Cuba Celebrations

President Bush marked Cuba's independence day by calling on Fidel Castro to free political prisoners, hold fair elections and let a U.N. commission investigate allegations of human rights violations. In a challenge to Castro, Bush laid down requirements for improved relations with the United States.

President Fidel Castro helped Cuba celebrate the seventh birthday of Elian Gonzalez, the castaway whose custody battle made him the best-known boy in the world for seven months ending in June. Castro showed up for the festivities at the school in Cardenas where Elian is in second grade. "All of us must work to ensure that this boy is a symbol . . . for all the children in the world," he told the group of about 1,000. The party was broadcast live by state television and radio.

In a speech that hurled surprising barbs at the Soviet Union, Fidel Castro said Tuesday that the end of the civil war in Angola is in sight. The Cuban leader also rejected any suggestion that he mimic Soviet Communist chief's Mikhail S. Gorbachev's perestroika (restructuring) program. "We are now on the threshold of a political solution (in Angola)," Castro told a crowd of 100,000 celebrating the 35th anniversary of the start of the Cuban Revolution here.

Cuba's ruling Communists rang in the New Year on Friday with patriotic celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Fidel Castro's revolution and proclamations of his traditional rallying cry: "Socialism or death!" The 72-year-old Castro, one of the world's longest-serving rulers and defiant guardian of Cuba's "tropical" communism, marks exactly four decades of rule since his defeat of dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Cuba's ruling Communists rang in the New Year on Friday with patriotic celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Fidel Castro's revolution and proclamations of his traditional rallying cry: "Socialism or death!" The 72-year-old Castro, one of the world's longest-serving rulers and defiant guardian of Cuba's "tropical" communism, marks exactly four decades of rule since his defeat of dictator Fulgencio Batista.

It's beginning to look a little bit like Christmas in Communist Cuba, where President Fidel Castro has offered to make Dec. 25 an official holiday this year in honor of next month's visit by Pope John Paul II. The Roman Catholic committee overseeing preparations for the papal visit issued a statement Monday expressing "profound joy" at Castro's announcement. It also expressed hope that the holiday "will be made permanent in the near future."

On New Year's Day 30 years ago, wildly cheering Cubans danced in Havana's streets to celebrate the downfall of dictator Fulgencio Batista and the rise to power of brash, young Fidel Castro. On Sunday, President Castro and his compatriots observed what many had expected would be an equally joyous 30th anniversary.

Pope John Paul II has thanked Cuban leader Fidel Castro for allowing Christmas to be celebrated as an official holiday. "I want to express to you my deep appreciation for the decision to give back to Christmas its holiday character for all Cubans, conforming to tradition," the pope said in a telegram to Castro. He also wished Castro a happy holiday. The telegram was sent to Castro on Dec. 23 but only made public by the Vatican on Monday.

President Fidel Castro helped Cuba celebrate the seventh birthday of Elian Gonzalez, the castaway whose custody battle made him the best-known boy in the world for seven months ending in June. Castro showed up for the festivities at the school in Cardenas where Elian is in second grade. "All of us must work to ensure that this boy is a symbol . . . for all the children in the world," he told the group of about 1,000. The party was broadcast live by state television and radio.

Cubans celebrated Christmas as a public holiday for the first time in nearly three decades Thursday, with some attending church services, some making a special family meal and others just enjoying the day off. Cuban President Fidel Castro, seeking to improve ties with the Roman Catholic Church ahead of a visit in January by Pope John Paul II, announced earlier this month that there would be a Dec. 25 holiday this year as a special gesture to honor the pontiff.

Pope John Paul II has thanked Cuban leader Fidel Castro for allowing Christmas to be celebrated as an official holiday. "I want to express to you my deep appreciation for the decision to give back to Christmas its holiday character for all Cubans, conforming to tradition," the pope said in a telegram to Castro. He also wished Castro a happy holiday. The telegram was sent to Castro on Dec. 23 but only made public by the Vatican on Monday.

Cubans celebrated Christmas as a public holiday for the first time in nearly three decades Thursday, with some attending church services, some making a special family meal and others just enjoying the day off. Cuban President Fidel Castro, seeking to improve ties with the Roman Catholic Church ahead of a visit in January by Pope John Paul II, announced earlier this month that there would be a Dec. 25 holiday this year as a special gesture to honor the pontiff.

It's beginning to look a little bit like Christmas in Communist Cuba, where President Fidel Castro has offered to make Dec. 25 an official holiday this year in honor of next month's visit by Pope John Paul II. The Roman Catholic committee overseeing preparations for the papal visit issued a statement Monday expressing "profound joy" at Castro's announcement. It also expressed hope that the holiday "will be made permanent in the near future."

Many of the 35 people gathered at the Northridge craft store had never painted. Others were regulars at Kids N' Paint, where customers decorate ceramic gifts or have art-oriented parties for birthdays and other special occasions. But they all felt a connection to the menorahs they painted as gifts for 90 Jews in Santiago, Cuba--many of whom this year will celebrate Hanukkah for the first time. The observance begins at sundown Dec. 23.

Cubans on Monday plan a quiet 40th anniversary commemoration of the attack on the Moncada military barracks that signaled the start of the revolution that brought Communist rule to the island of 10 million people. The unsuccessful attack by a group of students led by Fidel Castro resulted in their arrest and imprisonment. But the revolution ultimately triumphed on New Year's Eve Day in 1959.

More than half a million Cubans joined a huge May Day march Friday to assert Cuba's identity as one of the last remaining orthodox Communist states in the world. Havana's colorful, carefully orchestrated rally, hailed by the authorities as a "plebiscite for socialism," was one of the biggest held by any nation on the celebrated workers' day. Smaller marches were held across the Caribbean island.

More than half a million Cubans joined a huge May Day march Friday to assert Cuba's identity as one of the last remaining orthodox Communist states in the world. Havana's colorful, carefully orchestrated rally, hailed by the authorities as a "plebiscite for socialism," was one of the biggest held by any nation on the celebrated workers' day. Smaller marches were held across the Caribbean island.

Cubans on Monday plan a quiet 40th anniversary commemoration of the attack on the Moncada military barracks that signaled the start of the revolution that brought Communist rule to the island of 10 million people. The unsuccessful attack by a group of students led by Fidel Castro resulted in their arrest and imprisonment. But the revolution ultimately triumphed on New Year's Eve Day in 1959.

President Bush marked Cuba's independence day by calling on Fidel Castro to free political prisoners, hold fair elections and let a U.N. commission investigate allegations of human rights violations. In a challenge to Castro, Bush laid down requirements for improved relations with the United States.

Several hundred thousand Cuban workers and their families staged a huge May Day parade in Havana on Wednesday, a rally billed by the island's Communist rulers as a "March of the Fighting People" in defense of socialism. President Fidel Castro, striding purposefully forward in his familiar olive-green fatigues and cap, led the river of flag-waving marchers before taking his place at the reviewing stand in the capital's central Revolution Square.