U.S. to Loosen Cuba Restrictions

Analysis: United States-Cuba relations begin the long thaw CNN — "It's time to talk to Cuba." That frank assessment from Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, has resonated loud and clear from the island of Cuba -- 90 miles from the southernmost point of Florida -- to the halls of Congress. For the first time in nearly 50 years, relations between the two nations, which have a history steeped in tension, have seemed to ease a bit. click to read complete article

Fidel Castro says Obama different from Bush Xinhua — Cuban former leader Fidel Castro said U.S. President Barack Obama does not resemble his "odious" predecessor George W. Bush, local press said on Thursday. Castro said in his column "Reflections" that Obama has an agile mind. Last week Castro said that Bush was a "liar, cynic," and "war-loving and odious." click to read complete article

In Cuba, Change Means More of the Same, With Control at the Top NY Times — When President Raúl Castro of Cuba began one of the biggest government shakeups in decades early last month, he explained the move simply as an attempt to streamline the government. But the firing of a half-dozen top functionaries — including the surprising firing of two internationally prominent ministers — showed that under Mr. Castro, politics and decision-making are likely to remain as centralized and tightly controlled as they were under his brother, Fidel. click to read complete article