Once the 14th Paralympic Games have come to an end, London will always remember the performance of a Cuban athlete who delighted the crowd with her speed and strength. Her name is Yunidis Castillo, a Cuban sprinter who set three world records in as many events.

On Saturday, Castillo knew that she had to run the 400 meters T46 final impeccably. She had a perfect and strong start and ran without rivals to finish with an incredible 55.72 seconds, beating the previous record by Thsotlego Morama, from Botswana. Castillo even said this was a tough event for her since she was accustomed to shorter distances, and this one felt very long. However, she demonstrated herself to be the Queen of Speed in this London Paralympics.

Members and staff at community computer clubs (JJCE) marked the 25th anniversary of their foundation last September 8 and thanked the founder of the initiative, Fidel Castro Ruz, at a ceremony held at Havana's Palacio Central de Computacion, reported the AIN.

Participants thanked Castro and sent him a painting in recognition of his work creating the JJCE.

Havana Cultura say:

The National Art Schools may be the most famous, albeit unfinished, architectural legacy of the Cuban Revolution. Envisioned by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara in 1961, the 5-building complex was built with a surge of collective optimism in an ideal setting at Cuba's formerly luxurious (and exclusive) Country Club Park.

Their vision was grand: the National Art Schools were meant to house more than just artists, to be the physical embodiment of a national pride. Their architectural conception would be completely new; a style the People could call their own. Architects, Ricardo Porro, Roberto Gottardi, and Vittorio Garatti were tasked to create unique designs for each of the five structures, each imbued with the ideals of the Revolution.

Carlos Acosta is leading a plan to turn an abandoned arts school in Havana into an international dance centre.

For the first time in the UK a new generation of Cuba's talented musical diaspora have gathered together to record and release a Cuban son album, and on 13th September they will be performing live on Radio 3's In Tune. Listeners will also have a chance to learn more about the formation of this wonderful group from Son Yambu's founder Toby Herschmann.

The United Status Treasury Department applied new measures to block the program People to People established by the Obama administration in 2011, to expand traveling opportunities between the U.S, and Cuba.

New bureaucratic measures complicate the renewal of licenses issued to travel agencies last year and the application forms of an authorization to operate trips to the island increased from six to hundreds of pages to fill in.

Cuba finished in the 16th position in the medals table at the 2012 London Olympic Games with a harvest of 5 gold medals, 3 silvers and six bronze. Getting 2 golds and 2 bronze in boxing now ranks them 3rd in the world in boxing.

Introduction to Cuban Art Study Tour
17 – 25 November 2012
Experience the richness and diversity of the visual arts in Cuba
 Unique visits to individual artists' studios, meetings with artists to discuss their work and the art scene in Cuba
 Visits to the Museo de Bellas Artes and other galleries and the National Schools of Art
 Bespoke Havana city tour, including old Havana, Revolution Square and the Jose Marti monument as well as a group dinner at the famous El Aljibe restaurant and relaxing day at the beach.
Programme based in Havana, led by Beyond the Frame exhibition organisers

Cost, subject to airline surcharges, from £1,436.00 includes flights and accommodation at the historic Hotel Nacional (B&B). Extensions available.

A flood of people danced the conga down to Puerto Santiago to watch the traditional Burning of the Devil ceremony, closing the activities of the 32nd Caribbean Festival.

On the final day, the artist Alberto Lescay and the high priest of the Regla Palo Monte in this eastern Cuban city presented the Mpaka "symbol of the holiday" to the Deputy Minister of Culture for Colombia, Maria Claudia Lopez, and the Ambassador of that South American nation in Cuba, Gustavo Bell.

An advanced group of the Cuban Olympic team traveled to London on Sunday to conclude its training program prior to the Olympic Games, scheduled to take place July 27-August 12 in the capita of the United Kingdom.

A total of 25 Cuban athletes are ready to participate in the London 2012 Paralympic Games, scheduled for August 29 through September 9.

I attended their debut concert at the Bolivar Hall last Tuesday 10th July. I would like to share with you my impressions of the evening.
I am not a professional musician, but I have sung in choirs more many years and so feel qualified to talk about their performance.
The presentation was delightful and they changed their positions for different items without fuss. They completed the whole programme without having to refer to any music. This enabled the choir members to communicate with their audience even though the language they were singing was not English.
They performed a wide range of repertoire including European Renaissance, contemporary and Cuban music, all with equal facility. I particularly enjoyed La Guerra (Clement Janequin). This involved many different harmonies, sounds and rythms. Ave Marie Stella was in an arrangement that I had not heard before. The music was complex, but the singers performed it with apparent ease and facility. The Cuban section of the programme was exhilarating and profoundly moving at times.
The whole evening was brought to an arousing close with choir and audience singing Guantanamera.
Delvis Sanchez can be justly proud of her 14 singers and they in their turn must be very grateful to have such an accomplished musical director.
Certainly an evening to remember.

'Day of thr Flowers' is the new film made by Bafta award winning UK director Roberts, filmed in Cuba with support from ICAIC, with Cuban ballet star Carlos Acosta making his debut major screen role.

Chalk and cheese Scottish sisters discover family secrets and reach common ground on a sentimental journey to Cuba in new film 'Day Of The Flowers'.(Dir: John Roberts. UK. 2012. 100mins) With a British director, production team and actors, but shot in Cuba and with Cuban ballet superstar Carlos Acosta making his debut major screen role as a love interest. Generally seen as a light hearted film. See these reviews.