The Abel Santamaria International Airport in Villa Clara province is ready for an increase in operations this year including a JetBlue flight scheduled to begin on the 31st and which will be the first regular commercial flight to Cuba from the United States for over half a century.

The Canadian hotel firm Blue Diamond Resort (BDR) presented in Holguin, on the occasion of the summer season, its tourist folder and offers in order to strengthen the domestic market, the second of largest demand for that chain.

The new world's largest cigar has already a third of its final length, which will reach next August 12th in this city in the hands of its creator, the renowned cigar roller Jose Castelar Cairo (Cueto).

Havana's Jose Marti International Airport -first Cuban gate to the world- and the aerodrome of San Antonio de los Baños, in Artemisa, - will be managed under the modality of concession by the French companies Bouygues Batiment International and Aeroports de Paris.

Manuel de Boavida Neto, governor of the Angolan province of Bie, thanked Cuba for the internationalist support and cooperation it maintains with his country in various sectors.

Cuba will not accept unilateral solutions that do not satisfy its interests, said in Havana Cuban Deputy Minister Abelardo Moreno referring to talks with the US on mutual compensations.

Russia´s Rosneft Oil Company CEO Igor Sechin paid a working visit to Cuba last week and he met with government vicepresident Ricardo Cabrisas on joint cooperation projects.

Cuban and US officials are meeting in Washington for the second round of talks on mutual compensations.

Jet Blue airlines announced on Thursday that it will start flying to Cuba as of August 31 from Florida´s Fort Lauderdale to central Santa Clara city, thus becoming the first US commercial airline company to open direct flights to the island in more than 50 years.

Cuba and Saudi Arabia signed on Thursday in this capital two new agreements that will favor the export of products from that country to the island, and the financing, with long-term loans, of infrastructure works in the area of water resources.

Members of the National Association of Innovators and Rationalizers (ANIR) recovered the electronic cards that control the special equipment at Jose Marti International Airport.

The US Department of Transportation authorized Federal Express Company (FedEx) to offer cargo services to Cuba, thus becoming the first entity of its kind so far with the green light to carry out such operations.

Representatives of 10 South African companies met with Cuban entrepreneurs in Havana to discuss potential business between the two countries.

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 19 (acn) The strengthening of solidarity actions to break the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the U.S. on Cuba guides this year the work of the 27th Pastors for Peace Caravan, as it was known today at a press conference.