News

Ownership Issue Raised Anew

The formula of giving land to agricultural producers should be extended to other sectors such as retail trade, said journalist Ariel Terrero, a specialist in economic issues of Cuba’s state-run television. According to Terrero, the diversity of forms of production makes it necessary to raise again the topic of forms of ownership in the Caribbean country.

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Cuba Blockade Remains Intact

The U.S. blockade against Cuba remains intact “in political as well as practical terms,” said Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on Tuesday when reporting to a legislative committee at the Havana Convention Center. He noted that in 2008 alone, the US blockade cost the Caribbean country US $3 billion in losses.

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US Cuts Honduran Officials Visas

“This is an incredibly important step,” said Vicki Gass, a Honduras specialist at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). “It reminds the de facto government that the coup d’etat remains unacceptable that they will have to restore Zelaya to power as part of a broader negotiated solution.”

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Cuba to Slash Budget Further

The impact of the global financial crisis on the economy in Cuba was a major focus of a speech Sunday by President Raul Castro, who confirmed that further “adjustments” will be made to this year’s budget.

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US Turns Off Ticker in Cuba

The US Interests Section in Havana suspended the broadcasting of messages on its electronic sign with red lettering that it has kept on its façade for several years. The ticker, considered highly offensive by the Cuban government, was a symbol of the tense relations during the Bush administration.

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Cuban Blogger Wins Prize in US

Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez obtained one of the medals of the 2009 Maria Moors Cabot Prize, awarded by Columbia University, reported IPS. Havana Times did not participate in the contest.

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Obama Lowers Hopes on Cuba Ties

US President Barack Obama ruled out that his government will make new opening gestures in its Cuba policy until the island’s authorities show progress in civil and political freedoms, according to the president’s statements to journalists in the White House over the weekend.

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Castro Drills Cuba for Hard Times

President Raul Castro said Sunday that more economic belt-tightening will be on the agenda this week at a Cuban Council of Ministers meeting to confront the current international crisis that is also hitting the island hard. Meanwhile, the effort to increase food production continues to be a cornerstone of Castro’s plans.   Read more

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