A young Cuban catholic journalist on Thursday asked Pope Francis during a video-conference to intercede towards the lifting of the US blockade of Cuba, following his role in the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will implement a fresh water fish genetic-improvement program in Havana, as announced by FAO officials.

Argentina´s President Cristina Fernandez arrived in Cuba on Saturday morning on an official visit during which she will hold talks with President Raul Castro.

Army General Raul Castro, President of the councils of State and Ministers, received Irina Bokova, Director General of the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), who is on an official visit to the island.

Cuban President Raul Castro held a phone conversation on September 18 with US President Barack Obama, prior to his visit to New York for the Summit on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the high-level segment of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, next week.

Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez will pay an official visit to Cuba over the weekend on the invitation of the Cuban government, and she will attend mass by Pope Francis on Sunday, September 20 at Havana´s Revolution Square.

The President of Namibia, Hage Gottfried Geingob, described on Thursday as successful his official three-day visit to Cuba, a country with which the African nation has excellent ties of cooperation.

Experts from various nationalities will discuss topics such as the impact of climate change on ecosystems during the Tenth International Wetlands Conference, which will be held from November 3 to 6 in the Zapata Swamp, south of Cuba .

Director-General of UNESCO, Bulgarian Irina Bokova, will arrive in Cuba this Thursday afternoon on an official visit.

The economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba has caused losses estimated at over 121 billion dollars in the more than 50 years of its implementation, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in this capital on Wednesday.

Army General Raul Castro, President of the councils of State and Ministers, held official talks with the President of the Republic of Namibia, Doctor Hage Gottfried Geingob, who is on an official visit to Cuba.

Jesus Robles, representative in Cuba of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), praised in this capital the commitment of the Caribbean nation to demographic research, and its importance in the implementation of public policies.

Panama began to implement a new visa-granting method for Cuban citizens following an executive decree signed by President Juan Carlos Varela.

Only two of the 10 American kayakers who departed on Friday 11 from Havana to Key West could complete the journey after nearly 34 hours of rowing and bad weather.

The presence in Cuba of Pope Francis will confirm the good state of relations between the Cuban government and the Holy See, which marked the 80 anniversary of permanent relations, reads an editorial article on Granma newspaper on Tuesday.