Odds and ends

• Marti Noticias: In a Havana press conference, Silvio Benitez announces that his opposition Liberal Party will field 20 candidates at the local level in this year’s elections. (The story links to audio.) The goal, he says, is “to get to the place from which the law can be changed peacefully.” One candidate in a district with about 1,100 voters says he is running on local issues – bad housing, bad roads, etc.

• From Galveston, Texas, a call to end the embargo and help the local economy.

• As Luis Posada Carriles’ February 5 trial date approaches, Tracey Eaton reports on the prosecution’s successful motions to keep many trial documents from public view.