Reconocen conducta ejemplar de los Cinco en Portugal y Francia
LISBOA, 31 de octubre.— La Asociación de Amistad Portugal Cuba otorgó oficialmente a los Cinco antiterroristas cubanos, prisioneros en Estados Unidos hace una década, la condición de Sócios Correspondentes, considerando "su conducta heroica en defensa de la paz, el comportamiento ejemplar que han mantenido en la prisión a pesar de las múltiples presiones a que han sido sometidos y aun así el hecho de contribuir a la amistad entre nuestros pueblos".Los Cinco mantienen hace varios años correspondencia con portugueses amigos de Cuba y con la propia dirección de la Asociación de Amistad, organización fundada en 1974. (SE)
CEREMONIA POR LOS CINCO EN PARÍS
PARÍS, 31 de octubre.— Los Cinco luchadores antiterroristas cubanos prisioneros en Estados Unidos fueron hoy recordados en París, en una ceremonia religiosa que reclamó su puesta en libertad, reportó PL.Bajo la conducción del obispo católico Jacques Gaillot, el acto tuvo lugar en la iglesia de la congregación Saint-Esprit, en presencia de los embajadores de Cuba, Rogelio Sánchez Levis; Venezuela, Jesús Arnaldo Pérez; y Honduras, Max Velázquez Díaz.

Carta Abierta al Señor Ronald Godard
http://www.kaosenlared.net/noticia/carta-abierta-senor-ronald-godard,

El bloqueo contra Cuba debe ser terminado de una vez por todas
Intervención de Miguel D’Escoto, presidente de la Asamblea General de la ONU, al concluir la votación sobre el bloqueo
http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2008-11-01/el-bloqueo-contra-cuba-debe-ser-terminado-de-una-vez-por-todas/,

Spanish Newspapers Mirror World Rejection of US Economic Blockade
HAVANA, Cuba, October 31 (acn) Renown columnists of Spanish newspapers underscored on Thursday the overwhelming support by the UN General Assembly of the Cuban resolution demanding the lifting of the US economic, financial and commercial blockade of Cuba. The main pages of Spain’s newspapers and major spaces on radio and TV shows gave wide coverage to the news on the almost unanimous adoption of the Cuban resolution titled ‘Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade Imposed on Cuba by the United States of America’. The Cuban embassy in Madrid issued a press release highlighting the support by Spain of Cuba for the 17th year in a row. The Cuban resolution was adopted with 185 votes in favor, three against and two abstentions. Reporting on the Cuban victory, the website of the Público newspaper underlined that the United Nations demanded that Washington should lift its hostile policy against Cuba.The alternative Rebelión website emphasized that 185 out of all 192 UN member nations backed Cuba’s demand of the end of the US blockade, while the Insurgente website entitled its report on the issue “Resounding rejection of the US blockade against Cuba”.

Crecerá la economía a pesar de los pesares
Anneris Ivette Leyva
El presente año será de crecimiento económico para Cuba a pesar de que el segundo semestre, por el azote de los huracanes, no arroje los resultados del primero, el cual cerró con un 6%. Así lo confirmó José Luis Rodríguez, ministro de Economía y Planificación, durante la última jornada del III Congreso de Economía de la Salud latinoamericano y caribeño. http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/11/01/nacional/artic01.html,

Nueva ayuda de la ONU para afectados por huracanes http://www.ain.cu/2008/octubre/31edayudaonu.htm,

A punto de iniciarse la Feria de La Habana
Lourdes Pérez Navarro
En Expocuba se ultiman los detalles para inaugurar el próximo lunes, a las 11:00 a.m., la XXVI Feria Internacional de La Habana. http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/11/01/nacional/artic07.html,

Reflexiones del compañero Fidel: EL ENCUENTRO CON LULA
http://www.cubadebate.cu/index.php?tpl=design/especiales.tpl.html&newsid_obj_id=13017, http://www.cuba.cu/gobierno/reflexiones/2008/esp/f311008e.html,

MEETING LULA
http://www.cuba.cu/gobierno/reflexiones/2008/ing/f311008i.html,

The Worst Choice, Reflection by Comrade Fidel
Today, I read that the US Federal Reserve had opened a new line of credit for the Central Banks of Mexico, Brazil, South Korea and Singapore.The same report claimed that similar credits have been issued to the Central Banks of Australia, Canada, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the European Central Bank.Based on these agreements, the Central Banks shall receive funds in exchange for hard currency reserves from these countries which have sustained considerable losses due to the trade and financial crisis.This way the economic power of the US currency is asserted, a privilege granted at Bretton Woods.The International Monetary Fund, which is the same people under a different name, has announced the release of high sums of money to its clients in Eastern Europe. Hungary will be receiving the equivalent of $20 billion euros; a large part of these are dollars coming from the United States. The machines keep minting bills and the IMF keeps granting its unfair loans.On the other hand, the World Wild Fund stated in Geneva yesterday that at the present spending rate, by 2030 humanity will need the resources of two planets to keep up its life style.The WWF is a serious institution. There is no need to be a University graduate of Mathematics, Economics or Political Sciences to understand what this means. It’s the worst choice. The developed capitalism hopes to continue plundering the world as if the world could still stand it.
- Fidel Castro Ruz, October 30, 2008

Bush Administration Bogs Down Hurricane Assistance http://thehavananote.com/2008/10/bush_administration_bogs_down.html,

Presidents Raul Castro and Lula da Silva Open Business Office in Havana
(acn) Presidents Raul Castro, of Cuba and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, of Brazil, presided over on Friday theinauguration of a branch office in Havana of the Brazilian Promotion and Investment Agency (APEX). The two leaders also headed the signing ceremony of a contract settingup a international economic association between Brazil’s Petrobras company and Cuba´s Cupet S.A. enterprise in the oil sector. The joint accord establishes oil exploration and production during a 32-year term.Brazil will also donate to Cuba more than 15,000 tons of rice and 200 tons of powdered milk as humanitarian aid to help the areas affected by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, reported the South American country’s Foreign Ministry.

Destacan Lula y Raúl Castro encuentro con Fidel http://www.ain.cu/2008/octubre/31eddestacan.htm,

CUBA-BRASIL: Se estrecha una alianza
http://cubaalamano.net/sitio/client/report.php?id=910,

Estamos orgullosos del intercambio con Brasil
Afirmó Raúl, quien calificó a Lula de “entrañable amigo”. Ambos presidentes asistieron a la firma de un acuerdo en materia petrolera y a la inauguración de una oficina de negocios brasileña en La Habana http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/11/01/interna/artic04.html,

Ampliarán Cuba y Austria cooperación energética http://www.ain.cu/2008/octubre/30ascooperacion.htm,

Latin American leaders urge U.S. to end Cuba embargo http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/10/31/latin.us.cuba.embargo.ap/index.html,

Cumbre Iberoamericana rechaza bloqueo de EE.UU. contra Cuba http://www.trabajadores.cu/news/cumbre-iberoamericana-rechaza-bloqueo-de-ee-uu-contra-cuba,

The common thread that links Cuba, Haiti, Guyana and Bolivia http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-11818--6-6--.html,

Brazil's Petrobras signs Cuba offshore oil pact http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSN3136456020081031,

COLUMNA EDITORIAL
Resistencia contra encono
Habría que revisar a fondo los anales de la historia de la diplomacia moderna y de la propia Organización de Naciones Unidas, pero a priori casi resulta seguro afirmar que en tales registros no abunda el hecho de que un gobierno haya irrespetado la voluntad de la comunidad global por diecisiete años consecutivos. http://www.bohemia.cubasi.cu/2008/10/30/opinion/editorial.html,

A punto de concluir consulta popular sobre Anteproyecto de Ley de Seguridad Social
Han participado más de 3 millones de trabajadores en las 84 233 asambleas efectuadas. Termina el proceso con el respaldo ampliamente mayoritario a la necesidad de adoptar una nueva legislación que modifique aspectos esenciales de la vigente http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/11/01/nacional/artic02.html,

Gains of Cuba’s socialist revolution discussed at UK campus meeting http://www.themilitant.com/2008/7244/724450.html,

RAND Lobbies Pentagon: Start War To Save U.S. Economy http://www.prisonplanet.com/rand-lobbies-pentagon-start-war-to-save-us-economy.html,

Federation of Spanish Societies Grant Cervantes Distinction to Cuban Intellectuals
HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 31 (acn) Cuban intellectuals Alicia Alonso, Miguel Barnet, Eusebio Leal and Marta Egusquiza received on Thursday in Havana the Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra Distinction granted by the Federation of Spanish Societies in Cuba (FSEC).The FSEC recognized prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, founder and director of the Cuban National Ballet, for being an inspiration and guide for several generations of Cuban dancers.Meanwhile, Barnet, President of the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists (UNEAC), received the award for his work as a poet, narrator and ethnologist.For his part, Havana Historian Eusebio Leal won the distinction for his work in the restoration of Old Havana and its patrimonial assets.Finally, Egusquiza, Director of the corps de ballet of the Federation of Societies from Asturias in Cuba, deserved the award for her 47 years of work as a dancer, professor and choreographer.The FSEC includes more than 100 associations from 17 Spanish autonomous regions.