The U.S. will remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism as part of a prisoner release deal. Havana welcomed the move but criticised ongoing U.S. sanctions.
President Joe Biden is to remove the US designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism as part of a prisoner release deal.
"An assessment has been completed, and we do not have information that supports Cuba's designation as being a state sponsor of terrorism. The Government of Cuba has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future," the White House said on Tuesday.
Speaking about Biden’s policy towards Cuba, the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that “it focused on achieving practical results with respect to human rights in Cuba and reunify Cuban families, strengthen cultural and educational ties between Cuba and the United States, enable remittances to flow more freely to the Cuban people, and increase support for independent Cuban entrepreneurs.” Right after the statement from White House, Cuba announced its intention to release 553 prisoners detained for "diverse crimes".
The deal for the release of prisoners in Cuba was reached within “a dialogue between the government of Cuba and the Catholic Church.”
With this regard White House official said: “We have been informed by the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Francis that the Cuban government will soon begin releasing a substantial number of political prisoners.”
There is hope that the list will include participants in massive anti-government protests four years ago. Human Rights Watch reported more than 1,000 individuals in Cuba met the definition of political prisoners.
The island nation was placed on the list on Jan. 11, 2021, during the first Trump administration. The White House said at the time its aim was “denying the Castro regime the resources it uses to oppress its people at home and countering its malign interference in Venezuela and the rest of the Western Hemisphere.”
Cuba welcomed Washington's announcement Tuesday as a step in the "right direction," but lamented it was still under US sanctions in place since 1962.
Country’s foreign ministry said in press release: "Despite its limited scope, this is a decision that points to the right direction and is in line with the sustained and firm demand by the government and the people of Cuba."
"The decision announced today by the United States, rectifies, in a very limited way, some aspects of a cruel and unjust policy… The economic warfare is still in place and persists in posing a major obstacle to the development and recovery of the Cuban economy, with a high human cost for the population; and continues to be an incentive for emigration," it added.
Cuba has been one of just four nations designated as state sponsors of terrorism, along with North Korea, Iran and Syria. Designation implicates sanctions laws that penalize persons and countries engaging in certain trade with state sponsors in addition to the four main categories of sanctions including restrictions on US foreign assistance, a ban on defence exports and sales, certain controls over exports of dual use items, and miscellaneous financial and other restrictions.
Power is gradually being restored in parts of Havana after a nationwide blackout left millions without electricity. The outage, caused by a grid collapse on Friday evening, affected around 10 million people, with some areas seeing progress while large portions of Cuba remain in the dark.
Cuba’s power grid has collapsed, causing a nationwide blackout and internet disruptions.
Cuba has granted early release to 553 prisoners as part of a deal mediated by the Holy See during the final days of former U.S. President Joe Biden’s presidency.
Widespread blackouts lasting more than 20 hours a day are crippling Cuba, as fuel shortages and outdated infrastructure disrupt the country’s energy supply.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s inner circle is advising him against speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin unless Russia commits to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing administration officials.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, is visiting Washington this week for talks with members of the Trump administration, sparking fresh speculation over behind-the-scenes diplomacy between Moscow and Washington.
A Russian drone strike hit residential buildings in Kharkiv late on Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring 32 others, Ukrainian officials said, as nightly attacks on the country's cities continue to mount.
In Sydney’s Bennelong, where Chinese Australians make up a large share of the electorate, the fight for votes is playing out on unexpected turf: Xiaohongshu.
Leaders from Central Asia and the European Union will meet in Samarkand on April 4 for the first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit, aimed at deepening ties. Talks will focus on trade, investment, green energy, and security — marking a new era of cooperation.
Aid groups in Myanmar’s worst-hit areas urgently need shelter, food, and water after a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake killed over 2,700 people. Rescue efforts face challenges due to ongoing civil war, damaged infrastructure, and restricted aid access, with the toll expected to rise.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
The Armenian armed forces attempted three reconnaissance drone flights over Azerbaijan Army positions near Gerenzur, but all were successfully intercepted. Meanwhile, Armenian units repeatedly fired on Azerbaijani positions from multiple regions, escalating tensions in the area.
Apple marked its 49th anniversary by reaching a market capitalization of $3.3 trillion. Despite recent tech stock volatility, Apple's shares surged 28% in 2024.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s inner circle is advising him against speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin unless Russia commits to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing administration officials.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, is visiting Washington this week for talks with members of the Trump administration, sparking fresh speculation over behind-the-scenes diplomacy between Moscow and Washington.
A Russian drone strike hit residential buildings in Kharkiv late on Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring 32 others, Ukrainian officials said, as nightly attacks on the country's cities continue to mount.
In Sydney’s Bennelong, where Chinese Australians make up a large share of the electorate, the fight for votes is playing out on unexpected turf: Xiaohongshu.
The United States is relapsing into an old identity. In 2025, President Donald Trump revived the strategy that once defined the American economy — tariffs. For more than a century, from 1789 to 1913, tariffs powered U.S. government revenues and protected domestic industry.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s inner circle is advising him against speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin unless Russia commits to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing administration officials.
Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, is visiting Washington this week for talks with members of the Trump administration, sparking fresh speculation over behind-the-scenes diplomacy between Moscow and Washington.
A Russian drone strike hit residential buildings in Kharkiv late on Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring 32 others, Ukrainian officials said, as nightly attacks on the country's cities continue to mount.
In Sydney’s Bennelong, where Chinese Australians make up a large share of the electorate, the fight for votes is playing out on unexpected turf: Xiaohongshu.
Leaders from Central Asia and the European Union will meet in Samarkand on April 4 for the first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit, aimed at deepening ties. Talks will focus on trade, investment, green energy, and security — marking a new era of cooperation.
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