Cubadisco is the annual fair dedicated to the Cuban music recording industry and each year consists of performances, events and awards to artists, both Cubans living on thr island and artists living outside of Cuba.

"Pablo", the first feature film directed by Yosmani Camagüey Acosta, won two awards at the New York International Film Festival 2013 recently.

Acosta won the award for Best Director, while actor Omar Franco won hands down in the category of Best Supporting Actor, said Bobby Estany, producer of the film.

With rigorous dedication, Manolito Simonet listened to the chords of several instrumentalists in the Havana studios of Abdala. He perfected every detail of the "Violinada", the show where the violin was the main protagonist, presented at Cubadisco 2013. Simonet explained that this project gave praise to a key instrument in popular music. "It has been basic, fundamental and many interesting things have been done", commented the leader of the Trabuco, as Simonet's group is called.

Over 11 thousand Cubans have accessed Internet services since June 4 when the Cuban Telecommunications Company, ETECSA, announced the opening of 118 new Internet navigation rooms.

The bonds of prominent Cuban filmmaker Manuel Pérez Paredes (Havana, 1939) with the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC), since its founding up to the present day, have allowed him to witness several of the events that have marked the artistic and cultural activity of the Caribbean nation.

Virtue and experience distinguish the work of this creator, who has recently been awarded the 2013 National Film Prize, the highest distinction awarded by the Cuban film industry.

In an assembly with the filmmakers, specialists and workers of the Animation Studios of the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industries (ICAIC) held last Friday, May 10, the presidency of that institution set out the main targets to be fulfilled by the reorganization project of the institution ruling the Island's cinematographic activity, which will result in the achievement of a better setting for the development of Cuban cinema.

Mariela Castro, daughter of Cuban president Raul Castro and niece of former president Fidel Castro, received a US award for her pro gay rights advocacy last week.

Castro is credited with improving conditions for LGBT Cubans as well as working to introduce marriage equality in Cuba.

The Cuban writer Senel Paz, who wrote the screenplay for the film Fresa y Chocolate, discounted any talk of a sequel, despite the insistent proposals from various producers.

"I would never force a sequel to Fresa y Chocolate just to try to repeat its success. Something new would need to be said and until now I havent felt the story," Paz assured Prensa Latina.

The singer, composer and instrumentalist Bobby Carcasses received last Tuesday the 2012 National Music Award, recognition granted to personalities like Leo Brouwer, Chucho Valdes and Juan Formell.

Are you looking for a holiday with a difference? Three weeks working alongside Cuban farmers during the day plus many opportunities to engage first hand with Cubans from all walks of life and relaxing at night with a cool Mojito.

Wara, the young revolutionaries of the UK's Latin music scene, will be releasing their debut album, the genre-defying 'Leave To Remain', on 3 June on Movimientos Records, as well as taking the hot London-Havana soundclash on the road during a UK spring tour, presented by La Linea, in association with Movimientos and Global Local, supported by the Arts Council of England. For details of UK tour click here.

Cuban women play a leading role in various sectors and now account for 65.6 percent of the country's professional and technical strength, said Cuba's report for the U.N. Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Women are concentrated mostly in education (72 percent), health (69.8) and in Cuba's system of science, innovations and technology (53.3).

Alfredo Guevara, director of the International New Latin American Film Festival of Havana, passed away last week in Havana of a heart attack, according to local media reports.

Friday 12 April – London Electric Brixton/ Saturday 13 April – Manchester

On this date in 1988, NG La Banda was officially formed and thus we consider it to be the official birthday of Timba. We want to take this opportunity to thank José Luis Cortés for his contribution to the evolution of Cuban music! Gracias Maestro! Y que sigas 25 años más! Here is a potpourri of the album "En la calle" from the very early days of timba…