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It’s no longer a question of whether Hurricane Paloma is going to smash into Central Cuba; it’s just a matter of hours. Cuba’s top weather expert, Jose Rubiera, said at 4:00 p.m. (EST) that the Category 4 hurricane is now expected to hit land on the south coast of Camaguey province in the early evening.

Hurricane Paloma, a Category 4 storm, with winds now reaching 140 MPH (225 KPH), is expected to touch down in Central or Eastern Cuba within 12 hours. Two months after hurricanes Gustav and Ike battered much of the island, Cuba is once again in the eye of the storm.

Hurricane Paloma strengthens in the western Caribbean and is expected to hit Central and possibly Eastern Cuba by Sunday. The storm packs winds of 80 MPH (130 KPH). A hurricane watch is now in effect throughout Cuba. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike battered the archipelago during the period of August 31-September 10, leaving monumental damage to agriculture, housing and other infrastructure.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, congratulated Barack Obama on winning the US presidential elections on Wednesday and requested that he lift the nearly half century blockade on Cuba when he takes office in January. “There is no human explanation” to maintain the blockade, Lula told the press in Brasilia.

Tropical Storm Paloma is on a course that could reach Cuba by early next week. The storm was located this morning at 115 kilometers east-northeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios on the border of Nicaragua and Honduras and 720 kilometers from the south coast of Cuba.

Representatives of US companies doing business with Cuba said in statements to the press during the 26th International Havana Trade Fair (FIHAV) that they want the new administration headed by Barack Obama to make changes in relations with the island to favor bilateral trade. Currently only a limited amount of products can be sold to Cuba from the US with purchase terms that are disadvantageous for the island and stymie sales. Likewise, Cuba is prohibited under the US blockade from selling any products to the US market.

Cuba will purchase 150,000 tons of wheat from Canada at a cost of 55 million dollars, according to an agreement signed by the Alimport Food Import Company and the Canadian Wheat Board at the 26th International Havana Trade Fair (FIHAV) taking place through Saturday in the Cuban capital. The island also negotiated with Canadian companies to the import over 100,000 tons of peas and 1,000 tons of powdered milk, reported IPS. The Trade Fair has attracted business people from over 50 countries.

Most of the world sighed with relief Wednesday with the news that Barack Obama won the US presidential elections with a 52-46 percent majority. With 95 percent of the votes counted, the Democrats led the Republicans in the House of Representatives with 256 to 177 seats.

Cuba will use more than US $2.5 billion dollars to import food products in 2008, Pedro Alvarez, president of the Alimport Food Import Company told the press. The figure is double what was invested in 2007, noted IPS. The island’s agriculture was dealt a hard blow by hurricanes Gustav and Ike and is now in the recovery phase, which involved massive plantings of short cycle crops.

The world needs a U.S. president “who is rational, has a minimum IQ, is not an alcoholic and is not insane,” affirmed Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage when inaugurating the 26th International Havana Trade Fair (FIHAV) on Monday at the EXPOCUBA fairgrounds, reported IPS.