Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'cuba'

Economic Pressures Test Cubans' Pride, Patience

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST

This week marks the 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro's ascent to power in Cuba. Now, the country faces tough economic times. Many are frustrated by the communist system, but others still feel a sense of pride in and loyalty to the "revolution."

Obama Faces Conundrum In Closing Guantanamo

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:23:00 EST

During his campaign for the White House, President-elect Obama was unequivocal about closing the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But the issue of what to do with the prisoners still there presents numerous difficult questions for Obama's team to answer.

Cuba Marks 50 Years Since 'Triumphant Revolution'

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST

Fifty years ago Thursday, the dictator Batista fled Cuba, clearing the way for Fidel Castro and his guerilla movement to assume power. NPR's Jason Beaubien is in Santiago for the anniversary of the "Triumphant Revolution" and talks with Guy Raz about Cubans' perceptions of their country and their role in the 21st century.

Looking Back On Life In Revolutionary Cuba

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 14:43:00 EST

Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power. Luis Rumbaut recalls his experience as a 9-year-old boy when Castro's army took control of Cuba. And a former journalist talks about reporting from Havana during the revolution.

Recalling Castro's Ascension — And CIA Reaction

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:03:00 EST

Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba 50 years ago today, as dictator Fulgencio Batista fled the island and people poured into the streets to celebrate. U.S. reaction to Castro was mixed, but Castro had supporters inside the U.S. government. Many were in the CIA — the agency that would soon try to overthrow him.

Castro's Government Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

On New Year's Day, Cuba celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the "Triumphant Revolution" which brought Fidel Castro and his guerrilla movement to power. The celebration comes as Cuba faces its worst economic problems since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

50 Years Of Castro

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Led by a young Fidel Castro, the revolution wrenched power from the American-backed Batista regime. Today, Cuba remains the only communist nation in the Western hemisphere, making Castro one of the most polarizing figures of modern times. NPR's Tom Gjelten, who spent decades reporting on Cuba, takes a look back.

Five In Guantanamo Offer 9/11 Guilty Pleas

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:25:00 EST

Five of the most prominent detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, say they want to plead guilty to plotting the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Carol Rosenberg, a reporter for the Miami Herald, who is covering the hearings, offers her insight into the case.

Hearing Begins Monday For Sept. 11 Suspects

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

In Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a hearing gets underway for five suspects in the 9/11 attacks. This is the first time families of some of the victims will be there watching. The hearing also marks something of a last stand for the Bush administration and its efforts to try terror suspects before military commissions. Renee Montagne talks with Carol Rosenberg of The Miami Herald, who's covered Guantanamo since the first detainees arrived in 2002.

After The Hurricanes: Damage Check

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:30:00 EST

Sunday, Nov. 30, is officially the last day of the 2008 hurricane season. It was a busy year in the U.S. with hurricanes striking Texas and Louisiana. But it was much worse in Cuba.

Russia Flexes Muscles In Cuba, Venezuela

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev is reviving Cold War memories, visiting Cuba and Venezuela just as the Russian Navy was conducting joint exercises with the Venezuelan military. U.S. officials are dismissing the importance of the Russian overtures to U.S. adversaries.

Osama Bin Laden's Ex-Driver To Return To Yemen

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

The Bush administration is expected to send Osama bin Laden's driver home to Yemen. In August, Salim Hamdan was convicted of helping al-Qaida. He will complete his sentence next month with credit for time served. Hamdan is held at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and there was speculation that the U.S. would try to keep him there indefinitely.

Judge Orders 5 At Guantanamo Released

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

A federal judge in Washington has ordered the Bush administration to release five detainees from the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The men have been held there for seven years on evidence the judge finds insufficient. The ruling is the first by a trial judge since the Supreme Court declared in June that the Guantanamo prisoners have the right to challenge their detentions in U.S. courts.

Bebo Valdes Brings Havana To Village Vanguard

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:47:00 EST

Bebo Valdes left Havana 50 years ago, but at the piano, he's still there. He's not reviving anything, he just kept on doing it the old way, long after music in Cuba had moved on. On Live at the Village Vanguard, Valdes shares billing with frequent duo partner, bassist Javier Colina.

U.S. Drops Terror Charges Against Five Detainees

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The U.S. military said Tuesday it is dropping charges against five Guantanamo Bay detainees. Also, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the detainee camp in Cuba will not be closed before President Bush leaves office.

Cuban Musicians Choose To Stay And Play

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:31:00 EDT

In years past, famous musicians such as Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval defected from Cuba, citing political persecution. These days, some musicians still leave the island to live abroad. But because the Cuban government now allows more musicians to travel freely, many have chosen to stay.

Cuba Reeling From Recent Storms

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Almost all of Cuba has been affected by recent storms. More than 350,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and five people died in Hurricane Ike. Ray Sanchez, a South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter based in Cuba, talks with Steve Inskeep about the storm destruction.

Deadly Hurricane Ike Takes Aim At Havana

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:33:00 EDT

Hurricane Ike swept over Cuba on Tuesday after its high winds and heavy rains devastated parts of the island. State-run Cuban media reported widespread damage throughout the eastern provinces.

Bacardi Biography Details The 'Fight For Cuba'

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:03:00 EDT

Tom Gjelten's new book, Bacardi and the Long Fight For Cuba, threads the history of the family-owned Bacardi Rum Co. together with that of the nation in which it was founded.

Cuba Pounded By Ike, Rejects U.S. Aid

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Hurricane Gustav pummeled Cuba last week before the storm made landfall in the U.S. Now, Hurricane Ike is sweeping across the island, days after Cuba rejected storm aid from the U.S. Michael Voss, a Cuba-based journalist for the BBC, and NPR's Tom Gjelten, offer an update on Cuba and the political implications of the storm.

New Orleans Braces For Gustav

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Gustav has become a powerful category 3 hurricane heading toward Cuba. It is expected to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast Monday. Residents of New Orleans are preparing for Gustav, only three years after another category 3 hurricane, Katrina, devastated the city.

Denver Deputy Mayor Tells Childhood Story of Rescue, Survival

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Guillermo Vincente Vidal is the Deputy Mayor of Denver and has an unusual life story, chronicled in his recent book, Boxing for Cuba. Vidal talks about his top leadership role in the city and talks about his journey to success, including how, at age 10, he was one of more than 14,000 children airlifted out of communist CUBA by the U.S.-sponsored "Operation Peter Pan."

In Struggling Cuba, Signs Of New Opportunities

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:23:00 EDT

In Cuba, one of President Raul Castro's most dramatic recent announcements was that he would allow private farmers access to up to 100 acres of idle government land. The plan is a shift toward private enterprise on the socialist island.

Psychologists Split Over Detainee Interrogations

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:33:00 EDT

New allegations about a psychologist at the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, underscore a long-running dispute within the American Psychological Association about a psychologists' role in detainee interrogations. The APA is split on the issue.

Juror Speaks About Trial Of Salim Hamdan

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EDT

This past week, a jury at the American base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, delivered a verdict and sentence in the first trial of a terrorism suspect by a U.S. military commission. This weekend, one of the jurors spoke to NPR about the trial of Salim Ahmed Hamdan.