CUBA:1ST UpDATE/ 52 Prisoners To Be Released; Dissident Farinas Ends 135 Day Hunger Strike.

MIAMIHERALD/1ST UPDATE/ 9 July/   
   After months of discussions with Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega and a meeting this week with Spain's Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, Cuba agreed to release 52 dissident prisoners. Five will be free immediately with the rest in the next 3-4 months. There were an estimated 167 political prisoners on the island. What is NOT clear is whether those released will be FORCED to leave the country.
      Upon hearing the prisoner release news, dissident Guillermo Farinas ended his 135-day hunger strike. Farinas was reported to be near death in recent days. (Foto of Raul Castro with Angel Moratinos)

CUBA: 1ST UPDATE: After Castro Meet With Catholics, Changes Promised.

NEW LINK:GUARDIAN.U.K./ 23 May/               President Raul Castro met with Catholic Cardinal Jaime Ortega and Archbishop Dionisio Garcia of Santiago for 4 hours to discuss political dissidents and other issues. Later, according to a leading imprisoned dissident, Cuba agreed to move political prisoners held in jails to facilities closer to their hometowns and transfer sick prisoners to hospitals. Guillermo Farinas, still on a hunger strike after 88 days, told Reuters that a visiting bishop gave him the news.

CUBA: Cardinal Urges "Reconciliation" With U.S. To Escape "Crisis."

AP/GOOGLE NEWS/     Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega says people there are suffering and urges Raul Castro to reconcile differences with the U.S. to stop the current economic crisis. The nation is still reeling from the effects of three devastating hurricanes in 2008, the global economic slowdown and diminished tourism. Ortega's critique was published the church's monthly magazine.