Something of cuban culture in pictures

Something of south korean culture in pictures

La Tierra se seca

Casi la mitad de los seres humanos padece la escasez de agua, y el calentamiento global agravará el problema. Modelos climáticos y sistemas de alerta temprana intentan prevenir el desastre natural más destructivo: las sequías.
Francisco Jódar 
www.muyinteresante.es

La amenaza es muy real: según los especialistas en desertificación de las Naciones Unidas, dentro de solo quince años, la escasez de agua en lugares áridos y semiáridos podría desplazar a unos setecientos millones de personas en el planeta, cifra que multiplicaría por 175 el número de refugiados que ha dejado hasta el momento la actual guerra de Siria. Por su parte, el Panel Intergubernamental sobre el Cambio Climático de la ONU (IPCC, por sus siglas en inglés) alerta de un mayor riesgo de sequías, inundaciones e incendios forestales en Europa, debido a los efectos del cambio climático.

La falta de agua afecta ya a un 40 % de la población mundial, una cifra que podría superar el 60 % en 2050. En silencio, sin acaparar grandes titulares, las sequías se van extendiendo por más territorios, dejando a su paso aridez y hambrunas. Por su impacto socioeconómico a medio y largo plazo, son el desastre natural más dañino del planeta: han generado unas pérdidas directas de más de 70.000 millones de euros en el siglo XX, y más de dos millones de muertos entre 1960 y 2014, según datos de la Universidad Católica de Lovaina, en Bélgica.

El calentamiento global se ha convertido en el mejor aliado de este fenómeno, que se incrementará en el futuro. Sin ir más lejos, en España, especialmente en la mitad sur y Levante, las precipitaciones podrían reducirse un 30 % a finales de siglo, y las temperaturas subir de media hasta 4 ºC en invierno y 6 ºC en verano. “Es probable que el calentamiento afecte a la frecuencia de las sequías en las regiones mediterráneas.

Sobre todo, aumentarán las de corta duración”, avanza Gerardo Benito. Este investigador del CSIC participó junto a más de ochocientos científicos en la redacción del último informe del IPCC. El texto recuerda que somos los responsables directos de estas transformaciones perjudiciales, puesto que las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y otros efectos generados por la actividad humana han acelerado el aumento de temperaturas.

“España está preparada para afrontar sequías climáticas de corta duración como las apuntadas por el IPCC –dice Benito–, pero las sequías hidrológicas y agrícolas se pueden agravar por el aumento de la demanda hídrica de los sectores turísticos y agrícolas, focalizados en zonas mediterráneas deficitarias de agua”.

Astrónomos detectan el objeto más distante del sistema solar

Han pasado 10 años desde el anterior récord.
Sarah Romero 

En 2005 fue descubierto el planeta enano Eris a una distancia de 97 Unidades Astronómicas (cada UA equivale aproximadamente a la distancia media entre la Tierra y el Sol). Hasta el momento, este era el objeto más distante del sistema solar. Ahora, 10 años después, un nuevo planeta ha usurpado el primer puesto: su nombre es V774104 y se encuentra tres veces más lejos que Plutón, a 103 unidades astronómicas de distancia.

V774104 es un planeta enano, con entre 500-800 kilómetros de diámetro y cuya órbita aún no ha podido ser precisada. Se encuentra a 103 unidades astronómicas, más allá del borde del cinturón de Kuiper, lo que lo han convertido en el objeto más lejano de nuestro sistema solar.

“No podemos explicar las órbitas de estos objetos por lo que sabemos sobre el sistema solar”, explica Scott Sheppard, astrónomo del Instituto Carnegie para la Ciencia en Washington DC, (EE.UU.) y líder del estudio.

Su descubrimiento ha sido posible gracias al telescopio japonés Subaru de 8,2 metros de diámetro y localizado en el Observatorio Mauna Kea en Hawaii. Este telescopio proporciona un amplio campo de visión, ideal para hallar objetos extraños.

Una vez determinada su órbita podremos ubicarlo dentro de los mundos helados como Neptuno si su órbita se acerca al Sol o dentro de mundos más extraños como Sedna o 2012 VP113, localizados más allá del borde conocido del Sistema Solar.

El hallazgo ha sido presentado en la reunión anual de la American Astronomical Society.
www.muyinteresante.es

La gravedad de Marte destruirá su luna Fobos

Los expertos en ciencias planetarias de la NASA creen que el satélite desaparecerá antes de 50 millones de años.
Abraham Alonso

Los característicos surcos que recorren la superficie de Fobos, uno de los satélites de Marte, constituyen una muestra del fallo estructural masivo que provocará en el futuro la destrucción de esta luna. De hecho, el proceso de ruptura de este irregular objeto, que se encuentra a solo 6.000 kilómetros de la superficie del planeta rojo, podría haber comenzado ya. Así lo cree, al menos, un equipo de investigadores de la NASA y la Universidad Estatal de Arizona, en Tempe, que han presentado las conclusiones de un estudio sobre este asunto durante la última reunión de la División de Ciencias Planetarias de la Sociedad Astronómica Estadounidense, celebrada recientemente en Maryland.

Según estos científicos, el tirón gravitacional de Marte no solo está aproximando Fobos al planeta rojo a un ritmo de unos dos metros cada siglo, sino que terminará por fragmentarlo antes de 50 millones de años. Hasta ahora se pensaba que las estrías que salpican esta luna se debían al impacto que formó el cráter Stickney, de 9 kilómetros de diámetro, una gran colisión que arrancó una buena porción de Fobos y que, según algunas hipótesis, estuvo a punto de destruir el satélite.
www.muyinteresante.es

Cuba's Largest Business Fair Opens with Record-High Attendance

www.teleSURtv.net/english

Cuba's first international trade fair — which opened Monday — since renewed relations with the U.S. will be the biggest in a decade, with 10 more countries participating than last year.

Known as FIHAV, the fair is one of the most important business events in the Caribbean. It aims to increase exports and encourage investment within the country.

The week-long affair opened with the Labiofam Cuba Business Group, compromised of companies across the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as a committee promoting Cuba-Russia business relations, including growing commercial ties in energy, steel and medicine.

Though the most-represented country was Spain, followed by several Latin American countries, all eyes were on the U.S. participants. It was the first time in the fair's 33-year history the U.S. had participated in. However, turnout was not as high as U.S. entrepreneurs had hoped due to difficulties booking flights and reserving hotel rooms.

"Americans who are used to coming into a country and moving things very quickly, they are being fairly assertive and aggressive and finding that doesn't work well," Scott Gilbert, advisor to companies on the Cuban system, told USA Today.

Out of about 900 companies, a third are Cuba-based and a few dozen are U.S.-based. While some are multinationals, like Caterpillar and Cargill, others are small and considering opening offices in Cuba to employ Cubans.

Former congressperson Jim Moran pointed out to USA Today that U.S. businesspeople looking to pounce on new markets should not assume Cubans are desperate to work for U.S. companies.

"They don't want to just be a satellite economy of the United States," he said. "They're very much aware of the inequalities here, how a small fraction of our population owns most of our wealth and earns most of our income. They're frustrated with communism ... but they want everybody to count, and they don't want the marginalization of large portions of their society.”

RELATED: Analysis – UN Vote Worth Watching: Will the US Support a UN Motion Against the Cuban Blockade? 

The U.S.-Cuba Business Council, inaugurated in September to remove commercial barriers across the Gulf of Mexico, will hold its first board meeting this week. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched the body to, among other things, "urge the Cuban government to continue to make policy changes to lessen government control or ownership of Cuban businesses," according to its website.

After several meetings with Cuban President Raul Castro, the chamber's vice president of the Americas Jodi Bond told USA Today that the island country has a good number of reforms to pass before it meets U.S. regulatory standards in foreign investment.

Last week, the United Nations voted overwhelmingly against the U.S. embargo of Cuba, which can only be repealed by Congress. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez estimated that his country has lost US$833.7 billion due to the blockade, and both Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama are in support of lifting it entirely. 

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: 
 "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Cubas-Largest-Business-Fair-Opens-with-Record-High-Attendance-20151102-0028.html". If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english

Though U.S. firms have relatively low representation,

 their appearance marks the first in the fair’s 33-year 

history.

Cuba's first international trade fair — which opened 

Monday — since renewed relations with the U.S. will 

be the biggest in a decade, with 10 more countries 

participating than last year.

Known as FIHAV, the fair is one of the most important 

business events in the Caribbean. It aims to increase

 exports and encourage investment within the country.

The week-long affair opened with the Labiofam Cuba Business Group, compromised of companies across the 

biopharmaceutical industry, as well as a committee promoting Cuba-Russia business relations, including growing

 commercial ties in energy, steel and medicine.

Though the most-represented country was Spain, followed by several Latin American countries, all eyes were on

 the U.S. participants. It was the first time in the fair's 33-year history the U.S. had participated in. However,

 turnout was not as high as U.S. entrepreneurs had hoped due to difficulties booking flights and reserving hotel 

rooms. 

"Americans who are used to coming into a country and moving things very quickly, they are being fairly assertive

 and aggressive and finding that doesn't work well," Scott Gilbert, advisor to companies on the Cuban system,

 told USA Today.

Out of about 900 companies, a third are Cuba-based and a few dozen are U.S.-based. While some are

 multinationals, like Caterpillar and Cargill, others are small and considering opening offices in Cuba to employ

 Cubans.

Former congressperson Jim Moran pointed out to USA Today that U.S. businesspeople looking to pounce on

 new markets should not assume Cubans are desperate to work for U.S. companies.

"They don't want to just be a satellite economy of the United States," he said. "They're very much aware of the

 inequalities here, how a small fraction of our population owns most of our wealth and earns most of our income. 

They're frustrated with communism ... but they want everybody to count, and they don't want the marginalization 

of large portions of their society.”

RELATED: Analysis – UN Vote Worth Watching: Will the US Support a UN Motion Against the Cuban

 Blockade?      

The U.S.-Cuba Business Council, inaugurated in September to remove commercial barriers across the Gulf 

of Mexico, will hold its first board meeting this week. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched the body to,

 among other things, "urge the Cuban government to continue to make policy changes to lessen government 

control or ownership of Cuban businesses," according to its website.

After several meetings with Cuban President Raul Castro, the chamber's vice president of the Americas Jodi

 Bond told USA Today that the island country has a good number of reforms to pass before it meets U.S. 

regulatory standards in foreign investment.

Last week, the United Nations voted overwhelmingly against the U.S. embargo of Cuba, which can only be 

repealed by Congress. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez estimated that his country has lost US$833.

7 billion due to the blockade, and both Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama are in support of lifting it entirely. 

Cuba's first international trade fair — which opened Monday — since renewed relations with the U.S. will be the biggest in a decade, with 10 more countries participating than last year.

Known as FIHAV, the fair is one of the most important business events in the Caribbean. It aims to increase exports and encourage investment within the country. 

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: 
 "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Cubas-Largest-Business-Fair-Opens-with-Record-High-Attendance-20151102-0028.html". If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english

Though U.S. firms have relatively low representation, their appearance marks the first in the fair’s 33-year history.

Cuba's first international trade fair — which opened Monday — since renewed relations with the U.S. will be the biggest in a decade, with 10 more countries participating than last year.

Known as FIHAV, the fair is one of the most important business events in the Caribbean. It aims to increase exports and encourage investment within the country.

The week-long affair opened with the Labiofam Cuba Business Group, compromised of companies across the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as a committee promoting Cuba-Russia business relations, including growing commercial ties in energy, steel and medicine.

Though the most-represented country was Spain, followed by several Latin American countries, all eyes were on the U.S. participants. It was the first time in the fair's 33-year history the U.S. had participated in. However, turnout was not as high as U.S. entrepreneurs had hoped due to difficulties booking flights and reserving hotel rooms.

"Americans who are used to coming into a country and moving things very quickly, they are being fairly assertive and aggressive and finding that doesn't work well," Scott Gilbert, advisor to companies on the Cuban system, told USA Today.

Out of about 900 companies, a third are Cuba-based and a few dozen are U.S.-based. While some are multinationals, like Caterpillar and Cargill, others are small and considering opening offices in Cuba to employ Cubans.

Former congressperson Jim Moran pointed out to USA Today that U.S. businesspeople looking to pounce on new markets should not assume Cubans are desperate to work for U.S. companies.

"They don't want to just be a satellite economy of the United States," he said. "They're very much aware of the inequalities here, how a small fraction of our population owns most of our wealth and earns most of our income. They're frustrated with communism ... but they want everybody to count, and they don't want the marginalization of large portions of their society.”

RELATED: Analysis – UN Vote Worth Watching: Will the US Support a UN Motion Against the Cuban Blockade? 

The U.S.-Cuba Business Council, inaugurated in September to remove commercial barriers across the Gulf of Mexico, will hold its first board meeting this week. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched the body to, among other things, "urge the Cuban government to continue to make policy changes to lessen government control or ownership of Cuban businesses," according to its website.

After several meetings with Cuban President Raul Castro, the chamber's vice president of the Americas Jodi Bond told USA Today that the island country has a good number of reforms to pass before it meets U.S. regulatory standards in foreign investment.

Last week, the United Nations voted overwhelmingly against the U.S. embargo of Cuba, which can only be repealed by Congress. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez estimated that his country has lost US$833.7 billion due to the blockade, and both Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama are in support of lifting it entirely. 

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: 
 "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Cubas-Largest-Business-Fair-Opens-with-Record-High-Attendance-20151102-0028.html". If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english

Though U.S. firms have relatively low representation, their appearance marks the first in the fair’s 33-year history.

Cuba's first international trade fair — which opened Monday — since renewed relations with the U.S. will be the biggest in a decade, with 10 more countries participating than last year.

Known as FIHAV, the fair is one of the most important business events in the Caribbean. It aims to increase exports and encourage investment within the country.

The week-long affair opened with the Labiofam Cuba Business Group, compromised of companies across the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as a committee promoting Cuba-Russia business relations, including growing commercial ties in energy, steel and medicine.

Though the most-represented country was Spain, followed by several Latin American countries, all eyes were on the U.S. participants. It was the first time in the fair's 33-year history the U.S. had participated in. However, turnout was not as high as U.S. entrepreneurs had hoped due to difficulties booking flights and reserving hotel rooms.

"Americans who are used to coming into a country and moving things very quickly, they are being fairly assertive and aggressive and finding that doesn't work well," Scott Gilbert, advisor to companies on the Cuban system, told USA Today.

Out of about 900 companies, a third are Cuba-based and a few dozen are U.S.-based. While some are multinationals, like Caterpillar and Cargill, others are small and considering opening offices in Cuba to employ Cubans.

Former congressperson Jim Moran pointed out to USA Today that U.S. businesspeople looking to pounce on new markets should not assume Cubans are desperate to work for U.S. companies.

"They don't want to just be a satellite economy of the United States," he said. "They're very much aware of the inequalities here, how a small fraction of our population owns most of our wealth and earns most of our income. They're frustrated with communism ... but they want everybody to count, and they don't want the marginalization of large portions of their society.”

RELATED: Analysis – UN Vote Worth Watching: Will the US Support a UN Motion Against the Cuban Blockade? 

The U.S.-Cuba Business Council, inaugurated in September to remove commercial barriers across the Gulf of Mexico, will hold its first board meeting this week. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched the body to, among other things, "urge the Cuban government to continue to make policy changes to lessen government control or ownership of Cuban businesses," according to its website.

After several meetings with Cuban President Raul Castro, the chamber's vice president of the Americas Jodi Bond told USA Today that the island country has a good number of reforms to pass before it meets U.S. regulatory standards in foreign investment.

Last week, the United Nations voted overwhelmingly against the U.S. embargo of Cuba, which can only be repealed by Congress. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez estimated that his country has lost US$833.7 billion due to the blockade, and both Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama are in support of lifting it entirely. 

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: 
 "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Cubas-Largest-Business-Fair-Opens-with-Record-High-Attendance-20151102-0028.html". If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english

Though U.S. firms have relatively low representation, their appearance marks the first in the fair’s 33-year history.

Cuba's first international trade fair — which opened Monday — since renewed relations with the U.S. will be the biggest in a decade, with 10 more countries participating than last year.

Known as FIHAV, the fair is one of the most important business events in the Caribbean. It aims to increase exports and encourage investment within the country.

The week-long affair opened with the Labiofam Cuba Business Group, compromised of companies across the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as a committee promoting Cuba-Russia business relations, including growing commercial ties in energy, steel and medicine.

Though the most-represented country was Spain, followed by several Latin American countries, all eyes were on the U.S. participants. It was the first time in the fair's 33-year history the U.S. had participated in. However, turnout was not as high as U.S. entrepreneurs had hoped due to difficulties booking flights and reserving hotel rooms.

"Americans who are used to coming into a country and moving things very quickly, they are being fairly assertive and aggressive and finding that doesn't work well," Scott Gilbert, advisor to companies on the Cuban system, told USA Today.

Out of about 900 companies, a third are Cuba-based and a few dozen are U.S.-based. While some are multinationals, like Caterpillar and Cargill, others are small and considering opening offices in Cuba to employ Cubans.

Former congressperson Jim Moran pointed out to USA Today that U.S. businesspeople looking to pounce on new markets should not assume Cubans are desperate to work for U.S. companies.

"They don't want to just be a satellite economy of the United States," he said. "They're very much aware of the inequalities here, how a small fraction of our population owns most of our wealth and earns most of our income. They're frustrated with communism ... but they want everybody to count, and they don't want the marginalization of large portions of their society.”

RELATED: Analysis – UN Vote Worth Watching: Will the US Support a UN Motion Against the Cuban Blockade? 

The U.S.-Cuba Business Council, inaugurated in September to remove commercial barriers across the Gulf of Mexico, will hold its first board meeting this week. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched the body to, among other things, "urge the Cuban government to continue to make policy changes to lessen government control or ownership of Cuban businesses," according to its website.

After several meetings with Cuban President Raul Castro, the chamber's vice president of the Americas Jodi Bond told USA Today that the island country has a good number of reforms to pass before it meets U.S. regulatory standards in foreign investment.

Last week, the United Nations voted overwhelmingly against the U.S. embargo of Cuba, which can only be repealed by Congress. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez estimated that his country has lost US$833.7 billion due to the blockade, and both Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama are in support of lifting it entirely. 

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: 
 "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Cubas-Largest-Business-Fair-Opens-with-Record-High-Attendance-20151102-0028.html". If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english