Radio Havana Cuba-05 November 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 05 November 2001 . *CUBA CLEANS UP AFTER HURRICANE MICHELLE *FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH CHINESE PARLIAMENT LEADER LI PENG *PAKISTAN: MEDIA ANGRY AT US REFUSAL TO STOP BOMBINGS DURING RAMADAN *ARGENTINA DENOUNCES SPECULATION ATTACK AGAINST ITS ECONOMY . *CUBA CLEANS UP AFTER HURRICANE MICHELLE Havana, November 5 (RHC)-- The biggest news here in Cuba is the aftermath of Hurricane Michelle, which tore through the island's mid-section Sunday afternoon and evening. With winds of up to 210 kilometers per hour, one of the most dangerous storms to threaten the island in many years cut through Matanzas province -- located to the east of the Cuban capital of Havana. As Hurricane Michelle came ashore in southern Matanzas near Playa Giron -- also known as the Bay of Pigs -- Cuban President Fidel Castro personally toured the area and talked with Civil Defense authorities. The Cuban leader wanted to know about the damages caused by the storm's heavy rains and intense winds. And he praised the efforts of area residents and local authorities for their discipline and organization in carrying out evacuations from low-lying areas. Across the island -- particularly in the provinces most affected by the storm: Matanzas, Cienfuegos and Villa Clara -- more than 600,000 people were evacuated and moved to higher ground. Here in Havana, residents of older, precarious buildings were moved to more secure structures. For several days before the hurricane hit, entire communities were mobilized and local Committees for the Defense of the Revolution were busily tying down anything that could be affected by the storm's accompanying high winds. Hurricane alerts were issued from western Pinar del Rio all the way to the province of Ciego de Avila in the central part of the island. Meteorologists stressed that the powerful storm -- which attained a Category 4 of a possible 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale -- was the strongest hurricane to hit Cuba in more than 50 years. Since early Saturday, one of the island's two television stations -- TeleRebelde -- began transmitting live reports, 24-hours-a-day, with news and information on the approaching hurricane. By Sunday afternoon, as Hurricane Michelle was bearing down on the island, the other TV channel -- Cubavision -- joined in simultaneous transmissions. Radio stations also provided 'round-the-clock, up-to-the-minute reports, with constant reminders of safety precautions... warning residents to take special care if they had to go into the streets. For the most part, people were riding out the storm in their homes or, in the case of those evacuated, at special centers where they were provided with food and basic necessities. Everyone was glued to their TVs or listening to the radio to hear the latest news on Hurricane Michelle. As Monday morning broke, residents -- many still without electrical power -- ventured out to examine the damage. Downed power lines and trees littered the streets, but there appeared to be no major damage in the capital. Most of the damage attributed to the high winds was in the agricultural sector in the provinces of Matanzas, Cienfuegos and Villa Clara. *FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH CHINESE PARLIAMENT LEADER LI PENG Havana, November 5 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met on Sunday with the Head of the Permanent Committee of the Chinese National Assembly, Li Peng. Fidel Castro talked with the Chinese parliamentary leader shortly before leaving for Matanzas to examine the damage caused by Hurricane Michelle. Li Peng arrived in Havana over the weekend and met with his Cuban counterpart, Ricardo Alarcon. The two legislative leaders discussed current relations between the parliamentary bodies and signed several important accords to broaden and strengthen bilateral relations. *PAKISTAN: MEDIA ANGRY AT US REFUSAL TO STOP BOMBINGS DURING RAMADAN Islamabad, November 5 (RHC)-- Media outlets in Pakistan are expressing indignation over the Pentagon's refusal to stop bombing Afghanistan during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. Regime leader Pervez Musharraf did not appear before the press Sunday evening with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, despite having held joint news conferences with all the foreign leaders he has received in recent weeks. Rumsfeld also further fueled growing anger in Pakistan over the air raids by stating that the bombardment has been "the most careful in history" and claiming that the Taliban regime is "lying about civilian victims". Pakistani newspapers daily publish photos of the civilian victims who arrive in Pakistan as refugees, with the latest published Monday by the "The News" daily of a 12-year-old child with an amputated leg. The news daily "Pakistan Observer" wrote Monday that the United States has no interest whatsoever in judicious advice. *ARGENTINA DENOUNCES SPECULATION ATTACK AGAINST ITS ECONOMY Buenos Aires, November 5 (RHC)-- Argentina has denounced a speculation attack against its economy as the country's investment risk factor broke another record. Argentina is now considered the so-called emerging economy with the highest risk in the world, above Nigeria, Ecuador and Turkey. Finance leaders are asserting that as a result of President Fernando de la Rua's announcement late last week of plans to renegotiate Argentina's 132 billion dollar foreign debt without having reached an agreement with creditors, the economy will continue to feel shock waves. The announcement was also made without an agreement between the executive and provincial governors on the zero government spending plan presented to and accepted by the International Monetary Fund. De la Rua began another round of talks on Monday with provincial governors worried about being left with empty coffers. The leader of Argentina's Industrial Union said the president's intention to combine a renegotiation of the debt with tax cuts to stimulate consumption brings down the fever but doesn't cure the disease. Argentina hasn't registered any economic growth in three and a half years, leaving the country practically incapable of paying its foreign debt. Meanwhile, as Argentina's economy receives no respite, a new study released Monday revealed that the income difference between the country's richest and poorest sectors doubled during the past 27 years. A study by the local private consulting firm Equis, based on data from Argentina's National Statistics and Census Institute and the United Nations, found that this South American nation is among the top 15 nations in the world with the worst distribution of wealth. The study revealed that while the richest 20 percent of the population earned 7.8 times more than the poorest 20 percent in 1974, today it earns 14.6 times more. It found that Argentina's unequal distribution of income is worse than during the hyper-inflationary periods of 1989 and 1990, and also worse than the repercussions from Mexico's 1994 financial crash, known as the "tequila effect". According to the study, of Argentina's 37 million people, nearly five and a half million live on less than 96 dollars a month. (c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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