Cuban baseball star repatriated

The United States has repatriated a Cuban baseball star who was among forty-two immigrants intercepted during an illegal attempt to reach Florida by boat.

Cuban television confirmed the player, Andy Morales, was part of a group of people returned on Wednesday by the US coastguard after they were denied political asylum.

Cuban exile groups said Mr Morales would now face reprisals.

But state-run television in Havana said he would return to his home as normal.

Morales played against the US side, the Baltimore Orioles, in a goodwill game last year intended to improve bilateral relations. Correspondents say about thirty-five Cuban baseball players have defected in the past ten years, most going on to sign multi-million dollar contracts with professional US league sides.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service