Emir of the state of Qatar, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, arrived yesterday, November 22, in Cuba, the first stop of a Latin American tour which includes visits to Mexico and Venezuela.

The airline Air France-KLM projects ending the year with a 15% increase in passenger transportation, consolidating its position as the principal carrier between Cuba and Europe, Africa and Asia, reported Antoine Cros, general manager for Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Bonnie Ponwith, director of the Fishery Sciences Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States expressed today his interest in that entity to collaborate with Cuban entities as the National Aquarium. The laboratory, located in Florida State, reached its 50th anniversary this year and leads regional projects for monitoring the Gulf of Mexico in which he expressed his interest for Cuba to join the efforts.

Cuba promotes participation of the Vietnamese bank in business with the island, as part of cooperation for 2015-2016 period, analyzed today during the 33rd session of the bilateral Inter-Governmental Commission.

With more than 400 delegates on hand, the 10th Ocean Sciences Congress, Marcuba 2015, opens today at Havana’s Convention Center, and will continue through the week. Participants include experts from Cuba, the United States, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Australia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Italy, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Britain.