Cuba Journal 
Recently, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) removed Cuba from its exclusion list. Now, US-based telecom operators can provide Internet and telephone services to Cuba without separate approval from the FCC and can export telecom equipment and products to Cuba. US State Department officials said that while the US is making efforts to conclude telecommunications agreements … Read more
A soon-to-launch film project in Cuba will be making history. No, it’s not a US movie produdction — although recent loosening of restrictions are making US filmmaking in Cuba far easier. In fact, it’s from one of Cuba’s oldest friends. Lovers in Havana will be the title of the first-ever Chinese film to be filmed in Cuba, … Read more
Despite Tuesday’s announcements from Washington of loosening air travel and export financing restriction related to Cuba, several round of meeting in Havana last week produced little movement forward when it came to establishing agreements about internet connectivity and telecommunications on the island. U.S. State Department officials said that while the U.S. is making efforts to push progress … Read more
Washington announced today further loosening of air travel and export financing restrictions related to Cuba. The amendments, “will remove restrictions on payment and financing terms for authorized exports and re-exports to Cuba of items other than agricultural items or commodities,” according to a statement from the Treasury and Commerce Departments. “Today’s amendments to the Cuban … Read more
Elevated seismic activity is continuing in Cuba, with earthquakes of over 4.0 magnitude on consecutive days this week, according to the United States Geological Survey. There were two quakes on Monday, with one at 4.8 on the Richter scale; that quake, whose epicenter was south of Santiago de Cuba, caused weak shaking in the Guantanamo … Read more
Today, Engage Cuba announced the creation of the Engage Cuba Policy Council, a group comprised of renowned Cuba policy experts who will provide their expertise to inform the organization’s work. Amid the complex dynamics of U.S.-Cuba politics, the Engage Cuba Policy Council will be uniquely situated to draw from their combined experiences in academia, policy … Read more
On Tuesday night, ComCast SportsNet Original Production will air a new documentary profiling Cuban-born and Major League Baseball player Jose Abreu’s return to Cuba as a part of MLB’s first goodwill trip to the island since 1999. “Going Home: Jose Abreu” is a 30-minute documentary that records the Chicago White Sox first baseman’s trip back to Cuba since … Read more
Cuba’s economic growth quickened significantly in 2015, according to the latest estimates from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. The island’s gross domestic product grew by 4 percent in 2015, after expanding by just 1.3 percent in 2014, according to the ECLAC data. That also represented Cuba’s highest year-over-year GDP … Read more
Cuba’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment reports that it made intense efforts throughout 2015 to preserve Varadero’s beaches through the replacement of invasive plants with native species, which aid in the prevention of dune erosion. The work to restore vegetation to the coastal area is reportedly the most comprehensive undertaken in recent years in … Read more
Spanish air carrier Iberia is launching daily service to Havana, Cuba, the carrier announced. The new flights will launch on June 2, according to a media release on Facebook. Iberia will be operating the service on its new Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The addition of daily service represents a 30 percent increase in flights to Cuba, … Read more
