News

Canadian Keven Lacombe won the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Cuba cycling competition on Friday with a time of 1:43.06 horas for the 86 kilometer segment from Bayamo to Holguin in eastern Cuba. On a day with heavy winds Lacombe edged Yoel Mariño of Matanzas, Cuba.

The Russian government will open on Saturday a cultural center in Cuba, the first of its kind in Latin America, to promote the learning of the Russian language. Many Cubans studied Russian in the decades before the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the USSR was the island’s leading trade partner.

With its newly constructed facility having been inaugurated at the end of the last year, the Planetarium can now be visited by the public. This center for science and technology is located in the Plaza Vieja, close to the unique Camara Oscura viewing station— adds to the scientific patrimony in this historic part of the city.

In the Casa de Africa (157 Obrapia, in Habana Vieja) on February 18 at 2:00 p.m., a forum will be held with experts associated with the projects “Sitios de la Memoria” and “La ruta del esclavo” (The Slave Route). Both initiatives attempt to trace a map of slavery and the history of Cuba that are closest to historical truth.

While nothing like the storm that’s had the US eastern seaboard on hold, a light cold front is expected to move in to Cuba on Saturday bringing rain throughout the country and a high of only 20 C (68 F) in the capital and a low temperature of 17 C (62 F).

Cuba’s 19th International Book Fair got its official opening on Thursday evening attended by President Raul Castro and visiting Russian Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov. Russia is this year’s special guest and a large delegation of publishers and artists are on hand to participate.

Resident of Cuba’s far eastern coastal town of Baracoa were greeted on Friday morning by trembling caused by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake off the coast that left no reported injuries or damage, according to Associated Press.

The US economic blockade on Cuba has lasted about a half century and one of its biggest supporters, Miami Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, threw in the towel on Thursday, saying he would not seek a tenth two-year term in office.

With 10 games to go in the 90-game regular season, three teams —Sancti Spiritus, Guantanamo and Villa Clara— are assured a ticket to Cuba’s baseball playoffs while eight others have a chance for the remaining five slots.