by the El Reportero’s news services
Fidel Castro
The 83rd birthday anniversary of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, was marked with the opening of a photo exhibit at the Hotel Nacional in Havana.
The inauguration of the exhibition, made up of 83 photos showing different moments in the life of the revolutionary leader, was attended by the president of the Cuban National Assembly (Parliament), Ricardo Alarcon, who said that “we should congratulate each other for the exceptional fact that the Cuban people have someone who symbolizes their best features,” Escambray reports.
Fidel Castro appears healthy in two new pictures taken less than two weeks ago by a group of US clerics belonging to the Pastors for Peace group and posted on their website.
Wearing a white track suit, dark t-shirt and a blue cap, Castro seems to have gained weight since previous pictures, AFP reports.
The revolutionary leader has been out of public view for three years after stepping down for health reasons and handing power to younger brother Raul Castro.
However it is believed that the former president is still consulted on major decisions but his role in day-to-day government of the island is unclear, FOXNews reports.
El Salvador boosts agriculture
San Salvador, Aug 13 (Prensa Latina) The Salvadorian government started a program on Thursday to revitalize the former strength of agriculture, increase production and legalize land possession.
“We want to turn the countryside into the driving force of the country’s productive development,” President Mauricio Funes said in the ceremony to launch the plan, and recalled that the sector had been forgotten for years.
By vitue of the new policy, the authorities will speed up handing over title deeds of lands to farmers, until reaching 3,000 in the first 100 days of the new government.
The Executive has granted 934 title deeds since it assumed power on June 1, to families that had been for over 20 years awaiting legalization. Simultaneously to that measure, production of essential grains will be increased, by means of handing over fertilizers and packages of improved corn, bean, rice and sorghum seeds.
This measure will benefit 600,000 farmers and will allow increasing national production in 10 percent in the 2009-2010 period.
