Cuban Journalists Support the Call for an International Anti-Fascist Front

Havana, April 14 (RHC)-- The Cuban Union of Journalists (UPEC) has issued a
statement in support of the call for an international anti-fascist front.
The call is being sent to journalists around the world, principally through
federations, associations and trade union organizations.

UPEC put its full support behind the appeal published by the Union of
Writers and Artists, issued over the weekend and appearing in this morning's
editions of Granma and Trabajadores newspapers.


Havana Hosts Cultural Gala Commemorating First Anniversary of Attempted Coup
in Venezuela

Havana, April 14 (RHC)-- A special cultural gala was held last night here in
the Cuban capital, commemorating the first anniversary of the attempted coup
in Venezuela. The ceremony, which was held at Havana's Karl Marx Theater,
was attended by Cuban President Fidel Castro, Venezuela's Ambassador to
Cuba, Julio Montes Prado and a congressional delegation from Mexico that is
visiting the island.

Brazilian and Venezuelan folklore were presented by young people who are
studying to become doctors at Havana's Latin American School of Medicine.
Musicians -- including internationally-renowned pianist Frank Fernández and
the National Symphony Orchestra -- performed special interpretations during
the ceremony.


Disarmament Experts UN Weapons Inspectors Wondering Out Loud if Iraq's
Alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction Exist at All, Reports The Independent

April 14 (RHC) - Disarmament experts and former and present United Nations
weapons inspectors are beginning to wonder out loud if Iraq's alleged
weapons of mass destruction exist at all, according to the British news
daily The Independent. In its Sunday edition, The Independent quoted Susan
Wright, a disarmament expert at the University of Michigan, who said "this
could be the first war in history that was justified by an illusion." In
reference to Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke's recent affirmation that
finding the weapons of mass destruction might go on for months and that it's
hard work, Wright said "nonsense" - adding that by now it's clear there
wasn't much because otherwise US forces would have run into something by
now.

Noting that US forces have inspected a substantial number of the 14,000
suspected chemical or biological weapons sites that US intelligence
officials had listed, the British news daily recalled that chief UN weapons
inspector Hans Blix now says he believes the war was planned on entirely
different criteria well before his inspection teams went back into Iraq in
December. The Independent asserted that disarmament experts don't give much
credence to the latest theory being touted in Washington that the Iraqis
have moved their weapons out of the country, very possibly into Syria,
noting that any suspicious convoy or mobile laboratory would almost
certainly be spotted by US planes or spy satellites and bombed long before
it could reach Syria.

Meanwhile, it's also believed that the public surrender Sunday of a senior
Iraqi scientists will backfire against the US and Britain. Amir al-Saadi,
who handed himself over to US forces, continued to proclaim that Iraq no
longer holds any chemical or biological weapons. Saddam Hussein's key
scientific adviser who presided over Iraq's chemical weapons program in the
past, said there was nothing to hide.

-Radio Habana Cuba