News Archives - Page 1222 of 1351

Cuba Group Knocking Down Walls

The wall had to be torn down anyway. Scrawled on its white surface had been the words “opportunism,” “mediocrity,” “bureaucracy” and similar words that were gradually fading under the force of sledge hammers and the beat of music.

This symbolic action, which took place in Havana this past November to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, was given direction by the youths of the Critical Observatory Leadership Network (La Red Protagónica Observatorio Crítico).

Calle 13 Resounding Success in Havana

The Puerto Rican hip-hop duo Calle 13 made almost 300,000 persons dance for two hours in the Cuban capital during their free concert yesterday at the Anti-imperialist Tribunal, reported IPS. The band’s performance represents a new step in the rapprochement of first-class musical groups to the Caribbean country’s stages.

Slave Ship Saga Recalled in Cuba

A replica of the historic Cuban slave ship Amistad, which was taken over by the Africans aboard in 1839, is visiting Cuba, where academics and community leaders have begun to publicly debate the problem of racial discrimination that has not been stomped out in Cuban society.

Villa Clara Wins Opener vs Industriales

Three consecutive two-out singles in the bottom of the seventh gave Villa Clara a 3-2 win over Industriales in game one of their best-of-seven championship baseball series on Tuesday night before a packed Santa Clara stadium with over 25,000 fans and a national TV audience.

Spanish Right Wants End to Dialogue with Cuba

The right-wing Spanish Popular Party (PP) will request today before Spain’s Senate the end of the bilateral dialogue with the Cuban government begun three years ago in response to the death of oppositionist Orlando Zapata and as a form of pressure for the release of political prisoners, reported the press in Madrid. Meanwhile, the ruling Spanish Workers Socialist Party (PSOE) will propose a motion to maintain the talks in order to “create the bases for a future of national reconciliation, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,” reported IPS.

Castro Visits Boy Injured in Quake

Cuban President Raúl Castro visited the family of a teenage boy injured after a partially constructed wall collapsed in his home from last Saturday’s 5.6 magnitude earthquake in the far eastern province of Guantánamo, reported IPS. The president also toured hydraulic works being built in that area, which will benefit agricultural areas in the Valley of Caujerí.

Cuba’s Attorney General Steps Down

Cuba’s Attorney General, Juan Escalona Reguera is leaving his post for health reasons, reported the Cuban press on Wednesday.

Joshua and Religion

I’m the son of a man who spent more than half of his life in jail, and not exactly for political or altruistic reasons. My mother ended up divorcing him. Then she married my stepfather, who to me is like a true father.

During that time, some Jehovah’s Witnesses used to come to the house to preach to my mother. Both she and my stepfather were learning from the lectures they received from the visitors. A while later they got baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Ban Ki-moon Deplores Death of Zapata

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his deep sorrow over the death of Orlando Zapata in Cuba, affirmed Martin Nesirsky, spokesperson of the multilateral organization. Zapata died in a hospital in the island’s capital last month after a 85-day hunger strike.

Freedom Schooner Amistad in Cuba

The US Amistad schooner arrived Monday in the port of Matanzas, some 100 kilometers east of the Cuban capital, on its last leg of a tour of the Caribbean to commemorate the abolition of slavery, reported the local press. The vessel is a replica of a similar one that left in 1839 from the port of Matanzas with a shipment of slaves, who rebelled and finally obtained their freedom by decision of the US Supreme Court.