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Archive - Feb 21, 2011

Is Cuba ready for golf?

<p style="text-align: justify;">February 21, 2011. (CNN) --"Golf is becoming a reality in Cuba this year," Andrew MacDonald, chief executive of London-based Esencia Hotels and Resorts, told CNN."The key moment was a change in Cuban property law last August to make foreign ownership far more attractive."The Cuban government have a vision of establishing 15-16 new golf courses in the next five to seven years." Esencia is part of that vision. Its luxury Carbonera Country Club development in the beach resort of Varadero has been seven years in the making, and MacDonald hopes to start construction on the $300 million project in the next few months. Read More

Women are at the centre of cigar production in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">Cuba's state-owned tobacco company is wooing women, with their very own version of the famous Havana cigar. But is cigar-smoking destined to remain a man's world? Hundreds of cigar distributors, businessmen and tobacco lovers are descending on Cuba this week for the annual Havana cigar festival.The world of Habano smokers is predominantly male, but the island's largest cigar manufacturer has now set its sights on the other half of the world's population - women. Read More

Cuba Releases Seven More Political Dissidents From Prison

<p style="text-align: justify;">(RTTNews) - Cuba's government has released seven more political dissidents from prison in line with a an agreement reached with the country's Catholic Church last year, church officials said Sunday.Among the seven dissidents released was Ivan Hernandez, a journalist who had earlier refused to go into exile in Spain as a condition for his release. It is not yet clear if the Cuban government has permitted him to remain in the country, as it had done earlier this month in the case of another released dissident, Angel Moya. Read More

Cuba FM to discuss broader bilateral cooperation in Moscow

<p style="text-align: justify;">21.02.2011, 04.37. HAVANA, February 21 (Itar-Tass) -- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez will arrive in Moscow on Monday to discuss broader bilateral cooperation. The positions of Russia and Cuba are close or identical on many issues of the international agenda. Read More

High Leavel Wrestling Tournament Finishes in Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">Havana, Feb 20 (Prensa Latina) The 42nd International Wrestling Tournament Granma-Cerro Pelado will end tonight after the decision for the gold medal in 60kg, 74kg and 96kg freestyle weight classes after a very high leavel exhibition.The competitions will be hold mainly between Cuban wrestlers because there have been few foreign athletes in those weight classes.In the 60kg division Alejandro Valdes, Maikel Perez and Yowlys Bonne will try to win the gold and the right to represent Cuba in international competitions. Read More

Adeiny Hechavarria settles in with Blue Jays after leaving Cuba

<p style="text-align: justify;">The Canadian Press. Toronto Blue Jays infielder Adeiny Hechavarria takes part in practice during baseball spring training in Dunedin, Fla., on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS. DUNEDIN, Fla. - The dream started at age 12 for Adeiny Hechavarria, when he first watched a pirated recording of a major-league baseball game.Inspired, he'd occasionally sneak into one of the resort hotels near his home in Santiago De Cuba, trying to catch some live action amid the rich tourists sitting at the bar. Read More

Cuba to free another political prisoner

<p style="text-align: justify;">February 20 2011,8:03:00. Cuba has freed another political prisoner, leaving only six still behind bars from a group of 52 that President Raul Castro has promised to release, the Catholic Church said yesterday. The latest was Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, who had been jailed since a 2003 government crackdown on opponents and was serving a 25-year sentence. Read More

Cuba's celebration of books draws millions

<p style="text-align: justify;">February 21, 2011, 12:26am. HAVANA (AP) – A river of people flows through the old colonial fortress, and the antics of clowns and music blasting from loudspeakers are interrupted only when an announcer summons the parents of a lost child. It's a festival all right, but a festival of books.The high walls of El Morro and La Cabana, which offer a spectacular view of Havana's bay, house a giant celebration that mingles literary chitchat with an exuberant popular fair where some 6 million visitors socialize, browse for sandwiches of sizzling pork and scramble for novels, essays and scientific tomes. Read More

Cuba Gears Up for Havana Drum Festival

<p style="text-align: justify;">Ozgur Tore. Sunday, 20 February 2011 20:20. Organizers of the Havana Drum Festival announced that the Guillermo Barreto in Memoriam International Drum Contest will take place from March 8 to 13.Supported by the Cuban Music Institute and the Ignacio Piñero Music Center, the event is open to Cubans and foreigners living in the island of any age.The event includes five categories: drum set, snare drums, African drums, bongos and African talking drums; each player is allowed to compete in up to two modalities. Read More

Playa Pilar at Ciego de Avila Province

<p style="text-align: justify;">Docarmo's impressions about the area. Last year, we took an excursion to the interior of the province of Ciego de Ávila, to see where Cuban people live. This year we chose to enjoy the sea for more time. We chose an excursion to the Pilar Beach (Playa Pilar), considered as one of the most beautiful beaches of Cuba. We went there by catamaran. During the trip, you (not me!) can do snorkelling to enjoy the varied marine life of coral reefs in the area. Playa Pilar was named after Hemingway's yacht. Read More