Cuban state media portrays outcome of street protest as victory for Fidel Castro

HAVANA — Cuba’s Communist Party newspaper Granma published a front-page story Wednesday marking the 15th anniversary of street protests that Fidel Castro himself had to quell, an unusual public reference to one of the few serious internal threats to his nearly half-century of rule.

Colombian rocker Juanes, Cuba’s Rodriguez to play September ‘peace’ concert in Cuban capital

HAVANA — Colombian rocker Juanes wants to hold his second “Peace Without Borders” concert in Havana’s storied Revolution Plaza next month with a host of regional stars — and says he has met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in hopes that American musicians can join the extravaganza.

Havana grocery stores closed for inventory, sparking rumors of food shortages, higher prices

HAVANA — Upscale grocery stores that were scheduled to close two days last week for inventory remained shuttered Monday — sparking rumors of food shortages because of the country’s dire economic situation.

Raul Castro announces spending cuts, vows Cuba to be communist after he and Fidel are gone

HAVANA — Raul Castro announced Saturday that Cuba will cut spending on education and health care, potentially weakening the building blocks of its communist system in a bid to revive a foundering economy.

Raul Castro announces spending cuts, but vows Cuba to be communist after he and Fidel are gone

HAVANA — Raul Castro announced Saturday that Cuba will cut spending on education and health care, potentially weakening the building blocks of its communist system in a bid to revive a floundering economy.

Cuba creates new office to fight corruption, keep better eye on government finances

HAVANA — Cuba established a new office of government finances on Saturday to stamp out corruption and keep better tabs on the communist state’s often mysterious spending patterns as the island struggles to keep its economy afloat.

Cuba postpones key Communist Party congress, enters crisis mode as economy worsens

HAVANA — Cuba clicked into crisis mode Friday, postponing a key Communist Party congress aimed at charting a post-Castro future and announcing that its woeful economy is even worse than expected.

Cuba suspends Communist Party Congress; drops economic growth projections for year to 1.7 pct

HAVANA — Cuba on Friday suspended plans for a Communist Party congress and dropped economic growth projections in 2009 nearly a full percentage point to 1.7 percent as the island’s economy struggles through a “very serious” crisis.

Cuba turns off air conditioners, shuts factories, shortens workdays to save money in recession

HAVANA — It’s hard to find a spare tire in Cuba these days, or a cup of yoghurt.

Russia to explore Cuban oil, lends $150 million

HAVANA - Russia has provided a $150-million loan to Cuba and signed pacts with the Caribbean nation for oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, a media report said.

Russia signs Gulf of Mexico oil exploration agreements, offers $150 million in credits to Cuba

HAVANA — Russia and Cuba signed agreements to search for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, and Moscow extended the island $150 million in credit for construction materials and farm machinery, state media said Wednesday.

US urged to lift economic embargo on Cuba

HAVANA - The Venceremos Brigade, the US organisation showing solidarity with the Cuban Revolution, has called on the US government to abolish its 1962 economic blockade on Cuba.

Obama administration shuts down electronic billboard in Havana as war of words eases

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has turned off an electronic sign at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana that had displayed pro-democracy and human rights messages to Cuban passers-by and riled the government for the past three years.

Erosion threatens famous Cuban sea resort

HAVANA - Erosion is threatening the famous beach resort of Varadero in eastern Cuba prompting the government to use some 380,000 cubic metres of sand to counter it, Prensa Latina reported Monday.

Tourist arrivals rise in Cuba

HAVANA - Cuba welcomed 1.37 million tourists in the first half of 2009, a figure that was up 2.7 percent from the same period last year, the National Statistics Office said.

Miami journalist airs anonymous photos of dismissed Cuban officials partying together

HAVANA — A Miami journalist has released photos showing three fired Cuban officials holding up cans of beer and partying at a ranch apparently belonging to the deposed Cuban representative of business interests in Spain’s Basque region.

Fidel Castro blames US Embassy, Bush appointees in Latin America for military coup in Honduras

HAVANA — Fidel Castro blames the coup in Honduras on the U.S. Embassy in that Central American country and other American diplomats in the region appointed during the administration of George W. Bush.

Cuban Catholic Church: 2nd Spanish priest killed in 5 months

HAVANA — A second Spanish priest in five months has been found dead near the capital, Cuba’s Roman Catholic Church said Monday.

Cuba tour looks promising after NY Philharmonic’s weekend visit to Havana

HAVANA — Prospects for Cuban performances by the New York Philharmonic look promising following a tour of concert halls and meetings with music officials on the island, orchestra president Zarin Mehta said Sunday.

Veteran correspondent Paul Haven named to lead Associated Press bureau in Havana

NEW YORK — Paul Haven has been appointed The Associated Press chief of bureau in Havana, Cuba, following three years of leading the cooperative’s news operations in Spain and Portugal as Madrid bureau chief.

Communist Cuba acknowledges top left-handed pitcher’s desertion

HAVANA — Cuba has acknowledged the defection of pitcher Aroldis Chapman, a week after he walked away from a tournament in the Netherlands.

Cuba OKs multiple jobs for workers for 1st time under overhaul of island’s labor system

HAVANA — Cuba is letting workers hold multiple government jobs for the first time under an overhaul of the island’s labor system.

Rare petroglyphs found in Cuban caves

HAVANA - Cuban archaeologists are studying the strange drawings found in caves in eastern Cuba, Prensa Latina reported.

AP Interview: Cuban parliament head says high court decision won’t hurt US-Cuba negotiations

HAVANA — The head of Cuba’s parliament says the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to consider an appeal by five convicted Cuban spies is “a great insult,” but it won’t jeopardize upcoming negotiations with Washington.

Grounded for years, dissident Cuban physician flies to Argentina to visit family members

HAVANA — A once prominent neurosurgeon who became a political pariah after criticizing Cuba’s health system flew to Argentina on Saturday, quickly taking advantage of the communist government’s surprise decision to let her leave the island after years of rejecting her requests.

Cuba drops ban on letting dissident doctor leave country to visit children in Argentina

HAVANA — Cuba has abruptly dropped its refusal to let a prominent physician who defied Fidel Castro by criticizing the communist-run island’s health care system leave the country, allowing her to visit family in Argentina after years of denials.

Cuba applauds OAS lifting of its membership ban, but formally says it won’t rejoin the group

HAVANA — Cuba is formally rejecting an offer to rejoin the Organization of American States, echoing the sentiments of Fidel Castro who has long maintained his island has no use for the group.

Fidel Castro questions timing of arrests of elderly couple for spying, calls case ‘ridiculous’

HAVANA — Fidel Castro called the case of two Americans accused of spying for Cuba “strange” Saturday and questioned whether the timing of their arrests was politically motivated.

Support for Cuban agreement at OAS wins Obama diplomatic clout at little cost, experts say

WASHINGTON — U.S. support for ending Cuba’s nearly 50-year-old suspension from the Organization of American States has given the Obama administration greater clout in the region at little cost, according to diplomats and experts.

Cuba hails end to suspension by Organisation of American States

HAVANA - The Cuban government has hailed the decision by the Organisation of American States (OAS) to “unconditionally” reverse its 47-year-old suspension of the communist-ruled island.