Raul Castro says he'd meet Obama Nov 27, 2008
World Blog: Havana, Cuba ... HAVANA - Cuban President Raul Castro said in an interview released Wednesday that he would like to meet President-elect Barack Obama on "neutral ground" and he suggested the American naval base at Guantanamo Bay ... The Cuban leader's offer came in a rare interview in Havana with actor-director Sean Penn, who wrote about it for the Dec. 15 edition of The Nation magazine. (MSNBC -- International)
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS Nov 27, 2008
G-9 Havana vs. Beardstown ... G-12 Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon vs. Havana, 7:30 p.m.. (Pekin Times, IL)
Raul Castro To Sean Penn: He'd Meet Obama At Gitmo Nov 27, 2008
HAVANA, Nov. 26, 2008 ... The Cuban leader's offer came in a rare interview in Havana with actor-director Sean Penn, who wrote about it for the Dec. 15 edition of The Nation magazine. (CBS News -- World)
Chinas New Foray Into Latin America Nov 25, 2008
Hu s stop in Havana is indicative of close ties between the two nation s ruling communist parties. The relationship goes back to 1960, when Cuba was the first Latin country to recognize Beijing. (YaleGlobal Online Magazine, CT)
Russia eyes oil off Cuba Nov 24, 2008
HAVANA Russian oil companies could soon begin searching for oil in deep Gulf of Mexico waters off Cuba, a top diplomat said just days before Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visits the island. Russian oil companies have concrete projects for drilling in Cuba's part of the gulf, said Mijail Kamynin, Russia's ambassador to Cuba, to the state-run business magazine Opciones. (Globe and Mail -- International)
* Top Cuban baseball stars Marti, Gomez thrown out of squad Nov 23, 2008
AP, HAVANA Sunday, Nov 23, 2008, Page 19 ... The one-sentence announcement on Friday in Communist Party newspaper Granma offered no details on why Marti, picked to the all-tournament team at the 2006 WBC, and Gomez, a former Olympian, were released from Havanas Industriales ... Marti and his teammates were welcomed home as heroes after the event, climbing aboard a convoy of green military jeeps and parading through Havanas streets. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Arassay brought heart to So You Think You Can Dance Nov 23, 2008
Former Havana resident missed out on Top 8 ... The 21-year-old professional dancer from Havana, now living in south Surrey, B.C., was the latest contestant to be cut from the competition, along with Vincent Noiseux of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. (Vancouver Sun)
Two top Cuban players likely to miss 2009 WBC Nov 22, 2008
HAVANA -- Ace pitcher Yadel Marti and star outfielder Yasser Gomez have been thrown off Cuba's top league team for "a grave act of indiscipline," likely ending their hopes of playing in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The one-sentence announcement Friday in the Communist Party newspaper Granma offered no details on why Marti, picked to the all-tournament team at the 2006 WBC, and Gomez, a former Olympian, were released from Havana's Industriales ... Marti and his teammates were welcomed home as... (ESPN -- Baseball)
Beijing's thrust into Latin America Nov 21, 2008
Hu's stop in Havana is indicative of close ties between the two nation's ruling Communist parties. Beijing extends extensive aid to Cuba's lagging economy, has fairly extensive trade and military ties with the island and engages in regular party-to-party diplomacy with the socialist state. (International Herald Tribune)
China, Cuba maintain friendship Nov 20, 2008
Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) visits Fidel Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, in Havana, capital of Cuba, Nov. 18, 2008. (Xinhua Photo). (Xinhua)
* Russia, Venezuela agree on first nuclear reactor Nov 20, 2008
In addition to Venezuela, Medvedev will visit Peru, Brazil and Cuba X the first trip by a Russian leader to Havana in eight years. This story has been viewed 802 times. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
China, Peru decide to establish strategic partnership Nov 20, 2008
Hu flew into in Lima on Wednesday from Havana after concluding a state visit to Cuba ... HAVANA, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao concluded his state visit to Cuba Wednesday and left for Lima, Peru to continue his five-nation trip, in which he will attend the Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Organization (APEC) scheduled for Nov. 22-23. (Xinhuanet, China)
Chinese president visits Cuba to strengthen ties Nov 20, 2008
HAVANA, Cuba (AP) -- China's president signed trade deals with communist ally Cuba and agreed to help it modernize its ports and hospitals on Tuesday, part of a Latin America trip on which Chinese businessmen have been snapping up raw materials. Chinese President Hu Jintao, right, attends a ceremony in Havana, Cuba, on Tuesday ... Havana has already borrowed extensively from Beijing -- loans it might have trouble repaying as it recovers from Hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma, all of which hit... (CNN -- World)
China Extends Loans to Cuba Nov 20, 2008
HAVANA Chinese President Hu Jintao left Cuba Wednesday after visiting a frail-looking Fidel Castro and promising at least $78 million in donations, credit and hurricane relief to China's communist ally. A picture of Hu clasping hands with the 82-year-old former Cuban president topped the front page of the Communist Party newspaper Granma, above a picture of a grinning Hu shaking hands with Raul Castro, who replaced his elder brother in February. (Newsmax)
China strengthens Cuba tie with trade deals Nov 19, 2008
President Raul Castro (center) was joined by President Hu Jintao of China (right) in Havana yesterday ... HAVANA - China's president was signing dozens of trade and investment deals with communist ally Cuba yesterday, part of a Latin American trip on which Chinese businessmen have been snapping up all manner of raw materials. (Boston Globe)
Chinese president builds ties with Cuba Nov 19, 2008
China's President Hu Jintao, front, listens to his national anthem during a ceremony at the Jose Marti monument in Havana, on Tuesday during a two-day official visit to Cuba ... World Blog: Havana, Cuba ... HAVANA - China's president was signing dozens of trade and investment deals with communist ally Cuba on Tuesday, part of a Latin America trip on which Chinese businessmen have been snapping up all manner of raw materials. (MSNBC -- International)
China's Hu strikes deals in Cuba Nov 19, 2008
The Chinese president laid a wreath at a monument to Cuban independence hero Jose Marti in Havana, and met the ailing former leader Fidel Castro ... Throughout the Cold War Cuba was traditionally a much firmer ally of the Soviet Union than China, but that changed when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, leaving Cuba almost bankrupt, says the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana. (BBC News)
Castro serenades China's Hu on landmark Cuba visit... Nov 19, 2008
"I learned to be a student like you, young like you and will remain so all my life," Castro told Hu and 300 Chinese students in the town of Tarara, east of Havana ... Hu arrived in Havana late Monday after attending the world economic crisis summit in Washington and making a stopover in Costa Rica, where he launched free-trade talks and a string of cooperation deals. (The Drudge Report)
China's Hu puts off Cuba debt payments Nov 19, 2008
HAVANA (Reuters) - Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed to put off some of Cuba's debt payments and gave the island $80 million for hospital modernization and other projects during a visit on Tuesday to strengthen ties between the Communist-run countries. His two-day stopover, which included a meeting with former leader Fidel Castro, deepened China's already-substantial involvement in Cuba and provided aid for the island's economy, battered by three hurricanes and the effects of the global... (Reuters)
Hu meets ailing Castro in Cuba Nov 19, 2008
"I see in person that you have recovered and have been energetic so I feel very pleased," Hu was quoted as telling Castro, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. Xinhua, which carried a photograph of the two leaders in its report, quoted Hu as saying the members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China "have all cared about your health and I brought their sincere greetings to you.". (United Press International)
Chinese president signs trade deals with Cuba Nov 19, 2008
President Hu Jintao of China signed trade deals with Cuba and agreed to help its communist ally modernize its ports and hospitals on Tuesday, part of a Latin American trip on which Chinese businessmen have been snapping up raw materials. I am happy to see that you are as energetic as when I met you last time. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Chinese president begins state visit to Cuba Nov 19, 2008
Chinese President Hu Jintao (C) and his wife Liu Yongqing (2nd R) greet children presenting flowers to them while Jose Ramon Machado Ventura (1st L), first vice-president of Cuba's Council of State and first vice-president of the Council of Ministers, looks on at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, capital of Cuba, Nov. 17, 2008 ... HAVANA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said Monday upon his arrival in Havana that his state visit to Cuba aims to enhance friendship and... (Xinhuanet, China)
President Hu visits Cuban leader Fidel Castro Nov 19, 2008
Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) visits Fidel Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, in Havana, capital of Cuba, Nov. 18, 2008 ... HAVANA, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday visited Fidel Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, in Havana ... HAVANA, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met Cuban leader Raul Castro on Tuesday to discuss the further development of bilateral... (Xinhuanet, China)
Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday visited Fidel Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, in Havana. The two leaders warmly shook hands, exchanged greetings and had a long conversation in a sincere and friendly atmosphere. • Chinese, Cuban leaders meet on bilateral ties Nov 19, 2008
Chinese President Hu Jintao (R), and Raul Castro, President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, inspect honor guards during a welcome ceremony in Havana, capital of Cuba, Nov. 18, 2008 ... HAVANA, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday met with Cuban leader Raul Castro and discussed efforts to further China-Cuba ties ... Praising the coordinated, fruitful cooperation between China and Cuba in dealing with international affairs, Hu said... (Xinhuanet, China)
Chinese President in Cuba on Leg of Latam Tour Nov 18, 2008
By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press WriterHAVANA November 18, 2008 (AP) The Associated Press FONT SIZE ... China's President Hu Jintao waves upon his arrival at the Jose Marti International airport in Havana, Monday, Nov. 17, 2008 ... Even as Cuban state television broadcast images of Hu arriving at Havana's airport, it was already announcing the signing of the trade and investment accords. (ABC News -- Wire)
China, Costa Rica to Launch Trade Talks Nov 18, 2008
Hu spent most of the day in Costa Rica with a delegation of 100 businessmen as part of China's investment march into resource-rich Latin America, before heading to Cuba for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with Havana. China's trade with Latin America has jumped from $10 billion in 2000 to $102. (ABC News -- Wire)
US case highlights Cuban 'slaves' in Curaçao Nov 18, 2008
The company has denied many of the allegations, though they admitted that the Cuban workers' passports were seized and that their unpaid wages were deducted from the debt Havana owed the company. After failing to get the case thrown out on technical grounds, the firm fired their attorneys and abandoned the case. (Christian Science Monitor)
Chinese president arrives in Havana for state visit Nov 18, 2008
HAVANA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said Monday upon his arrival in Havana that his state visit to Cuba aims to enhance friendship and enlarge cooperation between the two countries ... President Hu, who is on a five-nation trip, flew to Havana from San Jose, Costa Rica, after a state visit to the Central American nation. (Xinhuanet, China)
How Castro Got Religion Nov 18, 2008
Fidel Gets ReligionWhy on earth did Castro build a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Havana ... Fidel Castro and Vladimir Gundjaev meet in HavanaIn January of 2009on New Year's Day, to be preciseit will have been half a century since the brave and bearded ones entered Havana and chased and his cronies (carrying much of the Cuban treasury with them) off the island ... Why on earth did Castro build a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Havana. (Slate)
* Hu lands in Cuba as China reaches out Nov 18, 2008
7 billion in trade annually AP, HAVANA Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008, Page 5 ... Even as Cuban state television broadcast images of Hu arriving at Havanas airport, it was already announcing the signing of the trade and investment accords ... The Chinese president was scheduled to visit a Havana school for Chinese students yesterday and Cubas government scheduled an accord-signing ceremony at the Palace of the Revolution in the evening. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Country profile: Cuba Nov 18, 2008
The UN's envoy has urged Havana to release imprisoned dissidents and to allow freedom of expression. The US leases the Guantanamo Naval Base on the eastern tip of the island. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Election a test for Chavez family Nov 17, 2008
Adan Chavez, Venezuela's ambassador to Cuba and Hugo Chavez's older brother, smiles during a 2006interview with the Associated Press at his home in Havana, Cuba. . (MSNBC -- International)
Cuba Expects Tourist Record Despite Storms, Crisis Nov 17, 2008
HAVANA - Cuba said Friday it expects to end 2008 with a record 2. 3 million tourists having visited the island despite three hurricanes and a global financial crisis. (Planet Ark, United States)
Mojitos, Salsa Greet Cuba's 2 Millionth Tourist Nov 16, 2008
By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press WriterHAVANA November 14, 2008 (AP) The Associated Press FONT SIZE. A young woman celebrating her 15th birthday posses for tourists in Old Havana, Friday, Nov. 14, 2008 ... Authorities hung a red-and-white banner reading "welcome visitor" in five languages just outside the customs area as Air Canada Flight 370 from Toronto touched down at Havana Airport. (ABC News -- Wire)
* Havana greets this years 2 millionth tourist with mojitos Nov 16, 2008
Havana greets this years 2 millionth tourist with mojitos. WEATHERING IT OUT: Despite three hurricanes and a global economic crisis, Cuba hopes to have a record year for tourism, beating its 2005 figures AP, HAVANA Sunday, Nov 16, 2008, Page 7 ... Authorities hung a red-and-white banner reading welcome visitor in five languages just outside the customs area as Air Canada Flight 370 from Toronto touched down at Havana Airport. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Hu Jintao to visit struggling ally Cuba Nov 16, 2008
HAVANA (Reuters) China's President Hu Jintao travels to Cuba on Monday for a close-up look at the government of new President Raul Castro, a fellow communist struggling to lead his island nation through the devastating effects of three hurricanes and the international financial crisis ... Hundreds of future Chinese diplomats, translators and functionaries study Spanish at a special school on the outskirts of Havana. (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
Fidel Castro sees little change under Obama Nov 15, 2008
HAVANA (Reuters) - Without naming U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro cast doubt on Friday on the possibility that a new president would bring much change in U.S. policy ... Cuba's leader Fidel Castro gestures during an interview on state television in Havana in this June 5, 2007 file photo. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Castro: 'New president' won't bring change to U.S. Nov 15, 2008
HAVANA (AP) Fidel Castro said late Friday that the election of a new president will not bring change to the United States, but failed to mention Barack Obama by name. In an essay posted on a government-controlled website, the ailing 82-year-old former president scoffed at any notion communist Cuba will "transition" toward capitalist reforms and promised to watch closely as leaders from around the world gather in Washington this weekend to discuss the global financial meltdown. (USA Today)
Cuba celebrates its inclusion in Rio Group Nov 15, 2008
HAVANA Cuba is celebrating its entry into the Rio Group of Latin American nations as an example of futile U.S. efforts to isolate the island nation. Cuba became a full Rio Group member at a foreign ministers meeting this week in Zacatecas, Mexico. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Cuba, Haiti and Texas hard hit in hurricane season Nov 14, 2008
(Additional reporting by Jeff Franks in Havana and Chris Baltimore in Houston; Editing by Tom Brown). VIEW: lect. (Scientific American)
* World News Quick Take Nov 14, 2008
The 265-page book was presented during a Havana ceremony that Castro did not attend. The book contains documents pertaining to Colombias peace process, as well as Castros memories of the country. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Cuba Replaces Foreign Investment Minister Lomas Nov 13, 2008
HAVANA November 12, 2008 (AP) The Associated Press FONT SIZE ... Havana's communist government controls well over 90 percent of the economy, but the island created joint business ventures with foreign enterprises and began encouraging foreign tourism en masse in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union crippled its economy. (ABC News -- Wire)
Still Out of Sight, Fidel Castro Pens New Book Nov 13, 2008
HAVANA Cuba on Wednesday presented a new book by Fidel Castro, who has not appeared in public since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006 but who authorities claim spent more than 400 hours working on the manuscript ... The 265-page book was presented during a Havana ceremony that Castro did not attend, though one of his sons was there, as was Ricardo Alarcon, head of the country's rubber-stamp parliament ... Several rounds of peace talks between the Colombian government and the... (Newsmax)
* Paloma slams Cuban coast, weakens Nov 11, 2008
A woman cries on Sunday as she stands in front of her house, which was destroyed by Hurricane Paloma on its passage over the town of Santa Cruz del Sur in the eastern Cuban province of Camaguey, 600km from Havana. PHOTO: AFP. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Family Reading Night planned Nov 11, 2008
Havana Public Library, New Central School, Early Childhood Council, and other local agencies are joining together to provide an evening of fun and reading for area families. The featured program will be magician, Rick Eugene. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
Cuba, In The Wake Of Paloma Nov 10, 2008
HAVANA, Cuba, Nov. 9, 2008 ... Portia Siegelbaum reports from Havana. (CBS News)
* Hurricane Paloma hits central Cuba Nov 10, 2008
AGENCIES, HAVANA AND MIAMI Monday, Nov 10, 2008, Page 7. Evacuees arrive at a shelter as Hurricane Paloma heads for Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, on Saturday. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Hurricane Paloma thrashes Cuba before weakening Nov 10, 2008
AP writers Anita Snow in Havana and Trent Jacobs in George Town, Cayman Islands, contributed to this report. In your voice. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Paloma slows down over Cuba Nov 10, 2008
HAVANA Paloma lost its punch as it stalled over Cuba on Sunday and was downgraded to a tropical depression after coming ashore as a powerful hurricane that battered the island still recovering from two earlier storms. Paloma left a trail of destruction through eastern Cuba, but not the widespread devastation of hurricanes Gustav and Ike that caused $8 billion in damage when they struck in August and September. (Globe and Mail -- International)
Tropical Storm Paloma Churns Over Cuba Nov 10, 2008
HAVANA - Tropical Storm Paloma churned over Cuba on Sunday with rapidly weakening winds and a poorly defined centre that prompted sharply conflicting assessments about the storm's status from forecasters in the United States and Cuba. The National Hurricane Centre in Miami said Paloma, the third hurricane to hit Cuba this year, still had top winds near 60 miles per hour (95 kph) and was located over the eastern central province of Camaguey. (Planet Ark, United States)
Raul Castro, deputy Russian PM meet on ties, cooperation Nov 10, 2008
HAVANA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cuban leader Raul Castro met with visiting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin on Saturday to discuss bilateral ties and further cooperation, local media reported Sunday. The two discussed issues of bilateral interest and the current global financial meltdown, the reports said. (Xinhuanet, China)
Hurricane Paloma weakens as it passes eastern Cuba Nov 10, 2008
HAVANA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hurricane Paloma has weakened from a Category 3 storm to a tropical depression while moving across eastern Cuba's Camaguey province, the country's Meterological Institute said Sunday. Winds of between 10 and 12 kph broke the vertical structure of Paloma in a few hours, causing light rains over the eastern region, the institute said. (Xinhuanet, China)
Hurricane Paloma Wrecks Hundreds of Homes in Cuba Nov 10, 2008
On a Handheld Device. SIGN UP FOR FREE NEWS ALERTS. (Newsmax)
He had a dream Nov 10, 2008
It had a line in it about dancing in Havana, because Doris had told him about a trip she'd taken to Cuba. (It had a line in it about playing tennis in Tacoma, too, but that was just poetic license. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Obama vows change in policy on Cuba Nov 9, 2008
HAVANA - Cuba's communist leadership has long cast itself as David standing up to the U.S. Goliath and the crippling force of America's punitive trade and travel embargo ... The embargo is "a policy that hasn't worked in nearly 50 years," said Wayne Smith, a former top U.S. diplomat to Havana and a Cuba fellow at John Hopkins' Center for International Policy ... In Havana, dissident journalist Miriam Leiva says toppling the embargo could be agonizing for communist leaders who have long used it... (MSNBC -- International)
Hurricane Paloma batters Cuba, weakens Nov 9, 2008
HAVANA (Reuters) - Hurricane Paloma toppled trees, damaged homes and knocked over a communications tower when it ripped through Cuba on Sunday after striking the coast with 120-mph (195-kph) winds ... (Additional reporting by Shurna Robbins in George Town, Rosa Tania Valdes and Marc Frank in Havana). (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Paloma Loses Strength Over Cuba Nov 9, 2008
Portia Siegelbaum reports from Havana. Related. (CBS News -- 60 minutes II)
Paloma strengthens into Category 3 storm Nov 9, 2008
HAVANA Late-season Hurricane Paloma has grown to a dangerous major hurricane with 185 kph top winds as it lashes the Cayman Islands ... Havana's communist government activated the early stages of its highly organized civil defence system. (Globe and Mail -- International)
Analysis: Obama Changes Could Test Castros' Grip Nov 9, 2008
HAVANA, Nov. 8, 2008 ... The embargo is "a policy that hasn't worked in nearly 50 years," said Wayne Smith, a former top U.S. diplomat to Havana and a Cuba fellow at John Hopkins' Center for International Policy ... In Havana, dissident journalist Miriam Leiva says toppling the embargo could be agonizing for communist leders who have long used it to "justify their errors and efficiencies, to repress and jail anyone of differing opinions.". (CBS News -- World)
Passion for ballet Nov 8, 2008
By Michael Voss BBC News, Havana ... For the past week aficionados from around the world have descended on Havana for the International Ballet Festival, marking the company's 60th anniversary ... "I think it's one of the two top companies in the world," said Clara Yoost, one of a group of Californian ballet lovers attending the gala opening at Havana's Grand Theatre. (BBC News -- Americas)
Hurricane Paloma turns dangerous Nov 8, 2008
(Additional reporting by Jeff Franks, Nelson Acosta and Rosa Tania Valdes in Havana; writing by Michael Christie; editing by Mohammad Zargham). . (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
Hurricane Paloma Nov 8, 2008
(Additional reporting by Jeff Franks, Nelson Acosta and Rosa Tania Valdes in Havana; Writing by Michael Christie; Editing by Peter Cooney). news is provided by. (AlertNet)
Hurricane Paloma powers up Nov 8, 2008
Tracking northeast to strike Cuba's south-central coast late on Saturday, and with Havana still reeling from a devastating storm season, Paloma would be the fifth to crash into the island this year. The island began mobilising its defenses in readiness for the tempest preparing total evacuations of low-lying regions and coastal cities on the southern coast, prepping medical teams and equipping shelters for residents and up to 3000 foreign tourists. (iAfrica.com)
The World Welcomes Obama's Victory Nov 6, 2008
Theres still no official reaction in Cuba to last nights election of Barack Obama, writes CBS's Portia Siegelbaum in Havana ... In hushed voices those watching with us at CBS News' Havana office asked the really big question: "Is there really a chance he might meet with Raul [Castro]?" ... In several speeches over the past two years the Cuban President has held out an olive branch, saying Havana was willing to sit down with the new U.S. Administration on basis of equality and mutual respect. (CBS News)
IHSA prep football scores and schedule Nov 4, 2008
Auburn 45, Havana 14. Bureau Valley 46, Elmwood-Brimfield 6. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
