RIGHTS: Cuba Proudly Presents Its Credentials Abroad

The European Union is considering a proposal from Cuba that could add human rights issues to the political dialogue formally resumed three months ago between Havana and Brussels, diplomatic sources confirmed following an announcement by Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque.

CUBA-US: Whose “Opportunity?”

The new U.S. administration headed by Democratic President Barack Obama is creating hope in Cuba for an easing of tensions in relations between the two countries, although there is scepticism in this regard in some academic circles.

CUBA: Women Farmers Bring Innovation to the Mountains

When Odaly Aroche set out from the mountains of Topes de Collantes in central Cuba to see what other women farmers were doing in San Andrés, 380 km west of her home, her neighbours told her she was crazy. But that didn’t stop her.

CUBA-US: After Deadlock, How to Resist the ‘Siren Songs?’

In spite of shortcomings, unfulfilled dreams and doubts, one of the unquestioned merits of the Cuban revolution, which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary, is the sense of independence and sovereignty in this small island state, geographically so close to the most powerful nation in the world.

CUBA: Racism – “Taboo, Complicated and Thorny” Issue

The persistence of racism in Cuba is disturbing to some of the island's thinkers, who are calling for a debate on the problem in this country, where equal rights have not guaranteed equal opportunities for all social groups.

CUBA: Golden Anniversary in Tough Times

The Cuban Revolution's 50th anniversary on Jan. 1 finds the country facing the challenge of sorting out the economy and improving living conditions, in the context of a complex international situation that may make reaching those goals particularly difficult.

CUBA-LATAM: From Isolation to Reinsertion

Cuba’s reintegration into Latin America means that the government of Raúl Castro will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Revolution in a wholly different regional context than the one that prevailed in the 1960s, when this Caribbean island nation was marginalised by practically all of Latin America.

ENVIRONMENT-CUBA: ‘Forest Ranger’ Looks After Havana’s Trees

"It all began with the cutting of the ceiba," recalls Isbel Díaz, founder of the project "El Guardabosques" (The Forest Ranger), an environmental initiative that seeks to raise ecological awareness among residents of the Cuban capital and involve them in the protection of their natural surroundings, in particular the city’s trees.

CUBA: Foreign Aid Helps Fund Cultural Activities

In Cuba, international aid is promoting the advancement of cultural projects, adopting an approach that enriches the traditional perspective on development with a dimension closer to the needs of the human spirit.

CUBA-CHINA: Strengthening Friendly Ties

Cuba and China strengthened their political and economic alliance this week, at a time when the EU and Cuba have formally restored relations and the government of Raúl Castro is forging closer ties with the rest of Latin America and with Moscow.

CUBA: No Choice but to Adapt to Storms

Three hurricanes have caused a total of 10 billion dollars in damages in Cuba in less than three months, according to the latest official estimates, while highlighting the vulnerability of Cuban housing to storms.

CUBA-US: Obama Awakens Hopes for a Thaw

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has a positive image among most Cubans, who are hopeful regarding his promises of loosening some restrictions towards the island, although the government-controlled media here have refrained from commenting on the future of relations between the two countries.

CUBA-US: A Thaw Fuelled by Oil?

The discovery of a significant offshore oilfield in Cuban waters in the Gulf of Mexico could persuade the United States to modify its policy towards the Caribbean island nation, experts say, while warning that this possibility could also entail risks.

CUBA-EU: One Step Closer

Cuba and the European Union have agreed to reestablish development cooperation, interrupted five years ago, in another step towards overcoming differences, following the resumption of political dialogue in Paris last week.

ECONOMY-CUBA: “Impossible to Escape Impact” of Crisis – Experts

After three years of high growth, uncertainty is hovering over the Cuban economy once again, although experts are not yet ready to predict exactly what impact the current global financial turmoil will have on the island.

POLITICS-US: New Cuba Policy in Sight?

If elected, Democratic candidate Barack Obama could become the first United States president to engage in talks with Cuba after almost five decades of severed relations, but it will all depend on his refraining from trying to "control" a process that involves two sides, say academics from this Caribbean island nation.

CUBA: Churches Reject US Report on Religious Freedom

Pastors and representatives of Protestant churches expressed their disagreement with a report from the United States that describes Cuba as one of the countries that restrict the practice of religion and said that, on the contrary, they have absolute freedom to practise their faith.

CUBA: Women Breaking Into a Men’s Game

Women’s incursion into baseball, Cuba’s national sport and a bastion of the "machismo" that is so deeply rooted in Cuban culture, has drawn mixed reactions.

ECONOMY-CUBA: Speculate No More

The Cuban government is seeking to curb excessive food prices in farmers’ markets by cracking down on speculation and theft, which will benefit consumers but may discourage producers, according to economists.

ECONOMY-CUBA: No Calm After the Storm

Contrary to the saying that after a storm comes a calm, in Cuba the shockwaves left by hurricanes Gustav and Ike will prevent any peace of mind for people living not only in the most affected areas but in the whole country for a long time to come, as they ask themselves if the worst is really over yet.

CARIBBEAN: The Stormy Face of Climate Change

The devastation wrought by hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike in the Caribbean has fuelled concern about the effects of global warming on the formation and intensity of tropical storms, an issue that has divided the scientific community and is causing alarm among island nations and coastal communities.