Cuba calls National Defense Day on date of dissident protest

HAVANA, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Cuba announced Friday it would conduct annual military exercises on Nov. 18-19, leading up to a day of civilian defense preparedness on Nov. 20, the same date dissidents plan human rights protests around the country.

The Communist-run country was rocked by social unrest for two days in July, with the biggest anti-government protests in decades resulting in hundreds of arrests, one death, and calls for U.S. intervention by some Cuban-Americans.

A brief armed forces communique published in state-run media said the defense exercises, canceled last . . .