Al
Cuban radar
Matanzas: Plant-blight
elimination center has Chinese technology
(Radio Progreso
Alternativa - RPA - and local media) -- A center for the elimination of
biological blight was inaugurated at the Center for Crop Health of the city of
Matanzas, the result of Chinese-Cuban cooperation.
Costing about 6 million pesos,
most of it in convertible currency, the plant, which uses Chinese technology, is
designed to deal with the plagues that affect agricultural crops.
"These are very fruitful moments for the relation between the Chinese People's
Republic and Cuba," said Blas Berrier, secretary general of the Farm Workers
Union, as he inaugurated the center.
Yangshi Di, economic adviser
to the Chinese Embassy in Cuba, said the work reveals the level of relations
between his country and Cuba and lays down the basis to grow in areas such as
petroleum, nickel, communications, electricity and other sectors.
Cuba and China have increased their economic relations, especially in the sector
of nickel. Both countries are exploring areas of mutual benefit, such as the
textile sector.
Holguín: New surgical technique is utilized
(RPA and local media) -- Lediane Tamayo, a 10-year-old girl in Niquero, Granma
province, suffered from portal hypertension, a condition that interrupts the
flow of blood through the portal vein and can cause death.
Lediane was operated at
Octavio de la Concepción Hospital in Holguín with a new technique (used in Cuba
for the first time) that consists in snipping a segment of the jugular vein and
using it as a shunt over the occluded area of the portal vein. Through this
shunt, or bridge, blood flows normally.
The technique -- known as the
Porto-portal detour of Rex -- is now being used successfully on children. But,
according to surgeons interviewed by the newspaper Ahora, "it is limited because
it cannot be applied to all patients because of the thinness of the blood
vessels of some [children]. That was the reason it was not used in previous
cases, where other procedures were used instead."
The case of Lediane, as well as the cases of other children who live in the
provinces, was handled successfully because the Cuban health system does not
limit its scientific and technical advances to the capital, Havana, but
distributes them to the network of hospitals and clinics in the provinces.
Havana: Cuba plans to build three
decontaminant factories
(RPA and local media) -- Cuban
authorities plan to build three factories for the manufacture of a natural
decontaminant of ecosystems. The country has a collection of 400 live marine
bacteria that have biotechnical use.
Dr. Núñez Moreira, director of the Center for Marine Bioproducts (Cebimar), told
Granma International that the collection of bacteria "allowed us to initiate the
research for the production ... of certain products, some patented and others
being researched, because these unicellular microbes intervene in the
manufacture of antibiotic compounds that attack organisms ... that have become
resistant to medication."
Cebimar has patented Bioil-FC, a product that degrades crude oil that
contaminates the seas after an oil spill. Bioil-FC was used in Spain after the
disaster caused by the supertanker Prestige. It has also been used in Cuba, in
the bays of Cienfuegos and Matanzas and areas of Varadero.
The types of research conducted by Cebimar are varied and for different
applications. Cebimar scientists and technicians, as well as specialists from
the National Institute of Oncology, are working together to obtain antitumorals
from seaweed.
When it comes to international collaboration, Cebimar's specialists advise their
Colombian colleagues in the production of their own collection of decontaminant
bacteria.
Santiago de Cuba: "Move like a Cuban, step like a Chinese"
In summer of 1998, about one million Cubans wore sandals made mostly of Chinese
products. One year earlier, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, a sandal factory
had begun to make canvas shoes where 45 percent of the components came from
China and the rest from Cuban producers.
This factory and another one just like it are the result of the collaboration
between Cuba and China, made possible through an International Economic
Association. By the year 2007, production is expected to reach 4 million pairs
of beach footwear; that's almost all of the Cuban market.
The production of sports footwear began last year and manufacturers hope to
produce half a million pair of shoes. That's why some people say: "Move like a
Cuban, step like a Chinese."
Central region: Storm rains trigger a state of alert
(RPA) -- Civil Defense
headquarters announced that 14,700 people were evacuated from Cuba's central
provinces last week. The evacuation was ordered because of a state of alert
declared as torrential rains fell over the region.
The affected provinces were
Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus, where 50 shelters and 49 food-preparation
centers were opened. The contingency team was formed of about 11,500 people, 245
transport vehicles, 7 engineering machines and 95 communication teams.
The authorities said that
relief ducts in 13 of the water reservoirs in the central region were opened as
a safety measure. Most of the safety measures were taken in towns and
communities near the reservoirs and close to hillsides that might collapse into
mudslides.
No human losses and no
significant damage to homes and the economy were reported.
Havana: Chinese-Cuban enterprise begins production of monoclonal
antibodies
(RPA) -- A plant that will
produce human monoclonal antibodies created by Cuban scientists was inaugurated
in Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China.
The installation will produce
the hR-3 antibody developed to treat cancer of the head and neck. This antibody
was obtained by scientists working at the Center for Molecular Immunology in the
so-called Scientific Pole, west of the Cuban capital.
The antibody's production and commercialization are the
responsibility of the Chinese-Cuban firm Biotechnical Pharmaceutical.
Habana: Dissident group denounces harassment
(RPA) – Manuel Cuesta Morua, leader of the Arco Progresista
group, denounced an act of repudiation conducted on October 10 at 8 in the
morning and realized in the Nuevo Vedado neighborhood headquarter of the
magazine Consenso, a magazine that responds to the group.
The Consenso headquarter is home to Eugenio Leal and Marta Cortizas who are
members of the staff of that publication
According to
Cuesta Morua, “No less than 300 persons… were concentrated in the park at the
front of the building and started shouting offensive language and lies in
reference to the digital magazine.” He also reaffirmed plans to continue with
his projects and the decision to “arrive at the place with a clear call of No
to Violence, to mount a civil guard defending our right to free reunions and
associations.”
Arco Progresista
is an umbrella that brings together a good part of the Social Democrat sector of
the opposition to the Havana government.
Cuba: Cuban
medical brigades to Central America
(RPA and Agencies) – Two Cuban medical brigades, of 100 specialist each, arrived
in Guatemala to work in disaster zones in the path of the storm Stan.
The first of the brigades is already working in the states of San Marcos and
Solola where the greatest damage were caused by the storm, Yoandra Muro informed
AFP, head of the Cuban mission in Guatemala. To this point Stan has cost 519
deaths and innumerable damage in this country.
According to Island authorities, another 200 doctors are ready to leave if they
are required.
The republic of
El Salvador, also affected by the same hemispheric phenomena, in response to the
Cuban offer, responded that they can deal with the issue with their own means
and resources.
As for the
Mexican government, it accepted 24 tons of medicine as help; as for accepting
Cuban specialists, the answer will depend on the result of the analysis of the
situation in the zones damaged by Stan. To date there are a million persons
affected in Mexico.
Produced by the Havana
bureau of Progreso Weekly.
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