believe both sides are ready... read more... Cuba urges EU to drop its common position Thursday, May 20, 2010 MADRID, Spain (AFP) -- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called on Wednesday on the European Union to drop its common position on Cuba, which calls for progress on human rights and democracy before normalising relations with the communist island. "I would very much like the EU's common position... read more... US, Cuba discuss Gulf of Mexico oil spill Thursday, May 20, 2010 WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) -- The United States said on Wednesday it has been keeping Cuba up to date about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as experts warned the mess was being dragged eastward toward Florida and possibly Cuba. The US interests section in Havana "delivered a diplomatic note... read more... Several tornados hit central Cuba Wednesday, May 19, 2010 (ACN) -- Five tornados in the space of two hours hit the town of Santa Teresa in Cuba, nine kilometers west of the city of Camaguey, and preliminary reports mention two injured people and damages to 78 houses. The 214-inhabitant town, mostly ranchers and farmers, was severely battered by winds. read more... Cuba letting drivers rent buses, make money Tuesday, May 18, 2010 (Reuters) -- The Cuban government has begun renting its smaller city buses in Havana to the bus drivers in another minor move under President Raul Castro to ease the state's hand in Cuba's socialist economy. The program, appears to be part of Castro's drive to improve the island's troubled economy. read more... Cuba cedes to farmers right to purchase supplies Tuesday, May 18, 2010 (Reuters) -- Cuba's private farmers will purchase supplies directly in future instead of having them allocated by the state, the government said on Sunday, in the latest concession to their demands for more autonomy. The farmers account for 70 percent of the food produced in Cuba. read more... Cuba says EU has 'no moral authority' on human rights Tuesday, May 18, 2010 MADRID, Spain (AFP) -- Cuba lashed out at the European Union's policy of linking dialogue with the communist government to human rights on the island, saying the EU does not have "any moral authority" over Havana.  EU nations have maintained a common position on Cuba, which links dialogue to human rights. read more... Underground Cuban rappers live on the edge Monday, May 17, 2010 (Reuters) -- It's almost midnight at a roadside bar on the outskirts of Havana and young Cubans gather to listen to hip hop. A man with dreadlocks steps up, microphone in hand, to the roar of approval from a crowd of 150 fans. "I'm not going to turn my back on reality," he chants to a driving beat. read more... Cuban court throws out jail sentence for dissident Saturday, May 15, 2010 (Reuters) -- A Cuban appeals court threw out a 20-month jail sentence for a dissident journalist on Friday and ordered her to pay a small fine instead, a ruling she said was a win for opponents of Cuba's communist government. Prosecutors had accused Dania Garcia with mistreating her daughter. read more... Next