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 Monday, October 26, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON HURRICANE MITCH 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH U.S. NEWSPAPER EDITORS 3.- TREASURES SALVAGED FROM SUNKEN SPANISH GALLEON ON EXHIBIT 4.- IBEROAMERICAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL UNDERWAY IN HOLGUIN 5.- 25,000 CUBANS FIND JOBS DURING FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR 6.- ENVIRONMENTAL SYMPOSIUM UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL CUBAN METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON HURRICANE MITCH Havana, October 26(RHC)-- Hurricane Mitch, which is being called the most powerful hurricane in the last four years, is being closely watched by Cuban weather professionals who have placed the island's western provinces on a state of alert. According to the National Meteorological Institute, experts are keeping close tabs on Hurricane Mitch, which as of mid-day Monday, was described as a Category Four Hurricane, on the verge of becoming a Category Five -- the highest on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Cuban experts say the hurricane could hit Cuba's western provinces. According to the Meteorological Institute, by Tuesday or Wednesday it will be able to make a more definitive prediction of Mitch's route and whether it will pass over Cuba. Over the past few days, Cuba has been hit by strong winds, high waves and intermittent heavy rain, causing the partial collapse of some 70 homes and two injuries in the Havana municipalities of Central Havana and Old Havana. According to reports, 13 buildings built nearly 100 years ago were completely destroyed. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH U.S. NEWSPAPER EDITORS Havana, October 26(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met over the weekend in Havana with a 32 member delegation of U.S. newspaper editors. The President of the American Newspaper Editor's Association, Edward Seaton, said the six-hour meeting was "very interesting." Also present at the gathering were Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage, Culture Minister Abel Prieto and the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon. During the meeting, it was pointed out that the U.S. Helms-Burton Law -- which re-enforces Washington's almost 40 year blockade against the island -- prevents the opening of permanent Cuban press agencies in the United States. The U.S. news agency Cable News Network (CNN) opened a permanent bureau in Cuba in March of last year. Other U.S. news agencies are granted temporary visas for their special correspondents on the island. Before the departure of the U.S. newspaper editors on Sunday, the group -- which arrived last Wednesday -- met with Justice Minister Roberto Diaz Sotolongo and Economy Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez. TREASURES SALVAGED FROM SUNKEN SPANISH GALLEON ON EXHIBIT Havana, October 26(RHC)-- Havana's Numismatic Museum has inaugurated an exhibition of coins, silver trays, ceramics and other objects found in the wreckage of a Spanish galleon that sank some 300 years ago. The recovery of the objects was made by the island'S GeoCuba Marine Studies Enterprise, the Geomar Association, the Canadian firm Canpac Divers and Cuba's National Monument Commission. The experts were able to reconstruct the history of the Spanish ship, "Nuestra Se=A4ora de las Mercedes." The vessel sank in March of 1698, just off Guanabo Beach east of Havana. This exhibition is the first of a series which will be mounted in a number of Havana museums. IBEROAMERICAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL UNDERWAY IN HOLGUIN Holguin, October 26(RHC)-- The 6th Iberoamerican Culture Festival is underway until Friday in eastern Holguin province. This year's event is dedicated to Chile and renowned poets like Pablo Neruda, Gabriel Mistral and singer/songwriter Victor Jara. The Festival will also dedicate a special section to the Spanish region of Andalucia and to poet Federico Garcia Lorca and musician Manuel de Falla. Cuba will offer a presentation of works by its national poet Nicolas Guillen and writer Juan Marinello on the 100th anniversary of his birth. 25,000 CUBANS FIND JOBS DURING FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR Havana, October 26(RHC)-- Over 25,000 Cubans found jobs in the first six months of this year, mainly in the sectors of tourism, agriculture, health and mining. According to the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Salvador Valdes, grants of parcels of land to plant tobacco and coffee have also increased, as have job openings in Cuba's local light industry. Cuba's Labor and Social Security Minister was speaking to a meeting of that ministry's directors in the eastern province of Las Tunas. Salvador Valdez confirmed the need to increase activities that require a greater labor force such as the sugar sector and construction. ENVIRONMENTAL SYMPOSIUM UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, October 26(RHC)-- Over a hundred Cuban and foreign experts dedicated to environmental work began a scientific exchange called the 3rd Unieco '98 Symposium. The meeting began on Sunday in Havana. Sponsored by the University of Havana, the Museum of National History, the Institute of Ecology and Systematics and the Cuban Zoological Society, the meeting is aimed at reaffirming the importance of coordination in areas of ecology, eco-tourism and the sustainable use of natural resources. Unieco '98 will include four workshops on the importance of natural swamps, environmental education in Cuba, the study of spiders and the sustainable use of bio-diversity. [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. 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