Visitors from Canada, the main source market for tourists to Cuba, will return to Varadero beach resort after being away for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as announced this Thursday by the island’s Ministry of Tourism. Canadians will start arriving in Varadero through the Air Canada Vacations tour operator, the same one that began operations last September at the Jardines del Rey tourist destination, in the northern keys of central Cuba. This was confirmed by the Cuban Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) in a note published in the official press, in which it details that for now the flights from the North American country to the famous resort will have a weekly frequency from Montreal and Toronto, on Fridays and Saturdays, respectively. In its announcement, MINTUR says that Canada and, in particular, Air Canada Vacations, continue betting on Cuba as “a destination of Peace, Health and Safety.” In addition, it said that it continues to carry out joint strategies with the Canadian tour operator “to reach new operations at the destination in this winter season of 2020 -2021.” https://oncubanews.com/en/cuba/first-international-tourists-arrive-in-varadero-after-a-seven-months-pause-due-to-coronavirus/ Considered the main sun and beach destination in Cuba and one of the most reputed in the world, Varadero officially reopened...

It’s early November 5 and there is still no U.S. presidential election winner. Democratic candidate Joe Biden has a total of 253 electoral points, which puts him ahead of his Republican opponent, Donald Trump, with 213. Georgia All eyes are on the state of Georgia, whose results will be key in defining the elections. The gap between candidates had narrowed today, November 5, to less than one point. That translates into Donald Trump barely leading his Democratic opponent Joe Biden by some 19,000 votes. According to Gabriel Sterling, manager of the implementation of the voting system in that state, some 61,367 mail-in ballots are pending counting. The state aims to process them before noon, according to The New York Times. What was voted on the ballots, besides the president? In each state, several amendments were in the sights of voters: from legalizing marijuana in at least seven, to changing the gender language in the constitution in Utah or raising the minimum wage in Florida. These are some of the amendments that were approved or denied in the elections, considering that the approval percentages are temporary, while all the votes are finished counting.   Approved Florida: Minimum wage of $15 an...

Help us keep OnCuba alive New infections of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Cuba, reported after the processing of 8,999 tests yesterday, totaled 40 from five provinces. The news contrasts with the 108 discharges of the day, with which 90.5% of the patients have already recovered on the island. All correspond to Cubans, the cases were autochthonous and 82.5% of those diagnosed were asymptomatic, according to the report issued today by the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP). https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1324367150811881474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1324367150811881474%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcoronavirus-en-cuba-40-nuevos-casos-108-altas-y-casi-9000-pruebas-en-una-jornada%2F The territories from which they are reported are Pinar del Río (34 from five municipalities), Artemisa (one case from Artemisa), Havana (one case from Centro Habana), Sancti Spíritus (two cases from two municipalities) and Ciego de Ávila (one from the provincial capital). Of the total, 36 were contacts of confirmed cases and in four individuals the source of infection is not specified. The number of male patients exceeded that of females (25-15). At midnight on November 4, the number of patients hospitalized for surveillance had dropped to 956, while the number of patients in intensive care was still six: four in critical condition and two in serious condition.

The Cuban drug Itolizumab developed together with an Indian company, received authorization to begin a phase III clinical trial in patients with COVID-19 in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. The news was announced on Twitter by the Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM) of Havana, the institution in charge of its development in collaboration with Biocon company, from India. https://twitter.com/centro_cim/status/1324049654162640899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1324049654162640899%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fmedicamento-cubano-contra-la-covid-19-sera-probado-en-eeuu-brasil-y-mexico%2F In another tweet, the CIM noted that this new test will consolidate the scientific evidence that supports the effective inclusion of this monoclonal antibody in the Cuban protocol for the treatment of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Winner of a National Award from the Cuban Academy of Sciences in 2014, Itolizumab has an anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effect. For this reason, it began to be tested in patients with COVID-19, after which it was officially approved by the Cuban regulatory authority for emergency use against this disease. With its use, "the pattern of cytokine storms produced by the disease caused by the new coronavirus decreases considerably and patients improve their ventilatory capacity," said the Center for State Control of Medicines, Medical Equipment, and Devices (Cecmed). Recently, Cuban researchers shared an article published in the journal Gerontology about the experience...

Help us keep OnCuba alive On the third day of November, the Sars-CoV-2 virus has left a daily record of infections in Cuba: 109 positives, with which the number of patients from March to date reaches 7,144, as reported this Wednesday by health authorities of the Island. The Island's health services and laboratories processed 8,474 samples yesterday, with which Cuba accumulated 874,702 tests in search of the new coronavirus. After the last diagnostic tests, all the new cases correspond to Cubans, although only 73 were autochthonous since 36 correspond to imported cases. https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1324023102234308608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1324023102234308608%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcuba-con-109-nuevos-contagios-por-coronavirus-la-cifra-mas-alta-para-un-dia%2F Of the total of new patients, 69 are contacts of confirmed cases, and the 36 individuals with a foreign source of infection grow the records of cases for Pinar del Río (in one case), Camagüey (two cases), La Tunas (three cases), Holguín ( 10 cases), Granma (seven cases) Santiago de Cuba (seven cases) and Guantánamo (six cases). The residence by province of the 73 autochthonous cases is the following: Pinar del Río (34 cases in six municipalities), Ciego de Ávila (27 cases in the provincial capital), Sancti Spíritus (11 cases in three municipalities), Santiago de Cuba (a case in the main municipality). Only in four people the...

In addition, this Saturday there were 44 discharges and a total of 3,701 patients remained hospitalized for clinical epidemiological surveillance.

8,994 samples were processed. Six provinces with autochthonous cases and three with imported cases. 67 discharges.

When assessing Havana’s epidemiological situation, the province’s health officials announced that a population study would soon be implemented that will cover 13% of all the inhabitants of the province and will reach all municipalities. Emphasis will be placed on vulnerable groups and individuals, who will be tested for antibodies using a blood sample. The objective is to provide an early and more immediate diagnosis―the results are ready in just over an hour―with cheaper Cuban-produced inputs and with the aim of guaranteeing better management and monitoring of patients, the application of prevention measures and control of expansion and epidemiological surveillance. According to a note in the newspaper Tribuna de La Habana, the aforementioned was expressed in an regular meeting of the Provincial Defense Council (CDP), in which it was confirmed that the levels of transmission of COVID-19 had decreased in the capital, although it called for avoiding any possible oversight so as not to go back to previous levels of infection. Efficient and constant surveillance, rigor in screenings, observance and differentiated treatment of vulnerable groups and people, among other actions, were considered essential. It was also announced that after processing 3,007 samples, none were positive, for a total of 485,846 tests...

The company Financiera Cimex SA (Fincimex) reiterated this Friday that the sending of remittances from the United States to Cuba through Western Union will be interrupted as a result of the sanctions imposed by Washington on the Cuban entity, although its offices continue to provide service in the island. “Through different channels, the United States is trying to establish an atmosphere of opinion consistent in that remittances would not be interrupted if Cuba accepted the imposition of the U.S. government to establish a payment network in Cuba different from the current network. Once again, they are lying!” Fincimex posted on Twitter. https://twitter.com/cimex_cuba/status/1322155837759148033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1322155837759148033%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba-ee-uu%2Ffincimex-reitera-el-inminente-cierre-de-servicios-de-western-union-en-cuba%2F The statement explains that those who designed the sanctions, which come into effect on November 26, know very well that it would not be possible to organize alternative solutions in 30 days. It points out that “the U.S. government’s intentionality to interrupt remittances to Cuba is evident and of course, for this they need to lie to public opinion as usual.” Belonging to the GAESA military conglomerate, Fincimex is not willing to give up the remittance business on the island, despite the sanctions. According to the official note released on social media, the financial company has invested in...

Help us keep OnCuba alive  Cuba added 35 new contagions due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus this Thursday, Dr. Francisco Durán reported today in one of his Friday appearances from the Cuban television studios. He highlighted that 8,245 samples were processed during the day and almost 54,000 a week in search of the disease, with an average per day, he said, of 7,700. All the cases correspond to Cubans: 34 were autochthonous and one imported, which is included in the number registered for the province of Camagüey, specifically the municipality of Vertientes, where the case that arrived from abroad resides. https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1322177440756715520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1322177440756715520%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcuba-con-35-nuevos-casos-de-covid-19-tras-procesar-mas-de-8000-pruebas%2F The rest of the provinces with contagions have been Pinar del Río (26 cases in four municipalities), Sancti Spíritus (five cases in the main municipality), Havana (two cases in Centro Habana) and Artemisa (one case in Caimito). By age group, nine were under 20 years of age; 15 between 20 and 39; 10, between 40 and 59, and one was over 60. Of the total, 34 were contacts of confirmed cases, the number of male patients exceeded that of the female gender (22-13) and 31 were asymptomatic. There were no deaths on the day, and neither during the week, so...

The National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP) approved four new laws this Wednesday during its first regular meeting of the year, held in person and virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. The four laws, which had been analyzed by the deputies in the previous sessions, “strengthen the institutional framework of the Cuban State” and “are part of the legislative schedule established by the new Constitution,” said the official Cubadebate site. They are the laws on Foreign Service, on Organization and Functioning of the Council of Ministers, on Revocation of those Elected to the Organs of the People’s Power, and on the President and Vice President of the Republic. https://twitter.com/AsambleaCuba/status/1321543227078565888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321543227078565888%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fasamblea-nacional-de-cuba-aprueba-cuatro-nuevas-leyes%2F After the previous publication of their draft, for the final version of the laws, doubts and proposals for modifications made by legislators were taken into account, as well as “more than 100 proposals from citizens, who participated in the exercise via email and other enabled channels,” specified Prensa Latina (PL) news agency. The Law on Foreign Service is “an eminently organic norm, through which all content related to the issue is hierarchized and organized in a single legal body,” the source said, according to which the Law on Organization of the...

COVID-19 cases and outbreaks have decreased notably in Havana in recent days, according to official reports from the island’s health authorities. At the close of this Tuesday, the Cuban capital reported only one new imported case: a traveler from the United States, who arrived in the country on October 22 through Santiago de Cuba, according to Tribuna de La Habana. The media points out that due to this there was a new outbreak in the municipality of Cotorro, where the case was detected. Now, the city of Havana has five outbreaks of the disease, three in the municipality of Centro Habana, one in Regla and the aforementioned Cotorro, while on Tuesday another three were closed in the city, as reported this Wednesday in a meeting of the Provincial Defense Council (CDP). In this same meeting, it was announced that currently in Havana there are only 52 hospitalized patients, of them 48 suspects and four positives, none of which are reported as critical or serious. The contacts of the sick and suspects are monitored in their homes by primary health care, in accordance with the provisions of the new plan to deal with COVID-19 in Cuba. https://oncubanews.com/en/cuba/havana-scenes-from-a-particular-de-escalation/ The current scenario marks...

Help us keep OnCuba alive SARS-CoV-2 virus infections decreased in Cuba this Wednesday. This time, the number of new positive cases reached 39, of which eight acquired the virus abroad, according to today’s report from the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP). Of the total, 31 correspond to Cubans and eight to Venezuelans who are carriers of the virus upon arrival on the island and whose data is based on the records of Matanzas, a province that reported nine infections, of which eight were these cases with a source of infection abroad. https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1321815772549783552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321815772549783552%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcoronavirus-en-cuba-39-nuevos-contagios-31-autoctonos-y-ocho-importados%2F The rest of the provinces that report new COVID-19 patients were Pinar del Río, with 32 cases in three municipalities, and a worse situation in Consolación del Sur; Sancti Spíritus, with four cases in the provincial capital and Ciego de Ávila, with three cases in the Ciro Redondo municipality. Of the total of cases, 30 were contacts of confirmed cases and the source of infection is not specified in only one individual. Male patients predominated over female patients (23-16) and, of this group, 25 were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. There were no new deaths, 3,733 patients were hospitalized for surveillance and only five people remained in...

Help us keep OnCuba alive After a day in which contagions reached the highest peak in October, health authorities today reported 49 new positive cases in Cuba of the SARS-CoV-2 virus after having processed 8,201 samples in search of the disease. Of the total, 47 correspond to Cubans and two foreigners, both citizens of the United Kingdom residing in Cárdenas, Matanzas. In addition to these, a Cuban resident in Campechuela, Granma, and another from the Havana municipality, Cotorro, were the four cases of the day with a source of infection abroad. https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1321462085310681093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321462085310681093%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcoronavirus-en-cuba-49-nuevos-casos-cuatro-de-ellos-importados-65-altas-en-el-dia%2F Of the rest, 43 were contacts of confirmed cases and in two individuals the source of infection is not specified. Patients of the female gender predominate over the male (10-39); and, of the total, 40 were asymptomatic. The territories that reported autochthonous cases were Pinar del Río (22 cases in six municipalities), Artemisa (one in Caimito), Sancti Spíritus (two in Cabaiguán) and Ciego de Ávila (20 in the provincial capital). At midnight yesterday, 3,928 patients were hospitalized. There were three patients in intensive care and they were reported in critical condition. There were no deaths on the day, and the number of fatalities from COVID-19 on the island...

Cuba confirmed that the 407 Western Union payment points in the country will close due to the sanctions recently announced by the Donald Trump administration, which prohibit the sending of remittances from the United States to the island through official channels. The financial services firm Fincimex denounced in a statement that remittances to Cuba “will be totally interrupted” by closing the Western Union offices, when the ban on sending money to the island through companies controlled by the Cuban Armed Forces comes into force on November 26. https://twitter.com/cimex_cuba/status/1321191683095187462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321191683095187462%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba-ee-uu%2Fwestern-union-cerrara-407-sucursales-en-cuba%2F Foreign companies that want to operate in Cuba must have a state counterpart. Western Union has monopolized the cash reception service on the island since 2016 through a partnership with Fincimex, linked to the military conglomerate GAESA. “The responsibility for the interruption of the remittance service between the two countries falls on the U.S. government,” said the Cuban state financier, after ensuring that the closure of Western Union will harm “the Cuban people and their families in the U.S.” The interruption of the flow of dollars via Western Union occurs at a particularly delicate moment: the balance of payments crisis in Cuba is today more serious than ever and the State is...

The Cuban Council of State approved a new Decree Law that establishes a new social security regime for workers in the Basic Units of Cooperative Production (UBPC), which will demand greater productivity from these entities and less dependence on the state budget. The deputy director of the National Institute of Social Security (INASS), Haydeé Franco, explained that the financing for this special regime will be made by the shared contribution of the cooperative member and the cooperative unit, according to Cubadebate. “Cooperative members are going to contribute 6% of the contribution base selected by them and it is up to the cooperative to contribute 14%, which determines a total contribution of 20%,” said Franco. The selection of the contribution base must be approved by the general assembly of the UBPC and will be in correspondence with the advances, profits and other income received by the cooperative member, she specified. https://twitter.com/MTSS_CUBA/status/1321097117117677570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321097117117677570%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fnuevo-regimen-de-seguridad-social-para-cooperativistas-cubanos-con-menos-dependencia-estatal%2F Decree Law No. 5 of 2020 establishes that in order to guarantee the social security of workers it is mandatory to join the special regime, for which the cooperative will designate a person who must register its members in the National Registry of Social Security and in the Taxpayers of...

The Cuban Soberana 02 COVID-19 vaccine candidate will soon begin its clinical trials in humans, after its approval by the island’s regulatory body. The Finlay Vaccine Institute, the scientific entity in charge of its preparation, announced this Tuesday that the vaccine received approval from the Center for State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices (CECMED) for the start of phase I clinical trials. “We are pleased to inform you that @CecmedCuba has approved the phase I clinical trial of the #Soberana02 vaccine candidate, based on a conjugate vaccine platform with a history in @FinlayInstituto. A know-how distinguishes us in the field of #preventive vaccines,“ the institution published on Twitter, although without specifying a possible date for the start of the tests. https://twitter.com/FinlayInstituto/status/1321122890775957504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321122890775957504%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fvacuna-cubana-soberana-02-contra-la-covid-19-recibe-aprobacion-para-ensayos-clinicos%2F Days ago, Dr. Vicente Vérez, general director of the Finlay Institute, had advanced the imminent approval of this vaccine candidate, the Agencia Cubana de Noticias news agency recalled, which explains that this vaccine, like Soberana 01, already in human trials, is a molecular or subunit product. However, following the specialist’s explanations, the agency clarifies that Soberana 02 is “the only conjugate vaccine in the project against the pandemic,” although it is not the first of its kind...

Help us keep OnCuba alive The new infections from the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Cuba rose to 83, according to the report issued today by the health authorities, in which it is said that the largest number of patients corresponds to the province of Pinar del Río, with 54 cases in six municipalities, and a worse situation in the provincial capital and the municipality of Sandino. The other territories in reporting patients were Artemisa (4 cases in Caimito), Havana (5 cases in two municipalities, including the imported ones), Sancti Spíritus (11 cases in four municipalities) and Ciego de Ávila (9 cases in two municipalities). https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1321102480449638408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321102480449638408%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcoronavirus-cuba-registra-83-nuevos-contagios-la-cifra-mas-alta-de-octubre%2F All the infections correspond to Cubans and, of the total, 81 were autochthonous, the same number of people were in contact with confirmed cases. Two had the source of infection abroad. Male patients predominated (57-26) and, of all of them, 52 were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. At midnight this Monday, 3,858 people were hospitalized for clinical epidemiological surveillance. Five people were reported in intensive care: one in critical condition and four in serious condition. On this day there were 22 discharges and no new deaths from the disease were reported, thus this figure remains...

The Cuba 1 team began with two wins and one draw in the chess tournament of the Online World University Championship of Sports of the Mind being held until October 30 with the participation of more than 30 countries. That team is headed by national monarch Carlos Daniel Albornoz. It is the best placed in America after beating Chile 1 4-0, Honduras 3-1 and closing the day with a two-way tie against Poland 2. Individually, Albornoz and Jorge Roberto Elías stood out with three wins each. Abel López, Rachel Palmero and Laritza Alfonso contributed one each in two presentations. Augusto Césa Campo lost in his only game. With these results, the Cuban team accumulated five of six possible points. Poland 1, Malaysia 1, Serbia, Belarus and China 1 were ranked one through five. Cuba 2 is in 33rd position with a win, a draw and a defeat, for a total of three units. Jorge Marcos Gómez and Leancy Fernández have the best individual results with two points each. Marlon Javier La Villa completed 1.5 and Karla July Fernández one. Melissa Rodriguez was scoreless in two matches. The contest, organized by the International Federation of University Sports (FISU), will have nine...

Some 240 tourists from the United Kingdom arrived in Varadero yesterday, after arriving in Cuba through the Juan Gualberto Gómez airport in Matanzas. The travelers, from the British city of Manchester, are staying at the Royalton and Iberostar Varadero hotels, both of the Cubanacán chain; as well as at the Playa Vista Azul, owned by the Gaviota group, according to Prensa Latina. https://twitter.com/PresidenciaCuba/status/1320516046797918211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1320516046797918211%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_0&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fllegan-a-varadero-primeros-turistas-internacionales-tras-siete-meses-de-pausa-por-coronavirus%2F Dunesky González, director of the Gaviota Tours subsidiary in Varadero, described as “very important” the resumed commercial operation with the United Kingdom and with the Anglo-German tourist group TUI. “The British market in Varadero had an inflection in the last two years, and now it is recovering. On November 5, another TUI flight from London will be incorporated, which would increase them to two weekly frequencies, with 680 seats,” he highlighted. The representative of Gaviota also added that it is the takeoff of the European market and one of the TUI’s largest. Likewise, he stressed that the hotels are very well prepared, as well as the tour operators and the Ministry of Tourism, as the leading entity. The director of the Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology (CPHEM) of Matanzas, Fernando Acebo, explained that epidemiological hygienic conditions...

With the 31 discharges reported today by the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), 6,029 people have recovered from the SARS CoV-2 virus in Cuba during a day in which there were 29 new infections. All correspond to Cubans: 25 were contacts of confirmed cases, in two individuals the source of infection is not specified and two contracted the disease abroad. https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1320729333204422661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1320729333204422661%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fmas-de-seis-mil-personas-se-han-recuperado-de-la-covid-19-en-cuba%2F The imported cases directly affect the provinces of Las Tunas and Sancti Spíritus, although the latter territory also reported three autochthonous cases from two municipalities. In addition, cases were also reported by the territories of Pinar del Río (11 in two municipalities), Artemisa (11 in Caimito) and Ciego de Ávila (two in the provincial capital). Male patients predominated (19-10) and, of the total, 15 were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. There were no deaths on the day due to COVID-19 and the number of deaths is still 128. At midnight yesterday, 3,623 patients remained hospitalized; five were in intensive care, one reported in critical condition, and four in serious condition. A total of 7,979 samples were studied this Sunday for the detection of new cases.

The Cuban Council of State approved two decree laws, No. 14 on Security and Mortgage and No. 15 on Guarantee Trust, which for now would not have implications for individuals on the island, according to the criteria of experts. The new norms, published in the Gaceta Oficial Extraordinaria No. 58 of the Republic of Cuba, will make possible the use of commercial guarantees to support the granting of external financing related to foreign investment, the Agencia Cubana de Noticias news agency reported. The actors of these norms will not be individuals, but entities: state enterprises, commercial associations with totally Cuban capital and the different modalities of foreign investment that exist in Cuba. Its main purpose is to provide confidence and security to investors on the return of the financial amount provided in credit to start a business on the island. https://oncubanews.com/en/opinion/columns/counterbalance/foreign-direct-investment-and-organization/ La Gaceta Oficial states that the decree laws aim to “promote the use of the security by individuals and legal entities in the field of their economic relations, extend it to rights, as well as make it possible the shares security and expand the use of the real estate mortgage, as collateral, to other sectors and activities.” For his...

Just a few days before Election Day, Donald Trump and Joe Biden face off in what they predict as one of the highest-turnout elections in U.S. history. Although confidence in the polls declined after Hillary Clinton’s defeat four years ago, according to a Cook Political Report, on October 1 Biden would win the election with 290 electoral votes. According to The Economist, on October 6, 2020, Biden would win with 340 electoral votes. https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/450574/   It will only be known for sure after November 3. But how did the states vote in 2016? How many electoral votes does each state contribute? What are electoral votes and how is the president actually elected?  *Caption: Elections in the United States 2016 Winning Party by State Source: U.S. Census Bureau’s cartographic boundary shapefiles, 2016 edition To begin answering these questions, we present the following map with the results of the past elections. In each state you can see which party was the winner and how many electoral votes each state contributes. Swing States o Estados Bisagra: Swing States: The swing states of the presidential elections in the United States are highly contested states. There the electoral polls do not give a clear advantage to any...

Help us keep OnCuba alive The Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) reported 32 new patients confirmed with COVID-19 on the island―four of them foreigners―after studying 7,872 PCR samples in real time this Saturday. The total number of those infected by the new coronavirus since the beginning of the epidemic in Cuba rose to 6,566, while the number of deaths from the disease remains at 128. https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1320364785402347522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1320364785402347522%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcuba-reporta-32-nuevos-casos-de-covid-19-y-ningun-fallecido%2F The cases diagnosed with the disease yesterday belong to the provinces of Pinar del Río (13), Ciego de Ávila (7), Sancti Spíritus (6), Havana (2) and Matanzas, which registers four imported cases, all Venezuelan citizens. Of the new cases, 27 were contacts of previously confirmed patients, four were infected abroad and in one of them the source of infection has not been specified. According to the official MINSAP report, at the end of Saturday 3,853 patients remained hospitalized, of which 438 are active cases, 830 suspected of having contracted the disease and another 2,585 are under epidemiological surveillance. Six patients are in intensive care units: an 86-year-old woman in critical condition and another five in serious condition. Yesterday, 73 people were discharged from hospital after recovering from the disease, indicated the daily report...

Help us keep OnCuba alive The Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) reported 55 new cases of coronavirus at the close of this Friday, 36 of which are autochthonous and 19 imported. Thus, the number of infected on the island rose to 6,534. In addition, no deaths were reported on the day and 26 discharges were registered, so the number of fatalities from COVID-19 on the island remained at 128 and the number of recovered reached 5,927. According to the MINSAP report, 3,771 patients are hospitalized for clinical epidemiological surveillance, of which 798 are suspects, 2,494 are under surveillance and 479 are confirmed cases. Of the active cases, 474 present a stable clinical evolution, while two critically ill and three seriously ill patients are reported. The number of evacuated persons since the beginning of the pandemic remains at two. https://twitter.com/MINSAPCuba/status/1320001825995739136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1320001825995739136%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3%2Ccontainerclick_1&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcuba-reporta-55-nuevos-casos-de-coronavirus-19-de-ellos-importados%2F As for the new cases, 38 are Cubans and 17 foreigners, all from Venezuela, who were detected upon arrival in the western province of Matanzas. Among all the patients, 33 are contacts of confirmed cases, in three it has not been possible to specify the source of infection and 19 arrived from abroad, since the Venezuelans are joined by two...