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EU Condemns Human Rights Record in Cuba
STRASBOURG, France, 4 (AP) - The European Parliament
on Thursday condemned human rights violations
in Cuba and urged President Fidel Castro to release
political prisoners.
European Union legislators passed a joint resolution
criticizing "the continuing flagrant violation
of the civil and political human rights and the
fundamental freedoms of members of the Cuban opposition
and of independent journalists."
On Wednesday, Italian Foreign Minister Franco
Frattini, whose country holds the EU presidency,
told the legislature that the human rights situation
continues to deteriorate on the Caribbean island.
In July, Castro said his country would no longer
accept aid from the EU, accusing it of backing
the anti-Castro policy of the United States.
EU members have already agreed to reduce high-level
governmental visits and participation in cultural
events on the island.
Since 1993, the EU has provided over $156 million
in aid to Cuba.
Air Canada to Expand Flights to Cuba
AP, Wed Sep 3, 6:54 PM ET
MONTREAL - Air Canada said Wednesday it would
expand service to Cuba, with a total of 25 scheduled
flights per week from across the country to various
destinations on the Caribbean island.
The new routes, including nonstop flights from
Toronto to Havana three times a week, will begin
this winter, said Montreal-based Air Canada, which
is completing a bankruptcy restructuring.
Overall, Air Canada will offer 25 scheduled flights
and two charter flights weekly from seven Canadian
cities to five Cuba destinations.
"This is a major expansion of services to
Cuba that positions Air Canada as the international
airline of choice serving the Caribbean's largest
island nation," said Bill Bredt, Air Canada's
vice president of network and revenue management.
Unlike the United States, Canada has diplomatic
relations with Cuba and Canadians regularly spend
winter holidays on the Caribbean island's beaches.
Air Canada's nonstop flights to Cuba will originate
from Calgary, Alberta; Toronto; London, Ontario;
Ottawa; Montreal; Moncton, New Brunswick; and
Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The nation's dominant airline, Air Canada has
been operating under bankruptcy-court protection
since April 1.
Salsa Queen Celia Cruz remembered at Latin
Grammy Awards bash in Miami
MIAMI, 4 (AFP) - Some of Latin America's top
stars paid a glowing musical tribute to the late
salsa queen Celia Cruz at the Latin Grammies in
Miami, where Colombian crooner Juanes scored five
awards.
Willie Colon, Oscar D'Leon and Marc Anthony were
among the "salseros" who performed some
of the songs that earned the Cuban-born Cruz a
reputation as the Latin diva, kicking off with
one of her signature tunes, "La vida es un
carnaval" -- life is a carnaval.
Cruz, who died in July, had long become emblematic
for Cuban-Americans who oppose Cuba's communist
President Fidel Castro.
None of the Cuba-based artists among the more
than 200 Latin Grammy nominees showed up for the
event, as they failed to get visas to travel to
Miami.
The US State Department said they applied too
late, but Havana denounced the Washington and
what it termed "the Miami mafia" --
anti-Castro Cuban exiles who advocate a cultural
boycott of the Caribbean island.
Near the arena where the event was staged, a
few dozen people took part in rival demonstrations
supporting or denouncing the absence of Cuban
performers.
Latin heartthrob Juanes dominated the night taking
all the five awards for which he had been nominated.
David Bisbal, who recently won a Spanish talent
contest, won in the Best New Artist Category.
Master of ceremonies was acclaimed Latin comedian
George Lopez, with backup from the likes of Cuban-born
actress Daisy Fuentes.
Organizers heaved a sigh of relief as the nationally
televised celebration went off without a glitch
after disagreements over planned protests by Cuban
exiles lost Miami the chance of hosting the music
fest in previous years.
4 Linked to Castro Death Plot in Court
Thu Sep 4. By Kathia Martinez,
Associated Press Writer.
PANAMA CITY - Four Cuban exiles accused of trying
to assassinate Fidel Castro appeared in a Panamanian
court Wednesday for the first day of a three-day
preliminary hearing.
Luis Posada Carriles, Gaspar Jimenez, Guillermo
Novo and Pedro Remon were arrested after the Cuban
president denounced a plot to kill him during
an Ibero-American summit that was held in Panama's
capital in November 2000.
Local courts ruled there wasn't enough evidence
to try the four Cuban exiles for attempted murder,
but Panamanian authorities said the men had gathered
explosives in the country.
Wednesday's proceedings began amid a small but
spirited protest that saw students, workers and
Indian leaders march around the courthouse carrying
pro-Castro signs and shouting slogans condemning
the defendants.
Later, a group of the Cuban exiles' friends and
family members arrived, forcing police to separate
the two groups of demonstrators.
The defendants have denied any involvement in
a plot to kill Castro and claimed they came to
Panama from Costa Rica because they had been told
that a senior security aide to the Cuban president,
Gen. Eduardo Delgado, planned to defect in this
country.
The reading of evidence and other documents surrounding
the case is expected to take until Friday, after
which the judge will have up to 30 days to decide
whether the defendants should stand trial.
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