The United States and Cuba took another progressive leap toward normalizing relations on Tuesday by signing an agreement to restore regular air service between the two countries for the first time in five decades.
The White House announced Tuesday it would be lifting sanctions on Cuba, easing restrictions on financing American exports to the island nation in addition to other changes.
As the federal government has begun thawing its once-deeply frozen relationship with Cuba, opportunities for business and trade have arisen. Yet another door opened last weekend, as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officially dropped its telecom ban on Cuba.
The Mexican government announced on Jan. 13 it intends to grant 20-day transit visas to 180 Cubans migrants selected from a pool of 8,000 individuals stranded in Costa Rica since November.
President Barack Obama delivered his final State of the Union address on Tuesday night, and spoke on several topics ranging from immigration, the economy and foreign policy.
Sprint announced this week that it has signed an agreement to introduce wireless roaming in Cuba. As the hermetic island nation continues to open itself to U.S. trade and commerce, Sprint's deal with Cuba's state-run telecommunications company marks a historic first, as well as a smart move by Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure.
Pope Francis' six-day trip in the U.S. starts on Tuesday, and he will spend a week talking about issues affecting the Latino community. The Argentinian-born Pope will address a joint session of Congress on Thursday, where he is expected to speak about topics that even the federal legislative body has had trouble solving.
Cuba and the United States have started restoring relations. In the wake of this, travel opportunities to the island of Cuba are expected to become a reality for numerous individuals looking to travel between the two nations. However, despite political progress and mended diplomatic relations, the U.S. embargo remains in place, which affects Cuba's tourism industry, according to a Florida International University study.
In Cuba, United States marines raised the U.S. embassy's flag for the first time since 1961, in a small ceremony that has been criticized by politicians in mainland U.S.
Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco, who has publicized he's "made in Cuba, assembled in Spain, imported to the USA," announced via Facebook on Wednesday that he will read a new poem at the re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Friday.
Ahead of Secretary of State John Kerry's trip to Cuba this Friday, the Obama administration will not invite Cuba dissidents to the U.S. embassy flag-raising ceremony. According to reports, Kerry will "more quietly" meet with "prominent activists" later on Aug. 14. Sen. Marco Rubio, however, is furious with the administration's decision.
The U.S. and Cuba have formally re-established diplomatic relations on Monday morning with the reopening of respective embassies. Small ceremonies in Washington, D.C. and Havana marked the reopening of the Cuban and U.S. embassies, respectively. In the U.S. State Department, the Cuban flag was raised in a quiet non-ceremony with other flags recognized by the U.S.
