Cuba expands foreign companies’ access to wholesale market

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Havana, Oct 3 (IANS) The Cuban government has expanded foreign companies’ access to its wholesale market and allowed their local commercial offices to hire workers directly, outlining new rules aimed at boosting foreign investment and trade.

The rules, published on Friday (local time) in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba, are part of government reforms intended to increase supplies of materials and other inputs for domestic production.

Under the new provisions, branches of foreign companies established in Cuba can import and export goods and distribute them wholesale within the country.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Deborah Rivas said the changes would give foreign suppliers more direct access to the Cuban market and reduce the number of intermediaries.

“One of the main effects this measure could have is the elimination of intermediaries in the distribution chain,” Rivas told a news conference, adding that fewer intermediaries should lead to lower prices.

Previously, foreign companies supplied goods while Cuban importers handled customs clearance, transportation and distribution, she said. The new rules allow foreign suppliers to handle wholesale distribution themselves.

The hiring changes build on Decree-Law 128, published in September, which amended Foreign Investment Law 118 to allow businesses with foreign capital to choose whether to hire workers directly or through employment agencies, reports Xinhua news agency.

Rivas said the latest provisions extend that option to foreign commercial representative offices, which operate under separate regulations.

Cuban legal entities can also apply directly for authorisation to import and export, without going through intermediaries, using the Foreign Trade Single Window, an online platform accessible nationwide.

A separate Foreign Investment Single Window remains available and has received inquiries from prospective investors in several countries, Rivas said.

Cubans living abroad can also participate in foreign investment projects and contribute capital from inside or outside Cuba on equal terms with other economic actors, she added.

The measures build on initiatives announced by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment since November 2025 to stimulate the sector and support Cuba’s economic recovery.

“Cuba is an open door to the world when it comes to foreign investment,” Rivas said.

–IANS

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Haveri violence: K’taka BJP chief meets victims, says Hindus finding it difficult to celebrate festivals

Haveri/Bengaluru, June 30 (IANS) Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday alleged that there was a “conspiracy” to disturb communal harmony and intimidate Hindus following the violence during the Kara Hunnime celebrations at Naregal village in Haveri district, and demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the attack. He further stated that Hindus are finding it difficult to celebrate festivals.

A quarrel that started over the bursting of crackers during a bull procession organised as part of Kara Hunnime on Monday escalated and led to a group clash, resulting in injuries to six people at Naregal village of Hangal taluk in Haveri district.

Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra visited the incident site at Naregal village on Tuesday. He gathered information about the clash and later visited the Haveri District Hospital to enquire about the health of those injured in the incident.

He met the villagers and family members of the injured persons and assured them that the party would stand with them.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Vijayendra alleged that a group of people attacked members of the Kuruba community during the traditional Kara Hunnime celebrations on Monday.

According to him, the incident occurred when farmers were participating in the customary bull-running event, and firecrackers were set off as part of the celebrations.

“Merely because firecrackers were burst to drive the bulls during the Kara Hunnime festival, Lohith Kurubar, Shivaraj, Jayappa, Nagappa, Mallappa, Ningaraj Kurubar and others belonging to the Kuruba community were brutally attacked. This is not the first such incident. There is a conspiracy to disturb the atmosphere in Naregal and intimidate Hindus,” Vijayendra alleged.

The BJP state president accused the police of acting at the behest of the ruling Congress government.

“The police are functioning like puppets of the ruling party. Police stations have become Congress offices. Hindus are finding it difficult to celebrate festivals such as Deepavali and Ganesh Chaturthi peacefully. If people are not even allowed to burst firecrackers as part of a traditional festival, one begins to wonder whether we are living in India or Pakistan,” he alleged.

Vijayendra criticised the government for failing to arrest the accused even 24 hours after the incident.

“The Chief Minister says that rowdies should be put behind bars. But even after 24 hours, those who allegedly severed the hands of young men from poor Kuruba families have not been arrested. Instead, attempts are being made to intimidate Hindus by registering counter-cases against them,” he claimed.

The BJP leader further alleged that the police in Haveri district were misusing their powers to target Hindu activists.

“Bajrang Dal workers, cow protection activists and their family members are being threatened through unnecessary police cases. The government is using the police machinery to suppress Hindus even after they have been subjected to brutal attacks,” he alleged.

He also criticised the local Congress MLA for allegedly failing to visit the victims after the incident. Warning of public unrest if immediate action was not taken, Vijayendra said the government must arrest those responsible without delay.

“If the attackers are not arrested immediately, there is a danger that people will be forced to take to the streets. If such a situation arises, the police administration and the local ruling party MLA will be responsible,” he said.

Vijayendra claimed that attacks on Hindus had occurred repeatedly in Naregal and urged Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge to personally intervene and resolve the issue.

“If counter-cases are filed against Hindus, people will be left with no option but to protest and lay siege to the police station,” he warned.

Responding to another question, Vijayendra alleged that the police station had effectively become an extension of the Congress party. He also criticised the local legislator, saying elected representatives owed a responsibility to protect all sections of society.

“MLAs are elected not only with the votes of Muslims but also with the support of Hindus. It is their duty to ensure everyone’s safety. If they fail to do so, they will face the consequences in the next election,” he said.

–IANS

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Bengal: CBI again fails to collect voice samples of prime accuse in school job case

Kolkata, Feb 5 (IANS) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Wednesday, once again failed for the third time to collect the voice samples of Sujay Krishna Bhadra, a prime accused in the multi-crore cash-for-school job case in West Bengal as he (Bhadra) failed to turn up at a special court in Kolkata on medical grounds.

On January 21, the central agency officials failed to collect the voice samples of Bhadra as did not appear at the court. Thereafter, the next date was fixed on January 28.

However, the CBI failed to collect the voice samples on that date as well because of his absence from the court. Thereafter, February 5 was fixed as the third date. However, the CBI again failed to collect it.

On Wednesday, Bhadra’s counsel informed the court that since his client has a high fever and is currently under medication at the jail hospital, he could not appear in court.

Although recently being granted bail in the school job case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED, which is conducting a parallel probe in the matter, Bhadra was unable to come out as he was arrested by CBI in the same case.

Earlier, ED too collected the voice samples of Bhadra. The trial process in the ED-registered case at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act ((PMLA) in Kolkata has already started this month.

There are a total of 53 accused, 29 individuals and 24 corporate entities or trusts, as mentioned in the subsequent chargesheets filed by ED in the matter.

–IANS

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Operation Sindoor: PM Modi to address nation at 8 p.m.

New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8 p.m. on Monday, said an official source, hinting at ‘Operation Sindoor’ being the likely focus of his speech.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting with top government functionaries, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and NSA Ajit Doval.

India also reiterated that ‘Operation Sindoor’ was a targeted response against terrorism and its support infrastructure, lamenting that Pakistan chose to stand with terrorists rather than remain neutral, prompting a necessary military retaliation.

“We have also reiterated that our fight was against terrorism and their support infrastructure and not with the Pakistan military. However, it is a pity that the Pakistani military chose to intervene and that, too, for terrorists, which compelled us to respond,” said Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, Director General Air Operations, during a joint DGMO Press briefing.

He clarified that India’s strikes on May 7 targeted only terrorist hideouts, but Pakistan’s direct military support to the terrorists turned the situation into an unavoidable confrontation.

Earlier, the meeting that took place at the Prime Minister’s residence in the national Capital was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and all three service chiefs – General Upendra Dwivedi, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka, and Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Ravi Sinha were also in the meeting.

The high-level meeting came two days after India and Pakistan arrived at an understanding for a ceasefire. The ceasefire was sought by Pakistan after facing massive airstrikes by the Indian Air Force that destroyed 11 of its airbases.

On Sunday, PM Modi gave clear directions to the Armed Forces to respond to cross-border firing and shelling with full force during a similar high-level meeting.

The tensions rose after Pakistan-supported terrorists killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. India avenged the deaths by carrying out airstrikes on nine terror bases in Pakistan on May 7, in which more than 100 terrorists were killed.

In retaliation, the Pakistani Army launched drones and missiles at western parts of India, which were successfully intercepted by the Indian armed forces. Following the drone raid, the IAF carried out a massive 90-minute operation in which 11 airbases were struck. Most of these airbases are vital for Pakistan.

A rattled Pakistan then sought de-escalation. On the advice of the US, India reached an understanding with Pakistan on a ceasefire on Saturday afternoon. The understanding was to halt military actions with immediate effect, which came after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

Following the de-escalation, no adverse incident was reported during the Sunday-Monday night in Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the western border. The authorities have also decided to reopen 32 airports that were shut for civil flight operations following the tension.

–IANS

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