By Raquel Sierra
Out of faith or curiosity, many Cubans await the so-called Letter of the Year, which contains the predictions made by Afro-Cuban religion leaders for the next 12 months. The “babalawos” or Yoruba bishops wrote the Letter, including signs, prophecies, ruling and accompanying orishas, flags, ebbó (witchcraft), proverbs, recommendations, works and pieces of advice. Made public at a liturgy held on December 31, the Letter warns about bad weather conditions in 2008. According to the Letter’s Organizing Committee members, Ifá (Supreme Being) predictions indicate that 2008 will be ruled by Oggún, a god representing war and warriors. Christians associate it with Saint Peter. Yemayá, the goddess of water, mother of Yoruba religion and Virgin of Regla to Christians, will also be ruling this year.

By Sara Más
What transsexuals, bisexuals, homosexuals and transvestites in Cuba and elsewhere really need is acceptance. To them, this is more important than any opportunity to express themselves freely or receive healthcare and guidance services. Such an opinion was shared by many participants in the 4th Cuban Congress on Sex Education, Guidance and Therapy, which was held earlier this month in Havana. While some progress has been made along these lines, there is still a long way to go, especially in societies where male-chauvinistic attitudes are deeply rooted, they stressed. "We have fought discrimination against non-heterosexual individuals, but the truth of the matter is that there is marginalization behind certain feelings of ´compassion, complacency and tolerance´" said Omar Parada, local coordinator of the MSM Project in Granma province, 700 kilometers east of Havana. MSM stands for Men Having Sex with Men. Speaking at a session on free sexual orientation and gender identity, he emphasized how difficult it has been to reach bisexuals. The project seeks to promote HIV/AIDS prevention in this population group.