News Archives - Page 1275 of 1335

Cuba-China Connection Tightens

Cuba and China this week added new stitches to strengthen the diplomatic and commercial relations that have existed between the two nations for close to half a century. These ties have been described by island officials as strategic and a “model” for what bilateral ties should be in the current international context. Cuba was the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with China, on September 28, 1960. Subsequently, they distanced themselves at times due to the postures of their governments over varying directions pursued by members of the socialist camp at that time.

Placido Domingo Backs Juanes Cuba Date

Placido Domingo, the renowned Spanish tenor, threw his support Thursday behind Columbian singer Juanes and his plans to stage a Peace without Borders concert in Havana on September 20. Domingo called Juanes “a very courageous person” and praised his “positive attitude” for going ahead with the concert.

Obama’s Cuban-American Rules in Effect

US President Obama announced five months ago that he would allow Cuban-Americans to travel freely to Cuba as well as send more money to family members. It took the US treasury department until today to put the order into effect.

Erika Petering Out as Nears Puerto Rico

The Cuban Meteorological Institute continues to track what was Tropical Storm Erika as it moves nearer Puerto Rico. As of Thursday evening the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression and the tendency is for further weakening.

US Finally Cuts Aid to Honduras

Frustrated by the continued intransigence of the Honduran regime that ousted President Manuel Zelaya, the U.S. State Department followed through Wednesday on threats to cut off aid to Honduras.

Richardson Sees US-Cuba Embargo Talks

Fresh off his week long visit to Cuba, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson sees negotiations taking place in 2010 between the United States and Cuba on the lifting of the nearly 50-year economic embargo Washington has maintained against the island.

Cuban Five Case to UN Gen. Assembly

The president of the United Nations General Assembly, Miguel D’Escoto said in Havana on Tuesday that he would bring up the Cuban Five case in his speech this month marking the end of his period in the one year post. D’Escoto will call on US President Obama to rectify the injustice and immediately and make real his campaign promises for change in US-Cuba policy.

Cuba Advisory No. 2 on TS Erika

On Wednesday morning the Cuban Meteorological Institute reported that Tropical Storm Erika was “very disorganized” and located 160 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands. Computer models differ at this point on the path of the storm. Some “show the system taking a northwesterly track toward Florida or the Southeast U.S. coast, but some models show it steering a more westerly course toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.”

Amnesty Int. Coaches Obama on Cuba

Amnesty International came out Wednesday with a report recommending to US President Barack Obama that he take steps towards dismantling the half-century US economic blockade on Cuba. Amnesty, which has been critical of some aspects of Cuba’s political system, said “This is the perfect opportunity for President Obama to distance himself from the failed policies.

Cuba Weather Experts Tracking TS Erika

Cuban weather forecasters began tracking Tropical Storm Erika with their first advisory coming at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The fifth tropical storm of the season in the Atlantic was located by the Cuban Meteorological Institute at 480 kilometers east of the island of Barbuda. Erika’s current estimated path would take it north of the Bahamas and a considerable distance from Cuba.