News

Cold Snap in Cuba Continues Wednesday

The current artic cold front appears to have peaked early Tuesday, with low temperatures dropping to as low as 3.7 Celsius (39 F) at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport south of the capital. Nonetheless, the warming on Wednesday is only expected to be slight.

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Tsunami Warning Off for Cuba

The powerful 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday afternoon led to a Tsunami warning on the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Cuba and Haiti itself to be posted by The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center; but later in the evening the alert was canceled. The Cuban Civil Defense System is closely following the after events of the quake whose center was located at only 22 kilometers west of Port au Prince, Haiti.

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Cuba Baseball Expert on A. Chapman

One of Monday’s wire service stories reporting on the Cincinnati Reds signing of Cuban phenom pitcher Aroldis Chapman has questioned my own doubting of Chapman’s prospects, especially in the light of the $30 million windfall now being thrown at the 22-year-old former Holguín fast-baller. I do not claim to have a crystal ball. I do not have the trained eye of the big league scouting director. But I do know something about the recent past history of Cuban League baseball and its many talented performers.

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Cuba Begins Modest Sugar Harvest

A total of 44 sugar factories should start operating in January as part of the 2009-2010 sugar harvest, which the authorities have previewed as modest since it is expected to produce 1.5 million tons.

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Cuba’s Economy Cash Strapped

The lack of liquidity in hard currency is the principal economic problem in Cuba, affirmed the island’s Economy Minister Marino Murillo. According to the official, the government’s strategy involves the substitution of imports and giving priority to sectors such as tourism, telecommunications and civil aeronautics.

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Thousands learn to read in Uruguay with Cuban method

Some 5,000 persons were taught to read and write in Uruguay between 2007 and 2009 thanks to the Cuban literacy program, reported Ulma Carneiro, an official from the Ministry of Social Development. It is estimated that 179,000 persons still don’t know how to read and write in that South American country.

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Accountability in Cuba

These mechanisms take the form of Report-back Assemblies (Asambleas de Rendición de Cuentas), biannual meetings in which local delegates (previously elected by community residents) meet with their constituencies. These neighborhood delegates report on policies implemented by the Municipal Assembly (city council) and steps being taken to resolve problems identified by the community. Alternately, residents can present new concerns to these representatives.

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Cuba’s Chapman a Reds Multi-Millionaire?

Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman is reportedly hours away from signing a $30 million dollar contract with the Cincinnati Reds in the US Major Leagues. In a report just published by Sports Illustrated online the lefthander is set to sign a five-year deal.

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Cuban Emigration to Ecuador Shoots Up

The entry into Ecuador of persons coming from Cuba has increased from 2,700 a year to more than 2,300 a month, according to IPS based on data cited by Spain’s El Mundo daily. According to the newspaper, the Cuban community has considerably grown in that South American country, especially in the cities of Quito and Guayaquil.

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