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Cuba says it has detained 10 Panamanians accused of creating ‘subversive’ propaganda

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government said Monday that authorities have detained 10 Panamanian citizens accused of fabricating subversive propaganda, in the latest international incident involving the Caribbean island.

The announcement comes just days after a fatal shooting involving a U.S. boat in Cuban waters.

Cuba’s Interior Ministry said that the Panamanians were paid to enter the island “with the purpose of making signs with subversive content, contrary to the constitutional order.”

The government said that according to initial statements from those detained, the Panamanians were ordered to leave Cuba “once the objective was achieved,” and that they would receive between $1,000 and $1,500 each upon their return.

The ministry said the detainees acknowledged their responsibility for the alleged activity and were arrested on Saturday in Havana. Officials did not provide further details, including the nature of the alleged propaganda.

Panama’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment Monday.

The arrests took place just days after the Cuban government said a boat filled with 10 heavily armed Cubans from the U.S. opened fire on troops in waters just north of the island. Soldiers responded, killing four of the suspects, officials said.

Cuba’s government accused those suspects of trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism, although the exact motive remains unclear.

Cuba has said it maintains an open line of communication with the U.S. over the shooting as investigations by both governments continue.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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