Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit 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 Wednesday, December 16, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA PLANS TRIP TO NICARAGUA 2.- SOUTH AFRICAN HEALTH AUTHORITIES CALL CUBAN SOLIDARITY AN INSPIRING GESTURE FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN PEOPLE 3.- JAZZ FESTIVAL TO KICK OFF IN HAVANA THURSDAY 4.- U.S. MOVIE DIRECTOR FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA PRAISES CUBA'S CONTRIBUTION IN STRENGTHENING LATIN AMERICAN FILMS 5.- WORLD MEDIATION FORUM'S SECOND CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN HAVANA 6.- CUBA AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SIGN COOPERATION PROGRAM IN VARIOUS SECTORS 7.- CD-ROM ON CUBAN DOMESTIC ANIMALS RELEASED CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA PLANS TRIP TO NICARAGUA Managua, December 16(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina will visit Nicaragua next week at the head of an important delegation. The announcement was made Wednesday in the Nicaraguan capital by Foreign Minister Eduardo Montealegre. During his stay in the Central American country, Robaina will officially sign the cancellation of Nicaragua's debt to Cuba -- amounting to 50 million, 100 thousand dollars. Cuba was one of the first countries to cancel its debt with Nicaragua, following the tremendous devastation wrought by Hurricane Mitch. The Cuban foreign minister is slated to arrive in the Nicaraguan capital on Sunday, the 20th. On Monday, Roberto Robaina will visit with a Cuban medical team that is operating near San Juan de Limay, in the Department of Esteli. There are currently 18 Cuban doctors and medical professionals divided into six brigades working throughout Nicaragua. SOUTH AFRICAN HEALTH AUTHORITIES CALL CUBAN SOLIDARITY AN INSPIRING GESTURE FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN PEOPLE Havana, December 16(RHC)-- Cuban doctors have changed the face of health in South Africa, according to South African health authorities who are visiting Cuba. A South African delegation, headed by Deputy Health Minister Ayanda Ntsaluba and the Health Minister of Kwazulu Natal province, Zweli Mkhize, met with Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres and characterized Cuba's solidarity as "an inspiring gesture for the South African people." The South African health delegation's visit is aimed at increasing cooperation with Cuba which includes the island's research on an AIDS vaccine, and the purchase of laboratory equipment. There are currently 400 Cuban doctors offering their services in 124 health facilities in eight provinces in South Africa. There are 25 Cuban professors teaching at the University of Transkai medical school. And over 300 Cuban doctors, nurses, technicians and other health personnel are offering services in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti. In related news, another Cuban medical brigade has arrived in Haiti and another one is scheduled to leave for Guatemala on Friday. A plan proposed by Cuban President Fidel Castro includes sending no less than 200 doctors to Haiti and 2000 to Central America in an attempt to save thousands of lives each year. Cuba has also offered to extend scholarships to 5500 young people from the region over a period of ten years to study medicine in Cuba. JAZZ FESTIVAL TO KICK OFF IN HAVANA THURSDAY Havana, December 16(RHC)-- Jazz enthusiasts from Cuba and around the world are getting ready to enjoy this century's last edition of Havana's International Jazz Plaza Festival starting Thursday in the Cuban capital. On this occasion, the event will pay homage to U.S. jazz drummer Max Roach who will be escorted by bassist Jack de Jhonette. Other US players that will be at the Havana event include Roy Hardgrove, Steve Turre, David Sanchez and Ramsey Lewis. The opening concert of the event at the National Theater will be the Cuban Mass, a piece dedicated to the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, Cuba's Patron Saint. The mass was written by Jose Maria Vitier and was the recipient of this year's top award by the Cuban recording studios EGREM. The piece will be performed by the Numadil Chamber orchestra, singer song writers Silvio Rodriguez and Amauri Perez, the Exaudi Chamber Choir, among other interpreters. The opening gala will be completed by a concert with U.S. trumpeter Roy Hardgrove and his quartet. According to Festival organizers, for the first time IBErjazz, a contest for Iberoamerican jazz composers will be held, with the participation of 30 authors from the region. Musicians from Germany, Canada, Spain, Italy, Panama, Puerto Rico and Switzerland will also be on hand for the event that will run until December 21st. U.S. MOVIE DIRECTOR FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA PRAISES CUBA'S CONTRIBUTION IN STRENGTHENING LATIN AMERICAN FILMS Havana, December 16(RHC)-- Renowned U.S. movie director, Francis Ford Coppola said in Havana that Latin American film is consolidating and Cuba has had much to do with it . Coppola, perhaps best known for his "Godfather" movies, noted that the International Festival of New Latin American Film that wound up last week in Havana has matured into an excellent festival. The internationally recognized director praised the organization, the quality of the films and the outstanding actors that participated in the recently concluded film festival. WORLD MEDIATION FORUM'S SECOND CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, December 16(RHC)-- Some one hundred lawyers from ten countries are participating in the Second Conference of the World Mediation Forum underway on the island. The objective of the conference is to analyze efficient ways to solve social conflicts. According to Cuba's Lawyers Union, conference participants will examine aspects related to mediation within the legal system to solve, in a neutral and discreet climate, family, business and commercial conflicts which do not constitute crimes. CUBA AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SIGN COOPERATION PROGRAM IN VARIOUS SECTORS Santo Domingo, December 16(RHC)-- Cuba and the Dominican Republic have signed a cooperation program in various sectors. The agreement was signed during the Cuba-Dominican Joint Cooperation Commission taking place in Santo Domingo. The sectors included in the cooperation accord are health, science, technology, the environment, construction, fishing, agriculture, sports, education, culture, tourism and trade. In order to finance cooperation activities, the two countries agreed that in addition to bilateral efforts, joint gestures will be made to third countries and international organizations. The Dominican delegation was presided over by Temistocles Montas and Cuba's delegation was headed by Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Minister Ibrahim Ferradaz. Both sides also agreed to hold the Second Annual Cooperation Meeting in Havana in December 1999. CD-ROM ON CUBAN DOMESTIC ANIMALS RELEASED Havana, December 16(RHC)-- The second edition of Cuba's first CD-ROM on domestic animals has been released. The new updated multimedia CD-ROM was developed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment. Nutrition, habitat, reproduction, history, myths, breeds and curiosities are included in a CD entitled "DOMEST," which also boasts graphics, diagrams, videos and sounds of animals. "DOMEST" features, dogs, pigeons, horses, cats and more exotic creatures like elephants, reindeer and buffalo. The Cuban CD-ROM contains information never before developed on the island. Also in its second edition is the multimedia "NATURA" with more information on the animal kingdom and vegetation including 800 photos, videos, animations, nature sounds and texts. This CD-ROM is not only useful for specialists and scientific institutions but also for those who wish to come closer to understanding the world that surrounds us. [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. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org