US President Barack Obama has announced an easing of the restrictions on the movement of people and money between the United States and Cuba.
A spokesperson for the White House said restrictions would be lifted on family visits by Cuban-Americans and on the amount of money they can send to the island.
President Obama has also directed officials to look at the possibility of starting regularly scheduled commercial flights between the two countries.
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro called for an end to the US embargo and stressed Cuba was not asking for charity,.
