CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Tuesday, August 18, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- NEW YORK TIMES ACCUSES CUBAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION OF ONCE AGAIN DISTORTING THE TRUTH 2.- CUBA'S DAILY GRANMA PUBLISHES EDITORIAL ON THE DROUGHT SITUATION 3.- PARTICIPANTS AT CUBA-CANADA SOLIDARITY EVENT EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN REVOLUTION 4.- AFRO-CUBAN INTERNATIONAL EVENT UNDERWAY AT HAVANA'S CASA DE LAS AMERICAS CULTURAL INSTITUTION 5.- CUBA'S LABOR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTRY SPONSORS PROGRAM TO AID SINGLE MOTHERS 6.- PRESERVATION OF SABANA-CAMAGUEY ECO-SYSTEM 7.- AND FROM THE SPORTS DESK... AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN GAMES NEW YORK TIMES ACCUSES CUBAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION OF ONCE AGAIN DISTORTING THE TRUTH New York, August 18(RHC)-- The New York Times has accused the Miami-based ultra right-wing Cuban-American National Foundation of once again distorting the truth. In a note from the editors in the news daily's Sunday edition, the New York Times rectified one phrase in a July 12th article on the terrorist activities of Cuban-American Luis Posada Carriles and his ties to the Cuban-American National Foundation. The July article quoted Posada Carriles as saying that he had received money from the CANF's founder, the late Jorge Mas Canosa, to finance terrorist activities against Cuba. But on Sunday, the newspaper said that due to carelessness in the editing process, it was reported that Posada Carriles had said that Foundation leaders supported a series of terrorist bombs placed last year in tourist installations in Havana. The New York Times said that expression did not mean that the terrorist stated that Foundation leaders specifically financed those bomb explosions. The news daily said that, nevertheless -- as is indicated in another part of the article -- Posada Carriles said Mas Canosa and other Foundation leaders did not funnel money to him for any specific operations, and also requested to NOT be informed about how the money was used. The Sunday note from the editors led the Cuban-American National Foundation to hold a news conference during which the organization claimed that the rectification was equivalent to a total retraction on the part of the New York Times. But on Monday, the news daily stuck to its original version, stating that the news conference demonstrates that the Foundation distorts the truth. The New York Times said the original article correctly quotes the words of Posada Carriles, and that some of his statements have been confirmed by other interviews and by previously- secret U.S. government documents recently declassified. The Cuban-American National Foundation has demanded a total retraction and threatened to file suit against the newspaper, but to date has taken no legal action. CUBA'S DAILY GRANMA PUBLISHES EDITORIAL ON THE DROUGHT SITUATION Havana, August 18(RHC)-- The Cuban daily Granma published an editorial on Tuesday, explaining the main problems caused by the drought that has been affecting parts of the country and the efforts to alleviate damages to agriculture. The editorial points out that throughout the history of the Cuban Revolution, no one affected by natural disasters has been neglected. The Granma editorial adds that the Cuban government has earmarked over 50 million dollars of its scarce reserves to areas affected by the severe drought. Tuesday's edition of Granma stresses that the people have received detailed information about the drought situation which has mainly affected the eastern part of the island. Cuban authorities have made resources and reserves available to confront the situation. Today's editorial emphasizes that situations like the one currently being faced on the island are not given the same attention by other countries around the world. PARTICIPANTS AT CUBA-CANADA SOLIDARITY EVENT EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN REVOLUTION Havana, August 18(RHC)-- Over one hundred Canadians have expressed their support for the Cuban Revolution during the First Cuba-Canada Friendship and Solidarity encounter here in Havana. Many of the participants at the event stressed the importance of working together to reenforce the historic relations between Cuba and Canada based on mutual respect, equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of each nation. Lee Lorch, a delegate to the solidarity meeting, pointed out the need to demand U.S. respect for the self-determination of the Cuban people, characterizing the Helms-Burton Law as an attack on the sovereignty of other countries, including Canada. He added that the main objectives of the Canadian solidarity movement are to defend the Cuban Revolution and strengthen political and material solidarity in favor of the Cuban people. Jose Estevez, an official of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), pointed out that the U.S. blockade against Cuba is still in place despite United Nations resolutions, the condemnation of regional parliaments and countless numbers of governments, international organizations and renowned personalities. During the first day of sessions, conference participants met with Osvaldo Martinez, the President of the Cuban Parliament's Economic Commission. He gave a detailed explanation of the current economic situation on the island. AFRO-CUBAN INTERNATIONAL EVENT UNDERWAY AT HAVANA'S CASA DE LAS AMERICAS CULTURAL INSTITUTION Havana, August 18(RHC)-- Cuba's prestigious cultural institution Casa de las Americas is the host of a meeting on the beliefs of Afro-Cuban religions. The event, which will run until the 28th of this month, has the participation of experts from a number of countries which will analyze the history of Afro-Cuban religions. Experts from the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Surinam, France, Colombia and Cuba will discuss Afro-Cuban cults and their influences on other nations. The meetings will include videos, an Afro-Cuban musical concert and a meeting with members of Cuba's secret religious society of the Yoruba tradition, the Abakua. CUBA'S LABOR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTRY SPONSORS PROGRAM TO AID SINGLE MOTHERS Havana, August 18(RHC)-- Cuba's Labor and Social Security Ministry is sponsoring a program to assist single mothers. The principal aim of the program is to help mothers find employment and make sure that fathers legally recognize their children and pay child support in compliance with the law. The program also includes work with the family, helping children to develop normally. Specialist Barbara Sanfield Escalona explained that single mothers are directed towards the program by the Federation of Cuban Women and the Family Doctors Program. PRESERVATION OF SABANA-CAMAGUEY ECO-SYSTEM Havana, August 18(RHC)-- Specialists from the Cuban Oceanography Institute have emphasized the need to continue preserving the Sabana-Camaguey ecosystem, a project that receives financial support from the World Fund for the Environment. Experts pointed to the proliferation of algae in some of the archipelago's reefs, thus harming the corals due to the disappearance of black sea urchins. The sea urchins, which serve to control the algae, have been absent from the coast since 1983. AND FROM THE SPORTS DESK... AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN GAMES Maracaibo, August 18(RHC)-- Costa Rica grabbed its second gold medal last night in the sport of bowling. Colombia came in second and the bronze went to the host nation. Costa Rica won its first gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean games Friday, when swimmer Melisa Mato finished first in women's 200 meter butterfly, defeating Carolyn Adel from Surinam. Moving to track and field, Mexican Maria Mendoza won the gold on Monday in women's 10 kilometer walk -- doing it in 46 minutes and 30.16 seconds, establishing a new regional record. The previous mark was in the hands of her compatriot Maria Colil, with less than one minute's difference. The world supremacy stands at 41.04. Silver was also for Mexico, while Cuba's Osleidis Cruz took bronze. Mexico put an end to Cuba's winning streak in track and field Monday night. Besides the title in women's 10 kilometer walk, Pablo Olmedo triumphed in men's 5 kilometer walk and Alejandra Meza in women's pole vault. The two nations won three titles yesterday. The island took the top honors in men's long jump with Ivan Pedroso's record; Sonia Bisset in women's javelin and Alberto Sanchez in men's hammer. His throw constituted a new regional mark, improving his own previous supremacy, this time with 74.25 meters, followed by another Cuban, Ihosvani Suarez, with 69.35 meters. Now that track and field takes a rest, Cuba is leading this sport with a total of 9-7-8 for a total of 24 medals, followed by Mexico with 5-4-5 for 14 and Jamaica is third with 4-4-2 -- a total of eight. Tomorrow's confrontation between Cuba's Ana Fidelia Quirot and Letitia Vriede of Surinam in women's 800 meter race promises to be memorable. Friends outside and rivals on the tracks, this competition will be the repetition of the 1993 edition of the games, where Letitia took gold and Ana Fidelia won silver. That medal was a milestone in Ana Fidelia's career. Only eleven months before the '93 games, she suffered a domestic accident resulting in severe burns. She returned to the track after undergoing a series of cosmetic surgeries to restore her upper body's free movement. Letitia Vriesde, fourth at the Athens World Championships and 1993 Central American and Caribbean winner, won her eliminatory heat with a time of 2 minutes and 8.02 seconds. The Cuban runner also was first in her heat with 2 minutes and 06.69 seconds. Quirot -- world and Olympic champ -- says she is ready to win back the regional title in Maracaibo. That would be her 10th in Central American and Caribbean games. Mexico's performance at the games so far has been good enough to oust Venezuela from second place. Mexico now holds 44 gold, 68 bronze and 59 silver medals. Those results were before today's competitions. The medal standings as of Tuesday morning were: G B S TOTAL Cuba 125 57 49 231 Mexico 44 68 59 171 Venezuela 42 45 35 122 Colombia 16 32 30 78 Puerto Rico 6 11 33 50 Surinam 6 1 0 7 Dominican Rep. 5 10 28 43 El Salvador 4 10 15 29 Guatemala 3 10 19 32 Panama 3 5 3 11 Jamaica 2 6 4 12 Bahamas 2 2 1 5 Costa Rica 2 1 2 5 Barbados 2 0 1 3 Trinidad y Tob. 1 6 3 10 Virgin Is. (U.S.) 1 0 0 1 Dutch Antilles 0 1 3 4 Nicaragua 0 0 4 4 Aruba 0 0 1 1 Haiti 0 0 1 1 Honduras 0 0 1 1 Totals: 264 265 292 821 [c] 1998, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. 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