Odds and ends

· AP: “The leaders of Cuba’s two main Jewish groups both denied having worked with a jailed American contractor whose family says he was on the island to hand out communication equipment to Jewish organizations.” The Herald reviews the Alan Gross case and interviews his wife. Mr. Gross’ attorney in the United States released a statement calling his year-long detention without charges a “travesty” that “violates every international standard of justice and due process.”

· Juventud Rebelde: As part of the “reordering of foreign trade activity,” a number of state enterprises are losing their authority to make their own decisions on import and export transactions.

· The Florida company Olympusat announces that it will launch “a new network featuring 100% Cuban-produced television programming” for the U.S. market.

· EFE: A Spanish Partido Popular official comes to Washington, huddles with legislators, and all express opposition to any change in EU policy toward Cuba. Meantime, France signed an agreement renewing its official cooperation with Cuba, but with no specifics about future assistance or projects (EFE). And a Spanish government aid program is assisting a new Cuban university wireless communications laboratory (Granma).