POLITICS-CUBA: Left Speechless

The anniversary of the attack on the Moncada barracks, commemorating Revolution Day, one of the most important dates on Cuba's calendar, found the country caught up in speculation that Fidel Castro might appear on the platform, and raised fresh expectations about changes promised four years ago.
Read more [IPS Latin America]

DR wins gold in volleyball

The Dominican women's volleyball team defeated Puerto Rico in the Mayaguez 2010 Central American Games to win the gold. The DR is ranked 13th in the world in women's volleyball, Puerto Rico 14th.
In a game that lasted 2 hours and 3 minutes, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans battled for 5 games. The results were 25-19, 19, 25, 25, 19, 24, 26 and 15-4. Gina Mambru made the difference in the final game, with her effective serves that put Dominican ahead early in the game 10-2.
Over the weekend, the Dominican team won 41 medals. On Friday, the Dominican delegation in Mayaguez won 13 medals, including the gold in women's volleyball, karate and wrestling. There was also a silver and 4 bronze medals in karate, one of silver and two bronze in wrestling, and basketball one silver and a bronze in cycling.
Maria Dimitrova won gold against Nicaraguan Eling Wilson in karate. The Dominican karate team won silver, losing to Mexico in the final. In wrestling, Agnelo Mota Brea won gold defeating Mexican Ulises Barragan.
The Dominican women's basketball team lost 81-69 to Puerto Rico, to bring home the silver medal.
On Sunday, the DR won gold in handball defeating Puerto Rico.
The DR won the men's team gold in table tennis, with Juan Vila making the difference.
The DR also won gold in men's racquetball defeating Costa Rica.
As of Sunday, the DR had won 21 gold, 16, silver and 48 bronze medals for a total of 85. The DR climbed to 4th place, behind Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico. Cuba is not competing in the 2010 Mayaguez Games.
http://www.mayaguez 2010.com
http://www.ittf.com/stories/Stories_detail.asp?ID=21567&Category=...
Read more [DR1 Daily News from the Dominican Republic]

In Cuba, Revolution Day Without Castro at Podium

Raúl Castro’s choice to not to speak at one of the most important fixtures on the Cuban calendar disappointed and puzzled many.


Read more [IHT America News]

US Rules Out Military Action Against Venezuela

The United States says it has no intention of initiating military action against Venezuela in response to threats by the country's president that he would cut off oil supplies if the U.S. backed an attack against Venezuela by Colombia.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Virginia Staab said Monday the United States enjoys a mutually beneficial energy relationship with Venezuela and Washington would like it to continue.  

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told thousands of supporters Sunday that if the U.S. backed Colombia in "armed aggression" against Venezuela, his country would suspend oil shipments to the United States.  The U.S. is the top buyer of oil from the South American country.

Mr. Chavez also said Sunday that he is canceling a trip to Cuba due to the tensions with Colombia.

President Chavez announced last week he was breaking diplomatic ties with Colombia for what he said were false claims by Bogota that Venezuela is harboring Colombian rebels.  He ordered troops to be on "maximum alert" at the border.

Mr. Chavez acted after Colombia went before the Organization of American States' permanent council in Washington to present photographs, maps, coordinates and videos it said show 1,500 guerrillas hiding in Venezuela.

Colombia requested the OAS session after charging that leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, had taken refuge in Venezuela.  Venezuela's OAS envoy, Roy Chaderton, said the items presented by Colombia's ambassador did not provide any solid evidence of a guerrilla presence in Venezuela.

U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Friday that Colombia's allegations are serious and deserve to be fully investigated.

In 2008, Venezuela and Ecuador broke diplomatic relations with Colombia after Colombian troops raided a FARC rebel camp in Ecuador, killing FARC commander Raul Reyes and at least 20 other people.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

Fidel Castro visits Mausoleum of Heroes of Revolution in Cuba (2)

&$&$ Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro sits during a visit to the Mausoleum of the Heroes of the Revolution in Artemisa outside Havana July 24, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) &$ 【1】 【2】
Read more [People Daily - World News (China)]

Fidel Castro visits Mausoleum of Heroes of Revolution in Cuba (3)

&$&$ Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro sits during a visit to the Mausoleum of the Heroes of the Revolution in Artemisa outside Havana July 24, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) &$ 【1】 【2】
Read more [People Daily - World News (China)]

Fidel Castro visits Mausoleum of Heroes of Revolution in Cuba (4)

&$&$ Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro salutes during a visit to the Mausoleum of the Heroes of the Revolution in Artemisa outside Havana July 24, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)&$ 【1】 【2】
Read more [People Daily - World News (China)]

Fidel Castro visits Mausoleum of Heroes of Revolution in Cuba

&$&$ Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro talks to Cuban journalist Katiuska Blanco during a visit to the Mausoleum of the Heroes of the Revolution in Artemisa outside Havana July 24, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) &$ &$【1】 &$&$【2】 &$
Read more [People Daily - World News (China)]

Cuba marks revolution without Castros

Chase Latino Cultural Festival

The festival, now in its 14th year, will feature 13 events ranging from music, dance, comedy, spoken word and film. This year's performers hail from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and more, and will help celebrate the rich culture of Queens' Latino community. Visit queenstheatre.org for...
Read more [New York Post News]

Raul Castro Silent, Fidel Absent at Cuban Revolution Day Ceremony

Cuba has commemorated Revolution Day without remarks from President Raul Castro or an appearance by his brother, former President Fidel Castro.  

Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura gave the main speech Monday to tens of thousands of Cubans gathered in Santa Clara to mark the 57th anniversary of the attack that is considered the start of the country's communist revolution.  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was scheduled to attend, but canceled the trip, citing rising tensions between Venezuela and Colombia.  

The celebration in Cuba was held outside a memorial housing the remains of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Argentine who helped lead the armed uprising that put Fidel Castro in power in 1959.  

The former president has only recently been seen in public since falling ill in 2006 and ceding power to his brother, Raul.  

Revolution Day celebrates the July 26, 1953 assault on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago by young rebels led by Fidel Castro.  

The attack failed, but Cubans consider it the beginning of the revolution that culminated with dictator Fulgencio Batista's ouster on New Year's Day 1959.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

Fidel Castro travels outside of Havana in olive-green shirt

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro was Saturday shown on state television travelling out of Havana for the first time since his emergency surgery in July 2006. The official NNTV channel showed Castro donning an olive-green shirt and travelling to Artemisa to attend a memorial service for 20 fallen fighters of the Cuban Revolution. The fighters lost their lives while attacking the Moncada barracks on July 26 of 1953. The former leader was shown laying flowers at the mausoleum and recalling ...
Read more [People Daily - World News (China)]

Fidel Castro travels outside Havana

Cuban state media on Saturday reported that Fidel Castro had traveled to a town west of Havana to participate in a memorial service for the fallen fighters in the country's revolution. It was the first time state media reported the former Cuban leader leaving the capital city since he underwent intestinal surgery in July 2006 and shifted power to his brother Raul. A picture showing Fidel Castro in an olive-green shirt at the Artemisa memorial service was posted online. &$&$Source: X ...
Read more [People Daily - World News (China)]

What Cubans Want to Hear

Fidel Castro Likely to Appear at 57th Anniversary of Revolution, but Economy Is on Cubans' Minds
Read more [CBS News Headlines (USA)]

Fidel Castro wears military shirt for latest outing

Music played on Cuban television as Fidel Castro, looking almost like his old self in a green military shirt, made his latest public appearance.…
Read more [EuroNews (english)]

Artists See Increase in U.S.-Cuba Cultural Exchanges

Members of the arts community say more musicians, actors and writers are traveling between Cuba and the United States.


Read more [IHT America News]

Fernandez back from Cuba in “successful” outing

SANTO DOMINGO.- President Leonel Fernandez returned today from Cuba, where he met with Havana par Raul I Castro and dictated a conference in Havana University.
Read more [Dominican Today - Frontpage (Dominican Republic)]

Cuba, Dominican Republic sign visa waiver agreement

Dominican Foreign Minister Carlos Morales and his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez signed an agreement here on Thursday to exempt visas for holders of diplomatic and official passports. The agreement will allow holders of such passports to have multiple entry to the Dominican and Cuban territories, and to stay or travel in the countries for up to 90 days without visas. "This is the beginning of many more agreements that we are going to negotiate," Morales said. Morales ...
Read more [People Daily - World News (China)]

Dominican Government calls Cuba embargo “Washington’s hostility”

HAVANA.- Foreign Relations minister Carlos Morales yesterday affirmed that Dominican Republic favors lifting the embargo imposed by the US on Cuba, that country’s official agency Prensa Latina reported yesterday.
Read more [Dominican Today - Frontpage (Dominican Republic)]

Cuban OK for Rangers bid

A bankruptcy judge ruled yesterday that the Aug. 4 auction of the Texas Rangers won't be delayed, and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban may be among the bidders. Angry creditors argued yesterday that other interested buyers would not have time to secure financing and suggested a Sept. 30 auction...
Read more [New York Post News]

Spain, Latvia take Guantanamo detainees

Two more people held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility have been transferred to other countries, the Pentagon announced Thursday.
Read more [CNN World News Headlines (USA)]

Analysts: Dominican leader in shuttle diplomacy between US, Cuba

Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez’s sudden trip to Havana has sparked speculation that Dominican Republic may become the second nation to receive Cuban political prisoners, after Spain, and may herald a new era of shuttle diplomacy made famous by Henry Kissinger during the Cold War.
Read more [Dominican Today - International (Dominican Republic)]

Analysts: Dominican leader in shuttle diplomacy between US, Cuba

Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez’s sudden trip to Havana has sparked speculation that Dominican Republic may become the second nation to receive Cuban political prisoners, after Spain, and may herald a new era of shuttle diplomacy made famous by Henry Kissinger during the Cold War.
Read more [Dominican Today - International (Dominican Republic)]

Analysts: Dominican leader in shuttle diplomacy between US, Cuba

Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez’s sudden trip to Havana has sparked speculation that Dominican Republic may become the second nation to receive Cuban political prisoners, after Spain, and may herald a new era of shuttle diplomacy made famous by Henry Kissinger during the Cold War.
Read more [Dominican Today - International (Dominican Republic)]

Analysts: Dominican leader in shuttle diplomacy between US, Cuba

Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez’s sudden trip to Havana has sparked speculation that Dominican Republic may become the second nation to receive Cuban political prisoners, after Spain, and may herald a new era of shuttle diplomacy made famous by Henry Kissinger during the Cold War.
Read more [Dominican Today - Frontpage (Dominican Republic)]