Nov 13th, 2008 · Bebo Valdes left Havana 50 years ago, but at the piano, he's still there. He's not reviving anything, he just kept on doing it the old way, long after music in Cuba had moved on. On Live at the Village Vanguard, Valdes shares billing with frequent duo partner, bassist Javier Colina.
Oct 22nd, 2008 · The U.S. military said Tuesday it is dropping charges against five Guantanamo Bay detainees. Also, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the detainee camp in Cuba will not be closed before President Bush leaves office.
Oct 18th, 2008 · In years past, famous musicians such as Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval defected from Cuba, citing political persecution. These days, some musicians still leave the island to live abroad. But because the Cuban government now allows more musicians to travel freely, many have chosen to stay.
Sep 12th, 2008 · Almost all of Cuba has been affected by recent storms. More than 350,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and five people died in Hurricane Ike. Ray Sanchez, a South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter based in Cuba, talks with Steve Inskeep about the storm destruction.
Sep 9th, 2008 · Hurricane Ike swept over Cuba on Tuesday after its high winds and heavy rains devastated parts of the island. State-run Cuban media reported widespread damage throughout the eastern provinces.
Sep 8th, 2008 · Tom Gjelten's new book, Bacardi and the Long Fight For Cuba, threads the history of the family-owned Bacardi Rum Co. together with that of the nation in which it was founded.
Sep 8th, 2008 · Hurricane Gustav pummeled Cuba last week before the storm made landfall in the U.S. Now, Hurricane Ike is sweeping across the island, days after Cuba rejected storm aid from the U.S. Michael Voss, a Cuba-based journalist for the BBC, and NPR's Tom Gjelten, offer an update on Cuba and the political implications of the storm.
Aug 30th, 2008 · Gustav has become a powerful category 3 hurricane heading toward Cuba. It is expected to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast Monday. Residents of New Orleans are preparing for Gustav, only three years after another category 3 hurricane, Katrina, devastated the city.