No fewer than 16 Americans were hurt in what has previously been dubbed an acoustic attack on the US mission in Cuba, the State Department said Thursday.

Officials are probing a series of incidents dating back to September last year in which diplomats are thought to have been hit with a mystery sonic weapon.

The &quot;unprecedented&quot; attacks came to light last month when Washington warned Cuba it would be held responsible for the safety of US personnel in Havana.

But on Thursday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert gave the first indication of the scale of the incident, which has threatened slowly improving ties.

&quot;We can confirm that at least 16 US government employees, members of our embassy community, have experienced some kind of symptoms,&quot; she said.

Late last year US embassy staff and at least one Canadian began to feel the effects of what Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called a &quot;health attack.&quot;

US officials have said those hurt appeared to have been targeted by some form of previously unknown acoustic assault, but have not blamed Cuba directly.

Cuba has insisted it has no knowledge of any attack and is working to &quot;clarify the facts of the situation.&quot;

No details of the injuries have been released, but a CBS News report suggested at least one victim suffered what amounted to &quot;brain damage.&quot;

&quot;We take the situation extremely seriously,&quot; Nauert said, after revealing the new casualty toll.

Nauert confirmed that the 16 cases she was referring to were all US citizens connected to the mission, but was not sure if any were family members of staff.

Some were evacuated to Miami for treatment in US hospitals, others were cared for by American doctors who traveled to Havana to work at the embassy.

Separately, Canada has said one of its diplomats posted to Havana is being treated for hearing loss.

In May, the US ordered two Cuban diplomats to leave their recently reopened embassy in Washington and return to Havana, without publicly saying why.

It is now known that Washington had alerted the Cuban government to what its foreign ministry dubbed the &quot;alleged incidents&quot; as far back as February 17.

But US officials made no public complaint until just last month when Tillerson warned that Cuba must help investigate and prevent further attacks.

Nauert said on Thursday that the incidents do now appear to have ended, but that investigations are ongoing to find the culprits.

Tough line

Relations between the United States and Cuba were restored by then president Barack Obama and his counterpart Raul Castro in 2015 after a half-century.

But tensions mounted again after Obama&#39;s successor Donald Trump, who won many Cuban American votes by promising a tough line, rolled back detente.

In June, Trump tightened rules for Americans traveling to Cuba, banned ties with a military-run tourism firm and reaffirmed the existing US trade embargo.

The US embassy was closed in 1961 at the height of the Cold War when diplomatic relations broke down between Washington and Fidel Castro&#39;s revolutionary regime.

The mission reopened as a &quot;special interests section&quot; rather than a full embassy under an agreement between Castro and US President Jimmy Carter. 
But the US diplomats were hardly made welcome.

Anti-American propaganda was displayed around the compound, which Cuba saw as a base for fomenting opposition sedition.

American diplomats in Havana and their Cuban rivals in Washington both regularly complained of harassment or heavy-handed surveillance, but never of sonic attack.

Officials are probing a series of incidents dating back to September last year in which diplomats are thought to have been hit with a mystery sonic weapon

No fewer than 16 Americans were hurt in what has previously been dubbed an acoustic attack on the US mission in Cuba, the State Department said Thursday. Officials are probing a series of incidents dating back to September last year in which diplomats are thought to have been hit with a mystery sonic weapon. The "unprecedented" attacks came to light last month when Washington warned Cuba it would be held responsible for the safety of US personnel in Havana. But on Thursday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert gave the first indication of the scale of the incident, which has threatened slowly improving ties. "We can confirm that at least 16 US government employees, members of our embassy community, have experienced some kind of symptoms," she said. Late last year US embassy staff and at least one Canadian began to feel the effects of what Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called a "health attack." US officials have said those hurt appeared to have been targeted by some form of previously unknown acoustic assault, but have not blamed Cuba directly. Cuba has insisted it has no knowledge of any attack and is working to "clarify the facts of the situation." No details of the injuries have been released, but a CBS News report suggested at least one victim suffered what amounted to "brain damage." "We take the situation extremely seriously," Nauert said, after revealing the new casualty toll. Nauert confirmed that the 16 cases she was referring to were all US citizens connected to the mission, but was not sure if any were family members of staff. Some were evacuated to Miami for treatment in US hospitals, others were cared for by American doctors who traveled to Havana to work at the embassy. Separately, Canada has said one of its diplomats posted to Havana is being treated for hearing loss. In May, the US ordered two Cuban diplomats to leave their recently reopened embassy in Washington and return to Havana, without publicly saying why. It is now known that Washington had alerted the Cuban government to what its foreign ministry dubbed the "alleged incidents" as far back as February 17. But US officials made no public complaint until just last month when Tillerson warned that Cuba must help investigate and prevent further attacks. Nauert said on Thursday that the incidents do now appear to have ended, but that investigations are ongoing to find the culprits. Tough line Relations between the United States and Cuba were restored by then president Barack Obama and his counterpart Raul Castro in 2015 after a half-century. But tensions mounted again after Obama's successor Donald Trump, who won many Cuban American votes by promising a tough line, rolled back detente. In June, Trump tightened rules for Americans traveling to Cuba, banned ties with a military-run tourism firm and reaffirmed the existing US trade embargo. The US embassy was closed in 1961 at the height of the Cold War when diplomatic relations broke down between Washington and Fidel Castro's revolutionary regime. The mission reopened as a "special interests section" rather than a full embassy under an agreement between Castro and US President Jimmy Carter. But the US diplomats were hardly made welcome. Anti-American propaganda was displayed around the compound, which Cuba saw as a base for fomenting opposition sedition. American diplomats in Havana and their Cuban rivals in Washington both regularly complained of harassment or heavy-handed surveillance, but never of sonic attack.

Mystery Havana embassy attacks hurt 16 US staff

Fidel Castro&#39;s ashes were taken Sunday to a cemetery in the cradle of his revolution as Cuba opens a new era without the communist leader who ruled the island for decades.

Capping a week of tributes and mass rallies, a jeep pulled the cedar urn into the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba as a crowd chanted &quot;viva Fidel!&quot;

Castro, who died on November 25 at age 90, will be laid to rest during a &quot;simple&quot; ceremony near the mausoleum of 19th century independence hero Jose Marti, said his brother and successor, President Raul Castro.

The funeral was closed to the public.

On Saturday night, Raul Castro led a massive, final rally in his brother`s honor at Santiago&#39;s Revolution Plaza, leading the crowd into pledge to uphold the socialist ideals.

&quot;In front of Fidel&#39;s remains ... we swear to defend the fatherland and socialism,&quot; Raul Castro said.

&quot;He demonstrated that, yes we could, yes we can, yes we will overcome any obstacle, threat, turbulence in our firm resolve to build socialism in Cuba,&quot; he said.

While Castro was sidelined by emergency intestinal surgery a decade ago, he remained a towering figure in Cuba.

He was revered by supporters for the free health care and education he spread across the island, and vilified by dissidents who saw him as a brutal dictator.

Although he was an omnipresent figure in the lives of Cubans, Castro&#39;s dying wish was that no statues be erected in his memory and no streets or building be named after him.

The national assembly, which meets later this month, will pass a law to follow Castro&#39;s order, his brother said.

&quot;The leader of the revolution rejected any manifestation of a cult of personality,&quot; Raul Castro said. His burial ends a nine-day period of mourning during which Cubans, often encouraged by the government, flooded the streets to pay tribute to Castro, chanting &quot;I am Fidel!&quot; as his ashes were taken across the Caribbean country this week.

&quot;I am very sad because we have lost a father,&quot; said Marta Loida, a 36-year-old university professor sitting on the ground and holding a picture of Fidel Castro after Raul&#39;s speech.

The government nurtured the religious-like fervor, with state media calling Castro the &quot;eternal comandante.&quot;&nbsp;

In the past week, Cubans were urged to go to schools and other public buildings to sign an oath of loyalty to his revolution.

&quot;I trust Raul because Raul is Fidel&#39;s brother. Fidel taught him everything,&quot; said Irina Hierro Rodriguez, a 23-year-old teacher at Saturday&#39;s rally.

Fidel and Raul Castro launched a failed attack on Santiago&#39;s Moncada military barracks in July 1953, but it was the seed of a revolution that triumphed in 1959.

After taking power, Fidel Castro became a Soviet ally and was a constant thorn in the side of successive US presidents until illness forced him to hand power to Raul in 2006.

Since succeeding his brother, Raul Castro has implemented modest economic reforms in recent years, restored diplomatic relations with the United States and vowed to step down in 2018.

&quot;No longer under the shadow of his older brother, Raul may now feel freer to pursue the modest economic reforms he initiated in the last decade,&quot; said Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University. While US President Barack Obama has chipped away at the US embargo&#39;s trade and travel restrictions, foreign companies still face obstacles to invest in Cuba.

Food supplies are tight and public services are being cut back while socialist ally Venezuela, which has been providing cheap oil to Cuba, is in the middle of a political and economic crisis, said Ted Piccone, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institution think tank.

Castro needs to pick up the pace of reforms to kickstart the economy and ensure a smooth transition to his successor in 2018, he said.

&quot;The legitimacy of the post-Raul government will depend on a much better economic performance,&quot; said Piccone, a senior foreign policy adviser during Bill Clinton&#39;s presidency. 
And while Castro has died, his legacy is not going to vanish overnight.

&quot;Given his outsized impact on Cuba and the region, it&#39;s not really goodbye,&quot; Piccone said. &quot;His memory will cast a shadow over Cuba for a long time.&quot;

(AFP)

Sunday's funeral caps a week of tributes and mass rallies across the country

Fidel Castro's ashes were taken Sunday to a cemetery in the cradle of his revolution as Cuba opens a new era without the communist leader who ruled the island for decades. Capping a week of tributes and mass rallies, a jeep pulled the cedar urn into the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba as a crowd chanted "viva Fidel!" Castro, who died on November 25 at age 90, will be laid to rest during a "simple" ceremony near the mausoleum of 19th century independence hero Jose Marti, said his brother and successor, President Raul Castro. The funeral was closed to the public. On Saturday night, Raul Castro led a massive, final rally in his brother`s honor at Santiago's Revolution Plaza, leading the crowd into pledge to uphold the socialist ideals. "In front of Fidel's remains ... we swear to defend the fatherland and socialism," Raul Castro said. "He demonstrated that, yes we could, yes we can, yes we will overcome any obstacle, threat, turbulence in our firm resolve to build socialism in Cuba," he said. While Castro was sidelined by emergency intestinal surgery a decade ago, he remained a towering figure in Cuba. He was revered by supporters for the free health care and education he spread across the island, and vilified by dissidents who saw him as a brutal dictator. Although he was an omnipresent figure in the lives of Cubans, Castro's dying wish was that no statues be erected in his memory and no streets or building be named after him. The national assembly, which meets later this month, will pass a law to follow Castro's order, his brother said. "The leader of the revolution rejected any manifestation of a cult of personality," Raul Castro said. His burial ends a nine-day period of mourning during which Cubans, often encouraged by the government, flooded the streets to pay tribute to Castro, chanting "I am Fidel!" as his ashes were taken across the Caribbean country this week. "I am very sad because we have lost a father," said Marta Loida, a 36-year-old university professor sitting on the ground and holding a picture of Fidel Castro after Raul's speech. The government nurtured the religious-like fervor, with state media calling Castro the "eternal comandante." In the past week, Cubans were urged to go to schools and other public buildings to sign an oath of loyalty to his revolution. "I trust Raul because Raul is Fidel's brother. Fidel taught him everything," said Irina Hierro Rodriguez, a 23-year-old teacher at Saturday's rally. Fidel and Raul Castro launched a failed attack on Santiago's Moncada military barracks in July 1953, but it was the seed of a revolution that triumphed in 1959. After taking power, Fidel Castro became a Soviet ally and was a constant thorn in the side of successive US presidents until illness forced him to hand power to Raul in 2006. Since succeeding his brother, Raul Castro has implemented modest economic reforms in recent years, restored diplomatic relations with the United States and vowed to step down in 2018. "No longer under the shadow of his older brother, Raul may now feel freer to pursue the modest economic reforms he initiated in the last decade," said Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University. While US President Barack Obama has chipped away at the US embargo's trade and travel restrictions, foreign companies still face obstacles to invest in Cuba. Food supplies are tight and public services are being cut back while socialist ally Venezuela, which has been providing cheap oil to Cuba, is in the middle of a political and economic crisis, said Ted Piccone, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institution think tank. Castro needs to pick up the pace of reforms to kickstart the economy and ensure a smooth transition to his successor in 2018, he said. "The legitimacy of the post-Raul government will depend on a much better economic performance," said Piccone, a senior foreign policy adviser during Bill Clinton's presidency. And while Castro has died, his legacy is not going to vanish overnight. "Given his outsized impact on Cuba and the region, it's not really goodbye," Piccone said. "His memory will cast a shadow over Cuba for a long time." (AFP)

Cuba starts Castro burial, braces for post-Fidel era

At 65, Ramon Alfonso has seen a lot of history in his native Cuba. But this is the first time he has eaten a vegan salad. 
 
After decades of Communist rule and centuries of eating meat and beans, the island is opening up, and so are its taste buds. 
 
Sitting at Cafe Bohemia on Havana&#39;s Old Square, Alfonso gobbles lettuce, eggplant and cabbage. 
 
There is not an ounce of pork and rice in sight, but in the searing heat, that suits him just fine. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t know if I&#39;ll be eating this every day because I&#39;m not used to it,&quot; he says. 
 
&quot;But it is tasty. And it&#39;s better for the health and for the weather in a tropical country like this.&quot; 
 
Under the communist regime, the few diners who could afford to step out for dinner faced dreary state-run eateries with stodgy food and bad service.&nbsp;Now those state-run restaurants are empty. 
 
 
New moussaka 
The government authorised privately-run restaurants five years ago, and the change was slow to take effect. But with more tourists coming to Cuba in the past year, its impact is clear to see now on the terraces of Havana. 
 
At one state-run joint in Havana&#39;s old quarter, four waiters sit chatting with not a single one of the tables occupied. 
 
A few dozen yards away, the privately-run Cafe de las Letras is crammed with diners munching its trademark moussaka.&nbsp;With eggplant smothered in meat and cheese, that is a novel dish for Cubans who were used to eating the vegetable fried in breadcrumbs. 
 
At another of Havana&#39;s new wave of trendy restaurants, Versus 1900, the smell of rosemary fills the kitchen. 
 
Chef Alain Prieto is seasoning mutton in a Peruvian-inspired fusion creation. Beside him a colleague is cooking crispy vegetable tempura. 
 
&quot;International dishes have been added to the traditional creole cuisine,&quot; Prieto says. 
 
&quot;People are starting to eat differently,&quot; he adds. &quot;More refined.&quot; 
 
 
How now, fried cow 
In a kitchen workshop run by the country&#39;s Culinary Federation, its president Eddy Fernandez chucks a spot of oil in the pan and adds peppers, onion and garlic. 
 
The shredded beef is pre-cooked and goes into the pan to sizzle briefly. 
 
A splash of white wine and it is ready: his modern take on the Cuban classic vaca frita, or &quot;fried cow&quot;. 
 
Fernandez is helping train a new generation of Cuban chefs. 
 
Demand for their services has surged in the past two years, he says, and standards have risen. 
 
The health ministry says 45 per cent of adults in Cuba are overweight and 12 per cent suffer full obesity. 
 
Chefs are wanted who can cook classic Cuban dishes but &quot;with less fat and sugar, little salt and more fruit and vegetables&quot;, Fernandez says. 
 
 
Outside influence 
When Italian chef Annalisa Gallina arrived in Cuba three years ago, she says, salad was something stuck on the side of the plate as a decoration. 
 
The country&#39;s cooking was still emerging from the economic crisis that followed the collapse of its ally, the Soviet Union. 
 
That crisis limited eating options in a country that imports most of its ingredients. 
 
For many Cubans, &quot;if it doesn&#39;t have rice, beans and meat, it isn&#39;t food,&quot; says Gallina, 37, who works at Cafe Bohemia. 
 
&quot;The Cubans who are most open to vegetarian cooking are the ones who have had the chance to travel abroad.&quot; 
 
President Raul Castro took over from his brother Fidel, leader of the 1959 revolution, in 2008. 
 
He has loosened travel restrictions for Cubans. 
 
The government&#39;s migration department says hundreds of thousands of Cubans have traveled abroad since 2013. 
 
Castro has also authorised some private businesses and has transferred state eateries to private hands. 
 
&quot;That is a good thing,&quot; says Fernandez. &quot;State gastronomy was not working.&quot; 
 
 
Local produce 
The new generation of restaurateurs faces the challenge of pleasing the four million tourists now coming to Cuba every year -- including a growing number of US visitors. 
 
In the kitchen at Versus 1900, Prieto and colleague Omar Gil show off their organic goods: cherry tomatoes, raisins and strawberries. 
 
They have grown the ingredients in their own garden. 
 
&quot;There is lots of produce to make the most of in Cuba,&quot; says Gallina at Cafe Bohemia. 
 
Cubans are used to fruit juice, but not like the exotic mixes she serves: guava with pepper and basil, carrot with ginger or pineapple with mint. 
 
Cooking programs on Cuban television have multiplied. 
 
&quot;You sit down in a park with wifi and download a recipe. That is how we have learned,&quot; says Prieto. 
 
&quot;We want to go on like that and improve Cuban cooking.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

With more tourists coming in the past year, restaurants are attempting a breakaway from centuries of eating meat and beans

At 65, Ramon Alfonso has seen a lot of history in his native Cuba. But this is the first time he has eaten a vegan salad. After decades of Communist rule and centuries of eating meat and beans, the island is opening up, and so are its taste buds. Sitting at Cafe Bohemia on Havana's Old Square, Alfonso gobbles lettuce, eggplant and cabbage. There is not an ounce of pork and rice in sight, but in the searing heat, that suits him just fine. "I don't know if I'll be eating this every day because I'm not used to it," he says. "But it is tasty. And it's better for the health and for the weather in a tropical country like this." Under the communist regime, the few diners who could afford to step out for dinner faced dreary state-run eateries with stodgy food and bad service. Now those state-run restaurants are empty. New moussaka The government authorised privately-run restaurants five years ago, and the change was slow to take effect. But with more tourists coming to Cuba in the past year, its impact is clear to see now on the terraces of Havana. At one state-run joint in Havana's old quarter, four waiters sit chatting with not a single one of the tables occupied. A few dozen yards away, the privately-run Cafe de las Letras is crammed with diners munching its trademark moussaka. With eggplant smothered in meat and cheese, that is a novel dish for Cubans who were used to eating the vegetable fried in breadcrumbs. At another of Havana's new wave of trendy restaurants, Versus 1900, the smell of rosemary fills the kitchen. Chef Alain Prieto is seasoning mutton in a Peruvian-inspired fusion creation. Beside him a colleague is cooking crispy vegetable tempura. "International dishes have been added to the traditional creole cuisine," Prieto says. "People are starting to eat differently," he adds. "More refined." How now, fried cow In a kitchen workshop run by the country's Culinary Federation, its president Eddy Fernandez chucks a spot of oil in the pan and adds peppers, onion and garlic. The shredded beef is pre-cooked and goes into the pan to sizzle briefly. A splash of white wine and it is ready: his modern take on the Cuban classic vaca frita, or "fried cow". Fernandez is helping train a new generation of Cuban chefs. Demand for their services has surged in the past two years, he says, and standards have risen. The health ministry says 45 per cent of adults in Cuba are overweight and 12 per cent suffer full obesity. Chefs are wanted who can cook classic Cuban dishes but "with less fat and sugar, little salt and more fruit and vegetables", Fernandez says. Outside influence When Italian chef Annalisa Gallina arrived in Cuba three years ago, she says, salad was something stuck on the side of the plate as a decoration. The country's cooking was still emerging from the economic crisis that followed the collapse of its ally, the Soviet Union. That crisis limited eating options in a country that imports most of its ingredients. For many Cubans, "if it doesn't have rice, beans and meat, it isn't food," says Gallina, 37, who works at Cafe Bohemia. "The Cubans who are most open to vegetarian cooking are the ones who have had the chance to travel abroad." President Raul Castro took over from his brother Fidel, leader of the 1959 revolution, in 2008. He has loosened travel restrictions for Cubans. The government's migration department says hundreds of thousands of Cubans have traveled abroad since 2013. Castro has also authorised some private businesses and has transferred state eateries to private hands. "That is a good thing," says Fernandez. "State gastronomy was not working." Local produce The new generation of restaurateurs faces the challenge of pleasing the four million tourists now coming to Cuba every year -- including a growing number of US visitors. In the kitchen at Versus 1900, Prieto and colleague Omar Gil show off their organic goods: cherry tomatoes, raisins and strawberries. They have grown the ingredients in their own garden. "There is lots of produce to make the most of in Cuba," says Gallina at Cafe Bohemia. Cubans are used to fruit juice, but not like the exotic mixes she serves: guava with pepper and basil, carrot with ginger or pineapple with mint. Cooking programs on Cuban television have multiplied. "You sit down in a park with wifi and download a recipe. That is how we have learned," says Prieto. "We want to go on like that and improve Cuban cooking." (AFP)

Culinary revolution tingles taste buds in Cuba

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana late Wednesday night ahead of the signing of an agreement between Colombia&#39;s government and leftist FARC rebels. 
 
The two sides are slated to sign an agreement to end hostilities with a definitive ceasefire today. 
 
After more than three years of fraught talks in the Cuban capital, the agreement brings into sight an end to a conflict that began as a 1960s peasant revolt before exploding into a cocaine-fuelled war that has killed at least 220,000 people and displaced millions. 
 
The accord will be signed in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. 
 
The agreement would leave the two sides just a step away from resolving the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. 
 
&quot;I congratulate (Colombian) President (Juan Manuel) Santos and the Colombian government. I congratulate the Revolutionary Armed Forces (of Colombia), the FARC and their commander, Timoleon for this historic advancement, this gigantic step. Peace in Colombia is our peace,&quot; Maduro said, referring to Londono by another of his aliases. 
 
Ban and Maduro were expected to attend the signing ceremony along with Cuban President Raul Castro and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. 
 
The ceremony is expected to be held at 12:00 EDT (1600 GMT) 
 
(Reuters)

The agreement ends what started as a 1960s peasant revolt but ended up killing 220,000 and displacing millions

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana late Wednesday night ahead of the signing of an agreement between Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels. The two sides are slated to sign an agreement to end hostilities with a definitive ceasefire today. After more than three years of fraught talks in the Cuban capital, the agreement brings into sight an end to a conflict that began as a 1960s peasant revolt before exploding into a cocaine-fuelled war that has killed at least 220,000 people and displaced millions. The accord will be signed in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. The agreement would leave the two sides just a step away from resolving the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. "I congratulate (Colombian) President (Juan Manuel) Santos and the Colombian government. I congratulate the Revolutionary Armed Forces (of Colombia), the FARC and their commander, Timoleon for this historic advancement, this gigantic step. Peace in Colombia is our peace," Maduro said, referring to Londono by another of his aliases. Ban and Maduro were expected to attend the signing ceremony along with Cuban President Raul Castro and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. The ceremony is expected to be held at 12:00 EDT (1600 GMT) (Reuters)

Ban Ki-moon and Venezuela's Maduro arrive for Colombia-FARC agreement

Hollywood has been clamouring to capture Cuba&#39;s colourful charm since a thaw in frosty Cold War relations, but the islanders say the boom comes with their own underfunded film industry in crisis. 
 
Several big American productions have created jobs and put Havana&#39;s art deco elegance in the shop window since US filmmakers were given the right to shoot on the Communist-led island in January. 
 
Showtime comedy series &quot;House of Lies,&quot; starring Don Cheadle, was the first to profit from the lifting of US Treasury Department conditions imposed as part of the 1962 embargo of the island. 
 
The latest movie in Universal&#39;s &quot;Fast and Furious&quot; series followed, along with Paramount&#39;s &quot;Transformers: The Last Knight.&quot; 
 
&quot;We&#39;re at a place that nobody ever thought would be possible. We are in Havana, Cuba. And you can see how beautiful it is with all these beautiful people,&quot; &quot;Fast 8&quot; star Vin Diesel says in a YouTube message from the city. 
 
The action sequel hired 250 local crew members and numerous extras at $30 a day, according to independent online magazine OnCuba, in a country where the average salary is $17 a month. 
 
Such is the rush to the Caribbean island&#39;s sun-kissed shores that the US entertainment media, perhaps inevitably, have coined the phrase &quot;Havanawood.&quot; 
 
The detente also signals the end of an anachronistic but necessary trick in filmmaking of representing Cuba through other Latin and Caribbean locations. 
 
&quot;The Godfather, Part II&quot; and Sydney Pollack&#39;s &quot;Havana&quot; used the Dominican Republic, while James Bond films &quot;Golden Eye&quot; and &quot;Die Another Day&quot; turned Puerto Rico and Cadiz, Spain, into the streets of Havana. 
 
 
&#39;What do we get? 
 
It&#39;s not just film and television dramas taking advantage of the newly accessible Cuba. 
 
Talkshow host Conan O&#39;Brien, a Chanel fashion show and even reality TV family the Kardashians have been seen recently in Havana, while Netflix has announced a new streaming service for the nation of 11 million people. 
 
But Cuba&#39;s own independent film industry, which began to take off in the 1990s as digital technology made filmmaking more accessible, says it is struggling to survive as Hollywood producers line their pockets. 
 
Independent production companies get little or no funding from the state and have struggled to get their movies past the notoriously censorious Cuban Film Institute (CFI). 
 
&quot;Everyone knows that Chanel and Hollywood gain by choosing Havana, a city frozen in time with its dilapidated beauty, the forbidden city where art deco and the Cold War collide,&quot; said journalist Sergio Alejandro Gomez in a recent post on his personal blog. 
 
&quot;The question is, what do we get out of it?&quot; 
 
Claudia Calvino, 33, executive producer at the private Fifth Avenue Productions, which made the zombie comedy &quot;Juan of the Dead,&quot; welcomes Hollywood&#39;s growing interest in Cuba. 
 
&quot;But the truth is that I feel upset and sad that these mega-productions have access to services and opportunities that have so often been denied to domestic productions, especially independent productions,&quot; she added. 
 
Calvino says she has often asked for permits, import licenses, vehicle rental and other help from the CFI and been turned down because her project &quot;did not represent Cuba in the best way.&quot; 
 
 
&#39;Not the enemy&#39; 
 
Director Carlos Lechuga&#39;s debut film &quot;Molasses,&quot; about a destitute former sugar-producing town, was shown at the Latin American Film Festival of Havana in 2012 and won an independent critics&#39; prize. 
 
But it had to wait almost a year for its theatrical release, and was screened only in one cinema. 
 
Once the jewel in the crown of Latin American cinema, years of neglect have led the domestic industry to a crisis, says Lechuga. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s simple -- Cuban cinema and its filmmakers need to be strengthened. Now, more than ever, we need to feel loved, respected,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We are not the enemy. We&#39;re trying to make a better country. What is there to fear?&quot; 
 
American support for Cuban filmmaking is being offered, but it is coming from the independent sector rather than the big Hollywood studios. 
 
During Havana&#39;s film festival in December, a Sundance Institute delegation of directors, writers and actors including Ethan Hawke put on workshops on screenwriting, production, editing and scoring. 
 
The institute, which has history of engagement with Cuba going back to the 1980s, is returning in July with a program of screenings to introduce Cuban audiences to US and international films, and the people making them. 
 
The focus, said the international director of the organization&#39;s feature film program Paul Federbush, has always been to support emerging Cuban artists. 
 
&quot;The recent opening of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US presented a unique opportunity for Sundance Institute to return to Cuba at a culturally and politically crucial moment,&quot; he told AFP. 
(AFP)

American moviemakers are making full use of Cuba's lost-in-time beauty. But they're not doing much for the country's cash-poor film industry

Hollywood has been clamouring to capture Cuba's colourful charm since a thaw in frosty Cold War relations, but the islanders say the boom comes with their own underfunded film industry in crisis. Several big American productions have created jobs and put Havana's art deco elegance in the shop window since US filmmakers were given the right to shoot on the Communist-led island in January. Showtime comedy series "House of Lies," starring Don Cheadle, was the first to profit from the lifting of US Treasury Department conditions imposed as part of the 1962 embargo of the island. The latest movie in Universal's "Fast and Furious" series followed, along with Paramount's "Transformers: The Last Knight." "We're at a place that nobody ever thought would be possible. We are in Havana, Cuba. And you can see how beautiful it is with all these beautiful people," "Fast 8" star Vin Diesel says in a YouTube message from the city. The action sequel hired 250 local crew members and numerous extras at $30 a day, according to independent online magazine OnCuba, in a country where the average salary is $17 a month. Such is the rush to the Caribbean island's sun-kissed shores that the US entertainment media, perhaps inevitably, have coined the phrase "Havanawood." The detente also signals the end of an anachronistic but necessary trick in filmmaking of representing Cuba through other Latin and Caribbean locations. "The Godfather, Part II" and Sydney Pollack's "Havana" used the Dominican Republic, while James Bond films "Golden Eye" and "Die Another Day" turned Puerto Rico and Cadiz, Spain, into the streets of Havana. 'What do we get? It's not just film and television dramas taking advantage of the newly accessible Cuba. Talkshow host Conan O'Brien, a Chanel fashion show and even reality TV family the Kardashians have been seen recently in Havana, while Netflix has announced a new streaming service for the nation of 11 million people. But Cuba's own independent film industry, which began to take off in the 1990s as digital technology made filmmaking more accessible, says it is struggling to survive as Hollywood producers line their pockets. Independent production companies get little or no funding from the state and have struggled to get their movies past the notoriously censorious Cuban Film Institute (CFI). "Everyone knows that Chanel and Hollywood gain by choosing Havana, a city frozen in time with its dilapidated beauty, the forbidden city where art deco and the Cold War collide," said journalist Sergio Alejandro Gomez in a recent post on his personal blog. "The question is, what do we get out of it?" Claudia Calvino, 33, executive producer at the private Fifth Avenue Productions, which made the zombie comedy "Juan of the Dead," welcomes Hollywood's growing interest in Cuba. "But the truth is that I feel upset and sad that these mega-productions have access to services and opportunities that have so often been denied to domestic productions, especially independent productions," she added. Calvino says she has often asked for permits, import licenses, vehicle rental and other help from the CFI and been turned down because her project "did not represent Cuba in the best way." 'Not the enemy' Director Carlos Lechuga's debut film "Molasses," about a destitute former sugar-producing town, was shown at the Latin American Film Festival of Havana in 2012 and won an independent critics' prize. But it had to wait almost a year for its theatrical release, and was screened only in one cinema. Once the jewel in the crown of Latin American cinema, years of neglect have led the domestic industry to a crisis, says Lechuga. "It's simple -- Cuban cinema and its filmmakers need to be strengthened. Now, more than ever, we need to feel loved, respected," he said. "We are not the enemy. We're trying to make a better country. What is there to fear?" American support for Cuban filmmaking is being offered, but it is coming from the independent sector rather than the big Hollywood studios. During Havana's film festival in December, a Sundance Institute delegation of directors, writers and actors including Ethan Hawke put on workshops on screenwriting, production, editing and scoring. The institute, which has history of engagement with Cuba going back to the 1980s, is returning in July with a program of screenings to introduce Cuban audiences to US and international films, and the people making them. The focus, said the international director of the organization's feature film program Paul Federbush, has always been to support emerging Cuban artists. "The recent opening of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US presented a unique opportunity for Sundance Institute to return to Cuba at a culturally and politically crucial moment," he told AFP. (AFP)

Hollywood goes to Havana now that it can, while the Cubans wonder what they're getting out of it

Cuba&#39;s iconic capital Havana is set to receive another boost to its flourishing tourism industry as the Caribbean city was chosen as one of the seven &#39;Wonder&#39;&nbsp;cities&nbsp;of the world in a global online poll. 
 
The global competition was organised by the Swiss New7Wonders foundation and put Havana in fourth place, behind the cities of Beirut, Dohan and Durban. 
 
The public vote was whittled down from 28 shortlisted cities. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s the achievement of the Cuban people, of the experts, all the fans, the tourists who love Cuba, to have voted for La Habana, I think it&#39;s an important recognition because it creates consciousness, consciousness of conservation and also consciousness to project the future of the city,&quot; said Bernard Weber, founder and president of the New7Wonders Foundation. 
 
With nearly 500 years of history under its belt, the Cuban capital has drawn large crowds to its prized place in the Caribbean for centuries. According to officials behind the vote, Cuba&#39;s revolutionary history, liberal lifestyle, socio-economic cities and architecture put it ahead of dozens of other cities vying for the much-coveted title. 
 
The Morro Castle, the Alicia Alonso Grand Theatre and the Giraldilla statue are among Havana&#39;s icons. 
 
A monument will be unveiled at Havana&#39;s San Salvador de la Punta castle to celebrate the capital&#39;s new title. 
 
Official events will also be held until this Saturday&nbsp;to celebrate the honour including ballet performances and concerts from performers like the Buena Vista Social Club. 
 
The title comes as Cuba&#39;s tourism industry sees record numbers of international visitors following its truce with former Cold War foe the United States.&nbsp;Cubans see the accomplishment as a crowning moment. 
 
&quot;This naming is owed to our roots, our&nbsp;culture, the diversity there is in the Cuban population, the contrast between the old and the new, which is surging now, and that makes it all beautiful,&quot; said Cuban citizen, Yelina Aguilera. 
 
Cuba received a record 3.52 million visitors last year, up 17.4 per cent from 2014. American visits rose 77 per cent to 161,000, not counting hundreds of thousands of Cuban-Americans. 
 
No European or North American cities featured in top 7. The full list of winners in alphabetical order are Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, La Paz and Vigan.

The Cuban capital was chosen as one of the seven in a global online poll by a Swiss-based foundation

Cuba's iconic capital Havana is set to receive another boost to its flourishing tourism industry as the Caribbean city was chosen as one of the seven 'Wonder' cities of the world in a global online poll. The global competition was organised by the Swiss New7Wonders foundation and put Havana in fourth place, behind the cities of Beirut, Dohan and Durban. The public vote was whittled down from 28 shortlisted cities. "It's the achievement of the Cuban people, of the experts, all the fans, the tourists who love Cuba, to have voted for La Habana, I think it's an important recognition because it creates consciousness, consciousness of conservation and also consciousness to project the future of the city," said Bernard Weber, founder and president of the New7Wonders Foundation. With nearly 500 years of history under its belt, the Cuban capital has drawn large crowds to its prized place in the Caribbean for centuries. According to officials behind the vote, Cuba's revolutionary history, liberal lifestyle, socio-economic cities and architecture put it ahead of dozens of other cities vying for the much-coveted title. The Morro Castle, the Alicia Alonso Grand Theatre and the Giraldilla statue are among Havana's icons. A monument will be unveiled at Havana's San Salvador de la Punta castle to celebrate the capital's new title. Official events will also be held until this Saturday to celebrate the honour including ballet performances and concerts from performers like the Buena Vista Social Club. The title comes as Cuba's tourism industry sees record numbers of international visitors following its truce with former Cold War foe the United States. Cubans see the accomplishment as a crowning moment. "This naming is owed to our roots, our culture, the diversity there is in the Cuban population, the contrast between the old and the new, which is surging now, and that makes it all beautiful," said Cuban citizen, Yelina Aguilera. Cuba received a record 3.52 million visitors last year, up 17.4 per cent from 2014. American visits rose 77 per cent to 161,000, not counting hundreds of thousands of Cuban-Americans. No European or North American cities featured in top 7. The full list of winners in alphabetical order are Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, La Paz and Vigan.

Havana honoured as one of seven 'Wonder' cities

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