News

Flags will fly at half mast in Cuba from Monday morning through Wednesday night in the national mourning declared by the government following the death of Defense Minister Julio Casas Reguieiro on Saturday.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday the withdrawal of its diplomatic personnel from the island’s embassy in Libya. Cuba has strongly opposed the foreign military intervention in the North African nation.

Julio Casas Regueiro, the general who replaced Raul Castro as Cuba’s Defense Minister in 2008, died of heart failure on Saturday at 75, reported the Cuban TV afternoon news program.

Hurricane Katia is still a long way from any possible landing but the newly formed Tropical Storm Lee is already approaching a Sunday touchdown in Louisiana. Local authorities are scrambling to prepare for the predicted prolonged heavy rains and possible flooding in cities including New Orleans.

Cuba’s new school year (2011-2012) begins next Monday, September 5th.

The Ladies in White, a group of dissident Cuban women, has once again asked the Catholic Church to intercede on its behalf with the government of Raul Castro. The women have turned anew to Cardinal Jaime Ortega asking that he convince the authorities to put a stop to the “repudiation rallies” and other pressures against them.

Among the topics discussed by Balaguer were the VI Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba held last April that centered on economic reforms and the upcoming National Conference (scheduled for Jan. 2012) to address other political and social issues.

Paraguay has embarked on a national literacy campaign and will use the Cuban method for teaching to read and write called “Yo si puedo” (Yes I Can).

Tropical Storm Katia is on the verge of becoming a hurricane but is still far off in the central Atlantic. Forecast cones of the weather system thus far show it not being expected to touch land anywhere in the Caribbean.

The weather over this period will be influenced by an area of weak pressure gradients, which — together with a flow of damp air from the south — will produce isolated storms and rain, with these being more likely in the afternoons. Maximum temperatures will fluctuate around 32°C (90 F), while the minimum temperatures will range between 24°C (75 F) and 25°C (77 F).